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Neodymium woke up to the sound of heavy raindrops pelting their window. Opening their eyes to the dim light of their room, they sat up against their bed's backboard, looked out the window, and saw exactly what they expected to. The sky was a dark grey, blanketed in densely woven patterns of thick, flashing clouds that completely blocked out the sun, which Neodymium welcomed. They weren't a fan of the hot, oppressive sunlight of the summer.
It took all of their self-control to keep from flopping back into bed and immediately falling asleep again to the sound of the steady rain and low, rumbling thunder. They stood up, meandered to their closet, and picked out an umbrella, before stashing it in their bag, sliding the closet door shut, and leaving their cozy room behind. The air was soft with the smell of rain as they grabbed the door handle and pushed it open, before walking out into the quiet, empty Lanthanide hall, through the bridge that bridged the gap between the Actinide and Lanthanide periods and the rest of the hotel. The Actinides and Lanthanides were part of a separate building, so the hotel wouldn't be too wide.
On their way to the hotel's lobby, the sound of countless cattos chattering slowly filled the air around them, which made sense given the magnitude of the downpour. The more reactive elements, like the alkalis or ions (on the rare occasion a catto was missing an electron or had an extra one), always seemed to make a big deal out of it, but Neodymium personally preferred the rain.
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As they slowly pushed open the door connecting the left hallway and the lobby to see what all the fuss was about, they were greeted with the sight of about 30 different cattos all gathered in the lobby, clustered up into conversational groups, surprise plastered on their faces as if they'd never seen a storm this heavy before. Come to think of it, Neodymium couldn't remember one bigger than this one either. But Neodymium's eyes were immediately drawn to a certain catto across the room, like magnets pulling one another.
Iron stood before the open doorway, gazing out at the rain, standing a few cattometers back to avoid getting splashed. Neodymium squeezed through the crowd, making their way to the other side and joining Iron, who glanced at them without a word, before turning back to the pouring rain. This struck Neodymium as odd. Usually, Iron would have sighed and walked away in response to their approach, but either for having nowhere to run or for having something much worse right in front of him, he just kept staring off, trembling softly. (Also, who left the door open?)
Nd: "Hey, are you... are you doing alright?"
Fe: "...I'm fine... Just kind of cold... And a little scared..."
Behind his dismissive tone, his concern was palpable. Neodymium looked back outside, watching the rain fall, their thoughts getting lost in it. In the corner of their eye, they saw a black, smoking pile of ashes on the alternating brick-patterned pavement just outside, with a distinct salty smell, but thought nothing of it, their attention fixed on the storm outside. A cold breeze charged with the scent of petrichor brought their attention back to themselves and Iron, and they moved a little closer to him, the thought of snuggling for warmth fresh in their mind.
Nd: "It's just rain, silly... There's nothing to worry about. It'll clear up soon."
Neodymium looked up at the dark, grey sky. Despite anything Neodymium could say to Iron to reassure them, the storm looked like it would last for a few more hours at least.
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Fe: "...I was gonna go pick something up at Francium's bakery... But if any of the rain touches me, I'll rust..."
They froze at the word. Neodymium had seen Iron immobilized and covered in rust countless times everywhere around the hotel. They shuddered, remembering the rough, sickly orange-brown coating overtaking their soft, metal-grey fur everywhere the water touched, like salt to a snail, his adorable face frozen with the pain and fear he felt the moment his aqueous nemesis struck. Neodymium always wanted to help him whenever they found him in that state, but they were always too afraid of hurting him to pry, scrape or sand the rust off, and too afraid of looking like a creep to ask someone else for help and say that they found him like that, given what some of the other cattos (at least, the ones who know) seem to think of their feelings.
Standing here now, with Iron at their side and the relentless downpour in front of them, Neodymium felt genuine sorrow for him. The temperature too, Neodymium thought, must've been terrible for someone without fur as thick as theirs. They wanted to help, but could only think of one way. A way that they were afraid he wouldn't be amicable to. But they wanted to help in any way they could. Their voice dropped, in both volume and confidence (what little of both it had to begin with), and albeit hesitantly, they suggested:
Nd: "I, uhm... I have an umbrella that we, uhm... c-could go under... together..."
