TW: Not really a panic attack, I think, but a breakdown? I don't know if people get triggered by these things, but Im gonna put a warning so you can just scroll through that part.

~Zak POV~

I hear Lefie's quiet snoring, which was muffled as their face was buried around my chest with their arms pulling me close. The light coming from my window emphasised their beautiful features. I smiled softly, giving them a head pat.

I was never that into physical affection, but Lefie's definitely an exception.

I stared for a while, reminiscing on the memories we've made together when life was simpler.

The times where I'd stay up with them whenever they had nightmares. The time where I convinced them to move in with us in the Ahmed kingdom. The time where I bought them their flag for their 13th birthday, they just hugged me for a while and cried unto my shoulder for half an hour, before running around in the castle and using the flag as a cape.

I smiled and gave a low chuckle. I stopped before I teared up too much.

I reached over to the letters next to me, careful not to wake up my sleeping friend.

I felt them shuffle and grunt at the movement, but they still remained asleep. I let out a small sigh of relief, as I know that they wake up so easily.

I look at the letters, finding a name unfamiliar to me written on one of them.

"From, princess Zoid." My face slightly dropped, and I let out a silent sigh.

I have heard of Zoid from Dream, I know that she's his second cousin. He said good things to me, but I didn't know if this girl was good news, so I kept my guard up and put her letter behind the other two.

I saw Darryl's letter. I stared deeply at it for a while, before I shook my head, placing it in the back.

I distract myself by looking at my instructors letter, Techno.

I was very curious on what the letter held, knowing that Techno wasn't a letter type of person. If he wanted to say something, he'd say it to your face, no matter how far you are. Or at least, that's what I thought.

Prince Zak,

I rolled my eyes at this, I already told him to stop being formal to me, but it seems like he does it to annoy me. I slowly shook my head with a smile.

I am informing you that I have arrived back earlier than I expected, as it was said to me that the mission to go to the nether has been moved to me closer to the present.

I didn't know that. I have thought about joining the mission, but I knew that I would be too busy planning the ball. Boys, girls, neithers and in-betweens, there has been a change of plans, as it seems.

I am writing this letter as I have a question in mind, will thou still take on my lessons? I know that you need me and my lessons, because wow, I am amazing.

I let out an offended scoff and I playfully rolled my eyes.

I have thought of taking fighting classes with Techno, but he was always busy planting on a farm or teaching soldiers from kingdom Espie and Krystalla. It seems as he has more time now, because if he didn't, why would he write me this?

Don't write me a letter, because if this already arrived, then I arrived too and will probably go see you tomorrow. Anyways, see ya later, nerd.

I'm still getting used to he gets from formal to casual. He always does this, he talks to me like he worships me, but then he talks to me like I'm a kid he's bullying.

I smile. Techno is definitely something, huh?

I put the letter back in the envelope, and I carefully put it in the shelf behind me, still trying to keep Lefie asleep.

I look at the next letter.

TW starts here

Oh...from princess Zoid...

Not now.

I put the letter back again, but I saw Darryl's letter, with <3 written on it? More than three? What does that even mean...

I stare at the letter for a while, my face heating up and my eyebrows furrowed. I felt myself tearing up. Not now.

I put the letter on the back.

Oh..Zoid, again. I put the letter back, until I'm just shuffling the two letters around, a stray tear falling down my face. I can't handle this. I felt my breathing quicken and get uneven. I felt stressed out.

My actions seem to have woken up Lefie, because they jolted up so quickly.

"Hey, hey, hey." They said, in a panicked but calmed tone. Almost the same tone I used to them, whenever I'm calming them down when they're crying.

I dropped the letters in distress, and they put a hand on my shoulder, rubbing it with their thumb. They know that physical affection doesn't calm me down.

I look at their face and see that they're trying to remember something.

"Mmm...here! Uh- br- breath in for 4 seconds through your nose." They said while breathing in, themselves. This was the same technique my mother taught the both of us. I did as they said, as they showed me them counting with their fingers.

"Ok, ok, um..hold for 7 seconds." I did as they said, hiccuping halfway through.

"And, err- release for 8 seconds through your mouth."

They repeated the process with me as I slowly calmed down.

TW ends here

I was leaning on their shoulder as they stroked my hair.

"You..okay now?" They said with uncertainty.

"No, not really."

"Well, how can I make you feel better?" They asked, still messing around with my hair.

"Play me a song?"

