Title: Downpour
Authoress: Ankaris123
Genre: General, Hurt/Comfort (I'm not quite sure this genre is what I think it is, if you happen to think this isn't the appropriate genre for it, please let me know. Thank you in advance.)
Start Date: July 13, 2008
End Date: July 13, 2008
Summary: One-shot. On days where the rain is particularly strong, Miyako tends not to use an umbrella. Ghost Hound fandom.
Notes: Minor TaroxMiyako fluff. Possible OOCness (Out Of Character).
A/Ns: …I never thought I'd see the day where I'd write het again. Never. But Miyako-chan is too cute…and lonely. Look what Ghost Hound has done to me. Oh well.
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The bicycle shuddered as I rode over another bump on the dirt road that wound its way through the stretch of fields to the mountains. There are not a lot of people on this route. I'm surprised I'm riding this path myself. It's not like me to take detours on my way home that was already far away as it was.
A familiar figure was walking a fair distance in front of me. Though her back was turned towards me I recognized her in an instant and redoubled my efforts, peddling hard to catch up.
It didn't take long until I reached her side, slowing down by digging my heel into the hard road compacted tightly from years of being walked on continually.
"H-hey." I felt unusually nervous as I always did around her.
Miyako barely turned her head to give me a steady, brief glance. Her steely gray eyes were piercing, almost in a defensive manner.
"H-have you been well?" I said meekly, attempting to strike up conversation with small talk.
She didn't answer but started to walk ahead.
I considered trying again to get her attention though I knew it wasn't likely to do me any good. There was always a distant kind of feel around her that made it difficult to approach her.
Suddenly she stopped.
I caught up to her wondering what was up.
One look at her face told me everything I needed to know. The dullness of her eyes reflected her current state.
She was possessed.
Miyako-no, whoever or whatever it was spoke with Miyako's borrowed whispery voice.
"A storm."
"Eh?"
She pointed at the clear blue sky in the direction of Kumada.
"Tomorrow; As though the heavens are shattered, a downpour descends without restraint, relentless."
"Miyako?" I called softly, hoping that would be enough to snap her out of the trance. She didn't seem to notice me at all.
"Must…must find…shelter soon…go…" Her words became fragments as the connection seemed to sever but the look in her eyes did not change in the slightest.
"Miyako," I called again. Her long raven black hair rustled in a non-existent breeze.
"Miyako! Wake up!" I shouted, grabbing her shoulder and shaking her. Fear swelled in me as I recalled that time at the river and the painful laboured expression she had in her sleep after she developed the heavy fever. My grip tightened in caution.
That seemed to do the trick as the lively twinkle returned and she blinked twice to adjust herself. She looked at me curiously with a tinge of panic that went almost undetected but I've become accustom to catching these short flashes of emotion that she often displayed.
I smiled openly to show that I was not alarmed.
She responded by pushing my hand off her shoulder.
Don't touch me.
I found myself understanding her actions without the aid of speech. Somewhat taken aback by the cold attitude I found it too awkward to interact in any way. I should be used to this sort of treatment but it still hurt whenever she did as I seemed to cling onto the chance that she'll act differently the next time we meet. I knew it was a hopeless cause but that truth didn't stop me each time.
With a heavy heart I pushed down on the bike pedal and began cycling away. Every increasing revolution of the oiled chain matched the throbbing pang inside as I increased the distance between us.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"Morning!"
I stopped as an arm draped itself around my neck, a common action that Masayuki was taken to.
"Morning…" I replied, too tired to think of anything else to add. Meagrely I trudged along the path leading to the school gate.
"My, my, how unexpected. You're not riding your bike today! What's with the change in pace? Hmm?" he inquired in the usual probing manner.
"I guess I just didn't feel like riding it today…" I answered.
"Is that so? That's an odd thing to do when you live miles and miles away from the school. You must've gotten up super early to get here on time, eh? Look, you even have panda eyes from the lack of sleep."
"W-what? Really?" I said startled. I raised my hands to my face to feel for bags under my eyes. Masayuki cracked up next to me. His laughter rang in my ears from the close proximity.
"Just joking, just joking," he teased, pulling me into a tighter hold by the neck.
"Ack, you're choking me."
"Sorry, my bad," he said lacking the apologetic tone as usual. "You're acting kind of weird, you know, Taro. Worrying about your looks, not taking your bike. Oh, but of course, you're as devilishly good-looking as you always are, Taro."
"Thanks…I guess," I muttered uncertainly. It's hard to tell when Masayuki is joking or not, often to the point of frustration.
"Speaking of weird…what's with the umbrella? You expecting it to rain or something?" he asked, pointing at the bright red umbrella I was holding at my side.
