Roman's POV:

I'm telling you, this cat is a fracking spawn of Satan.

I was currently balanced on the top of one of the big chairs, reaching for the kitten and you know what it did? It sat there, about an inch away from where my finger tips landed, just staring at me with that stupid smug, and annoyingly adorable, face. I huffed as I tried to stretch a little more.

"Roman you're going hurt yourself!" Patton said as I failed to reach the cat once again. I groaned in frustration as gave up. I pulled my hand away and jumped off the chair, looking up at the cat with a glare.

"I'm still going to get him down," I said, watching him as he taunted me from his perch. He then continued to jump to from shelf to shelf, climbing higher. "Oh come on!"

It snickered and jumped again, only... it slipped. Everything moved so quickly as it fell toward the ground and I sprinted forward. My heart was pounding in my chest as I looked down at the kitten now in my arms, having caught it before it hit the ground. It looked up at me with wide eyes and rapid breathing. It only took me a moment to realize it was shaking and curling in on itself.

"Whoa!" I said as it shook in my arms and became even smaller.

"What's wrong with it?!" Patton asked worriedly.

I looked it with furrowed eyebrows I held it closer. "I- I don't know! It kind of looks like..." it reminded me of something. I couldn't put my finger on it until I saw the black smudges under the kittens eyes, reminding me of Anxiety- wait! My eyes widened in realization. "An anxiety attack!"

It continued to shake in my arms. "What do we do?!" Patton exclaimed. "If Virgil was here he'd know what to do! Should I go ask Logan??"

I was too concerned with the poor little fluff ball in my arms to answer him, so he just rushed off. "What do I do?" I muttered with worry as I sat down on the couch with the shaking kitten in my arms. I did one of the only things I could think of.

"I'd rather waltz than just walk through the forest. The trees keep the tempo and they sway in time. Quartet of crickets chime in for the chorus. If I were to pluck on your heart strings would you strum on mine?"

To my surprise, the kitten slowly stopped shaking as my voice softly soothed him. A very faint rumble of a purr rose in its throat. I gently ran my hand from his head and over his back. It leaned into my touch.

"That was terrifying," I told it. The cat looked up at me with a tiny, almost not noticeable nod. "I wonder if that's what Anxiety goes through whenever he gets anxious..."

My eyes widened in realization, dread setting in my stomach. "Oh my god..." I said breathlessly. "He- Virgil-" I looked down at the kitten with guilt. It was looking at me curiously. "He must go through those all the time, b-but none of us have ever helped him through it, I never helped him through it..."

The kitten in my lap stood up and put its paws on my chest, looking at my face. I felt my eyes prick with unexpected hot tears. They didn't fall, but they were there. "I'm- I'm the prince! I'm- I'm supposed to save everyone! I'm supposed to help everyone! I didn't- I should've..."

I let my head hang limp with defeat. I felt the kitten rub his cheek against mine in a comforting notion. I sighed as I ran a hand down its back again. "Can I tell you a secret?" I asked the kitten. "I mean, you're a cat, you can't technically answer me, or tell anyone, but I know you can understand me so..."

The kitten pulled its head away and lowered its paws back to a sitting position, looking up at me in expectation. I sighed again, looking up at the ceiling before returning my gaze back to it. "I kinda- might- uh- ImighthaveacrushonVirgil..." I said quickly, scrunching my eyes closed for no reason in particular.

Obviously silence met my words; I was talking to a cat after all. I peeked one eye open to see the kitten staring at me with wide eyes. "Yeah... and-"

"Hey Roman! Logan said we should-" Patton came back into the room causing me to jump a little. "Oh, never mind! We can dress him up now!"

I smirked at the kitten who's head whipped between Patton and I. I held him close before he could bolt from the room. "Oh calm down, you'll look adorable in a crown."