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STOP BEING A GHOST READER!!
im so sorry for all the notifications but please stop being a ghost reader!!!! i dont how many times i have to say this. i am so sorry for the notifications but this is really annoying to see views go up when the votes aren't. PLEASE JUST FREAKIN VOTE!!!

Belle stirred slightly in her sleep, feeling the warmth of Axel's body pressed against her. The night had been calm, just the two of them wrapped up in each other's embrace, enjoying the quiet comfort of being close after their earlier fight. Axel had come over, and they had talked things out, the tension between them finally dissipating. There was a sense of peace now, a calming stillness that made Belle feel safe and content as she drifted in and out of sleep, his steady breathing a soothing lullaby.

But the tranquility of the moment didn't last long.

Belle's eyes shot open when she heard the creak of the bedroom door. She blinked, her vision blurry with sleep, trying to piece together what was happening. The door opened slowly, and she saw her mom, Elizabeth, standing in the doorway, her silhouette framed by the soft glow of the hallway light. Belle's heart rate spiked slightly, the remnants of the night's earlier confusion making her groggy and unsure of what was going on.

"Belle?" Elizabeth's voice was soft but concerned, her eyes scanning the room. "Are you asleep, or are you staying up worrying about Johnny's big fight tomorrow?"

Belle's groggy mind took a moment to catch up, the mention of Johnny's fight with the Sekai Taikai tournament bringing her back to reality. That was the big event her sensei had been preparing for all week. She was supposed to stay up, maybe even watch the fight with him tomorrow, but the fatigue of the night, and the quiet closeness with Axel, had pushed all thoughts of the tournament aside.

But as Elizabeth's eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, her gaze flicked over to Belle's bed-and immediately froze. Belle's heart skipped a beat, and she could almost feel the panic rising in the pit of her stomach. Elizabeth's mouth fell open in shock.

"Belle!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in alarm. "What the-?"

In an instant, Elizabeth stepped further into the room, her face a picture of both surprise and concern as she took in the sight of Belle lying next to Axel, her boyfriend, in bed. They were under the covers, clearly not doing anything but sleeping. But to Elizabeth, the mere presence of Axel-especially at this hour-seemed to send her into a near panic.

"Mom!" Belle groggily sat up, blinking in confusion as she tried to make sense of the situation. She rubbed her eyes, her mind still foggy with sleep, but it didn't take long to realize what had happened. Axel was still half-asleep, his body tensing beside her at the sudden intrusion. He immediately started apologizing in rapid-fire sentences, his voice filled with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Elizabeth! I didn't mean for this to-this is-uh-I didn't-" He scrambled to sit up, his hands flying in all directions as he tried to explain, his words coming out in a flurry of nervousness.

"Axel!" Belle reached out, placing a hand on his arm to steady him, trying to calm him down. "It's okay, we were just sleeping. We didn't do anything wrong." She turned back to her mom, blinking in confusion. "Mom, what's going on? Why are you freaking out?"

Elizabeth didn't respond right away, her gaze darting between Belle and Axel, her mind trying to piece together what she was seeing. "What in the world are you two doing in bed together?" Elizabeth finally asked, her voice full of disbelief, her hands placed firmly on her hips.

Belle, now fully awake, sighed and shook her head. "We were just-Axel came over after our fight, and we made up. We didn't plan to go to bed like this, it just... happened." She glanced at Axel, who was still nervously sitting on the edge of the bed, his face red with embarrassment. "We were just talking and ended up falling asleep. It's not a big deal."

But Elizabeth didn't look entirely convinced. "Well, it's a big deal to me. You know the rules, Belle. This is... this is-this isn't how I wanted to find you two." Her voice wavered with a mix of concern and frustration, but it was clear she wasn't exactly sure how to handle the situation.

Before Belle could respond, she heard another voice from the hallway. "Elizabeth, what is it?" Aaliyah, Belle's other mom, appeared at the door, her expression calm, almost amused, as she leaned against the doorframe. Aaliyah's laid-back nature often balanced Elizabeth's more protective instincts, but this situation seemed to be testing both of them.

