#Caught in the Rain

[moondee]

i love being in the forest 🤗

the color green just does it for me 🤤

[jams-gone-bad]

Caught in the rain without an umbrella 🌂

[powerful-niya]

— (вεтωεεη υs.)

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚hαppч nαruhínα mσnth єvєrчσnє!

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟹𝟷: 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝙶𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜 + 𝙲𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙸𝚗 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗 - (𝙽𝙷𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚑𝟸𝟹)

Link To Oneshot Below ↴

Wattpad | AO3

Pairing˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚Naruhina

Synopsis˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡If you had to choose between doing what you love and being with who you love, could you make that choice?

Naruto and Hinata, the top figure skating duo from Japan, have effortlessly conquered every challenge they've encountered on the ice together. But now, they're up against a new challenge—one that's found in their hearts, rather than on the ice.

This challenge is a love unplanned—a love constrained by a strict contract, putting them both in a very difficult position.

Regular Tags˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Caught In The Rain • Competitive Skating • Competitive Sports • Contract • Contractual Obligations • Costumes • Drama • December 28 • December 31 • Figure Skating • Forbidden Love • Friends To Lovers • Heavy Angst • Hurt & Comfort• Ice Skating • Love Confessions • Modern AU • Mutual Pining • Partner Skaters • Pretending • Professional Skaters • Romance • Sports AU • Stolen Glances • Tryst • Unplanned Love • Work Partners to Lovers • 2023. 

NSFW Tags˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Body Worship • Bus Sex • Butt Groping • Celebrity Bus • Cock Worship • Couch Sex • Dirty Talk • Desperation • Desperation Sex • Fantasies & Fantasizing • Flexibility • Longing • Loss of control • Love Making (at first) • Marathon sex • Multiple Orgasms • Overstimulation • Praise Kink • Pussy Worship • Riding • Rough sex (soon after) • Sex in a crisis situation • Size Difference Kink • Spanking • Stripping • Striptease • Stockings • Unprotected Sex  • Vaginal Sex  • 2023. 

Overall Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚17.1K

Tumblr Post: Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚4.3K

Preview ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

Pretending can be a tricky game. 

For some people, it's a breeze—they can slip in and out of different personas as easily as flipping a switch, putting on a convincing act at the drop of a hat or a snap of their fingers. 

Some people actually have a closet full of masks for their pretending, ready to wear whichever one fits the moment perfectly to hide behind. They switch between these masks as easily as changing clothes, effortlessly adapting to any situation like it's second nature.

Like if it was nothing, nothing at all. 

For others, pretending is a struggle—a constant effort that takes a lot of trial and error before they finally get the hang of it.

But for Naruto, pretending wasn't just difficult. It wasn't a minor bump in the road he'd get over soon. It wasn't something he'd get used to or get good at with time or a bit more effort.

No. 

He didn't have the luxury of switching between masks or hiding behind them whenever he wanted, like some people. Pretending wasn't a game or something he did for fun—it was a draining, relentless battle that wore him down every single day.

Pretending was, without a doubt, the hardest thing Naruto had ever faced—the toughest challenge he'd ever had to endure.

And he'd faced plenty of challenges.

As one of the top Japanese male ice skaters in the world, he'd been put through the wringer more times than he could count.

Countless hours of grueling practice, intense competitions, and crushing expectations had pushed him to his limits time and time again, demanding that he give nothing less than his absolute best. 

Each session was a test of endurance for him, and every routine was a shot for him to outshine the competition.

After all, Naruto was a pretty driven man, always pushing himself past the limits set by others to prove himself and excel. And on top of the grueling physical demands, he also had to confront the doubts cast on him as a male skater—doubts that seemed to shadow every step he took.

It was tough. 

Really tough. 

Every time he laces up his skates and hits the ice, he's up against a challenge. But it's one he actually enjoys—the ice, the skating, the music, the cheers, the sweat, the exhaustion, and, most of all, proving everyone wrong.

He loves proving all the doubters wrong—naysayers who said he couldn't do it and the debbie downers who whined that ice skating was a women's sport. 

Naruto even gets a kick out of showing up the critics who claimed he was confused about his identity, out of touch with himself, and that ice skating made him less of a man.

Indeed, proving those people wrong by doing what he loved was fun.

Naruto has spent countless hours on the ice—skating was all he'd ever known, the rhythm of the blades, the chill of the rink, and the thrill of the performance were deeply ingrained in him. Every glide and spin had become second nature, an integral part of who he was.

But there was one thing that stood apart from all of that…

Or rather, one person.

Hinata Hyūga. 

His skating partner.

Naruto stood in the designated waiting area near the rink, his eyes fixed on her as she skated across the ice gracefully. He watched Hinata from the sidelines, waiting for his cue, the precise moment when the music would signal him to join Hinata on the rink.

But for now, it was just her. Just Hinata.

And Naruto watched her in awe. 

He was always in awe of her. 

The blonde skater watched almost in a trance as his partner performed with her opening solo for the prestigious "ISU Grand Prix Of Figure Skating" in Hollywood, LA, California. 

The intensity of the competition was palpable, and the stakes had never felt higher.

