Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author's Note: Wow guys, I suck. Really sorry for being away for so long. To be honest, I read this story now and just want to throw it away. BUT, I promised I would finish it so that's exactly what I'm gonna do! Who knows when though? Ha ha. I sure don't. Well, I hope that if there are any readers left that they enjoy this chapter. It's been half-written for months, but I finally buckled down and finished it. Still more to come! Thanks to everyone who stuck around with my sorry ass! You guys are truly the best.

"In high school Demyx talked me into playing triangle in the band for one semester just so I could go on the end of the year trip to Disney Castle with him."

"Ha ha I can totally see you doing that. Umm, when I was a kid I was deathly afraid of the tooth fairy."

"No shit? Well I guess the thought of some broad in a tutu sneaking into your room in the middle of the night is a bit scary. Hmm. Oh! My uncle has an alligator farm in Deep Jungle."

"Wow, I've definitely never known anyone in the alligator farm business before. Uh let's see… my Dad used to be a minor league baseball player."

"My dream job at the age of six was to be Superman."

"I'm pretty sure that's every six year-old's dream, Axel."

"Really? Ok then I'll think of a better one. Umm, oh I know! Once, when I was totally drunk off my ass, I gave a homeless guy a ride to his spot under the freeway overpass."

My exhausted body shook with laugher as I conceded defeat. I was already worn out beyond belief from Axel's ravenous appetite in bed and I could barely breathe between giggles. "Axel that is such a 'you' story," I panted out once I'd calmed down some.

He looked over at me and grinned widely, fingers twirling through a few strands of hair near my ear. "Oh yeah? What's that supposed to mean, sweetheart?"

I searched my brain for a witty response for him, but before I had a chance to say anything the oaf had rolled over on top of me, thin sheet sandwiched between our otherwise naked bodies. Laughing weakly I uselessly pushed at his chest. "Axel get off, you're heavy," I whined beneath him.

"Don' wanna," he mumbled into the pillow we were now sharing.

I sighed in defeat and let my arms fall to my sides, relishing the feel of the cool sheets beneath me in contrast to the warm body above me. Axel shifted and slid his arms around my back, slowly caressing the smooth skin before encircling my waist and pulling me closer in a firm embrace. Had the room not been completely silent I would have missed the soft noise of contentment that buzzed in the back of his throat for scarcely a second. I smiled. Despite my earlier complaint, I rather liked the closeness and security I felt having Axel's body covering mine. I could feel my eyelids growing heavier. After our sweaty romp between the sheets earlier, adding to the tiredness lingering from my unpleasant morning, a nap sounded heavenly. And the gentle breeze that softly played with the dark curtains as it drifted through the open window seemed to be coaxing me into a tranquil slumber.

Both Axel and I jolted up when someone began banging furiously on the bedroom door.

"Hey are you guys done yet? I let you have your fun, now come visit with me, I'm lonely out here!" a voice that was unmistakably Demyx's nagged from behind the locked door.

Axel laughed, somewhat embarrassed. "Shit, I didn't even hear him get home," he said. He sighed before pushing himself up on his elbows and smiling tiredly. "C'mon Rox." Axel leaned down to peck my lips briefly before throwing the sheets off and sliding out of bed. He yawned and reached above his head, stretching his ridiculously long body in a way that distinctly reminded me of a cat before scratching his stomach and looking around the room. I sat up in an effort to get out of bed myself, but was thwarted by a jolt of pain that shot up my spine. I flopped back down in defeat, choosing to bury myself in the Axel-scented blankets instead.

"Now where are my pants… oh, there they are," he laughed. "Geez Roxas, that's quite an arm you've got on you," Axel praised with a lewd wink as he picked his jeans up from the other side of the room, waving them like a trophy. He laughed and started pulling them up his slender legs, hopping once to get them all the way on before zipping and buttoning.

I glanced around the room from my cocoon of bed sheets. "Uh Axel, where are my boxers?" I asked him as he rummaged through his closet for a new shirt.

He laughed. "I dunno Rox, I just sorta threw 'em somewhere," he said before his eyes joined mine in a quick scan of the room. "Oh, there they are. Hanging on the dresser," Axel said, chuckling as my now well-traveled underpants' hiding place was revealed. I reluctantly unwound myself and scooted off the bed to grab them. "On second thought," Axel mumbled before lunging forward and grabbing them just before my own hand grasped the fabric. He grinned and twirled them around one finger. "Maybe I'll just keep these as a souvenir," he added with another wink.

