My feet were killing me by the time I climbed down from the truck.
Ten hours on a construction site did that to a person. My back ached, my palms were rough, and all I could think about was getting inside the school, picking up Audrey, and getting home before she worried herself sick.
I pushed through the front doors and nodded at the secretary on the way down the hall. The building had mostly emptied out already, but I could hear the soft scratch of crayons somewhere ahead. When I reached Audrey’s classroom, she was sitting at a tiny desk with her tongue pressed between her lips, completely focused on a page full of bright colors.
Mrs. Bradford looked up from her clipboard and gave me that tired-but-kind teacher smile.
“You’re late again, Ms. L/N.”
I let out a breath and rubbed the back of my neck. “I know, Mrs. Bradford. Sorry.”
She didn’t answer right away, just looked at me in that way adults do when they know you’ve already had a hard day and don’t want to make it harder. I appreciated that more than I could say.
Then Audrey looked up.
The second she saw me, her whole face changed. She scrambled to gather her crayons, her drawings, and her little backpack all at once, nearly knocking over her chair in the process.
“Mommy!”
She came running into my arms so fast I had to bend down to catch her. I lifted her without thinking, like I always did, and she wrapped her arms around my neck with a dramatic little sigh.
“You’re late,” she said, pretending to be stern. Her lower lip stuck out just a little.
“I know, baby. I’m sorry.”
She pressed her forehead to mine for a second, then relaxed. “It’s okay. I made a new drawing.”
That was all it took to get her smiling again.
I glanced at Mrs. Bradford and gave her a small nod. “Bye, Mrs. Bradford.”
“Good night, Audrey,” she said gently.
Audrey waved with one hand while holding her sketchbook with the other. As soon as we got outside, she was already talking before I’d even opened the truck door.
I helped her climb in, buckled her into her booster seat, and shut the door after checking it twice like I always did. Once I got in the driver’s side, she bounced in her seat.
“Daddy, can you play my song?”
I reached for the aux cord and put on Katseye. The second the music started, Audrey threw her head back and sang at the top of her lungs like she was performing for an arena instead of a beat-up old truck.
I couldn’t help smiling.
The drive home was short, but with Audrey singing and kicking her feet to the rhythm, it felt lighter than the rest of the day had been. By the time I pulled into our driveway, she was still humming under her breath.
I got out first, then unbuckled her and helped her down carefully. She immediately hugged her drawings to her chest and ran toward the door.
Inside, she climbed onto the couch and started showing me everything she’d made.
“This one is a castle,” she said proudly, holding up a page covered in pink towers and tiny windows. “I really want to live in one day.”
“It looks like a good castle,” I said, setting my keys on the counter.
“It has a dance room, too.”
“Of course it does.”
She grinned like I’d said the smartest thing in the world.
While she watched music videos in the living room, I sat at the kitchen table with a stack of bills, a calculator, and the kind of tired that lived in my bones. Numbers stared back at me like they were waiting to win. Rent. Utilities. Groceries. Gas.
I kept going anyway.
That was the thing about being Audrey’s dad. You didn’t get to stop. You didn’t get to fall apart. You figured it out.
A few minutes later, Audrey called, “Mommy, come see this!”
I pushed back my chair and walked into the living room.
On the screen, Katseye was announcing their tour.
Audrey’s eyes were huge. “mommy, can we go?”
I looked at the screen, then at her little hopeful face. She was already imagining it, I could tell. Lights. Music. Dancing. A whole world that felt bigger and brighter than our small apartment ever could.
I forced a soft smile. “Uh, we’ll see, baby.”
Her face fell just a little, but she nodded like she understood.
“Okay,” she said quietly.
I crouched down and brushed a few strands of hair back from her forehead. “Let’s get you to bed, all right?”
She turned off the TV herself and padded down the hall, clutching her sketchbook. I tucked her into bed, pulled the blanket up to her chin, and watched her sleepy eyes blink slowly at me.
“I love you, 3000,” I said.
Her smile was small but real. “I love you, 3000.”
I kissed her forehead and turned off the light.
For a moment, I stood there in the dark doorway listening to her breathing settle. Then I went back to the kitchen, looked at the bills again, and kept trying to make the numbers work.
Because she was worth every hard day.
And because tomorrow I’d do it all over again.
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒩𝑒𝓍𝓉 𝒟𝒶𝓎
The alarm blares at 5:00 AM. I groan, slapping it silent before my body even remembers how to function. I shuffle to Audrey's room, peeking in to see her still clutching her Katseye poster like a teddy bear. I leave a note on the kitchen counter: Be good for Mrs. Bradford. Love you 3000.
The construction site is a symphony of noise and grit. I'm on my knees by 7:30, laying rebar in the foundation of what's going to be some luxury condo. The foreman, a man named Rick who chews tobacco and has zero patience, is already on my case.
"L/n! That grid is crooked! You wanna build a house of cards?"
I grit my teeth and adjust it. "Yes, sir."
Audrey POV:
I tried to be brave at school.
I really did.
Mrs. Bradford was giving us a partner assignment, and I sat up a little straighter in my seat when she said we could choose a friend to work with. I looked around the room, hoping somebody would smile at me first.
Nobody did.
The kids in my class were already turning toward each other.
Mia went with Harper.
Eli went with Noah.
Sophie went with Liv.
I waited.
My fingers tightened around my pencil.
No one asked me.
Nobody even looked at me long enough to say my name.
My face got hot, but I tried to keep drawing the little house I was supposed to be working on. I pretended not to notice when a girl at the next table whispered something and snickered. I pretended not to hear when someone said my crayons were “baby colors.”
Mrs. Bradford noticed.
I could tell because her eyes kept going back to me while she walked around the classroom. I stayed quiet and bent over my paper, even though the lines were shaking a little in my hand.
After a while, she stopped beside my desk.
“Would you like to work on this one by yourself today, Audrey?” she asked softly.
I nodded because it was easier than saying anything.
“Okay,” she said, just as gentle as before. “You’re doing very good work.”
I looked down at my page, but my eyes were stinging.
Mrs. Bradford moved away, but I could feel her watching me from her desk. She opened her notebook and wrote something down quickly, her face serious for just a second before she looked back up and smiled at the class.
I kept drawing.
Later, when the others were putting their papers away, one of the girls bumped my chair on purpose.
My drawing slid sideways.
She laughed.
I didn’t say anything.
I just fixed the paper and kept my head down.
Mrs. Bradford saw that too.
Y/n POV:
When I picked Audrey up that afternoon, she climbed into the truck without much of her usual energy.
That told me more than words would’ve.
“You okay, baby?” I asked as I started the engine.
She hugged her sketchbook to her chest. “Yeah.”
It was the kind of yeah that meant no.
I didn’t push. I just turned on her music and let the song fill the space between us.
By the time we got home, her mood had lifted a little. She showed me the picture she’d made in class, and I made sure to tell her how good it was. She liked that. I could tell by the way her shoulders relaxed.
We followed our usual schedule after that.
Snack first.
Then a little time to draw at the table.
Then dinner.
Then a bath.
Then one more song before bed.
It wasn’t perfect. Nothing ever was. But it was ours, and that counted for something.
That night, after I tucked her in and kissed her forehead, Audrey smiled up at me with sleepy eyes.
“mommy?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I’m glad you came to get me.”
My chest tightened a little.
“I’m always gonna come get you,” I said.
Her smile got bigger before she closed her eyes.
And for the first time all day, everything felt quiet in the good way.
First chapter and i'm taking my fucking time on this one, but how are y'all? its been a crazy few weeks for me but i'm glad to be writing.
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Daniela Avanzini: 22 years old, Daniela has a confident stage presence that immediately catches people's attention, but offstage she carries herself with a much more relaxed energy.
Daniela is outgoing and naturally friendly.
She enjoys making people feel included, whether they're fans, staff, or fellow performers. Even with a demanding career, she tries to remember people's names and thank those working behind the scenes.
Lara raj: 20 years old, Lara is someone who may seem intimidating at first because of her confidence, but people close to her know she is warm and caring.
She has a calm, thoughtful personality and tends to observe situations before speaking.
