Chapter Text
Green eyes gleamed at the burly man he sat across from, grin wide and eager, bouncing up and down in his seat. The man across from him narrowed his eyes, squinting thoughtfully at the slip of paper he held, turning it over and then back again. Fiddling with the ends, he let out a sigh and looked up.
“Er, David, most of this resume is just your blurb.”
“That’s correct!”
“But, well…” the man turned the resume over again, as though perhaps an imaginary double side would have apparated on the back, but he had no such luck. “Do you have any previous experience? References? Education?”
“Well, I left high school at sixteen.”
“Right. How old are you, now?”
“Sixteen!” The man across from David gaped in astounded bewilderment, though David’s grin remained firmly in place, seemingly not understanding how absurd the interview was. “I dropped out a few weeks ago to work here, sir! I’ve always loved this camp, ever since I was a kid and under your care!”
“David… I admire your dedication, but…”
“Oh, I’m dedicated, Mr. Campbell! I pretty much came straight here after mum kicked me out, and I’ve got no savings or anywhere to stay, so I thought there’s no better time than now! It’s like this job was calling to me.” Mr. Campbell let out a heavy sigh and rubbed at his brow, bemused at David’s unhindered enthusiasm. Eyes trailing back to the resume, Campbell scanned the blurb, which was full of exclamation marks and information about David’s hobbies and wilderness skills.
“I remember how much you loved our activities, Davey, and you couldn’t get enough of nature…” Campbell’s brain was burning with attempts to remember what David was like as a kid - it was so incredibly long ago, at least five years, and Campbell didn’t have the time or energy to remember his current camper’s names, let alone the campers of that long ago. If not a long time in general, it certainly is a long time for finances, with money coming in from parents and quickly being spent on illegal and exotic big cats to be sold for profit. Campbell almost shed a tear, wondering where that money was now, all grown up and crumpled and laced with cocaine.
Campbell looked back to David, who sat with sparkling emerald eyes, features just as youthful as Campbell could vaguely remember; however, his face was longer and leaner, the baby fat shed from a few years of ongoing puberty, limbs gangly and hair thicker and a slight ghosting of prickly facial hair along the young man’s jaw. Campbell wondered how a sixteen year old could be so eager and hopeful, as by that point in most teenager’s lives, school had broken them down and destroyed their trust in others, and only when they were around eighteen they would begin to pick up the bricks from their crumbling psyche. Campbell cleared his throat. “You seem to be very passionate about camping, but are you good with children?” David seemed to freeze up, suddenly unsure of himself and having to process the question.
“Well, I don’t really know many children. I think I could be good with them, I guess some could call me childish.” David scratched the back of his neck bashfully. Campbell tilted his head, brow creased.
“Davey, well, you’re practically still a kid yourself. Children are pretty rough sometimes, I don’t really know if you’d be up for it.” David’s head snapped up, eyes frantic.
“Oh, no sir! I can be good, I promise, I’ll do a lot of research and I’ll follow your instructions and I’ll talk to them and I’ll take them kayaking and start a campfire and sing songs and give them love and--” David began to blubber and Campbell forced himself not to put his head on his desk, instead sighing and slapping David a few times on the shoulder.
“Look, I can tell you’d make a passionate counsellor, which is better than we currently have. I don’t think we’ll ever find someone who cares as much as you again. I guess there’s not much harm in taking you on, especially as the minimum wage for kids is much lower.” The last part was said under Campbell’s breath, which was either low enough for David not to hear, or David simply didn’t care, as he instantly jumped out of his chair to give Campbell a tight hug. Campbell took a step or two backwards at the sudden weight of David, but the skinny arms clinging to his chest didn’t deter his massive form too much.
“Thank you so much sir! I promise I’ll do you proud and work hard every day and I’ll never, ever leave!” Campbell reached one hand around and awkwardly slapped David between the shoulder blades.
“Alright, you’re hired!” Half-sincere and half-hesitant, Campbell spoke the sentence, David responding by squeezing him tighter and letting out a happy whining noise. What am I getting myself into?