“Or maybe I’d finally find out that you really have been trying to lie to me about what you look like all this time. I bet you’re just bluffing,” he responded just as easily, knowing by now that their banter never really meant anything. If anything, Max appreciated having someone that neither found his situation uncomfortable or tried to coddle him because of it. He liked that she gave him a hard time and it really just made him lean in a little closer. “I do. I blame him for everything. Global warming? Political corruption? Bronies? All totally his fault.” The words came with a firm nod as though he really meant that and wasn’t just joking. When she responded, his expression very quickly became obviously mischievous. “Throw it at you? Why, I would never do such a thing. But, you know, my aim isn’t really the best,” he suggested with amusement, definitely plotting something. “Whatever you say, Sugar Spice.” He shook his head at her. “You used to. You two were both just as bad as each other.” For a moment Max felt bad as she hissed in pain, always looking more genuine than usual when he did things that he hadn’t purposely planned on. It wasn’t long before her words wiped away his guilt as they always did. “You’re very helpful, you know that?” With that he went to step on her foot again, though with much less force and clearly intentional. “Oops?”
“Feel free to go around and ask everyone how pretty I am. You’ll get a swarm of - well, actually, no, don’t do that. I don’t want old people telling you I’m hot. Just ask people later,” she decided, though there was something satisfying in him not knowing what she looked like, and still... liking her. Technically. It was a strange relationship that they had, and suddenly Sugar was wondering if it was purely based on her being around, and... now wasn’t the time for all of her insecurities, pushing them back down as fast as they tried to come up. “I like that. All the horrible things in the world were caused by him, I am not arguing that.” Sugar’s distaste in Maxwell’s father had started as something she felt because he was forcing her to work for him, and with Max, but now it came from a place of distaste on Maxwell’s part. She felt more protective of him as time went on, and knowing how he treated Max bothered her more than anything else. “Don’t you dare. I’ll leave you. I’ll never come back... or, no, actually, I’ll never leave. That’s even worse, isn’t it?” She huffed, dramatic as ever. “Keyword is used to. I have learned from my mistakes, duh. Levi also has to try for compliments from, like, everyone. Me? I get compliments from everyone naturally... except from you, but I don’t care. At all.” Which was a lie, but she strangely felt less like she wanted compliments from him the closer they got. Not that she was opposed to them, she just didn’t feel quite as desperate to make sure he knew she was attractive. “I know I am, thank-” She cut off with another hiss as he purposely stepped on her foot, that time, and she was just as quick to kick his leg. She definitely didn’t put her all into it, but it was enough to cause a bit of pain, she thought. “I’m trying to be nice. Quit being rude to me or I’ll go dance with someone else.”
