Subject Zero (COMPLETED)

Twenty-Five

Rosalyn

Malakai was a frenzy mess of blood and tears.

As he thrashed around, his blood smeared, and Rosalyn gave up on trying to keep his shirt pressed against his head wound. Without even realizing, she threw her arms around him; she placed her hand over his bare chest, remembering what Sebastian had done when trying to calm him down.

But he wasn't cooperating as she had hoped. His hands pressed onto the ground, trying to push himself up to his feet again. However his hands would only slip on his blood and he would slump back again, defeated in Rosalyn's arms.

"Malakai," Rosalyn began, "you need to stay still and breathe."

He was breathing, that was for certain, but they were extremely short and dry. His breaths sounded horrid, like a fish out of water, and in that moment, Rosalyn didn't know what to do.

It was another panic attack, she knew. It appeared out of nowhere, and she wondered if it stemmed from seeing all the blood. She recalled that happening back when Vivienne was fighting him. Nonetheless, it was happening, and Rosalyn needed to calm him down.

"Malakai, please." Rosalyn caught a firm grip and pulled him back down, her arms wrapped around him as best as she could. Finally, he stopped trying to get away, but his body shook with terror as his chest heaved for air.

"Seb, Seb, Seb..." Malakai trailed off, and a surge of pain hit Rosalyn's heart at his cry for his best friend. Sebastian was the one who helped Malakai during these times, so much so that he seemed desperate to have Sebastian by his side right now.

"Malakai, we're too far," Rosalyn tried to sooth him, but the reality was nothing of the sort. They were too far for Sebastian to come and help. It was only Rosalyn who could try.

She kept her arms wrapped around his small form, and his bare skin felt extremely hot, and she noticed how blotchy his body was. Rosalyn knew what panic attacks were, but she did not know the toil it had on the body.

His breathing hitched as his head fell back, as if he truly was underwater and was trying to reach the surface. The back of his neck dropped on Rosalyn's shoulder, and she felt a warm sticky substance soaked into her shirt. The cut on his head was still bleeding profoundly.

Rosalyn tried to think of what Sebastian had done during Malakai's attacks. "Breathe," she said calmly, keeping her hand pressed against his chest. His heartbeat was irregularly fast. "Keep breathing. Deep breaths."

He coughed, which sent a jolt down his weak body. He exhaled slowly. "Rosa—Rosa?"

"Yes," she said. "I'm right here."

He never used her nickname before—only her family and Ingrid had, but she was only happy that he was settling with Sebastian's replacement at the moment. And as Rosalyn had reassured him that she was with him, he finally caught his breath. It took awhile for his heartbeat to cease to normal, but Rosalyn did not let go, and Malakai did not pry her off.

Was it over? Rosalyn didn't know. She barely know what just happened. That had been his third panic attack since she's met him, and she didn't know him long. Was this normal for him?

Finally, he sat up and Rosalyn let him go. He leaned forward, away from her, and took his head in his hands. She sat still as he breathed heavily, almost a sigh of annoyance, and he moved his hands over his eyes, rubbing them fiercely.