𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝘀𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 | 𝗶𝘇𝘇𝘆/𝗮𝘅𝗹

꧁ ɴɪɴᴇ ; ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪ ᴡᴀs, ᴛᴀɴɢʟᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ɪɴ ᴍᴀʀɪɢᴏʟᴅ ꧂

• — later the next week....

•

❝ DO NOT BE SILLY, ❞ Axl smiles as he lowered himself to sit on Izzy's full-sized bed. "Your mother is very sweet."

Izzy shook his head, face feeling as hot as the seatbelt buckle of a locked car in a heatwave. "That was so embarrassing though, baby. Moms don't ever know when to quit." Izzy huffs, closing the bedroom door behind them.

"Well, I would not know." Axl stood, as Izzy neared the bed. "But I do know your mother loves you very much." And he snaked his arms over Izzy's shoulders.

"It's still annoying." Izzy murmurs, resting his forehead against Axl's.

Axl's eyes are fond and his voice is kind as he says, "You are lucky to have these grievances."

Izzy small smile makes Axl lean his head onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ax. I know I sound childish. I should be grateful."

Axl shakes his head against Izzy's shoulder. "It is okay. You know your mother better than I. You know she loves you. That is why she teases you." And he gently runs his finger along the space just below the back of Izzy's ear that he had recently found out was a ticklish area.

Izzy giggles at that, nudging away Axl's finger with his head. "Watch it, Red." He warns playfully. "Keep on and I might tie those hands up."

Axl hums at the idea. "I would not learn from that." He whispers before pulling away and attempting to walk back towards the bed.

Izzy inhales sharply, pulling Axl back to him by his waist.

Axl yelps at that, reaching a hand back and resting it on the back of Izzy's neck. Izzy squeezes lightly at Axl's hips before moving his hands lower to grip Axl's thighs. "You think I can't make you?"

Axl literally purrs at that, leaning back fully against Izzy. "It will be most interesting to see you try."

Izzy laughs at that before leaning down and kissing the corner of Axl's mouth. The redhead only smiled in return.

"Hey, I was thinking about taking you out to the lake around here tomorrow. I figured you may need to.... swim for a bit, seeing as you've been in water all your life, you might need it."

Axl's smile brightens and he carefully turns in Izzy's hold. "Really?! I will swim?"

"As much as you want to, baby." Izzy assures.

Axl squeals, jumping into Izzy's arms and hugging him tightly.

Izzy startles a bit, but his smile never falters as he gets his hands under Axl's ass to hold him up.

And after Axl smothers kisses all over Izzy's face and lips, he starts rambling about what they're going to do tomorrow. Izzy can only stare dopily before his eyes cast over to the bay window in his room, curtains still drawn from this morning.

Even though Izzy hasn't been here in some time, Sonja says the room shouldn't have to become a memory because Izzy had went along to make new ones. And so she came in everyday after Izzy had packed up and left, tidying up and dusting.

Sonja knew her son would come back someday. She wanted the room to be clean and ready for him whenever he did.

But when Izzy's eyes land on the window, which Stephen Bailey's own bedroom window could be seen from, he notices that Stephen is standing in his own window, arms crossed, and staring directly into Izzy's bedroom window, where he has a clear view of Izzy and Axl, standing in the middle of the room.