Vibrant Afterglow

"It’s so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone."

[maxwellreeds-archive]

camdenattwood:

Camden knew that Maxwell had the ability to get nervous over smaller things, but he had found it cute all of the time, loving how the skin around his eyes wrinkled when Maxwell smiled bashfully. He found his way to the other’s apartment with ease and made his way to the door that lead into where Max would surely be waiting for him. He was unbelievably nervous as well, something that Camden never got. It was a foreign feeling to him, especially since this boy was the only one he’d ever thought of having sex with. He had no interest in girls, or other boys for that matter. He literally only had eyes for Maxwell. His type was Maxwell. “Hey,” Camden responded once the door had been opened and then smoothed out the nice sweater that he had donned before coming over. He wanted to look nice, put-together, but not seem too eager although he was desperately eager to be close to Max. And, it probably showed. “Thank you,” He responded with a smile, feeling his nerves ease a bit as he listened to his boyfriend’s laugh. It was calming to him. After being let inside, he finally got a good glimpse of what Max was wearing though or, better yet, not wearing and the nerves were back. He realized just how intimate they were going to get and he didn’t want to do anything wrong, or not be able to preform up to par. His cheeks threatened to turn pink and he shook his head. “No, you’re fine. You’re perfect,” He replied, taking a step toward him, remembering just how nice it was to be held by Max, or to hold him. He remembered his warm comforting smell. And, maybe he could do this. He just wanted it to be special too. “I wouldn’t be here if it was someone different, that wasn’t you,” He said. “Should we… Uh, should we go into the bedroom? Now, I feel overdressed.” He attempted at a joke and a small smile.

Max could listen to his boyfriend talk for days and not move from his spot -- it was strange really, how he slowed down to Camden. Everything in his life had been so fast for the longest time, everything moving in ways that prevented him from getting close to people. Even the job that he loved so much allowed him to be close to people while working at a distance and made it easy to move at his own pace. When he realized that he had feelings for Camden and even more than that, when he realized that he enjoyed being around him so much -- things just sort of slowed down. Camden was more confident, more sure than he was and being around him made his entire world slow down. Max stopped enjoying fast paced so much and learned to appreciate the calm that came with slowing things down. 

When Camden started talking about how it was him -- how he wouldn’t be here if it was anyone else... Well, Max just sort of melted in his spot. He took a step towards Cam and wrapped his arms around his neck, shifting up on his tip toes to plant a tender kiss on lips that he’d come to know so well. “I’m really happy to hear you say that.” The smile he wore was hard to hide as he grabbed his boyfriend’s hand. He’d seen the other mutant shirtless before, but this was going to be new territory for the two of them and he was nervous, but more than that, he was excited. Maxwell wasn’t a virgin, but this was different than all the other times, this was the one he actually wanted to mean something special. “You being overdressed means I get to help you take most of it off.”

He led Camden into his bedroom and looked around to make sure that everything was in order. Two hours were spent cleaning before the other got there and he hoped it showed. Max let go of Camden’s hand upon entering the room and turned to look at him -- a spark of something in his eyes. How long had he waited to fave Camden in his bedroom like this? How long had he thought about the idea of finally being able to date him? This was special, more so than anything else. He took quiet steps towards them before pressing a soft kiss against his neck and smiling up at him. “How do you want me?”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

He was nervous -- which wasn’t really new because he had a horrible tendency of getting nervous over really small things sometimes. Max had always been an outgoing person, but it didn’t stop the way he chest contracted sometimes and the feeling of having a hand around his fist. When things got like this, his powers sort of went out of whack and gave his body a weird sort of glow that went away as his anxiety decreased. At the moment, he was staring at himself in the mirror and trying to breathe away the almost angelic glow that was current emitting from his body. It wasn’t working and the ding that came from his phone only made it worse because that meant Camden was close. If it had been anyone else, he might have been a lot calmer about the prospect of having sex, but this was his boyfriend and this needed to be special. The young mutant shot back a quick reply and continued his breathing exercises until the glow was dim. 

He’d just calmed down when there was a knock at the door and he headed over, examining himself in the mirror once more. The shirt and boxer briefs that he usually slept in seemed a lot more exposed tonight, but there was no time to change it now. Max opened the door with a smile. “Hey,” he says with a shaky laugh. “you look really nice. Come on in. I’m sorry if I’m under dressed -- I don’t really have a precedence for this.” He smiles despite himself. “I’m glad that it’s you though.”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

camdenattwood:

