AJR-Panic Attacks

Winter- 9 ("Grand"parents)

"Winter, can you hear my voice?" Daddy asks. I nod once, still trying to recover.
"Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"No you're gonna tell them!" I shake my head, crunching up into a ball.

"Tell who??"

"It doesn't matter! They probably don't even remember what they said..." I mumble.

"Winter, can you look at me please?" Dad asks. I couldn't tell if his voice meant I was in trouble or not.
He pulls me away from him, successfully this time, and I avoid his eyes for as long as possible. He finally pulls my chin up to meet his eyes, in a different way than my trigger. Mommy's mom always does it to me and I hate it, but something about the way Daddy did it made it ok.

"I want to help you. It kills me to see you this upset. Can you tell me what's wrong so we can fix it together? I'm here to listen." Staring at the emotion on Daddy's face finally broke down all my walls of fear and sadness and I finally felt comfortable enough to tell him. I just hope he doesn't tell mom, but especially not mom's parents.

"Mommy's parents are here." I mumble out, trying to find the right words to say. Daddy stays quiet.
"They...." I take a deep breath. I've never really admitted that I still feel the same way about them even two years later. "I'm terrified of them..."

"Does it have anything to do with what they said a few years ago?" Dad questions. I nod.

"And I know you say they don't remember and they probably didn't mean it but that doesn't mean I don't! I still remember exactly what they said and I'm terrified they're gonna say it again!" I was getting visibly upset again, so Dad pauses to make sure I'm ok.

"Take another deep breath for me, ok bud?" I take a couple deep breaths and mostly relax. Well, as much relaxing as I can do when the biggest trigger I have is invading my safe space.
"Ok," Dad begins. "Do you want to talk to them?" I shake my head. I do want to talk to them, but I have no idea what to say.
"Ok. I'm guessing you don't want to see them either?" I shake my head again. "Alright. Are you ok to stay in here until they leave, or would you like me to stay with you?"

"I'll be ok. As long as they don't barge in again."

"Ok. I think it might be helpful for you if you put your headphones on and listen to some music or maybe watch a movie or something, ok? It'll get your mind off of everything until they're gone. They shouldn't be too much longer, they were just dropping something off. I will make sure they don't barge in, and I'll try to get them out as soon as possible, ok?" I nod. I'm so glad Daddy understands me.

"Don't tell mom..."

"Don't tell her what?" He inquired.

"That I'm scared of her parents...." I mumbled. He breathes in, as if about to say something, but then half-nods.

"You should cuddle up in your bed and I'll be back when they're gone."

"Can you get my headphones? They're on the ground..."

"Of course Buddy." He smiles. He grabs my headphones and hands them to me. He gives me a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead before ruffling my hair and walking out the door.
I put on my headphones and connect them to my iPad. Since they're noise cancelling, they made everything quiet, even though I didn't have any music playing yet. I snuggle up in my blankets, with my baby blankie by my face, and play my song again. I let it loop a few times before I drifted off into sleep.

RYANS POV

It broke my heart when I went into Winter's room. Yeah, I noticed he was acting weird when his grandparents were over, but I always thought it was the introvert in him. No, I don't agree with his grandparents on most things, the most prominent being the way they try to parent my kid.