Love Bites, from the single by Halestorm
"What?" Chloe Price said as she looked into the eyes of Max Caulfield. Say again, Max. Did you just say what I think you said?
"You're a vampire, Chloe," Max had repeated, wincing as she set the bone jutting out of her forearm with a small cry of pain.
Both girls were currently sitting on the bench, though Chloe had been bouncing between sitting and moving around for the past ten minutes. Max was still entranced at the pale, lean figure that was currently seated next to her. Violet eyes and blue hair with pale skin to match Max's own, Chloe Price looked like a vision to her fiancé, a pale flame of blue fire taking in the evening breeze. Is this normal, to be so turned on right now? Max thought as she sidled over to sit next to Chloe before wincing again as her injured shoulder smacked against the back of the bench, Owowowowowww. Max knew she had a lot to explain, 'Hella' tons, but she had more painful demands at the moment and someone was rather occupied at the moment.
"Chloe," Max said, gritting her teeth as she felt a wave of vertigo from the head injuries, "Can you…Chloe!"
"What? Oh, uh, sorry!" Chloe said, jumping at the serious tone in Max's voice. Shit! Oh man, she's fucking torn up. She's probably mad, but all this is so fucking cool! Watching the moonlight play over the water with her new violet eyes, Chloe couldn't help but be distracted at this new world she found herself in. "It's just…Max, this is so hella sick! It's like this for you every day? Amazeballs!"
"Chloeeee…," Max whined as she realized that Chloe wasn't paying attention. Again. "Can you fucking help me, please? You've gotten a beaten-up fiancé sitting over here and you're spacing out?"
That got your attention, Max thought, as Chloe snapped her head around from where she had been spacing out and looked over at Max with a large pout before she sat back down on the bench and began to look at Max's beaten state. Max immediately felt her heart break a little as she saw Chloe's lip quiver.
"I'm s-sorry," Chloe said, and Max realized the other girl was going to cry. Fuck, she's mad. She's mad and broken and hurt, while I'm staring off into space. Fuck. "It's just that so much is different and I'm different and…you saved me, Max. You saved me. Again."
Chloe's tone was apologetic as she began to gently kiss Max on the lips, softly at first, then harder until she heard Max's muffled cries of pain and pulled back. Max was in pain, not just physically. You may think I saved you, Chloe, but I don't. It was selfish of me, bringing you back by turning you into what I am. Way to go, Max. You're now utterly confused and you have a newly-minted vampire fiancé to take care of.
"Dammit, Che, can you just stop for one second and help? Can you help me up, if only that?" Max asked, her wonder at Chloe's new state of being turning into an irritation at the near-complete lack of caring the other girl was giving her. Chloe seemed taken aback at the refusal of affection from Max, lowering her head with a sense of rejection.
"Sorry," Chloe said, her head downcast as she gingerly helped Max up and they began to walk down the hill, "It's just-"
"I know," Max said with a sigh as she regretted having snapped, "Everything is bright and shiny. I've been there so I know how that is. But I nearly died, too, and I'm damn near in fucking pieces while you're spacing out on a vampiric high." Max grumbled as she thought of how much of a beating she had taken just so Chloe can all but ignore her at the moment.
"Are you mad?" Chloe asked, worry in her voice as she looked over while continuing to help Max down the hill, "It's not like I'm intentionally blowing you off, dude. It's just…wow. Just wow."
"Not mad, Chlo. Just…impatient, and really hurting. Che, I will answer any questions that I can answer, but I need to heal. I need to feed, and you will need to as well. Like, really soon," Max said as she pointed to Chloe where the truck sat only to wince from lifting her arm too high.
"Can't we just do the super-speed thing?" Chloe asked before cringing under Max's glare, "Oops. Sorry." God, Chloe, why don't you just make things worse. Max is already beat up and pissed. Why not just kick it up to eleven?
"Do not treat this like it's a toy, Chloe Elizabeth Price," Max uttered in a commanding tone, garnering another wince from Chloe You may not want to hear it, but it needs to be said because I know you, Chloe Price.
"Sorry, Max."
"Stop saying sorry for a moment and just let me in the truck, please?" Max asked in exasperation. I can't handle her right now and heal at the same time. Oh crap. "Wait."
Max looked over at Chloe who had frozen still, keys half-inserted into the ignition as she turned her head to look at Max. Each girls felt hesitant towards the other, and while their reasons were different the degree of growing awkwardness between them was presently the same.
"…Are you going to yell at me again?" Chloe muttered, her voice heartbreakingly sad.
"No, I'm not going to yell," Max let out in exasperation, "I just realized that we may be out of blood back at the apartment. There was a smear of my mixture on the floor in front of the fridge, and I never bothered to-"
"Oh, that was me. Sorry," Chloe blurted out, looking away in embarrassment as Max's brow furrowed. Shit, Max, no more glaring. Please? "I was messing around in the kitchen and knocked a Styrofoam cup over. I was going to clean it up, but the next thing I knew I was sitting up on the hilltop."
"…Well, if we're lucky there is enough for both of us. At least, for tonight anyway. Maybe leftovers for tomorrow." Max sighed, too tired to chide Chloe again and really just not wanting to yell anymore. "Drive us home?"
"Like you need to ask twice," Chloe said with a smirk as she turned over the ignition. I hope she doesn't stay like this too long. An actually "Mad" Max is not the best Max.
"I had to ask you twice to help me out on the hilltop…"
"I said I was sorry, Max!"
"You are sorry, Chloe Price!" Max smirked as she saw Chloe's jaw drop for a moment before smirking herself, the brief gulf that had divided them closing itself up.
