AN: i don't even know. if y'all follow me for yj fics, then sorry to tell you, but i've fallen into a kagepro pit and i can't get out. anyway, i'm rereading the manga in preparation for the anime (oNE WEEK!) and this kinda...came out. so yeah. which is it? powerless au? camp au? everyone meets at belks after 10 years? i don't know you tell me.

disclaimer: credit to jin, who is a gOD

Tsubomi Kido does not like bugs. There are many other things she doesn't like, but the one at the front of her mind at this moment is bugs, and that is because she is surrounded by them.

She is also surrounded by other kids, but she doesn't necessarily not like them; most of them, anyway. Kido huffs, and a sliver of her hair drifts away from her forehead. She doesn't like the heat either, you know.

"Tsubomi! Hey, hey, Tsu-boooo-mi!"

There, two other things she doesn't like. Her first name, which feels like acid on her tongue, and sounds like sandpaper in her ears. And Shuuya Kano, who has a scar above his left eye that is an inch long and made of raised skin. (She sees him in front of the mirror some mornings, trying to maneuver the hair of his eyebrow over the blemish, but it never works, and he always comes away from the mirror with a displeased frown. The frown never stays, but the demeanor tends to...linger.)

Kano is one of the said kids that are currently sitting around her, and he is the one that she dislikes. He is loud, and obnoxious, and always smiling. There is a reason they were picked for this cabin, and it certainly isn't because they were too happy or something.

"What, Kano," she replies, voice soft and whispery, barely even there. He hears her and his grin remains stubbornly in place.

"Oh, nothing." He shrugs, hands stuck in his pockets and hood over his head. That stupid know-it-all smirk is still on his face, and his eyes wander up to where the stars are. "It's just, tonight is our last night here, and you still haven't proclaimed your undying love for me. Don't you think you're cutting it kinda clo-"

Kido hits him so hard he falls off the log he had been sitting on.

He mumbles complaints.

Kido smirks.

Ayano scolds her from across the fire.

Ayano Tateyama is a skinny girl that was given the forsaken task of being the co-counsellor for this particular cabin. She has a smile that takes up half her face, and hair the color of chocolate in a freshly-made s'more. (A bad analogy, but Seto is currently devouring a s'more next to her, so she thinks that it's okay.)

Retreating as far back into her hood as possible, Kido blushes in shame, and she hopes no one notices. Kido doesn't like being scolded; she never has. She especially doesn't like being scolded by Ayano.

But soon, Kano scrambles back to his place on the log, and Ayano goes back to talking with her co-counsellor, Shintaro Kisaragi, all excited hands and toothy smiles. The group settles into a calm, Kano mimicking owl sounds and Seto coaxing Mary to try a s'more. (She does eventually, white hair bouncing as she nods when Seto asks "Is it good?")

However, the calm is soon interrupted by sneakers pounding on the ground, snapping twigs and rustling bushes. Another second passes, and Momo Kisaragi rushes into the clearing, hair mussed and cheeks stained pink. Shintaro stands and Kano stops his racket mid-hoot, but it is Ayano that rushes to the girl, quickly guiding her to a spare space on her own log. A crumpled leaf, brown and defeated, falls out of her hair on the way.

"Momo, what happened?" That is Shintaro, eyes wide and hands clenched. Kido stares unblinkingly.

"Th-the boys...found me...and chased me...a-again," she huffs. The entire group grimaces. (Except for Kano, who is apparently finding the situation all too hilarious.)

The 'Momo Hunt', as it was jokingly dubbed, had begun two nights ago, after Kisaragi had agreed to take the stage in karaoke on one of the nights where all the cabins got together. The majority of the camp's boys (and some of the girls) hadn't quit hounding her since that night. It made Kido sick to see Kisaragi treated so harshly just because she did something 'special.'

It's funny, Kido muses, her eyes following the flames as they dance along a charred branch, that everyone hated the Red Cabin until Kisaragi got their attention. Well, they still hate the majority of the cabin. It's just Kisaragi they're partial to.

"You know," Kano says, and everyone turns to him. He has a way of making it seem that whatever he has to say is worthwhile. It is one of the things that Kido hates about him. "We need a different name." His hands are propped against the dirt behind their log and his feet stretch almost to the fire. The stars hold his gaze.

Ayano giggles, a light tinkling sound that drifts through the air. "What do you mean, Kano?" She always makes sure to call people by whatever name they like best. It is one of the things that Kido likes about her.

Fingers digging trenches into the ground, Kano smiles softly. It is a new kind of expression for him, one that Kido has not seen on him before. "I don't think we should be the Red Cabin anymore. Everyone thinks the Red Cabin is 'bad'."

