bakerstreet | i'm singin' in the rain

[ it's better than being stuck out on a dark and dead striker while the storm rages and they have nothing but two flare guns against one of the largest kaiju chuck has ever seen — mostly because the element of helpless rage is missing — but that doesn't mean chuck particularly appreciates being out in the very same storm that still rages over hong kong hours later because max needs to be walked. she has an umbrella, sure, but it isn't of much use with the wind blowing the rain this or that way, sideways at times. so she's got the umbrella hanging over one arm instead and she's soaked.

there are worse things. at least max isn't afraid of thunder and lightning. (chuck used to be, once upon a time, but that is long past. these days, she makes a point not to be afraid of anything.)

chuck has no idea why raleigh is out in this weather. he doesn't have a dog that he needs to walk. ten hours ago she would have either turned and walked the other way or made a snide remark upon seeing him look out over the ocean. ten hours ago, she'd still thought of him as nothing but a useless wash-up, a has-been. someone who was going to drag them all down and get them killed and chuck might not know who she is other than a ranger, but she knows that she wants to live. ten hours ago, he hadn't proven yet that he still knows how to fight and some of the bruises on her body are from his fists rather than being thrown around the connpod.

instead of an insult, what comes out of her mouth is just hey while max bounds over, seemingly uncaring about the weather, to throw his weight at raleigh's legs in a more enthusiastic greeting. ]

Hey.

[The reply comes easy for Raleigh, even if he's not sure why she's approaching him and he's bracing himself for another onslaught of attitude he'd find distasteful coming from a preschooler. He was young, once, and brash and stupid and too good for his own good, and while it might give him some understanding of Chuck, it doesn't mean he approves. After all, look where that attitude got him.

He's standing getting soaked to the skin, lacking an umbrella to shield him from the storm. He's shivering and clasping his arms round his chest is doing nothing to warm him against the water, but the only company he knows how to keep thesedays is his own.

So he nods, and he says hey, and there's no grudge held because Raleigh knows that there's no point holding onto anything, much. But then he looks down and reaches to scratch Chuck's wet dog behind his ears, and he doesn't say anything more.]

You look like a drowned rat.

[ chuck probably doesn't look much better, she knows that. while she may have an umbrella, it hasn't been of much use and she'd closed it after the first few minutes of struggling against the storm with it. she can take a shower afterwards. at least she has an excuse to be out in this weather, though.

there are plenty of people who find her attitude distateful or appaling, but no one but her old man ever really calls her out on it and she doesn't put much stock into his words. she doesn't care. (that's a lie.)

all that matters is that she's a ranger, a damn good pilot.

her words aren't entirely unkind, though, rude as they may be. ]

[Rude as they may be, Raleigh's got a strong hunch they could be ruder. So she's toning it down a little around him - that can only be a good thing. He pushes his hands back through his hair, water streaming down his neck as he lifts his head again.]

I came out to cool off a little. I think I've accomplished that.

[ they could be considerably ruder, though she's not so much toning it down, necessarily, as that she's just not as angry right now, not when he's saved her and her old man's lives, when striker was dead and dark and there'd been nothing chuck could do.

she watches him for a moment, arms crossed in front of her chest because it's the closest to wrapping them around herself to ward off the cold she'll allow herself. ]

Yeah, I'd say. [ said with a snort. ]

[Hope this alright]

[The sky had decided to open up the moment she stepped outside for some much needed fresh air. The 'dome was too damn hot at the moment so the rainfall was strangely welcome to Charisa who was easily drenched in a matter of minutes. Her dark hair clinging to her face while she tilted her head back as the rain continued to pour down upon her.

It was in that moment that the sky lite up far away from her, no sound of thunder having alerted her to the chance of a store which meant the lighting was rather far off. Another flash and she's tilting her head back down a bit.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd actually really seen lightening, most of her time these days was spent inside working on the jaegers, just like she had back in Alaska. There was the slightest of rumbles suddenly before another flash hit the sky.

The storm was picking up speed toward the Shatterdome. It would more than likely drawn no attention to those inside since the place was noisy with the work going on but, for the time being the drenched woman was going to enjoy the show even as the wind began to pick up.]

M!

[Sirius pulled his robes over his head and squinted through the rain.]

Evans? What are you doing? Get under here, out of the rain! [He pulled Lily underneath the beams of the Herbology greenhouse.]

Lily couldn't believe it! She had only just gotten comfortable under her favorite tree with her new book. She had planned on there being plenty of time for reading. Thankfully, she usually put her new books through a rigorous amount of charms to protect them from getting damaged. But, of course, that meant she was getting thoroughly drenched.

Book held to her chest, she was sprinting to the nearest building, while trying not to slip on the slick ground. she was incredibly thankful for Sirius' presence as he yanked her in under the greenhouse. "It came out of nowhere!" she exclaimed as she shivered from being drenched and looking like a red haired drowned rat. She gave Sirius a smile. "Thank you. Always knew you were a decent bloke."

"I bloody hope I'm a decent bloke, otherwise what will Prongs think of me otherwise? Leaving the love of his life out in the rain to become ill." He shook some rain from his hair like a dog, before smirking. "It is pretty strong, isn't it? What were you doing under that tree? Studying again? You seem to do a lot of that, Evans. It's not healthy." He was teasing, of course.

Lily rolled her eyes. Love of James' life. Really now, it wasn't quite like that. But the boys were prone to being overly dramatic. It was kind of part of their charm. In a way. "Yes, I was studying. Something you do not do enough, I might add." She gave him her patented Head Girl look of disapproval. And then proceeded to pull out her wand. Pointing it at Sirius, she first dried him off and then herself.

"There, that is much better. Now, why on earth are you out here?"

"I'm out here waiting for Prongs to finish Quidditch. He said he wanted to meet me here, so here I am. Merlin's beard, how can anyone play Quidditch in this? Surely, the match will be cancelled. It's only training after all. But you know Prongs. He loves his broomstick more than me." He smirked.

[ Yep. The boy who lived is stuck in the rain. Harry just drew his coat around himself as he sighed against a brick wall in Diagon Alley. The water was pouring down, pretty much soaking Harry. His normal messy black hair was now totally flat and hanging in front of his eyes. Thankfully he manged to have a charm on his glasses that prevented them the rain making it almost impossible to see. It was a few days after his and Draco's little bed adventures. And while, he was'nt totally sure what exactly to think of that. He couldn't really complain about it. Still, perhaps he should have sent an OWl or something, right?]

Draco had been in deep conversation with a fellow Potion Master over the benefits of simplifying the steps of complicated potions when it had happened. He hadn't seen the telltale sprinkle - that that he would have had enough time to take cover. Just suddenly the overcast skies let loose a downpour. Both men had grimaced as they looked out the window at the downpour. With goodbyes and a promise to continue this discussion later, they parted ways. Draco quickly cast a water deflection charm upon his clothing and stepped outside. Under the eaves of the building he would stay dry.

He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, planning on using the time wisely in having a casual smoke. The rain would stop eventually. He then glanced over at his companion in hiding from the rain only to see... Potter. A half smirk appeared on his lips as he saw the Auror. Draco lounged back against the wall in his casual way, gray eyes trailing over Harry's drenched form. Pity that the cloak was in the way.

"Ah, so you are still alive. Good to know." A comment of Potter's lack of contact since their night - and morning - of shared passion. "You look a little wet there.. surely you know how to dry your own clothing by now."

[Months before the Titans breached Wall Maria, the Survey Corps was always embarking on excursions beyond the walls, risking many of their own lives for human expansion. Those who survived often enough flourished as soldiers, living on to stand among the elite of what humanity had to offer. Petra was no exception, belonging to a prestigious unit led by Corporal Levi. The team participated in a host of missions, accumulating kills and gaining notoriety within the ranks.

There were times between missions, however, for Levi and his compatriots to relax. These were the calms before each storm, before another perilous journey to the unknown. Levi's squad happened to be given leave, allowed time to rest in their respective homes until Chief Irvin would summon them for a mission. But when Levi admitted that he actually had nowhere else to turn to, it was Petra who stepped forward to give him lodging.

After the first night, he was fast asleep on the couch in her living room. He did tell Petra it was her duty to wake him up the next morning, though; 6:00 sharp. Any moment he attempted to wake himself was quelled by the soothing patter of rainfall outside. He anticipated this. Maybe this once he could afford to be lenient on himself, relaxing his grip on self-discipline in order to savor the moment. Sometimes, little memories like these were all he could look back on once within death's reach.]

[ Petra admired Levi for his strength and his resolve; that was no secret. She also often tended to be the caregiver of their unit. That was no secret, either. She was always willing to sacrifice a little dignity for the sake of being the one to shed tears for a fallen comrade, always willing to go hungry for the sake of sharing her rations with those in her unit who might be hungrier than she, always the first to show empathy. The men in her unit, they felt pain, they felt loss, but they were hardened in such a way that prevented them from truly showing when they needed something. It was rare for an occasion to happen when weakness was readily and openly admitted. They were too dignified and respected much of the time.

When Levi expressed that he had no true home, nowhere to go, Petra reached out to him. He had always been a good leader, and though he had a strange way of showing it, he did have kindness about him. He protected them, and he cared about them, and even when he didn't show it she could see it in his face. Years of losing subordinates and friends hadn't worn away the emotion that sometimes betrayed him, though it was only ever visible in his eyes.

She was happy to oblige the wake-up call. They were used to far less sleep and far earlier wake-up calls. Petra was awake at five, prepared for the day at five thirty, and by a quarter til six she was steeping a pot of tea to share with him. The rain was light and fragrant, not a downpour like they sometimes encountered on their missions, but a fresh, gentle sprinkling. At 5:59, she approached Levi and placed her hand on his shoulder. ]

Captain? It's six. [ Her voice is sweet and soft, because she doesn't want to wake him abruptly. Not when he has a chance to relax. ]

[For a man so knee-deep in his own relaxation, he was pretty quick to wake up when prompted to. He's internalized that kind of routine, naturally, and patted the hand on his shoulder in acknowledgement. Nothing about this seemed to soften his jaded eyes, however.]

Thank you, Petra.

[He took out a pocket watch to be sure, and he wasn't disappointed.]

Good. And not a minute too soon.

Had I asked Auruo to do this...

[It wasn't long before an abundant yet familiar aroma caught Levi's attention and he cut off the previous train of thought.]

I smell tea.

[ A gentle smile forms on her lips, and she nods a quiet acknowledgment of his gratitude. She is not prone to large, long conversations, particularly in the morning and particularly being that it's been awhile since she's been able to spend time at home... And even when she does, it's usually in solitude. ]

I wake up early myself. I trust my cooking didn't wake you, then. Good.

[ Petra's smile brightens, but she bites back the chuckle. Auruo wouldn't have had much success with allowing Levi to lodge with him. It wouldn't have worked out well for either of her squadmates. ]

You do. I made a full pot. Would you like something to eat with it?

[He shrugged, but in no way did he break eye contact. His expression might have been languid, but those eyes of his were piercing. Surely Petra wasn't affected by it at this point, but you never know.]

Many choices, right?

[Luckily, food wasn't in short supply where Petra lived. He didn't have to worry about variety when it came to what she had to offer.]

Surprise me.

Not unlimited, but I do have some variety. [ Her tone is nothing if not cheerful, a lilting little sing-song brightness on an otherwise drab, wet day. ]

Are you sure? Is there anything you don't particularly like? I want you to have a good breakfast. [ She could not be any more sincere if she tried. ]

[Petra was entertaining like this, to say the least. She wouldn't find a hint of amusement on his face, nothing overtly obvious.]

Include some ravioli and I will be perfectly content with anything else on the plate.

[He was no Mike, but he was certainly sniffing the air with interest for a second.]

What flavor of tea is that, anyway?

