‘you keep doing that. making that face like I’m an enemy you have to guard yourself against. i’m not.’ / kris > max ;;
Max had been burned by the same flame one too many times. His exterior painted a picture that everything worked to his advantage no matter what, internally it was the opposite. He'd been engaged twice, both times the relationships ending just as quickly as they blossomed. Max would never admit it, but he was hurting. His defense mechanism was to show no vulnerability, regardless of who was standing before him. Showing no vulnerability quickly spun to look at everyone as an enemy, no matter who they were. Kris was no exception, no matter how often she'd tried to convince him that she was not treading the enemy lines.
Still, Max played stupid. Lips remained straight-laced as he'd laced up his boots, planting one squarely onto the ground after a minor break of silence. "I don't trust anybody. Simple as that." He'd moved on the next boot, lacing that one up now, practically ignoring her words and not allowing them to burrow into his brain for him to mull over later... even though he would anyway. In the midst of tying his second pair of laces, he'd look up at Kris. The same defeated expression overtaking his features."You done?"
