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You jolted awake, your body covered in sweat and your heart racing. Another nightmare. You can feel your chest tighten up and the trouble to breathe starting. You’re breathing rapidly, unable to get air to your lungs and you can feel them burning. You try your best not to wake your boyfriend up with your panic attack in the motion. But it was all in vain, as you heard shuffling and soon felt his gaze on your back.
‘’Sugar, what’s wrong?’’ Taishiro asked. You are unable to speak, on the verge of fainting from the lack of air. You just turn to him, tears in your eyes, gasping. You can see the imminent worry in his eyes as he tries to figure you out. Then it seems to click in his head.
‘’Was it a nightmare?’’ he asked. You nod. The worry in his eyes grows stronger.
‘’How can I help you?’’ he asked, but you still couldn’t reply.
‘’Okay, okay, sugar, honey, I need you to calm down.’’ he said, his hands reaching for your shoulders.
‘’Is it okay to touch you?’’ he asked. You nod, unable to stop the tears from streaming down your cheeks. Snot filling your nose. Taishiro places his hands firmly on your shoulders, his eyes locking with yours. He thinks for a moment. You can practically see the gears in his head do their work.
‘’Okay, I’ve read about panic attacks but I’ve never dealt with one this close.’’ he noted. ‘’If i recall right, I need to get you to breathe properly before you faint.’’ he added. You gasp for air.
‘’Aight. Keep your eyes on mine and listen to me sugar, okay?’’ he prompted. You keep on nodding as a response.
‘’Place your hand on your chest.’’ he began. You raise your shaky hand from your side and plant it over your chest.
‘’And now, breathe with me. In…. and now out. In again…. and out again.’’ he repeated this a few times. You were struggling at first to breathe, but with him telling you when to do what, you got your breathing under control, at least a little bit. He smiles at you when you regain control of your lungs.
‘’Good, good, you’re doing great sugar.’’ he noted, cupping your cheeks in his hands. He swiped away at the remnants of tears on your face with his thumbs. After a while you were breathing properly and had calmed down significantly. He takes his hands from your cheeks and places them in your lap, grabbing your hands in his. He rubs your knuckles with his soft fingers, before looking back at you.
‘’Do you want to talk about it?’’ Taishiro prompted. ‘’You don’t need to if you don’t want to.’’ he added. You blink and take a shaky breath.
‘’It… was my childhood bullies… they had become villains and were after you. T-they hurt you, really bad. Left you to die alone and in pain.’’ you explained, your voice barely above a whisper. You could feel the tears brimming back up your eyes. Taishiro gives you a sympathetic look before grabbing your cheek with his hand.
‘’It’s just a nightmare sugar. You know how tough I am. Some measly bullies can’t harm me.’’ he said. You lean into the hand on your cheek, placing your own on top.
‘’But… what if the past repeats itself? What if there comes a villain who can hurt you like Rappa did? Tai, I’m scared for your life constantly. And it frustrates me that my quirk won’t let me help you, I’m useless.’’ you noted.
‘’Sugar, honey, babe, I know you worry for me.’’ he started. ‘’But I’ll be fine. I promise.’’ he added.
Silence.
‘’Besides, you’re not useless. Your quirk is amazing.’’ he said. You sniffled. He smiled softly at you before pressing his forehead on yours and rubbing your noses together.
‘’I’d love to meet someone else with the ability to do what you do.’’ he whispered. ‘’Think about all the kids you’ve made happy by being able to make plushies out of their drawings and out of nowhere.’’ he added. Comfortable silence fills the air until your stomach decides to rumble and grumble. Taishiro chuckles.
‘’You wanna get a late night snack?’’ he asked.
‘’Yeah…’’ you replied. He then gets up from the bed, scooping you in his arms and makes his way to the kitchen. He sets you down on the counter, before raiding the fridge.
‘’What do you feel like having?’’ he asked.
‘’Cereal.’’ you replied. He proceeds to pull out the milk carton from the fridge door and places it on the counter. He then rummages through your cabinets, in search of said cereal and a bowls.
‘’Third cabinet from the left, up, for bowls. Second cabinet from the right, down, for cereal.’’ you instruct. He finds them exactly where you said they’d be at. He pours two bowls and offers one of them to you. You dig in, now realizing how hungry you’d really been. The two of you eat in silence, or as silent as the crunching of cereal could be.
‘’What do ya wanna have for breakfast?’’ he asked. Oh, he was already thinking of breakfast. ‘’And lunch. Can’t forget lunch.’’ he added. You chuckled.
‘’Well, I’d like…’’ you said, trailing off to ramble what you liked to eat for breakfast and lunch. You were so sure he’d be getting up early the next day to get you breakfast in bed. So hecking sure. Because that’s the vibe he gave off by asking such things. You weren’t gonna complain about it though. Not at all.