Word: Thunder

2.6k words

Pistachio missions are boring. That was a given. Regardless of what mundane task they needed to do for the mission. Hence why it was called 'mundane'.

Now, in hindsight, their missions probably weren't that boring. But that's the thing about hindsight. It's always a tease.

And it comes with a flash.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, following the flash of lightning a little too quickly for Dakota's liking. The lightning was staying high in the clouds for now, not yet touching down, but the storm is sure to hit soon. The wind was already battering them about, and Dakota tugged a piece of hair behind his ear to no avail.

"Cav? I think we should hurry up…"

Dakota glanced back at his partner, one hand rising to hold onto his glasses. Cavendish, his dear one track minded partner, was too focused on repotting the young pistachio tree to hear him.

Dakota walked over to his partner, silently jumping as a crack of thunder split through the air, making his heart jump as well. It was enough for even Cavendish to snap out of his hyper fixated focus, looking up at the quickly darkening clouds with wide eyes.

"Goodness! Vinnie, the storm's almost here, why didn't you say anything?! We shouldn't be out here in it…"

Dakota sighed, grateful that for once, rationality took over Cavendish's need to finish a mission.

"Oh...but we're not done with the plants.."

Ah, spoke too soon. Thought? Too soon?

"Cav, I think we should just grab the plants we've got and go. We really shouldn't be out in this storm, Block said that it was nasty."

A flash of lightning made them duck down, glancing at the rapidly darkening sky. Cavendish looked at Dakota, eyes wide, whispering, "Yeah, okay."

As quickly as possible, they each grabbed the few pistachio plants that they managed to repot before the wind got too bad. This storm was one of the worst ones in this decade, and Block wanted them to replant the pistachio trees that got absolutely destroyed in the raging storm. Of course, the one pistachio mission that was vaguely interesting, and it was automatically incredibly dangerous. Though, with Cav's luck, he somehow made even the most mundane missions deadly. If he had to go back in a storm…

Dakota was just picking up the final pot when a curtain of sharp rain pelted down on him, the dark, angry clouds making the little plantation they were in an apocalyptic wasteland.

"Shit, shit, shit!" He darted back to the time vehicle, throwing the plant inside and slamming the door, running to the passenger's side, Cavendish already taking up the driver's side. A flash of lightning lit up the area as if it were day, and thunder split the sky, loud enough that Dakota felt the ground shake.

He grasped at the door handle and threw it open, the wind and rain practically wringing the door from the car. He threw himself in and used all his strength to heft the door shut, just as lightning broke open the sky.

For a second, neither agent said a word, simply sitting, soaked, listening as rain pounded the car relentlessly, the thunder deafening everything for a split second.

Finally, Dakota sat up from his strange fling-himself-inside-the-car position, taking out a hair band and tying back his wet hair silently. Then, he took off his colored glasses, careful to face away from Cavendish as he did, trying his best to wipe away the water.

"Here, I have a cleaning cloth for glasses."

Dakota saw the white cloth being extended to him by Cavendish and he took it wordlessly, wiping off the water as best as he could. When he was done, it was still smudged, greatly annoying him, but at least he could finally see through them now. He handed the cloth back.

"Thanks, Bal."

Cavendish was about to reply when a thunder interrupted him, the entire car shaking. Both agents stilled, until the echo passed, then looked at each other.

"Time to leave?" Dakota suggested.

"Agreed."

Cavendish turned the engine over, but just as quickly as it turned on, it shut off, a warning light illuminating the dark interior of the car with a gentle red from the dashboard. Cavendish squinted at it.

"What? This can't be right…"

"What's wrong?" Dakota flinched as thunder cracked above them, the rain seemingly getting worse, a sheet slamming into the car heavily. Please don't let us be stuck here.

"I'm not...sure...Do you mind giving me the car manual book from the glove box? I think I know what this means, but I don't think it's right."

Dakota nodded, even though Cavendish was still squinting at the dashboard. Even if he did look in Daktoa's direction, he likely wouldn't see him from how dark the inside of the car has become. It was like a blanket was thrown over their car, blocking out the beautiful sunlight they'd had just not long ago.

He fumbled with the clamp on the glovebox, grateful that it wasn't locked. He didn't think his shaking hands (why were they shaking?) could operate a key right now. He jumped in his seat a little as lightning cracked outside, but the jump was enough for the glovebox to pop open as he unintentionally threw up the clamp.

"Here." He handed the big book to Cavendish, watching the dark outside world nervously while the rain made a strange sound as it pounded the metal of the car.

"Thank you...give me a second."

