Human Nature

"Finally!" Emma's exasperated voice greeted before Axel had even fully stepped inside. She appeared in the hallway, Lisa close behind, both wearing identical expressions of mock starvation. "We were about to call the morgue to report your death by bear attack!"

"Yeah," Lisa added, dramatically clutching her stomach. "We're practically wasting away here. It's been like... a billion years since breakfast."

Axel rolled his eyes, nudging the door closed with his foot while balancing the pizza boxes and the small paper bag. "It's been exactly forty-seven minutes. I timed it."

"That's practically a billion years in twin time," Emma informed him with absolute seriousness, already making grabby hands at the pizza boxes. Her pale blue t-shirt was now decorated with what appeared to be glitter glue in abstract patterns, and a smudge of yellow paint adorned her left cheek.

Lisa, slightly more composed but just as eager, reached for the smaller paper bag. "Are those the brownie things? You actually remembered!"

"Of course I remembered. I'm not completely useless," Axel said, maneuvering past them toward the kitchen. The house felt stuffy after his time outside, the familiar scents of home now amplified by his enhanced senses – fabric softener from the laundry room, the twins' fruity shampoo, the lingering aroma of last night's dinner clinging to the kitchen curtains.

Emma bounded ahead, clearing a space on the counter by simply shoving aside a stack of mail and yesterday's newspaper. "So," she said, drawing out the word with mischievous emphasis. "When's Laura coming over?"

Axel froze halfway through setting down the boxes. "How did you—"

"Please," Emma dismissed with a dramatically arched eyebrow, "we're not blind. We totally saw you talking to her from the window." She spun around, imitating Laura's jogging form with exaggerated swinging arms. "And you got that dopey look you always get when she's around."

"I don't get a dopey look," Axel protested, feeling his face grow warm despite his transformation supposedly having altered that particular biological response. Apparently, embarrassment transcended even supernatural mutation.

Lisa leaned against the counter, her arms crossed in a perfect imitation of their mother's "I know everything" stance. Unlike Emma, whose clothes and face now boasted an artistic explosion of craft supplies, Lisa remained relatively tidy in her purple sweatshirt with only a few stray marker streaks on her hands.

"You absolutely get a dopey look," Lisa confirmed. "Your eyes go all wide, and you forget basic human functions like blinking and talking in complete sentences." She demonstrated, dropping her jaw slightly and staring vacantly into space.

"That's not—I don't—" Axel sputtered, then caught himself and took a deep breath. "Alright, fine. Laura might be coming over for lunch. Which is why you two are going to be on your absolute best behavior."

The twins exchanged a look that sent immediate alarm bells ringing in Axel's head. It was their telepathic twin communication, the kind that usually preceded some form of chaos.

"We'll be perfect angels," Emma promised, her smile angelically innocent in a way that only confirmed Axel's suspicions.

"Yeah, you won't even know we're here," Lisa added.

"That's what worries me," Axel muttered. He flipped open the pizza box, revealing the pepperoni pizza with its missing slice. "Look, just... act normal. Don't mention anything weird or embarrassing. Especially nothing about... bears or whatever."

"Or whatever," Emma repeated with a knowing look that made Axel's stomach twist uncomfortably. Sometimes she was too perceptive for her own good. She had taken a slice of pizza and was already nibbling at the crust, her preferred starting point.

Lisa reached for her own slice but paused mid-grab. "Wait, is this why you were being all responsible and stuff this morning? Because you knew Laura was coming over?" Her eyes narrowed accusingly. "Did you plan this whole thing?"

"What? No!" Axel shook his head vigorously. "She just happened to be jogging by. We talked. I invited her for lunch. It's not a big conspiracy."

"Uh huh," Lisa didn't look convinced as she bit into her pizza. "So you just spontaneously invited the girl you've been crushing on since like, forever, to our house? The day Mom's conveniently working a double shift?"

"And the day after half the football team got eaten by bears," Emma added through a mouthful of pizza, making air quotes around the word "bears."

