#campelysian

[vchanny-og]

Chroma Challenge!

So, a Discord group I'm in did a little challenge. You get a palette or a color and you have to create something with just that. I think it's really meant for artists, but we decided both artists and writers could do it.

And to challenge myself, I did BOTH.

I did a doodle and a drabble. And because I am me, I just created more Sailor Moon content. I am a one trick pony, folks. XD

When I saw my palette, I immediately knew what I wanted to do. And it involves Camp Universe! One of my favorites.

If you did not read my Camp Elysian fic, you can click there to do so. You do not *need* to read it for this, but you can, and you should because it's fun and nostalgic. Anyway! The short version to catch you up is: the gang all work at a summer camp, Kayden is the main camp counselor. Morgan hates his guts at the beginning. Morgan ends up helping Serena and Darien sneak around because there is a strict no dating rule. Kayden does find out. By the end of the fic, Morgan doesn't hate Kayden any more, and he no longer things she's some dumb kid. I'll probably put the drabble up on A03 at some point, but this will do for now. It's not polished or beta'd. BUT. It did feel really good to write *something* after such a long time of not doing so. So, enjoy, or don't. *shrug*

“Excuse me, Your Tallness.”

Kayden’s eyes crept to the now cracked opened door, to greet the grinning blonde who had let herself into the cabin. Without knocking. But that was Morgan. He could let it slide. Her arrival was no surprise–as he’d heard her coming through the opened windows, chatting loudly as she always did with some other camper. So no, it was no surprise. He hadn’t realized it was already so late, though. He wasn’t quite ready to leave.

They had plans. Well, she had plans. He–he simply just followed her whims. “Are you ready yet?”

Today’s whim conflicted with his duties. “Uh,” he began, setting down the paperwork he’d been looking through into a neat pile. “One sec.” He looked at his watch, and then instinctively reached for his red clipboard. “Nuh uh,” she protested loudly. “No Clippy.”

He stilled and looked to her, hands on her hips, her finger wagging in the air as if he was a child reaching for the last cookie. He wasn’t sure what his face had contorted into, but she giggled and bounded over, pushing the clipboard back down to the old, stained coffee table. Then, she took his hand and began trying to tug him from the worn sofa. He knew not to reach for it again.

“I promise we will be back before you have to do your rounds.”

“Like the last time you ‘promised’?”

She rolled her eyes and tugged harder on his arm. “Just come on.”

And he did.

She interlaced their fingers, her hand so small in his, and began quickly leading him down a path of crushed gravel that led away from camp. Morgan was radiant and full of excitement, the last of the day’s sunshine glistening in her hair. He however could not help feeling like everyone was watching him. Watching him get pulled away from camp this close to lights out. What would they say to the one enforcing the rules sneaking off? He could hear the gossip already. Maybe he could come up with some lie? Some emergency he was taking care of. Morgan would tell him to stop worrying, that no one cared, and he shouldn’t care if they said anything anyway.

But he cared.

Mostly he cared because he hadn’t told his grandfather that they were dating yet, and he felt this terrible guilt for setting a bad example and breaking a rule. All behind the back of the greatest man he’d ever known.

But the thought of being away from her all summer was too much. They’d already spent so much time apart.

So, he didn’t disclose their relationship. He was so worried his grandfather would say no. That the rule was there for a very good reason, and grandson or not, he would not allow it. She could not stay. And what would they have done then? They could have continued just seeing each other on random weekends, talking on the phone after 8 every night, but Morgan was a pretty girl. And how long until the novelty of a long distance relationship wore off? How long until someone who lived near her started showing her attention? Before another Aaron showed up? How long before he wasn’t enough?

All this sneaking around was not as fun as Darien and Serena made it out to be the previous summer. It had only been two weeks, and he was so worried people would find out. That they’d rat him out and Morgan would have to go. He knew Jayden would never, but if he jokingly said he was going to tell just to get out of work one more time, Kayden might snap. Maybe he should just tell his grandfather? Rip the bandaid off. Get Jayden off his back. Stop lying and hoping to not get caught. His grandfather would understand, right? Morgan wasn’t just his girlfriend–

“Hello? Earth to Kayden.”

Kayden blinked. He hadn’t realized they’d arrived. Morgan raised a brow and cocked her head slightly to the side. “There you are. What were you lost in thought about?”

“Nothing,” came his casual response. But not nothing. Everything. Morgan was everything. Professing that though–

“Mmhm. Well, forget about nothing, we’re here!” she exclaimed, proudly showing off her surprise.

His hand felt cold with the loss of contact. Kayden looked around for the first time. He recognized this spot. He had caught Morgan chaperoning lunches for Darien and Serena many times here. He’d helped her cover for them here. Let them have their time in this not-so-secret make out spot. Those were the times he got to know Morgan more, as they talked while keeping lookout for the couple. When he realized she was more than she seemed.

She must have come before she gathered him, he thought. There was a quilted blanket–where she stole it from he did not know–covering a patch of grass between an open area of trees. It was quite serene this time of day, the noise of camp dying off, the shadows dancing along the ground.

She grinned when he noticed, said “tada” in her over-the-top way, and sat down. “Take a seat,” she said while patting the blanket next to her. 

She looked so pretty sitting there, the last rays of the light kissing her face and the long shadows from the trees covering the surrounding area like a blanket. He joined her and was rewarded with her leaning into him. He wrapped an arm around her and enjoyed the warmth.

“It’ll be dark soon.” He didn’t know why he said it. He probably ruined the mood, and he instantly regretted it, but the weight of getting back on time was heavy on his mind. He couldn’t help it.

“I know,” she said quietly, leaning closer, looking out toward the slowly retreating light.

He hadn’t figured out exactly what the point of coming out here was yet, other than just being alone together. Which he didn’t mind. He could be a little late for that. He leaned over and tenderly kissed the spot on her neck just below her ear. 

Instead of reciprocating, Morgan laughed and pushed him away. “Stop! You’re going to miss it!”

Kayden was confused. Why were they out here, of all places, if not for a little fun?

Morgan rolled her eyes and leaned back into his frame. “You remember when my family took me for vacation out of state for Spring Break?”

He nodded. They’d absolutely annihilated their plans to see each other with that spur  of the moment trip.

“On the phone one night while I was away, you described how pretty the sunset was.”

He remembered. After their plans had been ruined, Kayden had offered to come help his grandfather do some spring renovations. The hard labor was a welcome distraction.

“And you said, you wish I could have been there.” She paused, and he pulled her in close. “So, I wanted to share a sunset with you, since we couldn’t before.”

“I do remember,” he replied, kissing the top of her head. “Thank you for remembering.”

He would remember this as the night he resolved to tell his grandfather about Morgan. And how much he loved her.