Clay P.O.V

     I paid dearly for my rage against Emmy's truck key and my disrespect to my father. If I wasn't a cancerous mess I'm sure I would have gotten it worse, but as it was, my black eye was waning and my dad's voice had come back after he'd yelled himself hoarse. Emmy's knuckles were still wrapped when she dragged me in for chemo. The only comforting thing the nurse had to say to me, as she was rubbing my bicep, was...

     "You look good, for a cancer patient."

     Why did I agree to this again? She jabbed me with the needle and walked away. I sat in that room forever, watching the fucking liquid drip steadily into my arm, reminding myself of what was to come with every drop.

     The drive back I felt it already starting to effect me. I was tired, not warm and pleasantly sleepy, but heavy and clumsy. The fatigue was oppressive and hung heavily on my chest, weighing down my arms and legs. Emmy kept asking if I was alright and Max held my hand, squeezing it to get my attention. It was slowly getting harder to focus on their words and what they meant. When dad pulled up the drive and stopped the truck at last, I opened the door, leaned out, and vomited, spectacularly, onto the snowy ground.

     I was a ticking time bomb, and everyone knew it. I was truly a cancer patient now, fighting for my life, allied with a drug that was doing just as much damage to me as the disease itself. Why did I agree to this? I knew this would happen. I wasn't sick before chemo! And now I was laying, apathetic on the couch, crippled by a sleepless fatigue as waves of nausea clenched at my empty stomach.

     I swear, with God as my witness, if one more person asks again if I am alright while I am dry heaving, I will scrape together the energy to raise my arm and smack them! I am not 'alright', in fact, I'm pretty fucking far from it.

     It was only day one...

     Dad tried to get me to eat something some time after the sun went down and finally just pulled me up enough to force some water onto me when I didn't respond. I don't know where Emmy went, I have a feeling Bradly might have been there at some point, but I really have no idea. I think Emmy went home after dark? Someone pulled a blanket over me and kissed me, whispering sweet nothings and they had boobs. I'm pretty sure that was her. My head was so foggy.

     I watched the fire bun lower and lower, unable to sleep even when I was too tired to move. It's safe to say, I anticipated these side effects, but I was nowhere near prepared for the extent at which they worked.

     Max crept down the stairs and tossed a couple logs on the coals before he hopped the arm of the couch and snuggled behind me. His arm looped my waist and he nuzzled his face between my shoulder blades, getting as close to me as humanly possible.

     "I'm sorry." He mumbled. God damnit. Why did that break my heart. I wanted to roll over and crush him to me, kiss his face, love him until he understood he could do no wrong in my eyes. He can't apologize for doing nothing. It's not his fault. However, I hardly had the energy to fumble clumsily to grasp his hand and hold it.

     "Things will be, better in the morning." I slurred slowly as he squeezed my hand so tight I couldn't believe I couldn't feel it hurt.

     Thank god I was at least half right! Morning came and I felt better, I could fucking move in any event. The first thing I did when Max started to stir awake was roll over and crush him into my chest.

     My god, I loved him so much. He was there, still. Maybe not for much longer, but he was there and he hugged back. I couldn't help but pepper him in kisses and smile into his hair as he giggled sleepily.

     "I love you. I love you so much." I said, finding his lips.

     "What's gotten into you?" He said past my mouth. "I take it you are feeling better?"

     I said nothing, I just kissed him, morning breath and all, rubbing my hands up and down his back. I groped his ass, kissing his throat as he tried to push my face away, laughing.

     "Alright, better, I get it." He said, giving in and letting me hold him close. I traced his jaw slowly, cupping his handsome olive skinned chin and pulling him to meet my kiss.

     "What happened yesterday?" I asked, keeping my voice low. It was still very early, if the weak grey and gold light streaming through the window was anything to go by. I ruffled his hair, unable to keep my hands off him. I just wanted him to know how much he meant to me, while I could, before it was too late, before all he could remember of me was how sick I was.

     "When did Emmy leave?" I asked.

     "Bradly took her home after he dropped Michael off. It was almost dark." Max said, grabbing my hand from his hair and holding it.

     So it must have been Michael I thought I saw. "He came over after Amanda made it home....he hasn't left yet." Max said, whispering the last part with a sly smirk.

     And those were Amanda's boobs, not Emmy's. "Amanda is here?"

     "Yeah, she was really worried about you."

     "I'm sure that's why she is shagging up with Michael and not down here." I teased. Max laughed, rolling his eyes. "Dad went to bed early if Michael came over to see Amanda." I deduced. Made sense anyway. Michael knew better than to show any interest in Amanda with dad around....It only took being thrown bodily out of the house a few time to get it through his head.

     Max nodded slowly, his hand glided over my chest as he looked up at me through his lashes. I tucked him closer to me, his leg between mine and smoothed back his hair. I still felt clumsy and slow, but I ignored it as the mood changed.

     "What time did you come down?" I asked softly.

     "It was pretty late. I got cold and missed you." He said huskily, his voice more of a deep purr than anything.

     "What am I? An organic space heater?" I joked, but secretly I was trilled he missed me, even if it was just because of my body heat.

     "Yup." He said, popping the P at the end. "A 1997 model, one of a kind. Made in Norway with Finnish parts." He nodded seriously. "It's been acting up lately, but I'm rather attached to it."

     What a brat. Yet, I couldn't not smile.

     "How are you feeling?" He asked suddenly serious.

     "Stupid." I wish I could have said something a bit more...intelligent, but my brain was sluggish.

     Max smiled weakly at me and rubbed the unshaved scruff on my chin. He pushed me to my back and climbed on top, kissing me this time, snug between my legs.

