[ max is silent while arthur talks, nodding a moment, here and there, and chewing at the inside of a cheek as he smooths a palm down the horse's forehead, making soft clicking noises distractedly, before he settled on an answer for him. ] You have it. Forgiven, forgotten. [ that's it. done. max likes to be clean and clear about these things. decisive. of course, things aren't always so easy to just decide your way through, but max does alright with the smaller stuff. the bigger? well. ]

I knew the answered I'd get. Don't know why I got so... whatever... about it. [ no, he does know. he knows exactly why he'd gotten so upset and volatile with him, but he's not sure he has the words for it. that's not a conversation he's ready to have either way. what he doesn't know is why he'd thought that encounter would be anything but explosive in the first place, considering arthur, and considering himself.

but, yes. a conversation for another time. ] And I didn't mean it, by the way. You're a great knight, and you'll be an incredible king. [ a smile, warm and a bit apologetic, before he adds on - ]

We should go look at the lions before we get any gayer about this. [ because max is two seconds from hugging arthur's stupid, pouty face right now. come on, bro, let's do manly stuff. like go on a zoo date. ]