#Maxine “Max” Vanessa Caulfield

[werebutterfly-deer20]

[jennysparksandtheauthority]

forever might be short (pricefield drabble collection)

Originally posted on AO3 as part of the International Fanworks Day challenge 2024.

Summary: Max saves Chloe and they leave the bay behind, but what happens after ten months? And ten years? And all the in betweens? Ten drabbles about love, loss, healing and learning how to navigate life together, in honor of International Fanworks Day 10th anniversary.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Category: F/F

Fandom: Life is Strange (Video Game)

Relationship: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price

1. ten months

They haven't lost the ability to smile, but they don't laugh the way they used to.

When it happens, ten months after the storm, it's random, spontaneous.

Max scrolls Netflix, Chloe is looking at her phone. Then, she reads something. Her eyes light up. She grins like an ass. 

"Hey, Max?"

"Yeah?"

"What’s the difference between a casual dinner party and a pirate orgy? The first one you come as you are… The other you ARR as you come!"

When Ryan and Vanessa come home they find them rolling on the couch, kicking each other, eyes watery, breathless with laughter.

2. the fury in your head

Max lets Chloe die, but the storm still comes.

She's in the lighthouse, screaming at it.

"Didn't you get what you wanted?! I did what you asked of me! Why is this happening? What more do you want from me?!"

The hurricane roars and Max wakes up. 

Chloe's arms engulf her in an instant, "It's okay. You're safe. We're in Seattle. I'm here."

Chloe never pushes her to share, she wants to spare her the pain. She imagines Max dreams about the innocent lives lost, the sorrow, the guilt.

But Max's nightmares are about one thing only: not choosing Chloe.

3. (finally see) what it means to be living

It takes them more than a year to find their footing, but it's bliss when it finally comes.

They get an apartment. Max goes back to school, and Chloe enrolls in an Associate in Computer Science program in community college.

They work most weekends, even though Ryan and Vanessa are helping them out. They even get a compensation from the Arcadia Bay Victims Relief Fund. Chloe calls it blood money. But they take it, because they need all the help they can get.

Still, their routine is hard. Seattle is always rainy. They study, they work, they get by. Together.

4. awake, dear heart…

They share a bed, so they technically sleep together, but they're not together. 

There are lingering touches, light kisses and even pecks on the lips, but they haven't done anything else. They haven't talked about it. They're both just so utterly afraid of messing up what they have.

Max finds a note in Chloe's pocket when she's doing laundry. It reads: My offer still stands. Call me? Erika xoxo. There's a phone number. She folds it and then leaves it on Chloe's nightstand.

When Chloe finds it, she doesn't say anything, but Max watches her throw it in the trash.

5. ...awake

"Chloe? You know you don't have to stay with me, right? You don't owe me anything."

It's Christmas Eve. 11 AM. They agreed to sleep in before they drive to Max's parents. 

Chloe immediately sits up on the bed and looks at her with so much concern you'd think Max's nose is bleeding.

"What the fuck? Where did that come from?"

Max grimaces, refrains the urge to cry, "It's just… sometimes… I wonder if—"

Chloe puts a finger over her lips, ever so gently. Then, she kisses her, deeply, intentionally. It's a statement.

When they part, Max wonders no more.

6. worship in the bedroom

They lie naked on a warm June morning, limbs intertwined, bodies sweating, hearts beating loudly.

"Damn, you're hardcore, Max," Chloe grins like an idiot.

"So I’ve been told," Max can't help a little proud smile.

They chuckle together, and enjoy the silence. It's not really silence – a Hozier song is coming from the speakers, and birds sing under their window.

"One of these days, Caulfield…" Chloe whispers absentmindedly.

"What?"

She doesn't answer. She pulls Max closer and replies only in her mind.

One of these days I'm gonna ask you to marry me. Not today, but one of these days.

7. (remember) to let her under your skin

They end up in New York because Max gets a scholarship there, thanks to her impressive portfolio. Her photos and her name are connected to Arcadia Bay and, painful as that is, it opens many doors for her. She wishes it wasn't like that, but… it's the blood money check situation all over again.

HBO did a documentary series, so everybody in class knows everything.

Well, not everything.

But they whisper — she hears words like survivor, so tragic, Jefferson...

It used to bother her. Yet, with each passing day coming home to Chloe, the pain seems to simply drift away.

8. the pleasure, the privilege is mine

It's Chloe's birthday.

Max plans the perfect party with their New York friends. They Skype Max's parents, David and Kate. Chloe drinks, laughs, cries. They eat cake. It's fun, and it ends with their apartment ruined.

Afterwards, they sit together on the couch, spent, heads touching.

"Thank you for today, babe," Chloe says softly as she looks at their intertwined hands. "For a girl that should be dead, turning 25 is kinda wild…"

Max gazes at her with sheer devotion, "I love you so much."

The smile that Chloe gives her might have the power to stop time, "I know."

9. this is now

After the pandemic (they'll always wonder if somewhere, someone was using some cursed, forbidden power), Chloe burns out. She quits her job as IT specialist in some big pharma company, and starts freelancing as a graphic designer. That year, Max hits 200k followers on Instagram. She signs a photobook deal. Chloe designs the cover. It's a wild success.

So Chloe spins Max in her arms one Friday afternoon, and blurts out, "Max, I think we're ready. We've been talking about it, let's just do it!"

Max laughs, nods.

They lock eyes, and yell it in unison, "Let's get a dog!"

10. ten years

Chloe's making spaghetti — her long, honey-blonde hair up in a messy bun, her arm tattoo covered in black ink. Max's watching her work, sitting at the kitchen island, playing with the white gold band in her ring finger. Deckard, their Labrador, sits at her feet.

They're talking about their day, complaining about shit, making plans.

There's three candles by the window: one for Rachel, one for Joyce, one for all the others. Today's the anniversary, but it doesn't get to them anymore.

Life's weird, thrilling, also boring at times. 

It's good too. 

They made it. And they will be okay.

THE END

author's notes:

Title from Emily Dickinson's 434:

To love thee Year by Year— May less appear Than sacrifice, and cease— However, dear, Forever might be short, I thought to show— And so I pieced it, with a flower, now.

Chapter 2 title: Spanish Sahara by Foals

Chapter 3 title: Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

Chapter 4 & 5 reference: “Awake, dear heart, awake. Thou hast slept well. Awake.” (Prospero, Act 1, Scene 2) —The Tempest by William Shakespeare

Chapter 6 title: Take Me To Church by Hozier

Chapter 8 title: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths

Chapter 9: “Remember, remember, this is now, and now, and now. Live it, feel it, cling to it. I want to become acutely aware of all I've taken for granted." —Sylvia Plath

[ffshipbracket]

ROUND ONE

Click each pairing to be taken to the poll to vote (All Round 1 polls posted as of June 3!)

*disclaimer- please don't send hate to this blog. I'm simply running the poll. If there is a offensive relationship included please message me and I will take it down. I tried to do my research but I'm not perfect.

