Time to meet your MAKER {Max}

[ALEXANDER FORTESCUE]

L-O-V-E

[/font][/color] is just another word[/font][/i]
{I.NEVER.LEARNED.TO.PRONOUNCE}[/size][/color]

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Sometimes Alexander liked to sing when he thought he was alone.

"Je suis un homme plein d'ambitions, belle voiture et belle maison, dans la chambre, dans le salon, moi je tourne en rond, je tourne en rond~"

It was one of those things like reading that he didn't really want to share with anyone else, and he thought that Central Park, despite all the crack-smokers and random pedestrians, might be a nice place to just walk around and take his mind off things. French music relaxed him...well, French anything relaxed him, really. There was something innately soothing about the country of his birth.

"Je fais l'amour et la révolution, je fais le tour de la question, j'avance, avance à reculons, oui je tourne en rond, je tourne en rond..."

He never sang particularly loudly because he didn't have a particularly outstanding voice. However, he could carry a tune, and that was all one really needed when one was by oneself.

Alex stopped after a moment, taking to humming the French song and just looking around at the scenery. Central Park, huh. He didn't come here all that often.

A gust of cold wind cut through his thin black jacket, and he pulled it a little more tightly around himself with a shiver. Damn autumn. He didn't like this time of year; he was more a summer kind of person. Swimming, green leaves, sunshine, that kind of stuff. Winter was so dull and...cold. And Alexander didn't much like the cold.

This probably wasn't my brightest idea, he reflected to himself (though all his thoughts were naturally in French), zipping up his jacket as he felt the effects of another gust of wind.

There had to be something to do around here. He'd come here for alone time, but right now he was getting pretty sick of being alone.



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[MAXIMUS PETULENGRO]

With three buckets and a bit of sidewalk, you had yourself an instrument. The beat Max was giving to New York today was jazz; smooth and sexy and sleek. His dark, wavy, hair, fell into his dark eyes, as his body bounced a bit to the beat, the drum sticks rapping on the three bucket's in front of him easily. It was like breathing, really. Fluidized. Prometheus, being the little show off that he was, danced to the rhythm, hopping from his back to front paws, and gaining them a few on lookers. Onlookers were good, onlookers were the point. Because if they entertained them, if Max was charming enough, if Prometheus reached the correct level of fucking adorable, than said Onlookers would toss their change into Max's fedora. An honest buck was a bit more work than how he usually came by money, but it was enjoyable none-the-less.

rat-a-tat rat-a-tat tat-tat-tat-ta-tat-ta-tat

Max was a scruffy sort of fellow, though he wore it well. In fact, he figured he'd look quite strange to someone, had he ever chose to dawn the suit and tie look, and cleaned up the scuff that grew on his chin, and combed his devil-may-care hair. To what use? He had everything he needed after all. His combat boots were scuffed, but as solid as the day he found them, his green trench coat was a great source of warmth especially over his many layers of clothing. The fingerless gloves he wore were worn out, but effective. In fact, everything was worn out on him, blanched with time, except his smile. His smile was bright, and charming, and confident.

rat-a-tat rat-a-tat tat-tat-tat-ta-tat-ta-tat

thump-a-thumpa kapow-kapow thumpa-bumpa kapow kapow

He scanned the crowd, looking for someone to cure the boredom that had swept him. Monotony, it was a cardinal sin to Max. Right above dry spells of any sort, and right below being commanded by any creature: Man, Animal, Mineral, or Vegetable. A few children, ages varying from six to twelve. They must have gotten out of school, how quaint. A few penguins (nun's), there leathery faces pulled into rather grotesque smiles. God love them, as no one else would. A few parents, who were walking some of the chilluns home from school, the responsible parents, indulgent enough to let their youngsters view Prometheus the dancing rodentia. And a guy, with the face of an angel. Max's dark eyes locked on the fellow's blue ones, his head cocking ever so slightly to the left, never stopping what he was doing with his makeshift drums.

rat-a-tat rat-a-tat tat-tat-tat-ta-tat-ta-tat

The guy, boy, fellow, had a look about him. A gravity. Max's lips curled into a smile, his eyebrow raising, making him look positively devilish. Mostly the kid looked bored. A fellow adventurer perhaps? Max liked to think there were more than a handful, in such a big city. Max stopped the jazzy beat for a moment, much to the confusion of the crowd. He instead started a more somber beat, which Prometheus could no longer dance too. Softly, confidently, Max started to sing. He wasn't an absolutely fantastically talented singer. Surely Simon Cowell would not send him to Hollywood. But he was good enough for Central Park.

