André doesn’t like camping. He’s never done it before, but some things you don’t need to try to know it would be a tremendous experience. Camping is one of these things, in his opinion. Together with eating snails, it looks absolutely disgusting, and singing in public, it looks truly horrifying. André acknowledges that there is a miniscule chance that he would like these things if he did end up trying them, but that doesn’t matter. He has the right to either rationally or irrationally decide that some things are not for him. Without giving it a second thought. Not just anything is going to make him try these things.

But delighting Noah will, apparently. The two of them came to a campsite near Noah’s favorite lake. Not even two hours away from André’s apartment. Noah was really excited. You see, Noah, for some reason, finds camping fun. André knows the reason. He and his mom used to camp and hike a lot when he was little. It’s nostalgia for him. Plus he’s used to it. André isn’t. He really isn’t.

While he hammers a herring into the grassy ground, André wonders how he got himself into this mess. Yes it makes Noah happy, but beds. Noah can be very convincing. He romantically spoke of cuddling near a smoldering campfire, roasting marshmallows, napping in the sun all day, and conveniently left out the parts about sleeping on a small mat on the ground, no decent bathrooms nearby, and the overload of bugs. André hates the bugs most of all. They are crawly and creepy and sting way too often without a good enough reason. Luckily he came prepared. After helping Noah put the tent up, André grabs a foldable table and a small arsenal of anti-insect materials from the trunk of the car.

“You brought so much shit.” Noah laughs at André as he sits down in the grass. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Oh these bugs got nothing on me. I’d like to see them try to get close. It’s not gonna end well for them.” André holds up an electric flyswatter and does his best to look threatening.

“Okay, Dré.” Noah casually says. ‘Omg I did it, I did it’, he thinks gleefully. André lights up. He prefers Dré. He just hadn’t told Noah yet. “I’m glad you wanted to come with me”, Noah continues. “I know you’re more of a city mouse.” He gets up, embraces André, and gives him a kiss. ‘Worth it’, André thinks.

“I can give up some luxuries for a couple of days”, he says proudly. “And I actually don’t mind being in nature so much. I honestly really like it. Besides the bugs. They can go fuck off.” He lets Noah go and starts putting some anti-bug spray on his exposed skin. ”Do you want some?”

“No thanks. I don’t like it. It feels and smells kinda weird. I usually give myself over to the mosquitoes the second I step out of the car.”

“You daredevil.”

“I know right.” Noah throws their sleeping bags and luggage into the tent. “Let’s go to the lake”, he proposes. “We’ll finish unpacking later.”

“Sure, I wanna put my feet in the water.” André locks his car and they make their way towards the lake.

“I guess I’ve never really thought of you as a nature type guy”, Noah says. “What do you like about it?”

“The calm and quiet mostly. And the lovely smell of absent urine. The smell of not being in a city.”

“God yes. I wish they’d sell that as an air freshener. No-urine fragrance.”

”That’d be nice.”

“Would you ever want to live outside of the city?” Noah asks.

“Maybe. I have thought about it before. It’s not very convenient right now at least, because of college and stuff. But maybe someday.”

“Interesting.”

“You wouldn’t?”

“Haha, nooo! I like the city way too much. I mean I really enjoy coming here, but only as a vacation type deal. When I know I can go home after the weekend is over.”

“I wouldn’t mind living in a smaller town, but I’d prefer to live in a house. Not a tent.”

“Whaaaat?! Nooo?!” They arrive at the lakefront within minutes. Luckily there are barely any other people here. With the exception of a group of teenagers, who don’t seem to notice them. Noah and André take off their shoes and socks, slowly put their feet into the water and look at the serene lake. André puts his hand on Noah’s.

“I’m glad you convinced me to come”, he says. “This is nice.”

“You wait until we eat dinner. I brought so much canned food”, Noah jokes. 

“I’m sure it’ll be great”, André lies while dreading the contents of their food supply. He considers himself a decent cook, but even he can’t turn the canned ravioli with tomato sauce into something amazing on a small camping stove. Noah considers André an amazing cook, however. “I do like the luxury of a kitchen”, André admits.

“You love eating good food, I think.”

“Well yeah, of course who doesn’t?”

“It’s not like I don’t like nice food, but I just don’t really like cooking that much. So the quality of my meals usually aren’t amazing.”

“I think it’s impressive how you some days seem to live on nothing but instant noodles.”

“I know. I have a problem.”

“You and your noodle addiction.”

“I also feel so terrible at the end of a noodlefull day. All weak and stringy and wet. Like my body is slowly turning into a noodle.”

“Eeew, gross!!!” André laughs.

“That’s what you want right? For me to have a noodle-esc figure.”

“I mean, you kinda already look like a noodle.”

“Hey!!!”

“Hahaha, sorry Noah. Sure. I’ll like you even if you turn into a bowl of pasta.”

“Okay. That’s nice.” Noah puts his head on André’s shoulder. “How dare you say I’m a noodle”, he says quietly. 

“Maybe a lake house would be a nice place to live”, André continues. “One with a kitchen and a bathroom. And walls.”

“I’m sure it would be very relaxing, but I think I’d miss people. And easily accessible things to do.”

“Eh, who needs people”, André says sarcastically. Noah doesn’t notice the sarcasm.

“Wouldn’t you miss people?”

“Sure I would. I don’t think I’d want to live alone. Not ever. But not in the city either. I like living with other people way too much. I like talking to someone as soon as I get home. But it would be nice to have a bit more space. To have a garden and stuff.”

“I get that. A garden would be nice. You just don’t get that in New York.”

“Yeah, no way.”

“If I had an extra chill mill that I didn’t need for something else, I think I’d love to have a lakehouse as a vacation home.”

“Haha, an ‘extra chill mill’. What bank are you robbing?”

“That’s a secret. I can’t have you ratting me out.”

“And you’re spending it on your second house. Wouuuw. Where did that first chill mill come from? And can I get in?”

“I was thinking of a surprise inheritance from a rich relative that I didn’t know I had.”

“A flawless plan.”

“Yep nothing wrong with this plan. Eh, no. I’d definitely rather live in the city. I like the anonymity. Can you imagine personally knowing all your neighbors? Dear God.”

“I can imagine indeed. But I grew up in the suburbs. There, people talk to their neighbors sometimes.

“Oh yeah that’s right. I forgot for a second.”

“That’s okay.” 

“I also like how roaring the city is. There’s always something happening somewhere, although that can be overwhelming as well from time to time. I occasionally love to escape that. Then I come here.”

“It’s nice here, Noah.”

“I’m glad you like it.”