Santana Lopez/Brittany Pierce (Brittana) VS Karolina Dean/Nico Minoru (Deanoru) [CLOSED]

Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin (Thasmin) VS Peggy Carter/Angie Martinelli (Cartinelli) [CLOSED]

Eleven | Jane Hopper/Max (Elmax) VS Pearl/Rose Quartz (Pearlrose) [CLOSED]

Caitlyn Kiramman/Vi (Caitvi or Piltover's Finest) VS Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price (Pricefield) [CLOSED]

Adora/Catra (Catradora) VS Beauregard Lionett/Yasha (Beauyasha)

Yelena Belova/Kate Bishop VS Root | Samantha Groves/Sameen Shaw (Shoot)

Korra/Asami Sato (Korrasami) VS Maria Hill/Natasha Romanoff (Blackhill)

Ruby/Sapphire (Rupphire) VS Tara Maclay/Willow Rosenberg (Tillow)

Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray (Faberry) VS Adora/Glimmer (Glimadora)

Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught (Wayhaught) VS Gwen/Morgana (Morgwen)

Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor (Supercorp) VS Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe (Avalance)

Xena/Gabrielle VS Rhaenyra Targaryen/Alicent Hightower (Rhaenicent)

Shauna Shipman/Jackie Taylor (JackieShauna) VS Alina Starkov/Zoya Nazyalensky (Zoyalina)

Emily Dickinson/Sue Gilbert (Emisue) VS Bella Swan/Alice Cullen (Belice)

Amity Blight/Luz Noceda (Lumity) VS Akemi Homura/Kaname Madoka (Madohomu)

Ava Silva/Sister Beatrice (Avatrice) VS Dina/Ellie Williams

Dani Clayton/Jamie Taylor (Daime) VS Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam (Rosemary)

Perfuma/Scorpia VS Gideon Nav/Harrowhark Nonagesimus

Robin Buckley/Nancy Wheeler (Ronance) VS Delphine Cormier/Cosima Niehaus (Cophine)

Eve Polastri/Villanelle | Oksana Astankova (Villaneve) VS Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long (Bumbleby)

Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe (Shoni) VS Tara Jones/Darcy Olsen (Tarcy)

Faith Lehane/Buffy Summers (Fuffy) VS Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss (Jemily)

Princess Bubblegum/Marceline (Bubbline) VS Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz (Choni)

Regina Mills/Emma Swan (Swanqueen) VS Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell (Bechloe)

Calliope Burns/Juliette Fairmont (Calliette) VS Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli (Rizzles)

Alphys/Undyne (Alphyne) VS Laura Hollis/Carmilla Karnstein (Hollstein)

Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel (Harlivy) VS Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell (Sansaery)

Azula/Ty Lee (Tyzula) VS Betty Cooper/Veronica Lodge (Beronica)

Vanessa "Van" Palmer/Taissa Turner VS Bella Swan/Rosalie Cullen (Rosella)

Jade West/Tori Vega (Jori) VS Raven |Rachel Roth/Starfire |Princess Koriand'r (StarRae)

Wednesday Addams/Enid Sinclair (Wenclair) VS Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood (Clizzy)

 Lexa/Clarke Griffin (Clexa) VS Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Lapidot)

[amongxthexcrowd]

• • Max• • 

Name: Maxine 'Max' Caulfield

Birthdate: September 21st

Hometown: Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Family: Vanessa and Ryan Caulfield

Height: 5'5

Eye Colour: Blue

Hair Colour: Brown

Sexuality: Bisexual

Occupation: Student

Max spent her childhood in Arcadia Bay, living with her parents and playing with her best friend Chloe Price. The two were thick as thieves for years until Max's family had to move away to Seattle, not long after the tragic death of Chloe’s father in 2008. She made some friends in Seattle, but part of her heart was always in Arcadia Bay.

For her final year of high school, she was accepted with a scholarship to Arcadia Bay’s own Blackwell Academy, where her idol, Mark Jefferson was set to teach. Max, was happy in a way to get back to her old stomping grounds, although she never expected the insane turn of events that would follow- in high school AND after.

[the-arcadian-0125]

Happy thanksgiving! 🤗

[ao3feed-lifeisstrange]

Don't Go

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/bQeMuIV

by CHOCOLATECHIPZ7744

I have risen from the dead once again! :D I was not sure when I would be returning to writing about Pricefield due to my absence from the fandom. I started writing this story back in 2018 because of my frustrations with the Farewell ending; I needed closure so I wrote: "Don't Go." It took me way longer than it should have because of my resentment towards the fandom back in 2018 and 2019 which I kinda just left :( (It's a long story). Poor mental health and lack of motivation did not help the story's progress either. But my love Pricefield gave me that motivation to finally finish this story and even though I'm not a hardcore LiS fan anymore (in fact I think I now just mainly like the first game at this point), I will always love Pricefield (and Joyce) and will continue writing about the love that they have for one another. I am aware of other stories from other fandoms that I must finish as well and I will finish those eventually... at some point. For once I actually have been a bit busy and I can still be a huge procrastinator (LOL), but I will not stop writing fanfiction! Especially Pricefield fanfiction! Just expect me to go on frequent writing hiatuses (LOL).

Please enjoy and feel free to give feedback. :)

Words: 6792, Chapters: 3/3, Language: English

Fandoms: Life is Strange (Video Game)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F

Characters: Chloe Price (Life is Strange), Maxine "Max" Caulfield, Joyce Price, Vanessa Caulfield, Ryan Caulfield, William Price (Life is Strange)

Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price

Additional Tags: Alternate Ending, Coming of Age

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/bQeMuIV

[ghost-in-the-hella]

anything pricefield with 17. “We should go somewhere. Just the two of us. How does that sound?” :)

Once again, I seem to have misplaced the “short” in my short story. Enjoy me absolutely eviscerating Max’s parents, though. Unbeta’d and unrevised, so please take it with a grain of salt.

---

Dinner with the Caulfields hasn’t gotten any less awkward in the three months since the storm. If anything, it’s gotten worse.

Chloe’s been trying. She really, really has. She always walks around the corner from the house when she needs a cigarette no matter how hard it’s raining, and she’s down to three smokes a day at this point anyway. She hasn’t smoked pot at all, apart from a couple times when they were hanging out with Max’s friends and they offered. She made very, very sure to cover the scent on both herself and Max before they got back, but somehow she suspects Max’s parents still knew. She grew out the last remnants of blue in her hair because Vanessa wouldn’t stop making snide comments about it. Of course, as soon as she cut off everything but the three or four inches of remaining blonde Vanessa just started snarking about her hair being too short. She never complains about being compelled to sleep on the couch even though Max said she’d be happy to share her room. Even though there’s a fucking guest room right next to Max’s room, but “oh what if Maxine’s grandparents want to come for a visit; we can’t have the sheets smelling like cigarettes” - never mind that nobody’s come to visit at all since they’ve been here. Even though her nightmares since they left Arcadia Bay have been The Worst and it’d be really nice to have a living person nearby when she wakes up from them in the dead of night.

She’s even been looking for a job so she can start paying rent like the Caulfields keep unsubtly hinting they want her to. Funny thing, though: turns out high school dropouts with no work experience, a criminal record, severe PTSD symptoms, and highly visible tattoos aren’t exactly in high demand in the workforce. Go figure.

Earlier that day she even had her first interview in over a month: an underpaid barista gig at a local coffee shop. She’d showered and brushed her teeth and made sure she was wearing clean, unstained, untorn clothes and everything. She’d even shaved her legs, which was probably stupid because it’s January and there was no way in hell the interviewer would see her legs, but she was just so desperate to make a good impression she wasn’t thinking clearly.

So of course she fucked it all up. Honestly, it was fucked before she even went in. They probably only even called her in to meet a quota or some shit. The person interviewing her liked her tattoos, which seemed promising, but he liked her criminal record and total lack of experience a lot less. Classic Chloe Price: fucking up every opportunity before she even enters the room. 

