"It's dark out, guys," Kirstie said, peeking out the window.

"No big deal," Kevin said. "You don't mind, right Lindsey?"

Lindsey shook her head, about to reply when Mitch jumped up.

"You need to go now!" he exclaimed, distressed.

"Goodness, so she does!" Scott responded, also springing out of his chair.

"And do you know why, my brother?" asked Mitch, looking up at Scott.

Kirstie almost giggled. It was one of their made up on-the-spot skit things.

"I do know, my young friend," Scott said, sadly shaking his head. They slowly collapsed into each other's arms.

"How horrible," Mitch said. "They come out at this time of night."

"But poor Lindsey doesn't know…" Scott began.

"About…" continued Mitch.

"The scary people!" they exclaimed together.

"What are the scary people?" asked Lindsey. "You two mentioned them earlier."

"Don't bother about them," Avi said, waving a hand at Scott and Mitch, who were now sitting on the floor and clinging to each other, looking around nervously.

"The scary people," Scott began. "Come out at night. They're Kevin's neighbors, but when the light goes away, so do their disguises."

"See," Mitch explained. "Kevin's neighbors are all scary people in disguise as normal people. But in the dark, their fake skins melt away as easily as… um… ice under hot water!"

"Do they really believe that your neighbors are scary people?" asked Lindsey. "I mean… that's a bit immature."

"I think that they don't really believe it," Avi said. "But when it gets dark everything's real to drama queens like them and I'll bet they truly are afraid of the scary people."

"Who wouldn't be?" Mitch asked, fake shivering. "Their ghostly eyes glow in the night."

"Get up, you two," Kevin said, dragging Scott and Mitch to their feet.

"Can't boss me around, I'm taller than you," Scott said.

"You can't boss me around cause I'm better than you!" Mitch said. "Just kidding, we're equal."

"I haven't hung out with people who will treat me like a real person for a long time, and you guys are totally awesome," Lindsey said.

"You know what would make it all a whole lot better?" asked Mitch, smiling.

"Yeah?" replied Kirstie.

"Some sort of game," Mitch answered simply. "Games always help people bond. And they're fun."

"Okay, let's give Lindsey the choice," Avi agreed.

"Um… what game do I wanna play?" Lindsey asked herself. "How about truth or dare, just because I'm lazy and I don't want think up anything else."

"Sure," Scott said. "Whatever."

"Right," Kirstie smiled. She loved this game.

"Kevin can ask first," suggested Mitch.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "You always make me go first."

"You're the oldest," resolved Mitch, shrugging.

"Whatever. I'm asking Lindsey, cause I know nothing about her," Kevin said. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare, duh," Lindsey said.

"Ha, she's braver than you," Kirstie elbowed Scott.

"I just don't like dares. They're stupid." He ignored her.

"I dare you to…" Kevin thought. "Try to do a handstand."

"Come on," Lindsey said, getting up. "I can do these so easy." She kicked up, and held the handstand for about four seconds.

"Wow!" Avi exclaimed. "You're really good."

"Okay, now I get to pick someone," Lindsey said. "And I'm picking Kirstie. ToD?"

"Acronym!" squealed Mitch.

"Um, dare." Kirstie tried to crack her knuckles, but it didn't work.

"I dare you to stand for three minutes outside in the dark," Lindsey said. "And the door will be locked and Scott can time you."

"Okay," Kirstie said. She slightly shivered as she got up and they all followed her to the door. "Go." She stepped outside.

Three minutes passed surprisingly quickly for the people inside. Maybe not for Kirstie though, who they watched glance nervously around while pacing to keep warm.

Finally, Scott held up a hand while looking at his phone, which had the clock. "Time!"

"It's so cold out there!" Kirstie cried, basically leaping through the door.

"Haha. I'm sure you're over exaggerating," Mitch said, laughing at the infuriated Kirstie.

"You're gonna get it!" Kirstie said. "Mitch, truth or dare?"

"Um…" Mitch said.

