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Max jogs slightly behind Yuno as the two finish their job. It has been quick, and unsettlingly quiet. The few words exchanged are between Yuno and an unnamed person over the phone. It is clear there is a damper in the man’s mood. Yuno is not his usual happy go lucky self, his words somber and soft spoken, often when he believes he’s alone. Darting back past Max out of the vault, or dragging his feet out by the van, it’s only then he speaks.
But Max listens, he hears, whether he means to or not. It is out of a genuine concern for his companion. From the moment he first crawled out of the car with not so much as a word in Max’s direction, he knew something was seriously wrong. Yuno is a positive person, always charming and chatty, with never a bad thing to say to another. It’s what he loves most about the man, his relentless optimism.
Despite the less than favorable cards he is dealt on a daily basis, he has such a tender and loving outlook on others, on the world. So it’s nearly crushing to see the man’s body tense as he listens to a harsh voice yell at him through the speaker. Max clenches his jaw at a particular harsh few words he can barely make out from a ways away. But it’s hard to miss Yuno’s tense stature and silence. He should feel guilty for listening in, disrupting Yuno’s conversation and encroaching on his privacy. He does, for a few brief moments. But any anger he directs at himself diverges, turning in full force to the voice on the phone.
It’s poisoning him. Hot and corrosive, it spreads quickly.To every thought, every motion. Instead of setting each pallet on the floor, he throws it, if only to have an outlet for his anger. There may be no reason to feel this, for his heart to seize and ache as it does. The man may be justified, wronged bad enough to earn the right to yell. But in no reality can he ever picture being angry at Yuno, especially enough to yell. It’s an impossible future, one where he doesn’t spend every moment trying to please the man before him. He knows many have felt the same, many currently do.
But he knows the tales Yuno tells far too well, turning them over in his mind on restless nights. He speaks of betrayal more often than one should, addressing it as an old friend. Judging from the familiar hurt in his trembling tone as he talks, he is speaking with this friend once again. Max can hear the lilt in Yuno’s voice, the stutter in his steps as he stops at the vault entrance, stumbling over his words.
Once he can no longer hear Yuno, nor the man over the speaker, he pauses, face resting in both hands. Patience is important, he reminds himself. So is kindness, but he isn’t feeling kind at the moment. He tries to gather his emotions, breathing in and out. It’s a difficult minute, standing alone in the vault. It’s stupid to be this worked up over a man he isn’t even dating.
But there was no way to deny these feelings, which are quickly threatening to consume him and his every waking moment. It isn’t his fault. He’s a romantic at heart. He’s helpless to simple and soft emotions. To admire as Yuno shifts and yawns, arms raising above his head enough to just barely expose midriff. To spend the night analyzing their exchanges. To watch his own face flush in the mirror at the mere thought of the man. He truly is helpless.
“Max? You good man?” His head snaps up to see Yuno walking in carrying the last pallet. Max rushes to help, taking it from his arms and carefully setting it down amongst the others.
“Of course, my apologies. I was distracted, I needed a few moments.” Yuno is shifting through the pallets, carefully moving them to one side. Despite not knowing exactly what or why he’s doing, Max helps, clearing off one half of the room.
“Queenie and Lottie just showed up to do a run, she asked me to move some of our stuff out of the way.” Max stiffens at that, attempting to play it off with a few swipes across his clothing, brushing off nonexistent debris and dirt. Queenie has been particularly meddlesome after finding out about Max’s little crush. As kind as it was, it was more irritating than anything else. She wasn’t exactly known for her subtlety. Thankfully, as sweet and smart and beautiful as Yuno is, he’s incredibly oblivious. This is, of course, something that works against Max’s favor more often than not. But he takes what victories he can get.
“Oh really? It’s such a shame we’re just barely missing them. We could do a tier 2 run next, my schedule is completely clear.” After he received Yuno’s invitation, he had spent a good half an hour rearranging the rest of his day, ensuring he was available for as long as possible. It isn’t often he gets to spend time one on one with the other, so he isn’t about to sabotage their few hours together.
“I’ve got something to do, sorry. We can do a run tomorrow though. Call me when you get a vault run.” Yuno immediately takes off running out of the room, waving goodbye. Max sighs, feeling only a slight sting of disappointment. He knows an entire afternoon together is idealistic, Yuno is an extremely busy man. But he takes the rejection in stride, stalking out of the room. At least he can help Queenie and Lottie with their run.
