I just wanna say that I am not happy with this. But I really wanted to write this concept and post it. But I'm very disappointed in myself after this. Anyway, I hope you don't hate it. Here's my first Maxton fic. Enjoy. :)
She looked at herself in the mirror. The white dress fitting her perfectly. Her hair in an elegant updo while her makeup stayed soft. She didn't know when she zoned out but she did and was brought back by the voice of her uncle.
"There she is!", Ryan claimed as he walked towards her. A smile on his face. She turned with her hands holding her dress and offered him a small smile before hugging him. He knew that smile. He knew his niece better than she thought. They remained in an embrace for some time until Ryan pulled back.
"You look beautiful.", he said, honestly with a smile. All he got in return was a nod and a barely audible 'thank you' and a sigh. He knew what this was about. He knew her and he knew more than she thought he did. They let go of each other and stood facing each other when Ryan spoke up, "Are you sure, Max?
She looked at him, slight confusion framing her face, "About what?"
"This. Tom."
And in that moment she knew what he meant. Of course, Ryan picked up on it. How could he not? Maybe everyone knew.
Sighing she nodded and offered hi m a smile, "I'm good."
"I didn't ask if you're good, I asked if you're sure.", he pressed. He had to. He knew this was wrong. He knew this is not what she truly wanted. He knew! But he couldn't dictate her life. Even if she was like his own daughter he couldn't and he wouldn't.
She let out a small chuckle, "So, what, you're thinking of becoming a lawyer now?"
He grinned before replying, "I'm thinking of making sure you're doing what you truly feel is right."
She smiled and hugged him again which took him by a little surprise but when he heard her sighing the moment her head hit his shoulders he knew she needed it and reciprocated the hug and gave her a small squeeze.
"Whatever you want, Max, I'll support it." He felt her nod. "All I want is for you to be happy. However or whoever you might find it with." She nodded again and pulled away.
He could see she was holding her tears back. Letting go of her completely he cleared his throat, "I'll leave you alone now."
He turned and walked towards the door when he heard her, "Is he…" her voice soft and quiet, "Is he here?"
She asked fearfully and hopefully. Or she wasn't sure. Did she want to see him? Would she be able to go through with it if he was here? Then again, she missed him. Everyday. She wanted to see him.
He turned around, his hand on the doorknob as he offered a weak smile. "I'm sorry."
She quickly shook her head and with that he left. She sat on the chair closest to where she was standing. More like collapsed. Her one hand gripped the top of the chair while her other hand was on right below her breast as she started to breath heavily and sat down. She took a few deep breaths before her mind drifted off to not too old memories.
She was almost done reading the article about some kidnapper when she heard the knock. Putting the newspaper down she stood up from her couch and walked to the door. It wasn't like her to not see through the peephole before opening the door but for some reason she opened it without checking and so her legit expression of slight surprise wasn't surprising to Mike. There he stood. Clad in that leather jacket she loved and his dark jeans.
"Mike.", she said as softly as she could. "I wasn't expecting you. Come in.", she moved to let him enter and closed the door. When she turned around she saw him peering at that same article she was reading just a moment ago. "Word is there's still no suspect.", she told him.He nodded but didn't look up. Max watched him. How his eyes would squint at certain things he was reading. How it seemed like he wanted to say something about what he was reading but stopped knowing it was pointless. But she looked beneath. She could. She saw the bags under his eyes. She saw how sad he looked. No one could have seen that except her. His skin was paler than usual. He was upset. About what?
He looked up at her to see her looking back at him like she could see right through him. "So, uh... when's the wedding?", he asked, not sure if he wanted to know.
"What?" She shook her head, "Nothing." She smiled. "You want a drink?"
He shook his head. They stood there. Silence filling the room. Mike decided he had to get it over with and cleared his throat, "So, you're marrying him, huh?"
She could see the sadness in his eyes. Wait, how did he know? They hadn't officially announced it or anything. Except Ryan she didn't tell anyone Tom proposed and she said yes and her fiancé and her agreed they'd announce later.
"How did you know?", she asked, confusion lacing her voice.
"Word travels fast in the office." , he chuckled. But when she didn't so much as smile he explained.
"I heard Ryan and Tom talking. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I didn't have to. I heard Ryan say that marriage is huge and then he congratulated Tom." He sighed. A sad sigh. She could tell.
"So I figured what was up." He didn't look at her. His eyes were fixed on the ground.
She took a step towards him, "I wanted to tell you myself."
He offered her a weak smile and shook his head, "I don't think I would have taken this news well anyway." He chuckled. It broke her heart. She knew. She knew how he felt. She knew how she felt. She just wouldn't admit it.
She stared at him for a bit before she answered, "We haven't decided that."
He nodded.
"You'll come, right?"
He looked at her with confusion, "To the wedding?"
She nodded.
"Um…"
"Look, Mike, I know." She took a breath, "But it would mean a lot to me if you come." They caught each other's eyes before he let out a bitter laugh.
