That afternoon's lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup might've actually proven tasty, had the cheese not been molding and the tomato soup not been more like tomato-flavored water. Noah gave up a few minutes into the meal; Cody took a little longer to decide his turning stomach just wasn't worth it.

The two of them were headed out of the dining hall when a group of seven of the campers approached. "Hey Cody, you wanna play some Ultimate Frisbee?" Trent offered, showcasing the plastic disc by spinning it between his hands.

The boy's gap-toothed grin appeared instantly. "Sure, sounds fun!" He turned to the boy next to him. "Wanna join us, Noah?"

Noah put up his hand, quickly declining. "No, that's okay." He planted himself down on the nearby picnic table, promptly cracking open his book and emersing.

"Oh. Uh, okay…" Cody shifted nervously.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"It's like the guy wants the rest of the team to dislike him!" Cody said exasperatedly. He shook his head. "I don't get it."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"We're playing Bass against Gophers," Duncan said. "In other words, prepare to be crushed." He punctuated the word with a punch into his palm.

"Haha, yeah, okay, whatever," Izzy giggled between words, giving a flip of her wrist and roll of her eyes. "I've participated in three Canine Frisbee Disc World Championships, I think I know a little about frisbee, okay?"

"That is so interesting," Owen said. "Did they hand out treats? Milk-Bones are the best," he commented, patting his large stomach with a laugh.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Did the dude just say he liked the taste of dog treats?" Duncan thumbed to the side. He laughed, slapping his head. "Way whack, man."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"My favorite flavor are the gravy ones," Owen revealed, as if he were reviewing an exquisite cuisine. "They have a nice bite, but are still semi-soft. Plus, they're great for your oral hygiene!" His eyes half-lidded, "Mmm… gravy…"

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

Soon the teams had set up the perimeter for play and taken their sides of the field and the game began in earnest. Several points were scored for each side, with the Bass leading. The whole first quarter Cody couldn't stop thinking about Noah and his stubborn reluctance to play, his eyes occasionally darting over to the boy still reading at the picnic table— it was bugging him to the point it was effecting his own playing ability. This was the perfect chance for Noah to get in good with some of the team… and he was throwing it away!

He had to do something, he decided. Running quickly to position himself, he nabbed a pass from Trent. Owen was ahead on the field, angled reasonably close to Noah, his arms waving above his head. "Here, right here!" the large boy called out. Already Tyler was sprinting to intercept, but that wouldn't be a problem because Cody wasn't planning to complete the pass.

Cody aimed the disc and tossed. It sailed way out of bounds and came to a skidding halt on the picnic table. Noah's eyes drew away from his book, regarding the frisbee now beside him with a look of skepticism.

"Whoops, sorry guys," Cody chuckled with fake embarrassment. "Noah, toss it back!" he called to the other teen, waving his arms above his head.

The dark-haired boy gave him a look that said he'd do nothing of the sort. "You threw it over here, you can come get it."

Cody winced. Before too much attention could fall on Noah and make the team's perception of him even worse, Cody rushed over to retrieve the frisbee from the tabletop.

"What are you trying to pull?" Noah asked plainly once Cody had come over. He knew Cody hadn't made a poor throw. Not after yesterday's dodgeball stunts.

"I thought if you played it might help you bond with some of the team," Cody whispered back.

"Maybe everyone's forgotten, but this isn't a challenge," Noah continued to contest. "What's the point?"

"If you play, they'll like you. If they like you, they won't vote you off. It's as simple as that," Cody spoke.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Noah is being so difficult. I'm trying to do the guy a solid here!" Cody told the camera.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Of course I know Cody's right," Noah grumped in the bathroom stall. "The only way to prove myself to these neanderthals is if I participate in their ritualistic hoopla and chest-thumping." He pointed at the camera. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

Noah sighed dramatically, pointedly shutting his book and smacking it down on the table. "Give me that," he grumbled; Cody happily handed the frisbee to him. "Let's just get this over with," the brown-eyed teen pushed up his long sleeves as he entered the designated playing field.

"Haha, you think adding another player to your team will help you?" Geoff jeered. "Sorry dudes, but you're going down!" The blond turned his thumbs down over his head. "KILLER BASS! WOO!"

