Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/13325739.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Camp_Camp_(Web_Series)
  Relationship:
      David/Max_(Camp_Camp), David/Jasper_(Camp_Camp)
  Character:
      David_(Camp_Camp), Max_(Camp_Camp), Gwen_(Camp_Camp), Nikki_(Camp_Camp),
      Neil_(Camp_Camp)
  Additional Tags:
      Unrequited_Love, Max_has_one-sided_feelings_for_David, Jasper_does_too,
      Emotional_Manipulation, Consensual_Possession, Slowly_turns_into
      unconsensual_possession, Rape, Angst_and_Hurt/Comfort, Max_can’t_forgive
      himself, Denial_of_Feelings, Denial, Grief/Mourning, Eventual_Romance,
      Eventual_Smut, Masturbation, Guilty_Max, Max_is_16, Past_Child_Abuse,
      Mental_Health_Issues, On_both_Gwen_and_David’s_part, Depression, Suicidal
      Thoughts, Anxiety_Disorder, Mother_Hen_Gwen, Self-Harm, Suicide_Attempt
  Stats:
      Published: 2018-01-09 Updated: 2018-02-07 Chapters: 8/? Words: 15254
****** One Last Thing ******
by StrawberrySweet
Summary
     Jasper’s tired of haunting the forest, but he sees an opportunity to
     find peace when he stumbled upon Max and David again a few years
     later.
     It was supposed to be sweet, simple, and short.
Notes
     Some of you are wondering where this might go, but I assure you,
     you’ll find out soon enough! Muahahaha! >:3
***** We’ve Met Before *****
It had been another boring day for Jasper, his only company being the animals
and weird, kinky old people getting it on. He was tired of this, of being
trapped on this island, but he knew why he remained on this God forsaken
island.
When he was alive, Jasper had been well liked with a crowd somewhere in the
background cheering his every move. Admittedly it was weird and just as
exhausting, however, at least then he wasn't surrounded by sex maniacs.
Aside from that, he vividly remembers his life before that one uneventful day.
The moment his hand slipped from that steep edge and his body met the ground.
He remembers looking into David's eyes, watching as the light left them. It was
as if a part of him was lost. Of course, that was understandable considering he
had just witnessed a kid die. Ah, yes, David.
Jasper may have been a ghost, but even so, his chest still ached.
Jasper never saw the kid or even knew what happened until he somehow stumbled
back to his poor excuse of a grave. It was a painful reminder of how he died,
how he most likely scarred the kid for life.
Then he’s suddenly pulled out of his thoughts, sobbing echoing throughout the
dark valley. Somehow frightened himself, Jasper hid his ghostly presence into
thin air, traveling towards the crying. Not too far away, he spotted an older
man with bright red hair slumped against the cliff’s steep walls. The familiar
presence was in the old Camp’s attire, a yellow shirt tied around his neck. In
his hands lied a single dirt stained shoe, one that Jasper knew very well.
His eyes roamed more over the man’s body, wondering if maybe—
Curious, Jasper willed a pebble to levitate and drop back down instantly. It
was quiet over the redhead still sobbing. Determined, Jasper flew a small rock
the size of his palms at the walls of the cliff, finally getting the man to
look up.
Sure enough, this guy had the same forest green eyes, still glossed over with
tears like the last time Jasper saw him. The skin was sun-kissed, freckles
dotting his arms and face. He had already put two and two together, easily
figuring out that this had to be the David from all those years ago.
Oddly enough, seeing David brought a bittersweet feeling in Jasper. If he were
human, he would surely feel the bile in his throat rise and his heart hammer.
Jasper never knew why he felt the way he did towards the obviously grouchy
camper back then, never even knew now why exactly he felt like he was reliving
his death.
Seeing David again should’ve been good, right?
Jasper sighed, approaching closer towards the ginger, still masking himself
from David’s sight. It’s not exactly an ideal reunion when I’m a ghost and he
can’t see me, Jasper thought, a frown creeping on his transparent features.
Suddenly, David shivered, his crying had seemed to cease a while ago. His eyes
were red and puffy, surprisingly complimenting their green color.
He looked lost in thought, scanning the shoe in his hands. It looked as if he
were cradling it, like it was something special, and that made the pain in
Jaspers non-existent chest ache even more.
A realization hit Jasper, one he wasn’t quite fond of. There were lingering
feelings and things he wanted to say, but never could given his fate. Then
there was David, still obviously grieving, which also contributed to Jasper
being stuck here.
He couldn’t move on, they couldn’t move on and because of this Jasper would
surely remain haunting these grounds. And David? He’d continue mourning, for
reasons Jasper couldn’t put his finger on.
“David? David, where the hell are you?” Another strikingly familiar voice to
Jasper’s ears. It sounded a little older now as well, but not by much.
A teenager looking to be around 16, black curly hair hiding bright, emerald
green eyes stepped out of nowhere. This must’ve been a camper, although, a
seemingly uninterested one.
Sweat collected towards his forehead, a few stray curls sticking to it. The
teen wore skinny, ripped jeans with a black t-shirt on displaying some
presumable band name Jasper was unaware of. Wrapped around his waist had been a
blue sweater, resembling the one he had worn a few years back. The outfit, of
course, was way out of Jasper’s style, his face scrunching up in distaste.
David quickly wiped any remaining tears and blinked rapidly, pulling his frown
into a blinding smile.
“Hey there, buddy! I was just-“
“Don’t call me buddy, idiot. And I don’t care what you were doing, let’s just
go already. Everyone else already headed back and Gwen sent me here to find
you.” Max was avoiding David’s gaze, missing the brief look of sadness that
came across his expression. The counselor quickly stood up, placing the shoe
back in its place and started for the direction out.
“It’s been a few years Max. I’d expect you would lighten up on me a little, but
it seems you’ve come to dislike me more!” David laughed awkwardly, which came
out a little strained.
“Shut it.”
Jasper felt pain again and grew angry with Max out of the blue, no- because he
was being a square to his childhood friend? Acquaintance?
The dirty blond approached Max to give him a piece of his mind, but stopped
when he examined the look in his eyes.
There was sadness laced in those emerald green eyes, for what, Jasper also
didn’t know the reason to. But he was smart and thought of a couple reasons
why, which he intended to find out.
“Hello, Max.” Jasper revealed himself, a smile tugging at his ghostly lips when
the teen jumped and practically screamed. “Mind if we chat for a bit?” Fright
morphed into confusion and then into realization.
“J-Jasper, right?” He questioned, earning a nod from the spirit. Max looked
back, calling out towards David who had almost slipped out of sight. “I’ll
catch up later!” The teen yelled, watching as the counselor turned back and
waved in acknowledgment. To this, he chuckled and a grin plastered itself on
his face.
“Stupid...” His face was noticeably tinting a dark red, whether it was from the
heat or for something else— Jasper wanted and didn’t want to know at the same
time.
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk about.” Jasper smirked when Max looked
confused yet again, a sort of fear radiating off his aura. “Do you hate David?”
“Yes.” A curt answer.
“Really?” This time, the teen glanced at the floor, ignoring the question. “Do
you want to get closer to David?”
“Hell no!” He was sweating more.
“Is he like a father to you?” Silence. “Max?”
The teen grumbled something under his breath, fists clenching until his
knuckles were white.
“Could you repeat that?” Jasper asked, surprised at the glare thrown his way
when Max finally looked up.
“..I said, that’s how it should feel like.”
“But?” The ghost pushed further, astonished to find that Max complied, although
hesitantly.
“But, I...” The teen paused, shoving his fists into the pockets of his jeans.
“I don’t know, fuck.” There was another awkward silence before Jasper broke it,
shock obvious on his ghostly appearance.
“You like him.” Those three words hit Max like a brick, his face becoming
impossibly redder and angrier.
“You don’t know shit, ghost boy!” Max turned, ready to storm off and head back
to camp already, but Jasper appeared in from of him once more.
“Wait! Look, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but can you at least let
me ask a favor before you go?” He was desperate at this point and if Max could
comply with this, he’d forever be in Max’s debt.
“What.” The teen spat, his mood visibly soured. Jasper hesitated for a moment,
chewing at his transparent bottom lip.
“I need to borrow your body.”
***** Wrong and Right *****
Chapter Notes
     Warning: Explicit rating for , of course, masturbation and low-key
     suicidal thoughts.
     Some italic lines are Max’s thoughts or flashbacks!
“You gotta be fucking kidding me.” Max growled once the ghost elaborated on
what he meant. Out of anything the kid could’ve asked for, it was to possess
him!
“Max-“
“No fucking way! What do you even want with my body?!” By now, he had backed
away several feet from Jasper, hands raised defensively. He almost felt bad
when he saw the kid frown, looking like a kicked puppy.
Awkwardly, Max shifted from side to side, gnawing at his lower lip. For a
while, he contemplated his options, wondering what it’d feel like to even be
possessed or how long it would take for whatever Jasper needed to do. As if on
cue, Jasper answered his questions.
“I wouldn’t take long. There’s just something I need to do in order for me to
make my peace.” There was an unreadable twinkle in Jasper’s cloudy gaze,
causing the teen to shiver.
“Okay, I — I’ll think about it.” Max brought a hand to his face, pinching the
bridge of his nose. There was a pressure squeezing his brain, hurting in some
places more than one. It was hot as well, which didn’t necessarily make him
feel any better. This dreadful feeling came over him when he saw Jasper smile.
Maybe it was because the kid was a freaking ghost or maybe because he had this
mischievous look on his face. He really hoped it was the former.
“Anyways, I gotta go. I’m not even sure how to leave.” The teen chuckled
nervously, walking away in the direction the counselor had, waving a goodbye to
Jasper. The kid nodded, looking just a tad bit disappoint, like he wanted to
say something. It was too late, though, because Max was running at this point.
