Ari wasn't really the type of person to appreciate the outdoors. When it was sunny out after weeks of grey and rain, he wouldn't comment on it cheerfully as expected, and generally he didn't complain about any oddly cold or unusually warm weather ("the Earth has [i]seasons,[/i] does no one notice it gets cold around October, happens every year, why are we so [i]shocked[/i]"); basically, Ari really didn't invest himself in his surroundings. His primary goal - to get indoors where he could laze around as much as he wanted - was enough to distract him from whatever the environment offered. More than he liked to observe nature or explore the area, Ari would rather have at least five different sources of entertainment around him, none of which he really paid attention to. Scene: Ari underneath three blankets, a television on full blast for background noise, phone at his side for receiving messages, laptop on the other open with whatever caught his interest, tablet in his hands on which he did nothing productive, and finally a book lost under the covers that he'd intended on finishing months ago. Typical night seven days out of the week, for him.

River, though, his better half, was more adventurous, and ironically enough he was confined to his home too often to do anything about it. It made logical sense, really, because he looked like some kind of forest nymph anyway, so he should have a connection to nature somehow. In all the inevitable times they'd been wandering about together, it seemed like the sun caught him directly, the oblique rays finding gold in his hair or the cornflower blue of his eyes to illuminate and emphasize. They passed gardens or trees with low hanging branches and River never failed to interact with them somehow, pointing out a particularly bright tulip to Ari or touching the branch that drooped as if it wanted to reach him anyway. If he didn't have this uncanny ability to make every little thing he did [i]endearing[/i] - or maybe it was just the fact that River himself was endeared to Ari - then Ari might have been annoyed by it all. But usually he feigned a deep interest in the tulip or poked the leaf that hung closest to him, 'cause it was River.

So maybe he didn't need that much convincing to overcome his hate for any place not air-conditioned when River was involved, but River didn't seem to realize his effect on Ari. It was probably lucky, because any time River planned on trying to drag him into something, he'd act sickly sweet 'til Ari gave in - Ari eventually learned to just push it as subtly as possible. When River first appeared at his doorstep he really didn't even consider that being the case for today, and instead just gladly kissed him because so many hours apart was apparently [i]awful,[/i] barely fitting in a greeting before he led River inside. Ari made the actual connection once they'd settled into a peaceful position on his much-too-large and much-too-blanketed bed, having almost fallen asleep with River's fingers drifting through his hair. 

When River made his offer Ari pushed it as per usual, enjoying having his hair toyed with and feeling oh-so-special with the way River was being so tactile. He made it last a few minutes before deciding that he could probably get the special treatment even when they were out, and luckily, he was very quickly proven correct. He interlaced his fingers with River's, staying at his side even when he was greeted by the sun's invasive rays and the breeze messed up his hair (and he kind of complained about it, admittedly). Ari tried to imagine multiple times where they were going, what mischief River had planned, and at times really didn't know where the hell they were in the moment, even. And then he came to terms with the fact that River had no guidance at all and they were going nowhere in particular. Part of him sort of panicked, 'cause what if they couldn't get back, or what if he didn't get [i]cell service[/i], so on. The other, though, was intrigued by the idea of getting lost with River. The latter part won out, big time.

In fact, he preferred that careless and lovesick part of himself so much that he totally forgot to worry about how far they got or keep track of what paths they had taken, and when they landed in an area he'd never seen before he suddenly remembered all of it. It looked so country, total opposite of urban life and suburbia and therefore a different planet to Ari, that he was concerned enough to ask River for half a second - and then both of them opted not to dwell on it. Instead they let themselves end up in a meadow untouched by any mowers or city planners and for the first time Ari's attention was caught by the milieu enough to turn him away from River. Naturally their legs carried them to the center of the field, Ari's fingers still loosely locked with River's despite the hours passed or the occasional split-up. He finally let go before River dropped down right near a gathering of dandelions, only to immediately join him on the ground.

Time definitely moved slower here, but he was still fully conscious of the fact that the sun would go away eventually although it still painted the sky brilliantly. The point was that he had to spend that time wisely, and focusing on the good thoughts in his head and actually [i]saying them outloud[/i] rather than being completely unavailable would probably be a welcome addition to an already nice day. Caught up with studying all the features of the world he barely took the time to see usually, Ari stayed propped up on his elbows, grounded by the way his and River's legs tangled together so easily. [i]Hey.[/i] Ari looked over at River without thinking that maybe he should prepare himself first and was promptly taken aback by the way he was basked in light, stray dandelion seeds all caught up in his hair. He looked dumbfounded for half a second before grinning at him, taking one arm out from beneath him to brush a wisp from his hair and then quickly smooth his thumb over River's cheek. [b]"Hey to you."[/b]

[i]Aren’t you glad I dragged you out today?[/i] He hadn't followed his gesture since he'd been so enthralled by River himself, but it was easy to infer why he might've been glad. To River, though, he probably thought it was just the sun or the scenery that Ari should be happiest about, 'cause he was dumb like that. Ari figured he should remind River of his priorities. He adopted a matter-of-fact voice to counter River's teasing one. [b]"You didn't drag me. I would've gone easy,"[/b] he said, distinctly recalling every time he successfully turned down invitations from River only to chase after him and say he'd 'changed his mind.' The answer was pretty much always yes when the question came from River. [b]"I just like when you do this..."[/b] He leaned over River once he was flat again, curling one hand against the grass at his head and carding lazily through his hair. [b]"...but now I realize this is much better, yeah."[/b] It wasn't often he was [i]agreeable,[/i] but. Something about the circumstances kind of shifted his attitude - and banter was evidently the alternative. [b]"Was it your plan all along to get lost? I'm feeling very, how you say, kidnapped. We're gonna have to ask a [i]farmer[/i] for [i]directions.[/i]"[/b]