First Quarry request coming up! How about Laura, Max, Agibail, Emma and Ryan with extremely oblivious but lucky S/O (like, they will accidentally walk into the werewolves den, only to get out alive, unharmed and blissfully unaware that they were in danger)?
Hurray! The first Quarry quest!
Headcanons Divine luck
🧢 Laura Kearney x Reader 👁
You, Laura, and Max were originally supposed to go to the camp together, but you called her and told her that you would go a little later for family reasons. Back then, she thought you were out of luck. It wasn't until she came across what the camp was hiding that she realized you were really lucky. You calmly worked the entire camp shift, and only on the ill-fated night did you and Laura meet again. You were walking through the woods trying to find your missing friends there, but instead you found Laura, who was as surprised as you were. You hurried to find out from her what had happened because you were sure that she and Max had decided not to come to the camp. You didn't even know what was really going on, but she couldn't leave you in the woods. She wanted to make sure you were safe, so she took you to the camp
She hoped that you wouldn't be in danger anymore, but she didn't expect to meet you in the mines. You walked there as if you were on a field trip and not in mortal danger. She wanted to help you, but she had to defend herself from a werewolf. At some point, she saw that a stone almost fell on you, but you were distracted by something on the ground that caught your attention and the stone fell very close to you. Laura saw the surprise on your face, but then you just shrugged and continued walking. You pretended that everything was as it should be, as if you hadn't just been on the verge of death
When the werewolves were finished, she returned to the others and saw you. You were sitting with the others, but unlike them, you were fine. You didn't have a single wound on you, just dirt on your clothes, and there was an uncomprehending expression on your face. You didn't understand what happened to the others, and when they told you everything, they found out that you had no idea what had happened. You looked in horror at your friends who were injured. You were the only one of all the camp counselors who wasn't hurt. Laura hurried over to you, feeling how much she missed you and how glad she was to be with you again
When you left the campsite, you and Laura sat in the back seat of the car while Max was driving. She sat leaning against you and marveled at how lucky you were. All the horrors of the night passed you by, but you were genuinely worried about Laura. It was scary for you to imagine what she went through during all the time that you were sure she was at home. But now you were back together, and you hoped that the scars left by these frightening events would stop hurting her
🩸Max Brinly x Reader 🧢
By going to camp with Laura earlier than necessary, Max tried to distract himself from what awaited him after the end of the summer. The only thing he regretted was that you couldn't go with them. You were going to go to the camp later and you were supposed to meet there, but when you arrived, you didn't find either Laura or Max. You couldn't even get in touch with them. It bothered you, but the camp director convinced you that they just didn't show up. You didn't know that they were in the cells, and you had no idea that Max had become a werewolf, forced to turn into a monster out of control. You were just hoping that when you get back from camp you could meet him and find out what really happened and why he didn't come without telling you anything
Sitting in the cell at the police station, he remembered you. Max was worried about you. Knowing what was happening in the camp, he was worried that you might get hurt. He knew how inconsiderate you could be and he didn't want you to get hurt because of it. However, he didn't even realize that your entire camp shift was peaceful. You worked and rested with the others, without seeing any problems. He definitely didn't expect you to go to the island where he was hiding. When he was in animal form, he could smell you and tried to chase you, but you didn't notice it at all. You were wandering around the island trying to figure out what was going on there and you didn't even notice that you were being watched. You didn't even notice how Emma arrived on the island and how she ran into Max
When the sun rose, Max came out of the forest to you. You didn't expect to see him, and even more so in someone else's clothes. You hurried to him, and when he told you everything that had happened to him and Laura, you looked at him wide-eyed in shock. You didn't even know about it. You spent the whole night on the island where he was trying to find you in the guise of a monster and you didn't even notice him or at least some kind of strangeness. The fact that you weren't injured and remained in the dark all this time surprised and pleased Max at the same time. He didn't want you to get hurt, he didn't want anyone to hurt you, much less himself. Max knew that he couldn't control himself, and the fact that you were safe and sound made him very happy. He didn't let you out of his arms until Laura came for him and found the two of you together
While you were driving home, you couldn't stop worrying. It was hard for you to imagine what Max went through and you regretted that you weren't there for him when he needed you, but now it was all over. It was still hard for you to believe in werewolves, but you knew he wouldn't lie about something like that just to play a prank on you. You trusted him, and now you no longer wanted him to deal with difficulties without you
✏️ Abigail Blyg x Reader 🖌
Abi and you spent a lot of time together while you were working at the camp. During all this time, she noticed that you were quite absent-minded. You might not have noticed something obvious, but you were always unharmed. Abigail remembered how once several boxes in the warehouse almost fell on you, but you were distracted by something and only the rumble of the boxes attracted your attention. You looked like you didn't even realize that you were almost hurt. It even seemed sweet to her. However, when you all stayed the last night at the camp, something strange and frightening began to happen. You split up with her and she could only hope that you would be okay. Abigail was afraid that you might get hurt because you were inconsiderate, but she hoped your luck wouldn't let you down
She, as well as the others, tried their best to escape from the werewolves who were in the camp, but Abigail did not expect at all that you would come to the pool building where they were hiding. You were outraged that they had all disappeared somewhere and you were forced to look for them all over the camp. You didn't look scared, hurt, or even worried. You were unhappy with their disappearance, and when she asked you about the werewolves, you looked at her in surprise. In all this time, you haven't encountered anything strange. You didn't even know about it, and you were perfectly fine. You haven't even met a single person until you've found them
Abi hugged you and felt at least a little calmer. She was very worried about you, and the fact that you were okay made her happy. You weren't going to leave her alone anymore. You saw how scared she was of everything that was going on around her, and even though you were dubious about the werewolf story, you still stayed by her side. Abigail even thought that maybe if she were with you, then your incredible, almost divine luck, could extend to her. She never thought that such luck would be able to protect you from werewolf attacks so much that you wouldn't even be aware of what was going on around you
You stayed by her side and together you avoided the attacks of the werewolves. When morning came, she hugged you tightly, practically crying with relief. All the horror she went through last night was over and you were there. You knew she wouldn't lie about what she'd been through, but you never encountered anything dangerous yourself. It was strange, but you saw all your friends and their wounds. You knew it was all true, even if you could avoid it yourself, and you stayed by Abigail's side so she would know that you could support her in such a difficult situation
📱 Emma Mountebank x Reader 💋
You and Emma quickly found a common language at the camp. She led you, especially when you were distracted. You were a good team and she enjoyed spending time with you. Sometimes she joked that your absent-mindedness was compensated by luck, otherwise you simply would not have been able to survive. You were laughing too, but it was as if you didn't fully understand what exactly was causing the laughter. Your luck has become practically the legend of your camp shift. You might not even notice how you were on the verge of getting seriously hurt, but every time the problems passed you by. It surprised the others, but no one was going to judge you for that
On the last night at camp, Emma left you with the others when she left, knowing that nothing was going to happen, but once on the island, she quickly realized that everything was worse than she thought. After the encounter with the werewolf, she was afraid that you might get hurt because of your carelessness. She didn't find you at the camp, just like everyone else, so she could only hope that you were okay. Emma hid and hoped that the basement was safe. She was thinking about what happened to the others until you came there looking for the others
You were surprised to see her, and Emma hurried over to make sure you were okay. When you asked her what was going on and why she was so worried, she realized something. You had no idea what was going on. You've been wandering through the woods and camp for hours, looking for the others, and in all that time you've never met any werewolves or even a hint that something is wrong. You asked her what was going on, and Emma told you about what happened on the island. You were genuinely surprised and concerned by her story, so you decided that you shouldn't have split up again, so you stayed together in the basement until Abigail came
When you left the camp, Emma didn't let go of your hand. She was glad that you were unharmed despite all the chaos that was happening last night. She never thought that your divine luck would help you protect yourself from the dangers that lurked in the night. You were the only one who remained unharmed. You could only hope that you would not face such dangers again
🎧 Ryan Erzahler x Reader 🔪
Ryan is used to being aloof from everyone. At first, he tried to keep his distance from you, but he quickly realized that it was difficult to do so. You were pleasant to talk to, but you were also surprisingly inconsiderate. You might not have noticed even if something dangerous was right next to you. He remembered how a rickety shelf in the pantry almost fell on you, and you, who managed to move away at the last moment, found out that you were in danger only when you heard a crash behind you. He started looking out for you so that you wouldn't get hurt, but every time he made sure that you were protected by some invisible forces. Your luck was so strong that every time you were in danger, you were safe and sound. But he certainly did not expect that this would also apply to the night when you were attacked by werewolves
He was looking for you when strange things started happening in the camp. Ryan was afraid that you might get hurt because of your forgetfulness and absent-mindedness, but when he finally managed to find you, he found out that you were fine. You didn't even know something was going on. You were outraged that everyone had gone somewhere and you couldn't find anyone, but when you saw that something had obviously happened to them, you started to worry. Your anxiety went away when you were told about the werewolves. You just didn't believe them. You and Ryan moved on together, because he knew that you really might not believe in something like this and end up in trouble again
While the other counselors were injured, you remained unharmed. As before, you belatedly learned that you were in danger, but this caused Ryan relief. He didn't say it out loud, but he liked you and he didn't want you to get hurt. He tried to protect you, just like the others, but your luck was a good defense against danger. He saw one of the werewolves try to attack you, but a closet fell on him and you had the opportunity to escape. You were the only one who remained safe and sound after the horror of the night
Looking at you trying to process everything that happened during the night and that the werewolves were real, Ryan felt anxious and hugged you. You leaned against his shoulder and exhaled. You both had to think about everything that happened and put it in the past, but as long as you were with each other, you could continue to support each other and even cope with werewolves and memories of them
Hey, I saw your Quarry asks were open! Could I possibly request one with reader and Nick? Maybe they get separated from the rest of the counselors after he’s been infected, things get a lil spicy with the whole “werewolf brain” kicking in(however you’re comfortable portraying that), but once the others catch up to you, their presence start to make things dangerous? Thank you!
It may have ended up a lil too spicy 🫢
Devour you
Nick Furcillo x Reader
Warnings: mention of blood, smut (18+), possessiveness
There were times when you said that you liked horror movies. Especially ones like Friday the 13th, when group of people got stuck in the woods and were chased by some kind of maniac. You hated it now.
The summer was so good, it started good. You loved the whole time you got to spend in the Hackett's Quarry. You got yourself new friends, new hobbies, unique experience and most importantly... Nick. You got really close to each other after all this time. Romantically close after some time.
So when you learned that you got another night here, you didn't even think about panic of Mr.H. You were just glad that you got to spend another night closer to Nick. It was great opportunity to spend some time together without a single worry about your day-to-day life.
And then... The chaos ensued.
You still didn't understand fully what was going on. One moment you were sitting near the bonfire, having fun, and the other moment Nick was bleeding, being seriously wounded. You took him to the lodge with others, helping him to the best of your abilities. And when your friends went away to take some supplies and possibly call for help, you stayed back with him. And even there you couldn't be safe.
"There's someone there." Nick whispered to you, suddenly alerted. You looked at the door and darted to it, closing it just in case. When you turned around, Nick was already trying to sit up. You helped him out, carefully holding his shoulders. "We need to get out."
"You sure that there is someone?" You asked him suspiciously, and Nick nodded quickly. "Alright. But the others..." You reminded him of other councelors, who could still be in the lodge. Nick shook his head, grasping your forearms.
"Someone is close. They are far. They won't be here in time." He looked at you, desperation and plea in his eyes. "I want to... I want to protect you."
