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impala_chickTitle: Intertwined by Circumstance
Pairing: Max/Liz/Kyle
Rated: Teen
Word Count: 2,492
Summary: When Kyle shows up in Los Angeles to talk to Liz, he brings Max with him. Max's confession forces Liz to face her complicated feelings about both of them.
A/N: Written late for the multiamory march prompt 14. confessions and the no_true_pair prompt March Twenty-Sixth - Max & Liz at the beach. This takes place during episode 3x01.
Fic on AO3
Liz let her work in Los Angeles consume her, because doing so helped push out all of the intrusive thoughts about Roswell and Max and Kyle. But with Kyle sitting in front of her, every feeling she’d tried to hold back for months threatened to spill out.
“Is it really fair to some new guy if I keep looking over my shoulder hoping that Max is going to show up?” She asked, not expecting an answer.
Liz noticed Kyle’s heavy sigh. Then his eyes widened as he glanced at something over Liz’s shoulder. Liz whipped around to see what had caught his attention and felt her chest constrict.
It was Max, his hands awkwardly shoved into the pockets of his jeans as he scuffed a boot against the concrete.
“Hey,” he said softly, glancing between Liz and Kyle.
The simple greeting, after everything, made Liz grit her teeth in anger. Her hands made fists at her sides, because even though she’d never take a swing at him, she felt exposed and vulnerable. He’d probably heard what she’d just said, and that felt so unfair. He shouldn’t know that she still missed him, still wanted him. Not yet, anyway. He deserved her anger for what he’d done.
“Hey? Really? It’s been a year, Max. What are you doing here?”
“I invited him,” Kyle spoke up before Max could.
Liz turned back to Kyle just to glare at him. That didn’t make any sense to her, not after the conversation she’d just had with Kyle. Also given the fact that Kyle was usually the one who encouraged people to do things of their own volition, not force them into awkward situations.
“Okay, what is going on?” Liz asked, bewildered.
No one spoke for a moment. Max took a step towards Liz and then stopped again. Every line of his body was tense as he ran a hand through his hair, which had grown out. The soft bangs on his forehead suited him well, but she could tell he had bags under his eyes and his skin was unusually pale. Clearly he hadn’t been sleeping.
“Liz, you and Max need to talk,” Kyle broke the silence. He sounded weary.
Liz raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip. She felt like she was in the middle of some kind of intervention, and she didn’t appreciate feeling trapped.
She crossed her arms. “What I need to do is go back to work.”
Max cleared his throat. “Maybe we can meet up after your shift? I just… I’m sorry, Liz. Let me apologize.”
Liz glanced over at Kyle, who seemed locked on to Max. She noticed the very small nod Kyle gave him, like he was trying to be encouraging. Not only had Kyle invited Max to LA, but they’d coordinated about when he’d show up, and probably what he should say, too. Kyle must have been texting him. All of this circumstantial evidence gave her the feeling they must have talked a lot about her while she was gone.
She still felt angry. But Max was right in front of her, trying to make amends. He looked like he could use a hug, and after not seeing him for so long, all she wanted to do was gather him into her arms. She still loved him so much it hurt, and that would probably never change. Just like her love for Kyle.
This is what she’d really wanted Max to do all along, chase after her. They’d both chased after her.
She rubbed her forehead and then made a decision. At this point, she wasn’t going to be able to concentrate on anything else at work anyway. And Heath would surely agree to cover for her.
“Okay, look. I’ll change, and then I’ll take us somewhere to talk. And then you are going to tell me whatever it is you came all the way here to tell me.”
Max’s shoulders visibly relaxed, and he offered her a small, timid smile. It didn’t quite reach his eyes. His caution nearly broke her heart.
Liz heard Kyle’s chair scrape against the ground. She turned around just as he was standing up.
“Great. Well, I’ll just be going to LAX then.”
“Fuck no, you’re staying too,” Liz said sternly, holding up her hand. She was not ready to let Kyle off the hook. “I deserve an explanation after this whole set-up you both sprang on me.”
