The stars sparkled overhead, casting a gentle light over the lake as the crackling of the campfire filled the night with warmth and an earthy, smoky scent. Gudako Fujimura sat cross-legged by the fire, marshmallow on a stick, her expression one of mischievous delight. It wasn't often she got a moment of downtime, but this summer event was the perfect excuse to kick back. And what better way to do that than by bringing a few new friends along?
She glanced over to the figure sitting silently across from her— Jason Voorhees. Yes, that Jason Voorhees, this time summoned as a Berserker. The infamous, masked figure looked entirely out of place amid the casual comfort of the campfire, but that didn't seem to bother him. He sat there, unmoving, as if he were unsure what to do with himself. Gudako couldn't help but smile, seeing the stoic killer at a complete loss by something as simple as a summer camp.
"Come on, Jason," Gudako encouraged, offering him a freshly toasted marshmallow. "It's summer! And what's summer without some s'mores?"
Jason tilted his head slightly, his ever-silent gaze fixed on the marshmallow. For a moment, Gudako wondered if he was trying to figure out what it was or if he even knew what s'mores were. After all, a quiet, lakeside camp wasn't exactly new to him, but enjoying it like this certainly was.
"Here," Gudako said, taking the marshmallow and sandwiching it between two graham crackers with a square of chocolate. She held it out to him with a grin. "This is called a s'more. You're supposed to eat it."
Jason hesitated, but eventually reached out, taking the treat carefully in his large, gloved hand. He looked down at it for a long moment, and Gudako could almost feel his curiosity through the silence. Slowly, he brought the s'more up to his mask, pausing as if he weren't entirely sure how to eat it with the hockey mask in the way.
Gudako giggled, biting into her own s'more and gesturing with her marshmallow-free hand. "You could lift the mask, you know. Just a little. I won't peek, I promise."
Jason seemed to consider her suggestion before lifting the mask just enough to take a bite. She couldn't see his face, but she could sense a shift in his demeanor. He took a slow, tentative bite, and as he lowered the mask again, he paused, as if savoring the unfamiliar combination of flavors.
Gudako beamed, her excitement palpable. "See? It's good, right? S'mores are a classic summer treat. You're supposed to eat them while sitting around a campfire, telling ghost stories, and singing songs."
Jason continued to sit in silence, but he hadn't put the s'more down, which Gudako took as a win.
"You know," she said, looking at the fire thoughtfully, "maybe this is your first real summer camp experience. Like, a proper one. No… well…" She trailed off, chuckling awkwardly. "No, uh… lake incidents."
Jason didn't react, but there was something almost peaceful about his presence. It was strange— here was one of the most feared beings of all time, a legend of terror, and yet, in this moment, he was just a figure at a campfire, quietly enjoying the simple pleasure of a s'more.
Gudako leaned back, looking up at the stars. "Summer camp isn't always about the scary stuff. Sometimes, it's just about having fun with friends." She smiled at him, wondering if he'd ever had a chance to experience something like this.
After a moment, Jason looked toward her, his silent form illuminated by the warm glow of the fire. He raised his stick, spearing another marshmallow with surprising gentleness for someone of his reputation. Slowly, he held it over the fire, watching as it turned golden and puffy.
Gudako felt a swell of satisfaction. "See? You're a natural!"
She glanced around the quiet camp, realizing that the usual edge of tension that accompanied Jason's presence was gone. It was just the two of them, sharing a moment by the fire, a silent truce formed through a love of s'mores and the warmth of a summer night.
Gudako settled back, her grin as bright as the firelight. "So, Jason," she said, breaking the silence as if she were talking to an old friend, "got any campfire stories you want to share?"
Jason, of course, said nothing. But in that quiet, companionable silence, Gudako figured they didn't need words. For the first time, she saw a side of Jason that few would ever see— a soul at peace, just a little bit, savoring a moment that was entirely his own.
And as they sat together by the fire, Gudako couldn't help but feel she'd given him something he hadn't had in a long time: a real summer memory.