Max sat against a tree, quietly staring off into the forest. He glanced back, at the radio tower about 50 yards to his left. His gaze fell back to the ground, suddenly beginning to cry softly. Max wept harshly into the palms of his hands. it quickly evolved into a manic, erratic cackle. tears still rolled from his eyes as he choked on his breath. the laughing turned back into crying, back into laughing again.
The big masked being watched from across the cow pasture, listening to the pure madness that was boiling over and out of Max's mouth. They were remorseful for what Max was going through, but it wasnt either of their faults. thats just what prolonged exposure to them will do, much like that faceless thing that watched the boys so eagerly. Max tossed his cellphone into his backpack, standing and booking it off into the woods- spitting out little blood covered buttercups and marigolds.
Max enters the room in a flash of yellow distortion, wiping some smudged blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Okay, I'm... I'm here." He flops down onto the couch.
"Sup gayass. Whens the last time you ate?" Harmonia asks.
"Uhhh... I don't know, or remember." Max bent down and started violently scratching his ankle. by the looks of it, it was already pretty raw.
"Oi-" Harmonia gently grabs his hand. "Cmon, I'm gonna fix you up." She starts to stand, hoping Max would join Max huffed and stood, using his other hand to wipe some sweat off of his forehead. His brows were furrowed, dried blood crusties falling from his lip ring.
"Yeah, alright. Whatever-"
Harmonia drags him to the bathroom.
---
Harmonia drags Max in and sits him on top of the toilet. "I know you don't like water but can you take a wet rag?"
"Yeah, that'd be fine." Max lets out a shaky breath, holding back a decently violent lung-hacking. He clears his throat, feeling a sharp itch in the back, "I dont think I've been anywhere but the living room... cool bathroom."
Harmonia smiles. "Thanks kid." She wets a towel and starts cleaning his face, scrubbing off the dirt and dried blood where she could see it. Then she gently washes any wounds and cleans them before bandaging them. "I can get ya new clothes too. Plus you can sponge bathe... everything else." She says politely. "What do you like to eat? I'll make you a proper dinner"
Max wrinkled his face as the towel touched him. It was definetly something, not having a layer of grimey shit on his face. He winced when the bandages were applied, huffing away the pain with some rythmic breaths.
"That'd be cool, thanks," He KNEW for a FACT, he'd miss his Doja Cat t-shirt. but y'know, whatever's clean, "Uhm... I remember that I like the Mexican Pizza from Taco Bell, but haven't eaten a proper meal since March 8th, so I dunno."
"Dear god. Okay so. I'm gonna leave the towel for you to clean more if ya wanna, I'll go grab more clothes, and then I'm gonna make you chicken pot pie. How does that sound?"
"I mean, Chicken's good. I like chicken... so yeah, Thanks bro!" Max gave Harmonia a weary corner of the mouth smile. He had been doing some serious running, so sitting down somewhere that wasnt outside, was a lot better.
Harmonia smiles back and leaves briefly to bring him fresh clothes. She returns, "I'll be in the kitchen when you're done. Its just right across from the living room" She heads to the kitchen. Max kindly accepted the clean clothes. As the door shut, Max's body dropped to the floor infront of the toilet. He threw the lid up, opening his mouth. A flood of blood and golden flowers came out. His head swam, beating his record of holding these coughing fits. Once his body had purged itself of such impurities, Max flushed it all down the drain. Though shaking, his legs held his body's weight. He leaned against the sink as he changed, grunting as the new shirt brushed against a shitty stitch job. After he was ready for social-ness, he took a deep breath, and went to the kitchen.
---
As Harmonia's cooking, Spider enters the kitchen, "And you're here."
"Yeah I am," Harmonia replies.
"You ok?"
Max stumbles into sight, straightening his stance. His eyes were deep and sunken in, but he was certainly bubbly! "Hey Howdy Hey, you have a cool kitchen too!"
