HELLO! Greetings my fellow readers! I'm happy to say that I am finally done with this one-shot that I have been working on for a while! It's pretty short and sweet in my opinion. Anyways, please give some cyber cookies to Lynxy (Lynx of the Sand) for betaing this, marvelous story for me and also Hana and Ichi (HanaIchi Ikari) Who did some betaing also. ^w^; Anywaysssss, I should stop rambling! Enjoy!
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/~\\\:Remedy of Rain:/~\\\
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Fat rain drops fell languidly onto the roof of a small lodge on route 215. The cozy interior, warm atmosphere was slowly disappearing as she continued to watch the rain outside. Dawn shook her head, plopping down on her couch in the lobby with a huff. The wind whistled through the branches, resulting in them to chatter again the window. The blunette sat quietly, remaining still. Her patience was thinning as the rain began to plummet down, pounding against the ceiling. She exhaled, reaching her all time low in happiness. That bubbly past self seemed non-existent as Dawn lashed out against a pillow, growling into it.
Why was she so temperamental?
All she had to do was wait for the rain to let up, and then she could get on her way to Vilestone City, making sure that she could challenge Maylene.
The lodge was located between Soloceon Town and Vilestone City. Trees infested the forest, nearly blocking people's view from seeing it. There would be no way people would stay here unless they either have been here before, or have a very keen sense of civilization. Dawn sighed, finding it rather difficult to keep herself entertained. Her room had nothing but a plain bed, a small mirror and one-fifth of a bathroom. Therefore, the lobby was the best place to stay for the time being. Her Pokémon were all exhausted from the previous gym battle, and from the journey here, so she couldn't play with them. There was no T.V or any sort of electronic within a radius of…probably twelve miles. The only think she had was her Pokedex and her Poketch, which didn't keep her entertained after going through all her apps and all the information within the few hours she had been here. The most productive thing she could do was finish cleaning her badges and stare out the window, hoping that the rain would clear up.
After polishing her badges until they gleamed so bright it hurt to look at them, she gazed out the window, starting to feel bored…of being bored. She slumped into the couch, cringing when she could smell the faint stench of cigarettes and sweaty socks. She ignored it after a while and stared at the clock hanging on the wall adjacent from her. It made continuous clicking sounds, ticking in her brain. It was the only sound that Dawn heard anyways. Everything was starting to put her to sleep, the world started to spin and become blurry. She felt her eyelids get heavier and heavier. Right now was definitely not the time to sleep, but it wasn't the best time to fight it off either. Dawn felt torn between whether or not she should fall asleep or stay awake. Her head swirled with useless thoughts and debated between those two. Her conscience was almost completely phased out, that she almost didn't notice a man around her age approach her, plopping down on the chair across from her.
She blinked several times, suddenly feeling the sleep leave her as her eyes widened. She let out a disgruntled choke and shook her head, starting to think she was hallucinating. "Uh…Paul?" She let out in an awkward stutter. "What are you doing here?" She breathed wispily. The lavender headed man in front of her tilted his head sideways, resting his elbow on the armrest of the couch and placed his chin square on his fist. He looked rather uncomfortable, sitting down. His hair was matted down, damp from walking in the rain. His face was pulled down into one of his usual scowls; his brow was creased, giving the impression that he was irritated. He was clad in dark blue cargo pants, and a blue and black zip up jacket, which had been unzipped, revealing his dark grey turtle neck shirt. His clothing were somewhat damp as well.
"Well, that was a conversation starter…" Dawn grumbled to herself, nearly slapping herself in the face. The tick of the clock returned as the room was settled in silence.
Paul shifted in his seat, glaring out the window. "Hn." He replied after what seemed like hours. His expression was cold, unmoving and it stayed the same for the time from when he entered, to this moment. Dawn shifted in her seat again, feeling the chair skim her back. She looked around, trying to entertain herself. Deciding there was nothing to do, besides chatting with the stiff and emotionless man who had the attention span of a rock.
"So…" Dawn coughed, leaving the word to hang out in the air. Paul seemed to have missed that fact that she made a sound and kept still, keeping his eyes towards the window. His soft mauve hair draped over his eyes. "So…" She tried again, having the thought that she sounded more of an idiot than anything else, though she didn't care, as long as she wasn't bored. "Hello?" Dawn sighed, slumping her shoulders while she did so. Yet again, she had no response.