The entire arena was hushed, with only the soft scraping of her white skates on the ice, the sweeping classical music, and the occasional gasps and murmurs from the crowd breaking the silence. Every spectator, even the judges, held their breath, captivated by Hinata's mesmerizing performance, all eyes glued to the rink.

Naruto's included.

Hinata's costume dress was a breathtaking piece, its fabric fluttering around her like the delicate feathers of a swan gliding through a gentle breeze. The lights from the arena overhead danced off the glittering embellishments of her costume, causing her dress to shimmer and shine. 

Her costume was the perfect fit to the competition theme: Black Swan. 

Hinata's dress was a striking blend of black and white, split down the middle. The left side was a deep, velvety black, adorned with shimmering sequins that caught the arena's light with every move she made. 

The right side of her dress was a pristine, snowy white, contrasting beautifully with the dark side, adorned with tiny sparkles and swirls. 

Her long gloves followed the same theme, one black and one white, each decorated with delicate sparkles that extended from her hands up to her forearms, matching her dress perfectly. Her usually long, midnight blue hair was elegantly styled into a neat bun on the top of her head, completing her flawless look for the competition. 

Naruto wore a matching outfit to hers, of course. 

He wore a one-piece costume that began with a pristine white at the top, gradually transitioning into a deep black down his toned torso and legs, with white swirls accentuating the color shift.

His right sleeve was all white, while his left sleeve was solid black, creating a striking contrast similar to Hinata's costume.

His costume fit the theme, sure, and it matched his partner's costume, but it was nowhere near as spectacular as Hinata's.

No way.

Hinata seemed to nail the theme perfectly, gliding in sync with the music—a classic piece that everyone would surely recognize.

"Swan Lake" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. 

She surely embodied a swan, her every movement smooth and graceful, just like a swan gliding effortlessly across a lake. The way she floated across the ice, her costume shimmering with each turn, made it look as if she was dancing on air.

Naruto couldn't help but be completely mesmerized by how beautifully Hinata brought the theme to life. 

She was utterly breathtaking.

Graceful yet powerful—that's how Hinata always skated. 

Watching her was like peering straight into her soul with each performance.

She poured everything into her routine. 

She always did. 

From her delicate facial expressions to the emotions that flowed through her movements, and the graceful sweep of her arms as they reached out and then drew back—each performance was a stunning story told through her skating.

This time was no different.

As Hinata performed her solo tonight, she told a powerful story about the strength that comes from being vulnerable. Her movements to the music spoke of the courage it takes to expose one's true self, capturing the delicate balance between strength and authenticity.

It was truly extraordinary.

And on top of that, Hinata made the routine they'd been perfecting for months—through countless rehearsals, late nights, and early mornings—look so damn effortless. 

Hinata glided smoothly from one move to the next, transitioning seamlessly between spins and jumps, just as they had practiced together, just as she had come to memorize down to the finest detail.

Her spins were flawless. 

Naruto watched in awe as she effortlessly transitioned into a fast-paced layback spin, finishing with a graceful camel spin that left delicate circular marks on the ice. 

Her jumps were just as stunning, with perfect double axels and triple lutzes that had her soaring and spinning through the air, leaving the crowd breathless.

She landed on her blades with a satisfying clank each time, back on her feet like a true professional.

Hinata nailed every move flawlessly, putting on a jaw-dropping performance that would definitely set the bar high for the other skaters and likely earn them both some serious points with the judges.

But Naruto wasn't thinking about the competition at all. 

He wasn't thinking about their potential scores. He wasn't concerned about the judges' opinions or even his routine when it was his turn to join Hinata on the ice.

No, he wasn't thinking about any of that.

Naruto's focus was solely on her, the woman dazzling him from the ice, whose lavender eyes occasionally met his own. 

Once. 

Twice. 

Frequently, Hinata glanced at him as she danced across the rink, her lavender eyes seeking him out from the waiting area, hidden from the audience.

Each time their eyes locked—deep blue meeting soft lavender—it felt like the world around them melted further and further into a blur…

…until it was just the two of them. 

The audience's loud wows and awes, the judges' scrutinizing looks, the flashing cameras, the bright arena lights, the announcer's voices, and even the stadium itself—all of it just faded away.

It was only them—just them.

And soon enough, Hinata wasn't skating for the crowd but for…

…him.

It was always like this between them: fleeting, longing but secretive looks where their gazes created warm, private moments just for them. 

Every time they performed together, whenever their hands touched or their bodies brushed close, they were drawn into a private world of their own making. 

Those looks they exchanged, every second of every day, were a silent yearning for something they both desired but couldn't fully embrace—a longing that always seemed just out of reach.

Naruto couldn't ignore what he felt. He couldn't pretend. 

Sure, he could try. 

Sure, he could push his feelings aside. He could convince himself that what he felt was just a passing phase, and that he will just get over it soon. 

Sure, he could try to act like it didn't bother him and play along, but deep down, he knew he'd only be lying to himself.

The feelings he had been struggling with for so long were impossible to ignore now.

A mistake that's come to consume him. 

