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]

Impressed?

[ He frowns at the screen. Even when using Blanca, Ash is hard to impress. Mostly, he's just annoyed at how easy it is for Blanca. ]

I guess when Dino first started training me with the fancy food. There was a lot of it, and it was like everything was so fine and delicate. After a while, that was just a lesson too.

For me, it's not about being impressed. I wouldn't want those cooks making my food every day.

[papalobo]

I'm not asking for you to cook every day. S'still special, when you go and whip something up personal. You do it a lot, and good.

[jadedlynx]

But it's not from them.

[ He types in the next store. It's pet specific. ]

Special, I mean. They're skilled, but so what? They do it for dozens of people every day. They get paid to do it. They don't know me. They don't care if I enjoy it. But if we're talking skill, who's going to be able to match them?

[papalobo]

So you just don't care? Since they don't.

[jadedlynx]

About their food, yeah.

If I made you a steak dinner that made it at a 7, and then bought one at a 10, the 10 is going to be more skilled but the 7 is going to mean more.

[papalobo]

[So Blanca, who can perform at a 10 consistently in all things is...]

Hnn...

[jadedlynx]

I was impressed when Griff made a big meal for the holidays. I was impressed when EIji jumped the wall. I was impressed when the greenhouse was so big. Sometimes it's weird, sometimes it changes. You were impressed by the cost of the wine at Dino's mansion. I was annoyed that he thought it meant something.

[papalobo]

Wonder if we'd be doing any better if we stayed out there with the greenhouse making an argument for me every day.

[jadedlynx]

A greenhouse can't make an argument you're not arguing for.

[ No. ]

[papalobo]

Hope you still go to school, though... You probably would've without me, eventually, but I'll take credit for it anyway, if you do.

[jadedlynx]

[ There's no need to point out that he won't. Sometimes... Often, his tongue can be sharp, but this isn't about hurting Max. This isn't about offering a truth that needs to be said. But the reality is simple enough: he can't the two lives. ]

There's no reason to make all the decisions today.

[papalobo]

So you won't, huh...

[jadedlynx]

I'm saying I don't know.

[ Future Max can be disappointed in him. ]

You think that's what I want to thank about now?

[papalobo]

You're leaving the cats. There's no way you're going to school.

So, when do you want me out by?

[jadedlynx]

I'm not leaving the cats. I'm giving them to a family that can take care of them. They're alive. School isn't.

Nobody's kicked you out, either. I want you to stay here until you're better.

[papalobo]

If it's gonna happen, I want a date. Rip the bandaid off. Start getting used to it.

If you're not already committed to leaving me, then I'll work from there to get you back in school and catted and all that. I can't win if you made up your mind. I know that much.

[jadedlynx]

[ He aims an elbow at Max's side, but it's a gentle enough dig. Ash knows he's healing. ]

You think I should make that call today? I told you, I just got out of the hospital yesterday.

[papalobo]

Then, keep that in mind about all the things you think you decided today. Don't go bandaid-ripping and preparing yourself to leave the cats, either.

[jadedlynx]

[ School could shift. Ash is leaving wiggle room on it. The cats deserve better. ]

I have a good memory.

[papalobo]

I'm not in a position to say much. Since it's how I feel about you. But I'm trying.

[jadedlynx]

How you feel about me?

[papalobo]

"You haven't been bad. You're a great kid. I'll miss you. But it's..." [Despite himself, his throat tightens up. He corrects fast enough.] "..gonna feel really good... knowing you're with people who..."

[Nevermind, he's not in control of his voice. Clearing his throat as if he just suddenly had a fully random tickle, he gestures with his hand as if Ash ha memorized his own spiel to Kuroneko, as if he'd even recognize it.]

[jadedlynx]

Me and Blanca disagree on a lot of stuff, but books are one of those things. He loves literary devices. I don't. I don't find beauty in suffering or tragedy. There's just pain. People survive because they have to, not because they're some kind of caterpillar becoming a butterfly.

And I hate irony. Even when it's funny, it's in the way that makes you want to hit something. It's so frustrating that I'm a breakdown away from dosing myself with the honesty medicine so you at least have to confront the fact that even if I screwed up, everything's happening in spite of how I feel, not because of it.

[papalobo]

You didn't screw up, yet.

[jadedlynx]

You gave me the 'I'm the sucker for coming back just because you broke your pride enough to ask me to' talk less than an hour ago.