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Part Thirty-One

   "Not on purpose..." Sam called out from Leo's hands, both the culprits coming forward in the black room and looking guilty as ever. The shadows of the night washed over them to the point that Sam was nearly invisible, yet Leo's frame stood out like a bright sun.

   "How do you spy on accident?"

   "With very good intentions," Leo pointed out, risking a step even closer to squint his eyes at Axel. "Is he okay?"

   "Axel's fine. He was sleeping before you barged in and woke him up."

   "Oh," Leo cursed, bringing Sam a little higher. "Told you it was probably nothing."

   "Oh, as if! You're the one giving me shit for leaving him here!"

   "Watch your language," Elijah suggested, nodding down to Axel, who was still frozen in place.

   Leo cautiously approached the side of the bed that Elijah had stationed himself at, taking notice of how carefully he was holding the youngest borrower. The way he cradled him against his stomach, so as to protect him against anything he could, gave Leo a bit of deja vu that he couldn't quite place. Instead, he opted to lower his hands to Eli's lap and allow Sam to scurry off, finding a good place to meet Axel halfway in between.

   "Axel," Sam whispered, coming close enough to reach out and touch him, yet not doing it out of fear for his brother's reaction. "I'm sorry for leaving you here."

   Axel didn't respond. He only avoided Sam's gaze, taking a different route and huddling further against Elijah's stomach.

   "It's my fault for thinking you would just get used to it. Even if you did. I shouldn't have put you through that if you weren't comfortable," Sam continued on. "Do you think you can forgive me? Please?"

   Axel wasn't sure what he was supposed to be feeling.

   Elijah told him not to blame Sam. He was stupid, Eli said, and Axel knew that more than anyone. A borrower who willingly threw themselves into the danger zone with no worries in the world, bringing others with them, was beyond idiotic. It wasn't something you could just do, without suffering the consequences, and yet there Sam was. No penalties for jumping into a human's hands. No injuries, threats, or broken promises from a human that wished to be in control. There was none of that.

   Instead, it seemed Leo wanted Sam's company just as much, and the mutual bond that formed between them was stronger than any relationship he had witnessed before.

   Maybe even stronger than Sam and his absent parents.

   Maybe Axel wanted that for himself, too. A sense of freedom, without parental control, and without the worry of anything happening to him. It was a pang of a goal in the back of his forehead, but it was there. And Elijah's kiss might've been the very thing to bring it to stay.

   "Axel?" Sam's voice broke through his mindset, shattering his thoughts as he was brought back to the reality of his situation. There was a question left unanswered.

   "...yes," Axel responded, speaking for the first time in front of both humans. Instead of gasps, or even a surprised eyebrow raise, all he could determine was a smile on Elijah's face.

   Eli thought the little voice was incredibly endearing for someone so small.

   "Yes, you can forgive me?"

   Axel nodded, and Sam lunged forward to give him a solid hug, halfway falling off the edge of Eli's hand.

   As soon as Elijah could finally take his eyes off the two brothers, he swung his head to watch Leo, who was radiating a warm energy at the pleasant sight of the borrowers hugging. Their tails began to intertwine, leaving the hug while still remaining attached at the hip, refusing to let go of one another.