"You don't know, Max. You have no idea." Oh, but she did! She knew. Did he not have any faith in her anymore?
"Mike..", she started only to get interrupted by him, "Forget it." He cleared his throat again and looked up at her. And she saw him. Really saw him. And it broke her. What she saw killed her. His eyes full of sadness. Everything, every feature on his face screamed sadness.
"I don't know what I was thinking coming here." Could his words hurt anymore?
"Congratulations." , he said with a smile. She could tell he was trying to be genuine but he was failing. She could always catch him.
"I.. uh.. I should go. I'm sorry I wasted your time." She shook her head as he started walking towards the door, his hand on the knob when she called him, "Mike." The same soft way she always called out to him. He didn't want to turn. But how could he ever say no to her?
He turned slowly and what she did after that truly surprised him. But it didn't surprise her. She knew he needed it and so she walked over to him and hugged him. Her arms wrapped around his neck while he stood still. His arms at his sides. But she held him still. What was happening? Why did she suddenly decide to just hug him? He was confused now. But why would he complain? All he ever wanted was to hold her, protect her, love her. And if this is all he'll ever get from now on then he's will take it and cherish it forever.
So, he lifted his arms and wrapped them around her waist. Tightly. And that's when what Max thought was confirmed. He needed it. They stayed like that for long. Longer than usual. His arms still tight. She would hate to admit it but she didn't want to pull away. But she had to. She started pulling away and only then she started realizing how close they really were and how tight he was holding her. He reluctantly loosened his grips a little but did't let go. She looked up to see his face merely inches apart. Their eyes locked. It was as if they were hypnotized by each other. They didn't know how long they stayed that close for and how long they stared at each other like that for. Like, they could see through each other's souls. Mike leaned down, as usual, a slight hesitation, what if she came back to her senses? He watched as she closed her eyes and that was it. That small gesture is all it took for him to crash his lips to hers. He felt her hands moving at the back of his neck to his hair.
It started out soft. Their lips pressed together. Small pecks. He could feel her hands cupping his face while his hands moved to rub her back. His tongue darted out as he asked for permission and she obliged willingly. Her hands at the back of his neck, urging him on. His head tilted, his hands roaming on her back and pulling her close ever so often. Like, they weren't close enough. His hands descended down to her thighs as he picked her up and felt her legs circling his waist. This was it. What he wanted. What she wanted. For so long. Ever since they first made this 'mistake' at her place which was caught on tape, this is all they both wanted. He walked to her bed, lips still attached. He placed her to the bed without detaching his lips from hers, afraid he would forget what it felt like to have her lips attached to his if he even pulled away for a second. But they had to pull away, only to take each other's clothes off. Max urgently pulled his jacket off and kissed him again. His kisses were demanding. Like, he needed to do it. Like, he couldn't stop even if he tried. They pulled away again. He took his shirt of before getting her out of her own. He leaned down to kiss her and pushed her back feeling her urging him on….
Thinking back to the morning after that fateful night, he took his third shot of whiskey. She had kicked him out without coffee. Again. She just wouldn't talk to him about it him even though he tried. It was like they were reliving the past. He had told her it was real but she kicked him out. They hadn't spoken outside of work after that for quite some time. She wouldn't talk about anything that wasn't related to the case that they were working on until one day he decided that they he had had enough and told her that he didn't want them to act like strangers and that he was willing to move past the awkwardness.
What he didn't know was that moving past that would mean she would come to him a few weeks later inviting him to the rehearsal dinner and the wedding. That's when he instantly regretted making things right. He had decided he wouldn't go to either of the events but once Ryan told him how much it would mean to Max, he decided to put his broken heart aside and do it for her. Ryan knew it all. He knew they were still crazy about each other. What he didn't know was why Max was doing what she was doing. He saw how broken Mike was and they would sometimes hang out just to make him feel better.
After all that came the rehearsal dinner. He was barely making through the days as the wedding got closer. Even on the day of the rehearsal dinner he was debating on whether he should go or not. He had almost decided that he wasn't going when a text from Max that specifically told him not to bail on her made him go to that boring dinner. He hated it. Every bit of it. Except Max. And Ryan. He thought he was doing okay until Tom tried to rub it in his face that he was taking the woman that he loves away from him forever. The way he was holding her, laughing with her, kissing her, it all disgusted him.
After the dinner the couple had thanked everyone for being there and when Tom told Max he loved her Mike caught her eyes and instead of saying it back to him she smiled and reluctantly kissed Tom back. And he knew! Mike knew this is not what she really wanted to do, in that very moment. So, after everyone had left he asked to talk to her privately. She agreed and they met up at the room Max had booked at the hotel of the dinner.
"Everything okay?", she asked him. "You're making a mistake.", he tried to reason. She walked to him and for a second he thought she had come to her senses. He thought she would kiss him and tell him she loves him. Boy, was he wrong! To say that Mike was taken aback to hear that would be an understatement. Max took a step towards him and he stepped back that surprised and hurt her.
