Finally. One application. A couple essays. Several nervous phone calls. That interview where I almost puked but I didn't because I didn't fall on my ass but was actually pretty charming. And now I was finally here. Camp Counselor Eren Yaeger. Now that sounded good.
The steps in front of the dining hall radiated the excitement of my fellow counselors. Shoes ground against sand and luggage fell to the ground with a plop and wave of dust as we gathered in the camaraderie of shared memories, exchanging grins and looks that all said the same thing—it was good to be back.
With a deep breath of air infused with sunshine and algae, the smell of Camp, I climbed the final step and pushed through the swinging doors, resituating my duffel on my back. A line had already formed of kids about my age. Adults. I corrected myself. Adults. Eren, you are an adult. You have children to take under your wing and teach crazy songs to and wake up in the middle of the night for ice cream and tell stories to and, and. God. I couldn't wait.
"Hey! You!" I glanced up at the voice and was met by freckly shoulders dwarfing their tank top. "Guy with the face!" I lifted a brow at this, gesturing slightly. "Yeah. YOU. COME OVER HERE YOU! GET YOUR BEAUTIFUL FUCKING FACE OVER HERE!"
I glanced over my shoulder at the register table where I'm sure our superiors were, but walked over anyways. Maybe if I did what she said she'd stop with the loud swearing in front of the people in charge of us for several months.
"Ummm, not that I don't like a compliment. My face is…" No one had blown a gasket yet. Might as well roll with it: I wasn't breaking my swearing habit anytime soon. "a fucking work of art. But I don't really expect strangers to-"
Big freckled hands shoved me, ones with a ring on the middle finger. A ring with a Y. Wait up. Was it? Could it be? "Strangers? YOU THINK WE'RE FUCKING STRANGERS? Get out. Just go now, no."
This time I was positive. "YMIR! MY GOD. SO MUCH FOR FUCKING EMAIL. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" And I snagged her into a hug, which she gladly returned, crushing my ribs into her broad chest. "Seriously though! You signed up? I thought it'd just be me and Armin! Hell yeah! The three amigos! Together again! Yes!" And thus began the handshake. Courtesy of camp our 5th grade summer, of course. The ritual complete, I shoved her back. "Why didn't you tell me you'd be here, you freak?"
"Down, boy. Don't get your panties in a bunch."
"Godawful bitch."
"Shut up. You love this Godawful bitch. Besides! We've got all the time in the world… Wait, where is Armin, that cheeky bastard?" At this, a bark of laughter leapt from my mouth-Ymir's terms of endearment never had been all that, well, endearing-but it died in my throat when I heard the call for next.
An expectant hand and quirked eyebrow met me, property of a counselor just slightly less broad than Ymir herself. She glanced back and forth between us but said nothing, just waiting. Waiting for… Shit. Right. I dove into my duffel to fish out the forms and stuffed them into those expectant hands. "I know they're not quite complete, but I, um…"
"Thanks," adjusting her glasses, she gave a quick once-over to the form, "'Eren Yaeger,' yeah this is fine. We'll be getting these over to the nursing station….and… here… we are!" A broad smile and a new stack of papers were shoved in my face. "You'll be out in Cabin 12! With, ooh! You're going to have so much fun." She said, waggling her thick eyebrows. "You're out in Huron, up on the hill."
With a nod and a grin, I moved to leave, but felt the poke of her pen.
"Oh, and Eren? I'd avoid the phrase…." She glanced at Ymir and back to me, "Godawful bitch or, ahem, cheeky bastard unless you want some," she winked, "fucking kid parroting you all week." And cackled at her own ironic joke before clearing her throat. "We go PG the instant gates open tomorrow, got it Counselor?"
I bit my lip sheepishly, scratching the back of my neck, but couldn't help the burst of joy in the pit of my stomach. "Right! Yes! Sorry…" I glanced at her name tag, "Hange," You know, old friends and all that."
She smirked and nodded, a knowing gleam in her eye, "Good seeing you, kid. And good luck!" Her half-suppressed giggle and wave sent me off. With a quick salute, I spun on my heel and started my trek.
The doorknob was cool to the touch of my clammy palm. This was it. Huron. Home for the summer, exactly where my map (and memory) had said it'd be. With a sigh and another heave of my duffel, I cracked the door. And promptly gasped.
The map certainly hadn't indicated this… display.
Before me in the throws of some serious visceral passion, were two men. Two men were making out. Two men were humping each other in a bed most likely last inhabited by an eight year old.
"Uh, I…uh" Words had abandoned me. The image did not compute.
One heavy-lidded eye cracked open, lashes lazily floating up as the steel-colored iris bore into me. Still full-force staring at me, he gave one last, lingering kiss to the blonde man beneath him before leaning in with a murmured phrase.
And they were off.
Blondie jumped up, shoving Eyeball Guy off his lap, and promptly bashed his head against the top bunk. I snorted back a startled laugh. "I, um… hi…" He kept his face clear as he rubbed his skull. Eyeball guy just blinked, arms folded. "I, uh, um… Eren. My name. Eren's my name. Hi."
Silence.
"Okay… I uh… I'll come back… later…. Yes. Good. Later. Later is good…"
"Wait," said Blondie. "You're fine. We were just, um… I'm Erwin," he offered with an extended hand. I glanced, checking for any… incriminating evidence, shrugged and shook.
"Hey."
"Hi." He grunted. He jerked his head in a nod to Eyeball Guy, "That's Levi." Levi just nodded, unnervingly expressionless.
And that was my cue. "Really though, it's cool. I can just… go."
Erwin leapt yet again, banging his head yet again. "Ow. Wait. We were just…. We're…"
Levi let his words rise like lazy smoke from his lips: "Fuckbuddies."
I felt my eyes go wide, my ears stain red. "Um, yeah. Great. That's cool. I just… I have this thing. I'll…. See you later!" And made for the door. A snicker snuck out from behind me, and I threw a fleeting glance over my shoulder.
Levi was still eyeballing me, lips just barely lifting in a smirk, languid and leering.
