⚠️⚠️ Caution Warning ⚠️⚠️
This chapter contains multiple depictions of, including but not limited to:
[Severe panic attack, emotional distress, hyperventilation, self-inflicted bruising/scratching during dysregulation, shattered objects, and overwhelming sensory detail.]
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
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Elaine followed Casen and Rylan through the Mix It Up studio parking lot, still partially confused about the abrupt end of the game of Never Have I Ever.
"My legs are noodles," Rylan muttered, stretching his arms above his head with the takeout bag dangling from his fingers.
"Your legs are noodles," Casen shot back. "Elaine could outrun you in those boots."
"Honestly?" Elaine blinked, glancing down at the heeled ankle boots she'd been regretting for hours. "I could probably outrun a car if I were scared. Fear does wonders."
Casen snorted, looping his arm around her neck. "Fear of losing to me in air hockey again?"
"In your dreams," Elaine snorted, "I'll win next time."
"Oh?" Casen grinned, "There's a next time?"
Rylan groaned, "No making more plans for today. My soul is tired."
"What soul?" Casen inquired.
Rylan shot him a look of betrayal. "You're evil. I'm gonna start surrounding myself with new friends."
"You tried that," Casen hummed. "They were traumatized within five minutes."
Rylan rolled his eyes, picking up the pace, "I'm gonna go ahead and make sure he's not passed out on the couch."
"Yeah," Casen nodded, "No interrupting his sleep. Enxo nearly knocked me out last time."
Elaine blinked as Rylan went on ahead, "Enzo, what?"
Rylan shook his head as he rounded a corner, his steps slowing as he noticed the jarring silence from the other side. He slowly grabbed the handle and heard a loud crash on the other side of the door. "...Luca?"
He hesitated as he pushed the door open. Luca was standing against the wall with his chest heaving, his hands around his neck as his gaze drifted toward Rylan.
"Shit… Hey, Luca… Man-" He glanced behind him, then at Luca, tossing the bag down, "Hey, just-"
"Get out!"
Rylan jerked back slightly, catching his shoulder on the doorframe.
"Rylan-" Luca shook his head, closing his eyes, his breathing breaking into fast, shallow bursts. His fingers trembled as his nails dug into the back of his neck. "Fuck! Get out!"
Rylan slipped out, closing the door as he pressed his back against it at the same time Casen and Elaine reached the studio.
Casen's grin faltered, dropping off his face as he pulled his arm off Elaine. "Ry… What's going on?"
"Call Lucian," Rylan muttered, leaning against the door. His breath shook faintly as he tried to steady himself. "Casen, call Lucian, now."
Elaine blinked as Casen pulled his phone out, then looked back at Rylan. "What's going on?"
Rylan shook his head, "Just… Stay right here and do not go inside." He stepped off to the side, unlocking his phone to call Enzo.
"Voicemail," Casen murmured, glancing at Rylan, who looked at his phone, "Enzo too?"
Rylan leaned down next to Casen, whispering. Rylan kept rubbing his palm against his thigh as he tried to connect a call that didn't seem to be going through.
Elaine watched them, glancing at the door handle. I shouldn't, but… Against her better judgment, she slid through the door before Casen or Rylan could grab her or the door.
She latched it, staring at the destruction around the studio. What was once something kept in pristine condition was littered with overturned chairs, ripped pages, and shattered glass.
She closed her eyes for a moment after seeing Luca down against a wall with his eyes closed tightly. She slowly opened her eyes, watching him. This is a different kind of panic attack. I don't even know how to help…
She stepped toward him, only for her boot to crunch against some of the glass shards lying about. Luca's eyes snapped open, shifting to her. His breath caught for a split second before his head jerked to the side.
"No… No… Get out!"
"Luca-"
"Please- Get out…"
Elaine stood still for a moment, contemplating before walking closer, crouching down beside him. "Luca…"
His hands curled over his head, burying his face against his knees. His shoulders shook with each quick, shallow breath, despite the visible tension of his body locked in fight-or-flight. She noticed the wounds across his hands and neck where he had dug his nails and turned, wrapping her arms around him.
He froze, his quick breathing staggering to a halt at the abrupt motion. For a moment, he looked like he didn't know where he was. The kind of dissociation born from fear, not confusion. Elaine pursed her lips, taking the opportunity to brush her hand under his to unclench them from his hair. "It'll be alright, just… Breathe with me."
Luca's jaw tensed, his arms snaking from her grip in an attempt to push her off, though he didn't try very hard. "I-I… Can't…"
"You can," she retorted gently, "Okay? You can." She leaned her forehead against his, and his fingers dug into her jacket. "Breathe."
Luca tried to follow her guidance, failing, but tried again anyway. Each inhale wheezed sharply through his throat. He kept losing rhythm, swallowing hard between breaths.
Elaine ran her fingers through his hair as she tried to steady him. "In and out, just like that."
Luca's breath was still ragged, but each exhale came out better. The trembling slowly shifted to something steadier, his chest rising in uneven but gradually longer motions. After about five minutes, his grip on her jacket loosened. His fingers uncurling, though he was still shaking.
She leaned back just enough to slide against the wall next to him, and he reached out, grabbing her wrist like someone drowning reaching out for a lifeline.
"I'm not leaving, okay?"
He looked at her, his gaze was unfocused and glassy, exhaustion apparent on every feature. Elaine lifted her hand onto his head to pull him toward her, and he let out a shaky exhale, leaning his forehead against her shoulder.
"...Why?"
"Why, what?"
He glanced at her for a moment, then closed his eyes. "Why did you… Stay?"
Elaine blinked, looking at him silently. She wanted to scold him for asking, but she didn't. "Because you needed someone to."
Luca's eyes slowly opened, meeting her gaze. He didn't say anything, just watched her, as if trying to figure out if she was actually telling the truth. His gaze shifted faintly before he slumped down with his eyes closed. Elaine steadied him as he fell onto her lap. I guess the adrenaline wore off…
She gently stroked his hair, leaning her head against the wall as she listened to Rylan and Casen's incoherent conversation outside. She heard them pacing despite Luca's uneven breathing.
She still had one question, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.
What exactly happened?