Obstacles (If you really don't know where this song came from, I honestly have nothing to say to you. For cereal.)
Be chill, Cinnamon Rolls. Diet Angst, I swear. It's even lemon-flavored ;)
"Does it hurt?"
"Well, it's not fucking pleasant, Che. How's the hand?"
"Ugh, it's like I hit a brick wall."
"You're cracking a joke? After…after everything?"
"Gotta start sometime, Max. Makes me feel less shitty 'bout your face."
"Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, I guess. You 'gotta do' some pretty fucked-up shit, though."
The entire apartment was dark aside from the single light emanating from the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet, Max winced as Chloe dabbed at her face with a dampened washcloth, the hot water leaving the fabric steaming as it was pressed gingerly against the split lip and skin on Max's face. Her jaw initially dislocated from the impact of Chloe's fist, Max had set it back in place almost immediately once she and Chloe uncoupled.
Both girls sobbing as they sat on the floor, Max had winced as she realized that her mouth was getting increasingly sore. Feeling along her jawline with tentatively soft touches, Max rolled her eyes as she realized that Chloe's punches had dislocated her jaw. Being thankful that Chloe's outburst of strength had peaked with the second throw against the wall, Max shut her eyes tight and winced as she put her jaw back into place. Letting out a cry of relief as she tested her jaw by opening and closing her mouth, Max had looked over to see Chloe with her own jaw dropped.
"Whoa, that was so cool," Chloe absently remarked before remembering that it was because of her that Max looked like a mess, "I mean, umm, sorry."
Seeing Max look down towards Chloe's midsection, Chloe looked down at the broken hand she was cradling on her lap. Watching Max stumble and shake her head a bit as she got up, Chloe took the hand Max offered and let herself be led into the bathroom by the small brunette before Max headed off toward the kitchen. Chloe winced apologetically as she heard Max kick at the cabinet doors that had come off from her impact against them. Shit, Chloe thought as she heard Max make a humph sound that was followed by the clattering of a stack of wooden doors being put on the kitchen counter. Double shit.
Returning with two Styrofoam cups complete with bendy straws, Max offered one to Chloe and began to gingerly sip from the other. Max winced as her jaw popped from being newly set back in place when she opened her mouth to take in the straw, making Chloe wince reflexively in return. Yeah, you better wince. Fucking jerk, Max thought as she eyed Chloe for a moment before rolling her eyes and slurping down the contents of her cup. Setting her cup down next to the bathtub, Max carefully got up and braced herself against the wall as a bout of dizziness hit her.
"You okay?" Chloe said as she clenched her teeth from examining her broken hand.
"I think I might sit back down in a bit," Max said as she put a hand to her temple and squeezed her eyes shut, "You really should drink that."
Looking over to where Max was pointing, Chloe had completely forgotten about the cup Max had brought. Eyeing it suspiciously, Chloe looked over at Max with an eyebrow raised in question.
"What's in it?" Chloe asked, her face deadpan.
"Ugh, animal blood. Like usual. Thanks again for the vote of confidence, Chloe," Max said with a tired sigh.
"Hey, I'm just-"
"Can we not go at it again right now, Chlo? I'd like it if we could take a time-out so that I don't pass out and you get a chance for your hand to heal some. It's animal blood, not human, and I wouldn't fucking feed you human unless it was absolutely necessary," Max said, dead-tired as she looked at Chloe.
"Sure. Sorry, Max," Chloe said before directing her attention to the injured hand lying in her lap. I am sorry, y'know. Max flips her shit on Nathan and I flip my shit on Max. Fucking ridiculous.
Max walked over to the sink and grabs a hand mirror that is sitting on a shelf just above the basin. Lifting it up, Max looks at her face and grimaces at the bruises and cuts. Wowsers, Chloe, I knew you were furious but damn. Carefully touching the more painful looking injuries, Max let out a slight hiss through gritted teeth at the level of soreness she felt. Looking down to see Chloe watching her with a pained expression, Max pointed at the cup now sitting in Chloe's lap next to the broken hand and mouthed Drink before resuming her examination.
Now seated on the toilet, Max let Chloe dab away at the wounds on her face with the washcloth, closing her eyes every time she felt a jolt of pain run through her face. Sure, I heal. Doesn't mean it isn't painful, owowowowowww! Chloe! Max grimaced before smirking at Chloe as she took the other girl's hand and gently set it removed it from her face. Moving her jaw around slowly, Max felt the skin of her face stretch and contract, send small thrills of pain that went all the way to her scalp.
"Do you need any help with your…your hand?" Max asked as her jaw popped again, "Owwwwww…"
"If I chug this it'll heal up, right?" Chloe took a long drink from her cup and set it back down. "Don't worry about me, Max."
"Mmm," Max acknowledged Chloe's remark before sighing, "So. We going to talk about it, and the discussion that led up to it?"
"I don't think I have as much of a leg to stand on as I did before." Chloe rubbed at her forehead as she searched for words. "You really did fuck up, though. Like, hardcore fuck-up, Max."
"And I told you-" Max started to repeat her words from earlier, her voice raised before Chloe put a hand up to stop her.
"…I know, Max. I'm just trying to get it, I guess. I want to understand why. I just can't reconcile the sweet girl I'm in love with and the person I saw up on that hilltop." Chloe leaned up against the bathroom wall as she looked up at the ceiling. I get you're both, Max. I get that now, but I don't think I realized what I was getting myself into…
"Are we breaking up, then?" Max asked, playing with the small gold band on her ring finger.
"No, we're not breaking up," Chloe said as she slumped her shoulders, "I seriously wish you would stop asking that."