Though his plans seem to cut short, as he immediately comes face to face with a confused Yuno and a closed vault door. His heart drops, shame spreading throughout his body, burning his face furiously. Queenie. Yuno, oblivious as ever, knocks on the door as if it’ll do anything, giving the solid steel door a quick kick for good measure.
“Hello? We’re still in here.” Yuno speaks up, raising his voice to reach the other side.
“Oh really? I had no idea, so sorry.” It’s Queenie. Of course it is. Who else would it be, who would torture Max in such ways? When he told her, he had expected help on her part. A few gentle nudges, a few glowing remarks of his looks and personality passed onto Yuno. Simple and subtle wingwomaning. He should have known better. There was nothing simple or subtle about Queenie. Max regrets not telling someone else. But as he racks his mind for a better option, he comes to the realization that all of his friends are certifiably insane.
“Queenie? Can you please let us out? Please?” Max adds the last plea on for good measure, his voice dipping warningly. It likely comes across as desperate as he feels. But there is no way to keep his cool in this situation. This is his worst nightmare come true.
“Sorry, no can do.”
“Queenie. You’re stirring.” It’s all he can say without giving away his horrifically embarrassing crush. But even those few words have Yuno giving him an odd look.
“I have no clue what you’re talking about. We finished up our run, we have to go. Right Lottie?” To his dismay, Lottie hums in agreement, no doubt running upstairs, both thumbs hooked in her backpack straps. He can hear the footsteps growing softer as they leave the room. At least they have the decency to provide them with some privacy, instead of listening in.
“She said they just started. Their truck is still full.” Yuno speaks up, clear confusion in his words. He continues to slam his fists against the door, before eventually giving up.
“I’m not sure what they intend either. No worries, I will simply call the police department and report them both. This has to be illegal.” Max pulls out his phone and frantically calls the police, pacing the room as he speaks to the operator. To his dismay, it seems as though there is a shootout happening just down the road, rendering every cop in the city unavailable. He looks over to see Yuno slumping against the wall, fiddling with a hoodie string. Max carefully sits beside him, keeping a respectful distance. “No such luck. They’re all busy with a shootout.”
“Yeah, I know. My boss was calling me, Mr. Lang. He’s the one in the shootout.”
“And I assume he wanted your help?”
“Yeah. I’m not much help now. Hopefully he believes me, I honestly tried to get there. It's not my fault we got locked in here.” Yuno holds up his phone, snapping a picture of the vault door.
“If you’d like me to, I can vouch for you. Say that you were trapped in here with me.”
“Thanks but I don’t think that’s a great idea. Mr. Lang’s already not a fan of G6 or my friends here. If I tell him I couldn’t help out because I was running G6 I think he might actually lose his mind.” Yuno laughs, loud and bitter, broken at the edges. It’s snappy, short, and clearly halfhearted. Max starts putting the pieces of the puzzle together, allowing the man a few minutes to wallow. He knows of Lang, from now, from back in the day. The man is a figurehead in the city, everyone knows and fears his name. But Yuno has spoken of him with such fondness time and time again. It makes Max jealous, as irrational as it is. Some sad sick part of him briefly celebrates the change in tone, the way Yuno deflates as he says his name. But he quickly shakes away the satisfaction, making room for shame. This isn’t about his own desires, it’s about comforting the clearly sad man sitting beside him.
“You should be allowed to do whatever you want. Whether that be G6 or crime.” It’s all Max can offer, a simple reassurance. Truth be told, everything he knows about Yuno’s other life is guesswork. Information he’s strung together with clues from others, and the man himself. For someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, Yuno is surprisingly secretive. As frustrating as it could be in moments such as this, it has a certain allure. Perhaps it’s the thing that keeps Max coming back for more, fishing for each and every thing he can learn about him.
There’s something striking about Yuno, whether that be the soft voice or sharp elegant features. Something that keeps his name on the lips of Los Santos, on the forefront of countless others minds. Of Max’s own. What first started as a puppy dog crush, a simple case of admiration, has quickly turned into love. It’s a strong word, but the only one apt enough to suit the fluttering of his heart. It may be too early to name, but Yuno is too easy to love. It’s what he deserves.