Manon Bannerman: 24 years old, She enjoys making people laugh and is often the first to break awkward silence. Despite her playful personality, Manon takes rehearsals seriously.
Megan Skiendiel: 20 years old, Megan is energetic, witty, and naturally outgoing.
She's often the one making everyone laugh backstage, but she also knows when to be serious. She has a knack for reading the room and cheering people up without making them feel uncomfortable.
Jeong Yoonchae: 18 years old, Yoonchae is one of the quieter members of KATSEYE.
She isn't shy because she's unfriendly she simply prefers listening before speaking.
Sophia Laforteza: 23 years old, Sophia has a calm, elegant presence that naturally makes people feel at ease. She has a nurturing personality and tends to be the person others turn to when they need advice or reassurance.
Y/N L/N: 22 year old parent, Y/N isn't cold she's simply exhausted.
Years of working long hours while raising Audrey alone have made her reserved and cautious around other people.
Audrey L/n: 5 years old, Audrey is naturally sweet and imaginative, but the bullying she experiences at school has made her much quieter around people she doesn't know. Despite all of this, she never loses her love for art or dancing.
Evelyn Bradford (Mrs. Bradford): 29 year old, Mrs. Bradford has a warm, approachable appearance that immediately puts children at ease. Mrs. Bradford became a teacher because she genuinely loves helping children grow.
She believes every child deserves to feel safe, heard, and valued.
A struggling single mother, fired from her construction job, takes a gig as a security guard for a world-famous girl group to make ends meet, only to find her toughest assignment is keeping her obsessed young daughter from blowing her cover while navigating an unexpected connection with the group's charismatic dancer.
g!p reader x Daniela Avanzini
Featuring: katseye
Notes: this smau does not reflect the real people within it, as i do not know them personally. this is also solely for entertainment purposes so please do not take it as seriously.
pairing: daniela avanzini x masc! choreographer reader
synposis: when she heard katseye was getting a new choreographer for the upcoming era, daniela didn’t expect it to be the girl she had left behind a year and a half ago. and she certainly didn’t expect her to look even sexier. in the best way, she had always been off limits. but now it was going to be even harder to resist.
content: nsfw/smut, strap on usage, general angst and yearning, girls behaving badly, toxic yuri, hurt/comfort, starts in gnarly era with flashbacks to hell academy (dr*am academy), drinking + smoking, jealous + possessive dani
status: incomplete/ongoing
CHAPTERS:
one
two.. (coming soon)
three..
four..
——————————————————
music suggestions: house of cards - bts ⋆ worst behaviour - kwn, kehlani ⋆ loft music - the weeknd ⋆ fire in my heart - escape from new york ⋆ everything is romantic - charli xcx ⋆ hard - fka twigs ⋆ #icanteven - the nbhd ⋆ stargirl interlude - the weeknd, lana del rey ⋆ let me tell you - yeonjun, daniela avanzini ⋆ one of your girls - troye sivan ⋆ greetings from california - the nbhd ⋆ blue gangsta - michael jackson ⋆ no sense - justin beiber ⋆ damned - miguel ⋆
a/n: my first tumblr fic! reblogs and follows appreciated :)) asks page is open for chats/reqs :)
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morning came far too soon and neither of them mentioned the night before. the room that had become so easy to exist in over the last few weeks suddenly felt unfamiliar again.
every movement seemed overly deliberate.
y/n brushed her teeth while daniela tied her hair up, normally they’d talk about whatever ridiculous thing one of the campers had done the day before, complain about sore legs, argue over whose turn it was to refill the water bottles.
this morning…the only sounds were the sink running and the occasional rustle of clothing. once, y/n glanced up into the bathroom mirror and daniela was already looking.
their eyes met for barely a second before they both looked away almost instantly. the silence that followed somehow felt louder than if one of them had spoken.
breakfast wasn’t much better. they naturally ended up beside each other while helping the younger campers butter toast and pour cereal, but there was a hesitation now.
a fraction of a second too long before speaking with a carefulness that hadn’t existed yesterday.
y/n caught herself almost telling daniela something one of the campers had just said. she stopped halfway through turning towards her. daniela noticed but she pretended she hadn’t.
thankfully, after breakfast sophia split the counsellors into different activity groups.
“lara, daniela,” she called, checking the clipboard in her hands. “you’re in the rec hall. we’ve got to start getting acts together for the talent show”
lara clapped her hands together dramatically.
“megan, manon,” sophia continued, “volleyball.”
“yes.” megan pumped a fist into the air.
sophia smiled, already moving on “y/n.”
she looked up from the clipboard “you’re with me.”
y/n blinked “me?”
“staff room.” sophia nodded “i’m teaching you paperwork today.”
y/n pulled a face.
~~~~~
sophia dropped a thick stack of folders onto the desk with a dull thud “right.”
y/n looked down at the pile then back up at sophia then back down again “…you’re joking.”
“i wish i was.”
y/n let out the longest sigh she’d managed all week before dramatically pulling out the chair opposite “i actually feel like i’m being punished.”
sophia laughed as she sat down, grinning to herself as she opened the first folder. y/n dropped her forehead onto the desk with a quiet groan.
sophia slid a laptop gently towards her “here.”
“what’s this?”
“camp inbox.” sophia couldn’t quite hide her smile “they’re not bad.” she clicked open the first email “mostly parents checking in.”
y/n read over her shoulder “‘hi, just wondering if ava has remembered to wear her glasses during activities.’” she looked back at sophia “…that’s actually kind of sweet.”
“they all are.” sophia began typing “they’re just missing their kids.” she hit send before opening another.
“‘has noah settled into his cabin yet?’”
“‘please remind lily to put sunscreen on.’”
“‘is ethan still refusing vegetables?’”
y/n smiled to herself “…he is.”
they worked through the inbox together, sophia explaining little things as they went. how to keep replies reassuring without promising anything they couldn’t guarantee.
how incident reports had to stay factual. how even something as small as a scraped knee got documented.
“don’t write ‘camper launched themselves off a picnic bench because they thought they could fly.’”
y/n looked up “…did they?”
“yes.”
“…what do i write then?”
“‘camper jumped from picnic bench despite instruction not to.’”
“that sounds much less exciting.”
“that’s the point.”
outside, music suddenly burst across camp loud enough to rattle the old window.
y/n instinctively looked up, she wandered over, resting one hand against the windowsill. across the field, the recreation hall doors stood wide open.
lara was standing on the little stage at the front, singing dramatically into a fake microphone while half a dozen campers copied every move she made.
a chorus of laughter spilled out onto the grass. off to one side, daniela had another group lined up in rows, patiently counting them through a dance routine.
“five, six, seven…”
one little boy immediately went the wrong way daniela stopped herself from laughing, turned him around by the shoulders and started counting again.
without even thinking, y/n smiled. she shifted slightly, looking past the hall towards the volleyball court.
megan had somehow convinced every camper that diving dramatically for the ball was worth extra points. manon was unsuccessfully trying to explain that no such rule existed while simultaneously keeping the game moving.
every few seconds another cheer erupted.
y/n watched them for a moment “…they’re having so much fun…” she sighed “…and i’m just…”
she turned back around, sophia was sitting exactly where she’d left her, one eyebrow raised and her head tilted ever so slightly.
y/n smiled far too brightly “…having even more fun than them.”
she walked back over and sat down again. sophia didn’t say anything, she just slowly slid another folder across the desk.
y/n looked at it then at sophia “…you’re enjoying this.”
“a little.”
“…i knew it.”
“reply to that email.”
y/n sighed dramatically as she opened the laptop again “…yes, boss.”
“leader.”
“right.”
y/n nodded solemnly “…yes, leader.”
that earned the smallest smile from sophia before they both looked back to the screen, the sounds of camp carrying on just outside the window.
~~~~~
the afternoon disappeared in the way camp afternoons always seemed to. one activity blurred into the next, volleyball nets came down, archery targets were carried back across camp by counsellors while campers dragged armfuls of foam arrows behind them, insisting they could carry “just one more.”
after lunch, sophia had split everyone up again, handing out the inevitable jobs that came with packing everything away.
“equipment back before free time,” she’d called after them “and don’t just throw it in the shed this time.”
