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He was still trying to forget that morning.
Max had woken up (way too early for his taste) in incredible pain. Everything just got worse when he started to get out of bed. His vision swam, and he struggled not to wake Neil when a whimper escaped him.
Max wasn't sure how he managed to make it to the counselors' cabin, or how he'd gotten over his pride so quickly in order to ask for help, but Max found himself banging on their flimsy screen door before the sun was even up.
Of course David was awake. Did the man ever sleep? Max still held to his theory that he was a robot. Or a genetically engineered human that scientists didn't want because he was too annoying.
"Max?" David's eyes widened. He looked like he was about to question why Max was up that early before he got a good look at the camper. His eyebrows knitted together in concern. "What's wrong?"
"It hurts," was all Max could get out as he held a hand protectively over his ear. He hadn't realized he was crying until he felt hot tears roll down his cheeks. Max couldn't remember ever hurting this much.
David didn't waste any time hurrying Max inside, sitting him down on a chair and waking Gwen in the process. He tried asking questions, but Max didn't know the answers to any of them. All he knew was that he was in pain and everything felt wrong and he'd never felt like this before.
The crying, dizziness, and pain all contributed to his stomach roiling, and suddenly there was a waste bin under his chin as he brought up last night's terrible dinner. A hand was stroking up and down his back as he tried to catch his breath. This was horrible, he couldn't handle any of it.
"Max, calm down, alright?"
Max was crying hard; he could hardly breathe. He hugged his bear tight - oh God, he brought the bear with him? That was humiliating - and sniffled, halfheartedly wiping his face with a tissue David offered him.
"Take a deep breath... Just like that, there we go..."
When David inhaled and exhaled, Max did too. The pain didn't diminish, but he found himself able to breathe again.
He could hear Gwen and David having a hushed conversation on the other side of the room while Max tightened his grip on his bear and tried to ignore the pain in his head.
David returned to him and shoved a thermometer in his good ear. The thing gave an annoying beep, he pulled it out and turned to talk to Gwen once more. Max couldn't pay attention to what they were saying, but it didn't sound good.
"Listen up, kiddo," David started as he knelt in front of him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "The doctor's office doesn't open for another couple of hours, but then I can call about bringing you in. Does that sound good?"
A doctor? Was it that bad? Max paused, and then shrugged. He'd do anything right now to make this all stop.
David smiled.
"Hang in there, Max," said Gwen. "Here, take this."
Max accepted a little cup of pink liquid and looked at it with distaste. He knew that stuff very well from the cold he'd caught the week before. Gwen and David said it would make him feel better, but it just left an unpleasant taste in his mouth in addition to already being sick.
"Gross," he croaked. "No."
Gwen scoffed. "On the brink of death and you still choose to fight us on the god damn medicine."
"Gwen!" David scolded with a horrified look. "He's not on the brink of-"
"I know, I know. Just take the medicine, Max. That's all we can do for you right now."
Max dozed off in the chair at some point after he swallowed the foul substance, but he only woke up later with the pain intensifying again. It seemed that when the pain got bad, his stomach decided to make things worse. He lunged for the bin and retched into it.
It seemed to alert David that he was awake, because the counselor made a startled noise and rushed to his side. "Still hurts, huh?"
Max gagged and tried to nod before bringing up what little was left in his stomach. He hadn't eaten much dinner last night to begin with; there couldn't have been much left. David stayed knelt next to him and offered a few encouraging words as Max got himself together.
He tried not to be humiliated. David's patronizing presence made that so hard sometimes. Still, it was better than one of his friends or other fellow campers seeing him like this.
"Where's-" He wiped his drool-covered chin on his hoodie sleeve. He was far from worrying about being gross. "Where's Gwen?"
"She's helping serve breakfast," David answered, offering max a tissue to wipe his mouth with. "You don't want to ruin your sweatshirt!"
Max grumbled and reluctantly accepted the tissue.
"So, are you ready?"
Max stared. "For what?"
-----
"This is stupid," Max decided, looking up at David who was accepting a clipboard and pen. He let the counselor guide him to the waiting room and couldn't help but notice David chose a spot next to the various children's activities. Psh. Max wasn't interested in toys, especially in a doctor's office. Even as he thought that, though, he hugged Mr. HoneyNuts to his chest and realized he was still a kid.
"It's not stupid!" David finally argued. "Your health is more important than anything else, Max."
Max scoffed. "I don't see ho-owwww..." He bit back a whimper as the pain spiked. Apparently a little change in position like sitting down was enough to make everything ten times worse.
He heard his counselor make a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat before he started rubbing circles on Max's back. Max didn't have the energy to fight it, in fact it helped distract him from the unrelenting nausea and the pulsing pain in his head.
David's voice softened from it's usual obnoxious cheeriness. "We'll get you some medicine, and your earache will be gone in no time. Don't worry." He sighed, staring at the forms he was supposed to be filling out. "And I'm sorry you're in so much pain, Max. The Tylenol didn't help at all?"
Max just shrugged, holding a protective hand over his hurting ear. Truthfully, the medicine David and Gwen gave him earlier did fuck-all. He still hurt, and he was still shivering even though David had given him a jacket to wear over his blue hoodie.
He pulled the jacket tighter around himself. It was way too big for him, but it felt nice to have another layer, even if he didn't feel any warmer. And it hid his bear in case he came across anyone he'd ever have to see again.
"Why is it so cold in here? Shouldn't it be warm for like, sick people or something?"
David looked up from the clipboard and hummed thoughtfully before pressing a palm to Max's forehead. He frowned.
"Your fever might be getting worse. The sooner you can see the doctor, the better."
"What's he gonna do?"