"Then what are we doing?" Max asked as she looked down at Chloe and flinched as the other girl raised her hand to touch Max's face, Chloe visibly wilting from the momentary fear in Max's eyes.
"Sorry! Oh man…," Chloe said while pulling withdrawing her hand, feeling worse by the second as Max's body relax when she pulled her hand back. What the fuck have I done? She's afraid of my touch? "We're…I don't know, Max. I've never been in a serious relationship before, let alone engaged to a vampire and being turned into one," Chloe said, a slight edge to her voice, "Ugh."
Despite their wounds and injuries healing, both girls remained in the bathroom long after. Talking for hours, Max and Chloe solved very little between them before either even stood up from where they were seated. While neither Chloe nor Max were willing to give up on the other, they both agreed that the best thing at the moment would be some privacy to work things out with themselves before tackling each other's problems.
"Will I see you any?" Chloe asked as she looked forlornly at Max from the living room, the other girl trying to reassemble her disastrous-looking kitchen.
"Um," Max said as she began to repair a shelf, "You've still got you tattoo work going on here. I don't know how you feel about doing it right now, considering the blood and how it might make you feel."
"Yeah. I'm not so sure about that, either," Chloe said as she pulled her beanie off and rubbed at her face, "Do we just set up fucking boundaries, try and make things less complicated mff-"
Chloe felt Max's lips on her for a moment before registering the rest of Max's presence. For a time, both girls were oblivious about what they had done to one another and simply held each other tightly as they kissed. Pulling back almost simultaneously, Chloe reached out and watched Max force herself to not flinch as she looked at Chloe intensely. Cupping the uninjured side of Max's face with her hand, Chloe felt the momentary smile she had gained from the kiss fade into a blank expression as the only side of Max's face presently visible was the one marked by her own hands. I don't think I will ever forgive myself for putting my hands on you. I…I did to you what David did to me. Fuck, Max. Just…just fuck…
Taking the hand Chloe had placed on her cheek into her own smaller hand, Max lowered it so that their intertwined hands were hung between them and interlocked her fingers into Chloe's. Chloe saw the damaged, fearful look in Max's eyes. She came back to Arcadia Bay for me, and now she's as terrified of me as I still kinda am of her. Should we even-
"-be together?" Chloe felt the words slip out before she could stop them, but it was too late. Seeing Max look up at her, eyes beginning to get watery, Chloe bit at her lower lip as she tried to think of something to say.
"I'm not giving up," Chloe heard Max say, surprised at the resoluteness in the smaller girl's voice, "Are you?"
"Hella no," Chloe replied in a soft voice as she gently leaned her forehead against Max's, "I am just totally fucking confused right now."
Max nodded before plopping down on the couch. Patting the seat beside her, Max waited as Chloe hesitated for a moment before sitting next to her. Feeling Max lean against her shoulder, a large part of Chloe just wanted to melt away with how strongly she felt for Max. The other part of her, however, was scared. Scared of what Max had become, what she might become, Chloe couldn't help but think of the future in a less than cheerful perspective.
"We take it slow," Max said, bringing Chloe out of her own thoughts, "I think it would be best if you stayed with Joyce for the time being. We can still hang out, if both of us feel up to it, but I will still need to help you out if you want to get better with controlling your…other attributes. Besides, you really going to try and store blood in Joyce's fridge? Because that will end well." Max and Chloe couldn't help but snicker at the idea of Joyce coming home to find a jug of something red sitting in her fridge.
"Well, I'm sure that it'll be fine so long as I make sure to write my name on it," Chloe said, her small fit of laughter dying down as she looked over at the still-chuckling Max, "So, I come here to refuel and you take me out for vamp training. Anything else, for now, comes down to how both of us feel?"
"Yeah. No need to be attached at the hip like we usually are." Max nodded as she finished saying this, garnering a faint scowl from Chloe in return.
"That sounded like a complaint."
"N-No, it totally wasn't!"
"Whiner."
"S-Shut up, Chloe! You want to go hunting by yourself, lil baby vampire?"
"Ughhhhh!"
Giving Max an awkward hug, Chloe was heading down the steps leading to the apartment when she turned around see Max coming out the door. Walking down the steps, Max zipped up her hoodie and Chloe saw that her little hands were wrapped up in fingerless gloves. Walking past Chloe, Max took the other girl by the hand and led her over to the Vespa leaning against the building.
"Max, you really don't need to give me a ride," Chloe said, shaking her head slightly as she grinned, "Dude. Seriously, you don't have to."
"I know I don't have to. I'm just choosing to do so," Max said as she put her helmet on, "We doing this or are you taking the bus?"
Rolling her eyes, Chloe took the seat's back end and wrapped her arms around Max as the small brunette started her scooter. Leaning into Max's back, Chloe felt the breeze against her face and enjoyed the quiet ride back to her mom's house. While saddened by the divide that was now between Max and herself, Chloe was also optimistic in that both of them refused to let the other go. Max is more worried about me dumping her, not even considering dumping me. That's pretty hardcore, Max. I'll remember that.
Pulling up to the Price residence, Chloe slid out from behind Max and straightened her beanie out. Leaning down, Chloe gave Max a soft kiss on the cheek before speaking up.
"Tonight then, Maxster?" Chloe said, making a wry face.
"Tonight," Max said before she looked down, pulling her phone out as Chloe headed toward the house, both girls waving as Chloe heard Max say "Hey, Taylor. No no, you can go on in. I'll be there in a few minutes."
