4Thank you so much, A Broken Heroine and StardustAndShadowWings for reviewing and giving me some suggestions!
Gazzy: *Snore*
Me: *Pokes Gazzy* Wake up.
Gazzy: Wha? Ugh, just leave me alone, wolfhead! I ate too much of your mom's food….
Me: When? We ate out?
Gazzy: Um, I, uh, kinda stole the burritos out of the fridge…
Me: You. Ate. Burritos… Prepare for death, Gasman.
Gazzy: Don't kill me! Or I'll, um….. I'll fart if you do!
Me: ….You win this time, bird boy. But you will die, Gazzy. Just wait.
Gazzy: I'm a growing bird boy! I need food!
Me: NOT THE BURRITO!
ANYWAY, here you go, guys!
Gazzy: She doesn't own Maximum Ride… Now please save me before she kills me….
Song: We Owned the Night
Artist: Lady Antebellum
Requested by: StardustAndShadowWings
Pairing: FAX!
Timeline: When the oldest ones are 16 and still on the run. (Not including anything after The Final Warning)
POV: Fang
I rested my back against the tree as I watched the Flock play, rest, and generally goof off in the warm forest clearing. It was dusk and the stars were peaking out through the opening in the tree cover above our clearing. The Flock seemed full of energy, despite our long flight, and was chattering loudly around the fire.
I was sitting farther apart from the others, and had a clear view of all of them. The others thought I was just being antisocial and being "emo in a corner" (Iggy's words), but I knew that Max understood. I was keeping watch.
Max.
There were so many times I wanted desperately to tell her, to spill the words that stuck like honey to the roof of my mouth. But even I couldn't do the impossible. I couldn't blatantly tell my best friend of 16 years, of my entire life, that I was irreversibly stuck in love with her.
Because that would go over so well.
If you've read Max's books, you would know that I've tried before.
And if you've read them, then you know how each attempt has ended.
Let's just say that I don't like "Rejection City" (also stolen from Iggy's Dictionary of Dating Terms, because, honestly, where else would I get them from? Soap Operas?).
And despite the Flock's nickname for me, "Mr. Emotionless Rock" (which I do deserve, I blame the School... and the memories), I do have feelings. And when Max stomps all over them like they don't exist, it hurts.
Not that I'll ever admit that. So forget you read that last paragraph. Or you will meet me in a dark ally, and only one of us will walk away (here's a hint: It's not going to be you.).
But safe inside my mind (with the shields for Angel, of course), I can dream.
My dream started with a memory, actually. In our early days, before the more advanced Erasers, the Flock was together and there was no fear. We were at a beach at night, and Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, and Iggy were playing in the water. But, for once, Max didn't go to play with the Flock. She chose to lay with me on the still warm sands of the beach.
Her hair was highlighted with the silver from the moon's light, and her face was totally peaceful. There were no worries about the Voice, or Jeb, or whatever else usually plagued her now. She's staring at the star studded sky with the most beautiful smile on her face.
She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, even though she wasn't a twig, she was incredibly bossy, she couldn't cook at all (as in RUN-AS-FAST-AS-YOU-CAN-BEFORE-WE-ALL DIE bad. Eraser bad. Not kidding), and she could defeat 10 Erasers without breaking a sweat.
She was Maximum Ride, and she was the closest thing to true beauty that can exist. She was the only one who can have me stutter if I'm not careful, and I felt incredibly awake when she was next to me. (Oh god, this exposure to Nudge and Angel teenage female, lovey dovey hormones is getting to me…)
She turned her head to me and our eyes locked. Her chocolate eyes were filled with the reflection of the stars and were the definition of breathtaking. In that instant, time froze for me, and nothing could tear me away from her glorious, beautiful eyes.
Max smiled at me, her lips curling up in a totally alluring way, though, with typical Max style, she has no idea.
This was where I wish we hadn't just returned to staring at the stars, talking softly about nothing much. In my dreams, we were brave enough to keep talking, to go forward into unknown territory and still laugh (or half smirk for me).
"Dance with me?" she asked in my dream, and I could only nod dumbly. I couldn't refuse her anything. I never could. As Iggy loved to remind me, I was truly and totally "whipped" (don't have a clue what it means though. I think Iggy secretly watched soap operas and had Nudge and Ella read him those Teen magazines that Nudge loved so much. Where else could he get this stuff?). Maybe you could leave that in present tense. Not sure… Just switchin' 'em in case.
We got to our feet, and, with our filthy and stained clothing, we began to dance.
