Work Text:
The day had been pretty uneventful at Hotel OJ.
Which, honestly, was probably why Trophy decided to leave.
He'd spent most of the morning wandering around the hotel with his camera, taking pictures of whatever caught his attention.
The garden.
The hallways.
A few of the contestants when they weren't paying attention.
Even Knife, though Trophy would rather die than admit how many pictures of him were actually on his camera.
Eventually, Trophy got bored of taking pictures around the hotel.
He wanted something different.
Somewhere quieter.
Somewhere away from everyone else.
So, without telling anyone where he was going, Trophy grabbed his camera and headed outside.
He walked past the hotel grounds, following one of the paths that led farther away from the building.
The farther he went, the quieter everything became.
No arguing.
No shouting.
No people bothering him.
Just the sound of the wind moving through the trees and the occasional sound of birds.
Trophy slowed down, looking around.
"Huh."
He raised his camera.
*Click.*
A few flowers growing beside the path.
*Click.*
The trees stretching above him.
*Click.*
A small stream running through the area.
Trophy crouched beside the water, looking through the camera.
The sunlight reflected off the surface, making it shimmer.
He adjusted the angle slightly.
*Click.*
"Not bad."
He smiled faintly as he looked at the picture.
He stayed there for a while, taking a few more pictures of the scenery before eventually standing back up.
He continued walking.
Eventually, the path opened up into a larger area near the water.
Trophy stopped.
The place was actually pretty nice.
There was a wide stretch of water surrounded by grass and trees, with a few larger rocks scattered along the shore.
It was quiet.
Really quiet.
Trophy looked around before taking a few more pictures.
*Click.*
He lowered his camera.
"...Okay, this place is actually pretty good."
He walked closer to the edge of the water, looking down at the rocks beneath his feet.
Most of them were smooth and flat from being worn down by the water.
Trophy crouched down and picked one up.
He turned it over in his hand.
"Hm."
He tossed it lightly into the water.
*Plop.*
It sank immediately.
Trophy stared at the spot where it disappeared.
"...Great."
He picked up another one.
This one was flatter.
He threw it.
*Plop.*
It sank too.
Trophy frowned.
"What the hell?"
He picked up another.
And another.
Every single one sank.
Trophy crossed his arms.
"Okay, why the fuck is this harder than it looks?"
A familiar voice suddenly came from behind him.
"Because you're throwing them straight into the water, dumbass."
Trophy froze.
He slowly turned around.
Knife stood a few feet away, his hands in his pockets.
Trophy's eye twitched.
"The hell are you doing here?"
Knife shrugged.
"Walking."
"Go walk somewhere else."
"I could say the same thing to you."
Trophy rolled his eyes.
"Whatever."
He turned back toward the water.
Knife walked over, stopping beside him.
He looked down at the rocks Trophy had been throwing.
"You trying to skip them?"
"Obviously."
Knife snorted.
"You're doing it wrong."
Trophy immediately turned toward him.
"Oh, fuck off."
"I'm serious."
"I know how to throw a rock."
"Clearly not."
Trophy glared at him.
Knife smirked.
"Want me to show you?"
Trophy hesitated.
He hated the fact that Knife probably knew how to do this.
He hated even more that he actually wanted to know.
"...Fine."
Knife crouched down and examined a few pebbles first before choosing a flat one.
He stood back up, turning toward the water.
"First, you need one that's actually flat."
Trophy crossed his arms.
"I know that."
"Sure you do."
Knife ignored him, holding the pebble between his fingers.
"You don't throw it straight forward. You throw it at an angle."
Trophy watched him carefully.
Knife pulled his arm back.
"Like this."
The pebble left Knife's hand, hitting the water as it skipped across the surface three times before sinking beneath it.
“Show off–now watch me.”
Knife took a step back as Trophy grabbed a pebble from the ground and stood where Knife had been.
He narrowed his eyes at the water, sticking his tongue out slightly as he concentrated.
He threw the pebble.
*Plip.*
It sank immediately.
“Pfft–”
Knife laughed.
Trophy immediately turned around, glaring at him.
“Shut up. I’ll get it, just you watch.”
Knife raised his hands slightly, still grinning.
“Yeah, yeah. Go ahead.”
Knife knew it was probably going to take a while.
Trophy was persistent as hell and wouldn't give up easily, especially if someone was watching him fail.
And especially if that person was his enemy.
And so, Knife walked over to a nearby flat rock and sat down.
Trophy tried again.
*Plip.*
Another pebble sank.
Then another.
Then another.
Knife watched from afar as Trophy continued trying to replicate the movements he'd seen Knife make, each attempt somehow getting worse.
“Come on...” Trophy muttered to himself.
He picked up another pebble.
He adjusted his stance.
He threw it.
*Plip.*
Nothing.
Knife snorted.
Trophy's head immediately snapped toward him.
“Did you fucking laugh?”
“No.”
“You did.”
“I coughed.”
“You don't even have lungs.”
Knife paused.
“...Okay, you got me there.”
Trophy scoffed and turned back around.
“Just watch.”
Minutes passed.
Knife eventually pulled out his phone, scrolling through it while Trophy continued his increasingly desperate attempts.
Every so often, Knife glanced up.
Trophy was still trying.
Still failing.
Still refusing to quit.
Eventually, Knife looked up just in time to see Trophy throw another pebble.
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It bounced once.
Then sank.
Trophy stared at the water in disbelief.
“...Fuck.”
Knife slipped his phone back into his jacket pocket.
He'd had enough of watching Trophy fail countless times.
“Alright, move.”
Trophy turned around.
“What?”
“Move.”
“Why?”
“Because you're doing it wrong.”
Trophy's eye twitched.
“Shut up, I’m not even doing it wrong.”
“You've thrown, like, twenty rocks already.”