Ravioli? For breakfast? [ The look of consternation and surprise on her face quickly gives way to laughter, and she covers her mouth in an effort to stifle the sound a bit. Still, she turns toward the kitchen with every intent of simply going to fix what he asked for, when he asks. The laughter subsides and her smile is, once again, gentle and subtle. ]

I'm not sure what to call it. It's made with a special sort of berries, from the place where I grew up. I collected them for years, dried them, to keep them from spoiling. It's mixed with green tea leaves. I think it's very soothing.

What can I say? Morning carbs.

[It was hardly discernible, but that was indeed a smile on his face, even gentler and subtler than hers.]

Well, it must be. I would expect no less from you.

[He got off the couch in what was perhaps the closest thing to enthusiasm he was capable of displaying.]

Pretty thirsty now. Some of that tea is in order.

I suppose I ought to cook some, then, if it's really what you'd like. [ Despite how silly she thinks it is to eat a dinner item for breakfast. She does catch it, because she notices his subtleties; it's part of how she's managed to be so intuitive about him when it comes to their comrades, particularly in death on the battlefield.

She moves easily into the kitchen and shuffles around in the cabinets for a few minutes, retrieving all necessary ingredients and utensils. Once they're set up, she takes the pot of tea from the stove, and pours two cups - a fresh one for herself, and one for Levi. She carries it over to the table, setting it down in front of a chair and gesturing to it, pulling it out slightly. ]

Here you are! I'll start cooking. I don't want you to be hungry too long!

I won't be, knowing you.

[He followed her gestures and made himself comfortable on the seat. That tea wasn't going to drink himself, and he got right to it. Petra was never going to witness the elation coursing through his system the moment he took a sip - living off rations and whatever the military felt like providing acclimated him to mediocre cuisine. But this tea? He could die a happy man if he drank enough of it, to be sure.]

Well. Tastes good.

[Levi's own taste buds were more enthusiastic about it than he was, to say the least.]

[ The smile that graces her lips at his comment, however flippant and emotionless he might seem while saying it, causes her lips to curl into a warm smile. It is tinged with shyness and youth and all the things that make her who she is, and she tries very much to allow her hair to fall over the mild pinkness of her cheeks. She turns her attentions entirely to cooking. What a strange, strange breakfast. ]

We don't get much of a chance to eat this well while we're on duty. I see no harm in a little bit of indulgence during the rare moments of peace we're able to steal.

[ Ravioli truly isn't difficult to cook, and she's got it boiling in no time. She speaks to him over her shoulder, with her head only slightly turned. ]

Oh, I'm glad you like it! It's one of my favorites.

Edited 2013-09-12 02:15 (UTC)

[Levi helped himself to his third refill by the end of Petra's last sentence. No way was he gonna stop at just one cup's worth.]

We have that in common.

[The tea was easily his favorite. He had to account for his hunger, however, not just his thirst. The smell of ravioli, that zesty aroma of fancy herbed-up meat... holy hell that was intoxicating. Before this moment, he was practically deprived of good cuisine. So if he had a list of things to live for, he could add Petra's cooking to it. He would slay a hundred Titans in one fell swoop if it meant coming back to her house for another meal.]

This tea, though... and that smell...

[ Petra's heart is actually warmed to hear that they share a favorite tea. They share a great many things; she wasn't ever expectant that foods would be included. She's never thought of them as being that domestic. They're not really a they, either, outside of a team. Despite her feelings otherwise. She doesn't speak of them often, only in letters to her father. ]

I think we have a surprising amount of things in common, Captain.

[ That is absolutely the closest she will ever get to telling him. By the way. ]

Ah, don't worry! It should be ready soon.

It ought to be ready. I'm more likely to die out there on an empty stomach.

[Daily nutrients must have something to do with his performance out in the field.]

Surely what we've discovered between ourselves is only the tip of the iceberg. The Scouting Legion isn't exactly a social club.

Ah, don't make jokes like that. You survive better than anyone I know.

[ But she does finish the food, and she immediately plates it and carries it over, setting it in front of him. She quickly gathers necessary utensils and hands them to him also, before she even thinks about feeding herself. ]

Oh, I'm certain... Auroro tries very much to emulate you, I think.

[ amy doesn't know how she got stuck waiting in london for the doctor with nothing but vague instructions of 'stay put, pond, i'll be right back! keep watch.' (keep watch for what?) but he's already gone and she's here. god, she hates it when he does this. he's not even picking up the phone in the tardis — then again, when does he ever?

so, she waits, stuck observing the busy streets. she almost forgot what it was like to do normal things like going to work or running to the shops. the sky is dark despite it only being midday. (seriously? couldn't have picked a better day, doctor?) soon what was just a light spray became a shower, forcing amy under a nearby awning while the oncoming storm passed.

and it looks like she wasn't the only one without a umbrella as she glances over at the man taking refuge from the rain beside her. though, unlike her, he looks like he's running late for something and doesn't have the time to wait. ]

At least it's just a bit of rain. Should pass soon, yeah? [ there's a slight pause in the air as if someone turned down the volume just before cranking it up to full blast. the rain starts to come down in sheets, heavy enough to obscure what's right in front of you. amy purses her lips, eyes widening. oops. ] Erm, well, soonish.

[ Though, by contrast, John has a fairly good idea of how he got to be waiting under an awning for the rain to pass, his circumstances are still fairly similar to those of the girl beside him. A madman to follow around, the vaguest of instructions to keep — all in a day's work. It had been after the usual come at once summons that he'd left Baker Street, having woken up to a curious silence in an empty flat. As much as he disliked being left in the dark, he'd known it was inevitable that he'd be dragged into whatever mess Sherlock had found eventually.

For the first few blocks, the rain had been tolerable, but a few blocks after that, it had turned into a question of whether or not showing up a little closer to on time was worth practically drowning in the street or if he'd be better off turning up a little late and still in one piece, metaphorically speaking. (It's his own for not checking the weather forecast, he supposes, but he doubts that even the forecast could have predicted this mess.) Still, there's a certain anxiousness to his features as he keeps his arms crossed tight over his chest, shoulders hunched as if it might keep him drier. ]

If we're lucky, [ John replies, not unkindly, as he glances over at his current company. He manages a breath of laughter when the rain only pelts down harder, not in frustration but simply in amusement. (You'd think those sorts of things only happened in movies or on TV. No such luck, apparently.) ]

If it doesn't, we might have to start looking for driftwood. [ A pause, and then: ] I hope you can swim.

[ for someone who she has a few inches on, he stands tall, posture straight and head held high. she wants to say solider; she was always good at being able to spot one — love a solider. 'notice everything' had been her mantra these past few weeks (maybe months?) with the doctor, and well, not too much else to focus on at the moment. it's not a bad sight.

she mirrors him, exhaling a breathy laugh at the bad luck of the entire situation. puddles start to collect around her boots, so she takes a step back, pressing closer to the wall behind them. ]

When I need to. [ she answers with a flick of her eyebrows. she can do just about anything when the time calls for it, but swimming isn't something she would put down on her cv. ] As long as you don't mind me using you as a float, 'course.

Edited (i can english i promise) 2013-09-05 16:01 (UTC)

[ Again, Watson laughs, though he quickly regains his composure, feigning self-reproach as he makes a tsking noise. (Thank god for small mercies — if he's going to be stuck with someone during a storm, at least she's got a sense of humor, and lovely to boot.) ]

Knew I should have been hitting the pool more often lately. Well, if we can't get an ark together by the time it's up to our necks, we can put my buoyancy to the test.

[ Speaking of — it's with a slight grimace that he looks down at the pavement, the gutters slowly becoming harder and harder to see as the rain collects. Neatly, he takes a step back to stand next to her by the wall — in addition to having left both his umbrella and raincoat back at Baker Street, his shoes (oxfords) aren't exactly equipped to deal with the rain — turning enough to offer her his hand. ]

John Watson, would-be float. Pleasure to meet you.

[ it's delayed for a moment, like she might be biting back a comment, but amy's cool facade cracks and she starts to laugh openly. it's safe to say the feeling of enjoyable company is mutual. (doctor who?) she slouches a little against the wall, head turned toward him. with a softer smile, she twists her torso and takes up his offered hand with hers, nails painted a dark red. ]

Amy Pond, soon-to-be passenger. Charmed. [ after a few shakes, she lets their hands drop back down. one ankle gets crossed over the other as she resumes her casual but engaged posture. ] You're not actually late for something, I hope?

Well, I'm sure the earlier I got there, the better, but as of now, I'm not running on a specific time limit, [ he answers, shrugging as he briefly glances away, as if in the hopes that the sky might have cleared in the meanwhile. (To be frank, he's surprised that Sherlock hasn't tried texting him again — or calling, for that matter — and he wonders idly if it means that his assistance is either not direly needed or if, indeed, Sherlock has forgotten. Still, that said, it would be like him to start interrupting as soon as John started hitting it off with a bird.) ]

What about you? Not that condolences are going to make the rain stop, but still.

Right. [ she tosses a glance over at the torrential downpour in front of them, half shrugging and nodding in agreement. everyone could have benefited from being just a tad bit faster (ahem, doctor). then she brings her attention back to his question, eyebrows raised softly. ]

Oh, me? Ehm, not exactly. I was just waiting for somebody. Though, could've done with a stricter schedule, to be honest.

[ then she leans in a fraction, smiling again. ] Condolences still accepted, by the way.

[ That gets a small laugh and a shrug, offered in much the same spirit. (He shouldn't be grateful about a delay, he knows, but — honestly, at this point, the worst that could happen would be for Sherlock to come running down the street, through the downpour, yelling at him as to where he's bloody well been. Not that he intends upon being completely straight with an answer, when he inevitably asks, though he suspects that the detective will figure it out anyway.) ]

All the better, then.

[ Then, a touch more tentatively: ] Mind if I ask who you're waiting on?

[gen only, please]

((ooc: Any particular timeframe you'd be interested in? Pre-Thor or post-Avengers or just nebulous?))

[Hand version, not book version, the username doesn't make much sense for the book.]

[Hong Kong has a rainy season which they're dead in the middle of when another shipment of lab equipment comes in. It forces them out of their lab and up to the decks of the Shatterdome to sign off on the shipment. Newt's got a few more samples coming in and some math computer things for Hermann.

The drizzle starts without warning since the clouds have been gray and threatening rain all day. Newt looks up, glaring at the clouds. He didn't even bring a coat with him since this was supposed to be quick.]

Really? Really, man? You've got to do this now? Asshole. Seriously.

[ Hermann, on the other hand, is perfectly comfortable - in the limited sense of the word that applies to such weather - while Newton busies himself griping. The storm has been imminent for a while now, the rumbling of thunder audible even from the dank basement they've called a lab, and if the other scientist wants to be ignorant, it's nobody's fault but his own. ]

If you think the downpour is going to somehow cease out of repentance, I'm afraid you're going to be sorely disappointed.

[It's not his fault Newt's an optimist. He believed the weather was going to hold off. He shouldn't be punished for that.]

You'll never know that for sure if I don't try. That's the spirit of science. You have to test to get results.

[ there is a cliche to be found in this: that the skies have opened up to shed the tears that chuck won't cry or some equally stupid and conceited bullshit like that. she's stony-faced and dry-eyed, despite the dark circles under her eyes and the red rim that say she hasn't always been quite this composed since operation pitfall.

there's a sea of black umbrellas moving over the cemetary in a slow procession. she's not allowed to get her cast wet, the broken collarbone and broken arm the reason why she is here rather than strewn in tiny pieces across the ocean floor after detonating a nuclear bomb, the way her father is.

only the funeral they'd held for marshal pentecost had had more people showing up for last goodbyes even though there is no body. mako had taken the condolences with grace and quiet strength. chuck takes them with no expression and no answers, as though she doesn't even hear them.

there's a sea of black umbrellas now. chuck barely even notices raleigh walking next to her and holding one over their heads. she knows she's not supposed to get the cast wet, but what does it even matter? her father is dead and she watched him get into a jaeger, her jaeger, with marshal pentecost instead of her and now both of them are dead and the breach is closed.

she doesn't know what the point is, anymore. ]

[ you'd think that with the breach closed and operation pitfall a success, that things would get easier, easy, but life's not about their happy endings and their well-earned rewards. it never really has been. not five years ago, and definitely not now. raleigh hasn't completely come to terms with it, finding it difficult to accept that this is the best they're going to get, but—

it's not like there's much of a point in fighting back.

he's only ever attented two funerals (his mom's, then yancy's), and while this is his first time to be on the sidelines rather than the one directly dealing with the loss, he still knows how this is supposed to go. he knows chuck needs him more than ever, so he stands by her side and offers her shelter from the rain.

he looks ahead, where herc hansen is finally laid to rest—something inside him aches, to know that there isn't a body there, that this is all for show and formality just like yancy's had been—and he feels helpless. ]

I'm sorry.

