Chapter Text
Arin took a long sip of the iced coffee in his hand. It tasted sweet of caramel that made him crack a smile. He was really enjoying his time in Riverbend, despite it being a little...old fashioned. Though he didn't mind some of the architecture, he couldn't help but think of what could be put there instead.
He envisioned a few buildings being renovated into bigger and more stylish structures, and the condo Jon enticed him with that morning. I wonder where it would be , he thought to himself. Probably in the deep of the woods, with a great view of the mountains or near a stream.
He wandered farther down the street, seeing a small sign for a nature hike not far from where he was. A small dirt trail going up a mountain hill, with the sign's slogan saying it was “steady like a drum beat to the top”.
Arin pondered. Maybe? I mean, I'm not dressed for it or anything but, if it's a “steady walk” it can't be TOO bad, right?
----
“And so he said, my chakras weren’t aligned? The fuck does that even mean?” Brian frowned then taking a long chug of water from his travel bottle. The sun was beating down from atop the mountainside, but Brian’s seething hate towards someone telling him his chakras were in dire peril made him heat up more than the sun could ever do.
“Probably a scammer, Brian! They’ll tell you anything to give them a buck or two. I mean, look at that one mermaid-psychic fortune teller we saw at the fair that one time.” Sean replied, leaning against a rock and trying to keep from the sun’s rays.
“No, she had SOURCES.” Brian said.
“Sources of income from idiots. Am I right Dan?” Sean retorted, taking off his cap and using it as a fan. He lightly look around for their third party member. “Hey, where’d Dan go?”
Brian blinked and looked over his shoulder. The long legged hiker was nowhere to be found “I...don’t know…”
“You didn’t see where he went?”
Brian shrugged “He’s probably up ahead, he goes up there faster than we do anyway.”
Sean tapped the bill of his cap “I say we go up there then.”
“He’s fine, you know that.”
“Yeah but there’s no shame in going up to check. Besides, he’s been spotty lately, and I wanna see if he’s doing okay.”
Brian took this into thought, and nodded “Alright, let’s go.”
“And maybe on the way up, it’ll clear your chakras or whatever.”
“Fuck off.”
----
Dan tied his loose hair back into a bun; it had fallen down his shoulders because of how much climbing he did up the mountainside. Despite it being the gentle dirt trail from town, the more experienced climbers had a ball going up the side of the creeks below, and near a long waterfall sitting in tranquil nature like a painting.
He pulled himself up a few stones, slightly slipping and feeling the force of gravity pull him down before he regained himself. Dan let out a relieved sigh and made it near the top, looking over the peak of the forest to see a small glimpse of town down the way. He didn’t want to think of anything going on down there; he just wanted to take his time today. Even though he sort of ditched Brian and Sean at the foot of the trail, he couldn’t help wanting that little moment of solitude in the forest he basically grew up in.
Dan took in some fresh air as he finally got to the top, and let the wind blow through his clothes and down his neck. He closed his eyes, and listened to the trees speak to one another while the gentle breeze shook their leaves.
This was what it was all about.
Dan could stay there forever-
-SNAP-
His eyes immediately opened, and he could hear steps coming up from the bushes near the edge of more tall pines behind him. With not a moment to lose, he started to move down the hill towards the waterfall, and ducked carefully behind some mulberry hedges.
He couldn’t see who was making their way down the same trail as he did, the bush obstructed a lot of his view ahead. But he still heard the footsteps coming near the waterside, and Dan, almost like a deer, stayed absolutely still within the bushes.
“Wow…” He heard someone say.
He hadn’t heard that voice before.
Dan blinked in confusion, and slightly turned his head to hear a bit better.
“If the guys could see this...man...they’d gut this spot so quick. But damn, that view…” The person talked to themself, seeming to bask in the beauty of the mountain.
Dan tried to move a hand through the bush to pull down a twig or two to see, but even then if he started to move, he might get spotted. Dan couldn’t make out who it was, he could only tell the voice was male.
The person walked past the bushes towards the stream, probably to stand near the waterside.
Dan very faintly began to move backwards.
The man seemed distracted enough that Dan could probably slip out without a problem…
“I know you’re there.” He said, stopping Dan right in his tracks.
There was silence. Dan felt his heart thump harder and harder each second passing.
“You’re not a stalker, right?” The person asked.
Dan bit his tongue and gripped the dirt beneath him.
