🌟sparks🌟 (matt sturniolo)

- 26 - fire door -

it was freyja.

she stood, holding the door open with her hip, looking down at him, concern in her eyes. when she saw matt's pale face and shaky hands, she moved away and let the door close. "matt?" she questioned, and he shook his head, resting it in his hands.

freyja came and knelt down gently next to him. all traces of the hostile attitude she had had towards him all morning were gone, and the only thing left was concern and kindness. freyja gestured for matt to lean forwards a bit, and she gently pulled his arms out of his backpack straps.

freyja reached for the blue water bottle in matt's side pocket, and handed it to him. he took it gratefully, draining the bottle in one go. he groaned, rubbing his temples. "i think i have some tylenol in my backpack," freyja said, as she began to take hers off.

matt shook his head. "i've already taken some."

freyja looked at matt carefully, reaching into her bag and pulling out a packet of mints. she held out the little bag to matt, and he gratefully took three out, before shoving them into his mouth all at once. his palms were clammy, and his face was pale. but his eyes were still the same blue they had always been. "where else don't you feel good?" freyja pressed a cool palm against his forehead, and matt sighed, leaning into her touch.

"i feel like if i stand up, im gonna fall over," he said shakily, his breaths still uneven.

freyja walked over to the water fountain to the left of them, and then they sat in silence as matt drank gratefully, and freyja observed him. when he was done, she hesitated, before reaching for his hand. matt took it gratefully, and his hand stopped shaking as soon as they made contact. matt's breathing began to become regular again.

"so....what happened in there?" freyja prodded gently, stroking her thumb against the back of his hand.

matt didn't meet her eyes as he began to speak. "i don't know! i hate crowds, but i thought i would be fine, but then i lost the group and i couldn't see you in front of me, and people were shoving me and then i guess i just.....ran?" matt spoke the last word like he was asking a question.

"hmmm." freyja nodded her head.

matt still didn't meet her eyes as he continued. "and then it felt like the world was closing in on me, and my head has been hurting all morning, and then i couldn't see, and i couldn't breathe, and my stomach felt like it was gonna come out my mouth. i couldn't breathe freyja, i couldn't breathe!"

matt put his head in his hands, rubbing at his eyes in frustration. freyja watched matt's frail body, lifting her arm up to put around him. she snatched it back. she put it up. snatched it back. up and around his body. finally. relief.

matt softened immediately when he felt freyja's arm around him. she slid down until she was sitting down against the wall properly, and put her other arm around him against his chest. freyja held her body strong, as matt gave in and sunk against her, his head hanging low, and his hands fiddling in his lap.

"its ok, matt. its ok," freyja stroked his back comfortingly.

eventually, matt pulled away, and gave a small smile. "sorry, i probably smell like puke and sweat." he chuckled softly, and freyja was happy to finally hear the sound she loved so much.

"its ok-" freyja was cut off as her phone rang. matt pulled away, leaning back against the wall.

"hello?" matt listened as freyja spoke to a frantic chris on the phone.

"oh, hi chris. yeah we are fine."

a pause.

"matt just needed some air....yeah, i know. we can't get back on? ok well, you guys go ahead, we will catch the next flight and meet you in la as soon as we can. tell laura what happened." there was another pause, and freyja chuckled lightly, letting out a huff of air.