Tonight, Chloe considered as she leaned against the closed door, hearing Max speed off back the way she came, Maybe we can start fresh. Obviously, I'm not going to ask for that ring back, but maybe I'll never have to. Walking up the stairs, Chloe looked and saw that it was only just past noon as she checked her phone.
"I can actually go to sleep now, and wake up in time for an evening rendezvous. I'm totally going to fucking nail whatever Max has in store!" Chloe beamed as she went into her room and crashed onto the bed, a peacefully dreamless sleep in her immediate future.
"Chloe?" a voice called out, dragging Chloe from her unconsciousness as the blue-haired girl blearily opened her eyes to see her mom peeking out from the doorway. Squinting from the sleep still in her eyes, Chloe scratched at her hair as she groggily sat up.
"Uh, Mom? What is it?" Chloe asked, seeing Joyce walk into her room.
"Just checking in on you, Chloe. You've been asleep the entire day. Are you alright?" Joyce asked, Chloe nearly rolling her eyes at the smothering maternal nature of her mom.
"Long morning." Don't ask me how it went, don't ask me how it went…
"Alright. Well, Max called for you on the house phone. I guess even she couldn't wake you up with your cell phone." Joyce chuckled before she lightly patted Chloe on the shoulder and headed back into the hallway, "If you want somethin' to eat, there's some leftovers in the fridge."
"Okay. Cool." Chloe flopped back onto the bed and looked out the window before shifting her gaze to the ceiling. I wish I had some weed to bake with, something to fucking ease up all the bullshit. I wonder how long it'll be before Max tries to get ahold of me again. Pulling out her cell phone, Chloe sniggered at the trail of messages dating back to a couple hours ago. Must've been sunset or something when she first started. Yawning, Chloe almost dropped her phone when it vibrated in her hand. Muttering under her breath, "hella" being the only audible word, Chloe opened her phone's menu back up and saw a new text from Max.
Max: Want a lift?
Chloe: Well I am lacking in wheels so yeah
Max: Coming around the block now
Chloe: wow you move fast, lady
Chloe: makes a girl blush
Max: dork
Max: like what u c?
Uncertain by what was meant by the last text, Chloe scratched at her hair before putting her beanie on. Snagging her jacket from the floor, Chloe examined the inside to make sure it wasn't too messy before she heard a honk outside. Not bothering to look out the window, Chloe already surmised that it was Max and came down the stairs to see a huge grin on her mom's face.
"Wow, you two really did make up, didn't you?" Joyce said as she cracked open the front door.
"What the fu-," Chloe started to say, her voice catching in her throat as Joyce opened the door for Chloe to see out to the street.
Parked directly in front of the sidewalk leading up to the house was Chloe's truck, Max at the wheel with a radiant smile on her face. Amazeballs was all Chloe could manage to think before getting shocked out of her head by another honk. Nearly stumbling on her own feet, Chloe hastily said "Bye" in the direction of her mom as she sped up into a run. Nearly colliding into the passenger door as she ran in a awe-struck daze, Chloe couldn't help but flash Max the most beaming grin she could ever imagine. Realizing that she was practically leering at Max, the brunette trying not to laugh at Chloe's expression, Chloe quickly opened the door and hopped into the passenger seat with Max taking off as soon as the door closed behind the blue-haired girl.
"Dude!" Chloe exclaimed, her voice an octave higher than usual, "Holy fuck, Max! You got my truck fixed!"
"This old thing?" Max said with a smirk, keeping her eyes on the road as she drove through town, "I found it sitting in the junkyard. It was such a mess inside, but I think it cleaned up okay. What do you think of my wheels?" Max couldn't help herself and winked at Chloe as the eyes widened on Chloe's face.
"Nuh-uh, this is my baby," Chloe said as she poked Max in the side, "Mine. M-I-N-E."
"Says the girl in the passenger seat."
"Pull over, hippie, and we'll see who is who!"
Chloe and Max shared a grin at the moment of ease between them, both feeling comfortable as they bantered back and forth. Chloe slouched into the seat, sticking her legs out the passenger side window as she reclined. Turning her gaze to Max, Chloe couldn't help but feel a deep regret about what had happened earlier that day, even more so at the fact that Max had went and gotten the truck repaired. Jesus, Max. Way to make a girl feel like utter shit. Still, you're fucking adorably amazeballs right now. Chloe wanted to purr when she felt Max run her fingers through Chloe's blue hair with a free hand as she steered with the other.
"Why are you being so nice to me?" Chloe asked with a melancholy tone, her face dispirited.
"Uh, what are you talking about?" Max asked, an awkward laugh bubbling out, "T-This is my truck, remember?"
"Stop, Max. Just…why?" Chloe asked again, pulling her legs in so that she could sit and face Max while the other girl drove.
"Because I love you, Che. Because despite how screwed up we are and everything else is right now, I don't want to lose this," Max replied, her tone thoughtful as she slipped her hand over Chloe's, "We'll work things out. It's not like we don't have the time."
This is Max, a beautiful and deadly woman who has pretty much laid her soul on the line for you, Chloe Price. Be fucking grateful she hasn't up and left your angsty ass. Chloe grimaced at Max's touch, looking down at the small hand resting on her own.
"How can you forgive me so easily?"
"How can you forgive me?"
Both girls grew quiet at their shared concern, not talking the rest of the way to the junkyard but just sitting together in the truck with their hands intertwined.
