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Aster chuckled at his intensity and how quickly he was brushed off. “Don't get your wires in a knot. I wouldn't be caught dead in something like an arcade. I'm not cheap.” Aster knew he'd be poking more buttons like that in the future, if only because this place seemed determined to bore him to death. Dobbs and co. seemed fixated on fighting each other at every turn and frankly, it was exhausting so it seemed Aster would need to be the one to step forward and smooth things over.

“Now, now Em. I think we can all agree no one wants to be here with the sum of present company, Dobbs included, and we can move on without the verbal brawling. Stress causes wrinkles and while I certainly won't have any, Dobbs doesn't need more and none of you want any before you turn twenty. Let's just get to camp, separate from our overlord, and figure out sleeping situations because I enjoy sleeping uninterrupted. Aster leveled a pointed look at Marco and Em and Demi and Zeke. “And, as Dobbs so politely put, we aren't tradesmen and we need to be on the same page about what is possible for us to do before we delegate duties."

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Zeke elbowed Demi, frowning and shaking his head at being referred to as an arcade game. Way to cheapen whatever was going on between the two of them. Things really weren’t starting off well. And now, Dodds was saying the whole ghost story was probably fake. However, it was already imprinted into Zeke’s mind.

Demi offered Zeke his chocolate bar, temporarily distracting Zeke. He smiled and took a bite of the Wunderbar. At least they wouldn’t have to worry about food. The sleeping situation might be a different issue. Zeke didn’t mind sharing a cabin with his sister. They were close already, and sharing a room was nothing new. But there was this development with Demetri. And they weren’t supposed to be outside after dark. Even if the ghost story was fake, Zeke really didn’t want to risk it.

Aster seemed concerned about his sleep cycle as well, glancing at the obvious couples in the group. ”Well, I guess the priority is trying to set up another cabin or two for sleeping arrangements. Then we can worry about slave labour tomorrow.”

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Marco let out a soft sigh as Dobbs did inform them that there was food there for them. At least he could whip up something for them all when they got there. That might help them all. This hike was going badly, between Dobb's horror story, Aster being his usual glowing self and the others responding to the bait Aster was just setting. Seemed that Aster really hadn't been listening to Marco when he had said that bringing up the difference in status wasn't a way to win over people... but honestly, that was something Aster never seemed to care about.

Marco squeezed Em's hand back and leaned against her lovingly. He was sure that she was as irritated as he was, and he didn't want her to punch the one person leading them to camp. Of course as Dobbs spoke more, he got more irritated. Until he got what he thought was a brilliant idea.

He turned to the others in the group, his signature dazzling smile on his face. "Y'know, we never properly introduced ourselves to one another. If we are about to spend a week together, and sharing quarters we should at least swap names, right? I'm Marco, and this lovely lady with me is Emily. Once we get to the camp, I'll whip us all up a meal. I can't be the only hungry one, am I right?" He chuckled softly as he tried to pointedly ignore the fact that Dobbs was making things worse, and the others already probably hated Aster.

"I do agree that we should probably figure out sleeping arrangements. I'm guessing they're gonna be boy/ girl like most camps, right? Marco had never really been to camp when he was younger. There had never been money in the budget. Most of his summers were spent with Em and Mrs. Richardson while his dad worked. But he had seen it on tv, in the shows. Camps always had boy and girl cabins, right?

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Well that was... disappointing. Dobbs had just been trying to scare them - and not even putting in decent effort into it. He immediately gave up on the ghost stories when pressed, and Nancy crossed her arms. She would have liked for something a little more spooky to have happened here - something worth looking into. Not that she wanted for there to be a maniac on the loose - but evidence of past violence? Something to send a shiver down her spine? That would have been a greater rush than cleaning and repairing old cabins for a week. She didn't set this disappoint aside, but she nodded as Dobbs offered to walk her through the ham radio later. "I have epilepsy. It's no big deal, but it'd be rad if a few others got walked through how to use the radio too. I can't really call in myself when it's bad." And she didn't know if her brother would always be immediately reachable. She'd hate to have something go sideways just because Demi was the only one around.

The rich kid was... surprisingly somewhat competent? Nancy almost did a double take as he started putting out fires, advocating for figuring out sleeping arrangements, and what they were all able to do. But then again, he was rich. One of the only things rich people knew how to do was boss people around. It was no wonder he was somewhat talented at it. And then, his friend started introducing himself, suggesting that the cabins were probably going to be divided along gender lines. Nancy would be sharing a cabin with Emily, then. She liked the girl so far. They seemed to have pretty much the same estimation of Dobbs.

"Nancy," she said, looking at the three strangers. "I don't mind sharing a cabin with boys." She just didn't want to share one while her brother was playing arcade games. "But if you want a girls only cabin, I'm fine with that too, Emily - can I call you Em?"

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@KazAlkemi@Achronum@kittyluna45@Morose@Trainerblue192

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The walk finally produced something. The first sign of a campground came into view. A large two-story building, slightly up on a hill, with an oak tree almost pressed against it, sat at the entrance to camp. It has a long porch that stretches from one end of the cabin to the other. An old wooden sign stretches over the path, declaring it Camp Lava Lake.

“That’s the main recreation building. It has a kitchen, cafeteria area, a radio, and offices. Including a nurses' station. I have made sure that there is a fresh stock of basics. As long as you don’t need stitches or a defibrillator, you should be able to find what you need there. I don’t know what you’d need for seizures, but if there is something specific I can get at the drug store for you, let me know. I’ll walk anyone who wants to learn how to use the radio through it. Ideally, there should be at least two of you who learn.”

Past the sign and main building were several smaller buildings arrayed in a horseshoe shape around a large clearing. Most seemed in some stage of disrepair, and the roofs on several looked new. One looked to be in good condition; it looked like the most work had been done, taking it from falling apart to solid. The others at least didn’t seem like they were going to collapse.