[ that's all he's got, and he knows it doesn't make it any better. ]

[ chuck wasn't meant to lose her father like this. she wants to resent him, because anger's always been easier than admitting to pain, and he's left her, but it feels as though the anger's drained out of her and she's left with nothing but emptiness and an ache that she doesn't know how to fight.

she'd gladly fight a million kaiju if it meant not having to deal with this.

when raleigh speaks, she looks up for the first time since the funeral's started. she hadn't even really seen him, even though he's been standing next to her and holding an umbrella over her head the entire time. she hasn't really seen anything at all. ]

Yeah.

[ what's there to say? helplessness is one of the worst feelings in the world and chuck was helpless to do anything about her old man's death. what good is she, what good is being a ranger, when she couldn't do anything in the end? ]

[a big white ~~wolf~~ dog dashes round the corner, barking with excitement. rain!! it's rain and the green things are growing!! amaterasu skids a little on the wet sidewalk, and runs headfirst into rin]

[And on some random street, Rin stood and brooded, a solitary figure in the morning gloom. Rain. It's raining, and the dark clouds above suited his mood. As did the lack of people. His thoughts were given over to brooding, as he dwelled on swimming. And them. And hi-

And that was when he got ran into.]

Wh-!

[Surprise pratfall! Hopefully no one saw him. And he was going to be angry. He was on the cusp of being angry. Getting ready to rage with all of his pointed-teeth glory! Getting really pissed off! And then he saw what had knocked him over.]

Huh? A...dog? [A...large and kind of...wolf-like dog but what nonsense is this, wolves wouldn't be running through the rain. Obviously a dog. And he's more of a cat guy, but dogs are pretty cool too, which is why instead of just standing up and walking away, Rin - after checking to make sure no one's looking at him or in the general vicinity because the last thing he wanted was for someone to catch him - opted to get up to a...crouch. A squat. You know, so he's eye level to the dog...sort of. It's just a temporary thing. This isn't going to segue to an attempted pet in a bit depending on how things go. He'll stand and angst off into the distance. In a second.]

What's a dog like you doing alone? [Rhetorical question, dogs don't talk. And there's no collar. Hm.]

Edited (...yeah, I know, it's stupid but the double exclamation point bothered me the second I saw it.) 2013-09-05 03:05 (UTC)

[whoops, didn't even see you there, bro. Ammy backs up a step or two and shakes the raindrops from her fur while keeping an eye on the guy she's just headbutted, in case he tries to run her off and she needs to skedaddle. he looks at her, she stares back, and then he crouches down and that there is an invitation if she ever did see one. :D

so she trots right back up to him and butts her head up against his knees, more gently this time.]

Aroo?

[she's out here to enjoy the rain and you should too!]

[What, no, rain's just something to be dealt with, not enjoyed. Rain's something that he can be alone in - otherwise it just feels like someone or something is following him around all the damn time, even when he knows that he's crazy and no one's following him as he walked alone during, say, the festival, Nitori left him alone a while ago, it's crazy to think that someone was tailing him for whatever reason - something that he can think in, something in which he- hands what are you doing stop petting the dog, stop, no, seriously, stop.]

...

[Okay, there.]

...sorry. I don't have time for you. [This is what is known as a blatant lie.]

Edited (gdit, I swear I'll stop editing. Why do I keep on noticing things after I hit send? This is why you proofread, guys. THIS IS WHY.) 2013-09-05 03:56 (UTC)

[sure thing, buddy, sure thing. whatever you wanna tell yourself. in the meantime, she's just gonna. bask. in the petting and and the water dripping from his hair onto her fur, wet cement under her paws, the damp smell of mud and clouds and a whiff of

...

....food?

okay she was a more-or-less well behaved wolf before but now she's sticking her nose in rin's hair and sweater and pockets to see if there's anything she can eat.

IS THAT FOOD?]

[Yes, that was his Hello Pa-...totally manly and/or healthy food, snack of future Olympic champions (shut. up.) that she was sniffing out and it took him a moment to realize it before he abruptly backed off.

...]

No, you can't have that.

[He stood. ... ... .........there was a store nearby, wasn't there. Like some convenience store or deli. ...]

Come on, I'll get you something better.

[And he made little, you know, come here doggy sort of gestures. Really...subdued ones. And then started to walk in the rough direction of the store he remembered. If she just happened to follow him he'd get her something. Only because he was thirsty. And wanted ~~Pocari~~ Pocket Sweat. That's all.]

[sniff sniff at the ~~hello panda~~ food of champions and ammy wrinkles her nose, disappointed. when he pulls away, she whines a little, disappointed, but perks up when he offers to get her food.

that, she can totally get behind! :D cue excited barking.]

Rrrarf! Arf!

[aww yeah she's gonna make a big deal of this and run in happy wolf circles around him and then tag along really really close to his heels.]

[And for one brief moment he wondered if there was any way he could keep her but...no, no, that's stupid, his family's place didn't have room, and hiding a kitten on campus was bad enough. He'll just feed her, find her owner, and keep on moving in the rain. Alone.]

...

[Yeah. Totally alone. And he was going to stop scratching the back of her head fondly, wasn't he? Yeah. He was. The hell was he doing? Dog. Stop...being a dog.

And there's the store. And so it was that Rin entered, after pausing if but briefly and wondering if he should say something like 'stay' and deciding against it - he wasn't really sure about what people did with dogs and hopefully she wouldn't follow him in but yolo - in the hopes of acquiring food and drink.]

[YOLO indeed. ammy pokes her head into the store as if she's about to follow after rin, but the clerk takes one look at her and points OUT so she sighs heavily and scoots back outside. people are so unreasonable.

okay then.

she'll just entertain herself out here by jumping into and out of puddles, splashing around and getting real muddy in the meantime.]

[One uneventful brief shopping trip later and back. And in the spirit of tossing things she gets tossed a meatbun (more humbao and less baozi) since that was the most meated thing that he could find which wasn't of completely dubious origin (because wow, talk about some sketch food) and hopefully she'll catch it because otherwise...alas, poor puddles.

He's better with cats.

Anyway. He's got a drink. And behold the drink break. He'll take the drink and drink it.]

((Makoto's waiting for the bus in the rain [intense beatbox]

He's soaked, head to toe, and he hasn't looked this grumpy in well... Actually, no, he doesn't even look grumpy, but he feels grumpy. There was nothing over head to stop the rain either, aside from a tree branch that more or less just dripped all that water back onto Makoto. His collar is turned up, and he's scrunched up, shivering and staring at the ground.

His phone is dead too, and flooding had the trains system down longer than worth it. It's a bad day. It's a really... really bad day.))

[And then cue the dubstep.

Enter Rin, also not exactly happy. After all, it was raining. And the trains were down. And he was going to wait for the bus in the rain and had some unexpected company. At least one of them had an umbrella.]

You're here...?

[...so awkward.]

((Makoto picks up his soaked head, his hair grossly soaked over his eyes. Rin? Well.... This is awkward, indeed.))

Uh, yeah. I was running an errand for my dad in the area. ((He straightens up a little, his hands shoved into his pockets.))

[...there's a few options as to how he could handle this situation.]

I see. [...] How long before the bus gets here?

((Makoto draws out one hand and looks at his watch.)) Ten minutes, if it's on time. ((He looks back at the bus schedule, but remembers that he is undoubtedly unmistaken.))

Yeah, right. When was the last time these busses were on time? [Wow, it's actually kind of painful watching Makoto get soaked.]

((A smile, he laughs a bit; he might have laughed harder normally, but damn this weather.))

I have my doubts, too. Still, with the trains down, I can't complain too much, so long as it shows up. ((he shakes his head like a wet dog, sliding his hand through his air to brush it away.))

Edited (yeah well fuck you too coding!!!!) 2013-09-05 17:33 (UTC)

It'll probably be faster just to walk back. [...] Here.

[...oh, this is just painful to watch. Look, he's just going to toss the umbrella to Makoto. Toss because handing it would require Makoto deciding to take it, and tossing just sort of foists it onto him. Makoto has things to carry. Rin doesn't have things to carry. Also, he's going to walk on because hanging around Makoto isn't his thing while waiting for the bus just saying.]

Huh?? ((He fumbles to catch the umbrella, finally grabbing onto it. but there goes Rin. He turns.))

Rin! Rin, it's okay, I'm already soaked anyway. ((He sort of stands there, hoping Rin would turn back.))

[He pauses, but...not too long because everything else said and done it's pretty wet out.] Just give it back to my sister when you're done. [Nope. Heading off into the distance.]

...Rin...

((Even if he wants to run after him, he sighs, knowing better, and watches for a time. Finally, he opens the umbrella and waits alone once more. ))

Edited 2013-09-07 10:10 (UTC)

[ It's not supposed to start raining without him noticing. One, being hyper aware of everything that goes on is kind of his thing and, two, the last couple of days in London have been sunny. The forecaster on the morning news even expressed hope for at least another day or two of good weather.

So here he is, darting off the side street and towards the nearest open shop, thankful that the light jacket he grabbed is more waterproof than not. Looks like his chosen refuge is a cafe, another reason to be thankful. Clark reaches up to run a hand through drenched hair, before opening the door, and looks for an open seat once he's safely inside. Surely there has to be one. Somewhere.

Maybe? ]

Edited 2013-09-05 05:25 (UTC)

[Of course while they're in London it rains. It's nothing more than a drizzle but Sherlock feels a swell of nostalgia and fondness for the weather the moment it starts. He abandons what he was doing, walks outside and stands in the drizzle, looking up with his eyes closed.]

[Joan looks up when he stands, watches him walk straight out the door. She follows, but hangs back in the doorway and out of the rain.]

What are you doing?

Nothing.

[Which is the truth. He's just standing there enjoying the rain.]

You do realize it's sixty degrees out here.

[That's the thing about London. Rainy and chilly, too.]

I did grow up here, Watson. I know the weather.

[That's what he likes about it. There's no weather like this in New York.]

Yeah, well, most people around here have raincoats and rainboots. They're kinda famous for them.

Wellies and macs. I didn't think to put them on. It's rather nice, actually.

Don't complain to me when you catch a cold.

[She's actually envious of him, able to just walk out there and stand in the rain. Not that she'll admit that, though, to him or to herself.]

I rarely get sick. I'll be fine.

[She could easily come join him if she stopped worrying.]

Right. Your immune system is probably already weakened from jet lag and your usual lack of sleep, you were on an airplane which is a proven breeding ground for germs, and you've got a whole new germ population here that your body's not prepared for. Adding "wet and cold" to that is probably not a good thing.

[She could if she wasn't so busy building up the intellectual high ground here...]

My immune system is used to a lack of sleep. I'm already immune to the germs here as I grew up with them. I will be fine, Watson. Stop playing doctor.

[She has counter arguments to all that, and bristles slightly when he says she's "playing doctor." But she sighs, rolls her eyes, flips her hand. If he wants to get sick, that's his business.]

[He will apologize later for that comment. He's enjoying being home at the moment and won't be thinking about anything else for awhile.]

[Joan leaves him to it, and heads back inside to get back to the work.]

[He comes back in when he's thoroughly soaked.]

I'll be in the shower.