So when the Caulfields start laying into her over “family” dinner, she’s even less in the mood for it than usual. It starts with a couple of none-too-subtle digs about the smell of cigarettes, and what an unpleasant smell that is for a non-smoker to endure when they’re trying to eat, and Maxine, dear, can you even imagine marrying a smoker and how awful that would be; why, they’ve all got one foot in the grave already. Chloe put on cologne and brushed her teeth again after the cigarette she stress-smoked after her interview, but Vanessa’s got the nose of a bloodhound. 

This is followed by a series of apparently-casual-but-actually-very-rehearsed comments to Max about colleges in the area, and what a great idea it would be for her to apply to one of them when she finishes her GED so she can further her education and still live at home with her parents; certainly she won’t want to stray far from home again, not with, well, everything that happened at Blackwell (not that the Caulfields ever actually talk about what happened at Blackwell). Nobody asks Chloe how her GED is going (surprisingly well, actually) or what her plans for college might be (waste of time and money, probably), and Max just quietly pushes her peas around on her plate and tries to answer without answering. 

Once this line of questioning (pressuring) is exhausted, Ryan turns his attention to Chloe - the first time anybody but Max has addressed her directly since she returned this afternoon. “So, Chloe. Maxine tells us you had a job interview today.”

Max almost chokes on her peas, flicking frantic blue eyes toward Chloe to silently scream that ohfuckshedidnotmeanforthistobedinnerconversationpleasepleasepleaseforgive. 

Chloe swallows the impulse to put a calming hand on Max’s knee to reassure her; no way that would escape Vanessa’s eagle eyes. Instead, she clears her throat and focuses on the crumbs in Ryan’s beard. “Uh, yeah. Coffee shop.”

“That’s great!” Ryan’s enthusiasm catches Chloe utterly off-guard.

“It… is?” She glances at Max to nonverbally inquire whether Max’s dad has perhaps been replaced by a pod person in the past five minutes. Max shrugs silently, looking as baffled as Chloe feels.

“It is!” Ryan affirms. “I have to say, it’s good to see you showing some initiative. Of course, it’s been, ahh, a real... trip down memory lane, having you with us. But, well, one cannot live on nostalgia alone - however much Max may disagree, with her polaroid and her vinyl collection.” Ryan chuckles, shaking his head as he gazes fondly at his increasingly confused daughter. “And, of course, one cannot live on charity alone.” His gaze settles on Chloe once more, every trace of fondness now abruptly vanished.

“...Dad?”

“Now, now, Maxine; I know it’ll be an adjustment, but--”

“Are you kicking me out??” Somehow, Chloe manages to squeeze the words out even though her lungs feel like they’ve been punched out of her chest.

Ryan and Vanessa exchange a look, and holy shit they totally fucking are.

“Dad? Mom?” Max’s voice is trembling. She sounds like she’s about to cry. It’s hard to confirm, since all Chloe can see is red. “Are you?”

“‘Kicking out’ is a bit harsh,” Ryan objects without denying it. “But it’s been three months, Maxine, and we all agreed that this arrangement would only be temporary. It simply seems--”

Max stands abruptly, her silverware rattling on the table. “She-- She didn’t even get the job, Dad! It’s just an interview; she might not even--”

“Maxine, really!” Vanessa exclaims, mortified.

“Now, Maxine; we’re not going to just throw her out on the street. But--”

Chloe can’t listen to another word of this. She’s fucked. She’s completely and utterly fucked. She already lost her parents, her hometown, everything she owned, Rachel, everyone and everything but what she’s managed to scrape together here in Seattle… And now she’s going to lose that, too. She’s not going to get the job. She won’t have anywhere to live. Max’s parents won’t let her visit. She’ll probably never see Max again. And honestly, Max will be better off for it.

Chloe’s not sure how she got to Max’s room or how long she’s been there, but the next thing she knows she’s being spooned by a puffy-eyed Max on the too-small bed Max slept in the five years they were apart. Max is saying something to her, and it takes a few minutes before Chloe can make out anything more detailed than the sweet softness of her voice, the slight, familiar rasp to it like she’s always just woken up.

“I’m sorry,” she’s whispering over and over, “I’m sorry.”

“S’okay,” Chloe murmurs when she can persuade her vocal cords to engage. “S’not your fault your parents are dicks.”

Max freezes for a moment then squeezes Chloe tightly. “I’ll talk to them,” she promises. 

“Nah.” Chloe shakes her head. Her eyes hurt. “No reason you should tank your relationship with your folks just because I’m a fuckup. I’ll figure something out.”

“You’re not a fuckup!” Max objects, pulling away so she can look Chloe in the eye. “You’re not,” she insists when Chloe gives her a skeptical look. “My parents are just…” She lets out a burdened sigh.

“Dicks?” Chloe suggests.

“Yeah.” She strokes Chloe’s hair in silence, and Chloe lets her. She relaxes into the quiet of the moment. It’s going to be okay. Somehow, it’s going to be okay. She has no idea how, but Max will make it happen. Eventually, Max’s hand stills and Chloe can feel her chest tense as words attempt to form in her mouth. She waits patiently for whatever Max is trying to figure out how to say. “We should go somewhere. Just the two of us. How does that sound?”

Chloe lifts her head from Max’s shoulder to look her in the eye. Max looks slightly nervous, but mostly she looks determined. “You’re serious?”

Max nods. “Completely. Anywhere you want.” She scratches the back of her neck and gives Chloe a sheepish smile. “Well. Anywhere you want that we can realistically get to, anyway.”

“Hmm, good point. We probably can’t drive to Paris.”

Max laughs. “So you want to? No nagging, no job interviews, no--”

“No separate beds?” Chloe cuts in.

Max makes a face at her then giggles. “No separate beds,” she agrees. “Just Max and Chloe and the open road.”

“Uhhh, no shit I want to! But your parents--”

“They’ll get over it.” Max shrugs. “Or they won’t. But if it’s a choice between staying here without you or leaving with you, then I’m with you to the end of the road.”

There are a million things that Chloe should say. Admonishments, expressions of gratitude, admissions of fear, declarations of love. Chloe swallows them all when Max leans in for her kiss.

[therealestvc]

The new chapter is here!!! I hope all of you like this one...so without any further to do enjoy

[jessjem7777]

Chapters: 23/? Fandom: Life Is Strange (Video Game) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Maxine "Max" Caulfield, Chloe Price (Life Is Strange), Vanessa Caulfield, William Price (Life Is Strange), Joyce Price Summary:

This is obvs an AU with the roles reversed Max's dad died and Chloe moves away....So sit back and enjoy

[clickwhirr]

{ MEET THE MUSE }

PERSONAL NAME: max

LEGAL NAME: maxine caulfield

ALIAS[ES]: noir angel

DATE OF BIRTH: september 21

GENDER | SPECIES: female | human

PLACE OF BIRTH: arcadia bay, oregon

CURRENT LIVING CONDITIONS:  currently has a room in cotes

SPOKEN LANGUAGES: english (also knows sign semi-fluently)

EDUCATION: high school senior

OCCUPATION: arranger at @iron-rose​ 

DRINK | SMOKE | DRUGS: no

LIKE[S]: photography, interior design, video games

DISLIKE[S]: bullies, caviar, loud spaces

FEAR[S]: helplessness, dark rooms (a work in progress)

PERSONALITY TRAITS:  friendly, quiet, nosy

DISORDERS: aspergers, social anxiety, ptsd (undiagnosed)

{ PHYSICAL INFORMATION }

HAIR COLOR: brown

EYE COLOR: blue

HEIGHT: 5′5″

TATTOOS: no

PIERCINGS: ear

{ FAMILY INFORMATION }

SIBLING[S]: none

PARENT[S]: vanessa & ryan Caulfield

CHILDREN: none

PET[S]: lisa, her plant

{ RELATIONSHIP INFORMATION }

SEXUAL PREFERENCE: bisexual, leaning towards women

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: stressed

[werebutterfly-deer20]

Happy belated birthday Max Doe!

