For a majority of the book your not going to get Max's POV unless it doesn't contain spoilers...
Ross's POV
A week had passed since I began to work at the offices. I was starting to get used to everyone there along with my way around. I gingerly paused infront of the box room which sat only a few feet away from my office. The box room was an empty office where we kept all of our boxes from the fan mail. I grinned as a sudden idea struck me, I quickly grabbed a box and threw it on my head, luckily the box already had holes in it which worked perfectly as eyeholes. I walked out into the hallway to find Max, Tim, and Adam talking to one another by the editing cove. I quickly put my arms out before screaming, "Look out, it's a killer box!"
Adam jumped and started to scream playfully meanwhile Tim fell on his but laughing. Max just shook his head but I could see a faint smile resting on his face. As soon as Adam stopped screaming, he took the box off of my head and began to ruffle my hair. "We were just talking about a do not laugh video. If you want you can join the video?"
"Sure!" I exclaimed in excitment, as Adam smiled at me, "Let me just go get a couple of things ready!"
"I'll be outside of your office waiting." Adam agreed as he turned back around to talk to Max and Tim again. I quickly raced towards the office forgetting the box that sat in the middle of the hallway. As soon as I reached my office, I looked around until I grabbed a unicorn puppet that I've had since highschool. The vary same puppet that dragged me out of darktimes so I decided to name it something simple but fun, Sprinkles.
As I continued to look around, I finally felt as though I had enough items for the video: I quickly walked out of the room to only find Adam's face a couple of inches from mine. "S-SORRY ADAM!" I yelled as I took a few steps away from him.
"Its ok, I should of told you of my presence, anyways follow me!" Adam smiled as he led me down the hallway until we reached a living room looking area. "This is where we record for our channel, Office Antics. Anyways Max and Jin will be joining us for the video so go sit down while we wait for them." Adam spoke as Tim walked down the hallway with a camera.
I quickly threw my props behind a bin before I situated myself on the couch. Tim was setingup the camera as Max walked in with Jin. Jin looked exactly how he did in highschool except for the fact that his eyes were a brighter shade of brown although he still wore purple.
"Ah, Ross it's good to see you again!" Jin smiled as he took a seat beside me. I smiled at him but my eyes remained on Max who spoke a few quick words with Adam before he sat on the far end of the couch. Adam quickly looked at the ginger tom with a smile before giving Tim a thumbs up to show that it's time to start the video.
"Hey guys Sky here and welcome to an IRL Try Not to Laugh; Try not to laugh has pretty simple-" as Adam continued his intro I began to space out, I finally stopped spacing out when he began to introduce us, "Anyways I'm joined with Jin the Bop, Maaaaaax, and ROSSSSSSSSSS!"
"AAAAAAH!" I screamed, which made the three of them laugh, I smiled slightly as I watched the three of them fight over who would go in the center or who would make the person in the center laugh.
"Ross, your new to this so why don't you go in the center!" Adam suggested which made me frown quickly, I nodded before I got to my feet. The camera slid in my direction which made my stomach churn for a moment before I looked towards my friends. "How about, Max; you make him laugh,"
"I-me- ok." Max spoke as he quickly got up, he looked at me for a second before smiling, "Ok good Squire, I will need to ask of chu to turn around." Max spoke in a random British accent taking me by surprise, I quickly bit my lip knowing that I wanted to laugh. Max shot me a grin as I quickly turned around to face the wall and behind me I heard shuffling. The shuffling continued until I heard Max's voice call for me to turn around once more.
However Max was not there, I dumbfoundedly looked at Adam and Jin until I watched a dolphin puppet appear from behind the couch, "This is a stick-up!" The dolphin screamed. Adam and Jin jumped off of the couch making me think that we were actually going to die until for a complete second I saw ginger hair poking out and I had to try to bite back a laugh. Suddenly a knife appeared beside the dolphin, "This is a stick-up, either get down or I'll stab you."
I quickly got on my knees and looked up at the dolphin, "I-I have a family, please, don't stab me."
"Give me two reason's why." The dolphin asked.
"Well, first of all thirteen reasons why and second of all your a puppet being held by Max." I said with a simple shrug, I was taken by surprise when Max's laughter rang out from behind the couch.
"D*n it, Ross!" Max laughed, "Do I still get a point if he made me laugh?"
"Nope!" Jin responded as Max walked out from behind the couch.
"Alright I'll try to make him laugh!" Adam said as he jumped off of the couch before marching towards me.
Minutes passed and no-one could still make me laugh, well until Max walked up to me and whispered Sloth, which made me scream, "I'm not a sloth!" Finally the video ended and I felt satisfied with how I acted during the entire video. I mean I did remain in the center a majority of the time but I guess it's because I'm better at making other's laugh. I smiled to myself as I marched towards my office, outside of my office through the window I could see Max and Adam fighting although their conversation was inaudible. Finally Max shoved Adam to the ground before he raced down the hallway.
