It will. [She holds Chloe's gaze. Her tone takes on the same strength as in the Glass, in that brief moment of real determination, almost anger.] Then we'll fight it here too. We'll make it better. Together.
[She understands how Chloe feels- that sense of finality, of being unable to change anything. But they can't just give up here. Not when they have this second or third chance. Does the number even matter? She has to believe that things can change. That they can build something better. Permanent.]
I promise. I'm gonna... I'm gonna fight for you, Chloe. But so should you.
[And they'll let the town crumble if they have to.]
So no more being reckless. Think about... [Her voice softens even further, her hand tensing.] Think about Eddie. [Think about me, she wants to say, but that would be... strange.]
[ Chloe always hated how much fighting for her had taken a toll on Max back home; the nose bleeds, the mental and physical anguish that came from their crazy week. She wonders if she had to spent just as much time protecting her in Wonderland, too, or if maybe she'd managed to keep her shit together enough in a different universe. There was always a possibility, right?
The words sound all too familiar, though. Angela had begged the same thing of her, for the same given reasons. Think of Eddie. She always thought of Eddie, but it never seemed to stick. She wonders if she should think of others, too - of Angela, of Shiro, of Keith, of Max.
She's starting to get tired of constantly seeing that pained look in Max's eyes, after all. The one she gets every time she's had to rewind and she knows that something has happened to her in yet another alternate universe. ]
... No more being reckless. [ At least, to as great an extent as she can manage. She's still Chloe. Let's face it. ]
[She knows that hidden caveat very well. Knows it and accepts it. As long as Chloe is trying.] ...Okay.
[Are you ready for a hug Chloe? You better be because it's a tight one. Max throws her arms arpund Chloe's shoulders and pulls her tight, resting her chin on Chloe's shoulder.]
God, you are such an emotional rollercoaster. [Her voice is tight with feeling, completely burying the anger she'd pushed to the front earlier.] I missed you. So much. I'm... crazy happy that you're back.
[ She's quick to return the hug, though the force of it had made her wobble slightly at first. It's not hard to tell from this close that she's running a fever and she has to choke down a cough as she buries her face against Max's hair.
It doesn't matter how shitty she feels because this hug was exactly what she's been hoping for since she knocked on her door. She feels tears prickling in her eyes and does her best to keep them there. ]
At least you can't say I don't keep your life exciting.
[She lets out a huff of a laugh.] Exciting is one word for it.
[She pulls away, putting a hand against Chloe's forehead.] Angela said you'd have a flu. She's probably going to make you stay at her house.
[And a more serious look passes over her face.] Oh, uh... by the way. Apparently you're kind of a big shot. Whatever happened to just being medium popular? [She smiles briefly.] Tons of people are pissed off about what happened. Not at you. But... Angela's kind of been taking the brunt of it.
[A pause.] Angela and Eddie aren't all that happy either.
[ Chloe averts her eyes at that, wrinkling her nose slightly. ] Yeah. I'm expecting a lecture that's hella worse than even yours when she finally sees I'm back.
[ She feels a twist of knots in her stomach at the idea of Angela getting the anger taken out on her. It makes her frown, figuring she'll have to look it up to see just how bad it was. ]
I'm - I wouldn't say I'm popular. Just not hated as much as back home. [ She has a skewed idea of what popular is, okay. ] Why are they yelling at her, though? It's not like she's the one who shot me in the head.
[Hella worse than Max's? And here she thought she was being too hard on her...]
You are definitely popular. Do you have any idea how many people have dropped the whole "oh hey, you're Max, Chloe's friend" on me? [She grins, trying to keep this light. It also means that Chloe talks about Max to other people, which is... an interesting fact.
Her expression fades at Chloe's question.] ...They think she should've done more to prevent what happened. [She shakes her head.] But don't worry about it, okay? Worry about getting better. [She pushes gently on Chloe's stomach.] Come on, back to bed. I'll call Angela.
