"I don't fucking swim," Dan said, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the water stonily. "It's against my belief system."

"That is an excuse, and a lame one, too," Finn teased. He was waist deep in the lake, hair dripping into his face and across his shoulders, but it wasn't enough to sway Dan. "Come on, it's not even that cold."

Dan shook his head again, and looked over to where Phil was sitting about ten feet away, reading a book with only his feet in the water. They hadn't talked, had barely interacted with each other, since last night, and Dan was starting to feel like he'd done something to weird him out. It wouldn't be the first time, honestly. It was a shame, though, because he thought they'd been becoming pretty good friends; apparently not.

And standing out here on the edge of the lake, in nothing but swimming shorts and his low self esteem, wasn't much of a comfort.

"You look like a loser," Finn continued teasing him, trying to splash him with cold water, but he was too far away. "You're literally the only one not in the water." That was a lie, there were loads of kids standing on the shore just like him.

"A good friend would respect my decision not to climb into this disease ridden lake," Dan protested, but Finn just rolled his eyes.

"You're such a delicate flower."

A warm hand touched Dan's shoulder gently. "Stop pestering him, Finn, you're gonna scare the guy." The voice belonged to quite possibly the hottest guy Dan had ever seen so far in his life, tall and dark haired and a jawline that could cut through steel. He smiled at Dan reassuringly. "Don't let him get to you."

It took a second for Dan to stop staring at him like a freak, and nod. "Yeah, um, thanks. I just--wow, that's really solid." His hand had brushed against the guys stomach and he exhaled heavily, before blushing and crossing his arms. "That was creepy, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," the guy said with a laugh, obviously amused by Dan's flustered state. "I'm Nick. And...I don't mind if you touch."

Yeah, and that wasn't suggestive in any way.

"Right, um," Dan swallowed thickly and tried to focus. Okay, maybe Chris had been right about the boys here. "I'm Dan."

"Nice to meet you," Nick said, and flashed him a crooked smile.

"You t--" His reply was cut off when someone grabbed his hand and yanked him backwards into the lake, and he body slammed into the water at full velocity.

Water clogged his mouth and nose and ears, and he struggled to break the surface, couldn't tell which way was up. His lungs were already starting to ache and just as black spots started to edge against his vision, he was suddenly breathing again, oxygen climbing painfully into his lungs. Finn was in hysterics beside him.

"Dude," he choked out between his laughter. "Oh god, your face was priceless."

Dan flushed and looked back up to where he'd been standing, but Nick was gone. There was no way he'd missed that though; fuck, he must have looked so stupid. "Why the hell would you do that?" He exclaimed, splashing at Finn angrily.

"Sorry," Finn said breathlessly. "You just looked a bit...thirsty."

"He must think I'm an idiot now."

Finn floated into his back. "Don't worry about him, trust me, he's not worth it. He'll fuck you and leave."

"And?" Dan shrugged. "I'm not exactly looking for a serious relationship in this place. He's hot and I'm horny, that's how it works, right?"

"It's not just that," Finn faced him again, and the suddenly serious look on his face was unnerving, a complete contrast to his usually jubilant personality. "He'll fuck you and leave, and then tell the whole camp about it, every single detail. And when the counselors find out, they'll skin you alive. His dad owns the place."

"Okay, that is a bit fucked up." And slightly psychotic, but Dan didn't mention that part. It seemed like a mild case of sadism to him.

The water was fucking freezing, and having been caught so off guard by Finn, he didn't fully register it until now. He shivered and started to slowly make his way to the shore, ignoring Finn's complaints from behind him. He really didn't swim.

Phil was still sitting in the same place, staring down at the pages of his book and not paying any attention to his surroundings. At least no one was pulling him into the water. And despite the fact that Dan still felt like he'd made things weird between them, he headed towards him.

"What're you reading?" He asked as he pulled himself up to sit next to Phil, still dripping wet an trying not to splash the pages on accident. "Don't you think it's a bit hazardous, holding that book so close to the water?"

Phil stared at him and smiled. "Promise I'll be careful," he said, and flipped the book closed so Dan could read the cover. Good Omens. "It's a bit complicated, but it's good."

"What's it about?"

"The apocalypse, mostly."

"Ah, of course, such an enlightening read."

Phil laughed, and Dan thought he looked a hundred times more attractive when he laughed. A fleeting and stupid thought. "It's not as dark as you'd imagine, honestly, it's actually funny most of the time."

