Fear was something the girl always lived with; ever since she could remember the girl had something to be afraid of. It was either the water or people. In the small room Ariel stayed in, she kept a tally of how many days she had been free. So far it had been about a week, seven or so days. The pouch of money was almost gone and the woman still hadn't been able to do anything in getting more of it. Thankfully, a woman down the street let her use some of the fabric to make a new dress.
Every day it was usually the same, she would wake up and eat little before going out. She mostly hid in the shadows, watching the townsfolk from afar and never going too far from what she called home now. It was horrible when someone on a horse showed up. The beating hooves caused the girl to scramble deeper into the dark. Fear, an old friend, came around this time as she waited for whoever it was to find her and take her back.
As she stayed in this town longer, she realized on how much she missed her old life. The conditions dreadful, the food disgusting, but she knew she had a place permanently. She didn't need to worry about clothes, food, or any of that. Long story short, the girl wanted the ocean. Her body ached for the salty air or even the sound of the sea. One day, just one small day she wanted to see water. Everywhere she looked, it just seemed like this town was surrounded by land.
Another day started as usual but instead of hiding around, Ariel got on the horse her rescuer left. She fed him what she could take from the Inn and slowly the two had a nice bond. Picking one direction, they didn't know where they were going to end up but for once, she wanted to be alone. Maybe it was the fact of growing up alone and being alone in her cage that the woman loved the silence more than anything. No matter how much she was curious about the world, sometimes she wanted everything to stop.
And now they were lost. Woods surrounding at every direction, a sigh escaped her lips. Taking another direction than before, she noticed a clearing and smiled. It was seemed to be a pooling of water from the different creeks around, a pond. How tempting did the water look, almost inviting her in. The redhead was thirsty and needed a bath. It seemed like mermaids were always drawn to water. Getting off the horse, she walked closer to the water but not in it. "Maybe just one...." Her words died off as her body had a mind of it's own and she was surrounded by the cool water. The only word she could describe this moment was refreshing. It was wonderful and over too soon as she heard a crack and a voice. Fear was never too far away.
Notes: With his father trying to get into the apartment, Blaine panics, desperately trying to get Sebastian home. Sebastian has called the police and is more than worried about Blaine, who can’t seem to breathe properly.
Sebastian barged his way past Blaine’s dad, the policemen behind him the only thing keeping him from punching the older man in the face. He headed into the apartment, moving into the bedroom straight away. “Blaine?” Sebastian called, falling to his knees beside the bed.
Blaine was finding it hard to breathe. It felt like someone was stamping on his chest repeatedly, just to stop his breathing. He heard the door barge open and let out a cry of fear, curling into a tighter ball, arms wrapped protectively over his bump. Blaine saw Sebastian’s face appear and couldn’t help but shy away from him, whimpering. “B-Bas?” He whispered, swallowing hard.
Sebastian looked under the bed and saw Blaine curled up under there. He shushed the other man, reaching out a hand. “It’s okay, baby. It’s me. The police have your dad. It’s safe.” He whispered, giving Blaine a soft smile.
Blaine whimpered again, finding that he couldn’t take the other man’s hand straight away. Very slowly, he extended his hand to take Sebastian’s, sniffling. “I… He’s gone? The p-police have him? Tell them to let him go! He’s my dad!”
Sebastian grasped Blaine’s hand tightly, tugging a little until the other man was out from underneath the bed. “No way. He tried to get in here to hurt you and our baby. I’m not having that,” he said, pulling the other man into his arms and cradling him.
Blaine tried to wriggle out of Sebastian’s grip, wanting to find his father. “I d-don’t… He’s my dad,” he said before curling his body into Sebastian’s and sobbing. “I’m sorry for everything. I just… I’ve been so scared,” he said in a whisper, hiding his face in the other man’s chest. “I didn’t know what to do.”
Sebastian shushed Blaine once more, holding him tightly. “I know he’s your dad, baby, but he was going to hurt you and Leona. And I can’t have that.” He sighed, lifting Blaine into his arms and placing him gently onto the bed, brushing back his hair. “Just calm down, okay? I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
Blaine couldn’t stop himself from sobbing, tightening his grip on Sebastian. “I was so scared. I thought he was g-going to come in here. I thought… Leona…” he managed to say before crying out again, struggling to relax his breathing. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect her. I’m sorry I’m s awful at all of this.”
Sebastian shook his head, holding Blaine as tightly as he could. “Hey, hey…” he soothed, placing both hands on Blaine’s stomach. “Leona is fine. She’s safe. She’s in here and she’s safe because you protected her. Not me, you. You did amazingly. I love you so much…” Sebastian kissed Blaine’s neck, holding him close.
Blaine whimpered again, curling into Sebastian’s embrace. “I didn’t p-protect her!” He protested. “I… I hid under a bed and cried.” He shivered as Sebastian moved his lips to his neck. Blaine sat up immediately and straddled his hips, pressing their lips together in a desperate kiss. “I love you,” he said softly, keeping their bodies pressed together. “I’m sorry.”
Sebastian only protested a little when Blaine straddled him, unable to help moving his hands to Blaine’s hips. “Baby, you did protect her. You removed yourself from harm’s way,” he insisted, his protests muffled against Blaine’s lips when the other man kissed him. “Babe… Blaine, I love you too,” Sebastian whispered, rubbing his hands down his back. “I want you to go to the hospital and get checked out,” he said, moving to get up.”
