Felinis: I found this on my computer today. If I remember correctly this was supposed to turn into a genderbender fic based off a manga I stumbled on about boys who changed in the rain (don't ask me to name it cuz I cannot for the life of me remember). Thinking back the idea was both comical and corny which I think surmises my writing style in a shellnut. I probably won't do anything with this, but as a oneshot this works. Ironically, there is a start of a second chapter too, but nooooo. Just no. I really don't know what was going on in my head. But if demanded I will right more.

It came down in endless buckets. Never stopping and trapping any who ventured from shelter. That was what the rain looked like that day. And, Yuri was forever grateful that Flynn brought an umbrella with him. It was tight underneath the umbrella with the two boys bumping shoulders with each other. They walked from school silently and Yuri tried repeatedly to glance at the book Flynn was reading. The blonde hadn't put the book down once since getting it from his girlfriend.

Girlfriend.

Yuri couldn't believe that Mr. Boring got a girlfriend before him. Flynn was the textbook definition of lame. Lame and boring! Yet, he had girl. A girl who was so sweet and so wonderful that you'd be a fool not to love her. You had to be a fool to not want to hold her hand or talk with her every moment. You had to be a fool to not think she was beautiful. And, Yuri was a fool for thinking he had a shot with girls like that.

With girls' like Estelle.

Yuri was beyond envious. Not just because Flynn was dating a girl he liked, but because he felt his best friend was slowly slipping from him. In the past four weeks, this was the closest they had come to actually talking with each other. He sighed and leaned back into his arms.

"What are you reading?" he asked.

Flynn finally looked from the paperback novel. "Oh, this?" He passed the book over. "It's a romance that Estelle likes a lot. I thought I'd read it." Yuri read the tile and blanched.

Meet Me in the Bitter Nights

"It looks corny. Like mountains of corn kind of corny." He passed it back.

The blonde laughed. "Yeah, I know. But, it's actually pretty good." Yuri rolled his eyes. Figures, if Estelle liked then he would. "It's cute."

"And by cute you mean lame."

"By cute I mean cute. It's just a simple star-crossed lovers story and nothing more."

He kicked at the puddle at his feet and splashed his friend's shoes. "I hate those kinds of things. They're so cliché."

"Yeah. I get that." Flynn splashed back. "Still, I think it's nice. The couple crosses mountains and deserts just so they can have a few hours with each other. You got to admit there's something beautiful in that."

Pfft, please. "If you say so." Romances like that weren't real or if they were probably not worth it. How could it be worth it to have a few scattered moments with someone? "Sounds stupid to me."

They were silent for a long while. He was reading again. "I think that it be nice to have someone you'd do anything for." Yuri would have done anything for Estelle a few weeks ago, but now... now he couldn't imagine that. He couldn't see himself running to her rescue or trying his hardest for her happiness. He pondered what that might feel like. But, at the same time he didn't care to think beyond a few scattered images. Then to cover up the strange feeling held in the silence they both tried talking about things. They tried but nothing held because there was nothing to share that the other didn't already know. So they talked about the warm rain.

And then they stopped.

The two had to go separate ways. Yuri couldn't follow Flynn home. He offered to walk Yuri all the way back. They lived only a few blocks from the other. He waved him off. A little rain never hurt anyone. He ran off holding his bag over his head before Flynn could protest. He was cold and his clothes clung to his frame when he finally reached his house. He announced himself and the only reply was the approach of a large husky that was chewing on an old pipe.

"Hi Repede." He stripped and pat the dog's head. The house was empty and after he'd dried off there wasn't much to do except play with Repede and scrounge something up from the scraps in his fridge. He used to wait for his mother to come home but now there wasn't need. She'd be back before dawn like always. The house was quiet and the rain made everything look darker, lonelier. He wondered what his friend was up to (studying most likely) and decided that he was only bumming himself out. Yuri stifled a yawn and sat on the couch, days like this made both him and Repede tired. He would turn on the TV if there was anything worth watching, but there never was. So he opted to just sit and think. He thought about school for a bit and then he naturally thought about friends. He wondered what Judith was up to. And then he thought once more back to Flynn. He stayed there for a while. Then he arrived at Estelle and her stupid book. He liked Estelle. He liked her a lot. But, he hated how in a short while of his friend working up the courage to finally say what had been on both their minds since second grade she'd replaced him (not entirely but still). He wanted a time just for him and Flynn like before. He'd lost the hours he could spend just sitting next to him. He lost the time where they just talked about anything and do anything. Yuri stopped there. He didn't want to think beyond that point, but he wished for a bit that he could have Flynn back to himself. He wanted a small bit of time like today. He left on that and swayed into sleep.