This is my denial AU where everyone is alive and happy.

To be warned I did change the rating cause things got sexy. Woops.

Max fell onto her bed, it had been a long week. First, she had two projects to turn in after procrastinating for a month. Then she had an essay to write. And lastly she had to give a presentation that she was in no way prepared for. After everything, she was beginning to believe Chloe had the right idea by dropping out. Her mind grinded to a halt. Chloe.

She hadn't seen her girlfriend since their date the previous week. Max had been too focused on school work and Chloe had mentioned something about getting her GED in passing a few days prior. A knock on the door caused the brunette to jump, nearly falling out of her bed in her rush to get to the door. She pulled it open to reveal Kate standing there with a small smile.

"Oh, hey Kate." Max greeted, embarrassed by her out of breath appearance. She had thought for sure that Chloe would be the one at her door. Obviously that kind of coincidence only happened in cheesy rom coms. Kate raised a brow at the girl, seemingly amused.

"Am I interrupting something?" Kate asked, not sure if Max had Chloe over.

"Nope. I was just laying around. Classes were especially brutal today." They both shared a knowing look. The week had been busy for everyone, even Warren had seemed more occupied with schoolwork.

"They were. Luckily it's Friday. Want to come with Warren and I to get tea?" Max paused, not sure if she would rather go out with her friends or text Chloe and have a movie night. Instead of choosing, she decided to do both. After tea she could go to Chloe's and surprise her.

"Sure thing Kate. Let me go grab my jacket." After grabbing her jacket, Max joined her friend in the hallway. Warren met them in the quad and together, they made their way to the tea shop. They had a lot to talk about considering how much work they all seemed to have done.

When they got to the shop, they took their usual seats. Warren sitting across from the two girls. He was in the middle of a particularly animated science story when Max's phone vibrated in her pocket. Trying to be discreet, she unlocked her phone and peeked down at the message.

Chloe had texted her. Dude I just took my GED tests. I bet I kicked their asses! Max smiled fondly, proud of her girlfriend.

Hella yeah you did! I'm so proud. After some debate, Max added an emoji and sent it. When she looked back up, Warren was none the wiser, though he was now onto a different story about his English class. Despite her best efforts, Max couldn't stop smiling. She was beyond excited and happy for Chloe.

Kate seemed to pick up on her sudden happiness as she kept glancing over at her ecstatic friend. When Warren's story winded down, Kate turned their attention to Max.

"You seem to be in a good mood. Did you see your tests scores, Max?" When the brunette's eyes widened and she snapped to attention, Kate wished she hadn't spoken. Warren noticed the reaction and grinned, knowing full well she wasn't looking at test scores.

"No, it was a text from Chloe. She took her GED tests. I know she did good. When we were growing up, she would always get A's on tests. I was so jealous, I can't test to save my life." Her answer surprised both of her friends.

"Oh, that's good! I wish her luck." Kate encouraged with a smile. Warren nodded in agreement. "I forgot to ask how you liked the flowers. She was so nervous about them." Kate continued, hoping Max liked the bouquet.

"They were so pretty, thanks for helping her. Both of you." She looked over at Warren with a grateful smile. "It was such a cute idea."

"Well it was Kate's idea for a picnic, I just helped get you there and find out your favorite flower." Warren spoke, happy he had helped Chloe create a memorable date.

"I just wanted to help you since you helped me." Kate shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. Max smiled gratefully at her friends. Conversation steered back towards casual after that, Kate stating her plans for spring break.

It wasn't long before their tea was gone and they had returned to Blackwell. Max's face lit up when she felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it out, expecting another text from Chloe, only to receive one from Victoria.

Apparently the blonde wanted her to come by her dorm. It had been a good day and Max didn't want to potentially ruin it. But part of her trusted Victoria. It turned out it wasn't her choice to make as Victoria was walking down the hallway when Max and Kate got back.

The blonde zeroed in on Max's presence, automatically making a beeline towards her and Kate.

"Hey Kate, how've you been?" Victoria struggled with casual conversations with Kate, but she wanted to try to get along with the quiet girl.

"I've been okay, how about you?" Kate replied, courteous as always.

"I've been working on something actually. Mind if I borrow Max?" After a nod from Max, Kate left the two alone. "C'mon hipster, I need your opinion." Victoria didn't really give her much of an option as she turned on her heel and marched down the hall. Max stumbled over her feet in her attempt to catch up.

Victoria's room was as pretentious as always, save for the action figure that still rested on her dresser. Max sent an appreciative glance towards her plasma tv before focusing on the girl who had disrupted her plans. Said girl was seated at her computer, clicking through files before she looked over at the brunette with a glower.

"Well, come look. You make this friends thing hard." Victoria sneered, quickly looking back to the computer. Max smiled at the blonde's admission, happy that Victoria saw her has a friend. Sure, she knew from that week in October that Victoria was a decent person and capable of being unexpectedly kind, but normally that was covered up by nonchalant statements and dismissive hand gestures.

"Sorry, didn't know I was so hard to like." Max scoffed, slightly surprised by how easy it was to banter with Victoria. Perhaps it was because of their previous rivalry. She came to a stop beside the blonde, looking at the laptop.

A picture of her and Chloe was open on photoshop and Max had to admit that it looked amazing. Chloe was holding her tight, face clearly visible behind Max's. They were as close as possible, legs intertwined and they both looked… Peaceful. Obviously Victoria had spent quite a while trying to edit it. The first thing that came to Max's mind was why? But she was unable to ask before Victoria launched into an irritated rant.

"So, I've fixed everything but the lighting seems off, you know? I thought about adding a filter but black and white would make it way too hipster, even for you, offense intended." She ignored Max's scoff, adamant to figure out what was missing. "Sepia is a nice filter but too warm for this. Maybe blur the background? No, the wall's already out of focus. Well, do you have any bright ideas?" Max blinked when Victoria was suddenly looking at her, her face contorted in concentration. The eye contact didn't last long before the blonde turned back to the screen.

