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Maxwell looked up from his bloody hands realizing they did it. Him and Van had taken two guys and a dinosaur in a boxing matching and won.
“Good job kid, you really held your own out there” Van placed a steady hand on his shoulder and spoke in a voice he rarely heard from people, a voice that showed she was proud of him.
“Thanks. You as well Van” he looked in her eyes and gave her a genuine smile. They stood like that for what felt like too long until Maxwell caught a glimpse of someone approaching out of the corner of his eye, Barney Ballast.
Maxwell felt as his heart rate began to pick back up, the adrenaline from the fight filling his body. If Barney Ballast wanted a second go in the ring who was he to say no? To his surprise Barney was not there to challenge Maxwell to a 1v1 but instead meet him with an outstretched arm, an offer of a handshake.
“Real impressive work back there Max, congratulations I never would have thought two people could have taken us. But I guess I didn’t account for the fact that one of them was The Max” Maxwell accepted his offer of a handshake, it was the gentleman’s thing to do.
“Us? Impressive? You were the impressive one Barney, I mean you must have the constitution of a Revengton man”
“I don’t know what that means, but I will take that as a compliment” Barney rubbed the back of his neck with the hand not trapped in an awkwardly long handshake. “A few of us are going to grab a drink and I was wondering if you wanted to come. Talent drinks free- and well if you don’t qualify I don’t know who would.”
Maxwell dropped Barney’s hand realizing that the hand shake had slowly turned more into a hand hold. He thought for a moment, it would rude to decline such an offer and the gentleman thing to do was to accept. “That sounds great- Van” he turned to his fighting partner who was now giving him a look he didn’t quite understand.
“I’m good Gotch, you go on. I’ll let the crew know you’ll be back on the ship by morning.”
“Okay, well I’m not fit to go into a drinking establishment like this” he looked down at his shirtless and bloodied body.
“It’s pretty low-key you’d be fine like that, but I do keep a few extra button ups here it’s really no problem if you want to borrow one.” Barney motioned over to a set of lockers Maxwell assumed the regular fighters used to store their things.
“Just so long as you don’t mind blood stains, I’d appreciate that”
Maxwell followed Barney as he led them over to the lockers.
Barney began fiddling with the lock as Maxwell leaned beside him. “So Barney how long have you been in Zood?”
“Born and raised. My mom is from Gath but she went through the Biangle when she was pregnant with me. Here I think this one will look good on you- I mean- you can borrow this shirt” Barney quickly looked away slamming the locker.
The short sleeve button up was far from anything Maxwell Gotch had ever worn, but Maxwell was not invited to drinks, Max was. Without much more thought he threw on the shirt and buttoned the first few buttons.
“Ready Max?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be”
Maxwell followed Barney out of the fighting pit and gave Van one more look over his shoulder. She was standing in the same spot giving him a thumbs up. He rolled his eyes, what did Van even mean by that? It’s not like anything was going to happen. They were going to go for a few drinks then Maxwell would make his way back to the ship.
The bar Barney brought them to was loud filled with people laughing, talking, dancing, and drinking. Maxwell noted that this establishment was a lot of things, but most importantly it was rowdy. This was not a place Maxwell Gotch would be found dead patronizing, however it was just the place for Max. The moment him and Barney stepped in the door there were people coming up to them congratulating them on the best fight of the night. After a few minutes of shaking hands and conversating with strangers Max felt a pull at his arm, Barney leading him over towards the bar.
“I don’t know about you but I need a drink”
“That’s an understatement, should we wait for your friends? Aren’t you meeting people?”
“Oh- don’t worry about them. They’ll be here later.”
Maxwell took Barney at his word and settled into one of the empty barstools in front of them.
“Ah! The two stars of the night. What can I get you fine gentleman?” An older man stood behind the bar putting a couple of empty glasses in front of the two men.
“Just a couple shots of whatever you got Dave”
The man filled the glasses with some clear liquid before sliding them across the counter. He said something but Maxwell was too busy looking at the familiar bruises on Barney’s knuckles to noice.
Barney lifted his glass towards Max, “to being rowdy, and to your first day in Zood”.
The two men raised their glasses and clicked the top with each other before finishing their drinks in one sip. “So Barney how long have you been a fighter?”
“Oh a few years now. My ma doesn’t like it, she always said I was smart enough to actually do something with my life. But you know it covers all my needs and most of my wants so what more could I ask?” Maxwell looked at his face as he talked, how different it looked from the guy he fought with not that long ago. His face was kinder and there was something more genuine behind his eyes. “What about you Max? You have the form of someone quite experienced.”
