Max snored quietly with her head down between her arms, her forehead plastered against the cold linoleum of the diner table. A few patrons walked by and shot her slightly concerned glances, a few almost stopping to ensure the girl was okay - they stepped away quickly when they saw the approaching blue-haired punk, the girl striding through the diner with her hands in her pockets. She let out her own yawn and sat down opposite the brunette, her head slumping back against the seat as she herself was completely beat after their small adventure yesterday - there was only so much sleep you could catch in the slightly uncomfortable seat of an old truck.

Chloe let out yet another yawn and leaned forward, her hand drifting over to the brunette sleeping quietly just in front of her - she ran her fingers through the chestnut hair and smiled. Her lips tugged even further as her smile developed to a mischievous grin - she brought up her hand and suddenly slammed it down beside the girl, the hipster instantly shooting up and rubbing her eyes.

"S-Shit, what's happening...?" Max groggily spoke out as she rubbed her eyes, her gaze starting to slowly look over their surroundings. She realised they were still in the diner they entered only a few minutes ago - a few of the patrons were looking over at their booth due to the punk's sudden disturbance. Max rested her gaze on her blue-haired girlfriend and noticed she held a mischievous grin - she couldn't hold her giggle any longer as she burst out once her eyes met Max's.

"Wakey, Wakey Maximus - our food is almost here." Chloe spoke through her giggles and saw Max send her a scowl.

"Such an asshole." Max replied and put her hands on her face, rubbing it for a few seconds as she did her best to wake up further. "Ugh..-"

"C'mon, stay with me girlfriend." Chloe pulled back her hands and reclined back in her seat again.

"Chloee..- I just want to sleep." Max once again placed her head back down on the table, covering herself with her hands as she closed her eyes and felt her body calling for more sleep. Chloe laughed again and lightly kicked Max's sneakers to cause a distraction. "Mmh..- go away.."

"Maaaax…" Chloe called out playfully as she began to playfully step over the sneakers with her cowboy boots. She heard the brunette grumble quietly as her hands further pulled in around her head in an attempt to ignore the punk. "Maax…-"

"Fine." Max finally gave up and looked up from her place through half-lidded eyes, her head turning as her hands ran over the back of her neck to ease the aching muscles. "I hate sleeping in the truck."

"You're the one who insisted we sleep in it rather than have me find a motel.." Chloe pointed out as her hands wandered over to the saltshaker in between them, her fingers grasping it and beginning to play around with the small thing.

"That was the plan until you decided to stick around that damn mill for another two hours." Max retorted and held a frown on her face as she looked at her girlfriend. "I don't know why the hell you insisted we 'leave our mark' on the damn place."

"That took like… five minutes at most - you're overdramatizing it." Chloe tilted the saltshaker and pointed it at Max, waving the small container around playfully. The brunette simply rolled her eyes and went back to looking around the diner.

The two girls went quiet as they listened to the jukebox music being played around the diner, some sort of rock song - the guitar whined quietly as it was periodically joined by the drums or the husky voice of the singer. Chloe watched as the waitress behind the counter took their order from a small window connected to the kitchen - she balanced the two plates on her hand and forearm whilst she lugged a coffee jug in the other. Max once again drifted off into sleep as she slumped down on her arm, her mouth slightly agape as a quiet snore escaped her.

"Max, wake up - food is here." Chloe called out loud enough to catch Max's attention. Instantly the brunette woke up as she picked up the aroma of the eggs and bacon making their way towards them, the unmistakable lingering smell of fresh coffee followed suit. The punk giggled quietly at the reaction and looked back up at the waitress.

The plates were placed in front of each girl as they looked it over - both of them had relatively the same portion of bacon and eggs. The waitress quickly poured them both coffee into their empty mugs and let out a wide smile at either girl.

"Thanks." Chloe spoke up and began to dig into her food. She heard a quiet rumble just in front of her as Max's stomach cried out for the food - the brunette immediately dug in and ignored the fact she was getting a few stares. The waitress simply chuckled and walked back around the counter to tend to the other patrons.

They ate their breakfast quietly and occasionally shot glances at one another, smiles and winks returned as neither of them had wanted to disturb the atmosphere of the diner - the presence of other people, the soft jukebox music, talking and laughing and so much more. It reminded both of them of the Two Whales.

"So - whaddya wanna do today?" Chloe asked as she finished swallowing some of her eggs and bacon. Max shrugged and slurped on her coffee, the hot beverage certainly giving her the early morning kick that she needed.

"I don't know. To be honest I kinda want to just hang out in a motel room all day and sleep." Max admitted and resumed eating her breakfast, her words being met with a chuckle from the bluenette sitting opposite.

"I see you're already planning ahead for our outing then, hmm?" Chloe teased and pointed her fork over at Max. The girl froze and processed the words - her memories were brought to bear as she remembered her own words to Chloe yesterday.

