Thick raindrops fall down from the dark clouds, who on their turn prevent any light from penetrating. Not a single soul roams the usually packed streets. Not a sound can be heard, except for the soft noise of raindrops hitting the ground. In the middle of the desolated park, a young girl is sitting. Her clothes and hair are soaked from the rain. The once light blue dress she wears has colored a faint brown taint, the same color as the mud covering the ground beneath her. Her blonde locks, put up in two little pigtails, hang loosely on either side of her head. Every now and then, a raindrop drips down from them. Her normally rosy cheeks look rather pale and thick teardrops run down her face. Her baby blue eyes are hid behind a pair of pale hands while her slim shoulders shake forcefully with every sob she utters.
Twelve year old Bubbles is sitting on the ground of Townsville park, crying. No one's there to comfort the poor heroine, because no one in Townsville leaves their house when it rains this hard. Through the sound the rain makes, she sings in a silent voice, only interrupted by the regular sobs:
"Rain, rain, go away.
Rain, rain, go away."
A figure approaches her from behind. The girl stars when she hears his voice interrupting hers.
"What are you doing here?", he asks.
She slowly glances back and her eyes widen when she sees a pair of odly familiar, deep blue eyes, who hold a confused look while they take in her appearance. His blonde hair is almost as wet as hers, despite the fact that it is covered by a (soaked) hood.
"Boomer?", the girl asks with an expression equal to his, "Wha-Where? What are you doing out in this weather?"
"I could ask you the same question."
His face remains equal while he sees her turn her head away from him to stare at the ground once more.
"I just needed to be alone", she says quietly.
"Why were you crying?", he asks, shuffling a little closer to her.
While a sob escapes her lips, she answers quietly, "I'm fine."
Not having the best experience in comforting a person, Boomer weighs his options. After some time of biting his lip in thought, he decides on sitting down beside her, ignoring the coldness of the mud.
"Bubbles, what's wrong?", he sighs after a long silence, "Why are you crying? In the middle of a downpour, for crying out loud!"
When she doesn't answer, he mumbles, "Aren't you supposed to be the cheery one?"
The comment was addressed primary to himself, but with super hearing, it's rather difficult to keep your mumbles to yourself. Her face snaps up at him, causing her pigtails to bounce up and down, and she gives him an angry and startled look.
"Yes, I am the cheery one!", she snaps, "I always laugh and keep everyone smiling! It's not fair! Is it so wrong for me to feel down or sad or depressed, like everyone else?"
Boomer has backed away a few inches, eyes wide in surprise and also a little amount of fear towards the blonde's sudden outburst.
"B-Bubbles, calm down."
"I always comfort others! Why doesn't anyone comfort ME, for a change! I always have to keep on smiling, but can't they see that I have problems too?"
Still leaning back, he watches her expression turn from angry to sorrowful and then her hands move towards her face again to cover up the fresh amount of tears. He gulps and sits straighter again, the thick raindrops seemingly falling harder and for a moment, he feels sorry for the blue-eyed girl. While she keeps sobbing uncontrollably, he slowly moves towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder. From the moment he touches her, the girl throws her arms around his waist and clings onto him for dear life, while her sobs turn into full out cries. The startled boy doesn't know what to do first, but eventually places his arms around her as well. That's how they sit there for the time being, hugging each other, he biting his lip and she crying her heart out.
After some time, the cries become sobs again and eventually soft hiccups. When she finally remains quiet, except for a short sob now and then, Boomer pets her back.
"There, there. Feeling better again?"
She nods in response and then, to his surprise, utters a giggle.
"Yeah", she says, releasing him and sitting straighter, "I'm sorry for that. I think I just needed someone to listen."
She smiles at him and it makes his heart break.
"Bubbles, don't…", he says, looking towards the ground.
She gives him a confused look while he looks back up at her.
"Don't cover up your feelings", he says, louder this time, "If you never show them, people won't know how you feel. How you really feel."
She stares at him for a while, before lifting up a little smile and muttering, "Okay."
This makes him smile softly in response. During their conversation, without them even noticing, the rain had faded until it was only a mere drizzle.
A cold gust of wind makes them both shiver. Boomer glances at his counterpart. Except for the blue dress, she isn't wearing anything else to keep herself warm. She must have rushed out without taking a coat, he thinks to himself while the girl crosses her arms in front of her chest to try and keep some of her body warmth to herself. I'm beginning to regret not taking a coat, Bubbles thinks. But then she sees Boomer take off his hoodie and hand it to her. She stares at the textile in her hand and then back at him.
"You're going to catch a cold flying like that", he mutters.
"But…what about you?", she asks, surprised by his sudden generosity.
He shrugs, "I'll be fine. As long as you give it back tomorrow."
After a second of staring, she smiles broadly and walks up to him to give him a quick hug. This surprises him, but before he can return it, she has already pulled back again and is putting on his still warm hoodie.
"It looks nice on you", he says with a goofy grin after she twirled around in it.
Suddenly, she pecks his cheek. Boomer stares wide-eyed at her.
"Thank you, Boomer", she smiles, "For everything."
"Urm, yeah, no problem", he says, hoping she doesn't see him blush.
"See you tomorrow!", and with that, she flies off, leaving her baby blue streak behind.
Boomer can't help but stare at her retrieving form, even when the streak of blue has since long disappeared. Then he places a hand on his still warm cheek, where her lips made contact with his skin. A small smile graces his features when he turns around and moves away from the place.
"I think I'll walk home", he smiles to himself.
The clouds slowly pass by to reveal a ray of sunlight.