“she’s looking at you.” megan had said immediately, pointing at y/n.
“i’m looking at both of you” sophia replied.
which was how they’d ended up alone in the sports shed. the building was cool compared to the afternoon heat outside.
it smelled faintly of cut grass, old timber and rubber. shelves stretched from floor to ceiling, packed with neatly labelled crates that somehow never stayed neat for more than a day.
y/n crouched to stack a pile of volleyballs back into their wire basket while megan wrestled one of the heavier archery targets onto the top shelf.
it landed with a dull thump “…there.” megan dusted her hands together.
y/n smiled to herself, reaching down to grab the last volleyball rolling lazily across the concrete floor.
megan folded a pile of coloured bibs before glancing sideways “so…”
y/n didn’t look up “…yeah?”
“how’s everything in the hideaway?”
y/n frowned, she stopped halfway through coiling a skipping rope “…the what?”
“the hideaway.”
“what hideaway?”
megan looked at her as though she couldn’t believe she had to explain it “you know…” she gestured vaguely with one of the bibs “…where the couples go on love island.”
it took y/n a second then she let out laugh “fuck off, megan.” she reached over, shoving her shoulder.
megan stumbled dramatically into the shelf behind her. they both laughed and the sound echoed around the empty shed before slowly fading again.
megan finished folding the last bib, placing it into its crate “…so?”
y/n’s smile disappeared into something much smaller she looked back down at the skipping rope in her hands “…it was awkward.”
megan stayed quiet, waiting. y/n sighed “i got back…” she paused, threading the rope neatly into a loop “…she was awake.”
megan looked over “…awake?”
“yeah.” y/n nodded once “she rolled over and turned the lamp on literally as i was climbing back through the window.”
she laughed quietly to herself “…i nearly fell back out.”
megan winced.
“i had pine needles in my hair.” y/n brushed absent-mindedly at her shoulder as though they were somehow still there “bits of grass all over my hoodie, i must’ve looked awful.”
she shook her head “no…not awful.” another pause “…suspicious.”
megan’s face immediately twisted into sympathy.
“yeah.” y/n placed the rope onto the shelf before leaning back against it “she didn’t shout and that somehow made it worse.” she looked down at the floor “she just…”
she replayed it in her head “…looked at me like she was…” she frowned “…dissapointed”
“then she just said…” y/n folded her arms loosely “‘that’s the first and last time i’m covering for you.’”
the words still stung more than she’d expected.
megan let out a slow breath. “…ouch.”
“yeah.” y/n nodded “…probably the most awkward moment of my life.”
the shed fell quiet again.
“…what’s the most awkward moment of your life?”
megan looked up from where she was trying to untangle a bundle of bibs “…why?”
“because.” y/n sighed dramatically “come on! make me feel better about my situation.”
megan smiled to herself “…you really need that much help?”
“desperately.”
she thought for a second then her face slowly lit up “…oh.” she pointed at y/n “i’ve got one.”
“good.” y/n shifted her weight against the shelf “this better actually make me feel better.”
“it will.” megan dropped the bibs back into the crate “first year of college, my best friend at the time had been acting really weird for like… two weeks. kept disappearing after lectures, wouldn’t tell me where she was going.”
y/n nodded along.
“i didn’t think anything of it. one afternoon i’d left my notebook in one of the classrooms.” she shrugged “everyone had already gone home or so i thought.”
she wandered slowly around the shed as she spoke, acting the story out more than telling it “i pushed the classroom door open…” she mimed pushing a door “…and i didn’t even look up.”
“i was too busy looking for my notebook so i’m just wandering in…” she looked around exaggeratedly “‘where have i put-“ she stopped herself. “…and then my foot caught on one of the chair legs.”
y/n was already smiling.
“i stumbled.” she demonstrated, taking an awkward step before windmilling one arm dramatically “‘whoa-“ she caught herself against an imaginary desk “…made the loudest bang you’ve ever heard.”
y/n laughed.
“and that’s when i looked up.” megan buried her face in one hand “…they hadn’t even noticed i’d come in, they noticed that sound. they were standing right at the front of the classroom.”
she shook her head “my best friend…and one of the teaching assistants.”
y/n’s eyebrows lifted “…no.”
“yes.”
“they both just…” megan froze completely still “…looked at me.” she pointed between imaginary people “she looked at him. he looked at me and i looked at both of them.”
y/n was laughing harder now.
“i’m serious.” megan was laughing too despite herself “it was the longest five seconds of my life.”
“what did you do?”
“absolutely nothing! my brain just…” she tapped the side of her head “…left.”
they both laughed “then i just…” megan mimed backing slowly towards the door “…walked backwards straight back out again.”
y/n bent forward slightly, laughing into her own shoulder “stop…”
“i can still picture their faces.” megan groaned “the worst part?” she looked at y/n.
“i still had to go back in.”
“because…” she spread her hands “…my notebook was still in there.”
y/n let out another laugh “you’re joking.”
“i wish i was.” megan shook her head “so i knock this time.”
she rapped lightly on the wooden shelf beside them “‘sorry… can i just…’” another embarrassed groan escaped her “honestly, i think i’d have preferred transferring colleges.”
y/n was wiping at the corner of one eye now “i do feel a bit better.”
“good.” megan smiled, pleased with herself. they shared another laugh, the sound bouncing softly off the wooden walls of the shed.
after a moment, megan caught her breath.
“i’m serious though this is literally what they were like. imagine you’re me walking into this” she stepped a little closer, still half acting the story out “they were standing so close…” she lifted her hands, resting them lightly either side of y/n’s neck to demonstrate.
“like this.” she gently drew y/n forward the smallest amount their trainers scuffed against the concrete as the distance between them disappeared
she said, peering at y/n as though she were now playing the part of her friend “…and then-“
the shed door flew open so hard it smacked against the wall “leader sophia sent us to get the-“ the voice stopped abruptly.
y/n and megan both turned at the same time.
two of the older campers stood frozen in the doorway, one still gripping the handle, the other holding an empty plastic crate against her hip.
their eyes were enormous, both mouths had fallen open. megan, still completely caught up in her story, frowned at them “…the what?” she asked.
the girls didn’t answer, they simply continued staring. y/n blinked between them. “…girls?”
the silence stretched just long enough for megan to realise she still had both hands resting lightly around the back of y/n’s neck.
y/n had instinctively stepped closer while laughing, they were standing far closer than either of them had realised.
megan’s eyes slowly widened “…oh.” she dropped her hands so quickly she nearly smacked herself in the leg.
y/n stumbled backwards at exactly the same time.
“no-we”
“it’s not-“
they both spoke together before immediately cutting each other off.
the two girls exchanged one horrified glance then looked back at y/n then megan.
one of them let out the loudest gasp either counsellor had ever heard “…oh…” she whispered “…my…” before either y/n or megan could find a single coherent sentence-
both girls squealed then spun on their heels and bolted. their trainers pounded across the wooden porch outside before disappearing towards camp.
“wait!” y/n took one step after them “it’s not what-“
too late, they were already gone. the only thing left behind was the abandoned plastic crate rocking gently where one of them had dropped it in the doorway.
the two girls didn’t stop running until they reached the main field. they tore around the corner of the recreation hall, almost colliding with a group of campers carrying costume boxes.
“careful!” lara called after them.
they barely heard her, their trainers pounded across the grass as they searched frantically through the scattered activity groups.
“leader sophia!” one of them shouted, slightly out of breath “leader sophia!”
sophia looked up from the picnic table where she’d been sorting paintbrushes into plastic tubs “what’s happened?”
she straightened immediately, the girls only ran like this when someone was hurt “are you alright?”
both girls nodded so quickly it was almost comical.
“where are the skipping ropes?” sophia asked. “i sent you to the sports shed five minutes ago.”
the two girls looked at each other then back at sophia and their eyes somehow grew even wider.
“miss leader sophia…” one of them blurted “…coach y/n and coach megan were kissing in the shed.”
the entire area seemed to pause. lara, halfway through untangling a microphone cable, slowly looked up, manon stopped bouncing a volleyball. daniela, who’d been helping three campers practise the same dance move for the fifth time, instinctively turned towards the conversation.
sophia blinked once “…girls.” her voice stayed calm “it’s not okay to make things up.”
