maskormenacelogs | All In The Game of Love

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All In The Game of Love

WHO: Max Carson and YOU
WHERE: De Chima and Heropa
WHEN: Throughout February (with a 3-day stop in Heropa)
WHAT: Max is checking out his new homebase city, De Chima, and also taking a trip to Heropa for ~~a date~~ ~~visiting friends~~ an ad campaign for his Energy drink sponsor! Very busy first month.
WARNINGS: Puns and terrible flirting. Really he should be ashamed. Other CW will be added if needed.

De Chima : Various Public Locations (Throughout Month)
[He was touring the city. He'd had an offer from his boss to show him around so he could get used to the major spots they used for marketing and "face-time" with the public, but Max likes experiencing things like this for himself. He wanted a more organic view of the city that wouldn't come with a guided tour.

So he does his own thing. He buys groceries, hits up the mall, especially the clothing and electronic stores. Purchases a high end portable charger which will work great for him being so on the move considering he doesn't even have a generator set up in his room in Double-Oh Five yet. Then he hits the movies, because how could he miss the big poster advertising the Rom-Com-Palooza in honor of Valentine's Day coming up?

It's like it was made for him! And if he happens to see anyone else possibly eyeing that poster or loitering nearby, he may just go up to them and try to coax them to join him. Movies are always better when you have company after all.

And he doesn't miss the chances to pass out ad postcards, either. Don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself having a shiny postcard held up in your line of vision with a lightning bolt striking the top of a mountain on it.

Take it to the Max All Day Long with our new and improved energy formula! Receive one free 20 oz can from any participating retailer by presenting this ad coupon.

Gotta make sure he's making himself useful since he did talk his boss, Mr. Andre Nalyn, to do a photoshoot and ad campaign out of Heropa so he could visit some friends down there.]

Heropa : Outdoor shopping center and other public locations (02/08-02/11)
[FLORIDA. He may live in areas often pelted by snow in the winter but that did not mean he couldn't embrace the absence of it. Especially if they were going to get this photoshoot done early so he could have the free time for ~~a date~~ doing fun things until their return flight. They wanted pictures of him doing physically active things while holding and/or drinking different MAX drinks. Which was cool with him, although he swapped the energy drink out of the can and replaced it with water part of the way through. No need to cause him to have a major crash on the first day.

Part of the marketing is him going up to different people around the outdoor shopping center and asking them if they would be willing to do a dare in return for a gift card. Not even a MAX coupon, but an actual $100 gift card. His boss knew how to go all out.

What is the dare? Well he's not going to tell you before you agree to it. What kind of fun would it be if he gave you the chance to say no first? But he promises it won't be anything dangerous. Probably.]

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[ Sometimes - when it really matters - Lester can make it early to a date. Gods, he hasn't had one since he was immortal, and those were easy. He would have snapped his fingers and bam! Instant wardrobe change! New appearance!

But Lester Papadopoulos had raging acne (read: one zit) that couldn't be hidden under the best concealers, and fluffy hair that refused to be tamed by mousse or hair gel. (He'd know: he tried.) So of course, he's feeling woefully inadequate as he waits by the entrance.

He has a blank notebook, already filled with a haiku: First date jitters, whee!
Can't say I ever asked for this
Someone tell me to --- ]

Max!

[ Lester rises to his feet, clumsily resting a hand on the table, ] Hey, man. How're you doing?

[Max sees him and his smile turns broad and beaming. He's only slightly out of breath from running from the bus stop to the malt shoppe. Lester is looking positively adorable over there and Max is just happy to finally get to meet him face-to-face.] Hey, Lesi. I hope I didn't make you wait too long.

Nah. You're right on time.

[ He grins, going ahead and sitting back down, only so he can hand a menu over. ]

I uh, I just got out of a lesson early. No big deal.

[Max tilts his head bit, sliding his hand along Lester's shoulder for a moment before moving along to sit across from him so they can look right at each other. It also gives him a clear view of the door--reflex, training to be careful about places where you can't see where people could attack from. One of the few lessons that has always stuck. He can't protect people if he doesn't see the threat coming.]

Lessons? You going to school?

[ Lester shakes his head, biting a little on his lower lip at the insinuation that he's young enough to attend school. Despite his mortal appearance, he's never been. ]

I teach kids music. [ beat ] Well, I'm supposed to. Mostly, it's making the piano play itself whenever they can't hit a note, and seeing if they're making any progress this week.

[He could have been in college for all Max knew, he won't knock people wanting an education with a side of social interaction. He'd wanted it for himself, too.]

Lesi that's awesome. Except the playing the piano for them part. My mom tried to get me to learn when I was a kid. [You know as if he isn't barely over eighteen.] I have too many thumbs for piano. But she let me fail all on my own. [He says it with a laugh.]

Your mom also wasn't paying out the nose to learn from me... probably. [ He hopes. Man, he just knows the rate for having an actual imPort teach you music is significantly higher than the others. ] So I don't know, I feel like it's my duty to help 'em since I can't exactly physically play the notes.

But also, who says you need to play anything when you're with me?

[Can't play? He wonders back to their previous conversations and if he missed something about that. But then Max chuckles because that totally sounds like flirting.]

I don't know. I like games. Wouldn't mind playing a few with you.

Oh yeah? [ Lester leans forward, resting one elbow on the table. ] You might come to regret that life choice, Maxie.

