On a silent night, the Doctor worked at his office, pulling an all-nighter when the deafening noise of thunder roared across the sky. The Doctor stared up at the ceiling and then at the clock ticking by. He put his pen down and stood up to stretch.

"I deserve a moment of respite for all this work I'm doing..."

The opposition to taking a break, but also yearning for one, became a predicament. When his eyes settled on the bookshelf, he couldn't help but gravitate toward the various books waiting for him to open and enjoy. As soon as he chose his book of choice, he sat down on the sofa and took a second to skim through the blurb.

The Doctor inhaled sharply when he heard another thunderous crack sizzle across the sky. It shocked him from how aggressively the sound quaked through his office. With a sigh, he flipped to the opening page, trying his best to immerse himself in the world he dove into. Just as he was about to drift into the fantastical setting, the sound of his door sliding open and tiny footsteps echoed through his office.

The Doctor slowly lowered his book and fixed his vision on Suzuran standing by the entrance with a blanket in her arms. It was easy to identify the Vulpo with her nine tails, despite the dim lighting.

"S-Suzuran?" The Doctor asked.

Another muted thunder hissed above them, prompting Suzuran to flinch at the sound.

"Is it the thunder?"

Suzuran nodded her head cautiously, frozen with fear from the menacing growls of nature. Suzuran's ears curved downward. Her fright was on full display from the way she shivered with trepidation.

"What about the others? Were they asleep?"

"I... I didn't want to bother you since you do a lot of work, but you're the one I trusted the most, so I made my way over here first." Suzuran paused before she asked the pressing question on her mind. "Am I being a bother to you?"

"No, no! Not at all..." The Doctor glanced over at the empty spot next to him and patted the cushion, inviting her to sit. "Come here if you're feeling afraid."

"Okay…"

Suzuran shuffled her way over to his location. Unfortunately, the blanket she carried was much too big for it to fit into her arms. A corner of it dragged across the floor, sweeping an indiscernible amount of dust along for a ride with her.

The Doctor didn't waste any time to stand up and help lift the corner for her. Suzuran noticed his movement and looked up at him, her head tilted in confusion.

"Your blanket was drawing a line on the floor and collecting dust."

"Oh, thank you for your consideration, Doctor!" Suzuran said with a smile.

Together, the two of them made their way over to the sofa. The Doctor situated the safety and care of Suzuran before himself. With careful motions, Suzuran positioned herself where the Doctor had beckoned for her to sit. Once the Doctor deemed Suzuran was comfortable, he piled the blanket on top of her, eliciting a giggle from her.

The Doctor joined her in laughter as he sat back down to pick up the book again. The blanket in a mass of disorder took a more coherent shape as Suzuran wrapped it around herself properly.

The Doctor noticed it and lent a hand to cover her shoulders more permanently, so she didn't have to struggle with gravity bringing the blanket down to her lap. Another comment of thanks spilled out from Suzuran, prompting the Doctor to devote a head pat to her.

At that moment, a strike of thunder rumbled above them, influencing both of them to jump in fright. When they made eye contact, a nervous laugh escaped Suzuran.

"T-That was loud… Right, Doctor?"

The forced smile on Suzuran expressed her battle to stay courageous through the thunderstorm, but it was indisputable to tell she was terrified.

"Right... I'm also not good with loud noises, but I don't think anyone is. I wonder if the other operators are having trouble sleeping."

"Does that mean everyone comes to your office if they're scared?"

"Well... If they do, I guess I have no choice but to comfort them, seeing how they trust me."

"But who will comfort you?"

The Doctor didn't respond to her question right away, contemplating her question with extensive introspection. Many operators depended on him, but there wasn't anyone he depended on. More like they gave him an option to rely on them if necessary. Some operators nagged him to depend on them, but that was beside the point.

"I don't think there's anyone, but I remember Sussurro and Honeyberry have offered to let me talk to them if there's something that troubles me. And that's only naming two of them. There's a lot more."

"Then if you get scared, I'll be the one to comfort you, Doctor."

"Y-You will?"

"Yes, Doctor! I'll be the one to do it if no one else does!" Suzuran repeated passionately.

It was difficult to take her seriously. The Doctor didn't intend to ridicule her, but it was adorable. Still, if he needed some comfort, the Doctor was going to keep his options open and include her in the list.

"Thank you, Suzuran. I'll let you know when I'm scared first."

Satisfied with his answer, Suzuran smiled and leaned over to read the contents of the book with him. The Doctor shared the book as the night continued. Several more thunderous ambushes of lightning struck a chord of panic within them. However, both found comfort with one another because of their mutual fear.

Unfortunately, the peace between the two of them didn't last. The door to his office shifted open, revealing Shamare and Popukar standing there with their blankets. It was clear to see them each bringing a portion of their phobia of thunderstorms over to him. Although, it seemed like Popukar dragged Shamare out with her.

The Doctor waved them over to where he sat and tended to them. The Doctor's aid in wrapping Shamare and Popukar in their blankets was appreciated as they snuggled closer to him. The Doctor continued to read his book with them until he found the three of them nodding their heads.

Suzuran leaned against him with her head resting on his stomach, while Shamare and Popukar mirrored her on the other side. Unsure what to do, the Doctor put his book down and looked around his office for several minutes. It didn't take long before he heard the door to his office open once again.

This time, he didn't know who it was, but it turned out to be Sussurro. She had gone to check on the kids, only to find them all missing from their bedrooms.

A soft smile crossed Sussurro's face as she watched the three of them sound asleep next to the Doctor. "They look like they're happy next to you, Doctor."

"Yes, I suppose so… Could you help me get them to their rooms? I still have some work left over from yesterday that needs to be finished."

"Doctor…" Sussurro started, a look of compassion on her features. It didn't stick around for long when a stern expression overtook her benevolent one. "You should be sleeping right now."

"W-Where are you going with this?"

"Doctor, look how content they seem to be with you. Despite the thunderstorm rolling by, I think it's safe to say they can sleep here. You also require a good night's sleep. It's how you'll function better tomorrow. Good night, Doctor. I'll see you tomorrow."

The Doctor reached out with his hand in a vain attempt to stop her. "No, Sussurro!" He cried out in a hushed tone.

The door closed, leaving him with the three sleeping children. Unable to do anything or move to his desk to continue work, the Doctor sighed and relinquished his will to fight the inevitable. He took one more glance around himself before situating himself more comfortably. Perhaps he deserved the rest more than he thought. And this time, there was no dilemma he had to struggle with. Just to pick the choice to rest. And so he did.

Author's Note: I remember when I was little, I would get scared of thunderstorms. The big booms and cracks were the fuel for nightmares. However, the thing is I still get frightened by them to this day! And for future readers, yes, I will always be scared of them XD

With love from your favorite writer, Out4Lunch!