#poor nik

Nik: I... you know I am helping Phillip learn some Russian, yes?

Price: Yeah, you're doing it 'cos I woulda strangled him trying.

Nik: Yes... he cannot roll his R's.

Price: ... Well that's gonna make Russian difficult, innit?

Nik: That is not the worst.

Price: What is??

Nik, putting his head in his hands: He speaks it with an American accent.

Price: Oh god.

Nik, sounding close to tears: And I still end up thinking he is adorable!

What were the odds, really, that Damen would be his camp counselor? Laurent nearly swoons as the man walks passed him in the line up, talking about leadership skills and their expections for the week. Damen's only two years older than him, is in his second year of college while Laurent is just a senior in high school. But Laurent is sure that by the end of the week, he can walk away with Damen's phone number.

Auguste is a counselor too, had actually tried to set it up where he could be Laurent's, but the leaders of the camp thought it would be better to set Laurent up with someone who wasn't family. Laurent didn't know who to thank for that decision, but he's eternally grateful.

"And here are the assignments for bunkmates!"

Laurent nearly swoons a second time as Damen walks passed again. His biceps stretch the short sleeves of his shirt in the most attractive way. Laurent sighs, dreaming of them holding him up, or maybe pinning him down--

"Laurent and Nikandros, you're in room 6!" Damen calls out.

Laurent flinches hard, eyes wide as they fly over to Nikandros, several people over but tall enough to spot over all their heads. Nikandros is glaring at Damen, who Laurent just now notices is smirking smuggly down at his clipboard.

-

Laurent and Nikandros grumble to themselves as they settle into their room for the week, but don't dare say a word to each other. No. No, there'll be time for that after they've both had a good night's sleep.

A knock comes to their door, then Damen pokes his head in, glancing up at Laurent on the top bunk, then down at Nikandros under him. He smiles, and Laurent love the dip his dimple puts in his cheek. "Everything good in here?"

"No," Nikandros says, and Laurent can just picture his scowl.

"Actually, Damen, I have a problem," Laurent says.

Damen makes a sound of surprise, and steps fully into the room, closing the door softly behind him. "What's wrong, Laurent?"

Nikandros groans in annoyance under him, shifting the whole bedframe with his jerking movements.

"I think there's a monster under my bed."

Nik clenches his jaw as hard as he can, barely able to breathe. He can’t move, he can’t focus, he can’t do anything. 

He’s never tried to fight against something so hard in his life, and to anyone who saw, it would appear as if he’s doing nothing at all. He would look stoic and unmoved, simply existing with the least amount of effort possible. 

But he is fighting. He’s screaming and fighting himself to keep his feet from moving, to keep his mouth from opening, to keep the secret that he gave up his life to protect. 

He gave up his life; not his death. He gave up his life - his time, his emotions, every aspect of himself is slowly being carved out of him to give to a man for his own gain. His own enjoyment. He chose to live here, in this hell that breaks him down day by day, hour by hour, to keep his people safe. 

And in just a few words - it’s all for nothing. 

There’s no point; there’s never been any point. They were doomed the moment Kia’s foot touched the surface. 

Something snaps inside of him, after. For a year he’s been a shell of himself, but even the shell crumbles into a form of nothingness that breathes and walks. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t react, doesn’t come back. 

He sees Kia sometimes, at parties or events. He sees her, sees the way Ramona drags her around. He sees her, but that is all. 

like au where they all work in an office and laurent’s hobby is winding up nik with petty office pranks so nik keeps typing up and submitting to division manager damen these like official permit applications to duel/defenestrate/otherwise physically harm him and damen just has like. a big rubber stamp