Whumptober 2022 Oneshots + Alt List Oneshots

Prompt 12.5 : Sensory Overload

Fandom : Inside Job (cartoon - 2021)
Pairing : Brett & Reagan
Chronology : Vaguely during season one

The team had just been hanging out in the office the whole day. They hadn't gotten any assignments from J.R. and their work was all caught up on, so they just bickered as they did when there was nothing better to do. After all, none of them had all that much going on in their lives outside of their jobs anyway.

Myc and Andre were being loud per usual, going back and forth on some nonsensical bit that Gigi and Glenn eventually joined in on. Normally, Brett would've joined in too just for the fun of it, but he was distracted by how tense his friend sitting next to him seemed. Reagan hadn't said anything in a while and was very still. She looked both dissociated, stressed, and angry all at the same time. It was a look he'd seen on her a few times before, so he took that as his cue to remove her from the room.

"I gotta go grab something" Brett excused, standing up and tapping Reagan on the shoulder. She flinched but got up when he gestured for her to come with him. Myc yelled some crude comment about Brett running off to rub one out but the two got out of the room without protest.

Once in the quieter hallway, Reagan's facade broke and she slowly sunk to the floor, leaning against the wall as her hand bounced up and down in an effort to soothe herself. Brett frowned and sat next to her, far enough away so she didn't feel trapped but close enough to reach over if he needed to. "You okay, Reagan?"

"I just need a second" she replied, taking a deep breath. Brett nodded then held out his hand, palm up, for her to hold if she wanted to. He knew she wasn't one for physical touch, but this had helped before, so he saw no harm in at least giving her the option to. Sure enough, she took his hand in her own, squeezing it a little tightly. He didn't mind. It didn't hurt. "Sorry"

"Don't apologize" he insisted. "You just seemed a little overwhelmed, so I thought I'd bring you out here for a bit" he explained. "It's not like they need either of us in there right now anyway"

"True" she mumbled. It was a little bit easier to think now that she wasn't surrounded by so much noise. All she could hear now (besides her and Brett) was the faint chatter from inside and the buzzing of mechanical parts in a room down the hall. It was peaceful- Not completely silent but it was familiar and calmer.

"Do you wanna head back in?"

"Can we wait a few more minutes?"

"Of course"

"Thanks, Brett"

"Any time"