TOUCH | F. Hargreeves

08

TW!: Panic attack - mildly explicit

Beau had made it a habit to not take his pills after a particularly frightening situation Five and Vanya had found him in. He had been in the middle of a panic attack in the centre of the foyer, scratching at his throat and bleeding from his nose a great deal, he could barely focus as Five pulled him into his arms and Vanya yelled out for help, running around rapidly.

Beau felt his body shake, words yelled into his ear that he could only hear bits and pieces of. He could feel himself slipping in and out of consciousness as he gurgled on the blood that dripped from his nose, it only made him panic more.

"Hey, hey, Beau," Hands were cradled his face, "Just breathe, breathe, okay?" Five begged, staring into Beau's eyes as if he was seeing him die there in his arms, Beau tried to reach out and comfort him but found his limbs were mostly unresponsive. Beau could only scratch at his throat, trying to get any oxygen into his lungs, but his hands were quickly pulled away. "No, you're going to hurt yourself. You just-you need to breathe, Beau. Vanya! Where is everyone! I don't know what to do!"

"Five, honey, what going on with Beau?" Grace rushed down the stairs, Vanya at her side.

"I don't know. He won't breathe."

Increased anxiety, migraines, and irrational behaviours were only a few of the side effects. It wasn't uncommon to see Beau under unusual circumstances, mostly under his own doing, and maybe he had been violent in the past but never towards the people around him.

Although, at the same time, Beau had also been found standing on the roof of the house looking down when he was off his pills so either way he guessed he was pretty much screwed. Five seemed to despise that mindset, however, and often yelled at him but apparently this time it was because he cared about him. Beau rolled his eyes at that one.

But not taking his pills also brought his powers back in full force as he noticed the voices clearing, his mind focusing and odd things happening. One of these odd happenings definitely had everyone freaked out and confused when a random boy showed up one day and never left Beau's side.

"Wait, who the hell are you?" Beau questioned the raven-haired boy that had appeared in his room, sitting on his desk chair and feet kicked up onto his bed. He was dressed a lot like Beau would but instead of a black coat, it was a dark green, dark hair, dark eyes, light skin. They look rather similar but the boy's eyes were more almond-shaped and his chin was sharper. That smirk wasn't anything like Beau's either, it was mischievous.

A smirk formed quickly, "I'm you." The boy spoke confidently, "Well, a part of you. You know, controlled, imagined, whatever." He waved his hand dismissively.

"An... illusion?" Beau wondered aloud, unsure of what the hell was happening and who the boy was. How did he get in his room?

"Yes!" The boy pointed, "Yeah, that's it. Gosh, you're so smart." He sighed in awe, his eyes looking at him like some type of God.

Beau raised his eyebrow, "... Really?"

"Right, that was stupid." The boy scoffed, turning away with embarrassment. If this... thing, boy? Was of his own making then why did it feel like he couldn't control him?

Beau's eyes narrowed, "You just called me stupid." Was that how it even worked?

"Oh, shit! So sorry about that."

"This is really weird." Beau easily admitted.

"You'll get used to it."

The boy had yet to leave his side for the rest of the day, even standing outside the bathroom after he had wanted to enter with Beau, he stood there talking the entire time. It was beyond irritating but Beau had slowly gotten used to it, choosing to just ignore him when he spoke.