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It was insane how fast Max fell into her old routine once she returned to teaching at Caledon
She had built something here after almost a decade of a nomadic lifestyle. Her once-temporary position had become permanent after proving her worth to Yasmin, and she had a close-knit group of friends who supported her through all of life's ups and downs. It took over a year to finally feel like she belonged.
Tried and failed at a new relationship with Amanda before her powers once again doomed another romantic relationship.
But she kept moving forward, that was– until Chloe suddenly crashed into her life again.
The hardest part was returning after three months on the road with her. Everything felt the same but also different–she and Chloe had changed. They were older and wiser, both with different life experiences from the years apart.
Part of her really wanted to pack her bags and run away with Chloe, but she knew it wasn’t realistic. As much as she insisted, Chloe knew Max was destined for greater things and lovingly convinced her not to throw away her career.
Her routine at Caledon was the same-hot chocolate mornings with Moses before class, poetry readings with Safi over coffee, grading papers, so many papers.
The three of them, Moses, Safi, and Max, would spend evenings at the snapping turtle. On quiet nights, watching Amanda’s stand-up comedy helped her find her laughter, and she was glad that, despite their breakup, Amanda remained a close friend.
But even with everything falling into place, she found herself second-guessing her presence at Caledon. Sitting on the bar stool, she gripped her whisky–something harsh to swallow as she tried to drown out those feelings. Or as Amanda liked to say, drinking gasoline on fire.
Amanda shot her that look, the apologetic smile that Max knew meant she was about to deliver something painfully sincere. “So tell me why you're downing this whiskey like it’s water,” she said, leaning into the counter and crossing her arms.
Max looked up, her fingers still holding the glass. She pursed her lips, hesitating over what to say–if anything at all–afraid of dragging Amanda into her petty feelings. She didn’t want to be the girl who constantly mentions her current girlfriend to an ex, especially when she and Amanda were on such good terms.
“If I had to guess, it’s something to do with Chloe.”
Max held her mouth open and shook her head in disbelief, "How did you know?” *Did Amanda suddenly gain telepathy?*
Amanda laughed and stepped back, “Max, we did date for a while; I do know you.”
“It’s stupid," she muttered, pushing her glass aside. “I feel silly even talking about this, but... Chloe and I are doing this long-distance thing, and I’m not... coping well.” She rubbed her hands over her eyes. “Like I said, stupid.”
Amanda grabbed her glass and cleaned the counter before continuing. "Long distance isn’t stupid,” she said, tossing her rag aside and leaning in again. "Difficult, yeah...”
Max grumbled and nodded, saying, “That’s an understatement. I feel pathetic for craving her attention constantly. She’s so busy with the band… I–” she sighed, “Sorry, you don’t want to hear this.”
"No, it’s okay. You need to let it out," Amanda comforted. "Honestly, I’ve been there and done that. I understand how you feel–well, I haven’t dated a band manager, but the long-distance part, yeah.”
Max nodded, though she remained somewhat unconvinced.
“Hey,” Amanda tapped Max’s hand, "When my ex moved three states away, I felt exactly what you're feeling now. I used to send her a thousand voice messages with my comedy ideas or anything else to let her know I was there. Sometimes I didn’t, but somehow we made it work for three years like that...”
“Three years, so you didn’t last?” She felt a strange sense of dread over hearing that for some reason.
Amanda stepped back, sighed softly, and said, “Not everything does. You and I are that example–heck, you and Chloe were that example. But guess what? You got back together, so you’ll make it work.” She softly tapped Max’s hand again with a warm smile.
“How do you always know what to say?” Max sighed again.
“What can I say? I’m a good listener, and one of the benefits of therapy," Amanda said as she stood up. “Talk to her and share how you're feeling.”
Max nodded and thought about it. “I will. She’s just so busy all the time.” She let out a deep sigh, then met eyes with Amanda, “I’m probably going to head back. Class tomorrow.”
"Don't be a stranger, Max. I’m always here if you need to vent or want some strong whisky poured down your throat.”
Max chuckled, grabbing her phone and wallet, saying, "I’ll hold you to that whisky if things turn sour.”
Max returned to the Hellerton house, a home far too big for her alone. It was odd how she never used to mind, but now she felt it acutely.
*That might all change soon anyway,* Max thought.
Not only did she have to deal with pining for her girlfriend, but she was also facing the possibility of eviction from her house. The moment she returned, the board began reviewing her right to occupy it, citing its prior use for visiting luminaries. And of course, she could attribute that to the lingering effects of Owen’s reign.
“Whatever, I was thinking of downsizing anyway,” Max grumbled to herself, looking at housing options on her laptop just in case.
Her phone pinged, and she eagerly grabbed it, hoping it was from the only person on her mind right now.
Her face dropped for a moment, but then she saw it was her agent. Hazel: Good afternoon, Max. I think we might have a new opportunity for you in New York. Let me know if you’re interested.
Max was beyond delighted to be given another chance; she hastily texted back. She thought about texting Chloe the good news, but seeing that two-day silence filled her with dread. Potentially another message ignored. *it shouldn’t be like this*
Max shut her laptop and stood up, then headed to her bed where she rolled onto her back, gazing at the ceiling. Chloe tried calling whenever she could, but the popularity of Drugstore Makeup was increasing.
Each time she called, it seemed like Chloe was stressed and overworking herself. Having initially called and texted daily for the first month, her messages and calls became less frequent-every other day, then every three days, but always a daily text message. Now, the silence dragged on.
How long has it been now? Since returning? Max was ashamed to admit it had only been four months and already she felt like she’d been apart from Chloe for years. *thats pathetic* she thought. “We’ve been together for nine years before this, and I can’t handle two days without talking to her?”
Max glanced at her phone, which rested on the empty spot beside her where Chloe had been almost four months ago. She worried that she was drifting away from her once more.
Try as she might, Sleep didn’t come easily that night.
On the third day of Chloe's silence, Max decided to spend her lunch hour visiting Moses at his observatory rather than dwell on it, bringing tea and sandwiches to try something new instead of the hot chocolate Moses loved so dearly.
The moment she set foot in his office, she noticed that he seemed in chipper spirits today; he had a bounce in his step.
“You seem different today,” Max said with a smile, taking a bite of her sandwich.
Moses flashed a broad, toothy smile. “It’s Tony, he’s got a job opportunity closer to Lakeport."
Max gently set her sandwich aside and exclaimed, “Oh, that’s wonderful, Moses!” Tony and Moses had been together for a long time, even before she had met Moses. The few times she had met Tony, he seemed just like the kind of guy she could picture Moses with.
“I know. He told me he didn’t want to say anything at first, just in case it fell through.” Moses kept smiling, and it filled her with warmth to see him so happy.
“I’m so happy for you.”
She was elated for him, of course. Moses was her close friend, and she understood how much Tony meant to him, so why did she feel ever so... off? Was it envy? She didn’t feel as isolated in her struggles because Moses shared her experience with long-distance love. *I think I feel this way because I want this for myself* she thought, forcing a smile.
“We should celebrate,” Max said warmly as she poured herself a cup of tea, offering some to Moses, who shook his head.
“But enough about me, how are you doing?” Moses asked, taking a bite of his own sandwich.
