The morning sky was dull and depressing, forcing cool air and strong breezes across Hau'oli as a cold front pushed inward from over the ocean. The sun's usual vivifying rays were restricted by wrathful grayish-black clouds veiling the sky like a thick, limitless ceiling with far and few gaps that visible sunlight pressed against as if attempting to break through.

People walked with umbrellas in hand or wore heavier clothing than usual, some were tarping their cars in driveways in preparation to avoid the coming rain affecting their paint, and certain restaurants around Hau'oli offered rainy day deals.

Wild pokémon, such as torracat and litten, took shelter under homes, beneath cars, and under trees in routes, while others like popplio, rowlet, and slowpoke were waiting to embrace it in trees and on the beach.

Ruki woke to a thunderous boom as dawn broke. Skye was in a deep sleep under him, her arms limp around his neck and her nose pressed to his chest. He felt her soft breaths hit his fur and fingers twitch against him.

Ruki was glad he had followed his urge to go to her room last night. It was clear that she had needed it, and it was rare that they slept separately anyway. He felt bad for not being there in the first place. He'd ensure to head straight to her after dinner next time.

Another abrupt and significantly louder boom filled the sky outside and reverberated for several moments, rumbling Ruki's being and causing his ears to twitch while he looked to the window. If Skye weren't asleep, he'd go investigate the sky. It hadn't rained in Hau'oli for almost a week, so this excited him. Thunderstorms were a phenomenon he would never get tired of. He'd enjoyed them even with his parents.

Ruki remembered watching plenty looming over cities and routes many miles away from high points at Lanakila, where he could see lightning zigzag beneath black clouds and rings of rainfall. After Skye brought him to the city, he became a part of what he once watched. Being under them was just as extraordinary, albeit scary, as a clueless vulpix. Skye telling him there was a small chance one could be struck by lightning didn't help, but he got used to them after a couple of storms.

Just after his trip down memory lane, the next few peals of thunder woke her frantically. Her eyes shot open, and she lifted her head to meet Ruki staring at her with slight concern.

It was just thunder. Everything was okay. He nudged her cheek with his nose to reassure her and eyed her frizzy hair.

"Wh-What was that?"

Thunder.

It took Skye a moment to catch her breath and composure. Her heart was still racing. What a sound to wake up to. After gathering herself, she pushed the blanket away and got up to walk to the window, which Ruki was waiting for.

He wasted no time getting down behind her, watching her push the curtain aside.

"Oh, it'll rain soon." She looked up at a sky filled with thick, dark gray clouds and ahead at cars and people passing. The beach was vacant other than flocks of pikipek and trumbeak pecking at the sand. It would be a dismal day. "We should go out back on the lanai for it... the porch."

"Ni." Ruki flicked his tails. They never used the backyard other than to train, but he loved relaxing out there, and it was ideal for a rainy day as the patio had a gazebo to catch the drops. He had no issue getting a little wet, but Skye was a different story. Ruki was betting she didn't want him to smell like wet ninetales either.

However, Skye had a minor headache. She didn't get much sleep as it was, and the weather had woken her relatively early. "Sometime later, though. I need to lie back down." She knew she had to call Aaron as well, but that was during the afternoon, and it was just after 6 a.m., so she had plenty of time.

Skye put on blue pajama pants with mini pokéballs printed all over them and a light blue shirt. She bought the pants three years ago but still found them cute. She was almost surprised they still fit. She got into bed and lay on her stomach, hearing strong breezes whistle outside and closing her eyes. The perfect storm usually helped her sleep. The harsh patter of rain and steady whooshes of wind soothed her and drowned everything out with white noise.

Skye found storms calming overall, from their strong winds and thunder, unless they were exaggerated like the more violent tropical storms Alola occasionally got that shut most of the region down. They had wind speeds ranging from 39 to 73 miles per hour, bringing the heaviest showers and coldest chills that stung when they touched her skin.

Skye opened her eyes some time later and saw Ruki standing on his hind legs, his front paws on the windowsill while gazing out the window. She didn't intend to fall asleep again, but it wasn't surprising since she'd needed it. She was just glad the gloomy weather was still present. Ruki would have been bummed if they missed it.

He looked back at her after feeling her eyes on him, his tails swaying. "Nini!"

Skye yawned. "Is it raining?"

He nodded. It wasn't drizzling, either. It was raining, meaning they had to go. Ruki didn't want to be out under weak rainfall.