Kyle blew out a breath, and she could practically feel his exasperation. They stared at each other for so long that Liz half-expected him to defy her. Eventually his shoulders sagged, and he relented.
“If I’m missing my flight, at least take me to the beach.”
He probably meant it as a joke because his voice sounded sarcastic. But Liz was going to call his bluff, mostly out of spite.
“Fine.”
She saw the way Kyle shook his head, which made her smile privately to herself. At least she’d managed to surprise him, after whatever he’d just done to surprise her. It was hard not to glance at Max as she turned and walked away, but somehow she managed.
---
When Liz parked her car and got out, she purposefully did not slam her door even though she wanted to. The car ride over to the beach parking lot had been mostly silent, and her chest felt like it was caving in the entire time. She didn’t know what to say to fix any of this. Two of her favorite people on the planet had come all the way to Los Angeles to see her and to apologize. But she wasn't sure if a simple apology would be enough.
She waited for Kyle to grab the blanket from her backseat, and then the three of them walked out onto the sands of Santa Monica Beach. Max looked ridiculous in his boots. At least she and Kyle had appropriate footwear on.
She wasn’t quite sure where they should stop, but she got the sense that Max and Kyle were just going to follow her. She walked towards the water. Once the sound of the waves was loud enough to drown out any of the other conversations happening around them, she gestured for Kyle to hand her the blanket.
He helped her spread it out, and then she smoothed the corner closest to her and sat down. Max and Kyle made eye contact, and Kyle shrugged. Max sat, and then Kyle sat next to him.
Liz sighed. Something about seeing them both in front of her, expectantly waiting for her to speak, softened her anger.
“I’ve missed you. Both of you.” She surprised herself when her voice came out so gentle.
“We missed you too, Liz,” Kyle started to say as he reached over and took Liz’s hand.
“And as Max’s doctor, I really think you should forgive him.” Kyle shot Max a Look.
Liz glanced over at Max, who was chewing on his bottom lip as he looked out at the ocean.
“Okay what is going on? Is someone dying or something?” She meant it as a joke, but Max whipped around to look at Kyle, and his face went white. So someone was dying, then. Goosebumps broke out on Liz’s arms as panic welled up inside her.
“I’m sick, Liz. I’m dying, and I don’t have that much time left,” Max said.
Liz went cold all over, and her breath caught in her throat. She didn’t know what to say. Surely that couldn’t have been true. Max was an alien. He was supposed to be immune to every human disease.
Kyle was still holding onto Liz, but he leaned over with his other hand and put it on Max’s knee. Max didn’t shrug it off, which ordinarily would have made Liz’s eyebrows shoot up into her hairline if she wasn’t so preoccupied by Max’s confession.
“Kyle has tried everything to fix me, and I don’t think it can be done. I didn’t want to tell you and ruin your new life, after what I did.”
She whirled on Kyle. Now the pieces were falling into place. They’d both worked together to keep this huge secret from her intentionally.
Kyle continued explaining. “His body is rejecting his new heart. We’ve been dealing with this without you, and it’s been god-awful.”
Max's heart. The one she'd helped transplant. The one that was supposed to save his life. Except it hadn't worked.
Liz felt like walls closing in on her as her thoughts spiraled. She only remembered to breath when Kyle squeezed her hand. She had forgotten he’d been holding it.
“Liz, please say something,” Max pleaded.
“How is this happening?” Liz whispered, still reeling. She pulled her hand away from Kyle’s grasp. “How could you keep this from me?”
She wanted to scream, but she didn’t.
Max winced. “Don’t be angry with Kyle. He’s the only one who knows, and I asked him to keep it that way even though he didn’t want to. He’s been the only person I’ve been able to lean on.”
She was furious that they’d excluded her. Nothing else was as important as Max’s life, and she should have at least been given the choice to help. To think that Max thought it was better to fade away then talk to her was maddening.
But then the full impact of what was happening hit Liz like a freight train. Her two favorite boys had been suffering and staying away from her, thinking it was the right thing to do. They’d only done that to protect her.