*Besides, almost having a mental breakdown over my girlfriend not talking to me?* Max instead opted to say, “Oh, I forgot to mention that Hazel is giving me another opportunity to perform the New York show.”
“Max, that’s great news!”
Max smiled and nodded in agreement. It was a major step in her career, and she was so thankful to Hazel for giving her another chance. Of course, she was eager to share it with everyone, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t want to tell Chloe first.
“And Chloe? Is she doing alright? No more... you know.” Moses asked, almost as if he had read Max’s mind. *What’s with everyone being mind readers today?* she thought, amused.
“I-I wouldn’t know. We haven’t spoken in three days,” Max said calmly, looking at her mug as if she was opening a can of worms for Moses. He had just shared his happy news, and here she was grumbling about something so trivial.
“Max,” he said simply, placing his sandwich aside.
She continued, “Her band keeps her really busy. It's hard to believe I was traveling with a semi-famous punk band," she forced a grin, taking a sip.
Moses seemed like he wanted to say something, but hesitated. “Would you like some hot chocolate?”
“And that's the last one," Max sighed, placing her pen down. She swung in her chair and stretched her arms out. She looked at the clock- it was nine p.m.
Taking out her phone, only to see there were still no messages. *This wasn’t how I expected this,* Her fingers moved automatically as she typed in 'Drugstore Makeup' and examined their Instagram.
In all the photos she could see of Chloe, she appeared tense, agitated, or constantly talking to someone.
Max saw a video uploaded today and checked it out. Izzie Bash and Marisol discussed their new single with fans, and she noticed Chloe in the background, on her phone, angrily talking to someone.
Max sighed and scanned the comments, with one catching her eye. She clicked on it to read the replies.
Why is your manager so grumpy lately? She’s always yelling.
That’s Chloe, you can always find her in the back of the video yelling at somebody
Is she single?
Idk
I think she has a gf?
*Yeah, I’m the girlfriend!* Max thought possessively to herself, then turned off her phone and threw it on the desk. Was she overreacting? It had only been three days. “You're twenty-nine years old, get a grip,” she grumbled at herself and sighed.
Their social media following had quadrupled since she was touring with them, and their tour setup indicated they were in much higher demand. She couldn’t be angry at Chloe for not calling or texting for three days, but it still hurt.
Almost as if on cue, her phone rang, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Chloe's contact name.
She grabbed her phone and swiped so quickly that she might have missed a few times. “Hey?” Max said, sitting herself on her bed, bringing her knees to her chest.
“Hey hippie, did you miss me?” Chloe’s voice was rough and jagged; usually, she only sounded like this when she was exhausted.
*Did I miss you?* Max fiddled with her ring, attempting to conceal her true emotions. *I've been in a depressive episode for about three days since you last reached out to me, questioning our relationship.*
“Been a while.” She quietly said, opting to keep it simple.
“I know, baby, I’m so sorry. The band's been blowing up like crazy, I hardly have time to sit down and catch a moment for myself," Chloe sighed. "Sorry, I wanted to call."
“You called now-that’s what matters. Where are you?”
“Just arrived at my motel room; we’re still in Tennessee.”
“How are the girls doing?” Max stood up, pacing around her bedroom.
“Letting the fame get to their heads,” she heard what sounded like Chloe exhaling a cigarette. “They deserve it.”
Max stopped at the railing of her stairs, holding onto it. “You’ve not been working too hard, have you?”
“I have, but I already feel better hearing your voice.”
That brought a warm smile to Max’s face, as she softly said, “I missed your voice.” She almost forgot what she was upset about.
“Mmh, yeah?”
She could hear the creaking of Chloe’s motel bed through the receiver as she shifted on the bed, “Yeah.” she softly admitted.
“I was with Moses today for lunch; he told me Tony is moving closer.”
“Oh? That's great.”
She wasn’t really sure what she expected Chloe to say or why she told her, “I’m happy for him.”
“But…”
Max exhaled. *Am I that obvious?* “But nothing, just… he deserves it. He asked about you, asked me how you’re doing with your visions.”
“I haven’t had a chance to think about them. It’s just been nonstop work, with the girls pushing hard to get booked everywhere before-uh, anyway.”
Chloe cleared her throat before continuing, “Oh, I uh forgot to ask, how’s the housing situation going? With Hellerton house?”
Max grumbled, “Don’t remind me, they’re on my ass like a pack of vultures.”
She continued, “There’s a possibility next time you see me, I might be downgraded to a shoebox apartment.”
“On your fancy professor wage?”
“On my fancy professor wage.”
“Then I suppose I’ll have to visit you soon, you know…before you get kicked out.” Chloe was quiet for a moment, “Maybe after this tour leg wraps up.”
“When will that be?” Max tapped her fingers along her desk, *please be soon, please be soon.*
“Hang on, let me just check…” She was quiet for a moment, “Two weeks?”
“Two weeks…” Max’s fingers clenched around her phone. Two weeks wasn’t long, but right now it sounded like an eternity. “You’ll really come?”
“Of course,” Chloe said softly, “I miss you baby. I know I should have called you. It’s just with work I-” she sighed, “Let's just say they’re getting their money's worth out of me.”
“Do you have to work so hard?”
Chloe chuckled and said, "Unfortunately, I do... for now.”
Max understood, having met the girls and travelled with them for three months. She knew how much Chloe went above and beyond for the band and how deserving they were of their fame. She only wished it didn’t take such a toll on Chloe’s mental health.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. You remember my agent, Hazel?” Max exclaimed, only just remembering the good news, “She’s given me another opportunity to go to New York.”
“Really? That’s great news, Max. When?”
“There’s no date scheduled yet, but likely in a month or two. It would be great if you could come, though I understand that might be difficult given how busy you’ve been.”
Max pressed her cheek against her phone, as if doing so would bring her closer to Chloe. She closed her eyes and sighed, “I miss you… so much.”
“Just a little longer, then I’ll be there Max...” Chloe assured her, knowing things weren’t exactly easy right now.
“Don’t tire yourself out too much Chloe, I should probably-”
“Hey, let's talk some more. Please? I promise I’m not that exhausted.”
Max walked over to her bed, settling herself down, “But your voice is doing that thing.”
“What thing?”
“You know, when you sound all gravelly, your voice gets deeper when you’re tired,” and lately, Max felt like that was all she heard Chloe sound like.
“Oh, is it sexy?” she asked with a laugh.
Max chuckled, of course Chloe would be lighthearted about her own exhaustion, “Uh, yeah really sexy.”
“How sexy?” her voice lowered, if that was even possible. Max could tell from her tone that it was one of those nights.
And it had been so long that they had, on occasion, engaged in phone sex when Chloe had decent WiFi or good signal; usually, it was a gamble.
“Like sexy enough, I wish you were here talking dirty in my ear.” What Max would give to have Chloe next to her right at this moment.
“Oh, I can do that now, though.” Chloe said with a slow, teasing tone.
“Can you?” Max challenged, knowing fully well she could.
“Hmm,”
Max heard Chloe’s bed squeak, probably getting herself comfortable. She heard a shuffling noise, and Chloe spoke, her voice dropping lower, a rough edge clinging to every word. “God, I wish I were in that bed of yours right now.”
