It had been a month – Kiku was starting to learn his way around Yao's home, learn to deal with the elder's morning and evening routines… and rather erratic schedules during the day. It was late afternoon, and he was practicing his calligraphy when he saw his brother walk to the back door, sliding it open.
"A storm is coming."
Kiku looked out at the sky. It was completely clear. He knotted his brow in confusion.
"What do you mean, 王哥? It looks very sunny outside to me."
Yao looked back at the boy with a smile, and beckoned him over. Kiku carefully placed his brush down and made his way over to where his brother was standing.
"Can you feel the moisture hanging in the air? And the wind? It is blowing in from the east, from the sea."
Kiku nodded. It was a very humid day, and he had taken two baths already – just to cleanse himself of the sticky air that made his silk clothes cling to his skin. He looked up as Yao shut the door.
"Be sure to close you window tightly, alright? We don't want any rain coming in."
It was terribly loud. And though Kiku had previously experienced storms, he had yet to experience a storm in Yao's home. The creak of the house seemed to echo through the halls and into his room, threatening to collapse and swallow him up. The battering of the rain on the window seemed like the storm seething in anger, clawing his way toward Kiku. The lightening blinded him, and he almost felt like the storm wanted to sear its way into Kiku's room, a thunderous roar echoing at its disappointment when it was still trapped outside.
Kiku shivered under his blankets, biting his lip and hugging the sheets close to his body in an attempt to convince himself that nothing was going to hurt him, it was just a storm. He had experienced storms before. But it was true that he hid from them in fear. And this time, he had no safe, small enclave to hide in. He peeked out of his blankets. Maybe he did have a place to hide. He slipped out of his bed. The lightening flashed again and the thunder rolled in shortly after, causing Kiku to let out a quick shriek before running.
Yao woke up to a very unnatural sound. A child's scream. Kiku? He quickly got out of bed, lit a candle and head down the hall to check on Kiku. The boy's room seemed empty.
"Kiku?" Yao called out. No response.
"Kiku! Where are you?" Yao placed the candle on Kiku's small desk, looking around the room and under the bed, but finding nothing. Lightening flashed again, and at the sound of the roaring thunder, he heard a slight whimper from the closet. Sliding the closet doors open, he saw Kiku curled up on the floor.
"Kiku…" His little brother looked up with a terrified face, biting his lip to hold back tears.
"You didn't tell me that you were afraid of storms…"
Kiku knew that. He purposely didn't – he wanted Yao to think that he was strong and capable, lest he find Kiku weak and useless and want to kick him out.
"I'm – I'm sorry. I'll go back to b-bed…"
Yao bent down, straightening Kiku's messy hair with his hand.
"No, why don't you spend the night with me? I don't want you to lose so much sleep, it's not healthy."
"It's okay, 王哥 – I can sleep on my own."
Yao gave the boy a weary look before nodding and getting up. He retrieved the candle before heading toward the door. He felt something tug on his robes. Kiku clenched at his brother's clothing, not willing to spend the terrifying stormy night alone, regardless of what he had said. Yao shook his head in amusement, and quietly ushered Kiku towards Yao's own room, and tucked the boy in before slipping into the blankets himself. Kiku shyly held onto Yao's hand under the blankets and Yao smiled, holding it tighter before they both fell into a comfortable sleep.