My Dear Friend Angel

Years and years of military service made Axel a light sleeper. He always had to be on high alert, always ready for an attack, always ready to jump into action at a moment's notice. There wasn't any time to wake up slow and easy. That is, if he got any sleep at all. After the Fall of Man, it just got worse. Some nights it was too difficult to turn attack mode off, as if the rest of his body didn't get the memo when his mind knew it was safe, and so he'd lie awake with his heart pounding and thoughts racing. After a while, he'd grown accustomed to it, relying on caffeine to keep him going when sleep refused to visit.

One such night, he'd managed to fall into a thin sleep, exhaustion having finally caught up to him. He was having an odd dream; he was back in basic training, the rest of his team with him. They were training together, as if they'd known each other all their lives. As if everything was normal. As if they hadn't been attacked in their own country, forced to defend it, watching loved ones die and run away and suffer. Even though Axel knew he was dreaming, he let himself enjoy it. It was a temporary respite from the chaos of reality, however fleeting it may have been. What he'd give for everything to just be normal again.

The dream, however, was cut short. Axel jerked awake at the sound of footfalls approaching his room, heart pounding and sweat beading on his forehead. Immediately he reached for the knife he kept under his pillow, but when his eyes finally adjusted to the dark and he watched his door creak open, he stopped. In the darkness, he could just make out Angel standing there in the doorway, staring in at him.

"Jesus, dude," Axel sighed in frustration and ran his hands through his hair. "You almost got yourself gutted. What is it?"

Angel responded by sniffling and reaching up to wipe away what Axel assumed were tears. Was the kid crying? What was he crying for? Axel threw his covers aside, swinging his legs over the side of his bed as he watched the younger man. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Axel was a little concerned. Maybe a little more than that. Maybe very concerned. It doesn't matter.

"Hey," Axel began, tilting his head to one side. He crossed his legs and leaned forward a little. "What's the matter?"

He really wasn't expecting a verbal response right now. Angel was far too upset. Axel just watched as the younger man took in a shuddering breath, wiping tears away from his cheeks again. His blue eyes looked almost pleading in the low light, and the way his short blonde curls and waves framed his thin face gave him an innocent, almost boyish look. A look that made Axel's heart twist, for momentarily he saw a younger version of himself. He saw it in the way Angel tried so hard to fight his tears, keeping his head down and arms crossed as if to protect himself from the outside worl

"...I miss Charles," Angel finally said, voice barely above a whisper. For a moment, Axel just stared, eyebrows furrowed. Charles was their former captain, and through a highly unfortunate series of events, it'd been about two weeks since they'd found his suicide note. Axel couldn't help but feel sympathetic. He sighed, contemplating what to say to his younger teammate, though he figured Angel just wanted to be close to someone right now, perhaps to distract from the inner turmoil he was trying to process. It hadn't been too long since Charles died, after all. The wound was still fresh for all of them.

"Yeah, I bet you do," Axel replied, trying to sound sympathetic. He wasn't ever good at feelings, be it other people's or his own. It was easier for him to just offer a slap on the back and a 'You'll be fine,' but he knew that wasn't what Angel needed right now. With a little sigh, Axel scooted over in his bed, offering Angel a halfway smile. "You want some company? I got a weighted blanket."

Angel looked confused for a moment, giving Axel a look that seemed almost hesitant. Knowing what he was thinking, Axel rolled his eyes, chuckling a little.

"Come on, dude. It isn't weird unless you make it weird. You can stay with me if you want."

Of course, Axel was only teasing, and it seemed to work, too. Angel finally cracked a little smile and shook his head, then slowly shuffled over to the bed, climbing in beside his teammate and resting his head on his chest. Axel placed a comforting arm around his shoulders, giving him a firm but gentle pat on the back as he sighed deeply. Angel's body was already less tense, his breathing a little more even, though Axel knew he was still upset. Rightfully so, too. Loss is a wound that takes a long time to heal, if it ever does, and Axel knew for sure he'd be there for Angel every step of the way.

"You know you can come to me whenever," Axel said, ruffling Angel's hair. "I won't mind it. I'm not good at giving advice, but I'll listen if you need me to, okay?"

Sleepily, Angel nodded.

After all, that's what teammates- no, friends are for.