A moment of silence followed. Neodymium gulped, their throat seizing in anticipation and anxiety as Iron contemplated humouring them. Normally, he wasn't very happy about Neodymium's shenanigans and escapades, but there was something different about this; while most of the time, their actions were driven by adoration bordering on obsession, this offer seemed to be more out of empathy than anything. Neodymium was offering, rather than begging. Plus, he really wanted to go to Francium's bakery.
Fe: "...Sure."
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Neodymium's heart almost stopped. This was the first time Iron had agreed to spending time with them. Every other time, they would either decline or run off with the others, leaving them alone. Hearing Iron agree for once, they felt like they could explode, but there were still too many other cattos in the hotel's lobby. In the others' eyes, they were a relatively stable, composed and calm, if a bit taciturn and distant, catto (when they weren't around magnetic metals) compared to some of their neighboring Actinides and Lanthanides, and they wanted to keep that reputation intact. So, repressing their excitement as much as they could, they reached into their bag and pulled out the umbrella, grabbing it by the head and pointing the handle at Iron, who grabbed it tentatively, sighing.
Fe: "Thank you. Just... Don't tell any of the transition metals. Or anyone at all, for that matter."
Nd: "I'll try not to."
Iron unwrapped the strap keeping the umbrella shut. Springs began firing, and the umbrella suddenly and aggressively unfurled on its own, like a blooming flower. Neodymium quickly stepped out of the way, dodging the unfolding canopy, before pausing to look Iron up and down. The umbrella really suited them, but they didn't want to say anything too soon and spoil the mood. They looked out at the rain, before looking back at him. His posture seemed a bit more confident now, but he still had that same look on his face.
Nd: "Are you ready?"
Iron froze. Even though he had an umbrella with him, he knew that if it slipped, if it were blown out of his grasp by the wind, he would rust in seconds. He turned his gaze from the open doorway to the umbrella, inspecting it for any holes, any excuse not to risk going out, but it looked good as new, like it had never been used before. He glanced at Neodymium, who gave them a patient, encouraging smile, and he sighed softly, knowing he was in too deep to back out now.
He held his breath, and stepped out into the storm, holding the umbrella low and close to his head like a helmet, stopping just a cattometer out the door. Neodymium tensed up for a moment, ready to grab him and pull him back inside at any sign of rust, but there was none.
Only the soft sound of rain falling on fabric.
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Neodymium stepped out with them, shivering a bit, immediately feeling their thick fur growing damp with rain. The grass sparkled with caught raindrops, the trees were vibrant, damp and dripping, and the grey clouds above slowly churned and billowed with the wind. It was like a completely different world. Neodymium could have spent forever looking around, the view never getting old to them, but they soon felt an impatient tug on their shoulder, turning to meet Iron's eyes.
Fe: "Come on, let's go before I get struck by lightning or something!"
Picking up the pace with Iron, Neodymium could sense the humor in his voice, but the sound of thunder ringing out every few minutes told them both that such a thing was plausible, and neither of them would want that to happen.
As the two walked together, apart from Neodymium trying to sneak under the umbrella with him every now and then, nothing much was happening. The two were alone together, walking along the lengthy road that bridged the hotel and the rest of the cattos' establishments. The distance was necessary for some more... "unstable" enterprises. Neodymium saw this as the perfect opportunity to try to talk to him one-on-one for once, to break the silence that was only filled by the sound of rainfall and distant thunder.
Nd: "So, uhm..."
The words left their mouth, like clay never molded. Iron turned his gaze to them, expecting it to be continued. The world flashed white for a moment as lightning struck in the distance, the sky shaken by the thunder that followed. They wanted to speak, but could only think of one question to ask.
Nd: "Why are you suddenly so... tolerant of me?"
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Fe: "...What do you mean?"
Nd: "Usually you're... not really very accepting of anything I do or offer. This is the only time I can remember where you've agreed to something and actually followed through."
Fe: "Well... I didn't really have any other options. Besides, this is your umbrella. I'd feel terrible about ditching you and stealing it."
Iron wasn't telling the whole truth. There was more to this than mere morality. Neodymium suspected as much (or at least wished it were the case), but they felt that if they tried to pry too deep, they'd end up pushing him away. An earthworm slithered out of the grass on either side of the path, and Neodymium quickly stepped to the side to keep away from it, nearly losing their balance. Iron didn't even look at it, his eyes set on the road ahead.
Nd: "Do you have an umbrella of your own?"
Fe: "Not really... I mean, I had one, but... I've always just been too afraid to go out in the rain in the first place. Umbrella or not."
