|𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟖: Welcome to the panic room|

CW: panic attack, crying, signs of trauma
Word count: 1025

Now playing: Panic room by AuRA

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"Y/n, I'm going mining, be safe, okay?"

"Okay..."

Despite her response, her heart rate accelerated rapidly, goosebumps wrecking her body as she shivered with anxiousness.

What's happening?

Why's she feeling like that?

She's never felt like that before.

Before she knew it, the front door slammed shut, her flinching at the sudden noise.

Phil left...

Now what?

"Y/n!"

She jumped up, shivering at the sudden call of her name, uttered by the sickly familiar voice.

His voice was full of enthusiasm, light as he suddenly hugged her from behind.

"I missed you so much, how are you doing?"

He questioned, smiling contently.

However, the smile of his faltered immediately when he didn't get the response from her.

And then, he felt her shoulders shake.

He spun her around as gently as possible, only to see her with the tears in her eyes.

She was shivering, pearly tears making their way down her cheeks, as her head hung low.

"Hey- what happened? Are you alright? Why are you crying- did someone hurt you? Please, tell me."

Y/n shook her head, trying to escape his hold, which didn't let her.

This only intensified her fear, as she attempted to fight away his hands.

Seeing this, he instantly pulled her closer to himself, hugging her tightly, not enough to suffocate, of course, but enough to offer her his warmth and comfort.

"You're fine, I promise, you're fine. Just calm down, breathe."

XD instructed, voice calm, soothing as he rubbed circles on her back.

He sent the calming energy through her body with his touch, soothing her nerves, dissolving her anxiety slowly but surely.

The girl felt like as if all the energy was drained out of her, suddenly too exhausted to fight off, the dull throb forming inside her head.

But he was oblivious to this all, his mind was already occupied with something else.

He was curious about what caused all this.

Maybe someone hurt her?

Then, of course, he'll get rid of them no matter what and at any cost.

Huffing out a sigh, he pulled his mask up and kissed her temple, then peppering her face except her lips with little smooches.

He noticed that her shivering died down, but tears still remained in her eyes.

"Are you alright now, my love?"

She gave a short nod, trying to pull away from his hug and this time, he let her free.

She managed to wipe the tears away from her eyes with the sleeves of her sweater.

Her legs felt wobbly, as she barely held herself on her feet.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay... could you tell me what happened?"

"It's- it's nothing."

"You can trust me, I promise."

"I don't know. I don't know myself. I just don't know. I don't like being left home alone. But at the same time, I can't quite explain it. My head hurts..."

He remained silent for a moment, trying to take into her words.

Well, at least he got her to calm down, which is a good thing.

"I see. Come here."

She finally looked up at him, eyes red and puffy.

"Why?"

"Come on. Just come here."

Hesitantly, she paddled closer to him, despite her body fighting her against doing so.

One arm of his wrapped around her frame, while the other lightly poked at her forehead.

Confusion rolled off of her in waves as her eyes were lost, when she glanced up at him, mouth parted to ask what he was doing.

But then, she felt her headache disappear, her mouth sealing shut.

"You- what did you do?"

"Don't worry your pretty head by questioning that."

He hummed, smiling at her confused expression.

"What..? You're so weird."

"At least, I stand out from the rest of the crowd by my weirdness."

His smile turned into a grin right after when she rolled her eyes, freeing herself from his grip.

"Would you want to do something, Y/n?"

"Uh, no."

"That was a rather fast response..."

A laugh bubbled up from her chest at that.

She was back to usual, which was good.

"Well, what do you offer, then?"

She questioned, biting her lower lip to contain her laughter.

"Let me think... some sort of game."

"Uno."

Her response was immediate which stunned him for a hot second.

"Oh, okay, Uno that's it."

"You're gonna lose."

"Hm, what makes you think so?"

He questioned, materialising Uno cards from the thin air, stacking them up as they sat down on the couch.

"I won every single game I've ever played, you're no match for me."

"I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you, love. After all, you might have won against mere mortals, but remember, that this time, you're facing the God."

"Me? Cocky? Comes from the cocky God."

He tilted his head to the side, grinning because she got him there.

"Alright, alright, you win these. But don't expect me to lose so easily. I'm not holding back."

"I don't need you to. Give it your best, XD."

"Oh, I will, surely."

A small smile tugged his lips, as she picked the cards.

"¦'ᒲ ⍑੭ᒲᒷ, ǁ/⧶!"

ᓭ⍑ᒷ ⍑ᒷɾ∷⟍̅ ⅂⍑ᒷ ⟍̅੭੭∷ ੭ⅰ!ᒷ⧶, ⅂⍑ᒷ⧶ ⅂⍑ᒷ ⎓ɾᒲ¦ꖎ¦ɾ∷ ⍊੭¦ᶖᒷ ੭⎓ ⅂⍑ᒷ ੭ꖎ⟍̅ ᒲɾ⧶, ɾᓭ ⍑ᒷ ᒷ⧶⅂ᒷ∷ᒷ⟍̅ ꖎ¦⍊¦⧶˧ ∷੭੭ᒲ ᓭ⍑ᒷ ∴ɾᓭ ¦⧶.₋.

"⅂⍑੭⚍˧⍑⅂ ǁ੭⚍ ⟍̅¦ᒷ⟍̅ ⎓∷੭ᒲ ɾ ⍑ᒷɾ∷⅂ ɾ⅂⅂ɾᶖꖌ.₋. ∴⍑ɾ⅂ ⅂੭੭ꖌ ǁ੭⚍ ᓭ੭ ꖎ੭⧶˧?"

"∴⍑- ⧶ᒷ⍊ᒷ∷ᒲ¦⧶⟍̅, ੭ꖌɾǁ ⦣⚍⅂ ꖎ¦ꖌᒷ, ¦ ⎓੭⚍⧶⟍̅ ɾ ᶖɾ⍊ᒷ.₋."

"੭੭⍑, ᓭ⚍ᶖ⍑ ɾ ˧∷ᒷɾ⅂ ⟍̅¦ᓭᶖ੭⍊ᒷ∷ǁ, ᶖ⍑∷¦ᓭ⅂੭ⅰ!⍑ᒷ∷ ᶖ੭ꖎ⚍ᒲ⦣⚍ᓭ.₋."

ɾ ⍑ǁᓭ⅂ᒷ∷¦ᶖɾꖎ ꖎɾ⚍˧⍑⅂ᒷ∷ ᒷᓭᶖɾⅰ!ᒷ⟍̅ ⍑¦ᒲ ɾ⅂ ⍑ᒷ∷ ∷ᒷᒲɾ∷ꖌᓭ, ɾᓭ ⍑ᒷ ⟍̅∷੭ⅰ!ⅰ!ᒷ⟍̅ ⍑¦ᓭ ⦣ɾᶖꖌⅰ!ɾᶖꖌ ⅂੭ ⅂⍑ᒷ ⎓ꖎ੭੭∷, ⍑੭ꖎ⟍̅¦⧶˧ ੭⧶⅂੭ ⅂⍑ᒷ ⟍̅੭੭∷⎓∷ɾᒲᒷ ⎓੭∷ ᓭ⚍ⅰ!ⅰ!੭∷⅂.₋.

"੭ꖌɾǁ- ੭ꖌɾǁ, ¦⅂ ∴ɾᓭ ɾ ⟍̅∷¦ⅰ!ᓭ⅂੭⧶ᒷ ᶖɾ⍊ᒷ, ɾꖎ∷¦˧⍑⅂?"

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Chapter 19 soon...

A/n: lmao, not me managing to pull a chapter out of me in my sick condition