Authors Note: Hello! This is when some things really start heating up. Hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the votes and comments for this cute story.
-Saturn
As much as Charlie seemed to calm him down that day, things started to change a little, after Max had that meeting. He looked happy and tense at the same time. Every time he would talk to him, he seemed to calm down, so Charlie tried to keep up a good conversation. Max still had a lot of responsibilities, so he couldn't stay with him all the time. Instead of sitting in bed, waiting for him to come back, he convinced Dr. Button to let him help in the kitchen more.
Whether it was the kitchen duties that needed to get done, or beds that needed to get made, he was always quick to help out. The staff seemed to love him for it. He was also getting quite a few interesting looks from the other people in the house, but he bowed his head a little bit out of respect. It was the best thing to do when his hands were full. Katy and Nick always managed to find him for lunch. That was really how they got him to eat. They were fun to talk to, no matter how many times he had heard the same story they wanted to tell. Their theatrical reactions to each other were hilarious. They were great at bringing people together too. Pretty soon, Charlie had gotten a whole group of people sitting with him to eat at lunch. Max was going to yell at them for it, but Charlie begged him to let them continue to come. What they talked about didn't bother him. It was mainly all work issues and gossip.
It was amazing how easily people relaxed after talking for a bit. Even Max, who seemed like he was never a talkative person. As soon as Charlie found something that he liked talking about, he was laughing and enthusiastically explaining. It was amazing to see his face light up when he talked about something he was really passionate about. It made whatever the subject was ten times more fascinating to learn about too.
That's what the next couple of days were like. More people started to visit him in his room, too. Leah and Sam liked to come a lot. They loved talking about their kids and all the couple's stories they could think of. It was nice to see a couple so in love, even with raising kids. Then there was the group of people that always came with him to sit and enjoy lunch. But, other than Max, Ed was the one who came the most. When everyone else was busy, Ed was always there to talk some ears off.
"So," Charlie gave him a playful smile. "You're a house husband?"
"The closest thing to it," Ed laughed. They had some fun times before Dr. Button would come in and say that he needed to let Charlie get some sleep. He never thought he was tired until the doctor would say it. Then the sleepiness would hit him and he would be yawning. He didn't know why he always felt like he needed to take that nap in the evening, but the doctor said that it was to help him heal faster.
Even with the nap time, it was nice that they were finally letting him do more things. He could work longer in the kitchen, or help one of the janitors out with the cleaning. Being able to talk more definitely helped too. Charlie loved that he could talk with so many people. When Max wasn't doing one of his responsibilities, he would be right next to him with everything Charlie did. The second that someone started asking questions about him, Max was quick to shut the conversation down and get him away from them.
He felt bad about that. He knew why Max did it, and he was happy that he wanted to keep him from getting another anxiety attack. But that didn't mean that Charlie didn't want to talk about himself, at least, when it came to letting someone get to know him a little.
He just, didn't want to talk about that part.
Max had been getting more tense around him after a while. He already missed the calm way they talked to each other, or the comforting silence that they had just a few days ago.
"Max," Charlie looked up from his book. He just couldn't seem to concentrate today. "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" he looked up from his paperwork.
"Am I causing a problem by being here?" he looked down for a second, embarrassed to ask something like this.
"Of course not," Max set his work on the side table. With a quick movement, he lifted Charlie's chin up to match his eyes. "Why would you think that?"
"You just seem a little stressed," he answered honestly. "I know you want me to get better, but I really don't want this to ruin our friendship." He really wanted it to be more than just a friendship. His mind was having a civil war with itself on how he should feel towards Max. But they barely knew each other, and Charlie still wasn't sure how to think about that kiss from that night. The one thing that his whole being could agree on was that he didn't want to lose Max permanently. So, forcing it was completely out of the question.
"I'm not stressed because of you," he moved back into his seat and combed his hair with his fingers. "My mind has just been in this huge fog. I can't seem to shake it off."