The stranger waited for Dan to say something back. When he didn’t, he added:
“Just a simple yes or no would suffice, you know. Or I get out the pepper spray.”
Should he speak?
Maybe he could just run right at that moment. That could have either worked in his favor or not. And if he was dumb, he’d perhaps get a taste of chemicals right to the eyes. He went with speaking to be safe.
“N-No. I’m not.”
The stranger probably nodded “....Okay then.”
Silence again.
Dan swallowed “Are you?”
“Am I-?”
“A stalker.”
The person scoffed “No. Just someone wanting to take a walk.”
“You’re a long way from where the walks are.” Dan frowned.
“Maybe I wanted a little more adventure than just a simple walk.” the guy added.
Dan blinked “You’re one of those ‘adventurous’ types?”
“I guess. But for what I do for a living, that doesn’t allow real adventures to happen.” The person scoffed at the end of his sentence.
“Doesn’t sound like you like it. Didn’t get employee of the month, huh?” Dan smirked lightly. The man laughed back.
“It’s a living, my dude.”
Dan nodded “Right…”
The two then went into a bit more silence before the man cleared his throat.
“...So...why are you hiding exactly?” He asked. “Pretty sure I’m not a bear or anything.”
“I...didn’t know what to do next when you came out of the woods…” Dan’s eyes shifted.
“Isn’t this a public trail? It’s not like I’m trespassing, man.”
“Didn’t say you were.” Dan replied.
“Then why hide?”
Dan wasn’t so sure himself.
“Um…pro...tec...tion?”
He heard the person laugh lightly “Well, you don’t need protection around me. I’m about as scary as a butterfly.”
“To some, that IS scary.”
“Yeah well, next time you don’t expect something, hiding won't do anything.” They replied. “Just a friendly tip.”
Dan furrowed his brow. This guy really liked being sarcastic, didn’t he?
“So are you going to come out, or will I just be talking to a fruit bush instead?” The man asked.
Dan smirked, grabbing a handful of dirt. “Why?”
“I don’t know, common courtesy? Or something like that?” He said back, sounded unsure.
“Is it because you wanna hit me with pepper spray?” Dan still had that handful of dirt if he needed it.
“After you told me you’re not a stalker? Doubtful.”
“Then why?”
The man sighed “Maybe because...I’m curious.”
Dan rolled his eyes “Curious?”
“Yeah. Because if someone has that nice a voice, I’d wanna see if it matches their face.”
Dan’s cheeks suddenly turned a light pink. The fuck??
“W-Wha-” Dan mumbled.
“I’m not gonna bite. Promise.”
Dan was still unsure (and warmer because of that compliment). He didn’t dare move until he noticed something roll towards the bush near his foot. Looking down, he saw a small container of pepper spray.
“No weapons, no fighting. Just...casual.” The guy replied calmly.
Dan lightly took the pepper spray in his hand and looked it over carefully. After taking a breath, he bit his lip. Should he stay or should he go?
The man waited patiently for him to move out of the bush, as Dan contemplated what to do.
“DAN?! WHERE ARE YOU?!” Someone yelled from the woods, breaking the silence.
Both of them broke out of their stances, and Dan immediately rose from the bushes, holding onto the spray tightly. The man had turned his head to the noise but rotated it just in time to see Dan in front of him.
Dan immediately gasped. “Oh my god, it’s him .”
The man from town, the one he remembered from a week or so ago. Everything in the world seemed to pause, as they both looked each other right in the eyes.
Dan felt tingles down his spine. The man was in his business clothes again, but with his sleeves rolled and black tie loose. His pants had dirt and water lining the bottom of the legs, and his black work shoes were already scuffed from the trail. His hair was all over his face, but despite all this, it didn’t hide his big brown eyes looking curiously right at Dan, like a child seeing something amazing for the first time.
Arin was awestruck, for the first time ever. Curly hair, a light tan complection from hiking and being in the rays outside, slender and tall, with almost innocent eyes, wide and scared, but also kind of adorable. He was….beautiful.
Dan couldn’t hide the blush creeping into his cheeks, and lightly turned to where the voice came from before then back to the man. He didn’t want to stop looking at him. But, his words got caught in his own throat, and he was able to say-
“I-I….I gotta go…”
Backing up, Dan gave the man one last look and bolted back down the hill, leaving him standing by the waterfall in confusion, and a lingering rush of sensation.