[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/60169326-d55e-4adf-8f6d-dfd795abf6f2.png[/img][/center][right][sub]Collab with [@Obscene Symphony][/sub][/right][hr]
[color=ccff99]"Right, then. You're free to do as you please so long as you watch my little Maxie. She needs to be taken out every four to five hours, will need to eat at least one more time before she goes to bed, and has to be brushed at least once so that she gets used to the sensation. Everything you need will be in a red bag sitting on the kitchen counter--and she'll be very anxious so make sure she stays with you and sleeps in your room whenever you call it a night."[/color]

What an annoying laundry list. It wasn't much in actuality, but the way Eris rattled it off made it sound like he'd be busy all night. Couldn't he just tie the little rodent to a post outside and leave it at that? The leech hurried off before Max could give him a piece of his mind, which was unfortunate considering Max had genuinely intended to thank him for the focus. Oh well.

The mage made his way to the curb to head home when he had the wonderful realization that Eric conveniently forgot to tell him where home [i]was[/i]. If Morrigan was no longer his partner, Max would have no reason to stay with him, and he sincerely doubted the [i]vampires[/i] would be the ones who had their housing situations altered before the mages. Was he supposed to ask someone? Were campus services even still open? Even then, who would he ask? Was there like a housing department?

Aside from wandering around campus with this stupid dog in his arms like an aimless idiot looking for someone to answer his questions, Max really only had one reliable source of information at this point; as much as it pained him to even think of it like that. Regretfully, he pulled out his phone and scrolled down to ‘Retriever’ in his contacts. He [i]could’ve[/i] texted him, but some people were sporadic about answering in a timely fashion. Big guns, then. His finger hovered over the call button briefly as he tucked Maxie awkwardly under his arm and, with a heavy sigh, he pressed it and put the phone to his ear.

There were a few rings before Aaron answered. [color=f0d705]“Hello? Max?”[/color] he greeted, sounding surprised.

[color=8585ad]“Hey. Our… [i]mutual friends[/i] ditched me with this stupid dog and Eric- err, Eris forgot to tell me where his dorm even is. Is there somebody I ask about that?”[/color] Max grumbled back into the phone, starting on a casual stroll down the street. He didn’t want to be anywhere near that apothecary shop in case the employee from earlier came out to pet the dog or pester him with more questions.

There was some muffled talking on the other end of the line. [color=f0d705]“...The administrative building is probably your best bet, sounds like that’s where the student housing offices are,”[/color] Aaron finally replied. [color=f0d705]“Do you happen to know where our… friends went off to?”[/color]

Great, he’d get to have some petty functionary chide him over not knowing where to go. And what happened to his old dorm? Did some leech go through all his stuff? He’d heard about someone else’s dorm getting raided the night before, was this the same type of situation?

[color=8585ad]“Dunno. Probably some tea party where they can gossip more or whatever le- vampires do in their spare time. Eris looked pretty happy but he had some stupid actor persona on the whole time so I couldn’t tell if it was genuine.”[/color] On second thought, the vampire kind of implied he wouldn’t be back that night given the list of tasks Max was given, [color=8585ad]“My guess is your dorm, Eris acted like he was spending the night.”[/color] He refused to read into that. Especially with Cinnamon involved.

[color=f0d705]“Ah-hah…”[/color] Aaron hummed. [color=f0d705]“Thanks for the heads-up. Did you ever find out what happened to your first partner? Maybe administration can shed some light on that as well.”[/color] He paused. [color=f0d705]“Could be that your dorm didn’t change, although I somehow doubt Mr. Samael would agree to moving into a second-hand dorm.”[/color]

Max let out an audible groan at the reminder, [color=8585ad]“No idea. Eris said he bought me out or something along those lines. Guess I’m quality merchandise or something,”[/color] That joke would’ve probably gone smoother if he wasn’t talking to [i]actual[/i] quality merchandise. Plus, his delivery was flat as always. [color=8585ad]“Supposing my dorm did change, did they go through all my stuff or am I expected to collect it myself?”[/color] He didn’t really have anything important in his room, but it was the principle that mattered. 

[color=f0d705]“...I’d expect they moved it,”[/color] Aaron replied hesitantly, [color=f0d705]“but either way, I’m sure a visit to the housing office would be smart. Did Mr. Samael give you any tasks in the meantime?”[/color]

Max gave the dog squirming under his arm a quick glance. [color=8585ad]“Feed the dog and make sure it doesn’t shit in the house. Why, did you need my help licking Varis’ boots clean?”[/color] He knew it was uncalled for the moment he said it, but Eric wasn’t around for him to yell at so he’d settle for taking it out someone else. [color=8585ad]“That was a joke,”[/color] Max added flatly as a half-apology. It wasn’t.

There was a bit of a confused stutter and a sigh on the other end of the line, but Aaron didn’t comment. Mostly. [color=f0d705]“Is there anything else you need my help with? Kick-starting lethargic magic, for example? I [i]just[/i] now thought of a new technique you could try.”[/color] 

Was that a counter-jab? Decisions, decisions. Max could spill the secret right now, but he sort of wanted his debut to be a bit more dramatic. Maybe stabbing a guy. 

Ew, he sounded like Eris there.

He let out a ‘pfft’ noise in response, aiming to sound equal parts dismissive and amused. Now he was [i]really[/i] sounding like Eris. [color=8585ad]“I think I’ll be alright. Gotta make these professors earn their tenure somehow, right? Thanks, though. Really.” [/color]

There was a muffled chuckle on Aaron’s end, but his reply was sincere. [color=f0d705]“No problem. Let me know if you have any more trouble, I’ll see what I can do.” [/color]

[color=8585ad]“Right, I’ll forward you my complaint letter before the princess gets it so you can tell me my wording was too harsh. Oh, and give Eris a hard time for me if you get home and he’s sitting there.”[/color] Poor Retriever would be stuck with them all morning. Max almost felt bad. Almost. [color=8585ad]“Bye.”[/color]

[color=f0d705]“Have a good night.”[/color]

Max slipped his phone back into his pocket and lifted Maxie up to eye level. [color=8585ad]"Well, you heard him. Let's go find the administrative building."[/color] The thing had the audacity to lick his nose. He took that as an 'okay'. [color=8585ad]"Right,"[/color] he muttered as he slipped the dog back under his arm and headed for the bus stop.

[hr][@Hero] (sort of?)