“That cabin there, nearest to us, is the one that I’d say is fully stocked and ready for habitation. Again, if you want to split up into different cabins, feel free, but you’ll have to move furniture to do it.”

Dobbs rubbed at his temple as the group discussed sleeping arrangements. Beyond the cabins was the lake; it sparkled in the early morning light. Next to it was a building with a few canoes stacked. Dobbs pointed at it.

“That building next to the lake needs some work. It is the tool shed and has some swimming and boating supplies. Whoever takes that responsibility needs to test the boats to see which need repair, which can be used for parts, and which are a total loss. I don’t really care how you lot divide the labor. Figure it out, do your jobs, and let me do mine.”

He started walking up to the main cabin, pulled off his own backpack, and was digging into it. “Oh, last thing, here.” He tossed a ring of keys to Zeke. “You’ll need to unlock the doors. Congrats, you’re the one in charge of the keys. Do not lose them. Those of you going to the kitchen or learning the radio follow me.”

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Emily was still glaring at Dobbs, but had settled back, her hackles were no longer as raised at least, and Marco could tell that she wasn’t about to punch him. Mostly because she knew if she did, she probably would be sent home right then and there.

”What doesn’t cause wrinkles at this point?” She sighed. ”And really, I’m fine with however we want to set up the sleeping arrangements. If you want your own cabin for your special self, go for it, Aster.” She didn’t totally blame him, and sort of wanted a cabin just for Marco and her. It’d be really nice to get some alone time. She howeve,r did the mental math about the group and could guess that Nancy would be alone if that happened. She didn’t think that was a good idea since she had just said she had epilepsy.

”You can totally call me Em. I prefer it. Nice to meet you, Nancy.” Em offers a hand for her to shake. ”I’ll learn the radio too.” Em notices a slight hesitation, but doesn’t take it personally.

She squeezed Marco’s hand. ”I’ll swing by the kitchen after to see if you need any help. I’m hungry.” She wanted to learn the other guys names, but didn’t want to get left behind by Dobbs, who was already more than halfway to the main cabin. There were rough steps built into the hill that he was going up. She looked at the scene before her. The tree seemed like it wanted to swallow the building; it was an oak with gnarled branches that gave the impression of unnatural arms with too many joints. It gave her pause.

”Oh, I suppose we should talk about division of labor. One thing I want to do is hike any trails around here and clear or mark any dangerous areas, so when the kids hike, it’ll be safe for them.” She’d wait for the others before heading up to the main building, get their names and what sort of things they wanted or could do around the campgrounds. She was actually a little excited to get started.

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Well, it seemed like the group had a decent head on its shoulders, taking his lead like they should and backing away from the endless bickering. Aster was sure Marco's idea of a shared meal would help tremendously. That bright head on his shoulders was why he had graduated from tolerable to friendly in Aster's books. “Aster Luixe, the pleasure is all yours.” He introduced himself.

Aster took a long look at the “camp” they were expected to somehow resuscitate. “Had I known we were expected to know black magic, I would have brought another suitcase, Dobbs. How else are children supposed to survive this? If you looked up Health Code Violation in the local statutes, this would be the entirety of it.” Aster scoffed in disbelief. How people spent time out here, in these places, for fun, Aster would never understand. “Well, I will be claiming the boats and all water activities. If we're going to be suffering…”

Aster looked around, disgust on his face, before addressing the group again. “Whatever sleeping arrangements we decide on, I'll be sleeping in that one.” Aster gestured at the cabin most put together. “We can designate another one as the… arcade for anyone who needs one. Now, come along key boy and open the door. My suitcases weren't made for the dirt and I certainly can't start cleaning it if my hands are full.” Aster strode towards the habitable cabin, expecting Zeke to follow.

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”Ezekiel, Nancy’s my sister,” Zeke clarified once they made camp. He tossed his arm around her shoulders and survived the camp. While he looked, in leaned in closer to Nancy. ”Do you want to share a cabin? Or would you be happier with Emily?” It wasn’t strange for Zeke to share a room with his sister, or a bed for that matter. But he didn’t want to take that choice from her.

He moved his arm back to catch the keys from Dobbs, the feeling of responsibility settling over his shoulders comfortably. He grinned, wiggling the keys in front of Nancy’s face before he snatched them back. Aster demanded that he follow to unlock the door, and Zeke rolled his eyes.

”Marco! If you need help, let me know. I make a mean mac n’ cheese,” he said proudly. As for the rest of it, Zeke imagined he would be the main guy for slave labour. No offence to the others, but he looked the most capable and fit. ”I’ll just put our stuff in the main cabin. Then we can look at the other ones and see what could work for another living quarters,” Zeke suggested, looking between Nancy and Demetri before he followed behind Aster.

He opened up the door and pushed it open before stepping aside and gesturing for Aster to go in first. ”After you.”

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Did he –? Did that –? Did this scrawny twink of a mother fucker just call me cheap?! Demi had half a mind to knock the walking dick bag flat on his ass, but given their keeper was still around he decided best to bite his tongue instead. Zeke elbowed him, a frown clear and present as if he could read what Demi was thinking about doing. The guy called Marco was already talking about making them a meal, and after the drive and this hike? Demi was more than willing to eat. ”Yes I am starved! Hopefully it'll be ready by the time we finish learning how to use the radio. Can't imagine its too difficult though.”

Demi hadn't cared originally about the sleeping arrangements, but then as the conversation turned to the possibility of having the girls and boys together…he wasn't exactly happy about it. How was he supposed to get any alone time with Zeke if Nancy was always around even as they slept? Emily seemed to not mind either, great. This was feeling more and more crowded by the second. But despite it all, Demi tried to keep a smile on his face. He got to spend a week with Zeke out in a cabin, it would be nice. ”I've no real idea what to claim so if you need me just holler and I'll help. Im already learning HAM and if we do do Mac id love some hotdogs sliced in them please.” Demi skipped forward past Zeke and Aster as he closed distance with Em and Marco. ”Names Demi, looks like you and I will have the pleasure of working together this evening.” He said as he extended a hand on for Em to shake.

