Terrible Ideas

Chapter Three

Max arrived early for the date again, so he got out and leaned against his car, trying to seem casual. There were quite a few people here for the zoo, small families and the like. It was sunny and hot and overall a beautiful day. Max tried to steady his anxious fidgeting, peeking at his reflection once more in his window.

Brook had done his makeup that morning because Meg was hardly awake enough to function. Brook had put even less makeup on Max this time, arguing that most of it would get washed off if Max got wet or sweaty anyway. Max had chosen not to argue with her, but somehow, wasn't put at ease. Today he almost looked much more like himself than Eva, but with a stuffed bra. A tighter pair of jeans, sneakers and an army green t-shirt with a black butterfly on it. Max was already going over his doomsday plans; what to do if Kevin noticed he was a dude. Most of the plans involved a lot of running. A few involved crying. Max was still working on it.

Kevin arrived not long after and pulled into the space next to Max, already grinning. He had offered to pick Max up so they could drive up together but Max knew better that to let his family catch him being picked up or dropped off by a mysterious man. That, and Max wouldn't have time to change and scrub his makeup off in the backseat if Kevin dropped him off home.

"Glad you could make it," Kevin greeted him warmly as he climbed out of his car and Max smiled.

"Yeah," Max rubbed his sweaty palms off on his pants. "Same."

Kevin looked as good as ever. He was dressed more casually today in ripped jeans and a Superman t-shirt that was tight over his chest. He has a small backpack on with two water bottles on the sides and Max momentarily panicked because he hadn't thought to shove anything but his wallet, phone and keys in the small brown purse he carried. Kevin didn't say anything though, so he tried to relax.

"Wanna get started then?" Kevin asked, and Max nodded. "You've been here before, right?"

"Yeah," Max agreed. "We used to come here every summer when we were little."

"Oh really," Kevin raised his brows. "We don't actually have to go here if you don't want to."

"Oh no!" Max quickly assured him. "I haven't been here in years. I'm very happy." Calm down, Max.

"If you're sure," Kevin agreed easily, hand fiddling briefly with his hearing aid. Max wondered if it was a nervous tick he'd missed before. "I've been here a few times with Dimitri. Can't get enough of the baby goats, let me tell you."

"That's adorable," Max laughed because Kevin was adorable, and Kevin gave him a delighted smile.

"They're awesome, you'll see."

Kevin insisted on paying their way in, though Max did try to protest because Kevin had paid for their coffee last time too, but Kevin told him he wanted to. The girl at the counter seemed to know Kevin pretty well anyway and gave him the discount he'd promised Max.

They walked over to the first couple exhibits and Max took in the familiar surroundings. Kevin seemed pleased, squinting at everything in the bright sunlight, and walking close enough to Max that their shoulders brushed together.

"Spider Monkeys," Max read off the little plaque and Kevin pointed to a pair of them playing in the corner. "Cute."

"Hey, Max," Kevin said, and Max's heart jolted at the use of his name. It was nice. Too nice.

"Yeah," Max forced out and peered up at Kevin.

"What do you call an angry monkey?" Kevin asked, and Max blinked.

"I don't know?"

"Furious George," Kevin was laughing before he'd finished his punchline and Max could only stare for a moment at how fucking goofy that laugh was.