Author Note- this story is the result of myself and a friend on Wattpad Ishinabox both falling in love with the Roosterteeth series Camp Camp and coming up with our own theory on Max's home life. As a mild warning my friend and I have put in the mildest hint of Maxvid but out of knowledge of character ages although nothing will be seen here instead this story will focus on Max learning to trust adults. You have been warned.
CHAPTER ONE- Saying Goodbye.
Max yawned waiting for his coffee to kick in as he watched the formulaic typical day start to play out. If there was such a thing when it came to the wide variety of lawsuits waiting to happen and death-defying hijinks the campers at camp Campbell, often find themselves in. The morning mail had been handed out, and Gwen sighed as she watched Max rolled his eyes and kept softly scheming with Nikki absentmindedly tossing the latest pale blue hoodie onto the pile the Quartermaster now used in place of firewood. The Resident jackass of a brat had grown a lot since she first met him and it always amazed her just how out of touch his family was with him, first off they kept renewing his paperwork and leaving their son as a ten-year-old and the hoodies bought where a full three sizes too small for the young Indian Mexican.
His situation was getting worse as he slowly grew just like the rest of the campers, it was getting harder and harder for her not to attempt to ship the kids seeing that the little monsters made it far too easy. Nikki had finally grown into her figure a little bit where the outdoors had done wonders for Neil. Even moody Max started to fill out with muscles only gained from the sheer amount of insanity David continually exposed the campers too.
"Whatcha got today Neil?" Nikki asked the hyper turquoise ball having already harassed most of the group with the same question.
"My mom sent an electronic compass, might be able to hack the coding to make it worthwhile... And you?"
"My father finally sent me something... Does anyone know how to use this dual slingshot?" Nikki asked causing Gwen and other female campers to choke as the younger girl held up a blue bra.
"NIKKI THAT'S NOT A SLINGSHOT!" Gwen shouted running over and taking the item from the youngster and leading her out of the room as David entered.
The perky 19-year-old glanced around the room, surprisingly most of the kids were swapping their gifts. Ered was trading her new dress to Neris and asking for Dolph's football. Dolph inturned receiving the facepaint Neris had been sent, while Harrison gave Nurf a toy trick knife with a collapsing blade in place of the real weapon his mother had sent their anger management camper. Harrison then handed the weapon over to Neil who calmly removed the small screws which held the blade to its hilt, the screw being given to Space kid as Neil kept the knife's blade probably intending to melt it in another attempt to permanently hotwire their camp into the Flower Scouts internet supply. Max, on the other hand, was acting a touch odd even for him as David noticed the boy moving over towards the others to chat only for the green-eyed boy to freeze suddenly, glaring out the window as he passed by it, Max's sudden stop forced Ered off her skateboard or risk crashing her beloved board into Max.
Her eyes followed Max's as she noticed a fancy blue sedan that most certainly did not belong to her father's, not the police or even Mr Campbell. Neris then gasped before pointing at the newcomer, catching the attention of the rest of the campers making David's eyes widened in almost excitement as he followed kids gazes to notice that someone had pulled up. David beamed as he noted a family resemblance in the tall 'businessman?' getting out of the car only for the naturally exuberant male to make the mistake of glancing at Max whose eyes had gone from hatred to fear and only two people noticed. Nurf moved in front of him as the stranger began to walk towards the mess hall the red-haired boy on guard while Ered surreptitiously placed her hand on Max's shoulder.
"Welcome to Camp Campbell, And let me give your our official Campe Diem." David attempted to bridge the ice as the man entered.
"Max, here. Now." The man merely ordered ignoring the young adult.
"Not on your fucking life. Old Man" Max hissed only for the tall, lean man to smack the small boy across the face.
The room was quiet for only a second then the campers exploded in typical fashion, With the wooden and foam sword Neris made in Nurf's woodshop camp, the elf-kin went for the adult's ankles while Nerf pulled a real blade out to attempt to stab the man. Space kid lunging down from the ceiling fan, his little glove covered hands doing literally nothing as David tried to regain control, Nikki seeing the chaos ran right back in trying to bite the man who hurt her best friend.