[He heads straight for it without breaking stride.]

[She calls after him without looking up from the files.]

You're cleaning up the water you're tracking through the house!

Yes, dear!

[He's being very sarcastic there.]

Don't you "dear" me.

[She says it to herself, since he's well out of earshot by now. She wonders how comfortable the couch here is, since it's looking like Sherlock may well be finding out.]

[He takes his time in the shower needing to warm up after so long in the cold. When he comes back down he does take the time to wipe the floor.]

There. Clean now.

You listened. Excuse me as I die of shock.

[She doesn't look up. She closes the file she was looking at, shoves it aside, and opens the next one.]

I do listen to you.

[He sits on the couch, picking up the files he abandoned as soon as he heard the rain.]

Sometimes.

When it suits you.

[She usually wouldn't be continuing this, but she's annoyed.]

[ Sure, it isn't raining that hard. Sure, Haruka probably feels happier, more at ease now that the sky is rumbling above them. Sure, normally Makoto can shake off any small disagreement (they rarely argue to the point of frustration, after all), but something about the way the sky blends into the sea in a gray haze as the ocean waves moan and sigh below makes him tenser than normal for a rainy day.

He cocks his head to the side, giving his usual warm smile that's just a bit unusually firm. Gripping the object in question in his hand, he holds it out to Haruka. ]

"Please, Haru, will you just take the umbrella?"

[Haruka is content to stand in the rain. It feels nice, it's not too cold, and he's already wet. To him, getting under an umbrella at this point would be pointless. But he does sense Makoto's uneasiness, even if he's not entirely sure about the root of it.

Still, he doesn't take the offer, and instead mirrors Makoto's gesture, his own head cocking to the side slightly.]

Why? I'm fine in the rain.

[ Makoto chuckles under his breath, then retracts his hand offering the umbrella. He wipes off the smattering of raindrops clinging to the plastic, and tucking it back into his school bag, looks down at Haru. ]

"I know. But what if you catch a cold from staying out in it? It might make it harder to swim, you know."

[ Inching closer to his friend, he holds his own umbrella over the two of them--although he finds himself unconsciously shielding Haruka more than himself at this point. It's become habit for Makoto to bring two umbrellas to school if they sky is so much as overcast in the hopes that one of these days they'll both make it home dry during a storm--but today is not that day. ]

"At least share mine?"

[He shrugs, since he's swam in colder water and didn't get sick. Rain wasn't the same as swimming, or even a bath, but it was water just the same, and Haruka always felt better, calmer, in it. He didn't move out from under Makoto's umbrella, however. Not like he could do anything now that he was being covered.]

Sure. We can share.

Thank you, Haru. [ For tolerating this. Makoto can't help but worry, even if he knows what his friend is thinking. ]

In that case, I'll walk you home, and then you can run a hot bath if you're missing the water--right?

[ He starts walking, slowly at first, then picks up the pace when he's sure Haru is walking with him. He continues yammering on as they go--about class projects that day, how he's tired of mackerel but maybe it'd make a good dinner tonight, and so on--doing the talking for both of them as usual and (he hopes) keeping both their minds off the rain. But it starts pouring down in sheets, and Makoto can't help but suppress a shiver. ]

It's really coming down, huh?

[Haruka keeps pace with Makoto, staying under the umbrella with him. If he does get any wetter, it's not purposeful, and more out of making sure the other has enough room. He's not completely inconsiderate, after all. And even if he doesn't really hold up his end of the conversation, he never minds his friend filling the silence, even if Makoto's voice is quickly being drowned out by the louder sound of the rain hitting harder against the fabric of the umbrella. He nods in response to the other's question, peeking out to see a flash of lightning in the distance.]

Do you want to wait it out?

[At his house, he means.]

[ Makoto knows he should say no, no, it's fine, mom and dad will worry, and I don't want to be a bother, after all I don't even live that far away-- but when the thunder following the lightning begins it's low rumble, much closer than he'd expected, his shoulders tense immediately, and he looks directly at Haru, assuming his meaning. ]

"Y-yes, if that's okay."

[ Makoto is afraid of many things, and while thunder and lightning are typically not among them, it would certainly not hurt to be around Haru while he waited for it to blow over. Besides--they'd reached the bottom of the steps up to Haru's house, so they weren't far. ]

[It was a storm on the ocean that caused that tragedy years ago, so it wasn't much of a stretch for Haruka to piece together that Makoto didn't like similar weather, either.

He didn't answer verbally, but instead headed up to his house, leaving the door open behind him as he took off his shoes, indicating Makoto was welcome inside. But when wasn't he welcome? Harkua barely batted an eye whenever his friend happened to pop up in his home, sometimes with Nagisa in tow, to drag him to school or some other event.]

[ Makoto smiled as he watched Haru go in--of course he was welcome, at this point. After shaking the rain off the umbrella, he followed inside, muttering the traditional thank you for letting me in. Only upon taking off his shoes did he realize they were soaked, along with the entire right shoulder of his shirt--the umbrella was only so wide. All told he was leaving a small puddle on the floor where he stood. ]

Ah, sorry about this. I'll get a towel to dry off? Oh, and I'll get one for Haru-chan, too...

[ Of course he knew where the towels were, at this point, given how often he'd been over. ]

[It was nothing compared to the puddle Haruka was leaving behind, considering he had willingly stood out in the rain for a good while before getting under the umbrella. It wasn't something a towel would fix, not unless he got out of his soaking clothes, and while he nodded in agreement to Makoto's suggestion, he also began stripping.

He'd offer his friend a change of clothes as well, but, Makoto was frankly a giant and nothing would fit.]

[ Noticing Haruka stripping, Makoto realized that was probably a good idea to get out of his wet clothes as well. Unbuttoning his shirt as he shuffled down the hall to the closet, he grabbed a couple of towels before popping into the bathroom to hang it up. Wrapping his towel around his shoulders in the hopes of creating some placebo-like effect of warmth, he returned to Haruka and offered the second towel. ]

Here you go. You're gonna go get changed, right? I can put on some tea to warm us up unless you're going to take a bath first.

[ They usually wound up in the main room adjacent to the kitchen anyway. Gripping his own towel only slightly tighter as another clap of thunder rolled by, he gave Haruka another warm smile. ]

[Haruka took the towel with a small word of thanks, dropping it over his head and rubbing it through his hair. As good as a bath sounded right now, he wasn't so cruel as to leave Makoto practically alone in the house while the storm was going on.]

Tea's good.

[He would, however, venture back into his room to change, emerging a short while later in drier clothing.]

[ Makoto nodded and sauntered off into the kitchen to heat the water, greatful that he wasn't going to leave him alone. When Haruka emerged, he would find Makoto standing cross-armed in the kitchen, close enough to absorb some of the stove's heat as he waited for the water to boil. He stared out the window above the sink at the sky, and couldn't stop himself from wondering if all the ships had made it back to shore before the rain got this heavy. Hearing Haru walk in, he looked over at his friend. ]

Haru, the water's almost-- [ he was interrupted by the high-pitched scream of the kettle ] -- done.

[ Laughing at the timing, he flicked the stove off. Two teacups were lined up neatly next a pot already full with leaves. Makoto carefully filled it with the boiling water so the tea could steep. ]

[His gaze followed Makoto's out to the dark, dark clouds and the rain pouring down, before his attention was grabbed by the kettle's whistle. The storm had been looming for a while, so he was pretty sure all the ships had already high-tailed it for the docks long before it got this bad. But he didn't know exactly what Makoto was thinking, if he was remembering or worrying about the present, so Haruka kept quiet, and simply stepped over to stand beside the other, picking up one of the mugs.]

...are you cold?

[Now that he was looking, it did seem like Makoto was huddling, a bit.]

[ Makoto's immediate reaction, not wanting to be a bother, was to try and act less cold, and he dropped his arms to his sides before moving to pick up the remaining cup of tea. Still, Haruka was right. Makoto was dry now, but since they'd come in wet from the rain into a cold house, he hadn't really generated any extra body heat. And since it didn't really which way how Makoto answered, he smiled down at his friend and told him. ]

...Yeah, I'm kinda cold. You could tell?

Mm. There are blankets in the living room.

[Which Haruka was now walking towards, to sit at the low table in the middle of it. The blankets in question were folded on a nearby, mostly unused chair. Makoto could take whatever he wanted, and join Haruka, who was staring contemplatively at the wisps of steam coming off of his tea as he waited for it to seep a bit more.]

[ Makoto trotted after Haru, stopping to pick up a blanket and wrapping it around his shoulders with a contented sigh. Much better. He picked up a second blanket and carried it over the table--Haru didn't seem particularly cold, but as Makoto wasn't the best judge of temperature at the moment he brought it over anyway just in case they needed it. He plopped down kitty-corner to Haru--not to far away--and set it down between them. By huddling in the blanket and closing his eyes, Makoto could almost forget the din the weather was making outside, but with his own tea in hand, soon enough he was also watching the steam curl above the cup. He really just wanted it for the warmth, but as Haru looked like he was waiting for it-- ]

The package said this kind of tea only needs about three minutes to steep, so you can drink it soon.

... And thanks again for letting me impose today, Haru-chan.

[He watched Makoto relaxed, and, satisfied by that, blew over the surface of his tea before taking a small sip. The storm did sound like it had gotten closer, the rumble of thunder almost overhead. He was about to say something in response to Makoto thanking him, some noncommittal noise or phrase that indicated it was no trouble at all, that he came by enough anyway, that Haruka never, ever minded his company, when a loud crack of thunder and flash of lightning distracted him.

The lights flickered, before holding bright, and just when Haruka thought it had passed, the room was plunged into darkness.]

Hiiee---

[ When the lights had flickered, Makoto had frozen staring at them, hoping against hope they wouldn't go out. When they actually did go he didn't even have time to feel embarrassed at the undignified sound that escaped him because within a tenth of a second he was next to Haru, clinging to his sleeve--not unlike Ren and Ran would do to him in times like these. A full beat later, when Makoto realized his was clinging to the other's sleeve, he loosened his grip--but still did not let go. ]

S-sorry Haru...

[Haruka blinked a few times, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness. He was used to Makoto clinging to him in situations like these--it had happened enough, after all.]

It's fine. Do you have your phone?

[Just so they could use the light from it to navigate until Haruka found some candles. It would likely make Makoto feel better too, if they weren't in complete darkness.]

Ah-- y-yeah, I do.

[ Makoto reached into his slacks pocket and fumbled out the green cell phone, sliding it open in the process. The light of the screen was just enough to see what was right in front of you so they'd be able to walk around, but all he could see at the moment was Haru next to him. That alone was enough to help Makoto's heart rate start slowing to normal, but his hands still felt shaky and he couldn't quite get the options menu open to make the screen brighter, so he handed the phone over. ]

Here.

[Haruka took the phone wordlessly, quickly adjusting the setting for the screen to be as bright as possible. It now illuminated enough space in front of them to see where they were stepping. They wouldn't knock into any furniture, at least. He stood a short second later, but didn't move to head away from the table.]

Come on. I should have candles somewhere.

Right, ah... sorry.

[ Makoto rose to stand next to him, one hand still gripped around his blanket (you were always safe under your blanket, okay?), and the other hovering near the hem of Haruka's shirt lest something else sudden happen to scare him into clinging to his friend again. Putting on his best brave face (which really wasn't good at all, and didn't really matter because Haruka wouldn't be able to see it unless he turned the phone in Makoto's direction), he turned to his friend once again. ]

Candles would be good. Where to?

They're in a closet...or one of the kitchen drawers.

[He forgets, considering he'd never really had to use them since he moved into this place. He holds the phone in front of him, deciding to head to the kitchen first, since it was closest. The storm was still raging outside, an occasional flash of lightning brightening the room.

He bent down to open one of the lesser used drawers, holding the phone over it to see what he was rifling through. No candles, but he did find matches, so he wasn't a complete loss. After he straightened up again, he offered the small box to Makoto, for him to hold onto.]