"Thanks." Harmonia smiles at him as she makin food. "Im okay Spi." Spider stays quiet, running her nail over her thumb. Max walks around, taking in his surroundings. Eventually he found a spot and sat down, immediately zoning out. Harmonia sighs and continues making food, "So how are you guys?"
"Not like it matters," Spider mutters
Max tuned back in rather quickly, wide eyed. he was already sweating again, looking damp and amphibious, "Fantastic, Couldn't be better at this moment."
"Pull the other one, mate," Spider says.
Harmonia eyes Max. "Where did the fauna get you?" She asks like a concerned mother. Max's expression dropped flat, void of any genuine human emotion. His dull eyes fell to the table. He was caught, so there wasnt any point in putting up walls.
"I'm fine. It slashed my abdomen, but I took care of it. Seriously." He began picking at a scratch on the back of his hand, nonchalantly, "Who told you, anyways?"
"Clearly you didn't, but if you want it to get even worse and drop dead then who am I to stop you?" Spider shrugs.
"I asked Knowingness because, frankly, you look like shit. Let me see the wound." Harmonia says, walking over. Max jumped up from his seat, automatically beginning hyperventilation. he kept a bit of distance at first.
"Knowingness shouldn't tell you shit! I have my shit in control... I-I'm perfectly fine..." After such quick movement, blood rushed to the stitched area. He gasped under his breath. He couldn't ignore the throbbing pain in his side for much longer. He huffed, lifting up his shirt to show the cut. It was all red and infected. Yeah, okay. He's fine- sure. Alright.
Harmonia looks concerned as hell. "Lay down please- let me take care of it." Max groaned real loud, slightly frusterated by her urgency. Irritated by the fact that he was being bossed around by someone who wasnt Knowingness... god, what is it with Knowingness telling people about his problems.
"Okay, whatever."
Spider rolls her eyes, muttering something as she looks at the wound.
"Where's Cole.." Harmonia muttered as she looks over the wound. She grabs a first aid kit and hands him a towel. "Bite on that"
"You know I can try healing that right?" Spider asks.
"Please do," Harmonia moves aside for her.
Max blinks aggresively, stuffing the towel between his teeth. He tries to speak, but its all muffled like... "mmmmrrpff >:["
Spider gets up, muttering something as she walks over to Max. She holds her hand out over the wound as green distortion starts to crackle around her fingertips. The area around the wound feels cold as the infection disappears, then the stitches unravel themselves and the wound heals up. It looks like a time lapse but in reverse. Spider flops back down in her chair, looking exhausted. "..there, that was..Christ.."
Harmonia's eyes widen. "Thats amazing! Nice job!"
"Time bullshit," Spider mutters, "I'm surprised I pulled that off to be honest," There's a dull thunk as her head hits the table.
"Spider??" Harmonia gets up and goes to her side
"I'm fine, just tired"
"You should sleep-"
"I'm alright thanks," Spider lifts her head back up and shakes it, as if trying to wake herself up.
"Alright.."
Max clenched his jaw at the cold feeling. That's... an odd sensation. After he was all healed and shit, he took the towel out of his mouth, "Wow.. thanks, seriously."
"Don't mention it, mate," Spider yawns.
"You can stop by whenever you get fucked up man. We're here for you," Harmonia smiles.
Max took a deep breath, smiling, "Thanks dawg. I'll make sure to remember that."
"Anyways," Spider sighs slowly getting up, "I'm gonna go drown my sorrows so, I'll see you next time you get your arse kicked, Max."
"Of course man. Also Spider, no. Bad girl." Harmonia teases
"Like you ain't as bad as I am," Spider chuckles, tiredly.
Eurydice suddenly sits up and paps Kade's face repeatedly, "KADEKADE There are GAY PEOPLE HERE do you wanna move to somewhere better????"
Kade makes an "AuauAAucK" sound as he sits up, "Sure." Eurydice grabs Kade's hand and tries to pull him up and out of the kitchen.
"Queers," Harmonia says.
"Less bean." Kade is successfully pulled out of the kitchen.