Perfect Beast

"It was a natural process, because when we go to the ring we are human beings, but once you feel the punches and the competition that's when the beast comes out and takes hold of us."

The Peppermint Lounge, July 14th, 1962, that's when I realised that I wanted Maxine Dugen-Fuller like I wanted no other. It first struck me when I watched her saunter off to the middle of the dance floor in a dress much too elegant for her with an air of pure intent about her person. Even I could figure out what she wanted. She was soon surrounded by young men with indefinitely more courage than I possessed at the time. They peered down at her with sweaty brows and sinful intentions, causing my fists to ball at my sides. And even though every molecule in my body was screaming at me to go to her, to take her in my arms and hide her away from the lustful looks and wandering hands... I just couldn't manage it. Though I knew she deserved to be treated with an infinite amount of respect, I couldn't move an inch. My legs were heavy with uncertainty, my mind clouded with doubt. Why on Earth would someone as absolutely enthralling as she give me the time of day? Who was I to deter her? I was but a boy where she craved a man. Inept in any sort of romantic encounter that I was sure would only ever happen in my dreams. I was no match for those who sought her affections, her touch, her body, her warmth. I wasn't even a match for the feelings I harboured towards her. Though I don't think anyone ever truly is when I comes to matters of the heart.

I had been enticed by Max for some time prior to that. Her strength and sincerity was so raw, so crippling, it was impossible for me not to fall. So fall I most certainly did. Though I always told myself that no woman would ever want to be by my side due to my physical mutation, I had hope. She spoke so highly of what I thought to be my curse, admired me for it. But that hope gave birth to a preposterous idea that she could ever truly want me. It was naive of me to think that I could possibly court someone as strong and confidant as Max. There was no way she would settle for one such as I. But this foolish soul dared to hope. To dream. Yet upon seeing her run off to more attractive and capable men once she was given the chance I welcomed defeat with open arms.

I ran a hand through my unusually messy hair and I made my way towards the bar while I unclenched the fist at my side. I ordered a gin & tonic from the bartender and took a seat next to a particularly gruff looking fellow. He had a half smoked cigar in between his fingers and a glass of whiskey settled in front of him. And he oozed an animalistic rage. I then realised that I was staring at the man, granting me a particularly venomous look from him in return.

"The hell you lookin' at, bub?" He grumbled before taking a gulp of his drink. His feral eyes glowered at me, as if daring me to answer him, though his continued look suggested that he was demanding a response.

Not particularly good with confrontation, I fumbled for the words I wished to say. "N-nothing, sir. Sorry sir."

My attention was suddenly diverted by Alex who had taken hold of my upper arm with a firm grip. I looked up at him in fear, wondering what I had done wrong. "What are you doing?!" He hissed at me angrily through his teeth. "She's over there dancing with every guy in this joint except for you!"

I turned to watch Max as she swivelled her hips sensually for the men around her. My eyes watched her intently until she seemed to sense my gaze, smirking and winking at me before continuing to seduce anyone who cared to watch her spectacle. Embarrassed, I began wringing out my hands in my lap. "I'm not good enough for her. She deserves better."

"The hell she does!" Alex yelled, his hand tightening around my bicep. "You're a million times better than those idiots, and you know it! Max doesn't want to be drooled on, she wants you!"

I bowed my head as my cheeks warmed and my drink was placed in front of me. As much as I yearned to believe his words, I simply couldn't. "I think I'm just going to go back up to the house." I said quietly, unsure if Alex heard me.

I assume that he had.

The air around him seemed to bend, warping, like the air above a hot asphalt road in June. To the hesitant passerby it would probably seem like a trick of the flashing lights. But to those who knew the man at my side, it was a signal of his dangerous mutation. My eyes widened and I unconsciously tried to escape his hold. Angry as he might be, I didn't think that he'd be glad to turn me into a smouldering pile of ash. Probably noticing his lack of control, that or my complete and utter panic, he released me.

He rolled his shoulders and upturned his collar then said in a warning tone, "You're going to regret the next few months if you don't give yourself a chance, man. That's all I'm saying."

With that Alex left me to my own devices. He returned to Sean with a quickened pace, lighting a cigarette along the way. I let out a heavy sigh and stirred my drink. The ice cubes created a melody of high pitched clinks as they hit the glass over and over again. I was just about to take a sip when the older gentlemen next to me, the gruff man, surprised me.

"Women trouble?" He asked without looking at me. He simply bit down on his cigar and took a puff. It took me a second to formulate a sentence. In the end I just nodded.

He smirked. "I know how that is. Who's the lucky lady?"

I don't know why I was still sitting there, why I was acknowledging the man, perhaps it's because I was scared out of my wits, but I answered him by pointing to Max. "That's her." I said quietly.

The man eyed her then shook his head. "Tough luck, kid. There are plenty of fish out there so don't sell yourself short yet."

"None like her." I lamented as I downed my drink. And it's true, in all my years I have yet to meet anyone who could hold a candle to her.

The man continued to shake his head but allowed his eyes to wander back to her. "Actually, kid, she's looking at you... she won't stop looking at you."