“I wish you were in my bed too. My sheets have lost your scent.” Max sighed and turned her head into her pillow. She wouldn’t admit it, but she didn’t change her sheets for weeks after Chloe left. It was her own guilty pleasure, and it brought her comfort in the lonely days.
“I still have that shirt you gave me, maybe I should do the same, give you one of mine.”
Max laughed, just the mention of the shirt sending a flush of heat through her. That night in the motel room, wearing Drugstore Makeup’s merch shirt had driven Chloe wild.
She asked, 'What do you do with the shirt?' still smiling broadly.
“I sleep with it, sometimes… if I put it in my bed, it’s like you're next to me.”
“Wouldn’t it smell like…sex?” Of course, Chloe had to take the shirt she wrecked her in.
“That too,” Chloe exhaled, “I think about how hot you looked riding me that night.”
"Oh..." Max’s breath caught, her thoughts drifting back to that night at the motel. “You know, I really liked it when you told me you wanted to fill me up.”
“Y-Yeah?” Chloe said in a breathy sigh.
“Are you touching yourself, Chloe?” Max asked, her own hand sliding down her body.
“Yeah, fuck– keep talking.” Just hearing how desperate Chloe sounded sent a jolt of heat through her body.
“Mmhh.” Max bit her lip, her hand sliding into her panties. “I’m touching myself too.”
She heard Chloe’s voice shake at that, and she let out a rough “Show me.”
“Should we video call?”
“Yeah, please–”
“Just give me a minute,” Max quickly sat up looking around her room and turned the lamp on and quickly looked at herself in the mirror, fixing her hair for a moment before lying back on the bed and pressing the video call button.
The screen flickered to Chloe and what Max saw made her breath hitch, Chloe was sprawled on the motel bed with one arm tucked above her head, her chest bare and slowly rising and falling, the lean muscles of her stomach and the sharp jut of her hips where her boxers hung low, and her hand– fuck her hand was sliding down the waistband, fingers moving in lazy circles just out of view. Max swallowed hard.
“Like what you see?” Chloe huffed.
Max nodded, “Yeah, yeah, I really fucking do.” Max rested her head back against her headboard and let her free hand travel back into her panties. She tried to match Chloe’s movements and concentrate on holding her phone at just the right angle so Chloe could see her.
“You look so beautiful, Max. What are you thinking about?”
“Ah-- you…” Max moaned, “fucking me into this bed.”
Chloe groaned loudly at that, and her hand in her boxers flicked faster, “Hhmh–I love how dirty you get when you're horny, baby.” She threw her head back, “ Fuck–I want to eat you up so bad.”
Max loved how much Chloe almost seemed to worship her body, “I love feeling your tongue on my pussy.”
Chloe moaned at her words, her brows furrowing, “Show me, Max.”
Max pushed her panties aside, attempting to show Chloe with one hand was neither easy nor flattering. It almost amused Max how, despite being a photography teacher, she couldn’t find the best angle.
Chloe didn’t seem to mind, though, “Oh fuck, look at that– hnnh.” her hand was moving faster, “Play with it, rub your clit in circles, and pretend your fingers are mine.”
“Your fingers feel so much better.”
The phone slid from her grip slightly as she tried to listen to Chloe’s encouraging words as she rubbed herself, imagining it was Chloe’s bigger and longer fingers.
“Fuck Max, just like that–" Was the last thing she heard before the call went black. She whined, feeling a mix of pleasure and frustration, as the call suddenly cut out.
“What the hell?!” Max grumbled.
Chloe called almost immediately, but this time it was just a voice call. “Fuck, the motel room’s WIFI is shit. Is it okay if we continue by call?”
“Mmhh” Max moaned her reply, her hand still moving.
“Describe it for me Max, what are you doing?” Chloe grunted, clearly still pleasuring herself.
“I’m rubbing my clit for you, slow circles. Just how you like.” Max gasped, her phone briefly slipping from her hands. She laughed at how ridiculous it was, far from how she expected this to go. “Sorry, my phone slipped out of my hands.”
She heard Chloe’s breathy laugh, followed by a sharp inhale. “How wet are you?”
Max bit her lip, her fingers dipping into her glistening folds; she was unbelievably wet, soaking. “Oh-” Max gasped. She could hear how aroused she was just from her fingers playing. “Can you hear me?
Max heard Chloe groan into the receiver, “fuck yeah baby, I can hear you, keep going.”
She could picture it well from how Chloe was moaning and groaning, was her hand in her boxers? Or did she take them off already?
“Chloe,” Max panted, pushing two fingers inside herself, “Do you hear it?” she moaned, imagining Chloe’s face.
“Fuck, are you fingering yourself?”
“Mmhh,” she moaned in response, “I can’t do it as well as you,” trying to visualize her fingers as Chloe’s.
“Max, tell me–tell me what you want when you see me again,” Chloe gasped. Max could hear movements from the motel bed’s squeaky mattress.
Max gasped and curled a finger inside herself, arching her hips up. “I want you to bend me over on the bed and eat me out from behind until I scream.”
She heard Chloe’s breath audibly hitch through the phone, “Jesus fucking christ, Max– fuuck.” She almost whimpered at that sound alone; Max knew that Chloe was near.
“You always do it so fucking good.” Max arched, imagining Chloe’s callused fingers instead. “Then I want you to fuck me with your strap, do it from behind just like how you ate me.”
She heard Chloe groaning before the line suddenly went dead. Max would laugh at the absurdity of it all if she weren’t extremely horny right now and so near.
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Max said, frustrated. She took her fingers out and sighed heavily, tossing her phone onto the bed.
*Just my luck…*
She glanced at her bedside table, debating whether she should take out her vibrator; she was going to have her orgasm one way or another.
A few painfully long minutes later, Chloe called, speaking breathlessly on the other side, “This motel, I swear to god.”
Despite it all, Max still found herself smiling. “At least tell me you got to finish?”
Chloe let out a breathless chuckle, “Hmmh, I was gone the moment you told me you wanted me to eat you out from behind.”
“Alright for some.” Max teased, “Guess I’ll have to take things into my own hands.”
“Oh,” Chloe said in a mischievous tone, “What will you do?”
Max thought about telling Chloe, knowing it would get her excited, “After this call, I’ll probably finish off with my vibrator.”
“Not fair,” she whined, “I want to watch.”
“Not a chance, I’ll just leave you with that visual.” Max teased, knowing she’d almost definitely let her watch if the damn Wifi wasn’t playing up.
“Can you at least leave the call on? I want to hear you come.”
“Okay, since you asked so nicely.” *As if I could say no to you* “But if it cuts out again, I’m giving up.”
“Imagine if your vibrator died right in the middle.”
"Chloe, why would you say something so cursed?" Max laughed, *and knowing my luck tonight, that is probably going to happen*
“You seem in high spirits today,” Safi said, sitting down opposite Max at the snapping turtle. They were gathered for their weekly or sometimes twice a week get-together meal.
“Earth to Max,” Safi waved her hand in front of Max. She was zoning out the window with a smile on her face.
“Oh, I am. Chloe’s band is wrapping up for a mini break in a week's time, she’s coming to visit.” Max said with excitement, barely able to contain herself.
