Author's Note:
I don't own Xenoblade Chronicles and all characters belong to their rightful owners.
I was inspired by Snow Patrol's The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?). It's a great song and I recommend listening to it while you read. The song just gives the perfect backdrop to this story.
I gladly stepped out of the darkness of Tephra Cave and onto the sunny kneecap of the Bionis. Even though the Mechonis loomed over us, it hardly fazed me, I was grateful to be alive. My friend and I stared up at the mechanical titan. We turned and started through the canyon that would lead to Bionis Leg.
"Am I glad to be out of there." I threw the comment over to Shulk. The blonde turned his brilliant blue eyes over to me and my heart fluttered.
"Me too." He nodded, taking in the meaning of my statement to the fullest. We went through hell in Tephra Cave and somehow I knew our journey would only get harder from here.
Shulk and I stepped out into the large field that was Gaur Plain. The lush expanse rolled before us in a sea of green. We had only just begun to appreciate the warmth of the sun when dark clouds overtook the sky. A flash of lightning broke the sky and thunder roared loudly. The clouds poured heavy droplets upon us.
I drew my Scrap Driver and activated the shield. I took Shulk by the arm and pulled him closer, to shelter him from the rain with my makeshift umbrella.
"Good thinking, Reyn." Shulk smiled and my heart leaped. I could only smile back.
"We better find shelter, this storm looks bad." Shulk's words were almost drowned out by a clap of thunder. The accompanying lightning seemed to strike too close for comfort. I steered him back towards the cliff face and after a little searching we found a small cave like crevasse to occupy.
Shulk sat down and leaned the Monado against the wall beside him. I dropped my waterlogged Scrap Driver at my side as I sat across from him. The storm raged around us, but we were surprisingly well sheltered. The black clouds darkened the world and silver streaks of lightning provided the only light.
I looked over at Shulk and I could barely make out his form against the rock. A flare of light shimmered against his golden hair and sparked like the sun in his sky colored eyes. He gazed out into the squall, not knowing that my eyes rested on him.
My thoughts turned back to the events of Tephra Cave. I trembled at the memory of the Arachno Queen. The sight over her many eyes and sharp pincers remained embedded in my mind's eye. If Shulk hadn't saved me…I'd be dead. We both would have died.
I glanced over at the Monado. The red of the blade shone brightly in the brief light. It was all thanks to the Monado that we were saved.
"Reyn?"
The sound of Shulk's voice though the pounding rain and snippets of thunder startled me. My eyes darted over to him.
"Yeah? Something wrong?"
"No…I just…Never mind."
"It's about what happened in Tephra Cave, isn't it?"
"You know me so well." Shulk chuckled slightly. Thunder filled his pause and I could see the troubled expression that the lightning painted on his face. "I thought I was going to lose you back there. If it wasn't for the Monado…"
"I'd be dead." I finished. He gasped, surprised that I was brave enough to voice the fact. "I know. Thank you Shulk."
"But-"
"Shulk. Everything's alright. We're both alive." I tried to sooth him, but I couldn't gauge his reaction through the darkness.
"What if I can't save you next time?" His voice rose sharply. "I don't want to lose you, Reyn."
"Now you know how I feel." I laughed slightly from the irony of it. "You know how I feel when I'm trying to protect you all the time. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you, Shulk. But, I'd be damned if I stood around and let it happen."
"Reyn…"
All the feelings that had been bottled up in me since the moment I had met him, the truth of those feelings had come out in that statement. I couldn't lose Shulk, he was my world, my everything. Knowing Shulk though, he was completely oblivious to the amount of raw emotion I put into those words. With those words however, came a newfound confidence. I craved to show him how I felt.
In the darkness I reached toward him. Lightning stabbed through the blackness as I placed my hand on Shulk's cheek. I saw his heavenly eyes widen. His lips parted as if to ask a question. Darkness enveloped us once more. On the next flicker, only one shadow was silhouetted against the back wall, my large form had completely over taken his. I heard Shulk's breath hitch and I sensed the tightening of chest from the sharp breath. Cool droplets of rainwater mixed with the warmth of his lips.
I removed my lips from his, but stayed a breath's distance away from him. The silence between us, I counted with quickened heartbeats. Shulk's hand came to rest on my chest and I expected him to push me away. His fingers clutched at my uniform. I felt each of his uneven breaths on my lips. Slowly, Shulk's lips came up to meet mine.
I kissed him with sudden fervor, overwhelmed with joy that he had accepted me. I showered him in kisses and a soft moan escaped his throat. A thrill shot through me at the sound. My lips found his again and again in the darkness, until he turned away from me. I dropped my hand from his cheek. Shulk's labored breathing startled me, until I realized I was panting just as hard.
Soft light illuminated the marble features of his face. He smiled.
"The storm's over."
I turned my gaze away from him to find the sun breaking through the clouds. The darkness disappeared just as quickly as it had come. Shulk's slender fingers held my cheeks and turned me to face him. He placed a quick kiss on my lips and gently pushed me away. I was dazed from the sudden kiss so I easily fell away from him.
He stood and picked up the Monado, returning the weapon to his back. Shulk stepped out into the sun. His hair shimmered like liquid gold and when he looked back at me, his eyes shone brilliantly. I hoped to my feet and quickly retrieved my Scrap Driver.
So much had been revealed in that storm, so much revealed without words. As I walked through the dewy grass with Shulk by my side, I decided to voice the feelings we had made clear. He replied with his enchanting smile and those same three words.