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[analogthis]

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[analogthis]

I'm not... [Is she mad at him? Not exactly... But, it probably does sound that way. It's really more fear than anger. She sighs softly, and kisses his cheek to help convey that she's not upset with him for something that he hasn't done. (And to be fair, he did need to remind her of that. She's living in realities that haven't happened. That's hard to keep straight sometimes.)]

I'm sorry. I just don't know what you are going to do, if any of your friends find out about us. And that's what's scaring me. That I don't know. I think we just... We need to talk about plans, okay?

[Especially since she's still planning on telling Chloe about all of this. And she does need to make Nathan aware of that.]

[vortexts]

( he's sorry. she's sorry. everything's cool. he's cool. it's all good. )

...What we need to do is get out of this fucking hospital. Where's your damn doctor? Can we leave or what?

( they're enough of a couple for nathan not to care about anyone who isn't her, at least not in a romantic way. hell, he'd gotten jealous over a nurse just that morning. if they're going to be an 'us,' it'd be stupid to try and hide it. )

If anyone asks, I'll tell them the truth. And if they have a problem with it... they won't.

[analogthis]

Okay.

[And she's smiling at him again, she's about to give him a real kiss when the doctor does finally come in, a tall lady who looks slightly surprised that they're both up. And that Max is in guy clothes just ever so slightly too big for her.]

"Good morning. Alright, Ms. Caulfield. There wasn't anything too abnormal on your last blood test. Some of these numbers may indicate higher stress and activity level. Not enough sleep, perhaps? I can give you a note for your teachers if you want to take it a little easier next week. I would advise more rest."

[She spares a small glance to Nathan, but agrees, because she's not above getting out of some of those classes for a few days. Especially right now with everything else going on.]

"Alright, I'll get your discharge papers signed and they'll have the note for you at the front desk. Do you have any other questions?"

[She seems to address this last question to both of them, and there's something about Nathan being consulted on her health that makes her stomach sort of fluttery. Like it's... casually intimate, mildly domestic? Something like that. She shakes her head but glances at Nathan to see if he has anything he wants to ask, showing him that she doesn't mind if he does.]

[vortexts]

( it's nice hearing that everything is normal. as up-and-down as the start to their relationship [???] has been, nathan doesn't want her to be hurt. from the sounds of it, the doctors haven't picked up any connect between her health and her time travel abilities. part of him wishes they did, just so there'd be concrete evidence beyond stories and magic tricks.

when he notices that they're both looking at him expectantly, he nearly curses. fuck, why would he have any questions? he's not the one passing out on the street? or— does this doctor thinks he's responsible somehow? no, that doesn't feel right. he's just on edge. no one is out to get him.

in the end, he shrugs, avoids eye contact as the doctor wraps things up and says her goodbyes. this kind of normalcy is out of his element, but he doesn't hate it. he liked being able to be there for someone, even if it meant just standing silently at someone's side. )

You, uh, ready?

( because he's so ready to bounce. he needs to get back to what he knows. )

[analogthis]

Gawd, so ready.

[She gathers up her things, only noticing while she's doing so that there's a plastic bag on a shelf with the clothes she was brought in. She takes her shoes out of the bag to put them on, and glances at her phone the last thing and then. Freezes.]

Shit. Shit. I had it on Silent!

[She has. So many missed messages. From Dana, and Warren, but mainly? From Chloe. Including missed calls.]

I have to call her. I just have to call her. Um-- [She glances at Nathan with worry.] I've got like fifteen missed calls from Chloe...

[vortexts]

( he's in the middle of pulling his backpack over his shoulder when max pipes up. he frowns. what had they said last night? max was the one who'd made up the cover story, something to give them some privacy...

it's still pretty early, though. no reason to call in the search party, at least not in his mind. )

Yeah? So call her. Say you overslept or some shit. ( he's in a rush to get back to campus, mostly to get back to his medications, but what's a five minute phone call going to change? ) Christ, she's freaking like she's your boyfriend...

( he plans on making himself scarce while she calls. while she talks, he can go get her checked out, handle the bill, maybe pull the truck around. more of that domestic, chivalrous shit. )

[analogthis]

Sorry. I'll try to keep it short, and I'll tell her I'll see her later tonight.

[For a normal person without a buttload of abandonment issues, it probably would be too early to call in the search party. But it's Chloe. So Max shouldn't be surprised. She's not looking forward to this, because the moment Chloe is no longer panicking she might get petulant and mad. Which is gonna be a great starter to the conversation she already has to have with her.

Ugh, she'll save that conversation for later today. She still needs to inform Nathan that she's going to tell her.

