Chapter Text
[Max]
“Sure he’s a little strange, but he’s totally harmless! Like David!” Nikki remarked, digging a hole in the ground with her bare hands. Her body was coated in dirt both new and old. “He’s actually pretty nice. Plus he lets me dig holes all I want! He even encourages me too.” She laughed, focusing completely back on digging the hole in the ground even deeper.
Max huffed, crossing his arms. He turned to Neil, tone exasperated as he spoke. “You’ve gotta believe me Neil. He’s like…way too into this camp stuff, it’s on par with David but..different somehow. I just know he’s up to something!” Neil rubbed the back of his neck, glancing between Nikki and Max.
“I mean…I know what you’re saying and I can agree he’s weird too. But it’s like you said! He’s just like David. Who’s to say he isn’t just a weird forest hippie like David is? It’s probably not that bad.” He mumbled, walking over to the hole and frowning at the girl inside.
“Nikki, there’s really no reason to dig this many holes!” Neil chided, Nikki’s only response being a giggle. “Daniel said I should make enough holes for everybody!” Max’s eyes narrowed and he shot Neil a look that screamed told you so. He turned and marched off, determined to confront Daniel before the end of the day.
David threw a monkey wrench into those plans by deciding to take the campers on a spontaneous night hike. By the time they all got back, Max was too tired to do anything. He resolved to confront Daniel tomorrow morning when everyone was at breakfast.
The next morning, as planned, he snuck off to confront Daniel in the camp counselors office. As he walked in, he noticed Daniel sitting on David’s bed. That answered the question of why David had begun sleeping outside. Max knew he liked it out there, though, so it probably wasn’t a forced thing.
Daniel perked up upon seeing Max. “Max! So lovely to see you. What’s the problem? I’m just about to head to breakfast, but-!” Max cut him off. “What’s your deal?” He asked. Daniel blinked in confusion, eyebrows knit together. “I’m sorry, what do you mean? Have I done something to upset you, Max?” Max scoffed as he stepped backward and kicked the door shut.
“I know something’s off with you. And you’re gonna tell me what.” He walked a little closer, pausing a good enough distance away to where the lanky man wouldn’t be able to lunge and grab him. “I won’t hesitate to expose you to everyone else when I find out what you’re hiding.” Daniel’s expression was calm, serene almost.
He smiled in the same way he always smiled as he stood and held his hands out in an attempt to calm Max down. “Oh, Max. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Could you give me some examples of my behavior that’s been upsetting you?” He slowly walked closer, and Max found himself stepping back at the same pace. “You just…you stare at campers too long. You always have to have your hands on our shoulders or our backs, you speak in a funny way and you’re just too god damned supportive!”
Max was halfway across the room now, with Daniel approaching the door. They’d been circling the room this entire time, albeit rather slowly. Max continued, “It makes sense when it’s David because…it’s David! But you aren’t David! So what’s your fuckin’ deal!?” Daniel laughed in a frighteningly similar way to David, though the difference was still stark.
His smile was too tight, his laugh a little too forced, and his shoulders bounced unnaturally. “Max, I don’t get what you mean. I keep a watchful eye over the campers, make sure to build bonds with them through my own method—being physical touch—as well as trying to support you all! That’s bad?”
As Daniel spoke, Max came to the realization that Daniel had been slowly shifting their positions. Max wasn’t in front of the door anymore, Daniel was. Max now stood by Daniel’s bed. The whole time he had slowly been moving around, he was lowering Max’s guard. Then, Daniel reached back. Click. The sound of the lock latching into place on the door.
His demeanor instantly changed.
His eyes were sharp, though he still smiled. They were dissatisfied, disappointed in a way similar to David and yet...different. Max realized now that there was a reason the physically violent bully Nerf was now an anxious wreck always listening to Daniel. A bigger threat had come. Max hadn’t taken that into account.
Daniel didn’t waste much time, stepping forward and hitting Max across the face sharp enough to send him stumbling back against the bed. Max yelped, shocked at the sudden violence. He was admittedly terrified but also pissed. Who the fuck did this weirdo think he was? Max recovers, glaring at Daniel before widening his eyes in fear.
Daniel lunged at him, but thankfully Max had developed the skill to escape “David length arms”. He leapt out of the way, tripping over his shoe laces and slamming into the floor. He gets up, scrambling to the door. Of course, the door was still locked and Daniel had long legs. While Max fumbled to turn the latch, Daniel had already reached him, grabbing the hood of his hoodie and yanking him backward, choking him in the process.
He lifted Max up, intentionally tightening it so his airway was restricted, and gently rested his cheek against Max’s. He’s fallen silent, listening to the chokes, gags and gasps from Max until they slowly start to quiet and soften.
Then.
He let go.
