Dusk had settled upon the valley, the sun slipping away to dream behind the violet velvet of the mountains. Thick sheets of slate grey and indigo had rushed in to obscure the distant peaks, tumbling end over end across the sky towards the castle on the edge of the lake. A lone figure stood at the topmost tower, long and slender hands resting against the cold stone of the low wall, face turned heavenwards, expectant of the storm.
Tiny footfalls were heard behind the man, but he had already turned, with the reflexes of both warrior and empath, to peer at the doorway. A flicker of annoyance ran through him until he realized who it was. "I thought you were Nina," he said, gesturing to the girl.
She giggled softly and stepped outside, her soft shoes carrying her lightly to join him at the wall. "I won't tell her, I promise."
"I appreciate it." He turned back to gaze at the oncoming storm. A streak of lightning flared brilliantly across the sky, followed expectantly by a rumble drifting across the valley towards them.
"You should really come inside, Sir Flik," the girl suddenly pressed him teasingly, but worriedly, laying a small hand upon his arm.
He looked down at her, his effort to smile not reaching his eyes, though he was amused at her borrowing Nina's nickname. "I'll be just fine, Nanami, but thank you."
Generally there was no arguing with Flik, but Nanami had always been a perceptive - and stubborn - girl, and was not about to be deterred so easily. "You shouldn't be in such a high place, and if you get wet, cold and sick, Dr. Huan will certainly have your head. It's nearly winter, after all."
Flik nodded, only half hearing her. "I've always loved storms like these. I've been able to sense them from many miles away, ever since I was a boy."
Nanami set one elbow on the wall, leaning her head on her hand as she turned to peer at Flik in interest. "Is that how you got your nickname? Lightning?"
Flik grinned, genuinely this time, and shook his head. The wind was picking up now, tossing the ends of his bandana around, and ruffling the sleeves of Nanami's blouse. "Not exactly… and it's been a long time since anyone even asked me that question."
Nanami waited expectantly as Flik's grin faded away. Another flash of lightning, and she watched his lips move almost imperceptibly, counting, judging… "Then how did you get that name?"
"It's a long story."
"I've got time!"
"Not if you're planning to join Riou for tea before bed, as you always do."
Nanami raised an eyebrow, surprised that he knew about that… but then Flik seemed to know about every last thing that happened in the castle, even the few things that slipped by Nanami's watchful eyes. "So I have some time," she insisted.
"The short version then…" Flik said, finally turning away from the storm to face her. "My father called me Blue a great deal when I was a child, because of the bandana. He gave it to me, the same day I held my very first practice sword. I was six. I took to wearing it everywhere, even to bed, because I hated my hair in my face… I hated my sword even more, but that's a story for another time…" He drifted off thoughtfully until Nanami prodded him again.
"And the lightning part…?"
"When I was fifteen, the year before I first left Warrior's Village, my very closest friend, Lesli, and I had gone out of the village and into the forests… we wanted to escape to the river and fish and pick berries on a hot summer day." Flik grinned now, reaching to run one hand through his hair, as if he was almost, yet not quite, embarrassed of the memory. "I was always more interested in picking berries, reading books, playing reed flute… than I was to hang around with the other boys my age."
"Did you still hate your sword?" Nanami teased, reaching out to tug his sleeve affectionately.
Flik laughed softly. "No… in fact, I was the envy of most of the boys… and their mockery. But this tale is getting too long. The two of us were on our way back to the village, out in an open valley like this one." He let one arm sweep out in a grand gesture to indicate the expanse of land below them. "A terrible storm rolled in, just as this one did now, I had sensed it coming, we had left the river early, but we couldn't outrun it. With nowhere to go, I insisted we get down to the ground among all the long waving grass…"
"Tell me no one dies…" Nanami winced and Flik shook his head.
"No, but a bolt of lightning started a fire in the grass, and we ended up nearly caught in it. Something in me, that storm sense perhaps… I don't remember so well, but Lesli used to tell the story all the time...that another bolt had come flashing down… that I had pushed her out of the way, with one hand raised… and the lightning had simply gone straight into my hand."