She seems completely unperturbed by Nathan's commentary, by the way. She sits down on the bed and winces before hitting Chloe's contact. It picks up on the second ring.]

Hey-- No, I'm-- Yes, actually... the ambulance was for me. No... Nathan. [A distinctly louder voice coming through the phone. Max sighs heavily, and stands up to move into the bathroom regardless of whether Nathan is still there or not.] Yes, that Nathan-- [She shuts the door behind her.]

[vortexts]

( whatever max is doing sounds like the opposite of saying she'd overslept, especially when his name comes up. he drags a hand over his face as chloe's voice grows louder.

fuck, guess they're doing this.

max disappears into the bathroom, and he texts victoria. )

dating max caulfield
so don't fuck with her

( understandably, he gets a slew of "??????" in response, but he doesn't reply. he sticks to the plan of paying, and readying the chariot, and picking up a plate so max has comfort food after what's sure to be one of the shittiest conversations of her life. hospital food isn't great, but it's impossible to fuck up muffins and coffee.

...he doesn't know how max takes her coffee, he realizes. does she even drink coffee? is she a tea slut? )

what do you drink

[analogthis]

[The immediate response is:]

gin & juice

[But give it a few seconds:]

kidding! ...sorta.
coffee is fine. french vanilla creamer if they've got it, otherwise black with sugar, and no such thing as too much sugar

[She lived in Seattle for five years, babe, of course she drinks coffee. Although, to be fair, she does also enjoy tea. This is absolutely a morning for coffee though if there ever was one.]

chloe heard about the ambulance last night
she wasn't sure it was for me but she worried
I just told her that you found me blacked out and called the ambulance
I'm going to tell her about us tonight tho

[vortexts]

( if she wants gin and juice, he'd have found a way to get it to her. he's rich and he doesn't take no for an answer; he'd have gotten it. some intern around here has a stash of the good stuff, he knows it.

as it stands, nathan's left squinting at creamer containers for the frenchest of vanillas. all they have is off-brand. ew. )

no way she believes you

( with chloe, he'd drugged her and hadn't bothered with an ambulance. granted, jefferson always said there'd never be a need for medical intervention, but regardless. )

i'm in the car

[analogthis]

yes and no
gimme a few minutes, meet you down there
♡


[Which is all he gets for about six more minutes, before Max waltzes out the hospital doors with her bag on her hip. Still in Nathan's clothes. Her facial expression looks serious, up until the point she meets Nathan's eyes. And then she's smiling. It's soft and sappy.

She climbs into the truck with a bit of a sigh though, before she reaches over for Nathan's hand to give it a soft squeeze. Honestly, for her own comfort.]

Coffee?

[vortexts]

👍

( you know you're talking to a basic white dude when he thinks the thumbs up emoji is an acceptable form of communication. he means it in the most neutral, non-aggressive way possible, but someone should tell him.

when she's in the truck, he lifts the paper cup of coffee from the holder and hands it over to her before holding her hand. it's too sweet for his tastes, but she'd said she's into sugar. weirdo. )

Well? ( he's being irresponsible by looking over at her while he pulls off, but she's wearing his clothes and drinking his coffee. how can he not take her in? ) What'd she say? She wants me dead?

( max or no max, he doesn't think he and chloe will ever recover from what he's done. he's sure it's for the best, even if it puts max in a bad spot. )

[analogthis]

[The first sip of coffee earns him a soft, appreciative noise as she settles back in the seat.]

You're a king among men, Nathan Prescott.

[Funny thing to say when she was just on the phone listening to Chloe remind her of all his red flags. But she hadn't needed the reminder. She'd snooped in his phone. She didn't tell Chloe that, or about what she'd found there... Yet. She probably will. Which isn't the nicest thing ever to do to Nathan. But then drugging Chloe wasn't the nicest thing ever for him to do, either.]

She's not your biggest fan, and I doubt she ever will be. [She can't exactly say she blames her, either. Even if Max is a fan now, she doesn't have the same traumatic experience that Chloe had coloring her view of him, eclipsing all else.] And you're right that she doesn't believe me. Sort of. She does believe that I believe you were being a good samaritan by calling the ambulance for me. But obviously she doesn't believe you actually were. Which is a little silly just because she was there when I got drunk and you were nowhere around. And she was there when I blacked out in the junkyard before. But I couldn't tell her the reason I went too hard on my powers last night. I just... told her I'd explain that later. So meanwhile she's gonna be pissed and worried.

[vortexts]

Pfft. Tell that to my father.

