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Rain pelted harshly onto the ground, forming almost a small barrier between the concrete and air. All that one could hear now was the music of the sky, hitting onto the hard stone of the accursed manor. A elegant scene of tranquility, undisputed yet.
But now broken was that peace, from a joyous leap from a boy onto the ground. The water that was forced up into the air stained his ankles, not that he wasn’t already soaking from just stepping into the rain. With that first leap came a orchestra of leaps and spins and the boy danced along the rain. Soaking wet and dancing like a fool, he was still so beautiful.
Another man sat in the safety of the steps, hiding underneath the roof as not to get hit by the rain. His face was cupped in his hands as he simply watched the other dance. The sight was truly one to behold. He would never look away, even if it could. His gaze was simply entranced by his movements. This was a truly one of a kind experience.
Lucky stumbled to the side, walked back to the middle of the courtyard simple stood there. Heavily breathing, catching his breath. His expression was one of pure bliss. He turned his head upward to the sky, his arms slightly raised to the side. Then he simply started laughing. Just laughing as he felt the rain on his face, mouth upturned into a smile. Aesop couldn’t help but smiled with him.
Lucky turned to the other man, expression softening as he looked at him through the rain.
“Aesop, where do you think we go when we die?”
The sudden question caught Aesop off guard. Such a heavy question with such a sweet face didn’t quite fit. And yet it was surely spoken with as much confidence as a foolish child has.
”...Well I don’t know.”
“I know you don’t know. But what do you believe?”
”...I guess.. after death I don’t think there’s anything. You simply sleep forever.”
Lucky paused after hearing that. “...Sleep is nice too, isn’t it?” He spun himself so Aesop would face his back.
Aesop was silent. There wasn’t really a response to that. Was he upset with that answer? He didn’t want to upset him. Truthfully he was just out here to make sure Lucky wasn’t hurting himself.
“You’re very pessimistic aren’t you Aesop?” The words were spoke with the same joy in his tone as before. Seemingly unbothered.
“I..I suppose so... I apologize for that.”
”Don’t be sorry. I like that view on life, too. Who knows... the nature of this world..”
He reached to the sky, taking a deep breath.
”Life is sad, mostly. I think there’s many more struggles than victories.”
Aesop was left silent again. “... I suppose so. I do think... I have been more sad then I have been happy. It’s a little sad to admit.”
”There’s nothing wrong with being sad! I think all strive for eternal happiness.”
”Eternal happiness sounds impossible.”
”That’s because it is.” Lucky walked around slowly, looking at the water as it parts at his feet. “No way can we always be happy.”
“Yeah. Life is truly a curse..” He scowled, looking at the ground.
A small silence fell upon the two. All that could be heard now was a deafening sound of the intensity of the rain. Some corners of the courtyard have collected small pools of water, growing as more rain fell into it. Maybe, if it was left long enough, it would flood.
“...But we can still be happy, and that’s enough, I think.”
”..?”
”Right now, what am I doing? Dancing like a fool that’s what.”
”Well...”
”Shhush. The point is I’m doing something stupid. I could get sick or fall and hurt myself. That’s exactly why you followed me isn’t it?”
”...Yes, it is. I suppose what your doing is a bit dumb.”
”But the point isn’t that what I’m doing is dumb. I’m happy. This is happiness. I’m having fun and that’s wonderful. That’s all that should matter right now..”
”But still, it’s dangerous like this. You can expect to go on and live only thinking about the present.”
“That’s exactly correct. But..” He paused, turned back to Aesop, smiling. “...It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Aesop’s thoughts and confusion with the other’s unreasonable thinking felt now unimportant as he spoke those words. He was now focused on the beauty in front of him. The person who smiled so carelessly at him. Who wanted to have a stupid conversation in stupid circumstances. And within in all, the rain and the boy, almost seemed to become one.
”Yes. Yes. It’s beautiful. It’s very beautiful.”
”...I don’t think we should worry about ‘death’ or ‘sadness’ anymore. Not right now. If we’re going to die and face absolutely nothingness, such a small risk like this doesn’t matter. If I get sick I’ll keep doing it. If I get hurt I’ll keep doing it. Because it makes me happy, and that’s worth it. If it makes us happy, when it’s worth it. Doing frivolous stupid things...” He held out a hand to Aesop, and tilted his head. “Do you know how to dance?”
”No. No I do not.” Yet he stood up and walked out of the safety of the steps and into the beauty he could only gaze upon before.
“Perfect.” The words were almost whispered as their hands intertwined. The world seemed to melt away as they started dancing a beautiful and foolish dance made by just the two of them.
And in that moment, within it all, they felt as if they had become one with the rain.