the light that never goes out ~ sk8 the infinity

chapter 4: bigmouth strikes again

a/n: 

*drug warning*

theres no drug use yet but there is mention of it in the last few chapters 

hope yall like it 

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Possibly, this wouldn't be a bad thing. Sure, being stuck in the house for a whole day isn't ideal, but being stuck in a house with Reki? That's a little bit better of a situation.

Reki is pacing around the living room, having what Langa assumes is a full-on freakout. He's mumbling about the amount of food we have in the house and how he might be unable to contact his family. Langa can't tell what he's saying because Reki is talking and what seems like 10 miles an hour.

Langa sits on the couch, legs crossed, watching Reki pace back and forth. He's debating if he should do something. Is there even anything he can do? Is it even worth it to try? Who knows at this point? Langa looks around the room awkwardly, trying to find something to change the subject. Suddenly, he notices Rekis's breathing change just slightly. He whips his head over to see Reki somewhat hunched over, breathing erratically.

His eyes go wide. Is this what he thinks it is? He knows that panic attacks are a thing, but he has never seen somebody have one. He's had close calls personally but never knows how to deal with them. And who even knows if that's what this is? It could be something different. Langa starts slowly standing up, cautiously moving toward Reki. Reki is still hyperventilating and mumbling nonsense to himself. He has one hand on his chest and one on his knee, stabilizing himself. Langa makes small movements toward him, not wanting to scare him off. "Reki?" He asks quietly so as not to startle the boy. Reki, stuck in his world of anxiety, doesn't even flinch.

He decided to try to get a bit closer. "Reki?" He asks once again. No reaction at all. Reki's eyes are glued to the floor, blinking rapidly. Fuck it, just go for it. Langa puts his hand softly on Rekis's shoulder. "Reki." He says, raising his voice slightly. Finally, Reki looks up and locks his eyes with Langa. Reki is still hyperventilating, glancing around the room wildly. What the fuck was he supposed to do? Langa was trying to think of anything he could, any information that could be helpful.

Decidedly, he sits on the floor, pulling Reki by the shoulder to sit with him. With no resistance, Reki sits down across from him. They were only about a couple of inches apart. Langa thinks of something his dad would do to help calm him down. He reaches out for Rekis's hand. "Is this okay?" Reki gulps and nods, still looking around the room.

Langa nods with him and slowly reaches out for his hand. He slowly grasps Reki's hand and brings it to his chest. "Can you match my breaths?" He asks. Reki nods slowly. Langa takes a big breath, and Reki shakily breathes in with him. After a few moments of breathing, Rekis's breaths finally slowed down. "Good, good." Langa mumbles.

Reki is gripping the carpet below, still breathing in and out. "Feeling better?" Langa asks. Reki nods, still trying to focus. Thank god this worked, Langa thinks. When he was a kid, Langa stressed out so much about the most minor things. Something like a homework assignment he didn't have time to finish or even a shirt he couldn't find.

His father would find him curled up in a ball in the corner, rocking back and forth, back and forth. His father would rush to his side, slowly grabbing his hand and trying to match his breaths. It was just about the only thing that was effective. So Langa figured it was worth a shot. Langa pulls his hand away, and Reki places it in his lap, looking at his hands. "How are you feeling?" Langa asks, trying to break the silence.