A/N Here's another Camp Camp fic! This is the third part of the series :3


Preston groaned, and rolled over in a half asleep daze. He could hear Harrison rummaging around in their tent. The theater boy yawned, wondering what the magician could possibly be doing awake at this hour. Probably preparing for an elaborate trick he planned to do. Though Preston didn't understand why that couldn't wait til morning.

He could hear Harrison make his way over to his bed. Harrison had better not be planning on waking him. Theater boys need their beauty sleep!

Suddenly, he felt hands on his face. He batted them away.

"Get away, Harrison! I am not getting up for whatever magic crap you're working on! Not after the last time!"

Harrison stayed silent.

That was odd. Harrison usually had some kind of retort.

Preston opened his eyes. He then stared at the person before him in confusion.

The kid at his bed was not Harrison, but Max. The magic kid was sound asleep in his own bed. Preston blinked.

"...Max? The heck?" The other child jumped, startled.

"Crap. Preston, you're dreaming."

"What?"

"You're dreaming."

"...So you're saying this is a dream, and you're not really at my bed being a creep?"

"Exactly, except for I'm not being a creep."

"...Okay?" Preston laid back down. "This is the most lucid dream I've ever had."

"Mngh."

"..."

An awkward silence passed. Max put a white metal box on the bed beside Preston. Was that a first aid kit?

"...Max, what's that for?"

The moody child didn't answer, instead choosing to pull out some items from the first aid kit. He set them down on the night stand.

"Close your right eye."

"...Why?"

"Just do it." Max suddenly snapped. Preston did as he was told.

Max started cleaning the bruised skin. Preston flinched, but let him. Soon enough, Max finished and put a cold compress over the eye.

"Hold this over it." Preston did. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"..."

"Well?"

"...This isn't a dream, is it." Preston said, his voice unusually quiet. Max sighed.

"No. It's not. And if you tell anyone what I did for you, I'll make sure you regret it."

Preston eyed Max curiously.

"I don't understand. Why would you do something like this? Since when do you care about anyone?" Max sighed again.

"...You didn't deserve Nurf hurting you like that."

Preston flinched again, albeit harder than before.

"W-what are you…"

"Don't play dumb, Preston. No one else may have realized it, but Nurf clearly gave you that black eye. I saw how he was treating you when you guys were taking care of your egg. It was disgusting and crappy." Max lowered his head, taking his eyes off the other boy for a moment. "You didn't deserve that."

Another silence passed, this time with Preston contemplating what Max said.

"...You're right. I didn't deserve that. Thank you, Max."

"Whatever."

"No. I mean it. Thank you." Max shrugged.

"It was nothing." Preston stared at Max, before grabbing both of his hands. Max pulled them out of his grass immediately. "The frick are you doing -" Preston once again took Max's hands, more forcefully than the first time. Max growled in feigned annoyance.

"Max."

The boy looked up, eyes confused and uncertain.

"Thank you."

Preston beamed at him.

Max fidgeted, uncomfortable and embarrassed. He looked away.

"Uh. Y-yeah, Preston. Whatever. It really was no problem." Preston let him go, and he stepped back. Max still wasn't looking at him. "Just. Don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Okay, Max."

"Good. I. I'm gonna go to bed now."

"Good night!"

Max nodded.

And left.

Preston flopped back onto his pillow and smiled.

He decided right then and there that Max was now his friend.

Whether Max wanted his friendship or not.