Just Keep Marching~ HomestuckXFem!Reader Ch. 2

On Sunday afternoon you watched as your parents pulled away from the camp in a cloud of dust. You sighed, grabbing the handle to your suitcase and rolling it up the narrow cement pathway to your cabin. The camp was set up so that the girl’s cabin was on the far east side, the practice field expanded through the middle with the mess hall in front of it, and the boy’s cabin was on the far west side. At no time during the night were boys and girls allowed to cross what was called the Mason-Dixon line, which was an imaginary line running through the middle of the field. The few chaperones that had volunteered to stay the week and help out with camp would take shifts staying up and watching the field to make sure no mischievous souls crossed the oh-so-sacred line. A little ways northwest from the boy’s cabin was a fire ring that was used for certain night’s entertainment. Southeast from the girl’s cabin was what was named the “Vesper’s Knoll” which was a clearing that the formal initiation was annually held.  If you followed the trail that twisted and turned to the southwest from the boy’s cabin, it would lead you down into a valley containing the river.

The girl’s cabin was separated into four dormitory style cabins allowing each group to have a room and bathroom to share. The boy’s cabin was set up as two large wings, one side housing the upperclassmen and the other holding the underclassmen, and joined in the center by a large bathroom. The mess hall was a large indoor dining area and a room large enough to house the entire band (packed in tightly) in case of rain.

Pulling back the screen door to your cabin, you looked around inside, seeing the other girls from your class who had shown up already. Luckily there were only about twelve girls from your grade in total, including you, which meant you had ample space to spread out on the sixteen bunk beds allotted.

After you had gotten yourself settled in to your temporary home, you heard the bell outside the mess hall chime. That signified that dinner was ready. Wasting no time, you headed out with the others down to the porch behind the dining hall. Mr. Hussie was standing there with several other trolls and humans. You figured they’d be the summer staff.

“Alright everyone, glad to see you’ve all showed up,” Mr. Hussie began, looking over the crowd that had gathered.

“These lovely people behind me are, as some of you know very well, our summer staff. For those of you who don’t know them, they are as follows:  Dirk, who works with drumline, Jane works with the clarinets and flutes, Jake is an upper brass guy, Roxy works with the pit, Mituna works alongside Roxy and Dirk, Cronus works with drumline, and The Executioner – but you guys can call him Jebidiah- works with low brass.”

Each stepped forward as their names were called. You eyed over each one. ‘They’re all awfully young, with the exception of The Exec.. Jebidah. They’re all college kids, and then an old guy, ’ you pondered.

Mr. Hussie snapped you out of your revere as he started to speak again.

“Sadly Psiionic couldn’t join us this year due to a conflict in his schedule, but he wishes you the best luck in this season and gives you his love,”

A chorus of low, disappointed moans came from the upperclassmen drumline.

Mr. Hussie continued, “Alright everyone, we’ll have a meeting in the mess hall after dinner. It’s time for the yearly explanation of drill for the freshmen! How riveting! Be there or be square!”

With that, the odd band director absconded to who-knows-where.

XXX

After the “riveting” explanation of how to read drill sheets and properly execute drill out on the field, Mr. Hussie had sent everyone to their cabins to rest up in preparation for the week, seeing as tomorrow would be filled with “super happy drill time!”

You slowly walked up the short path to the cabin, stifling a yawn. Some of the other girls had already made it back, and were prancing about the room in their sports bras and booty shorts. Holding back a grimace, you entered.

‘Don’t they realize that everyone can see them through the screen door? They didn’t even bother to shut the actual door.. idiots.’

Choosing to ignore that thought instead of making a scene, you sighed and opened a pack of fruit gummies from your snack bin. Suddenly the screen door opened, revealing a troll girl currently sniffing the air, a smirk plastered to her face. Red glasses were on her face, and you briefly wondered why. She turned to look your way and she grinned.

“I knew I smelled something fruity,” she remarked, making her way to you.

You stared at her, slightly confused and rather surprised that she could smell your gummies from who-knows-where.

“Would you like some?” you softly questioned, grabbing another package and holding it out to the girl.

“Aw, dude, thanks!” she exclaimed, sitting beside you on your bunk. “My name’s Terezi Pyrope. What’s yours?” she inquired, sniffing towards you.

Just as you were about to answer, she leaned in towards you and licked up the side of your face.

“Hmm.. You taste like (favorite fruit). Interesting.”
“Uh.. Okay then. I’m (f/n) (l/n),” you finally spoke up after composing yourself.

Terezi flashed a sharp grin. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m blind. I use other sensory organs to ‘see’, and my other senses are far superior to everyone else’s because of my lack of vision,” she explained.

You nodded quietly, popping a gummy into your mouth.

“So.. can you march?” you inquired, expecting a no.

“Heck yeah I can,” she laughed. “I’m on drumline.”

You briefly wondered how she was able to march and play snare while being blind, but shrugged it off because apparently she had been in the band a year or two already.

Without warning, she got up and started towards the door.

“Thanks for these, ____.  Sleep tight, don’t let the tiny slumber-beasts bite!”

You could almost hear the wink in her voice.

“Goodnight Terezi. You too?”

‘She’s a strange one.. but I like her.. I think,’ you reasoned.

You set your phone’s alarm to go off at 6:10 A.M., turned your desk fan towards you on low, and then turned away from the other girls, falling asleep well before lights’ out.