Thinking about it wasn’t an option, seeing as he wasn’t alone. Not too far
along, he bumped into David, waiting for him with that damned smile.
“Max! I decided to stay in case you got lost!” David beamed, uncrossing his
arms from his chest. There was a visible flush on his face, obviously from
standing in the sun for a while, which angered Max even more. Who did he think
he was, doing things he really didn’t have to do!
“Didn’t really ask you to.” Max huffed, walking ahead, a small grin tugging at
the corners of his lips when he heard the older male trip after him. Not
wanting to miss the sight of David caked with dirt, he turned only to be taken
aback. That stupid pounding in his chest became erratic when he first gazed at
David, already pushing himself up. There was a smudge of dirt on his cheek and
nose, face turning red from embarrassment. His nose was also noticeably rosy,
red liquid starting to flow from one of his nostrils. As he continues picking
himself up, he dusted his clothes, wincing in pain when he moved his legs too
quickly. His knees had also taken some damage, a few scratches and marks
forming from pebbles and twigs left on the trail.
“G-gotta take a bath in disinfectant when we get back.” David joked,
pathetically attempting to laugh when he was clearly in pain. What made Max’s
blood boil and skin crawl was how the counselor’s eyes teared up, shamefully
allowing a few tears to stream down his dirt-stained cheeks.
God damn it, this is so fucking stupid
Max bit his lips hard, slowing down so David could catch up. When they were
close enough, the teen wrapped his arms around David’s midsection, helping him
walk after he started to struggle. The counselor was so lanky, Max knew he
could probably pick him up effortlessly. His age had also aided him in that
advantage, as he grew about 3 inches taller than David over the years.
Admittedly, being this close in proximity to the other male was taking a toll
on Max, his own legs beginning to feel like jelly. He glanced towards the
redhead, watching as he was staring at the shirt wrapped around his neck. A few
droplets of blood had been absorbed into the yellow fabric, which brought a
grimace to both of their faces.
Surprisingly, David was quiet, too quiet. Usually, he’d try and pull some
stupid shit like trying to bond with Max, but today... Dare he ask?
“You, um, you alright? Not worried or anything, but you’re not being as
annoying as you always are.” For a moment, Max panicked, wondering if the
counselor had felt his heart beating abnormally or even hear it. To him, his
heart was so loud in his ears that it escalated the process of his oncoming
headache. Before it was this dull pressure, now it felt like this sharp pain on
his temples and in his eye sockets.
The anxiety that he had unnecessarily built up was dissolving when David
replied with a quiet laugh. “I’m fantastic!” Came the reply, flashing another
smile displaying shiny, white teeth. However, there was something about it that
seemed... off to Max.
Over the years, Max began noticing a few things about the counselor that he
hadn’t realized before. Despite his bubbly personality and sparkling
appearance, he was hiding something. The teen remembers when he was only 10,
witnessing a more unfitting emotion David had expressed. It’s not like it was
completely strange that David felt a little blue once in a while, but the
counselor had unconsciously let his guard down since then.
There were moments the older male looked beaten down and broken; other times he
would make a humorously dark joke under his breath, but Max heard it. And at
first? It was kinda funny, refreshing, even. This was a new side that Max found
a little comfort in, mainly because it was something he often related to. Only,
it got weirder.
Maybe he didn’t pay much attention before, but as he grew, he definitely became
very aware of the counselor. Around the campers, he was this other person full
of light and sunshine and all that positive crap. With Gwen? David was calm,
only a little more quiet with her than with the campers.
He remembers vividly looking for both of the counselor’s after an item hunt.
Max snickered to himself, assuming they were probably making out secretly. He
saw it as an opportunity to probably blackmail them into getting special
treatment or at least to help him get out of this stupid camp. What he found
instead, Max would never forget.
Behind one of the counselor’s cabins, Gwen cradled David in her arms, a hand
tentatively stroking his red locks of wild hair. Her lips were pursed, shushing
him softly, gently. David had been crying, no doubt when the kid then observed
his tear stained cheeks and reddened face. His sobs were followed by hiccups, a
hand clasped around his mouth to prevent little noises from escaping. So
tightly, David clutched to her shirt, shaking — trembling in some sort pain.
“David, it’s gonna be alright. You didn’t do anything wrong, the kid’ll forgive
you. Dav-David, listen, you didn’t know. C’mon, let’s go clean up your face and
get you some water for your...”
Max couldn’t quite remember after that visual. To see David bawling his eyes
out physically pained Max in some way, which frustrated him beyond belief. When
he came back to the area crowded with campers, Nikki had approached him,
wiggling her eyebrows as she pressed him for what he saw.
He never did tell her, feeling some sort of... attachment to the knowledge he
mistakenly received. What he saw was confidential for sure, so he kept it
locked away in the storage of his mind. Several years later, having to remember
that was somehow depressing. Even if Max loved causing trouble for David, loved
seeing him in pain and dragging him down, he couldn’t bear the sight anymore.
His heart would protest numerous times of his teasing or insults hurled at the
counselor by sinking to the pits of his stomach and aching horribly.
The teen was ripped from his thoughts when David called out his name.
“Huh?” He mumbles, inspecting their surroundings. They were in front of a
cabin, one similar to the counselor’s cabins. Somewhere out of the deepest,
darkest pits of his mind, he wished it was David’s, curious as to how it
looked, smelled— Wait, that’s pretty creepy. Max swatted the thought away
mentally, stepping into the comfy cabin only to be welcomed by what looked like
a nurse’s office.
“Thanks for helping me here, Max! You can go if you like, I’m just going to
patch myself up.” Again, the stupid redhead threw another one of his infamous
smiles. He was kinda disappointed, wanting to stay around the counselor a
little longer. Max would never admit it, but despite how fucking crazy his
heart was when being around David, he found the counselor’s presence calming.
Something he never felt around his parents...
“Max?”
“I heard ya, stop calling my name.” The teen cursed himself silently, a thought
of hearing his name being called in a different sense by the older male
creeping up on him. “I’m gonna stay here too... I, um, I got a headache.”
To this, the counselor thrashed about searching through the cabinets. This
action caused him to whimper in pain, somehow forgetting that he was injured in
places more than one. Still, David found what he was looking for, placing one
bottle secretly in his pocket and keeping the other in his palm. Max marked
this as suspicious, but decided to stay quiet about it.
“This should help!” Before Max knew it, David was in front of him with a
plastic cup full of cool water and an open bottle with bold letters on the
label that read ‘IBUPROFEN’. A little harsher than he meant to, he snatched the
bottle and cup, popping two pills into his mouth and swallowing after a large
gulp of water. His hand wiped some remaining water at his mouth, wiping the
wetness into the denim of his jeans.
Unexpectedly, David’s hand rested against his forehead, surprisingly much
cooler than his own hands. Max stepped back, face flushing as a scowl settled
on his face.
“What the fuck, David!” He realized his reaction may have been a little
dramatic, but it didn’t feel that way.
“S-sorry, I was checking if you had a fever,” The redhead squeaked, quickly
moving his hand away. “You’re definitely hotter than usual, maybe it’s the
heat?” In no time, David was scurrying around for a few other supplies, ready
to help himself now.
The words somehow pulled out an odd reaction from Max, his buttons pushed
another time that day. David’s simultaneous concern and choice of words made
Max become impossibly redder. An image he did not want to see right now was
David using the second sentence used in a different setting where they were-
No, Max, stop thinking about that stupid shit!
David let out a disappointed sigh, unwrapping the shirt from his neck.
Hesitantly, he wiped the remaining blood on his face with the shirt, tossing it
onto the counter while he cleaned the rest of his wounds with a warm and wet
rag. Max just watched, examining every wince of pain that flickered across the
counselor’s expression when he applied a cotton ball tainted with hydrogen
peroxide to his injuries.
Suddenly, David was called from outside, presumably from Gwen.
“David! Are you in there? Look, some kid climbed up the tree again and some
first aid attention would be really helpful right now.” Luckily for the injured
camper, David was out and running towards wherever the camper had been, despite
the limp he still had. For a brief moment, the door swished open, allowing Max
to see David following an anxious Gwen.
The teen was exhausted from thinking so much and decided it’d be better just to
head in for the day. As he discarded his empty cup and settled the bottle of
pills on the counter, his eyes settle upon the shirt. It was lying there,
taunting Max. He grumbled, cursing himself some more when he had this awful
idea to take the shirt with him. After fighting with himself, his shaking
fingers clutched the yellow fabric despite the now dry blood on it.
You’re fucking disgusting, you know that?
Max sighed heavily, acknowledging the insult directed to himself and somehow
not caring. Wasting no time, the raven haired male walked out of the cabin,
yellow shirt tight in his clutches as he hid it behind his back. He didn’t know
when it got so dark, but the sun was hanging on the horizon, ready to let the
moon illuminate the night. David would probably enjoy this sort of view, with a
stupid grin on his face as he went on about some cheesy shit on how beautiful
nature was.
“Max!” He knew the voice all too well. In this moment, though, he really didn’t
want to talk to Nikki. The teen just wanted to be alone. “What’re you doing out
here, silly? There’s a campfire going on!”
“Nikki, not right now. I’m tired as shit and I just want some sleep.” His
friend seemed to pout, staring at him with this disapproving expression.
“It’ll be fun! You always end up having fun! But if you really, really want to
be left alone that bad, I guess I’ll leave—“ The girl paused as she quickly
slid behind Max and tugged at the fabric in his hands. “If you tell me what
this is!”
Max never remembered being so angry, but he was. Carelessly, he snatched the
shirt from Nikki and held it close to his chest, spitting venomous insults
towards his friend.