Pulling into the junkyard, Chloe slid out of the passenger door as Max shut off the truck and unbuckled her seat belt before lightly stepping out of the vehicle. Looking over to see if Max might give her the keys, Chloe could have sworn Max was reading her mind as the smaller girl dangled them in her hand with a sly wink before pocketing them in her hoodie. Dude, what the fuck. What the actual fuck, Chloe thought as she groaned in defiance to Max's hold on her ride. Pausing mid-step as something occurred to her, Chloe walked back to the truck and looked in the bed.
"Where're the jugs?" Chloe asked, pointing at the truck as she walked back to join Max, "I thought we were going hunting."
"We are, Che. We're good at the apartment, so this is more training for your baby smurf ass than a supply run," Max said as she directed them toward the hideout, "I just felt that we could unwind before going out tonight, that's all. No need to rush. Unless you want to head out now?"
Shaking her head at Max's inquiry, Chloe followed her into the hideout and almost dropped the unlit cigarette from her mouth. I think I love you, Maxine Caulfield. Chloe stared in amazement at her refurbished hideout. The walls plastered with posters and Polaroids photos, an old stereo sitting on a weathered table in the corner, and Christmas lights and paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling; Max had rebuilt her sanctuary with a touch of her own creativity. Chloe felt her lip tremble as she took in the display of absolute kindness in what Max had done, feeling completely unworthy of such empathy. Hearing the sound of bottles hitting the table, Chloe looked over to see Max opening a bottle of vodka with another bottle of clear liquor next to it.
"We're getting hammered?" Chloe asked, befuddled.
"We're getting hammered," Max replied as she slid one of the bottles over in Chloe's direction, pointing at the unoccupied seat.
"What's the cause for celebration?" Chloe sat down and opened up the proffered bottle, sniffing at the liquid before coughing. I forgot how strong this shit is. I never liked this crap; it was more Rachel's drink of choice than mine. Ugh.
"Second chances," Max replied before tipping her bottle up and taking a long drink. Slamming the bottle down, Chloe couldn't help but smirk at the small splash Max made with her alcohol before Chloe reluctantly took a sip of her own. "Don't make me shove that bottle down your throat, Chloe Price."
"Don't enable me. I'm underage after all," Chloe said, eyeing Max as she took another sip, "You undead kids and your peer pressure. What's next?"
"Drugs. I sell hardcore drugs," Max said, attempting a Southern accent.
"…Did you just quote The Last of Us?"
"Damn clickers!" Max giggled and took another drink of her vodka, "You know I'm the better gamer of the two of us. Always have been."
"Just because you beat Battletoads when we were kids doesn't make you the fucking Einstein of gaming, Max," Chloe groaned as Max's teasing and the alcohol began to take effect. Feeling a light buzz, Chloe looked down at her bottle and back up at Max. "The bottle says vodka but I realize…I realize that it wasn't sealed. What the fuck is in this, Max?"
"Moonshine," Max replied as she looked at her own bottle, musing at the half-empty status, "Strong stuff. Like, 150-proof or something."
Chloe felt her eyes nearly bug out of her sockets as she instinctively set her bottle down like she was afraid it might explode. Whoa, Chloe thought as she felt a strong buzz kick in, Is this how Max really gets drunk? Shitballs, how…how much do I not know?
"What the hell else haven't you told me, Max?" Chloe uttered with a faint slurring of her words as she leaned across the table to poke Max in the arm. "You turn out to be a goddamn vampire, then you…then you…ugh, this shit is strong…"
"Che, I think I'm drinking you under the table," Max said with a grin as she finished off her bottle and leaned back into her seat, "There's a lot I haven't told you, but I don't want to drop it all on you at once. We're not on borrowed time, so we can just relax and take this slow. Okay?"
"'mmkay," Chloe said as she laid down in her seat, the old car seat's springs squeaking slightly as she tried to get comfortable, "How's this? Hiiiiii."
"Hi Chloe."
"I'm Price. Chloe Price. Bang!" Chloe said, a goofy smile on her face as she made one of her hands into an imaginary gun and pointed it at Max, complete with a "Pow!" noise.
"I'm Max." Max giggled at how silly Chloe was being as the other girl nearly toppled over from getting out of her seat too quickly. Max watched with stifled laughter as Chloe went over to the stereo and began going through the small stack of CDs.
"Got anything good? Something I can dance to, oh Girl-With-One-Name?" Chloe asked, a drunken smile plastered on her face.
"You get shitfaced way too easily," Max said with a smirk as she shook her head. Standing up, Max walked over to where Chloe was situated and browsed the collection before putting in a burned CD and playing the first track.
Chloe nodded with the beat as it started to play, looking over at Max with an impish smile. She knew this song, had heard it a couple times before on the radio. As Wolf Alice's "Storms" played on the speakers, Chloe felt her body begin to twist and writhe as she started to dance, Max leaning against the wall with a smile on her face as she folded her arms across her chest. Breaking into full-on dance mode, Chloe began to spin and swing her arms in swirling patterns as she felt the song inside of her, moving her and guiding her.
Looking over at Max as she danced, Chloe made her way to the humored brunette and offered a hand. Looking bashful for a moment, Max bit her lip before taking the blue-nailed hand and joined Chloe as her other hand was taken as well. Spinning and twirling, the two girls let their minds and weariness escape in an alcohol-fueled moment of enthrallment, their eyes locked on each other as they spun around Chloe's sanctuary with music playing in the background.
