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“This is all your fault,” Gus grumbles as they navigate through the thick foliage. “We never would have got separated in the first place if you hadn’t started that argument with me about the correct pronunciation of ‘coyote’.”
“I’m telling you, you’re saying it wrong,” Matt maintains. “Where’s the ‘E’ sound? It’s KIE-OAT”
“That’s beside the point!” Gus throws his hands up in exasperation. “The point is, we’re lost now, and it’s getting dark, and I’m gonna have to spend the rest of the night with your dumb ass.”
They hear a howling from somewhere in the distance. Matt raises his eyebrows. “Coyote?”
Gus rolls his eyes. “C’mon, it’s getting late, we should set up camp.”
Matt takes responsibility for pitching the tent while Gus prepares their dinner. The constructionist is halfway through when Gus eyes him critically.
“You’re doing it wrong.”
“I think I can figure out how to put a tent together, Augustus,” Matt says, but even he doesn’t look entirely convinced.
Gus raises his hands defensively. “Whatever you say.”
“Anyway, maybe you should focus on what you’re doing. We all know you can’t be trusted when it comes to cooking.”
“I’m literally waiting for water to boil, Matt.”
“What’s your point?”
Gus huffs, staring angrily at the pot and having half a mind to knock it over. But he’s hungry and depriving himself of dinner isn’t worth it to piss Matt off.
In the end, Matt ends up using construction magic to reinforce the tent and the macaroni and cheese ends up a bit undercooked. Both of the boys keep their mouths shut and eat dinner in silence, shooting angry glares at each other.
They haven’t even finished eating yet when Gus feels something wet hit his nose. And then his head. And his cheek.
“Shit, it’s starting to rain.”
They scramble to the tent, nearly bowling each other over in the process, and end up toppling into it on top of one another.
“Ugh, get off of me,” Matt whines, pushing himself up onto his elbows.
“I’m trying,” Gus says. He really is, but being in such a small space makes it difficult. Somehow he just ends up even closer to Matt than before. Both of them freeze. Gus can see the freckles on Matt’s nose. His hair is damp from the rain and a droplet of water falls from his bangs and lands on Matt’s cheek, trickling down to pool between his lips.
Gus tries to get up again, but Matt’s hands are suddenly on him, holding him firmly in place. He can feel Matt’s breath on his face and his own heart beating wildly in his chest. Outside, the rain has started to come down harder, the sound of it getting progressively louder until it’s drowned out nearly everything else.
Matt’s eyes are searching his and Gus leans in slowly until their lips are just meeting, pausing to take in the stillness of everything around them. Then he takes the plunge. The kiss is the opposite of everything that they normally are: soft and careful and unsure. They both melt into it.
~
Later that night, the rain has stopped and they’re comfortably tucked into the same sleeping bag. The sound of a twig breaking startles Gus awake.
“Matt,” he whispers, shaking the other man roughly by the shoulder. “Matt, wake up!”
Matt groans. “What, dude?”
“Shhhh!! I heard something.”
They both go quiet, listening. Sure enough, they can hear something—footsteps?— getting closer. Both of them cling tightly to each other. A light appears in front of their tent and then something is unzipping it…
“There you guys are!” Luz exclaims, sticking her head through the tent. Then, she frowns at them. “If you wanted some alone time, you could’ve just said so. We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
Gus and Matt both start talking at the same time, frantically trying to explain themselves.
“No, that’s not—
“We weren’t—
“Buh, buh, buh.” Luz holds a hand up. “Save it for tomorrow. I am way too tired for this right now. I’m just glad you two are safe. Goodnight.” She moves to leave and then pokes her head back in the tent, narrowing her eyes. “And please, keep it down, will you?”