Color

Fifty One

Avi put a hand out in front of Scott quickly. "Are you sure..? I can come with you if you want."

"No, no, I got this. Thanks though. Alex gave me a list, so I know what y'all need."

Avi shook his head once. "No, dumbass. I didn't mean that I think you're incompetent. I just didn't want you to have to go alone."

"I'd actually kind of like some time... If that's okay? I kind of need some time by myself."

"Oh sure, sure. Take your time." Avi nodded slowly, before glancing over his shoulder at Mitch. "And thanks for asking so nicely, that means a lot. Nobody minds giving you alone time if you're nice about it."

Scott smacked his arm to regain his focus. "Hey, don't be rude. He didn't mean to--"

"Like Hell he didn't." Avi grumbled, before giving Scott a smack on the back. "Alright get out of here. Text me if you forget something."

Scott started walking, grabbing the keys to one of the cars before heading out the front door. 

Avi waited for him to go and then walked into the living room to sit on the couch beside Mitch. "Can we talk about something?"

"Yeah." Mitch responded easily, looking up from his phone. "What's up..?"

"Just wanted to ask if you're PMSing."

Mitch blinked once. "What?"

"Need to know if it's shark week." He rephrased.

"Avi, I understood the metaphor. I'm asking what the fuck you're talking about."

"Oh, oh... I just meant like... I wondered why you're being such an asshole to the one guy who'd do anything for you."

"I'm not. He kept me up all night and woke me up more than once and--"

"So what? That gives you the right to call him names and make him feel guilty about an accident? And then when he goes to apologize for it, you don't forgive him until he buys shit for you and even then you were still kind of an asshole."

"You're phrasing it all wrong, Avi. I only called him one name, and I only said it because I was tired and short tempered and I wasn't in the mood for his--"

"Personality? You're telling me that when you're too tired, you can't stand who he is?"

"No, no, of course not. He was just being loud and all up in my face and it was early in the morning and I was exhausted and--"

"You're not selling it. Just saying. And more importantly, I'm not buyin' it."

"But you're being biased because you're his best friend."

"Yeah. And you're supposed to be his best friend too. So why are you treating him like shit?"

"I'm so not. I was just upset."

Avi just shook his head, looking away. "Whatever."

Mitch rolled his eyes in response. "Yeah, whatever. So I'm gonna go to my room."

"Cool. Go ahead. Maybe shoot Scott an apology text while you're at it."

"Why are you bossing me around right now? You're kind of being an asshole."

"Oh, so now you know how it feels to be treated that way."

Alex hurried into the room, eyes wide, with a hand towel and a mug in his hands. "What are you two doing? Please don't argue."

Avi just held a hand up at him. "Everything's fine, Alex. Go back into the kitchen."

Alex pouted at him, walking over to stand beside the couch. "Avi, come on... I don't like when you two argue."

"I know you don't, that's why I'm asking you to step out. Don't want you to be upset."

"I'm already upset." Alex mumbled. 

Avi reached up to lock his fingers with Alex's. "I'm sorry, but this stuff needs to be said. He's being unfair, and Scott isn't saying anything."

"But how does that make it your business..?" Alex asked softly. "Are you creating more conflict?"

"No, I'm not. But it needs to be said."

"Define 'needs to.' I don't think this is your business, y'know... I mean, I love you, and I love the both of them a lot as well. But I don't think you should pick this argument unless you're certain that it's worth arguing over..."

"It's worth it, Alex. Just.. Hush. You can sit here and mediate if you absolutely must."

Mitch looked over again. "He's just attacking me because I insulted Scott this morning. But it's not even a big deal, and I was already planning on apologizing, so."

Alex squeezed Avi's hand. "See, then... Maybe it's not--" He paused. "But it's up to you. I just want you to be careful, that's all."

*

When Scott walked back into the house, he was hanging two grocery bags off of his arms. He closed the door and set his keys down before walking toward the kitchen. 

He'd unloaded most of the groceries onto the counter, before he realized how oddly quiet it was in the house. 

He honestly hadn't bothered to check if all the cars were here, so he couldn't be sure if they'd left or not. 

Walking down the hallway curiously, he began knocking on his bedroom door. "Mitchie?"

He heard a faint response, and then wandered into the room. 

Mitch spoke again. "I'm in the shower, baby." He said loudly, over the sound of the water. 

Scott just smiled. "Oh, okay. Sorry, I was just wondering where you were."

"You can come in here if you want, so I'm not screaming at you."

Scott chuckled a little, and then walked into the bathroom. "Alright. Did Alex say he was gonna go somewhere or something?"

"He'll be right back. He had to take Avi for a walk to calm down I think."

"Calm down..? Oh no, they're not arguing are they..?"

"No, no they're not. Hey, Scottie, is there a towel out there?"

Scott looked around, and found one on the counter. "Yeah. The green one you like."

"Will you grab it and bring it to me?"

"Yeah, no worries." Scott walked over to grab it. "Why does Avi need to be calmed down?"

"He and I kinda got into an argument."

"What?" Scott brought the towel over to the side of the shower, still not peeking in. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine." Mitch turned the shower water off, before stepping out to stand beside Scott.

Scott instantly wrapped the towel around the smaller boy, running his hands up and down Mitch's arms slowly. "Promise? What did you two argue about?"

"I'm fine, babe. He just... Got a little heated, and I shouldn't have been so rude to him but I couldn't help defending myself. So Alex took him for a walk before things got worse."

"Did he threaten you? Try to hurt you?" Scott asked cautiously.

"No, no, nothing like that. But... If there's anything I got from it all, I just.. I think I owe you an apology. I didn't mean to insult you and be super rude this morning. I was just exhausted. And I'm so sorry. I was just... Grumpy. And I love you a lot, and you didn't deserve my attitude."

"Oh, it's okay. I shouldn't have kept you up. I didn't mean to."

"No... It's not your fault." Mitch spoke sincerely, reaching up to put his hands on Scott's chest to keep his attention. "I really shouldn't have said those things to you. And... I should've been the one going out to get you a rose, and some coffee... I'm really sorry. Forgive me?"

Scott reached up to put both of his hands on top of Mitch's hands, before leaning down to kiss him once, and then looking into his eyes. "I forgive you, gorgeous. Means a lot for you to say all of that."

**