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Would she be happier with Emily? No. Would Zeke be happier without her? She didn’t want to know the answer to that question. Her stomach soured slightly. There was an ever present shadow lurking in their lives lately. She’d never been interested in finding a person, buying flowers and chocolates, cuddling under the stars - all the sort of things she suspected her brother was interested in. Her presence was a complication. A small part of her whispered to pull away first, that it would hurt less than the inevitable abandonment.

Not that she really considered Emily as wanting her presence either. She was clearly with Marco. It became painfully obvious to her in that moment how alone she’d be. Emily with Marco, her brother with Demetri, Aster with himself. It was a hurt she hadn’t really sat with before, and one she’d always been afraid of. She ducked out from underneath her brother’s arm. She didn’t want to be touched right now. “I don’t care,” she lied. “Sleep with who you want.”

She then stared for a moment at the rest of the group, as they all started to move towards the cabin, keys jingling about. Something inside her twitched slightly. Especially as Zeke didn’t move to go with Dobbs. She hadn’t expected strangers to care enough to learn to use the radio for her, but she thought her brother would have. A dark thought occurred to her and she shook it out of her head. She didn’t want to talk about division of labor right now. So she moved out after Dobbs instead.

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Marco was glad that he had decided to introduce himself to everyone, as it seemed to pick up the mood for a moment. But that was all it lasted it seemed. A moment. Aster had opened his mouth again and said something that was rather offending, especially towards the couples there.

As Dobbs told them that those going to the kitchen needed to follow him, he was thankful that Em was sticking with him for a little bit. Even if she was going off to learn the radio, which was pretty important. He looked over at Zeke as he spoke up and smiled a bit. "Might take you up on that offer, but I gotta see what's all there. I doubt we're eating gourmet, but I can still whip up something filling, and won't say no to another set of hands." Marco offered one of his gleaming smiles to the young man, and then nuzzled Em softly.

"If you want to share a cabin with Nancy or with me, I'll let you pick. At worst I can try to bunk with Aster and sneak out later." He whispered to Em and chuckled softly. As much as he wanted a whole week with Emily alone, he also didn't want to leave the other gal alone if her brother was going to bunk with his boyfriend (?). He and Em would find time, that he knew. It wasn't like they had been sneaking off to be together since secondary school anyways.

He looked over at Demi as he closed the distance, and remembered the hankies in the boy's pockets and chuckled a bit to himself. "Hot dogs in mac? You'll have to talk to Zeke about that I think."

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@KazAlkemi@Achronum@kittyluna45@Morose@Trainerblue192

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Zeke and Aster, upon opening the nicest cabin, Pine, would find that it needed a good dusting, sweeping, and mopping. There were six bunk beds, all full-size, for a total of twelve beds. They weren’t bolted to the wall, so they could be moved around. There was also a single full bed that seemed to be for the counselor who would stay in the room when the kids came in. All of the beds had a mattress over some heavy-duty wire springs. The bunk beds had a small ladder of about three steps that allowed access to the top bunk.

Since the group was small, they could probably each grab two mattresses and stack them on a bed for more comfort. A single mattress would be unpleasant. The mattresses themselves were about four inches thick but were hard. It was a good thing they were plastic because, looking at them, it was obvious if they had been cloth, they’d be disgusting. They still were disgusting, but at least wiping them down with some powerful chemicals would mean they were clean after.

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Well, at least they had everyone’s names now. Em resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. It helped that Marco was cuddling her. She hurried after Dobbs. He was already at the top of the stairs. He had another ring of keys that he was using to unlock the main building.

“Kitchen is that way, right off the dinin’ area.” Dobbs pointed to the right. There was a large open space room with tables on casters pushed up in the middle and lined up. Only one of the half dozen or so tables was not pushed off to one wall. There was a partially open wall that had serving stations for food. It looked like hot water or ice could be placed in sections to keep the food warm or cold, respectively. The other side of that partially open wall was an industrial kitchen. It was on the smaller side, but between the tables and the kitchen, the camp could feed about three hundred people at once.

Dobbs led the rest of them into a small room where the shortwave radio was set up. He pulled a manual down from a small shelf. The room wasn't quite big enough for all of them to be there at once, so it took some time to get everyone through, learning all the buttons and dials.

“Alright, this is the manual for the shortwave. Spend some time with this.” He started walking them through the basics. How to turn it on, change stations, the call sign for the camp (CFW325), and so on.

Em was attentive while he explained everything, asking a couple of clarifying questions. Dobbs was irritated, but he answered the questions and explained how to use the shortwave radio. This was the group’s lifeline, and he understood that. Em had the sense that if Nancy hadn’t mentioned she had seizures sometimes, he probably would have just handed over the manual and left them to their devices.

Once the little training session was done, with a test call that three of them made to the town where Dobbs knew someone who responded. Dobbs stood up from the tiny rolling chair that was there for the radio and picked up his bag.

“I’m going down to the tool shed, the one by the lake. I’ve got a laundry list of things I have to do. I’ll be leaving camp at 8 pm. Make your lists of anything you lot need, within reason, and I’ll bring it tomorrow morning. If you need me while I’m here, just give me a shout. I’ll probably be on the roofs of the cabins. There are a few of them that need some repairs. Thankfully, I should be able to finish them all today. Tomorrow I plan on working on some electrical wires that are not up to snuff. Tell your boyfriend that if he makes enough food for me too, I’ll bring him anything specific he wants that won’t be reported on the receipts.” The last part was directed at Em.

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Aster swept in past Zeke, already casting a critical gaze across the cabin. “How in the world could anyone consider this anywhere near ready?” Aster grumbled irritably. Filth coated the floors, dust and spiders claimed every nook, cranny, and corner, and the mattresses and frames were 1940s antiques. He tapped one of the bunk bed frames with his foot and grimaced at the gunk on the toe of his shoe.

