He made good on that deal with himself. Though Preston was not necessarily acting any differently towards him, Dolph was still compelled to find ways to spend more time with him, starting the very next day. The most obvious method was to take an interest in whatever the young thespian was advertising for camp activities. A go-getter, Preston was always trying to gather participants for his theater exercises, which made it easy to find an excuse to be near the boy. Lucky for Dolph he really did have a genuine interest in the theatrical process, which made things even easier, and soon even outside of specifically designated activities Dolph was finding means to be near the other.
Ever since that moment of tenderness by the bonfire, Dolph just felt his cheeks heat up the closer he stood to Preston. The more he thought about him. And rather than his normal bashful blush, this one seemed to tie his tongue, though at the same time made him happy. Preston had called him dashing in such a soft tone. Dolph wanted to be dashing again. He wanted to be something Preston would look at like that again. As well he was starting to love whatever being around him was doing to him, no matter how his stomach knotted.
Most of the time, Dolph simply settled with standing next to Preston when the campers gathered. It was enough.
Preston noticed that Dolph was asking about when the next theater group proposal was coming more often, and that Dolph had become more present in general, but he couldn't say he minded. He liked Dolph. He could say that confidently now. Despite how big it felt to Dolph, Preston didn't actually sense much change in Dolph's demeanor either. Perhaps he'd gotten a bit more giggly whenever he was complimented, but Dolph was a bubbly person. It seemed par for the course to Preston. It was endearing, too. The aspiring playwright enjoyed having an enthusiastic, encouraging person to work with that he could always count on.
For indeed, many days it was only the two of them seated together on the camp stage or at Preston's activity area, most campers more interested in doing their own thing. Sometimes Harrison or Nerris or even Space Kid might be interested, as the stage magician had some natural inclination towards performance and the self-proclaimed sorceress greatly enjoyed pretend. Space Kid was usually just going with the flow, but none of them were steady participants. Dolph was an excellent participant, however, always willing to put time aside to come run test lines or try pantomime or sing rounds. Preston could no longer imagine spending a day honing his skills or working on his craft without the little artist. Without even noticing, more often than not he'd even begun sitting by the other boy in the mess hall.
So, while the rest of the camp was focused on whatever unruly chaos Max and his cohorts were cooking up, the two most creative campers were content on their own. Preston was more than happy to let Dolph choose to spend his time with him.
But then one day Dolph didn't get to choose who he worked with on a camp activity. It was decided at complete random by David going down the line of campers and shoving them together in pairs. The one day Dolph hadn't been standing next to Preston. Of course.
An egg was dropped into each pair's hands, birthed from the rogue platypus Camp Campbell called its mascot. The camp owner, Cameron Campbell himself, had made a rare visit and was tasking the campers with sheltering these eggs until they were hatched, at which point he would try and sell the offspring.
Not really having time to absorb what was going on, Dolph found his head crashing against Ered's leg as David shoved them together, and then started as sudden responsibility was promptly dropped into his hands.
Holding the egg close, the little boy was unsure how to care for it exactly, but gave a small smile knowing he'd safely caught it. He glanced up at his partner, who seemed mostly disinterested, and then glanced to see who Preston had ended up with. Perhaps he would have some thoughts and they could share parenting tips.
Oh dear. Dolph's eyes widened seeing Preston had gotten pushed into partnering with easily the nastiest person here – Nurf. Preston was cringing away from him, but the notoriously cruel bully was giving the egg in his hand doe eyes at the moment, so perhaps things wouldn't be so bad...
"Ahem."
Dolph was brought back to his current location by Ered clearing her throat at him.
"So, you gonna wanna name it..?" she asked, quirking a brow like wondering where Dolph's focus was wandering.
Oh! Well, uh, perhaps the girl was more invested than she let on! It was sometimes hard to tell with Ered. Cool kids tended to be less expressive than others. Dolph cleared his own throat and rushed to suggest that he was open for ideas. "Do you vant to name it? Boy or girl? I am villing to let our egg be whatever it vishes!"
Ered actually smiled a little bit hearing that Dolph was so open. "Actually, I kinda hate my name...that's why I came up with 'Ered', y'know..? So how 'bout we just let it name itself?"
"Oo! Zhat is progressive!" perked Dolph, which only made Ered smile more. It seemed like they weren't going to have too much trouble finding the same page. Dolph held the egg out and they both stared at it with expectant beams.
Seconds passed as they waited for a name from the silent shell.
"Egg!" they both suddenly cheered in tandem and shared a high five. Together they turned and started walking towards the activity field, where the rest of the campers had headed during this discussion.
"Quite on zhe nose, but I suppose our kleiner Egg just vants to be itself!" Dolph praised their child for the day.
"Oo, Kleiner...that sounds cool..." Ered's eyebrows bounced. "Better than 'Meredith' anyway...maybe it can have two names."
