Neil and Nikki had been acting strange for the whole week it'd been since that day in pre-cal, and while everyone else in the camp assumed Max's disappearance was just another bullying stunt pulled by the camp asshole, Neil and Nikki didn't seem so sure.
Max had finally returned to the scheduled camp breakfast routine but regularly vanished during rest period after lunch along with David for their 'one on one remedial activities'. According to Max a week ago, he was 'doing fine' and 'didn't need their pity.' However, Max became increasingly reserved. With no pressure to participate in any activity, he would sit on the sidelines of every event, leaving Neil and Nikki to fend for themselves against David and Gwen. They would get in trouble for pulling their usual stunts and end up having dessert privileges taken away or some other kind of punishment, and instead of raising hell on the counselors like Max usually would do in defense of his friends, he busied himself with his gameboy and let them take it all. He just wasn't himself.
Neil and Nikki sat beside each other on one side of the lunch table as Max sat on the other, facing David. Once again they had lost their desserts while Max enjoyed double for his cooperative participation in the remedial camp. Neil and Nikki glared at him silently and shifted in their seats, obviously passing notes under the table.
"You know, whatever you guys have to say, you can say it to my face," Max snapped. His friends only strengthened their glares. Nikki even turned her nose up to him. Max's eyes narrowed, "Oh, so it's like that, is it?" Max snarled, "Well then, you can finish the death ray yourselves!" Max slammed his fists down on the table and stood up. He glanced over to the counselor's table and happened to catch eyes with David. His desperate self-help book long since discarded, David returned Max's possessive gaze with one of affection. Max smirked.
"I don't know what David's done to you, but I do not like it," Nikki huffed, crossing her arms and shaking her head.
"We want the old Max back!" Neil concluded, clenching a fist.
Max simply rolled his eyes, picking up his tray and turning to go dump his leftovers in the garbage. "Good luck trying to break into the Quartermaster's gunsafe without me." And with that, he left the Mess Hall and headed directly for David's room. The remaining duo nodded to each other and shook on it.
Fifteen minutes later, after the bell announcing rest period tolled, the doorknob rattled and from beyond the door came Max's fuckbuddy. David wasn't surprised to see Max already bare and making use of the vibrator he kept in the top drawer of his nightstand. He'd been doing that the past three days since he'd uncovered it whilst waiting for him to finish his activity planning when he'd make his way back to the cabin to carry out the rest of the down time with Max. David chuckled and looked affectionately at his partner. "Oh Max," he cooed. Max returned the look, only lustfully instead.
No other words were exchanged. David stepped inside and shut the door gently behind him, making sure to lock it. The pair heard Gwen faintly snoring in the background all the way from her room. They were completely alone once more.
"Strip," Max commanded. David blushed—at long last feeling desirable rather than shameful. He did as he was told and loosened his neckerchief. Max watched with a grin as David's shirt hit the floor with a soft tut. "There we go," Max murmured, clicking the plus button on the vibrator. The whirr that filled the room increased in pitch and Max followed with a pleasured groan. He pressed the small, narrow device to the stiff mass just beneath his balls. It felt so good. He laid his head back into the mattress and arched his back. "Daaaviid…" he moaned. A breathy gasp from across the room brought his attention back to his subject of lust.
David's belt had been unbuckled, zipper open and briefs pushed downward to reveal his hardness he already began stroking.
So much shame in the beginning, finally gone. So many repressed desires now expressed in fervorous hands and shameless erections. In this small paradise—David's room—Max could experience his unexpectedly sudden onset of queer puberty without fear of judgment from anyone. And even better, because of this pathetic excuse for a counselor's desperate need for redemption despite his newfound confidence, Max didn't have to suffer through any more shitty camp activities. It was an arrangement that worked out so much better on Max's end than David's but at least the man had finally relaxed. Max seemed happy, and as though he was no longer miserable every single day.
"Get over here and fuck me, you bastard." Max's filthy words turned David on so much more. His cock twitched and he released a strained sigh.
"Yes Max," David replied with submissive tones. A rush of dominant power surged through Max's body. He grinned maliciously and removed the device from his perineum. He stood up on the bed and waited as David padded over to his master. The buzz from the vibrator combined with Max's demonic eyes gave David chills from anticipation.
