Trauma response
"Narcissa, please!" Lucius called annoyed.
"No! You're wrong." Narcissa was just as frustrated.
Severus, who was sitting between them, was embarrassed to find himself whimpering in response. He was even more embarrassed when he noticed that the whimpering was muffled by his thumb which was sitting firmly inside his mouth.
Why did he have to do this! He was sixteen, not a baby! In fact, he hadn't even sucked his thumb when he was little. It hadn't started until he was around eleven. It wasn't fair!
Severus zoned back into the conversation to find that he was also now rocking. How could this possibly get worse? Oh, that's how.
"Sev, are you okay?" Lucius seemed really worried.
Severus nodded quickly, but was pretty sure it wasn't very convincing.
"You...you don't look okay. I'm sorry if that sounds mean, but you're rocking, shaking, and sucking your thumb. Those are all soothing methods, something people don't usually do when calm." Narcissa explained calmly and slowly, as if talking to a frightened animal. Technically, she was talking to a frightened animal.
Severus wanted to respond, but he couldn't. Not only was talking physically impossible right now because of his thumb which he was pretty sure he couldn't remove from his mouth even if he wanted to, but he also felt like he was going through a non-verbal episode. Those had been happening more often recently.
"Can-can you talk?" Lucius asked hesitantly. He had been around during a couple non-verbal episodes, and was noticing some of the signs.
Severus responded with a quick shake of his head, which was more of a twitch sideways than anything.
"No? Okay. Do you want to us to leave?" Narcissa was still talking the same. Severus found it sort of comforting, but he was still terrified. One thing he was sure of, however, was that he did not want to be alone.
"Sev?"
Severus twitched his head to the left again.
"Okay. We'll stay. Do you need anything?" Lucius seemed a bit calmer than he was a few seconds ago.
Severus needed so much, but he didn't know how to tell them. He couldn't speak, he had no way to write, no electronic to speak through. Nothing. He wasn't even sure he knew what he needed. How would they get it anyway? They were sitting alone in an abandoned classroom, no matter what at least one would have to leave him.
Severus hesitantly reached out his unoccupied hand to gesture for a hug. Lucius complied, but was almost immediately pushed away.
Severus whined and pulled at his dark blue sweater. He needed it off immediately!
Lucius realized the problem and helped Severus pull the sweater off, leaving his chest just covered by a plain black binder. Severus felt calmer without the restrictive material, but his thumb still didn't leave his mouth.
Lucius moved to leave, but stopped when Severus whined. Lucius looked back and Severus held his left arm back out in front of him.
"You want a hug?" The blonde questioned.
Severus nodded. Well, he lifted his head a bit at least.
Lucius came back over and pulled Severus into another hug. The ravenette shivered in discomfort at first, but soon got more comfortable. He kept waiting for Lucius to move away deciding the hug had gone on for long enough, but the blonde never did.
After about half-an-hour Severus pulled away. He felt a world calmer now. No more rocking or shaking. Was he still non-verbal and in need of his thumb staying in his mouth? Yes. But, a win was a win.
"Do you feel any better now?" Narcissa asked. She had been sitting still and quiet a couple feet from the other two the whole time.
Severus nodded.
"Do you want to go to bed?" Narcissa almost stated.
It was only 6:30 but was Severus was exhausted. He probably needed to eat dinner, but he knew he wouldn't be able to. He just wanted to sleep.
Severus nodded again.
"Alright, c'mon. You need to put your sweater back on now, but you can get undressed in our room. Okay?" Lucius bargained.
Severus really didn't want to put his sweater back on, but he knew he couldn't walk though the castle half naked. At least he didn't have to wear any clothes once he got back to his and Lucius's dorm.
Right now he just needed to find the energy to stand.