#elliot x hunter 004.

[ofwrxth]

"I'd like to see you try, Hunt." He retorts with a quick huff before he shoves Hunter back and starts walking. Each step is intentionally heavy-footed, crunching over leaves. "Oh, maybe it's 'cause, I dunno, we ain't got many of them?" He shrugs, like maybe he's wrong. "'Sides, how'd you think that was gonna go? If his legs didn't reach?" This time he laughs despite his better judgment, trying to picture his nephew steering the truck. And then Kat's angry face flashes before him and he shudders. "If this comes out, I didn't know shit about it." Which is just like him, considering he'd refused to move until Hunter told him. He gives his brother an offended look as he threatens to blame him and glares. "Fine. Even though it was your fault. I'll go along with your lie. Real sick to use your son as leverage, Hunt. Real sick." He shakes his head disparagingly, wincing at the ache blooming across his back as, after some time, they finally reach town.

"There's still time for me to get you launched, El. Shut up." Hunter griped, brushing his hands over his jeans quickly as he slung the pack over his shoulder. He stared at his brother's expression of surprise, grumbling to himself as he tried to shove Elliot to get moving. "Oh, come on. It ain't a big fuckin' deal, everyone got their panties in a twist about a God damn truck for no reason. Got nothin' better to do with their lives." he groaned, pushing Elliot along. "He didn't reach 'em! That was how it got in the fuckin' wall!" Hunter then exclaimed with an agitated tone. "We got a deal, El!? With the bear!? So Isla don't bite my head off!? Because I'll throw you under the bus and say it was you with Jude in that truck. My boy can lie good, he ain't said nothin' about it this whole time so there'd be a witness that put you there."

[ofwrxth]

"Maybe it's 'cause I am a damn angel." Elliot retorts smugly as, just in time, Isla rushes to his side. His arms circle around Isla as she kisses his cheek, even as he maintains eye contact with his brother over her head. "It's okay – I just...I fell," he grimaces for emphasis, nodding at her question. "Yeah, a little. My back – it should be okay." He sighs, as though not wanting to burden her with his injuries. "He didn't push me, darlin'," Elliot drawls as he leans on her for support. "He's tellin' the truth for once." He says, nodding at his brother's words. "The bear must've smelled the food you made me...climbed up the damn tree and brought the entire platform down." Elliot laughs before breaking off with a pained look. "Sorry – just...sore. It's fine, though." He states, ever the martyr as he looks down at Isla with mournful eyes, blue as the ocean, "can't blame it neither. Guess no one can resist your cookin', not even a bear." @waterfallswords

;

Any of the Cross brothers have a rather distinctive presence, even more so when they're together. So Isla's gaze is caught quickly by the sight of Hunter and Elliot, and the hobbles they're both making. Not to mention their shift wasn't due to end for another few hours. Isla abandons the box she's carrying without delay and scurries towards them with an obvious surprise. "What's happen!?" she asks with a gasp, but she only peers at Hunter for a second before her arms fling around Elliot. "Ay, probecito! You are hurt!?" she's already up on tip toes and trying to slouch Elliot closer as she cradles his face, planting loud kisses on his cheek. "What did he do?" she gasps again, glancing to Hunter. "What did you do!? Did you push him like Rory?" @manybcdthings

[ofwrxth]

"You're just makin' excuses now," Elliot retorts, snatching the pack up grumpily as he slings it on. "You coulda helped me up if you'd'a wanted to." He reasons with a huff before crossing his arms. He stays still, shaking his head at Hunter. "Not 'till you start talkin'." The image is reminiscent of years ago, back to childhood when Elliot would dig in his heels and cross his arms and refuse to budge even as his brothers urged him to. No! I don't want to go to sleep! When Hunter finally relents (as he often did with Elliot), the younger Cross is left staring at him, slack jawed and blinking. "You was teachin'––what?" Elliot gives him an incredulous look, certain he'd heard him wrong. "Ain't he barely five? How'd he even reach the pedals?!?"