"Get up here. Lay on your stomach." David obliged. The man crawled tentatively upon the bed and presented his body to Max. "Open your legs." David whimpered, but obeyed. He got to his knees and buried his burning face into the pillows as he separated them.
Max's eyes darkened insidiously. One hand braced on David's soft behind, he pressed the peaked tip of the vibrator to David's entrance.
"Tell me you want it," Max rasped. David moaned and shuttered. Max watched as the grown man's cock twitched so, so hard.
"I… Please, Max," David keened. Max clicked the vibrator up once again but did not enter his prey.
"That's it. Beg, you pathetic whelp!" With Max's claws digging into the tender pink flesh of David's ass, the man let out a moan so loud he clapped a hand over his mouth. Then, for a moment, they both listened to see if they'd been heard. But Gwen snored on. David glanced back at his owner, who looked chaotically enthused. "I said beg!"
"Max… Max, please." He readied David with the hypoallergenic lubricant passed back to him.
"Please what?" Max teased, rubbing the slickened tip against David's hole.
"Please… Inside."
"Good enough, I'll take it," Max shrugged before mercilessly pushing the vibrator inside him and pressing it right up against his prostate.
David's entire body jerked and the man bit into the pillow to suppress the startled scream he gave. Max didn't wait for him to adjust. David was a big boy, he could take a tiny little vibrator roughly the size of one of his own fingers. It's not like he hadn't spent a lot of time fingering himself, probably. Max chuckled to himself as he moved the vibrator in and out of David.
His body writhed and trembled with each motion Max made, he couldn't help the whimpers of pleasure that escaped him. Max's other hand left David's ass and migrated down to his own twitching cock.
"Fuck, David," he moaned and rolled his head back. David shuddered.
"Max, I—" His sentence was interrupted by another one of his own moans, followed by his body seizing. David released a whine and pulled out of Max's actions. He curled back away from him and hid his face in his hands.
"What the fuck? Did I say you could stop?" David carefully caressed his hardness, his face beet red.
"I—I didn't want to finish before you…you know," the man mumbled shyly.
"Oh. Well, in that case…" Max climbed up into David's lap and placed his hands on both the man's shoulders. David chuckled nervously and then reached for his lubricant. Max sat up on his knees while David readied him, gently circling his exterior before lightly entering him with his finger. Max let out a pleasured breath. "Fuck that feels nice." David's cock twitched against his thigh. "Ah," he gasped, "that too." David groaned under his breath, Max's words working wonders on his body.
"Alright," Max said, "I'm done waiting. Let's move this along." David smiled lovingly. His large hands rested on either side of Max's hips as the boy positioned himself over the other's hardness.
When Max was ready, he lowered himself down onto David. Breath hitching in his chest, he pushed himself to take the whole thing down to the hilt and then sat there while his body opened up to the foreign object. His eyes half-lidded and crossed, David admired him and the way his tongue hung from his lips with sheer ecstasy. Stars spun through Max's head. Slowly, he inched his way back upwards, trembling with each spark of electric pleasure his body granted him. The stretch felt so good. Once he was at the top of David again, he dropped his hips back down—the thunderous moan he let out should have awoken the dead.
They stopped once more, Max's hands over his mouth. Wide-eyed, they stared at each other as they listened.
But Gwen snored on.
Max grinned wide and braced himself on David's shoulders. This time when he rose and dropped, he moaned freely. David shushed him but Max understood now.
"She's not gonna wake up, idiot," he said mischievously. "Those earplugs are a godsend." David worried still, but Max kept going. Eventually, all David's worries melted away as Max pleasured himself and David too.
And Max was entirely right. Gwen did not awaken.
She didn't wake up then, and she didn't wake up any other time that week when he and David fucked during rest period. Her nap time was sacred to her, evidently. And it was because of this that Max grew more bold.
They continued like that for minutes more, Max rocking his hips into David's with his nails dug into the tensed flesh of the counselor's shoulders. When Max thought he would come, his movements slowed—became jerky and desperate. He rested his head upon David's shoulder, breath hot and heavy. David had learned that this meant Max's approaching climax, they'd done it enough times that he was accustomed to Max's body language. When Max was unable to reach his orgasm simply by moving himself, David took over. He laid back in the bed and wrapped his arms around Max's back. After a few positioning adjustments, David held Max in place and began fucking him at a desperate speed. Max practically melted in his arms, body going limp against David's. Their sweat mingled together at their breasts. David's lips pressed against Max's sweaty forehead. He could feel the vibrations of the moans that erupted from Max's young throat.
