Day 235 - Thursday, August 13th

[papalobo]

[...No answer? He waits.

Maybe he was insensitive with that one. But doesn't he have a right to protect his pride as someone who was dumped? He waits.

It's not like Ash is the only one he can't fuck. Blanca will come to mind as surely as Ash himself any time he tries not only with a partner (Haha. Ha ha ha ha. Real funny. Not into a humiliation kink so that ain't happening.) but even just trying to bust a quick nut to some porn or something. He waits.

He's done being gay, straight, anything. He's practically Eiji, now. He waits.

He waits, and he hopes Ash breaks off with Blanca, too. For such a sexy bastard, Ash leaves a lot of people in his wake Max is pretty sure will never fuck again. Eiij's not the best representative since he came in a virgin, but he's not a writer anymore, the details aren't so important. He starts to type a 'good night' that this time is properly, fully erased, and never sends. He sleeps.

By morning, Nima is up, showered, shaved, and going to pick up Max and the kitties because they're all going to have breakfast together. Ben doesn't quite think it's worth showing off with Ash's own cooking prowess, but the truth is he's a little proud of his capacity for pancake art cartoons and the fact that he can flip flapjacks really high in a pan. Rusty, for his part, is very proud of his ability to roll around in front of Ash and show off his stomach for pets.

When Nima returns with Max, she also has a very small parting gift, an oversized sleep shirt that reads 'World's Best Grandson'. It is just a sleep shirt, he's not expected to wear it in public but one can never have too many sleep shirts, she insists.

Rusty wants to smell the cats. Kuroneko is terrified of both the dog and his nose. Asher dutifully remains in front of Kuroneko and meows loudly in protest, which Rusty takes as a greeting and happily barks back. He tried to pull Ash to the cats, either because he thinks Ash needs to see them, or maybe because he wants Ash to take them out of the carrier so he can play with them. They are toys for him, right? Since he brought Ash his Santa last night?]

Comments

[papalobo]

Sorry.

[That's all. They have time to kill now, a few thousand feet in the air. Better to spit that out now than later.]

[jadedlynx]

For running away?

[papalobo]

No. But the worrying you part. Really figured you wouldn't care that much, 'sides that it didn't get to be you bailing first and feeling like it was fine 'cause you left me with money 'n a nice house 'n all.

You're softer'n that. I know that.

[jadedlynx]

The soft part is off base, but...

Yeah. You should've known it doesn't work that way. There's not an off switch.

[papalobo]

There is. We pushed it. It's over. Don't matter if there's still some kinda charge, the circuit's closed.

[jadedlynx]

Maybe for the relationship, but not for what we feel. That takes more time.

[papalobo]

[And thus the man who normally has a pretty constantly running mouth, the chatterbox he can be, is silent for the flight, even if he's not sleeping.]

[jadedlynx]

[ But Max opened the door. ]

Since you're up to running across the country, it seems like a good time to work on the mechanics program. The kids could use it. The article had the Unit kids unsettled.

[papalobo]

Yeah. I'll get back to work right away. I'll take the paycut for blowing off, too.

[jadedlynx]

You're trying to make it awkward, huh? Gonna switch to Mr. Golzine?

[papalobo]

It was a joke. Mr. G.

[jadedlynx]

Jokes are harder to pick out when they sound like the real stuff you say.

[papalobo]

We share a bank account. If it was up to you, I'd own all the mansions 'n you'd live in one sad room above a bar with food too good for you to appreciate.

[jadedlynx]

The room wouldn't be sad. It'd have two cats.

[papalobo]

One shitty room above a bar with food too good for you to appreciate, while your cats eat better'n you do.

[jadedlynx]

Is the food good or not? You're giving me mixed signals.

[papalobo]

The food's good. You won't eat it, you'll go get salads or something.

[jadedlynx]

My diet's going to be better than hamburgers and bacon.

[papalobo]

Even though you got the best metabolism you'll ever have in your life.

[jadedlynx]

Hamburgers are overrated anyway. I'm not missing out.

[papalobo]

[Out of steam, he falls silent again.]

[jadedlynx]

[ On a normal conversation that they could have easily had before they'd dated. When the feelings die, it won't be anything neutral. Instead, it'll be in the negative.

Ash can leave him with a better life in the end. Max's body will heal. He won't be homeless.

But he could be a dad again right now. A husband. That's something he'll always live with knowing. ]

[papalobo]

[As it is now, he has little ambition to be much of anything. But he does like Ash's kids. If he's going to go through the motions, if he's going to get out of his funk, it's going to be with them.

It's a fresh breakup. It'll get better.

If it doesn't, just keep saying it will. It's probably one of his more amicable breakups, really. He doesn't have any urge to puke, going home to him.

Well, Ash was never as scary as Jessica to begin with.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Many would disagree, but it would be a lie to say things aren't a little awkward between them. Silence wasn't a problem before, but it feels more intentional now. Maybe he's wrong, maybe Ash just doesn't know how breakups usually feel.

When the plane lands, he doesn't rush off, but he's happy that they won't be stuck not talking to each other. ]

[papalobo]

[He has a habit of trying to gather up all the luggage. While in a wheelchair.]