It was a rare day off for both Will and Jay Halstead, a welcome break from the chaos of Chicago's hospitals and precincts. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, and both brothers had decided it was the perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature and each other by going on a hike.

"Why don't we hit up that trail out by Lake Michigan?" Jay suggested, adjusting his backpack as he stepped out of the car.

"Sounds good to me," Will replied, his usual enthusiasm evident in his voice. He grabbed his gear from the trunk, feeling the excitement bubble within him.

"Just give me a second to grab some water," Will said, rummaging through his bag. He paused for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. "Do you have your allergy pills?"

"Yeah, I took mine this morning," Jay said casually. "You good?"

"Of course," Will said, forcing a smile. The truth was he'd forgotten his allergy pills. The pollen count was alarmingly high, but he didn't want to ruin the day for Jay by mentioning it. "Let's go."

The trail was beautiful, lined with lush trees and vibrant wildflowers. The brothers hiked at a steady pace, chatting about everything from their work to their childhood memories. Will felt the warm sun on his face and the fresh air in his lungs, temporarily ignoring the itch in his throat that was slowly building up.

As they walked deeper into the woods, Will could feel the pollen wafting around him. He stifled a sneeze, pinching his nose with his fingers. "Hhh…huh'ngxt!"

"Bless you," Jay said with a chuckle. "You okay there?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Will replied, his voice slightly strained. "Just a little…hh-hh…hh'KSHHH! Just the pollen getting to me, I guess." He wiped his nose with the back of his hand, trying to maintain his composure.

"Really?" Jay smirked. "I feel fine."

Will shot him a playful glare, secretly cursing himself for not remembering to take his allergy pill. "Yeah all right tough guy."

The brothers continued hiking, but the sneezing was becoming more frequent for Will. With every few steps, he felt another itch creeping up on him, and he stifled several sneezes into his shirt. "Hh—huhh'ISHH! Hh…huh'KSHH! Hah—hh'KSHHH!"

"Dude, you sound like you're about to explode," Jay teased, unable to contain his laughter. "You didn't take your allergy pill this morning did you?"

"I'm fine, really," Will insisted, though he could feel his eyes watering. The combination of the pollen and his stifled sneezes was making it harder to focus on the path ahead. Just as he took a step forward, he felt his foot slip on a loose rock.

"Whoa!" Jay exclaimed as Will stumbled, trying to regain his balance.

"Hh-huhhh…huh'KSHH! Hah'KSHH!" Will sneezed uncontrollably, the sneezes overwhelming him just as he lost his footing. Before he could catch himself, he fell flat on his face, a yelp escaping his lips.

"Will!" Jay rushed to his side, concern etched on his face.

"Just…give me a second," Will groaned, attempting to push himself up. He winced as he felt a sharp pain in his ankle. "I think I hurt my ankle."

"Great. Just great," Jay said, shaking his head but unable to suppress a grin. "You managed to turn a simple hike into a full-blown disaster."

Will tried to stand, but as soon as he put weight on his ankle, a wave of pain shot through him. "I can't," he admitted, sitting back down on the ground.

"Alright, hero," Jay said, trying to keep his tone light despite the worry in his eyes. "Let's get you back to the car. Can you stand if I help you?"

"Yeah," Will sighed, his face flushing with embarrassment as he leaned on Jay. The two began the slow trek back to the parking lot, Jay supporting most of Will's weight as he limped his way slowly back. He couldn't help but stifle another sneeze, turning his head away from Jay. "Hh…huh'KSHH!"

"Bless you again," Jay said, stifling his laughter. "At this rate, we'll be here all day."

"Ha ha, very funny," Will muttered, gritting his teeth as he limped along.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the car. Jay helped Will into the passenger seat, and as soon as he was settled, he couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"You know, you might be the only person I know who could manage to trip while sneezing," he teased, starting the engine. "You've got some real talent, Will."

"Yeah, yeah," Will replied, rolling his eyes, though a small smile tugged at his lips. "Just get me home, will you?"

The drive home was punctuated with sniffles and sneezes from Will as his body tried vehemently to get rid of the offending allergen. As they pulled into the parking lot, Jay turned to him. "Do you need help getting inside?"

"I'll manage," Will insisted, though he knew he'd have to lean on Jay for support.