They were lost together in the wonderland of sex when suddenly a knock came from outside their door. Max and David nearly jumped out of their skins as they reflexively reached to cover themselves. Then, like deer in headlights, the both of them froze in place.
The pair waited, their senses on high alert, they listened for any sounds of Gwen activity, but none came. She remained asleep in the other room. The front door knocked again. It was up to David to answer it.
With trembling legs, David separated himself from Max.
"What are you doing, you moron?" Max hissed, attempting to discourage David from answering the door. He grabbed the man by the wrist tightly.
"I'm sorry, Max, but I can't ignore the door if Gwen is asleep. It could be a hurt camper in need of first aid!" David replied quietly. He unglued his wrist from Max's grasp and hurriedly dressed himself.
"It's probably just Space Kid swallowing rocks again. Let him choke to death; you can't leave me this close!"
"I'll be back as quickly as possible, don't worry."
David's rushed attempt at dressing himself left him with a shirt that wasn't fully tucked in and hair that stuck to his damp forehead. It was more than obvious that he wasn't doing smile exercises, but it would have to do.
As he unlocked the bedroom door and took a deep breath, Max grumbled and crossed his arms. He then got up and drew back the window curtains to see who had come. Though he had planned to wait, naked, in bed for David to return, his heart stopped when he saw who exactly was at the door.
"Free Max from this prison, white devil!" Nikki's voice shouted. Neil's voice came immediately after it.
"Max! We're here to rescue you!"
Shit. Shit, shit, shit! Max scrambled after his clothes.
"Kids, please, Max is very busy practicing his smiles," he heard David lie in response.
Suddenly, David screamed. His body hit the floor with a thud as another sentence sounded.
"Max, hurry! Through the window!" Nikki called out again, "I don't know how long I can keep him down!"
As Neil pushed his way inside the cabin, he reached for David's bedroom door. But when it suddenly swung open, he was met with a very perturbed looking Max standing on the other side of it.
"What the hell is wrong with you two?" he snapped viciously.
"Huh?" said Neil.
"We're saving you from remedial camp!" Nikki exclaimed, jumping down from where she stood on David's chest.
"I never asked to be saved, okay, so can you two just piss off?" Max snarled, shoving Neil back in the process. His face red with fury, Max bared his teeth.
"Seriously?" Neil retorted. "We've been planning this rescue mission all week and you're just gonna admit that you want to be here? With David?"
"I never said I wanted to be here, I just don't need to be rescued. It took me weeks to get this close, and I was gonna kill David on my own time!"
Nikki gaped in shock. Neil matched Max's red-faced rage.
"Come on, Nik, let's go," Neil said, turning to leave. Nikki frowned and followed behind him. The front door slammed shut.
"Jesus, those two," Max grumbled, then turned to head back into the bedroom. "Come on, David."
David hesitated, listening to the sounds of snoring and fading disgruntled ranting, before standing up and following Max back into the bedroom.
…
The rest of the day at camp was spent more strained than ever before. Neil and Nikki avoided Max, and Max avoided them. Neither he nor David were able to finish once the others had left, their bodies too sensitive to respond to pleasure. It left Max with some very strong feelings of murder that he would plan to enact on his friends at some point. For now, he and David had resigned to meet again at shower block that evening, once their bodies had time to recover.
The time drew near and Max anxiously watched the clock tick closer and closer to nine PM. Seconds felt like hours. He found himself hanging on David's every word—the breaths he took, the sounds he made, the way his mouth looked as he spoke—it was all so unbearable. He would make David suck him off tonight. He just looked too good.
Finally, the bell rang and Max nearly rocketed out of his seat. Even though he knew David would have to re-assume shower block duty, he could at least work himself over while he waited now. The doors to the Mess Hall flew open in his wake and without a moment's hesitation he was dashing toward the counselors' cabin.
Max practically broke down both doors to get into David's room and once inside, he retrieved the vibrator from David's bedside table. In all of a minute, his clothes were off and he laid in bed for his actual favourite toy to finish his stupid job so that they could fuck.
Shortly after he'd settled in, Max heard Gwen's big ugly boots marching through the cabin. She went straight to her room and in the rest of the half-hour it took for David to arrive, she had fallen asleep. The environment was perfect, once again, for Max to take advantage of his camp counselor.