"Yeah, take your time." Dakota mumbled his reply, but Cavendish seemed to be too lost in the book to notice Dakota's voice wavering. It was getting really bad out there. The sky had turned from a deafening darkness to an unnatural grey/green color. The wind threw unknown items at their car, thankfully small for now. He hoped nothing bigger hit their time vehicle.

He couldn't even see exactly what was hitting them. The rain was relentless, a heavy sheet that was difficult to see three feet into. It covered their car, slamming into the metal harshly, enough for Dakota to wiggle in his seat at the too loud sound. He didn't like this.

"Oh no."

His head whipped around to face Cavendish, heart plummeting at the sound that definitely meant bad.

"Oh no? Oh no, what?" His voice was a little tight, higher than usual.

"It says here that the time vehicle is sometimes automatically prohibited to time travel in certain weather. Like this."

"What!? But, hold on, that's not possible- we shouldn't stay here, we can't-" He grabbed the book, ignoring Cav's protest, and started desperately flipping through it, scanning its pages as if there'd be a small section that said Cavendish was joking. They couldn't stay here. It wasn't possible.

"Vincent! That was rather rude. What has gotten into you?"

Dakota made a small sound as the book was gently taken back from him, watching it. He flinched as lightning lit up their car, turning wide eyes to the outside. It was getting worse.

"Vinnie…" Cavendish's voice was soft, unnaturally so. Dakota felt his anxiety ramp up. "Are you scared of-?"

"No!" He turned to Cavendish, biting the inside of his cheek as thunder cracked loudly overhead. "I'm not! I just, I don't think we should stay out here. It's not- not safe."

Cavendish looked him over, frowning. "Vinnie, you're shaking-"

A crack of thunder tore through the sky, loud enough to shake the entire car violently, and Dakota yelped, ducking his head into his arms. He felt his breath sped up, his shaking worsening as aftersounds of the thunder rumbled in the sky.

"Vinnie-"

Dakota whimpered at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder, slowly bringing his head up again. His fast paced breath hitched, and he wiped away a tear that he didn't notice.

"Vinnie, you're- are you really alright? What's going on?"

Worry laced Cavendish's voice, and Dakota dipped his head again, this time out of shame and guilt. He sounded scared for him.

"N-nothing, I-"

He flinched yet again as lightning cracked across the field, his breath hitching as it genuinely lit up the car as if it were daytime. Hands instinctively rose to cover his ears as thunder followed closely, audibly whimpering.

He jumped as he felt something in his hair, and he looked up sideways at Cavendish's outstretched hand, gently running his fingers through his hair. He swallowed heavily, burrowing his head into his arms to shield himself from lightning and thunder.

"Vinnie…"

He didn't want to look up.

"Are you alright?"

He shook his head.

"What can I do to help?"

Dakota raised his head, about to ask Cavendish something, but it proved to be a horrible, horrible idea as the sky seemed to take it's opportunity, lightning striking mere feet from their car, the rain increasing tenfold, thunder louder than ever and with Dakota screaming, ducking as far down as he could, Cavendish gasping.

The sky reverberated, and Dakota sobbed, pressing the side of his arms against his head tightly, praying that it would shut out the sound. The seat dipped a little as he started rocking himself, accidentally bumping his head against the glovebox.

For a little bit, he stayed just like that, slightly rocking himself, hands tight against his ears, eyes screwed shut as he hummed to himself, ignoring as the wind rocked the car mercilessly.

Something heavy and warm dropped on his back, and he risked a glance up. Even through the tears blurring his face, he could see Cavendish's worried face as he adjusted the weighted blanket that he'd forgotten they had in their backseat.

"Vinnie? Are you alright, love?"

He shook his head. No. Definitely not. And there wasn't a point to hiding it anymore.

"Can I help in some way?"

Help? Him? In what way? He didn't even know why this was happening, he never had a fear of thunderstorms like this before, how could he help?

He choked out a cry as lightning flashed somewhere directly overhead. Cavendish reached out a hesitant hand, before letting it drop between them. Dakota swallowed, stumbling in kicking his shoes off, and somehow managing to curl up onto the carseat, wiping away his tears as the storm raged on. Something hit the back of their car.

Trembling hands struggled to move the blanket about, until Cavendish helped, keeping the deep purple thing lifted while Dakota shifted into a more comfortable position, making sure to turn his body and head more towards the center console. Cavendish draped the weighted blanket over the rest of him, and Dakota brought it over his head, making sure he was completely in the dark. Well. That helped with the visual issue. He just wished the thunder would shut up.

He flinched, the sky proving his point just then. Something was placed atop of the blanket, right on his shoulder, and Datoka calmed a little, realizing it was just Cavendish's hand. He focused on that, the male gently running his hand up and down Dakota's arm, the feeling strange through the blanket, but comforting nonetheless.

