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Donghae loved nature. He loved the smell of pine and digging into the soft, dusty dirt. He enjoyed finding colorful stones and building fire pits, piling small twigs up in an artful stack and lighting them with dead needles. He loved bug catching in the meadow and star gazing at nighttime. And he really liked sharing his love for nature with the kids that swarmed around the nature hut.
If you could call it a hut. The triangle structure was pretty much a floor foundation of wood with two huge slabs rising to a point overhead. Nothing to brag about, but Donghae saw it as his own personal castle, in which he was self-proclaimed Lord Donghae: King of Nature. And no, no one else called him that. The nature hut was a short walk from Brown Bear, one of the six units at camp, and as Donghae set up pieces of wood and magnifying glasses out for his next rotation, he not-so-casually spied Hyukjae walking from the staff tent to the bathrooms.
Donghae paused, metal pail of magnifying glasses in hands, as Hyukjae entered the staff-side of the building...and left the door open. Donghae appreciated the lifeguard's simple-mindedness as Hyukjae peeled off his shirt, revealing tight abs and smooth skin. It was a daily present this session and Donghae reveled in it. Hyukjae was too lazy to change in a cubical, especially if he thought he was alone. So he stood in the middle of the room, stripping off his sweat pants in all his naked glory before tugging on his red swimming trunks as Donghae salivated. The show ended, once again, and Hyukjae picked up his discarded clothes before shoving his feet into his dusty sneakers and leaving the bathroom. Donghae shook his blush off and tried to appear occupied as the lifeguard went back to the staff tent.
He plopped the pail on a wobbly bench in front of the hut and sighed, stretching his neck back and gazing at the blue sky above. Perfect day for wood burning, he thought, grinning brightly. Without fail, all kids loved lighting things on fire. He'd never met anyone who said otherwise. "Hae!" a happy voice called out. Donghae snapped his attention back towards Brown Bear. Hyukjae had donned his large sunglasses and was grinning brightly at him, walking down the dirt path to the hut.
"Hyukkie!" Donghae smiled, "going to canoes or swimming hole?"
"Swimming hole," Hyukjae said, tugging at the monkey beach towel slung around his neck. "I've got swimming with the Bruins today." Donghae winced sympathetically. The Bruins were the youngest in camp, about six and seven years old. Hyukjae would have his hands full with that bunch. "Yourself?" the lifeguard asked, gesturing to the pail on the bench.
"Wood burning," Donghae said happily, "with Blue Bear."
"Sweet," Hyukjae smiled, giving Donghae their mandatory fist bump. "Have fun, Hae."
"You too, Hyuk," Donghae waved farewell as Hyukjae continued along the path to the swimming hole. Donghae sighed, eyes lingering on the other's back for a moment before smiling again and returning to his tasks. Those wood pieces wouldn't find themselves.
*
Wood burning went remarkably well, Donghae thought triumphantly. Blue Bear was another nearby unit consisting of nine and ten year olds, and they just loved using the sun to burn words into the pieces of wood. Of course, Donghae had to remind several boys not to burn each other and stopped a minor panic attack when one child set his shirt on fire. Why he'd thought it was a good idea at the time was far beyond Donghae's realm of understanding. Especially since he held it there for so long trying to get his shirt to catch.
Regardless, the rotation was over and it was time for lunch. Donghae packed up his goods and grabbed his water bottle, meandering pleasantly along the path away from the dining hall. He told himself he was just checking to see if Hyukjae was still loitering around the swimming hole. That was all. Just to see if he'd been successful with his group of youngsters.
Donghae approached the swimming hole, hearing boisterous voices and the booming voice of another counselor, Mir if he heard correctly, herding the children to put their shoes and shirts back on. Donghae grinned to himself. Good, he didn't miss Hyukjae. He glanced at the fork in the path, walking with the curve to the left and spying Kibum leading his group of campers down from the horse corrals from the other side. He waved frantically and Kibum graced him with a patient smile. Donghae all but skipped the last few yards to the steps at the swimming hole. He smiled happily at the group of boys and chirped hello as they recognized and ran to him. They didn't have nature yet, but Donghae slept in their unit and he personally put several of them to bed.
"Hae, Hae!" a scrawny boy named Jaesoon ran up and clung around Donghae's waist. "I saw a snake! It was so gross!"
"Whoa!" Donghae crowed, "that's so cool, Jaesoon! What'cha name him?"
"Nothing," Jaesoon yelled into Donghae's tee, “I didn't like it." Donghae faked a sad face and looked dramatically out at the water.
"Sorry Bosco!" He called out to the expanse of water in front of him. "He doesn't mean it. You're a very handsome snake!"
"Bosco!" a couple other boys guffawed loudly. "Bosco, Hae called him Bosco!" They ran to the edge of the swimming hole and started calling for the snake.
"Thanks," Mir teased sarcastically. "I just have one left to put shoes on and you distract the entire unit."
"Sorry," Donghae said sheepishly, shrugging his shoulders. "Hey guys!" He yelled, looking at the clump of boys looking out at the water, "Buddy line, go!" The kids bumped into each other in their haste to scramble up the hill and get into their line. Mir laughed.
"Thanks."
"Hae Hae," Jaesoon asked, tugging on Donghae's hand frantically. "Come on!"
"Not this time, sir," Donghae said, untangling his hand from the other. "I've gotta wait for lifeguard Hyuk. He's my buddy, see? But look," he pointed up at another boy shifting alone at the end of the line, "Seungheok needs a buddy!" Jaesoon huffed but quickly smiled again as Donghae ruffled his damp hair. "Save me a seat at lunch, 'kay?" he asked.
"Yeah!" Jaesoon cheered and ran back to clasp the other boy's hand.
Mir stood at the front of the line and called out zero while the other boys screamed out their numbers. Donghae watched them march toward the dining hall. He looked back at the swimming hole, Hyukjae just pulling himself out of the water and shaking his hair. Donghae watched as Doojoon threw Hyukjae's towel at his face and laughed, toeing his shoes on.
"Hyuk!" Donghae called, walking down the hill to the lifeguards at the small dock. Hyukjae looked up from toweling his torso and grinned brightly at the nature specialist.
"Hae! Good God those kids are rowdy! I had to stop that one kid from crying at the snake."
"You're like a hero, Hyuk," Donghae crooned, reaching the other and pinching his cheeks. Hyukjae made a face and leaned down to pick up his tee-shirt.
"Did you really just call the snake Bosco?" he asked, pulling his head through the white shirt.
"Yup, that's the name! This week, at least," Donghae said brightly. "I'm already thinking about what to call it next session." Hyukjae smiled and shook his head.
"How was nature," Doojoon asked, coming up to the other two. He slid his sunglasses on and pushed his hair into his trademark faux hawk with practiced fingers.
"Great," Donghae said, starting the walk with the other two up the small hill and down the path. "But I'm really hungry now. I hope we eat something super delicious for lunch!"
