But if I'm required to lie awake so I can look after you I wouldn't mind it. Just wish we had time so don't go killing the vibe.
-TV Girl
Campers and the counselors alike spent their day, from nine in the morning to six in the evening finding wood for the campfire.
Even the groundskeeper, Marilyn, had helped a bit in pointing some younger kids in the direction of the best wood stockpiles.
Edric, of course, spent his day watching Hunter haul literal trees over to the firewood pile. To be honest, he was losing his shit over it.
Edric had never seen a guy do the most awkward manual labor ever and look good doing it, all while in a Hot Topic shirt and basketball shorts.
Hunter really had no problem doing all the heavy lifting he did. In fact, he enjoyed it.
To keep his mind off... unpleasant things during his school year, he would always work out. So carrying literal dead trees on his shoulders was no issue.
And he wasn't exactly against how often he would catch Edric staring and watch him turn red when Hunter winked at him.
* later that night... >:) *
The sun set over the gloomy, mountainous horizon. As it did so, Hunter called all the kids in, however, he was unable to find Edric.
Whatever, he's old enough to do his own thing.
Just as he was about to light the fire, Edric came out the bushes, carrying something.
"Sorry, sorry! It just took me a minute to find my guitar, I hadn't realized I put that much stuff in my car..." He laughed nervously and set the case down by the log he and Hunter sat at.
However many questions Hunter had, they had to wait a moment.
He lit the fire and it burst out in warm toned flames, illuminating all the campers' faces.
They all made sounds of amazement, and some began to roast marshmallows.
Edric watched and listened to the fire crackle as Hunter stood and sat next to him. "Guitar? Since when have you played guitar?" He asked, looking at the decorated case.
"I've played it since third grade?" He laughed, taking out the wooden instrument and began strumming the strings.
"I've always thought guys who played guitar were hot." He scoffed and leaned forward a little, smirking.
Edric flushed red and looked away. "Dude, stop it, there's kids here."
Hunter laughed and backed off.
He wasn't truly ready to come out, and he had a sneaking suspicion Edric wasn't either.
As the kids settled down a bit, Edric started to play 'Sweet Caroline' as a sing -a-long and a few other classics.
The night was spent in the warm glow of the campfire as songs were sung, hands were held, and jokes were made.
The night rolled on until the last camper retired for the night, leaving Hunter and Edric to bask in the glow of the fire.
"...Guitar? Really? Why hadn't you mentioned it before?" Hunter asked, turning towards him.
"Oh, its no big deal. Just a little, extra hobby I picked up so my parents would stop pestering me." He looked around and smiled, his fingers tracing the strings, vibrations singing through the air.
"Come on, there's got to be more than that!" Hunter groaned and scooted closer, excited to hear.
"Okay, okay fine! But you can't tell anyone the truth." He glanced around quickly and scooted in, his cheeks pink.
"I actually had a crush on Manolo, from the Book of Life, when I was younger. So, I wanted to play guitar and impress him if I ever met him." He looked away, placing a hand on the wooden material of the guitar.
Hunter burst out laughing and Edric flushed red. "Manolo, seriously? Out of all the characters in that movie? Not even Maria? Or Joaquin?"
"Hunter, you are not supposed to laugh!"
"Okay, okay fine," He calmed down and tried not to snicker. "Alright, so whatcha got?"
"For songs? I mean, I just played a shit ton of-"
"No, not those stupid campfires songs. I mean, like songs you would play for Manolo~" He said, jokingly flirtatious.
"HUNTER!"
"Sorry, sorry, I just couldn't resist!" He laughed, covering his mouth. "But, seriously, what do you know?"
"Well, there is ONE song..."
"Play it then!"
Edric took a deep breath and strummed once before truly getting into the music, the tune reverberating as he began to play 'I Want to Kiss You' by The Spook School. Soon he got to the chorus.
" ♪ I want to kiss him; I want to kiss her. I want to run my fingers through your hair and hear you say you've never done this before, with someone like me, with someone like me, with someone like me. ♪ "
Before he could continue much further into the song, he was interrupted by Hunter's hand being placed on top of his playing one.
Edric stopped and looked up from his guitar, his lips parted slightly. He gasped slightly as Hunter stood a bit to reach his face and began to kiss him.
Edric quickly moved the guitar out from between them. Hunter's knee supported itself on the log as he leaned over Edric, his hair becoming loose. Edric's placed his hands gently on Hunter's waist. Hunter reacted by placing his hands around the back of Edric's neck.
His hands were shaking slightly as he wound the green locks around his fingers. Edric moved his hands, and they went up Hunter's shirt slightly.
He gasped in surprise and a bit of shock, remembering his binder. He stood back a bit, Edric's hands falling down and Hunter's own rested on the base of Edric's shoulders.
"Maybe we should put out the fire and go inside. You know Marilyn is still on night shift."
Edric flushed cherry red and looked around before whispering. "D'you think she saw or heard any of that?"
Hunter grinned and stood up, placing his hands in his pockets. "Oh absolutely. You know the rumors about her having the ears and eyes of an eagle, even if she's like, a thousand years old."
"Hunter!" Edric quickly got up after slamming his guitar into the case. The two walked back into the cabin and Edric propped his guitar case against the wall.
He took off his Converses and collapsed onto his bottom bunk. Hunter slipped off his Vans and immediately laid down next to Edric, wrapping his arm around his chest.
Edric blushed slightly but kissed Hunter's forehead. "Do you wanna cuddle tonight?" He asked, sitting up a bit.
"Yeah, of course!" Hunter smiled and moved up to the pillow and dug himself underneath the covers.
Edric repeated his movements and set his glasses on the ladder rung and cuddled Hunter, who had wrapped a leg around him.
Edric had begun to fall asleep when Hunter had spoken up again. "Edric? Are you awake?" Ed grumbled in response but was awake enough to listen.
"Would you love me no matter what?"
"Yeah, I would, unless you like, committed some kind of a violent hate crime, like mass genocide..."
"Alright, thanks."
"...why do you ask?"
"It's just that... would you see me any differently if I had an issue with my body?"
"Well, if I took off my glasses I would. Everything's just blurs, really."
"Edric, c'mon."
He sighed. "No, I wouldn't. Why do you ask?"
Hunter's grip tightened on Edric's shirt as he buried his face into Edric's chest. "I'm trans, Edric. I... I wear a binder and I have to take a lot of meds and..."
"That's okay."
"It is?"
"Of course, why wouldn't it be? I mean, you're one of the best people I met and I don't understand how a body part could change any of that?" Edric giggled
"Thanks, Edric."
Edric hadn't responded as he had basically passed out. Hunter smiled and loosened his grip. He held Edric's shirt as an affectionate gesture before shortly falling asleep.
1276 words.