[IC Inbox]

[maximumcake]

"You've reached Max Maximum. Leave a detailed message and I'll call you back as soon as I can. Thanks."

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voice; backdated a week or so

[proofofconcept]

Hey. So. Um.

[He gave it a couple weeks hoping that that would blunt the edges on this a little, and maybe it has, but Quentin feels exactly as raw and guilty about it as he did the day he woke up as himself again.]

I'm. Um. I'm just really fucking sorry for how I treated you? I know I wasn't myself, I know a lot of people weren't themselves, I just. Am really really sorry.

[maximumcake]

I forgive you.

[Yes. Just like that. He knows now what was really going on. He put it together for himself pretty quickly.]

I'm okay. Are you?

[proofofconcept]

[That was definitely too easy and Quentin's going to keep feeling guilty for at least awhile, but. He's got just enough gas in the tank right now, so to speak, to not press the issue.]

I'm.

Well. Physically I'm fine. [Always a good place to start when he needs some runup to get to the real question.]

In terms of the weird week I'm. Feeling pretty fucking guilty about how I treated people, but. I still know it wasn't really me, so it's. Survivable.

I know I use that word a lot.

As far as like general, like, mental, you know, health or whatever, um. I...I mean. I don't. Want to jinx it but it feels like things might be. You know. Improving. A little. A very little.

[Oh god. He probably wasn't even asking about in general. He probably doesn't even care. He probably just meant about the weird week. Max please say something before Quentin dies of sheer social pain.]

[maximumcake]

[Max understands the 'too easy' thing. He tends to feel the same sometimes.

And, as Quentin continues to talk, Max can almost see him starting a mini-meltdown.]

I get feeling guilty. And, yeah, I'll admit it was pretty concerning at the time. But, as you said, it wasn't really you. I know that. So... I forgive you. It wasn't your fault.

I'm glad, Quentin, genuinely, that you're improving. That's really good to hear.

[Don't die. It's okay. Max really did want to know.]

[proofofconcept]

Yeah, I mean. It's not. I mean. Like I said, I don't wanna jinx it.

I um. This is probably...weird. But I met someone who's a little. Well. He reminds me of Eliot. So.

[maximumcake]

Maybe just slightly concerning? I mean, there's no problem if you have a type. I don't wanna be down on you for something that's genuinely good, let me just say that.

If they make you happy, then I'm happy for you. Just, I guess, remember they aren't actually Eliot. Don't make them feel like they need to be. Does that make sense?

That's my two cents on it.

[proofofconcept]

That does make sense. I, um, I just...I came out and told him? About Eliot and how I'm...reminded? And, uh, turns out he likes me at least partly because I also remind him of his boyfriend at home. So it's. I think it's. Good? Like we both have full, like, knowledge of what's going on, so, um. I think that's good.

Uh, most importantly, I like. Trust him to say something if I'm...you know. Being too much or like...I don't know. I trust him to dump me if he wants to. Does that make sense?

[Max is definitely someone he does NOT trust to have the boundaries he's trying to talk about, so he won't be that surprised if it doesn't make sense.]

[maximumcake]

No, okay. That does make it less, I don't know.... [Questionable?] I mean, you both kinda know where your heads are at, so yeah. That's good.

Communication about that stuff is good, too. Trusting each other is important. I'm happy for you guys. I hope it does keep working out for you both.

[Max has made a lot of progress on his own emotional maturity journey, so he can understand it more now than he might have once.]

[proofofconcept]

Thanks. I don't know. I'm not trying to like, fall in love with someone else. But a little...stability. Is helping. I think.

[maximumcake]

Yeah. Good for you, man. Really, I mean that.

[Stability sounds like what he needs most. So, here's hoping it keeps helping.]

[proofofconcept]

Thank you.

You've been...good? I know I've kinda been, like, turtling lately. Stuck in survival mode.

[maximumcake]

Yeah. Things have been going better over at my café since I got Mark onboard to help. I can't really complain. Life is good for me here.

It's okay. I appreciate you asking.

[proofofconcept]

Oh, good, that's good. I'm glad that's going well. [He does sound like he means it, even though he now...doesn't know what to say next.] Congrats.

[Hmm. That doesn't seem right.]

[maximumcake]

[Max is all too familiar with the social awkward, so he just smiles along.]

Thanks. It's nice, you know? I didn't really have my shit together for a long time. I think maybe I'm starting to.

[He's sure Quentin can appreciate what a good change that is.]

It's not perfect, but I feel like I have more control over my life for the first time in a long time.

You know, now I'm not saying this to put any blame on you, but just as an example: the fact that I walked away from you that day when I sensed things weren't right, that was a big deal for me. There's a time where I wouldn't have been able to do that.

[proofofconcept]

[More and more reminders in this conversation about why he doesn't lean on Max.] Yeah. That's good. I'm really glad.

[He's trying not to fall into thinking about that again.] I'll come see you at the cafe sometime soon, yeah?

[maximumcake]

Sounds good. I'll look forward to seeing you.