Nerezz was living in his memories, and that was how his weekend was spent. Brushing his teeth, getting dressed, leaving his apartment for school – all these actions were accompanied by trivial memories.

He got to the lecture hall a little early, Scar was quick to be by his side.

"You have the prettiest eyes I have ever seen... A hopeful green..." Huxley whispered, "And your hair is so long and soft", he ran a gentle hand through Nerezz's long black locks.

"Oh, he's still busy with her", Scar commented dismissively.

Nerezz looked over and saw that Axel was still flirting with the girl with the long black hair. Nerezz didn't, and wouldn't, tell Scarlett about what happened with Axel. He wanted it all buried. He didn't want it to come up in casual or serious conversation.

"Hn", Nerezz hummed in response, avoiding suspicion.

"You aren't like anyone I've ever been with! I can't lose you!" Huxley shouted in the rain. Nerezz instantly leapt into Huxley's arms, forgiving him for their trivial fight.

Nerezz and Scarlett made their way to their seats at the back of the hall. Nerezz made a point of keeping his eyes trained on his desk. He didn't want to see Axel's blue eyes. He didn't want to see the anger they held, the contempt that the blonde must hold for Nerezz. He didn't want to see Axel at all.

The clicking of pens and ticking of laptop keys started and Nerezz got up with Scar leaving the lecture. They lit their cigarettes once outside and started walking in a random direction.

"Coffee?" Scarlett offered.

"I'll never leave you alone...I promise", Huxley spoke to a sobbing Nerezz.

"I... I think I'd like to go home. I'll see you tomorrow", Nerezz put out his cigarette and started his walk home.

Scarlett knew something was amiss, but for the first time in her life she decided not to dig for more information. She respected Nerezz enough to know to leave whatever this topic was alone.

"I, uhm, I..." A young Huxley stuttered.

"You what?" Nerezz asked with a smile at the sight of a blushing Huxley. The large brunette took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.

"Nerezz, I like you... Please go out with me", Huxley asked with a heavy blush across his cheeks.

Nerezz clutched onto the railing of the stairs at his apartment complex. He took in a strained breath. He wiped a silent tear away and continued climbing the stairs to his apartment.

*****

Nerezz dipped a small yellow pill out of the container and swallowed it – his anti-depressant. Maybe enough of them would work. But his current problem was the memories that had escaped their chains. The memories of a sweeter time; memories of a sweeter life.

He got ready and made his way to college. When he was close enough to the lecture hall, Scarlett joined him. He had become so familiar with the flaming red-head.

"No one could ever tear me away from you..." Huxley whispered as he cupped Nerezz's cheek. The stars bore witness to his oath.

"Wow, maybe he settled down", Scarlett commented again on Axel and the black haired lady. Nerezz watched boredly and distantly.

Their body language was different, they were tense and unwelcoming. The woman had her arms across her chest and Axel seemed to be looking everywhere but her.

Once again, Nerezz only hummed in response.

The lecture started, the duo got up and left and Nerezz chose to go home again.

"Sorry for not spending more time with you... I just have some things to think about", Nerezz apologised.

"I get it. I'll see you tomorrow." Scarlett spoke breezily.

Nerezz continued his journey home.

"Nerezz... stop crying. As long as I'm here with you, nothing can hurt you", Huxley cooed, tucking Nerezz's head under his chin, wrapping the frightened Nerezz up in his strong arms.

*****

"Her name is Ashleigh", Scarlett spoke excitedly as her and Nerezz left the lecture hall the next day.

"Who?" Nerezz was confused.

"The girl that Axel was with. I got all the deets", Scarlett spoke gleefully, enjoying the gossip she had found.

Nerezz didn't want to hear it but there was no stopping Scarlett.

"Apparently, he was always distracted. Like it was a chore to pay her any attention. She tried to talk to him about it – poor girl – and Axel always brushed it off. Yet he was always checking his phone over and over again. Eventually she confronted him and he snapped. Word is that he said "You just aren't doing it for me!" She was so fed up she dumped him, kicked him out in the middle of the night!" Scarlett was so happy.

