Okay, so this is a one-shot. Unless people review and tell me they want me to make it a two-shot or a story. That's up to you guys though. I hope you enjoy! It's based off one of my favorite quotes that Fang (of course) says in MAX. It's in Max's point of view though! Maybe partially Fang's. I hope you like!
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters except the plot.
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Chapter One: Proposal
Max's POV
I giggled as Fang nuzzled my neck. He was teasing me, torturing me. I suddenly remembered back when I would want to run when he kissed but the time I remembered most was when I stayed for the first time….
*Flashback*
"You have to want to be with someone, or it doesn't work. You have to choose," Fang said. We were talking about Nudge, how she wanted to stay at the Day and Night School. But I got the feeling he wasn't talking about Nudge anymore. At least, not fully.
I searched his eyes, his dark, brooding eyes, that I could get lost in. I started to say something important about Nudge, trying to change the sudden electricity between us, but he leaned close, towering over me. When did he become so tall? He was so skinny and—and shorter than me! How—
"I choose you," he whispered, "Max." And then suddenly, his hand cupped my chin tenderly and he kissed me.
My initial reaction would've been to break away and run, run far away. I didn't want that this time, even though that was what I felt like doing. My heart was telling me to stay. For once, I listened.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely to me. Somehow, we ended up lying on the cold sand, while I held him fiercely and he kissed me fiercely. After I got passed my preliminary panic, when my mind turned to mush, the only thing I could think was, "Oh, goodness, I want to do this all the time!"
Gradually, our kisses became less hungry, less fierce, more comforting. I began to enjoy it more and more as he just kissed me and held me. I was in his arms, and I never wanted to leave.
When we finally pulled away, my panic began but I kept it quiet because I didn't want to ruin it. It was supposed to be special and I wanted him to know that I would choose him too, over any other guy. It was kinda comforting that he chose me since Dr. Wonderful was still here. Well, sort of.
I looked up at Fang. He was…smiling. His face was less closed and he looked…happy. I was glad I could do that because it had been a while since I had seen him smile. And I mean a real smile, not his signature smirk or lip-twitch. It was comforting. Nice. And for once in my life, I was happy too. I mean, I knew it wouldn't last but right now I wanted to enjoy the moment, enjoy the fact that all his attention was on me.
He held me against him for what might have been hours but it seemed so short. Eventually, though, we had to go back to the flock, back to our sleeping quarters.
And, of course, when we got back, the flock had bad news: my mother had been kidnapped. I knew something bad was going to happen!
*End flashback*
I sighed as I remembered that—one of the first times I realized that I really did love him. So much.
It had been six years since then, six years since we had rescued my mom, and six years since Fang and I had officially started dating. But about four years since we defeated Itex and saved the world from all the freaky white coats. During that time, my love for Fang had only grown. There had been a real scare when I thought he was dead, when we saved the world. He sacrificed himself to save the rest of the flock, even though that was supposed to be my job. He refused to let me, saying that there would be no world for him if I wasn't in it. I wanted so badly to tell him the same thing, to stay with him, but I knew the flock needed one of us and he had already made up his mind. So I had left. I remembered it thoroughly and clearly….
*Flashback*
"It's gonna blow but it has to be done manually!" Iggy screamed. "We have to get outta here! Max, someone has to stay behind…to set it off. We can't save the world without them…." He trailed off and got a panicky look on his face. "Screw it, Max! Let's take up Fang's offer and go to a deserted island, wait out the apocalypse! I don't want to lose anyone."
I shook my head, holding back tears. "No, this may be our only chance to save the world. We have to do this." I took a deep breath, ready to volunteer…to die.
Fang beat me to it. "I'll go." His voice shook with sorrow and pain. "It's for the best."
I turned to him, fear blocking out any sense of reason. "No!" I yelled at him. "No! I won't let you. You're not going to die for the flock…for me! Let me, Fang! I'm the leader, I need to do this! It's up to me! It's my…destiny. The Voice knew it all along! The flock needs one of us! I'm not letting you die." I gave him a fierce look, one of my leader-ly Max looks.
