Built For Almost

27. Where Is He?

Neil was on the ground, curled slightly, trembling - not from injury, Zay realized as his stomach twisted, but from panic.

"Neil," he breathed, already kneeling.

Neil's head snapped toward the sound, eyes wide, frantic.

"Zay-" His voice broke like glass. "I can't-I can't breathe-my leg-my leg-"

"I'm here." Zay's arms went around him before he even thought twice. "It's okay. I got you. Just breathe. Look at me."

Neil gripped his shirt with shaking hands, eyes overflowing now, breath shallow and rapid.

"Don't go," he said. "Don't go."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Zay's hand moved slowly to the back of Neil's neck, grounding him. The other arm circled around his waist, steady, anchoring. Neil shivered, tensed - and then slumped, finally letting himself collapse fully into Zay's chest, forehead resting under his chin.

The whole team stood nearby, frozen. Uncertain. A few exchanged glances. A couple shifted awkwardly.

Coach Langley moved closer, arms crossed, watching. Not judging - just calculating. Quietly worried. He didn't interrupt.

Zay kept whispering, calm and low, the same words over and over.
"You're okay. I'm right here."

And slowly, Neil's breathing slowed. His fists loosened. His body, still pressed tight against Zay's, stopped trembling.

But he didn't pull away.

He stayed curled in that small pocket of warmth, letting himself feel it - the steady heartbeat beneath Zay's skin, the quiet care in his voice. His chest still ached, but the fear wasn't swallowing him anymore.

Someone finally stepped forward. Callum. "Is he-"

Zay's head snapped up. His eyes were sharp. "Back off."

Callum raised his hands in mock surrender, frowning, then stepped away.

The coach finally broke the silence. "Zay. When he's steady, take him to the nurse's wing. I'll handle the rest of the training."

Zay nodded once, gently brushing his hand over Neil's hair.
"You hear that?" he murmured. "We're gonna get you checked out, then rest."

Neil's voice was barely audible.
"Don't leave me alone."

Zay smiled - tired, but warm. "Not a chance."

The rest of the team didn't know what to do.

After Zay snapped at Callum, silence fell over the group like a heavy blanket. No one moved closer, but no one left either. A few cast awkward glances toward one another, like they were waiting for someone else to break the tension, to name what just happened.

But no one did.

Some of them had seen panic attacks before, sure. But this - this was different. This was Neil, the one who never broke, the one who showed up to training with half-healed bruises and never flinched when the pain came.

And now he was folded into Zay's arms like the weight of his own body was too much.

Someone whispered, "Did you know it was that bad?"

"Zay did," another muttered.

Coach Langley stood nearby, one hand on his hip, watching the boys watch each other. He exhaled through his nose, heavy.