[ Makoto eagerly took the matchbox, grateful that he could still be helpful in that regard. After they found no candles in the kitchen, they continued on towards the nearest closets.

It wasn't that Makoto was afraid of the dark in and of itself, it was just that with the howling wind and rain outside and each flash of lightning distorting the shadows around them, Haruka's house felt eerily unfamiliar--like the house in that horror movie Nagisa had forced them into watching when they were twelve that had kept Makoto up for a week straight. It was thus that he found himself clinging to Haruka's shirt hem anyway, staying as close by as possible as they walked by cell phone light, and hoping they ran across those candles soon. ]

A-any idea which closet? I can help you look.

No.

[But there were only so many closets, after all. He took Makoto's closeness as a desire to stay close to the light. It wasn't that hindering besides, so Haruka didn't shake him off. Thankfully, after the first linen closet proved fruitless, another one towards the end of the hall had candles on the top shelf. Haruka glanced to the other then, expectantly. You were the tall one, Makoto.]

[ Makoto's shoulders drooped as he sighed in relief. ]

Thank goodness.

[ Makoto finally released his death grip on Haruka and stepped foward to scoop all the candles off the top shelf, then turned to look at him. He was feeling a little braver with the promise of illumination. ]

Got 'em. ...Should we head back to the main room to set them up? My cell battery's still doing okay, right? [ The last thing Makoto wanted was for their makeshift flashlight to die walking back through the dark house--although he supposed now he could light a candle if that happened! ]

It's okay.

[It was still at least 50%. The main room had the most surface area to place candles, so it seemed like the best choice. They could always move, if they really wanted to, and Haruka began to retrace their steps, back to the table where their tea had likely already cooled. He set the cell phone down on the surface in the middle, so they could at least see where the wicks were when they were lighting the candles.]

[ Makoto followed suit and set to work arranging the candles around the table--being sure to move the teacups out of the way--and lighting them as he went. Satisfied with their work as the room was now bathed in the warm glow of the candlelight, he reached for his phone and was about to stuff it back into his pocket when he noticed the indicator light blinking that he had new messages. ]

Ah--! I forgot to tell Mom and Dad where I was and that I'd be home late... they must have texted while we were getting the candles. Let's see... G.. J.. q... eh??

[ He leaned over so Haru could read the messages as well. He wasn't sure that Haru would care but as the other boy was also practically a son to the Tachibanas, they might have had something to say to him as well--and he wasn't wrong. The messages read:

Dad: GJqalksncdiF MAKT
Dad: Sorry, that was Ran. She asks where you are. You are at Haruka-kun's, right? Your mother is very worried.
Mom: Makoto dear Are you at Haruka-kun's place? Please stay there until the power comes back on. The streets are dangerous without lights.
Mom: And until the rain stops.
Mom: Your father and I will look after Ren and Ran tonight. You and Haruka-kun look after each other!
Mom: Stay safe. (◕‿◕✿)

Makoto chuckled and texted a quick reassurance to them before sliding the phone shut and looking back at Haru. ]

Ah... I guess they were worried about us.

[Haruka had spent enough time at Makoto's house over the years, he had simply assimilated into their family. He did make a quiet noise of amusement at Ran's antics, and his expression softened slightly at the concern. Despite having lived on his own fairly successfully so far, that kind of care was never unwelcome.]

Must have been. It's a pretty bad storm.

[The lightning and thunder hadn't calmed down much at all. At least they had light now, the soft glow of the candles almost relaxing.]

Edited (HTML on my phone is difficult ) 2013-09-06 09:08 (UTC)

Yeah, it is... Ren and Ran are probably having a hard time, too. But at least now they know we're fine... I hope everyone else is staying safe, too.

[ Sitting on the tatami, Makoto rested his head on his knees as he stared into the flickering light. He still felt uneasy, but the candles were calming, and so was hearing from his family, and most of all, so was Haru's presence--Makoto thought he might even be able to make it through the rest of the thunder and lightning that was to come that night without being so jumpy about it. He was, of course, wrong. A clap of thunder rolled over their heads, and Makoto immediately reached for Haruka again. He figured as long as they'd known each other, Haru was probably used to this with Makoto, but that didn't make it any less embarrassing! Still, he didn't let go this time. ]

...You've never been afraid of storms, huh, Haru-chan?

[He had grown used to it, especially considering Nagisa's love for horror that he liked to share. He let Makoto cling to him, and his only response was to turn his head when he was spoken to.]

No. Not scared.

[While he didn't like them, and much preferred a steady, gentle rain, he always thought they were just a lot of noise. But saying that to Makoto wouldn't lessen his fears, so Haruka didn't mention it.]

...has it gotten worse for you?

[Over the years, he means. He thinks he remembers Makoto not liking storms even before that...incident.]

[ Makoto gave Haruka another warm smile--it wasn't like he had expected the other boy to say yes, but he was still really glad Haru was not scared. At his question, Makoto's smile didn't fade, but he did turn his head away to stare back at the candles. ]

No, not worse. It was kind of bad for a while after... ...well, that was long time ago, you know? It just hasn't gotten better, either.

[Haruka made a noise of understanding, turning his gaze to the candles as well. He watched the flames flicker for a moment, before hearing another rumble of thunder above them. Conversation would be the best, since it would be distracting, but Haruka had never been...good at that.]

It sounds like it's moving away, at least.

Ah, is it? That's good, maybe it will pass soon, then.

[ Haruka's comment brought Makoto's attention back to him from the candles. It took a beat, but looking at him, Makoto realized Haruka was making small talk. Being that the other boy was not someone who ever spoke more than necessary, it made Makoto's chest feel warm that Haruka was trying for him. He couldn't help but smile. ]

Maybe the power will come back on, too. Then-- [ but he was cut off by another thunderclap ] --w-well, maybe not just yet.

[It seemed like the storm was circling over them, unfortunately.]

Not for a while...

[It took some time, even after the storm had passed, for the power to get back online, too.]

You might have to stay the night.

Eh?

[ It's not like Makoto hadn't spent the night at Haruka's before, and vice versa--in fact, they'd done so many times since they were kids--but usually it was a little more planned ahead than this, so Makoto found himself feeling a little guilty about accepting the offer. ]

Y-yeah, that would be great if it's alright, Haru-chan.

[ If nothing else, he didn't want to try to make it home if the storm wasn't moving on. He would probably feel more at ease with his best friend--even in the dark--than he would at home, anyway. ]

[Haruka was fine, even if it was impromptu. By far, it was better than sending his friend out, late at night, in this weather. The rain was still coming down steadily, so it didn't look like the storm was going anywhere. Or it was very, very slow moving. Either way...]

It's okay. I don't mind.

[Makoto might have to wake up early to head home in case he needed anything there, but otherwise, it was probably easier if he stayed for the night.]

[ He thanked Haru, then looked up at the ceiling, mentally running down a list of typical thing's he'd need for a sleepover and wether he had them on him or not. He didn't have night clothes so unless his shirt was dry he'd have to sleep like this, but that was okay; he and Haru had the same model phone so he could probably borrow his charger, and--Makoto's thoughts were interrupted by a low rumbling not in the sky, but in the pit of his stomach. ]

"...Dinner!"

[ He snapped his head down to look at Haru, eyes widened. ]

"We completely forgot about dinner! Are you hungry?"

[ At least, if Haru wanted mackerel, Makoto didn't think the power had been out long enough to spoil anything in the refrigerator, and he was pretty sure the boy had a gas stove, anyway. ]

Edited 2013-09-07 04:00 (UTC)

[It was one of those things that, the moment it was brought to the front of his mind, Haruka realized he was, in fact, starving.]

Yeah. I'll make something.

["Something," which, yes, probably did translate to "mackerel" because when did he not want that? But he took a candle from the table, one that wasn't dripping wax everywhere, and stood, making his way to the kitchen. Once he got the stove on, there'd be a bit more light, but until then, he used what he could see by the soft candle's glow.]

[ After watching him walk over to the stove, Makoto picked up another candle and followed into the kitchen. ]

Do you want help with anything?

[ Truth be told, Makoto was a terrible cook and it was completely common knowledge, but candle in hand he could at least find things for Haruka to use and give him more light. It had nothing to do with wanting to stick by his friend even though the kitchen was literally steps away, he rationalized. ]

[Haruka just assumed Makoto didn't want to be alone, even in the semi-darkness.]

An extra light is good.

[He had set his candle nearby, unable to rifle through the fridge and hold it at the same time. He knew from experience not to let Makoto near the actual food. Luckily Haruka was a good cook, even though he typically only made fish.

Soon enough, he'd picked out everything from the fridge he wanted, and turned on the stove. It gave the kitchen a bit of an eerie atmosphere, making shadows flicker, but at least he could see better.]

[ Makoto was certainly content to just hold the candle for Haruka, though he kept nervously glancing around the kitchen as the three separate flames in the room made the shadows dance. Haruka was good cook though, even if he did only cook mackerel, and soon the kitchen smelled wonderful. ]

What's the mackarel recipe tonight, Haru-cha--ouch!

[ While he was distracted, he'd tilted the candle and spilled the melted wax on his hand--he had the presence of mind not to drop the candle and managed to set it down on the counter next to Haru's, but not before he sent a couple drops of wax plummeting to the floor. ]

Ah, sorry, I'll clean it up.

Don't worry about that.

[Haruka frowned, remembering to turn off the stove before reaching for Makoto's hand. For all his friend did to take care of others, he never bothered to take care of himself. Which was...annoying, but not exactly. Haruka didn't have the word for it, but he knew he didn't like it when he noticed Makoto ignoring his own well being in favor of other's.]

Did it burn?

[He was already peeling away the wax that had gotten onto Makoto's hand, but he couldn't quite tell in the dim light if the skin underneath was red or not.]

[ Something about the way Haru was tending to Makoto's hands made his cheeks heat up, and for the first time that night he was grateful for the darkness so maybe Haru wouldn't notice him reacting so stupidly to the gesture. Still, his hand felt a lot hotter and stung slightly as the wax was peeled away. ]

Um, maybe a little. It's not that bad, though. Th-thank you, Haru, I'm fine. What about your mackerel?

Turned the stove off. It'll stay warm for a bit.

[He had finished removing the wax from Makoto's hand, and reached over to turn the sink's cold tap on. He lightly guided his friend's wrist towards the sink, indicating he should stick his hand under the water, before bending down to take care of the wax that had fallen onto the floor. It was still slightly warm, so getting it up was no problem, and he threw all the bits away in the trash.]

Ah, right. Hey, Haru...

[ Makoto followed his friend's motion to the sink and ran the tap over his hand. The cool water was soothing against his hand. After a bit, he pulled it back, turned the knob to off, and looked up at Haru. ]

...You've been really looking out for me tonight. [ And always, but especially tonight. ] You'll have to let me make it up to you.

You don't owe me.

[They were friends. Had been friends for a long, long time. Looking out for each other was what friends did, wasn't it? That was the point, right?

He gave Makoto a bit of a curious look, not able to tell much besides the shadows casting over his face, before turning back towards the stove with the intent to finish up dinner.]

[ In reply, Makoto just laughed at first, then brought a hand up to scratch idly behind his neck as he talked. ]

You're thinking I don't owe you because we're friends, right?

[ And it was true--how many times had Makoto looked after Haru or taken care of him, unprompted? And of course, the opposite was true as well. He averted his gaze, thinking he was probably going to say something a little too sentimental compared to their normal conversations, but he went ahead anyway.]

I don't owe you, but... I guess I didn't mean it like that. It's just that... Haru-chan caring for me like this is... really nice, so it makes me want to do something nice for Haru-chan as well. Since we're friends.

[Haruka nodded in confirmation, even if he didn't need to. Makoto had gotten good at reading him, simply by exposure, even if Nagisa still thought they could communicate telepathically. He still didn't quite get it, since he wouldn't ever leave Makoto out in this weather, or begrudge him a place to stay, or have him ignore an injury. So he didn't see it as particularly special, but he eventually only shrugged.]