"Victoria, not to sound ungrateful because this is really fucking cool, but why are you fixing this?"

"That is not an idea Max, that is a completely stupid question that doesn't matter." When Max just continued to stare at the side of her head, she huffed and continued. "Look. You've been nothing but helpful to me and you even helped Nathan get into the psych ward instead of going to prison so I owe you." Victoria scowled, narrowing her eyes and clicking with more force than necessary.

"I didn't do anything besides beg him to do what was right. He did the rest on his own." Max wouldn't ever forget walking out of the bathroom, straight into Nathan. After pulling him aside so nobody would overhear them, she talked to him about everything. He was jittery and she could see his hand inch behind his back to grab for his gun multiple times before she managed to convince him she was only trying to help. He agreed he needed help and turned himself over to the police the very next day. She had found Chloe after that and the rest was history.

"Still, you cared more than his asshole dad. So, thanks... Now, answer my question." They directed their attention back towards the screen, both feeling lighter.

"Maybe more of a cool color?" Working side by side with someone she used to be sure hated her, was an oddly satisfying moment for Max. It was also interesting to watch Victoria piece together what kind of tone she wanted for the image. After what felt like hours but was really mere minutes, Victoria pushed away from the computer with a triumphant grin.

"I'll tag you when I post it everywhere. But I also figured you'd want a copy for your raging puppy of a girlfriend, so give my printer a sec to finish printing it." Max smiled with a nod, following the girl to the other side of the room. After a pause that seemed to drag on, Victoria spoke again. "You are dating the guard dog, right? That wasn't the little virgin trying to find a rebel hookup?" Max immediately glared at the insinuation before she realized Victoria was actually concerned.

"Yes, we are dating. We're not a friends with benefits thing. And her name is Chloe." Max snapped, trying not to take too much offense. Victoria nodded, looking at her stupidly expensive shoes before side eying the brunette.

"You're almost as protective as she is." Victoria continued, pretending to be oblivious to the glower aimed her way. "It's kind of cute… In a gross way." Her words caused the tension in Max to drain. She had to keep reminding herself that Victoria was new to the whole being nice thing but she was trying.

"She's the best person I know. She's not like she seems, y'know? Don't get me wrong, she drives me nuts sometimes but she always makes me smile." Victoria watched a small smile grow on the brunette's face with a raised brow. "Maybe it's stupid but I trust her to keep me safe. And I-I want…" Max sighed. "I don't know what I want. I just know I'd do anything for her." Max ended her little speech with an awkward shrug.

"Oh my God. You're in love with her." Victoria murmured, causing blood to rush to Max's cheeks. Though a beet red faced Max was definitely amusing, the blonde immediately knew she shouldn't have said anything. It was obvious the little hipster hadn't realized just how deep her feelings for Chloe went.

"Here's your picture." Max quickly took it from Victoria, trying to avoid eye contact. "Look if I knew you'd shut down then I wouldn't have said anything. I mean, you can't be that surprised, can you?" Glassy blue eyes looked up at Victoria as if lost. Obviously there was no limit to Max's naivete.

"Should I have noticed?" Max's voice was quieter than usual, her face still burning red. Victoria sighed, she had never had such an innocent friend before. She didn't want to further upset the poor girl, but she didn't really understand much about comforting people she barely knew.

"Look, it's not that big of a deal. I mean, I'm sure you've thought of love and… Chloe in the same sentence before?" At the brunette's shrug, Victoria pressed on. "Don't give me that, I bet one day she was doing something ridiculous and you just sat there like she was putting the stars in the sky." No one moment came to Max's mind. Was there supposed to be?

"Like, you looked at other people you love but thought, wowsers this lanky blue moron is better than all these people combined?"

"I don't sound like that." Max mumbled, huffing. She refused to admit that Victoria's words had finally gotten through. She remembered refusing Warren's drive in invitation simply on the off chance Chloe would want to hang out. She remembered not answering Kate's call because she didn't want Chloe to feel abandoned. Warren and Kate were by far her closest friends at Blackwell.

She loved them both, and she had since learned how to better balance her time between them and Chloe. But Chloe was always one step above everyone else. She was the one that was always on Max's mind. It was her laugh that gave Max butterflies and a swooping feeling in her stomach every time they kissed.

"You definitely do sound like that... It's safe to assume that stupid grin means you figured it out?" Max wanted to be insulted, but there was a small smile on Victoria's face that was so proud.

"I did. Thanks Victoria. And thanks for the picture. It looks so amazing." Max said, looking at the photo in her hand. It was surprising that, out of everyone, Victoria had been the one to help her figure out her feelings. Victoria seemed uncomfortable with the praise, not knowing how to respond. Finally, the blonde just waved her off.

"Yeah, well… Don't mention it. Ever... Maybe we can look over each other's portfolios or something sometime." Max nodded.

"Yeah, that would be awesome." Max smiled, offering an awkward wave before leaving the blonde's room. As soon as Max opened Victoria's door, she was met with a surprising sight. Chloe was standing against her door, cigarette in her mouth but unlit as she flipped her zippo lighter open and closed.

"Chloe?" Max questioned, pulling Victoria's door shut behind her and carefully slipping the photo they had just spent a little under an hour editing into her bag. Her girlfriend looked up from her lighter with an uncertain smile. Her eyes darted from Victoria's door to Max as the brunette approached her.

"Hey Max." Chloe breathed, unsure what Max seemed to be hiding in her bag. It wasn't that she didn't trust Max, it was Victoria she had the problem with.

"What're you doing here?" Max asked, coming to a stop in front of her girlfriend. Uncertainty seemed to flow through Chloe as she kept looking away from the photographer.

"I just figured it had been a while so I was coming to see if you wanted to go get something to eat?" Max smiled up at her girlfriend, happy that she had such a considerate person in her life.

