Nerezz sighed in content, basking in the warmth he was feeling. It felt as if there was a heater behind him. He scooted back, to feel more of the heat, something wrapped around his waist... and only then did Nerezz open his eyes.

It's winter. And he doesn't own a heater.

Last night replayed in Nerezz's head and he realised that it was Axel behind him, wrapping his arm around Nerezz and providing the much needed warmth.

"...probably right, he just doesn't want to be involved in a suicide."

Scarlett's words rung in Nerezz's ears, banging against his skull like a slam on a gong.

Nerezz was now bothered. Axel wasn't being sweet or caring, he was just doing what he thought he had to do - not what he wanted to do.

Whatever it is that Axel wants to do.

Nerezz gently picked up Axels tan, broad wrist and shuffled out of bed. He softly put Axel's arm back onto the bed, hoping not to wake the tall blonde. But as soon as Axel's fingers touched the empty spot where Nerezz was sleeping he shot straight up.

"What's going on? Where are you going?" Axel rushed out - yet clearly fighting off the fog of sleep.

Axel eyes were barely open, his dirty blonde hair was tossed in all directions - yet it still looked good on him. He let loose a yawn.

"I'm sorry you had to stay over last night..." Nerezz mumbled.

"I didn't have to, I chose to", Axel clarified. He lifted his arms above his head - revealing his toned biceps and stretched. Nerezz looked away - ignoring the uncomfortable whirring in his stomach, ignoring its mystery... Hoping that what he was feeling wasn't what he thought it was.

"Coffee?" Nerezz offered, his back still turned to Axel.

"Sure", Axel said, "Just a drop of milk and two sugars, please."

Nerezz grew uncomfortable, he turned to face Axel and looked him uncertainly in the eye.

"I... don't ha-" Nerezz tried to say.

But, Axel snickered playfully, "I know, I know."

Nerezz huffed in annoyance and almost felt a smile creep onto his face. He had never seen this side of Axel.

"Asshole", Nerezz shot back playfully, "I'll make the coffee now, let me just brush my hair." Nerezz walked to the bathroom.

Once again Axel looked around the cramped apartment, he brought his arms down after stretching sufficiently and rested one of his hands on Nerezz's pillow - engrossed in the smell of Nerezz's hair, the smell of lilies or some floral scent.

But, when his hand landed on Nerezz's pillow, he heard crinkling. He looked at the pillow quizzically. He lifted it up and there was an envelope underneath the pillow.

Axel knew he shouldn't acknowledge the envelope, but he was too curious.

He strained his ears to make sure Nerezz was still in the bathroom, and picked up the envelope - turning it around. It had Nerezz's full name on it, written in black ink, but the ink had been blotchy, as if water had spilled onto it... drops of water.

Could they have been tears?

Axel heard Nerezz's soft footsteps and hid the envelope back under the pillow. Nerezz entered the room and made his way to the kitchen side of the room, boiling the water in the kettle. Axel remained transfixed as Nerezz tied up his long black hair while he waited for the kettle to finish boiling.

Nerezz made the cups of coffee and walked over to the bed, handing Axel his cup. Axel noticed that Nerezz sat at the foot of the bed - this irked him as he couldn't see Nerezz's face.

But he could feel the sombre thoughts radiating from the skinny Nerezz.

"What's wrong?" Axel asked eventually, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I really am so sorry I called you last night. I am so ashamed that I called you, you shouldn't have seen any of that..."

Axel clenched his jaw, but not in anger... he clenched it in agony from hearing the sadness in Nerezz's voice. Axel was never good with emotions... He knew that about himself. He was even worse with other's emotions. He just didn't know what to do or say - that skill had completely evaded him.

"I... I'm glad that you called... Not glad that you... hurt yourself, of course. What I'm trying to say is- I, uh, I'm relieved that you called because..." Axel didn't know what to say after that and he felt he could hit his head against a wall at his pathetic attempt at comforting Nerezz.

But, Nerezz picked up on Axel's candid attempt. So he looked Axel in the eyes, "Thank you for coming, Axel..."

Axel scratched the back of his head sheepishly, feeling slightly nervous, "You're welcome..."

They sat in silence, Nerezz was oblivious to the tornado of questions in Axel's mind. Axel knew, somehow, not to mention that he had ever found the envelope buried under the pillow.

"Nerezz?" Axel tentatively said.

"Hmm?" Nerezz hummed in response, scrolling through the weather on his phone.

After a few seconds of silence Axel mustered up the courage to speak, "Last night... You said you were in true love with some guy..." Axel saw Nerezz's back tense and the black-haired boy sat up straight.

"I was", Nerezz spoke frigidly.

Axel didn't want to upset Nerezz so he mulled over his next question carefully.

"What was he to you?" Axel asked softly.

"H-he was... He was my universe. The stars and the sun. Until he was nothing - completely erased. There but unreachable, just as the universe is too far to explore. And, what he left behind became my everything." Nerezz spoke softly, honestly but coldly.

Axel decided not to press further after hearing the raw emotion in Nerezz's voice. But the jealousy inside the blonde dug its sharp claws further into Axel's gut.

Axel threw his legs over the side of the small bed to sit next to Nerezz, "Thanks for the coffee", Axel offered a small smile.

"No problem", Nerezz almost smiled back. He got up to take the mugs to the sink when his surroundings blurred around him and before he could hit the ground Axel caught him.

"Nerezz! Are you okay?!" Axel asked frantically.

Nerezz drew in a strained breath, "I'm okay, just got dizzy", he spoke weakly.

Axel sighed, "You lost quite a bit of blood last night..." Axel picked Nerezz up with ease and set him on the bed, kneeling in front of him.