Chloe felt her lips smack into Max's before the thought crossed her mind, but she didn't care either way. Her tongue burning from the alcohol, Chloe pried Max's mouth open with her tongue before biting on the other girl's lip playfully. Teasing Max by licking at the brunette's lips as she pulled back, Chloe let out a cry of surprise as Max shoved her against the wall with enough force to shake the paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Chloe felt her entire body quake from the sensation of Max slipping the tip of her tongue into Chloe's ear before nibbling on the earlobe. Giggling, Chloe let out a whimper as she shouted "Ticklish! Tickle-fucking-ish!" and giggled again when Max responded by running the tip of a finger along Chloe's other ear before turning the blue-haired girl's head over to plant a wet kiss on her lips.
Feeling a rush of something from within her, Chloe pushed at Max hard enough that the girl flew up a foot or two before landing on the makeshift table. The alcohol bottles scattered as Max's weight slammed into the wood with a creak before Chloe was straddling Max as she shoved her tongue down the brunette girl's throat. Max now giggling between passionate kisses, she locked her legs around Chloe's waist and pinned the other girl against her as she came at Chloe's mouth with her own tongue, a playful contest between the two girls as to who could kiss better. Neither girl noticed the music stopping as the CD went through all of its tracks, their minds occupied something else.
"Wow," Chloe said as she pulled a strap of her tank-top back onto her shoulder, "That was…that was hella fucking incredible. You make out like a fiend, Max Caulfield. Uh, can I have my beanie back?"
Lying on the ground in the sanctuary next to Chloe, Max pulled the beanie tighter onto her head, sniffing at the aroma of hair dye for a moment before reluctantly taking it off. Holding it up in the air with her arm, Max waved it around for a bit as Chloe tried not to laugh at the other girl's obstinance.
"Dude, you serious?" Chloe said as she leaned up and snatched at the hat, pulling it down as Max stuck her tongue out at Chloe, "That wasn't even a challenge, you tiny-ass nerd."
"Can we just stay like this?" Chloe heard Max ask in a faraway voice, "Can we just shut everything out and hide from the world?"
"I don't think this is the most solitary of places, Max," Chloe chided in jest, "I mean, someone will eventually come to the junkyard to either drop off their crap or look through the crap already here. I wish we could, though."
Seeing Max slowly sit up, Chloe followed suit before Max pushed her chest down with a small hand. Chloe couldn't stop herself from grinning as Max straddled her and just watched Chloe with a sly grin.
"We're really fucked up," Max said, as if explaining something Chloe didn't know, "It's a good thing we can be fucked up together."
"I don't know about that, Max. Kate did confess her love to me yesterday…" Chloe teased before seeing the look of shock on Max's face. "Dude, I was kidding. I mean, she did joke but it wasn't for real. Besides, I'm spoken for."
Sliding her hands into Max's, Chloe kissed Max's ring finger before playfully kicking her legs in a feigned attempt to get up. Giggling, Max sat there for a minute longer before sliding off Chloe's lap and helping the blue-haired girl up. You're too goddamn nice to me, Max. Way too fucking nice. Even when you're fucking bat-shit you protect me.
"I wonder if that's why she called me," Max said, brow furrowed in thought.
"Kate called you about that?" Chloe asked as she pulled at her beanie.
"Not that. She wants to get together with us tomorrow at the apartment. Sounded important," Max added with a shrug.
"Ooh, the 'Book of Kate's Revelations'!"
"Really, Che? Really? You're worse with puns than I am, and I'm pretty punny," Max rolled her eyes as she went to one of the windows and took in the night air. Chloe stayed where she was, balling up her tank top as she tried to muster some courage. Maybe I should have drank more.
"Max?" Chloe asked, her voice practically a whisper.
"Yeah?" Max replied as she out one of the windows, not seeing the serious look on Chloe's face.
"…I'm sorry."
Chloe watched Max turn around, puzzlement turning to a crestfallen expression as the brunette saw Chloe's heartbreakingly somber expression. Leaning against the glassless window, Max sighed as she met Chloe's pained expression with one of her own.
"We're both sorry, Che. About a lot of things."
"But do you accept my being sorry?" Chloe asked, fidgeting nervously with her hands as she lowered her head.
"I accept it, Chloe, but I just wish things hadn't come to that far of a point. Let's go hunt and we'll talk about it, okay?" Max said as she took Chloe's hand and led them both out into the junkyard.
"I think we should talk about it now," Chloe insisted, letting go of Max's hand as she opted to walk alongside the other girl rather than with Max.
"…That rage…it couldn't have just been because of me," Max said reluctantly, "I know that emotions get really hyped up when you're…what we are, but that was intense, Che. I was terrified."
"I know, Max, and I'm sorry. I just…it was like years of something inside me just broke whatever was restraining it. I never thought it would lead to me hitting anybody, though. Especially not you." Chloe hung her head as she felt ashamed for what had transpired, feeling Max softly take hold of her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, too. Sorry for freaking you out so bad at the lighthouse. I mean, I accept what I am, but you were totally unprepared." Max hooked a finger under Chloe's chin and lifted her head up.
"You had a reason, though. Your blue-haired asshat of a fiancé got herself into trouble again. SuperMax saves the day. Again. I had no reason behind what I did, though. I lashed out at you when I really just wanted to beat myself up."
"Have you ever thought about-?"
"Getting help? Mom sent me to a shrink a few years back, when shit got really bad. I was in a bad way, and she knew I needed something or I might try to hurt myself again," Chloe said as she absently rubbed at her wrists, not noticing she was walking by herself. Snapping out of her thoughts, Chloe looked next to herself, then back at Max. The brunette was standing by herself, wiping at her face. "C'mon, Max. Don't be like that. It wasn't like I really tried. I took one of my mom's shavers and just nicked at my wrists. See? No scars. I was too fucking scared-"
"But you thought about it," Max whispered almost to herself, "I almost lost you before I could even find you again."