“Are you stupid?! What part of ‘not right now’ don’t you get? Leave me the hell
alone and go bother someone else!” The reaction he received was one of
disbelief, sadness and reciprocated anger.
“Fine.” Nikki scoffed, bouncing away to the camp fire.
“Whatever.” Max growled, internally screaming at himself for being such a dick
to one of his closest friends. Nikki had been with him through thick and thin,
as well as Neil. Although, he wasn’t convinced Neil was in the loop, seeing as
he mostly stared at his phone when Max shared any information. The kid was a
fucking nerd, how could he expect him to live without his phone for a second?
Max decided he’d deal with that problem later, since there was a much bigger
one at hand in between his legs. Perhaps it was the anger that fueled his
arousal, but Max knew what it really was. He hated the fact and threw more
insults directed towards himself and at David.
Quietly, Max crept into his tent and sealed it off, flopping down onto the
small air mattress in his tent. It was wise to keep the lights off, Max thought
as his free hand dipped down his stomach to undo his jeans, tugging them off
forcefully as he lied on his pseudo bed. Through his briefs, he could see the
outline of his dick, pulsing and throbbing with the need to release.
No time was wasted when Max pulled himself out of his undergarments, pumping
himself roughly. He wasn’t sure when, but the hand clutching the shirt was
placed on his chest, allowing the teen to smell David. David smelled wonderful,
like fresh pine and cinnamon, a small amount of musky sweat also seeped in by
the fabric. Then there was the blood, smelling coppery, but much to Max’s claim
of disgust, he liked it.
Fuck, you’re such a pervert.
Max could care less, because he was getting off to it either way. As his thumb
slid over his slit gushing with precum, he quietly groaned, imagining David’s
slender fingers wrapped around his cock. Or his pretty lips kissing teasingly
on the underside of his length, tongue lapping at his dick like a dog with a
bowl of water.
Great, this again.
It wasn’t odd for Max to imagine David as this submissive pet, obeying the teen
as if he were his owner. This was a reoccurring fantasy he couldn’t help but
love. To hear David beg and whine like the dog he is, beg for his hole to be
fucked, tears streaming down his cheeks as he would finally take Max’s large
cock, moaning like a slut for his and only his dick. It’d feel so good that
David would come right away, hole fluttering tightly around Max’s length and—
“Ooh, shit.” Max moaned, ropes of white cum staining his hand. He stayed like
that for a few moments, basking in the afterglow of his orgasm. The scent of
David continuing to sedate him, causing the teen to slowly drift off. With a
little bit of a delayed action, Max grabbed a tissue from the Kleenex packet he
had stashed next to his mattress and cleaned his hand.
The tissue was discarded into a small bin full of other used tissues, no
surprise there.
You’re a piece of shit.
“I know.” Max mumbled in reply, not really caring as he slowly rode the waves
of sleep.
Maybe if Jasper possessed him, he’d die. Somehow, that idea was welcomed. But
Max knew that wasn’t right.
Max knew a lot wasn’t right, especially with him stealing David’s shirt and
using it as jacking material.
It was wrong, but if felt so right.
***** Settled *****
Chapter Notes
     Ah, I’ve written something that hurt me ^^;
See the end of the chapter for more notes
“Good morning, Campers!”
It’s way too early for this shit
Max groaned, rolling over onto his stomach as he lazily stretched. The sun
glared through the fabric of his tent, shining on his face as if it were some
universal message to wake the fuck up. Not really wanting to, Max sat up,
rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His gaze wandered around the tent and then to
himself, remembering last nights antics. The memory only seemed to worsen his
morning, already wishing to pull his hair out. It was even worse to think about
how this had kept happening every night.
Max blamed his hormones and puberty, playing it off as some weird bodily
function. Although, the back of his mind always pressed at the touchy subject
more than necessary.
Thinking about only David and getting off to that, ah, yes. That most certainly
is your body’s entire fault.
The teen groaned, deciding not to think about it anymore. Instead, he looked
through a mound of his clothes, pulling out a pair of jeans and a new shirt.
Once he dressed himself, he was ready to go. Except, he spotted something he
wanted to burn the moment he saw it. There, on the side of his mattress, hung
the yellow shirt. It was still stained with blood and some of Max’s cum from
the day before. He was scolding himself, panicking over how he was going to get
away with this or how he was probably going to get into some serious shit.
A part of him told himself to keep it, another told him to return it. The
latter was the best option, mainly because the shirt was valuable to David. The
poor sucker would probably cry without his stupid shirt...
“Max? You in there? Everyone’s already heading in to eat!” Of course David was
the one to rush him out.
“Jesus, I’m coming already!” Max muttered, clenching his fists and grinding his
teeth. The shirt would have to be another problem for another time. Right now,
he was in fact hungry and wanted to get something good before everything ran
out. When the teen crept out of his tent, he expected David to be there,
waiting with that stupid signature smile. To his disappointment, the redhead
wasn’t there. He shrugged his shoulders, stuffing his hands into the pockets of
his jeans while he made his way to the cafeteria.
About a year or two ago, Ered’s parents had noticed the unsanitary conditions
of the kitchen and grotesque food. Since then, better quality meals were
provided, making the stay here at least a little worth it. He vaguely remembers
that Gwen would cook a few things such as eggs and bacon, maybe some omelettes
if she was in a good mood. The food tasted awful at first, but he could tell
that she improved vastly since then. David mostly stuck to baking muffins,
cupcakes and other basic pastries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. His baked
goodies were delicious, the well rounded surface of a muffin soft and the
insides moist and chewy. Max practically moaned when thinking of them, wanting
nothing more than to pop one of those delectable treats in his mouth. Still, he
wouldn’t admit that.
The camper shoved the doors open, eyes scanning the laid out buffet section. It
seemed most of the campers had gotten to it already, as there was only a scoop
of scrambled eggs, a slice of honeyed ham, and some fruit remaining on the
table. Max decided he’d take what he could get, retrieving a tray for the
leftovers.
As he made his way towards his usual spot, he noticed Nikki had a foot on his
spot, her arms crossed. Oh boy.
“Hey, Nikki,” Max started, staring at the wooden floor for a moment as he
contemplated the wording of his apology.
“I thought you didn’t want to be bothered by me.” It wasn’t a question.
“Look, Nikki, I’m sorry. You’re not annoying, I just— I was having a rough day
and I took out my anger on you. Will you please forgive me?” One hand still
held the tray while the other rubbed at the back of his neck, avoiding her
stern gaze. It was quiet for a moment, until he heard the sound of her shoe hit
the ground and laughter. He looked up, relieved to find that she accepted his
apology and was in much higher spirits now.
“Aww, Max! Since you asked nicely, I’ll forgive you.” She pat the seat next to
hers, smiling as she stuffed her mouth with a few scrambled eggs. “What was
bothering you so much yesterday, by the way?” Nikki asked, food still in her
mouth.
By no means was she a normal girl, but Max didn’t mind... sometimes.
“Just a headache.” Max didn’t want to explain in full depth, positive his
friends would see him differently. But Nikki was smarter than that.
“I won’t press you, but it had something to do with that cloth in your hand,
right?” The suggestion made Max freeze, the sweet slice of ham he had taken a
bite of suddenly tasting bitter.
“...yeah. Don’t want to talk ‘bout it.” He swallowed the piece of food
regardless, even if it felt like a rock. This morning wasn’t going too well, at
least not for him. Especially when that stupid counselor had skipped his way
over to the table. Max noticed before how David had been communicating with a
few other campers. Shockingly, with a few new campers coming in each Summer,
some of them attached themselves to David and his positive attitude.
One time, a small girl had been shoved by some boy she had a crush on. They
were playing some sort of fantasy related game, when the boy had pushed her a
little too strongly. No surprise when David came rushing over, first aid box in
hand. Since then, the girl would pick flowers or acorns off the ground and
present them to David, keen on getting him to marry her. Max always scoffed at
this, knowing that the counselor never would, but continued to helplessly feel
jealous.
No, no, wait. Max wasn’t jealous, that idea was stupid. He was just— just in a
bad mood that day. Getting upset over David? He’d never!
Would he?
Max was on this role of getting buried in his thoughts, because his friends
were shaking him, concerned looks on their faces. Behind them, David shared a
similar expression, only to falter when he realized that Max was okay.
Except, he wasn’t.
“We thought we lost you, Dude!” Neil exclaimed, who had incredulously put down
his phone. The action made Max kinda smile, knowing that his other friend did
in fact care. Nikki as well, her hand on his shoulder squeezing it gently. He
didn’t know why he needed the comfort, but it was reassuring and he ended up
leaning into the touch.
“Yeah, Max! You were staring at nothing and started shaking. You know your face
even got a little pale? Like you saw a ghost!” Max thought about her words for
a moment, the last bit reminding him that he still needed to give Jasper an
answer.
All was forgotten in an instant when David sat next to him, ruffling his raven
colored curls gingerly. The counselor then pulled out a fucking muffin and
presented it to the teen, smiling somewhat shyly. “It looked like you didn’t
get much to eat and I saved one of the last muffins for you.”
That stupid moron doing stupid shit!
Out of anger and pent up emotions he wasn’t ready to acknowledge yet, he
grabbed the muffin and threw it against the wall. The force was enough so that
it broke off a few soft pieces of its mound, revealing a few chocolate chips
and cream filling inside. David had flinched backwards, almost falling off the
seat. There was this unreadable expression on his face, tears glossing over his
forest green eyes.
“Now, Max, you didn’t need to throw it like that.” His voice was strained, like
there was a lump in his throat. The teen observed closely and began to spot
David’s nose reddening, the rest of his face and the tip of his ears being
tinted the same reddish color.