Noah's eyes rolled hard in his skull. He calmly flicked the frisbee to Bridgette standing at goal line so the other team could take the offensive. Trent gave a quick countdown, "Three, two, one, go!" and the teams fanned out. The surfer chick smirked, nodding to Geoff before flinging it his way. He nabbed it out of the air and quickly searched for the next pass. He tossed it toward Tyler, who was shouting "I got it! I got it!" but Izzy pounced into the air like a rabid animal, seizing the frisbee between her teeth and landing on all fours. She shook her head back and forth wildly, growling around the disc in her mouth, then released it toward Owen.

"Nice interception, Izzy!" Owen said, catching the frisbee. "Trent!" he announced, flinging it toward the guitar player. They were almost to the goal line. Cody sprinted himself past it and ducked around Bridgette. Trent sent the disc sailing high and Cody leapt for it, managing to grab it by the very tips of his fingers.

"Oh yeah, baby!" Owen celebrated. Trent high-fived him.

"Yeah… woo team," Noah muttered.

Cody appeared at his side, panting a little. "C'mon, Noah, you gotta move around more," he encouraged. Everyone had been involved in the scored point except the dark-haired boy.

"Do I have to?" Noah asked. He sighed and positioned himself further up on the field, trying to focus on the positioning of his teammates and the opposing team. Of course, finding the effort to care was the harder part. His eyes narrowed as Bridgette served off, again throwing to Geoff first. Geoff spun the disc around behind his back in a trick-shot to Duncan, but somehow Cody managed to squirt in front of the punk before he could catch it.

"Noah!" Cody called out, flinging it.

The dark-haired boy flinched at the sound of his name, eyes on the frisbee and legs reacting almost of their own accord to carry him to its end trajectory. Unfortunately, Tyler was headed precisely the same place. The two collided. The frisbee went rolling off.

A communal "Ooooohhh!" sounded out across both teams, save for Duncan's harsh laughter.

Noah untangled himself from the clumsy Tyler grumpily. He had half a mind to walk off the playing field right then and there, except quitting would undoubtedly damage his reputation… more. The frisbee was returned to the Bass, this time with Tyler serving. He chucked it to Duncan and Duncan threw to Bridgette. Trent's fingers barely scraped the edge of the disc, but he missed the steal. Though Tyler had come bounding through and was further forward on the field, Bridgette passed to Geoff. The second it landed in his hands, he zinged it to Tyler, who was past the goal line. The team whooped in victory.

"I'll serve the next one, guys," Trent said, taking point.

"Three, two, one… rock on!" Duncan sounded out. The teams spread out again, vying for position. Trent passed to Izzy, who caught it normally, but lowered to give it two quick nibbles like a chipmunk before dipping low and sending it whizzing only a foot off the ground.

"Got it!" Cody ran and bent in one smooth motion, acquiring the disc.

Noah evaluated his position on the field, preparing for the pass. But this time Cody tossed the frisbee to Owen, who obviously also didn't see the exchange coming. The frisbee hit him square in the gut, ricochetting harmlessly off him, and not so harmlessly wanging Noah in the face.

"Oops. Sorry, Noah," the large boy apologized, laughing.

"I hate projectile sports…" Noah muttered, rubbing his jaw.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"I don't know if my face is going to make it the eight weeks at this rate," Noah commented flatly.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"You guys are really awesome," Duncan taunted, "at losing!"

"Just throw the frisbee, pincushion," Noah sneered.

Duncan did so. It was again to Tyler. Owen was blocking his would-be pass to Geoff, forcing him to look for another option. Noah kept on Bridgette like glue. The frisbee sailed her way; she leapt and caught it out of the air seamlessly.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Oh no you don't, sister. Not this time," Noah said threateningly.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

He knew exactly who she was going to throw to. She spun to Geoff and launched it, but it hadn't flown more than three meters before Noah snagged it. Duncan and Bridgette were both so stunned they didn't have time to react to the change in offense; Noah threw it hard to Izzy. Tyler was bounding hard to reach her, but in so doing he tripped over his own feet and fell. By the time he'd gotten up, he didn't have enough time to reach her; she'd already whizzed the frisbee off to Cody who was standing behind the goal line. Their team got the point.

