Half Way

TODAY

“Would’ve been a beautiful mid spring day otherwise.”

CHAPTER 1: RUN

His ears are ringing and his vision is just a little bit blurry. His head doesn't hurt, but he feels pressure. For a moment he imagines a balloon being filled with too much air. He’s out of breath, but not from all the running, as most people would be in his current situation. It’s the coughing, sneezing, and runny nose brought on by the heavy pollen in the air and his allergy to it. “Should have taken my pill,” he says to himself with a wheeze. Through the fear, chaos, and adrenaline, the idea makes him laugh. But only for half a second.

Xavier has been running for blocks. His light brown skin is shiny with sweat. His olive green v-neck is soaked, making most of it look the color of a burnt-down forest instead of the nasty round thing some people put in their martinis. It’s a good thing he dressed comfortably for work, as usual. He’s wearing gray running shoes and black sweatpants that are light and soft, perfect for a cool sunny day in the middle of spring. “Would’ve been a beautiful mid spring day otherwise,” he’d said to himself at some point during his run. He’s never been happier at the fact that - being the owner, lead designer, and director at his game development company - he’s always encouraged comfort over everything.

An explosion ahead, about a block away, makes him pause for a moment. The people closest to it get thrown back, hard and far. Somehow, as he ran, he’d filtered out the calls and screams of the other citizens. But it’s all back now. He looks around, up, and ahead. Smoke and dust interrupt an otherwise clear, bright blue sky adorned by cotton candy clouds. Mixed with the rocks falling from space, of course. With his right hand, he wipes sweat and dirt off his brow and salt and pepper beard.

“Shit,” he says to himself. “I’m coming, babe. I’m coming.” He resumes his run. His legs are burning a little. He runs a few miles every weekend, but he’s never ran the distance from work to home. Run, he thinks. His knees are hurting. He wears knee braces for his runs, but running was not on the agenda today. Run. Keep running. I’m coming. Please be there… Please be there.

The world has ended many times in movies, books, and TV shows. They’ve seen it many times, yet humans seem to have no idea of how to act in this situation. They show no care for each other, pushing and running over whoever gets in their way. Looters are breaking into stores, but for what? What purpose will what they steal serve if tomorrow everyone is dead? Xavier asks himself these questions as his mind runs along with his feet. Even the emergency vehicles with their sirens blaring confuse him. They can’t advance anyway, with all the abandoned cars choking the city streets.

He pulls out his Android phone, but there’s still no signal. He’s tried multiple times through his journey with no luck. He would give anything to hear Axel’s voice right this moment.

The ground is shaking. Probably because of the rocks falling from space, or explosions triggered by the disturbances caused by the rocks falling from space. But who’s to say there can't be an earthquake happening at the same time? Does it matter? No, I guess not. Getting to Axel is all that matters. He keeps running.

He spots a space rock and follows its trajectory. It crashes into a building, which collapses and explodes all at once. Not far from it, a mid-construction building follows the collapsing building’s lead and also falls into the ground. They create a cloud of dust, and Xavier thinks what if - but doesn't finish the thought. What if his building got hit by a space rock, or exploded, or collapsed? He keeps running. He needs to get to his building before a space rock does.

As he approaches a big park that seems completely untouched by the chaos, he says to himself “almost there.” He runs through the park, eyeing the building directly across. The building is tall, with large windows and reflective paneling. Xavier and Axel live in that building, on the 5th floor. He runs towards it, skirting around a bench that has A + X scratched into the middle of the backrest. Our bench, they call it. He runs across the street and up to the building, pushing the glass doors open with all his body weight.

Once in, he eyes the elevators. There are four, right next to each other, directly across from the entrance door. With a quick glance to his right, he sees a counter, but the security officer is absent. Xavier runs to the elevator and presses the button to call it. To his surprise, two of the doors open. No. In case of an emergency, take the stairs. Can’t get stuck in there. He runs down the hall to his left and enters the stairwell. He runs up, skipping a step or two as he goes. Second floor. Third floor. His heart is pounding. Fourth floor. He reaches the fifth floor and stops. He swallows hard, breaths in and out hard, stops himself from sobbing, and runs out of the stairwell and down the hall. He runs past apartment 5-A to his left and 5-B to his right. He stops in front of 5-D. His door. He turns the knob, but it’s locked. With his right hand, he pulls his keychain out of his sweatpants’ right pocket. His hand shakes as he brings it up to the keyhole, but the key finds its way in. He turns it, feels it unlock, opens the door and rushes in. The keychain hangs on the open door as Xavier calls out “babe!”

“Babe?” He runs past the kitchen, glancing in and seeing no one. “Axel!” He reaches the living room, but Axel isn't there. Next, he runs to the bedroom, but Axel isn't there. Axel isn’t in the bathroom, either. Overwhelmed by a sense of defeat, Xavier slowly walks back to the living room. “Where are you?” he whispers to himself. He’s breathing hard now, fighting sobs as his vision blurs as his eyes build up tears. He’s never felt so afraid. His heart pounds hard. He can feel his heartbeat on the side of his neck and fingertips. The ringing in his ears is louder and sharper than ever. The room starts spinning and he gets a little nauseous. “Where are you?” he manages to ask no one. Tears slide down his cheeks, mixing with dirt and sweat. He stares at the big open windows, as if they’ll give him an answer. But there’s no answer, and he begins to sob uncontrollably.

The word “babe” echoes through his entire being. He feels the hair on his arms prickle up, and his skin tingles as it does when a numb limb is waking up. In that moment, he feels as if time is coming to a stop. The room stops spinning, and the ringing in his ears fades. Next, he hears the phrase “oh my God”. The words are coming from behind him. He turns around before he can even try to turn around, as if his body is a puppet under someone else’s control. Standing by the living room’s entrance, he sees the silhouette of a man. It comes into focus, and the relief is almost too much to handle. He’s covered in dust, and there’s a bleeding cut on his forehead, and the blood has flown down his nose, over his lips, and down to his chin. But it’s Axel, and he’s fine. They run to each other and hug so tight that it hurts.

The words are barely recognizable through Axel’s sobs as he says “I thought I would never see you again.”

“I’m here baby,” Xavier responds. He’s still sobbing, but more calmly now. They come apart, holding each other’s hands, and look at each other’s eyes. The world may be ending, but at this moment, they’re happy. So they smile at each other and kiss. Their mouths taste like sweat, dirt, and blood, but that’s more than OK.

SIX MONTHS AGO

“Let’s call it a tie.”

CHAPTER 2: VOW

Their kiss is met with cheers and applause. Axel and Xavier both try to hold back tears as they stand on a platform that rests on the beach’s sand. They’re wearing loose fitting white pants and shirts, and nothing on their feet. Their court, led by their friends Kate and Paula, are also all in white.

The day could not have asked for a more perfect day for their most special day. The sun shines bright and the sky is clear and blue. It’s 86 degrees Farendheit, but the ocean breeze keeps everyone cool. Their friends were confused when Xael - how friends refer to Xavier and Axel as a couple - told them the wedding was in December. Confusion turned to excitement when the couple told them that the setting would be a beach-side villa in Punta Cana. Xavier’s parents, may they rest in peace, were originally from there. He inherited the villa when his parents passed, and hadn’t used it until this day.

After the very long kiss, cheering, and clapping, the party begins. Guests, made up of friends, co-workers, and family, eat and drink to their hearts’ content. Some are quick to get drunk on the full open bar, blaming it on the blazing sun. Luisa and Nicky lead that pack, both quick to get the “Asian glow”. Which makes some sense for Nicky, because he’s Chinese-American, but not much for Luisa, a Mexican and Salvadorian mix.

The buffet is made up of mostly Dominican and Puerto Rican food, to make sure both grooms’ families are satisfied. There’s rice in three different colors, plantains cooked in four different ways, and enough pernil to feed an army squadron. There’s also Italian food, because it’s Xael’s day, and they love Italian.

Xavier is still learning to dance Salsa, but somehow makes it look good. Axel is a very good dancer, and a very good teacher. The joy they feel, knowing that now it’s officially official, and that they’ll be spending the rest of their lives together as husbands, is immeasurable. Xavier looks into his husband’s green eyes, which beautifully reflect the world around him, and smiles wide.

“What?” Axels asks as he leads his husband in the dance.

“You’re mine now,” says Xavier. “You’ve officially lost your chance to get away. You’re stuck with me.”

Axel laughs. “Babe, I’ve always been yours. And now you can’t get away from me, either. Besides, if it comes down to it, there is this little process they call ‘divorce’”. He smirks.

“Shut up.” Xavier chuckles as he says it. “But nah, not like I would ever want to get away from you anyway.” He pauses for a moment. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more.”

“True.” They keep dancing and smiling.

Paula runs up to them and gives them a hug, almost knocking them down. She’s the shortest person at the party, but also easily the strongest. “O-M-G guys!” she says in a volume that is quite loud, but not much louder than her normal. “I’m so happy! And to think that I’m the one that got you guys together!”

Kate approaches as Paula finishes her statement. “You always try to take full credit,” she says, “but it was both of us.” Kate and Paula could not be more different from each other, whether in style, personality or appearance, but they’re best friends and have been since they were in elementary school. Paula is short, muscular, and sporty, while Kate is slender and posh. The time that Paula spends working out, Kate spends doing her hair and makeup. Paula has a military haircut and is wearing a white shirt and pants. Kate has long wavy hair down to her waist, and is wearing a long, form fitting white dress.

“We have both of you to thank,” says Xavier. Always the diplomat, but it’s true in any case.

“Are you guys having a good time?” Axel asks, always the exceptional host.

“Yes!” Paula screams. “Oh my God, I’m so happy that you guys did this! It’s 24 degrees in New York right now!”