She blew out a breath and let her anger dissipate.
At least they were telling her now. Now that she knew, surely she could help. She'd saved Max before, and she would have to do it again. That was the only thing that mattered now.
She knee-walked over to Max and gathered him into a hug. He melted into her, and she felt him breathe in sharp little exhales, like he was about to cry. She felt Kyle’s hand rub her back before he let her go.
“Get in on this, Kyle,” she said as she glanced over Max’s shoulder.
Kyle gave her a small, sad smile and then he reached out to wrap an arm around her. Kyle tucked his chin against her shoulder, and held onto Max too, and they fit together so well that it was easy to imagine the three of them doing this all the time - just holding each other. She breathed in Max’s woodsy aftershave and Kyle’s Shea butter shampoo and felt the tightness in her chest loosen just a bit. The responsibility to save Max still pressed down on her, but it didn’t feel like she was carrying that weight alone.
When Liz pulled back, she put one hand on Max’s cheek and one hand on Kyle’s.
“I am still mad at you," She said as she held Max's gaze. "But let me help you.”
“I had hoped you’d say that,” Max said with a grin. He reached for Liz’s hand with his right and she let go of his cheek so that she could thread their fingers together. Then, surprisingly, Max reached for Kyle’s with his left. “I’m sorry this is happening, Liz.”
“I know,” Liz sighed. She glanced down at Max and Kyle’s clasped hands and felt butterflies in her stomach. Something was different about them, and she both loved and hated the idea that they’d grown closer without her. She felt a prick of jealously that she had been left out of whatever had changed between them.
“Okay, tell me what that is about.” Liz gestured down at their hands with her chin, trying to keep any judgment out of her voice.
Kyle trained his gaze on Max, and waited. Liz saw Max take a deep breath to gather himself. He glanced out at the ocean as he spoke.
“I came here to tell you everything, Liz. So here it is. I know I don’t have much time left, so I want to be honest. I …” Max ran his fingers through his hair and met her eyes before he continued. “Kyle and I have been, sort of. Seeing each other? And I wasn’t trying to replace you. I still want you, Liz. I don’t know where this leaves us, though.”
Liz let the words wash over her. Being on death’s door must really be having an effect on Max, because she’d talked to him about being bisexual before and he’d always avoided giving a direct answer. Liz’s heart constricted at the reminder of Max’s condition, but she also felt hope blooming in her chest. The two men she'd always felt caught between, the two men she'd always loved, were offering her a solution. This could mean something new for all three of them.
She looked to Kyle for his input.
“Not to put too fine a point on it, but we’re both still in love with you.” He said it very matter-of-factly, like it should have been obvious. Even though that was the last thing she'd expected him to say.
“Oh,” Liz managed to say before the breath fled from her lungs. The admission felt so heavy, even after everything they’d just been discussing. Even though they’d found comfort in each other, Max and Kyle still wanted her too. What a huge and complicated thing between all of them.
“Putting aside the question of how much time Max has left for now -” Liz started to speak, and then stopped. It didn’t have to be so complicated, if she took it one step at a time. Getting back to Roswell was step one. Step two was going to involve a bunch of lab equipment and probably Max’s blood.
“Take me home.” Maybe it should have come out as a question, but Liz said it like a statement. “Both of you.”
She watched a grin spread across Max’s face as relief softened his features, and then she looked over at Kyle and saw a similar expression on his face. They were both so beautiful under the bright light of the California sun. The crashing ocean waves created an ambiance so peaceful that she was almost tricked into believing the moment could last forever. She tried to memorize their faces, but she knew there was limited time to spare.
She jumped up and tugged on the beach blanket. Max and Kyle both shot her a questioning look before they got to their feet.
“Chop chop. We’ve got work to do,” she said with determination in her voice.
Thankfully neither of them laughed.
She made quick work of folding up the blanket and then tucked it under her arm. Kyle held one of her hands and Max held the other as they headed for the car. Liz didn’t bother looking back at the ocean, not when a future intertwining the three of them lay ahead of her.
