In which the boys are interrupted by a thunderstorm.

A summer thunderstorm crashed down outdoors. The clouds hung low, heavy with water, and they rumbled and crackled with all the power of nature. The rain was pouring down in sheets, making driving difficult and walking without an umbrella nearly impossible.

Indoors, however, there was an aura of serenity. In the living room, Ashley and Abigail were playing Smash Brothers, while Jordan did his homework at the kitchen table and pretended he wasn't watching his sisters' game. Josh's mother was in her office, typing away at her computer and humming a little along with the music playing from her radio.

And upstairs, in Josh's room, were Tyler and Josh themselves.

They'd been watching TV together for most of the afternoon until Tyler had gotten sleepy; he'd been up late the previous night, putting the finishing touches on a painting of his love. He'd fallen asleep sometime around five. Josh hadn't minded, he just turned down the volume on his show a little and let Tyler rest his head comfortably on his stomach as he dozed.

As the storm moved closer, however, the sharp blue crash of thunder woke Tyler from his sleep with a start. His eyes shot open, and his heart pounded for a few seconds before he realized where he was. Josh, upon noticing his boyfriend was awake, began gently carding his fingers through Tyler's hair, which calmed him down almost immediately.

"'S okay," he said in a soft tone. "Just the thunderstorm."

Tyler hummed, nestling his head into Josh's stomach drowsily. They stayed that way for a few minutes, just laying together with the soft drone of the television and the pouring rain in the background.

"What time is it?" Tyler finally mumbled against Josh's shirt.

"Almost six."

He sighed and rolled over onto his back, rubbing at one eye with his hand. "'M still tired."

Josh smiled and lightly tugged at his boyfriend's sleeve, making Tyler smile in return. "You can go back to sleep if you want."

The thought was tempting, but he shook his head. "My mom will probably need me back for dinner soon." He sat up a little, adjusting his shirt, and then flopped back down onto the blankets. "Can I make a weird request?"

"Depends on the request?" Josh teased.

"Will you read me something?"

The blue-haired boy knew what he meant with no further explanation. He lazily stretched an arm out to grab the little notebook on his bedside table, flipping through the lined pages. "That's not weird. I read you my poetry all the time."

Tyler fiddled with his sleeve. "I thought it might wake me up a little," he admitted.

Josh smiled, found the page he was looking for, and began to read aloud.

"I wanted to write
For you, something about
Bears and honey. About
The way an animal
Blindly follows an instinct--
A bee to a flower,
A snake to the sun.
About the warmth of
You on my spine.
Every year, the monarch
Butterfly travels nearly three
Thousand miles to stay
Warm in the winter.
For you, my darling,
I would fly to
The ends of this
Vast Earth, if only
To hold your kind
Hands in my own."

He set his notebook in his lap with the concluding line, leaning back onto the pillows again.

Tyler said nothing for a moment, just breathing quietly in the stillness as he processed the words. He sighed, then, and tossed an arm over his face. "It didn't help," he said at last. "Now I'm tired and I want to kiss you."

"Hmm." Josh leaned over, pecked the side of his head. "Shame you can't sleep and kiss at the same time."

Tyler scooted up higher on the mattress, moving his mouth to align with his love's. "Guess I'll have to learn," he joked, and then their lips met.

They kissed, soft and lazy and slow, for what could have been minutes or hours. Then the thunder crashed outside, and they both jolted, separating again.

Josh laughed and kissed Tyler's nose before gently pushing him away. "Go back to sleep, babe. I'll wake you if your mom calls."

He burrowed his face in Josh's shirt contentedly, shutting out the storm beyond the bedroom window. Tyler was only too happy to take his love up on his offer.

A/N: Please don't steal the poem! I wrote it and I don't want it reposted anywhere else. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. thank you <3