Not quite Shrek.

12. I wish I could love you.

"What do you mean I can't come along!?" 

Geralt rolled his eyes, "Max, any normal person wouldn't want to come along after seeing what happened to me the last time...or the time before that" 

"Well I'm not exactly normal" Max hissed and Geralt grunted. Max fumed, "So what, you're just going to go fight this incredibly dangerous monster yourself?" 

"Yes" 

"Geralt-" 

"Max I've lasted longer than you have been alive without you, I don't need you on this!" Geralt snapped and Max stared at Geralt, straightening, 

"Right...so what? You've never cared for me?" 

"Max I never said that" 

"I can interpret for myself" Max said, his heart feeling hollow and he looked away from Geralt, wrapping his arms around himself. 

Max blinked away tears and he could feel Geralt gently wrap his arms around him and pull him against his chest, 

"Max...I'll be fine" 

"But you can't know that" 

"Ask Yen to send you home...it's high time you did" 

Max shook his head aggressively, "I don't want to go home!" 

"Max..." Geralt said, not unkindly, "This isn't the life for you, the life you live isn't this and shouldn't be this...you should go home, marry a princess, have children, forget about me" 

"But I don't want to forget you" Max said, his voice cracking and Geralt just looked at him kissing his forehead, 

"I need to go...I love you Max". 

Before Max could have responded, Geralt was gone. Gone on the hunt and Max felt his heart sink, heading to Yen's room and knocking on the door. 

Yen opened the door, raising an eyebrow at Max, "Max? Wha-" 

"Send me home" Max said softly, "please?" 

Yen opened her mouth but upon seeing how upset Max was, decided against it and she nodded, pulling him into her room and making a portal. 

Max stared at the swirling mess of colors and took a deep breath, stepping through it and tumbling home, away from his friends, away from Geralt.