forum Only Fools... // ROMANCE // OXO

Started August 08, 2019 by @Painted-Iris group

tune

Those cuts… they were each at a varying level of being healed, a few seeming a bit more red than others. Aurian could only stare at his injuries, mouth open and eyes threatening to let tears escape. "Lucas…" she whispered. Not being able to help herself, she leaned forward and hugged her friend, holding him gently, allowing him to cry on her shoulder. She didn't care if blood got on her shirt either. This was very bad. No one should have to go through such emotional pain. Did Lucas' parents - or parent like hers - know about all of these injuries and how shaken he was? Maybe she could ask another time, just not now. He could barely breathe at the moment.

Lucas flinched when Aurian touched him, coughing again. He'd had several episodes like this at school, and people knew he was leaving class to cry, but they didn't know just how severe it was. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't walk, he couldn't think, and hell, he hardly was able to register where he was. He couldn't see anything but the crash, over and over. Why hadn't it been him he died rather than Claus, he'd always wondered. No one would miss him. Claus was always the favorite, of his father and of all their classmates. He was funny and popular and talented and so much more, and Lucas… well, around the time of the wreck he'd just been shy. He had just as much talent as Claus, albeit in different areas, but he rarely spoke. He saw no reason to. He was the target of bullies, but Claus had always protected him. Claus was gone now, and he took the full brunt of everyone's cruelty now. He was an emotional wreck, desperately needing help but too scared to ask any one of these people he didn't trust. He had no one.

(what lolll)

"Lucas, try and breathe. Please," Aurian begged, not sure what else to say. The best she could do was stay as she was for support. She clung to him to make the both of them feel secure. With how worked up Lucas was, it rubbed off on her a bit as well. She worried about his health. About those cuts. Inside, her heart twisted in several different directions. It hurt to watch the other break down like this. Her eyes no longer had the strength to hold back the tears and she let them flow.

Aurian's voice began to forcefully drag Lucas out of the past, albeit temporarily. His breath came in sobs and when he looked up at Aurian, his face was very pale. He seemed terrified and the tear streaks were painfully obvious on his face. His normally neat hair was disheveled, thrown awry as he struggled. Claus used to be able to calm him down when he had panic attacks as well, as he'd had bad anxiety even before his twin had died. Lucas's hoodie neck was loose now too, the top of a blossoming bruise flourishing just above his collarbone. That injury was not his own doing. Neither were the glass wounds on his head.

Aurian's voice began to forcefully drag Lucas out of the past, albeit temporarily. His breath came in sobs and when he looked up at Aurian, his face was very pale. He seemed terrified and the tear streaks were painfully obvious on his face. His normally neat hair was disheveled, thrown awry as he struggled. Claus used to be able to calm him down when he had panic attacks as well, as he'd had bad anxiety even before his twin had died. Lucas's hoodie neck was loose now too, the top of a blossoming bruise flourishing just above his collarbone. That injury was not his own doing. Neither were the glass wounds on his head.

Aurian tried wiping away his tears gently only for more to come. This was really serious… At least he was breathing less rapidly. She became very conflicted on what to do. To simply continue hugging him and try to calm him on her own or to go get help from the counsellor or something. "Take a breath, hold it for 2 second and then breathe out," the girl said, trying to remember what her mom told her when she had a mini panic attack. It was when she was very little though.

Aurian's voice began to forcefully drag Lucas out of the past, albeit temporarily. His breath came in sobs and when he looked up at Aurian, his face was very pale. He seemed terrified and the tear streaks were painfully obvious on his face. His normally neat hair was disheveled, thrown awry as he struggled. Claus used to be able to calm him down when he had panic attacks as well, as he'd had bad anxiety even before his twin had died. Lucas's hoodie neck was loose now too, the top of a blossoming bruise flourishing just above his collarbone. That injury was not his own doing. Neither were the glass wounds on his head.

Aurian tried wiping away his tears gently only for more to come. This was really serious… At least he was breathing less rapidly. She became very conflicted on what to do. To simply continue hugging him and try to calm him on her own or to go get help from the counsellor or something. "Take a breath, hold it for 2 seconds and then breathe out," the girl said, trying to remember what her mom told her when she had a mini panic attack. It was when she was very little though.

Lucas nodded weakly, trying to force himself to obey. He choked a bit, but did manage to do a different breathing technique of his own. After several minutes, he was just cradling his head in his hands and whimpering softly, his shaking not having stopped yet, but he at least seemed to be mostly back in the present.

"Good, good," the girl said quietly, both to herself and to Lucas. Now leaning back, Aurian switched to just sitting beside him and rubbing his back slowly. At that moment, she wished nothing more than to be some sort of doctor to help Lucas. To have some clue as to what else to do. "We… don't have to talk if you don't want to. But either way, I'm staying right here."

He nodded again, clearly in no state to try and talk or explain yet. His eyes were tired and full of guilt and pain; they seemed like the eyes of a sad old person, though they outwardly looked young. He was mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually exhausted in pretty much every way.

Aurian simply stayed quiet as she sat beside Lucas. She thought about wanting to finish that sketch of Lucas from before, but didn't dare go back to class to get it. There was always more paper to use in her bag, but drawing Lucas all sad wouldn't be a good gift to make him feel better. The girl finally sighed, letting her mind wind down.

"I-I'm sorry…" He whispered after a couple minutes, his voice breaking. "You… you shouldn't have had to see that…" He was still curled up into an upright ball with his chin resting on his knees, struggling to keep his eyes open.

The girl smiled softly, looking at Lucas. "Maybe not, but it's okay. It's never fun to do that alone," Aurian replied, trying to console him a bit more. "You did a lot for me today, so it was only right I do something for you."

"This is nothing compared to just showing you around school, Aurian…" Lucas said softly, still seeming incredibly anxious. "This is not a fun thing to experience for anyone involved…"

Aurian turned sharply to face Lucas. "So? I wanted to do this, so don't be sorry. I'm not about to stand there and watch you break down like that," she replied firmly. The girl gave the other a soft smile and held out a hand for him to take. "I wanna be your friend, Lucas."