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"Do we really have to go in there?" Prompto asked as they examined the old elevator in the mining shaft.
"I guess so, assuming it works" Noctis replied trying to find a switch or button to make it go.
"Can we all fit?" Gladio asked.
"I believe it is more spacious then it appears" Ignis answered finding the mechanism that made it move.
"What if it breaks on the way down?" Prompto asked heart racing. He was hoping to Six that it wouldn't work so they could just stay above ground where human were meant to be.
"That's not likely" Ignis responded opening the doors to the elevator and looking inside.
"More likely we'd get stuck" Gladio added stepping inside and checking if it could hold his weight.
"Better then falling..." Prompto mumbled watching as the others climbed inside after seeing it was safe. He dazed a bit his mind automatically wandering to thoughts of being stuck in an old rusted out elevator.
"Hey Prom gonna join?" Noctis asked waving his hand to get Prompto's attention.
"Oh yeah sorry" He said cautiously stepping into the elevator. He could feel his heart starting to race faster and went to step out but the doors were already closing behind him. He felt the elevator start to move and tried to calm himself down.
"I wonder how far this goes down" Noctis wondered aloud.
"Probably quite far" Ignis responded trying to use the light on his phone to see below them. Prompto could feel the air around him getting harder to breath as they descended. What was only minutes to everyone else felt like hours to him, his vision blurring and his heart pumping. He felt light headed and leaned against the metal cage like wall trying not to look as sick as he felt. Suddenly the elevator stopped. Thank Six he thought.
"We still haven't hit the ground" Ignis stated.
"Alright down more we go" Gladio said starting the elevator again. Prompto wanted to speak up, ask them to stop and turn around but he was too far gone to react. He wasn't a fan of the dark but he could handle it. He hated small spaces but he had dealt with it many times and always got through it, but those things added with the fear of falling, running out of air and getting stuck was too much. He felt himself panicking and started completely shutting down.
"You okay?" Noctis asked looking at him. "You don't look so good" He added. Quickly reaching to hold Prompto up when he noticed him start to slip. "Prom?"
"Air" Prompto said in a voice so low it was hard to hear.
Ignis took one good look at Prompto and turned to Gladio. "We need to go back up" He said calmly but giving Gladio a look of seriousness. Before stepping over to Prompto and helping Noctis to sit him on the floor gently.
"Alright, going up" Gladio said quickly switching the direction of the elevator. Wanting badly to go to Prmopto's side but knowing that it was best to give him a sense of space.
"You need to calm down, everything's alright, we are going to be outside again shortly okay?" Ignis said taking his hand.
"Prom can you take a deep breath for me?" Noctis asked he could feel the sweat starting to soak through Prompto's shirt and was now well aware of his friends panic attack.
Prompto took a shaky breath and tried to calm himself enough to reclaim his normal vision. He could feel the tears starting to form in his eyes and reached out grabbing at Noctis. "It's okay Prom I'm right here" Noctis said sweetly, wrapping his arms tightly around Prompto and squeezing hard, trying to give Prompto a sense of safety.
Ignis put his hand on Prompto's back and rubbed it in a circle trying to be comforting. "Breath in for three, hold for two, breath out for three" He said trying to help Prompto steady his breaths.
Prompto followed Ignis' advice and started to feel air in his lungs again. He definitly had tears on his face now but he could see again and there was a light just above them. "We are seconds form the top" Gladio said opening the door as soon as they reached the top. Ignis stood up exiting the elevator and giving space for Gladio to lean down and pick up Prompto carrying him out of the small cave and laying him in the grass. Noctis only a step behind quickly sitting beside Prompto once he was seated.
Prompto took a deep breath the freash air feeling amazing. "You okay?" Noctis asked running his hand through Prompto's hair.
Prompto nodded in response looking at Noctis then at the other two who were also sitting beside him. He was starting to calm but not yet ready to form words. "Gladio can you hold him tightly it helps him relax a lot" Noctis said knowing that being held tightly was Prompto's panic attack coping mechanism and when it came to tight hugs Gladio was the man for the job.
"Yeah, come'ere" Gladio said pulling Prompto into his arms and wrapping them around him, squeezing him with some of his strength but not all, they weren't trying to kill the little guy.
Prompto smiled and snuggled closer his breathing returning to normal. "I'm okay" He said quietly.
"Why didn't you tell us you were scared to go down?" Gladio asked.
"Thought I could handle it" Prompto responded.
"Do you get panic attacks often?" Ignis question.
Prompto looked at Noctis and Noctis took that as his cue to explain. "He used to have them a lot, when he was a child it was a daily struggle and even as he got older it was a problem. He told me that before we met they were a constant concern, but recently it has been a lot better. It's been months since the last one right?" Noctis asked looking down at Prompto who nodded.
Gladio looked almost hurt. "If you'd told us we could've been ready, could've helped" He said.
"I didn't think it was a problem. It doesn't happen often anymore, and Noctis knew" Prompto answered.
"And if Noctis hadn't been with us?" Ignis asked.
Prompto looked at him then looked down. "I guess I hadn't thought about that" He said."Sorry" He added after a moment.
"You don't have to be sorry, we're not mad or anything. We just wish we'd been aware of these things so we could help prevent them" Ignis said. "But we know now and we will discuss later how best to help you through this if it happens again yes?" He added.
"Yeah we can do that" Prompto answered.
"And I'm sorry Prompto, I should have noticed sooner" Noctis said.
"It's not you're fault Noct. Once I felt it start going down and breathing felt like a strain I should have asked to stop" He said no longer apologizing just explaining.
"Well you're okay now right?" Gladio asked again just to be sure.
"Yeah guys I'm fine" Prompto responded tugging a bit at Gladio's arms so he'd realease his grip,which he did.
"Alright well today has been eventful enough, should we head back?" Ingis asked standing up and brushing off his clothes.
"Yeah we got what we came for anyway" Noctis answered getting up off the ground and offering a hand to help Prompto up.
"Want me to carry you?" Gladio asked looking to Prompto and pushing himself up.
"I can walk" He said with a smile. "But can we stay the RV instead of camping?" Prompto asked.
"I think we can afford that" Ignis replied with a smile.
"Yes!" Prompto cheered fist pumping the sky. He felt like himself again.
Noctis laughed and rolled his eyes at Prompto "Hey you know you love me" He replied leaning over and kissing Noctis quickly.
"Maybe" He said with a wink running off and turning around trying to get Prompto to chase him.
"Screw you" Prompto yelled running after him.
Gladio laughed "That's the new king" He said.
"Six help us all" Ignis responded.