"Yeah, I've been that way too," he stared off through one of the windows. "Usually whenever my mind gets all foggy, I go hiking through the woods. It's not safe to go far, but it's a nice way to clear the mind," then he turned back to Max to find that he was staring at him. "I'd love to see some of the forest you have around here."
"I don't know if it's safe for you to go hiking," there was that protective look in his eyes again. Charlie loved all the different ways that those purple eyes looked at him.
"I should be fine if I don't go alone," Charlie gave him an award-winning smile. "Or maybe we could just find a place to sit away from everything. That could help too."
"You're right," Max sighed. "But I'm not letting you go in the clothes that you have. I'll have Leah get you some jeans or something."
"I really don't want to over work someone who's pregnant."
"Oh, she'll just pick them out," he assured him. "It's her business, after all. Sam will probably be the one to drop it off."
"If he's not too busy babysitting," Charlie chuckled. Sam was such a great father.
"Maybe Ed, then," he frowned. He couldn't help but think about how cute he looked when he frowned.
Max looked cute no matter what.
"Errand boy Ed," he joked.
"I really do ask him to do too much, don't I?"
"It's okay. I'm sure I can make it up to him with a pie or something," Charlie smiled at him.
"That's some great motivation," Max laughed. "Your pies are amazing. He's going to hold you to that."
"I like making them. It shouldn't be a problem."
Max took his paperwork and disappeared into the hallways. He had to get ready too, apparently. Charlie didn't really know why. He looked perfect no matter what he wore. And he wasn't wearing anything that was going to tear easily.
Thankfully it didn't take long until Ed came in. Charlie still didn't like being alone anymore. Those thoughts still liked to come out and torture him. He didn't know why they decided to pick now to come out. But there they were.
"You better make the best damn pie of your life, Apple," Ed popped in, and handed him a light plastic bag.
"Sorry, were you in the middle of something?" he felt guilty now. Maybe he should have told Max to pick someone else. Maybe he shouldn't have thought of doing this in the first place.
"Nah," Ed brushed it off. "I'm just excited to get your pie again. That was the best pie I ever had in my life."
"Which one was your favorite?"
"The raspberry one," he put his hand on his stomach and rubbed it. "That was the best one."
"Alright, I'll make a raspberry pie for you, and a blueberry one for Emily."
"How did you know that was her favorite?"
"She ate just about all of them," he laughed. It was funny seeing her with blueberries all over her face. "It wasn't that hard to tell." Ed had wiped it off with his finger and put some in her hair that day. She was so mad at him.
"You know, Apple," Ed shared a warm smile with him. "You really are a kind person. I think you're really going to like this place the more you see it."
"Thanks," he was still trying to get used to the nickname they had given him. He wasn't really used to compliments like that either.
Ed left as fast as he came. All it took was a quick goodbye and he had disappeared just like Max had. Charlie missed having people with him already. He needed to get himself out of that mindset, but that was a problem he was going to have to fix after he got home.
Charlie looked into the bag that Ed handed to him. All the clothes were brand name. Dark blue jeans with a dark purple T-shirt. He dug deeper to find that there was even a leather jacket and some good hiking shoes.
He couldn't accept these. He'd feel too guilty that something would happen to them. But he knew that Max was going to be back soon and would probably be upset if he refused such a gift. Charlie sighed and went to the bathroom to change. It was odd that the room had a bathroom added onto it. It gave it a hospital look, even though it still had a very personal touch. Charlie wondered if Dr. Button had decorated everything in this room or whether he had someone else do it for him.
He had to admit, he didn't look bad in the clothes. These were the nicest clothes he had ever gotten. The only exception was a suit that his old professor gave him as a graduation present. That was expensive, and Charlie didn't want to accept that, but his teacher told him that he was going to need it in the future.
Charlie wished that teacher had been right.
But he just couldn't accept these. They were, at least, eighty dollars each. And the leather jacket was probably over a hundred. There would be no way he could pay them back. He already owed Dr. Button and Max so much for all that they did for him.
