Partners in Crime - Max Mayfield

Pain Creates Barriers

Chris walked out of the school building as the day had come to an end. Chris noticed James, his father, standing next to the car, waiting for him. They two entered the car and soon began their drive away from the school.

"So, how was your day?" Chris shrugs "I learned my friend from the arcade goes to my school so that is nice." James nods as smoke leaves from his lips, exiting the car. "Me and my friend also have a group of stalkers." James turns and looks at Chris in surprise. "Oh?" Chris nods "They seem nice, but then again, they've been stalking me and Max but Max more then me." "Is Max your arcade friend?" Chris nods "Yeah she is- "Ohh, it's a girl?" Chris turns and gives James an annoyed look making James laugh. "I'm kidding with you" Chris smiles slightly and turns his attention toward the outside.

As the car continues to move, they pass by a large building and Chris' eyes widen slightly as he stares at it.

"Excellent work ██████ ██████ You continue to excel well past expectations."

Chris quickly turns his head away from the building as they pass the sign, labeling the building as

The Hawkins National Laboratory 

Chris lets out a soft sigh of relief as they pass the building and James takes notice. "You alright?" Chris nods, refusing to talk. "I know that we don't really connect..emotionally, after.." James doesn't need to finish as Chris nods. "But," James places his hand on Chris shoulder "If you ever want to talk to me..about your past, or whatever is bothering you, I'm here, and I always will be." Chris nods and James turns his focus back onto the road. 

James and Chris arrived home and the two entered their house before Chris slumped onto his bed, letting out a sigh as he felt himself sink into the soft cushioning of his bed. 

Chris hated this town. Sure, the people were nice (at least..some of them) and the environment was beautiful, but the memories are what Chris hated. The memories that haunted his mind in the middle of the night. 

The screams

The torture

The tests

The Monsters

Every night, it was a different memory, a different traumatic experience. He wished he could talk to James, he really did, but there was a clear barrier between them. They never truly expressed an issue about it, living as if it wasn't there, but it was. Chris had entered James' life and ruined it, simply by getting too comfortable. Chris remembered that day, he remembered it because recently, it was the one memory plaguing his dreams the most.

"Chris?" Chris turns and looks over and looks at Silva. "Hello" He waves and she smiles, lightly waving back as well. "What are you doing out here?" Chris exhaled as he relaxed his body against the large tree he sat under. 

"Getting some fresh air ma'am" Silva smiles and sits down next to him "I thought we went over this: You can call me mom, and your dad, dad. We adopted you, made it official and everything." Chris nods "Sorry...mom..it's weird, saying that." "Did you have a mom? Before we found you?" Chris shakes his head "I have..fractured memories of her, small details, in my mind." Silva scoots closer to Chris 

"What was she like?" Chris shakes his head as his head slumps "I never truly got to know her, I just know what she looked like." Chris sighs as he shuffles through his memories. "She had dark brown hair and she had pale blue eyes with lightly tanned skin. Her smile could light up a room, even in the darkest night." 

Chris smiled lightly as he looks over at Silva with tears in his eyes "The last thing I remember..before..we were..separated, was her smile." "How did..how did she die?" Chris looks away "I..I don't remember" 

Chris had lied

He remembered exactly what happened to his mother, but he refused to put any attention on the memory. Silva placed her arm around Chris and he allowed his body to lean into her hold. 

"I'm not trying to replace her, Chris. I never will do that to her or to you. I just you to understand that no matter what happened to you, before we found you, we will ALWAYS love you, and absolutely nothing will ever change that." Silva kissed the top of Chris' head "Okay?"

 Chris looks up at Silva and nods, smiling slightly "Thanks..mom" Silva smiles back and the two relax in each other's presence. 

Chris snapped his eyes open and let out a sigh as he sat up from his bed. He looked out of his window and noticed how late it was. Chris got out of his bed before walking toward the kitchen, noticing James, sitting on the couch in the living room, holding a framed picture. 

"Silva..I don't know what to do..he doesn't want to talk to me." James sighs as he lets out a puff smoke. "I think he still blames himself." Chris stands on the stairs, watching James. "You were always better at this..emotional stuff..I just..I don't know what to do."

 Chris sighed and moved to walk toward James before stopping himself, turning around, and walking back up the stairs, as silently as he can. 

Chris finally arrives back in his room and sits himself on his bed. He sighs and grasps his walkman, placing the headphones on his ears and laying back on the bed as the tunes overcame his ears. 

James finally places the photo done and puts out his cigarette. The once blooming fire in the fireplace was now just embers and James let out a small sigh as he looked toward the stairs, debating internally.

 He had heard Chris' footsteps come down and then go back up the stairs but James continued talking either way. He knew he was nowhere close to being a good father, and he doubt he would ever be one, but, he could do the best he could.

So James walked up to Chris' room and knocks. James doesn't receive a response and so he knocks again, but still, no answer.

 James slowly opens the door and peaks in to see Chris laying on his bed, headphones over his ears, and his eyes closed, asleep. James sighs lightly and smiles before walking over to his son, removing the headphones and walkman, placing them on Chris' desk. 

James kneels next to Chris and gives him a soft kiss on the head. "I..I hope that some day..soon, we can properly talk. I love you, son." James stands up and then walks away, closing the door on his way out.

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Hope you all are enjoying the book so far

I intended to update this book with a chapter every Wednesday so look forward to that ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ

I finished Season 4 part 2 and OHHHHH BOYYYYYYY I can't wait to hit you all with THAT pain train HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ( ͡°( ͡° ͜ʖ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) ͜ʖ ͡°) ͡°)

Anyway 

See ya in the next chapter