Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

     A cling, a hug, a pat, a hold...whatever it was, Max could still feel the familiar sensation of blood rushing through his ears from the simple touches he’d receive from those around him; although, it truly depended on the context of the touch. He’d blush when his dad excitedly ruffled the top of his head or pulled him into a little hug whenever he was proud of Max. Whenever his mother managed to show parental love towards him, Max would sense his heart melt as she would give him a soft smile, ruffling his head akin to his dad, saying, “Morning...doing okay, Max?”

     Was it weird to feel so happy from the, well, plainest of gestures?

     This is the part where “it was only his family” would come about, but this went beyond his mom and dad. Whenever Angus latched an arm over his shoulder to stir a reaction, Polo – being much taller than Max – patting his head…

     ...and then there was Nugget.

     “...Nugs, the following count got higher…”

     That was what Nugget heard Max say just loud enough to hear as he returned to the living room with popcorn. Max was leaning forward at the couch with his brand spankin’ new laptop, his tail making anxious swirls in the air behind him. Nugget bit back a snicker at how Max looked like an excited puppy and simply took a seat beside the monkey.

     “How many more d’ya need?”
     “About...fifty-six more subscriptions before we hit eleven million. It’s gonna happen soon, I can feel it.”

     Nugget, even though Max’s eyes stayed focused on the screen ahead, still shot a smile at him. “Wanna have somethin’ ta put in yer stomach while we wait?”

     As expected, Max reached over with a single paw to retrieve a massive fist-full of popcorn and then immediately shoved the entire amount into his awaiting mouth, not a single piece escaping in the process. Nugget widely blinked but then glanced to the computer screen with a tiny half smile. Heh, silly monkey.

     Max’s heart pounded ever-so fast as the seconds – honestly, it was minutes, but time was just a construct for him at that moment – ticked on, and the number of followers—no, no, fans, they were fans! – continued to climb.

     30 fans, 25 fans, this was thrilling for his aspiring heart! Man, he could still remember when he hit the big ten million. The shiny Diamond Play Button still proudly hung over his computer desk, nestled between the other two achievement plaques he had received over time, and the awesome diamond-shaped cake’s strawberry filled goodness tingled at his taste buds’ memory…

     There was a faint gasp beside him. “Max…!”

     Max blinked. Oops, he spaced out. His eyes darted to Nugget and was met with the nugget staring at the screen, a hand atop his shoulder as though to grab his attention. Max’s eyes returned to the screen--

     Ten million, nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-eight. (10,999,998)

     Max gaped. “Oh my god.”

     10,999,999.

     Nugget repeated, “Oh my god.”

     …

     “…”
     “…”

     The duo had unknowingly scooted closer to each other, eyes never peeling away nor blinking from the peaking antici...

     pation.

     Whoa, wait.

     What was that heat on his shoulder?

     Max had to look, even though he didn’t want to, the sensation felt...comforting. Slightly furrowed brows, his eyes darted to his shoulder and realized that Nugget kept a hand on him, fingers loosely hooked.

     “…” Max couldn’t help the slight warmth building in his cheeks, and, as if wishing to keep the hold longer, he lifted a paw and clasped over Nugget’s hand and then, with a blink, glanced back to the important matter at hand (well, paw, but you get the idea).

     Nugget blinked from an unexpected touch atop his hand, and as he stole a quick look, he noticed Max’s enveloped his. “…”

     His fingers clasped tighter on the monkey’s shoulder with care.

     …

     11,000,000.

     The duo’s eyes shot wide at the live refresh of the subscriber count, a sharp gasp escaping Max, a quiet one coming from Nugget at the same time.

     “Waitwaitwaitwait before we celebrate,” Max almost shouted with excitement rising in his voice, “let’s make sure it’s not gonna suddenly drop again! Just...give it a sec…”

     All Nugget could do was nod in response.

     …

     …

     11,000,003.

     “...is now a good time, partner?”
     “...it is.”

     Inhale, aaaaaand--

     As expected, Max let out the loudest cheer which overpowered the one which resonated from Nugget, and soon, he shot from the couch with Nugget in his arms, laughing and spinning in place.

     “ELEVEN FREAKIN’ SUBS, NUGS!! ELEVEN MILLION!”

     With one last spin, they landed back onto the couch, laughing from joy. As the laughter between them began to settle down, Nugget reached over and took hold of Max’s paws.

     “Well, I’ll be darned,” his tone was genuine with happiness, though softened as he continued, “y’all managed to hit eleven million so quickly!” His stunning eyes sparkled. “I’m proud of ya, partner. Congrats!”

     Max’s cheeks were burning bright red and, as silly as he probably looked, grinned so brightly, it could light an entire room, and he squeezed Nugget’s hands in response. “C’mon man, I’ve got you to thank to getting us here! I’m proud of you too!”

    His hands were so comforting, Max wasn’t sure he wanted to let go.

    Nugget quietly huffed a laugh, cheeks turning a different color of their own, but he refused to release Max’s paws. “Why, thank ya kindly, boss.”

    In unison, they looked back at the screen, neither of them breaking the hand holding; however, as the seconds ticked on by, Max took a quick glance to their hands, and his heart skipped a beat.

     Max recollected how the merest of touches of affection would stir a reaction from him, perhaps how it was being paid attention to, maybe he had some sort of “touch starvation”, mayhaps a combination of both, but whenever it was his best friend...as of lately...it awakened butterflies in his stomach, unbeknownst to Nugget, who was near affectionate whenever he wanted to be.

    His fingers tightened around Nugget’s as his eyes shined at the subscriber count went up by two.

    He did it, but his silly monkey mind had to be focused on other

    Important Things.

Chapter Text

[ Max
5:30 PM
"hey!! You getting ready Nugs? I'm heading out in a few minutes" ]

[ Nugget
5:30 PM
"Howdy Max! Just grabbing some last minute stuff and I'll start heading out. I should be out there a little after 6 I guess?" ]

[ Max: "Sounds good! Don't take forever and dress warmly this time so you don’t get a cold again" ]
[ Nugget: "Ha ha," ] he added a rolling eye emoji which wore a cowboy hat.
[ Max: "just messing with ya," ] Max also attached a snickering monkey sticker at the end of his response.
[ Nugget: "That's okay...I'll kick yer butt when we meet up." ]

     Max's heart skipped a beat when he imagined the expected little smirk Nugget had as he shot that half-hearted reply, and a half grin spread to his furry face. "Not if I kick yours first, man."

     He allowed his phone to rest by laying it on the bathroom counter with care and then returned to getting dressed.

     The day was Christmas Eve, the beginning evening hours. As per tradition for many years now, Max was bringing Nugget over to his house for Christmas and a couple of days after that -- what with the nugget having no family of his own. A simple yet sweet gesture Max could do for a close friend who meant so much to him.

     "..." He paused mid-way through slipping on the extra sweater as a method to keep nice and warm outdoors. "Close friend, huh," Max mumbled to himself as he emerged his head through the extra sweater he was tossing on to keep warm. He stood there, his reflection mimicking the awkward side glance he made while rubbing the back of his neck.