"Pizza sounds awesome." When Chloe flicked her lighter again, Max continued. "You know you can't smoke in here, right?" Max joked, raising an eyebrow when Chloe shakily nodded. "Are you okay?" When the taller girl didn't answer, Max grabbed her hand and laced their fingers together. She really hoped Chloe was not hurt by how distant she had been.

"I'm good. How're you?" Chloe tugged the brunette into a hug, wrapping her arms around Max's shoulders. It should've set off warning bells that Chloe was holding her so tight, but Max was focused solely on how warm her girlfriend was.

"I'm better now." Max assured, unsure why Chloe refused to admit something was wrong. For being such a confrontational person, Chloe really knew how to hold things back.

"Hella yeah you are, I'm here." Chloe spoke, trying to sound more confident than she felt. Max could tell what Chloe was trying to do, so she held tighter for a few moments before pulling away with a smile.

"Good. Now let's find something to nosh on." Chloe laughed and shook her head at her dorky superhero.

"Nosh? Are you cereal?" Chloe mocked, her voice higher in an attempt to mimic Max. The brunette pushed the taller girl, relieved that Chloe seemed to be in higher spirits.

"Why is everyone making fun of me today?" Max missed the shift in Chloe's expression at her words. "How would you like it if I dyed my hair and constantly complained?" Falling into their usual banter, the duo made their way out of the dorms hand in hand. Though Chloe seemed to be her normal self, Max couldn't shake the feeling something was off.

As soon as they were both situated in the truck, Chloe scooted closer. With a slight bend of the head, she pressed a kiss to Max's temple and was back on her side of the cab in seconds.

Max raised an eyebrow at her, which Chloe waved off.

"I missed you… That's all." Chloe's voice seemed small, vulnerable in a way that Max had not heard in months. Everything seemed to click in place. It would only make sense that radio silence with Chloe was not a good idea, given their history. No wonder the punk had seemed off.

"I missed you too." Max replied, shuffling closer and nudging Chloe's shoulder with her own. When the taller girl didn't seem to get the hint, Max grabbed her arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. Chloe grinned at the move, squeezing the photographer's shoulder and gently knocking her head against Max's.

"Really now? How much?" Chloe waggled her eyebrows suggestively, poking her tongue out. Max rolled her eyes, amazed that Chloe could go from serious to joking in mere seconds. It was enough to give her whiplash.

"Not enough for whatever pervy thought is in your head." Chloe's grin fell, and she glared at the brunette. Max could hear a voice in her head scolding her for not realizing how deeply she cared for Chloe sooner. A voice that sounded suspiciously like Victoria.

"I'll have you know, I just wanted a kiss." Chloe pouted, dramatically removing her arm from around Max's shoulders. Before she could fully remove her arm, hands seized her jaw and suddenly their lips were sealed. Chloe let her arm drop back down on Max's shoulders, keeping the girl close to her. She knew Max would give in and kiss her. It was hilariously adorable how predictable the younger girl was. Chloe tried to fight the grin that threatened to overtake her lips. If she smiled then Max would start giggling and they wouldn't be able to continue kissing.

Unfortunately, Chloe found herself unable to properly kiss back due to her growing smile and sure enough, Max's lips were stretching into a grin as well. Finally, the two pulled apart, the brunette looking up at her laughing girlfriend with poorly concealed adoration.

"God you're predictable, it's so adorable." Any irritation Max felt for being called predictable was washed away by the compliment that had quickly followed. It was hard to remain angry at Chloe when she was obviously so happy. You made me smile and laugh, like I haven't done in years. Max pushed her thought away. She didn't have to lose Chloe or Arcadia Bay.

"Says the girl that wanted to steal the principal's chair and thought I used my rewind because I knew." Max giggled, buckling the middle seatbelt so she could stay closer to her girlfriend. Chloe smirked, dropping her forehead slightly to rest against Max's.

"Hey, jury's still out on that one. I need proof."

"Chloe, there's no way to prove that." Max reminded, raising a challenging brow.

"So I should just take your word for it? Bogus." Chloe kissed Max's nose and pulled away, sliding her belt into place as she started her truck. "Let's get pizza delivered, it's hella cold and I just wanna lay around."

"See? I knew you'd want to do that. Chloe Predictable Price." Chloe halfheartedly pushed the brunette before throwing her truck into gear and leaving Blackwell behind. The drive was relatively silent, save for the music Chloe was playing. Max stole a glance over at the driver, wondering if her fondness was obvious enough for Chloe to notice.

It made sense, in hindsight. She had been willing to do anything for Chloe since she had gotten back. At first she thought it was leftover guilt, but as time went on and her guilt faded, the feelings remained.

"So I take it classes sucked hard?" Max quickly shook off her inner thoughts, looking over at Chloe with an over exaggerated pout.

"They were the worst. Like absolute worst. And my new photography teacher is… different." Max cleared her throat, trying to push away the memory of the dark room. Chloe seemed to notice her train of thought, moving her hand to grab one of Max's.

"So, not creepy as fuck?" Max attempted to smile at Chloe's words but her attempts fell a little flat.

"No, she's really cool. Apparently she owned a huge studio in New York. She has the best stories." Max spoke, the dark room fading away. It had been months, but every once in awhile something would happen to make her remember Jefferson's voice and the flashes of his camera.

"That's hella awesome. I bet she banged a model." Max rolled her eyes.

"What is it with you and no strings attached hookups? Are you trying to tell me something?" Chloe laughed, looking over at her companion. Max was trying hard to maintain her serious facade. It was cute. Or maybe Max just made everything cute.

"I never said she didn't bang a model she was dating, Detective Max." The fake seriousness slipped from Max's face as she smirked. "What is it with you and no strings attached hookups? Trying to tell me something Max?" Chloe pulled to a stop in her driveway, looking over at Max with a stupidly smug smirk.

