.:OMAKE:.

The rain pounded, steady and unceasing and incessant and thunderous, so loud and unstoppable that it made Gilbert's head spin. He turned the radio up in a futile attempt to drown it out, which only made it seem more cacophonous in comparison. Matthew sighed, and leaned over the back of the couch to switch the little battery-powered device off. Gilbert reached to take it back, only to have it pulled just out of reach. "S'too quiet without it." He protested, fingers closing vainly around empty air.

"We should save the batteries for the flashlights; we don't know how long the power will be out." Matthew removed and pocketed the alkaline objects before handing the now-useless radio back.

"I guess." Gilbert grumbled absently, suddenly transfixed by the lightning framing the wind-swept tree line. Thunder cracked like a celestial whip, rendering the rain momentarily muffled.

"Have you ever thought about the fact that, when stripped of all the things that make us 'civilized', we're really at the whim of the elements as much as we always were?" Matthew settled onto the couch, legs curled beneath him.

"Not really." Gilbert admitted. "Why?"

"I don't know." They watched the rain, both silent for what seemed like hours. "Gilbert?"

"Yeah?" Gilbert shifted to face Matthew, illuminated only by the occasional flash of lightning.

Matthew murmured something softly, in a language Gilbert didn't recognize.

"What?"

"'I love you' in Inuktitut." Matthew explained quietly. "It seemed more appropriate to say it in the language of one of the few that still respect nature's whims."

"Oh. Ich liebe dich will have to do from me." Gilbert smiled crookedly.

Matthew smiled back, and settled against Gilbert's side.

,,

Gilbert squinted against the sun. "Shoulda closed the blinds…" he mumbled.

"You're the one that wanted to watch the rain." Matthew pointed out, futilely flipping a light switch.

"Still no power?" Matthew nodded. "Are you getting any cell reception?" Gilbert scowled at his phone. "'Cause I'm not."

"I told you before you came up here that you wouldn't."

"Yeah, yeah." Gilbert stretched tiredly. "At least the storm stopped."

"But all the roads are iced over, so we still can't go anywhere." Matthew opened the door anyway, slipping into the frigid outside world. "Come out here, and help me get some firewood."

Gilbert grumbled something incoherent, but did as he was told.

..

…it's…decent, I guess. I'm sorry it took me so long; I'm sorry it's so short; I'm sorry it's so lame…dedicated to Lilanac, and from the prompt "You know it will always just be me" from Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking her Clothes Off by Panic! At the Disco. (P!AtD is one of my favorite bands, and this song is really good.
Anyway, in the hope that this might help make up for it, I'm including a preview of the story that's been taking up this one's brainspace. So, without further ado, I present to you Haunted House:

Gilbert scowled at the man arranging the dry goods in the cupboards. Gilbert's cupboards. Well, actually Ludwig was the only one to ever put away (or even buy) any groceries, but still, it was the spirit of the thing!

Spirit. Keeseese. Gilbert laughed mentally at his own (bad) pun. Not expecting the stranger to be able to hear him (none of the others before had) Gilbert leaned against the counter and loudly intoned, "Boo."

,,

Matthew jumped, and spun to face the intruder. "Who's there?" He demanded, kitchen knife he had grabbed from the counter gleaming dangerously.

He stared at the man lounging in his kitchen like he owned the place. White bangs fell into crimson eyes, pale arms crossed over a narrow chest, and a look of surprise that mirrored Matthew's own pulled at his face.

"Who are you?" Matt snarled, not letting his fear show in his tone.

"Y-you…you can see me?" Matthew heard a definite accent-German, maybe?-in the man's shocked tone.

"What do you mean, can I see you? Of course I can see you! Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" Matt lunged forward slightly, still holding the knife. The pale stranger cringed defensively.

"No need to get violent." The man held his hands up, as if to ward Matthew off. "It's just that no one's ever been able to see me before, is all."

Matthew frowned suspiciously. "Why wouldn't they be able to?"

"Well…I'm kind of a ghost."

..

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me…
Sorry. Chapter's over, for real this time. ChiCho out!