If it's that, all right.

Ah, good, in that case-- [ A flash of lightning interrupted him, and Makoto nearly jumped at the subsequent flash of thunder. Chatting with Haru, he'd almost been able to forget about the storm. Almost. ]

[ He inched a little closer to watch Haru cook, though it was hard to see in the dim light. They'd fallen into a pretty standard routine with each other--even down to Makoto watching Haru cook mackerel almost daily. What was something he could do for Haru that was out of the ordinary from all that they already did for each other? He watched for a bit longer before deciding that even though it was clear Haru didn't mind either way, it certainly wouldn't hurt to just ask--he just hoped it wouldn't be something like allowing him to trespass on indoor pools. ]

Haru, is there anything I don't normally do that you wish I would?

Not really.

[He already knew Makoto wouldn't let him do things like swim in whatever body of water he found, and he couldn't think of anything he wanted or needed that Makoto didn't already do. Besides water, there wasn't much else that Haruka really was interested in.

But...while it wasn't exactly along the lines of what Makoto was thinking, there might be something that fit the criteria.]

You could look after yourself more.

[His gaze dropped pointedly to the other's hand. Even if he couldn't see the place where the wax had fallen, he thought Makoto would get the point.]

[ Makoto followed Haruka's gaze and almost reflexively covered the burn with his other hand. It had been pretty stupid of him to burn himself on a candle, and he definitely didn't want to be a bother to his friend or have him worry, even if he'd already said it was fine. ]

Ha ha, yeah, you're right. I'll definitely do that, Haru-chan.

[He turned the stove off when the fish was done, giving Makoto another look. The other didn't take his words the way he meant them, and Haruka wondered how to rephrase it.]

That was an accident. I mean about afterwards. You looked like you were going to ignore it for a bit.

[In favor of cleaning up the wax on the floor, which would have made the burn worse.]

... Ignore the burn?

[ Makoto paused for a moment, reading Haru's expression. ]

Well, it was my own fault I made a mess with the candle wax, right? The burn wasn't that bad, anyway, so I figured I'd take care of the spill first... I didn't want you to have to worry about it. Although I guess you took care of it anyway, huh?

[ He held his hand back out, close enough for Haruka to see in the semi-darkness, trying to show that it wasn't such a big deal, right? Still, Haru wanted him to look after himself first, it seemed. ]

But I guess I see what you mean. Sorry, Haru-chan.

[Even if it wasn't a big deal this time, there was that other time on the islands when it was a very big deal Makoto didn't put his well-being first.

...Ah, he'd forgotten his rice cooker was electric. Oh, well. There was always the old fashioned way. Haruka grabbed one of the candles, making sure to check for dripping wax, before holding up to peer into the cabinets.]

You don't need to say sorry.

[It wasn't something to apologize for, after all, since Haruka could understand that a large part of what made Makoto Makoto was his selflessness.]

Alright, alright.

[ Haru was right, of course, and even on the occasion Makoto didn't want to admit to it, he knew it was best to agree with his friend. He watched as Haruka took the candle, wondering what he was looking for--the fish was done, after all. Maybe he wanted to make rice? Either way, it felt weird to just be standing around staring at him and if it was just rice, maybe Makoto could help. ]

Haru, do you need help getting anything out of the cabinets?

Sure. Just a pot.

[He'd keep the candle held aloft, so Makoto would have some light, but otherwise shifted over to give the other some room. Haruka could reach, but, Makoto could probably see into the cabinets better with his height.]

[ Makoto moved over and, with the help of the candle light and his height, easily spotted the pot. He picked it up and handed it down to Haruka, his usual smile back. ]

Need me to get anything else? Or if you're making rice, I'll wash it.

[ He might be a terrible cook, but that at least was near impossible to mess up. Plus, Makoto liked being useful. ]

[Haruka took the pot handle with a small word of thanks before setting the candle back down onto the counter. He nodded to Makoto's subsequent question, before pointing to the cabinet on the other side of the sink.]

In there.

[He trusted Makoto with washing things. He might be a hopeless cook, but he certainly wasn't hopeless in general.]

[ Makoto took a bowl large enough for a couple cups of rice from the cabinet before closing get. Carefully picking up the other candle so he wouldn't have a repeat of his earlier clumsiness, he moved it between the sink and the cabinet on the other side so he could see what he was doing.

After fishing the rice out of the cabinet he carried it over to the sink and flipped on the tap. Rinse and pour, rinse and pour, until the water ran clear, just like his mom had taught him. It was the only thing she'd let him help out with in the kitchen, so she'd made sure to teach him to do it right. Finally he filled it up with enough water to boil in and carried it all over to Haru to transfer into the pot. ]

Here you go! By the way, the mackerel smells really good.

[Haruka watched him, not to be scrutinizing, but for lack of anything better to do in that moment. The other's movements were obviously practiced, the repetitive motion almost hypnotizing under the shadows cast by the candles. He broke out of his slight daydream when Makoto offered him the rice, and carefully poured it all into the pot before turning the stove on again.]

Thanks. Shouldn't be much longer.

[ Makoto grinned at that--he'd gotten pretty hungry by now as well. Even if it wasn't his go-to food of choice, Haruka always grilled fish expertly. Makoto leaned back on the counter and watched as the other boy prepared the rice. He hadn't heard--or at least noticed--any thunder in a while, so the rain still falling heavy outside had started to sound a bit more calming and bit less menacing.

He hoped his watching wouldn't make Haruka feel uncomfortable, but there was nothing much else to do in the dark and for the first time that evening Makoto felt content to stay like that instead of filling the void with conversation to distract himself. ]

[Even if the storm was moving away, it would take a while more before the electricity would be restored. But at least there didn't seem to be any more bad lighting or thunder anymore.

Haruka didn't mind the silence. It was what he defaulted to, unless someone else wanted to fill it, which other's often did. He knew Makoto would start talking if he felt uncomfortable.

Eventually, the rice was also done, and after separating the portions and seasoning the best he could under the circumstances, he offered Makoto a plate.]

Ah, thank you for the food, Haru! Shall we go sit down?

[ Makoto gratefully accepted, then turned back and pointed toward the table in the next room still lit up by the rest of the candles. It would be more comfortable in there, anyway. After walking back in and setting his plate down, he rearranged the candles so they'd have enough room to eat. Happily he took a bite of the meal, and gave a contented sigh. Food was good. This food was good. ]

It's delicious!

[Haruka followed him, setting his plate down on the table and taking a seat. He made a small noise of agreement after he took a bite himself. Food always did manage to taste better when you were hungry.

And not alone. As he thought about it, Haruka was grateful for Makoto's presence now, too. Otherwise, he'd have been left sitting in the semi-darkness alone.]

[ It really was nice to be eating in good company, and Makoto thought Haru might be thinking the same thing, though he was sure the other would never say it. Despite the circumstances outside--with his friend, the warm glow of the candles, and his belly filling up gradually as he worked through his plate of food--he was actually quite happy. It sort of reminded him of the similar happiness he felt after swimming together with all his friends in the relay. ]

Hey, Haru... this sort of atmosphere... isn't it what Rin would call "romantic"?

[ He said it with a smile just like Rin had that time, but in reality English was his worst subject so he wasn't sure he was using the borrowed word correctly. ]

["Romantic" wasn't Haruka's forte. Even if he understood the definition of it, in practice, he wasn't sure if he could discern what was romantic and what wasn't. But candle-lit dinners were in popular culture enough for him to make the connection, somewhat, and he eventually nodded.]

I guess. He says a lot of things are that.

[Well, when he was younger. Haruka can't really picture present-Rin saying anything along those lines.]

Isn't that why some restaurants are lit by candles? For dates.

[ Makoto cocked his head to the side, thinking about it. ]

Hmmm...? Yeah, I guess so. "Mood lighting," right?

[ Although what mood you were supposed to be getting into at a restaurant, Makoto wasn't quite sure. And usually, those were the kinds of places you went on a date with someone you were serious about, to make the night feel "perfect." And while he was certainly feeling good now, the night had been anything but perfect with the storm. Not that they were on a date, of course, so maybe the "romantic" comparison didn't really apply. ]

Usually those dates in movies and dramas go off without a hitch, though, not like this.

Something like that.

[In those movies and dramas, there seemed to be a lot of kissing and confessing in the actual rain, so although the candle light was nice and the night had taken a turn for the better, Haruka wasn't sure it was an entirely apt comparison.]

I think the storm cancels the romantic part out.

That's true.

[ Having finished his food, Makoto sighed and rocked back to lay flat on the tatami. The flames of the candles were making the shadows dance again on the ceiling as he stared. ]

The storm just makes it scary, not romantic at all.

[ He rolled over on his side to look up at Haru, and gave a mock-formal bow of his head as he gave Haru a customary 'thank you for the meal.' ]

[Haruka was done eating as well, although he still remained upright, turning his head slightly towards Makoto.]

Mm. At least it's better now.

[The rumbles of thunder, when they could be heard, were much further in the distance than they had been.]

Yeah. ...I'm glad you invited me over, Haru-chan.

[ Makoto closed his eyes, not because he was especially tired--even if he did feel physcially worn out from all his scares today, it was probably still too early for that--but because he was trying to think of what else they could do in the semi-darkness. School work would be difficult, as would reading magazines, and video games would be impossible, obviously. They could play a word game, but Makoto was pretty sure Haru would manage to circle everything back to fish.

He chuckled a bit at the thought, then sat up and looked back over at his friend.]

Well, I'll take care of the dishes. Is there anything you wanted to do tonight, Haru?

[He let Makoto take care of the dishes. There weren't that many, anyway, and he knew his friend would like something to do.

His plans before the lights went off was a bath and then maybe tackling homework, but both of those seemed like bad activities to do in the dark, so Haruka shook his head. He would make all word games involve fish...or water, so that was probably out too.]

What about you?

[Certainly Makoto had plans that didn't involve sitting in the dark in the middle of a storm.]

[ He ran the water low enough that he could still talk to Haru while he washed everything up. ]

Hmm, well, when it was the four of us at the training camp, we told stories, but... I suppose you and I already know most things about each other, huh?

[ And it really was true. They'd been good friends since they were just children, and it was why Makoto could read Haruka so well. Though Makoto supposed there were still things Haru surprised him with all the time, too.

He finished up the dishes and came back to sit with Haru, looking to the side in thought.]

Although I was surprised that time that your first love was a waterfall.

Why?

[He couldn't think of anything that he actively kept as a secret from Makoto, and anything the other didn't know was likely something Haruka didn't feel the need to say. And his first love being a waterfall somehow fell into that category.]

I thought it was pretty. It made me happy and my heart beat faster.

[What else was love, really? Especially to a kid as young as Haruka had been then.]

[ Makoto laughed again. Of course Haru loved the water--that's why he felt so at home at it and was able to swim so gracefully through it, and in truth Makoto admired that. He just also couldn't help but find that quirk of Haru's funny, because-- ]

Well yeah, that's what it's like to love something, or someone... But usually when someone asks you about a "romantic encounter," they do mean with another person.

Romance has to do with atmosphere mostly, right?

[That was how he understood it. But considering everyone's reaction to that story, maybe he was mistaken. But from the way everyone had been talking, it seemed like first loves with people were more common...]

...you've had one with a person?

Eh? Me?

[ Makoto suddenly felt his cheeks heat up much more than they should have just at the thought, so he turned away to think about it. And once he did, he realized that as far as back as he could remember, while his friends made him happy the only person that made him happy and made his heart beat faster was, well... Haru. But mostly it was because he was a beautiful swimmer and always looking out for Makoto since they were best friends, so it didn't really count either... right?

...At any rate, mentioning any of that would probably be really weird. So, face probably still red, he tuned back to Haru with a sheepish grin. ]

Ah, no... I guess not?

Edited 2013-09-09 07:52 (UTC)

Huh. The way Nagisa was talking about it made me think everyone had...