"Really? You zhink zhat is cool?" Dolph looked at the blonde and then back to the egg. Well, it was quite a small thing. The name would be just as literal as 'Egg'. "Okie dokie! Kleiner Egg it is!" Honestly, he was happy for any approval from the hardest to please and coolest camper here.
The two sat down by Ered's skate ramp and began imagining their kid's future. Both of them, if they had a child at all, would like to have one that followed in their footsteps, and agreed that pro-skating and artistry would hardly be difficult interests to share. What kid wouldn't be interested in those things anyway? They weren't going to pressure the egg, but they definitely wanted it to know how to be free, something both passions allowed for.
While Ered pulled out her skateboard and began telling Egg about how liberating boarding was and instructing it on how to do sick kickflips, Dolph scurried over to his own station to grab some art supplies. Those he returned with and also began to explain how emotionally liberating art could be.
During their invitations to the egg to go into its parents' cool hobbies, Dolph thought it would be nice to show the egg how they could go together and asked Ered if he could paint on her board. She asked if he could paint anything cool first – like flames – and then got the even better idea of showing their egg how it felt to be cool!
Dolph loved the idea of decorating their egg like the rebel they were training it to be, and assured Ered that he could paint flames no problem. They were painted quite easily on the bottom half of their little one's shell, and Ered supplied it with a pair of cool shades.
As they were finishing up, Dolph heard the sound of approach behind him and turned, gasping in delight to see Preston had come over to see what he was up to. His eyes shone as the actor readily declared, "Dolph, I am loving the style of your egg! It is so fierce!"
Indeed Preston had wanted to see how his fellow creative mind had been faring, as well as what he'd done with his egg. It looked like Ered was a much more willing partner than Nurf, who Preston had only just managed to drag away from constructing a baby harness for their own egg.
"Danke, Preston~..!" Dolph clasped his hands excitedly. That boy always had something nice to say about Dolph's work, and every compliment sent one of those explosions of butterflies Dolph longed for rippling through his insides.
He would have said more and shared the credit, but Nurf looked upset about something and demanded Preston's attention, meanwhile Ered scoffed at her own partner. At first she'd been more than happy to nod agreeably to the compliment, knowing she and Dolph were the cool parents, but now something bugged her. "How come you never look at me that way?"
Dolph quirked a brow at the girl. "Pardon?"
"Me, Dolph! I saw how you were staring at him! Why don't you ever look at me like that?"
Blinking for a confused moment, Dolph pointed out, "Ered, it has only been twenty minutes." That could hardly be enough time to establish a 'look', could it?
"So?"
Dolph held up their pretend child. "Ve are also only togezher because we were given zhis egg."
"Oh, is that all this is to you? If we didn't have this egg you wouldn't be here, right?"
"Well. Actually. As much fun as it has unexpectedly been-"
"Exactly! I'm the cool kid! I'm the most fun. You should be grateful you get to work with me. But what, you don't want to be my partner? I had thought you were pretty cool to be all easy-going like me until just now." Anyone would have picked her, and yet here Dolph was acting like she wasn't the best kid at camp!
Suddenly it all made sense. "Ohhhh! Do not vorry, Ered. Rest assured zhat you are still zhe coolest camper."
"Duh..." Ered crossed her arms and bobbed her head like it was the most obvious fact in the world.
"Und I am sorry if you zhought I vas implying somezhing else," Dolph continued, "But I...I actually still vould not have picked you to have zhis egg wizh." The small boy rubbed his head bashfully.
Ered's eyes widened, affronted, over her crossed arms, and Dolph winced as he hurried to clarify, "You are zhe coolest, definitely..! It is just...you are not my favorite camper."
Pausing as she looked at the fidgeting boy, a soft blush apparent on his cheeks, Ered glanced after Nurf and Preston, the latter having been forced away already, and her face softened. "I think I get it. It's him, right? Preston..?" She pointed in the direction of the departed.
Dolph's blush deepened. "I did not realize my face was showing zhat much." Was it really so obvious that he'd been overjoyed by how Preston had come to see him?
The blonde chuckled, wondering how she could have missed it. No one was denying her coolness. The issue was so much simpler. "Dude. You are so hardcore crushing. It is so obvious." Now she was grinning with a knowing tease.
Immediately Dolph's face was red as a beet and his eyes were wide as saucers. Crush?! "Y-You zhink...oh, meine Gott, zhat is exactly vhat it is!" He grabbed his burning cheeks, shocked. How had he not figured it out until it was outright said to him? Ered was so smart!
Ered laughed harder now, though still amiably. "Jeez, you didn't even know? That's...impressive, really. If you're drooling that hard..."
Unexpectedly, a short, stifled giggle left the diminutive boy's nose in agreement. He felt like an idiot for not figuring it out on his own. "Oh, I know..! I am such a Dummkopf..! But I have never had a crush before..! Oo, it is exciting to realize..!"