     My god he was perfect in every way. How was he still sweet to the taste? The smoky burn of dark coffee lingering beneath the sweetness of his tongue as it curled with mine. He laced his fingers behind my head, tugging softly at my hair. He was in control, and I knew it, and I reveled in the thought.

     It was cute how his touches were still shy and almost apologetic as he unbuttoned my shirt to get at my skin. Of course, 'shy' and 'sweet' were thrown out of my mind as he worked off my belt and forced my pants down. They were replaced with things like 'fucking sexy' and 'hot as fuck' in and instant.

     I pulled Max's shirt over his head as he kissed down my chest, tonguing my nipples, but bypassing my crotch to pull yesterday's jeans off all the way.

     I fumbled with his sweats and shoved them down to his thighs, grabbing his ass to pull him back onto me. He made an adorable little squeak of surprise and jolted like he was electrically shocked. His ass was so nice and round, soft but firm, two handfuls begging to be smacked.

     My god I wanted him so bad! He palmed me through my boxers as I kneaded his ass, cupping it and trailing down his thighs.

     "Max, will you fuck me...please." I blurted, quickly adding please after he stared at me in disbelief. Max had stopped doing everything, his hand paused mid stroke under my waistband, the other no longer teasing me along my ass. In fact, he was just gaping at me. I broke my boyfriend.

     "Uh...yeah." He said, a flush flaring to life in his cheeks and chest. "Sure."

     Oh he really was so cute. Whipping off my boxers I fumbled with the inside lining of my shirt for a condom....don't judge me, and pushed it to him. He opened his mouth apprehensively to speak,

     "Don't worry, you'll catch on. When in doubt use more lube." ...But I didn't say that.

     Max whipped around as I moved to my knees. There, standing in the doorway, was Michael. He was leaned against the frame with a steaming mug and a pair of ridiculous snowflake flannel bottoms, looking completely unconcerned.

     "Oh my god!" Max turned away and covered his face in mortification. He didn't cover his bits, just his face.

     "Fuck! Michael!" I growled. How had we not noticed him!? He would have had to walk through the living room to get to the kitchen!

     "No, fuck Clay." He said grinning. The smart ass ducked when I threw an ash tray at him. It sailed harmlessly over him. I wasn't aiming to hit him, I was just making a point.

     Snatching up his pants so he didn't trip, Max took me by the wrists and we ran off up the stairs and slammed our door. It was just loud enough to wake up the rest of the house, but we were beyond caring at the moment.

     We hit the bed, our lips locked, hands fumbling. I could tell Max was nervous, I could taste it as he kissed me, but his hands were steady. I tired my damndest not to flinch away when he slid my shirt the rest of the way off my shoulders and then caressed my stomach. I wished he wouldn't do that! I felt...exposed, vulnerable; take your pick.

     I took his hands to move them up, but he smacked me away.

     "Stop that." Max hissed, firmly holding his hands where they were. "I'm going to touch you."

     He kissed down, dipping his tongue into my bellybutton and kissing from hip to hip. His hands wandered the whole time, lazily stroking me as he flicked his tongue over the tip of my cock.

     "Mmmmm," that felt good. He was still just teasing me, not giving me enough to get off and I was throbbing. Yet, I could stay like that forever if that's what Max wanted.

      He locked his lips with mine and it was only then I realized I was completely breathless. I held him against me, sparks of heat nipping along my flesh and burning me up from the inside. I couldn't help but buck my hips against him. He moaned wantonly but quickly bit his lip, blushing.

     I think that was a sign. It was thrilling, Max settling between my legs slowly, rubbing his hands along my back as his cock bumped against me.

     "You're not going to hurt me you know." I said looking over my shoulder at him. He stuck his tongue out and busied himself with lube. My chuckle turned into a groan that almost drown out Max's high pitched gasp when he spread my cheeks and pushed in.

     Oh, yeah it had been awhile. And still, I immediately pushed back as his nails dug into my hips. "Oh god, Max!"

     Max sounded so hot, gasping and grunting over the slapping of skin on skin. I wanted to see what he looked like while he fucked me.
 
     I wished for a mirror, it would almost be worth having to see myself if I could watch Max push and pull to gain sweet pleasure. I pictured him with his eyes closed and his head back, ass clenched as he rolled his hips.

     "C-clayton," he gasped. I loved it when he used my full name, but it was too soon for that warning. Damnit! I'm dying and all I want is a good, long fuck, is that too much to ask?
 
     I know, I'm an asshole! Get used to it.

     A couple thrusts later and he was done, choking on my name and clinging to me as his legs trembled and his hips bucked minutely.

     Shoving me to my side, Max climbed, a little shakily, over me and planted a breathless kiss to my mouth.

     "Sorry," He mumbled bashfully.

     OH MY GOD! Didn't he already know I was head over heels, dumbstruck, in total fucking love with him!?! Why was he so hell bent on making my heart flutter with his heart wrenching sweetness?

     "The whole point of us having sex, was to have an orgasm."

     "Shut up, you know what I mean." He said, trying not to smile and blushing to his ears as he went down on me.

     Inexperience aside, Max gave some damn good head. I must be a good teacher. I might have been obnoxiously loud, but I wanted him to know how good it felt. Oooooh, and when he hollowed his cheeks, just like that,

     "Ohmy goaahHHHd!"

     Both satisfied, he cuddled up with me, dropping a lazy arm over my waist as I caressed his neck with the backs of my fingers, kissing him lovingly.

     "I love you." I said, playing with his hair while he nestled his forehead to mine.

     ....I pulled him closer, hiding my face. He didn't say anything...again...