“That’s what I keep telling them. Everybody hates G6 until it’s what gets them into the maze bank.” Max merely nods along as Yuno vents his frustrations. Much of what he says seems to be nonsense. He was barely in the loop as it was, he was not about to break up the moment by asking silly questions. But a rather self deprecating comment seems to catch his attention. ”They make me feel like all I’m good for is hacking. It probably is all I’m good for.”
“That is not all you’re good for.” Max interjects, tone a little too harsh for his liking. But he feels the need to get his point across. The mere thought that this man, the smartest and kindest person he knows, chalks up his worth to a simple skill is shocking. Max was well aware of his fame as a hacker, he was a legend in the city. He’s never seen it firsthand, of course, but he knew full well what Yuno’s best qualities are, the most important parts of him. “You are kind and selfless and smart. Not to mention incredibly good looking. To be frank, anyone who sees you as ‘just a hacker’ is a complete idiot. You are so much more than that. Catboy.”
Max nudges him gently with his elbow, throwing in the nickname last second. It’s a poor way to try to devalue his words, make them come across as platonic, friendly. But he knows full well that he’s gone too far. Yuno knows too. He sits, silent, helmet turning towards Max.
“Thanks Max. You are too. Kind. Selfless. Smart.”
“Incredibly good looking?” Max raises his eyebrows teasingly. It’s pushing it, and he’s sure the desperation behind the words is clear. They’re a little too soft to come across as anything else but honest, hopeful. But Yuno sputters, splotchy red spreading down the back of his neck. Max can’t see his expression beneath the helmet, but he’s sure he’s spluttering on adorably, features contorting with confusion.
“Huh? What?” It’s not a no. Which is an open possibility that Max takes comfort in.
“Well thank you.”
“Uh huh.” Yuno’s voice is high pitched, squeaky. He shifts, like he’s ready to run, but for once there’s nowhere to go. Suddenly, Max appreciates the ingenuity of Queenie’s plan. Yuno’s finally in one place, attention undivided. Max knows full well that they wouldn’t be let out until he made a move. Especially with the cops busy, there would be no rescue.
He has no choice. He’s never had a choice really. The moment he met Yuno, he was swept in by a soft voice. From there on out, it only grew worse and worse. The knot in his stomach tightening with each new encounter. It was sickening, falling further and further into this feeling with no hope of return. He could have cut off Yuno entirely, stopped seeing him until there was nothing but platonic love. But it was impossible. Each attempt to run left him lonely and longing. There was no out now.
“I meant that, you know.” It’s barely a beginning, but he needs time to steel himself for the inevitable rejection.
“Meant what?”
“Meant that you were handsome.” Max tries his best to speak slowly, making sure every word is sincere. It’s easy, he finds. To come across as loving, when he loves him. It’s just a matter of no longer holding back, and ignoring the fear he feels. He focuses his eyes ahead, burning a hole into the wall before him. His palms are sweaty, and he’s lightheaded despite sitting on the floor. But it feels right.
“I’m really not. There’s a reason I wear the helmet.”
“I may not have seen all of your face but I’ve seen glimpses. Enough to know that isn’t true.”
“It is. You’re calling me handsome when you don’t even know what I look like?”
“I’d like to.” It’s the wrong thing to say. Max sits, waits, for the rejection. He knows it was too bold, too early. He won’t blame Yuno for turning him down. He’d never get angry for his discomfort. Though every part of him wants to see the soft features he knows are constantly hiding behind helmets, masks, and bandanas, he wants it to be on Yuno’s own terms.
Not after he’s pressured by some sick selfish lapse in Max’s judgment. He opens his mouth to apologize, to take it back and reassure him that it’s his decision. But then he hears a soft pop, feels the helmet rest in between them, grazing his leg. He keeps his eyes ahead, resisting any temptation to look at Yuno, badly as he wants to.
“You can look if you want.” As soon as the words leave his mouth, Max turns his head to stare at him. His first thought is that Yuno is a liar. A huge one at that. He’s gorgeous. A sharp jawline meets soft cheeks, rosy with a slight splash of freckles along the cheekbones. His green eyes glitter in the lighting, gazing up at Max with such hesitancy it’s nearly heartbreaking. He finds himself stuttering, body struggling to catch up with his mind. He wants to say everything, every thought that’s been on his mind, plaguing his spirit for weeks. But that’s not what Yuno needs.