( it's so natural, it's almost involuntary. he's used to badmouthing his family, but max usually sees him when he's gloating about them. )

So, what, you want me to drop you off over there? ( he wouldn't stay, naturally. nathan and chloe shouldn't be in the same room; it'd be like fire and gasoline. but if max wants to put this thing to rest... ) That'd be cool, if you want. I got my own fucking damage control to figure out.

( and he drops her hand in order to toss over his phone. his lock screen has filled with messages he can't be bothered to answer.

vic:
manic maxine??
snitch bitch maxine??
u kno we hate her rite
wat happnd @ that hospital???
she got dirt on u??
are u still drunk
hellooooo!!!
just bc u savd her life from some creep in the parkng lot doesnt mean u gotta be her new boytoy

if max feels like typing in his passcode, she'll see they go on like that - disbelief and reassurance that nathan has no obligation to go through with whatever sneaky, shady max is trying to put him up to. )

[analogthis]

[She is a little caught off-guard by the comment about his dad, but... She also remembers the text convo with him she snooped on.]

Your dad's an asshole.

[Hopefully he won't get mad at her for that response, but it's true. For so many reasons.

She catches his phone easily and unlocks it without a second thought, too curious what he means when he says damage control.]

Yeah, I had plans with Dana today but I should probably talk to Chloe face to face sooner rather than later, so...

[She trails off as she goes through Victoria's messages, and gives a short, incredulous laugh, barely more than an amused exhale, before she looks back up at Nathan with a smile and tilted head. It's pretty flirty, actually. Teasing.]

Are you my boytoy, Nate? Because I'd been getting more the impression you were my sugar daddy.

[These are both clearly a joke. She's amused but she's also touched that he's already told Victoria. Splinter? What splinter? There's proof right here, and it's healing.]

[vortexts]

Yeah. He is.

( she may or may not know the extent of it, but at least she's not trying to convince him otherwise. he hates when people do that. he's family; you gotta love your family. bull-fucking-shit.

fortunately, thoughts of his father aren't enough to sour his mood. max is laughing beside him, flirting, and he can't help but laugh, too. )

You ain't seen nothing yet. Wait 'til I take you on a real date. At a real place. It's about time all this money did some good. ( spoiling someone other than himself, it's a novel thought. the people he surrounds himself with are similarly wealthy; he doesn't know the last time he's spent money on someone who didn't already have it.

maybe never. )

Tell me where to turn, Sugar Baby. It's not like I know where your psycho friend lives.

( but as another message from victoria pops onto his screen [sounds fake.... still gonna eff w/ her til ur fb official], he considers that they might both have psycho friends. )

[analogthis]

[What? Like a real date? The thought is almost surreal, given everything else going on in her life. But... it's also giving her genuine butterflies, and not the kind that herald new powers.

The use of "sugar baby" is actually kind of cute, she hates to admit, so long as it's in a private setting. Although...]

You don't actually have to spend a bunch of money on me. I do want you to know that.

[She does help direct him to Chloe's place, though she also frowns at him for calling her a psycho. She's not psycho, not any moreso than Nathan is. She has issues. And she's far too reckless. But she can also be funny and sweet, and probably Max's biggest cheerleader. She doesn't say this, because it feels a little useless. Nathan and Chloe will likely never be on good terms. It's unfortunate, but probably something she'll just have to deal with.

Before they arrive at the Price(/Madsen, ugh) household, she wants to make sure:]

Can I see you tonight? Maybe we can hang out in my dorm or yours?

[Suddenly the flirtiness is toned down because she sounds a little more shy. But to be fair, even just asking him this feels bold to her.]

[vortexts]

Don't tell me what I do and don't have to do, Max. I'm gonna spend my money on whatever I want, including you.

( —possibly the most threatening way to tell someone you want them to have nice things, but go off, king.

when she asks about their next meeting, he also finds himself losing some of that previous confidence. nerves are stupid, but he finds himself reaching for nonchalance all the same. )

I mean, it's whatever. If you want. I don't care.

( he cares. he cares a lot. he cares about what he's going to wear, and what he's going to say when he sees her next. he cares whether this interaction with chloe will change things, and if he'll feel as lightheaded around her as he does now once he takes him morning medication. )

...You gonna tell her about us now?

[analogthis]

Yeah... I have to. The longer I wait, the worse it's going to be. She might give me the silent treatment for a day or two, or, I don't know...

[She's hoping it doesn't just ruin the friendship they've only just managed to patch entirely. If she explains it all exactly how she's thought about it, though, about how it seems like his involvement in everything hasn't been entirely voluntary, or at least that he seems to regret it, about the self-loathing... If she points out the fact that Nathan and Chloe were both involved in her powers surfacing, how it feels to her like there's a connection there that's important...

