Vel calls Max to help her get home after leaving a client's house early. Max offers to teach Vel self-defense and she jumps on the chance, until she actually has to fight.
Setting: Research District, Max's apartment building, X113, early February
Setting: Research District, Max's apartment building, X113, early February
God, what a shit night. She stood in an alley outside a building in Grey, trying to tug her pants and hoodie on before she froze. She should have been able to do this inside, but it was a quick exit from a stupid embarrassing infuriating unfavorable situation, and that meant alley-dressing.
It also meant the whole appointment ended earlier than it should have, and she wasn’t going to see her escort anytime soon.
Fuck. Maybe it was too late to call him, but…
Velina’s thumb hovered over the call button on Max’s contact info. He’d always said he’d help her out, but she’d mostly used that to get him to hang with her when she was bored or lonely. Calling him at 3am for a not-really-emergency-but-possibly-could-become-one made her more uncomfortable than cajoling him into carrying bags while they snuck into Purple to get a special edition stuffed liopleurodon.
Her fingers were getting cold, though. She tapped the button.
“Hey, Max…sorry, did I wake you up? I kinda, like, need someone to walk me home…”
It also meant the whole appointment ended earlier than it should have, and she wasn’t going to see her escort anytime soon.
Fuck. Maybe it was too late to call him, but…
Velina’s thumb hovered over the call button on Max’s contact info. He’d always said he’d help her out, but she’d mostly used that to get him to hang with her when she was bored or lonely. Calling him at 3am for a not-really-emergency-but-possibly-could-become-one made her more uncomfortable than cajoling him into carrying bags while they snuck into Purple to get a special edition stuffed liopleurodon.
Her fingers were getting cold, though. She tapped the button.
“Hey, Max…sorry, did I wake you up? I kinda, like, need someone to walk me home…”
Fresh out of a shower, Maxilith had only just layed down after a long night. He was the sort to crash when he was tired- the more tired you are the less time you spend laying in bed contemplating unnecessary things. Now, between the fight he'd won earlier in the evening and the bruises it left him, a crash was certainly imminent.
That was when his phone rang. Max groaned, initially wanting to ignore the call. When he remembered what time it was, however, a mix of concern and suspicion prompted him to roll over to check the caller ID. Vel? Squinted for a moment, first hoping she was calling for a good reason but then remembered what he'd given her his number for- protection.
“Yeah?” Max answered the phone, probably sounding more irritated than he meant to. The trepidation in Vel's request made that tone a bit easier to corral, though. This really wasn't just another flippant call to go do something she thought would be fun. He gave a resigned sigh.
“I'm on my way.” Maxilith got up to put on some proper clothes back on, setting his phone to speakerphone and leaving it on the bedside table. “Are you able to stay inside while you wait?”
That was when his phone rang. Max groaned, initially wanting to ignore the call. When he remembered what time it was, however, a mix of concern and suspicion prompted him to roll over to check the caller ID. Vel? Squinted for a moment, first hoping she was calling for a good reason but then remembered what he'd given her his number for- protection.
“Yeah?” Max answered the phone, probably sounding more irritated than he meant to. The trepidation in Vel's request made that tone a bit easier to corral, though. This really wasn't just another flippant call to go do something she thought would be fun. He gave a resigned sigh.
“I'm on my way.” Maxilith got up to put on some proper clothes back on, setting his phone to speakerphone and leaving it on the bedside table. “Are you able to stay inside while you wait?”
Vel winced at his tone. Poor guy. She really owed him this time. Probably more than a few drinks at the Luxe, to be sure. It was a wonder he wasn't sick of her by now.
"Yeah, I can wait inside," Vel lied. She was 'inside' an alley, technically, but technically didn't make it not a lie. "You can't, like, come in here, though. So I'll shoot you the address and you tell me when you're close, and I can come meet you?"
"Yeah, I can wait inside," Vel lied. She was 'inside' an alley, technically, but technically didn't make it not a lie. "You can't, like, come in here, though. So I'll shoot you the address and you tell me when you're close, and I can come meet you?"
"Not at the Luxe tonight? Hope it's not too far off," Maxilith commented offhandedly while pulling a shirt on over his head. He was too tired for it to occur to him that this might come off as 'the distance is an inconvenience' more than his intended concern regarding how long he would keep her waiting. His mind was a bit more focused on locating a clean pair of pants worthy of being worn outside at the moment.
