So, um, apologies. I can't believe I took so long to upload... worst part is that I wrote this in, like, literally 2 hours... Hope you guys are still interested! Anyway, not a super long or exciting chapter, but a necessary one, so bear with me. I love you guys so much!

My cell phone buzzed before I sat down on the couch. I silently flipped it open to read the message I had received. "His mom just killed herself." I blinked, blinked again, and then it clicked. I tossed my cell onto the end table and sat as close as I possibly could next to Zexion.

"Zexion... shit, I'm so sorry..." I mumbled as I put my arm around his small shoulders. I pulled his face to look at me with my hand on his cheek. He didn't resist, didn't try to hide his face, just looked up at me with those heartbroken eyes of his. So full of the emotion he usually kept bottled up. I ran my thumb under his eye as I watched tears spill from the corners of his eyes. I pulled his face into my chest and pet his hair. "I'll hold you as long as you need, okay?" I said, rhetorically. "So just do what you gotta do. I'll be here forever if that's what you need."

There was no response at first, but then I felt his body shake, and then I could hear his full out sobs not a minute later. I just sat there holding him, alternating between petting his hair and his back until Axel came back a few minutes later with hot chocolate.

He placed the two mugs on the coffee table in front of the couch, pointing at the mug closest to Zexion, and then at said boy. He then sat down in the chair nearby. We sat silently until Zexion's sobs had calmed at least ten minutes later, and he sat up. He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands while I reached forward to get his hot chocolate.

"Here, this'll make you feel better." I said, handing it to him. He took it after a moment, and then chugged it. After that, Axel and I tried to make small talk to take his mind off it, until I realized that Zexion was asleep against me.

I looked at him confused. "Poor Zexy cried himself to sleep." I said quietly.

"More like poor Zexy got drugged to sleep." Axel looked down at the floor, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Don't worry about it! It's just some of my old sleeping medication. I figured he could use some help getting to sleep."

I frowned, playing with the slate hair again. "So, what happened?" I asked. He shrugged.

"No clue. I'd only been here for fifteen minutes or so when you got here. I called you right away." Axel leaned back in his seat, looking tired. "You wanna bring him to your place? There's no way he'll wake up along the way."

"I suppose that would be best. I'll ask my mom to call the school for him tomorrow morning. I doubt he'll want to go." With that I downed my hot chocolate and gestured for Axel to help me.

With a bit of effort, we had gotten Zexion into the backseat of my car. I closed the door and leaned against the car. "Thanks for calling me, Axel."

"Well, he needed you anyway." Axel shoved his hands into his pockets. "Text me tomorrow, kay?" I'm worried about him."

I nodded and walked over to the driver's side of my car. "Night." I opened the door and got in the car. I saw him give me a small nod before walking back to the front door. I backed the vehicle out of the driveway and drove home.