#astraphobia

[strawberrus0da]

[brithebri747]

Hi ^^

can I request Saja boys, or just romance :] helping the reader with there storm anxiety/their reaction to the reader having storm anxiety, I deal with it horrible storm anxiety myself (I hear thunder and a lot of the time have a panick attack TvT)

Also btw I love your writings ^^

-Astraphobia-

-°☁︎How the Saja Boys react to you having a fear of storms☁︎°-

-°• Content: a series of comforting headcanons regarding how the Saja Boys react to your fear of storms.

-°• Warnings: storms

-°• Bribri Speaks!: thank you so much for your request! I really enjoyed writing this—especially the comfort aspect it provided. I apologize for not getting to this request very quickly! I’ve been really ill and school has been a canker sore. Either way, I hope you enjoy! ♥︎

Jinu Saja:

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ Beneath his idol persona, Jinu truly is a sensitive soul. He comprehends the depth of your fear on a deeper level than you’d ever imagine. So, whenever a storm rolls around, he’s instantly at your side.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He enjoys playing board games with you when the powers flickers out—after all, Jinu is an old soul. It both keeps your mind off the situation, as well as provides for him to whoop your butt at ‘Sorry!’

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ “You’re about to have your butt handed to you, sweetheart.”

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ If you’re concerned about the loud noises, never fear, Jinu has prepared your favorite music to play over his speaker. The familiar melodies always serve to drown out the loud clashing of the skies.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ On occasion, you require more comfort than that board games and music can provide you. In the event, he tugs you into his lap. His long arms secure you to his chest, carefully rocking you into a state of calm.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ When you inevitably fall asleep in his arms, he beams. Your slumber just means he’s done a good job making you feel safe.

Abby Saja:

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ Whenever there’s a storm, he’s silently cursing whatever deity controls the weather. He learned rather early on how terrified such conditions made you.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ The first time there’d been a thunderstorm while you two were together, he’d found you hunkered under the bed at the first clap of thunder. Originally, he’d laughed, but when he realized how thoroughly distressed you were, he’d rushed to your aid.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He swaddles you in a blanket, your arms and legs tucked securely within the cloth.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He’ll hold you, as though the sheer mass of his body could protect you from the raging storm outside.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He gently strokes your hair, retelling the events of his day. He’s doing anything to distract you; flexing his muscles, rambling about the perks of his group opposed to other k-pop bands, grumbling about Baby’s antics throughout practice. He just wants you to feel better.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ When the tempest finally clears, he smiles triumphantly. In his mind, he’d just successfully protected you from the throes of your anxiety.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ “See? The gods aren’t gonna get’cha with me here. They’re too scared.”

Baby Saja:

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ Though he’d never admit it, Baby used to suffer an awful fear of storms—specifically lightning. The blinding neon and the strength of it completely terrified him.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ So, when you express your fear of thunder, he’s more sensitive than he’d be with any other phobia.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ “Hey, it’s ok. I’m not gonna let anything happen to you.”

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ The pair of you now share a tradition that takes place during thunderstorms. You curl up on the bed, your body tucked securely under Baby’s arm. He shares his AirPods, scrolling through funny reels or TikToks. His feed had been carefully cultivated for tense moments like these.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He stays with you the entire time, never leaving your side. Even when he has to go to the restroom or eat, he remains glued to your side, lest another bout of thunder frighten you while he’s gone.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ Storms are one of the few times his teasing momentarily ceases. He’s typically relentless in his efforts to fluster you. However, during tempests, your comfort takes priority over his entertainment.

Romance Saja:

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ While Romance had never experienced Astraphobia, he could only imagine how terrifying it may be for you. He’s incredibly attentive to your needs throughout any gale, guaranteeing you’re fully provided for.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He transforms the whole ordeal into a blockbuster scene. He holds you close, as though the winds may sweep you away if he’s not steadfast. Even when there hasn’t been a power outage, he dims the lights, lighting candles.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He ensures you cannot hear the thunder nor see the lightning. He installs temporary blackout shades, providing that no flashes could seep past.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ “Look, beloved. The storm cannot reach you when you’re with me.”

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ The pair of you watch downloaded movies; ones you’d pre-approved, of course. Disney, rom-com, action, Romance has no preference, so long as you feel safe.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He holds you the whole time, pressing reassuring kisses to your forehead incrementally. It’s a gentle reminder that he’s here, protecting you from all the dangers of Mother Nature.

Mystery Saja:

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ Whenever he’s received notice storm warning, he drops everything to return home to you. It’s no matter if he’s at practice or in the midst of an interview; if you need him, he’s not sparing his work a second thought.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ When he reaches you, he whisks you away to the security of his bedroom. As one may expect, his room is already fully blacked out.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He cuddles up with you on his sofa, tugging his soundproof headphones snuggly over your ears. He plays your favorite songs, whether they be his (he’d be elated) or some other artist’s, he’s already got an album dedicated to you on standby.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ Anything you could possibly ask for, he’s already prepared. Your comfort teddy? Already perched on his bed. Your favorite sweets? Unwrapped and ready for your consumption.

•𓍼 ོ☁︎ He’s contented to rest his head atop your head as you wait for the storm to pass. He picks up on every subtle change over your heartbeat, every twitch of your muscles. Mystery spares no caution when it comes to preserving your peace.

[shantechni]

Natsume's Fear of Thunder

I'm gonna be honest, this can hardly be considered an analysis. It's more of a "sporadic and unnecessarily deep observation" of how Natsume's astraphobia has been presented in the series over the years, both in the anime and in the manga. So, please for the love of God take all of this with a grain of salt.

Yes, I'm using the term "phobia" very loosely, but I'm not about to get into that rn. Natsume has an irrational fear and strong dislike of thunder, that's an undeniable truth.

Before I dive in, I'd like to briefly explain why, of all the little bits of information Midorikawa has given us about Natsume, this one is the one to ceaselessly bump around in my brain like a DVD logo. This series is not in the horror genre (it's serialized in LaLa DX after all), but it does get suspenseful, and pretty disturbing depending on whatever topic it touches or the types of situations the characters may find themselves in. I don't fault anyone, particularly Natsume, for growing up with valid fears and preconceived misconceptions about most youkai; they can sound scary, they can look scary, and they can do some scary stuff if they really feel up to it.

That's why I'm so fascinated to see Natsume develop and still harbor an irrational fear for something like the everyday phenomena of storms. He's landed himself in all sorts of trouble and has come face to face with many beings, both natural and supernatural, who didn't have his best interests in mind, and yet the clap of thunder somehow keeps its spot on the list of things that has him scared stiff.