And again, as much as I wanted to believe him, I just couldn't. "I know you mean well but you don't have to lie to me. I'm used to being last pick."

"Bub," He started, "one, I don't lie. Two, if you don't take my advice and get over there in the next few minutes, I'm gonna kick your ass." He threatened with a knowing look.

My eyes wide, I blinked at him in disbelief. I had just met the man and he was being so kind... in his own way. I struggled to swallow past the nervous lump forming in my throat. Instead of that I frantically looked around for the nearest exit. But there was something about the man that told me I wouldn't get far. As I looked around I saw Raven heading towards the bartender. Her mojito was already finished and I assumed she was in the market for another. As she moved closer her gaze caught mine and she moved to sit down next to me.

"What're you doing sitting here all by yourself?" She asked, lifting her hand up to pinch my cheek. I swatted at her gesture, playful as it was. Any other day I would not've, I just wasn't in the mood for her games at present.

Behind me, the man scoffed. "What am I, chopped liver?"

At the sound of his gravelly voice, Raven jumped a little, as did I. "Oh, sorry! I didn't see you there...?" She left her question open, hoping he'd supply her with his name.

"Logan." He offered just as he stood and slapped down a couple of bills against the bar. "Listen, sweetheart, your friend here needs a little help, not to mention a spine, but you can fix that later. He's been eyeing up this girl who, up until a moment ago, was eyeing him back pretty suggestively. I've been trying to get him to go talk to her but he keeps insisting that she's out of his league. Now I'm completely capable of forcing him to grow a pair but I've got a plane to catch so I'll leave the rest to you."

With that Logan snuffed his cigar, nodded his goodbyes, and headed towards the door. That left me with Raven, who was glaring at me with all of her heart. She had already pieced together what few details Logan had given and wasn't happy with my skittish behaviour.

"This mysterious girl wouldn't happen to be Max, would it?" She asked in such a tone that I was expecting her to brandish a riding crop and smack me around a bit. She was truly frightening. So, not wanting to anger her further, I nodded briskly but kept my eyes on my finished drink. Then, suddenly, she slapped me upside the head.

"Wha... wha...?" I stammered for a moment, wondering exactly what I had done to deserve such aggressive action.

Raven's malevolent stare continued. And I could be mistaken, but I could've sworn it grew even more vicious. Not much was sure to me when she started yelling, "Max likes you, you idiot! And just sitting here with your thumbs planted firmly up your ass isn't helping you at all!"

I didn't offer a response for awhile while I processed what she had said. Then, it finally clicked. "Wait..." I began. "She's... she's actually told you that she likes me?"

Finally her ever-so intimidating look wavered so uncertainty could take its place. "Well... no. But she definitely wants you to ask her to dance. That much I know."

Still a bit unsure, I looked over Raven's shoulder to gaze at the girl I was so infatuated with. She was still dancing, but with a different group of guys. She smiled up at them even as they grabbed her hips and ground their pelvic regions into her. And, as before I felt the anger rise in me. Yes, Max was beautiful, and even sensuous at times, but they didn't care about the rest of her. Of her infectious laughter and unwavering conviction. She deserved so much more than them. And that settled it. Even if she wouldn't have me I'd make sure that the next man to touch her loved every part of her as much as I.

I looked back to Raven and uttered one simple question. "What would you have me do?"

This frightening and devilish smirk coloured her face, making me almost immediately regret my decision. She just said cryptically, "First off, you're too neat." Before I could question her she was pulling at my clothes and unbuttoning the top few buttons of my shirt.

I was so outrageously uncomfortable with what she was doing that I nearly backed out of the plan completely. The only thing keeping me in my seat was my view of Max. Remembering that I was doing this for her and not more myself overpowered my overactive nerves. Raven sensed my nervousness and chuckled to herself. She was constantly licking her hands and running them through my hair. My shirt was untucked, my blazer sleeves were rolled up to my elbows, and my hair was sticking on end. I thought she was finished when she pulled off my glasses. Even without corrective lenses I could see moderately well, but I had no idea of what she would eventually put in my mouth.

It tasted bland but then my tongue found something bitter and completely awful. I was about to ask her what it was when I heard the sound of a lighter being flicked. Then the scent of something burning wafted into my nostrils. All of the clues fell into place and I nearly spit the disgusting thing out. Smoke filled my mouth and my lungs, causing me to cough.

"Are you trying to murder me?!" I yelled, holding the offending cigarette between my first and second fingers.

Raven rolled her eyes. "You need to appear to be tougher than those meatheads molesting Max or else you're going to get yourself punched in the face." I must've reacted negatively because then she said, "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Just swagger on up to her and sweep her off her feet. Dig down deep for that primal shit that makes girls like Max swoon!"

'That's easy for you to say.' I thought sarcastically, but I had already done so much it would be pointless if I turned back.

With a groan I slumped out of my barstool and formulated my plan. Dig deep, Raven said. So dig I did. Somewhere underneath my nervous tendencies and awkward social skills there had to be something. Step by step I came closer to Max, still not confident in the least and still no clue as to what I was going to see. Though, as the distance between us closed and I could just feel the sexual intent, I grew even angrier than before. I quickened my pace until I was right next to Max and whoever she was dancing with. I never bothered to ask him for his name.