“For fucks sake, David! Leave me alone! You follow me like some kinda sick
puppy, being all nice and affectionate when I never ask you to. If I didn’t
know better, I’d think you had a crush on me!” Max was furious, a few selective
words slipping through his lips without thinking. “Oh, is that it, David? You
have some perverted crush on me or maybe on all the little fucking kids!”
He didn’t know when, but Nikki and Neil were at his sides, pulling in his arms
that were lifted up, hands balled up into fists. His breaths were erratic,
along with the pounding in his head and in his heart. One look at the counselor
and his throat became dry, heart sinking.
David’s face was a mess as tears had already spilled, snot starting to drip
down his nose. He opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it.
Rather than scold the teen for his language, David stood up and ran to the
kitchen, sobbing brokenly while hiding his face in his hands. Across the room,
Gwen stared at Max as if to say “what the fuck?”, quickly chasing after the
redhead. Then Max noticed the other campers staring at him either in awe or
disapproval.
Angrily, he shook his arms away from his friends and spun around to glare at
them.
“Jesus Christ, dude! What got your panties in a twist?!” Neil was shocked,
never quite experiencing such a reaction from Max.
“Just— shut up!” Max quickly stormed out of the cafeteria, away from all those
eyes focusing on him. Why did he freak out like that? He wasn’t sure himself,
but immediately regretted it. If anything, it was Max with this stupid
perverted crush on-
No.
He wasn’t going to think about that right now. Right now was a good time as any
to just let Jasper do his stuff, hoping that the process somehow killed him.
It’s not like anyone would really miss him. After the shit he said in front of
all those kids, to David, he doubted anyone would want to be around him. He’d
finally be alone, just like he wanted.
***
The walk to yesterday’s location was long and of course it was another
scorching day outside. When he finally arrived, he slumped against the cliffs
wall and sat down, regaining his breath. A short while after, the spirit had
appeared, dead eyes expectant and hopeful.
“So...have you th-“
“Yes. Do it.” Jasper looked shocked, as if he were expecting rejection. But
it’s not like the kid would do something bad, he mentioned before something
about making peace after all.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Hurry before I change my mind.” In an instant, Max felt cold, noticing
Jasper place a ghostly palm over where his heart would be. He felt like he was
being pulled out from his body and he actually was. Soon, his appearance was as
transparent as Jasper’s, hovering over the ground in front of his own body. The
sight was strange, seeing himself lay lifeless like that for a few short
moments. But then it came to life, taking sharp inhales of oxygen when it did.
“We did it!” Jasper’s voice was now Max’s, nothing really changing but the
expression on... well, his face.
“Don’t make that face in my body.” Max preferred to maintain a permanent scowl,
keeping friendly campers at bay. It was really Neil and Nikki who had seen
through it, barging their ways into his life.
“Alright, Alright.” Jasper began to sit up, oddly doing so with Max’s body. It
had been so long since the kid was alive, he expected him to struggle at first.
Fortunately, the walk back was easily enough practice for Jasper to get the
hang on Max’s body. Meanwhile, Max was a freaking ghost!
It was a pretty good experience so far, his form malleable and transparent,
although he still very much so looked like himself. He was expecting some sort
of body switch, but it was really like his soul was being kicked out of his own
body. Getting back in would hurt, judging by the way it hurt when he left. God,
it was so weird when thinking about this! No one would believe him if he ever
decided to tell anyone about the time he let a ghost kid possess him.
“Hm...oh, yeah, that reminds me,” Jasper looked towards Max’s vitreous figure
floating a bit above him. “What exactly do you need to do to move on?”
A smile pulled at Jasper’s (Max’s?) lips.
“I’m gonna sort things out with an old buddy of mine.”
Chapter End Notes
     I’m so glad I’ve been getting your comments and kudos! Even the hits
     mean a lot to me!!! I was a little frightened that this would be
     looked down upon, but I really couldn’t get the idea out of my head!
     And with your support it motivates me to continue writing more! Thank
     you!!! <3
***** Too Long *****
Chapter Notes
     Aaah! Thank you guys so much for your support! I can’t thank you or
     tell you enough how happy it’s made me! They constantly encourage and
     motivate me and I’m honestly so glad!! Love you all ^^
     Also, I’m sorry this chapter is a little shorter, I just have big
     plans for the next chapter!
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Utter silence followed Max and Jasper as they continued their trek to the camp.
The air was eerie, heavy, almost. Whether this was foreshadowing an uneventful
future or Max still processing the fact that this was one of the most strangest
phenomenons he has experienced, he prayed that this experience would at least
end on a good note.
Pondering about it now, it dawned upon the teen that he didn’t think this
through. He should’ve demanded at least some information, such as who this
buddy was and what exactly Jasper intended to do with said buddy. How was he
even supposed to communicate with them? Jasper was using his body as a vessel,
so wouldn’t it sound crazy if Max had suddenly claimed he was a dead person?
Max debated asking questions, but something told him not to. From past
memories, Jasper was a literal guardian angel, guiding him through that creepy
mansion. Then there was the time an active sickness spread around and Jasper
was there to assist yet again.
Nothing could go wrong, right?
The camper decided to give Jasper the benefit of the doubt, basking in the
uncomfortable silence. His new abilities as a ghost distracted him, providing
him some comfort.
Fuck yeah, I can float and go through shit
It had been quite a while Max was relieved of some of his stress, since he was
always cautious around David and everybody else. His methods were considered
“unhealthy”, but truthfully, bottling things up was the only way he knew how to
cope. The grown adults he resisted to acknowledge as his parents were
constantly arguing, taking on multiple jobs for money they later wasted at the
bar. They always came home drunk, doing unspeakable things behind their bedroom
door and even in the bathroom. More arguing came later, more drinking, more
forgetting the fact that they had a child.
Their relationship was so unstable that they ended up divorcing each other,
finally doing something right by sending Max away to the camp so he wouldn’t
witness the separation. In his opinion, it was better when he was away from
them. He never wanted to return to that God awful apartment. And he didn’t.
After summer camp for Max and a much needed divorce, his, ugh, mother and
father decided it’d be best for the kid to stay with his grandmother, one of
the best decisions they made.
No doubt, Max still had a few problems, but compared to before, he was much
happier. Sure, his grandmother couldn’t provide him the love of a mother and a
father, but she damn well tried her hardest.
David also tries his hardest
Max scoffed, pushing the thought away. Once he had his body back, he definitely
owed the counselor an apology. As much as he hated to admit it, what he said to
David was awful. Images of the look on his face swam through Max’s mind, the
absolute epitome of misery plastered there. Thinking about it now made Max
cringe and his ghost heart wrench.
Even as two different forms, Jasper must’ve felt the same ache. He paused for a
moment, clutching at the left side of his shirt before he let go and resumed
walking.
***
Fear bubbled in Max’s see-through and pliant form, watching as Jasper willed
his body to approach Gwen. She had been supervising the kids while they
participated in some other stupid outdoor activity. Although, she wasn’t
actually watching them, her head buried in a magazine promoting health
solutions and celebrity gossip.
“G-Gwen?” Jasper stuttered, still unused to how to function properly. “Do you
know where David is?”
God, he sounds so weak
The counselor turned her attention towards Max, eyes widening. Her expression
transitioned into one of anger, rolling the magazine up and lightly slapping
the top of Max’s head with it.
“Max! Where in the hell have you been?! And what was earlier’s episode all
about?” She wasn’t finished there. “He offered you something delicious and you
impulsively threw his hard work at those moldy walls and as if that wasn’t
enough- you accuse him of being a- a pedophile?!”
Max would’ve replied, but the solid body in front of his eyes reminded him that
he was just an invisible soul. Unlike Jasper, he couldn’t become visible at
will, it was a ghost thing, probably, but it still would’ve been pretty neat to
do.
The Max that Gwen could see was quick to respond, seemingly catching on to what
she was talking about.
“That’s why I’m asking for him, so I could apologize.”
Max was thinking slowly, as per usual, the fact barely hitting him that
Jasper’s old buddy had to be David. It was then that the teen began to protest,
but Jasper ignored his jumbled words and focused on Gwen, smirking when she
revealed the counselor’s current whereabouts.
Again, the kid totally went against Max’s normal personality, sending Gwen a
grin and a wave as he thanked her. With his newly acquired information, Jasper
skipped his way to David’s cabin.
“Hey, Jasper- dude, you never told me you were going to—“
“Max, I can guarantee you that it’s going to be okay. David knows me.” That
wasn’t exactly reassuring, but Max shrugged, feeling the swell of his heart.
The idea that they were somehow connected was strange, making the teen wonder
if they could read each other’s-
“Yes, I can hear your thoughts.”
Yikes
“I heard that.”
Max grumbled, twiddling with his pseudo fingers as Jasper approached the door
of David’s cabin, knocking on it lightly. The wooden door opened moments later,
revealing a rather tired looking David. Under his eyes were dark circles, his
rims red from crying before. They widened for a moment, panic settling over his
features, struggling to make some sort of greeting towards the raven haired
male.
Must’ve hurt him pretty bad...
“Hello, David.” Jasper decided to initiate the conversation first, smiling too
unnaturally and sweet for Max’s taste.. “May I come in?”
Could you be any less like me? Thanks.
Max earned a glare from Jasper, actually a little startled at how horrifying
his face looked when he was upset. No wonder David had that reaction when he-
well, when Jasper knocked on the door with his face.
All too soon, Jasper had stepped inside, closing the door behind him and
locking it. Max didn’t even want to know why, thus excusing the action as a way
to keep their privacy.
“So, Max, what’re you doing here?” David had mostly avoided Max’s/Jasper’s
gaze, probably still feeling awkward and hurt since their last encounter. He
had also gnawed at his bottom lips anxiously, hands crossed and squeezing
closer against himself, almost as if he were cold.
