Max Tybalt

Daphne fished around in her small purse that should certainly not be able to fit all that she was currently pulling out of it, but she knew that what she was looking for had to be somewhere. "Ah ha!" She handed the small vial to Max. "I know that you are a very capable witch, but this is already prebrewed to help with the hangover tomorrow." Daphne would probably be taking one herself before the night was over.

She took the vial she was extended and smiled. "What would I do without you?" Max tucked the vial away, that was something she'd be happily taking if it meant not having to fully pay for her sins tonight. She ordered Cider for them both before raising an eyebrow at her, "Oh, I don't know how I feel about that response."

Gwen winced, Max hitting every target they aimed their words at with a steady, beautiful precision. If Gwen weren't the object of their wrath she would have found it incredibly hot, and if she were being honest, she still kind of did. "I deserve that. And more. I..." she trailed off, inhaling before letting out a long breath. "I don't expect you to forgive me, Max. Hell, if the roles were reversed I would have already kicked my own ass by now," she tried to tease, but the humor didn't quite meet her eyes. "Look, I... I didn't realize how much I was leaving behind until I left. I know that sounds cliche'd as fuck, and I hate myself for how corny that sounds, but it's the truth. All my life has been one big fight or flight roller coaster, one I could never get off. And at times I didn't even want to because nothing has every truly felt like home enough to try, not with the my family, the pack, my career, all of it. After everything that happened, I thought... I thought that if I just left again everything would go back to normal. But it didn't. I just felt emptier than when I left. And it's because for the first time, the thing I was chasing was the thing I left behind. You. You are my home, Max. I'm sorry I couldn't see that through my own bullshit to see it sooner." She adverted her eyes from Max to down the last half of her beer in a few big gulps. She could already feel the warmth of the shots coating her belly and brain, grateful for the momentary reprieve.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not anymore."

"I'm no where near ready to forgive you. I didn't even know you were back. When were you going to tell me you were home? After dad blurts it out on accident? Or after Jax mentions you in passing? Or when someone inevitably saw you and asks me if you're back?" Max crossed their arms in front of them creating that physical barrier to keep themselves from doing more than looking at her. As much as parts of her screamed to touch or kiss her. "Fuck."

She's staying. There was a sense of relief in spite of the anger and frustration. There was at the very least a little hope that they could get back the feelings and comfort that had been so needed. Max wasn't ready to entirely take that hope in their hands but it was nice to know it was there.

"I.. can't. fuck. I can't think here." They sighed, thier hand gripping their arm. "I am too drunk, too pissed and frankly still to fucking attracted to you to figure out how to fix this." They gestured between them, "I cant think straight.." There was a little snort at the word 'straight' like they were some kind of clever teenager again. "Lets go... just anywhere but a bar."

Max tossed cash on the bar, waved to the bartender. They pulled their leather jacket back on untucking their hair and stuffing their phone back into a pocket before grabbing Gwen's hand and pulling her along into the night air. They took a deep breath in and the cold air stinging their lungs. "You can come stay at my place...we can talk in the morning, we can do it now but I can't promise to be nice or anything.."

She snorted softly, nodding her head. "You should have seen him as a kid. Total rapscallion. I would tell him and his brother it was bedtime, and the two of them always managed to get an extra hour out of me. It was the doe eyes. You cannot say no to the doe eyes."

The slight pang in her feet reminded Daphne why she normally kept her high heels to a sensible level. As much as she adored dancing with Max, the prospect of getting off her feet had her trailing after Max towards the bar, sighing as she settled on the seat next to her.

"Elderberry mead does sound like it'd be good!" She peered over at the menu but it was a little blurry, probably for the best. "Definitely would warm us up not sure on the burn bit you're looking for though."

"No, you keep the coat I am perfectly fine." She pressed a kiss to her cheek, "Lets do the cider then we can get cozy and you can tell me all about whatever project you got going on." Max wanted to attention off of her, literally anythign would be better.

"Oh here, Let me put them in a drawer so Monty doesn't steal your stuff. He's a thief." Monty loved to steal and while stealling from Dad or friends was okay she didn't want him stealing from Elio. It was his first time here with her and comfort was moreimportant.