"You are wounded, you need protection yourself... Shit... Alright, let's go. I will hide you and come back for them." You helped him stand up and you both got out on the street through the window. It took you some time to find your way, but you managed to do so before you heard noise from the lodge. Hurriedly, in the dark of the night, you lead him to some guest house, trying to cause as little harm to him as you could to the best of your abilities.
Once you stumbled in a house, you tugged him to the bed, placing him to sit on it. You darted back to the door, closing it and checking the windows carefully. To see if anyone was there and if this place was truly safe for the boy.
"Alright, are you okay? Does it terribly hurt? I can gonna try and find something for the wound." You came back to Nick, looking at his bloody skin, pointing a flashlight at his figure, but he only shook his head, wincing away from the light.
"I'm fine. It almost doesn't hurt." He answered, and you breathed out. You wanted nothing more, but to cuddle with him and go to sleep, forget all about the nightmares that occured here. But that was impossible. Almost a dream in these circumstances.
"Alright. I'm gonna leave you here so I can..."
"No, don't go!" Nick grabbed your hand fiercely. You winced from the sudden movement, looking at him surprised.
"I need to check on the others. They might need our help." You tried to get your hand from his grasp, but his fingers held your wrist tighter than you imagined, gripping it stronger with your every try to free yourself.
"Don't leave me. They can manage on their own, they have a gun, you don't have anything, I can't have something happen to you. I need you." He almost begged you, not wanting to let you go. You had never seen him like this, so you were frozen for couple of minutes.
"Nick... Are you sure you're alright?
"Yes, I am, I... Don't leave me, please." He pulled you closer to himself, hugging you tightly by your waist, locking you in his arms and not intending to let you go in near future.
"Nick..." Your heart clenched at the sound of his desperate voice and clinging moment. "I'm here. I just... Shit, I don't know who or what is out there. I don't want it to get to the others. Or to us while we are here alone. Our strengths are in numbers."
"I can protect you." He retorted, his face buried in your stomach. You put fingers through his hair, caressing his head.
"You are wounded, love. You need rest and help. Not to protect me." Nick glanced up at you, his eyes almost glistening in darkness.
"I am fine. And I can and I will protect you, I promise." He insisted, moving his hands lower, on your hips. You stumbled a bit from the pressure, clutching his shoulders in response to stabilize yourself.
"Nick, I got it. I'm not going anywhere, I won't leave you, you can let go of me." You smiled a bit nervously, when you noticed his eyes never wavered from your face, nor did his hands moved away from your hips.
"I know. I just can't possibly let you go." The boy whispered, tugging you to himself, so you would sit on his laps. You blushed, looking down at him in surprise.
"Nick, come on. You are wounded, we... Can be in danger. We can't do that now..." He shook his head, stubbornly reaching forward to kiss your jaw.
"I said. I will protect you." He sounded almost angry at your stubbornness, emphasizing every word. But when you took the moment to gather your thoughts, Nick just flipped you over, quickly changing the pose and looming over you on the bed.
Your breath caught up in your throat, when Nick kissed you hungrily, not losing any time. He positioned himself between your legs, and while you had been... Intimate with each other more or less before, this quick and almost aggressive pace was something new. You felt his arousal through his jeans and sensed the tension in his shoulders, as he desperately clutched your hips.
"Nick." You moaned, as soon as he pulled away from your lips. The boy moved to your neck, leaving hickeys on it. You closed your eyes, as you tried to catch your breath. "Fuck, Nick, wait..."
"Mine." He groaned, tugging at your shirt. You almost heard the sound of a ripping fabric, and you decided that it's better to wear your shirt, rather than looking for a new one here in the darkness in an unknown house, so you quickly raised your hands, letting him take it off of you.
You breathed out harshly, feeling Nick's lips on your neck. As he slowly lowered his affection on his body, you trembled. You didn't expect such passion from him, that just overcame him in an instant, seemingly out of nowhere. You put your hands in his hair, tugging at thr strands.
"Nick..." His hands were working on the zipper of your shorts, him clearly not listening to you. He pulled them down, throwing the clothes away, after that taking off his own shirt in sharp moves. "Wait... Your wound." You furrowed your brows, when you couldn't notice the traces of the bite of this strange animal on his body.
"To hell with it!" Nick retorted instantly, pressing himself into your body again. He was almost burning up, his skin was hot and you hissed. He must have had a fever. You tried again.
"Nick, wait, why are you so... Fast and pressing? I'm not going anywhere, I'm..."
"Mine. You are mine." The boy hissed, leaving feverish kisses on your skin. "You can't even imagine how you make me feel. Your voice. Your skin. Your smell. Your touch. Your kiss. I'm obsessed over you. What have you done with me?" He whispered almost panting, not stopping even for a moment, as he gripped your thighs.
"I... Fuck... Nothing." You breathed out, clutching his shoulders, giving in to him completely. He was too persistent, too hot to think about something else, was it danger or your friends. You wrapped your legs around his waist, and he groaned, pressing his arousal into you.
"I will make you completely mine." He whispered, going down on you. You whimpered, covering your mouth with your hand, furrowing your brows. In response, Nick left a bite on your thigh. "I want to hear you, don't hide from me. I want everyone to hear how I make you feel."
"You've gone mad." You breathed out, looking down at Nick. You could swear that his eyes were glowing, but you weren't able to oppose it much longer. Not when he covered your sex with his mouth. "But I like it..." You moaned, closing your eyes and throwing back your head.
You put your fingers through his hair again, tugging and pulling at it, while he quite literally devoured you. He was never that eager and passionate about you. It was a whole new experience. You couldn't help but moan, losing yourself in your feelings. Nick worked fast on bringing your first orgasm, and you, overcome with tension, emotions and fear, just let yourself go. But the boy never stopped, pressing himself only more to your core.
No matter your pleas for a minute rest at least, he never stopped. The noises in the room were overwhelming, Nick seemingly enjoyed it more than he ever could apparently, his determination was astonishing and mind-blowing.
Suddenly he growled almost animal-like, his iron grip on your hips becoming tighter. You hissed from sudden discomfort mixing with your pleasure, not understanding why he suddenly became more aggressive.
"... Y/n?! Nick?!" You heard screams from the street. The guys caught up to you, and apparently it stressed out Nick to this point.
"Mine..." He groaned, his nails digging in your thighs. You whimpered and tugged him on his hair, upper, closer to you. At the same time you wrapped your fingers around his cock, trying to ease him into his own climax.
Nick growled at the touch, his grip on your thighs becoming unbearable, as he slips hand over your sex, to get you to that high. You bit through your lip, feeling metal taste.
"Mine!" He kissed you, hungrily licking at your wounded lip. His fingers worked faster, coaxing another orgasm out of you, as you crushed down in his hands. He followed you in couple of seconds, staining you with his seed.
You didn't hear, feel or see anything for several minutes straight. Pain in your body, which was mixed with the pleasure, overwhelmed you as well as your emotions of fear, lust and love. As you were coming down from your high, you heard Nick's nervous voice.
"Oh hell, oh shit, fuckfuckfuck, Y/N, I'm sorry." You opened your eyes to see frantic Nick, looking at you, seemingly frustrated at something. You lazily reached out to him, taking his hand in yours.
"Hey, what are sorry for?" You smiled lightly, looking at him tiredly. He licked his lips, gripping your fingers.
"I hurt you. There... There are bruises! Scratches! Blood... You are almost unconscious, I..."
"Nick... You made me cum. Two timeS in a row. I'm fine with little bruising." You blurted out shamelessly with almost drunk smile. His grip tightened up for a second, but he mirrored your smile.
"Nick! Y/N!" Amy's voice sounded really close, as you glanced at the door. They came really close to you.
"Shit..." You winced, when you tried to sit down. Nick furrowed his brows, as if fighting with pain, his eyes glancing over you. "Nick, give me my shorts."
"You will leave me?" He asked you, clearly unbelieving your words. You sighed, losing last crumbles of understanding about what was going on with him.
"I don't want them to see me like this. And I bet you don't want them to see me naked either." You explained quietly. Nick nodded and stood up, going straight to your shorts. You barely could see anything in the darkness, but the boy navigated his way pretty well on his own, you noted.
When he returned to you, you put on the shorts he gave you and reached for the shirt, wincing from the pain. When you stood up, you felt blood from the deep scratches Nick left on your thighs. Shit, he was honest, it must have looked awful. It felt like it. The boy watched you with pained expression on his face.
Suddenly he stood up and take his shirt off, keeping only tank top on his body. He hugged you and wrapped the piece of clothes around your waist, tying its long sleeves, so your hips would be covered.
"I'm sorry." He whispered again. But before you could say anything or move to the door, he looked at your face with that strange fire in his eyes, that was almost menacing. His voice dropped a tone "If they even dare to look at you strangely, I will kill them, take you away and devour you whole."
Summary: It’s been a supremely shitty night, but at least you’ve got Jacob to keep you company
Warnings: blood, mentions of injuries, swearing
The pounding in your head had slowly started to fade and luckily the wound on your hairline had stopped bleeding. What was unlucky however, was all sorts of fucked up situation you had somehow found yourself in. The previous events of the night were now somewhat blurry, but you could vaguely remember receiving the butt of a shotgun to the face from an old man after running frantically from some… wolf like creature. That in itself was embarrassing, how the old bag of bones had managed to sneak up on you was a mystery to begin with and now you were locked in a fucking cage. Your first instinct had been to reach out to try and shake the bars and you’d gained a painful shock to the hands that had melted the skin due to your grip, your muscles were still occasionally spasming minutes later. The sound of a door swinging open caught your attention as you stood and got as close to the bars as you dared, desperate to see what was going on. However, the scene before you was the last thing you were expecting. Yelping you reared back at the sight of two men dragging… something behind them and locking it in the cage next to you, before they turned to leave once again.
“HEY! HEY! Let me out of here you motherfuckers!” you yelled, putting on a brave façade only to be promptly ignored as they walked out. The shoddy lighting in the room made it hard to make out exactly what the creature was that had been dumped in the cage but you could tell it wasn’t any normal animal or human. Not finding any options for a way out you laid back down on the ground in frustration, tears welling in your eyes as the realisation began to set in that you might die here. The increasingly loud growls coming from behind you had caused you to abruptly turn only to rear back as the creature attempted to lunge for you. All of a sudden you were incredibly grateful for the electricity flowing through the bars. Forcing your breaths to slow you closed your eyes in attempt to drown out everything.
Zoning out, you were unsure of how much time had passed before you were once again alerted to someone entering the room. Immediately gasping in shock as you noticed the hunter’s newest victim.
“Oh my god! Jacob. What’ve you done to him!” you shouted at the men only to be immediately threatened with a shotgun levelled at your face as you were told to step back. Watching in worry as your fellow counsellor was roughly thrown inside with you and you were once again left alone. Kneeling beside his prone from your shaking hands frantically hovering as you assessed him for injuries, unsure what to do. Ripping your shirt, you attempted to clean the mangled gore that was his foot before eventually wrapping it up as tight as you dared to stop the blood flow. Sitting back down you pulled his head into your lap, hands stroking over his hair unconsciously as you squeezed your eyes shut in an attempt to stop the tears.
You weren’t particularly close with the man, preferring to hang with Dylan most of the time and occasionally Ryan when the kids got to be too much and you both needed the quiet. However, he’d always gone out of his way to include you and you’d never belittled him and had even ripped Dylan a new one for doing so. Looking down at his unconsious and bloodied body you hoped to any god out there he would wake up.