“Oh, well, I came to make my-“ The air grew heavy, even weighing Max’s spirit
down. He felt something else, something that caused every non-existent nerve in
his transparent figure to spark. It was the same thick fog from the first time
Max allowed the kid to take over his body, except now he knew that it was.
Everything was happening so fast that Max continued to hover by the door,
staring blankly at the back of his own head. Within those few seconds, Jasper
had David cornered on the bed, arms wrapped around the counselor’s body in a
seemingly constructing embrace.
“S-sorry, Davey... it’s been so long.”
There was a long moment of silence before Max heard the familiar clinking of a
belt being removed.
Chapter End Notes
     This is only the beginning.
***** Suffocating *****
Chapter Notes
     Just a warning beforehand, if any readers are triggered by rape or
     any form of molestation, this chapter may not be for you. Writing
     this was admittedly tough on me, but I got through it! ^^;
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Jasper was elated to find he was able to rely on Max. Although the process was
painful for the both of them, it was going to be worth it. Especially when he
was struggling so hard to remember how to use a living, breathing body.
He was a foreign spirit in a living person's body, but he still felt like it
shouldn't have been like this. Upon regaining consciousness in the teen's body,
there was something aching in his heart. Jasper wasn't stupid, connecting this
to the feelings Max most likely had for the counselor. Although Jasper may have
been a little envious, he was happy for Max. Jasper even thought he'd do some
good by being a lot nicer to David while in Max's body, hopefully reducing the
estranged relationship and bringing them a little closer. Max was stubborn and
full of anger, but if Jasper could show him how simple it was to communicate
with David, then it’d be a success!
While being Max, he began to see brief flashbacks from events not too long ago.
Each memory was followed by pain and aches, the kid really didn't know how Max
lived like this. And because he knew how stubborn the camper was, it would be a
good time to take advantage of this control and help the teen.
However, now presented in front of him was Max’s love interest, the man who
would smile no matter what. Even as he had been towered over by Max’s form, he
was smiling, offering to lend an ear if something was bothering the camper. Of
course, once upon a time, Jasper had feelings for David. He had accepted the
fact that his life was over a long time ago, burying his love for the counselor
a long time ago. Still, a flooding warmth thrummed through Max’s veins, which
made Jasper nervous. This couldn’t have been his own feelings, could it?
No, this had to be something else. This had to be related to Max somehow.
Jasper could only remember being washed over with this feeling of immense
arousal, unable to handle it. Then he looked at David, tempted to touch every
inch of his body. The borrowed vessel's hands twitched, legs impulsively
walking forward to approach David. He didn't even realize he had already pinned
the redhead to the bed, who looked absolutely petrified, shaking beneath him
with a quickly faltering smile.
But he couldn't stop.
The lust was overwhelming and Jasper hadn't felt any sort of feeling as
strongly as this. Max must've had a lot of restraint, but the kid wasn’t Max
and this made it that much harder. After internally struggling, Jasper realized
the borrowed vessel was idle, moving on its own accord. Just how much and how
long has Max been pining for the counselor?
It didn’t matter, Jasper no longer had control, but remained cursedly
conscious.
“M-Max? What’re you doing?” The redhead finally managed to vocalize his
concerns, hands clasped together and held tightly against his chest as he
looking up towards Max’s face with these big eyes full of fright and concern.
Across the room, Max hovered, yelling at Jasper to stop, but it was to no
avail. Every noise he made had been unconsciously muted, his movement also
denied.
That’s better
Now, his hands had gripped David’s shoulders, pulling him up so they could face
each other. Jasper traced his tongue over his chapped lips, pressing a chaste
kiss to David’s cheeks. He peppered more kisses on his face, slowly moving
towards David’s lips. They were plump and soft, the way they trembled spurring
him on further.
This is so wrong...!
Rational thoughts were quickly being discarded, unbearable lust stealing
complete control now.
“Max, this— this isn’t appropriate! I’m an adult and you’re just a kid!”
There was no reply, just thick silence engulfing the room as he continued his
ministrations. David was distraught and panicked, unsure of what to do or say.
Every kiss to David’s skin earned a look of disgust and anguish as the older
male inched away slowly from Max’s overbearing body. This only encouraged
Jasper to corner him more, a hand reaching out to grab David’s wrists and pin
them above his head. With Max’s free hand, he had slyly snaked up David’s
shirt, grazing his chest and pulling up the bothersome clothing, revealing soft
skin speckled with more freckles and a few prominent beauty marks.
Seemingly mesmerized by the view, Jasper leaned in towards David’s chest and
licked a stripe up his navel, eyes drinking in the sight. David quietly
whimpered, resisting but his body was clearly giving in to the pleasure. What a
priceless reaction. His eyes drifted towards David’s chest, eyeing those
appetizing, pink nipples, perking up from exposure to the cooler air. Eagerly,
his mouth licked at one nub, lightly rolling his tongue over it and earning a
muffled moan. While pinching he other nub, he slowly eased his way into
suckling at the nipple, loving the way David twitched.
The misty eyed counselor below him shivered, tears welling in his eyes as he
continuously mumbled “no” over and over again. He wasn’t taken seriously when
Jasper felt David’s own hardened and clothed arousal rub against his.
“Please, stop!” David whined, tugging his captured wrists against Jasper’s iron
grip, legs thrashing about under him. The struggling had become a hindrance,
deciding it’d be much better to tie the counselor up.
And he did just that.
Slipping the belt from the loops of Max’s tight jeans, Jasper tied David’s
wrists together, now using his free hands to grip at the flesh of the other’s
thighs. On a mission, those same hands creeped up until they met the fabric of
David’s shorts, tugging them down with ease. David was so skinny that undoing
his shorts was deemed unnecessary.
“Max, please! We— we can talk about this, but you need to stop!” His protests
came out in garbled sobs, pleas constantly resurfacing after every sentence.
The attempts were futile.
More kisses met with David’s skin, kisses that developed into sensual licks and
sucking, saving the worst for last; biting. These ministrations continued
regardless of the pleas, which had become quieter until they ceased. Instead,
they were replaced with silent sobs and hesitant moans. David had squeezed his
eyes shut at this point, still repulsed by each touch despite his body’s
encouraging reactions.
It was quiet, only the sound of lips on skin heard until there was a shuffling
of clothes. Jasper had pulled his jeans down to rest at his hips, tugging at
his length from its restricting confines. It bobbed eagerly against his
stomach, ready to be enveloped in David’s hole.
Having no knowledge of experience, his hands greedily handled David’s hips with
a bruising force, bringing himself flush against the other’s member. For a
moment, Max’s dick rubbed at David’s entrance, enjoying the feeling and craving
more.
His lust knew no bounds, mindlessly allowing his hips to thrust forward into
that velvety, tight heat. As he forced his way in, he could feel David clench
around him, entire body trembling. By no means did it seem like David was
sharing the same feeling anymore, his face scrunched up in pain, hips
attempting to squirm away from the intrusion.
Another fruitless action.
***
By now, David’s arousal had become flaccid due to the unbearable and
unrelenting pain in his backside. Not to mention the excruciating discomfort he
felt every time his entrance was met with a sharp thrust. Max’s pace had become
violent, tearing at David’s sphincter and causing it to bleed.
For about half an hour, David endured the tortuous agony entering him
repeatedly, almost seeming like it’d never end. David had given up screaming a
long time ago, his voice broken and scratchy. Only muffled sobs and silent
screams passed through his lips that he had bitten time and time again to
ignore the torture to his entrance. But relief settled inside him once he heard
the shallow breaths coming from Max, noticing his punishing thrusts had
shortened. He knew these signs indicated the other’s release.
Soon enough, Max had halted as he bottomed out, spurting his hot seed inside.
Looking above, the teen seemed satisfied, lying his chest against David’s as he
grew weary.
It was almost as if the camper had changed, briskly pulling himself up and
staring at David in disbelief. Then his emerald eyes trailed down, giving the
impression that he was mortified at the sight. No doubt it was strange, but the
counselor couldn’t help but continue to feel intimidated by Max.
Truthfully, David wanted nothing more than to get along with the camper.
Realizing his parents truly didn’t care for Max, David couldn’t help but feel
pity and sympathy, unconsciously attaching himself to the kid. He was unsure
why it was only Max, considering plenty of other Campers had problems, such as
Nerf.
The kindness he offered the teen was constantly rejected, each rejection
becoming more and more violent. At first, Max would brush it off. As he grew,
though, Max starting using offensive threats and insults, sometimes even
shoving at David’s arms roughly. More and more it seemed like the camper wanted
nothing to do with him, purposely avoiding and ignoring his presence as much as
possible.
David was starting to think Max despised him, but blamed himself. He knew that
most of the time his upbeat attitude was bothersome and annoying, but without
it he’d be nothing. Still, David couldn’t help but feel upset. Although, if
there’s one thing he wouldn’t do, it was give up. With a little more time and
persuasion, David would get Max to open up and hopefully become much happier
than he was now. After all, he only wanted the best for the camper.
It had been quite some time that David had been lost in thought, barely hearing
Max’s screams.
“David?! David, oh God, please wake up!”
Was he asleep? He didn’t remember, but it did occur to him that his eyes were
closed, staring into the fuzzy and dark abyss behind his heavy eyelids. David
felt his body being lifted up and carried somewhere, not really worrying about
the location. Immediately, his body was met with a cool surface as he was
placed down gently. There was a squeak, like a handle being pulled and suddenly
an inviting warmth began to spread from the bottom of his heels to his chest.
This... is the bathroom
David could feel his limbs start to relax, the pain dissolving when he felt a
wet rag rub against his skin. The texture of the warm towel soothed him more as
it glided down his chest and towards his bottom, probably cleaning the blood
and cum that had resided there.
