Chapter Text
Ahh... Camp Gardenview.
A quaint little weekend camp tucked deep in the countryside, where kids and teens came year after year for sunshine, nature, and friendship.
A large bus rumbled to a stop at the camp entrance, its wheels crunching over the dirt path. Sand kicked up in a soft cloud as the engine purred. One by one, a group of young toons stepped off.
Among them was Sprout.
It was his first time at Camp Gardenview, though he’d been to a few summer camps before. He stepped off the bus with confident strides, immediately distancing himself from the rest of the group. Some of the others were familiar schoolmates, but many were strangers. Sprout wasn’t too keen on talking to anyone just yet, his first goal was to get settled and organized before making friends.
He wore cargo shorts and a light T-shirt to survive the heat, along with a little pendant necklace, cause it's cool!
The sun was unforgiving for a spring afternoon, and as sweat trickled down his back beneath his bags, Sprout grew more impatient by the second.
A counselor dressed in bright and colorful clothing finally appeared to lead the group into the campgrounds. As the bus pulled away behind them, they started down a long path through the woods that led to the main gathering area. Sprout zoned out almost immediately, dragging his feet through the gravel trail, when a cheerful voice snapped him out of his daze.
“Hi!”
A short toon popped up beside him.
“I’m Cosmo! You’re new here, right?”
Sprout blinked, startled, then gave a slow nod. Cosmo wore a white hoodie and a pair of joggers, was he not hot in this weather?
“Awesome! I come to this camp every time something happens around here. I’ve actually been here since this morning to help with prep. My cousin Ginger is one of the counselors!”
Cosmo kept talking, but Sprout found himself tuning him out. Of all the people around, why had Cosmo picked him to talk to? Maybe Sprout was overthinking. He should probably be grateful someone was saving him the work of figuring out who to befriend first.
“Say, wanna help me in the kitchen this evening?” Cosmo asked suddenly, bright-eyed. “I usually help with dinner around here!”
“Um, sure!” Sprout stammered.
Fuck.
That was embarrassing. Sprout never hesitated in his speech, he needs to get back on track.
Well, maybe Sprout just hadn’t seen many new faces in a while. He needed some time to adjust.
Before he could add anything to the conversation, Cosmo had already quickened his pace.
“I’m gonna join the others up front. I'll be waiting for you at assembly!” he called over his shoulder.
And just like that, Cosmo was gone again, disappearing into the winding trail ahead. Sprout was left alone once more, dragging his feet behind the group.
Suddenly, bells!
Faint, rhythmic chimes echoed through the trees, cutting through the quiet rustle of leaves and crunching gravel beneath footsteps. Sprout slowed, glancing around. A bell tower? That’s a bit odd, especially out here. But who knew what people built out in the woods back when bell towers were the hot new thing.
By the time he realized how far he drifted behind, the rest of the group had reached the camp clearing. A rickety wooden stage stood ahead, surrounded by rows of plastic chairs set in the grass. Sprout stumbled trying to catch up. Some kids were already taking seats as the counselor climbed up onto the platform.
Sprout scanned the crowd for a place to sit, then spotted Cosmo waving enthusiastically near the front.
Sprout didn’t hesitate as he swiftly made his way over and plopped down next to Cosmo, who gave him a warm smile once he was settled.
The counselor tapped at the mic a few times.
“Alright everyone, settle down!” he said with a practiced tone that carried across the whole clearing. The murmurs of chatter began to fade.
“Welcome to Camp Gardenview! Whether this is your first time here or your tenth, we’re glad to have you! This place is meant to be fun, safe, and memorable, so let’s make sure it stays that way, capiche?” He paced a bit around the platform, hands behind his back.
“Now, basic ground rules. Stay within camp boundaries unless you’re with a counselor. No going into the woods alone. Yes, I know they look cool and no, I don’t want to hear any ghost stories about that gosh darn bell tower! I hear the same nonsense every year!”