Jacob slowly awoke to the sounds of sniffles and the warm feeling of thumbs slowly rubbing circles across his cheeks. Eyes opening, he was surprised your face hunched over his, your eyes were closed and he took the time to take in your features. He was quickly startled at the realisation that not only were you crying, but your face and hair were covered in blood and he had the sinking feeling that it wasn’t from an external source.
Eyes opening at the confused call of your name, you looked down to see the source staring up at you “Oh thank god you’re awake” you said, voice watery from the tears. Noticing him start to move you pushed him back down by the chest “Woah, woah, woah don’t try to get up yet. You’ve got a head injury. Not to mention your fucked up foot.” Wiping a hand over your face you attempted to wipe the exhaustion away in a futile attempt.
“Why are you helping me?” Jacob blurted out somewhat dumbly.
“Um why wouldn’t I? Even if it wasn’t the right thing to do, I wouldn’t just let you suffer” you answered back, confused at his reaction.
“I, uh, I don’t know… I just got the feeling that you didn’t like me all that much” he trailed off in a whisper, eyes darting away from your shocked face unwilling to look you in the eyes and missing your devastation at his confession.
“I’m so sorry I made you feel that way Jacob” the remorse in your voice apparent to his ears “Is that why you were always so quiet around me.”
“I guess… you’re the only one who’s never been mean to me before… I just didn’t want to annoy you” he said, vulnerability incredibly evident in his tone and you found your heart breaking for him.
“I don’t like who you and Emma are when you’re together” you admitted “you’re not good for each other, she doesn’t take your feelings into account but you need to accept that she doesn’t want a relationship” you tried to explain, not wanting to offend him but desperately needing to convey the message. “I mean you sabotaged our ride out of here just to try and change her mind” you huffed out.
“How did you know?” the panic in his tone evident
“I didn’t entirely, but you just confirmed my suspicion. You weren’t exactly subtle, you know” you snorted throwing your head back to look at the ceiling. Only to look back down immediately as your ears registered the sounds of sniffles.
“I’m so stupid. This is all my fault” he said, crying in earnest now “Emma still doesn’t want me, Abi and Nick got hurt… you got hurt and now we’re stuck in this fucking cage!” he ended with a yell, hitting his fist against the ground in frustration.
“Hey, hey, hey, stop that” you said, desperately trying to soothe him, taking his hand in one of yours and using the other to lightly smooth over his hair in an attempt to calm him down as you suddenly wished you’d gotten to know him better during your time at camp. You began randomly blathering on about anything and everything trying to take both of you rminds off of how fucked everything had gotten. Unaware of Jacob’s eyes tracking your every movement in awe, enraptured by your cute expressions and flailing hands as you recalled the last time you’d been to a party that had ended in you pushing some jerk into a pool.
You’d shifted a few times in the hours, especially after Jacob had noticed your mangled hands, raw and bloody from grabbing onto the electrified bars for so long, still occasionally shaking as the muscles spasmed. Refusing to let you continue rubbing the comfortable circles into his skin with your less affected fingertips, Jacob had taken your wrists in his hands to help stop the light trembles. He’d pulled you into his lap and wrapped you in his arms at some point, your back pressed to his chest as you desperately tried to conserve warmth. Feeling immeasurably guilty Jacob had gone out of his way to try and make you laugh; he hadn’t forgotten the tears you’d tried to hide from him and the longer you spent together the more he enjoyed your laugh. That was how Ryan found the pair of you hours later, fully wrapped around each other in an attempt to share heat and comfort.
Being let out of the cage by your fellow counsellor you and Jacob had finally managed to hobble outside in what had been a slow and painful process, him having to lean most of his weight on you due to his ankle. You had collapsed on the ground in a fit of relief and exhaustion forgetting about the additional weight you were supporting causing Jacob’s bulk to land on top of you. Wheezing out laughs as Jacob quickly apologised, worried he’d hurt you. Eventually your laughs devolved into deep heaving sobs as the stress of the night caught up to you, your head was pounding and your poor hands were burning and you worried greatly they would never heal properly. You sniffled out a light laugh between the sobs, touched at his concern for you and awkward attempts to make you feel better. Throwing your arms around his neck in a bruising hug it was now Jacob’s turn to reel at the weight, back hit the ground he allowed you to cry into his neck as his arms slowly snaked around you in return, one hand coming up to rub the back of your head lightly as you had done for him earlier.
Jacob wasn’t sure how long you cried in his arms before your breathing evened out, looking down as the sobs stopped his breath hitched as he noticed you’d cried yourself to sleep. Face smoothing out serenely and breaths tickling his neck causing a familiar fondness to fill his chest at the sight. Hesitantly he pressed a kiss to your hairline and slowly manoeuvred you until he could slowly stand. Wary of waking you he slowly began to walk in the direction of the lodge, occasionally checking to make sure you were still sleeping peacefully he allowed himself to think back on the night’s events. Recalling your kind touch and words, the way you’d laughed at his jokes, eyes crinkling in delight. How you’d teased him but not in a malicious sense as people usually did, refusing to leave him behind during your escape and Jacob felt his ears flush and butterflies fill his insides. He’d decided, once this hellscape of a night was over, he was going to ask you out on a date. He could only hope you’d say yes, giddiness filling him as he tried to think of the perfect first date.
okay so i’ve been craving something with max/reader where he’s with laura, maybe laura is gonna break up with him or something, and he realizes his feelings for reader all along (no pressure if you’re not into it or don’t have time though!)
*note: this turned into a fic. it’s a gift and a curse of mine. also making this an au where they did in fact go to the motel and so they spend the summer together! also Laura and Emma aren’t the best characters in this so apologies if they’re your favorite. the drama just flowed too well.
warnings: fem!reader, harsh language, mentions of alcohol, high tension
Laura is a good person.
You’ve known this since third grade when she brushed off your scraped knee and shouldered you to the nurse’s office. She’s a good person—an even better friend.
But good people can do bad things.
If you want to get technical about the details, you knew Max long before Laura. He’s the son of a family friend and had been mixed up in your school days since preschool era. You two weren’t all that close until summer came around, your families hosting duel vacations every other year.
Those stopped around middle school, dead center in puberty. You and Max stayed in touch, practically leaning towards best friends by then, too, but you were with Laura a lot those days. The two of them met junior year of high school because of you.
One of your biggest regrets by far.
“You’re really not gonna go for it?”
Laura’s in the bathroom, you and Max going over the study guide for your first of many final exams. Steadily, you’re approaching the end of your senior year in college. He’ll be off to graduate school and Laura to vet school right beside him.
You…
You’re still figuring it out.
Shrugging, you erase an answer to replace it with the correct variation.
“I think Laura wants it to be a you and her thing. I’d be third wheeling like I always do.”
You turn it into a joke. That’s all you’ve been doing since senior year of high school. Jokes. Easier to laugh than to cry.
“There’s gonna be other counselors to hang out with,” he says, sipping on his drink as he flips to another page in his textbook. He’s always preferred the physical copies to the electronic despite the heftier price. You respect that. “She wouldn’t have mentioned the opening unless she wanted you to come with. And we’re friends. You’re not third wheeling.”
“Two months is a long time to be babysitting.”
“You’d be the swim instructor and a prep cook. I think between both of those, you’re getting about half the action.”
“As opposed to you, the great activity leader?”
He rolls his eyes, smiling into his notes.
“Obviously.”
You shake your head, biting the inside of your cheek as he calls your name.
“Come. Please,” he murmurs, blue eyes big and round and as heartbreaking as a hungry kitten in the rain. “This might be the last time we get to hang out again. If I get into that school—”
“When you get in,” you urge gently. “It was a great essay, Max.”
“Thanks to you,” he supplies, freckled cheeks extended with his ever warm smile. “I just want some more time with my best friend. So does Laura.”
It was so much easier to say no to her. With Max it’s like trying to set a broken bone by yourself. You know you can do it, but the pain. Always deterring you from going through with it even if it’s better for you in the long run.
But saying yes to him while breaking your own heart? It’s a reoccurring offense.
“Here. Got your favorite.”
You look up as plastic rustles and nearly get decked by the flying treat. Max laughs at the fumble and you stick your tongue out at him before smiling down at the snack. Cosmic brownies—a staple in old school lunches.
“You’re lucky I love the outdoors,” you huff, nodding when he raises his brow expectantly. “Yeah, I’ll send a resume in for the spot.”
Set up in the backseat of the car a few months later with the map marked and the directions highlighted, you still find yourself wondering if this was the right thing to do.
The crash is startling, even more so than the growing tension between your usually lovesick best friends. Laura, always one to take charge and not let up, is not helping the stressful situation of having possibly hit a person.
You stay behind with Max to help fix the car when Laura wants to explore, and by help you mean hold the light so that he can see what the hell he’s doing.
“Good thing you’re a mechanical degree,” you tease, swatting a bug drawn to the beam of light that sprouts from your phone. “You sure it’s fixable?”
“Guess we’ll find out,” he mumbles, expression guarded.
You shift awkwardly in place, not used to seeing him in a bad mood for so long. Honestly, you’d noticed the frequenting fights between them but you’d chosen to keep your distance and not comment. They always worked everything out in the end.
Four year relationships last for a reason.
“We aren’t lost, you know,” you say, hoping to lift the cloud darkening his brow. “I highlighted the route on my map. We’re going the right way, Laura’s just a little…impatient.”
“We had to have made a wrong turn somewhere or we’d have been there earlier.”
His tone is bordering blaming, more so directed at himself with the way he scowls and his eyes stare into the distance.
You reach forward and poke a bit of grease on his cheek, pulling him out of whatever riptide his thoughts are dragging him into.
“You have a smudge,” you reveal, showcasing your icky finger. He makes a wipe for his stain and misses, leaving your to guide his wrist towards it. The skin you touch is warm.
“We didn’t make a wrong turn, we just took the longer route that puts us past more towns and rest stops,” you explain, wishing to reassure him. “I thought we might need a hotel option since—”
You zip your mouth shut not wishing to add to the festering arguments between lovers.
“What?”
“Nothing. I just should’ve chosen the shorter route.”
“You know you get a little pitchy when you lie?”
You scrunch your face at him, earning a chuckle as he focuses back on the car again.
“I’m sorry, but you do. Always have even when we were little.”
He playfully nudges you when you grumble to yourself, “I do not…”
“C’mon. What is it?” he prods softly.
You hesitate, thinking through the options.
“Promise you won’t be mad?”
He gives you an incredulous look as he grabs a wrench from the toolbox.
“Have I ever been angry at you?”
You laugh out loud at that, phone light shaking.
“Uh, yes, a dozen of times!”
“Name one.”
You smirk, smug as you open your mouth before the words die on your tongue.
When was the last time he was mad at you?
“Oh,” your eyes light up as you dig the tip of your shoe into the dirt, “a few weeks ago. You snapped at me when I was cleaning up the glass Laura broke during the movie marathon.”
He pauses, turning his head towards you but not his eyes.
“I wasn’t mad at you. I was mad at—” he sucks in a breath, tinkering away again, “she broke your favorite mug. From when we were little. I saw the look on your face when it happened and seeing you clean it up…”
He sighs, shaking his head.
“I wasn’t mad at you,” he repeats. ”And I won’t be mad, so tell me why the longer route.”
You shift in place, discomforted. It felt like another argument waiting to happen but you suppose the truth was coming out sooner or later when you reached the camp tonight.
“Well, Laura never was able to, uh, get in touch with Mr. Hackett.”
