Reality Check - A Huntric/Goldric Based Fic

Summer's Over (Chapter 19)

Isn't it cool how the summer fades? But I'm still here whispering your name. Guess the heat drives people crazy, slip up and I call you baby. Oh, summer's over.

-TV Girl

July thirty first. The day for camp to come to an end, and for Hunter and Edric to leave each other behind in their own lives. 

A week from school beginning again and another week until Hunter returned to his home back in Arkansas, once he had finished locking every camp cabin down. 

Neither could bear to think about it and yet, here it all was, sitting at their feet and raising faster than they could even try to save themselves from their impending fates. 

They'd both known, even before they began dating, this couldn't last forever; all things come to an end. 

Yet, it felt wrong and twisted to do this, when both felt that this was the first time they'd felt comfortable with another person, a real person.

Flapjack chirped, fluttering onto Hunter's face. He flapped his wings quickly, waking up Hunter. He groaned, sitting up as he looked at the green haired boy besides him. 

He smiled but it quickly left as he realized this would be the last time, they'd be allowed to wake up next to each other, or rather even be this close. 

He drew his knees closer to his chest, sitting there for a moment as memories of their summer flashed through his mind, everything from Edric's blood dripping down the bathtub and off the baseball bat to their first kiss in the middle of that lake.

He snapped out of his trance, realizing that he still had some stuff to get ready. He leaned over, gently kissing Edric's forehead. 

"Come on, Ed, it's time to wake up." He mumbled softly, getting a few grumbles and whimpers in response.

"Five more minutes, please...?" Edric groaned slightly, his voice drowsy and slurred in the early morning.

"Edric, we still have stuff to get ready for my uncle's party, please just get up." He whispered in response, grasping his shoulder and shaking him gently.

"Fine." He sighed, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, his hair strayed all over the place. He smiled sheepishly at Hunter and reached for his glasses, slipping them on and blinking into the morning light.

"Good morning, love." Hunter chuckled reaching over to peck his cheek gently before slipping out of bed, reaching into the wardrobe to grab himself a pair of shorts and a tee.

Edric smiled at him, grabbing his phone and checking the time. He got up and stretched, grabbing his own clothes while Hunter changed in the bathroom. 

They switched places as Hunter got his phone and everything ready while Edric changed. 

He walked back out and opened the cabin door, the two now basking in the sunlight and morning dew of the mountain. 

Edric sighed wistfully, taking a step out onto the moist grass, the area around them still hazy from the early morning. However, they weren't alone. Belos appeared from back around the mess hall, spooking them both.

"You both are up much later than I would have liked." He spoke to the teens rather coldly narrowing his eyes.

"Our apologies sir, we assumed it would be fine to allow a little more time for sleeping." Edric straightened himself, glancing up at him weakly. Belos nodded in response and returned to his cabin to grab party supplies.

Hunter tensed at the sight of his uncle, but even just Ed's presence comforted him. 

They sighed in relief and continued to the mess hall, finishing decorations they had set out the night before. Afterwards, they moved some benches and all around, preparing for parents and for more cars to arrive to pick up kids. 

Two foldable tables had been set out, papers for registration next year stacked up. Once finished, the camp looked professional and the boys fist bumped, excited to finish. They woke up the campers, ate breakfast and got ready for parents, setting the kids in their little places and making sure everyone was behaving properly.

Belos watched. His time to act was coming and he grabbed the small little copied sigils, printed on paper and disguised as temporary tattoos. He grinned evily as the Collector's shadow snuck up behind him.

"Getting the party ready, Belos?" The spirit chuckled looming over their own work.

"Indeed, these are a perfect substitution, they look exactly like the temporary tattoos of this world." He smiled slightly and the Collector beamed proudly.

"Our deal is almost sealed; everything will be complete!! We can finally go home and all because of me!" The Collector squealed, flying around the room. Belos scoffed, his act of happiness and adoration slowly falling.

"Mhmm, well I have things to attend to.." He slipped the sigils into his pocket and turned to the window as car drove up. It begins here and now.

780 words.