"Get over here," Max commanded, turning off the vibrator and abandoning it on the nightstand. David chuckled nervously and began disrobing. The routine was all too familiar. In only moments, David was naked and on the bed for Max to use.
He had to admit a little surprise when Max did not immediately begin stroking himself or readying to be penetrated. Instead, the boy laid back and presented his erected cock for David to admire.
"See what your dumbass does to me?" he said degradingly. David swallowed hard and nodded, his breath short in his chest. "Good," Max continued, smirking. "Tonight you're gonna suck it."
David's breath hitched in his throat, heart skipping a beat. He opened his mouth to respond, but all that came out was a squeaky sigh of arousal.
"Get to it, camp man," Max demanded, giving himself one lone stroke before crossing his arms behind his head.
David took a deep breath and leaned forward. He positioned himself so that he was lying in front of Max on his belly, his head hovering just over Max's hardness. Slowly, he opened his mouth and let a heavy breath caress Max's aching member. Max sighed happily, laying his head back and closing his eyes. He pressed his lips together as David's mouth encompassed him.
"Holy shit," he swore. David's mouth was warm and wet and the way his tongue felt against his cock was just amazing. It stroked him from top to bottom and back again, relishing every bit of Max's pungent taste. Then, David's lips suctioned around the length and pulled back, making Max moan and reach down to grab David's stupid fluffy hair. His fingers curled into the strands hard, gripping David with fervorant lust.
With each agonizingly incredible motion David made, Max melted. So this is what blowjobs were like, Max pondered. He had to laugh at himself as he thought back to every time he told David to suck a dick, never realizing it would one day be his dick he would suck. But what a sinfully perfect way things worked out.
David worked him over, sucking and licking him shamelessly as Max gripped his hair. His tongue flicked at the tip, making Max buck his hips upward into David's mouth.
Soon, Max realized he was reaching his limit and pulled back on David's hair.
"That stupid mouth of yours is finally good for something, huh?" Max slandered. David released a soft moan, feeling his cock twitch at Max's degradation. "I couldn't take my eyes off of it earlier, but it turns out you've got quite the hidden talent."
"Thank you," David breathed, face dripping with lust. Max's backhanded praise made his skin prickle.
"Now let's try something else with it." Max pushed David back and turned over so that he was on his knees, presenting his ass for David. "You're gonna eat me out, got it?"
David shuddered and nodded. He got to his knees again.
The man leaned forward and placed his hands on either side of Max's cheeks. He spread them open to see Max's entrance, and for a moment he just admired the sight. Gently, he traced the heated flesh with his index and Max shivered. Then, he went for it.
David pressed his tongue against Max's ass and smoothed it across the skin, taking in the texture. Max moans were breathy as he did, his nails scraping across the bedsheets. Wow, who knew something this dirty could be so satisfying? David's tongue flicked and prodded at him, his lips devouring the flesh hungrily. Max's moans were gasping. He stroked himself fast as he enjoyed David's mouth. From behind, he could feel David doing the same. They enjoyed this for some time, David's pathetic submission giving Max well enough of a power trip.
It didn't last long, however, as Max quickly decided he needed more. It was a fun little experiment, but nothing could ever compare to the stretch of David's cock inside him.
"Okay, stop," Max panted. David pulled away, a string of saliva breaking as he did. For a moment, his anxieties flared, terrified that he'd done something to hurt or discomfort Max, but the boy wasted no time in reassuring him otherwise. "That was great and all, but it'd be even better with your dick."
David blushed and complied. Sitting back, he reached for the lube and spread it along himself. Max turned over again and crawled into David's lap, bracing himself off the man's shoulders. David embraced him, one hand on his rear to position the boy over his hard and waiting cock.
Slowly, David entered Max, gently lowering him down until his entire length was inside. Max sucked in a breath and shuddered, getting used to the mass inside him. He clenched and relaxed and clenched again, feeling its size and stiffness. God it was so good. David's stupid self had one redeeming quality and this was it.
When Max was ready, he lifted his hips up and down achingly slow. David moaned as he did, wrapping his arms tighter around him. His body gave involuntary jerks upward into Max. Small enough not to hurt him, but enough to make him gasp.