Well, all she can do is explain. And short of Chloe going after Nathan with a loaded gun, she's not rewinding. She can't rely on that all the time, especially not for trivial things. The blackouts and nosebleeds are enough evidence of that.]

It's gonna royally suck no matter what. I don't really want to be alone afterward, so...

[She gives a small shrug. Her first pick will be Nathan, and then Dana if he's busy, and then Warren if she's busy. At this point she'll likely tell him most of the truth too, though maybe not about the time-travelling yet. She fully trusts him to keep her secret, but she doesn't need another person requiring a demonstration from her. Not when the doctors told her to take it easy.

Max looks up at the house she practically grew up in, the partial paint job, Chloe's junker truck in the driveway... She feels her chest tighten. She really does love Chloe. That's never going to not be true. But Nathan has a part of her that no one else ever will, and that means something to her. They both are going to have to accept the fact that each of them play an important role in her life now. For her sake. They have to.

...Right?]

[vortexts]

Then, yeah, we can chill later.

( very cool, very casual, even as he slows to a stop in front of chloe's home. this is david madsen's house [he knows this because he knows to avoid him; the stupid mall cop takes his job way too seriously], but that's definitely chloe's dumb, hick truck parked out front. he hadn't known that madsen was her dad, had he? blackwell is small, he must've heard it somewhere. or maybe nathan only concerns himself with things that relate to him and willfully ignores everything else. what, is he supposed to know the story of every punk bitch drop-out?

but that's not all chloe is. she'd been nice to him, before he knew how to do this. he hadn't needed her to stand up for him, or talk back to his father, but it's cool that someone did.

christ, it's all so fucked up. all of their lives, all intertwined like this. chloe, who was cool with rachel. rachel, who'd encouraged him before he fell in with victoria. victoria, who's practically his sister these days. he likes victoria. he liked rachel. he'd liked chloe, too. liked her enough to shoot her.

you can't take a good shot without love, jefferson once said.

he doesn't realize how much he's tapping his foot against the floor of his car until the noise makes its way to his ears. he's willing himself to say something. max should tell chloe that he's sorry. he should tell chloe that he's sorry. he appreciated the way he stood up for him when they were sophmores, so he drugged her half to death as thanks. this is how artists show their love.

he can't let himself crash out now. not here. )

—Okay. ( max hadn't asked him anything, but he answers as if she had, pulled out of his reprieve. okay, he's going to make this right. okay, things are going to work out. he swallows. It's gonna be good. It's gonna be fucked for a while, but it's gonna be good. With her, I mean. Chloe. Regardless. And... and if you gotta choose her instead, it's cool.

not me crying about how much I love them

[analogthis]

[It's fine. She'd been deep in thought while he'd been deep in thought, though she does gradually notice his tapping foot. Anxiety? Probably. Wait, he takes meds from his doctors. Shit, had he missed them this morning because of her? She needs to let him get back to the dorms so he can take them. But--

But first he says that, and she gives him the softest look she's given him yet. Because... god. He's not just allowing it, he's telling her he understands, if she has to choose Chloe. And she doesn't want to have to choose, she will fight tooth and nail not to have to choose, but that he understands...

She takes his face in both her hands and kisses him full on the lips. She's not planning on lingering, they shouldn't, but she does kiss him a few times in quick succession before she hugs him and whispers to him.]

Thank you. Seriously. I don't want to have to choose. I like what we're doing together, and I want more of it. And I am willing to fight for that. So, just, please believe me when I say that. And... and I'll text you when I'm on my way back to school.

they're doing amazing c':

[vortexts]

( an outburst of affection was not how nathan had expected max to react. it must mean he'd done a good job of keeping his crazy on the inside, because max seems oblivious to his near-spiral. he'd said the right thing, somehow. he'd meant it, too. between her lifelong friend and him, it's an easy choice. he wants her to choose chloe. he'd be mad if she didn't.

she kisses feeling back into his skin, hugs warmth into the spots threatened by the cold of darkness. nathan surprises himself by hugging back. she wants to fight for him. she wants to want him. )

Max... ( she's going to kill him at this rate. ) I think I hear your girl racking a shotgun. Go handle that.

( before he pulls her in and really starts to kiss her. making out with max in front of chloe's house, a fucking insane flex. if he'd been feeling more vindictive and less sappy, he might've gone for it. )

I had to write a novel to work things out for myself SORRY????

[analogthis]

Right, yes. Got it.

[They are playing a dangerous and risky game here, so she lets him go after a final smooch to his cheek, hopping out of the truck inelegantly.

