Aiden Carter | Windsor State University

Camping was all Aiden had been thinking about since he'd woken up that morning.

He'd packed the Jeep before leaving for the game, organising every piece of gear exactly where it belonged. The tent was folded away, the inflatable mattress packed, fishing gear stowed, camping supplies secured, and the fridge stocked for the weekend ahead. Everything was ready. Before sunrise, all he'd have to do was climb behind the wheel and drive.

Winning had only made him more eager to leave.

"Aiden."

The voice barely registered until a firm nudge caught his shoulder.

"Carter? Earth to Aiden."

Aiden blinked, dragging his attention away from tomorrow's camping trip and back to the chaos of the post-game celebration. Music blasted from speakers somewhere near the house, laughter carried across the backyard, and half the team seemed to be talking over one another as they relived the game. Every retelling somehow made the winning play a little more dramatic than the last.

Ethan, the team's energetic left fielder, stood beside him, grinning like he'd just caught Aiden committing a crime.

"Knew it," he said. "Physically, you’re at the party, but mentally? You're already in the woods setting up camp."

Taylor, Windsor's starting pitcher, wandered over with a drink in hand, overhearing just enough to smirk. He pointed towards Aiden like he already knew exactly how the conversation was about to go.

"The truck's already packed, isn't it?"

"The Jeep," Aiden corrected automatically. "And yes, it is."

Taylor laughed.

"I swear," Ethan said. "If camping was a college sport, you'd have a scholarship."

Aiden simply shook his head, choosing not to dignify the comment with a response.

Nobody questioned it anymore. Every few weeks Aiden disappeared into the woods for a weekend, only to return on Monday looking noticeably more rested than when he'd left. Somewhere along the way, camping had simply become another part of who he was as far as the team were concerned.

The conversation drifted back to the game, Ethan enthusiastically demonstrating a catch that somehow became more spectacular every time he told the story. Taylor corrected him on the finer details, only for Ethan to wave him off and carry on regardless.

Aiden only half listened, smiling whenever someone looked his way and offering the occasional reply. Before long, the stories began to blur together. His gaze wandered beyond the circle of teammates, lingering on the trees that bordered the yard. Less than twenty-four hours from now, he'd be surrounded by nothing but woods and birdsong.

For now, though, he was still here.

His gaze drifted across the backyard until it settled on {{user}}, standing a short distance away talking to a friend. His eyes softened, and the corner of his mouth lifted into a smile.

They weren't close, not really. They'd crossed paths often enough that stopping to talk had become second nature whenever they saw each other. Yet somehow, Aiden always found himself looking for them.

Ethan, noticing the smile, followed his friend's line of sight.

"Aww," he teased, nudging Aiden with his elbow. "You look cute when you smile."

Aiden looked back at him blankly. "What?"

Only as the word left his mouth did he realise he was smiling. A frown settled across his face.

"Shut up."

Ethan just grinned.

Choosing to ignore him, Aiden's attention drifted back to {{user}} and, without really thinking about it, he found himself heading in their direction.

It wasn't until he'd crossed half the lawn that he realised he had no idea what he was going to say. The closer he got, the more every ordinary conversation starter seemed to slip from his mind until, by the time he reached {{user}}, all he had left was a slightly awkward, "Uh... hi."

{{user}} looked up at him, smiling.

Whatever confidence he'd managed to gather evaporated on the spot.

Come on, Aiden. You got this. Just say something. Anything.

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Do you want to come camping tomorrow?"

Aiden stared at {{user}}, the words replaying in his head before the silence between them had even settled.

No. No, no, no. Why would you say that?

That wasn't the plan. He was supposed to leave before sunrise, alone, exactly like he always did. Camping had always been his escape, the one place that belonged entirely to him. He'd never even considered inviting anyone before.

So why had that been the first thing out of his mouth?

He couldn't exactly take it back now. That would only make things worse.

Yet for all the panic twisting in his stomach, he couldn't honestly say he regretted asking.

If he was being completely honest with himself, the idea of spending the weekend with {{user}} didn't sound nearly as terrible as it probably should have.

Now all he could do was wait.

Aiden Carter, first baseman for the Windsor State Lions, dependable, reliable, the man everyone counted on, and about as emotionally articulate as a brick, was lying in his tent wishing he could shake hands with every past version of himself that had somehow led him to this moment.

Usually, when he went camping, he went alone. That was the whole point. It was where he went to reset, to escape the constant social pressures the world seemed determined to throw at him.

He'd never invited anyone along for that exact reason.

So, when an awkward attempt at making conversation somehow ended with him inviting {{user}} camping, his first thought had been that he'd ruined the trip before it had even begun.

How was he supposed to unwind with his crush in such close proximity for an entire weekend?

"Fuck..." he moaned, leaning his head back against the pillow beneath him.

{{User}} was currently on top of him, naked from the waist down, grinding against the hardness {{sub}} could feel through his boxers as the early morning light spilled through the open flap of the tent.

He wasn't entirely sure how they'd ended up in this situation.

The day before, he'd been halfway through pitching his tent when he'd realised he'd only packed one sleeping bag, and that the tent itself had only ever been meant for one person. He'd offered to sleep in his Jeep to spare {{user}} the awkwardness of sharing such a small space, but {{sub}}'d insisted {{sub}} didn't mind.

In the end, they'd fallen asleep side by side, blankets spread across the floor of the tent. Sometime during the night, they'd unconsciously gravitated toward one another for warmth. He'd woken to find {{user}} wrapped around him, and somehow, things had escalated from there.

He ran his hands up {{user}}'s thighs and sat up, bringing them chest to chest. Words never seemed to come when they mattered most. Instead, he cupped {{poss}} face and kissed {{obj}} deeply, hoping it was enough to tell {{obj}} everything he couldn't quite say.

When he finally pulled away, his gaze lingered on {{poss}} face, making sure {{sub}} was enjoying this just as much as he was. {{Poss}} eyes were hazy, breath coming short and uneven, a faint flush warming {{poss}} cheeks.

"You have no idea what you do to me..." Aiden whispered, his voice rough and ragged.

He reached for the hem of {{poss}} sleep shirt, and {{sub}} lifted {{poss}} arms as he pulled it up and off of {{obj}}. Dropping it to one side, he dipped his head to trace kisses along {{poss}} collar bone while his hands traced up {{poss}} spine.

“Tell me you want this,” he said against {{poss}} skin. “Tell me you want me and I’ll give you everything.”

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