livejournal fics//joncer

And The Livin's Easy Part One

Title: And The Livin's Easy
Author: silver_etoile
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Jon/Spencer (Gabe/William, Pete/Mikey, and hints of Tom/Keltie, Tom/William, Alex/Ryland, Brendon/Ryan, Frank/Gerard)
POV: Third
Disclaimer: This did not happen. Ever.
Summary: Summer Camp AU! After five years, Spencer is determined to get over his crush, but when Jon ends up his counselor at camp, things get a little harder for Spencer to control.
A/N: Written for who requested joncer. I know that after everything that's happened today, probably no one wants to read fic, but once I stopped freaking out, I've decided it's best to continue as always, and business as usual for me means finishing promised fics :]


*

"Don't forget to get all your belongings off the bus! If you leave something, it will take weeks for you to find it! We're not here to pick up after you! We are not your mother!"

Spencer glances around as he hops off the bus, backpack slung over his shoulder. He stumbles forward as someone else tumbles down the steps, knocking him forward.

"Sorry, sorry!"

Rolling his eyes, Spencer turns around to glare at Brendon behind him. Brendon just gives him an innocent look, cocking his head to the side. Spencer sighs to himself, wishing for the hundredth time in the last hour that Ryan was there with him.

But Ryan is too old for camp now. He'd gone off to college the year before and this summer he's staying at the University for some summer classes or something. Instead, Spencer is stuck with only Brendon as company at his last year at camp.

Spencer has been coming to Camp Tualualeilei since he was eight years old. First it had been just him and Ryan for years, coming up and spending six weeks swimming in the lake and making lanyards. Brendon had joined them sometime in high school, and he's been pretty much inseparable from them since.

"Come on," Brendon says eagerly, tugging on Spencer's arm, "let's get our bags and find out what cabin we're in."

Reluctantly, Spencer follows Brendon around to where the driver is unloading duffle bag after duffle bag, dumping them unceremoniously on the dusty ground while kids of all ages shuffle through.

Ignoring an eight year old crying next to the bus, Spencer grabs his bag out of the middle, tossing Brendon's to him as well and turning to the hustle and bustle of the camp.

The camp is spread out over several acres of land that included a small woods and a large lake complete with dock and canoes that Spencer can vouch for being entirely unsafe. He still remembers four years ago when Brendon had toppled them over into the chilly lake, and they'd had to swim to the shore.

"I hope we're in Pinetop this year!" Brendon exclaims, grabbing Spencer's arm and dragging him over to the check-in.

Spencer is thinking longingly of home where he could be watching season four of The O.C. and listening to his sisters fight over a pair of shoes. Instead, though, he's here, being dragged through the crowd and up to the check-in table. It's crowded by parents with new campers, some clinging to their hands, others looking around wonderingly, and a few looking bored out of their minds.

Brendon bypasses these to the end where the experienced campers are checking in quickly.

"Greta!" Brendon cries as he comes to the table, and the girl there looks up, a smile on her face.

Her golden hair is tied into a ponytail and hidden under a hat as she smiles at Brendon. She's wearing tan colored shorts and her ankles are crossed under the table.

"Brendon, you're back," she greets him easily.

"Of course!" Brendon says excitedly, pulling Spencer over from where Spencer has been glancing around carefully.

"Hey, Spencer," Greta greets him. "Looking for someone?"

"Uh, no," Spencer replies quickly, looking back. "So where are we this year?"

Flipping through her stack of papers, Greta doesn't even have to ask for their last names. They've known Greta practically the entire time they've ever gone to the camp.

"You're in Spruce this year," she says, marking something down on the paper and grabbing a piece of paper, handing it to them.

"Ooh, Spruce!" Brendon cries. Spruce is one of the nicer cabins in the camp on the outskirts, a little isolated from the rest, but a great cabin if you have the right counselor.

Greta smiles. "It looks like you'll have a great time too."

"Why?" Brendon demands excitedly. "Who's the counselor? Gabe?"

Spencer scowls at Gabe's name, watching across the heads of the milling children at the tall guy standing on top of a stump shouting at everyone to get all their bags and go to the check-in. He stands out pretty well if not just for the fact that he towers over everyone, but also that he's wearing the most blindingly neon green shirt and sunglasses that cover half his face. Spencer thinks he wouldn't be out of place wearing a hat with a propeller on it. He really hopes that Gabe is not their counselor. Gabe is all well and good, but he tends to have crazy ideas what end up with them getting lost in the woods in the middle of the night, and Spencer has no desire to repeat last summer.

"It's Jon."

Spencer stiffens at the words that come from Greta's direction. He doesn't turn, but he can feel his heart speeding up. It's stupid, he tells himself. Stupid. He can totally handle this.

"Oh, Jon's awesome!" Brendon cries, jumping up and grabbing onto Spencer so he's jiggled along with him.

Greta smiles. "Looks like you're in for a fun summer, then."

Brendon nods eagerly, already grabbing Spencer's arm and dragging him towards the cabin. "Bye, Greta! See you later!" he calls after him, and she only waves her hand in a goodbye as she turns to the next person in line. "Come on," he insists, pulling Spencer down the dirt path past fir trees that brush against his shirt as they go.

Spencer really doesn't know how someone can be so excited about sleeping on a foam mattress for the next six weeks with mosquitoes and spiders hanging around everywhere.

At the cabin, the door is already propped open and everything smells like pine trees and warm dirt, just like always. Brendon bolts inside first but Spencer hangs back. He knows it's stupid, but he's afraid Jon will be there.

