Chapter Text
For a freshman of college, being that of 18 years old, Rain shouldn’t be scared of storms. He shouldn’t be jumping at every clap of thunder and each flash of lightning. But each clap of thunder sounded like it was getting closer and closer to the school.
If Rain hadn’t been so obsessed with his handsome motorcycle guy, he wouldn’t be here working overtime on a project that was due the next day. Sky had left already for the night and told Rain if he didn’t finish his assignment, that he would know. He didn’t say how but Rain wouldn’t put it past him, Sky seemed to know everything that happens with Rain.
Rain was trying so hard to focus on his assignment when a clap of thunder sounded like it was right outside the door. The lights in the room flickered and a scream slipped out of Rain’s mouth. He was fighting back tears when he heard the door behind him open. Turning around, he thought he had been struck by lightning and was in heaven. It was handsome motorcycle guy!
“Is everything okay here?” I was working in the next room and heard a yell,” the older boy asked. Phayu hoped the boy didn’t see the lie in his eyes, and luckily the boy hadn’t. Phayu had been sitting outside the room trying to come up with a reason to walk in but couldn’t think of one.
When Pai had called to let him know that Phayu’s little crush was at school all alone, he rushed over to see him. When he heard the scream coming from the room, he ran down the hall and had to stop himself from nearly throwing himself at the boy.
Now standing face to face, the boy looked surprised and scared all at once. When there was a bigger clap of thunder with lightning five seconds behind it, the boy jumped up and ran into Phayu’s arms. Another five seconds later and the power was out. Which sent a scream escaping from the boy’s lips.
Shaking in Phayu’s arms, Rain couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and started to cry. How embarrassing, now the handsome older boy will leave him because who would want to date someone who cries over a bad storm?
“It’s okay, lets sit down and see if I can find a flashlight?” the boy suggested, while rubbing his hands up and down Rain’s back. He couldn’t say anything yet so he nodded his head. Yet when the boy tried to let Rain go, he tightened his grip around his waist.
Without saying a word, Phayu lifted the younger boy up and made him wrap his legs around him. He proceeded to look around the room until he found a flashlight in the teacher’s desk drawer.
“What’s your name sweet boy?” Phayu asked, sitting down and turning the flashlight on.
“I’m Rain,” he answered softly, too embarrassed to say much else.
“Well Rain, I’m Venice but you can call me P’Phayu,” he said, smiling as he tried to calm the boy down. “Want to tell me what got you so scared? It is loud thunder, but I feel like there’s more to it,” he asked.
“It’s stupid, you’ll laugh at me. I shouldn’t be scared of a small storm,” Rain answered, not removing his face from Phayu’s shoulder.
“If it scares you this much then it’s not stupid,” Phayu continued to rub his back, as he continued to shake in his arms.
“When I was little my parents had gone to a work party and I stayed home since children weren’t allowed. I was old enough to stay home by myself at the time. It was my second time staying by myself when the storm hit,” he said in between tears. He started to shake even harder as he took in a deep breath. “The power got knocked out and the roads flooded. No one could reach me and I couldn’t reach my parents. I didn’t know if they were okay or not and the water was starting to come into the house.” Rain had to stop to take a deep breath before finishing the story. “It took hours before anyone could get to me. I thought my parents were dead. I heard people outside screaming and the power boxes exploding on the powerlines. I was so scared.”
“That’s not a stupid reason to be scared of a storm, what you went through was terrifying, that would leave anyone scared for life. I think little Rain and even big Rain are brave. You’re holding up better than I would if that had happened to me,” Phayu said, pulling Rain’s face back so that he could look him in the eyes.
When Phayu first helped Rain with the flat tire, he thought the boy was cute and innocent. But now knowing him even more, he thought he was brave. When he had gotten home that night, he had called Pai and told him about the boy he helped. He knew Pai was seeing a freshman so he was hoping Pai may have known who the boy was.
It paid off because he was given a heads up that he would be alone tonight and he’s glad he came now. Rain threw his face back into Phayu’s shoulder and eventually exhausted himself. Even in his sleep, Rain flinched with each clap of thunder. How had he managed all the other storms since that night? Did he have a certain stuffed animal at home that helped calm him down? Did he hide in his blanket? Called out to his parents? Phayu hated the idea that he may have gone through this all alone.
Phayu sat with Rain in his lap for another thirty minutes before Rain started to wake up. Pulling back, Rain rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked in shock as he saw Phayu sitting under him. He thought it had all been a dream, but it was real.
“I’m so sorry,” Rain gasped, shooting out of Phayu’s lap. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you or cry on your shirt,” he went on to apologize. The rain outside sounded like it was calming down but the power was still out. Rain rushed to grab his stuff together and tripped over a chair in the process.
“Hey, careful. Let me help you, we can leave together if you’re ready to leave,” Phayu said, getting up to help him pack his bag. Rain didn’t trust himself to say anything so he nodded his head.
With Rain’s bag packed, Phayu grabbed the flashlight and walked them to the entrance of the school. The roads were flooded but not too bad. However, it was bad enough that it sent Rain back into the memories of the flooding. He started to shake even harder and turned around to bury his face in Phayu’s stomach.
“Why don’t I drive? I live close to campus,” Phayu suggested, wrapping his arm around Rain once again. Rain nodded into his stomach, too embarrassed and scared to say anything. Pulling his jacket off, Phayu held it over them, as they made a mad dash to his car.
Getting Rain into the car first, Phayu ran over to the driver’s side and jumped in. Phayu pulled out his phone and texted Pai and his parents.
Phayu to Pai: I have Rain with me, let Sky know that he’s okay
Pai to Phayu: Thanks, Sky was starting to worry, he told me Rain didn’t handle storms well, I’ll let him know
“Sky knows you’re with me,” Phayu explained to Rain as he started the car and got the heat on.
“You know Sky?” Rain asked, surprised.
“Not personally, he’s seeing my friend Pai,” he explained.
“Sky’s seeing someone!?” Rain asked even more surprised. Phayu laughed as he started a new text to his parents.
Venice to Pa Vegas: I’m bringing someone home
Pa Vegas to Venice: Who is this someone?
Venice to Pa Vegas: A potential someone, so please make sure Uncle Tankhun is up in his room
Pa Vegas to Venice: Can’t make any promises, but I’ll see what I can do
Putting his phone down, he looked over to see Rain wrapped up in his jacket while resting his head on the window. Since seeing him tonight, this was the first time that Rain looked almost relaxed. Even in his sleep he was scared and tense. Now? Rain finally looked more relaxed.
Phayu felt like he should give Rain a heads up about what he was about to walk into at home but Phayu wanted to see him flustered instead of scared for once. Even if that came at the risk of Uncle Tankhun embarrassing him.