Aight, spoilers for both the anime and the manga beyond here, you've been warned👏🏽

Our first introduction to Natsume's fear is near the beginning of chapter 42, when he and Tanuma accidentally stumble across Taki's home while seeking shelter from a sudden shower. He questions how Nyanko-sensei ended up at her home as well and the youkai, much to Natsume's visible dismay, cheekily explains:

That doesn't end up happening since the rain remained light until its swift end, and the mention of Natsume's fear is glossed over rather quickly to save him the embarrassment, but it's an interesting mention made by Midorikawa nonetheless since it adds another layer to whatever image the audience has of Natsume and the series itself. Nyanko-sensei, having been around this kid long enough to know a lot of his vulnerabilities and insecurities (even the ones his dreams unwittingly reveal to the youkai), has seen and grown accustomed to a side of him that the audience had yet to be formally introduced to for once.

Right about now, you may be wondering how the anime adapted this scene. It didn't💀.

While the start of the episode (S3 EP5) is a one-to-one recreation of the chapter with virtually the same dialogue and scenery, any mention of Nyanko-sensei following Natsume to pick on him when it thunders is nonexistent and entirely skipped over so the gang can go straight to cleaning out the storeroom.

Most fans who have read the manga will tell you how notorious the anime is for excluding some of the characters' lines or scenes that take place in the manga, or just straight up rearranging or changing up those same factors. Sometimes those alterations work wonders, and other times they leave more to be desired, mainly if you know what happened in the manga counterpart of the episode. This such example is one of the times that'll leave people scratching their heads and wondering what warranted getting rid of a scene so insignificant that it'd have no effect on the plot of the episode whether or not it stayed. The only answer I can think of for that is the directors likely wanting a smoother progression of events to make for a viewing experience better tailored for an anime episode rather than a manga chapter.

Or, they genuinely didn't have enough space in the episode to squeeze in that little bit, which I highly doubt, but what would I know, I don't work for them. At the end of the day, we didn't get to see that scene in the episode.

After some more anime switcheroo shenanigans go on behind the scenes, along with an original episode pulling a retcon during a lightning storm, we receive our next moment in a surprising scene from the anime team in S3 EP10 (adaptation of chapter 28). Though the scene itself is short and not exactly an example of Natsume's astraphobia, I feel it should still be included because of its relation.

The chapter originally starts with Natsume and Nyanko-sensei searching for a tree that was struck by lightning during a storm the night before. However, the anime makes an addition of their own by rewinding time to that very night and showing Nyanko-sensei excitedly watching the storm take place while Natsume is tied up with his homework.

Nyanko-sensei goes on to tease him by suggesting that he doesn't want to watch the storm because he's scared, but Natsume dodges the youkai's mocking and begins to tell him to close the curtain before a crack of lightning cuts him off and illuminates his room.

Not only does Natsume not simply deny Nyanko-sensei's claim of him being scared, but his reaction to the thunder is seemingly more sudden than Nyanko-sensei's. Both of these points could subsequently lead the audience to interpret this entire sequence as the anime's first acknowledgement of his phobia, and it'd make for a very intriguing choice on the anime team's behalf after taking their ommitance of the previous scene into consideration. It could be a stretch though ngl, I tend to stretch like crazy, it makes sense to close a curtain when a pet is being noisy—

Finally moving on from S3, we eventually reach the most overt instance of Natsume's astraphobia, and potential origin or exacerbation of it, in the S4 finale (adaptation of chapter 46). This three episode arc is a largely intimate and heart wrenching one as it focuses on Natsume's journey to revisit his childhood home before it gets renovated by its new owners, a task he initially denied himself the permission of doing before realizing Touko and Shigeru would never deny him something so personal. Of course, he wouldn't be Natsume if he didn't attract a youkai along the way, and he's being pursued by one that seeks to feed on the tragic memories he formed while staying with the Aoi family, who was strongly implied to be the first family (if not, one of the first families) he was taken in by after his father's passing.

One of those memories shown to the audience is a younger Natsume relaxing in a shrine while memorizing where his childhood home is located, all in the hopes of gaining more discernible memories of his father and no longer being a burden to Miyoko and her parents.

Unfortunately, he falls asleep at the shrine and consequently loses track of time before having his slumber disturbed by a violent boom of thunder. He's so frightened by the ordeal that he can't even bring himself to rush back to the Aoi family's place, and his exhaustion puts him back to sleep until he's eventually found by some of the neighbors who went out searching for him.

The anime, with the natural strengths it has over the manga, goes the extra mile by not only keeping this portion relatively untouched, but further setting up the scenery and depicting just how rapidly the area goes from peaceful to turbulent. The character animation and voice acting make for a splendid combination and do a wonderful job of capturing this image of a helpless childhood version of Natsume.

What comes soon after this scene is a depressing sequence of events on its own, even more so when we can see he's still reeling from the storm and believing he caused the Aois to get into trouble by not getting back before dark. The adults obviously don't fault Natsume for getting stuck in the storm, but he doesn't see it that way in his shocked state.

The way Miyoko reacts by throwing her frustrations onto him doesn't help either.

And so, after aimlessly running off in his last unsuccessful attempt to find his childhood home, the memory fades away with a somber note as his present self recalls the moment he finally stopped calling for his long gone father.

Now, one could argue that Natsume had his fear of thunder prior to his time with the Aois since we don't have much reference material to work with when concerning his short period of time with his father, and they could be right for all I know. It's common for children to be startled by loud noises and bright flashes since they just aren't quite accustomed to those loud noises and bright flashes being customary for weather disturbances. Natsume, who we know grew up to be pretty sensitive to the things that go on around him, may have been one of those children who felt apprehension anytime a bad storm rolled in, and his father may have been the one to quell his fears back then. So, if we go with the conclusion that his fear didn't originate here, then this scene likely could've aggravated it. But I'm personally leaning a bit more towards the concept of this being the cause of it (partly due to how appealing that conclusion is to the obsessive part of my brain).

His initial reaction to the thunder is seemingly one of surprise rather than fear, and his behavior suggests that he's more concerned with making it back down the mountain before the thunder halts his progress. Although he's seen trying to talk himself down and fails to do so with how relentless the thunderstorm is proving to be, he doesn't need to have preexisting fears or anxieties over thunder to resort to calming himself down.

The dialogue differences strike me as something to consider too, but they're likely irrelevant.

