Chapter Text
The hubbub that surrounded the fire pit filled everyone with infectious energy. The atmosphere was warm and filled with the smiles of people who were learning to know and love one another as friends bonded to a common goal.
Quackity had found the place that offered the community he so desperately craved. During the year, he was a burnt out college student with no clear path ahead of him, grasping at straws to find a purpose. It wasn’t that working here fulfilled that purpose exactly, but when he was in the wooded hills of Camp Dream, he didn’t care who he was or where he was going. It was a place to stop and breathe.
The people around him had come to work for various reasons. Some like him were looking for fulfillment. Most just needed a summer job that would look good on a resume. Others had a deep family history here, and came more as a tradition than anything else.
Quackity looked around the circle of people, some sitting on seating logs around the fire, others on picnic tables nearby. Some were talking and laughing together, while others were sitting in silence with a book or journal.
On the largest seating log, sat the camp director, Dream. Dream was the fifth in his family to work as director, as his great great uncle had founded the camp 86 years ago. Dream was a tall, sturdy, middle aged man, whose presence in a room was enough to make even the most rebellious of staff shape up. He always wore a green jacket, no matter the temperature outside.
Not much was known of Dream outside of his job. He lived at camp full time, and managed the facilities year round. He didn’t appear to have any familial relationships save one younger sister, who very rarely appeared on the property. As far as anyone of staff knew, Dream had never had any kind of romantic relationship although several jokes had been made about him and George.
George, the first team director, sat on Dream’s right side. His job at camp was to manage the younger groups of campers who came for a week at a time throughout the summer. On Dream’s right side sat Sapnap who was the team director for the older groups who would come for all six weeks of summer.
Dream raised his hand for attention, silencing everyone around the circle except for Niki and Puffy who had yet to notice the motion. Karl nudged Puffy, and the pair immediately stopped talking.
“I suppose now is as good a time as any to get started.” Dream began, “After two weeks of training, it’s finally time to welcome campers.”
A couple people around the circle clapped or cheered and Quackity felt his heart rate speed up with excitement.
“I would like to remind all of you that, although you gave been here preparing and going through the motions of camp for weeks, a lot of the kids coming today have never done this before. We need to keep our excitement level this summer as high as its been these last few weeks.”
The group nodded, and hums of agreement filled the air.
“I wanted to check in with everyone before we start welcoming campers.” Dream continued, his eyes searching the circle as if looking for a certain person.
“We’re finally not missing this one.” Sapnap jested, elbowing George.
“You sleep through one day of training and suddenly it’s all anyone talks about.” George responded defensively.
“First, Niki, is the kitchen ready?” Dream asked.
“Yes, and I have meal plans written out if anyone needs them.” She replied.
“Thank you Niki.” Dream said, “Are our team directors ready to go?”
Sapnap and Geoge both nodded.
“And what about support staff?”
Techno stood up, beckoning Karl and Sam to stand up as well. Techno leader archery, rock climbing, and offered support wherever it was needed. Karl mostly handled office work, and Sam was usually on lifeguard duty.
“Counselors?”
A cheer rose up from the rest of the circle.
“And our health director?” Dream asked.
“Ready to go! No major injuries yet!” Ponk reported.
“Then it looks like time to start checking in. Do you all know where to go?”
A collective agreement rose up from the circle. Quacktiy tightened his fingers around the folder on his lap.
“Then let’s head out, good luck everyone, and remember to tell your team directors if you need help.” Dream concluded, motioning for everyone to stand. “You can head to your station and meet with either your co-counselor or your team director.”
Quackity tore open his folder, taking a deep breath. What he found in this folder would determine how he spent the rest of the summer. He prayed he wasn’t going to be with any of the smallest kids. He pulled out the first page, which held his cabin and group assignment.
He would be in Cabin 14, with a group of five highschool boys. He smiled seeing his age group, this was going to be a fun summer. Cabin 14 was quite a hike though, it was the farthest site from the dinning hall, the community house, the office, and pretty much any other place he might want to go. It made sense to put the kids with longer legs out there.
