Chapter Text
If there was one thing Haechan hated most, it was big thunderstorms. Ever since his childhood he had an adversion to bad weather. He grew out of it eventually, but the one thing that stuck was bad thunder storms. A little rumble here and there didn't bother him too much, but when it got louder, windier, and darker it was a different story. Lightening scared him general. It was unpredictable and potentially dangerous. He understood the science behind it and the very low odds of being struck, but it still freaked him out.
Unfortunately, whatever god or entity in charge that evening, decided to make Haechan's day a bit more stressful than necessary. He noticed the rain tapping against the window as he finished up eating at his desk. It was nothing major, so he barely gave it a second thought. Slowly but surely, the anxious side of him started talking over his rational side.
He couldn't help but think about how humid it was that day, which quickly reminded him that thunder is very common on hot humid days. Thunder cannot exist without its buddy lightening, either. Haechan pursed his lips and stood to take his dishes to the sink. Doyoung was digging around the fridge and Taeyong was inspecting his fish tank when he rounded the corner to the main part of the apartment.
"Is there gonna be a storm today?" Haechan asked casually, the dishes clanking into the sink.
"I don't know. I mean, probably." Doyoung shrugged. "If there is one I bet I'll sleep through it. I'm exhausted."
Haechan wished he could sleep through storms.
"It's raining now. I just don't like storms." He said, leaning against the counter.
"I know, but it's okay. Find something to distract yourself if it gets bad. Or, get me. You know I don't mind hanging out with you through storms." Doyoung offered kindly.
"Okay, thanks hyung."
Haechan wandered to the living room and dropped down on the couch, scrolling through his phone. Was he anxiously searching for the weather report?
Maybe...
All he wanted was to be prepared and know what to expect. It was the worst when out of no where the room flashes white and is followed by a cracking bang. His childhood was spent hiding under beds, tables, in cabinets and the bath tub whenever there was a thunder storm. Sometimes he fell asleep in those places and his parents lovingly took pictures.
Haechan chewed on his thumb as he looked at a colorful weather radar of the area they lived in. There was a 100% chance of rain from 7pm to 4am and a severe storm watch alert. He scanned the report and read that it would be accompanied by strong winds.
His ears perked up at the far too familiar sound of distant rumbling. He rubbed his face with frustration and moved to sit on the floor in a Haechan sized space between the side of the couch and a shelf. He hadn't really been thinking when he made that decision. It was almost as if his body floated over there all on its own. He felt safer in the nook and looked up at the stuff around him. It made him feel smaller, yet secure. It was like the furniture was the walls of a castle, protecting him inside.
Taeyong had finished feeding and checking on his fish, so he went to the other side of the room where Haechan was hiding and started sorting through a basket of clean laundry. Haechan wasn't sure if he noticed him or not, but decided to stay quiet. As time passed, the rain got louder and the distant rumbling grew closer. Lightening flashed outside the big windows like a quick button press of a flashlight and was followed by a moderate booming noise.
Haechan covered his ears and turned so his right side was pressed against the wall and his back faced the windows. A sinking feeling in his stomach and longing to be held warned him that he was starting to regress. He wanted to push it away, but couldn't get himself to go against the rule Doyoung made that; if you started regressing let it happen, because there's a reason for it to happen in order to help you. There were other parts to that rule regarding public situations, but that wasn't a concern at the moment.
"Taeyong, have you seen Haechan?" Johnny's voice questioned from a spot Haechan couldn't see.
"Yeah, behind me there." Taeyong said nonchalantly, signaling with his thumb over his shoulder.
So he did notice his hiding spot...
"Hm? What are you doing here?" Johnny asked after he had stepped forward and crouched in front of Haechan. He didn't get a response, just a quick glance and shrug.
"I honestly couldn't see you. I heard Mark wasn't feeling good so thought you had gone to see him or something." He continued. "You okay?"
Johnny had grown a keen eye on spotting the signs of Haechan and Taeyong being partially regressed or more. One huge indicator for both of them was suddenly going non-verbal. It didn't mean they were feeling that little. It just meant that they were kinda spacey, or figuring it out internally. Johnny observed Haechan as the makenae seemed to go deeper in his own head. He sat still, thumb nail in his mouth and his eyes down cast, not blinking.
"Yong...? How long has he been here?" Johnny asked quietly, turning around to look at the latter.
"10? 15 minutes?" Taeyong said.
"I think he's regressing." He whispered. Taeyong lifted his eyebrows and took a look at Haechan and nodded in agreement.
A crack of thunder sounded through the sky, making Haechan whimper. Johnny faced him again and inched closer, speaking softly.
"Hey, it's okay. Come here, hyuckie. I know you’re scared."
"Hate storms." Haechan whined, scooting into Johnny's arms to be held. The wind began to pick up speed, creating a constant whooshing noise around the building. Combined with the rain it sounded like a chaotic symphony.
"I know, buddy. You're safe and sound right where we are. The thunder and lightning can't hurt you." Johnny reassured, rubbing Haechan's back.
"It can! Lightening can hit people!" Haechan argued.
"Maybe if you were outside with a metal pole, then yes. But not inside. Lightening likes metal and there's lots of different metal things outside for it to hit. I think it would feel bad if it hit you."
"It's gonna come through the windows." Haechan pouted, pointing at the large windows in the living area. The rain pelted heavily against the glass.
"No, that won't happen, baby." Taeyong comforted.
Haechan whined in frustration. He was so sure it could happen and would happen! His imagination was going haywire, imagining spiky blue light stretching into the room through the windows and striking everything in its path. Lightening flashed and another bout of thunder cracked. Impeccable timing, mother nature.
"Ehhheh!" Haechan whined in distress.
