The Salvatore brothers sickfics

Stefan - panic attack

Requested by @emmacor123
Stefan has a panic attack and Damon helps him.

Damon was seated in his favorite chair in the living room, slowly sipping his glass of bourbon while staring into the flames.

Stefan came through the front door and rushed to his room, leaving no greeting or anything, making Damon concerned.

"Stefan?" He asked, standing up and walking after Stefan, who was already out of sight. Damon walked to his little brothers room.

"Stefan?" He questioned walking in without knocking. It only took one look for Damon to know that Stefan wasn't alright.

Stefan was pacing around the room, breathing shallowly and fast in small gasps. Tears was slipping down Stefans cheeks. He placed both of his hands over his chest and whined miserably.

"Stefan?" Damon asked, not knowing what to do. He hadn't ever seen Stefan in such a state yet he carefully stepped closer to his brother.

Stefan didn't seem to notice Damon's approach. Damon thought back, trying to dig out any helpful knowledge.

"Listen Damon... you might not seem irritated from the events right now, but post traumatic stress can be developed later on as well when thinking back to these moments, and it can make one have panic attacks"

He had heard those words often when talking about the civil war and even though he never had the signs of stress, he still listened to the tips. And now they became useful.

"Hey.. hey, Stef?" He asked, gently gripping Stefan's shoulder, making Stefan glance at him. "I'm gonna need you to sit on the floor. Foetal-position with your head between your knees, alright? You'll be okay."

When Stefan didn't move, Damon grabbed his arm and guided him to sit on the floor and he helped him into the position. Damon wasn't sure if it was right but he had to try.

Damon grabbed his little brother's hand squeezing them gently, promising Stefan that he would help him through everything that he was dealing with.

"I just need you to breathe," he said. "That's the only thing you have to do. Then I'll handle everything else."

At first, Damon didn't know wether it helped or not, but Stefan breaths slowly became deeper and more controlled and he fell into Damon's arms, desperate for comfort.

Damon rubbed Stefan's head with one hand and rested the other against Stefan's chest, where his heart was pumping rapidly.

Stefan let out a loud sob, squeezing Damon's arm.

"M-My chest hurts..." he stuttered and Damon nodded reassuringly.

"That's okay. It's normal," he said.

Damon then asked him, what got him so worked up. It took Stefan a while to gather the courage to say it.

"I thought about the safe... and the quarry..." he muttered and Damon pressed a affectionate kiss against Stefan's cheek.

"It's okay..." he said. "It over now... I know it feels like you're reliving everything, but it's over. Silas can't get you anymore."

Stefan nodded sleepily, resting his head on Damon's collarbone. Then he drifted off the sleep, knowing that Damon would keep him safe and sound.