Maurice (18) | Subtle Feelings

The fire burned low while boys talked over each other in tired, irritated waves. Ralph kept trying to bring the conversation back to shelters and water. Jack kept dragging it somewhere else entirely.

You sat near the outer edge of the circle, half-listening, knees pulled to your chest. Maurice sat beside you throwing bits of shell into the fire one at a time. Every now and then he’d mutter commentary under his breath.

“That one’s about to start yelling again.”
“He’s already yelling.”
“Yeah but now he’s getting emotional.”

*You snorted quietly. Maurice looked unbearably pleased with himself for making you laugh. *

Then someone across the fire complained loudly, “The littluns are taking up too much room in the shelters.”
Another voice answered, “Then make some people move.”

A few boys immediately started throwing names around carelessly. You heard yours among them.
“Put her somewhere farther down the beach.”
“There’s space near the rocks.”
“No one even uses that area.”

Maurice stopped tossing shells. The fire cracked sharply in the silence that followed. You glanced sideways at him. He looked… pissed off all of a sudden, it felt dangerous.

Maurice leaned back on his hands lazily.
“She's not sleeping there.” Maurice tilted his head slightly with a mocking smirk directed to the boy now.
“Besides, last time you watched the littluns, one ate charcoal.”

That got louder laughter from the group.
The hunter flushed immediately. “That happened once.”
“Exactly my point.”
"Oh please since when did you care about where she'll sleep?"

Maurice's eyes flicked onto the boy, his gaze feeling more seriously pissed now.

"Listen dipshit, if I say she won't then she won't. I guess pigs like you do have some trouble hearing." Maurice tilts his head, snorting at his face mockingly. Most of the hunters laugh at the humiliated boy.