Max pulls her phone out of her bag as she walks leisurely towards the front door, taking a glance behind her to make sure Nathan and his truck are out of sight before she texts Chloe that she's there. She doesn't want Chloe to see him before she even tells her... all of what she has to tell her.

Chloe is surprised but relieved to see her, hugging her in the doorway before they go inside the house. Max immediately tries to tell her that she has something important they need to talk about, that they should probably sit down, but Chloe interrupts her. Multiple times, actually.

The first time she asks Max if she's interested in diner leftovers she couldn't finish. Max says okay because she is a little hungry, but only ends up picking at a grilled cheese because her stomach is in knots. She approaches the subject again, and this second time interrupting Chloe asks her if she thinks she'd still fit in the attic, that she wants to see if she can find some old CDs she hasn't seen in ages. Getting a little exasperated, Max says she doesn't know but they can do that later. Chloe then asks her if she wants to head to the junkyard, and it's finally at this point that Max has a sense of deja vu from years ago....

Chloe knows. She may not know precisely what it is Max wants to tell her, but it's something she knows is going to hurt them, and she's purposefully avoiding the subject, curtailing Max's attempts to broach it. Just like when she had to tell her she was moving away.

Her heart immediately hurts. She hugs her best friend, and Chloe laughs wildly, the sound clearly more of hysterics than amusement, and then finally mentions Max's clothes as she moves away from her.]

"They're Prescock's, aren't they? Did he drop you off here? There's no way the bus got you here that quickly after our phone convo, Max. Don't-- You know what? Maybe I don't wanna know! Maybe you just shouldn't tell me whatever the fuck it is you're so desperate to tell me. Maybe it's better for me if I just don't even fucking know--"

Don't you think that was probably Rachel's logic about Frank?

[And holy shit does that stop Chloe in her tracks, from moving around the living room touching and pushing things, to straight-up frozen. Before she turns to Max with fire in her eyes.]

"What. The fuck? Are you trying to justify your burning need to tell me out of guilt or Rachel's selfish desire to keep shit from me?"

I'm trying to show you that you're going to feel like a victim either way, Chloe! I'm-- I'm sorry, but you are. And I think you're going to find this out sooner or later, and it's going to be better for everyone if I tell you and explain things now, before that has a chance to happen.

[Chloe looks away from her, glares out the sliding glass doors to the backyard for a minute, and Max gives her that minute of silence, unsure if it's an invitation for Max to continue or not. She opens her mouth to continue though and Chloe immediately shoves past her and stomps up the stairs. Max groans, loudly, before quickly following her up.

This is going great. She hasn't even told her anything yet and they're already fighting. Perfect. Awesomesauce.]

Chloe. Please, come on. I care about you and your feelings, is that not obvious?

"Like you've been caring for the last five years?"

That's not fair, don't throw that back at me, I'm here now, and I'm sorry--

"Whatever. I don't even care about that. It's fine." [Max is pressing X to doubt.] "Max, if you're sleeping with him, just fucking tell me. Now."

I-- [She hesitates. This is so not how she would have preferred to broach the subject.]

"You are. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit, you're fucking him."

Look, when I got high with you at the party a week ago and you told me to go sleep it off. That's... That's when it happened. It wasn't planned, it just... It just happened.

"You had to have been more than high. He drugged you. He's still drugging you. Bullshit he's some good samaritan who just happened to be there to call an ambulance for you-- Wait... He wasn't. This started over a week ago? Were you with him last night after you ditched us?"

I didn't... [She kind of did, though. Even if it was instigated by Dana.] Yes. Chloe, I was... I was a virgin, before...

[She sits down on the edge of Chloe's bed, and to her surprise, her friend sits next to her, silently. Supportive, even when she doesn't want to be.]

He didn't know. When we were texting about it the next day, he freaked out when I told him I'd been a virgin. He was so desperate for me to know that it had all happened normally, he hadn't drugged me or anything, and I already knew that because I remembered all of it. The big picture, anyway, even if he did have to remind me of some of the details--

"Oh god, don't you dare ever tell me any of the details, do not even allude to any details--"

Okay, okay! But, Chloe... I saw his phone last night. He left it with me at the hospital when he went back to school to grab my bag from his truck. He's -- he's a lot more complex than I think most people even realize... Like, I know they say he's crazy, and I do think he has mental health issues, but nothing psych ward worthy. He does see doctors, and takes medicine, and... And his notes app was full of a lot of self-loathing. And regret about what he did to you...

[She glances at Chloe, who is silently staring at her hands for a moment.]