“What?” He looks at you clearly confused as he rests his hands against the edge of the hood. “She said he knew we were coming.”
“Maybe he does,” you try to sound optimistic, you really do. “But she just left a message and so I thought the extra time on this route would give him enough time to call her back you know? And if he didn’t I was gonna suggest a motel—”
He groans sounding more exasperated than anything as he rubs his face over the crook of his elbow and not greasy hands.
“I love her. I do. But she always wants to skip too many steps,” he complains, laughing out the stress built up. “I’m so glad you thought ahead. We’re bunking up tonight whether she likes it or not. I’m not driving all the way out there if he didn’t even give her permission. That’s out of the question.”
You agree with him but don’t say so outright. Besides, you’re all tired from the long car ride. Everyone deserves a good night’s rest after this crash.
“You’re always covering her tracks,” he hums, head nearly lost to the car’s inner workings. “You’re a good friend. Maybe too good.”
“What do you mean?”
Before you can get an answer out of him, Laura is running full tail out of the denser area of forest, pale white as a ghost.
After the stuff she has to say, you’re quick to pile into the vehicle with them, shivering at the prospect of an old woman wandering around.
You nearly shit yourself when the cop shows up.
Suspiciously, Laura’s all for his plan to head to Harbinger’s Motel. With how fast he’d pulled your car out of the mud and back onto the road, you couldn’t care less how creepy the man was—he’s a savior and the motel is a great idea.
Laura does a full 180 when he’s gone. You’re not surprised; she had been dead set on being the first counselors to the Hackett’s Quarry.
“Honey, you really want to listen to the advice of some creep-ass cop, who told us in the middle of the creep-ass woods, to go to some creep-ass hotel?”
“Yes,” says Max, fully defiant. It’s another shock to your system, blindsiding you as they both turn to get your opinion on the matter.
You give Laura a guilty smile and she sighs, going silent for the rest of the trip as you read the directions to the hotel to Max. The cop had circled it despite your highlighter having already marked it.
After a tense night with the silently quarreling couple, you survive to see the next day and the group you’ll be spending the following two months with.
Abigail reminds you of Max’s shy nature. You two take to each other easily, but she’s a bit more social when it comes to the other girls. Emma and her share a cabin with the kids and while you respect the gal for her theatrical skills, she’s just not someone you can hang around with long. She drains you somehow, but it’s probably just you.
Always is, usually.
You find solitude with Dylan during morning announcements, enjoying his “DJ station” as the kids like to call it. He’s proud of all the updates he managed, happy to tell you the story behind everything when you compliment them. The little hut is his baby. He bestows you with the title of godmother despite your lack of intelligence with the gear.
You think Ryan likes you, or at least tolerates you. His affinity with podcasts and ghost stories had piqued your interest one night at dinner. You’re not all for horror or anything, but you do enjoy a good murder scene breakdown from time to time.
The other counselors are kind and welcoming but distant with their roles with the kids. You don’t run into them all that often unless they’re dropping off their group at the pool or it’s their turn to help you cook. The schedules change every day to keep the kids on their feet.
A few weeks in Laura comes to you in the dead of the night crying. You do your best to give her some solace as she describes the tiff-turn-fight with Max.
Apparently, she’d seen a rejection letter in his bag after the crash on that weird night with the cop and the thing in the road. When she’d approached him about it, shit pretty much hit the fan. That’s all she gives, eyes empty and rimmed red.
“I’m sorry, babe,” you tell her, heart hurting for her. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No,” she sniffs, wiping her face with her jacket’s sleeve. “Honestly, I think this might be good for us.”
“How do you mean?”
“I mean, if we’re not going to the same college it won’t last.”
“C’mon, don’t say that. You guys have made it this long—distance won’t change that.”
“Maybe not for him,” she sighs, shrugging, “but that’s not something I can handle. I need support and comfort and phone calls and texts won’t give me that.”
For some reason, that doesn’t sit well with you because, yeah, Max is always going to support Laura, that’s what he’s been doing. And now she’s saying the best that he can do won’t be enough? It’s a shit excuse. A cop out.
You wonder if it’s just her not willing to put in the work that comes with long distance.
“Laura,” you almost scoff but somehow manage to sound concerned instead, “you guys can visit each other. It’s not the end of the world—you can make it work.”
“You don’t get it,” she argues, her bullheadedness rearing as she tosses a mild glare your way. “You’ve never been in a real relationship. Not everything can be worked out, sometimes, you know?”
She could have punched a hole through your chest and it would’ve been far less painful than what she’d just said.
“You know what,” you breathe, trying to bite back the tightness taking control of your throat, even your eyes begin to water, “you’re right. This isn’t any of my business. You two can work it out yourselves.”
Laura calls your name, abashed as you stand and walk towards the stairs of the lodge. You’ve had enough for one night and sneaking out of your bunk when there’s sleeping kids around isn’t the best idea.
“That’s not what I meant. I’m sorry!”
“Whatever, Laura.” You get to the top before you turn and throw your hands up at her. “Do whatever you want to do because at the end of the day, you don’t listen to anyone’s advice but your own.”
Fate just keeps kicking you down, it seems, because Max’s group of kids are scheduled for swim time the next day.
Standing on lifeguard duty with him by your side, you find relief that Mr. H had been strict about swimwear: one pieces for the girls and shirts for the boys. Some of the guys didn’t follow those rules, but Max did, luckily.
You don’t think a drowning kid would have good odds if his toned stomach is within eyesight.
A kid screams as a splashing contest begins. You blow your whistle at a runner, pointing in warning before the little tike slows his roll. Max laughs at your stern authority, sitting next to you on the hot concrete by the pool ledge. Both of your legs are dipped into the cool water, shifting the surface every so often.
“They listen to you.”
“Guess I scare them,” you huff, smiling to yourself as a pair of kids beg you from the other side of the pool to join their game. You shake your head, pointing to the life guard on duty sign.
They whine but continue on with their fun.
“Sure,” Max quips. “Looks like you’re a real terror they want on their team.”
You roll your eyes, remaining a keen eye for any tripping feet or diving heads.
“I might’ve screwed up,” he says, sitting close enough that you can feel the heat radiating off his side. “I think we might be splitting up.”
Your heart seizes as you whip your head to Max. There is no way Laura could be that serious about breaking up—not in one night.
“Did she say that?”
He shrugs, eyelids lowered as he kicks his feet out in the blue-hued water.
“It was a bad fight.”
“Couples fight, Max,” you whisper. He shakes his head.
“Not like this. Not over crap like this. She snooped through my stuff—how was I suppose to react? I didn’t tell her yet because I knew how she’d get.”
He blinks and glances at you.
“She already told you, right? That…that I didn’t get in?”
You nod, guilty as his shoulders drop and a pout forms on his lips.
“I don’t know why they wouldn’t accept,” you say, angry on his behalf. “You had good grades—a great essay!”
“She said the same thing,” he grouses, “but she seemed to think I didn’t try hard enough, somehow. That that’s why I was afraid to tell her.”
“Are you shitting me?”
Max’s eyes nearly bulge out as he looks at you. You don’t know why he’s so shocked before a chorus of “oooh”s break up your conversation.
“You said a bad word!” multiple, squeaky voices berate.
“Okay, okay,” you shout, blowing your whistle to reign them in. “You’re right. That was bad. You guys wanna decide a punishment?”
“Soap in the mouth!”
“Mom makes me write a bunch of sentences!”
“Let’s make her play the game she did with Jacob’s group!”
“Oh no,” you groan as they all cheer. You hide your face in your hands as Max laughs next to you.
“What game?” he asks, nudging you over and over as you shake your head repeatedly. “What? Tell me!”
A chant begins, steadily growing as more kids chime in with “Sharkbait! Sharkbait!”
“It’s torture tag,” you sigh, laying an elbow on your knee as you rest your chin in your hand. “I’m the shark and have to swim after all of them blindfolded.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“They played it for the entire pool time last week. I’m still sore.”
He laughs at that, shuffling forward and sliding into the water. Your heart trips over a rib cage or two when he smiles up at you, cheeky.
“Two sharks are better than one.”
It’s still chaos. Small pods of giggling kids running amok in the water. You only allow seven in at a time and whoever gets caught has to switch with who ever is next in line.
Between all the swimming and knocking into the sides of the pool, you catch quite a few kids despite your blinded eyes.
Then you collide with a larger body, hands finding more skin than ought to be on display. Strong arms wrap around you before Max’s chuckles reach your ears. His hands smooth over your shoulders.
“I think I caught my teammate,” he says, also blindfolded. The kids laugh around all of you.
You’re too focused on the feeling of his pecs under your hands to come up with a retort. When had he’d taken his shirt off?
“Well, what do we have here?”
You scramble back, ripping the blindfold from your eyes to stare gobsmacked at Emma.
She smirks down at you from the edge of the pool, arms crossed over her one piece. It’s more elegant than yours, black and sleek and fitting to her model figure.
“Time for activity change,” she sings, all too smug. Max’s group whines, going to change out of their swim suits as you blow the whistle.
Max climbs out of the pool nearby, your eyes drawn to the muscles in his back as he does so.
Emma clears her throat and you meet her attention again before scrambling out of the water yourself.
Something tells you a path had been chosen just then.
That same path reaches another fork come midnight a week later.
Mr. H had needed to head out for the night leaving Ryan in charge before dinner preparations had begun. He trusted the counselors to keep the kids in check for the next few hours, cautioning everyone that he’d be back come early morning.
The kids were left to run around after dinner at 6PM, leaving all of them tuckered out by nightfall. You’re busy cleaning up the kitchen and dining hall with Abigail when Dylan comes strutting in.
“Toddlers are all toddled out,” he beams and your jaw drops as he holds up an entire bottle of straight vodka.
“There is no way in hell you got Ryan to okay this,” you argue as Abigail shakes her head. “Where did you even get that?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she mumbles at the same time.
Dylan grins triumphantly.
“Smuggled in the first day. Ryan said we’re good as long as we stay by the fire pit and don’t get too rowdy or hungover tomorrow.”
“Who’s gonna watch the kids?!” you hiss.
“We’re gonna draw straws,” he answers. “Two who get the shortest miss out on all the real fun and stay by the cabins.”
“Of the dozens of kids here, we’re leaving two counselors to keep watch?” you scoff, entirely unamused. “No. This is a horrible idea.”
“No, it’s a crazy idea and it’s the full moon so,” Dylan’s purses his lips, shrugging and nodding, “shit checks out. Yeah.”
You rub your temples, the makings of a headache building with his lunacy.
Somehow, all ten counselors show up to draw straws by the little bridge separating the kids cabins from the trail leading back up to the lodge or to the lake depending on the direction.
Abigail draws first, pressured by Emma. She looks all but relieved to get one of the two short straws.
“Have fun, you guys,” she says. “If anything happens, I knew nothing.”
“If anything happens, we all have amnesia,” Ryan deadpans, earning everyone’s attention. “I’m serious. If anyone’s taking the heat for this, it’s the evil genius.”
“Aww, you think I’m a genius?” Dylan teases, a hand on his hip as he twists in place.
“That’s all you got out of that?” Kaitlyn scoffs, crossing her arms.
“Me next, me next!” Jacob practically squeals, ignoring the shushes from the others and grabbing a straw. He screams silently in excitement as he hoists a long straw in the air.
Emma snatches the next one. She’s in. Nick follows her lead in joining the party.
Dylan’s offers Kaitlyn the lot next. She groans when she reveals the second short straw.
