Rain

"Is it still raining?"
"Yes, it is..."
"Good. I've always loved rain..."

Bob made a short pause and glanced out through the window. His eyes wandered through the glass and to the water hitting against it. His mind wasn’t there. But his fingers managed to start playing again.

"You're good, you knew that?"
"You say that all the time"
"Well, I mean it. While I love to see you on drums, I'd rather listen to you playing piano... for me..."

Bob paused again. It was hard. It was hard to pretend this was a normal conversation held in a random rainy afternoon. It was the opposite, actually.

"Don't stop, please"

How to say 'no' when he says 'please'? There's no way. So, Bob continued playing. It was a short, repetitive melody, one that was the least popular of all their songs –maybe because it wasn’t even theirs, one that -with just a few notes- described his feelings in a perfect way. He never thought this day would come so soon. He knew it would come, but, deep inside of his heart, he hoped for a miracle. Miracles, he had learned now, don't exist. A single tear manages its way out of his eyes and down his face, and Bob misses a note. Behind him, the sweetest fit of giggles made him turn around.

"You laughing at me?" he asked, faking a pout.
"Dude, you screwed up the whole song"
"Shut up"

And with that, Bob started the song again.

"Bob?"
"Yeah..."

No response.

"Bob..."
"Yeah?"
"How much do you love me?"

The song stopped abruptly and Bob turned around again. He walked over and sat on the bed, carefully. How much did he love that guy? He loved him so much that he would gladly give everything he owned, including his own life, to keep him from the physical pain he was surely feeling. He loved him so much, that it was a torture to talk to him like that, knowing that the end was close. He loved him so much... he didn't even have words to express it.

"I love you, so much"

Smile. Bob would give anything to keep that smile alive forever.

"I love you too... Would you continue playing?"
"I'd rather stay here with you..."
"Okay"
"Does it hurt?"
"Always"

Always. The pain was always there. Bob didn't know how to stop it, he didn't know what to do to, at least, make it a little better. His only option was just to stay there and slide his fingers through the messy hair he absolutely adored.

"I'm sorry..."
"It's not your fault"

Bob was about to lean down and kiss him, but the pain on his face kept him from doing so.

"I wish I could do something"
"Just... just hold me, and tell me you love me"
"I love you"
"I love you"

Eyes closed. Incredibly pale. Slightly cold. Extremely weak. That was how the body next to him looked. Bob's life was fading away too.

"Is it still raining?"
"Yes, it is"
"I've always loved rain... have I ever told you that?"
"You might have mentioned it, yeah," said Bob, and it was rewarded with a soft giggle again.
"I'm so tired"
"Get some sleep, I'll be here watching over you... Always"

---

It had been a week since last time Frank saw rain. It had been a week since last time he heard Bob playing piano. It had been a week since he had been able to actually speak.

A tumor in his brain of the size of an orange. It was in a place that was unreachable to doctors. It was impossible to take out. At first, he and Bob had decided that they would take the risk and try to take it out with surgery, but then, after being explained about the huge possibility of him passing away in a cold hospital bed, they decided that it would be better if he just went home to be surrounded by family and friends and Bob.

It had been a week, and now, Frank was almost transparent. Life had left his body almost completely. His chest barely moving up and down with his weak breathing was the only signal of him being still alive. He was, in fact, surrounded by family and friends and Bob.

But he didn't noticed.

Bob had his right hand tightening around Frank's hand, and his left hand was slowly moving through the messy hair. A small and quiet whimper from Frank, and Bob knew. He knew what was about to come. Slowly, glancing at everyone in the room first, he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on Frank's forehead. It was very cold. And then, he reached to Frank's ear.

"It's alright, baby. I'll be fine. You can go now..."

If Bob wasn't sure that Frank had no energy left, he had swore that Frank squeezed his hand. And just then, his chest stopped moving. How beautiful he looked even then. Sleeping. Finally resting. Bob let out a little sob and smiled.

"I love you" he said, and outside, rain started to fall again.

Bob smiled again. Frank had always loved rain...