Day 328, Friday, November 28th

[papalobo]

[It's weird, to end up at a home that's not home. He's spent more time there than anywhere else this year, but that says more about his transience than anything. If told five years ago he would live such a lifestyle, he'd have believed that, but not the part about most of those multiple places being not just six but seven, eight figure abodes.

And yet it's Jessica's home (still probably the nicest one he'd lived in as an adult, before Ash swept in) they're doing Thanksgiving in. Maybe it's a fear of being upstaged on her part if it's in such a house; such a naive thought is, while unvoiced, just more proof of Ash's suspicions, that Max's mind is on something, something Ash had likely been trying to put his mind on for months. Because with even half of his braincells to put to it, he'd suspect the worst sooner.

It's not until they're pulling up to the house and there are two other cars there that he remembers the hell of Thanksgiving is not only family, but family you don't normally have to see. And thanks to Michael, Jessica's family is still his family.


And their ride is a taxi. It's not like they can turn around. Though Michael coming out to greet them right away in a hurried excitement would've made it impossible in anything.]

...Maybe she decided to start investing in cars. But not especially good ones. To be more undercover. As a journalist.

Day 375, Friday, December 14th

Comments

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash is near-impossible to convince even when someone tries their best and so, something that half-hearted won't even have the impact of a faint breeze. He's sure they both know it is related to him... perhaps only as one factor of many, but a factor nonetheless.

But, he won't push Max on this. There are a lot of things he's pushing back on now, but Ash's opinion of himself isn't something he'll force down anyone's throat.

It's hardly 'winning' the argument, but Ash drops the topic. Max seems to have several reasons for avoiding his family but should Ash be the last reason to remain, he now knows he has permission to pretend he doesn't exist for the day. ]

[papalobo]

[Running of to Texas drained him of any right to ask when he'd ever picked anyone over Ash, what the hell ever gave him the impression he wouldn't bother to go meet with someone just to punch them in the face for thinking of the brat half as badly as Ash did himself. Not handling his latest rape the right way should've been the last straw, but somehow, someway, he'd figured out--too late to earn any good boy points for it but soon enough the last straw didn't quite hit the pile---he was going to lose him over it.

He just has to deal with people raping him. He just has to deal with Blanca. He just has to let Ash deal with everything alone in Chicago. The alternative is Ash leaves. Like he intended to do with Eiji; Eiji gets to keep him to some degree because he's a good boy who won't rock the boat or actually ask for anything. And sometimes Ash'll just leave because he doesn't wanna be at the house or because he wants to be with someone else for a while. But he'll probably come back, so there's that.

The only way anything might change Ash's mind is by just continuing to pick him over anything and anyone else. Maybe eventually it'll get through. Probably not, but that's just something he'll have to deal with too. He's the one who blew his own credibility on loving him or any of that.

Back to the house. He mentally places a bet with himself, with 40-60 odds about whether Ash will leave for a while over this too.]

[jadedlynx]

[ It'd be an insulting analyzes if Ash were able to read his mind, but as much of it as he'd argue, his tendency to leave isn't something he can deny. Ash's reasoning varies from Max's perception, but his actions are nevertheless the same.

Yet, he made a promise. He'll give his all this time and then, if it leaves him with nothing left, he'll have nothing left, and it's over. His half-ass attempts and issues meant things started and stopped between them too often until only a mess was left. Blanca pointed out the actions he took for Ash when he fully expected rejection and while Ash isn't Blanca, he can do at least that much for a man he claims to love.

His lack of Blanca-ness does, unfortunately, mean he isn't perfect. Ash himself is messy.

Once they're in the L.A. house, Ash greets the kitten. He'll need to prep this house for them, too. ]

Is there anything you need from the New York place?

[papalobo]

[Ah shit. Bet lost. He is going. He had 60 on stay, it wasn't like this was a big blow up, he culled it in time, he thought. ]

No. When should I start worrying if you're not back?

[jadedlynx]

Since when did I agree to be your assistant? If you needed something, you'd have to grab it. If you don't, we'll just need to get some stuff to stock this place for a month.

[papalobo]

You're not going back for anything...?

[Bet won?]

[jadedlynx]

I'm not the one who might've left any work unfinished.

[papalobo]

We're in a digital age now.

[Pretend it's all normal again. Pretend he's not surprised Ash isn't blowing out for a day or two.]

[jadedlynx]

[ They knew they'd be gone for a few days so he likely brought his laptop with him even just for travel.

There's a lot to do. A lot of responsible to be. But, their life isn't going to be enjoyable if Ash keeps trying to get through the days focusing only on what needs to be done. ]

We never got a chance to really do that RV trip.

[ The cats are fine for now, too. They were also packed for travel. ]

Our last hike got interrupted, too. I liked the trials here.

[papalobo]

We got about the same track record in the woods as we do for holidays, together. You do all right alone on 'em.

[jadedlynx]

So let's switch tracks on them. They're stuff I want to do.

[ Says the boy who assumes he's made it as far in life as he'll manage. ]

[papalobo]

"Walk on mountains with old man." Sounds like a real popular bucket list item.

[But he's already pulling a foot up onto a chair to tighten the laces a little, as if to make sure his shoes are set for hiking. He isn't someone who wears different shoes for different activities unless it's work boots in a garage.]

[jadedlynx]

You know I'm not going now, right? I'll order you some hiking shoes when I order mine.

[ Ash doesn't ask his size. He doesn't need to. ]

But since I'm handling that, stocking the RV is up to you.

[papalobo]

Don't wanna walk off dinner and all that stress first?

[jadedlynx]

This kind of stuff is more exhausting than hiking.

[ To prove his point, Ash heavily lands his weight on the couch. ]

I think we should order alcohol and sit out back instead.

[papalobo]

I got a bar with alcohol. It doesn't go bad if you're gone a few months.

[jadedlynx]

You kept it all here?

[ That does fit in with their rapid timeline. ]

Then grab some bottles. I'll get a fire started.

[papalobo]

Fire and liquor, sounds like a winning combo. I'd say see if we can set anything up to cook but I'm pretty full still. You?

[jadedlynx]

I got full from dinner.

[ Ash didn't skimp out on the food. ]

So we'll finish the night celebrating in a way that's more like us and then order breakfast in bed tomorrow.

[papalobo]

Wait, we're gonna fight after all?

[jadedlynx]

We're about to add alcohol so probably a few more times. But we'll both drink enough that we can't leave.

[papalobo]

You could manage if you really feel like it.

[But he's off to fetch the liquor. It wasn't a lie. He 'won' that bet for now but he's not sure it won't change by the end of the night. As he begins to fetch the liquor, he wonders when the cut off should be on the bet, an imaginary competition with himself. He does intend to be good, to just keep giving up again to keep the peace. So Ash should stay. Still 60/40.]

[jadedlynx]

[ It's not difficult to light a firepit. By the time Max returns, Ash is out back with the flames flickering toward the air. It's dark by now, just as Jessica had warned when pulling Michael inside. Being L.A. it's far from cold, but it's not as sweltering this late in the year as to make the heat from the firepit unbearable.

Ash doesn't get drunk often. And so, when Max returns, he continues the conversation as it he hadn't left. ]

Don't let me.

[papalobo]

Don't let you what? There's not a lotta things I can stop you from.

[He's going with the mid-tier bourbon. They're not doing anything high class, but it is enough of a holiday to avoid bottom shelf. Plus, Ash stocked his bar well last year for Christmas. There is no 'bottom' shelf quality.]

[jadedlynx]

Let me leave. I'm actually going to get drunk. Even then, I should know I can't, but if I try, stop me.