See Through

3 - Take the Pain Away, Scott

Don't wake up, Mitch. Mitch kept his eyes closed softly and he inhaled slowly, smelling the sweet scent from the man who held him during the night. Scott smelled like sweat and leftover cologne from the night before, but all Mitch cared about was that he could smell Scott this close. His scent thoughts became disrupted as soon as Mitch began wondering about the events that would take place in the next hour as they started to wake.

Would Scott confess his undying love for his best friend? Would Scott be sweet to Mitch as they woke but tell him they can't act upon it because Alex is in the picture? Would Scott brush it off like it never even happened? Would Scott try to balance Mitch and Alex at the same time? Mitch wouldn't allow it. He wasn't willing to share his heart. His Scott. Scott already had Mitch's heart and he had no idea.

It wasn't until Mitch had broken up with Travis the second time that he'd realized how much he cared for Scott. It was possibly the second lowest point in Mitch's life to date, his first moment having been closeted in his younger years. Travis was the boy who helped Mitch realize his true feelings. He helped him come out of the closet. They had dated for two months and had to break up because Mitch had some troubles with publicly accepting he was gay. A few months later they proceeded to date again once he was more comfortable throughout the remainder of high school.

He had been so excited for his date with Travis that night. He had undoubtedly loved this boy with every fiber in his being. Tonight he was going to confess his love. They'd been dating for nine months. Mitch wanted to wait until he was absolutely sure he was in love before giving his heart out.

"KT, tonight I'm telling him." Mitch tugged on Kirstie's sleeve and giggled.

"Mitchy, I'm so happy for you!" Kirstie brought him into a hug. "Where are you going tonight?"

"He hasn't told me. I kind of want to tell him to change plans and let us go back to when he first kissed me." They'd shared their first kiss in a park of all places, but seeing as how that was where the first kiss took place, Mitch found it to be one of the romantic places in the world. "All I know is that I'm ready for this."

"This is such a big step. I'm proud of you. Have you told Scott?"

"No... I haven't." He should have been telling his best friends at the same time. He made a mental reminder to at least give him all of the details he could when the night ended.

Scott was sitting at home that night doing homework, which was a first. He had nothing to do on a Friday night. Friday nights he usually spent hanging out with Mitch and Kirstie, but Kirstie was going out of town for the weekend and needed some rest, and Mitch had a date with Travis. Scott was extremely happy for Mitch, but sad that he was losing his best friend to this pretty boy. Wrapped up in his thoughts, he almost didn't feel his phone buzz. He noticed the time: 11:56PM. Shocked that he'd been studying this long, he opened his phone and saw Mitch's name on the screen.

Mitch: Can I pls come over. 911.

Scott: Of course you can. :/

Within minutes, Mitch tapped on Scott's window. He went to let Mitch in and was immediately trapped in a hug.

"Take the pain away, Scott. Please." Mitch shivered and sobbed into Scott's chest.

"God, Mitch, what happened?" Scott brought him to the bed and sat him down, still holding him closely.

"I was going to tell him. It was perfect. He took me to the park. It was just perfect. And I told him. I just told him. And he said he'd found someone else. I told him, Scott." Mitch rambled on and on, trying to make sense of what he was telling Scott.

"You told him what?"

"That I fucking loved him. I told him that I loved him, and he told me that he found someone else." Mitch wrapped his fist into a tight ball and dug it gently into Scott's chest. "He didn't want me. I wasn't good enough for him. I'm not good enough for anybody."

"Mitchy," Scott said while gently rocking Mitch back and forth. "You are a beautiful person. You should never sell yourself short. Someone perfect for you is going to come along and sweep you off your feet. You will be wanted. You will be loved in return. You are good enough. They're going to make you feel wanted and loved and will make it seem like the ground you walk on is holy. If Travis can't see that he's losing something so wonderful, it's his loss."

"No, I'm n-"

"Mitchell Coby Michael Grassi, you are good enough. You are perfect." Scott placed his lips on Mitch's forehead. He held him in that embrace for what felt like hours. Scott let Mitch sob quietly and he rubbed his back, easing his pain as best as he could. Mitch was forever grateful for this boy. He was his best friend, his number one, his confidant. Without Scott, Mitch would be nothing. Hearing Scott tell Mitch that he was good enough and perfect gave Mitch a sliver of a boost. Scott treated Mitch like royalty at times. He'd always make sure Mitch was okay and that he knew he was important.

From that day on, Mitch had started falling in love with Scott Hoying, and there was nothing he could do about it, nor want to do about it. Everything that Scott said to Mitch that night was truthful. Scott wanted to be around him always. He loved him so much, even if it were only as friends. Scott knew Mitch was good enough and would remind him of that every day if he had to.

If Mitch would love anyone, he'd love someone who he felt had the same feelings for him always. Or, so he thought.