Completely, Enthusiastically, and Without Question - Pt. 02
Note:
This is the second part of Olivia and Max's story. Theoretically, you could probably still enjoy this part without reading Part 1, but I think the context of Part 1 makes Part 2 a better story.
This part is written entirely from Max's point of view, but Olivia will get her own part as well. I didn't feel like I could do either of their personal growth stories justice as dual pov. Also, after reading the story a few more times, it was an obvious error that I wrote Max's first time
as
Max from Olivia's point of view. So this starts with me correcting that.
If you choose not to read Part 1, it's important that you know that Max uses they/them pronouns and has recently started a journey with understanding their identity. In Part 1 and well as in this story, they will have new experiences as they discover their authentic self. If this can be triggering for you because of your own experiences, please reach out to me via Twitter (LeeJamesBryant1) or using the feedback option on my profile here so I can provide more specific trigger warnings.
Max
Max closed their eyes and took a deep breath while Olivia's hands roamed their torso. Feeling anxious before, during, and after sex was, unfortunately, typical for Max, but Olivia's light touch soothed their heightened nerves.
Some of their previous partners assumed that Max was left feeling unsatisfied if they didn't have an orgasm and went straight to work trying to reciprocate, which only added pressure. It was often in their best interest to stop before anyone got frustrated.
Especially since Max didn't need to orgasm every time. Sure, they
liked
to, but they typically weren't bothered if they didn't. They got satisfaction from the whole of the act, not the last part of it.
Occasionally, someone would push it. They would insist that they could make Max come and pressured them to continue. Sometimes they could focus hard enough to make it happen, but most of the time it didn't and they were left feeling frustrated from getting worked back ok again.
But Olivia wasn't pushing it. She asked what Max wanted, they answered, and she acknowledged their answer without putting any expectations on them. She listened to
them
and what
they
wanted.
In other words, Olivia didn't make Max's orgasm entirely about herself, which was how they typically felt with most of their partners in the past.
"I'm so glad we called out of work today," Max said into the near-silent room. Presumably, Olivia would return to their apartment with them and they would spend the weekend learning how every inch of her body responded to them. Perhaps, they could indulge a curiosity or two with their new partner - curiosities that had arisen over the last several weeks since Max fully embraced and shared their true self with the world.
It wasn't that Max was inexperienced. They'd had plenty of sex with plenty of people. But there were some things that they'd avoided in the past that they were interested in trying in the near future.
"Mmm," Olivia hummed against Max's shoulder. "Me too. I don't want to be too presumptuous, but is it safe to say I'll get to experience all those hips have to offer if we go back to your place later today?"
It took Max a little longer than they'd later admit to Bailey to understand what Olivia was asking. "Oh! Well... If you're asking if I have a strap-on," they paused, holding their breath as they pulled their lip between their teeth. "I don't, actually. I know that might not, like, make sense, but I've never wanted to."
Olivia stiffened, her palm stilling against Max's stomach. "That's totally okay," she said quickly. "You don't need to... or I don't need to... we don't need to..."
"It's fine," Max assured Olivia. They'd intentionally used the past tense because it was truly a statement about their past. They hadn't wanted to in the
past
but in the
present
? They were actually quite curious.
"I, uh, was actually just thinking about it," Max continued. "I never wanted to because I was afraid of what it might mean. I've never liked being called butch or seen as really masculine. Which, again, I know seems odd because, I mean look at me. But I tried really hard not to..."
Max inhaled slowly through their nose and held it for a few moments before finishing. "I tried really hard not to be...
me
." They'd never phrased it that way before, but it was true. They'd spent the majority of their life trying to fit into a box that wasn't made for them.
Olivia's subtle changes in posture communicated her sympathy for Max and they braced for the inevitable over-apology. While they appreciated the societal shift, at least in their geographical area, in allyship towards trans and gender-diverse folx, they found that allyship was often demonstrated as pity.
But Max continued to forget that Olivia's allyship didn't stop at acceptance. As the two had gotten to know each other as friends, it became clear that she put real effort into being a true ally. She didn't look at Max like a lot of people did, as if they were a wounded animal starting to recover. When they talked about their journey, she looked at them with pride.
"For what it's worth," Olivia said as she twisted her fingers around Max's and pressed a warm palm to theirs. "I really like
you
."
"Thank you," Max said, kissing Olivia's forehead with a smile on their lips. Their body flushed with warmth, but not the same warmth that usually accompanied arousal. This warmth felt like coming home in the middle of a snowstorm and cuddling under a heated blanket with a cup of tea.
Not wanting to leave it there, because they really were excited about exploring their curiosities, Max continued. "But now that I am much more
me
, I might want to try it?" they asked rhetorically.