Author's Note: Part 4! Now that Incinerate is done, I can put some more focus into this story. I've also got a few more I've been thinking of writing.
Leave a review if you like the chapter please!
Four: Storm Chasers
Rainy Sunday afternoons had always been Shun's favourite thing. He got to spend time with his mom, listen to the storms, and maybe even help bake. But lately, his Sunday afternoons had been filled with Dan, not his mom. And today, with the rain pouring down from the clouds and the lightning lighting up the black sky, Shun found himself at Dan's house.
"I hate thunder," mumbled Dan from his position in the living room pillow fort. Shun rolled onto his belly and peered up at Dan.
"Why? It's just noise," said Shun. Another boom of thunder roared through the house. Dan squeaked and covered his ears.
"It's loud and it's dumb," said Dan.
Shun raised his eyebrows. "So you have a lot in common," he said.
Dan glared at him. "My mom says you're very sarcastic for a seven year old."
"So does mine," said Shun, shrugging. "Blame anime. She does."
Dan frowned at him. Confusion wrinkled his eyebrows and made him look kind of like a fish. Then, a great crack of thunder erupted and Dan hid himself again.
Shun sighed and reached out, grabbing Dan's hand. Dan stared at him in confusion. With a deft tug, Shun pulled both of them out of the fort and dragged toward the window.
"No, stop!" cried Dan. He dug his feet into the floor and tried to yank himself out of Shun's grasp. But Dan's floors were hardwood and Dan was wearing socks, so Shun just dragged him toward the window.
Once there, Shun hopped up on the window seat and yanked Dan next to him. Dan whimpered and curled back from the window, but he didn't try to escape again. Shun slipped his grasp from Dan's wrist to Dan's hand. He laced their fingers together in hopes of calming Dan. It always helped him when he was scared.
"Watch for the lightning," said Shun.
"What?" asked Dan. Shun glanced over and found that Dan was staring at their joined hands. Shun rolled his eyes and tapped the window with his free hand.
"Lightning," said Shun. "You have to count the space between the lightning and the thunder. Every five is a mile."
Dan nodded, eyes narrowed and lips pursed. "Okay."
The two watched for the lightning together. After a minute, a great flash of light streaked across the dark sky. Shun started counting.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten…." He managed to get to fifteen before the ominous rumble of thunder rolled across the sky.
"What does that mean?" asked Dan. His voice was still tight, but curiosity was overwhelming his fear. Shun knew, from experience, that once you wanted to know something, being scared wasn't as bad anymore.
"That means it's three miles away," said Shun. "That's a long, long way."
Dan nodded. He pressed his lips tightly together. His skin was a little paler than normal, and his eyes were still wide and watery. But, there was a determination in them. He didn't want to be scared. And that was what Shun noticed most of all.
Dan might not be fearless. But he didn't let his fear stop him from doing anything. And Shun thought that was pretty amazing.
"Let's keep counting," said Dan. "I like it."
And so they did. For every flash of lightning they counted until the boom of thunder. And, after a while, Dan stopped shaking. But Dan didn't take his hand away and neither did Shun. Together, with their fingers laced and their breaths fogging up the glass, they sat until the storm had passed and the sun returned.