Moses grinned happily at Max, “That’s two times good luck this week. Safi, you just need to make it three times.”
Safi hummed, then clicked her mouth. "Well, unfortunately, unlike you two, I’m not currently seeing someone. She put her hands together, “So no news there.”
“You’ve still got time, it’s Valentine's next week,” Moses said with a laugh, “How long have you been single?”
Max heard them talking, but it all faded to the background as she was stuck on the word ‘valentines.’
*Valentine's Day? Oh…* She never considered that it would be their first one together since the breakup, since the day she left her in that motel room. Max refused to celebrate Valentine's Day ever since, not even when she was with Amanda. How could she, on the anniversary of having her heart ripped out?
“Max, you okay?” Safi said softly, noticing her expression drop.
“Uh, yeah. Sorry, just in my thoughts.”
She looked down at her phone, opening her messages to check on Chloe. She typed, wondering whether Chloe was aware of the approaching date.
Max: Did you know it’s Valentine's next week?
It felt odd mentioning it to Chloe; maybe she wasn't even aware of the exact date she left her, but for Max, it had become ingrained in her memory. She couldn’t forget it as much as she had tried.
She saw Chloe’s call icon appear, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts.
"Sorry, everyone, I need to answer this call.”
Safi and Moses nodded. Max quickly took her phone, moved to the back of the Snapping Turtle, and then went into the toilet stalls.
“Hey, baby. Just wanted to call,” Chloe said, sounding much better today.
“Everything alright?” Max paced around the sinks, looking at herself in the mirror briefly.
“Yeah, Valentines huh?”
“Yeah, Valentines.” She swallowed, feeling a lump in her throat.
Max heard Chloe take a deep breath before speaking, “I know that day has some history with us.”
She quickly responded, “It does. We don’t need to do anything on the day; perhaps it’s best if we–”
“Max, I want to. I don’t want you to associate it with a bad memory.” She said, letting out a sigh, “I actually already have something in mind…well, I’m hoping it’ll go according to plan. I don’t wanna say too much.”
“Really? Or are you just saying that?”
“I’m not, it’s something really special. Anyways, how's the house situation? Will I be visiting the fancy log cabin or the tiny shoebox?” Chloe said, changing the subject.
Max laughed, *I see how it is* “Thankfully, at this moment, the cabin still. The board’s been more lax with me staying for now.”
She tapped her fingers against her lips, thinking before speaking, “What do you have planned for Valentine's? You’ve got me curious now.”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret, would it?” Chloe said with a teasing tone.
“Alright, keep your secrets then," Max said, rolling her eyes, but was grinning into her phone. “You sound much better today. Are they no longer overworking you?”
“They're still the same, but I now have something to look forward to... seeing you, just thinking about you makes it all worth it.” Chloe said softly, in a tone she only ever used when it was just the two of them.
Max felt her cheeks flush at Chloe’s words. Even after a decade of dating, Chloe still made her heart skip a beat. “How do you still make me go crazy after all this time?”
“It’s my superpower.” Chloe teased.
*Of course, my one weakness is my ride or die Chloe Price*
“I could believe that.” She was still grinning widely even as someone else came into the restroom, “I have to go for now since I’m out with Safi and Moses, and I’m kind of in the bathroom right now.”
“Sure thing, talk to you later baby.”
Her red pen bled across the paper, blurring as sleep and exhaustion took over, adding yet another to the pile of marked papers. Max yawned, rubbed her eyes, and glanced at the clock-nine p.m. Her stomach grumbled, indicating it was well past her last meal, but she still had work to finish.
“A few more,” she said to herself, “just a few more and I’ll finish up here.”
Just then, a knock from behind her classroom door startled her. “Hello?” Max called out, seeing the silhouette of a tall person standing behind it, the kind of silhouette that reminded her of her tall-as-hell girlfriend. *Okay, I must be really sleepy,* Max laughed.
“Professor Caulfield? I have a paper to hand in,” the voice said, too deep and clearly put on. Max stood up, walked over to the door, and opened it.
"Surprise!" Chloe said, holding her hands out, “I actually don’t have any papers, by the way.”
“Chloe?! What are you doing here? I thought it was two more days," Max exclaimed, blinking in surprise. She wasn’t that tired; it was just Chloe in her full, unmistakable glory.
“Thought I’d surprise you. Did it work?” she entered the classroom. “Oh, nice. So this is your classroom? I got here with some help–Moses is really good with directions, you know–”
Max interrupted her with a snug, koala-like hug, as Chloe liked to call it. She wrapped her arms around Max. “So, Chloe did good?"
“Chloe did very good, I missed you so much," she said, burying her face in her jacket-that stupid jacket she hated so much, yet she took a deep breath of it. Wanting to imprint it into her soul.
“How did you manage to come this early? You’ve been so busy?” Max asked, looking up at Chloe.
“I have my ways. They let me go early as a kind of thank–you for all my hard work.”
Just then, a loud stomach gurgle was heard among them. “You know, I don’t know if that was my stomach or yours, but want to grab a bite to eat?” Chloe laughed.
“Yes, I’m starving. I think the snapping turtle should still be open.”
“Ohh, great! I was thinking of stopping off to see Amanda.”
Max raised her eyebrow, “Why?”
“Just visit and thank her for all the work she helped me with last year, plus they do make a mean burger and fries. I might follow up on asking her about the band getting a gig here.”
“Come on, we’ll head out now; my truck’s parked out back,” Chloe said, holding the door open.
Chloe followed Max through the Fine Arts building. It was strange walking down those steps with Chloe. Max felt proud to show her workplace and to have Chloe there, even if no one could see her since it was so late.
They arrived at the parking lot, where Chloe held the truck door open for Max, gesturing with her hand. After Max stepped inside, Chloe settled into the driver's seat. The drive to the snapping turtle was pleasantly short-only about five minutes from the campus.
“So, how’s the house situation going? Still kicking your ass out?” Chloe said after a moment of driving.
“You know, I had forgotten all about that. They're still reviewing it, I suppose, but I haven’t heard anything for a while.” Max turned to Chloe with an amused grin, “Are you thinking about taking the house once they kick me out?” Max teased.
“Oh yeah, definitely, I’m sure the board would love that,” Chloe responded, pulling into the parking lot of the snapping turtle. The lights were still on, casting shadows across both of them.
*Amanda must still be working* Max thought as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
They walked in, which was quiet except for a few stragglers sitting at the bar. Amanda perked up immediately upon seeing the two of them.
"Is this a bad time, Amanda?” Max asked, checking the clock.
“Course not, we don’t close for another two hours.” Amanda said, turning to Chloe, “Hey, I thought you weren’t due until a couple days?”
“Yeah, that was the plan, but I wanted to surprise her.”
Max moved closer and asked, “Amanda, do you think we could bother you for something to eat?”
“Sure Max, that’s what I’m here for. Let me know what you want.” Amanda said, walking around to the bar.
“I still dream about the delicious burger and fries you guys made last time I was here. Honestly, I could really go for it right now.”
Amanda wiped her hands on a dry rag before turning to Max and asking, “Same for you, Max? Or do you want something different this time?”