He didn't want to admit it, but having Neodymium with them made them feel less afraid of anything. Even if he put on an unamused, tired front around them, it was sort of comforting the way they unconditionally admired him. He knew they meant well, even if they went a bit overboard from time to time.
⁕~ ⋄ who can it be now 🎷🎷🎷🎷 🎷🎷⋄ ~⁕
Nd: "So... Where even is Francium's bakery?"
Fe: "You've never been there? It's just up ahead."
Neodymium pried their eyes off of Iron's adorable face and looked forward, towards a quaint, rustic-looking, rain-soaked building, with the words "BOULANGERIE DE FRANCIUM" written on a large plaque over the entrance. Their ears folded back a bit in embarrassment.
Nd: "Oh... I, uhm... don't really go out a lot..."
Iron remained silent, not knowing what to say. His grip on the umbrella loosened for a moment, but immediately tightened again as he felt it tilting to the side, still terrified of dropping it and being exposed to the rain. The rest of the walk was completely silent, the sound of the wind blowing through their fur fading away, until they reached the bakery's front door, standing beneath the awning hanging over it. Iron very carefully passed the umbrella to Neodymium, before turning to the entrance.
Fe: "Hold onto this for me. And DO NOT run away with it and leave me stranded here."
With that, he swung the door open and stepped inside. A rush of warm air, smelling of fresh bread, blew out through the door as it closed behind him and hit Neodymium, who found themself wanting to join him in there. But then, who would hold the umbrella?
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A bell rang softly as the door opened, and the floorboards creaked softly under Iron's weight. Francium turned her eyes up from the novel she was reading, surprised to see Iron in this weather, but seeing Neodymium on the other side of the door, looking through the glass, holding an umbrella in their trembling paws, her wide eyes narrowed back to normal, her questions answered by their presence.
Fr: "Good morning! Or... whatever time it is. The sun's blocked out, so I have no clue. ...if only Lutetium was here..."
She stood up from her chair in the corner of the room, leaning on the counter behind the glass display cases showing what kinds of bread the bakery has. Iron looked down at them, and up at the menu that hung above her head, contemplating his order. The sound of a fireplace, or perhaps a wood-fired oven, crackled out from somewhere unseen in the shop.
Fe: "Wait... How did you get here? Aren't you one of the most reactive elements ever?"
Francium sighed, glancing to the side, avoiding eye contact, speaking in a voice that sounded like she was explaining something she had already explained 10 times today.
Fr: "It was a busy day yesterday, and I was exhausted, and I kind of just... fell asleep here, in the bakery... Now I'm stranded here because of the rain, and I can't go anywhere until it clears up. Then again, I can't really leave the bakery unattended at daytime either way. Not with Arsenic or the halogens around..."
Meanwhile, outside, Neodymium was left alone with their thoughts, unable to stop thinking about what just happened, and how Iron suddenly seems so open after always being closed-off to them. They looked around, as if looking for an answer, but only found more buildings they had never paid attention to before. The only times they went out like this was when they couldn't find Iron, Cobalt or Nickel at the hotel, and when they were here, they were always too busy looking for them to pay attention to anything else. One building was labelled "Fluoride-Iodine Medical Offices", but there were no signs of life, other than upturned furniture scarcely visible through the window. Nitrogen's milkshake booth was empty. The train station, ran by Darmstadtium, had its lights on, but it remained silent. They could only imagine how lively it was when it wasn't raining.
⁕~ ⋄ ------- ⋄ ~⁕
It felt like an eternity alone in the rain before the door opened again, a soft bell ringing as Iron stepped out holding a closed wicker basket full of warm, fresh bread. Neodymium jumped up in barely-suppressed excitement, like a dog when a bag of treats is shaken, and they had to fight the urge to hug him as hard as they could. Their fur had dried considerably in their time in the warm shade, but it was still a bit damp around the edges.
Nd: "Hii! :3"
Fe: "Sorry I was in there for so long, I hadn't actually considered what I wanted to get on the way, and it was hard to decide..."
Nd: "It's fine, I'm just glad you're here. I can hold that for you, if you want."
Neodymium gave the umbrella back to Iron, who in return gave them his basket full of bread, watching as steam rose through the microscopic gaps in the densely-woven patterns making up the lid. They looked back through the window on the door at Francium, who was picking up her novel again, flipping through the pages to where she was before Iron walked in. The title was something in French, but the cover was emblazoned with twisting vines and rose petals. Maybe they'll go get something from her bakery someday, they thought.
