When the night is dark and stormy
you won't have to reach out for me
I will come to you
Oh I will come to you
~ I will come to you by Hanson ~
The first roll of thunder had torn through the sky ripping peaceful slumber to shreds as Hunter had startled into fearful consciousness. The heavy grumble sent tremors of panic through his trembling form as he wrapped the heavy duvet around him cursing himself for pitiful fears.
He was a grown man of thirty seven for Heaven's sake; a simple thunderstorm should not render him terrified. All logic assured him that he was safe from pelting rain and roaring skies in the warm hotel room but as the blue flashes cracked the sky dousing him in light he couldn't prevent the frightened whimper from breaking free on quivering lips.
The shadows danced and weaved around him as he cowered awaiting the next snarl of thunder from penetrating his barricade of blankets. As the lightening splintered against the window illuminating the room, Hunter dived beneath the covers, pulling them tight around him so that the horrendous howling of the wind and rain was muffled.
He lay curled beneath the covers, his body shivering with fright as each ominous boom of thunder shook through the room, and the heavy groans sent his imagination hurtling into overdrive as the rain lashed against the window intensely. He clawed at the blankets bunching them tightly in his fists as he desperately attempted to drown all noise by plugging his ears with shaking fingers.
He was so distracted by trying to mask the noise of the storm that his bedroom door opening went undetected, drowned in pelting rain, thundering roars and whimpered muttering.
Hunter let out a scream of terror as his scrap of security was ripped from his grasp in one swift movement. He lay there, hands firmly over ears and face scrunched up against the shadows trying futilely to regain the solace he had gained for those precious seconds beneath the bedcovering.
"Hunt?"
The gentle whisper went ignored, discarded in favour of the bliss of ignorance. If he couldn't see the storm then surely it couldn't affect him.
He opened his eyes at the soft touch, glanced through darkened slits to see Shawn standing before him his hand soothingly petting the small of his back.
"It's alright it's just a storm"
"Just a storm? Just a –"choked Hunter, he let out a squeak as a crash of thunder reverberated around the room. He sought the blanket anxiously but to no avail.
"It won't hurt you" consoled Shawn, "It's just loud is all"
"I hate them" spat Hunter bitterly,
"I know" soothed Shawn,
"Why aren't you in bed?"
Shawn stared down at him, his eyes crested with compassion.
"What, stay in bed while you lay here scared half to death? Don't be stupid babes" he admonished lightly
"Who told you I was scared?" snapped Hunter defensively, "I said I hated them I never said I was –"
" Aww knock it off Hunt, you're not the Game in here. You're not friends with someone for eleven years without working some stuff out"
" Friends?" giggled Hunter raising an eyebrow
"We're not friends?" questioned Shawn feigning perplexity with a tiny smirk etched on his face.
"Sure we're friends; the world's full of friends who sleep with each other. You know the type of friends that can't kiss other people's friends? That's us"
"Aw darn it you mean I can't kiss the spirit squad? You know they had their heart set on that"
"'Fraid not Shawnie"
Shawn chuckled softly, listened keenly counting mentally as he did so. He'd tried to teach Hunter the counting trick years ago with no success.
"Five, six…" he muttered breathlessly. Just as his mouth formed seven the clap of thunder broke the silence claiming Hunter's squawk of alarm with it.
"Hey, hey Sssh" soothed Shawn clambering up onto the bed next to him; he engulfed Hunter's wavering torso and held him close, feeling the frantic pulse of his lover's heartbeat near his own chest.
"Why does it have to do that?" hissed Hunter his voice cracking
"So you can get cuddles off me?" suggested Shawn trying to divert his boyfriend's attention from the rainstorm.
Hunter rested his head against Shawn's shoulder, tightened his grip as he felt the warmth seep from his lover's form allowing himself to succumb to the security that radiated from him.
"You've always got some optimistic answer don't you?" he mumbled his mouth stretching wide with a yawn.
"Yep" replied Shawn shortly, "Why don't you go to sleep? You're so tired I can tell"
"How can I sleep with that, that thing going on outside?" snapped Hunter sighing with frustration.
"It's just a storm it'll pass"
"You say that every time" grumbled Hunter
"And every time it does" Shawn said pushing him backwards gently so that he was lying on the bed. He fumbled for the blankets he had cast to the floor upon wrenching Hunter from his hiding place when entering the room and tucked them around him.
" Where are you going?" questioned Hunter his voice trembling
"Nowhere" assured Shawn, "Scoot over"
Hunter did as bid allowing Shawn the room to climb back into bed and mold his frame around his enclosing him in the shelter of his body.
The roar of thunder had weaned to a whine although the wind and rain were still harsh enough to send chills racking through Hunter. He turned slightly to find piercing blue eyes mirrored in fear flecked amber orbs.
"I hate storms" he whispered again
"I know "repeated Shawn snuggling against him offering him the consolation of his open arms.
"I hate all the thrashing and the lightening" whimpered Hunter burying his face against Shawn's neck. The elder man stroked his hair reassuringly.
"You know I can help you with that"
Hunter looked at him; Shawn shot him a comforting smile drawing his petting to a standstill.
"How?"
"Well seems to me you're scared of the noise the storm makes right?"
Hunter nodded slowly.
"Then the most logical thing to do Hunt is make more noise than the storm" whispered Shawn suggestively as he leaned in for a kiss.
Hunter responded hungrily, and as Shawn pulled the duvet over their heads dowsing them in blackness the last thing on his mind was the storm raging outside.