Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was midday when he finally arrived at the camp. Just the same as the day he left, no not left.. got ripped away. Just the same as when his shit stain of a family took him from the one thing that made his life bearable, besides wifi and a nice bank account.

The teen smiled genuinely as he got out of the beaten to shit car he managed to scrape up enough money for. His black curls bouncing with every movement as he checked the car over making sure it wouldnt break down again.

He took in the beautiful view, the clear pastel sky, the bright sun that beat on him incessantly. The dense line of woods he would get lost in with adventures when he was a kid. He chuckled remembering what crazy schemes he and Nikki and Niel got into. The nostalgia overtook him and made him completely unaware of the familiar face coming to greet him.

"Max! I'm so glad your back you know I missed my favorite camper" David chirped chipperly. Max bore his emerald eyes into the man. Fuck, he was like a vampire, everything seemed exactly as he remembered. From his fiery red hair that highlighted his natural gorgeous red cheeks to his blushing knees. He smirked looking David up and down.

"Well I see your just as fucking obnoxious as I remember, I thought when I left that would be the last time I saw this godforsaken scam of a camp" he replied with a sour frown unable to help his lips squirming up just the slightest. David easily caught on and gave him his signature bright as the sun smile. If Max didnt know any better he'd think this man was a fucking disney princess, always happy and singing and in control of shit.

"Of course Max, why would you ever want to come back to Camp Campbell.. that is unless you learned to love it just like I did and now we can be cocounselors!" David almost squeaked eyes sparkling with excitement. Max waved him off with a hand.

"Dont be too excited I needed a summer job and tormenting you for one more summer sounded too good to pass up" he tried to brush off. David wrapped the boy up in his arms goofy smile wavering as tears welled in his eyes.

"Dont make this weird and cry about it for fuck's sake" Max cringed but enjoyed the feeling of the man against him.

"Max, I am so happy to have you here it hasn't been the same without you around, a lot less incidents involving fireworks and...fires.. and police reports..,but I did miss your mischief" he sighed with maudlin. Before turning right around with pure enthusiasm. "So Max! since your my co-counselor now you get to share a cabin with me! Isnt that exciting it will be like a sleepover every night!" He happily stated. Max knew this was coming, it still didnt help the unease and tidal wave of conflicting emotions encompassing him.

"Fucking great, sing me camp songs instead of letting me sleep and I'll duct tape you to the cieling" he threatened with a frown. David gave a small frown and puppy dog eyes before going back to the large toothy grin. Max gave a little groan following David to their shared cabin with his trusty blue duffel bag slung over his shoulder.

David opened the door to the musty wood cabin signs of age tore at it relentlessly cuts and wearing in the wood, it was perfect. He remembered everything about David's cabin, afterall he had broken into enough to. He gave a little sniff to the air the scent calming him and warming him in a sweet embrace.

"Welcome Back Max" David smiled sincerely at the young man looking genuinely happy and loving. Max flushed and looked away.

"Yeah just as shitty as I remember, but at least I'm not in a fucking tent anymore" he casually spoke throwing his duffel on his bed on the right side of the room.

David smiled leaving to start on Dinner for the three of them since David took over the camp he made a mandatory week long training and brainstorming session for all camp counselors. Honestly Max was relieved he didnt wanna deal with those little shits yet. God forbid if any of them were at all like he was.

He walked around the room before deciding to snoop around he peeked into David's drawer and on his bed, under the mattress. All normal, mundane David things like a safety whistle, bugspray and allergy spray. In his shuffling of the bed he made an interesting discovery.

The sheets smelled like David.
His stupid nature-y pine tree and flowers feminie scent. Max scowled before inhaling it like a drug. He snuggled into the blankets, the pillow holding it close and feeling more safe and comfortable than he had in a very long time.

When Max opened his eyes again it was pitch black he jolted up looking over to see David asleep in his bed a little note taped to the alarm clock that blinked 1:20am at him.

