Knife had been sneaking into Pickle's hotel room to play video games and talk with him for a few weeks now. They'd ended up doing things besides play video games as well, like playing card games, watching movies, and listening to music (while singing badly) together. They'd reached a point where they considered each other to be close friends.

Pickle sat on his bed reading a book called "Improv 101". He did end up joining the Cherries' improv troupe, more so as something to fill his time while he waited for the current season of Inanimate Insanity to be over rather than a real passion.

He also felt bad that there weren't many members, but since Cheesy was eliminated he had joined (without any hesitation at all), so he did feel a bit better. Cheesy had also started doing stand up comedy shows at the hotel on Friday nights. He was actually pretty funny, as might come as a surprise to everyone who had seen the jokes he made during the show. They were so good that Pickle almost always went to them and had even considered recording a show to watch with Knife.

Suddenly, there was a loud thunk on his window, pulling Pickle out of his thoughts. He assumed it was Knife, albeit knocking a bit louder than usual. He quickly headed over to open the window so Knife wouldn't have to dangle for too long. It was a bit early for him to come over, the sun hadn't even set. He didn't mind though and began opening his window.

Surprisingly, Knife wasn't there when he looked down. Knife, standing a few feet from the hotel, laughed at Pickle looking down and reaching as though it were on instinct. Pickle looked up at Knife with an armful of rocks, having thrown one at his window. He ended up not needing as many as he had, having a pretty good aim. When he saw Pickle had looked up, he dropped the rocks and gestured for him to come outside.

Pickle was pretty confused, as Knife usually always came into the hotel rather than having him go outside. Regardless, he left his room and made his way to the front doors.

As he walked through the lobby, he was stopped by a voice just before he left.

"Where are you headed?"

Startled, he turned. It was just OJ, thankfully. Or rather, unfortunately.

"Oh, hey OJ, I was just..."

He was having trouble thinking of a lie since he couldn't exactly tell OJ what he was doing, or rather, who he was going to see.

"...going to watch the sunset!"

OJ looked at him doubtfully. "You know you could go to the roof and watch, right?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to see it... around nature. So it's... more, um, authentic."

Real clever.

"...Okay, I guess. Just don't stay out for too long." He didn't sound convinced but didn't really seem to care either.

Pickle sighed in relief as he turned around and headed outside to where Knife had been standing. Once there he didn't see him but heard him shortly after.

"Pickle!"

It came from behind one of the trees near the hotel.

Pickle approached it to find Knife holding a picnic basket and a checkered blanket.

"Sorry I took a while, OJ was in the lobby and... wait, why did you want me to come out here?"

Knife smiled and raised the basket and blanket. "Have you had dinner yet?"

Pickle began catching on to what Knife had planned and smiled. "No, but my dinner has been bagel bites and chips lately, so that's probably for the best."

Knife laughed and gestured for Pickle to follow him.

They walked through pine trees and up hills until they reached a secluded area near a cliff. There was a perfect view of the mountains, trees, and a lake below, as well as the sunset.

"Wow..." Pickle marveled.

"Pretty great, huh?" Knife said, putting the basket down and spreading out the blanket.

"Yeah... but anyways, a picnic? What's the occasion?"

"No occasion, just thought a break from pretty much just video games would be nice,"

Knife paused.

"...and don't take this the wrong way, but, um, have you gone outside lately?"

Pickle thought for a moment and struggled to think of a time he had in recent memory. "You're right, and this is proof," he said, gesturing to the view below.

Knife finished spreading out the blanket and sat down, patting next to him. Pickle sat next to him as he picked up the picnic basket and put it in front of them.

"Where'd you get food?"

Knife looked caught off guard by the question. He rubbed the back of his blade and replied,

"Uh, you know how there was the episode when we had to bake pizzas? Well... the kitchens and ingredient dispenser are still there."

"No way," Pickle laughed, opening the picnic basket.

There were a few sandwiches, two jars of lemonade, and a plastic container with two cupcakes in it.

"Aww! Did you do this all on your own?"

"Nah, I actually got some help from Lightbulb with the cupcakes. She helped me in exchange for the other ten in the batch."

" Please tell me you didn't need any help with the sandwiches." Pickle joked, picking one of them up.

"No, no, I swear I know how to make sandwiches." Knife laughed.

The scene Knife had set was relaxing and sweet. The sunset, the food, the conversation, it was just like a date.

Which they both realized eventually.

Knife worried that what he'd done was an obvious romantic gesture, one he genuinely didn't intend. He just wanted to do something nice for Pickle, though that already had romantic connotations considering his feelings for him.

Pickle wasn't sure if the romantic setting was intentional or not, but he didn't mind either way. He talked with Knife, ate the food he had made, and admired the view, having a nice time even if it wasn't intended to be as meaningful as he felt it was.

He did hold hope that the atmosphere was on purpose, though. It was nearly indistinguishable from a date, even the small things, like how they both reached in the picnic basket and their hands touched, or how Knife had made a cupcake specifically for him with green frosting. The only thing missing was the romance. But, of course, neither of them mentioned anything about it either.

Once the sun had set and they finished all the food and drinks in the picnic basket, they continued their conversation laying down on the blanket, staring at the stars.

"...I haven't done this in so long. Just looked at the stars, you know?" Pickle said.

"I've done it a lot lately, having to sleep outside and all. I don't exactly have a say in the matter."

Pickle laughed softly.

"You know what, that reminds me that I should probably get back to the hotel. OJ's gonna be mad if I'm not back soon."

"...Oh, okay. I'll walk you back so you don't get lost."

They both stood up and started to walk through the trees, leaving behind the picnic basket and blanket.

"Now that you've got a blanket you won't have to sleep on the grass, huh?"

"I was just borrowing it. Still get the luxury of a bed of grass."

"Damn. Well, you know you can always come over to my room and sleep. Probably not tonight though, I think OJ is already pretty suspicious of me."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah, when I was heading out he was in the lobby and asked where I was going. I don't think he believed my excuse."

"Hm. Is he still strict with his rules?"

"Usually, but I guess not always since he let me leave so late. I wouldn't put it above him to rat you out to MePhone if he saw you in the hotel, though."

Eventually, they reached the shrubbery near the hotel. They hugged each other and waved goodbye.

Pickle opened the doors to Hotel OJ and heard footsteps coming from the stairs. It was OJ again, looking a bit upset. He assumed it was because he'd ended up staying out so late.

"Hey OJ, sorry about coming back kinda late, I just-"

"Knife?"

Pickle felt his heart drop.

"I saw you and Knife near the hotel from my window."

Pickle just stared at OJ, frozen.

OJ sighed and rubbed his temples.

"You know what? I don't care about whatever you're doing with Knife as long as you don't get caught by MePhone or disrupt business around the hotel."

Pickle kept frozen. What did OJ... think they were doing?

Uncertain of how to respond, he awkwardly drifted towards the stairs. "Uh, thanks, and goodnight."

OJ smiled. "Goodnight."

Knife returned the blanket and basket he had borrowed from Suitcase and headed back to the spot where he usually slept.

He laid down and immediately began thinking of scenarios of the evening where he'd done something like hold Pickle's hand, or confess how he felt, or...

It was the perfect setting, but he didn't even know if Pickle liked guys, let alone him. And Pickle sure as hell didn't know that Knife did.

It didn't matter, no matter how hard he tried or how much he wanted to, he doubted he could allow himself to be open enough to confess to Pickle. All he could do was hope for the smallest chance Pickle would say something first.