“You dweebs are lucky it’s two responsible counselors keeping an eye out,” she says, waving as she joins Abigail in heading back to the cabins. They’d be camping out by the big tree tonight, likely taking shifts to watch and see if any kids needed help tonight.
With both short straws drawn, the partygoers make their way to the fire pit. Dylan, Nick, and Jacob are already taking shots on the way down. You doubt they’ll meet the sunrise without a hangover weighing them down.
“This is fun, right?”
You glance at Laura as she comes up on your left, smile wide. You haven’t talked to her since that rough night filled with cruel words. To be fair, you didn’t cross roads often here with her being a nurse and not a trainer like most counselors. She didn’t seem all that phased from the lack of word from you, though.
“Sure,” you mutter, watching your step in the dark shades of the trees where the bright light of the moon doesn’t reach. “Unless we get caught.”
“So we don’t get caught.” She shrugs. “Simple as that.”
“Oh, sure, very simple,” chuckles Max right behind her. She shoves back into him playfully, the two of them grinning at one another.
Your gut twists as your feet quicken.
Splitting up your ass.
Stop, you tell yourself. Stop. It was just a stupid little fight.
They’ve been together for years—what were you expecting? To slip between them and have both shoulders cried on? To maybe have Max back home for the year while he figures out his next plan?
To have a second chance?
“Dylan,” you call, pushing forward from the back of the group to the front.
He turns, in the middle of laughing at something or another. His smile fades for the quickest second when he sees your face. You try to school it into something less pitying and more determined as you hold your hand out.
“Gimme the bottle.”
“Oh, shit!” Nick guffaws.
“Yeah, man!” encourages Jacob, stealing the bottle away from Dylan to pass it to you. “Lifeguard is officially on party duty!”
You hear Max call your name as you take up the liquor.
“Cheers!” you say to the wind, drinking up.
You sputter at the burn, coughing like a maniac as Jacob whoops. Dylan pats you on the back and you follow alongside him for the remainder of the journey down to the lake, upping your energy to match them the best you can.
You would make this fun. No more moping.
Once the fire is going and some snacks are passed around, the air changes.
You catch Emma eyeing you from across the fire pit and raise an eyebrow at her, sipping on a bottle of water.
“Let’s play truth or dare,” she says to everyone but her gaze remains on you. “Rules: you can ask anyone anything and dare them to do whatever.”
She looks around at the few unsure faces. Yours is not one of them.
“If half the group vetos it, then it’s whatever. You don’t have to answer or do the dare. Everyone in?”
A bunch of college kids, a bottle of vodka, and a game that can bring out the worst in people?
Of course everyone’s in.
The game starts out somewhat soft and easy. Dylan’s turn comes around and after having to take a small sip of lake water and swallow it (courtesy of Jacob’s dare), you choose truth if only to save your stomach from the mixing of two very unsettling liquids.
Hell, you’re tipsy enough after a few shots of vodka. You’ll stick to clean and filtered water for the rest of the night.
“Hmm,” Dylan taps his chin in thought, “if you had to sleep with someone here, who would you choose?”
That sip of lake water flips in your stomach. You pray the queasiness really is just your anxiety and not some parasite instead.
“You expect me to choose one out of all these beautiful people?” you scoff, waving a hand around as chuckles enter the air. “That’s just mean, Dylan.”
“Answer up, buttercup,” he croons, one leg folding over the other. You can tell his tipsy meter is much higher than your own at this point. Half of the bottle is already gone which is fairly concerning but not your problem.
Your eyes rove the group around you, skirting over the only true answer the quickest and not daring to meet his eyes.
“Ryan was voted the hottest in bunk 7,” you say. Said boy chokes on his drink, eyes going wide.
“What?” he asks.
“Bullshit,” Jacob says, affronted. You shrug at him, muscles loose and tingly.
“Just saying.”
“Well that’s what bunk 7 thinks,” Emma says, leaning forward on her knees. “What about you?”
“Honestly, I think Kaitlyn would be interesting to sleep with,” you hum. “She’s feisty.”
“Liar,” she sings.
Heat flashes in your chest as you raise a brow at her.
“Uh, what?” you huff.
“Liar,” she repeats, squinting as she grins toothily. “You and I both know who you really want here.”
The fire popping and cracklings between the two of you is nothing on the heat building in your body. You want to lunge across, fall into violence and smash her dainty nose into the log against her back.
Instead, you deflect.
“Damn,” you sigh, “you’ve got me.”
Everyone looks between the two of you, tension mounting.
“I like someone with a bit more tenderness.” You tilt your head towards Jacob who sits next to her, drunk as skunk. “A man who isn’t afraid to cry is a winner in my book. I’d sleep with Jacob.”
Dylan flat out chokes because he laughs so hard.
“Oh, yeah,” the jock slurs, pumping his fist. “Bunk 7 my ass. I’m a stud, obviously.”
Emma’s mask looks about ready to break as she stares you down through the flames. Jacob wraps an arm around her, cooing how she’s the only one for him but he thanks you.
“No problem,” you say, leaning back against your log as the game continues.
You dare Nick to dip his feet in the lake—shoes and socks stay on. His footsteps squeak all the way back to his seat.
Jacob calls on you again soon after that, daring you to boat across to the island and do the zip line. Everyone is quick to veto it, save for Emma, of course.
When her turn comes around, you’ve long since readied yourself for whatever she’s about to throw at you.
You take a breath, not breaking away when her gaze meets yours again.
“Max,” she names.
You swear you suffer whiplash for a moment as she bades him.
“Truth or dare?”
“Hmm, truth,” he says, unbothered as he lounges next to Laura two people down from you.
“Tell us about your first love,” Emma asks, smiling sweetly towards him. “If you’ve had one besides Laura, I mean.”
Max is taken back by the question, looking about as unprepared as Dylan did with his dare, who now wears his underwear over his head.
Next to him, Laura winces and stares pointedly down at her lap. You watch the exchange in befuddlement.
“Well, uh,” he breathes out a long breath, gesturing with his hand, “it was, like, back in first grade, I guess.”
“Damn, Romeo,” Ryan chuckles, only one shot in and pleasantly buzzed.
“She wasn’t in my class, but I sat by the window and saw her playing outside a lot. Our reading time was during their playground time.”
Max’s eyes glaze over as he speaks, staring through the ground as he reminisces.
“She was super polite to the other kids she played with, never fought to be the first on the tire swing and always helped decide rules for games when people were arguing—just sweet stuff? you know?
“I think what I loved was that kindness she had, always being the best for the people around her.”
He chuckles.
“She even gave up her favorite snack during lunch a few times.”
“Please tell me it was peanut-butter butter pops,” Jacobs sniffs.
Max’s hair sweeps the air as he shakes his head no.
“Nah,” he murmurs, “cosmic brownies.”
The world stops turning, the air in your lungs growing stagnant with disuse.
Blistering blue eyes flit up to glimpse at you before looking elsewhere. All in the span of a second.
“That’s really sweet, actually,” Emma says, smugness gone. Your nose flares as she smiles at you, almost as if in pity. “She would’ve been a lucky girl.”
Max gives up his turn to Nick who targets Laura. She’s the one to have gone the least so far, surprisingly.
“I don’t know, uh, truth, I guess?” she stutters, out of it. The space between Max and her seems a bit bigger now.
“What’s the meanest thing you’ve ever done?”
In an instant she looks about ready to cry.
“No,” she says, “I don’t want to say that.”
“Hey, better than some shit we’ve had to go through,” says Dylan, underwear still adorned. “What, did you kill a guy?”
“Maybe she hit a neighbors dog but didn’t tell her because she felt so bad and then she saw her crying over the body the next day,” Jacob pipes up.
“Jacob,” breathes Nick, “what the fuck?”
“Sorry, Ms. Henderson,” he sobs, cuddling an empty bottle of vodka.
“Well, he’s in for a doozy of a morning,” Dylan states before turning back to Laura. “C’mon, let loose. No one vetoed.”
“Hey,” Max snaps, “it’s a tough question, man. Give her a sec.”
“No one else has backed out. All I’m saying,” a hiccup escapes him, “is that this might be the best time to get it off her chest, you know? Who are we to judge?”
“So?” Ryan asks. “What about it Laura?”
“I’m sorry,” she sighs, refusing.
“I bet you I can guess,” Emma says, getting her feet with a grunt. She paces around the fire in slow steps, one arm wrapped around her stomach while the other swings a pointer finger around the air as she talks. “What could possibly be so mean that she couldn’t bring up in the midst of strangers that she’ll never see again?”
“Blackmail?” Nick tries as your mouth goes sour.
“Or,” Emma hums, embodying the cat whose caught the canary, “she doesn’t want to upset the people that aren’t strangers.”
Max looks to Laura just as you do. She doesn’t meet either of your eyes.
“Something mean, something mean…” Emma mumbles in pretend thought. “Something she did behind the boyfriend’s back, maybe?”
“Stop it,” Laura snaps, getting to her feet. “You don’t know shit about me!”
Emma just smiles, finger digging lightly into the apple of her cheek.
“Or something she did behind her best friend’s, I wonder?”
“Laura,” Max whispers, looking up at her in bewilderment. “What is she talking about?”
“Nothing! She’s just taking jabs and trying to start shit,” she defends, turning away. “I’m going back. This is stupid.”
“Maybe it was even both,” continues Emma, pacing again.
“Hey, guys, let’s chill,” Ryan offers. “I don’t want bad blood between counselors; we still have a month left.”
“Dylan said it himself,” she reasons. “The truth wasn’t vetoed.”
“Okay, fine, then I veto,” he says, looking around. “Guys?”
“I kinda wanna know,” Dylan shrugs, grinning guiltily. Jacob and Nick nod in agreement.
You and Max remain silent.
“I’m not playing anymore,” Laura growls. “So say whatever you want, that doesn’t make it the truth.”
“Then why are you so scared to stick around? I’m almost done.”
“Fuck. You.”
“Yes,” Emma says softly, hair bouncing as she nods, “I do believe it involves both of them. The boyfriend who was in love with her best friend and the best friend who was too kind and let her steal him away.”
Laura flinches so hard it rips your heart to shreds.
“Alright, that’s enough,” you spit, getting to your feet. Maybe you had been right about the world freezing because, suddenly, it’s catching up to speed and you stumble onto your knees.
“Fuck,” you whisper on all fours. You’re drunker thank you’d previously believed.
Dylan, next to you, puts a hand over your back and tries to help you up.
“Hold up,” Jacob barks in the background, “how is that the meanest thing if Laura didn’t, like, decide that herself?”
“Right, so where does that leave us? What mean thing could Laura have done?” Emma declares.
“You bitch—“
“Except lie?” she finishes, all to proud of her deduction skills.
“About?” prods Nick.
Max goes taut when you look towards him, eyes wide. You mouth “what?” just as Laura yells at everyone to shut up.
“I did lie,” she admits, voice scratchy, “but that sure as hell isn’t any of your business.”
“But it is ours.”
Everyone gawks at Max as he stands, facing off with Laura.
“Tell her,” he bids, so angry he looks like a whole other person. “Because I’ve connected the dots and, shit, Laura—that’s fucking cruel.”
“He cusses?” Dylan whispers in your ear.
You shake your head.
“Very rarely,” you mumble, fully on your feet as Laura twists to stare at you.
Tears creep down her face. You don’t know what to feel.
“I lied,” she says to you, sniffing. “He asked me about you junior year and I told him you’ve only ever thought of him as a friend even though I knew you didn’t.”