Before he could take it off, the bathroom door opened. Max looked like he was going to say something, but he stopped. Now those purple eyes were looking him up and down.
"I think this might be a little too much for a short hike," Charlie broke the silence. Having someone like Max stare at him like that was making him uncomfortable in ways he'd rather not be around the man. This wasn't the best time for things like that.
"I had a feeling you were getting cold feet," Max smiled. "You look great. It's perfect for a hike." His eyes looked darker than usual. It was probably just the light of the bathroom, but it made him curious about them. He still had no idea why Max and his father wore those contacts all the time.
He was going to argue against it. But Max was already pulling him out of the bathroom. There was no point telling him he didn't want to accept something so expensive, so he let it go for now. If he got the money to pay them all back, he would.
Charlie went to his things to grab a small pocket knife that he always kept with him. He had it ever since he was a kid. It was something he had found useful to have no matter what. It didn't exactly help him with Evon that night, but it could help them if they get lost or stuck. When Max gave him a strange look for getting it, Charlie just shrugged it off.
"It's always good to have a pocket knife when you're hiking."
"I suppose you're right," Max said. Then he ushered Charlie out of the room. They stopped by the kitchen and grabbed some water bottles. Max gently put an arm around him and pulled him away from the kitchen before anyone could talk to him. Charlie couldn't help but laugh. Max seemed so excited to go outside with him.
The exit was a door right at the end of the hallway. He could tell that it was mainly meant for the workers because there were dumpsters right outside of them. They didn't look as messy as the ones at the restaurant. Other than that, there was nothing but trees and grass.
It was beautiful. The trees looked thousands of years old as their branches reached the sky. They looked like they met with the clouds. Sun beams shot through them. They almost blinded Charlie when he walked past them.
"Pretty good location, right?" Max asked.
"It's amazing here," he blocked his eyes from some more of the morning beams. The air was cold and crisp. Winter was slowly peaking over the bend. It was close to coming over. "I would love to live out in the middle of nowhere like this. The woods are really peaceful."
"Maybe we should go hiking more often."
They walked a little in silence. Charlie spent most of it taking deep breaths. His ribs were healed enough to allow painless breathing. The fresh air felt amazing.
When he looked back at Max, he could see that he still looked a bit troubled. His gaze was off into the great unknown. Charlie usually was the type of person who didn't pry. But he worried about him.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"Talk about what?" the red-head asked, looking confused.
"What's been bothering you," he answered. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand. But sometimes it helps." He wasn't much to take that advice himself. But, then again, all it ever did was hurt him more.
"I'm about to inherit my father's business," Max said. "In order to do so, I need to gain the board's respect."
"Well, the best way that I've learned to do that is by action," they slowed their pace as they got to a rockier part of the forest. "If you show them that you can do it in a way that they didn't think you could, then you can earn your respect."
"That makes sense" his brows knitted. "But how would I show them?"
"You could show it through your knowledge of the business. If you start at the bottom and ask some of the people on the front lines, I'm sure you'd be able to find the problems. Then you need to fix them or come up with a plan to do so and there you have it."
"Why start at the bottom?"
"The bottom employees are usually the blood and bones of the company," Charlie explained. He wondered whether his advice would actually be taken. Hopefully it helped him in some way. "If you go to them you also add to your reputation and get word to your board."
"That does sound like a really good idea," Max grinned at him. "Thank you."
"It's no problem," he said, enjoying the warm smile that they were both sharing with each other. He still remembered how those lips felt on his. If only they could relive that moment.
"I don't know," Max broke the silence. "I've been preparing for this my entire life. It's always been my dream. But now there's other things involved and nothing but troubles up ahead. Sometimes I wish I could just stay in our conversations forever."
"Our conversations?" He felt a gentle warmth fill his body at the sound of that. No one ever really told him something like that.
"Yeah," Max sighed. For once that week, he looked relaxed. "You're a really easy person to talk to."
