A/N_Apologies for taking so long to update this piece of work. I blame it on 'Phoebe's Love For Max' which needed more work effort put in. If you hadn't read it yet I suggest you do - events there will peek your interest/curiosity. Anyway here's the sixth Chap for 'Better Left Unsaid'.
Reviews are always welcome_Enjoy!
Disclaimer_I do not own the 'Thundermans'
Chapter 6: Signs
Better Left Unsaid
"Phoebe?"
She turned to see her little sister standing at her door.
"What do you want Nora?"
She didn't mean for it to come out so forced. But she was frustrated with the task that proved very difficult to complete considered she was awake up all night working on it.
"I have a problem."
"And now you want to make it my problem as well?"
Hearing no response she glanced at the doorway only to find Nora gone.
She shrugged and continued to work on her task.
- Line Break -
Max was sitting at the stove bench, Nora across him seemingly depressed.
"No, asking him through the phone will prove incongruous as he will easily find it to decline your offer... You have to do it in person." Max said without looking at her.
Nora frowned.
"Maybe you're right, I'm just being paranoid I guess." Nora returned feeling silly.
"When is it anyway?" he asked referring to the HiddenVille Junior Ball.
"Tuesday afternoon."
"You ask him on Monday. If he declines.. It gives you more time to find another partner. If not, you could probably go with one of your girl friends. If that doesn't work out, you could ask Billy. If that seems weird, you could opt to go alone. If you don't prefer any of the above. Come and consult with me after school on Monday." He listed finally meeting her eyes.
"Really, you'd help me?" Nora asked hopefulness evident in her eyes.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Nothing.. It's just, I expected Phoebe to help me since she's my big sister and all." she said sadly.
"Don't fret. She's probably just upset she isn't done completing her Biology task." he said ruffling her hair affectionately.
Nora just smiled and nodded before moving out the kitchen leaving Max to his own devices.
- Line Break -
Max walked into the living room only to find his father feeding off of some chicken wing - sulking.
"Dad." he announced sitting next to his father. Hank didn't respond so Max prodded. "You're still upset?"
Hank sighed. "Its not that son... Its just, I'm used to being the most powerful Superhero in the world. Yesterday just reminded me that one day I'd have to step down from all the heroic work considering I'm not getting any younger. Being the Hero that would instill hope in people's hearts is something I can't live without. Its important to me. I don't even want to think of the future once I'm completely removed from my line of work."
Max understood. Perfectly.
"Its the memories of your most successful accomplishments you accumulate as you grow old that's more important Dad. In other words your family." Max concluded. "So whining and sulking about it isn't really worth it."
Hank thought.
And smiled patting his son's back. "I guess I never thought of it that way. Thank you son." he said honestly. Inwardly proud of his son for the wise words.
"And, as an apology for yesterday's unfortunate event. I have something that may brighten you up..." Max said digging into his pockets.
"Oh-kay." Hank muttered with a risen eyebrow swallowing the chicken wing whole including the bone fragments.
Max retrieved a small form with a large red noticeable 'approved' stamped on it from his pocket.
He handed them over to his father who licked the sauce and grease off of his fingers as he clutched the form into his hands.
"What's this?" A few seconds and his eyes widened. "This is... Max! Do you know what this is?!" he shouted standing up.
"Approved Application form for the 65th HiddenVille Annual Father-Son Expedition... We got in" he said.
"With all that's been going on I completely forgot about it." he said. "B-But how?"
"I hacked their database. Infiltrated their firmware and extensions of their folders and found those. I copied them with their certified stamp of originality and voilà!" he announced smugly. "They are legit. We are the 47nth group applicants who got accepted at the last minute though."
"Normally I'd reprimand you for hacking since its illegal, but because of this, I'll let it slide." Hank said. "When is it though?"
"Tomorrow."
"Already?! I have to go pack!" he fleeced upstairs. "And rub this in Barb's face. She's not going to believe this!"
Max just shook his head chuckling at his father's enthusiasm.
- Line Break -
"You called." Max announced closing the door behind him keeping up a nonchalant front before Phoebe who stood a fair distance away.
"Yes... Can we talk?" she asked lowly trying to remain serious yet nervous at the same time as he neared her though at arms length.