There was no need.

"Excuse me, that's MY girl you're dancing with." Was all that I said. At first I could tell that Max didn't recognise me. My apparel and demeanour was very not me, after all. When realisation struck her and beautiful smile played at her lips, a look I had not expected.

When she started to pull away from him he just grabbed her rear end and pulled her right back into his hips. "Do you seriously think a girl like her would dance with a guy like you?" He asked with a nasty sneer.

For whatever reason I was still acting very uncharacteristically me. "Do you seriously think she'd rather dance with you? You give a new meaning to the phrase, 'face only a mother could love'."

And that was the end of that. The moron's jaw was on the floor, meaning my work was done, I had succeeded. Surprisingly enough. As I held out a hand for her, Max looked from him to myself, an amazed expression on her glowing face. She bit at her lip deviously and placed her hand in mine, allowing me to lead her far away from the men who wished to use her body and disregard her mind. Once we were a good distance away I pulled her around and placed my hand on her waist. She took the hint and put her free hand on my neck. We swayed from side to side for about five seconds before the rational side of me kicked back in and I couldn't remain on my feet any longer. I knew the unwavering confidence wouldn't last.

My face became heated, my head faint, my eyes desperately searched out some place where I could relax and catch my breath. A row of burgundy couches against the back wall caught my eye. And in my urgency to relieve the anxious feeling coursing through me I nearly sprinted for them. I sat down on the plush cushions and pressed my palms into my eyes. The cigarette Raven gave me was put out and tossed onto the dance floor. I had put up the facade of being a tough guy, too bad that couldn't have been further than the truth.

Then Max, who I had suspected would leave me to shake off the anxiety attack that was threatening to arise, sighed and took a seat next to me. But I couldn't look at her. I was still too unnerved to do much other than breathe. After a short period of time she pulled my hands away from my face; I looked at her with confused eyes. Her pure and unadulterated concern for me actually forced words to come out of my barely functioning mouth.

"I've never done anything like that." I fully admitted. "Never ever ever ever ever ever ever. It... It felt strange."

Still out of it, I barely felt or noticed Max as she cupped my face in her hands and pressed her lips against mine. Had I been more aware I would not have been so collected afterwards, not that I was to begin with.

"Hank," She said, "that was the sexiest thing I've ever seen anyone do. Your confidence was through the roof and you looked like you would've punched that guy square in the face."

"I wanted to!" I exclaimed as I looked into her warm and welcoming brown eyes. "The way he was looking at you wasn't right at all!"

She smiled at me, a look of pure joy. She leaned in and kissed me gently. Such a simple gesture left me flustered and unable to think coherently, further convincing me that I was no match for the great Maxine Fuller. Once she saw my reaction she moved her hands back to wrap around my neck and she pressed her forehead against mine.

"That's why I adore you, Hank. You seem to know what's best for me even when I'm being a reckless dumbass." She paused briefly before continuing. "Don't doubt what you can do, ever, because that confidence you exhibited is what you deserve."

Though her words her pure, honest, and endearing, I truly wish she hadn't said them. I was on the brink of a mental breakdown and her statement only made me more unstable. My eyes welled with tears and my chest heaved. Max seemed to understand where the situation was going. She squeezed my hand and led me through the crowd. My vision was blurry and nearly psychedelic, but I could see where she was taking me. Outside. After allowing that thought to marinate for barely a second I ran for the back door, leaving Max behind. I yanked the door opened and charged out into the brisk night air. In the back of my subconscious I could hear her chuckling. The joyous sound rang true with amazement, not mockery. I don't know how our relationship would've progressed had she not been nearly so understanding.

I fell to the ground against the wall of the club and Max, once again, took up a spot beside me. There was so much I wanted to say to her, so much I wanted to confess, but I couldn't find the words. Instead, I said in a sheepish voice, "You actually feel that way about me?"

As I pulled the cuffs of my shift back down to my wrists, Max responded with, "Of course! Just because you're different doesn't mean that you-"

"No..." I interrupted. "I mean... you... y-you... like me?"

To my surprise she smacked the back of my head then kept her hand there and kissed me yet again. "You're the dumbest smart guy I know." She said before returning her lips to mine.

I smiled against her lips and the kiss continued. I would never tell her this, but her kisses were literally electrifying. It was like being shocked statically over and over again, causing you be alert and providing just the smallest bit of pain, but I liked it. Max was a fantastic kisser. As opposed to me, a complete amateur. Unconsciously I ran my fingers through her darker than night hair and held the back of her head. Every now and then I'd pull her closer to me and it felt phenomenal. Everything about the whole experience was just breathtaking, and unbelievable. Max, a girl who could tame the heart of the fiercest man, had chosen me. I almost wanted to call her crazy, but I didn't want to push her way. Not then, not ever.

Author's Note: Here's the one-shot, a year late, as promised! Do I write well as Hank? I have no clue, I try. I'm a writer so all I can do is try. E. Synergy should be updated soon, sorry it's taking so long! xoxo, Momma Love