Max moved to the counter, tapping her fingers on the wood as she considered her order. "Surprise me, Whatever’s easiest in the kitchen.”
Amanda nodded and then exited through the doors, while Chloe took a seat at a table near the windows. Max slid into the booth across from Chloe, still in disbelief that Chloe was actually here. Those four months had dragged on so slowly, but it didn’t matter anymore-she was finally here.
Max watched Chloe’s fingers tapping on the table as they waited. Their eyes met, and she smiled warmly upon seeing Max’s look of pure adoration. Without a word between the two of them, Chloe reached over and held Max's hand. “I missed you so much..”
The warmth of Chloe’s fingers intertwined with her own, evoking the feeling of nostalgia that never faded, regardless of how much time had passed between them.
Max opened her mouth about to reply when Amanda arrived with two plates: “Burger and fries for Chloe," Setting the plate in front of Chloe. "And grilled cheese with fries for Max-just grilled cheese, nothing unusual."
Max stared down at the unassuming grilled cheese, “I almost want to believe you. What’s really in it?”
Amanda raised her hands and said, “Honest, it’s just cheese. Promise.” She winked and then returned to the bar.
They were halfway through eating when Chloe pushed her plate aside and said, “Hey, I’m just going to ask Amanda about that thing. Be a minute.”
"Sure," Max nodded, still mid-bite of her grilled cheese. Thankfully, it was just that, a grilled cheese.
She was quietly munching when she observed Chloe’s behavior with Amanda. It didn't seem like someone requesting a band to play; she was speaking softly and tapping her hand on the counter. Chloe appeared nervous; that much was clear.
She continued watching, taking another bite as she saw Amanda pull out her phone and show something to Chloe. She could hear faint words, *rota? schedule, experience?*
Chloe came back to the table with a smile on her face, and she resumed eating her burger. Max waited for her to say something.
“So is the band booked?”
“Huh?” Chloe said, with a mouthful. She swallowed and nodded, "Oh yeah, we’ll figure something out.”
"You're planning something," Max said, narrowing her eyes at Chloe. She brushed her leg against Chloe’s.
Chloe almost choked on her burger, “I am not, just band stuff…”
Chloe’s back pressed against the wall as Max pushed her into it. Max’s hands clenched her jacket tightly before shoving it down her arms, all while maintaining their mouths together-something Max was impressed with herself. She laughed into the kiss, then pulled away to breathe.
"Wow, look at you using your moves on me." Chloe teased with a toothy grin, gasping for air.
“I’m honestly impressed with myself,” Max said with a laugh, pushing Chloe back against the wall as she desperately kissed her again.
“I love it when you get like this," Chloe muttered as Max started kissing her neck, which soon became sucking in between kisses as her hands slipped under Chloe’s shirt and spread across her toned stomach. Her fingers tickled Chloe for a moment, causing her to jerk and kneel over and giggle.
She didn’t have time to react to it as Max pulled her head down for a better angle at the kiss, her fingers gripping her hair “Max–” Chloe pleaded, Max pulling her into another desperate kiss, “Baby, slow down,”
Max pulled apart, breathing heavily, her lips were already swollen “Sorry, I just–” she bit her lip, “I want you so fucking badly.”
Seeing Max like this–flustered, breathless, and pure want in her eyes made Chloe’s stomach flip in excitement. She took a step closer and silently slid her hands down Max's back, gripping her thighs as Max wrapped her leg around her waist.
Chloe kissed Max again, a messy, hungry, and sloppy kiss-like all their desire was concentrated in that one moment. Suddenly, she placed her hands beneath her bottom and lifted her up.
Max gasped into the kiss, feeling Chloe turn them around and press her against the wall. Max’s legs tightened around Chloe’s waist, trying to pull her closer, and she clung to her neck for support.
Chloe grinned into the kiss, sucking on Max’s bottom lip before pulling back to get a better look at her.
“Fuck,” Max panted, staring down at Chloe with hooded eyes. Her fingers digging into her green strands, “You look so hot like this,” she whined.
Chloe chuckled low in her throat, tilting her head slightly to look at Max. “Yeah? How so?”
Her hands moved to Chloe’s broad shoulders, raking her nails along them. Then her eyes flicked to her arms, currently holding her up, her muscles flexing. “Strong and in control.”
Chloe’s mouth clashed with Max’s again. She tried to lead them up the stairs but had to stop when they tripped. Chloe was laughing as she held her knee, “Ouch, are you okay?”
“We are such a disaster.” Max said, even so, she was grinning widely, rubbing her elbow.
Chloe leaned close, placing a kiss on her elbow, “There, better?”
Max playfully shoved her, grabbing her by the arm to drag her up. “Let’s try to make it to the bed in one piece.”
Chloe let Max take them to the bed, loving the assertive side of her. Max pushed Chloe down on the bed and crawled over her, “Is your leg okay?”
Chloe wasn’t even thinking about her leg at the moment, “Fuck the leg–”
Max raised her eyebrow, “I could try–”
Chloe’s eyes widened, and she let out a loud laugh, “Max Caulfield.”
“Yeah–Yeah, I know.” She bit her lip, and her fingers traced Chloe’s face, her soft cheeks, then her lips. “I can’t help how I feel about you.” She leaned down and kissed her lips softly, “You drive me crazy.” Their lips parted, slick with spit. Chloe briefly leaned up, licking over her lips.
Max moaned openly as she parted her lips. “Fuck me," she whined desperately.
“Uh, yeah? That’s the idea.” Chloe laughed, tugging at Max’s pants, pulling them down her legs as Max fought to pull Chloe’s shirt over her head.
Max sat back for a moment, admiring Chloe’s body, her toned stomach, and arms. Her icy blue eyes drinking her in, Max pulled her own shirt over her head and lurched forward, desperately pulling Chloe down for a kiss, nothing in the world compared to how much she missed the feeling of her skin against her own.
Chloe’s fingers slid past the waistband of Max’s panties, only to pause mid-motion as she felt her fingers were already slick with Max’s arousal. “Damn, Max,” she breathed out with a wicked grin as Max whimpered, rocking her pelvis against her fingers.
“Please just– just touch me, please Chlo–” Max gasped as she felt Chloe’s middle finger circle her clit with agonizing precision.
Chloe’s fingers tugged at Max’s lace panties, pulling them down her legs with agonizing slowness. Her eyes flicked back up to meet Max’s lighter blue, and she spoke, “Turn around.”
Max let out a gasp as she felt a rush of excitement, feeling Chloe’s hand guide her around and hold onto the middle of her back as she watched Max arch.
Max was shaking with excitement over what was about to come. She turned her head back to see Chloe’s free hand in her boxers pleasuring herself as she watched Max from this position. “Fuck Chloe–”
Chloe exhaled heavily, her brows furrowing as her eyes were fixated on Max.
“Take them off,” Max demanded, something which she found hilarious given the position she was in. “I want to see you getting off to me.”
Chloe pushed her boxers down with a desperate jerk. She stood back from the bed to throw her underwear on the floor before kneeling back on the matteress, and with one hand she pleasured herself, the other she held onto Max’s ass.
