Camp Camp One-Shots

Stare up at the stars

Hi, how ya been.

Warnings: mentions of possible abusive parenting

Ship: nope

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Harrison sighed as he stared up at the night sky, tears glistening in his eyes. They blurred his vision but he didn't mind. He decided to run his fingers through the cool grass under his hands.

 He plucked a piece from the ground and studied it closely. He looked at every intricate detail, how the grass looked like fiber woven together. So precise and beautiful.

He let the grass piece go, deciding that he liked looking at the stars better than studying grass. Looking at the grass reminded him of when his brother use to spend hours studying grass. He always seemed to be having the time of his life even if it seemed so boring. It also reminded him of all the times he refused to study grass with him. 

Now, Harrison would watch grass grow for the rest of his life if it meant more time with his brother. 

Suddenly there was a noise. It sounded like a branch snapping in the distance. Harrison tensed. Was it a wild animal? Would he die?

"Oh. Hey, Harrison!" Space kid said, nasally voice sounding surprised but happy nonetheless. Harrison took note of how he always seemed to sound like that. 

"Oh, space kid. Hello." Harrison said, glancing back at him. He took note of how different they looked. Space kid was in his suit( like always) but he was in his checkered pyjama pants and bright yellow t-shirt. Space kids hair was neat as always, never really getting messed up in his space suit but Harrison's hair was all over the place and he hasn't bothered to fix it. The thing he hated most, though, were the lack of bags under the younger kids eyes...

How in the hell did Space kid look more put together than him right now?

"Uh, mind if I sit?" Space kid asked, inching closer to Harrison, as if approaching a wounded animal. Did he really look that shitty?

"Yeah, whatever." Harrison mumbled, bringing his knees up to his chest and burying his face in them.

He felt space kid sit next to him, the sound of grass rustling so loud in his ears making him fully aware of how quiet it is. Strange, where were the night animals?

"So, what brings you here?" Space kid finally spoke up. His voice sounded a lot more ...innocent than it usually did which was strange because Harrison swore he heard him swear once. Wait...how old was he? No older than eight probably. He knew he was older than Dolf…

"Uh, Harrison? You okay there buddy?" Space kid asked him, snapping his fingers. Harrison focused back on the present, raising his head up to stare at the kid. 

"Hm? Yeah...uhm, nothing, I guess. Just couldn't sleep and I usually come here when I can't." Harrison said, cheek squished into his arms making half his words sound incoherent but space kid understood. 

"Oh, that's cool. I couldn't sleep either. I think this is the...sixth night in a row," he chuckled, a melancholy chuckle that should never come out of that kids mouth. Especially so young. 

"Sixth night? Then when do you sleep?" Harrison asked, lifting his face to get a good look at the child sitting across from him. Space kid smiled a sad smile before looking back up at the stars.

"I... don't," he said. Harrison nodded, dropping the subject and turning to look up at the stars. He went back to admiring their beauty. How it was so timeless yet instant. 

"Do you ever miss your family?" Space kid then asked, not looking away from the stars above. Harrison looked over at the helmet wearing kid and then down below, to the ground that seemed so close yet so far. 

He crossed his legs before answering. 

"Not...not really," Harrison said. Space kid nodded, face stone like. It kinda scared Harrison, if he was honest. 

"I miss my mom. Whenever I couldn't sleep she would make me cookies and tell me stories till I fell back asleep!" He said. His face suddenly went solemn. "Of course...that was before my dad made her stop. He got annoyed with my constant need for her….so...she told me to look at the stars. Told me that, when I can't have her, I'll always have them. They'll always watch over me, no matter what." He finished, looking up at Harrison. 

Harrison furrowed his eyebrows.

"That was beautiful. Why-....why are you telling me this?" He asked, somewhat scared for the answer. 

"I don't know. You look like you needed it. Y'know, remind you that no matter where your loved ones are, the stars are always watching over them, y'know?"

"...yeah. Yeah, I know." Harrison swallowed thickly, willing the tears not to fall. 

"Uhm thanks, Space Kid. You're...you're really wise, actually." Harrison chuckled, staring at the stars. He suddenly felt something lean into this shoulder, he knew it was space kids helmet. 

"It's Neil." He said, voice turning somewhat droopy. 

Harrison sat, stunned for a second, before recovering. 

"Of course. Thank you, Neil." He said, as he heard Neil's breathing even out. 

-

No, this is not Space Kid x Harrison. All encounters here were purely platonic.