"Ugh!" Chloe groaned before looking at Max from the corner of her eye. "…I totally just walked right into that, didn't I?"
"What do you think?"
"Shaddup."
The apartment was completely dark, but neither Max nor Chloe needed lights to see anymore. Two pairs of glowing violet eyes peeking around the corner where the hallway led out into the apartment, Max weakly stumbled over to the fridge with assistance from a still-apologetic Chloe. Letting Chloe open the freezer door, her arms feeling increasingly stiff, Max told her fiancé to pull out the last two jugs and set them on the counter.
"Get three straws and connect them to each other, please." Max directed Chloe, nodding her head towards the silverware drawer as she leaned against the counter and panted from the exertion of moving while wounded so badly. Wowsers, I feel like shit. Never been beaten like this. Ugh, I feel like I'll fall to pieces if someone were to walk in right now sneeze on me.
Puzzled, Chloe nodded and simply did as Max said. Returning with the lengthy combination of straws, Max bit down on the end Chloe offered with the left corner of her mouth as she popped out her fangs and punctured the top of the jug with a fang from the right side of her mouth. Max looked over at Chloe, who was watching intently, and opted to not complain about Chloe spacing out again.
Wiggling her fang around a bit to make the hole larger, Max retracted the fang and slid the long sequence of straws into the jug carefully until she was satisfied that it was near the bottom. Hungry and in desperate need of healing, Max took a huge slurp from the straw and felt her body flood with renewed energy as mouthful after mouthful of blood ran down her throat. Slowly flexing her hands as a tingling sensation began to worm into her injuries, Max felt the set bone in her forearm begin to mend. Lifting the arm up carefully, Max turned and slid the other jug in front of Chloe.
"Drink up," Max urged Chloe between gulps, noticing that Chloe's eyes had turned back into their brilliant shade of blue as she looked at the full jug with trepidation, "Awww, can't get your fangs out?"
"Now who's being a brat?" Chloe asked with a grunt before Max walked around the kitchen counter to plant a wet kiss on Chloe's lips. Max felt Chloe's tongue slide into her mouth almost immediately as the taste of blood in Max's mouth gave credence to Chloe's hunger. "Oh, that was…hella. That was hella." What was that? It was so good, Max has never kissed me like that before and it's like her tongue had a fucking current of electricity along it.
Feeling her broken arm continue to heal as a soft pop came from her forearm, Max wiggled it a bit and winced one more time as the freshly-healed bone adjusted to its re-formed state. Taking Chloe's hand, Max walked her over to the living room while holding the full jug in the other hand. Taking a few moments to re-situate the toppled furniture, going slowly because her arms were still healing and her head was still somewhat fuzzy. Pushing Chloe onto the couch, Chloe's giddiness and playfulness from earlier began to rub off on Max as her body continued to heal and her head began to clear up. Max's burst of new energy reached its peak when she saw Chloe's fangs pop out after she sat on Chloe's lap.
"Chloe Price, is this turning you on?" Max asked, whispering in her newly undead lover's ear, "Y'know, every sense is heightened when you're a vampire. Every sensation, every…touch…" Max couldn't help but giggle as Chloe shivered when Max nibbled on Chloe's ear, running her own fangs gently along Chloe's neck before sitting back up. My turn to tease. Muahahaha, or something like that.
"Oh Jesus, oh shit, oh holy fuck," Chloe said, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as the sensation of Max's teasing felt like it had exploded into something a hundred times stronger than anything she had felt before.
"You've got to control it, Che. Your emotions, your feelings, they all get really strong," Max said, her playfulness replaced with somewhat apologetic tone, "I shouldn't have teased you. Look, there is fun, and there will be time for play, but there is also the risk of losing yourself to it. Trust me when I say you don't want that."
"But what if losing yourself is fun…?" Chloe begged, biting her lip as she looked up at Max. Let's cut loose right now, nerd! Chloe made to flip their positions, but was surprised when Max slammed her back down onto the couch with a surprisingly strong hand, "Dude, what the-"
"Chloe, do you even grasp how much I have to hold back so that I'm not discovered? Do you want to get wrapped up in chains and left in a box on the ocean floor like I was? I came back to Arcadia Bay because I love you. You are what keeps me in check," Max said, her eyes not leaving Chloe's, "I can't be with you if you're going to just go bat-shit with everything. Not just because I wouldn't like it, but also because it wouldn't be safe."
Max watched Chloe's face change, from irritation to worry, a worried look speading across Chloe's face as Max moved from a sitting to a straddling position.
"Do you still love me?" Chloe asked in a sober tone. You've given me a stern talking to before, but I'm just goofing around, dude. Lighten up!
"…Of course," Max said with an incredulous look, "Why would you even ask me that?"
Oh, shit, Chloe thought as she realized that now was not the right time to ask something like that. Fuck, you've really done it now, Chloe! Good job on hella ruining the fucking moment! Ugh. Chloe opened her mouth to speak, but only frowned and furrowed her brow as she realized that she couldn't come up with anything to dig herself out of the hole she had just made.
Max looked down at Chloe in mild shock, realizing the other girl was serious in asking that question. Is that…is that shame? What is going through your head, Chloe Price? What would give you reason to ask me that? Yeah, I'm kinda being harsh. It happens when you pretty much kill your fiancé and then bring her back to life as the one thing you didn't want her to be.
"Chloe, how could you ask me something like that?" Max asked again as she poked Chloe in the chest with her finger, her voice betraying the sudden hurt she felt at such a question blatantly thrown at her. "I brought you back to life when I was the one opposed to turn you into a vampire in the first place."