"Did you see this?" Elizabeth asked, still in shock. She gestured toward Belle and Axel, who were still sitting in the bed, unsure of how to proceed. "Look at them! Axel-here! In her room! And it's late!"

Aaliyah stepped further into the room, her expression softening as she saw the scene before her. "They're just sleeping, Liz," she said nonchalantly, her voice filled with her usual calm. She glanced at Axel, who was now apologizing profusely once again, his hands raised in defense. "Axel, it's alright. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I didn't mean to... I just came over to make sure Belle was okay," Axel said, his voice still shaky but trying to explain himself. "I didn't want to cause any trouble. I swear we weren't-uh-I wasn't doing anything inappropriate."

"I know, I know," Aaliyah said, holding up a hand to stop him, her eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm not mad, Axel. It's not a big deal. You two were just sleeping." She smiled gently at Belle and Axel, her tone light and reassuring. "I can tell you're just getting everything worked out, but you should've told us you were having a sleepover, huh?"

Elizabeth, still visibly flustered, cast a glance toward Aaliyah, her mouth pressed into a thin line. "Aaliyah, this is still... not okay. I know we've talked about this. She's not ready for-" She trailed off, not quite sure how to finish that sentence.

Aaliyah simply shrugged. "Liz, they're just kids. They're not doing anything wrong. Let them sleep." She waved her hand dismissively. "Axel's a good kid, and Belle's been through enough lately. Let them rest. We'll talk about this tomorrow, okay?"

Elizabeth looked like she was about to protest, but then, seeing the calm way Aaliyah was handling it, she sighed deeply and let her shoulders relax. She turned to Belle, her eyes softening a little. "Just... remember that I'm your mom, Belle. I don't want you to make any mistakes you'll regret."

Belle nodded, her head still spinning from the chaos of the moment. "I know, Mom. We're not doing anything crazy. I promise." She glanced at Axel, who still looked like he was about to pass out from sheer embarrassment. "We were just sleeping. I swear."

Aaliyah gave a small smile and patted Axel's shoulder as she turned toward the door. "Okay then, you two. Go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

Elizabeth hesitated but finally nodded, though she still looked somewhat uneasy. "Fine. But we're not done talking about this."

Axel nodded vigorously, his voice still apologetic. "I'm really sorry, Mrs. Elizabeth. I didn't mean to upset you. I'll leave right away if you want-"

Aaliyah gave him a playful wink. "Relax, Axel. Go to bed."

With that, Aaliyah turned to leave the room, Elizabeth following close behind but still muttering something under her breath about rules and respecting boundaries. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving Belle and Axel alone again in the quiet of her room.

Belle let out a long breath, collapsing back into her pillow. Axel followed her, lying back down next to her, his body still tense. "Well, that was... awkward," he said, his voice low and still a little shaky.

Belle couldn't help but laugh softly, her voice thick with exhaustion. "Yeah, I didn't expect that to happen. But I think we're okay. My moms are just... worried."

Axel nodded, his hand finding hers under the covers. "I get it. I'm just glad you're not mad at me anymore."

Belle squeezed his hand, her fingers gently curling around his. "Of course I'm not. Let's just get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning. Maybe they won't be as freaked out then."

Axel let out a small laugh. "Yeah, maybe." He snuggled closer, pulling the covers up, and for the first time that night, he relaxed, letting the tension leave his body as they drifted back to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

As the room grew quiet once more, the soft sound of their breathing was the only thing filling the space. Belle had managed to relax, but as her mind wandered, her grogginess started to fade, and a thought popped into her head, catching her completely off guard. Her eyes widened as she suddenly sat up in bed, her heart beginning to race again.

"Wait a minute..." Belle whispered, her voice sharp and panicked. Axel, who was just starting to relax beside her, turned his head toward her, confusion flickering across his face.

"What's wrong?" Axel asked, sitting up as well, sensing her sudden shift in mood.