"Woohoo, right on," Trent celebrated.

Noah gave himself a mental pat on the back. Cody jogged up to him and offered up a palm above his head. Secretly smirking, Noah returned the five. Bridgette was much more careful about passing to Geoff from then on.

The second quarter ended shortly after that. The third came and went with several trade-offs and goals for each side. Noah even managed to be the one past the goal line on a completed pass once. They were in the lead briefly beginning the fourth but had since lost it. In the late stages of the game, many of the other remaining campers had gathered to watch on the sidelines, lending their support in their own fashions.

"Did you know Ultimate Frisbee wasn't developed until 1968?" Harold said to Lashawna, who didn't look particularly interested. "It took another seven years to be introduced in Canada."

"Not that that's not really interesting, but could it maybe wait until after the game?" Lashawna silenced him. She cupped a hand to her mouth. "You go, Gophers! Yeah!"

"C'mon, Gophers, pick up the slack!" Heather insisted. "Why are you sucking so much?"

"Maybe they just need a cheerleader," Beth suggested. "I could do it! Waving pompoms is a lot like baton twirling." She searched the area around her for something that could act as pompoms.

"Killer Bass are the best!" Sadie exclaimed.

"Oh-my-gooosh, I think so too!" Katie chimed in. The two girls squealed and embraced one another.

"A frisbee match?" Gwen approached, looking semi-curious, semi-skeptical at the goings-on.

"Hey Gwen!" Cody greeted, waving. At the utterance of her name, Trent's green eyes snapped to her and he waved too; the frisbee went sailing past his head, uncaught, and plopped down into the dirt. Noah rolled his eyes.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Stupid!" Trent slapped his palm into his forehead. "I gotta keep my head in the game. Gwen's watching!"

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Fantastic," Noah folded his arms, "Little Miss Distraction shows up and two of our players go googly-eyed. There goes the game."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"We can still win this, guys," Trent told his team as they briefly huddled together away from the other team who currently had possession of the frisbee, "We just need to get another point in the next two minutes to tie the game and it will force an overtime period."

"Right, but even if we can manage that, we'll still have to get the lead and keep it in those five minutes," Noah reminded skeptically.

"Trent's right, we can do this," Owen agreed. "I can feel it in my gut." He paused. "Or maybe that's just the three extra bowls of soup I had… hahaha."

"Just harness your animal instincts, guys," Izzy suggested. She put her hands up to either side of her mouth and hooked her index fingers to look like fangs. "Look at me! I'm a COBRA!" She hissed and imitated snapping.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Why do we have someone mentally ill on our team again?" Noah asked the camera. "Oh right. Because she hasn't been voted off yet."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Let's show 'em what the Screaming Gophers can do!" Cody broke the huddle enthusiastically.

They all found places on the field. Trent sounded off the countdown again, "Three, two, one, go!" Geoff served to Duncan. The punk was about to throw to Tyler, but Izzy was bouncing up and down in front of him making cockatoo noises. He changed tactics and tossed to Bridgette. Noah was still keeping on her, and she hesitated in sending it Geoff's way, pivoting in place and searching for an opening. She returned it to Duncan, who had managed to punch a little further up the field, but now Trent was in the way, keeping the Bass from making further headway. Duncan sent it backward to Geoff instead.

They were stalling, Noah realized. The Bass knew they didn't need to score any additional points to win, they just needed to keep the Gophers from scoring in the next minute or so. They had to get possession of the frisbee, and fast.

Geoff had passed to Duncan once more. Quietly, Noah peeled himself away from Bridgette, trying to take a less defensive position and posture to avoid attention. Cody glanced at him, his brow furrowing under his mop of hair a moment, then it seemed to click in his blue eyes. Owen and Trent again managed to block any passes the Bass might make up-field, and Duncan threw backward to Geoff.

Noah only had to sidestep half a meter to intercept the toss. "Cody!" he called out as he flung the frisbee, and the boy went sprinting after it. It didn't look like he was going to quite make it— Noah had thrown it a little too hard and far— until he dove horizontally, landing front-first in the dirt, but victoriously holding the disc aloft where he'd landed past the goal line.

