Author's Note/Disclaimer; SPOILER WARNING! If you have not completed the game, Life Is Strange, turn back now. Major spoilers. This is a work of fanfiction. I don't own Life Is Strange, nor am I associated with the developers, DontNod Square Enix, etc, etc.. I'm going to put trigger warnings here, just in case. I'm still not sure where this is going, or what will be entailed within this work of fan fiction, so, my apologies if anything becomes unsettling for some readers. I haven't written anything in quite some time, so please leave me honest reviews; I'd love to get some feedback. There is definitely swearing, drug/alcohol use, sexual themes in this fanfic. That's all I know for now. I guess we will see where this goes, if anywhere. These first two paragraphs are obviously taken from the video game, with the Sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending, I've just written them there to set up the start (they are my own words). So possible spoilers, once again, fan fiction, not affiliated with Life Is Strange/DontNod/Square Enix, etc. Please don't get mad. I just felt like writing. This fanfic is mostly from Chloe's point of view, with small snippets of Max's journal here and there.
"Max, it's time." Chloe stated solemnly, certain that Max would make the choice to go back in time using the photo of the blue butterfly and have Nathan Prescott shoot her in the girl's bathroom at Blackwell Academy. Max stood quietly for a moment, turning away from the blue haired delinquent, then glanced down at the now rain soaked picture.
"Not anymore," Max spoke softly, Chloe almost didn't hear her, as she tore the photo in half and let the two parts become swallowed into the overshadowing storm before them. Chloe's heart skipped a beat as she watched her best friend take matters into her own hands. She slowly approached the brunette from behind, stood to the right of her and spoke softly,
"Max, I'll always be with you," The sounds of the storm nearly drowning out her words.
"Forever," Max responded with the same tone. Chloe gripped onto Max's hand tightly as they watched the storm begin to devour the buildings of Arcadia Bay. Max's eyes flitted around, taking pictures in her mind of the destruction she'd believed she'd caused. She let go of Chloe's hand, placed it on her shoulder, and nuzzled her head into her best friend's neck. Chloe wrapped her arm around Max's waist and held her close, staring at the storm, while Max stroked her hand along her back. They held each other until the storm finally dissipated after its violent rampage through the small fishing town.
If it weren't for all the rubble spread through Arcadia Bay, no one would've guessed there had just been a tornado. The sun poured warmth all over the two girls as they drove through the wreckage, no sign of any survivors, apart from various wildlife. Chloe stopped the car as they reached the edge of the town. 'Another great day in Arcadia Bay, thank you – come again', the sign appeared to be where the wreckage had stopped. Chloe reached her hand out to Max, who'd been staring out the window, and placed her hand on her shoulder, Max smiled warmly at the contact. They both looked at each other, smiled softly, though holding pain in their eyes, without saying a word. Chloe put her hands firmly back on the wheel and continued to drive out of the town, without looking back.
It'd been hours since Chloe had heard Max's sweet little voice. She wasn't used to silence. They were about halfway to Portland, Chloe guessed. Max was still staring out the passenger side window, sunlight etching through the trees surrounding the road, reflecting off her like a strobe light. Chloe had kept stealing glances at her, periodically, still focusing on the road ahead of them, trying her best not to think of the more than likely dead populous of the once beautiful Arcadia Bay.
'I can't believe she made that choice. Save me; ungrateful, undeserving, angry, pathetic, broken Chloe Elizabeth Price,' her inner thoughts were bitter and awe-stricken at the same time. She felt conflicted.
'I guess we really are pirates now, taking everything from one town and fleeing to the next,' She giggled inwardly at the thought of Max wearing an eye-patch, black pirate hat, with a scowl on her face and a green parrot on her shoulder. She turned to Max once again, trying to hide the smirk that'd crossed her face from the previous thought. Max was wearing a tight-fitting black hoodie, hood over her head, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and yet another pair of blue jeans, these ones were however quite baggy. They looked comfortable. She'd had to switch out her trusty black converse for a pair of red high tops. They'd collected a bunch of their stuff that morning, before the storm, just a few basics, just in case. Some clothes, their laptops, the $5000 from the handicapped fund, phone chargers, toiletries, Chloe's gun (much to Max's distaste) and of course, Chloe's stash. Max had kept her things in a light grey duffle bag and Chloe's were in a large blue backpacker's bag. The bags were at the front of the passenger side cabin, on the floor.
