Tom walked through that pouring rain, through that thunder, through the bubbling of lightning, pulling and cracking across the full sky. He had a sobbing heart, feeling the wind blow through him; The rain pushed into him, drowning him with its weight.
He knew the way there.
It had been in the back of his mind since the bird. Take a left, a right... It had been in the back of his mind ever since Huck had started staying there. If his feet weren't taking him to the woods, they would be leading him to the Widow Douglas', as they were now.
The air was flushed, filling his whole body. He would most definitely get a cold, Tom thought. But even that was worth it. Another lightning strike lit his eyes.
There was such a silence in all this noise-in the thunder, the rain, the wind-like a vibration already in his heart, already in his head. All this had been inside of him, and it was all now coming out. He could feel, taste, the lightning's fizz in his mouth. Tom walked faster, his legs aching as he pushed himself forwards, splashing through mud and puddles and slick gravel. His shoes were soaked through. Everything was. Probably half the things in his bag, too. But it couldn't be helped; the rain wouldn't leave until he did.
Tom reached the house. He stood under its narrow porch, avoiding the rain.
Lightning lit again. Tom's arms, legs, fingers were so shaky; his heart was turning. He needed to make all this right before he left.
He knocked. Knocked and the sound echoed like the wind and the rain and the thunder, and lighting lit his eyes. The door shook; the town shook, being pulled apart by the storm. Like the whole world was being flooded.
This was absurd, Tom knew. He ran a hand through his drenched hair. He hoped the Widow Douglas, or Huck, or... someone would answer. But no one would be able to hear him over all of this. No one would hear him run away. No one besides Becky would even until the wedding started. Tom's stomach soured. He was glad he talked to Becky. Hopefully he could talk to Huck.
He waited at the door a few more seconds. Tom raised his hand again to knock; to feel the rough wood against his knuckles; to hope one last time that someone would hear him. That someone would see him. That he could say goodbye. The sound was louder than before, but Tom still wasn't sure it could be heard.
Tom ran his hands through his drenched hair again. He saw more lightning, feeling it through his legs. The thunder shocked up through his soul. He started to think no one would come. He started to turn.
The old door opened, and Tom's stomach twisted. The air went silent for a beat, coming alive with his heart.
There was Huck, on the other side of the door, with his deep, tired eyes and his familiar face, and... Tom smiled, his eyes stinging and beading with tears.
"Tom?" Huck asked, yawning. Huck stepped outside, slightly closing the door behind him. "You alright?" He asked. Tom took a step, another, and wrapped his arms around Huck.
The boy stood there for a moment, the rain soaking into his clothes too, before he hugged Tom back. And the warmth overtook the chill of the rain, and Tom was so relieved.
"You're the best friend I've ever had." Tom said. He felt the lightning in his heart. The rain dripped down from their clothes. "And Huck, I... I'm so sorry about everything." Tom said, pushing his head against Huck's shoulder. He hadn't hugged someone in so long, and he felt it-the closeness, the heat, of their bodies was so calming. Tom was so glad to see him.
"Tom, are you okay?" Huck asked. He didn't pull away-he just said it into Tom's ear, the rain sounding like it was distant. Like besides the two of them, there was nothing.
"Huck," Tom sighed shakily against him and took a step back, looking into his full, shiny, fatigued eyes. "You were right all along. And I'm real sorry I didn't just listen to you-I... I thought," Tom took a breath. "I thought I would end up happy when I was just pulling myself apart." Tom said. He ran his hands through his hair, and Huck took them afterwards, spreading warmth. "You're not my problem, Huck. I was just... I couldn't figure it out. But it's all behind me now."
Huck watched him. He seemed awake, now-the multitudes, the hidden emotions, in his eyes, were flashing with the lightning as they looked at each other.
"What's going on, Tom?" Huck asked quietly. Thunder, rain, air and wind, it all shook, it all vibrated to their chests.
"I-I'm not marrying Becky. I'm leaving." Each word gave that relief again. It gave him freedom. Huck furrowed his eyebrows, squeezed Tom's hands.
"What? Tom, it... The wedding's tomorrow." Huck said. The rain was back in Tom's ears-it was amplified, echoing, filling the air with its static.
"I know. I already told her I'm going." Tom said. Huck looked around, looked up at the clouded sky. When he looked back again, his eyes were shiny, and the lightning reflected brighter in them.
"...You're leaving?" Huck asked in a whispered voice. Tom nodded, and his heart stilled, and his stomach turned.
He finally understood that look that Huck sometimes gave him. All the feelings that had always seemed so mysterious, so elusive.
The two boys had tears in their eyes, and they held each other's hands tightly.
"I gotta find myself like you did." Tom said.
