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As they made their way through the densely-packed forest, with the lush, summer grass brushing their ankles and the distant sunlight casting dappled shadows across the path ahead, Cyrus found himself wondering – not for the first time – why he’d agreed to come on this trip in the first place. With every rustle, crunch, and muffled squawk, his fear spread like a flood throughout his entire body, until it settled as a suffocating lump in the back of his throat. He screwed his eyes shut, breathed deeply through his nose, and struggled to remain at least slightly calm.Somewhere behind them, a twig snapped, and the last of his composure burst out of him in the form of a strangled scream. He spun around, cold sweat springing to the surface of his neck, and stumbled backwards into TJ’s arms.“What was that?” he cried, reaching blindly for his friend’s hand. When he felt the solid warmth of TJ’s palm pressed against his own, he relaxed a little. “I-I thought I heard something.”TJ chuckled. “We’re in the forest, Underdog. You’re probably gonna hear a lot of things.”“Do you think we’re being followed?”“By a squirrel, maybe.”“I’m being serious, Teej! I feel like we’re being watched…”At the trembling note of fear in his voice, TJ turned him around and gently cupped his face in his hands, a reassuring smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.“The forest is full of life,” he told him. “There are eyes everywhere. But it’s nothing to be afraid of, okay?”Cyrus gulped. “A-Are you sure?”“Look.” TJ took his hand and guided them both to the ground, crouching beside a patch of buttery-yellow flowers spotted amongst the leaves. “These are celandine poppies,” he said, touching Cyrus’ fingertips to the small, delicate petals. “They’re pretty, huh? Not scary at all.”Cyrus tilted his head to the side, stubbornly searching for something intimidating about the yellow-studded foliage, but there was nothing. TJ was right.“I guess they’re not scary,” he mumbled. “But I still heard something behind us!”“You probably did,” TJ conceded with a shrug. “There’s a lot of animals around here, Cy. The forest is full of life, like I said.” He nodded at the poppies and softened his smile. “Just think of them like the flowers, okay? They’re not gonna hurt you.”Cyrus scoffed. “Oh, yeah… Because bears are a lot like flowers.”“We’re not gonna see any bears.”“How do you know?”“The only bears around here are black bears, and they’re just as scared of us as we are of them.” TJ knocked their shoulders together and offered him another placating smile. “The worst they might do is steal our food while we’re sleeping.”“Not the food!” Cyrus gasped, a sickening churn of hunger making his stomach rumble.TJ rolled his eyes fondly and reached into his rucksack, pulling out a couple of protein bars and handing them to Cyrus. “These should hold you over until we set up camp.”“Which is when, by the way?”“You can’t be tired already.”“All this worrying is making me exhausted!” Cyrus whined. He accepted TJ’s outstretched hand and allowed himself to be pulled back to his feet, immediately swaying forward and slumping against TJ’s shoulder. With his cheek cushioned against the softness of TJ’s plaid jacket, he sighed. “Can’t we stop for a bit? My feet hurt…”“It’s gonna be dark in a few hours,” TJ said, but Cyrus could hear the edge of reluctance in his voice.“Just a few minutes,” he slurred. “I promise I won’t fall asleep.”TJ snorted. “You’re drooling.”“No, I’m not.”“C’mon, Cy…”“Please?”After a moment of silent contemplation, TJ seemed to reach a decision. He tucked an arm under Cyrus’ legs and hauled him into the air, draping Cyrus’ sleep-laden arms over his shoulders and gripping the backs of his ankles for support. It was awkward, what with the bulky rucksack taking up most of the space on his back, but he somehow managed it.“What are you doing?” Cyrus asked, his fatigue pushed aside by shock for a brief moment. “You can’t carry me the rest of the way! You’ll hurt yourself.”TJ flicked him an amused glance over his shoulder. “I think you overestimate how heavy you are.”“I can’t tell if that’s a compliment or not…”“I’ll be fine. Just… hold on.”“Are you sure?”“Yes.”“But –”“The longer you keep arguing, the longer I’ll have to carry you.”Cyrus snapped his mouth shut, the weariness slowly creeping back into his muscles as he melted against TJ’s back. When they started moving again, the rhythmic sound of TJ’s footsteps began lulling him to sleep, his eyelids drooping with the combined weight of exhaustion and contentment. He curled his fingers in the front of TJ’s shirt, now sticking to his chest with a thin sheen of sweat, and rested his head against TJ’s shoulder.On the cusp of sleep, his lips twitched drowsily with a smile, the reason he agreed to come on this trip with TJ suddenly seeming so obvious.~~~~~When he finally stirred a few hours later, the warmth of TJ’s back was gone, replaced instead by the cool confinements of his sleeping bag. The dying sunlight filtering through the plastic roof of the tent coloured his surroundings with a blue tinge, and the sweltering heat had subsided somewhat, the door to the tent now flapping in a welcoming breeze.Cyrus wiped his bleary eyes with the back of his arm as he stumbled out of the tent, almost stepping on the protein bars lying next to his sleeping bag in the process. Outside, two rocks had been angled around a nest of tinder – ready for a fire – in the middle of the clearing, and TJ’s rucksack was propped up against a nearby tree. At the sight of his belongings, Cyrus was overcome with a pang of affection for his friend, which quickly shifted into concern when he realised he was completely alone.