Axel felt a cold wave wash over him. A familiar sensation. A welcoming one despite the strange situation. "What are you talking about?" he asked, trying to keep his voice level.

Emma and Lisa shared another one of their cryptic twin glances, the kind that made Axel wonder if they really could read each other's minds. His enhanced hearing picked up the slight acceleration in both their heartbeats – not fear exactly, but a heightened excitement that made him uneasy.

"We watched the news too, duh," Emma explained, rolling her eyes as if Axel was being deliberately obtuse. A small shower of glitter fell from her sleeve as she gestured with her pizza slice. "We're not babies who need to be sheltered from current events."

"Yeah," Lisa chimed in, reaching for another slice. "Everyone was talking about it yesterday at the police station. The whole 'rabid bear' thing is super weird. Bears don't even hunt in packs."

Axel forced himself to take a normal-looking breath, trying to slow his racing heart. "Look, I don't know what happened yesterday. I wasn't there, remember?"

"Yeah, where were you anyway?" Emma asked, her head tilted in genuine curiosity. The glitter on her shirt caught the light, sparkling like tiny stars against the pale blue fabric.

"I told you, I was—" Axel began.

"At the library, right?" both twins chorused, mimicking his voice with eerie accuracy.

"Which is weird," Lisa continued, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "because the library closed at six on Friday, and practice didn't end until nine."

"And you didn't come home until yesterday night," Emma added, her eyes wide and innocent despite the accusatory nature of her words.

Axel felt his muscles tensing, ancient instincts preparing his body for fight or flight. He forced himself to release the edge of the counter before his new strength could crack the laminate.

"I was... walking," he improvised lamely. "Lost track of time."

"For thirty hours?" Lisa's eyebrows shot up in exaggerated disbelief.

"In the freezing cold?" Emma added, scrunching her nose skeptically.

"And you're not a suspect because...?" Lisa finished with a dramatic wave of her pizza crust.

"Suspect?" Axel felt a chill run down his spine. "What are you talking about?"

"Duh, for the murders!" Emma said matter-of-factly, as if discussing the weather. "That's what they're calling them now. Murder-bears."

"No one is calling them murder-bears," Axel corrected automatically.

"Well, they should be," Lisa shrugged. "Sounds cooler than 'rabid bears combined with unusual activity.'" She mimicked Agent Smith's deep, authoritative voice with surprising accuracy.

"Yeah, especially since bears don't hunt in packs," Emma reiterated. "And they don't target specific people. And they don't use the locker room door to get in. We're not stupid, you know."

The doorbell rang, its cheerful chime slicing through the tension like a knife. All three Wilson siblings froze, staring at each other.

"That's Laura," Axel hissed, suddenly panic-stricken for entirely different reasons. "Remember what I said. Best. Behavior." He fixed them with his most intimidating stare, which probably would have been more effective if he'd been in his transformed state, but they he would have to deal with the fallout.

"We're always well-behaved," the twins replied in unison, their matching innocent smiles promising nothing but chaos.

Axel groaned internally, then smoothed down his hair and headed for the door. He took a deep breath, reminding himself to act normal – not too strong, not too fast, not too... monstrous.

When he pulled the door open, all his anxieties seemed to vanish momentarily. Laura stood on the porch, illuminated by the mid-day sun, her blonde hair now loose around her shoulders. She'd changed into a simple light blue sundress with a denim jacket and white sneakers – casual but undeniably pretty. The sight of her made his heart do that strange flippy thing that apparently even supernatural transformation couldn't eliminate.

"Hey," she said with a shy smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I brought cookies." She held up a plastic container. "My mom's been stress-baking since everything happened. The house is basically a bakery at this point."

"That's great," Axel said, then immediately felt idiotic. "I mean, not the stress part. The cookie part. Those are great. You look great too." He winced at his own awkwardness.