Pairing: Max/Liz/Kyle
Rated: Teen
Word Count: 2,492
Summary: When Kyle shows up in Los Angeles to talk to Liz, he brings Max with him. Max's confession forces Liz to face her complicated feelings about both of them.
A/N: Written late for the multiamory march prompt 14. confessions and the no_true_pair prompt March Twenty-Sixth - Max & Liz at the beach. This takes place during episode 3x01.
Fic on AO3
Liz let her work in Los Angeles consume her, because doing so helped push out all of the intrusive thoughts about Roswell and Max and Kyle. But with Kyle sitting in front of her, every feeling she’d tried to hold back for months threatened to spill out.
“Is it really fair to some new guy if I keep looking over my shoulder hoping that Max is going to show up?” She asked, not expecting an answer.
Liz noticed Kyle’s heavy sigh. Then his eyes widened as he glanced at something over Liz’s shoulder. Liz whipped around to see what had caught his attention and felt her chest constrict.
It was Max, his hands awkwardly shoved into the pockets of his jeans as he scuffed a boot against the concrete.
“Hey,” he said softly, glancing between Liz and Kyle.
The simple greeting, after everything, made Liz grit her teeth in anger. Her hands made fists at her sides, because even though she’d never take a swing at him, she felt exposed and vulnerable. He’d probably heard what she’d just said, and that felt so unfair. He shouldn’t know that she still missed him, still wanted him. Not yet, anyway. He deserved her anger for what he’d done.
“Hey? Really? It’s been a year, Max. What are you doing here?”
“I invited him,” Kyle spoke up before Max could.
Liz turned back to Kyle just to glare at him. That didn’t make any sense to her, not after the conversation she’d just had with Kyle. Also given the fact that Kyle was usually the one who encouraged people to do things of their own volition, not force them into awkward situations.
“Okay, what is going on?” Liz asked, bewildered.
No one spoke for a moment. Max took a step towards Liz and then stopped again. Every line of his body was tense as he ran a hand through his hair, which had grown out. The soft bangs on his forehead suited him well, but she could tell he had bags under his eyes and his skin was unusually pale. Clearly he hadn’t been sleeping.
“Liz, you and Max need to talk,” Kyle broke the silence. He sounded weary.
Liz raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip. She felt like she was in the middle of some kind of intervention, and she didn’t appreciate feeling trapped.
She crossed her arms. “What I need to do is go back to work.”
Max cleared his throat. “Maybe we can meet up after your shift? I just… I’m sorry, Liz. Let me apologize.”
Liz glanced over at Kyle, who seemed locked on to Max. She noticed the very small nod Kyle gave him, like he was trying to be encouraging. Not only had Kyle invited Max to LA, but they’d coordinated about when he’d show up, and probably what he should say, too. Kyle must have been texting him. All of this circumstantial evidence gave her the feeling they must have talked a lot about her while she was gone.
She still felt angry. But Max was right in front of her, trying to make amends. He looked like he could use a hug, and after not seeing him for so long, all she wanted to do was gather him into her arms. She still loved him so much it hurt, and that would probably never change. Just like her love for Kyle.
This is what she’d really wanted Max to do all along, chase after her. They’d both chased after her.
She rubbed her forehead and then made a decision. At this point, she wasn’t going to be able to concentrate on anything else at work anyway. And Heath would surely agree to cover for her.
“Okay, look. I’ll change, and then I’ll take us somewhere to talk. And then you are going to tell me whatever it is you came all the way here to tell me.”
Max’s shoulders visibly relaxed, and he offered her a small, timid smile. It didn’t quite reach his eyes. His caution nearly broke her heart.
Liz heard Kyle’s chair scrape against the ground. She turned around just as he was standing up.
“Great. Well, I’ll just be going to LAX then.”
“Fuck no, you’re staying too,” Liz said sternly, holding up her hand. She was not ready to let Kyle off the hook. “I deserve an explanation after this whole set-up you both sprang on me.”