Setting aside everything I just ranted about in the above paragraph, I should specify that I'm not simply pointing to the storm scene as the singular root cause for his future woes. Many psychological problems often aren't so black and white that someone can definitively point to one person or thing as the sole reason for the existence of their psychological problems. And phobias obviously don't always develop as a result of going through or observing a traumatic event; people can grow to fear or strongly dislike something merely by its association with an unpleasant memory or stressful situation. I know I'm starting to stretch hard rn, and this part of the post is getting awfully wordy, just hear me out—

Going back to that aforementioned short period of time with his dad, it's plain to see just how innocent of a time that was for Natsume. He was playful and affectionate with his dad like many children growing up in a healthy environment would be at that age. He doesn't even appear to have an awareness of youkai (if so, only slight enough for it to not become a problem for him just yet). We're shown later on that he would commonly draw around the house too, as evidenced by the nearly two decade old pieces of artwork his father never removed from the kitchen area and closet.

Natsume even proceeds to make a comment about this childhood version of himself likely being the mischievous type for him to run around drawing on surfaces without a care in the world.

He undeniably had his own troubles at that stage of his life though, with one of those troubles being his mom and the empty spot left behind by her passing away. Apart from his heartwarming portrait of a family with both parents, he's also shown lamenting to Miyoko after the death of his dad about not being able to remember his mom. We've seen with those two examples that her absence indeed left an impact on him early on in his life, but he doesn't stay too broken up over her considering how little he got to bond with her, and he doesn't openly despair about the loss of his dad until his growing sense of loneliness and longing becomes too much for him to smooth over.

The point I'm trying (and admittedly struggling) to make here is that after moving in with Miyoko and her parents, the worries on Natsume's plate increased tenfold and weighed him down far more than he was willing to accept at first. Suddenly, this kid had little to smile about in life, taking a glance at his only picture of his parents causes grief and envy to flare up in his chest, he's afraid of being a burden to those who took him under his wing, he's eating less than Miyoko because he's concerned with coming off as too greedy, he feels responsible for Miyoko getting picked on because of his relation to her, he's still learning the way back to the Aoi family's home, and now he's surrounded by all of these weird creatures that apparently no one else can see.

Suddenly, he's no longer that carefree toddler we saw sitting on his dad's lap as the two of them watched over his late mom's garden.

I feel moderately certain about Natsume's experience with the storm, coupled with this pivotal and devastating shift in his life, being the plausible cause for him developing his irrational fear of thunder as a child.

After this arc, we aren't greeted with another scene featuring or centered on his astraphobia until chapter 85 (which doesn't appear to be adapted in S7 judging from the PV😭), and it focuses on Natsume, Tanuma and Taki viewing a limited exhibition at an old inn that has a deep history with youkai. Not too long after the owner engages in conversation with Taki, Natsume and Tanuma briefly comment on how peaceful the inn is making the both of them feel, and a sudden lightning strike cuts through the tranquility of the inn.

It catches everyone off guard and, unsurprisingly, has Natsume frozen in place as Tanuma asks him and Taki if they're alright.

Much like Nyanko-sensei's first time mentioning Natsume's fear, the moment doesn't last long as the gang soon realizes they'll have to spend the night at the inn while they wait for the sudden storm to pass.

By this point in the manga though, Midorikawa has evidently decided to make Natsume's astraphobia a recurring element of the sorts. She could've easily left his astraphobia as another facet of his that we get to see once or twice and never again since it's not serviceable to the story as a whole, but she's started using his phobia as an additional means of displaying his discomfort in any given situation. Having a thunderstorm suddenly appear during a moment of serenity, immediately after Natsume tells Tanuma the place is making him feel strangely good, was a brilliant move of jarring him. And it works especially well here as a sign of the looming threat that'll find its way into the inn over night and slowly creep upon the group the longer they remain there.

Midorikawa pulls this same stunt again to slightly greater effect in chapter 117, where Natsume, Tanuma and Nyanko-sensei happen upon the Kisaragi Manor and find themselves taking part in a ritual for summoning youkai.

It starts with the trio meeting up in the evening to view the bamboo lanterns, but a woman claiming to be in search of a mansion requests their help to find it before it gets too dark, as well as to avoid getting caught in a downpour should the drizzle grow heavier. While Tanuma shows interest in the ritual, and the people they meet are treating them somewhat cordially, Natsume is disconcerted by the arrangement they've found themselves in. He's surrounded by five women he's never met in his life, is once again in an unfamiliar place that feels weird in Nyanko-sensei's own words, and is thrown for a loop by everyone's enthusiasm with the idea of meeting youkai rather than being put off by them.

The group isn't even a minute into their summoning ritual when a huge boom of thunder shakes the room and causes a power outage, sending them into a brief stint of darkness until Hitomi relights the candle.

While waiting for the candle though, Natsume answers Tanuma's question by for once admitting that he's bothered by thunder, leading to Nyanko-sensei characteristically picking on his phobia by calling him a chicken.

Again, the moment is subtle and restricted to one corner of the page, but it sticks the landing. Instead of using the lightning or thunder as a sign of things to come as she's done before, Midorikawa uses them here as an integrant of an already somewhat concerning scene slowly veering towards being disturbing. In addition to selling just how uncomfortable of a situation this is for Natsume, it also depicts how far along he is in his friendship with Tanuma to be honest about an irrational fear we know he'd rather not speak of.

Alas, chapter 117 was our last time seeing thunder scare Natsume, at least until the next time Midorikawa chooses to use his fear to her advantage, unless the anime miraculously surprises us with its own original take as we've seen it isn't afraid to do. What we've been given so far though is plentiful in comparison to many other plot points or quirks that get reused or called back to far less than this one. I won't throw a tantrum if his never gets referenced to or utilized again (which I doubt will happen knowing Midorikawa's writing), but I eagerly anticipate seeing it again should it reappear.

It's captivating to watch this minor detail frequently make it's way back into the story somehow, to the point that it eventually cemented itself as a miniscule yet effective way of shedding different shades of light on the many complexities of Natsume.

[waywardsou2]

Logan X Male!Reader with Astraphobia

Tags: reader is afraid of thunderstorms, could be read as platonic or romantic, minimum dialogue, fluff

Word Count: 1k+

Summary: Logan has gone out to work for the day and a Strom has rolled in. Lucky for you, you are alone and petrified of storms. Oh wait...did I say lucky?

The storm raged on outside your home. A thunderous bellowing that shook the windows and made the whole world feel like it was shaking around you. You were curled up on your bed. A thick blanket wrapped tightly around you, not only to keep the cold out but to keep you safe.

It was silly, the notion that a piece of material could protect you from harm that could be inflicted by a storm but you always felt a little safer know you were covered by something that brought you comfort.

But you really wished that Logan would just get home. He went out a few hours ago, before the storm hit but he still wasn’t home yet. Through the thunderous claps of lightning surrounding the house you listened for his foot steps, the thump of his boots on the creaking floorboards.

