Archive of Our Own

The first time Chloe saw Max's hair down, she seriously thought Max had somehow been able to control time because holy shit did the world stop spinning for a moment.

Thick brown hair rested on Max's tensed shoulders, framing her freckled face so nicely. Blue eyes were staring at her, expectantly, and Chloe could not get her mouth to move.

She didn't even realize until then how long Max's hair had gotten. The urge to run her fingers through it was strong but she tried her best to fight it, especially since it seemed like Max herself was still in the process of getting used to not having the comfort of her ponytail as she not so subtly tried to hide her face behind her hair when a second had passed without one of them saying anything. Cute.

It was ridiculous considering how almost all of Chloe's earliest memories had Max in them but she, for the life of her, could not remember a time where Max didn't have her hair up.

A memory of Max's little voice played in Chloe's head saying how she would rather lose her eyebrows than take off her ponytail because it was easier to manage and she felt like she wouldn't look good without it. Looking at her now, the blonde had to mentally scoff at how untrue that was. Chloe wasn't religious, but she thanked every powerful being that ever existed that her best friend's eyebrows stayed intact because seeing Max with her hair down like this was making Chloe's stomach feel so funny in ways similar to how flowers must have felt when bees would give them a little visit. The feeling definitely wasn't unfamiliar, but it had been getting more and more intense these days and this was just taking the cake.

Max had always been pretty fucking cute—which Max herself never believed, but Kenneth's poor attempts at getting her attention every lunch time for the past year proved otherwise. No doubt, this new look was going to get her even more longing stares at the dance.

Fuck, what if the stupid kids at school start asking her out? For tonight, Chloe would be there to give the hypothetical crowd menacing glares, but for the rest of the year and the next? She'd be spending her time in some dumb high school classroom wondering if anyone had even looked at Max funny that day.

It didn't matter though.

In that split second, there was no one else in the world but Chloe and the girl standing timidly by the door of the Caulfield's residence.

"Is it that bad?" The brunette wearily brushed the tip of her hair.

A million words that described how Max looked right then popped out of Chloe's head and none of them were even close to the word, 'bad.' If there was a word to describe a person who had the ability to make a poor thirteen year old girl sweat buckets just by looking at her with those stupid little doe eyes, that would be it.

Time—as well as Chloe's whole body—was still frozen though. All she could muster up was a weak, "No. Not at all." Which fortunately was enough to put a meek smile on Max's face. That encouraged Chloe to try again. "Just haven't seen you all dolled up like this before, Mad Max."

"You're one to talk. I like the jumpsuit."

"I look like a chopstick."

"A chopstick that doesn't know how to use one?" Ah, there was the subtle Max snark Chloe loved so much.

"A chopstick that's so gonna kick your ass."

Max chuckled fondly. "Don't worry. I think it's pretty cool."

"Thanks!" A boy hitting an astronomical case of puberty just possessed Chloe's body as her voice cracked so hard she almost felt her throat shake. If the sun could explode right then and there that would've been awesome.

A beat passed with no words exchanged, just Chloe's eyes glued to her best friend.

It wasn't until William cleared his throat beside her, his hand tapping Chloe's chin to close her mouth she didn't even realize had been opened for who knew how long, that Chloe finally regained control of half of her brain.

Right. There were also other people in the space. More specifically, hers and Max's parents who were giving Chloe that weird cheeky look that made her feel as if she was opening a present they already knew she'd be stoked for on Christmas day. Chloe had to awkwardly fix her posture because what the hell, she was probably acting like a creep.

Max's dad was the one to invite the Prices inside. As soon as the door closed behind them, the two families wasted no time, immediately murmuring about Chloe's 8th grade formal, how sweet of her to take Max to the dance, how Joyce and Ryan volunteered to help with catering, how Vanessa should get her hands on Max's camera first or else her daughter would find a way to sneak it in to the event, and other old people matters Chloe couldn't decipher. There was also something about time flying so fast and shit.

Normally, she would try to have a little snoop into the conversation—Max's influence of course. This time though, Chloe was having a hard time focusing on anything else other than her best friend. Not even the Caulfields’ naked lady lamp on the living room table could keep Chloe's attention. No matter how much she tried to wander her eyes somewhere else, it always came right back to kind blue eyes and freckles on cheeks.

Unlike Chloe however, Max was seemingly having a hard time trying to find where to rest her eyes.

As the two just stood there, letting their parents' laughter fill the living room, Chloe then realized not a single word had come out of her mouth for the last minute or two.

She tried to speak once, twice. Still nothing.

A bug could fly into her mouth and Chloe would just chew that shit off. She couldn't care less when the little timid brunette who always wore silly shirts, bright colored headbands, and never took out her ponytail that was endangering her hairline everyday was right in front of Chloe looking absolutely ethereal in a pink dress.

Heh. Ethereal. Funny how she just learned that word from Max yesterday—probably something she learned from one of those art magazines she loved so much—and next thing she knew, Max became an embodiment of it.

The last time Chloe saw Max in a dress, it was in 3rd grade when she dressed as Snow White because Chloe wanted to dress as an apple during Halloween. Many valuable lessons were learned that day, including the fact that red didn't suit Chloe and apparently, some face paint could stain skin for days.

Since then, Max just stuck to her favorite shirt and jean combo with the occasional shorts. Somehow though, this look was still so incredibly Max that Chloe couldn't help but melt at the sense of familiarity. Short, slightly puffy sleeves so as to not stand out too much, white flats for her clumsy ass, light makeup, collarbone, hair lightly curled on the tips, and... a blue butterfly necklace?

Chloe must've been staring at it for who knew how long as Max grabbed the pendant and finally broke the silence. "Oh. I know this doesn't really match the dress, but you said you were wearing something blue so I thought... why not?"

The blonde swore she saw sparks flying somewhere in her peripheral. "Yeah! It's cool. You look really cute—Good! You look good. Great even." Damn, we got Ms. Smooth Talker over here. Chloe used to call her cute every two seconds, the sudden need to hold back was something she needed to unpack later. "I suck though. I don't have anything pink with me. Didn't know we were doing matchies."

"That's okay. Your make up's pink enough, I think."

"My makeup?" Chloe instinctively snapped her head to face the Caulfields' giant mirror that used to haunt her at sleepovers.

The hell? She was pretty sure Joyce only gave her the littlest amount of makeup. Through the mirror, she could see that there was really nothing on her face but a bit of blue eyeshadow and mascara to compliment the light blue jumpsuit she basically begged her mom to wear. Not because she was dying to wear anything formal, no. It was either that or a dress with an unnecessarily long tail. The jumpsuit made her look lankier than usual but whatever, she thought. Everybody loved to look at a nice pole from time to time.

Chloe checked her face again and raised a brow. "I don't see any pink in my face though? You need a colorblind test, dude."