You gape at her, feeling your lip begin to tremble as you scoffed.
“You—he,” you gasp, glancing at Max. He’s staring at the fire, miffed as can be. “Why, Laura? If you knew that, why?”
“Because I liked him, too!” she yelps, shaking her head. “I was jealous—I’m sorry, and y-you never made a move in all the years you knew him so I went for it—”
“You fucking lied is what you did,” you hiss, swallowing a sob.
When she calls your name, you blow her off and stumble out of Dylan’s support. Some people call out after you, but you just keep walking.
It’s hard to see though all the tears, but you somehow end up at the lake shack sitting on the edge of one of the peers. You nearly fall in, just barely catching yourself and crying like a newborn baby.
Because, really, what a fucking waste of so much time, of so much love and adoration towards the one person who had always returned it without your knowing.
It feels like your chest is fracturing open it hurts so bad. No wonder people die of heartbreak.
Feeling footsteps approach, you jump and whip around.
Max stands above you, eyes dark and turning pink.
“Did you cry?” you ask dumbly.
“Yeah,” he squeaks and clears his throat. “I hate seeing you cry.”
For some reason, likely the alcohol still in your system, you start laughing. It’s lodges a few more tears down your heated face.
“What a show, huh?” he murmurs, sitting next to you. “Breakfast is going to be interesting tomorrow.”
“To say the least,” you agree.
Max swings his feet over the ledge, yours crossed and curled close to your body. You angle your head down and to the side when he offers you something.
“Last one in the snack bag,” he says, plastic wrapper crinkling around the rainbow sprinkled masterpiece.
You take it, fingertips brushing his before you lean your weight against his side. It’s colder tonight and he’s always warm.
“Was it really me?”
He hums, waiting for more.
“Your first love?”
Chuckling, he throws an arm around your back. You look up at him, faces close.
“It still is you,” he whispers.
You sniff, closing your eyes and looking away. His hand comes up to wipe away a few more tears.
“I should’ve said something, but you were always around and I didn’t want to lose your friendship if you didn’t return the feelings.” It all comes out in a slurred ramble.
“Hey, it’s not like I did any better,” he murmurs, rubbing your back.
“Guess we’re both idiots, then.”
“Hey!” He laughs and you giggle as he tugs you closer. “Don’t be mean. We’re geniuses. Just…not all the time.”
“We’re not evil geniuses.”
“You know, Ryan says it was Dylan but the real mastermind is Emma.”
“She scares me,” you admit.
“Completely,” he agrees.
You both sit there in comfortable silence for a moment or two.
“So, what now?” you whisper, a stray breeze blowing your hair back.
“We talk to Laura, I guess.”
“Do you…still want to be with her?”
“No,” he says quickly, “no, I love her, but I learned to love her to try and get over you. It wasn’t a relationship built on good sentiments and I think, deep down, she knew that.
“And I’m still in love with you,” he sighs, your heart skipping. “It’s not fair to her.”
You lay your head on his shoulder, the full moon staring down at you two.
“You gonna forgive her?”
“Don’t know,” you murmur, eyelids heavy. “I’ll figure it out.”
“You always do,” he hums making you smile and turn to look at him.
When his eyes flit to yours, the moment slows to a stop again. His hand raises to push some hair off your face and you lean into the touch, heart prepped to burst.
“It’s hell of a late start, but can I kiss you?”
Beaming, you grab the collar of his shirt and yank his mouth to yours.
Behind you in the wooden shelter, a round of cheers have you both jumping apart.
The party had followed it seemed, now with one less counselor in the mix.
Emma raises a thumb up at you, phone on display.
“Oh my god was she recording all of that?” you ask in horror.
“I think she was,” Max chuckles, guiding your face back to his. You laugh against his lips as he whines, “What? They interrupted.”
It was looking to be a good rest of your summer at the Hackett Quarry.
can i request a max brinly x gender neutral reader where they're both outdoor counselors and max is like stupidly in love with/attracted to the reader. laura and max aren't together, instead they're more like childhood best friends and laura (along with like every other counselor there) is tired of the readers obliviousness and max's incessant pining that they just end up trying to set them up. also could the reader be best friends with ryan and maybe max thinks there's something going on between them so it's like a misinterpretation type thing.
*note: so I realized that at the beginning of the game everyone is leaving in one car (aside from Chris's) which means there must've been a meeting point where everyone left their cars and drove up the rest of the way. Just included a cute little mingling scene that goes along with that!
max brinly x gn!reader
warnings: few bad words. that’s about it.
You and Ryan have been going to the Hackett Quarry Camp since you were kids. Hell, you can say you practically grew up there with it taking two months out of the year for the last, what decade? Decade and a half?
God, you've been going there so long you're losing track of time.
"We still driving together to the meet-up spot?"
Rolling your eyes at Ryan's baritone voice sounding through your speaker, you finally get your suitcase zipped up tight, fingertips burning with how much pressure it'd taken to grip the zipper.
"I drive you every year. Why would that change now?"
"Obviously because you secretly hate me and want me to drive for once."
Squinting your eyes, you turn towards your phone laying by your foot. The black screen stares back at you.
"Ryan, that's not even remotely funny."
"Sorry. Dark humor."
Shaking your head, you heave your luggage towards your bedroom door. The biggest thing on your checklist is finally checked off.
"You excited to meet the new Hacketteers?" you call across the few feet between you and your phone.
"As long as they're better than last year's."
"Yeah, fuck Myers."
"Bruh, fuck 'em all," he groans. You can imagine him rubbing a hand over his face from the stressful memories.
Chris had promised to do better in hiring this year. No more deadbeats who don’t pull their weight, and hopefully no more weirdos asking for your number every day.
A pitchy voice shouts in the background of the phone call making Ryan laugh.
"Was that your sister?"
"Yeah, she said 'that's a dollar for the swear jar.' I'm too broke for this."
"At least Chris pays kinda well."
"Counselor looks good on a resume, though."
Couldn't disagree with him on that. You'd gotten a lot out of all these camp gigs, and while Chris couldn't pay his counselors as much as he wished he could (that being his favorites--you and Ryan) his beautiful land made up for that.
You learned to love kids because of this job as well as the great outdoors. It's a second home to you and Ryan. You don't think you could see either of you anywhere else when summer rolled around.
Besides, it's nice to get away from the media and the family and just all-around drama.
As always, your duo is the first to arrive at the meetup spot--a quaint little cafe on the outskirts of North Kill. Everyone on their way to the camp has to pass through it one way or another.
The place is empty save for two workers behind the counter. They don't greet you as the bell rings, but you don't blame them. It's too early to be polite.
Chris is already in a corner booth nursing a cup of joe. Once you and Ryan settle in, he orders a drink for the two of you. You go for an iced beverage, well aware of the temperature climbing outside. It was going to be a hot one this summer.
The three of you catch up as you wait for the others. Seeing as you don't have much going on, Ryan brings up his struggle with attending college and how he's not sure if he should leave his sister in the hands of his grandparents to attend. You’ve already told him it’s his life. There was always time to visit, to call her and hear about her day.
It’s his dream, but he has to be the one to decide to chase it or not.
Before Chris can give his two cents on the subject, two of the counselors walk in. He stands to greet them by name, offering them a chance to go and grab some food and drink for the road.
Emma introduces herself first, shaking your hand, then Ryan's. Abigail, the girl to have walked in behind her does the same.
Not soon after more people are falling in.
Kaitlyn, Jacob who can't keep his eyes off Emma (you already know how that's going to end in two months), Nick who doesn't say much outright, and Dylan who you recognize. He had gone to the camp a few times when you were younger. It had been a while but he remembers you too.
Then the final two make entry.
Laura is sweet enough with her first introduction and energetic despite the early morning. The girls move closer towards her, buddying up as they share compliments and so on. You agree with them--the pink hat she wears is cute.
Next to her, a young man nods to the group, a bit withdrawn like Nick but much more forthcoming with information. Max Brinly is his name; reddish-brown slicked back hair and green eyes, sun-flecked skin, and a soft face.
You make a mental note of his cute, shy nature. He sticks close to Laura throughout Chris's rundown of the ride to camp, passing out pamphlets with contact info which really only includes emails. Not like you can really do much of anything with the whole "no phone" policy.
"Who's riding shotgun this year?" Chris asks you and Ryan.
The two of you take one glance at each other and bolt for the door, your laughter echoing throughout the cafe as you pull at each other's shirts, struggling to get ahead.
Chris sighs, shaking his head as he watches the duo stumble to the old van. He chuckles when they both realize the doors are still locked.
"Are they always like that?" Laura asks, smiling as you and Ryan resort to the honorable code of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
"Every damn year," Chris rumbles, waving the group towards the door. "Round up Hacketteers. Time to head out!"
You end up losing the front passenger seat to Ryan. Sitting behind him, you shift over when Max and Laura scoot in next to you.
"What'd you lose to?"
You look away from the window as the van pulls out onto the open road.
"Huh?"
Max grins at you, your shoulders bumping as the car jolts a bit.
"Rock, paper, or scissors?" he questions. "Think I'm more of a paper guy myself."
"Don't trust him," Laura warns, leaning around him. "He can be sneaky when he wants to be."
"I chose scissors," you tell him. "Not my best move, clearly."
"Is it so bad back here?” he hums. “Making new friends?"
"I just get queasy sometimes," you explain, "and being next to the AC has its perks."
Laura hums and nods, Max agrees.
You take to them both on the ride in, learning little things about them slowly but surely. Laura wants to be a vet, Max is in school alongside her.
At first, you assume they're a couple, but it's hard to tell with their banter. You don't catch them holding hands or any terms of endearment, then again, why are you looking for any of that at all?
Arriving at camp, everyone breaks off to unpack and set up the camp. The kids will be here the next morning by bus and there dust to clean off and food to unpack.
It’s a routine you know by heart so it’s easy to help direct everyone around and answer any questions that pop up along the way.
From across the room, you don’t notice Max watching you as you help Ryan drag down the stacked chairs blocking the main stairs.
Laura notices, coming your next to him to elbow his ribs. He jostles slightly, frowning at her as he brings a hand up to rub the sore spot.
“Ow?”
“They’re cute, huh?”
He narrows his eyes at her.
“Don’t start.”
“What?” she laughs, shrugging. “I’m just saying. You have two months to chat ‘em up. I wouldn’t waste it.”
“Sure,” he huffs, heading off.
Laura shakes her head after him, grinning as she catches your eyes following after her best friend.
“Everyone ready to head to the island?” you call back to your group of kids. You’re leading in the first boat along with Max and his next to you. Ryan and Laura will be following behind with the rest of them.
The kids cheer at your question, bright and happy faces peeking out of bright orange life vests.
“Wanna make it a friendly race, Max?” you call across the water to him.
He raises an eyebrow, expression playful.
“As long as you ready to lose,” he chuckles. Some of his kids laugh, “ooh”ing as they heckle your group.
They return the looks with fervor. Shouting that you’d win without even trying.
“Let’s see about that!” you shout, waving towards Ryan. He rolls his eyes.
“Alright, get into positions,” he says. “On the count of three!”
You make sure your kids have the right grip on their paddles, remaining them of which side will make you go right or left.
“One!” Ryan begins.
You and Max share a smile. Feeling confident in yourself, you throw him a wink before staring forward.
Max faces floods red, getting so caught up in the gesture he nearly misses Ryan yell, “Three!”
Water splashes as everyone begins paddling. The kids yell and chant, you and Max remaining head to head before your team picks up the pace.
