Color

Eighty Seven

(A/N)

Shrug

*

Alex was now walking beside Avi, wearing his new blue sweater. 

Scott and Mitch were still following behind them, Scott carrying the three bags that Mitch had collected along the way. 

Mitch stopped briefly to point at something in a window, and make a joke about it to Scott. 

Avi was quick to stop too, having heard the joke.

When Alex paused beside him, Avi didn't hesitate in gently sliding a hand down Alex's back and into the back pocket of his jeans. 

Alex quickly met his eyes, grinning at him. "Aw." He quickly leaned forward, placing both hands on Avi's face to kiss him once. 

Scott glanced at them, grinned and then looked back to distract Mitch with something else. "They're probably hard working Americans, and we're just assholes."

Alex beamed down at Avi, hands still resting on his face. "You're so special to me.. Y'know that?"

"I had my suspicions." Avi mumbled, giving Alex a wink.

Alex moved his hands down to Avi's biceps as he giggled a little. "You and Scott have the same sense of humor."

"Yeah well so do you and Mitch. And that's why we all work out so well." He responded easily, before stepping back to put some space between them as he glanced over to Scott. "Where to next, guys?"

Scott gestured toward the window with a vague hand. "Did you wanna go in there, Mitchie?"

"No, I just wanted to point out the creepy doll. We can go wherever."

Scott looked over to Avi. "Is anybody hungry..? Food's expensive down here, but no more expensive than Mitch's taste in clothes."

*

It wasn't until later that night, Avi had the idea. 

The wonderful, terrible, stupid idea. 

Scott had just stepped out of the shower, walking into the room with a towel around his waist. He laid eyes on his three friends who were all cuddling on one of the beds, watching a movie together. 

He aimed a question at Mitch. "Hey, baby? Have you seen my--?"

Mitch had already jumped out of bed to stand in front of him. "Scottie, what are you doing?" He spoke softly, but urgently. "Get back in the bathroom, honey."

Scott knew better than to question him. Mitch just got in these possessive moods sometimes. "I'm sorry... Did I upset you?"

Mitch stood in the doorway now, as if he were physically blocking Scott from leaving the bathroom. "No, I just..." He looked down at his socks, a blush on his face. "I don't want them to see you like that."

"Aw, baby... I think I've changed in front of both of them before, though? It's nothing they haven't--"

"I don't care, Scottie. I just want you for myself, just for a little while, okay?"

Scott nodded, stepping forward to press a kiss to Mitch's forehead. "Okay, baby. If that's what you want."

"Anyway... What were you looking for?"

"I didn't bring any clothes in here. I'm incapable of thinking for myself, and you didn't remind me."

Mitch giggled a little. "Okay... I'll grab you some stuff. Dry your hair a little while you wait?"

Scott nodded once, and went to do so. He had no idea what put Mitch in this mood, but he's been acting on it all day. Not that Scott really minded, he just... Hoped he hadn't done anything wrong.

Mitch came back into the bathroom, closing the door behind him as he set a pile of clothes on the bathroom counter. 

Scott waited for what Mitch was gonna do, because he wasn't sure why Mitch had closed the door behind himself. 

Mitch met his eyes. "Lose the towel, babe. I grabbed those black briefs you love, and then some sweats."

Scott didn't hesitate, letting the towel fall to the floor as he reached over to grab the clothes in front of him. "Thanks, baby. Sorry for being so forgetful."

Mitch didn't even remotely hide that he was staring, watching Scott step into his underwear. "No problem."

Scott glanced up at him as he began to step into his sweatpants. "Baby, what's going on..? Need me to take care of you, or something?"

"Not right now, no. Can't a man enjoy his view every now and then?"

"Yeah of course you can. But it's kind of bad timing, don't you think?" He pulled the sweatpants up, only to barely hug his hips.

Mitch couldn't help but step forward and pull them up slightly, so that they covered Scott's hip bones. "Don't forget the sweater."

Scott reached past Mitch to grab it off the counter. "I wasn't gonna."

Overhearing some of their conversation, Alex giggled at Avi. "I think Mitch is pent up or something."

Avi laughed once, loudly. "Oh, you think so? Think they're gonna fuck in there?"

"No, of course not. Don't be crass, Avi." Alex still managed to giggle, turning his body to lay on his side so he could face Avi on the bed.

Avi stared at him for a second. "I don't see what the big deal was about Scott coming out in a towel..? Nothing's private in this friend group anymore."

"Mitch is just being protective. Can't blame him for that." Alex raised an eyebrow at him. "You'd freak out too if I walked out in just a towel."

"Yeah I guess you're right... Mitch and I understand each other. I think... You and Scott get to be protective with your physique, so Mitch and I have to resort to other things. Usually our words, but I guess Mitch is trying out some new shit."

"Or maybe Scott and I are just more trusting..?" Alex teased, a smirk playing on his lips. "Personally, I don't mind people seeing you in some form of undress... I know who you'll be begging for later, so."

Avi's eyebrows shot up, and he laughed a little. "Oh? Is that so?" And that's when the idea struck him. "I take that as a challenge, then." He sat up and spoke dramatically. "I hereby challenge you to skinny dip with me on the beach!"

Alex's smile fell quickly. "Oh, Avi, I don't think that's a good idea... It'll be cold, and... Indecency is illegal and--"

"Scott and I will go without you, then."

"Avi, it's dangerous. I don't want you doing it either." 

"This is your own fault, Alexander. You teased me, so that's what you get. I'm going, with or without you." Avi jumped up, and to prove his point, he walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Oi, Hoying. I'm going skinny dipping. You coming with?"

An eager, "Dude! Fuck yeah!" Was the response he got, and then the sound of a soft smack, and Mitch hurriedly whispering something. 

Scott flinched away from where Mitch had just smacked him in the ass. "Aw, Mitchie! C'mon, it'll be fun!"

"Nothing about that sounds fun." Mitch snapped, feeling cold just thinking about it. 

"No? Not even seeing me naked? That's no fun all of a sudden?"

"You can't be naked in public, Scott."

"Are you kidding? This is San Fran. I can name like 8 nude beaches just off the top of my head."

Mitch sighed and closed his eyes. "Scott, you can't be serious. Please don't ask me to do this."

"I'm not. I'm just telling you that I'm going with Avi. And you can choose to come with us, or not."

**