"Well, probably ask you some questions about your pain, and look in your ear, listen to your lungs..."
"Weird."
"Haven't you been to a doctor before, Max?"
It sounded dumb, but they both knew it was a legitimate question.
"I mean, I broke my arm when I was six. Fell off the top of the playground at school." More like 'jumped off because his classmates dared him to' but... "That shit hurt."
David made a hissing noise in sympathy. "I broke a lot of bones when I was a kid. Nearly gave my mom a heart attack every time. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop me from climbing trees... and falling out of them."
Max could imagine David being a nightmare as a child, especially from the stories he'd told. Mr. Campbell even managed to offer a few embarrassing stories once when he returned to camp, to which Max and his friends listened to eagerly.
"Don't worry, this won't take long. We'll be in and out before you know it!" David squeezed his shoulder before standing to return the clipboard to the desk.
Max believed it. They were the only people in the waiting room, this town was dead, and there was only one doctor. He remembered waiting in the hospital for hours when he broke his arm, feeling antsy and upset and being told that there was no need to cry so much.
"Max?" A nurse called.
"That's you!"
Max made an effort to tolerate the stupid questions from the nurse and the poking and prodding from the doctor. There was a moment where he was ready to slug the guy for poking his ear a little too hard, resulting in a dizzying amount of pain, but David gave him a look that stopped him. Instead, a hissed "fuck off" was enough to get the doctor to apologize and promise he'll be more careful.
He was an old guy, and had probably been the town's only doctor for decades, if not centuries. He didn't seem used to a patient as combative and uncooperative as Max, but Max couldn't help it. Everything the guy did made him feel worse, not better. And why did it matter how his day was going or what the camp was doing for fun later that day? Small talk was dumb.
Max didn't realize he had spaced out until he saw David nod, presumably answering a question from the doctor.
"He threw up a couple times this morning. He was a little dizzy, but nothing too bad."
The doctor nodded thoughtfully before explaining what he was prescribing and how to administer the medicine. Max didn't pay attention. He didn't care about any of it, he just wanted to go back to camp. Not home, but camp.
Oh God, he must have been dying if he was actually wanting to go back to Camp Campbell.
With a huff, Max pushed himself off of the exam table, ignoring the awful, loud crinkling of the paper that was under him, and managed to land with both feet on the ground. He was definitely ready to go back to camp, and possibly nap for the next twenty-four hours, or however long the doctor said the medicine would take to work.
Being sick all of last week was bad enough. Just enough energy to get bored if he stayed in bed, but not enough energy to cause chaos and make his counselors' lives a living hell. Life was rough. Max really thought he was out of the woods, but his terrible morning proved him wrong.
David thanked the doctor and led Max back out to the waiting room. He instructed Max to go have a seat while he finished everything up. Too tired to argue, Max did as he was told and stayed seated while David finished up the last of the paperwork and information. He would later realize that David kept him in the waiting room so he wouldn't hear how much money was being spent on him.
"All done!" David gave a smile that was way too happy for what the two of them had just been through.
-----
After an exhausting trip to the doctor, and an even more exhausting trip to the pharmacy, Max was relieved when they pulled into the camp. David looked just as relieved to be back as he led Max back to the cabins, medicine in one hand and the jacket Max had abandoned (after he suddenly started feeling hot instead of cold) in the other.
The counselor checked his watch. "Everyone should be in the mess hall by now. Feel like getting some lunch?"
Surprisingly, Max did feel a little hungry. He could definitely eat if the Quartermaster was serving something edible
"Ah, ah!" David caught him by his hood before he could start for the mess hall. "Medicine first! The doctor said you should take it as soon as possible!"
Max Grumbled, but complied and followed David into his and Gwen's cabin.
He watched as David measured out the new medicine, which was an even worse pink color than the stuff they gave him that morning. Max muttered something about everyone trying to poison him this week before he poured the stuff into his mouth, swallowing it with a grimace. It was sweet, and bitter, and weirdly grainy, and he hated it. But he really hoped it made him feel better. He didn't want a repeat of that morning.
David gave a satisfied nod. "Good job!"
"Don't patronize me. That shit is awful," Max complained as he tried to wipe the taste off his lips.
"Yeahhh," David said with a chuckle. "It… never tastes great. But it's good for you!"
Soon, Max found himself being ushered to the mess hall. He had a feeling David was pretty hungry, with how eager he was to get there and all. Had he had a chance to eat breakfast before he dragged Max to the doctor?
"Are you sure you're okay to be up and about?" David asked on their walk.
Max had to admit that he was still a little lightheaded, but it seemed like something food would fix. He puked up all of last night's dinner, so his body was probably ready for something else. And he, Max realized, was ready for food.
"I'm good. Just hungry."
"I hear ya, buddy!" David grinned, opening the mess hall door and letting Max in.
Max couldn't help but smile a little when his friends called his name.
"Max! We thought you were dead!" Nikki exclaimed, pulling him into a hug.
Gwen groaned from the other side of the room. "I told you where he was! Like five times!"
"Yeah, well we don't know who to trust," Neil remarked with an eye roll.
Max was instructed to sit down and wait for his tray. He wasn't going to argue about his food being brought to him, even if it was because David was just afraid he was gonna pass out or something. It was actually kind of funny seeing the counselor get all worried about him.
Neil poked him. "So, what happened?"
"Nothing major… it wasn't a big deal." It was kind of a big deal. Max never wanted to go through that again. "But I'm here now. What'd I miss?"
Max sat and listened to Nikki and Neil's story of today's adventure. He nibbled on a stale dinner roll and then the extra pudding David had scored him. David scarfed down his own lunch at his and Gwen's table, filling her in with every that happened that day.
Max gave a small smile.
It was good to be back home.