“This ought to be condemned. Next we'll find roaches and if we do, I cannot be held accountable for what happens after. I'll need to commit war crimes to make.this place habitable.” Aster stormed across to the twins and nearly set his luggage down before he realized the state of the mattress. He felt his blood pressure rise and his hands trembled. Aster turned slowly and spoke very, very calmly. “Zeke. These bags cost more than everybody here combined. Every mattress is coated in who knows what and there isn't any other furniture I can put these down on. And if I can't start cleaning this place in approximately the next three minutes, I will scream.”

Ezekiel glanced back, watching everyone else head to other parts of the camp. He had expected at least someone else to come with him and Aster, since they still had their bags. Zeke sighed, shifting the bags he still carried. It made sense Nancy left. He would have to get her to run him through the HAM radio later. Although Zeke was glad Demetri decided to go. If Nancy did have a seizure he couldn’t get her back from, Demi was the only one Zeke knew and trusted to radio in help for his sister. There was no way in hell he was letting anyone else stay by her side while she went through something like that.

Ezekiel looked over the space with indifference. It looked like any other summer camp to Zeke, but to Aster, it seemed to be one rung above hell. Zeke rolled his eyes while Aster started to list the complaints about the place. Zeke and his sister had survived worse. Aster would survive this.

”And this concerns me how?” Zeke asked, tossing his and his sister’s bags onto one of the beds and rested his guitar case against the bed frame.

Aster whirled around, ready to tear into Zeke, and paused as he saw the offering. Aster gently placed his bags on top of Zeke and Nancy's, still not thrilled but it was far better than the filth of this place. He felt much more settled and eyed everything with a far more efficient look. “Because nobody deserves this. Everyone deserves to live with some dignity. I guess not that they care about…’ Aster popped his hip and flipped his wrist dramatically. “Us poofs, but gods this is disgusting even for the straights. A delightfully refreshing pace at least. Didn't need to weave around Dobbs at all. Now, let's find those chemicals and I'll get these beds dealt with and this place perfect. I just need bleach. All the bleach. Did Dibbs say where chemicals were? Once I realized he was setting the stage for mass murder of the homophobic variety, I stopped listening.”

Ezekiel stated at Aster's bags. He debated knocking them over, but figured Aster would have a panic attack or set the place on fire. Zeke settled for crossing his arms. He listened to Aster's diatribe, rolling his eyes after.

”Are you always this dramatic?” He fiddled with the bandana on his wrist before heading for the door. Dobbs wasn't homophobic…was he? ”I don't think he said, but I'd imagine they'd be up at the main building.”

“How inconvenient.” Aster clicked his tongue in disapproval as he looked around. The beds could be moved so… he'd ensure he had plenty of space once he started cleaning. He turned to follow Zeke but paused. This was turning into a terrible day, worse than he'd imagined, and he definitely needed something to bolster his spirit. He opened one of his bags and plucked out a small silver compact with handpainted daffodils on the front. He snapped the back shut, carefully opened the compact, and sighed pleasantly as he stared into his own reflection.

Aster could stare at himself for hours-it wouldn't be the first time-and never grow bored. Gazing upon art never grew dull. His eyes were bright and vibrant and expressive, he had cheekbones for days, and a little dimple that still popped up when he smiled just right. And with the flush of exertion the walk up painted pretty across his cheeks…

Aster knew he'd already inspired a few of these poor souls.

Still, the threat of jail and the condition of their sleeping quarters kept him from sinking too deeply into his own eyes and he shut the contact carefully before slipping it into his pocket. “Alright, let's see what we have to work with! Though, remind me to check for thread. If anyone's clothes tear, I'd like to have more than what my sewing kit has.” Aster breezed past Zeke in much better spirits. “And we should probably talk about your boyfriend. Calling you an arcade machine is certainly a red flag.”

Zeke paused by the door when he didn’t hear Aster following along. Zeke was relatively independent, but he was not lugging all the cleaning supplies back for this dude. He turned to get tell Aster to hustle up when he saw the guy staring into a compact mirror. Zeke had gifted one to his mother once after seeing all the women at the club using them. Zeke was half expecting Aster to kiss the mirror with the way he was gazing at himself. ”Do you read Greek poetry?” Zeke inquired. However, his train of thought was derailed with Aster’s next sentence.

”He’s not…we’re not…” Zeke shut the door behind him, fiddling with the bandana again. “I just found out he’s interested on the drive up.”

Aster scoffed, giving Zeke a pointed look. “You just learned he was interested and you're already wearing that? Oh, sweetie. No wonder he objectified you.” Aster said sympathetically. “You don't seem like the kind of boy who wants a whirlwind summer fling and then never see him again. I get please-woo-me, flowers and chocolates and music and easy affection, from you. And your… Well, he seems interested in easy. Stand up for yourself a bit. You're certainly worth more than that. Make him work for it. People forget about the easy, darling. People love the chase and when he catches you, he won't let go.”

Zeke rolled his eyes at Aster, ignoring the butterfly feeling he was getting in his stomach. ”Ya, sure. I don't think us “poofs” get that sort of thing. Especially when you're the bi kid at school and the closeted football players want a go. This,” he said, holding up his arm with the bandana. ”was at least given to me by someone who won't be afraid to be out about it.”

“Settling is unattractive, Zeke. I know sharing a stage with me makes it difficult to truly shine, but you only get one life. If that's what you want, go get i-” Aster stepped back, hands clutching at invisible pearls. “Closet cases? Oh sweetie, why did you do that to yourself? Just because someone is out and proud doesn't make them better than those fools. And while you can certainly settle for whatever you want, no one is going to advocate for you. If romance and love is worth experiencing for you, then it's worth suffering for. Don't settle for a little bit of visability.” Aster gestured for Zeke to follow and headed for the main building.