“For real,” says Kate. “We’re gonna go through winter with some kick-ass tans!” She joins Paula in hugging their friends. “I love you guys! Congratu-fucking-lations!” The group shares a strong four way hug for a moment. Kate is first to break free. “Ok, that’s enough of that. I’m going to get Ben. It’s tanning time!” She runs off toward her boyfriend, a tall muscular man, and pulls him by the hand. The two disappear into the villa.

Paula lets go of the men, too. “Alright. Teisha has been waiting to dance since this morning. Excuse me while I go make my girlfriend happy.” She runs and immediately begins to dance with a tall, curly haired, dark skinned girl.

Axel looks around, trying to identify all the guests. “Have you seen Carla?”

“Not in a while,” Xavier responds. “But I don’t see Nick, either. They’re probably in the room celebrating our honeymoon.”

“And Jamie?”

“Probably getting herself in some kind of trouble.” The two of them laugh as Xavier takes Axel by the hand and leads him toward the shore. They walk far enough that the waves wet their feet before receding. There, they sit in an embrace and stare out at the clear blue water, listening to the waves.

“This is perfect,” Axel says. “I wish our parents had been here to experience this with us.”

“I’m sure the four of them are celebrating up there, too.” Xavier passes his hand through Axel’s medium length, wavy locks. “My mom is dancing her feet off. Your dad is drinking ice-cold beer and telling bad jokes. My dad is messing up good whiskey with soda and ice. And your mom is chilling, drinking soda and watching it all happen.”

Axel closes his eyes, feeling relaxed as his husband caresses his head. “I look forward to loving you, and being loved by you, for the rest of our lives.”

“Me too. I love you so much, babe.”

“I love you more.”

“Hmm, as you’ve said, and I agreed. But I’m not so sure. Let’s call it a tie.”

Axel chuckles. “Yeah, we can do that.”

“Good. After all, we did just tie the knot.” Big emphasis on “tie.”

Axel laughs. “You are so corny, babe.” Big emphasis on “so”.

Xavier laughs too. “You know you love it, though.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Axel says sarcastically.

“All jokes aside, can we make a promise?”

“What promise?”

“That come what may, we’ll always meet each other halfway.”

“Sounds good. It’s a promise.

“Me too. I promise.” They get lost in each other’s eyes, and for the second time in their lives, each man kisses his husband.”

TODAY

“Out with a bang.”

CHAPTER 3: US

Glassware rattles in the kitchen whenever the ground shakes. Even up on the fifth floor, they can hear the chaos outside, even if just barely. Still, they haven't stopped kissing, It takes one of their picture frames falling and breaking for them to come apart.

Xavier looks at the cut on Axel’s forehead and winces. “We should clean that up. Sit.”

“OK.” Axel sits on the couch as Xavier walks to the bathroom. He looks around, studying all the furniture and decorations that he personally picked out and set up. Between the two, he’s the one with an eye for interior design.

The couch he’s sitting on is a suede gray sectional, up against a wall that is mostly beige brick with occasional red ones. In the middle of the living room there’s an industrial coffee table with gold decorations. Directly across there’s a sixty inch flatscreen mounted on the wall. Below it, a glass stand that houses a Playstation 5 and other electronics. The drawn curtains are gold and gray layered on top of royal blue. The frames that are still on the wall are varying in size and placed unevenly, and they match the gold and blue of the curtains. The floor looks like large wood planks, most of which are natural wood color, with the occasional gray.

Xavier returns with a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a small washcloth. He sits next to his husband and says “look this way.” Axel faces him, and Xavier soaks the washcloth with the alcohol before gently massaging Axel’s cut until it’s clean. Then he wipes the blood off the rest of Axel’s face and says “you’re usually the one taking care of me.”

Axel chuckles. They feel the ground shake. “Yeah, but usually you’re just sick. I’ve never had to clean your wound during the end of the world.” He takes the alcohol and cloth from Xavier’s hands and drops them on the floor, then holds his husband’s hands in his own. “I’m glad we’re here together for this.”

“Me too.” He thinks on this for a second, slightly shaking his head. “Well, glad we’re together, not necessarily for this. But what should we do? Do we just sit here and wait for… it?”

Axel looks at his dust covered husband, then at himself. “Hmm… Is the water still running?”

“It was when I went in there just now.”

“So let’s go take a shower. At least we’ll be clean when we die.”

Xavier smiles. Something explodes in the distance. They hear it and feel the ground shake a bit. They quickly look out the window, then each other. “OK”.

Their bathroom is big, with the same walls and floor as the living room. The toilet and sink are white, and there’s a spacious standup shower. Xavier takes off his clothes first and steps in. Axel unbuttons his navy blue dress shirt and drops it on the floor. Next, his black shoes and navy socks. Xavier runs the water on the and plays with its temperature while Axel removes his gray slacks, white undershirt, and black boxer briefs. He steps in.

Xavier is immediately aroused upon seeing his naked husband. Lukewarm water flows from the shower head, and they both soak in it. The men bathe each other, one gently scrubbing the entirety of the other’s body. They wash each other’s hair, and after the shower, dry each other off. They do all of this quietly, not saying a word, allowing each other’s touch to do the talking. Axel is aroused, too.

They exit the bathroom. Axel looks at the clothes on the floor and considers picking it up, but decides to leave it. Xavier starts to enter the bedroom, but Axel stops him by holding his arm. He shakes his head and says “no”.

“No clothes?” Xavier asks.

“No,” Axel responds. “We don’t know how much time we have left. Might as well make the best of it. Go out with a bang.”

Xavier smiles. “A literal bang. In which case, I should probably still go in the room and get the stuff.”

“OK, but hurry up.” He heads to the living room.

“Hurrying!” Xavier runs into the bedroom as Axel sits on the couch. When he rejoins his husband, he’s holding a small bag. He places it on the coffee table and sits on the couch at the same time that the ground shakes again.

The men look at each other eyes longingly and kiss. The kissing intensifies, and the wetness from their arousal drips and lands on the couch. Axel goes to the floor, on his knees, and takes Xavier’s throbbing penis in his mouth. Xavier closes his eyes and lets himself fall back. His left hand grips the cushion he’s sitting on, while his right grips Axel’s hair. “Fuck,” he says aloud. So good. It’s his favorite thing.

Axel stands and turns Xavier’s body, laying him on his back. He gets on the couch by Xavier’s legs and lifts his thighs. He brings his face in, first licking Xavier’s testicles, then tracing the way to his anus. Axel moves his tongue in and around it and sucks, making Xavier grunt and moan. He grabs the bag from the coffee table and pulls out a black bottle of lubricant. He pours some onto and around his index finger, then gently takes the finger inside Xavier. Xavier enjoys this as Axel pours a generous amount of lubricant on his member. He pulls out the finger, then slowly penetrates his husband. Axel thrusts rhythmically. They never break eye contact.

After a while, Axel slowly pulls out. Xavier grunts and breathes heavily. Axel applies lubricant to Xavier’s penis, then climbs onto his husband’s pelvis. With one hand, he guides Xavier’s penis inside him, then rides, slowly bouncing up and down. “Fuck,” he says aloud. So good. It’s his favorite thing.

They moan at the pleasure’s intensity, still maintaining eye contact throughout. “Are you getting there, babe?” Xavier asks breathily.

“Yeah,” Axel responds the same way. “Almost there. You?”

“Yeah. Fuck!”

“Fuck!”

They come together. Xavier ejaculates inside Axel, whose shot of semen flies over Xavier’s head like a projectile and lands on the couch. They moan blissfully, breathing hard. Axel begins to stand, Xavier’s penis slowly sliding out. He lays on the cold floor between the couch and the coffee table, facing up, and Xavier joins him.

“Out with a bang,” Xavier says. “Literally.” He holds his husband’s hand and squeezes it.

“I’ll be kinda mad if the world doesn't actually end,” says Axel. There is obvious sarcasm in his tone.

“Why’s that?” Xavier looks at him.

“For starters, that was worthy of being the last sex we ever had. And most importantly…” He smiles. “We ruined the couch.”

Xavier laughs. He laughs normally at first, but it escalates. Axel joins him in laughter. All of their emotions are channeled in their laughs. They laugh louder and harder, so much that their bodies hurt.

FIVE YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS AGO

“O-M-G! Xavier!”

CHAPTER 4: BOYFRIEND

Xavier’s bachelor pad is nice, but nothing like what he’ll call home in the not too distant future. His kitchen is basic, with a white stove, white fridge, and a white microwave that gets a lot more used than the stove. The floor is white tile and the countertop is made to look like yellow wood. A small table is placed against its beige wall. The pantry and cabinets match the countertop. Xavier takes a couple of food trays from the table and exits to the small hallway that leads to the living room.

The living room is large and organized, though not necessarily clean. Dust is visible on the black TV stand and Playstation 4. The floor is a dark wood tile, and the walls match the kitchen’s. His sectional couch has black leather back and arm rests, and the seat cushions are dark gray. A large computer desk with what Xavier calls “an organized mess” sits in the corner by the hallway that leads to the kitchen, and there’s a round table with a glass top in the middle of the room. He places the food trays on the glass top and, immediately, the doorbell rings.

He heads back out of the living room and through the hallway, which is unoccupied save for the large cabinet with dozens of wine and spirit bottles and the glassware to drink them in. He reaches the door, which is right next to the kitchen’s entrance, and opens it without first looking through the visor.

Ben - wearing a tight, black v-neck sweater, form fitting blue jeans, and combat boots - is first in line. He’s holding a case of Heineken and passing it to Xavier. “What’s up, bro!” he says excitedly.

“Hey!” Xavier says, taking the case of Heineken and placing it on the kitchen table. “You really keep these girls in check. I don’t remember the last time they got anywhere on time.”