"O-Oh. I forgot." Max confessed and dove back into her eggs with her fork.

"Don't worry, we don't have to go to a club or bar or whatever today. It's up to you girlfriend, we can stay in Spokane as long as we need to." Chloe bit into her bacon and relished the taste - it was almost as good as Two Whales, yet there was something missing and she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"No, I want to go today Chlo-... I just forgot, like I said. I didn't mean anything by it." Max corrected herself and saw her girlfriend reply with a wide smile.

"In that case - we're hella partying tonight." Chloe giggled and finished off her bacon as her fork drifted over to the remainder of her eggs.

"J-Just…- Go easy on me, okay? I've never partied like you so..- you know." Max finished her own eggs and bacon as her hand drifted to her mug. She took a couple of quiet sips and heard Chloe nodding opposite, the sound barely audible over the rest of the noise in the diner.

Chloe went about finishing her breakfast plate, slurping down her strong black coffee along with it as neither girl had felt the need to talk. Max kept her gaze moving around the diner as she spotted the little details - the small shelf in the back with postcards, framed pictures and awards earned by the staff, visitor leaflets for Spokane and various other memorabilia. The brunette almost felt at home. Almost. She closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the patrons talking, laughing and milling about - if she didn't know better then she'd be able to confidently say she was sitting in the Two Whales during early morning hours. Yet she knew that the Two Whales didn't exist anymore. Neither did Arcadia. Max began to draw random shapes on the table as she kept blinking, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill if she continued down her train of thought.

"Hey, you okay?" Chloe spoke up as she looked down from her coffee cup. Max looked up and nodded quietly, flashing a weak smile at her girlfriend before resuming her random drawing. "Want to talk…?"

"I-... Is it okay if we do it here...?" Max spoke up and let out a sniffle, betraying her emotions and thoughts to the punk. Chloe quickly nodded and shuffled out of her seat before slipping in beside Max - the brunette quickly took her place next to the punk and put her head on her shoulder, still fighting back the tears.

"C'mon, tell me what's up." Chloe wrapped her arm around Max and brought her in closer, leaning back in their seat as she looked over the entire diner.

"It's…- Ugh. I-It's this place, Chlo." Max sniffled again and ran her hand under her nose. Chloe nodded quietly and gave Max an understanding squeeze. "It j-just..- It feels like the Two Whales a-and..- and..-"

"It brings back bad memories." Chloe finished the sentence for Max. The brunette simply nodded and closed her eyes as her heart clenched in her chest, the slight pricks of pain from each memory of the diner stung her.

"Y-Yeah." Max replied quietly and listened to the quiet beat against her ear, the punk's heart rhythmically pumping in her chest.

"It's not the Two Whales though, is it?" Chloe pointed out and looked out of the window beside the couple, spotting a few trucks rolling past the quiet street. Max nodded against her chest and gave her a squeeze.

"I-I know." Max spoke and focused on the heartbeat again - a few stray tears began their slow crawl down her cheeks as she tried to not make a show of it in the diner. "I just f-feel like i-its my f-fault that it's a-all gone..-"

"Hey, what did I say about blaming yourself?" Chloe gave Max a shake and looked down at her. The brunette looked up slowly, her glistening eyes meeting Chloe's before she gave her a curt nod in reply.

"S-Sorry. I just-... Chlo, it was m-my choice." Max once again lowered her gaze and felt one hand cup her chin, bringing it back up so the two girls looked at each other.

"You didn't cause that storm Max - we still don't even know if it was anything to do with your powers. Hell, we don't even know if you travelling back in time wouldn't just result in the same damn storm anyway - even if I-... I died." Chloe spoke out quietly and put her forehead against Max's, her own heart sinking slightly at the mention of her own possible sacrifice.

"Chlo, what if it happens again…"

"Max, we've been on the road for a week - have you seen anything strange happening meanwhile?" Chloe moved her hand from below Max's chin and rested it on her cheek instead, her thumb slowly wiping away the quiet tears the girl had shed.

"N-No."

"Exactly. Max - whatever this was, whatever that freak superstorm was - it's over. We're safe, we're alive and we're together." Chloe finished off her sentence with an eskimo kiss, her face a mere few millimetres away from Max's.

"I-.. It's getting e-easier." Max admitted and closed her eyes, her mind resting on the touch of the pale hand against her cheek, the nose brushing against hers softly. She sniffled and felt the thoughts of Arcadia and the Two Whales slowly fade away, replaced by memories that have yet to be made - her and Chloe together, their future.

"What about the nightmares?" Chloe asked as she was slightly curious, her mind wondering if Max was suffering from worse nightmares than before.

"T-.. They're still there. It's still the s-same damn thing. I stand on that d-damn cliff a-and watch it all..- ugh." Max shook her head and felt another wave of tears coming on. She let out a quiet sob, loud enough for only Chloe to hear, and moved her face closer into the punk's hand as she yearned for more contact.

