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Part Twenty-Five

   He shrugged at his mother's question, stepping closer to watch Axel step away.

   "I understand this puts you in a strange situation, Sammy-"

   "It's just weird, mama. You're gone for four years, and now you've replaced me with another son to look after. I don't like it."

   "Now hang on-"

   "Who said anything about replacing-"

   "You are being ridiculous-"

   "We would never-"

   Sam's parents' voices overlapped with one another in an ongoing fight with nobody in particular, but Sam knew they were just excuses. He should've known that four years was enough to find another son, but he hadn't expected it at all. And while he supposed it was selfish to want to be his parents' only focus in life, he couldn't blame them for trying to move on. What happened was a tragedy, and it was obvious there was no outcome that everyone could agree with.

   Besides, it's not like it was Axel's fault, either. Sam could admit he felt a little guilty watching the tiny kid swell up with tears, his hands shaking too much to wipe them away. Alright, maybe Sam felt really guilty now. With the way Axel cried in the heat of the moment, he looked truly helpless. Tiny, disabled, and useless as a borrower.

   Maybe now Sam felt an urge to help him out. Just a little, not enough to let his parents get what they wanted.

   And then an idea came to his head.

   If Sam was able to get Axel to side with his friends, maybe his parents would be more open. It was obvious who the favorite was in between both of them, and Axel's word could be law if given the opportunity.

   With the way he was trembling, Sam figured the little guy had a long way to go. But if Sam could do it, so could Axel. He just had to figure out a way to make it happen.

   "Um...don't cry," Sam broke their arguments off, stepping closer with his hands at his side so as not to scare Axel away. "I'm Sam."

   Axel sniffled, his tail clenched up in his fists and back slightly arched to accommodate for his bad leg.

   "If you want, I can show you the puzzle piece I have at my room."

   The little one raised his head just enough to see if Sam was being sincere enough. When he took a minute to make up his mind, he simply nodded and wiped his red-rimmed eyes with the back of his arm, revealing pale scars running up the length of it.

   Sam decided it best not to mention it, and reached for Axel's hand to guide him off.

   The two boys, hand in hand, left the dark tunnel behind the dining room outlet, and both parents turned to each other with a sigh of relief.

   "He always used to change his mind like the weather," Jack laughed, holding Drizzle tight. "I hope they learn to get along."

   "Of course they will," Drizzle responded as he wrapped her tail around her husband's. "If Sam can tame three humans, he can get Axel to like him."

   "About that..."

   "We will talk with him about it when the time comes. For now, I want to enjoy being back with my family in one piece."

   "Of course," Jack pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "We would be idiots to not cherish this."

   "This is the key I borrowed a couple years ago, and then the puzzle piece is right next to it. You can kinda make out a cat eye if you squint hard enough, but I think it's my good luck charm," Sam explained in full detail, his fingers still entangled in Axel's as he showed him around. The way Axel followed him like a lost puppy gave Sam a sort of responsible feeling, and he was finding that he quite enjoyed it.