𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝘀𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 | 𝗶𝘇𝘇𝘆/𝗮𝘅𝗹

꧁ ꜰᴏᴜʀ ; ᴛᴜʀǫᴜᴏɪsᴇ sᴇᴀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ʙʀᴇᴇᴢᴇs, ʟᴏᴠɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀs ɴɪᴄᴇ ꧂

The human-like tint in his face had drained away when his mermadic form returned, along with his other human aspects.

Still, Izzy felt, in this moment, Axl was more human than him or Slash.

His fingers were webbed again, and no matter how hard he tried to hide the sharpness of his teeth, they were still visible.

The gills on his neck were ever-present, as well as his pointed ears, which Izzy had only noticed now since Axl had his hair put up.

His tail was still flicking, something he couldn't much control, and his claws scratching nervously at the scales on his hips.

Axl was visibly attempting to close in on himself and it broke Izzy's heart.

Izzy swallowed, turning back to Slash. "He's not a monster."

"What is he then?" Slash threw his hands up. "Because clearly he isn't human or fish. He's an amalgamation of a shitload of unexplainable."

"I am sorry." Axl choked out between soft cries, making the men look at him. He lifted his hands, wiping at his face in an attempt to clear away his tears, but to no avail.

"I am sorry. I—I do not know what to do, I do not know what I was thinking." He began rambling apologies, one right after another, and his tears never stopped.

Izzy rushed over to his side but Axl pushed him away. "I should go back. I do not belong here." Axl sobbed, looking away.

His cries stirred Duff fully awake, making the man rise with a groan as he rubbed his head.

"I was just....lonely and desperate for any way to get out and that clouded my judgment of reality." He sobbed, wiping at his eyes and pushing himself away from Izzy every time the man tried to touch him.

Izzy swallowed, heart broken. "Axl—"

"Just take me back!" He shouted, making them all jump.

For a split second, Izzy saw his eyes glow. And not in that dopey-lovesick way. They glowed in a way that Izzy couldn't even begin to explain.

It felt...sinister, almost. Like Axl was holding himself back from...something.

Izzy just swallowed again and took a step back with a short nod. "There's no, uh," He cleared his throat, making everyone look at him. "There's no way we can get you downstairs and out the doors without anybody noticing, so we'll have to wait until you...dry off."

Axl looked away from him and said nothing.

"I, uh, I'm gonna go get some towels. And some clothes. For you." And then he quickly disappears down the hall, fists balled at his side.

Duff looked over Axl in amazement. "So you're really a mermaid?"

Axl looked at him, tears stinging at his eyes. Still, he nods.

"Is it fun? I bet it's so fun." Duff smiled in childlike glee, still a bit out of the loop.

Axl sniffled. "It is...." More tears sprung to his eyes. "Lonely."

Both Slash and Duff's faces softened.

"There is no one." He uselessly wipes away tears. "And when you look like this...," He motions to himself. "You scare everyone away. No one....likes you. They can barely stop looking at you in fear and disgust long enough to even try to know you."

Slash swallows, briefly looking away.

Axl shakes his head. "I am....how do you say? A fool? That is what I am. A fool to think I could even stay here. I....I cannot be human." Then he says, soft and low but still audible. "I am not even liked as that."