Set Me Free - Chapter 20

Rated: T

Rain

Chapter Summary: It's the night before the concert and on the way back to her apartment, her and Johnny get caught in the rain.

Wow. I'm so sorry that this took forever. I just keep getting distracted with other stories but I promise, I am always trying to find time to work on this one! Hope you enjoy. ;-3

Oh, and btw, this is a rather heavy Johnny x Ash chapter - fucking finally. It only took 20 damn chapters lol. XD

"So…tomorrow's the concert."

"Yep."

"...Heh. It's crazy. I-I don't know if it's just me or what, but…I really didn't think this would've happened. You know, after the flood and whatnot."

At Johnny's admission, Ash gazed up at the gorilla walking beside her.

Tall silhouette lost mainly in the darkened clouds hovering over the city the past two days. Clouds heavily swollen with precipitation that had still yet to fall and quench the thirsting earth. Large hands buried deep in his denim pockets and staring out in front of him as he slowly walked to keep up with her much shorter strides with a faraway look etched into his chestnut gaze. A look that had only gotten more intense as the past week that had ticked by and the concert date had gotten closer to fruition.

Ash, biting her bottom lip, was tempted to ask him about it during so many instances this past week. Wanting to bring it up sometime during their various tasks and sporadic practices but there simply wasn't enough time to get over her lead tongue. As much as she desired to understand and know Johnny better, her mouth decided otherwise; afraid to get attached to any of these animals she'd been working with (reluctantly at first) these past few months.

It was admittedly an emotional wall she'd hastily built out of fear, anxiety, her own damn stubbornness and blatant refusal to get hurt again. Because ultimately, when this house of cards fell, it would be easier to simply walk away and hopefully forget it all happened in the first place…

"...Me neither." Ash had to agree a few moments later; tentative voice nearly getting lost on a sudden chilled breeze.

Ash felt Johnny's eyes peering down at her now but she ignored the sensation to hit the round button on the upcoming light pole. Blue gaze drifting to the illuminated block of red numbers counting down the time until they were allowed to safely cross the street.

"But I'm glad it is," Johnny murmured almost as an afterthought, "Even if we never see a dime from this or nothin' comes out of it, at least it's a dream fulfilled in some way, huh?"

Ash's gaze flicked up to Johnny's face and was surprised to see him staring down at her with such gentle regard. "Yeah, I guess…" she tapered off.

As the last seconds ticked by on the counter, Johnny said something she didn't expect.

"I'm also glad ya changed yer mind." he admitted lowly, his eyes now wandering from her form to peer back in front of him like prior.

Ash didn't catch the sudden emotion that flickered in his coffee-tinted eyes.

"That day I brought back your guitar to ya," Johnny continued lowly, "I thought maybe it would convince you to give this another chance should the opportunity arise. Yet that call you made to me after Moon's change of heart - I really thought that would be the last time I ever heard from you. I'm…I'm just glad that you gave it another chance even if you probably didn't want to."

The walk signal suddenly chimed on across the street but Ash stayed still even as the animals surrounding them had begun to walk around the two unlikely friends frozen on the edge of the sidewalk.

Johnny, foot lifting as if he wanted to take a step to see if she would follow, tentatively set it back down to gaze curiously at her lack of movement. A rosy flush blossomed on his cheeks under her sudden scrutiny but he didn't say anything further.

Ash, not daring to show on her face how his words affected her, flashed him a sudden smirk.

"Heh. Ya can't get rid of me that easily, Johnny." She chuckled, shaking her head before making her way across the crowded street; leaving Johnny gaping for a drawn-out second before running after her once the daze wore off.

The porcupine, in the meantime, kept her face forward whilst valiantly ignoring how her heart beat funny at the sincerity in his voice that still echoed in her head.

The two continued the trek to her apartment in relative silence following the moment neither of them seemed eager to bring up again. Heartfelt words and confusing feelings (as well as stress for whatever tomorrow held) kept both of them rather tacit on the walk to her apartment.

Ash wasn't fully aware of when her and Johnny's relationship - or whatever it was between them - took such a drastic turn to where both of them skirted around each other, but she she didn't much care for it. Hated feeling this growing attachment to the gentle giant…she fervently prayed whatever this sentation was turned out to be temporary.

Both lost in their thoughts, neither really noticed or acknowledged the low roar of thunder that rolled across the heavens and slowly approached them. It was only three blocks from her apartment when the storm was determined to make itself known. A resounding crack of thunder echoed and scattered across the sky, white hot lightening flashing across the gray clouds and dark sky in a burst of blinding blue light.

Ash halted mid-step, quills prickling with the sudden electricity that filled the air; Johnny followed suit. Abruptly, it was as if the sky had ripped open and, before either could react, huge cold droplets began plowing into the earth in a virtual monsoon.

"Aw, fuckin' seriously? Now?" Ash complained as the rain started pounding onto them.

"Bugger…" Johnny agreed with the sentiment, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the downpour before they began to trek faster toward her apartment.

