Chapter 243 - Quiet Introspection

"What's so funnnnny?" Olivia gritted through her teeth, and the knuckles on her fist turned white.

Her body shook with anger over her defeat but she was smiling though. She couldn't help it. Maxen's laugh was infectious and his eyes which turned into crescents were a sight to behold.

Hugging Olivia from behind, Maxen reached for her fists and pried it open, releasing it from the tension she balled in it.

A gasp left her lips as he pinned her back to his c.h.e.s.t, nuzzling his face in the crook of her neck.

They shouldn't be hugging in public, but for a moment, she wanted to be selfish. She wanted to do what other couples could do in the open.

"Don't you trust me?" he asked, tightening his arms around her waist.

"I do, Max. With all my heart." Olivia closed her eyes. Her heart weighed heavy in her c.h.e.s.t upon hearing Maxen's question.

She could feel Maxen's c.h.e.s.t rumble as he cleared his throat.

She wondered… would he lash out on her like she did? Or would he lengthen his patience a mile longer to accommodate her whims?

"I'm glad you do," Maxen uttered. His breath fanned against the shell of her ear as he spoke. "You have to relax, baby. I know you always wanted to be in control. I get it. But we don't have to fight over something... trivial."

Metal scraping against metal. That was how the tone in Maxen's voice was, and it sent a disconcerting feeling in Olivia.

Angling her face so she could see him fully, Olivia then decided to let things slide. She could see disappointment etch in Maxen's face the longer they argued.

It was obvious that he was trying his best to appease her, yet again, so as not to ruin what otherwise could have been a perfect mood to celebrate her achievement of conquering the skies.

Maybe he was right. Maybe she really needed to unknot the invisible belt that she tied around her waist, limiting her breathing to remind herself to keep everything within its limits.

She just had a wonderful experience. Why would she let a little error ruin it?

"Okay," she said in a soft and low voice. She twisted in her spot and cupped Maxen's face, rubbing his cheeks with the pad of her thumbs.

She opened her mouth to say sorry but Maxen was quick to silence her with another kiss.

Against the echoing noise in the hangar, Olivia heard Jack's grunt of disapproval over their public display of affection, so she squirmed under Maxen's cocoon, her cheeks blushed at the realization.

Olivia then shifted her eyes from the floor to Jack who was now wiping beads of sweat on his forehead.

Why was Jack even sweating? She was just asking him a question earlier ah. "Thank you for your honest opinion, Jack. I appreciate it," she said. Unbeknownst to her, she relieved Jack from his misery.

"My p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. Is there anything else that you need, Your Highness?" Jack responded with a clipped nod, hiding his discomfort with his impeccable professionalism.

Turning his head towards Jack's direction, Maxen said, "You can leave us." He winked at Jack before returning his attention back to his wife who was now back to her usual tight-lipped self.

Maxen squeezed Olivia's waist, snapping her out from another episode of quiet introspection.

She gave Maxen a forced smile before staring back at the horizon, occasionally clenching her teeth to prevent herself from flooding the hangar with her tears.

When Jack was out of earshot, Olivia combed Maxen's hair with her fingertips, jutting her bottom lip out, but the corners of her lips kept twitching as a wave of self-pity coursed through her veins.

Maxen's gaze softened. The back of his finger wiped the blob of a tear from the corner of her eye and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Because…" Olivia trailed off. She sniffed and swallowed the itching lump in her throat. "You never let me go. When I fight back, you hold onto me tighter."

Hugging her, Maxen cupped the back of her head and pressed her face to his c.h.e.s.t. "Like this?" he asked, the corner of his lips tipped in an understanding smile.

"Yes," she said, choking her words as she admitted the truth. "It's unfair for you."

He tightened his cocoon and it was then that Olivia buried her face in his c.h.e.s.t, enough to hide her face stricken with tears of shame over her lack of maturity.

She rarely voiced out what's on her mind, however, with Maxen beside her, she felt free as a bird to express her thoughts and feelings.

"I love it when you get mad at me. It's confusing and challenging at the same time." He chuckled when Olivia's fist landed a punch on his back.

Pulling away ever so slightly so Maxen could see Olivia's face, he pinched her chin, meeting her gaze.

Olivia tried to avoid his piercing stare, but her eyes seemed to have a mind of its own, darting back to Maxen's pools of clear blue eyes. She let herself be drowned in its clarity.

"I'm not offended with your outburst, if that's what you are worried about," Maxen trailed off, letting go of Olivia's chin. He wrapped his arms around Olivia's waist and leaned down to her eye level. "As I've said, you just have to loosen up a bit, especially when you're around me. Mmm?"

She felt her throat constrict, blocking the words from leaving her mouth, so she nodded her head to respond to Maxen.

"I need to hear your answer, baby. I need you to hear yourself."

"I will try to hang loose," she cracked up. She held up her hand and gave Maxen a shaka sign.

"Where did you pick that up?"

"Aerith. She loves gesturing with her hands when she talks."

"Oh." The vowel escaped Maxen's mouth. He wanted to say more, but Wyatt waved his hand in the air, calling for Maxen's attention. "Okay. I think Ollie just landed."

He peeled himself from Olivia and entwined their hands. As they walked towards Wyatt's location, he bent and whispered in Olivia's ear. "Get ready for your punishment later."

A smirk curved his lips as he felt her shiver in her spot.

"I'm a bad girl, Your Highness. I'll accept any punishment from you." She mirrored the smirk on Maxen's face, taking up his challenge.