There was a moment of quiet during the Bandito's distraction before he noted an incoming message from Vel: the address, as she promised. He took a moment to check the location and raised his eyebrows slightly- it was closer than expected.
"That's fine; looks close enough. Gimme 10-15 minutes." Max commented, low energy evident in his distracted tone, before hanging up so he could get ready and leave faster.
-
Maxilith’s reached the vicinity of the apartments in question closer to the high end of his estimate. He might have been faster if not for how tired he was, but Vel didn't make it sound super urgent so he didn't rush. Looked like the apartments required a code or call or something to let people in- probably why Vel said just to let her know.
He pulled up her number from his call history. "I'm here."
There was a moment of quiet during the Bandito's distraction before he noted an incoming message from Vel: the address, as she promised. He took a moment to check the location and raised his eyebrows slightly- it was closer than expected.
"That's fine; looks close enough. Gimme 10-15 minutes." Max commented, low energy evident in his distracted tone, before hanging up so he could get ready and leave faster.
-
Maxilith’s reached the vicinity of the apartments in question closer to the high end of his estimate. He might have been faster if not for how tired he was, but Vel didn't make it sound super urgent so he didn't rush. Looked like the apartments required a code or call or something to let people in- probably why Vel said just to let her know.
He pulled up her number from his call history. "I'm here."
"Yeah, no problem. Like, take your time." It did sound like she was inconveniencing him, but Vel kind of knew that was what she was in for calling him so late. Most of her shenanigans where she wasted his time she tried to keep to daylight hours.
She had plenty of time to think about how she was going to pay him back, at least, while he made his way over. She'd probably need to help him build cat shelters and fill food bowls...well, no, that was something she would normally help him with whenever she had time. But she hadn't had a lot of time lately...
Vel had come to no new conclusions or resolutions when Max called her. Shit. He was supposed to tell her before he got there so he didn't see her coming out of an alley, freezing her ass off. She really should have brought more than a hoodie to cover up after her job. At least she still had leather pants on.
"Okay, gimme a sec. Using the side exit," she lied again. "Be right there." End call. Wait an additional 30 seconds of pacing to try and warm up. Finally she clip-clopped her high-heeled self out of the alley hoping he'd be tired enough not to care.
"Hi, Max!" She called to him, stopping right at his side with an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry to drag you out of bed. This went all kinds of wrong and they couldn't send anyone from the Luxe because, like, I wasn't supposed to be done for another hour. Well, like, another 45, now."
She had plenty of time to think about how she was going to pay him back, at least, while he made his way over. She'd probably need to help him build cat shelters and fill food bowls...well, no, that was something she would normally help him with whenever she had time. But she hadn't had a lot of time lately...
Vel had come to no new conclusions or resolutions when Max called her. Shit. He was supposed to tell her before he got there so he didn't see her coming out of an alley, freezing her ass off. She really should have brought more than a hoodie to cover up after her job. At least she still had leather pants on.
"Okay, gimme a sec. Using the side exit," she lied again. "Be right there." End call. Wait an additional 30 seconds of pacing to try and warm up. Finally she clip-clopped her high-heeled self out of the alley hoping he'd be tired enough not to care.
"Hi, Max!" She called to him, stopping right at his side with an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry to drag you out of bed. This went all kinds of wrong and they couldn't send anyone from the Luxe because, like, I wasn't supposed to be done for another hour. Well, like, another 45, now."
Yawning a bit, then wincing slightly at the way it stretched his split lip, Maxilith waited quietly for Vel to appear. He raised an eyebrow slightly at how she approached, but found himself too concerned with other context clues clicking into place. Her lack of coat, the location that would normally have a coworker pickup, the sudden end of this apparent appointment. His eyes went to the building and narrowed menacingly for a moment.
“You could have told me more about the situation, I would have gotten here faster.” Max grumbled, taking off his coat and putting it around Vel’s shoulders. This left his bruising far more visible through the sheer panels on his shirt but he wasn’t even remotely in the realm of caring.
“I don’t need to go kill anyone in there, do I?” He indicated the apartment building. He wouldn’t actually kill them (probably), but Vel was one person for whom he knew he needn’t clarify.