"El, I couldn't get a damn grip on you because of y'led legs!" Hunter griped loudly, glancing around for any sign of their fallen packs. He found his, and Elliot's. And obviously he took a quick look inside his brother's pack, expecting to see a mountain of tins in there that Elliot forgot about. He tossed it to Elliot's feet, before a look of surprise swept over his face.

"Truck!? I ain't said nothing about a truck." he deflected before sighing. "I ain't tellin' you shit about no truck 'til you promise that we blame the bear and nothing else." he blinked at his brother for a moment and then a groan escaped. Hunter flailed his arm, waving Elliot to start walking with him. "I was teachin' Jude how to drive and he didn't steer the damn wheel. Just took the thing straight into the wall. And then everyone started bitchin' so...we kept our mouths shut."

[ofwrxth]

"Okay?! so launch me!" Elliot shouts back, hitting his chest for emphasis as he rebukes Hunter's recollection of the events with a laugh. "Gimme some isn't askin'! If you'da've asked, I'd've shared!" He says, arms flailing. But even when his own resolve begins to waver at the Hunter's sigh, resignment in any form a foreign look on Hunter, nature conspires against his brother yet again. Because the moment Elliot unfurls his arms, about to say that fine, he'd say he lost his lunch (or maybe blame Aidan after all), there's a scraping from below. "Shuttup!" he waves a hand at Hunter to shush him before glancing over the platform.

There's no longer a bear by the fallen tin. But only because it's climbing up the tree. "Fuck. Fuck. Look what you did! Shoutin' at me!" Elliot yells at his brother as the bear blows hot air and grunts. He slaps Hunter's shoulder's a few times now, gesturing wildly as he begins to collect his gear for watch, stuffing it rapidly in his pack. "Well?! What'd we do? You're the expert!"

"I said!" Hunter yelled, slightly louder than he intended to but the stress was getting to him. The constant thought of Isla hating him, certain that twice this soon would mean she'd hate him for the rest of her life. "I said to gimme some! And you were a selfish brat!" he couldn't believe Elliot could twist a situation around so quickly and be so damn confident about it to. Brazen even! "You damn well know I could, I'd just launch ya!" but he won't, at least not when the bear was down there. Still enjoying the fucking food. How much did she cook?

Then it wasn't even stress that drove Hunter. It was desperation, he grabbed Elliot's arms as if he was pleading for his life. "Take the hit, El! She loves you! She ain't gonna be mad at you! Not for long!" he demanded, although from afar it could definitely seem like a beg. "Oh, Jesus." Hunter sighed, letting go of his brother to swipe a hand over his own face. "Well, that's it. I'm goin' down there. I'm shooting it and I'm tryna find the note."

[ofwrxth]

"Or like a person!?" Elliot counters, not sure what his brother doesn't understand. "I was taking it 'cause you was giving it to me! I never asked you to!" He rebuttals, fully convinced he's in the clear for this one. Elliot's always had a bottomless pit of a stomach but...everyone knew that! It's not his fault that Hunter's always shoving food his way. He shouldn't've if he didn't want to share in the first place. "You did throw it! You literally told me to give it to you and when I didn' you threw it down there!" he gestures wildly again, his recollection of events crystal clear in his mind's eye as Hunter tries to back out of confessing.

"Confess to the reason why I ain't got her lil note to read, Hunt! She always asks me if I read it! And it's probably blown away!" Elliot stresses with a frantic flop of his hand before keen ears perk up at a new sound below. Glancing over the edge of the platform, he sees the bear chowing down on food. "Great. Just great, Hunter. You coulda told me you didn' have lunch. You think I'd've taken yours? I thought you brought shit." He huffs, a bit indignant, and a lot stressed about what he was gonna do about Isla.

"Me? Make food like a woman!?" Hunter made a face, surprise and offence over his features. He waved a hand at his brother, who somehow managed to twist everything around and he didn't even know why that shocked him. "El! I gave you food 'cause you was takin' it like you was starved! It woulda been fair to gimme some of that!" Hunter built the defense for himself, a solid one he believed.