“And?”
“They all sank.”
“I'm getting better.”
“You just threw one straight down.”
Trophy glared at him.
“Fuck off.”
Knife laughed as he got up from the rock and walked over.
“C'mon. Let me show you.”
“I know how to throw a fucking rock.”
“Apparently not.”
Trophy rolled his eyes.
“Fine. What am I doing wrong?”
Knife stopped in front of him for a moment, looking him over.
“You're holding it too tight.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“I'm literally not.”
Knife reached for Trophy's hand.
“Give me that.”
Trophy hesitated.
“What?”
“The rock.”
“Oh.”
Trophy handed it over, and Knife immediately gave it back.
“Hold it like this.”
Trophy looked down.
“Like what?”
Knife sighed.
“You're hopeless.”
“Then teach me properly.”
“That's what I'm doing.”
Knife stepped behind him.
Trophy stiffened slightly.
Knife reached around him, placing his hand over Trophy's and adjusting the way he held the pebble.
Trophy froze.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“Teaching you.”
“You could've just told me.”
“You weren't listening.”
“I was listening.”
“No, you were arguing.”
“Because you're annoying.”
Knife smirked.
“That's not new.”
He adjusted Trophy's wrist again.
“Loosen this.”
Trophy looked down at their hands.
“Like this?”
“A little more.”
Knife shifted his hand slightly, guiding Trophy's wrist into the right position.
“Now your arm.”
“What about it?”
“Angle it more.”
Trophy followed his instructions.
“Like this?”
“Yeah.”
Knife leaned slightly closer to look at his stance.
“See? You're not completely hopeless.”
Trophy's face started getting warm.
“I'm not fucking hopeless.”
“Sure.”
Knife noticed the slight pink tint appearing across Trophy's face.
His grin widened.
“Why are you blushing?”
Trophy immediately looked away.
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“It's fucking hot outside.”
Knife glanced around.
“Not that hot.”
“Shut up.”
Knife laughed quietly.
“Whatever you say, goldie.”
“Don't call me that.”
“You're the one turning red.”
“I'm not turning red!”
“You're definitely turning red.”
Trophy turned his head slightly, glaring at him.
“Can you just shut the fuck up for five seconds?”
Knife grinned.
“Nah.”
Trophy huffed.
Knife finally backed away, letting go of his hand.
“Alright. Throw it.”
Trophy blinked, almost forgetting what he was supposed to be doing.
“Right.”
He faced the water again.
He took a breath.
Then threw the pebble.
*Plip.*
It bounced.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Four.
Then it disappeared beneath the water.
Trophy stared.
“...Holy shit.”
Knife crossed his arms.
“See?”
Trophy slowly turned around.
A smug grin spread across his face.
“Ha! I fucking told you I could do it.”
Knife rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, after I basically had to do it for you.”
“I did the actual throwing.”
“Because I fixed your technique.”
“Still counts.”
Knife scoffed.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
Trophy grinned wider.
“You're just jealous because I almost beat you.”
“Almost?”
Knife walked past him toward the water.
Trophy's confidence immediately dropped.
“Wait.”
Knife picked up another pebble.
“You said you almost beat me.”
“I did.”
“Then let's see.”
Knife tossed the pebble.
It skipped across the water.
Once.
Twice.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Trophy's jaw dropped.
“...What the fuck?”
Knife turned around with the most obnoxiously smug expression imaginable.
“Skill issue.”
“You fucking–”
Knife laughed.
Trophy immediately grabbed another pebble.
“Again.”
“Sure.”
“Don't get cocky.”
“Too late.”
Trophy threw his pebble.
It sank immediately.
Knife burst out laughing.
“OH, you're getting worse!”
“Shut the fuck up!”
“You're supposed to be getting better.”
“I am!”
“You just threw it straight into the water.”
“I'm warming up!”
“You've been warming up for half an hour.”
“Fuck you!”
Knife laughed harder.
Trophy glared at him before grabbing another pebble.
“One more.”
Knife raised an eyebrow.
“Another one?”
“Yes.”
“You said that three rocks ago.”
“Because you keep distracting me.”
Knife's grin widened.
“Am I?”
Trophy froze for half a second.
“...Yes.”
“Hm.”
Knife leaned against the nearby tree, clearly enjoying himself.
“Didn't know I was that distracting.”
“Don't flatter yourself.”
“You're the one who keeps looking at me.”
“I am looking at the fucking water!”
“You've looked at me more than the water.”
Trophy's face immediately turned pink again.
“Shut up.”
Knife laughed.
“Got you.”
“You're fucking annoying.”
“And yet you haven't told me to leave.”
“Because I need to beat you.”
“Sure.”
Trophy narrowed his eyes.
“You're enjoying this way too much.”
“Obviously.”
Knife tilted his head.
“It's funny watching you get all competitive over something this stupid.”
“It's not stupid.”
“It’s skipping rocks.”
“Exactly.”
“That's your argument?”
“Shut up.”
Knife laughed again.
Trophy grabbed another pebble.
He looked at the water.
Then at Knife.
Then back at the water.
“Just watch.”
Knife smiled.
“I am.”
Trophy threw the pebble.
*Plip.*
It sank.
There was a brief silence.
Knife covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
Trophy slowly turned around.
“Don't.”
Knife's shoulders shook.
“I didn't say anything.”
“You're laughing.”
“I'm not.”
“You're literally shaking.”
Knife finally broke, laughing.
Trophy groaned, covering his face for a moment.
“I fucking hate you.”
Knife grinned.
“Sure you do.”
Trophy lowered his hands, glaring at him.
“...Just throw another fucking rock.”
Knife chuckled.
“Whatever you say, goldie.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“Make me.”
Trophy stared at him for a second.
His face went pink again.
“...You're lucky I'm not throwing this rock at you.”