"Come on," Avi said. "We've all done dares so far."

"Fine, whatever," Mitch said, throwing his hands up. "Dare."

"I dare you to…" Kirstie thought. "Kiss someone in this room."

"Eeeew!" Mitch curled up on the couch. "No."

"You have to!" Kirstie smiled evilly. She was getting back at him for laughing at her when she was freezing.

"I hate it," Mitch complained. "You're evil."

"I'm waiting," Kirstie said, tapping her foot.

"Oh, come on." Scott grabbed Mitch and kissed him hard on the lips.

Mitch was silent for a few moments, then he seemed to get his voice back. "See, no problem. You can't get back at me."

"Whatever," Kirstie scowled, pretending not to be interested.

"Kirstie, Mitch can do anything. You should know that by now," Kevin said.

"Yeah, I know," she said.

"See? I told you," Avi said quietly to Lindsey.

"Told her what?" asked Scott.

"You know?" Avi said quickly. "I think I want some tea. Anyone else?" He hurriedly got up and went to the kitchen.

"What was that about?" asked Kevin. "Avi's lying to get out of something."

"You guys know each other inside and out," Lindsey said, smiling. "It's adorable. Avi just told me to expect… some sort of interaction between those two."

"Yep," Mitch said, shrugging. "Avi knows us all too well. Does this mean I get to dare someone now?"

"Yeah," Kirstie said. "Ask away." She was slightly mad that Mitch didn't back out.

"Right. I'm gonna ask Scott, because he's my BFF- hahaha!- and Kevin's kind of… boring?" Mitch wondered at the right words. "No, more… mature. Sorry Curvy!" Mitch said, patting Kevin's shoulder.

"Go ahead," Scott said, looking out the window.

"No, you answer the question," Mitch said, nodding at Scott.

"Oh, right. I'll go with truth," Scott said. "Even though it's kind of boring because you guys know every single thing about me. Well, maybe not Lindsey."

"You're boring," complained Mitch, trying to smush Scott against one side of the couch. It didn't really work.

"Whatever. You're more boring… well, that's a lie." Scott tried to come up with a comeback.

"Um, truth…" Mitch flopped back and hung his head over upside down off the back of the couch.

They hear the tea kettle whistle and Avi pour out boiling water. When the bass returned he was carrying a tray full of mugs.

"Avi's a waitress!" Mitch exclaimed, snapping forward again.

"Waiter, dumdum." Avi rolled his eyes. "Control the gay, for once."

Mitch giggled.

"Mitch used your nickname for me," Kevin said, grabbing a mug.

"Everyone uses that," Avi said, handing a cup of tea to Mitch, who almost immediately spilled it all over Scott.

"No!" Mitch yelped, jumping off of the couch before the hot water reached him. "Sorry, I burned you."

"It's burnt," Kevin corrected.

"Oh, right," Mitch rolled his eyes. "Scott, you okay?"

"I'm fine, don't worry," Scott said, getting up. "Just come to the sink with me and help me wash my sweater."

The two went to the kitchen.

The second they were gone, Lindsey, Kevin and Avi turned to each other.

Lindsey smacked her hands down on the coffee table next to the couch. "Why the hell are they not dating?"

"I have no idea," Kevin said. "And I'm the smart one."

"I think," Avi said. "It's because they're afraid to ruin their friendship. They just kind of limit it to their little gay moments."

"Understandable," Lindsey nodded.

"Oh my gosh," Avi tapped Kevin. "Do you remember when we all had dinner with your parents for the first time?"

Kevin covered his face with both hands. "That was better than Broadway."

"Story worth telling," Avi said.

"Hey, Kirstie's asleep," Lindsey commented. "But please, continue."

"Okay," Kevin began. "So both of my parents are graduates of Yale and they're both surgeons. The whole Pentatonix was over at their house for dinner, and before we got there, Scott and Mitch were whispering in the car."

"Kirstie knew, I think," Avi said. "They're so mischievous."