He found himself whining when the rag had withdrew, the sound of scurrying
footsteps becoming more distant. Then they returned, quiet for only a moment.
“Shit, David I’m so sorry. Fuck, I didn’t know this would happen, I-“ The teen
had stopped abruptly, breaking out into tears. This confused the counselor,
wondering if maybe this was all a horrible dream.
After hearing the plug from the bathtub pop, David was picked up once more,
wrapped in soft towels as he was carried back to the bed. Max continued to cry
and mumble unfathomable things as he grabbed David’s legs tentatively. Briefs
were sliding up his legs once Max successfully got each leg though each hole,
pulling them all the way up. Next came a pair of soft pajama bottoms, a t-
shirt, some fuzzy socks and finally a blanket. It felt different than the cover
he usually used, it was warm and inviting, much different compared to his
scratchy one. His head was being raised by a sweaty palm, slipping a pillow to
cushion it.
A hand came to grasp his, squeezing it lightly as he heard Max cursing himself
and apologizing profusely behind clenched teeth.
”David, I— god damnit, I’m so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you,” A sniffle and
hiccup interrupted his sentence. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, this wouldn’t have happened
if I loved you.”
What was that?
David had no time to process what he’d heard, sleep taking over.
Chapter End Notes
     O o f .
     I can’t thank you guys enough, seriously! Every new comment- ahhh,
     bless you guys. I’ve never been this pumped up!!!
***** Still Not Enough *****
Chapter Notes
     Wow... your comments! I’ve teared up so many times I can’t keep
     count! Again, for the millionth time, thank you!!!
See the end of the chapter for more notes
Sharp and invisible needles prickled at Max's head, forcing him to be shaken
from his slumber. There was no sight of the sun's rays beaming through the
windows, instead, the sky outside had become dark, the glow from the twinkling
stars hardly any better of a light source. Faint sounds of bugs chirping and
owls hooting broke any silence, something the teen didn't know he relished
until now.
The room was dark, but it didn't take Max too long to figure out where he was.
He was kneeling by the side of David's bed, hands still grasping the other's.
Upon recognizing this, he immediately withdrew, starting to stand when his
knees gave out. His legs were aching from the position he slept in, temporarily
immobilizing his movements. While waiting to regain control in his lower limbs,
Max sighed, slouching against the bed.
Some part of Max missed the connection of David’s hand in his own, missed any
sort of contact with the counselor, the overbearing loneliness and desire for
intimacy urging him to slide in next to David. Another part was screaming at
him to leave and ignore this man until the summer was over, or just head home
now and never look back.
He heaved another sigh, his emerald green eyes traveling up to inspect the
older male's face, noticing David's lashes. They were long and curved upward
like a doll's, color matching his hair, although slightly lighter. Then there
was the freckles, becoming more and more abundant throughout the years.
Exposure to the sun most likely increased the the quantity of them, but it's
not like it was a bad thing. Max thought their soft hue complimented the
counselor's sun-kissed skin, especially when there was a prominent blush on a
particularly hot day or when a camper asked an inappropriate question.
Cute, wait, shit, stop it Max. You need to be serious here
All embarrassing adorations aside, Max magnified the problem at hand. What
Jasper did... those couldn’t have been his intentions. There was no way he’d
possess Max just for the sake of raping an old childhood friend who idolized
him. Max wasn’t stupid, he knew very well who Jasper was. He recalled a memory
where he had been in the back seat of David’s car with Nikki and Neil beside
him, space kid in the back. The counselor reminisced of an old event that
occurred in his younger years to inspire the young and unenthusiastic campers
at the time (except Nikki), but information was being held back. Max wasn’t
sure whether it was for the children’s good or for David’s, because halfway
through his telling, he didn’t look so well. His hands gripped the steering
wheel tightly, his visible leg bouncing up and down anxiously and his eyes in
the rear view mirror glassy. Something horrible happened no doubt, but Max was
generous enough as to not press the redhead any further.
Instead, years later, Max connected the dots. When Jasper first appeared, he
was a ghost and obviously a child, his name even solid proof of who he was. The
teen could go on about the obvious evidence in case of any denial, but at least
he knew. From David’s recollection and his own meeting with Jasper on several
occasions, the kid was nice. Just a pure soul unaware of who he was possessing.
No doubt it was wrong for Jasper to allow himself to be swayed by Max’s foolish
desires, but in the end, it was Max who had to pay. Who had to suffer.
You deserve to rot...You’re pathetic and gross
Fresh tears gathered at the corners of Max’s eyes, but he held them back. There
was no use in crying over spilt milk. What Jasper— no, what he did to David was
unforgivable. He was pretty sure he scarred Jasper as well. Even in this
position, Max wished that David interpreted earlier’s horrible mishap has a
nightmare. This is where the two sides of him fought again, one wishing to
continue staying by David’s side for the sake of comfort and the other
convincing and convicting Max that he was a monster and should die alone for
harboring such inappropriate feelings for David, an adult no less.
There was no time for arguing now when sleep was quickly pulling at his heavy
eyelids, but he needed to make a decision. Wobbling legs managed to push
themselves up and heave the rest of Max’s body onto the bed, scooting in and
under the covers to spoon the other man. An arm came to rest on David’s hip,
which was probably bruised from their previous accident. The memory of the
bruises provoked an inappropriate thought to flash in Max’s mind, but the time
was not right to get-
Fuck
He was hard.
“Seriously?” Max muttered under his breath, inhaling sharply when he realized
just how close he was to the counselor. His back was pressed against Max
completely, generating a pleasing warmth. The teen decided it’d be much better
to just let it go away on its own and fall asleep, but David squirmed, his ass
pressing back into Max’s arousal. “Fuck!” He whisper-yelled, the hand resting
on David’s hip squeezing lightly at the bruised flesh there. To this, the still
sleeping redhead whined, mumbling incoherent babbles.
Max could feel his mouth become dry for the second time today, now wide awake
as his length began to throb painfully against his trousers. Mindlessly, his
hips ground against David’s backside with fervor. The sensation was
intoxicating and begged Max to continue basking in the sweet friction, but he
was not going to let this be a repeat of last time.
Regardless of his rational intentions, his lust was slowly catching up to him.
The man he lo- the man he nursed unfathomable feelings for was right in front
of him, sleeping soundly and smelling so damn good. His pine-scented soap and
surprisingly strawberry fragranced shampoo was enough to stir Max up more,
inhaling the scent he had found so addicting.
Before he knew it, his hips were snapping against David’s clothed ass
hurriedly, chasing his orgasm. His fingers were digging into David’s bruised
hips, but the pleasure overwhelmed him and left him unaware of how heavy he was
breathing and how the backside he was grinding into was pushing back ever so
slightly. He was so close.
“M-Max?” David’s voice was laced with sleep and something else he couldn’t
quite pinpoint, but decided to shrug it off. Right now, he was focused on
relieving himself. The older male attempted to speak up once again when Max let
out a groan, resting his forehead on the back of David’s neck. The counselor
tried squirming away, but the teen growled as he pulled David closer to him,
mouth lazily licking and biting at the back of the other’s neck. A more
possessive side of him wanted to mark up David’s neck and the rest of his
unblemished skin, but that was impossible. David wasn’t—
Mine
His arousal spoke for him, exhilarated at the thought of having David submit to
him, just like now. The way David became frigid and resisted so little made Max
dizzy. He drank in the soft whimpers and whines emitting through the
counselor’s lips, saving them for later when he would evidently fantasize about
him again.
“Max, please.” David quietly protested, but the way he sounded made it seem
like he was enjoying this too. And how he softly called out Max’s name with a
hint of urgency was enough to have the teen spilling over the edge. Warmth
pooled into his gut and shot through his dick, hips stuttering as cum began
staining the inside of his briefs and jeans.
Consciousness was slipping away from Max and he allowed himself to, too tired
and content to deal with a probably upset David. At the end of his bliss and
blinding lust, a sickening feeling washing over him.
Shit, taking advantage of him again? Really? Max, you have really outdone
yourself
There was no time to fight himself, right now, he just wanted to rest and bask
in his dreams and away from reality.
Chapter End Notes
     Sorry this was a little short! I swear the next chapter will be a
     little angsty, so bare with me! Whether that’s good or bad news two
     you, watch out! ;)
***** Pain is a Luxury *****
Chapter Notes
     Well, I had to add a few more tags based on how this chapter went. I
     am heartbroken and it fueled my will to write this chapter I had
     started and abandoned a week ago. Sorry for such a long wait. I
     struggle with a few illnesses of my own and sometimes writing it hard
     to do ^^; But thank you so much for your support!! It’s really helped
     me get back into writing this for you guys!
After the incident, David's usual behavior towards Max was expected. It had
been around 3 weeks already, nearing its 4th mark, the counselor constantly
avoiding the teen in any way he could. Those once vibrant, forest green eyes
had become dull, somehow reducing the optimistic aura he once had. Or maybe, he
didn't have one in the first place. David knew himself a lot more, but actively
ignored quite a few parts of himself. From years of observing the older male,
Max unofficially identified himself as some sort of David whisperer. Although
he didn't communicate with the man, he could always tell when there was
something wrong or off.
The teen also noticed that David made unexpected trips to town, coming back a
little later than usual. He also started leaving early, returning to his cabin
an hour or two earlier than usual. Gwen seemed to understand, her expression
and tone never harsh towards David. She also must've been unaware of what
happened that night between the two, because she treated Max all the same.
Truthfully, Max was concerned, having had no time to speak with the counselor
and apologize. Numerous times he wanted to ask Gwen if David was alright, but
he decided against it. However, the suspense he was in frustrated him. Having
to go on everyday without- without David and his bubbly personality poking in
everyone's business, it was aggravating.