“I started gentlemen’s fisting in university. Completely against my father’s wishes, I never actually told him I went into it, but I’m sure he knows. Least favorite son and all.” Maxwell looked at the bar to see their glasses had already been refilled with the same clear liquid.
“Well your father sounds like a prick”
Maxwell picked up his glass quickly emptying it again. “Yeah that’s an understatement. I mean it worked for the first six of his sons, the perfect Gotch sons and me”
“Well there’s no Gotch son I’d rather be sharing a drink with” Maxwell smiled, he believed Barney, for the first time Maxwell felt like somebody’s first choice. Even the Zephyr crew had a strange affinity for WealWeal, but Barney enjoyed his company even if it was just for drinks.
Before Maxwell knew it he was downing another glass of the clear liquid, it was different than anything he had in Gath, sweeter and went down much easier but it still got the job done.
“What you say we hit the dance floor?”
“Oh I don’t dance”
“Oh bullshit Max everyone dances, come on I’ll teach you” Barney reached into his pocket and placed what looked like a ticket on the table. “Thanks for the drinks Dave, a little something on the table from us”
Dave took the ticket and placed it into his pocket. “Appreciate it man, if you need anything else just let me know”
Barney got up to head to the dance floor leaving Maxwell no choice but to follow. He drank what was left in his glass and started behind him.
“Does he like to watch the matches?”
“Dave? He comes every so often. But two front row seats for a weekend show, that’ll probably get him a few days meals or a new outfit if he plays his cards right.”
“Ooh yeah you guys like don’t do money right? Wait does that mean I’m not rich anymore?”
Barney chuckled at Maxwell who stopped dead in his tracks “Gath money won’t get you very far here, but with a talent like yours I doubt you need it”. Maxwell looked down at his ungloved hands and nodded.
“I mean I don’t hold a candle compared to you but I’ll take the compliment.”
The two made their way their way to the center of the dance floor, Barney lifting up on his toes to whisper into Maxwells ear “it’s easier than it looks just follow my lead” Maxwell felt his heartbeat picking up again just as it had earlier.
The two of them danced losing track of time, every time a new song came on Barney would announce that “this is my favorite song”. By the time Maxwell looked up over half of the bar had cleared out for the night.
“How about we get out of this place? I have some spots around town I want to show you”
“Okay.. yeah that sounds- that sounds great Barney” Barney took a hold of his hand leading him out of the bar and Maxwell couldn’t help the blush quickly rushing to his checks.
“I think town’s a lot nicer at night, a lot less people.”
Maxwell looked around Tabira with a sense of wonder he could only imagine was similar to what others had described as sky eyes. The night sky looking like something out of a painting, nothing like the sky of Gath. The walkways illuminated with lanterns of every size and color lighting the way. “Yeah it’s pretty nice”
Barney lead him around town until they eventually ended on a bench on the edge of the city that had the best view of the night sky. “And this right here is my favorite place, on clear nights like tonight you can look up at all the shooting stars. I feel pretty lucky my ma said they’re pretty rare in Gath.”
“Woah, this is amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this”
The two of them sat together until the sky showed signs of dawn. “I should probably get going. Van said I had to be back by morning.”
“Only if you let me walk you back”
They walked back towards the zephyr, about a block away from the ship Barney stopped and turned to Maxwell. “In case I never see you again.” Pulling Maxwell in he gave him a peck on the lips, Maxwell responded by kissing him back with full force.
Barney reached up, running his fingers through Maxwell’s hair messing up his perfect middle part. Maxwell holding onto the other man’s waist as close as possible.
After what felt like an eternity Maxwell pulled away. “Sorry it’s just- you- I didn’t think- you like actually like me?”
“No you idiot. I just take all of my opponents out for drinks and a night on the town. I thought it was quite obvious I liked you Max.”
Maxwell just stared at Barney kissing him again “I’m sorry I’m so oblivious”
“It’s okay, it’s cute”
Maxwell could feel the blush filling his checks again.
“The suns about to come up and you got a ship to catch. If you ever find yourself back in Tabira city you know where to find me Max” Barney turned to head back into town and Maxwell headed towards the zephyr replaying the events of the night in his head. Barney Ballast the first person who saw him as Max and nothing else. Not Maxwell, not a Gotch brother, not for his money, just him.
As he headed up the stairs he saw Van half asleep in a chair near the entrance. At the creaking of the stairs she woke up with a startle. “Well look who’s finally back. How was your night Gotch?”
“Uh- good. It was good” he said avoiding eye contact as the blush filled his cheeks again.
“Looks like it. Now go get freshened up breakfast will be ready in about an hour. I asked Bert to cook up the last of the bacon I know you been missing it.”
“What do you mean by-“
“Just go get freshened up Gotch”.