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tubbo despised thunderstorms. ever since he was little, he’s hated loud sounds, and thunderstorms are the epitome of loud sounds. it wouldn’t make much sense to an outsider. tubbo loves the rain, he loves to watch it, to dance in it. he loves everything about rain, but thunderstorms just send him off the edge. unfortunately, the forecast said there would be major thunderstorms tonight.
luckily, ranboo just moved in a couple weeks ago. it was a wise decision for both of them, and they talked on the phone almost all day everyday anyways. ranboo had only ever witnessed one of tubbo’s panic attacks. something heavy fell off the counter downstairs when tubbo was home alone. it scared him half to death, and he started having a panic attack. he called ranboo, and he had to convince him that it was probably just the cat. he did so successfully, and it turned out rocky had jumped onto the counter and accidentally knocked down a stack of plates. they still laugh about it to this day.
ranboo had apparently just been looking at the weather when he walked into tubbo’s room.
“hey, bo. have you seen the forecast yet?” he asked tubbo.
he moved one side of his headphones off of his ear, “yep, i’m not exactly looking forward to it.”
“i know. i’m sorry. i can stay in here with you if you want,” ranboo swayed in the doorway.
“that would be great.”
as if on queue, the first strike of thunder sounded. it made tubbo visibly flinch, and ranboo came over to where he was sitting.
“hey, it’s okay. do you want to sit on the bed and watch a movie or something?” tubbo only nodded. ranboo pulled his chair out from under the edge of the desk and walked with tubbo over to the bed. as they reached the edge, a second clap of thunder was heard, and tubbo flinched harder.
“you’re alright, i promise. come here.” ranboo sat down on the edge of the bed closest to the wall, and tubbo carefully sat down on the other side. ranboo reached over and pulled him closer. he grabbed the tv remote and switched it to netflix.
“anything in particular?” he asked the boy next to him. tubbo merely shook his head. “hey, i know it’s scary, but you’re okay. i’ve got you. nothing’s going to hurt you, i promise. i hope you know i would never let anything happen to you,” he grabbed tubbo’s hand and soothingly rubbed circles into the back of it. the third strike hit, this one along with lightning, and tubbo started to shake.
“okay, i got you,” ranboo crossed his legs, picked up tubbo, and sat him in his lap. tubbo put his head on ranboo’s left shoulder and began to softly cry. “would you like to listen to one of tommy’s videos instead of watching a movie?”
“yes, yes, yes, please,” tubbo continued to shiver from fright.
ranboo flicked on tommy’s latest video and set the remote down beside him. he gently laid one of his hands on tubbo’s hip and used the other the trace shapes into his spine. the fourth sound was made, this one louder than the previous three. tubbo began to audibly sob as he put his hands around ranboo’s shoulders.
“breathe with me please,” ranboo took one of tubbo’s hands and put it on his chest. he breathed in large, deep breaths. his breathing slowed, but he was still shaking and crying. “it’ll be over soon, i promise, bub.”
“i’m sorry y-y-you have to deal with me,” tubbo spoke through tears.
“hey, hey. don’t be sorry. i don’t mind. at least i’m actually physically here to help you.”
tubbo let out a small chuckle.
“there he is, my brave little bo.”
“i am not your ‘little bo’. i am a big strong man,” tubbo said.
“i know you are.”
ranboo began to rock back and forth, slowly lulling tubbo to sleep. after tubbo’s breathing evened out, and ranboo was sure he was asleep, he carefully took tubbo’s hand and held it.
“i love you more than you could ever know.”