"Hey, it'll be okay. We're going to get over all of this, it's still fresh on both our minds - time heals all wounds, r-right?" Chloe felt her own voice quaking as she watched her girlfriend quietly crying. Max nodded after a few moments and sniffled loudly, her eyes opened and she quickly ran her hands over them to get rid of the tears.

"R-Right." Max wrapped both her hands around Chloe and held on, the last of her tears draining as she began to feel better about it all again. It was slow going and an almost daily repeat of the same thoughts, words and gestures - yet each time they went through it they both felt better than before.

Chloe pulled her other arm around Max and simply held the girl in an embrace, her own heart slightly heaving at the emotions she herself was experiencing - yet it was far easier for her to forget than the brunette. Chloe had spent the last 5 years hiding her emotions, ignoring them and constantly repressing them down into the infinite darkness. The punk looked up around the diner and noticed a few patrons staring at the embrace the girls were holding - she rolled her eyes as her hands gave Max a quick rub as she left a kiss on her chestnut hair.

"C'mon, we should get going to find a motel - you wanted to catch some sleep, yeah?" Chloe moved away from the embrace and looked down at the brunette. Max sniffled for the last time, ran her hands underneath her eyes and gave Chloe a weak smile.

"Y-Yeah. Let's go."


Quiet music had managed to catch the attention of the tall punk as she walked down the street, her head promptly turned to the source, her eyes looking over an old - seemingly abandoned - building on the side of the street. Her eyes scanned through a small crowd gathering near an alley just to the side as they were held up by a tall, strong looking male - a bouncer, perhaps? Chloe squeezed the petite hand in her own and turned her head towards the brunette walking beside her in the moonlight.

"Hey, I think I got the place." Chloe gestured with a nod towards the building across the road.

"Hmm? Oh. T-That's it…?" Max looked at the warehouse herself - her mind instantly screamed danger as she saw the rusty, corrugated steel roof and general run-down appearance of the entire place. "Uh-... Chlo, that looks kinda dangerous."

"Well...- you gotta take risks, right? C'mon, this own't be so bad." Chloe replied and felt her hand getting squeezed, the simple gesture almost telling her everything she needed - Max was scared, not just because it looked dangerous, but because it was going to be her first time partying amongst strangers.

"I'm..- I'm just nervous, okay?" Max replied softly and heard her girlfriend nodding beside her.

"Don't worry, I'll be there with you." Chloe smiled down at Max and began to lead them across the road quickly.

The two girls reached the small queue quickly - a few looks and glares were sent their way as they quietly waited their turn. Chloe shot a few glances at the people standing in front, noticing a few well built jocks and teen boys around her and Max's age. Her hand let go of Max's as her arm was quickly draped over the brunette, bringing the girl closer as the hipster replied by wrapped a hand around the punk's waist. The queue moved along quickly as the bouncer did a quick pat down of everyone for anything strictly illegal before letting them in.

Chloe stepped forward and let go of Max for a second as she placed her hands behind her head - she gave the girl a wink and smiled. Two rough hands began a quick pat down her entire body, double checking her pockets to ensure she wasn't carrying. The bouncer let out a simple nod and gestured the punk towards the open door beside him - Chloe quickly stepped inside and waited for Max to follow up. She noticed that the bouncer was slightly easier on the smaller girl, only giving her one pat down rather than two for a double check - probably something to do with the fact she looked so damn innocent.

"Uhm…- So what kinda music do they play here?" Max asked quietly as the two girls began to walk along a long, dimly lit corridor towards the source of the music.

"From what I read it's mostly cover bands of rock and punk songs…- Uh, not really EDM club style shit is it?" Chloe furrowed her eyebrows and looked down at the girl. Max shook her head and replied with a weak smile.

"It's fine. I'm not really into EDM anyway..- Punk is my guilty pleasure too.." Max pointed out and looked ahead again. The corridor was coming to an end - a small half wall separated the actual bar from the rest of the building. Max heard the music begin to slowly fade out, the strumming of electric guitars dying a few moments later followed by a drum beat.

As they stepped inside the first thing they were met with was the brightly lit bar in the middle - the counters ran completely around a large shelf in the middle that contained various liquors, spirits and other types of alcohol. There were two bartenders making their rounds to the various patrons sitting on the stools and talking, male and female alike - laughter and loud chatter was easily audible in the currently quiet club. There was a large crowd standing around the raised stage in the back of the club - there were a few people talking and gathering instruments as it seemed that bands were currently changing, hence the interruption in the music. Booths, tables and seats were dotted around the entirety of the interior - a few of them were taken by singles, couples and groups of people as they drank their drinks and talked amongst themselves.

Max thought it was simple - a slightly dingy underground bar where people came to drink, listen and generally relax after a hard week without questions being asked. It worked for her - she didn't need to ask for anything else.

