Paying the Price - Chloe Price x Reader a Life is Strange Fanfic

7 - Max's Deer

Chloe smirked. "You're looking at me funny" she said as we continued towards the ice cream shop.

I shrugged trying to get rid of whatever weird feelings were stirring up inside me.

We walked through the door, a little bell jingling as we pushed the door open. Behind the glass display case that held two dozen bright colours of cold creamy heaven, stood a boy a little shorter than Chloe with ruffled hair and a stained brown apron.

"How may I help you?" he said as he smiled, his hands on the edge of the counter and his silver name tag glinting in the afternoon light.

Just as I was about to reply, Chloe stepped up to the counter. "Eyyy Warren! When did you start working here my dude!" Chloe said, going in for a fist bump. But this Warren guy only looked down at her outstretched fist as his gaze clouded over with a familiar sadness.

"A little after Max... Not that you'd have noticed or care about how others have been coping with their grief" he said, before looking at me and putting on a tight smile, that I immediately registered as fake. "And you must be new to Acadia Bay! I've never seen you around here. What can I get for you." he said.

I glanced between Warren and Chloe quickly, Chloe was rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly, and Warren was looking at me expectantly.

"I'll have a double scoop of (Favourite Ice Cream Flavour) please." I smiled back as best as I could before turning to Chloe. "And what would you like? I'm buying." I asked.

Chloe seemed lost in thought, but her eyes met mine and she muttered something that sounded like "Lost my appetite."

Warren got my ice cream and handed it over the counter, as I handed him a five dollar bill and told him to keep the change as a tip.

As we were about to leave, Chloe asked if I could wait for her outside for a moment before she turned back towards the front counter.

I nodded and walked outside, sitting at the bench we'd sat on earlier. I was curious as to what she was going to say to Warren. Those two seemed to have a history of some kind. Not that I was jealous or anything. I think.

I shook my head and looked on at the sea in front of me, taking a lick of my ice cream. What a strange day it's been so far.

Chloe appeared a few moments after, hopping over the bench and sitting next to me.

She bumped her shoulder against mine when I didn't react. "You gonna share some of that?" She said glancing between me and my ice cream.

I smirked as I looked over at her. It was like the past few minutes hadn't even occurred. Y'know I kinda liked that about Chloe, one minute she was sad, the next she was trying to steal your ice cream. Most people would find her personality a bit of an emotional roller coaster with a hella amount of whiplash, but me? I'm up for the ride.

"I dunno, you lost your appetite. I think this one's mine." I replied taking another lick from my ice cream.

Chloe reached out and steadied the hand that was holding the ice cream cone and bit a chunk of ice cream off, leaving a big bite mark and the remaining ice cream tilting over the edge.

Chloe grinned like a little kid with the (Colour of Ice Cream) Ice cream all around her lips, which she promptly caught me staring and licked it all off, still grinning.

"Thief" I muttered, turning back towards the ocean and licking my ice cream until it was perfectly balanced on the cone again.

Chloe kept stealing bites of my ice cream, and I would lightly smack her away claiming it was my dessert and that she'd lost her appetite, but ending up just letting her eat the rest.

We walked along the sidewalk next to the beach, Chloe balancing on the edge, occasionally tipping over and one of her boots landing in the sand. At one point she'd lost her balance and was about to fall face first into the sand, but I caught her arm and kept her balance. She didn't pull her hand away and neither did I, so we kept walking all the way to my bike, Chloe walking on the edge and me holding onto one of her outstretched hands for balance.

As the sun crept down the horizon alerting us of evening approaching, we headed to the junk yard on my bike.

We sat on the top of a school bus with beers in our hands as we watched the sun's rays shine through the forest greenery. A deer was watching us from the tree-line not ten feet away. It's dark eyes and diamond shaped ears fixed on us.

"Max's spirit animal was a deer." Chloe said as she looked on at the gentle creature.

I looked over at Chloe, that familiar clouded gaze had returned, like she was watching a movie of her own memories play through her head. But I didn't respond, neither did I prompt her for more. If she wanted to share more, then I was here to listen.

"I wish you could have met her, she would have liked you." Chloe said.

Chloe didn't go on, she just left a tense silence that hovered around us like a thick fog.

After a few minutes I opened my mouth. "Who was the other rose for?" I asked without thinking, and when I saw Chloe's face fall further I cursed myself mentally. Me and my big mouth.

"Rachel Amber. She was my angel. She brought light to my sad dark world. I piece of me died along with her." Chloe said meeting my eyes for a fraction of a second before dropping to her beer bottle.

I scooted closer to Chloe and wrapped my arms around her in a hug. She was a little surprised, and tense, but slowly she wrapped her arms around me, resting her chin on my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Chloe." I said quietly.

Chloe didn't respond, but she hugged me tighter and I took that as a 'thank you' of sorts.

A second later Chloe pulled away and pulled the gun from her waistband, a mischievous grin forming on her face.

"Wanna shoot some beer bottles with me?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement. How could I say no to her?

---------------------------------------------

Hope you liked this chapter! I wanted to have (y/n) experience a little bit of Chloe's mood swings/mood whiplash in this chapter, so this seemed to have turned out well... I think.

What would you answer to Chloe if she asked you if you wanted to shoot some beer bottles? Answer in the comments below! Me? I'd answer "HELL YES"

I'll be back again soon with more Chloe x Reader! Leave a comment and a like if you enjoyed! Suggestions are always welcome!

**Reminder I don't own any of the art, characters or mentioned places in this story!**

~ Ryan