"Spencer, come on!" Brendon calls loudly, and Spencer takes a breath, climbing the few steps up into the cabin.

It's sort of musty inside, but light streams in through the little square windows cut in the logs. There are three sets of bunk beds stuffed inside; two of the beds already have bags and sleeping bags tossed haphazardly on them. Only one is actually semi-made up, the sleeping bag spread out and the duffle bag shoved underneath it.

"I call top!" Brendon calls, throwing his bag on the top bunk and Spencer sets his on the one below, plopping down and sighing.

It's not exactly quiet. Voices and yells, Gabe's voice, carry in from outside. Birds chirp and insects buzz in the trees and Spencer knows nothing will be quiet for the next two months.

Brendon is grinning, looking around. "I wonder who else is here this year."

Spencer shrugs. There's at least one more by the looks of the other bunk bed. He's already starting to regret agreeing to go back to camp. His mom had given him the option, since it was his last summer and all before college, but Spencer had said he wanted to spend it with Brendon, away from home, somewhere where he could just relax, and the most responsibility he had was remembering to brush his teeth.

Now he's not so sure it was the best decision.

"Come on," Spencer says finally, struggling up from the bottom bunk. "Let's go find Frank or William or something."

"Okay!" Brendon bounces up, trailing along behind Spencer as they head back outside.

Outside, the sun is bright, warm on the back of his neck as Spencer weaves down the dirt path back to where busses are still pulling in and parents are dropping off kids in cars. The field is green but already yellowing in the warm June sun. The baseball diamond at the other end is barely visible as they stand at the other end, Brendon craning over heads to find someone else they know, and Spencer doing the same, although his search is more furtive and less obvious.

Brendon is the first to find someone, not surprising since Spencer is only looking for one specific person.

"William! Hey, William!" Brendon stretches up on his toes, waving his hand around like a maniac while Spencer rolls his eyes.

A tall boy parts the crowd easily as he walks over, brushing his hair from his eyes and giving them a nod.

"Hey guys," he greets them simply, hip cocking to the side as Brendon grins at him. "What cabin this year?"

"Spruce," Brendon replies cheerfully, and William nods.

"With Jon."

"Yep!" Brendon grins, and Spencer doesn't say anything. "What about you?"

William smiles a little but it isn't like Brendon's smile. "Myrtlewood with Gabe."

Spencer frowns at his smile but doesn't comment on it. It's common knowledge, or at least among the older campers it is, that William has had his eye on Gabe for several summers, and this is the year it's all going to go down, since it's William's last.

"There's Jon," William says, glancing at Spencer even as Spencer's head snaps up, almost as if he knows exactly what Spencer was just thinking about him.

Sure enough, Jon is standing on the other edge of the field, talking to a few of the older campers. He looks the same as always; beginning scruff of a beard on his face, wearing shorts and flip flops. His hair looks messier than usual as if it hasn't been cut in a while, and his smile is as big as always as he laughs at something.

Spencer stares, his heart thrumming against his ribcage as he watches Jon grin and talk to whoever it is. Spencer can't really see. He knows William is watching him but he almost doesn't care. Jon looks good. Well, he always looks good, but Spencer knows that everything he told himself before coming (that he was over his stupid crush, that he could handle another summer with Jon, staring at Jon, watching him peel off his shirt and jump in the lake or grab a paddle to the canoe and invite Spencer along) was a complete and utter lie.

"He looks good this year," William comments finally, and Spencer tries not to scowl, he really does, but it comes out anyway. William is just smirking, and Brendon looks slightly confused. "Well, I should get going."

"Bye!" Brendon calls after him and turns back to Spencer. "Want to go talk to Jon?"

"No," Spencer says sharply then stops. "I mean, we'll see him later. Let's go check out the lake and see if it's freezing again this year."

Luckily, Brendon doesn't press the issue and agrees with Spencer, turning and bouncing on ahead even as Spencer glances back to where Jon is and forces his feet to follow after Brendon.

*

The lake is freezing, but it's not as bad as the previous year, and Spencer has hopes that it'll get warmer later. He hates having to go swimming when even sticking his toe in sends shivers up his spine. He's just glad Gabe is not their counselor. He would have them Polar Bear swimming the second day there.

After Spencer distracts Brendon with the lake, they wander around to the other cabins, greeting old friends. Vicky is there along with Amanda and some new girl named Cassadee. Greta's in the cabin too, but she's still busy checking people in. The girls immediately surround Brendon, gushing over how he's changed from last year. Brendon has definitely filled out from the skinny, awkward boy he was when he first came to camp.

Scowling, Spencer leans a hip against the doorframe until Vicky spots him.

"Spencer Smith," she says, and though her voice is serious, she smiles deviously at him and tugs him away from the door. "What are you hiding over there for?"

"Didn't want to interrupt the hens," he drawls, and Vicky arches an eyebrow.

"Feeling left out?" she asks, and Spencer should know better than to underestimate Vicky's sense of perception. "Well, you've improved quite a bit since last year too. Hasn't he, Amanda?"

"Oh yeah," Amanda says, coming over now while Brendon plops down on one of the bunks to watch as they finger Spencer's hair, Amanda circling behind him. "Spence, you've got some hips."

Spencer scowls, but his ego is appeased, and Vicky smirks.

"So do you have a boyfriend yet?" she asks, tugging his tee shirt down over the little pudge to his stomach that Spencer still hates.

"Spencer's too picky for a boyfriend," Brendon pipes up unhelpfully from the bed, and Spencer glares at him.

"Oh really?" Vicky asks curiously, exchanging a glance with Amanda.

Spencer doesn't like the look. "No, I just don't have one."