When Naruto first teamed up with Hinata, he signed a contract that was clear about one thing: no intimate relationships. 

As long as he pursued ice skating professionally with a partner, he wasn't allowed to fall in love or let emotions get in the way of his career.

He knew that.

They both did. 

Naruto always understood what he was signing up for, knew the strict rules, and was clear on what was expected of him.

Because of this, he knew he shouldn't be feeling this way and was fully aware of the risks of letting these emotions take over. He knew exactly how his coach would react if she found out—what she'd do if she discovered his secret.

Their secret. 

Naruto knew the stakes. 

If their secret were ever discovered, it would mean the end of their figure skating careers.

Everything they'd worked so hard for—the endless hours of practice, the sacrifices made, the competitions won, the fame they'd gained, and their very dreams—were at risk of being ruined.

All because love had somehow crept in and gotten in the way.

Suddenly, the music built to a crescendo, growing louder and louder all around, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts.

His cue to take the ice. 

"Damn it," He muttered, shaking his head to snap himself out of it. That was a mistake—a big one. 

He couldn't afford to space out. 

Not here. 

Not now.

He took a deep, steadying breath, pushing aside the swirling thoughts and annoying emotions that clung to him. 

Then he exhaled, letting it all go.

It's showtime. 

Naruto rubbed his hands together to shake off the tension, and took one more calming breath.

"Here goes." He whispered to himself, before finally, darting out onto the ice.

The icy chill of the arena hit Naruto instantly, chilling his face, body, and legs. The cold air blended with the crisp, slippery feel of the ice beneath his skates. 

Naruto could never grow tired of it—the ice. It was a feeling so familiar, as natural as breathing to him at this point. Every time he stepped onto it, it felt like reconnecting with an old friend he always looked forward to seeing again.

And it felt that way now. 

His taut calf muscles tightened with each powerful push he gave his legs, his black skates carving a swift, graceful path across the ice.

The ice hummed a satisfying, almost musical whisper under Naruto's skates, grounding him in the moment. He mentally rehearsed his routine, syncing with it as he joined Hinata on the rink.

Hinata was already in position, gliding effortlessly across the ice toward him. In that moment, Naruto could see nothing but her—her radiant smile, the rosy flush on her cheeks from the cold, and the sparkle in her lavender eyes. 

He met her in the center of the rink with a big grin, and they seamlessly slipped into a synchronized spin. They twirled around each other, close yet so far. 

They didn't touch—just gazed at each other, eyes locked the whole time. 

Blue meeting lavender, once again.

The sight of Naruto and Hinata finally skating together, their chemistry ignited instantly, sending fireworks of excitement across the entire arena. Their connection was evident even on the arena's TVs, causing the crowd to instantly erupt into a frenzy. 

Gasps and cheers merged into a collective roar that filled the entire space.

The announcers, just as thrilled, could barely contain their excitement over the intercom.

"And here he comes, folks—Naruto Uzumaki, joining his partner Hinata Hyūga after her stunning introductory solo!"

"The way they connect is absolutely breathtaking. Just so breathtaking. This is partner skating at its finest, and we are in for a treat tonight, folks!"

Now together, Naruto and Hinata instantly transitioned into their routine, as they'd done it a million times before.

Just for this moment. 

Hinata took the lead, maintaining their synchronized spin as she gracefully lifted one arm to the rhythm of the music, watching as Naruto mirrored her movements flawlessly. His arm swept down and up above his head in a sweeping arc, just like hers, as if she were looking into a mirror.

She moved her other arm the same way, and Naruto followed suit. 

Next, Hinata extended her hand toward him this time, her fingers forming a dramatic claw before slowly curling into a fist as she pulled away, and Naruto mirrored her.

But they never quite touched. 

Each time they reached, they always pulled back. 

Reach. Retreat. Reach. 

Closer and closer, but never quite touching. 

Like a cycle. 

A painful one.

This part of their routine always spoke to them. It shouldn't have—really. It shouldn't have had any impact on them, but..

…it did. 

It perfectly mirrored the feelings they had for each other, always managing to leave a poignant ache in their hearts—a longing for something they both wanted but couldn't have.

No matter how many times they repeated it. 

No matter how many times they practiced it.

The ache remains.

Naruto's eyes revealed such pain, such raw emotion as he watched Hinata glide backward from the center of the rink, moving away from him and further along the ice.

She kept her knees slightly bent, her legs extending and crossing each other like the delicate sway of a ballet's legs. Her skates traced elegant arcs on the ice as she spiraled backward, leaving a long trail behind. 

But even as Hinata drifted away from Naruto, her hand stretched out toward him, her eyes pleading for him to take it. 

Naruto followed her, reaching back.

His arm stretched out through the cold air, determined to bridge the gap between them.

They reached for each other, incorporating a few individual spins where they spun perfectly in sync, even landing together, before turning and reaching out again.

They drew out the moment for dramatic effect, with Hinata gliding smoothly backward and Naruto advancing just enough until their hands finally….

…met.

But when their hands finally touched, it seemed to ignite a powerful rush of warmth that pulsed through their gloves and into their palms like a heartbeat, spreading through their bodies in soothing waves.