“we’re not!” the second girl insisted immediately “we saw them!”
“coach megan had her hands on coach y/n’s neck!” she demonstrated by grabbing either side of her own friend’s shoulders.
“and they were this close.” the first girl leaned dramatically into the demonstration until their noses were almost touching.
“and then they looked at us! and then they jumped apart!”
“and then they both started going…” the little girl waved her hands frantically, trying to imitate two flustered adults talking over each other. she dissolved into giggles halfway through her own reenactment.
lara pressed her lips together, the corner of her mouth twitched despite herself she looked towards manon “…well.” manon looked back at her, clearly trying very hard not to laugh “…that’s…” she paused “…unexpected.”
lara let out the tiniest snort “understatement.”
daniela hadn’t said a word, she was still standing exactly where she’d been. one of the campers tugged gently at her sleeve.
“coach daniela?” she didn’t answer straight away, her eyes remained fixed somewhere past the girls. her expression hadn’t changed much if anything…it had become harder to read.
sophia looked back at the two campers “i’m sure there’s an explanation.”
“there is!” one of the girls nodded enthusiastically “they were kissing!”
“that isn’t an explanation” sophia replied gently “that’s an assumption.”
the girls looked unconvinced “but they were really close.”
the other one added “coach megan had her hands on coach y/n like…” she mimed it again “and then they both looked really shocked when they saw us.”
daniela looked down at the clipboard in her hands and realised she’d been holding it upside down, she silently turned it the right way up.
the little camper beside her tugged her sleeve again “coach?”
this time she looked down “…sorry.” she offered the child a small smile “show me that dance step again.”
the smile reached her mouth but not quite her eyes.
“it’s not what-“
“we weren’t-“
the two voices came from across the field almost at the same time.
y/n and megan came jogging over from the sports shed, both slightly out of breath from running the whole way.
they slowed to a stop in front of sophia, trying to catch their breath “it’s not what it looked like-“ y/n started.
“we weren’t-“ megan tried again.
“yes you were!” one of the girls interrupted immediately, pointing dramatically at them.
“no we weren’t!” megan shot back.
“were!”
“weren’t!”
“were!”
“weren’t!”
“she had her hands on your neck!”
“because i was telling a story!”
“were!”
“weren’t!”
“were!”
“weren’t!”
“girls-“
“that’s what happened!”
“that’s not what happened!” megan protested “well… it is…” she glanced at y/n “… but not like that.”
“were!”
“weren’t!”
“fweeeeeeeeeet!”
sophia’s whistle cut straight through the argument. the entire field fell silent even the campers who hadn’t been listening before were now staring.
sophia lowered the whistle. she looked from y/n…to megan…then back again.
“both of you.” her voice was calm “staff rec room.”
“now.” neither of them argued.
she turned to the two girls “you two can go back and get the skipping ropes.”
“yes, leader sophia.” they nodded quickly before hurrying back towards the sports shed, whispering excitedly to each other the whole way.
y/n let out a slow breath then, almost against her better judgement, she looked up. manon had both lips pressed tightly together, her shoulders shaking ever so slightly.
lara wasn’t even trying anymore. she’d folded her arms, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself laughing outright.
their eyes met for a second, lara gave the tiniest shrug that somehow said i’m sorry… but this is a little funny.
then y/n looked at daniela, the smile she’d expected wasn’t there. daniela wasn’t looking at the two girls or at sophia, she was looking only at y/n.
her eyes drifted briefly to megan standing beside her then back to y/n again.
one eyebrow lifted ever so slightly, her jaw was set not angry just…tight, hurt and trying very hard not to show it.
y/n felt her stomach sink. without thinking, she took half a step towards her. before she could say another word-
sophia reached over, pinching lightly at the top of y/n’s ear.
“ow-“
at the exact same moment she caught megan’s ear with her other hand “come on.” she said simply, still steering both of them forwards.
megan looked sideways at y/n “…this is humiliating.”
y/n barely heard her, she glanced back one last time. daniela was still standing exactly where she’d been, watching them leave.
the walk to the staff rec room was painfully quiet.
sophia walked a step ahead of them, megan and y/n exchanged the occasional glance but neither of them dared say a word.
the door clicked shut behind them and sophia didn’t say anything immediately.
she walked over to her desk then turned back towards the two empty chairs opposite.
“sit.”
they did. megan dropped into hers first and y/n followed a second later, sinking so far down she looked as though she was hoping the chair might swallow her whole.
sophia remained standing for another moment, arms folded loosely across her chest.
“…alright.” she looked between them “explain.”
megan immediately pointed at y/n “she asked-“
“don’t throw me under the bus!” y/n whispered.
“girls.” sophia said, her tone calm but enough to stop them both they looked back at her.
megan let out a breath “i was telling her a story”
“she was acting it out.” y/n nodded quickly “that’s all.”
“i had my hands…” megan gestured vaguely “…here.” she reached towards y/n before stopping herself halfway “and then the girls walked in.”
y/n nodded again “at literally the worst possible moment.”
“we tried explaining.” megan added “they ran away before we got the chance.”
the room fell quiet as sophia looked at one then the other. she reached up, rubbing lightly at the bridge of her nose with two fingers “…so.” another pause “…just so we’re all on the same page.”
she looked between them again “there is absolutely nothing going on between the two of you?”
“no.” they answered together.
“absolutely not.” megan added.
y/n nodded emphatically “no.”
sophia held their gaze for another second then nodded once “good.” she pulled out the chair behind her desk and sat down.
“because you both know there’s a strict no-dating policy for counsellors during camp.”
the words landed with a little more weight than either of them expected. y/n glanced sideways at megan and megan glanced back.
they shared the briefest look then y/n slowly sank another inch into her chair “…yes.” she mumbled “we know.”
“very well.” megan added quietly.
sophia watched the exchange and the corner of her mouth twitched just slightly.
“good.” she folded her hands together on the desk “…then let’s try and keep the theatrics for the talent show.” her eyes settled on megan “…shall we?”
megan winced “…yes...”
sophia gave a small nod “off you go.”
both of them were out of their chairs almost immediately. halfway to the door-
“megan.”
she stopped “…yeah?”
“next time…” sophia looked over at them “…demonstrate with a chair.”
y/n snorted and megan closed her eyes for a second “…noted.”
they slipped out of the staff room as quickly as their dignity would allow, the door clicking softly shut behind them.
~~~~~
the last of the campers finally disappeared out of the recreation hall. a chorus of excited voices echoed away across camp as they ran to show off freshly painted butterflies, pirates, dragons and glitter-covered unicorns.
“leader sophia!” a little girl skipped across the grass. “look!” she proudly pointed at the bright blue mermaid painted across sophia’s cheek “coach megan did it.”
sophia smiled, carefully avoiding touching the paint “she’s very talented.”
“i’m an artist.” megan announced proudly from beside her, sporting a tiger painted across half her own face thanks to one particularly enthusiastic camper “rawr.”
she held up both hands like claws, three younger campers immediately copied her.
“rawr!” their laughter drifted further and further away until only the music playing softly through the rec hall speakers remained.
inside…the room suddenly felt much quieter.
pots of paint covered nearly every table, brushes sat soaking in cups of cloudy water, glitter somehow coated the floor despite everyone insisting they’d been careful.
lara looked around the room before letting out a theatrical sigh “…well.” she clapped her hands together once “that was adorable.”
“and messy.” manon added, already gathering empty paint pots into a box.
daniela crouched beside one of the tables, wiping away little handprints with a damp cloth. y/n carried a stack of dirty palettes towards the sink “…worth it though.”
“absolutely.” lara replied, she finished rinsing one of the brushes before turning around.
her eyes landed on the three of them then a grin slowly spread across her face.
“…well.” she glanced towards the open doors where the campers had disappeared “they’re all painted.”mshe held up a brush “…seems unfair we’re not.”
before y/n had a chance to react, lara was already walking towards her “come here.”