[ She wrinkles her nose, shrugging her shoulders wit a small smile on her face. ] Guess it's easier to make friends when no one knows your personal bullshit.
[ Don't worry about it. That's easy to say. She scratches her arm a little, not sure she can stop herself from being a little worried, and definitely makes a note to look into it later. She's not particularly happy to know Angela was dealing with so much shit on top of the grief she must be feeling. ]
Alright. [ She feels shitty enough to not argue. ] Just don't judge me too harshly if I end up puking in front of you.
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no subject
Date: 2018-12-29 05:53 am (UTC)[She understands how Chloe feels- that sense of finality, of being unable to change anything. But they can't just give up here. Not when they have this second or third chance. Does the number even matter? She has to believe that things can change. That they can build something better. Permanent.]
I promise. I'm gonna... I'm gonna fight for you, Chloe. But so should you.
[And they'll let the town crumble if they have to.]
So no more being reckless. Think about... [Her voice softens even further, her hand tensing.] Think about Eddie. [Think about me, she wants to say, but that would be... strange.]
no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 04:18 am (UTC)The words sound all too familiar, though. Angela had begged the same thing of her, for the same given reasons. Think of Eddie. She always thought of Eddie, but it never seemed to stick. She wonders if she should think of others, too - of Angela, of Shiro, of Keith, of Max.
She's starting to get tired of constantly seeing that pained look in Max's eyes, after all. The one she gets every time she's had to rewind and she knows that something has happened to her in yet another alternate universe. ]
... No more being reckless. [ At least, to as great an extent as she can manage. She's still Chloe. Let's face it. ]
no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 04:30 am (UTC)[Are you ready for a hug Chloe? You better be because it's a tight one. Max throws her arms arpund Chloe's shoulders and pulls her tight, resting her chin on Chloe's shoulder.]
God, you are such an emotional rollercoaster. [Her voice is tight with feeling, completely burying the anger she'd pushed to the front earlier.] I missed you. So much. I'm... crazy happy that you're back.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 04:40 am (UTC)It doesn't matter how shitty she feels because this hug was exactly what she's been hoping for since she knocked on her door. She feels tears prickling in her eyes and does her best to keep them there. ]
At least you can't say I don't keep your life exciting.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 04:48 am (UTC)[She pulls away, putting a hand against Chloe's forehead.] Angela said you'd have a flu. She's probably going to make you stay at her house.
[And a more serious look passes over her face.] Oh, uh... by the way. Apparently you're kind of a big shot. Whatever happened to just being medium popular? [She smiles briefly.] Tons of people are pissed off about what happened. Not at you. But... Angela's kind of been taking the brunt of it.
[A pause.] Angela and Eddie aren't all that happy either.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 10:23 pm (UTC)[ She feels a twist of knots in her stomach at the idea of Angela getting the anger taken out on her. It makes her frown, figuring she'll have to look it up to see just how bad it was. ]
I'm - I wouldn't say I'm popular. Just not hated as much as back home. [ She has a skewed idea of what popular is, okay. ] Why are they yelling at her, though? It's not like she's the one who shot me in the head.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-31 10:40 pm (UTC)You are definitely popular. Do you have any idea how many people have dropped the whole "oh hey, you're Max, Chloe's friend" on me? [She grins, trying to keep this light. It also means that Chloe talks about Max to other people, which is... an interesting fact.
Her expression fades at Chloe's question.] ...They think she should've done more to prevent what happened. [She shakes her head.] But don't worry about it, okay? Worry about getting better. [She pushes gently on Chloe's stomach.] Come on, back to bed. I'll call Angela.
no subject
Date: 2019-01-03 11:06 am (UTC)[ Don't worry about it. That's easy to say. She scratches her arm a little, not sure she can stop herself from being a little worried, and definitely makes a note to look into it later. She's not particularly happy to know Angela was dealing with so much shit on top of the grief she must be feeling. ]
Alright. [ She feels shitty enough to not argue. ] Just don't judge me too harshly if I end up puking in front of you.