"Oh, sure...uh- wheres the guitar?" I pointed at the left side of my closet.

"Ok, ok, wait, hold on. Uhh-" They got up and went to where I pointed, stumbling once at the carpet, and I laughed slightly.

I laid down my bed, my arms spread and my feet dangling on the side.. For some reason, my feet can never touch the ground when Im sitting on my bed.

They came back, sat down with their feet on a triangle-ish position, and took of the capo.

They played a chord, but then quickly muted it as if they played the wrong one.

They started again, this time, becoming more confident. I recognised the chords. I remember writing something about a girl I liked. They helped me make the music and melody, since it was supposed to be poetry but was better as a song.

She didn't accept my confession, but I didn't and still don't regret telling her. She was wonderful, and she deserved to know that someone out there admires her. She now runs a clothing shop. It isn't much, but I could tell she's really happy. Its a simple job, she gets to be with her sister, and the people are nice. She definitely didn't change one bit.

"Your eyes could light up the whole town, you're beautiful with your hair down." Lefie sang, very quietly. I know they wouldn't do this for anyone. They weren't the type to enjoy singing to someone, so I appreciate them doing this even more.

"Your personality's original, deeper and deeper, it makes me fall." This song reminded me of him. I guess I haven't changed since I was 9, huh? Still lovestruck.

"And every word from that mouth of yours, makes me forget the whole universe." Still true. Whenever Bad talks, its almost like the whole world falls away, and its only us. (Sorry I couldnt help it-)

"You make me feel alive. Every second with you's worth it.

I wanna make you mine, and I dont know if you feel it.

I think you're beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

You are so beautiful, beautiful, beautiful."

They changed the strumming pattern, getting ready for the small rap part.

"The time I spend you with you makes me fall deeper and deeper

It's like Im drowning in a sea, and your smile is my life-saver.

Your humour always makes me laugh, but what I think is funniest

Is that your such a perfect being, just different from the rest.

I think this time I'll be smart and give you my heart,

Because I know you'll treat it good, and I know that I should

Do the same to you, because my love is true,

You make living worth while,

I give you my heart, and I hope you'll be mine."

They instantly took a large inhale after the long part, but didn't stop playing.

"You make me feel alive. Every second with you's worth it.

I wanna make you mine, and I dont know if you feel it.

I think you're beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

You are so beautiful, beautiful, beautiful."

I smiled as they played the last chord. Although I don't like the song, since its like a person who writes fanfiction wrote it for something called "May I Have This Dance" where she put the personas of cc's in a royalty AU because of an animatic he likes, it's still one of my cherished memories.

They turned to me and smirked.

"Wow, you still remember that?" I asked, embarrassed but happy.

"Of course! I do have great memory." They giggled, before looking me up and down with an eyebrow raised, their expression changed and their hand is now on their nom-existent beard.

I sat up, rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. This is what they'd do whenever I'd act "suspicious." I have never been good at hiding my feelings, so damn is it a good thing that everyones busy and oblivious. Unfortunately, Lefie pays too much attention to details to not be able to read me.

"You're blushing." They said, chuckling. I hated being vulnerable. I subconsciously put my oversized sleeves on my mouth. They're so big that they'd cover up my whole hands, just because mom thought that 'I'd grow into them.' I think they were my fathers hand-me-downs? Although, in his older photos, I never saw him wear anything like this...he was a t-shirt and shorts guy.

"Do I know them?" They wondered outloud.

I sighed. This is gonna be a long day.

My stomach grumbled and Lefie's expression changed quickly.

"Have you eaten?" They said, sounding like my mother.

"No." I answered honestly, no point in lying to anyone when your stomach rats you out.

They sighed, disappointed.

"You need to eat, Zak." Oh, they used my real names.

"How the turn tables." I referenced, in which they rolled their eyes at, but their face still remained worried.

"Please."

"Fine, I'll get some food from the bakery."

They smiled at that.

"Wait, y'know the servants could just make you food, right?"

"..just between you and me, I think their food tastes horrible."

"Is this just an excuse to eat bread and sweets instead of vegetables?"

"Maybe."

~~~

Sorry for the long-ass chapter, I wanted some fluff before ✨angst galore✨

More Flustered!Skeppy x Sassy!Bad content in the next chapters...who knows? Maybe there would even be Flirty!Prince Zak x Flustered!Bad...haha jkjk. Maybe.

~1907 words~