Name the most awkward thing that you could think of happening to you.
Waving at a stranger?
Hitting a glass door?
Maybe falling down in front of a thousand people, that's a good one
How about having to get a cake for a funeral that's meant for someone you've never met?
Maybe the idea of it doesn't sound super awkward when you don't know the the exact details... but to Max, it is awkward. Thankfully she's not expected to give a speech about the guy, but she's not exactly very close with any of the other residents, so she's not there to provide emotional support... she wasn't there the day that Pentious had sacrificed himself, hell, she wasn't here til AFTER the new hotel had been built, so she feels as if she should not be partipating in this event.
But Charlie insists to include her...
Cause she doesn't want her to feel "left out."
But after she gets this cake, what is she supposed to do during this funeral? Just sit in a chair and quietly fill a spot?
Awkward.
"So just a cake? What kind of cake?"
Charlie: "Oh, just about any kind, something that everyone would enjoy!"
Not helpful info, especially cause Max doesn't eat cake and really doesn't know the variety of flavors there are...
"...and why does your dad need to come with me?"
Charlie: "He just wants to help with something, you don't mind do you?"
Yes. "...No."
Charlie: "Great! Just make sure it's enough to feed 8 people, which includes you!"
Eugh.
Max tried genuinely not to cringe when Charlie even held up the number of people with her fingers, mainly because she really, really does not like cake...
Charlie: "Dad's already aware of my favor... you'd just need to find him before you go, check his room!"
"Will do."
Charlie: "Thank you!"
Charlie would beam before she'd leave Max to tend to other things regarding the funeral, giving Max a chance to groan in pure disappointment.
Not him again...
He was really unpleasant to have as company in her shop, the one day off she wanted, he had to pester her and threaten her, overall making her very anxious about refusing Charlie's favor because she wanted a break. (Which thankfully Charlie understood the next day she came back, but he didn't help at all.) Now she has to go and collect him this time... She purposely walks her way over to where the top floor would be, taking the elevator, which is not like her at all, choosing NOT to just hurry up and dash over there with her wings because she's against this, she already can't stand him, yet she will be forced to try and cooperate with him again.
"...Hello?"
Would be what she'd say when she'd barely knock on his door, genuinely hoping he was distracted with something else and wouldn't hear her... just quietly waiting at the door, slowly ready to turn her back and go get the cake by herself...
"I'm sure you've heard plenty about your tongue or face... but what about your hands?"
"...This is *not* me admitting anything, just a fruit for thought."
@dragonflyonamotor
"Wait, wait, wait, wait WAIT! I've heard what from who and all about what now?!" gosh golly, is he ever amused and even excited for this tidbit. Was it rumors, what, oh, what, was being said these days? "Kinda, uhh, skipping right over some details there, aren't you?"
"Come ooon~! You brought it up, don't go getting shy on me now!" he chuckles.
"As for my hands, I can answer that right now, always been exceptionally crafty with them, idle hands and all~" he laughs again. "Just uh...mind the claws~!" he teased on with a wraggle of his eyebrows for good measure.
Well, not a traditional shop, just a rented garage she shares with a friend that she occasionally fixes his bike in.
It's normal for her to be alone working on it
Even if her hands ache, even if her skin gets smeared with oil, as long as the stereo is playing music in the background, she could go on for hours.
This is typically why she's not at the hotel, practicing dumb rhymes, or sharing their feelings, as much as she respects Charlie, she looks for reasons to avoid those very personal lessons.
When she's not working on her friend's bike, she's known for her maintenance around the hotel. She's pretty good at handling a busted doorknob or a leaking pipe, so once the other residents discovered about her abilities, they began to bother her more about fixing something for them.
It'd probably be a bit more bearable if she was actually being paid to do those kinds of things (unless it was Charlie or Vaggie asking for her help, then she doesn't ever mind it.)
Thankfully none of the residents dare to come bother her when she's not at the hotel, when she's minding her business, fixing other things, her profession itself.
That's what she's expecting, just to have the day to herself and keep her hands busy on what she wants to fix, the metal and rock playlist changing through songs the longer she works, seemingly at peace...
"Welp... that's a damn shame. You can't fix stupid though—and you definitely can't fix other folks, especially when they won't listen to you, cause then they don't respect you or your time.
All you can do is expect the worse to happen, so it all comes down smoother.
Yes, it sucks to lose someone who you thought was a "friend," but it's even worse to try and keep that person around for as long as you can so they can continue to drain you, exhaust you.
That's like trying to bring back life to a rotten corroded battery that has lost its spark long ago.
You can find another one in much better condition."
"Since 2006... not as old as most but not as new as the rest."
"I doubt you'd remember my name if you can barely manage to remember your daughter's lover..."
-She wishes she could light a cigarette to ease her nerves... even if she is careful with the ashes, the carpet is too fluffy and a risk of starting a fire.-
@dragonflyonamotor
"Yeah, well, gotta start somewhere, amirite~?" he chuckles at his own joke while giving his cane a quick spin a few times over. "But uh, in all honesty it's not too surprising, you've got green written all over you, painted? Is it painted or written, it's one of those, ah well, I'm sure you know what I'm getting at. Yeah, you get it."
"It's called a white lie... none of them had your name, but I got you to admit regardless."
"Finally, too... it was embarrassing having small talk with the others and mentioning about "their" ducks, just for them to have no clue as to what the hell I was talking about."
-She only collected just one, which she'd pull out from her pocket, the dirt still staining the yellow paint that she was afraid to wash off without damaging it, but at least the squeak she made when she squeezed it a bit was still cute sounding.-
"You mean you lied? To me?" he begins to expressively wave around and point his cane towards her. "And you're admitting to it?"
"You do know who I am, right? You know I'm the king down here and I can have you arrested for treason?" {Ohhh, he could do a lot more than just that.}
"All to hide from the embarrassment of coming across a few unexplainable rubber ducks?" the disappointment is palpable within his tone and the tension has risen.
"THAT'S FUNNY! POINTLESS AND NONSENSICAL BUT FUNNY! OH!" he laughed out loud a bit obnoxiously but clealry he was fully entertained.
"You should have seen the look on your face when I mentioned the treason part. Never gets old. You're new down here aren'tcha? What what did you say your name was again?" he leans against some nearby furniture and casually crosses a leg in front of the other as he does so.
"Aw, look at the lil guy, all safe and sound." He giggles and snickers while looking at the rubber duck she's had in her care,
