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“Okay, I have one more,” Colin said, continuing to chuckle. “So, this is back when I was an instructor, I was teaching a class and we were out hiking and we were on our way back. I had a weird dinner the night before on a date that didn’t go anywhere, and my stomach had been feeling off all day. My stomach was rumbling and growling and I finally was like, okay, I just need to fart and I’ll feel better. So I did. Only, it was slightly more than a fart.” Colin paused for effect, giving June a few moments to piece together what he meant.
“Oh my god,” June gasped, realizing what he meant. “Colin, did you shit yourself in front of a class of students? On a hike?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Colin said. June knew he was shaking his head, laughing at himself. “It was the most uncomfortable hike I’ve ever been on, and I was sure the kids were going to know or smell it or something. You know that 6th sense kids have for when a teacher fucks up or does something embarassing?”
“Of course!” June said, remembering the unfortunately all-too-frequent experience where she had bent over and immediately knew her asscrack was showing to the students behind her.
“Anyway, I did get back to camp safely and then took the world’s quickest shower before lunch and I think I got away with no kids knowing. But still, I knew and that was enough.”
“Okay, okay,” June said, her ass starting to go numb. “I’m going to finish up here and flush the toilet, so I would prefer that you head back to bed. I’ll be there in a second.” Colin tapped once on the door and June heard him pad back to the bedroom. She took care of all the appropriate business and washed her hands - twice - and looked in the mirror at herself. Her hair was a mess, curls frantic from the way she had held her hair in her hands when she initially sat down on the toilet, not to mention the after effects from the sex she and Colin had earlier in the evening. June stretched her neck from side to side and noticed a tiny hickey right above her collarbone. Dammit Colin, she thought, though a part of her grew warm and excited at the sight of a physical reminder of their connection, of the effect she had on Colin and Colin had on her.
She turned the light off, grabbed her phone, and snuck her way back to Colin’s bedroom, almost tripping over Muir, who had finally roused himself out of his slumber to figure out what was happening. Praying that Colin had fallen back asleep, June clicked off her cell phone light and slid under the blankets, not even bothering to complain about the CholeraBlanket.
“Hey poop girl,” Colin whispered from his side of the bed.
“Jesus Christ,” June replied, though she could hear the smile in Colin’s voice, the affectionate teasing that was meant to reassure her, normalizing what could have been an incredibly awkward experience. He rolled over on his back and spread his arm out, pointing to the space next to him. June tucked herself next to him, arranging her hair so it wasn’t in his face. She curled around Colin, draping her legs over his, her head on his chest as he ran his fingers up and down her arm. She readjusted so she wasn’t crushing one of her breasts against his ribs, earning a grunt of disapproval from Colin. “What?”
“I like feeling those parts against me,” he protested. “You’re so warm and soft.”
“Excuse me if I don’t want to squish those soft parts,” June replied, curling her arm around Colin’s torso. “I’m getting really comfortable and it hurt.”
“You’re all good,” Colin said, squeezing her gently. “I’m just messing with you.” They continued to lay in silence, just small movements against each other and soft breathing.
“Thank you,” June said into Colin’s chest. She felt the words vibrate against her from his lungs as he said. “It’s nothing. Go to sleep, I have an alarm set.”
“No, it really is. I appreciate you,” she said, even though her mind was screaming that she did more than just appreciate him. You met him two days ago, one side of her brain said.
And when has a guy ever spent 15 minutes telling embarrassing poop stories about himself so you could feel better about evacuating your own bowels in his house?The other side of her brain argued back.
First off, this is a very specific situation, went side one. June shook her head gently to rattle the warring thought strains out of her mind. All she wanted right now was to be present, to enjoy the warmth of Colin’s arms around her, the sturdiness of his lithe body, the comfort that he provided with his presence and his words. She had this - she had Colin - for this week only and she wanted to soak up every single bit of goodness and love that he would provide for her.
Love.
It wasn’t the first time that the word had floated through her brain when she thought about Colin over the past few days, but over the past two and half years, June had become an expert at swatting away uncomfortable or ill-timed thoughts. It’s how she had survived, how she had kept plugging away at a job that became more and more difficult each day. Just ignore those thoughts at the back of her mind, and push forward.
But it felt right to feel love right now, at 3 in the morning, returning to a new bed after a bathroom disaster, and June decided it was okay. But only for now. She knew there was an expiration date on this connection - the bus left Friday at 12:30 and then June would go back to her apartment in the city and her great mattress and this would just be a really fond memory.
June fell asleep, still wrapped in Colin’s arms, a small smile on her face as she embraced the warmth in her chest from the warmth around her.
—-
"No," Colin said, picking up his cell phone, turning off the alarm, and throwing it across the floor. It landed in a pile of clothes, which didn't surprise June at all. He had kicked off most of the blankets throughout the rest of the night and early morning, and June had managed to wrap them all around her.
"I see you're an early riser," June said, struggling to free her arms - the CholeraBlanket was surprisingly thick, and it was somehow both under and over June's body and tangled in her legs.
"I am not a morning person," said Colin definitively. "Evenings, yes. Mornings, no. I love summer camp, but when I have to supervise the Polar Plunge, I die a little inside."
"What's that?" June had finally found a way to get her arms out and she reached over and ran her fingertips lightly over Colin's chest. His skin was still warm, even though he had slept outside of blankets. She scootched her body closer to him, flopped her forearm over his chest, and tried to steal more of his heat.
"It's where all the kids who have way too much energy leap into the lake at 6 am and scream bloody murder," Colin answered.
"Do you ever do it?"
"Sometimes. Usually at least once, near the end of the summer, if the summer staff is working hard and I like them."
"I bet it doesn't even affect you." June tucked her toes under Colin's thigh.
"Why not?"
