Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: This story came from an inspiration I got from a song on YouTube that runs as a background theme for this story. I suggest listening to it as you read. http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=SduKvHiPxdo
Would You, Could You, in the Rain?
The first time he saw her, it was pouring rain.
From across the Entrance Hall, he had seen her dark red hair, her bright green eyes, her brilliant smile. It didn't matter that she looked like a drowned rat. He had thought she was beautiful. He knew she was beautiful.
He had always known she was beautiful.
She had stood out to him, apart from the rest.
She always had.
She caught his eye and smiled wide, those green eyes glittering at him from across the room, and he had felt what his eleven-year-old mind figured must be love.
The first time they spoke, it was pouring rain.
"Hi."
"Hello."
"So… you're the other Prefect?"
"Yes…"
"Interesting. I hope you prove me right."
"Prove you right?"
"That you're not like your friends. That you're better than them. I'll see you at eight o'clock."
She turned on her heel, dark red hair swinging behind her, and walked away without another word, leaving him standing alone in the cold, dark corridor.
Her voice had been businesslike, stern even. But still it had retained that melodic, beautiful tone he would recognize anywhere. She had faith in him, even then. That he could be better. That he was better. At fifteen, he had vowed to be just that.
The first time he opened up to her, it was pouring rain.
"You thought I didn't already know? How thick do you think I am?
"Y-You knew?"
"I've known since we were twelve."
"But… You've never told anyone? You're not… afraid?"
"No. Why would I be? It's you I care about. You're my best friend and that's all that matters to me."
"But-"
"Hush. It doesn't matter. Not to me. It's never mattered to me."
"Really?"
"Yes. Now give me some of that famed chocolate you're hiding."
"No. Mine. I will never share."
"Please?"
"No."
"Would you could you, in the rain?"
"Fine."
He had always been a sucker for Doctor Seuss. She had smiled and leaned over the library table to hug him. She had kissed his cheek as he broke off a bit of chocolate for her.
His face had flamed, his every nerve tingling, and he had wanted nothing more than to hold her tight and never let go. But he couldn't. Someone else already had a claim on her. He couldn't disrespect that.
And so he kept his distance.
The first time they kissed, it was pouring rain.
"Catch me if you can!"
"What? Hey! Wait! Stop!"
"I wonder what would happen if we jumped in the lake right now…"
"We'd freeze. Maybe drown. Let's not."
"Aw come on!"
"No! Slow down!"
"The point is for me to run out of your reach. Slowing down would be quite counterproductive."
"Please?"
"NO!"
"You're horrible, you know that?"
"Yep!"
She had flashed a smile at him from over her shoulder, green eyes shining brightly in the grey of the surrounding rain storm. Her hair had clung to her face in strands, rain drops dripping down her nose. She had never looked more beautiful.
"This is pathetic! You're a good foot taller than me! I think I'll just go run up to the castle and tell everyone that I beat you."
"What? No! They'll never let me live it down!"
"Then catch me!"
He had. He had caught her and held her tight, so tight that he had been able to count the number of freckles on her nose, see the raindrops on her thick eyelashes.
"Ta-da!"
"About time! I was getting cold…"
"Do you want to go inside?"
"No. I love the rain. I'm warm now, anyways."
"You sure?"
"Positive."
They had stared deep into each other's eyes – into each other's souls- for a moment, and the whole world had disappeared until nothing existed but the two of them.
"I wonder…"
"Wonder what?"
She had stepped up on tiptoe, leaning in closer and closer until his world was consumed in green and red. She had whispered then, as her eyes fluttered shut ever so slowly. To hell with claims.
"Would you, could you, in the rain?"
He could and he had. They had kissed for what felt like ages; until the rain stopped falling, until the world stopped turning, until the sun stopped shining. Her lips were soft and warm against his own and he had felt her warmth trickling from his lips to his toes and back up again.
At sixteen, he had known it was love.
The first time they slept together, it was pouring rain.
They had left the window open. It was her idea.
"Would you, could you, in the rain?" she had whispered.
Her body had been soft and warm against his own, perfect in every way. He had never felt so complete and happy in his life. She had trailed her soft fingers down his arms, his chest, his neck, tracing the many scars that riddled his skin.
