[IC Inbox]

[maximumcake]

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

Comments

[maximumcake]

Is mate stealing a thing? Never mind. Forget I asked.

[It probably is and he'd probably hate hearing about it.]

Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?

[She won't let him buy anything back for her and they both know the other option is out but he could at least try and be a good shoulder to lean on. Something is clearly up.]

[ragesagainsttheodds]

[And here we come to a crossroads. Ren could drop it. But she won't.]

No if ur going to call urself a mate you should know abowt it. mate stealin is real. anyone is able to challenge Rowan for u if they want to. Rowan mite not know bout it. their tribe is urrah.

but thats whi i dont mess with u or lucas - and out of respekt. to me, bein mates means sunthin important

[What's bothering her.] im not gud at anything here that maters. my friends keep going. lexa's great but im waiting for her to drop me at any minite. eddies great but i think I fucked that up by not makin a move

i think i ned a holyday.

[maximumcake]

[This time she's right. He probably should know.

It's just like he feared. So much for consent, or asking what the mate thinks? But he knows that's a fruitless argument to bring up and he does appreciate Ren showing him that respect. The courtesy behind it isn't lost on him.]

I appreciate that, Ren. Thank you.

[He's pleasantly surprised that she's actually opening up about the problem. He carefully considers what to say back, wanting to show her the same respect she's showing him.]

I'm sorry so much has been weighing on you. You're at, arguably, a turning point in your life right now. You're at that age where you're starting to find where you fit in the world, right? Only, the pieces don't fit as well here. I think it's valid to be frustrated by that.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

its important. bein a mate is mor then a name.

[There were responsibilities that came along with it. Burdens. Blisses. But it was more than being someone's husband, wife or partner.]

yeh

and its weird. i wos talkin to leelee about it. she said i should be tryin to help peple in other weys if o feel like that but the only things im gud at ar no real use here

i dont feel gud bein useless

[maximumcake]

I promise to keep sight of that.

[Max will still defer to Rowan on most things having to do with being mates, since he is theirs after all. But it doesn't hurt to remember he's a part of this ragtag pack with Ren and Silent too, in a certain way.

Max takes a moment to try and figure out who "Leelee" might be. It sure does not sound like something Lexa would say. Maybe Lioriley? That fits better.]

I think it's a good idea to try helping people. What if you just haven't found the right application for the things you're good at? It might just take a little more creative thinking on your part.

Tell me the things you're good at. Maybe I can help you come up with a way to use them.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

[Lexa would not tolerate nicknames from Ren. Thankfully Lioriley is much more forgiving.]

all ive got is fightin
and stuff i aint alowed to rite down
i can drive???

[maximumcake]

[Max is assuming the stuff she's not writing down is wolf related. Though, an outsider might think it's sex.]

Why do you fight? What do you fight for?

[Fighting may only be the surface level, but maybe he can get her to think slightly deeper. Maybe.]

[ragesagainsttheodds]

[The next answer takes Ren a few minutes.]

becos thats my job

[Has she ever thought any more deeply into it than that? No. It's her job to be the meatshield and fight the bad guys. That's what Dad does. That's what Aunt Lynn does. That's what she does. That's what Ahrouns do. It's their whole purpose.]

if i dont do it johan dose it

i fight cos im told two

[maximumcake]

[He can't say he's surprised by this answer. But he can pick at it a little.]

What happens if you fail your job? And Johan fails it too? And everyone fails. What would be the consequences if no one was there to fight or win?

[ragesagainsttheodds]

if i fail i dye.
then johan dyes. then the rest of the pack.

gaia would dye cos the bad guys wud win faster?

[maximumcake]

[She's... so close to the point. So close.]

Right. You're not just fighting to fight. You're fighting to help your pack and to help Gaia. You fighting protects people.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

yeh

i hav to protect the pack

thats my job

[Is this what you wanted, Max? She is in confusion.]

[maximumcake]

So what if you protect people here too? You already know that's something you could be good at, right?

[He hopes...]

[ragesagainsttheodds]

but they dont need protectin from anythin

nothin eva hapens heer

[maximumcake]

Things don't happen AS often, sure. But there are still some nasty creatures in the woods.

And I did get attacked by that feral vampire that one time.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

holey fuck ur rite

[Someone has to protect these innocent nitwits. And Clearly It Must Be Her.]

[maximumcake]

Just do me one favor? Make sure to ask if they're one of the favored before you go Hulk on them? Some of us around here don't look the same.

[As he's sure she is aware. But it bears repeating.]

[ragesagainsttheodds]

but wot if their the danger???

[maximumcake]

I think the fae wouldn't bring them if they are that dangerous. Wouldn't that ruin their fun.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

not tru
or i wuldnt be here

[The refute is automatic. She is a danger here. The fact that crinos is locked away from her only makes her more dangerous. Because it could be given back at any moment.]

[maximumcake]

Fine. Okay. Let me put this another way. Don't attack other favored. You want to protect the favored. That's the job.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

I can do that.