Camden had a peculiar craving. It was hard to pin-point what exactly he wanted in the beginning because he was so hungry, but he knew once he began looking at the menu that what he really wanted wasn’t on there. Even though it was past the usual breakfast time, he wanted pancakes. And, not just any pancakes — Marionberry Pancakes. They were pretty well known around Portland as being sort of a rare and hard-to-come-by treat, but knowing that he was picking Maxwell up from work in an hour or so, he had some time to do some searching for them. So, he told the waitress at the first restaurant that he wouldn’t be ordering from them and moved onto the next place, and then the next place, and then he thought that maybe his search was going to come up fruitless until he spotted a small diner that he knew could have just what he wanted and decided to give it one more try. So, quickly, as to not be too late to pick up Maxwell, he entered, was delightfully surprised that they did indeed have the illusive marionberry pancakes that he craved so badly, and ordered two short-stacks for him and his boyfriend. Checking the time, Camden realized he hadn’t as much time to get back to Maxwell’s work as he wanted but made the trek nonetheless. After parking and getting out of his car, he walked toward the entrance of the work where he hoped Max would be waiting for him. “Hey, sorry I’m a bit late. I brought you something good though, so you can’t be mad at me too much,” Cam grinned. “I hope you’re hungry?” He offered, and held the Styrofoam container of pancakes out to Maxwell. “I figured we could eat out on the patio of your work,” He motioned with his head to where the seats were. “Since it’s so nice out today and, we don’t know how much longer we’ll have this kind of weather.”

Work was a constant whirlwind whenever Max was there. People liked him (which was understandable, you ever seen that smile up close?) and did everything they could to strike up a conversation with him. There were a lot of regulars in the house today and it made it easier to do his job because he’d memorized most of their orders after a few minutes of talking to them. People had taken the day off in order of the holidays so it was just him and two other workers to man the station. However, given how smoothly things were going, you’d have no real way of telling that the place was understaffed. His shift was coming to a close and still no sign of his favorite person walking through the door. Despite this, he continued delivering orders and putting smiles on people’s faces until it was quitting time.

Max pulled off his hat and adjusted his hair, squinting a little at what the hat seemed to do to him on such a good hair day. He headed towards the door and caught sight of Camden holding something in his hand. Max smiled at his boyfriend and laughed a little at his words. “Thank you. I could never be mad at you, don’t worry.” The sounds coming from his stomach indicated that he was in fact hungry – probably much more than he’d originally realized considering how long he’d been at work. Working from nine to five wasn’t a big deal usually, but maybe the surplus of people and the absence of a working staff had taken its toll. He took the container happily before glancing back at the open seats on the patio. Portland wasn’t a warm place, but it wasn’t too cold today, which was incredibly nice.

“Sounds like a date,” he says before planting a kiss on Camden’s cheek, grabbing his hand, and heading outside. There were some whistles from coworkers who’d seen the two around in public and Max could only roll his eyes as they headed outside. Once they moved past the door, he inhaled the sweet smell of the Portland air and a table in a secluded spot with two seats right beside each other. “How was your day?” He asks as he sits down a little sad that it isn’t socially acceptable to eat food while sitting comfortably in your boyfriend’s lap. Instead, he settled for snuggling close while nibbling away at his pancakes. “Where did you manage to find Marionberry pancakes? I love these!”

[camdenattwood-blog]

“Oh, yeah,” He smiled in remembrance. “Our pizza business,” Camden repeated like he had forgotten about their ideal pizza shop, even though that was something hard to forget. They were about to continue on when Maxwell leaned in and pressed their lips together in a loving embrace. Camden’s eyes fluttered closed in reflex and only opened them when he felt Max pull away. He sat there in the driver’s seat; blinded by the kiss and the light that was Maxwell Reed. “No reason to apologize,” He responded, smiling a little bit. Before he knew it, the driver’s side door was being opened up for him – a nice thoughtful gesture that Camden took notice of and they stepped out onto the street. He motioned to the storefront across the road from them. “We’ll have to cross the street to get to it, but there it is,” Cam pointed out. Reaching out and taking Max’s hand in his, Camden’s heightened senses kicked in as they looked out for incoming traffic. Luckily, there wasn’t much of a wait for a lull in approaching cars from either side to appear and they both crossed over easily to the other side of the street; still holding hands as an added precaution. Once inside, the bell above the door alarmed the entire shop that there were new customers. There was a short line formed by the counter/cash register. To the untrained eye, the sweets shop was just a sweets shop but Camden saw it as so much more – especially now that he was sharing it with Maxwell. He didn’t want to let go on the other’s hand, but ultimately did. He gave a quick final squeeze and took a spot at the end of the line. He looked up at the menu and narrowed his gaze, Camden’s finicky nature was often overlooked when it came to sweet flavors. “With all this talking about our favorite desserts, I think I’m going to get a big slice of apple pie,” Camden half-whispered down to the other mutant; hunched over slightly as he talked. “With a just as big scoop of ice cream,” He practically purred before remembering he was in public. With Max by his side, they often felt invincible; doing things he wouldn’t normally. This boy had that affect on them. “Do you want to get anything? It’s my treat. After all, I do think it’s my turn to pay. You can always have some of mine, I’ll share,” Cam grinned before stepping forward when the line shifted them up to being first. Camden ordered his slice of pie and gave the other ample time to order if he so desired. The couple was told to go and sit down where they pleased and their treats would be out to them soon. Following the way of the restaurant, Cam picked a booth for the two of them and sat down in it. “I have something else to tell you about this place too, come here, it’s a secret…”They waited for Max to lean in and he whispered out, “It’s owned and run by a mutant who can manipulate time,” They smiled and leaned back; figuring that Maxwell would get a kick out of the information he just divulged.

