AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, I would just like to explain I had never intended to write this! But as I was trying to write the second chapter of my new story, which I hate the more and more I think about it...I may delete that. I somehow messed up my original idea there. But, anyway, back to this story...this is my first ever story from Ax's POV. It struck me during the day and refused to go bye-bye. Anyone notice how there are extremely few M/A fics in Ax's view? I hope I got him somewhat in character. He came out surprisingly bitter to me...I also expanded on the ending a bit in this chapter.

To explain Marco's actions in the previous chapter: Well, that kiss was like a wake up call. And he wasn't ready to deal with it. By the time he was, as you see here, it was too late. Well, enjoy! I hope this is of the same caliber of the previous chapter!

Ax paced around his new scoop. Well, Ax thought to himself, it wasn't exactly a scoop. But it was his home. A cheap apartment in the city with some scattered furniture, a bathroom and kitchen. He had left the homeworld for good now. Years of growing irritation with his people that had been brewing since he first arrived on Earth had finally taken their toll, and he had left.

He'd have to demorph soon...Ax had found himself spending more and more time in his human morph lately, not that he would ever become a nothlit. For a moment, he'd contemplated it...but he couldn't. He just could not do that. So Ax headed to the bathroom to demorph, which was a habit he'd picked up over the years.

As he made his way there he stepped on something. A tabloid he'd picked up a few days ago. The tabloid was full of an obscene amount of rumors about the other Animorphs. Particularly Marco's love life, and reports on how close Cassie and her fiancé Ronnie were coming to their "imminent" breakup. Most of the tabloids Ax had seen were like this...kind of sad to know he'd received such little press.

Of course, if it leaked out to the press that he'd left the homeworld...then there was that other thing.

The tabloids would have the time of their lives if they ever figured out that the "alien" was into guys.

Ax sighed and threw the magazine on top the TV. He didn't really feel like looking at it anymore.

In the span of a few minutes, Ax had demorphed and retired for the night, sometime near 12:30

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Ax ended up sleeping for a shorter time than he had desired. Something, or someone, was furiously banging on his door. He had to wonder what kind of person would be here on a cold night at some time very early in the morning. Whoever they were had to be lacking some common sense, that was for certain.

"DAMN IT, AX! WAKE UP!" Shouted the source of the banging. Of course. Marco would be the only person here at this time of the day. In his just above comatose state, Ax miraculously realized that he probably should open the door and let his mildly eccentric and now obviously crazy friend inside. So he opened the door.

Marco? the Andalite asked What are you doing here?

"Um...I'm not sure anymore." Marco muttered in reply. Against better judgment, Ax still let him in, briefly noticing it look like he'd been drinking. With the very public knowledge that Marco apparently changed girlfriends almost every week, Ax had a feeling he knew exactly why. Wonderful.br

"So, um...how've you been doing?" Marco asked, sounding oddly nervous. Which came as a small surprise to Ax. There was no real reason for him to feel that way -- well, not counting the pure stupidity of his recent actions.

I have been doing...okay. Ax answered, looking around the apartment and feeling embarrassed and irritated. Embarrassed and irritated at himself for his very poor housekeeping skills.

"Yeah, me too...I guess..." Marco mumbled.

No you haven't. Ax snapped back before even thinking about it. Marco looked surprised by Ax's reaction.

"What makes you think that, Ax-man?" Marco asked. Ax almost wanted to slice Marco up, honestly. He wouldn't.

The temptation was very strong, though. Waking me up at 3:45 in the morning is not normal behavior for you.

Marco sighed and sat himself on the couch. "You're right. It isn't." He whispered so softly that Ax almost missed it.

Ax felt suddenly concerned for Marco. It wasn't like him to be this depressed over a girl he had only spent a few months with.

So what is your problem, Marco? Ax asked, casting his friend a mildly worried glance.

"She dumped me." Marco said, laughing. "Candice dumped me. Girl number..." Marco frowned, racking his brain for the number that he seemed to not know.

Candice Reese. Girl Number 23. Ax immediately replied, recalling the number from when he'd leafed through that tabloid after buying it. He found that Marco was gaping at him. "Wow, you've been keeping track?"

Ax had to fight the urge to laugh. Even though he had been developing a curiosity in Marco's unending list of ladies, he hadn't honestly tried to keep track of them. He relied on tabloids for that.

He picked up the magazine from on top of the TV, flipped the pages to the article about Marco and threw it to the Casanova lounging on his couch. Marco caught it and scanned the list included, a look of disappointment appearing on his face. "Geez." he commented, and looked over the article on more time.

"This is very pathetic, even for me." Marco stated, a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

Against good judgment, Ax found himself voicing his opinion. I have to admit it is odd that you haven't been able to keep a relationship with any of them. Marco laughed and put down the magazine. "You're telling me."

Relived that Marco had cheered up somewhat, Ax smiled. He gathered up some clothes and headed to the bathroom. Nothing better to do until Marco decided to leave...might as well watch some TV. So he morphed and picked up the remote that had somehow ended up next to the sink. Ax really had no idea how that happened.

