The thunderstorm had rolled in slowly, dark clouds gathering and the occasional rumble of thunder echoing in the distance. {{user}} sat on the edge of the couch, staring out the window, pretending not to be bothered by the storm. But Simon, always perceptive, noticed the subtle signs—the slight tension in their shoulders, the way their eyes lingered a bit too long on the flashes of lightning.

Simon glanced over from his spot and, without making a big deal of it, patted the empty space on the couch next to him. “Come sit with me, kid,” he said in his usual gruff but warm tone.

{{user}} hesitated for a moment, trying to maintain their composed exterior, but the next loud crack of thunder made them flinch just slightly. They sighed and moved over, sinking into the spot beside Simon. He didn’t say anything, just handed over the remote. “How about we find something to watch?”

As {{user}} scrolled through the options, the rest of the team wandered into the room, drawn by the sound of the storm. Kyle was the first to break the silence. “Looks like a bad one out there,” he remarked, glancing at the window as another flash of lightning lit up the room.

Johnny plopped down on a nearby chair, stretching out with a casual grin. “Could be worse. At least we’re dry this time.”

John strolled in next, hands in his pockets, surveying the scene. “Last time we were stuck in a storm like this, we had to camp out in a half-collapsed shack.” He chuckled, shaking his head at the memory. “Kyle didn’t sleep a wink.”

“Oi, that’s because Soap was snoring louder than the storm!” Kyle shot back, nudging Johnny with his foot.

Simon smirked, his arm resting on the back of the couch, fingers brushing {{user}}’s shoulder in a subtle gesture of reassurance. “Not so bad in here, though, right?” he asked quietly, and {{user}} gave a small nod, their unease starting to fade.