[maxwellreeds-archive]

Listen, Max had never really appreciated the small things in life before, but thanks to Camden’s small (and meaningful) displays of affection he was really starting to. There was something so nice about holding the hand of someone that you care about-- it was really all he had ever dreamed it would be. He could watch Camden do things all day, even like simple things like walking across the street because there was an unnatural grace that came with it. A models best walk didn’t have anything on Camden and just enjoyed being able to witness everything that the other mutant did. The inside of the shop was just as nice as the outside and he looked around in awe at the sight-- he felt pressure on his hand then Camden let go. It was strange, had his hands always felt this empty when they weren’t connected to the others? Max grabbed a menu and began the delicate process of picking out what he wanted. 

When they spoke, Maxwell looked up surprised at always at their height difference (but thankful at the exact same time) and nodded at the choice, laughing quietly at the familiar sound of purring. “Careful not to get too excited,” he mumbles in return before looking back at the menu as they headed towards the counter. The sound of sharing a slice of apple pie and ice cream with them sounded great, but Max wanted something a little different today. “Can I get the frozen fudge pie please?” Once his order was placed, he followed Camden to their booth and slid into place, still taking in the sight of the place around them. There was something that he would never turn down and it was a secret so he leaned in as close he could, eyes wide in expectation. The new found information of the place being owned by someone who could manipulate time was really cool. “Wait, seriously?” He looked around and figured that explained why everything looked so vintage. “I didn’t know that mutants owned any businesses in town.” Maxwell thinks for a few seconds before speaking again. “We have to come here more often.” One more pause. “Thanks for showing me this place. I really like seeing the little secret places that you’ve found around town.”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

fcamdenattwood:

Max’s light laughter was music to Camden’s ears. There wasn’t anything he wanted to hear more-so than in that moment. Catching Max’s mouth silently thank him, he felt warmer inside. Making Max happy want definitely going to be something he was going to be making sure to do a lot of from here on out, merely from the way it made Camden feel when he did so. Camden watched as Maxwell thought about the question Cam had asked regarding desserts, and smiled when he heard the answer. “I love chocolate too, and cobbler,” He agreed with Max, before pulling the car out of the parking space and beginning to drive to where the dessert shop they wanted to visit was located. It wasn’t a long drive, but it gave them time to talk; something that the two didn’t seem to stop doing as of lately. “And I love pie. A good cherry or blueberry pie will always be at the top of my list, but I think I would have to say that my favorite dessert would have to be any type of ice cream. Soft serve, banana split, a milkshake. It’s so underrated but, with all the different flavors, how could anyone get bored?” He wondered aloud. “And they’re all bound to taste good because, well, it’s ice cream,” He chuckled lightly in explanation. “I bet you’ve never had bad ice cream before, because it doesn’t exist. So I understand why you like cobbler and ice cream so much,” They responded. Continuing to drive, Camden shot his appreciative gaze over at Maxwell, along with a smile when he offered to make cobbler for them sometime. “I would really like to taste that sometime,” Camden was happy to try anything that Max’s hand created in the kitchen at this point and knew that, if anything, the cobbler would be to die for. “I am your official taste tester, after all. It’s sort of my job. Or did you forget?” He joked, with a slight smirk on his lips. “I can’t let you down.”

Listening to Camden talk about sweets was probably the best thing he had ever heard in his life. Doing things like this-- sitting in a car and just talking put a smile on his face that would probably never leave. It wasn’t so long ago that he would stare at Camden and constantly deal with the fact that nothing would come out of his feelings. For the longest time, he thought it would just be butterflies dancing around in his stomach for the rest of his life. They were still there and showed up sometimes, but they had calmed down, had gotten used to whizzing around whenever Camden showed up. “Pie is always good.” He adds to the conversation and tries to keep himself from staring at them for too long partially because he would probably go blind, but also because he doesn’t want to seem weird.Even though he did a fair amount of staring before they stared going on dates so maybe it wouldn’t seem that weird in the end. 

When they mention ice cream, he files it away in the very back of his mind and pledges that he will make Camden the best ice cream ever with all the pie they can eat. Maxwell finds himself laughing when they bring up the fact that bad ice cream doesn’t exist because they have a very strong point. “I almost forgot,” he says with a grin as the car comes to a halt and Camden parks. “We still have to open our pizza business though.” There it is again, the bubbling need to kiss them and so Maxwell leans over and presses a tender kiss on Camden’s lips. “Sorry. I just-- you’re-- I really like kissing you?” He opens the door to the car and slips around to their side in order to open the door for them. “Lead the way. I am very excited to see this place.”

