sorry if this has been asked before, but companions react to sole having a panic/anxiety out of nowhere? (love your blog btw <3)
I’m glad you enjoy my writing Hope you like the react, anon!
(TW: panic attacks/anxiety)
She has absolutely no idea why Sole is suddenly an anxious mess, even though things had been going alright moments ago. Regardless, Ada will check in with Sole. She asks if a hug would make them feel better, and when Sole nods yes, Ada awkwardly hugs Sole with her stiff robot arms. She’d seen hugs make her old friends feel better, so hopefully this helped Sole…
Ada also asks Sole if they want to stop and unwind for a bit. Sole agrees, and the loyal robot will stand guard so they can calm down.
Rather confused at first– Why the fuck was Sole all shaky and panicky all of a sudden? They were safe in this little camp, right? Then she remembers that her pal Sole had pretty bad anxiety. Cait asks if Sole is okay, and offers them some cool water. She’ll sit next to Sole, letting them talk to her if they wish. Cait does her best to reassure Sole, though it’s difficult for her to understand these panic attacks…With time, she’ll get better at helping them.
She also (slowly) realizes that she’s experiencing some of the same symptoms. As much as she hates to admit it, she might need some help from Sole too.
Perhaps they can get each other through their respective struggles…
Ever since he’d met Sole, he was aware of their anxiety. He had picked up on the little things– their tics, habits, and symptoms. Whenever they get into a really panicky state, he calmly reassures them that they’re okay. Then, his caretaker programming kicks in.
Codsworth will get Sole blankets, some food, a pillow, magazines– anything they need or want. He’ll also lend an ear, should they want to talk things over. Poor Sole shouldn’t have to deal with such a condition, so Codsworth will try and make things as easy as possible for Sole.
She’s well aware of a panic attack’s effects on a person. When Sole gets thrown into one, Curie asks if they need to go to a more comfortable place. She talks about her various projects to them, in an attempt to keep their mind off whatever is bugging them. If Sole wants to talk about what’s on their mind, though, she’ll certainly listen!
Curie also reminds Sole to take deep breaths, and to do whatever they need to in order to feel better… As long as it’s healthy and safe. She also offers up hugs, if Sole needs some contact comfort.
He knows a few of his soldiers suffer from a similar fate. In fact, he himself has seen enough traumatic stuff that’ll randomly bother him. Danse puts on the radio for Sole, as that seemed to help him. Perhaps it’d help Sole? The paladin also listens to Sole, should they wish to speak about the thing that’s bothering them. He lets them know that they’re not alone in this, and that they’re strong enough to survive this.
Danse might give them a quick hug if they ask for that sort of reassurance. He also will tell them repeatedly that everything is okay, and that they’re safe with him.
When Sole starts becoming more anxious, Deacon tries to head off a panic attack before it gets going. Deacon is quick to pick up on their tics, and he’ll check in with Sole once they start getting worse.
He’ll recommend that perhaps they should rest and unwind for a bit. If Sole passes into panic attack territory, Deacon breaks out the tasty snacks and some drinks. He’ll tell jokes and funny stories to try and take their mind off their worries. If Sole wants to talk about it, Deacon is ready to listen.
It might be hard for him to keep his mouth shut, but he can manage for Sole!
When Sole falls victim to a panic attack, Dogmeat is at a loss and starts whimpering. He does his best by cuddling up to Sole, wagging his tail slowly. He’ll give them plenty of kisses too!
Sole knows that he loves them, right?
And that he’ll always be there for them?
Might try offering Sole some chems, to help them relax. However, Hancock eventually realizes that this runs much deeper than he thought. He’ll apologize for trying to dope them up, and try and comfort Sole to the best of his ability. If they ask for a comforting hug, Hancock will awkwardly oblige– he isn’t used to people wanting to hug him post-ghoulification.
He also picks up some of their favorite snacks, so that they can at least enjoy something. Hancock also has plenty of wild tales to share, and he makes sure to offer his storytelling services to Sole if they need a distraction.