The campers not playing went nuts, cheering or booing respective to their teams.

"Wow, Cody, that was an amazing catch!" Owen congratulated.

"Oh, it was nothing," Cody chuckled it off, brushing the dirt from his long sleeves. "It was Noah's steal that was amazing," he tried to turn the attention around.

Noah opened his mouth to say it was nothing more than a simple matter of observing the other team's tactics when Duncan interrupted rudely, "Big deal, you tied us. Enough bragging already."

"Oh man, nothin' like a close game to really get the adrenaline pumpin', huh, Bridge?" Geoff said to the surfer girl, his face a grin. She smiled, nodding. "After we win, I think we should throw a rockin' party," he suggested. All the Bass gave a hearty yell. It was like they were already celebrating.

The game went into overtime. Not thirty seconds later, the Bass scored a point.

Cody's mouth fell open.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"We can't lose to the Killer Bass again," he dispaired. "Team morale would tank!"

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

Noah's nose wrinkled. He was a cynic by nature, and the very thought that they could somehow pull a win by this point made him want to give a wry laugh. Still, he knew one person who would be more disappointed than everyone else on the team should they fail. He glanced over at Cody, whose jaw was set with determination.

Play resumed. It was clear everyone on both sides was starting to get tired, yet everyone dragged doggedly on, unwilling to surrender. When Izzy managed to get a pass in to Trent past the goal line, it was met with a roar from the on-looking campers. The overtime period ended. The only way to settle the winner of the match was by playing one last point. And the Bass were on the offensive.

They needed an ace in the hole. Something that would absolutely ensure them that last point. Noah frowned, sizing up the other team. His eyes fell on Owen. Then, it came to him.

The dark-haired boy bumped his elbow inconspicuously into Cody's shoulder. "Whatever you do, get that frisbee to me," he spoke softly. "Understand?"

Cody looked a little unsure, but nodded. Noah backed himself up toward the very end of the field by the Bass' goal line.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Noah's really stepped it up. I'm proud of him. But what's he planning?" Cody wondered, scratching the back of his head. "He's as far from our goal line as he can get. I'm not saying I don't trust him… I just hope he knows what he's doing. This'll make or break the game."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

Bridgette served. The disc passed between Tyler and Duncan. Geoff was in line to take it next, and Cody made sure he was there on the blond's heels. He leapt at the perfect moment, stealing. Trent was open further up-field and seemed like the most sensible play; Cody glanced back at Noah, then at Trent again. He shook off his indecision and sent it sailing to Noah.

"Um, wrong way?!" Heather complained loudly.

Noah caught the frisbee. Quickly he reached into his cargo pocket. He'd had the luck of sneaking into the kitchen that morning when Chef was distracted and found a cinnamon roll. He'd wrapped it in a square of wax paper, hoping to save it for himself later after dinner. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. He hurriedly unwrapped the pastry and squished the icing-covered top onto the underside of the frisbee. It adhered effectively. The Bass were charging in his direction and had nearly closed the distance. He aimed carefully and flung with all his might.

The frisbee went sailing with no clear target catcher. It zinged past Owen a mere centimeter away from his nose. The large boy's nostrils flared suddenly. "Is that… CINNAMON?" he shouted. His feet dug into the earth and he took off after the frisbee with inhuman speed. He barrelled past Duncan and Geoff, nearly trampling Tyler in his pursuit; Bridgette just barely dodged out of his path, sent spinning. Owen pounced into the air mouth-first. The disc flew right into his mouth and was quickly swallowed. But he was past the goal line.

"Screaming Gophers win!" Beth announced, wildly shaking the two tumbleweeds she'd found.

"What? No! The dude ate it!" Duncan argued.

"Izzy was catching using her mouth earlier," Cody pointed out, his fists on his hips and looking entirely smug. "You didn't have any problem with it then."

"Aw man, total bummer," Geoff kicked at the ground.

Bridgette came to his side to pat the forlorn blond on the arm. "There there. Maybe we can have a runner-up party."

