Ship: Joe/Andy
Words: 461

The first bolt of thunder cracks through the darkened sky and that's what kind of starts it.

I've always been terrified of thunder and lightning and storms and it's probably the loud sounds, the way it comes when I don't expect it. I've always hated that and this is no exception.

So the moment my eyes pop open, I begin breathing really fast.

I'm gonna die. It's gonna hit the house and we're all gonna die. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.

"A-Andy," I whisper, shaking violently.

Boom!

"ANDY!"

It comes out as a scream and there are tears falling down my cheeks and I'm too terrified to move and I'm gonna get hit. I'm gonna die.

"What?" Andy groans beside me, but as soon as he sees the look of pure terror in my eyes he immediately wakes up more, "Joe, are you okay?"

"I-It's gonna hurt me, Andy, I-I'm gonna die, we're gonna die, I can't, I." I'm hyperventilating and I can't catch my breath.

Boom!

"Andy, Andy, I can't, can't, please, I—"

"Hey, hey, shh," Andy pulls me against his chest, his tattoos dark against my pale skin and his heart beating slow in my ear. Mine is racing.

"N-no, Andy, please," I sob.

Crack!

"Oh my god!" I yelp.

"Joe, listen to me." He demands, hold my face in his hands and forcing me to look up at him with tears in my eyes, "It's not gonna hurt you, here, c'mere."

"It's gonna... please..." I whisper.

"No, shh," he pulls me up from the bed and presses me against the window frame so we can see the rain pouring from the sky.

"Andy, Andy, I can't."

"Yes, you can," Andy whispers, then points out, "Just watch."

I'm shaking horribly in front of him and I jump when I see a bolt of lighting in the distance. As soon as it hits, Andy begins counting in my ear.

"One, two, three, four, five, six..." he continued and I feel myself relax a little in his arms until the sound reaches my ears.

"Thirty seven seconds, do you know what that means, Joe?" He asks quietly.

"N-No."

"It's thirty seven miles out. It's not gonna hurt you, okay? You gotta trust me. Now count with me on this next one."

I bite my lip and take the boy's hand in mine as another bolt of lightning hits the ground.

"One, two, three, four..." we found

Crack!

"Thirty eight seconds." I whisper.

"It's getting farther away, see? We're okay, nobody's gonna die."

I smile slight and turn to look at him with a fond smile.

"Thank you..."

He kisses me with a small smile.

"Mhmm, I love you, Babe."

"Love you, too."