My Heart Didn't Skip a Beat...(Max)

[Justice Coltrain]

Justice last memory was of telling Max about his disease and how there was no cure. He told him everything. Max seemed to absorb it and asked many questions, including how did he treat it, so he told him. He even gave him the medical book his mother had given him when he was a boy that had everything one could need to know about the disease.

Max had taken the book and walked out into the night with promises to see him the next day. Justice was feeling like yesterdays meat loaf so he laid down to close his eyes for 10 or 15 minutes. That’s all he remembered before the fire began to burn inside him. He woke up in the night soaked to the skin in sweat, every shadow on the wall seemed to be an ominous monster, reaching for him. He tossed and fought but he was too weak to get out of bed and run from his fears.

Sometime in the night he woke again, shaking like his bed was vibrating. He was freezing cold, clinging to his shirt like it was a blanket. He felt a hand on his shoulder but he couldn’t focus on the face that loomed beside him. He felt a blanket pulled over him, water brought to his parched lips and a cool, soft lips on his forehead. He drifted off again, certain that he was going to die and grateful that it would finally be over. There was one thought in his head that had him want to cling to life. Max…

He woke again to a sharp prick in his arm but by this time he was so weak he couldn’t even open his eyes. “Max…” he muttered because it was the only word he could think of. His muscles cramped and pulled, causing him to growl with pain. Strong hands kneaded the muscles until they relaxed and he sighted with relief. He heard soft words that sounded like reassurances and drifted off once more.

When he woke a final time, he felt heavy. He was laying on his side against something warm. Something soft tickled his nose. His eyes opened slowly to the site of thick black hair hear his face. He noticed his arm was around this person beside him and their arm was firmly entangled with his. He knew that smell. It was Max. Max had come in the night and saved his life.

He didn’t move because he didn’t want to wake him. He must have been there all night and fallen asleep beside him. He wondered how long he had been out. He remembered the soft words comforting him, the cool lips against his forehead, checking his temperature, the smooth hands massaging the knots out of his cramping muscles. It was Max, all Max. He sighed with feeling and leaned his head into Max’s and closed his eyes. “Thank you.” He whispered and gently kissed the back of his head.

[max]

Max took the book home and read it. He wanted to know everything about the disease that made Justice sick. When he was finish he took it back to Justice. Justice did not answer his door. He went inside and found Justice was burn with fever. He felt his fever and gave him water. He put a blanket on him. He knew what to do because he read the book. He ran to get medical supplies. He knew his blood type was O negative from when he worked with the vampires. He got what he needed and ran back to Justice.

Max put a needle in his arm and one in Justice and gave him good blood. He prayed he was not too late. Justice was so sick. Max stayed awake with him and helped him when he needed it. He comforted him when he needed it. He finally thought Justice is OK. He was very tired but did not want to leave Justice. He lay down beside him and fell asleep. Soon he felt Justice move and a kiss on his head. He heard the words, “Thank you.”

Max let go of Justice arm. He turned over and look at him. He put his hand on his face. “Are you feeling better?” he asked. “I was so worried for you.”

[Justice Coltrain]

Justice closed his eyes and leaned his cheek into Max’s hand. It felt natural, it felt good, it felt right. He could smell the sweet scent of cinnamon on Max’s breath. He inhaled as if he was inhaling Max himself. “I was a little worried myself.” He chuckled lightly and moved his large hand to rest on Max’s cheek, “If it wasn’t for you, I’d be a goner for sure.” He added and pressed is forehead to Max’s. He wanted so badly to kiss him but he was not sure how to interpret Max’s actions. He was from another country where physical contact is not as tabu as it was in the United States before the apocalypse, at least that’s what his mother told him.

He had to make sure. He needed to know how Max felt so he knew how to proceed with their relationship, but how? He had never been with a man, never been with a woman for that matter, even if everyone in town thought he was the town manwhore, but he had his reasons for that. He just didn’t want Max to get up and leave. The thing is, not having him and having him be around would be agonizing. Better to tell him and have him avoid him than to pretend he didn’t have feelings for him.

He leaned his face in more so his lips were against Max’s cheek. “Max…stay with me.” He breathed softly and moved his lips so they were a hairs breath from the soft silken bow that he longed to brush his lips against. “Please.” He added, a hit of pain in his voice at the thought of Max leaving.

[max]

Justice breath was hot on Max. His hand was also warm but it was not fever. It was from being warm in bed with him. He wanted this all the time. He liked to be warm at night with Justice. He smiled at Justice and leaned his cheek to Justice hand. Justice said he didn’t want him to leave. It was more than he could hope. He wondered if he felt the same as him. His lips were so close, he could find out.

“I am not going anywhere.” He said to him. He could not help to kiss him so he did. He press his lips gentle against Justice lips. He take his lips away and looked at Justice. “I want to be with you, Justice. Not like friends. I want to be more. I want to be yours.” He said. He knew this way he could be sure how Justice feels.

[Justice Coltrain]

Justice could say he was taken by surprise but really, he wasn't. He had wished so hard for this first kiss to happen, it almost had to. Max’s lips felt like they had belonged there all along and were finally coming home. Justice closed his eyes but the kiss just didn’t last long enough. When he opened his eyes again, Max was looking at him. The look on his face was one he had seen before but was unable to interpret. Then he heard the words and the mystery was solved. Max wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with Max.

Justice closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief before opening them again. He combed his fingers through Max’s hair as he slid it around to the back of his hand and pulled max into his lips. The kiss was long and lingering. His lips were parted and his tongue licked out in search of Max’s. He broke the kiss and looked back at Max, “Me too.” He breathed softly.

[max]

Max felt Justice tongue caress his and wanted it to stay. The kiss ended too soon. He knew Justice was sick but he want to show him his love for him. The way Justice was breathing said to Max he wanted him like he wanted Justice. He said to him he wanted him to stay too. That would be easy. He wanted to make sure his special man was healthy. He was strong but illness come to him like a thief and take him down. Max will change that.

Max put his hands in Justice long hair and pull his lips to his. He kissed him again with much passion. This time he did not let go of the kiss. This time he let his tongue dance with Justice like a lover. He move his hand down his back and pull him close. Justice will not doubt that Max was in love with him.

[Justice Coltrain]

moved...