“You could have told me more about the situation, I would have gotten here faster.” Max grumbled, taking off his coat and putting it around Vel’s shoulders. This left his bruising far more visible through the sheer panels on his shirt but he wasn’t even remotely in the realm of caring.
“I don’t need to go kill anyone in there, do I?” He indicated the apartment building. He wouldn’t actually kill them (probably), but Vel was one person for whom he knew he needn’t clarify.
"I'm alright, you don't have to--" Well, too late. The coat was on her. And it was warm from him, so Vel couldn't help but tug it tight like a blanket. She'd give it back. Just...in a minute.
"It's fine, it was just, like, a shit situation. Found out this was basically, like, ugh, I don't even know how to explain it. A staged revenge cheating situation? Fucked up, so, I left before the scorned lover could show up and make it, you know, actually dangerous..." Her chatter trailed off as her gaze slid over his bruises and up to his cut lip.
"Oh, honey, what happened?" She reached up as if to touch his face, though she stooped just shy of cupping his jaw. "You're beat up again."
"It's fine, it was just, like, a shit situation. Found out this was basically, like, ugh, I don't even know how to explain it. A staged revenge cheating situation? Fucked up, so, I left before the scorned lover could show up and make it, you know, actually dangerous..." Her chatter trailed off as her gaze slid over his bruises and up to his cut lip.
"Oh, honey, what happened?" She reached up as if to touch his face, though she stooped just shy of cupping his jaw. "You're beat up again."
Maxilith sighed and rubbed his temples at the story. How often did Noir let shit like this happen? Of course this wasn't the sort or business that favored a ‘buddy system-, but that didn't mean that there couldnt be someome on standby or sometimes. But no that would require another body to be paid, wouldn’t it? It just left the members without combat oriented vibes- like Vel- vulnerable. If he thought about it too hard he was bound to get a headache.
Then he heard the tone of Vel's voice change. Max set his focus back on the dancer to see the concern in her gaze and her words finally registered. He sighed again.
“Same thing I tell you every time, Vel: nothing you need to worry about.” Maxilith tried to side step the inquiry like he always did. “Banditos get in fights, you know that.”
Then he heard the tone of Vel's voice change. Max set his focus back on the dancer to see the concern in her gaze and her words finally registered. He sighed again.
“Same thing I tell you every time, Vel: nothing you need to worry about.” Maxilith tried to side step the inquiry like he always did. “Banditos get in fights, you know that.”
"I'm going to worry about you every time, too, dummy." She still didn't touch him, and she avoided looking at the cut on his lip, but without much Vibe in her system she didn't feel a particular draw to it other than concern. "You're always, like, watching out for me, but who's looking out for you?"
She'd of course told him to call her if he ever needed help, but she also knew that he never would. What help was she, really? Not much. She let her hand drop, and just gave his arm a little tug, trying to avoid bruises. "Come on, let's start walking. I don't wanna keep you out all night."
She'd of course told him to call her if he ever needed help, but she also knew that he never would. What help was she, really? Not much. She let her hand drop, and just gave his arm a little tug, trying to avoid bruises. "Come on, let's start walking. I don't wanna keep you out all night."
Maxilith looked away but the smallest of smiles curled his lip, both at Vel's kindness and at his own hypocrisy. Here he was mentally berating someone else for not providing backup in a potentially dangerous situation when he basically never took backup to the pits. Then again, since shaking the Pritchards loose, he hadn't needed help more than a few times. He just sort of assumed that at this point he brought in enough bets that it was more profitable for them to keep him alive. So all he had to do was not die.
Not that Vel would want to hear that.
With the tug on his arm, Maxilith fell in step beside Vel to begin their walk.
“Look, its not that I don't appreciate the concern. I'm just used to going without…” He cast a glance over at Vel, who he was pretty sure had dealt with her own fair share of hard times in her own way even if he didn't know the details. Yet, she retained a kindness Max could only hope he hadn't lost in himself.
“But fighting is like the one thing I'm good at, so you really don't need to worry. About calling me out here, either. You're not a fighter, so it only makes sense to rely on someone who is.” The Bandito spoke matter-of-factly, his fatigue making his tone sound more flat than intended.
Not that Vel would want to hear that.
With the tug on his arm, Maxilith fell in step beside Vel to begin their walk.