     Here he was, wasting precious time when he was supposed to be getting ready to meet up with Nugget and spend awesome time with him back here with his family, and yet

     something wasn't quite right.
    
     His eyes returned to his reflection; his cheeks had a faint tint of red on them.

     Max grimaced at the familiar sight, one which had been even more constant for the past two months now.

     As much as he wished it had something to do with how warm it felt wearing two of his beloved turtleneck sweaters or the heater being cranked higher due to how chilly this evening became. Heck, he'd accept coming down with a cold, as much as it would suck having it during Christmas; however, deep down in his silly monkey heart, Max knew well what troubled him and was the source of his crimson cheeks.

     ...he felt – and looked – so stupid.

     “Man…” Max sighed out through the stinging sensation of tears pestering his eyes, "I can't hold it in anymore."

     His tail wrapped around his leg for comfort, his paws beginning to twiddle away.

     "...I think I've gotta tell him."

     He forced himself to cease the twiddling of his fingers.

     "I just gotta...do this in the most adult way possible, try to be calm and gentle as possible like how he'd probably do it if it were him."

     Beat.

     Max rubbed the back of his neck yet again while a nervous half grin spread across his face. "Heh, I wish I was cool and collected like him. Must be nice for a situation like this..."

6:00 PM

     By the time Max plopped down at a bench to wait for Nugget's arrival, the sun already set, and the park was now surrounded by the beautiful shimmering multi-colored lights which decorated the various trees and lampposts that were speckled throughout the area. The sight of the warming lights glistening through the darkness of night calmed Max’s racing heart, the monkey now leaning back against the bench’s head with an exhale through his nostrils.

     He fidgeted with his gloved paws.

     Was this a good idea? Sure, admitting that he should be truthful – not only for himself, but for Nugget as well – was easy, but the act of doing so was a whole ‘nother story.

     ...did he love Nugget, though? It wasn’t just a passing crush, o—or some sort of platonic admiration for a friend?

     Bzz bzz!

     Max jolted in his seat and then quickly whipped out his phone from the safety of his jacket pocket; his heart jumped.

[ Nugget
6:05 PM
“Almost there! Sorry it’s taking a second, almost slipped on some ice.” ]

[ Max: “Dude are you trying to break your back this year?” ]
[ Nugget: “No, I ain’t you.” ]

     “The heck’s that supposed to mean,” Max grumbled.

[ Nugget: “Clumsy…” ] and an emoji with a hand over its mouth, giggling was added at the end of his response.

[ Max: “I’m telling santa that you’re being rude!!” ]
[ Nugget: “That’s fine...y’all made fun of me for catching a cold earlier anyway.” ]

     “…” he pouted at that. Dang, he’s right.

[ Nugget: “Speaking of cold...you okay?” ]
[ Max: “Why are you asking that all of a sudden?” ]

     Something tugged at the top of his phone, pulling him out of the conversation, and when Max darted his eyes to the source, his stomach leapt at the tips of a gloved hand gingerly pressing themselves atop the phone as its way of telling Max to set it down.

     His eyes glanced further up

     and met with a long-familiar pair of stunning, gentle eyes.

     With a small, amused grin, Nugget teased, “Freezin’ yer butt out here, waitin’ fer me?”

     Max couldn’t help grinning back, ignoring the heat rising to his cheeks. “Yeah I am! Took ya long enough to get here.” Heh, Nugget looked kind of cute in that red and white stripped scarf and brown jacket. “My tail’s gonna fall off at this rate!”

     Nugget scoffed a tiny laugh at him and said, “Sorry, partner. Wanna get goin’ so ya can warm up?”

     “Yeah, sur--…” his words ceased, to the confusion of the nugget before him.

     Nugget blinked. “Max? Cat caught yer tongue?”

     Oh boy, now his own body’s reminding him what needed to be done, and why not here. This quiet park, away from friends and family, from preying eyes of potential passersby, how could he not choose here on the bench the duo would frequent whenever they came out here?

     ...because whatever happened after his confession would imprint that memory into this bench, heck, even his perception of the park could change if things went--…

     No.

     No, no, no, no...he shouldn’t back down--

     A pair of hands laid atop his paws all of a sudden which, in turn, caused Max to blink twice, snapping out of his racing thoughts.

     “Hey,” man, his heart fluttered like a pack of wild butterflies at how gentle Nugget’s voice sounded, “what’s goin’ on, partner?” Max realized his eyes were looking down, focusing on the bigger hands covering his paws, and when he glanced up to look at Nugget, the fluttering worsened at the concerned expression that illuminated his features thanks to the Christmas lights. “Yer lookin’ mighty flushed.”

     Max’s gaze softened. “Uh,” he licked his drying lips, his words once again pausing, but then he found the words and asked quietly, though awkward in tone, “actually, wanna hang out here for a bit?”

     He had to do it.

     Nugget could tell something was amiss, and Max could sense his concern, but regardless, the nugget released Max’s paws – much to his dismay – and hopped onto the bench beside him, fixing his cowboy hat that tilted a bit from the movement. Nugget sat his bag duffel bag to his other side.

     “Ya sure ya wanna? Yer redder than yer sweater. What happened to ya sayin’ yer cold?”
     “…”
     “...Max?”

     Max glanced off to his right to avoid Nugget’s curious stare, paws yet again twiddling while his tail wrapped around his leg. “I...gotta tell you something before we go.”

     There was a moment of silence between the duo.

     “...I…”

     Max bit his lip.

     This ain’t right. Why was Max getting quiet like this? It wasn’t like the silly monkey he knew to behave this way. Nugget hesitated, not knowing what could be going on in Max’s head, but he couldn’t help reaching over for Max and placing a comforting hand on his back to rub it a few times. “Take yer time, partner.”

     Max’s eyes slipped shut. Oh boy, he wanted to melt into that touch so badly, to let Nugget’s sweet voice comfort his shot nerves that twitched and turned all over the place.

     He wanted to hold his hands again.

     He wanted to hold him close.

     “...heh, well aren’t you acting all sweet with me,” Max mustered to say with humor in his faltering tone.

     The worry bubbled in Nugget’s stomach, but he had to keep a consoling demeanor for the sake of Max. He was the main importance right now, nothing else. “Aw c’mon, partner, I don’t pick on ya that much,” he replied, “especially when I can tell there’s somethin’ troublin’ ya.”

     “...Nugs?”
     “Yes, partner?”
     “…”

     Oh boy.

     “...Max?”

     Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy--

     Max finally turned around to face Nugget and, in a squeak, said, “Iloveyoubutifyoudon’tfeelthesamewayit’sokayIpromiseIjustfeltlikeIhadtotellyoubeforeIthrewup.”

     At that moment, through the nerve-wrecking pounding in his chest, Max couldn’t figure out if the wide blinking of Nugget was from bewilderment or confusion, but either way, Max felt a weight lift off his chest – a sickening one, full of anxiety.