“Unless you want to be an arcade of course. But give yourself a fighting chance at least.”

Ezekiel shifted uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at Aster. His eyes settled on the main building, thinking about how he trusted Demetri to call out if there was an emergency with his sister, but did he trust him with more? Zeke rubbed the back of his neck, growing at Aster when he mentioned the arcade game thing again. Zeke really hadn't liked that statement earlier, either.

He followed Aster silently, walking beside him. Zeke didn't think he was settling, but there also weren't a lot of options. Besides, Demi was flirting a lot with Zeke on the car ride up, and always came to the music shop where Zeke worked… could there be something more if Zeke asked for it?

”How would I go about doing that? Asking for what I want, not settling, or whatever…” They reached the main building and Zeke opened up the door, stepping back for Aster to go in first again.

Aster stepped through without hesitating. “You have some options. You've gotten past the dangerous part - he isn't going to humiliate or kill you because you're into him. Now you tell him about what you need and your expectations. One, escalate. Start giving little gifts, mini-dates, things like that. Actions speak louder than words they say.” Aster counted on his fingers as he spoke. “Two, and my personal favorite, be direct and say it. Lay the expectations from the beginning so that it doesn't become a problem later on. If he's worth keeping, he'll step up to the plate.”

Aster paused and looked around. Cleaning chemicals could be in the kitchen but… “It's all about confidence, really. Know what you want, see the path there, walk it, and fuck what anyone says about it.”

Zeke let the door shut behind him. He could hear some of the others, but continued to listen to Aster. It wasn't horrible advice, but it wasn't great either. ”Ya huh. And what's the, “we're stuck at a summer camp for community service and can't leave” option?” He glanced around the room, looking for a janitorial closet or something.

“Option 2, obviously. Have that conversation and if he shows his true colors, then you have all this time to enjoy your revenge.” Aster opened any door he could find, until one revealed a small janitorial closet. Aster stepped in and took stock, standing on tip toe to feel around the top shelf. “Ugh, this is terrible. Who cleans without gloves?! Anyways, wouldn't some clarity into his motivations make this better? Otherwise, you'll worry yourself sick, let yourself be treated like a doormat, and no one wants that. Insecurity is unattractive.”

Zeke leaned against the doorframe, one hand extended above his head as he peered into the closet behind Aster. The cleaning supplies were rather minimal. No window cleaner, paper towel…cloths…

”Well, I was fine without clarity. Until I talked to you.” Now, Aster filled Zeke's head with all sorts of thoughts and possibilities. Could he have his first real relationship with a guy? With Demi?

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Demi rolled his eyes lightly as Marco nuzzled into Em. He wondered if the food he could cook was really just barbecue or something on the grill. It seemed to be the only thing heteros could make. He couldn't figure out if Marco's comment about the Hot Dogs was a slight or genuine, something that he would need to bring up to Marco later once Dobbs had finally abandoned them. Beyond that, he remained silent for the walk. Looking back towards where Aster and Zeke were entering a cabin alone.

He thought nothing of it at first, but the more they walked the more his mind wandered and made up scenarios about what those two might get up to alone. Luckily Dobbs was a welcome distraction. Teaching them all about the radio that could save their life should Nancy seize or Bears arrive. There was a small spiral ringed notebook nearby, black cardboard cover with splashes of green, yellow, and blue thrown across it. It seemed small enough to fit within a pocket. So he grabbed a pen and flipped it to the nearest blank page and began to jot down notes on everything Dobbs had said. Whenever someone asked clarifying questions, he'd write down both question and answer.

When all was said and done, Demi scribbled down something on a blank page of the notebook before tearing it off and handing it to Dobbs with a bit of cash. ”Mind snaggin' me these items tonight? I'll pay for them and if there's anythin’ left you can get yourself somethin’ for the road.” He then placed the book in his back pocket and the pen behind his ear. He gave a bit of a stretch, standing up before stepping out of the small room. ”I'm headin’ back to Main, see if Marco wants any help setting up or anything.”

It didn't take long to make it back, pushing open the doors they'd seen earlier when Dobbs let Marco in, Demetri began to call out to him. ”Hey Marco –” His voice stopped as while he was walking in he saw Zeke, hand up gripping the doorframe, with what sounded like Aster inside. His shoes squeaked as he halted his steps quickly, eyes fixated on the image before him in shock. A loud scoff resonating across the otherwise empty room. The sounds of his boots stomping across the floor echoed as he beelined it towards the pair. ”What the FUCK is goin’ on here?! Just because you view me as an arcade doesn't mean you have the right to try and snag my guy. I've half a mind to bury you where you stand, you walking disAster.”

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Marco gave Em a kiss on the cheek once they got to the main hall and Dobbs pointed out where the kitchen was. It seemed that he was the only one headed that way for the moment, which he was fine with. It gave him some time to think about what he was going to make for the group as well as some time to calm down. Usually Emily was the hot head of the two of them, but some of the shit Dobbs had said had really pissed him off. Sure, Dobbs didn't know the truth, and he doubted Dobbs rightly cared, but it just pissed him off. It wasn't like he had decided to piss away his future. It was because someone decided that they didn't like the color of his skin, and being reminded of that just made Marco's blood boil every time. No one in the court system had wanted to listen to him, not even his own goddamn lawyer.

He took a deep breath and started to look around. He was going to make the best goddamn brunch to give them energy for cleaning up this old crusty camp. Then he'd also start prepping for lunch and dinner as well. Demi's comment about mac and cheese had given him a few ideas for lunch and dinner, and he suspected that making a bastardization of his grandma's gumbo wouldn't be amiss for them. They probably didn't have seafood but they had to have some kind of sausage, right?