I rolled my eyes. "Axel that's gross. Give them back," I said, holding out my hand expectantly.

He stuck out his tongue. "No," he sang like an unruly child. "I should take your pants and shirt too and just have you walk around my apartment naked. It's a much better view in my opinion," he added with fiendish delight, obviously liking the idea a great deal.

"Axel," I whined, "Not while Demyx is here."

The redhead's eyebrows shot up. "So you'd do it if it was just me and you? Oh I am so holding you to that Rox," he said excitedly before throwing my underwear in my face.

I grumbled as I yanked the blue shorts off my head and slid them up my legs until they were firmly in place. Axel chose to ignore the various curses I was muttering under my breath and instead slid on a bright orange band shirt that clashed magnificently with his hair. He unlocked the bedroom door and trotted out into the hall while I retrieved the rest of my clothing from its various locations across Axel's floor. I could hear Demyx and Axel talking animatedly in the other room as I quickly dressed myself before following the echo of voices.

"I can't believe you didn't leave me any pizza you pig," Demyx whined to Axel as I walked into the TV room. "Oh hey Roxas!" he greeted brightly when I rounded the corner. "Nice sex hair." Demyx winked and gave me a thumbs up.

My hands flew to my head as I furiously tried to fix my disheveled hair. Axel and Demyx just laughed.

"God, if he isn't just the cutest thing. Remind me again how a tramp like you landed this angel?" Demyx asked Axel enviously, hip cocked to the side as he tapped his foot impatiently. Well someone had definitely taken more than their daily-recommended dose of gay this morning.

"I dunno Dem it's like, I just opened up my arms and there he was," Axel said in disbelief, as if explaining a life-changing miracle that he had witnessed.

"Screaming 'Harder Axel, harder!'" Demyx added with a snicker. I felt my face flush to my ears.

"Nah that's not it, I'm plenty hard. It was 'Deeper Axel, oh g-god right there!'" Axel replied, moaning like some amateur porn star.

"Keep this up and you won't be hearing either," I quipped.

Axel raised his fingers to his lips and motioned that he was zipping them shut, smiling all the while.

Demyx laughed louder. He raised his hand and made a motion like he was cracking a whip, complete with sound effects. " Xigbar was so right about you dude. You're fucking whipped."

"Yeah well, Xigbar's full of shit," came Axel's witty reply.

"True," Demyx answered thoughtfully. "Anyway, I'm gonna order take-out. I had to go into my voice instructor's office hours and completely skipped lunch. Do either of you want anything?" he asked as his eyes flitted between the two of us while brought his phone up to his ear in slow motion.

"Well I dunno about Roxie here but I am definitely hungry after our wonderful afternoon of fun. I'll just get the usual, Dem," Axel said, patting his stomach before looking at me expectantly. "Want anything Rox?"

"I dunno, didn't we just eat like," I glanced around the room for a clock, eyes locking on the digital numbers displayed on their microwave, "holy shit was that three hours ago?"

Axel smiled proudly. "Yup! So I'll take that as a yes? You do like Chinese food, right? Mushu's is the only place that does it right here, not like back home at all."

"Yeah yeah I'll get whatever you're having," I replied distractedly, ignoring whatever comment Axel had made to Demyx about ordering for his wifey while I tried to comprehend the fact that Axel and I had been going at it for nearly three fucking hours.

Heh. Fucking hours.

Well I guess if you considered the fact that after a quick tension-relieving romp in Axel's bed we'd moved to the bathroom in a half-assed attempt to get cleaned up which had really just resulted in some amazingly steamy shower sex. Then once we'd actually washed ourselves and turned the water off I'd barely made three steps toward the towel rack before Axel had picked me up and started furiously kissing my severely marked neck, clumsily stumbling out of the bathroom until he was tossing me down onto wrinkled sheets for another round. Then yeah, I guess the three-hour thing wasn't quite so alarming after all.

"Rooooooxas," Axel sang as he waved a hand in front of my face. "That sweet little blush tells me you're thinking of something dirty," he taunted.

I scoffed and shoved him away lightly. He merely chuckled before bending down and planting a warm kiss on the side of my throat, tongue flicking over one of the numerous love bites he'd left.