Belle's eyes darted around the room as if trying to gather her thoughts, her hands nervously wringing the blanket. "Oh my God, Axel," she said, her voice now a little higher with anxiety. "We're gonna have to tell my moms... about the birds and the bees."

Axel blinked, clearly unsure of what she meant. "What? Birds and bees?" He furrowed his brow, glancing between her and the ceiling as if trying to piece it together. "What's that?"

Belle's face flushed bright red. "You know, the talk... about, uh, sex," she stammered, looking at Axel like he had just asked a completely bizarre question. "That thing where your parents explain... well, everything."

Axel's eyebrows shot up, clearly not expecting the conversation to turn in this direction. "The talk?" he repeated, still trying to comprehend the situation. "What do you mean by that?"

Belle stared at him, wide-eyed, before her lips curled into an incredulous smile. "What do you call it back in Montenegro?" she asked, half-laughing at the idea that Axel might have a completely different term for it. "Do they have some other weird name for the sex talk over there?"

Axel scratched his head, looking completely puzzled for a moment before his face lit up as he finally understood. "Ah! You mean the sex talk! No, we don't have a special name for it. We just call it 'talking about... everything.'" He shrugged with a playful grin. "It's nothing big, just... you know, they explain it. But they're usually too awkward about it to get into details, so I just figured out everything by myself."

Belle's face flushed deeper with embarrassment and laughter at the thought of Axel having to figure things out on his own. "That's... that's hilarious. You just... figured it out yourself?"

"Yeah," Axel chuckled sheepishly. "It wasn't hard. You just look around, you know? You get the idea."

Belle burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking with the force of it. "I can't believe you!" she giggled, shaking her head. "You're like a whole new species when it comes to this stuff."

Axel laughed too, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, hey, I wasn't the only one, right? I'm sure you had to figure out some stuff yourself."

"Yeah, yeah," Belle said, still chuckling, but now she felt a little more at ease with the topic. Her mind was spinning less, and she was just trying to enjoy the awkwardness of the moment. "But, seriously, Axel, we're going to have to tell my moms one day... about us. And, like, the whole... everything." Her voice trailed off, her face turning bright pink again as she processed the weight of the conversation.

Axel's expression softened as he leaned closer to her, his hand resting on her knee. "You're worried about telling them about us?"

Belle nodded, still a little anxious. "I mean, they're going to ask questions, and they'll probably want to know everything. I'm... just not ready for that. Not yet. I don't want them to freak out more than they already have." She bit her lip, glancing down at her lap, the weight of her emotions making her feel vulnerable. "I guess I was just hoping... I don't know... that we could avoid the talk for a little while longer."

Axel's expression grew soft as he looked at her, his hand gently lifting her chin so she would meet his gaze. "Belle, hey." His voice was reassuring, calm. "We'll figure it out, okay? They're your moms. They're gonna have to accept that we're together. And about the talk-well, I guess we'll get there when we get there. No rush."

Belle smiled faintly, her heart swelling at Axel's gentle reassurance. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She bit her lip, still feeling the nerves bubbling up. "But when it does happen... oh my God, I'm not sure how I'm gonna handle it."

Axel chuckled, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "I think you'll handle it just fine. Besides, we've got time. And when we do get to that point, I'll be right there with you. You're not alone in this."

Belle's smile widened as she looked at Axel, her heart swelling with affection. She leaned forward slightly, her hands cupping his face. "You're right. We've got this. We'll handle everything together." Her voice softened as she spoke, her gaze never leaving his.

Axel's lips curved into a slow smile as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against her skin. "Exactly," he murmured, closing the gap between them and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

Belle melted into the kiss, her worries slipping away for the moment as she gave herself over to the warmth and comfort of being with him. It wasn't perfect. It wasn't easy. But as long as they were together, she knew they could handle whatever came their way. And in that moment, she was content to just be with Axel, sharing the quiet intimacy of a late-night conversation and a soft kiss.

The talk could wait.