Kate walks in behind Ben, holding a bottle of wine in each hand; one a sauvignon blanc, the other a merlot. “Ha! You’re so funny!” She says sarcastically. Her hair is straight and barely reaches her shoulders, and she’s wearing blue jeans, a puffy white sweatshirt, and fluffy boots. She places the bottles next to the case of Heineken as Teisha walks in behind her.

Teisha is wearing a blue long-sleeved button-down under a gray sweater vest. Her pants and boat shoes are black, and she’s holding two bags of ice. “Hey, hun,” she says, and places the ice bags on the table’s last available space. With their hands free, they all greet Axel properly with hugs and kisses.

“Where’s Paula?” Xavier asks as the door closes. Everyone works together to put the things away. The ice bags go in the freezer, the bottles of beer and white wine in the fridge, and the red wine stays on the table.

“Looking for parking,” Teisha responds. “There’s a lot of spaces about a block and a half away, so she should be back here soon even if there’s nothing nearby.”

“Alright, so leave the door unlocked. Grab whatever and let’s go to the living room.”

Moments later, they’re sitting on the couch with drinks in hand. Xavier’s holding a glass of white wine, and Kate a glass of red. Ben is holding a bottle of beer, and Teisha is twirling a glass with ice and a fruity cocktail. The apartment door bursts open, and Paula rushes in with a plastic bag in each hand. She runs into the living room, places the bags on the floor, and aggressively hugs the night’s host. “O-M-G! Xavier!” She almost makes him spill his wine.

“Hey!” he says, half laughing and half scared. “You act like we didn’t just see each other yesterday.”

“You don't understand! Did Kate tell you?” Her excitement is contagious.

Xavier looks at Kate and shakes his head, then looks back at Paula, who has finally freed him from the squeeze. “Tell me what?” he asks.

“OK, hold on! First I need a drink!” She runs to the kitchen and returns with a bottle of Heineken. “So! Kate and I went to eat lunch at a restaurant today, and we ran into one of my friends from high school!” She remains standing as she tells the story. “He’s super cute, and so cool! He was always such an amazing person!”

“So I was like,” Kate interjects, “you must be driving all the women crazy, and he was like -”

“Not the women!” Paula takes charge again. “So I was like, wait, you’re gay? And he was like, yup!” In her excitement, she moves so much that she spills a bit of her beer.

“Calm down, babe!” says Teisha.

“He’s so cute, X,” adds Kate. “And he has these beautiful green eyes, and seems very sweet.”

“Should I be jealous?” Ben asks.

“So he hung out with us for a while, and guess what?” Paula waits for Xavier to take a guess, but he doesn’t. “It turns out he’s single!” Once again, she waits for Xavier to say something, eyes extra wide.

“... OK…” he finally says. “Good for him, I guess?”

“For the both of you!” Paula screams.

“No way,” says Xavier. Gotta shut this down before it becomes a whole mess. “You are crazy, and I can’t take your match-making seriously.”

“Then take it from me, X,” says Kate. “It really does seem like you two are a good match. And you have been single for two years now. It’s time.”

“Two years? What are you talking about? It’s only been a year.” Xavier wonders for a moment, making sure that it’s really been a year.

“It’s only been a year,” Teisha confirms. “But you should at least meet him.”

“And if it’s not a good fit,” Ben adds, “maybe you can just hit it and quit it.”

“No!” the girls say all at once in varying tones.

Xavier takes a moment to think about it. “OK,” he finally agrees. “Give him my number. Tell him to text me if he wants, and I guess we’ll take it from there.” Paula and Kate celebrate their victory with cheers and toasting. “Don’t get too excited though. I’ll be extremely surprised if this goes anywhere.”

TODAY

“This is not a drill.”

CHAPTER 5: NEWS

Prep time is possibly the most important couple of hours for a restaurant. It can determine whether the day will be smooth or a disaster. Candela, Axel’s restaurant and bar, doesn’t open until 11 AM. Prep time, however, starts at 8 AM. Axel, as owner and manager, tries to be there by 7:30.

His car, a black Lexus, is the first one in the plaza’s lot. It’s a medium-sized plaza, and Candela is right in the middle. Surrounding it are a couple of clothing stores, a Dunkin Donuts, a Gamestop, a Chinese buffet, a pizzeria, a Shop Rite, a Rite Aid, and a Bath and Bodyworks. As the only Latin food spot in town, Candela is the most popular eatery in the plaza.

Axel parks in the space closest to the restaurant’s entrance. He prefers entering this way instead of through the back to make sure that everything looks good from the front. A rolling gate covers the store-front, with locks to the left and right. He unlocks and rolls up the gate, then unlocks the glass door to enter the restaurant. The alarm starts beeping, so he power walks to the code pad in the office. He presses 6 - 8 - 1 - 1 - 5, and the beeping stops. The office is a rectangular room with a couple of filing cabinets, a printing station, and a large square table for employees who want to sit during their breaks. The desk, which is used by Axel and other managers, is up against one of the walls. There’s another desk to its right, and a closet to that desk’s right.

The first thing he does every morning is inspect. He starts with the kitchen, ensuring that everything is clean and organized. Unsurprisingly, it’s pristine. He walks out to the floor and looks around. It’s a large space, with warm colors and tropical decor. There are large HD TVs mounted on the walls. The bar is circular and in the center of the floor space. All’s good, he concludes, and returns to the office.

His second step is to count the previous night’s end of day money drop and prepare the deposit. The safe is below the desk. It has a key-pad, and he punches in 5 - 1 - 1 - 8 - 6. It opens with a beep and a click. He pulls out blue zippered bags full of cash and places them on the desk. On the computer, a Mac, he opens a spreadsheet. As he counts the cash, he types the numbers into the cells. Before he finishes, his kitchen manager arrives.

“Good morning,” says Axel in a sleepy yet perky tone.”

“Good morning,” echoes Jean-Luke. He’s a chubby man with ear, nose, brow, and lip piercings. His hair is spiked up and he’s wearing eyeliner. Some might mistake him for a “punk,” but he’s much more “fabulous” than that. After all, his bright red jeans and colorful women’s poncho don’t quite fit a punk aesthetic. He goes to the computer on the second desk, a Windows PC, and clocks in. “How was your night?”

“Let’s just say I didn’t want to get up this morning,” Axel responds.

“Do you ever?”

“Shut up.”

Jean laughs. “Are we expected to be busy today?”

Axel studies the numbers on the spreadsheet. “Doesn’t look like it. We had a huge weekend, plus it’s Monday. And who knows, people might be a little freaked out about what happened yesterday in Australia.”

“Oh, word, I heard about that. Scary shit. I don’t get how they didn’t spot those things before they hit.”

“Something about it being made of a mineral that avoids satellite detection. Honestly I’m surprised they’re not making a bigger deal about this.”

“Anyway, I hope it’s slow. We have three trainees, one on each shift.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll do a full day to check them out.”

“Girl, you crazy. But do your thing, it’ll make my day easier.” He does a celebratory jig.

At 8:03, an energetic man in his fifties walks in. He’s wearing an unzipped yellow hoodie, a red T-shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers. “Good morning!” he says with a Caribbean Spanish accent. Axel responds with a “good morning” and Jean with a “hi, Eli.” Eli clocks in using the PC and heads for the closet. He opens it, takes off his hoodie, and hangs it. “La muchacha nueva ‘ta aqui. Ya ta en el sistema?” Spanish for “the new girl’s here, is she in the system?”

“Todavia,” says Axel. Not yet. “I’ll put her in now and clock her in for 8. You’re gonna make her our best prep person, right?”

“No, second best,” he responds with his accent and a laugh. “En primer lugar voy yo.” First place is his.

“I guess you can go show her around the kitchen,” says Jean. “We’ll go say hi in a bit and give her the full tour.”

“Okiedoke,” Eli says as he exits the office.

Axel keeps working on numbers while Jean goes over schedules. At around 8:30, they exit the office together and join Eli and the new girl in the kitchen. They give her a full tour of Candela, get to know each other better, and return her to the kitchen. They watch her work for a while, under Eli’s tutelage.

“Good pick,” Axel tells Jean. “I think she’ll be a good fit.”

“Yeah, duh,” Jean says. “And when she finishes culinary school, maybe she’ll stay as a chef.”

“That would be nice. Maybe eventually she’ll end up with your job.” He smirks and raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah right. You can’t get rid of me. I’m like herpes.” They both laugh, and Jean does a celebratory jig once again.

“You sure are.” Axel shakes his head with a smile. At around 10:30, other employees begin to arrive. A bartender begins prep behind the bar, a cook and dish washer join Eli and the new girl in the kitchen, the floor manager walks in with a new server, and the restaurant opens for business at 11 AM on the dot.

By 11:30, a second bartender and two more servers are tending to the customers. The place isn’t packed, but business is good. Many of the patrons at this time work in nearby office buildings and are on their lunch break, or are teachers and staff from a school that’s a couple of blocks away and are free for the period. The TVs from the restaurant are evenly split between the news broadcasts and sports highlights. At 11:37, a news anchor says something that draws everyone’s attention. The patrons stop eating, and the workers stop working. The place goes silent.

In the office, Axel’s attention is caught by the silence outside. He walks out and sees that the kitchen staff is out on the main floor, looking at the screens. He walks up to Jean and Christa, the floor manager. “Um, guys? What’s going on?

Jean-Luke is speechless, which never happens, but Christa responds. “The world is ending,” she whispers at such low volume that Axel can barely hear her.

“What?” Axel asks, confused. He looks at the screen and listens.

Text rotates right to left at the bottom of the screen. World-wide emergency. Large objects from space set to begin crashing into the Earth in minutes. Parts of the world have already been impacted by smaller objects, starting with Australia’s West coast last night. Axel is in disbelief. The news anchor says “this is not a drill. Get to your loved ones. Find shelter. God bless you all, and good luck.” He runs off.