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[camdenattwood-blog]

Feeling Maxwell squeeze his hand, it made Camden feel even that much better than he already felt— which was on top of the world. He didn’t care if anybody around saw that he had happened to hold onto Max’s hand, or that he had happened to be kissed by the sweetest lips he’d ever known for Camden was proud to call Max his. He was only now beginning to understand the whirlpool of ink that was his own thoughts and emotions. He was an enigma, constantly alluding definition; even to himself. Only Maxwell seemed to be able to hold him down, just like the fellow mutant was doing now because Cam swore he could have floated away on a cloud. He knew one could do things on their own such as pick up some sweets on the way home, but he didn’t know that doing simple tasks with another could feel this good. “I had a feeling,” Camden responded. “I’ve seen how you prepare your own coffee, so I know you’re a fan of sweet tastes. Maybe not as much as me because, as you know quite well, I’m also a fan of sweet things. You included.” He added before returning Max’s squeeze to his hand and then letting go so that he could round about back to the side of his car. He opened the door for Maxwell after unlocking it and then hopped into the driver’s seat after closing it once Max was safely inside. The radio automatically began playing once the sleek car’s engine was ignited by the twist of the key and Camden reached out to turn the volume down so that he could hear what Max had to say. “What’s your favorite dessert?” He asked. “You’ve got to have a favorite, right?”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

If he was being completely honest with himself and the world around him, there was nothing that he would rather be doing than this. Standing around and holding hands with Camden-- even sweets probably wouldn’t be able to compare to the feeling of just enjoying each other. Max didn’t hide how much he loved sweet things and was ready to defend his love, but then they called him a sweet thing and everything just sort of stopped. Red flooded into his cheeks and now it was his turn to giggle. Hands squeezed his own before he was ushered to the other side of the car and he took his seat, mouthing thank you as Camden headed towards the driver’s side. Favorite dessert? He tapped his chin a couple of times in thought at the question and stared up at the roof of the car. “I love anything covered in chocolate, but I think my favorite dessert is probably peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream on top.” There wasn’t really explanation for his love of the treat, but it was one of the first things that he tried after moving into Portland and there was nothing that could beat it. It tasted sweet from the cobbler and the ice cream just added some cool goodness that he didn’t even want to try describing to anyone that hadn’t had it yet. Other foods and sweets could come close, but nothing made him happier than enjoying a spoonful of cobbler after a long day at work. He tried to make sure that he ate it as rarely as he could because he always wanted to make sure that he enjoyed it. If a person was to look closely enough in his fridge, they would see that he always had the ingredients lying around just in case. He watched the road before looking over at Camden. “I’ll make it for you sometime.” After a slight pause. “What about you? What is your favorite sweet?”

[camdenattwood-blog]

Camden was definitely smiling more frequently nowadays and it was a direct result of simply having Max around. All the stress in life seemed to slip off of his back easier now, like water off a duck’s feathers. There were indeed times where Camden felt alone— that was often the only life for a mutant. They had removed himself from quite a few people in their life, but knowing that he had someone like Max who was just a text away meant the world to the cat-like mutant. “Sometimes I just roam around downtown like a stray,” Camden mentioned. “Well, before I met you I did,” He offered Max another smile and silently thanked the universe for creating something as bright as Max and allowing him to shine his light upon them. “You’ve been keeping me busy,” They commented and watched as Maxwell positioned himself so that the two were in front of and facing one another. It wasn’t until the other mutant moved toward his face that he realized what was going on exactly. Their lips were kissed by Max’s for the second time and it feels like they could have been inside of a watercolor painting. All of the colors felt as if they could easily of swirled around, Cam’s eyes blinked quickly, and he could hear his own heartbeat. “I—Um,” His smile grew to a beaming grin, almost dumbfounded by the whole scenario. Camden chuckled out a giddy laugh and reached out their hand to take Max’s. “All right,” He nodded. “Saying that I can do whatever I want actually makes it easier for me to decide,” He swayed their hands back and forth. “We should clearly do both. I know of a dessert place that I could see you liking. They have really delicious crepes, but hand out free samples of fudge that comes in a bunch of different flavors. Does that seem like something you’d want to do?” They asked, but continued on; the grin not even faltering. “Then we can just go home to my place after that with our treats.”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

The image of Camden roaming around downtown was cute, if he was being honest. However, imagining him with cat ears and a tail just made the image all the better. It was nice knowing that he was keeping them busy-- there was something so secure about being able to spend time with someone who enjoys you as much as you enjoy them. Before the two of them had started, whatever this was, Maxwell’s time was split between work and finding ways to occupy himself during the rest of the day. There wasn’t much that went on at the Reed home aside from book reading or binge watching shows that he missed because of work. Of course, he had some club nights-- he went on frequently to relieve his boredom and that usually ended in a drunken make out session with a stranger. Max still enjoyed going to clubs, but there wasn’t really anything that could actively compare to spending time with Camden. Most of the time, it was just the two of them sitting around and talking about things. Those things ranged from themselves to the greater wonders of the universe, but it didn’t really matter to Maxwell as long as the two of them were together. “I enjoy keeping you busy,” he says with a sheepish smile. It is an incredibly truthful statement-- he enjoys occupying their time and he plans on keeping it up as long as they let him. When they grabbed his hand, he breathed a sigh of relief because there was a small part of him that wondered if kissing was actually okay. He squeezed Camden’s hand and grinned at the laugh that escaped the other. That was something he did, how cool was that? “I don’t know if you know this about me, but I love sweets and crepes are some of my favorite things. I’m always up to eat sweets with you.” He nodded. “That sounds great to me. I like sweets and I like you so how could this possibly go wrong?”

