My aesthetic is showing up every few years out of nowhere...lmao.

Leering eyes are ignored when she sees him step onto the dock, having waited there all day for him when she heard the news that he'd been eliminated. Courtney felt bad for him (losing out on a hundred thousand dollars sucks, doesn't it?) but she was also selfish. She wanted him here so badly, whileHATING everyone else. Well, except for Bridgette and Geoff but they were far too busy sucking face to really spend any time with her. Being independent, while empowering, was also quite lonely. She was also dealing with legal bullshit that she really didn't want to have to deal with, but it was entirely necessary. Wrapping a lamppost around that little redheaded geek wasn't enough to satisfy her lust for revenge, oh no–– Courtney needed real reparations. The sun had recently set and the air was cool by the lake. She told herself that the goosebumps were from the wind and not Duncan.

He looked annoyed only for a fleeting second before looking slightly apprehensive –– had she seen Heather cuddling up to him? Was he a dead man? –– but her smile calmed him. God, he was such a lovesick LOSER over this chick.

Duncan can barely step onto the dock before she's flung herself at him in an embrace, a leg raised behind her as she leans up into him. He's winded when he chuckles, "I missed you too, Princess." Should he kiss her? Or would that be weird? He never actually asked her to be his girlfriend… did she even want to?

Courtney was far too safe in his arms to really concern herself with the opinions of her fellow ex-campers, but also unsure where she and Duncan stood with one another. Did he still feel the same way about her? Did he get bored? "I'm really proud of you. You were a semi-finalist! Ugh, I wish I could've been there with you … it's all––"

"Heather's fault, I know. That witch better get what's coming to her." Duncan scowled, only to become perplexed by the confusion on Courtney's face.

"It wasn't Heather, Duncan. It was Harold." She watches his eyes widen for a moment before they darken quickly. A shadow passes over his face at the realization that he had been messed with. If she hadn't known better, Courtney actually might have been a little frightened by him. "That little DWEEB tampered with the votes. It was all caught on camera."

"Where is that little nerd? He's going to DROWN in the number of swirlies I plan on giving him-" violent, but Courtney was touched that he wanted to defend her honour. She'd seen all of the little shout outs he gave her and they all brought a smile to her face. Eventually Duncan's anger fizzles, small frown turning into a smile when he catches sight of hers. With a sigh he rests a hand on the small of her back, tugging her into a hug. "D'ya wanna go somewhere and … hang out?"

' Hang out? ' God, she turned him into such a fucking loser.

Courtney didn't mind. She giggles and nods at him. Guys didn't normally want to hang out with her, too used to her nagging. They didn't think she was fun. "Sure–– I'd really like that, Duncan. Don't worry about your bags, the hotel staff will take care of them. We could sit by the pool." Her arm links in his naturally, like it was meant to be there. He lets her guide him and he chuckles softly.

"Well alright then. Lead the way, Princess."

Courtney would never admit it but she had missed Duncan calling her that. It was a relatively short walk to the outdoor pool. Now this had been the resort they'd been expecting to live in during the competition–– pristine, with amazing amenities; any teenager's paradise. They sit at the pool edge and catch up, he listens to her rants and adds his two cents every now and then but he mostly just listens because he missed her voice. As hot and funny as it was to have her yell at him, Duncan just liked hearing her and the way she smiles when talking about her passions was beyond beautiful. Who knew girls could be beautiful and not just hot? Their eyes flicker upwards before they glance to the stars. The resort was far enough north that light pollution was non existent, allowing them to see each and every star above. Sometimes Duncan would glance at the stars if he couldn't sleep back at camp and wonder if she was watching them too. Nerdy, he knows. After a comfortable stretch of silence, Duncan finds himself filling it."We should swim," he suggests.

"But we don't have any swimsuits." Courtney points out.

She can make out his mischievous grin in the dark, moonlight gleaming in his eyes. His fingers curl over her shoulder as he leans in to murmur with a wolfish grin. "You say that like it's a bad thing." His voice was a purr that makes the hairs on her arms stand up and the pit in her stomach churns with a nervous excitement. "Why don't we skinny dip?"

Courtney's body shoots up at attention, her back grows straight and rigid with posture that was drilled into her from years of violin. Her eyes wide grow wide while her shoulders tense. He couldn't see her blushing in the dark, could he?

"WHAT?! Ewwww! NO WAY! You can't be serious." Some things never change, it seems. Glaring at the delinquent, Courtney shrugged off the hand he placed on her shoulder with a huff. Every nerve ending was on high alert as she desperately fishes for an excuse. "Besides... people could see us!"

"We're the only ones awake. Besides, there aren't any cameras. It'd be nice." He's already reaching at his neck to remove his dog collar before gently placing it next to him. Courtney needed a push and Duncan knew exactly how to do it. "I mean... not unless you're chicken."

Those were the magic words alright. It brings him back to the camping challenge, where he trolled everyone with his ghost story. Ha! What losers. Despite the convincing performance Courtney liked to put on when it came to pretending she wasn't scared, Duncan could see right through her. It was kind of cute, actually, how obvious she was. This chick couldn't lie if her life depended on it.

