Your POV
The thunder rumbles deeply once again, and the sharp crack of lightning seems to pierce my chest, illuminating our bedroom for only a split second before I am once again enveloped in darkness. Rain slashes aggressively against the windows. The storm is relentless.
It's childish, but I have been scared of storms since I was little. Something about the unpredictability of the elements absolutely terrifies me, which is why I'm laying flat on my back in bed, stiff as a board, eyes wide open, trying to control my shaking breath. When the next loud round of lightning takes over, I actually whimper and jump out of the bed.
Next to me, Timothèe is dead asleep, his hands tucked under his face and his soft breaths gently leaving his parted lips.
How can he sleep through this?
I'm actually starting to panic now. I'm getting that ever-familiar feeling of being swallowed in the storm. It sounds irrational, but it's a true phobia of mine. I rush out of the bedroom and down the stairs, pacing the kitchen for a moment and trying to block out the sound of heavy rain beating down on the apartment.
I run my hands through my hair, trying to focus on my breath. The thunder seems to deep into my body, shaking everything around me.
"Y/N?"
Timothèe is standing in the kitchen doorway, groggily rubbing his eyes and leaning against it. Through the dark, I can see his messy curls frame his head.
I don't answer him, I just stop my pacing and stand there. Lightning strikes again and to my horror, tears well in my eyes.
He sees my expression, and his look of exhaustion is replaced with concern. He instantly walks over to me and places his hands on my shoulders.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asks gently.
Another loud roll of thunder shakes the room, and tears start streaming down my cheeks as I press myself against his chest. He doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around me.
"Y/n? What is it? Is it the storm?" he asks.
No use in trying to hide it now. I shamefully nod against his chest.
He squeezes his arms a little tighter around me.
"Don't worry. It's just the rain," he whispers softly.
"I-I know. I know it's stupid. That's why I never told you... I've been terrified of it since I was young," I admit shakily, still pressed against his chest. I can't control my own weeping now.
"Shhh. It's okay. Come on, let's go back to bed," he tells me.
He only unwraps one arm from around me, and leaves the other around my side, holding me close to him as we walk back up the stairs, down the hallway, and crawl back into bed. The covers are still warm.
"Come here," he says, reaching one arm out and pulling me against him. My head rests against his chest, and I curl my legs next to his torso.
"Focus on my voice," he says softly. I can feel his chin gently touch the top of my head when he speaks. I just nod.
"I love you. Can you hear my heart?" he asks. I listen for a moment. I actually can hear his heart - I can almost feel it.
I nod again.
"Try to match your heart rate to mine. Slow down your breathing," he tells me. "In through your nose, out through your mouth. Slow," he says. His voice sounds so heavenly as he speaks softly and close to my ear.
I listen to him, to his heartbeat, and try to slow my breathing. Slowly, like he tells me to.
"I love being close to you," he whispers, softer than ever.
This makes me grin only slightly through my fear, which is ebbing away by the second. His arm is heavy wrapped around me, and I can feel his heat radiating onto me. He leans down slightly and places his slightly parted lips to my forehead, kissing me gently. This only makes me feel safer.
I'm starting to block out the rain, relishing the feeling of being wrapped so closely against someone I love so much.
Thunder rumbles through the house again, but this time it doesn't scare me as much.
"You're safe right here, with me," he assured me after the loud thunder stops.
I believe him, and soon I am slowly drifting off to sleep, laying against him.
hey. I write this while it's raining outside. I wish there was some way I could thank you all for reading.
I haven't been feeling physically great lately because I am battling anorexia, and honestly it's getting really, really tough. I feel dizzy and nauseous all the time and I have constant headaches. I can't think straight or cognate anymore. it's like my brain is moving 80% slower. I'm only telling you this because... idk?? it's stressing me out and I guess I overshare in literally every a/n I write. I'm going through to delete half of the things that I've said in bold below my writing.