"So we all got there, and we all were sitting at the table and talking about how we all met," Kevin said.

"So, how did you five meet?" asked Kevin's mom.

"Well, I'm sort of jumping on the bandwagon," Kevin said. "Those three have known each other for ever."

"I was a friend of a friend," Avi said, holding up a hand.
"What's your story, kids?" asked Kevin's father, turning to the trio.

"Well, I met them first year of high school," Kirstie said. "They've been best friends since fifth grade."

"Wow," Kevin's mom commented. "That's a long time."

"Yeah." Scott was smiling. "Mitch and I are married."

"And so," Kevin continued. "You can imagine how surprised Avi and I were. And my parents were even more surprised. Kirstie was just smiling sweetly the whole time."

Kevin's mom and dad looked at one another. They weren't exactly supportive of gay marriage.

"Aren't you two a bit young to be getting married?" asked Kevin's father.

"I'm twenty," Scott said proudly.

"And I'm nineteen," Mitch said. "I guess that is a little young…"

"But that doesn't matter," said Scott. "We love each other."

"And they kept up that act for the whole dinner," Avi said, as if he were proud of the two. "It was remarkable, really. And adorable."

"And fact: my parents still think that they're married to this day," Kevin said. "Isn't that funny how-"

"Ahhhh!" Mitch shrieked. He ran into the room, dripping wet. "He poured water. All. Over. Me!"

"Benefits of being taller," Scott said, striding out of the room without his sweater. "Now we're both wet. Ha, you guys should have seen his face. Sweet revenge."

Mitch stood in the middle of the room, holding his arms out. His hair was plastered to his forehead and his whole top was soaked. "Get me a new shirt. Like, right now. And I want to let you know that it wouldn't hurt to grab a towel and a comb as well."

Scott walked out of the room.

"What were you guys talking about?" asked Mitch, shivering.

"When you and Scott fooled Curvy's parents into thinking that you were married," Avi said.

"I'd prefer Kevin, thanks," Kevin complained.

"Noted, Curvy," Avi said, laughing.

"That was so easy," Mitch said. "And it was really fun. We held hands the whole night. Like, literally the next person we meet I'll play that again, promise."

"That person would be my manager," Lindsey said. "Who wants to meet you guys tomorrow.

"Cool, I'm down," Mitch said.

"I got your toooweels!" Scott sang, running down the hall to the living room where they all were, and threw them at Mitch. Then he jumped into the younger man's arms.
Mitch, who was much to small to hold even Avi, fell to the ground immediately, Scott on top of him. "You are dead," he said. "Thank you, Scott. I am soaking wet, covered in towels and Kevin's socks, and lying on the ground with you smushing me. In short, get off so I can properly decapitate you!"

"Ha, I made Mitch mad," Scott said, getting up and offering his friend a hand.

"Not mad. This is mildly annoyed," Mitch corrected.

Scott pulled him up and blew in his hair.

"What are you doing?" asked Avi.

"Drying his hair," replied Scott, following Mitch around blowing on him. "Your hair smells nice."

"Oh, Lindsey," Mitch said, pushing Scott away. "Can I smell your hair?"

"Um, sure…?" Lindsey replied, a little nonplussed. She leaned up to Mitch.

"Oh, yummy. Limey," Mitch said. "Sorry if that's weird, I just… know what everyone smells like? We're weird people."

"Limey!" Lindsey laughed. "See? Why didn't you kiss me?"

"I'm too sexy for you," Mitch said, shrugging. "Sorry." He burst out laughing.

"Kevin, I'm sorry I took all your socks, unfolded them, and dumped them on Idina here," Scott apologized with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Idina?" Lindsey wondered.

"Don't ask," Avi said, yawning. "Well, I'm heading home, and I'll take Kirstie too."

"Bye!" Mitch said, draped in towels on the couch.

Scott helped Avi and Kevin, and the three of them carried Kirstie out to Avi's car. She stayed asleep the whole time.