The Little *Smol Ghostie: Part 3

SUMMARY:

*Smol Ghostie Lixie is back and his boyfriends Chan and Hyunjin now run a camp for ghostie children. Turns out Lixie's not dead after all, but he is in love and he's still his gremlin baby self. ;)

31 Days Of Halloween (Stray Kids): October 2023

Story Twenty:

The Little *Smol Ghostie: Part 3

Felix patted the bag full of fall leaves and smiled. It was genuine where the one on the bag was cheesy. Just a cute little decoration for the ghost kids who would be coming to the camp for two weeks. A pumpkin of leaves instead of a carved one- they had those two though.
A lot of things had changed in twenty years.
"Has anyone seen my keys," Chanbing demanded. "I know one of you took them."
He sighed and looked up into the tree beside him. Hyunjin, beautiful as ever (that's right - he'd joined his and Chan's relationship) - and grinning like a loon. No doubt had the keys in his pocket. He'd give them back, but only because he'd promised to stop stealing from co-workers and friends. Didn't mean he wouldn't make him suffer for a few hours though.
"I saw Hyunjin an hour ago," Changbin said. "I'd give my left hat it was him. I knew I should've changed the keychain to brass or wood."
Felix shook his head. He refused to get involved. A breeze blew and he shivered.
Turns out that he wasn't a ghost that had been the spirit of a deceased body, but a Spectorial, or a living species. He'd been playing in his believed mushroom forest when he'd suddenly become big and solid. His body weight had smashed them all and he'd been crying when Hyunjin had found him. Chan had done lots of research and discovered there were more people like him. Including kids. Which is why they now had a camp.
Spectorial kids would camp for two weeks, from the end of Autumn and they'd have a celebration on the first day of winter.
They came there to learn about magic and their abilities.

Felix greeted Chan at the parking lot, which was just a grassy field with large rocks to mark where vehicles could spark. He blushed at the kiss he gave him. Even after all this time it still happened.
"That never gets old," Chan said.
"Shut up." He hit his chest.
Chan grabbed his hand and locked their fingers together. "It's cute though. I love seeing your skin react to what I say to you... and what I do to you."
He could probably feel his heart beating quickly as they brought them flush together at the chest, and Felix wanted to combust. "Stop it," he screeched. "We're in public." He smacked him a few times, only getting a laugh in response, and more kisses.
On the way to the cabin, Chan said "Have you seen Hyunjin?"
I have those refills for his and Innie's stoves. They had better versions of the one they'd used all those years ago to go Boondocking.
"He said he was going to set up camp- his camp, not camping with kids camp- and he and Innie would be camping out there for two weeks."
Chan laughed. "For him to have adopted Innie is still raising him, he sure avoids being around kids as much as possible."
Felix yawned.
"Do you need a nap?" He rubbed his back.
"I do. And Hyunjin doesn't dislike children. It's different having one of your own than having ten stranger children. Not to mention their cabin is right next to his. He'd rather sleep on the ground than have uninterrupted sleep."
"But he's part ferret. He sleeps like the dead. Sometimes I can't even wake him up. Not even with magic or smelling salts."
"Yeah, but Spectorial children give off a weird energy that makes his system go into fight or flight mode. Apparently, I used to have the same kind of energy. At least when I was upset."
Chan unlocked their door. "How do I now know that?"
Felix shrugged. "He just recently told me. Maybe it's not a big deal to him. Some stuff he just keeps to himself unless it's important for other people to know. Maybe he didn't want to offend people. Maybe it's affecting Jeongin more? I don't know. He's a fox shifter?"
They went inside and shut the door.
"So he's really going to camp away for two whole weeks?"
Felix hugged him grinning at his cuteness. "He's not going to literally be gone the whole two weeks. His camp's only like a mile away. On the other side of the lake. He'll be here for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, and cuddle times. Plus, Jeongin likes that Seungmin kids, so he'll not stay away too much either. Mostly just to sleep."
"Don't judge me. Oh?"
He laughed. "Yeah. Oh?"

Spectorial kids arrived in different ways. Some were on the bus with Minho as the driver, some in vehicles with their parents, and one by a witch's broom with her mother.
Even after five years, Felix still found it strange to see kids like him who were already solid. Why had it taken so long for him to figure it out? He'd missed out on meals, being in public, !
"Focus, Lixie," Hyunjin said. He held him close by his waist as Chan marked another camper Present.
"I'm focused." He blinked at the kiss he left on his cheek. That was another thing he should be used to. Hyunjin had been their third for as long as the camp had been started, five years, but it still sometimes surprised him when he thought about it.
"You looked as far away as the sea. Your kids are teenagers this year. A whole thirteen. Are you ready for that?"
He groaned. "Why'd you have to remind me?"
"This is very important information. Innie's also thirteen and he hilariously doesn't think he needs me anymore."
They giggled at what their lives had become.

They'd gone to Hyujin's camp, leaving the kids in Changin and Minho's capable hands.
"Well, that was a successful first night," Chan said. "Everyone got here in one piece and no animals managed to sneak into their cabin."
Felix shivered. "The sound of screaming Spectorial kids."
Hyunjin laughed that dorky laugh of his. "Like you don't have the same scream."
"I never said I didn't," he said haughtily. "But I'm also from Australia and I'm used to bugs and animals as big as my head."
He rolled his eyes. "I'm part animal. They're not scary. I'll eat them for Breakfast."
"And Lunch and Dinner."
They high-fived.
Chan said, "Ya know, for two Littles, you're both awfully awful?"
"Thank you," they said.
He sighed. "I would ask if you're sure you're not related, but that would make us... one big ball of weird that I'll never understand."
"Ew," they said.
"Why would you-" Hyunjin said.
"I cannot believe-" Felix said.
"I know," Chan amended. "I made it weird. I've been spending too much time with Minho and Changbin."
"Yeah. Speaking of that," Hyunjin said.
Felix said, "Are you sure Minho's not our fourth?"
Chan sputtered. "What? Why would you say that?"
"Because your eyes speak louder than words and your wandering hands."
Hyunjin nodded. "I mean I wouldn't complain. The more the merrier."
"Or gayer," Felix said and giggled.
Chan hesitated.
"If you don't ask him out I will."
Hyujin nodded. "I'll help. You buy the flowers and I cook?"
"How about the other way around? Last time I bought yellow roses. Those symbolize friendship... or funerals. Ugh. No wonder I'm a Spectorial. I'm drawn to things that literally symbolize death."
Hyunjin laughed that dorky laugh again.
"Find, I'll ask him out," Chan relented.
They giggled and kiss attacked him.