"Stop It!" Gwen growled trying to yank the kids away from the stranger.
"Max, I'm getting bored." The man stated tossing the astronaut wannabe into the wall cracking his helmet from the force. Making even the Quartermaster make a move towards the stranger, and at the same time causing Max to freeze as only the small boy knew just how soon that bullets would start flying unless he did something and these wouldn't be the hard rubber pellets that the Millers used whenever Campbell was there.
"Don't you fucking dare…... Father." Max growled loud enough to be heard over the din. Giving up, it didn't matter anyway no matter how much he fought or talked back the results were always the same.
Gwen dropped Harrison (who had attempted to use a scarf trick to make a noose) in shock as she finally took notice of the tall stranger. For someone who had harmed one of her campers he indeed was good looking if you were into the bearded thug variety of rugged charm, but then fanfiction had taught her that beauty often hid corruption and cruelty. Both of which shone in same almond-shaped eyes of her most devious camper, Neil helped Max up off the floor. His partner in this hell hole of a camp glaring at his father only for total disregard to be seen in the newcomer's eyes.
"Then you have til the count of 3 to get into the goddamn car." The deep and yet chilling voice stated, Max finally tearing his glare off his bastard of a father and for once obeying a direct order causing the Northern Mexican Indian to scoff at his son "Cobarde."
David following after, instinctively knowing something was wrong. He had almost never seen a parent harm their child but the considering the sheer amount of neglect he had seen and heard Max hint at over the years. It was amazing just how long Max had been by his side, and he knew that he would definitely miss the little ball of Briar. Almost a full 5 years Max had tried to be as painful as a kick in shins, yet within the last year things had changed. Max had changed. Max had made so many friends, he had stopped running and started participating, hell Max even helped judge the lake lilac ball. As David neared the tent, he paused at first not recognising the sound amongst the birds and the trees. But the noise persisted even after the platypus entered the tent, and through the gap David saw something he wished he hadn't. Max was sobbing, his voice low as tears ran down his already severely bruised cheek, his few items being thrown into the duffel bag he arrived with along with Max's teddy, the child picking up the dangerous animal and hugging it. David's highly trained ears were picking up the scared child's murmurs to their mascot causing David to rummage through his pockets to find a paper and something to write with, anything at all. Having unturned his pockets, David found a single broken green crayon deep within his pocket. The Counsellor carefully wrote out the phone line number for the main office. Slowly David entered the tent watching as max's sorrow turned to seething hatred and caution as Max dropped the Mascot and continued grabbing his things.
"What the fuck do you want?" Max growled, knowing instinctively that something was different.
His father never personally collected him from camp, hell it wasn't even lawyer day the one day of the fucking year he was taken into the city. That meant either the hag had died, or the cartel wanted to use him in some way.
"Hey...language, I just wanted to give you this. It's the landline for the camp direct to Gwen and I. If you need anything or even just want to come back for a visit, call and I'll come to collect you." David murmured trying to hold back his emotions, almost unable to think of the camp without the sullen troublemaker. "Remember Max you just need to be like me have a bright smile at nature and Always endeavour to seize the day."
For a single heartbeat, Max stood still when he heard his father whistle for him and the boy threw all thoughts of hugging the older male out the window. Shoving the crayon scribble number into his pants pocket and leaving barely noticing something hit the back of his neck as he tried to lift his suitcase into the car without any assistance. Glad that for once Gwen managed to keep Nikki indoors. Max knew fully well that his father carried a concealed weapon illegally along with the fact that it was very well used. With the other suffers from this crappy godforsaken hellhole of a camp didn't deserve to be shot to death when so few of them actually had family's who cared for them. Nor did Gwen deserve to lose her worthless job or David to die to protect stupid fucking brats like himself.
