Work Text:
A warm breeze blew through the large trees surrounding camp. The sun hung low, the sky a muddled mix of blue, yellow, pink and purple, handfuls of stars scattered about.
There was the chatter of hundreds of campers running around the amphitheater. The flicker of the bright yellow fire accompanied by the faint smell of smoke and the sacrificed scraps of meals.
“Hephaestus.” A camp counselor called out. A group of kids stood up from the rows of the travertine and eventually made their way down to the center. By the fire was a table, a senior camper behind it. There they handed out beads, and tied the necklaces for the newer campers.
Styles sat at the top of the amphitheater, his elbow propped onto his knee. He stared into the sky, bored. He’d been to too many of these ceremonies.
“Apollo.” The counselor called out next. Styles perked up, his eyes shifting to the bottom. He found Cameron staring right back at him. He was grinning, his hair tied half up half down, small wisps falling into his face.
The chatter and commotion seemed to fade as they made eye contact. Cameron waved, before returning to the line and receiving his sixth bead.
As soon as it was stringed onto his necklace he ran off to climb the steps of the theatre.
“Hey!” He chirped, sitting next to Styles. “Hey.” “You get your bead yet?” “Yep.” A beat. “You aren't supposed to sit here, we have to sit by ca-” Cameron rolled his eyes, doing a ‘whatever’ motion with his hand. “It’s not like anyone’ll check.” “..True, I guess.”
There was a bit of silence as Cameron fidgeted with the bead. “What’s the design this year?” Styles asked, craning his neck to see. “I dunno.. Some kind of rug.” Styles’s face crinkled. “..You mean the golden fleece?” He asked, suppressing a laugh.
Cameron blinked, a look of realization seeping into his features. “Oh! Yeah, That thing.” Styles rubbed a hand across his face, hiding his grin. “That Ricky kid again?” He asks. Cameron seemed to scoff. “Yep. That kid hasn't even been here two years, and he’s been on so many quests!” He complained. “..Cam, he’s only been on two.” “Yeah, well that's two more than me, so.”
Styles softened. “Well, hey.. You’ll get one one day.” Cameron smiled at him, his eyes, a dark brown, now looked golden in the firelight. “You really think so?” Styles nodded.
“Hopefully it’s with you.” “Huh?” Styles blurted out. “My first quest, I want it to be with you.” Cameron clarified. “Oh.. Really?” Cameron nodded happily. “I mean, you're the person I trust the most in all of camp.” He said. “I don't know who we can even trust anymore, y’know.. Since..” Styles nodded quickly, his eyes going down to his shoes. “Yeah– yeah I know.” He mumbled.
“Sorry, probably shouldn't have brought that up.” “It’s.. whatever.” Cameron’s hand then rested on Styles’s. He smiled warmly. “Dont worry, It’s a new year now, right?” Styles returned the smile. “..Yep. A new one.” He said, staring off into the sky, which was now a much deeper orange.