MARLEY // Max Mayfield

Walkman (One-Shot)

Moonshine streamed through her window, dragging rays of the nightly light across Marley's face and stretching further up her wall. She slept irregularly, tossing and turning occasionally, she had tossed the covers over the bed at some point, perhaps during some fleeting fever. The house was quiet, silent, the only sounds that of nature just beyond the walls and the clock that ticked within them. Even still, within Marley everything was all quite loud, her brows furrowing, her eyes searching. She was having another terror.

There was a loud knock somewhere in the house and her doorbell rung with an almost warped sound. Marley sat up with a start, breathing heavily before she realised her surroundings and calmed, gritting her teeth and rubbing away the sweat that had settled over her brow. She swallowed and swung her legs over her bed, standing up blearily to answer the door but not before she checked her alarm clock, the red numbers glaring up at her.

It was three in the morning, who would be ringing at this hour? Nobody. That was Marley's answer as she settled back into her mattress, sure the noises had just been a part of some twisted nightmare. But then, not a moment later, the door rang again, loud and clear. Marley sat up with a sigh and left for the front door, listening to Steve's snores as they pooled from his room. She took the stairs two at a time, yawning lowly and scratching at her stomach idly as she walked, trying to make out the blurred outline of whoever was visiting her so early in the morning.

She was aware she shouldn't really be answering her front door in the dead of night but Marley was Marley, she wasn't just some unsuspecting teen anymore. So, with her fist clenched, she pulled open the door, eyes narrowed only to set her sights on the most astonishing thing. Max was standing outside, in the cold dressed in her pyjamas and she was shaking.

"Max? What are you...?" Marley muttered.

"Hi bub," Max whispered, "I'm sorry, I know you have that thing tomorrow and I --"

"Come inside, Red," Marley said, gently taking the girl's hand and pulling her inside. Max did not object and let herself follow, not speaking a word as Marley guided her to her room and sat her on her bed, picking up her discarded blankets to wrap tightly around her shoulders. And then she busied herself with other things, cleaning up her room tiredly as Max watched, frowning deeper and deeper.

"Marley," Max called and Marley stopped, turning to her. She did not need to say anything, did not need to voice her wants or her feelings in that moment as Marley understood and walked over to her, holding her carefully.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Marley asked but Max did not speak, glaring at her knees. "Max -- Max, I know I'm not around anymore but...you know you can still talk to me right?"

"Only to have to wait a week for your reply because you're so busy..." Max muttered and Marley frowned. "Sorry...sorry, I'm sorry."

"It's ok," Marley nodded and moved so she sat up against her headboard, she turned and gestured to her side where Max moved to tuck herself. "Do you want to talk about it at all?"

Max shrugged.

"All right," Marley murmured and looked around her room, she fiddled with Max's hair, wrapping it around her finger before turning her gaze to the ceiling, blinking slowly. Focussing she could hear Steve's snores, an owl's call and Max's uneven breaths but she did not comment on those. This was not the first time this had happened but they never spoke of it outside of the setting. "How is your mom doing?"

"She's tired."

"I'm sorry about that," Marley said and then let out a quiet sigh. "Red...do you ever wish you'd never got involved back then?"

"What?" Max whispered, sitting up slightly, Marley looked back at her, gaze tender and delicate.

"Back then, when we first met. When Lucas told you everything," Marley continued and Max frowned.

"You're basically asking me if I think it would have been better if we'd never met," Max said and there was some bite to it but some conflict also. Marley noticed how the girl's eyes shifted but didn't take any offence.

"I won't hold it against you, Red," Marley said very softly. "I told you, you can talk to me about your feelings. Say whatever...especially considering how shitty I've been, don't you think I deserve it?"

"No, I...no..." Max murmured and then she fell back against Marley's side, "I -- I came here because I needed to see you. I don't want to talk."

"Ok, that's fine," Marley yawned and sunk into her bed, closing her eyes. Max remained sat against the headboard, fiddling with her hands in uneasy silence, she looked around the room and spotted little pockets of herself. One of her skateboards in the corner, her terrible drawings hung up on the wall, a string of pictures they had taken in a photo booth, there were clothes as well, jumpers and sweaters. Artefacts of her every inch they could be. "I love you, Max. I hope you know that."

Startled, Max turned to look at Marley, finding she was already staring up at her with a small smile.

"I do...I love you too."

"That's good then," Marley muttered. "I don't think my meetings will be for much longer, Red."

"Will you tell me what they're about?" Max asked and Marley peered up at her.

"When I get the all-clear," Marley said as she turned away. "For now, you should get some sleep."

"I don't..." Max did not finish her sentence, furrowing her brows as if frustrated. Marley watched her quietly again before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss upon her lips. "What was that for?"

"Do I need a reason to kiss you, Maxine?"

"No, Marlene, you don't," Max huffed, smiling slightly before she frowned and slid down beside her. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep..."

"Ok," Marley nodded and reached over Max, obscuring the girl's view for a moment before returning with her Walkman, she held it out to the girl, "listen to some music, it'll send you right to sleep."

Max tentatively took the headphones from the machine and pulled them around her ears, watching as Marley's smile grew a little wider and she pressed the play button, instantly, soft melodies pooled into her ears, not too loud and not too quiet, she pulled an earmuff away.

"This'll work?"

"Does for me," Marley shrugged and swiped away a hair from Max's forehead, kissing her gently again. "And if it does for you, you can have it."

"What?"

"The Walkman," Marley smiled and dropped to her back again, closing her eyes. "I know it's not the greatest but maybe you can take it as a substitute for me, couple it with the shirts you stole."

"I'd much prefer if it was you," Max muttered and Marley frowned, swallowing solidly as she nodded.

"Yeah...me too," she sighed and then covered her face. "I really am sorry Max..."

"I know you are."

So, I saw some spoilers, thought of an idea, combined them and boom I created a baby. Have fun.