"Uh, casual hookups aren't for me. I'd only have a relationship with someone I love." Max's honest answer made Chloe pause. There was no way Max was implying she was in love with her. Maybe Max just meant she wouldn't have sex with someone she didn't love. That made more sense, that must've been what she meant.

Max watched the cogs in Chloe's head begin to turn before grinding to a halt as Max's implication went right over her head. She tried not to let her disappointment show.

"So you like to be emotionally attached, that's cool. I'll have to woo you with my mad personality then." Chloe winked, jumping out of her truck and completely missing Max's huff of exasperation.

"For some reason, this is where I laid my affections." Max mumbled, scooting out of the truck with a lot less energy than Chloe seemed to have. She quickly joined her girlfriend at the front door, more than ready to be indoors. Chloe wasted no time in unlocking the door and getting inside. Both girls sighed in relief at the warmth of the house.

"Wowsers, it's so nice to be in a warm house. The dorms are always freezing." Max shivered, moving to sit on the couch. "Where's Joyce?" Normally, the woman would have already been down to greet them. Chloe shrugged, digging around in the fridge to find some drinks.

"Step dou-dad took her on a weekend trip to Portland. Y'know, it's like the Paris of the US." Chloe's sarcasm was off the charts and Max snorted, shaking her head.

"Yeah, can't get more romantic than Portland. So we have the house to ourselves?" Her question caused Chloe to snap her head up, slamming into one of the many open drawers.

"Fuck dude, give a girl a little warning when you're gonna say shit like that." Chloe groused, rubbing the back of her head. After she was sure she was not bleeding, she shot Max a glare that could kill. The brunette just quirked a brow at her, confused.

"I just meant we can watch movies on the big tv, and maybe make a pillow fort?" Max pointed innocently toward the television, trying and failing to hide her smirk.

"You did that on purpose didn't you?" Chloe grumbled, turning her attention back to the fridge. "Damn, they must've raided the fridge. No beer anywhere." She threw a bag of salad back into its drawer with more force than necessary.

"Small loss." Max shrugged, perfectly okay with not having alcohol. "But they didn't raid the hot chocolate, right?"

"Dude, I am not making you hot chocolate." Chloe scoffed, trying to avoid the pout she knew was aimed towards her.

"Well then no pillow fort for you." Max playfully stuck out her tongue as she made her way down the hallway and up the stairs. Ten minutes later, Max was nursing a hot chocolate and Chloe was allowed into her poorly constructed pillow fort.

"It's not even a fort!"

"It's not my fault you only have two blankets!"

It had been Chloe's idea to raid the upstairs closet, and she returned with an armful of blankets, leaving a trail of pillows. After a brief pillow fight and a lot of cursing, they had constructed a respectable pillow fort. After surveying their creation, Chloe looked over with a proud little smirk that made Max's her heart flip. Completely oblivious to the swooning of her companion, Chloe practically dove into their cozy construction.

"What are we watching Mad Max?" Max's eyes followed the girl fondly, before joining the punk. They sat comfortably on their floor full of pillows, backs against the couch. As soon as an idea came to Max's mind, she looked over with a stupidly huge smile, Chloe scowled. "No, we're not watching a goddamn rom com."

"But Chloe." Max sing songed, leaning closer with her hands clasped in front of her chest.

"No." Chloe groaned, glaring pointedly in the opposite direction.

"What if it's not all about romance? Maybe Perks?" Chloe's resignated sigh caused a bright grin to grow on Max's face.

"Okay, but only because I've never seen moment it gets too mushy, it is over. Deal?" When the brunette nodded and rushed to play the movie, Chloe hid her smile. It was too cute how excited Max got about little things.

"You won't turn it off, you're too much of a softie." Max argued as she crawled back to her spot. She sat closer to Chloe, their shoulders touching. This time, Chloe's arm quickly wound around her shoulders.

"Don't tempt me, Caulfield." Chloe half heartedly threatened, more than content to watch some sappy movie with her girlfriend and cuddle.

Throughout the movie, Max kept glancing over at Chloe, as if to gauge her reactions to things. Chloe did her best to overreact during those moments, if only to make Max huff out a laugh and nudge her. The drink Max had fought so hard to get was left ignored on the floor as the evening continued.

Max tried her best to be discreet in her glances. When the movie was in the middle of a sad or funny scene, she would look over. Sure enough, Chloe would be focused solely on the screen, her arm tightening around Max's shoulders if something particularly upsetting was happening. It was unclear who she was trying to comfort but the gesture made the brunette smile regardless. The movie ended far too soon for Max's liking. As soon as the credits began to roll, Chloe was already out of their fort and had ordered their pizza.

"That movie was so hipster, I swear at least five different extras could've been you. I didn't know you acted when you were in Seattle." Max rolled her eyes, grabbing her now cool beverage and joining Chloe in the kitchen.

"Oh shut up, you liked it." Chloe shrugged, choosing not to answer.

"Just because I didn't turn it off doesn't mean it was the best movie ever. Or that I ever want to watch it again."

"What's it like?" Max questioned, dramatically placing her mug in the sink and leaning against the counter with her arms crossed. Chloe eyed the girl, confused.

"What's what like?" Max took a couple steps closer, Chloe swallowed hard. She stopped when they were nose to nose. Or nose to chin in Max's case. Her silence only served to further the taller girl's unease.

"What's it like living in denial?" Max asked with a self-satisfied smirk. Laughing as Chloe's face went from confusion to realization to irritation. When the brunette turned to leave, Chloe followed the movement. Hands wrapped around Max's hips, gently pulling her backwards until she was pressed against Chloe's front.

"You should know. I mean, you're in denial about wanting this sweet ass." Max choked on air, her face feeling much warmer.

"I thought we already decided you have a superb ass." Max managed to come up with a somewhat witty retort, a small rush of delight shooting through her. The hands on her hips moved up to rest on her waist.

