Page 24 of Sass in the Grass

“Fish is pure protein,” Mike told him.

“So is sperm, and I’d rather have that,” he said, smiling.

Mike cracked up, and even Kathy laughed. “You can be funny, when you’re not a snotty prick,” Mike told him.

“Thanks…I think.”

After they ate, True was by the door and told the three to make sure they met around the main fire for the marshmallow roast. After he said it, Jovian grumbled, “way too much sugar.”

“One won’t hurt you.”

“Maybe.”

Mike prodded, “Come on, and try it. You have to be here, right? Why not try to enjoy it a little?”

“Sitting on an uncomfortable log and holding a stick over the fire? That’s enjoyable?”

“Have you ever done it?”

The thought alone had Jovian blanching. “Do I look like I’m a big camper?”

“Like I said, try something new.”

“Fine. Since I obviously won’t be getting laid, food is the next best thing.”

Kathy giggled more, but Mike groaned, “If you knew the sex that went on…”

“No way! Where?”

Kathy scolded Mike, “Why did you tell him?”

“Because I’m an idiot.”

“Like, how? Where?”

After all, just because he’d never get Dixon, there might be someone worth fucking. He hadn’t really noticed, but…

“I’ll show you later. Be warned, you might see girls fucking.”

“Ew, but that’s fine. I’ve walked in on my best friend a few times. Not pretty, but I won’t vomit or anything.”

The campfires were roaring. There were three of them just off the offices, and everyone in the camp sat on logs, and a steady stream of murmured conversations could be heard, laughter breaking through that din now and again.

Sitting with Mike and Kathy was an eye opener. Jovian had marked them both as outsiders wherever they went, but many of the other campers came over to talk to them. Mike introduced Jovian to some that he didn’t know, but the others nodded in a friendly way to him. No one pointed and laughed.

That meant Dixon had kept hisfaux pasto himself. At least that was something.

When Bernie started passing around the marshmallows, Mike forced one on the stick that Kathy had handed Jovian. “Hold it over the fire until it gets brown. Some people like it burnt, but for your first one, just toast it a little.”

“Like this?” he asked as he held it close to the fire.

“A little more. You want the flames to be close.”

The flame closest to him licked the white marshmallow and Jovian watched, entranced, as it began to turn brown. “What do you know?”

“Turn it, so it’s even.”

“Right! I didn’t think about that.” He turned it left, then right until it was golden brown all the way around it, then he brought it close and gave it a sniff. “Wow, that smells heavenly.”

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