"I've kinda known him vaguely for years. He was at Blackhell while I was at Blackhell. With Rachel, and Dana and Justin too. He was in that play, that stupid Shakespeare thing that Dana was telling you about..."

The Tempest.

"Yeah, right. That one. And he's always been weird, and stuck-up, rich-asshole entitled. But he didn't always walk around like he actually owned that school..." [She stops, and scoffs, and shakes her head before standing up.] "But he still shot me! You said he killed me before you rewound--"

But that was also an accident! I think he'd just meant to intimidate you, not actually pull the trigger. And that was when my powers surfaced. It makes me think... Maybe it's not just you who I was meant to save, Chloe. Maybe these powers... What if I'm meant to help Nathan, too?

"Help him how, exactly? What the fuck does he need help with?"

This shit he's involved in, I'm not convinced he really wants to be involved in it. There's some reason for it... I don't know, I haven't gotten to the bottom of it, but I want to. And I think I'm supposed to.

"Leave it to Super Max, thinks she's even gotta save the rich prick."

[It's not said with any real malice, though. Maybe just exasperation.]

"I am super fucking uncomfortable with all of this, you do realize that, right?"

I know... And he told me... He said it was okay, if I had to choose you. But I don't want to have to choose, Chloe. Please don't make me do that. Let me at least try to get to the bottom of what's going on with him, okay? I mean, we were already trying to figure out how and if he connected to things, right? So this connection that I have with him can only help us.

"Yeah, or you'll let yourself get so vulnerable around him he'll drug you and--"

Chloe, he's already had the chance to do that. More than once! And he hasn't. What he's done, again and again, is show me that he cares about my feelings, and my well-being. I know that sounds absolutely crazy coming from your perspective of him, but it's true. And, come on... [She tilts her head, playful.] How good of an actor was he? In that play?

[Chloe snorts.] "Like, hella bad."

[Max grins at her, and pokes her in the side.] See? Not a good actor. So he's not playing me. He really does care about me.

[Chloe swats at her hand before picking up her cigarettes and lighting up, leaning back against her desk.]

"...Fine. We can try this thing your way for a while. But no romantic details, ever, seriously, I mean it. And you keep on your guard. Use your superpowers if you have to. Call me, and let me know if you're going someplace with him other than school. Seriously. I'm going to be fucking worrying my brains off about you enough as it is. Keep me in the loop. Capiche?"

Aye aye, captain. [Max is grinning so wide, but she can't help it. This had gone a million times better than she had expected it to. She visibly deflates, letting all her tension go and collapses backwards into Chloe's mattress.] Man, I was so stressed about this. Nathan had to reassure me that it was going to be okay.

"What, for real? Fucking wild. You must have thrown us all into an alternate dimension with your superpowers. I'm convinced."

[They spend the afternoon together, digging around in Chloe's attic like she'd brought up earlier and finding old boy band CDs and teenybopper magazines that they cringe at and laugh their asses off. Max shoots off a text to Nathan around 1pm, though:]

things are going pretty well on my end
no shotguns in sight!
I'll probably take the last bus back to Blackwell and should be there around 5pm
did you wanna do dinner or anything?

[And then a few to Dana, Kate, and Warren, all rescheduling and figuring out times to do things with them the upcoming week.

Man, since when did Max end up with so many friends who all wanted to do things with her? At the start of the year it had really only been Warren. Then Kate a little bit. Then suddenly Chloe. Then Dana. And now even Nathan Prescott.

Maybe I did find my way into an alternate dimension.]

[vortexts]

( he pulls off knowing that she's in good hands. regardless of how this conversation goes, it's not like chloe [or even madsen] are going to let something bad happen to her while she's there. nathan is rarely proud of himself for anything, but he feels good about not completely falling apart back there. it would have been so easy to lose it, to let dark thoughts take hold until he's punching the steering wheel, or worse. but he'd held it together. for max. once he gets back to his dorm, he can rage out in relative peace.

he's only a minute or two out from blackwell when he decides, yeah, maybe he should reply to some of these texts from victoria. more have come pouring in. god, she lives on drama, doesn't she? )

Vic 💋💋💋
is she a good lay or somthing???
make it make sense babe
even mark thinks ur tots loco for this one

( it's that last message that chills him. )

you told mr. jefferson??

