When I Look Up At The Stars

17 | cetus

"Yeah... I-I know," Axel clears his throat, looking at the framed photograph on his bedside table. "It just sucks sometimes, y'know?"

"I do," TJ says sympathetically, "I truly do. But, hey- be well, alright? I'll catch you another time. Duty calls."

"Yeah," Axel nods, though he can't see him, "Thanks TJ. I'll see you around."

The line goes dead.

Axel sighs, leaning back into the headboard, as he tosses his phone aside.

He remembers the first time he met him, and how impressed he was, with what he was trying to do.

TJ Evans was a former police officer at the Richmond Police Department who quit on account of not being happy with how they delivered justice. Because of his skill set, however, he was requested at the FBI and continued to work for intelligence.

Higher up, he had done a lot to try and influence the working of justice systems, and he was recognized for it, even by the administration. He was a good man. Truly. 

Remembering what TJ had said about this month's files, Axel reaches for his laptop- that was also a part of the small clutter on his bedside table.

For a single moment, his eyes linger on the photograph right next to it.

Two boys. One younger than the other. Both with similar features, and happy smiles on their faces.

He blinks, turning away from it, pushing away the momentary hurt that makes its way into his heart.

It takes him seconds to navigate his way through everything to find the files; ones that he received every month.

The ones about his little brother.

He gulps, as his mouse hovers over the screen- right above the file before he clicks on it.

L O A D I N G...

A report pops up first, but Axel only skims through the text- scrolling down until he comes across the pictures.

His pictures.

There's a pinch in his heart again, a reminder of the pain that was almost always there.

His little brother wasn't all that little anymore, that was certain.

While they did have similar features, his brother was leaner than he was, an inch or so shorter- and if they were to stand next to each other, as easy as it was to tell that they were brothers, it was also easy to tell that Axel was the older one.

The woman with him was beautiful too. Axel could tell why his brother had married her. He looked happy with her.

Especially now that he was going to be a father.

He smiles sadly, looking at the photos of both of them. His wife's baby bump was bigger than it had been last month, it seemed like her due date was nearing.

That meant he was going to be an uncle.

The thought makes him sadder than he already was.

"What are you looking at?"

His eyes lift to meet Stella's who was leaning against his room's doorframe, her eyes curious.

"Oh just..." Axel blinks back the stinging in his eyes, offering her a small smile, "Reports about my family, that's all. I didn't hear you at all, how long have you been standing there?"

"Not very long," she reassures him, the curious gleam in her eyes never fading, "Would you mind if I....?"

It takes Axel a second to understand what she's trying to ask before he nods.