it was a stormy night, the wind howling, thunder booming. hwiyoung had never been a fan of thunderstorms but he didn't show that he was afraid, only flinching slightly. 

lightening struck, lighting up the quiet dorm. the members were all out but taeyang was ill and hwiyoung had offered to stay behind and look after him. hwiyoung sighed, not regretting his decision, but wishing someone else had stayed with him. he got up off the sofa and walked over to the rattling window. 

darkness. 

he froze. 

he didn't realise he was holding his breath until he was gasping for air. the lights had gone out, leaving the dorm in complete darkness. 

hwiyoung tried to suppress his fears but the dark was something that had always got to him. a crash of thunder made hwiyoung jump and yelp slightly. he reminded himself to breath but struggled as the rain seemed to crash against the window louder and harder. 

he slowly crouched onto the floor and hugged himself, his eyes squeezed shut. 

he didn't know how long it had been before he heard a noise. his heart stopped beating, fear paralyzing him. 
all he could think of was how he never said goodbye and now he was going to die. 

he let the tears roll down his cheeks, letting out a muffled sob. "hwiyoung?" hwiyoung flinched from the sound but quickly calmed himself down. 

taeyang. 

he saw a little torch light appear from across the room, slowly heading towards him. as soon as taeyang was in view, hwiyoung reached out his arms, desperate for a hug. taeyang laughed softly, but came over and engulfed hwiyoung in a warm embrace. 

"you're scared of thunderstorms?"
hwiyoung just nodded into taeyangs chest. "wow, who would have guessed?" 
hwiyoung pulled away and looked at taeyang under the dim torch light. 
"they're scary, it's not funny"

taeyang nodded. "I know, I just didn't expect you to be afraid of them too." 
hwiyoung tilted his head in confusion but as soon as he saw taeyang flinch from the thunder he understood. 

"can we go to our room?" taeyang almost pleaded,  pulling hwiyoung off the floor before he could even respond. hwiyoung took note of how taeyang grabbed his hand. it was comforting.

and he didn't let go. even when they were tucked under the warm bed covers, taeyang held tightly onto hwiyoungs hand. 

they lay face to face in the now dark room, the torch switched off. hwiyoung was suddenly aware of how he could feel taeyangs breath on his lips. he was grateful that the darkness could hide his blush. 

"we should sleep" taeyang said. hwiyoung nodded in silent agreement, but didn't move. "you're really beautiful" the words slipped out before hwiyoung could even process what he had just said. 

it was silent and hwiyoung held his breath in fear. he wanted to run away but he couldn't, he only felt safe with taeyang. hwiyoung didn't know why he decided to elaborate on his statement but he did, his mind a mess. 

"you have really pretty eyes and the outline of your features is so perfectly defined. i think you have a really cute nose and your lips look so kissable right now and oh my god what did I just-" he was silenced by the touch of taeyangs lips on his. 

the kiss was short but sweet and it displayed thousands of emotions. "god, i love you so much"  taeyangs said in a quiet voice, followed by a little laugh. hwiyoung couldn't hold back the smile on his face. 

"glad the feelings mutual" he said, before turning around, away from taeyang,  trying to hide his embarrassed face. he could practically see taeyangs smile in his mind. 

hwiyoung felt a strong pair of arms wrap around in his waist, a kiss onto the back of his neck followed by a quiet whisper of "good night" 

hwiyoung smiled before he let sleep take over him. 

ーーー

hwiyoung woke up the next morning to a phone camera in his face. 
"oh my god, they're waking up, look how cute" dawons voice filled the room, making hwiyoung aware of how he had a really bad headache. 

he turned his head behind him to see a slowly waking taeyang.  his tired eyes met hwiyoungs and they both smiled. "morning" taeyangs voice made hwiyoungs heart flip. it was the best morning voice he had ever heard. 

"the lovebirds are finally awake. and now hwiyoung is probably also ill. "

Hwiyoung tried to protest against inseongs words but his throat hurt too much. he was definitely ill. 

he decided to turn fully to face taeyang, burying his head into the older boys chest. 

"THEY ARE SO CUTE"  Dawon was practically screaming by this point so taeyang just shooed him and inseong out. the room was quiet again, just hwiyoung and taeyang. 

"thank you" hwiyoung murmured, slowly drifting off to sleep again. 
taeyang kissed his forehead and wrapped his arms around the younger boy. 

"anything for you."

and with that, they both drifted off to sleep again. 

ーーー