Vic 💋💋💋
thats wut gets ur attention????
lolololol
dont worry hes super cool
i bet he's a good lay 2

guess we're both in our hipster hookup era 😏

( he doesn't have time to reply to that, and victoria probably doesn't expect him to, knowing how sporadic he can be. nathan speeds the last mile to campus and parks like an asshole, barely between the lines. he needs to get to his dorm, down his pills, and then he can figure out how to handle this. jefferson was never supposed to know about him and max. in hindsight, it was stupid to think he could keep things from him, especially on a campus this small. eventually, it would have come out. he just thought he'd have more time... he always thinks he has more time.

it's still early enough on a post-party sunday that most people are too hungover to be milling around campus. it means he doesn't bump into anyone as he beelines to his room. the door's unlocked, which he doens't remember doing, but he'd been in such a rush last night getting max clothes, he could have forgotten to lock it behind himself.

or, apparently, jefferson had.

he sits on the couch against the wall, legs crossed, cell phone in one hand, steaming coffee in the other. even on his off day, he's dressed well: white, pressed collar, sleek, form-fitting jacket above it. he hardly looks up when nathan enters the room, which only adds to nathan's startle. )

Jesus, fuck! What're you doing here, man?

"Man"? I'm not one of your friends, Nathan. Stick to Mr. Jefferson, please.

( it's such a stupid thing to nitpick, nathan has to wonder if he's joking. he never knows with him.

like his own father, jefferson is an enigma. )

Uh, okay... Mr. Jefferson, what the fuck are you doing in my dorm? Someone could've seen you come in. ( he slowly lowers his bag to the ground, eases his way inside. it could be a hallucination. that's happened before, on particularly bad days. but he hasn't gone that long without his meds; a few hours off wouldn't cause him to trip out.

speaking of, he grabs the bottle from the nearby table and swallows this morning's dose down dry. since jefferson is in some pedantic teacher mode, he half expects him to bring up his use of foul language and drugs, but doesn't. )

No one saw anything. They never do. That's the beauty of these small towns; blind faith in one's community. ( if nathan had any attachment to this bullshit town, he might've taken offense to that. ) I had breakfast with Victoria this morning. At her insistence, naturally. Young girls these days, my God... she'd have sucked me off under the table if I let her.

( nathan really doesn't want to hear jefferson lusting over and/or admonishing victoria that way. maybe that's why he said it, to see the way nathan's mouth crinkles in displeasure. it's no secret that jefferson thinks she's an impure whore, or whatever, but it's not like nathan wants to discuss it. it makes him feel grosser than usual, like he's playing both sides. he's joking with vic about her teacher's crush one minute, and listening to jefferson bad-mouthing her the next.

nathan wishes he had some sense of what's off-limits, but nathan's a coward. if he speaks up, jefferson could leave him, and he won't be special to anyone anymore. )

Yeah? ...And?

Nathan, don't play stupid. You're not good at it. Tell me what you think you're doing with Max Caulfield. You're calling her your 'girlfriend' now?

( he says it like a slur. it's like a trick question or something. nathan doesn't know what he's doing at all. he thinks he likes her. he knows jefferson likes her. what is this, some conflict of interest? the horror movie version of two dudes crushing on the same chick? )

I don't know. She's cool, I guess. We just, like, hooked up, or whatever...

( he shrugs, something he hopes looks indifferent as jefferson gets to his feet. nathan's fucked up enough to hope for praise for getting laid, for managing to do something normal. in reality, jefferson is caught somewhere between pacing and leaning against the adjacent wall, unable to commit either action, starting and stopping between the two. nathan clocks the erraticism as the closest thing to 'freaking out' a put-together guy like jefferson does. he's angry, but he's too cautious to do a thing like yell. )

So, you did it. You defiled her. You corrupted her purity. The only source of purity in this hellhole of a town, and you go and ruin it. Like you ruin everything. I should've seen this coming... I thought you knew something of sacrity. Stupid of me, really. Stupid, stupid Mark, thinking you knew how to respect what isn't yours.

( it's easier to be exasperated. he wants to be hurt, and he is, but abject annoyance is much cleaner. he can cry when he's alone.

for now, he throws his hands in the air. )

Jesus Christ, did everyone know she was a virgin but me??

Fucking... You don't even know what you had. You're a blind child. ( because of course jefferson knew she was a virgin. he could spot her innocence from across the room. he's a trained eye, someone who specializes in the difference between the pure and the defiled. what is he supposed to do now, seeing maxine in his classroom? how different will she look? what's lost can never be found again. why couldn't he be the one to see that change first?

there's a chance that nathan took photos during that time, but jefferson doesn't want to see them. at worst, they'll be amateurish pornhub shots. at best, there's a chance that they'll be good, and this rage will boil all over again. )

She was mine to capture. There's nothing left. Can't you see that? ( a hushed intensity, perhaps worse than a yell. he thinks he can see nathan tremble. good. he should be afraid. ) I've given you an opportunity to be great. Do you know how many people would kill to be in your shoes? To be my apprentice? And this is how you repay me... by destroying my muse.