Knife smirked.
“Wouldn't be the first time you've tried.”
Trophy scoffed, turning back toward the water.
“Just watch me.”
Knife sat back down on the flat rock.
“Oh, I'm watching.”
And despite all the complaining, neither of them seemed particularly interested in leaving anytime soon.
(˘･_･˘)
Hours passed.
At some point, the constant sound of pebbles hitting the water became less frequent.
Trophy had finally gotten tired of trying to beat Knife's record, although he refused to admit that he'd given up.
He'd simply decided that the competition was “boring now.”
Knife didn't believe him.
Neither did Trophy.
They eventually ended up sitting side by side on the flat rock, staring at the moon that hung above them.
The water had gone almost completely dark except for the pale reflection of the moonlight rippling across the surface.
The trees around them were quiet.
No voices.
No footsteps.
No people from the hotel.
Just the occasional sound of the water moving against the shore.
Both of them stayed silent for a while, not entirely sure what to say to each other, but neither wanted to ruin the quiet.
It was peaceful.
Almost too peaceful for either of them.
Trophy eventually let out a yawn, pulling out his phone and squinting at the time.
12:05 AM.
Trophy groaned.
He really didn't want to move from where he was, despite the ground being uncomfortable.
“...Fuck.”
Knife glanced over.
“What?”
“It's past midnight.”
Knife shrugged.
“Yeah.”
“We've been out here for hours.”
“Yeah.”
Trophy looked at him.
“...That's all you have to say?”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don't know.”
Knife looked back toward the water.
“Then don't ask.”
Trophy scoffed.
“You're annoying.”
“And yet you're still sitting here.”
Trophy went quiet.
“...Shut up.”
Knife smirked.
“Sure.”
Trophy looked back toward the moon.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Trophy rested his elbows against his knees, watching the reflection of the moon shift whenever the water moved.
Knife sat beside him with his arms crossed, occasionally glancing toward Trophy before looking back at the water.
Eventually, Trophy broke the silence.
“Do you ever just... sit somewhere like this?”
Knife looked at him.
“What?”
“Like this.”
Trophy gestured vaguely toward the lake.
“Just sit somewhere and not do anything.”
Knife thought about it.
“Not really.”
“Why?”
“Usually got something better to do.”
“Like what?”
“Sleep. Games. Annoying you.”
Trophy rolled his eyes.
“Very productive.”
“I know.”
“You're an idiot.”
“Thanks.”
Trophy stared at the water again.
“I don't really do this either.”
Knife raised an eyebrow.
“Didn't you drag me out here to skip rocks?”
“I didn't drag you anywhere.”
“You challenged me.”
“That's different.”
“How?”
“Because I wanted to beat you.”
Knife snorted.
“Of course.”
Trophy nudged a pebble with his shoe.
“Still.”
He paused.
“It's nice.”
Knife looked at him.
Trophy didn't look back.
“Yeah.”
That was all Knife said.
Trophy glanced sideways at him.
“...You agree?”
“Don't make it weird.”
Trophy scoffed.
“I'm not.”
“Good.”
A few seconds passed.
Then Trophy smiled faintly.
“Didn't think you'd actually stay.”
Knife shrugged.
“Didn't think you'd shut up long enough for me to enjoy it.”
Trophy immediately shoved his shoulder against Knife's.
“Fuck you.”
Knife bumped him back.
“See? There you go.”
Trophy laughed quietly despite himself.
The sound made Knife glance at him.
Neither said anything about it.
After a few seconds, Trophy reached for his camera.
Knife glanced over.
“Seriously?”
“What?”
“You're taking pictures now?”
Trophy raised the camera toward the sky.
“It's a nice view.”
Knife shrugged.
“Whatever.”
Trophy took a picture of the moon reflecting across the water.
*Click.*
Then another.
He lowered the camera, scrolling through the pictures.
Knife leaned slightly closer.
“Let me see.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“That's not an answer.”
“It is now.”
Knife rolled his eyes.
“You're fucking weird.”
Trophy smirked.
“You're still here.”
Knife paused.
“...Yeah.”
Neither of them said anything after that.
And somehow, neither of them seemed to mind.
Knife glanced over again.
“You're really not gonna show me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“That's not a reason.”
“It is now.”
Knife scoffed.
“You're so fucking stubborn.”
“Look who's talking.”
Knife rolled his eyes.
Trophy continued scrolling.
There were a few pictures of the moon.
Some of the water.
A couple of the rocks they'd been skipping.
One picture of the shoreline.
Another of the trees surrounding them.
Trophy paused on one for a moment.
Knife noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're staring at it.”
“So?”
Knife leaned slightly closer.
“Let me see.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I said no.”
“You've said that like five times.”
“And I'll keep saying it.”
Knife snickered.
“You're acting like I'm gonna steal your camera.”
Trophy immediately looked at him.
“Don't.”
Knife paused.
“...I was joking.”
Trophy looked away again.
“Whatever.”
Knife studied him for a moment.
He remembered how seriously Trophy took his camera.
He'd learned that lesson the hard way.
He wasn't about to repeat it.
“...I'm not gonna touch it.”
Trophy looked back at him.
“I know.”
“Good.”
A few seconds passed.
Trophy went back to scrolling.
Knife leaned back against the rock.
“So what'd you take a picture of?”
“The moon.”
“Obviously.”
“The water.”
“Mhm.”
“The rocks.”
“Obviously.”
Trophy rolled his eyes.
“You asked.”
“Yeah, but you're giving me the world's most boring answer.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don't know. Something interesting.”
Trophy thought for a second.
“...I took a picture of you.”
Knife turned his head.
“You what?”
Trophy immediately looked down at his camera.
“I said I took a picture of you.”
Knife grinned.
“Again?”
“It was an accident.”
“Sure.”
