Reckoning

Axel overheard Max’s words as he was rounding the corner into the library. His body immediately tensed upon hearing Celeste’s name, and he hastened his steps to see what Max was up to this time.

It had been a full week since the Celeste-bomb had been dropped on him, and he had kept himself busy, studiously ignoring the questions and looks from his fellow knights. But knowing Celeste was just down the road, staying with Dawn in her rented beach house, was a real strain on his nerves. Not to mention his sleep. He had hardly slept all week, and when he did, he was the victim of dreams. Each time he closed his eyes, he was bombarded with images of Celeste, the way she had been and the way she was now.

After they reached maturity, wardens and paladins aged incredibly slowly, and although Celeste had looked much the same, Axel had still noted several differences. Her once long caramel and honey tresses had been cut short to bounce around her face, which appeared softer and rounder than he remembered. Her eyes were the same dark blue – almost like denim – but they held a shrewdness that had been missing in the past. Her body also seemed to have matured and looked to be curvier than the very slender woman he had once shared his bed with. Changes were inevitable he supposed, but they didn’t alter one thing for him. Unfortunately, Celeste was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. His mind and heart wanted nothing to do with her, but his body? Seems his body was still on Team Celeste, because he woke every morning with a raging hard-on.

Scrubbing his hands roughly over his face, he saw that his liege was just hanging up her phone as he walked through the doorway. Max looked up and smiled at him, and Axel felt an answering grin tug at his lips. It was impossible not to when Max looked at you like that. His Heraldry started to get jiggy, too, the dark flames leaping and dancing on his skin around Max’s druidic symbol for fire.

“Axel! Hi! How are you this morning?” Max asked, bouncing up from where she had been sitting cross-legged in the recliner.

Axel opened his arms a split second before Max flung herself into them, each of them hugging the life out of the other. Axel grinned as he rested his chin on the top of Max’s head. He was so happy to have this back – to have the old Max back. Although he had been beyond grateful to have Max in any shape or form when she had first returned to them, it had been hard to curb his natural inclination to touch her whenever he wanted. He had never felt anything remotely sexual for his unique liege, despite her outrageous beauty.

Yes, he loved to flirt with her – although, that was largely to get a rise out of Ryker. Or Darius – who was always so scandalised by Axel’s commentary. But he was a naturally affectionate guy, and casual touches of friendship, fondness and warmth were important to him. Diana, having learned the art of head-shrinking as well as holding a natural affinity for it due to her domain affiliation, had once told him his need for touch was a form of reassurance which had been deprived from him during childhood. Axel had laughed it away, but he was pretty sure Diana was correct.