No, it was not the cliché ballroom dancing. Max was doing a weird thing with her arms, waving them around like a child trying to look cool. I snickered, and Max glared at me. I smirked tauntingly at her, unable to resist teasing her.
Max smirked back at me before grabbing my hands and swinging my arms with hers, forcing me to 'dance' with her (though I'm pretty sure we looked like demented little bird-children). I was actually smiling and I enjoyed the imagined feeling in my mind and heart (no matter how silly and cliché it sounded).
I could hear the Flock in the background of our dance, and that was where my dream ended… With us dancing in the moonlight and laughing (and snickering) our happiness in defiance of the cruel world.
I was jerked back to reality by Nudge's piercing squeal. I looked at the Flock, and Iggy was running from Nudge, screaming things like, "No, I will never give in! YOU WILL NEVER TAKE MY MASCULINITY!"
I don't want to know. Anything including Iggy, his masculinity, and a squealing Nudge makes me turn and fly away at full speed. Right now, I was far enough away to be safe… I hope…
So, moving on.
My gaze was caught on Max, leaning against a tree trunk now. Her dirty blond hair was again silvered by the moonlight that peaked through the branches of the trees, just enough to soften the sharp edges of the forest and cloak Max in an ethereal glow, as if she was taking the appearance of the angel I had always known she was.
Max was looking up, staring at the circle of visible sky that was just beginning to show the stars. The moon was brightening now that the sun had passed by, but the emerging stars were still brilliant, this far from the light pollution of the human cities.
I wondered if Max remembered that night. Remembered the stars we traced across the sky with our fingers as we traced the constellations we had made up as gullible ten year olds in the E shaped house.
Was she looking at the same stars that I saw in my dreams?
Her eyes turned to mine then, and they locked. She had a faint smile, and I remembered how we had fallen asleep on the beach and I had woken up with Max's head resting on my chest, my arm wrapped around her slender body.
I still remembered the scent of her hair, as stalkerish that sounds. It wasn't something I could forget easily. (Though, granted, I didn't try hard.)
We had never talked about it. I had met her eyes and saw the pleading to just move on from this. I had accepted, but I could never forget. It wasn't just a night on the beach. It was our night.
Angel appeared behind Max and I saw her give Max a shove. Max glanced back at the tiny girl, her brows drawn together in worry. Angel had to be talking to her in her head, because Max was shaking her head back and forth frantically.
With our luck, Max will shake her brain loose and then she'll get another Voice….
Maybe the new one will tell us the secret of winning the free donuts for life contests. I wouldn't mind having that Voice around in Max's head…
Max sighed and moved forward, towards me and away from Angel. She settled silently by my side, and I looked at her from the corner of my eyes. It was amusing to see her attempt the same thing, but then just turn her head as she got frustrated.
She was so cute.
You never heard that. Ever.
I smirked at her lightly before returning my eyes to the stars that were appearing. If I looked at her, I'd end up making a fool of myself again, and she would run again. I might be strong, but I'd break if she kept running.
I heard Max let out a soft sigh and her head rested on my shoulder. My heart picked up speed, but I remained perfectly calm looking. Hopefully she couldn't hear my heart pounding (because we just need more awkwardness in our lives…)
"Do you remember?"
Her voice was soft, barely breaking the soft silence of our small corner of the clearing. I knew what she was talking about. Only she would be able to tell what I was thinking about and return it. A soft smile escaped me and I, very slowly, wrapped my arm around her waist, leaving it loose enough for her to escape if she needed to.
Max stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed against me, and I could feel her smile against my shoulder. I hid my smile again and stared at the twinkling stars again.
"Yeah. I remember."
Tell me have you ever wanted She was the purest beauty Yeah, we owned the night You had me dim the lights; And all you did was smile Yeah, we owned the night When the summer rolls around Are you looking at those same stars again? We woke under a blanket Yeah, we owned the night
Someone so much it hurts?
Your lips keep trying to speak
But you just can't find the words
Well I had this dream once;
I held it in my head
But not the common kind
She had a way about her
That made you feel alive
And for a moment
We made the world stand still
You danced just like a child
The wine spilled on your dress
Yeah, it was perfect
I hold it in my mind
And the sun starts sinking down
I still remember you
Oh, I remember you
And I wonder where you are
Do you remember when?
All tangled up in skin
Not knowing in that moment
We'd never speak again
But it was perfect;
I never will forget
When we owned the night
R&R&Suggest?
Happy Valentines Day!
Thanks to A Broken Heroine for betaing. :)