"Lunch is always gross," Doojoon whined. "I like dinner the best."
"I don't mind," Hyukjae smiled, "as long as I get strawberry milk."
"Hyuk," Donghae teased, "you buy your own strawberry milk. You drink it every meal." Hyukjae just grinned wider.
"Which is why I don't mind," he affirmed. Donghae laughed as the trio approached the hall. They walked through the lines of campers waiting at the entrance and through the hall, pushing the creaky door open to the staff room beyond. Hyukjae bee-lined for the refrigerator and Doojoon collapsed against one of the dusty orange couches. "Two seconds," he moaned, "and then I'll get up again."
Donghae chuckled and stepped behind Hyukjae, peering over his shoulder into the crammed refrigerator. Hyukjae barely noticed the close presence of his friend, instead wrestling to grab a milk from the pack. Donghae smiled tenderly at his struggling and reached in arms through the other's, embracing him as he swatted Hyukjae's hands away and extracted a carton of milk easily.
Hyukjae was hot against his chest and his shoulders rose with breath as he took the milk from Donghae's hands. "Thanks," he mumbled. Donghae thought it was cute that Hyukjae was embarrassed about his struggles and nuzzled his face into the lifeguard's back.
"You're so cuuute, Hyuk!" He said happily, clasping his hands together on Hyukjae's tummy and squeezing a quick hug. His heart picked up and fearing discovery, Donghae quickly backed away.
"I have a kid to eat lunch with,” he said, "have a good lunch!"
As Donghae swiveled around and walked back through the squeaky door to the dining hall, Hyukjae fidgeted with the milk in his hand.
"Dude." Doojoon said, eyeing his coworker's blushing face. "Dude, you're stabbing your milk."
Hyukjae snapped to attention and realized his straw was poking a hole through the bottom of his carton. "Crap!" he yelled, quickly holding the bottom over his mouth and sucking the milk from the bottom. Doojoon just laughed, but choked on his spit when Hyunseung breezed in.
*
Donghae and Hyukjae went back quite a few summers. They met as mere CIT's, counselors-in-training for the uninformed. Donghae was fresh-faced and fifteen, excited to be starting his first summer as a big kid CIT. He'd been going to camp every summer for years and always looked up to his counselors. He missed Kangta, who'd left two summers ago, and his favorite counselor Jungsu went on to became camp director. So, with a firm goal in mind, Donghae joined the CITs to become the coolest counselor in camp.
It was Hyukjae's first year at any camp that wasn't soccer, and he was obviously green. He was a bundle of nerves getting off the bus, and remained nervously in the back as their counselor led them up to their unit to unpack. Donghae was intrigued by the quiet boy with fluffy hair, and he offered a bright smile as they walked up the hill to the Grizzly unit. Donghae set up his tent with practiced ease and lounged on his squashy blue sleeping bag as the others continued setting up around him. His eyes fell on the new camper, Hyukjae. He was obviously struggling to pitch his tent, and Donghae watched for a few moments before going over and lending a hand. It was ridiculously easy after that, and Hyukjae flashed a gummy smile over the top of the orange tent once they pushed the last stake into the soft ground. They became glued to the hip almost instantly.
Hyukjae and he did everything together-shared a tent, ate at neighboring tables during mealtimes, shared a canoe. When role-playing how to handle certain emergencies, Hyukjae pretended to choke on a peanut as Donghae wailed over his prone body. They didn't get good marks for that one, but the laughs they received instead made it worth the odd looks their counselors gave them. Halfway through the summer Donghae developed a little crush on their fellow CIT Kibum. It was Hyukjae he confessed it all too late at night in a nervous whisper. Often they stayed up until wee hours of the morning as Donghae lamented his unrequited crush, who was too busy working to notice the playful boy's feelings. But it was Hyukjae who made him feel better, helping him plan obstacle courses for the all-camp event and leading the singing logs with goofy dancing in a loud, excited voice.
Their second and third summers as CITs went similarly, and Donghae and Hyukjae reached a level of closeness that was impenetrable by outside forces. Donghae decided Kibum was too boring and he and Hyukjae wreaked havoc on camp trying to pull the quiet boy into their fun. Sometimes they were joined by a lively CIT named Shindong, and he and Hyukjae would have embarrassing dance-offs during campfire to the joy of the campers. When they had time to join the other campers in meadow games, they formed opposing teams and competed in all kinds of games, ranging from dodge ball to power rangers to Hyukjae's favorite, soccer.
Then things changed when Donghae discovered his love for small children. When shadowing began Hyukjae and Donghae saw each other less and less. Hyukjae pursued a job on waterfront and Donghae threw himself into working with the youngest campers. While Hyukjae spent his afternoons loading canoes and demonstrating the swimming test, Donghae told bedtime stories and distracted kids from their homesickness. Every encounter during the day consisted of Donghae leaping on the other and wrapping his legs around his waist, squeezing the life out of Hyukjae's lungs. They slept, bone tired, close together in their shared tent.
The end of their last summer as CITs concluded with a tight hug and a promise to see each other as counselors next summer. Donghae passed the school year impatiently, texting with Hyukjae constantly and whining over the unfairness of their distance. Because it was during that year, that final year of high school, that Donghae realized Hyukjae was more than his best friend.
Of course Donghae had to fall for him. There was never a choice.
*
Donghae laughed brightly as another camper tried to leap onto his back. He was leading a nature hike, showing the little ones different plants and berries that they could eat out in the wild. Donghae knew they’d like the hike: it gave boys a chance to dig into the dirt. It was one of Donghae’s favorite activities when he was younger. He was currently being tugged in three directions. Two campers pulled his arms to the side to show him the roots they dug up while one jumped onto his back for a piggy-back ride.
“Okay guys, Donghae can’t see anything when you pull on him like that”! Donghae said patiently, untangling his right hand from one boy and wiggling to slide another off his back.
“Donghae,” Jiwon whined loudly. Jiwon was his biggest fan, following the brunette constantly and clinging to his hand at every opportunity. Donghae smiled indulgently and watched as Jiwon and his friend, Juhyun, proudly displayed their freshly dug roots.
“Wo—w!” Donghae exclaimed dramatically. “I have to mini-hulks on my hands! You guys got some great roots, there!” The two grinned and began comparing with the other campers. Donghae did a head check—eighteen, good. And Ryeowook, their main counselor, headed up the back. Ryeowook gave Donghae an exasperated smile at patted a camper’s head who was striving for attention. Donghae remembered they had their break together today. Ryeowook must be exhausted keeping track of so many little ones all day. Donghae should know, they lived in the unit together and he personally tucked fourteen of them into bed last night, comforted two in the early morning, and woke six when the morning bell rang at seven a.m.
Come to think of it, he was pretty tired, too. But there was work to be done and small kids to watch, so Donghae smacked a happy face on and watched Jinwon tug at a plant in the ground.