Vicky watches him for a minute and then flops down on the bed next to Brendon, stroking his hair back and he leans into her contently. Brendon is content with anyone who'll let him snuggle.

"Who's your counselor this year?" she asks instead, changing the subject. It doesn't help much as Spencer feels a dull flush rising on the back of his neck as he remembers Jon standing in the field, smiling and blinking in the breeze that blew his hair in front of his eyes.

"It's Jon!" Brendon says, luckily saving Spencer from choking on his own words whenever he tries to talk about, or to, Jon.

"I didn't know he was still doing this," Amanda says thoughtfully. "Shouldn't he have better things to do, like college?"

Vicky shrugs. "I like Jon. He's pretty cool. Better than Gabe."

Amanda grins. "That's because Gabe hits on you every chance he gets."

"Yeah, whenever he's not staring at William," Vicky points out, rolling her eyes.

Finally out of the spotlight, Spencer backs against the wall, leaning back and not particularly listening.

He's thinking about Jon again, lost in the way he'd smiled at something, ducked his head a little. He's thinking about the way Jon's flip flop pressed into the dry grass, dry stalks sprouting around his feet. He thinks about how Jon's hair fell in his eyes and he didn't push it out, only shook his head a little to clear his vision.

"Spencer?"

Spencer is gazing off into space, not listening, thinking about Jon sleeping in a bed less than five feet away from him and what that's going to be like.

"Earth to Spencer." A hand waves across his vision and he jerks back.

Amanda is giving him a strange look as she steps back.

"What?" he asks quickly, realizing they're all staring at him.

"They're calling everyone to the field," Vicky says finally. "We should go."

"Yeah." Spencer nods, shaking himself quickly and pushing away from the wall. He joins Brendon at the door and blocks out his chatter as they all head for the field.

*

The field gathering is just a recitation of the rules. Pete, the camp director, stands on the same tree stump Gabe had been on before, although he barely rises above the heads of some of the campers, and gives them the usual rundown of stay out of the woods after dark unless you're with a counselor and if you go canoeing, wear a life jacket or know how to swim. It's all things that Spencer has heard a million times before.

When it's finally over and Pete has failed, as he always does, in getting the campers to participate in an introduction game, they disperse to their cabins.

Spencer walks with Brendon, dragging his feet slightly, nerves growing the closer they get to their cabin. He can't avoid Jon anymore.

At the cabin, Brendon bounds inside as always, and Spencer hesitates before heading in too. Now, all the beds are made up except for one. Jon's bed looks the same as it did when Spencer and Brendon dumped their stuff inside, but the other bunk has both beds covered in bags now.

No one else is there yet so Spencer sits down, climbing into his cave-like bunk and watching Brendon scramble onto the top. He hears him moving around, probably unrolling his sleeping bag. He isn't surprised when Brendon drops down, head hanging over the edge of the bunk. His hair looks funny, falling straight down as Brendon grins at Spencer.

"We're bunkmates, Spencer Smith," he says, and Spencer even cracks a smile.

He's still anxious, though, waiting for the inevitable.

When there are noises on the steps, Spencer can't help twisting around to look. The breath he lets out is relieved when he sees who it is.

"Frank, hey," he says as he catches sight of a glint of metal in the doorway; the sun reflecting off Frank's lip ring. The lip ring is new, but Frank looks pretty much the same.

"Hey, Spencer!" Frank cries, almost as excited as Brendon is. "Long time no see!"

"Well, we do live on opposite sides of the country," Spencer points out and Frank grins.

"Man, I missed this," he says. "And Brendon, you're here too!"

"Hi, Frank!" Brendon bounces and the bunk wobbles a little. Spencer eyes the posts distrustfully.

Frank grins, turning around and calling out the door. "Mikey, hurry up!" Turning back, he bounces on the balls of his feet. "Mikey's talking to Pete... again."

Spencer nods, lying back on his bunk and gazing at the dark ceiling. He feels better knowing he's sharing a cabin with people that he knows. He's actually shared a cabin with Frank since he was ten. It's always just worked out that way.

When there are footsteps next outside the door, Spencer assumes it's Mikey and doesn't glance up, listening to Brendon and Frank chatter about the past year as they unpack a little, fluffing pillows and rolling out sleeping bags.

"Jon!" Brendon's voice is entirely too loud and Spencer winces at the volume before he realizes what he's said and scrambles up, hitting his head with a dull clunk on the bottom of Brendon's bunk. Rubbing his head, he pokes it out only to stare as he sees Jon standing in the doorway.

He looks even better up close with his scruffy visage and flip flops slapping against the wooden floor as he comes inside, accepting the hug Brendon jumps down to give him.

"Hey guys," he greets them all, a cheerful smile on his face as he looks around at them all.

Spencer feels his throat closing up as Jon's eyes fall on him and his smile widens a little. He doesn't reply with Frank, who greets him happily and says that Mikey's around somewhere.

"So what'd you do this year?" Jon asks to no one in particular, flopping down on his bunk. He gets the whole thing to himself as there's no one in the bunk above.

Spencer doesn't speak, tearing his eyes away from Jon finally as Brendon immediately starts rambling about marching band and Ryan kissing him at the last football game of the season.

Spencer has heard the story a million times, but he tries to listen, to distract himself from the way Jon looks, lounged on his sleeping bag, flip flops now fallen haphazardly on the floor. He's lying down, hands behind his head as he listens and laughs at the right places. His grey tee shirt is already wrinkled but Spencer doesn't really notice when Jon shifts, arms lifting higher and the shirt lifts to reveal a centimeter of skin.