You closed your eyes, straining your ears for any familiar sound whilst also trying to block out the thunder. An impossible task but still you tried. Your heart raced inside of your chest and you heart pounded, louder than even the rain on the windows. And then you heard it, the clunk of a car door locking back into place. You let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Logan pulled up in his 1965 Chevrolet El Camino parking in the drive and making a dash for the door so he didn’t get drenched and bring a mess inside. He kicked his boots off at the entrance as he closed the door behind him and called out your name.

The loud noise made you flinch, he called again but you didn’t answer.

Shaking off any excess water at the front door and placing his leather to dry on the coat rack he ran his hand through his hair and went looking for you.

The main part of the house was lit up. The hanging fairy lights you insited on installing in the rafters were on. Leaving a yellow glow to light up the room, contrasting the blue-grey of the outside world. His foots steps thumped down the hallway, he stuck his head in each room as he went looking for you until he found you curled up on the bed, a blanket wrapped tightly around you.

How had he forgotten, you were afraid of thunderstorms.

He approached you slowly, not wanting to startle you. But knowing you he figured you had already heard him before you had even stepped inside the house.

You felt the bed dip as he gently sat himself beside you, he didn’t move. Didn’t speak. But he was here and that was what mattered

Logan still kept his walls up. Replacing a brick each time it cracked and made sure there were no gaps in the motar. Not even for you. Sometimes he would look over the wall. So you could see his face. But it didn’t take long before he hid behind it again. Too many things had happened in his life. 180 years was a lot of time for things to go wrong…

But today he felt brave, he felt like stepping away from the wall for a while, just for you.

Because he knew you needed him to.

He waited, waited for you to move or speak but you didn’t. So he knew he had to make the first move, he shifted his weight, turning so his back was against the head board and your back was resting against his leg.

He sat beside you, a comforting presence. A strong and fierce one, but one that never failed to make the air in your lungs feel crisper. The weight on your shoulders a little lighter. And the darkness around you just that little bit brighter.

With him next to you the whole world fell away. His deep breathing the only thing you could hear, the scent of rain and the woodland musk that covered him the only thing you could smell. And even with your eyes closed you could see his face. You hoped the scowl that always furrowed his brow was a little less hard than usual. But you didn’t open your eyes to check

“The storm should clear out soon” he muttered, his voice low, almost too quite to hear.

“At least this way I don’t have to clean the truck. Although the same can’t be said for the tires”

Your mouth still remains shut but he doesn’t mind, he doesn’t really want to have an actual conversation and neither do you. But he want’s you to know he’s here. More than just physically being here.

“No trees fell on the main road. It’s good. Means getting to town will be easy”

Your breathing is deeper now, less restricted and anxious, your heartbeat is slower. Matching the rhythm in his own chest.

He looked down at you, your head turned away from him and your hair laying messily atop it. You looked more relaxed than he imagined you must’ve been. But he could still tell the storm was frightening you.

Gingerly he lifted up his left arm and placed it on your side. His bicep resting on your shoulder and his hand on your ribs. The touch was light. Almost non-existent. Like his hand was hovering over you rather than actually touching you. But the contact was the last thing you needed to feel truly safe.

To feel truly protected and cared for. You inhaled deeply and sighed contentedly.

Logan watched as his hand rose and fell with your breathing, he watched with hooded eyes. Tired from his days work but content to be home and in your company.

“You’re going to be okay. The storm will let up soon, and I won’t leave you until it does” he said a bit louder this time, making sure that you could fully hear him.

“I won’t let anything happen to you”

He meant it, he had lost so much but wasn’t going to lose you, and he wasn’t going to let you lose anything else either. He couldn’t rest knowing he had left you alone in the world. His spirit would roam the world until he knew you had also found peace.

But he didn’t want to leave you and he never would. Over his dead body.

He watched his hand again as it rose and fell in time with your breaths. He hated knowing that just under his skin were a set of claws sharp enough to kill a man, he hated looking at his hands knowing what the world saw when they looked at him. A dangerous killing machine that needed to be put down. He wasn’t that. And he never wanted you to think of him that way.

He thought of a song that you listened to often, it wasn’t his cup of tea (or shot of Jack Daniels should he say) but he knew how much you liked it so he began to sing it softly. Having heard it enough times to know it word for word.

And I don’t want the world to see me. Cause I don’t think that they’d understand

When everything’s made to be broken. I just want you to know who I am

His voice was low, and beautiful and everything to you. You listened intently to his singing, forgetting completely about the thunderstorm, as everything faded away except the two of you.

I wrote this for my gorgeous friend and biggest supporter @raetastic07. Thank you for letting me write and post this. Creating is my love language and I loved making this for you.

I also take requests if anyone is interested

[theoutcastauthor]

Dog Days (a Caleb x MC x Zayne Love and Deepspace Backstory Fanfic) - Chapter One: The Lab

Link to AO3 or Wattpad

Next Chapter

Masterlist and Blurb

Brief Description: This is a childhood backstory featuring Zayne, Caleb, and MC from Love and Deepspace. It will cover the lab to Zayne’s departure. If you ever wanted to see Zayne and Caleb fight over MC as children, now’s your chance.

WARNING: this fic was written at a time before canon was fully fleshed out and is largely based on my own interpretation of events before any major reveals— as such, some events in this fic may not align with canon in the future (but rest assured I always make sure the characters stay in character regardless and don’t stray too far from the original plot). Read at your own risk.

This fic will eventually lead into a larger fic that covers the main story of the game and explores the relationships more.

Don’t expect quick updates from me. I’m a very busy person and a very slow writer. I don’t like to rush chapters— I prefer quality over quantity. I’ll try to at least keep to a chapter once a month. There may be occasions where I write chapters more frequently or less frequently depending on any slumps or inspiration hits.

TWs/CWs: It follows canon events, so beware of potential spoilers, child experimentation, Professor Lucius, PTSD, autism, ADHD, amnesia, sociopathic behavior, astraphobia, poly (MMF), no smut only romantic attraction and mutual pining (for now), angst, hurt/comfort, separation, separation anxiety, dysfunctional family, adoptive "siblings" catching feelings, apocalypse, oppressive government, evil corporation, hospitals, terminal illness, child death, other causalities, graphic violence, slow burn.

This fic mainly centers around the boys' feelings towards MC, but there is still a subtle romantic tension forming between the boys as well as they aim for her affections. MC is the ground keeping them all together and no one is less equal in the relationship.

Constructive feedback (particularly on characters, pacing, plot, and accuracy) is appreciated.

