My Roommate Max... A Max Schneider Fan Fiction

Chapter Twenty-Six: Late Nights

~ Cause if you need a friend tonight, I'll be up; if you ever need someone to cry on ~

Chapter Twenty-Six: Late Nights

I quickly changed, stepping back into the dark room. Max was laying on his stomach on my bed, waiting for me. It felt nice to be in warm, dry clothes again, I thought, padding over to my bedside. Max looked up at me, holding my gaze. I gently sat beside him, trying not to make the bed shift too much.

"How're you feeling?" I asked quietly, running the back of my hand across his cheek. He smiled weakly, reaching up and touching my hand.

"I've been better," he said honestly, his voice tired. He closed his eyes as the smile was wiped from his face, letting out a small groan of pain. I took his hand and he squeezed, waiting for the pain to pass. I gently ran my fingers through his hair, comforting him as he let out a shaky breath.

"I'm so sorry, baby," I apologized. Max shook his head, taking a deep breath before moving. He began shifting himself into a sitting position, gritting his teeth and groaning the entire time. When he finally made it, he pulled me into his lap, despite the intense pain I knew it caused him. I didn't make any movement to object or argue though, because I knew he would ignore me and do it anyway. I rested my head on his shoulder, careful not to put pressure on his abdomen. He softly pressed his lips against my forehead, his breathing shallow as he held me close.

"Don't be sorry," he told me quietly, through the pain. He put his hand up the back of my shirt, resting it on the small of my back and rubbing small circles there. "None of it is your fault, I promise you beautiful. And I know you don't believe it," he added, moving his lips to whisper in my ear. "But it really isn't. Please don't blame yourself..."

I softly smiled, holding back the fact that regardless of what he said, it was still my fault. I kissed his cheek softly, bringing my hand up to rest on his chest. He was still for a moment, before lifting his free hand under my hair and onto my neck. He tilted my head back, looking down at me with an adoring glint in his eyes. He brought his face closer, pushing away the pain as his eyes slipped closed. I was more aware of his hand on my back, his touch on my neck as he tilted his head to the side. My own eyes slipped closed as he gently touched his lips against mine, kissing me.

I was hesitant, not wanting to get caught up and hurt him. But as he kissed me, I felt my mind cloud, logical thought becoming difficult.

"Why're you hesitating?" Max asked, his lips moving a centimeter from my own as he pulled away slightly. I concentrated, forming a coherent statement.

"I don't want to hurt you," I said softly, feeling my walls begin to crumble. He chuckled slightly, leaning me back. It slowly occurred to me he wasn't groaning in pain like he should've been, supporting my weight.

"You won't," he said, his breath warm on my face. "Don't you see, beautiful?" he asked, rubbing my back. I could sense his smile, the way his voice was stronger. "I'm not in any pain," he told me, pulling me closer. He moved his lips to my ear, a chill going down my back as he murmured, "You're numbing me out..."

He gently kissed me again, his hand moving further up my back as he got a better grip to support me. I could feel him getting stronger, at least in the moment. He smirked into the kiss, flickering his tongue in and out of my mouth playfully. I laughed slightly, tangling my fingers in his hair.

"Tease," I accused him, pulling away slightly before kissing him again. He laughed, pushing my body closer. His body was warm against mine, goosebumps forming where our skin touched.

"You like it," he informed me matter-of-factly, only parting for an instant before he was kissing me again. I giggled slightly, feeling his fingers push into my back.