It’s a hard fought battle, but in the end your team remains victorious, reaching the wooden docks of the island first.
On the far side of the island, you allow the kids to swim free and ride their canoes a bit further out than most would. With how good they’ve been, the deserve the freedom.
Ryan and Laura are caught up on zip line duty while you and Max remain as lifeguards. The sound of rampant laughter and running feet on wooden panels above has you smiling.
“You’ve worked here a long time, right?”
Humming, you nod towards Max.
“Every year since I could drive, yeah. It’s a home away from home, I guess.”
“So you and Ryan grew up here together, then? You seem pretty close.”
“He’s a dork,” you mumble fondly, “but we look out for each other. What about you and Laura?”
“Pretty much the same story just without a cool camp.”
You laugh quietly. He smiles.
From above, Laura sighs as she watches the two.
“I know,” Ryan says, passing by. “They need to kiss and get it over with.”
“Oh!” she breathes, spooked. She hadn’t noticed him coming. “You think? I thought you two might’ve been a thing, actually.”
“Nah. Just friends.”
“Cool,” she murmurs, looking back down at the pair. “I hope he’ll get the courage to ask them out. He can be so shy sometimes.”
“I think they like that about him,” Ryan chuckles. “They’ve always been into the nice guys. Also got a weakness for freckles.”
“Really?” she laughs. He rolls his eyes.
“I swear everyone they’ve had a crush on usually has freckles, a beauty mark, something. Helps that he’s fit as fuck.”
“Paying attention to that, were you?”
He smiles and shrugs. s
“Who am I to ignore art when it’s staring me in the face?”
She laughs in agreement.
“What do you say we speed things up a bit?”
Ryan raises an eyebrow at her, smirking.
“What do you have in mind?”
You all had just gotten back to the lodge for dinner, happily eating a plate’s worth of grub after a long day on the lake.
You’re chatting with the rest of the counselors over dessert when Ryan approaches looking sullen.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“One of the kids lost a friendship bracelet. Said they left it in a towel cubby.”
“It’s not too late, I can go look for it?” you offer, standing up.
“I would go but I’m on campfire duty tonight with Dylan.”
“It’s fine. I’ll grab a flashlight and take a look.”
“You shouldn’t go alone,” Laura calls from her seat across the table. “Max, go help them I’m helping in the kitchen.”
“It’s okay you really don’t have to,” you assure them. “I’ll be fine.”
Laura elbows Max, earning a glare from him as he grimaces and stands.
“Nah, it’s fine. I’m free tonight anyway,” he breathes, breaking away before Laura can bruise him up anymore.
“Be careful you two!” Kaitlyn calls.
“Watch out for snakes!” warns Abigail.
“What—snakes?” Max whispers, looking at you aghast. You throw your head back and laugh.
“Welcome to the woods, big boy,” you tease, leading him to Chris’s office to borrow some flashlights.
“There’s so many lightning bugs tonight,” you say quietly, watching your step over tree roots as you follow the trail to the lake house.
Max shuffles along beside you.
“I used to catch them when I was little,” he says, “put them in jars and go in the closet for a bit just to watch them. I always ended up letting them go. Felt bad.”
Such a softie, you think.
You jump as Max trips, rocking into you. Somehow you manage to catch him before either of you go sprawling. Unfortunately, it sends your flashlight bouncing agaisnt the ground. It flickers weakly before snapping out.
“Oh, shit,” you whispers, picking it up and rattling it.
“Here, use mine,” Max offers. “I’ll say I dropped it, it’s fine.”
“We can just pretend it never worked to begin with,” you wave off, accepting his flashlight. “Chris will never know the difference.”
“Ah, very sneaky.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Reaching the shelter, the two do you head up towards the towel racks in the lookout room. You both take a few minutes to check every single cubby, even going as far as to unroll towels to see if the bracket had somehow gotten folded into one.
“I hope someone didn’t take it,” you sigh, hands on your hips as you look around the room.
“Maybe it’s on the floor?” Max eyes the ground around the cubbies, kneeling down to get a better look. Your eyes drop to his back when his shirt raises up, showing off soft, freckled skin.
Your grip on the flashlight tightens.
“I’m not seeing anything.”
You blink looking away.
“I feel bad for the kid. I can’t imagine losing something handmade by Ryan. He’d kill me.”
“I mean, they can always make another one. It was an accident,” Max reasons, back on his feet.
“You wouldn’t get mad if someone lost a bracket your worked hard on?” you ask him pointblank.
“I mean, as long as you wore it a while and liked it, I say it would’ve been well worth it.”
You grin at him through the dark room, laughing softly.
“What?”
“You’re adorable, Max.”
“Wow, thanks.”
“It’s a compliment,” you promise him. “I like how big your heart is. You’re really sweet to everyone and the kids. It’s cute.”
“You think I’m cute?” he asks, tone genuine.
“The cutest,” you mumble. “I hope that doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable?”
“No, I-I think you’re really cute, too. Definitely the cutest here,” he rambles.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah…yeah, really.”
The two of you stand there in silence, frogs croaking and bugs singing in the summer night air.
“Hey, uh—”
“Yes?” you breathe, heart skipping.
“I know it’s only been a few weeks here, but, you know…”
“Yeah?”
“I just wanted to, maybe, uh.” He scratches the back of his head, looking away. You want to pinch his cheeks for being so adorable.
“Wanted to what?” you encourage him, voice soft.
“I just fine you super attractive and, I don’t know, I feel like we get along really well so I wanted to ask you out. If you were interested. At all.”
He crosses his arms, taking a deep breath as he sort of takes to rocking in place. It’s all your heart can take, stepping forward to wrap your arms around him and kiss his cheek.
“I’d like that,” you whisper.
“Yeah?” he chokes out, smiling wide in the dim light the flashlight casts in the background.
You nod, the both of you laughing quietly as you grab his hand and lea shin back towards the lodge.
Ryan and Laura are sitting on the steps when you two return.
“How’d it go?” she smiles, eyeing you and Max’s joined hands.
“We couldn’t find the bracket. Sorry,” you say, guilty.
“Too bad,” Ryan says, something in his tone leaving you eyeing him and then Laura. They’re both still grinning.
“Are we missing something?” Max hedges.
“You little shits,” you sigh, Max tensing as you scowl at the duo. “You set this up, didn’t you?”
They both just shrug, biting back laughs.
“Wait, so a kid didn’t lose their bracelet?” Max asks, confused.
You let go of his hand to pat him on the back.
“No, there wasn’t,” you sigh.
“Oh. Cool,” he shrugs off. “At least we got to skip campfire songs.”
You snort, nudging him towards the cabins and eyeing the mischievous pair still resting on the steps.
hi! i love your work! if you’re still taking the quarry requests i had an idea! jacob x fem reader where he never got with emma and flirts with reader throughout camp and she gets super flustered cuz she has a crush on him and thinks he’s not actually interested but he oh so really is and everyone can see it but them and maybe one of the counselors pushes them to say something/act on it?
warnings: mature language
When your mother pushes you to take a new summer job to escape the hellhole that is the food industry, you didn’t expect her to force you into a cooking position at a camp.
Apparently it was a “friend of a friend” sort of situation when it came to hiring and you “needed to break out of your shell and meet new people your age.”
It’s not like you chose to be a recluse. Between work and college, life’s been more or less a shit show as far as socializing. That and you’d lost all touch with your old friends since they escaped your smallish town to attend state colleges.
You aim to change all of that when you arrive at Hackett’s Quarry. Big group of counselors, nice faces, strong personalities—it’s an opportunity ripe with promise.
You get bowled over not five seconds into entering the lodge.
Luckily, your massive gym bag chockfull of two months worth of clothes takes the brunt of your fall. Your knees still hurt as they knock against hardwood, your hands, too, as they save your face from what could have been a bad bruise.
“Oh, shit, shit, shit—my bad!”
“Ha! Nice one, Jacob.”
“I didn’t know she would be standing there! Gimme a break!”
Pushing off the ground, you wince and pull the strap of your bag over your head.
You’re not sure what the hell this asshole had been doing when he’d been walking in, but that’s too much force for one guy.
When you turn to look at him (with probably not the nicest expression now that you think about it) you realize why it’d been so easy to knock you over.
The man’s huge, packed with muscle and broad shoulders—likely a linebacker or some sports jock from whatever school he’d come from.
“I am so sorry—fuck—I didn’t, like, hurt you, did I? I was messing around with Nick and—”
Deep. His eyes are deep and dark and that perfect shade of brown that was born for the sad, puppy dog look.
“Forget it,” you huff, already angry at the fact you’re stuck with a hot bozo for the next two months. You wanted friends, not another guy to let you down.
Getting to your feet, you wave off his apologies, trying to get him off your tail as you approach the rest of the counselors gathered around.
It was a hell of a first meeting between you and Jacob Custos. That’s for sure.
A week in with the kids, you find yourself passing out extra helpings and snacks to the shyer ones who rarely speak up for themselves. You own a little army of gremlins because it, always having one or two faces peering into the kitchen as you’re prepping.
Luckily, despite being the only camp cook, Mr. H was nice enough to have a counselor help you with the heavier responsibilities. They change everyday, the same counselor dropping by to help with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You get a chance to know each and every one of them because of it.
You learn quickly that Jacob isn’t much of a cook. He keeps you entertained throughout your duties once a week, helping load up the food dishes and carry them out as well as cleaning everything up when the meal is done.
He can’t chop very well with such large hands, leaving you to nurse a few cuts the first day and send him off to watch the boiling pots with fresh bandaids on his fingers.
“This is the best soup I’ve ever had in my life,” he claims the second week.
You squint at him as he takes a few more steaming spoonfuls from his bowl.
“…It’s from a can, Jacob.”
He shakes his head, humming as a noodle sticks to the side of his mouth.
“Nope, uh-uh, you do something special to it. Tastes too good not to.”
Laughing, you grab the rag from your jean’s belt loop to wipe his messy face off. You don’t realize how intimate of a scene you’ve painted until you pull away and he’s grinning up at you.
Clearing your throat, you turn back to the stove where the massive pot of soup sits.
“This’ll be heavy to carry out so be careful and try not to jostle it—it’ll slosh over the edge if you go too fast.”
“Right, yeah. I’ve got it,” he promises, finishing up his early lunch with large gulps.
“Slow down! You’re gonna make yourself sick!”
In between meals, you join whatever counselor is helping you that day and their group of kids. It’s only fair you provide some extra hands in return for theirs in the kitchen.
Three weeks in, you’re visiting the lake with Jacob’s ragtag group. You make sure every small body is loaded with a life vest and sunscreen before Jacob hurls them into a boat and off onto the water.
For a bit it’s like watching bumper cars, paddles hitting wooden sides and kids rocking their vessels and scaring the others.
“Hey! You tip that over and you’re banned from the water the rest of the day!” Jacob warns, making a face and pulling a finger up when the kids whine at him. “Safety first, kiddos! You know the rules!”
“You’re good with them,” you say, chilling next to him on the edge of the dock. If you reach, your toes you can almost skim the surface, but other than that you’re pretty much clear of the water.
“Got lucky,” he sniffs, shrugging. The late afternoon sun gleams over his bare shoulders. You try not to let your eyes wander lower than that. “Have a lot of the good kids.”
“Maybe they just have a good counselor.”
He smiles at you, foot nudging yours. You do your best to fight back the smile curling at your lips.
The weeks following that, Jacob spends a lot of his free time dropping by. You doubt it’s for you so much as free snacks, but you don’t call him out on it. You’re used to people taking advantage of your kindness, not to say he’s bad for it. You provide it willingly. The guy is too cute to not be sweet on him.
