Somewhat short, hopefully sweet, and has been stuck in my head so here we go!
The storm woke Vert at about three AM. Everyone had long since gone to bed, in respect for the nine AM training session, but he doubted anyone could sleep through the noise. Ear-splitting crashes of thunder were preceded by blinding, jagged streaks of lightning that lit up the Salt Flats for miles.
There goes six hours of sleep. He grumbled, when he heard a tentative knock on his door, as if the person on the other side felt they could break it down with just the touch of their hand. Vert sighed, rolling out of bed to open the door. Spinner was probably just freaked out, either that or Stanford was sleepwalking again. He was used to the desert storms, having grown up with them, but the pounding torrents of rain and howling wind weren't exactly his idea of a lullaby. Some company wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Vert opened the door with a yawn, but stopped, jaw wide open, at seeing Agura standing there.
"Oh, sorry. " She blushed slightly. "I thought this was the bathroom." Vert couldn't really understand that the girl who could probably track down a dodo bird had gotten lost in the hall, but the thunder and flashes of light were admittedly disorienting. Still, there was something about the way she had said it…
"Nah, it's cool." He shrugged, yawning again. "Some storm, huh?"
"Uh, yeah." Agura looked down at her toes. "Can I come in?" She suddenly blurted.
"Uhm, sure." Vert said, gesturing for her to come in. Agura tiredly plopped down on his bed, and he took a seat next to her.
"What's up?" Vert began.
"About a thousand more tons of rain, but not for long." She groaned, and Vert chuckled.
"Don't like storms?" He asked, and she shook her head vigorously.
"Well, I'm not saying you shouldn't, but why not?" He asked. Agura sighed.
"Back home, when I was younger, we used to get these crazy thunderstorms. Like, we'd have droughts, and then it would rain for days. The worst parts came at night. Back then, I was absolutely terrified of them." She admitted, toying with a loose thread on her pajama pants.
"Really?" This was new to Vert.
"Yeah. The first time we had one here, I just wanted to die. I hated it; the thunder, the lightning. Didn't sleep for a minute. Then the next morning you guys were all "Did you hear that storm last night? Pretty sick, bro." Agura deepened her voice, making Vert smile. "Anyway, I didn't know what to say."
"That's why you're always so tired at training after we have one…" Vert mused. "Why didn't you just tell us?"
"Please." Agura scoffed. "I'm afraid of loud noises and a little lightning? Like THAT'S going to make an impression on a bunch of guys."
"We would have understood." He said. "Everyone has fears, Agura."
"Please." She rolled her eyes. "What are you possibly afraid of?"
"You really wanna know?" Vert said, and she eyed him. "My dad dying."
"Oh." Agura said softly.
"Yeah." Vert answered.
"But, yours makes sense! Mine's just…ugh!" Agura sighed.
"Why are you afraid of thunderstorms?" Vert asked suddenly, cocking his head.
"Hmm? Oh, no reason, really." Agura shrugged it off, but Vert knew her too well.
"Something must have happened. You can tell me." He said, putting a hand on her back.
"Uhm…when I was a lot younger, back home, I got trapped out in the middle of the savannah during one. It lasted for at least half the day; the worst we'd had that year. There were trees right next to me being struck down by lightning. No shelter, no people, and I was drenched and cold. Tracking was impossible in the rain, and I still had a lot to learn. Around midnight, one of my brothers finally found me, practically deaf from all the thunder. I was fine after a day or so, but the next storm that came sent me straight under the covers, which was hilarious to my brothers." Agura rolled her eyes, but the truth of her tale stood out as another clap of thunder made her jump.
"I'm really sorry you had to go through that." Vert said honestly.
"Yeah, well, now you know why I keep it to myself."
"We wouldn't have judged you." He tried to convince her.
"Maybe not you, but Stan? "Oh look, Ah-goo-rah, theh' appee-ahs to be a reign-drawp on the windah-sill! Shall I fetch the umbrellahs"?" Agura mocked the Brit's accent, and Vert had to chuckle.
"I don't think he'd be like that. The guy sleeps with a teddy bear." Vert reminded her.
"Touché." She shrugged.
"You know what helps deal with fears?" Vert asked her.
"What?" Agura said.
"Facing it." He said. Agura turned away.
"Vert, please…"
"Agura, the thunderstorms won't go away. Come on." He pressed. "I'll be right behind you."
"No. I-I'm sorry, I just can't." She said, looking down.
"But you can. You're stronger than you think." He said gently, lifting her chin. "We'll go together."
"Vert, no."
"Agura-"
"Vert."
"Agura,"
"VERT."
"Agura! You are so brave, and strong, and it kills me that a thunderstorm is scaring you out of sleep! Now come on and go walk outside with me!" Vert felt a twinge of guilt as he forcefully picked her up, but he knew Agura's limits, and this would be pushing them to the point of strengthening, not breaking.
"VERT!" She exclaimed, struggling, but he held firm until they were standing at the edge of the garage, watching the lightning streak down from the heavens.
"Put me down." Agura hissed, voice shaking.
"Okay." Vert gently deposited her on the floor of the garage, sitting next to her with his hand surrounding her smaller one. Though trying to coolly ignore him, Agura's face was soon buried in his shoulder at an especially blinding lightning strike. He stroked her back.
"It's fine. You're safe with me, okay?" He soothed. Several minutes later, Agura had built up the nerve to watch, but she still gripped his hand tightly.
"I…I think I wanna go outside." She whispered.
"You sure?" Vert asked, and she nodded. Together, they slowly stepped into the pouring rain. Vert watched Agura closely, tentative at first, but her shoulders soon relaxed.
"You're doing it." He said, and she grinned proudly.
"Thanks." Agura said softly, and he squeezed her hand.
"Don't mention it."