"What the fuck!? Course I ain't threw it!" Hunter shouted, staring at disbelief to Elliot but the panic had set in. Isla being told it was all his fault, he could see her big eyes right now. "Confess to what!? I didn't do nothin'! El, I swear to God if you lie to that woman about what happened I ain't talkin' to you." he sighed, in an obvious state of stress as he tried to think of a way to figure out the note. "We should go down and get it, maybe it ain't smudged." he pointed but just his words finished, a deep growl and groan emitted from the trees. Heavy footsteps followed next and Hunter knew immediately what was below that platform. With a frown, he peered to the ledge again to see the damn mama bear enjoying every last bite of that lunch. "This is exactly why Ry shoulda shot her."

[ofwrxth]

Elliot nods, vehement in his accusation. "Yeah! Didn't know you were that weak, Hunt! You was just takin' your damn time!" he says, wiping his hands on his jeans and fixing his cap which had managed to stay on despite the fall. He looks at the watch tower and groans as Hunter begins to list off everything that they've got against them. Even with Jack gone, he doesn't want to risk going out because of something so dumb and – "truck?" Elliot's brows furrow as he looks at his brother. "What truck?" He asks before being yanked up and he hits his brother's arm, digging his feet in. "Fine. But only if you tell me: what truck?"

There weren't many things Hunter could think about as he and his brother descended. There wasn't enough time for him to fit all of the thoughts in. But there was enough time for him to think that it was Elliot's fault. If he had just shared...

Before his mind could even elaborate, they hit the deck and Hunter was groaning as if all his bones had been shattered into dust. Elliot's words, no- accusation, rang through his ears and Hunter stared at him. A few moments of silence. "Dropped you!?" his voice ripped in disbelief. "I was tryna pull your ass up and you were swingin' like a God damn dancer at Diamond, for Christ sake!" Hunter rambled angrily, having to get to his knees first before he could stand again.

He twisted to glance upwards, blinking at the broken watch tower. "Ah fuck, well there's another fuckin' thing. First the rice then the bar, then the truck and now this." he waved a disgruntled hand, not realizing the admission that slipped through his words. "C'mon." he grabbed Elliot's arm to pull his brother on his feet next. "We can say to Isla the bear attacked us, got the lunch and the note. Then both of us are in the clear, you hear me!?"

[ofwrxth]

"I forgot!" Elliot deflects. But it's a waste of cake and he regrets it even more once he's dangling from the platform, lifting his legs as the bear continues to reach for him. Why are his legs so stupidly long?! He finally understands his brother's lament over his height as he kicks out at the same time Hunter grabs his arm. "Just pull me up, Hunt! Now!" He shouts, swinging his legs again as the bear lunges and misses. "I gotta swing 'em or I'll lose 'em!" The math is very simple there and Elliot keeps flailing, trying to pull himself up by Hunter's grip. "You gotta lean back! So your weight isn't – " thrown off.

But in a matter of a few short seconds, there's another crack and then suddenly they're both falling, sailing through the air heavy as rocks before they hit the forest floor just as hard. As the ground meets his back, it punches the air out of Elliot's lungs for a beat and he lays there in stunned silence as platform debris falls on either side of them. A beat passes and then he's rolling over on his hands and knees, gasping before Hunter grabs him again and Elliot's head spins, having connected roughly with the ground. "I'm fine! I can't believe you dropped me!" He says, wounded, especially when he sees why his impact hurt so much. The silver lunch tin lay even more crushed beneath where he'd just been and he knows without looking that any hope of a note is long gone, taken by the wind or by the paw of the bear.

And then he sees the platform. Or, rather, the few planks of wood that now make up the platform, and he rubs his back, and head, and arm, and chest, and neck, puffing out his cheeks. "Well shit."

Hunter ignored Elliot's question. In fact, he tried to ignore him entirely. He stuffed his hands under his arms in a cross, tucking his face into the top of his jacket. He had no idea if this was even going to work but it seemed their best bet. Hunter also ignored the rustling as Elliot then pulled another tin from his pack. In silent disbelief, he turned his head slowly. "You had more this whole fuckin' time!?" he whispered harshly, watching as the cake was hurtled over the edge.

