Chapter 21
The boys were all awake when Peter came in. Some were on their bunks, still, while others were either in the bathroom or getting dressed. Ross was in the bathroom as well, making sure the boys weren’t making more of a mess than needed and also getting himself ready for his day. Bucky was already dressed and was just sitting on the edge of his bed closest to the door.
“Did you see anything interesting?” he asked the boy.
“I saw Katie. She went jogging with Tiny. She asked me to go with her, but I told her that I couldn’t go.”
“Good job.”
“We could go jogging with her, tomorrow morning, if she goes.”
Ugh.
“We’ll see.”
Ned walked over, dressed in jeans and wearing a sweatshirt.
“Where were you?”
“Outside. Just sitting on the step looking at stuff.”
“What did you see?”
“Katie and Tiny.”
“Neat. What were they doing?”
“Jogging. With Tiny.”
“Wow.”
“Bucky said we can go with them, tomorrow.”
Ned looked at Barnes who knew he had a slight ‘deer in the headlights’ look.
“Really?”
“Maybe,” he temporized. More than ready to change the subject he looked both boys over. “Are you ready for breakfast?”
“Yeah.”
“Why don’t you guys go down to the cafeteria and see if we need to bring anything?”
“Okay.”
“Come back up when you’re done.”
“Okay.”
Both boys left, the door banging closed behind them. Ross frowned, having come out of the bathroom in time to hear the exchange.
“You’re not going to follow him?”
Barnes knew that he was speaking, specifically, of Peter.
“No. I don’t need to.”
He knew that the others were out and about, already, after all. Katie might be out jogging but she’d keep an eye on Peter and so would the SHIELD agents who were scattered throughout the camp.
The other counselor pulled the schedule he had in the back pockets of the jeans he was wearing.
“Breakfast in twenty minutes and then morning activities.”
“Do we know what that means?”
A shrug.
“That’ll be announced at breakfast.”
Barnes nodded, looking at the boys who were left, still getting dressed.
“How do they know what to wear?” he asked. “What if they’re swimming?”
“We’ll have time to come back up here and get changed.” Ross had been a counselor many times and knew how things worked. “We won’t have them swimming right after eating so there’ll be plenty of time.”
The majority of the boys were now listening and most of them were dressed and eager to go. Their counselor wasn’t finished, though.
“There will also be an inspection,” he added. “We need to make sure the cabin isn’t really messy before we go to our activity this morning, so you guys might want to pick things up a little.”
He looked pointedly at the interior of the little cabin and the pajamas that were strewn about. Peter and Ned, both being former foster kids, were used to picking up after themselves, but the rest of the boys hurried over to their bunks and picked up clothing and bedding that weren’t where they belonged.
“Do we have to make our beds?” Carlos asked, looking at his uncertainly.
“No. Just make it look decent.”
Bucky had already cleaned up after himself, and Ross, of course, had as well. Kind of a lead by example sort of thing.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
“Why are you walking like that?” Peter asked his friend as they started down the hill.
“Like what?”
“You’re leaning a little…”
Ned hesitated, brushing his hand along his right hip.
“I think I got a splinter or something on the bleacher last night at the bonfire. I tried to get it out, but I can’t see it and it’s rubbing against my jeans.”
“Does it hurt?”
“A little, yeah… Don’t tell anyone.”
Peter frowned.
“Why not?”
Ned rolled his eyes.
“Because it’s on my butt,” he pointed out. “I don’t want anyone to know.”
“It might get infected, or something…”
“It won’t.”
“Bucky-“
“No.” Ned shook his head, making a point of walking straighter. “Bucky’s cool. I don’t want him helping me get a splinter out of my butt. I’ll try again, later. It’s light, now, so I might be able to see it better.”
“Are you sure?” Peter glanced over at the little cabin that was the camp doctor’s. “We could get Dr. Strange to take it out.”
“It’s just a splinter. Don’t worry.”
Peter shrugged, but he didn’t want his friend to be embarrassed, either. It wasn’t like it was a gunshot wound or something, and Peter knew if he had a splinter in his butt, he wouldn’t want anyone trying to help pull it out, either. But still…
“Maybe I can help you, later…?”
“Okay.”
Crisis averted
They walked up onto the porch that surrounded the main building and opened the door.
“Something smells good,” Ned said as they walked into the cafeteria.
There were a couple of staff people putting the tables out and they waved at the boys but didn’t stop what they were doing.
“I wonder what it is?” Peter replied, looking around. “It doesn’t smell like bacon…”
“Because we’re having pizza,” one of the staff told them, smiling at the instant surprise on their faces.
“Pizza?” Ned echoed.
“Yep.”
“For breakfast?”
“Yep.”
“Why?” Peter asked, looking around.
Maybe they burned the eggs, or something?
“Why not?” came the reply. “There’s no rule that says we have to have sausage and eggs for breakfast, right?”
Ned frowned, and Peter wondered if he was trying to think of some rule, but then shook his head.
“I guess not.”
“Of course not.” She finished the table she was setting up. “Did you guys need something?”
“No.” Peter said, shaking his head. “We were sent down to see if we needed to bring anything for breakfast.”
“Just your appetites. And don’t tell the rest of your cabin what we’re having, okay? Let’s surprise them, too.”
Peter and Ned both grinned at that, thinking their cabin-mates would definitely be surprised.
“Okay.”
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
“Ned needs medical attention…”
Tony frowned, looking up from his tablet, his expression concerned at JARVIS’s sudden announcement. He and Pepper could have slept in a little, but they both had to be at the tower for an early morning meeting and they were just finishing breakfast. A breakfast that was a lot quieter without their son there to chat with.
“What happened?” Pepper asked, before Tony could. “Is he alright?”
“He told Peter that he has a splinter that he can’t remove.”
Tony rolled his eyes.
“A splinter doesn’t require medical attention, JARVIS,” he assured his AI. “Ned’s a little guy, but he isn’t going to be done in by a little piece of wood. One of the counselors will help him get it out.”
“He won’t tell his counselors. It’s… in a delicate placement and he doesn’t want anyone to know about it.”
“What does that mean?” Pepper asked. “A delicate placement?”
“That means it’s in his crotch or in his ass,” Tony guessed, thinking that those would be the only places that a boy Ned’s age would consider delicate.
“You’re correct,” JARVIS confirmed.
Tony snorted.
“Pass the word to Barnes, will you?” the billionaire requested. “He can decide how to handle it without embarrassing Ned too much.”
He was the counselor, after all.