"Too true." Chloe breathed a laugh, trying her best to sound sultry, Max had to admit, she was doing a great job. "But we haven't really discussed yours." Max ducked her head to look at her feet.

"I don't think it's really worth discussion." The photographer mumbled, obviously embarrassed.

"Please girl, it's worth a short story at least." Chloe replied without pause. Max turned in Chloe's grip, smiling up at her. Max's face was still a deep red but at least she didn't appear to be as self conscious.

"You're too good for this world." Max whispered, almost too softly to be heard. A crooked grin tugged at Chloe's lips. She bent down to deliver a quick kiss to the side of the brunette's head.

"Back at ya, Max. You're definitely too good to be true." Chloe pulled back with a soft smile. The look in her eyes and the impossible softness of her features made Max want to declare her love.

But fate had other ideas and a loud knock at the door caused her to jerk out of the punk's loose grip.

Chloe watched the brunette pull away and rush upstairs with a miniscule frown. Perhaps she had done something wrong? With a heavy sigh, she made her way to the front door.

Max sat on Chloe's bed for a few moments, trying to stop her heart from racing. She had been so close to proclaiming her feelings. Blue eyes slid closed and she flopped back onto the bed with her hands on her face in an attempt to cool her blush.

After a couple minutes, she deemed it safe to move and quickly changed into some of Chloe's pajamas. Hopefully her girlfriend wouldn't mind. Though, maybe she would considering Max's legs were so short the pants dragged against the floor with every step.

By the time Max made it downstairs, Chloe was already digging into the pizza. She glanced up at Max's arrival before doing a double take. She swallowed hard, her half chewed pizza burning down her throat.

"Damn Caulfield, looking good. You should wear my clothes more often." Chloe managed to choke out, quickly taking a drink of soda to soothe her irritated neck. Someone stealing her clothes shouldn't have been attractive, but it was and she couldn't fight the smile that grew on her lips. She remembered Max borrowing her sweater at the movies, a similar feeling had shot through her then.

"Ready for the pillow fort, shaka brah?" Chloe mimicked, laughing to herself at Max's playful scowl. The brunette grabbed a slice and leaned against the counter opposite of Chloe.

"I can't believe I forgot to mark down Be a Dick to Max Caulfield day on my calendar." Though Max was clearly joking, Chloe frowned. Worry shot through her at Max's admission. Though bullying at Blackwell had decreased after everything that had happened with Kate Marsh, it could still be an issue for Maxine Caulfield. Apparently people had been mocking her. Anger flared in Chloe's chest.

"Do I need to kick some ass?" Chloe questioned, subtle in her attempt to get Max to open up about whatever had happened.

"Are you gonna kick yourself?" Max raised a brow, not realizing Chloe was actually serious. Her response caused Chloe to second guess her protectiveness. The punk put her pizza down, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Well you said something about people making fun of you earlier too." The brunette shook her head, confused, before she remembered her talk with Victoria.

"Oh, Victoria." When Chloe's face quickly shifted to anger, Max raised her hands in a pacifying gesture. "She was just kidding. Kinda like you were." Max tacked on, trying to dissuade Chloe from doing anything irrational and violent.

"Really?" Chloe grumbled, folding her arms. "When did you guys become so close?" Everything clicked for the brunette. The frown on Chloe's face, her narrowed eyes and rigid posture. Jealousy. It explained Chloe's awkwardness when she had first left Victoria's room. Last Chloe knew, Victoria had interrupted their moment and made fun of them.

"Are you jealous?" At Chloe's grimace, Max smiled. She had hit the nail on the head. Honestly, she was just happy she had figured it out. Though she really wished Chloe would've said something.

"No, why would I be jealous?" Chloe's voice showed that she was very far from being fine. Even her scoff served to further Max's suspicions.

"I'm not sure. You want to know why I was there?" Max offered, putting her pizza down and making her way across the kitchen to stand in front of Chloe.

"I trust you, Max." Chloe grumbled, her expression not agreeing with her words. Max took a step closer, her hands coming up to rest on Chloe's shoulders.

"I know but if you think-" Max was cut off by Chloe's lips. The kiss was rough, hard. Not at all like their previous encounters. Chloe wasted no time deepening it, her tongue pushing it's way into Max's mouth. Though this new side of Chloe was definitely exhilarating, Max didn't want to forget what she was trying to say. The hands on Chloe's shoulders dug in and gently pushed.

"Wait." Max breathed, her mind turned to mush. "I uhm…" Max tried to speak, ignoring her pounding heart. Her thoughts were jumbled, and she couldn't remember what she had wanted to say.

"Shit, fuck I'm sorry... I didn't. Sorry." Chloe must've thought Max's reaction was one of fear, her arms fell to her sides and she was trying to take a step back. Max's hands on her shoulders stopped her from getting too far.

"Hey, it's okay."

"No, Max it's really not. It was stupid and I shouldn't have done that." Max smiled, trying to show Chloe she was not upset. Chloe just stared right back, obviously not believing Max.

"You're fine. I'm fine... Okay? I have something to show you." Max dropped her hands, making her way to the living room where she had left her bag. Chloe followed like a puppy that had been caught tearing up its master's favorite shoes. Max shuffled through her bag, grabbing the photo Victoria had given her.

"Are you sure you're cool?" Chloe questioned, not paying any attention to the item in Max's hands.

"I promise I'm cool, now check this out." Max revealed the picture to a thoroughly confused Chloe. "This is why I was in Victoria's dorm earlier." The taller girl stared at the picture in awe before looking up to gauge Max's meaning.

"So she took this picture and wanted to give it to you?" At Max's nod, a small grin came to Chloe's face. She knew Max would never cheat on her but she never would've guessed Victoria would have taken a picture when the two of them were asleep.