“TJ?” he called into the clearing, his eyes frantically scanning the edge of the trees surrounding their campsite. “TJ! If you’ve been eaten by a bear, I won’t be pleased!”A familiar laugh emerged from behind him, followed by a face-devouring grin that never failed to make his stomach swoop.“I haven’t been eaten,” TJ said, lifting his arms and doing a little spin as if to prove it. He’d stripped off his jacket and shirt and swapped his pants for a pair of shorts, and his hair was plastered in dark, sopping strands against his forehead. “There’s a river just over there. I went for a swim while you were sleeping.”Cyrus tore his eyes away from TJ’s bare chest, his cheeks heating with a startled blush. “I… I-I wish you’d woken me up. I was worried.”“Sorry, Underdog. You just looked so peaceful, you know? I didn’t wanna disturb you.”“And you set up camp by yourself?”“It was no biggy,” TJ said, waving off his worries as he combed through his rucksack and tossed an extra pair of shorts at Cyrus. He was smirking when he lifted his head again. “Besides… Your snoring was enough entertainment to keep me occupied.”Cyrus slapped a hand over his heart, feigning insult. “I do not snore!”“Okay. You just make pig-like noises in your sleep, then.”“Very funny…”“I thought it was cute.” As soon as the words left his mouth, TJ flushed all the way down to his bellybutton. “I… I mean… It was funny. But, like, in a cute way… Does that make sense?”Cyrus bit his lip. “Yeah, it does… Thank you.”“Oh. Um… You’re welcome, I guess.”“How’s the river?” Cyrus asked, desperately searching for a way to move the conversation forward, before things became irreparably awkward. TJ shook out his sopping hair, sending droplets of water flying across the campsite, and beamed. “It’s awesome! You have to come for a swim with me, Cy.”“I don’t think so.”“Why not?”“Oh, let me think… Leeches, frogs, big scary fish with sharp teeth… Am I leaving anything out?”TJ huffed a laugh. “A few fish aren’t gonna hurt you.”“I’m not willing to take that risk.”“Not even for me?”It was a sneaky move, but it worked. At the sight of TJ’s wide, pleading eyes and protruding bottom lip, Cyrus felt his resolve swiftly crumbling. He sucked in a breath, gathering the last few shreds of his defiance, then caved with a sigh. He quickly changed into TJ’s spare shorts, pulling the drawstrings as tightly as possible to accommodate for their staggering size difference, then followed a grinning TJ out of the clearing and towards the river, grumbling all the way.“I better not drown,” he said, poking TJ firmly in the stomach. “Or get bitten by a radioactive fish and turn into a merman!”TJ threw his head back with laughter. “I’ll protect you, Underdog.”“You promise?”“I promise.”By the time they reached the river, the sunlight had softened slightly, the brilliant blue of the sky slowly turning a dusty purple as dusk began to fall. The river was a shimmering expanse of oily black that seemed to stretch on for miles, and Cyrus could imagine himself wading too far and losing himself beneath the eerily flat surface of water, dragged down by a slithery grip on his ankle…“You’ll be fine,” TJ said, noticing the body-racking shudder running down his spine. He placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. “I’ll be with you the whole time.”“Okay.”“You ready to go in?”Cyrus crossed his arms over his chest, his bare toes curling in the wet pebbles beneath his feet. “I… I’m not sure…”“Here.” TJ held out his hand, eyebrows raised expectantly, and waited for Cyrus to take it. When he did, a jolt of electricity shot through his arm, burning off the afternoon chill in an instant. TJ’s thumb swept across his knuckles, and his stomach twisted into knots. “I won’t let go until you’re ready,” TJ murmured softly. “Okay?”“Okay,” Cyrus said, and this time he meant it.The first step came as a shock, the sun-kissed water much warmer than he’d expected as it lapped over his feet, but he quickly adjusted to the odd sensation. It was like walking through a knee-high bath in the middle of the forest, with mysterious shadows swimming between his legs and nipping at his toes –“What was that?” he screamed, splashing a wave of water into the air as he dove behind TJ. The shadow gave an indignant flick of its tail and swam in the opposite direction.TJ squeezed his hand. “Just a rainbow trout,” he said, pointing out another silvery fish in the near distance. “See the pink stripe across its body?”“D-Do they eat human flesh?”“Don’t worry,” TJ said, his words light with laughter, “unless you’re a giant insect, I think you’ll be fine.”Cyrus allowed himself to breathe again. “Okay, good.”“Still scared?”“Yeah, but… Not as much.”TJ smiled. “You’re doing great, Cy. You wanna go a little further out?”“Um…”“I promise I won’t let go, remember?”“O-Okay.”With his eyes glued on the murky suggestion of his feet beneath the water, Cyrus slowly followed TJ through the river, his knees eventually slipping beneath the surface until the water was touching his waist.