Iron was looking at the hotel, his ears folding back a bit. The road back was long and rain-soaked, and even though he had already walked it before, it was still a harrowing journey. Sensing his hesitation, Neodymium gently placed one paw on Iron's back, holding the basket tightly in the other.
Nd: "Come on, let's go, before you get struck by lightning or something!"
And for the first time, Iron smiled at them.
⁕~ ⋄ ------- ⋄ ~⁕
The two started on the long way back to the hotel, Iron holding the umbrella close to his body while Neodymium followed just behind. The two waited until they were well away from the bakery, about halfway along the winding road. This time, Iron was the first to speak, his voice low and heavy, as if something had been weighing on him for a long time.
Fe: "Neodymium..?"
Nd: "What is it?"
Iron paused, taking a deep breath, smelling the same, comforting scent that all rainstorms seem to carry. Only, the smell wasn't comforting to Iron at all. For him, it carried a sort of reverent fear, like how one would feel watching the apocalypse. But that was besides the point. There was something Iron had to say.
Fe: "I'm sorry."
Neodymium froze for a moment, their heart skipping a beat at the sudden emotional vulnerability. They took a few quick steps forward to catch up and be next to Iron while they walked together, holding the basket under their shoulder.
Nd: "...Sorry for what?"
Fe: "For being so distant. I don't know how you can still think so highly of me."
Neodymium inched closer, ducking under the rim of the umbrella to be underneath it with Iron, the two slightly brushing against one another.
Nd: "It's alright, I can see why you wouldn't really be very amicable to... some of the things I do..."
⁕~ ⋄ ------- ⋄ ~⁕
Fe: "The thing is... I've always appreciated all the things you do for me. A lot of the times I've acted apprehensive and unreceptive towards you, it was for show, because... Whenever we're in public, I always feel pressured by the others to act like I don't like you."
Their pace gradually slowed down until they were barely moving at all, in the middle of the road that bridged the hotel and the town square. The gears were turning in Neodymium's head. Iron was the kind of catto who tries his hardest to be liked by everyone, and since he was already so well-known around the hotel, always accompanied by someone, his image was very important to him.
Fe: "Like last week, when me and Technetium were talking, and as you walked past, you gasped, clutched your chest and dramatically fell to the floor, claiming that you were falling into a deep and indefinite slumber, and that only a kiss from the most beautiful catto in all the land could wake you. I could hear her trying her hardest not to burst out laughing behind me. I knew that if I gave you the kiss you'd asked for, without complaining about it for a minute straight beforehand, she would NEVER let me live it down."
His eyes narrowed and swung from Neodymium to the horizon, scanning it for silhouettes of would-be onlookers.
Fe: "...she still hasn't forgotten about the time I tried washing my face with water..."
Nd: "...So what's different about this? Why now, and not any of the other times?"
Fe: "There were a lot of other cattos back at the lobby, but aside from you, there weren't a lot who I actually knew personally. Plus, they were all talking to one another, too distracted by their own conversations to pay attention to anything we were doing, which is... part of why I decided to go along with you. I don't think any of them even noticed us, hehe..."
With their broad-daylight exit and long walk to the bakery in plain sight, it was practically inevitable that somebody noticed them together. Iron was just saying otherwise, and acting like it wasn't that serious, so they didn't feel bad. But they still did, for trying to get closer to him in the past, in situations where he'd been forced to push them away, where they'd both left feeling worse about themselves. Their sunken voice brought back the weight of the situation, if only for a moment.
Nd: "...I'm sorry... I didn't know-"
Fe: "You don't have to be. I'm the one who spent so long pretending not to want you around. I'm sorry."
Neodymium looked down at the basket full of bread. Not knowing what more to say, they leaned in, closed the distance, and gently kissed Iron on the cheek, who clung onto his umbrella with one paw as tightly as he could, not because he was tense, but because he was trying not to drop it. Even if he tried to hold it back, he couldn't have possibly suppressed the silly smile that took form on his face in the moments afterwards, but out of pure instinct, he turned his head to the side to hide it from view.
Nd: "I forgive you."
⁕~ ⋄ ------- ⋄ ~⁕
Iron began picking up the pace again, not wanting to get stuck in the rain for any longer than they had to, and Neodymium stumbled to keep up, nearly dropping the basket full of bread onto the soaked pavement. They kept one paw over the lid, holding it against their chest and shielding it with their body, trying to keep it safe from the rain even when it was already safe to begin with under the umbrella. They just wanted Iron to know that it was in good hands.
