Chapter Text
Max walked downstairs after getting a lecture from his Aunt Steph and Grandfather. They didn't help much, but at the same time, they did. At least it made one thing crystal clear; no matter what he said or heard, he had fallen harder for Rose.
It's torturous to love someone you can't have but even more when you see them dating someone else.
Max was lost in his thoughts when he bumped into someone. Only looking up, he realized how much Rose had changed in 2 years. Her eyes had gotten dull, her hair colour was brighter for some reason, and her face looked...tired. The beautiful and gorgeous girl he loves looks...so broken.
"Excuse me"
"Oh yes, I'm sorry."
"Have you...Have you been crying?" Rose glanced at his face and noticed the tear marks on his face. He rubbed it away, but he could never hide anything from Rose. They knew each other like the back of their hands.
Max stood straight and snorted in disbelief. "Cry? And me? I don't cry, Rose. I thought you knew" This was such a big fat lie.
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't" Rose's corner of her lips lifted upwards, noticing the annoying look on Max's face.
Rose gasped dramatically. "Oh really, huh?" She asked, "Who cried when they lost the scrabble game to me?"
Max stepped backwards nervously. "Not me."
"And who cried when I broke my leg."
Max took another step backwards. "How could I not? You were hurt."
Rose stepped closer to him. "And who cried when you broke up with me?" She heard from everyone that Max cried; she didn't see it herself.
"I did no such thing" He crossed his arms but furrowed his eyebrows in sadness.
Rose glared harder at him. "Yes, you did," but when she got no answer, she sighed, "God, I can't do this anymore. Ok, I'm not dating Liam, alright? Happy now! He's just...my best friend. I didn't want to come here alone and wanted everyone's pity, so I asked him to be my boyfriend for a night."
Max remained dumbfounded. “Oh.”
She couldn't pretend long enough. "There, I said it. I feel so stupid, ugh!"
Within a second, Max stepped forward and kissed Rose. She was shocked at first and didn't move from her spot but soon melted into the feeling. Max pulled her closer, and Rose's hand went into his hair, pulling his face closer. It had been two years. They had barely been able to stay 2 hours away from each other, and here they had two years. They craved each other like they never had before.
When they broke apart, Rose said with a lack of breath, "So...I assume...you aren't dating...Lea?"
"No, and you'd find it funny, but she likes your fake boyfriend" Max, who had returned to his normal state, kissed her forehead and held her in his arms tightly, not wanting to let go this time.
Rose chuckled. "Yeah, I saw the looks" She looked up and stared into his eyes. "And yours too. You looked like you wanted to beat Liam up."
"Well yeah, he had no right to touch you!"
"And you did? The guy who broke up with me!" Rose jabbed his chest with her finger in accusation.
"I wanted the best for you! You would've never taken that job offer if I hadn't broken up with you."
"Why did you break up with me?"
Max sighed and dropped his head on her collarbone. "For your future. For your life."
Rose lifted his head with her hand and stroked his cheek. "You are my future and my life."
"Rose," He said.
"You took away my future and life from me, Max. You thought you were helping me, but you ruined it"
Max still held her in his arms. “I’m sorry.”
"You can't bring back those two years we lost, Max."
"I know"
Rose kissed his cheek. "And I'm not letting us lose anymore."
"What?" Max jerked his head in confusion to look up at Rose, but she wasn't there anymore.
"Max Tanner-Fuller Hale" She went down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"
Max fell on his knees and rolled them both on the floor when he hugged her. "Yes! God, why is everything so unusual in this household."
"I know," Rose replied with a chuckle.
"But wait, I should've proposed!" Max gasped in realization.
"And I beat you once again" Like always, Rose won. The Legend Max could only lose to one, and it was Rose and always will be.
"Rose!" Max groaned, and Rose laughed.
Rose was sitting with 64-year-old Max in her arms. "You know I have a lot to thank Grandpa Danny for."
"Why?"
Rose looked up at his face and stroked his wrinkled cheek. "Without him, I would've never asked you to marry me?"
"What?"
Rose said, remembering the day, "He told me this Costco story and..."
Max shrieked, "What! You too?" It all added up. When Danny told Max the story, he told Rose as well.
Rose chuckled. "It's a legacy."
"Sure is," Max sighed and pulled her closer to his chest.
"You know I still won. I proposed first," Rose loved pushing his buttons. Even after years, they had this challenging relationship that they loved so much.
Max smiled and rubbed his nose with hers. "That day, we both won"
He looked at her lovingly, and Rose pecked his lips.
The Costco story ruled for generations.