Thus Max got into the car without complaining just mentally apologising to Neil as the nerd would later find out that Max had attempted to prank him, an act that would get a few laughs and all of them through another stupid waste of a day. It was Harrison week thus this time Max 'talked' to the magician to prevent another week of coughing cards and other enchanted items. No, this time they intend to prove the existence of spirit portals by tricking Neil into asking to disappear. Hopefully, this time bringing the nerd back unlike Harrison's brother. With that knowledge cutting threw him, Max found the courage to buckle his seat belt. He hated camp, hate everything about his very existence, but he didn't hate the weirdos who either dragged him into hijinks or willfully ignored him that belonged to the camp. Max didn't hate David, and because of that, Max would never let his biological father kill them all for denying whatever shit show Max was certainly walking into. Thus with one last half a smile at the nature (and at Neil's weak attempts to steal a phone, pleasantly surprised when Nikki was scared stiff in Gwen's arms relief filling him with the knowledge she'd be safe at the camp rather than risking her life) he watched using the side mirrors until everything disappeared.
"Excuse me for minute campers just need to…." David started to say before running to his cabin the door slamming hard enough to dislodge a grenade that had ended up there when Nikki 'mistook' them for baseballs.
The small explosion not even getting David's attention causing Gwen's lavender eyes to darted between her idiot child of a coworker and the campers, carefully placing Nikki on the ground she bobbed down and pulled the kids closer.
"ok, I know this day weirder than most but can get you all to try and keep your normal routines while I check on David? Harrison I know it's your day but can we swap it with tomorrows meditation camp?" her voice as calm as she could get it internally screaming at everything happening. For a fleeting second, the thought that her mother would be proud crossed her mind before her anxiety came back with a vengeance.
"Lunches ready." Quartermaster tried to distract the group of campers.
Ered's eyes glanced at Nikki seeing that the teal haired tomboy had succeeded where Neil had failed, the skater girl quickly grabbing Neris and Nikki hands before she began walking towards the mess hall pulling the other two girls behind her, Neil then followed suit as the rest slowly drifted towards the entrance. The second Gwen entered the cabin that David had fled too, the campers inside the mess hall all rounded on each other.
"Nikki hand me the mobile. Now." Ered requested Nikki responding like a well-trained puppy as Erid dialled her father's. "Dad, a car just left camp run its plates the man threatened me and injured a camper. Max is in the car so don't shot just run its plates."
"If it helps I'd suggest starting searching under gang-related activities, I've seen that man before while visiting my mom. That guy was bailing someone out, and Ma threatened to kill me if I got mixed up in that sort of thing as she doesn't want me to be trapped into a lifestyle ending with jail like her." Nurf added making sure that his voice would be heard on the phone.
"Space kid you ok?" Neris asked trying to help remove glass shards from the shorter boys hair, and clothing amazed that not a single fragment had cut the well-meaning idiot.
"It's ok my training has it covered I just have to get one of the spare helmets from my tent, that is if you're not using it, Dolph." the innocent dork asked his tent buddy his vacant grin growing when Dolph quickly muttered an answer still embarrassed over this years tent system.
With a sigh, the skater girl hung up between her dads giving her grief for calling and then both of the panicking over her safety due to a man threatening their baby girl and the other campers. Neil was concerned for Max, He shared a tent with the other boy since day one, Max did not mock his trouble sleeping nor did the other boy question while Neil had brought a blanket when even the brochure stated that they were provided, it was the only truth of the camp other than its name. That made him the only one to know that Max had chronic nightmares and some of the physical abuse Max's had suffered yet Max always held back information, hell he didn't even know Max's last name.
Meanwhile, Gwen was trying to get David to stop sobbing into a pillow.
"Oh for fuck's sake, Max isn't the first camper to leave nor the first we witnessed getting whacked by a parent. Remember Chucky." Mentioning the camper who parents had Gibbs slap him while pushing their son's wheelchair to their car.
"Bbbut I didn't get Max to experience the true joy of camping," David whined curled up in a blanket burrito.
"David it's fucking Max! You haven't been this freaking upset since…. Bloody… Bonquisha dump you, hold on, Wait! DAVID!" Gwen half gasped as her fangirl mind worked overtime.
