Above the Stars ×Maxian×

Chapter 2: Would You Mind If I Sat Next to You and Watched You Smile

[Song: Pretty in Punk by Fall Out Boy]

Ian

After finishing the shower and dressing in the clothes Max left me, I went to go find Max.

A bit of searching led me to find Max sleeping in his bed with his phone still in his hands. I gently took the phone from his hands and sat it on the table next to his bed. I put a blanket over Max so he wouldn't be cold. His hair was still a little wet and was clinging to his face. I gently pushed it back.

Max smiled in his sleep, causing me to smile as well. I don't remember a lot but I don't remember smiling this much before meeting Max.

I started to move away, wanting to leave Max alone while he slept, when I felt something grab my arm. I looked and saw Max holding my arm, looking at me tiredly.

"Stay," he whispered. "Lay with me."

I nodded and laid next to him. He moved a bit and laid his head on my chest.

We stayed quietly like this for a while. It was very comforting. I had the urge to reach out and play with Max's hair but I kept my hands to myself.

Max laughed suddenly. "This is pretty gay."

"Gay?" I questioned. There's so many words I'm unfamiliar with. Max is helping me learn though.

"Well the old meaning is happy but the way it's used normally is to say someone is a homosexual, which you probably don't know what that is either. Being homosexual means a person is attracted to someone of the same sex as themselves. So we're both guys, it'd be like we were attracted each other. Or it'd be two women being attracted to each other," Max explain as I nodded my head along.

"Are you gay?" I asked.

"No," he answered simply. "Are you?"

I thought for a moment. I don't remember that being a thing back home. "I'm not sure. I don't remember there being gay where I'm from."

Max sat up quickly and looked at me. "You remember something?"

I nodded and little. "I remember vague bits and pieces, but nothing big."

"Oh," Max nodded before laying back down. "I'm fucking tired."

"Then sleep," Max said. I pushed some of his hair behind his ear, unable to resist it any longer.

"Are you going to sleep too?" He asked.

"I guess," I said with a yawn. In no time we both drifted off.

××××

When I finally woke up, Max was gone and the sun was going down. I got up and walked to the window.

The sky's normal blue met the sun's orange tint in a beautiful explosion of colors. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I don't remember ever seeing something like this before.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Max said as he came into the room. I nodded, not looking away from the window.

I heard Max come closer to me, probably to look out the window as well.

We watched in silence for a while. I soon found myself leaning back onto Max, and he let me. It was a nice, relaxing time.

When the sun fully set, we moved away from each other. I turned finally to look at Max.

"Wanna go out for dinner?" He asked.

"Okay," I nodded.

Max walked out of the room, I followed him. He walked to the front door and went outside, me still following behind.