Dawn leaned over to peek at his face, but that curtain of purple hair was still in the way. She thought about him for a moment, wondering what reaction he would make if she moved his bangs out of the way. Dawn got off her couch quietly and kneeled on the ground in front of him, pushing the silky mauve hair out of his eyes. A small puff of air escaped Paul's lips as Dawn did so, but he had no reaction what so ever, since his eyes were closed, and a peaceful look had over took his face. Dawn let out a small giggle before she analyzed his face. His eyebrows seemed abnormally normal (If that made any sense). His lashes touched his cheeks gently, only fluttering slightly as Dawn placed three of her fingers on Paul's cheek, to feel that it was soft and warm. Dawn smiled. She liked to see him uncharacteristically cute. Paul grumbled something incoherent and turned his head to the side. Dawn jumped back, hoping that she didn't wake him up. She stayed crouched down for five minutes, frozen, not knowing what to do, but after what seemed to be coast clear, she moved in again to check Paul out. Dawn tilted her head to the side and started at his face for a long moment.
I wonder why his lips are so soft…It makes me want to…
Dawn lifted up her hand and reached forward, lightly brushing her fingers over his lips.
At that moment, Paul's eyes shot open, and he look at Dawn in slight confusion. Dawn retracted her hand in shock and jumped away. There was a long moment of silence and the room was filled with tension. Paul had sat upright, back into his chair, looking straight at Dawn, who was as flushed as a tomato berry. Dawn leaned back in her chair and poked her index fingers together. "E-Eh…I-I-I'm sorry." She finally managed to stammer.
Paul let out an awkward grunt and shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "Whatever." He grumbled, tilting his head towards the window.
"P-Paul." Dawn breathed, not even knowingly. It took a few moments to register in her head that she actually said that out loud. "U-uh…" She forced out through gritted teeth, trying to figure something out to say. "I-I…I was thinking that we should…should…should…make out, and hang up." Dawn sputtered quickly. Her face was growing a brighter crimson with every word.
Paul looked at Dawn curiously. "Make out…hang up?" He repeated with a skeptical look on his face, seemingly confused by Dawn's choice of words.
Dawn let out a frustrated scream into her hands and used her fingers to drag her cheeks down. "I MEANT TO SAY, MAKE UP, AND HANG OUT!" She yelled with little patience. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes seemed to avert from Paul's, after she realized that she was suggesting making out with someone such as him.
"Hn." Paul grunted, curiously sneaking glances at Dawn, who was attempting to pull at her hair in frustration. "Calm down." He snapped, after a few minutes of watching the girl freak out. He rubbed his temples and growled. "Why are you always so annoying and troublesome?" He glared at her.
"Why are you always so cold and unsociable?" Dawn shot back, returning his glare with equal amount of coldness. "I don't ever understand you, and I don't think I ever will." She huffed, crossing her arms against her chest.
"Yeah, whatever." Paul hissed, "It's not like I wanted you to know what I'm like anyways." He stood up from his chair, making his way around his couch.
"I tried to crack your dang shell, but it's albeit hard to do so if you aren't willing to let anyone know what you're thinking." Dawn shouted, standing up from her chair. "Stop acting so stuck up and acting so condescending, you know it's really offensive right?"
"The whole point…?" Paul snorted with indifference.
"YOU THINK YOU'RE FUNNY, DON'T YOU?" Dawn screeched, storming up to Paul and poking him in the chest. "Well you know what, Sir Rudeness? I can probably beat you in a battle." She said smugly, smirking as she saw Paul's face falter a bit.
"Yeah right." He muttered, his eyes narrowed the slightest.
"Yes, I am right." Dawn snorted, sticking her tongue out at Paul. She placed one of her hands on her hip and narrowed her eyes. "I am so right."
"Airhead," Paul muttered under his breath, "How many badges do you have anyways? You're probably going to go battle that pathetic excuse of a gym leader, Maylene." The onyx eyed man seethed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I am not an airhead!" Dawn screamed in blind rage, "And Maylene is a great trainer!" She hissed through gritted teeth, "You're just too dumb to realize it." Dawn growled to her friend's defense. She huffed angrily and turned on her heel, and turning away from Paul. Her hair smacked his face in the process.