[camdenattwood-blog]

“I hope that I’m not too much of a distraction for you while you’re at work,” Camden responded quickly and pulled his lips into a tight smile. His eyes especially crinkled around the corners when Maxwell bumped into his shoulder playfully. Even in that red work uniform, Cam could tell that underneath the thick musk of coffee that clung to the fibers, Max still smelled very much like himself. It was warm and comforting scent that probably only his mutant abilities could pick up, but it very much reminded Camden of the night the two of them had spent so close together inside their tent during their latest camping excursion. Even if Cam wanted to stop smiling now, he couldn’t. It felt too nice and too right to stop being happy for once. Or excited by the presence of Maxwell. Even though he sometimes felt like he was playing a game that he didn’t know the rules too. He was never much of a dater… if this was even considered dating? Camden wasn’t quite sure, but all of those thoughts took second place to the ease that washed over him. “—A drive?” He repeated, mulling over his options. “I didn’t necessarily have anywhere planned to take you, but I’m sure we can find something to do in town? There are some nice shoppes that hand out free samples of food on nice days like this,” He suggested and reached his hand up to scratch at the back of his hairline. “Or we could spend some time at my place? I haven’t exactly had you over yet.”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

He hums at the thought. Camden was actually a huge distraction at work, but that was sort of Max’s fault as opposed to theirs. It felt weird when he thought about it– there wasn’t anyone in this world that he thought about kissing more than the other mutant. His lips were just really soft and there was just the right amount of distance between them in height and–God they were perfect. The smile on Camden’s face made him happy, while he was used to seeing him smile there was something about seeing him smile so frequently that just made his heart sing. “I,” he starts and places a hand on his chest. “–will never turn down free samples or walking around on a nice day.” There was a pause. “I also wouldn’t mind seeing your place.” He wanted to say that he also wouldn’t mind seeing their bed, but that felt a little inappropriate for the current situation. Maxwell didn’t need sex, but the idea of it was nice and the idea of having it with Camden was even nicer. Big hands on his hips guiding him where they wanted– he thought it better to stop there before he spiraled down into thinking about Camden naked…. again.·“They are both good options and I’m up for anything that you want to do.” He shifts so that he is standing in front of Camden and stares up at him for a few seconds before moving to his tip-toes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips before pulling back, his lips curled into a content smile.·“Like I said, whatever you want.”

[camdenattwood-blog]

Camden arrived at Maxwell’s place of work before the time his more-than-a-friend was scheduled to finish up the end of his shift. Arriving at this coffee place only became easier and easier, and the route was quickly committed to memory if it hadn’t already been. Cam enjoyed the ride there, but it was nothing compared to what he felt when he took the last turn on the route and pulled his car into his usual spot he took when parking in front of the storefront. He checked the time and hoped that being a full fifteen minutes earlier than the agreed upon time wouldn’t be a problem. Waiting usually wasn’t as agonizing as it felt to Camden as he waited for Maxwell to join him. Now, he had something meaningful to wait for. Someone worth waiting for. Propped against the hood of his car, Camden swiveled his head over toward Max when he bumped shoulders with him. “No, I haven’t been waiting too long,” He answered in an act of assurance. “It would be my fault anyways for showing up early like I did,” Camden confessed with a smile.“I guess I was eager to see you.”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

You ever stare at a person for so long that you start to think you’re going blind because of how good they look? This was sort of the problem that Maxwell found himself dealing with right now, especially when it came to looking at Camden head on. When the other was around, he was always sure that he would eventually lose his mind from how good he thought he looked. He leaned into the other, moving to stand against the car until the two of them were standing side by side and Maxwell could the warmth that seemed to naturally radiate off of the taller mutant. This was nice, just having them beside him-- being able to inhale the same air was Camden made him feel content. When there is an admittance that Camden was happy to see him, color rises up on his cheeks and he finds himself almost as red as the shirt he wore as part of his uniform. He bumps their shoulders together again, lowering his head slightly to hide the red in his cheeks. “Well,” he starts and he tries to be smooth, but how can be anything other than a bumbling mess when Camden is right there? “I was pretty eager to see you too. I thought about leaving work early, but the afternoon rush is always hectic. I missed you.” He motions back to the car. “We going for a drive?”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

Work never used to drag on like this, but then again, it was rare that he was actually looking forward to seeing someone like this. The need to see Camden was like an itch that started in the pit of his stomach and only laying eyes on the other would be able to make the feeling stop. He passed his current customer a cup of coffee and a smile before glancing at the clock-- he was finally free. It took him two minutes to remove his apron, clock out, and fix his hair in a way that didn’t look like he had been wearing a hat for the last six hours. Max stepped outside, inhaled and grinned wide when he met eyes with the person he had been waiting all day to see. After a few seconds of staring, he approached and gently brushed shoulders with his sort of kind of boyfriend. “Hey,” he says with a grin that he can’t hide. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long.”