"Well…- this is kinda cool." Max spoke and heard Chloe giggle next to her.

"Yeah, it's more so a bar than a club though - isn't it?" Chloe gestured towards the large bar in the middle and saw Max nod out of the peripheral of her vision.

"I don't mind." Max gave Chloe a squeeze and nuzzled her face in her girlfriend's shoulder. Chloe began to lead them towards the middle as her gaze was already working around the inside to try and find them a small booth.

"Do you want to drink, dance or just hang out for now…?" Chloe asked as they arrived at the counter. Max furrowed her eyebrows and looked around the bar - she replied after a few moments with a simple shrug. "C'mon girlfriend, you're not giving me much to work with here."

"Chlo, I seriously don't mind - Uhm… How about we grab a drink first and just hang out?" Max suggested and instantly saw Chloe smile back in reply.

"Alright, whaddya want to drink?" Chloe saw as Max's face scrunched up in concentration - she quickly remembered that the girl hadn't ever had a proper drink, nevermind one at a bar. "Shit, nevermind - I'll get you something simple for now, m'kay?"

"Y-Yeah, that'll be good." Max returned a weak smile and then once again began to look around the large room.

Chloe placed both her hands on the counter and tapped them slightly as she waited to be serviced. She saw a slightly taller male approach with a smile on his face after a few seconds, one of the bartenders, as he was already calling out towards the punk waiting. The two quickly exchanged words as the bluenette ordered two fast and simple drinks - the bartender simply nodded in response and shuffled away after a few seconds to begin working on the drinks.

Another group of people had made their way onto the stage after a minute, each one carrying their own instruments except for the already provided drum set hugging the wall right at the back. Chloe's gaze rested on what she assumed was the lead singer - a young, raven-haired girl in her early 20's that was slightly taller than the bluenette. She began to go through the equipment as she laughed and talked amongst her band mates, testing the mic every few seconds to ensure it wasn't live yet. Chloe was snapped out of her mind when she heard the familiar clink of glasses being placed on the counter beside her - their drinks had arrived.

"Thanks." Chloe quickly called out and fumbled her hand into her leather jacket, her fingers searching for some loose bills. She quickly withdrew her hand and placed a $10 bill on the counter, her hands drifting over to the glasses as she grabbed them both - her eyes had now rested on her girlfriend standing quietly beside her. "C'mon, let's go and find a booth."

Max and Chloe spent a few moments looking for a quiet, out of the way booth in the corner of the bar. They shuffled through the light crowd gathering at the foot of the stage, people waiting for the next act, as they manoeuvred through larger and more compact groups of individuals that talked amongst themselves. The brunette slipped into a semi-circular booth and put her own drink down on the table just in front as the punk followed up behind her immediately.

"Sooo…- what'd you get me…?" Max asked curiously as she felt Chloe's hand drape over her shoulder and pull her in. The brunette ran her fingers along her glass and looked at the slightly swirling liquid inside, squinting for no particular reason as she examined the contents.

"Something simple for now - don't want you to get too drunk. It's just a basic rum and coke, something sweet yet strong." Chloe looked down at the glass her girlfriend was investigating. "Thought it fit you rather well."

"Oh." Max raised her eyebrow and brought the glass closer to her nose, giving it a slight sniff. Her face scrunched up as she instantly caught the whiff of the very sweet, very intoxicating mixture swirling inside - Chloe chuckled loudly at Max's reaction and gave her another squeeze.

"C'mon, try it - I guarantee you'll like it." Chloe spoke up and nudged Max a bit, gesturing her to take a sip. The brunette hesitated for a second as she was unsure whether drinking alcohol was a good idea at all - yet her deeper insecurities and anxieties were pressed back down when she realised she had to live a little at some point. She let out a quiet sigh and brought to glass to her lips as she took a sip.

Max felt the slightly burning, sweet sensation of the rum and coke mix making it's way down her throat. At first her taste buds were overloaded with the amount of sugar she had tasted, it was far too sweet, but the sensation was quickly replaced by the slight sting of alcohol and the aftertaste of both the coke and the rum. She grimaced in her seat and shook her head slightly as she placed the glass back down, her tongue doing laps inside her mouth as she still felt the sweet mix clinging to the insides.

"Sooo…" Chloe began and looked over Max with her eyebrow raised.

"It's alright. Uhm. Bit too sweet, maybe?" Max finally replied after a few more seconds of clearing her mouth of the remaining drink. Chloe nodded and felt a slight weight drop off her shoulders at her girlfriends acceptance of the alcoholic drink - her eyes once again rested on the raven-haired girl on the stage.

"You'll get used to it after a while, I was like that my first few times too." Chloe ran her free hand across the table and grabbed her own drink - a simple vodka and red bull combo - as she took a slightly larger sip from the glass. The punk grimaced herself slightly but took the drink far better than her lightweight counterpart, years of partying and experience being a boon to her when it came to drinking.