Laura laughed, the sound light and genuine. "Thanks. You too." Her eyes traveled over him, taking in his appearance. She wondered if he was always that tall or lean. Then she realized she was staring. "Um... you seem different somehow."

Axel looked puzzled. "Different how?"

"I don't know. More confident maybe?" She shrugged, stepping past him into the house. "Usually you avoid eye contact like I have the plague or something."

"Oh, yeah," Axel laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair. "Guess I'm growing up or whatever."

"Or whatever," Laura repeated with a teasing smile that made his stomach do somersaults.

From the kitchen, he heard the twins whispering furiously to each other, no doubt plotting some form of embarrassment. Axel guided Laura toward the living room, hoping to bypass the kitchen entirely, but the twins materialized in the hallway with the preternatural speed that all younger siblings seemed to magically possess.

"Hi Laura!" they chirped in perfect synchronicity, matching grins stretched across their faces.

"Emma, Lisa," Laura greeted them warmly. "I almost didn't recognize you without the face paint and glitter station."

Emma beamed, seemingly pleased to be remembered. "We could paint your face today if you want! I'm way better at it now." She gestured to the various art supplies scattered throughout the living room as evidence.

"Maybe later," Laura laughed, then held out the container. "I brought cookies. Chocolate chip and peanut butter swirl."

"Axel is allergic to peanuts!" Lisa blurted out, eyes wide with false concern.

"What? No, I'm not—" Axel began.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Laura interrupted, looking mortified. "I had no idea! We don't have to—"

"I'm not allergic to peanuts," Axel stated firmly, shooting Lisa a death glare. "Lisa just thinks she's being funny."

Lisa grinned, completely unrepentant. "It could have been true. You don't know all of Axel's medical history, Emma."

"Pretty sure I'd know if I was allergic to peanuts, considering I eat peanut butter sandwiches like three times a week," Axel grumbled. Used to now, but no one needed to know that.

"That could be why you're so weird lately," Emma suggested helpfully. "Maybe you developed a new allergy and it's affecting your brain."

Laura laughed, clearly delighted by the twins' antics. "You two are just as I remember. Still causing trouble?"

"We prefer the term 'creating entertainment,'" Lisa corrected primly.

"Yeah, being the responsible ones is boring," Emma added with a pointed look at Axel. "Like someone we know."

"Okay, that's enough bonding," Axel interrupted, steering Laura toward the kitchen. "Pizza's getting cold."

"It was already cold when you brought it home," Emma called after him.

"Yeah, you were gone for like a billion years!" Lisa added.

Laura glanced at Axel as they entered the kitchen. "Everything okay? You seem a little tense."

Axel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry. The twins just... they've been extra since everything happened. I think it's their way of coping."

Laura nodded, her eyes softening with understanding. She set the container of cookies on the kitchen counter and leaned against it, crossing her arms casually. "Everyone's finding their own way to deal, I guess. My mom's turned our kitchen into a bakery. Dad's been cleaning the garage for two days straight—I swear he's organizing nuts and bolts by size and thread count." She gave a small laugh that didn't quite reach her eyes. "And I've been running. Like, a lot. Miles and miles until my legs feel like they're going to fall off."

"That explains the morning jog," Axel said, trying not to stare too obviously at the way the sunlight from the kitchen window caught in her hair, creating golden highlights against the honey blonde. His enhanced vision picked up details he'd never noticed before—the faint freckles across her nose, nearly invisible to normal sight, and the way her eyes weren't just blue but had tiny flecks of green near the pupils.

"Yeah, Mom freaks if I'm gone too long, but I can't stay inside either. It's like the walls start closing in, you know?" Laura tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous gesture he'd seen her do countless times in class when called on by teachers. "Sorry, that probably sounds stupid."

"No, it doesn't," Axel said quickly. He handed her a plate with a slice of veggie pizza. "I get it. Being stuck inside with just your thoughts... it can be worse than being out there with whatever's happening."

