milliways_bar | (no subject)

"What was going through my head," he snaps in return, "is something I highly doubt you'd understand. You don't have to explain everything you do to me, I think I deserve the same in return."

"I," Max replies blandly, "have not yet attacked an extremely violent man who may well be indestructible for no apparent reason. If I did, you'd no doubt be asking what the hell I was thinking, and be well within your rights to do so."

He gives her a wry smile.

"Well we're both still alive so you don't need to be concerned. I told you I'd leave him alone."

No need to mention he survived by the sheer luck of Yrael passing by at that moment.
But then, he was going to cheat, pulling that knife...

"And if he decides he wants a rematch?" Max shakes her head slightly. She is still very clearly not pleased. "That you're so determined not to tell me why you did what you did makes me think the reason's all the more important..."

He only shrugs.
"Then we have a rematch. I'm not going to just let him gut me."

He snatches at his coffee cup, giving his hands something to do.
"And it's not that important. It's just something I don't want to talk about, ok?"

"Gut you...?" More drumming on the tabletop. "Fine. We won't talk about it." But her expression has shut down, emotions well locked away. For whatever reason, this means more to her than it should.

They sit in silence for a good while before he finally breaks.

"Why is this such a big deal to you?"

"Never mind, Jason. You wouldn't get it anyway." She's looking right past him as she speaks, rather than at him.

He glances around helplessly, cursing under his breath.

"I just don't want you to take it the wrong way, Max. And based on the problems we've already had I think you would."

Max gives him a look. "Oh, and now I'm not going to think the worst anyway, right?"

He gives and exasperated sigh.

"It was a stupid ego thing, ok? It set me off to know that Anita would sleep with that...thing after knowing him only one night. You feel better now?"

Mr. Poster-Boy for Casual Sex upset over a one-night stand? Certainly that can't be the whole story...

Max raises an eyebrow at that. "Got a bit of a double standard going there, don't you, Jason?"

"It's different...it's entirely different. I don't pretend to have some high moral code to hide behind when it suits me."

He doesn't look up but scowls into his cup..

"I've never seen her hide behind moral standards, so I wouldn't know." Max shrugs slightly. "As far as I can tell, she wasn't hurting anyone - or rather, wasn't hurting anyone who had any right to be hurt by her actions."

He frowns angrily.

"Look, you have no idea. You don't know about what has or hasn't happened in my world, so don't make assumptions."

"No, I know what I've heard. From both of you. None of which suggests there's anyone out there who should really be hurt if she has a one-night stand." Max raises an eyebrow. "I think you mentioned a harem at one point...?"

He laughs bitterly.

"Yeah, but no one can compete with her harem back home. All a bunch of fucking GQ cover boys. That's what I don't understand. How fucking that ogre is suddenly a good idea for her, when she won't touch anyone back home without the fucking ardeur riding her ass."

His tone intesifies as he speaks, so by the end of his rant he is spitting the words venomously.

Max draws back. It isn't a slight motion, it's rather obvious, and is a clear indication that she thinks he should calm the fuck down. "Jesus Christ. You're jealous."

He doesn't answer but rather fumes silently at his coffee cup. Because obviously, it was the coffee cup's fault.

"Right." Max stands abruptly. "You're a jackass, and I'm going for a walk."

"Fine, go for a walk. I knew you wouldn't understand."

He rises himself with his traitorous coffee cup.
"Have a nice night," he mutters and starts for the Bar.

"How the fuck am I supposed to understand? You just yelled at me, you didn't explain a goddamn thing." Max shakes her head, disgusted. "Fucking typical male."

He stops, shoulders slumped. After a few moments, he turns with a helpless gesture, then indicates back to the booth.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I'm frustrated and taking it out on you. Please?"

He stands beside the booth waiting for her to sit.

She stands, rigid and angry, for a moment before sliding back into the booth. She waits, one eyebrow raised in a 'this had better be good' expression.

It's not his jealousy over Anita's fling that's pissing her off - she has enough male friends that, while she doesn't expect such things, they don't really surprise her, either. It's that he saw fit to take it out on her.

He sits with her, eyeing her angry expression.

He flounders verbally for a moment, then starts with a resigned sigh.
"Yes, I'm jealous. I'm jealous that some ogre not even in her league gets into her pants after one night, and it took nearly three years and some magic akin to your going into heat riding her for me to get as far."