Max let out that little wind chime giggle of hers. "I just meant the blush you're wearing."

What? 

Chloe specifically remembered groaning so loud the whole neighborhood could file a wellness check when her mom was about to dab a big brush with pink dust on her cheek earlier. She knew how... generous Joyce was when it came to putting on blush and Chloe refused to accept that charity. Max must had been fucking with her.

"I honestly thought you weren't going to wear any makeup at all, but this is an awesome surprise." Max said. "You look really pretty, Chloe."

Just like that, the room suddenly turned ten times warmer.

Then it hit her like a bag of bricks. The room wasn't the one radiating the heat, it was her fucking face.

The dance hadn't even started and already there was voice cracking, mouth hanging, and face flushing all because her best friend couldn't stop being so adorable. So much for acting normal.

"Uh, yeah the blush is cool and all, but I still wanna put on something pink that's more obvious."

"You really should, sweetheart." Chloe almost had a heart attack when her dad popped out of nowhere once again, standing beside her with that crazy smile on his face. "You're the one who asked Max to be your date in the first place. You should wear something that matches her dress."

Hearing the word 'date' made Chloe want to jump into a pool of flowers and also blast off into another planet at the same time. "Don't make it weird, dad!" She said, lightly bumping her dad's chest with her elbow, making William let out a laugh.

"What? You asked a girl to a dance, that's a date."

Her dad really needed to stop talking before steam actually came out of Chloe's ears like a kettle about to burst. She was fully facing him now, legs apart as if she was ready to run away from this house as far away as possible. "Dad, I swear!"

William only turned to Max. "Chloe did ask you to come with her to the dance right? Surely she didn't bribe you with more desserts during sleepovers or anything like that?"

"No, no!" The brunette flinched. "We've promised each other we'd go to every dance together so, I'm just fulfilling that promise. Although, I wouldn't mind the dessert deal."

"Good! Maybe this chopstick could take you out for some ice cream next time, who knows?"

"You know you'll be paying for the ice cream though, right?"

"Sweetie, you can just snatch a few bucks from the swear jar. Plus, I already paid for yours and Max's wedding eight years ago in our backyard—"

"Dad!" Chloe wanted nothing more but to smush her face on the corner of the Caulfield's massive couch.

As Joyce finally stepped in to fetch her very amused husband and save her daughter from being completely evaporated, Chloe's attention went right back to Max and her cute little face which was turning redder than Chloe's apple costume in 3rd grade.

"He's so annoying." Chloe said fondly, plopping herself down on the couch, one leg up which earned her a head shake from Joyce.

Max followed immediately, carefully sitting down beside her as to not crinkle her dress. "That's William alright. He's probably just excited seeing you attend your first dance."

"Correction, our first dance."

"I still can't believe you asked me to go with you."

Chloe's face pinched, making sure Max could see the offense in her face. "Who else would I go with?"

"I don't know." Max's lips formed a thin line. "Usually people would ask their boyfriends or the person they like maybe? I just hope people don't find it weird that you're going with someone like me."

The sight of Max turning small made Chloe's heart drop, she had to fight the urge to give her best friend the tightest hug that Max could file a restraining order against her. "First of, fuck having a boyfriend. Dudes are so gross. Especially the boys at our school, have you seen Kenneth's dumbass face? Second, you're my best friend, Super Max. There's no one else I'd rather go to a stinky middle school dance with." Perhaps it was the pure adrenaline from being hit by such a ridiculous statement, but Chloe didn't even notice how she grabbed Max's hand in hers to give it a reassuring squeeze. "We're gonna rule that dance and have the best sleepover ever, our parents are gonna have to lock us in a big hamster ball."

Max laughed and suddenly the room was brighter. "Hamster ball?"

"Yup! I don't give a shit what the stupid kids at our school think. If they think I'm a loser for bringing the most important person in my life to this year's most important dance, then that's their problem. Plus, I already know you're going to be the prettiest girl there."

"Really?"

Shit. That last sentence wasn't part of Chloe's super motivational talk script she just made in her head. There was no backing out.

"I mean it." Chloe said wholeheartedly. "You—" She had to take a deep breath as the way Max was looking at her was easily taking all of it away. "You look amazing."

"Thank you, Chlo." Max squeezed Chloe's hand back, making her heart skip the longest beat. "I really can't wait to dance with you."

Yeah, Chloe was fucked.

Max's eyes lit up and Chloe could almost see a lightbulb turning on above the brunette's head. "Wait here. I have an idea." She said, giving Chloe's hand one last assuring grip before getting on her feet and walking up to her room.

"Not going anywhere, Caulfield." Chloe said under her breath, still a bit light headed.

Chloe had no idea when all the giddiness Max's presence gave her evolved into heart rates rising, palms sweating, and wanting to scream out every love song that ever existed right then and there, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore the more the two of them spend time together—which was everyday. Chloe woke up one day and all the little smiles they'd share, the way Max would light up whenever she'd see Chloe first thing in the morning before walking to school, the way their noses would touch whenever they'd squeeze in closer during sleepovers at Max's house and Chloe would smell the new shampoo Max's mom would make her try that week, suddenly these little things were making Chloe's heart soar higher than usual. Suddenly, Max occupied a space in her thoughts where she had full control of the butterflies in Chloe's stomach.

The voices in the back of her head were putting up a bit of a fight though, as they would always turn to the logic that made most sense for the longest time and didn't require her to contemplate on her own identity and her friendship with Max in the middle of the night; of course Chloe would feel these things, Max was her best friend and Chloe had always been so giddy whenever they were together. Perhaps this new feeling was just a more... intense version of that? There was never a time where Max's presence didn't make Chloe feel like she was on cloud nine, her heart beating faster than usual whenever she was around nowadays was nothing but gratitude and joy for having such an incredible friendship. Yup. Just very normal feelings to have for her best friend.

Today, Chloe had no excuses. Going crazy over seeing her best friend's hair down for the first time was one thing, wanting to kiss her for looking like an absolute dream was another.

Time slowed down as Chloe stared longingly at Max walking down the stairs from her room.

Oh.

She thought, basking in the warmth and fuzziness of the realization... until it all started to really sink in.

Shit.

Shitshitshitfuckingshittingshitbagsofshittyshit.

These newly embraced feelings sent a fluttering chill down her spine, but her mind also raced as the implications of said feelings weighed down on her chest. It didn't matter right then though, because no matter how scary these feelings are, no matter what it entails about her or her friendship with Max, it was all very real and very intense.

"I'm back!" Max announced as if Chloe couldn't see her almost skipping back to her seat, hiding a hand behind her back.

Vanessa could be heard in the kitchen saying, "Max, be careful, honey!" The girl failed to acknowledge her mom's voice, too distracted by whatever she was hiding in her hand.