Along this particular stretch of road, there would be absolutely no awnings or barriers between them and the cold drizzle. The animals surrounding them took out umbrellas, scattered into vehicles or residences but Johnny and Ash had nothing to shield them from the downpour. Sending a quick glance to one another, Johnny and Ash began jogging toward her apartment.

The rain was so heavy, blurring their vision and weighing down their clothes and it was so damn cold, so much so that Ash's steps slowed than stopped; Johnny loyally stayed by her side and waited. The porcupine breathed out a huff; cursing her lack of jacket or anything to help with the chill while drawing her arms across her chest. Frozen in place, all of a sudden, her quills prickled when a familiar sensation overcame all other senses.

The rain had stopped hitting her.

Frigid droplets that attached themselves to her short fur, spines and clothes just seconds prior had stopped completely and for a second, she thought the rain had ceased but staring only a foot ahead, there were droplets still pounding the pavement.

Brows furrowed, she lifted her eyes; upon realizing she was now shielded underneath Johnny's leather jacket.

The gorilla had stopped in his tracks beside her, holding the leather garment over her body with only a simple smile pulling his lips back. Warm streetlight behind him putting his silhouette in harsh contrast to the gray clouds and as much as she wanted to push away the selfless offering, she found her paws had other ideas. Ash raised her hands and gently pulled his jacket to lay over her, covering her quills and small body effectively from the rain.

Neither spoke, Johnny merely nodded, smile widening, before continuing to head to her apartment. It was now her turn to follow him wordlessly; heart hammering and this time, it wasn't from simple exertion…

"Ya didn't have to do that." Ash muttered breathily, still trying to catch her breath as they finally stood underneath the dry awning by her front door. The porcupine tried her damnedest to ignore Johnny's gentle gaze while pulling off his leather jacket from narrow shoulders and handing the dripping garment back to him.

"I wanted to." he responded and Ash did not, repeat, did not, think he looked ridiculously handsome with drooping wet hair and scattered droplets of rainwater cascading down his smiling face. It didn't matter that her heart was pounding (from the exertion of the three block desperate run to her apartment of course) and not how his smile was like a warm summer day in the midst of a blizzard storm.

Ash didn't even bother dignifying that with a real response; icy blue eyes slipping to her warm and dry apartment and back to the sidewalk where the rain still pelted the concrete.

Johnny was soaked from head to toe but it didn't seem to bother him as he took the garment back and slipped the leather jacket back over ridiculously broad shoulders.

While he busied himself with straightening it out, Ash felt inclined to speak - admittedly, stupidly so, "Thanks," she muttered. "Ya know, walking me home and whatever…" she vaguely gestured to the jacket.

Johnny's eyes widened for a fraction of a second at her admission before he calmly met her gaze. Another toothy smile tugging at the corners of his lips while he replied, "Yer welcome, Ash."

"Mm-hmm." she crossed her arms, still feeling damp and cold even if her insides felt as like an inferno - fuck, she hoped she wasn't getting a fever now of all fucking times - but she found herself more terrified of a different explanation she was definitely not considering now.

The gorilla awkwardly shifted from one foot to the other, "Well, um, I guess I'll be seein' ya tomorrow. It's gonna be a a hectic tomorrow to get everything for the show - an' performin' of course - so ya better rest up."

"Oh. Yeah… The concert. O-Okay." she replied a lot calmer than she felt even if her words were less than poetic. "You too."

"Alright. Have yerself a g' night, Ash."

"Night."

With another dazzling smile and a nod, he turned to leave but Johnny looked a bit reluctant to step out back into the monsoon but he hid it underneath a determined smile as he adjusted his jacket for the third time in the span of a few minutes. His foot lifted, fully prepared to step out from beneath her front door awning and back out into the rainy night…

"...Johnny, wait!" Ash blurted out, hand moving before she even realized what happened.

Ash breathed hard for a second; blue eyes consumed at the sight of what she'd gone and done without any rational thought…

Her tiny hand was wrapped desperately around Johnny's pinky in order to keep him here; whether it was for his comfort to shield him from the rain like he'd done for her, or she just really didn't feel like being alone just yet, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that her stomach twisted into tangled knots and her chest burned from witnessing just how much larger (and warmer) his hands were than hers; small fingers barely able to grasp fully around the circumference of his smallest digit.

Swallowing thickly at her sudden (and rather uncharacteristic) action, Ash peered up at him from under thick black lashes.

"Um, the rain should stop soon. You should stay awhile until it does." she muttered; her voice thankfully much calmer than she felt inside. "You know, i-if you want…"

Johnny peered down at her; a mix of curiosity and surprise blatantly obvious in his gentle gaze.

"...A-Are you sure, Ash?"

"Well, yeah." she quickly pulled back her hand as if burned by his incredibly warm skin. Nervously brushing back an errant quill that stuck a bit to her cheek all while scooting back a bit to gesture in invitation for him to enter her apartment. "I - I can make us some coffee or something to warm us up." she continued, internally punching herself for how she sputtered frantically around the words.

Johnny remained quiet for a second, his eyes languidly scanning her face for whatever reason before another smile upturned his lips. "Sure. That sounds lovely. Thank you, Ash."

Ash found herself smiling back.

…just what the hell was she doing?