Kyle blew out a breath, and she could practically feel his exasperation. They stared at each other for so long that Liz half-expected him to defy her. Eventually his shoulders sagged, and he relented.
“If I’m missing my flight, at least take me to the beach.”
He probably meant it as a joke because his voice sounded sarcastic. But Liz was going to call his bluff, mostly out of spite.
“Fine.”
She saw the way Kyle shook his head, which made her smile privately to herself. At least she’d managed to surprise him, after whatever he’d just done to surprise her. It was hard not to glance at Max as she turned and walked away, but somehow she managed.
---
When Liz parked her car and got out, she purposefully did not slam her door even though she wanted to. The car ride over to the beach parking lot had been mostly silent, and her chest felt like it was caving in the entire time. She didn’t know what to say to fix any of this. Two of her favorite people on the planet had come all the way to Los Angeles to see her and to apologize. But she wasn't sure if a simple apology would be enough.
She waited for Kyle to grab the blanket from her backseat, and then the three of them walked out onto the sands of Santa Monica Beach. Max looked ridiculous in his boots. At least she and Kyle had appropriate footwear on.
She wasn’t quite sure where they should stop, but she got the sense that Max and Kyle were just going to follow her. She walked towards the water. Once the sound of the waves was loud enough to drown out any of the other conversations happening around them, she gestured for Kyle to hand her the blanket.
He helped her spread it out, and then she smoothed the corner closest to her and sat down. Max and Kyle made eye contact, and Kyle shrugged. Max sat, and then Kyle sat next to him.
Liz sighed. Something about seeing them both in front of her, expectantly waiting for her to speak, softened her anger.
“I’ve missed you. Both of you.” She surprised herself when her voice came out so gentle.
“We missed you too, Liz,” Kyle started to say as he reached over and took Liz’s hand.
“And as Max’s doctor, I really think you should forgive him.” Kyle shot Max a Look.
Liz glanced over at Max, who was chewing on his bottom lip as he looked out at the ocean.
“Okay what is going on? Is someone dying or something?” She meant it as a joke, but Max whipped around to look at Kyle, and his face went white. So someone was dying, then. Goosebumps broke out on Liz’s arms as panic welled up inside her.
“I’m sick, Liz. I’m dying, and I don’t have that much time left,” Max said.
Liz went cold all over, and her breath caught in her throat. She didn’t know what to say. Surely that couldn’t have been true. Max was an alien. He was supposed to be immune to every human disease.
Kyle was still holding onto Liz, but he leaned over with his other hand and put it on Max’s knee. Max didn’t shrug it off, which ordinarily would have made Liz’s eyebrows shoot up into her hairline if she wasn’t so preoccupied by Max’s confession.
“Kyle has tried everything to fix me, and I don’t think it can be done. I didn’t want to tell you and ruin your new life, after what I did.”
She whirled on Kyle. Now the pieces were falling into place. They’d both worked together to keep this huge secret from her intentionally.
Kyle continued explaining. “His body is rejecting his new heart. We’ve been dealing with this without you, and it’s been god-awful.”
Max's heart. The one she'd helped transplant. The one that was supposed to save his life. Except it hadn't worked.
Liz felt like walls closing in on her as her thoughts spiraled. She only remembered to breath when Kyle squeezed her hand. She had forgotten he’d been holding it.
“Liz, please say something,” Max pleaded.
“How is this happening?” Liz whispered, still reeling. She pulled her hand away from Kyle’s grasp. “How could you keep this from me?”
She wanted to scream, but she didn’t.
Max winced. “Don’t be angry with Kyle. He’s the only one who knows, and I asked him to keep it that way even though he didn’t want to. He’s been the only person I’ve been able to lean on.”
She was furious that they’d excluded her. Nothing else was as important as Max’s life, and she should have at least been given the choice to help. To think that Max thought it was better to fade away then talk to her was maddening.
But then the full impact of what was happening hit Liz like a freight train. Her two favorite boys had been suffering and staying away from her, thinking it was the right thing to do. They’d only done that to protect her.
