(Ain't how this works, man, we're gonna stop it together. Can't do it for you.)
[ Despite his words, Sam drops his shields even more, tugging on the thread of their connection and throwing it out like a lifeline, ready to pull Barnes back if he'll let him. There's been times in the past where he told people to ride it through, that it took a hell of a lot of practice to successfully use their skills and sometimes the greatest successes were holding off a panic attack or shortening a flashback by just a few seconds - but this is different, this is decades of brainwashing.
Besides, they have the brood link. This caught up in each other, Sam'd have to try harder not to let Barnes feel what he's doing. Sam treats it like it's his own focus slipping, pulling him under, and he breathes. Changes it up from square breathing to 7-11, pulling a breath in to the count of seven and letting it out while counting to eleven. Curls his fingers around the air force challenge coin in his pocket, thumbs over the familiar grooves and bumps, lets it ground him in right now.
And he pulls, gentle but firm, staying in his own mind as best he can while trying to hold tight to their link. Stay with me. ]
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[ Despite his words, Sam drops his shields even more, tugging on the thread of their connection and throwing it out like a lifeline, ready to pull Barnes back if he'll let him. There's been times in the past where he told people to ride it through, that it took a hell of a lot of practice to successfully use their skills and sometimes the greatest successes were holding off a panic attack or shortening a flashback by just a few seconds - but this is different, this is decades of brainwashing.
Besides, they have the brood link. This caught up in each other, Sam'd have to try harder not to let Barnes feel what he's doing. Sam treats it like it's his own focus slipping, pulling him under, and he breathes. Changes it up from square breathing to 7-11, pulling a breath in to the count of seven and letting it out while counting to eleven. Curls his fingers around the air force challenge coin in his pocket, thumbs over the familiar grooves and bumps, lets it ground him in right now.
And he pulls, gentle but firm, staying in his own mind as best he can while trying to hold tight to their link. Stay with me. ]