Damian and Axel

Monday morning came quicker than Damian expected. The weekend with Axel had been an oasis of calm, where everything seemed to flow with a naturalness he had never experienced before. But now, back in the city, the problems and decisions he had been putting off were about to demand his attention.

The first sign that things weren't going to be easy came early, when he received a text from his best friend, Julian. "Can we talk?" was all the text said. Damian knew immediately that Julian had heard something about his breakup with Emma or, worse yet, about Axel. His heart skipped a beat. He knew he had to tell him the truth, but he wasn't sure how his lifelong friend would receive it.

He decided not to leave it any longer. "Sure, see you this afternoon?" he replied, trying to remain calm. They agreed to meet at their usual bar, a place that had witnessed many of their most important conversations. Damian prepared himself for what would be a complicated afternoon.

The bar was quiet when Damian arrived. Julian was already waiting for him at a table near the bar, a beer in his hand. He greeted him with a slight smile, but his gaze was serious, as if he were waiting for an explanation. Damian sat down in front of him, knowing that he couldn't beat around the bush.

"I heard about Emma," Julian began without preamble. "Paola told me, and well... she also mentioned that there was something going on between you and Axel."

Damian felt the weight of those words fall on him. He knew that Paola, a mutual friend of all of them, had close contact with Emma, ​​and that it wouldn't be long before the news spread throughout their circle of friends.

"It's true," Damian said, his voice firm but filled with nervousness. "I broke up with Emma because it wasn't fair to her to continue in a relationship when... when I was realizing that my feelings for Axel were stronger than I had imagined."

Julian looked at him with a surprised and somewhat confused expression, as if he was trying to process what Damian was telling him. "So you're with Axel? Really?"

Damian nodded slowly, trying to remain calm. "Yes, I'm with him. It wasn't something I planned or something I saw coming. It just happened, and now that I've accepted it, I don't want to deny it anymore."

The silence between them became heavy. Julian took a sip of his beer and looked at Damian with a mix of emotions. Damian knew his friend was struggling to understand what was happening.

"I don't know what to say, man," Julian finally said. "I always thought you and Emma were meant to be together. I mean,

"They had been dating for years. I never saw any signs that anything like that was going on."

Damian nodded, understanding his friend's disbelief. "I know, I didn't see it at first either. But something inside me changed, and I couldn't ignore it any longer. Axel makes me feel something different, something I hadn't felt before. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but I couldn't keep living a lie."

Julian sighed, and though his expression was still confused, Damian could see that he was trying hard to understand. "It's a lot to process, but... I guess if this is how you really feel, then I support you. You're my friend, Damian, and even though I don't fully understand, I'm not going to judge you for following what you think is right."

An immense relief flooded through Damian. He knew Julian was still trying to come to terms with it, but the fact that he didn't reject or condemn him was more than he had hoped for. He had feared losing his best friend, but instead Julian had offered his understanding.

"Thank you," Damian said, feeling a lump in his throat. "I know it's not easy, and I really appreciate you being here to support me."

Julian smiled, a little more relaxed now. "I'll always be here for you, even if you sometimes surprise me with things I don't see coming. I just want you to be sure of what you're doing, and to be happy."
"That's what I'm trying to do," Damian replied, grateful for his friend's sincerity.

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about other things, avoiding the more difficult topics for the moment. Damian was relieved to be able to have a conversation with Julian without feeling like everything was changing irreversibly. He knew there were still more people he would have to tell the truth to, but starting with Julian gave him a little more confidence for what was to come.

That night, when Damian returned home, he decided to call Axel. He wanted to tell him how the conversation with Julian had gone, and besides, he just wanted to hear his voice. After a couple of rings, Axel answered.

"How are you?" Axel asked, always with that warm tone that made Damian feel at peace.

"Well, I just talked to Julian," Damian explained, settling down on the couch. "He already knows about us. It was complicated, but I think he understands."

Axel was silent for a moment, and Damian could imagine him absorbing the news. "I'm glad you did. I know it's not easy, but little by little things are falling into place."

Damian smiled, feeling a sense of relief knowing that Axel was there, supporting him every step of the way. "Yes, it's a process, but I don't regret anything. I'm just glad we're in this together."

Axel laughed softly on the other end of the line. "Always, Damian."

As they talked, Damian realized how much he had changed in such a short time. Although he knew the road ahead would not be easy, he felt more confident in himself and his decisions. He was learning to live his truth, to be honest with those around him, but, most importantly, to be honest with himself.

He hung up the phone after saying goodbye to Axel, and stood for a moment in silence, looking out the window. The city was shining

under the night lights, but for Damian, the world that once seemed to be falling apart was now taking shape.

new. Maybe it wouldn't be the same world he had imagined when he started his relationship with Emma, ​​but it was a world in which

that he was finding himself.

And that, she thought as she closed her eyes with a soft smile, was enough.