The tall girl tilted her head and smirked, endeared by the other kid's cluelessness. Dolph was actually the most innocent one here, wasn't he? He wasn't even questioning the fact that he liked another boy.
Dolph had to know, "How did you even know zhat is vhat my look was saying? Oh, you must be so vise to tell from just zhat..!"
Ered leaned back on one hand and swished her bangs like it was no big deal. "Eh...my dads are gay...I'd know that look anywhere." If anyone around here was going to have a decent gaydar, it was going to be her.
Now Dolph looked impressed, although he still didn't fully understand. "Oo...zhen huzzah! I am gay!" His tiny fists pumped the air. It must be true if Ered knew so much about it!
The girl shrugged. "I dunno, probably...you're still like...ten. But you definitely have a thing for Preston."
That comment just got Dolph giggling again. "I sure do..! Oh, but you are not actually still upset zhat I vould prefer him as a partner for zhis, are you..?" He didn't want to upset anyone.
"Pff." Ered was amused this time and shook her head. "Nah, dude, I get it. It's not like we're married or anything just cuz we have an egg...so long as you respect the cool, we're good." She stuck her thumb and pinky out and waggled her hand slightly as a show of peace.
"Oh, gute..!" That was a relief.
Eyeing the skate ramp they were beside, Ered picked up their egg and enticed, "Hey. You wanna show little Kleiner here what the rebel life is really like..?"
Dolph too looked at the ramp, a bit more scrutiny in his eye, but then figured, what the heck! They would not conform to society! Their baby could handle it! "Ja! Let us do it!"
Back on track with their project, the two climbed the ramp and set Egg down on Ered's skateboard. Several campers had gathered to watch this daring feat, and Neil was quick to shout up to Ered how she ought to have properly padded that egg before letting it anywhere near a skate ramp.
Ered sent him her chill hand gesture too, telling the nerd kid not to sweat it. Dolph climbed up behind her and backed her up, declaring how they weren't shackling their egg with societal constraints. Ered then reminded everyone how they were the cool parents before sending their newly nicknamed "Li'l Shredder" over the edge.
Li'l Shredder promptly splattered on the ramp bottom.
Dolph gasped, dismayed. "Ohhh..!"
Beside him, Ered didn't sound nearly as bothered. "O-hoohh, wipeout~..!" she called in sing-song.
Dolph looked at her sideways, all at once questioning if her idea of parenting really was the best. "You know, I am suddenly wondering if Neil did not have a point."
Ered blew that off. "Pff. No big. We can just put a Grand-Aide on it." Taking a second look, she watched the mess of yolk and albumin staining the ramp, almost none of it left inside the shell at all and none to be recovered. "...huh. Well that never happened to me as a baby."
Shrugging, she turned back to Dolph and supposed, "Oh well. Eggs are replaceable. I'm sure Mr. Campbell didn't need ours specifically. C'mon, let's go get my board."
Following the taller girl off the ramp top, Dolph pressed uncertainly, "Mh...still...are you sure you know all of what you are talking about? I zhink we might have been wrong about zhis, so..."
Ered rolled her eyes. "Ok, so I might have misjudged how early a platypus ought to be skateboarding. I'm still the most mature. And I'm definitely right about everything else." Pausing, she realized what Dolph was getting at. "Wait. Are you actually worried I misjudged your crush too? Ha!" She hopped off the ladder.
Behind her, Dolph too touched to the ground and shifted his eyes, not wanting to say that, but the rub to his arm was enough to confirm it to Ered.
"Dude, I've got actual experience with stuff like that. I've never been a parent before." She was annoyed that her wisdom was being questioned again. Wandering over to gather her board, she added, "Besides, didn't you agree? You're the one making googly eyes. Search your feelings, or...whatever."
Ah, yes...Dolph had agreed. It had been a sudden moment of realization after hearing the word 'crush', not that he was just taking Ered's word for it. He already knew he really liked Preston anyway. It only made sense that like-liking him was the reason he felt so starry-eyed. "Oh. Yes, you...you are right about zhat. I decided zhat answer for myself. Whew..!" Huh. Was he...relieved? He actually wanted to like Preston. Go figure.
Not really paying the short boy mind, Ered was noticing Harrison wandering the grounds with his and Nerris' egg, though Nerris was nowhere in sight, and waving his hands like advertising something as he spoke to passing campers. "Hey, you wanna go see what Harrison's up to? A magic show might be cool about now."
Dolph blinked. "You still vant to hang out wizh me even zhough our egg is dead?" That really was cool of the girl, not to just dump him by the wayside straight away.
