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Bright flashes of purple lightning forked across and inky cloud covered sky as a pair of young witchs lept off Owlbert and sprinted hand-in-hand to the front door of the aging Clawthorn cottage, the palisman taking on his owl form and burrowing into Eda's satchel. The taller orange-hair witch raised a fist and started beating on the weathered oak door as the pair huddled together under the awning that covered the porch as the first few drops of boiling rain splattered against the pavement with a harsh 'hissssss' and a puff of steam.
"Mum!! Lilly!! You guys, open up!!" Eda shouted. There was a muffled "I'm coming witchlette!" from the other side and a shuffling sound before the door swung open and Eda rushed inside, pulling Raine behind her, and both turning to watch as Gwendolyn shut the door.
"Oh my titan, you poor things!" The aging witch cooed, coming up to place a palm against both their cheeks, turned their faces back and forth, clearing looking for any injuries. "Are you both alright?! The weather coven said this storm wasn't supposed to hit till tomorrow, I'm so sorry!"
"MA! We're fine!" Eda grumbled using the hand that wasn't practically glued to Raine's to bat her mother's away. "The moment we noticed the clouds getting dark we hopped on Owlbert and came right here." she reassured Gwen, glancing at Raine who bobbed their head but remained worryingly silent.
"Thank Titan Dell had you and Lilith carve the little ones! I know I may have worried about the idea of you two flying so young, but they really have helped keep you kids safe." she huffed a sign, ruffling Eda's hair affectionately before finally backing off, glaning out the window. "This storm looks like it's gonna be a nasty one, you'd be best to stay the night, luv." She cooed gently to Raine, turning to make her way towards the kitchen. "I'll crow your parents to let them know you're safe here, dear, and I'll put the kettle on to make some cocoa to help warm you both up."
Raine nodded gratefully to the older witch, giving her a small smile that didn't reach their eyes.
"Edalyn, why don't you both go upstairs and find them some comfortable clothes to sleep in."
Eda nodded, giving Raine's hand a squeeze before leading then up towards her room. It wasn't until they were all the way up stairs, down the hall past Lilith's room into her own with the door shut that Eda finally released Raine's hand and broke the silence between them.
"Well... that was crazy" she sighed wearily, flopping face-first onto the plush rug in the middle of her room. "I'm sorry I nearly got us caught in the middle of a storm there, Raine. I shoulda been paying better attention to those clouds" she grumbled, turning her head to look at them.
Raine stood a few feet away, shoulders stiff and whole body trembling; they nibbled at their lower lip as their eyes traced some unseen pattern on the rug. Eda opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but before she could a loud clap of thunder shook the house, making the young bard in front of her whimper and clap their hands over their ears and their eyes squeezed shut.
"Oh fuck!" Eda hissed, shooting up as clarity pulsed through her. "Shit, shit, shitttt!! I'm so sososo sorry Rainey!" she reached forward, clutching their shoulders, feeling a small amount of relief when they lowered their hands to cover her's and opened their eyes. "Titan, I always forget you're scared of thunderstorms. Lils is right, I need to learn to pay better attention to things like that."
"It...it's not yo...your fault" Raine spoke in a wavering whisper slowly growing in strength. "We...we're teenagers for Titan's sake. I shouldn't be so scared of some stupid storm..."
"Hey! Don't do that!" Eda scolded, catching and holding their gaze. "Everyone has things that scare or bother them and they don't owe anyone any explanation or reasoning for it. You are allowed to be scared by something no matter your age, alright? And if any witch says otherwise I'll glad punch them in the teeth!"
"Y'know, as much as you threaten to hit people, I don't think I've actually seen you do it yet" Raine chuckled thoughtfully. "Pretty sure the closest was Odalia that night after the school play."
"And I would have if Lils hadn't dragged us both away. I swear I'm convinced Blight must be synonymous for bitch." Eda grumbled, but blushed when Raine burst into giggles.
"Eda!" they admonished. "You're so mean! Even bitches have more empathy than her!"
Now it was Eda's turn to fill the room with laughter, snorting about halfway through which lead to both kids falling over in a fit of hearty chuckles. When they finally relaxed and rolled to face one another, their noses gently brushed against eachother and both went beat red, yelping and sitting up quickly. Eda fiddled with a loose thread on the rug as she worked up the courage to speak again.
"Y'know... there's a reason I was distracted awaybfrom keep an eye on the weather today..." she began hesitantly, feeling the warmth in her face spread all the way to her eartips, silently praying Raine wouldn't notice how embarrassed she felt. "it... it had to do with you." and she looked up to watch Raine's gorgeous green eyes widen adorably.
"with me?!" they gulped. "what did I do?"
"You just looked so adorable today with your perfect hair and your pretty eyes and...and all I wanted to do was kiss you, but I'm scared that if I do, it'll... it'll..." she trailed off, eyes watering.
"that it'll ruin our friendship?" Raine supplied. Eda's gasped, her eyes widening.
"How'd you know?"
"I felt the same way about you." they said, sad smile on their lips. "I'm not sure when it started for me, I mean I always thought you were great since the day we met, but somewhere along the lines I started falling for you, and I never wanted to say anything because I was worried that if you didn't feel the same way you'd be weirded out and not want to be around me anymore, and the thought of losing you scares me way worse than any stupid thunder."
"Well then I guess you're in luck" Eda cooed, leaning closer towards the bard. "Cuz I'm not going anywhere. Looks like you're stuck with me, Rainestorm." and she glanced back and forth between their lips and eyes, cocking her head to the side. "So are you gonna kiss me or-"
Raine cut her off by pressing their lips to her's, and it was there in Eda's bedroom on that old worn rug in the middle of a boiling rainstorm that the two shared their first kiss. Raine's hands came reaching up to cup Eda's face as they broke away, a big dopey grin plastered to their face. "Guess this means you're stuck with me too, Calamity." They hummed, thumbs brushing loose hair outta her face. "Which is probably a good thing for you, given how we both know you'd be a mess without me."
Eda just smiled bigger leaning in to press a kiss of her own to Raine's lips. "You're such a dork, y'know that?"
"Well if I'm a dork that makes you a dingus."
"A dork and their dingus girlfriend, ready to take on the world!" Eda chortled, before realizing her wording a blushing furiously. "I mean... only if you're okay with me being your girlfriend, yeah?"
"Duh, of course I am! Especially if that means I get to call myself your partner." Eda just pulled them into a tight bear hug.
"Oh course. I'd be honored!" she cooed against their neck, making Raine shiver and both witches giggle once more.