A wide smile grew on Max's lips, only being highlighted by the afternoon sun coming through the windows. "Open your hand." She said excitedly.

"Max, I swear, if you're trying to get back at me for that toothpaste prank—"

"No, I promise. I'll get my revenge some other time. This is different, trust me."

Chloe sighed fondly before opening both of her hands. "I trust you." Always.

In a snap, there were two beaded bracelets on her hands and Max's smile grew even wider. Chloe examined them carefully and let out a breath in awe. The two bracelets, one pink and one blue, both had their initials on them; M+C with a small heart bead beside it. The two girls were sharing the same happy grin now.

"Max, you... You made these?" Chloe's voice went soft.

The brunette nodded sheepishly. "It was supposed to be a graduation gift, but since we're looking for something we could wear to match I figured maybe you could just wear the pink one and I'll wear the blue one for tonight."

For the nth time that afternoon, Chloe was left speechless. This time, it was because she was trying her best not to tear up. (And almost failing.)

With a little bit of hesitation, Max spoke up again. "I know we're probably too old for friendship bracelets so you don't have to—"

"No, fuck that, I'll wear it." Chloe said definitively. There was no way she was missing an opportunity to brag to the world that Max Caulfield made her the prettiest gift she would surely treasure her whole life. She didn't hesitate to put the pink one around her wrist. Just seeing her and Max's initials like this made it harder to hide her toothy grin, so Chloe caved in. "This is fucking awesome, Max. You're the absolute best!"

"Anything for you." It was Max's turn to put on the blue bracelet before resting her arm beside Chloe's, showing off the matching bracelets even more. "Now, everyone will know that I'm your date."

Many valuable lessons were learned that night, including the fact that Chloe was surprisingly a decent dancer, it was impossible for Max to put down the peace sign in every photo booth picture, and most importantly...

Chloe was crushing on Max harder than a sack of balls.

Max's hand was gentle against Chloe's scalp.

Chloe let out a breath at the sensation but the tension in her shoulders remained.

The blonde sat still on the floor, her back turned to her best friend who was sitting on the bed, carefully playing with Chloe's hair.

Chloe's room was unusually empty. Not literally, everything was still in place. A couple days worth of dirty clothes and unorganized CDs were still on the floor, random comic books and her Blackwell scholarship acceptance letter still on her desk, and her skateboard still recently propped up against a drawer. It wasn't empty physically, but it surely felt like it was at that moment, with only the birds chirping outside, the pink and orange hues from the golden hour light, and the sound of soft music from Chloe's radio filling the heavy atmosphere.

Of course, Max was there as she always was. It was silly, but sometimes Chloe would forget that this room was actually just hers and not hers and Max's. However, right then, she wasn't sure if Max even wanted to be there alone with her and just thinking about it felt like a million stabs in Chloe's chest.

Max was still initiating skinship though, that was a good sign.

"Is this okay?" Max asked, tugging a piece of Chloe's hair from the front and braiding it to the back.

Chloe only nodded and she heard Max sigh in defeat. Her silence had always been louder than her voice and Max knew that more than anyone else.

It was the first time Max had asked to play with Chloe's hair. Most likely because she knew how much it calmed her down.

Though, she definitely had played with it before. Memories of Max's fingers combing through Chloe's hair whenever she would accidentally fall asleep in her lap after a long day floated through Chloe's mind, warmth blooming in her chest for a moment. Max probably thought she was fully zonked out during those times but Chloe had always felt every touch, melting in the way Max would soothe her without moving an inch until Chloe would pretend to wake up from her nap. She would always catch Max freezing up, acting as if she didn't want Chloe or anyone to know what she'd been doing. It was cute as hell.

At that moment, however, Chloe was far from feeling sleepy or even at ease. A void was forming inside of her, consuming every ray of light. If it wasn't for Max being there, Chloe would've probably broken a window or two. She wasn't sure if she was even capable of doing that but she definitely wanted to, especially right after what happened at the skatepark earlier that day.

"Do you have any more elastics? I swear I'm almost done. You're gonna love it." Max said, forcing a bright tone in an attempt to lighten up the mood as she scrambled to find more loose elastics on the bed.

It was sweet how Max was genuinely trying to bring back Chloe's usual loud energy, but Chloe was just so sure that if she even tried to speak up, her voice would break.

Summers for Max and Chloe were normally spent either at the Price household or at the skatepark where Chloe would practice her ollies and kickflips, try to look cool, and Max would either take pictures of her whenever she would successfully do a trick or laugh with her when she'd land straight on her ass. Sometimes Chloe would even try to teach Max the basics—a not so subtle excuse so she could hold Max's hands or catch her in her arms whenever Max would fall out of balance. There was just something about Max relying on her and Chloe being able to take care of her cute little photographer that was so addicting. Was Chloe a good teacher? What mattered was that they'd always have a blast, Chloe would tell herself.

The seasons might change but not Max and Chloe, not their crave for adventure whether it be in the same places or not, as long as they were together, they'd always find ways to have the time of their lives. And so that afternoon, Chloe grabbed her board, Max picked up one of her disposable cameras and the two unsupervised pirates decided to hang out at said park thinking, what could go wrong?

Everything apparently.

In the middle of their impromptu photoshoot by the park's bowl, with Chloe smiling so wide at Max's camera and pointing at the little skull art she drew on her skateboard using a sharpie, the two suddenly froze when they noticed a group of kids from their school—or Chloe's old school now—was approaching the two of them with a troublesome grin. An uneasy feeling filled Chloe's gut realizing that most of said kids were actually from her grade.

Kenneth was the first one to greet them, his smile widening when his eyes landed on Max. This fucker. Chloe immediately stood in front of Max protectively. Small talk was initiated and Chloe tried her best not to yawn out loud. She almost failed, but it didn't matter because what he said next, in that infuriating cocky tone of his, made Chloe's stomach flip.

"Haven't seen you since Jenny's grad party, Price. You didn't go to her birthday last week?"

"Nope." Chloe simply answered, leaving out the part that she didn't even know about it in the first place.

One of the girls in the group—Bailey? Bella? Chloe never really bothered to learn everyone's names—scoffed a little bit too loudly. "It was an all girls slumber party, Ken. No dykes allowed."

"Oh, right. Can't trust lesbos."

Chloe's heart dropped to her stomach so hard she could almost puke.

Not because of the words they just used to describe her, but because she knew Max heard it loud and clear. She was glad Max was behind her throughout that miserable exchange. Chloe just couldn't look at Max's face. In fact she haven't looked at her once ever since. Not on their walk back home, not when Max asked her if she just wanted them to stay in her room until William finished preparing for dinner, not now as Max sat on Chloe's bed while the older girl had a staring contest with the floor.