“lara…”
“nope.” she reached out, taking y/n lightly by the wrist “you’re first.”
with surprising ease she guided, more accurately nudged, y/n backwards until the backs of her knees bumped one of the chairs “sit.”
y/n laughed as she dropped into it “…i don’t get a say?”
“absolutely not.” lara picked up a clean brush “artists require complete creative freedom.”
behind them, manon paused halfway through wiping a table and daniela’s cloth slowed too.
lara noticed, she didn’t turn fully but just enough to glance casually over her shoulder. first towards manon then daniela.
the tiniest flicker of amusement crossed her face before she looked back at y/n.
she stepped forward, close enough that she had to angle herself between y/n’s knees to reach comfortably.
“…hmm.” she murmured thoughtfully as the brush hovered in the air. instead of painting straight away, lara reached up with her free hand and gently turned y/n’s chin a fraction towards the light.
“…let me see…” she studied her face with exaggerated concentration, eyebrows knitting together as though this were the most important artistic decision she’d ever made.
y/n couldn’t help smiling “…can i be-“
“shh.” lara interrupted without even looking away. the brush tapped lightly against her own chin as she continued pretending to think “…let the artist do the work…”
only then did she finally meet y/n’s eyes again “…’kay, babe?” the word babe seemed to linger in the room long after lara had said it.
lara only smiled to herself, still holding y/n’s chin lightly between her fingers as she considered her imaginary masterpiece.
across the room… manon looked up from the table she’d been wiping. her eyes flicked briefly to lara then to daniela who hadn’t moved.
she was still standing with the cloth in one hand, though she’d long since stopped wiping the table. the silence stretched just enough then manon pushed herself away from the table.
“actually…” she dusted her hands together “…i want to paint y/n.”
lara looked over “…what?”
manon was already walking across the room. she reached for the spare chair beside the table, dragging it across the wooden floor with a quiet scrape before stopping directly in front of y/n.
without asking, she rested both hands on the arms of y/n’s chair.
“manon…”
before y/n could question what she was doing, manon gently but firmly spun the chair around until it was facing her instead.
lara’s hand slipped away from y/n’s chin as the chair turned. she blinked and for perhaps the first time all day…or ever, she genuinely looked caught off guard.
“…excuse me?”
manon smiled pleasantly “you can paint dani.” she said it so matter-of-factly it almost sounded like the decision had already been made.
lara stared at her for a beat “…right.”
y/n looked between the two of them “…can i maybe have a say in-“
“shh.” manon reached down, lightly tilting y/n’s chin towards the light in almost the exact same way lara had only moments earlier.
“…you’ll be whatever i decide…” she glanced up at lara for the briefest moment before finishing evenly, “…babe.”
the word landed differently this time not louder or sharper just… more deliberate.
lara’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second, the muscle in her jaw flickered. it was subtle enough that most people would’ve missed it.
daniela looked from manon to lara…then quietly lowered her eyes to the paintbrush still sitting untouched on the table.
manon stood up straight again, giving the chair one final nudge into place. then she pointed the end of the paintbrush towards daniela without looking away from lara.
“dani.” she said simply “sit.”
lara let out a quiet breath through her nose “…someone woke up competitive today.”
manon only shrugged “thought you’d deserved a taste of your own medicine”
y/n looked from one to the other, thoroughly lost “…have i missed a meeting or something?”
lara picked up a clean brush and swirled it through a pot of white paint “right…” she tilted her head, studying daniela’s face with exaggerated concentration “i’ve got a vision.”
daniela looked at her cautiously “that sentence never ends well.”
“trust the process.”
“that’s exactly what i’m afraid of.”
lara ignored her, already brushing careful white lines along daniela’s cheek before reaching for a bright yellow paint.
she dabbed a little onto the top of daniela’s forehead paused then added a little more “…huh.”
daniela narrowed her eyes “what does ‘huh’ mean?”
“nothing.”
lara frowned “just…” she leaned back. “…i may have made the princess crown slightly larger than intended.”
“lara.”
“it’s fixable.” she dipped her brush back into another pot.
“how?”
“well…” she considered it for a second “…a unicorn princess?”
daniela blinked “…a what?”
“a unicorn princess.” lara nodded confidently now “that’s definitely what i was going for.”
there was a beat of silence before y/n snorted then manon then even daniela let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head.
“there” lara replied, already adding a little white horn above the yellow crown “problem solved.”
across from them, y/n watched for another second before looking hopefully back at manon. “…can i please-“
“a butterfly.” manon smiled faintly without looking up, squeezing pink paint onto the palette before mixing it with a little white.
y/n slumped in her chair “… why can’t i be something cool?” manon continued mixing the paint.
“like a shark…”
no response.
“or a dragon…”
still nothing.
“or just… something that’s not fucking boring.” she pouted like one of the younger campers who’d just been told no.
manon finally looked up “you’re being a butterfly.” she stepped forward, lifting the brush “hold still.”
y/n groaned dramatically “but dani gets to be something cool.”
she glanced across the room towards daniela. daniela, still sitting while lara carefully rescued the increasingly questionable unicorn crown, kept her eyes firmly on the opposite wall she didn’t look back and y/n’s shoulders dropped.
manon dipped the brush into the freshly mixed paint. “…you’re worse than the kids.”
she mumbled, trying and failing not to smile as she lifted y/n’s chin slightly with one finger “close your eyes.”
~~~~~
manon took one last look at her work before lowering the brush “…there.”
she leaned back a little, head tilting as she admired it “aww…” the smile that spread across her face was completely genuine “…you look so cute.”
y/n rolled her eyes before she’d even seen it “don’t.”
“lara.” manon ignored her completely, lightly taking hold of the back of y/n’s chair and turning it towards the other side of the room.
“look.” lara glanced over from where she was adding what she insisted was “the finishing sparkle” to daniela’s increasingly elaborate unicorn princess.
the moment she saw y/n, she gasped dramatically “awwwww.” she pressed a hand to her chest “that’s the cutest butterfly i’ve ever seen.”
“you’re both unbelievable.” y/n muttered.
lara ignored her “look at her, dani.”
daniela hadn’t intended to, she’d been looking down at the paint palette in her lap but almost automatically, her eyes lifted they settled on y/n.
soft pink wings curved neatly around her eyes, little white dots scattered across them. manon had painted tiny lavender flowers near her temples, just enough to tie everything together without making it look overdone.
it suited her more than daniela thought it should. before she realised it, the corners of her mouth had softened into the smallest smile. it only lasted a second but y/n caught it anyway.
their eyes met briefly then daniela looked away again “…it’s nice.”she said quietly.
y/n felt warmth creep into her cheeks, she covered it with a scoff “shut up.”
she reached across the table, snatching up another paintbrush “both of you.”
lara laughed “someone’s grumpy.”
“your turn.” y/n pointed the brush towards manon, a slow grin beginning to spread across her face.
manon looked at her then at the grin “…why are you smiling like that?”
“sit.”
“…y/n.”
“sit.”
~~~~~
by the time the brushes had finally been washed and the paint pots packed away, nobody looked remotely normal anymore.
lara had insisted daniela couldn’t possibly be the only unicorn princess so daniela had been handed a brush in return.
after several minutes of surprisingly careful concentration, lara emerged wearing an almost identical crown, matching swirls curling across her cheeks.
“sister princesses.” lara announced proudly, looping an arm through daniela’s.
daniela looked at their matching faces in the mirror “wait. this is actually sooooo cute!”
manon looked into another mirror, she was considerably less pleased. she stared at herself in silence “…y/n.”
y/n looked up with the most innocent expression she could manage “…yeah?”
manon slowly turned towards her painted across both cheeks…were bright yellow circles and a pair of silver goggles stretched neatly across the bridge of her nose and, somehow, y/n had even managed to paint little strands of black hair sticking up across her forehead.
“why…” manon asked very calmly “…am i a fucking minion?”
y/n folded her arms “…because butterflies are boring.”
lara burst into laughter so suddenly she had to steady herself against daniela’s shoulder.
daniela bit down on her lip, it lasted all of three seconds before she gave up trying not to laugh as well.
manon looked from one face to the next “…none of you are seeing heaven.”
y/n’s grin only grew wider “…banana?”
manon sighed “…i take back what i said earlier.”