The sun had barely risen, casting a soft glow through the curtains of Belle's room, where she and Axel had spent the night. The early morning light filtered in, bathing the room in a golden warmth. The peaceful atmosphere was soon interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching Belle's door. Axel, still half asleep and tangled in the covers, didn't notice at first. But Belle did. Her eyes fluttered open, groggily adjusting to the brightness of the new day.

Belle glanced at Axel, who was still lying beside her, his back turned toward her. She smiled softly, her heart fluttering at the sight of him, but then the footsteps grew closer, and she stiffened. Her ears perked up as she realized it was her moms.

A knock came on the door, followed by Elizabeth's voice, warm yet firm. "Belle? Axel? Are you two awake?"

Belle shot up, panic flashing in her eyes. She quickly swung her legs over the side of the bed, her mind racing. "Crap. Crap. Crap." Axel stirred beside her, groggily opening his eyes as the knock echoed through the room.

"What's going on?" Axel murmured, rubbing his face sleepily.

"Uh, we need to get up," Belle said, her voice sharp with anxiety. She quickly stood, pulling on her slippers and trying to act casual, though her pulse was quickening. "You need to get dressed. My moms-" Before she could finish, the door creaked open, and Elizabeth walked in without waiting for permission, her eyes scanning the room.

"I knew you two were awake," Elizabeth said, though there was no judgment in her tone. "But you're really going to let him stay in your room like this, Belle?"

Belle flushed, her cheeks turning crimson. Axel was still lying in bed, wearing only a t-shirt and boxers, his hair a mess from sleep. Elizabeth crossed her arms, her gaze lingering on Axel before she fixed Belle with a look. "We need to talk. It's time for a conversation, don't you think?"

"Mom, seriously? It's early, can't we just-" Belle started, but Elizabeth cut her off, her voice firm.

"No, Belle. This has gone on long enough." She glanced at Axel, her eyes narrowing slightly but with an underlying concern. "You're letting him stay over. We need to know what's going on. And, Axel, you need to understand that we don't take this lightly."

Axel's eyes widened slightly, realizing what was happening. He sat up straighter, running his hands through his hair, and tried to gather his composure, though he was clearly caught off guard by the sudden questioning.

Aaliyah, who had been standing quietly in the doorway, finally stepped forward, her tone softer but no less serious. "Elizabeth, let him speak," she said, glancing between Axel and Belle. "Let's hear what he has to say."

Belle sighed, rubbing her temples. This was not how she'd wanted the morning to start. She had hoped to slip out of the awkwardness, but it was clear her moms had other plans.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, still pushing for answers. "I just want to know what your intentions are with my daughter. And, I think you owe us an explanation." She crossed her arms, her expression unwavering as she waited for Axel's response.

Belle opened her mouth to scold her mom, but Axel beat her to it. "I know this looks bad," he said, his voice steady but soft. "But I'm not here to make things complicated, or to hurt Belle. I just... care about her. That's all. And I understand that you need to know more about me."

Elizabeth's eyes flicked over to Belle, who was now standing stiffly by the bed, looking torn between defending Axel and feeling embarrassed by the situation. She was grateful that Axel was trying to keep calm, but at the same time, she hated the way her moms were pushing him so hard.

"Alright," Axel continued, finally meeting their eyes, "you want to know more. So here's the truth." He paused, taking a deep breath. "My dad was in the military. He was a soldier. Strict as hell. When I was nine, he got stationed somewhere, and I was left with my uncle. My uncle wasn't the nurturing type, not like a real father figure. He didn't care much about me, just took care of the basics. And I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I didn't feel... loved, I guess. My dad was distant and focused on his work."

Belle's eyes softened as she listened to Axel. She could see the pain in his expression, the quiet regret in the way his words came out. Axel never spoke much about his past, and hearing him open up like this made Belle's heart ache for him.

Aaliyah looked at Axel with empathy, her arms uncrossing as she stepped closer. Elizabeth, though, was still waiting for more, clearly unconvinced. "Go on, Axel," she said, her tone a little less harsh now but still firm. "We're listening."