In no time, the pair were entangled in blissful indulgence. David, half laid back against the headboard of his bed, rocked his hips upward into Max and Max absorbed every bit of it. He rolled his own hips enthusiastically against David and gnawed on the pale skin of the man's neck, leaving bruises and bite marks behind.
Then, with one strong hand, he gripped David's throat and leaned back to look at him. David's hips stuttered, his body reacting very, very positively to Max's aggressive touch. As Max admired his lusty gaze, a streak of evil crossed him—he wound back his other hand and struck David across the face as hard as he could, leaving behind a red welt.
David's eyes rolled back and his nails drug across Max's back involuntarily. His moan reverberated off the walls as he bucked harder into the boy riding him.
"Oh, fuck, Max…" he keened, mouth falling open. Immediately, he bit his lip and apologized for his language. "S-Sorry, I didn't—"
"Shut your stupid fucking mouth," Max growled, now placing his other hand upon David's neck and throttling him. "Don't apologize, idiot. Just enjoy it."
Max's hands on his neck were a catalyst, bringing David closer to the edge. He wrapped his arms tighter around Max and sped his movements up.
"I'm close," he panted, mindlessly stroking the boy's back.
"Cum inside me," Max hissed seductively. His nails dug deep into David's skin, drawing beads of blood to match the bruises.
And David almost did. All his inhibitions were lost and the two were close to orgasming in unison when a loud crash shocked them back into reality.
Max froze and David reflexively moved to cover them both, his heart pounding. They stared at the door, thinking by the sound that it had opened. But it remained shut. They had not forgotten to lock it—that was always David's first step. But as indistinctive rustling came from outside, Max's stomach nearly dropped to his feet when he looked over to see that the window curtains were not closed.
In an instant, he was off David. He grabbed his discarded hoodie from the floor and held it up to his naked body as he traversed the room to look outside.
It was dark. Too dark to see anything. The light of their window only illuminated so far and most of what he saw was just bushes. The room around him was silent, he and David both too afraid to speak. A minute and a half passed of complete stillness before Max said anything.
"It was probably just a wounded animal, I don't think it's anything to be afraid of."
"Are you sure?" David asked, trembling with fear.
"I didn't see or hear anything, and there aren't any police breaking down your door, so yeah, I'm pretty sure."
"We should call it a night then, Max. That was a pretty close call."
"Don't be stupid, there's absolutely nothing to be afraid of. I'm not stopping."
"Max, we shouldn't push our luck," David started, but Max was already climbing back on top of him and biting at his flesh. His lips landed on David's collarbone and began drawing out hickeys once more. His hand trailed down the man's side before coming to a stop against his crotch. He palmed the semi back to hardness. David was hesitant, but he found himself unable to resist Max's touch. The little demon brought out the absolute worst in him always, and in minutes they were back having aggressive and ravenous sex.
Despite the small hiccup in their night, the pair eventually built up their rhythm and managed to have just as satisfying a climax as always.
Max fell forward against David and reveled in their afterglow as David softly stroked Max's heated back. For what felt like hours, they laid like that, both catching their breath. Ten actual minutes had passed before Max decided it was time for bed. David had already fallen asleep and was snoring softly as Max got dressed and left the cabin.
Things were perfect. Even though somehow 'get revenge on David' had turned into 'have sex with David twice a day, every day', Max was finally satisfied. Or, well, technically the opposite. He actually found that each day, he was never satisfied—that his puberty had taken hold of him and drove him to abuse David both physically and mentally without heed. But the fact that David finally understood what he wanted, and didn't make it difficult to obtain anymore, was perfect.
Max now headed for the showers. He needed to rinse off David's thick beta male scent (and truthfully, his own powerful alpha male scent too) before rejoining his friends for the night in his close-quarters tent. He stripped off his clothes, climbed in and let the cool water run over him. All the hot water was used up earlier when the normal Campbell campers were showering, but Max had grown used to it. It felt nice after having his body set ablaze by David's pathetic submissive masochism.
Then, after several long minutes, the water went from cool to chilly and Max had to get out. He gathered up his clothes, dried himself off, dressed, and set out for his tent once more.
The walk itself was fine, but what wasn't fine was the fact that Neil was wide awake and waiting for him when he arrived. As he drew back the entryway, he was met by the other boy's daggering stare.
"Well, it's nice of you to join us," he said threateningly.
Max tried to play it cool, "Thanks?"
