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777bae · 7 days ago

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BREATHIN LUKE HUGHES

Summary :: Drowning in anxiety, Luke Hughes becomes your calm, reminding you that with him, you’ll never face it alone.

Warnings :: Anxiety, implied panic attack

Word count :: 1.7k

The weight of the world felt as though it had settled directly on your chest, suffocating you with an invisible pressure that seemed to seep into your very bones. It was the kind of heaviness that made the air feel thick and stifling, like you were drowning under an ocean of your own thoughts. Every breath you tried to take felt shallow, as though your lungs couldn’t expand fully, and the more you struggled to breathe, the tighter everything became.

You sat in the dimly lit room, your mind a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts you couldn’t control. The quiet hum of the city outside your window felt miles away, as if the world had been muted just for you, leaving only the relentless noise of your anxious mind. Your thoughts collided, jumbled together in a mess of what-ifs and worst-case scenarios, pulling you in every direction at once. What if I’m not enough? What if I never figure it out? What if I fail? The questions came like waves, crashing against the fragile shore of your sanity, eroding everything in their path.

It wasn’t new. Anxiety had been your constant companion for as long as you could remember. But tonight, it was different. Tonight, the storm inside you felt more intense, more overwhelming, like it was threatening to consume you. Every part of you—your chest, your mind, your heart—felt tangled up in knots that wouldn’t loosen, as if you were trapped in your own head, unable to escape the prison your thoughts had built for you.

Why can’t I just breathe? You kept asking yourself, the words echoing in your mind as you fought to fill your lungs with enough air. It felt like there was a wall between you and the oxygen your body desperately craved. Every inhale felt shallow, every exhale forced. Your chest tightened with each passing second, the knot inside you only growing tighter. The panic was spreading through your body now, a tightening in your throat, a pressure behind your eyes, and the feeling of being on the edge of losing control.

You had tried everything. Deep breaths. Distractions. Pushing the feelings away. But tonight, the anxiety refused to be ignored. The more you tried to push it down, the more it roared back, louder than ever. Your hands trembled slightly as you tried to steady yourself, but nothing seemed to work. The tears began to sting at the corners of your eyes, but you blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. I can’t cry. I can’t let anyone see me like this. But the harder you fought to keep the floodgates closed, the more they threatened to burst open. The emotions you had been holding inside for so long spilled out in a trembling wave of frustration and vulnerability.

And then, just as everything felt like it was collapsing inward, you heard a soft knock on the door.

Your heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, you wondered if you had imagined it. But no. It was real. A soft, tentative knock, as if someone was waiting outside, sensing your need for space—but also your need for comfort. Your eyes flicked up, still dazed, your chest constricting with a mixture of panic and relief. You didn’t have to think twice. You knew who it was, even before he stepped into view.

It was Luke.

Your body immediately relaxed in a way you hadn’t even realized you were holding it, as if his presence alone could absorb some of the weight you’d been carrying. His figure appeared in the doorway, the warm glow from the hallway casting a soft light over him. His face, already filled with concern, softened further when he saw the way you were sitting—so small, curled in on yourself, your head down, the weight of the world pressing on your shoulders.

He didn’t say anything at first. He didn’t need to. Luke had always been the kind of person who didn’t ask when he knew the answer. He understood the way you were feeling, the silent struggle you were fighting, even when you couldn’t find the words to express it. He had learned to read you in ways that made you feel safe and seen. Without saying a word, he stepped inside the room, his quiet footsteps barely making a sound as he moved closer.

Your breath caught in your throat, and for a moment, you didn’t know whether to let yourself break down in front of him or try to hold it together. But before you could decide, Luke sat down beside you. His movements were slow, careful, as if he was giving you space to breathe, to feel, to decide how much of yourself you wanted to share. There was no rush in his actions, no pressure. Just his comforting presence, like a steady anchor in a sea of stormy emotions.

