Max is Awkward

JUSTIN

As cliche as it felt to Justin, he was walking around his home on egg-shells, especially since his conversation with Harper. Max hadn't even said hello when Justin came home. Did he ever? Justin grabbed both sides of the sink. A constant turmoil whirled around in his Justin's head. Maybe everything is okay. I'm overreacting.

Justin poked his head into the living room. Max sat innocently on the couch, watching Tivoed Pokemon. "Max?" Justin asked tentitively, as he picked at his fingernails.

Max's face snapped to full attention on Justin. "J-J-Justin," he stammered. Was Max startled or something else?

Oh Merlin! Justin's insides panicked. He had to pee. No, he was having heart failures. Vomit. Time to vomit. Heat was rising in his esophagus.

"Could you order a pizza?" Justin finally asked.

"Sure. Pineapple and green peppers?"

Ringing. In. Ears. Won't. Go away.

"Yes! Perfect!" He was yelling.

Justin swiveled back into the kitchen. His back pressed into the pantry door. Clutching his hands over his heart, Justin wanted all the feelings to just float off. His eyes closed as he banged his head against the pantry door. How stupid was he to allow himself to fall for the one person he could never have?

He just needed to get all the feelings out. Justin raced up the stairs. In his room, he stripped to his underwear and quickly put shorts on. Getting down on his back, Justin did 200 crunches and 300 full sit ups. Sweat beaded up on his skin. He grabbed his pajama bottoms and a fresh pair of briefs and took them to the shower.

Hot water rained down on Jusin. His skin turned red. He extended his arms and held his body up by his palms against the wall in front of him. As water dripped down him, he tried to imagine them as thoughts of Max. One would not leave him. The memory of Max getting the shower with him gave him rise.

"Oh, Jim Bob! What did I let Max order?"

Justin shut the water off. He toweled off quickly. Spots on his back were still damp. Justin pulled on his briefs and pajama pants.

As he rushed down the stairs, Justin nearly fell down them as his momentum was faster in his upper body than his lower body was carrying him. Maybe it would behoove him to topple down the stairs to see how Max would react. Crap! I'm becoming more ridiculous than most of Harper's clothing.

"Pizza's here!" Max said with puffed-out cheeks.

Justin's lips dropped in a frown. He should have guessed it would be pineapple and green peppers. Max is seriously weird.

Max moved the top box and opened the other box.

"And plane cheese for my boring brother." Max winked. Well, he sort of blinked because the other eye lid followed the first one.

Are you kidding me? Boring? Justin's brain exploded. He fell into a slump on the couch.

Max put two slices of pizza on a plate for Justin.

Justin picked one up and bit into it. He instantly spat it out. Max had placed two of his slices on Justin's plate. After a giggle, Max switched them.

"Where's your mind tonight, Justin?"

"I don't know, Max. Is this a trick question?" Justin grumbled.

"Are you alright?"

"No. Yes. No. Max, do you like-?"

Max moved closer.

"The pizza."

Max's shoulders slumped "Yeah. It's okay."

Justin nervously bit the inside of his cheek. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Max scoot away from him. Did I sit down too close to him? Am I that obvious? Merlin, he must hate me.

Max quietly ate the pizza with great manners.

Justin couldn't help but stare at Max, wondering why he was acting so strange. The younger boy kept looking back at Justin out of the corner of his eye every so often. That did not go unnoticed by Justin.

"Oh, right. You don't want to watch this." Max switched the TV channel from Pokemon to a documentary. He stood up and walked to the kitchen.

After a few minutes, Justin realized that Max wasn't coming back. He got up and went to the kitchen. Max was sitting at the table, drinking a Pepsi. His fingers tapped on the table rapidly.

"What are you doing?" Justin asked softly.

"I needed a drink."

"Why didn't you come back?"

"Justin, I don't know if I should stay here anymore."

Justin quickly pulled out a chair and sat next to his brother. "Why?"

Max looked down at his cup and shrugged. "I can't explain it."

"I need you here." Justin realized how honest he was being right after he said it.

"Nah."

"Yeah, come on. We'll go watch Pokemon."

"That's childish." Max waved his hand in dismissal.

"Your childish side is one of my favorite parts about you."

Max shrugged off what Justin was saying.

"But I also loved that dinner."

A small smile perked up on Max's lips. He nodded. "Fine."

"Now, show me about this Pokemon."

Over the next couple of hours, Max explained what was going on in Pokemon. Justin was so confused and wondered about the physics of how these animal/plant things could stay in these balls that were so much smaller than them. He also wondered about their biology, but choose not to ask those kind of questions. He was just happy to be with Max.

Sorry it has been a long time since I have posted. I have been VERY busy lately. I hope to post more this week.