“Alrighty, time to head back!” Donghae called, “Buddy lines!” The boys scrambled together in a heap and clasped hands together. Donghae stood in front of them, stiff faced and hands clasped behind his back.
“Ready troops?!” He yelled mock-seriously.
“Ready!” they giggled and squealed.
“ZERO!” Donghae bellowed up at the trees and the boys yelled their matching numbers out. “Forwaaaard—maarch!” He led them along the short winding path back to the nature hut. As they stumbled out of the little wooded area, Donghae felt a small hand slip into his again. He looked down and smiled at a blushing Jinwon. He swung their arms together playfully for the rest of their walk, choosing not to send him back to his buddy. The line was more of an amoeba at this point anyway.
“Grab your water bottles and get ready to head back to the unit,” Donghae called out as the campers scrambled upon reaching the benches. Ryeowook walked up to him and sighed, slumping onto one of the benches.
“Sleeepy,” he said, plopping his head against Donghae’s waist. Donghae looked down at the top of Ryeowook’s head and made a funny face.
“Wook, we’ve still got fifteen minutes! Break during dinner, remember? Yay! You can have a nap!”
Ryeowook’s head bounced as he huffed in laughter. “Right, right! Eternal Sunshine Donghae shows me the light once again.” Donghae patted his hair comfortingly.
“That’s right, Wook. Come on; let’s get these little guys to their dinner!” He slid away and laughed playfully as Ryeowook’s head slumped a moment before he jerked back upright.
“Hey!” he said, scrunching his nose. A witness camper guffawed and Ryeowook stuck his tongue out playfully. This time it was Ryeowook who headed up the buddy line and led them the short walk to Black Bear. They had enough time to usher the boys into long pants and drench them all in bug spray before they were off again, only this time to the singing logs. There were already a bunch of campers there, singing along with Sungmin and Mir who danced at the front.
Donghae and Ryeowook’s campers clambered onto the logs as the two counselors walked to the dining hall, pushing aside the squeaking door and into the cool silence of the staff room.
“At last!” Ryeowook said dramatically, slumping into an orange couch and puffing up dust from the impact. Donghae walked over to the wall of Tupperware and opened the lid on his box. He was lucky enough to get one in the middle—Hyukjae’s was on the top and Donghae really enjoyed laughing as the other went to his toes just to pull it down. He snagged a granola bar from within and joined Ryeowook in his slovenly glory, perching at the edge of the second couch and munching happily.
A moment of noise preceded the entrance of Yoseob and Hyunseung, chatting happily. Hyunseung was covered in paint and Donghae chuckled at the artistic mess. “How was archery, Seob?” he asked as the boy made his way to the Tupperware.
“Good,” Yoseob smiled, “only a kid almost shot my knee today! Whoa, I was nervous!”
“How can you say that smiling?” Doojoon said, pushing the door loudly to mark his entrance. Donghae immediately tuned out the conversation and looked at Hyunseung, who’d turned away and began eyeing the half-finished friendship bracelet on his water bottle interestedly.
“No hello?” said a voice in his ear. Donghae chuckled and leaned into the arms that wrapped around his shoulders over the back of the couch.
“Hyukkiee,” he chorused. “You’re here!” Hyukjae pushed his head into Donghae’s playfully and moved to the other side of the couch, plopping down comfortably on Donghae’s lap. He wiggled and got comfortable, resting his head on Donghae’s shoulder.
“You’re gonna hurt your neck,” Donghae warned. He embraced the lifeguard in a tight hug nonetheless.
“Mmm” Hyukjae grunted. Donghae took is as an ‘I don’t care’ and moved on.
“Don’t you need your strawberry milk?” he asked into Hyukjae’s cheek.
“I need this more,” Hyukjae said absently. Donghae’s smiled widened and he tightened his hold on the other. They sat for a moment until Hyukjae twitched.
“What?” Donghae said, wondering at the movement.
“Doojoon’s just being a brat,” Hyukjae answered, “he made a face at me.”
“Only cause you’re so cuddly,” Doojoon defended. He chucked a blue sweatshirt at Hyukjae’s face. “Here, we’ve gotta go back out to man tables.”
“Alright, alright,” Hyukjae groused, heaving himself off Donghae’s lap. Donghae tried not to ogle Hyukjae’s butt in his swim trunks.
He also tried not to stare too much as Hyukjae’s arms rose, sliding into his sweatshirt. The one Donghae had given him last year. Hyukjae saw him eyeing the sweatshirt and got the wrong idea.
“Still my favorite,” he said, eyes squinting in a proud smile. He slid his hands in the large pockets and wiggled. “So fluffy.”
Donghae smiled and rose to pinch Hyukjae’s cheeks. “Why are you so cute, my Hyukjae?” he cooed as Hyukjae dodged out of his grasp.
“I’m a monkey, gotta love me,” he sang, trotting to the refrigerator and tugging out a carton of strawberry milk. “Sit with me at dinner?”
“Sure!” Donghae said the same time Ryeowook called tiredly from the couch,
“Nope, he’s on break.”
Hyukjae blinked. “Break time?” he asked, tilting his head.
“Um…yeah but it’s fine,” Donghae said as he walked to his Tupperware. He popped the lid off and was about to pull out his sweatshirt when Hyukjae pushed the lid back on.
“No way, Hae, take a break! I’ll see you later!” Hyukjae gazed at Donghae a long second before walking back through the door in the growing din of the dining hall.
“Please,” Hyunseung said, looking up from his book at Donghae’s old spot on the couch. “Do us all a favor and just confess. I’m dying.”
Donghae pouted and flopped to the other end of the sofa.
*
The shrill beeping emanating throughout the tent roused Donghae earlier than he would've liked. He groaned, face buried into his soft pillow, before struggling around in his twisted sleeping bag to a sitting position. He grappled with his discarded jeans from last night and shoved his hand into a pocket. Laden eyes closed again as his hand wrapped around the wristwatch, fingers fumbling with the button to stop the alarm. It went blissfully silent.
Donghae shivered, his upper body exposed to the cold chill of the morning. He enviously eyed the tent's other occupants. Ryeowook, Junhyung, and Mir remained deep asleep, undisturbed. Donghae sighed and leaned forward on his knees, digging around in the bag by his knees to pull out a clean shirt. Grateful he had the foresight to shower the night before, he quickly stripped off his warm night shirt and slid on the cool tee. He clutched at his ratty maroon sweatshirt and quickly tugged it over his head. Sighing again, Donghae grit his teeth and prepared for the worst moment of the day--getting out of the sleeping bag. One fell swoop, he thought to himself, placing a hand preemptively on his jeans. Quickly, Donghae pulled his legs out from his sleeping bag. In a small ruckus he whipped off his fuzzy night pants and wrestled his already cold legs into the blue jeans. Done. He grabbed a black belt, hat, and clean socks from his bag. Sliding the socks on his feet, Donghae jammed the hat over his messy bed-head and stood. He tucked his toes into dusty sneakers and unzipped the tent, stepping out into the soft light of morning.
