[ prp ] a pizza your attention (america and sonny)

[shibrogane]

lizbot

to: America Jones

None of these answers are particularly helpful.
Please remain where you are. I will arrive soon.

Sonny tried, they really did. Each deep breath came with a hiccup, a little glitch in the sobs, until they stopped entirely and held their breath. Even that didn't help. "Sorry," they said, between coughs, "I don't--know what I'm--doing--I can't--"

Then they dissolved again, clinging to America like she was the last remnants of a safe harbor in a storm.  

[lizbot]

The girl held on right back, every bit of her signalling she wasn't going anywhere until Sonny was ready and able to come up for air. This was, perhaps, the sort of undertow America could support Sonny through, even if just a bit. "It's okay. Just let that stuff out."

After a bit, she reasons during a quiet space, "You were so calm when I got here, hun. All sorts've sad and scared must've been waiting to call out."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Sonny shook their head, but didn't say anything else. Not until Renard appeared, stepping through a tear in the universe as if it were nothing but a door. Then they jumped up and tried to calm themselves, but that just made the tears start back up worse because now they were in trouble, weren't they, they'd left the house--

Renard looked at his daughter for a long, steady moment. "Thank you for helping Ascencion, Miss Jones," he said. He turned his ocean-blue eyes to the bubble. "If you don't mind, I'd like you to take her home. I don't want to hurt either of you while trying to determine what this is--is this the bubble you spoke of?"

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Swallowing, America stayed close to Sonny's side, gearing up to argue with the man even before he'd opened his mouth. The fight in her lasted for all of five seconds and there was an undeniable relief that filled its sudden absence.

"Yeah, we um..." for a moment, there's an uncharacteristic fluster, and then she's clearing her throat, standing up a little taller. "It started out all golden and glowy and nice but then when it pulled us through it was a big gross glob. When Sunny reached toward it, th'surface turned to tiny reaching hands and all sorts of awful. This is what it changed into this when we fought back."

Taking Sonny's hand, America nodded, "Yeah, I'll take her, long as she's willing to go." She turned a questioning glance to her friend.

shibrxogane

 

[shibrogane]

"She's hardly in a condition to say no," said Renard coolly. "She's having a panic attack. There's nothing magic can do for that. Please remove her from the situation so I can work."

Sonny nodded frantically at America, and pressed both hands over their mouth, and tried to breathe.

"Thank you, Miss Jones," said Renard, turning his back on them to contemplate the bubble.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"Alright, please be safe." America compressed her lips against any other words and began leading Sonny away. This was not a time to argue or sass the man and she didn't know the first thing about panic attacks. A blue streak of feathers flashed outside, Mr. B more than happy to leave.

"I'm not sorry we did that," she comments quietly to Sonny as they go. "You did good, good as anybody was gonna." But she was sorry the other had to hurt for it, had to get overwhelmed like this.

"You wanna try breathing with me again? I'll count, one...........two........"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Outside the strange otherspace, the parlor of the Shore house faded into view. Sonny curled up on the floor and set their forehead against America, tangled their hands up in their own hair and tried, raggedly, to breathe.

When they had it under something resembling control, they said, "It never used to do that, when I used magic. I... I was so... powerless."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

Going quiet for a bit, America brought herself to ask, "Was it the thing messing with you? Or is there something...are we holding you back that much?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"It's a binding," said Sonny. "It it it, it keeps me caged, it keeps me in a box. It's okay. I don't mind really. I don't use my powers mostly. But it's scary. If you'd stopped me then I could have... it would have eaten me."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"It's not forever," America promised. "It's not meant to be forever, just until it's safe for you to be well...god-you. But we're gonna have to make sure you can defend yourself until then," America sighed, wrapping an arm around the other. She was heartsick from both Sonny's panic attack and the helplessness they'd inflicted. It wasn't okay. It was going to be okay. It wasn't okay at all. It's all going to be okay.

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Sonny curled into America, their knees pulled up close to their chest. "I don't think I'll go back there without one of you with me," they said. "Maybe Father has some thoughts on how to give me the ability to protect myself when I'm alone. I'll ask."

A stray tear leaked down their face. They scrubbed it away on their blazer sleeve.

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

A soft cotton handkerchief appeared in front of Sonny, not by magic but just because their friend was someone who still carried the things around. "Just say the word and I'll go with you until we've got a solution and you're back to independently badass."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Thanks," said Sonny. "I wish I could sleep. It'd be so nice to just stop for a while."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

That gave America pause, the concept of not being able to sleep, for someone as old as her friend, was worlds more awful than she felt fully able to comprehend.

"I wish you could get some real rest, too." Her voice grew thick as she spoke, "If you wanna close your eyes for a bit, tune things out, I'll keep mine open."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Sonny smiled, and set their head on America's shoulder. "You're the best," they said. "I wish everyone was like you."

The fabric of the world didn't pull around them, and Sonny was quiet for a long, long time.

lizbot