The sensation felt incredible—better than anything they had experienced before. 

They had touched countless times, but this..

This was different.

The moment Naruto's large fingers slid between the gaps of Hinata's smaller ones, and curled around her hand, a deep, unparalleled warmth unfurled in both of their hearts. 

The surprising intensity of the warmth made them both gasp softly. Their fingers instinctively tightened around each other, the connection so strong and reassuring that they couldn't bear to let go. 

Not now.

Not so soon. 

Keeping her hand in his, Naruto guided Hinata's arm over her head and twisted her in a graceful spin perfectly in sync with the music. He skated himself over in a smooth glide, positioning himself directly behind her like her shadow. 

Close behind her, he began sliding his hands gently along her arms, and Hinata couldn't hold back the slight moan that escaped her lips. 

Naruto touched her now, and he took it slow.

Along her chest, his gloved fingers brushed the fabric of her costume, feeling the rise and fall of her breath. His hands moved down the gentle curve of her torso, tracing the contours of her muscles, and he felt her body react to his touch almost instantly, with soft shivers and quivers.

Finally, his hands reached her waist, holding her hips firmly yet gently.

Even in the cold of the stadium, with a chill all around them, Hinata felt warm beneath his fingertips.

She was savoring the moment, just as she always did, whenever she was in Naruto's arms.

His touch was always gentle, but now, to Hinata, it felt almost heightened. Every brush of his fingers felt like a trail of fire on her skin, each caress sending electric shivers down her spine.

It was like time slowed to a crawl, and all she could feel was Naruto.

His breath as it brushed against her ears and cheeks, warm and steady. The heat of his toned body as it pressed so close to hers, making her acutely aware of every inch of him...

And his touch...

Hinata always treasured the moments when Naruto touched her. 

Those fleeting instances when his hands met her skin always seem to send a delightful warmth coursing through her body, radiating like a beacon. Whether his strong yet gentle hands glided along her arms, gripped her hips, or lifted her into the air, a soothing, irresistible heat enveloped her whenever he made contact with…her body.

It shouldn't have felt this way, but it did—like a perfect antidote to her touch-starved dreams.

Hinata glanced back at him with a breathless look that made Naruto's heart skip a beat. Her lavender eyes drew him in every time, their expressiveness saying more than words ever could. 

And as he gazed into them now, they seemed to speak to him, whispering…

"Please touch me more, Naruto-kun. Touch me."

It was a gentle, unspoken plea, a tender whisper in her eyes as she looked over her shoulder at him, standing tall behind her.

Naruto bit his lip. 

Truly, he wished he could touch her more. 

Her body always responded so beautifully to his touch, expanding and contracting as if he were the air she breathed, always returning to him with a graceful, magnetic pull. It was intoxicating.

He craved more. He craved—

The blonde skater took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind. Again. 

Reluctant as he was, and how good it was to hold Hinata, he knew he had to put an end to it.

After all, this was a serious competition.

With that realization, Naruto broke away from their intimate moment, shaking off the titillating effect of touching Hinata, and his expression turned serious again. He refocused and shifted his attention to the next part of their routine. 

But when he did, it seemed as if time snapped back to its usual pace, flowing normally like it did for everyone else.

Naruto grasped her waist firmly, and as if on cue, Hinata bent her knees, poised and ready, just like he was. 

The split-second cue he had been waiting for.

With a smooth lift, he sent her soaring into the air in a high twist. Her dress billowed out around her in a perfect spiral, drawing gasps from the crowd as it fluttered like a blooming flower.

Naruto watched as she flew high into the air, spinning gracefully. And in that quick moment, he caught a glimpse of her smile. 

There was an unspoken trust in that smile, a deep trust in him. Because she knew that whenever she fell, he'd always be there to catch her.

Just like now. 

As Hinata began her descent, Naruto was ready. He lifted his arms high and, with practiced precision, caught her around the waist.

He felt that familiar rush of relief and joy, knowing Hinata was secure in his hands after her aerial stunt. Safe and sound. 

Naruto held her close for a moment, savoring the warmth of her body against his, before gently lowering her back to the ice.

As they continued skating together, the audience seemed to blur further and further away until it was only the two of them, as if no one else existed. 

They looked into each other's eyes and suddenly...

Time didn't matter.

The competition didn't matter.

The judges or their scores didn't matter.

It was just them.

Just like in all their performances, Naruto and Hinata stunned the crowd with their chemistry. They moved together on the ice with such closeness, showing raw emotion through their every move and expression that the audience could actually feel. 

It left everyone breathless. 

The music was captivating from start to finish, flowing through every part of their routine. Every spin, every lift, and every glide of their skates across the ice, the music was there, as if guiding them. 

Hinata's grace paired perfectly with Naruto's strength, like yin and yang. Their choreography, whether synchronized or solo, blended together on the ice, revealing not just their countless hours of practice but also the deep understanding they shared. 

Their love. 

It was evident, no matter how hard they tried to hide it.

Their synchronicity was almost magical, like they were of one mind, one body, one soul. 

