Work Text:
Max Rose considered himself to be a happy-go lucky person who is rarely bothered by anything, or is so socially unaware sometimes that he wouldn't realize it if someone was trying to get under his skin. Not to mention it takes a lot to bring him down into any negative state (since having grown tougher skin since his hyper sensitive adolescences). So when Max Rose was not in the greatest moods, it was due to him hitting his limit. Despite this, he usually tries to ignore it, or if around others, tries to mask it as best of possible. No one needed to know or put up with his problems. He just had to smile extra wide and put more pep in his step!~
So when the man ends up at Lord X's front door, he lets out the longest and heaviest sigh he can get out of his system before plastering on his best smile. Being near the other man almost always made him feel tons better.~ So with his best smile and energy, he gives that door a good knock, anticipating seeing his dear friends. What he wasn't expecting was the heavy smell of marijuana that greets him upon the door opening up. The person in question who answers the door is Majin who looks very calm and pleasant having noticeable red scleras from being quite stoned.
"Ah, it's Max.~ Come in, come in. You've shown up at a great time!~" The mustachioed man had the biggest happiest expression on his face. An arm circles around the shorter as he hugs him to the taller guiding him into the living room.
Sitting in his usual spot in his recliner (aka his throne) is his best pal Lord X. In one of his massive gloved hands is a pretty fat doobie. That surprises Max due to him usually seeing the older man with a cigar. He would have never considered him one for smoking weed… The man gives him a toothy grin when they lock eyes, and he can't help himself from beaming and waving at him.
Sitting across from Lord X on the couch is a new face. They reeked the most of the marijuana smell. Max is surprised he wasn't having a coughing fit from how strong all of it was in the midst of it. Just like the rest of Lord X's group of friends, the new hedgehog is a shade of blue being more of a purplish blue like Majin and EXE. Though it's in higher quantities along his head quills, the man's body is peppered in bright pink crystals. Just like Lord X and his brother, his scleras are pitch black, though instead of blood red irises he has pink ones that are the same shade as his crystals. His whole demeanor seems calm and carefree. It's a welcoming breath of fresh air, especially after the volatile situation that was with EXE.
All right. Big smiles and big energy!~ Let's hope this doesn't blow up in your face like last time… Max does his best to stand tall and straighter conjuring a big ol' grin that he hopes meets his eyes. A gloved hand reaches out to the other hedgehog. "Hello.~ I'm Max. It's nice to meet you.~"
The pink male finds himself sweating anxiously when the other man doesn't immediately take his hand. Those dark pink irises of his stare down at his hand before looking up at Max. There's this… silence between them as his black eyelids narrow knowingly at him. After what feels like forever, his faltering hand is grabbed and shaken by the other's. A chill smile is directed up at Max. "Sup. The name's Xenophanes. Most people call me Xeno, but it's whateves…" This Xenophanes sounds like he didn't have a care in the world, which helps calm poor Max's anxious nerves a bit.
Upon letting go of the other's hand, Xeno reaches down to the coffee table beside them grabbing a brownie square from a tin of freshly baked brownies. "Ever had a pot brownie? You look like you could go for one." The way he narrows his eyes again has Max wondering what he was thinking…
Streaked quills sway from side to side upon shaking his head. "I've been high before, yes, but I've never… eaten anything to get me high." Despite this, he takes it from other man.
"Is it a lot like your alcohol tolerance?" Pipes up an oddly mellowed out sounding Lord X from behind. "How many brownies would it take to get you high?"
That brownie comment sends poor Majin into a hysterical laughing fit "He's like that owl from that sucker commercial! Bwahaha!" Lord X joins in the laughter, though not as loudly as his friend.
A crystal encrusted ear flops in thought. "Tolerance?" Xeno asks in an amused tone.
Between Majin (and Lord X) just about uncontrollable laughter and Xenophanes's amusement, Max's muzzle warms up into a flustered red hue. They probably weren't meaning to, but the man feels as though he's being made fun of… His smile falters into almost a line and he heaves in a deep breath to try to ground emotions. He was slipping and with an audience to witness it. He didn't need this. So he scarfs down the brownie as if his life depended on it.