Chloe squirmed in her seat, not used to such a commanding and intimidating presence out of little Max Caulfield being directed at herself. I've seen you act like this to Nathan and Frank, but it is something hella different to experience it. No wonder they were fucking terrified. Chloe felt the excitement she had felt at being able to share in Max's world with her fading before the disapproving eye of her angered fiancé.
"Is this how you're going to be now, now that I've done this?" Max asked, gesturing at Chloe.Max watched Chloe practically melt under her gaze, but didn't even blink as she just continued to stare as Chloe finally spoke.
"Max…," Chloe said with a whimper as she looked away as Max just stared at her. What do I say? What do I say when you're making that face and my heart is breaking, Max?
"You going to answer me?" Max asked with a hand on her hip.
"Um, I'm kinda hungry," Chloe blurted out, instantly regretting every word as Max eyed the jug she was still holding. Fuck! Why did I say that? I mean, I am hungry, but…Goddamnit! Max's irate face was enough to make Chloe look down at her feet again, the playfulness gone from the smaller girl entirely.
"Ugh. Go fuck yourself, Chloe," Max growled. Throwing the jug into Chloe's chest with contempt as she stormed out of the apartment, Max didn't care at the moment that Chloe was remorsefully calling after her as the all the emotions Max felt from the night came to a collective boil.
Her shoulder still feeling stiff and the forearm of her other arm tingling as both injuries were newly healed, Max thanked Dog that they weren't bullet wounds before she sat down. Alone on the roof of the apartment building, Max played the past couple hours through her head over and over again. Thinking of the Chloe who had come running down the hill, all wide-eyed and loving, Max couldn't help but think of the Chloe inside the apartment building as something of an oddity.
Stop that! This is Chloe you're thinking about, Max! Your Che, your fiancé! But…I don't think I was like that. Was I? She's all aloof and shit-and-giggles, doesn't seem to care at all about what happened or, well, me. Then again, my initial experience as a vampire was…not the best. I don't even remember some of it, I had to be told because I was in such shock. Max tilted her head back and vented with a throaty "UGH!" as she looked out to Arcadia Bay at night, the wind from earlier having turned into a pleasantly chilly breeze. Max heard the apartment door open from where she was sitting, but didn't budge as she heard Chloe climb up. She doesn't know anything, how to push her new strength or agility. I'll have to teach her everything I know. Did I do the right thing, or am I just being selfish?
"Max…," Chloe said in a soft voice, "Will you please talk to me?"
"I don't know, Chloe," Max shot back, not looking at her, "Will you actually talk to me or say more hurtful things?"
Max turned her head to see Chloe kicking at the roof with the toe of a boot, her head down as she looked like she was about to cry. Max felt her emotions churn and stood up from where she was seated, turning the rest of the way so she was facing a dejected Chloe.
"What, Chloe?" Max asked, trying not to sound upset. She failed. Goddamnit, Chlo, don't do that. Now I feel like crap.
"Why are you mad at me?" Chloe asked sullenly.
"Because you go…you go from practically dead to newborn vampire and it feels like the first thing you're going to do is take a huge crap on us," Max said as stood up, her fears getting the better of her, "I was broken on the hilltop and all you fucking cared about was how pretty everything looked. I wasn't feeling very pretty, Chlo! I fought to the point that I could hardly move my arms, I stabbed and killed someone with a knife that I pulled from my own injury, and you're off in your own little dream world. I did all of that, dealt with all of it, for you." Max gestured for Chloe to stop as she began to walk towards Max with a heartbroken look on her face.
"I saved you, but I brought you into a world that I don't even want to be a part of," Max said, her voice cracking as she fought to keep her anger and pain away when brought before the face of Chloe's crestfallen look, "I'm afraid that you're going to be totally different, okay? I'm never going to hear your heartbeat again, never feel the warmth of your skin against mine, and it's killing me that I took those things from you. You might have been dying but at least you still had some human life in you! I-I'll never have that…and I took yours from you!" Max's churning feelings got the better of her and she put her hands to her face as she began to cry.
Max fell to her knees, both mourning what she had done to the blue-haired girl moving towards her and celebrating that was still with her. Initially slapping Chloe's reaching arms away with a whining sob, Max eventually capitulated after a few more attempts by Chloe because she was simply too tired of fighting and too lonely. Max felt Chloe's arms wrap around her body as Chloe shushed and gently rocked her, humming as Max continued to cry. Max longed to hear a heartbeat that would never come again, and choked back a bitter laugh that now it was her that had to deal with her significant other being a vampire.
Pulling her head back, Max looked up and saw the sorrow on Chloe's face, the fear of losing Max renewed in the face of this massive change in their lives. Shit, both girls unknowingly thought simultaneously. Max sniffled as Chloe leaned her forehead against Max's and her own tears spilled onto Max's face.
"What are you thinking?" Max asked, a little hesitant to speak after her outpouring a moment before.
"How much I love you, Max. Every time I've needed you there you've been, fighting for me. I'm sorry for being so out of it on the lighthouse earlier. I didn't mean to ignore what had happened to you, or what happened in general, dude. It's just that…Max, I am different. I'm still me, but everything is so new, y'know? It's not just the sensations that get stronger; it's like my all my emotions are turned up to eleven and I would have to struggle to breathe if it weren't for the fact that I don't need to breathe," Chloe explained, her voice coming out as a plea while she internally begged for Max to understand, "I feel everything, and it's like I can't keep my feet under me. I'm not trying to push you away or ignore anything with the intent of withdrawing into myself; I'm brand-spanking new, Chloe two-point-oh, and what I really need right now i-is the reassurance that you still love me because I'm so fucking scared right now and I don't want us to change."