Then it was all too fast. The loud crack of wood and then the whoosh of Elliot dropping, hair waving above his head for a second just like how it happened with Rory. Hunter lunged without a single delay, grabbing onto Elliot's arm. "Stop wavin' your legs around!" he yelled in a panic, trying to hoist his brother up. But every time the bear swiped for Elliot's legs, Elliot would swing them and the momentum would almost take Hunter down with him. His other hand gripped the edge of the newly created hole, splinters digging into his palm as he anchored himself. "Jesus Christ! You got led legs! Swing 'em as I pull, El! Not before!" he shouted, trying to pull Elliot up a few more inches. "Stop fuckin' swinging 'em so much!" it was a confusing and unhelpful order, considering the now angered bear was growling and had it's mind set on grabbing Elliot for it's next dinner.

And then it happened again. A crack was the only warning that Hunter got. "Shit." the platform snapped from under him, the whole thing breaking into pieces from it's weakened state. And Hunter fell with him. Hurtling to the forest floor in a crash. The only good news was that the bear fell too, whacked in the face by a flying plank that spooked it to run away. A vision of a bear's huge backside disappearing into the forest as Hunter rolled from his back in a groan. "You alive!?" he coughed another shout at his brother, a hand flailing to grab Elliot by his shirt to see if he was okay.

[ofwrxth]

Elliot remembers his own advice to Hunter that his brother tries to claim as his own and huffs. "Didn't you run?!" He hisses as he sits back down, crossing his arms to stop himself from any sudden movements as the scraping of claws draws nearer. "Maybe we can get a stick and knock it off," Elliot says unhelpfully, mind spinning before Hunter makes a suggestion. "Well that'd be great if I had any leftover!" he whispers harshly before he pauses. "Wait..." Carefully and quietly, the younger Cross opens his pack, pulling out another tin. Smaller and square. And he opens it, looking mournfully at the piece of cake Isla had saved for him from the cafe. With an almost-watery gaze, Elliot hurls it down, watching as the yellow crumbs fly in the air. It's like slow motion, watching the bear glance at the falling object, the cake escaping from the container on its descent...and then...."Shit."

The bear keeps moving, and it seems to be picking up speed now and Elliot stands, eating his words about staying calm and still from earlier as a large paw grabs the edge of the platform. It happens too fast: the wood snapping beneath the bear's strength, jostling its grip and sending it down a few feet. But the break happens at the precise moment Elliot stands, the wood snapping between the bear's paw and his own two feet, creating the perfect, person-sized hole. One moment he's looking at Hunter and the next, he's slipped through, a shout leaving him as his pack falls to the forest floor below and he manages to grip the edge of the hole. Splinters bite into his hands as he yells, legs dangling as he bear several feet below growls, trying to swipe at his swinging limbs. "Hunter!!!!"

"I will! When the bear fucks outta here, you'll be launched!" Hunter remained firm on it now, when he had no intentions of throwing his brother in the first place. He wished Isla could see this side of him, actually. How God damn irritating Elliot could be, twisting and turning and lying through his teeth. "What else was I meant to say? Gimme some is a question like gimme some!?" Hunter cocked his head to the side in time with his words, forcing the intonation into a question.

The snap of wood and the sound of low grunts and snorts made both of the brothers look away. Only Hunter snapped another quick look at Elliot in disgust. "You was shoutin'!" his voice warbled between a yell and a whisper, making him cough. Now they had a bigger problem on their hands. "We...We sit down! And don't move, 'cause then they attack. So just...we just sit! That's what I did before, I didn't panic." he waved a hand, rushing his words as he plopped against the tree again and getting his gun ready. "All they care 'bout is food, toss it somethin'. It'll run for it."