That got a few giggles, though Cosmo only slightly shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“Curfew is 9:30 PM. That means inside your cabin by then, and lights out at 10:00.”
A clipboard was taken out from under his arm.
“Now for cabin assignments! First we have cabin number 1 with Sprout, Cosmo, and Looey.”
Cosmo nudged Sprout with his elbow. “He’s gonna love us!” he whispered, grinning.
More names were called, but Sprout didn’t bother really listening.
Once the counselor began explaining the activity schedules, Cosmo leaned in again and gently grabbed Sprout’s hand by the tips of his fingers.
“Wanna sneak out early?” he whispered. “Come on, I gotta get to the kitchen anyway, and it’s way more fun prepping dinner than sitting through the rules about laundry days.”
Sprout quickly pulled his hand away as he looked around and hesitated.
“…Yeah. Let’s go.”
The two of them quietly slipped away from the crowd with practiced stealth, well, at least Cosmo was practiced, Sprout just followed along.
They headed toward a large log cabin with a red tin roof, easily the biggest building in camp; the cafeteria.
Cosmo beamed, clearly excited. “Come on, the kitchen is through the back!”
Inside, the air changed immediately, it was cooler, with a faint smell of herbs and cleaning supplies. The kitchen was spacious, lined with long shelves, tall counters, and an old fridge big enough to store a small car.
Cosmo immediately grabbed an apron off a hook and tossed one to Sprout without turning around.
“Okay! So here’s how it usually goes; that cabinet has all the dry stuff like beans, pasta, and spices. Over here is where we wash the vegetables. The peeler’s a little dull so you kinda have to threaten the carrots first. This station is for chopping, watch your fingers! And this cabinet is for counselor-only snacks, so we never open it unless we get a little TOO hungry.”
Sprout just stood there, holding his apron, his brain staying several lines behind. Cosmo was still going.
“We usually prep for around thirty, tonight is spaghetti and salad, so we’ll be chopping a lot of tomatoes!”
Cosmo moved like he’d done this a million times, and maybe he had. Sprout had barely even gotten used to the layout of the place, and Cosmo was already halfway through explaining how to sort the cutlery.
Sprout adjusted his apron absent mindedly, watching Cosmo laugh to himself while arranging bread rolls like it was the most important job in the world.
Why did he come up to me so fast back there? Sprout still wondered.
Cosmo wiped his hands on a rag and turned back toward him. “Are you alright? I think you spaced out for a sec.”
“Oh, uh, yeah.” Sprout quickly grabbed a knife. “Ready to chop stuff!”
Cosmo didn’t press further. He just grinned and pointed at a basket of tomatoes. “Perfect. Let’s get slicing!”
The two of them worked in relative quiet for a few minutes, besides Cosmo humming a soft little tune that Sprout barely recognized.
The hum of the fridge and clanking of the dishwasher served as pleasant white noise.
Sprout was trying his best, he lined up the tomatoes just like Cosmo had done, and tried to avoid slicing his fingers, and even remembered to wipe the counter when juice splattered. But his mind kept drifting.
Should he say something? Was it weird to ask?
He cleared his throat awkwardly, setting down the knife for a second. “Hey, um… back when we were walking toward the clearing..”
“Mm?” Cosmo didn’t look up from his salad bowl, carefully layering cucumbers like flower petals.
“Uh… how come you came up to me so fast? Like, not that it was bad or anything. I mean. I’m glad you did. I just…”
He trailed off, instantly regretting everything.
Cosmo finally glanced up, tilting his head slightly. “Oh! You just looked kinda lost.”
Sprout blinked. “Huh?”
“You stepped off the bus and you were standing a little off to the side,” Cosmo explained, turning to grab another bowl. “ So I figured maybe I could say hi first? I’ve been that kid before.”
Sprout stared at him for a second, unsure what to say.
Cosmo gave a lopsided grin. “And besides, I already knew you were going to stay in the same cabin as me, I get all the secret intel here!”
“…Yeah,” Sprout mumbled, cheeks warm. “That makes sense.”