“It was.”
“How do you accidentally take a picture of someone?”
“I was taking a picture of the moon.”
“And I happened to be there?”
“Yes.”
“Convenient.”
Trophy's face started turning pink.
“Shut up.”
Knife laughed.
“You really do have a lot of pictures of me, don't you?”
“No.”
“Goldie.”
“What?”
“You're blushing.”
“I'm fucking tired.”
“You weren't blushing a second ago.”
“Yes, I was.”
“No, you weren't.”
Trophy glared at him.
“Why do you care so much?”
Knife shrugged.
“I don't.”
“Then stop asking.”
“Fine.”
Knife looked back toward the water.
Trophy stared at him for a few seconds.
Then quietly smiled to himself before looking back at his camera.
The silence returned.
This time, it felt a little less awkward.
A while passed.
Neither of them seemed interested in leaving.
The moon had shifted higher into the sky.
The air had gotten colder.
Trophy eventually lowered his camera into his lap.
“You know...”
Knife glanced over.
“What?”
“I didn't think we'd actually stay out here this long.”
“Neither did I.”
Trophy looked toward the water.
“When we came here, I thought we'd skip some rocks and leave.”
“Yeah.”
“But then you had to keep showing off.”
Knife smirked.
“You challenged me.”
“Because you were showing off.”
“You told me to watch you.”
“And you did.”
“Exactly.”
Trophy scoffed.
“You're impossible.”
“You're the one who spent half the night throwing rocks because you couldn't accept losing.”
“I didn't lose.”
“You threw, like, fifty rocks.”
“And I eventually got four.”
“Because I taught you.”
“I would've gotten it eventually.”
“Sure.”
Trophy nudged his shoulder against Knife's.
“Shut up.”
Knife nudged him back.
“No.”
Trophy scoffed.
Neither of them moved away.
After a few moments, Trophy spoke again.
“...Do you ever get tired of this?”
Knife looked over.
“Of what?”
“This.”
Trophy gestured between them.
“Us just... hanging around.”
Knife thought about it.
“No.”
Trophy blinked.
“No?”
“No.”
Knife shrugged.
“You're annoying, but you're not that bad.”
Trophy stared at him.
“...Was that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Take it however you want.”
Trophy looked away.
“Hm.”
Knife glanced at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're doing the thing again.”
“What thing?”
“Where you pretend you don't care.”
Trophy's expression changed slightly.
“I don't.”
Knife smirked.
“Sure.”
Trophy rolled his eyes.
“You're one to talk.”
“Yeah, probably.”
For once, Knife didn't argue.
That made Trophy look at him.
Knife was still staring toward the water.
Trophy smiled faintly.
“...You're not that bad either.”
Knife looked over.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“I wanna hear you say it again.”
“Fuck off.”
Knife laughed.
“Knew it.”
Trophy shook his head.
“You're such an asshole.”
“Yeah.”
They went quiet again.
Neither of them seemed bothered by it.
It was strange.
Usually, silence between them meant one of them was about to start another argument.
Tonight, it didn't.
It was just silence.
And somehow, that was enough.
Another few minutes passed.
Trophy yawned.
Knife immediately looked over.
“You're tired.”
“No.”
“You just yawned.”
“So?”
“That's usually what people do when they're tired.”
“I'm not people.”
Knife stared at him.
“...Fair.”
Trophy smiled slightly.
He shifted around, trying to get comfortable against the rock.
The ground beneath him was hard and uneven.
He moved one leg.
Then the other.
Then shifted his back.
Nothing helped.
“This sucks.”
Knife glanced down.
“What?”
“The ground.”
“You've been sitting there for hours.”
“I know.”
“Then move.”
“I don't want to.”
Knife raised an eyebrow.
“Then stop complaining.”
“I'm allowed to complain.”
“Of course you are.”
Trophy glared at him.
“You sound sarcastic.”
“I am.”
“Asshole.”
Knife smiled.
Trophy tried adjusting himself again.
He eventually gave up and leaned his head back against the rock.
“Whatever.”
Knife watched him.
His eyes were already starting to droop.
“You're falling asleep.”
“I'm not.”
“Your eyes are closed.”
“They're not.”
“They literally are.”
Trophy opened one eye.
“...Happy?”
“No.”
“Then shut up.”
Knife laughed.
Trophy closed his eye again.
A few seconds passed.
Then he opened them.
“Are you still there?”
Knife looked at him.
“Where else would I be?”
“I don't know.”
“You thought I'd leave?”
Trophy shrugged.
“...Maybe.”
Knife was quiet for a moment.
“I'm not leaving.”
Trophy looked at him.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Knife shrugged.
“Because I don't want to.”
Trophy stared at him.
His face slowly warmed again.
“...Oh.”
Knife noticed.
“There you go again.”
“What?”
“Turning red.”
“It's dark.”
“I can still see you.”
“Shut up.”
Knife laughed.
Trophy looked away, trying to hide his face.
“You really need to stop noticing everything.”
“Can't help it.”
“Why?”
Knife shrugged.
“You're easy to notice.”
Trophy froze.
“...What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Knife smirked.
“Nothing.”
“You can't just say that and then–”
“Relax.”
Trophy narrowed his eyes.
“You're doing it on purpose.”
“Doing what?”
“Making me confused.”
Knife laughed.
“Maybe.”
Trophy groaned.
“I hate you.”
“Sure.”
Trophy's face remained warm.
Eventually, Trophy pulled his camera out again.
Knife sighed.
“Again?”
“I want one more.”
“You've taken enough pictures.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Trophy looked toward the moon.
“...Because I like this.”
Knife went quiet.
Trophy raised the camera.
The moon reflected across the water, the surface moving gently beneath it.
Knife sat beside him, barely illuminated by the moonlight.
*Click.*
Trophy lowered the camera.