Just imagining the look Max was probably giving her made her eyes sting. That look people would give an odd color on a painting or food they accidentally drop on the ground, a mixture of pure pity, disappointment, and most of all, absolute disgust.

Chloe couldn't get Jenny and her fuckass friends' faces that night out of her mind. If she knew actually telling the truth in a round of truth or dare—because that was how you play the fucking game right?—at a party would result in her getting called names, not being kicked out but being isolated the whole night, and getting randomly mocked at a skatepark, she wouldn't have played in the first place. Stupid. She answered one question and suddenly they all turned from treating her like a loser to looking at her as if she was a dead rat on the street they didn't want to get close to, as if she just fell into a hole on the ground and they refused to give her a hand even when she was squeaky clean.

Something wet ran down her cheek. Fuck. Chloe didn't even realize her vision was blurred from the tears until then. She refused to wipe it off or sniff or make any move indicating she was on the verge of breaking. Max didn't have to know how lame Chloe was. She probably already thought Chloe was pathetic enough and it felt like her heart was being torn to pieces. Shit, her eyes were starting to sting again. It just wouldn't stop.

A hand gently cupped her cheek, making Chloe gasp.

Looking up, Chloe's chest clenched at the sight. Max was kneeling in front of her, no trace of disgust on her face. There was only softness, concern, and a hint of something familiar that Chloe couldn't exactly point out. It was warm and kind and so, so Max.

"Chloe..." Max said, almost in a whisper as if she was about to cry as well, her thumb wiping off the tears rolling down Chloe's cheek. "I'm here, okay? You can always talk to me."

If it weren't for Chloe's shock, she would've completely melted at Max's touch. "I..." She started, her voice hoarse. "I'm not grossing you out?"

And just like that, Max's hands were holding Chloe's again, clasping on them in a snap as if their hands were magnets and it had always belonged together. "I would never feel that way about you!" Max said softly yet with the intensity of a hurricane, pieces of hair falling to frame her face for she wasn't wearing her headband today. "Those kids from our school, they didn't know what they were saying back there—"

"Unfortunately, Max, they did." Chloe's eyes fell back to the floor. This was it, she had to come clean sooner or later anyway. Max deserved to know every part of Chloe no matter how tainted, no matter how odd, no matter how it would affect how she saw her. Max deserved to have a choice whether she would want to stay with someone like Chloe or not. "They were right about me."

Chloe expected Max to let go of her right then and there, but the grip on her hands just tightened. "What... What happened at that party, Chloe?"

"It's stupid. We played truth or dare and Jenny wanted everyone to join. To everyone's surprise, I chose truth and they asked me if I—if I would ever date a girl." With a shaky breath, Chloe's eyes met Max's curious ones. "I said yes."

A pause.

Maybe it was Chloe's fogged up vision or all the overthinking messing up a part of her brain but she swore Max did that thing where her brows would furrow ever so slightly, her lips would tighten, and her head would tilt at an angle so it would be a tad bit harder to see the look of hurt in her eyes. The last time she saw Max like this, it was a couple years ago when the photo Chloe basically dragged her to submit for the school newspaper didn't get chosen as a feature. The very next day, Chloe decided to hang all of the pictures Max had ever taken and gave her up around her room, making it Max's own little gallery.

It made sense back then, but hurt was the last thing Chloe expected from Max as a reaction to her coming out. Was she upset that Chloe didn't tell her sooner? It had to be. She was about to let out an apology when Max broke the silence.

"Who?"

"What?"

"Who would you want to date? Is there a specific girl?" It was Max's turn to drop her eyes on the floor.

Chloe was left speechless, breathless even. Her mouth opened ever so slightly, quivering as she carefully thought about her next words. There was a specific girl, there had only been one girl occupying each and every one of Chloe's thoughts for as long as she could remember. If she wasn't careful, Chloe could lose that said girl, the most important person in her life, the doe eyed girl holding her hands like a lifeline right then, and just the thought of it made something in her chest tighten.

If there was one thing she learned at that one miserable round of truth or dare, it was that saying the actual truth to a bunch of strangers would only leave her wanting to rip all her hair out.

This was different though.

It was Max. Her Max. There was no safer place than in Max's presence.

"Yes, there is." Chloe said, their eyes meeting again, faces closer than it was moments ago. "You don't have to worry about it though." As gently as her calloused hand could, Chloe brushed a hair away from Max's face, putting it behind her ear, her blue friendship bracelet matching Max's eyes which was staring back at hers as if the whole galaxy was in them. "I already took her as my date at the dance this year. She's amazing. A little awkward and probably the biggest nerd I know but, also the kindest, most talented, and just the fucking best person ever."

Chloe could tell exactly when the cogs in Max's brain started to turn, her eyes going from being filled with melancholy to widening in realization.

"Oh."

"Is that cool with you, Max?"

Max didn't pull away nor did she do anything. For the first time in her life, she had no idea what was on her best friend's mind and it scared her shitless. The fear didn't last long, however.

No words were spoken, but one of Max's hands stayed holding onto Chloe's, never losing her grip.

Chloe never really got an answer, but Max never once let go of her hand that night. A subtle reassurance that she would always stay by Chloe's side, that she accepted Chloe for who she was, that she wasn't repulsed, that she would lift Chloe up from that hole she fell into without any hesitation, and right at that moment, that was good enough for her.

Chloe still had Max. That was all she needed.

When Max cut her hair short for the first time, her mind was only filled with one thing... or rather, one girl.

As the brunette stared at herself in the mirror of her new room in Seattle—which wasn't new at all, but it still hadn't really felt like home to her either—Max brushed one side of her newly cut hair. It was shorter now, right by her chin to be exact.

Her hand only itched to grab her phone, wondering if a certain someone still had the same number even after a couple years. It would only take a couple clicks to send a photo.

But it would take a lot more to be worthy of forgiveness.

She knew it was silly, the thought of reaching out over a haircut. She didn't even care whether it was too short or if the bangs even fit her face. All Max could think about was if Chloe would've loved it.

This wasn't anything new though, she would softly think about Chloe from time to time, especially during her first few months in Seattle. Anytime she'd have one of those sleepless nights where the dread of being in a new environment and never feeling like she belonged would weigh on her mind, squeezing it until it would pop out all the darkest parts of her brain, her solution was to always think about Chloe's smooth voice and comforting touches. The way Chloe would softly hum random songs or how she would take Max's arm and pretend to draw on it with her fingers. Those thoughts never failed to take her back to the nights where the two of them would just talk about anything and everything until they'd be greeted by the embrace of dawn in Chloe's room, filled with giggles and promises of forever, right where Max felt the safest.

Still looking in the mirror, she held her own arm for some sense of comfort, desperately trying to replicate even a hint of the security Chloe made her feel.