"Hey. Max, I am right here," Chloe said as she put her hands on Max's shoulders and looked the other girl in the eye, "I'm never leaving you. Ugh, this is what happens when I open my damn mouth…"
Chloe made to start walking again when she felt a hand tug at the back of her jacket. Turning her head, Chloe saw Max trembling as she hung her head while keeping a solid grip on Chloe. Grimacing at the feeling of pain that came off of Max, Chloe slipped out of her jacket as Max still clutched to it and wrapped Max in her arms.
"I'm never leaving you. Not ever." Chloe felt Max sigh after a moment before feeling her fiancé's small arms wrap around her.
"I think we should both start seeing a therapist," Max said with a muffled voice.
"Or…we could just talk about our feelings? Be more honest?" Chloe offered in reply.
"That, obviously, but I think we may both need something more, Che. Otherwise, we could end up just doing all this over and over. Get together, hurt each other, get awkward, and get back together. I'd prefer to skip the middle two," Max said as she lifted her head up so that she was looking at Chloe's pensive face.
"I don't think we'll always be able to skip them, Max. We've both been through shit that's hella scarred us. How about we take each situation as it fucking comes? That cool, at least for now?" Chloe watched Max ponder her words for a moment before she looked up at Chloe with misty eyes.
"Hella cool."
The woods provided an escape for the two girls as they ran among the trees. Chloe beginning to acclimate to her new life, she began to realize that she couldn't tire as easily as she ran next to Max. Wiping the blood from her chin, Chloe smirked as she licked it off of her finger and winked at a bemused Max as they picked up their speed, Max cat-calling her fiancé teasingly as she ran ahead a little faster than Chloe.
"Goddamnit, Max! Give me a fucking break!" Chloe said as she willed feet to move a little faster.
They had hunted some deer first, Max wanting to start the evening slow. Following the herd along from a distance that didn't alert the animals, Max began to instruct Chloe on the basics of tracking. Reveling in the eagerness of her new charge, Max explained to Chloe how monitoring her environment would be more beneficial than she realized. Using examples from the herd's movement, Max had carefully pointed out the freshness of the muddy tracks versus the drier surface where the deer hadn't kicked up the soil. Chloe watched Max with rapt attention as her fiancé had pointed out broken branches and bent grass, showed how the direction of some of the grass gave away the movements of the herd in a general direction that they could pursue.
Damn. Girl's got some hella game, Chloe thought as they had come closer to the herd. The group of deer gathered together along the treeline of a small clearing. Chloe wiggled with excitement as she prepared to pounce on the first deer that came close enough with her when she felt Max put a hand on her arm. Seeing a mischievous grin flash across Max's face, Chloe couldn't help but return it.
What? Chloe had mouthed, getting a Trust me? In return from a silent Max. Rolling her eyes and nodding, Chloe had watched Max put a finger to her lips before turning around and gesturing for Chloe to hop onto her back. A Max-powered piggyback ride? I'm down for that-, WHOA WHAT THE FUUUUUUUCK!? Chloe nearly screamed out, the second she had wrapped her arms across Max's shoulders the smaller girl had leapt up into the trees. Jumping from branch to branch until they were a good height above the herd.
Gingerly setting Chloe down on a sturdy branch, Max darted across to land on a branch almost level with Chloe's from a tree opposite the blue-haired girl's position. Covering her mouth to keep herself from laughing, Max got a scowl from Chloe in return as she clutched at the tree trunk for a few moments before she felt comfortable enough to just brace herself against it.
Goddamnit, Max! Chloe mouthed at the shaking girl, sticking her tongue out as Max stifled laugh after laugh. It's not fucking funny! Chloe was about to speak up when she saw Max's eyes go violet and her small fangs pop out. Concentrating for a moment, Chloe felt a slight pain as her fangs came out. Poking at one of the sharp teeth with her tongue, Chloe wondered why Max had needed to be hit when she had revealed her nature to Chloe months ago. Remembering Max brining out her fangs by teasing the shit out of her, Chloe slumped her shoulders at how easy Max made everything. Well, all of this crap. Looking up, Chloe saw Max trying to catch her attention and waved her free hand at the brunette in return.
Chloe had seen Max drop from a height before, but there was something different about it being so close. Seeing the liberated expression on Max's face as she almost seemed to float for a moment when she stepped off the branch, Chloe could have sworn that Max winked at her before descending. Squeezing her own eyes shut, Chloe bit her lip to stop herself from screaming as she stepped off her own branch a second later.
Presently, Chloe grinned at the memory of landing on one of the deer so softly she had barely felt it. Running on a full stomach, Chloe and Max had gorged themselves before running in search of larger prey. Chloe looked ahead to see Max slowly inching away and tried to pick up speed. Failing, she shouted after Max for her to slow down.
"I can't go that fast yet," Chloe said as she caught up to the stopped Max, the other girl's face grinning widely from the exhilaration, "Dude, you've got to help me out here."
"I told you last time we went out, concentrate and move your body like it is a single muscle. Push with everything you have, focus on yourself as one solid being and fly forward," Max said, shaking her head as she chuckled at Chloe's inability to catch up to her. "We'll try right here."
Moving back a few steps to stand next to a tree, Max sprinted forward and appeared a moment later in front of another tree about 50 yards away. Egging Chloe on with her tongue stuck out, Max called after her and started to goof off next to the tree.
"Are you doing the chicken dance?" Chloe called out at Max.
"I'm doing the Chloe dance!" Max shouted back, busting up laughing.
"It's on, pint-size!" Chloe said as she bared her fangs at Max playfully.