( so much of this avant-garde artistic bullshit falls on deaf ears because nathan doesn't conflate sexual purity with art the way jefferson does. try as he might to be evil, even at his lowest, nathan hasn't conceptualized whatever he has going on with max as anything beyond feelings, emotions, and hormones. he hadn't slept with her for the sake of 'corruption,' and he's not dating her to destroy her purity.

he just likes her. he likes the fact that she says 'wowzers' and sends her plant pictures at 2am. he likes that she called his dad an asshole, and drinks her coffee like it's candy.

he can't help the fact that he's shaking. )

I didn't know... ( while he knew jefferson had some weird obsession with max, he didn't know it went this far. and he didn't know she was a virgin, try as jefferson might to frame things otherwise. he's good at that, framing. if jefferson uses his camera to frame a fact, it must be true. ) It was an accident.

An accident? You tripped and landed with your dick inside of her? Don't bullshit me!

( rather than striking nathan [which hasn't happened before, but nathan's never seen him this angry before, either], he shoves a row of books free from his bookshelf. the force with which they go tumbling down yank a row of portriat lights with them. the florescents shatter when they hit the ground. everything is breaking. everything is ruined. and it's all because of him.

nathan is unmistakably crying by the time jefferson gets a hold of himself, considers where they are, considers the shattered pile of glass, portraits, and textbooks, and straightens his collar. so much for nathan waiting until he was alone. )

...All right, all right. Come here.

( it's a pretty effective tool for getting nathan to do what he needs. get him to the point where he's sobbing out sorries, and then offer him a hug. jefferson wouldn't manipulate nathan in this way if nathan didn't make it so easy to do. his anger is genuine, but he knows the guilt it evokes in nathan will be excellent for his bottom line. even if he does have to start all over. even if his special muse isn't that special anymore.

goddamn it.

with a wince, he realizes nathan's getting fucking snot on his good, clean shirt. god, he hates teenagers. )

You don't want me to find someone else, do you? Because I will. I don't want to, Nathan, but I will. Yes, yes, I know you're sorry. But I can't have a partner who keeps betraying me like this... I helped you out with your Amber fuck-up, didn't I? And who got you the gun so you could take care of Chloe? Hm? Aren't I always helping you?

( he needs nathan like this, riddled with sorrow and guilt. the minute nathan realizes he has all the power, it's over.

there will never be another max for jefferson to shoot. no one will ever be as precocious, and thoughtful, and kind, and pure. nathan ruined that for him forever. and for that indelible sin, he'll have to die.

jefferson is cautious, but this will be simple enough. between the overpartying and the active suicide risk energy that nathan exudes, staging his death will be exceptionally easy. it'll look like an accident, or it won't, it doesn't matter. no will suspect foul play. nathan always makes things so easy.

but... in the meantime, nathan can keep max close. he can learn what she's figured out and report it back to him. and, when the time comes, she can be killed alongside him for knowing too much, for being the one that got away, because if jefferson couldn't have her corruption first, no one can ever have her again. a classic stroy: bad influence nathan pulled young, bright max into a life of drugs and crime. it'll be easy, so easy, to stage her death.

and that's the most unforgivable part.
nathan made his bright, beautiful maxine easy.
another common whore, no better than victoria.

yes, death is the only recourse. )

So, Nathan... How are you going to make this right?

-

( in the end, he doesn't answer max's request for dinner. )

[analogthis]

[For the first two hours she doesn't hear anything back, she doesn't think much of it. Around 3:15, during a viewing of Blade Runner, Max checks her phone and starts to worry... He's not ignoring her again, is he? There's no way, right? He's been so considerate since her blackout.

She doesn't mention the worry to Chloe, too afraid to push it when she barely approves of her being with him, and mostly only for the sake of investigation.

By 4pm, she makes alternative plans. Dana is busy with Trevor, so she asks Warren if he has plans for dinner.

Warren
yo, maxwell silver hammer!
missed wowing with you last night
did you go to that vortex club party again?

Max
I did, kinda got wasted with Chloe and Dana and Trevor
it was a little wild
next weekend maybe I will just warcraft
did you have any plans tonight?

Warren
dude you know my schedule's always wide open for you
you have something in mind?

[They make plans to meet at the parking lot at 5 so Warren can take them for fast food. Max convinces him she's paying since he's doing the driving, in an attempt to hopefully curtail any idea he might have that this is a date.

While she's on the bus, she decides to call Nathan since he hasn't answered her texts.]