"You seem... glad about that?" Nerezz spoke.

"I am, Axel got his just desserts. He's broken so many hearts and dumped so many girls. Now, finally, someone dumped him!"

Nerezz had lost interest and so he hummed again in response.

He bid Scarlett a goodbye to spend his weekend drowning in sweet memories.

The day seemed to pass quickly and it was soon sunset, marking yet another cold evening. Nerezz's phone pinged and he read the message.

"We're going out drinking again tonight. Are you in? :) ~ J"

Even though he hadn't seen much of James, he knew things were going well between him and Jenna. But, Nerezz didn't want to go out tonight. He was in his dazed memory-land. He also knew that Axel would be there, and that was plenty reason to avoid joining his group of friends.

"No, you guys have fun though! I have a paper to work on ~ N"

Nerezz lied, of course. He just wanted to drown in his memories of love and warmth.

He recalled Huxley's shyness which contrasted with his muscular form. He found it adorable that someone so large was anxious of asking a small thing like Nerezz out. He thought back to his first kiss with Huxley, it was a peck but it meant the world to Nerezz, he touched his bottom lip with his finger. He could still smell Huxley's cologne – the smell reminiscent of rain.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. Nerezz looked over at his clock: 9:47 pm.

He was wary, but not afraid. He owed that courage to the memories of his Huxley... And his protective neighbour, Ansel

Nerezz opened the door slightly and peaked through the gap. His heart sank and his face went blank.

"Uh, hi", Axel greeted awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

Nerezz stared blankly at Axel, and when the blonde said nothing Nerezz asked, "Is there something you need?"

"I got dumped", Axel responded.

"Ok, sorry. Best of luck", Nerezz dismissed him and started closing the door. Axel jammed his shoe against it so it couldn't close.

"Nerezz will you just hear me out!" Axel snapped.

"Why? So you can snap at me further and remind me that I'm just being weak?" Nerezz countered. Some angry entity jumped inside of him.

"I wanted to apologise, I tried to but then you refused me to. Then you blocked me and that way I couldn't apologise anyway!" Axel raised his voice.

"Axel, shout at me one more time and I swear to God..." Nerezz seethed through gritted teeth.

Axel scratched the back of his head again, "Ok, I'm sorry."

A cold gust of wind blew passed them and Nerezz noticed the slight shiver run across Axel's shoulders. He sighed in annoyance, "Just come in." He opened the door fully.

Axel came inside and Nerezz went to sit on his bed. They were quiet, both of them feeling awkward.

"I... I'm not good at the whole emotion thing..." Axel mumbled.

"I noticed", Nerezz responded.

"I... Nerezz I'm sorry for what I said... I was wrong", Axel apologised sincerely, looking Nerezz in the eye.

Nerezz shook his head, "You were right though. Everyone has bad memories and terrible pasts. Mine aren't anything special", and despite how he tried, saying those words broke his heart – because Huxley was special. And so, a stray tear slithered down Nerezz's eye.

Axel calmly walked over to Nerezz and kneeled down, wiping the tear, "It doesn't make what you went through any less bad."

"I just... I loved him so much", Nerezz chocked back a sob.

Axel felt the jealousy clutch at his lungs again, but he held back his anger. Finding a strange comfort in his hand cupping Nerezz's cheek.

Nerezz brushed Axel's hand away, "Sorry, you just went through a breakup – you don't need my sob story right now..."

Axel, strangely, missed the warm skin of Nerezz's cheek.

"I want to hear your sob story! I know what happened that made you like this! I want...to know you." Words Axel wished he could say.

"I'll unblock you, thank you for coming." Nerezz mumbled.

"I don't want to leave", Axel prepared the sentence in his mind.

"I..." Axel began when Nerezz's green eyes met his blue ones.

There was something about those green eyes that always caught Axel off guard – always made him nervous.

"I'll see you around", Axel said instead. Bitterly and mad at himself. If only words would cooperate with him.

He stepped out of Nerezz's apartment, into the cold night.

"I'm such a coward..." Axel spoke quietly to himself as he walked to his car.

His eyes are so green...