Unsteady (Mavi AU)

6

Mitch spends the rest of the morning missing his phone.

He feels so naked and uncomfortable without it. His fingers itch to send a text, a tweet, anything. Separation from his online social circle makes him anxious. He knows he'll have to rectify that eventually, but for now he's grateful that he has a safe place to stay and a compassionate soul to look after him. No use troubling himself with the temporary loss of a luxury.

In the meantime, he figures he'll amuse himself with some detective work. It'll alleviate the boredom, plus, it won't hurt to find out a few more things about his handsome savior.

Mitch gets up from Avi's couch and wanders through the living room, lightly trailing his fingers along the furniture and walls as he explores. The living room is cozy and comfortable and decorated in a way that reminds him of a contemporary country cabin. It has a rustic and elegant feel to it. Very much like the man who lives here.

Paintings and pictures of land and sea-scapes adorn the walls. Many depict forests, mountains and lakes. Indicative of a man who holds an affinity for nature. It gives Mitch a sense of peace.

He stops at the fireplace and gazes quizzically at the item showcased, front and center on the mantle. It's a ceramic sculpture, about ten inches high, of a medieval style castle. Complete with its own menacing looking dragon curled around the tower. The quirky little knickknack looks so out-of-place compared to the rest of the room.

It's an eye catcher though.

Mitch's focus shifts to the photos that line both sides of the castle, displayed proudly. Avi obviously holds family in high regard. That's something Mitch can respect, even if he can't relate.

The first photo is an older couple. Mitch guesses that they're Avi's parents, given their likeness. Avi's father stares at his wife like nothing else in the world exists but her. She smiles the smile of a woman who knows her husband would do anything and everything for her. It's so painfully clear how much they love each other.

Mitch briefly wonders what it'd be like on the receiving end of such a love; to mean that much to someone.

He hopes he'll find out someday.

The thought makes him frown and he quickly moves on to the next picture.

He studies a picture of Avi with a goofy open-mouthed smile holding a thumbs up. He seems younger in this photo. His beard is shorter and his then neck length hair is covered with a black beanie. Mitch smiles. He's still just as handsome.

The young woman next to him, acting equally silly, looks like a female version of Avi. The resemblance is striking. His sister, perhaps? She's a pretty thing. Seems like good looks run in the family.

                               ***

Mitch lazily wanders his way through the rest of the living room, the dining room, then the kitchen, where he commandeers a stray bag of chips and continues on.

He meanders up to the second floor, past the bathroom and the guest room where he stays, stopping occasionally to gawk at the odd photo or piece of artwork. Mitch halts in the middle of the hallway. Avi's bedroom lay straight ahead but it's the room on the right that intrigues him a bit more. He never noticed it before.

He slowly opens the door to reveal a room that was in the process of being painted. A plastic tarp covers the wooden floor, painters tape lines the edges of the walls and the clear plastic protecting the windows billows gently in an unseen draft. Mitch notices a few cans of paint in the corner, seemingly untouched, coated with a layer of dust. It's obvious they were sitting for a long time.