There's something calming about Anxiety's job. You see, he's a tightrope walker. Being the most anxious person you could ever meet, it would shock anyone you told. Hell, he was so anxious, he didn't tell anyone his real name. He barely went to parties, rarely talked to anyone he wasn't closely familiar with, and generally avoided anything even remotely dangerous or risky. But the second you ask him to get on that tightrope, he's up in seconds flat.

To him, it's an escape. You might be confused of why he would think that. Could you just imagine, walking on a centimeter wide string, a hundred feet in the air, with spotlights and all eyes on you.

Sounds the opposite of an escape, right?

Something about that walk, made Anxiety feel alone, alive, and... calm. When he goes up there, his breathing evens, and his thoughts clear. He just walks, and every step he takes is an involuntary choice between life and death.

Anxiety snapped out of his thoughts as Patton's voice echoed in his ears. Opening his eyes, he turned to see him showing somebody around. Anxiety was currently at the lockers the circus brought with the sets. He watched Patton excited pointing things out to this guy in a gold and red jacket. He looked to Anxiety like a modern prince. When said prince looked his direction, he found himself looking away quickly, thankful that his white foundation hid his blush.

Unbeknownst to him, the 'prince', named Roman, turned to Patton with a question soon after. "Who's that?" he asked quietly, never taking his eyes off him.

Patton followed his gaze, smiling. "That's Anxiety! He's the tightrope walker!"

"His name is, Anxiety?" Roman asked confused. Patton nodded.

"Well, not really, but he's never told anyone his real name, and responds to Anxiety as if it were so we just call him that," Patton explained. When Roman didn't reply after a moment of just staring at the tightrope walker, he smiled. "You wanna meet him?

His head whipped around in shock. "W-What?"

Without another word, Patton grabbed his arm and dragged him over to Anxiety. "Hey Anxiety! This is my friend Roman!"

Anxiety looked up flustered for a moment before looking neutral. "N-Nice to meet you," Roman said, offering a hand for him to shake. The tightrope walker hesitantly shook it. Patton looked between the two, getting a devious idea.

"I'm gonna go get some water or something, you guys chit chat!"

And he was gone, leaving a wide eyed Anxiety and a stammering Roman behind. Roman looked back Anxiety, not knowing what to say.

"So, I'm apparently coming on tour with you guys," he said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Good for you, I guess," Anxiety replied, looking down at his hands shyly. Roman seemed to sense how uncomfortable the other was. He tried to think of something that would make this better for him.

"Uh, do you want to show me the tightrope?" Roman suggested. Anxiety looked up and nodded with a shrug.

It was when they started to climb the ladder that Roman remembered something very important. He was terrified of heights. I mean, petrified. Roman was on autopilot as he reached the top. He remembered hearing Anxiety's voice and him stepping out onto the tightrope with ease. Roman didn't realize HE had stepped onto the tightrope until he was several feet away from the platform they had started on.

Roman froze, hyperventilating. He stared at the ground, nauseatingly far away. "A-A-Anxiety... I-I'm s-scared o-of h-h-heights..."

The other turned to look, gasping as he saw the condition the prince-like character was in. "Oh my god, okay, Roman right?" he said as he reached him. Roman nodded, not taking his eyes from the ground below. "Okay, first step, look at me. Not the ground. Look at me."

Roman raised his gaze to Anxiety's, letting out a breath as he stared in his eyes. "Good," Anxiety said softly, reaching out to take his hands. "Second step, don't look down."

Roman nodded, willing himself to keep looking at Anxiety. "Third step, take a breath..."

He did as he was told. "Fourth step, find something to distract you," Anxiety said, glancing away for a moment. Roman smirked a little. "Got it?"

Roman nodded, looking at Anxiety. He tried to take in every little detail. He noticed how red his face was underneath the white foundation he used. "Fifth step, step forward."

The two of them were walking cross the tightrope, looking into each others eyes. Step by step, Roman didn't fall off the tightrope, but did fall in love with the walker. He began to smile at him as the neared the other side. The other hesitantly returned it. As the safely stepped onto the other platform, Roman jumped into a hug.

"Thank you!" he whispered. He pulled away, and then pecked Anxiety on the cheek. The tightrope walker blushed dark enough to be seen through his foundation. Roman smiled and took his hand, lacing his fingers with his.

"You're all flustered! Take a breath."

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