Max felt what was left of her irritation fade away as she regretted her hostility from before. We were both in our own worlds, expecting the other person to support us when we were oblivious to what was happening with one another, Max thought as she cupped Chloe's cheek and felt a small measure of relief as Chloe closed her eyes and placed a hand over Max's while tears ran down both of their eyes. Max leaned her forehead into Chloe's, softly head-butting the blue-haired girl as she let out a small giggle. Her eyes closed, Chloe grinned in contentment as Max gently pulled the other girl into an embrace, laying Chloe's head on her shoulders as they held each other on the roof of their building.
Having stayed up on the roof together for a couple hours as they both needed to calm down, Max and Chloe both realized they were going to have to rediscover each other and themselves in light of this massive change to their world. Pausing in their discussion to just enjoy the quiet, Max had snickered when Chloe's stomach growled, finally getting to know just what that embarrassing hunger looked like when Chloe bashfully turned her head away. Holding her sides, Max had laughed uncontrollably for a few minutes as Chloe pouted and muttered "Oh, shut the fuck up" which only exacerbated Max's enthusiastic laughter.
Leaning on an elbow, Max hovered over the disgruntled Chloe until she reluctantly turned her head to face Max. Giving Chloe a soft, loving kiss, Max pulled away and sniggered a moment to see more and more of the Che she loved resurface from the haze of what Max had called "Newborn Baby Vampire Syndrome". Chloe's response of "Ugh" had only further encouraged Max's teasing. Hopping up, Max gestured for Chloe to stay put before heading across the roof and dropping onto the landing below. Chloe curiously lifted her head up only to become startled as Max returned from the other side barely five seconds later.
"How'd you do that?" Chloe said, sitting up as she looked at the direction Max left before looking over to where Max had come from, "Better yet, how do I do that?"
"I slipped out the window, vaulted up the rest of the way in a jump," Max said, shrugging nonchalantly as she popped open the jug, "You didn't feed."
"…I didn't want to. You were upset and, well…," Chloe said crossing her arms as she looked away from Max. Though I am hungry. Stupid stomach, stupid blood. Hella stupid.
Feeling a finger hook around her chin, Chloe couldn't help but grin as Max pulled her around so that they were facing each other. Aww, Goddamnit Max. Don't do shit like this when I'm sulking. You're so fucking adorable. Chloe watched Max as she moved next to her and sat in a cross-legged position. Seeing the mischievous look on Max's face, Chloe knew Max was up to no good as the brunette an eyebrow and popped the lid off the jug. Max chuckled as Chloe's fangs involuntarily popped out at the smell of blood, Chloe only feeling hungry and chagrined at the involuntary action her body made in front of her fiancé. Traitor! Chloe thought to herself in embarrassment before feeling Max rest a hand on her knee.
"Relax, Chloe. That happens when you're new," Max said, adding "You big, blue-haired baby" to Chloe's increasing chagrin.
"So I'm finally not a 'fragile little flower'? You have a new means of verbal torture now?" Chloe asked with a snarky tone, irritated at being the butt of so many jokes since they had both come up to the roof.
"Oh, you'll always be that. You're just this now, too," Max chuckled, running a finger along the inside of the jug's mouth.
Chloe involuntarily gulped as she watched Max pull out a bloody finger, What the fuck are you up to, Max Caulfield? running through her mind repeatedly as she began to feel a heat well up from her chest. The tip of her finger coated in syrupy-looking blood, Max wiped the liquid across her lips and pressed them against Chloe's. Teasing her fiancé, Max licked at her own lips between kisses and let Chloe taste the blood on her tongue before breaking the kiss off. Chloe's eyes were still closed after Max pulled away, her lips searching for wherever Max had gone to as Max watched for a moment at the silly but endearing display. Max, where did you go? That was epic! Do it again!
"Open your eyes, dork," Max snorted, handing a disgruntled Chloe the jug.
"Awww, but the sexy…," Chloe said, folding her hands together as though she were going to plead to Max, "The sexy, Max! The sexy Max! Give it back!"
"Less sexy, more 'just feed already'," Max said as she watched Chloe sniff at the jug and cringe, "I know it isn't the most pleasant thing, but you do get used to it."
"How do you get used to this?" Chloe asked, jerking her head back as she hesitantly took a second smell, making gagging sounds. This doesn't just smell bad; it smells old, never mind that I can distinguish what old blood smells like, Chloe thought with a shudder.
"Well, if you don't want to drink human blood you learn to get creative. You also learn to deal with some pretty shitty-tasting food every now and then. The stuff smells kinda repugnant anyway. It's your body that makes you crave it, not your mind. I will force feed you, y'know, if you don't drink it willingly. Drink."
Seeing the look on Max's face, Chloe looked at the jug in her hands and closed her eyes as she tipped it and took in a mouthful. Nearly coughing it up, Chloe swallowed it and sat introspectively for a moment. This is so gross. It's thick, and cloying…wait…what is that…? Chloe thought as she felt something in the pit of her stomach. Looking over at Max, Chloe had a confused and mildly squeamish look on her face as her stomach growled. Chloe's eyes suddenly look incredibly focused, Max smirking as Chloe tipped the jug up again. It tastes hella gross, but I can't help but want more. No wonder Max has a hard time stopping sometimes. It's like each mouthful sends a burst of raw energy through me. Mouthful after mouthful, Chloe repeated the motions of drinking until Max could hear the swishing of a near-empty jug. Setting the jug down, Chloe looked over at Max with a wondrous expression before lying back on the corrugated metal of the rooftop.
Oh my Dog, Chloe, you're like a baby, Max thought as she looked at the expression on Chloe's face and laughed at the ridiculousness of a blue-haired, infant Chloe. Do I need to burp you, because ew.
