The first crack of thunder woke me.
It split the night sky like a blade, followed by the drumming of rain against the windows. My heart lurched. I tried to squeeze my eyes shut, bury my head under the blanket, but the next roll came louder, deeper, rattling something inside me.
I hated thunder. Always had.
It was irrational, I knew. Just sound, just nature doing what it always did. But my chest tightened anyway, my hands trembling under the blanket. I couldn't breathe in the small space of the room anymore.
So I bolted.
Barefoot, still in my pajamas, I slipped out into the hallway. The floor was cold beneath my feet, the storm pressing against the house like it wanted to swallow it whole. Lightning flashed through the narrow window, followed by another roar that shook the walls.
I flinched. My breath came fast. I didn't even know where I was going until I heard a door creak open behind me.
"Amara?"
I froze.
Adrian stood there, framed in the dim light of his room. His hair was slightly tousled, his voice rough from sleep, but his eyes were alert. "What are you doing?"
"I...." Another thunderclap cut through my words. I gasped, clutching my arms around myself. My voice came out smaller than I wanted. "I… I don't like storms."
His brows pulled together, not in mockery but in something like concern. He stepped into the hallway, shutting his door softly behind him.
"You're scared," he said simply.
I nodded, unable to meet his eyes.
For a moment, silence hung between us, filled only by the pounding rain. Then he moved closer, slow and careful, like he wasn't sure how to bridge the gap.
"Come on." His voice was low, steady. "You don't have to stay out here."
I followed him without thinking, letting him lead me into the living room downstairs. The storm echoed more faintly here, softened by distance. He gestured for me to sit on the couch, then sat beside me...not too close, not too far.
The thunder rolled again. I stiffened.
"It's just noise," Adrian said. His tone wasn't dismissive; it was quiet, almost thoughtful, like he was trying to convince himself too. "It can't hurt you."
Easy for him to say. My fists were still clenched. "I know, but… I can't help it."
He studied me for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, he said, "When I was a kid, I hated silence. Couldn't stand it. I'd turn on music just to fill the room."
I blinked at him. His eyes flickered to mine, then away again. "Guess we all have something."
The admission was so… normal. So human. It tugged at something inside me.
I laughed softly, though it came out shaky. "Silence doesn't scare me. But thunder…"
Another boom shook the windows. I jumped before I could stop myself. Without thinking, his hand reached out hesitant, then steady resting lightly on mine.
The touch froze me in place.
"Just breathe," he murmured. "It'll pass."
I stared at our hands, the warmth of his palm grounding me more than his words. Slowly, I inhaled. Exhaled. The storm still raged outside, but the fear didn't feel so suffocating anymore.
For the first time, thunder wasn't the only thing echoing in my chest.
The storm softened, but it didn't fade completely. Rain still whispered against the windows, and thunder rolled in the distance, quieter now, almost like a lullaby.
Adrian leaned back on the couch, arms crossed loosely. His hand was no longer resting on mine, but the ghost of its warmth lingered. I hugged a pillow to my chest, still trying to slow my heartbeat.
"Better?" he asked. His voice was softer than before, almost careful.
I nodded. "Yeah. Thank you."
He gave a small grunt, a half-acknowledgment. Silence stretched, but this time it wasn't heavy. It was almost… comfortable.
I turned to him. "So, do you ever stay up just listening to storms? People say they're calming."
His lips quirked faintly. "Not when someone's terrified."
I laughed quietly. "Fair enough."
For a moment, our eyes met. Then he glanced away, focusing on the rain sliding down the glass. "You should sleep," he said.
"You too."
I shifted sideways, curling into the corner of the couch. He didn't move to leave. Instead, he slid down slightly, resting his head back. Not too close, not too far....just near enough that I could hear his breathing.
"Goodnight, Amara."
The sound of my name in his voice lingered longer than the thunder. "Goodnight, Adrian."
Somewhere between the rhythm of the rain and the warmth of his presence, my eyes drifted shut.
The next thing I knew, light pressed against my eyelids.
Voices. Low, amused.
"Uh… guys?" Damian's tone carried that drawn-out smirk he never bothered to hide.
"Wow," Luke added, chuckling. "Didn't expect this."
I stirred, blinking awake. My head was tilted toward Adrian's shoulder, and his arm had somehow shifted along the back of the couch, close enough that it might have looked intentional. His eyes fluttered open at the same time, confusion flashing before awareness set in.
We both shot upright.
"I..." My voice caught. "We must have..."
Adrian straightened quickly, running a hand through his hair. "It's not..."
Damian raised his brows, grin wide. "Relax. We didn't say anything."
Luke smirked. "Not yet."
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I stood, clutching the pillow I'd been holding, and stumbled toward the hallway. "I'm… going back to my room."
Adrian cleared his throat, voice flat but tense. "Same."
We moved in opposite directions, almost colliding at the stairs before stepping aside awkwardly. No words passed between us as we slipped away, but I could still feel the weight of his nearness, the echo of last night's quiet.
And despite the embarrassment burning through me, a small part of me wondered if the storm had changed something between us.