"You have to actually get close to me in order for anything to be on, Chloe!"
Crouching down into the runner's position she had seen Max use before blasting off, Chloe tensed her whole body before shooting off. She didn't even realize she had done it at first, thinking she had tripped as she tumbled onto the forest floor. Embarrassed at having landed face-first, it took a moment for her to realize that Max was cheering her on and not being a smart-ass.
"That was awesome, Che! Try again, you made it halfway!"
Lifting herself off of the ground, Chloe looked up and realized that Max was a great deal closer than she had previously been. Holy shit, I did it. I fucking did it! Hella yes! Repeating what she had done seconds before, Chloe shot out again and felt giddy as the forest seemed to speed up around her. Not paying attention, Chloe let out a loud Oof! as she felt Max scoop her up and the forest came back into greater focus.
"What was that about? I was totally doing it!" Chloe argued petulantly as she wiggled out of Max's arms.
"You were running head-first towards a tree, Che. The only thing you were doing was setting yourself up for some pain and an uber epic fail," Max said chidingly, a smirk on her face.
Chloe mumbled about shit being unfair before she looked over to see Max beaming at her. Max's smiling catching, Chloe scooped up Max and spun her around in celebration at finally being able to pull of sprinting.
"Hella yes!" Chloe crowed as she set Max down and put her hands on the other girl's cheek to give the brunette a kiss. Feeling the kiss returned in kind with one of Max's own, Chloe let herself forget about the past five years for a moment, pushing the memories even further back into the recesses of her mind than where they already were. "What next, Maxaroni?" Chloe asked excitedly, a giddiness creeping up her entire body. "What next?"
"Well," Max teased, putting a finger to her chin as she pretended to be lost in thought, "Maybe we should just call it a night…"
"Noooooo! Boo hiss boo, motherfucker!" Chloe said as she spun around, "I feel so fucking wired right now! You were kidding, right? Tell me you were totally kidding!"
"I was totally kidding," Max confessed, breaking into a fit of laughter as Chloe fist-pumped in reply, "Oh my Dog, Chloe! You are such…a freaking…dork. Capital D-O-R-K."
"Shaddup!" Chloe retorted, still grinning, "So? Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
"You did say that you wanted to punch a bear…," Max said before getting startled at Chloe's elated cry of "AHHHHHHHHHH!"
Looking up in the trees to see Max watching her, Chloe's elation turned to anxiety as she realized that Max was leaving her to fend for herself with this hunt. It's not as fun when you have to do all this bullshit, Chloe grumbled. Why can't we go straight to bear-punching? Ughhhhh. Chloe sighed to herself and felt a twig smack her in the head. Looking up to see Max stifling a giggle, Chloe shot her a look with narrowed violet eyes and gave Max the double-bird before starting her attempt at tracking.
A mixed bag at best, Chloe's initial attempt was met with a few more twigs lobbed at her head, an echoed giggle emanating from somewhere above her each time. While Chloe had seen Max the first time, Chloe quickly realized that Max was making a game of the entire thing. C'mon, stupid fucking bear! Just…just pop up and be all "Hey, I'm a fucking bear!" Grunting in frustration, Chloe swatted at her head as another twig smacked into her. Fucking bear, fucking Max! Forcing herself to not make any noises, Chloe bent all her concentration into the tracking and began to notice things with increasing clarity. Broken twig? Check. Kicked-up dirt? Check.
The smell was what caught Chloe's attention, though, the smell of dank fur and the pungent aroma of something being unwashed. Crinkling her nose as the scent wafted across her face, Chloe half-expected another twig to come flying but heard the sound of two small feet gently touching down right behind her. Feeling Max's hand on her shoulder, Chloe looked back to see Max pointing directly ahead; following what Max was directing her toward, Chloe couldn't help but gasp in astonishment at the sight of a large bear some distance ahead.
"Good job, baby," Max purred into Chloe's ear, kissing the grinning Chloe on the cheek, "That's my Che. Only took you, like, a dozen tries."
"Still got it, though," Chloe retorted with a pout, seeing Max nod with an amused look on her face.
"Yes, you still got it. Now, let's see what you do with it."
"What does…Max? Max, where did you go? Max?" Chloe whispered as she turned her head back and forth to look for her mischievous little fiancé. Hearing a giggle from up ahead, Chloe's eyes widened as Max sprinted toward the bear. Is she challenging me, daring moi? Chloe asked herself before watching what Max was up to, realization dawning on her. Oh. Oh fuck.
Chloe watched Max slow herself from a sprint to a fast run as Max threw her small weight into the side of the bear, the animal growling at being disturbed. Standing on its hind legs, the bear let out a vicious growl only to be knocked on its back as a giggling Max kicked it in the stomach with enough force to send it momentarily reeling. Oh no. Oh nonononono, Chloe thought as Max began running in her direction, the bear getting to its feet and following the intruder.
"Max, what the fuck were you…wait! Where the fuck are you going?!" Chloe yelled as Max ran up to her and slapped her on the back as she ran past Chloe in the direction they had came.
"Tag!" Chloe heard Max yell back as she laughed.
"What the fuck?" Chloe asked, mortified as the bear began to approach. Crouching, Chloe leapt at the bear and connected her foot with its face. The bear's head tilting from the impact, Chloe fell forward and rolled before regaining her footing. The bear, momentarily dazed, turned around to assess its new target and stood on its hind legs again as it let out another roar. Hooking her fingers into claws, Chloe let out a growl of her own as she bared her teeth. Heh, I 'bared' my teeth at a bear. I am worse with puns than Max is. Ugh.
