Work Text:
Rolling Thunder
The sky darkened in the city of Domino, Japan. A storm was rolling in. Téa Gardner was heading to Yami’s place. She got there just in time, as her chocolate locks were almost wet from the approaching raindrops. Yami walked to the door and opened it.
“Téa, you made it,” he said, smiling.
She nodded, smiling as well. As she stepped over the threshold and into the living room, the fire in the fireplace crackled to life. She sat down on the couch.
“Téa,” said Yami as he sat beside her, “there’s something I want to show you.”
He then grabbed a remote and pointed it at the TV. Instantly, a video began to play...
The blonde woman in the bed of the motel room aroused herself from her slumber and asked the man, who was getting ready to go back home — something she didn’t want him to do — a very important question that had been lingering at the back of her mind.
“So, I was wondering...” she began, and paused while trying to think of the right words.
“Wondering what?” the man prodded.
“Will I see you tomorrow?” she finally said.
He thought that one over. “I don’t know. I... haven’t decided yet.”
As he grabbed his suitcase, the blonde tightened her grip on the handle. “You belong with me, not her,” she said pleadingly. “I want you to stay.”
For a moment, it was almost tempting — her scent, the way she looked.. the way she had been with him in the bed.
But finally the man pulled himself out of his thoughts. He then pulled his suitcase out of the blonde’s grip. “Get real,” he said, and walked to the door. Before he shut the door behind him, the words he spoke to her were the last ones he would ever say to her.
“I’m a family man.”
Then there were images of a man wearing a black pair of Levis, a blue shirt and a black cowboy hat. He began to sing...
Three thirty in the morning
Not a soul in sight
The city’s lookin’ like a ghost town
On a moonless summer night
Raindrops on the windshield
There’s a storm moving in
He’s headin’ back from somewhere
That he never should have been
And the thunder rolls
And the thunder rolls
Then both Yami and Téa looked at each other. That man... was Garth Brooks. They smiled at each other, and then turned back to the video. The song that started playing was “The Thunder Rolls”, and it was a great song to listen to.
Every light is burnin’
In a house across town
She’s pacin’ by the telephone
In her faded flannel gown
Askin’ for a miracle
Hopin’ she’s not right
Prayin’ it’s the weather
That’s kept him out all night
And the thunder rolls
And the thunder rolls
The thunder rolls
And the lightnin’ strikes
Another love grows cold
On a sleepless night
As the storm blows on
Out of control
Deep in her heart
The thunder rolls
The video was pretty cool, and it showed a really great story: a man cheated on his wife and went back home, only to discover that his wife had found out about the affair. When she did, she confronted him about his affair, revealing to him that his lover had called her.
She’s waitin’ by the window
When he pulls into the drive
She rushes out to hold him
Thankful he’s alive
But on the wind and rain
A strange new perfume blows
And the lightnin’ flashes in her eyes
And he knows that she knows
And the thunder rolls
And the thunder rolls
The thunder rolls
And the lightnin’ strikes
Another love grows cold
On a sleepless night
As the storm blows on
Out of control
Deep in her heart
The thunder rolls
He was furious, and as Yami and Téa looked on, shocked, they began to fight almost like wild animals. Then, when the daughter and man locked eyes, the man walked over to her. His wife tried to tell the girl to run back to her room.
Then as her daughter did exactly that, she did almost exactly what the fourth verse (the one Garth only sung live in concerts) showed, except different — she pulled a gun out of a drawer behind the couch, just as he turned back around, just in time to see her pointing it at him.
Yami and Téa clung to each other, shocked, as the wife then pulled the trigger three times. The gunshots broke the window, causing the rain from the storm outside to come inside. Finally, the wife lit some candles as the police drove up, and Garth turned and looked at the screen, and then walked off to the side.
The wife then slid her hands up the sides of the candles, and the video faded to black...
“Wow,” said Téa. “I can’t believe such a thing as domestic violence happens in this country — or in the United States. I also can’t believe this video was banned for the portrayal for domestic violence.”
“Me either, Téa,” replied Yami. “If this had happened back when I was Pharaoh, I would order the abusers to be locked up in prison, and the victims would be safe in my palace.
“After all,” he continued, “that’s the kind of Pharaoh I was. Kind, gentle, and so loving.”
Téa smiled as he caressed her face. They then got up from the couch, and walked to the ballroom. As soon as they were inside, Yami suggested they dance to “The Thunder Rolls”, and Téa happily agreed.
The song began playing, and Yami and Téa began to waltz. In their view, it was a great song to dance to.
As they danced, Yami looked lovingly into Téa’s eyes, and said, “Do not fear me, Téa. I am loving and gentle, and will fight for someone I love, and I believe you would do the same for me.”
He smiled as he said this. Téa smiled back and replied, “I believe I would too.”
Finally, when the tune came to an end, Yami and Téa looked into each other’s eyes, and kissed.
The kiss was very special and very mindful of their love and commitment for one another.