"I try," he teased. "You're not bad at talking to people, you know. Keeping your words to yourself is a good trait to have as a boss, in my opinion. It shows you're willing to listen to others."
"How do you know all of this?"
"The managers at the restaurant are some great examples, but it was mostly school that taught me."
"I wish I went to the one you went to," Max chuckled. "All I remember from my school is wondering why all these people in math problems always bought so much fruit."
"Math gets weird sometimes," Charlie laughed. "Those questions never lose their charm though."
Their conversation drifted onto light topics. They both had some funny memories of high school. It was nice to get to see Max in such a light-hearted mood. He always was so serious, or looked serious. But, when he let his guard down, he absolutely lit up. It probably happened around some other people. But Charlie was enjoying the fact that he had only seen him this way around him.
They were about to turn around and head back to the mansion when Max stopped abruptly. His once relaxed features now tense. He was alert. But Charlie didn't know what to. He was going to ask him what was wrong when he heard it himself.
A low growl come from the shadows of the woods. They should have expected to see some in these parts. Charlie thought about trying what he did with the other wolves he came across, but he had a hunch that these guys were much more aggressive than the others. Something about the multiple eyes that stared at them let him know that they would not be friendly.
"Charlie," Max put himself between the wolves and him, "Run."
Run? And leave Max alone? Why would he ditch his friend when there were wolves that wanted to eat them?
The sounds of the growls were starting to come from different directions. The pack was trying to trap their prey. He had no idea what to do. Was this how he died? He had to admit, it would be a better story than being beaten to death by a coworker.
"Run Charlie!" Max hollered. He said it in such a commanding tone, it made him flinch. But Charlie stood in the same spot, stuck due to a mixture of fear and confusion. Where would he run? The wolves had cornered them in every direction. He couldn't exactly outrun a wolf either.
The growls grew louder. They were getting closer. But this time they seemed to be too close than what Charlie thought. He could swear they were coming from Max. But that couldn't be right. Unless it was some call to get them to leave, like how deer hunters have a mating call to get buck to come out. Still, it was so animalistic that he had no idea how any human could imitate it.
It was broad daylight, but these wolves had somehow created shadows to hide in. Charlie saw a flash of brown fur, as they circled them, but that was just about it. He could feel the tension that was coming off from all of them. He wasn't sure if their focus was on him or Max, though. Max was the one who was trying to protect him, but they still seemed like they were watching him. They might be able to tell that he was wounded. Usually predators go after the wounded ones first because they were the easiest to catch.
He never would have thought that he would be surrounded by wolves that wanted to kill him. It was remarkable that the last pack didn't want to. He had gone hiking a lot, and never had to deal with a situation quite like this before.
Charlie had gotten closer to Max, almost touching his back. There was no where to run. This was the best thing he could think of doing. There was some silence as everyone waited for the other to make the first move.
Then everything happened so fast. Max pushed Charlie away as soon as one of the wolves lunged for them. Charlie fell on his back and watched as the red-head he had fallen for started to change in a way that he didn't think was possible. It was the most gruesome yet fascinating thing that he had ever seen.
He heard popping and cracking, as Max's skin started to grow fur all over his body. His clothes tore off as he grew. The strangest sight was his face. His nose got longer, and fur started growing on his face as well. His ears got long and pointy.
What was at first a wolf attacking a human, was now two wolves fighting to the death.
He would have stayed frozen on the ground with nothing but his elbows propping him up. He would have stayed frozen in shock. But there was another fear that came crashing to him, like a wave of the ocean when Poseidon has been angered.
There were two wolves already attacking the red wolf that used to be Max. But there were still others that were circling them.
Others that were watching him.
As much as he still hated to leave his friend alone to fight this battle, he had to get out before he became a meal. He scanned the area to find the spots that the first two wolves had lunged out of. Then he quickly got up and ran in that direction.
He ran.
And ran.
And ran.