His group assignment was for six weeks with this group. Unlike some of the younger groups, older kids had the option to stay longer. With hope, excitement and confidence rising in his chest, Quackity picked up his backpack and headed to the luggage wagon to pick up his bags.
The luggage wagon was sitting in front of the office building, holding all of the staff’s bags. Quackity wanted a chance to move into the cabin before the campers arrived, so he took his bag, swinging it over his shoulder. It dug into his skin and made his muscles ache, but he would walk quickly.
“He Q,” Karl greeted, walking up the road towards the office. “I wanted to see if you needed anything.”
;
“I don’t think so, unless you wanna help me carry my bags.”
“I think I’ll pass,” Karl laughed, “good luck with your group this week, lots of returning campers there.”
“Yeah, it should be a fun time.” Quackity said, putting the bag down. If he was going to stand here talking he wanted the weight off.
“You’ll have Sapnap as team director, which should be nice.”
“Of course you’d think it’s nice.” Quackity jokes, “when’s the wedding anyway?”
“My God, you’d think everyone at camp knew-” Karl gasped.
“Oh yeah good luck trying to keep that secret here.” Quackity said, “Sapnap told George who told Wilbur and you know it’s all over when he knows-”
“Oh my God.” Kalr said, covering his face with his hands.
“Guess now’s as good a time as any to say congrats. Where’s the ring?” Quackoty asked, elbowing his friend.
“It’s in a box in the office cause I didn’t wanna lose it.” Karl admitted, “he was so sweet about it too, took me out on a walk to this picnic spot where we went as kids.”
“That’s nice.” Quackity smiled. He hoped Karl couldn't detect the tiny spark of jealousy that jumped up deep within him. It was a familiar feeling, one that came up whenever someone he cared about began moving on with their life. It wasn’t uncommon for Quakcity to end up being the friend forever left behind.
“Anyways, I should stop distracting you.” Karl said, “but thanks man, it felt really good to tell someone outside of the family.”
“Yeah, congrats.” Quackity repeated.
Being outside moving his body helped Quackity work through his thoughts and feelings most of the time. But today his head was spinning too quickly.
With the news about Karl and Sapnap confirmed he felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness creep in. Sure he was an independent free-thinker who could live his own life, but the idea of having someone always there was irresistible.
He always secretly hoped that someday someone would show up on staff who would be the perfect person for him. Someone who he could talk to, be vulnerable with, and give his heart to. Quackity craved the knowledge that he was truly worthy of love from another person.
Watching friend after friend find a partner and slowly forget about Quackity, broke his heart a little more every time. He tried not to let his mind float to these places for whenever it did, he always felt as if a hole had been dug inside his chest.
Quackoty shook his head hard as he dragged his bag down the road past the dinning hall. He passed the community house, feeling the burden dig further into his shoulder. He cross the bridge that leads into the deep forest, head spinning. He traveled along the path deep into the woods, catching glances of birds and squirrels through the trees.
The hardest part of the journey was the trek up the hill. Cabins 14 and 15 sat on the highest point of the camp. Quackity’s legs burned from the walk, and his shoulder felt as though it was about to be burned off.
Finally, after what felt like the longest walk of all time, Quackity had reached the top of the hill. He sighed with relief and let his bags fall to the ground. Now that he was here, he could fully turn his attention to whatever needed to be done.
The two cabins sat next to each other. They were both on the smaller side, and were painted white, although the paint was flaking in many places. A picnic table sat in front of each cabin, and through the trees the sunlight speckled the forest floor with light.
Quackity sat down at the picnic table in front of 14. Opening his folder again, he pulled out the schedule and forums for the campers.
Just as he was about to go through the papers, he heard a creak from Cabin 15. He looked up eager to see who he would be sharing his time in the woods with. Whoever was about to cross his path would determine everything about the summer he was about to have.
Expecting Skeppy, or perhaps Punz, he raised his hand in greeting to whoever was about to make their presence known.
His hand stopped in midair as he processed who had just stepped out of the cabin.
Oh no-
Oh God no-
Scratch every optimistic thought he had leading up to this point because standing right in front of him was a person who changed everything. The most annoying, entitled, arrogant brat on the property was standing in front of him.
“Hello Quackity.” said Wilbur Soot.