He's being stupid, Spencer tells himself firmly, tearing his eyes away and glancing up to where Brendon is telling about Prom and when Ryan got him a red rose to match his vest.

"That's awesome, Bren," Jon says sincerely when Brendon pauses to take a breath. His eyes fall from Brendon for a minute to Spencer, who is determinedly staring at his duffle bag on the floor.

Brendon grins and bounces a little, shaking the bunk again. "What'd you do this year? Do you have a girlfriend?"

Jon laughs, and Spencer feels his stomach clench at Brendon's question. Of course Jon would have a girlfriend. He remembers when he was thirteen and Jon was fifteen, and Jon had disappeared all night into the woods with Cassie. They'd gotten in so much trouble, but Spencer was sure he'd known what they were doing in there when they came back, faces covered in dirt and sticks in Cassie's hair.

"Nah," Jon says, the same lazy smile spreading across his face as he looks up at Brendon. "I've just been doing college stuff, ya know?"

Brendon nods but Spencer knows he has no idea.

Jon pauses, glancing again at Spencer. "So what have you been up to, Spence?" he asks finally and Spencer glances away quickly, pulling his knees up to his chin and speaking into them.

"Not much," he says, and Brendon scoffs up above him.

"Spencer's been working nonstop since January," he says, and Spencer hates that he can't glare at Brendon.

"Working on what?" Jon asks curiously, and Spencer shies away from his gaze, hating the blush on the back of his neck. He knows it's stupid, but he still really likes Jon even though he's come to the conclusion that it's just a stupid crush that he needs to get over.

He's liked Jon ever since Jon had started coming to camp, nearly five years ago. Spencer had been twelve going on thirteen and Jon had been new that year. Spencer still remembers stepping off the bus and nearly tripping over Jon in front of him.

Jon's smile had been almost exactly the same as it is now as Spencer stuttered out an apology and Jon just laughed it off.

Spencer's glazed eyes had followed Jon all the way across the field until Jon disappeared into a cabin, and he'd been doomed. Ever since then, he has liked Jon. He'd used to be hopeless, tripping over his feet whenever Jon would look at him. He hopes that he's improved since then, although he's not so sure when he blushes under Jon's gaze while Brendon talks.

"He applied to, like, a billion colleges," Brendon says, Spencer silently glaring at him but simultaneously trying not to flush under Jon's eyes. "And he was in Honor Society, and he worked at a pizza place four nights a week, and he applied for a bunch of scholarships and he volunteered at the animal shelter and—"

"That's enough, Brendon," Spencer interrupts sharply. It sounds as though he has no life, and he doesn't want Jon to think that. He wants Jon to think that's he cool and isn't in marching band with Brendon wearing those stupid white plumes and scratchy wool pants.

"What?" Brendon asks innocently, and Spencer scowls.

Jon is still watching him, though, and he smiles after a second.

"So where did you decide to go to school?" he asks finally.

"Uh, I'm gonna go to the University of Arizona," he mumbles finally. "They have a good business program."

Jon nods slowly. "Well, you better enjoy this summer," he says with a smile. "You won't see trees like this in Arizona."

Spencer nods, swallowing his nerves when Jon smiles at him. Jon's eyes linger for another second before he looks back to Frank and Brendon.

"Hey, what do you say we find Mikey before dinnertime, huh?"

The response is automatic and eager as both Brendon and Frank bolt off the bunks, already out the door before Spencer drags himself out of the bunk, startled to find himself alone with Jon.

"After you," Jon says, gesturing at the door, and Spencer takes a breath, purposefully not staring at Jon's flip flops as he slides past and Jon follows.

*

The thing about summer camp is that it never changes and yet it's always different.

Dinner is a mess of campers, mass-made food, loud chatter, and old friends catching up.

Sitting down at the long wooden table, sliding onto the hard bench, Spencer sets down his plate and picks at whatever semblance of vegetable they've decided to serve them. Brendon is to his left, talking a mile a minute to Frank and ooh-ing over Frank's latest tattoo.

"Did it hurt?" Brendon asks and it's the same question every year.

Rolling his eyes, Spencer pokes at his food uninterestedly. When he glances up, he catches Jon watching him, and his stomach swoops dangerously and he tries to focus on anything else.

"Nah," Frank says dismissively. "Getting tattoos is awesome. It's like displaying your life."

"Wow," Brendon breathes, and Spencer knows he's never going to hear the end of this.

Down the table, William is sitting next to Gabe, practically in his lap as he laughs at something Gabe says. The rest of their cabin (Sisky, the Butcher, Mike) just roll their eyes and ignore them. Another cabin is at the very end of the table, and Spencer can tell they're new just by looking at them. Their eyes are wide and they huddle together whenever someone laughs loudly. Their counselor, Patrick, just shakes his head calmly and says something that relaxes them.

Spencer remembers his first summer there, the terror of leaving home for nearly two months, of sleeping on a thin foam mattress with bugs crawling everywhere. He remembers being scared out of his mind, almost too scared to let his mother leave.

He's come a long way, he thinks, as he glances around. It's his last summer and he won't ever see the camp again. In a way it's sort of sad, but he's determined not to think of it that way.

Instead, he spears the semi-vegetable on the end of his fork and sticks it into his mouth, chewing intently and not looking up to where Jon is now telling a story about college that involves two very drunk sorority girls.

He's cut off just before the end by Patrick.

"Jon!" Patrick nearly hisses as Jon's mouth opens to tell exactly what the girls were doing in the bathroom. "There are young kids here."

