nysalogs | [ because it's june ]

[ It's not even a remote surprise that Maximus does not care for Claire, and, really, she doesn't care much for him, either. But the fact remains that she's making herself a constant in Theon's life, so Maximus doesn't have much choice, does he? He's smart enough to know that he needs to back track, to put on his Nice Face. Besides, maybe it can work out in his favour in the end.

He can't simply show up and say he's sorry. As he knocks at the door of Claire's shared home, tucked in his arm is a vase turned flower pot he picked up from the market, packed neatly with soil to hold some delicate white flowers. He adjusts it carefully while he waits to see if anyone's around. ]

Edited 2018-06-01 23:14 (UTC)

[The last thing Claire wants to see when she opens the door is anyone that resembles Ramsay, but after the initial leap of her heart, she recognizes the young man as Maximus. Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ. She presses her hand to her chest before mustering up a smile--the other concern, of course, is that something happened to Theon, but she doubts he'd be showing up with a plant in hand if that were the case.

She smiles, then, confused still.]

Maximus. How can I help you?

[ He smiles in turn, clearly uncomfortable. But he doesn't shy away from things he sets his mind to, so he sucks it up. ]

Claire, I'm glad you're here. I wanted to apologize for my behaviour over the last couple of weeks. We were both concerned about Theon and I let that get in the way of my manners.

[Claire wonders if he recited that on the way over. Strange. She had come to accept that she and Max simply weren't going to be friends. They would tolerate one another, just barely, for Theon's sake.

She wonders if Theon said something to him.]

That's... very considerate of you, Maximus. [Apology accepted.] I never meant to make things difficult for you. I apologize too, if I did.

[ Please, Theon can barely do anything, let alone notice any tension between Maximus and Claire. He just keeps the smile on, then remembers about the vase, so he presents her with the vase. ]

This came through Ivy recently and I thought you might enjoy it. It's called Duskbloom. It smells a bit like vanilla when it blooms at night, but allegedly the leaves brewed into tea will help headaches. Or eating the flower can help with eyesight. If you don't want to keep it potted, you should plant it somewhere that the vines can grow.

[There's no way Max could know about how much significance something as small as a vase could hold, and so Claire's torn between being far too glad and not wanting to come on too strong. So, she awkwardly stands in the doorway for a moment before allowing herself to smile fondly, reaching out to take the gift.]

It'll be a good addition to my clinic. Thank you, Maximus. I'm... touched, truly. You know the way to my heart.

[ Kill with kindness, right? Clearly he's made the right move, and he's pleased with himself. One point for Maximus. ]

A lucky guess, really. I'm glad you like it. If any more come through with medicinal properties, I'll be sure to set it aside for you.

Edited 2018-06-17 04:50 (UTC)

That'd be a great help. I'd compensate you for those, of course.

[She lifts the vase a little awkwardly to motion at the open door she's standing in.]

Would you like to come in for a moment?

I couldn't impose.

[ He's done enough, he thinks. He said he was sorry, he brought a peace offering. The last thing he wants to do is spend more time than necessary with Claire. ]

I should see how Theon is, at any rate.

[Anyone else and Claire might insist, but with Max, she's happy to let him go. Let's not ruin this nice chat.]

Of course. Say hello for me.

[Like there isn't an impending visit on her schedule.]

I'll be sure to send your love.

[ Well. It went well. Well enough that Maximus thinks, at least, that Claire and he have reached a mild understanding.

He gives her a nod. ]

Goodbye, Claire. I'm sure I'll see you soon.

[ Maximus had said to Theon that Ramsay wouldn't be coming over for tea. And he's keeping his word. Ramsay is not coming over for tea, because Maximus doesn't really make tea because that's pedantic.

But Maximus has reached out to his face twin. They haven't talked nearly as much, really, and Maximus still has a lot to figure out about Ramsay. He thinks they have more in common than just their looks and their interest in Theon. It's worth investigating. ]

Make yourself at home.