Axel nodded, running his hand through his hair again. "When I got older, I left. I was done. So I ended up in Hong Kong. That's when I first came into contact with the Iron Dragons. They... they took me in. It wasn't like a regular dojo. It was rough, you know? But it gave me a place to belong. They trained me, toughened me up. That's when I started taking things seriously-fighting, training, discipline. That's where I became who I am today."

Aaliyah's expression softened, but Elizabeth was still watching Axel with a scrutinizing gaze. "And now you're here," she said quietly, her arms still folded across her chest. "You've come all this way, and you want to be with Belle."

Axel met her eyes steadily. "I do. I care about her, and I'm not here to hurt her, I swear. I understand if you're worried, but I just want you to know that I've been through a lot, and I've learned from it. I'm not perfect, but I want to try to be what she deserves."

Belle could see that her mom's hard exterior was softening just a little, but she wasn't ready to give Axel a full pass just yet. "This is a lot to take in, Axel," Elizabeth said, her voice quieter now. "You don't have to be perfect. We just need to know that you're here for the right reasons."

Belle sighed, walking up to Axel and sitting down next to him, her hand resting on his arm. "Mom, he's here for me. And you don't need to interrogate him. He's been through enough."

Elizabeth glanced at Belle, her expression unreadable. She sighed and finally uncrossed her arms, stepping back. "I'm just looking out for you, Belle. But fine, we'll leave it at that for now."

Belle's relief was palpable, and she couldn't help but smile at Axel. "See?" she whispered, her fingers brushing his. "Told you they'd come around."

Axel chuckled, though he still looked a little shaken from the intense questioning. "Yeah, well, that wasn't exactly what I expected."

Aaliyah walked over and smiled warmly at them both. "I think it's safe to say you two are okay. But you'll have to get used to these talks now, Axel. We're protective of Belle, but we also want her to be happy."

Elizabeth looked over at Aaliyah and finally nodded, her tone softening. "You're right. But I'm not going to pretend this was easy for me. We'll talk more later."

"I'm not going anywhere," Axel said, his voice steady and sure.

Belle smiled at him, squeezing his hand. "I think that's a good place to start."

Elizabeth shook her head but finally smiled, her expression softening. "Alright, but remember-if you hurt her..." she trailed off, her threat hanging in the air.

Axel nodded. "I won't."

"Good," Elizabeth said before turning to leave. "We'll talk more later, Belle."

As the door closed behind her, Belle turned to Axel and leaned her head on his shoulder. "See? That wasn't so bad. They're not so scary, right?"

Axel chuckled, still a little on edge but clearly relieved. "Yeah, I guess not."

After the intense conversation with Belle's moms, the two of them decided to get some fresh air. They made their way outside, the warmth of the morning sun starting to shine down on the quiet neighborhood. Belle led Axel to the porch, where the two of them sat down on the old wicker chairs, the light breeze ruffling Belle's hair. The calm atmosphere was a welcome change after the emotional intensity of the morning.

Belle stretched her legs out, letting the sunlight warm her skin. Axel sat beside her, still trying to process everything that had happened in the last hour, but grateful for the peace that had settled over them now.

"So, I've been thinking," Belle started, glancing over at Axel with a playful glint in her eyes. "You know how I graduate soon, right?"

Axel raised an eyebrow, looking at her curiously. "Yeah, you've been talking about it non-stop. What's up?"

"Well," Belle continued, her voice picking up with excitement, "since I'll have some time off after graduation, I thought, why not take a trip? You've told me all about Montenegro and the places you've lived. I want to see it for myself."

Axel blinked, processing her words for a moment. His face lit up in surprise and then excitement. "Wait, you're serious?"

Belle nodded, her fingers nervously twiddling with the hem of her shirt. "Yeah, I'm serious. I've been thinking about it for a while now. We could spend the summer in Europe. You could show me where you grew up, all the places you've talked about. I think it would be amazing."

Axel's mouth dropped open, and for a moment, he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. The idea of Belle wanting to visit his home country, to see his life through his eyes-it was more than he could have imagined. His chest tightened with excitement and gratitude.

