Day 261 - Monday, September 8th

[papalobo]

[Max isn't awake early enough to be shocked by how early in the morning Ash can pull it together to text, nor is he shocked by waking up first and alone. Although that he's going to be in a good coma with the pill and his exhaustion probably isn't a great cause for concern for Ash in not getting a response. It's around 11:00 AM that Ash gets a thumbs up emoji as an answer.

In actuality, things are not thumbs up. Max wakes up alone, and his mind combines the dream with reality to quickly determine Ash has left him to finally take that flight to Japan; unaware he's awake, even while aware that's not very realistic, he lies there looking at the empty space not even occupied by cats, for several minutes, before the need to use the bathroom finally gets him moving enough to come back to reality just a little more, to process that all of it were dreams, that he has no right to get depressed, to blame Ash for any dreams. Nor for any realities. He told him to take on Blanca. He's urged him to take up Eiji when he's ready.

Ash had to go without breakfast today. Probably. He'll check the kitchen for signs of cooking before realizing the texts he read about Ash leaving last night weren't part of the dream, but were real; so he's living that double life, away from him now. Things are dangerous, and Max... sits at home and worries about food. Things are hazy. Maybe the good parts of yesterday were a dream too; at best, they were a delusion that really physically happened, he realizes.


He could call Alex and ask for a full update on the situation. He could probably ask Ash directly and get one.


Instead, he tends to his own work e-mails. He'll be on a few major shows soon, after all. Time to get his data together, time to follow up with some of those politicians, time to get with Charlie about how the lawsuits and investigations into The Unit are going.


Time to reach out to Shawn, since he does have his number. In confidence.

Misplaced confidence. At 12:30 Ash is texted by Shawn.]

Your old man's a drug addict~~

[Also today, the girl who is not presently covered in twigs but still looks as if she's been rolling around on carpet for static, frizzy hair and clothes meant for painting a house more than actually going out, glares at him bitterly through class, even during a test that should have her more distracted by it. But Ash is surely too busy to deal with that.

All the more when at 2:00, Wu is calling him. He's more of a caller than a texter.]

Comments

[jadedlynx]

[ The girl is ignored. He has bigger issues.

Misplaced confidence. Shawn isn't ignored. ]

That's why he wanted your number.

What's he asking for?

[papalobo]

Don't make me say it. I am an innocent and pure maiden.

[jadedlynx]

[ Maybe that should be a hint, and it should be, but Ash assumes Max wouldn't bring in other people about that issue. ]

More sleeping pills?

[papalobo]

Party drugs. Didn't seem like the type to slip you something but you never know these days I guess.

[jadedlynx]

He's not. I assumed he felt bad relying on me to get the sleeping drugs so he decided to ask you himself.

[papalobo]

So, what? Is he having a hard time with it himself then? He's not that old.

[jadedlynx]

It's an injury thing.

[ Ash will talk about it when he makes it home. ]

[papalobo]

I guess you asking for it, even for him, might be worse on you. If he's not trying to drug you I almost feel bad for ratting him out now if he was doing you a solid.

[jadedlynx]

[ Doing Ash a solid? He wouldn't go that far, but he also won't discuss it with Shawn. It's a sensitive topic. ]

I prefer knowing.

[papalobo]

[He asked himself instead of making Ash ask. If Ash asked, wouldn't most people try to hit on him?]

Now you do.


So for real do you want me to get some or what?

[jadedlynx]

Yeah. I don't want him taking it, but it's New York. He can get it. Better it be from somebody we trust.

[papalobo]

Want me to placebo him?

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash debates it. Part of him does.

He needs to meet this head on. ]

I'll talk to him about it like a big boy.

[papalobo]

Or not so big.

[jadedlynx]

Leaving you now.

[ But he does step out of class to take the call from Wu. ]

This is Ash.

[papalobo]

is 3:00 tea time good for you?

[jadedlynx]

[ He'd have to blow off a class but.. ]

Yeah. I'll be at your house.

[ Which means Max gets a text. ]

I'm going to Wu's at 3. I'll be meeting the big boss there. If I don't reach out, talk to Alex and Shawn.

[papalobo]

Not at the mansion?

[jadedlynx]

He's got a weird hobby of randomly kidnapping people. The last time I was there I had to fight my way out. Wu gives me tea.

[papalobo]

So call someone else if you get kidnapped again.

[jadedlynx]

Yeah, find somebody who worries about getting me out instead of somebody who tries to fit in their ego.

[papalobo]

k

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash isn't a babysitter. He doesn't know what decided to crawl into max's ass and die since they went to sleep on good terms the night before, but he changes his check in to Alex.

At this rate, the Viagra was a waste of money.

But with a new chain, Ash rents yet another car to head to Wu's. ]

[papalobo]

[When he rings the bell, Wu greets him through the speaker and pushes the button to open the gate.]

Ling Gou Sheng just arrived moments ago. His friends are at the door and don't seem to want to come in, but let them know when they come in they're still welcome. There's tea.

[That's Ash's warning, and an assurance Wu has tried to stress to them not to pick a fight here, for all the power he actually has---which is not much, aside from being well liked by the general community, something similar to Nadia's stance as a supporter who is there mostly for completely legal assistance methods.

At the door are two men standing so stiffly as to pass as statutes if not for their eyes following him, expressions neither menacing nor welcoming, giving no nodding gesture; their age is hard to tell, whether they're buff teenagers who are old for their age or men in their early thirties who have that Asian slow aging magic. Their attire looks straight out of an old fashioned Bruce Lee movie, with loose pants and Chinese gi style button shirts, one red with yellow buttons, one red with yellow buttons.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash could pass along the offer. He could also treat this as seriously as he did when visiting Cain. Instead, because they're being way too formal about this, he gives them a cheeky wave as he passes with an even cheekier: ]

Hi.

[ But he's not here for them. ]