Network video

[madginger]

[ Max looks pretty annoyed as she turns on the video and stares into the screen, and when she starts talking, there's a firmness about her every word. Things were scary enough before, reminding her a little too much of home, but Robin in the hospital has slammed the situation in her face, painfully. ]

That's it. If none of you are going to use the offers for safer travel that have been made for you, at least take a buddy with you. It's, seriously, time to pair up for a buddy system.

If you don't? You're just stupid.

Hawkins people, this especially means you. You're all my buddies, now. You go somewhere, you call me. I go somewhere, I'll call you.

Got it?

Comments

[madginger]

Oh, I will. If I catch him out alone, he'll get an instant buddy, rather he likes it or not.

[ Far from hate, Max likes the brothers. They're cool, and about her age, so easy to relate to. But because of that, she wants them safe. She would hate it anything happened to them. ]

[faceguy]

Heh. He may complain, but I think he likes it. At least he hasn’t chased me away recently.

[madginger]

Wait, wait.... He's chased you away before?

[faceguy]

[He isn’t expecting this reaction.]

Uhhh, yeah? We’ve lived on top of each other since we were babies and he likes alone time.

[And according to some reports, Leo is “clingy”, though he denies this!]

[madginger]

Oh...you're one of those. [ Max sounds more amused, now. ]

Alone time probably doesn't mean much to you, does it?

[faceguy]

[What does "one of those" mean!?]

Can't say I ever got the hype.

[madginger]

You know. The people that always need to be around someone else. Call you all the time. Never alone.

I don't like being alone, too much, but once in a while is good for you.

[faceguy]

Eh, I get enough of being alone when I go to bed. Besides, if I'm not around people then they'll miss out on my awesomness!

[And that would be a shame.]

[madginger]

When you asleep? That's your alone time?

[ Yep, would drive her nuts. But...Max still likes Leo, as long as, apparently, he has other people to spend time with. ]

[faceguy]

[A blink.]

Hah, yeah. When I'm asleep.

[Right, yeah, other people don't lie awake and stare at the wall an average of two hours a night.]

I mean, I like doing my own thing, when I'm reading comics or whatever. But other people are good background noise.

[madginger]

[ Well...Max has had those nights. A lot. But that's for another time. ]

Good background noise. Yeah. When I read comics, I don't mind reading with someone who is also reading, but not into the people for background noise.

[faceguy]

I guess when your family lives on top of each other like mine does, you just kinda get used to it.

[They don’t even have doors on their rooms, other than their dad, whose snoring has been piped into Leo’s bedroom since he was a kid. The noise is a normal thing. A gentle (or not so gentle) buzzing that means everything is okay.]

Alright, so sell me on it: what do you like to do for alone time?

[madginger]

Yeah...what do you mean by that? Because I keep picturing either bunk beds, or a giant turtle cuddle pile.

Read. Think. [ Lots of sarcastic emphasis on that last one, because thinking around everyone else? Not great when they keep interjecting their own ideas. But Max remains not entirely serious. ]

[faceguy]

More like five guys living in an echo-y sewer annex with one bathroom. But we have been known to turtle pile on occasion. It's a basic instinct!

[Has she ever seen a picture of a turtle stack? It's the same thing.]

Thinking? Eugh. [He makes a face.] Pass.

[madginger]

That explains a lot. [ She looks down when he talks about the turtle pile, though and smiles. ]

...that's cute. [ Max can't help it. She hasn't actually seen a picture of a turtle stack, but she would like it. ]

[ Then Max outright laughs. ] That, also, explains a lot.

[faceguy]

It’s not cute. It’s just… it just is!

[Don’t ruin his street cred, Max!

He laughs at her observation though.]

All it proves is that I have better things to do.

[madginger]

It's cute. [ She tells him that with a smirk on her face, headed tilted at Leo. Like, really, how is it not cute? ]

Really? Like what?

[faceguy]

Oh, what do you know. [Huff!]

Oh, like skateboard tricks and shooting hoops and being the best at everything.

[madginger]

I know cute when I see it. [ Max can do this all day, Leo. ]

I skateboard, too! Got my skateboard here. Do you have yours?

[faceguy]

You haven’t seen it yet. Not enough of us here to stack.

Yeah! Well, not my board from home, but one I got at the space port.

[It’s not quite the design he would have gone for, but good otherwise.]

[madginger]

If we ever get enough for you that, I demand a turtle stacking, and I'll render my final verdict. Still probably going to be cute, though.

That's good enough for us to board together, sometime, though.

[faceguy]

Fine, I’ll take that bet.

[Especially since it hinges on their brothers showing up here.]

Oh heck yeah! Let me know anytime you wanna shred.

[madginger]

I'll hold you to that, to both things.