When Hinata jumped, Naruto was right there to catch her. 

When she spun, he spun, matching her moves perfectly. 

Whenever she reached for him, he was always ready to clasp her hand and guide her.

There was no escaping what they felt. 

The longer their performance went on, that feeling between them seemed to intensify.

It was new and exhilarating, different from anything they had felt before in previous performances or practices, as if it began anew the moment they first touched tonight.

Every time their hands touched or their eyes locked, that feeling inside them just kept growing stronger.

But reality would ruin it for them each time, reminding them that no matter how strong their feelings were, they couldn't act on them.

They couldn't.

They shouldn't.

They…

Hinata couldn't take it anymore. 

As their routine continued, she began to feel the full weight of everything. 

The unspoken feelings she'd been holding in, the constant longing to be close to Naruto, and the pressure to maintain their perfect image—it was all starting to overwhelm her.

She'd managed to keep it together for so long, but even she had her limits.

Tonight, she reached her breaking point.

As they approached the end of their performance, instead of the usual thrill that would sweep over her, she was overwhelmed by a deep, profound sadness.

Naruto sensed it immediately. 

He knew her too well not to notice. 

As the music began to wind down and the final chords echoed through the arena, he drew her into a tight embrace at the center of the rink. Their bodies were pressed close, the warmth of their breath mingling with the chilly air. Their faces were so close he could feel her every breath on his skin, and their eyes met, saying everything words couldn't express.

They held their position, panting and sweating, mostly satisfied, until the last notes of the music faded into silence.

But as soon as the music ended, the applause from the crowd surged through the stadium, a thunderous wave of sound that echoed endlessly in their ears.

With that, Naruto and Hinata reluctantly pulled away, masking their true feelings behind the broad smiles they had perfected and displayed time and time again.

They waved to the audience and the flashing cameras, even taking a hand-in-hand bow to mark the end of their performance.

The announcers' voices boomed through the speaker in no time, hyping up their performance with excitement.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what a show! Let's hear it for Japan's premier ice skating duo, Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyūga! 

"Give these two a big round of applause for another unforgettable performance!"

The announcers gave them one last shout-out, showering them with praise and cheers that would've made Hinata feel overjoyed on another day—grateful, accomplished even. 

But not now.

She didn't know what had came over her.

She didn't know why she had done it. 

Yet, she turned to Naruto, her face showing a sadness she couldn't keep hidden anymore. Her eyes, usually so bright and joyful, were now clouded with a deep sorrow that instantly wiped the smile from Naruto's face. 

And before he could even speak, to react even, she spoke to him, whispered to him. 

She whispered one word, and he heard it clearly. 

"Gomennasai."

Hinata let go of his hand and sped off across the ice, leaving him behind before he could say a single word. 

He gasped and reached out toward her retreating figure.

"H-Hinata-chan!" Naruto called out, but she didn't respond. She didn't turn back or slow down; she just kept skating, moving further and further away from him until she vanished through the designated gate leading backstage.

The blonde stood there, frozen, as the cheers of the crowd faded into the background. Yet, even now, he could still feel the warmth of Hinata's touch lingering in his outstretched palm.

Naruto frowned.

'Pretending is difficult for you too, isn't it, Hinata-chan?'

Continue Reading On Wattpad Or AO3.

— (⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☾ 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 ☽₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆)

[gingerbredman1989]

Bodybuilder Boyfriends caught in the rain.

Bing AI Image Create

[talesofedo]

[mote-historie]

1954 Allan Grant, Pier Angeli, Life Magazine.

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[warmblanketwhump]

picture your whumpee huddled in bed, covered in blankets, trying to warm up after a long day getting soaked to the skin in the cold rain.

they’ve been indoors and in dry clothes for hours now, but they still can’t shake the icy cold in their bones. no matter how many layers they curl up under, they still feel chilled and shivery. They cinch the blankets to their chin, feeling the goosebumps prickle on their arms and rubbing at them weakly.

when caretaker comes in to check on them, whumpee pitifully asks them to lay with them for a bit and warm them up. caretaker obliges, curling their warm body around whumpee’s shivering one, holding them until the chills subside into sleep.

[fiddlersgreenvalley]

[cheerycherrycandy-resurrected]

Ghoulette Appreciation Week 11

Week 11: Caught in the rain & Long distance relationships

Right, I'm actually back now! And I've finally completed all the Ghoulette Appreciation weeks prompts!

Aurora misses Mist while she's away on tour. The rain reminds her of their full moon nights together at the lake.

Rating: G Content: Long distance relationship, pining Words: 1055

Read below, or on AO3!

It had been several weeks since the band ghouls had left on tour, and Aurora was missing Mist something terrible. Swiss had been trying his best to keep her company, the pair quickly becoming good friends over the course of the tour, but watching his budding relationship with Phantom grow had made Aurora miss her more than ever. Cirrus and Cumulus had tried their best too, but Aurora knew they were also missing Sunshine, and wanted to give them space without her always tagging along as a third wheel. 