His breath puffed before him, the mountain air biting through his jeans and caressing his face. Donghae sniffed and looked around blearily. He wound the belt through the loops and secured it before reaching back into the tent and grabbing his backpack from next to the entrance. He zipped the tent up again before the cold air could wake his coworkers. The three cabins of the Bruin unit were silent; all campers still snug asleep and dreaming peacefully. Donghae smiled a bit and trudged up the small hill towards the staff bathrooms. He was lucky he liked little kids--the Bruin unit was placed closest to the center of camp. The dining hall was several yards away, the main staff bathroom even closer. To the right, the meadow stretched out, green and bumpy. Treacherous holes hid under the dry green grass. Didn't bode well for the only area in camp that kids could run, but no one had been horribly injured yet.
Donghae entered the staff bathroom and walked to the back to grab his toothbrush from his designated basket. The rack was opposite the wall of showers, small cubicles with green and blue curtains shielding occupants from any voyeurs. One of the showers was running. Who would be awake this early? Probably the kitchen staff who had to rise early and begin breakfast preparations. Maybe Dongwoon. Or Seungho. Donghae didn't think much of it and instead walked back to the sinks, snagging his towel hanging from a bathroom door and placing it next to a sink before he began to brush his teeth idly. The water turned off and shuffling could be heard from behind a green shower curtain. Donghae spit out toothpaste and grabbed his face wash, dunking his hands into the warm sink water and splashing his skin vigorously.
He looked up as the shower curtain opened, ready to greet the mysterious coworker good morning. It wasn't kitchen staff. It was Hyukjae, damp and naked save for his monkey towel precariously wrapped around his waist. Donghae's mouth went dry and he felt himself gaping. "Oops," Hyukjae said, cheeks reddening. "I forgot my...um...I didn't know someone was here, sorry Hae." He gestured over at his backpack sitting by the wall. Donghae blinked but couldn't tear his eyes away from the drops of water sliding down his neck dripping off his rather defined chest. He was normally better at...well, not being a creeper but right now he was sleepy and his defenses hadn't been roused by his alarm this morning.
"Um...are you alright?" Hyukjae asked concernedly, stepping towards Donghae. Donghae licked his lips and forced his eyes away. He chuckled.
"Yeah, sorry Hyuk I'm just....just...tired still I guess..." he said uneasily, staring intently at the sink before his eyes gravitated back towards his crush's face. Hyukjae smiled and adjusted his hold on the towel.
"Why are you up so early?" he asked as he went to his backpack and pulled out sweats and a tee shirt. Donghae swallowed as he revealed a pair of black briefs and returned his attention to the sink, packing up his toothbrush and face wash.
"I've got animal tracks to plant for one of my nature walks today," he explained. "It'll be easier to do it now than when someone might see me." Hyukjae made a sound of agreement as he stepped back behind the shower curtain and closed it. Donghae saw the towel drop to the floor. "Why are you up so early?" he asked, putting his own towel back over the bathroom door.
"Went for a run," Hyukjae's voice rose from behind the curtain.
Donghae licked his lips as he pictured Hyukjae, clad in a tank top and baggy soccer shorts dripping with sweat.
"You should go with me sometime," Hyukjae continued.
"Sure," Donghae said absently, picking up his basket and fiddling with it nervously. To return it to the rack would mean being inches away from a naked Hyukjae and he was struck with a sudden bout of nerves. It was one thing perving on Hyukjae from far away, seeing him blurrily through an opened door. It was another thing to resist the desire to tug the curtain back and push his tempting body against the shower wall. His body thrummed with desire and Donghae, not for the first time, was disgusted with the strength of his desire and his inability to do something about it.
But if Hyukjae didn't feel the same...
Donghae was saved from temptation as Hyukjae, now fully clothed, emerged from the shower. "Need help with laying tracks?" he asked as he hung his towel up next to Donghae's.
Donghae knew he should probably say no. Take time to clear his head, be alone, and get over his sudden rush of desire for his best friend. But Hyukjae was Donghae's kryptonite and honestly Donghae would do pretty much anything for another second with the boy.
"Yeah," he said, smiling brightly and throwing an arm around Hyukjae's thin shoulders. "You can be the deer."
"And what are you?" Hyukjae chuckled as they stepped outside. They began walking toward the nature hut, footsteps crunching over gravel and dirt.
"The bear, obviously," Donghae stuck his tongue out. "I'm the nature specialist; I get to plant the cool footprints."
"Brat," Hyukjae teased.
Donghae eyed their hands, swinging closely to one another as they walked. His index finger twitched toward the soft back of Hyukjae's hand. Hyukjae eyed the movement and reached out, twining his fingers comfortably between Donghae's long fingers. "Remember when we went a whole day holding hands, just because Kibum said we couldn't?" he asked fondly.
"We proved him wrong," Donghae said, heart thumping loudly in his chest. Hyukjae's hand was as soft as he remembered, and fit as familiarly there as if it'd been attached since the first time they'd met. "Although going to the bathroom was awkward."
"Please," Hyukjae scoffed, squeezing Donghae's hand quickly, "that was nothing. It was eating that was troublesome."
"Only because you refused to switch hands with me!" Donghae said, shoving his shoulder into the other. Hyukjae laughed as he pulled Donghae with him and they stumbled on the path.
"I," he said arrogantly, "am an amazing left-handed person. I could be ambidextrous if I really wanted."
"Which is why you spilled food all over your lap," Donghae said dryly.
"It was self-expression," Hyukjae dismissed, waving his free hand. Donghae laughed.
The two reached the nature hut and Donghae reluctantly removed his hand from Hyukjae's to grab the bucket of animal prints from a shelf. He placed the bucket on the large wooden table in the middle of the floor and dug around, pulling out different prints. He pulled out the raccoon prints and showed them to Hyukjae with a mischievous grin, "It's Kangin hyung, Hyuk!"
Hyukjae laughed and covered his mouth, remembering their proximity to the Brown Bear unit. His eyes betrayed him, squinting happily. Donghae felt elated at his ability to make Hyukjae laugh and kept the prints out, also removing the deer and bear steps from the pail. "Okay," he said in his best business voice. "Let's go."
He handed Hyukjae the deer prints and the two walked to the head of Donghae's self-made nature trail. They got to work, placing the prints in some semblance of a walking pattern throughout the brush. Donghae alternated between raccoon and bear prints as Hyukjae kept scattering deer feet across the soft dirt. The sun brightened the sky and Donghae watched Hyukjae's brown hair shine as he worked, crouching on the ground and placing the prints with a concentrated face.
He caught himself smiling like a lovesick idiot and got to work himself, bending over and placing a paw print at the root of a tree. And then realized the matching paw would have to be squished in a tiny space between two scratchy bushes a little ways up. Donghae sighed and leaned forward, pressing one palm delicately on the ground as he stretched towards his goal. He stuck his tongue out in concentration, annoyingly feeling the back of his sweater pulling with his outstretched arm. A little more distance—he lifted up on his feet and smacked the print down in the small space. Victory!
