the fun boys [benny]

The wizard poked his head around the corner of the building, glancing both ways as he threw a speculative look at Benny, asking his question silently as if there were anyone around to hear. It wasn't everyday at camp where they tried to raid the mess hall, but tonight they were going to attempt it. If for no other reason than they were slightly hungry and Benny had dared him to do it.

JR had a hard time backing down from a dare. Plus how hard could it be to sneak into the mess hall?

They had been messing around in their cabin, JR shining his flashlight in Benny's face before the other wizard had tackled him soon turned into both of them commenting how good the dinner was tonight and appreciation of the apple cobbler dessert which then of course turned to the twelve year old boys mentioning they wished they had snacks. The whole 'no food in cabins' made sense because they were in the woods and the counselors didn't want to attract animals and bugs in the cabins, but still, JR was feeling the munchies. Benny's idea to sneak in to the mess hall was met with skeptic scoffing at first, but it had soon turned into a real adventure after Benny had dared him. JR had his shoes and all black clothing on (like a real ninja of course) in the next moments and they had peeked over the ledge of their cabin window to survey if there were any counselors doing their rounds.

Once the coast was clear, JR opened the door, grimacing when the screen door squeaked as he squeezed through, shutting it slowly and carefully so as to not make any more noise than was necessary. Then they were both flying across the grass before JR flatted himself against the back of one of the art center buildings, slinking down its length and trying to keep to the shadows like he imagined a top hit wizard would. His white teeth flashed in the dark as he glanced at Benny as he eyed the door to the mess hall. "Think it's locked?" he asked, his voice the barest of whispers.

@Benny Rivera

"I promise we can get away with it!" Benny whisper yelled at JR from his bunk as they plotted sneaking into the mess hall. He was channeling his very best Tomie, trying to be bold and daring like she was, maybe low key trying to impress JR a little too. Benny was adventurous, but he was also a bit apprehensive about things, it was almost always Tomie who had the big ideas between them. Tonight he was feeling up to a challenge though, tonight he felt untouchable. Maybe it was the freedom camp had been providing them, or the fact that he was starting to really feel comfortable in their little group. He belonged, he had a place, it was a good feeling, and the twelve-year-old loved it.

After they'd talked about it, tackled each other, and then finally finished donning their ninja gear, Benny followed JR quietly (ish) out of the cabin. He let the door slam once, it bounced once before he caught it and then slowly finished closing the screen door. They were off to a good start. Benny had to hold his mouth to keep from laughing when he saw JR bolt across the lawns and quickly joined him. Benny stopped just short of the art building, slinking against the wall as his friend was, and whispered back.

"I hope so..." he replied, realizing he didn't have his wand, it had only been one term but after his first year of Hogwarts Benny was already feeling unprepared not having his wand or being able to do magic during the summer. "Looks like there is a window open though," he said as he pointed to the window he assumed was part of the kitchens since it was about ten feet back from the door they went into for meals. Benny nodded, and then whispered, "On three we head for the window, one... two..."

"three."

JR glanced at his friend, considering his expression to make sure he wasn't joking, before nodding and taking him at his word. He wasn't exactly trying to get caught, but sneaking into the mess hall and stealing some snacks did seem pretty fun. And impressive. He wondered what Tomie would think tomorrow about it once he and Benny told her all about it.

"A window?" JR repeated as he looked where Benny pointed and then whipped his head back around. "You can't be serious, you think we're going to be able to climb through th--" he stopped as Benny got to three and he felt his sneakers slip on the grass as he followed his friend to the window. He was quick and agile, just like he was on the broom and darting across the lawn felt freeing and fun with an edge of naughtiness given the fact that they were supposed to be in their cabin with lights out soon.

"Here, I'll give you a boost," he said as the laced his fingers together and motioned for Benny to come closer with a nod of his head toward the window. It was open, sure, but they weren't exactly the tallest yet and he figured it would be easier to get in if Benny put his foot in his hands and he helped lift him through the window. "Hurry!" he urged with a furtive glance over his shoulder.

Benny knew this was technically against camp rules, they were supposed to be safe and sound in their cabins. They were supposed to go to sleep soon. And they certainly weren't supposed to be getting snacks after hours from the mess hall. But also he felt like it was a victimless crime, they were just hungry, they were growing boys and they needed sustenance! Benny felt invigorated by the idea of breaking rules, something that wasn't always true for him. He loved doing new things, pushing his own limits, and especially dares, but he usually didn't advocate for blatantly breaking the rules. Maybe this American summer camp was changing him more than he realized. Maybe he was just growing into himself.