Not used to dealing with this sort of thing, Longfellow panics himself. Why on Earth was Sole so anxious? How could he fix this?
He tells them to relax, which doesn’t do anything for Sole’s panic. Apologizing, Longfellow helplessly offers them a sleeping bag. Maybe they can sleep it off? He makes sure to hide his whiskey, as Sole definitely shouldn’t get their hands on that. They’re in bad enough shape as it is.
Longfellow does assure Sole that he’ll keep watch while they nap. He’s ready to stay up all night if needed, so Sole feels safe.
He’s got some understanding of panic attacks– they seem similar to how he gets sometimes. MacCready lets Sole borrow a few of his prized comic books, so they can get back on track mentally. No use in stewing over the stuff that makes you anxious, right…?
This backfires, and he learns a valuable lesson: distraction doesn’t always help in times like these. He quietly keeps them company, and gets them some food . He allows Sole borrow his bedroll, should they wish to lie down or nap too.
When they get tired enough to sleep, MacCready will tuck them in and stand guard dutifully.
His calm voice sure comes in handy here. He’ll reassure Sole to no end, always checking up on them no matter what mood they’re in. When Sole has a panic attack, he immediately gets them some books, and a cup of clean water. Perhaps they can get their mind off things for now, and onto something more enjoyable?
At least until they’re out of their panicked state, so they can deal with the problem more effectively…
He typically rests a reassuring hand on their shoulder, if they allow that. Sole sometimes asks for hugs, as Nick’s embrace is solid and calming. He obliges, even if he doesn’t really understand why Sole wants to hug a hunk of metal and wires. Whatever helps them, though, right?
While she may not totally understand, Piper asks Sole what she can do to help them. Whatever they need, she’s ready to get! Piper also makes little puzzles for Sole– Things like crosswords, word searches, the works. Those certainly should help get their mind off things.
She also leaves them little secret messages. Things like ‘you’re so awesome and brave, Sole’, y’know? That seems to cheer them up a little!
Should Sole want to talk, or be left alone, Piper will gladly follow their lead. They know what they need, and she’s happy to provide that for them.
Originally, he’s oblivious. Gage doesn’t get it at all, and will often tell Sole to calm down. He tells them to go and unwind somewhere, or do something fun. Once Sole explains, though, he understands it a bit more.
It’s hard to temper his ‘just relax’ reflex, due to his rough upbringing. It takes time to get past that, and for him to learn that just being there for Sole can help them.
Gage listens to Sole’s woes, and occasionally tries to distract them with fancy knife tricks. He also grabs them some Nuka-Cola and some treats from the park.
Having gone through similar things, Preston understands. He does make sure to tell Sole that, and ask them what they need or want. He offers them a lot of stuff, ranging from cozy blankets to story-telling.
As long as they could get their mind off things, they’d feel better…
At least, that’s how it went for him. If that doesn’t work for Sole, he won’t stop trying different ways to help them.
Hell, he’s even willing to cuddle with them, if that’s what Sole needs. Preston just wants them to feel better, and to understand that they have a friend who gets it…
Honestly, he doesn’t know what to do for Sole. He has no idea what these attacks are, and telling Sole to calm down just seems to make things worse. Strong tries to give them space instead, which also backfires. Eventually, he realizes that the best he can offer Sole is reassurance. He does his best to give them that.
Strong just wants them to feel better, so they can do more fun and dangerous stuff together.
He recognizes that Sole is clearly under duress. He’ll constantly ask Sole if they’re okay, or if they need a bit of a break. Yes, it’d be wiser to keep moving. But this is Father’s parent, and they need to be in tip-top shape to work efficiently. He eventually begins to care for them more as a person, though, instead of for what they can potentially do for the Institute.
The attacks seem rather stressful for Sole. X6-88 will just listen to them, and attempt to offer words of comfort. X6-88 gives them a blanket to cozy up in. He has a lot of stories from his line of work– perhaps he can get their mind off the anxiety? And help them feel better?
He doesn’t know exactly what to do, but he makes a note to ask the Institute doctors the next time he’s down there.