'Max, you looked so peaceful I didnt want to disturb you ♡ plus something tells me you could use the sleep! Dinners in the fridge in the mess hall you can heat it up in the microwave when your hungry! P.s. eat the vegetables you need them! -David'

Max couldn't help but smile he folded up the note putting it in his bag looking over at David. He hadn't noticed David talked in his sleep til now as he sighed out tree species in cute mummbles.

"Fucking David, you've always fucked me up" he frowned feeling his heart flutter.

Chapter Text

To say David was serious about this training camp was an understatement. Max huffed hiking up the mountain David at the front like a fucking God not phased in the slightest.

"Come on Counselors we have to be able to keep up with the kids and provide a good role model for them!" He expressed happily looking in Max's direction. Now he was just fucking with him.

"Oh Fuck off David we cant all be Olympic level athletes like your nature loving ass" He huffed out taking a break and leaning against a tree.

"Max you cannot use that language around the campers! I know your still young and like to be rebellious but-" he frowned looking at Max's feet. "We really need to start Botonay training soon" he sighed. Max looked down and let out an aggravated sigh

"FUCK"

The little misstep cost the counselors a trip back to camp, not that anyone was comolaining.. except quartermaster who grumbled something about gathering mushrooms to lure fairies. He couldn't keep up with that wack job and he sure as hell didnt want to.

He hissed as David Dabbed the calamine lotion onto his bare chest. He looked away from him feeling the burning compulsion to itch at his skin.
The lotions light pink color clashed with Max's tan skin looking almost like he had vitiligo.

"You really need to pay more attention Max, what if that had been a snake! Or bear or" he made a frantic motion with his limbs while he lectured. Max chuckled and gave him a incredulous look.

"You really think I wouldnt notice a bear David? Plants are different who cares about what's what? Isnt that what your here for?" He smirked. David gave him a disapproving frown.

"I wont always be there to bail you out Max, your going to be entrusted with children's lives that's important." He argued Max chuckled. "Yes very important, that's why Gwen watched her trash tv while the woodscouts lit fires" he recalled with a roll of his eyes.

"I hate to say it but you kids were quite responsible! Not respectful or kind.. but responsible. Gwen and I were always there when there was real trouble." He reminded him continuing to cover Max's chest with small dabs. Max smiled he missed this. All of it. The lectures the less than optimal gifts of nature from Camp Campbell. Now that it was run and owned by David everything was absolutely perfect. David let out a happy little squeak and David gave him a glare.

"What?" He demanded in a snappy tone. David's eyes were glossy and looked like he would burst into tears any moment.

"Nothing.. you just look so happy" he admitted with that big goofy grin of his. Max's face instantly flushed.

"I-Im not happy dumbass I'm just glad we got done with that stupid hike early another 50 feet and I'd have been dragging you back to camp with a busted kneecap" he threatened trying to cover his blush.

"Of course Max" David spoke with a knowing smile standing up and nodding at Max's chest being properly coated with the lotion.

"Your all set! Now watch out for those three leafed buggers and be sure not to scratch!" He instructed with a grin before leaving. Max's face lit up as soon as he was gone replaying the whole event in his head he had been shirtless, with David touching him. Albeit he wasnt ACTUALLY touching him, but fuck semantics.

David had suspended his lessons for the day knowing the distraction of the rash would make it hard for the aggressive teen to concentrate. Max smiled pulling out a small beat up art book Nikki had gotten him for his birthday last year. He wasnt much of an artist but it was something he could get lost in. All that mattered was the pencil and the paper everything else faded away. No more screaming, no more slamming doors or stressful tests. Just the canvas and his mind.

He hadn't realized the sun went down as he began finishing up his sketch. It was a detailed piece of the hike they had been on he smiled making sure to get David just right the sun hitting him as it he had been giving off the light. To Max that may as well have been fact. The man lit up anything he touched. He heard a gasp behind him and immediately flipped to the source. David was staring at his sketch in awe.