"Yeah," Benny whispered back when JR started debating him on the window. It would take some doing, but it would be worth it in the end. On three he mad dashed the rest of the way to the mess hall and when he got to the wall beneath the window he realized exactly how tall it actually was. From across the way, it didn't seem this high but when the preteen got there and looked up he swallowed. Whoops.

But then JR had a plan and Benny was right there with him from the moment he cupped his hands together. Made sense for JR to be the muscle, and Benny to climb through the window. They were both small, but Benny was far less muscular than his athletic Slytherin friend. "Okay," he said as he placed a steadying hand on JR's shoulder and stood tall to boost himself to the window ledge. One hand on the ledge he held on tight, second hand on the ledge he used all of the strength he had to lift himself up. Benny managed to wiggle one leg over the window sill until he was sitting on it and held his hand out for JR.

"Okay, I'll pull you up!" He whispered shouted from his little perch and tried to figure out how this would work exactly in the moments he had before JR started climbing. JR could hold on to him and try to walk up the wall. Or if it came down to it Benny could always pretty much fall into the kitchens, still hanging on to JR, and use his whole body weight to hoist up the other boy.

Either way, snacks were in sight now.

JR huffed a hard breath out his mouth as Benny put his foot into his hands and he tried to lift his friend up, using all the strength in his arms, as he tried to steady himself with his legs planted wide at the same time. He definitely need to get on the Tomie plan of push ups everyday because Benny didn't even weigh that much and JR was struggling. He tried not to say anything given the fact that this spy mission was going to go best if no camp counselors heard them, but he couldn't help the labored breaths as he tried to push his friend up and through the window.

He took a deep breath as Benny straddled the window, looking up at him before glancing over his shoulder again and then giving in. He tried to reach up and grab Benny's hand, but the window was higher than he thought. He jumped and tried to grab Benny's hand and he caught on but he slipped down. JR tried again, managing to hold on to Benny's hand but his sneakers just slid against the wall of the mess hall and he didn't make it very far up the wall before he fell back down. "This isn't working," he hissed in a whisper before he glanced around the side of the building. "I'll go see if the windows at the other end are open," he said as he pointed and started side shuffling, motioning to Benny before darting down the side of the building. The mess hall was on a slope and the windows on the side closer to the lake were closer to the ground. JR hoped one of them would be open or at least unlocked.

He ran past the mess hall door before double backing a second later and approaching sneakily. They had assumed the door was locked but.. what if.. JR reached out for the handle slowly, tentatively, as if it would burn him it he touched it. He pulled on it softly and the door opened without an issue. He walked through, slowly closing the door behind him so it wouldn't slam and leveled a gaze at Benny and held his arms up, huffing silently, before pointing at the door. "It was open the whole time!" he whispered exasperated, but a smile was soon tugging at the corners of his lips. He rolled his eyes and then nodded to the back kitchen area. "C'mon, let's get our stash."

Benny tried to hold on to JR's hand but it kept slipping, and even when he did manage to keep the grip he was like two seconds away from losing his balance and falling back out of the window. He was motivated, dedicated to these snacks, and he wasn't going to give up. He steadied himself, one hand holding onto the railing of the window as JR tried again, but then spoke. It wasn't working, Benny knew this, but like he really wanted those snacks, so he carried on. "Okay, so, now what..." He whispered, talking over JR even as he was bringing up his counter plan. Luckily Benny was skilled at accidentally talking at the same time as JR, the two boys were always doing it, so he heard what he was saying even as he spoke.

"Okay, meetcha there." He added before looking into the kitchen and hoping he could somehow make it in the rest of the window and to the floor without breaking anything or making noise. They still had quite a ways to go before they would be successful. He watched JR head off toward the lake end of the mess hall and he turned back toward his next challenge. He took a breath, held it, and then slid his other leg inside and lept to the ground. He nearly fell, knocked a spatula on to the floor and it clanked loudly, and then he exhaled. Looking around he prayed no one heard him, hoped they wouldn't be caught, and then wiped a beat of sweat off of his forehead and onto the sleeve of his jumper.

Moving out of the kitchen at nearly the same time JR emerged through the front door Benny gave him a look, frowning as he threw his hands up on either side, mimicking JR's gesture and then shook his head. It was unlocked the whole time, seriously? It was frustrating, but also funny, but Benny couldn't laugh out loud. He held his hand over his mouth as motioned for JR to join him in the kitchens. The ice cream machine was turned off, and the little stations where they got food from during the day were clean and empty, but he'd seen a refrigerator in the kitchens and he knew there would be snacks. "This way" He whispered shouted across the room before he reached up and turned on the light to the kitchen, not realizing he was going to get them caught!