It was almost laughable how pathetic Max was. Wanting to try something new to prove to herself that she could handle change and deciding a new haircut would do the trick, seeing the result, and immediately thinking about the possibility that her best friend— ex best friend would have absolutely adored it.

If Chloe was here, she would probably be ecstatic at the sight of Max's new hair. Max could almost hear her breaking everyone's eardrums from shouting in excitement, probably making comments about how her hair was similar to Pris from Blade Runner, throwing a slight innuendo or two because of course , Chloe would. It was either that or she would somehow forget how to speak again like that time she took Max to their first school dance. Max found herself smiling at the memory of that night, at the memory of Chloe being... Chloe. She just never left Max's mind, huh? Every second of every day, even in the spaces between seconds, she thought about Chloe.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Somehow, stupidly perhaps, the realization caught her by surprise.

The absolute irony of it all sunk in slowly, almost like her brain was a camera adjusting its own focus.

Max should've given Chloe an answer back then, for it was as clear as day right at this moment.

It was cool.

It was more than okay, more than a yes, more than a wish, more than a speechless stare because she couldn't believe someone as amazing as Chloe Price would ever look at her that way. Thirteen year old Max couldn't fully grasp how she felt and fifteen year old Max had to face the consequences, wishing to every star in the galaxy that she could go back to that summer afternoon and rip her heart out to hand it to Chloe right then and there.

All she could do now was yearn for the what ifs and that made the lump in her throat tighten. Max wanted what could've been, wanted her , more than anything.

It only took her moving states away from Chloe to fully realize it.

Grabbing the phone in her pocket, Max typed in the only number she still have memorized. With so many words she wanted to send, years worth of stories, secrets and newly discovered feelings she wanted to share, all she had to do was type it out and hit a few buttons and maybe—maybe, she could finally start tying up the string that she regrettably cut up. Just like the hundred times she had desperately tried, her fingers only hovered above the screen, shaking, until it all turned black. Coward.

Did she even deserve to be Chloe's friend anymore? She thought as she defeatedly put her phone back in her pocket. In Max's head, there was a clear answer and it was as if her whole world was crashing down.

God, she missed her.

Max might have been the one responsible for the downfall of hers and Chloe's friendship but she missed her. She might have let the fear of saying the wrong thing jeopardize the relationship she treasured the most but she missed her. She might have been burying down the growing romantic feelings she had for her best friend even before they moved away and it only added to the heavy emotions swirling in Max's whole system on top of a loved one's sudden death, causing her to do the worst decision she had ever made in her life; running away from all of it... but fuck , she missed her. She missed Chloe so much.

As Max tucked her hair behind her ear, imagining it was a certain blonde's hand brushing them so tenderly like the day she poured her heart out to her, she finally let the dam fall.

The first time Max saw Chloe's blue hair, she had somehow been able to control time.

Ever since then, blue was all she could see. Her eyes, her hair, the pool where the two of them promised to never leave each other's side ever again, the butterflies in her tattoo that matched the sensations filling Max's stomach whenever Chloe smiled at her.

Max's whole world was blue.

And it was the only world that mattered even in the middle of the storm.

The first time Max washed Chloe's hair, she was bawling her eyes out in the bathtub of their tiny apartment in Seattle.

"Chloe? You in there?"

Snapping out of it, Chloe was pulled away from staring at the bathroom's white and blue walls for fuck knew how long when she heard Max's voice by the door. The bathtub's water was no longer warm in her skin and her fingers were then wrinkly from being over soaked.

"You've been in there for a while. Is everything okay?" Max called again, not hiding the worry in her voice this time.

Bubbly water splashed around as Chloe flinched a bit. "Yeah! Yeah, uh, still here. Everything's cool. Yup." Very cool, Price.

There was a pause. For a second there, Chloe thought Max had already gone back to their room until she asked timidly, "Can... Can I come in?"

Chloe was pretty sure her heart just did a whole Cirque du Soleil stunt.

She didn't know which one was more stupid, the fact that her first instinct was to look down as if she had an outfit to check, completely forgetting she was butt naked in the tub, or her attempt to wipe off the dried tears on her cheeks by splashing water on her face as if her eyes weren't all puffy and gross.

Back to her first problem though. She was completely fucking naked.

Chloe would be lying if she said her and Max haven't seen each other naked before, but that was when they were still a couple of kids who didn't give a shit about the world. Hell, they had seen each other solely in underwear that time they took a small dip in Blackwell's pool. Chloe definitely didn't ogle Max that night. Nope. Not at all.

For obvious reasons, this time was different. Chloe didn't care much about the possibility of Max seeing her bare to the bones because, well, it was just Max. The same Max who had seen much, much worse parts of her that was beyond physical and still stood by her. Hell, Max had already seen Chloe's body in worse conditions than sitting in a small bathtub, like being straight up lifeless on the ground twice in one week. If that thought didn't make Chloe sick to her stomach, she would've made a joke about how seeing her bare skin would be an upgrade from seeing her bleeding to death. Chloe would probably never recover from that.

There was one important thing though, Chloe trusted Max. She knew Max would never give unnecessary comments about her body or anything dumb like that either. Max only ever had strong opinions about movies and video games anyway. Plus, Chloe was comfortable enough when it came to her own body that as long as it was someone she trusted, they could stare at her all they want and she would not give a flying fuck.

The problem was also the same thing... It was Max.

Chloe wasn't worried about the two of them seeing each other's literal ass cheeks back at the Blackwell pool because it was a time when Chloe was still figuring out if the feelings she had towards her best friend at thirteen was making a comeback five years later. Back then at the pool, Max was still just a best friend to Chloe. A best friend she had a crush on when they were tweens, sure, but compared to all the crazy shit happening in Arcadia Bay—including her ex girlfriend still nowhere to be found—during the most insane and devastating week of her whole life, going through a few minutes with Max while wearing nothing but her underwear was relatively survivable.

This time, it would be a little bit more challenging. It didn't matter that they weren't together, together—not yet anyway. More than friends, less than lovers, who gave a shit? They were Max and Chloe, one seeing the other's nipples wouldn't change that.

That wasn't the scary part, however. It was the fact that Chloe was already living with the haunting conclusion that she was, had always been, and would pathetically always be madly in love with her best friend. One look from those pretty doe eyes and Chloe knew she would be gone.

Chloe wasn't a pussy though, and she didn't like making Max worry. Poor girl had been anxious her whole life. "Door's unlocked! Just a warning though, my ass is completely naked." Chloe projected, giving Max an escape if she was actually uncomfortable with it.

"Right." Max's voice cracked adorably. "Uhm, I'm okay with it, but are you sure you're okay with me coming in?"

"Hella cool with me, dude. I promise."

With that, the door squeaked open, a mop of brown hair peeking in and revealing Max in her adorable hotdog man pajama shirt and boxer shorts she was pretty sure Max stole from Chloe's drawer. "Hey." Max said timidly. God, she looked so cute, Chloe had to take a shuddering breath.

