Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was the middle of June, school ending and 'Max' packing up for camp.

Her parents were out again, like they always are. Another assistant they hired were going to be taking her to the pick-up spot, about 2 hours out before 'Max' is home free to the shitty camp and the cicadas buzzing in her ears.

Stuffing shit into her suitcase, she makes sure to gently put Mr. Honeynuts at the little mesh pouch on the underside of the top cover, sneaking in a few more bits of candy in for herself and the clothes she managed to sneak away with using her spare allowance.

Satisfied, she pulled all her hair into a lower bun, making sure no stray stands stick out in case the assistant wants to call her out on it's 'messiness'. Not when she's so close to the finish line.

Zipping up her case, she takes on last look at her white room and heads downstairs.

After all, while she hates to admit it, she's excited for everyone to meet Miah.

The car ride was long and boring, exactly as she expected it. The assistant never even introduced themselves, only asking if 'Max' needed help in the car and if she needed a break for the bathroom.

By the time they reached the destination, Miah could feel her insides turn every which way as the anxiety of being known again was both thrilling and terrifying.

She kinda wanted to scoff at herself. She never cared about anyone's opinion, and she wasn't starting now. If these bitches wanted to judge her, they can judge her fists too.

"We're here. I'm meant to meet with someone called 'Quartermater', correct?"

"Yeah, he's a old man with a hook hand, can't miss him."

The assistant twitch at Miah's description, but opened the car and let Miah out.

"Actually, you go up ahead and talk to him. I need to take a piss."

The assistant shrugged, leaving 'Max' on the 1st floor while they went up ahead. 

Rolling her luggage in with her, Miah went into a stall and smirked to herself. If she gets this right, alongside Nikki and Neil's help, she can live her life again.

Opening her luggage, she takes off her jeans and switches to her leggings and frilly skirt.

Closing the case right back up, Miah closes her eyes as she takes a step outside the stall, wanting to open them directly in front of the mirror. Still keeping her eyes closed, she reaches behind her and unties her bun, feeling the soft curls glide around her shoulders.

That's when she opens her eyes, seeing her jade eyes look directly back at her.

She only tried out the once clothes in the shop before keeping them hidden, and with keeping her hair in a bun a lot of the time, she only got a good look of it during showers and at night in her mirror.

She turns around, seeing the white-blue skirt bounce around her knees, and long hair shield Miah's ears and curl around the front.

Miah was always above squealing or showing any time of excitement, but seeing herself like even remotely like a 'her' filled her heart anew as she bite the sleeve of her hoodie to get her smile down.

"Max?" A knock came from the bathroom door and Miah jumped, biting even further down on her sleeve to prevent a scream. She cleared her throat, before replying with a simple "Yeah?"

"Max, I signed you in and handed in the money, meet them at the 14th floor once your finished." And just like that, Miah could hear their footsteps walk away and disappear.

'Perfect, all going to plan.' She thought, smirking before taking one last look at herself. She nodded, a small goodbye to 'Max' as she grabbed her suitcase and headed for the elevators.

Once on the 14th floor, she ignored the employees as she booked it to the waiting rooms, seeing QM, Neil, Nikki, and Space Kid.

"Other there, child." QM said gruffly, not even batting his one eye as Miah strolled right by.

Neil and Nikki stood up, with Nikki cooing at Miah's outfit and Neil giving his patent thumbs up of approval. Miah smiled, allowing the group to hug her for all about 3 seconds before she patted them off.

"Is this it? No gimmicks and no take-backsies?" Neil asked, just for Miah to roll her eyes and punch Neil in the arm.

"Yeah shithead, this is it. With the three of us, I bet we can get the whole Camp to go crazy by lunch."

"Ooo, so, did you pick a name yet?" Nikki asked, before realizing her error and shout-whispering it back to ear. "So did you pick a new name yet?"

Shoving Nikki off, she made a show of pulling the two back in and whispering "Miah." 

Nikki gasped and Neil smiled, with Miah feeling a bit overwhelmed with the attention. She liked it, sure, but sometimes it does get a bit much.

"Well, if we look behind us, we got ourselves the test-run." Neil said, chuckling at his own joke as the group approached Space Kid.

"Hey, Space Kiddd," Nikki said, voice in such a pitch it made her sound 3 times squeakier.

"Yeah Nikki?" Space Kid looked up from his coloring book, also Space themed, but gave a confused smile at the trio.

"Who's that? Oh my god.. Are you a new camper?!" Space Kid bounced up, jumping in excitement over the prospect of someone new.

Miah smiled, or, well, smirked. Poor Space Kid. "What do you mean Space Kid? I've always been going to Camp Campbell. Don't you remember me from last year?"

Space Kid tilted his head, confused, but then starts to ponder. "You do look familiar.." Space Kid pouted, but then asks the damning question.

"Wasn't your name Max though? You helped me with getting to Space!" He said, truly just asking. Miah gives him this one, only because she did almost kill the kid last summer.

"Yeah, but my names Miah now." She said, with Nikki jumping in and hugging her arm. "Yeah! And you better respect her!" 

Space Kid smiled and nodded, saluting to the three in solidarity. "I swear on my life, Miah! I'm too scared of you to not to!" 

With that, Miah let a more realer smile paint her face before turning back to her partners in crime. "Alright, that's one. We got 2 counselors and 6 more campers to go."

Time to hide back in the bathroom, their plan wouldn't be as funny until they get to Camp.