JR widened his eyes as Benny's laugh echoed around the room, but he couldn't help the smile that graced his features. He followed his friend back into the kitchen and all of the stainless steel appliances hummed quietly in their dormant states. The lights were off, casting shadows everywhere, and it almost seemed.. spooky. He craned his neck, thinking he saw something in the corner and stilling to make sure it had just been a shadow or something, before he turned to watch Benny reach for the light. "Benny, no!" he hissed, stretching out an arm and pushing his arm away from the light switch.

"Stealthy spies, remember?" he reminded his friend quietly, his heart pounding in his ears. Turning the light on wasn't as obnoxious and attention-grabbing as setting off the fire alarm would have been, but that's what it felt like.

He put his hands on Benny's shoulders from behind and half pushed him half steered him into the next room that he had been headed toward. "Where'd you say the snacks were?" he asked, glancing around. There wasn't exactly a sign that said "Snacks" across it that pointed them in the right direction after all.

Benny's head fell back, about to laugh, as JR pushed his hand away, but then he covered his mouth and laughed into it instead. His eyes were tiny from the smile that reached them, and then he nodded. Whispering in response he repeated the mantra, "Stealthy Spies", and then spun around as his Slytherin friend guided them. Hmm, where were those snacks? Benny tried to remember what he had seen earlier in the day when the lunch lady was packing up the granola bars that weren't eaten before clean up.

"This way," he said, whispering still because he was still paying attention. He padded his way slowly through the dark, the glow from the moonlight and the lamp outside barely lighting his way. He navigated around a prep counter and to a door that was colder than the rest of the room.

He turned around abruptly, poking JR to look, and then pointed at the steel door. "In there, they keep them in there." And the Benny bounced a little. "We need a basket or something." He declared, because he was planning to bring a lot of snacks back to their cabin. They needed energy for the rest of the things they had planned tonight.

He peered over Benny's shoulder, his legs a little wider so he didn't run into Benny's feet as his hands were still on his friend's shoulders. It was dark in the kitchen so he really was starting to feel like a spy. A stealthy spy, he remembered with a shake of his head,  trying to make his steps even quieter although his smile was bright in the dark. He just really didn't want to get caught. He didn't think this was on the same level as punching Maverick in the face like Tomie had done, but he certainly wasn't looking forward to being reprimanded. He glanced at Benny and hoped he was just as dedicated to not getting caught as he was.

JR felt Benny poking him and followed to where he was pointing. "A basket? Why?" he asked quietly even as he started glancing around for one. Benny was always coming up with good ideas so he didn't even question them much anymore. Or well, he did, even while he was already doing what he suggested just like now. He perused the shelves and didn't have much luck finding a basket or some empty container.

But then he turned on his heel and pulled on the hem of his shirt, holding it out so that it formed a little area to hold things in. He looked at Benny with a smile and a one-shoulder shrug. "Will this work?" he asked with a quiet laugh.

Benny moved through the kitchen in the dark, he was surprisingly stealthy, quiet on his heels and didn't knock anything over, but his search for a basket came up fruitless. How were there no containers or baggies or anything for them to use? The kitchen was rather organized, but he still couldn't find what he was looking for. About to shrug and give up on the idea he spun around to see what JR was doing and smiled in the dark.

"Good idea," he whispered before turning back around and pulling on the big metal door handle that led to the walk-in refrigerator. He'd never seen one so big but it wasn't unlike the magical icebox they had back at the apartment. It was just bigger. "Come on!" Benny whisper shouted as he waved toward the shelves and started looking for things they would be interested in.

"Beans, corn, gravy, no no no..." He slid down the little corridor toward some more cans and containers. "Cookies, pudding, chocolate chips, gummy bears... jackpot!" This time he shouted for real before immediately shushing himself and starting to dump the candies into JR's makeshift basket. "I think these are the sundae toppings!" Returning his voice to a whisper the little wizard beamed, "Any requests?"

He grinned wider as Benny agreed to his idea and he gave one last glance to the doorway that led out of the kitchen, checking to make sure they weren't in danger of being caught before he shuffled in behind Benny, glancing up and down at the shelves. Wow, there were more things in here than he thought. And it was cold! He shivered and held his makeshift 'basket' a little lower so more of his stomach was covered for the time being.

Benny listed a lot of things and JR just grimaced. Beans and corn? Ugh, no thank you. That was not tonight's mission. But it wasn't long before they found what they were looking for and JR hiked up the hem of his shirt, gripping it tightly as his friend started dumping things into his shirt. "Grab some more gummy bears," he whispered as he pointed with his elbow, both of his hands busy trying to make sure the 'basket' didn't fall.

He glanced down at his shirt and shook his head. "You might need your own basket to get the ice cream," he mentioned, before grinning. At least he had gotten the stuff that wasn't frozen because he couldn't imagine it would be very comfortable to carry the ice cream pints. He had lucked out with this one.