"Hey." Chloe said back with a small smile as Max entered the bathroom before meekly standing by the door, her eyes going everywhere but Chloe. The older one chuckled. "Chill, Max, it's just tits."

"You are unbelievable." Max said as her face immediately turned pink, still not making eye contact which made Chloe release a lighthearted laugh.

"For real, though. You have my full consent to stare as much as you want." With her face still red as the flowers in Chloe's tattoo, Max finally laid her eyes on her best friend without any hesitation. Mostly. Chloe could tell she was trying her best to keep her eyes on Chloe's face or hair or anywhere that wasn't below her neck. There were still moments where her eyes would pull away, but A+ for effort. Chloe found it absolutely endearing. Though, she didn't miss the way Max visibly gulped when she started walking closer to the bathtub. Chloe wasn't doing any better as it felt like her heart was constantly about to jump out of her chest every time Max took a step. "See? No biggie." Chloe said, trying to rest her arm on the edge of the tub but ended up knocking off a shampoo bottle which echoed throughout the whole bathroom. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Max let out a light chuckle, the tension in her body disappearing a bit as she leaned down to put the bottle back in place. "Ever so fearless, Price."

"That's what happens when you know you're hot as fuck."

"Oh, yes. You are." Max said definitively, her voice lower than usual and it was Chloe's turn to audibly gulp, her head spinning in the best way. Before she could even say something stupid, Max spoke up again while closing the lid of the toilet right beside the bathtub where Chloe was in, "You've been here for like 2 hours now. I just wanted to make sure you're—" Max paused when her eyes landed on Chloe again. She sat on the closed toilet, giving her a much better view of Chloe's face. Max's eyes squinted. "Chloe, were you crying?"

A blink. "Nope."

"Nice try."

"Damn." There was no point in lying, especially to Max of all people. If Chloe would ever commit a crime—another one—and a cop showed up to investigate her, they would walk out of that room with zero information and a bruised ball sack. Put Max in the room and either Chloe would be spilling everything in the first two seconds or Max would immediately spot every lie that would come out of her mouth.

The only reason why Chloe was hesitant about telling the truth was because Max didn't need another shit to worry about in her plate.

Max had been going through a lot with Jefferson's trial coming to an end just recently. She didn't watch any report or consume anything related to that whole chaos and just gained information through Victoria who was a significant witness at the trial. Chloe was right beside Max during every call, making sure Max wouldn't feel alone and constantly reminded her every second that she was safe. Nobody could hurt her ever again as long as Chloe was there. That monster was finally put behind bars where he deserved to rot but still, that trial definitely opened up some wounds that haven't fully healed, maybe even scratched up some new ones. Chloe would do anything to stitch everything clean and make it an easier journey for Max. Anything. Telling Max about Chloe's own minor inconveniences would just add more bullshit into the mix.

"Did something happen today? You can tell me anything, you know that, Chloe."

"It's nothing." She was quick to answer out of habit. "Just a weird call I had today. Don't worry about it."

And there it was, Max Caulfield's famous furrowed brows of concern. She should've known that her acting skills, unwillingly polished by one single stage performance in high school, wouldn't work on the person she had literally shared toothbrushes with multiple times throughout their childhood. "Talk to me. Please."

There was a sense of warmth that formed inside Chloe's system at how softly Max said those words. How could she ever resist her? Chloe would steal every star in the sky for her. She would give her the fucking universe if she asked. The punk sighed in defeat, recalling the events that happened before she stomped inside the bathroom with a headache and a certain emptiness earlier that night. "David called."

"Again? What did he want this time?"

Chloe brushed away the soaking strands of hair stuck to her forehead. "Not to shit on my ass, surprisingly." She chuckled humorlessly. "He just wanted to catch up, see how we're doing. Told him about the new apartment, how I got the tattoo apprenticeship recently. This fucker mentioned how proud he was and shit. It was kind of weird honestly, gives me the heebie-jeebies, but then he mentioned how... Joyce would've been so proud of me too and I just..." The lump in her throat grew so much, it made it difficult to even breathe.

"And he's right." Max said, resting her hand on Chloe's shoulder.

"I know." Tears slid down her cheeks and suddenly, the water felt sickeningly colder.

Grief was hilarious sometimes. When David called for the first time months ago, confirming the death of Joyce while Max and Chloe were still staying at the Caulfield's house, Chloe had to get up and drive around as a desperate attempt for a distraction, just wanting to get rid of the tears and the heaviness in her chest that she couldn't get rid off no matter how long she drove. Chloe drove for hours and hours that when she came back, she found Max sobbing in her room, thinking Chloe might have left her. Chloe's heart broke into pieces for a second time that night. Since then, her golden rule was to always keep Max within her reach.

After that night, Chloe couldn't remember shedding a tear or two at the thought of her mom again. She would always just find herself thinking about Joyce fondly, treating her memories of her mom like a warm embrace rather than a stab to the chest, just as Joyce would want to be remembered. Chloe had kept that mentality for months, not cracking even for a day. Who knew a simple reminder of how Joyce would've been proud of her if she was alive was enough to send her bawling in a bathtub at 2 am in the morning.

"Joyce would've been so proud of you."

Fuckin' hell.

It was like a huge slap in the face, like a siren screaming, "Bitch, your mom's gone!" on loop right in her ear. Obviously, she already knew that, but this was the first time in a long while where she actually felt that and it made her want to submerge herself into that cold water just to never come back up again.

Drowning. That was how everyday felt like ever since the storm. She might've survived the harsh rain but she was still in the middle of the flood. The only thing that kept pulling her back to the surface was Max and she was so grateful for the second—third? fourth?—chance of life that she gave Chloe's doomed ass. It took a while and a shit ton of nights crying in Max's arms, but at some point Chloe got tired of thinking she wasn't worthy of Max's choice. There wasn't a day where Max ever made Chloe feel like she was something Max regretted keeping.

Did she think she deserved another chance at life? Max thought so and Chloe trusted her more than anyone, therefore, yes. Was her life worth living even though all her loved ones, everything and everyone she knew since she was a kid, were all buried in the dirt somewhere in Oregon? Chloe still haven't figured that out. All she knew was that she at least owed it to Max to believe so, she owed it to Max to live life to the fullest.

Although, treating her life like a debt payment didn't sound like living at all. Like if Chloe wasn't drowning, she was just swimming non-stop.

Before she could even suffocate in her own thoughts, she was pulled back by Max's hand resting on her head, caressing her hair. "Joyce would be so happy to see you getting your life together, you know?"

