Felix and Axel.
They had walked far enough from the other two. Axel wasn't in a mask but with the big hood he was in, someone wouldn't notice him so easily considering that he is trending now.
"What's up, you two seem awkward... Are you not talking?" Felix asked as they continued to walk.
"I just don't want to talk... I've always been like this" He said stopping. On seeing him stop, he couldn't continue walking.
"But you know what made you this way right? " Felix asked in a low voice and Axel gave a silent nod.
"I'm trying to stop... I'm trying so hard, I'm trying but I just can't stop I don't know why... I... I can't.... will Evel choose me like this? I just feel like maybe he will misunderstand me... right now I'm battling the euphoric feeling of wanting to take it more... but I'm trying" Axel said running his fingers over his face.
"You don't have to try that much okay? It's just one step at a time, at least you ain't using it daily... It's good... the last time you took it was on your father's birthday, right? I understand why you did it, even though I want you to stop I know you couldn't stand in front of that crowd.... but also there are effects, Axel, you are battling stress and depression and it'll just bring a euphoric feeling that will cause emotional dependency on it and it's not good and you know that because every time the sensations disappear you have always left craving for more and that's why it's been so difficult to stop it... you don5 have to depend on it, lately, you've been relying on that angel powder so much and it's not good, not at all... I'm worried, I'm worried Axel..." By the time he was done saying that, tears were already falling from his eyes but he did his best to dry them.
"But I'm trying, right? It's been two days now, right? I've never managed for so long but now I feel kinda down... depressed" he said gazing at the ground.
"Yeah it's visible....your face can tell, you look excessively tired too and your eyes are watery, you seem weak... let's seat at that bench over there" Felix pointed at a park bench that was a few meters away from them.
"Can you please help me? Please? Only this time I promise" Axel said with teary eyes once they were seated. Felix looked at those teary eyes and he felt more pity than he had ever felt for him before, Axel has never seemed like this for the drugs again but here he was, looking so helpless and so drowsy. He could say no but he understood that this would only worsen the situation Axel was in.
"I just hate the fact that it's me who wants you to stop it the most but I still end up giving it to you..." Felix said running his fingers through his hair. He has been trying to help Axel but no matter how hard he tries, it never works. Even when Axel was in prison, he still took the drugs to him. He had been detained for some days after being found with drugs in school, he even did his exams while being monitored. He was even taken to a guidance and counseling center but it was no help at all.
"Please only this time, I won't ask for it again....please... help... me" he looked at Axel, whose pupils were now dilating.
"Fuck!!!" he cursed then stood up. "Here.." he handed him a small clear tiny Ziploc baggie. "Just do it, no one is around..." he said the words but they left pain and heartache in his chest. He don't even turn back to watch his friend snorting the powder like a vampire who was almost dying out of hunger and had just gotten to suck blood. Tears cascaded down his eyes as he imagined how Axel was preying on that powder like it was some medicine, yes it was medicine to him because it was able to make him happy and make him forget his difficulties but those are just illusions. He stood there for almost ten minutes, not wanting to turn back because he didn't want to be disappointed even though he knew what his friend was already doing, he didn't want to witness it with his two eyes.
"Thank you..." he heard the words and turned back now. He looked at Axel who was now smiling, a cute smile that seemed so innocent, a beautiful angelic face that you wouldn't say looked doomed some minutes earlier. Felix just nodded silently. He had rubbed off the tears and didn't want to show that he wasn't happy about it.
"If you need any help you can just tell me...." Felix said trying hard to sound as calm as possible but on the inside, he was breaking.
"Yeah sure... Let's go. I think they are waiting..." Axel said and st from the bench and then pulled Felix along with him.
"Hey, do you think I should surprise Evel? What kind of surprise do you think will suit him most? How about I arrange a secret dinner date? Isn't that fun? Do you think I should sing for him a love song? Or should I draw him a cute picture? What do you think is the best?" Axel had asked almost over a hundred questions as they were walking back.
"Hey come on, tell me what will I do to surprise him?" Axel asked again pouting.
"You don't have to do anything.." Felix replied calmly.
"Why?" Axel asked surprised that he didn't take another stop. Felix noticed that Axel had stopped and he stopped too.
"Because he will already be surprised when he sees you like this, you looked like a cold prince earlier but right now you are so lively and talkative... That will serve as a good surprise to him." Felix was right. Once they got back, both Shin and Evel seemed a bit surprised because of Axel's change.
It was even more surprising when Axel requested a hug from his boyfriend whom he hadn't spoken to. He even kissed him and smiled so cutely. Evel had to pinch himself to realize that it was reality not some illusions in his head.