[Which was why his story was weird, apparently. He still doesn't get it, but he's not going to dwell. Thankfully for Makoto, Haruka wrote off as any redness he saw on the other's cheeks as a trick of the light from the candles.]

...shouldn't be listening to Nagisa anyway.

[He could get...overly enthused, after all.]

Well, Nagisa can say a lot of crazy stuff, but he did kind of have a point, that time...

[ He swallowed hard before resting his chin on his palm. Thankfully Haru hadn't seemed to notice anything weird about his reaction, which was good, because Makoto wasn't sure he really wanted to toe into what it meant that the other was the first thing that had come to mind when asked about a romantic encounter. He'd much rather talk about their friends, or swimming. ]

Plus, he's really much better at reading situations than he lets on, Haru-chan.

Mm. Why'd he ask me that question then?

[Nagisa had to at least suspect it had something to do with water...or he knew that and was trying to lighten he mood. That was probably it. Although Haruka would be the first to say he didn't really get how Nagisa's mind worked. Or rather, it jumped around too much for him to really follow sometimes.]

You were just thinking 'Nagisa's logic doesn't make sense'... or something like that, huh?

[ Makoto grinned. That was true in and of itself, so Haru wasn't wrong. It was just that Nagisa also knew how to look out for his friends. ]

At that time, since we were all so worked up from... well, everything, I think he wanted us to tell stories like that just to lighten the mood.

[ He paused, and rolled his eyes remembering the time during lunch Nagisa had forced them all to answer who on their swim team they would be most likely to date. Of course, Makoto pointedly hadn't picked, but Nagisa obviously was interested in those kinds of questions. ]

Of course, you might be right. Maybe he just wanted to know if you liked someone.

Edited 2013-09-09 09:10 (UTC)

Yeah.

[He got that Nagisa had been trying to cheer everyone up, Haruka just was baffled at his method choice. And his fascination with who Haruka liked. Maybe Nagisa was just trying to confirm he really wasn't actually in love with water.]

Still don't know why he'd care about something like that.

Well, we are in high school. It's pretty common to hear people talking in class about who they think is cute and stuff. Even if they don't like someone like that, a lot of people want to.

[ He knew Haru didn't listen to their other classmates, and honestly that was just fine. They never really talked about anything important. If Nagisa was interested--heck, even if Makoto was interested in that kind of thing, their swimming training would take priority anyway. ]

I guess.

[He didn't listen to what their classmates chatted about. He was lost in daydreams for most of the day, and even if he was concerned with dating, he'd be hard pressed to find someone that could put up with his...eccentricities. There were very few who did already.]

Nagisa seems like he wants to match-make.

[He wouldn't put it past his friend. At all.]

Yeah, you're probably right… Hey, remember when he asked everyone who on the team we'd each date if they were a girl? Maybe he was practicing on us…

[ That was kind of weird to think about, actually, and Makoto furrowed his brow at the thought. Still, it had been pretty funny how much thought they'd all put into it considering they were not actually going to up and date their team mates. He gave Haru a teasing smile. ]

He wasn't fair about it, though! Offering to cook you mackerel every morning so you'd pick him.

[ Makoto was usually very supportive of his friends, but he didn't think Nagisa's match-making career had much of a future if he reacted like that. ]

Edited (because i shouldn't be tagging at work when i can't pay attention to what i'm writing /)_(\) 2013-09-09 23:15 (UTC)

(OOC: No worries! I pieced it together considering I had heard the drama cd too.)

That was convincing.

[It really was. Although, now that he thought about it, did Nagisa even know how to cook?]

It wasn't serious anyway.

[Right? Makoto had been the first person to pop into his head, because, well...Makoto was comfortable and they were such good friends already. If he was forced into answering a question, it seemed like the best answer.]

Nah, not serious. But I was a little jealous I lost to that.

[ He was joking. Totally joking, right? He hadn't answered Nagisa's question directly because it wasn't serious, and he didn't want anyone to get worked up about it… But it was true that he felt very comfortable around Haru, and at the time he had felt a fleeting disappointment at how quickly his friend had changed his answer from "Makoto" to "Nagisa."

Still grinning a bit, he looked down at his hands, which had somehow found themselves fidgeting with each other. ]

You could have offered something better.

[Haruka shrugged. If they were still just playing around. He had treated that as Nagisa playfully bribing him, and he took it. Maybe if they were being serious, his answer would have changed, but, he didn't think he should be exploring thoughts like those.]

[ Makoto looked up and just stared at Haru for a moment. ]

I didn't think I was in the running anymore, at that point.

[ Really, what would Haru like more that a freshly prepared mackerel breakfast waiting for him every morning? And Makoto was pretty sure that was proof enough that Haru wouldn't care about typical mushy things that most men professed to do for their soon-to-be girlfriends. He still paused to think. If they were just teasing, he might as well play along, right? No harm in that. He put on as serious an expression as he could, given the circumstances. ]

Let's see. Haru-chan, if you let me date you, I'll take you on dates to the ocean, or to olympic-sized swimming pools, places where we can swim together, and...... And I'll use my allowance to get you a gym membership so you can swim in the heated pool during winter. How's that?

See? You could've won.

[And that's what it had been, right? To see who could "win" Haruka over with various favors. And Makoto, more than anyone, knew what he liked most.]

That actually sounds like fun.

Really!?

[ He couldn't hide the fact that he was pleased with his victory, and his expression brightened more than it should have for something that was just a joke. ]

It does sound fun… Haru, in that case I'll take you to the ocean when the weather clears up, okay?

[ He was pretty sure he didn't actually have enough allowance to get his friend a gym membership, and the club budget was hopefully going to cover it soon anyway. ]

If it's calm.

[He didn't want his friend to have to swim in a sea that wasn't anything but smooth and unthreatening. Although when people went to the beach on a date, they normally didn't go swimming...wait, that wouldn't be a date, would it? He frowned a bit, thinking. They'd been to the beach before, and that hadn't been a date, so...]

Yeah, if it's calm. The last thing I'd want is a repeat of what happened at the training camp…

[ He felt awful enough he'd worried Haru by putting himself in danger--he wouldn't want to plan an ocean visit if it would put Haru in danger, so it would have to be when the water was at least manageable for both of them. He looked over at Haru and noticed him… frowning? Didn't he want to go? ]

But if we swim together it will probably be-- what's wrong?

Nothing's wrong.

[Which was the truth. He was just a little perplexed. Maybe he was taking things too literally, but it never hurt to make sure.]

You said before, you'd take me on dates to the ocean, but...this wouldn't be a date, right?

…….Eh?

[ Would it be a date? Makoto had actually just meant he'd like to go swimming with Haru, because swimming together made him inexplicably happy and he knew it made Haru happy too. But when put like that, Makoto realized in context he had, essentially, just asked his best friend out on a date. …Would that really be so bad though? The vague thought that no, it probably wouldn't be, was enough to turn his face red again. Haru probably didn't want to think of it as a date though so he tried not to think about it anymore before answering. ]

Uhm. No--well. I guess if you put it that way I did technically just ask you out on a date but n-no, it doesn't have to be. I mean-- it's not, right?

[Haruka didn't think it was a bad thing, exactly, just odd. Makoto didn't think about him like that, and Haruka didn't know the first thing about dating, besides.]

I didn't think so. It's why I asked you, to make sure.

[It was just funny wording. Right.]

Right...

[ To make sure? If Makoto had heard right, did that mean Haru had initially thought it was a date, but didn't find anything wrong with that? After all, a date between them probably wouldn't be that different from their usual outings together. He was probably reading too much into it--okay, he was definitely reading too much into it--but he couldn't help wondering... ]

....Would it... be weird?

Edited 2013-09-10 03:44 (UTC)

A little weird.

[Since they were friends for so long and this was really, really out of the blue, but...]

....but it wouldn't be bad.

[He didn't think a date with Makoto would be awful of course, it was just a little strange to think about. What would it do to their friendship?]

....Yeah, not bad.

[ Makoto agreed, it would be a little weird but... the fact Haru also thought it wouldn't be bad somehow made Makoto feel warm. He also thought, however, that for something that was entirely hypothetical and probably not something the other cared to talk about, Makoto had gone on about it for too long. It would probably be best to drop it, at this point. Besides, this whole concept was odd and confusing, and it was making him tired from just thinking, let alone talking about it.

He sighed--not discontent, and rested his chin on his knees. ]

So, when the weather's better and the water's calm, we'll go to the ocean just to swim for fun, not for a date.

[The conversation was just confusing to Haruka, since he didn't know quite what to make of it. Even if it was dropped, it would probably stick in his head, to ponder over in class or walking around. But that was for later. For now, he nodded to Makoto's statement, listening to the rain still falling steadily outside.]

For fun. Although the weather might take a while.

[Never soon enough for Haruka's tastes]

That's true. I hope it doesn't though.

[ Makoto paused as well to listen to the rain. The worst of the storm definitely seemed to have passed, but who knows how long the rain would keep up? ]

It'll be nice when our club budget covers the gym fee, then we could swim inside even when it rains, not just in winter.

[ He knew it would make Haruka happy, and he certainly had a lot to train on that he could use the extra opportunity for. ]

[By the sound of it, the rain would be falling for a while more. It wasn't as hard, but it was still going strong.]

It will be good when I can swim anytime...

[Well, anytime the gym was open. But inevitably, Haruka would be the person they'd have to escort out of the facilities because they had to close.]

Yeah.

[ It was going to be impossible to get Haru to go home once swimming there was an option, and as much of a pain as that might be Makoto would also honestly be happy if Haru was able to swim whenever he wanted. But in that case, there was another matter... Makoto inclined his head towards Haru in a mock bow, as if humbly requesting something. ]

But when that happens, since you'll have two pools to swim in and an ocean, weather permitting, please stop trying to swim in places that aren't meant for swimming. [ Like fish tanks... ]

Okay. I'll try.

[He can't help it if a body of water looks tempting enough, though. Although that temptation certainly would lessen if he had free reign of a variety of other water sources.]

But that hasn't happened yet.

That's true. You'll just have to put up with me nagging you until then, Haru-chan.

[ He didn't actually mind, not really, and they'd fallen into such a routine that minor inconvenience and irritation at being told "no" aside, he wasn't sure Haru minded either. Still, it was fun to tease a little. ]

[Haruka didn't exactly mind, but one of these days, Makoto or Nagisa were going to be too slow, and he'd get into a fish tank.]

Our pool is better than nothing, though.

[And he could sneak into it, late at night, if he really, really wanted to.]

Yeah, definitely. …I'm glad we were able to form the swim club together.

[ He really was--they'd bonded a lot as a team since then, and he would get excited just thinking about swimming in the relay together. He smiled at haru, but it quickly turned to skepticism when he realized the other boy was probably thinking about sneaking in unattended so he could swim more. ]

We'll get in trouble if you get caught sneaking into it late at night though.

[Then he wouldn't get caught...but saying that out loud would just cause Makoto to fuss, so Haruka kept quiet about that. Instead, he shifted the focus to the club in general.]

Yeah...it's been fun.

[And it had. Especially recently, when Haruka was beginning to look forward to them all swimming as a team. He was still a little fuzzy on all of his reasons for agreeing to the club to begin with, but now, he was really happy it turned out the way it did.]

And we'll get to swim in the relay again! We've all been improving a lot, and we still have a long way to go, but I'm hoping we can move ahead at the next tournament...

[ Just thinking about it made his heart pound with excitement again--he'd be happy either way just to swim with his friends, but it would be great if their hard work paid off, too. He would just ignore the fact that moving ahead would mean defeat Samezuka, and Rin. ]

[Haruka was trying not to think about it in those terms too, but it seemed that whenever his ind drifted in that direction, his friends managed to drag him into something distracting. It was a slow process, but he was slowly shifting away from swimming solely for himself.]

There's next year, too.

That's true, if it doesn't work out this time we'll still have another chance.

