Seven Levels Below

XXIX

"Mitch, come hang your suit up. Or like, move."

"Can't."

Mitch felt the bed dip next to him, where he lay sprawled with his face buried in the comforter.

"Mitchyyy. You're gonna get wrinkles in it. And probably makeup on my bed."

Mitch huffed and rolled over so he was staring at the ceiling.

"I'm going to work for Candice Lambert." He saw Scott smile down at him and felt fingers start toying with his hair. "You don't understand. I can't do anything. I'm going to lay here until I die."

"But Mitchy, if you die, then you won't get to work with her. And then I'd be lonely and very sad."

Mitch groaned and rolled so his face was squished into Scott's leg from where he sat.

"I hate your logic."

Scott patted his head. "Alright, come on."

Mitch forced himself off the bed and over to the closet. He could see Scott's suit already hanging up, and he put his next to it. His eyes landed on Scott's t-shirts, and he gleefully snatched one and pulled it over his bare chest. He contemplated grabbing some sweatpants too, but hey. He didn't really expect Scott to complain about him lounging around in just underwear.

He wandered over into the bathroom and leaned over the counter, peering into the mirror as he started wiping the makeup off his face. Scott slid in behind him after a minute and leaned against the door as he watched.

Mitch paused in wiping his eyeliner off as he looked Scott up and down. "Please, never put a shirt on." Mitch wouldn't complain if the sweatpants disappeared, too.

Scott snorted and stepped forward. He wrapped his arms around Mitch's chest and set his head on Mitch's shoulder to watch as Mitch continued.

"I can't see your chest anymore," Mitch bumped Scott with his elbow.

"You're wiping makeup off your eyes. If you try to stare at me, you're just gonna poke them out."

"In theory, but we wouldn't know for sure unless you let me try." Mitch teased Scott, getting a kiss on his shoulder in response. He finished cleaning off his face in a peaceful silence, Scott still watching him gently from his shoulder.

Mitch tossed the makeup wipe into the trash and turned around in Scott's hold. "Hi." Mitch hung his arms around Scott's neck.

"Hi." Scott planted a soft kiss on his lips. "Your face is pretty."

Mitch laughed and pulled back. "You're such a dork." He slid past Scott and out of the bathroom, heading for the bed.

"Yeah, but I'm your dork, boyfriend." The bathroom light flicked off and he heard Scott's footsteps follow him over.

Mitch propped himself up on his elbows so he could see Scott better as he sat down next to him. "I like the sound of that. Like, a lot."

"Me too. We're so stupid. We could've been doing this for months, and instead we spent the whole time pining. How did Kirstie not get sick of us? Or tell one of us that we were being stupid?"

Mitch rolled his eyes. "She did tell me that we're being stupid, repeatedly. I just didn't want to get my hopes up."

"Get... what up?" Scott broke into giggles at Mitch's exasperated glare.

"You're so annoying."

"Yeah, yeah. You love me."

Mitch grinned. "Hell yeah I do."