Ered shrugged. "Yeah, why not. You're not a bad little dude. We can see if the spark's still there, at least for the rest of the day." She could deal with someone else for that long. It was how long their eggs were originally supposed to last anyway. With a knowing grin, she added, "It also seems like just the sort of thing that Preston would show up to...you really wanna find out what you're feeling?"
The short boy's eyes immediately lit up like Preston's name was a buzzword. He was back to not doubting Ered's wisdom in the slightest. "Preston, you say...okie dokie..!"
Preston was indeed at Harrison's show. In fact, he and Nurf were the only other pair there besides Dolph and Ered. Immediately Dolph felt his heart speed as he noticed this, his face heating and his breath becoming short as he stared and repeated the word 'crush' in his mind. Meekly, he darted to Ered's other side and hid behind her legs.
Ered snorted a bit smugly. "So. Is that an 'I told you so', then..?"
A giddy smile shook its way onto Dolph's lips as he grabbed his cheeks and nodded vigorously. His insides were churning and felt ready to explode, he was dizzy, and yet he loved it so!
"Knew it." Ered swished her bangs confidently. "You gonna tell him..?" She was pressing to tease the diminutive boy now. A little bit of revenge, a little bit just because it was fun.
"Oh no..!" Dolph managed to find words, "Zhe point of having a crush is to not tell, right? Maybe only gossip about it to a couple of secret buddies? Like you~! You are zhe only one who knows, so do not spread it around, ja~?" The half-German giggled to himself some more. "I vant to enjoy having it for a vhile."
Ered rolled her eyes to herself with a smile, shaking her head lightly. What a weird kid. He sure didn't seem embarrassed about his feelings, which was what usually kept someone from admitting their crush. Instead he was absolutely giddy and just wanted to revel in his first one. Well, it wasn't like Ered really cared. She didn't need to bother telling anyone.
Harrison called for his audience to gather at the stage, and they approached. While he entered in a puff of smoke and began introducing his egg as his assistant, Preston's booming voice caught Dolph's attention. He looked over to see Preston clapping and excitedly asking Nurf if the show was fun, like trying to prove it was worth coming out to.
At first Dolph thought perhaps the bully had ended up being more willing than expected after all, but Nurf immediately retaliated to the encouragement with hostility, snapping at Preston for making him come to a magic performance, then waxing on about working and only confusing the poor boy. Preston tried to point out that none of them had jobs, at which point Nurf snapped again and accused the theatrical one of disrespect, threatening him with an even angrier response.
Preston quieted, assuring that he remembered the consequences of making Nurf angry, at which point he touched his cheek gingerly, looking traumatized. Dolph gasped and put his hands over his mouth to notice that that cheek had a mark on it – a clear strike mark. How had he not noticed more immediately? He felt terrible for missing it in his own moment of emotion, and of course he felt awful for Preston. No one should have had to suffer being stuck with Nurf, but in particular a mix of guilt and attachment was making Dolph want to act. Only what could he do?
A distraction appeared onstage as Nerris interrupted Harrison's first act to try and claim the egg as her own. The two magicians bickered and fought for a spell before Harrison proved his point about stage magic by making the egg vanish...only to make it reappear, shattered, inside Nerris' hat.
Dolph cringed and then gawped, aghast, as the pair's child leaked down Nerris' face. She looked equally traumatized as this happened. The half-German boy backed away from the stage slowly, saying to Ered, "Ok, I zhink zhat is enough magic for one day..."
Ered's nose had wrinkled at the botched trick and she was more than happy to turn away. "Yeah...that was kind of lame. Um, if you don't mind, I also kind of think we don't really have enough in common to last out the rest of the day? Sooo..." She'd kind of expected this show to last longer, and didn't have any ideas past it, so her charity was running a little dry.
Registering what was being said, Dolph blinked. "Oh! Oh no, zhat is fine. I do not zhink we have enough in common to warrant much hanging out, eizher. I have somezhing I must do anyvay. But it vas cool while it lasted?" He offered the girl a friendly shrug.
"It was cool while it lasted." A nod from the chill skater as she offered back a fist bump, which was gladly reciprocated, and then Ered headed off back to her ramp to do some shredding the right way. "Check you later, little dude."
Dolph nodded and gave that pinky-and-thumb sign Ered liked giving before turning back to where Preston and Nurf had been, but they were gone. Drat!
Darting to the stage, Dolph's determination had taken over and he asked curtly, hands stamping the lip of it, "Nerris! Did you see vhere Preston und Nurf went? It is urgent!"
The darker girl was still staring into space, yolk streaming down her clawed fingers as they trembled in front of her equally soaked face. "Eggolaaaaaaaaaas!" was all she had to say before falling to her knees, distraught.
Dolph's lower eyelids pinched upwards as he grimaced. Right. Nerris was in the middle of something. She probably hadn't seen much.
Harrison, having slipped offstage while Nerris was having her mental breakdown and being much less upset about their egg's passing, approached Dolph with a raised finger. "I believe I saw the pair you seek."