"There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he."

He kept his eyes, on the angel faced, possible fellow adventurer. The children had lost interest, but the striking new grown up tone peaked the interest of their parents, so the crowd thinned very little.

"And then one day
One magic day he passed my way
And while we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return" "

Focusing completely on his music for a second, Max looked down, playing the small solo, more for his own benefit. His eyes closed, and he looked up at the sky, as if soaking in the music, as if digesting it. When the little drumming part was over, he found the Angel face again.

""The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return" "

With that, Max gave a little finish, smirking a little as the small crowd gave an applause, dropping some money in the fedora resting at his feet. Prometheus gave his little bow, as if he had done all the work himself, though Max didn't hold it against him. Instead he gave one final smirk at Angel face, before concerning himself with the money at his feet. Not a bad hall. Not a bad hall at all. Perhaps Angel face was a muse in disguise.

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That's the beat he's doing to start out with, by the way.

And then he starts this: try and imagine it with drums though. Well buckets. You get it.

[ALEXANDER FORTESCUE]

L-O-V-E

[/font][/color] is just another word[/font][/i]
{I.NEVER.LEARNED.TO.PRONOUNCE}[/size][/color]

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Alex had been walking along for a few more moments when the sound of that rat-tat-tat-a-tat reached his ears. It was fast at first, and though he didn't look at the player, he felt a little skip in his step as he walked along. He liked music. He liked the way it made him feel, and he especially liked dancing to a good beat. Of course, a lot of the dancing he did would horrify the nuns and parents walking their little kiddies home through the park, but that didn't really matter. It wasn't like he was going to start dirty dancing right here. He was good with a little bit more hip-swaying in his walk and a bit more rhythm in his step.

This went on for a while, and Alex even allowed himself to slow his step and enjoy the music, going so far as to hum a little countermelody along to it under his breath. But then, it stopped.

Perplexed, he paused in his movement, looked at last towards the musician, and tilted his head.

...daaaaamn.

Dark eyes, dark hair...a little scruffy, sure, and probably a vagrant, but...damn, he was gorgeous. Gorgeous and talented. Two things that Alex had to say he really enjoyed.

The drummer kicked up another beat, but this one was much slower. Had this been a club, and had Alex been in the middle of dancing with some hot piece of ass, he would have been pissed off...but since this was his pensive alone time, he found that the more solemn melody was actually pleasing. Even more so was that voice; not the best voice in the world, but hey, neither was Alexander's. And somehow, the precise quality didn't even seem to matter.

What did matter was that those mysterious dark eyes were fixed right on him.

The young French boy felt his breath quicken and an unusual heat creep up to his cheeks, turning his fair skin a light pink. OhmonDieu, il cherche juste à moi...qu-que dois-je fair? Il est tellement magnifique...mais pourquoi suis rougissement? Je veux dire... His thoughts raced through his head in quick French, and he felt his fingers rise to his lips as a single thought echoed through his head in English.

Is he...singing that about me...?

Almost entranced (and Alex was not easily entranced), Alex advanced rather shyly towards the street musician.


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[/center]

[MAXIMUS PETULENGRO]

Counting his earnings, Max hummed tunelessly under his breath, as Prometheus bounced around excitedly. As he counted, however, Max got the distinct impression there was someone standing over him. Guessing who it was, Max looked up, grinning widely. It was a lopsided grin, that was a little large on the left side of his face. Almost smug, almost sweet. Almost, almost. But not quite.