Once they were inside, Jay grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and handed it to Will, who was sitting on the couch, his foot propped up. "Here, put this on your ankle," Jay said, trying to hide his amusement.

"Thanks," Will said, settling the ice pack on his swollen ankle. "And I'm sorry for ruining our day."

Jay shook his head. "You didn't ruin anything. It was entertaining, at least. Just try not to be a total klutz next time, okay?"

Will chuckled, despite himself. "I'll try, but no promises. You know me too well."

The rest of the day passed in a comfortable haze. Will propped his foot up and while Jay fetched him some Benadryl and Advil then made them sandwiches. As they sat on the couch, watching a game, Will felt a warm sense of gratitude wash over him.

"You know, I really appreciate you," Will said, glancing over at his brother through half lidded eyes. "Not just for helping me today but for always being there."

Jay looked over, surprised by the sincerity in Will's voice. "Hey, that's what brothers are for. Plus, it gives me something to tease you about later."

Will's eyes flutter shut as he struggled to keep them focused on the game, "Mm hmm."

"Sleep Will," Jay chuckles softly. "It'll give us both a break from your sneezing."

As Will settled into the couch, the comfort of his brother's presence made the pain in his ankle more bearable. It had been an eventful day, but through the chaos, their bond had only grown stronger.

A few days later, Will's ankle was on the mend. He was sitting at the kitchen table when Jay walked in with a grin on his face.

"Guess what?" Jay said, unable to contain his excitement.

"What?" Will asked, curious.

"I found another trail we can hike, and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer. This time, we'll make sure you're fully stocked with allergy pills," Jay said, clearly looking forward to another adventure.

Will laughed, shaking his head. "You really want to risk another trip to the ER, huh?"

"Only if it's worth it," Jay replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And I have a feeling it will be."

With that, Will couldn't help but smile. He knew that no matter what happened, as long as they were together, every adventure would be worth it—whether it involved nature trails, allergy pills, or a healthy dose of brotherly teasing.

Over the next few days, Will's ankle healed steadily, and he eagerly awaited his next hike with Jay. They spent evenings on the couch watching movies and reminiscing about their childhood, with Jay promising to keep Will on his feet this time.

"Just remember to take your Telfast before the hike," Jay said one evening, flipping through the hiking gear catalog, "Do you need me to remind you when I take mine?"

"I'm not a child Jay," Will retorts, rolling his eyes.

Jay scoffs good naturedly. "Just try not to sneeze us off the trail, okay?"

As the day of the hike approached, Jay spent the evening preparing, packing the backpack with all the essentials. Will couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement, imagining the fresh air and the scenic views waiting for them.

"Do you think we'll encounter any wildlife?" Will asked, lounging on the couch while watching Jay organize his gear.

"Maybe a few squirrels," Jay replied, a playful grin on his face. "Just don't trip over them like you did that rock."

"Hey, that was one time!" Will protested, laughing as he recalled the embarrassing moment. "This time, I'm ready."

The following Saturday, the sun rose bright and clear. Will and Jay loaded up Jay's SUV and headed out to the trail. The drive was filled with light banter, and the brothers relished the feeling of freedom that came with a day off.

As they parked and got out, the fresh scent of pine and blooming flowers enveloped them. Will took a deep breath, feeling invigorated. "I can't believe we waited this long to get back out here," he said, stretching his arms overhead.

"Right? And with this perfect weather, we're in for a great day," Jay said, adjusting his backpack. "Let's hit the trail."

The first part of the hike was relatively easy, a well-maintained path through the trees. Will could feel the adrenaline coursing through him as he walked alongside his brother, their conversations flowing easily. He felt the familiar tickle in his nose but pushed it aside, determined not to let it ruin their day.

"Hah'ISHH! Hah…hh'KSHH!"

"Bless you," Jay said with a grin. "Looks like someone's already off to a rough start."

"Just allergies," Will said, rubbing his nose. "I'm fine. Just enjoying nature."

"Uh-huh," Jay said, arching an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "You did take your Telfast this morning didn't you?"

Will pauses and turns to face Jay, as it dawned on him that he had once again forgotten his allergy meds. Before he could say anything, the tickle struck again and he buried his nose in his elbow quickly stifling "Hutnxgh! Hetnxch!"