“about what?”
“…you are worse than the kids.”
~~~~~
the afternoon drifted towards evening, the energy around camp beginning to settle.
campers disappeared back into their cabins to wash faces streaked with paint, change into clean clothes and argue over whose turn it was to brush their hair first.
outside, counsellors moved between activities, ticking off little jobs before dinner.
sophia stood in the middle of it all with her clipboard, somehow keeping track of six different conversations at once.
“before everyone disappears,” she called, scanning the page, “i need a couple of jobs done.”
megan immediately looked at the sky “if i don’t make eye contact she can’t assign me anything.”
“too late.” sophia didn’t even look up “i heard that.”
megan sighed dramatically.
sophia continued down the list “lara, can you check the firewood for tonight?”
“on it.”
“manon, could you make sure the craft room’s actually locked this time?”
manon nodded “yeah.”
“megan, could you help the kitchen bring drinks over?”
“easy.”
sophia finally looked up “daniela.”
daniela glanced over.
“y/n.”
y/n instinctively did the same.
“…could you two go down to the lake and get the canoes ready for tomorrow morning?”
the words hung in the air for the briefest moment y/n’s eyes met daniela’s only for a second then they both looked away again.
“…i can help.” megan spoke before either of them could answer she looked towards y/n with what she hoped was a reassuring smile “three people’ll get it done quicker.”
y/n looked back almost instinctively, there was the smallest flicker of relief across her face, a silent please.
daniela saw it, her gaze shifted from y/n to megan…the two of them barely exchanging a look.
something tightened in her chest before she could stop it.
she told herself she was imagining it, that megan was only offering to help because the job needed doing.
that was all. still…the thought she’d been trying to ignore since last night crept back in anyway.
she wants to be alone with her.
before it could settle any further, daniela spoke “…we’ve got it.” her voice was even.
“thanks.” she looked at megan as she said it not in an unfriendly way just… final.
there wasn’t really room to argue. megan opened her mouth for a second then closed it again “…alright.” she nodded once.
daniela had already turned away, she adjusted the radio clipped to her shorts before heading down the path towards the lake without another word.
y/n lingered for half a second she glanced at megan who only gave the tiniest shrug, as if to say go on.
y/n nodded once before jogging after daniela.
the distance between them stayed the same, close enough that they were walking together but far enough that neither of them knew how to start a conversation.
y/n walked half a step behind daniela, hands shoved into the pockets of her shorts, replaying the last twenty-four hours over and over in her head.
daniela kept her eyes ahead, her jaw was set.
by the time they reached the canoe rack, the silence had become almost tangible.
“we just need to pull these two down.” daniela’s voice was flat, she reached up, lifting one end of the first canoe from the rack.
y/n immediately moved to the other side “yeah.”
together they eased it down, the weight settling between them before they carefully lowered it onto the grass.
they repeated the process with the second canoe. y/n dusted her hands on her shorts, she couldn’t stand it anymore. “…dani?”
no answer as daniela crouched beside one of the paddles, checking the straps that held them together.
“…i-“
“are you and megan fucking or what?”
the words came out before daniela had even seemed to decide to say them, sharp and impulsive.
the second they left her mouth, she wished she could take them back.
y/n froze completely “…what?” she stared at daniela as though she’d misheard her.
daniela kept looking at the canoe, her hands had stopped moving “…are you?”
“no.” it came out far higher than she’d intended “fuck w-what? no.”
she let out a nervous laugh that sounded nothing like a laugh “that’s…” she shook her head quickly “no.”
“megan is…” she rubbed a hand over her forehead, searching desperately for words “we’re just friends.” she looked at daniela “only friends.”
daniela finally looked up. she wanted to believe her, she really did but every image from the last two days kept replaying in her mind “…then why is she so touchy with you?”
y/n blinked “what?”
“why did you sneak out to meet her?”
another pause.
“…why were you kissing?”
“we weren’t.” y/n answered immediately “okay…” she took a step closer, trying to explain “megan’s just…” she gestured helplessly “…she’s affectionate.”
“and we weren’t kissing. she was…” she groaned quietly “she was demonstrating a story about people kissing.”
“it wasn’t…” she shook her head again “…we weren’t.”
daniela held her gaze for a moment then quietly said “…you didn’t answer my question.”
y/n felt her stomach sink “…what?”
“why did you sneak out to meet her?” her voice was softer this time almost as though she already knew she shouldn’t be asking “…i know it’s none of my business.” she admitted “…but why?”
y/n’s lips parted “…i…” she looked away “…we…” she couldn’t “…i can’t tell you.” the words were barely audible.
something in daniela’s expression fell, ever so slightly she looked away first muttered something in spanish under her breath.
she turned back towards the canoe, reaching for one of the life jackets with a little more force than necessary.
y/n’s heart started hammering, she could practically see daniela reaching the wrong conclusion.
“…megan had a rash.” the words burst out before she’d thought them through.
daniela stopped and slowly turned her head.
y/n’s eyes widened as she realised what she’d just said “…a…” she swallowed “…a rash.” she nodded much too quickly “and she…” another frantic nod “…she couldn’t…”
“…reach it.” she winced internally “so…” she pointed vaguely back towards camp “…she needed help putting cream on it.”
the explanation hung in the air, even y/n knew how unconvincing it sounded “…that’s…” she cleared her throat “…that’s why i went.”
“…a rash?” daniela repeated slowly, she straightened from where she’d been crouching beside the canoe, one hand still resting on the hull.
there was just enough disbelief in her voice to make y/n’s pulse jump all over again “…yeah.”
“why didn’t she go to the medics?”
y/n’s mouth opened “…because…” she could almost feel herself digging the hole deeper.
“…because…”
think.
“it was…” she looked absolutely anywhere but at daniela “…in a really embarrassing place.”
the words came out in one rushed breath “and she…” another pause “…she only felt comfortable asking me.” she gave an awkward little shrug “…because i’m her friend.”
for one horrifying second, y/n could practically hear megan screaming somewhere inside her own head.
what the fuck? out of every excuse you could’ve made up- you gave me an embarrassing rash?
y/n squeezed her eyes shut for half a second.
she is going to kill me.
daniela looked at her, trying to work out whether she believed the explanation. then…
something inside her quietly unclenched.
“…oh.”
it was such a small word, barely louder than the breeze moving across the lake but the relief behind it was impossible to miss.
the knot that had sat in her chest since the night before loosened all at once.
they weren’t together, there hadn’t been some secret relationship she’d somehow missed. and whatever she’d convinced herself she’d seen…hadn’t meant what she’d thought it did.
she looked back down at the canoe, hiding the smile that threatened to appear “…well.”
she reached for one of the paddles. “…i hope she’s okay.” she tried to sound casual, she almost managed it. but the corners of her mouth kept betraying her, tugging upwards no matter how hard she bit the inside of her cheek.
y/n let out the longest breath she’d taken all day, she hadn’t even realised she’d been holding it.
her shoulders dropped with relief, she wiped a hand dramatically across her forehead. “…yeah.” she muttered “…she’ll be fine.”
“…just…” she glanced sideways at daniela. “…don’t tell her i told you.”
daniela let out the smallest laugh through her nose “your secret’s safe.”
“thank you.” y/n breathed “…because if she finds out i said that…” she shook her head “…i’ll mysteriously disappear before breakfast tomorrow.”
that earned a proper smile “i won’t say anything”
y/n smiled back, feeling the awkwardness between them ease for the first time all day.
she knelt beside daniela, reaching for the bundle of life jackets without either of them really thinking about it.
for a while, they worked in silence again. this time…it didn’t feel quite so heavy.
the last life jacket was clipped back into its rack, the paddles were stacked neatly. the canoes had been checked, ropes tightened, seats wiped down and lined up along the little wooden dock ready for the morning.
for the first time since they’d arrived at the lake…there wasn’t really anything left to do.
y/n dusted her hands against her shorts before straightening up with a small stretch, looking out across the lake.
the water barely rippled, the evening sun sat low enough now that it painted everything gold.
behind them, the dinner bell echoed across camp. voices immediately followed, campers spilled out from every direction, all heading towards the dining hall in noisy groups.
y/n watched them for a moment then glanced at daniela and back towards the canoes. an idea slowly crossed her face.
