✤ The grave below the flowers ✤ (CRAIG OF THE CREEK)

Scoutguest

Craig gathered his things from the stump once that dinner horn rang, the months went by naturally and Craig couldn't remember the last time he spoke to Jason. At first it guilted him but then he remembered how Jason had been barely speaking to him, he would try and forget about the small glances him and Jason found each other making over the weeks of Capture the flag.

But whatever, this was the end to a day and Craig was gonna come into his house peacefully swaying himself to the peaceful aroma of his mother cooking Sloppy Joe's and The Small Uncle Show Jessica likes watching.

Craig plopped down in the chair to pull himself out of the stump, as he pulled himself up thinking to just be hitting his feet hard against green grass but no, a blond Boy Scout stood there politely with no complain or shout waiting to be given to Craig. All there was was Jason, holding his hands behind his back.

This unsurprisingly startled Craig and he let out quite the scream. "Ah! Jason, what you doing here, trying to get your jump scare badge?!".

His rage spoke for Craig, he knew he would regret it but jumped down anyways letting his anger shine, Jason saw this shining rage and realized his mistake in him simply standing there waiting for Craig to exit the stump "Uh...No..."Jason struggled to continue from there.

"Well then, are you gonna write me up for something"Craig thought back to Jason's old ways, it had been so long yet that was the only logical reason to Craig to why Jason would speak to him. It had been so many months yet Craig could not shake his mistake in Jason's backyard that costed him his innocence, Xavier had been defeated for months, though Craig would see him give Jason certain looks...

"Uh, no...Though I should point out you have water balloons too close to a domicile, but I'll let it slide this time..."Jason sighed, Craig was flesh out possibilities "Thanks...Well have a good night".

This set off a sudden panic in Jason, he knew he was thinking he was bothering Craig an hour before preparing himself to ask him. He always figured Craig was bothered by him so after Capture the flag he spoke little to no words with Craig. Jason blew his whistle seeing Craig's back to him.

Craig jumped at the sudden loud noise and covered his ears turning his head to Jason "Craig...I know you and I have had our differences but I need to ask you a favor, would it be possible for me to spent the night at...Your house?".

It was simple to Jason, he didn't know how this belief came to life but something in Jason assumed Craig wanted a more give and take relationship with him if he had to interact with him after asking to spy on Xavier. He had given to Craig multiple times and took from him, a time when it was quite literally so he figured it was time for Craig to give to him. He wouldn't mind right? He always wondered how it'd be to spend the night at Craig's house, even though it may or not be romantic it was nice to have somewhere to stay...

"My house...Isn't it a school night?"After Craig said that he thought it sounded like he was looking for excuses rather than thinking of logic "It's just...I forgot to grab my keys this morning and when stuff like this happens I usually ask Tony or Boris if I could stay at their place but Tony went home sick after getting that sewing badge removed from his chest and Boris is on vacation at his family's Ox farm and I don't really have anyone else I can ask...".

Craig was hesitant, it was a school night his parents might say no, he had no idea whether or not Jason and him were cool after...That happened and Craig didn't want her to show up, he imagined a possibility where she fucking watches him sleep...

But after seeing Jason try to shoot down his request it was obvious to Craig he was already starting to believe he was bothering Craig the way Craig would think he was bothering Jason, but after seeing Jason fail to make himself shelter out of sticks Craig caved in and walked Jason to his house.

The walk was silent to say the least, to Jason it felt really nice walking with Craig, he was wondering if he would take a shot at lying to his father about being in the house since if he remembered correctly his father wasn't gonna be home tomorrow during Jason's school hours so he wouldn't be suspicious Jason wasn't home. But Craig stared down at the cement, it was an odd thing indeed. The boy he labelled responsible for his hallucinations and...He guessed trauma was staying at his house. Like nothing happened, just like at the creek.

The boys arrived at the house smoothly, Craig watched Jason wipe his boots on the mat and walked him to the kitchen. Maybe he could share a quick snack with him to avoid awkwardness or pretend nothing is going on between them, Craig reached into the cabinet to grab a granola bar but didn't grab two realizing he never got an okay from Jason whether or not he wanted said snack "Uh, you want some?". "I don't know, I wouldn't wanna spoil my dinner...", Craig saw the rejection and knew it was better not to pry and enjoyed said snack he already had in his hand.

It wasn't the two of them for long until Bernard came into the kitchen closing the cabinet for Craig "Hey Craig, who's your friend?".

Craig made the correction of their relationship and labeled them as coworkers, confusing due to their age but they did work together in a few moments so it was good label, right? Besides, Craig wasn't comfortable calling them friends so Jason couldn't see himself taking offense.

Bernard shrugged what was being spoken by Craig and said what he needed Craig to do, he required Craig to wash the dishes for him cause Gibson got into his...Gibsoness and needed to help him find the homecoming float after losing it in a race with a motorcycle gang "Again?! Just ask Jessica to do it!"Craig angrily spoke "I am very busy"Jessica chimed in colouring with her markers in her colouring book.

"Jessica doesn't wash dishes! She just runs water over the food!"

"That's how you do it"

Jason stood there passing it off as a simple sibling conflict as Boris would say, sometimes Boris will stay at his uncle and aunt's house and his cousins would argue. Jason couldn't relate as he was an only child, it was fine. He could just stand there until they stopped fighting, it'll stop. Craig will rant about how annoying his brother is and they can act like Jason never forgot his keys.

But seeing them fight made Jason flinch, their anger, the glares from both sides and the argument seeming to go almost nowhere. Soon, Jason felt smaller, his height felt messed up, the feeling of band aids formed on his legs and his boots lowered to crocs. He no longer saw Craig and Bernard fighting, instead his eyes presented him with his mother, boiling with rage, her arms crossed in tiredness and her pink lipstick shining against her pale paper skin covering lips used to spew angry words and groans, she battled her own anger desiring it to stay down to the pit of her stomach but the argument fucked with the battle. Then his father, face almost turning as red as his hair, glasses reflecting anger in his eyes and his mouth throwing angry words and accusations of his wife being ungrateful of all the work he puts in it pay for the house and that he's the reason they haven't been kicked from this house and asking why she can't just wash dishes and have a nice laid out dinner like a good wife. Yet Jason stood, young and confused on why Mommy and daddy couldn't just stop fighting wondering if a day will come when he didn't have to listen in on their arguments in cause he had to help his mom.

Jason lightly shook his head feeling his actual height again and his eyes still made him see the brothers arguing.

Jason turned, turned the sink on, got a sponge and began washing the dishes.

Craig and Bernard were too wrapped up in their argument to notice Jason not being there let alone washing their dishes, it took Jason to say he was done with washing the dishes for them to quick arguing. Bernard paid no mind and left the kitchen to remain just Craig and Jason.

Craig turned himself around to Jason "Jason, why did you do the dishes?"

"I just wanted to save you guys the arguing, besides it's what a good house guest does..."Jason lied on the spot, it was unrealistic as he never saw a house guest actually do the host or hostess's undone chores but anything to avoid...That. He never had to listen in on arguments since his mother died and his father and Eleanor were 'made for each other', based on how they act around each other. Eleanor would be stabbed with never ending despair if his father left yet why did his mind try the trick of making up a fear that whenever he came over to Craig's house history would repeat itself.

"Ah, is it now..."

I am literally so sorry for ignoring my passion project for so long, but I put my apply fic on hiatus and my one shots is coming to a close in 3 chapters so more updates I guess.