Phobia

I own nothing. Try to guess what each type of phobia means! Dare you to WITHOUT looking them up BEFORE reading!

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Chapter 1: Phonophobia

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Lightning split the sky as thunder boomed throughout the Palace, eliciting a whimper of terror from one of the denizens. The trembling figure snuggled deeper into their blanket, attempting to cover their head in the cloth.

A second clap had them leaping out of the blanket and racing toward their door.

A third had them frozen, fear paralyzing the figure in the middle of the hallway. The master's breath hitched in their throat as they gazed down the hall to their left, the seemingly infinite distance before the pathway that lead to Master Shifu's room looming forebodingly before them. Glancing to the right, the darkness stretched even farther, but before them sat the doorway to salvation.

Behind that door was a home. Behind that door was a refuge. Behind that door the master would be safe, warm, loved, and wrapped in a blessed silence.

But to get to that door, the Kung Fu warrior had to brave the horrors of the loud, pounding thunder.

The warrior was stuck, frozen by fear, paralyzed, and melted to the spot.

Thunder struck not two miles from the Palace.

The warrior darted through one of the many paper frames in the door, silently promising to fix it after the storm ended, and found that they were curled up on their refuge's generous belly, face buried in the black and white's neck, trembling as a large hand rested upon the master's spine, gliding effortlessly down their body, once, twice, three times, until they stopped shivering.

"Why is there a hole in my door?" murmured the panda, meeting his lover's gaze.

A soft, embarrassed smile graced the warrior's face as they replied, "I don't like thunder."

Po nodded in understanding. He could fix it in the morning.

Returning his attention to the frightened being who rested on his stomach, Po smiled reassuringly and pulled his blanket up to cover them both. Cupping his love's face in his warm paw, he cradled their head against his chest, keeping out the loud booms of the storm that raged outside and whispered as he closed his eyes, "Swear to Buddha, next time, you're sleeping in my room, Viper."

The reptile didn't hear him, though, as she had already drifted off to sleep, comforted by the presence of her large, warm boyfriend.