I quickly got out of my chair before I opened the door to find Adam watching Max who was still running down the hallway, this time slower than before. I walked up to Adam and placed my hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry about Max's attitude Adam."
"It's alright Ross, it's not your fault. Max just needs to learn to control himself." Adam sighed before he shook his head, "Anyways you should start to head on out, the day is over anyways." Adam shot me a weak smile before he walked towards Barney's office.
I quickly walked back inside of my office and began to pack my things when I heard my phone go off, I glanced over to realize that it was Max and he was texting me. I pulled up his contact and began to read what he sent me.
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Max: Hey Ross, I jogged home so it'll be only you and Tim in the car.
Ross: You got home that fast? I just saw you outside my office!
Max: Yeah, well I'm going to be staying at Adam's tonight so yeah.
Ross: Is everything ok, Max? You were both just fighting.
Max: We're fine, we were fighting over what our next video together should be about.
Ross: Ok then, talk to you later Max!
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I quickly put my phone into my pocket's before grabbing a box of items that I needed to take home. Tim was waiting for me near the entrance while playing on his phone, as soon as I neared he looked around and asked me where Max was. A frown made it's way onto my lips as I remembered his fight with Adam but I quickly shook it away, "He went to Adam's house for tonight."
Tim shot me a stare before shrugging and leading me to the car. The entire car ride home was silent, apart from a short conversation where we asked each other how our day was. As we neared the parking lot we passed a dark black car which was pulled onto the side of the road. "Hey Tim should we see if whoever in there is ok?"
"Nah, might be a couple of teenagers." Tim shrugged as he continued driving until we finally reached the parking lot. As the two of us exited the vehicle I couldn't help but throw glances back in the direction where we saw the black car, I don't know why but I feel like someone there needed our help more than anything.
Hours passed as I watched anime on the couch, when I heard the door unlock, I turn my head to see Max walk in. He had a medium sized bruise on his left eye and a cut on his right cheek. He stiffened as soon as he saw me but he quickly looked at the ground, "H-hey, Ross, I'm just going to my room, night buddy." I watched as Max walked away from me, I wanted to chase him, to ask him why he seemed so down but I barely knew him so I knew that Max would never open up to me. I just need to find a way to make him trust me, I guess.
I frowned as I sat on the couch to continue to watch anime until an idea struck me, I quickly walked towards Max's room and knocked on the door until his voiced sounded from inside, I pushed open the door to find Max sitting in a small office chair that sat beside a table. His room was a medium blue color and he had a golden and black bed. "Oh, hey Ross, what's up." Max asked, I realized that he wore a bandage that went diagonally across his left eye to cover his bruise.
"Well, you ran away so fast and I was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie?" I asked and I saw Max's face brighten up a bit, he looked at the ground and then looked at me before nodding, "Great I'll meet you in the living room!" I yelled before I raced out of his room, I quickly paused infront of Tim's room and I pushed open the door to find Tim asleep on his bed. I bit back a laugh, surprised that he did not hear all of the commotion before I walked into the kitchen.
As I began to make the popcorn I heard shuffling behind me and I turned around to see Max, walking towards the fridge, "So, what movie are we watching?" He asked as he dug into the fridge until he grabbed a container of pink lemonade.
"Oh, well since today is Sunday and we did have to go to work; I thought that we could watch Family Guy."
"Gee Ross, I only knew you for a week and I already knew it was going to be Family Guy! " Max laughed as I finished making the popcorn. The ginger quickly took a cup out of the cupboard before placing it down on the counter.
"I'm just messing with you Max, I finished today's episodes, we will be watching a horror movie tonight!" I growled in the scariest tone I could think of.
"H-Horror!" Max choked, almost spilling the pink lemonade on the counter, he quickly coughed before looking in my direction, "I- are you sure, Ross?" I frowned as I saw a tint of fear shine in Max's eyes but I knew that if he was that scared then he would just tell me.
"Yeah, come on it'll be fun!" I exclaim as I grab the bowl of popcorn before I lead Max towards the couch. I sat down and Max sat right beside me, Our shoulders were touching as we watched the movie. Finally a jump scare happened where a killer appeared from inside of the closet. As soon as the jump scare happened Max's hand grabbed my shirt and his head dove right into my shirt. His body was shaking 100 times a minute as I hesitantly stroked his hair with my hand. "Hey sorry man, I didn't think you'd be scared,"
"Yeah... sorry." Max chuckled as he quickly got off of me. I could tell that Max was afraid from how his eyes constantly darted around the room. Max finally calmed down for a second before scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment,"I- uh- night Ross!" Max whisper-yelled to me before he jumped off of the couch and jogged towards his room.
I sighed as I watched him run-away, What the hell was that about?