Angel face said nothing, which made Max chuckle a little. He was cute. "Well, you're awful quiet. Let's see... Um. 'Nice drum playing there guy. Nat Cole King is Boss.' Perhaps?" Max suggested, breaking the silence. He leaned back in the bench, his dark eyes scanning the kids face. No, not a kid. Older. Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen. Around there. "Or, maybe it didn't suit your fancy? Perhaps what you want to say is: 'Fuck man, quit playing that shit in my park, 'fore my ears start bleeding' Hmm?" Max enjoyed the musings, and kept his smile, even at the prospect of Angel face telling him his music sucked.

He finished counting his money, impressed that he had made twenty five bucks. He'd have to do that switch more often. Start off fun and bouncy and switch to something more smooth. Shoving the money into one of many pockets, he looked back up at Angel face, studying his face closely.

Good breeding, clean. Nice lips. His cheeks were flushed, and Max took a bit of pride in doing that. Pretty eyes. Sky blue? Cornflower blue? Forget-me-not blue? Yes, Max liked that one. Angel face with his renaissance cherub hair and his forget-me-not eyes. It had a nice ring to it. "I'd settle for name?" Standing up on the bench, he grinned, pulling out a most naughty form of cigarette, his eyebrow arching. "Care to indulge?" Before Angel face could answer, he whistled for Prometheus, who climbed up his leg, and hopped over the bench searching for a nice tree to climb in.

[ALEXANDER FORTESCUE]

L-O-V-E

[/font][/color] is just another word[/font][/i]
{I.NEVER.LEARNED.TO.PRONOUNCE}[/size][/color]

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Merde, merde, mon Dieu, he was looking right at Alex. Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome was looking right into his eyes, and he was talking to him, and he was...mon Dieu, he was so fucking charming! Alex felt his knees get a little weak; when was the last time a guy had talked to him like this? When was the last time anyone had talked to him like this?

He'd forgotten how this felt...it was...really nice...

"Well, you're awful quiet. Let's see... Um. 'Nice drum playing there guy. Nat Cole King is Boss.' Perhaps?" Max suggested, breaking the silence. He leaned back in the bench, his dark eyes scanning the kids face. No, not a kid. Older. Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen. Around there. "Or, maybe it didn't suit your fancy? Perhaps what you want to say is: 'Fuck man, quit playing that shit in my park, 'fore my ears start bleeding' Hmm?"

"U-uh," he stammered out, shaking his head a little bit as he fought to regain his composure. "Uh...uh, n-non, I mean..." Alex ran a hand through those golden curls, swearing in French under his breath. "No, um...no, it was...excellent, really great, heh." He tried a little smile, a lot more genuine and less arrogant than a usual one of his smiles was.

It had been a long time since he'd been this attracted to someone. It wasn't even like the usual sort of attraction he felt to hot drunk girls in clubs he lied his way into, it was like...the kind that took his breath right out of him.

Wait, what the hell was he saying? Just because this guy was being a charmer, it didn't mean he had to fall for it. He wasn't THAT attracted to him...

Okay, he totally was. But that was beside the point.

"I'd settle for name?" Standing up on the bench, he grinned, pulling out a most naughty form of cigarette, his eyebrow arching. "Care to indulge?"

"O-oh, right, yes, definitely," he said after a pause, nodding fervently. "Um...j-je...I'm Alex." He mustered a slightly larger smile, trying to make it more confident, trying to make himself seem confident, not just a flustered teenager.

He glanced at the smoke in the man's hand, and his eyes brightened a little bit. "Sure," he responded. "Yeah, why not." Recreational drugs were a lot of fun, after all.
[/center]

[MAXIMUS PETULENGRO]

Max stopped himself from laughing, though it would have been in the best nature possible. Still, it might offend the lad, and then Max would be minus company. And that was no fun. So he mused aloud at Alex's introduction, as he walked, glancing closely at each tree he passed. "Alex, hm? Alexander, Greek in orgin, means defender of man." Stopping at an oak, Max turned to his companion, eyes a little quizzical. "Partaking in any vigilantism lately?" Chuckling, he shook his head at the tree, and continued to walk, the sweet smelling smoke resting precariously on his lips, even as he talked.

