Running on Empty

UNITED | 28

No one needs anyone in this life, but sometimes it's nice to want them.

Doc left sometime after Axle had come in, slipping out wordlessly between us while Axle and I stared at each other. I'm sure we looked mad. Him, stoic and rigid, me clumsily shuffling towards the doorway after unsteadily getting out of the bed. It hadn't really registered that I reached the doorway until his rough hand cupped my cheek with the softness of a million butterflies.

"You're okay?" His eyes searched mine as I leaned into the warmth of his hand, the feeling settling deep into my bones to calm the anxious storm brewing just beneath the surface. Gods I'd missed him so much.

"That– well, that depends on how you describe okay," I answered honestly, my breath hitching when his other hand tenderly settled on the other side of my face and tilted my head back. Color bloomed in my cheeks when his thumbs lightly grazed over the contours of my face, making the small hairs on the back of my neck slowly stand on end.

"You're alive."

"Yes," I swallowed. "I'm alive."

Our words were barely louder than a hushed whisper and I barely finished speaking when his lips pushed up against mine. Hungry, and feverish our bodies pressed together until there were not even molecules of space between us. We held close to each other like we needed the opposite to stand.

I probably did. 

If his hand hadn't slowly trailed down my neck and teased down my side before firmly curling to press against my lower back, my spaghetti legs would have sent me straight down onto the ground.

My lips tasted like mint when he pulled away at a speed that made it seem like it pained him to stop. His forehead rested against my own as both of our chests heaved in time with each other, a pleasant fire licking at my insides as I rested completely against him. 

For a moment it was just us, just the sound of our breath, and the beating of our hearts, and it was magical. 

I had seen real and true magic, I had seen the work of the Gods – or I guess the work against the Gods – and it paled in comparison to this moment.

"It's nice to kiss you and not have you double over in pain," his words were hoarse and after a moment we both broke away from each other as the laughter spilled out. I only began to sober up as my stomach began to ache, curling his shirt into my fist and watching as the light flooded his features and lingered even as the rumbling laughter died out and he stared down with stars in his eyes.

"It's not fair that you can just kiss me and make me laugh, and then I just forget about why I think that I should be mad at you," I had wanted to forget, I almost had, but that's the funny thing about doubt. It plays on the outskirts of your mind until you dwell on it.

"You're mad at me?" I couldn't look him in the eyes, not with the sheer panic I glimpsed before I tore my eyes away.

"You lied to me," I bit out, the words tasted like acid on my tongue.

His body tensed, barely noticeable but it made my fingers shake and my blood run cold. I had wanted so badly for Eon to be wrong, yet here we were. Axle didn't deny it, he didn't even say a single word as I peeled myself away and took a shaky step backward. All he did was grab my shoulder to steady me before it floated back down to his side.

"You're not human?" His jaw ticked as he cast his gaze onto the ground. "You aren't, Eon-"

"Don't," He snapped. "Don't say his name, Amira."

"Saying his name doesn't distract from the fact that you lied to me, Axle!" I hated that I cried when I was angry, because I'm not sad. I'm fuming... so absolutely livid that it made my brain hurt and my muscles shake from more than just exhaustion. My heart was beating faster than it did when I was scared, and it was almost like I needed to scream until my throat died or I did.