Axl Heck groaned loudly in frustration.

He was currently in his parents' front yard in Orson while he attempted to blow up his beloved inflatable palm tree.

"Hey Ax-man!"

Axl shielded his eyes from the sun, grinning at his longtime best friend and neighbor Sean Donahue.

Axl had just graduated East Indiana State while Sean had just graduated Notre Dame with honors and their parents had decided to throw a joint graduation party for them.

After some persuading of the Axl kind, of course.

"What's up Sean?" Axl gave him a tight hug. He immediately went back to attempting to inflate his palm tree.

"I got home a few hours ago and was told this party was being held in the street between our houses?" Sean laughed in disbelief. Axl smirked, he had laid on the charm big time with Mrs. Donahue.

"Yeah I convinced your mom that it was worth it since it was both of us," Axl boasted. "It's like the annual block party."

"Except its for us so its way more awesome!" Sean raised his hand for a high-five and Axl slapped his hand happily.

"Exactly!"

The two sat in comfortable silence for a while, Sean setting up various decorations while Axl continued to attempt to inflate his palm tree.

"So is uh, is Sue bringing her boyfriend?" Sean asked him in an overly casual tone.

"Her boyfriend?"

"Yeah the last time I was at East Indy you told me she was seeing someone."

"No," Axl said slowly, beginning to feel light-headed. "I told you that Lexie was seeing someone aka me."

"Wait," Sean stood up straighter. "When I came to Sue's apartment did you think I meant I had feelings for Lexie?"

"I hope that's who you meant," Axl lowered his eyes and voice. "Because as my best friend, I would think you'd tell me if you liked my only sister."

"Hey, you told me years ago if I ever wanted to date Sue to tell you after I already talked to her so you only knew if it would affect you directly," Sean defended himself. "Also to, and this is a direct quote 'cut down on your barfing time'."

"Well we're adults now and not drunk in your basement on a Friday night," Axl snapped. "Did you really come to the apartment for Sue?"

"Yes," Sean admitted, looking Axl directly in the eye. "I really like Sue and I haven't been able to stop thinking about her for a while."

Axl let go of the palm tree, the tree noisily swaying back and forth while it let out the few bursts of air Axl had blown into it before finally coming to rest on the lawn between them.

"This all started after you offered to take her to that ball isn't it?" Axl crossed his arms over his chest. "She didn't dump her date to go with you so it's a 'want what you can't have' sort of thing'. Look dude I've been there ok and I get it but not with my sister-"

"That's not it at all," Sean cut him off hastily; Axl's mouth falling open as a Donahue before had never cut him off. "It started when we all went on spring break together."

"Spring break?"

"Yeah when we went to Kentucky?"

"Oh when you still weren't shaving and weren't 'into deception'?" Axl snorted mockingly and Sean pointed at him.

"Exactly. You and my parents all had so many things to say about my hair, my clothes, my attitude but Sue didn't." Axl winced, knowing that Sean was right. "Sue didn't tell me that she wanted to punch me or make any snide comments; she treated me the same as she always had."

"So what, because she didn't mind that you grew your hair out you decided you liked her?"

"No that trip I realized how great Sue is. I realized that she had grown into an independent, kind woman and since then it snuck up on me."

"It snuck up on you?" Axl repeated skeptically, cursing himself internally immediately for continuing this conversation.

"Well yeah so I would be on campus and little things about her would cross my mind like I would be putting Fruit Loops into a bowl while someone was getting Cheerios and I'd think 'man, if Sue were here she'd tell them to put them together for Fruitios'," Sean ran his fingers through his hair. "Then I got my MCAT results and the first person I wanted go tell was Sue and I knew I was in trouble."

"Clearly," Axl muttered, swallowing thickly. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear just how much Sean liked his little sister if he was going to forbid it.

"I was going to tell you when I came up to East Indy the first time because I agree with you, we're best friends I shouldn't hide my feelings from you," Sean bit his lip guiltily.

"The time you took out Lexie you mean?"

"I choked," Sean winced, his voice coming out pained. "While you were in the shower Sue and I had this deep talk and at the end she told me how great it was to hear things from a guy's perspective then told me that your dad isn't a big chatter and you aren't sensitive-"

"I can be sensitive-"

"Sure," Sean cut him off again with an unconvincing tone and Axl lowered his eyes in annoyance. "I choked because she mentioned you and her dad and all I could think about was how she must also see me as an older brother type and I was going to make things so awkward and then Lexie walked in and she's cute-"

"So you took the easy way out?" Axl finished for him with raised eyebrows. Sean's wince deepened.

"Yes and I regretted it for weeks after then I remembered her telling me about the Chancellor's Ball and I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to swoop in like a hero and sweep her off her feet," Sean confessed, his face deflating. "But she had a date."