[ He offers Ramsay a brief smile in greeting, motioning into the rest of the home. Theon, of course, isn't around. Maximus will spare him the heart attack. ]

Why, thank you. [Ramsay can be a good guest, if he puts his mind to it. He takes a seat.

He can't help the smirk as he thinks of how Maximus likely doesn't want him to behave as he does at home.] Lovely of you to invite me like this.

Of course. It's about time the two of us had a proper talk, hmm?

[ He sits across from Ramsay, back straight as if he's in a throne and not some simple chair. Old habits, and all that. ]

Are you enjoying your second time back?

It's better than being up in one of those fucking glass graves up there, if that's what you mean.

[Ramsay by comparison is lounging in his chair, looking every bit at home as he's been invited to be.]

Do you even realize you're in one?

[ He raises his eyebrows, like he knows he's calling Ramsay out on something. Maybe it's different the second time, but Maximus knows that he never noticed anything until he was woken up. ]

You've been doing a good job, keeping up with your newly overturned leaf.

The dead don't know they're dead, Maximus.

[His smile is almost a grimace. Of course he's doing a good job, he's Ramsay Fucking Bolton.] Of course, I might die again. Of boredom. A shame Westeros is gone. This place is fucking dull.

I had a glimpse of Westeros. When the world was glitching.

[ Of course he'd stumbled into one of Theon's grim memories. He won't go into details about it. Maximus gets the feeling most of Theon's memories were similar anyway. ]

I imagine that someone as resourceful as you did well in a world like that.

Of course I fucking did. [Ramsay takes the compliment as his due. He scoffs.] If half the people who'd woken up here were in Westeros they'd be dead inside a week.

Oh, undoubtedly. But I suppose the trick of waking up in a new world is learning how to think on your feet. You and I already have that particular skill.

[ Maximus flashes a smile. Ramsay is clearly a man who prefers being told how great he is. But Maximus had already clocked that - he's not so different himself. ]

We understand the importance of using what's available to us.

[You and I. Just as Ramasy nods in agreement he realises-] I've been meaning to ask: what did you do before you wound up here?

I was the king of Attilan and the Inhumans living there.

[ And that's the truth, thank you very much. Regardless of how some people might look at it. But those people aren't here, they're sleeping, so Maximus isn't really all that concerned. ]

And when my people wake up again, I'll be there for them, just as before.

[Ramsay's gut reaction is an angry jealousy mixed with curiosity. King? Even he'd never aspired so high (not that he wouldn't have jumped at the chance). But the man isn't a threat to him, and having a king for a look-a-like might even be something he can use.]

You look just as human as anyone I've ever seen.

[ He laughs, a vague chuckle that doesn't last long. ]

Not all Inhumans have physical evolutions. Most of us look exactly like everyone else.

"physical evolutions"?

[ Ramsay knows what it means, okay. He's just checking for everyone else who might not. ]

One of our guards, Gorgon, had hooves. It wasn't a common result.

[ Don't worry, Ramsay. Maximus will play along. ]

[ The time for coddling is over. The time for coddling was over a long time ago, but Maximus had kept his patience until Theon decided he was ready to start living life again.

He escorts Theon to the shop early in the day. They can get there before business hours and Theon can get settled in, before people start to wander in and out. Maximus has moved the aquatic plants to the back so Theon has something familiar to do between other things. ]

Well, we made it here. That wasn't so bad, was it?

[ Theon doesn’t really fight the coddling, nor does the fight the lack of coddling. He hasn’t fought Ramsay, and he barely fought to keep information from Stannis. The real war is in his head, and it’s taking everything he can to handle it.

Being out has obviously caused his anxiety to spike, if the way he jumps when spoken to is anything to judge by, but he knows he can’t hide forever. ]

No.

[ It wasn’t, really, but he does need to lean against the wall to steady himself. He’s slowly regaining his strength, but he’s still weak and easily drained and looks as though a good breeze could blow him over. ]

I’m sorry for not coming back sooner.