****

In this world, the characters use both Chinese and English names. This is especially prominent in business/professional settings because of the dominant English language market (yay imperialism and assimilation), but in this world, the general public also begins to take to this custom for the sake of “global unity” during crisis as a result of the Catastrophe. English serves as the common language. This is especially encouraged in schools and among children to build connections and in case of emergency. I wanted to use English for familiarity among the English audience but also still use Chinese to keep it authentic.

#####

Tick… tick… tick… tick…

White padded walls enclosed and curled around Caleb. Although there was no clock visible in the small and barren room void of color, the distant sounds were always thrumming beneath the walls, as if mocking him. The ringing in his ears steadily grew louder, his temple throbbing.

The wall had become unfocused before him, nothing but endless white fuzz. He couldn’t recall how long he’d been staring, or how long he had even been here. At some point, his arms had tensed and were now turning a sickening gray with dark streaks of blue snaking inside the flesh but protruding in a way that suggested they were aching to escape the surface. And maybe one day they would be successful, with all the tiny holes that littered his arm. His muscles twitched, softly jerking the nylon confines that had him strapped to the metal chair.

They always did this during an experiment. To keep him “contained.”

A series of electronic beeps suddenly echoed throughout the isolated room, disrupting the metronomic rhythm. The wall behind him creaked and rumbled as four distinct lines stretched across the padding and formed into a glowing rectangle. The new section pushed forward, separating from the wall, then slid aside.

The door revealed a woman with black hair streaked gray and a round face with faint lines appearing around her eyes and mouth. She donned a white lab coat and in her hands held a clipboard. She looked up from whatever notes she had been taking to address the boy. “It happened again. Her condition is getting unstable.”

Caleb always had a difficult time making things out. Faces, noises, objects… nothing was distinguishable for Caleb to place any meaning behind them. The whole world was just made of incessant black and white tiny swirls that vibrated so much they hurt his eyes, with strange garbled murmuring that made his head pound and skin crawl. It was a worse, visceral pain than the needles they often pierced into his arms. Even now, he had a hard time recognizing who had entered and what was said. He wanted to retreat back to the emptiness of his mind as his veins throbbed and his skin ached, like the damn snakes inside of him were about to tear out of his hide at last.

Then… everything stopped. Caleb blinked a few times when the word “her” reached his ears, like a tickle. The only word that could be distinguished from the distorted storm, the only word worth hearing. The rest followed as his brain finally caught up and struggled to make proper sense of the world around him. The thrumming and prickling faded away to silence as color blinded his eyes and suddenly it was so much easier to see, the fuzz fading away into sharp geometric lines. He sucked in a quiet gulp of air, like a boy allowing himself to breathe after he had just been drowning in water, but now breached the surface and was saved. His ears strained to pick up anything else, afraid he would miss a single detail as he sat there immobile.

The woman stared, as if waiting for something more, then clicked her tongue at his silence. Lowering her clipboard, she stepped into the room. The door slid shut behind her, once again blending in with the wall, as if it were never there but a figment of the imagination. She approached Caleb’s side, slightly lowering her height to look at the boy. “I’m trying my best to get them to stop the experiments. I’m worried if this continues… there’ll be nothing left of her.”

Caleb could barely glimpse at her from the corner of his eye, not that he could even begin to figure out who this woman was beyond the vague sense that he must have seen her before, just like this. Once he had processed her words, his hands slowly curled into fists, his nails digging into his skin and drawing small specks of blood.

The woman stared pointedly at his hands. She glanced at a corner of the room where a small camera was stationed, its red light blinking silently at them. With a soft sigh, she looked away from the camera and took a step closer to the young boy, just a tiny inch. Her fingers slowly unfurled to reach out to him. Before she could even graze his shoulder, multiple pairs of heavy footsteps sounded from outside and stopped right where the door had just been. Hearing the same beeps and clicks that had announced her own entrance, the woman quickly retrieved her hand and spun around just as a small parade of people dressed similar to her crossed the threshold, with a single man leading them.

The woman bowed. “Professor.”

The door closed yet again, sealing them all inside. The small room suddenly became cramped. Not just because there were too many bodies, but because the new man carried an aura that felt larger than life. They were all dressed the same, but somehow this man’s posture was straighter than all the rest, and while no one here exactly carried any warmth, the chill behind the man’s eyes was enough to make even the others slightly tremble in his presence.

Caleb’s heart started to bang ruthlessly against his chest. He could feel the noise and aches come back, trying to drown him once more. A drop of blood stained the white pristine floor. He stared it down, clinging onto the reminder. Focus.

The man took notice of the woman, his mouth set in a firm frown and his eyebrows furrowed.

But it was a different man who spoke up. “Dr. Zhang? What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be—”

The one next to him nudged his side, glaring at him.

Before the woman now known as Dr. Zhang could respond to the accusation, the head of the parade waved his hand in dismissal, halting the crowd. “No matter. Since you’re here, how’s 002?”

Dr. Zhang let out a slow breath and straightened her posture. Glancing at Caleb, she kept her head low as she gave the report. “He isn’t responsive.”

The Professor glanced at Caleb, tutting. “Children are so… delicate. That’s always the risk with experimenting on them.”

Dr. Zhang clutched the clipboard to her chest. “Yes, I agree.”

“But the data is invaluable,” the Professor continued. “Their brain reactions help us understand how to develop human bodies. The perfect human. That is what I strive to achieve. Even if some find that impossible for now.”

He looked right at Dr. Zhang. She swallowed. “I’m sure those people will change their minds once they see it with their own eyes.”

Slowly, the Professor smiled. “As a fellow researcher, I know you can empathize.”

The Professor turned his gaze back to Caleb, a frown marring his face once more. “So, can someone explain to me why 002 is strapped down?”

A third researcher cleared their throat. “Well, surely you’ve read our reports. He is extremely volatile. He’s been getting more compliant lately, but we can never be too careful with him. It’s just a precaution.”

“Hm,” the Professor rubbed his chin. “Oh, yes. Something to do with 001. Their creation caused them to be attached at the hip. I suppose that kind of loyalty can be considered admirable. I believe it’s the very quality that makes a true, solid family.”

The Professor lowered his hand and approached Caleb.

“Sir—” the researcher called out.

“But,” the Professor interrupted, “that attachment can also be detrimental if it’s to the wrong person. A weakness. Which is why it’s important to cultivate these attachments to root out the weeds. After all, how can someone rise to their full potential above others if someone more liable is holding them back?”

The Professor caressed Caleb’s arm. Caleb couldn’t resist the shudder that wrecked his whole body at the touch. While he couldn’t recall this man any better than any of the others, he was all too familiar with this violated feeling of disgust that had been etched into his muscle memory. Hold it in.