“I was right. You are.”
“Kind, selfless, smart?”
“That and more. So much more.” His eyes rove over Yuno’s face again, determined to commit every detail to memory. This is likely the one chance he gets. He’ll never be this lucky again. But Yuno never picks up the helmet, never reaches for it. The two sit and stare at one another.
“…Nah. I’m just a hacker. For fun.” Max was well familiar with the catchphrase by now. It was ill fitting with the conversation, said as a comfort, something solid to hold onto. He can’t blame him. Currently he’s clutching the loose fabric of his shirt as if it’s a lifeline, fingers trembling. But the odd comment makes him smile nonetheless.
“You’re not just a hacker to me.”
“Jesus Max.” Yuno exhales quickly, his face still a pretty shade of pink. The skin burns down to his ears and neck.
“It’s true. You’re a very good friend of mine.” It’s true. Yuno is one of his closest friends. Though he wants more, at the end of the day, he’s content to be by his side, do as he does. As long as he can stay with him, he’ll fit whatever role he needs to. Boyfriend, friend, work partner. But he needs to know, as frightening as it is. “But truthfully, I’d like to be more than just friends.”
“What, like… best friends?”
“No. I’d like to be your boyfriend, Yuno. Not right away, of course. I’d like to court you properly beforehand. Take you on dates. Get to know you, romantically.” Max speaks quickly, recognizing the surprise in Yuno’s eyes. Truth be told, while he can handle any answer, he couldn’t handle Yuno running away from him. Not in this vulnerable moment, when he’s pouring his heart out. So he speaks quickly, hoping he can say what he needs to before Yuno leaves.
“Court me?”
“Yes. Buy you gifts. Take you out. I’d.. I’d like to go somewhere nice. You deserve that much. A nice restaurant, not just Senior Buns. But if you’d like to just do what we always do, go on a G6 run and then run around the city, I’ll do that too. Whatever you’d like, Yuno. I really really like you, romantically. But at the end of the day, what I want, above all else, is your happiness. So I want you to do what you want. Regardless of whether or not I’m in that plan.”
Yuno stares at him for a few tense moments, hands for once, still in his lap. He doesn’t appear angry, which is a good sign. He isn’t running either.
“I’m not really… interested in the whole courting thing.”
“That’s okay. We can take it as slow or as fast as you want to.”
“I don’t think I’d be a very good.. partner. I can’t put you first. With the crew, my focus has to be on them. And I’ve never seriously been with anyone before. I wouldn’t know what to do, much less how to do it.” Yuno rambles on, listing reason after reason why it won’t work. But he never rejects him. So Max, taking a leap of faith, reaches out to gently grasp his hands.
“Yuno. I can guarantee you that I care more about you than I do any traditional relationship dynamic. I like you as you are. As flighty as you are. Whatever makes you happiest, I am ready and willing to do, to be.” As Max speaks, he gently rubs his thumb against the soft skin in soothing motions. Yuno seems to relax a little, staring down at their intertwined hands.
“…I guess I can give it a shot.” This was a clear yes from him, there was an enthusiasm in his tone that would be easily missed by those who didn’t know him. But Max knows him well. Knows the quick duck of his head was to hide a smile, knows that the nonchalant words were his way of hiding his excitement.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Really.” There's another minute of silence, both smiling bashfully. Emboldened by his earlier victory, Max leans a little closer. Even a careful hand cupping Yuno’s cheek seems to shock him, but he doesn’t pull away. He just stares up at Max with pretty green eyes.
“Can I kiss you?”
“Uh.. I..” Yuno stumbles over his words, before just nodding. Max surges forward, movements desperate, but his kiss is soft and sweet. It’s devotion, plain and simple, fueled by a determination to make Yuno feel good, feel loved. To his joy, Yuno kisses back. He’s clumsy, inexperienced, and there’s a few clashes of teeth. But it’s worth every awkward moment.
Max raises his other hand to Yuno’s waist, gently tugging his body forward and further into his space. Yuno shifts to his knees, one shaky hand raising to tangle itself in Max’s short hair. There’s no further movements, no tongue past teeth, or wandering hands. There would be time, when they were ready. But this was perfect. Yuno was everything he wanted, and more. He was perfect.