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FLASH!
The lightning rippled across the sky, lighting the clouds with purple and magenta.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrackle BANG SPLINTER CRACKLE BANG!
She stopped counting. The storm was about two and a half kilometres away now.
Pearl closed her eyes, basking in the soft but relentless sound of rain, inhaling the sweet and somewhat tangy taste of a storm. Small drops of rain pattered onto her bare feet, which were the only part of her outside as she sat on the threshold of the house she shared with Gem.
A flash illuminated the sky, this time only light, bright and white and gray, flickering in the corner of her vision. But when she turned to look - gone.
She counted.
A gentle rumble in her ear.
FLASH!
The whole sky illuminated for a split second, lighting up every leaf, every piece of bark, on the nearby trees. There was nothing but rain, for a moment.
Breathe in… breathe out.
Her breath was deafening in her ears.
Then a crackle, loud, distinct, and never-ending, perpetuated by smaller flashes of light until it had run its course. Lightning split the sky in two again, crackling through the sky above her, flash-flash-flashing at the world below in a beautiful display of light and power. Thunder rustled up from its den once again, having a conversation with itself in growls and screeches and laughter.
Pearl considered going out farther onto the porch, to be able to feel the rain on her skin and dance in the stormy air, but she was warm and mostly dry on the threshold. Was it worth it? She couldn't tell.
Breathe in… breathe out.
A teasing flick of light came over the roof, then, after doubling back, returned at full force, lighting the world with power and shouting its defiance to the clouds. The thunder roared back a response, rippling and scraping its way along the lightning’s path, making itself known to all in the illusion of its destruction. Pearl inhaled the scent of rain — somehow sweeter now than before — and exhaled in a long breath, feeling herself relax, closing her eyes again. The thunder rumbled, lightning screamed, rain pounded, and she was home.
FLASH!
A streak of light shone through her eyelids, and she snapped her eyes open just in time to see a claw of electricity grab at the clouds, each pore in her body tingling with the power.
Breathe in… breathe out.
Pearl felt the jarring retort shimmy through her skin, and she shivered instinctively, rubbing her bare shoulders.
“Hey Pearrrrrrl,” came a spritely voice from behind her. Pearl almost jumped in shock, twisting around to see laughing forest green eyes only about an inch from her face. “Whatcha doooing?”
Pearl swatted at Gem in mild annoyance. “Geeeeeeem, you scared me!”
“Ahhhh, the sweet, sweet smell of success,” Gem joked, looking smugly unconcerned, earning herself another swat and sitting back on her haunches to avoid it. “May I join you?”
Pearl scooched over, opening up some space for Gem to squeeze in beside her. It wasn’t exactly comfortable; two people squished in that doorway was a bit much, and the doorframe was digging into Pearl’s hip, but it was Gem, so she didn’t care.
“Hey,” Gem said, nudging her shoulder. “You ok?”
Pearl smiled back at her, nodding. “The storm is beautiful, isn’t it.”
“Yeah,” Gem whispered. She didn't say anything else, like ask why Pearl was sitting on the threshold of their house at 2 am in the middle of a thunderstorm, which Pearl appreciated. She wasn't sure she had an answer for that.
Breathe in… breathe out.
And this time, Gem breathed with her.
BANG BANG RUMBLE BANG CRRRRRRRRRRACKLE!
Lightning.
Thunder.
Rain.
Breathe in… breathe out.
The sky turned grey, then white, then pink, purple, and grey again. Gem reached out into the storm, rain splattering on her hands and coursing down her arms in silver rivulets. She leaned out into the storm, drops on her face, blurring the glasses she wore instead of her usual contacts. The water streaked down her face, staying in dewy drops on the curly hair frizzing around her head, almost static in the stormy air.
She was beautiful.
Pearl leaned out with her, rain streaming down her cheeks and dropping onto her eyelashes, making it hard to see. The rain puddled and gathered on the deck and she swiped her hand through the water, the sudden cold sending goosebumps prickling up her arm. Gem splashed her with some of the rainwater and she squeaked in protest, retaliating immediately and earning herself a yelp and a second splash.
Thunder wailed, long and tall and fierce.
Rain pounded on deck, on leaves, on skin, on hair.
Lightning rattled and whistled and sang through the air as if the sky was being set on fire and it was the messenger.
Breathe in… breathe out.
Pearl felt her heart settling down, beating in time with the rain. BAM- patter-patter-patter-BAM-patter-patter-patter-BAM.
A diamond white crystal shattered on the canvas of the sky.
A weight on her shoulder.
Gem, leaning on her.
Pearl smiled, the rain beating with her heart — and she could feel Gem’s heartbeat, too, matching hers. Pearl wrapped her arm around Gem, pulling the redhead in, and could feel her nestle in closer.
Both heartbeats beating in time, increasing together with the sound of the rain.
Gem and Pearl watched the thunderstorm sing to the air and the sky and the clouds, leaning on each other as the rain came tumbling down.
Breathe in… breathe out.
CR-CRACK!
Pure electricity spiraled out from the sky, racing and dancing with the roar of thunder as the rain sang of their escape.
Gem was warm against her, her hair tickling her neck.
Pearl felt herself settle, her mind calming down, for not much mattered in that moment. Only the sky full of emotion and vulnerability and beauty, only Gem, only Pearl herself, existing alongside her.
Breathe in... breathe out.
Beautiful.
Two heartbeats, in harmony with the lightning, thunder, and rain.