Some people are frozen in panic. Some have already run out of Candela. Others start running now. Axel looks at everyone still inside. “Go home,” he says. At first, it’s unintentionally almost a whisper. He tries again. “Go home!” He manages to yell this time. “Everyone! Go home! Now!”

FIVE YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS AGO

“Maybe he’ll go away if we make out.”

CHAPTER 6: MONSTERS

Xavier is sitting on his couch, quietly watching TV. He’s wearing light gray jeans, a light blue button-up shirt with no collar, and dressy black boots. His Android phone is resting on the coffee table. It vibrates, immediately grabbing Xavier’s attention. He reaches for it with excitement and reads the message he’s just received. It’s from Paula, and it says “come down.” He quickly grabs the remote to power down the TV, stands, grabs a maroon cardigan sitting to his right, and almost-runs to the door. In his excitement, he leaves without turning off the lights.

As soon as he exits the building, Paula repeatedly honks the car’s horn. Her passengers scream, begging her to stop. Teisha is sitting to her right, Ben is in the back behind the driver’s seat, and Kate is sitting to Ben’s right. Xavier opens the door and sits, occupying the space behind Teisha.

“You ready, bitches?” Paula asks the neighborhood. “OMG, I’m so nervous, I can’t wait for you to meet him! Are you nervous?” She begins to drive.

“I guess I am, a little,” Xavier admits.

“I’m so happy you agreed to this,” says Kate. “Don’t forget Paula’s the one who introduced me to Ben, and we’ve been together for more than a year already.”

“My baby’s crazy, but she’s a good person that knows a lot of good people.” Teisha looks at Paula, smiles, and holds her hand. “I think that’s what makes her such a good match maker.”

Xavier unlocks his phone and goes into his text messages. Paula is on top of the list, and Axel right below her. He clicks on the conversation and types. We’re on our way. See you there! He hits send and powers down the screen. He looks out the window, quietly taking in the beauty of the city and its lights at night.

Axel is in his bedroom, staring at his reflection in a tall mirror leaning against a wall. He’s wearing black jeans, a red shirt, and brown boots. He’s wearing glasses, and his gelled up hair has platinum blond tips. His bedroom is neat and tidy, with white walls and black furniture. His picture frames are black, and there’s a bar-stand against the wall opposite to the mirror. His iPhone is on the bed, which has silky black covers. It vibrates, but he doesn’t go to it. He turns, inspecting every angle of his look.

Axel takes off the red shirt and puts on a green one. His phone vibrates again. He shakes his head and removes the shirt. His phone rings again as Axel searches his closet for another shirt. The vibrating is constant now, a phone call. He goes to it and answers.

“Hello..? Yeah, I’m almost ready… OK, just give me a couple of minutes.” He hangs up and throws the phone on the bed. He takes off his boots and pants and returns to the closet. He takes out a black shirt, red jeans, and puts them on. Then, he takes out black boots and puts those on. He looks in the mirror, inspecting every angle once again, and mostly approves. “Contacts,” he tells himself. He takes off his glasses and quickly puts on contact, then grabs a beige cardigan and puts it on. He grabs his phone, wallet, and keys, and heads out.

Outside, a black SUV is parked in front of his building. A tall, thick-boned, curvaceous woman is leaning on its hood. Plumes of smoke emanate from her lips and from the cigarette she’s gently holding between her right index and middle fingers. Carla’s wearing a tight, black, short dress with knee-high black boots. For warmth, she’s wearing a flowing, long, black sweater that reaches down to her ankles. “Hi, honey,” she says to Axel.

“Hey!” he responds with excitement as he leans in for a hug and kiss.

“You ready to have a good time?” she asks him.

“Hell yeah!” he says.

Carla drops what’s left of her cigarette and steps on it, squeezing it and its light out. “Alright, let’s go. Hopefully they’ll still be open when we get there, because somebody, and I won’t say who, wanted to take forever to get ready.”

“Shut up,” he says with a scoff. Carla sits on the driver’s seat, and Axel next to her. The back seat is populated by Jaimie, a short and skinny pale-skinned girl with short blond hair. She’s wearing black jeans, a long sleeve white button up, and white sneakers. Next to Jaimie is her girlfriend, Lucia. Her outfit is identical to Jaimie’s, but her auburn hair and tan skin is a differentiator. “Hey girls!” Axel says to them as he looks back.

“Hi hunny!” they say in unison. “Let your man know we’re on the way so he doesn’t get tired of waiting and go home with some other dude,” says Jaimie.

“First of all,” Axel begins, “he’s not my man.” Carla drives off. “And second… OK, I will.” He unlocks his screen and opens the messaging app. His most recently received message is from Carla, followed by Jaimie, followed by Lucia. Xavier is fourth. “Oh shit. He text me half an hour ago that they were on their way.” He types we’re on our way there now and hits send. A few seconds later, he gets a reply. OK, Xavier’s message says, followed by we just walked in, see you in a bit.

The drive is about twenty five minutes long according to Carla’s GPS estimate. Thanks to her speeding, they get there in nineteen. Luck is on their side, as they immediately find a parking spot. Miraculously, the parking space is right in front of City Monster, where Axel and Xavier’s meeting is supposed to take place. The group steps out of the car and into the line, which is long but moves quickly.

Axel looks up at the venu’s neon sign as the group passes under it. The colors of the letters match those of the LGBT flag, and there are two small LGBT flags dancing in the breeze next to them. His nerves activate as they enter the club. The place is crowded, but not entirely packed. There’s a circular bar in the middle, and a small stage next to it with a piano. A patron is playing the piano while another, who is clearly drunk, is singing along to the music. Axel sends Xavier a message. We’re here, it says, and Xavier responds almost immediately. We’re at the bar downstairs. Axel, who is leading the pack, turns to face the others and says “they’re downstairs.” The four make their way through the crowd and down the steps.

The bottom floor is where people go to party. The bar is smaller than the one upstairs, and by a wall on the side, leaving more room to be used as the dance floor. There’s a small stage, where a man and woman dance to the music in an almost naked state of dress. It’s crowded, more than the floor above, but not so much that the place feels unsafe or uncomfortable. Xavier looks at his phone, then says something to Paula as he types. She doesn’t hear him and shakes her head, pointing at her ear. “They’re here!” he screams. “They’re coming down!”

“OK,” she says. “Let’s go meet them by the stairs. Paule grabs Xavier’s hand and leads him to the stairs, which are to the right of the dancers’ stage. As if guided by an otherworldly power, the other patrons move to the opposite side of the stage, completely clearing the way for Paula and Xavier. Axel and his friends’ path down the steps is clear as well.

Xavier sees Axel right away when he looks up. Wow. He’s definitely nervous now, and butterflies flutter about in his stomach, dancing to the music playing in City Monster and all the music playing everywhere in the world. The sensation is almost nauseating.

Axel sees Xavier, and their eyes make contact. Wow. Time seems to slow down a little. Everyone dancing behind Xavier moves in slow motion. Axel feels his body temperature rise, and feels as if the room spins a little. The sensation is almost nauseating.

Paula screams, pulling them both out of their trances and getting their attention. Axel and his friends finish their walk down their steps. “Hi honey!” Paula screams as she runs up to Axel and hugs him. “Oh my gosh! OK! So, Axel, Xavier! Xavier, Axel!” She points from one to the other as she says it. “Now it’s official! Come on, the others are at the bar! We’ll finish introductions there!” She grabs each man by a hand and leads them. They look at each other and smile, with a look that says I guess, what can we do, it’s Paula, she’s crazy.

Once at the bar, Paula lets go of their hands and they get a chance to address each other. “Hey,” Axel says to Xavier. He says it shyly, and his cheeks turn pink as he blushes.

“Hey,” Xavier says back. He’s not blushing, but his voice is shaky, and it’s noticeable even with that one short word. They’re not sure how to greet each other beyond that. They fail at a hand shake, and end with an awkward hug.

Then, the two groups are fully introduced to each other. Everyone orders drinks, with Axel opting for Bacardi Raspberry with vodka and cranberry juice. Xavier orders Malibu with pineapple juice and a bit of vodka. Drink in hand, Teisha yells “let’s go dance, bitches!” and leads the way to the middle of the dance floor.

Everyone is enjoying themselves as Axel and Xavier get to know each other better. The future husbands dance with each other until their drinks are gone. “I’m going to get us drinks,” Xavier says. “Do you want the same thing again?”

“Yes, please,” Axel responds. “Thanks!”

Xavier makes his way to the bar and waits for an opening. He steps up to the crowded bar, trying to get the bartender’s attention. A short Hispanic man, mid-forties in appearance, stares at Xavier. Xavier feels uncomfortable the moment he notices.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asks.

“Bacardi rasp with vodka and cran, and a Malibu with vodka and pineapple!”

“That’ll be sixteen!” The bartender walks away to make the drinks.

The group standing between Xavier and the staring man walks away with their drinks, and the man takes the opportunity to walk up to Xavier. “Hi!” he says. Xavier can’t tell if the man is drunk. “I’m Russel. What’s your name?”

Xavier answers honestly. “Xavier.”

“You’re really cute, Xavier. I saw you earlier, but you were with a group, so I was scared to approach you.”

“Yeah, those were my friends.”

“I wanted to talk to you ‘cuz you’re cute. And I can tell you’re a nice person.”

“Really? How can you tell?” He’s genuinely curious as to how Russel knows what kind of person he is, but is still uncomfortable and wonders where the drinks are and why they’re taking so long to arrive.

“You have a kind face and honest eyes. Plus you’re actually talking to me.”

Xavier nods, looking for the bartender. He doesn’t say anything.

“I come here a lot,” Russel volunteers. “I’m forty-five years old and live alone. I don’t have anybody. I have more money than I can spend and no one to spend it with. It’s sad.” He seems genuinely sad to Xavier. His eyes are watery and his voice starts to break. “Are you married, Xavier? Or have a boyfriend?”