[lazyxlazer]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Life Is Strange (Video Game) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price Characters: Chloe Price (Life Is Strange), Maxine "Max" Caulfield, William Price (Life Is Strange), Joyce Price, Ryan Caulfield, Vanessa Caulfield Additional Tags: William is alive, reconnecting, Friendship/Love, Best Friends, getting better, Camping, Disability, caretaker, Car Accident, getting back to normal, what is normal?, Setting things right, Alternate Universe, Fluff, Cute, so cute i hope Summary:

That day in 2009 changed Chloe's life forever. She lost her best friend, and she came very close to losing her dad, too. With time, William healed, and the Price family began establishing a new normal.

When William tells her one morning that he wants things to go back to the way they used to be, Chloe doesn't see how that's possible. When William says he wants her to be a kid again and "experience life," Chloe thinks he's being ridiculous. When he says he wants to go camping like they used to every summer, she thinks he's out of his fucking mind.

Perhaps he is, but he knows there's only one way to get his daughter back to her old self.

This is my new one! I hope you all like it!

[thegeneralreturns]

Chapters: 6/6 Fandom: Life Is Strange (Video Game) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price Characters: Chloe Price (Life Is Strange), Maxine "Max" Caulfield, Kate Marsh, Victoria Chase (Life is Strange), Warren Graham, Joyce Price, Ryan Caulfield, Vanessa Caulfield, Taylor Christensen, Courtney Wagner Additional Tags: pricefield Series: Part 3 of The Girls Who Broke the World Summary: Six years after LIFE IS STRANGE. One year after GUN, WITH OCCASIONAL HELLA. Three months after LEGEND HAS IT. A look into the future for Max Caulfield and Chloe Price is also a look into the past.

thegeneralreturns.tumblr.com

[writemeaboi]

Hi. This is way overdue. But here it is. Hope y'all enjoy and have a lovely rest of your day :D <3

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Life Is Strange (Video Game) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Victoria Chase, Rachel Amber/Chloe Price, Rachel Amber & Maxine "Max" Caulfield Characters: Maxine "Max" Caulfield, Chloe Price (Life Is Strange), Nathan Prescott, David Madson, Dana Ward (Life Is Strange), Victoria Chase (Life is Strange), Taylor Christensen, Courtney Wagner, Rachel Amber, Kate Marsh, Warren Graham, Brooke Scott, Mark Jefferson, Joyce Price, Vanessa Caulfield, Ryan Caulfield, James Amber, Rose Amber, Sera Gearhardt, Frank Bowers, Other Character Tags to Be Added Additional Tags: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Drug Use, Underage Drinking, Trauma, Eventual Romance, Heavy Angst, lots and lots of angst, but it does get better I swear, Maxine is such a fun character to write, Rachel and Maxine are best friends, Oblivion - area between time and space, The Lord - time shenanigans God, Buckle in for a ride full of feels, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn Series: Part 2 of The Universe of a ANRWAH Summary:

Maxine has always wanted her own body. She'd been stuck in Oblivion for far too long and had long since forgotten what it was like to have her own. For the longest time she believed she would never get that pleasure again.

But then the Lord tells her Max, her counterpart, made a deal with them.

Maxine would get her own body and reality once again.

But at what cost?

[A Standalone Spin-off]

[naturepointstheway]

“Hospital Detour” (Life is Strange)

The only reason Max is visiting the hospital where a now quadriplegic Chloe is residing is thanks to her mother's work's conference, located in a time and place that was convenient for them to swing by the hospital. Max would rather have partied and handed out pot brownies than come all the way down here just for her parents' conference, but her parents insisted on the visit, and so Max has no choice but to be forced to confront her childhood friend's new disability, and the fear that things will be too awkward and different. To her relief, their old friendship is quickly rekindled despite an awkward relighting.

A slight AU of the alternate timeline in Life is Strange.

*****

Max leaned her head against the car window in the backseat, staring out at the passing scenery, ignoring her parents’ bantering as they sped along the road to the hospital where Chloe was still residing, even several weeks past her horrific car accident. 

I’m so uncomfortable right now. She’s disabled, and how the hell am I supposed to act around disabled people? And of course my parents decided I should come along with them this weekend, just because we’ll happen to pass the hospital where Chloe is. 

She’d had a party this weekend, and had promised to bring along some pot brownies for the shing-ding, but of course that wasn’t happening now. She’d had to quickly dash her brownies in a rubbish bin outside some old lady’s house. At least that way she wouldn’t get busted by her parents if they nosied through her stuff. The old lady was on her own, though.

It’s not that I don’t want to see Chloe, it’s just, how the fuck am I supposed to talk to her? 

What do you say to someone who’s been recently completely paralysed from the neck down? What was she going to say to her? What could she say? 

“Oh hi, Chloe, I hope you’re feeling better and able to get back to normal life soon.. We should totally go sneak into a concert reserved for people eighteen years and over. To the moshpit, amirite?” 

Yeah, right. Like that was going to happen. And what should she say about her own life? 

“Oh yeah, by the way, I was able to take a fun skinny dip the other day. Was drunk as hell though. Stepped on a dead jellyfish. Pretty sure my whole body was on fire, it was that fucking painful.”

Or: 

“Oh man, I am so exhausted from all the dancing last night. My legs are sore, but man, my whole body is still electrified from the concert. You should try it sometime. Raves are amazing, they get my whole body movin’!” 

Yeah sure, remind Chloe that she can’t move at all, let alone feel anything in her body. 

Even I’m not that kind of bitch. 

“Mom.” 

Vanessa Caulfield shot her a glance through the rear view mirror. “Yes?” 

“What the hell am I supposed to say to Chloe?” 

“Just be yourself, Maxine.” 

Max rolled her eyes with a groan. “Ugh. So helpful.” 

“We are doing you a favour taking you with us to see Chloe. My conference had the perfect timing.” 

“Yeah. You told me that before.” 

“Just say you’re glad she’s with us, and I really do hope you did send her a letter?” 

A shrug. “Just a little one.” 

“We sent her a postcard the other day. Her parents called us and were very appreciative of the gesture. Chloe is a sweet girl. Just because she’s disabled now doesn’t mean she’s not Chloe anymore, do you understand?” 

“She can’t be very Chloe if she’s completely paralysed.” 

“Of course she is. She’s an angel.” 

“Sure, mom.” 

“You will be nice, Maxine. She’s still your friend, isn’t she?’ 

I guess so, if sending her a quick email or letter on the rare occasion I remember counts as being friends with someone. 

“Yeah. Totally.” 

“I know you’re uncomfortable about seeing her after her accident,” Max’s father, Ryan, added, “But she will appreciate your visit. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to lose all their friends after trauma that leaves them severely disabled.” 

No shit, dad. People are assholes. 

“Sure, dad.” 

