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The rain had always been an issue for Lancelot. Well, not necessarily the rain, but the thing that came with it. Wet grass was difficult to fight on, mud was hard to wash off of plate-mail, thick clouds made the castle dark. Most importantly, it brought thunder.
Lancelot hated thunderstorms. The knight hid his fears well, keeping a constant stoic expression no matter the occasion. That observant blue hedgehog that earned himself the prestigious title of king saw right through him. The tiny twitches Lancelot made whenever there was a flash of light, the tightening of his fist at his side when a clap of thunder shook the air. The king noticed all of these little reactions.
Sonic had helped Lancelot with his fear and, for that, Lancelot was forever grateful. A vulnerable moment between the two led to a forbidden romance of sorts, with the knight finding himself in the king’s chambers most nights. It was nice… while it lasted.
Another thing about the rain was that it hid any emotions that may spill. Standing in the spot where the two met, Lancelot stared towards the sky as rain washed over his face. Unburdened by his armor, he stood there, vulnerable, gaze pointed upwards. The sound of thunder hurt his sensitive ears and the lightning stung his eyes. He didn’t care. He stood through the pain and allowed the rain to wash away his emotions.
The king had left. Rather abruptly, actually. Sonic was given a chance to return to his home world and immediately took it, leaving Camelot and its citizens behind without a second look. Leaving Lancelot behind. The palace staff and the knights received virtually no warning and it threw everything into chaos for a few weeks.
Lancelot wasn’t stupid, he knew Sonic never wanted to stay. He knew why Sonic had taken such a liking to him because, much like the king, he too was observant.
The longing but distant looks when Sonic thought Lancelot wasn’t paying attention
The hesitation when saying his name
The whispers of another’s on his tongue when Sonic was asleep
Sonic was using Lancelot and he knew full well. That didn’t stop it from hurting when the king left like that, without as much as a goodbye. Ever since Sonic vanished, Lancelot had done everything to distract himself. Doing harder during sparring matches, constantly doing rounds of the castle, training in the forest alone. He never slowed down, not for a second.
Moments like this were rare. When Lancelot would allow himself to be alone and stand in the rain, allowing all of his emotions to wash away. No one can see you cry when it’s raining, that’s one thing he liked about it. As he silently choked on the now bittersweet memories he’d had with his king on rainy days, he allowed himself to crumble in the safety of this isolated patch of forest. He let everything spill as he let himself feel for the first time since Sonic left Camelot.
Since Sonic left him.
Lancelot hated thunderstorms.