"You did?" Attention swiftly going to the mousy-faced boy, Dolph hopped off the lip of the stage and demanded, "Vhere did zhey go? Tell me, magic man!"
Harrison pointed behind the shorter boy. "I think I saw Preston being dragged off into that shady grove of trees behind Neil and Space Kid's pen-pen thing over there...but I was also kind of enjoying watching Nerris' mind get freaked. Even if it's not how I meant to do it. Though actually, I think I kind of prefer it this way." He put his fists on his hips and grinned seeing his magic rival and greatest enemy break down. Cruel, maybe, but no crueler than anything she'd ever done to him. She'd once sabotaged his drowning escape trick by switching keys on him.
Dolph looked behind him at the pen for Space Kid that Neil had put inside a larger pen for himself and their egg. It was not even fifty feet from the stage he was currently in front of, so even if Harrison hadn't been paying the fullest attention, it was still a lead. "Yes, yes, you do zhat," Dolph waved off, distracted by his goal now, "Zhank you for your assistance, Harrison."
"Ha. And you said I was useless," Harrison shook his head smugly at Nerris as Dolph zipped away.
Nerris continued staring vacantly into the void.
Dolph had not even reached the pen when he saw Preston sprinting out from the shady grove Harrison had indicated, looking over his shoulder in clear terror. He slowed as he entered the light, however, fumbling with a pair of sunglasses and putting them on as he twisted his head, desperately seeking help.
Dolph froze as he saw that eye before Preston covered it. His right eye...it was ghastly swollen! And clear evidence of a meaty fist to the face. Paralyzed with disbelief that he could have missed things getting so bad in just an afternoon, Dolph didn't even get a chance to call out to the lanky boy before Preston noticed Nikki and Max wandering over to Neil and Space Kid, heading towards them instead.
Preston cut into whatever conversation the four had been having, showing them a note that Dolph couldn't read from behind them while he talked.
Hearing a noise from the trees, however, Dolph saw Nurf approaching with his egg in its holster and a determined look of disgruntle on his face. "Preston!" he barked, "Preston, where the fuck did you go? I wasn't done discussing with you yet!" He clenched a fist firmly.
Gasping, Dolph hurried to try and deter the big bully. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he couldn't do nothing while a fellow camper was hounded so mercilessly!
As it turned out, he did accomplish nothing, for as he put his hands out to try and get Nurf's attention, Nurf just grabbed his face and side-swiped the tiny boy into a bush. "Outta the way, runt. I've got an egg partner to set straight right now." He'd bully Dolph later.
In the bush, Dolph hemmed with disappointment at his ineffectiveness. Although he probably should have expected such an outcome. Well, he'd better try something different, because Preston needed him! Feeling his sense of justice taking over and hopping out of the bush, he then paused and took a moment to cry out as the way the brambles scratched his skin caught up with him. But as soon as that was over he followed Nurf's warpath back to the scene by Neil's pen.
He was just in time to hear Nurf reading a letter. What the...
According to what it said, Nurf and Preston's egg had run away. It couldn't stand the amount of domestic abuse it was forced to witness, but wished its parents the best as it went on to a better life.
Dolph was not the only one confused by this scenario, as Max echoed the fact that the egg had run away with an incredulous tone.
Nurf did not seem to care to question the logistics, only falling to his knees with tears in his eyes and shouting, "Oh god..! I'm a horrible parent!"
Preston walked over and agreed with a shaky, "You really are, Nurf..." But most confusing of all, he actually patted the huge blubbering abuser and supported him as he helped him stand up and they departed.
This was something Dolph just couldn't forgive. Preston was kind, but not normally to those behaving so nasty. Normally he was also not afraid to stand up for himself or mouth back. Did Preston really feel so trapped that he was still going to give Nurf his time when really, Nurf deserved to feel bad about what he'd done?
Darting out in the pair's path, Dolph's expression was one of renewed determination. "Zhat does it!" he declared, "Preston, step avay from zhat Nurf! He does not deserve your pity!"
Both other parties looked up in surprise at the puny boy covered in twigs. Preston questioned, "Huh? Dolph? W-Where did you come from?" He shrank, for some reason feeling like he didn't want Dolph to see him like this.
"It does not matter. I apologize for not noticing vhat has been going on sooner. Und once I did, I vas still too distracted to step in properly." He shook his head in dismay at himself. "But I am still here to make zhings right!"
Sniffing, Nurf took half a step forward and shook a wobblier fist than normal at the smaller boy. "Oh what, you're just gonna swoop in and steal my partner away just because our egg is gone? Preston doesn't want that! Preston wants to stay here and make me a cake and tell me what a great father I can be if I really try! Right Preston?"