Face flushed, Donghae rose to his feet and turned to see Hyukjae. The boy was staring at him blankly with parted lips.
“Hyuk?” Donghae asked, watching the face before him blossom pink. “Did you do something stupid like me and put a print in an awkward place?”
“Uh…yeah,” Hyukjae said, scratching the back of his head. “I…got enthusiastic and made a giant deer by accident.”
“Dork,” Donghae teased affectionately, fiddling with the bear paw in his hands. He eyed his watch. “Crap, it’s 6:50! We should get back to the unit.”
Hyukjae nodded in agreement and they plopped their prints into the pail before Donghae grabbed it, walking briskly back to the nature hut. Donghae ran lightly up the steps and set the pail back up on the high shelf before returning to a waiting Hyukjae by the benches. “I’ll walk you to your unit,” he told the lifeguard. “It’s on the way anyway.”
“Cool,” Hyukjae said. Across the big path from the nature hut and brown bear unit was the blue bear unit. Their first summer Hyukjae and Shindong had gotten in a rather heated dispute over the existence of blue bears, so they took to the internet. Yes, they’re real. No, they’re not blue.
Neither boy was fully over it yet, since both claimed to be right.
The blue bear unit was right next to the bruins, and Donghae was happy that Hyukjae was so close this session. The short walk across the road was obviously too short and Donghae stopped at the entrance to the unit.
“Thanks for your help,” he said sincerely. “You really made it go so much faster.”
“Anytime,” Hyukjae responded. “Really, Hae, you should know I’d do anything for you.”
Donghae’s felt the familiar thrumming in his chest and tugged nervously at the hem of his sleeve. Maybe…
“Hyuk—" Donghae started but the clanging of the morning bell rent the air.
“I should go,” Hyukjae said, glancing back towards his unit.
“Yeah,” Donghae said vacantly, staring at the lifeguard’s averted eyes. “I’ll see you at breakfast?”
Hyukjae turned around and grinned. “Save a seat for me.” He leaned in and gave the started counselor a tight hug. Donghae rested his head on Hyukjae’s shoulder and smiled. He smelled like dirt and a hint of strawberry from his shampoo. Hyukjae let go and walked over to the first cabin, grinning devilishly at Donghae before entering through the door.
Donghae chuckled walking away as he heard the lifeguards “warrior call” rousing the campers. Well, he had his own munchkins to wake.
*
The summer was halfway over in the blink of an eye. Donghae loved and hated that about camp; he loved his time up among his friends, but too quickly it was taken from him.
This session was a particularly long one since it involved a switch day. Camp sessions were regularly five days long with a break between to give the staff a chance to relax and be themselves for a while. But switch days were extra-long. The first group camp came in and stayed for five days, but on the morning of their departure another bus containing the second set of campers rolled in. The counselors of each unit split up, half sending off the old group, half welcoming the new…
…and as usual, the specialists were on luggage duty.
Not that he was complaining. Donghae loved luggage duty. He and Hyukjae, Yoseob, Doojoon, and Kikwang crowded into the truck and drove along the bumpy paths, delivering the campers’ luggage to their proper units. They got to have the radio on and right now some current pop song was blasting through the speakers as the large truck trundled up the hill to an upper unit. Kikwang was driving, giddy at the chance to get behind the wheel. They performed their luggage drop offs like a hit and run, Kikwang stopping the car suddenly while they all piled out and practically chucked the luggage out of the bunk and onto the waiting tarps before scrambling back into the car and driving off again.
Donghae was squished next to Hyukjae, the two sweaty and smiling as Yoseob rambled off about a recent encounter he had with a snake in the bathroom. Doojoon sat in the front next to Kikwang, arm slung out the window. Hyukjae laughed and nudged Donghae in the shoulder to look at the lifeguard. His hair wasn’t moving in the wind.
“Yah, Doojoon!” Hyukjae yelled at the front, “We have swimming tests today!! What’s the gel for!?”
“It has to look nice, okay?” Doojoon defended, hand automatically reaching up and checking that his due was still flawless. Yoseob laughed and kicked the back of the lifeguard’s chair. As the two got into a bickering fest, Hyukjae and Donghae shook their heads fondly. Hyukjae returned his attention to the brunette next to him.
“Hae,” He said, reaching out and brushing at Donghae’s face, “you totally have dirt all over your face.” Donghae felt his cheeks warming under Hyukjae’s dry palm and quickly poked the other in the stomach.
“So do you,” he shot back. Hyukjae grinned.
“Yes but I get to go swimming later.” Donghae opened his mouth to retort but Kikwang slammed on the breaks as they reached the loading station. The leapt out of the car and quickly grabbed all the bags waiting to be loaded and taken to the next unit. Hyukjae heaved the last bag into the back and they climbed back in.
“When’s your twenty four?” Hyukjae asked as they bumped along the path. The twenty four he was referring to was the day-long break that each counselor had during a switch-day session. Hyukjae had already had his during the first part, and Donghae was itching to finally rest and harass the other counselors.
“Tomorrow,” he said, already planning out his schedule of sleeping, eating, and lounging in the break room.
“Come hang out with me at the canoe lake,” Hyukjae demanded. “I could use the company.”
“Alright,” Donghae said, matching Hyukjae’s grin. That sounded like the perfect way to spend the day.
The truck jerked to a stop and Donghae forgot about anything else as he flung himself out of the back.
*
Donghae was exhausted. A full day of nature with small kids and an unsatisfying break in the morning left him bone-tired and ready to collapse after dinner. He pulled his weary body from the table and over to the giant silver sink. Luckily, his staff caper was dishwashing, a job that required little energy and fake enthusiasm. He hunched over and began washing giant communal dishes with extreme lackluster. Luckily Shindong was much more energetic than himself, so work was done relatively quickly. Donghae, back bent and scrubbing a stubborn lasagna tray, snuck a quick glance over at Hyukjae. The lifeguard was on sanitation duty. He straddled a red table bench and took the buckets of washed dishes from the campers, dunking them into the large green bucket of sanitation water in front of him before handing them back carefully so the campers could set them onto the giant metal racks in the back of the dining hall. He was grinning at something a CIT was telling him, gums proudly displayed to the world and laugh lines digging into the corners of his eyes.
Donghae watched as a smaller camper practically dropped the bucket on Hyukjae’s sweat-clad legs. Hyukjae’s hands shot out, stabilizing the basket before divesting it from the little one’s hands like nothing happened. When he handed it back, he showed the camper the best way to clutch on to the awkward shape and teasingly flexed his muscles to display his strength. The kid laughed and went on his way as the CIT said something that had Hyukjae guffawing and digging his elbow into the boy’s ribs.
“Donghae,” Shindong said.