Max reached back, placing one hand on her cheek and spread herself, she heard Chloe’s choked whimper and then felt the mattress dip as she kneeled further down and pushed Max’s knee forward a little for a better position, and finally licked a firm strip up her center. A broken moan escaped Max’s lips as Chloe repeated the motion, pressing her tongue down deeper.
She could feel Chloe groaning into her skin. She looked back, seeing the visual of Chloe digging in with pure desire, and her hand rubbing circles at her own clit drove Max insane.
“Oh god, right there–” Max gasped, fingers clenching into the bed sheets as she felt Chloe’s tongue again, but flick through and catch on her clit in a way that had Max seeing stars already.
Chloe hummed, gripping onto Max's hips harder, “Fuck-You taste so good, Max.”
Her breath hitched as she pressed her tongue in deeper, stopping for a moment to suck on her clit. The action caused Max's thighs to tremble, and she reached her hand back to grasp Chloe's hand. “Ohh–fuck”
Chloe held onto her hand, stopping for a moment to look down at her, “Are you okay, Max?”
Max’s breath came out in ragged gasps, her fingers tightening around Chloe’s hand as she arched her back, “More than okay-” She managed to say, “Just-please don’t stop.”
Chloe grinned, her free hand gripping tightly onto her cheek, “demanding,” she said with no bark, already licking another strip up her cunt. Max arched into her tongue, becoming a moaning mess the moment she started again. “Oh fuck, that feels so good.”
She licked all the way up and pulled back after a moment, gasping for air. “Damn, Max, you look so perfect like this.” She let her fingers run along her opening, teasing just short of what she desired. Max pressed into her fingers, seeking more pressure.
She slipped a single digit in then, slowly and with the same torturous precision that Chloe had been giving her all night. Max moaned loudly; it was enough to give her what she wanted, but her body craved so much more.
Chloe pulled her finger out, bringing it to her lips to suck. Her hand was squeezing hard on Max’s ass before she abruptly smacked her cheek.
Max’s mouth hung open, flinching a little at the impact before feeling its searing heat. She felt Chloe’s fingers, but this time she added another, making Max shiver with want. “Oh fuck–” she cried, arching her back into Chloe’s movements. Crying into her pillow, feeling her fingers curl as she pumped them in and out.
“I can feel you clenching around me, Max.” Chloe groaned; her own arousal was reaching a breaking point just from watching Max come undone. Chloe leaned over Max, her hand still moving as she kissed up Max’s freckled back, stopping at her flushed face to place a kiss on her cheek. “Oh, I could come just watching you Max–” Chloe groaned, watching her fingers disappear inside Max again.
“Chloe, I’m not going to last–” Max moaned against the pillow, feeling Chloe rubbing her thumb over her clit as she added a third finger, and sure enough, that was all it took to push her over the edge as she came with a loud cry.
While Max was still moaning from her orgasm, she felt Chloe’s fingers retreat and then felt the searing hotness of her tongue on her folds, licking away frantically with grunts, still gasping, Max turned her head back to see Chloe’s hand between her own legs rubbing furiously as she ate her out, her hips bucking wildly and her hand holding her ass cheek was squeezing on borderline painful.
“Chloe-” Max bit her lip, not sure if the sight of Chloe getting off to this or Chloe’s tongue was making her see stars again.
Chloe then let out a choked cry into Max’s folds. She pulled her face up, gasping for air as she felt the rush of arousal pulsing to her, as her orgasm peaked, “Oh fuck-” she grunted and felt Max’s hand squeeze her reassuringly.
She let out a contented sigh and flashed a smile with her teeth to Max, who rolled onto her back. Reaching out her hands to Chloe.
Chloe knelt over Max, her arms leaning over her as she dipped down to kiss her. “That was so hot.” Max said, wrapping her thighs around Chloe’s hips, pulling her closer.
“Which part?” Chloe asked with a grin, then began kissing along Max’s jawline.
“All of it? Fuck-but mostly when you came just from–” Max sighed as she felt Chloe kiss down her neck.
“From eating you out?” Chloe murmured against Max’s collarbone. A wicked grin on her face. “How could I not? You're fucking gorgeous.”
Max’s fingers tangled in Chloe’s emerald green hair, saying, “Yeah, that, you're insatiable.”
Chloe lifted her head, her grin lazy and satisfied, “Only for you, you still good to go?”
Max raised her eyebrows.
“I seem to recall you telling me you wanted me to fuck you from behind after I ate you out?”
Max’s breath hitched as she admitted, “I did say that." A shiver ran down her spine in anticipation of what was to come.
Chloe sat up, a cheeky, mischievous grin on her face as she leaned over to grab her duffel bag. “I got something special just for tonight,” Chloe said in a low tone as she started strapping up, something Max never got tired of watching. *How could I pass up Chloe in leather?* she thought, sitting patiently.
“Something special?” Max tilted her head, peering into her duffle bag and catching a glimpse of something blue-purple before Chloe pulled the bag away. “Nuh-uh.” She didn’t want to spoil the surprise.
“Close your eyes,” Chloe commanded.
“Yes,” Max said breathlessly, already into it.
She heard Chloe’s laugh as everything went dark, with shuffling sounds and the faint smell of silicon.
She then felt Chloe’s hand on her shoulders, not sure if that was a signal to open her eyes; she did anyway, she could drool at the sight above her. Her lean thighs were still dripping with sweat, and the black leather harness straps on her pelvis held the very same blue-ish purple mystery object she had in her duffle.
It was a dildo for the strap, of course. Knowing Chloe, she probably picked it out because it was blue. “So what’s so special about this one?” Max ran her hands up and down Chloe’s thigh, kissing just below the strap. As Chloe reached down and gave it a few pumps, she replied, “I’ll show you, Max. Hold your mouth open.”
Max raised her eyebrow but obeyed the command. Honestly, she was so aroused that she would do anything Chloe asked of her at that moment. She did exactly that, sticking out her tongue for Chloe while maintaining her intense blue-eyed gaze.
Chloe’s breath hitched as she brought the tip of the dildo to Max’s lips, rubbing gently before reaching down to gently squeeze the bottom of the silicone.
“Max tasted something; it had no flavor besides a slight silicone taste, and she pulled back to look."
“Did you just?”
“Oh yeah–fake cum, baby," Chloe exhaled, biting her lip. “I thought we could try it out; last time we were having sex, you seemed into it when I was talking about it.”
Max’s mouth hung open. *Holy shit* of course she knew such a thing existed but had never tried it. Her mind raced with exciting possibilities.
“I’m really fucking into it-” Max gasped. “Please, Chloe, fuck me.”
"Damn, you are so desperate for me, huh?” Chloe teased, noticing Max was reaching between her own legs to try to relieve some pressure.
“That won’t do,” Chloe halted her. "You’ll touch yourself only when I say so."
Max let out a shaky whimper, still unconsciously rubbing her thighs together to find some comfort.
“Turn around,” Chloe gestured with her finger. Of course, this wasn’t new for Max-after a decade together, they’d had plenty of wild sex, but she still got chills when Chloe bossed her around like this.
She definitely wasn’t joking when she said that bitchy women are a huge turn-on.
Max did as she was told, arching her back, her hands wrapped around her pillow as she braced herself.
She felt Chloe’s fingers tracing patterns on her cheeks, then moving to the center, her core still a glistening mess from Chloe’s mouth and fingers.