"Fuck, is it always like this?" Chloe asked, closing her eyes with a tranquil expression on her face.
"I'm pretty sure it isn't," Max said with a smirk as laid down next to Chloe.
Max felt Chloe wrap an arm around her shoulders, Max responding by nestling her head in the crook of Chloe's arm. Max closed her eyes as this moment of peace drove what had transpired earlier with Antony and Chloe's dying form at her feet away for a moment, taking solace in her lover's arms. Feeling a silence where Chloe's heartbeat should have been, Max still couldn't help but feel a deep pang of sadness. A part of her is gone forever, and I'm the one who took it. Antony may have gone for the kill, or to turn her, but I'm the one who did it. I have to take the responsibility for that, and for however this screws up her and us. Max looked up to see Chloe watching her in silence.
"Creeper," Max said as she elbowed Chloe in the ribs, shifting herself around so that her head flopped down onto Chloe's chest.
"What's going to happen now, Max?" Chloe asked, instinctively reaching for her pack of cigarettes. Pausing a moment, Chloe stared at the crumpled package before taking out a cigarette and lighting it up. Placing the cigarette in her mouth, Chloe inhaled deep and held the smoke for longer than she humanly could have before letting it out in a single, large ring.
"I honestly don't know," Max said, watching Chloe's smoke ring float up into the sky as it faded away, "I'd be lying if I didn't say that things are pretty messed up right now. My head hurts from trying to think about tomorrow, let alone after that. Why?"
"…I want to make good on my promise. Whatever happens, I need to make good on what I said." Max sat up and looked at Chloe in confusion.
"Chlo?"
"This," Chloe said as she gestured at herself, "changes nothing, Max, at least in one thing I'm dead set on. I'm still going to marry the fuck out of your nerdy ass."
Seeing a smile begin to play across Chloe's lips, Max plucked the cigarette out of Chloe's lips. Tossing Chloe's cigarette over the edge of the rooftop, Max elicited a "Hey!" from her fiancé before Max grabbed her by the jacket collar and pulled her in for a kiss.
Max and Chloe had gone to bed shortly after, Max stepping off the edge of the roof onto the landing with ease. Chloe had tried to mimic Max's easy descent but nearly did a pratfall down the steps as one leg landed at an awkward angle. Not bothering to hide her amusement, Max helped her embarrassed fiancé up, making a point of telling Chloe how precious she was as a baby vampire only to get an exaggerated "Uuuugggghhhh" in response as Max pushed her inside while referring to Chloe as "The Blue-Haired Blunder". Chloe's new status had lit a fire under her, however, and her mood quickly shifted into one of frenetic energy as she told Max that she wanted to do something cool.
"Chloe, it's nearly three in the morning. I'm tired and you're being goofy. Tell me this – would you rather risk me not snuggling when you do go to sleep, or getting a free snuggle pass right now?" Max asked as she wrapped her arms around Chloe's waist and looked up at the taller girl with a playful, waiting expression.
"I thought all my snuggles from you were free, dude. Damn, you're pulling out my punk card," Chloe uttered, tilting her head down to rub her nose against Max's in an Eskimo kiss before tugging Max along to the bedroom.
They had slept through the entire morning, both girls wiped out from the events of the past two months. Max had woken up a few times to feel Chloe spasm alongside her, faint cries and whimpering noises emanating from her. She's remember what it felt like to die. I think I got a mixed blessing on that. I was drugged, so I don't have dreams about the actual death. At the same time, it was such a violation, Max thought with a pained look on her face as she ran her fingers through Chloe's blue hair in introscpection. The repercussions of that moment in my life are what led me here, though, back into Chloe's life and into her arms. The price I paid, for her? Worth it.
Max had, in turn, felt Chloe's arms wrap around her upon waking more than a few times throughout their slumber. Her memories a haze as her eyes would groggily open, Max would only remember the terror of what had been running through her sleeping head before feeling a calm wash over her as she would look over her shoulder to see Chloe's immersive blue eyes blinking at her.
"What are you doing, Che?" Max asked, curious and groggy.
"Watching over my Mad Max," Chloe replied, her voice partially muffled as she had pressed Max right up against her. I've got you, Maxaroni. Not letting go. Ever.
Purring a bit at the remark, Max would wiggle around in Chloe's grip until she was facing the blue-haired girl and plant a soft kiss on Chloe's cheek before nodding back off within a few moments. Every time she had woken up, either she had comforted Chloe or Chloe had comforted her. Not that I'm complaining. If anything, it's been really nice to keep seeing this side of Chloe, Max thought as she fully woke up and looked at the clock over the bathroom to see it was just after noon. Wow. First lengthy amount of sleep in days. Chloe Price, The Living Security Blanket! Maybe Vampire Che isn't such a bad thing. At least we'll likely go to bed at the same time now. I won't have to stay up so much during the day.
Max rotated her shoulder around, flexed her forearm a bit. Feeling only a slight stiffness from each, Max had started to move from the kitchen when she suddenly remembered that the supply was empty, if not nearly empty. Opening the fridge, Max found a Styrofoam cup and her half-full sports bottle. Gently shaking both containers, Max heard the sloppy contents and decided to hold off until she…they…absolutely needed it. For Chloe, that's probably going to be the moment she wakes up. Leaving Chloe to her sleep, Max brushed her teeth and got dressed.
Max wanted to take the time to teach Chloe some of the stuff she had learned over the years, from others and on her own. Mostly, Max didn't want Chloe to have to start her new life on the run like she'd had to. The memory of Antony with a knife in his chest as Max slammed it harder with her foot crossed her mind and she shuddered, breaking the glass of water Max was using to rinse her mouth out. Muttering, Max bent down to pick up the shards of glass throw them into the bathroom's small waste basket when she heard movement from the bedroom.