After another ritual ended, once the grease paint had been washed off and the screams of the fans had gone quiet, the ghouls sleepily made their way to the bus. Aurora felt a small tug from her water element connection as she left the concert venue. Looking up, a full moon hung low in the sky above, mostly obscured by dark clouds. Rain had been the first ghoul to leave. He had made a beeline for the bus, keen to get back to the hotel as soon as possible to try and sleep through it’s pull. They were so far from water here, the only river a brown and polluted trickle. He wouldn’t find peace until he was back at the Abbey with the lake and all it’s magic.  

Aurora couldn’t wait to be back there either: she adored spending full moon nights with the water ghouls down at the lake, perched on the end of the dock with her feet in the water as she watched Mist frolic around. Mist. Aurora missed her so much; the pang of longing for her hurt far worse than any tidal pull. 

She stared up at the sky above her head, and the moon that was now beginning to emerge. Briefly, it broke through a small gap in the swirling clouds and Aurora wondered if Mist was also looking at the same moon in that moment. She wondered if Mist would be at their usual end of the lake, in the shallow waters around the dock. It was just deep enough there for her to launch herself out of the water like a dolphin, splashing Aurora and demanding applause for her tricks, while still being close enough that even in the moonlight Aurora could make out where she was underwater from the faint ripples on the surface. Or would she be further out, far away from the Abbey’s human additions to the lake, in the unfathomably deep waters where leviathans were rumoured to lurk. That was where the water ghouls recharged their power the fastest, and Aurora felt a pang of guilt that Mist might stay away from there just for her.  

Sighing, Aurora stepped onto the bus. The journey to the hotel was not a long one, yet it felt like it lasted hours as she sat by herself behind the driver. She was the first off when the doors finally hissed open. She stepped lightly down, jumping to the side to allow Rain to barrel past her, his face turned into his collar away from the direction of the moon. Dew followed behind at a more human pace, clutching both of their overnight bags. The others groggily followed. 

The moon was completely obscured behind clouds again, nothing but a diffuse glow telling of its presence, but she felt it just as strongly. With a low rumble, the clouds began to empty their contents onto the ghouls assembled below, sending them scattering towards the hotel doors as fast as possible. Aurora gasped at the sudden shock of the cold, but remained where she stood and tilted her face up into the downpour. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine just for a second that it was Mist splashing her with water from the lake. The caress of the cold raindrops felt like the shadow of an embrace from her beloved water ghoulette, so many miles away. 

Ignoring the shouts from the hotel doors beckoning her to coming inside, Aurora wandered in the direction of the attached gardens. The raindrops seemed to dance ahead of her on the concrete path, the smell of petrichor coming up from the ground pulling her forward like a magic spell. She drifted along the pathways, the feeling of water gradually seeping into her canvas shoes hardly bothering her. Running her fingers delicately over the waxy leaves of a shrub, they reminded her of Mist’s smooth scales, the water slowly dripping off the plant in the same unhurried manner. 

She followed her instincts, drifting through the small garden until she reached the centre. A small pond awaited her there, the surface churned up by the rain reflecting the dim glow of the moon into a thousand smaller pieces. Aurora gingerly perched on the low wall surrounding it, kicking off her sodden shoes to dip her toes into the water. She closed her eyes again and pictured herself back on the dock at the lake. Mist would be just in front of her, her head popping up out of the water to shoot her a mischievous grin, gills flaring, before disappearing as quickly as she had appeared with a sharp flick of her tail. Aurora would scan the water, searching for signs of her lurking beneath the surface, waiting to be found.  

When Aurora opened her eyes to the pond again, she could have sworn she saw a shape that looked like Mist withing the pond. Disappointed, she realised the shock of platinum hair and ice blue eyes were just tricks of the light from the reflected moon above. Sighing once more in frustration at her separation from the ghoulette she loved, Aurora stood up and cringed at the feeling of squeezing her wet feet into equally wet shoes. Hopefully they would be dry by the morning. If not, perhaps Cirrus could use her magical blow-dryer hands – Cumulus’s words, not hers – to make them wearable. 

Squelching into the hotel lobby, she was met by the two air ghoulettes holding the overnight bag she had completely forgotten about. With caring smiles, full of sympathy for her separation from her long-distance mate and containing love of their own, they gently led a now-shivering Aurora upstairs with promises of a warm bath. Perhaps they would add those eucalyptus salts that reminded her of a certain water ghoulette…  

[jklovesfandoms]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Hatchetfield Universe - Team StarKid Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Grace Chasity/Stephanie Lauter/Peter Spankoffski Characters: Stephanie Lauter, Peter Spankoffski, Grace Chasity Additional Tags: Kissing in the Rain, Caught in the Rain, sky-neverending's Hatchetfield Rarepair Week March 2024, Picnics, Nick! Peter spankoffski Summary:

Stephanie Lauter thinks- No, knows that umbrellas are for nerds.

But, she doesn't mind when her nerds use them.

And that's what really matters.