Oh lord, what’s happening here? Xavier thinks quickly. “Yeah, one of the guys in my group is my boyfriend.”

“Makes sense,” Russel says. “That’s OK, though. I can take you both places. I like to travel and stuff. Would be nice to have some company.”

The bartender arrives with the drinks and places them on the counter in front of Xavier. Finally. He gives the bartender a twenty dollar bill and says “thank you.” The bartender winks and walks away as Xavier grabs a drink in each hand. He looks at Russel and says “it was nice meeting you, I’m going to get back to my boyfriend. Have fun tonight!” He walks into and through the crowd.

Axel sees Xavier approach. “Hey!” he says. “I thought you got lost or ran away from me!” Xavier hands him his drink.

“No, the bar is very busy right now. There was this guy…” Xavier shares the story of Russel with Axel. Axel laughs, not knowing whether to believe what Xavier is saying or not. Xavier looks around, searching. “Where is everyone?”

Axel looks around too. “What the hell? They were all literally just here!”

“I guess they wanted to leave us alone.”

“Guess so.” They smile coyly at each other, and take sips of their drinks. They dance, enjoying each other’s company, and never running out of things to say. Their energy is positive, until Axel’s expression changes from joy to confusion.

“What’s wrong?” Xavier asks. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No. There’s a random man just standing there staring at us.”

Xavier takes a quick look. Oh God. “That’s the guy I was telling you about before. Russel.”

Axel laughs. “Oh my God, I can’t believe you were serious!”

“I’m always serious! This is creepy.” Xavier laughs nervously. “I wonder how long he’s been there. Let’s move.” The couple moves, hand in hand, to the other side of the dance floor. With Russel out of sight, they resume their dancing.

About a minute passes before Axel says “he’s back.”

“Who, Russel?” Xavier asks in disbelief. He looks back and confirms Axel’s words. “Wow.”

“What the hell? Should we move again?”

“He’ll probably just keep following us around. Xavier thinks, then smirks. “Maybe he’ll go away if we make out.”

Axel smiles. “You think so?”

“Yeah, maybe he’ll get the hint.”

“OK.”

They look each other in the eyes. Slowly, their faces come closer. Their eyes close, and their lips touch. For a moment, it’s as if the music stops. All they hear is a drumming in their ears, the beating of their hearts. It’s as if every other person in the club has vanished and taken all their voices and ground-shaking jumping and dancing with them. They feed electricity to each other, sending a shock from their lips and through their bodies. They kiss perfect kisses, as if they’ve kissed each other many times before. No teeth clanking, no discomfort, no awkwardness. They hug tight, bringing their bodies closer. They can feel the hardness in each other’s pants. They feel butterflies in their stomachs and ants at their fingertips when the kissing is over. The music starts again, and the ground resumes its shaking as the other patrons return to existence.

“Wow,” Axel says as he shakes his head and tries to plant his feet. “You’re a good kisser.”

“You are too,” says Xavier as he tries to regain his breath.

Axel looks past Xavier. “Your friend’s gone.”

“Yeah? Maybe if we keep kissing he’ll stay away for good.

“Maybe,” says Axel. “Better safe than sorry, I guess.” They smile at each other and kiss again.

TODAY

“Stop or snooze?”

CHAPTER 7: MORNING

Axel and Xavier’s bedroom is almost as big as their living room. The queen size bed is in the middle of the room, its headboard resting on a wall, half way between the door and the windows. The curtains are the same as in the living room, and the bed covers match the curtain’s colors. The walls are dark gray with light gray lines forming squares, and the pictures on the walls are canvases instead of frames. The floor is the same as in the living room, and the ceiling is painted white.

Directly across from the bed, mounted on a wall, there’s a TV identical to the one in the living room. There’s a small night stand on either side of the bed, with small lamps with their lights covered by navy blue shades. The night stand on Axel’s side, closest to the door, has an Amazon Echo on it. Between the windows, there’s a black dresser with random things neatly organized on it. In the space between the TV and one of the windows, there’s a large sliding closet door.

The lights are off, and the room is dark. Axel and Xavier are asleep and under the covers. On each man’s nightstand lies his cell phone, connected to a chord for overnight charging. Last night’s clothes are on the floor at each man’s side of the bed. The time on Axel’s phone screen changes from 5:59 to 6:00, and his alarm goes off. Axel doesn’t budge, but Xavier wakes up and reaches over. He takes the phone and softly calls Axel.

“Babe,” he whispers softly. “Babe,” he repeats, just a little bit louder. He gently massages Axel’s shoulder and calls him again. “Babe.” His volume is closer to normal this time.

Axel half awakens. Quietly and groggily, he asks “What is it?”

“Your alarm is going off.”

“OK.” His eyes are still closed, and he's still not moving.

“Stop or snooze?” Xavier asks.

“Snooze.”

“OK,” Xavier says. He taps the snooze button and places the phone next to his own. The same scenario repeats three more times, until at 7 AM, Axel finally wakes up.

“Good morning,” Axel says before giving Xavier a quick peck on the lips. He gets out from under the covers and stands, completely naked.

“Good morning,” Xavier responds.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” His tone is somewhat playful, but he’s mostly serious.

“I’m talented, babe, but not a miracle worker.”

“You’re so funny,” he says sarcastically. “I’m gonna get ready. Are you staying in bed?”

“Yeah, I can get one more hour in. Maybe make up for the one I lost ‘cuz of your alarm.” His tone is somewhat playful, but he’s mostly serious. He grabs his phone and unlocks it.

“Hey, it’s your fault for keeping me up so late,” Axel says as he looks through the drawers in the dresser.

“Is that a complaint?” Xavier asks as he cycles through news updates.

“Not at all,” Axel responds, now looking in the closet.

“All the news sites are talking about the incident in Australia last night.”

“You should put your phone down and try to get that last hour of sleep, babe. I’m sure it was just a freak occurrence.” He places the clothes he’s gathered on the side of the bed. He then picks up the boxer briefs he had on the night before and throws them at Xavier. “Plus, you’re distracting me.” He walks out of the room, Xavier’s gaze focusing on his bare butt.

Axel enters the bathroom and runs the shower, measuring the water’s temperature with his left hand. Too cold. He lets the water run, grabs his toothbrush, adds toothpaste, and brushes his teeth. He’s done in about two minutes and touches the water again. Perfect. He walks in and showers, thoroughly, but quickly.

When he returns to the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, Xavier is in a deep sleep again. He gets ready quietly, then walks over to Xavier’s side, grabs his phone, and gently kisses his husband’s forehead. He whispers “I love you” and exits.

Xavier’s own alarm rings at 8:30 AM. He immediately wakes up and turns it off before jumping out of bed. Like his husband, Xavier is fully nude. He follows a routine that’s identical to his husband’s; first the dresser, then the closet, then the bathroom. He tests the water temperature in the shower, then brushes his teeth as he lets it warm up. The temperature is perfect the second time he tests it, so he walks in and showers. Xavier’s shower takes three times as long as Axel’s.

Once out of the shower, he quickly gets ready for work. He grabs his phone and sees a message from Axel. It says At work. Xavier types his response. Okiedoke, I’m heading out now. The message is sent at 9:09. He puts his phone in the right pocket of his sweatpants and exits the room.

EIGHT MONTHS AGO

“We have to bless the hell out of this place.”

CHAPTER 8: MOVE

The apartment’s door is held open by a small box. Paula, wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, walks in holding a medium sized box that has PS + Stuff written on it with black marker. She walks to the living room and places it on the floor. Kate’s there, also in sweats and a hoodie, moving things around. Axel and Xavier’s apartment isn’t quite theirs yet. The walls are plain white and the furniture and decor aren’t giving it any of the character that the place will soon exude.

Teisha and Carla, also in sweats, walk in next. Teisha is holding bags of pillows and bedsheets, and Carla a box that has PLATES written on it. Carla stops in the kitchen, and Teisha goes to the bedroom.

Nick and Ben walk in right after them. Nick is dark skinned, strong, and average in height. They, too, are wearing sweats. Together they’re carrying a queen sized mattess as they make their way to the bedroom.

Axel and Xavier are the last ones to walk in, holding the other mattress. They’re also in sweats. “OK, that;s it!” Axel screams in celebration. “Close the door, we’re done!” Everyone cheers as the soon to be married couple carries the last moving piece to the bedroom. Carla closes the door behind them.

The group gathers in the living room. Carla arrives last, with bags full of liquor and wine bottles and red solo cups. She places the bags on the floor and returns to the kitchen. When she returns to the living room, she brings with her a large bag of ice. “Alright, bitches! Pour yourselves whatever you want to drink.”

“What pizza toppings does everyone want?” asks Xavier, phone in hand and ready to dial.

Nick answers first. His voice is deep and his tone playful. “Mushrooms.” Half of the room, Xavier loudest of all, says no. “Alright, fine,” Nick says. “Anchovies.” Again, the room disagrees.

“Shut up, babe,” Carla says to her boyfriend. “You don’t even eat fish or mushrooms.”

“I’m happy with pepperoni,” says Axel.

“I want plain,” says Xavier.

“Plain for me too,” Teisha adds. “You know my vegeterian ass can’t eat meat.”

“How about sausage or bacon?” Ben asks. ‘Cuz I’m fucking hungry.

“I think three large should be good,” says Xavier.

“Alright,” says Axel. “So a pepperoni pie, a plain cheese pie, and a half sausage, half bacon?” Everyone agrees.

Xavier walks to the kitchen to place the order without having to worry about the noise being made by his friends. The group drinks and organizes as they wait for their food to arrive, which takes about half an hour. They add eating to their drinking and organizing, and in another half an hour all that’s left is empty pizza boxes. The pizzeria’s name, Pizza Corona, is printed all over the white boxes in red ink.