"Christ Axel, his neck looks like someone's beaten him or something," Demyx remarked after hanging up the phone. "Possessive much?"

Axel wrapped his arms around my shoulders and rested his chin on the top of my head. "Mmmaybe. It's not my fault Roxie's so tasty," he added before leaning down and licking my face.

"Ugh, Axel that's gross!" I said, pushing him away only to have his surprisingly strong arms pull me back firmly against his chest.

"Oh stop it both of you, you're being so cute it's making me physically ill," Demyx snapped as he rubbed his stomach soothingly. "Or maybe it's just because I haven't eaten anything today."

"Or maybe it's because you haven't seen Zexion today," Axel laughed against my scalp before squeezing my shoulders one last time and releasing me from the cage of his arms.

Demyx sighed longingly as he blew a piece of hair out of his face. "Yeah that too."

"Invite him over, we'll have a party," Axel offered, clapping his best friend on the shoulder.

Demyx shook his head. "Nah, I already did. He's grading papers."

"Zexion's a teacher?" I asked. I had assumed he was just another college student like the rest of us. I mean, what kind of self-respecting adult comes to a college party for fun? Unless they're really desperate I guess.

Demyx nodded shyly and scratched the back of his head as a faint blush started to form on his cheeks. Axel nodded furiously in response to my question, shit-eating grin fully in place.

"Not just a teacher Rox, a professor. An English professor at TTU," Axel said. If his smile could get any bigger I'd be worried that the corners of his mouth would tear. My eyes flew to Demyx, silently begging for confirmation.

"Eh, I had him for a poetry class and well, we just sorta hit it off," Demyx admitted sheepishly. The dopey grin on his face was a dead giveaway.

"Dem went to office hours for a little more than just extra credit that semester, if you catch my drift," Axel said, eyebrows wiggling.

"Oh hush you. It was not like that and you know it," Demyx said, slapping him on the arm.

Axel nodded grumpily, rubbing where he'd been slapped. "Oh yes, I better than anyone would know exactly how the course of your relationship went. Every day it was 'Axel, Zexion said the funniest thing today,' or 'Axel sometimes when he looks at me, I just know he's the one,' or even, 'Oh Axel he remembered my name! He didn't call me Dennis today!'" he rambled bitterly.

"Oh come on, don't even get me started on how you get all googly-eyed whenever you talk about Roxas, you closet romantic," Demyx said, finger pointing menacingly at Axel's nose.

I just stood and half-listened as the two of them bickered back and forth. The way they fired back insults or complaints or jabs or jokes to each other was so fluid, continuing without a moment's pause. The two of them acted as if they were putting on a well-rehearsed play. Axel would say something mean and Demyx would reflect it immediately only to have Axel made a dirty comment and Demyx would retort with some embarrassing story of his own and on and on and on. Frankly, it was hilarious.

"Yeah okay mister, don't make me tell Roxas the treadmill story!"

Axel's eyes widened dangerously. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me," Demyx responded with a sly smile. Almost on cue, the doorbell rang and he turned to retrieve our second helping of delivery food for the day.

The rest of the evening continued in pretty much the same manner. Demyx and Axel were great company. We spent the next few hours channel surfing in front of the TV with our chopsticks and take-out boxes while the two of them took turns commentating on whichever show was on. My sides hurt from laughing when we finally decided to call it a night.

"Ok Axel, you've gotta get this squirt home. Isn't there a rule that says people under the height of five feet have to be indoors by eleven or something?"

"Hey, I'm taller than five feet!" I said.

"Sure you are, kiddo. Let's get you home though, it's past your bedtime," Axel said, ruffling my hair as he stood up.

I looked up to the clock on the wall. "It's not even 10:30," I responded flatly.

"Yes but you see, Demyx needs his beauty sleep and the most polite way he can think of to get you out of the house is to poke fun at the fact that you're vertically challenged," Axel explained as he picked up the cardboard take-out boxes that were scattered about the room, checking to see which ones were worth saving and heading towards the refrigerator.

"Aw Roxas that's not true! I'd love to have you stay over longer, I just figured you'd wanna get back at a decent hour seeing as how it's a school night and all," Demyx said, lips pulled into a pout.