Finally, he stopped at a tree, which was thick, with strapping branched that would hold a horse or two. Perfection. "This'll do." Max said, removing his coat, Prometheus hopping down to the grass. His cloths were in less nice shape then Alex, Defender of Man, with an angel face. Underneath his green trench coat, he had on a brown long sleeve shirt, with a dark blue tee shirt over it. Tossing it up, it hung on a branch. Cracking his knuckles, he flipped the joint inside his mouth, careful not to get spit on it, for safety, and pointed up, to indicate to Alex where they were going.

Being a dexterous little shit, Max took two steps back before charging at the tree, running up another two steps on it's base, before latching on to a branch and pulling himself up. Flipping the joint back out, he grinned. "Well, Alex, I'm Max. That little weasel there is Prometheus. And it is quite bonifide to meet you." Chuckling, Max started to climb higher up, before settling himself on a thick, twisting branch. Prometheus followed up after him, and as he waited for Alex, he lit his little treat, inhaling.

It was perfect, sending him in a coughing fit.

Holding it out, he waited for his new friend to take it from him.

[ALEXANDER FORTESCUE]

L-O-V-E

[/font][/color] is just another word[/font][/i]
{I.NEVER.LEARNED.TO.PRONOUNCE}[/size][/color]

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Oh man oh man oh man he was just so...fucking hot.

A little more excited about company than he usually was, he took a few quicker steps to catch up with Max, who was now walking on ahead of him. He was tempted to walk a few steps behind just so he could stare at his ass, but he decided that would probably be way too obvious and instead fell into step beside him, trying not to stare too much.

"Alex, hm? Alexander, Greek in orgin, means defender of man." Stopping at an oak, Max turned to his companion, eyes a little quizzical. "Partaking in any vigilantism lately?"

Alexander stopped awkwardly when Max did, laughing a little bit and trying not to sound nervous. Since when had he felt this...custard-filled around a guy before? Like, never...ever. He didn't DO this, especially not around guys, e-even attractive guys. But...something about Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome and his irresistible charm made him feel like his legs were turning into jelly.

"I-I am French, actually," he admitted, "though I'm sure the meaning of the French and the Greek versions are the same..." He smiled a little bit, sincerely enjoying himself. A shy little laugh escaped him at the question, and he looked down, blushing again. He was never like this... "Oh, yeah, every night, I'm out there killing villains in the name of justice." The smile turned a little wry, and he looked up with a bit more confidence in his eyes.

As they approached the tree, Alex paused, watching Mr. TD&H get to work. "Do for wha--" he began to ask, but then the young man was taking a few steps back and running and jumping and sweet Jesus H. Christ, he sure was limber.

"Uh..." He looked up into the tree, raising an eyebrow. How the hell was he supposed to get up there...? The blonde swallowed hard, took a few steps back, and ran towards the tree as well; despite his height, he managed to grab a branch, though his ascent to the branch on which the musician rested was not nearly as graceful and involved a bit of scrambling. He felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment at his inferior performance, looking away and then back at Mr. TD&H.

"Well, Alex, I'm Max. That little weasel there is Prometheus. And it is quite bonifide to meet you."

Alex smiled a little bit, taking the joint from Max - SUCH a sexy name - as he glanced at Prometheus. "It's...uh...same to you," he replied, smiling a bit at Prometheus before inhaling some smoke. He coughed several times and grinned.

"Well, Alex, I'm Max. That little weasel there is Prometheus. And it is quite bonifide to meet you."

[/center]

[MAXIMUS PETULENGRO]

He seemed to be in a constant state of pink, this Alex who was french, with blue blue eyes and hair like flax. Chuckling, probably inexplicably to himself, as Alex took the joint, Max thought on how he should probably not look at attractive people when he was about to get stoned. Made his brain into mush, made him muse too long. Momentarily he amused himself with blowing a smoke ring, watching it form before it dissipated into the trees.