     Nugget’s cheeks suddenly became warm as he stared at the monkey, his heart fluttering faster than a flying bird’s wings. “I...pardon me? I couldn’t...hear ya, partner.”

     This time, Max’s voice was louder, “Iloveyoubutit’sokayifyoudon’tfeelthesame--”

     “Hold yer horses and take a breath! Yer talkin’ a lil’ too fast fer me.”
     “...I...loveyoubutit’sokayif--”
     “Max, slow it down, partner--!”

     “I—I—I--!”

     A set of hands were suddenly took hold of his furry cheeks, and his eyes snapped ahead. With flushed cheeks and knitted brows, Nugget was staring back at him, a puff of breath visibly escaping him into the chilly air. At that moment, Max realized the gloved hands attempting to calm him were trembling...

     but Nugget mustered a smile.

     “I got the last part of it, but I can’t – fer the life of me – catch those first few words. Could ya slow it down some more, please?”

     “...I…”

     Even though he was wearing gloves, Max could still feel the mere sensation of his hands on his cheeks.

     He inhaled and then, ever so slowly, exhaled through his mouth.

     “I’m trying to say that I love you, man!”

     Nugget’s stare widened as he whispered out, almost squeaking, “...Max…”

     “God Nugs, I love you so much,” Max found himself continuing, now since he was able to blurt out the most important set of words, “a—and look, if you don’t feel the same way, it’s okay, it’s more than okay! Being friends with you after all these years is better than us falling apart because of this because you matter that much to me, Nugs! I—I--” he paused and then shut his eyes, finding it hard to stare at him, “I have no clue where I’m going with my words. I just...needed to tell you how I felt, and, I guess doing it out here seemed like a good idea. Sorry if this was...really sudden.”

     Once those words left his mouth, there was silence between the two.

     From far away, perhaps, one could catch the sound of passing by traffic going by the park, or the sound of kids’ laughter from playing in the freshly fallen snow at the park playground, but other than that...nothing filled the air that would matter to them.

     He’ll always care for Nugget, no matter what.

     The hands, which still had been less than stable, holding his cheeks cupped them all of a sudden, the gloved fingers then brushed at his fur for a few seconds before staying still.

     “I love ya too, Max.”

     …what?

     Max’s eyes snapped open. “H—huh, whuh--?”

     And there was Nugget with his cheeks almost as red as the red in his scarf, giving him the most reassuring, tender smile, his eyes making contact with his. “I love ya, Max...a whole lot.”

     His neck was beginning to burn, but that didn’t matter to Max, not by a long shot, because he was busy lifting his paws to envelop the hands at his cheeks and pressing them against his cheeks even more. He stammered while a faint grin came to his face, “H—heh...you don’t say! Guess my gyatt has that much rizz, huh?”

     And Nugget couldn’t resist the small grin of his own. “Can y’all not do that?”

     He broke out into a fit of chuckles. “Too bad, you said you loved me, so now you’ve gotta face the facts about my gyatt!”

     Seeing Nugget’s grin widen at the stupid word drop stirred something within Max. “I’m this close to leavin’ ya at the park, Max.”

     “Aw, c’mon...you wouldn’t wanna leave your sigma in the cold on Christmas Eve, would ya~?”
     “It’s very temptin’…”
     “Okay okay okay, I’m sorry! No more Alpha slang.”

     A tiny, brief sound which sounded like a mix between a chuckle and a giggle escaped Nugget, and it made Max’s own grin soften a bit. “Better. Ready to hit the road? I bet Ma and Pa are still waitin’ fer us.”

     “...well…”
     “Somethin’ wrong?”
     “...could you say it again before we go?”
     “...of course, partner. Could you do the same fer me?”
     “Sure, man.”

     As he felt the fingers brush against his fur, Max listened closely with shut eyes.

     “I love ya, Max.”
     “...I love you too, Nugs.”

     This was a Christmas the duo would remember, for certain.

Chapter Text

     11: 50 PM

     Another holiday meant another event at the local park, and this time, the Design family and friends decided to head out there to join the public for this year’s New Year celebration. As expected, it wasn’t anything fancy, but rather simplistic with having food, drink, and firework stands, but hey, it was definitely an attraction for those wish doing more than celebrating at home.

     Among those walking around or sitting at park benches, others could be seen sitting on cozy blankets and preparing themselves for the small firework show which would happen once the clock struck midnight.

     Billy shot Jimmy a small smile as he fiddled with the cup of hot chocolate he was given, saying, “Thanks for inviting me to join, you guys. It’s a nice change from where I used to spend New Years!”

     Jimmy smiled back from across his classmate. “No problem at all! Lemme know if you want anything else warm and I’ll get it for ya!”

     He quietly laughed, almost embarrassed by the attention. “Okay...”

     Duncan was awkwardly seated between Jimmy and Billy and had his tail wrapped around his leg as he half-heartedly grumbled, “Quit bein’ buttkissers, you’re gonna give me cavities.”

     Tyler grinned to the monkey kid while fiddling with the end of Jimmy’s tail. “You were kinda being a buttkisser when we invited you too, ya know.”

     “…” Duncan crossed his arms and averted the stares by looking straight ahead while fighting back the feeling of his cheeks burning red.

     “Psst, bro let it go, Jimmy’s said he’s trying to get better,” Angus’ voice whispered just loud enough for Max to hear him across the blanket they shared with a few others. Max huffed quietly, almost looking as though he pouted thanks to his cheek resting upon an open paw. “Kid didn’t noogie a single one of ‘em when he got there, so...no worries?”

     Max felt his tail thump once behind him whilst he sighed out, “Fine...but if he even lays a single finger on Jimmy, he’s taking a swim in the fountain.”

     “Okay okay, c’mon, have a brownie in the meantime and just relax. Doesn’t that sound good?”
     “...guess it does.”

     Nugget cocked a brow over at Angus while Max retrieved a second brownie from a plate the older monkey had with him. “Jus’ so he’ll feel so relaxed he’ll fall asleep before midnight?”

     Angus huffed a chuckle at that. “No worries, Nuggsy – he’s not gonna eat six of ‘em like last time.”

     While the monkey duo spoke, Max – still chewing away the remains of a brownie – gave Nugget a quick look, and when Nugget stared back with curiosity, he sheepishly winked as if apologizing before grabbing two more brownies.

     It was now Polo’s turn to scoff once he took a sip of hot chocolate. “He ate a whole pan last time…”

     On one hand, he should stop Max, but on the other hand, there was something amusing seeing Max stuff some more of the gooey treats that had a unique flavor to them.

     Nugget tried his best to hide his grin by holding his cider in front of his mouth.

     Oooh, Angus was going to beat both of their butts.

     “Dude what? I could’ve sworn it was six.”
     “Twelve – I’d know, since I was the one who cut the pieces.”

     Nugget butt into the conversation, “Aaaand, he did it again, partner.”

