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]

[ It was enough to calm his annoyance if only a little. Ash can't go to jail for murdering Max; the cats would have no caretakers. ]

I'm going to shower.

[ Despite the decreased volume, Ash doesn't seem completely pacified. ]

[papalobo]

Y'want me to come with you?

[jadedlynx]

[ ...What part of his behavior suggests he wants Max to come with him? The idiot...

Ah. Isn't this different from their more recent fights? Ash is annoyed, but it's not something cutting. Max goaded him well enough, unintentionally, that he didn't even stop to think about how familiar this scene would've once been. ]

No.

[ His lips thin a little. ]

...But come to bed after.

[ With Ash. Who'd be fresh from the shower. ]

[papalobo]

[It was worth a shot. Ash almost implied he was turned on by him being an idiot, an he felt really damned lost and stupid right now, so maybe he was like some kind of sex god to the boy for the moment.

Of course that wasn't the case, but.]

You're really good at mixed signals, you know that?

[jadedlynx]

I'm offering sex in the bed, you idiot!

[ But first, he needs to shower and calm himself before he becomes a black widow. ]

That's not being mixed at all!

[ Perhaps this was a bit more so, but...

With a kick turn, and the pillow cushions still off the couch, Ash marches toward their bedroom. ]

[papalobo]

This's gonna be a shock to you, but I figured that much out.

[jadedlynx]

Then what part of the signal is too hard to understand?

[papalobo]

The part where I can't have shower sex, too.

[jadedlynx]

You were too annoying for shower sex.

[ Max only managed to make it go bed sex. ]

[papalobo]

So you got a thing for me being dirty... Maybe it was the bar bein' kinda grimy? Nah, only compared to high-class fancy stuff... But I guess that'd be why you're so into leaving the house when we got a better bar at home....

[jadedlynx]

[ ... Maybe he really did have a concussion.

Ash held out two fingers. ]

How many fingers?

[papalobo]

Rather not settle for fingers, if I got a choice.

[jadedlynx]

How many am I holding up?! Are you drunk?

[papalobo]

Be a problem if I was, I just drove us home.

[jadedlynx]

[ Silence, and then, Ash's eyes widen.

Max is stupid, but he's also not. Ash is the idiot who fell for it. He'd fallen out of practice. ]

It's been intentional.

[papalobo]

[His smile widens despite himself, too cheekily proud to hide it even while trying. Trying to hide it by moving past him, he moves swiftly to head for the bathroom. He's getting shower sex.]

Thought you just agreed: Me. No. Plan.

[jadedlynx]

I said I was using the shower!

[ He's made a mistake, and damn if it's not an embarrassing one. He'd fallen for Max's stupidity. ]

If you need to use one, use a different one.

[ He's getting shower sex. ]

[papalobo]

That's a waste of water.

[Ash could always just pick a different one, too. But Max is going for the one attached to their bedroom.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Max is a waste of water. But, Ash hadn't stooped quite so low. ]

Then go to bed dirty. I've claimed this one.

[ But he isn't far from playing insult limbo. ]

[papalobo]

I thought we were going to bed to do dirty?

[jadedlynx]

Then it doesn't matter if you're clean first.

[ There are moments he acts his age, and his attempt to push by Max is one of them. ]

[papalobo]

[As for Max, being a mature adult, he'll let Baby Ash through. But he's still going to the same bathroom, casually as you please.]

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash slams the door behind him, but he does so in a way that's meant to hit Max, not lock him out. ]

Are you deaf? Go away.

[papalobo]

Keep that up and I'll think you mean it...

[He does his best 'sincere' hurt look as he tries to strong-open the door to wedge through.]

[jadedlynx]

[ He doesn't hold the door closed or even shut it completely; it's meant to shut as Max is too far in. It's a weapon, not a barrier.

Notably, Ash glares at him as he turns on the water. ]

Stay on the other side of the shower.