[ Nicknaming already. Huh. Lester coughs, glancing back down at the menu - ]

But before I kick your butt, we should probably figure out what we're gonna order.

[Max enjoys their flirting--and the new nickname is fine by him, too--but yes, milkshakes. He'll never turn down an offer for one. He looks up and sees a waitress coming their way, which is great, since it means they don't have to get up. The waitress stops at their table with a smile, with a pen and paper in her hand, asking them if they were ready to order. Max motions his hand from Lester toward the waitress.]

Have at it. I did say I was buying.

Appreciated. [ His generosity will go down in epic ballads and poetry, Apollo decides then and there as he beams at the waitress. ]

A strawberry milkshake and an order of fries, if you wouldn't mind.

[ So he might've also not eaten a proper lunch. Apollo's finding it really hard to manage things called "time" and "money." How did mere mortals balance this? It felt impossible! ]

[Considering how much Max is about to order, Lester's is nothing.]

Your Extreme Caramolattey milkshake that I saw on the sign. Can't go wrong with chocolate and caramel. A large fry, an order of onion rings, and as big a slice of that chocolate mousse pie as you can get me.

[He smiles at the waitress brightly. She blinks for a moment before giving a little laugh and finishing jotting all of that down. As soon as she walks away, Max turns his attention back to Lester with a little shrug.]

[ Lester lets out a low, slow whistle - ] I'd say you're like the Flash, but I bet that's just a side effect of your powers, right?

[ The whole needing to eat a lot thing, he means. He can't imagine anyone needing that much for the sake of needing it!! ]

Also, I'm gonna steal a bite of that pie, before you say anything.

My pie? Hm. We'll have to see if I like you enough at the end of this date. [Max has no idea who the Flash is, but he assumes he's a superhero around here that Lester has met already.]

But you'd be right about it being a side effect. The more I use the more I eat. Better than having to top myself up with the generator in the middle of the day.

[He says it casually because he's been so used to it.]

[ If?! Lester pouts, more for exaggeration than any actual harm, resting both elbows on the table. ]

One, that sounds kind of not-fun, and two, you also sound like you're a walking portable battery. [ beat ] Which is kind of cool, but also kind of a shock, if you know what I mean.

[ pun 110% intended. ]

[Max laughs out loud at the joke because it's just the right side of cheesy for him.]

It's not as bad as all that. It's a generator, not dialysis. But it feels weird. Calories tastes better.

[Which is really the only way he can describe the difference between energy.]

But if you want a shock... [Max reaches out to slide a static-y finger over Lester's arm.]

[ Lester swallows, instinctively wanting to pull his arm back. He's mortal now. He can't deal with pain. He also knows, deep down, that he can trust Max. At least on a surface level.

So he doesn't pull back, instead reaching over and rolling his sleeve up, ignoring how his hairs stand on end with goosebumps - ]

Give me a taste. [ Lester winks, with zero subtlety, ] I can handle it.

I know you can. [Max wouldn't have touched him if he told him to back off. He respect Lester too much even if it would have just been a little bit of a shock. But since he's willing...

He lets his finger slide along his arm, but makes sure not to let the shock be hard or sharp. It's softer. More like a tingling that creeps up the arm and then gives an abrupt like snap.]

[ Whoa.

Lester's smile grows even wider as he feels that soft, yet totally abrupt, snap. That should feel like an oxymoron, but he's coming to learn that people - and mortal life - are full of contradictions. ]

That was so cool. [ He pauses, ] So can you control lightning too? Or just electricity?

[Max gives a shrug with a roll of his shoulders, and shaking off what he can of the static on his fingers with a wave of his hand.]

That depends on what you mean about "control." You can only do so much with energy before it has to do its own thing. I just...change it up a bit before sending it on its way. Lightning's so stacked, bruh...I don't mess with it if I can help it.

[ Lester draws a breath, still awed by the power. Lightning, to him, represents Dad - and he's more than okay with Max steering clear of the skies and heavenly bolts of thunder. ]

Smart man. [ . . . okay, now he's staring, and he's probably looking a little weird. Lester coughs, ] I mean, you might as well just roll with it, rather than tame something that can't be tamed.

[Max enjoys the attention, mainly because of how flustered Lester keeps getting. It's really cute to watch.]

Yeah, well, I learned my lesson about that.

[It's almost habit to tap the screen of his inhibitor then, pulling up the readings for how his energy is doing before for five seconds it blinks what time it is. And it's just his luck that the waitress is coming back over with their shakes right at that moment.]

Oh well hello you beautiful glass of dairy goodness.

[ For some strange reason, he's a little insulted at how Max speaks to an inanimate object like a milkshake. Then again, it WAS one of the best things mortals had created in this last century.

He thanks the waitress as she gives him his strawberry milkshake (it even has cute chopped strawberries on top!) along with a straw to slurp it all up. ]

It certainly looks like a keeper. [ He pauses, taking a sip - ] But I think mine's better.

[Food will always be one of Max's true loves. Especially the sugariest, chocolatiest foods he can eat since he has to moderate intake of junk food due to energy crashes being really crappy. He quirks his mouth at Lester after the waitress leaves, shaking her head at their antics.]

You sure about that? Why not try a taste? [He slides his glass toward Lester.] I'll even let you get the first sip.

Thanks, but I think you should get the first say. [ Lester beams, holding out his cup, ] Then you can decide if mine's better.

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All In The Game of Love

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