“Huh?” Donghae asked, tearing his eyes away and glancing at the counselor standing next to him at the sink.
“I’ve been calling you,” Shindong said, rolling his eyes. “Can you bring that tray into the kitchen?”
“Oops, sure!” he replied, hefting the blue tray filled with plates and pitchers into his arms and shuffling the short distance to the kitchen door. His arms strained under the weight and he wobbled as he entered through the open door and plopped the wet try onto the counter.
“Thanks, hyung!” Dongwoon called out. He was busily scrubbing a pot and hardly looked up.
“No worries,” Donghae said happily, footsteps infinitely lighter on his way out. He walked towards the sink again and noticed Hyukjae looking in his direction. “Hyukjaeeee~” he sang, “I saw your flimsy muscles! Go work out with Doojoon next time, huh?”
Hyukjae stuck his tongue out at the brunette. “I saw your real display of muscle work, Hae Hae!” He called, taking another basket from a camper and dunking it. “You’ve been working out! You can lift a tray now!”
“Har Har.” Donghae sneered before grinning brightly. “Don’t be jealous of my guns, Hyuk. They’re here to stay.”
“Sure dear,” Hyukjae acquiesced.
Donghae clicked his tongue and went back to helping Shindong at the sinks. After most of the dishes were washed and placed in rinsing racks to be sanitized by the kitchen staff he slunk away to the staff room. He joined Junhyung who was already slumped in one corner of the couch.
“I’m going to die,” Junhyung grumbled, arm thrown askew over his eyes.
“You can do it,” Donghae encouraged half-heartedly. “This batch leaves tomorrow and we have a whole day to relax before the next group comes.”
Junhyung moaned and fell silent. Donghae wasn’t offended and instead copied the other counselor, slouching into the cushions and closing his eyes. He felt a little guilty for leaving Yesung and Kibum to put the campers to bed when he was resting, but his exhaustion soon washed the feelings away.
He barely moved when he felt his head being moved, sliding down to rest on an unknown lap. The lap was warm and soft, and he snuggled his face into the material. “Sleep Hae,” he vaguely heard Hyukjae’s from above him and the whispers of a few more counselors in the back. He smelled Hyukjae, dusty and indefinable, and it sent him quickly into sleep.
Donghae awoke in the middle of the night, safely ensconced in the sleeping bag of his tent. He blinked confusedly into the darkness, wondering what woke him up. The footsteps of people walking away were close by and he heard Hyukjae and Ryeowook chatting softly. Donghae smiled and snuggled into pillow.
Hyukjae was as strong as he thought he was.
*
“First go down the steps,” Doojoon instructed from the wall in the swimming hole. Aptly named, the swimming hole was really a giant hole dug in the earth and filled with pokey cement at the bottom. The area, as small as a large pond, was divided in half by a low wall in the middle. The right of the wall was the shallow end and it marked the visible barrier of where campers ranked ‘duck’ were allowed to frolic. Doojoon straddled the wall and faced the wooden structure of steps where campers nervously awaited to take their swimming assessment. Hyukjae was lingering at the edge of the swimming hole, ready to demonstrate the test. Donghae leaned against the step behind him, Junsik’s hand fiddling with his own absently. Donghae had a break, so he decided to accompany his little campers to their rotation. Junsik was his clinger this session. Not that he minded, he thought fondly, glancing down at the mop of messy brown hair next to him. The kid reminded him of himself a little.
It was an added bonus that he’d get to watch Hyukjae in action.
Hyukjae walked down the two small cement steps into the swimming hole. He jumped a bit, and Donghae bit back a laugh as the lifeguard pressed his lips together tightly. “It might be a little…refreshing,” Doojoon chuckled. “Be ready for it.” Hyukjae dropped underwater suddenly and rose back up in a flurry of water droplets, hair now sopping on his forehead.
“You freestyle to me,” Doojoon instructed and Hyukjae completed the short five stroke journey to Doojoon at the wall. “Then tread water for thirty seconds.” Hyukjae was breathing calmly as his arms cut through the water. He bobbed in the cold water, face a mask of concentration. Donghae watched his arms moving in practiced rhythm, rippling under the water. “Having fun, Hyukjae?” Doojoon asked, making conversation while they waited.
“I could do this all day,” Hyukjae bragged a little breathlessly. Doojoon laughed and splashed at his face with his foot. Hyukjae yelped in indignation and the campers laughed at their playfulness.
‘Okay, now you just swim back to the beginning however you want,” Doojoon said and Hyukjae began a slow breaststroke back to the beginning. He waded the last few steps and climbed up the stairs, black board shorts clinging onto his skinny legs.
“Hyukjae lifeguard is so hairy!” Junsik exclaimed, and Jaewon, the boy next to him, giggled.
Hyukjae scrunched his face at the comment and Donghae laughed. It was then Hyukjae noticed him, smiling brightly at the brunette on the steps. “Hae!” He greeted, “taking your swimming test?”
“Not today,” Donghae said, faking sadness, “I don’t have my swimsuit!”
“Aaaawww,” some campers whined and Junsik tugged on his hand.
“But Hae, aren’t you a fishy?”
“I am,” Donghae said proudly, puffing out his chest. “So I can swim all the time! Forever!”
“Forever swimming?!” another camper yelled.
“Yes,” Donghae said gravely. “Forever. But then I’d be wrinkly. And I’d be old-fishy Hae.”
“Eeeew,” Min-geon said. “That’s gross.”
“And that’s why I’m not swimming right now,” Donghae said. It didn’t make sense, but Donghae was thankful small kids really didn’t need airtight alibis. "But don't worry; I'm sure Mir will swim with you guys, right Mir?" Donghae called down to the counselor lounging on the dock.
"Sure, squirts!" Mir smiled up at the bunch. "I'll make sure to have y'all doing laps!"
Hyukjae grinned up at Donghae and he untangled his hand from Junsik's, making his way to the small dock to the left of the wooden structure. Doojoon had moved during Hyukjae's journey, and Donghae met him and a dripping Hyukjae there. Hyukjae's smile turned mischievous as he leapt suddenly into Donghae's arms, twining his legs around the others waist. Donghae flinched, the cold water seeping off Hyukjae's cool skin and sopping shorts and onto his own, dry clothes.
'Hyuk!" Donghae wailed, still unwilling to drop the other unceremoniously to the floor. Hyukjae laughed loudly in his ear and despite the frigid water on his skin Donghae laughed. His arms tightened around the lifeguard’s slippery waist as he wobbled under the weight. "Hyuk, down! I'm going to drop you!"
Hyukjae nuzzled their heads together and dropped his feet, detaching from Donghae. He eyed the splotches of water spread across the brunette’s front and giggled. Donghae plucked pathetically at his shirt. "It's cold," he whined.
“Don't let the campers hear you saying that," Hyukjae said brightly, suddenly much more hyper than when he'd been doing the swimming test.