Courtney's mind was slurring her emotions. Part of her was offended for Duncan even alluding to the fact that she was a chicken (which she so was NOT, by the way) while the other part of her was mildly worried at how fast things were escalating. She lets out a horrified gasp.

"I am NOT a chicken!"

"Then prove it, hot stuff–– strip."

Courtney is absolutely fuming and INSTANTLY on her feet. She tugs her sweater vest over her head and whips it at a nearby lounge chair. She glares down at Duncan as she furiously starts unbuttoning her white blouse. Her movements start to slow when she notices that Duncan is down to his nothing but his boxers and the blush starts to really settle in once her blouse and capri pants had been discarded. She'd never really… seen a boy naked before. Do biological models from sex-ed count?

God, Courtney- stop staring! It's just anatomy.

"Like what you see?"

UGH, DAMMIT!

"Shut up!"

Duncan just snickers at that, glancing back at her over his bare shoulder as he walks towards the pool. After doing a cannonball he can't help but grin when he hears a loud SCOFF when he splashes her. The grin is instantly traded for a wide eyed glance when he sees her standing before him at the edge of the pool, nude, with her hands on her hips and narrowed eyes. Small water droplets covered her shoulders and stomach, some dripping from the ends of her hair. He doesn't have the opportunity to egg her on anymore because she jumps into the pool soon after. After surfacing, the big dumb gape on Duncan's face is met with stinging chlorine in his eyes when Courtney splashes him. Hearing her laugh was cute, but she wouldn't be getting off the hook that easily.

"Ohhhhh you're in for it now, Princess." His hands are raised menacingly and a playful smirk was on his lips as he started to wade towards her. Her nervousness was gone, replaced with the spark of a lust for competition. A giggle is tossed over her shoulder as she glides through the water, darting to get away.

"You'll have to catch me first, Duncan!"

It's an aquatic game of cat and mouse, fierce splashes and genuine laughter heard from both of them until Courtney feels a hand clamp down on her upper arm. She slides through the water easily and her heart leaps into her throat when she collides with him. They were now face to face, chests flush against one another, wet skin against wet skin. Why was she so breathless? It wasn't even a hard swim. Why did he make her feel like this? His firm fingers tuck a few wet strands of brown hair behind her ear, an earnest smile on his face. "Well… I caught you."

What now?

Now she kisses him, arms wrapping themselves around his neck to pull him down to her height- without the high heeled sandals he was noticeably taller than her, but not by anything astronomical. One of Duncan's hands rest on her sacrum, fingers ever so lightly cupping the slow curve of her rear. They were both famished, deprived of one another's touches for weeks now. He can't help the excitement that brushes along her inner thigh- they were hot to each other's touch despite the chilly water. They shouldn't be doing this. It wasn't the right time. That still doesn't stop them from kissing deeply while her back arches. She intakes a breath sharply when she feels his other hand occupy itself between her legs; that, coupled with the feeling of his tongue ring gliding its way along the roof of her mouth had her jolting.

"D-Duncan…"

Her voice sounds distant to her, like it wasn't her own voice making such a sound. It's unfamiliar, it lacks the shrill bite of her normal voice. It conveyed the raw feelings she felt for him that, the ones that denial and fear kept her from putting into words.

"Shh, shh…" He croons, murmuring into the side of her neck. He liked her… he wanted her to know it. Duncan wasn't blessed with Courtney's eloquence and way with words. "If you moan like that we'll get caught." He was less concerned with that and more concerned with what the noises were doing to him. He didn't want things to escalate in a way that scared her off and as difficult as it was to pull away from her they needed to pace themselves. They couldn't always burn hot and quick. There's mild confusion on Courtney's face when he lets his hand slip away, and he soothes it easily. Hard breathing slowly returns to normal, wet lips a pressing to her forehead in a kiss. "Come on. I'll walk you to bed, it's late."

Courtney can only nod silently, still quite bewildered at the feelings she had for him. She was unfamiliar to physicality in relationships and still so new to the idea of being with a guy like Duncan. She didn't even have to say anything about how fast things were going- he just knew. It isn't long before they've grabbed towels from the deck and collected their clothing. Wet feet slap along the tile as they scamper through the lobby and get in the elevator. He walks Courtney to her room. She fishes her keycard out of her back pocket before tapping it on the door. Once it's unlocked, Courtney hesitates in the doorway. She didn't feel as weird as she thought she would after seeing Duncan naked. She... kind of liked it, actually. Oh lord she was falling hard and fast for him, not that it wasn't obvious before. "Goodnight, Duncan."

Before he can respond with a cool response, one he'd been crafting during the silent walk over to her room, she kisses him again. This time it's slow and sweet and he can feel her smile. His voice instantly grows shaky while his heart flutters, a weak smile on his lips as he rubs the back of his neck when she pulls away. "Y-You too."

Fuck! That wasn't smooth. Courtney giggles at that and waves one last time before shutting the door behind her. Each of them sighed like love sick fools, cherishing the fact that they'd been reunited. Hopefully every night would be like this. No fighting, just… bliss.

Alexex has grown, hasn't she? As you can tell, these two still own my soul. They probably always will. Reviews are always welcome because I crave validation lmao.