Max tumbled to the floor, smacking his head hard enough that he saw stars. Max trembled on the floor as he struggled to process everything that’d just happened. First: Daniel is a fucking freak. Second: He almost fucking died. Third: it’s still not over yet.
Daniel crouched and smiled at Max for a while before finally speaking, asking him just one thing. “Will you still not hesitate to expose me, Max?” Max was shaking, unable to stand or move and he could barely breathe as he stared at the man before him.
It didn’t help that he looked so much like David.
He didn’t shake his head no, being far too stubborn to give in just like that. He was not like Nerf or Preston, he wasn’t a coward. All this had done was light a very angry fire in his heart. Daniel, unfortunately, could see this. His arm moved in an instant, hand snapping around Max’s face and his fingers digging into his cheeks hard. Really hard. Max wondered hysterically how he could even hope to hide and explain away the bruises.
Daniel asks, tone cold and flat, “Will you?” From there, it was a staring contest. An uncomfortable one. By now, Daniel was close enough that when Max let out a panting, pained breath, it mixed with Daniel’s own, creating the uncomfortable sensation of heat and warmth despite his stomach feeling like ice.
Daniel’s breath smelt like death.
Max was stubborn to a fault, he really was, but he knew better than to risk his own self preservation. Begrudgingly, he let out a quiet, angry, “No.” Daniel’s smile brightened and he pulled Max impossibly closer, whispering against his ear, “Good.”
The way his lips brushed against it sent a shiver of disgust down Max’s spine, and he grunted when Daniel shoved his face away, sending Max colliding into the ground again. Daniel dusted his hands off as if he’d just done some spring cleaning—not beating a child around—and walked to the door, unlocking it and stepping out. He waves to Max in what could be mistaken for a friendly gesture, before walking off toward the mess hall, leaving Max alone with the consequences of his actions.
After several minutes of laying on the floor, waiting for the shaking to ease and his breath to come naturally, Max stood and left the cabin, stumbling back to his tent. He was embarrassed more than anything, thankful no one had seen him like that. While anyone would understand that a 10 year old doesn’t stand much of a chance against a grown 24 year old man, it doesn’t change the fact Max got his ass kicked.
It had probably been three hours of sulking before someone came by. The tent flap opened, and a very concerned Neil popped his head in. Max quickly whipped his head around, hiding the bruises on his face, the ones on his neck hidden by his hoodie. “Max? Where the hell have you been! Everyone’s saying you threw some fit and ran off–!”
Max felt heat rush to his face, angrily snapping, “Shut the hell up! I didn’t! Obviously I’ve been here the whole time, I just didn’t wanna do those shitty camp activities today. Can you fuck off now!?” Neil blinked, taken aback. He didn’t appear to be hurt, which somehow angered Max more. He just seemed surprised. “Max, are you sure you’re alright..? You won’t even look at me.” He asked, voice soft.
Max hated it.
He whirled around, ready to snap at him to fuck off, when he noticed a familiar thin, blonde haired and blue eyed man standing just beyond the farthest tent. He was hiding, yes, but he was still visible from Max’s position, just staring at the pair. “I-I– I’m fine! I tripped over a fuckin’ tree stump now get the hell out!” He used all the force he could muster to shove Neil out, relishing slightly in the way he fell on his ass. It was kinda funny.
Neil sat up, angry now, and opened his mouth to snap at Max when a hand landed on his shoulder. “Now, Max, that wasn’t very nice!” The annoyingly chipper voice rang out. Max thought he could cry. “David!” He called, crawling out of the tent. He reached his hands out, to do what? He didn’t know, but he knew that he needed David right that second or he’d collapse.
His hands landed on a shirt that wasn’t the cotton soft fabric he knew by heart.
He looked up slowly, locking eyes with… “Daniel?” Daniel laughed, hands flying to his stomach. Neil snickered a bit, and Max felt his face flush as he stepped back. “Did you like my David impression, Max? I’d say I’m getting pretty good! I even fooled you!” He spoke, scooping Max up against his will and spinning him around. He pulled him into a hug, pressing their cheeks together.
Neil burst out laughing at that. “Oh my God, he’s literally just like David! You have to deal with two of them now, good fucking luck!” This was clearly his attempt at being mean to get revenge on Max for the shove. If he knew of anything that had happened in the cabin, he wouldn’t have ever dared to utter any of that.
Daniel knowingly glances at Neil. “I told you, just a tantrum. Let’s leave him be, to lick his wounded heart.” His phrasing was weird, and Max could tell Neil noticed. Neil looked at Max, confusion clear as day on his face. Max turned away, refusing to look him in the eyes. He crawled back into the tent, zipping the flap shut and laid down on his cot, listening to the sound of their retreating footsteps.