The young speedster wasn’t entirely sure he could provide a very thorough description of its connotation, but there was some form of sensation that invaded him that made him actually glad it was raining so often, especially since the weather seemed to have led to a chain of events that concluded with the two of them meeting on both those occasions. “That sounds kinda nice.” Of course, he had never been to Ohio himself and quite frankly, Blaine didn’t sound all too enthusiastic about actually making such a trip and seeing his family, but he actually envied him, in the healthiest way anybody could envy somebody else, of course. He envied him for actually having the chance to be annoyed by his parents, to be so used to them, so used to a home he found them tedious. He would have pointed out just how lucky Blaine was, but he couldn’t figure out how he could do that without sounding ninety. Besides, he was merely making assumptions without much for a research; all he knew was the little the other had told him. “Uh, well, working, basically.” Neither one of his two jobs took the chance of a spring break into consideration. After all, it wasn’t as if crime scenes would cease to exist for a week or two so he could catch a breath– oh, but how he wished they would sometimes. “I work for the police– I think I told you that.” He couldn’t remember. “So it’s not like people out there are gonna gimme a break and stop committing crimes, y’know?” he remarked with a grin.
A rumble of thunder rolled into the mix around the pair. Their shelter under Barry’s umbrella was doing the best it could to keep them dry but Blaine could feel the spray against his cheek of a downpour that just upped it’s game in buckets. His feet were cringing inside his loafers. Wearing socks would have been either a blessing or a curse. Because how nasty are wet socks trapped inside your shoes? But the gross feeling of leather soles on bare skin had him wishing he thought to toss on a pair. Cringing at the feeling–he felt an internal ew–but quickly turned it to a smile so Barry didn’t think he was the one getting that shuddery look for something he said. “Yeah, you did. Don’t worry. That was a stressful night. I didn’t get to apologize to you enough for getting as nervous as I was. We don’t get many tail ends of hurricanes in Westerville. Safe to say? That was my first. I’d rather not have that experience ever again.” As a louder crack of crackled above their heads–Blaine decided picking up the pace and bringing Barry along for the half-jog would at least get them to shelter faster. His apartment was only a couple of blocks away and they were already halfway. “You know. We should do something about that. Start some kind of anti-crime campaign that all the criminals take a day or two off so you guys get a break. Unfortunately..I don’t think criminals would embrace the idea. You do get some time to yourself–don’t you,” he asked with an air of fretting that had him hoping he didn’t sound like an overly concerned helicopter dad.
“Well, it seems like a little too much of a coincidence for it to be just ‘cause of Spring, so…” If he hadn’t known any better than to make assumptions based on the little Blaine had revealed with what he had said, Barry would have jumped to the conclusion that the universe had perhaps decided they could both use yet another bad weather friend. A conclusion that brought a small, amused smile to his lips, for it sounded like something right out of a poorly scripted, particularly corny Disney movie. There was no denying that he had his fair share of friends that he knew would stay with him through thick and thin, friends who were far more loyal and devoted than he believed he deserved, friends who were more like a family to him than anything else. Nevertheless, and taking into consideration everything that had been going on lately, he most certainly would not have minded one more friend to turn to. Not that he expected to drag Blaine into all the craziness his life had been consisting of those past couple of years, but he definitely looked the type who managed to brighten other people’s day simply by standing in the same room with them. “Sweet, what did you have in mind, like a trip?” He chuckled faintly, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, it’s– I never liked carrying an umbrella around, you know? I feel it’s so impractical, and you’re always gonna end up getting wet anyway, but… I only lasted a couple of blocks before I realized it’s just pouring today.”
“Who knows? Either way. It’s good to see you again. Even if it takes the rain to make us run into each other,” Blaine smiled keeping close enough to stay under the protection of Barry’s umbrella the best he could without completely invading the man’s personal space. Hands in his pockets, a smile was cracked as his chin was tucked towards his collar. “I haven’t thought about leaving the city yet but I’m sure at least a small trip back to Ohio is probably on demand from my parents.” He had to suppress a groan at the thought. Spending time back home would be great for catching up with the few friends he had left there after graduation. But entertaining his parents was a task he didn’t particularly enjoy thinking about. At least he had plenty of time to come up with ways to make school sound far more impressive than it actually was. Okay. He was impressed with NYADA and all it had to offer and fill his days with. At the Anderson household dinner table, however? A normal day at his school just didn’t seem.. Earth to Blaine! Without realizing it, he’d been biting against the inside of his bottom lip and totally zoned out for a moment or two until the rest of what Barry had to say caught up and kicked him in the skull to remind him he had company. Looking back up at Barry’s profile–Blaine grinned and stole a glance at the umbrella overhead. “Well. I guess it’s the idea that counts. Good intentions and all that. So. Um. How about you? Any plans for what’s left of Spring before Summer chases it away?”