Max wondered if he was always so shy. After all, he had approached the small crowd with some confidence. And then Max looked at him, and he was as shy as a baby rabbit. It was endearing, and pleasing to have that sort of effect on someone. As Alex looked at Prometheus with some curiosity, Max plucked the joint from his companions lips, pulling it to his own. "A pleasure to meet me, you say. Well... lucky me." He said softly, taking another hit.

He stared at the kid, probably a bit more intensely than he should have. That was a down side to having dark eyes, they were either too soft, or too intense. Prometheus vanished up the tree, and the squawking of annoyed birds could soon be heard above. Max paid it no mind, his attention completely on Alex. "Well? Go on and ask then." Max said, taking another small hit, before putting the joint back in Alex's mouth. "I swear, you can't offend me. Ask me what you want to ask. Say: Max, when you were singing that song..." Raising his eyebrow, Max laughed, resting the back of his head on the tree, waiting for Alex to finish the sentence.

[ALEXANDER FORTESCUE]

L-O-V-E

[/font][/color] is just another word[/font][/i]
{I.NEVER.LEARNED.TO.PRONOUNCE}[/size][/color]

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This wasn't like him. This totally wasn't like him. Alexander Fortescue was not a blubbering, flustered, flushing moron! He was a party boy, a womanizer, a hedonist, a daredevil! He didn't...get all stammery and awkward and blushy around some random guy he met in the park, no way, that wasn't him.

...but that was what he was doing right now.

He watched Max's smoke ring for a moment, a little smile forming on his face. The joint was starting to help him relax just a little bit; he was hoping that getting stoned would get rid of this awkward teenager that had suddenly taken control of his body.

"A pleasure to meet me, you say. Well... lucky me."

"Lucky? Heh...yeah...I guess so." He smiled a little sheepishly, ruffling those blonde curls again. It was somewhat of a nervous habit.

And then, those eyes were right on him, dark and mysterious and intense and he could hardly stand it, they were just...beautiful. He could hold Max's gaze only for a moment before he had to drop his eyes. After a moment, he regained his confidence to a degree, raising his eyes again and looking back up at Max through his eyelashes, almost demure.

"Well? Go on and ask then." Max said, taking another small hit, before putting the joint back in Alex's mouth. "I swear, you can't offend me. Ask me what you want to ask. Say: Max, when you were singing that song..."

Alex wasn't sure what made him blush more, the question that really had been on his mind or Max just putting the joint right back into his mouth without Alex having to take it. He paused, taking an awkward little draw of the joint before he answered. "I-I..." he stammered, looking away for a second. What was he even doing?!

Clearing his throat, he tried to summon some more of his usual carefree demeanor. "Were you...singing that about...me?" he asked tentatively. He had never felt shyer in his life.
[/center]

[MAXIMUS PETULENGRO]

Max watched him carefully, as he found his words, finally getting the question off from his tongue. He wondered if Alex was relieved to get it out. Or if he was too nervous about the answer to really feel any relief at all. Leaning forward, Max ruffled Alex's hair, as he had seen the kid do himself a few times, and grinned. "Well, see, was that so hard." Probably. But it was good for him. After all, if he was going to hang with Max, honesty was important. And not just the feelings and crap that people expected. No, bluntness, raw honesty. That was what Max craved.

Taking the joint back out of Alex's mouth again, as Max was quite accustomed to doing, though he had met this guy all of ten minutes ago, he climbed up on a higher branch. He was purposefully waiting to answer Alex's question, though he didn't know the actual purpose of it. Sometimes Max confused himself. "Wanna see something cool?" He asked, hanging his legs from one side of the branch he sat upon. Grinning, he turned his back to Alex. Never one to wait for an answer, he flipped the joint into his mouth, falling backwards when it was safe and secure between his lips, pretending he was going to fall. Of course, he wasn't, as his knee's acted like hooks, as he hung upside down, a smug little smirk on his face, as he puffed on the smoke. He blew a little of the smoke at Alex, feeling his shirts fall to gravity. "Did I scare you?" Max asked, his tone highly amused.