Nd: "When we get back to the hotel, should we go in through the side entrance?"
Fe: "Isn't that the fire exit?"
Nd: "I mean... It was put there with that in mind, yes... But it's not hooked up to any of the alarms or anything. I've used it before countless times, and nothing bad's happened."
Iron's head tilted in curiosity for a moment, wondering why Neodymium had been using it, but he decided it was none of his business. Neodymium, however, knew that the side entrance was a quicker and quieter way out compared to leaving through the lobby. On top of that, the lobby and the patio extending out from the entrance were usually pretty crowded, just as they had been this morning, and they didn't want to get in anyone's way.
Fe: "I'm not sure we even need to... Everyone was there because they were surprised by the rain, but they've probably gotten bored of it by now..."
Looking ahead at the hotel, as it slowly came into view from behind the hills, the two saw that someone had seen the doors left open and closed them. The windows on them were too far away to make anything out through, but Iron could see movement on the other side. He couldn't imagine how awkward it would be to open the door, alerting everyone to his presence, and then walk into the room with Neodymium at his side, carrying his things for him, right in front of everybody else. But he didn't want Neodymium to feel like they were embarrassing him, nor did he want to take the bread, go through the front door door on his own, and make Neodymium walk all the way to the side entrance in the cold rain alone without an umbrella.
Fe: "Actually, uhm... It's always nice to try new things. Let's just go in through the fire exit."
They were a bit surprised the way Iron immediately folded, but Neodymium was more than happy not to take the front door.
⁕~ ⋄ ------- ⋄ ~⁕
As the two drew nearer to the hotel, they heard much of the same clamoring as they had heard in the morning, but the voices sounded a lot more... calm. Shadowed silhouettes rose and fell on the front door window, but the two turned left instead, following an invisible, unpaved path leading to the building's westernmost door, on the alkali column. Dodging the flowers growing along the edges of the hotel like they were landmines, they met the building's corner, turned, and saw it; a set of stairs that stopped at each floor with a door leading out, unmistakably a fire escape route. This was Iron's first time seeing it from the outside.
Fe: "So you just... go through here every time you leave the hotel..?"
Nd: "Well, not EVERY time..."
There was a certain intonation in Neodymium's voice that seemed to suggest that there was more they weren't saying, and there was; sometimes, they took the other side exit. They almost never went out through the front. Nonetheless, Neodymium stepped back and let Iron take the lead on the stairs, for no reason at all other than wanting to be under the umbrella, trust me. The creaking and groaning of damp, unsteady metal underneath Iron's feet made them waver, but he pushed through, not wanting to spend any longer on the stairs than he had to, just wanting to get out of the rain. Neodymium followed close behind, looking up at him, holding the bread basket tight to their body with one paw and clinging to the railing with the other.
Suddenly, just 3 flights up, the sound of metal grinding against metal filled the air. Iron's rash ascension of the wet stairway led one of his feet to slip out underneath him. He tilted the umbrella to try to cover him as he fell, and with his free paw, he swung for the equally-wet railing but barely missed. Accepting his inevitable fate, he sighed, closed his eyes, and waited to fall, for the rain to drench him and cover him in rust, but Neodymium wouldn't let that happen. They haphazardly dropped the basket onto the stair beneath themself, praying it wouldn't fall and land in the grass, and they pushed Iron up as hard as they could, nearly slipping down the stairs themself. He stumbled forward, surprised, and he almost dropped his umbrella, but having been terrified by the thought of dropping it for the past hour, he was far too cautious to let it out of his grasp.
Fe: "Wh-... Oh, uhm... Th-thank you..."
⁕~ ⋄ ------- ⋄ ~⁕
Without another word, Iron hurried up the stairs, opened the door to the 4th period, and hurled himself inside, the umbrella falling out of his hands. He landed face-down, sprawled on the carpeted hallway floor, with Neodymium just behind him, carrying the basket full of bread with two shaking paws. Where there had once been steam rising through the lid, there was nothing. The bread had cooled down in the cold storm breeze, now just slightly too warm to eat comfortably.
Stepping inside, Neodymium swung the door shut behind themself, a loud slam reverberating through the empty hallway. They ambled towards Iron, wiped their paw off on their chest, and gently placed it on his head, putting the basket of bread aside, a concerned expression growing on their face.
