Pairing/Characters: Keonhee x Gender Neutral Reader
Warnings: mentions of insomnia, possible grammar errors
Note: yeah, writing this while I'm already writing a long story is not the best thing to do, I know, I know. But since autumn has come and some heavy thunderstorms have happened in my country, I had this story forming into my mind for a while and now I need to let it out before it just becomes just a blurred image. One day I'll stop writing almost exclusively with Keonhee I swear.
I don't have any idea if the story makes sense at the end 😅 It's just the development of an image I had in mind instead of an actual plot developing consistently but I hope you'll enjoy it regardless.
I don't know if I should mention here or in the warnings section but this story is kind of based on my personal experience with dealing with insomnia. Also, I wrote this story while listening to Macroblank's catalogue. Very calm and inspiring music, not gonna lie.
Another lightning flashing the room. The thunder came in a second. The windows were trembling at the loud sound: your house was in the middle of the thunderstorm now. The rain was hitting the window violently, the wind was like shouting through it. The little raindrops weren't doing their little race through the glass like they usually do. They were just slammed through the glass by the wind, waiting to be hitted by another raindrop before making a little river ready to flow.
Another flash, another thunder.
You adjusted the blanket on your shoulders and hugged the huge Miffy plushie you brought with you. You hid his face on the plushie's head.
"Don't look at the window, stay on the couch and it will go away. It's just rain."
Another thunder made you wince. You pressed your face on the plushie, your eyes being a little misty.
"You're not a kid anymore. It's just rain, it will go away. Just close your eyes. What was the lullaby mum sang to me?"
Another thunder. You put your hand on your mouth and pressed it on your lips. No screams. You weren't alone.
In the bedroom, sleeping peacefully like a baby, there was Keonhee. You didn't want to wake him up that night. Not tonight, not once again, for the umpteenth time. Keonhee was aware of your fear of thunderstorms, he always made sure to stay with you every time a weather forecast reported a thunderstorm approaching. Whether it was by taking days off from work or coming early at home, Keonhee has always been there with you with thunderstorms. But when the thunderstorm happens at night, like right now, the situation becomes harder for both of you.
Thunderstorms have been your major source of nightmares since you were little. They always made you kick and talk on your sleep because of it. You even ended up waking up Keonhee one night by screaming in the sleep. You still remember that night: his tired and worried eyes, tears going down your cheeks, a lot of "sorry" mumbled at him, your wincing body, his arms around you and the flashes followed by thunders. Since then, Keonhee stopped to sleep if a thunderstorm happened at night. He spent whole hours by staying close to you, filling you with little kisses and hugs until the rain stopped.
«It's not the rain who scares me. It's the thunderstorm.»
This is what you said to him a lot of times already, hoping for Keonhee finally leaving you alone and going back to sleep. But Keonhee didn't care, he stayed awake with you. It was sweet at first, you were feeling understood for once. But it didn't last that much. Keonhee's eyebags became more prominent as days went by and they became the sign of a burden. You worried about him and his health. Every time he looked more tired than usual, you immediately ran at him, ready to help in any way.
«You don't need to rush, I'm ok. You're more important.»
This is what he told you all the time.
You squeezed the Miffy plushie.
"I'm sorry if I didn't wake you up this time. You need to rest tonight. I'll manage this fear alone. Forgive me, Keonhee"
Another flash, another thunder. This time it didn't come immediately. It was a good sign. Everything would have ended soon. The raindrops were still hitting the window, the wind was blowing weaker than before. You buried your face on the plushie and closed your eyes. Your ears focused on the rain. That repetitive, crispy, sound. It would have been your comfort if only you hadn't this fear. You crawled better on the couch, your knees coming closer to your chest. You would have fallen asleep if an arm didn't touch yours. You turned at the arm's direction. There was a shadow sitting next to you. You wished the room wasn't dark like it was in that moment, but you know who was with you. After all, there were only two people in the house.
Another flash, another thunder.
This time, you jumped on the couch, a scream coming from your mouth. Your head hiding on your hands, the veins on your forehead pulsing, the Miffy plushie disappeared from your lap, you barely heard the sound of it falling on the flour. Your body trembled, your eyes closed, trying to stop new tears coming. The shadow's hand reached your shoulder, the fingers touching it. You winced, making the shadow retracting his hand.
«Keonhee, please, go back to bed.» You weeped.
«I can do this on my own. Just go to bed, you should sleep...»
The boy stared at you. You crawled on the bed, looking smaller than usual now. You wrapped the blanket on your body, trying to shield yourself from him. Keonhee didn't leave. He put his legs and feet on the couch and came close to you.
