A/N: I don't think I have anything revolutionary to say, so I'll leave you with the usual info:

Day 17 | TyHil | Rated: K

Rain

It wasn't Hilary's place to say anything. That was part of what made it so hard to see Tyson upset. All she wanted to do was tell him he deserved better, but that wouldn't fix anything. He'd only get defensive and they'd both end up frustrated. So she sat, with pursed lips, watching him stare out into the middle distance.

It was raining, such a contrast to the sunny start they'd had to the day.

"Hilary!"

She let loose a wordless shriek as Tyson spun her around fast enough to lift her off the ground. His excitement was contagious; she found herself laughing, even as she prayed he wouldn't drop her. In the end, her feet landed safely on the grass.

"How's it feel to be a part of history?" he asked with a toothy grin. "It's not everyday a legend gets inducted into the BBA's Hall of Fame! But don't worry, I'll still have plenty of time for all the fans." He patted her on the head and laughed giddily.

Hilary swatted his hand away.

"You are the Hall of Fame, Tyson." She'd said it to point out that the concept was so new that it hardly meant anything, but his smile just got wider. "I have it on good authority that they're inducting more people once you open the exhibit."

"Well what would a Five-Time World Champ be without some competition?"

"Your modesty becomes you, Tyson," Hilary said sarcastically. Then, looking around, she realized something. Gramps had greeted her at the door with a fist bump and Daichi an 'oh, it's you'. Kenny and Max were at their respective homes – she'd already talked to them each once this morning. There were two someones missing. "Weren't your dad and Hiro flying in yesterday?"

"Their flight got delayed or something," Tyson explained with a roll of his eyes. "I'm on my way to pick them up right now – you can come with me!"

Hilary tried to protest – she didn't need to get in the way of their reunion – but he frogmarched her to the car before she had the chance.

She ended up being happy she went when Tatsuya and Hiro's plane landed without them.

Tyson didn't believe it at first. Once the last passenger disembarked and the staff confirmed no one else was on board, he rushed to baggage claim to see if he'd missed them somehow. He hadn't. When he tried calling, neither of them answered and Hilary could feel herself growing both angrier and sadder as he became more distraught.

It was while they were at the help desk, trying to track down some answers, that one of them finally called back. They were held up at a dig site, but wished him luck.

Hilary watched Tyson's face fall and wanted so badly to wrench the phone away from him and scream down the line that their precious piles of dirt would have been there for them when they got back.

Tyson went quiet and told them it was okay.

He put on a brave face for the cameras, and laughed along with his friends when he showed up to the BBA last minute, as usual. Hilary was the only one who knew his tardiness was due to the airport kerfuffle. She was also the only one he asked to stay after they were done celebrating and the after party was winding down. She wouldn't have told him no, even if she wanted to.

Currently they were sitting on the dojo's porch. Tyson had his back to a pillar, staring blankly out to where the rain was falling onto the koi pond. Hilary was a little ways away, trying to give him space but be within reach if he needed her.

It wasn't her place to say anything – she knew his family was complicated, knew he'd say he understood their absence – but seeing him so dejected broke her heart. Tyson always showed up for the people he loved and he deserved the same dedication in return.

"I'm sorry, Tyson," she said, maybe with too much feeling. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep everything else she wanted to say from spilling out. Maybe it would be the right time one day. For now, she could sit with him.

Tyson's head dipped down. She thought she heard a sniffle and she knew she saw him scrub his eyes with his sleeve. She didn't get a chance to do anything about it before he slid off the porch and walked out into the rain.

"What are you doing?"

He turned around to face her and tossed his hands up to indicate he had no idea.

"Are you coming?"

Hilary stared at him like he was insane. He honestly looked it, standing barefoot in the grass with the rain pouring down, plastering his hair to his face.

"Are you kidding?" she asked incredulously. "I'm cold just looking at you!"

"Aw, come on, Hil – don't you leave me hanging too," he joked with none of his usual boisterous humor. Instead there was a sad acceptance in his eyes and a wry smile tugging at hear heartstrings.

Hilary left the porch and gasped when the rain hit her. It was the kind of deluge that instantly soaked you to the skin and gave you the chills no matter the temperature. The closer she got to Tyson, the more genuine his smile looked. She thought he might even be in good enough spirits for her to complain about being drenched, but he didn't give her the chance.

As soon as she was within arm's length, he scooped her up and spun her around like he had that morning.

"Tyson!" she squealed.

The world was whipping by in a blurry haze of gray, but his eyes were warm at the center of it all. He was watching her in such a way that made some of that warmth spread to her cheeks. She thought she saw his pupils begin to expand at the sight of her, but before she could think too deep into it, a look of panic crossed his face.

With a shout, Tyson slipped in the wet grass and sent them both toppling to the ground in a heap.

"Oof!" Hilary landed on top and temporarily knocked the wind out of him. Her hair was in her face, but she had her wits about her enough to ask, "Tyson! Are you okay?!"

"Yeah," he groaned, shifting underneath her. "I don't think anything's broken. Maybe just dislocated."

"Serves you right for dragging me out in this weather!" Hilary struggled to get up without getting overly handsy with him or slipping in the grass. It was hard when the rain was still coming down in sheets, obscuring her vision and making the ground a soggy mess.

Tyson reached up and brushed some of her hair out of her face to help her see better. When he was done, he let his fingers linger against her cheek.

Hilary froze, breath caught in her throat.

"Thanks for coming," he whispered once he had her undivided attention.

She didn't know if he meant into the rain or somewhere earlier, but the way her heart was thundering in her chest all of a sudden was very disconcerting.

"You can count on me."

He smiled fondly at her and said, "I know."

A/N: Gotta be honest, Tyson's family (with the notable exception of Grandpa) does not impress me. It's a good thing he has such amazing friends, because his dad and Hiro are kind of flaky. Hiro, I'd argue, is an outright jerk, but that's just my opinion lol

Thanks for reading!