(sequel) FANCIFUL FEAR -prinxiety-

8. The one where he remembers

Cutie

"You..." Anxiety whispers. Rain smiles awkwardly- I'm sure it's been a while of us just sitting here, staring at him. 

"What?" He finally asks. Anxiety slowly shakes his head, both at Rain and me. I guess that means we don't tell him. Rain stares for another few seconds at the both of us before he sighs, resuming his eating. 

Anxiety and I finish our meals quickly. I can read Anni's gaze and it's telling me to follow him right now in this very instant, so I do. We dump the plates in the kitchen like Morality always scoffs at Thomas not doing and rush up the stairs.

As soon as we reach the top Anxiety whips around. I almost end up crashing into him, but manage to stop with only a few inches or so between us. He doesn't seem to care that much, though. 

"He knows." Anxiety says decisively. I sigh, pulling a hand through my hair.

"I don't know about that." I speak, apparently sounding too doubtful for my fellow trait's liking as he scoffs at me. "What?" Anxiety's eyes suddenly become sad.

"He has to know." He mumbles. "He just has to be aware." I watch on as my friend begins pacing around the upstairs corridor, mumbling silently to himself. "Anxiety." He isn't paying attention to me. "Anxiety!" I rest a hand on his shoulder, attempting to pull him out of the trance he's in.

"If he knows then they might!" Anxiety cries at me, eyes wide. 

I slowly drop my hand.

"They have to know... They have to." He continues, pulling at his hair. "They..." 

"Hey, hey, Anxiety. Hey, listen to me." I start to murmur, noticing the signs of an oncoming panic attack. He goes quiet, then his breathing gets loud. Then he stops breathing at all unless you make him. "You're okay. We're okay. You're just a little overwhelmed, is all. Of course there's a chance that we can make them aware. It's not at all impossible, okay? It'll all be okay."

The thing about his panic attacks is that words rarely help that much, because he isn't actually listening. But there has to be some way for me to get to him before he reaches the event horizon... In an attempt to do so, I wrap my arms around his shoulders and pull him close to me. He starts sobbing, but I can barely make that out over his uneven, panicked breathing. 

"You'll be okay. I promise we'll make it okay." I start to stroke his hair. 

"We can find them."

-----

The next day we spend anxiously staring at the clock, waiting for lunch to come and go. We haven't returned to Morality's classroom since we first saw him, so it's anxiety and dread combined for the both of us. On one hand I'm almost excited to see him again, on the other I know it'll hurt if he isn't able to realize the situation.

Anxiety tries to not eat lunch, but I don't allow that. "At the very least have an apple." He scoffs, glaring at the red fruit when I slide it over. Thomas glances at us in concern.

"Anni, are you okay?" He asks. Anxiety shrugs, putting the apple in his hand and staring at it. I frown but don't say anything, knowing about the nausea he is likely experiencing at the moment. I suppose eating would only upset the butterflies even more.

And so finally the bell rings. We part with Thomas, waving our goodbyes, before turning down the long hallway torwards I can only see as our make-it-or-break-it scenario of the day. Make-it-or-break-Anxiety, more like- I don't know when he started to care so much about our fellow trait, but it's clear that he does.

"You ready?" I ask.

"No." He mumbles, stepping through the open classroom door. Morality's already there, along with several students. The plan is to talk to him after class, so they won't interfere.