“…maybe…” she nudged the nearest canoe lightly with the toe of her trainer “…no one would notice if we didn’t go to dinner tonight.”
daniela looked up. “…what?”
“just…” y/n shrugged, trying to sound casual “…everyone’s heading over there.” she nodded towards the stream of campers disappearing between the trees.
“they’ll all be busy.” her eyes drifted back to the lake “…it’s nice.”
daniela followed her gaze “…we can’t.” the answer came automatically far quicker than she’d actually thought about it “we’re counsellors.”
“i know.”
“we’re supposed to be setting an example.”
“i know.”
“we’re responsible for-“
“i know.” y/n smiled “…come on.” she nudged the canoe again “just one ride.”
daniela folded her arms “y/n.”
“ten minutes.”
“no.”
“ten.”
“still no.”
“they won’t even notice.”
daniela looked thoroughly unconvinced “and if they do…”
y/n smiled innocently “…we’ll tell them we were checking for leaks.”
daniela let out a disbelieving laugh “…checking for leaks.”
“yeah exactly.”
“with both of us?”
“teamwork.”
“that’s your excuse?”
“it’s the best i’ve got.”
daniela shook her head, unable to stop herself smiling and before she could come up with another reason to say no- y/n had already stepped off the dock.
“y/n.”
with an ease that surprised even herself, she stepped one foot into the canoe, it rocked gently beneath her weight. she shifted her balance instinctively before lowering herself onto the seat.
daniela blinked for a second…all she could see was their first morning at camp. y/n on this very dock, gripping the side of the canoe with both hands. daniela remembered laughing so hard she’d nearly ended up in the lake herself.
now…y/n looked completely at home.
she rested one hand against the side of the canoe, looking up at daniela.
a small smile tugged at her lips “…come on.”
she held out her hand across the small gap between the dock and the canoe.
“…ten minutes.”
daniela looked towards camp then back at the hand waiting for her. she should’ve said no, she knew she should. instead…she found herself taking a step towards the edge of the dock.
~~~~~
the canoe drifted away from the dock with barely a sound.
the first few strokes of the paddles disturbed the glassy surface before the lake settled behind them once again, leaving only two long ripples stretching back towards camp.
the sounds of camp grew quieter with every metre they drifted from shore.
out here…it felt like they had the whole lake to themselves.
y/n dipped her paddle into the water again, the movement had become almost automatic after the last few weeks.
she smiled to herself “a few days ago i couldn’t even get into one of these.”
daniela looked up from her own paddle “yeah…now you’re a natural”
a quiet laugh escaped both of them, it faded as naturally as it had arrived.
by the time they reached roughly a quarter of the way across the lake, daniela rested her paddle across the sides of the canoe.
it continued gliding forwards under its own momentum. the evening had settled into that strange hour where everything seemed warmer somehow.
the sky was streaked with soft gold and pale orange, every colour reflected perfectly across the lake beneath them.
“…it’s such a nice evening.” y/n’s voice was barely above the water.
daniela glanced around “…yeah.”
it really was. there wasn’t a breath of wind, the trees along the shoreline stood perfectly still, their reflections so clear they almost looked upside down.
y/n looked back towards her, the evening light caught daniela’s face differently out on the water.
warmer and softer.
the last of the sun settled in her brown eyes, turning them almost amber whenever she looked towards the horizon.
for a second, y/n forgot what she’d been about to say.
daniela noticed “…what?” the question was quiet.
y/n blinked “…nothing.” she looked away automatically then laughed under her breath “…sorry.”
their eyes met, this time neither of them looked away immediately. the canoe rocked almost imperceptibly beneath them, sending gentle ripples out across the otherwise still lake.
daniela could hear the water lapping softly against the hull, she could hear birds somewhere in the trees behind them and she could hear her own heartbeat far more clearly than she cared to admit.
y/n was still looking at her as though she’d forgotten to stop.
daniela’s gaze drifted almost absent-mindedly across y/n’s face.
the pink butterfly paint had washed away before dinner but faint traces of glitter still clung stubbornly near one temple, catching the evening light whenever she moved.
a loose strand of hair had escaped her ponytail, stirring gently against her cheek. without thinking, daniela smiled, just one that arrived before she’d had chance to stop it.
y/n felt something in her chest softens“…what?” she asked quietly mirroring daniela’s question.
daniela shook her head “…nothing “the exact same answer.
y/n smiled “…liar.”
daniela looked down for a second, almost embarrassed she’d been caught “…maybe a little.”
the canoe drifted lazily onwards, carried by its own momentum. neither of them reached for their paddles, for those few moments, neither seemed in any hurry to get anywhere at all.
“you-“
“i-“
the words left both of them at the same time, they stopped immediately. for a second they simply looked at each other before the absurdity of it settled over them.
a quiet laugh escaped y/n, daniela’s followed a heartbeat later, it was small and shy.
plop.
a small splash disturbed the stillness of the lake and both of their heads turned instinctively.
a fish broke the surface for only a moment before disappearing beneath the water again, leaving behind nothing but widening circles that caught the evening light.
“…woah.” y/n smiled, leaning towards the edge of the canoe to follow where it had gone.
she rested one hand against the side of the canoe, shifting her weight just enough to peer over the water.
“look-“
she began, lifting her hand to point towards another ripple.
before she could-
warm fingers closed gently around her wrist.
“…y/n.” daniela’s voice was quiet, almost lost beneath the gentle sound of the lake.
y/n turned back and their eyes met, neither of them looking at the fish anymore.
daniela’s hand remained around her wrist, the contact was so light y/n barely felt the pressure itself.
what she did feel…was daniela’s thumb.
it rested against the inside of her wrist where the skin was thinner, where every heartbeat passed just beneath the surface.
almost absent-mindedly, daniela’s thumb moved just the smallest stroke across her pulse point. she hadn’t meant to, she’d only meant to steady her but the moment her thumb brushed across her skin…
she felt it.
fast. far faster than it should have been. each heartbeat arrived before the last had seemed to finish, the rhythm uneven beneath her fingertips.
daniela’s eyes dropped instinctively to where her hand rested against y/n’s wrist and the tiniest smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
y/n followed her gaze, she looked down at their hands then…she realised. she could feel it too, her own heartbeat, thudding so hard it seemed impossible daniela couldn’t notice.
heat rushed into her face “…i-“ the word caught somewhere in her throat, she didn’t know how to explain away something she couldn’t control.
daniela looked back up at her, for another second she simply watched her. then, without saying a word, she adjusted their hands.
she lifted y/n’s hand from her own wrist, her fingers never quite leaving y/n’s skin then she turned her own other hand over, palm upwards.
she guided y/n’s fingertips to the inside of her own wrist, settling them in almost exactly the same place hers had been moments before.
warm skin beneath cool fingertips, she didn’t press, she simply left y/n’s hand there.
y/n frowned slightly in confusion then…she felt it.
thump.
thump.
thump.
steady, strong and just as quick as her own.
she hadn’t expected that, her eyes widened as they both looked down at their hands.
one resting lightly around the other’s wrist, both of them feeling the same frantic rhythm beneath their fingertips.
slowly…almost cautiously…their eyes lifted from their hands.
they met somewhere in the middle. the evening sun reflected off the lake between them, throwing warm bands of gold across the canoe.
the world around them seemed impossibly quiet. the only sounds were the gentle lap of water against the canoe…and the matching pulse they could each still feel beneath their fingertips.
without either of them meaning to…the corners of y/n’s mouth lifted first and daniela’s smile answered it almost instantly.
neither of them looked away as their smiles lingered because neither of them seemed capable of looking anywhere else.
y/n’s fingertips still rested against the inside of daniela’s wrist, feeling each steady thud beneath her skin.
daniela’s hand remained loosely around y/n’s wrist, her thumb resting over the quick pulse she’d found only moments before.
it was still racing yet hers wasn’t any calmer.
y/n could feel it, matching her own almost perfectly.
she looked down at their hands again then slowly back up.ndaniela was already looking at her, there was something almost questioning in her expression like she was waiting to see if y/n had felt it too.
their fingers hadn’t moved, neither of them made any attempt to pull away. if anything…
their hands settled a fraction more naturally where they already were, as though neither wanted to be the first to break whatever this was.
the silence wasn’t awkward between them anymore it felt… full like there were a hundred things sitting between them that neither quite knew how to put into words.
then-
kkkkkssssshhhht.
the violent burst of static shattered the stillness. both of them jumped as daniela’s radio crackled loudly against her shorts.