He looked at the picture.
Then at Knife.
Then back at the picture.
Knife noticed.
“That's another one of me, isn't it?”
“No.”
“You're a terrible liar.”
Trophy sighed.
“Fine.”
Knife leaned closer.
“Let me see.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I like it.”
Knife paused.
“Oh.”
Trophy looked away.
“I don't know. It just looks nice.”
Knife glanced at the camera.
Then at Trophy.
“You think I look nice?”
Trophy's face immediately turned bright red.
“That's not what I fucking said!”
Knife burst out laughing.
“You totally meant it.”
“I meant the picture!”
“Of me.”
“With the moon!”
“Still me.”
Trophy covered his face with one hand.
“Why are you like this?”
“Because you're funny.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
Knife leaned back against the rock again, still grinning.
Trophy slowly lowered his hand.
“...You're annoying.”
“Yeah.”
Trophy looked at him.
Knife was still smiling.
Trophy couldn't help smiling too.
He quickly looked away before Knife could notice.
Of course, Knife noticed anyway.
“You're smiling.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“Shut up.”
Knife laughed quietly.
Eventually, Trophy's camera slipped from his hands and rested beside him.
His eyes were barely open now.
Knife glanced over.
“You done?”
“...Yeah.”
“Finally.”
Trophy mumbled something.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Knife shook his head.
“Go to sleep.”
“I'm not tired.”
“You've said that like six times.”
“Because it's true.”
“You can barely keep your eyes open.”
Trophy tried opening them wider.
“There.”
Knife snorted.
“That doesn't prove anything.”
Trophy yawned.
Knife smiled.
“Just admit it.”
“...Fine.”
Trophy leaned back.
“I'm tired.”
“Wow.”
“Don't make a big deal out of it.”
“I won't.”
Trophy slowly shifted closer to the rock.
His shoulder bumped against Knife's.
Neither of them moved.
A few seconds passed.
Then Trophy's head slowly tipped sideways.
It rested against Knife's shoulder.
Knife immediately went still.
He looked down.
Trophy was already half-asleep.
“...Seriously?”
Trophy didn't answer.
Knife waited.
Nothing.
He could've moved his shoulder.
He could've woken him up.
Instead, he just stayed still.
Trophy shifted slightly in his sleep, getting more comfortable.
His head rested more securely against Knife.
Knife looked away toward the water.
“...You're lucky you're tired, goldie.”
Trophy mumbled something.
Knife looked down.
“What?”
No response.
Knife sighed.
“Whatever.”
He carefully shifted himself against the rock, making sure Trophy wouldn't slide off.
Trophy unconsciously leaned closer.
Knife froze again.
“...You have got to be kidding me.”
Still nothing.
Knife glanced down at him.
Trophy was completely asleep now.
Knife's expression softened for just a second before he looked away again.
“Fine.”
He stayed there.
The water continued moving quietly.
The moon remained high above them.
The night grew colder.
Knife's own eyes eventually started getting heavy.
He tried staying awake.
He really did.
But after spending hours sitting there, listening to the water and Trophy's quiet breathing, he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.
His head slowly rested against the rock.
His eyes closed.
Neither of them noticed when Knife eventually fell asleep too.
For once, there were no arguments.
No insults.
No competition.
Just the two of them sitting beside the water, asleep under the moonlight.
And neither seemed to mind being there together.
〒▽〒
The next morning
The first thing Trophy noticed was that his neck hurt.
The second thing he noticed was that the sun was in his eyes.
The third thing he noticed was that he was cold.
“...Fuck.”
Trophy slowly opened his eyes.
For a few seconds, he had absolutely no idea where he was.
He stared at the trees.
Then the water.
Then the rock underneath him.
Then he remembered.
The skipping rocks.
Knife.
The lake.
Staying out way too late.
“...Oh.”
Trophy slowly sat up.
His head felt heavy, and the back of his head ache from sleeping against the rock.
He rubbed his eyes before looking around.
Knife was gone.
Trophy blinked.
“...What?”
He looked around again.
Nothing.
No Knife.
Trophy's eyebrows furrowed.
He looked toward the path leading back toward the hotel.
Then toward the water.
“Seriously?”
He stood up, brushing dirt from his clothes.
“Knife?”
No answer.
Trophy frowned.
“Where the hell did he go?”
He looked down and noticed his camera strap sitting where the camera was supposed to be.
At least that was still there.
Trophy picked it up.
The strap was slightly twisted from where he'd slept beside it.
He untangled it before putting it around his neck.
He was about to start looking for his camera, trying to calm his nerves in case it had somehow fallen into the water.
Though, after a few minutes of searching around near the water, he gave up.
“Fuck...”
He frowned.
There was no way he would've left it that far away.
Unless...
Knife took it.
The thought pissed him off, but he had to make sure.
He was about to start walking back toward the hotel with the possibility that Knife left when he noticed something.
A figure was sitting a little farther away.
Sitting upon another flat rock.
Knife.
Trophy stopped.
“...What the fuck?”
Knife was sitting with his back against the rock, one leg stretched out and the other bent.
He had his phone in one hand.
And Trophy's camera was in the other.
Trophy stared.
“Hey!”
Knife looked up.
“Oh.”
Trophy marched over.
“What the hell are you doing with my camera?”
Knife looked down at it.
“Looking through it.”
“You could've woken me up!”
“You were asleep.”
“That's not an excuse!”
“You looked like you were gonna murder anyone who woke you up.”
Trophy stopped.
“...I do not.”
Knife raised an eyebrow.
“You were literally asleep with your eyebrows still furrowed.”
Trophy's face twisted.
“Give me that.”
Knife pulled the camera slightly away.
“Hold on.”
“Knife.”
“I found something.”
“What?”
Knife looked back at the camera.
