And I can still remember when too much was never enough. So don't go around saying there's no such thing as love. You can't go trading places. Don't forget that I, I am the cynical one.
-TV Girl
The consistent numbing pain in his nose and the adrenaline rush was keeping Edric awake for a while. Not only that, but the boy above him had a tendency to snore. Who in the hell snores?
After a very long time of fitful turning, Edric managed to fall asleep, and he had never been happier for the small boost it gave him.
Hunter was awakened by his alarm, which he had set about thirty minutes earlier than he wanted to, which caused his own sudden panic.
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" He whisper harshly, trying to turn off the alarm frantically.
"I'm already awake." A voice from below him claimed.
Hunter slipped his phone into the pocket of the basketball shorts he used as pajama pants awkwardly, feeling a bit shitty for waking him up. He sighed, climbing down the rungs of the ladder. His new green-haired associate was sitting up, rubbing his face.
"Good morning..." Hunter nodded towards him politely, going for his own redemption arc in a way.
He began to grab clothes from the inside of his area of the dresser. Edric groaned in an exhausted response. Hunter took that into mind as he went into the single little bathroom they shared. Edric's shirt, which had crusted with blood, had stained part of the bathtub.
"Great..." Hunter grumbled, knowing Belos would make him clean it up after the summer's end.
Edric had gotten maybe an hour's worth of sleep...? It's not like they still had a week before campers came in either. The buses all headed up TODAY. Nothing could possibly go right.
He checked the time on his phone. 5:39 am. They still had about another 4 hours to set up the rest of the camp.
Edric groaned, and just threw on a pair of cargo shorts before the blonde one came back. What was his name...? Caleb? Jasper? He wasn't quite sure, but he knew it was a fairly basic white guy name... but that didn't matter. He'd find out one way or another.
Edric opened the door to the cabin. The woods were actually beautiful. Morning dew glistened off the delicate green leaves rustling in the chilled summer breeze. The early morning sun of summer glowed with a warm light distantly, illuminating the whole scene. He sighed contentedly, happy to be in a place where everything was so calm and peaceful. That was quickly interrupted when the other one jauntily walked outside the cabin.
"What should we work on first? I was thinking maybe building a solid fireplace and beginning to collect wood but..." The blonde was trailing off into his ideas and thoughts on the matter, and so Edric just started to walk off. However, the shorter one followed him, still rambling on. "...or we could also start planning our entire summer-"
"How about breakfast first?" Edric snapped, clearly irritated and needing a good reason to shut him up.
"Breakfast? Yeah breakfast sounds good... I can cook if you want!" Hunter smiled slightly, trying to offer any sort of kindness he could to the poor boy with the broken and shattered nose.
"...of course you can." Edric scoffed, much too snarkily.
"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Hunter raised an eyebrow in response- what was up with him? Did HE need a pad?
"Oh, you know... just because from what I've seen you already know everything, especially about the camp. You're such a know-it-all, it's almost sad!" Ed rolled his eyes..
The notion of Hunter being a 'know-it-all', as the green-haired boy put it, brought great offense to him. Instead of starting a petty argument, he turned, storming off in anger.
Suddenly, Edric wished he would have controlled his tone..
He hadn't realized he'd done anything to Edric. Apparently even explaining the job he should technically be training him for was a crime to him.
Hunter just pushed through the large, French doors leading into the mess hall. It was sad and barren without the bustling activity of campers and a few cooks, a sight Hunter had grown so accustomed to.
His uncle had home-schooled him, so the only real interaction with anyone closely around his age range was during the summer via this small little camp for those whose imagination was too big to comprehend. He held a certain pity for those kids who only wanted to express themselves.
Every summer was the same, though. New friends, new faces and then silence when it all ended. It was a depressing cycle but the short lived rush of joy it brought him was enough to cancel the rest out. He quietly slipped into the kitchen, starting to cook.
He decided to take his anger out on eggs benedict, something difficult enough to get his mind off of Edric.
What kind of a name even was that? Was it supposed to be a sort of reference, or were his parents just fucking insane? He couldn't tell, and maybe he didn't want to know.
He grabbed all the breakfast items he could find, getting ready to make the meal. Eggs benedict would be plenty, right?
Hunter did his best to poach the yolks without breaking them as he toasted the muffins. He placed cooked ham slices onto the toasted muffin and gently placed the egg on top.
(a/n I have no idea to make eggs benedict, pardon me)
He served it up as best he could, taking up cooking as his chores really helped in the long run.
He placed both pieces on plates and looked it over, made sure it was at the very least, edible.
"...you know what? Good enough." He mumbled to himself, bringing out the two plates.
He was honestly a bit shocked to even find Edric in the cafeteria, sitting at a long wooden table. Given, he was texting someone on his phone, but he was still there.
Hunter placed plates down, sitting across from him. He took a slow bite, eating without making eye contact.
"So, uh... your name's Caleb, right?" Ed broke the silence, glancing over at him.
"..you don't even know my name, do you?"
"No, not really. Why would I?"
"Because my uncle introduced us last night, which is why you have a broken nose!" Hunter sighed in exasperation. Was this boy really that forgetful?
"The only reason I have a broken nose is because your uncle couldn't even remember far enough back that he hired me! What, does he need to be in a home, considering his age?"
Too. Far. Hunter's face flushed red in rage. He stood up, glaring at Edric.
He'd always had really bad anger issues and violent tendencies. Often, he took it out in intense workouts and fighting classes, but he didn't have that oppurtunity right now.
Instead of taking out all that anger on Edric, he instead stormed off, slamming the doors behind him.
Even Edric and his snarky remarks realized he fucked up, big time... How was he even meant to make this up to him?
1146 words.