"I helped her edit it… Kind of. I'm not very good with photoshop." Max shrugged, smiling up at her girlfriend who was looking at their photo. She was happy to give Chloe something to document their relationship besides small instant selfies.

"Well it's epic and all but you're still my favorite photographer." Chloe declared, placing the picture on the table. "And I still think she's an asshole." Max laughed, shaking her head fondly.

"I dunno, we seem to get along, she was really nice today. It was kinda weird." When Chloe didn't respond, Max just grabbed her hand and led her back towards their food. The rest of their dinner was mostly silent save for the music Chloe was playing from her laptop.

Chloe was still a little sore about her complete screw up earlier. She hadn't meant to do anything to make the brunette uncomfortable. She was only able to eat one slice before deciding she was no longer hungry.

Max watched Chloe with a small frown. She really wished the punk would trust her. If Chloe would've done something wrong, Max would tell her. In all honesty, it was nice to see Chloe forget to walk on eggshells around her sometimes. Not that she didn't adore the way Chloe tried to be the perfect girlfriend. She loved everything about her new relationship with Chloe. It was all so different and exciting. Kind of like an adventure.

"Ready for a movie marathon, shaka brah? I vote for hilariously bad movies." Max grinned, throwing her plate away and making her way for their fort. Chloe's lack of reaction made a frown cross her features briefly. Chloe followed somewhat reluctantly, dragging her feet.

"I'm cool with that." As the night went on, Chloe got more and more at ease. By the time they were on their third terrible movie, it seemed as though she had completely forgotten why she had been moping in the first place. Her arm was slung comfortably around Max's shoulders and they were leaning against each other, exchanging comments.

Max grinned over at Chloe as the punk did her best impression of the protagonist. It was a perfect impression, and Max wasn't sure if she should be impressed or disappointed in her girlfriend's ability to mimic terrible acting. It was moments like those that made Max realize just how much she loved her dorky best friend turned girlfriend.

"You are ridiculous." Max giggled, poking Chloe's side. The taller girl didn't so much as flinch.

"Maybe I am but you're laughing. So really, who's the more ridiculous one here?" Max didn't answer, instead pulling herself onto Chloe's lap and hugging the girl close. As to be expected, Chloe immediately became concerned. However, Max's arms tightening around her shoulders immediately quelled her fears. It took a few seconds but Chloe's arms eventually looped around Max's waist to hold her in place.

Random hugs were normal for the two. Chloe chalked it up to their week in October. Sometimes, Max would need a long hug to realize everything was okay and Chloe was always more than happy to be there for her. Perhaps she was just having another moment where she required the reassurance only the taller girl could offer.

Max couldn't exactly explain her sudden burst of affection. She could only attribute it to how much she adored Chloe. When Max pulled back, Chloe was looking up at her with a dopey little smile that seemed to only be reserved for her. It wasn't a conscious thought to kiss Chloe, it just happened. One moment they were smiling at one another and the next Max was leaning down and pressing her lips against Chloe's.

Chloe immediately tensed at the gentle contact, not wanting to push too far or make Max uncomfortable. Her brain was on red alert, but she tried her best to appear uneffected. Obviously her best was not enough as Max noticed her lack of enthusiasm.

"Chloe." Max softly sighed, pulling away briefly. "I'm totally okay with you kissing me." The photographer assured, adjusting herself so she was perched more comfortably on Chloe's lap. Chloe swallowed hard when Max moved herself so she was essentially straddling Chloe's left leg.

"I just don't want to fuck something up." Chloe shrugged in a self depreciating way.

"Will you stop when I ask you to?" Max asked, one of her hands moving from Chloe's shoulder to her chin in order to tilt the girl's head up. When their eyes met, Chloe could clearly see the determination in Max's features. There was a confidence in her eyes that baffled the punk.

"You don't even have to ask, of course I will."

"Then you won't fuck anything up." Max sounded so sure that Chloe couldn't help but believe her. This time when they kissed, Chloe met Max in the middle. The transition from not kissing Chloe to kissing her had been so natural that Max forgot that it had not always been this way. There had been a time when she could not reach out and kiss Chloe. Now that she could, it was almost too good to be true.

Chloe relaxed significantly as Max set the pace. Simple quick kisses devolved into longer, more passionate ones. Tongues brushed and lips melded together seamlessly. When Chloe's hands skimmed down to rest low on Max's back, the photographer shivered. Max's grip on Chloe's shoulder and jaw tightened in response, desperate to be closer.

It wasn't long before Max pulled away, looking down at Chloe through half lidded eyes. She ducked down to press a kiss to the punk's neck. When Chloe inhaled sharply, Max continued to lavish the area with attention.

All things considered, Max was proving to be a quick learner when it came to what made Chloe tick. A kiss to any part of her throat caused the girl to squirm, seemingly restless and unsure of what to do with her hands. Sucking at the skin over the muscle connecting the shoulder to the neck made Chloe let out a groan. A bite on the girl's earlobe resulted in a hitch in her breathing and a death grip on Max's hips. That was Max's favorite reaction.

Chloe surprised her when she was hurriedly pulled into a bruising kiss after spending a considerable amount of time focusing on Chloe's ears. It was absurd how much that small action could do. Chloe's lower stomach burned with desire, her hands pawing at Max's sides as their lips moved in tandem.

One bite to Max's bottom lip was all the payback Chloe needed. A swooping feeling rolled through the brunette.

Chloe was the first to pull away from the kiss, intent to further even the score. Her lips were warm as they trailed a line of kisses down Max's throat. When she nipped at a particularly sensitive spot, the brunette practically whimpered, her hands shooting up to knock the beanie off Chloe's head in her attempt to tangle her fingers in soft blue hair. That was all the reassurance Chloe needed to latch onto Max's pulsepoint, bringing the soft skin into her mouth. She was sure the attention would leave a mark, but she didn't really care as long as Max kept making her little noises.

