Next Door

Thunder

"Biggie?" Ashlyn mumbled, rolling over to face him as she woke an hour later.

"Mhm?" He asked. His hug having loosened while they were asleep, he hugged her tighter.

"What was that?"

"I think thunder." He yawned.

"Alright." She nodded and laid her head on his chest. "Storms are kinda calming."

"Yeah." He nodded, sitting up more.

"Hey." She pouted. "You were my pillow."

"I'm sorry." He pulled her up with him.

"No problem." She laid on his shoulder. "Best pillow. Really good hugs. Soft."

"You're rambling, I think you need more rest."

"No, I meant it." She said, kissing his shoulder which her head was buried in.

"I love you." He kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too." She smiled to herself. Thunder boomed again, and her head hit against his shoulder as he jumped slightly. "Ouch!"

"Sorry!" He said, hugging her.

"It's fine, you alright?"

"Yeah, it startled me. I'm fine."

"Do you not like storms?"

"They're... well, not my favorite. But I'll be fine." He shrugged.

"Mhm." She smiled at him. "Besides, I'm right here." She cuddled against him.

"Couldn't be more thankful for that."

"Me neither."

"Speaking of, when's your curfew tonight?" He yawned.

"Like 30 minutes or something."

"Alright."

"Don't go." Big Red complained when it came time for Ashlyn to leave. "Then I'll miss you too much."

"You'll miss me more if I'm grounded for a week." She kissed his cheek.

"I guess." He faked a pout, before breaking and smiling. "Night."

"Goodnight. Love you." She said, walking outside. "Bye." She closed the door.

"Bye." A few seconds later, there was a flash of lightning. Big Red shrieked, freaking out more now that Ashlyn was outside.

"You alright?" She opened the door and peeked her head in. She had waited to walk home, trying to figure out how she could get there with the least rain hitting her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Hurry home."

"Hey, babe, it's alright." She walked back over and sat by him after closing the door. She wrapped him in a hug. "It's only a storm, nothing too big."

"I know. But you were outside, and the lightning, so... don't get hurt." He whispered.

"Hey, hey, I'm fine"

"I know... I know." He hugged her tighter with another bang of thunder. "Don't go. My parents won't be home for awhile, and I don't wanna be alone."

"I won't, I've got you. Everything's fine, love. Everything's perfectly fine." She whispered soothingly. "It'll be over soon, nothing bad will happened. I'm right here." She squeezed his hand.

"Yeah, yeah, thanks..."

"No, it's not a problem. You don't have to talk, hon, just calm down." She hugged him tighter.

"I love you." He breathed.

"I love you too. Focus on me, not the storm." She held his other hand and squeezed it. "Mkay?"

"Mkay." He nodded.

"Oh, Ash, you gotta go home, don't you?" Big Red asked awhile after he had calmed down. "I just got you grounded, didn't I?"

"Maybe. I don't know." She shrugged. "But yeah, I should go. G'night."

"Goodnight."

"Love you!" She waved. She walked to her house, annoyed by the amount of twigs she had to avoid. She walked inside, quickly took off her shoes, and went to her kitchen to find her parents. "I'm sorry, there was a whole thing, please don't ground me or something. Big Red was scared of the storm, and his parents weren't home, so I kept him company..."

"That's fine." Her mom responded.

"He— really?" She asked, surprised by how quickly an answer came.

"Yes."

"Um, thanks!" She said, running upstairs to her room.