#1631

Mitch had held up against his cousin and his crypto scheme. He had even asked him questions about it. Most people managed five minutes before they edged away or spotted someone they just had to say hi to. Not Mitch. Mitch had let him ramble and show him his porfolio, and he had never once blinked.

Honestly, Mitch had been like that with everyone.

He had shown up with flowers for Freddie's mother and presents for his siblings kids. Mitch had charmed his granmother with a few broken words of Danish and let his cheeks be pinched. He listened to family stories and jokes, and found ways to tell mundane stories about them into sweet and romantic moments.

Everyone loved him.

So many people from friends to family had come up to Freddie to tell him how lucky he was and what a great partner Mitch was. They had been singing his praises all night, and now Freddie couldn't help but smile softly at Mitch demaning answers with toothpaste smeared on his face and brows pinched.

"You did. You have been perfect, and that's the problem, Mitchy", Freddie shook his head as he folded the shirt he picked up from the floor, "You're too convincing when you're being sweet. It all feels real"

Mitch looked at him for a moment.

Somethign funny crossed his face before he ducked back into the bathroom leaving Freddie feeling confused.

For a long horrible moment Freddie worried that he had somehow offended Mitch.

Maybe his phrasing was awkward. Some times, even after all these years, English could feel foreign to Freddie. He still phrased things weirdly or forgot words, especially when tired or after spending time at home with family.

Mitch could have heard something in Freddie's tone or -

"Sorry, had toothpaste on my face and that is so not the vibe of this conversation", Mitch sprang out of the bathroom with a grin, scaring Freddie into dropping the shirt he had been folding and refolding.

For a moment, the two of them just stared at it until they started laughing.

"Oh man, sorry. I did not mean to scare you", Mitch cackled as he made his way to Freddie and picked up the shirt, "I just didn't want to have the whole "hey I realised you like me" convo with toothpaste on my mouth. There's like nothing hot about that"

"No, you looked hot. You always do"

Freddie's mouth seemed to have a mind of it's own tonight. He could feel his cheeks flushing at the delighted look on Mitch's face.

"Seriously? I pull out all the stops to charm everyone, and it's toothpaste that gets you hot for me?" Mitch grinned, tossing the shirt aside and pressing into Freddie's space.

"I hate you so much", Freddie muttered, looking at the ceiling because looking at Mitch was too much.

"No, you don't", Mitch teased, "I think you like me a lot which would be embarassing if I hadn't been flirting with you all evening"

Freddie blinked at the ceiling because what the fuck.

Mitch had been flirting?

"You....what? What the fuck Mitch?"

Mitch's laugh was Freddie's favourite thing, but right now he kind of wanted to smother him with a pillow.

"Oh man, Tone's is gonna lose his shit when I tell him about this. He bet you'd pick up on it", Mitch's hands tugged at Freddie's t-shirt until Freddie was finally looking at him again, "But right now, I kinda want to ask you out, so he can laugh at you later"

Freddie resigned himself to his fate and to the fact that Mitch Marner would never ever stop surprising him.