After dinner, they sit on the floor, drinking some more. Paula is drunk at this point, and Kate and Axel are tipsy. Xavier, Carla and Ben are OK, and Nick is just tired. After about forty minutes, the group resumes their organizing.

Nick and Carla are the first to leave. “Sorry, guys,” Nick says. I’ve been up since 5 AM and I gotta be up at the same time tomorrow. Gotta get some rest ‘cuz I doubt the bad guys will give me a break.”

“Of course, man,” Xavier says. You don’t need to apologize. Thank you so much for coming to help.”

“Get some rest,” Axel adds. “I know Corona - on - Hudson’s best cop needs to be at the top of his game.”

“Nite, honeys,” Carla says. “I’ll text you when we get home.” They leave, and the remaining members resume their work.

Paula and Teisha are next to go. “I have to get this one to bed,” Teisha says, referring to Paula. The only time Paula is quiet is when she’s drunk, and right now she’s completely mute. “I’ll text you when we’re home. Love you!” Teisha helps Paula out, almost carrying her so that she doesn’t fall.

The last of the work for the night is completed not long after Paula and Teisha’s departure. With their job done, Ben and Kate say their goodbyes. At the door, Xavier says “thank you so much for the help, guys. Text us.”

“We will,” Kate says.

“Bye guys,” says Ben.

The apartment is completely quiet for a moment. “I guess we’re done for the night,” says Axel. The couple walks around the apartment, inspecting their new home.

“We did good, right?” asks Xavier.

“We did. And with a little bit of time we’ll make it really our own.” He’s picturing it all in his head, and it’s wonderful.

“What do you have in mind?” Xavier asks with honest curiosity.

“Well, for starters, we have to do something about these walls.” Axel looks at all the walls as he says this.

“Yeah. You figure it out and I’ll do my best to help.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way, baby.” Axel smiles, and Xavier returns it with a nod.

“First thing’s first, though.” There’s a look of mischief on his face as Xavier says the words. Axel easily picks up on it.

“What?” Axel asks, though he already has an idea. He tries his best to make his question sound innocent.

“We have to bless the hell out of this place.” Xavier looks at his future husband, giving him the “sexy” look as he inspects him from head to toe.

Axel smiles, mirroring the look. He walks closer to his fiance until their faces are almost touching. “Where do you want to start?”

“Hmm… How about the bathroom? We hop in the shower, nice and hot. Plus you’re a little stinky, so we’ll kill two birds with one stone.” He sniffs and makes an exaggerated face.

“Shut up and take your clothes off,” Axel commands. They race to the bathroom, taking off pieces of clothing as they go. Axel runs the shower as they finish getting naked. Then, with a hand, he measures the temperature of the water while Xavier kisses his neck. Their arousal is instant. They step in and under the falling water, and for the first time, make love in their home.

Later that night, after cleaning up the cups and pizza boxes and putting them in the trash, they make love in the kitchen. They try again in the bedroom before going to sleep, but are too tired to do so. “Try again tomorrow?” Xavier asks.

“For sure,” Axel says. “Good night baby. I love you.”

“I love you, bello. Sweet dreams.” Sleep comes easy for both of them, Xavier’s arms wrapped around Axel, the men spooning in almost fetal positions. They sleep soundly, their first night in their room, in their bed. They’re home.

TODAY

“The world is ending.”

CHAPTER 9: APOCALYPSE

Morning traffic in Corona - on - Hudson is surprisingly light, especially considering its location between Yonkers and Manhattan. Xavier breezes through Broadway in his black Mazda hatchback. He laughs at Elvis Duran and the Morning Zoo and their shenanigans. Scary takes a moment and announces the weather for the day; “clear, sunny skies, warm temperatures in the low seventies, but a bit of wind, so wear a sweater.”

As Xavier nears the bridge that crosses over the river and into Manhattan, he makes a right turn and drives about two blocks in. It’s a nice, clean residential area with plenty of street parking. He parks his car, steps out, and walks his way back to Broadway. Businesses are opening, people wait at bus stops, and taxis drive slowly in hopes that someone will decide to hop in. The train station is right above him, so Xavier walks up the steps, reaches the platform, pays to cross the turnstile, and waits for the train to arrive. The station is buzzing with early bird commuters, but it isn’t too crowded. The wait isn’t long - about a minute and a half - for the 9 train to arrive.

Xavier enters and, as usual, the train is just barely occupied. He sits near the end of the wagon, puts in his bluetooth earbuds, and closes his eyes. He opens them at every stop and closes them again, the pattern repeating until he arrives at his mid-town stop. By then his wagon is almost full. He and about a dozen others exit onto the crowded platform. At a brisk pace, he walks through the station, up the exit steps, and out into New York City.

As usual, the sidewalks are crowded and traffic is heavily congested. That’s why he never drives to work, even though the building where his studio is has its own large parking lot. The tourists aren’t out at this time, so pedestrian traffic moves swiftly as New Yorkers rush to get to work and school. In a matter of minutes, Xavier walks three blocks and reaches the building.

The lobby is large and has a Victorian feel to it. There is a large desk with a woman standing behind it. “Good morning, Xavier,” she says flirtatiously. SHe always flirts with him, even though she know he’s taken and - more importantly - gay. The last time he reminded her of those facts, she said “well, maybe you’ll get curious one day, or biology will get the best of you.” He laughed and said “maybe.”

He smiles at her and says “good morning, Jenny. You look exceptionally beautiful today.” He matches her flirty tone. In reality, she looks the same way she looks every day; she’s wearing a dark gray pant suit with a white button up shirt, her hair tied up in a bun. She thanks him for the compliment, and he winks at her as he continues to the elevator. There are two others waiting for it to arrive. When it does, one person walks out, and the three waiting walk in.

The building has twenty floors in addition to the lobby, which is marked with a star on the elevator’s pad. Next to the button for each floor is the name of whatever business or businesses are on that floor. The other two people press the buttons for the 18th and 6th floor. Listed next to the 9 button is Iridian Entertainment. That’s the button Xavier presses.

Upon reaching his floor, he steps out of the elevator. The first thing he encounters is a glass door with a code pad and a key-card scanner. He takes the key-card out of his left back pocket, scans it in, and walks through the door. One of his employees, a dark brown-skinned man with short curly hair, spots him from down the hall.

“Good morning, boss!” he yells out.

“Good morning, Carlos!” Xavier says, matching Carlos’ volume and excitement. He enters his office, which is the first door to the left after the main door. The nameplate on the door says Xavier. He asks Google to turn on Xavier’s lights, and the lights in the office turn on. He places his things on his desk, sits, and wakes up his computer. He goes over progress reports before putting his computer back to sleep and stepping out of the office.

Xavier walks down the hall, looking at the open office doors as he goes. The first office next to his has a nameplate that reads Production Manager - Carlos. That’s followed by Lead Programmer - Paul, Lead Animator - Alfonse, Lead Designer - Antonia, and Lead Writer - Steph. All the offices are empty, but Xavier can hear voices coming from the main work space. When he gets there, he sees that everyone is present and already hard at work. He says “good morning, everyone,” and everyone greets him back.

The work space is divided into four blocks, and each block is color coded; blue, green, red, and yellow. The floor and ceiling for each block is the corresponding color, as are the desks and chairs. Different shades of the color are thrown in to make the block less monotonous. Beyond the work space and to the left, is the cafeteria, which has a fully equipped kitchen and multiple tables. Xavier walks to each block, conversing with his team of developers as they show him what’s being worked on. Then, he walks to the cafeteria, makes coffee, sits, and is shortly joined by Carlos and four others.

Paul, a tall and muscular Latino man, sits to Xavier’s right. He says “hello, hello,” his energy and positivity coming through in just those two words. His hair is short and dark, and he’s wearing a yellow polo shirt and black jeans.

Alfonse, a heavy-set man with a serious case of resting bitch face, grabs a Red Bull from the fridge and sits next to Paul. “I hope this thing kicks in soon, ‘cuz I couldn’t sleep for shit last night,” he says in a tone that is soft and quite loud at the same time. He’s wearing a red and brown flannel shirt and blue jeans.

Steph, holding her venti from Starbucks, sits next to Alfonse. “You need to stop drinking that shit,” she tells him. “It’s gonna kill you.” There’s a weird grace to the way she speaks. Her words flow, like her long red hair, her loose pink blouse, and her long black skirt. She moves her chair as she tries to find a position that is both comfortable and gives her five month pregnant belly enough room.

Antonia takes a bottle of Snapple out of the fridge before sitting next to Steph. Her salt and pepper hair reaches down to her shoulders. She’s tall, dressed in Supreme from head to toe, and wears what is probably too many accessories for a single person. She smiles, but doesn’t say anything.

“Alright,” Xavier says. “Looks like we’re ready. This will probably be quick, it looks like everything is flowing smoothly.” He takes a long sip. “Did you all see the articles on IGN and Kotaku?”

“I didn’t,” Paul says. “I’ve been staying away from the internet lately. Trying to detox a little.”

“Me neither,” adds Steph. “All I’ve been doing with my free time is sleep.”

“I read it on my way here this morning,” says Alfonse. “Good stuff. I read most of the comments and people seem to be very excited.”

Carlos, still standing, says “yeah, I read them over the weekend. People are expecting something big for E3, so we have to make sure we deliver.”

“Did the original cast sign up to return yet?” asks Antonia.

“Yes!” Carlos says with excitement. “Now we’re just waiting for two of them, but I’m sure they’ll come back.”

“Great,” Antonia says.

“We’re actually working on the E3 demo already,” says Paul.

“Part one is going to be on PS Plus and Game Pass next month,” Xavier says. “So that should get us a few more new fans and really get the hype train going. Anyone have anything specific they want to bring up?” Everyone, excluding Antonia, says no.

“If you have a moment, I’d like to speak with you in private,” Antonia says.

