TRIGGER WARNING: panic/anxiety attack, vomit mention, drug (weed) mentions,, please also read the authors note at the end <3

     The music wasn't even that loud. The bright lights and the screaming people are what got to him. Everyone was crammed in next to each other and it was hard to breathe. Connor's breath was hitching as he started to hyperventilate. He tried to move his way to the side or the back to get out of the way, mumbling a quick apology. It was hard to see so he ended up falling on his face in front of a shorter boy, feeling tears spike to his eyes.

     "Fu-Fuck I'm really sorry I have t-to go..." 

     "Hey, it's okay. Do you need help?" The boy smiled to him, offering him a hand up. Connor took the hand shakily, nearly falling back down again. The boy had short dirty blonde hair and didn't look like he fit in with the rest of the concert crowd.

     "N-No... Enjoy the concert just pl-please let me get out." 

     "I can't let you go alone... I'm just gonna walk with you, okay? I'm Evan." 

     "Connor." He stated simply, feeling Evan put a hand supportively on him so he didn't fall. Together the boys managed to get out of the hyped crowd, eventually finding a spot in the grass outside far away from people. Evan sat Connor down, looking at him concerned. Connor was crying, shaking a lot as he rode out a panic attack.

     "C-Can't breathe..."

     "Yes, you can. Here, just start with taking a few deep breaths, okay Connor?" Connor nodded quickly, breathing in quickly at first but managing to get a grip slowly on his breathing.

     "Do you have anyone I can call?"

     "I-I live alone... I'm not the type t-to have fr-friends either..." He managed a laugh as he spat out the sentence, going back to concentrating on his breathing. Small red marks were starting to appear along his arm as he snapped a hair elastic on himself to try to get him centered. 

     "I'm gonna stay with you. I don't really care about the concert... A friend dragged me here. You're health is more important."

     "V-Vomit... I go-gotta vomit..." Connor started scratching at his arms and he squeezed his eyes tight. He felt his stomach churn, doubling over trying not lose the contents of his stomach. Evan's hand rested on his shoulder, rubbing small circles to try to calm him down. Choking a little, he managed to keep himself from puking as he gasped out.

     "N-Nevermind I guess..."

     "That's okay. If you need to just do it. Okay... This usually calms me down a little... Can you name... Three things you can hear, touch, and see?"

     "Uhh... I can hear the c-concert, wind... and some people screaming." 

     "That's good. I mean, that you can identify that stuff. You're good, you're okay. Keep breathing..." 

     "I-I feel grass... and my sweatshirt," He shuffled in his pockets. "and an old h-hemp bracelet. What w-was the last thing?"

     "Three things you can see... Only if you want to though like if this isn't helping-"

     "N-No! I like it... It's helping. I s-see... sky... lights... a-and a cute boy." Connor blushed a little, weaving the bracelet between his fingers as he distracted himself. Evan stared at Connor for a second before blushing bright red, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

     "Thanks? I mean that probably wasn't meant towards me I mean why would it be-"

     "It was m-meant about you..."

     "Oh." Connor smiled as his shaking started becoming slower and slower, closing his eyes again to breath.

     "Do you feel any better? Here, drink this. It's just water, I promise... I'll take a sip if that makes you feel more comfortable..." He fumbled around in his small bag, bringing out a water bottle. Connor looked at it graciously, nodding to Evan as he took it and drank a big sip. His face returned to more color, the previous ghostly white shade disappearing.

     "T-Thank you... You didn't need to leave the concert and you did. I'm a stranger, Evan. Don't trust strangers. They'll take advantage of your pure soul." Connor let a small chuckle escape his chapped lips, taking more smaller sips from Evan's water and offering it back to him. He smiled at the boy with longer hair, taking a sip himself and tasting the familiar taste of faint weed from Connor's mouth.

     "You smoke?"

     "You're observant."

     "Weed can make you really anxious... Don't do it before going to shit like this. Or any time! It's bad for you." Evan frowned, wiping his lips from the water.

     "Takes away the other pain."

     "There are other ways to do that..."

     "I've tried them."

     "Well, I'm gonna make you quit! So stop smoking weed. Now. I know, helpful right? I'm kinda useless." Connor's eyes turned sad, looking at the boy with an expression of some empathy.

     "You're not useless! Y-You just really helped me out! Thank you... And I'll try to quit at some point I guess."

    "Can I get your number?" The quieter boy blurted out, searching his khaki shorts to get out his phone. Connor lit up, a bright smile appearing across his face. Emotions were coming flooding back to him and he took a deep breath in and out to prove to himself he was okay.

     "R-Really? I mean, yeah! Yeah. Here..." Connor typed in his number, his hands moving quickly across Evan's phone screen. He gave it back to him and blushed, twirling a piece of his long hair between his fingers. Evan admired the little things the other did, from fiddling with the holes in his sweatshirt to playing with the concert wristband on his arm. Connor didn't notice as the boys moved closer and closer together until their backs were pressed up against the back of a wall, and their legs touched.

     "What band is this, anyways?"

     "You're kidding."

      "I told you, my friend dragged me here!" Connor laughed, resting his head against Evan's shoulder.

      "This is The Neighborhood. One of my favorites... But I can't handle the crowds or anything like that... I'm pretty lame."

     "I think you're pretty cool!"

     "S-Shut up..." He hid his head against Evan's shoulder, and Evan's face lit up red again. He put his hand on Connor's thigh gently, looking to the other to see if that was okay. Connor looked at him almost expressionless, but a glimmer of intimacy passed through his eyes. He put his hand on top of Evan's, entangling their fingers together. Bringing the hands to his lips, he kissed Evan's hand. His chapped lips against Evan's soft skin made the other boy shudder a little, surprised at the sudden actions.

     "I kinda like you..."

     "I kinda like you too. But stranger danger, Ev. I'm pretty spooky." 

     "S-Sorry! I'm sorry, I'll like... leave. Or stay! Whatever you wan-" Evan was shut up by Connor pressing his lips to his. His eyes were open for a second alarmed, then closing as he went deeper into the kiss. They pulled apart, Evan a bit of a mess and Connor smiling almost innocently.

     "That okay?"

     "But weren't you just having a panic attack..."

      "Remember? You helped me. All it takes for me really is having someone to go to... I don't have one right now so... Thanks." Connor mumbled out the rest, kissing Evan on the cheek. Putting a hand up to his face where Connor kissed him, his fingers traced where his lips had just been. 

     "Wanna get out of here?" 

     "I'd love to. I saw this amazing park on the way here..."

      "With trees?" 

     "Yeah, is that a problem?"

     "I fucking love trees." Evan's face was full of excitement. He jumped up from where they were sitting, pulling up Connor with him. Hand in hand, the boys left the park filled with people screaming and dancing. Connor could care less about the band he was missing, because he would hate it a lot more if he missed meeting Evan. 

      The couple ended the night by star gazing in a tall tree, Connor's arm around Evan so he wouldn't fall and Evan's leg resting lovingly against Connor's.

     "Hey."

      "Hey?"

     "Heres another thank you." Connor put his hand shakily under Evan's jaw, bringing their lips together blissfully. They sat together for the rest of the night, just to talk and take in the view. Connor was safe once more.

//

a.n: hey guys, i never really sincerely thanked you all for 10k (now 11k wtf) reads. i never thought this fic would go anywhere and it really means a lot to me... the support i've received is incredible and i really do love everyone who's read this. please always feel free to message me, i'll do my best to respond to anything you send <3 i'm here for you if you need help. but really, i'm going through some rough shit atm and this has helped me a lot, and so have you! so thank you so fucking much, i love you.