She snorted, biting her lip to keep the grin off of her face. "Isn't that what I always tell you before getting myself into some sort of trouble?" It might be a bit hypocritical to call her out on it, but Daphne worried deeply for those whom she loved. Max was lucky that Teddy had been there. She didn't doubt Max's ability to protect themself, but it worried her that in a moment of panic, it might not be enough. Vampires could strike and drain a person in moments. Not even the most powerful magic could protect the off-guarded.

"But at least he's cute about it." She shrugged a little, "Well lets go do that first option because I love dancing with your but I.... need a drink."

She leads her back over to the bar hopping up on a stool and ordering a whiskey again. "Have you tired any of the mead or the mulled cider?" She asked as the whiskey was placed infront of her, "I was a fan of the cider."

They couldn't fault them for that, given how cold it was but Atlas had enjoyed it as well. "I think there's whimsy in that much coldness. It's a different kind of cold to here." The entire trip was a new experience for the young elf and now she had ventured out of Vievecour, they were thinking about their next holiday. "But definitely not for everyone."

"Been therebefore," the elf joked. They had been trying to behave a little more since returning home but it was easy to be swayed to go drinking with the crew and cast after a show was done for the night. If Max didn't want to get into details though, Atlas wasn't going to pry and let them spill if they wanted to. "It is done, so is the theatre actually. Everything came together at the right time."

"I have a replacement print done for that painting I did ages ago. I'm just waiting for it to arrive so it can go back where it belongs. Shame about the original though.." She'd have to repaint it or do something similar now. That was something for another day however, for now she'd focus on the present. "You already got me to agree. You dont need to keep flattering me."

"Lets take a look, do you have any ideas for the runes?" She waved for him to follow, her other hand did a sweeping gesture and one of the sketches on the wall came alive turning off the open sign and locking the door. That would be for the best given the context of Elio, it was probably comforting to know they'd be left alone. "Shouldn't have any walk ins now unless it's Will."

“Yes, ma’am,” she mock saluted with two fingers before shooting back the three that lay in front of her. She chased the burn with a sip of beer, clearing her throat before responding to Max. “Looks can be deceiving,” she replied back solemnly. It was true she had more color in her cheeks and possibly even looked slimmer after traveling for her book and PR for her brand, but her soul still emanated a darkness as her reality came crushing back the minute she got into VC limits. "I- I know, and i'm... sorry, Max. I-," the rest of her sentence lost on her lips as she looked into her partner's eyes. "I fucked up. I keep fucking up, actually, no matter how much I try not to. Even coming back to you and seeing you again, I fucked this up. Look, the truth is, I didn't picked up the phone because I didn't even know if you'd even want to see me. I honestly wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't. I shouldn't have ran... I know that now. I knew staying here in the headspace I was in, I was going to go nuclear and I couldn't stand the thought of you being in the blast radius for that. It's.... it's not that I didn't trust you... I love you, Max. Fuck, I love you. I just... I knew I couldn't trust myself." The alpha drew her beer back to her lips to shut herself up, the last several months of emotions spewing out of her mouth.

The salute was so dumb, how was this woman so hot and so awkward all in one body? Max sighs at the 'deceiving' comment. Then the rest of it tumbled out, and it had them gripping the glass tightly in her hand.

"Yeah, you kinda did..." They shouldn't be doing this drunk, they shouldn't being doing this right now but the bag was open and the cats were getting out. "You didn't give me a choice...You didn't let me be there for you like you were for me."

Max downed the drink they had taking a breath, "I sat there while you were in a comma, Gwen, a FUCKING comma. I found you! I thought your were going to fucking die. And when I did get you back...when you were awake again you pushed me away and you left." The put the glass down with maybe a little more aggresion than she wanted. "You didn't want me in the blast radius..."

"You love me?" She laughed a little bitterly, "I love you, but fuck you, I missed you so much and I've been so alone and everything is still fucked... So tell me are you staying or is this visit? Are you going to leave me alone in the dust again, because I can't do that again"