She rubbed at the slick, gathered, and let out a breathy moan, “Look at you, so well behaved for me, Max.”
Max whimpered, arching her back slightly as Chloe pressed her finger in. “After I ate you out and made you come on my fingers, do you still want more?”
Max thought she could never be completely satisfied; she constantly desired Chloe’s touch.
“Always for you, Chloe.”
Chloe let out a satisfied hum as she pulled her fingers out. “You’ve been such a good girl for me. I’ll give you what you want.”
Max’s thighs trembled in anticipation as she felt Chloe guide the dildo's tip to her core, letting it glide along her seam before reaching for the discarded bottle of lube on the bed.
The cold gel made Max jolt before Chloe’s warm fingers rubbed it in and over the silicone. “Are you ready?”
“Mmmh-“ a moan slipped right out of Max’s mouth as she eagerly awaited.
Chloe pushed her hips forward with a slow, torturous glide, holding her breath as she watched Max’s core swallow the strap. She rubbed her thumbs into Max’s hips, silently comforting her as she bottomed out.
“Ohh, fuck-” Max whined, feeling the hot stretch of Chloe's strap and her warm hands caressing her.
“Shit, Max,” Chloe cursed, the sight alone doing things to her. “You good?”
Max nodded frantically. “You’re so big, Chloe.” She arched a little more into it, feeling Chloe pull her hips back and the strap with them.
Max whined as Chloe gave her little time to adjust, gripping tightly onto her hips and rocking into her with a force that shook the bed.
“Oh, Max, if you could see this. How fucking good you take me.” Chloe grunted, slamming in hard at the end, as if to prove her point. “And I know you can. I know your body so fucking well, baby.”
“Mmhhh-“ Max whimpered
“Say it, Max. Tell me I'm the only one who can make you feel this good-“
“Only you, fuck-only you can fuck me this good, Chloe.”
"Mmmh, that’s for sure. You're so ready for me like this, your back arched and open for me,” Chloe groaned, setting a steady, hard pace that had Max seeing stars.
Chloe’s voice was getting shaky. “Max, are you near?” She gasped, still rocking her hips into her. “I want to cum in you so bad,”
Max lifted her head, looking back to see Chloe’s flustered expression, her cheeks almost pink and sweat dripping down her body.
“Do it Chloe, fill me up!” Max pleaded, reaching back with an arm to hold herself open for Chloe. “Fill my pussy up.” Her body was twitching, her walls squeezing tightly around Chloe's strap as her body approached her climax.
She saw Chloe curl her lip slightly and almost growl at that, her tattooed arm reaching down to squeeze the base of the strap as she thrust in hard with a loud groan, letting the cum fill Max up deeply as Chloe groaned and cried as she felt her pulling out, squeezing again to cover her.
“Holy shit Chloe!” Max moaned, Chloe fell to her knees in minutes, her breath hot against Max’s core as she licked her clit, which had been dying for touch. Max jolted immediately from the contact, her toes curling as Chloe sucked hard on her bundle of nerves and made her cum with a cry.
The rest of the night became a blur as they continued exploring one another.
When Max woke up, the first thing she noticed was Chloe sleeping soundly next to her, snoring lightly. Max smiled to herself, just basking in the moment. Watching Chloe sleep. She had seen her like this maybe a hundred thousand times, but it still warmed her heart.
The sun was high, casting a beautiful golden glow through the window above the bed, Chloe’s bare skin almost glowing, her tattoo illuminated, and she observed it quietly in the sun, noticing how the blackout tattoo hadn’t completely covered the skull-and-rose tattoo underneath. It was the small things like that Max loved noticing about Chloe. Signs from the past from the girl she had fallen in love with all those years ago.
She glanced over at the calendar on the wall. Valentines. Three years ago, Chloe left her.
She didn’t feel anything, though, not dread or melancholy. She felt contentment; Chloe was here. She heard Chloe mutter something and then opened her eyes, adjusting for a moment. “Max?”
“Good morning,” she said with a smile into her pillow, “Happy Valentine's.” She watched Chloe’s sleepy expression change into one of full wakefulness.
“Wow, it’s today,” Chloe said, sitting up. Her side of the sheets fell to her legs as she rubbed her eyes. “I’m going to take a shower, get ready.”
“Ready for what?” Max said coyly.
“The big surprise.”
“You weren’t joking?” Max sat herself up, admiring Chloe’s bare chest for a moment.
“Dead serious.” She looked at the clock and said, "I booked us a reservation somewhere.”
“Wait, what kind of reservation? Like dress up fancy or casual?” Max asked, honestly not expecting anything. She’d happily stay in bed all day with Chloe, they were never really one to celebrate holidays like this. And that was even before the added trauma of the day.
"Uh... fancy," Chloe mused, then paused. "Wait, do I even have anything fancy?” She muttered to herself, realizing all she owned were tank tops, band shirts, jeans with abstract looks, and jackets. Still, she decided to wing it regardless.
“Anyways, I’ll go shower first,” Chloe said, pointing towards the bathroom.
Max nodded, watching Chloe walk over. She heard the soft click of the door and kept lying in bed. It was strange to have plans like this on this very day. And fancy plans, by the sound of it.
Max could hear Chloe showering; she continued to bask in the morning glow. The bedsheets smelled strongly of Chloe and last night’s activities. She smiled to herself, stretching her arms above her head.
After about ten minutes, the shower cut off abruptly, and Chloe came out with a towel wrapped around her body and another towel slung around her shoulders as she continued to dry her hair. “I uh, might need to get you some more towels.” She held up the towel covered in green hair dye.
Max grinned, “Honestly, I should be used to this by now.” She stood up, “I’ll be quick.”
When Max got into the bathroom, it was already steamed up from Chloe. She smiled to herself as she caught the scent of Chloe’s shampoo. And the telltale signs of green hair dye mixed in water pooling on the shower floor, it was the small things like that she came to love, traces of her lover.
She showered quickly and dried her hair, her mind racing at the thoughts of Chloe’s plans. She was used to eating at bars and dinners, not fancy restaurants.
She picked out her clothes, opting for a smart-casual style. A simple red cardigan and black jeans, After looking at her reflection in the mirror she smiled with content and walked down the stairs. Finding Chloe rummaging through her suitcase, “So, maybe a small crisis here. I only have very much not--fancy clothing.”
“Does the place have a dress code?” Max asked, kneeling down.
“I didn’t check.”
“Hmmh,” Max nodded, her eyes drifting to Chloe’s hair, which, illuminated by sunlight streaming into the room, stood out like a sore thumb. “Chloe, are you aware you have neon green hair?”
Chloe opened her mouth slightly in a mock gasp, saying, “Excuse me, it’s emerald green.”
Max laughed, “You could be wearing a suit, and they’d probably turn you away.”
“Damn, didn’t think about that.”
“I’m serious," Max said as she leaned into Chloe, resting her head on her shoulder. “I don’t want anything fancy; I just need you.”
“Well, shit, I had us booked at the French brasserie in Burlington.” Chloe sighed. “Supposedly, the mint chocolate soufflé was to die for.”
“That place?” Max widened her eyes, “How do you know about that restaurant?”
