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Manchester’s red lights blurred through the curtain of rain while it poured down heavily on the streets. The sky, closing with dark clouds casting a shadow over everything below. Deep rumbles of the rain muffled by traffic horns blaring on the roads.
After a quick —caused by the sudden strong rain— investigation of an apartment in search of a suspect, there really was nothing else to do since the sun had already started to go down.
Everyone else had gone and Sam was the last one to leave, delayed by the amount of extra checking in the building. The rainfall got louder as raindrops fell on the rough pavements, and he stood just right on the entrance to the outside.
Sam had already bought himself an umbrella from a store a few buildings away from the apartment. He knew there was going to be a heavy pour when he noticed how dim the clouds were. Deciding to walk back to the shitty flat he called home given that it was close enough from where he was at— but still, with the downpour getting more aggressive, it'll make things a bit more difficult than usual.
Getting ready to step out, he jabbed at the button of his umbrella and nearly took his own eye out when the thing sprang to life. With a short snap, the umbrella bloomed above him, crooked but sturdy enough against the rain.
He went out and the immediate noise of the quick shower of raindrops hit the top of his umbrella. The rain-fog spread through the streets, making it nearly impossible to see anything in the distance.
Making his way through the harsh rain he spotted a faint hint of camel-hair brown color in the distance of the mist. Knowing that it had to be none other than Gene Hunt, he turned his direction to Gene and soon quickened his walk after noticing he was practically fighting for his life in the rain, covering his head with only his soaking coat.
Reaching to his side, Sam stopped and adjusted his umbrella a little to Gene's side so he wouldn't get hit by the fall of the rain, making sure he'd still have room for himself beneath it.
“I don't need ya poncy ‘brella, Gladys.” Gene blurted but stayed in his position.
“If I wasn't here in time you'd be soakin’ wet, oh, wait—” he turned his head to look at the man next to him,
“You already are.” Trying to hide the noticeable smirk.
“Piss off.” He scowled, moving his coat away from his head to reveal his wet hair.
He lets out a sigh, barely audible from the loud rain. “Wishin’ me life I didn't forget to pull up Tina's windows. It'll be like a tsunami openin’ her if I did.”
“What?” Sam said, turning to Gene.
“The Cortina, you div.”
“Right—” grumbled Sam.
“Can't see a ruddy thing.” Gene continued, pushing both of his hands into the pockets of his coat as the mist grew even stronger.
Sam quickly noticed that they were in front of a crossroad leading to a parking lot, presumably where The Cortina was parked.
He'd also noticed that the sun began to slip behind the buildings, leaving the air colder by the second. “C'mon, we'll go together to your motor.”
“Another thing,” Gene said, calmly.
“Yeah?”
“Why don't ya hold yer ‘brella… oh, I don't know— a little bit higher!” He barked.
“I can't bloody see anythin’!”
Sam immediately lifted up his umbrella after quickly realizing he's been holding it too low to the point it blocked Gene's view.
“My bad—”
Finally, after a short— somewhat of a banter, they started walking towards the parking lot.
The rain grew heavier, leaving small splashes of water as they walked. Arm-to-arm, both of them kept stopping trying not to walk faster than the other. They could only wish they could reach their destination more quickly, but at the pace they were going, it wasn't going to happen any time soon.
As they got closer to The Cortina, they could already see the color starting to emerge through the mist.
For the second time, Sam failed to notice that he had been holding his umbrella too low, constantly scraping it against the top of Gene's head.
“Tyler, if you hit me with that bloody thing one more time—” Gene grabbed the handle and forcefully lifted it higher.
“Maybe if you stopped looming over me you’d be dry.” pulling the umbrella back to himself.
Finally, they arrived at The Cortina and Sam held the umbrella for Gene so he could open the door and climb in. With a twist of a key, he went in but didn't go on to close the door.
“I'll uh— see you,” Sam said, ready to leave while trying not to make it awkward.
“Tyler,” Gene called out before the younger man could leave.
Sam turned back to see Gene's eyes locking with his with an obvious expression of what he was saying.
“Oh, I'll be walkin’ home.” he gestured with his head. “Better get goin’.”
“Ey? In this shite of a weather? C'mon, I'll drive ya.” only to be met by Sam's frozen blank stare looking back at him.
“Wha’dya waitin’ for?— Get yer scurvy arse in, Sammy!”
“Oh— yeah, right, sorry—” he hurriedly walked to the other side and climbed in next to Gene.
He struggled with folding the umbrella but quickly managed to get it tucked inside the car, dripping water in.
“Oi! Don't get me car wet!”
“Hey! S’not my fault.” shoving the umbrella down the footrest.
Gene started up The Cortina which made a deep purr that blended in with the sound of the rain.
“I'd kill for a fag,” Gene shifted in his seat and moved a hand into his coat.
“But me pack’s all bloody saggy,” flopping a soaked, half-crushed pack of Marlboro on the dashboard.
“Poor thing didn't survive the rain,” he added, turning his head to look at Sam.
A prolonged silence filled the car, punctuated by the sound of raindrops hitting the roof, and Sam slowly looked back at Gene after realizing his gaze was fixed on him.
Sam looked cluelessly in return, Gene raised his eyebrows in a silent question, as if to ask, ‘do you have any cigarettes that I would love to steal?’.
Sam huffed, “Guv, y’know I don't smoke.” breaking the silence.
“Worth a try.” Turning back onto the road and finally starting to move.
The trip was silent— can't really say ‘silent’ when the only thing you can hear is the rain outside and the deep, steady tip-taps of raindrops hitting the top of The Cortina.
“This is it, Dorothy.” arriving at Sam's flat.
The DI reached for the umbrella he shoved down the footrest getting ready to go out. Gladly, the rain had softened enough that he didn't need to go poking the umbrella to get it to unravel again.
“Thanks,” Sam said, opening up the door but stopped in his way to take a look back at Gene.
“Drive safe, Gene.”
“Yeah, yeah— now, get outta me motor before I start shoving yer arse out!” Gene bellowed at him and Sam briskly left the car.
There Sam watched The Cortina drive into the distance in the rain. He stood there, raindrops hitting his hair, feeling as though he'd forgotten something.
He checked his hands and saw his umbrella was nowhere to be seen. He looked and searched around him, realizing he had left his umbrella in The Cortina.
“How'd I leave it?— It was just in my hand a second ago…” He mumbled to himself.
And there goes the umbrella sat forgotten in the footrest, gathering the last of the rain.