     Angus and Polo shot their heads to Max in time to see him finishing the last brownie which had been on the plate...along with six others.

     “Bro,” Angus flatly said, “why?”

     Polo fought back a snicker as he reached over and patted Angus’ back. “It’s okay, Angus...I brought some other sweets we can have.”

     “...bless you Polo, you know how to make me feel better. But before you grace us with your wonderful work…” his eyes shot to Max and Nugget, a sharp-tooth grin spreading across his face, “I’m gonna noogie these two to death and toss ‘em in the fountain.”

     Max rose to his feet in a flash, Nugget immediately joining him. “I dare you to lay a paw on either of us on Christmas!”

     “Oh yeah?” Angus bounced to his feet as well, but then he paused. “...wait, it’s New Years Eve—oh my god he tricked me.”

     Max and Nugget had run off during Angus’ delayed confusion.

     Polo blinked and then gave Angus a small smile. “C’mon, have some cookies and relax...it’s ‘Christmas’.”

     “...Polo, please.”

     Max continued giggling at the bench, having to even hold at his stomach from laughing so hard as tears prickled at the corners of his eyes. “Oh man, I knew that’d happen, but it was so worth it in more ways than one!”

     And Nugget was there, giggling quietly beside him, though not as in a severe state like the monkey. “Yer lucky I’m goin’ easy on ya misbehavin’ like that.”

     “Aw c’mon, you would’ve let me regardless – you’re not always a goody-two shoe.”
     “Maybe, you’ve got a point.”
     “Plus you love me, so you have to.”

     He scoffed a laugh and rolled his eyes. “Uh-huh.”

     Max sat back in his seat in fake disbelief, staring at him in shock. “Uh-huh??” He gripped at his sweater and dramatically turned his head away. “Oh wow, now the cute nugget that fell in love me isn’t in love with me anymore...I don’t know if my rizz can ever recover from this!”

     Oh my god.

Another laugh escaped from Nugget, though this one a bit louder. “Pardon me, partner?”

     “My gyatt of a heart is so broken that I need to run away to Ohio and never return!”
     “Y’all are really diggin’ to use that Alpha slang somewhere--”
     “And once I’m in Ohio, they’re gonna hit me with that Fanum Tax for having no more rizz on my own--”

     Nugget cracked a grin. “Okay, partner, I get it!”

     “My little mog nug--”
     “Max!”
     “He broke my heart and took my rizz--”

     A pair of hands were suddenly cupping his face, and in a flash, Max’s mind-numbing rambling ceased once and for all. His eyes focused on the source, and there was Nugget, attempting to compose himself from trying his best not to laugh anymore but still had a tiny grin and tiny tears prickling at the corner of his eyes.

     “Alright, I get yer lil’ joke, but I promise, I ain’t gonna stop lovin’ ya, darlin’.”

     Darling?

     Max’s heart jumped and, from what he could sense, his tail made a small heart shape at the end.

     ...boy, Nugget’s hands were warm on his furry cheeks, and realizing that now made his heart race a tiny bit more.

     Shy in his tone, Max asked, “Uh, sorry, wh—what was that you called me?”

     Innocently, Nugget tilted his head. “Darlin’?”

     “...heh, that’s...pretty cute.”
     “Wanna be called that again?”

     Max’s cheeks were red but didn’t want to acknowledge it, rather choosing to nod twice while feeling the fingers brushing his face. “Sure?”

     8, 7, 6, 5!

     Max felt himself being urged to lean down, just enough to be closer to him, lured by the sweet, tender eyes staring back at him. Nugget’s grin softened at the lovesick look written upon Max’s face.

     4, 3!

     “Happy New Year, darlin’.”
     “Happy New Year, Nugs.”

     2, 1!

     What little of space between the duo was no more as they shared their first kiss that midnight with Max carefully wrapping his arms around – what one were to assume – Nugget’s waist while his tail wagged nonstop. Just like those fireworks which began their beautiful display of lights and painfully loud explosion noises, the duo felt their hearts set off in a much similar manner--

     “Uh, ew?”

     Max immediately broke from the kiss – leaving Nugget confused up until he turned in his seat to see what was up – and saw Hope staring at him in disappointment while Nuggette snickered behind her.

     “Oh sorry Nugs,” Hope apologized for a second, “I wasn’t saying ‘ew’ about you, it’s him,” she nudged her head at the direction of Max. “Get a room, Max.”

     Max huffed and then crossed his arms. “Public park, little sis.”

     Nugget chuckled as he retracted his hands from Max. “It’s fine, Hope. Sorry if we traumatized ya.”

     Nuggette joined in on the conversation, saying, “It’s fine! Just buy us a burger tomorrow to make up for the physical damages you caused on Hope’s eyes.”

     Max gave Hope a look. “Seriously?”

     Hope returned the flat stare. “Nobody wants to see their sibling making out.”

     “...double cheeseburger or bacon?”
     “Double bacon cheeseburger. Anyway, Mom said we’re leaving in a few minutes.”
     “...got’cha.”

     After he made an “okay” gesture to her with his paw, Hope nodded and walked off while Nuggette gave a quick wave to the duo and then hurried off after her.

     Once they were, for certain, alone again, Max wrapped his arms around Nugget and leaned down to give him a gentle kiss, causing Nugget to place his hands back on Max’s furry face in response.

     They broke apart, naturally this time.

     A goofy, lovesick grin returned to Max as he asked, “Ready to head home?”

     Nugget’s eyes softened once more. “Ready whenever y’all are, darlin’.”

     “...man, you’re gonna make me melt, calling me that.”
     He laughed lightly. “Good.”

Chapter Text

     Plip!

     Sixty-thirty in the morning.

     Plip!

     Sheesh, when was the last time he had been wide awake at such an ungodly hour? With a quick blink, eyes darting off to the dark green trees from afar, Max recalled that the previous time was Christmas morning (two weeks ago), much to the dismay of Jeff and Martha, both of them begging the twenty-three year old to go back to sleep.

     “Got anything yet, Max?”

     His dad’s sweet voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and he returned his eyes to Jeff and then the fishing pole in his paws. “Hmm…” He pulled at the pole for a second, testing the water. “Guess they caught wind of us. We caught, like, five or six of them last time.”

     Jeff blushed with a cough. “You caught five or six of them...I got lucky enough to get one.”

     Max snickered.

     Fishing with Dad at the nearby lake on that tiny boat of theirs; it had been a while since they had the opportunity to do this, whether it be due to Max sleeping in or Jeff being busy with something else on the side, but since the weather wasn’t too cold nor warm, Jeff realized that today was a good day to fish, waking his eldest son at five in the morning with the brightest smile on his face.

     “Oh hey, I think I got one!”
     “See? Look at you, kiddo! We’ve only been here a few minutes and you’re getting one already!”

     Max playfully stuck his tongue out at his dad. “What can I say? I’m lucky enough!”

     Jeff had to chuckle at the choice of words, grinning. “Can’t wait for you to fill the cooler in an hour if you keep any of them.”