[ofwrxth]

"Well you didn't fuckin' ask, Hunt! 'Course I'd've told you if you had!" Elliot thinks it's a simple problem that could've been solved with one or two questions. "I ain't out to leave you without food!" he insists, needing to protect his own innocence in all of this. "Yeah?!" Elliot replies, sitting up straighter, "I'd like to see you fuckin' try," he challenges, as empty as Hunter's threat but with an undercurrent of annoyance, mostly for his lost meal. His stomach grumbles as he sees the bear lifting the tin, licking it. Mocking him. "Ry shoulda gotten it's ass," he grumbles, now wishing his other brother had. Because at least then there might've been hope for him to salvage a bit of the sandwich even if the rice was lost to the forest floor.

"Yeah! I know! That's why I ain't saying shit!" He retorts with as much emphasis. "I woulda if you asked! You just demanded to see. You didn't say oh hey El, can I have some? You think I'd've said no?" He might've but that's besides the point he's trying to make. He shoves Hunter back, even if he knows it'll just mean they're both shoving each other but he can't help it. His younger sibling instincts come out. "If I take the hit, which I won't, but if I did, you'd owe me big time. Probably more than you could ever pay back." Elliot shakes his head, leaning back now as he crosses his arms in front of him, petulant as if he were still a child. "so I don't think I will." But he's clearly open for negotiation, if Hunter can make it worth his while.

"That ain't the issue!" Hunter yelled because of course he'd give his brother food. It just happened and he didn't care about it either. "But I didn't know you had a whole damn feast, for Christ sake! You shoulda gave me some and then this wouldn't happen." he waved a distressed hand to the ledge. It pained him to even look over it at the bear below, munching on what could have been the perfect lunch. Hunter glared at Elliot, a look of distaste all over his features. "If I threw you over this ledge, you'd go God damn far." he threatened, emptily of course but in the heat of the moment his thoughts could only think about the sandwich. And rice. He swore he could smell it even from there.

"I don't care who I make out to be liar, I can't have those eyes lookin' at me like that again! You know what it's like!" Hunter demanded Elliot to be on his side in this, flailing both his hands in the air. He had to scoff at his brother's idea, which wasn't even much better. "That's still makin' me to blame! And you weren't real nice. You didn't offer me shit! You were wavin' it around! Own up to it, it's what she deserves." he shoved at Elliot's chest lightly. "Just face it, you been in her good books for a while now. Just take the hit, she ain't ever mad at you for long. She's madder at all of us for longer. Just...own up! I can't...she already...she already got pissed at me! I can't fuckin' be to blame."

[ofwrxth]

Elliot holds up his hands. "You can't blame me for something you do, Hunt! 'Course I'm gonna eat food if you give it to me!" Since it sounds like his brother's saying it's his fault it happens in the first place. He looks mournful as he watches the bear chowing down on his lunch, and it's almost like Elliot can taste how good that rice would've been. And the sandwich. He knows it's probably the leaves crunching beneath the bear's paws but he swears he can hear the crunch of bread as the beast chows down. "No! no! You basically made it impossible for me to hold on! You may as well have threw the thing!" He waves his hands wildly, trying to make his point. "'Sides, you throw about as well as you run! So ain't no way it'd've gone that far!"

The younger Cross rakes a hand through his hair and smacks Hunter's arm in turn. "It ain't my fault you were greedy!" Elliot huffs, rubbing a hand across his eyes as he considers his brother's words. "And what happens when Lia vouches for her brother, huh? You gonna make her a liar too?!" He insists because while he's inclined to cast the blame on anyone but himself, he can see Isla poking holes through his logic. "Okay, okay – look we'll just...you just say that as I was bein' real nice and sharing with you, you ended up – I dunno, sneezing or somethin' and it blew the note away!" Elliot pans his arms out wide. "Problem solved. That way you weren't tryin' to steal from me. So she can't get mad at you for that. Just the note and you can't help a sneeze." It's weak but it's better than Elliot taking the blame.

