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]

[He's only doing it because Ash is taking what would be a joke--a joke he doesn't want to be the 'butt' of in any sense either way--so seriously.]

[jadedlynx]

[ If it allows him the privacy, he accepts whatever reasoning it takes.

He needs to clean himself inside. Ash has stretched and prepared himself before, but somehow, it felt too much to have Max watching as he cleanses such an intimate place.

Worried that Max will turn around at any moment, Ash works quickly. If allowed the privacy, it's a fast process. ]

You can turn back now.

[papalobo]

[Only his head turns.]

What was that about?

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash smiles as if he didn't just finish deep cleaning his insides. ]

Even couples can have secrets.

[papalobo]

[After a few seconds of a blank look, he reaches for the washcloth and gets to work on himself.]

Guess I was about as dumb for expecting a back wash as I was anything else...

[jadedlynx]

[ His blink is so heavy with surprise that it almost seems like it should be audible. ]

You thought I'd fight you to be allowed to wash your back?

[papalobo]

We've fought over dumber crap.

[jadedlynx]

When did we ever fight over how much I wanted to do something for you? I had something else I needed to do.

[ Without an audience. Some things are too intimiate, even for a lover. ]

[papalobo]

[Well now he looks him over trying to figure out what.]

[jadedlynx]

Don't hurt yourself thinking. I washed up.

[ The embarrassment came from being watched, not from the act itself. ]

[papalobo]

Well, yeah, a guy does that in the shower.

[He's doing it now. The normal, exterior kind, but.]

[jadedlynx]

So don't be surprised.

[ With the more private areas handled, Ash can finish his own cleaning. He's thorough in getting clean with a focus on his hair, but even his skin is handled with attention.

His appearance has been his biggest weakness but also his biggest strength. ]

I just don't need an audience for all of it.

[papalobo]

I don't remember you being shy in the prison showers.

[It's an off-hand musing as he washes out his own hair; he supposes he didn't pay a lot of attention back then, really. Maybe he was one of the only ones who didn't. He remembers paying attention to people paying attention to him.]

[jadedlynx]

I got cleaned up after Garvey. I didn't have a lot of other action in there so I didn't have any places that needed the special attention.

[ He still cleaned all the spots that needed to be cleaned, but Max can guess what places needed special attention after sex. ]

[papalobo]

[Of course he got cleaned up after Garvey, but he showered plenty of other times too...Oh.

Maybe he was a little insensitive to still be in the shower.]

..I could've hurried out.

[jadedlynx]

I'm not too shy to ask you to leave if I want you to leave.

[ With the water still spraying down, his hair's completely framed around his face. ]

I just needed you to turn around so I asked you to turn around. But, I'm almost finished here.

[papalobo]

[Ash is a pretty nice view like this.

He reaches for the conditioner; since Ash isn't hurrying him out, no need to make it a prison shower and rush it.

Ash is a nice view, anyway, and he'll know when he's ready to go again.

Ash is a nice view.]

[jadedlynx]

[ He can step out. Most of his own shower is finished, but... But he still wants to cling to tonight. It's a stupid, childish feeling, the wish a child might make to extend their birthday or Christmas. Ash is too old to hold so tightly, but despite Dino's efforts, he's still a human being allowed a few precious hours with someone he loves. ]

Turn around.

[ It won't be his first time being childish. ]

[papalobo]

[It's a fast wash, he isn't the type to leave conditioner in and let it do its fancy crap it's supposed to do when left to sit.]

I'll be fast, then you can be alone again.

[jadedlynx]

[ Ash pushes against his shoulder. ]

Turn around.

[ His goal isn't solitude. ]

[papalobo]

[Max nudges back with an elbow.]

Gonna wash my back this time?

[jadedlynx]

I don't have a knife so just turn around already.

[papalobo]

This's you, you could make one out of soap on short order.

[jadedlynx]

[ Reaching for the soap that was used on his body just minutes before, Ash pokes an end into Max's stomach. ]

Did it hurt?

[papalobo]

Uhng! You got me!