"Where'd you find this place anyway?" Max asked curiously as she looked around the bar again.

"Google search. Just had to specify that I didn't want to be carded - took a while but here we are." Chloe teased and giggled afterwards, taking yet another sip of her drink. She had felt the light buzz it gave her each time, the happy gut tug that the release of alcohol in her system provided.

"So this is all illegal…?" Max gulped and felt a bit nervous at the prospect of willingly breaking the law.

"Yeah. You don't have a problem with that right? I mean - we can leave right now if you want if you're feeling uncomfortable, I just thought you'd like to let loose a bit and drink." Chloe looked down at her girlfriend with a slightly worried look on her face, the arm draped over the brunette's shoulder starting to retract a bit. Max quickly shook her head to the relief of Chloe, the punk visibly relaxing afterwards.

"It's fine, Chlo. I've just never done something like this before. Drinking, partying, dancing and whatever else…- I never felt confident enough to do it in Seattle and stuff, so… uhm. Yeah." Max confessed and placed her head against Chloe's shoulder, her eyes doing rounds over the band preparing to play on the stage.

Chloe stayed silent and readjusted her own gaze onto the stage. The band that had come up minutes ago had finally been ready to play - the guitarists were strumming quietly as they did last second adjustments, the drummer sat quietly in the back as the raven-haired singer stepped forward. Finally everything went silent as the first sound of the plucking guitar rang out around the venue, shortly joined by the other guitars and the drums.

** ...Maybe life is like a ride on a freeway
Dodging bullets while you're trying to find your way
Everyone's around, but no one does a damn thing
It brings me down, but I won't let them... **

The raven-haired girl at the head of the band began to sing as she matched the rhythm set out by the guitars, starting slowly but quickly picking up at the pace increased in short bursts. The crowd burst into cheers as they recognised the song, yet another cover of a punk band that they all so knew and loved. Max and Chloe sat quietly and listened to the lyrics, occasionally taking sips from their drinks as neither of them had wanted to talk or do anything - they were here to simply relax, cut back from the constant driving and sightseeing they've been doing for days.

The music reverberated around the walls of the old warehouse as the entire structure nearly shook, the amplifiers going to work in helping the band deafen out the entire room. Bodies moved up and down to the beat - crashing against each other as the guitar riffs cut through the air. Not a single care on their mind as they were lost in their own world - all of them unique, all of them private. The air was clammy due to the immense amount of heat generated by so many dancing bodies, giving the bar an almost uncomfortable atmosphere after a while.

Max quickly began to feel the buzz of the alcohol getting to her, inexperience with alcohol being a huge factor for her body to try and adjust to after she almost jumped off the deep end with the drink she was consuming. The brunette kept a smile on her face as her eyes were closed, her mind focusing on the rough music constantly being played one song after the other - the presence of her punk girlfriend beside her providing the hipster with a warm, safe aura that she clung to at all times. Chloe hadn't said a single word the entire time as she allowed her own body to fully relax, her aching muscles, joints and bones finally getting the rest they so deserved after constantly moving over the past week. Neither of the two girls had even brought up the thoughts of Arcadia, the storm or anything bad that had happened to them in the past - the alcohol was definitely a contributing factor, an almost welcome addition to both of them.

"Hey, wanna dance a bit?" Chloe eventually broke the silence between them both as she heard a familiar song begin to get played, the crowd once again cheering as they themselves recognised it. Max opened her eyes and looked towards the punk with a large, goofy smile on her face.

"Yeah." Max simply replied but felt that it took almost great effort to not slur the simple word, the alcohol definitely getting to her brain. Chloe quickly slid out of the booth and drifted her hand down to Max's, dragging her girlfriend out behind her as they both made their way to the large crowd constantly present in front of the stage. With a few pushes, shoves and pulls they finally made it to the middle of the gathering - their bodies pressed together as neither girl really cared how cramped the conditions were. The guitars quickly picked up pace as they screamed out the fast riffs of the punk song, the drums echoing in the background as the raven-haired singer began her own part.

Chloe and Max danced together, jumping up and down to the beat - riding the electric wave of the crowd - as they lost themselves in their eyes relatively fast. They felt as the other bodies crashed against theirs, but they didn't care - it brought them even closer. Their bodies touched as they danced, the feeling of almost ecstasy-like high riding through them, skin on skin contact as their clothes stuck to their bodies. Sweat found its way onto their foreheads as the hot, clammy air of the bar was finally getting to them - beads running down the sides of their head - sticking their hair to their face. They kept dancing, feeling the song beat pulse through their bodies as the bright lights washed over them in regular intervals, bathing them in an array of colours.