As they continued along the trail, Will found himself sneezing more frequently. Each time he felt a sneeze coming on, he tried to stifle it, but it only seemed to make things worse. "Hh—huh'KSHH! Hh…huh'KSHH!"

"Dude, seriously," Jay said, laughing lightly. "If you're going to keep that up, I'm going to start charging you for every sneeze."

"Very funny," Will shot back, though he could feel his face flushing from embarrassment.

"Okay, but for real, do you need you need to turn back?" Jay asked, genuinely concerned.

"No, I'm good," Will insisted, though he felt his throat itch again. He knew he should've taken the pills that morning. "Let's just keep going."

But as they reached a more rugged part of the trail, filled with rocks and tree roots, Will's focus shifted. Each sneeze was becoming more disruptive, and he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. He stepped cautiously, but the sudden urge to sneeze overwhelmed him again.

"Hah'KSHH! Hahh—HAA-KSHH!"

As he sneezed, he lost his footing, his foot catching on a tree root. Will stumbled and felt the world tilt beneath him. "Whoa!" he yelled, trying to catch himself but only managing to trip over his own feet.

"Will!" Jay shouted, rushing forward.

This time, Will fell backward, landing with a thud on the ground. "Ugh, not again!" he groaned, rubbing his ankle.

"Are you kidding me?" Jay exclaimed, a mix of concern and barely contained laughter in his voice. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"I'm fine!" Will protested, though he could feel the pain shooting through his ankle again. He pushed himself up, his face burning with embarrassment. "I just need a minute."

Jay knelt beside him, trying to hide his grin. "How about we take a breather, and then we can get you back to the car? I think we need to give you a new nickname: 'Limpy.'"

"Shut up," Will said, unable to help the small smile that crept onto his face despite his discomfort. "I can make it back."

"Right, like you made it here," Jay teased, helping him sit against a nearby tree. "Let's get you some water and figure this out."

As Will sat on the ground, he took a few deep breaths to steady himself, but the sneezing continued to plague him. "Hah'KSHH! Huh'ISHH!" Each sneeze felt like a reminder of his misfortune.

"Alright, Mr. Limpy, let's get you moving," Jay said, helping Will back to his feet. "Lean on me."

Will leaned on Jay as they limped their way back to the car. The walk felt even longer this time, and every step sent a jolt of pain through his ankle. "You know, I could've avoided all of this if I had just taken my allergy pills," Will said, shaking his head in frustration.

"You think?" Jay said, trying to suppress a laugh. "I mean, come on. We should've made this a challenge: Who can trip over their own feet the least. You'd be losing by a mile."

"Very funny," Will grumbled. "I swear I'm going to make a 'Jay's got the worst sense of humor' t-shirt."

"Please do," Jay said, his laughter filling the air. "I'll wear it proudly."

They finally reached the car, and Will sank into the passenger seat with a sigh of relief. "I'm definitely getting those pills the second we get home," he muttered, rubbing his sore ankle.

"Sounds like a plan," Jay agreed, starting the engine. "You know, despite your clumsiness, I'm glad we did this. Although, you truly are a walking disaster."

Will chuckled, his embarrassment easing a little. "Thanks, Jay. I'm sorry we had to cut this short again."

Once they got back to the apartment, Jay helped Will inside and set him up on the couch with a fresh ice pack. "Stay put. I'll grab those pills and some food," he said, disappearing into the kitchen.

Will propped his foot up on a pillow, grateful for the comfort of home. He pulled out his phone to check messages, but all he could think about was how he'd probably spent more time falling than hiking.

When Jay returned with a sandwich and a glass of water, he handed the pills to Will. "Here, take these. You need them."

"Thanks," Will said, swallowing the pills and taking a bite of his sandwich. "I guess today wasn't a total bust. At least we got out there."

"True," Jay said, plopping down on the couch next to Will. "But next time, let's find a flatter trail with fewer roots, and you'll take your allergy pills first."

"Deal," Will replied, smiling at his brother. "And I'll even make sure to bring some extra tissues for the sneezing."

"Now you're talking," Jay said, nudging him playfully. "Just no more face plants, alright?"

"I'll try my best," Will quipped back.