Gary’s frustration grew as he watched Ash spiral deeper into his own mind. "Ash, stop," he said, his voice sharp but caring. "You’re not dumb, and you’re not a loser. You’ve never been any of those things."

Ash’s shoulders shook as his words tumbled out in a messy heap. "I’m sorry, Gary. I don’t know why I’m like this. I’m always messing things up. I’m not worth your time." His voice was breaking, and Gary could feel the tightness in his chest.

Gary tapped Ash’s forehead lightly, his fingers pressing against his best friend’s thick skull. "Ash, buddy, calm down," he said firmly. "Take a deep breath for me, okay? You’re freaking out, and that’s half the problem right now."

Ash’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he continued to panic, his breath shallow and quick. Gary’s patience was running thin, but not with Ash—no, it was with the situation. Ash was losing control, and that meant Gary had to step in, even if it wasn’t easy.

With a quiet sigh, Gary rolled up Ash's sleeve without asking. "I’m just doing this, Ash," he muttered as he grabbed a disinfectant wipe and gently wiped Ash’s arm. Ash didn’t even notice, too lost in his own spiral. Gary quickly prepped the flu shot and administered it swiftly. Ash was too wrapped up in his panic to even react, and Gary silently thanked the heavens for that.

"All right," Gary said, taking a deep breath of his own as he slid his gloves off. He placed a hand gently on Ash’s, his fingers strong yet reassuring. "Okay, Ash. I need you to listen to me now. You’re going to breathe with me. In through the nose… out through the mouth."

Ash’s eyes were wild, but Gary didn’t let go of his hand. He kept his voice calm, his tone steady, like a rock that Ash could cling to. "Breathe, buddy. One... two... three... four... five..." Gary counted, keeping his hand steady in Ash’s.

Ash struggled, but Gary was persistent. "Just follow me, Ash. Breathe, buddy. In... out..." His voice was soft now, barely above a whisper, but it cut through the chaos in Ash’s mind like a knife.

The minutes dragged on, but Gary didn’t let up. He kept his hand on Ash’s, his voice steady, grounding Ash in the present. Slowly, Ash’s breath started to even out, his body relaxing just a little. His legs stopped shaking, his foot ceased its constant bouncing.

"That’s it, buddy," Gary encouraged. "Good. Keep it up." He continued guiding Ash through his breathing, feeling the tension in the room ease, little by little.

Ash’s voice was small when he spoke again, barely audible. "I’m sorry, Gary. I didn’t mean to freak out like that."

Gary chuckled softly, his hand still holding Ash’s. "Don’t apologize for being human, Ash. We all have our moments." His voice was gentle, the frustration from earlier now replaced with a soft care that only a best friend could offer.

Ash sniffled, his eyes still red from his earlier outburst, but he managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Gary. I don’t know what I’d do without you."

Gary’s smile softened. "You’d probably be a mess without me, Ashy-boy. Now, let’s finish this check-up, okay? You’re doing great, buddy."

And with that, Gary led Ash through the rest of the exam, step by step, never once letting go of his hand.