** ...I want you
In a vinyl suit
I want you bad
Complicated
X-rated
I want you bad... **

Max and Chloe kept close to themselves, starting to come off their music-induced high when the beat started to die down after a few more seconds. The punk looked down at her girlfriend and bit her lip, seeing her with her eyes closed and still slowly swaying her body to the dying music. Max finally opened her eyes and saw the punk looking down at her, her own eyes filled with slight wander and passion - the brunette grinned wide and stuck out her tongue playfully. Chloe quickly took the opportunity to grip her girlfriend's hand and started to pull them both through the crowd. Her cheeks were flared up, her mind travelling quickly as the alcohol muddled her clear thoughts - right now she had one thing on her mind. The couple received a few remarks and scoffs but they didn't care. The two of them quickly made it to one corner of the venue, a dimly lit location on the edge of the crowd. As the music began to slowly pick back up again, Chloe lightly shoved Max against the wall with one hand, pinning her down against the cold bricks as she moved her body in close.

Their lips clashed in a flurry as they began their kiss, their bodies making contact quickly as Max's hands began to wander over Chloe's body. At first she gripped onto her back, her fingernails digging into exposed skin that wasn't covered by the black tank top - moments later they drifted down her back and slipped underneath the fabric instead. Chloe smiled as she felt the two hands begin to move up her sides, leaving a slightly colder trail the further they went up - right now she was thankful that none of the lights were shining down on either girl, catching them in their intimacy. Yet their spot wasn't the quietest one in the club as a few of the patrons, both sitting and dancing, noticed the two girls making out in the back - their alcohol muddled brains prompting them to cheer and whistle as the watched over the scene.

Chloe kept the brunette pinned against the wall with one hand, the other caressing her leg as they kept moving their lips in rhythm - their breaths were now hot and uneven as they struggled to finally breathe. Chloe moved away from Max's mouth after another second and placed her forehead against hers, the two of them taking their time to exhale loudly and catch their breath after their intimate moment. She heard the wolf-whistles, the cheers, the whoops and the shouts. She wasn't bothered - this is a party, nobody is gonna remember shit anyway with a killer hangover. She heard the beat of the music pulsing louder, reaching climax, then start to die away.

"W-Wowser." Max finally managed to blurt out as she recovered from the kiss, her hands running back down from underneath Chloe's shirt and resting on her hips. Her feelings were all over, her heart thumped against her chest as she was pleasantly surprised at just how much she actually enjoyed making out in a place like this. A dingy, run down bar atmosphere, pulsing music, eyes staring at them from all directions - it was risque, definitely different from anything her and Chloe had done so far.

Once again another song began to slowly fade into existence around the venue. A few shouts were heard from the crowd as the song started. At first one guitar, then another, then a loud screech as the electric guitar burst into the duo - all of it shortly followed by the drums. Max recognised the song, one of her favourites, as her eyes drifted over the crowd behind her bluenette punk. People started to jump up and down in rhythm with the drums, raising the roof with their hands - drinks were spilled, phones were dropped and people shoved around as the crowd failed to even give a damn about it all.

Max quickly jumped forward off the wall and lightly shoved Chloe back towards the crowd, wanting to join in on the fun once again. Chloe quickly turned around and dragged her girlfriend through the groups to the centre of the pulsing crowd, pulling her close once again. She let their bodies rub against each other as they began to jump up and down with beat, with the crowd - almost as if they were all one. The crowd roared out the chorus as it came, completely deafening the actual song with how powerful it was. Max and Chloe joined in, looking at each other as they shouted out the lyrics.

"GO ON AND PULL THE SHADES, RAZOR BLADES, YOU'RE SO TRAGIC!"

"GO ON, I HATE YOU SO, BUT LOVE YOU MORE, I'M SO ELASTIC!"

"OF ALL THE THINGS YOU SAY, THE GAMES YOU PLAY, DIRTY MAGIC STUFF~!"

The crowd pumped their hands in the air as the chorus was sang out. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a concert, but it was simply an underground bar. Max and Chloe laughed as the chorus ended for the first time, keeping their gaze looked on each other, waiting for it to kick in again.

"GO ON AND PULL THE SHADES, RAZOR BLADES, YOU'RE SO TRAGIC!" Chloe shouted as she leaned in towards Max, continually jumping up and down with the rest if the crowd.

"GO ON, I HATE YOU SO, BUT LOVE YOU MORE, I'M SO ELASTIC!" Max craned her neck towards her girlfriend as she shouted back at her, starting to laugh now - following the jumping of the crowd around them.

"OF ALL THE THINGS YOU SAY, THE GAMES YOU PLAY, DIRTY MAGIC STUFF~!" Both the girls shouted in unison, closing whatever gap was left between them as they allowed their bodies to touch in earnest. Chloe wrapped one arm around the brunettes shoulder and kept pumping the air with her other one. Max snaked her arm around her girlfriend's waist, using her other hand to copy her girlfriends action. The two of them jumped up and down in unison, joining the crowd again. The two were laughing as they felt the bodies of everyone else closing in, getting ready for the last chorus.