"Well…yesterday, Miyako….chan said a storm was coming with lots of rain…so I thought I should bring one today."
"Oooh, taken to visiting her after school now, are you? You cad, Taro. I never knew you had it in you." He reached up and ruffled my hair.
"I-it's not like that!" I retorted, flustered. It really wasn't. I hadn't intended to go that way, it was merely a coincidence. A coincidence, that's exactly what it was. "We just happened to meet each other on the way home, is all."
"Hmm," he said thoughtfully, scanning the skyline for dark clouds. "The sky's pretty clear, you sure she's not mistaken?"
"I think she's right. She went all…" I didn't continue, as I couldn't find words to describe Miyako when she's possessed by something otherworldly, something from Kakuriyo.
"Aaah, is that what happened? The news did mention something about a storm brewing I think, well, that's just fine with me," he gave me a firm thump on the back in what I assume was a comradely way before relinquishing his hold on me. "I'm going to go ask Michio if he has an extra umbrella or something. Oi, Michio!"
As Masayuki wandered away, I gazed up at the cloudless azure sky and wondered if a storm really was coming. I shook my head to disperse the doubts.
Miyako wouldn't lie.
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The air was thick with rain and the sound of rumbling thunder. Once in a while, a streak of lightning would pierce through the solid mass of dark gray storm clouds and light up the surrounding area.
Pulling the collar of my jacket higher to protect myself from the strong wind that was picking up, I held onto the handle of my umbrella stiffly as I quickened my pace towards Suiten's elementary school.
Once I was there I sought out a little shelter from the storm by leaning against one of the gateposts just beyond the school field. A wild breeze tore through the thicket of trees and threatened to snap my umbrella into an irreparable state.
I must've looked pretty stupid to anyone who happened to come by though no one did. I waited as patiently as I could for what must've been an hour. Not a single soul passed by in that time.
I thought about leaving and getting a start on the long and possibly dangerous journey home when she appeared.
Striding almost dismally out of the school grounds, her black hair was pulled into two black braids that had become loose from the weather. To my surprise she wasn't using an umbrella.
"Mi-" I started to say but the rest of her name was lost to the sound of the raging storm. She heard me and stopped, half-turning to acknowledge my presence.
Strands of hair clung to her face from the moisture of the falling rain; her skin was a pale, ghostly white. Even so she looked unperturbed by the elements.
"Uh…um, where's your umbrella?"
Our eyes met; cold gray against dark amber. Her lips moved as she spoke but I wasn't listening, too distracted by the unbelievable loneliness I could see in her.
"…when it rains this hard," she finished in a barely audible whisper. I snapped out of my thoughts and smartly replied with a 'huh?' to the end of her sentence.
She looked at me as if I was stupid. I probably was to a fair amount of people and it didn't really bother me normally but I felt more self-conscious when I was around her. I gritted my teeth to prevent my expression from showing any sorrow due to her reaction.
"…I said that spirits tend to seek out the closest source of shelter when it rains this hard," she repeated, casting her vision dejectedly to the side.
Spirits bother me in this weather if I use an umbrella.
"I…I see."
The rain continued to pour, drenching her further. It made her depressed, small form even more depressing as though she was drowning before my eyes.
"You should hurry home," she said firmly, unwavering in her sharp gaze.
You're unwelcome. Go home and take your umbrella with you.
A crack of lightning split the sky followed by a ferocious rumble of thunder.
She didn't say anymore and looked down at the muddy ground beneath her feet, waiting for me to leave.
I sighed and resolutely snapped my umbrella shut.
She looked up startled by the noise and stared at me with undisguised confusion.
As the rain soaked into my clothing in a matter of seconds I myself did not know what I was planning to do next. Possessed with a boldness that was definitely not my own I reached forward and took hold of her icy cold hand that was clenched tightly on the strap of her red backpack.
Without time to regret my choice of action I started to walk with lengthy, swift strides along the mucky road with the wind slapping against every stretch of skin on me that was bare to it.
Curling the other hand into a taut fist around my closed umbrella I fought to ignore the brutal weather the best I can. Difficult as it was I managed, or so I like to believe, to refrain from showing any discomfort caused by the relentless battering of the rain upon me.
A rice paddy field or two later I realized that I was no longer dragging Miyako behind me and that she had, perhaps grudgingly, started to match my pace so we were walking side by side.
I looked at her still gazing intently down at her mud-splattered shoes as we slowed down. A gust of wind hit us, whipping through our tangled masses of wet hair, making it difficult to see.
"Let's go. Together," I said a little too gently but she seemed to hear as she always did. Her eyes widened a fraction before returning to normal. I smiled, giving her hand a small reassuring squeeze before quickening the pace to a steady stroll.