“I’m serious, Maxine. She’s going to need all the friends she has left.” 

Vanessa added, “Her parents mentioned over the phone that Chloe’s friend, Megan, visited her a few days after the accident and never came back, except for a postcard.”

“Well, a postcard is something , at least.” 

“A visit is far more treasured, I would imagine, sweetheart.” 

Sure, but if that visit is full of awkward silence, you may as well just never have visited at all. 

Awkward silence. That’s what she was afraid of. If she had it her way, she’d be more than happy to have continued staying in Seattle, never visiting Chloe, taking the easy way out of having to see her at all. At least, with letters and photos of road-trip selfies she didn’t have to see her for reals in front of her. She wouldn’t have to fully confront the reality of Chloe’s disability, knowing she would never be able to do anything, no matter how very basic, for herself ever again. It was the easy way out, the chickenshit way out, to just stick to communicating via the written word with Chloe. If it made her a sucky, rubbish, crap friend, then so be it. She was a sucky, rubbish, crap friend. It seemed her parents thought so, or at least were trying to make her feel so. Whatever worked for them. 

No way will they guilt trip me about Chloe. 

“Slow down, dear,” Vanessa urged her husband, “The hospital’s on the left, straight down that street.” 

“On it. We’re going to see Chloe very soon, Max.” 

Welp. Guess this is it. Time to be awkward as fuck. 

 *******************

Max hated hospitals; they struck her as sensory overload at the best of times, with harsh white lighting, harsh white walls, harsh beeping noises from behind closed ward doors, and shrill ringing of the reception’s phone. She hated seeing sick people waiting for their already half-hour late appointment, the dark worry of mothers holding on to coughing, feverish, terrified kids, and the antiseptic smell that permeated absolutely everything . It made her want to gag, just imagining all the blood, antiseptic, needles, and tubes sticking out of patients bedridden and at the mercy of the nurses and doctors. Already bad enough for those patients with full use of their limbs. 

And their food is gross. So...ugh. 

Max had to hand it to the airplane industry: even their food was miles better than the most elegant fare hospitals had to offer. She couldn’t imagine Chloe having had to endure several weeks’ worth of gross hospital food in a row. 

Damn. Should’ve brought something along. Maybe one of my pot brownies? Okay, maybe not. I’d be banned from hospitals everywhere, probably. 

“Okay, there’s the receptionist,” Vanessa pointed at the reception right before them, “Let’s ask them where Chloe’s ward is, shall we, Maxine?” 

There’s no backing out of this now, is there? 

“Sure, mom.” 

It’s not that she didn’t want to see Chloe, like ever, but it... was like she didn’t want to see her at all. Not completely paralysed, that is. For as long as Max could remember, Chloe was all activity, all energy, all movement all the time. There was no slowing down with her, and the more the day wore on, the more energy she seemed to have, as though she were photosynthesising it straight from the sun like a plant. Max felt exhausted just thinking about how hyperactive Chloe could be. And now--

Completely still. Not able to move. Not able to dance in her boots on her own bed, swing high on the swings, climb as far up as she could into a tree, run along the beach with the wind in her long blonde hair, help her parents whip up some delicious pancakes at the kitchen bench, tear open her birthday presents with abandon, nor dive into the sea on a hot summer’s day just to swim up behind Max and take her down with her under the waves. 

It made Max’s breath hitch hard in her chest to even dwell on the idea of all that energy in Chloe, always so boundless and infectious, now locked away forever in her paralysed body. 

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” her father queried, a hand on her shoulder. 

Keep it together. Let’s not embarrass ourselves, especially not here. Not in front of the receptionist, and especially not in front of mom and dad. 

“Just a little hiccup, I think,” Max lied, well aware how lame it sounded. “I’m fine.” 

Dad didn’t look like he believed her in the least, and nor did her mom, but--much to Max’s relief--they let it go, at least for now. 

Once the receptionist gave them the directions to Chloe’s ward, they headed on their way, Max trailing slightly behind her parents, pretending to the world that she was so not with them. 

Wonder how Chloe is taking all of this? God. I’m gonna embarrass myself. I feel so fucking weird around disabled folks. How the fuck am I going to greet her? Maybe I’ll just let mom and dad do the talking. That’s the safest thing. I won’t have to open my mouth at all. Here goes nothing…

 ***************

Part of her hoped they would never find Chloe’s ward, that they’d keep going down endless hallways and through doors leading into another corridor, leading them to give up and get back on the road. That way she didn’t have to face Chloe in such a state, and didn’t have to worry about having something to say. 

Weird. I’m never shy about anything. And now I am. What the fuck is up with my brain pulling a number on me like that? 

“Ah, there it is!” Ryan clapped a hand on Max’s shoulder, steering her ahead of him until they stopped in front of the closed ward doors. Max stared at it, throat suddenly dry. Hours ago, miles and miles of road separated her from Chloe, and now only a door stood in her way. 

Deep breath, Max. It’s only Chloe, right? Quadriplegic, but still Chloe. 

“Ready?” Vanessa murmured near her. “Maxine? Maxine, are you going to knock or what?” 

Great. They want me to knock, when they have perfectly functioning hands themselves. 

Resisting an eye roll, Max raised a fist and knocked, firmer and louder than she’d meant to, on the door, stepping back to wait for any response. 

Don’t respond. Don’t open the door. Don’t say anything. Be asleep, have no visitors, have no-one--

The door opened, revealing Joyce Price, looking wearier than usual, with bags under her eyes, but her face broke out into a glad smile all the same.. 

Dammit. 

“Maxine!” Joyce drew Maxine in to a tight hug, Max catching a glimpse of Chloe hooked up to several machines, staring up at the ceiling, unnaturally still, a breathing tube inserted into her nose. Max’s heart dropped at the sight of her old friend so still and hooked up to all the things, eyes fixed on the ceiling.. 

Shit. 

Joyce finally let go of her, hands dropping away from Max’s shoulders, turning to nod in greeting to Max’s parents. 

“Chloe was very grateful for your postcard, as were we.” 

“Oh yes, we do hope she is feeling better,” Vanessa said, wringing her hands, “How is your daughter?” 

“She’s...she’s alive,” Joyce said after a long hesitation, “She’s still with us.” 

“Is she in a stable condition?” Ryan asked in a low voice, eyes flicking over Joyce’s shoulder to look at Chloe. 

“Thankfully, she is. My husband is at work at the moment, but will be back to see Chloe later.” 

It was at this point Chloe spoke up from the bed behind them. “You know I can hear all of you?” 

Joyce touched a hand to Max’s shoulder, gently nudging her forward in Chloe’s direction. “Go on, Chloe has been hoping so hard to see you here. She hasn’t had many visitors other than William and me.” She turned to address Max’s parents. “I haven’t had lunch yet, will you join me, so we can let the girls reunite?” 

Great, I’m going to be left on my own in this. Thanks. 

“Why of course,” Vanessa said, ‘Max, we’ll be back soon, okay?” 

Max took a deep breath, eyes looking anywhere but at Chloe. “Sure, go ahead and have lunch. Bring me back a burrito or something.” 

“We’ll do our best, sweetie,” her dad nodded at Chloe, “Glad to see you’re doing okay, Chloe.” 

Max turned and watched her parents and Joyce leave the ward, closing the door quietly behind them. She was still staring at the door when Chloe spoke from the bed, voice hoarse and thick with fatigue. 

“Max?” 

Oh damn. I...I have to talk to her don’t I? What the fuck should I say? 

