Hurricane Warning

By: Atomic Kokoro

Storyline

Reno and Atlas get into a fight. Suddenly, Metro City is attacked by a Hurricane! Atlas must save Reno and discovers his brother's point of the argument along the way.

Before You Read

I was bored out of my mind. I wrote this a little while ago. It's another RenoXAtlas. You know, it's funny. I'm the only one who came up with this pairing. I got it while writing Somewhere I Belong. I kinda realized how similar Reno and Atlas are...in some ways.

Anyways, on with the story.

…

Hurricane Warning

The door was opened and slammed shut. Then, it was opened again and slammed shut. Astro rolled his eyes. He knew where this was going.

"Why can't you just shut up and stay off my case for once?" his adopted brother, Reno, yelled, jogging down the stairs sideways.

His half-brother, Atlas, replied in his normal, 'chuckly', cocky voice. "If you knew what you were doing, I wouldn't have to hound you every three seconds."

Reno growled and spun around on his heels just before the front door. "I know what I'm doing! You just don't trust me!"

Atlas laughed. "I would trust you more if you didn't keep screwing up. Every three seconds, it's 'oops,' 'Uh, oh,' 'Let me try that again,' 'Don't be mad, Atlas, but I...'"

Zoran sniffled a giggle from the top of the stairs. "You two at it again?"

"Shut it," Reno muttered to her before turning his attention back to his 'brother'. "If you don't feel comfortable with me making repairs, then don't ask me to do them. It's not... That... Hard. Seriously, Atlas."

"If you don't know what your doing, then don't do that. It's not... That... Hard. Seriously, Reno."

Reno stomped his foot in frustration. Astro knew how much Reno hated to be repeated, especially when it was used as an insult.

When Reno and Atlas got into a fight, it normally ended with them not talking for a couple hours. In the end, they'd end up watching Dane Cook videos on Youtube together. They never said sorry. iToo much pride,/i Astro thought to himself.

Reno sighed, grabbed his spring jacket, the one he often wore to the ministry, and began out the door. "Where are you going?" Atlas asked, almost sounding offended.

"To cool off," Reno replied and shut the door behind him.

Atlas sighed and shook his head before sitting in the center of the room in a strange, innocent-like position, and tossed his head back and demanded, "Why are humans so difficult!"

The only sister looked at Astro from where she was and smiled. Astro groaned and turned back to his homework being done on the dinner table. "Go talk to him," Zoran suggested.

"That'll make it worse," Atlas reminded her.

"When he comes back, then," she added.

Atlas opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Thunder clashed on the outside. No one noticed it all that much until Nora appeared, frantically muttering incoherent words and taking attendance.

"Where's the Doctor? And where's Reno?" she asked when she realized the only two humans were missing.

Astro sighed, his homework interrupted for the gazillionth time. "Reno went out and Dr. O'Sheay is at the Ministry."

Nora gasped. "iWHAT/i!" she screamed.

"What's so bad?" Atlas questioned, getting to one knee.

"There's a ibig/i storm coming. Maybe a hurricane! Everyone has to be inside. Oh, why did they leave?"

Astro got to his feet. "Will the Doctor be safe at the Ministry?"

"Possibly," Atlas replied. "But you should go there, just in case. I'll go after Reno." He burst out the door and into the rain in seconds.

Astro raced towards the ministry. Flying would be a hazard in this weather. He would have to run and hope he would get there before the storm.

u.../u

Reno sighed. The wind was quite strong, but it was natural, being atop a building and all. The only place no one could find him and bother him. He wanted to be alone right then. It was the only sanctuary that he had from other people.

His favorite hiding place, too, during 'kiddie' games like Hide-And-Seek or Man Hunt. Man Hunt wasn't a kiddie game, though. It was great!

The wind knocked him a step forward. "What the?" Reno muttered, confused. He glanced up at the sky, noting it's dark gray, almost black, color. The wind blew harder, sliding Reno across the building top.

Reno dropped to a lying position. The building was lower down from the rest of the city. If the city was going to flood, that building would be the first to go. If he was right, it would take seconds for the river to fill and he would have mere minutes to get away or he would drown.

It was difficult to squirm out of the position he was in, however. If Reno rose the slightest inch, he would be blown into the harsh waters and drown. If he stayed where he was, the building would submerge underwater and he would drown still.

"Sh-shit..." he cursed. That's when the rain began to pour. Quickly and roughly. It was strong enough to keep him against the roof of the building. It would be impossible for him to stand up.

A couple minutes he waited. Reno could hear the rushing waters grow louder and louder. Suddenly, the building tipped slightly and Reno slid down to the edge. He jumped over the safety wall, knowing he was as good as dead if he hit it, and grasped it with one hand just before he fell.