"That and the fact that he wants us out of the room when he calls Zexy up for some phone sex later," Axel shouted from the kitchen.

"Axel!"

I laughed, against my better judgment. Demyx shot me a look, but rolled his eyes and got up. "Ha ha, very funny. Hurry up Axel or you'll be coming home when all the crazies are out!"

"Yes Mom," Axel said, exiting the kitchen and extending his hand towards me. "Shall we?"

I grabbed his hand, using it as leverage to pull myself up off of the floor.

"You got all your stuff? I don't wanna be walking back in here and interrupting Dem during his private time," Axel asked.

"I'm going to sleep you douche bag!" Demyx shouted from the far bedroom.

"Tell Zexion we say hi!" Axel said one last time, opening the front door and ushering me out.

I chuckled lightly. "Do you two ever quit?"

Axel laughed too. "Aw, Demyx knows I'm just messing. He should be flattered, I only tease the people I like."

I raised an eyebrow as we walked towards the gate. "Oh really?"

Axel looked down and smiled. "Oh definitely. Why else do you think I bother you so much?"

"Hmm I dunno. Maybe you're just a dick like that?"

Axel hissed, holding a hand to his chest and wincing. "Ouch Rox, why are you constantly breaking my heart like this?"

Laughing, I looked up at him again. "I dunno, maybe it's because I like you?"

The smile I got in return was stunning. Before I knew what was happening I felt my chin cupped by a warm hand as Axel kissed me roughly. "You're just too goddamn cute," he muttered against my lips.

I was a little disappointed when he pulled away, but I suppose I really did need to get back to school. I could already think of a few quizzes I should've been studying for. We walked in near silence towards the bus stop on the other side of the street, and like magic, a bus seemed to materialize out of nowhere just as we sat down.

"Damn. Good timing."

Axel laughed as he followed me down the dimly lit aisle towards the back of the bus. "Dem probably looked up the times on his iPhone. He's always doing shit like that," he said, plopping down into the seat next to the one I'd chosen.

"Well that's awfully nice of him."

"Mmhm," Axel murmured, leaning on me heavily as he buried his face in the crook of my neck. "S'just how he is."

The two of us sat in silence for a few minutes. My eyes scanned the bus, dully taking note of the other patrons. Some homeless guy with a flattened cardboard box and a bad sunburn, one morbidly obese woman with a couple of grocery bags littering the space around her feet, and a teenage girl wearing way too much eyeliner, bobbing hear head to the screaming that was leaking out of her pink ear buds.

I jumped slightly when I felt Axel's fingertips delicately graze the side of my throat.

"Sorry," he said.

"For what?"

"These." Axel's fingers lingered over the newly formed bruises that were now covering a great deal of my neck.

"Oh. It's no big deal, I'll just ask Kairi if I can borrow some of her cover-up."

Axel snorted, breath scattering a few stray hairs that dangled in front of his face.

The two of us sat in silence for the rest of the ride. I thought that Axel might've fallen asleep on my shoulder, but he'd reach up to scratch his face occasionally. I just sighed and watched the city pass by outside.

The bus stop for the dorms seemed to come a lot sooner that I remembered. Reluctantly, Axel lifted himself and scooted out of his seat. I followed behind him until we were outside on the sidewalk that curved up to where the dorm rats like myself lived.

"I'll walk you to your building," Axel said.

"Um, okay. Thanks."

Axel just nodded. I shoved my hands into my pockets as we walked towards the scattered brick structures. I kept trying to initiate conversation while we walked towards the cluster of buildings that was The Sandlot, but I couldn't think of anything to say. Axel was usually the one who talked more anyway, but he was being unusually quiet all of a sudden.

"Who's that by your car?" said redhead asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Huh?"

Axel pointed. "Over there, there's some guy leaning on your car. Do you know him, Roxas?"

I squinted towards the parking lot, eyes searching for where my car was parked. When they fell upon where it was, my blood ran cold. There was indeed a man leaning against the back bumper of my car, arms folded as he waited patiently. His long silver hair fell like a curtain over the shoulders of his black trench coat. I stopped in my tracks.

"Roxas? What's wrong?" Axel asked, stopping next to me.

As if he could somehow hear my name from where he was standing, the black-clad man looked up. I watched as he straightened himself and began walking towards us at a slow and steady pace.

