For Prumano Week 2019: Day 2 - Storm
The wind howled, disturbing Gilbert from his sleep as the old house groaned. Disoriented, he swatted around for his glasses on the nightstand, but accidentally slapped them to the floor in his haste.
Lovino stirred beside him, mumbling something that sounded vaguely Italian.
Gilbert first rolled over to kiss his cheek, then shuffled from the comforting warmth of the sheets to the floor so he could find his glasses.
By the time he'd found them, Lovino was sitting up in bed too, watching Gilbert in somewhat sleepy amusement.
"You okay?" he asked softly, voice rough from sleep. "Want to go downstairs together?"
Gilbert fidgeted, glancing at where the rain beat against the window. A flash of lightning lit up the room and Gilbert didn't have to convey to Lovino that yes. Yes, he really, really wanted to.
Lovino held his hand as they thumped down the stairs and Gilbert squeezed it tightly as the thunder began to rumble.
It wasn't so much that Gilbert was afraid of storms, though thunderstorms did make him squirmy, but the noises were loud and unpredictable, and sometimes he did get overstimulated, especially during thunderstorms, especially because he had only recently moved into Lovino's place and it was all new again. He didn't know the house, he didn't know the sounds, he didn't know.
They stood in the middle of the living room, where the storm felt a little more distant, until Gilbert began to jitter, so Lovino sat him down on the couch and knelt in front of him, holding both of his hands.
He smiled gently and asked, "What do you need?" Perhaps a little bluntly, but Lovino wasn't a person to beat around the bush with matters he deemed important.
Gilbert wasn't sure. He wasn't feeling any panic just yet, but he wasn't really feeling anything except for feeling a little off. What he did know was that he wasn't going to be able to sleep anytime soon.
"Would coffee help?" Lovino thought for a moment. "No, maybe tea or chocolate milk would be better actually."
Gilbert clenched Lovino's fingers when Lovino began to pull away. Remembering what his parents used to do when he was experiencing some form of sensory overload, he said, "Ah, um. Maybe, just, um, we could make a blanket fort?"
Shutting out the world sounded really nice right now if he was being honest.
Lovino smiled, pressing a quick kiss to Gilbert's nose, and continued to hold Gilbert's hands until he had collected himself a little. When he had, they stumbled upstairs again, finding and pulling spare linens and blankets and pillows from various closets.
Gilbert bundled up their bedsheets and hurried back downstairs as more lightning flashed. Lovino, who was already reorganizing the living room, wheezed when Gilbert barrelled into him and was squeezed into a firm hug from behind.
Rubbing Gilbert's arm soothingly, Lovino huffed a quiet laugh and turned his head to press a small kiss against Gilbert's hair.
The thunder grew closer, so they set to work. Sheets and blankets were fastened from the old chandelier and draped across other lamps and coffee tables. Lovino had produced fairy lights from somewhere and fastened them on the inside while Gilbert began to organize the inside. He was focusing on arranging the pillows when Lovino knelt down to give him another kiss and to mutter that he was going to the kitchen to make something warm for them to drink.
By the time Gilbert had curled himself up into a fuzzy blanket, 3DS in hand, Lovino returned with warm milk and honey, setting the mugs carefully on a coffee table.
"We're out of chocolate," he sniffed disdainfully as he began to close the drapes.
Gilbert didn't care one way or another now that he was comfortably shut away from the world. Cuddling with Lovino right now was far more pressing than chocolate after all, so he wiggled until he could open up his blanket burrito and Lovino lied down next to him with a small snort.
Lovino pulled their sheets over them while Gilbert attached himself to Lovino's chest. He petted Gilbert's hair shortly, shifting until he had found a somewhat comfortable position to recline in, picking up one of the books Gilbert had thrown inside for him.
After letting Lovino's heartbeat soothe him for a little while longer, surrounded by soft blankets and a peaceful warmth, Gilbert sat up to sip his milk.
"Better?" Lovino asked as Gilbert leaned against his shoulder.
Gilbert kissed Lovino's cheek, then nuzzled closer still. "Much. Thank you."
Lovino chuckled as Gilbert continued to peck kisses against his cheek, turning his head so he could catch some on his mouth too. "I'm glad. I love you."
"Love you too," Gilbert chirped and gave Lovino one lasting kiss before picking up his 3DS again to last out the night in his little corner of peace.
Originally posted on the 20th of August 2019 on AO3.