Ricky and EJ Oneshots (HSMTMTS)

That's When.

Camp Shallow Lake was an absolute chaos. Fights and arguing everywhere, the social structure was collapsing due to the excessive drama, and the production of Frozen was right around the corner.

For the director, EJ Caswell, it was overwhelming.

To make matters worse, Gina broke up with him after a big argument. She said he was being overreactive after her duet with Ricky – she said she was jealous. She was right, though... He was jealous.

Not of him, but of her.

Ricky and EJ have been getting along recently, trusting each other ever since Ricky showed up at EJ's doorstep after he broke up with Nini. He was lost and had no one to talk to, all of his friends were busy – but EJ made time for Ricky. Nini had told about Ricky's psychological problems at the brief time they were together, and despite hating him for a while, he never failed to notice how his heart was in the right place.

And then that racing feeling started.

Every small talk, every bro-hug, every time Ricky would put his hand out of the car window so he could feel the wind, every time his curls danced with it. That was when EJ realized that, Ricky was a lost boy – not because he had nowhere to go, but because he gave shelter to so many others that he forgot to think about himself.

That's when he realized that both could be each other's home.

.

The sun is starting to shine over Camp Shallow Lake, and the boys' yurt is quiet, except the sound of shuffling and zippers being closed. Everyone else was asleep, but being from a dysfunctional home, Ricky had a very light sleep, so he watched EJ pack up his bags and walk out.

The door closed, and that's when Ricky slowly got out of the bunk bed and tiptoed outside.

"So... Saint Louis is waiting for you, I see?" Ricky made EJ jump from surprise.

"Jesus Christ, Ricky!" he whisper yelled.

"So what? Are you just gonna leave us to take care of everything? Are you just Ricky-ing and leaving us all to take care of Corbin and his crazy ass crew?" The curly haired boy ignored EJ's response, and was met with an eye roll from him.

"Look... It's not like everyone would miss me, you know? I let Gina down, I let Ashlyn down, Maddox, Jet, everyone!" He scrambled through his thoughts as he spoke at a low tone.

"You didn't let me down," Ricky said, causing EJ to look up.

"What?"

"Look..." he sighed. "I know what it's like to just feel lost. Like you've let everyone down. Like no matter what you do, it'll never be enough..."

"Yeah... kinda feels like it," EJ trailed off.

"That's what I felt... Before showing up to your doorstep that night. I know it was completely awkward and weird at first – especially when I started crying – but with you I felt like I had a sense of belonging." Ricky's eyes were darting everywhere, he felt his own heart beating – and considering how anxious he was, he was afraid it was audible.

"Are we still talking about me leaving? What are we talking about now?" EJ joked.

"What are we?" Ricky asked.

Silence took over. The noise of the cicadas and the early morning birds made the tense air more tolerable, but they both felt like they were now walking on eggshells.

"My question is..." EJ cleared his throat. "What could we be but we aren't?"

"Could we ever be something?" Ricky reluctantly asked.

"With what time?" EJ replied, leaning closer, but still cautious.

"When I wake up in the morning... When it's raining, sunny, I don't fucking care— we can sort it out. What matters is that whenever you need me..."

"And you need me..."

"That's when we'll be at each other's front gate."

"Just like I showed up at your doorstep," Ricky chuckled.

"Deal?" EJ asked, offering a handshake.

"Deal," Ricky shook his hand.

Awkward silence kicked in.

"What's next?" EJ asked.

"I don't know..."

"Will you think of me when I'm gone? To St. Louis... To my dad's stupid school," EJ blurted out.

"When it's raining, or sunny, when I wake up in the morning... That's when."

...