rain in your heart - patpran

4.

The sun blazes overhead, bright and hot, and Pran knows that the other wolves in the pack find it bothersome. It's clear, the frown on their faces as they wipe their sweat away while they work- hunting, cooking, minding the daycare and playing with their overly-energetic pups.

He can't find it in himself to be annoyed at the scorching rays hitting his skin. He relishes in it, the warmth that his pack in the mountains lacked. It was always cold there, even in the peak of summer- all they would get was brightness, never warmth.

Paa had taken him on a tour around the village, eager to show him around, to familiarize him with the different places nestled within the pack's boundaries. She had talked his ears off, but Pran welcomed her cheer with open arms. He's an only child, after all, he finds Paa's ranting adorable.

"And the final stop!" Paa announces, pointing towards the archery range ahead. There's about five people practising, arrows flying towards the wooden targets set up ahead of them, and two more huddled close as they converse.

Only once they get closer, and the overwhelming, but familiar scent of rain hits him, does he realise that one of them is Pat.

Pat leans into the woman's space, and the woman's hand is placed on his shoulders as she laughs out loud, hair falling into her face. The smell of cacao wifts through his nose, mixing along with the petrichor that Pat exudes.

"P'Ink!" Paa exclaims, catching both of their attention, "Hia! Why are you here? I thought you were hunting today?"

"No," Pat replies, seemingly startled by Pran's presence, but making no move to separate himself from Ink.

Ink. Pran had heard of her at the festivities. How some of the pack mates had gossiped to each other, "If Pat marries this boy, then what about Ink?" and "I thought he was going to court Ink?"

Ink smiles at him warmly, whole face scrunching up as she walks away from Pat to approach Pran. She bows at him politely, "Pran, hope you've settled in well?"

"Of course," he replies, bowing back. She smells sweet, and he can't help but think of how good their smells blend together- Ink's and Pat's, feeling self conscious of his own scent- warm coffee. What could top some chocolate on a rainy day after all?

He lets Ink lead him to the range, and only nods in acknowledgement when Pat excuses himself, Paa following him away from the range and towards the heart of the pack.

He feels a petty, childish surge of happiness at having separated the both of them, even though he knows it's temporary.

As Ink hands him a bow and a bunch of arrows, Pran tries to push away the thoughts of how good she looks together with Pat. She's much shorter than him, leaner too- like the omegas that alphas usually tend to go for. He tries to smile at her when she smiles at him, but he can't help the grimace that plasters itself onto his face instead.

🥀˚｡🍷✶🖤

"You're really good at this, Pran." Ink says. They're currently sitting on a wooden bench near the range after about two hours of training, and Ink looks thoroughly beat up from standing under the sun for so long. The tan looks amazing on her skin, which is now shining gold with a slight sheen of sweat covering it.

"Yes," he replies, thoughts all over the place, "I've always enjoyed this."

They sit like that for a while, in silence, and Pran considers thanking her and leaving, when she speaks up.

"I actually wanted to talk to you, you know, about Pat."

"Oh?" he responds eloquently, feeling his stomach tighten, because what is he supposed to say to that? He wonders if his bitterness had been obvious, obvious enough for Ink to talk about it.

"Yes," Ink says with a soft shake of her head, a fond smile on her face, "I knew I and Pat had some- some special connection right when we met."

Pran wants to tear his hair out, wants to ask Ink how she deemed this appropriate enough to talk about with Pat's fiance. He holds back.

"We met here too, in the range ten years ago, and he's always so good at everything he does, Pran. He thought that he's always going to be the best. And I was a rebellious teenage girl who wanted to prove him wrong. And I did."

Pran listens on, a decade, ten years of shared history- how could he ever top that?

"But I became friends with him in the process. He- He was such a good person- kind, always ready to help. It's only natural that we grew close."

Ink sighs to herself, "If people had destined friends the way they have destined mates, I'm sure he would be mine."

Pran looks at her, puzzled as he meets her gaze, "Huh?"

"Pat and I have always only been friends. Pat mistook it for some romantic connection for a while, but he realised it quick enough." Ink says, laughing to herself, "But you know how people can be, latching onto non-existent things and spreading it."

"So Pat wasn't planning on courting you?" Pran asks, just a little breathless from the relief that washed over him. Ink reaches to hold his hand, with a look that seeks permission, and Pran gives it to her.

"No," she says, following it up with dramatic retching sounds, "Bleurgh."

Pran laughs at that, the first time he has genuinely laughed in this new pack. Ink looks just a little proud of herself.

"Yes," she starts again, eyes gleaming mischievously, "I don't swing that way."

"Wait, you're into omegas?" Pran asks, jaw dropping. He'd just assumed that Ink would be into alphas, the way she carried herself is incredibly traditional, after all.

Ink laughs, a tinkle in the air, her scent is incredibly comforting as it wraps around him, "Pat's sister to be more specific."

"Oh my goodness!" Pran is even more shocked at that, recollecting how Paa's eyes had lit up when she spoke about her friend who excels in archery, "Paa!? Oh she's definitely into you too!"

Ink shakes her head fondly, eyes longing, "I will be courting her soon."

Pran smiles at her, genuinely happy, "I know it'll go well."

"I sure hope it does."

They talk a little more after that, and he finds that he likes Ink a lot. Her company feels like a silent comfort, and her laughter reminds him of his friends back home.

He says so, and Ink smiles at him, "I enjoy your company too, much more than I anticipated."

"Now I shall drain your friendship out of your body like a leech. Good luck getting rid of me." she jokes, eyes shining with mirth as she walks Pran back to his quarters.

"Oh, don't threaten me with a good time." Pran teases back.