Maybe Bobby was right. Maybe he should have talked to Johnny. It's Friday night, after all, the night of the big show. Then there was the leaving dance on Saturday, according to what Jess had told him. Then they were all leaving on Sunday morning. The end.

He could talk to people just fine. He'd fessed up to Jessica the other day, explaining he'd tried to claim he was hooking up with her as a cover for him and Johnny. After an appropriate amount of anger (with some death threats thrown into the mix), she eventually calmed down and talked things out with him. Apparently, as much as Daniel found it to Not be amusing, the idea of him hooking up with Jessica (or any girl) on the down-low was too funny to be believable.

"I do like girls, too, you know," Daniel muttered to Jessica as they made their way to the stage. Being outside, the backstage area was not very big, so kids were bumping and cramping altogether to get into their places.

"I know you do, sweetie," Jessica reassured him with a smile. "It's just, you're not the kind to keep a girl hidden, that's all. You'd wanna show her off, hold her hand and all that. You know?"

Daniel nodded, frowning and avoiding Jess's eye, which was easy to do as a group of rabid kids ran past them, scripts flying about in the process.

Jess stopped short, a hand on Daniel's arm, her voice hushed but Daniel could still hear it over the children. "Is that...Is that something you want with Johnny, Daniel?"

Daniel found himself tempted to nod, but instead he scoffed. "Please. Even if I wanted to, we can't just be like that in public. Johnny would never be like that. And I don't want that." Then, as an afterthought: "I think he'd make a horrible boyfriend, Jess. Just ask Ali."

Jessica was silent for a while. Contemplative. She squeezed Daniel's arm thoughtfully, hesitated for only a moment, then pulled him into a hug. A lingering one, with her arms around his neck and his head resting on his shoulder. She smelled like strawberries, which was nice because the only person he'd been close enough to smell was Johnny, who just smelled like a boy. Not in a bad way, though. Daniel wished he could stop thinking about how all his senses tingled when his head rested on Johnny's chest.

Then, Jess pulled away, smiling a little sadly, head cocked to the side curiously. "You're a horrible liar, you know that, don't you?"

Daniel, to his own surprise, grinned as a laugh escaped him. "I'm not lying!" he insisted, and he really wasn't sure what parts were the truth and what wasn't. He was confident Johnny would be a shitty boyfriend, though. He'd forget important dates, would probably consider a beer from his six-pack a "heartfelt gift", and would probably show off his karate moves to get Daniel "in the mood", as ridiculous a concept as that was.

(It would work.)

Or they could go for a nighttime drive. Johnny could make him a mixtape. Daniel could take him to that special clearing cliff and study the stars with him. He imagined Johnny would come up with random constellations and insist "They're real, the other astrologists just don't know about them, Larusso."

And then Daniel pictured that realistically, Johnny wouldn't be present for any of that at all.

If Daniel had taken his apology, had clutched it close and really cared for it, really forgiven him, what would have come from it? Would they be closer now? Less confused? Less connected, drifting apart?

Daniel remembered the days, the five months between January and the start of camp, when Johnny had deterred at every turn to get away from Daniel. The thought settled like a heavy anchor on his heart, and he thought that that was how things would be when camp was over. That they were only so undeniably close because they shared the same space for so long.

Daniel's eyes stung, and he tried to dispel the tears from his eyes before that the notion of his crying would settle his fears. Just then, with the hall empty and all the kids in their places, Daniel heard soft crying coming from the boy's dressing room. He started over slowly, his footsteps careful as if worried someone would overhear.

"Hey," Jess started from behind him. "Daniel, do you want someone to come with you, or do you think you got it? Because I think some of the girls need help with their costumes..."

"Go ahead," Daniel nodded, glancing back with a slight smile. "And thank you. For talking to me earlier..."

"Of course," Jessica blew him a kiss. "Um, good luck with that. I'll see you later," With that, she went off in the direction of Sam's voice asking for her help.

Daniel went over and saw the door slightly cracked. Inside, Miguel was crying, his small hands wiping his eyes. Johnny was in front of him, on his knees so they were level--so he was shorter. Daniel didn't move.

"Hey. I know it's scary, trust me." Johnny started, hands on Miguel's shoulders. "But all those people watching? They're your friends and family, they aren't gonna judge you. They know you've put everything into this, and they just wanna see all that talent you have..."

"But..." Miguel sniffed. "What if I forget my lines?"

"Are you kidding?" Johnny laughed, something soft and kind, something he imagined when Ali claimed that Johnny used to be nice. "With all that time you spent memorizing? I don't think it's possible, you're gonna remember it permanently."

