(Based off of several headcanons)

"No no no no NO!" Wailed a panicked Chocolatey. Shieldy only watched her with worried eyes.

For the past week, Party Hat had been ill from a sickness he had picked up while the final seven were on a camping trip. Recently, he fell in a coma and was briskly whisked away to the hospital.

Since then, Chocolatey has been anxiously pacing around, on the verge of a breakdown.

"Chocolatey please, calm down-" Shieldy, realizing what he just said, braced himself for the outburst that would soon follow.

"CALM DOWN!? My friend is in a COMA, possibly DYING, and you expect me to calm down!?"

"Well," Shieldy snapped back, "I'm his best friend, and you don't see me working myself into the ground!"

Chocolatey let out an exasperated laugh, tinted with sarcasm. "Of course you're not, you don't understand things like these!"

"I understand perfectly!"

Chocolatey ignored him, her thoughts plunging into what made her so upset in the first place. The past consumed her mind, and she cried out, "I never should have run away, or this wouldn't have happened in the first place! Stupid disorder, stupid everything!" A few frustrated tears rolled down her face as she fell to her knees.

"..what are you talking about?" Shieldy softly inquired.

The chocolate bar merely stared at him, debating whether or not to tell him the real reason she had run away from home. Chocolatey's pain-striken eyes met Shieldy's innocent ones.

His damned, innocent, irresistible eyes.

"I have a..eating disorder. It's called Sugar Cannibalism. It..it makes me eat parts of myself."

Shieldy's wide eyes grew wider yet.

"Sugar Cannibalism is highly taboo where I come from, a-and when my parents found out..I ran away. They would've shunned me. Everyone would have."

"And then they sent Party Hat to look for you." Shieldy whispered.

Chocolatey nodded. "You know the rest." Her voice quivered, all of her harbored feelings threatening to spill over. No one but Party Hat knew about this, and he had, many times, assured her that it was okay.

But this wasn't okay.

The shame Chocolatey still felt from running away, the fear of what would happen if she went back home, or if someone she knew found her..and the feeling she most often got. The guilt of knowing Party Hat had decided to stay with her, instead of returning to his loving family and friends.

She could never forgive herself for that. And this only made it worse.

"I never should have left.." Chocolatey squeaked out, the words breaking under their own weight. More tears streamed down her face; her breathing turned into gasping as she broke down.

Shieldy wrapped his arms around Chocolatey, allowing her to hold him closer. The young male hated seeing anyone upset. He would let Chocolatey cry into him and hold him like a teddy bear as long as she needed to. And Chocolatey was grateful for his love and comfort.

"Did Party Hat ever tell you why I was with him when I met you?"

Chocolatey sniffed. "Wh-What?"

Shieldy didn't pull away from the hug, but Chocolatey could nearly see his pained face in how he spoke. "I used to live in a castle town, training to be a knight. I was too much trouble though..so the General, under the king's permission, ordered me to leave." In a barely audible fashion, he muttered, "I've seen things you don't want to know about.."

Chocolatey had heard of the still existing monarchies in the world. More specifically, the hard times that had befallen some of them. Constant war, famine, disease, and fear and anger. She imagined a very young Shieldy, witnessing all the hate and unfairness life had to offer. He was naive and unable to understand, asking his mother, who was holding him, why everyone was angry all the time.

It was enough to bring out fresh tears. Chocolatey's heart flooded with sympathy for Shieldy. He did understand.

"I'm sorry.." She whispered. A tight squeeze and shaky breathing was the response.

Shieldy was the first to speak again. "If worst comes to worst..we'll have each other, right?"

The little ember of optimism earned a small smile from Chocolatey. She chuckled softly, and returned Shieldy's loving and comforting embrace.