Jon pauses, cocking his head innocently at Patrick, although Patrick can see right through it. "Not at this table."

Patrick gestures at his little flock of baby birds, or campers, and Jon sighs.

"Alright, alright. I'll tell you boys later." He grins and winks at them all. Brendon and Frank look disappointed, but Spencer doesn't look up at Jon.

He doesn't know how he's going to survive the next six weeks with Jon being so charming and always there. He doesn't know if he can handle it. He's supposed to be over Jon. For god's sake, it's been five years and the most Jon has ever done is smile at him and drag him out of the lake that one time he'd capsized his own canoe.

But Spencer still likes Jon, still spends all summer fantasizing that Jon will drag him into the woods one day and kiss him underneath the pine tree. Jon always smells like pine trees, and when Spencer goes home to Las Vegas, he can never smell it. Going to the mountains reminds Spencer of Jon, which is probably the only reason he likes camping.

The rest of dinner is uneventful except for William dropping his fork under the table and sliding down to get it, not reappearing for several minutes while Gabe's eyes got wide and his mouth went slack.

Afterwards, everyone is herded out and down the long winding path to the campfire spot. There are several campfire spots, but this is the only one big enough for the whole camp. Everyone huddles around although it's really not that cold outside.

Pete leads the group in a rousing (and off-key) chorus of Little Skunk ("Seriously, can't we stop singing about skunks?" "You'd rather we sang about gopher guts?"), and Spencer frowns the whole way through, trying to ignore Brendon beside him who is practically vibrating each time someone starts a new song. It's Brendon's favorite part, Spencer knows, but he'd rather be in the cabin curled up in his bunk with a book.

"You're not singing along."

Spencer jumps when Jon elbows him lightly, entirely too close on the log he's sitting on. The fire crackles in front of them and Spencer can see Pete on the other side, grin slightly maniacal as he launches into Squirrely and Spencer stubbornly doesn't join in.

"I don't really like singing," Spencer mutters finally, not glancing at Jon, but he can feel his skin heating up and not from the fire. "I'm not good at it."

"That doesn't stop Pete." Spencer can hear the grin in Jon's voice.

"Nothing stops Pete," Spencer points out, scuffing his tennis shoes against the dirt. They're white now, but he knows they'll be brown by the time camp is over. He doesn't know why he even bothers bringing new shoes to camp every year.

"But he makes it all worth while," Jon replies finally, nudging Spencer again, and Spencer tenses at the movement. He knows it means nothing but he can't help the goosebumps that appear on his arm. "You cold?" Jon asks, noticing how Spencer tries to suppress a shiver.

"No," he says quickly, scooting away from Jon an inch or two, desperate to put some space in between them. "Just tired."

"We could head back," Jon suggests. "It'll wind down soon anyway. Some of the younger kids are already falling asleep."

Glancing around, Spencer sees that Jon is right. Maja has a lapful of eight-year-olds and more are dozing on the log, nodding forward only to jerk back and look around hastily.

"But we're not eight," he points out, proud that he can talk so normally to Jon. Of course, he doesn't account for the fact that he's not facing Jon because when he finally does glance that way to see Jon's grin, he forgets anything he'd planned to say.

Jon knocks into his shoulder anyway and Spencer freezes. "Well, we wouldn't have to go to bed. There's too many people crowded here anyway."

Spencer doesn't reply, still trying to control his breathing when Jon leans around him.

"Hey, Bren, Frank, Mikey, what would you guys say to ditching this and heading back to the cabin? I've got something you might like."

They're immediately in, and Spencer is almost glad except when he rises and finds Jon at his side as they leave the circle where Pete is trying to convince the campers to do a singing round.

Beyond the fire, the camp is dark, and Spencer hadn't brought his flashlight. Instead, they stumble a little on the dirt path, following what they can see in the moonlight and flashes of lamps from the outside of porches.

"Careful," Jon says when Spencer trips over a tree root and nearly faceplants in a sprawling bush on the side of the path. Jon grabs his arm to keep him upright, and Spencer brushes him off easily, thankful for the darkness that hides his furious blush.

The cabin isn't too much further from the campfire, and they can still hear Pete's voice chanting some song as Frank opens the door first, heading inside.

It's warm and cozy inside, the single light bulb casting a yellow glow over the walls. Spencer immediately curls up on his bed, snuggled against the wall, as far from Jon's bunk as he can get. He grabs onto the posts as Brendon scrambles up to the top and they wobble dangerously in his wake.

Frank and Mikey are in the bunk across the way, Frank on top and Mikey picking at his sleeping bag on the bottom.

Jon is the last in the cabin, shutting the door behind him and blocking out the darkness.

"Alright," he says, already grinning as he heads over to his bed, dropping to his knees and crawling underneath. Spencer tries his hardest not to stare at Jon's ass as he digs for something, finally coming out with a bag. "So I've got to confess. I knew you guys were going to be in my cabin this year before I came, and I know you've all just graduated, so I thought I'd bring something to celebrate."

Spencer blinks when Jon pulls out a bottle of Southern Comfort, grinning at them all. Frank lets out a loud whoop, and Spencer knows that Brendon is staring above him, probably having an inner conflict. Mikey looks coolly indifferent. Jon looks as though he didn't expect any more reaction than that.

"How'd you know we'd be in your cabin?" Brendon asks finally as Jon opens the bottle and takes a swig.

"I've got connections," Jon only says with a smirk. "So let's loosen up."

He hands the bottle off to Frank, who drinks eagerly, passing it on to Mikey.

Jon doesn't sit on his bed, but instead slides to the floor, leaning against his bedpost and watching the bottle get passed around.

