The Harbor

Panic Attacks

Prompt by an anon on tumblr

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It was happening again. The ever familiar but it’s never something that someone could get used to. The tremors that travel through bone. The palpitations that pounded so hard it might as well have broken out of it’s deep hiding place inside. The grip so tight that air could hardly come in or out. The icy shivers that started from deep inside and never went away.

“She”

“Her”

Once, LaFontaine could handle. Twice, the shivers begin. Thrice, their heart speeds up. Panic sets in. If they focus, sometimes they could stop it before it got too bad. Most times, although, it got bad before they could do anything about it. Before the tears fall, they would always try to get to their dorm. It was the only place that felt like home for miles around.

Their dorm wasn’t the thing that calmed them down. It was Perry. Always, Perry could calm them down without any effort. The only problem, Perry was floor don. She had other places to be, other things to do, other problems to deal with. She wasn’t always around when LaFontaine needed her. But somehow, as if she had a sixth sense, Perry showed up. Always.

Today, however, Perry didn’t come in like she always did. It was too bad this time. They were shaking so hard it might as well have caused an earthquake. They couldn’t calm down and it just seemed to get worse and worse with each passing second. All time seemed like an eternity.

“Sorry I’m late,” The door creaked open, nearly 40 minutes tardy. Perry walked in, taking off her shoes. “There was a problem with a chicken, which completely violates the handbook, and I don’t even know how it-,” The door shut and she took down her bun, fingering through the unruly curls a few times before her eyes settled on LaFontaine which made every other thing in the world dissolve.

“Perry, I-I can’t- I can’t,” LaFontaine gasped through what little air they could get in.

“Ohmygosh, sweetie,” Perry practically launched herself at the bed where LaFontaine sat trembling.

Perry pulled LaFontaine into a tight embrace, trying to calm the quaking. LaFontaine buried their head in the crook of Perry’s neck as a blanket was pulled around the two. They listened to Perry’s slow heartbeat, taking in her scent, her warmth, her soft and gentle touches.

It helped. The chills went away and the tremors faded. These attacks worried Perry to no end. She wanted to personally make them stop, but if calming them down was the only thing she could do, she’d do it happily. Finally, their heart slowed and air easily filled their lungs. LaFontaine didn’t want to move, so they just stayed in Perry’s arms, slowly drifting to sleep.

She swayed from side to side slowly, rubbing LaFontaine’s back, and humming softly. Her fingers combed through the short hair. Perry didn’t mind doing this. If it helped LaFontaine, even the slightest bit, she’d do it for eternity.