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camdenattwood:

Camden watched Maxwell from his spot with his head laying down on the sleeping bag. He was thankful for the twinkling stars and the almost full moon that loomed above them. It casted a beautiful pale blueish hue over everything in the tent. It was calming even despite the haunting fear he felt in the back of his chest. If there was anything he learned from therapy though, it was that his emotions often conflicted with one another. He was happy and comfortable to be given the chance to exist with the other mutant but was also terribly afraid he was ruining a good thing. Even with the words that Max spoke, he was alert of everything that was going on. His eyes darted around the boy’s expression and Cam’s features softened; some of his prior anxiety untwisting from within at the feeling of Max holding onto his hand. “That’s exactly the problem…” He started, shaking his head. “I don’t ever want you to shut up,” His blue eyes, even bluer in the moonlight, looked back up to meet Max’s gaze. “I never want you to feel like you have to stop talking. I like hearing what you have to say. You’re important to me,” He confessed and surprised himself when he did so. It was very much true though, so there was no denying it. Max did mean something to Cam now… But what was it exactly? There wasn’t a term that felt right. The term ‘boyfriends’ felt distant and even a bit foreign to him. “–We have different perspectives but we’re also so similar. I know what you’ve told me about your past, but I want to know whatever you’ll let me. And not just the past. The future too. You could be the only one I talk to all day and I would be completely okay with that,” Camden announced after listening to everything that Max had divulged. When the time came, he let the other’s fingers thread in with his. “I don’t know how I’m feeling this way, if we’re being truly honest. I’ve been on my own for so long now. I was beginning to think it was impossible to be as happy as I am when I’m with you. I’ll protect you, I promise. I’ve been taking care of myself since I was practically sixteen. I want to protect you… So maybe your dreams are right,“ The corner of his lip twitched. "I can’t help it, and I surely can’t stop feeling this way. I don’t think I would even want to, if I could. It’s all so surreal. I wasn’t raised in a family that talked this way with one another; this open. I don’t know if I’m saying the right thing or if I should even be telling you any of this, but it’s coming from a real place. I can assure you of that.“

There are two things people needed to know about Maxwell Reed. Number one, he could ramble on about something he liked until the end of time if you didn’t tell him to shut up. Number two, being told that he was free to talk and that someone enjoyed hearing him talk was enough to make his heart soar. The mutant sat in silence with a dopey grin on his face as he listened to Camden talk. This was probably the first time he had ever heard him talk so much at one time and he spent every second listening and taking in every single word. As awkward and difficult as this whole thing probably was, the feeling in his chest was telling him that this was the start of something new. They liked each other and even if they couldn’t quite figure everything out right now, that was enough for Max. You’re important to me. It was becoming more and more clear that despite Camden not knowing what to say, he was still saying all of the right things. “You’re important to me too.” he says when he finds a voice to speak. Despite the fact that Camden’s mutation gave him the gifts of a cat, Max was sure that he must have had some power over the air because he was always left breathless around the other mutant. There were a lot of things on his mind right now and being able to express them was so comforting, so freeing. “I’ve been on my own for a while too..” the words come out much smoother than the last ones. One night stands were normal for him until he realized exactly how much he liked Camden. It is really hard to pay attention to lips on your neck when you’re thinking about what foods another person might like. There was something special about being told that he was someone worth protecting. When it came to protection, it had always been up to the light that he could manipulate around his body. While it was his power, Maxwell preferred to think it was his mom protecting him from afar. This was more than enough reason for him to cry, but he didn’t want to look that uncool in front of his -- boyfriend? soulmate? other? There were numerous titles that he could have given Camden, but none of them felt quite right, each one felt strange and not quite right. It felt good having someone say that his dreams could come true, he had given up on so many that this felt reassuring. “You’re saying all the right things,” he says in a voice that sounds like it is some where between being in a dream and being awake. There is so much going on in his brain that he isn’t quite sure where to start. “I want to protect you too. I’m not nearly as strong or as tall as you though.” He pauses slightly. “You’re really really important to me and I don’t that I’ll ever been able to really describe that.” Butterflies were fluttering up in his stomach and escaping out through his throat. “I’m really happy right now,” he admits with a goofy grin on his face. “I can’t imagine anyone else that I would want to be here with... I can’t imagine anyone else I would want to spend my time with. I always try to reply to your text a little faster than everyone else.” Max takes a pause and now looks up at the stars nervously. “I know we haven’t-- we don’t exactly know what we are yet but, I...” He takes in a sharp breath. “I would really like to kiss you right now. I mean, I’d like to kiss you all the time, but the urge is hitting super hard right now.” There is another pause. “Would that be okay? You can totally say no and we can wait-- I’d wait forever if I had to, as long as you’re comfortable.”