«Keonhee...» You whined.
The boy tried to wrap his arms around you but you laid on the couch, your arms crossed on your chest and holding the blanket.
"Just leave...please."
But Keonhee didn't leave. He would have never left. He reached you and put one of his arms on your back. You felt his chest slowly coming and laying at you, his face coming closer. You closed your eyes. The last thing you saw was one of Keonhee's arms desperately catching the air, as if he was searching for something on the floor. Your ears weren't hearing anything, except for the rain's sound.
No flashes, no thunderstorms.
It was still raining a little violently, it wasn't the calm, crispy rain you would have loved to hear. But your breathing was already slowing down because of it. Something soft and nappy touched your hands: the Miffy plushie. You hugged it and kept it on your chest. Keonhee's arms wrapped around your waist. His body close to yours, his chin resting on your shoulder: no matter what he wouldn't have left.
«Did Miffy protect you tonight?» He whispered.
You nodded, keeping your eyes shut.
«I did the right choice by gifting her to you, then.»
You felt Keonhee's palms on your pajama's fabric, his fingers playing with it a little.
«Keonhee...» you mumbled.
The tall boy looked at your face. Your eyes were still closed.
«Please, go back to bed. I can stay here alone, just go to sleep.»
Keonhee's face came close to you. His warm breath was touching your skin, his arms were now wrapped tight around your waist, you could have felt his chest moving up and down for his breathing. You opened your eyes: they would have taken some time before getting used to the few lights coming from the streets. You focused on Keonhee's eyes, trying to find some tiredness on them.
«Not this time.» He whispered. His lips gently met yours, making you wince.
"What does that mean? What are you trying to tell me?"
«I want to stay.» You shook your head.
«You don't need to. I made it, see? There is no thunder now. Just the rain.»
«But you'll not go to sleep quickly, am I right?»
You held the plushie with you. Keonhee's question was aiming at another weak spot on you: the thunderstorm's rain. Its violence, its speed, it wasn't something you liked. You weren't scared by it as much as thunderstorms but it was another fear of yours.
«Yeah, and? I still want to stay here. And you should go back to sleep, you have work tomorrow. Please, Keonhee, don't let me beg.»
Silence came in the room. Keonhee was still over you on that couch. You heard his legs moving on it, kicking one of the pillows off, as a way to stay more comfortable. You sighed.
"You really want to stay, uh?"
Keonhee kissed your cheek, making you turn at him. It seemed he was smiling or at least doodling a smile. If only the lights on the street weren't that weak.
«It's my reward. You've been brave, Y/N.» He said while chuckling. That little, deep laugh that always brightens your nights. You missed it. You felt his chin on your shoulder again.
«You still didn't leave...»
«I'll not leave. I'll stay with you and I'll make the rain comfortable.»
Another kiss on your cheek. More movements from him on the couch. You let him do what he wanted. In a matter of minutes, he was spooning you. You felt his chest on your back, one of his legs over yours, his hands over yours, his fingers touching the Miffy plushie, his chin still on your shoulder, his lips giving you kisses on your face from time to time.
«Keonhee, take my blanket. You might get cold if you stay like this.» You mumbled. His deep laugh reasoned in your ears.
«I don't need that.»
A nerve twitched in your head. You freed yourself from his arms and turned at him. You opened your arms and hugged his waist. Keonhee was now covered by your blanket. The Miffy plushie was between your chests. The tall boy laughed again.
«You provided, I see.»
«You refused to go to bed, you refused to bring a blanket with you, you're still here. You forced me to do this.»
Keonhee kept laughing and hugged you. He adjusted his legs once again, making sure to be comfortable on the couch. He caressed your head, messing with your hair a little.
«Have you noticed that you're not thinking about the rain anymore?»
«Only because you're messing with me and not listening.»
Keonhee laughed again and kissed your head.
«If you think so, I can't stop it.»
You didn't respond. You let Keonhee's hands go back and forth your back, adjusting the blanket a little while doing so. You laid your head on the Miffy plushie, one of your ears close to Keonhee's chest. Hearing his heart mixed with the rain's sound was comforting. Was that the comfort Keonhee mentioned earlier? Who knows. The only thing you noticed was that you were relaxing.
Your eyes became heavy to the point you closed them. Keonhee's arms moved on your back for a while before holding your waist once again. More kisses reached your head and forehead.
The rain was still there. The raindrops were still hitting the window. Nothing changed. But it was different. There was comfort now. The comfort the rain never gave you during thunderstorms. The comfort you always searched since you were little.
