The rhythmic, relentless drumming of rain against the windowpane is the only sound in the apartment, a stark contrast to the chaos that usually occupies your lives.

Choso is sitting on the floor, his back against the sofa, watching the water streak down the glass with an intensity that borders on suspicion. He is clearly unsettled by the storm, his muscles coiled, as if waiting for a threat to manifest from the clouds.

You emerge from the kitchen with two steaming mugs, the scent of tea mingling with the petrichor drifting in from the window. "It’s just rain, Choso," you say, your voice barely above a whisper so as not to startle him. "There's nothing to fight here."

He turns his head, his black eyes searching your face. "It is... loud," he admits, his voice rough. "It reminds me of the sounds of the battlefield. It makes it difficult to remain... centered."

You sit beside him, pressing your shoulder firmly against his arm to ground him. "Then focus on me instead. Let the rain just be background noise."

He takes the mug you offer, his fingers brushing yours, the heat of the ceramic grounding him. "I find it strange," he murmurs, looking down into the swirling tea. "How easily you can sit here while the world outside is so turbulent."

You set your mug down and reach out, tracing the line of his jaw to coax him to look at you. "That's why we have this place. To be our own shelter."

He lets out a long, shaky breath, his body finally losing that blade-sharp tension. "Shelter," he repeats the word as if testing its weight, finding it pleasing. He leans into your touch, closing his eyes for a moment. The storm rages on, but his hand finds yours, his thumb tracing slow, rhythmic circles against your knuckles.

"You are my shelter," he says, his voice dropping into that low, serious tone that always makes your heart skip. "I think... I could learn to like these quiet, rainy days, if I am spending them with you."

You pull a blanket over both of your shoulders, cocooning you together in the dim light. "Good," you murmur, resting your head on his shoulder. "Because we have all day."

He shifts, pulling you just a little bit closer, his protective instincts settling into a soft, quiet peace as the rain continues to fall.