"So," Neil continued, "you wanna explain what the hell you and David were doing that has Nikki fucking catatonic?" Neil pointed to the corner where the green-haired girl was wrapped up in the fetal position and rocking back and forth.
"Too close!" she whimpered, her voice shaky.
Max's heart stopped. For almost thirty seconds, he didn't move or respond, eyes narrowed with horror.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about…" he lied, edging backward out the door.
"Don't try to weasel your way out of this, Max! Whatever Nikki saw through the window of the counselor's cabin—Max, wait!"
But it was too late. Max had bolted out of the tent and beelined for David. The window. That stupid crash they heard—it was them! Max felt his eyes well up with tears as he ran. He wiped them away with his sleeve but more came. Why? Why were those damn curtains open? They had been so careful all this time; how could this have happened? Max thought, he scoured his mind for anything he could remember but he did not know.
He was sniffling by the time he arrived at the cabin doorstep, heart pounding and cheeks wet. He threw open the front door and David's door beyond that. They had been unlocked after he'd left earlier.
"Wake up, idiot!" he shouted as he slid into the room. His voice cracked.
David startled awake, jumping at Max's loud tone. He sat up from where he was drooped against the headboard.
"Wha… Max?" David mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"Nikki knows."
"What?" he asked again, now on a higher alert. "W-What do you—"
"She knows. About us."
David iced over, his eyes widening. His breathing stopped.
"About… about what we've been doing…?"
Max nodded and sniffled, wiping his face again.
"You're sure?" David asked a third time, desperately wishing Max was going to say no. But he didn't. Max nodded. Now David's eyes welled up with tears. "Oh dear."
For a moment they were silent, both fighting back tears and breathing shallowly.
"H-how—"
"The stupid fucking window, idiot, what else?"
"Max, I—Please don't yell. This is… I don't…" David was at a loss for words, but suddenly Max was filled with them. And like knives, he threw them sharply at David.
"Why would you leave your curtains open, you fucking moron? What kind of dipshit opens the window while he's fucking prepubescent boys? God, I can't believe how utterly stupid you are!" Max barked, still rubbing tears away from his cheeks.
"I'm sorry!" David said, his chest heaving terrified breaths at several miles per hour. "I-I don't remember ever opening them! I've had them closed as long as you've been coming over!"
"It was probably one of your bullshit 'David' moments. 'Oh wow, the sun is so bright and stupid, let me just expose all of my darkest secrets for the whole camp to see!'"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," David cried. "I didn't mean to, I swear!"
"God, fuck, what the hell are we gonna do?" Max took a deep breath and managed to get his crying under control. His face still red, he curled his hands into his hair thoughtfully. "This is so fucked up."
"We have to talk to them," David suggested.
"Oh yeah? And what? Tell them that they didn't just see you balls deep inside my ass? What a great idea, David, really fucking smart."
"Max, stop. I'm just as scared as you are right now, probably more, but arguing isn't going to solve anything."
"Well we can't just pretend it never happened!"
"You're right. That's why I'm saying we have to talk to them," David reasoned.
Max, though hysterical, fell silent. He breathed in and out, and noticed he was shaking like a leaf.
"I can't," he finally said, tears coming to fruition again.
"We have to."
"I don't want them to know I'm gay. They wouldn't understand."
"Oh, Max." David got up from where he'd been on the bed and moved over to the crying child. He pulled him into his arms and stroked his wooly black hair. "Being gay isn't something to be ashamed of. You're no one else but yourself, whether you like boys or girls or both or neither! And I think you're a pretty great kid."
"I blackmailed you into having regular anal sex with a prepubescent child who you're supposed to be watching for the summer. I am not a 'pretty great kid'."
"Er, well…" David spluttered, "While that may be true, you still shouldn't be ashamed for being gay."
Max didn't respond. He stared solemnly at the floorboards before sighing and putting his hands in his pockets.
"Come on, Max, let's go do some damage control."
David led Max out of the counselor's cabin and across the dirt paths toward the campers' tents. As they walked up to Max's shared tent with Nikki and Neil, they heard Neil attempting to pull the truth out of Nikki. Evidently, he had not witnessed anything himself and for that small thing, Max was grateful.
The drew back the flaps of the tent, David holding them open for Max to walk through. He didn't though and had to be ushered inside.
Max sat down on the edge of his cot, facing Neil, and David knelt down at the foot of it.