Chloe was silent for a moment, “Amanda, she told me it was a great date spot. I assume you two went?”
Max was quiet for a moment. “Yeah, we did. It’s a strict dress code. And I’d rather you didn’t die for the mint chocolate soufflé. It’s overrated.”
“Fuck, well… we could always go to Skippy’s Burgers. I’m sure they don’t discriminate against green hair there.”
“Skippy’s burgers sound delicious," Max said with a smile. Honestly, she wouldn’t want it any other way.
Max was beaming as she looked at the photo she’d just taken, Chloe mid-bite of her burger as she lovingly flipped her off. *That’s my Chloe*
“What do you think of the burgers?” Max asked, setting her camera aside.
“Honestly? Pretty damn good, almost as good as the Snapping Turtles.” Chloe said as she continued eating.
“I love this place, I come here so often they know to send me vouchers,” Max said as she took a bite of a fry. “Sometimes I’ll do some grading here.”
“It’s a shame it wasn’t the fancy place, though,” Chloe lamented softly.
“Chloe,” Max reached over, holding Chloe’s hand. “This doesn’t ruin the surprise, it’s like I told you–”
Chloe suddenly had a huge smile on her face, but pursed her lips to hide it. She nodded slowly.
“What?”
Chloe looked down, “Well, this isn’t the surprise.” She gave Max a smile, finishing the last bite of her burger as she placed her plate aside.
Max sat back, “It’s not?” *What else could it be?*
“No, definitely not.”
Max was even more intrigued now, “Well, what is the surprise then?”
“We’ll have to finish here first.”
“I’m finished,” Max replied instantly, pushing her plate forward, which clearly still had half a burger to go.
“Keep holding your eyes closed.”
“I am–I am. I’m so curious what this is.”
“I’m opening the door now, I’ll hold your hand, don’t open your eyes till I say so.”
“I won’t.” Max grinned. This was so out of the blue, she was giddy as Chloe grabbed her hand and guided her out of the truck. She walked on what felt like pavement and soon heard Chloe say, “There are some steps here, be careful.”
*Steps?*
“Okay, how many? Not as many as the observatory, right?”
Chloe laughs, “thankfully no.”
“Almost there, keep your eyes shut.”
She felt her hand being dragged and then heard a door shut.
“Okay, you can open.”
Max opened her eyes and looked around the empty room. "Chloe, what is this?”
Chloe rubbed the back of her neck, a nervous gesture that Max had come to know, “Ah, I know it doesn’t look like much right now, I only just got the place a day ago.” she said, placing her hand on the blank wall.
Max stepped closer, *Did I hear that right?* “The place?”
Chloe grinned, reaching into her pocket, she held up some keys. “I moved in yesterday, that’s why there’s nothing here yet. It’s why I came early; I got the keys sooner than expected.”
Max’s eyes widened, “You moved in?” She looked around, noticing boxes stacked atop one another.
“I know, crazy, right?” Chloe stepped closer, taking Max’s hands into her own, “Max, I know this might be a huge step, in such little time– I mean we only got back together six months ago… ah, uhm…sorry.” Chloe felt herself tearing up. She exhaled heavily and continued, “I have this speech in my head, let me just–” she shook herself a little, trying to psych herself up.
Max gently squeezed her hand, giving her some assurance that she was patiently listening. Chloe looked at her, that beautiful doe-eyed stare that made her fall in love gave her the courage to continue.
“I didn’t want you to associate this day with– me leaving you. I was hoping to turn it into a happy memory. To prove to you I’m ready to take that next step for you, for us.” She squeezed Max’s hand again.
She saw Max take a shaky breath at her words and swallow hard, then step closer as she kept listening to Chloe.
“I’ve been working so hard for this; it’s part of the reason why I’ve been so busy with the band, saving up for this place. something to call my own, our own. If you’d take that step with me.” Chloe squeezed back at Max’s hand. She hoped she was conveying her sincerity, desperately wanting Max to know she was ready.
“Chloe, are you asking what I think you are?” Max finally spoke, almost not believing it. She had asked Chloe the same thing almost three years ago, asked her to settle down with her at Andersonville, and Chloe had run away, breaking her heart into a million pieces.
“Yes, move in with m-“
Chloe could barely finish her sentence before Max was reaching for her and pulling her down for a kiss. “Yes--“ she smiled, and kissed again. Tears already streaming down her face, “Yes, yes, of course I will.”
Chloe grinned as she wrapped her arms around Max’s waist. “Well, good.” She nuzzled her nose against Max’s, wiping away her tears while feeling her own tears start to come. "I promise you, Max, I’ll prove every day that I will never take this second chance with you for granted."
Max nodded, her tears blurring her vision. She knew Chloe’s words were true, “Chloe, you’ve already proven yourself to me.”
She gently caressed her cheek. “I love you so much, thank you for doing this for us.”
Chloe smiled lovingly down at Max, resting her cheek against her palm. She brought her hand up and intertwined their fingers, kissing her knuckles.
“What about the band?” Max asked after a moment.
“I still work with the band, now with another manager in shifts. I have too much free time, so I've been talking with Amanda, who offered me some part-time shifts at the snapping turtle.”
Max couldn’t believe it; Chloe had planned everything. It made her wonder how long Chloe had been preparing for all of this. “That’s what you two were talking about?”
Chloe nodded, her grin getting wider.
“Wait, is this why you kept asking about the Hellerton house?”
“Yes, I really thought I’d almost blown it. You didn’t catch on, did you?”
“I thought you were just worried about your girlfriend being potentially homeless.” Max laughed, looking back it was a little strange.
“That too.”
“I can’t believe this. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of," Max exclaimed, gazing at the empty space filled with endless possibilities of what it could become and what they could create. *If only the Max from three years ago knew this was awaiting her in the future,* she thought with a warm smile.
“I know it’s a bit of a downgrade from your place-“
Max shook her head, “Chloe, I lived with you in your truck for nine years, I don’t care where we are, as long as it’s with you. This is everything I dreamed of, a place to make our own.”
Chloe squeezed Max’s hand, “Then, if you’ll be with me, there’s one last thing.” She reached into her pocket and held up a marker.
Max looked at the pen with confusion, then Chloe took her by the hand and led her to the front door, handing her the marker.
They stood at the front door of the apartment, with Chloe having written her name on the door. She looked down at the pen, thinking, *Why do I feel like, I've done this?* Something about this moment felt, strangely, quite meaningful to her. She stepped closer, removed the cap, and added her name.
She stepped back and leaned her head on Chloe’s shoulder, gazing at the door labeled with both their names. It felt complete.
*Chloe and Max*
“Do you ever feel like you’ve done this before?”
Chloe turned to Max, “You're asking me? You're the time traveler.” Chloe laughed, wrapping her arm around Max’s shoulder.
“I mean, in another universe, another reality? I don’t know, I just feel like we did this before.”
“Maybe it’s a fixed event in time? Maybe we took a little longer than the other versions of us. But we eventually found our way back home.”
“That’s a beautiful way of looking at it.” Max smiled up at Chloe, she tipped her head down for a kiss.
When Max looked at that door with their names on it, after everything they’d been through, knowing they’d always find their way back to each other, it was enough to prove to her that their promise of forever was real.