He started to look around and pulled out cartons of eggs, packages of fresh bacon, as well as bread, and some puff pasty he found in the freezer. A quiche sounded perfect. He started digging around and noticed a limited number of fresh vegetables and sighed. He then went over to the freezer again and pulled out a package of frozen vegetables. It did make sense, this was a summer camp. They wouldn't really stock perishables like fruits and vegetables like that with the numbers they expected. He was lucky it was mostly frozen, rather than canned. The horrors of canned vegetable surprise that his father told him about made him gag.

He started up the oven, and lined several round dishes with the puffed pastry, and then started to whip up the egg filling, while separating out the bacon. The flat top would be perfect for cooking bacon and toast, as well as some plain eggs in case anyone was a picky eater. He wasn't sure about everyone's there food preference, so he would give them some choice. He did pause as he thought he heard his name, but brushed it off as he set about his work.

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Nancy wanted to focus just on Dobbs with the radio. She wanted to fully absorb that information - but instead, she found herself throwing glances at Demi, and how he was... writing all of this down. For a fraction of a second, her eyes widened, stunned. It probably was just out of his own self interest, but... Maybe he wasn't looking for an opportunity to get her out of the way and get to her brother. She bit back a slight smile. Maybe he was someone she could trust, if she started to seize. And her brother clearly liked him, and she trusted Zeke, so... She relaxed a little bit, some of the self inflicted tension leaving her body. It was easy for her to be mistrustful and assume the worst, especially when it came to her brother. It had always been the two of them. That had never changed - not in the way Demi's presence threatened to make it.

And yet, she couldn't help but feel a bit hopeful. She was Wiccan, too - any energy she put out would return to her, threefold. Maybe she needed to apply that to her suspicions about her brother's crush. The two of them weren't even dating yet. "Hey, Demi - thanks," she called out, as he started to leave. "That was pretty rad of you." She curled her toes inside her shoes, feeling the immediate discomfort. "And, um, you, too," she added, looking back at Em. "I know I'm not the reason you learned the radio - but I appreciate it all the same."

Bleh. She hated expressing feelings. "Want to go look for the crime scenes?" she then asked, going for a quick change in topic. "They're grody, yeah, but I'm kind of a bit of a sicko for these sort of things."

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@KazAlkemi@Achronum@kittyluna45@Morose@Trainerblue192

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If it hadn’t been for the cash that Demi had handed over, Dobbs probably would have laughed in his face. But he pocketed the money and note. He’d grab the items, even if he did it with an eye roll. Dobbs left and headed off to start his work. Leaving all of the ‘kids’ to their own devices.

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Emily smiled at Nancy. ”Yeah, I’m down. And seriously, no problem. It’s a good thing that several of us learn it. Not just for you, but that is definitely part of why I was willing to learn. If something happens the more of us that know how to use it, the better. Let me swing by the kitchen real quick and let Marco know what Dobbs said. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it. He can be really picky about his ingredients. I’m just happy if the food is warm and tastes decent.”

Quickly, Em ducked into the kitchen area. She saw that Aster, Demi, and Zeke were talking in the cleaning closet. She shook her head and called out to Marco. ”Hey, two things. One apparently if you make enough food that Dobbs can eat too, he’ll pick up anything extra you want off the books. And two I’m going to explore the place for a bit with Nancy. I think I saw a bell on the porch you can ring when food is ready.” She kissed her fingertips and blew the kiss at him. Em didn’t want to disturb him during his cooking time. It did look like what he was making was in the oven, though. She reveled in the warmth of the kitchen. This week might actually be a bit fun if they did it right.

---

Aster didn't register the noise at first. He was far too irritated with the cleaning supplies, or lack thereof, to tune into whatever screeching was behind him. The mop bucket was trashed, scratched, and dirty. There was one squeeze bottle. A shitty broom with the bristles all askew. Some chemicals but… no rags, no towels, nothing to actually scrub with. How in the world-

Aster paused as he realized the screaming was directly behind him and half stepped around where Zeke was almost pressed up against him. He held the squeeze bottle in one hand, the broom was resting loosely in the crook of his elbow, and he had two of the chemical bottles hanging between his fingers. “Okay one, personal space. Take a step back and wait your turn.” Aster scolded Zeke before he turned to Demi. “And two, who are you talking to like that? If I wanted a rat screeching at me, I'd happily get a pomeranian. Take a step back, sit down, and try that again.”

Zeke heard Demetri's familiar voice and turned around to see him stomping over. That was when Zeke realized how he was standing. Shit. He stepped back and dropped his arm at the same time Aster told him to back up. The concept of personal space wasn't foreign to Zeke, just wasn't always…followed. He lived in close proximity with two women, and his mother was a hugger.

Zeke's attention shifted back to the present moment when Demi talked about him being “his guy.” Wait. What?

”Demi, we're just getting cleaning supplies. Nothing is going on between Aster and I.”

”I'll show you a screeching rat you –” Demi froze as Zeke quickly moved away and revealed Aster holding a bunch of cleaning supplies. His cheeks instantly flushed as he reached for the back of his neck and rubbed at it awkwardly. ”Right. Yeah. What uh…what else could it be?” His voice was low, all steam having left him in an instant when he realized he'd read the situation wrong. Mentally he was chastising himself, wondering why he'd even called Zeke ‘his guy’ or how he would perceive that.

Aster gave Demi an unimpressed look. “And here I was looking forward to seeing you upstage your first performance. But I suppose seeing your only two neurons fire is a world wonder in and of itself.” Aster sighed, stepping around Demi and towards the kitchen. “Now, I will gracefully take my leave before I have to wash the stench of insecurity out of my clothes. Though, goodness knows we need to purchase detergent and softener. And trash bags and… Ugh, this place is entirely unprepared for us. Maybe they'll have some supplies I can steal from the kitchen while I give Dobbs the list.”

Aster was insufferable, but Zeke had to give him credit. He was putting in the effort to clean the place up, even if he was a bit pushy. And rather blunt. And rude… and unsympathetic. Okay, there was a lot there but for some reason Zeke…not necessarily liked him, but found value in his advice.