She had kissed every one.
That night, he had held an angel in his arms. He marveled at how much love his heart was capable of containing. As she slept, he had thanked every deity he knew of that she was his. For she was perfect, she was beautiful, and she loved him.
And so it would be, he had thought at seventeen, forever.
The first time she broke his heart, it was pouring rain.
"I – I don't understand."
"It's what everyone expects, surely-"
"'WHAT EVERYONE EXPECTS?' I can't believe – You're throwing this – us, me! - away, all because of what 'everyone expects'?"
"I can't take it anymore! Can't you see that? I'm sick of sneaking around, keeping it all a secret! I want a relationship that I can actually talk about in public! A boyfriend I can be with in front of others! I don't want this anymore!"
"You know why we never made it public, you said-"
"I KNOW WHAT I SAID!"
"So… what now? You going to run off and be with him? Not because you love him or care for him, but because it's easier for you? More convenient?"
"I do love him!"
"…What? Just yesterday you said-"
"I have spent the past three months loving him! I can't deny my feelings anymore. And I'm sorry but-"
"You… You fell in love with him?"
"Yes. I did."
"Well then. I… I hope you two will be very happy together."
"I'm sorry, but-"
"Don't. I don't want to hear it."
"But-"
"You broke my heart! What else do you want from me? I don't want to hear it!"
"But-"
"My best friend too… I can't believe…"
"I'm-"
"Goodbye."
"What? Wait! Wait!"
But he had turned his back on her already.
It was not until he was safely in his room that he let the tears fall.
On the day of her wedding, it was pouring rain.
"Can you believe it? On my wedding day!"
"You can't control mother nature. No use blaming it."
"I suppose you're right… Well… Thank God the ceremony's indoors. Ugh, this won't zip… Would you, could you, in the rain? I can't zip it myself."
"One day, it won't be raining. Then what? You won't have any words of coercion left to you, and I shall be free of your tyranny!"
"Well, every time I've felt the need to use it, it's been raining. Fingers crossed my luck continues."
She had stepped out from behind the door and taken his breath away. She looked more beautiful in that white dress than she ever had, and he couldn't stand it.
"You look… beautiful."
"Thank you… Oh, I'm so nervous! What if – What if this wasn't a good idea?"
How he had wanted to say that it wasn't. How he had wanted to gather her in his arms like he had when they were younger and call her his own. But he couldn't. Not when he could see how happy she was in her new life. And so had held his tongue as he slowly zipped up the back of her wedding dress.
"It's a great idea."
"You think so?"
"I know so. Now let's go out there and watch as you break a million hearts."
"A million hearts?"
"Please. Do you know how many classmates of ours are sitting out there? The second they see you, their hearts will be broken with the realization that such a beautiful and amazing woman will never be theirs."
"I don't want to break one heart, let alone a million."
Too late for that, he had thought as he walked her down the aisle and gave the woman he loved away to his best friend. You've already broken mine.
The day she told him, it was pouring rain.
"I'm pregnant! Isn't it wonderful?"
"Of course. What did he say?"
"Well… I haven't told him yet. I haven't told anyone yet. You were the first."
"Why me?"
"Because you were my first everything. Why shouldn't you be the first to know about my first baby? "
"Because it's not mine. Shouldn't you have told him first? He's the father, after all."
"I know… I should have told him, but… I wanted you to be the first to know… Aren't you happy for me?"
"I'm delighted for you. You've always wanted a child."
She had smiled and shone from within. He couldn't stand to look at her.
"I know! My life is perfect; I have an amazing husband that I love more than anything in the world, a perfect child on the way, and a wonderful best friend."
She had smiled and hugged him warmly, kissing his cheek as she had all those years ago. He did not respond. Her kiss still made his skin tingle, but with it had come a bitterness that coursed through his veins before he could stop it.
"I can't believe I'm going to be a mother! Oh, what if I'm horrid at it? I never thought of that before… Oh God… I can't do this… Oh my God, Oh my God I can't… What if – What if I-"
Bitter and hurt though he was, he could never stand to see her cry. He had taken her in his arms as he had so long ago and held her tight.
