Six Years | Quacksel

Chapter 2

Aksel stared at the glass doors and mounds of people that seemed to flow through like a traffic jam, all carrying cases and bags. He took in a deep breath, walking towards doors, spotting a few familiar figures just on the other side of the glass.

Immediately, his face lit up with a smile and his excitement levels skyrocketed. There were the friends he so deeply missed while living in Estonia; FPS Diesel, WildSpartanz, Hooverr and Kingani. 

Almost the second his foot landed outside of the packed airport, there was a chorus of greetings from the group of likeminded YouTubers standing there, all just for him, and he couldn't help but to raise his arms and pull each of them individually into a hug, all while feeling a camera glued to his profile.

Aksel turned to the one holding the camera, pulling the small girl in for a welcoming hug.

"We meet again," Ani chirped in excitement, her voice overlaying a cheery tone she always carried as they pulled apart.

"Finally," Aksel added, pulling out his phone to check his notifications as he couldn't during the flight.

The last person he'd been talking to before boarding the long flight was Alex. They'd been chatting away about how hyped they are, in turn, hyping the other up even more. Aksel asked him if he'd be seeing him on the day that they arrived, to which he quickly realized that he had to turn his phone onto airplane mode for take-off.

So the whole flight was kind of like the world's longest waiting game, an antsy Aksel left tapping away at his seat, trying not to disturb the sleeping passengers beside him.

This was his chance to check but as he looked at his phone, he remained only disappointed, his face faltering slightly at the voices that were all around him fell on deaf ears.

"Hey, are you okay, Aksel?" Ani asked, her camera now faced towards the ground and mid-shut off. 

His mind broke from his thoughts and he did his best to give her a happy expression, looking down at her.

"Yeah, sorry, just wondering about Quackity I guess."

Ani pouted softly, then gave his arm a soft and assuring rub that strangely soothed the taller of the two, so he sucked in a breath and joined in the conversation.

"Are we waiting on anyone?"

"Just Henry," Brandon shrugged, pulling out his phone. "He normally texts me the moment he lands because he NEVER puts his phone into airplane mode."

Barely audible snickers ran around the group, none of them ever doubting for a second that this behavior was in Henry's regime. 

After the British one they'd waited on joined the party, energetic and chaotic as usual, the group went to their regular crash pad during this time of year. The greetings between all of the YouTubers was loud and didn't seem to end in a hurry, and Aksel found himself overwhelmed being in such a small place so casually hanging out with the people he once only knew over the internet.

It was a strange experience and he was involved, sure, but he couldn't stop checking his phone throughout the day, just waiting to see Alex's name pop up onscreen with a reply. Until then, he was biting his nails and pulling at hair metaphorically. Every now and then Henry and the others would give him this look and Aksel would have to put up that goofy front he often carried that made him such a loveable character, especially when Ani pulled out her camera.

His anxiousness for his friend's words may have held him back a little, but that didn't stop him from having fun with Jack and Brandon from time to time.