"Afternoon, sunshine," Max sarcastically remarked, peeking around the corner to see Chloe starting to flop around in bed, burying her head under a small mountain of pillows.
"No," Chloe said begrudgingly from under her little hideaway, "Come back to bed. I'm so tired."
"Can't. And you can't afford to either, not at the moment," Max said as she walked up to the bed and yanked the bedding off of Chloe in a sharp tug, Chloe's complaining an unsurprising response.
"Whyyyy?" Chloe cried out. Max couldn't help but think of a baby Chloe with bright blue hair whining.
"Training day, Price. Up an' at 'em!" Max said in commanding tone, watching with a small amount of pleasure as Chloe sat straight up. The pillows fell alongside her as she slid down the bed until she was sitting in front of Max, looking bashful.
"…Hungry?" Max asked, seeing the faint start of a pout on Chloe's face as the other girl still wouldn't meet her gaze. Max knelt down so that she was eye-level with Chloe and brushed her nose against Chloe's cheek. Seeing Chloe watch from the corner of her eye, Max scooted up so that she was kneeling between Chloe's legs and began nuzzle Chloe's neck. "Come on out, Che. Come and play."
"…Okay…" Chloe said, sounding reluctant. Max was somewhat taken aback by this change in demeanor from last night.
"I know you were having nightmares, Che, but what's wrong? You seem, well, pretty down," Max said as she pushed herself up from between Chloe's legs to take a seat alongside Chloe on the bed. "Hey, seriously, what's wrong?"
"…I died, Max. I died," Chloe said in almost a whisper, Max putting a hand to her mouth at the crestfallen way Chloe had spoken, "I mean, this is all hella epic and stuff, and I get to be with you the way you are. But I can remember it, remember looking up at you as you cried. I can remember blood gurgling up from the back of my throat…it's horrible…"
Max was speechless, only to take in the depressed appearance of her Che as they sat on the bed in silence. Max wanted to comfort her, but also felt partly responsible for Chloe's current state of being. I am the one who turned her, after all. I said I wouldn't and I ended up doing it anyway. I've got to snap her out of this mood, she'll just waste away like this. Standing up, Max gently lifted Chloe to her feet and walked both of them into the kitchen. Setting Chloe on the kitchen stool, Max grabbed the Styrofoam cup and a corner of the lid to ensure that it was safe for Chloe to drink before setting the cup in front of her. Glancing down at the cup for a second, Chloe looked up at Max with a forlorn expression before she raised her hand as though to knock the drink off the counter.
"Hey!" Max cried out as she pulled the cup away before Chloe's hand could connect, "Chloe, what the-"
"I don't want it, Max! I just…fuck, I can't even bake anymore, can I?" Chloe said, checking her pockets only to stop mid-search as she rested her head on the counter.
"Well, you can try. I've only ever tried pot once, but I was still alive at the time so I never thought to do it again. Besides, you really shouldn't be high right now. The swinging moodiness is something you'll need to learn to control, but I'll be there every step of the way," Max said, coming around the counter to put and arm around Chloe's shoulder, leaning her head against the other girl.
Bringing the cup with her, Max opted to hold onto it as she offered the straw to Chloe. Telling her that they had to be sparing until tonight, "When we'll go hunting", Max told Chloe to only take in a mouthful. Taking in a mouthful herself, Max thought about walking Chloe back to the bed when she came up with something better. Scooping up Chloe in her arms, Max walked her over to the bed and laid her Che down as Chloe began to stifle sobs. Kneeling down so that she could see under the bed, Max brought out her old acoustic guitar and pulled a small chair set against the wall over to the side of the bed Chloe was laying on. Chloe watched Max intensely while wiping at her eyes as the coppery brunette began to gently pick at the strings, tuning a little following each pluck.
Satisfied that the old guitar was as tuned as it could be, Max began to strum softly on the guitar, a rhythm popping into her head as she began to hum along with the beat. Her concentration focused on the soft music emanating from Max, Chloe's tears began to lessen as she felt a wave of comfort wash over her and found herself matching Max's hum with one of her own. Max looked up at her and grinned, continuing to strum slowly at the guitar for a moment before breaking into a fast riff. Getting a giggle out of Chloe, Max scrunched her nose up as she smiled at the amused look in Chloe's eyes and mouthed Go to sleep, Baby while stopping her playing long enough to plant a kiss on her fiancé's forehead.
"Will you keep playing?" Chloe asked, curling up in the bedding, looking at Max with a content expression.
"Until you fall asleep," Max softly replied, looking at Chloe with a warmth that seemed to fill the entire room, "I love you, Chloe." And you call me cute, you precious little dork? If you weren't dead, I'd eat you right now.
"I love you. Please, please keep playing," Chloe said as she failed to hold back a small yawn while bundling herself up further, "Do you always get so sleepy during the daytime?"
"You're new, so you are more prone to it for now," Max replied, reflecting on her own experience, "I remember how messed up I was at first, adjusting to being a night owl. It'll probably be easier for you than me, punk rocker."
"Will you tell me stories, and teach me how to do some of the hella wicked shit you can do? Teach me your ways, Max Attack," Chloe muttered in an increasingly sleepy daze.
"I will teach you all that I know, Che. Together, we'll learn even more and go places you've never seen."
"Mmm…"
Max played for a few minutes more, strumming mostly to herself, as she finished with Chloe fast asleep.
