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Part Twenty-Five

~ Behold: A Baby ~
I love Axel do you all understand

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  "What do we do now?" Elijah asked the rest of the group, still somewhat lost in the moment after witnessing a friend leave them.

   "What would we normally do without Sam?"

   "Be bored," Skip answered for both of them and took a step away from the table.

   "If we texted him tonight, do you think he would answer?" Leo questioned. Both Elijah and Skip avoided making eye contact, unable to meet Leo's puppy eyes. "I just don't want to give up yet."

   "We won't!" Elijah said, and reached for Leo's hand. Once it was grabbed and Leo was out of the chair, Eli forced the both of them into the living room. "We're gonna do a lot today and then go to dinner, and when we get home you can text him. Until then, we're gonna get your mind off of things!"

   Skip crosses his arms in a silent agreement, waiting for Leo to give in.

   "What if he comes back and looks for us?"

   "It's not the end of the world. He knows we wouldn't leave him, anyways," Skip pointed out, and Leo had to admit that he was right.

   "...okay..." Leo finally agreed, and the three went to get ready for a day without their smallest friend.

   

"Sammy," Drizzle sang out, holding on tight to her husband's arm with a grip of steel. "We have someone we want you to meet."

   From the moment Sam scampered back into the walls, he put on a brave face. A smile to hide the pain that enveloped his heart at the sight of leaving his friends behind, no matter how necessary it was. Family comes first, and friends were a distracting pleasure for a while. Now that Sam had his parents back, his attention shifted.

   The feelings he felt for his mother and father were different now. Before, they were like imaginary hero's, stuck in the back of his mind with good memories and no bad qualities about them. But now that they were back, and had apparently brought a stranger member with them, Sam started to see them in a slightly new light. That wasn't to say he didn't still miss them; he would never stop clinging onto his family for as long as he possible could, but suddenly bringing an unknown borrower with them caused for some questions. Especially when Sam took notice to the way the stranger hid behind his parents, as if they had been his protectors this whole time.

   "His name is Axel," Drizzle said, and stepped to the side to reveal the short, shivering borrower. From the way he stood, Sam gathered he might be crippled in some way, and he scanned the kid for a any evidence he could find.

   "So?" Sam remarked, crossing his arms as he studied the littlest borrower.

   "Be polite," Warned Jack, who looked more protective than his wife. "He's never been in a new environment before, and he's probably scared. We were hoping you could help him adjust here before we need to leave."

   "Why doesn't he say anything for himself?" Sam critiqued, and waited with watchful eyes. The kid only slung back in response, holding his tail tight against his chest and avoiding eye contact. He even looked like he might cry if directly spoken to.

    "Sam!" Drizzle called out. "Why are you acting so cruel to him?!"

   It was a good question; one Sam wasn't entirely sure of himself. He could've easily taken Axel under his wing and given him a tour of the place at the first opportunity, but something didn't sit right with him. Maybe it was the way Axel relied on his parents, not bothering to ask how Sam felt about the situation. Maybe it was how he wore a fish hook slung around his shoulder that dangerously resembled the paintwork rivaling his father's, and Sam felt a pang of jealousy in his heart at the sight. Or maybe it could've been how Axel was looking at him, like a stranger in his own house, not even gathering the nerve to introduce himself or shake hands or anything of the sort. Instead, he stood there, trembling like a leaf, and Sam didn't like it one bit.