Moving Forward

Well then (12)

Max didn't hadn't seen River for a week, which was more than a little disconcerting - especially considering they'd only just barely managed to distinguish that it had, in fact, been a date. His nerves were beginning to make an appearance, and so, in an attempt to avoid them, he did everything that he thought needed doing.

All the sheets were washed, he mopped the floor, windows were polished. The perpetually empty fridge was now full with more food than he'd probably eat in the week, but then there'd be extra, so not really a problem. Even his bed had been made, which was kind of unnecessary since he'd slept in it all of once this week. At least it stayed neat, though.

Pathetic, Max groaned at himself, staring at the clean bed.

Finally, he made a decision. He put on a pair of dark jeans and a white shirt and got inside of his truck (which had also be washed and unnecessarily vacuumed). Where he was going? He actually wasn't entirely sure, just certain that he needed to be moving. Soon, he was out on a motorway, allowing his body to dictate the direction. He stayed on it for a good hour before his bladder began to complain and his stomach grumble.

Coming out of a rest station toilet, his phone rang. "Max?"

Lara then. The disappointment was somewhat surprising. What had he expected? After a week of radio silence from River, did Max really think he would call now?

"Yeah?"

"Where are you?"

Max was quiet for a moment. "I don't actually know." It was a straight line, though, from the motorway to Evergreen, so it was no problem getting back.

"Well, you might want to get back to yours as soon as ya can." Lara advised, sounding like she was trying to stay calm, but failing miserably.

Max frowned, pausing on a bite of a sausage roll. "Why?"

"Because Kyle's here and he seems to be panicking more than a little." Before Max could ask anymore questions, Lara hung up, leaving him rather confused sat in his truck.

Still, if River was panicking, then there must've been something horribly wrong. Even when he was facing that mob of rogue wolves the other week he hadn't appeared even the slightest bit fazed.

Max ripped out of the rest station and got back on the motorway, driving like a bat out of hell to get back to River. Even so, he wouldn't be there for another 45 minutes - even with the increased speed. That gave him time. Far too much time to think. And it suddenly occurred to him that even with a week of being left hanging, Max was still rushing to get back to River's side. They weren't even a couple, for fuck's sake. They were barely dating.

So what? He hissed at himself, releasing a low growl. Max liked him and that was enough for to stay on the motorway, going faster than the speed limit. He pushed the pedal down and then he was flying across the tarmac.

Turning into his driveway, Max very narrowly missed hitting Lara and a couple of other people that he didn't recognise as other members of the River family until he properly stopped and got out of the car.

Immediately, arms wrapped around him from behind and Max simply melted into the embrace.

"What's wrong?" He murmured into River's chest.

River shook his head, clinging on tighter, burying his head into Max's shoulder. "You were gone, and all your cushions and blankets are tidied and why the fuck is everything so clean?" He snarled. But he sounded worried.

Max paused for a moment. And then chuckled. "Because I cleaned."

"And then where did you go?"

"For a drive," Max sighed. "Where did you go?"

That made River pause. "When?"

"The past week."

"I-" River didn't say anything and then growled again. "I thought..."

"Thought?"

"Boys," the sound of River's mom stood behind them made Max stiffen a little in River's hold. "Wouldn't it be best to take this inside?" She didn't sound like she minded the fact that her son had another man in a tight embrace.

The group followed Amelia's instructions, letting the woman lead the way inside. Immediately, Max went to put the kettle on, only sitting down when Amelia waved him off.

"No need for that dear," she said with a kind smile.

"Shoes off please," Max mentioned before she could step into the living room.

Next to her, Carter grinned. Max wasn't entirely sure what it meant, but he didn't question either of them, instead pulling a few blankets from a woven basket and throwing them on the floor. River didn't hesitate to join Max on the floor, and Max wouldn't dream of pushing him away. River was warm and he was clinging onto Max with his added werewolf strength. At some point, Max realised that been dragged between River's legs, and he knew that his skin would flush anyway, but wth the addition of River's mother and brother as witnesses (and Lara, but she was a shit anyway, so Max had given up being embarrassed with her) the blush spread further than his cheeks to envelope his entire face.

He didn't even know his darker skin could turn that colour.

Standing slowly, and in turn tugging River up with him, Max strolled onto the porch. It was strange, being with River. No, not being with River. Being with River was the most comforting feeling Max had ever had. What was strange was being with River while his family looked on. As if there was nothing surprising about the development. As if they already knew.

That question could wait, though. There was a more pressing one waiting.

"Why didn't you say anything to me for a week?"

"I... thought you might want some space." River shrugged. "Being a kitt- cat- jaguar."

"You were about to call me Kitten again weren't you?" Max grumbled. He couldn't really complain. He liked it. He liked when River called him Kitten, despite being a full grown jaguar.

River didn't say anything, just nodded. Holding eye contact with River was something Max still found difficult. They weren't so much bottomless pits, anymore though. More smothering. Something about them made it difficult for Max to breathe. Difficult to speak. Yeah, there was no way Max could keep eye contact with that.

"I didn't want space." Max finally managed, soft voice becoming ever more quiet. "I..." he couldn't help the pathetic whine. "I don't want space from you."

River took one of Max's hands, and the heat that burst in Max's veins was all River's fault. He'd never been an affectionate person. Even with Luke, it'd been difficult when the other man had wanted to be held and Max didn't want to be touched at all. But simply having his hand held was doing more to Max than Luke ever had.

Max allowed River to guide him to the circular porch chair, and the pair curled around each other without a thought.

Warm and gentle, River held tight onto Max and Max didn't ever want him to let go.

"You... can call me Kitten... if you like." The words were muffled by River's chest.