11 Years Alone - Sander Sides -

Chapter Six

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- 11 years later -

 Anxiety woke up, the way he always did. He looked around the room he'd been looking at every day for what...seemed like forever. 

 Over the years, it was pretty obvious that Anxiety would just kept to himself. He pretty much stayed in his room most of the time, and only left when he needed to eat or something. Whenever he saw anyone else, especially Roman, he'd just look away. Most days he slept, or he was wide awake. There was really no in between. 

 The only real social interaction he'd had with the others was when they came to yell at him about Thomas having an anxiety attack, or when Patton tried to make him socialize with them. But, he knew the deal. As much as he secretly wanted to be, he wasn't wanted really here. Not a part of them.

 He constantly couldn't help but to wonder how things would have ended up if he were the embodiment of something maybe just a little less drastic than anxiousness. 

 He sighed, turning over in his bed and sitting up. His neck ached from his positioning. He rubbed his shoulder. Another terrible day...

 Despite thinking this, he would always fascinate about Roman or Logan offering him some company. He had always had Patton's approval, but he could guarantee never having the other's.

 His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a force extremely powerful. His room started shaking, and he started to naturally panic, he held onto his bed tightly, just wishing for it all to end. But, he didn't have time to feel more fear as it seemed like his body were taken elsewhere.

 He landed on his feet, eyes closed, frankly to afraid to open them. What would be in front of him? 

 He eventually took a deep breath, then opened them. 

 What he saw was something he never, ever thought he would. 

 Before him stood his host, Thomas. Along with the others as well. His eyes went wide, how...was this possible?

 "What- what is going on?" He spoke, confusion clearly hinted in his voice. Patton smiled at him, something that some how made him feel warm inside. Logan waved at him, but he could feel that he wasn't all to happy to see him. Roman stood, not speaking a word, anger in his eyes as he looked to the other. 

 Thomas, their host, coughed. "Uh...hey." 

 Anxiety rolled his eyes, looking to Logan for some sort of answer, "Like I said, what's going on?"

 Roman scoffed, interrupting Logan before he could even respond. "You've really changed over the years, haven't you, hot topic?" 

 Anxiety crossed his arms, but he couldn't hide the subtle blush that ran across his cheeks. "So have you. Seem to have gotten a lot dumber, and I didn't think that was possible." 

 The fanciful side was about to speak again, but Patton shushed them both. "Please. No fighting! It's Thomas's first time meeting us all!"

 Roman smiled mockingly, then spoke. "Thomas, that's your morality, Patton. That's your logical thinking, Logan. I'm your creativity, Roman, and he is..." he spoke, pointing to Virgil, "well, in all honesty he doesn't really matter." 

 Anxiety hid in his hoodie a bit, Thomas looked at him sympathetically. "Why doesn't he matter?"

 Everyone, including Anxiety looked at Thomas surprisingly. The only person who has even slightly stood up for the darker side was Patton, and even he wasn't as forward about it in fear of being hated. 

 Anxiety spoke, clearing his throat before doing so. "I'm not important. I'm...your anxious side. I go by Anxiety, and I'm the one to cause those panic attacks, or the stage fright, or whatever you want to call it. Can I leave now? I'm already hated enough as it is."

 Everyone seemed to be looking at Anxiety now, even Roman had a soft look on his face. He felt...bad for Anxiety, but it was best to treat him this way, that way, he wouldn't make Thomas suffer. 

 Thomas sighed, grabbing the space between his eyes, "Look, I'm already pretty confused about this side thing, but, I do know that all of you have your flaws. All of you." Princey looked down, guilt on his face. Thomas continued to speak, "I'm sure I need Anxiety in some ways, we can't just block him out." 

 Roman huffed out, "But too much of him is a bad thing!" 

 Logan, surprisingly, spoke up as well. "Roman, so is anything else. Too much emotion, logic, or even creativity could be a bad thing."

 Anxiety was almost completely zoned out, but he could still process what everyone was saying. After all of these years of being alone and feeling like absolutely nothing, now they want to welcome him? Now they want him to feel a part of the group?!

 He huffed out, eventually interrupting everyone in the room. This time he wasn't just going tot take it. "Stop! Okay?! I get Thomas wanting to welcome me because...well...he just found out about me! None of you, asides from Patton, and that's only sometimes, make me feel...terrible! You've all ignored me for eleven years. Eleven. God. Damn. Years. How can you think I'd just forgive you all that easily?!"

 Everyone in the room was silent, processing everything that Anxiety had just complained about. Patton was in tears as Logan looked at him in worry, while Princey and Thomas just stared at the floor. 

 Patton spoke up first, "Anxiety...it was so hard! Whenever I tried to get you to t-talk to me you would...ignore me too! I know you've had it...more worse than any of us, but, when you first appeared I was so happy to have you with us!" 

 Anxiety could feel tears welling up in his eyes, and all Roman could do was watch. All he wanted to do was hug him and wipe away his tears, and just apologize for everything.

 But he couldn't. So instead, he wished for someone to do it for him, so he wouldn't have to. Please Patton. Apologize. Apologize. Apologize-

 "I'm so sorry, Anxiety!" 

 With that, Patton went up to the darker trait, hugging him with every ounce of power he had in him. At that point, Anxiety went into a sob, hugging back. Roman watched, tears threatening to spill as well. They couldn't see him like this. 

 He disappeared, back into the mindspace. Logan watched, too many emotions going on within him. He never knew how lonely Anxiety felt, and he felt just...terrible. 

 Patton and Anxiety separated, wiping their tears. Anxiety went to look at Princey, but noticed he wasn't there. He scoffed. 

 Logan cleared his throat, approaching Anxiety as well. "I'm not...good with emotions. I think you know this. I don't know how to properly say sorry but...would you mind joining us tonight for a movie? I know it won't...fix anything, definitely not, but maybe it will be a start." 

 Anxiety smiled, grabbing Logan and pulling him into a hug. Logan was stiff for a second, but hugged back almost immediately. 

 Thomas smiled at the exchange, Patton did as well. 

 The host turned to his morality, whispering in his ear to not ruin the moment, "I promise, he won't be alone again. I see how much you care for him." 

 Patton smiled, still wiping tears from his eyes. "Of course I do. He's my family."

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