solo

better when we're together

Tags: Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles
Warnings/TWs: none

--

The bus is rumbling over some highway up the East Coast, and it's late afternoon. Esther calls it golden hour- the hour before the sun sets, and Scott loves it. The windows are letting in all of the warm light and they're all a little tired but content, sprawled throughout the bus. Scott thinks Kirstie's on the phone with her parents, judging by the quiet laughter coming from her bunk. Avi's in the back with Kevin, and they're simultaneously playing chess, snacking, and discussing things Scott can't make out from his spot on the couch. Mitch is curled under his arm, and they're both dozing off just a little.

"Babe?" Scott murmurs, running his thumb over Mitch's arm. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah," Mitch blinks up at him, smile just a tad sleepy. "I'm awake. Sort of."

Scott can't help his smile. "Good."

"Why, though?"

"I haven't told you I love you in an hour," Scott admits. He hasn't, it's the truth.

"Oh my god, Scotty, you're such a dork," Mitch nudges him softly in some gentle mimic of a smack on the arm.

"You love it," Scott teases, because he knows Mitch can never make a comeback to that.

"I do. And you know what else I love about you?"

"What?"

"I love that you need to tell me you love me literally every hour. I love that you're always so sweet and gentle. I love that you tell all of us to be safe and to text you when we're safe even if it's literally Kirstie going next door to her own hotel room. I love your kisses."

"Are we really doing this now?" Scott beams. This back and forth of things they love about each other happens about once a month or so, and it's always the highlights of Scott's months.

"If you want. We have time," Mitch sits up a little but squishes himself closer to Scott's side. He's tracing an invisible pattern on his jeans with the tip of his finger and Scott presses a kiss to the top of his head.

"Okay, princess. I love you because you look amazing in basically everything. I love that you're so patient with me all the time, and I love that you're not always snappy sassy bitchy Mitchy. Sometimes you're my soft and sweet Mitchy like you are now."

Mitch smiles. "I love that you're always my ball of sunshine and happiness."

"I love that you're the perfect size to spoon."

"I love that you could pick me up and just kind of walk me around but you don't because you know I hate it."

"I mean, I'd do it anyways if you didn't threaten me with the shoving of various objects not meant to be up my ass up my ass every time I tried."

Mitch snorts. He's more awake now, competitive glint back in his eye, and Scott knows he's in for a ride. "I mean, there are some people who are into that. Don't kinkshame."

"Well, I'm not into that, so let's not do that."

Mitch rolls his eyes fondly, biting back a smile. "I love when you sing bass when we're snuggling because you vibrate the entire bunk."

"I love your range and how much your voice has improved since that very first time I saw you when you were eight."

"I love your eyes."

"I love your hair."

"I love you."

"Love you more."

"Not possible."

"Are you suuure about that?"

Mitch jumps up in lieu of a response. "Kev! Avi!" He yells down the bus.

A moment later, two curious faces appear.

"Yeah, Mitch?" Kevin asks, looking somewhat concerned that Mitch is yelling on the bus. The last time that happened, poor Esther had walked in on a, well, quite compromising situation involving Scott, Mitch, and the improper use of the shared storage room in the back.

"Do I love Scott more or does Scott love me more?" Mitch asks, flopping back down to cuddle into Scott, who automatically rests his arm over Mitch's shoulders.

Avi and Kevin stare at them for a moment before simultaneously bursting out into laughter. Scott kind of wants to join them, but one look at Mitch's face tells him not to.

"Girls, this is serious," Mitch whines. "It's a legit question. Answer or I'll drag Kirstie and Esther and Kate and Candice and Nicole and Austin and the fandom into this, and you know I can twist this to PR that it was all your fault."

The two stop laughing, because they're all a little scared of PR, even though they have one of the better PR teams as PR teams go.

"I think you're even. You both love each other just as much," Avi says seriously, though there's a smile playing around his lips.

"What he said," Kevin says, pulling Avi back to their game and food before Mitch can say anything else.

Scott catches Mitch's look, smirking. "You heard the elders," he emphasizes just to hear two muffled cries of protest followed by a laugh. "We're even. I love you just as much as you love me."

"Impossible," Mitch says airily, waving a hand. "That's not even a conceptually-sound statement, because I'm sure there's no way you could possibly match my love for you."

"You sure?" Scott challenges, going for Mitch's sides, intent on tickling him into submission.

"Scott! Oh my god, stop!" Mitch laughs, writhing around on the couch, fruitlessly batting at Scott's hands.

"Only if you admit I love you more," Scott pauses the tickling for a moment.

"No!" Mitch exclaims, breathless from the laughter that's still fighting its way out.

"Well, then, guess I'm not stopping."

Mitch squeaks as Scott grabs him and cuddles him close, sneaking his fingers up Mitch's sweater (which, wait, that's his sweater, not Mitch's). Mitch starts wriggling in his lap, which isn't always a good thing on the bus, but it comes to an end rather abruptly, because Scott sees the elbow headed up for his jaw but doesn't register it, and he gets a rather stinging knock right on the bone.

"Mitchyyyy, you hurt me," Scott whines, burying his face in the back of Mitch's neck.

"Oh my god, Scott, it's your fault, you noodle. I'm sorry, but if you hadn't been tickling me, it wouldn't have happened," Mitch twists around to pet Scott's hair, and Scott leans into the touch.

"Kiss it better?" Scott knows Mitch can't resist the pout.

Mitch sighs. "Fine."

Scott tilts his head up for Mitch, and Mitch lands a soft peck on his jaw.

"Better?"

"Yeah. I love youuuuu."

"Love you more."

"Not possible."

"Oh my god, Scott, don't start that again."

-fin.