     “Eh, I might,” he replied as he began to reel in whatever could be at the other end

     which turned out to be a boot.

     “…”
     “…”

     Max blinked. “Guess I’ll keep this one.”

     Unbeknownst to Max, this outing was the start of an attempt made by his family and friends. You see, dear friend, ever since the day after Christmas, our silly monkey wanted to return to making and uploading videos; however, after catching the sight of Max dozing off at the computer in the middle of New Years day four times, there was voiced concern that – perhaps – Max needed to take a break.

     And so, here was Max, on the second day of January, with his dad; however, he had the urge to work on a quick animation once he got home and polished his nice (used) boot he caught – his fingers itched to do it.

     (Plip! Both father and son tried to catch fish yet again.)

     Well, good luck with that...because it ain’t happening any time soon.

     8:40 AM

     Once the car pulled up to the curb right outside of the Design residence, Max clambered out with a grunt.

     “Neither of us didn’t catch any fish today,” Jeff said with an amused smile from the driver’s seat, “but I guess you could try making something out of those cans and boot.”

     Even though that’s what he had in mind, Max still rolled his eyes, his arms holding four tin cans and the beloved boot he chose to keep while he stood outside of the car. “Animal Crossing’s taught me how to make this trash into treasure in no time.”

     “You gonna do it now?”
     “Mmmmaybe after I work on one of my videos--”
     “Y--your...videos?”

     “Yyyeah,” Max replied with a cocked head, blinking, “y—you know, my job and hobby? Eleven million fans on YouTube? Those videos?”

     Jeff mustered a light laugh, though it was rather nervous in tone. “Oh yeah, those videos! They’re all wonderful, by the way!”

     “...Dad? Something up?”
     “...mmmmaybe?”

     Max watched his dad fiddle with the steering wheel while the car patiently waited for him to keep driving, rumbling in the meantime. His eyes squinted in question. Okay, now he knew something was going on behind the scenes. Why else would good ol’ Dad dart his eyes to his lap like that?

     Jeff sighed and then glanced to his son with a small frown. “Alright, jig is up. Max,” he took a breath, “your mother and I think you should take a break from your videos for a week, starting today.”

     A loud record screech sounded off in his brain.

     “...a—a--a--a week?” While he stared wide-eyed, he saw Jeff nod in reply, humming. “But...but what about my fans--”

     “Think of it this way,” Jeff deflected the concern, “it’s your version of winter break. You need it, kiddo, you deserve it! Now, I took you fishing, so the next thing for you to do is just clean up and relax. Play some games, go out, visit a mate or two, but no animating, no filming...none of that.”

     Beat.

     “We also had Hope and Jimmy booby-trap your computer just in case you try to work on anything.”

     Max’s tail drooped. “I, uh, guess I could take some...time off?”

     “There you go! Now, I’ll let you go so you can have fun while I meet up with your mom and--”
     “Henry?”

     Jeff blinked widely. “Huh, good guess.”

     “Dude, how could I not guess him,” Max pointed out, “you see him, like, six times a week.”

     Jeff, feeling a blush creep across his cheeks, glanced off while scratching the back of his neck. “Two times a week, and once whenever I pick up Jimmy, but...okay.”

     And so, with a quick wave from both men, Jeff drove away as Max turned and headed to the Design residence.

     “A week away from doing videos…” Max mumbled to himself in thought, “I...guess that’s not too bad. It’s not like I’m obsessed with pumping them out or anything, no no...just…”

     His fingers itched to return to the familiar, somewhat comforting sensation of running over the keys, clicking each and every button while the sound of effects and music played in his headphones and his eyes were blessed by the various moments and actions and memes both of recent and old--

     Max shook his head, a paw now on the door’s handle.

     “...maybe they have a point. A week should be fine…”

     He opened it.

     Dumping his treasures from the lake into the washing machine would’ve given him a good beating had his mom been present, but thankfully for Max, she was out at the movie theater, waiting for Jeff to join her and their friends, so...hakuna matata.

     ...plus, he was an adult – he could do what he want, even if it was stupid.

     As the washer began its quick mode, Max decided now would be a good time to get into something more comfortable and less “smell du fish”, and for him, that would be his usual red turtleneck and jeans.

     He took notice of how there wasn’t a sign of Hope nor Jimmy in sight while trekking up the stairs. Heck, he didn’t even hear the sound of Fluffy’s tags jingling from the collar at any point. “Huh,” he uttered as he entered his bedroom, “guess I’ve got the house to myself again. Cool.”

     …

     While Max began to strip his fishing clothes off, his eyes absentmindedly glanced to the corner of his room, where his dear desktop computer sat, resting for the time being. He bit the bottom of his lip.

     A week, he had to avoid doing anything with his work for a week.

     (Also, he’d rather not face the apparent booby-trap which could be at or around his computer.)

     “But...it’s kinda my hobby too,” he found himself rationalizing, but then he recalled his father’s words. He fell asleep at the computer four times in one day. Even when he tried climbing to ten million subscribers for his channel did he not do a similar thing; however, he did stay up for two days straight, thus ruining his sleep schedule.

     Max sighed, slipping on his jeans.

     “Man…”

     It was going to be difficult, but...he had to think of his health.

     Knock knock knock!

     His head was halfway in his sweater when a knock came at the front door, so out of curiosity, he hurriedly shoved the sweater all the way down and made his way downstairs. Did he order something recently and he forgot during the holiday season? Perhaps one or both of his parents ordered a surprise meal for him to keep him occupied?

     Food was a nice diversion for him.

     Max unlocked the door, and once he did, he pulled it open

     only to be met with nothing.

     Huh.

     “Mornin’ Max!”

     Max jumped several feet off the ground and then spun around with a wild pounding in his chest, panting from surprise. Nugget failed at restraining a giggle snort at the reaction he received from the monkey.

     “Sorry, didn’t mean ta scare ya!”
     “...you did not scare me.”
     “Sure like it to me.”

     He huffed and crossed his arms, his tail wagging regardless at Nugget’s sudden and sneaky arrival. “Anyway,” Max spoke as his tone slipped back to normal, “you came to visit me while I’m in ‘no videos prison’?” He gave Nugget a little grin.

     “Visit? Nah, I wouldn’t say that,” Nugget replied, shaking his head. He returned a grin of his own as he pulled a little at the brim of his hat and said, “I’m actually here to take ya out! How does the arcade sound?”

     Max’s tail wagged harder.

     Oh, the loving over simulation of music and noise with Nugget sounded nice right about now instead of staying at home with the lingering reminder that his computer was off limits.

     “Heck yes. Get me outta here, Nugs.”

     Nugget’s grin softened. “Got’cha. Well, c’mon,” Max felt a hand lightly take hold of a paw, and his cheeks began to burn upon seeing the speculated sensation his left paw felt, “let’s kick start yer break, partner!”

     ...”take out”.