“Of course. Meet in your office in 5?” Xavier stands.

“Perfect,” Antonia says. “Alright, Carlos, walks with me real quick. I want to start scheduling recording sessions.” Antonia stands, and she and Carlos walk toward the working area.

The group disperses, and Xavier returns to his office. He sits at his desk and opens a thick manuscript that rests next to his monitor. The cover says Eyes of Black II: The New World, and below that, Game Bible. He flips through the pages, looking at concept art and text, making notes as he goes. After a few minutes, he remembers to visit Antonia in her office.

Antonia’s office is kind of messy, but her desk is neatly organized. It’s populated by little Kaws dolls, Fingerlings, and various toys collected from McDonald’s Happy Meals. She’s sitting at her desk, going over a script. “Hey,” she says.

“Hey. What did you want to talk about?” Everything OK?”

“Everything’s great, actually. I have a date for my gender reassignment surgery. Next month on the 30th.”

“Wow. Oh my God, are you nervous?” He asks the question with both surprise and excitement.

“A little. But more excited than anything else. Happy that I finally get to finish the job. In just a month I’ll be a whole woman instead of a man with boobs.”

Xavier smiles and shakes his head at Antonia’s joke, then gets visibly emotional. He fights back the tears and says “I’m so happy for you.” Escalating noise from outside catches his attention, but doesn’t alarm him. “OMG, can I hug you?”

Antonia walks around her desk, arms open and ready for a hug. “Of course,” she says. The noise outside grows louder exponentially. As Antonia and Xavier hug, a few people run by the office. “What’s going on?” Antonia asks as she and Xavier come apart. The two walk out and see others running toward them and past them, to the elevators and stairs.

Carlos runs up to them. Now everyone’s phones are sounding alarms, similar to what plays when there’s a severe weather warning or an Amber alert. “What are you two waiting for?” Carlos asks. “Go!” He runs to the stairs.

Paul approaches them next. “There you are!” he says.

“What the fuck is happening?” Xavier asks, concerned.

“The world is ending,” Paul says, weirdly calm.

Antonia is confused. “What?”

“The world is ending. Giant rocks are falling from the sky. Earthquakes and tsunamis everywhere. China, Iran and Italy are gone. Australia is mostly underwater.” More people run past them.

“Oh my God,” Antonia whispers.

“We need to go,” Paul says. “Now.”

Antonia leads the way to the stairs, and the three join the stampede running down from the floors above. People are screaming, pushing each other. Antonia misses a step and almost falls, but Xavier manages to help her stay on her feet. Xavier then looks back, hoping to see Paul still behind him. He is, with his arms spread in hopes of protecting himself and his friends. Halfway up the flight of stairs, a woman falls, and the others trying to escape run over her.

Things are less hectic in the lobby, thanks to the ample space. Jenny is standing by the counter, urging people to stay calm. Xavier runs toward her, and the others follow.

“Jenny!” Xavier calls out. “What are you doing?”

“Xavier! Oh my God, this is insane!” She shakes her head and takes a couple of deep breaths. “I’m trying to keep things in order.”

“Are you insane?” Xavier asks. “Go home!”

“But -” she begins, but Antonia interrupts her.

“Fuck you job right now!” Antonia aggressively suggests. “You have to get to your daughter!”

Realization kicks in for Jenny. “Oh my God. You’re right!” She turns toward the door and begins to run.

“I’m going to catch up to her, guys,” Antonia says. “I’m only a couple of blocks away from her.” The men nod, and Antonia hugs them. “Be careful,” she says, and runs after Jenny.

“Let’s go!” Paul says. “My car is nearby. I can take you halfway.” Xavier nods and follows Pavel out of the building. They turn left and run about half a block to Paul’s car. It’s a white sporty SUV. They get in and Paul immediately presses the push to start button. Before Xavier manages to put the seatbelt on, Paul is already driving off, swerving as he tries to avoid crazed pedestrians.

They can feel the ground shake. Xavier reaches for his phone and tries to call Axel, but the calls don’t go through. “Fuck!” he says, letting frustration take over for a moment. His body swings left and right in response to Paul’s driving. “Looks like the lines are down.”

“Maybe,” says Paul. “Maybe they’re being overwhelmed.” A man runs across the street without looking. Paul breaks abruptly, almost launching himself and his passenger forward. The almost - run - over man raises his hands as if to say my bad and keeps running. A few others run across before Paul puts the pedal to the metal again.

Xavier flips through radio stations as Paul drives. A few of them play nothing but static, and the ones with actual reporting all say the same thing; the world is ending, basically. Only a handful of stations are playing the emergency broadcast sound.

“I’m surprised we didn’t run into a gridlock,” Paul says. He’s trying to stay calm, but he’s sweating, his left foot tapping by the brake pedal, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel.

“Yeah.” They’re silent for a moment. Xavier calls Axel again, but there’s no answer. “Hey, your exit’s coming up.”

“Yeah,” Paul says. “It looks like things are more congested up ahead, so it’s a good thing I exit here.”

“At least we got this far without issue. Best traffic in a long time and it happens when the world is ending.” The joke does nothing to lighten the mood. Paul pulls over right before the exit.

“I guess this is it.”

“Yeah. Good luck, man. Keep them safe.” They shake hands with a strong grip and nod.

“Go get your man. See you on the flip side.”

Xavier exits and begins to run immediately. Paul takes off and exits the parkway. Xavier runs past cars in the more congested area, some of which have been abandoned. Anywhere between dozens and hundreds of cars honk at each other, creating a demonic cacophony that pierces the ears. Xavier thinks two things as he zig-zags through the cars. One, I hope there is a flip side, and two, Axel.

ONE YEAR AND EIGHT MONTHS AGO

“The end of the harvest.”

CHAPTER 10: HALLOWEEN

One of the many things that Axel and Xavier have in common is their favorite holiday. “Some people don’t consider it a holiday, but it’s the best one,” they would say. It’s certainly the most fun, whether you’re a child in costume collecting candy, or a costumed adult with a drink in each hand. The couple has hosted a Halloween party together every October since they found each other. This year’s is the best and biggest one.

Their costumes always require a lot of planning and putting pieces together, most of which is handled by Xavier. Axel handles the decorations and comes up with the party’s signature cocktails, of which there’s always two.

Steampunk is the first thing Xavier thought of when thinking of the theme for the couple’s costumes, about five months before Halloween. But also, wizards. Then the shopping began. Boots for both, with more buckles than boots should ever have for usefulness. Trench coats and Victorian era looking shirts. A monocle for one, goggles for the other, stop-watches for both. And of course, toy guns. For the wizard aspect, Xavier used USB powered lights to create their magical items, powered by portable power packs. He created a staff using a ring light, and a magical orb using a moon lamp. All put together, the costumes create a striking look, especially in the fully decorated venue and fog.

Axel went for an abandoned warehouse look, with plastic bags covering much of the area, accented by spider webs and netting. Skulls peek from small spaces, body parts stick out of some crevices, and blood splatter adorns much of the floor. There are even a few spots where blood is dripping from the ceiling. No one would know they’re in a garage if they were brought in blind-folded. A giant dispenser on the drink table is full of blue liquid and has a sticker that reads Adios Mother Fucker. Next to it, there’s another with an orange-y liquid and a sticker that reads Chemistry Experiment (Drink at Your Own Risk). Four fog machines add mist to the entire space.

The party is always scheduled to start at 8 PM, but doesn’t really get started until around 10. Friends and family arrive, mostly costumed, all with bottles in hand to add to the drink table. Some bring hookah, and others bring more food, struggling to find a place for it next to the two different colored trays of rice, lasagna, pernil, chicken, pasta salad, shrimp ceviche, empanadas and potato salad. Everyone brings with them smiles and high, positive energy.

As usual, the party is a huge success. And as usual, Axel and Xavier have the coolest costumes, though they’re exempt from winning the best costume prize and the bottle of booze that goes with it. Laughter, dancing, drinking and party games. Everyone is having a great time. Then, at midnight, the music stops.

Xavier walks to the middle of the garage and asks for everyone’s attention. He brings with him a chair and stands on it, microphone in hand. When everyone quiets down, he signals for Axel to walk over, and begins his speech.

“I want to start by thanking everyone for coming. You guys know it’s mine and Axel’s favorite holiday, and the one we most look forward to celebrating every year. We could celebrate it alone, but it’s definitely better with all of you.” Axel is next to him now, sipping on some Adios Mother Fucker and nibbling on a cheese empanada. “Voting for best costume is now open, so cast your ballot at the food table. We’ll tally up at 1 AM and the winner will take home that delicious bottle of Champagne…” He rests for a moment, thinking and rubbing his hands together.

“Now, a lot of people think that Halloween is just a random holiday invented for dressing up and eating candy, but there’s a lot more to it. It’s about honoring the memory of the dead, which is cool and all but it’s also about celebrating the end of the harvest season. And harvesting is the result of planting something, caring for it, and helping it grow. Kind of like a relationship.” He can see people’s expressions as they wonder where he’s going with this.

“You start off small, then you work together, and build something meaningful. So, what better time than now…” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small pumpkin-shaped box. People begin to cheer and whistle as he jumps down from the chair and kneels. He opens the box and presents it to Axel, a small but beautiful diamond ring glinting in the middle of it. Axel squeezes his red solo cup and drops what’s left of his empanada. “Will you marry me?”

FIVE YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS AGO

“You have to meet him!”

CHAPTER 11: FRIEND

In a small office, Axel sits at a desk with an organized mess on it. A heavy set woman stands next to him, waiting for him to get off the phone. They’re both wearing red polo shirts, black aprons, and each has a name tag that reads Supervisor. Below Supervisor, it shows their name, and hers is Liza.

“Alright, got you,” says Axel. “Thanks, Julio.” He hangs up and stands, shaking his head.