@hatchetfield-rarepair-week

[hanyou-inu-yasha]

Rain poured down from the heavens with a ferocity even Inuyasha was hesitant to confront directly, especially with Kagome tagging along. So, although he was initially reluctant to take refuge in the old shack, he found himself staring up at the leaky roof with a scowl, his arms crossed snug over his chest. "I don't like this. Not one bit!" He complained loudly, shooting Kagome a ferocious look that said it was all her fault somehow.

@ka-go-me

[kaisollisto]

[princesscatherineblog]

Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

[gingerbredman1989]

Muscular man caught in the rain. For all of us caught in Tropical Storm Debby.

Playground AI

[avastrasposts]

Caught in the Rain

All the fantastic WIP's that have been floating around my dashboard this weekend have been so much fun seeing and voting on. For my own poll a Javier Peña WIP won (but I have nothing but a few ides written for it but I guess I actually need to write a few lines for that one now!😄) .

But, I talked to @i-own-loki about WIP's tonight and I made me remember that I never included the one WIP I have that actually has a whole written chapter. And I think if I'd included it it might've been the one that won. So, I decided to just edit and post what I'd written and maybe, maybe, someday I'll get round to figuring out where this story is going, if anywhere even.

This is one of those typical fics where it was just one scene in my head that sparked the idea; a desperate woman standing in front of Joel Miller, reluctantly offering to sell herself to him in exchange for food.

I'm choosing not to use warnings for this one. It's an OFC, written in third person, the woman is white (for the simple reason that I wanted her skin to be very pale, it'll make sense in the text) and it's only 1.9 k long and most probably a one shot.

It’d been raining all day and the clouds still looked heavy with it as the afternoon moved into evening. She shivered in her wet clothes, the thin windbreaker jacket she wore had been soaked through for hours and everything on her body was wet from the downpour. But she pushed forward, feeling her wet socks squish in the trainers. Stopping here was not an option, she might as well just give up and die if she tried to survive a night in the cold rain. 

Her goal was a small cluster of cabins down by a lake. She’d seen them from a rise earlier in the day and she’d been walking in their general direction for an hour now, hoping she’d make it there before nightfall. As the trees thinned out and the remains of a broken fence came into view, she breathed a sigh of relief. 

The cabins were strewn across the shores of the small lake, a holiday resort before the outbreak. Now they’re in various states of disrepair, dilapidated and crumbling. Most of them have broken roofs or crumbling walls but a few, those more protected from the elements, seem to have fared better. 

She’s hoping they’re remote enough to not have attracted any other people, but there is always the risk of infected. She’s banking on them having wandered away from this area but fear made her tread carefully over the wet ground towards the cabins. Her supplies were lost days ago, and she’s unarmed if anyone, or anything, attacks. But she knows she’s as good as dead if she doesn’t find shelter soon. 

As quietly as she could she made her way towards one of the more sturdy looking cabins. The roof is whole, the shutters closed and as far as she can see the walls are intact. Wary of infected or other humans she gingerly put her foot on the first step up to the porch. 

The broken screen door of the cabin swung open, a shotgun barrel pointed at her chest. 

“Back up,” a man growled, his body and face hidden in the shadow of the cabin, only the hands on the gun visible. 

Her breath hitched in fright and she stumbled back a few steps, putting her hands up. 

“Pl..pl..please,” she stuttered, from fear and cold, “I’m just looking for shelter.” 

“Go find it somewhere else,” the man snarled and motioned to the forest with his gun. 

“Pl..please, I can’t,” she whimpered, “I need shelter.” 

“I should shoot you right now, you’re shaking like you’re about to turn into a runner any second,” The man lifted his shotgun and aimed down the barrel at her chest. 

“I’m not infected,” the woman said through chattering teeth, “I’m cold. I’m soaked and I’ve walked for five days without anything but water.” She put out her hand at the man and held it as steady as possible. “Please” she sobbed, her shoulders heaving under a ragged breath. 

“Try one of the other cabins,” the man finally relented, “I checked them when I arrived, they’re empty.” 

“Please, do you have any food to spare?” The woman wrapped her arms tight around her body as the man started to retreat through the door. 

“No,” he growled, closing the broken screen door. 

The woman drew a deep breath, clenching her hands into fists, wrapping her arms tighter. 

“I’ll have sex with you. If you give me food.” 

The man behind the screen door pushed it open again and stepped out onto the porch, into the fading light, with an angry look.

“Do I look like the kind of man who buys sex with food?” he growled at her. “Trade something else.” 

“Does it look like I have anything else to trade?” the woman spat back at him, gesturing at herself. “I lost my supplies and my group a week ago, I have nothing but the clothes I stand in. I’m starving and if you have food to spare then all I have to trade with is sex.”

They glared at each other for a few seconds before the woman seemed to falter and shrink. 

“I’ll go, I’ll go to one of the other cabins. I’ll leave at first light, you won’t see me again,” she said, her voice defeated, as she started moving towards the next cabin. 

The man watched her go, silently cursing under his breath. 

“Wait,” he called after her, “wait there.” He stepped inside the door frame and reached for something just out of sight and came back out. 

“Here, have this.” He tossed her a can of peaches that she caught with a surprised look on her face. 

She grabbed the tab and pulled it open, eagerly drinking the sweet juice that spilled out. 