Passing Alex back the joint, he nodded. "Yeah. It was about you. I- uh- suppose you caught my muses fancy or something." Max grinned, rumpling his own hair. "Is that alright with you?" It was asked more as a curiosity, than concern. Max was never one to stop doing something because someone didn't like it.

[ALEXANDER FORTESCUE]

L-O-V-E

[/font][/color] is just another word[/font][/i]
{I.NEVER.LEARNED.TO.PRONOUNCE}[/size][/color]

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Alex blushed a little bit at the ruffling of his hair, smiling shyly again. This guy wasn't even afraid to touch him...but he kind of liked that. Of course, he wasn't sure if hair-ruffling signified that the guy thought he was a kid, or if it was just affectionate...but Alex hated being treated like a kid, so he chose to assume it was the second. His heart swelled a little bit.

"Well, see, was that so hard."

Yes.

"Uh...heh..." He didn't really want to lie and say it was easy, so he just shrugged. But Max was avoiding his question, and he was guessing it was on purpose.

"Wanna see something cool?"

"Well, I guess since you're not going to answer my question," Alex joked, watching him climb...only to feel his breath catch and his body lurch forward as Max acted as if he was about to fall. "Holyshitwaitasecond--!" Was he doing that because he was stoned?! Fuckinghell--

And then, of course, Max caught the branch with his knees and dangled upside down from the branch like some sort of sexy monkey, and Alex was reeling, trying to catch his breath. He was silent for a moment before the question jarred him back to reality.

"Did I scare you?"

"I b...I j..." He stammered for a minute before he responded, rather loudly, "Yes!" Alex felt a little silly, almost like a child, at having been fooled so easily, but hey. Now that it had all happened, he was even smiling a bit at the trick.

He took the joint back from Max, his smirk fading a bit as he listened to Max's actual response.

"Yeah. It was about you. I- uh- suppose you caught my muses fancy or something. Is that alright with you?"

And then Alex was back to stammering madly and flushing like an idiot. "Y...yeah, yeah, I...that's f-fine with me! I mean, it's great, I mean...uh..." He took a deep breath, trying to regain his cool. "Yeah, that's fine. Cool. Yeah."
[/center]

[MAXIMUS PETULENGRO]

After the hullabaloo, which was as enjoyable as Max had pictured it being, the conversation took a more serious tone. Which was a little funny, as Max was hanging upside down, in a tree, smoking pot, and grinning widely. And Alexander, he looked so... innocent. But tainted. Innocently tainted. Taintedly innocent. Watching Alex closely again, though his smile stayed firm, he took the joint back, a little sad at how short it was getting. "Well good. I may be fickle, but my muse isn't. Figure that one out." Max laughed, enjoying the sensation of being stoned upside down.

There was a moment of silence.

"You don't talk much." Max accused, with good nature. "I would have guessed you to be a bit chatty. I'm rarely wrong." His grin turned impish, as he raised his eyebrow. "If I didn't know better, I'd say I make you kind of nervous, Alexander." Max hadn't quite meant for it to come out so much like a purr, but didn't mind it when it was out. "But, it's probably just the smoke. Some can't shut up, and others don't seem to talk much at all, do they." His blood starting to pound in his ears again, he came back down to his branch, resuming his usual spot.

He rested on his branch a moment, taking a deep hit before handing it back to Alex. "You can finish it off, if you like." He mumbled, staring at him. "And for God sakes, say something. Like, eh, how old are you for starters. Em... Why the fuck are you in New York if your a froggy? So on, so forth? Who better to divulge secrets too than a stranger?" He laughed a little, but gave Alex his undivided attention.

[ALEXANDER FORTESCUE]

L-O-V-E

[/font][/color] is just another word[/font][/i]
{I.NEVER.LEARNED.TO.PRONOUNCE}[/size][/color]

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Alex was feeling the effects of the marijuana right about now, and he steadied himself a little bit, making sure he didn't fall; he wasn't exactly adjusted to smoking pot in a tree. He watched Max with eyes half-lidded, reflecting to himself that he still looked really fucking hot stoned and hanging upside down.