"R-Robby said I was monotone," Miguel insisted. "Maybe you should do it instead of me, Johnny, you have a lot more experience."

Johnny sighed, shaking his head. Daniel couldn't see him, but he could tell he wasn't disappointed. "Believe it or not, bud, but your onesie costume would not be very flattering on me. Besides, I cannot play a convincing toddler, unlike you. I knew as soon as I met you that you had more talent than any kid here, and don't let Robby tell you otherwise. The kid stands on two legs to play a crocodile, alright? Trust me, no one's even gonna focus on you when he's running around snapping at people with his hands."

Daniel found himself smiling as he watched them, and even if he selfishly imagined Johnny saying something just as sweet to him, he knew this moment wasn't his. It was Johnny's and Miguel's, and Daniel was just lucky enough to see it.

Miguel laughed, the tears slowly drying up as he hugged Johnny close, Johnny hugging back as if this were his own younger brother. Daniel and Johnny were both only children, and seeing Johnny with Miguel like this made him grow warm and fond.

That is, until Miguel looked up and asked: "Mr. Daniel?" Then, the warmth turned to white hot embarrassment as he abruptly turned and started down the hall. He made it about halfway before a hand was on his shoulder and a mouth by his ear.

"Do I have a stalker, Mr. Daniel?" Johnny asked, voice low and smooth. Daniel flushed, checking down the hallway to see that Miguel must have went off to find the rest of the cast. Daniel looked up at Johnny, eyes innocent.

"I was coming along to help, but I guess you had it covered." Daniel said with a shrug. "I'm surprised to say it, but you're actually pretty good with kids, Lawrence. You have an awful bias, though."

"Yeah?" Johnny grinned slightly, as if unable to help himself. "Well, I love the little guy, he reminds me of me, sometimes. Before I, uh...before I joined karate. And I'm sure he'll turn out better than me."

Daniel had a feeling this was the closest he would get to Johnny Feeling a Feeling around him.

"You wanna know something, Johnny?" Daniel asked. He glanced around the backstage area. In the hallway, they were alone, everyone else ready in the wings. He pushed himself up on his tip-toes, pressing a kiss to Johnny's cheek, his own cheeks glowing warmly. "I think you turned out pretty good already..."

And all he could see was how Johnny's face flushed. But he didn't correct him, didn't tell him they were fucking too much to be properly friendly. Before Johnny could truly process the gesture, Daniel dashed over to the wings, where everyone had to be quiet.

------

"It wasn't that bad!" Jessica was saying, her hand in Ali's, swinging back and forth good naturedly. "It really wasn't that bad!"

"You know you've said that about a million times, Jess?" Bobby pointed out, bumping her shoulder playfully. "But yes, it was not that bad. A solidly good show from the CTP amateurs."

"It was shit," Tommy insisted. "Seriously, it was absolutely unbearable."

Johnny snickered slightly at that, and Daniel glared at him, but it was too dark to see. "Strong language from Tommy," Johnny insisted. "Wasn't it you that cheered so loudly for Sam that all the parents heard you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, man," Tommy defended, and as the group laughed and continued to discuss the performance, Daniel zoned out.

He was looking at Johnny's hand.

Johnny had pretty large hands, with long fingers and nails Daniel had thought about painting here and there. A sky blue, like how the camp's sky looked on a perfect day. And yeah, he had nice hands for wrapping around his throat. But he also knew that when Daniel had held his hand--and he had only held his hand during sex--his hands weren't dry or clammy. They were just slightly warm, and just slightly perfect.

And he was looking at Johnny's hand, and he was listening to his friends talk. The way Susan, who was horrible with the kids, snapped back at Tommy's shit-talk. The way Jess squeezed Ali's hand every now and again, as if ensuring this perfect moment was real. The way Bobby talked and laughed with Johnny, gesturing with his hands more than any of Daniel's true-to-their-roots Italian family. The way Johnny would nod and smile so charmingly.

And then Daniel let out a soft, strange sound. Kind of a laugh, kind of a sob.

Johnny and Jessica turned around at the same time.

"Daniel?" Jess asked. "You alright?"

And then Daniel couldn't see, tears blurring his vision. He nodded, but he was still relentlessly sobbing. He felt terrible about it, like it was so funny and awkward that he started to cry some more. And maybe he was laughing too, and shaking his head, eyes trained on the twirling blades of grass shooting up tall out of the ground.