“You really do have a shit ton of pictures of me.”
Trophy froze.
“...You went through my pictures?”
“Yeah.”
“You fucking–”
Knife smirked.
“Relax. I didn't delete anything.”
“That doesn't make it better!”
“I know.”
Trophy reached for the camera.
Knife finally handed it back.
Trophy immediately checked it.
Everything was still there.
He scrolled through the photos suspiciously.
Moon.
Water.
Rocks.
Trees.
Knife.
More Knife.
Even more Knife.
Trophy's face slowly turned red.
“...Oh my god.”
Knife laughed.
“I told you.”
“Shut up.”
“You have a problem.”
“I do not.”
“You have, like, an entire album of me.”
“They're just pictures!”
“Sure.”
Trophy scrolled faster.
“Why were you even looking?”
Knife shrugged.
“Couldn't sleep.”
Trophy looked up.
“You couldn't sleep?”
“Not at first.”
Knife glanced toward the water.
“Then I got bored.”
“So you went through my camera?”
“Yeah.”
“You're such a fucking snoop.”
Knife grinned.
“Thanks.”
“That wasn't a compliment.”
“I know.”
Trophy sighed.
He looked at the time on his phone.
“...It's not even that late.”
Knife looked over.
“It's 9.”
Trophy stared.
“Eight?”
“Yeah.”
“We've been asleep for like–”
“Nine hours.”
“Holy shit.”
Knife shrugged.
“You slept longer than I expected.”
Trophy rubbed his eyes.
“I can't believe we actually stayed out here all night.”
“Neither can I.”
Trophy looked toward the path.
“Everyone's probably wondering where the hell we are.”
Knife paused.
“Probably.”
Trophy looked at him.
“That's it?”
“What?”
“You don't care?”
Knife shrugged.
“We're alive.”
“That's not the point.”
“What's the point?”
Trophy thought about it.
“I don't know.”
Knife smirked.
“Exactly.”
Trophy scoffed.
“Still.”
He looked back toward the hotel.
“People are gonna ask questions.”
“Let them.”
Trophy looked at him.
“That's easy for you to say.”
“Why?”
“Because you don't care what people think.”
Knife stared at him.
“That's not true.”
Trophy blinked.
Knife looked away.
“I just don't care enough to let them decide what I do.”
Trophy was quiet.
Then he looked down at his camera.
“...Huh.”
Knife glanced over.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
“Thinking too much.”
Trophy rolled his eyes.
“You can't tell me what to do.”
“Didn't say I could.”
They stood there for a moment.
Neither seemed particularly interested in heading back yet.
Trophy looked toward the water.
Then at Knife.
“Did you take any pictures?”
Knife paused.
“Maybe.”
Trophy's eyes narrowed.
“You did.”
“Maybe.”
“Knife.”
Knife smirked.
“What?”
“You took pictures with my camera?”
“Yeah.”
“Of what?”
Knife shrugged.
“Stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Stuff.”
Trophy groaned.
“You're so annoying.”
Knife laughed.
“Want to know?”
Trophy hesitated.
“...Yeah.”
Knife held the camera out.
Trophy looked through the pictures.
The first few were of the water.
The moon.
The rocks.
The trees.
Then he reached another one.
He stopped.
It was him.
Trophy.
Asleep against the rock.
His camera was resting beside him.
The morning light hadn't reached them yet, so the picture was mostly moonlight and shadows.
Trophy stared.
“...You took this?”
Knife shrugged.
“Yeah.”
“While I was asleep?”
“Obviously.”
“Why?”
Knife looked away.
“You looked peaceful.”
Trophy went silent.
Knife immediately seemed to realize how that sounded.
“Don't make it weird.”
“I wasn't.”
“You were about to.”
“I wasn't!”
Knife snorted.
Trophy looked back at the picture.
“...It's actually good.”
“I know.”
Trophy glanced at him.
“You're not even gonna deny it?”
“Nope.”
Trophy scoffed.
“Your ego is fucking ridiculous.”
“Thanks.”
“Again, not a compliment.”
“Still taking it.”
Trophy continued scrolling.
There were more pictures.
The lake.
Knife's own hand holding a pebble.
The sky.
One badly framed picture of a tree.
Then another picture of Trophy.
This one was taken closer.
Trophy was still asleep, his head tilted against the rock.
Knife had apparently zoomed in.
Trophy immediately closed the camera.
“Okay, that's enough.”
Knife laughed.
“What?”
“You took too many!”
“Only a few.”
“You took more than a few!”
“You take more of me.”
“That's different.”
“How?”
“Because I'm a photographer.”
“And?”
“And you're not.”
Knife grinned.
“Apparently I am now.”
Trophy rolled his eyes.
“Give me that.”
Knife handed the camera back.
Trophy held it against his chest.
“You're not touching this again.”
“Fine.”
A pause.
“Unless you ask.”
Trophy looked at him.
“...Why would I ask?”
Knife shrugged.
“You won't.”
Trophy frowned.
“Whatever.”
(ノω<。)ノ))☆.。
Earlier that morning.
Knife had woken up long before Trophy.
Around an hour earlier.
At first, he hadn't even realized he'd fallen asleep.
He slowly opened his eyes, blinking at the brightening sky.
His neck hurt.
His back hurt.
His arm had gone numb.
“...Fuck.”
Knife shifted.
Then stopped.
Something was against his shoulder.
He looked down.
Trophy.
Still asleep.
Knife stared at him for a moment.
He could've moved.
He probably should have.
Instead, he just sat there.
Trophy hadn't woken up.
His camera was still beside him.
Knife looked toward the water.
Then back at Trophy.
“Seriously?”
Trophy didn't answer.
Knife sighed.
He carefully reached for his phone.
No messages.
Nothing important.
He checked the time.
8:02 AM.
“Great.”
