Shopping

[color=333333]Max needed clothes. Badly.

At the moment, a too-big straight jacket flopped unsteadily around on his tall frame, sleeves reaching almost down to the ground. The bottoms of the matching white pants were completely covering his yellow sneakers, slowly gathering dirt from the piles of slush that slumped here and there on the sidewalk. They'd taken all his clothes, the only set he had after the fire, and he hadn't a need for street clothes inside his room.

To their defense, they hadn't expected he'd be going anywhere for a long time. Max knew that in their line of work the people who went in rarely ever came out, and he had to admit they all gathered around to see him off, waved and shouted good lucks and well wishes. They'd even given him an outfit to wear, until he could use the inheritance money his older sister had shared with him to buy real clothes.

But people were staring, thinking he was a runaway, clearing the streets when he walked past. He knew he should care, but for some reason he couldn't muster anything more unpleasant then a joyous smile. He was just to happy to be free of all that, happy to make his own decisions for once. He ducked into a clothing store, randomly pulling things off the racks and holding them up to see if they were his size.

When he felt he had enough to last him a week or two, he ambled over to the cash register, winking in what he hoped looked like an insane way at the girl in line behind him and pulling the money from the buckle at his waist where he'd stuffed it earlier. [/color]

[color=333333]The clerk was staring at him. Not that Max especially minded, but she was and Max couldn't figure out why. He smiled nervously at her, fumbling with the money through the sleeves of the straight jacket.

Oh, right. The straight jacket. He smiled sheepishly, stuffing the change into a pocket of his newly purchased pants and heading off to a dressing room to change before someone called the cops.

There were chains on his pants. Max frowned lightly, holding them up in front of him and shaking them so they jingled loudly. They didn't seem to be holding up the pants, or indeed serving any purpose whatsoever. They were just.. There, like the spiked belt and the laces on the sides at the bottom. He ripped them off, placing them on a neat little pile in one corner and digging around in the shopping bag for a shirt. There was one, the already faded lettering proudly screaming the name of what Max presumed was a band. He'd never heard of it, however, so he couldn't be completely sure.

He stepped outside the store, immediately veering over to a cafe next door and dropping down on one of the slightly less then comfortable couches. He hadn't eaten in what seemed like forever, and his stomach growled quietly as if to confirm this fact. A cafe probably wasn't the best choice, as it probably only sold little things like tiny teacakes or whatever they had over here. But he couldn't see an actual restaurant anywhere, and he was too hungry to wait... [/color]

[color=333333]Someone was staring at him again. Max pretended to look at the small display of cookies for a few more minutes, finally raising his eyes to meet the girl's and smiling politely. "You've gotta lot o' bags there, haven't ye lass?”

He stood up, walking the few steps over to the counter and ordering two blueberry muffins. The girl was still there by the time he came back, and he shook one of the plates in her general direction. "You like moofins?" He questioned, slightly embarrassed of his accent that seemed so out of place at the school. Not that he could help it... He sighed, sitting back down on the couch and placing the remaining plate down on the table. If she was interested in a conversation, he was perfectly fine with her starting it. [/color]

[color=333333]"It's Starlight?" He laughed quietly, wolfing down half the muffin in one bite. "Ah really dinna know. I'm new, arrived today." He glanced over at her, taking a small sip of the coffee he'd ordered earlier and raising an eyebrow. "What of you?"[/color]

[color=33333]Max couldn't help but laugh softly at the girl's eagerness, much unlike anything he was used to. "Why's that?" He questioned, wondering why a girl who seemed so comfortable around people might be friendless.

"Scotland." Max grinned, not at all offended by her question. "Is it that obvious?"
He paused a second, hardly allowing her time to answer before offering her a hand to shake, cloaked in a black glove with the fingers cut off. "Me name's Max." [/color]

[color=333333]Max nodded, no expression on his face. "Me family died... Six months ago." He cringed even as he spoke the words, wondering what had possessed him to share that. As if called upon, a few members of his family appeared out of nowhere, floating around him and quietly scorning him.

focus on something else! he reminded himself, cringing slightly as the second stage of his power set in. Now their deaths were playing over and over in his head, the last things they'd ever seen flashing before his eyes. He was trying to listen to himself, but it was rather hard to concentrate on anything other then the scenes from their death he'd already seen so many times.

He clutched his forehead a second, willing them away and finally looked back up at the girl - was he supposed to call her Choi? - with a tired smile on his face. "Still not quite over it, I suppose."

He shrugged, tilting his head at her question and examining her curiously. I have no idea... "A wee bit, around the eyes. Did ye grow up in China?" [/color]