Benny followed JR's instruction and dumped another two bags of gummy worms into his shirt basket, and then followed it up with gummy bears, gummy bats, gummy cauldrons, and finally Quidditch fruit snacks, just in case they didn't have enough. He moved down the row again, motioning for JR to follow, and found the sprinkles. Adding two containers of multicolored sprinkles and then a jar of caramel sauce he took inventory of how much space they had used in JR's shirt. Squinting in the dark he moved a little closer, "Too heavy?" He asked because he'd rather leave things behind than lose the entire haul on the run back to their cabin.

"Ice cream, right," Benny said with another smile as he bounced and turned about looking for where they kept the pints. There was another little door, attached to a smaller box, and the window was frosty, Benny assumed he had hit pay dirt as he dashed for it. He opened the door and found the ice cream, using his forearm in a sweeping motion and the other to hold up his shirt he caught three out of four pints that fell off of the rack. The fourth landed on the floor, the lid coming loose a little, but not completely off. It clunked, but it was okay, he looked behind JR at the door, pausing for a moment, and then bent down to grab the last pint.

It was an awkward movement, it took longer than it should have, but eventually, he was standing with the buckets of ice cream in his shirt. He could feel the cold sticking to the fabric against his skin and it was so! cold! but so! worth it! "Oh, chips!" He said as he saw them and headed for the shelf across from the little freezer. He gripped his shirt tightly, realizing it was more difficult to do both, and grabbed a big bag to balance on top of the ice cream. He wanted more because now he was practically starving, but he knew they were close to full. "Good?" Out of breath but smiling he turned to ask JR, both hands hanging on to his shirt hem again.

"Ooff!" he whispered as Benny dropped a container or two of something heavy into his shirt basket. "What is that? Are we going to be able to eat all of this?" JR asked before snickering. "Yeah, heavy, too heavy. Put that back," he was saying in the next second. Then he squinted in the darkness at the label and nodded. "I don't like caramel anyway," he told him with a shrug.

JR followed Benny to the smaller container and watched with amusement as he wrestled the ice cream into his own shirt basket. "Get me a chocolate, yeah that one," he said as he peered in over Benny's shoulder, pointing unhelpfully with his elbow at the flavor he wanted. He kept stealing glances at the door, dreading and hoping the moment never came where he would see a counselor lurking in the doorway, but so far, so good. They were halfway there anyway. They had gotten the stash, now they just needed to get back to their cabin.

"Chips?" he asked and then glanced down at his haul. "With ice cream?" He wouldn't be partaking in that, but if that's what Benny wanted, he would help. Or at least try. He wasn't exactly sure how he could help given the fact he couldn't let go of his shirt for fear everything would go crashing to the floor. Now all he had to do was just hope that his tshirt didn't spontaneously rip down the middle. "Good," he agreed immediately and snuck back toward the door, glancing both ways like the stealthy spy he was before sliding out of the magical walk in ice box and down the length of the mess hall toward the door that had been unlocked. No way they were getting out the window with this haul.

Removing the jar of caramel sauce Benny shrugged his shoulders, he should have known it would be too heavy, but then he pulled a face at JR. "Who doesn't like caramel?" He judged quietly, moving along, and finishing getting the ice cream and the crisps as quietly as he could. They were stealthy but eventually, someone would walk too close on their rounds and here them. It was a good thing they hadn't brought flashlights or anything that would just give them away.

"Yeah, it's good, but also, for later," Benny told him in response to the chip inquiry and shrugged his shoulder. He was planning on having more than one snack tonight. He was a growing boy, he needed the calories. Shuffling out of the walk-in behind JR Benny pushed the door shut with his bum and heard the handle latch back into place. He followed him out of the door of the mess hall and looked around quickly from the stoop. "Coast clear?" He asked, giving it one more look and squinting into the darkness again.

"Go go!"

JR nodded at Benny's question, his eyes scanning the camp grounds in between the mess hall and their little clump of cabins. "Yeah, I think we're good," he whispered before he flashed a smile at Benny's urging and starting running. He hadn't realized just how full his shirt basket was though because the second he started running, something bounced out and JR whipped his head around to see what had fallen, doubling back and bending over to retrieve it, just as something else dropped out.

"Benny!" he hissed for help, calling back his friend, annoyed that they hadn't thought to brought their backpacks or their pillow cases or something that would have been a better carrying solution that his little shirt. Then he saw the beam of a flashlight rounding the corner and he knew what that meant. "Counselors!" he warned Benny before he stood up and started running again, leaving behind whatever had dropped. It was time to get out of there before they were caught red-handed!