Max wasn't sure how long they had been kissing, she was only sure that she didn't want Chloe to stop. The only thing she was aware of outside of Chloe was her heart hammering in her chest. When warm lips pressed against a sensitive spot right under her ear, she took in a sharp breath. A jolt ran through her at the feeling, her hips jerking forward in response.

Time seemed to slow down for Max, everything grinding to a halt as Chloe paused.

Thousands of thoughts sped through Chloe's mind. She liked being the reason Max was out of breath and squirming against her. It was unreal to feel so wanted on such an intimate level by someone who was so important to her. But more than anything else, she liked making Max feel needed. It sent a fire through her that she was pretty sure she had never experienced before.

It seemed like an eternity before Chloe moved, pulling Max down hard against her thigh. The brunette gasped at the sensation, burying her face in Chloe's neck. She could feel the rough denim of Chloe's jeans through her flimsy pajama bottoms as the punk lifted her thigh a little higher. Rapid breaths fanned across Chloe's neck but she resisted the urge to flinch away from the tickling sensation.

"God I love you." Max panted, unaware of what she had said. Chloe, however, heard the words as if they had been screamed directly into her soul. When she opened her mouth to reply, she found it otherwise occupied. Max's lips were slanting over hers, sucking on Chloe's bottom lip in a way that made it obvious she was no longer interested in speaking.

Though she wanted to return the sentiments, Chloe was more than okay with showing her instead. She returned the kiss with as much vigor as Max, licking her way into the smaller girl's mouth. When Max moved her hips on her own, Chloe was the one who groaned, pulling away to whisper a raspy "damn" before diving into another kiss.

One of the hands tangled in Chloe's hair dropped down to claw at the punk's shoulder, blunt fingernails digging into her skin even through her shirt. The other clutched desperately at the small hairs at the back of Chloe's neck.

All of Chloe's reservations left her when Max pulled on her hair. The feeling that rushed through her at that action caused her whole body to shake. Without much thought, her hands dropped down from Max's hips to eagerly palm the seat of her pants. A strangled sound halfway between a moan and a whine erupted from the photographer and Chloe's thigh rocked up in retaliation.

Before Max could even process what was happening, Chloe was lifting her up and tipping her until she was laying flat on her back with Chloe looming over her. The pillows were sliding apart but it appeared as though Chloe was no longer paying attention to anything other than Max. With one hand still resting against Max's backside, Chloe pulled the girl sharply against her thigh once more. Max's eyes were closed tight and she was biting her lip as if to ignore the arousal shooting through her.

"Chlo" Max managed to force out, her back arching and hips desperately searching for friction. Light blue eyes fell closed at the sound, Chloe pressing her lips against the hollow of Max's throat. Her hand gave the brunette's backside a final squeeze before drifting up to rest against Max's bare hip.

Max wasn't sure what they're doing or how far she was willing to go, but she knew she wanted to be closer. One of her hands dropped down to grab the one Chloe had against her hip. If Max was nervous, it didn't show as she dragged their joined hands up her torso, pulling her shirt up with them until they reached her bra-clad breast. Before she could second guess her bravery, Max was urging Chloe's hand to palm her chest.

Chloe's forehead rested on Max's, the punk staring down at her with heavy eyelids.

"Are you-" Max didn't need to hear the rest of the question to know her answer was yes. Her head nodded rapidly, eyes clinched shut. She didn't want to lose the pressure Chloe was applying. If her answer hadn't been clear enough, her hand tightened around Chloe's, causing the girl to squeeze her breast with slightly more force. A wave of sparks erupted inside Max in reaction, the brunette sucking in a sharp breath.

Chloe let her question go, trusting Max to stop her if things went too far. She wasn't ashamed to admit she didn't want it to stop. A familiar excitement rushed through her when she became confident enough to grope Max on her own. It seemed as though the move was surprising to the brunette as her hips hiked up against Chloe's thigh with more purpose.

Max's mind was full of so much and yet nothing at all. A pleasant tingling filter had overlapped all of her thoughts, leaving her unable to think of anything besides Chloe's soft touch. The only thing that made it through her muddled brain was the throbbing want that coursed through her every time Chloe made any kind of movement.

A deliberate kiss against her jaw and a purposeful squeeze to her chest made her mouth fall open. It was as though she couldn't catch her breath. Her hips had begun to move on their own against Chloe's thigh.

"Chloe." Her voice came out as a strangled gasp, the hand in Chloe's hair fisting tightly and tugging slightly.

"Max." Chloe groaned back, rocking into Max with a sudden force that made Max's breath get caught in her chest. If Max had thought Chloe's voice sounded attractive in the hallway, it could only be described as perfection now. A deep gravelly rasp that seemed to originate from somewhere in the back of Chloe's throat for the sole purpose of making Max squirm.

Chloe's hand left a trail of fire down Max's chest, past her hips and ending at her thigh. Blindly grasping the side of Max's leg, Chloe pushed into her again. Everything was heightened. Chloe could feel the way Max had begun to shake, one hand scratching at the back of her neck, no doubt leaving behind angry red lines.

The vice like grip Max had on her hair should've been her first clue.

"Chloe." The way Max's voice wavered should have been the second. But Chloe wasn't looking for any kind of sign, her hand guiding Max into a particularly hard thrust. One of Max's arms wrapped around Chloe's shoulders, pulling them together.

The sudden change of position caused a slight fumble on Chloe's part, catching herself on her arm before she could crash into Max.

"Don't stop." Max gasped out in a way that should've been an obvious give away as to what was about to occur. Instead, Chloe focused on the heat scorching down her insides. It was like swallowing a whole barrel of magma. And Chloe loved it.

"I won't, Max." Chloe murmured, her breath hot in Max's ear. She had wanted to say something with more bite, something flirty and seductive that conveyed all of her desire. Instead it had come out as a desperate promise.