Kaitlyn is helping you chop up some vegetables five weeks in when she slams her knife down suddenly, scaring the life out of you.
“When are you going to stop playing around with him?”
“W-what?” you squeak, taking a step further to the side as she stares you down. “Play with who?”
You’d only just mentioned how strange it was that Jacob had tried to help you with dish duty the day before when it had clearly been Nick’s turn that day.
“Jacob has literally been melting my ears off talking about you and you’re gonna sit there and ask me who?”
“What do you mean playing with him?” you ask, eyes wide. “What’s the game? Because I’m clearly missing it here.”
“Are you shitting me right now?” she deadpans, looking you up and down. “Don’t tell me you’re that oblivious.”
“Hey,” you warn, “I cook your food, too. Watch it.”
“He likes you.” She raises her eyebrows, shaking her head once as she says it. “Have you seriously not figured that out, yet? Jacob likes you!”
You take a moment to even think about the possibility.
He’s sweet, sure. A dumbass with a big heart, but he’s the popular guy from your old days of high school. The one who gets the future models and the head cheerleaders—you’re not his type.
“Pretty sure Emma is more his style.”
“You’re an idiot,” Kaitlyn states, pointblank. “He’s obsessed with you and I suggest you give him a shot or shoot his ass down because I’m sick and tired of hearing him go off about you every second he can.”
“Are you being serious?” you ask, genuine.
She glares at you.
“Dead.”
Her eyes flicker to something behind you and she smirks.
“Perfect timing. Jacob is taking my shifts today.”
You nearly choke, whipping around to find said man walking into the kitchen with that big, stupid smile.
“Hey! Kaitlyn said she wanted someone to cover her today?”
“Thanks, big guy,” she calls, sending you a wink and heading off. “Have fun, you two.”
You gawk at her as she walks away, tensing as Jacob comes to stand beside you.
“Oh, are we cutting stuff? I think I can do it since you showed me how to tuck my fingers last time—”
“Hey, look at me for a sec.”
He does, eyes all round with curiosity and maybe confusion, you’re not sure. You’re still panicking on the inside.
“What?” He brings an arm up towards his chin. “Do I have something on my face?”
“No,” you nearly whisper and he makes a small noise, brow furrowing.
“What’s up?” A cheeky grin takes over his expression. “Am I just too hot to handle today?”
“Yeah and literally every other day,” you laugh.
Apparently, he hadn’t been expecting your honesty because his mouth pops open.
“O-oh. You…you think I’m hot?”
“Perhaps,” you tease, looking down at your cutting board. “Kaitlyn seems to think you have some kind of crush on me—I think she’s playing a joke or something, but I wanna hear it from you because I know I’m the last counselor here that’s your type.”
It’s word vomit. All of it.
You hope it comes out clear and cool because you’re too nervous to hear yourself.
“Who said you’re not my type?” His tone is nearly a whine with how much sadness comes across. “You’re cute and you laugh at my jokes and you’re smoking hot in a swim suit—”
“Jacob!” you hiss, heat crawling up your neck.
He chuckles, tilting his head to the side.
“Just telling you the truth! I think you’re really cool and I’ve been trying to show you that since, like, the first week here.”
“The first week?”
“Yeah.” He shrugs, smiling shyly as he scratches his jaw looking somewhere off to the side. “I thought I was kinda being obvious. You couldn’t tell?”
“N-no, I thought you were just being nice since you ran me over the first day,” you squeak, hiding your face in your hands. “Oh my god, she was right—I am an idiot.”
“No, you’re not,” he laughs, warm hands coming up to pull your hands away. “Clearly, I’m the dumb one between us.”
Glancing from where he holds you to his face again, your heart aches at how he smiles at you.
“I really really like you,” he confesses. “Can we see where the rest of camp takes us? I want to really try here.”
“Are you sure?” you ask, nervous behind measure. “We don’t live that close.”
“I wanna make it work if you do,” he rocks back and forth, almost dancing with his movements, “sooo?”
Laughing, you pull your hands from his soft grip and use his chest to stabilize yourself. You peck his cheek tenderly, nodding as you retreat to look at him again.
Request #1: Nick Furcillo taking care of his girlfriend who is currently on the 1st day of her period and it's... bad. I mean BAD. Horrific, painful period cramps leaving her bedridden, nausea that prevents her from eating anything but crackers, persistent stomach pain, aches, etc. God, he feels so horrible knowing he can't take any of the pain or discomfort away from her but he does know that at least he can make this week a little more bearable for her and that's exactly what he plans to do, even if it means abandoning all his camp duties as well. (🐺 Anon)
Word count: 747
Genre: fluff
Pairing: Nick x reader (gender neutral pronouns are used but reader has a uterus)
Warnings: periods
Nick was panicking, you hadn’t been at breakfast and none of the kids had seen you all day. None of his fellow male counsellors knew anything either and it was only when he managed to grab a hold of Emma at lunch that he was informed you weren’t feeling well. The slight relief that had filled him at the knowledge of your location and relative wellness once again leaving his body at the sight of you. Rushing over to your side he was immediately frantic, hands coming to rest on your sweaty face as he rapidly asked what was wrong, what he could do to help.
Blearily opening your eyes to find his worried face you smiled slightly before you were wracked with another all-encompassing cramp, groaning aloud and curling in on yourself. Making your boyfriend worry even more before you managed to assure him that nothing was seriously wrong, you had just started your period and it was unfortunately a really bad one.
“Mm’ok, just started my period this morning” you said, voice muffled from where you’d buried in the comforter. That had Nick relaxing a lot as he remembered yesterday when you’d snapped at Jacob for accidentally stepping on the back of your shoe and then cried when you apologised for being too mean.
“Oh, that’s why you were such a bi-” he started, only to be cut off
“I suggest you choose your next words very carefully” you glared, the sickly sheen of your skin doing wonders for the intimidation factor. After that Nick had gone to get you a glass of water only to almost drop it when he’d returned to find you crying. Rushing over he put the glass down out of reach and comfortingly stroked you hair, as he tried to discern the root of the problem.
“Everything hurts” you heaved through sobs “my cramps are so bad, nothing I do helps I just can’t get comfortable. My back hurts and I have a headache and I’m so hungry but I constantly feel like I have to throw up” you were crying in both pain and frustration now and Nick could feel his heart breaking at the fact he couldn’t do anything to take away the pain. You’d since moved to hunch up in a ball, legs under your tummy arms tucked closely by your sides and forehead on the mattress, sometimes this position would help with the cramps but it only seemed to make them worse today.
Nick stayed by your side the rest of the day, he’d gone fishing through your bag at instruction and had received some naprogesics for the pain. He had rubbed your hair, back, tummy, anywhere you wanted and whispered soothing words until you had had enough of his well-meaning but misplaced phrases. He’d helped you hobble along to the toilet and had gotten a cloth to help wipe the sweat off. He'd even brought you a nice little bucket he named Henry, ready and willing to hold it up for you in case you did throw up.
He'd soothed your frustration by just being there and telling you stories and gossip about the other counsellors, making you laugh through the pain. The image of Jacob screaming like a little bitch every time he saw a spider was now well and truly burned into your brain, so was the time Dylan had apparently fallen face first down a set of stairs in front of the kids. Hearing you laugh had made Nick smile as he continued to try and take your mind off things with more and more ridiculous stories.
He stayed until the kids filtered in to get ready for bed, staring at him in confusion before you made them promise they wouldn’t snitch to Mr Hackett. One of the kids had just nodded solemnly before proclaiming that snitched got stitches and now you were mildly concerned but you were on your period and therefore it wasn’t your issue.
Nick had ended up managing to stay the night and you fell asleep to the feeling of his soothing hands gently massaging you as you finally got yourself comfortable wrapped in his embrace. And if by the next morning you refused to let him go then that was all your periods fault.
Unbeknownst to you this was just fine by him. He would be going to see Mr Hackett to inform the man that both you and him would be out of commission for the week, he wasn't about to let you suffer alone.
Hey! Saw that your requests for the quarry were open. I was thinking maybe a fem reader who listened to Mr. H and decided to stay in the lodge and so when everything starts to fall apart, maybe Ryan or Jacob get worried and run to try and find her? They could be a couple already or just had feelings for each other, it's up to you (: If the idea isn't your thing no pressure! Just thought it'd be kinda cute
a/n: we gonna do ryan since i haven’t written him romantically yet.
Ryan had been adamant about not going along with the rest, hell, he’d agreed with you. Chris told the two of you (the trustworthy counselors) to stay inside and keep the noise down for a reason.
“He was scared of something, Ryan.”
“If he was really that freaked out, he would’ve packed us all into his car or went and got a bus or something.”
Crossing your arms, you glance him up and down. His eyes widen as he mirrors your frown.
“What?”
“What the hell did Dylan say to you to get you on their side?”
“Cmon, babe, there aren’t sides,” he scoffs, waving a hand at the lodge doors. “They just wanna have a good time. It’s our last night and I don’t want to waste it either.”
“Fine,” you say, nodding. “Have fun, then.”
He jaw almost drops.
“You serious?
You pops your brows at him, planting your feet.
“Dead. You wanna go against the one thing Chris asked us to do? Fine. Don’t expect me to do the same.”
“God, you know what? Fine. Fine,” he huffs, swiveling on his heel. “See you later.”
When the door slams shut, it echoes along with the realization you’ll be spending the night alone.
You jerk awake, an instant pain in your neck as voices break through the silence of the lodge.
Glancing around, you find you’d dozed off in the miniature library. A cozy nook always did wonders for you when you were upset.
Hearing your name yelled, you hurry off the couch and into the main room. You gasp as you find Abigail and Kaitlyn helping a bloodied Nick to the nurse’s office. Dylan and Ryan stand behind them.
Once Ryan finds you, he sighs.
“Holy shit, I thought you were gone.”
“What the hell happened?!” you shriek, pointing towards Nick.
“A bear…we think,” Dylan shrugs.
“You think? What?”
“Abi says it was something else,” Ryan explains, shutting the double doors. “We’re here to call the police.”
“Or an ambulance.”
“You’re not helping, Dylan.”
Standing there, you wrap your arms around yourself as Ryan turns to you again. When you catch his gaze, you look away.
It’s not like the two of you have exactly made up yet.
“I’ll go find that phone,” Dylan says, sending the tension. “Keys, man?”
Ryan passes them to him. The two of you watch him go in silence.
“Listen,” he starts.
“I didn’t mean,” you begin.
Both of you stop, grinning as you wave the other on.
“You first,” you urge.
“I’m sorry I stormed off like that,” he apologizes. “I just didn’t want everyone hating on us for belong lame but that shouldn’t have mattered. We should have listened like you said or Nick wouldn’t be hurt.”
“I still should have been there,” you murmur. “I could’ve helped.”
“I’m glad you weren’t. The games got out of hand and if you’d gotten hurt—”
“What happened with the games?”
He shakes his head, scowling.
“Dared me to kiss people when I obviously have a girlfriend,” he grumbles. “Pissed me off.”
“It’s okay,” you smile, stepping forward and kissing his cheek. “Thanks for, you know, not kissing someone.”
“Don’t thank me for the bare minimum,” he chuckles, hand cupping your jaw. You hum happily as he kisses your forehead. “You deserve, like, maximin effort.”
“Well, let’s put that effort to good use and call the cops,” you laugh. “Go help Dylan. I’ll help the others.”
