Avengers Imagines

Steve Rogers- Panic Attack

Panic Attack

Steve Rogers x fem!reader

TW: Panic attack

Word count: 1259

READERS POV

I was walking from my room to the kitchen, and I could hear the sound of the storm raging outside as it rattled through the compound. It had been storming like this for hours now and showed no signs of letting up any time soon.

I had only made it another five steps when the power went out. No. Please no. I closed my eyes and counted to ten, waiting for the back-up generator to kick on, but it never did.

No. Why is this happening? Please just turn back on, I thought to myself. My body began to shake, and I felt for the nearest wall, leaning my back against it and sliding down to the floor.

Tears welled in the corners of my eyes, and it wasn't long before they came spilling out. I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them tightly, trying to make myself smaller. Sobs wracked my body as I sat there alone in the dark by myself, feeling like my chest was caving in.

STEVE'S POV

As soon as the lights went out and the back-up generator didn't kick on, I knew I needed to find Y/N. I ran into the living room, using my phone flashlight as a guide, finding most of the team in there with their own flashlights on.

"Has anyone seen Y/N?" I asked, slightly panicked.

"No. Why Steve? What's going on?" Nat asked.

"Nothing, I just need to find her." I answered, not waiting for her response as I ran back out of the room.

No one on the team knew that she had a phobia of the dark. Except me. I needed to find her. Especially since I knew when I found her, I'd already be too late and that she was probably already having a panic attack.

I raced towards where her room was, deciding to check there first, and could hear faint sobs coming from the hallway. Picking up my pace, and dragging my flashlight across the narrow hall, I found Y/N shaking and curled up into a ball.

My heart broke looking at her, and I made sure to walk the remaining distance over slowly so as not to startle her. I set my phone down on the floor screen down so that the flashlight was facing up, illuminating the hallway slightly, then I sat down beside her and pulled her in between my legs. I gently pushed her legs down so that they were flat against the floor, taking both of her hands in one of my own, holding them against her stomach. My other arm wrapped around her waist, and I slid my hand slid under the hem of her sweater resting it on her hip before I started to rub small circles with my thumb. I knew that skin to skin contact always helped her.

"Shhh sweet girl. I got you now. You're safe. I need you to try and copy my breathing now, okay? Can you do that for me? Come on, breath with me baby." I implored.

Y/N continued to shake against me as she struggled to get her breathing back, and I just held onto her, continuing to rub small circles on her hip and breathe in a pattern that I knew would be easy for her to follow. I was trying my best to ease her, but her body kept trying to evade her efforts to calm down.

It hurt me to see her in pain, knowing that there wasn't much I could do to help other than be here, but wishing I could take it away all the same. I was trying my best to hold back my own tears, not wanting to panic her any more than she already was. If she saw or heard me crying, it would set back any of the progress that we had already made. It was another ten minutes before her breathing started to calm down, though it felt like a lifetime. Y/N's tensed body finally began to relax against me, the shaking subsiding as her breaths began to even out. We stayed in silence a few minutes more after her breathing had returned to normal before I finally spoke.

"Good girl. You did such a good job baby. I'm so proud of you." I said as I released her hands, bringing my now unoccupied hand up to play with her hair. Another thing that I knew relaxed her.

Y/N nodded her head acknowledging me, the back of it hitting my chest as she did so, before turning slowly in my arms and maneuvering herself so that she was straddling me. She then wrapped her arms around my neck and placed her head sideways on my chest so that she could listen to my heartbeat.

My hand that had been under her sweater moved its way back underneath, beginning to rub circles onto her back now as she lay against me, the other one continuing to play with her hair. I hated seeing her like this. So, broken. I knew she wasn't sleeping yet, but her eyes were closed as she lay here. After Y/N had a panic attack, they always seemed to knock the life out of her. I don't know how long we sat there for before Nat came around the corner and found us in the hall.

"Hey." She spoke quietly before looking at Y/N, crouching down to our height. "Is she okay?"

"Not really. She's got a phobia of the dark, and it induces panic attacks that knock her out afterwards." I explained.

Nat lifted her hand and brushed a few hairs out of Y/N's eyes, nodding her head. "That's why you were so freaked out looking for her?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Stark found an old portable generator and a few large lights. He's got them plugged in, in the living room. I came to find you guys."

"Thanks Nat. Would you mind grabbing my phone for me?"

"Not at all."

Nat picked up my phone, standing up, and shined both flashlights onto us. I untangled my hand from Y/N's hair and stood up with her in my arms, causing her to let out a small whimper.

"I know sweet girl. We're just gonna go sit in the living room. There's light in there." I told her, as I began to follow Nat.

READERS POV

I was only vaguely aware of my surroundings. I could hear Steve and Nat talking, and I felt as Nat brushed some hair gently away from my face. A minute or so later Steve stood up, and a whimper escaped my lips.

"I know sweet girl. We're just gonna go sit in the living room. There's light in there." Steve told me as he began walking.

When we got there, Steve sat on the couch, me still in his arms. I curled up into him, pressing myself against him as much as I could, and nuzzling into his neck.

His arm returned back under my sweater to rub circles on my back, and with the light in the room encasing me, I felt even more relaxed. I found myself drifting off not long after we sat down, the feeling of safety and comfort coursing through me from being wrapped securely in Steve's arms.

STEVE'S POV

I looked down at Y/N as I felt her breathing start to even out, signalling that she was finally sleeping. I let a small smile grace my face, before turning to the team and explaining what had happened.