milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Max is curled up in a booth, sipping coffee and flipping idly through a book. This is not unusual. The skirt and sweater she is wearing are. Everyone needs a bit of a change sometimes.

Come bother the X5. She won't bite.

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"Um. That would be the part where superheroes are real in his world. Secret identities and all."

All of which still strikes Max as entirely too bizarre, despite the fact that she's friends with several.

He blinks and then nods. "Ahhh. Well, then talk to him. Maybe he'll understand?"

He gives a shrug and a smile. "Though if you get me the one while you work on getting the other's info, I should have the first done in no time."

There's another bright grin from Max. "Thanks. Really."

He nods at her. "It's not a problem. Really. Anything to help a friend of a friend."

"Still, thanks." As much because she knows that things must be strange, strained between them at home.

They are, with the not touching, and the blame and guilt. Which is why he likes visiting this version of Max. Not too many worries about dying accidentally.

"You're welcome."

If she learns of this reasoning, she might at some point make a quip about cheating on her with herself.

"So, how are you liking this place?"

Which might be all to hurtful to someone's brain. Though probably a highly amusing joke.

He gives the bar a glance. "It's nice. I like being able to come here to think or talk to people and not have it affect what goes on at home. I can work out problems that have a time limit here and not exceed it. Which is refreshing. Plus there's a little bit of home created with having you here."

Max smiles, though there's a hint of melancholy to it. More than a hint, perhaps.

"Even though I'm not your Max?"

He gives a shrug.

"Even a future verson of you is a million times better than no you at all."

If you look quickly, you might see her blush a little before she ducks her head.

"I'm glad to have you around here, too."

He sees it, though he's not sure he was seeing correctly. Though it makes him grin, either way.

"I honestly don't know what'd I'd do without you around."

If he means just the bar, or in general, he won't say.

"Probably get yourself killed on one of your crazy crusades," she replies brightly.

There's an amused snort. "Well don't sound to pleased with the fact that I need you around. Really. What will happen to my reputation?"

She blinks, then tilts her head to one side, feigning bewilderment. "...What reputation?"

He rolls his eyes at her. "I'm sure you haven't heard it yet. It's severely underground."

"Buried, you mean?" she asks sweetly, eyes glittering with amusement.

There's an amused laugh. "No, just among those of the underground. But thank you for your trust in the fact that it does exist."

She gives him a wide-eyed look. "How could I not trust you?"

He gives her a serious look, though it is probably spoiled by the amusement in his eyes. "I really wish I knew."

"Hmmm. Perhaps it's my rampant paranoia." She grins.

He shakes his head with a smile. "Well, I guess we'll have to work on that, won't we."

"Clearly. Though I'm not sure there's anything to be done for it." The grin brightens 'til it's almost manic. "I might be ruined for life, I think."

He eyes the smile a little. "Oh, if we work on it little by little, I think you'll be fine."

"You think so? I don't know...I've been paranoid all my life."