Blaine shook his head as the other man continued to insist that he protected Leona, sniffling slightly. When Sebastian suggested he go to the hospital, he froze. Blaine opened his mouth to protest, scooting off Sebastian’s lap so he was on the floor again, sat up against the wardrobe. “I don’t need to go to hospital!” He said, his breathing becoming harsh once more. “I don’t like hospitals. Don’t make me go to one for no reason… Please?”
Sebastian reached out for Blaine, moving off the bed and kneeling down in front of the other man. “Baby, I just want to make sure Leona’s okay,” he promised, placing his hands under Blaine’s armpits and lifting the other man to his feet. “We can see our baby again. Would you like that?” Sebastian led Blaine out to the hallway, where a policeman was waiting, Mr Anderson nowhere to be seen.
Blaine tried wriggling away from Sebastian, whimpering. “I don’t… Leona’s fine. I just…” He tried to move out of Sebastian’s arms, cowing when he saw a policeman there, bowing his head. He took a deep breath, the sound raspy and hoarse. “C-Can’t breathe, Bas,” he managed to say, squeezing his fingers.
Sebastian clutched Blaine tightly, dropping to his knees when Blaine’s breathing became worse. “Babe? Baby, just calm down…” He soothed, glancing up to the policeman. “Call an ambulance!” He demanded, looking back to Blaine almost instantly. “Shh, I got you. I’ve got you, just breathe. Okay? In and out, slowly.”
Blaine felt his body shaking, sliding down to the floor. He drew his knees up to his chest, shaking his head. “B-Bas, I don’t need an ambulance,” he gasped, reaching for Sebastian’s hand and gripping it tightly. “I c-can’t… It hurts!”
Sebastian moved so that he was sitting behind Blaine, rubbing his hands over Blaine’s chest soothingly. “You need the hospital, Blaine,” he said, watching as the policeman made a call on his radio, holding up two fingers, signalling that the ambulance would be two minutes. “You need to get checked out. I know you hate hospitals, but I can’t help you, baby. You need to do it for Leona,” Sebastian pleaded, holding onto Blaine’s hand tightly.
Blaine tightened his grip on Sebastian’s hand, his breath coming out in harsh, terrified pants. “I can’t… I don’t want to… Leona’s f-fine,” he said, wriggling away from his roommate. “Just can’t breathe. My chest hurts and… Oh god,” he said, falling to all fours, his chest heaving. “Bas, make it stop. Please!”
Sebastian panicked which, as a trainee doctor, didn’t hold much promise for his medical career. “Blaine, calm down! Just breathe!” He scrambled on his knees, kneeling in front of the other man, gripping his shoulders. “You have to calm down for the baby!” The door burst open, and the paramedics filed in, taking stock of the situation. They moved over, guiding Sebastian out of the way before administering oxygen to Blaine.
Blaine tried to do what Sebastian told him to, focusing on his breathing. But it was hard, especially with the things that were running through his mind. The mention of Leona only made him panic even more, because he knew the panic attack was no good for her. “Bas!” He said desperately, his chest still heaving. Blaine was terrified when the paramedics entered the room, trying to wriggle away from them. “Leave me alone! Sebastian, tell them! Don’t need them.”
Sebastian let the paramedics pull him away, standing back. “Blaine let them help you! Otherwise if you can’t breathe, Leona can’t breathe, and I AM NOT LOSING MY BABY!” He yelled, barely holding it together. “SO FUCKING LET THEM TREAT YOU OR I WILL WALK OUT OF THAT DOOR!”
Blaine was taken aback by Sebastian’s shouting, the sound only making him panic even more. One of the paramedics steered the younger man from the room, easing him through his panic attack and fixing an oxygen mask on his face. It took a while, but the attack subsided, until he was merely sobbing, his breathing normal. “B-Bas?” He called nervously, looking tiny.
Sebastian stood back, letting them pull Blaine from the room and treat him. He slumped down onto the sofa, head in his hands as he listened to the sounds of Blaine’s raspy breathing, audible even from his position in the other room. He looked up at the sound of Blaine’s voice, rubbing his temples. “Yeah, baby. I’m here,” Sebastian said, pulling himself up and off of the sofa, going into the other room.
Blaine immediately threw his arms around Sebastian, holding him close to his own body. “I’m so sorry. I just… everything was scaring me. I’ll g-go to the hospital. For Leona,” he said in a tiny voice, hiding his face in Sebastian’s neck. “Are you m-mad at me?”
Sebastian curled his arms around Blaine, holding him close. “Shh, baby. Don’t talk,” he murmured, reaching down and reattaching the oxygen mask to Blaine’s face. “Go to hospital. Get checked out. I’ve got to go to the station and give a statement. Then I’ll come and bring you home,” he said softly, brushing his hand through Blaine’s hair.
Blaine protested weakly when Sebastian reattached the oxygen mask to his face, knowing it was pointless. He groaned in frustration, pouting underneath the mask. He shook his head, clinging to his roommate even tighter. “Don’t want to….” He said, his words muffled from the mask. “Love you.”
Sebastian shook his head. “You’re going. End of,” he said, rubbing Blaine’s shoulders lightly. He sighed and looked away. “I love you too…” He said, stepping back. “Go get checked out. I’ll see you later.” Sebastian said, moving to follow the policeman waiting by the door.
Blaine whimpered, tears burning his eyes as Sebastian walked to the policeman. He allowed the paramedics to help him up, leading to the front door. “Love you both so much,” Blaine whispered as they led him to the ambulance, keeping a firm grip on him.