Chloe's thigh pressed up, grinding into Max in a way that caused the brunette's spine to arch and her breathing to turn rapid. All rational thoughts abandoned Max's mind and she could feel a tightening in her lower stomach. The only thing she knew was she wanted more.

"C-Chloe." The hand clawing at Chloe's shoulder twitched, pulling at the punk's shirt and burrowing under it. Fingertips dug into the hard muscle of Chloe's shoulder blade. Max's pelvis had a mind of its own, grinding hard into the thigh under her, desperate for a reason Max was unable to comprehend in her state. "Fuck." Amazing how a simple word could cause Chloe to rock into Max with more determination. "I think I..." Max's voice died out, ending in a silent cry and fingernails scraping against Chloe's bare skin.

Max held her close, her back stiffening and mouth parted in mostly silent bliss. It was only when Max shuddered that Chloe understood what happened. Silence engulfed the two, Chloe unsure of what to do besides wrapping an arm around the brunette and holding her close. Max released the punk's shoulder and untangled her hand from blue hair to return the embrace.

The sound of Max's breathing filled the room, louder in Chloe's ear than the terrible movie that still played on the television. After the effects wore off, Max was hit with a tidal wave of embarrassment. She felt like a child and it made her want to cry. But Chloe was there, unmoving, but not laughing or cracking some kind of joke and it filled her with an odd sense of relief.

When Max finally loosened her arms, Chloe pulled back to rest her forehead against the brunette's, swallowing hard.

"Fuck, that was hot." Was the first thing Chloe said in the aftermath. Her voice sent a tremor through Max that made her suck in a shaky breath. When she looked up, there was a soft, self satisfied smile covering Chloe's face. Despite what just occurred, her words caused Max to blush and hide her face against Chloe's neck.

"Shut up." Max protested weakly, her hands moving around to fist in Chloe's top.

"No need to be jealous of my mad skills Caulfield." Chloe countered, managing to reassure and irritate Max all at once. Obviously Chloe didn't see Max's reasoning behind her mortification. "If anything, I'll take it as a compliment." Chloe shrugged, as nonchalant as ever.

"Y-yeah?" Max peeked up at Chloe with big blue eyes. She seemed so small and vulnerable which caused Chloe to slightly alter her approach.

"Yeah, it's totally fine." A slight smile began to appear on Max's lips as Chloe pressed a gentle kiss to the brunette's nose. Chloe's dopey smile returned full force before she pulled herself off Max.

"Good." Max nodded to herself, more confident that everything was okay. She pulled herself into a sitting position, twisting her fingers together before looking over at her companion. Chloe's back was to her as she fiddled with her computer, angry red lines covered the back of her neck and thin trails of scratches disappeared under her shirt. It looked painful and Max grimaced.

"Does your back hurt? I-I didn't mean to..." To maul you. But Chloe just shot her a salacious grin over her shoulder.

"It's a good hurt." Chloe winked, laughing when blood rushed to Max's cheeks.

"Can I see?" A sudden reluctance seized Chloe. She didn't want Max to feel upset about what had happened. It wasn't as though she was seriously injured or even mildly inconvenienced, it had stung at the time but that had only served to fuel Chloe's arousal.

Deciding to bite the bullet before Max unleashed the pout, Chloe pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it onto her lap. Max crawled the few inches separating them, staring at the marks with guilt.

"I promise it doesn't even hurt." Chloe assured, inhaling sharply when Max's fingers began to trace a particularly deep scratch. "I kind of like it." Chloe's voice was low, as if she was afraid Max would judge her.

"Well then I'm glad I could be of use." Snarky Max was a good sign, it meant she was getting back into her comfort zone. Regardless of the fact the marks didn't hurt, Max pressed a series of kisses along the harshest ones as an apology. Chloe shivered at the contact, trying to ignore the flip in her stomach at the feeling.

"Do you still want to watch bad movies or can we finally watch something good?" Chloe pressed a few keys on her laptop, Max's brows furrowing slightly.

"You don't want me to-?" Max trailed off with a bright blush, gesturing towards Chloe awkwardly. Chloe finished bringing up a movie before turning and eying Max skeptically.

"Are you ready for something like that?" Max swallowed thickly, her previous feelings of guilt rising to the surface and settling heavy in her gut. For some reason she was nervous to go any further than they had. She didn't doubt Chloe's feelings for her and trust was not the issue. Max wasn't sure what was holding her back. Chloe watched her reaction with a quirked brow. "That's what I thought. I can wait Max, it's no big deal." She gently pressed her lips against Max's forehead.

"Are you sure, I mean we can try?" Chloe narrowed her eyes at Max, pulling her shirt back over her head. "I mean I… And you didn't." Max shrugged, feeling unreasonably selfish.

"No. We're not gonna do anything you're not completely okay with, alright?" Chloe left no room for argument as she tackled Max onto their pillows. It took a few minutes but Max got herself comfortable draped across Chloe, her fingers drawing shapes on the punk's abs. "Okay no more of that if you want me to continue to keep things PG."

"Sorry."

"It's whatever. Keep it in mind for a later date. One that involves a lot less clothes." Chloe winked, directing her attention toward the screen afterwards. It was nice how easily they fell back into their old routine.

Minutes dragged on in silence before a thought seemed to strike Chloe out of the blue and she quickly snapped her attention to Max.

"Oh, hey, I love you too. You kinda cut me off before I could say it back earlier. Hella rude by the way." Her words made Max's heart hammer in her chest and her lips stretched into a small smile. Part of her knew Chloe loved her but having a suspicion and knowing are two very different concepts.

"Sorry, I was sort of in the middle of something when that happened." Max shot back, pushing herself up onto her elbows so she could smile down at Chloe. "I love you too." She pressed her lips against Chloe's to further convey her affection and just because it felt like the right thing to do.

When Chloe returned the gesture with a crooked grin, Max had never felt more loved but that was probably because no one could ever love her more than Chloe Price did.