The punk crossed his arms. "Whatever. You only won because you had an extra player on your team."

"Don't be a sore loser, Duncan," Courtney chastised. "It's not very becoming."

"Nice going, Big-O," Izzy congratulated, hopping up onto the boy's shoulders. He beltched.

Trent scratched the back of his head. "That was our only frisbee."

"Sorry…" Owen apologized with a sheepish laugh.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"I guess that's the last of Ultimate Frisbee at Camp Wawanawka," Noah commented. "Can't say I'm going to shed any tears."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Are we going to throw a party or what?" Gwen suggested. It wasn't normally her style to suggest such a thing, but it seemed all of the Gophers were eager to rub defeat into the face of the Bass. They all began toward the dining hall, still chatting enthusiastically about the game.

Cody trotted over to the picnic table. Noah's eyebrow tweaked. "Party's that way," he said, hooking his thumb.

Cody handed him the book he'd left on the table. "Yeah, but I know you don't wanna go. Let's celebrate somewhere quieter."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Cody doesn't mind missing out on the team's victory party?" Noah said aloud as if he didn't believe it. "A party that Gwen will be at? That Gwen suggested?"

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Yeah, I'm gonna miss out on the party. And a chance to hang out with Gwen," Cody shrugged. "But Noah won us that game. I think he deserves to celebrate the way he wants to. And… I kinda wanna be there with him." He grasped the edges of the toilet, swinging his feet shyly at the admittance. "I'll find time to hang out with Gwen tomorrow."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

Noah stood in stunned silence a moment longer. He didn't have words to express his appreciation. So instead he leaned in to press a lingering kiss on Cody's cheek; the other teen's face flushed. "I know just the place," he agreed.

Cody followed Noah a bit away from camp, coming to a hammock that had been hung between a couple of close-standing evergreens. Noah climbed into it first and Cody joined him cautiously so as to not tip the hammock. They each took a moment of shifting to find a comfortable configuration: Cody reaching his arms up and folding his hands behind his head, one leg slung out of the hammock; Noah nestled in the crook of Cody's armpit, his book propped upright on his chest.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Have I mentioned just how nice it is to have someone next to you?" Cody said to the camera. "Like as in, physically touching? It's the best feeling in the world." He chuckled softly, "Noah's way more affectionate than I would've guessed he'd be. It's… really nice. I like it."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

Cody sighed happily, staring up at the patches of blue sky past the treetops above them. No doubt the Gophers were having fun, but relaxing next to Noah was even better. He kicked his leg gently, encouraging the hammock to rock back and forth. "I knew you had it in you," he said.

"What's that?" Noah's eyes didn't lift from the page he was on.

"The ability to be a team-player, of course."

"Don't read into it," Noah snorted. "You know I did it for myself." He flicked to the next page in his book.

Cody shrugged, a smile plastered to his face. "Doesn't change the fact you were awesome out there. Besides…" he let the word hang a moment, "I don't think it was entirely for your own benefit."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"There's a lot more to Cody than most people see," Noah stated. He began to list off on his fingers, "He's smart, perceptive, and not bad at all these dumb challenges. I'd see him as a threat if we weren't 'seeing' one another."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Fine. You got me," Noah gave the smallest of chuckles. He turned, brushing Cody's bangs aside to kiss him on the forehead. "Tomorrow is probably a challenge day; we'll see if I don't get voted off."

"You're assuming we're gonna lose the challenge," Cody contested. "Don't be so pessimistic."

"It's called being realistic," Noah corrected.

"Uh huh. Just like you were 'being realistic' when you assumed I wouldn't date you?" Cody asked, barely holding back a smirk.

Noah opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't have a comeback for that. He cleared his throat and repositioned the book on his chest, focusing his attention on it.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"So things have turned out differently than I expected," Noah admitted. "Doesn't mean he has to be a little smart-ass about it." His seriousness held only a couple of seconds before a smile spread over his features.

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~

"Don't get me wrong, I'm still really into Gwen," Cody made it a point to say. "But turns out I'm a little more into Noah than I originally thought I guess, haha."

~~kkkssshhhttt…!~~