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As a child, Illinois feared the thunder. A thundering sound, scaring all living things away. Light that hurts if you even look at it, not to talk about it’s destructive powers. According to his parents, a lightning bolt struck close to him as a baby, luckily hitting a tree instead of him.
As a teen, he forced himself to stop crying at the sound of thunder as anything was able to mimic it, and he hated that it rendered him into a crying mess.
As a young adult, he learned not to flinch at the sound or the light during a storm. He still prefered to stay away from it and he still broke down if it hit the ground a bit too close for his taste.
Now, as a 33 year old man, it was different.
—-
“Dude, where are you going? Didn’t you watch the news, they said it would be a pretty bad storm!” his roommate, Bing, said as he watched with worried eyes as Illinois was packing a bag with dry clothes, a towel, some food, a couple of blankets, some firewood and a raincoat. The rain hasn't begun just yet.
Illinois gave him a smile as he heaved the backpack on his shoulder. “I know. But there’s a spot that’s absolutely magical in that type of weather and I haven’t been there for ages so I’m going to pay it a visit.”
Bing looked skeptical. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. And beside, you will get some alone time with your boyfriend.”
A hint of red spread across Bing’s cheeks and he looked away. “Fine. Have a safe trip.” With that, Bing left Illinois alone to prepare for the trip.
—
By the time Illinois reached the wind shelter, the rain was pouring down. With a sigh, Illinois put down his backpack on the dry ground and hung up the raincoat after taking it off.
The place was small but cozy, he had stumbled upon it on one of his hikes. With a fire lit at the edge of the shelter, just out of the rain, and with his blankets, it felt like the best place ever. Of course, it would be even better if it wasn’t missing someone.
The sound of thunder rolled over the sky and Illinois took a deep breath, calming his jumpy nerves. If it had been one year ago, it would be out of nervousness. But this time around he fidgeted with a smile on his lips. No, this time it was from excitement.
Oh how his younger self would disapprove of this if he somehow ever met him.
“I see yous have made yourself comfortable,” a deep and rumbling voice echoed right outside the shelter. Illinois shivered at the smooth voice and if he didn’t have any dignity, he would stay in his blankets and melt at it.
Instead he lifted his eyes to look at the speaker. Hair black as a stormcloud, eyes being electric white, barely any clothes on and yet untouched by the rain. With a smile Illinois rose up to greet the newcomer.
“Yancy! Nice of you to drop by,” he said with a purr in his voice as he stopped in front of Yancy, just at the edge of the shelter.
“Well,” Yancy rumbled and glanced at the sky above them, “I’ve been quite busy. But I ain’t breakin’ a promise.”
Shaking his head, Illinois took Yancy’s hand and dragged him under the roof. The shock at the touch made him shiver pleasantly. It didn’t hurt at all, it was more of a tingle. “Stop thinking of work just a moment, you stubborn god. Come, let’s get lunch already.”
Not protesting, Yancy let Illinois guide him and pull blankets over the both of them and take out the food.
As they ate, they talked and laughed and spoke of everything and nothing all the while being cuddled together.
Long after the food was gone, the fire still burning and the storm never ending, they stayed close. And as they shared light kisses, small bursts of electricity sending pleasant tingles all over Illinois, Illinois knew how disapproving his younger self would be.
But everyone can change their mind, especially if the one you used to fear was this handsome.