Gem eyebrows shoot up the moment Max finishes the brownie. "Uh, wow." A finger scratches the underside of his jewel goatee. "So, uh, Max was it?" The other nods immediately. "You might wanna sit down after that because you probably don't wanna get knocked on your physical ass while knocked off your mental one."
Before Max has a chance to figure out where he'd take a seat at, a burly arm shakes around his thin waist yanking him backwards (which has him yelping surprise). It dawns him that it's Lord X who's sat him down on his lap. "Got a nice spot for you right here.~" A toothy smirk is grinned up at the younger man, though it's much more tone down, probably due to how mellowed out he was in his stoned state…
A gloved hand splays across his own chest with rosy cheeks flushing upon leaning his head slightly to one side. "You gave me the best seat in the house?" He feints with a dramatic gasp. "How lucky.~" His little striped tail sways as he smiles happily down at the older hedgehog.
Lord X simply chuckles continuing to smile up at Max.
By this point, Majin has joined Xenophanes on the couch. Xeno lightly elbows him to get his attention. When he has the taller man's attention does he start signing to him.
"[This the dude who left that 'hickey' on Lord X?]"
That has the man grinning like a goof as he giggles at the question.
"[Oh yes.~ You should have seen the look on Lordy's face! It was priceless, haha!~]"
Xenophanes smirks and Majin giggles harder when they notice Lord X glaring at them. He had no idea what they were saying about him, but assumed they were talking shit.
"Don't worry about us. You worry about your friend there for when that… brownie kicks in."
So Max sat there waiting for something, anything to happen. One of his skinny legs bounced against the recliner impatiently, and one of his gloved fingers tapping on one of the recliner arm rests. His free hand pulls his phone out of his pants pocket to check the time. It has been at least a half-hour since he showed up then woofed down that brownie. "…when do these usually kick in?" He finally asks Xenophanes.
Xenophanes stares at Max in disbelief. Though alcohol was mentioned, they weren't kidding about his tolerance… "If you haven't felt anything by now, then it probably won't work on you…"
Max's muzzle warms up again feeling strangely embarrassed about handling what was probably supposed to be a trippy moment well. "Um, how's about I try another one and see if something happens, if that's all right with you? If the second one doesn't work, I'll just give up after that." For fuck's sake can I be inebriated without trying too hard for once??
Just when Xenophanes thought he was figuring out this strange little pink guy, did something else throw him for a loop! Instead of getting back on his feet to collect his second brownie, did one of Max's hair quills extend reaching out to grab it instead! …his quills are fucking prehensile…! The man was deceptively odd.
Fingers gingerly take the brownie from the grip of his tentaquill. He decides to take slow bites instead of just damn near shoving the entire thing into his mouth like the first one. Max just wanted to feel something else that wasn't him slipping into despair…
It takes half the time for the second brownie to kick in. One moment the pink hedgehog is sitting pretty then the next… when had he moved to lying on top of Lord X? And when had he reclined, in his, well, recliner? He finds his nose pressed against the dip of his cleavage with grassy green eyes staring into blood red ones. His little striped tail starts wagging up a storm as a big ol' goofy grin stretches from ear to ear on his muzzle. OhmygodheissohandsomeandgoodlookingandcuteandhesmellsniceandIlovethewayhesmilesandIwannakisshimandhughimandrunmyhandsthroughhisquillsandgetahandfulofhisbellyorhisfatass and I want him, want him, want him!!~
Those bedroom eyes the younger man is giving him has Lord X smirking like the egomaniac that he is. His scruffy muzzle flushes upon feeling the others tails wagging like crazy between their legs. Teal ears pin back as he hears his friends giggling at the both of them, which has him rolling his eyes in amusement. "Like what you see?~" His voice drops an octave having a seductive tone to it. He never takes his eyes off the other upon asking.
Max's head nods vigorously. His tail continues to wag, and a shiver goes down his spine at the way he's spoken to. He wants to tell the older man how hot he is and how he wanted to hear him say more things in that sexy voice, but found verbally articulating difficult in his high state…
Crimson irises watches the man cock his head never taking his own green ones off of him. Eyelids narrow at him but he continues to smile up at him in this lovesick manner. "Am I liking what I'm seeing…?~" Is what he assumes is silently inquired from Max. More nodding and smiling and those eyes just look up at Lord X as if he hung the moon. Ohhh that made his ego swell. His own smirk is big and full of teeth and his cheeks are a nice warm shade of red. "Very much. Having it up close makes it better…~" Oh, how his heart flip flopped as Max grins the dumbest happiest grin before hiding his face in his chest. That little tail of his was still going.