'It's lucky Max is so short and doesn't need much leg room,' Chloe smirked to herself as Max shuffled her feet around slightly, knocking the small cooler bag, rattling the six-pack of beer inside that Chloe had swiped from her house.
'Old habits die hard,' Chloe thought to herself in regards to the beer. They'd tied down their wet clothes in the back of the truck with a net when they'd stopped to get changed at the first rest stop they found. Both stayed silent the whole time. Chloe had changed into a pair of dark blue jeans, little tears everywhere, spray paint stains splattered in a few places and a black baggy crew necked singlet with white graffiti patterns across the front. Her boots were soaked, so she'd put on her dirty grey high tops, and wore a black baseball cap backwards, as her beanie was also drenched from the rain. They'd both turned off their phones as they left Arcadia Bay, not wanting to hear any kind of news. Not just yet. That's why they hadn't turned on the radio. Chloe sighed, causing Max to jump a little in her seat.
"Shit, Max, I didn't mean to startle you, sorry," Chloe chuckled quietly. Max simply smiled back at her and rested her hand on Chloe's thigh for a short moment before resting it back in her own lap. It was the first time either of them had said a word since the tornado. The sun was starting to set, Chloe adjusted her window visor accordingly and slightly shuffled in her seat. Max had started to fidget with the glove box, trying to get it open, Chloe kept glancing back between the road and her best friend.
'What the fuck is she doing?' Chloe thought to herself as Max finally got the glove box open. Max bustled around in the glove compartment, moving things around.
'What is she looking for? She's been so still and quiet this whole time, and now, what the fuck is she doing?' Max pulled out Chloe's packet of cigarettes and stared at it, with a blank expression on her face.
'Caulfield, you'd better not throw those out the window,' Chloe thought to herself. Max opened up the packet, it was fairly new, there were only maybe two cigarettes missing. Chloe was starting to get dizzy from glancing back and forth, but she was concerned, intrigued, worried about what Max was doing. Max pulled out a cigarette and slowly lifted it to her face. She breathed in the aroma of the unlit tobacco. Chloe felt her jaw drop a little as Max put the cigarette into her mouth.
'Fuck, she looks sexy like that,' Chloe's initial thought intruded her mind, but she shook it off as soon as she saw the lighter in Max's hand.
"Max, what the fuck are you doing?" Chloe spat out with a concerned tone, trying to swat the lighter out of her hand. Max dodged quickly and held the lighter up to her face with her right hand, her left hand covering the cigarette as she lit it. Max inhaled softly as she watched the embers burn at the end of the cigarette, looked over to Chloe and passed it to her. Max exhaled the grey smoke smoothly as Chloe took the lit cigarette from the small framed brunette.
"Uh, thanks, Max," Chloe almost questioned as she blinked rapidly, the cigarette was slightly damp from Max's mouth. Max took another cigarette out of the packet and lit it up for herself. Chloe glanced over at her in disbelief. Neither of them spoke. Chloe had no idea what to say. Her best friend was smoking.
'Smoking hot!' more intrusive thoughts.
'No! Bad Chloe!' she snapped at herself internally. Chloe watched as Max flicked some ash out of the window.
"Max, have you smoked before?" Chloe asked curiously. Max looked like she knew what she was doing, and she hadn't coughed at her first puff. This, Chloe thought, was very unusual. Max smirked at Chloe and nodded casually, raising an eyebrow.
'This whole week, Max has hardly told me about what the last five years were like for her. She's just listened to me complain about mine. I wonder what else there is that I don't know about,' Chloe's mind was filled with curiosity. Chloe had seen a motel sign up ahead, she glanced at Max.
