Alfie had to fight for a moment to control his breathing, he was panting and felt almost like he'd hyperventilate and he had to force himself to breathe deep, to try to calm down. That same whimpered sound came again, and he gave up doing anything other than trying to breathe and shuddering there to keep back tears for a few minutes.
But Julien's fingers sliding that way through his hair helped, and after a few minutes breathing came easier, and his shoulders could relax. "Feel like an idiot," He mumbled, finally.