Preston startled as the pressuring glare was shot his way. "Wh-Wha? Oh, I, um...actually, if you wouldn't mind...handling that yourself-"
Nurf looked affronted. "Oh. My. God. After all we've been through today, I would've expected you to learn better, Preston! You would just abandon me in my time of need? After all I've done for you like go to that stupid show you wanted or let you go visit this idiot?" He jerked a thumb towards Dolph, then gasped in exaggerated realization. "Have you been making goo-goo eyes at Dolph behind my back?"
Preston clearly looked confused and frightened, leaning away from the emotionally volatile boy. "Behind your back? Huh? We only saw him once..! For like a minute...in front of your front! And you spent most of today beating me up!"
Nurf's hands covered his face in shame. "Gauuh, I knew it! My whole pretend adulthood is a lie!"
After an afternoon of being knocked around by a boy way too deep in some confounding form of delusion with logic that Preston simply could not follow, the lanky boy wavered unsurely between continuing to console Nurf for fear of later retribution, or taking the opportunity to back away now that his abuser was absorbed in some kind of personal melodrama. His hand extended and recoiled a few times as he grimaced, battling with that choice.
Having been fearful a beating would be the only end result here, Dolph was relieved that he was intact so far, and saw an opening now that Nurf was busy...doing that. Skirting around the large boy wailing to himself about where his marriage had gone wrong, Dolph scurried up to Preston and extended a hand high. "Quickly," he urged the hesitant one, "I do not know vhat exactly is happening here, but if you vant out, now is zhe time to act!" If they fled now, Preston could get away, get his head straight, and likely leave Nurf to do the same. There was no sense in letting this madness continue to play out.
Preston's eyes darted between the hand now offered to him and the bully he'd been trying to escape all day. Why was he hesitating when he was being offered an out? Gah, Nurf had really screwed with his head! Preston pulled at his own hair as the stress mounted, knowing he had to decide now or continue to suffer. Eyes flicking to Dolph's face this time, those clear eyes, concerned and determined, suddenly reminded Preston how insane Nurf was actually being right now. Those eyes were right. Preston would be the insane one not to get away while he could.
Determination stirring in his own chest, Preston pursed his lips and turned to declare, "Nurf, I am really leaving you this time! You can go and...work through whatever this is by yourself. I'm through! Don't even talk to me at dinner!" God that felt good to say. He grabbed Dolph's hand, and not bothering to wait around the tiny boy tugged it and guided the both of them away as fast as their legs could carry them.
"Nooo..! Preston..!" Nurf reached after the two. "So...emotionally vulnerable..! Son gone..! Partnership dissolving..! Can't..muster up...strength to bully into stopping..!" And then they were gone. Nurf had successfully been left alone. He collapsed against the grassy ground in shame.
A moment passed before Nurf sat suddenly upright, his face appearing clear as day albeit perhaps a bit puzzled. He blinked and touched his chin quizzically. "Huh. Well that's weird. I feel as though a manifestation of my controlling desires to avoid becoming my abandoning father just unleashed itself in a highly unhealthy projection of a potential reversal of driving away my unchecked feelings could have on future relationships."
A beat. "Or maybe it was something I ate. I dunno. Man, today's just been a blur since we got those eggs. Wonder how that turned out." He stood and walked off aimlessly, a neutral smile in place.
Meanwhile, across the campgrounds in the lakeside gazebo, Dolph and Preston had come to a stop upon seeing a place they could sit and rest. They each panted with a hand on their knee for a moment before letting the hands they'd been holding go and collapsing onto the bench lining the gazebo's rim.
After some seconds just leaning back with their eyes closed and letting the relief of escape wash over them, Preston let his eyelids peek open as he glanced at the boy beside him.
"Um...so thanks," he felt obligated to say, though now as things were winding down he was starting to feel a little awkward again. "God, I've been doing nothing but trying to run away from him all day..! But he just...hounded me! He's been everywhere. I tried to play fair, but he just kept twisting my words and confusing me and hitting me...he wouldn't even let me try to be a parent! Not that I was thinking about that much past the start. I was really starting to think it was going to be stuck as Nurf's slave from now on..!"
Before he knew it, Preston had let the entire stressful situation out. Lip bitten, he grabbed his knees and rocked slowly as the still-fresh memories of being dragged back to the bully's side over and over echoed in his head.
Dolph sat up as he listened, sympathy etched into his face. He felt extremely bad for both what the lanky boy had had to endure and his own failure to help earlier. Reaching out, he placed a hand on Preston's hunched back. He could feel the boy wince, no doubt a reflex from the more violent forms of contact he'd been subjected to.
"It is over now," he assured, "Nozhing was your fault. It is no excuse, but I am also again sorry I did not notice right avay. I had hoped he vould not be so bad to work wizh vhen I saw you togezher at first, but zhen I got too wrapped up in zhe game myself." And...other things, but Dolph wasn't about to be selfish in thinking about his own feelings right now.
