The Heart Bandit

24

Cassidy was jolted away by a loud noise. Julia who had been in his arms could feel his entire body start to shake. As she slowly tried to wake up she moved higher along his body before her lips pressed to his cheek.

"Breathe Cass. Everything's alright." She said quietly as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. Gently he was pulled into her and she could feel his face bury into her shoulder. Another loud noise was heard and he all but jumped out of his skin at it. "It's my fucking neighbors car. Stupid fuck doesn't spend a dime on it and it backfires at least four times before he leaves." As the car backfired again he jumped and she couldn't help but feel bad. Her hand slowly moved along his back her lips just barely brushing along his skin. The final backfire came and his breathing became erratic.

"I can't-." He tried to speak but the words were barely coming out. His breath was caught in his throat. She could hear him gasping for air and knew that what she had been trying wasn't helping. Carefully she moved him so he was on his back, her hands pressed gently against his shoulders opening his chest up as she carefully straddled his hips. After a few moments of him still gasping for air she knew that it wasn't working. Their eyes met and for a moment she thought she knew what he needed. Her lips pressed against his and she internally cursed when his breathing stayed unsteady. However after a few moments she could feel his breathing return to normal. "I'm sorry." He said quietly as his head fell back into a pillow. A breath escaped her lips as she relaxed into him. His arms wound around her as her ear pressed to his chest.

"Why does.... Why do...?" She trailed off as she thought it wasn't the right time to ask.

"Loud noises send me into a panic attack?" She nodded as he finished her question. "Give me a few and I'll explain." Her head tilted up before her lips pressed to his jaw. "Thank you." Her lips simply met his skin again. "I-If it happens again.... So you know.... This is the best for it. I know it sounds weird when I'm barely breathing but pressure is the best thing." She nodded.

"So what about the kiss?" He chuckled lightly.

"Never had anyone do that before.... Honestly might work better than anything." She laughed at his words. "But I'm not going to force you into kissing me every time I have a panic attack." Her lips met his cheek and she couldn't help her giggle.

"I don't mind." He chuckled softly before his lips pressed to her cheek. "Alright let me get off of you...." His arms stayed around her keeping her in place.

"I don't mind if you don't mind." Her head shook before it returned to his chest.

"Don't mind at all." She said quietly as her arms settled along his body. As her legs moved to tangle with his she could feel him carefully smooth her hair out. His arm settled gently along her waist before he spoke.

"Guess I should tell you about the panic attacks then...." Her hand ran gently along his side.

"You don't have to." He nodded as his lips pressed to the top of her head.

"You should know. I've had two in front of you...." As her hand continued to run along his side she could feel him absentmindedly play with her hair. "When I first started cooking I started off at this real shady school. When I say shady I mean like picture like the most indy of indy shows get paid out the back in pennies with less than five people at it shady type of school. Honestly was one of those schools where you learned how not to be a chef rather than how to be one. About two months into this school we start to learn about how to use pressure cooker and at that point electric pressure cookers really weren't widely used so we were using the old school death trap ones. You probably have never seen one and that's a good thing."

"Well I stayed late the one day because I just couldn't get the thing right and was told to lock up by the instructor which really wasn't something he should've done but again.... Shady ass school." She carefully adjusted before her head moved to rest along his collarbone. He paused for a moment as he moved a piece of hair out of her eyes. "I had put some music on and it was rather loud because it was one of my favorite songs. I got distracted doing something else and didn't realize that the pressure cooker what whistling which basically means turn it the fuck down or it'll explode. I didn't hear it until the song ended which was too late at that point. I turned around realized what was happening and right as I went to grab it.." She sucked in a breath just as he did.

"It exploded. Not a small bang either like an ear ringing bang that just about blew one of my ear drums. Well the explosion sent the lid right into my throat." Julia's head snapped up her eyes wide. "I.... I won't go into full details but I remember every fucking second of it and not being able to breathe for hours until someone came past and wondered why there was lights on at three in the morning.... It's why I struggle with loud noises especially bangs because it's sends me straight back to that and it just feels like I'm choking." His fingers were still playing with the ends of her hair soothing them both.

"Why...?" She stopped not knowing whether to ask her question or not.

"Ask Julia I don't mind if you have any questions." Her lips gently pressed to his earning a gently smile.

"Who does pressure work then? Genuinely curious because if I couldn't breathe the last thing I'd want is to have pressure on me." His hand gently ran down her spine drawing a long sigh from her.

"It brings me back to reality. Makes me open my eyes because I actually realize that something is there." He said quietly. "It doesn't really happen often. But when it does...."

"Scares the shit out of you?" He nodded. "Same...." He chuckled lightly. "You really had me worried...." His lips gently pressed to hers as his thumb soothingly moved along her cheek.

"You don't need to worry about me Jules. It eventually sorts itself out." Her lips met his cheek. As Julia's eyes met Cassidy's she spoke.

"But I do. I care about you Cassidy."