     “...w—wait, are you taking me out like a...date?”
     “I mean, technically? We’re datin’, I’m takin’ ya out fer some fun,” the nugget’s voice dropped in volume near the end with an embarrassed tone, “...so…”

     Aaaaand now they both were blushing.

     “Should I, like, change into something more comfortable?”
     “...Max, all ya got are jeans and turtleneck sweaters. That’s as comfortable as y’all are gonna get, silly.”
     “Oh yeah. Let’s go then.”

     First day on vacation, and he’s not only hanging out with Nugget, but he was technically on a date with him to one of their favorite hang-out spots. Max’s heart skipped a beat at the reminder as he kept a steady hold around Nugget’s waist with both arms while the red moped they rode made a firm turn to the left around a corner.

     He couldn’t resist resting himself against Nugget some more with a dopey grin.

     ...man, he was corny.

     The arms around him was making his cheeks burn red, and boy was Nugget glad Max sat behind him right about now. He had a feeling Max would’ve relentlessly teased him if he saw even a hint of red on his nuggety face. “Hey now, don’t be fallin’ asleep back there, okay,” he jokingly told the monkey with an elbow to the gut which earned him a grunt.

     “Totally was doing no such thing, and if I were, it’s your fault and your scooter’s fault for being so comfortable.”

     Nugget snickered at the pitiful response. “Yep, totally our fault.”

     Ahh, 1-Up Arcade, what a sight for sore eyes – as the saying goes – with the flashing images of music notes or characters fighting one another against the wide screens on the countless arcade cabinets. Oh, how the mangled mess of various sounds seemed like music to the duo’s ears. This place had been their number one getaway from life ever since middle school. It carried them through the most convenient and most inconvenient time in their lives. Going by oneself was good enough, sure, but when you had a companion, it made everything even funner.

     To make a semi-sappy explanation short: this place was Sanctuary.

     Max’s tail was wagging a mile a second, as embarrassing as it looked, seemingly like an excited dog’s at the welcoming environment. This was the perfect place to be occupied with instead of even thinking about his videos.

     “Well partner,” Nugget spoke up beside him with a smile, “wanna pick the first game?”

     “Don’t mind if I do,” his eyes immediately darted over to the Mario Kart car arcade machine with a toothy grin and a paw to his chin in fake thought. “I’ve gotten better with my drifting skills at home, soooo…” the tone in his voice dipped into a teasing one while his eyes returned to Nugget who stared back at him with a restrained grin, “wanna race?”

     “Well, ain’t that nice,” Nugget replied with a playful tone, “yer plannin’ on kickin’ my butt already, ain’t ya?”

     “Promise I won’t kick it much.”
     “Uh-huh, well, I get to choose the next one afterwards so I can kick yers next.”

     “Oh-ho, it’s a deal!” Feeling a dose of confidence mixing in with his excitement, Max smirked and leaned over to Nugget. “Let’s go, babe.”

     ‘Babe?’ Nugget blinked at the nickname but tried not to make a big deal out of it, even with the back of his neck turning hot. “Well!” He returned, using his thumb to flick up the brim of his hat to meet with Max’s eyes better, “Whatever ya say, darlin’.”

     And as Nugget made his way over to the designated arcade machine, Max dumbly stood in his spot with reddened cheeks. “Darling”, it was always the “darling” nowadays that flustered him in an instant. “...y—yeah, whatever I say.”

     A left,

     a right,

     a looooong straight shot,

     and finally,

     through the air, soaring about several feet before the satisfying sound of his wheels thumping down against the shimmering rainbow road.

     Max had the biggest, dumbest, excited grin on his face at the adrenaline-fueled scene playing before him, the rumbling in the seat and the wheel firmly gripped in his paws, and the “realistic” wind whipping him from the sides of the machine for an immersive effect.

     Fourth place out of twelve and climbing fast.

     He snorted a laugh when he knocked over an ai opponent off the road and into the abyss.

     This was great!

     This was awesome!

     This was--

     “ ‘cuse me, partner!”

     Another racing cart sped by him with sparkles emitting from it, and Max immediately gaped. His eyes briefly darted to his right in time to see Nugget shooting him a smirk before returning his eyes to the screen before him.

     ...that little nugget had a hold of one of those damn speed boosters.

“...huh, you’re...getting better at this,” the two were seated close enough for Max to compliment Nugget at a near regular volume of his voice.

     “Might’ve slipped by here whenever y’all were busy with other stuff,” was the smug explanation Nugget gave.

     “...huh. I see.”
     “Impressed?”
     “Oh yeah, really impressed, actually.”

     Nugget huffed a quiet chuckle.

     “I’m impressed at how you’re sticking your whole gyatt into it, thus, showing off your rizz for the whole of Ohio to witness.”

     Nugget’s kart swerved and then rammed into a wall which caused Max to burst into a fit of laughter as he sped by the incapacitated kart.

     (...why did this seem like déjà vu?)

     And with that, while he didn’t win first place, second wasn’t too bad for Max – in fact, it was more than okay since he still kicked Nugget’s butt.

     While the result screen played on Max’s screen, the monkey proudly puffed his chest as Nugget rolled his eyes and shook his head. Well, whatever kept Max’s focus on something else rather than his hobby/work.

     ...just as long as Max didn’t turn into a pain in the rear with braggin’ rights or whatever.

     “As expected,” Max not-so-subtly announced without that grin ever faltering in the slightest, “I won...between the two of us.”

     Another eye roll was needed for this. “Got’cha, Max.”

     “And now your turn, cowboy.”
     “...well, time for me to kick yer butt, as promised.”

     Once upon a time, when the duo had been much younger, a preteen Nugget became enthralled in a certain type of arcade machine, perhaps as a sign of his growing cowboy-ness with age: the shooter arcades. Dinosaurs, zombies, ghosts, things like that. Ones involving animals? Oh heck no, he was a cowboy, not a hunter for sport! Even shooting at pixel animals like that were a no-go unless the game was intentionally bad. With this in mind, Max had a 99.9% idea where Nugget was dragging him to--

     Whoa what the heck?

     Nugget looked over his shoulder at Max, beaming while flicking the brim of his hat for effect, “New machine was installed ‘round a week or two. It was temptin’ to try it out durin’ one of my trips here, buuuut, I decided to be a good partner and wait to try it with ya.”

     There, on the other end of the arcade was a brand new attraction with its bright lights hovering on either side of the banner which featured an ominous bell-shaped logo in the center. Right away, Max could hear the typical country western action movie blaring from its speakers in the middle of the two player spots. Huh, took this long to get a western themed game like this?

     ...but either way, Nugget was more than eager to play this game next, and Max was certain had he have a tail, it would’ve been wagging like crazy, and that thought caused the monkey to snort a giggle. Heh, that’d be cute.

     Max went for the red pistol, shooting a grin at him. “You’re in your zone, so it’s a given you’re gonna kick my butt...maybe.”

     Nugget scoffed a laugh. “Maybe??”

     “You never know. I could be a secret natural at cowboy moves and you wouldn’t know until I tried it.”
     “...last time y’all tried a ‘cowboy move’ was at a bar with a robotic bull.”