Today was a day he planned the most, ready to finally break the routine of
ignoring each other. From previous glances to the schedule and times that David
took his break, Max decided he had to speak with David. It was Thursday in the
afternoon, the time the counselor usually headed in for a lunch break on his
own. He never ate with the campers anymore, in fact, it doesn't even look like
he had been eating much since. The redhead looked impossibly lankier, fragile,
as if he could've been blown away by the wind at any moment.
Even now, as he was following the counselor to a cabin that was not his own,
David had stumbled and tripped over himself, swaying like he was drunk. Once
David had successfully stepped in to what seemed to be the pharmaceutical
cabin, Max made his move. Quietly, he crept over to the entrance, watching the
counselor through the window, who was taking some bottle out of a cabinet in
the back. Pleased with David's position away from the door, Max silently turned
the knob of the door, creaking it open just enough to fit himself inside.
And then there was David, still left without the shirt wrapped around his neck.
The skin had become tan, much like the rest of his limbs. A hand came to
scratch at his back mindlessly, pushing the shirt down a little to access the
itching spot. Max was mortified to see a bite mark, still bruised and red.
Shit, did I do that?
Gulping, Max continued forward, stopping about 4 feet away from the other male.
"David, we need to talk." The counselor's shoulders visibly stiffened, hand
returning to his sides and clenching at the fabric of his shorts anxiously. His
knees even wobbled, but Max was unsure why. David slowly turned himself around,
head drooping, presumably to avoid Max's gaze.
"M-Max, what're you doing here? You should be with the other campers-" He
looked pathetic, face red with his lips trembling and swollen from being gnawed
at.
"Shut up. I'm asking the questions here." David quieted down immediately, still
staring holes into the wooden floor. "Hey, look at me."
For some strange reason, when the counselor did as he was told, Max wanted to
hug him and never let go. The man looked broken and sick, like one of those
portrayals of workaholics who had become mindless slaves for their companies.
There were dark circles around his eyes, making him look much worse. Was he
sleeping?
"You need to tell me what the fuck is going on, because ever since you and
I—... you've been acting all kinds of weird." The counselor dared a half smile
and a forced chuckle, wrapping his arms around himself.
"Nothings wrong, Max. I'm fine!"
"BULL. SHIT." Max was livid, stepping a little closer to the other. "You've
been ignoring me, skipping every fucking meal, and looking like some kind of
brain dead idiot sulking around every day! Why do you come here to eat? I don't
see any food here!" The hands at his sides balled up into fists, nails digging
into the palms of his skin.
"Are you... worried?" David's depressing demeanor faltered, somehow looking
taken aback by the thought.
"Anyone would be, stupid..." Max looked away for a moment, scratching the back
of his head. "You... um, you okay down there?"
Both of their faces reddened, silence filling the room again for what seemed
like forever.
"Um, y-yes. It doesn't hurt when I walk anymore, but it took a while, you're
very bi—!" A hand slammed against the counter behind David, Max's form towering
over him as he made this familiar expression.
What do you think you're doing, Max?
"Max?" David squeaked out, staring up at him with actual fear in his eyes. For
a moment, there was nothing but silence. Max’s emerald eyes stared intensely
into David’s, slowly drifting towards the still exposed bite mark and then to
the bottom of his shirt, tucked in neatly into his shorts. A hand unconsciously
yanked the shirt from its tight confines, sliding a hand up taut and freckled
skin as he made his way up David’s torso, shirt following suit. The more skin
exposed, the more Max could feel himself reeling with both disgust and
satisfaction. Angry purple marks dotted David’s flesh, appearing as fresh as
they were before. His hand strayed to touch at the bruises, daringly pressing
into a few and earning a whimper.
It didn’t take too long for Max to feel and see David trembling, his knees
buckling while trying to keep himself calm and up. Somehow the sight triggered
something in Max that he wasn’t quite sure he had. At least, not this strongly.
“Look at you, pathetic, trying to stay up when you can’t. Get on your knees,
now.” Max commanded, licking his lips while he watched David reluctantly lower
himself to his bruised knees. Pleased, Max stared at the sight, awarding the
counselor with a pat on his head and an approving smirk.
“Maaaax, please, can we just go now? T-the other campers are probably-“
“What, worried? About you?!” He paused to laugh obnoxiously, tearing up at the
funny thought. “How stupid are you? Nobody here cares about this shitty camp,
David.”
“I’d have to disagree—“
“Shut. Up. This horrible excuse for a camp exists for the children that parents
want to get away from. Look at me, look at Harrison, look at everybody! You
think they want to be here? I wouldn’t because this place fucking sucks and so
do you! You’re defenseless and vulnerable, like a woman. I should use you like
one!”
Shit, no, I don’t mean that
“Stop it! Please, Max, stop it! I’ve heard enough!” At this point, David was
sniffling and crying, shoulders slumped and hands covering his face shamefully.
His chest heaved with every exhale and shaky inhale. It wasn’t too long before
David was scrambling to stand himself up, heading for the exit when Max caught
his arm.
“David, wait, I’m so-“
“No, Max. Just leave me alone.” The counselor turned to meet Max’s gaze,
yanking his arm from the teen’s softening grip. “I think it’s best if we don’t
talk to each other anymore.” With that, David pulled away, leaving an awful
ache in Max’s heart.
You’re so fucking stupid, Max. Look what you did
It was going to be a long rest of the summer.
***
After the incident with Max, David hadn’t been the same. Every time he’d
approach his cabin, brief memories of what the teen did to him flashed in his
mind. Because of this, the counselor hadn’t been able to sleep since. Instead,
he’d stay outside all night or in the cafeteria anxiously pacing. It wasn’t
long before a concerned camper notified Gwen, who eventually talked to David
about it.
For Max’s sake, David lied to Gwen, informing her that he couldn’t sleep in his
own cot because of nightmares. David didn’t know if she felt pity or what, but
Gwen offered her bed. She was worried, her vibrant and rare lavender eyes
displaying obvious concern for the older male. Gwen even mentioned she could
sleep on the couch or David could have breaks during the day to sleep if he
wanted.
Hesitantly, he accepted at the time and since then, he’d been sleeping with
Gwen. Despite her vulgar language and careless attitude, she would pull the
blankets over David and cradle him in her arms, pressing kisses to the top of
his head and sometimes even singing to lull the counselor to sleep. He was ever
grateful for her motherly approach, since he could finally feel something that
he didn’t quite experience before with his own mother.
David knew Gwen was smart, knew that she knew nightmares weren’t the thing
bothering him, but she never pressed him on the subject. He admired her
tentative side, admired how she was strong and caring for him when she had her
own problems to deal with. If there was one thing they shared, it was the
prescription pills.
Gwen used them for her anxiety and cyclothymia, or a sort of acute bipolar
disorder. David on the other hand, suffered depression that stemmed from his
long and early years of being a child. He’d seen things no child should, felt
things no child should, done things that, again, no child should.
In therapy sessions with his therapist, he was tugging at a string David really
didn’t wish to be pulled at. It was a faint memory of Jasper, the kid he’d
practically admired. Of course he was envious, but who wouldn’t be?
Everybody loved Jasper.
The moment his fingers slipped from David’s grasp, he knew the kid wasn’t going
to survive. David continued to feel weak every time he’d remember. For years he
had blamed himself, loathing himself every and any moment he was reminded of
that kid full of life and opportunities. Sometimes, David wished he’d been the
one to fall, it’s not like he had much to do here anyways...
A sick feeling crept over David, prompting him to find the nearest trash can.
He was in the kitchen whipping up some fresh muffins, but found most of the
trash cans full. He hadn’t taken out the trash yet, waiting for Gwen to assist
him since his arms had become weak from lack of food. Instead, he spotted an
empty sink and discarded his empty remnants there, coughing and cringing at the
awful taste and smell. Even if his body didn’t consume much of anything, the
thought of Jasper had, without fail, managed to make him ill.
After washing his mouth with water and cleaning the sink, he returned to his
position in front of the stove. The clock on it read 6:30 am, about the time
he’d need to eat something and take his medication. Reluctantly, he searched
around for something small to eat, finding a protein bar in one of the
cabinets. David took two bites of it, too sick to continue. Once he forcefully
swallowed it down, he fixed himself a glass of water and fished out the small
bottle of pills from his pocket. He popped open the cap, taking two tablets and
downing them with ease after a long gulp of stale, tap water.
Soon after, David heard a ding, notifying him that the muffins were ready. He
was so lost in thought that when he opened the stove and grabbed the hot tray
without a mitten, he ended up burning his hand. The muffin’s safety were more
important to David, allowing his hand to burn and sting until he plopped the
tray onto the counter to cool. He rushed to the sink, turning the knob for cold
water, bringing his wounded hand under its flow. This brought him relief, but
he knew it was temporary. The counselor decided it be best to head for the
nurses cot and retrieve some bandages for his hand.
The pain was welcomed, though. If anything, he deserved it, right? He knew he
did something wrong, even if he wasn’t aware of exactly what he did. David had
to do something wrong, that’s why Max did that to him, right?
He deserved it.
***** Surprise *****
Chapter Notes
     So sorry for the late update! School has been a hassle and I had
     absolutely no idea how I was going to write out this next chapter. As
     an apology, I made it extra long and I’m already working on the next
     one! Enjoy! ;>
"Alright kids, wake the fuck up. It's time for breakfast or some shit." Gwen's
monotone voice was loud over the speakers, enough to wake Max from his sleep.
His arm came to rest over nothing, flopping back onto the cool and empty spot
next to him. Heavy lids pried themselves open, Max's stomach lurching when he
remembered yesterday's failed attempt at a conversation. He expected the rest
of the summer away from David to be pretty easy, but it made him feel queasy
even if it had only been a few hours.