"I'm listening."
"About yesterday." she started shyly. "It was wrong on both our counts. I've been thinking that we should... We should." she repeated suddenly caught in a trance as their kiss flashed across her mind - which involuntarily made her gaze fall south - on his lips. "We should." A whisper.
She swallowed.
And met his eyes. As if asking for permission.
"We should what?" he asked wondering why her face was leaning in - not that he minded anyway.
Phoebe's mouth moved but nothing coherent left. She swallowed again.
"PT, are you alright?"
Hearing him she did - registering what he said she didn't.
A sharp intake of breath and she was already kissing a surprised Max.
Hands cupping his face as she demandingly lured his face into hers feeling him respond.
She didn't know what it was but every time she'd think of Max - her mind travelled just to broadcast the memory of the first time they kissed, and since then she had been wanting more of it. That special feeling - the specific one only he managed to arouse out of her.
Part of her wanted this to be a dream - one she'd forget - and not relive again because of the guilt and fear it brought along.
Fear of being caught knowing the normalcy that once existed between them was shattered, going beyond what their relationship entailed - crossing lines that shouldn't even be overlooked in the first place.
Guilt - both or more specifically her knowing this was wrong, yet she was initiating whatever this was guided by fueled temptations. And she blamed herself - completely. The Max she knew had contributed nothing to this predicament - he was asleep - while his adverse self played his role amicably.
Her hands twined behind his neck her legs nearly giving out - because her heart was using her ribs and lungs as nearby punching bags - stability being lost in their steamy make out session.
She didn't even bother to ponder what will remain as a healthy sibling relationship between them in two weeks. Sure he'd come back to reclaim himself, the side effects of the gas having had already worn off.
But with her - was a whole story entirely considered she will be carrying all the memories - emotions - and feelings. What's worse was him being a constant presence in her life. She couldn't even fathom the events that will follow in two weeks.
She grew up with him. But being this intimate with him - made her rethink the relationship they originally possessed. Fighting and bickering - although deep down she knew Billy was on a hunch.
Its funny how things somehow make much more sense from another person's perspective.
Without permission her tongue uninvitedly slid into his mouth in search of his warm one - finding it their tongues caressed one another without abandon - ignoring the wrongness of their actions - focusing more on how right it felt.
She'd tingle when his fingers would glide through her scalp fending off her invading hair. The sense of compassion swirling around their bodies.
"Oh Max.." A moan released as rigid pleasure ran through her being.
Their noses grazed another as their lips glided.
Phoebe's chest vibrated as her heart fluttered out of emotion. She flushed tremendously - a perk she wished would leave her system since she wasn't used to kissing her brother.
She slowly parted from his lips cutting the saliva string with her tongue and hugged him. The telltales of lips on hers still lingering - the feel permanently imprinted.
"Are you uncomfortable?"
Phoebe could sense he was pleased as his body radiated heat - detectable and so warm it felt as if he recently ironed his clothes.
"No, I'm kind of embarrassed." she muttered softly still flushed.
"In layman you mean you aren't acclimated to being intimate with me." he clarified.
He felt her nod.
A pregnant pause to provide Phoebe enough time to gather herself and her thoughts.
"That's why we have to stop this, I mean you have to stop this, I mean I have to stop this... I mean-"
"PT, you're rambling."
"Sorry." she apologised sheepishly. "What I meant to say is, this has to stop." she released him eyeing him seriously her face still a tad red taking a huge step back - lest she be tempted to capture his lips again as her posture was in control of the frown forming on his face.
"What?"
"This." she gestured between the two of them. "Before it escalates to the point it destabilizes our relationship."
"I understand. Its a detriment to society." Max offered jaw clenched casting a glance to the side.
"I'm sorry Max." she whispered eyebrows raised.
And she was. She was forcefully halting his strong feelings towards her - the seeded guilt growing ever more since she couldn't relate.
It wasn't his fault. Not at all. She didn't blame him - he didn't choose to be exposed to the gas which made him behave this way - if this was permanent she'd kind of reconsider her decision as she was subtly becoming infatuated with him, but in two weeks he'd return to his usual self and the love he proclaimed for her would be nothing more than a bad memory.
On other matters. It was plain wrong. And that's what she was going with.
