Gabriel watched Alex duck into the alleyway, still concerned. Forgetting about going to visit his friend, Gabriel debated for a second on whether or not to follow. Letting his nature take over on this one, Gabriel stepped forward into the alley, careful of where he stepped. He really didn't want to come off as a creep, but helping this person came first.
Alex glanced up as Gabriel followed him, starting to shake a little. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't stand large crowds but he couldn't be alone, either, or his memories took over and he was back in a padded cell, screaming and sobbing and begging. His breathing turned shaky as he slid into a sitting position. "One two three one two three." He mumbled, over and over again.
Gabriel pursed his lips, going over and kneeling by Alex's side.
"Hey," he said, voice gentle, "What's wrong? What do you need to help with this?"
Alex shuddered again, flinching away from him. "Nothing I'm fine." He blurted, though he was obviously far from fine. He was shaking too hard to be fine, his eyes squeezed shut against the memories. Of course, that was probably a good thing, as if he had been looking at Gabriel, he might have blushed, which would have been worse.
Gabriel's eyebrows knitted together.
"No, you aren't," he said calmly. He placed his hand on Alex's leg lightly, trying to pull his attention from whatever was making him like this.
Alex flinched again at the touch, sucking in a breath. "I…please don't touch me." He said quickly, pulling away. His eyes flickered open, looking at Gabriel with wide eyes.
Gabriel withdrew his hand, respectful of Alex.
"I'm sorry," he said. His eyes looked at Alex's. It might have been as if he was searching Alex's soul, if it had not been for the warm, respectful way Gabriel held his gaze.
Alex swallowed, and took a deep breath. He was mumbling the numbers again, raking a hand through his brown hair. He was shaking slightly. He couldn't stop remembering the cell. The blood, the walls. Screaming. Water.
Gabriel stayed by Alex's side, careful not to touch him again.
"Where are you right now?" He probed gently, not meaning the alleyway.
Alex shuddered. "Bedlam…" He breathed. Bedlam asylum, in Britain. Well known, even here across the sea. He shuddered again, eyes squeezing shut tight.
Gabriel's lips pursed into a thin line. He'd heard about Bedlam.
"Is anyone else there?" He asked, just as calmly. He needed to know exactly what he needed to talk Alex out of.
"Nurse." He whispered, taking shaky breaths. "Not the normal one. This one is worse." She had tied him in the restraints again, and had one of the male nurses carry him. It hurt. He was being held too tightly and his bones felt like they would crack, and he knew they hated him because of the way they looked at him.
"What can you feel touching you right now?" Gabriel pursed his lips; this was very serious.
"Water." Alex replied after a moment. "I-it's the hydrotherapy again, I can't…" he was shaking again, feeling again the weight on top of him, keeping him still as the tub filled with water, either ice cold or burning hot, and no matter what he said or how he pleaded, they wouldn't stop.
Gabriel bit the inside of his cheek, staring at Alex. The things he must have gone through…
"Open your eyes," he instructed gently. "And look at me."
Alex forced his eyes open, still shaking, his hands curled into fists on his knees. His green eyes were wide and afraid and full of pain and memory. He wouldn't drown, he wouldn't, they didn't fill it up enough for that, but he wished he could submerge his head and just drown because then this would end and he could be free of this free of all of this.
"Do you see me?" Gabriel asked. He wanted to give Alex a physical tether to the present, but he had already said he didn't want Gabriel touching him. Instead, he would have to find another way.
Alex forced a slow nod, staring at Gabriel. He pressed the heel of one hand to his forehead. "Yeah but I…I…" but his head was too full of memories and pain for him to be able to pull himself out of them yet, for him to be able to stop the cascade that kept pouring into him.
"What do you notice about my face?" Gabriel asked. If he could manage to get Alex to focus on him, it would be so much easier to pull him out of this.
"I…" Alex trailed off, eyes searching Gabriel's face. "Uhm…b-brown hair, blue eyes." he said slowly, hands twitching on his knees. "Uh…"
Gabriel nodded once.
"Now, can you feel the wall behind you?"
Alex took a shaky breath, and nodded a little bit, the world around him feeling more solid again. "Y-yeah…" He stammered.
"Okay then, describe it to me." Gabriel watched Alex closely, careful to pay close attention to how he was acting.
"Ah…bricks." Alex said. "Reddish. Stained with dirt." He described slowly, feeling more and more grounded as he continued, his breathing evening out again.
Gabriel nodded, watching as Alex's breathing evened out.
"Do you feel better?" he asked, once he judged that Alex had calmed down enough.