     “Half a minute still counts for incredible and awesome in my book,” Max retorted to the nugget who lasted two minutes on the very same bull on the very same trip.

     With a small grin on his face, Nugget shook his head and took position at the other player spot as he flicked his wrist and retrieved the plastic pistol with ease. “Uh-huh.”

     “I’ll be like the...uh, Luke Skywalker of arcade shooters.”
     “...no clue where y’all are goin’ with that, but okay, I guess.”

     A few coins later, and off they went into the virtual western world, aiming and shooting at wild bandits threatening them with their lives (and coins they would have to surrender if they got killed easily too much). Aim, fire at the robber ‘rounding the corner shop! An ambush at the saloon by a trio of terrible troublesome twits? Aaaaaim, fire!

     “To yer right, partner!”
     “Got’cha, Nugs!”

     Max swung his gun with both paws in the direction and narrowly got shot by a shooter who popped up from behind a bar counter; meanwhile, Nugget’s side dealt with a shooter threatening him by holding a poor piano player hostage, but Nugget was quick to resolve that issue with a speedy shot to his head in the least-violent way possible in a video game.

     “Shoot. Nugs, up!”

     Nugget flinched as though he was actually nicked by a bullet in unison with the side of his screen shaking. “Crap, lost half a heart,” he grumbled while reloading. “Thanks fer the heads up though, partner.”

     “Yep, no prob--” Max caught the sight of the nugget aiming and successfully firing at a bandit who had been leaning over a banister on the second floor – perhaps the one who had shot at him earlier. He let out a faint whistle and then quickly returned to his own side of the screen. “...god he’s cool,” it was faint and, maybe just maybe, his neck briefly became warm.

     “Y’all sayin’ somethin’ over there?”
     “Nope! Totally not!”
     “’k! To yer left!”
     “Wait, wha--”

     Max was shot in the face by a bandit who disguised himself as a priest and lost a heart.

     Max lost the last two hearts thanks to the baby with a gun hiding in a stroller, but it was fine by him, because there was a dull pain that began to nag in his wrist and paw as time went on.

     While he waited patiently for his soda and chili dog, he rubbed at the persistent pain in his right wrist with a small wince. Huh, he hasn’t had one of these pains in a while. Last time he did, it was when he still pumped out a short video every day for two weeks.

     ...okay, the more recent time was that day when he dozed off at the computer several times because he was even more tired after taking some ibuprofen.

     With a grin, he was handed his food and drink by the employee. Time to head back to Nugs and see how he was faring.

     …

     …

     Hey, did he ever make a video about playing games at an arcade? Oo, he could make one where he kicked Nugget’s butt in racing and then a part two where--

     holy crap.

     Now, it was to be expected that Nugget would still be playing because he was good with this type of arcade game, but with the quick movements of the plastic gun aiming and shooting everything in sight while the owner didn’t break a sweat still impressed Max

     ...quite a bit.

     “Man,” Max walked around and leaned back against the bar railing which was screwed behind the player spots, his eyes focused on Nugget’s focused motion, “you sure you haven’t played this one before today? You’re still going…” he grinned.

     Nugget grinned in response but kept his eyes on the screen. “Nope!” Bang! “Like I said, I waited fer ya to be with me fer this,” he reminded Max.

     All of a sudden, a voice from the game yelled out, “You! Yer the one who killed mah brothers! Why I oughta string ya up like little worm ya are fer messin’ with the Edward Brothers!”

     Nugget huffed at the fuming final boss. “Ah, put a sock in it, yer little brother was a pest, and the middle one’s a cheatin’ rattlesnake, so yer probably nothin’ too!”

     Aaaaand there went Nugget, talking to the video game. Max’s grin had widened at the sight while he took a bite of his chili dog. Wow, was this the finale already? Nice.

     The video game baddie shouted, “I’m takin’ ya down! Get over here!”

     “Alright alright, hold yer horses, pinhead! I gotta wait fer my character to move.”

     Max snorted.

     Twitch.

     The grin on his face flinched, his fingers gripping the dog momentarily tighter. Oof, his grip was getting screwy, but...he should be okay enough to hold the food just a little longer.

     Nugget shot Max a brief wink, “Well! Once I finish this dummy, it’s official that I kicked yer butt at this game, partner! Just sit tight.”

     Max’s tail raised and gave an “okay” gesture in response whilst its owner sipped at his soda just as the epic showdown began between nugget and digital western bandit. He didn’t get why Nugget tried dodging sometimes, he was a hundred percent certain this game didn’t have a body motion control, but whatever got him in the mood to play the game.

     ...suppose he did look cool doing that, especially with his cowboy hat on.

     Bang! One heart lost, leaving him with two and a half hearts.

     “Crap,” Nugget said out loud, “’course the rattlesnake’s like his little brother, usin’ a stupid barrel lid for cover. Quit hidin’ and face me!”

     Max bit into his chili to hide the laughter that wanted to escape.

     Back and forth, his eyes went from Nugget to the bandit boss with his tail wagging in excitement at the continuing battle. Sure, this was a common thing that happened with Nugget, but seeing the nugget get so into it was fun.

     “There ya are, now eat this bullet! No dodgin’, gosh darn it!”

     Max’s brows raised at Nugget’s words, but still, the monkey continued to eat and drink without much movement elsewhere.

     TWITCH.

     His teeth sunk further into the last bit of his chili dog when the sensation in his wrist spiked momentarily, enough for his paw to clench the food even more. Crap crap crap, that hurt. Max forced his mind to ignore it, quickly chewing and swallowing the last of the food before turning to the soda.

     Sheesh, he’d understand it reacting so badly had he been still playing side-by-side with Nugget, wielding that plastic gun around the place, but all he was doing was holding a chili dog.

     BANG! A loud grunt, followed by a “thud” interrupted Max’s attention on his wrist.

     Nugget stood there, beaming at his triumph, and to further celebrate, he lightly tossed the pistol high enough for it to flip once or twice and then return to his awaiting hand. “I win, as expected.”

     “Show off,” Max muffled through the straw in his mouth but still had a grin present. “Gonna write your name on the scoreboard next, man?”

     “Looks like it. Sit tight a little longer and then we can do somethin’ else, partner.”
     “Write it as Max.”
     “I ain’t you, doofus.”
     “Poo?”
     “Do that on your own win.”
     “Ass?”
     “Nah.”

     ‘As expected,’ Max thought once the new highest score beside the name ‘Nug’ flashed brightly at the top of the screen. “Hey, since we both played games one of us is good at, how ‘bout something we’re both okay at for an even match?”

     Finally setting the gun back in the holster, Nugget turned his head to look at Max, blinking, but then he hummed in thought for a few seconds. “Air hockey?”

     “...heh, weeeeell...if you want me to win so badly, sure!”
     “Wait, win? Ya launched the puck off the board several times last time we were here, and I’m a hundred percent certain that ain’t how ya win--”
     “Too late, already running over there! Hurry up, cowboy!”