"Yeah!? Women are people!" Hunter stressed again, and his eyes were fixed over the ledge instead of to his brother. He waved a disgruntled hand at Elliot's reasoning. "I always give you food without you askin'! It's just- what happens!" he yelled, glancing back to Elliot then with a look of both shock and disbelief. "If I fuckin' threw the thing it woulda been over there!" he pointed in gesture to a longer distance. "It fell outta your damn hands, El! Don't go blaming me just to save your own ass." but he knew Elliot would throw him under the damn bus for the sake of Isla.

"I ain't confessing to shit! It fell. It was an accident!" Hunter smacked at Elliot's arm as if trying to convince his brother to help cover up a murder. And now all the food was being guzzled by the black bear, Hunter and Elliot just watching from overhead as sheer stress coursed their veins. He stammered for a moment, hands running over his face. "She's gonna kill me, El. I can't, look just...let's blame someone she hates already? Huh? Beau!? Aidan." he clicked his fingers. "Let's just say, we left our packs 'cause we was getting something or whatever and came back and Aidan had just snatched it and gone. There. Ain't either of our fault then."

[ofwrxth]

"Or maybe just make a better lunch!" Elliot yells back, voice seeming to echo through the forest which doesn't bode well for their quiet watch but! He's justified. "I ain't ask you to gimme yours! You did it yourself! Now you want mine? Was that the plan all along?!" He accuses sharply as he tries to keep his food to himself.

When he's sat staring at the contents of the tin a moment later, way below, Elliot shakes his head. "That's such bullshit! You took it and threw it because you didn't want me to have it!" Comes the unreasonable blame mostly because he's stressed about the note and what will happen if she finds out he didn't read it. "I can't guess! They're different!" And ranges from have a great day to some things he doesn't even want to think about around Hunter because he's convinced his brother will read his mind and then he'd be thinking about those things too and Elliot can't have that. "You just gotta confess. She'll forgive you...eventually."

"Least you can do is share! That's the point I'm makin'!" Hunter expressed passionately, and scowled at Elliot's lack of a certain response. Because it was very fucking loud. Hunter made an agitated shift to stare ahead again, trying to ignore the fact Elliot was clearly living the fucking life. "You're God damn selfish, that's what you are!"

But Hunter's horror was far worse than the fact Elliot got to cuddle on up to a beautiful senorita. And get cooked for by one too. The fear of Isla's reaction clearly was enough to have both of the Cross brothers in a shock and Hunter turned to Elliot, in the same slowness. Both of them errupting into a yell at the same time. "I was tryna eat somethin' good! I didn't God damn throw it! You with your long ass arms always wavin' it around, coulda just gave me some!" Hunter shouted in return over Elliot's voice. "A note!?" Oh God, not a note. "Well, what she usually put on 'em!? Just guess! Just guess it, Elliot!"

[ofwrxth]

"Yeah, well – you gave it to me!" Elliot insists, confused by Hunter's sudden change of heart as he grasps his tin protectively now, holding it out of his brother’s reach. "I didn't take it outta your mouth or anything, fuck off!" He shoots a glare in Hunter's direction, pointedly ignoring the mention of her pussy, which he'd just had that morning thanks to both Ryan and Rory being out on early shifts, and instead sniffs it again, this time more pointedly. "I'm just smellin' my food, that was made for me." And as he's about to grab the note out from the tin, Hunter goes and throws it over the edge. Elliot stares at his empty hands in surprise, and then over the edge of the platform, food scattered on the forest floor.

Slowly, almost as if in a horror movie, Elliot turns his neck to look at Hunter. "What. The. Fuck. Is. Wrong with you, man!" He shouts at his brother, gesturing violently at his wasted lunch down below. "I didn't even read her note! She's gonna ask me if I read it!!" Elliot can already feel the sweat beading at his temple at the thought of having to tell Isla he didn't read it. Oh, so you do not love my love notes anymore? Who is writing you love notes you love more, Elliot? Tell me! He can already hear it and points an accusatory finger at Hunter. “I'm not saying shit, you're gonna tell her what you did!"

