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Cam was sitting quietly devouring a sandwich as Percy and Blue messed around with a game on the t.v. It was a good time, simple and easy in the summer heat. Plus, it was another chance for them to observe Blue's growing affection for the man. Cam hadn't been told about the crush that Blue was nursing, but they could see it clear as day. Anyone who knew Blue to the extent that Deja and Cam did would be able to see it. From the first moment they met, Blue had been slowly falling for their friend.
Cam would hate Percy for teasing Blue as much as he did if they hadn't noticed the looks Elio shot him when he did. It seemed that maybe Percy was starting to catch those same feelings that Blue had. It was cute to watch the pair of them lean on each other and then scoot away minutes after, as if they hadn't noticed how close they had gotten. Percy's ears were perpetually red in Blue's presence that Cam had only realized wasn't his standard complexion.
Cam didn't hang out with Percy without Blue around very often, not that they didn't like the man, it was just that schedules didn't exactly line up and when they did there were group hang outs to be had. Or Cam was with Jamie. Jamie who Cam… well, that was a story for another day. It wasn't like they were interested in Jamie, but they also weren't not interested. It made things complicated in their head and they didn't really want to think about it. So instead they focused on their sandwich and on Blue or Percy. It was easier that way, simpler.
Percy nudged his shoulder into Blue's as they raced along the track of the game and Blue bit out a curse so violent Cam couldn't help but snicker along with Percy. Someone, Blue, was a sore loser and boy oh boy were they losing just then. It wasn't like this was the first round either, they had offered to let Cam join the demolishing of Blue's pride, but they had declined. It was nice just to kick back and observe. They hadn't been able to do that much lately and it felt like they had missed a whole lot in that time.
Like the fact that Percy kept glancing at Blue out of the corner of his eye. Or the tinge to his cheeks along with his ears. His flirty quips were coming less and less frequently, more aimed at Cam than at Blue. Plus, he hadn't heard a single pet name fall from Percy's lips. If Cam were anyone else he would think the man was losing his swagger, but Cam wasn't anyone else and they thought they had gotten to know Percy fairly well over these last couple months. Not as well as Blue had, but well enough.
Well enough to see when he was falling head first into a pit full of feelings.
Cam considered confronting him about this. Had a whole speech prepared with Deja to threaten him into compliance. 'If you hurt them then so help me I will…' type of speech. It was good, if you asked Cam. Not perfect yet, but still good. Except Blue would hate it if they actually followed through, especially since neither had made a single move yet. Blue because despite how confident they acted, they were scarred and scared. A few things in their past threatening to come up and choke them down into the nervous wreck that they had been last year.
Cam still hated their ex for what she did to them.
Munching on the last bite of their sandwich, Cam tucked their feet underneath their legs and giggled along with Percy as Blue's face scrunched in concentration. It was cute. Blue was cute and all of their friends new it. Even if Blue didn't care much about this fact, didn't believe it really, Cam was sure to tell them every time they had the chance. Blue was a fragile person. Delicate and easily breakable. No matter how sturdy they looked.
Cam had to wonder if Percy understood this fact. He was a good guy, really he was, but he seemed a bit… careless, to Cam at least. Blue claimed that wasn't true, that he was careful and thoughtful and kind as can be. Cam didn't quite disagree, but they truly didn't think his own flagging self-esteem saw how damaged Blue's own was.
Blue had been emotionally battered and bruised. They had come out of the other side in a better state than they entered it, but that didn't mean Cam wanted to see them go through that again. Not for anyone, including Percy Tozaki.
Not that Cam thought Percy would do what the ex did! No, he wasn't cruel by any means, but he was… he was Percy and that scared Cam. Percy was a good guy, but those were the ones that did the most damage. The ones who you didn't see it coming from, the ones who charmed and charmed and charmed until it all broke down and you didn't know what to do because they wouldn't let you.
Percy and Blue were so similar in that way. Overly in control of themselves. Overly aware of the way they were perceived. Overly pessimistic about the view of the world. Honestly, it was a miracle that Deja and Blue got along as well as they did with Blue's world view. They too, were so similar it hurt some days.
The difference was Blue was easier to shatter than Deja, they were just really good at pretending not to be. Good at covering themself in thick glue and pretending not to notice the cracks forming until it was too late. Yes, Cam enjoyed watching Percy and Blue dance around each other, fall for each other, love, if you could call it that yet, each other. That didn't change the fact that they were scared of what would happen when they both stopped pretending not to notice where they were at. Scared of the aftermath of the epic romance that would be Percy and Blue.
Because there would be an aftermath. They were both too scared of themselves for there not to be. Whether or not that aftermath would have a happily ever after was still to be seen, but Cam wouldn't take bets either way, not yet at least.
Tugging their sleeves down their arms, Cam settled their chin on their knees and watched Blue tackle Percy to the ground for using a Rocket to knock them out of second place and into sixth right at the very end of the race. No, Cam didn't mind Percy Tozaki, he was a good guy and a great friend, but they were scared of him. Hopefully it would all be okay and they were just over thinking everything, but only time would tell.
And Cam, more than anything, hated time most of all.