"Mkay," Skye grinned and rubbed her eyes. "Let's go." She grabbed her phone for a moment to check the time. It was ten minutes past seven. She'd gotten another hour of sleep, which relieved her headache some. Skye got up and kept on her socks from last night, then went out in the hall, assuming her parents were still asleep due to how silent it was.

She opened the door beside hers, leading to a small room with a cold cemented floor, a washer and dryer, and many full shelves lining the walls. Her parents used the room as a storage unit, and the sliding glass door was just ahead.

Skye giggled to herself, recalling Ruki helping her load the machine whenever she came to wash her basket of clothes. She'd dump her pile on the floor, and as she grabbed and tossed them inside, he'd pick up pieces in his mouth and either give them to her or stand on his hind legs and drop them in himself. He was the cutest thing.

Ruki entered and heard her close the door behind him, then looked aside to see her standing on her tippy toes. She should have put on her socks. If he learned anything from being around them, it's that humans seemed to be sensitive to the cold. To be fair, he had fur and a set type, and he wasn't a fan of the heat. The most he'd gotten accustomed to was the temperature in Skye's room and general warmth in Hau'oli, but he used to have to ice his tails all day and night as a vulpix after she'd caught him for the first year.

He then watched her unlock and pull the curtained backyard door open. He was excited to go back there again. Skye used to take him out often to share snacks or let him play under the hose she sprayed over him, and the more he thought about their past that had faded with the present, the more he wondered why. Age was a factor, but it also felt like Skye was someone else at times. Distant.

A cool breeze hit her instantly and brought her to shiver, lifting the curtains up from the glass, although not cold enough to where she'd require extra clothing as Alola was tropical. Skye's blood was just thin as she was generally used to the region's warm weather.

She stepped onto the off-white marble-tiled patio and sat on the cream-colored swing couch a few feet from their matching matte polished table set, listening to the continuous and steady patter of rain hit the grass ahead and the gazebo above. She heard toucannon nearby clacking their beaks as well, who used the rain to shower.

Ruki sat beside her, sniffing the air to take in the rain's unique earthy scent that held many memories. It also just smelled good.

"You love the rain, don't you?" Skye reached her hand and set it on the back of his neck. "Wonder if it'll be an ua loa..." But it didn't storm too much in Hau'oli, so she didn't think it'd last but a few hours.

He nodded and kept his ears on alert for more thunder whenever the sky lit up frequently. It was his favorite weather. He found its natural scent and sounds calming, and it brought plenty of pokémon out that usually stayed in trees or routes otherwise. Maybe it was his inner water type. Ice had to melt.

The backyard was an excellent place not to be heard. Her parents rarely came back here, so Skye could use it to talk to Aaron in private. It wasn't her focus at the moment, however. She glanced at Ruki, then got up from the couch to join him on the floor, leaning against his side.

Their simplest moments had to be Skye's favorite, from sitting together to watch a sunset or enjoy the weather to cooking or watching television. She never forgot them, and it's when she felt she connected to Ruki the most.

He brushed his tails against her lower back and eyed her for a moment. The only thing better than this weather was Skye experiencing it with him. Ruki wasn't sure he'd feel as happy around any pokémon when he had her. That could be because he hadn't fallen in love yet, but he'd been with Skye forever and had done so much with her. How could he move on when he lived with her and was still so close?

"I kind of like the way this makes me feel too." She watched lightning traverse the overcast in zigzags while thunder followed, its deep, crackly bass shaking the sky and layering the city in somber waves. It brought her a touch of gloom and suppressed it with a ton of beauty.

Ruki could agree. He remembered playing in it as a vulpix, sometimes with friends, but he usually finished with a messy and soaked coat, resulting in a bath and an irritated Skye. He couldn't imagine dirtying his fur intentionally now, but those were fun days.

Skye brought her knees up and hugged them. The chilly air would get to her soon. She preferred enjoying this from her room. "But I'm not a furry ice type like you... We'll stay out for a while longer."

"I mean… it's a stupid idea, Aaron, but I don't have a better one." Skye sat on the backyard couch as planned, taking the last bite of a sugar cookie while subtly swinging back and forth. The rain had urged her to clean and bake earlier, so she had with Ruki after they'd gone inside, which made her feel better until now. It had stopped raining as hard and dissolved into a gentle mizzle. The scent lingered in the air, the sky was still gray, and the occasional peal of thunder echoed across it as more clouds filtered in from over the ocean.

"Well, tell me then. It can't be that bad."