...Ah, but next year we'll be third years. There's other stuff we'll need to concentrate on, too.

[ Makoto actually wasn't sure what Haruka's plans were, but he was pretty sure his mom would be cross if Makoto didn't put extra time into studying for college entrance exams. The future was kind of unsettling to think about, so he'd rather focus on the now. ]

[Hauka was never the type to dwell too much on the future. He tended to take things as they came, and entrance exams were no different. He'd deal with them when he had to.]

Doesn't mean we can't swim.

[It would take a great, great deal for Haruka to stop that, at least.]

Yeah. There will always be time to swim.

[ Makoto laughed before stifling a yawn. How long had they been talking at this point? Not that Makoto minded, he enjoyed talking with Haru instead of just at him, like he sometimes did when they walked home from school. ]

We can make time.

[Forcefully, as far as Haruka was concerned.

It was likely fairly late, although it was difficult to tell since all the digital clocks would be out because of the storm. Haruka could check his cellphone, but he had forgotten where he left it last, and he didn't want to bother searching for it in the dark.]

[ Makoto covered his mouth to stifle another yawn and fished his phone out of his pocket. It wasn't horribly late, but the night was getting on. The phone battery was getting pretty low; he'd have to remember to ask Haru to borrow his charger before they turned in for the night.

Still, that didn't mean they had to now, so he turned to fully face Haru and gave him a sleep smile, chin on his knees. ]

We can, but I'm pretty sure you already make as much time as possible to swim, right? Since it's most important.

Yeah.

[He'd ditch class, some days, if he knew Makoto wouldn't drag him back inside. But even Haruka knew it might be more difficult as he got older and had to shoulder more responsibilities.]

Do you think Nagisa and Rei will keep things going when we graduate?

[ He closed his eyes to think about it and stayed that way when he spoke. ]

I hope so. I was sort of figuring I'd hand captainship down to Nagisa then. And I was thinking it would be nice if we got more members--that way they could compete even after we graduate, but...

[ But would that keep Haru from swimming with them? Haru had said swimming together made him happy and he wanted to do it again, but Makoto knew it wasn't all about the competition for his friend. ]

[So long as the four of them could swim together, Haruka was fine with it. Any newer members probably wouldn't be trained well enough to be in relays, anyway.]

Nagisa's probably going to take recruiting seriously.

[Considering how he handled Rei, he might be more pushy than would be beneficial.]

Mm, probably. When he sets his mind up he doesn't stop until he gets what he wants, huh? So I'm sure he'll get plenty of new members.

[ Makoto was also thinking of how they recruited Rei, although--he was surprised Nagisa's ploy had actually worked. Even if he was a beginner, though, Rei was a great addition to their team. ]

Haru, do you think the four of us will still get to swim together sometimes after we graduate?

Yeah.

[At least he hoped they would. He didn't think they'd lose touch, even after they graduated. He might actually use his cell phone, then, if it was one of the means of contact.]

We can visit. I bet they'd let us use the pool, for old times' sake.

Ah, that would be great~ When it's the four of us, it's the most fun.

[ Truth be told, he didn't think they'd ever be apart for too long, but it was not knowing what would happen after their third year that scared him. ]

But I guess we don't need to worry about that until the time comes.

It's still a little ways off.

[And that meant Haruka didn't have to think about it right then. Or until the absolute last moment he had to think about it.]

We still have the rest of this year.

Good thing, too.

[ Makoto knew he'd have a lot to consider about the future very soon, but given how all he wanted was to stick with his friends--and how sleepy he was rapidly becoming--he certainly didn't want to think about it right now. And it didn't really matter right now, anyway. They still had plenty of time before they had to worry about the team changing. When he spoke again, it was more of a mumble. ]

Because I like swimming with Haru-chan, especially...

We can swim together after we graduate too.

[He definitely wouldn't lose touch with Makoto. And that was if they ended up going in different directions to begin with. He'd been such a fixture in Haruka's life, it was difficult to imagine anything without his friend there too.]

Just us, if that's what you meant.

Good, I'm glad.

[ Makoto had actually meant that he wanted to swim with everyone, just especially Haru. In fact, he never wanted to stop going swimming with Haru. They'd always been together and he hoped that wasn't going to change. But he was too tired to care to explain that--and they'd been swimming, just the two of them, before. He liked that too. ]

Yeah... That does sound nice.

[Haruka finally noticed that Makoto's tone had changed, and he glanced over to the other, head tilted to the side curiously.]

You tired?

[He wouldn't be surprised. Even if it might not be that late, that storm and the subsequent power outage had been a little taxing.]

[ Makoto looked up, just a little bleary-eyed, at Haru. ]

Mmm. I think all the thunder wore me out, but I can stay up if you want.

[ After all, Haru had invited him over and kept him company all night, and he didn't mean to just fall asleep on his host if he wasn't tired. Even if it had been a rather stressful day for Makoto. ]

[Haruka shook his head, already standing and blowing out a few of the candles. They didn't need much light, if all they were doing was maneuvering around. There was no point in staying up if Makoto was going to force himself through it, and Haruka didn't mind heading off to bed now.]

Let's go.

Sure.

[ Makoto rubbed at his eyes before standing as well. With one hand he picked up the blanket he'd been toting around all night, just in case, and with the other tugged lightly at the hem of Haru's shirt again. It really was wholly unnecessary, especially considering he wasn't too scared anymore, but it somehow felt safer in the near-dark that way. It would be easier to follow Haru like this, at any rate. ]

Lead the way. Ah- do you want the cellphone light, or will the candle do?

Candle will be fine. We're just walking down the hall.

[He didn't mind the tug at the hem of his shirt, and simply made his way back to the bedroom, setting the candle in a place where it would emit a good halo of light, but not be in danger of burning anything. He contemplated changing, but, it would be awkward in the dark, and he could get up early enough to wash and iron out any wrinkles in his clothing tomorrow.]

[ Makoto made a hum of agreement and followed Haru to the bedroom. Having come over straight from school there wasn't anything he could change into even if there had been more light to do it by. From Haru's hesitation, he assumed the other boy was debating changing due to lack of light as well. And that left another thing. ]

Where should I sleep?

[ When Haru stayed at his place, he usually pulled out an extra futon--but that was when the lights were on and he wasn't sure if Haru wanted to bother looking for one in the dark. He'd be okay sleeping straight on the floor, he supposed, but he didn't want to be in Haru's way in case he got up first. ]

Bed's okay.

[There wasn't much else they could do. And he didn't really want Makoto to sleep on the floor if he was so tired. He also decided not to change, since it would be far, far too much work under the circumstances.]

...With you? Is that really okay?

[ He had to admit, he would much rather sleep in a bed than on the floor. But they hadn't slept in the same bed since they were kids, and Makoto was so much taller now. He did sit down on the bed, not wanting to expend the energy to stand, and tugged at Haru. ]

I don't want to crowd you, though.

[Haruka glanced over when he felt the tug, before shrugging. It would be a bit of a tight fit, but he didn't mind. He'd feel better about less space than Makoto trying to sleep on the ground.]

It'll be fine. I don't move around much.

[ Makoto nodded, hoping he'd be the same way. He didn't want to disturb Haru, but the last time there'd been a bad storm, he'd woken up with a nightmare about training camp. Still, he reasoned he'd probably be fine if he didn't think about it too much--which wouldn't be a problem, since tired as he was his brain was only working at half speed anyway.

He laid down on his side, trying to take up as little room as physically possible on the bed so Haru could have more. ]

[Haruka remembered to blow out the candle, lest it catch something on fire while they were asleep, before slowly making his way over to the bed and settling down on it. Makoto certainly took up a lot more room than he did when they were kids, but Haruka didn't think it was unmanageable. There was still some space between them, even when he got comfortable.]

...'night.

[ In the dark, with the rain still falling heavy outside, Makoto was glad Haru was there next to him. Even if the thunder came back or he did have a nightmare, he found comfort somehow knowing his friend would be right there. He leaned over and bumped his shoulder gently against Haru's, before shifting back out of the way and settling to doze off. ]

'Night. Thanks, Haru-chan.

Thunder rolled across the cold night sky with a rumbling crash. The rain hammering down on the old shack was like a roar on the roof; water dripped from the ceiling in several places, splashing rhythmically into whatever containers Severus and Draco had managed to find: a bucket, a couple of old pans, a chipped bowl.

Severus sat on the floor by the fire he'd lit in the hearth, holding his hands out towards the warmth, while the memory of Dumbledore's face just before he threw the Killing Curse at him reeled over and over in his mind. There was no furniture in the shack aside from a broken single bed and an armchair with only three legs. A most miserable and dreary place to hide from the Ministry, which had no doubt put out a bounty on their heads.

"For the last time, Draco," Severus said without looking away from the fire, "get away from the window. We are here to hide out of sight, not to admire the weather."

He shrunk away from the window, abashed. It was as beautiful as it was terrifying , but he obeyed, slumping to the floor by his former professor. Former. That was still something he couldn't wrap his head around. Dumbledore was dead and the Dark Lord's plan was in full swing. Draco wondered idly if his father was happy.

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape." And he was, sorry for everything. Draco knelt, his hands on his knees. He didn't know what would happen next, but he knew it would be up to Potter whatever it was. He expected that to scare him more, but maybe he was already numb to it.

Even as Draco obeyed and took a seat near him, Severus remained staring at the fire. He never imagined it would all end up like this: having to kill the one and only man he trusted in the world; having to run for his life with Draco under his wing, lest he die a most painful and sudden death; watching the events unfold into a chaos that was beyond anything he'd ever known during the First War.

It's not your fault, was on the tip of his tongue at Draco's remark. Severus tightened his jaw to stop himself from saying anything. He couldn't reveal even a shred of the truth that lay beneath the facade of loyalty to the Dark Lord that he was wearing. He had nowhere to run now. No one to turn to. No one to confide in. No one to air his grievances and worries and fears to.

He finally glanced over at Draco. A brief sense of deep remorse and sorrow for the boy washed through him. He pressed his lips into a thin line and dashed a hand out, snatching the boy's arm. "Get closer to the fire, you silly boy," Severus quietly snapped, yanking him. "The last thing I need is for you to catch a chill."

Draco looked up at him, fear creasing his features as he slid closer to the fire. He suspected that all was not as it seemed, but he was afraid to challenge the status quo. He didn't have a side of his own, he never had, and now in the moment of truth that had only become strongly more clear to him. "How long do we have to stay here?" he asked in a quiet voice, staring into the flame and knowing it was childish.

i'm singin' in the rain

Kyouya Otori | Ouran High School Host Club | ota

Raleigh Becket ✦ Pacific Rim

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3/7

Lily Evans | Harry Potter (Marauders/First War) | M/F, OTA

Re: 3,6

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Draco Malfoy | Harry Potter | OTA

5.9

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Severus Snape | Harry Potter (Marauder/First War) | OTA

petra ral ; shingeki no kyojin.

SHOWER ☂ QUIET MORNING - they need more of these anyway

feels

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pls tell me you've seen the latest episode

there is a hole in my heart

there are like a billion in mine. my heart is swiss cheese

is it delicious swiss cheese tho

everything about me is delicious haven't you learned

i should know better but i've always preferred... baguettes

have you ever had a baguette with cheese son you don't even know they are meant for each other

yes i have and yes i do

good then motherfucker you understand my feels

john watson | sherlock

ugh all my icons expired but 5+8!

:'D!

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Thor | MCU

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Leah | Marvel 616

hermann gottlieb / pacific rim

1-6

"math computer things" gj newton

can you believe he has six doctorates?

raleigh becket || ᴘᴀᴄɪғɪᴄ ʀɪᴍ.

v:iii

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Hal Yorke | Being Human (UK)

Joanna McCoy ∞ Star Trek

Loki ♛ MCU and Comics

Rin Matsuoka | Free!

2--4

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im making my dreams happen here

What dreams?

youre right i have none . . . . .

Exactly.

Re: Exactly.

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