Lets Go Home NOT MAXVID

Chapter 19: Almost done

//I'll just end it at 20 chapters I think? This one where he's in high school. then the next where he's a camp counselor as an adult, I was gonna make a whole other story for adult Max but I'm lazy so I have a vague idea of where this is going. Might make a second book of just like, one shots that I wanted to add but didn't have the time or patience for? Vote on that in the comments or something

//ALSO I made really funny edits at the bottom plz go look at them

It had almost been almost year now, Max was on Christmas break, he'd grown a lot.. Well mentally at least he was still pretty short. He was in his room video chatting with his friends, him Nikki and Neil finally all had their own phones and free time to video chat. "So wait tell what you're doing again?" Neil asked, Max rolled his eyes and hesitantly showed his sketch book, "It's a rough sketch so I dont wanna hear shit but, I'm gonna make some art for something Dads writing. He has these stupid books that he's really into but it's not like he could do anything without my help-" Max had hardly called David 'dad' and it was still a little odd feeling when he said it allowed. He tried not to let it slip around David since last time he nearly cried.

"Awwww you loooovvee himm~" Nikki teased, "Oh! but I love the bear drawing! Give him more fangs! And armor!" Max held back a smile, "I'm trying to make it look less threatening right now, but I'd totally do a commission of a killer bear for you~" Her eyes lit up and you could hear her run out of the room calling out to her mom for enough money to get a killer Gobi bear poster. Only of course to be told 'not now' and she came back and sat down with a huff. 

It was getting late already, they'd been talking for a few hours now, all doing their own thing while catching up about what was going on in their lives. "So are you guys coming to camp next year?" Max asked, a little softer then his usual tone. The two both perked up a little, Nikki shrugged, "I mean probably?" Neil shrugged as well, "I mean it's not like I have any other plans but, aren't we a little old for camp?" 

"You're telling me you'd pick sitting in your room all summer with your dad over setting fires and starting riots at camp, I mean Campbell even snuck in and he's probably as old as all of us combined so fuck the age limit."

David suddenly knocked on Max's door, causing him to quickly shut his sketchbook before telling David he could enter, "Hey Max, I uh.. Me and James were going to set up the tree now if you wanted to help? I could really use a creative eye." David said with a soft smile, Max glanced at David then back to his phone, he didn't want to leave his friends "Oh would you look at that-" Neil said before Max had a chance to say anything. "I have to do uh- A thing, I've gotta go, text you guys later" Nikki nodded, "Yeah me too, I wanna really hassle my mom about what I want this year so she doesn't forget again, bye Max!" 

Max rolled his eyes as he watched them hang up. "Alright you win, I'll help. But not for free-"

"Oh I know~" David said with a smile. "I've got hot chocolate out there for you, and maybe a little something extra." Max smiled a little, "Yknow, you're getting better at this bribery thing." He said as he stood up shoving his phone into his pocket before heading out with David. He looked at David's ugly sweater and laughed a little to himself, but then he saw James's sweater which seemed even more of an eyesore and could hardly hold it back. Soft jolly music was playing in the background as James set the tree into place. David wanted a live tree but Max and James both convinced him that it was too much work to try and keep it alive and not make a mess.

James waved to Max with a little smile as the passed him, David guided Max to the onement box. "James brought some over too, so now we'll have enough to fully cover the tree! This is gonna be so much fun!" Max rolled his eyes and looked though the box, "Oh and uh, I know you're not going to love the idea but.. I was thinking..." David pulled out a small onement, just a small frame on a ribbon but it was missing the picture. "Maybe we could take a picture together and hang it on the tree?" David was sure that Max would say something mean or just ignore him all together but to his surprise Max was thinking it over calmly.. "Yeah sure." He said plainly, to David, and James surprise. "Really?" David smiled wider started to get excited, Max rolled his eyes. "Just dont go over board, one picture is all we're doing got it?"

David nodded happily, "One is all we need!" David set one of his cameras up to take a picture, it was hooked up to his printer so it wouldn't take long to get it into the onement. "Just once thing, if you dont mind Max." He gestured to Max's signature blue hoodie, something that his mother gave him, and he'd work very day since leaving camp.. "It would be nice if we all matched" He said as he pulled out an ugly sweater just for Max., who could help but laugh a little, "You really expect me to wear that trash?" He asked, already hesitant to take his hoodie off for any reason.