“What did he say?”, Eliza asks. Her tone says that she more or less knows the answer to her question.

“Literally the same thing he said in the group chat. He always does this. It’s so annoying.”

“I know!” She sits on the now vacant chair. “Alright, let me just count out so I can get out of here.”

“OK. I’ll be out on the floor.” The woman nods in agreement. Axel makes his way out of the office, through the kitchen, and on to the restaurant floor. The place is packed, but things are in order. The restaurant space is large, with white walls, gray floor tiles, and red decor. There are round and square tables with red table tops, and the chairs are black with red cushions. Instead of walls, there are ceiling to floor windows with street side and wooded park views. Axel walks around, checking in with customers to make sure they’re satisfied.

One of the corner tables, right next to the glass wall, is occupied by a man and woman. Their table is full with a sample platter, pasta dishes, and cocktails. “Hello guys, everything good over here?” Axel asks with a smile and contagious energy.

“Everything is great,” the man says.

“Yes, thank you,” the woman adds.

“Is there anything you guys need while I’m here?” His phone vibrates, but he doesn’t check it yet.

“No, I’m fine,” the woman says. “Thank you.”

“I’ll have another mango mojito, please,” says the man.

“Alright, I’ll get that for you right away.” As he begins his walk to the bar, Axel checks his phone. The message is from Liza, and it says done counting, come count in. He types and sends coming, and reaches the bar.

The bartender approaches him. “What’s up, boss?” he asks.

“The gentleman at table 27 wants a mango mojito. Can you send that over to him?”

“Yup, right away.” The bartender immediately begins work on the cocktail as Axel makes his way back to the office.

Liza is standing by the desk with a heavy sweater on and an unlit cigarette hanging from her lips. “OK, honey, I’m getting out of here. What we doin’ tonight?”

“The same thing we do every night, Liza,” he says as he sits. “Try to drink as much as we can without passing out.”

“Y luego me dices alcoholica.” And then you say I’m an alcoholic.

“You denying it?” he asks, now counting the cash.

“Nope, never! See you tonight!” She happily makes her way out, almost dancing in the way she walks.

“Bye,” he says, extending the e in bye for about five seconds. After his count-in, Axel returns to the restaurant floor. Once again, he begins his quality check, making sure that patrons are satisfied. One table in particular, occupied by two women, catches his eyes. He approaches. “Paula?” he asks, even though he knows it’s her.

Paula looks at him, confused at first, then happily surprised. “Axel? Oh my God!” She almost jumps to her feet to hug him. “How long has it been?”

“I think I haven’t seen you in person since graduation,” he responds. “How are you?”

“I'm good.” She sits back down. “Same old, you know?” She points at her companion. “This is my best friend Kate. Kate, this is Axel. A friend from high school.”

Kate smiles and says “hi Axel.”

“Hi, nice to meet you,” he responds.

“So, what’s up with you?” asks Paula. “I didn't know you work here.”

“Yeah, I’ve been here for almost a year. But I’m partnering up with some people to open up my own restaurant in a year or two, and I’m almost done getting my business degree.”

“What? That’s awesome! Oh my God, you’re hard working, smart, and cute as hell. You must be driving all the girls crazy.” Paula’s excitement for him is genuine.

“Seriously, you’re cute and your eyes are beautiful,” Kate says. “I’m single, in case you’re looking!”

Axel laughs, trying his best not to blush, and failing miserably. “Thank you,” he says. “But no, I don’t drive girls crazy. Guys are another story, though.”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Paula asks as she tries to work out the math in her head.

“We play for the same team,” he answers.

“Wait, what?” She wants to make sure she’s hearing what she thinks she’s hearing.

“He’s saying he’s gay, Paula,” Kate clears it up for her.

“No way!” She’s excited. “Oh my God, this is perfect!”

Axel laughs. “What is, exactly?”

“Are you single? Please tell me you’re single.” The smile on Paula’s face goes from ear to ear.

“I am, actually. Very recently.”

“I know the perfect guy for you!”

Axel chuckles. “ Well, I don’t know if I’m ready yet. It’s literally just been a couple of weeks…”

“No, you don’t understand,” Paula insists. “You’re perfect for each other.”

“Oh lord,” Kate interjects. “Yeah, now you don’t have a choice,” she tells Axel. “She won’t quit.”

“So he’s been single for a few months now. You’re just his type.”

“Well -” Axel starts, but Paula interrupts him.

“This was meant to be. Think about it. It’s too big a coincidence!” She slaps the top of the table at the end of each sentence. Some of the other patrons look, worried that there might be an altercation. When they realize that Paula is just very excited and happy, they return to their business.

“Alright, Paula, calm down.” Kate’s a little embarrassed. She stands and faces Axel, holding his forearm to hold his attention. “She won’t stop until you agree. So just give her your number and we’ll take it from there. Won’t hurt you guys to just meet. I promise you, our friend doesn’t bite.”

“OK, fine,” Axel finally agrees. “But don’t expect this to go anywhere. I really think it’s too soon for something serious.” Kate sits back down.

Paula grins as Axel tells her his cell phone number. She types it into her phone and texts him. “Alright, I text you. Save mine, too.”

“Got it,” Axel says. “So, ladies, what will you be drinking today? First round is on the house.”

ELEVEN MONTHS AGO

“Meet me halfway.”

CHAPTER 12: HOME

On a sunny morning with a clear blue sky, Axel and Xavier walk through a lush green park that is the size of a New York City block. The grass is cut evenly, and the trees are perfectly spaced. Cobblestone paths divide that park’s sections. One corner has a playground, and the corner opposite that one is a designated dog park. The other two corners, opposite each other, are bus stops. The middle of the park has a large water fountain surrounded by benches. There are more benches where the park meets the sidewalk. The couple sits on the middle bench on the South side.

They look ahead and up at the beautiful blue-gray building directly across the street and hold each other’s hands. “Can you believe we’ll be living here in just a couple of months?” Xavier asks. “Our home. Together.” He looks at Axel and smiles.

“I can’t wait.” Axel says. “The building’s beautiful, the apartment’s beautiful. And to think that this park is going to be our view when we look out the windows.”

“I can’t wait to see what you do with the place”

Axel looks at Xavier and smiles. “I can’t wait to see what we do in that place.” They look each other in the eye and quickly kiss each other’s lips.

“I still can’t believe we got so lucky,” says Xavier. “The location literally could not be any more perfect.”

“I know. Exactly halfway between both of our jobs. We have no reason not to keep our promise, ever.”

“Yup. I’ll meet you halfway, always, in everything. And I know that you will, too… Meet me halfway.”

“I will.” His eyes water, and his vision gets blurry.”

“What’s wrong, babe?”

“Nothing,” Axel says, his voice getting raspy. “Allergies, I guess?” He scrubs his eyes with his hands.

Xavier laughs. “What do you mean? I’m the one with the allergies.” He looks at his soon to be husband for a moment. “I love you, babe”. His vision gets a little blurry, too, and he rubs them with his hands. Allergies.

An old couple, a man and woman, walks past them, led by a happy Yorkie. “That’ll be us in a few years,” says Axel.

“You plan on getting a sex change and aging at a ridiculously rapid rate?”

Axel laughs. “You know what I mean. Smart-ass.” They’re both quiet for a moment, looking ahead. “So this is home. I guess that makes this our park.”

“Yup,” Xavier agrees. “And more importantly, this is our bench.”

“You’re right,” Axel says with a mischievous smile. He pulls out his keys and turns to face the bench’s back-rest.

“What are you doing?” asks Xavier.

“Marking our territory,” Axel responds as he proceeds to scratch letters into the bench. A + X. “There.”

“Yup, definitely ours now! You’re something else, babe.”

“Uh-huh. Alright, let’s get out of here. I’m starving and in serious need of coffee.”

“Alright,” Xavier says. The two stand and continue to chat as they make their way across the park.

TODAY

“I love you.”

CHAPTER 13: END

Xavier and Axel lay face up on the floor, breathing hard, regaining the energy they lost from their hysterical laughter. The light coming through the windows is a dusty sepia. Everything shakes in changing intervals, each shake harder than the last. The shakes are preceded by sounds of crashes and explosions. The men can both feel it; the end is near.

They face each other, fingers interlocking. They both want to speak, but Axel lets Xavier go first. “I’m so glad that I let you walk into my life.” Tears are flowing out of all four eyes now. “Agreeing to meet you was the best decision I ever made. I still remember seeing you walking down those stairs. Every step you took was a stamp in my heart.”

“I feel the same way.” Axel tries his best to not break down as he says it. The ground shakes as he speaks, adding to the breaks in his words. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I’m sad that we won’t get to grow old together and have a family. But I’m glad that we’re here together now.”

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, and no one else I’d rather be with.” They squeeze hands tighter. “Thank you for getting here.”

“Of course. It was a promise. Just like we always said we would, we met halfway.”

“Halfway, at the end.” They stare at each other in silence for a moment, then kiss passionately. Xavier whispers into Axel’s ear. “I love you.”

Axel whispers back. “I love you.” The cataclysmic sounds outside, and the shaking, are no non-stop. “I think this is it,” he says, finally allowing himself to break down completely.

“I think so, too.” He joins his husband in his broken state. They cry and sob, facing each other, squeezing their hands so hard it hurts. “Just look at me, babe. It’s me and you.”

“I love you,” Axel says again. Xavier says it back. They bring their lips together as they both keep saying it. They get lost in each other’s eyes, their lips brushing against each other, as they say “I love you” for the rest of their lives.

The world collapses around them.

Axel’s breath is the last thing that Xavier smells.

Xavier’s lips are the last thing that Axel tastes.

Axel’s hand is the last thing that Xavier feels.

Xavier’s eyes are the last thing that Axel sees.

Each other’s voice saying “I love you” is the last thing each man hears.

And after that, nothing.