[In Max's mailbox, a small package containing: an assortment of chocolates, some candied fruit and nuts, and a particularly beautiful, tasty looking orange. There is also a small card, the handwriting lovely enough. It reads, 'Best wishes and good luck with the renovation of your building. Sincerely, Lady Igraine'
[It isn't a letter written out on parchment, but the text is formatted as if it were one, which coming from Gray isn't exactly surprising.]
I realize penned gestures of gratitude are considered archaic in a world such as this, but I suppose fixtures like knights and legends are equally as much - so I feel no shame in wanting to thank you for the gift I received just yesterday. I've take to wearing it, and in spite of the lack of immediate, violent conflict present, I do not exaggerate when I call it a comfort to keep close.
[ holy shit, this. holy shit, that. holy shit, everything, he loves all of it, and if davina happens to be in the house with them when they start opening gifts that morning, she'll have max crawling right into her lap to pepper kisses all over her cheeks with 'thank you thank you thank you' in between smooches. because max is physical about everything, gratitude included.
if not, he'll find her at the shop later, showing up in the hoodie tris gave him, wearing his new necklace from her, and lift her up to plop her on the counter before repeating the same cheek kissing thank you. sans actually being in her lap like an over grown child.
either way, he comments the same thing, once he's done and holding her face with both palms - ]
I can't read Creole, though. You'll have to translate for me.
[ This is your fault for leaving your door open. He's not even going to knock on the door frame or bother hesitating. He's literally just doing a full-body dive into your sheets and shoving at you like a kid on Christmas but like. A week late. ]
Max.
[ Kneading him now under the covers. Aggressively. Like cats do when they want something bad.
(Even if you'd shut the door, it wouldn't have stopped him.)
[ max sleeps like a fucking rock. like the dead. he, at least, doesn't snore, but waking him up is usually A Task. that said, people don't usually dive on him. ]
Mh.
[ is the vague grunt tris gets, about 25% awake and reaching to the body kneading at him to cuddle him, as is typically the desired response when someone shows up in his bed late at night. but the kneading continues and the calling his name continues and 25% comes to 50%. ]
Tristan. Tris, tris tris. [ he mumbles back like this is some kind of I Can Recall Your Name Isn't That Great game. ] Shh. Lay down.
[ omfg he's snuggling you already, what more do you want from him??? ]
[ he's been sitting on this for two weeks, turning it over and over and over in his head, along with merlin's advice, thinking about the best way to go about this. he's never been good at apologies, but he knows he owes one to max. he owes him more than that, but an apology is a start. ]
'we need to talk' could mean a lot of things, and while max is on the side of hoping it'll be a good talk, he's not holding out for miracles. but regardless, he has missed his friend, and that's enough to have him willing. ]
witch haus. i can meet somewhere. [ as he sincerely doubts arthur wants to come to witch haus. ]
[ Tristan has a sixth sense for these things: Marco getting in trouble, Nic starting shit, and Maxwell taking a bath (he doesn't need a sixth sense for Dani because Dani is perfect and hardly ever gets himself into shenanigans like these three). Bathtime, of course, isn't anything close to shenanigans, but Tristan likes to think that this is a very important thing to keep track of all the same. Under normal circumstances, he might start shedding clothing down the hall, but he decides that maybe he'll save it for when he gets in through the bathroom door, the room heavy with steam and the smell of a few scented oils that he recognizes for relaxation. ]
Make room.
[ Which is easy because their tub is fairly sizable. It's at least roomy enough for three, and can tolerate four if they play body tetris enough (they're pros at it, let's be real). For Tristan's needs, however, there is plenty of room. He just wants the go-ahead really, because sometimes you just want a bath by yourself! He gets that.
It doesn't mean he's not stripping right now in front of Max to maybe sweeten the deal. ]
[ it had been one of the main demands when they were rebuilding the castle-house - lots of windows, a fire place, a cool staircase, a guest room for satan, and fucking huge bathtubs. at least big enough to fit three 6'+ grown ass men comfortably, and that's what they got. not just for the fact that bath sex is great, but tris and max, and these important bathtime meetings.
it isn't every time he takes a bath, but it's often enough that max isn't surprised to hear tris coming down the hall after he's been soaking for a bit. he's on the edge of a nap, body feeling loose and relaxed, and by now the water's cooled from Molten Lava to Pleasantly Scalding, enough that Tris will feel perfectly comfy. he has good timing like that, and there's already a knowing smile pulling max's lips when he hears familiar foot falls approaching the room, door left open, as max tends to do. ]
Hey you. [ max shifts, rolling to his side and folding his arms over the side of the tub, chin rested on the back of a wrist, as he watches tris casually stripping, eyes not disguised in how they trail appreciatively over his bared torso, or the long lines of his inked legs. eventually, he slips back, pressing against the head of the tub and spreading his legs to make room for tris, as he holds out his arms for him, hands beckoning. sure, there's room for tris to slouch against the opposite side if he wanted to, but max likes him closer. ]
Come on. Bring me your sweetness. [ spoken about as dorkily as it sounds, but what do you really expect by now? get in here and let him love on you.
[ there's no point sending a text, really, considering wally will be at witch haus faster than max could send anything back. of course, maybe there should be some consideration for any potential hanky panky that wally definitely doesn't want to walk (run) into, but -- yolo, basically. ]
[ he's knocking on max's door sometime in the afternoon, holding a poorly wrapped package, in what looks like a few stolen sheets of checkered burger paper. what could it be? it's a mystery. ]
[ was he napping? it's close after lunch, of course he was napping. max waddles his way up to the heavy door of the castle-mansion, creaking it open as he squints against the sunlight, hair a bit of a mess, and the imprint from the couch cushion pressed into the side of a cheek. ]
Yo. Burgers? [ no, too big and boxy to be burgers. what is??? ] It's not my birthday anymore though...
( maybe a shock in the blue, a weird message to receive.
but to merlin, he hasn't seen max in sixteen hundred years, since going home and returning. it's an overwhelming emotion, one he can't explain and doesn't focus on, slowly coming back to the memories of eudio and -- remembering. a fond boy who looked at him like he was a legend, who remembered him as some forefather to magic, a hero, an idol, someone worthy for looking up to.
it's been many years since he's let anyone down. but he can't just ignore max either, recalling their friendship and the love in his heart he has towards this boy who he will inevitably disappoint. )
[ sure he hadn’t heard from him in a little bit, but a couple weeks or so is hardly anything max would be concerned about. The fact it’s just his name and nothing else seems concerning, though. Something serious, perhaps. Hm. ]
no, he knows exactly who this is, because who the fuck else would deliver a letter like this? it's pretty as fuck, anyway, and max spends something like 30 minutes trying to get it open without damaging any part of it, before remembering that he's fucking magic. ]
[ not too long ago he was asking max to come to his wedding and now -- well, his request now is a bit more somber. he's never been very fond of goodbyes. which is why he might sound a bit too formal, falling back into familiar territory of royal aloofness to mask the fact that it hurts, having to do this. he hasn't had many close friends in his life, but max he will always consider to be one of the closest. ]
Max, I hope this message receives you well There is a matter I must inform you of that is of utmost importance As such, your presence is requested presently and with haste I should hope to see you soon
[ you have about two minutes before max just poofs himself directly into your bedroom, arthur. He marked a corner of it with chalk, btw, for you to never stand in, because that’s his teleporting spot. That’s where he’s walking forward from now. ]
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