Work Text:
The wind blew softly that day, the trees rustling in response. Max’s mom had taken her to a park . Max was on a structure that was laid out and painted to look like a pirate ship. She was trying to get up in the crow’s nest area when a boy came up and pushed her off the rope ladder she was climbing.
“What was that for?” Max said.
“Girls can’t be pirates. You don’t get to go up there.” The boy said before trying to climb the rope ladder himself.
A girl came up from the climbing wall, reached up and grabbed the boy, yanking him off the rope ladder, hard. Max scooted against the wall to stay out of the way.
“Well I say that’s a dumb boy rule. You can’t tell her what to do.” The girl said, the boy still laying on the deck.
The boy shuffled to his feet and stared the girl down.
“It’s not a dumb boy rule. Everyone knows that girls can’t be pirates.” The boy said, getting close to her.
“How can everyone know that if she didn’t know? If that was a real rule, do you think she would’ve been climbing up here in the first place?” The girl asked, gesturing toward Max and not backing down from the boy’s attempted intimidation.
The boy looked toward Max, who frowned at him, then back at the girl.
“Well you’re a girl, too. So how would you know?” The boy said.
“I’m not a girl.” The girl said, turning back at Max and smirking. She then pulled out a stick she’d had tucked into her belt and turned back to the boy, for emphasis. “I’m Bluebeard, the toughest, roughest pirate captain in all the seven seas!”
The boy backed away from the stick pointing toward his chest.
“Logan!” A woman called in the distance.
“You’re lucky my mom’s calling.” The boy mumbled, before walking away.
The girl puts the stick away into her belt.
“You ok?” The girl asked, reaching a hand down.
Max just stared up in amazement at her from down on the ground.
“Yeah!Uh, yeah… just a scrap.” Max said, grabbing the girl’s hand and getting back on her feet before showing the girl the minor scrap on her elbow.
“Ah, tough girl. I like it.” The girl said.
Max blushed, unsure how to respond.
“Maxine, time to go honey.” Max’s mom called out.
The girl smirked and looked at Max.
“Your name is Maxine?” She said.
“Max, never Maxine.” Max said, her brows furrowed in frustration with her mom. “Well, thanks for helping me. I gotta go.”
Max turned to leave.
“I’m Chloe.” The girl said.
Max turned back and smiled, hoping she’d see Chloe again soon.
As Chloe stands before her, scared and soaked by the rain, Max couldn’t do it.
“Max… it’s time…” Chloe says.
“Not anymore.” Max says, ripping the photo in half and letting the pieces fly in the direction of the tornado.
“Max, I’ll always be with you.” Chloe says, reaching over and holding Max’s hand.
Max couldn’t watch. She turned into Chloe, hugging her tightly, as she stared out into the storm, unable and uninterested in stopping the chaos tearing apart their hometown.