He emerged from the bathroom and pulled over a once white tank top over his head, noticing a flash of amusement in Marco's eyes as he saw the remote.

"I was thinking we could watch some television. Vision. Siion..." Ax explained. Marco shrugged.

"Your house. I could always go back home if you want to sleep, you know." Marco suggested without subtlety.

Ax didn't say anything, finding himself mildly shocked that he actually wanted Marco to stay.

He tossed him the remote control. "I'm not tired." Ax said, heading into the kitchen to get something to snack on.

The morphed Andalite entered the kitchen and began to search around, a million thoughts going through his mind. He had to have put that popcorn in here somewhere. It was impossible that it had grown legs and walked away, unless the Ellimist or Crayak had gotten extremely bored, and Ax somehow doubted that.

He wasn't entirely focused on finding the popcorn as it was. There was something else starting to distract him.

Why was he so concerned about Marco all of the sudden? It hadn't only been for this one night, either. It had been three months exactly since he'd last seen Marco in flesh, ever since he had begun dating Candice. Ever since then Ax had found himself constantly checking magazines and tabloids for news on the two of them, perhaps hoping in the back of his mind that they would break up soon. Or at the very least, not always together.

Ax really hadn't acknowledged it until tonight. He'd actually been jealous of Candice! Then what did that mean?

It took perhaps two seconds for him to figure it out. He had a crush on Marco.

This was not good.

To add another shock, Ax somehow found the popcorn right above him.

In about ten minutes, after nearly burning himself because he was still thinking over his recent revelation, Ax had miraculously managed to make popcorn. So he poured some drinks and decided to leave them in the kitchen for the moment, at least until he got the popcorn bowl out of his arms.

"Drinks are in the kitchen. Chen!" Ax announced as he came back into the living room. Marco chuckled and shook his head. Ax didn't say anything as he placed he sat on the couch and placed the popcorn bowl between himself and Marco.

They ended up watching cartoons for a bit more than an hour until Marco fell into a deep sleep, his head somehow landing in the empty popcorn bowl. Ax picked up the bowl, retrieved a blanket for Marco, and decided to see if he could get any sleep himself.

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Ax nearly dropped the box of doughnuts as he maneuvered his way into the apartment. Marco leapt up, obviously awake. "I brought some breakfast." Ax said, hoping to get that panicked look out of Marco's eyes. He must have scared him by accident. Then Marco's face burned bright red.

And as much as he shouldn't have been noticing it, Ax had to admit it was cute in an odd way. Of course, Ax reasoned that he probably was just blushing because he was caught off guard. No other reason, like if Ax had been Candice or some other girl. The thought was somewhat depressing.

"I just, um, thought you might be someone else..." Marco muttered, his face turning an even brighter shade.

"Candice?" Ax asked with a slight bitter tone as he felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Marco shook his head. "No...just, uh, forget it..." He mumbled. So Ax forced himself to, and headed to the kitchen. Marco was trailing along behind him. Ax placed the box on the counter and proceeded to get himself a doughnut.

He noticed that Marco hadn't moved ever since they got into the kitchen, but he dismissed the thought.

It didn't really matter.

"Hey, Ax." Marco said suddenly, causing Ax to look up at him in spite of himself. "What-tuh?" Ax asked.

Marco blushed again, and gulped. "Um, thanks..." he muttered. "Thanks for every..."

Maybe it was caused by his pent-up feelings getting to him, Ax thought. Or perhaps Marco was still a bit drunk. There was the small possibility that they were both sober and acting on a mutual attraction, but Ax was almost afraid to admit that was possible. Afraid to deal with it if that was really the real reason this was happening.

Afraid that was the reason that by some twist of fate, he was kissing Marco. Who did not seem to mind at all.

Until Marco suddenly froze up, pushed himself away and ran out the door.

It took a few minutes for it all to sink in. Ax had been prepared to run outside and at least try to talk to Marco, but...

If he had been back on the homeworld, there would be no way that this would have ever been accepted. It was bad enough that his people had never really accepted Elfangor and Loren's relationship, but this...it had been one of the things that had led to his dissatisfaction with his own people. That kind of prejudiced and stupid narrow-minded thinking. Knowing in his gut that even if he had been with one of his own species, the fact that they were the same gender would have meant intense shame to his whole family. Possibly even more than his brother had caused. He was used to using the lie that he had been staring at some beautiful Andalite girl to cover up the truth.

Not that he'd really found anything wrong with any of them. Truthfully, he would've been with one of the girls if he had to...they were easier to take than the males at times. Not as stupid in most cases. Narrow-minded thinking...

Yet, as Ax felt a deep sort of sickness wash over him from deep within...perhaps they were right. He could live with and marry a nice female that his parents could be proud of, couldn't he? Even if he was never genuinely attracted to her, he would be able to manage. It wouldn't be a cause of unending shame to his family at all.

It also, Ax thought as he began to gather up some clothes and food just in case, wouldn't hurt as badly. It couldn't.

Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill made up his mind. He dumped the box of doughnuts into the trash and stored his clothes and small food supply into the box and stormed out of his apartment without looking back.

He never even saw Marco speeding back.