#Daniel LaRusso | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

zoofzoofxx · 3 days ago

Text

—The art of eye contact—

Pairings ; Axel Kovačević x f!reader

Summary ; Following the incident during the semi-finals, you prepared to leave Barcelona. Before your departure, you chose to check in on Axel to assess his emotional well-being and offer a final farewell, fully aware of the slim likelihood of crossing paths again in the future.

Content Warning ; This story includes mentions of the death of a loved one and self-critical thoughts. If you find this content distressing or difficult to handle, it is advised to stop reading the story. Reader discretion is advised.

Genre ; angst

Pt.5 (last part not incl. epilogue)

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I could hear the muffled sounds of Sam talking on the balcony with her mom, her voice trembling as she argued, almost on the verge of tears. I lay curled up in my blanket, my mind spiraling as I replayed everything that had happened the day before—the accident with Kwon. Even after the incident, a part of me clung to hope that somehow, a miracle would save him. But that hope was shattered when Mr. LaRusso came to our room, his expression grave, to tell Sam and me that Kwon hadn't made it and that we'd be leaving tomorrow night.

I couldn't close my eyes, haunted by the memories of every interaction I'd had with him, especially the moment on the beach. The guilt was overwhelming, gnawing at me with every passing second. I couldn't forgive myself, no matter how hard I tried to rationalize it. My thoughts drifted to Axel, wondering how he was coping with everything. Mr. LaRusso had mentioned that the Iron Dragons would be staying longer because Axel was the primary suspect in the incident. But I had seen it unfold right in front of my eyes. I knew Axel had only been trying to defend himself.

Sam returned to the room, and we didn't speak. There was an unspoken understanding between us that silence was what we both needed in that moment. I glanced up to see Sam beginning to pack, her movements mechanical, as if she were going through the motions without really thinking about it. I knew then what I had to do. I had to go check on Axel, see how he was doing. Maybe we could talk, or perhaps just sit together in silence, offering each other comfort without needing words.

I stood up, still wearing the messy clothes and braids from yesterday's events. I grabbed my slippers and quietly walked out of the room. The hall was quieter now, with people already leaving, their luggage in tow. I sighed as I gazed out the window. The weather mirrored the heaviness in the air—gray and overcast, as though it was on the verge of raining at any moment.

I found myself standing in front of Axel's door, glancing around as the last two people exited the building and headed toward the elevator. With a deep breath, I knocked softly on the door.

'Axel, it's me, Y/n,' I called out, hoping for a response. But all I received in return was silence. I hesitated for a moment, then decided to try again.

To my surprise, I didn't have to wait long. Axel opened the door, his eyes looking like he hadn't slept in ages—tired and lost. He was wearing a white shirt and black sweatpants. With a deep sigh, he didn't say a word but simply pulled me into a tight hug. We stood there in the doorway, wrapped in each other's arms, for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, I heard him mumble softly, 'You don't know how bad I wanted to see you, hug you...'

I tightened my grip around him, holding him close as if I could somehow comfort him, even if just for a moment.

We stood there, holding each other, the silence between us heavy but strangely comforting. The weight of the past few days seemed to fade in that quiet embrace. I could feel his breath, shaky and uneven, as if he were trying to keep his emotions in check.

Finally, I pulled back just slightly, enough to look into his eyes. His expression was distant, haunted, as if he was lost in thought, struggling with whatever was going on inside.

'Are you okay?' I whispered, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead. He didn't immediately answer, and the silence stretched on, but I didn't push.

He let out a shaky breath, shaking his head slightly. 'I don't know anymore,' he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. 'I never thought something like this could happen. I thought... I thought I could control everything, but now...'

He trailed off, his words hanging in the air, heavy with the weight of guilt and confusion. I didn't know what to say. It was hard to know how to respond, knowing that no words could truly fix what had happened. But I didn't want him to feel like he had to carry all of it alone.

'You don't have to do this by yourself, Axel,' I said softly, taking his hand. 'I'm here, okay? Whatever you need, I'm here.'

He squeezed my hand in return, his grip still shaky, but there was a hint of relief in his touch. For a moment, he seemed to gather his thoughts, his eyes flickering with something unspoken, like he was debating whether to let more of his emotions slip free.

'I keep thinking about it,' he said, his voice barely above a whisper. 'The accident. The way everything just... spiraled. I should have known better. I should've done something different.' His voice cracked, and I could hear the weight of the guilt in his words.

I gently placed my other hand on his cheek, urging him to look at me. When his eyes met mine, they were full of so many emotions—fear, regret, sadness—and I could feel his heart breaking in that moment.

'Axel, you can't carry this on your own,' I said, my voice steady despite the emotions welling up inside me. 'What happened wasn't your fault. You tried to help. You tried to protect everyone. And sometimes... things just happen. There's no way to control everything. But you didn't cause this.'

His eyes softened, just a little, as though he was holding on to my words, letting them sink in. He let out another long breath, this time quieter, like he was trying to release some of the tension that had built up in his chest.

'I don't know how to fix this,' he admitted, his voice barely audible, the words heavy with vulnerability. 'I don't know how to fix me.'

I gently wiped away a stray tear from his cheek, a tear I hadn't noticed before. 'You don't need to fix yourself, Axel,' I said softly. 'You're not broken. You're hurting, and that's okay. But you'll heal. You just need time. And you need to let yourself feel what you're feeling, not bottle it all up.'