"Do your teeth also hurt from how sweet these two are together?" The teasing tone of Xenophanes snaps Lord X out of his sweet little moment.
Majin holds up a finger to his lips making a loud shhing sound. "Xeno, don't tell them, it's a secret and they haven't figured it out yet…!~"
Lord X glares at them. "We're not dating."
Eyelids squint with teeth clenching and jeweled ears flattening. "Yeesh. Can you imagine how worse they'll get when they do finally date?" That grimacing expression immediately turns into a cheeky one as he smirks back at the older man.
"It'll be positively dreadful!~ We probably won't be able to stand being in the same room as them if they're already physical like this…~" The mustachioed man giggles behind one of his hands trying to hide a toothy smirk. "And we've seen what Max is capable of. Why, our dear Lordy here, will be black and blue if he becomes Max's boyfriend!~"
Lord X's face is completely red from all the teasing. Was he not allowed to have a moment with Max? Oi! "You hearing this shit?" Is what he grumbles into a pink ear. When he looks down at Max to see his reaction… does he see how peacefully asleep he is. Damn… That second brownie really knocked him on his ass…
"You really don't know you're own strength, do you, Lordy?" When Lord X looks confused by his dear friend's words, he can't help but narrow his eyes at seeing the mischievous smirk on his lips.
"What are you on about?" Ears pin back and he scowls an unamused frown.
"This is like, what, the second time you've knocked poor Max out after riling him up? You need to learn how to hold back, or you'll kill the poor fella!" He's having another laughing fit after he's done speaking.
"Shaddap…!" The older man seethes, looking away with both his scruffy muzzle and ears burning.
Xenophanes is smirking behind a mostly smoked up blunt. It was fun watching Majin a little unfiltered instead of being careful about what to say, and watching Lord X as a flustered mess taking someone else's shenanigans for a change.
…though he did feel a little bad for Max. The brownies went from doing nothing to making him comatose. Whoops.
"Didn't mean to put your friend to sleep." Fingers pluck the blunt from his mouth so he can talk properly. The other finger on his free hand scratches the side of his muzzle shyly. "The dude looked on edge so I figured he could use something to calm him down…"
The both of them looked over at him with confusion.
"Him??" Lord X points down at the hedgehog still sound asleep on top of him. "On edge…? What are you on about?" He almost looks offended by the notion that someone else noticed something about the pink male that he hadn't.
Crystal coated quills bob upon him nodding. "You know how Maj becomes a Nervous Nelly when he doesn't want to rustle any quills?"
Majin crosses his arms and stiffens uncomfortably as he looks away. "I just like everyone to get along is all…" The hairs of his mustache flutter as he sighs out his words.
"What about that?" Asks the eldest in an irritated tone growing impatient.
Dark pink irises roll as he heaves out a sigh. "Well, I noticed that Max was trying to keep it together not really enjoying us messing with him. Since you're clueless as I am, I guess this ain't the norm for him?"
Majin perks up to that waving a hand dismissively with a chuckle. "Oh no, never. Max is an absolute ray of sunshine.~"
Thick fingers run through dark bangs as blood red eyes stare down at Max's sleeping face. "…he's had his moments, yes." Lord X speaks up, never taking his gaze off the man. "But I've never seen him so…" His free hand motions around as he mentally searches for the proper word. "On edge, though. I don't think I've ever seen him bothered by anything." Then a light bulb becomes a glow inside his mind. A gloved finger is held up. "There was that one time with All-Father with that foolish human student, but if you blinked, you'd miss it."
Xenophanes hums out loud rolling his blunt from side to side in-between his index and middle finger as he stares at it thoughtfully. Then he shrugs seeming carefree again. "Well, whatever it was, hopefully the brownies mellowed him out and got it out of his system.~" There's an optimistic smile on his muzzle in his hoping.
Hmm. Hopefully. Lord X internally hopes as well with a thoughtful frown.