What he said to the counselor yesterday was out of line, which was totally not
like him— okay, maybe a little bit like him, but he'd never actually say those
things to the counselor. Max never even planned to form any type of
relationship towards David, because he didn't like him in the first place. Max
hated every fiber that made up David, absolutely despised his unwavering,
optimistic attitude and support. Whatever the counselor saw in Max, spouting on
about a future full of promises was bullshit. The teen's grades were below
average at most, turning in late assignments and ditching school most of the
time to just smoke a pack of cigarettes he'd regularly receive from Ered. She
never came to the camp anymore, but continued to maintain contact with few of
the campers she deemed ‘cool’. Ered aside, the way Max saw it, he didn't have a
future. He couldn't see one.
Not without him
The teen growled and searched his pockets by habit, reaching for that pack of
cigarettes that weren't there. They had been confiscated in the first week of
camp, some little kid spotting Max and immediately tattling, going on about his
asthma. He vividly remembers David lecturing him for an entire hour about his
health and other stupid shit he didn't really care for. At least, not until
David placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm, yet gentle squeeze.
Those forest green eyes displayed immense concern as David went on about his
hopes for Max to do better.
It honestly pissed the teen off, having no obligation to do as the counselor
told. David wasn't his shitty father, wasn't his friend or superior. He wasn't
anything but a mere obstacle in his life. Even now David was proving to be even
more so of a conflict, taking up his thoughts consistently. If anything, Max
couldn't wait until he left this awful excuse of a camp. This would've been the
last summer he'd stay here. He was 16, too old to be at a lame summer camp
anyways.
Deep down he knew it was for David, hating and unfathomably loving how his
stupid face would brighten up at the sight of Max returning each year.
After the situation with Jasper, Max knew that smile wouldn't belong to him
anymore. He didn't know why, but his control had been reduced to almost
nothing. Back at home with his grandparents, they'd already discussed with him
numerous times about the dangers of relationships and sex. It was awkward and
extremely uncomfortable, until they mentioned something that caught his
attention. His grandma looked at her husband lovingly, putting a hand on top of
his, squeezing it lightly with pure love shining in her eyes. Then her
attention strayed to Max, voice serene.
"Sex isn't something to take for granted, mijo. It's an experience that ties
you to someone, where they trust you to take care of them and you trust them to
do the same."
Max remembers scoffing at the statement, but his grandpa intervened before he
could vocalize a snarky retort.
"She's right, Max. Just remember, you should never take it lightly. Once you
connect with someone, there's no going back. Mostly because there will always
be consecuencias."
Why were their words coming up now? He wasn't sure, but it must've been some
stupid universal sign. At home, his grandma was very spiritual. Everyday
there'd be a new lesson on karma, the universe and some other cosmic bullshit
he could care less about.
But now? Words Max didn't even know he remembered came flooding back into his
thoughts, forcing him to remember things he brushed off as irrelevant. There
was no way he "connected" to David, what he did was awful. The pit in his
stomach grew with each passing hour, away from David, away from his friends and
other campers, leaving him isolated with himself.
And Max hated it.
There was no break from the accusations he'd throw at himself, hell, even at
Jasper. Desperately he clung to the idea that this was the ghost’s fault,
afraid to recognize that it was his own overbearing feelings at fault here.
Despite trying to blame Jasper, the ever growing self-loathing, the guilt and
the shame followed him like a persistent rainy cloud over his head.
How was he even supposed to formally apologize to David? To repent and fix
whatever they had before? For sure David would either flee and avoid Max or the
teen would do something even worse to fuck it up. Max didn't want to hurt him
anymore than he has, but another ugly part of him wanted to do things to the
counselor that should not be repeated. This darker side would so generously put
these explicit thoughts and images into his head, going the extra mile to
worsen his mental health.
All because you can't accept reality, because you're a pussy who's keen on
avoiding the obvious fact that you're in love with-
When those kinds of thoughts sparked, Max had his trusty, already lit
cigarettes ready to burn into his flesh. His upper arms and wrists were scarred
with burn marks, earning both negative and positive remarks from anyone who'd
seen them. Luckily, David hadn't seen the wounds, otherwise he'd probably chew
his head off about it and have another sappy, damn therapy session.
"Max?" The voice was soft and reluctant, almost sounded like David. His mouth
dried, suddenly filled with hope and anxiety. "Uh, buddy, you coming to lunch
today?" It was Neil.
How the fuck do you mix up David's and Neil's voice like that?!
Unprepared to face today, Max peeled himself from the covers and groaned,
dismissing his friend. He moved to sit up, but paused when he felt something
uncomfortable in his pants. His face scrunched up, examining the dry cum stains
with disgust.
Wow, Max. Again? Don't you have anything better to do than jerk off?
The teen chuckled to himself, burying his face into his hands momentarily. This
unhealthy habit of masturbating had to stop, maybe then he'd build up what he
had lost with his restraint. And maybe he could...
Talk to David again?
The only problem Max saw was how would he explain that a ghost possessed him
during that time? And that he’d been furiously jerking off to David over the
past few years, thus contributing to whatever the hell he did?
He groaned, rubbing at his temples briefly before glancing towards Niel’s
silhouette through the tent.
“I know you haven’t been eating lately... Uh, we could talk about it if you
wanna? It’s just- It concerns both Nikki and I that you’ve been talking to
David a lot and that afterwards you’ve completely stopped eating and
participating in other normal, human activities.”
“Uh huh.” Max replied as he began to switch his undergarments and trousers for
something cleaner.
“Did... um... Did David touch you?” Max froze as he pulled on a fresh shirt,
anger bubbling up inside him. As if he were so vulnerable to let a wimp like
David touch him. The counselor has morals, unlike him, and if anything, he knew
David’s hobbies did not include touching children. “Max?”
“Neil, what the fuck?” Max shuffled on his other shoe, finally emerging from
his tent with a scowl. “Do you even know what kinda person David is?”
His friend frowned, pushing up his glasses as he searched intently for
something on Max’s expression.
“That fucking goof ball wouldn’t lay a hand on anybody unless it’s to try and
comfort them like some sort of shrink. He’s a good— he’s a good guy,” saying
that physically made Max sick, never imagining that he’d actually say anything
remotely nice about David. “So fuck you for thinking some messed up bullshit
like that. Just stay out of my business, okay?”
Neil looked shocked, mouth gaping open slightly. He looked mad too, judging by
the way he huffed out a breath and clenched his fists.
“You know what? Fine. Be a- a fucking loner for the rest of the camp! We were
just trying to help you!“
“I don’t need any shitty help.” Max spat, feeling his gut twist violently. Neil
acted like something was wrong with him, which pissed Max off beyond belief.
Because there wasn’t anything wrong with him.
Right?
Neil scoffed, turning his head away and walking off to the cafeteria. He was
probably hurt and confused, not being able to console Max, but this wasn’t
something he could explain without a strong recommendation to visit the
hospital. If there was something Max was sure of, it’s that he’s definitely not
fucking crazy.
When the teen thought about it, his friends had met Jasper before, so they
should remember him!
Impulsively, the raven-haired male ran into the cafeteria, kicking the doors
open obnoxiously as he searched for his friends. The action earned a few
stares, but they quickly became uninterested. Neil and Nikki were in their
usual spot, the brunet poking at his tray while Nikki conversed with Nerris
from the table across theirs.
Max sped over there, slamming his hands on the table and receiving much more
attention than he intended to. Nikki looked shocked, but happy to see him
again. Neil was still angry, although, taken aback by Max’s behavior.
“Holy shit, you want to know what’s wrong?” It wasn’t really a question, seeing
as he would tell them anyways. His friends nodded, eagerly anticipating his
reply.
“Jasper.”
Neil and Nikki gave him concerned looks, the brunet speaking up first.
“Max... we were just little kids. We were so scared out of our minds that we
just projected ‘Jasper’.” Max couldn’t believe what he was hearing, so he
looked at Nikki for some reassurance. She hung her head low, scratching at a
scab on her arm nervously as she agreed with Neil— which was strange
considering Nikki had her own way of thinking.
“Nikki, do you honestly believe what we saw wasn’t real? What about the day
everyone got sick and Jasper helped-“
“We weren’t there to see Jasper, Max. You only saw him and when we found you,
you were alone and sick. You most likely hallucinated.” There Neil went again,
speaking for Nikki. When had she let anyone speak for her?
“Are you two-?” Max started, curious about their behavior, squinting at them as
the darkest blushes spread across their faces. “You’ve got to be shitting me.
When...?”
Aside from the surprise, Max felt a little hurt being left out of the loop like
that. Yeah, he was kind of an asshole the last couple of weeks and of course he
wasn’t really making any attempt to communicate with anyone other than himself
and David, but he at least expected his friends to tell him something important
like them starting a relationship.
“Around two weeks ago when you were mysteriously leaving to be an angsty teen
and coming back unexpectedly.” Nikki finally said something, giggling softly at
her reply. Max wanted to laugh, but instead his stomach ached.
“Oh. Well. I’m going to go be a uh, an angsty teen now. Later, guys...” The
raven-haired male departed from his friends, stomach violently churning when
they didn’t even make an attempt to stop him and talk about their relationship.
It hurt more knowing they didn’t believe him. But how could they? They don’t
even think Jasper is real.
Max rushed out of the building, ready to run towards his special, secluded
place in the forest when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned, spotting a
familiar camper.
“Space kid?”
“You do know my name is Neil, right?”
“It’d be weird calling you Neil when my other friend is also Neil.” The other
male chuckled, flashing a warm smile towards Max. He doesn’t remember the last
time someone wanted to talk to him or even smiled at him like that.
“Space kid is fine, I guess. Even if I’m not really a kid anymore. That aside,
I heard you mention something about a Jasper?”
This?
Now this was unexpected.
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