A few more hours past, with QM dragging the three of them to the bus and throwing them to the back as everyone else piled on.

It's hard to see her skirt from this angle, but it didn't take long for Harrison to try and strike up a conversation. Immediately trying to annoy Neil, Harrison flips around from his seat to stare back the two, just to a double take.

"Oookaayy? We're doing this now? People really do change over the year.." Harrison mumbled that last part to himself, but still seemed ever curious. Miah rolled her eyes, something she seems to be doing a lot today, but it was the name of the game.

"You don't remember the girl you nearly killed with the damn never-ending handkerchiefs? That's fucked up Harrison." Miah said, scowling at the other while Neil catches on.

"Harrison, you're sick. I can't believe you would do that to Miah." Neil sniffed, throwing up his hand to shoo Harrison away. 

"I apologized! But, I got bigger issues! What's with the skirt and name change?"

Miah smirked 'gottem', "What do you mean? I wore this last summer, and my name has always been Miah."

Harrison looked really confused now, scratching the under part of his hair where the hat was. "But, weren't you literally a boy last summer?"

Miah gasped, hand to her heart as Neil mimed covering her ears. "Just because her hair was shorter back then doesn't mean you can say that! That's fucking rude Harrison!" 

Neil wailed on the boy, with Harrison eventually giving up on the topic but asking Miah if she wanted to see a new trick he was working on anyways. 

"So long as my organs aren't rearranged again, I'm cool with seeing a bunny pop out of your little hat."

Miah and Neil fist bumped, thus truly starting the journey of gaslighting the whole camp before Lunch.

Much of the other campers really didn't need that much convincing, some campers like Dolph and Ered bulldozing past it and calling Miah 'she' on the first try.

Nerris shyed away at first, before sitting next to Nikki and angled their handbag on the alley side, revealing a wonderful Trans and Nonbinary pin secured tightly on the front.

Miah did feel a bit comforted by that, and a little envious of Nerris' supportive family, but most of the negative energy dispelled once they also ganged up on Harrison for 'not remembering Miah's name.'

Nurf and Preston were the ones really trying to get the others to fumble up, but Miah didn't plan this just to be out-witted by a ginger kid and a kid in a ruff.

"I casted you as the wizard in my play! And you shared a tent with Neil all last summer!"

"I don't know what your point is, Nerris and Harrison also shared a tent. A wizard is a gender neutral role, and no way in hell was I playing fucking Juliet."

Preston pulled at his face, "You would've been a perfect Juliet! Had you been a girl last summer!"

Miah felt a little warm at the compliment, but brushed it off as Preston readied up again. 

"I was a girl last summer, and even if I was a boy, anyone with a braincell would've known that it would end horridly for you if I got cast as Juliet."

Nikki gave her a crisp high five, even doing the sizzling sound for dramatic effect.

"Then I'll figure out what to cast you as next! I did plan on asking David for the rights to Heathers.." Preston turned away from the group, forgetting the conversation as he thought back to the theater and film equipment to post it on YT.

Nurf, simply getting bored of calling Miah different slurs, sat back to his seat to pick at his teeth with his knife. But, called her a 'bitch' before he left, so she counts that as a win.

Now was the fun part, getting to see David and Gwen reactions.

Steeping off the bus at Sleepy Peaks, everyone filed out, leaving Miah with the familiar ball of anxiety pooling in her stomach. A tightness, constantly moving and squirming around in her organs.

Even though she knows how usually liberal the two are, it could always go south if the Counselors won't allow her to be 'her' during summer.

She's Miah, the cynical rebel who has flipped this camp inside and out for her own amusement, even if two shithead adults can't accept her, she'll just make their lives hell until they do.

Steeling her resolve, she steps off the bus with Nikki and Neil in tow.

David and Gwen are there to meet them as always, scanned in the kids one by one before landing their eyes on the trio. Gwen's deadpan eyes stay the same, only having her eyebrows raising in acknowledgment while David's face jumps from shock, confusion, to regular acceptance before jumping in with the introductions.

"Welcome back Campers! I hope school's been treating you well!"

Crickets, but David was used to the silence so he continued on.

"Even though we all know each other, I think it'd be a good thing to do an activity circle right after you guys finish setting up! Remember, pick you're tent-mates well since you'll be sharing space with them all summer!"

Max grabs Neil's sweater and dragged him to their previous tent, with Nikki already bouncing up and down to bunk with Ered again.

Gwen kept looking over at them, curiosity still sneaking their way onto her features as she tried to group up the rest of the campers. 

"Pack everything up now, your wasting daylight people!" She yelled out, and Miah was already three steps away from the tent before David grabbed her shoulder.

"Hey.. You do know this is summer camp right?" David asked, and Miah bristled.

Of all people, she thought David—

"Your skirt is so pretty, but since we run around all day it might just be better for leggings and jeans. I would hate for it to get damaged Max.."

She pauses at that, still feeling the effects of living with her parents again ripple through her. Miah shrugs off David's hand, and places a firm glare into her counselor's eyes.

"I wanna wear the skirt, I have more anyways."

"If that's what you wanna do!" David said, not at all fazed by Miah's tone. The redhaired man turns around, and begins to walk away.

"HEY!" Miah shouted, causing Neil to flinch from beside her.

David turns back around, and Miah flips him off. 

"It's Miah asshole. You spent the whole last summer getting to know me and you forgot?"

David's eyes widen, but breaks out into a smile. Miah feels the urge to both kill David and bask in the warmth of it all.

"Of course, Miah."