"Bring it, Yogi!" Chloe shouted as she sprang forward, sprinting directly into the bear and knocking the still-standing animal onto its back for what was the beast's second time. Backpedaling a bit, Chloe felt a little cocky as she noticed the bear not getting up so slowly. Looking around quickly, Chloe thought for a moment that Max had ditched her before she felt a twig smack her across the face.
"Brat!"
"Dork!"
"I'm pretty sure I fucking adore the shit out of you right now, Max Caulfield!"
"Good thing, too! You did ask me to marry you!" Max shouted from up in the trees, "Now pay fucking attention to what you're doing!"
Running at the bear, Chloe leapt up as the animal dazedly swung its head toward her. Pulling her arm back, Chloe applied what Max had said about sprinting to her fist and felt a wet crunch as she connected with the bear's head. The bear almost immediately fell to the ground, a single breath escaping from its snout before it died. Looking around with an elated smile on her face, Chloe raised her hands in the air as she cried out.
"Nice! Very action hero!" Chloe heard Max say as she landed on the opposite side of the bear.
"You're sexy when you're bossy," Chloe said with her face still beaming, "Also…Chloe 1, Bears 0! Now what?"
"Uh, now you eat it." Max said, her grin turning incredulous, "I think all that energy is seeping away what brainpower you have left after smoking so much pot."
"Hey! Studies show that there aren't as many negative side effects to marijuana use as the layperson might think," Chloe chided before kneeling next to the animal, "Wow. Still stinks like fucking crazy."
"Shut up and eat your food."
"Join me for a midnight snack,Ms. Caulfield?" Chloe said, gesturing to the bear with a wink.
Watching Max roll her eyes before taking a place across from Chloe, the two girls bit into opposite sides of the large animal's neck as they looked into each other's eyes.
Having wrapped up their play, Max had tossed the keys to Chloe when they made it back to the junkyard. Opting to walk all the way back, Chloe had made the first move and slipped her hand into Max's. Feeling relief as the smaller girl followed up the gesture by kissing Chloe on the cheek, Chloe couldn't help but smile the entire way back to the vehicle. Chloe had almost refused to let Max's hand go when they got to the truck, she was so adamant to not let the smaller girl slip away. I don't want to go back to how things were before we got here. Fuck, I wish I could rewind and tell myself to hella chill!
Arriving at the apartment, Chloe looked at Max for a second before deciding to leave the truck running. Walking Max up the steps, she couldn't help but feel disappointed as Max looked back at her sheepishly.
"So…" Chloe started, scratching her beanie as she felt the slight awkwardness between them return.
"Yep," Max quickly shot back, fidgeting with her fingers, "How'd you like our first real date?"
"That is what that was?" Chloe felt a little surprised at Max's question. "Wait. That was a date?"
"Uh-huh." Max said, looking away in embarrassment. "I thought you had fun-"
"No no no, it was totally amazeballs. Max, it was really fun…and educational…and more than a little sexy…" Chloe smiled as Max wormed herself into a hug, wishing her heart was still beating so she could feel it skip as Max nuzzled her nose into Chloe's chest.
"Good. That, Chloe Price, was the first step."
"First step of what? My Jedi training?"
"No, SuperDork!" Max said as she pulled back to playfully smack Chloe on the shoulder, "You're so completely dense sometimes, Che, I totally swear. Us, Chloe. Tonight was the first step on you and I finding a good place with each other, a place where we really know the other person. When I came back, I was ashamed of what I was and could only let you part in…"
"…And I was all fucked up from the past five years and diving in head-first…"
"Exactly. We've both come to the same point, together, and now we have an opportunity to really be together. We already swore forever; now, we start forever together."
Chloe nearly whimpered before Max stood on her tip-toes and kissed her softly on the lips. While the contact of their lips was decidedly shorter than previous kisses from earlier in the evening, Chloe knew that this one was important. One, we're both sober at this point. Two, this one will be followed by another tomorrow…and the next day…and forever…
Unlocking the door, Max stepped halfway inside before looking out at Chloe, the blue-haired girl framed in the moonlight. Chloe watched Max visibly deflate at the idea of them being apart, a feeling she shared, and reached over to caress Max's cheek.
"See you tomorrow?" Chloe asked.
"Breakfast with Kate at Two Whales? I'll text you the time, she's probably still up."
"Sounds like a plan, Max."
"…Maxaroni…"
"Hmm?"
"I like it when you call me 'Maxaroni', Che."
Chloe thought her heart would have melted as she leaned in to give Max a final kiss for the evening, telling the brunette "Good night, Maxaroni" as she headed down the steps to her truck. While both girls had felt happy since being reunited, tonight was different. Tonight, there was happiness and an optimism neither Max nor Chloe had felt in years.
Author's Note – Apart, but together. It's a conundrum, they're a conundrum, and everything is fucking gay.
LOL
Patching things up, both girls are looking ahead now that they find a common ground together. I wanted to have them acknowledge how fucked up their situations are, both separate and together, so that they can try a fresh start with each other. While I would like to say that this was planned, it was more of something that came to fruition after Chloe had moved in with Max. I wanted the relationship to develop and change in as realistic a way as I could fashion while mired in the supernatural. Y'know, because 'duh, fucking vampires', as Chloe might say.
So many people told me of their sad cries last chapter, so I hope this brought some smiles and happy cries. I look after my lesbian vampire babies, cinnamon rolls!
Read, review, and I will see you for 22!
Stay hella!
PS – yes, I know I rhymed before my signing off. Shushhhhhhhhhh.