Changing Sky

SnowyScales

It's when they're safely inside a house, guarded by several of Xanxus' men, that the adrenaline of the battle wears off, and Harry's vision starts to slide sideways. The world becomes fuzzy, his head feels like it's stuffed with cotton-wool wrapped bees, and it's only Harry's death grip on Teddy that stops him from dropping the child.

His chest and throat hurts, and he vaguely feels somebody catch him as his legs collapse underneath him. All he can hear is the rhythmic thudding whoosh of rushing blood in his ears, and all he can think about is the horrifying thought that Teddy could have died, what if things had gone wrong, gone differently, Teddy could have died he could have died and oh god. Harry doesn't feel himself shaking violently, or the way he's gasping likes he's dying, or the tears that are trickling down his cheeks.

He can barely hear snatches of sentences, like he's listening through molasses.

"He's – attack!" "Harry – listen – ou nee – breathe! Harr – athe with – ! That's i – ! In and – three – five – . And out – two – seven. That's it, you're doing good."

Harry comes back to awareness slowly, feeling the weight of Teddy in his arms, the comforting warmth of a body to his back and arms around them both. His throat and chest are killing him, and his head feels fuzzy, and he all-around just feels plain exhausted. The arms around him tighten as he shifts.

"Hey," Xanxus says gently, voice rumbling in the chest Harry's head is laying on.

"What happened?" Harry croaked out, and coughed violently as his throat protested the sounds.

"You had a panic attack." Xanxus shifted, pulling Harry and Teddy further into his arms. Harry groaned painfully, hand going up to rub the crusty salted tear tracks from his cheeks.

"Dammit," he said grumpily, yawning loudly, "again?" He sighed quietly into Xanxus' chest. "I hate how tired I feel after. I need to stay awake, need to protect Teddy…"

Xanxus gently pressed his face to Harry's hair. "You sleep, Harry, I'll protect Teddy for you. I'll protect both of you, I promise." Harry chuffed sleepily.

"You better," he said, voice sleepily promising death. Xanxus ducked his head down, hiding his suddenly inexplicably burning face in a combination of both their hair. He was pretty sure that that tone of voice shouldn't make him feel so… hot under the collar.

When Harry woke, he'd be safely ensconced in the Varia mansion.

\/\/\/\/\/

because i refuse to believe Harry wouldn't have had the mother of all panic attacks after everything calmed down after the war, and wouldn't have continued having them afterwards, he's been through so much shit