I reached up and clutched Axel's arm tightly, not noticing him wince when my fingernails dug into his skin. "We have to go. Now."

"Wait just a second Roxas, what's the matter?" Axel asked, concerned eyes searching mine for an answer as he wrenched his arm from my grasp and put his hands on my shoulders.

"It's h-him." I trembled where I was standing, eyes slowly drifting to where the approaching figure loomed. My eyes locked with smirking yellow and I wanted to run, run far away.

Much to my surprise, Axel shoved me out of the way so that he was standing between me and the dark-skinned man who had now come to a halt not three feet away from us. I felt him squeeze my hand tightly.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Axel barked. I was shocked. I'd never heard him sound so hostile before. I cowered behind him as that regrettably familiar voice responded.

"My name is Xemnas. I'm a… friend of Roxas' so to speak. I've come to see him." Xemnas smiled at me from where I was peeking out from behind Axel's back before bringing his gaze back up to the redhead. "And, you are?"

"Name's Axel," he responded shortly. I was silently relieved that he didn't tack on 'got it memorized?'

Xemnas' eyebrows lifted slightly as he appraised Axel. "Hmm. And how do you know my dear little Roxas, if I may ask?" Xemnas said, eyes cold as he locked them on Axel's own.

"I'm his… boyfriend."

I gawked at Axel in surprise. Despite the fact that I was inches away from the man that I feared most in the entire world, Axel's words couldn't help but warm my heart. I clutched the back of his shirt tightly.

"Boyfriend?" Xemnas' eyes glittered dangerously. "Oh dear Roxas, what have you been doing while I was away? Or rather, who?"

"What?" Axel asked before turning around to face me, eyebrows twisted in confusion. "Roxas, who is this guy? Is he your…"

"No!" I shouted before he could finish. "I can't stand him! Xemnas is a horrible, horrible man. I don't want anything to do with him anymore!" I tried to explain frantically. I could see the confusion clouding those green eyes that I'd grown so fond of recently, and it tore at my heart.

"Tsk tsk Roxas. It really pains me to hear such hurtful words come out of such a pretty mouth," Xemnas interjected. He hadn't moved an inch, but somehow I was suddenly aware of how close his presence was. I took a step back.

"Don't," I said weakly, voice coming out as little more than a whisper.

"What? I'm sure your little boyfriend knows all about your pretty mouth, your porcelain skin, and all the pleasures derived from them," Xemnas said, voice even as his eyes slitted and his lips curled. "But… does he know just how many have delighted in the pleasures of your smooth skin, Roxas? Does he know just how many times those plump lips have been parted in want? How many names have descended on that sweet tongue?"

"That. Is. Enough."

Axel was seething now. I could see his fingers trembling before clenching into fists. He turned to face Xemnas completely, jaw clenched and eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare talk about Roxas like that. I don't care who the fuck you are. If Roxas doesn't want you here then I sure as hell don't want you here either."

Xemnas chuckled darkly. "Ah, but you don't understand. I'm here to collect a debt you see. I'm sure Roxas knows what I'm talking about."

He took a single step forward and Axel snapped. I stood there, staring in complete and utter shock as Axel lunged at Xemnas, cocked his fist back and punched him in the face. Hard. And did it again, and again, before Xemnas was aware enough to fight back. He grunted and threw Axel off of him. I flinched as he landed heavily on the asphalt. Xemnas was much bigger than Axel and I was suddenly worried more for his safety than my own.

"Stop it! Enough, both of you!" I screamed at them, but my plea fell upon deaf ears.

The two of them continued to roll around on the cracked ground as a tangle of thrashing limbs. Xemnas punched Axel in the nose with a sickening crack, suddenly setting off a torrent of blood that went spewing everywhere. Somehow Axel managed to throw Xemnas off him, sending him flying in the opposite direction. Wiping his nose as he got up, Axel trudged over to where Xemnas lie on his back. He kicked him sharply in the side and Xemnas yelled in pain.

"Get up. I'm not finished."

Xemnas opened one eye and rolled over. It looked as if the fight had been won, but a shimmer of metal in Xemnas right hand caught my eyes. A knife.

"Stop! Axel, no!"

But it was too late. Xemnas had leapt up in the blink of an eye and locked the unsuspecting Axel in a chokehold, butterfly knife at his throat. "You… don't play fair," Axel said, breath hitching as the metal was brought closer to the skin stretched tight across his neck.