"You really couldn't stop thinking about her after that and came to her apartment?" Axl asked him incredulously. He was starting to feel bad for his best friend; Sean was never able to catch a break.

"No, I didn't want to miss out on something great because I was too afraid to say anything," Sean's shoulders slumped. "I figured if I was going to miss out on Sue I'd rather it be because she didn't like me, although, I knew she'd love the snow globe."

"The what?" Axl's heart sank, knowing that the day after Sean left Sue had come bounding into her apartment, excited that she found a beautiful snow globe in the trash.

"I bought her a snow globe," Sean lazily took a seat, placing his head in his hands. "During our deep talk I told her she was a very special snowflake- don't you dare laugh- so I bought her a snow globe."

Axl didn't say anything. He had heard Sue tell Brad she felt like it was made for her and Brad tell her it looked like something for a very special snowflake and she had told Brad to shut up.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you Axl," Sean looked at him and gave him a weak smile. "I chickened out too many times with both of you. I should've told you; it wasn't cool of me to keep it from you. You're my best friend! What's a best friend for if you can't tell them everything?"

"Right..."

"You said she isn't seeing anyone but maybe it's for the best if I don't say anything," Sean looked down sadly, making Axl shift uncomfortably. "It's not like she likes me anyway but I'm glad I was honest with you. I should've told you sooner, I'm sorry Axl. Forgive me?"

"I can't believe I'm about to do this," Axl muttered and Sean gave him a confused look. " She was super upset that you went out with Lexie. We went back to her place after you guys broke off together and we ate all the ice cream in her freezer because we were both jealous."

"I doubt she was jealous. Sue is so sweet, she probably knew that you had a thing for Lexie so she was trying to make you feel better," Sean gave him a smile and Axl rolled his eyes. "Congrats on Lexie by the way."

"You don't get it. She dumped her date for the ball because she wanted to go with you. She stole the Winnebago and we drove all the way here to Orson but your mom told her you had driven back to Notre Dame hours before that so I stepped in as her date."

Sean's mouth hung open slightly and Axl was silent for a moment.

"She has the snow globe," Axl admitted quietly. "She found it in the trash and told Brad she felt like it was made for her and it's her favorite thing."

"What exactly are you telling me this for Axl?" Sean asked him softly.

"And you're about to start med school- Sue likes you," Axl stated simply. "And if you wait much longer she might convince herself you don't like her."

"I got that, I meant are you giving me your blessing to date Sue?"

Axl and Sean locked eyes and Axl paused before answering. Was he about to give his best friend permission to date his little sister, who he made fun of constantly but was actually his favorite family member?

Countless times of Sean helping his dad when Axl was too lazy flashed through his mind, along with memories of Sean helping Brick with his math homework while Axl played video games, Sean changing light bulbs for his mom and lastly the image of Sean helping Sue up while people crowded around her calling her turtle girl, not caring what anyone thought of him as he made sure Sue was okay.

Axl had already known what he would say the second Sean had told him that he liked Sue; Sean was the best man he knew and the only one he would trust with his sister completely.

"If she has to date anyone, I would rather it be you."

Sean gave him an ear-to-ear smile and stood up abruptly, wiping off his pants.

"Thanks dude, how do I look? Sue-worthy?"

"You look so handsome," Axl replied in a high-pitched voice and Sean laughed heartily.

"Let's hope your sister thinks so."

Later that evening, Axl sat on the front steps with his arms lazily draped about Lexie's petite form as they watched the party go on around them.

"Think anyone will notice if we-"

"Can I talk to you Axl?" Sue asked nervously, appearing in front of the pair out of thin air.

"No." Lexie turned and gave him a dirty look. "What, it's my party why should I have to do things I don't want to do?"

"Please Axl?" Axl dragged out a loud, irritated sigh as he untangled himself from Lexie and walked into his parent's living room.

"What do you want Sue?" Axl turned around to be roped into a tight hug by Sue.

"Sean told me you talked to him," Sue told him quietly. "Thank you."

"I didn't do it for you I did it for him," Axl said, pushing Sue off of him.

"But kind of for me too?" Sue asked hopefully. She was trying and failing not to smile.

"Barely," Axl snorted and Sue gave him her knowing grin, tucking her chin into her neck.

"I love you Axl."

"I regret this already," Axl groaned loudly.

"I love you Axl," Sue repeated as a knock came to the door.

"I hate you too loser, you better buy me that conditioner I like now!" Axl called after Sue, who waved her hand at him over her shoulder as she opened the front door to Sean.

The pair stared at each other with beaming smiles for a moment before Sean took her hand and gently pulled her towards him.

"Let's go eat ice cream in the park under the stars," Sean suggested to her quietly, Sue agreeing to the idea quickly.

In their excitement they left the front door open and Axl was about to close the door when he caught sight of his sister and his best friend kissing under a streetlight.

"I definitely regret this," Axl said to himself grinning, slamming the front door.