Another humorless snicker. "That's an overstatement." Chloe sniffed in whatever snot was about to come out of her nose. "I just got a job and that's it. Saying that I got my life together is one hell of a stretch. We might be on our own but we still rely on Vanessa 'cause I can't even provide enough to take care of rent, I still have the same truck as I had since I was sixteen, I get like fours hours of sleep a day, I can't take a call from David without having an insane meltdown. I mean, fuck. I can't even take care of myself. I've been in this tub for hours and I haven't even washed my hair."

Chloe could feel another wave of tears coming, but the sound of the shampoo bottle opening caught her attention enough to push the tears away. Right beside her, Max was putting a generous amount of the strawberry scented shampoo they shared onto her palm. The punk wanted to ask what she was doing, but she was frozen in awe as Max sat on the side of the tub and lathered the shampoo over Chloe's scalp.

No words were exchanged and it wasn't needed. Max's touch told her everything; Chloe was loved. She didn't need to take care of herself alone, not again, not ever.

Max gave Chloe a soft smile when their eyes met, a subtle way to ask if she was doing okay. As a response, Chloe slowly closed her eyes with a happy grin, letting Max know that she trusted her. When Max started massaging her head, Chloe just let herself melt into her touch. All the tension in her shoulders, the aches in her head, the lump in her throat, and the tightness in her chest, gone in a snap as Chloe felt Max's fingers run through her hair, letting the bubbles form and tickle Chloe's scalp.

It was kind of funny to think that the times Chloe felt most loved was when she saw her best friend rip apart a polaroid photo in the middle of a storm and months later when the same best friend was washing her hair so delicately, with so much care and softness that the grief in Chloe's heart was embraced by a sense of peace. For someone so rough, rugged, and loud, Max treated Chloe so gently, but not as if she was frail or something that could break any second. Rather, Max treated Chloe like she was an old piece of art that was being restored.

Suddenly, Chloe wasn't drowning anymore. At that moment, and for the rest of her life, she wasn't swimming constantly until she was out of breath. She was just floating.

These little things, these little moments of happiness and security with Max, these were the things Chloe wanted to live for. Life was worth living not because she owed it to Max, it was worth living because it was a life she would spend with Max and that meant it was a life she would spend being loved.

Letting herself accept that love, now that was something Joyce would've been genuinely proud of her for.

Using the showerhead, Max thoroughly rinsed Chloe's hair and brushed it away from her face when she was done. "There. All good."

Chloe rubbed the excess water off her eyes before opening them, resting them on Max's cute face. She was staring at Chloe with that fond look that made her feel like she was in a pool of flowers once again. Chloe didn't have to look in the mirror to know her eyes were probably dilated as she looked back at her best friend. "Thanks, Super Max."

"Anything for you."

"Can I ask one thing then?"

Max's head tilted curiously. "Hmm?"

Chloe's grin only widened. "Would you please stop staring into my eyes like that? My tits are down here."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing? Shouldn't you read the instructions?"

"I've been dyeing my hair since I was sixteen, Caulfield. I got this, trust." Getting a hold of the bottle of dye inside, Chloe put the box of semi-permanent pink hair dye back on the kitchen table behind a concerned soon to be ex brunette.

The familiar smell of strong chemicals and Chloe's impulsive decisions at 3 am throughout the years filled their van as she mixed in the dye and some conditioner in the same tupperware she used last week for her own hair. Hints of purple still stained the little container which Chloe just shrugged off. Droplets of rain pitter pattered softly on the windows, reminding Chloe of why the two of them couldn't play salon with some fresh air outside and were forced to tolerate the slight sting on their noses.

"Instructions are for dumbasses." Chloe added.

Max's nose scrunched adorably at the scent before saying, "That's what you also said when you built my desk last month and it turned out kinda wonky."

"You ass! I only forgot to tighten a screw because someone kept wanting kisses every time they've made progress with editing."

"And someone also kept pouting when the kisses weren't long enough so..." Max turned back a bit in her chair to grab the box dye behind her, but only after giving Chloe a knowing look.

"Don't see anything wrong with that, Caulfield. Plus, I fixed it right away after you told me. I even proved to you how sturdy it was." Chloe wiggled her brows teasingly, knowing very well how much the... activities the two of them have done in that desk had surprisingly proven its stability.

Chloe had to fight off a grin as Max's eyes avoided hers so quickly, her legs crossing in her seat, her face turning into the cutest shade of pink that almost matched the color of the dye the punk was mixing in with some conditioner. Her own face started to heat up as memories of skin on skin, legs over shoulders, sweat, and freckles started to fog up Chloe's mind. She shook those thoughts away before Chloe's own internal water park started operating.

"What am I going to do with you?" Max said fondly.

"Made me your personal hairstylist, for one." Chloe chuckled. "Alright, let's fucking do this! You want your front pieces pink right?"

"Yes, please."

"Ah, the magic word. You are so cute. Polite Max got hella charms. I'm kinda missing bossy Max, though." Chloe said while putting on the cheap gloves that came with the kit.

"Less talking, more dyeing."

An airy laugh was let out. "There she is." Chloe started putting some of the pink dye on her gloved hands, completely abandoning the brush provided. Instructions were for dumbasses and brushes were for babies. If Chloe was doing her own hair, she would've dyed it with her bare hands like a real woman. Alas, it was her girlfriend's fringe she was working on and she didn't want to make a shit ton of mess. As she picked up a piece of Max's hair in the front where her adorable little bangs used to be, Chloe wondered out loud, "Pink is gonna look so hot on you. It's always been your color. Pink and that specific shade of yellow all the hippies were obsessed with a couple years back."

Max only shrugged with a smile. "Thanks. I like every color so it all works for me."

"You've only dated one person and I'm white as fuck, so not sure about that." Chloe joked while she lathered the first layer of dye onto Max's hair.

"Oh, shut up!"

Their laughs bounced off the walls of their little moving home and made the atmosphere even brighter despite the gloomy rain outside. Hearing Max laugh had always been like seeing Christmas lights at night for the first time. Maybe Chloe wasn't the most level-headed woman out there, but thank fuck she could crack a joke because that meant she could make her childhood best friend laugh anytime she wanted. It was one of the things Chloe lived for and would continue to crave for the rest of her life.

As Chloe massaged the dye from Max's roots to her tips, she couldn't help but take a good look at the love of her life, just relishing on the calmness and peace that she provided in this life that they had. Chloe snorted at the way Max closed her eyes shut when Chloe picked up another piece of hair, scrunching so hard as if she was expecting the dye to magically jump and hit her eye. She was so adorable, Chloe wanted to bite her cheeks, but that was more of Max's thing.

Twenty year old Chloe would be so stoked and hella confused at the same time. Almost a decade ago, she wasn't certain if her life was even worth living and now that she was pushing thirty, the tiniest things were still the ones making her feel like she could live a hundred more years. Every little thing was worth waking up another day for; making Max laugh her ass off, getting a good parking spot at a random beach, when a client would give her full creative freedom for a tattoo piece, having spontaneous hangouts with The High Seas, taking the fattest nap and waking up in the middle of the night on a random tuesday, seeing Max's little drool first thing in the morning, finding an actual non-stick pan that worked smoothly, being able to dye Max's hair for the first time.