“Anyway!” Cosmo spun dramatically toward the stove. “Want to help with the pasta?”
Sprout, glad for the subject change, quickly nodded and followed him. Cosmo turned on one of the large burners and grabbed a huge pot, already half-full of water.
“Okay, so we just need this to boil. Easy stuff. I’ll go make the croutons.”
He handed Sprout a wooden spoon and walked off.
Sprout stared at the pot.
The burner was already making popping noises, and the water hadn’t even boiled yet. Was that normal?
He looked around, trying not to panic. Maybe if he stirred it a little…
He nudged the pot. A soft hiss answered him, and then…
FWOOSH!
A small burst of flame leapt up from under the burner. Sprout let out a loud yelp, stumbling back with the spoon still in hand. The flame died down as quickly as it had appeared, but the smell of something burning lingered in the air.
From across the kitchen, one of the staff members ran in to check the commotion. “What happened?!”
Sprout held up the spoon like a white flag. “I-I didn’t do anything! I mean, I did, but not anything bad, I was just…”
He trailed off again, defeated.
The older toon sighed and gently took over the stove. “It’s fine, you didn’t break anything. But maybe it’s best if you step out for a bit, alright?”
Sprout nodded, ashamed and mortified.
Cosmo returned just in time to see Sprout being gently ushered out. “Oh no, what happened??”
“I burnt water..” Sprout mumbled.
Cosmo blinked, then laughed. “Damn, I didn't even know that was possible!”
But he quickly saw how embarrassed Sprout looked and softened his voice to a coo. “Hey, don’t sweat it, you were doing great. I’ll see you later, okay?”
Sprout gave a small smile before turning back toward the exit.
Sprout shuffled out of the kitchen, dragging his sneakers across the cafeteria floor with a defeated look on his face. The dining hall buzzed with chatter and laughter from the campers waiting for dinner to be served. Sprout just wanted to disappear into the floor.
He slumped into an empty seat near the corner of a table, his arms crossed and cheeks puffed out in a pout. He hadn’t even burned anything technically! From the next table over, a familiar voice piped up, sharp and smug.
“Well if it isn’t Sprout Seedly, I didn't see you at assembly!”
Sprout winced. He didn’t even have to look up to know it was Vee.
Vee leaned back in her chair, giving him a little smirk. “What’d you do, Sprout? Try to water the stove?” A few of the other kids giggled.
Sprout sneered but didn’t offer her a single glance.
“I heard you managed to set water on fire?” she added with a snicker.
Sprout grit his teeth. “It was and accident.”
“Sure it was, Berry Boy.”
He hunched down in his seat. He hated that nickname, he wasn’t even sure why, but something about it made his skin crawl. He knew that Vee never really meant any harm, it was all just playful teasing, but gosh did he want to punch her in the face right now.
Just as Vee was about to make another comment, Cosmo slid into the seat next to him. His hands were a little floury and he smelled faintly of garlic, but his smile was soft and gentle. “Hey!”
Sprout blinked. “Didn’t they need you in the kitchen?”
Cosmo shrugged. “Eh. It’s pasta and bread, not rocket science. Astro has it covered. I wanted to come check on you!”
Sprout blinked again, unsure what to say. Cosmo didn’t give him time to answer.
“I’m really sorry,” he said. “I should’ve stayed and helped. That’s on me.”
“What? No, it’s not…” Sprout trailed off, looking away. “It was stupid. I was stupid.”
“No!,” Cosmo protested. “The stove is just a bit dramatic. You’re fine!”
Sprout let out a breath that was close enough to a laugh.
Dinner came and went in a blur of warm food and clattering trays.
By the time the sun began to set below the treetops, the campers were dismissed to their cabins for the evening. Some ran off toward the showers, others headed straight to unpack or wind down for the night.
Sprout and Cosmo had both showered earlier that morning, so they made their way straight to their assigned cabin.