[ He really isn’t. He wouldn’t have come back at all if he didn’t feel as though he owed it to Maximus. ]

Don't be. It's been a trying time for you. But the longer you avoid it, the longer it will take you to recover.

[ He raises his eyebrows, only moderately making a point. ]

I thought you'd enjoy working with the aquatic plants. I've moved them all to the back for you.

I haven’t been avoiding the work.

[ He mumbles, lowering his gaze. He hasn’t been. He’s been avoiding the chance of running into Ramsay. Claire seems to think that she can lessen his pain and help him to recover, but his mind is a different story. Ramsay still knows how to maneuver his way in.

He turns his gaze to the aquatic plants, halfway pleased to see that they’ve been kept up in his absence. He doesn’t care much for plants to the extent that Maxmus does, but this has been his job. He should put some pride into it. ]

Thank you. I don’t have to come to the front at all, do I?

Avoiding life, Theon. Avoiding allowing yourself the chance to get better.

[ He shakes his head a bit, but there's no use getting into it. He replaces the exasperation with a smile.]

Not unless you want to. I might bring a few things back for you to trim and fix up.

[ He shrugs, keeping his gaze low like a dog being scolded for misbehaving. He would see through Max’s smile, if he allowed himself to look.

You would avoid life as well. ]

I’m here.

[ It’s the only answer he can afford. Physically, Claire is working on it. Mentally, it’s difficult to get any better when Ramsay keeps pulling him back down, but he doesn’t try to explain that to Maximus. He doesn’t try to explain it to anyone. ]

I would frighten your customers off.

[ He does look rather ghostly, like something out of Old Nan's stories. ]

I think it’s best I stay back here.

You can do whatever you like, Theon.

[ Maximus wonders if anyone's ever told Theon that. Or at least if they've told him that and really meant it.

Poor Theon. ]

Do you need anything else back here?

[ They must not have, if the almost suspicious look on Theon’s face is anything to judge by. There had always been some sort of restraints placed upon him. He used to think those restraints were bad in Winterfell with the Starks, but Ramsay showed him differently.

He just shrugs, though, giving a short shake of his head. ]

I’ve been an inconvenience.

[ He wants to stay back here, but it seems wrong to just accept it. ]

I don't need anything. I’ll help you however I can.

Friends are never inconveniences.

[ Maximus claps a hand over Theon's shoulder, ever giving and sympathetic and understanding. ]

I'm glad to have you back.

[ He glances up, uncertainty etched on his face. He doesn’t think he’s particularly useful for anything anymore, and he never was a very good friend. ]

Are we friends?

[ He’s always struggled to name his friends. Robb is the only name that ever comes to mind, but he supposes he could consider Maximus a friend as well. He’s been helpful and supportive and understanding, but Theon wonders if he isn’t just being polite when he claims that all of this hasn’t been inconvenient. ]

...Why?

[ He wishes he could ask Robb the same. What about him is worthy of friendship? ]

Of course we are.

[ Maximus frowns, as if he's somehow hurt or maybe somehow feels sorry for Theon. He keeps his hand on Theon's shoulder and squeezes with a light pressure, stepping in close. ]

Friendship doesn't need a reason, Theon. We're here for each other when no one else is.

[ Theon is momentarily alarmed by the pressure on his shoulder, jumping like a startled rabbit. The bruising pain he expects doesn’t follow, though, and he hesitantly allows himself to relax. Maximus is not Ramsay. He’s said it himself a hundred times, but sometimes he still needs to remind himself that not everyone is going to hurt him.

He nods hesitantly, but he isn’t sure he believes. ]

Others are here for you.

[ He can’t name them. He doesn't even know if they exist at all, but surely someone like Maximus has more support than just a broken, discarded, prince without a crown. ]

[ because it's june ]

CLAIRE

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RAMSAY

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THEON

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