"Vinnie...you're still shaking…"

His voice was muffled through the blanket, but Dakota heard it nonetheless. He didn't reply, just shrinking further into himself as thunder tumbled their car, the rain still pounding against it relentlessly.

Something shuffled above him, before a hand reached underneath the blanket, tapping the side of his cheek. Against better judgment, he shuffled a little, looking up but keeping the blanket around him as much as possible, not wanting to see the outside world. And Cavendish, bless the thoughtful man, leaned in as close as possible, making sure Dakota wouldn't see past him, out the window. Though he still saw their cabin light up.

"Would it help you to, uhm- to hold onto me? Or, hug me, I suppose?"

"B-but-" Thunder crashed somewhere above them, and Dakota yelped, dropping his head down again, pressing his arm against his glasses almost painfully. His shaking intensified, and his breathing hitched, dry throat getting dryer.

"Vin…"

The blanket lifted from atop his head, and Dakota peered up. Cavendish outstretched one arm, the other holding the blanket, but it was enough. Dakota lurched forward, hitting his abdomen against the center console, but he didn't care. He pressed his face against Cavendish's chest, the lad giving a small, 'oof!', glasses smushed. He ripped them off his face, before pressing himself harder against Cavendish, shaking, the thought of personal bubble disappearing as soon as more thunder rumbled. Besides, Cavendish invited him to the hug. Hopefully he doesn't mind his personal bubble being invaded too much.

He felt the Brit pull the blanket over his head, so that he was fully underneath it again, before sliding his hands underneath. One rested across the small of his back, the other in his hair, gently carding through his curly locks.

After a few minutes, Dakota's heart rate slowed, and his breathing finally evened out. The thunder rumbled outside, but Cavendish's heart was louder. His fingers pressed into his glasses, feeling the grooves and scratches, focusing on Cav's hand, still passing through his hair.

"Better?" Cavendish asked.

He nodded. He felt, more than heard, the sigh that Cavendish gave, presumably from relief. He felt safe under the blanket, with Cavendish holding him. He could almost forget the hell raining down above them. Literally.

"That's good. Do you- shit-!"

Dakota jerked at the unusual language, falling back further when Cavendish violently jerked back. He didn't have time to get the blanket off of him before Cavendish yelled, "Hold on!" and the car started, and they were gone.

He struggled with the blanket while they were time travelling, managing to get his head to the corner when they returned to their era. He raised a hand to hide his eyes from Cavendish, and glanced through the windshield, flinching at the bright lights of the B.O.T.T garage. He dipped his head again, replacing the colored sunglasses on his nose, and letting the blanket slip to his shoulders.

"Uh-s-sorry, Dakota, I just- the warning light went off for a second, and I didn't want to risk it turning on again…"

"S'okay...Cav…"

Both males sat there for a minute, Cavendish letting Dakota take time to himself as the Italian rocked himself a little, trying to recover from the sudden jerk of calm to terrifying panic to calm down again.

Once his rocking had slowed, and Dakota raised his gaze from the floor- woah, there were a lot of dents on their car from flying objects- Cavendish cleared his throat.

"Vinnie-"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Dakota cut Cavendish off just as quickly as he'd begun, keeping his gaze straight. He took in a stuttering breath, letting his back relax into the car seat, body slightly sore from being so stiff in fear.

"But, Dakota-"

"Please Cavendish?"

Silence for a few more seconds.

"I just want to know what happened. If you're okay. Please?"

Dakota sighed, looking at the ceiling- anywhere but at him. "I don't know, Cav. I don't know what happened, or why. That's never happened to me before. Please. I don't want to talk about it. Okay?"

"Fine. But-"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Alright."

They sat in silence a little bit longer, until Dakota quietly folded the blanket, Cavendish watching. He was careful not to place it atop the plants, not wanting to crush them after what they've gone through. That would've been a waste.

Right as he reached for the handle bar, he paused.

"Balthazar?"

"Yes?"

"...

"Thank you. For taking care of me back there. I appreciate it."

"Of course, Vinnie. I'll always be here to help you."

Except when you won't. "Thank you."

With that, they both exited the car simultaneously, ready to bring in the plants to ...until the elevator broke, and dropped a little, leading the plants to be crushed by numerous books that another agent was carrying in the elevator.

What a waste.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed, or wanted to tell me something, maybe leave a review or piece of constructive criticism? Hope you have a simply beautiful morning/afternoon/evening/night, and take some time to do something enjoyable- take a walk, listen to that song you've been meaning to look up, or give yourself a spa day!