"You-really? You'd want to go all the way to Montenegro with me?" His voice was almost disbelieving, but it was full of warmth.

Belle chuckled, looking at his shocked expression. "Of course I would. You're always telling me how beautiful it is there, how different it is from here. And... I don't know, I think it would be an adventure. Plus, I'd get to see you in your element. I want to understand more about you, about where you come from."

Axel's heart swelled at her words, his smile broadening. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, his excitement bubbling over. "Belle, that sounds amazing. I can't even... I mean, I've never had anyone want to see where I grew up before. It's not exactly the kind of place people usually dream about visiting."

Belle laughed softly, nudging him with her elbow. "I'm not just anyone, Axel. I want to see it all. The good, the bad, the in-between. I want to be with you, experience it with you. So... what do you think? Europe for the summer?"

Axel paused, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "I think that would be the best summer ever," he said, his voice full of sincerity. "You'll love it. Montenegro is beautiful, and it's... well, it's where I'm from. It's home."

Belle's heart swelled as she watched him. She could see how much it meant to him that she wanted to experience his world, to understand his background. It was more than just a trip; it was about connecting with him on a deeper level.

"I'm serious," Belle said again, leaning her head back and looking up at the sky. "Graduation is just around the corner, and I think it's time to do something big. You know, something that isn't just about school and the same old routine."

Axel grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "You have no idea how happy you just made me," he said, his voice full of emotion. "I can't wait to show you everything. You won't regret it, I promise."

Belle's smile matched his, and she nudged him playfully. "I know I won't. It'll be perfect. A real adventure. And who knows? Maybe we'll even find some trouble to get into while we're there."

Axel laughed, a deep, genuine laugh that made his heart feel lighter than it had in a long time. "Trouble? With you? I'm sure we'll find plenty of that."

They both leaned back in their chairs, the weight of their conversation settling into something lighthearted and exciting. The idea of going to Europe, of exploring new places together, was something they both cherished.

"So, where should we go first?" Belle asked, her voice teasing. "You always tell me about this little village in the mountains. Maybe we could start there."

Axel smiled, his mind already spinning with possibilities. "We could go anywhere you want. But I do have a few places I'd love to show you. There's this little café by the sea where I used to go with my friends. The food there is incredible. And then there's a mountain trail that overlooks the whole country-it's breathtaking."

Belle's eyes lit up as she listened, the excitement in her chest growing. "It sounds perfect. Let's do it, Axel. Let's go. We'll make the most out of this summer."

Axel's smile softened, and he reached for her hand, his fingers gently squeezing hers. "I can't wait to take you there, Belle. It's going to be unforgettable."

Belle squeezed back, her heart full. She knew this summer, this trip, was going to be a life-changing experience for both of them. And as she sat there with Axel, the weight of everything else seemed to fade away. All that mattered was the future they were about to create together.

"Then it's settled," she said, her voice full of determination. "Europe, here we come."

ASH SPEAKS!!!

short filler chapter because i'm not ready to let them go </3
(and i'm also not motivated to write johnny and sensei wolfs fight scene😝)

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER!!!!!
COMMENT AND VOTE. IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED:) STOP BEING A GHOST READER!!! PLEASE JUST VOTE!!!!

PLEASE STOP BEING FREAKIN A GHOST READER!!! PLEASE VOTE! PLEASE!!!!! stop being ghost readers!!!! its really annoying!!!

the reason i keep unpublishing and republishing is chapters is because when i see views go up and votes aren't... its really annoying. cause its not hard to vote and show support on fanfics.

can you guys please stop being ghost reader and just freaking vote please. this is so annoying

THIS IS VERY ANNOYING TO SEE VIEWS GO UP BUT NOT VOTES. its annoying for us writers. so please just vote and comment!! its not that hard!!!!!!

STOP BEING A GHOST READER!!
im so sorry for all the notifications but please stop being a ghost reader!!!! i dont how many times i have to say this. i am so sorry for the notifications but this is really annoying to see views go up when the votes aren't. PLEASE JUST FREAKIN VOTE!!!