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

[papalobo]

[It's probably harder to miss that Max is awake when he starts moving around to tend to things.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash fumbles the laptop in a way not to different from a teenager trying to hide his porn. ]

You're awake?

[ He isn't support to be awake. Ash's drunken stupor is less of an act now. ]

[papalobo]

What, you can act your age.

[jadedlynx]

[ The flush on his face is most likely related to the alcohol but it adds to the embarrassed image. ]

Even somebody older would think you'd sleep past... later.

[papalobo]

Want me to bring you some lotion?

[Passing behind Ash's chair, he muses his hair.]

[jadedlynx]

[ That... doesn't make sense. He blinks, but then he's Ash again. ]

The day I get myself off is the day you should really have me checked for body snatchers.

[papalobo]

So what are you doing?

[He suddenly realizes he was so into the joke he forgot even he didn't actually think that's what Ash was doing.]

[jadedlynx]

Just using a laptop.

[papalobo]

To.

[jadedlynx]

Get on the internet.

[ His mind needs to clear well enough to think of a real excuse, but he drank enough to try and numb some of his mind. It was a stupid mistake. Max is supposed to be asleep. ]

[papalobo]

For.

[jadedlynx]

[ He isn't so drunk as to say 'internet things'. At least. ]

Nothing important. Why are you already awake?

[papalobo]

Didn't drink enough to die.

[jadedlynx]

[ Placing the laptop by his side, Ash lays back in the chair. ]

Good. I'd have a hard time making anybody buy that I didn't do it.

[papalobo]

[Well, whatever. He has yardwork he can get to doing. Probably lovey-dovey e-mails with the other guy.]

[jadedlynx]

[ As if Ash would email Blanca. It's not a business arrangement.

But he's asleep relatively soon after. In the chair. Regardless of Max's yardwork. ]

[papalobo]

[Seriously? No way. It's just bait.]

[jadedlynx]

[ He seems in a deep sleep despite being outdoors, but Ash has always been a good actor.

The third bottle is only 25% empty. He'd been interrupted. ]

[papalobo]

[Time to pull up that laptop and see how far he gets, then.]

[jadedlynx]

[ It's not even locked. Now, Max has access to a laptop that holds many of Ash's deepest thoughts and darkest secrets...

Or, a few web pages comparing some of the bigger named colleges, including Yale, Brown, and Harvard.

One tab was a search for the closest Chinese restaurant. ]

[papalobo]

[And closed again. Ash wouldn't bother with local colleges. Who knew what he was bothering with now. Maybe his research stuff.

It had nothing to go with him. Ash would tell him if it did. As it was he only told him things like the details of the guard's game when he felt bad about Max being a sub-par Eiji instead of himself anymore.

It was actually a little nice not being "Max", he thought, going back to his tasks. Ash had been happy about the greenhouse, so he'd do things "like that." Maybe make Chinese for him. Eiji made him Japanese. Eiji was Japanese, which helped. Ash hated Shorter's Chinese food. Max didn't have a problem with his cooking, but Max was a living garbage disposal.

He'd probably make shitty Chinese food, then.

Oh, and it might raise suspicions. That too.

It was decided, Chinese was off.]

[jadedlynx]

[ When Max comes out with the umbrella, the alcohol is wearing off enough that his eyes flutter open though not far. ]

...ax?

[ And immediately, he groans. Damn it, but he isn't used to hangovers. ]

[papalobo]

Umbrella. I don't need the axe today.

[jadedlynx]

Did it come with water?

[ Ash's voice has a little husk, and he immediately has to close his eyes again.

At least his thoughts are still far enough away that only the physical pain is noticed. ]

[papalobo]

It could.