A despondent hum wavered out of the young thespian. "I actually...I didn't want you to see me like this. When you showed up. I don't feel like myself. I mean if anyone, I'm not surprised it was you to finally figure it out and want to help me – gah, everyone else was acting so clueless – but I don't know...since you know me so well, seeing me so weak is kind of...embarrassing..?" He hunched more, glad for the sunglasses he could hide behind at the moment.
The small boy's brow furrowed as he tilted his head inward and offered a patient smile. His hand rubbed lightly to console the other. "I vould like to zhink we are some type of close, so of course I vould want to help. But I also do not zhink you are weak." Seeing Preston's head turn minutely out of curiosity, Dolph nodded. "You were in trouble. I can only imagine zhe confusion running zhrough your head. Zhat is not veakness. Anyone would feel trapped next to Nurf. I understand. He has bullied me as vell, after all."
Oh, right. Dolph was one of Nurf's other favorite targets for being such a tiny and soft-spoken boy. That made Preston even more grateful how the other had been able to put that demeanor aside for his sake. Dolph pressed forward, "It is because I know you zhat I vant to support you. I like you a great deal, Preston. You are my favorite camper. Und I know you do not deserve such treatment."
Preston sat straight, his hands modestly sandwiched between his thighs as that admission slipped out. He stared from behind those shades quietly as it sank in, and he felt his cheeks turning rosy from a mix of gratitude and bashfulness. Was this what Dolph always felt when Preston praised him so freely?
In the silence, Dolph actually wondered if he'd said too much and only embarrassed Preston further. He should apologize.
Just as he was about to open his mouth, Preston reached up and slid the sunglasses down off his face. "I'm...really your favorite?" He'd had no idea he was anyone's favorite person. He liked to fancy himself the center of admiration, but there was a difference between that and someone actually telling you so.
Dolph smiled realizing that the other had simply been absorbing the compliment. Glad to see it made him feel better, too, the diminutive one looked into those blackened eyes with confidence and nodded once, surely. "I cannot imagine anyone replacing you." He didn't even mind if he wasn't Preston's favorite person to spend time with in return. Dolph was used to being the kid everyone avoided. He was just happy to get to spend time with anyone at all, and especially the boy he liked best.
"Heh..." After the suffering he'd been put through, Preston didn't know why such a simple thing was soothing him so greatly, but he felt a smile forming to match Dolph's, and his posture relaxing. His head was clearing and he was starting to feel more like himself. "That means a lot, Dolph. Thank you. I like you too." A beat. "It sure would've been nice if we could have worked on this together too, huh? I'll bet our egg would've survived. But who knows? I didn't even get to try parenting. At least your partner was willing to let you near your egg."
Butterflies going off in his stomach again seeing Preston buck up and hearing him say something so sweet, Dolph then blinked in consideration. "Well...do you vant to try?"
It was Preston's turn to blink. "Huh..? What do you mean? All the eggs are dead."
"Just because Mr. Campbell's activity is over does not mean we cannot recreate it ourselves," Dolph pointed out, "Ered vas surprisingly fun to work wizh, but zhere are a few zhings I zhink I would try differently in hindsight." Questioning more, for one. His face shifted as he recalled where blind faith in coolness had gotten him.
"Huh. I guess you're right," speculated the taller boy, "Y'know, I think I actually would like to take a crack at it, too...no pun intended."
Dolph gave a good-natured chuckle at the soft jest. Glancing around, his eye lighted on an object outside the gazebo. Hopping off the bench, he strode towards it. "Ve do not even have to use an egg. It is probably better to use somezhing a bit more resilient to start, ja? Vhat do you zhink of raising zhis?" Returning, he stood in front of Preston, offering out a moderately-sized rounded rock for scrutiny.
Preston's lips formed an O seeing the option presented. That was actually pretty smart. Rocks were rather available, so they wouldn't have to try stealing one from the kitchen. "I think I love it," he beamed approvingly before standing as well, "Let's parent the hell out of this rock!" The dramatic boy's vigor was obviously starting to return as he hopped onboard the proposal.
And parent the hell out of that rock the duo did.
The two boys spitballed ideas about taking turns managing the rock during the rest of their day. They borrowed the baby supplies Nikki had found in some old doll set and let her show them how she'd been "feeding" her egg. She also loved the idea of trying with a rugged, chiseled child that could withstand adventure, but lamented that her partner – Max – would never be onboard. He was long gone, actually, back to doing absolutely nothing with his Saturday. Dolph offered to let her babysit. He fancied himself a part-time doctor so he could treat Preston's eye, which would cut into both their all-star careers in the fine arts. As for the eye, he'd heard steak was supposed to work, so they should probably kill two birds with one stone and also have a parents night out so they could get some to eat. Steak was also something parents went out to eat special, right?
