Time After Time

Wash it Away

When Scott left the room to take a shower, his thoughts were racing. Nothing was making any sense to him and his confusion had caused him to cry again. After gathering some fresh clothes, he slipped into the bathroom and allowed himself to fall apart. He quickly pulled off his clothes, his body shaking as he sobbed, and climbed into the shower. He turned the water on and pressed his back against the cool tiles behind him and started to slide down until he was sitting. He rested his forehead on his hands, screwing his eyes shut tightly in a feeble attempt to slow the flow of tear drops. He didn't want to shut Mitch out - he knew that would crush the younger man and he couldn't bear to be like all of those other men that chewed him up and spat him out. He didn't want to hurt Mitch. He wanted to be able to protect Mitch from everyone and everything. He wanted to wrap the countertenor up in thick, padded blankets and keep him in a safe room with just a few

people that Scott felt were able to be trusted. But he couldn't do that without smothering the brunette, which would hurt him.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he thought about the amount of people he genuinely trusted to be able to be around Mitch, and quickly realized that there were not many. He had a small amount of trust in most people, but never enough to feel that they wouldn't hurt his best friend. Mitch meant everything to him. Without Mitch, Scott would fall apart, and he knew that. Scott knew he couldn't shut out the countertenor without both of them getting hurt. Sighing, Scott knew that no matter how Mitch felt about him, they'd have to work through it somehow. And then, when Mitch got over the blonde, he could go out and get another boyfriend. Scott clenched his fists. If Mitch went out dating, he would only get hurt again. He was too kind and too sensitive and too nice and all of those bastards would only take advantage of that and treat the brunette like shit. If Scott was dating Mitch, he'd treat the countertenor like a princess. Mitch deserves so much better than those idiots, Scott thought, anger boiling inside his blood. If Scott was dating Mitch, he'd give him the world. Scott's entire body shook violently as he tried to fight his rage. If Scott was dating Mitch, he'd never hurt the brunette in any way. Scott leaned back, pressing his head against the wall behind him, fighting to slow his breathing, which had sped up as his anger had increased.

A few stray teardrops fell from his blue eyes and intertwined with the water from the shower. He was the only person he trusted enough to be able to treat Mitch the way that he felt the brunette should be treated. He let out a sob of relief as he realized that he wanted to. He wanted Mitch. He wanted everything about Mitch. The flood returned to his face again, relief pouring from his sore eyes. How had he not realized before? It made so much sense. Everything had suddenly fallen into place. Mitch loved him. Mitch loved him and he loved Mitch. Everything seemed so much clearer, but, at the same time, terrifying. What if they didn’t work as a couple? It would ruin their friendship, their careers... their lives.

Letting out a sound of frustration, the baritone climbed to his feet and reached for some shampoo as he wondered why, even when things made complete sense, they were still so complicated. He washed his hair first, and then his body, rushing so that he could head back to his room to think. Or maybe to talk to Kirstie, he wasn’t sure. As he planned out what he would tell the long haired woman, he realized that Kirstie must’ve suspected that he had feelings for Mitch. How could she have known when I didn’t? he asked himself, frowning slightly. Deciding to think about the small details later, he finished his shower and shut off the water. He dried himself off and changed into his fresh clothes before taking a deep breath and placing his hand on the door handle. He could hear Mitch and Kirstie’s persistent laughter and rolled his eyes. They were idiots. Knowing that he still didn’t know where to begin, or what to say, he opened the door and ran to his own room. He opened the door and then slammed it behind him before exhaling deeply. He strolled over to his bed and plopped himself down on the edge. He could deal with everything else later, he decided. He just needed to clear his head and work out where to go from there.