When Chloe woke up, she was starving. Her stomach growling, Chloe looked around before noticing that the clock above the bathroom doorway read that it was 7 at night. Ugh, hella fucking beat. I slept, like, almost an entire day. What the fuck, is it always gonna be like this? Stretching herself out, Chloe smirked at how different her body felt. Sure, it was still her body but it was like there was a humming under the skin, like she was caged inside of herself. Chloe lifted a hand in front of her face, opening and closing her hand into a fist a few times. It's like I have new muscles or some weird-ass shit. Wait. Where's Max?
Looking around, Chloe saw a dim glow coming from the living room. Sliding out of the bed, Chloe looked around before noticing that she wasn't still in the wrecked clothes from the night before and that the blankets she had been covered up in were replaced with others. Did Max change me and the bedding while I was out? How did I not notice that? A warm feeling shot through her at the thought of Max, the nerdy little girl who had basically serenaded her to sleep. She's such a dork. She's my SuperMax. Mine. Walking quietly into the living room, Chloe felt a bit startled at the sight of Max lighting tea candles all around the living space. How did I not hear her moving around in here? Shouldn't I have crazy fucking powers, too? She really is a ninja. Just another thing for my Jedi Max-ter to teach me. I am her sidekick and faithful companion, after all. Only right that she shares.
Hearing Chloe approach, Max blew out the long match that she had been using to light the last of the candles. Smirking as she was still facing away from Chloe, Max wondered if Chloe knew how loud she was really being. It was terrifying at first, Chloe being a vampire. It still kind-of is, because if anybody can be more reckless it is her, Max thought with a small grimace of worry at the idea of a fuck-it-all 'Chlo-pire'. Still, her time sleeping gave me a moment for myself to think this over. She's still my Che. I'm not sure if it is her humanity that kept me so calm or her, but we'll discover our calm together.
"Hey, you," Max said softly, hearing Chloe gasp as she realized she had been caught. Nice try, Chloe. Ninja, you are not.
"Max, you…you look amazing," Chloe uttered, the airiness in her voice resulting in a satisfying smile playing across Chloe's lips, "Why didn't you ever dress like that before?" Where the hell has this been all my life? Max cleans up good, which is hella good for me.
"This whole thing, you being turned, started way off on the wrong foot. You're here, I'm here; it is cause for celebrating. This is a special occasion," Max said, turning around, "It's not every day that you get to celebrate someone's birthday, let alone a second one."
Chloe heard what Max was saying, but was locked in on the sight of Max Caulfield as she walked toward where Chloe was standing. Chloe had never been the bashful type, but she felt incredibly awkward as she was in pajamas and Max was in…that. Holy hella fucking shit, Chloe thought over and over as Max approached her, wearing a knee-length sundress the color of red wine with her hair down, a small black sweater over the dress.
Approaching Chloe with bare feet, Max looked up at her fiance with a seductive smile before planting a wet kiss on a speechless Chloe's lips. Holding Max's kiss, Chloe nearly groaned at the urge to pull back and take a breath before remembering that she didn't actually have to breathe anymore. Just as she was about to push herself into the kiss more, Chloe felt a whimper escape her lips as Max pulled away. Her hands outstretched, Max smiled sweetly as Chloe placed her own hands in Max's and was led onto the couch. Taking the seat proffered by Max, Chloe looked down at her pajamas and felt embarrassed again.
"I am hella underdressed for…whatever this is," Chloe said, her tone meek as Max just looked back at her and smiled her trademarked, sheepish grin.
"I-I wanted to do something really nice. Last night was…was really difficult, Che. You died, I nearly died, and now you're here like me. A second chance for us calls for something nice," Max said, looking away bashfully. Dog, am I overdoing this? I wanted this moment to be really nice, but maybe I'm going overboard.
"No, Max. This is amazeballs. I'm just processing everything, taking it all in. I mean, you look beautiful and the candlelight is so mushy that even I feel gooey from your effort," Chloe said, feeling her stomach about to growl, "I'm also hella starved. Do we have any pi-, oh. Forgot I don't need to eat actual food anymore."
"Not needing to eat it doesn't take away the joy from eating it," Max said as she walked to the fridge, coming back with two full-sized bottles of Goldschlager and a box of candies, "It just…it doesn't make you feel full anymore, or satisfied in terms of hunger."
"Then why eat it?" Chloe asked, feeling confused.
"Well," Max said pensively as she sat on the coffee table in front of Chloe, setting the candy beside her and taking a drink from one of the bottles of cinnamon liquor, "You know how you love pizza?"
"Uh, yeah…?"
"Don't ever eat it again," Max said, looking at Chloe with a curious expression.
"What? No fucking way. Wait…," Chloe said, "But if I don't need it…, shit. I'm confused."
"Chloe, just because you don't need it doesn't mean you won't want it. It's no different than your wanting to smoke pot and get drunk," Max snickered, "It's the taste, the texture. You want it because you just want it."
With that said, Max slides the lid off of the box of candies and withdraws a chocolate from the box. Hovering the small morsel in front of Chloe's mouth, Max urges Chloe on and Chloe reluctantly bites into the sweet. Whoa, the taste is so werid, Chloe muses as she chews some more, It feels weird too. Hella sweet, sweeter than I remember. So soft, shit's like butter or something really soft.
Swallowing, Chloe waits for her stomach to gurgle as the sweet goes down but feels nothing. The taste and texture, however, leave Chloe wanting another piece. Not waiting for Max to hand off another, Chloe slips her hand into the box and pulls out a chocolate-covered almond. Popping it into her mouth, Chloe's eyes practically roll into the back of her head from the softness of the chocolate coating and the crunch of the nut.
"Food is like this all the time?" Chloe says as she swallows again, "I barely saw you eat anything, Max, but I want to feast on that whole damn box."