She didn’t want to turn around, didn’t want to see her childhood friend looking like...that. This was not the Chloe she remembered, running around in her favourite boots, skating outside and inside the house (despite her parents’ scolding), making up new moves to her favourite songs, and racing Max up and down the lighthouse stairs. 

“You look amazing from the back, but would be nice to see your face instead.” 

Here goes nothing, Max. 

Taking a deep breath, Max turned around to face the bed, taking in how Chloe lay so limp and still under the starchy white blanket, hooked up to the IV drip, the heart monitor, and god only knew what else. Her blue eyes looked huge in her white face, her lips parched and dry, dark smudges under her eyes. Max searched her face for any sign of the cheerful Chloe she used to know, but there was nothing but fatigue and sadness. She couldn’t even crack a smile at the sight of Max. 

“Take a seat,” Chloe invited, her voice dull. 

I can’t do this. I’ve never talked to someone this disabled before. What the hell do I say?

“Uh...sure.” 

Max pulled over a wooden chair, sitting down a couple feet away from Chloe’s bed. She looked down, scuffing her feet on the floor, fingers drumming a beat on her knees. Who’d have thought one of the most popular kids in her school could be silenced so soundly like this? 

Aaand, there’s the awkward silence. Called it. 

“Sooo, Max “awkward silence” Caulfield, nice to see you around.” 

“Yeah, I guess.” Max bit her lip, lifted her head up to meet Chloe’s eyes, seeing how glazed over they were from all the medication and malaise. “How’re you really doing?” 

“Shitty. Still completely paralysed from the neck down. You?” 

“Me? I’m...uncomfortable right now.” 

Wow, Max. Wow. You don’t just say that out loud. Come on, even you know this! 

“I mean, not because--” 

“Don’t bother. It’s because I’m disabled. Don’t blame you at all. I’d be the same myself.” 

“I have no clue what to say, okay? I haven’t had a friend disabled like this before.” 

“Anything but platitudes. Platitudes won’t unbreak my neck.” 

Got it. Anything. Just--omigod, Max, just say something! 

Maybe she should’ve had one of her secret magic brownies beforehand. Sure would’ve helped her. 

Max studied the side-tables on either side of Chloe’s bed, noting the get well cards, a couple of fluffy bears, a plush otter, and a snow globe with a doe inside--she immediately recognised it from Chloe’s room. Her parents must have brought it here for her to look at. 

“You’ve got a lot of cards.” 

“Yeah. Everyone says pretty much the same thing though. You know, get well soon, I’m sorry about what happened, and thoughts and prayers.” 

“People obviously care about you.” 

“All my friends visited me once and never come back. My parents have been here every day, as much as their work allows them to anyway.” 

“Maybe everyone else has been busy?” 

“If by busy, you mean never talking to me again, then sure, Max. They’ve been busy.” 

A beat of silence, Max desperately searching for anything else to say. 

So weird for Chloe to be so quiet. 

What she’d give right now for Chloe to be chatting so much at her just for a chance to tell her to zip it already before she uses up all the words in the English language. Or maybe she’d let her talk both her ears off, just for the memory and reminder of the old Chloe, who once skated downstairs on her skateboard and broke a wrist, and still refused to admit Max had been right to caution her against such recklessness. What she would’ve given to hear the old Chloe again, the Chloe who had gone through a massive space phase, followed by a dinosaur phase, neither of which Max had, unlike practically every other kid in America. 

Well, Maxine? You’re gonna have to be the chatty one now. Just pretend it’s school. 

Hah. Right. School. Where “disability accessibility” wasn’t anywhere in their vocabulary. 

“Those are...very fluffy bears and I like the otter,” Max offered a smile, “Otters are adorable.” 

“Like you. You’ve always been my otter in my water.” 

“Uh...thanks, I think? I see your parents brought the snow doe in here for you.” 

“My favourite.” 

“It’s pretty.” 

Another bout of silence, but Max was sure she could feel a little shift away from the dumb awkward silence to something perhaps a little more like...normal, she guessed. Something like the old days, though now it would never ever be quite like the “old days” ever again. Not with Chloe paralysed and bedridden. 

“Who brought in the bears? Do you like them?” 

“They’re...nice, I guess. Would’ve been nice to have a glowy punk bear.” 

I guess I know what to get Chloe for Christmas or a birthday then. 

“What about your shark?” 

“The one you tried to throw away?” 

“Oh god, you’re never going to let that go are you?” 

“Never.” 

Max allowed a quiet, cautious laugh. “I deserve it.” 

“You do. Sharks bite, and so do I.” 

“Can confirm. Still have the scar.”

“Shark wasn’t feeling swimmingly. Stayed home unfortunately.” 

“Bet the otter’s relieved about that.” A beat of silence. “So...any other gifts from people?” 

Chloe pulled a face. “Someone brought in a teletubby plush once. I demanded dad to give it to a kid who really needs it.” 

“What? Someone really gave you a teletubby?” 

Chloe rolled her eyes, staring back up at the ceiling.

Max gave a low whistle of disbelief. “I’m sure the kid was delighted to have a free teletubby. But... wow. ”

Jesus. Is that how people really act around disabled people? 

“You won’t be getting any teletubbies or purple dinos from me, just in case you were worried.” 

“Do that and I’ll punt you back to dinosaur doomsday. Somehow. I’ll find a way.” 

There’s the old Chloe. 

“Has there...been much improvement? Did they catch the person who ran into your car?” 

A deep sigh from Chloe. 

“Nothing.” 

Silence. Awkward fucking silence again. 

“Nothing, as in…?” 

“Hit and run.” 

“ Shit. ” 

“Psycho with enough cash to bail him out.” 

“That’s…” Max blew out a breath, “What the hell?” 

“No kidding. He blamed me. I wasn’t the one drinking and driving.” 

“The fuck? He blamed you ?” 

“Because I’m a teenager, and teens are always drinking and driving, amirite.” 

“I can’t see you drinking at all, Chloe.” 

“Because I’m still underage, Max, that’s why.” 

“Never stopped me.” 

Was that a twitch at the corner of Chloe’s lips? “Rebel.” 

“I’ve yet to go full punk. As if I would ever.” 

“Punk Maxine Caulfield. That would be the day.” 

Max grinned, already feeling a lot more relaxed than before. “With a purple and red Mohawk and tongue, nose, and eyebrow piercings. All the way.” 

Chloe stared at Max for what felt like forever, eyes flickering over her face and hair before turning her head away with the softest of laughs. 

I made her laugh. I actually cheered her up? Guess mom was right as usual. Not gonna thank her though, no way.  I have my dignity. 

“Sorry Max… but the image…” 

“Red and purple Mohawk. Tongue piercing. Arm length tattoos. Leather jacket. Faux leather, of course. I’m not about animal cruelty.” 

The soft huffing laughter died away, Chloe’s head stilling on the pillow, so motionless Max thought she might have fallen asleep, before there was a little sigh, quickly stifled, and she turned her head back to face the ceiling. 

“Guess that surprise visit to Seattle’s not going to happen, Max.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

Chloe turned her head to gaze at Max again, eyes full of regret. “For your eighteenth. I--I was planning--” she cut off her sentence, eyes flicking away from Max, to stare down at the bedsheet tucked around her. “I had planned to surprise you with a visit in my car on your eighteenth. But...that’s never going to happen. It’s not fair, Max.” 

Shit. She’s sad again. 