"Dude, you look hella tired. Let's stop here for the night," She said as she watched Max slip the finished cigarette into an empty bottle. Max nodded as she yawned and held out the bottle, encouraging Chloe to do the same.
"I've only got one room available tonight. Single bed and bathroom," The balding man behind the counter peered at the two girls from behind his glasses.
"How much?" Chloe asked with slight desperation in her tone as she pulled out her wallet, Max yawning behind her.
"Twenty-five, no smoking, check out's eleven," he sounded bored. Chloe nodded and handed him the money, he handed her the key in return and pointed towards the room. Chloe turned, grabbed Max by the hand and led her to the room. Chloe unlocked the door and pushed it open. There really was just one single bed, two night stands and a bathroom. It was small. There wasn't even enough space on the floor for Chloe to sleep. She'd decided on letting Max have the bed. But now, it was apparent, they'd have to both squeeze into the single bed together. Max stepped into the room slowly, sat on the end of the bed and began to take off her shoes.
"Max, I'll just go get our bags, I won't be long," Chloe spoke gently as she watched Max, who in return just nodded, still focused on her shoes.
'Fuck, Max, please fucking talk to me, I miss you,' Chloe's mind was racing as she collected their bags from the truck. She'd thought back to the kiss she'd dared Max to do earlier that week. Her lips tingled and butterflies made themselves apparent in her stomach. It wasn't the first time this thought had elicited that reaction.
'Fucking hell Price, you have a mad crush on her. What the fuck?' Chloe shook her head as she locked up her car and returned to the room. Max was already lying down; her eyes still open, fixated on Chloe. Chloe swallowed, she noticed that Max's hoodie, jeans, shoes and bra were sprawled out on the floor next to the bed.
'Fuck, was she wearing a shirt under that thing?' Chloe pondered to herself as she took off her shoes, then her jeans, her hat, and finally, her bra. Max was still staring at her. Chloe made her way over to the other side of the bed and slid into the space that Max had left for her. Max turned the light off. Moonlight shone through the gaps in the curtains, soft light brushing against each of the girls faces. Max and Chloe were facing each other. Max shuffled closer to Chloe, lifting Chloe's arm to put it around her.
'Oh good, she is wearing a shirt!' Chloe's mind screamed as she fiddled with the soft cotton on Max's tiny frame. Max nuzzled her head underneath Chloe's chin and planted her hand on her back, forcing the two of them into a cuddling position. Chloe's heart started pounding in her chest, she was sure Max would be able to feel it. Max slowly moved her hand underneath the back of Chloe's shirt and started to stroke her back softly. Chloe, intoxicated by the brunette's scent, planted a soft kiss on Max's forehead. Max's hand stopped dead in its tracks.
"Fuck, Max, I didn't – sorry," Chloe panicked quietly, but was interrupted by a sharp nip on her neck.
"Hey!" She yelped,
"Max, did you just fucking bite me?" Chloe, still panicking, questioned nervously. Max's hand had left Chloe's back and had made its way up to the back of her head.
'Ok, chill out Chloe, Max is stroking your hair, calm the fuck down,' Chloe's head was spinning. She could feel Max's head tilting up towards her face as Max moved her hand to Chloe's chin, tilting it down towards her. Chloe felt Max's breath against her mouth. Chloe's lip quivered. Max slowly pushed her lips against Chloe's, starting a soft kiss. Chloe exhaled a sharp sigh through her nose, and pulled Max's body closer to hers. Max returned a similar sigh and tightened her grip on Chloe's hair. Max's lips parted slightly, Chloe complied and deepened the kiss. Their teeth clashed slightly, breaking the kiss. Max quietly rested her head back into Chloe's neck and continued stroking her back. Chloe was waiting for Max to say something, anything at all. But she didn't.
'Fuck, she's probably in shock or something. Fuck. She kissed me. Fuck,' Chloe could barely hear her thoughts with how hard her heart was pounding. Chloe ran her fingers through Max's hair until the brunette fell asleep.