"So you're all graduated now, it's your last summer at camp."

Spencer doesn't say anything, taking the bottle from Brendon and eyeing it carefully.

"You came back," Brendon points out, and Jon laughs.

"Yeah, but I don't think I'm going to after this."

Spencer glances at Jon quickly. A part of him knew he wouldn't see Jon after this summer anyway, but Jon not coming back makes it all sort of final. Pausing, he stares at the bottle for a minute before taking a drink. It doesn't taste bad, but Spencer has heard that SoCo can fuck you up in a matter of a few drinks without you feeling a thing.

Crawling forward, he tries to push down the nerves fluttering in his chest as he hands the bottle back to Jon. Jon takes it, watching it for a moment before smiling.

"But that doesn't mean anything. With all this newfangled technology it's hard to stay away from anyone."

"I want your phone number," Brendon announces suddenly, fumbling with his phone. They don't get service out in the middle of the woods, but somehow, they always bring their phones, just in case. "So I can text you in class and quote camp songs at you!"

Laughing, Jon gestures for the phone, which Brendon tosses down. He enters his phone number easily, tossing it back to Brendon.

"See?" he asks, glancing around at them all. "I'm everywhere."

Spencer thinks it's particularly true as he watches Jon take a long drink from the bottle. He's close enough to Spencer's bed that if he just stretched out his leg, he could touch the post. Spencer doesn't know how he's going to sleep with Jon so close.

"I might come back," Brendon says after a minute, watching Frank take the bottle from Jon. "And be a counselor."

"You would make a great counselor." Jon grins.

"Totally," Frank agrees from around the bottle. "You'd be able to handle those fucking eight-year-olds no problem."

Brendon grins and Spencer can tell he's bouncing from the way the bunk shakes. Curling up further, Spencer doesn't speak.

It's dark in his corner, and he likes it that way, shielded slightly from the light that isn't really bright but is compared to the pressing darkness outside. The singing has stopped and it's quiet now except the odd chirp of a bird in the woods. It's only nine at night, but it's been a long day and the first day is always the worst. At least this time he got out of playing the Name Game with Pete and the rest of camp. He always hates that part.

Spencer yawns as he listens to Frank talk about his graduation and how someone had set the sprinklers to go off in the middle. Mikey adds in little details as Frank talks, and Spencer huddles in his dark corner, hoping they'll be able to sleep soon. He knows the rest of camp will be staying up late and talking about stupid shit, playing games like truth or dare, and all those other camp games that Spencer always hated, but maybe now admits that he'll miss once he's gone.

He starts to nod off by the time the subject is changed and jerks awake when his head falls against the outside wall of the cabin. Blinking in the light, he shifts a little, scooting down in his bed.

"I think Spencer's ready to turn in."

Spencer hears Jon's voice, warm and cheerful, washing over him as he forces his eyes open from where they've fallen closed again.

"Dude, it's only ten-thirty," Frank scoffs good-naturedly from his bunk, but Mikey shrugs underneath.

"I'm tired," he offers and Frank arches an eyebrow.

"You guys suck," he declares but doesn't do much more.

"Well, we've got an eight AM wake up call," Jon says from the floor, not moving, but putting the cap back on the bottle of SoCo and stashing it back under his bed. "We should probably think about bed."

Bed is Spencer's only thought as he crawls to the end of the bed, digging in his duffle bag for his toothbrush and toothpaste. He finds his flashlight at the very bottom and pulls it out with difficulty.

"Don't get lost on the way to the bathroom," Jon says when they all clamber down, Spencer already halfway to the door.

Grabbing Brendon's arm, Spencer pushes open the cabin door and drags him out into the darkness even as Jon's voice lingers behind him.

"And don't get eaten by any bears. You're all far too awesome."

Spencer shakes away Jon's words as he drags Brendon off down the path towards the bathroom in the distance.

*

"Is something wrong?"

Spencer glances up as Brendon nudges him in the side, bouncing ahead past him on the path. A cloud of dust follows his footsteps, and Spencer frowns a little at his question.

"Cause you've been quiet since we got here," Brendon continues, walking backwards to keep watching Spencer. Frank and Mikey are ahead of them, winding down the dirt trail, through pine trees and clustered bushes towards the arts and crafts building. It's really just a covered open-structure with a few cupboards to store things during the summer, a few picnic tables set up for crafts.

"I have not," Spencer argues as the place comes into view.

"Yeah huh," Brendon says, tripping over a tree root. "Every time anyone talks to you, you don't say anything."

"That's not true," Spencer insists, glaring at Brendon. Only Jon, he adds silently, kicking the dust and trying not to think of that morning when he'd woken up to Jon rolling out of bed in only an old, thin tee shirt and a pair of boxers. It wasn't fair that his last summer in camp be had to have Jon as his counselor when he might have escaped unscathed.

Spencer knows the chances of Jon noticing and liking him the same way, and they are less than the chances of Brendon keeping their canoe upright that year. It's useless to entertain any idea of Jon liking him as anything other than a friend and camper.

Besides, he tells himself as they descend the little hill down to the arts and crafts tent, he doesn't need Jon to like him. He's over that. Really.

"Gerard!" Frank's voice shakes Spencer out of his thoughts as they reach the tent.

It hasn't changed a single bit from the year (or even the ten years) before. The only thing that's different from Spencer's first few years is the arts and crafts counselor.

Gerard is a little eccentric (scary, Brendon has put it before), but he's pretty cool. He looks a sight as they reach the picnic tables. His black hair is sticking up in places, glitter sparkling whenever he moves on the edges; streaks of paint already adorn his clothes, splashed over his fingertips, and he has bits of embroidery floss stuck randomly to the patches of paint.