The door swung open with a soft clack, and Sprout stepped inside, scanning the room. Three beds, two bottom bunks already claimed, one with a pink duffel bag on it, the other still untouched. The place smelled faintly like pinewood and... someone's socks. A soft yellow light buzzed overhead and a small window faced the door, giving a view on the bell tower that Sprout heard whispers about.
Sprout immediately started unpacking his stuff, arranging it with practiced precision.
That was, until…
BANG.
The cabin door slammed open.
“WHAT IS UP PARTY PEOPLE” a voice announced.
Sprout jolted and Cosmo flinched.
Looey entered like he was onstage, towel draped over his shoulders and soap still clinging to his damp ears.
He tossed a backpack onto the nearest bed with zero hesitation, then strutted over to Sprout with a smile.
He offered a handshake to Sprout with an exaggerated flair. His grip was way too strong and way too fast.
“The name’s Looey!” he declared, grinning ear to ear. “You must be the Berry Boy!”
Sprout shot him a deadly glare.
“It’s Sprout,” he corrected stiffly. “And don’t call me that.”
Looey blinked, clearly caught off guard. “Huh? Oh, my bad. That Vee chick was just saying-”
“Drop it.”
“Okay, okay! Sheesh,” Looey said, pulling his hand back and wiping it on his towel. “Tough crowd today huh...” Cosmo couldn’t help but stifle a giggle.
A few minutes passed. Sprout continued folding his clothes and Cosmo opened an old comic book. Peace was almost within reach.
Then came the unmistakable sound of crinkling plastic.
Sprout slowly turned around.
Looey was lounging on his bunk, still wrapped in his towel, while pulling chips from an open bag.
“Are you kidding me?” Sprout snapped. “We just ate dinner. You’re not supposed to eat in the cabins!”
Looey shrugged, talking through a mouthful of chips. “I’m just a bit hungry dude. You don’t have to go full on security guard on me.”
“It’s a rule.” Sprout stood up, pointing sternly at a sign near the doorway. “No food in the cabins!”
“Well excuse me counselor Sprout…” Looey said, dramatically flopping onto his bed. “You don’t want me to pass out from hunger, do you?”
Sprout looked about five seconds away from calling an actual adult.
Cosmo, still sitting between them, tried very hard not to explode from being overwhelmed by both of his roommates arguing. His gaze repeatedly shifted between Sprout and Looey, his hands were trembling while he thought of a way to calm the situation.
“Uhm!” Cosmo finally blurted, his voice a little higher than usual. “Why don’t we just… go to bed? It's been a long day, right? It’ll be 10PM soon anyway!”
Sprout grumbled but obliged, climbing up onto his bunk with one last suspicious glance at the chip bag.
Sprout only wore a pair of shorts to sleep, while Cosmo donned a comfy blouse and wide striped pajama pants.
Looey peeled off his towel and tossed it aside. “Finally, time to relax!.”
Sprout’s head shot up. “DUDE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING.”
Cosmo gasped, clutching his pillow.
Looey paused, confused. “What? I always sleep naked.”
“NOT HERE YOU DON’T!” Sprout barked, throwing a pair of swim trunks at him. “Put these on, please.”
Looey caught them mid-air with a dramatic sigh. “Ugh, fiiine.”
He turned away and yanked them on, muttering under his breath.
Cosmo still hadn’t let go of his pillow, but he could sense a hint of regret in Looey's turned expression, which made him feel a little sorry for the guy, it was his first ever time being in a camp after all. Sprout didn't seem to take notice though, only trying to shield his eyes from any unfortunate sights.
Five minutes later, the lights were out. Moonlight peeked through the dusty window panes while muffled voices of other cabins faded in the distance.
Sprout rolled onto his side, almost relaxed.
Crunch.
He sat up in pure rage. “Are you still fucking eating??”
From the shadows of the bunk below, Looey replied in the most innocent tone possible.
“No…”
CRUNCH.
Sprout groaned and buried his face in his pillow.
Cosmo, eyes wide open in the dark, just whispered: “I can hear it too.”
Sprout had a feeling this was going to be a long weekend.