"Uh, well, I practice a lot of self-restraint," Max said, rubbing the back of her neck as she awkwardly smiled, "You can gorge away if you want."
Chloe watched Max get up and walk over to mess with something in the kitchen. Looking down at the chocolate, Chloe thought about the awkward look on Max's face when she had just been talking. Did I miss something? Was she expecting something else? Chloe looked over in the direction Max had gone and saw her fiddling with something in the fridge.
Chloe hoisted herself up off the couch and walked over to the kitchen. Coming up from behind, Chloe tapped Max on the shoulder, wrapping the smaller girl in her arms when Max turned around. Feeling her hug met with a small sigh as Max leaned her head into Chloe's neck, Chloe felt two small hands run across her sides and around her back as Max matched Chloe's hug with one of her own.
"You okay?" Chloe asked, leaning in so that her head was barely resting on Max's bare shoulder.
"I should be asking that," Max replied, her voice a little shaky. Pulling back, Max looked up at Chloe with a pained expression, "You've been through so much in so short a time, Che. I thought of doing this while you were asleep, but it feels…kinda awkward. Especially when there's so much to do tonight."
"We've got the rest of the evening, though, and I'm wide awake. Dude," Chloe said as she brushed a few coppery strands of hair from Max's face, "Talk to me, Max."
Looking down at her hands as she let go of Chloe, Max's shyness overcame her for a moment before she could look Chloe in the face. Max was excited and terrified, but mostly just anxious. When they had promised each other to stay together forever, when Chloe proposed, the idea of Chloe becoming a vampire had honestly never crossed her mind. I meant my promise, and my answer; I just never thought of Chloe becoming like me. Does that make me a bad person, that a part of me wanted Chloe to stay human and watch her grow old? I would have stayed the same age, I will stay the same age, but she would have aged and matured.
"This was a mistake," Max said as she moved out of Chloe's embrace, "I-I'm not ready for this…"
"Max?" Chloe asked, worry creeping up on her as the scared look on Max's face triggered an alarm in Chloe's mind. Shit, she's hella freaking. What did I do? "Max, don't go. Just tell me what's wrong!"
Chloe watched Max hesitate for a moment before letting out a cry of surprise and Max leapt onto her and proceeded to make out with her more intensely than Chloe had ever felt her do so. It dawned on Chloe at that moment that when Max had described her self-restraint moments before she hadn't just been talking about food. Feeling Max's tongue forced into her mouth, Chloe felt herself fall against the kitchen counter as she tried instinctively to pull Max off her so that she could steady herself. Sliding a hand between them, Chloe had barely even begun to push at Max before Max grabbed said hand by the wrist and held it along Chloe's side.
"Jesus, Max!" Chloe said as she managed to pull her face away from Max's for a moment, "What the hell, dude? Where did that come from?"
As easily as she had started, Max abruptly stopped advancing on Chloe. Sliding her legs down Chloe's sides till she was on her tip-toes, Max took a step back and rubbed at some chocolate on the corner of her mouth with a finger before sucking the chocolate off.
"That has always been there, Chloe," Max said, her voice a little lower than Chloe remembered it being, "Now that I don't have to restrain myself around you as much, it's a little…h-harder to keep up."
Oh my God. She's as much of a beat in the sack as she is when she fights. She probably would have killed me if she went this hardcore with me while I was still alive and kickin', Chloe thought as she gave Max a sweet kiss on the cheek. Amazed at the sneak peek of how powerful Max actually was, Chloe looked away in embarrassment as she realized something that made her equal parts amused and nervous. Dude, I'm totally the weaker of us. Still. She could fucking dominate me right now if she wanted to. Fuck, maybe she did! Putting a hand to her head as Chloe tried to resolve her sweet Max with the Max she had just experienced, she felt herself calm down when a small hand began to lightly scratch at her back.
"You still like it when you get scratched here, right?" Max asked, her voice and demeanor more in line with what Chloe thought of as 'normal', "Um…s-sorry about that. You kinda, well, you really get me worked up." Truth.
"Oh, really? I turn you on?" Chloe said as she grinned appreciatively while Max slowly increased the pressure of her fingers as she continued scratching.
"Like 'hella fucking epic', brah," Max said as she tried to do a Chloe impersonation, "Ready for the mosh pit, Shaka Brah."
"Uh, no. No, you are definitely not," Chloe sniggered, moving towards the fridge, reluctantly, and away from'Max's magic fingers', "Do we have any more…y'know…?"
"Blood?" Max said, sighing as she realized that she had pushed things a bit too far, "No. I'm actually glad you brought that up. We need to go hunting."
"Really?! Do I get to punch a bear like you did? Because...oh, oh fuck…," Chloe stammered as Max slipped out of her clothes right where she was standing and walked towards the bedroom in only her underwear, "Dude, stop with the fucking teasing!" Chloe grunted in annoyance as she heard Max's giggling in reply. Chloe couldn't help it, however, as her frustration quickly turned to excitement at the prospect of tonight.
Max was going hunting, and Chloe was joining her.
Author's Note –
Yeah, I know this is shorter than what I've put out over the past several days. Talking to some of the other writers here on FF, they brought up concern that I may burn out before I come to a satisfactory conclusion. I reluctantly agreed, plus the stuff with my family is taking a toll on my concentration. Anywho…
With Chloe a vampire now, I thought that a shift in the story's perspective would be necessary. Just as I let you into Max's head chapters ago, I feel it is important to highlight Chloe's struggles with her new status and Max's struggles with Chloe.
Hope you enjoyed this one!
Read, Review, and I'll see you next chapter.
Stay hella, my beautiful cinnamon rolls!