"Max that's incredible! I had no idea you were so talented or even had interest in art!" David praised happily moving closer to get a better look. Max revelled in the praise and the close pinetree scent of his paramour.

"Its nothing.. I just put some lines on paper when I'm bored, my parents think it's a waste of time." He mentioned looking away shyly unused to such positive words about his art.

"Max they are absolutely wrong! This should be in a gallery its beautiful!" David insisted and smiled as he noticed he was in the picture. "Oh! Is that me! Max it looks incredible!" Max quickly stuffed it away.

"Well it's not like I could see the rest of the hill with your dumbass in the way." He covered hoping David would forget about it. He just gave a small proud smile.

"Well Dinner is ready I thought we could all eat by the fire tonight" he explained giving Max another soft smile before leaving. Max grabbed his pillow and let out a scream. That asshole didnt know what he was doing to him. Could he even last this summer?

As soon as his heart stopped beating out of his chest and he could pull off his signature look of indifference he made his way to the large bonfire. The meal tonight was a small salad mix with potatoes and chicken. Very homey...or what he assumed most people would consider homely as the most home made meal he'd had was from a frozen dinner.

Neil's dad always seemed to fret over him when he came over, noticing the bruises and flinching Max did. Max refused to talk about it. He deserved every bruise ever slap. He was a bad kid, he was spiteful and angry and he just didnt know when enough was enough.

David smiled playing a soft melody on his guitar while they ate. Max didnt pay much attention but the lyrics were some sentimental David-ism about how he loved nature and all the workers and blah blah blah. After Max finished eating he sat back and zoned out wondering how a cute little love ballad with his name on it would sound.

"Max! Ready to head to sleep?" The cheerful Redhead interrupted his thoughts and he groaned.

"You know it's bad for kids to wake up before 9 and adults hate it too, too fucking early for anything to be functioning" he groaned stretching from his seat watching David put out the fire. David smiled concentrated on the flame while Max felt himself focus on a different flicking red.

He nearly sighed at how fucking perfect David's hair was, his pretty forrest green eyes, great for his stupid tree loving ass. Speaking of ass... Max couldn't help but get a eyeful of that plump tush. The bent over pointed up teasing angle of it was killing Max's self control. It was begging to be touched, filled slapped. He pictured turning David's ass the shade of his hair and couldn't help but let out a small noise. David's eyes flitted to him easily.

"Dont worry Max I'm nearly done then you can get to sleep I know you must be tired." He sympathized with a frown

Max was stuck in an embarrassing stunned silence he couldn't believe he let that noise escape, what was wrong with him? He let out an aggravated groan and headed back to their cabin.

A short time later David finally came back sitting on his bed looking over at Max green eyes clearly open.

"Max.. I have an important question to ask you" he frowned looking hesitant and upset. Fuck he knew. He knew. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Max nodded anxiously.

"Do your parents hit you?" He asked solemnly. Oh. Max frowned looking down as he got to a sitting position.

"Well yeah.. but I deserve it I'm a bad kid. I always mess things up and do reckless shit. It's not really-" he was cut off by David's embrace. He lost all thought focused on the counselors body against his.

"That's wrong Max. I-Im so sorry I didnt notice before! When I was helping you with the calamine.. I noticed the bruises.. your flinching and antisocial behaviour all suddenly made sense. I'm so sorry Max" he gasped through tears sobbing as he held the teen close. Max felt a swirl of emotions in himself. He always blamed himself for the abuse. He felt his eyes well up with tears, David had never treated him that way. Even at his worst, he pushed and pushed and nothing changed the sympathetic and loving treatment he received.

Max frowned the tears finally running down his face. He couldn't stop them and David held him tighter.

"Your not going back I promise Max. I promise." David swore holding Max desperately as the teen fell apart in his arms.