Paul narrowed his eyes at Dawn, but told himself that he was more mature than she was, and would hold his tongue.
Dawn hesitated, stopping in her tracks and threw her glare at Paul once again, "And for the record, I have all my badges already!" She spat angrily, before storming her way off to the inn once again. Her midnight blue tresses bounced away behind her.
"Kill me now." Paul mumbled before slumping back into the couch he was sitting on. He sighed just to hear something, realizing that the room seemed so much duller without Dawn in it. The clock ticked away, clicking at the rate of his heartbeat. He let out another sigh, this time of frustration. Since Dawn left, there was nothing to do. Silence hung in the air, only the shifting of Paul's legs, the clock and the rain, now pounding against the window, was audible. Paul now turned his attention to the window, watching the rain fall down mercilessly, hitting the earth with its weight. Paul's eyes started to grow watery as he continued to stare. He blinked. He blinked again.
Whoosh
A gust of wind rushed by, shaking the inn. It made the small shelter rattle occasionally.
Drip, Drip, Drip, Drop, Drop, Drop
The raindrops clamored against the windows and the roof. The rain seemed to keep a steady beat as it fell. The sound was soothing. It made Paul's eyes drowsy.
Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump
Footsteps found their way down the stairs, and to the couch across from Paul. He simply ignored the person there, and brushed her off, but he could feel her stare at him. The rain and the wind continued to play in their orchestra, and they both listened quietly. Dawn hummed a few notes every now and then, but other than that, there was no sound and no movement from the two.
Paul finally let out a sigh, breaking the tense silence between them. "Do you need something?" Paul grumbled, turning his attention to Dawn.
She stared at him for a long moment with her large vibrant cobalt blue orbs. "No, not necessarily…" She said in a low voice. Her eyes unwavering as she locked them with his.
"Why are you down here then?" Paul shot back, his onyx eyes were stoic, cloudy, and unreadable. He didn't dare blink.
"For reasons I do not know." She shrugged her small delicate shoulders. Her anger seemed to have settled, and her expression was calm once more.
"Ok…" Paul said uncharacteristically.
"Yeah…" Dawn replied quietly, letting the two of them sink back into a silence.
"…Hey…Troublesome…Do you think that when there is rain, someone is crying?" Paul asked, tilting his head up towards the ceiling.
"Hm…I don't think so…why?" Dawn replied, her eyes beginning to widen slightly. She found is extremely interesting that he was talking to her. Like…an actually conversation and HE started it.
"I thought it was that someone out there is extremely sad, so they cry, and all their tears become the rain. Plus, I don't have any good memories in the rain…" He mumbled quietly, starting to shy away a bit, realizing that he was confessing some of his thoughts to someone who he found extremely irritating and annoying.
"I don't think so." Dawn said, "I think that when it rains, the world is so happy, that it cries!" Dawn smiled happily, blurting out her thought. "I don't get why people think it's such a gloomy thing, shouldn't we embrace it? Isn't rain supposed to be a good thing? Rain…I think, symbolizes refreshment, a new beginning, or…the start of something new…" She said slowly, looking up at Paul to meet his eyes.
He seemed to be listening quietly, his eyebrows were knit together, and he seemed to be deep in thought. "…I guess…you're right." He said quietly.
"Embrace the rain." Dawn repeated, a smile grew on her face. "Paul, follow me." She demanded, her eyes seemed to sparkle.
"Why?" He said slowly, starting to get suspicious of Dawn's reactions.
Dawn just continued to smile and stood up from her seat, grabbing his hand. "Hurry up." She giggled, tugging on his hand like a little child.
Paul grumbled something incoherent, suddenly finding Dawn weird again. She continued to unceremoniously yank on his arm, until Paul found it irritating and caved in, standing up from his seat in the chair. "Fine, fine." He grumbled, in a tone somewhat of an old man.
Dawn shot him a smile, which Paul scowled at, before dragging him towards the door.
"You aren't going to take me outside." Paul commented flatly, attempting to pry his hand back from Dawn, which he was having difficulties with. "Jeez, women these days and their insane strength…" He growled under his breath.
Dawn didn't answer; instead, she opened the door, with enough force to rip it off, and pushed Paul outside.
Paul nearly tripped over his feet once he was shoved outside and turned around to glare at Dawn. She just smiled and gave him a curt wave, tilting her head to the side innocently.