"Get the fuck outta here, just ate my damn food when you got all that." Hunter stressed, passionate as if Elliot had snatched the food from him when in actual fact, it was the other way around. Hunter trying to, at least. He made another grab but Elliot's slippery stupid long limbs averted the box, making Hunter grumble. "You gotta share." he added before his brows furrowed. "No, I ain't! I just gave you it!" Hunter exclaimed, leaning again to try and get to the food. And, Elliot's obnoxious inhale didn't help the matter either. "What the fuck you sniffin' at, she put her pussy in there!? Gimme that."

It was only a matter of time before the to and fro met an abysmal end. Hunter's hand swiped for the box, but at the same as Elliot's protection of it. The thing was gone, tumbling over the edge of the platform and both the Cross brothers watching as if in slow motion. "Now look!" Hunter finally bit as he leaned over the platform to see the mess of good food wasted below, but his stress was for another reason. "Listen here, don't you dare. I mean it, don't you dare say I had anythin' to do with this." he had already pissed Isla off, and that was enough for a lifetime. "El, I never ask you for nothin' in my whole life. But you ain't telling her I was even here. I ain't even seen that lunch."

[ofwrxth]

Elliot frowns slightly when he hears the number aloud. He's known it but it sounds worse when spoken. "Probably best not to." He agrees with a nod before turning his attention to his lunch. At least until Hunter lunges for it. "The fuck?" Elliot says, leaning away with his tin held close to his chest like a secret. "It's probably just a sandwich or something." Of course Isla's sandwiches were never just sandwiches. Homemade bread layered with fresh lettuce accompanied by some homemade hummus made from cans of chickpeas, or slices of fresh tomatoes. That or rice with some scrambled eggs and some beans along with diced tomatoes and greens. There's no doubt that Elliot's been eating better in the past weeks than he has in three years. "Ain't you got your own food?" he says, still leaning away as he pries open the tin to see that lunch was both the sandwich and the rice. And it he doesn't even do it to piss Hunter off but the moment he opens the lid just a crack, he can't help but catch a whiff of the food and inhale.

Hunter frowned, choosing to look ahead from the platform as if it would help drown out Elliot's words. All he had to look forward to were sad looking meals, definitely not Isla's damn banquets. "Just invite me next time, before Ry gets it." he mumbled, growing agitated while Elliot clearly was happy in his own little world with a full belly and a dick kept wet. Asshole. The talk about the Visser wolves made Hunter whistle lowly, nodding absentmindedly about them. "Yeah, and there's just two of 'em now. I ain't asked." because he knew nothing good would come from that conversation. They could all connect the dots, and it wasn't as if sunshine and rainbows existed during a war.

Hunter, at first, nodded as Elliot said about lunch expecting it to mean...later. But, when he heard his brother rummage around Hunter had to take a slow moving look in disbelief. He didn't even have the energy to return a comment about his damn running, Hunter simply made an attempt to snatch at Elliot's box of food. "More!?" he exclaimed, hand reaching out to try and grab it. "What she made you? Lemme see!"

[ofwrxth]

"Maybe you just never asked," Elliot shrugs like he's just answered a complicated question with the simplest answer. "'Sides, we don't usually got a lot of left overs, if that makes you feel any better. It's all part of the food rationed to us anyway." If his words are rubbing salt in an open wound, he doesn't notice as he finishes the bar and practically licks his finger clean. He snickers at Hunter's comment and shakes his head. "Nah, that fur would be a good blanket. But you're right...it'd'be the one time Wolf plays the Alpha card," he grins, knowing that their oldest brother was drawn to the traditions they'd seen in Colorado. But – "I don't think they'll wanna play dress up with him anytime soon. The big one always looks like he wants to pop off someone's head." Elliot rubs his neck, as though considering what that might feel like.

"I might when I'm done with my lunch." Elliot says casually, rifling through his pack because he'd just remembered that Isla had packed him some. "Those protein bars really don't cut it. You think it's 'cause they're expired?" he asks his brother sincerely. "Yeah, well, same goes for when you do, Mr. High Knees. Bet the bear was just trying to see how you was running so fast and skipping at the same time." He giggles to himself, genuinely tickled by the thought as he pulls out a tin from his pack.