Frank is already bounding up, his grin wide as he reaches Gerard. Mikey doesn't react. Gerard and Mikey are brothers, but no one really understands their relationship. They kind of float in their own little worlds most of the time except when Mikey dips into Gerard's to meddle.

"Frank." Gerard merely nods at Frank, but Spencer knows there's more to it when Frank's grin widens and Gerard looks away. "Hey guys."

"Hi, Gerard!" Brendon bounces up to the table. "What are we doing today?"

Gerard pushes back his hair, coming back with glitter on his fingertips, but he doesn't seem to mind as he turns from them, coming back with a pile of white socks.

"Tie-dye," he says, dumping the socks on the table with a flump.

Spencer eyes the socks and the way both Brendon and Frank are vibrating and knows this is going to be a long day.

*

Jon sips his coffee, his feet propped up on the wooden table and ignoring the way the bench wobbles underneath him as Gabe plops down beside him.

"Surviving the eight-year-olds?" Gabe asks with a leer at Maja across the table.

"They're cute," she says firmly. "And don't you think of seducing one, Gabe. That's just wrong."

"Well, how cute are they?" Gabe asks, not wincing as she kicks him under the table.

Jon laughs, setting his mug down on the table. He doesn't remove his feet even though Zach will probably yell at him for it later ("People eat on these tables!").

"Where are they right now?" Tom pipes up from where he's been not-so-secretly giving Keltie a once (or twice) over. Keltie primly ignores him, but everyone knows they'll sneak off into the woods after their cabins are both asleep.

"Swimming," Maja replies. "Probably in those ugly bright orange lifejackets."

"Hey, I like those things," Gabe pipes in but everyone ignores him.

"Bet Alex is having a ball," Tom laughs, and Patrick groans from down the table.

"God, don't say that name," he moans, his head buried in his arms on the table. He only lifts his head when Gabe pokes him in the side.

"Why?"

"Too many Alexes," he mutters.

Jon grins. "How many this year?" They should start making bets, he thinks, on how many Alexes they'll get in one year. "Your whole cabin?"

"No." Patrick sighs, lifting his head. "Two are normal; Ian and Cash. Well, okay, not Cash. But there are three Alexes; Johnson, Marshall, and I can't remember the other one..." Shaking his head, he lays it down again. "Why does Pete hate me?"

"Yeah, right," Tom scoffs. "Pete worships the ground you walk on. It probably just ended up that way. Are they all new?"

Patrick grumbles into his arm, a negative answer. "Cash was here last year, and he somehow knows them all."

"They probably requested the same cabin then," Tom says as though it's the most logical explanation in the world. It doesn't make Patrick feel any better, though.

"Are any cute?" Gabe asks and darts out of the way of Maja's smack to his arm.

"Keep to your own age group," she reprimands, rolling her eyes.

"I am," Gabe argues. "Have you seen William this year? Fuck, he looks good."

Maja only rolls her eyes. Tom scowls a little.

"Haven't you already fucked him?"

Gabe grins. "Nobody says no to seconds," he says, "well, except you."

Tom's eyes narrow, and Jon thinks it's time to intervene.

"So who do you think is gonna come back next year?" he asks, shooting Tom a look to drop it, which he does after a heavy breath, and when Keltie speaks, drawing his attention back to her.

"Greta will definitely become a counselor," she says. "She does practically everything already. Plus she's really good with kids."

Jon nods along. "Yeah, Brendon said he wanted to come back too."

"Who's in your cabin this year?" Tom asks suddenly, watching Jon closely.

Jon shrugs. "Brendon, Frank, Mikey, and Spencer."

"You know who looks good this year?" Gabe interrupts and no one bothers to answer. "Spencer. His hips could almost rival William's. I bet he's a good fuck."

"Man, that's just wrong," Tom scoffs, and Patrick groans into his arms from down the way but doesn't stop the conversation. Maja only rolls her eyes at Gabe.

"Only 'cause you've known him since he was a dorky teenager," Gabe points out, "but it doesn't change the fact that the boy's changed since last summer. He's definitely fuckable."

Tom groans, covering his ears, and catching Keltie's smile. He looks confused for a second and then looks away.

Jon pauses, grabbing his coffee cup. It's almost time to go find his cabin for the hour or so of free time they get before lunch. "He hasn't changed that much," he says finally, and Gabe gives him this look that says he's an idiot.

"Dude, have you seen what he's wearing? Girl jeans and My Little Pony tee shirts. He's practically begging for it. God, look at his hips for two seconds. Shit! You better tap that before someone else does, and by someone else I mean—"

"We know who you mean," Maja interrupts with a hard look, and Gabe just shrugs.

"I'm just saying."

Jon frowns slightly. He has noticed a change in Spencer, definitely in the way he looks. He's lost the dorky awkwardness of teenage years and he stands now with more authority, slightly more impatience than before, but still with the cool indifference Jon had always noted before.

"I really don't like Spencer like that," he says finally, and Gabe shrugs.

"Still, kid's grown up quite nicely this past year. If you don't get on it..." He trails away with a significant look, and Jon frowns. He's never really thought about Spencer like that.

"I should go find them," he says instead, struggling up from the bench. "They're done with arts and crafts soon."

Patrick sighs. "I have to go herd Alexes."

Laughing, Jon grabs his arm and pulls him up. "I'll help you."

As they leave the dining hall, Jon tries to ignore the way both Tom and Gabe's eyes follow him out.