”I'll be there in a minute. Make sure you ask Dobbs for stuff to clean the window. And cloths, oh and paper towels!” Zeke turned and grabbed Demetri's hand.

”Come with me,” he said and dragged Demi back outside. He took him to the corner of the deck and stopped. Zeke dropped Demi's hand and crossed his arm. ”I think we need to clear the air about some things. Like for one, nothing is happening with Aster. But also, what did you mean when you called me your guy?”

Demi had suddenly found the floor outside a lot more interesting than what was happening before him. It was difficult to meet Zeke's eyes right now, his stomach was in knots and his chest felt tight as his heart began to beat a mile a minute. ”I misread the situation. I'm sorry. Guess I misread both the situations.”

Zeke's fingers twitched, wanting to make Demetri look at him. Instead Zeke continued to stare at the top of Demi's head while he looked anywhere but at Zeke.

”Both situations? What do you mean?”

Demi looked Zeke in his eyes, water pooling at the corner of his own. ”I mean I clearly misread the situation if you're not…you know…if you're not wanting to be with me. It’s fine, if all you wanted was some summer fling. I'm not exactly boyfriend material I’m sure.” He didn't want to let go of Zeke's hands. Tempted to run his thumb alongside his but unsure of how Zeke would feel about it. ”That an the whole cleaning closet thing. My bad on that, I got a little heated.”

Zeke tried not to smile, he tried to take the situation seriously because Demi was struggling but he couldn't help it. A wide grin enveloped Zeke's face and he dropped his arms to take Demi's hand again. ”We didn't really get a chance to talk about this with my sister in the car, but I thought you only wanted a summer fling. And then the arcade game thing came up and I really thought that's all you saw me as.”

”Saw you as – what? No. Zeke I was the arcade machine in question. If that guy so much as attempted to put a quarter in he'd be getting his hands on a fighting game that's for sure. And yeah, it's…kinda hard to talk about this sort of thing when she's around. It's why I was hoping we'd get a cabin to ourselves. But I understand why you wouldn't want that with her condition and all.” Demi held Zeke's hand tight, his eyes dropping down to look at them together for a moment as he spoke up again. ”But if we did have time to talk about it…what would you say?”

”Oh…” It was time for Zeke to look awkward and rub the back of his neck. He chuckled, realizing he had done the same thing Demi did moments ago. ”Ya, Nanc and I are kind of inseparable… I'd rather room with her. Honestly, we might all just end up in one cabin tonight. Aster is going on a bit of a cleaning rampage.” Zeke glanced down at their joined hands when he felt more pressure there. He heard Demi's next question and smiled.

Zeke rubbed his thumb against Demi's hand and shrugged. ”Well, if we had the time to talk I'd probably say I like you, and I don't view you as an arcade machine at all. I'd probably say I've never had a boyfriend before but I wouldn't mind having one.” Zeke stepped closer to Demetri, moving his free hand to tilt Demi's chin up to look at him. ”As long as the boyfriend in question is you.”

Demi froze. His eyes locked on Zeke's as he felt his heart in his throat. He swallowed, leaning in a bit closer to Zeke till there was no real room between them. ”Heh. Imenascool.” The words came out all wrong, his knees felt weak, and Demetri felt so stupid as he looked at Zeke with a dopey grin and dimples cheeks. He cleared his throat as he looked up towards the roof then back at Zeke. ”I mean, uh, yeah that'd be cool. I'd really like it if we could go steady…maybe check out an arcade after all this is done?”

Zeke's eyebrows knitted together as confusion crossed his face, but that quickly dissolved into amusement and then laughter when Demetri clarified. ”An actual arcade or is this all some elaborate ploy to just get into my pants?” Zeke asked, his fingers still holding Demi's chin.

Demi moved his free hand onto Zeke's hip, sliding his thumb underneath the top of his jeans and beneath his boxers. ”If that was the case Kel, I'd of had them off by now.” He stepped closer towards Zeke, making him move back against the wall as he pressed into him slightly. ”I could do that if its what you wanted. Is that…what you want?” He gave him a grin as he whispered the question into Zeke's ear.

Zeke's eyes widened as he felt Demi's thumb against his skin and the wall of the building against his back. ”I…um… I mean… eventually?” Zeke's eyes scanned the area around them, freaking out that they would be seen or Aster would find them and have something rude to say.

This was part of Zeke's insecurity, since he was used to being with a guy behind closed doors and in shadowed corners of empty rooms. Not, quite literally, out in the open. Zeke's heart pounded in his ears and his throat dried up. He tried to look back at Demi but the guy was pressed right up against Zeke. Like, right up against him. There wasn’t a lot of room for imagination anymore. Zeke licked his lips and swallowed.

”Perhaps we could just start with a kiss? As confirmation that we're actually dating now?” And then Zeke could tell his sister.

Demi kissed Zeke's neck lightly, slowly moving up it before placing a soft kiss onto his lips. ”You're so cute when you're all flustered.” He said as he pulled away, smacking Zeke's crotch with the back of his hand as he moved. ”Might wanna hide that before someone sees.”

Zeke's eyes fluttered shut and his lips parted. He hadn't been kissed like this before. Demi pulled away far too soon and then Zeke was hunching over.

”Dude! Seriously?” Zeke looked towards the door and shifted away. ”And that was a rather chaste kiss,” he complained.

Demi quirked an eyebrow, stepping up to Zeke and grabbing the back of his hair as he pulled him in for a deep passionate kiss. ”My bad, here I thought you'd wanted something a bit more tender. I'll make sure to be a little rougher next time.” He grinned as he looked Zeke up and down.

Zeke attempted to kiss Demetri back in the same manner, but it was over quickly. Zeke glared playfully at Demetri. ”A guy can like both,” he said. Zeke shifted and took a couple deep breaths until everything settled. ”So just to clarify, we're dating now and I'm your guy?”

”And I'm yours.”

