phobia | elmax

best friend

eleven woke up into the arms of her best friend.
she remembered last night, and how she had asked if they could cuddle.
that was the best sleep she's had in a while.

eleven sat up, she heard max start to stir awake,

"shh, go back to sleep max." eleven whispered.

eleven smiled as she watched max slowly fall back asleep.
she gently caressed her cheek before finally getting up to take a shower.

~
"hey sleepyhead." eleven says as she comes back into the room from her shower, seeing max watching tv.

"hey." max smiles, eyes still glued to the tv,  "when did you wake up?"
"about half an hour ago. i took a shower, i hope you don't mind." eleven answers.
"no it's fine, you can—" max finally looks up.

her heart stops when she sees eleven. eleven was only wearing a towel and her hair was dripping wet on her shoulders. she looked gorgeous.
max had seen eleven after a shower a few times but this time was different.
she was in awe and she couldn't take her eyes off of her.

"max?" eleven furrows her eyebrow, waving her hand in max's face.
"huh?" max snaps her face back to look into eleven's eyes.
"you were staring at me, what's wrong?"

max's face turns a deep shade of red.

"i—nothing..." max trails off and she focuses her attention back to the tv.
"okay." eleven shrugs and sits next to max.

max turns back to eleven and she watches her put on her socks,

"i heard watch you said last night."
"what?" eleven asks with an unsure expression,
"you said that you loved me?" max continues, "is that true?"

eleven sighs, as she finishes putting on her socks.
max waits patiently for her to talk.

"i do love you, max. you're my best friend and i care for you so much. i know we don't usually tell each other that but it just slipped out of my mouth...sorry." eleven smiles weakly.

max nods.
she didn't know why, but hearing eleven say best friend made her frown a bit.
but that's what they were, weren't they?

"i just never...heard that before." max says barely above a whisper.
"no ones ever told you they loved you?" eleven asks, softly.

max shrugs weakly and eleven pulls her into her chest.

"i love you." eleven whispers.

max smiles sadly.
she so badly wanted to say the same to eleven but the words wouldn't come out her mouth.