(18+) RED (Complete)

Ch. 38: Initials

"Dammit."

"What's wrong?" I asked when I heard Michael mumble to himself, while digging around in a large metal box with wheels on it.

"They forgot to put it on."

I raised my eyebrows a bit and watched him close the lid.

"The heater," he explained. "Meaning that the food in there is cold."

"You cheated?" I gasped dramatically. "And here I was, thinking we were going to kill some random animal out in the wilderness, so we could grill grotesquely large, blood dripping slices of meat over the bonfire. Not bringing pre-made meals from home."

Michael stared at me.

"Christ! That's bizarre, Mia. I'm not sure if I dare to go camping with you anymore. You're probably plotting all kinds of stuff from the horror movies you've seen, aren't you?"

"Yeah, because you know the horror genre is my favorite," I muttered sarcastically, and squinted at him.

"Ahh! And now you've got me thinking about murderers, werewolves and terrifying beasts, that are going to lurk around our tents all night and kill us while we're asleep!" I whined, but Michael just sat down on the ground next to me and smirked.

"Good. Then you can stay in my bed. That way you won't be alone, and we don't have to sleep. They can't kill us in our sleep while we're doing other things... That doesn't involve sleeping."

He wiggled his eyebrows until I elbowed him hard.

"Ow!"

"You better behave, or I'm gonna sacrifice the King of Pop to the evil Gods of the forest, to spare myself from a violent death. I'm pretty sure they'll accept such a generous oblation."

"Haha, very funny."

"Why, thank you," I grinned and made a little courtesy.

"But seriously, I don't know how to make osso buco on an open fire. That's why I had it brought here," Michael defended himself, and my self-satisfied face turned into a surprised one.

"You know how to make osso buco?"

I narrowed my eyes a bit since I had my doubts, and Michael kinda confirmed it by looking away.

"Yes?" he asked more than stated.

"Okay? How?"

"I... Call my chef," he mumbled coyly.

"I knew it!" I giggled. "What is it anyway?"

He grinned sheepishly.

"Osso buco? Honestly, I don't know. It sounded nice and I'm trying to impress you here, so play along, woman!"

He shook his head.

"You're hard to please, do you know that?"

"So I've heard."

"Why didn't you accept the car?"

The moment suddenly turned serious when Michael leaned forward with his arms over his knees.

"Because life doesn't work that way, Michael. You can't just mess things up and then buy an expensive gift and call it quit. At least I'm not like that."

He sighed and chewed on his lip.

"It would be easier if you were, though."

"Idiot," I huffed and failed to hit his arm, because he jumped up too fast.

"You men are impossible to understand. Either the girl is dumb because she's too easy, or she's a bitch for staying her ground. There's no in between. And you're too fucking proud to know your own good, because you're too busy playing that stupid macho game of yours. It's okay to be a little weak once in a while. Take it from me, who has literally been a weakling my whole life."