*

The thing Spencer hates about the days they get to go swimming isn't that the lake is still cold from the ice melting in the mountains or the stupid swim test they have to take every year to make sure they won't drown, but the fact that counselors usually join them.

This isn't normally a big deal, but Spencer usually doesn't have a counselor that seeing him shirtless makes his skin tingle in strange places. As it is, when he catches sight of Jon standing on the shore, shirtless and wearing blue and yellow swimming trunks, Spencer just wants to go hide in the shower and jerk off until he can't anymore. He thought he was over this, but it doesn't seem to be the case as he stares longingly at Jon, only jerking out of it as Frank walks up behind him, slapping his shoulder.

"Hope it's not as cold as last year," he says good-naturedly, although Spencer suspects that Frank would still get in no matter what the temperature.

"Yeah," Spencer manages to reply, reminding himself of what Brendon said earlier. No one should suspect that he can't form complete sentences around Jon Walker or that he has a hopeless crush on their unattainable counselor.

Frank grins, patting his bare shoulder again before heading to the water's edge. A few other cabins are there and Spencer catches sight of William smiling slyly at Gabe over by the lifeguard's stand. Above them, Alex firmly ignores them and keeps his eyes on the lake for drowning children.

Brendon is already in the water, shouting at Jon, who remains on the edge, calling back and jerking back from the water Brendon splashes on him. He's grinning, though, and Spencer feels himself melting a little.

Pulling himself together, he decides to prove that he is so over Jon.

Walking up to Jon, he forces himself to focus on Jon's flip flops instead of the fact that Jon's torso is already a golden brown from the sun. Spencer himself is fairly pale, and he feels self-conscious in his swim trunks sliding down his hips, the little pudge visible as he tries to hide it under his arms.

"Hey," he says, initiating his first conversation with Jon since he arrived.

Jon turns, a smile immediately lighting up his features as he sees Spencer. "Hey, Spence. What's up? You gonna go in?"

"I dunno." Spencer shrugs, hugging his middle and glancing over the lake. Trees border the far side and he can hear birds twittering all around them over the laughs and cries of the people scattered around the lake. "It looks cold."

"Probably is," Jon agrees easily, glancing at Spencer.

Spencer feels him looking and shifts slightly. Looking back, he can't help his eyes slipping down Jon's chest and to the V slipping under his shorts. Biting his lip, he loses focus for a second until Jon speaks again and he jerks back, cursing himself.

"But that's never stopped me before."

Spencer's eyes widen, and before he can even protest, Jon's hands are on his arms, pushing him backwards until he stumbles into the water, careening backwards and grabbing Jon as he goes.

They both fall with a splash into the cold water and Spencer splutters to the surface, standing up in only two feet of water.

Jon is just grinning as he comes up, water running down his face even as he shakes it away.

"Not so cold anymore, is it?" he asks, and even though Spencer wants to argue, all he can do is stare when Jon turns and heads deeper into the water. It doesn't take too long after for Spencer to follow.

*

Spencer is so not over Jon. He decides this as he lies in bed, staring at the pitch black ceiling and listening to his cabin mates' breathing. Someone breathes heavily, another makes little whining noises once every few minutes. Another just breathes soft and slow, and someone rustles their sleeping bag as they turn over. Spencer remains quiet, listening. The only other sound is the chirp of crickets outside and the light wind blowing in through the cracks in the walls.

Glancing over, Spencer sighs lightly. He can just barely see the outline of Jon's bunk, the rise in the sheets that says that Jon is sleeping there.

It's only been two days and Spencer has to spend the next six weeks around Jon constantly. Usually, when he's had other counselors, it was much easier to avoid Jon. Now, though, he has nowhere to hide when the blush creeps up on his cheeks from Jon's smile. He's heard of crushes being painful but this is just ridiculous.

He has to find a way to act normally around Jon and make this all go away.

As he watches Jon sleep in the darkness, he has the feeling it's going to be hopeless, but he'll try anyway.

*

"You've got to bring down your arm, Spencer."

Spencer wants to scowl but Jon is lingering on the edge of the field talking with Tom, whose cabin is lined up beside them as they stand, bows in hands and targets fifty feet down the field.

Cassie flitters around, standing behind him and pulling his arm down to his mouth level. "To your mouth," she says, her hands dropping to his hips to pull him into a better stance. "That's better."

Spencer has never been good at archery or any of the other sports or games they try to teach them at camp, and it doesn't help that Cassie is in charge of sports this summer. Spencer hates the clench in his gut every time she smiles at Jon. Instead, he tries to focus on the arrow in his hand and not accidentally letting it slip so it might poke her. Three times might make it suspicious.

His other arrows are scattered around the target. The closest one he ever got dangles off the edge, dangerously close to falling off. Next to him, Brendon's target is filled with arrows, which doesn't improve Spencer's mood one bit.

"Now try again," Cassie says, infiltrating his intense glaring at Brendon's target.

Shaking himself, he pulls himself back, focusing on the target. Stretching his arm back, he pulls the bow taut and bites his lip. Cassie is standing behind him, watching carefully. It makes Spencer annoyed but he tries not to think about it as he jerks back, letting go of the arrow.

He stumbles over absolutely nothing on the ground and watches as the arrow soars the opposite direction of the target.

On the side of the field, Jon grabs Tom and pulls him down just in time as the arrow shoots over their heads.

Spencer's eyes widen and he can't hide his flush as he watches Tom clamber up from the grass, and Jon sit up beside him.

Behind him, Cassie sighs. "Aim for the target, Spencer."

"Good going!" Frank calls from down the way, and Spencer is a complete idiot.