"GO ON AND PULL THE SHADES, RAZOR BLADES, YOU'RE SO TRAGIC!"

"GO ON, I HATE YOU SO, BUT LOVE YOU MORE, I'M SO ELASTIC!"

"OF ALL THE THINGS YOU SAY, THE GAMES YOU PLAY, DIRTY MAGIC STUFF~!"

The music once again began to fade out in a wave of cheers and whistles from the crowd, a few groups dispersing as they went over to their own booths, seats or the bar. Chloe laughed with Max as the two of them moved away from from the still swaying crowd, the punk leading the way back to their own booth. The two of them quickly slipped back into their seats and grabbed their drinks, taking sips as the cool liquid made it's way down both their throats.

"That was awesome!" Max readjusted herself so she could sit up as much as possible next to Chloe, hear head slumping down on her shoulder with a large smile. Chloe giggled in agreement and took another sip from her drink.

"Which part?" Chloe teased and turned towards Max. The brunette turned her head towards Chloe and moved in for a quick kiss, her lips brushing over the punks for a second before she moved back.

"Definitely the kiss."

"I knew it." Chloe smiled and looked back over towards the stage and the crowd, letting her finally thoughts gather in relative peace. Max resumed her own position and also kept her focus on the crowd, neither girl speaking another word as they were both happy - their music-induced high slowly wearing off.

Chloe kept her gaze on the raven-haired singer of the band on stage, occasionally catching the girl shooting her glances back - the bluenette could almost swear she gave her a wink or two a couple of times too. Max's drink surprisingly ran dry first as the brunette enjoyed the kick it was giving her, the alcohol allowing her to completely fade away from any kind of guilt or fear she ever had. She kept quiet as she was slightly woozy from the drink, her brain still capable enough to keep telling her that she'll just make a fool of herself if she spoke. Chloe noticed after a few minutes that Max kept shifting uncomfortably in her arms, prompting the punk to look down at her.

"Hey, you alright?" Chloe asked and heard Max nod after a second.

"Yesh-.. Yes." Max slurred out quietly and instantly kicked herself mentally for speaking in her inebriated state. Chloe giggled and moved her mouth close to Max's ear, giving her a squeeze to bring her closer.

"Want another drink…?" Chloe saw the brunette almost instantly light up with a goofy smile and nod.

"Yesss…" Max kept her smile and felt her body slightly sway as she held the word for a few seconds.

"Stay here, I'll go for a refill." Chloe grabbed her own drink and downed the contents in one, eliciting a giggle from Max. The punk grabbed both their glasses, left a kiss on the brunette's forehead and slid out of the booth - making her way through the crowd towards the bar. Max reclined back in the booth silently and closed her eyes as she listened to the music.

The punk approached the bar moments later and placed the two glasses on the counter. She noticed the same bartender from before shoot her a glance as she gestured for a refill. He simply nodded and took the glasses away, leaving the bluenette on her own. Chloe ran her hand through her hair and let out a content sigh, her other hand tracing random shapes across the counter as she patiently waited for her drinks. She heard the music fade out after another minute, heard a few inaudible words being said and a few cheers from the crowd. Finally she heard how somebody approached her and sat down on a stool just beside, catching Chloe's attention - she turned to her side and noticed the raven-haired singer smiling at her.

"Hi." The raven-haired girl spoke up after a moment and turned her gaze towards the bartender, shooting him a gesture to come over.

"Uh. Hey?" Chloe replied and turned back towards the bar slightly awkwardly.

"So, what are you up to?" The girl continued speaking as she looked over the punk, her hand tapping away at the vinyl counter patiently. Chloe turned her head back towards the girl with a blank expression.

"Waiting for my drink. Drinks." Chloe quickly corrected herself and looked over at the approaching bartender.

"Oh. Right. Well, I'm Kristy - what about you?" The girl was quick to make her introductions, slightly off set by the punk's mention of multiple drinks. Chloe was a bit hesitant at the sudden advancement but bit the bullet - what could go wrong?

"Chloe."

"So are you new around here? I haven't seen you before." Kristy pointed out and gestured around the bar. Chloe simply nodded in return as she grabbed the two drinks that were placed on the counter, her hands lingering over the glass for a few seconds as she was unsure whether she should continue the conversation or go back to Max.

"Yeah, you could say that." Chloe stood still and looked back at Kristy with a weak smile. Their eyes met for a second as the punk felt her stomach almost flip at the gaze. "Just passing through the city."

"Oooh… Not staying long then?" Kristy asked and raised her eyebrow - her hand began to work through her pocket slowly as she looked for something.

"No." Chloe pushed herself off the counter with the two drinks and shot a smile at Kristy. "Sorry, gotta go."

"Oh! Right. Uhm. Hey, before you go - take this?" Kristy took out her hand from her pocket and held out a piece of paper. Chloe stood dumbfounded as she looked at the paper, then at Kristy, then back at the paper.