"I'll take your word for it." Dan wasn't much of a reader, but he had the weirdest sense of loss at not knowing anything about this book. He shifted slightly where he was sitting, brushing his curling hair behind his ear. "So, uh, I wanted to say sorry, about last night."

Phil scrunched his eyebrows together. "What about last night?"

"Like...I know I was being a bit weird and stuff, and I didn't want you to think I was, I don't know. Always that clingy and afraid. I won't follow you to the bathrooms every night, promise."

"Dan, it's fine," Phil said, cutting him off before he could start rambling like an idiot. "Actually, it was better than having to walk there by myself. Those woods are creepy in the dark."

Dan nodded in agreement, and all the tension that had been wound up in his mind started to unravel. "Okay. Good, I guess."

So he hadn't screwed things up with possibly the only person who had the potential of gaining Dan's trust. Phil had to be the most interesting guy he'd met since Chris, and not just because he was cute. He was nice and he knew how to keep up a conversation, which was a lot more than could be said for most people who'd just met each other, and he liked reading and...and Dan was being a total fucking loser over him for no good reason.

"Wouldn't you rather be swimming than talking to me?" Phil ghosted his hand across Dan's forearm, catching the water droplets that still stuck to his skin. Dan exhaled shakily and laughed.

"God, no," he said, watching Finn and some other campers start up a game of chicken. "Not my thing, honestly. None of this outdoor stuff is my thing."

"And you thought this was a good place to waste two months in?"

"It wasn't my choice." Dan shrugged, staring down at his knees. He could feel Phil watching him silently. "I...I got in some trouble, big trouble. And my parents felt like this was a fair punishment, I suppose."

And by the power of fucking whatever was above them, Phil didn't ask about it.

They didn't say anything for a while, and Phil eventually went back to reading his book, and this was a lot more comfortable than Dan would have expected, just sitting and not talking.

This camp wasn't good for him.

***

He was starting to get sick of alcohol. Two fucking days, he'd been here for two days, and some of the most basic aspects of his personality were being changed.

There seemed to be parties every night, and Dan really hoped the energy and enthusiasm would start to die down soon, because he didn't think he could stand another night of forced socializing and having to get buzzed just to make it through. People would start to think he was an alcoholic.

"You staying here, Phil?" Emery was shoving his legs into a pair of the tightest jeans Dan had ever had the pleasure of seeing on another guy.

"Yep," Phil said, swiping his thumb across the screen of his phone. There was no service out here, so God knew what he could possibly be doing, but he seemed thoroughly invested in it. "Have fun."

Dan stared at him, and wished he could stay as well, and maybe talk to Phil some more, get to know him better and chase after that warm feeling that seemed to seep into his chest when they hung out. But Em was already dragging him out the door of their cabin by his arm, muttering that they were gonna be late.

He didn't even know what they were supposed to be celebrating; the second day of camp? Not that important, was it? But everyone seemed to be excited about it, although Dan noticed there were quite a few less people than at the bonfire.

He didn't care if he looked like a loner. He watched Finn and Emery immediately get lost in the crowd and decided he wanted no part of it, shoving his hands into his pockets awkwardly and going to stand by himself in one of the more deserted areas of the clearing.

He grabbed a beer on his way; he wasn't getting drunk, not for the third time in two days, but he felt weird having nothing to do with his hands, and he felt like people would stare at him if he didn't.

He stood there for maybe ten minutes, watching the party and taking sips from his bottle, before someone sidled up beside, and when he looked over he was surprised to see it was Nick, the insanely hot and supposed mental case from earlier.

"You looked a bit lonesome," he said casually, leaning back against one of the tables behind him. "Dan, right?"

And even though he's been told to stay away from this guy, Dan can't help but smile nervously and clutch the neck of his bottle a bit more tightly. He is not someone who attracts attention from anyone, and most definitely not from hot guys who show an obvious interest in him. The last time he'd gotten anywhere close to physical with another guy was last year, and that barely counted because rushed handjobs in bathrooms just didn't do much, not for him.

"Yeah," Dan said, brushing his hair back and biting his lip; he notices Nick watching his mouth as he does and flushes slightly. "Could use some company, I guess."

And ten minutes later, he's trying to ignore the hard wall pressing into his back as Nick shoves him against it, and it's easy because there are lips kissing down his neck and hands shoving under his shirt, running across his stomach and chest insistently and Finn's warning has completely left his mind because he's too turned on to remember it.

***

a/n: i've eaten like fifty jolly ranchers pls help me