She blew out a breath and let her anger dissipate.
At least they were telling her now. Now that she knew, surely she could help. She'd saved Max before, and she would have to do it again. That was the only thing that mattered now.
She knee-walked over to Max and gathered him into a hug. He melted into her, and she felt him breathe in sharp little exhales, like he was about to cry. She felt Kyle’s hand rub her back before he let her go.
“Get in on this, Kyle,” she said as she glanced over Max’s shoulder.
Kyle gave her a small, sad smile and then he reached out to wrap an arm around her. Kyle tucked his chin against her shoulder, and held onto Max too, and they fit together so well that it was easy to imagine the three of them doing this all the time - just holding each other. She breathed in Max’s woodsy aftershave and Kyle’s Shea butter shampoo and felt the tightness in her chest loosen just a bit. The responsibility to save Max still pressed down on her, but it didn’t feel like she was carrying that weight alone.
When Liz pulled back, she put one hand on Max’s cheek and one hand on Kyle’s.
“I am still mad at you," She said as she held Max's gaze. "But let me help you.”
“I had hoped you’d say that,” Max said with a grin. He reached for Liz’s hand with his right and she let go of his cheek so that she could thread their fingers together. Then, surprisingly, Max reached for Kyle’s with his left. “I’m sorry this is happening, Liz.”
“I know,” Liz sighed. She glanced down at Max and Kyle’s clasped hands and felt butterflies in her stomach. Something was different about them, and she both loved and hated the idea that they’d grown closer without her. She felt a prick of jealously that she had been left out of whatever had changed between them.
“Okay, tell me what that is about.” Liz gestured down at their hands with her chin, trying to keep any judgment out of her voice.
Kyle trained his gaze on Max, and waited. Liz saw Max take a deep breath to gather himself. He glanced out at the ocean as he spoke.
“I came here to tell you everything, Liz. So here it is. I know I don’t have much time left, so I want to be honest. I …” Max ran his fingers through his hair and met her eyes before he continued. “Kyle and I have been, sort of. Seeing each other? And I wasn’t trying to replace you. I still want you, Liz. I don’t know where this leaves us, though.”
Liz let the words wash over her. Being on death’s door must really be having an effect on Max, because she’d talked to him about being bisexual before and he’d always avoided giving a direct answer. Liz’s heart constricted at the reminder of Max’s condition, but she also felt hope blooming in her chest. The two men she'd always felt caught between, the two men she'd always loved, were offering her a solution. This could mean something new for all three of them.
She looked to Kyle for his input.
“Not to put too fine a point on it, but we’re both still in love with you.” He said it very matter-of-factly, like it should have been obvious. Even though that was the last thing she'd expected him to say.
“Oh,” Liz managed to say before the breath fled from her lungs. The admission felt so heavy, even after everything they’d just been discussing. Even though they’d found comfort in each other, Max and Kyle still wanted her too. What a huge and complicated thing between all of them.
“Putting aside the question of how much time Max has left for now -” Liz started to speak, and then stopped. It didn’t have to be so complicated, if she took it one step at a time. Getting back to Roswell was step one. Step two was going to involve a bunch of lab equipment and probably Max’s blood.
“Take me home.” Maybe it should have come out as a question, but Liz said it like a statement. “Both of you.”
She watched a grin spread across Max’s face as relief softened his features, and then she looked over at Kyle and saw a similar expression on his face. They were both so beautiful under the bright light of the California sun. The crashing ocean waves created an ambiance so peaceful that she was almost tricked into believing the moment could last forever. She tried to memorize their faces, but she knew there was limited time to spare.
She jumped up and tugged on the beach blanket. Max and Kyle both shot her a questioning look before they got to their feet.
“Chop chop. We’ve got work to do,” she said with determination in her voice.
Thankfully neither of them laughed.
She made quick work of folding up the blanket and then tucked it under her arm. Kyle held one of her hands and Max held the other as they headed for the car. Liz didn’t bother looking back at the ocean, not when a future intertwining the three of them lay ahead of her.