The night was late. Some time close to before midnight. Most of the students in Blackwell were asleep. In room 221 of the Prescott dormitory, which was in the middle of a name change with the scandal, two of them lay awake. The room was quiet except for the sounds of nature coming from the window that had been opened ever so slightly. Max and Victoria's body were two sets of vines that had grown together. Bodies as bare as their souls. Vic's head was resting over Max's heart. How was her heart always so steady? Panic could fill Victoria quicker than lightening. After Max had woken up Victoria had only seen her nervous a handful of times. Barely anything surprised her but at least she never seemed bored. Sometimes she worried she wasn't fulfilling what Max wanted from her, but every time it was washed away with a single look. Safety. Maxine on the other hand, everything was new and had to be remember. She had filled three shoe boxes with Polaroids in the 2 months Her and Max had been "trading the keys". Max though, had stopped taking pictures all together. Maxine was the one doing their school assignments.
How long had it been since one of them had spoke? Did it matter? They'd be asleep soon and then would have to take on tomorrow.
"Vic, I want to talk to you about something."
That roused Vic from her half asleep state though she didn't move. They were much too comfortable for that. "Okay, I'm listening."
"What are you going to do after we get out of school?"
She furrowed her brow a bit. "Like for this weekend? Don't we have plans with Chloe?"
Max chuckled a bit and kissed the blond locks she had her nose already buried in. "No, my love. After we graduate. What do you want to do with your life?"
"Oh…" Vic blushed a bit at the idea Max was planning that far ahead with her in mind. "Um. Well, honestly I'll probably get forced into running and dealing with the family companies. It's what my parents had me for. Trained me for… Threaten and control me with…"
"I think you should do what you want to do and are good at."
"Well I'm going to get ownership of the ChaseSpace so I would always have a place to display my work. So there's that at least."
They were silent for a good bit after that.
Max took a deep breath, heart steady as ever. "I know what I want to do and you're not gonna like it. I thought I would never want to do it again, but it won't leave my mind lately."
"Is this something you're really set on?"
"Yes. It's the one thing I've found in all these years the lets me wipe the red from my ledger, as… different as the work is. But know this Victoria, If you were to ever say no, at any time, I would stop."
"Okay. Well you going to tell me what it is?"
"I want to protect people. I want to be a private military contractor."
Victoria instantly got up and looked down at the woman she was in love with. She felt her pulse racing through her throat. "A mercenary!? You want to be a mercenary?"
"I'm kinda from the future Babe. The world isn't going to get any prettier. There's people out there that could use my help. I can use these powers to save so many people's lives. I have before. I'm good at it, real good at it. It's one of the only things that lets me sleep at night honey. I can't live a civilian life anymore, not after what I've seen, after what I've done. Besides, my specialties are extractions and body-guarding. Kinda the less dangerous options."
Victoria silently studied Max in the dim light of her bedroom. Her face was as loving and honest as ever. No twinkle of a prank in her eyes. She was being honest. This was something Max wanted, Needed. Suddenly a tear was on Max's cheek. More followed them. When had she started crying.
"Oh darling. I'm so sorry." Max pulled their bodies back into contact. "Forget I said anything."
"No! You said you need to do this. You're not sacrificing your happiness for mine."
"I've lived that life before. I've already experienced it. I just wasn't with you in that run through. I didn't think it would have been fair to put that worry on you. So if you don't want that life, there's an infinite number of other professions I can take."
Vic shook her head against Max's chest. She could still hear that Max's heart was as steady as a rock. "I want you to live your life and be as fulfilled as you can. The thought of living that life is… daunting, but not unimaginable. But. I think I would rather talk about this in the morning or some other time."
Max gave her a squeeze and another kiss to her hair. "I love you Victoria Chase, with every ounce of me."
"I love you too Max. Close your eyes. Get some rest babe."