Xemnas merely chuckled breathily. "Now Roxas," he said, panting heavily as he struggled to hold a squirming Axel, "your little plaything doesn't need to be harmed any further if you just come along quietly with me."

"Roxas, don't listen to him-" Axel shouted, but was cut off when Xemnas brought the side of the blade closer against his throat. A trickle of blood began to cascade down from the shallow wound. Axel's eyes were screaming at me to run and my feet wanted nothing more than to obey.

I felt defeated. Xemnas had waltzed back into my life of his own accord and proved to me that I hadn't grown, I wasn't strong. I was just as weak as ever, and now he had me playing right into the palm of his hand. Again.

I took a deep breath and looked him dead in the eyes. "If I say yes, you'll let Axel go?"

"No, Roxas, don't-" Axel began, but was cut off again by the blade against his throat. His eyes were pleading, don't do this. I tried to send my own message back to him. I have to. I wasn't about to let Xemnas take him from me. He'd taken everything else.

I took one nervous step forward, staring right into Xemnas' eyes as I did so. I tried so hard not to look at Axel, but it was hard. His face was so close to Xemnas' and his eyes were so big and hurt and angry and beautiful.

"That's right Roxas, come to me," Xemnas said coolly, almost purring. I didn't break eye contact with him as I came forward slowly. My mind was racing with scenarios to try and free Axel, but none of them seemed like they would work. They kept getting pushed out of my mind by horrible memories. Memories of those commanding yellow eyes.

I stopped right in front of the two of them, using all of my willpower not to look at Axel's face that was just inches away. Xemnas smirked. "Now Roxas, show me how much you want me. Just like you used to."

My eyes refused to look away from Xemnas' face. I couldn't bear to see Axel right now. I wished somehow he couldn't see me either, that he would close his eyes and pretend this wasn't happening and that I wasn't the dirty, used-up piece of trash that I was.

I closed my eyes tight; partially to halt the flow of tears that was threatening to spill from my eyes and partially to try to kid myself into imagining that this wasn't happening. Why had I gotten Axel involved? I should've never even gone over to his place today. I shouldn't have held hands with him, or laughed with him, or kissed him, or flirted with him, or talked to him, or sighed against his shoulder after we'd had sex. I should have never gone with him to coffee after he ran into me in that goddamn sex shop. I should've let him walk out of my life forever. Again.

A pair of lips that were definitely not Axel's caught mine in a possessive kiss. I clenched my eyes shut and tried to pretend. I tried to pretend that I was kissing Axel and that we were together and having a great time and Xemnas wasn't even a flicker of a thought in the back of my head. I whimpered when I felt teeth sink down deep into my bottom lip, drawing blood. I tried to ignore the fact that I could hear a second person breathing near my neck. Each time I thought about it the tears came dangerously close to leaking from between my closed eyelids.

A slick tongue was forced into my mouth with a grunt, and I couldn't help the sob that escaped when my lips reluctantly parted. My mind screamed in protest. This was not what I wanted.

Suddenly I heard Xemnas gasp and cry out as he retracted his intruding tongue and curled his body inward. He groaned in pain and staggered backwards. I took a shaky step away from him, unsure of what had just happened as he fell to the floor. Axel stood over his crumpled form, twirling Xemnas' bloodstained knife between his fingers. "Guess I don't play fair either," he said.

I looked up at him in shock. "H-how did you-"

Axel smiled grimly at the blade in his hands. "Plucked this out of his hand when he was getting… distracted."

Xemnas was moaning and writhing on the ground. I looked down to see his hands clutched between his legs. When he pulled them away they were stained a deep red.

"W-what did you do?"

Axel looked down at Xemnas' huddled form for a few seconds before addressing him, "I may like cock, but I certainly did not appreciate feeling your nasty prick poking at my back. Hope you got the message." He pocketed the weapon and grabbed my hand in a surprisingly gentle grip. "C'mon Roxas. We'll let the campus security pick his sorry-ass up. Maybe they'll pick his penis up for him too before it gets too dirty."

I couldn't help the laugh that I choked out, but it quickly became a precursor for a maelstrom of relieved sobs. Axel slid his arm around my shoulder and held me close as the two of us walked towards my building, never once looking back.