"Hush… You will be an amazing mother. I always knew you would be. How could you, the incredible woman I've known for nearly ten years now, be a bad mother? This child will be extremely lucky to have you. Don't worry about it. You'll be there for this child just like you were there for me, don't ever forget that. Just think, one day, your baby is going to do something amazing in this world, and it will be all because of you. Because you are amazing."
"But- But what if he- What if he doesn't want the baby?"
"He wants the baby. Trust me. It's always been his secret ambition to see you glowing and round with his child. Ever since we were fourteen… He'll be ecstatic, you'll see. He'll fawn over you even more than he does already. He'll love you and the baby more than he's ever loved anything before. Don't worry."
"But how do you know? How do you know how he'll feel?"
"Because that's how I would feel."
"What?"
"You know what I said. I need to go. I – I'll see you around. Congratulations."
"Wait!"
But he had already gone.
He hadn't been able to be in her presence anymore. He hadn't been able to stand looking at her glowing, beautiful form any longer. It had become painfully final now. She would never be his again.
The last time he ever saw her, it was pouring rain.
"It's a boy… Due in the beginning of August. I've just come back from the hospital."
"That's wonderful."
"What's wrong? Look at me, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Just… tired."
"You've been acting oddly for a while. What's wrong? Why won't you tell me?"
"I told you. It's nothing."
"No need to be harsh."
"I'm sorry… It's just… It's been a bad few months."
"I'm sorry…"
"I know."
"Play for me?"
"What?"
"Play your piano. Please? Play what you were playing before I came in, I could hear it from outside. It was beautiful."
"No, you don't want to hear me play…"
"Yes I do. It's been so long since you played for me. Please?"
"No."
"Would you, could you, in the rain?"
He had pushed away the painful memories her innocent words brought to him and turned to the piano. He had played his best, throwing his every emotion, every thought, every feeling that he could not voice into the music. She had been crying as he finished.
"Beautiful."
"Thank you."
Silence.
"I want you to be the baby's godfather."
"I'm honored, but no."
"Oh, honestly. I don't want anyone else! You're my best friend, you mean the world to me, and I know you'd do anything for him if anything happened to us. Please?"
"No. I can't."
"Would you, could you, in the rain?"
"THIS ISN'T A JOKE! I'm serious. I- I can't."
"You can't? Why ever not?"
"I can't do it, what don't you understand?"
"But why though?"
"I just… I just can't."
"You had better give me a damn good reason, and you had better give it to me now."
"I-"
"NOW!"
"The baby isn't mine! Can't you see how much that hurts me? I look at you, and all I can think of is that you aren't mine. You want him, not me. The baby is just a reminder. I don't think I'll be able to stand to look at the baby, let alone care for it. It's just too painful. Can't you see?"
"See what? Why is it so-"
"BECAUSE I STILL LOVE YOU! Why can't you see that? I have always loved you! I have loved you since the first time I saw you when we were eleven. The year we spent together was the happiest year of my life; I loved you so much it hurt. And I still love you. You may have moved on but I still love you. I still love you."
"You-"
"And it hurts so much to see you with him, to see you so happy with someone that isn't me. To see you wearing his ring and carrying his child is almost more than I can bear. That may make me the most selfish man alive, but it's true."
"But-"
"I don't want to ruin your happiness. I see how good he is to you. He can give you a life I never could. That's all I've ever wanted for you. You deserve the best."
"I-"
"Ask someone else to be the godfather. Someone who can look at your son without seeing the life they were never able to give to you."
"Wait-"
"Congratulations. I hope you and your family the best."
"But-"
"Please. Just go. Please."
"I-"
"Please."
She had left, leaving him alone in his dusty, cold house with nothing but the memories and the pain for company.
A/N: I know this is darker than usual for me, but I like angsty, sad stories for some reason… I had another ending in mind for this that I might post as an alternate ending later. If you're happy with this ending, feel free to stop here. If you'd like a bit more to the story, continue on.
Thank you for reading! Reviews are like chocolate, and I loooooooooove chocolate (hint-hint)