Zeke grinned and pecked Demi on the lips before he took his hand. ”Good.” He walked back into the main building with Demetri, figuring he should check in with his sister and see how Aster was making out with finding more cleaning supplies.

---

As they walked back inside, Zeke spotted Nancy walking out of a room. Zeke assumed that was were the ham radio was. ”Oh hey, Nancy. You got a minute?” he asked, squeezing Demi’s hand before he let it go and jogged over to his sister. He didn’t mind if Demetri followed. If Nancy was busy, he would ask Demi how to work it. ”I wanted to ask about the ham radio and talk about the rooming situation.”

Nancy raised an eyebrow, noting the fact that Zeke had been holding Demi’s hand. That had developed quickly. Although, she hadn’t noticed much hesitation on Demi’s side, so if her brother had given him the signal to go-ahead… she was a little surprised she was seeing Zeke at all, that the two of them weren’t exploring one of the other cabins together. “What about it?” she asked him, crossing her arms. “I’m sure Demi can catch you up on the radio when you’re rooming together.”

Zeke's face fell a little. ”Oh, I thought you could teach me, and we would room together… Besides, Aster and I are trying to clean up the main space today. We might get another cabin done today, but I'm not sure.”

She blinked, stunned for a moment. Had she read the entire situation wrong? She’d been confident that her brother would want to share a cabin with Demi, they’d walked back in here holding hands after all. And if he had wanted to learn the radio, he would have come to get the information from Dobbs, right? The bubble of anger in her chest deflated somewhat. “You want to room with me?” she repeated back at him. “Why? I thought you’d want to spend time with your boyfriend. If it’s because you’re scared I’ll seize, I’m fine. I’m not a porcelain doll.” She kept her arms crossed.

Zeke glanced back at Demetri, smiling a little and shrugged. ”I'll spend time with him, too, but I don't know. You've always been my roommate.” He smiled a little at his sister. ”I know you aren't, Nanc but I still worry.” It was like they could te her seizures. They sort of came and went.

“So he is your boyfriend then?” Nancy raised an eyebrow, as she smirked slightly. “Good to know. I’ll start looking for wedding venues. Maybe there’s a nice spot here on the lake.”

Zeke grinned, looking at Demi before his face flushed. ”Oh my god, Nancy no. Why!?” Zeke whined.

Nancy couldn’t help but cackle slightly. “I’ve always wanted a second brother,” she teased. “And romance isn’t in the cards for me, so I’ll have to live vicariously through you.”

Zeke threw his arm around Nancy's shoulders, grinning. ”I wouldn't expect anything less from my favourite sister.”

”Nor I from my second favorite brother.”

”Second favourite!? You've replaced me that quickly, huh?”

Nancy shrugged. ”Demi learned how to use the radio.”

Ezekiel pouted. ”Well ya, but you can teach me. Do you honestly think I'd let anyone be next to you while you seize, and have some stranger there when you wake up?” Zeke shook his head. ”Never in a million years, but I am glad so many learned to use it.”

She smiled slightly at that. There really wasn’t anyone else she wanted around when she was seizing - or when she woke up. She was pretty lucky, Zeke had almost always been there. And even though it would have been too easy for her to be seriously injured, she never had been. She leaned her head on his shoulders. ”Demi even took notes,” she added. ”Would you trust him?”

”Really?” Zeke looked out after Demi, impressed by his initiative and attention to detail. ”Ya, I think I might. As long as you do.” Zeke glanced at his sister, smiling. She was the most important person to him. He wouldn't trust many with her care.

“I know. I didn’t even know he knew how to write,” she joked. As to whether or not she trusted Demi? Unclear. He knew how to use the radio, yes, but she doubted he knew much else. “If you teach him how, then maybe.”

”I can let him know if you're comfortable with that,” Zeke said with a smile and a nod.

She shrugged slightly. “Sure - why not? If he’s going to be crashing our trips, he might as well know.”

Zeke chuckled and nodded. ”I mean everything is still new, but you never know.”

“I’ll have to take a look into your love life, then. We can do some tarot readings later.”

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Marco was humming to himself, a bit sad the kitchen didn't have a radio, but he doubted that Dobb's would make that kind of expense for him, or anyone else where. Maybe he could ask someone if they had a walkman or something he could borrow, but he would ask about that later. For now, the silence was overwhelming. He was so use to having Emily in the kitchen with him, or the radio playing, that the silence bugged him. Sure, there was the sounds of nature out there, but silence was always something that bugged Marco.

He looked up as he heard Em and smiled a bit. "Really? All I have to do is cook nice food and he'll get me nice stuff off the books? Sounds like a sweet deal to me. If he gets me some good steaks and some decent seafood I can do some good surf and turf for all of us one night. You know how good my shrimp can be. Also maybe some fresh veggies just for the week? All they have for the campers is frozen stuff." Marco brightened up at the idea of having access to some nicer food for the whole week they had before anyone else arrived.

"Have fun with Nancy and if you see anything interesting, remember it to show me later, okay? I'll ring the bell in a bit!" Marco blew Emily a kiss back and melted a bit. That woman was really one of the best damn things in his life, and he didn't know what he would do without her.

He turned back to the flattop and started it up and then checked on the quiches. They were coming along well, so it was probably time to start up the toast and bacon. Eggs would be quick, compared to everything else. "Alright then... lets get to frying."

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@KazAlkemi@Achronum@kittyluna45@Morose@Trainerblue192

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The weather was nice. It warmed up as the sun rose more. Soon sounds of construction from Dobbs working on a cabin could be heard across the campground.

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Emily caught the kiss that Marco blew at her. She pretended to eat it. ”See you.” She blew a kiss back at him. Then headed out to find Nancy. She found her quickly and easy enough.

”Ready to check this place out? I also want to see if there is any poison ivy. If there is, I need to mark it so kids don’t wander into it.” Em waved at Zeke.

”Oh, is that cabin open so we can put our bags down?” She asked him.