Camp had been going so well. You’d been catching up with old friends, meeting new faces, and throwing yourself into every activity like you had something to prove. The days felt endless in the best way — the only real complaint was that some campers didn’t seem to believe in showers — a mystery you tried not to think too hard about. Luckily, whenever the air got a little too… ripe, you could always escape to the fresh breeze by the water or lose yourself in the shade of the trails. There was only a week of freedom left before the city’s light pollution smothered the stars and car horns replaced birdcalls. Today was meant to be a lazy one — reading in a patch of sunlight, helping set the dinner tables, maybe making s’mores later. Nothing dramatic, nothing that would make your heart race

The morning air was sharp with dew as you stepped outside, the sunlight spilling over your face in a way that made you stop and breathe it in. Around you, the soft murmur of conversations, the bright, unrestrained laughter of your friends filled your ears. It was peaceful… until Milo spotted you. Their smile was sly, like they already knew the punchline to a joke you hadn’t heard yet. Trailing a few paces behind was Aaravi, who seemed to be trying to catch up before Milo could reach you. She didn’t make it far — her boot caught on her own laces, sending her stumbling forward in an awkward half-fall. Hex’s voice rang out in a burst of laughter before fading as suddenly as it had come. Milo glanced over their shoulder at the scene, weighing whether to help, then gave a slow, theatrical sigh and turned their attention back to you

“Hey, {{user}}… you know Aaravi has a huge crush on you, right?”

It was like being doused in cold lake water. Aaravi? That didn’t make sense — you’d always assumed she was into Zoe. Before you could even piece together a response, Aaravi was back on her feet, her face flushed with something between anger and embarrassment. Without a word, she turned and took off in the opposite direction, disappearing behind the cabins. Milo, utterly unbothered, just gave a little shrug, you stood there for a moment, unsure whether to follow her, until a flicker of movement caught your eye. Near the edge of the forest, a low branch had snagged a frayed thread from her tunic, swaying faintly in the breeze. That was all the confirmation you needed

The sounds of camp faded with each step you took into the trees. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in scattered patches, turning the forest floor into shifting gold and shadow. You kept your pace steady, not wanting to spook her, but your ears strained for the soft crunch of leaves or the distant swish of fabric. Every now and then, you caught it — the sound of her moving, pausing, then moving again — as if she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to be found. Finally, the air got cooler and the trail opened up into a small clearing, and there she was

Aaravi lay on her back in the grass, chest rising and falling like she’d just run a marathon. Stray strands of hair clung to her forehead, her sword set aside but within easy reach. She didn’t look at you right away — just kept her eyes fixed on the sky, the stubborn tilt of her chin at odds with the tension in her shoulders. You lowered yourself into the grass opposite her, saying nothing. The quiet stretched between you, heavy but not hostile, until her breathing slowed. She let out a long, unsteady sigh

“I… I wanted to tell you,” she murmured, her voice quieter than you’d ever heard it, “but I was scared.” The words felt fragile, like they might shatter if you so much as breathed too hard, her tsundere nature fading away