Day 265 - Friday, September 12th

[papalobo]

[A Chinese man who is definitely a mature adult and not a teenager checks in to the Hyatt, one of their more exclusive rooms, along with his half-white half brother who is also certainly not a teenager and most definitely not the notorious gang leader wanted on suspicion of a September 11th New York City bombing in retaliation for an angry rogue sect of anti-American zealots.

The entire suite floor has been rented out, and it requires a special key card in the elevator and on the stairs to enter that floor. But they can rent one of the still very luxe rooms directly beneath.

A familiar white limo is in the car garage, though the opportunity to gawk or investigate is slim, between the security cameras and live guards.

There's still no contact from Max, but the Department of Homeland Security has become involved, and has begun to enter Ash's territory with intent to arrest any known figures within his gang to bring in for questioning.]

Day 284, Wednesday, Oct 1st

Comments

[jadedlynx]

[ Assuming they're going to eat in the truck, he's already turning so he can use the seat as a table. ]

No matter what, it's going to beat prison food.

[papalobo]

What, they didn't bring out the caviar and escargot for you?

[jadedlynx]

They said they only did that for the nice prisoners. Guess I didn't qualify.

[papalobo]

Maybe it's 'cause I'm the cute one. Between us, you're the brains, I'm the hot arm candy.

[jadedlynx]

[ He reaches for the hot dog. It couldn't be more different from Blanca's meals. ]

Should've used that brain to get better food.

[papalobo]

I did. I avoided the escargot and caviar. You ever eaten slugs?

[jadedlynx]

Yeah.

[ And now he's eating hot dogs. ]

Pretty often.

[papalobo]

The hell do rich people pretend that stuff tastes good?

[jadedlynx]

It does, but it's not something you can go into thinking it's gross, or it will be. There's also a lot better dishes out there, too, for a lot cheaper.

[papalobo]

Like this.

[Another bite of his double chili dog.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash debates the question. He actually really likes hot dogs so. ]

Maybe the really good ones. Better than the average hot dog.

[papalobo]

So, not this?

[jadedlynx]

This is close to being as good as, but it's going to skewer based on what you're used to. Not many people are eating both. That stuff has a complex flavor, but it's a lot more muted. A lot of French foods do. This is stronger, but they'd find it too strong.

[papalobo]

[Max eats, staring.

Kid could probably make more as a food writer than Max does as a journalist. Could go to culinary school. Or those cooking shows.

Maybe he's wrong. Maybe nothing happened to him. This is all normal.]

[jadedlynx]

[ If somebody offered to pay him money to review hot dogs, he might not say no.

For now, he enjoys the food put out in front of him, both hot dog and chips.

He's been able to avoid the question because Max he hasn't asked directly. Ash has no issue lying, at all, but he's not going to lie about certain things. If he does, Max will always have doubt about those issues in the future. He'll only withhold the information until Max has some time to enjoy freedom. ]

[papalobo]

So. What is school about for you if it's not the social thing?

[Everything is fine. He's just on edge because this is Ash's life. It's fine. He's in his own head.

Jessica, on the other hand, knows it's not fine. Jessica herself has almost been arrested for her outburst at HLS when she went to interview about the situation. It's enough that now even Michael does know the topic of Mom's new, hot topic that has her beefing up the scurity around the family.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Momentarily blissfully unaware of the latter, Ash can sit in the truck with Max and enjoy his lunch. ]

It's not important.

[ With mumbled words and a downward cast of his eyes under the pretense of looking at the food, Max might recognize the signs of embarrassment. ]

[papalobo]

Hnn.. Behind bars it's "private," in private it's "not important," huh?

[jadedlynx]

It's good you get it.

[ Crunch.

Ash used to like school. It lost it's importance once the rapes started. It was hard to go to class when walking to the building put him at risk and even once he was inside, he wondered how many people could see it. Was that person looking at him weird? Did they know what happened and that he was to blame? The cops said so. Worse still... Who else would do that? Did the teacher compliment his work because he was smart or good at art, or did they do it for the same reason Coach used to do it? Even if he seduced him (a word he had to look up at the time) he didn't want to seduce anybody else so it was important to have distance between himself and everybody.

Then, of course, everything else happened, but originally, school really was fun.

What if he had a real school education? The idea was kind of cool.

Ash isn't going to say as much to Max. ]

[papalobo]

[Well, he'll let it go for now, deciding to start up the car. Hot dogs are finger food, he can drive and eat.

Ash will go back to school, then.]

...It's not just to humor me, right?

[jadedlynx]

It's not just to humor you.

[ He confirms that much. ]

[papalobo]

Then that's enough.

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash readjusts himself in his seat to better eat and drive. He hadn't considered hot dogs finger foods.

Max should be allowed some happiness. The confession can wait. ]

[papalobo]

[It's fine. He's paranoid. Ash wouldn't hide something like that from him.

He's the one in the wrong for not believing that won't define Ash's life anymore. For not believing that normal was reachable anymore. If he didn't believe, who would? Who would encourage Ash to go to school, probably to work off his guilt about not being able to make a wonder drug or do brain surgery to fix Griff or Shorter, back then?

Stupid saint.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Max is going to be pissed. He knows. But Ash is selfish. He won't get to eat another casual meal with Max for a while after the truth comes out.

He'll tell them once they're home. Until then, the silence is comfortable. ]