Max stood up, moving to stand next to the bed, placing a hand on Chloe’s shoulder, knowing full well the girl wouldn’t feel a thing. Still, surely the gesture counted enough, even if she couldn’t physically feel it. 

“It’s okay, Chloe, really. This just means I have to surprise you with a visit on your eighteenth, right? Or twenty-first?” 

“Not the same, Max. It’s not like you’ve never been to Arcadia Bay.” 

“Still…” 

“I had planned it all out, Max. It would’ve been a weekend road trip and everything. Visit a few tacky tourist traps. Check out the art and culture scene. Visit Portland and buy a tonne of books at Powell’s. That sort of thing. But not anymore.” 

“We could still make it happen, right? Somehow? My eighteenth’s still like two years away.” 

“Not like I’ll be walking again, even though the doctors have promised me there’s a chance I could get some feeling back.” 

“Chloe! That would be amazing.” 

“I don’t believe a word of it, Max.” 

“Why?” 

“What makes you think they’re telling the truth?” 

“Uh…because they’re doctors?” 

“Doctors have been wrong before.” 

“Even so, getting back some feeling is better than nothing, right? And you’re healthy, you look after yourself and eat all the right things, right? You totally got this, Chloe, you’ll heal.” 

“I don’t think so. How can I live like this?” 

Has she even heard of Stephen Hawking? 

“Hey, if Stephen Hawking can do all that science while unable to move, there’s no reason you can’t. You’ve...you’ve heard of him, right?” 

Chloe gave her a narrow look. “Duh. Everyone has.” 

“Then you know how fucking awesome he is, even if I don’t understand any of his stuff.” 

“What he had isn’t the same.” 

“Still. I’m just saying, okay? And it’s not like you to just give up, Chloe. Shit, you’re literally the girl who told me not to let bullies see me cry, or they’ll win.” 

“Different time.” 

Never thought I’d see the day I’d be giving Chloe a pep talk. Guess there’s a first time for everything. 

Max let her hand slide down Chloe’s arm as she crouched, now eye to eye with her. 

“I want to ask you something, okay?” 

“Starting to feel tired, Max, but sure. Shoot.” 

“If it were me in your place, and I told you I want to give up, what do you think you’d say?” 

“Max, no, I can’t do that. I don’t want--”

“Just for a sec or two, alright?” 

“Why?” 

“What would you say to me, if I wanted to give up because some asshole injured me in an accident?” 

“I’d tell you don’t, because…” Chloe’s eyes were definitely duller, glazing over with drowsiness, “Because that means he wins.” 

Max moved her hand to tuck a strand of blonde hair behind Chloe’s ear. “Now that’s more like my Chloe. Take your own advice, nerd. Don’t give up, not yet, because if you do, that jerk has won by default.” 

“It’s going to be hard, Max.” 

“I’m not denying that. But you’ve always been a bold and determined person, and yeah, I always thought you talked way too much at three in the morning, but, Chloe, it’s your boldness that’s inspired and stayed with me. And I know you still have that drive to make the most of what you can in you. We’ve--we’ve always been Max and Chloe, right?” 

“...right.” 

“And the number one rule of Captain Bluebeard was that a pirate never gives up--you may as well just walk the plank.” 

Chloe’s eyes had closed fully, but there was a twitch at the corner of her mouth, the hint of what might have been a smile. 

“ And. ” Max let the word hang in the air until Chloe pried open one eyelid to look at her. 

“And what?” 

Max wagged a finger at her, face deadly serious. “If I hear you decided to give up anyway, you will not receive a VIP invitation to my first photography exhibition.” 

That did it. Chloe’s other eye popped open, and she eyed Max up and down. 

“You wouldn’t .” 

Max quirked an eyebrow. “Try me, Chloe Price. Just try.” 

They held the stare-down for several more seconds, before Chloe shook her head, eyes closing again. 

“Damn,” she breathed, voice no more than a sigh, “You’re hardcore, Max.” 

“ So hardcore. So punk. Just like you.” 

“You’ll...visit me again right? Soon?” 

“I’ll try, but I swear, I’ll keep in touch and I’ll send you photos of my funtimes.” 

“Oooh, funtimes, huh, Max? Will have to hide that from the ‘rents.”

“As in parties and road trips. You and your dirty mind.” 

“It’s the company I keep.” 

“I can’t promise I’ll visit you again in hospital, but I’ll do my best for you, okay? I’ll do anything for you.” 

A long pause, so deep in silence Max could hear the loud ticking of the clock in the ward interrupted by the steady beeps of the heart monitor and Chloe’s strained inhalations and exhalations through the breathing tube in her nose. Max was suddenly hyper-aware of footsteps hurrying up and down the corridor outside the door, the mumbles and raised voices of nurses and visitors and patients alike, and that goddamn shrill ringing of the phone at reception always going and going and going with no one ever answering.

Strange how a hospital could be so loud and silent in such chilling synchronicity. 

And then, there was Chloe’s voice a minute later, no louder than a whisper, heavy with a maturity far older than her seventeen years: 

“ Anything , anything?” 

What? What does she mean? 

There was something in Chloe’s tone that bothered Max, something serious, dark and heavy in its nature, too much for a sixteen-year-old girl to handle. 

No. I’m just analysing way too hard. There’s nothing deeper to see here. 

As long as Chloe kept fighting, as long as she was still a part of her world, Max could believe they would be okay. Even if Chloe ended up forever in a wheelchair, she’d still be with her, and damn right Max would wheel her past every single photo in her first ever exhibition when she finished high school. 

“Max? Promise, right? Promise you’d do anything , anything for me.”

“Yes, Chloe, anything, anything. I promise.”

[centrumlumina]

As part of the July 2019 AO3 Ship Stats, here are the Top 100 F/F pairings with the most total works on Archive Of Our Own.

Of the 200 names on this list, there are 53 women of colour and 27 women of ambiguous race, compared with 42 and 35 in the 2017 list. For comparison, the overall top 100 list includes 46 people of colour and 8 who are racially ambiguous.

Because of the way I produced this data, it is possible some F/F ships are missing, particularly those in fandoms dominated by other categories of ship. For more information, see the project FAQs. This project also includes an All-Time Top 100 list and 2017-2019 Top 100, and can be found cross-posted on AO3.

Edit: Fixed race classification for Éponine Thénardier.

A text-only version of this data is given below the cut.