“Look, its not that I don't appreciate the concern. I'm just used to going without…” He cast a glance over at Vel, who he was pretty sure had dealt with her own fair share of hard times in her own way even if he didn't know the details. Yet, she retained a kindness Max could only hope he hadn't lost in himself.
“But fighting is like the one thing I'm good at, so you really don't need to worry. About calling me out here, either. You're not a fighter, so it only makes sense to rely on someone who is.” The Bandito spoke matter-of-factly, his fatigue making his tone sound more flat than intended.
"I can fight a little. Renard taught me how to, like, use a knife." And Renard would also be miffed if she knew Velina wasn't really practicing much. She didn't have a lot of time! She was working at the club or seeing clients or on stream, trying to hoard as much cred as possible, scared of more lean times.
"You should at least have someone around to haul your ass to a Doctor Vendy, you know?" She had let his arm go, still not one for prolonged contact--but it was also hard to wear his coat like a blanket with her arm peeking out. "I can do that. You're not that heavy."
"You should at least have someone around to haul your ass to a Doctor Vendy, you know?" She had let his arm go, still not one for prolonged contact--but it was also hard to wear his coat like a blanket with her arm peeking out. "I can do that. You're not that heavy."
Raising a hand to his mouth to help stifle a laugh, Max couldn’t help but find a little amusement in the idea of Vel trying to haul him anywhere. At least until he thought about the implications of that a little harder and shook his head.
“Fighting beside or directly helping a Bandito means a little more to most people than simply working at a club run by them. That’d be quite the black mark on your reputation.” He pointed out nonchalantly, leaving aside the concerns about her safety which should be obvious at this point. “Besides, you need to be able to protect yourself before you go protecting others. That’s just combat 101. Knowing how to use a knife a little isn't gonna cut it, so to speak.”
“Fighting beside or directly helping a Bandito means a little more to most people than simply working at a club run by them. That’d be quite the black mark on your reputation.” He pointed out nonchalantly, leaving aside the concerns about her safety which should be obvious at this point. “Besides, you need to be able to protect yourself before you go protecting others. That’s just combat 101. Knowing how to use a knife a little isn't gonna cut it, so to speak.”
"I can handle it. You know it's going to happen eventually, anyway." Vel cared about her bosses, and they were Bandito through and through. She wasn't stupid. She knew they were violent and carried grudges, with others to do the same against them. If someone came for them in the club and she could do something, she would.
"He's got dad jokes. Amazing." Vel pushed his arm a little, less careful about the bruises only by dint of having forgotten they were there thanks to the psychic pun damage. "Everybody, like, always tells me I need to be careful, but that's it. It doesn't really help."
"He's got dad jokes. Amazing." Vel pushed his arm a little, less careful about the bruises only by dint of having forgotten they were there thanks to the psychic pun damage. "Everybody, like, always tells me I need to be careful, but that's it. It doesn't really help."
Maxilith rolled his eyes at Vel’s reaction to the pun he hadn’t set out to make. Maybe he’d just spent too much time around Coriander and the capacity for ‘dad jokes’ had just rubbed off on him. Still, it was clear that on the track Vel was on, she’d basically be counted as another Bandito eventually. She cared too much about her Dito friends… Maxilith didn’t like the idea, but it wouldn’t be the first person he knew to fall in with the Green because they simply cared too much about the wrong people. This island liked to punish people like that.
“It’s more like… Oh never mind.” It was pointless to try and convey that he thought it’d be better for her to let others whose hands are already dirty take care of dangerous things. That wasn’t helping her. He paused once step ahead of her and turned to look at her.
“I could give you some pointers, you know. Knives aren’t exactly my forte, but they were my um… they used to be one of my charge’s weapons of choice.” Max had seen- and been on the receiving end of- enough of Tessa’s lessons to be able to give a few pointers. “That aside, it wouldn’t hurt for you to know more basic self defense for when you can’t get to a blade. After all, I may not always be available to watch your back.”
“It’s more like… Oh never mind.” It was pointless to try and convey that he thought it’d be better for her to let others whose hands are already dirty take care of dangerous things. That wasn’t helping her. He paused once step ahead of her and turned to look at her.
“I could give you some pointers, you know. Knives aren’t exactly my forte, but they were my um… they used to be one of my charge’s weapons of choice.” Max had seen- and been on the receiving end of- enough of Tessa’s lessons to be able to give a few pointers. “That aside, it wouldn’t hurt for you to know more basic self defense for when you can’t get to a blade. After all, I may not always be available to watch your back.”