But he was smart, too. Alex could tell, and he kind of liked that. Intelligence wasn't something he held in very high esteem with fuckbuddies, but...

He didn't really want to just make Max a fuckbuddy. Max was better than that.

"Well good. I may be fickle, but my muse isn't. Figure that one out."

"Is this the part where we have long, philosophical discussions while stoned? Because that sounds kind of fun," he reflected, grinning and laughing along with Max for the moment.

"You don't talk much." Max accused, with good nature. "I would have guessed you to be a bit chatty. I'm rarely wrong." His grin turned impish, as he raised his eyebrow. "If I didn't know better, I'd say I make you kind of nervous, Alexander." Max hadn't quite meant for it to come out so much like a purr, but didn't mind it when it was out. "But, it's probably just the smoke. Some can't shut up, and others don't seem to talk much at all, do they."

"H-hey, stop making assumptions!" Alex became a bit flustered again, fighting down a blush and looking down at his hands. Max was right, though. He made Alex nervous in a way he hadn't felt since grade school, when he'd liked a nice girl in his class enough so that he didn't want to pull her hair or push her down in the mud (which was the way Alex usually treated girls (and sometimes boys) he liked in grade school). "I'm not nervous. And I'm not that quiet. I can be chatty when I want to. I-It's just the smoke, that's all!" Well. That didn't sound totally nervous and stupid at all.

He rested on his branch a moment, taking a deep hit before handing it back to Alex. "You can finish it off, if you like." He mumbled, staring at him. "And for God sakes, say something. Like, eh, how old are you for starters. Em... Why the fuck are you in New York if your a froggy? So on, so forth? Who better to divulge secrets too than a stranger?" He laughed a little, but gave Alex his undivided attention.

Taking the joint back from Max, he decided he would finish off the joint and put the quickly-shrinking thing to his lips. "Merci," he mumbled, still clinging to his native language as always. It was one of the reasons why he hadn't entirely lost that lovely French accent of his - he had no desire to talk like a normal American. He all but hated Americans. (But he definitely didn't hate Max.)

"Fine, I'll say something," he replied, smirking a little bit and blowing a smoke ring. "I'm seventeen, I'm a junior in high school, and I am here against my will because both of my parents died when I was a baby, and foster care eventually juggled my brother and I out of France and into his godforsaken country." He scowled a little bit, leaning against the trunk of the tree. "No offense to Americans. Not all of them are stupid. Just most of them."
[/center]

[MAXIMUS PETULENGRO]

"Is this the part where we have long, philosophical discussions while stoned? Because that sounds kind of fun." Max laughed, if for no other reason than Alex looking completely up for a philosophical discussion whilst stoned. It was charming, as Max's pretty speeches were usually wasted on those who do not care. Like the Redhead in the park last week, who was quite determined not to kiss Max. He had said something quite eloquent to the drama queen and she hadn't even mentioned it. Of course, she had been a little distracted by Max trying to get a kiss out of her. Whatever.

"And then they spoke of many things, fools and kings...." Max repeated, pulling out his two faced coin, grinning widely. It slithered in between his fingers dexterously, as Max sat back and enjoyed his high.

And another source of enjoyment, how easily flustered Alex the Defender was. Max had once again sent the Frenchmen into a stutter, but he suppressed his grin, watching Alex with an acute eye. "H-hey, stop making assumptions!" Max cocked his head to the side, as if asking what Alex meant. "I'm not nervous. And I'm not that quiet. I can be chatty when I want to. I-It's just the smoke, that's all!" Hadn't Max just blamed it on the smoke?

He couldn't hold in a little chuckle, nodding his head at the young man, almost sagely. "Of course it is." Alex had an almost indignant anger about him that was quite endearing. "That's why I said I knew better, that it must be the smoke. No need to get riled, Angel, it's not a big deal." He hadn't called him Angel on accident. It was more a Max thing, and his aversion to using proper names. Of course, he'd call Alex, Alex, but was more apt to call him a variety of other nicknames. It would make it hurt less, when he decided to leave. "Though I must say, riled is quite flattering on you."