"Ugh… okay, so I was going to say you could come over for dinner or something, maybe leave Sylmi at my place with Ruki afterward. We take the ferry to Akala— but wait... that would also mean you or I would have to go to Hau'oli for Sylmi and bring him back." Skye had tried her best to come up with something, but it seemed like a hassle no matter what.

"Your parents are going to read that like a book. Would they be okay with it?" He leaned against the wall by the room's window. Aaron gained a feeling of how strict her parents were when he'd met them, but he didn't see the big deal with this unless they disliked him. Skye could make more of her own decisions at her age, and he was here so she could spend time with him. Sure, she'd still need guidance when it was necessary because she still had much to learn, but there were things she had to learn and experience on her own too.

"I don't know… It's partly why I wish I lived on my own so they'd just stay out of my damn business, excuse my language... but that'll be a while. I just don't have anything better."

"I know. That's the best worst idea you could have in this situation. Are you gonna bring it up to them?"

"...Yes. I will later." Skye felt anxious just thinking about it.

"They'll have to respect and understand that you're ready to begin moving on and growing up." Or so he hoped. Aaron couldn't imagine having such controlling parents— or parent in his case, and he didn't want to come off as trying to control a situation he wasn't in. "But think about it and do what you feel is best. Our pace is in your hands. We can take this as slowly as need be."

She rubbed her eyes and shut them for a moment. "I'll text you tonight. Talk soon." She hung up after his bye. Her mother was more easygoing and supportive of Skye being in her first relationship. Her father, not so much. She knew her mom would be understanding, but Skye couldn't necessarily hide this from her dad. She was eighteen, though, and didn't understand the continued overprotectiveness. They had raised her on strict ideals and never gave her the chance to prove herself. Skye would have been as responsible as could be.

At 7 p.m., soon after dinner, Skye's father and Ru went for a walk. They did so every other day, allowing Skye to talk to her mother alone. She was on the couch reading a book with her glasses on while Skye was still at the table with Ruki sitting by her on the floor. Skye waited for her father to exit the house before even thinking of standing.

"Mom…" Skye said and sat on the couch next to her.

Ruki followed and sat by Skye's feet. He tried his best to be a great support system.

"What is it, hon?" Her mother removed her glasses and set them aside, looking at her.

"So… you know how Aaron is here?" Skye began. She didn't know how else to approach.

"What about it?"

Skye found it harder and harder to speak. "S-So, he's leaving soon, and we haven't gotten to spend much time together... I mean, we have, but we had our pokémon with us. So, I thought he and his sylveon could come over for dinner, and afterward, he could... leave his pokémon here with Ruki and take me back to Hano for the night?" Her chest was tight. It felt like she was asking for something absurd.

"Ahh, I see," she grinned and closed her eyes for a moment. "You want alone time. That's fine with me as long as you aren't senseless about it, and I know we've taught you well. It'll be nice to get to know Aaron more. He seems to me like a personable boy. We'll see what your father thinks when he comes back."

Skye looked away upon hearing that, which her mother remarked.

She sighed. "Skye, hon, you can't hide it from him. You know it'll turn out worse that way."

"I know…"

"I'll make sure you go either way. Don't worry."

They waited around ten minutes for his return, and for Skye, the environment was tense the entire time, which even Ruki felt. She'd spent the minutes gathering what she'd say to her father and how she would say it.

When the door opened, Skye quickly gathered her thoughts and dialogue. She felt she had a good idea of how to deliver this.

"I could do it if you're uncomfortable," her mother whispered.

"It's okay." Skye wanted to get over this fear of hers. It was her dad, for crying out loud, and he may be fine with her idea.

Her father was quick to notice them on the couch and felt the air. He grinned, "what's going on here?" He shut the door and stayed by it with Ru.

"I was discussing something with mom… a-about Aaron." Skye sat up. Gosh, she was nearly shaking, and her chest tightened all over again. She could barely listen to herself speak. "I thought it'd be nice if... if he and his pokémon came over for dinner tomorrow before he has to leave in a few days." Skye left out the last part and felt her mother's eyes on her.

"Oh, that would be nice, actually. We can do that." Her father crossed his arms.

"A-And," Skye swallowed. "I was... mh, also thinking he could leave his pokémon here afterward and take me to Hano... f-for the night."

Her father wasn't as okay with that, seeing as his grin faded slightly. "But you'll be back the same night, correct?"

"Uh." Skye wasn't expecting that, but it didn't come as a surprise. She didn't know when she'd see Aaron again and would only get a few hours with him? It made her feel two years younger again. He couldn't possibly still be trying to set a curfew. "Sure…"

"Oh, we can let her make her own decisions, John. We know she'll be responsible. Skye was just fine on her trip," her mother said.

