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he thought he was fine. he felt as if he was fine. how did it turn up so bad so quick?
it was a training. a ten hour long training under a locked tank with nothing but his head as his company and Diego felt his mind slowly slip away from his fingertips, losing grip on his sanity as he counted one to seven for the umpteenth time, mouth wanting to gasp for air that he couldn't get
then he was pulled out, barely coherent but alive, alive, alive as he inhaled gulps of oxygen from the oxygen mask shoved at his face in haste, his mother bundling him up in blankets as Pogo took his vitals from his side and he shivers, because it's cold, too cold, so cold and he still feels as if he's still stuck in the freezing water, all locked up, all alone
"i-i want-want to g-go to bed" he stutters, not knowing if it's because of the cold, or the fear or the pain that his stutter resurfaced again and he never felt more thankful of the water that dripped from his hair than the moment because it masked the tears that fell from his red eyes
"okay sweetheart" he heard his mother say and he nodded as he stood on shaking wobbly feet, hands gripping at his mother and the blankets that cocoon him and together, he and his mother slowly went away from the tank the imprisoned him for ten hours
every step felt as if it's a stab to his lungs and he gasps in air as his mother carried his weight as they slowly went towards his bedroom, his head hanged low as he shook from the cold, from the pain, from the lack of oxygen and warmth in his body
"do-do i have to do this again" he asked his mother, voice soft as they reached his room and he sobbed softly when his mother hummed, tears falling from his eyes as his mother started to pat him on his arms, her move patterned.
"now, Diego" his mother started once he had finished changing his clothes and he forced himself to look at his mother even though all he wanted was to sleep and never wake up ever agin
"no matter what happens, if you feel like choking, you come to me" his mother said, voice serious and he nods, his eyes drooping from exhaustion and his mother looked at him for a second then two and three before nodding firmly, her lips lifting in a soft smile
"i love you Diego" his mother whispered and he nodded his head vigorously, mouth letting out sobs. "love you too mom" strong arms wrapped around him and he never felt more safe than he did at the moment.
Diego watched as his mother went out, eyes still dripping tears on his cheek and he gasp once, twice, just to calm himself down.
he didn't think of anything as he made his way to his bed, hands shaking as he burrowed underneath his warm cover and letting the sandman take him away
he woke up to his lungs feeling as if it's on fire and he chokes and gasp and gags as he felt water escape his lungs and he tried to sit up but he can't, he can't, he can't
he clawed at his throat as he gags and feels the same water enter and come out of his throat again and again and again as tears fell from his eyes and he wants to breath but he knows that the water would only go towards his nose and he doesn't want to die
thinking quickly, he grabbed at his nightlamp and yanked, letting the lamp fall on the floor and create a noise as he chokes and chokes and chokes
he flails, hands gripping at nothing as he swallows and chokes down on the same water that imprisoned him hours ago
his vision blurred and he thumped on his chest in desperation and he can only let more tears fall from his eyes as he realized he may die tonight
the last thing he saw before his vision went dark is the familiar set of hair coming in his vision before everything went black