[barrycisco-blog]

[camdenattwood-blog]

Camden watched Maxwell’s expression with attention as he desperately awaited his reply. He could tell that his own ears were probably burning with shades of red by just how warm they felt. He hoped that his face wasn’t betraying him like his ears were. He heard Max’s voice after what felt like a hundred years even though it was only a mere moment. He felt the other’s fingers tighten around his hand and he now knew for sure that his cheeks were blushing just as much as his fellow mutant’s. Cam nodded his head as if to answer with a ’yes’ to Max’s question. Maxwell not only left him speechless, but breathless as well. Nobody had this much control over Camden like this boy had. He never had anybody around who would have wanted to get even as close as Max had came. He usually kept everybody at a distance, but the one whose hand Cam still clung to had somehow snuck up on him. “….I don’t know if I’m worth that much,” Camden responded, after hearing what the other had confessed as well. Camden realized just how much he couldn’t go back after saying all of this. He realized just how much he didn’t even want to go back and he couldn’t help but fidget in his seat suddenly. He attempted to play it off like he meant to do it all along and laid down on the bedding that Maxwell had set up for them. He would normally try and save these heavy thoughts for late in the night, when sleep avoided him and there was nothing to do but think. Somehow, still holding onto Max’s hand made him feel like he could tackle anything. “I think about you a lot too,” He replied, offering up another confession and maintaining the pattern. “It’s almost like you came out of nowhere. You’re like a dream,” He tried to explain. They could maybe even figure out what exactly the connection they seemed to have was; just as long as they did it together. “I think about what my life would be like without you, or what it would be like if I had never met you,” Camden practically whispered out in a hushed tone as he continued to lay there. Even though he was alone with the other — with nothing but trees and wildlife around them — Camden still felt like he was shouting his words. “And I never get very far. It is the worst thing that I can imagine,” He couldn’t even look at Max in the eyes and spoke to the other’s chest instead. He knew that Max would never judge him but the vulnerability he felt was too much. “I don’t know how I lived so easily before I had you around…”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

When Camden spoke, he held onto each word like it was the last thing he would hear in this life. I don’t know if I’m worth that much. He was right-- Camden was worth so much more and Max couldn’t stand it. There weren’t words created yet that could describe how he felt about the other mutant and maybe it needed to stay that way. For now, his feelings would have to sound like breath entering and leaving the body-- it would sound like life being poured into a body. Yeah, that was how he would describe it from now. Maxwell Reed had never expected to end up here, never expected to be seated across from the boy of his dreams (and now his reality) and pouring open his heart. This wasn’t supposed to happen -- he was supposed to watch from the sidelines and just be resigned to keep his feelings under wrap. Camden wasn’t supposed to like him back, he wasn’t supposed to blush a bright shade of red that made Max notice just how cute he was. None of this was supposed to happen. He felt grateful that it did though, the butterflies in his stomach had been released and now it was just the slow burn on confessing things that probably should have been said a very long time ago. His eyes watch Cam as he shifts suddenly and then lays down on the sleeping bag. He gently brushes his hand over Camden’s hand in order to push away any anxiety or anything else that might have been troubling him. “I can’t imagine myself without you.” The mutant says in a shaky voice when the other talks about imagining life without one another. When Max decided to leave the facility, there were a lot of things that he decided to leave behind. His mother was in a coma that she would probably never wake up from and his father was using her cells to create the perfect mutant soldiers. All of it weighed on him, in the very depths of his mind, and often threatened to pull him under if he didn’t keep himself busy. Upon coming to Portland, he was searching for a way out, a way to start over and try to forget about his past. It had become clear over the last few years that he couldn’t forget it, only learn to live with it and come to accept what had happened to him. He was a lot less bitter now, a lot less likely to steal, but he still sometimes felt alone and he was okay with that now. However, when he first ran into Camden Attwood and stared up into a pair of eyes that seemed to reflect something that was familiar, something that made him remember where exactly home was. When the two of them were together, the thoughts of the facility couldn’t suffocate him anymore because he was already having trouble breathing. He was being suffocated by Camden’s presence, by his smile, by his warmth-- by everything that composed the other mutant. Death by asphyxiation wouldn’t be a terrible way to go as long as he got to keep that smile in his life. Slowly, Maxwell brings up Camden’s hand to his mouth and place a soft kiss on the back of the exposed skin before shifting so that he is now sitting a little closer to the other mutant. “When I have nightmares,” he starts slowly in case going to fast make the other leave. “--you’re the one that appears when I think about protection, when I think about feeling safe.” It’s sort of embarrassing to admit or at least it should be, but he doesn’t find it that way at all. “I think you’re the only person I look for while I’m at work,” he says with a hoarse laugh. “You brighten my day and you’re the only person whose text I respond to so quickly...” He laughs again and uses his free hand to rub the back of his head. “I’ve never said any of this out loud before, but I --,” there is a tightness in his chest and he gently laces his fingers with Camden’s, taking note of the notable differences in their hands. “I really can’t think of any other ways to say that I like you? It would get repetitive, but it’s very true and I can’t imagine spending my free time with anyone else or looking at anyone else the way I look at you or-- thinking about kissing anyone else the way I do you.” A pause. “You have very nice lips, if you’ve never heard it before. I’m sure you have though-- just wanted to let you know. I’ll shut up now.”