Warm arms wrapped around him, and Johnny Lawrence was hugging him, embracing him in front of everyone like it was nothing. "Come on, Larusso, what's got your panties in a twist?"

Daniel laughed through his sobs, running a hand through his hair before settling his hand on Johnny's arm. "I was just...I was so--so lonely before. I never thought I'd have so many friends...and you guys are very loud..."

Johnny seemed silent at that for a moment, his breath unsettled before he pulled away. "Yeah?" he asked, voice genuine before he grinned, pulling Daniel in for a noogie to play it off. "You're gonna regret calling me your friend, you little twerp!"

Daniel laughed, jerking away and fixing his hair, distracted from his tears without even realizing it. "You're an idiot, Johnny Lawrence." He replied matter-of-factly.

"You know," Bobby gave Daniel a curious look now that he and Johnny were separated. "We're still gonna be friends once all this is over. We aren't going anywhere."

"Yeah," Jessica added, reaching over to hold Daniel's hand with her free one. "You can't get rid of us that easily, Daniel."

And when her hand squeezed his, that small affirmation made things that much better.

---

It's late into the night when Daniel was finally alone with Johnny.

The group took to the girl's cabin, joking and talking about their favorite times. According to the veteran campers, tomorrow would be spent on the Leaver's Dance, which all the campers and counselors would attend. Honestly, between the theatre and the ending dance, this had to be about the weirdest summer camp he'd been to. But he wouldn't have it any other way.

After saying goodnight to all of them--Cookies staying in the girl's cabin, with some serious discussion as to who would take him home on Sunday morning--the boys went to their own cabin. Then another round of rich conversation, and a relieving lights out.

Daniel would have gone to sleep, but his nerves kept him awake, coiling around like butterflies on coke. He was practically jittery and shivering with them. After a few excruciating minutes of hesitance, Daniel finally hesitantly stood, looking over at Johnny's bed. Luckily, despite the exhausting day they just had, Johnny was wide awake, and he rolled over at Daniel's footsteps to look at him curiously. Daniel nodded in the direction of the door, a silent, tense moment between them before Johnny nodded. He got out of bed and slipped on his shoes, and Daniel slipped his hand in Johnny's, leading him out.

Johnny didn't let go. In fact, he squeezed a little, as if to prove he was there, that he wanted to be there. Even so, Daniel didn't look back. He was Orpheus, taking his Eurydice up to paradise as long as he did not glance back at her; if he glanced back at Johnny now, the silent spell they cast over the warm night would be broken. (Daniel never understood the myth when he read it back in Jersey. Orpheus had won his love back with music, why was he forbidden to look at her then? Eurydice was his bride, she wouldn't willingly run. Johnny, on the other hand, was probably much more flighty.)

Daniel used his flashlight, leading Johnny through the woods behind the cabin and out to the clearing with the cliff, the colossal flat rock looking more inviting than the last time.

Because Daniel knew what he had to do. He knew how he felt, and he was pretty confident Johnny felt the same. After the way he acted tonight, after everything, Daniel was convinced this was where it was all leading. Why else would Johnny be the way he was?

(He wondered if this was the peak of his struggle, if all the nonsense was leading to this moment, if this was the show-stopping romance that would be worth the payoff. Jessica had always said he was a lover-boy character.)

"Johnny," Daniel reached out, holding both his hands. Johnny's expression was blank for a second, then confused the next. Perhaps he was still tired. "You okay?"

"Mm-hm," Johnny said, brushing Daniel's hand with his thumb, and he loved the feeling like nothing else.

"Well, to be honest with you," Daniel grinned, his breath leaving him so breezily it was almost scary, just how nervous he was. "I know you've been struggling with your sexuality--and you don't have to label yourself, I'm alright with you as-is. More than alright. Johnny, these past few weeks have been some of the best times of my life. With the kids, our friends...with you. And I know you said we were just hooking up, and I was on board, but...you can't deny we go really well together. Yeah, we drive each other crazy sometimes, that's undeniable. But we also have a lot of fun, and I think we should hang out more. Get food and see movies, that kind of stuff. The sex is really good, trust me, ten outta ten, but...I think I want something more..."

"Something more...?" Johnny whispered back. His eyes were unreadable as several emotions passed through them--terrified, sad, surprised, hopeful. Daniel could only hope Johnny would give into that hope, selfishly, if that meant he'd be with him.

"No need to preamble," Daniel let out a breathy laugh. He didn't think he could feel his legs; and it was a funny thing, because he'd never felt so intensely about asking anyone else out. "I think I'm falling in love with you, Johnny Lawrence..."