Chapter Text
To be honest, Roman didn’t even know anymore what they were arguing about. He knew it started with him saying something about Thomas going to a party at the house of a friend’s friend and Anxiety, like always, protesting but that had been a good two and a half hours ago! Not that he had too much time to think about it, with the black ball of angst screaming at him about safety, strangers and basically everything else he could think of.
He was just about to reproach Anxiety for his ridiculous last argument when the aforementioned side slumped over, right into his armored chest.
He stared for a few, long seconds at him before reaching out in bewilderment and questioning him. He tried to get him off of him by lightly pushing him back but he just fell right back into him, seemingly boneless. It took Roman longer than he would ever admit to notice that his arch nemesis was sleeping on him, so far, seemingly without malicious intent.
He was right in the middle of processing the events that just unfolded and finding a solution when Anxiety, that he was by now supporting with both of his arms, woke suddenly up and stared at him for a few endless seconds. They just stared, well more like glared, at each other until Anxiety found his words again and began squeaming out of his arms.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing here prince pointless? I don’t remember agreeing to let you carry me around like one of your poor, unfortunate souls in distress!”
That comment was enough to shock Roman out of his own shocked stupor.
“Well, if you didn’t want to be treated like one of my lucky damsels, then you should maybe refrain of collapsing right into this heroic chest!” That seemed to shock Anxiety enough into the now and then to get a good look at his surroundings. Well, that and to notice himself to be in the arms of the most charming princes in the entire Thomasphere! “Not that you have to thank me for catching you, but most people would think it only proper to thank their honorable savior.”
Anxiety looked to be ready for another round of arguments and insults when he began yawing enough to stop any argument Roman may had prepared. So, he cut the surely side off before he could speak.
“When did you last sleep?”
“Sorry, what?! That’s none of your business prince pompadour of the-”
“Of course, it is! In case you didn’t notice, I didn’t only catch you and prevented you from splitting your lovely skull on the ground, but I also have plans to get Thomas out of the house very soon and should you have reasons against this, then you should better tell me now.”
Anxiety seemed as unnerved at this at he was at anything that Roman was talking about so it shouldn’t be too concerning. He still took much too long, in Romans humble opinion, to answer him.
“Fine, if you’re so goddamn interested in my ‘reasoning’, I just don’t want Thomas to either wake up in a hospital with one kidney less or, even worse, not at all!”
“So, the whole reason you’re such a buzzkill is that you’re afraid that the rest of us won’t look after Tommy-tom the right way and get him killed?”
“Of course, I do! That’s my job, moron.”
“If you trust us so little then when do you even sleep or take time for yourself, outside of Thomas!” The last part was added swiftly, before Anxiety could make up an excuse. This whole conversation had been more enlightening for Roman than any and all conversations he had had with, or about, Anxiety until now. So, the darker, creepier side really wanted nothing more than Thomas’s best!
But that would mean that he had been in the wrong...
Maybe he should give Anxiety another chance, a way to relax and for a moment give up the burden of Thomas wellbeing.
“I don’t. Sleep that is, at least not if I don’t have to.” He just stared t him.
“What do you- I mean how did- When exactly was the last time that you slept?”
“Uuuummm, three days ago?”
“What?! You do mean that you don’t even sleep every second night?!”
“Um, no? I’m not a three-year-old. What do you think of me?!”
Anxiety seemed more confused than Thomas was when he learned that his mommy had a first name that wasn’t mommy...
“What do you mean you don’t even-... Alright how about I make sure that Thomas will make no live changing decisions after eleven pm? Will you then go to sleep?”
“No dumb decisions after eleven? No midnight shopping?”
“I will do my very best!”
“Fine... But only tonight!”
Well, that was step one in convincing Anxiety to... whatever the end goal was... But it was better than nothing.