#camp counsellors

[welcometomycurrenthyperfixation]

THE QUARRY | STRANGER THINGS AU (CURRENT WIP FIC)

The Quarry, but it’s Stranger Things characters instead. Slightly different plot and things get a bit spicier than a PG Truth or Dare Game. 😏🔥

Steve X Eddie | Nancy X Johnathan | Robin X Vickie | Argyle X Eden | Chrissy X Jason (someone’s gotta die first)

[jhsharman]

Prayers

Okay, fine -- Archie would really enjoy being lost in the woods with a bunch of pretty girls. Makes sense. Except. Wouldn't Mr. Weatherbee's presence change the equation?

[context-is--irrelevant]

Don't you just love it when there's just wildebeests all over your floor?

Camp Counsellor

[fenfyre]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Title: The Moments We Share

Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Wordcount: 6136

Rating: Teen and up

Ship: Shance

Summary:

Wrangling a bunch of kids during camp wasn't an easy job to begin with but things always got even more interesting once McClain got involved. But no matter how mischievious and coky the resident trouble maker of their rival camp was, Shiro just couldn't help being charmed by him time and time again.

[fenfyre]

The Moments We Share - Part I

Shiro hadn't even noticed it at first, stumbling out of his tent to make his way over to where they had built the larger, covered kitchen area, blearily blinking into the morning sun that was barely just rising above the treetops of the forest near the open meadow where they'd set up camp. Between playing games with his fellow counsellors late into the night and then supervising the vigil at the campfire during his shift he'd barely gotten two hours of sleep. So it wasn't really his fault when he didn't notice anything wrong this morning. At least not until one of the younger girls crawled out of her tent and let out a piercing screech.

"Shiro!", Lilly cried out, tripping over toward the kitchen and almost falling over her untied shoelaces. "Shiro, our banner!"

His still tiredly blinking eyes followed her small but insistently pointing finger over to the flagpole they had erected on the first day of camp, the flagpole that was supposed to fly their banner but that was noticeably naked this morning, except for the tiny rainbow flag Shiro had pinned up there as well. Being the chief had its perks, after all.

"Oh..." He was barely able to bite back the curse that was at the tip of his tongue and turn it into a lame "dang" instead. Before his tired mind could make out the next steps there was another kid crawling out of their tent, a little older than Lilly but just as fast to notice there was something wrong.

"The banner's gone!", Kim cried out and pat the roof of their group’s tent vigorously with the hand that wasn't pulling on their shoes at the moment. "Guys, they got our banner!"

There was a muffled but still horrified "what?" coming from inside and a few moments later the camp was swarming with a whole bunch of half haphazardly dressed kids in various stages of distress or excitement.

Sighing quietly Shiro kissed his chances to sneak in a quiet cup of coffee before the day started goodbye and started his job of wrangling children.

Before he could even try and talk them down, some kids already swearing revenge on whoever had robbed them of their beloved banner, others accusing each other of falling asleep during their turn at the vigil, he heard the familiar voice of one of his co-counsellors. Apparently having been woken earlier than usual from all of the ruckus going on outside of his tent Keith emerged from between the kids, still rumpled but eyes sharp.

"I think we all know who it was", came the low grumble directed at Shiro who couldn't even disagree. There was only one other group close enough to make it over to their campsite for a nightly robbery and considering they always had some kind of rivalry with Saint Andreas it wasn't a hard guess at all. At least their rivalry was friendly, most of the time.

"There's a letter!", one of the kids called, running over to the flagpole to rip off the envelope that was pinned there surprisingly securely. Shiro really should not have left his glasses back in his tent thinking he wouldn't need them to make breakfast. When the kid, Riley, handed him the envelope he did have trouble squinting down at the elegantly curved letters.

To Chief Shirogane

But even through the slight blur that was part sleep deprivation and part near sightedness he recognized the handwriting. Maybe that alone should not have sent an excited shiver down his spine but it did, even though Shiro would never admit it to anyone, least of all Keith who was sidling up close to him to look over his shoulder as Shiro pulled out the letter stuffed inside and started reading it out loud.

"What's up losers", he called out, conveniently skipping the second line of address, the way too personal "(and hey there, handsome)" that made him stutter as his eyes skimmed the line. "I'm not about to say any names but someone got very distracted by scary stories during their night shift and we couldn't ignore that opportunity now, could we? Maybe next time make your banner a bit harder to reach, just a friendly suggestion. Anyway, if you want to see it alive - and I know you do because you just love your traditions - meet us down by the lake at noon. Bring swimming gear and some snacks, our challenges are going to be plenty. See you soon!"