Rank Change Pairing Fandom Works Race 1 0 Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan Once Upon a Time (TV) 11388 Whi/POC 2 0 Clarke Griffin/Lexa The 100 (TV) 10838 White 3 1 Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor Supergirl (TV 2015) 9460 White 4 3 Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer Supergirl (TV 2015) 5231 Whi/POC 5 -2 Laura Hollis/Carmilla Karnstein Carmilla (Web Series) 5094 White 6 -1 Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam Homestuck 4174 Ambig 7 -1 Korra/Asami Sato Avatar: Legend of Korra 4106 POC 8 15 Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught Wynonna Earp (TV) 3685 White 9 -1 Alphys/Undyne (Undertale) Undertale (Video Game) 3334 Ambig 10 11 Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long RWBY 2987 POC 11 5 Chloe Beale/Beca Mitchell Pitch Perfect (Movies) 2985 White 12 -3 Root | Samantha Groves/Sameen Shaw Person of Interest (TV) 2817 Whi/POC 13 -1 Kara Danvers/Cat Grant Supergirl (TV 2015) 2734 White 14 -4 Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan 2645 White 15 10 Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee RWBY 2422 Whi/POC 16 2 Fareeha "Pharah" Amari/Angela "Mercy" Ziegler Overwatch (Video Game) 2376 Whi/POC 17 -6 Santana Lopez/Brittany S. Pierce Glee 2369 Whi/POC 18 -5 Peggy Carter/Angie Martinelli Agent Carter (TV) 2106 White 19 8 Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe Holby City 2032 White 20 2 Maxine "Max" Caulfield/Chloe Price Life Is Strange (Video Game) 2030 White 21 -7 Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray Glee 1948 White 22 N Jirou Kyouka/Yaoyorozu Momo Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia 1932 POC 23 -8 Allison Argent/Lydia Martin Teen Wolf (TV) 1818 White 24 5 Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe) Steven Universe (Cartoon) 1791 Ambig 25 12 Miranda Priestly/Andrea Sachs The Devil Wears Prada (2006) 1644 White 26 N Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz Riverdale (TV 2017) 1640 Whi/POC 27 -7 Jemma Simmons/Skye | Daisy Johnson Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV) 1570 Whi/POC 28 -11 Delphine Cormier/Cosima Niehaus Orphan Black (TV) 1568 White 29 N Sara Lance/Ava Sharpe DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV) 1499 White 30 -11 Myka Bering/Helena "H. G." Wells Warehouse 13 1490 White 31 N Asui Tsuyu/Uraraka Ochako Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia 1440 POC 32 16 Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling 1412 White 33 N Adora/Catra (She-Ra) She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018) 1382 Whi/POC 34 -10 Erin Gilbert/Jillian Holtzmann Ghostbusters (2016) 1343 White 35 -9 Mikasa Ackerman/Annie Leonhart Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan 1322 Whi/POC 36 -6 Anna/Elsa (Disney) Frozen (2013) 1318 White 37 3 Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood Shadowhunters (TV) 1315 Whi/POC 38 -10 Maura Isles/Jane Rizzoli Rizzoli & Isles 1259 White 39 N Lena "Tracer" Oxton/Widowmaker | Amélie Lacroix Overwatch (Video Game) 1257 White 40 43 Kimberly Hart/Trini Power Rangers (2017) 1237 POC 41 -9 Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell Game of Thrones (TV) 1224 White 42 -4 Female Shepard/Liara T'Soni Mass Effect Trilogy 1164 Ambig 43 N Thirteenth Doctor/Yasmin Khan Doctor Who (2005) 1072 Whi/POC 44 -2 Maria Reynolds/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler Hamilton – Miranda 1061 POC 45 6 Anya/Raven Reyes The 100 (TV) 1050 POC 46 -15 Tara Maclay/Willow Rosenberg Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV) 1048 White 47 -3 Pearl/Rose Quartz | Pink Diamond Steven Universe (Cartoon) 1046 Ambig 48 -12 Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov The Avengers (Marvel Movies) 1044 White 49 -6 Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov Marvel Cinematic Universe 1038 White 50 -16 Gwen/Morgana (Merlin) Merlin (TV) 1016 Whi/POC 51 1 Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel Batman - All Media Types 1013 White 52 1 Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers Supergirl (TV 2015) 993 White 53 -7 Nyssa al Ghul/Sara Lance Arrow (TV 2012) 977 Whi/POC 54 -13 Pacifica Northwest/Mabel Pines Gravity Falls 972 White 55 -10 Faith Lehane/Buffy Summers Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV) 970 White 56 -17 Terezi Pyrope/Vriska Serket Homestuck 962 Ambig 57 -10 Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka Haikyuu!! 945 POC 58 -2 Astra/Alex Danvers Supergirl (TV 2015) 934 White 59 3 Betty Cooper/Veronica Lodge Riverdale (TV 2017) 925 Whi/POC 60 -27 Ashlyn Harris/Ali Krieger Women's Soccer RPF 924 White 61 -26 Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe) Steven Universe (Cartoon) 854 Ambig 62 6 Mila Babicheva/Sara Crispino Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime) 839 White 63 2 Princess Bubblegum/Marceline Adventure Time 795 Ambig 64 25 Carol Aird/Therese Belivet Carol (2015) 788 White 65 -1 Gabrielle/Xena Xena: Warrior Princess 781 White 66= -16 Amethyst/Pearl (Steven Universe) Steven Universe (Cartoon) 773 Ambig 66= -17 Malia Tate/Kira Yukimura Teen Wolf (TV) 773 Whi/POC 68 N Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling 761 Whi/Amb 69 -14 Female Hawke/Isabela Dragon Age II 750 Amb/POC 70 N Misty Day/Cordelia Foxx | Cordelia Goode American Horror Story 725 White 71 -10 Maya Hart/Riley Matthews Girl Meets World 723 White 72 -13 Charlie Bradbury/Jo Harvelle Supernatural 720 White 73 N Diana Cavendish/Atsuko "Akko" Kagari Little Witch Academia 711 Whi/POC 74 N Rachel Amber/Chloe Price Life Is Strange (Video Game) 702 White 75 -21 Leliana/Female Warden Dragon Age: Origins 697 Whi/Amb 76 4 Ayase Eli/Toujou Nozomi Love Live! School Idol Project 692 POC 77 -10 Kaiou Michiru/Tenoh Haruka Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon 688 POC 78 -3 Camila Cabello/Lauren Jauregui Fifth Harmony (Band) 673 POC 79 -10 Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss Criminal Minds (US TV) 658 White 80 -17 Cosette Fauchelevent/Éponine Thénardier Les Misérables - All Media Types 657 Whi/Amb 81 N Emily/Lena "Tracer" Oxton Overwatch (Video Game) 656 White 82= -25 Jane Crocker/Roxy Lalonde Homestuck 654 Ambig 82= -7 Tobin Heath/Christen Press Women's Soccer RPF 654 Whi/POC 84 -2 Amethyst/Peridot (Steven Universe) Steven Universe (Cartoon) 652 Ambig 85 -27 Octavia Blake/Raven Reyes The 100 (TV) 649 Whi/POC 86 N Trixie Mattel/Katya Zamolodchikova RuPaul's Drag Race RPF 648 Whi/POC 87 N Evie/Mal (Disney) Descendants (Disney Movies) 647 Whi/POC 88 N Eve Polastri/Villanelle | Oksana Astankova Killing Eve (TV 2018) 645 Whi/POC 89 N Kathryn Janeway/Seven of Nine Star Trek: Voyager 642 White 90 N Haruno Sakura/Yamanaka Ino Naruto 639 POC 91 4 Nishikino Maki/Yazawa Nico Love Live! School Idol Project 628 POC 92 N Moira O'Deorain/Angela "Mercy" Ziegler Overwatch (Video Game) 612 White 93 -21 Female Inquisitor/Sera Dragon Age: Inquisition 591 Whi/Amb 94 -34 Tobin Heath/Alex Morgan Women's Soccer RPF 589 White 95 N Charity Dingle/Vanessa Woodfield Emmerdale 584 White 96 N Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau Captain Marvel (2019) 582 Whi/POC 97 -19 Dorothy Baum/Charlie Bradbury Supernatural 570 White 98 N Samantha "Sam" Arias/Alex Danvers Supergirl (TV 2015) 568 Whi/POC 99 N Beauregard/Yasha (Critical Role) Critical Role (Web Series) 565 Whi/POC 100 N Weiss Schnee/Yang Xiao Long RWBY 564 Whi/POC