"Aah, where'd the cool Hyukjae go?" Doojoon pleaded the sky. "I can't work with him when he goes all giddy like this."
"Please," Mir scoffed, "Donghae's always like this. Try switching with me for a day." He ignored Donghae’s indignant shout.
"Shuttup Dooj," Hyukjae said brightly. "Let's go get those kids in the water." Doojoon walked by, kicking out at Hyukjae's ankles and rounded the kids to line up by the stairs of the swimming hole.
'Hae, can you write down what level I give them?" Hyukjae asked, looking brightly at Donghae's still disgruntled face.
'Yeah, yeah,' Donghae agreed, too happy to be with his best friend to mind doing extra work.
"What about me?" Mir asked.
"Go be useless over there," Hyukjae gestured back to the dock. Mir pouted but didn't fight it. Hey, free mini-break.
"The one working gets to rest," Donghae grumbled. Hyukjae ruffled his hair, knowing Donghae was just blowing hot air. He started walking towards the stairs, getting the campers all lined up and ready to go.
"Grab the binder," he called out over his shoulder at Donghae.
"Yeah yeah!" Donghae said, snagging the binder off the dock by Mir's feet.
'You know," Mir said lowly. "He got positively giddy when he saw you."
'Hyuk's my best friend," Donghae said absently as he flipped through the binder to the right unit.
"And your his," Mir agreed. "But please, I'll kiss Shindong smack on the lips if there's really nothing going on between you two." He grimaced to illustrate just how unappealing that sounded.
Donghae pursed his lips and looked around for a pen. He spied Hyukjae's pants lying discarded on the dock and bent down, rifling through the pockets.
"Like right now," Mir said conversationally, staring over by the stairs. "He's checking out your ass."
Donghae, who had been smiling in satisfaction as his hands grasped a sharpie, gasped and whirled around at Mir's casual declaration. "What?!" He exclaimed, turning to face the stairs. Hyukjae was looking at him, but upon making eye contact quickly looked at the camper in front of him and struck up conversation.
"So pathetic," Mir scoffed. "It's obvious he wants you." Donghae fiddled with the pen.
"I um...need to go mark levels," he said, eyes alternating between staring at the binder in his hands and over at Hyukjae bouncing on his feet.
"Just kiss him," Mir advised as a parting shot. "Just, you know, not in front of the campers."
"Hush," Donghae said as he walked away. But he couldn't stop the blush from forming on his face.
*
“Free, free!” Mir exclaimed, practically prancing around the staff room. Donghae grinned from his crammed seat in the corner of one dusty orange couch. Hyukjae came in shortly behind Mir, eyes finding Donghae quickly and making his way over through the crowd of scattered counselors.
“Only a short break,” he said as a greeting and Donghae grinned, throwing his arms open in invitation. Hyukjae’s eyes squinted happily and he turned around, collapsing bonelessly against Donghae. The brunette huffed as Hyukjae forced the wind from his lungs.
“God Hyuk,” he wheezed into his back, “you could have tried to murder me a litter nicer.” Hyukjae’s body moved as he laughed against Donghae’s chest.
“Baby,” he chided, tilting his head back to rest snugly in the crook of Donghae’s neck. Curls of hair tickled at his cheek and he puffed in Donhae’s ear playfully. Donghae shook his head, feeling slightly like a mangy dog, but was quick to twine his arms around the lifeguard’s thin waist. He reflexively curled his fingertips into the thin tee covering the other’s stomach.
“Jungsu’s going into town to buy us ice cream,” Seungho announced happily to the lingering counselors, emerging from the kitchen for a rare occasion. “We’ve been promised a movie night in the dining hall.”
“Sweet,” Yesung said, body splayed out in a large chair. “We sleeping in there, then?”
“Why not?” Ryeowook said, perching on the edge of Yesung’s chair. “We can push all the tables together to make a giant sleeping platform.”
“I’ll start stealing mattresses from the Bruin unit,” Donghae volunteered from underneath Hyukjae.
“Guess that means I have to go, too,” Hyukjae grinned.
“Obviously,” Doojoon said from the wall, smirking while digging through his large tub. He tugged out his sweatshirt and pulled it on, eyes catching Hyukjae’s as his head popped out the top. They had a wordless exchange for a brief moment before Hyukjae rose to his feet, whirling around and offering a hand to help Donghae up immediately. Donghae grabbed it without hesitation, letting Hyukjae tug him from his relaxed seat.
“Let’s go,” Donghae said happily, hand still grasping Hyukjae’s steadily and tugging him out of the break room.
Hyukjae let himself be pulled out the staff room and through the dining hall, only matching Donghae’s pace once they breached the gravel path leading towards the bruin unit. They walked hand-in-hand, swinging casually along the path in an unusual silence. Donghae, too lost in his thoughts, failed to notice Hyukjae’s silence. He ran his thumb lightly against Hyukjae’s palm, considering. Hyukjae took in an audible breath, almost to speak, before he fell silent again, eyes fixed on their clasped hands.
It was a short walk to the unit, and immediately Donghae walked up the small ramp into the first cabin. Hyukjae filed in behind him and the screen door latched closed. The cabin was small, five beds along both walls with an identical door on the other end. A deep green tarp covered the door, offering a semblance of privacy for when the campers changed clothes. Now it cast the cabin into darkness from the fading light outside. Hyukjae watched Donghae walk across the room, shoes tromping loudly against the floor as he came to the end of the far mattress. He bent over to pick up the corners, calling “Hyuk you get that side of mattresses and between the two of us we can pile them up and lug them back in one go.” Hyukjae remained silent, and Donghae clicked his teeth and twisted his head up to look at his friend. Hyukjae stood there awkwardly, gazing steadily at Donghae’s ears.
“Hae,” he said abruptly, and fell silent. Donghae looked at him, hands still grasping the edges of the mattress all ready to pull it up.
“What?” Donghae asked innocently, head cocked curiously at Hyukjae’s still posture, hands clenched at his sides. His brow furrowed. He let go of the corners of the mattress and stood up, catching the mood lingering in the room. “Hyuk, are you okay?”
Hyukjae licked his lips nervously, still on the far end of the cabin. His hands spasmed before tightening again. “I—" he started, tongue darting out to moisten his upper lip again.
“Hyukjae, what’s wrong?” Donghae asked, taking two steps towards his best friend. Hyukjae looked ready to bolt, oddly vulnerable in the baggy sweatshirt Donghae had given him.
“Hae, I,” Hyukjae’s breath was wavering. His eyes welled up and Donghae practically flew to Hyukjae’s side, enfolding him in his arms.
“Hyukjae what the heck’s going on? Are you okay?” Donghae asked urgently, pushing his best friend’s thin body tightly against his own. To keep him so close that osmosis would simply transfer the reason for Hyukjae’s sudden freak-out into his own brain.