There was another line scrawled below that was, again, supposed to be for Shiro's eyes only. A hastily scribbled addition that read "looking forward to seeing you in swimming trunks, handsome" that made Shiro suck in a stuttering breath. But he couldn't dwell on it for too long when the kids gathered around him erupted in excited chatter and passionate war cries.

Part II

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[fenfyre]

The Moments We Share - Part III

Part I    Part II

"Welcome to the arena!", McClain called out when they stepped onto the beach, arms spread out and a bunch of kids gathered behind him. Shiro knew for a fact he wasn't the chief of their group, that would be Holt, but for some reason he was always the one orchestrating these kinds of shenanigans so Shiro wasn't surprised to see him first.

His heart didn't stutter at the sight of that cocksure grin. Or at least that was what he would tell Keith if asked.

"As I see you have found our polite request for some friendly competition. I also hope you have come well rested because we sure won't make it easy to win back your beloved banner."

Shiro couldn't help but grin back as they made their way down to where the Saint Andreas kids were gathered. There weree different stations and games prepared all along the beach. In the distance he could see a volleyball field and several kinds of parcour, a few tables strewn about with games demanding coordination and luck, a huge pile of material that could be used to build rafts, some balls of different sizes, shovels and buckets ... there was too much to take in with one quick sweep of their surroundings and for a moment Shiro found himself awed.

The Saint Andreas kids and counsellors had prepared all of this today? For them? He shook his head in disbelief and felt his grin melt into something softer as he looked back at the man standing in front of him like some kind of trickster god having just started his newest game with his favourite mortals.

Part of him wanted to thank McClain for putting all of this effort into what promised to be an incredibly fun afternoon for all of them but then he remembered that gratefulness could come later. Now it was time to fight.

"Oh don't worry, we'll rise up to any challenge you can think of. You might as well return what's ours right now to spare yourself the embarrassment of being crushed by us."

It was pointless trash talk but the kids still lapped it up, there was excited hooting and hollaring behind him while the children behind McClain started booing, even though the sound was broken up by laughter now and again.

"Don't get too cocky, Shirogane. You might come to regret it once we wipe the floor with you."

More excited and appalled noises but Shiro couldn't pay any attention to them when McClain smirked at him like that, like he knew exactly what he was doing to Shiro and loved every single second of it.

Keith could never know how quickly that smirk made his heart beat.

So instead of sighing and swooning like his inner bumbling teenager was begging to do he took a step forward until he could look down on McClain. On second thought that might have been a mistake as he inhaled to speak and could smell the strangely flowery, light scent of the other man.

But of course Shiro powered through and growled a low "Bring it on" that made McClain's eyes flash for just a second while the kids behind both of them erupted in earth shaking war cries.

The first challenge was building a sand castle that would be judged by an almost neutral panel of three judges based on scale, detail and functionality, whatever that meant. One kid of every age group was selected to represent their respective teams and then there was a lot of shouting and hectic piling and forming of sand for the next twenty minutes.

Shiro had just called out for Natasha to fix the crumbling north tower when McClain sidled up to him, quiet and smug and unfairly beautiful.

"I was right", he hummed, casually inspecting his nails like he hadn't waited for the perfect opportunity to come on to Shiro and jumped at the first chance he got. But before Shiro could ask just what he was talking about the man looked up to him, deep blue eyes sparking with mischief as he licked his lips.

"You do look great in swimming trunks."

Shiro froze, unsure what to answer, if he should comment on McClain's tempting state of undress as well or hold the words back in case any of the kids were closer than he thought. Then blue eyes flicked up and down his body and a low, appreciative sound escaped from between pursed lips, and the other man disappeared again.

The short but sweet interaction left Shiro with a lingering heat in his belly that spread all the way up into his chest, making him grin, then chuckle, until he finally managed to shrug it off just enough to keep cheering for his team without getting distracted too much. He did catch himself now and again when his eyes scanned the crowd for a pretty face and a grin that made his stomach drop so sweetly.

Part IV

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[fenfyre]

The Moments We Share - Part II

Part I

"Don't worry Shiro, we'll get it back!", Lilly called out, jumping up and down full of energy that Shiro had no idea where she was getting it from after having caught her sneaking around late last night and spending a shift at the campfire vigil with him. Riley was still next to him, giving a grim nod.

