MARLEY // Max Mayfield

Marlene (One-Shot)

The remaining heat that lingered at summers end was persistent, hotter, even than it had been when the season was at its peak and Marley was definitely a final victim of the suns carnage, or rather an indirect victim. Maxine Mayfield had named her supposed beloved girlfriend, her personal cooler and because Max, ever the ray of sunshine, was such a magnet for heat, Marley's cold was being swapped out for the warmth. This left Marley the sweltering one out of the two. How she wished it would rain again. Torrential rain like it had the day she and Max had danced by her poolside.

That's what Marley prayed for as she stared up at the sky, Max laying against her cool body, sunbathing with half a bottle of sunscreen splattered across her own figure - per Marley's request, she didn't want her getting sunburn after all. The boys, plus Erica, were supposed to be coming over for a pool day, their arrival time being an hour prior but, lo and behold, they had fallen through. Again. Marley couldn't blame them, maybe it was petty payback for all the times she had fallen through on days out. It sure did sound like them. 

She didn't ponder on it too much however and sat up instead, startling Max who let out a quiet yelp of surprise at the movement. The redhead turned to look at her girlfriend in confusion, sunglasses pushed down the bridge of her nose to better see Marley's face without the extra shade.

"What's up Marley Bear?"

"Do you want an ice-pole, babe?" Marley asked, pushing herself to her feet and stretching her arms above her head. Max smiled and nodded, getting up as well to choose her own flavour. Marley always got it wrong and Max knew she did it on purpose, just so she'd have to venture into the house with her, away from prying eyes.

Max hopped atop the kitchen counter as Marley sifted through her freezer, holding up random ice-poles and listening to Max's reactions. Eventually, she found the right flavour and chose a random one for herself, tossing Max hers and biting off the top of her own. They stood in silence, the occasional crunch coming from Marley as she bit into the ice of her pole. Max occasionally cringed, looking at her girlfriend in mild disgust. She would never understand how Marley's teeth could be so tolerant.

"How do you do that?"

"The Things like the cold, guess eating one sorta strengthened my body," Marley murmured, taking another bite. Max slowly nodded and opened hers, tearing her gaze from Marley and looking around the house. 

Steve was out today, working with Robin so it was just her and Marley, waiting around, not doing anything until the rest arrived, it had been an interesting morning. They'd had a sleepover as Marley's parents weren't home, hadn't been since the incident really but Marley always told Max they were just busy, so sleepovers had been more frequent, but this one had been different, Marley had been different.

"Mars to Max, are you there?" Marley said, waving her hand in front of Max's face, worry etched across her brows, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Max smiled. She'd learned to not ask too many questions lately and that Marley would talk to her on her own terms, she only knew it had something to do with where she had been sneaking off to every so often. "Just thinking. Wondering where everyone is."

"Oh," Marley seemed to lighten, a weight lifting from her shoulders as she then smiled, "I think they're just being petty for all the times I've been late."

"...maybe," Max agreed, "Can we just get in the pool then?"

"I guess so, but won't they get mad?" Marley questioned and Max grinned, hopping down from the counter and advancing on Marley so she could hook her arms around her neck.

"So?" she dragged out, "It's their faults, also, it's hot and I want to swim, come on bub!" She whined and Marley looked down at her, bringing up her hands to pull Max's arms free as she sighed, looking to the garden, to the clock and then to the front door furtively. Max sighed as well and pulled away, glancing over to the old walkie laying, face down, on the recliner. "We can radio?"