summer love | joe burrow

23

⚠️ trigger warning! this chapter does contain a panic attack. please skip if you need to. sending everyone so much love. my personal messages are always open <3 ⚠️

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" help me, it's like the walls are caving in. sometimes i feel like giving up. but i just can't. it isn't in my blood "

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the cold breeze hits joe and meredith as they stand outside. joe paces back and forth as he continues to breathe heavily and the tears finally pour out of his eyes. "hey, joe. talk to me" she says quietly.

"i...she...cheated" he struggles to get the words out. meredith reaches out and grabs his hand, placing it in hers.

"i need you to listen to me j. you're having a panic attack, ok? but i am here for you. everything is going to be ok" she explains calmly. joe looks at her and tries his best to understand.

meredith gently takes joe's hand out of hers and places it on her heart. "do you feel my heart?" she asks. "your heartbeat needs to match mine."

she grabs joe's other hand and places it on his heart. "your heart is going too fast. do you feel the difference between my heart and your heart? when your heart matches mine, it will help you calm down"

"i can't" he panics again.

"you can. you can do it bubs" she encourages.

"can i listen to your heart? i want to hear it" joe manages to get out. meredith nods as she guides joe and herself to a step. she sits down and joe instantly sits down next to her. he places his head on meredith's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of her heart beating.

he wraps his hands around her tightly, afraid that she might disappear forever. she uses one of her hands to gently rub his back, letting him know that she is here and that he isn't alone. she uses her other hand to run her fingers through his hair. she remembers doing this when joe was anxious, and it always helped him calm down.

"bubs, can you tell me three things you can see? don't think too much about it, just say whatever comes to your head" she asks.

"i see the dumpster, the trees, and i see you" he answers.

"you are doing great. now can you tell me three things you can hear?" she continues.

"i hear the wind hitting the trees. i hear your breathing and your heartbeat" he admits.

"i am so proud of you. can you move your finger for me? pretend you're the world's greatest piano player and air play the piano" she asks. joe removes his hands from around meredith and moves his fingers as he pretends to play the piano.

"nice" she laughs lightly. "since i can't see your toes, can you move your foot in a circle for me?" joe points his toes as he moves his foot in a circle.

"i need you to do one last thing for me" she lightly rests her chin on the top of joe's head. "can you show me your muscles?" joe smiles at this request as he slowly comes back to reality. he flexes his muscles and laughs.

"my breathing is back to normal" joe realizes. "how did you do that?"

"magic" she smiles at joe, knowing he isn't in a panic mode now. comfortable silence fills the air for a few minutes before he lays his head on meredith's shoulder.