He wiggled out of Johnnys hold and stumbled to the kitchen. He dropped to the floor and crawled underneath the table, his hands on his ears and eyes closed. Johnny sighed at the sight of it and looked to Taeyong for help.
"I would just leave him be, but not completely alone. He must feel safer under there." Taeyong whispered.
It made sense for him to hide there. The table was an extra thing between Haechan and the impossible lightening that was totally possible to him. Johnny sighed and nodded. He stood up and closed the shades for the windows. Now, the lightening could only be seen as a thin flash of light at the sides. A loud crack made everybody jump. The storm was definitely right by them.
"Abb- Ap-p-...hyungie!" Haechan burst into tears, sobbing loudly. Johnny bolted over to the table and crouched so he could reach him. He and Taeyong did not miss the word that almost slipped past Haechan's lips.
"I'm here, baby. It was just thunder, I've got you."
Haechan cried and cried, hardly hearing a word Johnny said over his own noise. The cracking thunder was so shocking and scary to him. It was like the sound of a branch snapping amplified by 100. He would take grumpy rumbling over sharp cracking any day!
Johnny couldn't comfortably reach Haechan and kept hitting his head on the table. So, he got down on his stomach and slithered himself under the table beside Haechan. Taeyong melted at the fatherly action and secretly captured a picture.
"Come here, hyuckie. It's okay." Johnny said quietly, rolling onto his back and tugging Haechan to his side with his arm securely around his shoulders.
"The storm will be over soon. It can't possibly last forever. Do you want to play a game while we wait?" He suggested.
"Wha' game?" Haechan questioned, teary eyed and holding the fabric of Johnny's hoodie.
"Hmmm, let's see. How about.....name as many fruits as you can for each letter of the alphabet."
Haechan wiped at his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows cutely. He had never heard of this game.
"Let's start with A." Johnny initiated.
"Apple..." Haechan mumbled.
"Perfect, perfect. Are they any others?"
Haechan thought as hard as he could to come up with a second answer, but gave up with a shake of his head. Apricots weren't a Haechan fruit.
"Okay, now B."
"Blueberry! And banana...nana. Nana is like me and Yongie. I like him." Haechan babbled, making his hyung smile.
"He is like you. Doyoung told me about that. You guys need to meet up, huh?" Johnny said. He internally awed at the smile that appeared on Haechan's face. The dreamies were so close he was surprised no one knew about Jaemin and the others until now.
"Any other B's" He asked.
"Blackberry, but there's no C fruit. Crayon starts with C, but you can't eat crayons. I heard Doyoung hyung say that to Yongie." Haechan giggled.
Across the room Taeyong tutted at his little self and chuckled. He faintly remembered biting down on a crayon when he couldn't find anything to put in his mouth. Doyoung almost had a heart attack, despite the fact that they're non-toxic.
More thunder rumbled above in the clouds, making Haechan curl up against Johnny and look to him for reassurance. They were still crammed under the table, but Johnny willingly stayed put despite the growing ache in his neck. Haechan went on to huff and puff about how much he hated storms, floating in an older headspace than before.
Taeyong continued to watch and listen from afar. He finished folding the laundry a long time ago, but sat in the same spot by the basket. Seeing Haechan interact with Johnny made Taeyong a teeny bit jealous, but he'd never admit to that. Doyoung never laid with him under the table when he was scared! Than again, Taeyong never actually hid under the table before. He preferred blankets and closets.
Without thinking he stood up and made his way to Doyoung's room like he was on auto pilot. He poked his head around the ajar door and was relieved to see he was still up. Doyoung was comfortably sat up in his bed playing animal crossing.
"Doie, what're you doin?" Taeyong asked, stepping into the room.
"Oh. Well, I was just rearranging some things on my island." He responded, slightly surprised by his visitor. Taeyong climbed up next to him and hugged his arm, looking at the switch in his hands.
"Is Cheddy gone?" He asked, as Doyoung's character picked up some items in front of an open lot.
"Yes, Chadder, is gone. He finally asked to leave." Doyoung said, emphasizing the villagers proper name.
"Yay! Bye stupid ugly mouse." Taeyong beamed. He found the cheese mouse creepy and imagined he would stink pretty bad, as he was made of cheese. The creature also made Judy sad, so he had to go!
"Get Daisy! Get Daisy!" He cheered.
"I was thinking a duck, like Molly or Ketchup." Doyoung said, his character sprinting to nooks cranny.
"Nooo.." Taeyong whined, dropping his head on Doyoung's shoulder and pouting.
"Taeyong, sweetie, this is my island. You have your own where Daisy already lives. I'm going to pick this one okay?" The elder explained calmly. Taeyong was a good boy and understood Doyoung's words.
"Mmmnnn fine." He huffed.
"Thank you for listening to me, baby. You wouldn't like it if I picked all your villagers, would you?"
"No, cause you like ugly ones." Taeyong giggled.
"I like ones with different personalities. Mr. peppy island." Doyoung teased.
Over their playful conversation they could hear the heavy rain continuing to drench the city. The claps of thunder had gotten progressively quieter and further away. Thank god for wind. Taeyong remained cuddled up next to Doyoung, slipping further into his headspace as he got sleepier. The dialog of the characters started making less sense and Taeyong found using his stomach as a drum to be much more entertaining.
Poor Johnny, stuck under the table with an ache in his neck and a sleeping Hyuckie in his arms had to wait for one of his roommates to eventually meander into the kitchen to help him out. If Haechan hadn't been asleep it would be all fine, but he was desperate to keep him asleep incase the storm got noisy again. He knew wouldn't hear the end of it when Doyoung came out for a late night snack and started laughing over his predicament.