Pressure

Chapter 1

Max doesn't say anything at first, but Nurfs abuse over the damn egg unsettled him. So much so, that when Preston doesn't come out of his tent that morning, Max can't eat his breakfast.

Not that he does eat much anyway, but he just can't stomach anything. So he gets up, and heads out to Prestons tent, ignoring Nikki and Neil. They take his silence as a warning thankfully and don't follow him.

He couldn't exactly knock on a tent door, so he just opened in and headed in. Preston was in his bed, cradling his arm. He was crying, and didn't even hear Max. His hair was much longer than Max had thought. It wasn't curled. He didn't have his usual get up on either, just his yellow camp shirt.

"Preston?" Max called quietly. He didn't want to frighten him, but he still jumped straight up in bed yelping.

"Max?"

"Yeah, your eye that fucked up?" Max said. Preston didn't answer, just looked away. He reached out for the sunglasses that were on the bed next to him and Max knocked them out of his hands.

"Don't hide that shit from me, I see it enough at home in the mirror, I know what it looks like. Just try to open it all the way." Max said. He took Prestons larger face in his hands and pulled him until they were inches apart. Preston hesitated before complying.

"It's really not that bad. You'll heal. What's wrong with your arm?" Max pointed. Preston still had his hand covering his wrist.

"It's nothing, really. I'm sure it was my fault-"

"Preston, you're an idiot. It's never your fault. Give it here." Max demanded. Preston got teary and finally showed off his wrist. It was practically purple where Nurf had left a hand print.

"Shit Preston, that looks fucked up. We need to get David. Or Gwen. Or somebody who knows first aid." Max said. Preston grabbed Max with his good hand.

"You can't! They can't... find out... I was weak." Preston admitted. Max sighed and put his hand over Prestons on his shirt.

"Look, you're not fucking weak ok? Nurf is just an abusive asshole who took it too far. Got it?" Max said. Preston looked surprised, but still nodded.

"You need to let someone take care of you alright? Is there a kit in here? I can do it, I guess." Max said, trying not to make a big deal. Preston pointed to the corner, and thankfully didn't ask how he knew to wrap a sprained wrist.

Max got to work with the ace bandage, gently wrapping his hand, before putting a brace over it. He was still holding Prestons hand, but he wasn't looking up. He just stared at it. Preston leaned forward.

"Max?"

"Yeah?" He said, looking up.

"Thank you." Preston said. He closed the gap and Max froze as Preston kissed his cheek quickly. And too suddenly he was panicking, his fathers rules rushing back to his head.

"W-What the hell was that?! You're- you're gay!" Max yelled.

He stumbled backwards and ran, right out of the tent. He ran so fast that he didn't see Davids knees until he had run into them. He landed straight on his ass and looked up. David looked concerned as always.

"Max, what's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing!" Max said quickly.

"You're... crying, Max." David said. Max swore and felt his face. He was.

"What happened?" David asked.

"Preston fucking kissed me!" Max yelled without thinking. David gaped.

"Don't punish me! I'm not gay, I promise!" Max pleaded.

"Punish you?" David said quietly. Max didn't answer, just wiped his eyes.

"Max, you know, it would be ok if you like Preston." David said. Max didn't look up at first, but when he did he found David smiling. David knelt down and sat beside him.

"Who would punish you?" David asked.

"Family." Max said quietly.

"Well they're not in charge here. I am. And if you can be happy for a few months before you go back to... them, well I would be happy to keep your secret." David said.

"Promise you wouldn't tell them?" Max whispered.

"I promise Max." David said. Max nodded and stood up, wiping his eyes again.

"I need to go find that loser." Max said.

"It's probably best you didn't call him a loser."

"Whatever. Loser." Max shot back. He sniffed and gave David a tiny smile, or at least neutral expression.

"Thanks."

"Any time."

Max stood up and headed back to the tents. He was almost there when he heard yelling. Fuck. He started into a run and flung the tent flap open to find Nurf had Preston by his wrist. Preston was preparing for a punch it looked like, and Max didn't hesitate.

He took a running start and leapt onto Nurfs back. Nurf let go of Preston as Max bit down on his ear hard. Nurf yelped and tried to fling him off, but his arms couldn't reach Max. He finally climbed the taller kid and wrapped his legs around his neck hard, taking him down on his back in a chokehold. He took his opportunity to climb on top of Nurf and raise his fist.

"Leave Preston the fuck alone! He's mine, and the egg is gone, you sick fuck!" Max screamed. He landed the punch to Nurfs jaw, and climbed off him, getting up on Prestons bed in front of him.

"W-Why do you care?" Nurf coughed, standing up.

"Mine! Get out or I will fucking murder you!" Max yelled. Nurf started to leave, when they were cornered by David coming into the tent.

"What is all this noise? Preston, what happened?" David asked.

"Nurf has been hurting him so I attacked him." Max said.

"Max that's not the way to solve your issues." David said.

"He had Preston! I wasn't going to fucking talk it out!" Max said. He took Prestons good hand and let them both gape for a moment before starting to yell.

"Out! Out!" Max cried. David took Nurf with him and he could hear David reprimanding Nurf.

"He bit my ear!"

Yeah, he would pay for that later. Whether it be by a lecture from David or an infection from putting that disgusting ear in his mouth. He looked back at Preston, who hadn't said a word.

"I'm sorry. I freaked ok, but I'm back now. So... tell me I'm an asshole or fucking kiss me again or something. I don't know how this works." Max said. Preston gave his a tiny smile and scooted up to sit next to him on the edge of the bed.

"I expected you to be scared. I didn't expect Nurf to hear us. I'm sorry you had to fight him. But it will be excellent for a play! Now that I know you can fight-"

"Preston, don't be a fucking nerd ok?" Max said. He yanked Prestons shirt and met him half way, kissing him quickly, unpracticed, on the lips. When he pulled away, Preston was beaming.

"Ok, ok, shithead, don't get so excited. I don't want to be in a dumb play." Max said. Preston didn't seem deterred.

"Maybe not today, but you will after you see my ultimate battle performance!" He said, putting a hand in the air like Max would magically see it. Max snickered.

"You're weird."

"You like me enough to tolerate that."

"Yeah, ok."