Hyukjae’s own arms came up around Donghae, fingers curling at the nap of his neck. They stood still for a while; Hyukjae’s breathing settling into an even cadence with Donghae’s. The frogs began croaking with sunset, a quiet din growing with the dimming sky. In the distance Donghae could hear Shindong yelling playfully with Mir in the meadow. Hyukjae’s board-stiff body began to sag in his arms, and Donghae broached the subject again.
“What’s wrong, Hyukkie?” he asked, eyes crossed and fixed on his best friend’s back. Hyukjae took a deep breath, released. He pushed back a little, not breaking the protective hold Donghae had around his waist. It was enough to be able to meet Donghae’s concerned expression. Donghae’s pupils moved to take in Hyukjae’s dry eyes, his red face. Hyukjae let himself be examined and moved his arms from their purchase around Donghae’s neck to the curves of his arms.
“Donghae…” He began, fingers absently curling into the thick material of Donghae’s sweater. He stopped, swallowed reflexively, and suddenly threw himself forwards, pushing his lips quickly against Donghae’s own.
Donghae blinked and it was over. Hyukjae pushed back almost violently from his body and slammed the screen door open, running down the ramp and back towards the dining hall. Donghae’s lips tingled but was nothing compared to the pounding of his heart breaking his ribs from inside.
*
Donghae didn’t want to give Hyukjae even a second to doubt anything, but by the time he gathered his wits and rushed back to the staff room, Hyukjae was long gone into town with Jungsu to buy ice cream and only Doojoon’s pitying look greeted him from the couch.
“Crap,” Donghae exhaled and collapsed into the couch across from the other lifeguard. He put his head in his hands, tugging furiously at his hair from the pathetic situation he found himself in.
“Ran away?” Doojoon guessed. Donghae moaned. “Well,” Doojoon said easily, “that wasn’t more than I expected I guess. Kinda thought you’d move fast enough to catch him, though.”
“He was like a race house fresh out the gate,” Donghae whined into his hands. The couch felt hard and irritating against his body. He needed Hyukjae to make him feel better. He needed Hyukjae to calm him down from the fit he was working himself into. It was his fault, anyway.
“Look,” Doojoon said, obviously eager to impart wisdom, “Since it’s obvious you like him back, why are you freaking out? He’s got to come back, and when he does you just grab him and kiss him into submission. Problem solved.”
“It’s the waiting,” Donghae exclaimed, looking at Doojoon’s face. “What if he didn’t like kissing me?”
“What, for the one-point-two seconds he actually touched your mouth?” Doojoon raised an eyebrow.
“Kissed? Mouth? What?” Ryeowook pushed the creaking staff-door open and eyed Doojoon and Donghae interestedly. His mouth twitched as he caught Donghae’s upset expression and slumped posture. “Ah, Hyukjae kissed you and ran away, did he?”
“How can everyone tell?” Donghae asked exasperatedly, flinging his arms up and tucking his legs up against his chest. He curled into himself protectively.
“It’s obvious,” Ryeowook said lightly, walking towards his Tupperware and pulling out a box of Oreos. He offered one to Doojoon in the chair nearby and he took it with a wordless smile. He walked across the room to stand in front of Donghae and held the box temptingly in front of him, waving it slightly to catch the other’s eye. Donghae pouted, looking at the box for a moment.
“I’m too upset to eat,” he said after a quick deliberation.
“No you aren’t,” Ryeowook coaxed, pulling out a cookie and holding it up to Donghae’s nose. Donghae looked at the cookie, uncurled his body and took the cookie gently from Ryeowook’s hand.
“Thanks,” he mumbled into the treat. He took a bite and chewed slowly, eyes fixed on the floor.
“Oh, Hae,” Ryeowook said fondly, ruffling the other’s hair, “when Hyukjae comes back you can fix it all up quickly and be just as inseparable as before.”
Donghae took a bite of his cookie and felt a little better. After all, both Doojoon and Wookie said it’d be alright. Why wouldn’t it, after all?
An hour later and Donghae hadn’t moved from his spot on the couch. He was waiting, getting well wishes from all the other counselors. News spread like lightening in camp, so Donghae wasn’t surprised that his business was out for the world to hear. Junhyung told him to write a song while he was waiting, Kangin stopped by and told him to be a man about it, Hyunseung told him to not mess it up…everyone imparted some kind of advice for him. But what it came down to was Donghae just really wanted Hyukjae to come back so he could kiss him properly.
An engine came down the hill and Donghae’s heart picked up anxiously as the sound cut and doors slammed, soft voices coming closer to the staff room. Donghae sprang from his seat, standing uncertainly in the room. Mir came in first, saw Donghae and grinned. His hands were full of ice cream and he said nothing as he walked through the staff room and into the dining hall beyond. Hyukjae came in after, eyes downcast and biting his lip nervously. He stumbled to a stop at the threshold, seeing Donghae’s feet in the corner of his vision.
Donghae cleared his throat. “Hyuk,” he began. Hyukjae started walking again, eyes still glued to the ground and he made to walk into the dining hall. Donghae practically flew to his side, blocking Hyukjae’s way.
“Hyuk, look at me,” Donghae practically ordered. Hyukjae hesitantly lifted his gaze, red-eyes looking nervously though his fringe. “Hyukkie,” Donghae said affectionately at the evidence of Hyukjae’s tears. “Don’t ever run away from me again, okay?”
Hyukjae blinked. “But I—" he began. Donghae dipped his head, pressing his lips softly against his best friend like he’d wanted to for ages. Hyukjae gasped against his mouth, feet shuffling forwards until their toes bumped. Donghae pressed closer, arms twining around Hyukjae’s back and shoving their chests together, head angling to the side to avoid crashing noses. Hyukjae whimpered into his mouth and parted his lips, tongue brushing lightly against Donghae’s bottom lip before pulling back. His arms had somehow found their way to cling onto Donghae’s arms and he looked at them curiously before looking back into Donghae’s soft gaze.
“You idiot,” Donghae said fondly, bumping their noses together affectionately. “How can I tell you I like you when you just leave like that? You can’t be the only one to dictate this relationship.”
Hyukjae’s face broke into a grin. “I’m sorry,” he said, sniffing as he fought from crying again. “You know how I get when I’m uncomfortable.”
“You turn into a crybaby?” Donghae teased.
“Shuttup,” Hyukjae said. Where he’d normally swat Donghae on the arm he chose instead to lean forward and peck him on the lips. Donghae grinned against his mouth.
“Can I please kiss you forever?” He said fondly, moving against Hyukjae’s mouth.
“Then how’d we get anything done?” Hyukjae asked, tongue flicking against Donghae’s lips.
“I’d say this is getting something done,” Donghae argued, tilting his chin up to press a kiss to Hyukjae’s forehead.
Hyukjae scrunched his nose and tucked his head into Donghae’s neck. “We’re going to be unbearable now, aren’t we?” Hyukjae asked rhetorically.
“Undoubtedly,” Donghae agreed lightly. “I’m excited.”
*