Nanami blinked, and without even asking, reached out to grab Flik's hands, turning them over until she found the lightning rune embedded in his left hand. She looked up at him, brown eyes having gone wide, jaw slightly dropped. "Is that…how you got the rune?"
Flik laughed again, pulling his hand back to examine the rune himself. "No…I had it embedded, a birthday gift from my older sister, when I was…thirteen, I think. But it was unheard of… to have reflexes so quick that I could have tossed Lesli out of the way and simply absorbed the bolt."
"Bizarre…" Nanami murmured and she jumped as a giant drop of rain landed square on her nose.
"Of course, I got thrown across the field a good ways, and had a time of it getting back to the village, even with Leslie's help."
"So… did she start calling you Lightning?"
"That she did…as did my sister… and the boys in my circle… they used it to mock me, but after awhile I became so accustomed to it that I didn't mind so much. It became sort of a local legend that my quick sword reflexes were a result of that lightning bolt, which I don't believe is true..."
"But that's a great story! You should tell it more often." Nanami beamed at him and he smiled again, gesturing to the doorway. "Take your own advice and get inside before it rains. Riou will be waiting for you."
Nanami nodded, turned to go, and then impulsively turned back to hug Flik around the middle. "Thanks for the story!" She danced back towards the door. "Don't stay out in the rain too long!" With a little wave, she disappeared inside.
"Quite a story, Lightning."
Flik had returned to gazing at the mountains, but sincerely jumped this time, turning to glare playfully at his friend. "And how long have you been lurking on the other side of that doorway? Shame on me for not hearing you come out here."
"I have stealth when I need to!" Viktor protested and Flik shook his head in amusement. "Yeah, okay…so you were involved in telling that story, too." He crossed the distance between them in but a few large strides as Flik turned once again to face the storm, fat wet drops splattering his sweater and running down the stone wall, gathering in little puddles around them. "How come you never told me that?"
"You never asked." Flik glanced over his shoulder with a slight smile.
Viktor smirked and reached out to lay a hand on Flik's shoulder. "Nice to see you being a little less morose."
Flik shrugged, immediately serious again. "I don't like this time of year and you know why."
Viktor nodded and they stood in silence for a few minutes. "It's turning over into winter…" he said, refusing to let his friend mope. "I hear there's plans cooking up for a little celebration…winter festival and all."
Flik nodded as Viktor let his hand slide down Flik's arm, tugging slightly. The rain was falling steadily now, and for a moment, Viktor didn't realize the dampness at the edges of Flik's eyes were not raindrops. "I'm glad to see that everyone can still find things to be happy about, even in times like these."
Viktor frowned, hesitated, then reached one calloused thumb to brush away a tear. Even after all these years, he was still never entirely sure what to say when Flik got into one of these moods. He was the only one Flik ever allowed to see him like this to begin with. "Eh… won't always be like this…" he said softly. "Just you watch, this time next year we'll be throwing enormous drunken parties to celebrate our victory." He grinned and reached to put an arm around Flik's shoulders, drawing him away from the wall and towards the shelter of the castle. "Better yet, we'll be off on an entirely new adventure."
Flik didn't answer, allowing Viktor to pull him to the doorway as the light rain became a steady downpour, lightning flashing, thunder rolling loudly around them. "Vik…" he said suddenly, stopping them just before they moved inside.
Viktor released him, puzzled. "…Flik?" Viktor gazed at Flik's eyes as the blue reflected unspoken thoughts and feelings, memories, joys, heartaches…marveling at how his friend could say so much without ever speaking a word.
"I…"
"Bah, don't worry about," Viktor shrugged before he could say anything else.
Flik nodded, then leaned forward suddenly, his hands strong on Viktor's shoulders, his lips softly brushing the other's. Viktor, though not expecting it, returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around Flik and hugging him fiercely for just a moment. "Thanks."
Viktor chuckled, the rain now running down their faces. "Anytime…now let's get inside before we get completely soaked - or you decide to take another bolt of lightning."