𝓒𝓾𝓹𝓲𝓭'𝓼 𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓭|𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨

n̸i̸n̸e̸

t̸h̸r̸o̸u̸g̸h̸ s̸i̸c̸k̸n̸e̸s̸s̸ a̸n̸d̸ i̸n̸ h̸e̸a̸l̸t̸h̸

T̸o say Jean was sick would be an understatement. Her eyes were itchy, her throat was scratchy, she was sweating everywhere, and her stomach was on fire. Not to mention her clogged sinuses and flushed cheeks.

"Ugh, will you calm down? I'm not dying okay?" The blonde huffed, readjusting the cold rag that lay on her forehead. As soon as she told Max how she was feeling, he rushed to her house and practically dragged her to his lair. Now, she rests comfortably on his bed as he paces back and forth in front of her.

"I can't! And you might as well be! I just don't get it, how could you be sick?! It's not even cold outside!" The boy rushed, running a hand through his hair anxiously. He didn't know why he was creaking out so much, yeah being sick isn't a good thing but, the thought of Jean in pain or suffering concerned him. He nibbled on the tip of his thumb while keeping his gaze pointed to the floor. Jean picked up on the little habit, finding it quite adorable. Wait what?

"Relax dude, it's probably just a fever. It'll pass" The blonde reassured, yet again adjusting the rag on her head. But she had spoken too soon, because right when Max began to release the tension in his shoulders a loud sneeze shot out of her body. Normally she would groan in annoyance and aggressively wipe her nose with a tissue. As would anyone else. But this sneeze was....different.

Max stared wide-eyed as fire shot out of her nose, and burnt a hole through his shirt. Silence enveloped the two before the blonde spoke.

"Well, I like the view?" She laughs awkwardly, nodding towards Max's exposed stomach.

"Jean...?" Max called nervously, frozen in place. His eyes were glued to her red and puffy ones.

"Max" Jean rasped, her warm hand lying over her mouth in caution.

"Jean?!" Max pressed, stepping back slightly. He was speechless, every word dying on his tongue as he stared at the blonde in caution.

"Okay, upon further research I have figured out that you......are sick!" Max called out, his phone clutched in his hand as he strutted over to the blonde.

"What? No way! I would have never guessed!" Jean rasped, moving into a sitting position and glaring at the boy. A slightly burnt tissue clutched in her grasp.

"And, you have a new superpower!" Max cheered, albeit unenthused, waving his hands in an attempt to lift her spirits. He shuffled into the chair next to his bed, watching Jean intently.

"What?!" Was all she could utter, her voice cut off by a harsh cough.

"Yeah.....you don't look very excited about that" Max trailed off, lowering his jazz hands.

Jean stood up and began pacing. "Of course, I'm not! I mean, how, why!" The blonde stressed, toying with a fabric string hanging off her shirt.

"Jean!" That caught her attention. Her eyes bore into Max's as he spoke. "Just calm down, take a deep breath and relax" His voice was unusually soft as he guided her to the bed, sitting her down and rubbing soft circles on her back. She sniffled and sat, wiping her nose harshly.

A sigh escaped the blonde's lips, her fidgeting stopped, and the tension in her shoulders released. As she turned to Max, she froze. His face was mere inches from hers, his breath fanning her cheek did nothing for her red cheeks. His eyes bore into hers, watching as hers scanned his face and glanced at his lips. Neither of them truly noticed how their bodies leaned forward, yearning for the feeling of contact, or how Max's hand slid down her back and rested atop Jean's hot one.

The teens froze as their noses met, uncertainty hanging in the air. The air felt thick as Max's name fell from the blonde's lips, and her name from his. They were so close, yet so far. All it took was one small movement and their lips would meet. Brown meets green. A silent battle is being shared with just one look.

But what after? Say they meet in the middle, drowning themself in the other. What happens after? Their "relationship" is a mere cover-up.

Max bites his lip in thought, watching as the blonde contemplates whether to lean in or back away. He knew what he wanted, but this was up to Jean.

Jean's green eyes flickered to Max's eager lips for the umpteenth time before she decided. Jean drew a breath as she moved, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

Whether she moved away or leaned in? Who knows, all we know is that there would be a change in the way the troubled teens viewed the other.