@bleedtheneonfromthebitemarks continued from [X]

Max didn’t know how to answer. Not this time. There was no witty or teasing remark, no clever comeback that oozed with his usual charm and confidence. He looked tired, paler that usual, a little drawn, like he hadn’t been eating or sleeping much of late, which in truth he hadn’t, but he considered that inconsequential in the wider scheme of things. “Bad,” he answered quietly, the word hollow as he bordered on tears, an unfamiliar fear in his eyes. “I fucked up. I’ve fucked up so fucking bad and I don’t know how to unfuck it without someone getting hurt.”

It was bad enough seeing Max like that, but the tone only further set Cal on edge. He wasn't good at emotional things, struggled enough with his own, but this was Max and he always tried at least a little harder where he was concerned.

"What happened? I know I was on the other side for a bit, but...Normally I come back to at least an update on what's going on but no one has been willing to tell me anything."

Instead he had been met with something akin to pitying stares or people doing their best to look anywhere but at him and it had been enough to make his skin itch with how worried he had become.

"You look like hell."