Laura's eyes met his, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "That's exactly it. Like, everyone keeps saying stay inside, stay safe, but sometimes inside doesn't feel safe either." She took the plate, their fingers brushing momentarily. "Thanks for the pizza. How'd you remember veggie was my favorite?"

Axel shrugged, hoping his expression remained casual despite the electric jolt he felt from that brief contact. "Just paying attention, I guess."

"To me?" Her head tilted slightly, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Well, yeah," Axel admitted, feeling strangely bold. Maybe it was the transformation, or maybe it was knowing how quickly life could change, but the old paralyzing fear of talking to her seemed distant now. "Is that weird?"

"No, it's..." Laura seemed to search for the right word. "Sweet. Unexpected, but sweet."

From the living room came a loud musical intro, followed by Emma's voice shouting: "We're starting the movie! If you lovebirds are done making googly eyes at each other!"

Axel closed his eyes briefly, praying for patience. "Sorry about them," he said, grabbing his own plate. The smell of the pizza made his stomach turn slightly, but he'd already devised a plan—small bites, chew thoroughly, and sneak most of it into a napkin when Laura wasn't looking. "They've appointed themselves as my personal embarrassment committee."

"It's cute," Laura said, surprising him. "You guys seem close. Mark never really got along with his sister." Her voice caught slightly on Mark's name, a small hitch that might have been inaudible to normal hearing but that Axel's enhanced senses picked up easily.

"We have our moments," Axel conceded, trying to ignore the stab of guilt at the mention of Mark. The memory of that night flickered at the edges of his consciousness—a brief image of a letterman jacket torn to shreds, of screams cut short. He pushed it firmly away. "Should we join them before they start spreading more rumors about my non-existent peanut allergy?"

Laura laughed, the sound genuine this time. "Lead the way."

They entered the living room to find the twins had completely transformed the space in the few minutes they'd been in the kitchen. The coffee table had been pushed aside, pillows and blankets arranged in what approximated a nest on the floor, and the TV was already playing the opening credits of some animated movie featuring talking animals.

"Finally!" Lisa exclaimed from her pillow throne. "We almost started without you."

"We did start without you," Emma corrected, waving a remote control like a scepter. "But we can rewind if you promise not to be gross."

"We weren't being gross," Axel protested, eyeing the remaining seating options—a spot on the floor with the twins or the worn but comfortable couch.

"Were too," Lisa countered. "You had that dopey Laura-face again."

"Laura-face?" Laura repeated with amusement, glancing at Axel.

"It's nothing," Axel said quickly, feeling a warmth creep up his neck. "They're making things up."

"Are not!" The twins chorused indignantly.

"He gets all slack-jawed and weird whenever someone mentions your name," Emma explained helpfully, demonstrating with an exaggerated expression that made her look like she'd been lobotomized.

"Like he forgot how to be a person," Lisa added, nodding sagely.

Laura turned to Axel, eyebrows raised, a smile tugging at her lips. "Is that so?"

"Can we please just watch the movie?" Axel pleaded, gesturing toward the couch in what he hoped was a casual invitation rather than the desperate escape it actually was.

"Sure," Laura agreed, settling onto the couch with her plate balanced on her knees. The ancient piece of furniture sagged slightly under her weight, its springs groaning in familiar protest. "What are we watching anyway?"

"'The Brave Little Toaster'!" the twins announced in perfect unison, as if they'd rehearsed it.

"One of the weirdest movies ever," Lisa added.

"But like, in a good way," Emma clarified, already engrossed in the screen.

Axel sat beside Laura, careful to leave an appropriate amount of space between them—not so close as to seem presumptuous, but not so far as to seem disinterested. The old Axel would have calculated this distance with mathematical precision, likely erring on the side of too much space. Now, his transformed senses made him hyperaware of her proximity—the soft rhythm of her heartbeat, the subtle floral scent of her shampoo (lavender with a hint of something citrusy), the warmth radiating from her skin.