And just like that, we were walking home together, hand in hand, through a storm so fierce we must've been a spectacle to any people who happened to be looking out their window close-by.
Another bolt of lightning struck and lit up the heavens accompanied by the low rumble that was sure to follow, always arriving as a pair, never just one alone.
Although my sense of feeling had long since faded into a cold numbness, I was sure that during the rest of the walk home, she held onto me just a little tighter.
Okay.
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A/Ns: Did that make any sense? Anyhow, the spirit or…thing that possessed her wasn't really foretelling the future or something. It was running away from the storm. The italicized font is what Taro interprets from Miyako-chan's actions in case you haven't figured it out. I guess that wasn't bad for a het fic…though I haven't written one in…perhaps two years.
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And now for something a little different:
Taro sneezed for the umpteenth time, quickly wiping his nose with a tissue. He crumpled it up and dropped it into the growing pile in the waste bucket conveniently placed next to his futon.
"Thanks for coming to see me, guys," Taro said thickly, resisting the urge to throw the heavy covers off. He was so hot he must be sweating buckets. The fever made it difficult to concentrate on anything.
"It was no problem," Makoto said, leaning against the drawers of his work desk. Mostly he did nothing but sit there with one knee tucked up to his chest since he arrived. It suited him fine.
"It's just like you, Taro," Masayuki chided from his position opposite. "You're the one who knew that the storm was coming and yet it's you who ends up catching a cold and a fever and getting bedridden. What luck, eh?"
He laughed and bumped his knuckles against Taro's blazing hot forehead.
"It's not that funny…"
"But you know, Taro…" he continued mischievously, crossing his legs so he was more comfortable sitting on the floor. "I'm rather ashamed of you."
"Huh, why?"
"I mean, just handholding? That's weak; you should've at least given her a peck on the cheek."
"H-how did you know?" Taro squeaked, about to bolt up from bed. He was pushed back down by the shoulder by Makoto who sent a warning look at Masayuki for provoking their sick friend.
"Oh come on, it was pretty obvious. It didn't take a genius to figure out that you were going to coax a walk home out of Miyako-chan. Of course, I'm not an idiot like you. I actually used my umbrella," Masayuki explained matter-of-factly with a wave of his hands. "Well, I had to share it but at least I was only moderately soaked when I got home. Still, it was a pretty daring move you made back there. I suppose I should give you some credit, hmm?"
"So you were stalking me?" Taro retorted accusingly, pouting under the covers.
"Now, now, stalking is such a negative word. I would say it was more…espionage work myself."
"Which means you were stalking me one way or another."
"If you have to put it that way, I suppose, yes."
"Argh! You…" Taro yanked the blanket over his head in frustration and hid there. He immediately regretted this action as it was even hotter with his head under the covers. He settled with poking half of his head out and turning to face away from him.
"Aw, are you mad at me, Taro-kun? Don't be like that. We're friends, right? There are no secrets between friends."
Makoto scoffed at this statement.
"Anyways," Masayuki said, clearing his throat at their reactions. "I believe I know what you need, Taro. You need lessons in kissing."
"…come again?"
"Lessons in kissing. You've probably never done it before so you're too nervous to try anything on Miyako-chan which is cute but you'll never get anywhere if you don't take the next step."
"Who said I want to kiss Miyako?"
"Who said you don't? I'm not blind, you know."
"..."
"Exactly. Now we're only going to go through the theory part, I'm not sure I'm up for a practical."
"Like I'd ask you for that!"
"Of course not, of course not. You would ask Makoto."
"-that's right-wait, what? No!"
"Ha! You agreed already! No take-backs!"
"That's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair, silly."
At this point Makoto couldn't take their childish bickering and got up to leave the room.
"Uh-oh, look what you've done now, Taro-kun, you've upset Makoto with your rejection. Quick! Go catch him so you can kiss and make up."
"Why don't you?! And take your silly lessons with you!"
"Hmm, you know you just gave me a great idea."
"…I did?"
"I should go and ask Miyako-chan if she wants kissing lessons! I have no qualms with a practical if it's her. Don't worry though, I'll ask her to teach you what she learns after we're done! Actually, I'll go do that right now, bye!"
"Masayuki? Come back here! Don't you dare!"
The following day Taro made a miraculous recovery despite the severity of his illness and returned to school. One classmate reported that Masayuki was seen tumbling into a rice paddy field in the surrounding area. He was bedridden for a week.
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A/Ns: Yeah.
Beta's Note: lol. (Thank you, Goldfish-In-Space, fellow Ghost Hound fan, for your hard work editing and your exhilaratingly simple response to the overall of the fic.)
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Thanks for reading and I hope you, possibly a fellow Ghost Hound fan, will spread the fandom and if it's not too much, tell me what you thought of this. Thanks again!