[camdenattwood-blog]

moodboard .002 — [ ❝safer with you❞ ]

Maxwell Reed && Camden Attwood

[camdenattwood-blog]

Camden listened to Maxwell’s wavering tone and his own sense of nervousness prickled up his spine. A brow arched up higher instinctively and he widened his eyes as he watched the other; noticing the anxiety-riddled expression that Max was beginning to take on. Had the mood shifted without Camden’s knowledge? A bit of fear could be tasted as he swallowed hard and he swore he could hear a low thumping sound. I have something to tell you. Camden would have easily informed him that Maxwell could tell him anything, anytime, but something held him back from speaking just yet. His brain was like a train station and his thoughts were being sent off in every direction. Whatever Max was going to say next was obviously causing him to feel uncomfortable. I really like you. Four simple words and Camden almost choked. He worked hard to suppress the cough he felt in his chest and throat. Or maybe it wasn’t a cough at all, but just all of the feelings he had been so scared to connect with for so long. “…Thank you for telling me,” Cam responded now, nodding his head a bit, quieter than usual too. It was almost out of being polite, but Camden was genuinely relieved that the other had chosen to bring the topic up. Instead of dancing around it like he was so used to doing. He thought that if he ignored his confusing feelings for as long as he could, he eventually wouldn’t have to deal with any of them. It was an act of self-preservation for him, almost. A trait ingrained in Cam through hundreds of therapy sessions with a shrink since the age of nine (ordered by his parents) and being brought up by various nannies that had looked over him. Albeit part-time, Camden still wasn’t the most loving of people. But he could see the shades of red paint across Max’s cheeks and, realizing he was still holding his hand, he picked it up and closed his other hand over Max’s. He moved them into his lap and he looked down at their hands now. There was no turning back now. Not after that, Camden thought. This boy could probably get him to do anything he wanted. Cam was quiet for a moment. “I…” For once, the cat-eyed mutant was at a loss for words. How was he to formulate a sentence to explain the knots that Max had been tying in his heartstrings? How was he to explain that he could very well be in love — whatever that was— but he was utterly petrified by it?  “I don’t think I could ever hate you,” Camden confessed, looking up at the other once again with the tiniest of smiles. The kind of smile where you can only see it if you know where to look. “—But, I should be the one that’s apologizing. I’m sorry for never saying anything earlier. I don’t know quite what this is,” Camden responded, talking about what they had between the two of them. “But I like it. More than anything,” He responded. “And, I like you. I’m getting to like you so tremendously that it some times scares me.”

[maxwellreeds-archive]

Fear and anxiety and every other gross emotion gripped at him as he watched the other for a reaction. When Camden spoke up and said thank you, it took all he had not turn turn invisible on the spot. It would have been easier, way easier than this, but he didn’t want to hide from Camden-- not the one person that he felt he could share anything with. The crush be damned, he didn’t want to lose such a good friend. He could live with just being friends, no matter what, as long as he was able to keep those eyes in his life. God, he sounded like a bad romance movie and that was probably the worst part of this whole thing. “I’m glad to hear that,” he says with a half laugh and it feels a little genuine, mostly because he caught the way Camden smiled. The thought of the other mutant hating him was enough to make his stomach twist and not in the good way. He was preparing for rejection and trying to figure out the best ways to go about moving on until-- I’m sorry for not saying anything earlier. Did that mean they had been thinking about it too? Did that mean he wasn’t the only one-- that there was hope? Max didn’t really know what it was either, but he enjoyed it. Enjoyed the way that they made him feel and the way that they held hands and the way that Camden’s lips looked when he talked. All of it, he enjoyed all of it. There was a long pause between when Camden spoke and when Maxwell finally realized exactly what he said. If he was a machine, it would have been a full system shut down. Every cell in his body tingled and he just stared ahead at Camden with a dazed expression of his face. He felt dizzy and happy and ever other emotion that was swelling to life in his chest. Nobody had ever really admitted to liking him before-- at least, not in a way that wasn’t someone telling him that his ass was great. “I--I...” There wasn’t anyway he could properly put his thoughts into words and that above all else was frustrating. Max stared blankly at Camden for a few seconds and then his cheeks heated up until he looked almost like a tomato. “Yo--you like me?” The sun wasn’t supposed to like or even notice lesser stars. His grip on Cam’s hand tightened and he took a deep breath in before exhaling. “I know how that feels,” the admission is honest and open and very much Max. “--I think you more than I think about myself...” That was another confession that he hadn’t intended to make, but since the two of them were being open he really didn’t see a point in holding back the feelings that he holding back for so long. “It’s scary really--terrifying, how much I like you. I don’t mind though-- not one bit. You’re worth it.” He could actually feel his cheecks burning now.