Somewhere on the Appalachian Trail, Saturday Afternoon

[hatesparadise]

With the weather finally something something close to reasonable for the fall season, Danny had allowed himself to be hustled off of the island before the crack of dawn to drive damn near across the state for a hike.

Because he was a nice, loving partner.

One who was going to end up committing a murder here if Steve didn't get him some food that wasn't an MRE.

"How long is this hike supposed to be?" he asked for the tenth time in just the last hour.

[for the murder victim to be]

Comments

[grenadesandohana]

"Another five miles and then we turn back," Steve said.

Wasn't this fun, Danny? So fun.

[hatesparadise]

"Another five miles?" Danny repeated in a much higher pitch.

[grenadesandohana]

"Uphill," Steve said, nodding like a man not realizing he was about to be killed. "It's a really nice view of the leaves."

[hatesparadise]

"Are you trying to kill me here?" Danny demanded.

[grenadesandohana]

"Of course not," Steve said. "Exercise won't kill you."

[hatesparadise]

"We've been going all day!" And Danny was delicate about nature. He needed concrete to even it out.

[grenadesandohana]

"Yeah, it's called going on a hike," Steve said. "Get a protein bar, you're getting whiny."

[hatesparadise]

"I'm getting tired!" And whiny, yes.

[grenadesandohana]

"Fine, we'll take five at the top of the next ridge," Steve sighed.

[hatesparadise]

"You're insane," Danny hissed, trudging along after him.

[grenadesandohana]

"You mean 'in shape'," Steve corrected.

[hatesparadise]

"Insane," Danny correct back.

[grenadesandohana]

"Nature lover," Steve said. "And we haven't found a meth lab, a terrorist cell or a fugitive all day."

And no one fallen off a cliff!

[hatesparadise]

"I think it's because we're the only people out here," Danny said. Ignoring how they'd definitely seen people out there, hopeful for some fall foliage.

[grenadesandohana]

"That's a good thing! No one else to scare away deer," Steve said happily.

[hatesparadise]

"Did you plan to sneak up on some deer or something here?" Danny asked.

[grenadesandohana]

"I don't rule out the possibility, but it's a long walk back to the truck with a deer," Steve said.

[hatesparadise]

Danny rolled his eyes. "And you were gonna what? Supplex it?"

[grenadesandohana]

"Maybe," Steve replied.

[hatesparadise]

"No," Danny replied firmly.

[grenadesandohana]

"You never let me have any fun at all," Steve declared, sitting down on a fallen log to let Danny catch his breath.

[hatesparadise]

And Danny flopped down next to him to dig for the water he knew Steve packed. "It's a deer. You'd traumatize kids on the trail."

[grenadesandohana]

"Maybe," Steve agreed.

[hatesparadise]

"Definitely," Danny corrected, offering him the bottle once he'd drunk enough.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve tossed a protein bar at his head. Maturely.