Now Max wasn't gay. Or straight, for that matter. And he didn't consider himself a bisexual. He was an adventurer, who loved to feel good. One of those love is blind purists. Not that he was going to marry a horse or anything. But when it came to people, a few lines had to be crossed, just for the sake of making sure you still had them. So yes, he was in fact, flirting with this minor. And yes, if the mood should sweep upon him, he might act on said flirtations. Not to say they were going to screw in a tree, though that would take an impressive amount of balance and dexterity, but perhaps something more innocent.

"Fine, I'll say something," Max's eyebrows went up, colored impressed by the new confident tone Angelface was taking. His dark eyes ignored the smoke ring, instead going to the lips that made them, grinning, before his eyes went back to Alex's. "I'm seventeen, I'm a junior in high school, and I am here against my will because both of my parents died when I was a baby, and foster care eventually juggled my brother and I out of France and into his godforsaken country. No offense to Americans. Not all of them are stupid. Just most of them." Seventeen, that wasn't too bad. Hell, wasn't even illegal.

"No shit." Max commented, conversationally, flipping the coin between his fingers. Over the index, under the middle, over the ring, under the pinky, back over the pinky, under the ring, over the middle, under the index, and so on. "No offense taken. Though it really isn't that most American's are stupid. People are stupid. A person is smart, and people are stupid. And that's why it's important to always be a person, and not a people." He laughed at his own moral, as Prometheus brought him a bird egg. "Bring it back. And don't eat it." Max ordered, as Prometheus took it back away. "So brother? Older, or younger?" Max asked, enthralled in the conversation. Perhaps it was the weed, but this kid, guy, person, was interesting.

[ALEXANDER FORTESCUE]

"And then they spoke of many things, fools and kings...." Alex smiled genuinely, closing his eyes for a moment and trying to relax and enjoy the high more than he had been doing. "I've always kind of felt like life was a game...you know? Mon frère tried to teach me from day one that it was all about...like...preparing for the afterlife and giving thanks to God and all that shit, but...I don't know. I was never into that." He glanced at Max. "What about you? As rampant a hedonist as me, I'm hoping."

"Of course it is. That's why I said I knew better, that it must be the smoke. No need to get riled, Angel, it's not a big deal. Though I must say, riled is quite flattering on you."

"It is just the smoke," mumbled Alex, pouting just a little before a flush threatened to creep over his cheeks once again. Shaking his blond curls in an attempt to focus, he cleared his throat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to...jump to conclusions...heh...flattering? What is so flattering about it, mon ami?"

Technically, Alex wasn't gay. But technically, Alex wasn't straight, either. In fact, Alex had really stopped caring a long time ago, despite Jules' insistence of upholding all those conservative Christian values in his little brother's life as much as possible. He'd never really cared about all that dogma and bullshit, so he'd never really cared who he had sex with, so long as it was good sex. But he wasn't really thinking about just having sex with Max; sure, it would be nice, but there would be something just as cheap about it as all of Alexander's other escapades were. Somehow, he felt Max didn't deserve to be used for something like that.

Which was odd, because Alex rarely had qualms about using people, particularly his brother.

"No shit." Alex chuckled, both amused and relieved that Max shared his perspective. "No offense taken. Though it really isn't that most American's are stupid. People are stupid. A person is smart, and people are stupid. And that's why it's important to always be a person, and not a people."

"A very good piece of advice," Alex reflected, finishing off the joint with a satisfied sound. "It seems people are never smart...unless those people are a group of scientists or something, but whatever." He laughed a little bit; the joint had relaxed him, and he wasn't quite as anxious as he had been before.

"So brother? Older, or younger?"

"He is my elder brother. My legal guardian, technically, though I live alone. Mostly because he lives at the church, and like hell am I staying there with him. I hate churches." Which served to remind him - if he wanted that new car, he was due to the church on Sunday. What a pain in the ass.