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Lup loved rain.
It was a little uncharacteristic, Barry thought, for something that burned so bright and hot to long so deeply for a cool reprieve. She loved dancing in the rain, pulling whoever was closest along with her to splash in puddles. Barry found it endearing, she seemed so soft in those moments, a side she hardly ever let peek out.
Outside of his cave the thunderstorm rages on. Lightning pierces through the dark to grant him a brief glimpse of the outside world. He's in a sort of rainforest, halfway to his destination where he hopes to find another clue on where Lup might be. He's being chased, so he can't stay for long, but a nightcap isn't so inexcusable. Lucretia or the bounty hunters will find him if he lingers here for more than that.
Normally, he would just take a short reprieve and move on, but the rain makes him melancholy. He can't help but think of Lup when it rains, and with her comes the thoughts of his friends, and he can't hold back the flood of memories that comes with them.
Taako hated the rain. He was like the exact opposite of Lup in that regard. If it was raining, it meant he didn't venture out of the Starblaster. He claimed that he didn't like being damp and that it messed up his hair beyond repair. However, sometimes Barry would catch him watching it. Taako would perch in the bridge with a book and peer out as thunder shook the sky, almost in awe of its strength. In those moments he seemed to be a pillar of calm and strength. So Barry didn't believe that he didn't like the rain, he just didn't like getting wet.
Magnus was another rain lover. He was Lup's top choice to go prance around with when a planet they found was even a little damp. Magnus was a no holds barred puddle jumper too. If there was a puddle, you can guarantee that Magnus would try and submerge as much of himself as he could in it. Mud pies? You bet your ass he loved those boys. Davenport would scold him for tracking mud into the ship, but it was all in good fun. Magnus had a certain amount of childlike glee when it came to rain, he could have been mistaken for a young teen what with all the giggling and snorting. He was a spectacle to watch, and the mess he made was almost impressive.
Davenport was more of a rain appreciator. Like Taako, he would sit and watch the rain, usually with a strong cup of coffee or a journal. Often, he was joined by Lucretia. Barry has stumbled upon them time and time again quietly discussing their findings, comparing information about their journeys. One would fill in details that the other had missed or give a different viewpoint. They would sip hot drinks and enjoy the white noise that accompanied the rain.
Lucretia was the same. She preferred to spend her rainy days indoors, writing and drawing for hours until someone came to drag her away from her work. Once in a blue moon, Lup would convince her to come outside. It was one of the only times where Lucretia let go of her inhibitions. She would allow Lup to spin her around and splash her, giggling all the while. She seemed so young in those moments, so unlike the woman Barry had come to know. The Lucretia of today probably wasn't a rain lover at all, not without someone to draw her out into it.
Merle and rain equaled a complete catastrophe. Firstly, the humidity made his beard poof to a size that nearly covered his face. Lup would tie his hair back into a tight braid, but it seemed to have a mind of its own. Within minutes frizzy and wiry hair formed a shield around him.
The second part of the catastrophe was the Pan part. Whenever there was a planet with rain and dense foliage, there was a veritable plant party.
Once, the starblaster had landed on a planet covered in dense rainforests and oceans, inhabited only by exotic jungle animals. Within an hour of touchdown, they were forced to take off again. Vines and branches had begun to slowly entangle the Starblaster, eager to reach the source of natural energy inside. That cycle was a blur of touching down for a few days and having to leave again.
So Merle was firmly in the category of rain lover, but also banned from joining the party that accompanied most rainstorms.
What were they doing now, Barry wondered. Was it raining where they were? When was the last time Lup got to enjoy the great smell of wet grass and squelch of mud under her toes?
He sighed, reclining back onto a stone. His lich form couldn't feel discomfort but Barry swore he could feel water seeping into his robes. It was not a pleasant sensation.
There would be no rest for him tonight, only reflection.
-
Barry J. Bluejeans knew approximately three things.
The first was his name. He didn't know where he was from, what he was doing, or really, who he was. He was Barry Bluejeans, and that in and of itself was a role.
The second was that he was looking for someone. Who was it? He didn't know. If he focused real hard he could almost see a ghost of a bright smile. Whoever they were, Barry knew he would lay down his life for them. They were important, they had to be, because without them, he had nothing.
The third thing he knew was that he loved rain. There was something about it. Rainstorms roused feelings in him that he didn't know he contained. What was it about rain that made him feel profound joy and deeply rooted sorrow? Why did he nearly tear up at the sight of a small child splashing in a puddle?
Barry didn't have much. He had himself, a goal, and the rain.
That was enough to keep him going for now.
-
It was raining outside.
Barry barely registered it. He was in that sleepy state where the world passed by in a daze. Lup was curled up in his lap, sound asleep, her hair splayed around her face like a halo, features lax and serene in the soft light of the fire.
Magnus was snoring in the armchair across from them, completely conked out. On his lap was Angus, who was reading a book lazily. His glasses were drooping and slowly sliding down his face. He looked to be a few minutes away from falling asleep entirely.
On the other side of Lup was Lucretia. She was wide awake, writing in a journal. She looked relaxed, content in a way that Barry hadn't seen on her in a while. She sipped a mug of apple cinnamon tea as she wrote, blocking out the world around her.
It wasn't as though there was much to block out though. The only noise was the soft patter of rain on the roof and a quiet murmur of conversation from the kitchen. If he craned his head slightly, he could see Taako and Kravitz, doing dishes and bustling about the kitchen. Kravitz whispered something in his ear that made Taako giggle, gently smacking him with a dish towel. He looked a lot like Lup did, relaxed, which was a look that was a little harder to come by these days.
Sitting at the kitchen table were Davenport and Merle. Each had a half empty glass of red wine, cheeks slightly flushed with intoxication. Davenport was telling a whispered story, something about a giant bass and fishing game. Merle looked on fondly, interjecting occasionally to ask about his travels.
Directly in front of Barry were Carey and Killian. They were sprawled on a worn rug in front of a crackling fire. They whispered and laughed to each other, drowning in the domestic bliss of being newly married.
It was a scene out of Barry's wildest dreams. His family, bigger now and different, but that was alright, all together and happy.
It was raining outside, the perfect backdrop to a perfect evening. All was well.
Barry closed his eyes and slept.