dreadinquisitor | Mask or Menace

As I don't know what that is, I'm going to say no. But bring it. [He grins.] I'll try anything once.

I think you'll like it. I'll catch you later!

[he has... FOOD TO SHOVE INTO HIS BACKPACK. and wrap. not in that order. maybe a little too excited to shove his favourite foods into max's face.]

[Maxwell ends up making a trip into Nonah to get some supplies - namely, something appropriate for spit roasting (and then a little packet that catches his eye at the checkout) - but by the time Archie arrives, he's outside, finishing setup. He's got a small pit set and stoned off, well enough away from the garden proper so as to not damage the fledgling crop, and is down on all fours, ear to the ground as he blows gently on tender flames.]

[archie strolls over and carefully sets his own bag down near the pit. he can't help but grin at the sight he's come upon.

he crouches down, cocking his head.]

Having fun?

[Maxwell doesn't even look up. He doesn't have to. He can imagine.

Instead he replies without missing a beat--]

Always. Now come here, I know you've got plenty of hot air--

[Only then does he move, reaching out with a grin as if he might make a grab for Archie.]

[archie, predictably, laughs and slide down onto his knees to look over where maxwell is blowing.]

Too bad I don't have a fire type... [he raises an arm to BLOCK MAXWELL LIKE A COOL NINJA (bump his forearm lightly on maxwells' arm)] Where am I blowing you?

[ha]

[IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE (Maxwell barely notices, waggling his eyebrows instead.)]

And you even brought me dinner.

[With a laugh, he pokes to the firepit where the tender flames lick over curled wood shavings.]

There, please.

I said I would!

[he rolls his eyes with a grin, shifting to move around what max has made of the fire to give it a soft blow, making the flames dance a bit before they stabilise again.]

I think that did it... [he looks over to maxwell.] Fire-oughts?

[bad pun]

That's terrible.

[But he chuckles anyway as he rolls onto his heels and stands.]

Do you like spit roast? That's what I'm good at. I've got one ready to start inside if you want to get yours going?

[well now he's kind of annoyed that he said the fire thing because of that one...!

well, no patter.]

Yeah, sure. I'll be out here.

[he moves back to watch the fire and start pulling his prepared veggie kebabs out his pack, resting them on the metal grill. they sizzle and pop immediately-- in part from the heat and in part for the oil and spices archie had dumped on them. once they're on, he takes a moment to lean back and watch the fire sparks rising and the smoke, looking around. it's a nice night. he missed outside living like this. he hasn't done it properly since he started team aqua.]

[He isn't gone long. He returns with a small beach bucket in one hand - a bottle of wine and two glasses, chilling on ice, and a plastic tupperware dish holding his round roast in the other.

He sniffs the air as he approaches the fire pit and hums aloud.]

Smells delicious already.

[He lightly swings the bucket toward Archie, an offer, and pops it down safely away from the fire before carrying the meat closer to the flames. As he sets about spearing it, he nods.]

Help yourself. There's also beer inside, if you prefer.

I'll let you guess which part of it is the lotus root.

[archie looks so delighted at the stuff maxwell brings out. he's... honestly wanted to try the meat here, out of interest if nothing else, and now is the best time of any (he wishes matt was here, he'd probably laugh his ass off at archie actually eating meat).

he pops one of the bottles open and pours it in the two glasses, setting one aside for maxwell.]

I'm good with wine, thanks. [he grins in a way that he so rarely does-- honestly and truly at peace out in the nature like this.] What kinda meat is that?

Dinner and a show.

[Maxwell chuckles, easing the metal rod through the roast and checking that the string he's tied it with hasn't broken. Satisfied, he lays it out over the fire and carefully tests the turn. It immediately begins to drip and the scent of the marinade and its herbs and spices begins to drift.]

Beef. I thought about doing a rabbit, but I wasn't sure I'd have time to hunt one and get it ready.

That's fair. I don't usually eat meat, honestly, but I've wanted to try some of the stuff here. It's not the same as eating the sentient beings that Pokémon are, so.

[... so he won't puke, at least.]

Plus it smells real good, and my will power only goes so far!

[Maxwell looks up, his eyebrows jumping in surprise. Immediately, he plays back every instance he can recall, seeing only then that-- yes. Yes, that checked out.

He never had seen Archie eat meat before. For a moment he feels bad that he hadn't considered that, but then Archie did say he'd been looking to try it.... He makes a mental note for future reference, and lets the moment go.]

A night of firsts for us both then. [He picks up the glass Archie poured for him, and lifts it in a small salute with a smile.] To bravery.

[he laughs brightly-- bravery isn't what he'd consider it, but he won't dispute. archie tilts his glass, then... downs the rest of it.]

An' good cookin'! [he reaches over to turn the stuff he'd put on.] This'll be done soon. Ah-- is anything here much different from the food back home for you? I never really asked much about your home, I've realised...

[definitely felt a rush of shame for being so self-absorbed when he realised.]

[Maxwell drinks, considers, and rolls his shoulders slowly.]

It's... similar? Some of it we have as it is here. Some things looks different, or are called something else. Some things are much rarer for us. Like bananas.

Back home, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who even knows what they are outside of Par Vollen. Here, I can pick them up any store in the city.

[he carefully puts the glass back down on the grass-- not going for a refill just yet - as he listens.]

Bananas, as they exist here, are pretty rare back home too. They grow around a tropical Pokémon's neck that's native to my region, but they're still in short supply. Weird how it's them specifically, huh?

[archie looks back over to the fire for a moment, watching the food sizzle.]

I guess it's the temperature they need. Is where you come from relatively cold?

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

[Maxwell takes another drink from his glass then sets it aside to lean through the rising smoke and give the roast a turn. Fresh juice splatters and hisses.]

Me, personally? [He considers, and his head bobs thoughtfully.] I suppose it depends on where in Thedas you're from. To Dorian, absolutely. He's from Tevinter, in the North, which far warmer than the Free Marches where I grew up. But I'd still stay that's warmer than Ferelden. We've got the sea for shelter, they're right the shadow of the Frostback Mountains.

I wonder if one day there will be enough control over the Porter for us to freely move between each other's worlds...

[that would probably break something on a cosmic scale, but... it's nice to entertain.]

Heh, you'd think something that sounds like winter would be cold. How are things with him...?

It'd be terrifying. [Maxwell imagines strangers coming to Thedas, unaware, and running into a nest of darkspawn. Or demons. Or just a pissed off dragon.

Then he thinks of the people he's come to know here, people like Archie, and how nice it could be.] But also exciting.

[He reaches for his wine again, giving himself a moment before answering the question he assumes is about Dorian.]

...He figured it out, somehow, and confronted me about it. I had to tell him.

You'd do so well with a Rapidash or maybe a Skamory...

[he pours himself a new glass, though stops when maxwell speaks again. archie's brows furrow in concern immediately.]

Max... I'm sorry. [it... doesn't sound like it went well.] How are you doing?

[how did it go?]

[His head bobs, a considering pause before responding. How was it going? He'd been trying not to think about it too deeply.]

It... went better than I thought it would have. If it had been me, faced with a stranger.... [He trails off, his shoulders rolling.] It's different. He's not the man I knew. But I'm trying to get to know him. And him, me. We're seeing if we can be friends.

[and maxwell isn't just the man dorian knew-- maxwell straight up didn't exist for him. archie doesn't mention this. there's no point rubbing salt in the wound.]

That's good. I'm glad you two are talking about it. [he takes a drink. looking back to the cooking food.] I hope it continues well.

[he reaches over to give maxwell's shoulder a squeeze.]

You two will work this out. You're too damn clever not to.

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