Skye glanced at her mother and wanted to thank her but didn't want to escalate this. All they had to do was allow her to prove herself now. Sinnoh should have been more than enough. They had no idea what she was up to while she was there, and she came back in one piece and unchanged for the most part. Her virginity was gone, but it's not like a bunch of guys took it.

"I'll gauge more once he's here," he said.

Skye stood. "Dad… I was already alone with him for a week in Sinnoh, and we've talked for months. I promise you can trust me. When have I seriously disobeyed either of you? I've never gotten pregnant, never came home late, never drank or tried a single drug behind you guys' back..." And she could have over several times. Plenty of the bored rich kids did both at her school, and there had been rare instances of teen pregnancies.

Skye had always stayed far from everything that could ruin her life. Her parents just didn't appreciate that. Somehow, it made no difference to them.

"But I can't trust him completely, and you're still naive. A week means nothing, and neither do phone calls. Under this roof, I'm going to look out for you... You'll thank me later. Guys can be selfish and lure girls like you in all the time."

Like her? She wouldn't be naive if they hadn't raised her in a bubble, and she wasn't clueless anyhow. What an insult. Her words had gone over his head. Skye's cheeks flushed. The silence was deafening and thick enough to pierce, and she walked briskly down the hall and to her room.

Ruki watched her leave, then looked at her mother, who appeared disappointed. Ru didn't seem to mind, but he never showed much emotion outside, and he and Ruki didn't talk casually enough for him to ask later. Ruki followed after Skye, of course, and slipped in just before her door closed.

"Not fucking fair," she said and lay on her bed, curled up on her side while holding her pillow to her chest. Skye was more hurt than upset, but both were hitting her hard. She squeezed the pillow. This made her want to move out even quicker. She wanted to be in control of her life. "Under this roof..." she mumbled. "Just you wait."

Ruki wasn't sure what to do, so he sat by her door. She seemed more upset than he had ever seen her, and he had no idea how to approach it.

Skye sniffled and wiped her watery eyes. She didn't want to shed a tear over this, but it was beyond frustrating. She looked down by her door and saw Ruki idle but knew he'd rather be with her. "I'm just over this. So irrahz..." Beyond annoyed, actually. "You can come up."

He didn't think twice about walking over, climbing onto her bed, then lying next to her. This had to be just terrible for her health. Ruki wanted her to be happy. He really did, but that hadn't been a steady case in too long.

Him being in her vicinity caused her to break. Skye scooted closer and buried her face into his chest, crying into his fur.

Ruki let her, not moving a muscle within those minutes. He felt her helplessness, but what could he do? It was best to let her emotions run their course. Ruki felt for her, though. Skye was going through enough, and now she was barely allowed to do what made her happy. He was afraid for it to get any worse, and usually, situations like this hit a peak after enough tension built from what he'd always seen in patterns from other situations and media, especially since all Skye had ever done was take it.

She pulled away and sighed shakily, rubbing her irritated eyes and pink nose while sniffling. "Why the fuck can't he just trust me? I've played their perfect little daughter and sacrificed for years, and for what? I don't get it, Ruki..." She shook her head. "I don't even want him to come over anymore." Not around her father, anyway, but she wouldn't let him ruin something so vital to her. She would never allow it.

Ruki eyed her defeated expression. Skye was right. So much of her childhood and early teens were spent with him because she could barely be around her friends. Her parents constantly feared bad influences.

She grabbed her phone from under her pillow and opened Aaron's contact, then texted him: 'Be here at 6 p.m.' She grinned slightly. The night would go as planned for the most part. Skye would have to make the most of it.

Hugged up to Ruki's backside while he slept, her cheek pressed to the back of his neck and leg over his waist, Skye lay awake in the middle of the night in dull pink pajama shorts and a bra, having more trouble going to sleep than the previous one. Aaron had replied to her message hours ago, confirming he'd be there and asking how the talk went. She hadn't responded and probably wouldn't for a while. All Skye could think about was how tomorrow would play out.

She hoped her father wouldn't create an awkward environment. Skye didn't want to lose Aaron; if her father ruined her relationship, she'd resent him and be alone all over again. Skye didn't need Aaron, but it was starting to feel close. If they worked out, she could see him being a significant part of her distant future and life. That was wishful thinking, but it would be great to begin life with a partner she loved.

Skye tightened her hold on Ruki and shut her eyes. She'd keep herself up all night with these thoughts, and tomorrow would be one of the longest days she'd have in a while.