"W-What is it?" Chloe felt a bit nervous as she kept looking at the paper. Kristy giggled and slipped it into Chloe's jean pocket, giving her a wink that further made the punk uncomfortable.

"Incase you get bored." Kristy spoke bluntly and turned around, grabbing her drink and quickly going back towards the stage.

Chloe stood quietly and held the exact, dumbfounded expression she had made seconds before. Had this girl just given her phone number, her address maybe, to Chloe? She was completely frozen as she didn't know what to do - she had been hit on by girls before during her teenage rebellion, yet none had left her so speechless, left her after advancing so quickly as Kristy did. Chloe finally gulped loudly and shook of her daze, walking back to Max's booth quickly without thinking too much into what just happened - there was no way in hell that she would even accept any kind of relationship with this girl.

"Heyy, what took you so long?" Max called out as Chloe slipped in beside her - the tall girl shot her a weak smile and wrapped her arm around the brunette after placing down their drinks. Max quickly took hers and began to take a sip, longing for the sweet taste of the mixed drink.

"Uh. Got held up at the bar, no biggie." Chloe left a kiss on Max's temple and let her lips stay there for a few seconds as the brunette giggled.

"What's this for hmm?" Max spoke up and smiled as she took another sip, enjoying Chloe's embrace and simple kiss on her temple.

"Just sayin' that I love ya." Chloe replied quietly and closed her eyes, banishing the thoughts of the raven-haired Kristy from her mind.

"Mm. I love you too." Max placed her drink back down and nuzzled her face into Chloe's shoulder, closing her own eyes and relaxing.

The two girls sat quietly and listened to the music resume after a few minutes. Max was lost in her own thoughts as she kept her goofy smile on her face, periodically burrowing further into the punk's shoulder and giggling quietly whenever she remembered something funny. Chloe heard the silky, smooth voice of Kristy once again echo around the venue as she did her best to not stare in the direction of the stage - her own thoughts kept racing over the small encounter with the girl at the bar.

Another hour passed as the two girls shared small talk, giggles and kisses over the entire period - neither of them bringing up anything to do with their road trip, Arcadia or the storm. It was all a welcome break from everything they've been doing, their outing at the bar being a simple bonding experience for the girls as they felt they were doing 'normal couple things' - hanging out, drinking and talking about nothing in particular. It was a definite change of pace from their road trip - the one that was designed to take them as far away from their troubles as possible, to start a new life away from it all.

"Mmhm.. I'm kinda sleepy…" Max finally spoke out after she finished her second drink. She felt her head swaying almost abnormally as her vision was slightly blurred - the alcohol had definitely done its work for today.

"Want to go back to the motel?" Chloe spoke quietly and stared at her half-finished drink - she had wanted to stay somewhat sober so she'd be able to drag them both back to their motel in one piece.

"Yea.." Max closed her eyes for a second and rubbed her hands over her eyelids in an attempt to keep herself up. Chloe nodded and slowly slipped out of her seat, stretching her limbs and shooting at glance at the stage. Instantly she was met with the sight of Kristy staring back whilst she sang a quiet song - she had almost definitely spotted the wink she gave her right then. Chloe turned back around towards Max and dragged the brunette lightly out of the booth, draping her arm over her shoulder and pulling her closer.

"C'mon, let's go before you collapse." Chloe giggled and left a kiss on Max's cheek, starting to walk the two of them over towards the exit. Max giggled and nodded, wrapping her own hand around Chloe's waist and periodically running it up and down her side.

Max and Chloe left the bar after another minute of struggling to find the exit - both of them were inebriated so that had made things definitely harder. They walked out through the alley the underground bar was located in, making their way onto the dark and cold street that led them back towards their motel. Chloe kept her senses about as best as she could, watching over the area from time to time as she knew that the two of them looked like easy targets for any would-be muggers and whatever else.

"Thank you, Chlo." Max spoke quietly and stood on her tiptoes as best as she could, leaving a sloppy kiss on her girlfriend's cheek. "Tonight was awesome."

"Glad you liked it." Chloe replied with a wide smile and a squeeze.

"Uhm…- is the morning going to suck…?" Max continued and looked down a bit as she remembered all the times she read and heard about killer morning hangovers from drinking too much. Chloe laughed loud enough for her voice to echo around the empty street.

"We'll have to see Maximus. It's your first time properly drinking so…- I'd say so, yeah." Chloe slumped her head slightly to her side and rested it on Max's chestnut hair as they continued to talk. "Don't worry, I'll be there to guide ya through it."

"Oh nooooo…~"

Chloe laughed again at her girlfriend's reaction as she continued to guide them back towards the motel for the night.


A/N-

Super late chapter because commitments and stuff. The story has reached over 3,000 views so far - that is massive! A huge thank you to everyone who has read and enjoyed so far.

- :) WinTTY