"Tom, it ain't brought me nothing but loss, what I did. Runnin' won't help. I-I was right before, and I'm right about this." Huck said. Tom shook hs head. He felt the heat and sadness in his breath. They were so close-Tom felt the mix of both their hearts, melding; and he heard the rain so loudly; and he smelled the forest in Huck.
"You came back wanting your new life. I gotta leave to find mine, too." He said. Huck wasn't going to leave town-he had found his home. But Tom still needed to find his. Huck watched him, the rain all around them, streaking down and blurring and dripping to the ground, fizzing. Lightning glowed on their faces.
"Okay, Tom." Huck said quietly. "Alright. I-" Huck pulled his hands away and rubbed at his face, streaking the tears away. Tom did the same, and their breaths mixed, and their souls beat. "Okay. Come on," Huck said suddenly. He set a hand on Tom's arm, pulling him inside. "I'll be right back." Huck said. Huck then turned and walked away through the house.
The air was warm in here. Huck had left the door ajar behind them, leaving Tom to hear the rain.
Tom glanced around through the dark confusedly. He ran a hand through his hair. He waited.
Huck came back holding something small in his hands. He came right up to Tom again, face to face.
"I wanna give you this. It... It helped me a lot on my travels." He said. "It'll help pass the time, and..." Huck held out the object. A harmonica. "If nothin' else, you'll remember me by."
Tom met his eyes, taking it. Their fingers touched.
And a buzzing electricity mixed between them. A warmth spread from their fingertips. Tom started pulling, taking it from him, but Huck was reluctant in letting go.
"If you're sure." He added quietly. Tom nodded, and Huck glanced down, nodding back, and let go. Tom's heart ached as he looked at the harmonica. As he held the warm metal in his hands.
Tom put it into his bag, glanced back at Huck, and then looked through his bag for something else.
"I..." Tom looked, and he found it. It was hard to see through the dripping water and tears.
He took it out, gently, gently, and closed the bag after he got it out. He held the drawing out to Huck-it was one of the few things that hadn't gotten completely wet.
"Oh, Tom, I..." Huck took it gently in his hands, and then held it back out again. "I don't need no drawing. That's yours, and-and I already know what I look like." He said. Tom shook his head with a small smile.
"I want you to remember me, too, Huck." Tom said quietly. Huck gave him a yearning, sad look.
"Tom, I ain't ever forgotten you. Not once in all these years." Huck said. Tom's heart turned. He had thought for sure that Huck had enjoyed his free life until he couldn't. That, since he met that other boy, he had forgotten him... Tom met his eyes and still held it out.
"Please, Huck." Tom said. "I've been thinking of you this whole time, too. It just took this photo to remember, and... Huck, I gotta know you'll have a piece of me when I'm gone." He said. Huck looked at him with a long, full glance, and then took it.
That was it, Tom reckoned.
The sum of all their years, thinking of each other, weaving together and apart. A final separation in a flooding storm.
He still wanted to tell Huck how he felt, but... Tom started turning away. He moved his hand up to run through his hair.
Huck grabbed that hand quickly. Tom's eyes flicked to his, meeting, staring suddenly again.
"Tom. I... I gotta tell you something before you leave." He said and let go of Tom's hand.
Tom waited. The storm beat in his stomach.
"I... When we were fighting," Huck sighed, wrung his hands, "When I kissed you..." Huck closed his eyes and heaved with a breath. "It wasn't just a kiss." Huck said. Thunder pulled through Tom's lungs. "I... I explained it away because you obviously don't feel the same. But... Tom," Huck said, and Tom's whole body felt like it was swirling, pulling apart. It felt like he was being pulled under the old turning river, under the chill water. "Tom, I love you. I've loved you my whole life." Huck said.
Tom felt a chill run through his whole body. He ran his hand down his face, over his blurring, crying eyes. He laughed fearlessly. Relieved. Free.
"I know you don't-"
"Huck. Huck." Tom said, and the tears were leaving him and his words, his breaths, were shallow and fast. Huck stopped for a moment, listening. "Huck, I..." His heart beat so fast, suddenly. His body was so hot, flashing like the lightning, taking everything in him. The rain was the whole world. "Huck, you're the reason I..." Tom took a step closer to him. "Huck," He reached up to Huck's face, feeling the endless warmth.
He could never have admitted this. He could have never said it. But that was before.
"Huck, I love you." Tom said. Huck's eyes flicked around, widened. And he laughed. They both did, relieved, Alive.
They cried.
"I... I have to go. I really have to figure myself out. But I love you, Huck. I have, this whole time." Tom's voice was a breath. It was the wind, the air, the rain, everything consuming him at once. "I love you."
They smiled so wide. So relieved. The lightning lit their eyes, lit up the air all around them, filling the sky with white.
"I love you." They repeated until their breaths were gone. Until their faces were so close they could see specks in the other's eyes. Until they were gripping each other, until they were embracing, and the warmth joined in their souls.
They kissed.
"I'll wait for you." And he did.