ATEEZ 9th Member AU

Let's Make A Toast Like A Thunder

Nari finds comfort in Hongjoong during a thunderstorm

Nari squeezed her eyes shut as the bright flash of light made way in her shared room. It wasn't that she was afraid of thunder, but when the storms got bad, like this one, it freaked her out. She had tried to shut it out; putting in ear plugs, listening to music, watching videos on her phone but none of it was working. Every time she saw the flash of lightening, she would hold her breath until the terrible rumble came after it. Not to mention that when the thunder got loud, real loud, it sounded exactly like a gunshot. Another flash of light and more holding of her breath, she hadn't even realized she let out a whimper.

A few moments later she practically screamed at the feeling of someone tapping her shoulder. "Jeez, Nar! It's just me!" She heard Hongjoong's harsh whisper and she breathed a sigh of relief. "I can hear you trembling from across the room." He said and Nari let out a soft 'sorry'. Hongjoong sighed, gently pulling on her wrist to make her get up. "Come on." She quietly followed him out of the room and to the kitchen, shuddering when she heard another roar of thunder. Hongjoong put some tea on, letting the water heat up as he grabbed two mugs. "I didn't know you were afraid of thunderstorms." He commented.

Nari followed his movements, trying anything and everything to focus on anything else besides the Armageddon happening outside right now. She sighed. "I'm not, usually. Just when it gets bad." Hongjoong looked over his shoulder, quirking his eyebrow. She sighed, slumping back in the chair. "When it's really loud, like now, it doesn't sound like thunder to me." Hongjoong turned around, leaning on the counter and staring at her. As if on cue, a particularly loud boom of thunder was heard and Nari swore she felt the building they were in shake. She yelped a little, closing her eyes and hugging her knees to her chest, trying to keep herself from going into a panic attack.

Hongjoong's eyes widened a little, moving cautiously towards her. "Nar, it's alright. We're inside." She peeked over her knees at his tired, brown eyes and felt comfort. He sat next to her, grabbing her hand and rubbing circles in it with the pad of his thumb. "I'm sorry, I probably sound like such a child." She muttered and Hongjoong chuckled, ruffling her hair. "You are a child, love." She narrowed her eyes at him and he grinned at her. Another flash of lightening and another boom of thunder, Hongjoong watched her shudder and frowned.

"You know what my grandma used to tell me?" Nari perked up a bit, looking at him with her brown eyes, egging him to continue, just to keep talking. "Angels are going bowling." She looked at him, confused and reached over to pinch his cheek. "Have you finally lost it? Did you stay up to late working again?" Hongjoong grunted, flicking her forehead. "No, you pabo. Thunderstorms are angels bowling." She slowly nodded her head, entirely convinced her leader had really lost it and now she was going to have to take him to the mental ward at the nearest hospital.

"My grandma used to say, the lightening is when they roll the ball and the thunder is the ball meeting the pins and the pins falling over. It used to calm me down during bad storms when I was little." Nari looked at him for a moment before laughing, quite loudly. Hongjoong scoffed, standing up and walking towards the whistling pot of water. "That's the last time I try to make you feel better." Nari calmed herself down, stifling giggles. "It's just—just picturing baby Hongjoong as a quivering, scared mess is absolutely hilarious." She said and Hongjoong grabbed the kitchen towel, throwing it at her.

"Yah! Shut up!" She laughed again, getting the rest of it out of her system. Hongjoong turned around, feigning annoyance. There was a small smile playing at his lips. The whole time she'd been fixated on his story and making fun of him, she hadn't noticed the thunder outside. He poured the tea, bringing the steaming mugs over to the table. "Thank you, oppa." She said quietly, sipping from her mug. Hongjoong smiled, shaking his head. "You don't need to thank me, love. It's what I'm here for." She smiled, gratefully. They sipped their tea in silence for a few moments, the storm seeming to have calmed down. Nari yawned.

"We should sleep, we have a meeting tomorrow to discuss our new album." Nari nodded, placing her cup on the table. "Yah! Finish that you wasteful person." He scolded and she rolled her eyes but picked her glass back up. "Make a toast then." She teased and Hongjoong smirked, taking on the challenge. "Here's to my Nari-ah, a quivering, sobbing mess in the face of thunderstorms." She narrowed her eyes, half tempted to throw the rest of her tea on him. "Let's make a toast like a thunder." He said and she clinked their mugs together, chugging the last of it.

As he stood up to place the mugs in the sink Nari jumped out of her chair, practically knocking it over. Hongjoong turned around, eyes wide, thinking something was wrong. "What?! What happened?!" Nari looked at him, a bright smile on her face. "Let's make a toast like a thunder." He quirked his eyebrow, not catching on. "We already did?" She shook her head turning around in attempt to make a beeline for the living room. "I need my notebook." She muttered and Hongjoong practically leaped across the kitchen floor, wrapping his arms around her and preventing her from moving. "Lyrics can wait, you need sleep." He threw her over his shoulder walking back towards their room and she pouted.

"I hope I forget them by the morning just for this."