Frozen Heart - 14. Chapter 14 - A brand new Maximilian!

Alice's burrito was much better, not as spicy that is! Max really enjoyed it, he was almost sad when he finished it. Even though he had eaten so much he still had room for AT LEAST half a burrito. They continued chatting at their table for a few minutes, well actually Alice and Aaron were the ones that talked, Max just sipped his drink, admiring his boyfriend's beauty. Hair that looked like pure gold strands, and eyes that one could mistake for chocolate. His face was well proportioned, no zit, no acne, close shaved, and his lips, oh those lips. With clothes in the way Max could only gaze at Aaron's face, though he did drift to his elegant neck from time to time. Aaron did catch him looking at one point, Max turned red and looked down. Aaron just grinned then went back to his conversation with Alice. At last they got up, and went to a shoe shop. On Aaron's good advice, Max bought a new pair of sneakers, blue and white, which earned him a giggle from Aaron.

"What's funny?" he asked innocently.

"Let me guess," Aaron took a dramatic pose and thought for a second a hand covering his eyes as if he was concentrating. "Your favorite colors are blue and white!"

"How did you know?" Max asked bashfully.

"Well you just bought blue and white sneakers, and your new car is blue and white, and you usually were blue-jeans and a simple white top, gee I wonder!"

"NEW CAR?!" squealed Alice.

"Yes his aunt took him shopping this morning."

"Why didn't you tell me before!!" she added excitedly, but more at Aaron than Max.

"Well..."

"Because I didn't believe my aunt when she said she was going to buy me one," cut in Max.

"Ooooh, well what are you waiting for? Lets go see it!!"

And so they went to the parking lot, to Alice's great pleasure. When she saw the car she got so excited you could have powered a house with her.

"If you want I can take you home after we're done," offered Max.

"YES PLEEEEEEEEEEASE!" she pleaded.

With that they went back in the mall, Aaron took them to Abercrombie.
"Only the very best for MY boyfriend!" he had said.

They picked out a few t-shirts (not all of them white and blue, one was red and one was gray) for Max, a white button-down shirt, a few blue jeans, and a black sweater. After Max had tried everything on for Aaron and Alice, Aaron shooed Alice away for a few minutes with a wink. He took Max by the hand and led him to another part of the store.

"You're going to need some of these! From what I saw you DESPERATELY need them."

Max blushed when he was what Aaron was holding up. A pair of black boxer-briefs! He snatched it out of Aaron's hands, and tried to fold it back and put it in place.

"Oh no you don't!" Aaron said with a chuckle. "I'm going to see them you know! So at least let me pick a few out for you that I know I will enjoy seeing on you."

"Fine," mumbled Max, he knew there was no fighting, he just couldn't resist Aaron...

Aaron picked out a few more, a blue, a gray, a bright red (that made Max blush just as red), and a few simple white ones.

"You like these?"

"Yes," Max half whispered.

"Good then let's get going!"

They paid for Max's new wardrobe, and a few other clothes shop later, he had a few more additions. A swimsuit, a towel for after the swim, a few more shirts, and another sweater, this one dark blue.

"Are we done yet?" Max whined, he loved to shop with Aaron but they had been at it for a few hours now he needed to sit down for a while!

"Yep just one more thing," Aaron answered before getting close to Max, but instead of the usual kiss he went to take a look at his hair.

"Max who cut your hair usually?"

"Me..." Max said embarrassed.

"Well I can see that..." Aaron mumbled.

"What do you think Alice?" he added a little louder.

"Oh yeah he needs to go, like right now!" she playfully teased Max.

They both took hold of one of his hands and led him to a hair-salon, they got him set up with a very nice young lady then told him they'd be back soon with a surprise.

The lady washed his hair, commenting that he had beautiful hair, soft and thick. Then she took him to have a chair and got him ready.

"So what would you like? Short? Long?" she asked him kindly.

"Uh... I think I'd like to keep them long please."

"OK long then, how about I shorten them just a little bit to give them some shape, then thin it out a little you have just a little too much naturally to keep them this long.

"That sounds great," Max even managed a small smile.

Thirty minutes later he got out in the main gallery, the lady had really done a great job, and he had really liked the result. His black hair still fell over his eyes if he needed protection, but it was orderly and not just a mess of black strands, tangled all over the place. He wondered what Aaron would think of them, actually he was about to finish that sentence in his mind when he heard a gasp.

"Max! It's beautiful!" Aaron told him as he rushed over to see his boyfriend's new haircut.

"Really? You like it?"

"Like it? I love it!!" and he added a kiss to really make his point.

"It looks really good Max," chimed in Alice, with a smile on her face.

"Aaaand this! Is for you!" added Aaron as he held a blue package with silver ribbons to Max.

"Gee white and blue I wonder why," Max joked.

He opened the small package, wondering what was inside.

"Please not something that will embarrass me!" he pleaded silently.

He couldn't help but look in awe at what he saw inside. It was a beautiful watch, with a black leather bracelet, and a steel frame. But the inside were what really caught Max's attention, it was in two parts, a black exterior with steel thingies to mark hours, and a transparent middle where you could see all the gears turning. It was the most beautiful thing Max had ever seen.

"It's mechanical so you won't have to ever change a battery or something, it rewinds itself when you wear it. So if you put it on everyday you don't have to worry about a thing. Oh and you don't have to wear it at night as the spring has 24 hour lifespan."

"Thank you," Max whispered, he had tears streaming down his face.

To Max it was the most beautiful gift anyone had ever given him, he couldn't help but love Aaron even more. This was something he could constantly have on him that had Aaron all over it, he knew it was something that he would keep his whole life.

"Max? Why are you crying?" Aaron asked concerned.

"Because I'm happy, I'm so happy!"

With that he let himself fall in Aaron's arms, and he rest his head on his boyfriend's chest. He felt Aaron's arms envelop him protectively, Alice was also sobbing next to them. She even joined them after a few seconds.

Once he had calmed down a bit, he and Aaron fumbled a bit to put it on his wrist. It felt perfect, the bracelet was comfortable, and it started ticking after a few shakes.

"I love you," Max said, looking at Aaron in the eyes, letting his love come through his own. He felt a warm feeling rise through his body, washing away some of the pain that still lingered, melting the final ice blocks around his heart, though it stayed far from the lock on the most painful part of his mind. Not yet, it was still a little too soon for that.