Who Do You Love?

“I thought we’d already agreed that I’d be paying for this trip of ours?” he asked, “Or had I forgotten to give you that detail? Silly me. Head like a sieve, really.” He was being playful– his tone of voice, his smile, everything was in good nature. But he was serious, too; he intended to pay for this, and any other trip he and Charlie decided to take… if ever they did so. It was a little known fact, considering how few good friends he had, that he enjoyed to splurge on them– not just because the charges were all going through his dad. He’d been raised to see a huge spend of money as the ultimate show of affection, and though he was more down to earth now than he’d ever been at any of his snobby private schools… old habits were hard to break. Besides, the entire thing had been a lot of his idea. If she was willing to show him her town, spend time with him, be his friend– he wanted to show her that it meant a lot to him, anyway he knew how, “You just let me know when you want to head out. I’ll make sure everything’s sorted.”

She gave him a look she gave him wasn’t a definite confirmation by any stretch, lips pursing as she cocked her head to the side. “Max, I never agreed to that. You said you’d pay for London. I’m payin’ for this. It’s only fair.” If Charlie knew Max at all--and she liked to think she did, at least a little--she knew that he’d fight her on this. And maybe he had a right to; as far as she could tell, London didn’t hold half the meaning to him that Middle of Nowhere, Texas did to her. But that was okay--it wasn’t about that. Not everyone was fortune enough to grow up in a town that raised you, that loved you. Casually, she set her hand over his, further emphasizing her point and sharpening her look. “I can’t let you pay for this.” 

“Really?” Raising an eyebrow even as he bumped her back, Max was pretty obviously surprised, though not in a way anyone could describe as ‘bad’. If anything, it only made him a little more excited at the prospect. He’d half expected her to have changed her mind since their first conversation about it, especially taking into consideration how long they’d actually known each other. No matter how much of a friend she had become in that time– it still wasn’t long enough, in some people’s eye’s, to take off across country. “Well, the last thing we would want is to disappoint your dad–” there was no hint of the jealousy he felt deep down in the smile he flashed, “The sooner the better, right?”

The grin on her lips seemed to tug impossibly higher on her cheeks as he bumped her back. A laugh filtered free and she quirked a brow in his direction. It was interesting, seeing as the position they were in and the way they knew each other was so out of the conventional norms, that she still wanted to do this. To take him to one of her favorite places on the entire planet and give him access to the girl she Was, on top of the the girl she had Become. But maybe that was why she liked it. Or maybe she just liked him. “Yeah, absolutely. I can get tickets to fly out next week, if y’want. Or sooner, but uh, next week’s a little cheaper, so...” 

“Well, love-” Max began, substituting a ‘hello’ with an easy smile as he slid into the seat beside Charlie. Sure, cabins weren’t supposed to mix in the mess hall– but that small rule wasn’t one he tended to follow. “It’s ‘bout time we talked over that trip to Narnia- Texas, don’t you think?”

Charlie brightened visibly as Max slid into the chair beside her, turning slightly to face him. Her smile stretched eagerly across her face, just happy to talk to him, no matter the topic. But the topic at hand was... well, perfect. “It’s funny you should mention that, actually.” She said softly, leaning sideways and bumping him with her shoulder. “Because I was just talkin’ to my daddy about it last week and he wants me to come down soon.” 

“I feel honored that you thought of me, love,” Max started, though there was the obvious hint of a ‘but’ as he stared at the ‘chewimoya’ in fascination, “– But, is this entirely safe to eat?”

Lips quirking even higher in a smile, she shook her head. “Not at all--it’s poisonous. You caught me in m’evil plot.” 

Her teeth dug into her lower lip to fight back a smile, toe stubbing needlessly at the dirt. Cheeks flushed pink like she’d been caught red-handed--and really, she had. There was no denying that the shirt hanging off of her frame was his, or at the very least not hers, but she’d been bored and it looked comfortable so she’d just... borrowed it. 

Send me a ship name and I’ll tell you

7. What annoys them the most about their partner? Would they change it if they could? 

Charlie’s biggest annoyance when it comes to Max is his tendency to pick fights; however she’s come to terms with the fact that he does it out of loyalty at least 50% of the time and she can hardly fight him on that, can she? As for what Max would change about Charlie… I’m really not sure? Maybe the fact that she’s so insistently timid most of the time, but then like, I think he sort of likes that about her. So idk. Help. 

14. Anything they both dread? 

Probably fighting?? I don’t imagine Max would want to fight with Charlie, and she certainly doesn’t want to fight with him, but it almost seems kind of inevitable. How bad is it that my brain just went ‘but they’ll love making up’. jfc. i’m trash. 

35. Do they bring out the best in each other, or the worst? Do they have a fatal flaw? 

I would say that generally they bring out the best in one another. He’s somehow found a way to draw her out of her shell, and she’s found someone in him that isn’t at all what she expected. They seem to be doing quite well by each other. As for the fatal flaw… well that’s to be seen, isn’t it? 

44. Are they comfortable with each other? Anything they have to have their privacy for?

“Fine, fine. I dare you to stick an Athena flag on the Ares cabin.”

“See, that I can do, I just have to find a flag.”