The steak was a hamburger, as it was all they could get, and Preston didn't feel any better after eating it, but he did declare it delicious.
Properly supplied, the two creative minds spent the remainder of the afternoon putting their rock through an accelerated life cycle. It was swaddled and then encouraged to "walk", which entailed being rolled between them. Preston provided a box that Dolph turned into a miniature school for the rock to go to. Preston gave a touching graduation speech once college came around. Other dioramas were constructed to celebrate the rock's birthday and send the rock to its own camp and its first job and so on. It even got a little cardboard box car. The rock was classy, trained in classical theater and the fine arts, but also took a detour to find itself by joining a metal band.
As it turned out, Preston was the type of parent who liked to document all of his child's accomplishments. He recorded each set piece and shouted a lot of encouragement while the rock did things like try out for the ballet. Who'd have thought, when he was actually allowed to partake in the project, he was as wholeheartedly invested as he ever got. It likely would have been greatly embarrassing for the rock if it had been sentient.
Dolph, as ever, found that investment endearing. He was the bubbly parent who was just as encouraging and perhaps a little too open to letting the rock do things that were questionable. He was still inclined to avoid "shackles" even after his time with Ered. Being raised rather sheltered, he supposed he just didn't want to let that happen to the rock. Preston was a bit more sensible and pointed out dangers that perhaps ought to have been more obvious to the other.
And then at last, with dinnertime looming, it was time for the rock to fly free...directly into Nurf's skull.
Feeling done with their game, Dolph and Preston felt accomplished and wanted to send their child off in a meaningful way, and agreed that the rock's true purpose was to seek vengeance for slighting Preston in the first place. They found Nurf on his way to the mess hall, and Preston wasted no time in sending the rock soaring directly into the back of Nurf's head.
A hollow clocking sound rang as contact was made, and Nurf barely got out a startled sound before falling flat. The two hiding in the bush behind him giggled and scrambled away not to get caught. Dolph had had some hesitation about answering violence with violence, but he couldn't help admitting to himself that that had felt justified in a delightfully devilish sort of way.
Seated in the mess hall, Dolph and Preston shared a bench as usual and thought back on their day full of experiences.
"So? Vhat did you zhink of zhe whole parenting activity now zhat you have gotten to try?" the petite artist polled, "Vas it everyzhing you hoped for?"
"Well, I must say, Dolph," Preston waggled his fork, "If nothing else, your skills are quite admirable. You're certainly more enjoyable to work with than Nurf, anyway..." He squinted sourly. Actually, Nurf wasn't at dinner. Had that rock done more damage than intended? He decided not to point it out.
And Dolph didn't notice. He just flipped his wrist bashfully. "Oh please. You are zhe smart fazher. I am just zhe cool one who says yes vhen you do not." A self-depreciating chuckle. He admitted he was not always the perfect judge as to what was best.
Preston rolled his eyes, though he smiled as well. "Oh, come on. Like you don't have your own little shining moments of brilliance. Labels aside though, we still did just as great at this as any production we've tackled! We're the perfect team!"
"Ja! We made a great couple of fazhers. Togezher!"
"Ha. You can say that again..!"
"Okie dokie! We made a great couple!"
The world froze around Preston in an instant. It had just been a simple bit of paraphrasing, but all at once a hundred things clicked together in his brain, lining up to form one crashing wall of realization.
He liked Dolph.
He fucking like-liked Dolph.
Parents were couples. This had been the most fun the two had had together yet. Preston had seriously enjoyed pretending to be a couple with Dolph. It made him realize he would want to try being a couple for real. Everything was so natural with the little half-German. So open, so easy, so positive. Dolph was so comfortable to be around that parenthood had been a breeze. Dolph was completely his favorite camper just as much as he was Dolph's.
Preston's fork fell. And just as sharply Preston's instincts kicked in to push away.
He didn't want to like-like Dolph! Dolph was an amazing person who was sweet and charming and pure and funny and clever, and Preston loved being around him, but...but...gah, there was no way he could really push away from the small boy, was there? Being around him was too pleasant.
Promptly, he decided he was going to ignore all of these thoughts and pretend he'd never had them. But at the same time, he had to do something about this revelation. That something was stand sharply and say bluntly, "I'm going to my tent! Busy day and all that. Turning in. No need for dessert!"
Dolph barely had a chance to blink at the abrupt exit before it happened. What had just happened? Was it something he'd said? Was Preston not feeling well? He'd even said he didn't want dessert. But Preston loved dessert! He had a massive sweet tooth in fact!
Sure the answers would come to light if he was patient, Dolph decided that he was still going to bring the other boy his pudding cup. Though he wished greatly to knock on the tent flap and check in on his favorite camper, he respected Preston's apparent need for rest and merely knocked and left the pudding by the entrance, holding a concerned silence and hoping he was right about future answers.