"No, I never said that but you sure as hell ain't invitin' me already so bet you won't next time either." Hunter grumbled, and it was sheer childish selfishness driving him but he didn't care for one second. Ultimately, he was just happy to know Elliot had Isla back in his life. The difference was like night and day, and everyone saw it. He nodded about bear meat, a slight rumble from his own stomach but he promptly ignored it. "All that fur for Wolf to use too and get him playin' Visser dress up." he laughed while giving the rest of the protein bar over to his baby brother. Even if Elliot's constant chewing was a noise that irked him to the moon and back, Hunter preferred the satisfaction of knowing his brother wasn't running on empty. "Okay well, how 'bout you get your long legs down from here and go find the thing? See how you do." he huffed sharply, until eventually he cackled. "Yeah, you're right. But it's funny when you idiots get into shit. Just is. Ain't my fault."

[ofwrxth]

Elliot frowns at the mention of getting fat and looks down at his stomach for a beat before shrugging and chewing away. "So you're sayin' you don't wanna get invited next time there's extra?" He snipes back with a grin, food pushes to one cheek as he speaks. "I bet the heat'd kill all the germs and worms and shit." Elliot nods and continues eating. It's easy to poke fun because he wasn't there, and truthfully, he's just glad both brothers escaped unscathed. "Ain't you heard not to run from a bear? You're s'posed to play dead or somethin'." He says it with a matter-of-fact air, swinging his legs as his keen gaze takes in the nature surrounding them. The leaves changing colors faster than he'd anticipated. "I'm shuttin' up, but you know damn well if it happened to any of the rest of us, you'd be laughing 'till ya pissed yourself." Elliot snickers and takes another piece, stuffing it in his mouth almost without chewing at all.

Hunter listened with an immediate regret for even asking because he had seen what the fuck Isla was doing in that kitchen. Whenever he strolled on by, not only did the smell of food fill the air, the scene through the window was like a little slice of life. "Ry got it!?" he bit, before scowling. "Jesus Christ, she's gon make all y'all fat then you'll be waddlin' around here tryna get shit done." he griped, looking back ahead as their whole topic shifted to one about food. Hunter glanced through the trees, absentmindedly handing over another piece of the bar for Elliot. "I don't know, maybe? If it's cooked right. Heard some bears got tapeworm so..." he grumbled the answer before a sigh escaped about the infamous showdown between one. "Oh I'm sorry, is there a way to talk to 'em so they don't try and eat ya?" he tilted his head with a blank expression. "She just came at me outta nowhere, shut up." Hunter added, yet another piece of the bar handed over.

[ofwrxth]

Elliot stretches out his legs after a moment, long limbs extended past the edge of the platform a bit. "Uh, you know, some fried eggs, some refried beans. You shoulda come by. Ry got some of the extra. Ain't got the ingredients for tortillas but I bet if we did, she'd make 'em." He shrugs, grabbing the offered piece and stuffing it in his mouth. His legs swing a little as he glances out at the trees before his eyes trail the forest floor below. "You think bear makes good stew?" Elliot asks, stomach almost grumbling at the thought of meat, even as he takes another bite. "This story seems like a whole lotta blame on Ry," added with a smirk as he glances at his brother, "What'd you even do to piss off the bear?"

Hunter did a double take as Elliot mentioned he already ate, not sure why he was surprised to see his brother scoffing again so soon. It had been this way for years, and Hunter's mouth curved into a slight grin as he handed over more of the bar. Having half a mind to just give the whole damn thing over. "Yeah. What you have?" he leaned slightly to peer at his brother, curious what sort of hearty meals Elliot was getting fed while he had to hunch over a sad bowl of cereal most days. Scoffing about the bear, Hunter looked through the forest and grumbled. "Well yeah, course it fuckin' is!" he exclaimed with unusual passion. "'cause Ry ain't fuckin' shot it when he had the God damn chance. Think of all that fur and meat."