Vel stopped as he turned, big brown eyes looking up at him expectantly. That was a kind of progress. Max never talked about his past, or what he was doing--he was very fond of brushing off her inquiries, and she wasn't the type to chase them down when she had her own secrets to hide. But she knew a few things, sprinkled into conversation here and there.
"I would love that! Just don't hit me really hard. Like, go easy on me, you know. Until I get it." She laughed, knowing he'd probably hold himself back more than he should. But at least it would be difficult to get her hands on skin and make a mistake when he was wearing so much clothing.
"So: your place or mine? Where are we going to wrestle?" Anyone else she might have leaned into it, turned the whole affair into an opportunity to flirt. But while Max got more than his fair share of casual innuendo from Vel, she wanted to show she meant it: she really did want to learn to take care of herself.
"I would love that! Just don't hit me really hard. Like, go easy on me, you know. Until I get it." She laughed, knowing he'd probably hold himself back more than he should. But at least it would be difficult to get her hands on skin and make a mistake when he was wearing so much clothing.
"So: your place or mine? Where are we going to wrestle?" Anyone else she might have leaned into it, turned the whole affair into an opportunity to flirt. But while Max got more than his fair share of casual innuendo from Vel, she wanted to show she meant it: she really did want to learn to take care of herself.
Incredulous but amused by Vel’s enthusiasm, Maxilith raised an eyebrow at her impression of how and when to start with this. Frankly, his small apartment likely wasn’t big enough for anything even remotely resembling training and he somehow doubted her place would be any bigger. He let the double entendre roll off his back, fairly used to it by now. She never seemed mad when he ignored what could be taken for flirting, so he’d stopped trying to figure out how to humor her in that regard ages ago.
“I’d like to see what I’m working with first, so we might be better off finding someplace outside. And…” He sighed a bit, having gathered this was a topic Vel preferred to avoid, “Depending on how serious you are, it might help to know a bit more about how your vibe works. I can help you either way, but I could help more if I knew what to keep in mind.”
“I’d like to see what I’m working with first, so we might be better off finding someplace outside. And…” He sighed a bit, having gathered this was a topic Vel preferred to avoid, “Depending on how serious you are, it might help to know a bit more about how your vibe works. I can help you either way, but I could help more if I knew what to keep in mind.”
"Ah...right. Well, like many Vibes, it works by dancing." The off-the-cuff, terrible joke was mostly to give her time to pull up her roster of lies. Max knew a bit about it, but she never explained it fully, and she never would. But she could give him most of it.
"But, okay, seriously, like... if I can touch someone, skin to skin, I can, like, suppress how much Vibe they can access. And make them a little woozy." Vel bapped his arm as if that was an adequate demonstration. "I can also pass Vibe from myself to someone else. Like a boost, but it's just topping you off. That's it."
She gave a little shrug. "Not the best without a partner, right?"
"But, okay, seriously, like... if I can touch someone, skin to skin, I can, like, suppress how much Vibe they can access. And make them a little woozy." Vel bapped his arm as if that was an adequate demonstration. "I can also pass Vibe from myself to someone else. Like a boost, but it's just topping you off. That's it."
She gave a little shrug. "Not the best without a partner, right?"
Maybe he was just tired, but the effects of Vel's vibe didn't seem to connect super well. Maxilith experienced her vibe transfer, so he couldn't dispute it, but to only be able to suppress vibe in others didn't have the synergy he was used to seeing in most vibes.
"And you can only move your own vibe around?" Max asked, a little confused but didn't linger on the idea."If touch is what you need, maybe we should focus more on unarmed defense..."
"And you can only move your own vibe around?" Max asked, a little confused but didn't linger on the idea."If touch is what you need, maybe we should focus more on unarmed defense..."
"Yep! That's right." Vel would not elaborate further. That was how her Vibe worked and she wasn't getting into it.
"Unarmed defense sounds good! I know, like, soft places to aim for. Groin, eyes, solar plexus, neck, stomp the insole, bite of you have to. The basics."
"Unarmed defense sounds good! I know, like, soft places to aim for. Groin, eyes, solar plexus, neck, stomp the insole, bite of you have to. The basics."
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