And there it is. And it hangs in the air, born of Axel's tongue and pain and is presented to the world with anger but quickly turns a ghostly shade of pale - woven together with gossamer threads. Like heart strings. Their heart strings.

Boyfriend.

And Tom is dumbstruck for a moment. It makes him want to recoil and run. He's not anyone's boyfriend. But this moment-

This end, this fight, that word they created it together.

And he froze, searching for the right response and knowing- knowing this was it.

"Ax..I."

Boyfriends, was that what they were? Dirty unnatural faggots. Impossible.

"I'm not your boyfriend.."