Axel closed his eyes for a moment, nodding slowly. His breath was shaky again, but it seemed a little less tense now, a little more at ease with the comfort I was offering. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around me once more, pulling me close.

We stood there for a moment longer, wrapped in the quiet embrace, and then Axel gently pulled away, his arms still lingering around my waist for a second before he let go. I could see the storm behind his eyes—the swirling thoughts that wouldn't let him rest, the self-doubt that seemed to weigh him down more than anything else. His gaze shifted to the ground, his brow furrowing as if he were wrestling with an internal battle.

Without a word, he motioned for me to follow him into his room. As we walked through the door, I noticed the small, familiar clutter of his belongings scattered around, but the atmosphere felt heavy, like the walls themselves were suffocating under the weight of his thoughts. Axel sat down on the edge of his bed, his posture slouched as if the exhaustion of the past few days was catching up to him.

I took a seat beside him, not saying anything, just letting the silence settle between us for a moment. I knew he needed space to process everything, but I also knew he wasn't ready to be alone with his thoughts—those were the kind of thoughts that could easily spiral.

Axel ran his hand through his hair, his fingers trembling slightly. 'I keep thinking... what if I had done something differently?' he murmured, his voice barely audible. 'What if I hadn't been so focused on... everything? What if I could have stopped it before it happened? Maybe it would have been different.'

I could hear the self-recrimination in his voice, the endless loop of "what ifs" that he was trapped in. It was heartbreaking to watch, knowing how much he was beating himself up over something he couldn't have predicted or prevented. I wanted to say something, to make him see that there was no way he could have known, that it wasn't his fault, but the words caught in my throat. Sometimes, no matter how much you care for someone, there are just no easy words to make the pain go away.

Instead, I simply placed a hand on his shoulder, a silent gesture of comfort, trying to remind him that he wasn't alone in this.

'Axel,' I said softly, my voice steady but full of the emotions I was trying to hide. 'You can't keep torturing yourself over this. You're not responsible for what happened. You were just trying to help. There's nothing more you could have done.'

He didn't respond right away. His gaze was still on the floor, and I could see the deep conflict within him. He was angry, frustrated, and sad all at once. But above all, he was lost.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, Axel spoke again, his voice quieter this time, almost as if he were talking to himself more than to me. 'I keep wondering... if I'll ever be the same again. If I can ever forgive myself for what happened. I don't know how to move past this.'

'You don't have to have all the answers right now,' I said gently. 'Healing takes time. You don't need to fix everything today. You just need to be kind to yourself. This isn't your fault.'

He let out a deep breath, his body still tense as if holding onto everything he couldn't say. Then, he turned his head to meet my eyes, and for the first time in a while, I saw something other than guilt and self-doubt—he looked vulnerable, uncertain, but he seemed to accept the weight of the moment.

'Y/n,' he started, his voice breaking slightly, 'I don't think I'll ever be able to make it right. And I think... I think it's better if we just go our separate ways now. It's just too much. I don't know how to be around you when I know I can't fix things.'

The words hit me harder than I expected. I knew it was coming. In the back of my mind, I had been preparing for this, but hearing him say it aloud felt like a finality I wasn't ready for. I had hoped, foolishly perhaps, that somehow this would pass, that we could move forward together. But reality was setting in.

I nodded slowly, my throat tightening. 'I understand, Axel. I really do.'

There was a pause, and then he gave a small, sad smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. 'I'm sorry, Y/n. I never wanted to hurt you. But... I think this is the only way.'

I wanted to say so many things—things that might have made it better, that might have made him see that we didn't have to say goodbye. But the truth was, we both needed space. Time to heal.

'I'm sorry too,' I whispered, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall. 'I never wanted things to end like this. But maybe... maybe it's better this way. We both need to move on, even if it's hard.'

He nodded, his eyes wet with the same unshed tears. 'Take care of yourself, Y/n,' he said quietly. 'And... thank you. For everything.'

I stood up slowly, my heart heavy in my chest, and walked toward the door. Axel didn't follow me, but I could feel the weight of his gaze on my back as I reached for the handle. Before I could leave, I turned to look at him one last time.

'Goodbye, Axel,' I said, my voice thick with emotion. 'I hope you find peace.'

He gave me one last nod, his eyes filled with gratitude and sorrow. 'Goodbye, Y/n. Take care.'

With that, I stepped out of his room, the door clicking softly behind me. As I walked down the hallway, I could feel the finality of the moment settling in. This was it. Our paths were no longer aligned. And while I knew this was the right choice for both of us, it didn't make it any easier.

We had shared something meaningful, something beautiful, but some stories, no matter how much they hurt, were meant to end .

¡Important!

Author’s Note: Hi everyone, I want to sincerely apologize for the long wait and for not uploading anything. The exams turned out to be harder than I expected, and unfortunately, I didn’t pass two of them. But, I want to let you all know that I plan to write and post a really long epilogue within the next 7 days or so. I hope you’ve enjoyed the story so far, and I truly appreciate your patience. I know the ending may have left some of you feeling emotional, but please remember, there’s still the epilogue to look forward to. So, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to tie up the loose ends. Thanks again for all your support, and I promise the epilogue will be worth the wait!

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