“Take it easy, take it easy,” the man called at her. “You’ll make yourself sick if you haven’t eaten in a long while.” 

The woman took the can from her mouth and wiped it with the back of her hand as she looked up at him. 

“Thank you,” she said. 

“Yeah, just don’t go turning in the night and make me waste that can on you.” The man closed the screen door again and she heard him close the front door too, something heavy sliding in place behind it. 

She scooped up half a peach from the can and made her way to the cabin next door, pushing her way past the front door that stood slightly ajar. As the man had said, it was empty. Only a few pieces of half rotted furniture remained. With a sigh she sank down on the floor in the most sheltered corner of the living room. 

…

Joel woke the next morning, looking around the unfamiliar cabin and the gear tucked in behind his head. He hadn’t planned on stopping here but the rain had been relentless and made it hard to hear anyone approaching on the trail he’d been on. He’d been through these cabins before, looted anything of use, now they were just a convenient stop for shelter, tucked away out of sight from the trail a mile away. 

The rain had stopped overnight but the low light filtering through the window shutters signalled that the sky was still overcast. Pushing himself up with a groan, he stretched his aching back and picked up his gun. Before anything else he needed to check on the woman from last night, to see if she’d moved on or turned infected in the night. 

Hitching up his backpack he carefully opened the door and peered out through the screen door. The world outside was quiet in the dim morning light, water dripping from the trees surrounding the cabin and the roof. Silently he stepped out onto the porch and surveyed the surroundings before stepping down the stairs and moving over to the next cabin a short distance away. 

The shutters on this one aren’t closed, Joel knows they’re hanging slightly ajar because he was the one to pry them off the first time he was here, looking for a way into the locked cabin. Now he moved closer to the window, edging up to it so that he could peer into the gloom of the room. In the furthermost corner he sees the woman curled up, her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Her windbreaker is spread out over one of the pieces of furniture, a puddle of water underneath it. 

Joel watched her for a few minutes, trying to discern if she’s still alive or not. Her face was ghostly pale, a bright moon in the dim light, and he couldn’t tell if she’s breathing or not. He hid himself from view, peering through a crack in the shutter hanging on the side, and lightly tapped the window pane. She didn't move and he tapped it again, a little bit harder. He saw her eyes fly open and she stared towards the window. She didn’t move for a minute and Joel held his breath, getting ready to take her out, but then she started to get to her feet. Her movements were smooth, a little stiff, but not the jittery cramps of the infected. She watched the window warily as she grabbed her still damp windbreaker and tied it around her waist before she hunched down and retied her boots.  

Joels watched her rub her hands along her arms, trying to bring warmth to her skin, as she looked around the living room. He noticed that she really had no supplies, there was no bag, no weapon and Joel cursed himself internally as he realised what he was about to do, “should’ve just fucking left right away.”

“Come outside,” Joel called to her and she jumped, crying out and stumbling back against the wall. “Don’t be scared, I’m the guy from last night, I’m not going to hurt you.”

Joel walked around the cabin to the front door and tapped on it before stepping off the porch again. He pointedly hung his shotgun on his back and waited. He noticed the empty can of peaches sitting on the stairs, full of rainwater. 

After a few minutes the woman cautiously peeked out through the door, only her nose showing. 

“C’mon, you obviously didn’t turn in the night and I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said again, trying to sound reassuring. 

The woman stepped out further through the door and stood at the top of the stairs. In the daylight Joel could see the dark rings under her eyes, her skin dull and lifeless, starting to take on the complexion of the many starving, or near starving, people he’d seen in the QZ. She looked almost transparent and as she wrapped her arms around herself again he saw her shiver as the breeze hit her sweater. 

Joel pulled his backpack off and opened the top flap, pulling out a hoodie. It was his spare and was pretty worn, but it was dry and warm. He held it out to her. 

“Here, take this for now, it’s dry and I can see that you’re still damp.” 

“Why?” the woman asked, not moving from the porch. 

“Just take it, I’m not asking you for anything,” Joel took a few steps towards her and shoved the hoodie in her hands and she baulked back from him but grabbed the hoodie. 

Joel stepped back again, to his backpack, and pulled out a granola bar and threw it to her as well. 

“And eat this, you look like you’re about to keel over at any second.” 

She picked up the granola bar from where it had landed on the porch and retreated back into the cabin. Joel could hear her move around and after a few minutes she came out again, chewing on the bar. She picked up the peach can and sipped on the water collected inside and Joel realised she’d put it out on purpose last night. She was drowning in his hoodie, it reached half way down her thighs and she’d rolled the arms up. 

The woman looked over at him from the porch, “Thank you,” she said. 

“You’re welcome,” Joel replied and they stared at each other for a few seconds. Joel was uncertain about what he should do next. He didn’t really want to leave his spare hoodie with her but now that he’d given it to her he could hardly ask for it back straight away. But he was reluctant to offer her to come with him on the next part of his journey back to Jackson. With a sigh he readjusted his backpack. 

‘C’mon, I know a place where you’ll be safe.”

[plutonianplaything2]

i painted my toes goodnight