The Things I Love About You (Completed)

C h a p t e r S i x t e e n

A/N
In case you didn't see, I took out the fire part of the last chapter, so it ends on Mitch falling asleep. Sorry for the late update.

I wake up to the smell of coffee filling my nose and my lips immediately twist into a smile.

"Good morning, gorgeous." I hear as Scott runs his fingers through my hair.

"Morning." I mumble back, cracking my eyes open. Sunlight is streaming into the room, shining around Scott's outline in a way that makes me unable to see his face. "Why do I smell Starbucks?"

"Because I just went out and got it. We have the house to ourselves today, by the way, so I thought that this would be a good way to wake you up. I also got you something else. It's a surprise." I sit up and plant my feet on the floor before rising to my full height and wrapping my arms around Scott.

"Thank you. Momma needs her coffee in the morning." I go around him, focused on the two cups sitting on my desk, and grab one. "Why do we have the house to ourselves?" I take a short sip of the hot drink and shudder as I swallow.

"That's mine, thank you. That one is yours." Scott says, laughing as I hand him the cup in my hand and pick up the other one. "Toddy is spending the day out with Kevin again, Alex went to Jess's house and said he'll be gone the whole day whether they make up or not, and Jake is taking Travis to physical therapy, and then they're going to see a movie or something. Thus, we are alone."

"That means we can do whatever we want." I say, smiling a little after I take a long gulp of my coffee.

"What are we going to do?" I think for a second, sitting on the desk and letting my feet swing a little when they leave the ground.

"Oh, can we watch a movie in the basement?" I say with a gasp, suddenly excited at the idea. He smiles and comes to stand between my legs, one hand on each thigh.

"If you want." I pull him down to kiss him, but he turns his head and my lips hit his cheek instead. "I'm not kissing you until you brush your teeth." I roll my eyes jokingly.

"Fair enough."

"Did you know that I love you?" he says, cupping my cheek with one hand.

"Yeah, you've mentioned it once or twice. Now move so I can brush my teeth and kiss you already." He doesn't budge. "Scott."

"Oh, sorry." He steps out of the way and trails behind me as I make my way to the bathroom. While I brush my teeth, he wraps his arms around my waist and nuzzles his face into my neck. After I rinse out my mouth, he picks me up and carries me back to my room.

"Why are you acting extra romantic today?" I ask, clinging to his shoulders so I don't fall from his arms.

"Because I can. I love you."

"I love you, too. Now kiss me. It's been too long." He chuckles and pulls my mouth against his, and I notice an almost inaudible sigh flow from his lips. "Now, come on. I want to drink my coffee." I pull away and pick up my coffee, just holding it for a few seconds to let it warm my hands before taking a long, pleasing gulp. I lace my fingers with Scott's and we go down to the basement.

"So, what movie would you like to watch, my love?" he asks as we stand in front of the never ending racks of DVD and VHS cases.

"Does it have to be a holiday movie?" I ask, putting one hand on my hip.

"It's up to you. This was your idea." I take a deep breath and scan the shelves. My eyes land on one. I grab the case and hold it out questioningly toward Scott, whose lips are twisted up in a smile.

"How did I know you would pick that one?"

"Because you know me too well." I take the disc out and pop it into the machine before sitting down on Scott's lap and leaning back against his chest.

****

Not long into the movie, I can already feel suspense building in my stomach. One hand curls into the hem of my shirt while the other holds my cup an inch from my mouth, where it stopped when something exciting happened and I couldn't make myself move, seconds before I dive into Scott's chest. I feel his chuckle rumble through his chest before I hear it.

"How many times have you seen this movie?"

"The Grievers still freak me out." I say, my voice muffled by his chest.

"I thought you loved The Maze Runner."

"I do." I insist, peeking back at the TV before facing it full on again. "It just...freaks me out a little, that's all."

"Well, I'll always be here to calm you down." He presses his lips to the side of my neck and holds them there for a few seconds before wrapping his arms around my waist. "I love you." I smile and turn my head to see his eyes as I say, "I love you, too. More than anything in the whole world."

****

"Oh, shit." I say, blinking a couple times. Scott and I are walking hand in hand down the street we live on, on our way to CVS for something or other.

"What's wrong?"

"Shit, my contact just fell out." I tip my head back and blink a couple more times. "Shit."

"You don't have your glasses with you, do you?"

"No. Ow, fuck." I feel the small lens fall away completely and close my eyes. When I open them again, everything around me looks distorted from only having half of my vision and I immediately start to get a headache. "Hang on. Stop walking." I stand still and try to get the other contact out so that everything looks the same. "I can't see at all. I guess you have to lead me." I look up and try to make out Scott's facial features, but the only thing I can see is a blob of pale and blond and a little bit of blue mixed in somewhere. I hear a suppressed laugh and a small sigh.

"Mitchie, what would I ever do without you?"

"Whatever you did before we met. I really can't see anything."

"Get on my back." My face lights up.

"Seriously?"

"Mhm." I reach for his shoulders and find them before I am lifted off my feet, thighs secured by his hands as my arms go around his shoulders tightly. I start to whisper 'thank you's in his ear, adding an overbearing amount of sweetness to my voice before cracking up.

****

Once we get back home, I decide not to bother with my contacts again and put my glasses on, sighing in relief when my vision comes back into focus and my headache starts to go away.

"Hey, do you want to play Mario Kart?" Scott calls from the bottom of the stairs.

"Sure. I'll be down in a minute." I close my eyes for a few seconds, trying to will my now-pounding headache away, before racing down the stairs to join Scott.