“I can’t see my feet anymore,” he said, panic quickly rising in his throat as he squinted through the water.TJ snaked an arm around his waist. “Can you feel them?”“Well… Yeah, but –”“Then they’re still there.” He gave Cyrus a wink. “You’re doing fine, Underdog.”The pride in TJ’s eyes made him feel warm and fuzzy inside, even as the sun started to sink behind the trees bordering the river. He held onto that feeling as TJ led him further and further into the water, until his toes were no longer touching the ground. Every time he started to panic, TJ would point out another fish skimming the surface of the river and start listing off random facts about it, his hand only slipping from Cyrus’ grip when he was sure he was ready. But even then, he was always close by, his eyes never straying too far as they floated in the river side by side, their fingertips brushing beneath the water.When the sun whispered its final goodbyes, and the moon slowly faded into sight, they reluctantly made their way back to camp. He wasn’t sure what gave him the confidence to do it – maybe it was the exhilaration still coursing through his veins, or the breathtaking smile on TJ’s face – but as they stumbled out of the water, Cyrus reached over and took TJ’s hand again.“What’s wrong?” TJ asked, taking the gesture as a sign of fear.Cyrus simply shrugged and smiled. “Nothing.”“Oh.”“Is this okay?”“Yes!” TJ cried. After a beat of silence, he blushed, surprised by his own eagerness, and lowered his voice. “I mean… yes. This is more than okay.”Later, as they lay on their stomachs and watched the stars from the safety of their tent, Cyrus pushed the boundaries even further, resting his head on TJ’s shoulder and letting a dreamy sigh escape his lips. He fell asleep to the sound of TJ quietly mapping out the constellations above, his one hand tracing their glittering impressions on the endless, velvet sky, and the other carding soothing patterns through Cyrus’ hair.~~~~~Cyrus woke to the smell of pancakes hanging in the air. He was still lying on his stomach, with his one arm dangling outside the tent, and his face was smushed against TJ’s plaid jacket. He breathed in the familiar scent and smiled, his stomach fluttering at the mere thought of getting to spend the day with TJ again.As expected, the other boy was standing over the campfire, quietly pushing the pancakes around in the pan. When he caught Cyrus watching him, he grinned.“Morning, Sleeping Beauty.”“You have to stop doing all the hard work while I’m asleep,” Cyrus said as he joined his friend by the fire, although he was secretly grateful for the chance to sleep in. “These look amazing, Teej.”“They’re just pancakes… Nothing fancy.”“They still look amazing.”TJ flicked him a side-glance, his cheeks turning pink as their eyes met over the dancing flames. “Thanks,” he said. “I, uh… I didn’t wanna wake you up. You looked too cute. And not in a funny way, either, just… cute.” He licked his lips, a nervous laugh bubbling out of him. “Sorry. That was weird.”Before he could talk himself out of it, Cyrus leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. TJ flinched at the unexpected gesture, dropping his spatula into the spitting oil and almost knocking the pan to the ground. Completely stunned, he slowly lifted his fingers to the ghost of Cyrus’ lips.“What… What was that for?” he asked, swallowing thickly.Cyrus shrugged. “It was my turn to take charge.”“Oh.” A devious smile thawed the slack-jawed expression of shock on his face, and he playfully bumped their shoulders together. “So you’re in charge of the kisses, huh?”“Well,” Cyrus said with a smirk, “feel free to take initiative now and again.”“How about now?”“Now’s good.”And with that, TJ pulled him closer and pressed their lips together, the unmistakable curve of his smile lifting against Cyrus’ cheek. He tasted like protein bars and cheap coffee, but Cyrus would’ve happily sat there and kissed him forever, if their breakfast wasn’t slowly burning to a crisp right next to them.“You better get that,” he whispered, wrinkling his nose at the acrid smell of smoke wafting through the air.TJ leaned their foreheads together and groaned. “Stupid pancakes…”“Hey! You take that back.”“You’re such a dork,” TJ laughed.“A cute dork?”“The cutest.”Cyrus ducked his head and grinned, his heart racing at his own boldness. A few days ago, the idea of TJ finding out about his crush had seemed like an end-of-the-world type of situation, and now he was shamelessly flirting with him next to a pan of burning pancakes without a care in the world. He felt like his life had been turned upside down, but in the best way possible.“I’ll let you finish breakfast,” he said, forcing himself to let go of TJ and get to his feet. “Are we still going kayaking today?”TJ quirked an eyebrow. “You want to?”“Yeah… I think I can handle it.”“Okay.” TJ nodded, a familiar shimmer of pride in his eyes. “Kayaking it is.”As Cyrus watched his friend – boyfriend? – finishing breakfast on the opposite side of the campsite, he noticed a small patch of celandine poppies growing between his feet. He touched one of the delicate petals and smiled, his heart soaring as he glanced back at TJ. With the sun casting a perfect halo above his head, he looked beautiful, and Cyrus was overwhelmed by a sudden rush of complete and utter contentment. Maybe camping wasn’t too bad after all.