It didn't faze him. He shook his head and gave me a sad smile. "No, Max." He was on the verge of tears. "There will be no world for me if you're not in it. Don't try to stop me."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at him. They spilled over and I closed my eyes. "No," I whispered. "No, I—I can't. It's not going to work! Either both or me! I'm not letting you die, Fang! Never. I—can't live without y—"
I was cut off when he crashed his lips against mine. He cupped my face in both his hands. I could feel the salt water on my face—and his too. My arms slid around his neck. His own slid down to my waist. I didn't want to let him go; I felt so much safer when he was around. He'd chased away my nightmares so many times. I knew if he died, I would never find anyone good enough for me. No one could fill his spot in my heart. I would live my life alone if he was gone.
When he pulled away, I clung to him, hoping he wouldn't make me leave but he did. He gently pried my arms from around him and said, "Iggy."
"No!" I screamed, trying to free myself of Iggy's strong grip. He took my wrists in one of his hands and used to other to wrap around my front, stopping me from getting to Fang. "Iggy! Let me go!" He wouldn't budge. He dragged me toward the entrance, where the rest of the flock was waiting, sorrow filling their eyes. "Fang!" I yelled in a desperate attempt to stop him. "No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." I slumped against Iggy, giving up. I knew I could never reach him. We were already one hundred feet away from the building that held Fang. I could still see a glimpse of him when the building suddenly exploded.
The flock dropped at Iggy's command and I realized with a start that he was taking charge. I didn't care. Fang, my one and only true love, the guy who was always there for me, the one who knew me almost better than I knew myself, my best friend, was gone, blown to bits.
When the fire died down, Iggy got off of me, where he had dropped when the bomb he had planted had gone off. I jumped up and looked at the remains. There was nothing left. Bare desert was around us. (Yeah, isn't that weird? The main base for Itex was in the desert!) I couldn't see anything else. I lost hope and slumped to the ground in tears. "Fang!" I yelled to the nigh sky. "No. Where are you? How could you do this to me!? How can I—"
Someone interrupted me with a loud gasp. I didn't care. My sob fest continued. I was grief-stricken, never going to see him again. And then Nudge whispered, "Fang." A little louder she said, "Oh my gosh, Fang!" She turned to me and pulled me to my feet. I slumped against her but she didn't mind. "Max, Max, you have got to look! See with your own eyes. It's Fang!"
I didn't want to hope, didn't want to get hurt like that again. However, her words lit a spark of hope deep down within me. I slowly raised my head and stared at where she was pointing. A figure was moving through the smoke. I recognized his skinny, yet toned, figure, his dark clothes, dark hair, and through all the gray smoke, I saw the eyes. That's when I knew it was him. Fate had brought us together when we first met at the School and it wasn't about to let any bomb destroy that.
I struggled to break free of Nudge's grasp and ran to him, tripping over debris, and calling his name. "Fang? Fang!" When he finally noticed me, he started running too. I crashed against his body, nearly sending him flying, but he held his own. His arms came around me and he lifted me into the air, spinning me around while I kissed his wet cheeks, his lips, his face…anything I could reach. "Don't you ever do that to me again," I whispered huskily between kisses.
He set me down and gave me a proper kiss, making me moan slightly. His tongue caressed mine and I suddenly found it difficult to breathe. "You're alive," I whispered.
He nodded, tears of his own coursing down his face. "Yes," he said. "I am."
I gave him my best Max-glare. "You knew all along that you weren't gonna die, didn't you?"
He laughed uneasily. "I wasn't sure. I thought so but I wasn't sure…." He shuttered. "I never want to leave you. I won't ever do it again. I love you," he added hoarsely before kissing me and lifting my off the ground again.
"Hate to break it up but I would like my chance to, ya know, congratulate him." Iggy's voice came from somewhere behind us and I heard Fang's low chuckle. He released me, setting my on my feet but not letting me go for a second. I was glad to feel his heat around my waist.
