prompt - phil is afraid of thunderstorms, lots of fluff

another crash of thunder that shakes the window and rattles the house. phil whimpers and curls up even further into himself. soon, the room lights up with the lightning that follows. it's bright, too bright.

it's not phil's fault. thunderstorms have just always scared him. he has memories of a young version of himself cuddled up to his grandma's dog under a table as the demanding rain pounded on the roof.

and that scene is very similar the one playing out right now. he is on the floor, wedged between the two sofas in the corner of the lounge. he has found that this is where the rain is the quietest.

he knows his fear is stupid and irrational. he's not a dog for god's sake. but it was just something about how the sky seemed so angry, so vengeful. how the rain hissed and whispered at the same time. how the lightning filled the sky, but was gone so quickly. how the thunder made the world shake. how one strike could take away so much. it made phil want to cry.

another boom, another quiet whimper followed by phil closing his eyes and trying to think happy thoughts. chocolate, cats, dan...

and that is precisely the moment when said person walks in. he looks tired, his hair is sticking up all over the place and his eyelids are drooping. "phil, what the hell are you doing?"

phil can't help but think that dan sounds like an exasperated parent.

he knows he should just tell dan what's wrong, but it's so goddamn embarrassing, what kind of grown up is scared of thunderstorms?

a pathetic one.

"nothing," phil answers before he can talk himself out of it. he knew he shouldn't lie to dan. but he's so scared that the smallest thing could make dan love him less. "i was cold."

"i have a blanket in my room," dan offers and phil is stuck between relief and horror. being with someone might make him forget about the storm inside. dan was especially good at taking phil's mind off pressing matters. on the other hand, what if it only made his fear worse? what if he did something stupid, like cry?

before phil can answer, dan is holding both his hands and pulling him up off the floor.

"come on," dan almost whines. "we haven't cuddled in so long."

phil wants to refuse, but it's so warm in dan's arms. he can't help but feel safe and at ease. and then before he has time to regret his willingness to go along with everything dan says, he's warm and comfy in dan's bed, under a heavy duvet and two fluffy blankets. his head in on dan's chest and the steady heartbeat is such a contrast from the angry rhythm of the rain. there is a sense of warmth in phil's chest.

"are you still cold?" dan asks and phil is startled. he was so fixed on dan's heartbeat.

"no, i'm fine."

"sure?"

phil nods and mumbles and incoherent agreement.

"i was just talking to my mum," dan says. phil knows it's his imagination but the rain seems to quiet when dan talks. "she says she wants us to go down to reading for her birthday. do you want to go?"

"yeah, sure."

"good, because i'm not going alone. my uncle will be there and i swear he thinks i'm still doing law. he kept trying to talk to me about it last time, because he's a solicitor or whatever. all i know is that it's the most boring thing ever."

"is that uncle joe?"

"mmhm," dan mutters, starting to run his fingers through phil's hair.

"he was nice to me last time."

"well my whole family loves you, so i'm not surprised," dan says, mock-jealous. he wraps a strand of phil's hair around his finger. "even my mum's dog."

phil giggles. "i'm good with animals. i know exactly where to pet him."

dan rolls his eyes. "knowing you, you probably looked it up."

and phil laughs again, because of course, he did.

***

it's been an hour and dan and phil are still laying in bed, just talking. dan is still holding phil with one arm, while his other hand is drawing patterns on phil's arm. something about the gesture makes phil dizzy with serenity.

phil's head is still on dan's chest which is now shaking with laughter at something dan said.

"it's stopped," dan says after he's finished laughing.

"what?"

"the thunderstorm."

"oh," phil hadn't even realised, which was weird considering how focused he was on it before. dan just had a way with messing with phil's thoughts and worries and putting them to rest.

"i knew you were scared," dan says, his smile showing through in his voice. phil is too embarrassed to make eye contact.

"you did?" he asks, voice quivering.

"don't worry. it's cute," dan laughs, kissing the top of phil's head. "why didn't you just tell me?"

"i was scared. i'm too old to still be scared of thunderstorms," phil finally confesses, feeling relief as soon as the words leave his mouth.

phil can feel dan shake his head. "i used to be scared of thunderstorms. but now they soothe me. i've learnt to think of it differently." phil doesn't answer, so dan continues, "it's comforting to know that even something so beautiful and amazing as nature has its imperfections. it's good to know that even the sky needs to scream sometimes." dan chuckles nervously. "never mind, that sounds so stupid when i say it out loud."

and phil is surprised. how can someone dismiss such a poetic, beautiful thought as stupid? "'s the smartest thing i've ever heard," he says honestly. "thank you," phil says as his heart swells with love.

"i love you," dan says as if he can read phil's mind.

phil leans up to connect his lips with dan's, hoping to convey his feelings through actions.

"i feel so much better now," phil whispers. "maybe next time will be easier."

"nevertheless, i'm glad i'm lucky enough to be the one who gets to protect you." dan pauses. "you know, you remind me of a thunderstorm."

"how?"

"you're so imperfectly perfect," dan whispers, sleep wearing away at his voice. and phil kisses him again. but dan is so tired that he doesn't do much else other than smile into the kiss, but that's more than enough for phil.

**short but hopefully sweet. vote if you want more and comment what you thought.**

📎rachel