He chuckled. His eyes on the floor. He nodded. She sighed. Relief. Her relief soon turned into a frown when he shook his head and looked up at her.
"No." He took a breath. "Everything is not okay. You don't want this, Max." She knew this was going to happen. She shook her head.
"Mike, please. Don't do this to me right before my wedding .I thought you would be happy for me."
"I can't be happy for you if you won't be happy for yourself." She shook her head.
He took a step towards her, "You and me…"
"There is no you and me!", she said, her tone rising.
"Yeah, because you won't give me another chance.", he said calmly. "Max, listen.."
"No!"
She laughed bitterly, "Who are you tell me that? I…" she paused. As if the next words would cut her if she said them. But she had to. Mike had to know.
"I love him and I'll marry him and you won't stop me."
"You do not love him!", his voice rising now as well. He was going to fight.
"If you loved him, you wouldn't have slept with me. Twice! You would have told him you love him back at the dinner instead of looking at me. You wouldn't have paused right now when you said you love him." He breathed out. His chest heaving.
Max stayed quiet. Shocked by his outburst.
"What are you saying then?", she asked. She just had to.
"I'm saying..", he started. He took a breath before continuing. He had to be calm.
"I'm saying you don't want to do this. You know it. I don't know why you keep denying it.", he shook his head, disappointed.
"I'm right here, Max and I'm asking you for another chance like I did so many times before.", she caught his teary eyes. Was he..?
"I'm marrying Tom. He makes me happy. And I wish you would see that." He stayed quiet collecting his thoughts.
"You and me.. is real, Max. You know it. You feel it. I just don't get why you keep denying it."
She shook her head again.
"Max, you're making a mistake!", he almost yelled. He couldn't take it anymore.
"No, what you and I did was a mistake and it never should have happened!", her voice rising again. She threw her hands up before continuing.
"You're the mistake. Not Tom!" And she instantly regretted saying that.
"Mike.."
"If I were a mistake you never would have sought me out whenever. If you and me isn't real then it wouldn't kill me to see you doing this.", his teary voice matched his teary eyes now. She had truly hurt him.
"Mike, I didn't mean that.", she tried.
But he wasn't having any of it.
"I'm not going to your wedding. I can't stand and watch
She shook her head. Tears threatening to spill. "Mike, please.."
"I hope you have a great day and a great life with him." He turned towards the door.
She walked up to him, "Mike, please, I'm sorry!", she was crying now.
"Goodbye, Max." and with that he was out the door. If he had turned before he left, he could have seen her breaking down on the floor, her hands covering her face, tears streaming down her face. But he was gone now.
"Do you want more?", the blonde bartender asked with a smile. He had lost count of his shots. He looked up at her and nodded with a small smile before she disappeared to get him what he wanted.
"Drinking alone?", he thought he heard her. He shook his head. No, it's not her. She was probably saying her vows or dancing with her new husband or something he didn't want to know. When blondie, as he preferred to refer to her came back with two more shots he focused his eyes on the glasses that were placed in front of him.
He saw, from the corner of his eyes, someone in a white dress sit next to him but he paid no mind to it.
"I guess I deserve the cold shoulder."
His head shot up and he looked at the direction of the voice. Right next to him. He blinked a few times before he realized this was real. Max was here. Sitting next to him in her wedding gown. God, did she look amazing!
"What are you doing here?", he wasn't sure if he was hallucinating but he decided to take the chance.
She sighed as she looked down before looking back up at him, "I couldn't do it."
She expected him to say something but when he didn't she continued.
"I love you. I'm so sorry for what I did.", her voice shaky. Tears threatening to spill.
"You're not a mistake. You're what I always wanted. I'm sorry, Mike. I'm so sorry!", she was crying now, full on tears.
"You and me, it is real. I know that. We were not a mistake. You are everything! Everything I want. I'm sorry for all I did to you. Everything. I love you, Mike. I love you!"
Silence.
He didn't say anything and that scared her. She thought she blew it all. She knew she had and that didn't surprise her. She sighed and got up. She had her chance and she blew it. She was going to have to live with that now. He watched her. She felt ashamed? Vulnerable? He heard what she said. Saw what she was doing. Watched her get up and that's when he came to his senses. She was already turned around when he caught her hand and turned her around. She barely got to register anything before he pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers. He could feel her relax. Her hands made their way around his neck while his arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her close, if that was even possible. This kiss was different. They had both bared their souls to each other and that's why it was different. And God, did this feel amazing! They kept kissing for some time before Mike pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers and cupped her face.
"I'm never letting you go. Ever, again.", he said before pressing a soft kiss on her forehead and leaning back down for another kiss.
"Yeah, you show her, son!", exclaimed a middle-aged man who was sitting on the other side of Mike while they both laughed and so did the entire bar and clapped.
"I love you." he said. Softly.
"I love you too."
He smiled into their kiss.
Thank you. :)