"Hello, Neil," David said first. Neil's arms were crossed as he glared daggers at the two of them. "And you too, Nikki."
"Too close!" she repeated, still rocking back and forth in the corner.
"So are you two here to finally explain what in the sane fuck is going on?"
"Ah—yes. We are, actually." David rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Max's eyes drifted to him and he noticed the man shaking. David was terrified.
"Good, cause this shit has gone on for way too long."
"I… agree."
The tent was silent for a moment. Max fidgeted with his hands in his lap. David cleared his throat.
"A while back, I managed to upset Max during a camp activity. I didn't mean to, of course, but he was just being Max."
"Mhm…" Neil mumbled, urging David to continue.
"Right," David croaked, the words struggling to come to him. He glanced around to find them. "Well, uh—Max being Max, he devised a plan to get back at me."
"It backfired," added Max.
"A-and before we knew what was happening…" The words died in David's throat. His breath hitched and he coughed, finding it all very difficult to explain. How exactly did one explain to a kid that he was involved sexually with their also-child best friend? His throat was threatening to close up. "Max and I…" he looked at Nikki, who had slowed her rocking and was listening closely. David coughed again and cleared his throat once more. "Max and I… like to hug."
"Not that close!" Nikki uttered swiftly, placing her hands over her head and trembling.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Neil grumbled, staring at them. David winced with fear. But Max was emboldened. He clenched his fists and bared his teeth at the other boy.
"We fucked, Neil! Whenever you couldn't find me, I was probably somewhere fucking David!" he snapped, making Neil's jaw drop. Disgust shrouded his face. "Build a bridge and get the fuck over it."
"You're not serious," Neil asked in horror.
"B-But everything's fine between us! Right, Max?" David tried.
"I found him jerking off one day and then followed him around so he couldn't ever finish. Then I used his desperation against him to blackmail him into letting me sit out of activities, and things got worse and worse for him until eventually some wires got crossed and I started getting turned on too and we finally fucked. Happy?"
"Sweet mother science, no wonder Nikki is scarred."
"Yeah, well…" Max huffed and crossed his arms. "You guys can't tell anyone about this. Me and David would be in so much trouble if anyone knew."
"For obvious reasons," David added nervously.
"Plus I'll kill you," Max finished.
"Look, personally, I don't care if you're gay for David," Neil began. Max growled and jumped up to attack, but David held out an arm to stop him. "But how long did you think you could keep this a secret? Gwen is literally ten yards away from you at night, David."
"We're putting an end to it, Neil, don't worry."
"The hell we are!" Max retorted. "I busted my ass blackmailing you and I'm not just gonna give all that up because Neil can't mind his own fucking business!"
"Max," David turned to him, putting a hand on his shoulder, "the relationship we have currently is incredibly unhealthy."
"Why, just because I bully you into doing whatever I want?" Max said ironically. He knew this was not the reason.
"No, because you're not old enough for us to be doing these kinds of things."
"I do plenty of shit I'm not 'old enough' for, so does everyone else at this god-forsaken camp. It's literally our thing."
"Again," Neil interjected, "gross. Do what you want, but for fuck's sake stop making it so glaringly obvious y'all are up to something."
"You two won't tell?" David asked, a spark of hope.
"I don't even want to keep thinking about it now, and I highly doubt she does either," Neil replied, gesturing to Nikki. Nikki shook her head fast and hard.
"Oh, thank you. You have no idea how much this means to us!" David said gratefully. He wiped tears away from his eyes and took a deep, cleansing breath. Max subconsciously did the same.
"Great. Now get the fuck out of our tent for the night. You too, Max, just leave us alone for a while, while we purge this mess from our underdeveloped brains." Neil pointed at the exit.
David nodded and wasted no time removing himself from the tent. Max hesitated, gave Neil an indebted last glance, then followed David.
When the two emerged from the tent, they began walking back to the counselor's cabin for the night. For a while, they spared no words, both too mortified to come up with any. Eventually, David was the first to speak.
"Looks like we're back where we started, huh Max?" he joked lightly, referring to Max coming to sleep in his bedroom.
"Yeah, David, I guess we are."
"We're very lucky to have been let off the hook, you know. We shouldn't push our luck."
Max snickered and gave David a predatory gaze. He bit his lower lip seductively.
"What fun would that be?"