If the Professor had even felt the shudder under his fingers, he ignored it. He rounded the chair to look Caleb in the eyes. Caleb gritted his teeth as he forced himself to look back.

“I’m going to help you, 002. I’m not sure if you recall, but we’ve already met once before. For the longest time, I’ve been fascinated with the human body and have yearned to replicate the perfect human for the perfect family to help nudge society along. That’s what I do. It’s my life’s work. That’s why you’re here. I want you to be at the forefront of my family. The progenitor that will beckon others to join us. My greatest masterpiece. You won’t need 001, because you’ll have much stronger siblings that can properly compete with you on equal ground instead. Aren’t you tired of constantly being held back by that childish desire of yours? You don’t deserve it. I can set you free.”

The Professor slid his hand down Caleb’s arm to the strap holding it down. He gently tugged on the strap, then unlatched the mechanic that made the strap snap away and into the depths of the chair. He lifted Caleb’s free hand, flexing it and rubbing the wrist which had become bruised from the constant friction, then proceeded to do the same with the other straps. “I have been told 001 can’t withstand the experiments. She won’t have longer to live. It would be best to dispose of her soon and forget about her if she can’t produce any useful results. Someone like that won’t have a place in my family. It’s a pity though… if only they were able to find something, her body could’ve been just as—”

He didn’t finish his sentence. For by then, all the straps had been released, and Caleb was no longer shackled. One second, the Professor had been kneeling before him. The next, the Professor had been flung to the wall. The wall that should’ve been impenetrable, but crumbled so easily from the force of the hit.

It took a moment for everyone else to react.

“Professor!”

“Someone help him!”

“Restrain 002!”

The room was suddenly a large clamor. Caleb tilted his head and slapped his ear twice. When a couple of researchers approached him, they froze in place before their arms could grasp at him. Caleb stared them all down. The air around them increased in pressure, compressing, squeezing their skin. They crumpled to the floor, their limbs writhing, like a pile of worms. Under the harsh weight of Caleb’s gaze, tiny creaks and pops erupted from the bodies. Screams ensued.

“Oh god,” Dr. Zhang covered her mouth as she watched the scene before her. Somehow, she remained the only one unaffected. She whipped her gaze to Caleb, his own eyes shining. She swore she saw the corner of his lips turn up, as if tempted to smile.

Just a little more. A little more, and they will all—

“Stop it!” Dr. Zhang yelled. “You think that would solve anything?”

Caleb paused, cocking his head at Dr. Zhang. She released a shaky breath. “You’d only be making things worse. Please, calm down.”

Caleb narrowed his eyes. Despite only being a child, he was more like a predator watching his prey. Dr. Zhang closed her eyes and turned her head away.

But then, instead of the bloodbath she had been expecting, the air loosened and relaxed, and it was much easier to breathe. She whipped her head back around and saw the researchers groaning in pain, but otherwise no longer immobile and able to move.

Her eyes met Caleb’s again. He looked at her in silence.

Before anyone else could, Dr. Zhang scrambled forward and hurriedly strapped Caleb back to the chair.

When she was done, she whispered, “Thank you.”

Caleb stared at the straps and looked away. A lump formed in her throat. “I’m sorry.”

As the other researchers began to slowly recover, Dr. Zhang backed away. Two researchers came to the Professor’s side and helped him up from the rubble.

Dr. Zhang frowned. The hallway outside was empty. Even though hardly anyone ventured down this corridor, knowing who lied behind these walls, someone should have surely heard all the commotion. What if—

“My apologies. It seems I underestimated you. Perhaps I shouldn’t have brought 001 one up so soon. After all, she is still dear to you,” the Professor brushed off the debris from his coat. He looked at the other researchers. “Although it is strange that someone who appears to be so broken can still have so much spirit. Curious indeed. That’s the mental prowess I’m interested in.”

“No,” Caleb finally spoke up. The Professor stiffened. He slowly turned to face Caleb. “I just found it annoying… all this talk about 001. Isn’t she useless? So why even bother bringing her up? I have no interest in something like that. Broken toys are less fun to play with.”

It felt like he was talking around sand in his mouth. A competition. That’s how they always made it seem. A competition of the strongest. A competition that he had no interest in, but was groomed into accepting until it warped his mind. So he dug into that small part of himself, fed into it, just enough to fool them all, to make them believe they were winning.

Dr. Zhang’s eyes widened at his words. The Professor laughed, walking up to Caleb and slapping a hand on his shoulder. It looked friendly, but Caleb didn’t miss the tight squeeze. “I really do envy that brain of yours. See? Foolish desires result in consequences. Those emotions would only get in the way. In time, I’ll train you properly on the matter. Once I finish refining the prototype, you’ll be as good as new. I look forward to the day we become family. Maybe you’ll even grow to calling me ‘Father.’”

Caleb somehow doubted that. He glared at the Professor. In response, the Professor squeezed his shoulder again and leaned forward. “So always remember that. You’re not compatible. Only the strong can survive. The weak get hurt. We wouldn’t want you getting caught up in that, now would we?”

The Professor pulled back with a smile, but his eyes remained cold. “Let’s get back on track.”

Suddenly, a researcher came rushing through the hallway. He was rather sluggish, out of breath, most likely from his declining age.

“Dr. Chen?” Dr. Zhang furrowed her brows. While she had been expecting someone to come down eventually, she hadn’t been expecting him.

“Josephine! I—” the man paused, finally looking around and seeing the rubble and crowd of researchers. His face turned red. “Pardon the interruption. I forgot that the inspection was happening—”

“Speak,” the Professor spat, glaring at the man.

“Right,” Dr. Chen straightened. “No one fully knows what’s going on, but there seems to have been an explosion in the Observation Unit. Monsters just started to suddenly appear from the sky and are attacking—”

“Monsters?” the Professor’s expression changed. His eyes glimmered as he demanded. “What do they look like?”

“I-I don’t know,” Dr. Chen stumbled over his words. “It’s not like anything I’ve ever seen. If I had to describe it, they’re like creatures shaped from encased crystals.”

“Wanderers,” the Professor whispered. He shook his head. “So, what’s the situation like?”

“Everyone’s in a panic. No casualties here yet, but it seems to have spread and is affecting other cities.”

A surge of murmurs erupted.

“Monsters? Attacks? Casualties? How did this all start?” one researcher demanded. “It doesn’t seem real.”

“Sounds like the start of an alien invasion.”

“No wonder why the hallways seemed too quiet.” So, Dr. Zhang wasn’t the only one to pick up on that.

