Attack on Titan Short Stories

Ride the Wave (Mike x Nanba)

So as someone who struggles with anxiety, I headcanon a modern AU where Mike struggles with anxiety as well.

Mike remember his first panic attack. It started about a few months before his college graduation. He was about to take a physics 4 exam. He had never been nervous before an exam. Despite not looking the part, Mike was incredibly smart. Finishing in number 3 in his high school class. He was majoring in physics and secondary education. He was also finishing up his student teaching at the local high school near the University of Maryland.

It had only been 5 minutes when the exam started. It felt like a massive wave in the ocean had hit him. His heart started racing, the problems on the paper were swirling together, his chest felt tight, he was hot, & his throat felt tight.

Mike felt trapped. He left his exam unfinished, and headed to the campus health center. He called his girlfriend, thinking he was having a heart attack.

That was when Mike learned about panic disorder or anxiety.

*************************

Mike was tired. It had been a long week at school, and they still had one more day to go plus a football he had to help coach Friday night. He had been on edge most of the week. The district had sent in an observer in to evaluate his class. He was worried about Eren who was struggling in his physical science class. Stressed about beating Marley High School tomorrow. It was his first year of being the head of the science department.

So it wasn't a surprise when he was awakened at 2:00am. He wasn't sure if he had been having a bad dream or not, but he felt the symptoms he had grown to know. His heart was racing, he was sweating, he felt the hot flashes come on. The dark bedroom still closing in on him. He felt the dread sink into ever muscle in his body. He brain flooded with awful thoughts.

"What is you lose your job?"

"What if you have anxiety while coaching tomorrow?"

"You students aren't going to pass the AP physics exams"

"You don't deserve Nanaba"

He got out of bed. Feeling restlessness in his legs. He felt nauseous. He was trying to catch his breath.

He stumbled to the bathroom, and opened the medicine cabinet, his limbs weren't working right and he ended up knocking a bunch of stuff into the sink.

"Shit" he mumbled as he fumbled for the bottle of his anxiety medicine.

He finally got a hold on if, and got out a little blue pill.

He turned to head to the kitchen to get water.

Before he could get out of the bedroom, a glass of water was presented to him.

"Mike...sweetheart are you ok?" Nanaba asked softly.

He shook his head. He placed the pill in his mouth, and took a sip of the cold water.

"I-I need fresh air" he croaked.

Nanaba let their Dalmatian out into their backyard.

"Remember your breathing that your therapist taught you....in for 4 hold for 4 out for 4, in through your nose, out through your mouth", she reminded him.

The two sat on the cool grass of their back yard. Nanaba was working the pressure points on his hands, to help calm him.

"Remember there is no real threat right now, you are a great teacher, coach, and husband"

Mike swallowed hard trying so desperately to focus on her touch, on the cool grass, and her soft voice.

His heart still hammered, but he was managing to get his breathing under control.

Nanaba's hands felt like a God-send. Just feeling her touch let him know he was alone.

"Remember Mike anxiety passes through you in waves, you just have to ride the wave"

"Just ride the wave" Mike mumbled. Trying to imagine himself on a surfboard, riding a massive wave.

Pongo had finished his patrol of the yard and was now laying his head in Mike's lap, knowing something was wrong with his fur dad.

After 20 mins of so, Mike felt the medication start to kick in. "Just keep riding the wave" he reminded himself.

"Wanna talk about it?" his wife asked, brushing some of his sweat coated hair out of his face.

So the 2 spent the next hour while Mike opened up about everything he had been feeling this week.

Feeling his body come back down from the panic, he felt suddenly exhausted, laying his head on Nanaba's shoulder.

"Think you can fall asleep if we get in bed" she asked.

"Mmhmm"

She helped a wobbly Mike to his feet, his medication always made him drowsy, and a bit clumsy.

As the two climbed back into bed, Pongo jumped up and took his spot at the foot of the bed.

"Hell it's 3:30am" Mike groaned. "I'm sorry I kept you up Nan"

She gently kissed him on the cheek. "Through sickness and health right"

She continued to massage the pressure points on Mike's hand until he was snoring softly.

*******************

Mike yawned, it was 6th period, warm outside and he was exhausted. Last night's panic attack had worn him out, adding to that getting only 3 and 1/2 hours of sleep. He slogged through his lessons, and was glad that his 7th period class was AP physics, he could have them take a mock exam.

On the next wing Nanaba was wrapping up her Pre Calculus lesson. The bell rang for the end of 6th period, and she watched her mix of juniors and seniors file out the door.

"See you all Monday!" She called out.

With 7th period being her planning period, she got her jacket and keys and head towards the side door.

************************

"Let's seen...Reiner?"

"Here coach!"

"Connie?"

"Yep!"  The freshman replied.

"Galliards one and two"

Porco and Marcel looked up from their phones and waved their hand.

Mike felt a hand in his shoulder.

"You ok?" Erwin asked. "Nanaba said you had a rough night last night"

"Yeah I'll be ok, just hate that tonight's an away game" he answered yawing.

Coach Erwin, Coach Mike, Coach Shadis, and Coach Nile were trying to get the football team on the buses so they could get to Marley High School.

"Oh good I caught you guys before you left"

Mike turned to see Nanaba walking up with a Starbucks cup in her hand.

"I didn't have any after school duty so I thought you could use a pick me up" she smiled warmly.

He took the coffee, grateful for the extra caffeine boost.

"Hey where's our Starbucks?" Nile asked jokingly.

"Sorry married people perks" she said laughing.

Mike took a sip, and then kissed his wife on her forehead. "Thank for the coffee sweetheart, now go home and get some rest"

"I'll see you when you get home"

She looked around saw that the boys were distracted and playfully slapped Mike's butt.

"Go get 'em Tiger"

End