"Those Andreas assholes won't even know what hit 'em, we'll show 'em how..."

A hand came out of nowhere to lightly hit the teenage boy up the head, Keith shooting him an even grimmer stare.

"Language", he mumbled quietly and Shiro could see a confused frown form on Riley’s face.

"Hey, you curse worse than anyone else around here, just last night I heard you talk about the Andreas people like..."

"Yeah, but I don't do it around the small kids because I know how to f - frigging control myself, Riley", Keith hissed back and Shiro could barely stifle a laugh at the barely bitten back curse.

Keith might know how to control himself but only just barely and only around the youngest. But even though he surely wasn’t the most shining example of how to speak he was still one of the best leaders Shiro had ever met. There were lots of things he could teach the kids, especially when it came to nature and survival and the older ones loved him even though he could be brash at times.

So Riley just laughed it off, confusion and traces of anger gone as he grinned at Keith who grinned back at him. After having given the kids a few moments to get out their excitement Shiro clapped his hands together to get their attention.

"Alright everyone, looks like our trip to the city has been postponed, we have more important things to do this afternoon!"

There was another round of whopping and hollaring from both kids and adults. Some of the other counsellors looked a little annoyed with the sudden change of plans but Shiro knew they were just as interested in winning back what was theirs as the kids were. They could always go on a shopping trip and have ice cream with the kids on another day but now they had to rise to whatever challenge St Andreas would give them. Besides, one less afternoon for them to fill with activities was a welcome little break for the busy counsellors.

"I know you're all excited but first we will have breakfast together and then see what we need to pack. Lilly, Kim, you're with me. Everyone else, get dressed. It'll be a busy day."

After finishing his address and shooing the kids back towards their tents to get their towels and toothbrushes Shiro allowed himself one last look at the elegantly written letter. If he smiled a little too fondly when tucking it away into his pocket then nobody noticed. Or at least that was what he thought.

~

"Could you maybe stop mooning over the enemy?", came Keith's disgruntled voice from just outside the tent after Shiro had slipped inside. He'd finished washing up with Lilly and Kim and now was just about to pack his things for their plans at the lake later in the day when Keith joined him inside, plopping down on Shiro's sleeping bag without a care in the world.

"I'm not mooning over anyone", Shiro tried to argue, even though he could feel his cheeks heat up at the suggestion, at the words his friend had chosen. "And besides, they're not the enemy! We weren't careful enough so they snatched our banner, it's tradition, it's all in good fun!"

Keith scoffed, eyes sparking as he looked over at Shiro who was half heartedly rifling through his duffel bag, trying to keep his hands busy lest they start tugging on his ears or do anything else that would betray his thoughts.

“Don’t try and change the topic, Shiro. You know what I’m talking about. ‘Hey there, handsome’? What the fuck?”

Shiro shifted his weight on his knees and felt the stiff letter crinkle in his pocket, it seemed traitorous even though it didn’t make any sound. For some reason there was a protective warmth flickering in his chest and he could barely keep from crossing his arms. Instead he grabbed his swimming trunks and pulled them from the depths of the bag.

“I can’t control what he writes in his letters”, he mumbled and it sounded embarrassingly defensive to his ears. Keith had to notice that, judging by the way he rolled his eyes, full of exasperation about Shiro’s antics.

After all this hadn't just started yesterday or even last week and Shiro was pretty sure most of his fellow counsellors had gotten some kind of wind of what was going on between him and that painfully cute counsellor at Saint Andreas. If there was anything going on at all and Shiro wasn't just helplessly pining after a pretty, unfairly flirtatious guy.

“No, but you could maybe try not to blush about it like some bumbling teenager.”

Needless to say Keith was not happy with the way Shiro kept getting distracted when he was meant to organize and lead. Not that it really had any impact on Shiro's work beyond making him look like some kind of idiot now and again. But Keith was hard to reason with in his best moments and the stress of babysitting kids for an entire week was already starting to get to him, no matter how great he was at the job and how much he enjoyed some of the activities they got up to. Shiro knew being cramped in a camp with all these people was getting to him more than he let on and feeling like the person who was supposed to bear most of the weight and responsibility was getting distracted by something as mundane as a crush could not have been helping.

So Shiro stopped his rifling and packing to smile reassuringly at the young man sitting across from him.

"Alright, I'll stop blushing and bumbling. Happy?"

