Rain lashes,

concrete steams,

two souls collide,

beneath a shared dome,

black silk,

a fleeting haven.

He, charcoal suit,

dampened,

she, crimson dress,

sparkling.

Eyes meet,

a flicker,

recognition,

of shared humanity,

in the sudden deluge.

Umbrellas tilt,

a dance of closeness,

forced intimacy,

the scent of rain,

and something more,

unexpected.

Pavement slick,

footsteps echo,

a shared rhythm,

two strangers,

bound by the storm,

and the arc of black silk,

overhead.

The rain subsides,

a whisper now,

a parting glance,

a lingering question,

unasked,

hanging in the air,

heavy as the fading rain.