"I'll be fine, I just need to eat somethi..." Nerezz realised he had no food.

"Yeah, you have absolutely no food in this place", Axel confirmed.

Nerezz sighed in frustration, once again he had gotten himself into a bad situation and then made it worse. He scoured his brain trying to think of a solution.

"If I can make it to campus I could maybe buy a muffin or som-"

"Forget about it. You're not going to school today", Axel shot him down sternly.

Nerezz looked Axel in the eyes, "I have to go to school."

"So you can leave five minutes into the lecture and smoke with Scarlett? That isn't a good reason to make it to school."

"How do you know Scarlett and I smoke together?" Nerezz quirked an eyebrow.

"You aren't the only one who notices things", Axel mumbled so low that Nerezz didn't quite hear what he had said. Axel saw that and was relieved that Nerezz hadn't heard him.

"I... I have to go to school because... I can't stay here the whole day... I just can't." Nerezz leaned his head on Axel's shoulder - who was kneeling in front of the black-haired man.

Axel slightly inhaled the scent from Nerezz's hair and concluded that it was, indeed, the scent of lillies.

"Okay, okay", Axel cautiously rubbed Nerezz's back, "You can spend the day at my place."

Nerezz slowly lifted his head and looked Axel in the eyes, "I can't ask that of you..."

"Then it's a good thing you aren't asking, rather, it's a good thing I'm not giving you a choice." Axel spoke confidently, grabbing Nerezz's phone and belongings.

He wrapped an arm around Nerezz's shoulder and helped him stand up, "Nice and slow", Axel encouraged - trying to ignore how easily his arm fit around the small Nerezz. They made their way to Axel's car.

*****

Axel lived in a more prestigious neighbourhood than Nerezz. But, not an overly rich one - although definitely better off. Nerezz paid close attention to the turns and landmarks - an old habit in case he needed to get out of a bad situation so he knew his way home.

Axel parked outside the building, helped Nerezz out of the car and they walked to the elevator in the lobby. Axel noticed the awe on Nerezz's face.

"It's not perfect but I like it', Axel commented.

"This must cost a fortune", Nerezz said.

Axel suppressed the memory that tried to escape. A passing comment. Nothing but a passing comment.

The elevator dinged on the fifth floor and the doors slid open. Axel walked with his arm tightly around Nerezz until they reached his door - apartment eight.

He unlocked the door and skilfully kicked it closed while walking Nerezz inside and setting him gently on a stool in the kitchen. Nerezz looked around, again, in awe. Axel's apartment was far more spacious and open concept. The kitchen was to the left of the entrance, equipped with all sorts of cooking utensils and appliances. To the left was the living room - an actual living room. Further down the hallway were three doors.

Axel noticed Nerezz's line of sight and pointed at each door consecutively from the right, "That's the guest room, next to it is the bathroom and next to that is my room."

Nerezz attempted to stand up but Axel pushed him gently back onto the chair, "You need to eat something, stay still."

Axel washed his hands in the kitchen sink, opened the fridge and retrieved some yogurt. He slid the cup over to Nerezz, hoping it would distract the small man from gawking at his apartment, "Eat it slowly", Axel urged, handing Nerezz a spoon.

Nerezz focused on eating the fruity blend of yogurt when a glass of fresh orange juice was placed next to him. He finished the yogurt and took a sip of the orange juice when another cup of yogurt was placed in front of him.

"No, I've had enou-"

"Nerezz, eat." Axel commanded.

Nerezz tentatively started eating the second cup of yogurt as Axel shuffled around in a cabinet. He placed a glass bottle of some pills in front of Nerezz.

Nerezz looked at him quizzically with the spoon still in his mouth. Axel was too distracted as Nerezz took the spoon out of his mouth slowly. Axel found it...hot.

What am I thinking? I'm not gay! Axel screamed at his mind.

"What's this?" Nerezz eventually asked.

"I-Iron supplements", Axel cleared his throat awkwardly after being caught staring.

Nerezz hummed and finished his yogurt, glad that it wasn't hard on his stomach - yet he was getting drowsy. He yawned and Axel immediately noticed.

"Take the supplements then you can rest in the spare bedroom", Axel offered, but realised that he didn't want to let Nerezz out of his sight. And, he knew that it wasn't that he was afraid Nerezz would harm himself... rather it was that Axel secretly wanted to be around Nerezz.

What is happening to me? Axel asked himself.

"Oh, no. I can just nap on the couch, if that's okay?" Nerezz suggested meekly.

"Sure, no problem", Axel agreed in subtle relief.

Nerezz downed two iron supplements and tried to stand up. Axel was by his side in a flash, wrapping his arm around Nerezz's waist.

"...probably right, he just doesn't want to be involved in a suicide."

Nerezz flinched at the memory and gently removed Axel's grip around him, "It's fine, I can walk now", Nerezz said softly.

Axel withdrew his arm, curious about the change in Nerezz's mood. He decided now wasn't the time to ask.

Slowly Axel led Nerezz to the living room, making sure the long haired man wouldn't collapse. Nerezz plonked himself down on the very comfortable couch and lied down.

"One sec", Axel said and sprinted off, returning with a blanket and a pillow.

"Oh you didn't have to", Nerezz mumbled shyly.

"Lift your head", Axel instructed and Nerezz did as Axel slipped the pillow under Nerezz's head and threw the blanket over him.

"I'm gonna go shower, I'll be right back", Axel said tentatively.

"Okay", Nerezz sighed in comfort. He detected the hesitation coming from Axel.

"Axel, I'll be okay. I won't die, go shower", Nerezz promised, already slipping into Sleep's waiting arms.

Nerezz heard the bathroom door close and the shower turn on as he fell asleep with one burning question.

Is Axel the same as Huxley?