Apple Jack invited Rarity to a concert that takes place in an abandoned factory.Rarity really didn't want to at first, because ugh, it's dirty there, and in general it's not a highly cultured event.But still, for the sake of her friend, she agreed to go and even tried to dress appropriately for the event. And after the concert, at sunset, they sat on the pipe and enjoyed spending time together
Daniel showed up at the office angry and with a long scratch on his cheek.
"Oh my God, Daniel, what happened?"
"It's okay, Max."
"But this..."
"It's nothing! Is that clear? Just forget about it and let's get back to work."
Max shuddered. Daniel didn't yell at him. Well, only sometimes, when, according to Riccardo, Max did something stupid and dangerous.
Rex growled at Daniel and slowly approached his desk, but Daniel seemed too tired and too annoyed to be afraid.
"Yes, yes, and the same to you, monster."
The next day, Ricciardo came in with a big Red Bull and eyes full of regret. He spent the whole day apologizing, saying that he was in a bit of trouble at home, and apologizing for snapping. Of course Max forgave him, did you see those eyes?
🐕🐕🐕
On Wednesday, Max watched Daniel walk around the office, actively waving his arms and pouring out his guesses about the case. There are dark circles under his eyes, and his shirt is rumpled.
"Daniel, did you sleep at all today?"
Daniel absentmindedly scratches his almost healed scratch on his face, wincing in pain.
"Yes, I'm... just at home...It's okay, buddy. So what do you think?"
Later, when Riccardo ran off to the experts, Max noticed that Daniel's jacket had slipped off the chair. He decided to fix it, otherwise Daniel would grumble the rest of the day because of the folds in the fabric. But what is it? Short blond hair? Is Daniel seeing someone? This would explain his friend's lack of sleep, the way he hurries home after work, even his scratch and the restless atmosphere at home. But why didn't he tell Max?
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On Thursday, the day begins and continues with the roar of the Rex. Not loud, not intimidating. The dog seemed annoyed.
"Maxie, is your dog in heat?"
"Of course not, Daniel."
"Then why is he growling all day?
"I don't know."
"It's distracting as hell. Hey, monster, if you can't control yourself, then go hang out with Nico. I know you don't like me, nobody fucking likes me, but..."
"Daniel, what? What do you mean, no one likes you?"
"Never mind, forget it. I will go...I'm going for a walk."
Max wanted to follow him, but changed his mind. He knew his partner well, he needed to cool down now, otherwise he would say something he would regret later.
Max didn't understand two things. First: How could Daniel think that no one liked him? Everyone loves him. Max...well... Second: Who is this Daniel's boyfriend and why does Daniel let him treat him like this? It seems that Max will still send for analysis the hair that he took off Daniel's jacket. He has to figure out what kind of asshole is bothering his friend.
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It was three o'clock in the morning from Saturday to Sunday when Max's phone disrupted his sleep.
"Hello?"
"Maxie, I think I killed him."
Max hadn't woken up that fast yet. Daniel was crying on the other side of the phone. Murder?!
"Daniel, what?"
"I do not know, I heard a crash...God, I couldn't take care..."
"Daniel, take a deep breath for me. Like that. Where are you?"
"At home."
"Okay, I'll come over now and we'll figure it out. Daniel?"
A small, shaky voice replied "Yes?"
"I l... I'll be soon."
If Max gets a couple dozen fines for this trip, then so be it.
Daniel opens the door and it's a sight to behold. He's wearing a long Buffalo Bills T-shirt, boxer shorts and one sock. There are barely any tear tracks on his face, his eyes are swollen, and he's covered in red spots that can be seen even on his tanned skin. He throws himself into Max's arms and sobs into his shoulder.
"Okay, okay, hey, look at me."
Max gently pulls him away from himself and cups Daniel's face in his hands. He gently wipes away the tear tracks while Daniel breathes raggedly and hiccups a couple of times.
"Can Rex enter?" Daniel nods in his palms and they wish a couple of steps back in the apartment.
"What happened?"
"It started a week ago," Riccardo says, stammering a little. "I talked to my parents on the phone, with my nephews, and then...I felt so lonely."
Max listened attentively, stroking his friend's face with his thumbs. The tears were gone, but it seemed to calm Daniel and...Don't blame the guy, he liked holding Daniel's face in his hands. What is he talking about?
"And you have Rex and... and Nico." What does Nico have to do with it?
"And I just...I called and everything was ready."
"Daniel...Did you kill a prostitute?"
"WHAT?!" Daniel breaks away from his embrace and takes a few steps back. "What are you talking about?"
"You were lonely, you called...
"To the shelter! I called the animal shelter! I got a kitten there!!!" Daniel looks like he's furious and is going to kill a man anyway. Max. He'll strangle him with his bare hands for making that assumption. Max was about to fall into the ground himself, but that grimace reappears on Daniel's face. He's going to cry again.
"Where is it? Kitten, what's wrong?"
"Under the sofa. He doesn't like me." Daniel sounds very offended. "He scratched me on the very first day, he hardly came out from under the couch. I gave him milk. Well. I put it next to the sofa. I wanted to get it out, I wanted to disassemble the sofa, but I heard a crack and..."
Max picks up his phone, turns on his flashlight, and looks under the couch.
"Daniel, I don't think you killed him."
"Did you find him? Is he breathing?"
"No...I mean, he's not here. There's nothing under the couch." Max gets up and first notices the elastic muscles of Daniel's legs, and then the relief on his face.
"But where then..." Rex whines softly somewhere in the hallway. The partners look at each other, and then run towards the noise.
Rex is lying on the floor nose to nose with a small white kitten. The kitten meows softly and snuggles up to the dog.
"Oh my God, there you are! You scared me so much!" Daniel not noticing the dog, grabs the kitten and hugs it to his chest, bursting into tears again. The baby meows and climbs up the T-shirt, stopping next to the neck. Max's heart breaks at this picture and he can't help but smile.
"What's his name?"
Wiping away his tears and sobbing one last time, Daniel quietly replies,
"Donut. What?" He is indignant at Max's giggling, "I love donuts...And this one is the furriest, the sweetest, and... and he made a puddle on my sneakers. Donut, really? We should be friends!"
Max giggled to the side while Daniel explained that it was wrong to pee on his friend's shoes. "Yes, Donut, there is a special place for that."
Verstappen thought everything was coming together now. The scratch was because the kind-hearted Daniel wanted to make friends with a stressed kitten. Hair on the jacket, only one surprisingly. Riccardo didn't get enough sleep because he was worried about his new pet. The roar of the Rex. That's interesting, by the way. Was he growling because he could smell the cat? Although he was being very nice to the Donut right now. Or he was growling because...Was Rex jealous? Max will never understand Daniel and Rex's relationship.
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"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You saw how I killed that plant in our office."
"I could help."
"I wanted to handle it myself. Lately, it seems to me that I... don't know...I'm not coping, you know? I'm alone, we've started seeing less of each other, and my dates don't lead to anything. I wanted something for myself, someone for me."
"We could meet more often. Like before, watching movies, drinking beer. Look, Rex is in your apartment and the world hasn't end. He found Donut. They seem to have become friends."
"Okay, but if your dog teaches my kid something bad, then I'll throw him out!"
"No, you won't."
"Why?"
"You're not afraid of him anymore."
"This is arrogance, Detective Verstappen, take your monster and go home."