“Hey,” he whispered softly, his voice low but warm, filled with a gentle concern. It was a word so simple, yet it made your heart flutter with the unspoken understanding behind it. “I’m here.”

You nodded, your throat tight, and for a moment, you couldn’t find the words. Your eyes flickered to his, but you quickly dropped your gaze, unable to meet the steady warmth in his eyes. You felt exposed—vulnerable. But his gaze didn’t hold judgment or pity. It was simply an invitation to let yourself be seen.

Luke reached out, his hand brushing against yours with such a light touch that it sent a warmth through your body, a quiet reassurance. He didn’t rush to ask what was wrong or to offer any solutions. He just sat beside you, his presence a silent promise that you didn’t have to go through this alone. That in this moment, you could let go, without fear of being too much.

“I know it’s been hard lately,” he said softly, his voice laced with a quiet empathy. “But you don’t have to face this by yourself.”

His words were the safety net you didn’t know you needed. You could feel the weight of them settle over you, the kindness in his tone soothing the sharp edges of your anxiety. But despite the comfort he offered, the dam inside you broke. The flood of emotions you’d been holding back for so long came pouring out in a rush, and you couldn’t stop it. The tears began to fall, slow at first, then faster, the relief of letting it all go washing over you.

Luke didn’t try to stop you. He didn’t try to make it better or tell you to stop crying. Instead, he just pulled you closer, his arms wrapping around you, grounding you. His touch was gentle, his hands rubbing soothing circles on your back, a rhythm that matched the broken gasps of your breath. His warmth was a lifeline, a promise that you didn’t have to hide, that it was okay to feel everything all at once. You could feel your body shaking, but his presence kept you tethered to the moment, reminding you that you weren’t alone.

“I know it’s overwhelming,” Luke said, his voice soft but strong, like the calm after a storm. “But you’ve made it through harder things before. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

You looked up at him, the weight of his words sinking in. You saw no judgment in his eyes—only belief. His gaze was unwavering, steady as he looked at you with such tenderness. You couldn’t remember the last time someone had believed in you so fully, especially when you couldn’t believe in yourself.

His touch lingered as he gently wiped away a stray tear from your cheek, his thumb brushing over your skin like a delicate reassurance. “You don’t have to understand everything right now. You don’t have to fix it. You just have to breathe, okay?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but it cut through the noise in your head like a lifeline. “I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere. We’ll take this one breath at a time.”

His words wrapped around you like a soft blanket, soothing the parts of you that had been frozen in panic for so long. You didn’t have to solve everything. You didn’t have to have the answers. All you needed to do was breathe, and he would remind you of that when it felt impossible.

You nodded slowly, your body shaking less now, your breath coming more evenly. Luke pulled you closer, his arms strong and safe around you as you rested your head against his chest. The steady beat of his heart beneath your ear was the most comforting sound you’d ever heard, grounding you, pulling you back into the present moment. His hand was in your hair now, stroking it softly, the gentle rhythm of his touch lulling you into a sense of calm.

For the first time in what felt like forever, you could finally breathe again. You weren’t thinking about the next panic attack or the what-ifs anymore. You weren’t drowning in your own head. In Luke’s arms, everything felt quieter, more manageable. Even though the storm hadn’t fully passed, it didn’t feel like you were facing it alone anymore.

“Thank you,” you whispered, your voice thick with emotion, the words barely escaping your lips. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Luke’s hands were still moving gently along your back, his touch steady and reassuring. Without a word, he pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head. The kiss lingered for a moment, warm and tender, like a promise. “You’ll never have to find out,” he murmured, his voice low and filled with certainty.

The anxiety was still there, lurking just beneath the surface, but in that moment, with Luke beside you, it didn’t feel as overwhelming. You had him by your side—his love, his patience, his understanding. And for now, that was enough.

With Luke there, holding you, reminding you to breathe, you knew that even in the midst of the chaos, you could get through it. One breath at a time. And for the first time in a long while, you didn’t feel quite so alone in it all.

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