Barry’s own hair was damp, and as a matter of fact so was every last bit of him, despite his having an umbrella. Seeing as he was already running by the time it started pouring, he went on, doubting anything would come to happen in a mere matter of seconds. Immediately after, he took a step he shouldn’t have on a puddle he hadn’t seen and slipped. Had he not had the reflex of rolling to soften the fall, he would have been dealing with a lot worse than a sore ankle. Originally, he had twisted it, but after sitting on the ground for a few minutes, he was already able to stand again and after several blocks, he no longer limped as noticeably. “Uh, no. No, I hope not.” Windows crashing in was not something never to occur in a place like Central City, more often than not, it had nothing to do with the weather– or, more specifically, anticipatable weather. His brow furrowed as he shrugged and shook his head, gesturing that he would be kept from anything if he walked him home. “You caught me on my way home,” he reassured him and when he looked down the street, he nodded towards it in acknowledgement. “Besides, I live right down that way too, so.” And with a soft, friendly smile, he gestured towards the street with his head a second time, inviting Blaine to follow him. “So, uh… How’ve you been? Y’know, besides delighted with this weather.”
Huh! What were the chances? The two of them lived down the street from one another yet managed to meet via hurricane inside a music store that Blaine waved him into. Then just had to wait until another rainstorm to meet again. Weirder things have happened, sure. But they were developing a pattern here. One that made Blaine smile when he realized it. “You know? I’ve heard the saying fair weather friends a lot in my lifetime. God knows I’ve unfortunately made some of those, too.” He cringed at the number of people who–before he’d met the friends he had now–that came in and out of his life when things were going well. Sadly, they didn’t remain when things weren’t so well. Turns out—? “I think I prefer the kind of friends bad weather brings in,” he shrugged and bowed his head in thanks as he swung his hand for Barry to start them off since he was the one with the umbrella. “Besides utter delightment with the never ending rain and bad weather? I’m doing great. Finishing up finals and trying to see what I’m going to fill the break up with. Not sure yet. It’s–uhm–good to see you again. Especially with this.” A thumb pointed up at the umbrella they now both under. “How about you? Apparently not keeping dry.” Teasing Barry with a grin, he gave him a curious look. “For someone with an umbrella? You managed to get awfully wet.”
“Hey – Looks like meeting under the rain’s kind of our thing.” Except this time he did have an umbrella to shield himself from it, which he proceeded to share with him. “Did you, uh– needed a lift somewhere? I mean, I don’t have a car,” he realized all of a sudden, shaking his head swiftly at his own stupid suggestion. “But I could walk you somewhere, we can share the umbrella.”
Soaked to the bone. A simple run was all he wanted! Gotta love Spring. Half an hour ago? The sun was out and Blaine decided to ignore the weather forecast calling for an umbrella. Not the best idea. So said the sudden downpour that drenched his shoes, hair and clothes. Ducked under a ledge and batting the rain off curls plastered to his face–he waited for it to stop. Barry? Blaine, looking lost and pathetically regretful, glanced up at the guy he’d been holed up with to wait out a hurricane. Then a beat later, he was all smile. “At least this time? We don’t have to worry about the windows crashing in? I–ah–,” he nodded not wanting to stay outside longer than he had to. “That would be really nice. I live down this way,” he sighed gratefully–pointing down the street. “If you’re not busy–I mean–my mistake doesn’t need to be your emergency.”
SEND ME ℧ FOR ME TO GENERATE A SCENARIO FOR OUR MUSES Barry and Blaine get caught up in a storm and must stay sheltered together until it passes. @theoreticalguardianangel
Who knew that he’d end up getting stuck riding out a hurricane alone in the middle of a music shop JUST because he was too worried about the elderly shop owner who he’d come to consider a friend being left here? When–said elderly shop owner–was nowhere in sight. He’d used the key the man entrusted him with after stopping by for a few weeks straight to help him tune a few pianos he was behind on and clean up around the store and hurried inside to check if Mister Fernando needed anything just as the rain started to pour in buckets. So much for the thought he had time to make it home. Hey! What did he know? He grew up in Ohio. Trusting the weather station was hit or miss during the winter but he figured that they’d be able to predict a more timely landfall for a hurricane! Even if it was a “little one”. What constitutes a “little hurricane” anyway?!
Groaning as he pulled back the old lace curtain covering the door to look out at the street–Blaine swallowed the lump of fear in his throat and debated making a break for it. Wait. No. Getting stuck on a shutdown subway should that happen? He’d take his chances here. The owner lived upstairs. There was food and water and it was dry. Not home but definitely not the subway! It’d work. In the middle of his mini freak-out, he paused at the sight of someone ducking under the bus stop roof. More rain, this time in truckloads. No way was that guy getting a bus or standing outside. Sighing softly at the poor man’s predicament–Blaine said prayer he wasn’t about to lock himself in here with one of the city’s weirdos and opened the door. “Hey?! Hey! Over here,” he yelled over the drumming of the rain to catch his attention, “Do you need a–just come in?!”
pianokeysandbowties back up 