Strings Of Fate & Falling

Max sighed. " you gonna get mad cause i've known her longer? That im the partially the reason she's alive and here.?" He asked looking down. "Your letting your bitterness and jealousy get the better of you kieko, your my firend kieko, i wont fight unless i have to. But you better hope you live if you try to start something here"

Kieko made a noise of desperation and possible pain. Max had never seen him in this state before. He looked up to him. "If you want to go down that route, she's also still here because of me..." he said stiffly. He had buried these negative emotions for so long it was starting to tear him apart.

"I can't lose her...I can't!" he growled, doubling over as he gritted his teeth, trying desperately to hold back tears.

This was so out of character for him that it was frightening and angering him.

Max suddenly looked worried. He jumped down, "kieko, your not going to lose her. As long as we all stay friends we'll all be together." He said. But his words were of no use here. Max could sense the anger and frustration. And the intencity was building. " kieko you need to calm yourself before you do something you'll regret"

Kieko clenched his fist as he scowled at the ground, Max's words rattling around in his skull. "The only thing I'll regret is not acting. I was always told to fight for the one's I love, and Roxanne's no different..." he more or less hissed, getting to his feet slowly.

"I've recently lost my father...I'm not losing - I can't lose her too." he said.

Max growled. "She told me you lost your dad. She told me she felt bad for you, i felt bad. Do you really want to start something you know she'll hate us for? If so then lets take this outside. This garden is too presious to both roxanne and me for it to be damaged in any way."

Kieko grunted, turning round. "Fine. But I'll always feel like your a rival to me until this is settled..." he said, walking outside. "...If we want to remain friends, we need to somehow get this behind us, or otherwise I feel it'll tear me apart."

Max sighed. " you need to get a grip on yourself. If your letting you jealousy get to you like this then what hope is there?" He saidas he followed him outside. "I wont fight you, for the sake of both our futures for all that we have."

"You're saying as if you've never wanted to do the same thing, even after all those times I saw or heard snarling at me at every moment possible." Kieko frowned, looking to him in the eyes, his fists still clenched.

Max sighed clearly irritated now. "Your right i wanted to, but i didnt. Im thinking of what roxy expects from us both. If you wanna fight fine, but dont expect me to throw the first punch."

Kieko hissed again, his fists trembling before he turned away in a huff. "Damn it...I can't bring myself to do it..." he growled, going over to slam his fist into a tree in frustration before sighing, gradually calming down.

"You're right...." was all he said, before going silent after that.

Max sighed in relief. Thinking this was over for now. He looked out to the village looking to roxy's house. She was probably still there. "Roxy should be back soon"

As if on cue, Roxanne came walking up the pathway towards the garden. She spotted them both and started walking a little faster with a curious expression on her face.

She came up to meet them both, looking between them eyes like serpentine slits. "Everything ok here?" she asked.

"Yeah. Fine." Kieko replied, arms folded.

"I managed to talk kieko down after you left." Max said turning around. "Everything's peaceful for now" he looked to roxy leaning against the oak tree

Roxanne nodded, looking at Kieko cautiously before looking away again. "Right. Is there anything you guys wanted to do before we head back to the village? It's getting late after all." she suggested.

Max sighed "I can't go back to the village tonight. It's going to be a full moon tonight and you both know what happened last time." Max had literally tore trees and houses down last time he got hit with a full moon in town. Luckily max only hit buildings he didn't go for any people

Roxanne looked to him concerned, approaching him to place a hand on his lower back gently. "I can stay with you tonight if you want. Both of us can."

Kieko scowled at the ground before looking to them both. "I have...something else to do." he said sternly.

She turned to look at him. "Family stuff?"

He paused, but nodded. "Yeah. Something my father asked of me...if you don't mind..."

"No, it's okay." she said before going over to him to give him hug. "Thanks for everything today. It was awesome. You take care; I mean it."

Kieko paused again, before sighing, not hugging back but looking down at the floor. "I will." he breathed before he disappeared in an instant in a bright light.

She sighed, turning to Max. "I can stay with you through this full moon if you want me too."

Max looked to her. "That would be nice..." He said with a worried tone. "Just promis me if I lose it you freeze me the first chance you get" he looked to her as they started to walk back. "So what did you need to talk to your mom about?"

Roxanne nodded to him, the thoughts rattling around in her skull as they both walked back. She tried not to look troubled when he asked that question. "Uh...you know, family stuff..." she said, looking at the sky as she did.

Max sighed. "It was about me and kieko wasn't it" he said obviously seein right through her like he usually did. "All I can say is whoever you choose. I'll still be here for you till the day I die. That promis I made when I was nine is still in effect"

Roxanne continued to stare up at the sky before she made a shy and embarrassed noise, fiddling with her black dress.

She let a whine as she suddenly turned to him. "I can't do this anymore....." she said desperately, placing her hands on his shoulders surprisingly gentle compared to her tone.

Max looked to her a little surprised. "Can't do what anymore roxy?" He asked a little worried. Roxy had never been this stressed out. Right now they were still in the woods and alone.

Roxanne hissed quietly to herself as she looked down at the floor, hesitant. That is, before the delicate words passed her lips. "I...I th - I choose you...Max." she said so quietly that she may not have heard herself. She lifted her head to meet his eyes, panting a little before she repeated.

"I do, I choose you..." Roxy said, feeling as though in a daze as she suddenly leaned forward to kiss him passionately.

Max was shocked for a moment. Then he pulled her close and kissed back. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest. Was he dreamin? Or was the love of his life finally in his arms again. He smiled as he slowly pulled away rom the kiss to look her in the eyes. "I love you Roxanne raccoon. I always have and always will, my sweet enchantress"  he said kissing her again

Roxanne grinned into the kiss when he kissed her again, choosing to wrap her arms around his neck as she pulled him close. "Sorry I'm late..." she breathed, referring to all those years ago as she only pulled him closer. She'd decided to take her mother's advice in the end.

Max smiled as he lifted er off her feet and twirled her around. "Maybe we should stay in the garden tonight. I don't think our parents would oppose"