Twiddlefinger (Max x Gedagidegedagedago Nugget)

Part 1: Prologue (Love at First Sight)

            In a silent coffee shop, a cold breeze blows across the face of our protagonist, Nugget. He sits down at an empty table and pulls out his laptop. His fingers grace the keys and he gets to work on his school essay. Time blurs together and a thousand characters feels like three. Without even noticing, the coffee shop fills up and every table is full of people except for Nugget's. He's so blinded by the same sights, smells, and sounds that he almost doesn't realize when someone taps on his shoulder.

            "Hello? Are you there?" asks a stranger. Nugget flings backwards, looking them dead in the eyes, "Yea?" he responds, "Can I sit at your table?" asks the stranger, "Why? There's so many open table-" Nugget scans the room and realizes just how full the coffee shop is, "Yeesh, never mind. Go ahead, sit down." The stranger nods and sits down at the table. "So, what's your name?" asks the stranger. Nugget, who is so sunk into his work, didn't hear. "Hm?" Nugget looks up at the stranger. "Your name, everyone has one!" the stranger elaborates, "My name is Buckle Eye Joe, but I've just been called Nugget my entire life." Nugget responds. "Well, my name's Max. Nice to meet you." Max reached out for a handshake, and Nugget, nervous, maneuvered his fingers to cross into Max's. Max laughed and Nugget smiled a nervous smile.

            Fast forward a few hours later, Nugget and Max both sit up and prepare to leave. Nugget grabs his things and leaves to his car. He puts his key in the ignition, puts the car in drive, and starts driving to his house. Meanwhile, Max is just about to leave when he notices Nugget's laptop sitting on the table. He snatches it, gently places it in his bag, and makes a run for Nugget's car, however, he's already driving off when this happens. Max hops onto his bike and starts riding as fast as possible, making sure to keep Nugget's car in sight. Eventually, Max loses focus and Nugget makes a turn. Left with no choice but to guess whether Nugget turned left or right, Max turns to the right and follows the first car he sees. The chase ensues for a few miles more, when finally the car halts to a stop. Max sees Nugget step out of the car and hops off of his bike, when he runs up to nugget.

            "Hey Nugget, you left you-"
            "Don't call me that, the names... Cotton Eye Joe," Cotton Eye Joe turned to face Max with a smug expression. 
            "You told me to call you Nugget," said Max, confused.
            "I don't know you, now you're clearly unfit to be around my elegant presence." Cotton Eye Joe began walking to his house, Max, in a panic, grabbed Cotton Eye Joe's hat.
            "You're going to talk to me like a person if you want this hat back. Tell me, why are you acting all pissy?" Max asked with an angry tone.
            "I don't want to talk to you, now give me the hat back before we have problems." Cotton Eye Joe threatened.
            "I don't want to have problems either, I just want to return your laptop." Max reached into his bag and pulled out the laptop.
            "That isn't mine. I prefer personal computers," Cotton Eye Joe said. Fancy asshole.
            "You left this laptop at the coffee shop, we sat by each other," Max explains.
            "I don't know who you think I am but I ain't taking that. It isn't mine, so get out of my face. I'm not afraid to fight you," Cotton Eye Joe narrows his eyes as he speaks.
            "If you want to fight," Max sets down the laptop, "Then we will!" Cotton Eye Joe grins and they both up their fists.

            Max lands the first blow, kicking Cotton Eye Joe a few feet back. Cotton Eye Joe makes a quick recovery and jumps on Max's face and lands a few quick blows, Max grabs him and tosses him on the ground and he skids on the concrete. Cotton Eye Joe takes a second to recover, when Max ducks down to punch him. Cotton Eye Joe blocks and grabs Max by the legs, Max hits his head against the concrete and Cotton Eye Joe climbs up to Max (who is already bruised and bloodied), ready to land a blow on his face.

            "What are you two doing!?" A second Nugget joins the chaos, Max has to narrow his eyes to realize that it's Nugget.
            "Wait, are you Nugget?" Max asks, pointing at the second nugget.
            "Yeah, that's my friend Joe! What are you two doing? Can't you just be civilized? I just wanted to stop by a garage sale before I came home! Max, what are you even doing here?" Nugget asks.
            "I just came to return your laptop! You left it at the coffee shop!" Max replies, still bleeding.
            "So that's where it went! Listen, you two are going to come work this out with me inside my house, it's just down the block. I'll get you two fixed up," Nugget insists.
            "Right," says both Max and Joe. They narrow their eyes at each other and walk inside to Nugget's home.