Start again - David x AgedUp!Jasper

Chapter One - Where's Summer Camp When You Need It?

Camp Campbell couldn't be further away. Novembers cold breeze rang in Davids ears as he strolled along the crowded street, more people there than almost anywhere else this time of year. It's not even December yet, but Christmas lights were hanging in every corner of every building, stars, fairy lights, blue, red and white lit up the whole street.

David felt so out of character, he belonged anywhere else but here. He used to love Christmas and winter and everything to it, but ever since he moved out from living with his dad, it's all been mess after mess every year. The first Christmas away from home was lonely. He watched The Note Book maybe four times that week.

The Second Christmas wasn't too awful though. He had picked up a job at a local grocery store, nothing fancy, but eating food every day is apparently a thing. There, he helped his colleagues decorate the whole store! It was delightful! But unfortunately he couldn't keep working there, he could barely buy food and pay rent. And it wasn't just any flat he has gotten his hands on, the place was actually really neat. And expensive!

Nowadays, Christmas was just another day to work to get a little extra pay. An opportunity he couldn't back down! He literally couldn't afford to.

As of now, unemployment. Finding a job David actually liked and or could at least live with was very hard! He didn't see himself as a necessarily picky person, but for some reason working with something other than counseling Camp Campbell was not very high on Davids' want list.

In fact, it wasn't on the list at all.

Oh, Camp Campbell... The smell of fresh air from the trees out in the woods. Waking up every day and remembering that life is great! Eating breakfast in the big hall and then go on a hike with the kids, and always waiting to get yourself out of every little fun mischief they're up to.

Pulling his big scarf over his cold nose, David sighed. If he needed anything right now, it would be for Camp Campbell to just, not be so far away. Gwen hadn't texted him since August when she realized she forgot her iPod at the camp. She lived on the other side of town, and to give back what she missed,  they decided to grab a coffee in the city and see each other. She was her normal self but she didn't feel very happy to see him. 

Maybe just another thing reminding her of Camp Campbell, but how could that be a bad thing? David loves the Camp! More than anything else! Why did Gwen have such a hard time? She deserves to be as excited about the camp as David is. She deserves to be happy.

The icy wind became unbearable. The big scarf had failed him, he almost wishes he had brought cargo pants for his little stroll. David couldn't stand one more second of it. He stumbled into the closest door to his right, to breathe some room tempered air for just 2 minutes.

"I'm not trying to be polite, that's not what I do!"

"I didn't get that impression at all-"

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

A large man with even bigger glasses and a thick mustache seemed to be arguing with an uncomfortable young man, about Davids age. He had golden locks of curly hair poking out from a beanie, and a nice looking Christmas Sweater on. The young man, that is.

All around him, shelves from floor to ceiling full of brown paper bags with different lacing and tags on them. There were just too many to look at. And the wallpaper was of fake books and other brown and crimson colors, it looked like a place where the hipsters' mothers lived. David tried to take it all in.

The large man whispered something to the young dirty-blonde and then disappeared behind a curtain. The remaining man turned around and painted on a big, well-rehearsed smile and said welcomingly;

"Welcome to BunBun Libertea"

---

That smile, while being obviously forced, it felt so familiar. David saw more words come out of the other man's mouth but he couldn't hear them at all. It was like every sound just melted into each other. Maybe because of the sudden change in temperature, or because this stranger looked good...

I mean, really good... Stunning actually...

"Sir..? Sir!" David reacted to the change of tone in the voice of the blonde. He tried not to think about what he must've looked like, though that potential image was hard to get out of his head. He blushed in embarrassment.

"Can I help you, sir?" He had to say something, anything. He had been quiet for way too long. Anything!

"Yes, I would like to buy some tea please" David heard himself say. Wow, that went better than expected. The man behind the counter smiled again, genuine this time.

"Well, I'm happy to help!" He walked around the counter almost without touching the floor. Was it Davids's mind playing tricks, or was he soaring?  "What are we looking for today?"

"The weather's getting colder and colder by the minute. Now's the time to warm up with some relaxing tea! Maybe something classic?" David tilted his head towards the good looking cashier and watched his eyes grow in excitement. The one question he knew for sure would enthrall any enthusiastic shop owner "Well, sir..!"

Walking up to a shelf close to the entrance, the tall blonde reached a long arm above his head to grab a brown paper bag with a purple tag and bronze lacing on it. It said, in cursive letters Gingerbread.

"Now, here's one of my all-time favorites, it really gets me going!" Holding the paper bag like a treasure, he continued "In the least sexual way, o-of course!" They both laughed awkwardly.  "Oh, I just assumed you like Christmas teas.."

"I do! I love them in fact!" David looked down at the dirty-blond mans chest to see a name tag. "Jasper.." 

That name, it also felt familiar. The way it rolled over his tongue. It almost felt like something, he had been searching for. Although that is a strange thought, he told himself. He tried to shake it off, but that name had some beautiful memories attached to it. Memories that took him way back, back when he didn't understand the feelings he had. But it couldn't be... It had to be..

"You're doing that thing again, sir, with your eyes.." The cashier, apparently named Jasper noted and took a step back.

"Oh, I'm sorry I just sunk into my thoughts again." David scratched the back of his burgundy hair.

"It's one of those days, isn't it?" Jasper responded and mimicked Davids's movements. "Would you like a sample, or maybe another tea?"

"I'll take it" David heard himself say. Jaspers face lit up and he skipped back to the counter and crouched to open a drawer behind the desk.

He seemed to be grabbing the plastic wrapper, but putting it back again and stood up. "I suppose this won't be a gift?" Jasper chuckled. Davids shook his head in response. "Would you like anything else? Or is this it?"

"That's it kiddo!"

"Kiddo?"

"Sorry, it slipped out."