"I haven't seen this in years," Laura commented, taking a bite of her pizza. "My dad used to put it on when I was little. It used to freak me out a little."

"That's because it's secretly terrifying," Lisa said without looking away from the screen. "Abandoned appliances coming to life and going on a journey to find their missing owner? Pure nightmare fuel."

"But also weirdly touching," Emma added, waving her half-eaten pizza slice for emphasis. Flecks of cheese dangerously threatened to fly off with each movement. "Like, they just want to be useful again."

"Deep analysis from the twelve-year-old art critics," Axel commented dryly, earning him synchronized eye rolls from the twins.

"We contain multitudes," Lisa informed him primly.

"Yeah, we're practically teenagers," Emma added, resurrecting their earlier argument.

Laura laughed softly beside him, leaning in slightly to whisper, "They're kind of awesome."

"Don't tell them that," Axel whispered back, acutely aware of how close her face was to his. "Their egos are already the size of Texas."

"We heard that!" The twins called out without looking away from the TV.

"Super-hearing is part of being practically a teenager," Lisa explained matter-of-factly.

"Along with an advanced appreciation for cinematic masterpieces," Emma added, gesturing grandly at the screen where animated appliances were making their way through a forest.

The movie progressed, filling the room with its strange blend of whimsy and unexpected darkness. Axel barely tasted the few bites of pizza he forced himself to eat, successfully hiding most of it in a napkin when everyone was distracted by a particularly intense scene. Laura seemed genuinely engaged in the film, laughing at the right moments and occasionally making comments that sent the twins into fits of giggles.

About halfway through, Axel noticed that the space between them had somehow diminished. Whether Laura had moved closer or he had, he couldn't be sure, but their shoulders were nearly touching now. The proximity sent a strange mixture of signals through his transformed body—part heightened awareness that came with his predatory instincts, part normal teenage nervousness that apparently transcended even supernatural mutation.

"Is this okay?" Laura asked quietly, apparently noticing the same thing. "I can move if you want."

"No, it's good," Axel replied, perhaps a bit too quickly. "I mean, I don't mind. If you don't mind."

She smiled, her eyes briefly meeting his before returning to the screen. "I don't mind."

And then, with a casualness that belied its significance, she leaned her head against his shoulder.

The effect was immediate and intense. Every nerve ending seemed to fire at once, his enhanced senses picking up the subtle weight of her head, the silky texture of her hair against his arm, the slight acceleration in her heartbeat that suggested she wasn't as casual about this as she appeared. His own heart hammered in response, and he wondered if she could feel it through his chest.

"Still okay?" she whispered, so quietly that only his enhanced hearing could have picked it up over the movie's soundtrack.

"Yeah," he managed, his voice sounding strangely normal despite the internal chaos. "More than okay."

From their pillow fort on the floor, the twins had fallen suspiciously silent. Axel glanced down to find them both watching the interaction with identical expressions of fascinated disgust, as if witnessing some exotic but slightly repulsive nature documentary.

Emma made a gagging motion with her finger, while Lisa mouthed something that looked suspiciously like "Laura-face" before they both dissolved into silent giggles and returned their attention to the movie.

"Your sisters are staring," Laura murmured, amusement coloring her voice.

"They think all displays of affection are gross," Axel explained, then immediately wondered if he'd said too much. Was this a display of affection? Was he reading too much into a simple head-on-shoulder moment?

But Laura just smiled, settling more comfortably against him. "They'll change their minds eventually."

The rest of the movie passed in a strange, dreamlike state for Axel. Part of him remained hypervigilant, his transformed senses constantly monitoring his environment—the twins' heartbeats, steady and occasionally spiking with excitement at movie moments; the distant sounds of neighborhood activity filtering through the windows; the strange emptiness in his stomach that warned his hunger would return soon. But another part, a more human part, was simply present in the moment, acutely aware of Laura's warmth against him and the bizarre normalcy of watching a children's movie on a Sunday afternoon.