I walked with him in a daze, tears of joy flowing down my cheeks. He got a guy-hug—ya know, the ones guys always give, the one when the give a sorta side thing and pat on the back? Yeah, that one—from Iggy; Nudge nearly bowled us both over when she jumped on him but he managed to catch her with one arm. Angel smiled at me as if she knew all along and I sent her a thought, knowing she'd get it, that she shouldn't have been so cruel. Gazzy gave Fang a hug too and Total jumped on him. Total was really excited to see Akila. He knew we were going to see his knew bride. She was expecting puppies soon….
*End flashback*
I smiled slightly, remembering. I realized tears were in my eyes; one escaped my eyes and trickled down my cheeks.
I leaned against Fang on his couch. We were at his apartment, on a date. We were just watching a movie, a romance that neither of us was really paying attention to. I could feel his eyes on me. "You okay?" he asked in his usually calm and cool manner.
I blinked back my tears and wiped my cheek. "Yeah." I glanced at the screen, where the girl in it was watching the guy she was in love with slowly die. "I was just remembering when we saved the world and you almost…died. And also, when I stayed for the first time when you kissed me." I smiled again.
He smiled too. "I'm here and I'm never leaving," he said, leaning down to kiss me. His tongue teased my mouth and I moaned. He crawled closer and we were suddenly lying down. His body was hovering over me. His hands teased the end of my shirt and I wanted so badly to let him. Sexual contact was a usual for us. I'd lost my virginity when I was eighteen. An adult.
When he suddenly rolled off of me, I groaned. "Fa-ang!" I whined.
He grinned. "This'll only take a sec." He paced the floor and then sat down at the end of the couch. "Max, do you remember what I said that time, when we were staying at the Day and Night School, and we were in the desert right after you were arguing with Nudge?"
I nodded. "When I first stayed," I reflected.
"Yeah. 'You have to want to be with someone, or it doesn't work,'" he quoted softly. "'You have to choose.'" He slid to one knee in front of my and pulled me up so I was sitting there. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small black box. He slowly opened the box and said, "Maximum Ride, I've chosen you. Since the day I met you, since you were staying in the next crate at the School, I've chosen you. Even when I was with Lissa, I always chose you. I love you." He took a deep breath. "Maximum Ride, will you marry me?" he whispered.
I stared down at the beautiful ring that he held in his hands. I couldn't believe he was finally proposing. I loved him with my whole heart.
He waited patiently for my answer. He stared at me with tenderness and love in his eyes.
"Yes," I finally consented, my voice faltering. I was so surprised, so glad, that he was proposing.
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me tenderly. He wasted no time in getting us to his bedroom. He shed my clothes and his on our way, so there were scraps of clothing trailing to his room.
A few hours later, lying with him, on his chest, I thought about all that had happened since Itex. We had had our ups and downs but in the end love conquered all. I had been told countless times that he was my soul mate and I believed with all I had. His hands roamed my back and then he flipped me over. His hands stroked my stomach and I gasped slightly when he bent to nuzzle my neck. He moved kisses down my collar bone, toward my stomach. He brushed passed my chest and kissed my stomach. "I love you, Max." it was about the millionth time I'd heard it but it never got old.
"I love you too." I pulled his head up to meet my lips. I pulled away after a second and grinned. "And just so you know, I'm never going to let you go into a building that has a bomb planted in it without me. I'm never letting you leave me and I'm never going to lose you," I reminded him. I'd said the same thing several times over.
He smirked. "Never," he quietly agreed. And then he pulled me closer and I nodded off against his chest. I was quietly cheering that I was getting married. We would finally be moving in together—creating a family. I was scared to death at the prospect of avian hybrid children.
And yet, I couldn't wait to get to that point. Together, we could rule the world as long as we were together. Together as humans—or as close to human as avian hybrids can get but ya know.
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Eh…I can't decide if I liked it. I guess it really doesn't matter whether I liked it. It's up to you! This is my first one-shot so be nice. No flames please. Also, I think I'm going to make it a three-or four-shot: Proposal, Telling the Flock, Wedding, and Honeymoon. What do you think? Tell me in reviews! Or PM me! I want to know what you all think! Later!
~IheartZacharyGoode