The Quiet of the Storm

Storm

Ethan hasn't come out yet so if E is mentioned with he/him pronouns that's why. Short chapter

It was 3 in the morning when 9 year old Ethan woke up. They whimper, shaking as they curl up in a ball. A flash of light comes through their window which leaves a shadow on a tree, making it seem like a monster in little Ethan's eyes. Ethan whimpers again and scrambles out of bed, running out of their room to their brothers room–tripping over their feet a few times. Ethan sees another flash of light from the bathroom window, illuminating another tree. Ethan yelps and throws open Peter's door, crawling under his blankets.

10 year old Peter groans, waking up. He looks at his sibling and rubs his back. Ethan flinches and whimpers again. Peter sighs and removes his hand from Ethan's back. Peter lays back down and somewhat curls into his sibling, starting to drift off to sleep again. Ethan yelps again as the lightning lights up the room. With Ethan yelping and the storm outside, Peter wakes up again and hums softly. He curls up next to his younger sibling even more as he keeps humming, hoping Ethan can feel him humming. Ethan does and finally calms down a little, whimpering "Pe'er."

'I'm here bubba,' Peter writes into Ethans back. Ethan hugs Peter tightly and garbles some words in Peter's chest. Peter shifts uncomfortably and writes into Ethans back 'what?'

Ethan looks up and signs shakily 'storm.' They flinch as another flash of light illuminates the room, hiding their face in Peter's chest again. Peter keeps humming as he plays with Ethans hair. Ethan mumbles and writes on Peters arm "''M sorry.'"

Peter taps Ethan's arm and waits for Ethan to look at him before signing 'you have nothing to be sorry for bubba.' Ethan hides their face in Peter's chest again as the storm gets worse. They mumble instinctively as they shake. Peter sighs and starts humming an actual song he knows Ethan loves, "We Are The Champions" by Queen.

Ethan looks up and smiles softly at their brother, pressing the 'I love you' sign into his arm.

Peter smiles back and carefully sits up, keeping Ethan pressed against his side, and turns his light on. Ethan covers their eyes, not expecting the light. 'Sorry bubba,' Peter signs once Ethan uncovers their eyes. 'Thought you'd actually want to be able to see me signing.'

Ethan nods and curls up next to their brother asking 'what time is it?'

Peter looks at his clock that's on the wall and replies '3:30.'

Ethan bites their lip and runs a hand through their hair before signing 'sorry.'

Peter shifts a bit so he's right in front of his sibling 'you have nothing to be sorry for, E.' Ethan flinches as they see lightning again. 'Want me to put my blinds down? I'll leave my light on.'

Ethan nods 'please?'

Peter smiles and stands up, shutting the blinds and going back to the bed with his sibling, 'that better?' Ethan nods, making a small happy noise. Peter smiles at the sound and hugs Ethan, yawning.

'Tired?' Ethan asks.

'A little,' Peter admits before quickly adding 'it's not your fault though.'

'But I was the one who woke you up,' Ethan signs with a frown.

Peter sighs and signs 'Ethan. You're my brother and you can wake me up whenever you need to, okay?'

'Okay...' Ethan signs, biting their lip.

Peter brings Ethan close to him and kisses their head, pressing the 'I love you' sign into their back. Ethan sighs softly and curls up into their brothers side again, starting to fall asleep. Peter starts humming softly again, watching as his sibling falls asleep before falling asleep himself.

The next morning, Ethan woke up in Peter's bed alone. They scramble out of Peter's bed to go look for him before seeing the blinds open again and the storm still going on outside. They whimper and jump back onto Peter's bed, hiding under the covers.

Peter comes back into his room a few minutes after Ethan hid under the blankets, coming back from talking to his mom about canceling his plans with Alice–his reasoning was that he didn't want to make his parents drive him with the heavy rain and wind–to see Ethan under the blankets. He shuts the blinds again and moves toward the bed, tapping the edge once he's next to his nightstand. Ethan doesn't respond to the tap so instead Peter sits on the bed and presses his hand into the bed so there's an indent next to where Ethan is curled up.

Ethan slowly picks their head up and peaks out of the blanket. 'Hey bubba,' Peter signs with a small smile.

"'Pe'er!'" Ethan exclaims, rather loudly which causes Peter to flinch and tell them that they're too loud. "'Sorry,'" Ethan says, much quieter this time before switching to just signing 'where'd you go?'

"'Had to talk to mom,'" Peter replies. "'I was gonna hang out with Alice today but it's really bad out there. That's why the blinds were open. Sorry for leaving them open E.'"

Ethan looks at the closed blinds before turning back to their brother 'it's okay.' They hug their brother tightly before their stomach growls.

"'Hungry?'" Peter asks.

Ethan nods as they sign a c with their right hand, placing that hand on their chest and moving it down to the middle of their chest, 'really hungry.'

"'Let's go get you food then,'" Peter says, standing up. Ethan quickly stands up, and starts running out of Peter's room. Peter laughs and runs after them down the stairs. Peter catches Ethan by the doors to the living room and kitchen causing Ethan to squeal. Peter laughs again, signing 'got you.' Ethan pouts and crosses their arms.

"'There's my beautiful boys!'" Beck says when the siblings come into the kitchen.

"'Hi mom!'" Peter replies with a grin.

Ethan bites their lip before faking a smile and waving.

"'Your dad's in the dining room if you two want to wait in there while I finish cooking breakfast,'" Beck tells her kids.

Ethan nods and heads to the dining room, smiling at their dad. "'Hey boys,'" Mason says. Ethan's smile drops and turns around, seeing that Peter followed them out. Mason waits until Ethan is looking at him again before asking "'how'd you sleep?'"

Peter sat down before replying "'E came in.'"

Mason turns to Ethan, "'how come bud?'"

Ethan frowns and slurs "'s'orm.'" They look past their dad and out the window, seeing the storm again and whimpers softly.

Mason looks out the window that's behind him and sighs "'it's okay bud. You're okay in here.'"

Ethan nods and sits down at the table, facing away from the windows and smiles softly when their mom comes in with breakfast. 'Thanks mom,' they sign.

"'You're welcome honey,'" Beck smiles. "'How about movies after breakfast?'"

Ethan nods with a smile, 'Brave?'

"'Anything you want to watch,'" Beck replies.

Ethan grins and quickly finishes their breakfast, waiting impatiently for the rest of their family to finish breakfast.

Throughout the day, Beck, Mason, and Peter kept distracting Ethan from the storm outside by watching movies and playing games. The storm soon ended but Ethan didn't notice, too busy having fun with their family.