Knife looked around.
The hotel was still far enough away that he couldn't see anyone.
Nobody was around.
He looked back at Trophy.
Still asleep.
Knife leaned his head against the rock again.
He considered waking him.
Then decided against it.
Trophy looked exhausted.
Probably from spending half the night throwing rocks.
Knife quietly laughed to himself.
“Idiot.”
Trophy shifted slightly in his sleep.
Knife immediately stopped laughing.
Trophy's head moved slightly closer to his shoulder.
Knife stared at him.
“...You really are comfortable, huh?”
No response.
Instead, Trophy shifted again, unconsciously moving closer to Knife's side.
His head rested more firmly against Knife's shoulder before he quietly nuzzled against him in his sleep.
Knife froze.
He looked down at Trophy.
“...”
Trophy didn't seem to notice what he was doing.
He was completely asleep.
Knife looked away.
He didn't say anything.
Instead, he carefully adjusted his position so Trophy wouldn't slide off the rock.
Trophy settled against him again, completely unaware.
Knife stared out at the water.
“Idiot.”
He muttered it quietly before looking back toward the camera.
Knife glanced toward the camera.
He picked it up carefully.
He wasn't trying to snoop.
At least, that's what he told himself.
He just wanted to see what Trophy had been taking pictures of.
Knife turned the camera on.
The screen lit up.
He started scrolling.
The first picture was the moon.
The next was the water.
Then the shoreline.
Then the trees.
Then...
Knife.
He paused.
“...There it is.”
He scrolled again.
Another picture of himself.
Then another.
Knife stared at the screen.
“Damn.”
He kept scrolling.
There were pictures from earlier.
Knife throwing rocks.
Knife sitting against the tree.
Knife looking toward the water.
Knife laughing.
Knife making stupid faces.
Knife talking.
Knife apparently not even aware Trophy had been taking pictures.
Knife shook his head.
“You really weren't kidding.”
He kept scrolling.
There were also pictures of everyone else.
OJ.
Paper.
Paintbrush.
Pickle.
Bomb.
Random pictures of the hotel.
But there were noticeably more pictures of Knife than anyone else.
Knife raised an eyebrow.
“Huh.”
He glanced down at Trophy.
Trophy was still asleep.
Knife looked back at the camera.
He scrolled through another picture.
It was from a few days earlier.
Knife was sitting on the couch, looking at his phone.
He hadn't even noticed Trophy taking it.
Knife stared at it.
“...Not bad.”
He moved to the next one.
Another.
Knife was laughing.
Another.
Knife talking with Pickle.
Another.
Knife sitting alone.
Knife paused.
That one was actually pretty good.
He leaned back against the rock.
Trophy really did know what he was doing.
Knife wasn't sure why that surprised him.
Trophy had always been good with the camera.
He just never expected Trophy to be this good at taking pictures of *him.*
Knife looked at Trophy again.
“What's your deal?”
Trophy shifted.
Knife immediately looked back at the camera.
Trophy settled again.
Knife waited.
Nothing.
He relaxed.
Then, after a moment, Knife looked at him again.
Trophy's face was half-hidden by burying his face against Knife's handle.
His camera strap was still around his neck.
Knife stared for a few seconds.
Then he quietly lifted the camera.
He framed the shot.
The early morning light was starting to hit the side of Trophy's face.
Knife hesitated.
Then pressed the button.
*Click.*
He looked at the picture.
“...Huh.”
It looked good.
Really good.
Knife looked at Trophy again.
“Don't get an ego about this.”
Trophy obviously didn't respond.
Knife lowered the camera.
He checked the time again.
8:14 AM.
He had another forty-something minutes before Trophy would probably wake up.
Knife pulled out his phone from his jacket pocket.
He scrolled through it for a while while Trophy slept half on him.
Checked messages.
Checked the time.
Opened a game.
Closed it.
Checked messages again.
Nothing.
Eventually, he got bored.
He looked back at the camera.
Then at Trophy.
Then at the camera.
“...Whatever.”
Knife started looking through the pictures again.
He found one of Trophy's earlier pictures of the lake.
Then another.
Then another.
He started comparing them.
Some were better than others.
Knife wasn't exactly an expert, but even he could tell Trophy knew what he was doing.
He paused on one picture of the moon reflected on the water.
“That's actually nice.”
He looked at the water in front of him.
Then back at the picture.
“Hm.”
He kept scrolling.
Eventually, he found one of himself from earlier that night.
Knife stared.
It was the one where he was sitting beside Trophy.
He didn't know Trophy had taken it.
He could see himself looking toward the water.
He looked...
Calm.
Knife stared at it longer than he meant to.
“...Weird.”
He clicked to the next picture.
Then another.
Eventually, he noticed Trophy moving.
Knife immediately set the camera down beside him.
Trophy shifted.
His eyes opened slightly.
Knife looked away toward the water, pretending he'd been doing absolutely nothing.
Trophy's eyes closed again.
Knife waited.
Trophy just buried himself closer.
He quietly picked the camera back up.
“Close one.”
He continued scrolling.
By the time Trophy finally woke up for real, Knife had already gone through most of the pictures.
And taken one of his own.
_〆(´Д｀ )
Back to the present.
Trophy looked toward the hotel again.
“Okay.”
Knife glanced over.
“What?”
“We should probably head back.”
“Probably.”
Trophy sighed.
“I'm gonna get blamed for this.”
“Why you?”
“Because I'm the one who wanted to stay out here.”
“You didn't exactly force me.”
“Yeah, but you should've stopped me.”
Knife stared at him.
“Why would I do that?”
Trophy opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
“...I don't know.”
“Exactly.”
Trophy groaned.
“This is gonna be a pain.”
Knife stood up and stretched.
“Then let's go before it gets worse.”
Trophy picked up his camera.