Nd: "Is everything okay..?"
Iron answered without lifting his head up, his voice sounding out of breath, like he had just walked a marathon. It was nowhere near that length, but the stress of having to walk through the rain with only an umbrella protecting him made it feel ten times as long as it really was. He hadn't realized just how fatigued he was until now. Neodymium wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to help Iron. They'd do the same for Nickel or Cobalt, for that matter, but neither of them were there...
Fe: "...Mhm... Just... kind of tired..."
They moved their paw back and forth along his head, gently petting him while they thought about what to do. Iron's body slowly rose and fell with his breath, a soft purr emanating from his chest. Neodymium reached over and grabbed the umbrella, before shaking off the water well away from Iron, sending tiny droplets flying all over the hallway. They closed the canopy, before wiping off their hands and kneeling back down next to Iron, pushing the basket in front of him and putting the closed umbrella next to it.
Nd: "Can you hold onto these while I carry you to your room?"
Fe: "...yawn... Good luck with that..."
⁕~ ⋄ ------- ⋄ ~⁕
His room was only 8 groups from the left, but they wouldn't let him walk any further while he was this tired. Neodymium hooked their paws underneath Iron's limp body, while he wrapped his around the handles of the basket and the umbrella, and in one lumbering motion, they lifted him high off the floor, carrying him high above their head like they'd just powerlifted him.
Nd: "You're... a bit heavy..."
Fe: "Says you... Your atomic mass is almost triple mine..."
Nd: "...but your density's... 7.8 grams per cubic centimeter... and mine's only 7..."
Iron was a bit shocked, which was hard to see beneath their exhausted expression. Not even he knew his density. He was a bit worried what else they knew about him, but the feeling of the warm air rushing through their fur blew the thought away as Neodymium sprung into motion, making haste to get to his room before their arms gave out. Doors marked with various combinations of numbers and letters rushed past until Neodymium got to a door marked "26 - Fe", which was left an inch ajar. Iron, in his reverent morosity at the sight of the rain outside, forgot to lock the door.
Pushing the door open, Iron was suddenly struck by something heavy falling on top of him. He panicked and flailed for a moment, breaking Neodymium's stance and making them stumble under his weight, then collapse beneath him. The two fell flat on their faces, the basket tumbling out of Iron's paws and miraculously staying shut, while the umbrella rolled away to the foot of his bed. Neither one made a sound, neither one wanting to direct the other's attention to themselves and make them feel bad.
Groaning under their breath, Neodymium rolled over and immediately identified the culprit; an upturned bright blue bucket that had been placed on top of the door, positioned to fall on whoever opened it next, clearly meant for Iron. A classic prank, although usually involving a lot more water. Grabbing it and inspecting it further, they found a neon-yellow sticky note loosely attached to the rim, with "DID I SCARE YOU?" scrawled on it in big, messy handwriting, followed up with ">:3" and signed with the initials "CL". It was a signature any catto who'd been living there for more than a month would've instantly recognized. Not being able to go out because of the rain, Chlorine must have had plenty of time to play pranks like this. Thankfully, it wasn't Arsenic, otherwise the bucket would've been filled.
Meanwhile, Iron sat up with a barely-audible sigh, grabbed the bread basket, and looked to see if the lid could even come off at all, its resilience seeming impossible for a loose lid on a wicker basket that had been through all the events of the last 30 minutes. With one paw, he picked and poked at the rigid lid until it began coming loose, where he then grabbed the loosest point he could find and pulled on it until the whole lid crackled and gradually snapped loose. The bread inside was still warm, and scarcely touched by the showering rain it had gone through. Looking closer, the rims of the basket were lined with wax that served to hold the lid in place for as long as it did, and kept the bread dry and insulated too. Francium was much better at her job than anyone seemed to give her credit for.
⁕~ ⋄ ------- ⋄ ~⁕
Iron put one paw on the horn of his anvil bed and hoisted himself up, taking a seat on its flat top. Neodymium struggled to stand up without touching anything in his room, but eventually succeeded after about four failed attempts. His window, like everyone's in the hotel, was still buffeted by the falling rain, protecting the room from falling into awkward silence. All of his furniture had a sort of metallic sheen to it, even that which one would expect to be made of wood: his wardrobe resembled an outdoors transformer box, and his drawers looked like filing cabinets. None of the lights or lamps were on, the room was lit only by the natural light coming from the grey sky, the sun still shining somewhere behind it. Neodymium had seen the room plenty of times when they were hiding gifts for him to find, but never like this.