“But how did we not hear anything? It must’ve happened around the time 002 went berserk.”

“Do you think it has anything to do with—”

“Watch what you say,” someone hissed.

The Professor tilted his head. He looked at Caleb. Then at the researchers. “With?”

The researchers glanced at each other as silence descended upon the room.

“Nothing,” the researcher bit out.

“Instead of that, what about you?” the other researcher said. “I think you know more than you’re letting on about this situation. We did all these experiments, under your orders and supervision. But you rarely ever showed your face here. Doesn’t this feel convenient? EVER funded us to help with their projects but they never specified what those projects were. Was this all part of your plan? Messing with entities we don’t understand—”

BANG!

The rest of the bold researcher’s words were drowned out by a deafening crash that rattled the whole room, if not the whole building structure. A guttural roar echoed from somewhere in the distance outside.

A brief quiet, then filled by various cries. Reality had set in.

“P-Professor!” the researcher who had tried to keep the peace earlier exclaimed. “We should get you to safety. Please forgive what that one said. The panic is just getting to our heads.”

“Very well,” the Professor said, brushing it off as the researcher began to escort him away from the room. A few security guards who had accompanied Dr. Chen also rushed to his aid. “Now isn’t the time to hold grudges. Although… I sincerely hope that’s all there is to it. I wouldn’t be pleased if something were being… purposefully withheld from me.”

His footsteps faded as he walked further away. The last clack of his heel ringing like a death sentence.

“You idiot!” a researcher yelled at the one who had spoken up once the Professor was fully gone. “We’re all dead if he finds out! Haven’t you heard of what EVER does to people who they discard…?”

“I only said what we’ve all been thinking!” he yelled back. “It’s the reason why we didn’t tell him about 001’s real ability in the first place!”

“Philip,” Dr. Zhang cut in, drawing attention back to the newcomer. “Why are you really here?”

Dr. Chen hesitated. “It’s… Dr. Yu. He’s snapped. He thinks she’s the reason for it all. So, he’s…”

Caleb had been watching on silently, but now the ringing had returned to his ears, along with the restlessness under his skin, rendering him unable to hear the next words. His head and heart pounded, pounded, pounded. He could feel it. He was going to explode. Or split open. The energy around him was pulsating. Was he doing that? Or something else? Both? The world was already starting to fall apart. The walls around him seemed to expand, creating a vast emptiness, where only he remained, freefalling, like a tiny droplet of water falling into the vast ocean, causing ripples but alone in the world where no one else could hear.

“What?” Dr. Zhang gasped.

The researchers started to move, shoving and pushing.

“Out of my way!”

“I don’t want to stay here a second longer if we’re all going to die!”

“Maybe Dr. Yu’s onto something… all this started because we messed with something we shouldn’t have!”

“Those children are freaks! They brought the monsters to us!”

As they all rushed out of the room, only Dr. Chen and Dr. Zhang remained.

“Is this… how it ends?” Dr. Zhang murmured. “Maybe it’s for the best…”

“Do you really believe that?” Dr. Chen looked her in the eye. “I’ve seen the footage. You sneak in here a lot. There’s no audio, but I can tell you’ve grown a soft spot for both of them.”

“And you haven’t?” Dr. Zhang whispered. Dr. Chen looked away.

“You could’ve gotten in trouble if anyone else saw that,” he said instead. “You’re lucky you have me to cover you.”

Another roar sounded from the distance. Now that everyone had been made aware, they had all become too conscious of the rising chaos.

The pain within Caleb had reached its final crescendo. The last current events happened so suddenly that he couldn’t grasp the situation. There were too many people and too many conversations to keep up with. All he knew was that something had gone very, very wrong.

He started to struggle in his straps, the nylon biting into his skin. His whole body was now on fire.

“What’s happening? Why did everyone leave? Are… are you going to hurt her again? I won’t let you! Let me go! Get me out of here! I’ll kill you all!” Caleb shouted.

Dr. Zhang bit her lip as she looked at Caleb, who had begun to rock the chair back and forth with all of his strength.

Dr. Chen shook his head. “I’d advise against it.”

“We can’t just leave him…”

“Stubborn,” Dr. Chen said. “Hell would break loose.”

“From the sounds of it, it already has.”

[darlingminjin]

-> Random fics <- -> Kpop <-

ꕥ Warnings: Male reader, male x male, amab, m4m, mlm, m!reader, bottom reader, Bang Chan x M!Reader, rainy day, thunder/storm, Astraphobia! Extreme fear of thunder = Phonophobia! Fear of loud noise, reader has astraphobia AND phonophobia, comfort, praises/compliments, pet names: baby boy/my love/love

ꕥ Want more similar content? Head over to my masterlist <3

There's a small note on the table, accept or decline??

Accepted!!

Reading:"Hello pooks, Bang Channie, pookie, heyyyy. Also if you do have this phobia, I'm sorry for you. If you can relate with the sounds, I'm sorry again. If you don't feel comfortable reading this, click off ^^ Ahem, enjoy reading!˖⁺‧₊˚૮꒰˶ - ˕ -꒱ა"

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭.

The night sky was dark, and the storm outside was relentless. The storm was fierce, with thunder and booming and lightning flashing across the sky. Thunder strucks again, and lightning illuminated the room for a split seconds before fading away again. You sat curled up on the couch, trembling in fear, tears leaving your eyes and staining your cheeks. The sound of thunder always sent shivers down your spine and tonight was no different.

You cover your ears, trying to block out the terrifying and loud sounds. Your heart raced, and you felt paralyzed in fear.

Bang Chan was searching for you all over the house until he found you in the living room, curled up into a ball on the couch. He noticed your distress and quickly moved to your side. Gently removing your hands and placing his noise-canceling headphones over your ears, playing your favourite playlist that he kept saved in his phone. Raising the volume so you could stop hearing everything around you completely.

You raise your head and your eyes were met with Bang Chan's. He points at his lips as he starts mumbling, 'Take deep breaths, I'm here for you.' Reading his lips easily you nod your head slightly and closed your eyes, starting to take deep breaths as Bang Chan looked at you worriedly. He slowly starts lowering the volume as you opened your eyes again. "Hey, it's okay," Bang Chan whispered, his voice soothing you as it was soft and gentle. "I'm right here with you."

He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer into a protective embrace. The warmth and security of Bang Chan's hug began to ease your anxiety. "You're doing just fine, baby boy. Breathes, take breaths," Bang Chan continued, his voice still in the same soft tone. "Everything will be just fine, focus on my voice and the music, okay?"

