“Hey Dad… I want to ask you a question.” Max started casually, not turning off his game.

“Shoot.” He could hear his dad shift behind him as the fire flared up and crackled.

“I like someone… I asked them out but they took it the wrong way and now they think we are going to this dance as friends. Is there some way you think I could turn it around?” He ran through it all pretty quickly but His dad was good at understanding his nervous talk.

“Oh boy Maxie you sure know how to pick ‘em. Sounds as oblivious as your Dad, maybe even your brother.” He shook his head with a chuckle.

“It's not like that! I was really vague and we are friends already so… I just was nervous and I didn't ask right.” Vic wasn't that oblivious. It was an easy mistake to make.

“Okay, well this mystery friend probably hasn't thought of you in that way yet. Doesn't mean they won't ever or are opposed to it but it probably hasn't crossed their mind. If it has and they don't want it there’s nothing you can do.”

“Okay let’s just pretend it hasn't yet… How would I recover?”

“Usually saying something like ‘Hey fuckface I like you’ works. I usually follow declarations of that sort with some kind of violent act but that’s just me.” Plasmius shrugged and leaned back into the fire.

“I can't tell them… I don't want to ruin our friendship.” He huffed, that was what he should have done from the start but now he wasn't sure it'd work.

“Alright… tell you what, if you tell me who this person is, I'll tell you how to do it the hard way since you are so insistent.”

“Daaaad no.”

“Well I guess you are on your own then.”

“You can't be serious! You can't tell anyone else ever and you can't let Papa or mom know.”

“Oh come on, I'm not cruel.”

“Fine… It's Vic.”

There was a few moments of silence before Plasmius responded. “Why the hell are you worried? It'd take at the very least an atomic bomb to separate you two. They aren't going to ditch you over this.”

“But what if they do? What if they think it's the only reason I hang out with them? I don't want it to look like I don't value our friendship because I really do!”

“Oh yes, my son, you do have a known reputation of being a complete player how could I forget? With all the people you've gotten with you think I would remember.” He said with a pointed look. “Max, listen. You are the most innocent child I have, even Amelia has had at least one boyfriend. I highly doubt that their first assumption is that you are trying to get in their pants.”

Max rolled over and kicked some embers into Plas’ face. “I’m being serious!”

Plasmius laughed and threw some back at him. “I am too! You shouldn’t worry, really.”

“You still haven’t given me any advice for the dance though!” Maybe he should have asked Vlad instead.

“Be yourself and be honest. Also since it’s Vic I would say that a bite and confession would put you on the right track if there is potential there.”

As much as Max hated to admit it, his Dad was right. He wasn’t going to follow his advice because it was too risky but he couldn’t argue it.