“daniela?” sophia’s voice cut through the speaker “you guys okay? do you need megan’s help?”
the moment broke instantly, their eyes widened, they let go of each other so quickly it was almost comical.
y/n snatched her hand back into her lap as daniela fumbled awkwardly for the radio clipped to her waistband, almost dropping it into the bottom of the canoe before finally pressing the button.
“…n-no.” she cleared her throat “…we’re fine.” she winced at how flustered she sounded “…we’ll… be there in ten.”
a brief crackle answered “copy that.” the radio fell silent again. daniela stared at it for another second before clipping it back onto her shorts.
y/n reached for her paddle instead, she dipped it into the water a little harder than she’d meant to, sending a small splash over the side of the canoe.
“…smooth.”she muttered to herself. daniela bit the inside of her cheek, it didn’t work because the smile escaped anyway.
y/n glanced up just in time to catch it, she immediately looked back down at the water again and a laugh slipped out under her breath.
daniela laughed too quietly, more out of nervousness than anything else.
y/n shook her head to herself, still smiling as she paddled them back towards the dock.
she couldn’t bring herself to look across the canoe for more than a second at a time.
every time she did…she caught daniela already looking then they both looked away again, another little laugh and another smile neither could quite hide.
they sat in a comfortable, giddy silence, the only sounds the gentle dip of the paddle through the water and the occasional breath of laughter that escaped whenever their eyes accidentally met again.
without either of them admitting it… they both found themselves missing the warmth of the other’s hand.
y/n wondered if daniela could still hear how fast her heart was beating. daniela wondered if the smile on her face was as obvious as it felt.
“if sophia ever found out…” daniela shook her head, still watching the water as the canoe drifted steadily back towards shore.
“…i think she’d kill us.”
y/n let out a quiet laugh, dipping the paddle back into the lake “kill us?”
“mhm.”
“no…” she smiled, unable to stop herself “…i think she’d burn us in the fire pit.”
that earned a proper laugh daniela ducked her head, smiling to herself “that’s somehow more believable.”
“she’d probably make everyone else watch as a warning.”
“‘this,’” y/n lowered her voice into a terrible impression of sophia “‘is what happens when you ignore camp rules.’”
daniela laughed again, shaking her head “…that’s awful.”
“it’s not inaccurate though.”
their laughter slowly faded into comfortable smiles. the dock grew closer with every stroke, without really thinking about it, daniela shifted forward slightly on her seat, preparing to stand once they reached it.
the movement made her foot slide along the bottom of the canoe, it brushed gently against y/n’s. both of them noticed and neither of them moved.
it wasn’t enough to stop either of them doing what they were doing, it wasn’t deliberate but neither made any effort to pull away either.
for another few seconds, as the canoe glided towards the dock, the light pressure remained there.
the hull bumped softly against the wood, daniela was the first to stand, carefully balancing herself, she stepped onto the dock before turning back towards the canoe.
she held out her hand without really thinking “come on.”
y/n looked up. her eyes settled on the outstretched hand for a second before lifting back to daniela’s face.
a little warmth immediately crept into her cheeks “…thanks.” she reached up.
their hands met, daniela’s fingers closed naturally around hers, steadying her as she stepped from the canoe onto the dock.
for a second they stood closer than either of them expected then y/n let go first.
daniela’s hand lingered in the air for the briefest moment before dropping back to her side.
she turned away almost immediately, pretending to look back out across the lake, the sunset reflected across the water in streaks of orange and gold.
she lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the light or at least…that was the excuse she gave herself. it also conveniently hid the smile that kept finding its way back onto her face.
behind her, y/n knelt at the edge of the dock, looping the rope around the post before pulling the knot tight, she smiled to herself too.
hoping daniela wouldn’t notice, completely unaware that daniela was hoping exactly the same thing.
y/n finished looping the rope around the weathered wooden post, pulling it tight before beginning the knot.
the canoe nudged gently against the dock behind her, the water lapping quietly against its side.
she checked the knot once. twice, her fingers paused halfway through tightening it.
something warm rested lightly against her shoulder, the soft weight of daniela’s fingertips.
her knuckles brushed the side of y/n’s neck as naturally as if they’d always belonged there.
the touch was so light it barely counted and yet…it drew y/n’s attention away from the rope instantly.
“we should…” daniela’s voice was quieter than it had been all evening, almost thoughtful “…finish that canoe ride a different time.”
y/n slowly turned where she was still kneeling on the dock, her hands remained loosely around the rope.
she looked up. daniela stood just above her, the evening sun spilling around her shoulders, catching the loose curls that had escaped around her face. the breeze stirred them gently, strands lifting and falling against her cheek.
y/n couldn’t help smiling, she hadn’t even realised she was doing it.
daniela watched it happen, the corners of her own mouth lifted a little more “…and…” she bit lightly at the inside of her lip, trying and failing to stop herself smiling quite so much. for the briefest second she looked almost surprised by the words she was about to say.
still…she said them anyway.
“…maybe next time…”
her fingers curled ever so slightly, her knuckles brushing softly along the side of y/n’s neck again as her hand shifted against her shoulder.
“…we won’t get interrupted…” she let out the smallest breath of a laugh “…again.”
the touch sent a shiver that travelled the length of y/n’s spine before she could stop it.
daniela felt it, she saw the tiniest hitch in y/n’s breath, the way her shoulders tensed for only a heartbeat.
the corner of daniela’s mouth twitched, she hadn’t expected that.
y/n swallowed, her heart had started racing all over again “…yeah.” the word came out softer than she’d intended.
she rose to her feet, still holding the end of the rope for balance before letting it fall away.
standing now, she was just enough taller that daniela had to lift her chin slightly to keep looking at her.
the evening sun sat low behind y/n now, outlining the loose strands of her hair in gold. there was still the faintest dusting of glitter near her temple that she’d somehow missed washing off.
daniela noticed and as always y/n noticed daniela noticing. a smile tugged at her lips, “…i’d like that.” she said it so quietly it almost disappeared into the breeze.
daniela’s smile answered before she could think to hide it.
for another moment they simply stood there, the canoe tied safely to the dock behind them, camp waiting somewhere beyond the trees.
for one suspended moment…it was just the two of them. then-
kssssssht.
both of them jumped, y/n let out the tiniest startled laugh as she fumbled for the radio clipped to her shorts.
another burst of static.
“girl, get your ass back here before sophia goes looking for you both.”
megan’s voice, completely unbothered and far too amused.
y/n closed her eyes “…of course.” she muttered under her breath.
daniela looked away towards the lake, biting down on the inside of her cheek as a laugh escaped anyway.
y/n pressed the button on the radio “…copy.”
she sighed dramatically “…on our way.”
“good.” megan replied immediately. “…because lara’s already placing bets on what excuse you’re gonna use.”
another crackle.
“…and before you ask, no, i’m not helping you think of one.”
the radio clicked silent.
y/n lowered it slowly, letting out an embarrassed groan.
daniela laughed softly beside her their eyes met again and they both smiled.
then, without another word, they turned together and started walking back towards camp, their shoulders brushing once as they stepped off the dock.
a/n : sooooo it’s picking up now they’re getting somewhere 😭😭 hope ur enjoying and shoutout to the anon that suggest the megan x yn shed scene !!
summary: A boy group member, also being daniela's ex, needing to do a collab with her. Both were hesitant about it, but they realized they still wanted each other back. None of the fans knew their history, but they shipped them.
chapter 30- mr. and mrs?
a/n: thank you my babies for reading this story. honestly i don't think ive ever written a smash that took like 2 months im so sorry😭😭 but hope you liked it and manons post at the end is a little opening for the next smau 😗