“Fine.”
They started walking back toward the hotel.
For a while, neither said anything.
The path was quiet.
The morning air was cooler than it had been the night before.
Trophy occasionally looked down at his camera.
Knife noticed.
“You're still thinking about those pictures?”
“No.”
“You are.”
“Shut up.”
Knife smirked.
“You're gonna look at them later.”
“Obviously.”
“And probably take more pictures of me.”
Trophy looked at him.
“Maybe.”
Knife grinned.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“You admitted it.”
Trophy rolled his eyes.
“Don't get excited.”
“Too late.”
Trophy shook his head.
“You're impossible.”
“And you're predictable.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.”
“How?”
“You said you weren't gonna take pictures of me.”
“I never said that.”
“You basically did.”
“No, I didn't.”
“You said you were trying to take pictures of other people.”
“I am.”
“And yet here we are.”
Trophy glared at him.
“Maybe you're just interesting.”
Knife stopped walking for half a second.
Trophy realized what he'd said.
His face immediately warmed.
“...I meant for photography.”
Knife's grin slowly appeared.
“Sure.”
“Don't.”
“I didn't say anything.”
“You were about to.”
“Maybe.”
Trophy groaned.
“Keep walking.”
Knife laughed and continued beside him.
They eventually reached the hotel.
The building looked exactly the same as it had the night before.
Except now, they were both going to have to explain why they hadn't come back.
Trophy stared at the entrance.
“...We're screwed.”
Knife shrugged.
“Probably.”
“You're way too calm about this.”
“What are they gonna do?”
“I don't know!”
“Then stop worrying.”
Trophy frowned.
“You're really not worried?”
Knife looked at him.
“No.”
“Why?”
Knife shrugged.
“Because we didn't do anything.”
Trophy paused.
Then looked toward the hotel.
“...I guess.”
Knife started walking inside.
Trophy followed.
The moment they stepped through the doors, they could already hear voices from the kitchen.
Trophy slowed down.
Knife didn't.
“Come on.”
“Wait.”
“What?”
“Maybe we should sneak upstairs.”
Knife looked at him.
“Why?”
“So nobody sees us.”
Knife stared at him.
Then laughed.
“You wanna sneak into your own hotel?”
“Shut up.”
“That's pathetic.”
“I don't wanna answer questions.”
“You're gonna have to eventually.”
Trophy sighed.
“...Fine.”
They continued walking.
Then a voice came from the kitchen.
“Where the hell have you two been?”
Both of them froze.
Knife slowly turned his head.
Trophy's face went blank.
OJ stood in the doorway.
He looked at Knife.
Then Trophy.
Then the camera.
Then back at Knife.
“Were you two out all night?”
Knife shrugged.
“Yeah.”
Trophy immediately looked at him.
“Why did you say it like that?!”
“Because we were.”
OJ stared at them.
“...You know it's nine in the morning, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And you didn't come back.”
“Correct.”
OJ sighed.
“I was starting to wonder if something happened.”
Trophy's expression softened slightly.
“Oh.”
Knife scratched the back of his neck.
“We're fine.”
Paper appeared behind OJ.
“Where were you?”
Trophy looked at Knife.
Knife looked at Trophy.
Trophy sighed.
“Skipping rocks.”
There was silence.
Paper blinked.
“You stayed out all night... to skip rocks?”
Knife nodded.
“Pretty much.”
Paper stared at them.
“...Okay.”
OJ rubbed his forehead.
“I don't even know what to say.”
Knife smirked.
“Then don't.”
Trophy elbowed him.
“Don't make it worse.”
Knife laughed.
OJ sighed again.
“Just... next time, at least tell someone where you're going.”
Trophy looked away.
“Yeah.”
Knife nodded.
“Sure.”
OJ walked back into the kitchen.
Paper followed.
Trophy waited until they were gone before whispering,
“...That went better than I expected.”
Knife looked at him.
“Told you.”
Trophy sighed in relief.
Then he looked down at his camera.
“I'm going to my room.”
Knife raised an eyebrow.
“To edit pictures of me?”
Trophy's face immediately went red.
“Shut the fuck up!”
Knife laughed.
Trophy walked away faster.
Knife watched him go.
Then looked toward the stairs.
He smiled to himself.
“Fucking weirdo.”
“...You want to see the pictures?”
Knife paused.
He looked at the camera.
Then at Trophy.
“Thought you didn't let me.”
“I changed my mind.”
Knife walked back over.
Trophy turned the camera on and scrolled through a few pictures.
There were shots of the water.
The moon.
The rocks.
The flowers near the shoreline.
Then one of Knife.
Then another.
And another.
Knife stared at the screen.
“You really did take a lot.”
Trophy frowned.
“Shut up.”
Knife laughed quietly.
He looked at one of the pictures for a little longer.
It was one Trophy had taken without Knife noticing.
Knife was sitting near the water, looking toward the moon.
“...I like this one.”
Trophy looked at him.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Knife pointed toward the screen.
“Send me that one.”
Trophy blinked.
“...Why?”
“Because I like it.”
Trophy stared at him for a moment before looking back down at the camera.
“Fine.”
Knife smirked.
“Thanks, goldie.”
“Don't call me that.”
Knife turned around.
“Later.”
Trophy rolled his eyes.
“Yeah– later.”
Knife walked down the hallway toward his own room.
Trophy stood there for a few seconds, watching him leave.
Then he looked down at his camera again.
He stopped on another picture.
One of Knife sitting beside him.
Trophy stared at it.
Then, very quietly, he smiled.
“...Whatever.”
He finally went into his room and shut the door.
Neither of them really thought much about how strange it was.
A few months ago, they would've probably been arguing over who got to throw the first rock.
Now they had spent an entire night together.
And somehow, neither of them wanted to call it a bad thing.