"Its alright. I would have done the same if I was in your position." he reasoned.
"Its probably for the best. When we broke the bounds that limited our relationship to a certain extent it went from bad to worse. To express this much emotion between us. Its ill and unhealthy for you to feel this way about me Max,"
She paused momentarily. That sounded harsh. Not how she intended for the words to roll off her tongue in that stretched manner. Though she noticed he was listening attentively with no sign of annoyance or anger.
So she continued.
"I want to be one to stop this. I-I think it will ruin our family name on a wide scale - including shaming us on a Hero League scale. Therefore I think the best choice is to... take a break from one another."
She closed her eyes at that last remark - it sounded funny considered they weren't an established couple in the first place.
"Hopefully the distance between us will neutralize the romantic feelings you have towards me."
She couldn't look him in the eye.
"Max?"
He took a moment to respond.
"Yes?"
"Y-you understand right?"
"What do I understand?"
"That its wrong to love your sister that way."
"I know what incest is," he said. "... Phoebe." he concluded as an afterthought.
Phoebe's heart spiked. He never addressed her by her full name - never. That alone made her pay attention to the blaring alarms going off in her head. Maybe dropping this on him was a tad too much.
"Max I-"
"I won't stereotype into saying physical intimacy between siblings is forbidden on to say we can make this work and whatnot. I completely understand." he listed staring her in the eye.
"You do?" she asked skeptically - reason being him having confessed what he felt for her a day ago.
Max nodded unblinkingly.
Phoebe was torn - realising it was a bad idea to break this to him minutes after their intimate moment.
What gnawed at her heart the most was the fact that he had no knowledge of what's happening to him - from a logical point of view his welfare - no - his life was in her hands. And any fuss up from her side mentally or physically may harm him.
That alone scared her.
She focused on his expression again.
She couldn't get a read on what he felt - his emotions - but they reflected through his eyes. He was sad and hurt. The facade he wore to remain apathetic didn't waver in the slightest - yet his naked eyes told her everything his face wouldn't express.
He was just standing there. Waiting to be dismissed. Appearing more to be the owner of the loveable puppy she just kicked - or him being the puppy for that matter. He looked lost. But hid it well. Very well it fooled her.
His eyes were wailing. Not even tears could represent the heartache his eyes reflected clearly.
Regret.
She felt it.
"Max." she whispered inaudibly as she reached out to touch his face but couldn't get him to respond - her hand shook as it came in contact with the flesh of his cheek.
She caressed his stoic face, her eyes widening as his skin temperature noticeably dropped and knew what it meant - her hands trembling on the cold hostile flesh.
He just stared with the haunting empty look.
She swallowed feeling a tad disgusted with herself. She wanted to cry and hug him at the same time. To tell him she understood and would have felt the same but it just couldn't be. Hoping him to understand. To know it was hurting her as well.
But the look he sent her.
Told her 'It was up to you. Yet you decided to disembark from what your heart was telling you. Decided to follow your undaunted logical mind as usual. I loved you. Now I don't. I'm done trying. Those three words inaugurated for you in preparance are gone with the wind. And I don't blame you. The simple trial is forlorn. You got what you wanted.'
She blinked as tears rimmed the corners of her eyes trying hard not to let them fall but letting him see the hurt she too was experiencing - that was before she saw a change in his eyes.
Rapidly blinking her tears away she intently stared into his eyes - there it was again! His already dusk brown eyes dimmed slightly - loosing its original vibrant lightness.
"Max, are you feeling alright?"
"Peachy." A word he never used before.
"You sure?"
"... No. I feel the tell tale signs of an oncoming migraine." he said.
"Let me get you some painkillers."
"No thanks. I'll get them myself." he concluded moving for the door staggering slightly as he held his head.
Phoebe alarmed, was already at his side. "Max! Maybe I should help you-" her hand would have succeeded in ringing his back if he hadn't caught it.
"I said I don't need your help." he stressed out. "I listened to what you had to say and I agreed. Let's leave it at that." and shut the door behind him leaving her aligned to her thoughts.
His tone made her flinch - and she knew for certain things between them were - if not already deteriorated.
That night Phoebe cried herself to sleep.
- Chapter End -