Keith only squinted at him, fingers tapping against Shiro's air mattress before he raised up onto his knees to scoot over to his own bag.

"I will be if you can actually keep that promise", he mumbled but didn't say anything else about the letter or Shiro's tiny stumble so that did count as a win.

Part III

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[fenfyre]

The Moments We Share - Part VII

Part I    Part VI

“Think your boy has it in himself to beat us?”, he asked casually but there was something in his voice, something light and teasing that made all of this even better and worse somehow. Shiro could barely fight the urge to look around and make sure that nobody was watching them, like they were doing something illegal or improper.

McClain’s eyes sparked when Shiro cleared his throat and nodded just a touch too seriously.

“Riley? Sure, have you seen him? He’s in it to win it!”

“So is Sandy”, McClain shrugged, head tipping over towards the lake where the two rafts were so close Shiro couldn’t even tell who was in the lead, if one of them even was closer to winning the race than the other.

But it sure looked spectacular, how both captains threw themselves into the challenge, working incredibly hard as they paddled across the lake, the water they threw around with their paddles in messy, long curves glittering almost magically in the light of the setting sun. The tense display of their kids’ willpower still couldn't hold his attention for much longer, not when McClain chuckled and wrapped a tan arm around his own, skinny waist, long, elegant fingers coming to drum against his hip.

“We’ll crush you”, he teased, even though his voice held nothing of the fierce determination he showed when calling out his announcements, arms spread and grin manic but so very captivating.

Shiro smiled fondly, didn’t even try to hold it back when he looked at the younger man with nothing short of awe. Maybe it showed in his eyes. He didn’t care.

“No matter who wins, this was an amazing day, all of the kids had so much fun. I can’t thank you enough for organizing all of this for us.”

A bashful flicker of a smile as McClain’s eyes fluttered away for a moment and he shrugged.

“Ah, it wasn’t just me, we all planned it together, more or less. But...” when he looked back at Shiro his smug confidence had returned, smirk lopsided and almost sultry. “You can still call me game master, if you’d like.”

Shiro laughed at the display of sheer confidence, then gave a happy nod.

“Sure thing, game master McClain.”

“Lance”, the young man offered, inclining his head in a clear invitation Shiro would not miss taking him up on. He had been aware of McClain’s first name and yet it came as a surprise to hear it like this, offered so casually. He soon adapted though, it was what he did best.

“Lance”, he nodded, reaching out to offer his hand in the first, proper introduction they had given each other despite being acquainted for a few years already. “I’m Shiro.”

“I know...” The low purr accompanied their handshake and Shiro felt the fine hairs at his nape prickle upright at the combination of the firm touch and that smooth voice dipping so deep for him. Before he could think it over or stop himself he was speaking again.

“Why don’t you all come over later tonight? We wanted to make smores and sing together, there’s always room for more around our campfire.”

Thankfully Keith was far, far away right now, swept up in the gaggle of cheering children where he couldn’t see Shiro bumbling and blushing as he basically asked out his crush and his thirty kids. Lance smiled. It was way too knowing.

“I’ll have to check in with Sam but I’m pretty sure that would work. You had me at smores, to be honest...”

“Well, I guess everyone...”

“And just to be clear, you can have me any other way you like, as well...”

Shiro choked on his own breath, eyes wide as he stared down into the pretty face that was painfully smug like this, grin lopsided and eyes dangerously hooded. Forming a proper reply was hard and before he could settle on one there was a bang accompanied by red light flickering across Lance’s wicked features.

Just that moment cheers and screams of joy erupted all around them and the next moment the pretty young man slipped away to confidently announce the winner of their competition.

Shiro’s eyes trailed after him, after the lithe, strong shapes of his body, the pert little ass hugged so perfectly by his wet swim trunks. He didn’t quite listen to the words Lance called as he spun around in a circle, arms thrown wide to his sides and face alight with excitement, no matter that his own team had ultimately lost the tournament.

He was so beautiful like this, energetically catching the attention of all these kids and he would be beautiful later, dipped into the light of dancing flames, cheeks red with cheap beer and voice scratchy from using it so abundantly all day.

And he would be even more beautiful after that, when Shiro pulled him aside and into the close forest to push him back against a tree and kiss him breathless, taste molten chocolate and sticky marshmallows on his lips and make the man moan for him. But that was all for later. Now it was time to celebrate with his group and reclaim their banner before claiming his very own, personal prize later tonight.

The End

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