"Lighten up Paul!" She said, hopping out from under the protection of the roof. The fat raindrops started to fly to her, attaching onto her everywhere, though all of her being seemed so soak it up. Dawn grabbed Paul's arm and threw him from under the cover. He let a growl rip from his throat as he felt the icy cold rain sear into his skin. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist as he felt his body temperature drop.
"Paul…" Dawn said, touching his arm gently, she looked up at him and tilted her head. Her large red overcoat was already damp, and her bare knees seemed to be wobbly from the cold.
"What?" He snapped, throwing a glare at her. His eyes were burning with rage. Curse the damn rain, curse it. It reminded him of everything. "I hate the rain, I hate the damn rain." He spat, his eyes were narrowed at the ground. He crouched down, staring at the ground for a long moment.
"Paul…" Dawn tried again, she touched his shoulder softly. He made no movements. So, Dawn crouched down beside him. "Why, why do you hate it so much?" She whispered. Dawn stared at Paul for a long moment. She watched Paul stare into space. The raindrops were rolling down his face…No, they were tears.
Dawn pulled away. She didn't think it would result in this way. "P-Paul, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." She quickly scrambled up, but she felt something grab her arm.
"Don't go…" Paul said with his voice amazingly calm.
Dawn quickly crouched back down, beside Paul. "I'm here, I'm here." She said. Her pink lips were pulled into a frown.
"I hate the rain…" He repeated. Dawn reached out hesitantly, but proceeded anyways, brushing his bangs out of his face. Paul sucked in a breath. "I lost my mother, because of the rain." He said. "It was dark, and stormy. She could barely see anything…" He said, the tears non-existent on his face now. "She didn't see the car coming."
"Paul…I'm sorry." Dawn said again. She looked into his onyx eyes. Instead of them being cloudy and unreadable, they were filled with sadness, one out of many emotions Dawn thought Paul was incapable of possessing.
"It's alright. It's good to get something like that off my chest." He breathed, gazing softly at Dawn's facial features. Her nose was cutely pointed; her eyes were round and doe-like. Her damp hair framed her face, showing the heart shaped face she had. Her lips were pulled into a pout, they looked soft. Paul stared.
Her lips... look so soft…They make me want to…
Paul leaned forward, capturing Dawn's lips. They were soft, maybe softer than he imagined. He breathed in the smell of the rain, and the grass.
Dawn broke the kiss, averting her eyes from him. She pulled her hand over her lips, her face was lit up with a furious scarlet.
"I didn't mean to…" Paul breathed, looked Dawn at the flustered Dawn. Paul stood up, running his fingers through his hair. His face was growing hotter by the second.
Dawn latched her hand onto his wrist. She stood up with him and looked at him with her cobalt eyes. She softly cupped his cheek, leaning forward once more, taking him lips onto hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the sparks fly course through her body, firework exploded behind her eyelids. She felt Paul's arms wrap around her waist.
Dawn broke away again, her breath extremely shallow. She gave him a small smile and pulled him into a hug. "Does this change any of your opinion on rain?" She coughed out.
"Hmm…" Paul hummed, "Possibly. It will grow on me the more we do it." He chuckled, leaning forward once more.
*1 DAY LATER: Paul's House*
Dawn squeezed her eyes shut, "ACHOOOOOO!" She sneezed, and then sniffled. "Paul, give me so me more tissues." She groaned, groggily reaching for the box of tissues.
Paul chuckled, "It's not my fault you're sick. It was your idea to be in the rain for four hours anyways." He commented.
"Shut up!" She coughed, "Just hang me the dang tissues!" She growled.
"Fine." He smirked, grabbing the box of tissues and throwing it at Dawn's face.
She glared at him. "I hate the r-r-r-ACHOOOO," She sneezed again, this time, into a tissue, "Rain." She finished, her lips pulled into a scowl.
"Really?" Paul smirked, "I can't wait until it rains again."
Dawn threw her tissue at Paul's face.
~FIN~
Okay, that was it! I hope you guys thought it was cute. Please tell me what you guys think about the story! I had been working on it for a while, so…I guess I just decided to finish it all of a sudden, and BAM, this is what happened…
Anyways, R&R…possibly…maybe…?
Have a good Day/Night
Signing Out,
Desstorjo Zephorium