Sure she shipped them, she Shipped just about everyone in this worthless excuse of a job, (well almost, Quartermaster was just something to fucked up to write smut about) but THAT ship couldn't be real right? Max was a child even if David was barely an adult after all Gwen had been the one to set up David's tinder and lied about David's age giving him an extra 4 years. Like that was just one hundred and ten percent Jailbait and someone as mentally weak as David would not survive in jail! Not to mention the paperwork she'd have to do, let alone talking to the police over pedophilia. Gwen was almost hyperventilating as her anxiety spiraled as her mind focused hard to hear David's next words which had better fucking not be confirming Maxvid at least not within the next 9 years!
"No no no Gwen no I'm not an oh god no. It's just Max has been practically by my side since he arrived and I promised to give him a true love for everything to do with camping.…." David saw where the female councillor mind was heading and tried to cut her off, but it was too late, and his words were just fuel to her shipping fire. Yet at the same time it relaxed her giving her the chance to breathe again knowing and trusting her CoCouncilier Best Friend For Life.
For as long as he had known Gwen she was relentless if you got her motivated, and nothing was more motivating than shipping. Deep down a small part of the young adult could sense and agree on her twisted logic however that side of him was never in charge thus he was curled up in blankets like a burrito, a blue pillow smushed in his arms sobbing and giving muffled half-truths and denials to his coworker. Trying to be the mature adult everyone knew he wasn't and trying to deny the connection he had felt from the moment he met Max. Back when Max was even the tiniest bit happy to be there before Max isolated himself after watching too many others come and go without ever staying in contact. As someone who had also been unceremoniously dumped in the forest of the sleepy peak, it was easy to get more emotionally than physically, but a cheery friend and lots of attention was indeed the way to turn any frown upside down. Right? After all, it was how he grew to love the unchanging trees and grow into his smile. Following Jasper's joyful persona and having been taught by his best friend. David had long since deluded himself into believing that flawed philosophy and kept forcing it on to the one camper who never truly learned to tune him out.
After all, David could still recall Max's first year at camp Campbell. He had been interested in everything constants asking questions it was true he had a language issue and rampant sarcasm and trouble obeying authority figures, yet Max had given everything thing at least one try and was really good at most of what they had to cover at the camp each year. But then Max's first ever friend never replied back and slowly Max's excitement turned into his current boredom. It had been hard to watch and even harder to try and get Max to smile like he had the first two hours worth of camp. Also buying him a coffee machine to make sure Max woke up on time to fully experience the wonder of the world around him had not helped, But there was no sense in dwelling on a dark past when the present can be such a blast. Slowly David finished sniffling, David had a job to do, he couldn't fall apart because one camper went home unhappy. He had a duty to make sure every camper experienced camping at its finest and learn something important that would carry them onwards to adulthood. David sighed rubbing the last tears from his eyes and opening his 'friendship' pills the extra strong caffeine organic substitute pills prescribed explicitly for David since he was 8 years old when he started getting vivid nightmares which began his chronic insomnia.
It wasn't long before Max's father pulled over the car just to beat Max for his disrespectful attitude in front of his fellow snot nosed campers while also giving him another beating for not obeying when first told to, but it was a beating well expected and one the young boy had braced for even with his tiny frame, in fact it was as predictable as his capricious and cruel father seriously navigating Nurf's temper was harder than the bastard beating him. His father was insanely strong from years of martial arts and living on the streets, as a native mexican indian born in mexico his father had spent his entire childhood hunger and covered in blood (or so the fucking bastard claimed when drunk) until it became his job to beat others to the brink of death. But at the same time Max was so used to the rain of fists that the pain was easy to ignore, Max's closed his eyes while fists proceeded to knocked the air out of his small lungs, hopefully these bruises would heal fast provided his worthless excuse of a parent didn't break another of his bones. In a an attempt to keep quiet Max bit his inner cheek giving only the faintest of sounds as he slowly lost consciousness. Refusing to let his worthless excuse of a parent see his pain, knowing that any form of weakness was a sure fire way to earn himself more injuries. His last thoughts being of David's stupid face, and how the wimpy excuse of an adult had acted in giving him the camps phone number, the last hint of someone who actually fucking cared for him.