That didn't mean their life was perfect, it never was. There were fights, but they never lasted for more than a day. Screams and misunderstandings would be shared, but it would always end up with soft kisses and whispered apologies with a side of waffles the morning after. Chloe didn't want a perfect life anyway, she just wanted to go on adventures with Max and only the real pirates know that all great adventures have significant battles. The sail wasn't always smooth, literally and figuratively, but Max and Chloe stuck together and they chose each other everyday.

A thought flashed through her head, the same thought that had been consuming her ever since Max and Chloe had finally bought their own little home.

As Chloe's hand itched to reach out to her pocket, she wondered—for the nth time this month—if it was finally time to test that choice and give Max the opportunity to either seal it or leave it.

The thought never left her system even after she completed dyeing Max's fringe or when they finished an episode of a shitty reality show Chloe insisted they should hate-watch while waiting for the dye to settle in.

It especially clouded her mind when Max came out of the bathroom with her new hair, all pink and blow dried and fucking stunning.

Chloe's jaw was on the floor in a matter of seconds.

Suddenly, Chloe was fourteen again, seeing her best friend in a new look for the first time and absolutely losing her mind. "Holy shit."

"Good holy shit or bad holy shit?" Max took a step forward in their tiny kitchen where Chloe was standing.

"Like... I wanna make out with you 'till our lips are sore and we break every table in this room type of holy shit."

Max giggled and took another step towards her girlfriend, tucking a piece of pink hair behind her ear and fluttering her doe eyes at Chloe's wide ones. This girl . She definitely knew what she was doing.

It wasn't even a drastic change. Max's hair was still mostly brunette, it was only the front pieces that had a bit of a warm hue. No bleach was used so it only turned into a slight rose color that matched Max's complexion perfectly, taking Chloe's breath away.

"So you like it? The color only appears in good lighting though." And yet Chloe was still in so much awe that she couldn't actually remember if she had blinked in the last minute.

"I don't give a shit. You look sick, Max!" She exclaimed, not being able to control her volume or the way she automatically pulled Max into a tight hug, a habit that was only saved for her best friend and partner in time. Max's arms clinged to Chloe like magnets as they swayed gently through their embrace. "Totally badass." Chloe said when they pulled away, taking another good look at Max's pretty face.

"It's probably gonna fade in like two weeks or something." Max said.

"So? I'd be obsessed with you no matter what's on your head. Why did you wanna use semi-permanent dye though?" Chloe asked, resting her hands on Max's hips just to stay close to her. "Should've used one of those cheap ass permanent dyes. I swear, that shit stains your whole head and ten years later you'd still find tints of color in your hair, it's insane."

Max fidgeted with Chloe's bullet necklace as she responded. "I'm not ready to damage my hair like that just yet. I don't even care if it fades after like a couple of days. Plus, I have you. I could just ask you to re-dye it for the rest of our lives if I have to."

For the rest of our lives.

Chloe couldn't help but smile as she heard the subtle promise. One thing about Max was that she never failed to reassure Chloe how she would always stay, even without meaning to. Something in Chloe's guts bloomed at the words. It was exactly the push that she needed. "Taking advantage of my services, Caulfield?"

"It's part of your punk girlfriend duties."

"Well, if that's the case, you might as well make me your punk wife."

Max's fidgeting paused, her eyes now locked in on Chloe's. "What're you—"

With her heart pounding even louder than the pouring rain outside, her mind calm yet her hand a bit shaky, Chloe reached in her pocket to pull out the one thing that could make or break a thousand more promises and forevers.

One scraped knee on the ground, Chloe took Max's delicate hand in hers, the other holding out a ring with a small blue gemstone perfectly sitting in the middle. She took a deep breath, staring at the woman who stole her heart on a random recess in kindergarten and never gave it back ever since. "I'm gonna try my best not to break my voice here so bare with me."

Max chuckled a little too loudly, trying to hide the fact that her eyes were already watering. Chloe gave her best friend's hand a gentle squeeze as an attempt to provide comfort even though Chloe herself was a word away from sobbing her ass out.

"Max Caulfield—" Chloe's voice broke immediately and Max stifled a laugh. "God dammit. See, I've known you my whole life and you still have this effect on me, like I'm a fucking school girl who's nervous to talk her hallway crush during free period. Ever since I saw you with your hair down for the first time, that night I took you to the dance, I have never been the same. Literally. Your dork ass awakened something in me."

Max's voice was a bit raspy from the tears forming. "And that something is..."

"Lesbianism." Max and Chloe said in unison, followed by another set of wet giggles.

"No, but to be fucking honest..." Chloe continued. "I don't think there ever was a time where I wasn't madly in love with you, Max. I've loved you in every single way. As my best friend, my favorite photographer, my crush, my estranged ex best friend who I never got over with, my hero, the love of my life, and hopefully—fingers crossed, ass clenched, balls pressed—"

"Chloe!" Max's laugh blessed her ears again.

"—Hopefully, you give me a chance to love you as my wife too. Please."

Chloe wasn't even aware she was capable of talking so softly like that, Max just kept bringing out the delicate side of Chloe that she would never let anyone else even have a peek on. Happy tears ran down Max's puffy cheeks and Chloe just had to pause for a bit to melt over how beautiful her girlfriend was when seeping with joy. Oh, Chloe was on cloud nine. Cloud one hundred even. She would do anything to keep that smile on her face forever. "My Max, I'm going to spend the rest of our lives making you the happiest woman ever as your wife. Your punk wife. When your hair dye fades and becomes dull, I'll be here to do the retouch, as many times as you want. I won't go anywhere. Is that cool with you?"

To Chloe's utmost surprise, Max only kneeled in front of her, but not before grabbing the empty box of dye on the table. Her eyes widened as she realized it wasn't as empty as it should be when it shook a bit and there was a tiny rattle.

Max pulled out a ring with a pink gemstone on it and Chloe swore she stopped breathing for a whole two seconds.

The deja vu tickled something in her brain. On that one summer afternoon in Chloe's room, when they were just two sweaty teens trying to figure out how to handle confusing feelings, Max sat in front of Chloe to accept her for who she was and now, Max was kneeling in front of her, no trace of doubt on her face. There was only happiness, security, and a love so strong it could withstand a thousand storms in a thousand different lifetimes.

After years and years, Max was finally able to answer what she was too afraid to even acknowledge at thirteen. With the way she looked at Chloe now, she could feel all the way to her bones that Max had never been more sure of anything in her life than she was with her answer, soft and certain,

"Yes!"