Nd: "Your room looks a lot nicer with this lighting..."
Fe: "Is it because of the lighting, or is it because I'm in it?"
Iron winked, and Neodymium's chest snagged on the feeling. Being alone made them a lot more free in their interactions with one another. They stepped closer and, with their paw, booped him on the nose, and he theatrically recoiled back, greatly exaggerating the force Neodymium booped him with.
Nd: "Hehe, that too..."
Fe: "Awh, thanks... Here's your umbrella back, by the way."
Iron scooped up the umbrella off the floor and tried to pass it to Neodymium, but they simply pushed it back into his paws, putting one paw on his to close it around the umbrella's handle.
Nd: "Keep it. You need it more than I do."
Touched, Iron leaned in and gave Neodymium a soft kiss on the cheek. It barely lasted a second before Iron pulled away, surprised by what he just did. But even a kiss as short as that... Their breath hitched and then grew heavy, and their heart skipped a beat, then pounded out of their chest. They completely froze for a second, their eyes wide, before quickly turning away to hide the pale yellow blush shrouding their face, scrambling to come up with an excuse to run away and calm down.
Nd: "I, u-uhm... I h-have to go... I... l-left my oven on..."
Before Iron could respond, or react at all, Neodymium bolted out the door, slamming it behind themself and sprinting to the stairway, covering their face with their paws as they leapt down the stairs to the Lanthanide floor. Sighing softly, Iron threw the umbrella through his ajar closet door and pulled his blanket over himself, the quiet setting in. He rolled over and looked out the window at the storm outside, realizing how much less scary it really is with Neodymium at his side. If he didn't know any better, he would've thought he had moved too fast and scared them away, but he knew that Neodymium was always easily overwhelmed.
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Neodymium swung their bedroom door wide open, striding in and very carefully shutting it, lest they make too much noise and attract attention to themself, destroying their reserved, well-mannered facade. As soon as the door was closed, their room sealed off from the outside world, they leapt onto their bed and buried their face in their pillow, nuzzling into it, the feeling of Iron's lips on their cheek lingering. They couldn't believe that he had actually kissed them. The last few hours felt like a dream; their head was spinning and their thoughts were spiraling, knowing that all of it was real.
The sound of their own pounding heartbeat along with the pounding of rain against their window filled their ears, but as they adjusted to the quiet of their room, they began hearing a faint voice from their leftmost wall. Swiveling their ears and listening closer, they could sense a feminine cadence and a rhythm and rhyme in what the voice was saying; whoever it was was singing a song. Listening closer, Neodymium sighed, their curiosity draining in recognition; it was the voice of Hatsune Miku. Their neighbor was one of her biggest fans, and listened to her songs on speakers so that she wouldn't have to wear headphones all the time. Neodymium thought about leaving their room and asking Praseodymium to turn the music down, but their social battery was empty, and they just wanted to rest for the rest of their day.
Neodymium slumped from their bed to their ornate, metallic desk, their physical energy depleted as well. They hid it for Iron, but they were only a little less tired than he was. They opened a drawer and pulled out a pencil, opening the notebook they kept on their desk, before suddenly stopping, the tip of their pencil a cattocentimeter above the paper. A flash of lightning lit up the room, casting a big, fluffy shadow against the wall opposing the window. They wanted to write about what had happened, but it all just felt like a blur of affection, and they had no clue where to start. They needed to process all of what had happened, and could think of no better way than their usual method of going to bed and figuring it out the next day.
Pulling their chair out from their desk, they stood up and pulled the curtains closed over their window, shutting out the lightning and inviting only the sound of the thunder. They sauntered back to their bed and flopped into it, their body relaxing and going limp as soon as their face hit the pillow again. Their cheek still tingled, but sleep washed over them, like rain painting the concrete grey. Rolling over and staring out at the window, watching the light dance around its edges, looking back on their day, they felt a little bad about not being as close with Nickel and Cobalt. They loved all of them, even if Iron was the most magnetic of the three. But that was something they would work on tomorrow. Their eyes gradually narrowed, until they fell shut with a soft, involuntary sigh. Their thoughts fell into silence as they slowly drifted away, soothed by a kiss and rumbling thunder...
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