You nod your head as the storm continued, Bang Chan held you tightly, his presence being like a comforting shield against the fear. Gently pulling you onto his lap and allowing you to snuggle closer. "You're safe with me, baby boy," He murmered while stroking your back softly. "You're so brave, just breathe and relax. I've got you."

You took another deep breath as you try to focus on the music but mostly on Bang Chan's soothing words. Being the kind lover he is, he gave your cheek a soft kiss and moved his hand on your lower back. Resting it there while his free hand moved up on your head to rest your head on his chest for comfort.

The thunder still rumbled outside, but it felt more distant now, less threatening. The background noises blurring out as you were in your own little world with Bang Chan. “Thank you,” You whispered while your voice trembling slightly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, love.”

Bang Chan smiled, holding you even tighter. “You don’t have to thank me,” he replied. “I’m always here for you. We’ll get through this together, my love.”

The minutes passed, and gradually, you began to feel more at ease. The storm outside continued, but with Bang Chan’s comforting presence, it seemed less overwhelming. The both of you stayed like that for a while, Bang Chan gently rocking you and whispering reassurances.

Eventually, the storm began to subside, the thunder growing quieter and the lightning less frequent. You felt a sense of relief wash over you. “It’s almost over,” Bang Chan said, his voice filled with warmth. “You did so well.”

You nod slightly, feeling a bit of prideness for making it this far. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” you admitted.

“Now, how about we watch a movie or do something fun to take your mind off things?” Bang Chan suggested while looking down at you, planting soft kisses on your head every now and then.

You smiled subtly, feeling grateful for Bang Chan’s unwavering support. “That sounds perfect,” you reply, snuggling closer to him as much as possible. Probably becoming impossible now. “Thank you, Channie.”

As the both of you settled in to watch a movie, you felt a deep sense of comfort and safety. With Bang Chan by your side, you knew you could face any storm, both literal and metaphorical. Because, you had the most kindest and protective boyfriend. He has been comforting and reassuring you ever since you told him your had these two phobias.

Time to relax, my love, rest♡

Fic made by @darlingminjin

Dividers by @saradika

Taglist: @juiceedapplee, @denzellovehazelnuts, @gojoslittybunny, @divinghell, @mazettns, @mailmango

[scatterpatter]

Best of luck my friens 🫡

[final-bae-stination]

Thunder And The Rain (Ian McKinley)

Prompt: The reader is scared of the thunder and Ian tries to calm them down during a particularly heavy storm.

Author's Note: This does kind of go WAY out of the "Final Destination" universe, because I like to think, even though it was proven different, they could've beat Death at the end, and Wendy, Kevin, Julie, and Ian survived, so...we're going with that.

Third Person POV Ian hated life, or what passed for it. Somehow, Wendy did it. She beat Death, and in three years, nothing's happened to him, Wendy, Julie, or Kevin. Sure, they were all still extremely paranoid, but who wasn't anymore, after the shit they'd lived through, but barely? The truth was, he missed Erin, but Y/N took care of that.

After he left Build It after Erin's death, he'd been struggling for a job. Nothing seemed interesting. And then, surprisingly, he found one: the pound. He liked animals more than people, that was a fact. Sure, he tolerated Wendy and the others, but it wasn't a necessary kind of like. And, of course, he still hated Wendy for killing Erin (though he was sure that part was fading a little--he literally went shopping with her two weeks ago). He liked to work at the pound, which doubled as an animal rescue and vet clinic. And then he met you.

You were there, just starting a week after him, and he saw immediately that you were drawn to (favorite animal). He could see it: they were cute. Hard to resist. Made sense. What didn't make sense was you talking. To him. A lot. Alone, too. Like, okay, he knew he looked weird, all Gothic and whatnot, and that he was...weird, sure. But you didn't seem to notice that. You talked to him like a normal person, and try as he might not to, he liked that. You didn't treat him differently because he was different.

It was very, very slow, but you both started catching feelings, he'd asked you out, and one thing led to here: you, on your sofa in you and Ian's apartment, watching TV. You and Ian had gotten together four months ago, and he'd finally opened up, telling you everything, from his past to Erin, and things in between, the trauma dumping: the roller coaster accident, the near death experiences, losing Erin, watching the others die, the whole Death thing. You never once doubted he was serious or anything but crazy, because he had a look on his face, talking about it, that wasn't fake.

Now, you've not told him a lot, either, particularly your fear of storms, especially thunder. You felt it was childish, even though there were a million adults with the same fear. It's just...Ian seemed so fearless after everything, and you wanted to be that way for him, so you never told him your fears (you did admit spiders and snakes scared you, though).

As you're watching TV (Ian was at work), you heard the rain, and then the ominous rumble. You tensed, hand on the remote. Another boom, slow and heavy. Shit, you thought. Please not now, Ian's almost home! But the storm, obviously, did not listen, increasing the peals of thunder until you were shivering under your blanket, trying to turn the TV up to block it out. But then the lights flickered, and went out. You gasped, feeling panic clawing its way up your throat, through your veins. Is this how he felt? You ask yourself randomly. Is this what Ian felt, wondering when he'd die, and what from, and how? You shook your head. In the dark, that wasn't helping. Something slammed, and you jumped, heart pounding. You wanted to call out but were too scared. You flinched as thunder roared, lightning shooting across the sky.

"Babe?" A voice calls, and oh, you wanted to start bawling in relief. He finds you on the couch, under your blanket, shaking. "Shit, babe, what's wrong?!" He throws his coat, not even glancing at where it lands, and rushes over, kneeling at your side on the floor. "Babe. Hey." He says, his fingers under your chin as you hide. "Baby, what's wrong?" "It's nothing." You try to say, but he's not having it. Before he can speak, thunder booms, and you squeal, throwing yourself in his arms. He barely catches you, letting out a soft "oof" as he holds you in his lap, feeling you shake. "Baby...is it the thunder?" He asks, and your silence confirms it. "Oh, babe." He breathes, rubbing your back with one hand, the other in your hair.

"I know, it's dumb," You whisper into his red shirt. "No, no, it's not dumb, baby." He says soothingly. "There's a fuck ton of people that're scared, too." He tries to assure. You shake your head, "I feel like a child." You whine. He chuckles, "Well, that's why I'm here. 'Cuz I can protect you, right?" A pause. "Right. I love you, Ian." His breath catches. That was the first time you'd said that. "I love you, Y/N." He whispers. "Why don't we go to bed, yeah? I can throw on a movie or something on my computer." "I'd like that," You blush, and he carries you to the room, setting you on the bed. You pick out The Avengers, and you both curl up to watch it. Here and there, one of the peals of thunder makes you flinch, but with Ian beside you, it's really not that bad.