Chapter Text
High school has been going great for everyone. Riley is doing great at her classes, she’s one of the Firehawks’ star players, and she made new friends, while also keeping Bree and Grace close to her. All nine emotions were so proud of their girl, for still being true to herself while also having fun at a new environment.
The original five emotions were also starting to accept and enjoy the company of the newer ones. Joy and Anxiety were both now more understanding of each other, Sadness and Embarrassment have a nice bond, Disgust and Envy are still trying to figure out their differences, and Ennui…well, she has her days where she isn’t completely bored.
Elsewhere, something else was happening with Anxiety. No, she didn’t do anything out of the ordinary, like her namesake suggests, but something else was bothering her.
And it all started on Valentine’s Day.
Joy had the idea for everyone to make a card to each emotion telling them how much they mean to one another. Since it was the first time the newer ones participated, it was all fair game.
So while Riley was asleep, each one made a card (except Sadness, who was on dream duty that night). Joy made one for Anxiety, telling her to hang in there. Fear made one for Embarrassment, thanking him for his kindness. Disgust made one for Envy, telling her that while she’ll never be like her, she’s still one of a kind in her own way, and Anger made one for Ennui, thanking her for…well, trying to help.
Elsewhere, the newer emotions had their own cards done. Embarrassment made two cards for Sadness, Envy had one set for Disgust, and that was it. Either Anxiety or Ennui didn’t made cards. They didn’t know why.
Unknown to them, however, was that the two of them have already begun with their cards, somewhere in their rooms, hidden away from view.
Anxiety has gone all of her way to make cards for everyone . Even in the so far limited time she gotten to know everyone, they treated her kindly, even after everything that happened after hockey camp. She was grateful to be in the company of them, and wouldn’t it change it for anything.
Seven cards were already made in the table counter. The only one who needed was a card was…well, Ennui.
Wait…
She didn’t had her phone with her.
That’s odd, Anxiety thought to herself.
Don’t get her wrong, she did like the indigo emotion in her own way, just from afar to not damage her wishes with herself and her phone, but…this was new.
She was writing on actual paper, and not on her phone .
What was she up to?
Anxiety wanted to find out.
From first glance, she already had a card for Joy and Fear lined up. The bad part was…it was all written in French. They would never understand it.
She wanted to help, but she was afraid she would ignore her, since that’s what she does with almost everyone most of the time.
The orange emotion had to try.
“Hey, Ennui.” Anxiety said.
Ennui notices her. “Hello.”
“Um, listen, you’re writing your cards in French and…I think they’re not going to get it.”
“French is the love language of the universe. It is the way I want to express myself with others.”
Oh. That’s new.
“Then why don’t you say it more often?” Anxiety said back.
Ennui just said nothing.
Then Anxiety realized something.
“It is because someone will make fun of you? You’re already an expert on not caring anyway, it won’t matter.”
Ennui glanced at Anxiety with more attention, then said, “Maybe?”
“So…I’m sorry if this is totally out of character for you and for me, but… can I help you write them down in English?”
Ennui…kinda became lost at this point. She didn’t respond.
“I- I won’t tell Joy or the others, I promise on all of my hairs.”
Ennui turned her chair around and decided not to look at her anymore.
Wait…
Did Anxiety…just saw her blushing ?
Was Ennui, the most useless emotion in all of Headquarters, blushing in front of her?
Anxiety didn’t know what to do.
She didn’t mean to hurt her in this way, whatever it was, but the best she could do was make her feel a bit better.
Maybe she could help.
Maybe she could learn French to help her understand herself more.
It was too late for that now, but she wanted to confront her.
So, Anxiety went to where Ennui was and sat in the table counter.
“I’m-I’m sorry about that. I really didn’t mean to overstep you like that. I just wanted to help because they don’t know the language that well. And I thought maybe if you needed help, I would, but I really didn’t mean to…hurt you like that.”
The indigo emotion still couldn’t look at her, no matter how hard she tried.
However, she was scared to admit it, and yes it was true, it would be so out of character of her.
She did needed help.
But at the same time, this was the first time someone asked her a question in a nicer and calmer tone, not just the “quick fix this” tone that annoyed her.
So, Ennui just said this:
“This is the first time someone asked for my help in a nice way. And- it really made me- turn away a little.”
Oh.
Anxiety really didn’t know what to think about it. “Wait, you mean it like that?”
Ennui turned around, seeing face to face again with the orange emotion.
“I- of course. I mean, I don’t show it, obviously, but- it would mean much to me if you could-“
“Help you?” Anxiety said. “Of course.”
Ennui didn’t know if she wanted to smile or wanted to blush, so she stood up from the seat, found another chair for Anxiety to sit in, and went on with her writing again. Anxiety took on her own papers and began making her card for the other emotion, hopefully without her noticing she was writing something about her.
“I saw the others card you wrote. I think they are nice.” Ennui said moments later.
And without noticing, Anxiety blushed too.
“Oh, yeah, I hope Joy likes what I wrote for her.”
“After everything you’ve done for her, I think she deserves her flowers.”
Anxiety took a moment to think, then said, “Yeah, I think she does.”
For the rest of their time there, they helped each other with their respective cards, as well as Anxiety’s translations in Ennui’s. Finally, after a while, they were all finished. Both emotions were proud of their cards, and they hoped that the others would love it.
Later on, the two emotions decided to go to their respective beds for their well earned sleep.
“Thank you, I guessed.” Ennui said.
“And thank you for helping me as well.” Anxiety said back, still looking a bit doozy.
Ennui waved back, with a smile too. “Goodnight, Anxiety.”
“Goodnight to you too, Ennui.”
For the rest of the night, Anxiety slept well, but something was bothering her. And not the kind the kind that brings her namesake, but it was something else.
The way she helped with Ennui making her cards and also her helping her translations, and the way she blushed a smile at her when she thanked her for making hers. It felt nice, it really did.
Anxiety couldn’t stop blushing about it. She really liked being in Ennui’s company, despite not asking for it at her. Part of her wanted to know if she secretly liked it, despite obviously not caring that much. She just wanted to help her more.
But, unknown to her, Ennui was thinking the same thing.
She couldn’t stop thinking about Anxiety’s smile when she told her she needed help. She couldn’t thinking about her smile when she translated all of her thank yous to everyone. She couldn’t stop thinking about how Anxiety appreciated her cursive writing, which no one actually does, and that it actually shocked her.
Ennui didn’t want to admit it, but something sparked in her.
Did…she liked Anxiety?
She really doesn’t know.
Do emotions even feel love?
That was another question for another day.