He glanced down between his feet, mentally calculating. He was a robotics engineer, not a nature researcher person. All sounds blocked for the moment. Falling would mean certain death. No one would find him here in the building. No one would even look at the building.

It was hopeless. Why did he even think to leave the house? Why not just go through the basement? What if he stayed? It was all over now. His hand was slipping. Reno closed his eyes, bowed his head, and let go.

He fell for a split-second, readying himself for death. Then he stopped, a small pain encasing his wrist. Reno glanced up and smiled. Atlas couldn't tell if there were tears in his eyes or if it was just the rain. "You really love to scare the shit out of everyone, don't you?" Atlas chuckled, pulling Reno up.

Reno rolled his eyes and climbed onto Atlas' back. "You can mention this to Astro, but if you tell Zoron or the Doc, you are iso/i dead."

"Whatever happened to, 'Thanks, you saved my life! I owe you one,' Reno?"

"Psh," Reno scoffed. "That was ibefore/i I really knew you." Atlas laughed and took to the air. "Flying in this weather is dangerous."

"I know what I-" Atlas stopped dead in his sentence and looked back at Reno. Reno stared back, his eyes asking if Atlas understood now. Atlas looked back at where he was flying. "You're right."

Reno looked at the water below them. "I'm sorry, Atlas. For making a lot of mistakes."

"You're only human," Atlas chuckled as if it was a two-sided joke. "Human's make mistakes. Robots, however. We're perfect."

Reno laughed and bopped Atlas on the back of the head lightly. "You think you're iso/i funny, am I right?"

The Robot only laughed. It wasn't long before he spotted a good spot to lay low. He landed and let Reno off his back. "Are you okay?"

Reno nodded. "I'm fine." Atlas got up and watched out the door for anything. Reno lifted his pant leg to examine a small scratch. "It's annoying," he muttered when Atlas raised an eyebrow at the scratch. "I must've got it when I jumped over the safety walls. ...oops."

Atlas chuckled. "You cold?"

"Good eye, Sherlock. Standing in the frickin' rain for a couple minutes will definitely overheat me. Let's have a picnic!" Reno threw his hands in the air at the last part.

"Ha ha. Cute." Atlas looked back outside to check the weather. "We might have to move soon if this keeps up."

Reno snorted and cocked his head back in a way that resembled a horse. "Out of the building or out of Metro City?"

"Both," Atlas replied. He never thought of leaving Metro City. Not while stuck under the same roof as Astro and the Minister of Science. Catastrophe shook when that happened. 2012. Doomsday. The Walking Dead was a more likely story than Astro and the Doc leaving Metro City. More believable, anyhow.

Atlas shook himself from his thoughts. About ten minutes had passed since his last words to Reno. He looked back and saw the young Scientist had fallen asleep. He looked back outside. Ten minutes and the water level hadn't changed.

They would be fine for the next little while; the rain was beginning to slow up. Atlas walked over to Reno and crouched to his height. He was quite the interesting one. As so were many others. But he seemed...different. He felt a little different about this one.

Reno brought a fist to his chest and murmured something quietly. Atlas smiled a little and laid down beside his brother, falling to a quiet sleep as well.

u.../u

Atlas was surprised when he woke up that he actually managed to wrap a protective arm over Reno. It was slightly embarrassing, too. Reno didn't do much but shiver.

Atlas leaned up and looked out the door. Golden sun rays poured in through the barn door which was open just a crack. Atlas glanced down at Reno and shook him lightly. "Hey. Hey, Reno. Wake up. The storm. It's over."

The boy rolled over before opening his eyes. "Atlas?" he mumbled. "Where are we?"

"We were caught in the storm, remember?"

"Oh. Right." Reno stood and stumbled a bit but caught himself. "Ah. We've probably scared the others quite a bit. Let's go see if they're alright."

Atlas nodded.

u.../u

Atlas landed on the front step. Reno climbed down from Atlas' arms and walked into the house. "Hello? Anyone home?"

Astro walked into the room. "Reno. Atlas. You guys are okay. You had us worried for a moment."

Reno smiled and blushed a bit. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Atlas. I would've been dead a long time ago."

Astro looked at Atlas then glanced back at Reno and softened a bit. "Go get changed, Reno. Then you guys can talk to Doctor O'Sheay. He'll be glad to find out you two are okay."

Reno began up the stairs when he was stopped by a voice. "Hey."

He turned around and noticed Atlas by the front door. "Yes?" he said.

Atlas opened his mouth then closed it again. "N-nothing. Nevermind."

Reno took a deep breath, took a step up, stopped, and faced Atlas again. "Thanks," he said before disappearing upstairs into his room.

Atlas sighed. "It's not going to be the first time I had to save your life," he muttered under his breath. "And it probably isn't going to be the last, either." He shook his head and walked out the room. "You seriously need to toughen up."