     Nugget sputtered at the sight of the retreating monkey rushing to the other end of the arcade, closer to where the concession stand stood. “That little rattlesnake…” he couldn’t help but grumble a bit. “Well! Whatever distracts him from work.”

     One at one end, the other on the other...well, end. Eye-to-eye, a hand (or paw) hovering close to their goal as they shot each other a smirk, Nugget using his free thumb to flick up at the brim of his hat.

     “Ready, partner?”
     “Ready whenever you are, Nugs.”

     There was a small hum coming from the center of the air hockey table, specifically from the port above which would deploy the puck, and not even ten seconds of waiting, the plastic puck finally dropped to the table and glided around.

     As the puck was struck by Nugget, Max gripped his disk a little tighter, and once the puck grew closer to his side, the monkey prepared for impact, his eyes following the puck which now bounced against one side of the table and then another, and finally, Max struck back

     and then winced at the sudden throb in his wrist.

     Thankfully for Max, Nugget became so enthralled with the game, that he failed to notice Max’s brief change in expression.

     ‘Not as bad as earlier,’ Max noted as the game continued, ‘maybe I’ll be fine during this?’

     Well, that was a freakin’ lie.

     The duo ended in a tie and were now near the forest of photo booths. Nugget insisted on waiting there while he did...something before running off; meanwhile, Max rubbed at the middle of his wrist with a wince yet again on his face.

     “Crap crap crap,” he hissed in annoyance, “don’t ruin this date, moron...c’mon.”

     Twitch, twitch, twitch.

     “Okay okay, are you gonna stop if I promise not to even think about doing any videos this whole week? Is that what you want?”

     Was it weird to be talking to his wrist like this in a public place? Eh, probably, but Max didn’t care, not in the slightest. Here was Nugget helping him out, keeping his mind off his passion-turned-work while making this a fun little date for just the two of them. He couldn’t wimp out just because his wrist decided to poop out on him!

     Plus, that’d kinda suck.

     “...Max?”

     Max jolted in place with a small surprised sound caught in his throat upon the familiar gentle voice breaking his thoughts. He looked down, and there was Nugget staring back at him with a small – yet concerned – smile on his face, his hat momentarily in his hands so he could look at the monkey better.

     Nugget spoke up again, “You okay?”

     It was at that moment, Max realized he still had a not-too-subtle hold on his wrist with his free paw. He quickly released his hold and then shoved both paws into his jean pockets, waving the concern off with a shrug, “Yyyyeah, totally good! I thought I cut myself on the air hockey table after I kicked your butt.”

     He scoffed a chuckle at that. “We ended in a tie, but whatever helps.”

     But then the smile on his face faltered a little.

     “But be honest, partner...yer holdin’ yer wrist like ya hurt it.”
     “...uh…”

     He didn’t want to cut the date short, though.

     Max looked at Nugget’s concerned face and then recalled the reason why he was out in the first place: this was a time to rest and have fun. Couldn’t have fun if he hurt his wrist even more which, in turn, would concern Nugget even more.

     Nugget frowned. “Max.”

     The monkey in question rubbed the back of his neck from embarrassment – or perhaps shame – as he mumbled, eyes glancing off to the side, “I might’ve irritated my wrist. Like I got my compression glove with me if I need it, but…maybe playing some of these games was too much right now.”

     There was a pause between the duo.

     “...I guess we can head home?”
     “Oooor, we could head back to my place and spend a few days there so y’all could relax better?”

     Max perked up as his eyes shot to Nugget. “A few days at your place?”

     A sincere smile came to his face, replacing the concerned one. “Ma and Pa thought that’d help ya keep away from yer computer if y’all were at my place, apparently. Plus,” it took a second for Max to feel it, but a pair of hands reached forward and gently retrieved the hidden paws from his jean pockets as the nugget’s voice softened, “we can be as mushy as y’all want. I’ll be sure to take care of ya if y’all need it.”

     Nugget lifted the paws, still with care, and cupped them over his cheeks, a small grin now present.

     “What do ya say, darlin’? Wanna get outta here?”

     Max’s heart skipped a beat...or perhaps several.

     “...hell yeah, but, uh...before we go…”
     “What’s up?”

     Max jerked his head over his shoulder at one of the larger, fancier photo booths (a purikura, if one were to ask for more specifics) behind him and then grinned and asked, “Wanna get a fancy and cute photo taken?”

     When they arrived back at Nugget’s, the sun had nearly set.

     “I think y’all put enough cat ears and heart stickers on them photos, partner,” despite saying that, Max could hear amusement in Nugget’s voice as he stayed laying on the couch while the nugget lit the fireplace.

     “Eh, could’ve used more sparkles,” Max replied with a shrug and a dumb grin, “especially in the eyes.” He sat the glossy photo sheet on Nugget’s coffee table and then plopped back and shut his eyes for a second, two, or three. “Ibuprofen should be kicking in soon...I hope. It’s throbbing like crazy.”

     “And the pizza’s gonna be here in forty minutes or so,” Nugget took a seat on the other side of the couch.

     The two fell into silence once again, the television playing an advertisement and the beginning of crackles of the fireplace taking their place in the meantime.

     “…”
     “…”
     “Max?”
     “Hm?”
     “Mind sittin’ up fer a sec and make some more room fer me?”
     “Oops, sorry, hang on.”

     With a grunt and using his elbows, Max propped himself up and then swung his legs to a normal sitting position. Immediately, Nugget was at his side and took hold of the hurting wrist of his with caution.

     His tender eyes met Max’s, and the monkey felt his cheeks and ears burn.

     “Bet it was hard not thinkin’ about yer videos, huh?”

     A thumb rubbed the center of his wrist.

     “I get’cha, partner. I’m with ya every step of the way, but losin’ sleep and hurtin’ yerself’s gonna make things worse in the long run.”

     Another thumb joined in with the contact.

     “Don’t know what I’d do if ya ended up sick or – heaven forbid – in the hospital on account of ya bein’ so determined to make it to the top.”

     Those hands, much bigger than his paws, were massaging the wrist and the center of his paw. If he hadn’t turn a deep shade of crimson, Max was a hundred percent positive that he was now.

     “We’ll do whatever ya want while yer here, but ya gotta take it easy not just fer us, but fer you, too.”

     Those hands felt so consoling, so affectionate, so gentle…

     Nugget caught his gaze again, and Max could’ve sworn he was going to swoon in front of the cowboy if he didn’t cut it out anytime soon.

     Nugget smiled gently.

     “Promise, darlin’?”

     Ooooh, he wanted to swoon so hard. Darn that little nugget for pressing the right buttons.

     And even though it wasn’t going to help with the heat rising in his face, Max still tugged at the collar of his sweater. “Got it, promise, Nugs.”

     “Good, ‘cause if ya didn’t, I’d have to kick yer butt.”
     “...bro.”

     Max felt himself grinning when a mixed giggle and chuckle escaped Nugget at the flat response.