John awoke to a soft, gray light filtering between the blinds on his bedroom window. He knew without looking that the day was overcast, a perfect day in his humble opinion. He sat up in bed, smiling, grabbing his glasses and pushing them onto his face, adjusting his twisted up socks before padding down the stairs to the main floor. He lived in a duplex apartment just across the river into Bronx, NY. It consisted of two main rooms, a combination kitchen/living room made up the first floor and his bedroom made up the second, and two bathrooms.

As he reached the first floor he looked out the big bay windows towards Manhattan, the sky was a blanket of grey. He hummed a bit under his breath as he walked over to his morning shrine, otherwise known as Mr. Coffee, and poured a cup, sweetening it into oblivion. He paused his humming and took a cautious sip; perfect. He started humming a bit louder, mumbling words here and there;

"Hmm hmm hmmmm hmm rain, I don't mind, hmmmm, the world looks fine." He paused again and wandered over to the closest window and pushed it open, breathing in the sweet rainy smell and checking to see if anyone was around, there was nobody. He sat on the ledge and sang loudly.

"I can show you when it starts to rain
everything's the same
I can show you, I can show you
rain, I don't mind
shine, the world looks fi-"

A glint caught his eye and cut him off, he looked down at the street and was embarrassed to find that he had an audience. A blond man in dark aviators, despite the weather, was watching him sing, holding a camera loosely in one hand.

"Oh! Oh, I-I uhhh..." John stammered, a flush peeking out from his shirt collar and quickly rising to the roots of his hair. The stranger was impassive, John was frozen in place. "Uhh..S-sorry, I-Uhhh.."

Finally a small smile pulled at the corners of the strangers mouth and he raised his camera slightly.

"Do you think I could take your picture?" He had a slight southern drawl.

"Uh..What?" John's face turned impossibly redder at the strange request, a hand flying up instinctively to brush through his messy, black hair.

"It's for a project, promise I'm not some whackjob." That small smile again. John noticed the stranger was especially attractive when he gave that small, almost reluctant smile. This observation didn't help the absurd hue his face still remained.

"Well..sure. I guess." John sat awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Luckily as the blond man raised the camera to his face he directed him.

"Just sit back and look up, the way you were before." John did as he was told, breathing in the cool air, trying to slow the blood flow to his face. He heard several snaps and clicks and he turned slightly for a peak at what the blond was doing. He was turning the camera this way and that almost lazily, he snapped a few more then dropped the camera back around his neck.

"Thanks, Man."

"Yeah..no prob." Said John as the stranger turned and moseyed down the street, turning the nearest corner. John ran his hands through his hair, laughing a bit, that was pretty weird.

"Hey!" called the drawling voice, John looked up, the blond had appeared around the corner again. "The Beatles. Nice Choice." And when he smiled this time he didn't hold back, flashing straight, white teeth, holding out his thumb in approval. John smiled back awkwardly and the stranger disappeared again.

John couldn't help but think of how the last smile had seemed to transform the blond into an entirely different person. The flush started to race back up his neck and he pushed himself away from the window, embarrassed at such a reaction. He effectively spilled his coffee all over the floor, creating a good distraction from the thoughts that threatened to overwhelm him.

How could such a weird experience have such a dumb effect on me? He thought as he wiped the sticky mess from the floor.

Dave walked down the street, taking his time, snapping pictures here and there; a woman cleaning a store display, a man tossing his giggling daughter high in the air. He loved taking pictures of people, provided they were un-posed. He liked those candid shots, accidental displays of a purer, more beautiful nature.

He turned onto a street that appeared to be empty and started to turn back when he heard a voice. A singing voice. A singing-The-Beatles voice. Intrigued he followed the sound of it, coming upon an old factory-turned-apartment complex building. A man who looked about his own age of 24 sat in the window singing "Rain", he looked young and wistful, beautiful.

Dave wandered over and stood in the street, watching the boy sing. He moved slightly to raise his camera and the singing stopped. The brunette looked down at him, shocked, his face quickly turning red. Dave had never seen someone show such quick emotion before. Not in New York, not even back in Dallas.

"Oh! Oh, I-I uhhh..." The young man stammered, quickly transforming into a tomato. "Uhh..S-sorry, I-Uhhh.."

Dave tried to resist the urge to smile but couldn't, his mouth pulled up a bit at the sides before he was able to return to his impassive expression.

"Do you think I could take your picture?" He said, his accent coming through...wait. That was weird. He usually had his accent as under control as his expression.

"Uh..What?" The newly created tomato-man said, running a hand nervously through his insanely messy hair.

"It's for a project, promise I'm not some whackjob." He lost his cool expression again, what an off morning.

"Well..sure. I guess." He replied, looking nervous and out-of-place.

"Just sit back and look up, the way you were before." Said Dave and, amazingly, he did, moving easily back into the same position and expression. Dave snapped a few pictures and was just about finished when the brunette glanced his way, his expression falling into one of curiosity. Dave couldn't resist but snap several more, the emotion on his face was so raw.

It probably has a lot to do with those huge blue eyes. He was surprised at the thought as it passed through his mind and he dropped his camera back around his neck, ready to leave before more of these absurd thoughts decided to invade him like the pod people.

"Thanks, Man." He turned to leave and as he was walking away the strange little songbird called after him;

"Yeah..no prob."

Dave wandered around the next corner before stopping and retracing his steps. He walked back around the corner and looked back at the brunette. He was laughing a bit and running his hands through his hair. Dave wanted to take more pictures of his honest expression but instead called out again.

"Hey!" He dropped his hands and looked over, shocked. "The Beatles. Nice Choice." He gave a thumbs up and smiled widely at the stranger, shocking himself at his lack of facial control, before disappearing again around the corner. As he walked he couldn't help but think of how those big blue eyes seemed to shine as he smiled in return, bearing goofy, childish teeth.

Dave shook his head to clear his thoughts, picking up his camera again, searching for a good distraction from the image that threatened to fill his head. A childish face with big, blue eyes and messy hair.

Author's Note: I had no beta this time 'round so please excuse any errors. I read through it myself several times but you know how it is. Feedback is very much welcome! Thanks for reading Chapter 1, I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for chapter 2, coming ASAP. -owl