Kido thinks she sees a hint of bitterness enter his gaze, but she pretends she doesn't.

Suddenly, Kano propels himself forward, arms stretched outwards. Kido ducks out of the way and Seto leans away to avoid being hit.

"Let's call ourselves the Mekakushi Dan!" Silence meets him head on, but Kano keeps going. "The only cabin competition we won was Pin the Tail on the Donkey, so our new name should have some connection to that! And we had to wear a blindfold didn't we?" His hands move through the air like fish in a river and Kido finds herself watching their path.

"We don't know what Mekakushi means," deadpans Shintaro. Kisaragi nods and Ayano bites her lip, looking curious.

"We-ell," Kano starts and Kido is fairly certain that she will be performing a facepalm in the near future. "Mekakushi, my dearest cabinmates, is Japanese for blindfold, which, in case none of you noticed, is a main component of the esteemed game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey."

He says it likes it's a monologue, all proper grammar and big words. Kido thinks that he's too smart for someone who claims to not go to school. She doesn't say it, though.

"Why Japanese," asks Ayano, and oh no she actually looks excited about this.

"Because Japanese," - a sharp grin cuts across his face - ,"is cool."

Cue facepalm.

The next morning, cars and vans and the occasional truck lines up at the camps entrances, and Kido actually finds herself wanting to stay. Seto had left with the church representative an hour ago, and the others pretended that they didn't know exactly what kind of life he was going back to. (It's a lonely one, Kido knows. When they had talked of parents and siblings, Seto had only mentioned a nice dog that would lay on his legs if he got cold.)

Kisaragi and Shintaro's mom picks them up next, on time and driving a shiny Buick. The boys that are still present halfheartedly chase after the car as it pulls out of the camp drive way. Kido thinks she pities Kisaragi, but she can't be too sure, because she doesn't have an inkling of what she must be going through with those boys.

Mary's mom arrives after that, in a taxi of all things, and Mary runs to her like hell is on her heels. She had seemed to get smaller by the second after Seto had left. Her mother has white hair too, which surprises Kido. But soon the two of them are gone and the thought leaves her mind entirely.

Ayano, Takane, and Haruka are inside Mr. Tateyama's private cabin. Ayano is returning home with her father, and Mr. Tateyama is giving Takane and Haruka a 'special' ride home, due to their 'conditions.'

Kano's ride still hasn't arrived, though, which intrigues Kido to a degree. He had always spoken of his mother with a positive tone, so positive that it makes Kido question why he was even in the 'problem' cabin. If he lived a happy life, then why be placed with those who didn't? Kido knew the answer, she just didn't like to admit she did.

Every time Kano opens his mouth, he spews stories of joy and satisfaction, but Kido knows these are lies. His mouth say one thing, but his body says another. Everyone at camp had been forced into the same dull grey bathing suit (all except Haruka, who wasn't allowed to exert himself by swimming), and Kido had seen the scars. Everyone had seen them, and even now they whisper, throwing glances to where Kido and Kano stand, suitcases at their feet.

"You know," says Kano, and Kido snaps out of her daze. His voice is low and serious, and it suits him somehow, no matter how unfitting it is when compared to the Kano that Kido has come to know over the past month. "You should talk more."

Kido stares ahead, unblinking, waiting for her father's car.

"I'm just saying, your voice is kinda nice." Out of the corner of her eye, Kido sees his hand reach up to rub the back of his neck. She knows that there is a long scar on his right shoulder blade, and wonders if his fingertips are brushing against it. Then she catches herself and stops such stupid thoughts from continuing. "At least, when you actually use it. Who knows, some guy might fall in love with that voice. Or a girl if that's what you're into!"

The last sentence is delivered in his usual joking manner, and Kido doesn't feel any remorse as her fist connects with his side. She notices, for the first time, that he flinches, and, okay, maybe she does feel some remorse.

But then her father's car is there and he is honking the horn, and Kido doesn't even waste a goodbye on the boy that is crouched on the gravel. She does, however, waste one last glance on him.

She sees a single silhouette under the sign that read Yuukei Summer Camp, and can't help but think about that inch long scar made up of raised skin that he was always trying to hide.

AN: okay so that's it for now. also: takane and haruka weren't at the campfire because of their sicknesses, but they were in the red cabin. more will be revealed about all that went on at the camp later on (i hope...), so now, let's just hope my muse stays. if you notice any mistakes, please let me know! however, i'm not looking for a beta because a beta means commitment to a fic and i don't even know the basic plot of this yet. so yeah. i'm kagepro trash. there will be mountains of kidokano. sorry for any ooc. that is all.