"Anything, anything and everything," He said, a little bit of pride evident in his voice as he turned to look back at the shop as well, "We repair things, make tools, weapons, intricate and small things occasionally, tons of things." Max looked around for a minute before turning back and facing her, catching himself looking at her eyes once again before he looked away and asked a question to try to make it seem a little less awkward, "So what's your name stranger? I'm Max, metalworker and jack of all trades, at your service."
Royal x Commoner (closed)
"Audi," Audi told him, smiling at the last bit. There was no point in making up a fake name, everyone knew her as Princess Audrianna, and only her siblings called her Audi. "Don't really have any talents unless you count singing and pissing off my parents," she chuckled. "Not that those are useful. I wish I could do something that actually matters like you do."
He smiled, happy to have a name to go with her, "Well, it's nice to meet you Audi." Max chuckled and ran his hand through his hair again, shrugging, "I would count both of those as useful talents, who knows when you'll need to piss of your parents by singing." A small blush again covered his cheeks at the compliment, "My job isn't that important, i mean, it's just metal work."
"But you get to do something that's actually useful to people." Audi gestured enthusiastically at all the items around them. "My parents would never let me do anything like this," she grumbled. "They think I'm supposed to be so fragile and delicate because I'm biologically a girl. My brother is allowed to do all the fun stuff, but he only wants to do the things they allow me to do!" She blushed a little at everything she told him. "Sorry, didn't mean to share that much."
"I mean, I have a little sister, and I wouldn't let her do a job like this in a million years, maybe you and your parents are like me and my sister, we're both just looking out for you and not wanting you to get hurt," He said, shrugging and chuckling, "It's alright, I don't mind people sharing about their lives, it's interesting to me." Max noticed the blush on her cheeks and his smile grew a little, it looked really cute.
“Yeah I guess,” Audi sighed. “But I just wish they wouldn’t protect me so much, you know? I want to be allowed to try new things and to experience the world. But to even get outside without being constantly trailed by bodyguards I have to sneak away.” It probably wasn’t smart to be sharing this much with a stranger, but she didn’t really care anymore. She was tired of being sheltered her whole life, and god damn it she was finally going to make a friend even if it was based on a half-truth. “Anyways, how old is you sister?” She questioned. “I have a twin brother, and a younger sister too. She’s fourteen.”
"She's eight and the sweetest little girl," He said, clearly very fond of his little sister, "And I get wanting to try new things and see the world, though I can't do that for almost the opposite reason." Max shrugged, messing with his hair again.
Audi smiled when he talked about his sister. It was clear that he loved her as much as she loved her little sister. “What’re your life problems?” She teased. “I already unloaded mine onto you, now it’s your turn to return the favor!” She watched him run a hand through his hair, a tiny grin on her face. God he was gorgeous. She didn’t have much time left before she had to go back home, but she was determined to spend all of it with this interesting boy with a voice like honey and eyes filled with warmth.
He laughed and shook his head, causing his hair which he had just dealt with to fall back into his face messily, "Nope, I'll keep all of my complaining to myself. No one needs to hear my life problems, especially a pretty girl like you." Max didn't really realize the compliment he had just given her and he smiled, not bothering to fix his hair again as he was too focused on trying to figure out a way he could try to ask to see Audi again.
His laugh was the most beautiful thing she’d ever heard. So she was grinning widely through most of what he said. But she definitely noticed his “compliment”. And to any other girl it would have been. But she couldn’t help but think.
This was why he was talking to her. Because she was a girl. But tomorrow that might not be true. And if she was male the next time she saw him, would he look at her the same way?
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice the yelling until my later than she should have. And when she did, it was like an electrical shock of reality. Down the street, soldiers marched, looking through shops and calling, “Princess Audrianna?”
Audi’s breath caught, and she turned, panicking slightly, toward Max. Giving him a quick smile, she said, “I gotta go. Parents are going to throw a fit if they find me out here.” With that she took off, running away from the guards.
"Wait! Can I see you again sometime?" He called out of the shop after her, slightly confused by her dramatic leave and not connecting the dots between her leaving when the guards came and her name. Max frowned and stood at the counter for a few more minutes before slowly turning and walking back to his bench. His break was over and he should get back to work, though his thoughts kept drifting to Audi as he picked up the hammer again and started again.
"Next time I can get away!" Audi called back, turning a corner and running out of his sight. With a sigh, she turned onto the next street over, and headed back to the castle. Her thoughts filled with the beautiful boy she had just met. How safe she already felt with him, despite only knowing him a few minutes. Wondering how he would react when he found out she wasn't always a girl.
(timeskip to the next time Audi visits him? After that visit, I have an idea for getting them to spend more time together)
(But I really want to do this next visit before that, Audi's going to be male and I want to see how that plays out)
(Sure! and ok! I'm excited to see how they play out with Audi being a guy :) even being the one controlling Max XD Do you want me to post again or are you just going to hop in again with the next time they meet?)
(I’m just going hop right into it if that’s okay)
Today was definitely a male day. And Audi had to get away. After a whole morning of people calling him Princess, and his mom trying to force him to try on gowns for the ball in a few weeks, he knew he couldn’t stand being here any longer. And this time, he was pissed off enough to take the scissors in his room he used for art, and cut off most of his hair. Before, it had curled to his butt (annoying as hell), but now it hung just above his shoulders. It was messy sure, but it pleased him.
Just like before, he distracted the guards and burst out of the castle, over the bridge, and into the town. A tiny smile curling over his lips, he listened for the sound metal clanging, and followed that. He had wanted to see Max all week, but this was the first chance he could sneak away again. Last time he had gotten back in just enough time to slip into his room and feign innocence. He probably wouldn’t be so lucky again.
(I know i said Audi was female in here and that's just because to Max Audi is still female)
Max was once again back at work, another day of sweat soaking his shirt and making his hair stick to his face. This time the project in front of him was a hitch for a cart and he was equally focused on it. It was almost relaxing to hear the rhythm of the hammer hitting the metal with a clang since it took his mind off of Audi. She had been in his mind all week, her eyes being the one thing he couldn't seem to forget no matter what he did to distract himself. Even playing with his sister, Ria, didn't make him forget those beautiful eyes.
(No yeah I totally get it. I’m actually glad you did it that’s what he actually would have thought :)
Audi turned the corner, and the metalworking shop came into view. He grinned as he saw Max hard at work again, quickening his pace in excitement. He had another hood on today, but all it did was put a little shade over his eyes. His now short hair fell out of the hood, curling around his face. Smirking, he stepped out in front of Max, calling, “Long time no see!”
Max immediately grinned in almost a childish manner as he heard the voice, stopping his work after one final clang, "Audi! Nice to see you again mystery girl!" He turned and walked over to the counter with a bounce in his step, immediately noticing the hair curling around her face, "I didn't think I was going to see you again, what's up?" His shirt was still on this time, but it stuck to him like a second skin, making every movement of his muscle still very visible as he reached up and pushed his hair messily out of his face again.
Audi cringed at being called “girl”. As much as he was happy to see Max, he’d had just about enough of the misgendering. “It’s “boy” today actually,” he corrected. “And as for what’s up… well let’s just say I had to get out of that cas–house.” He hoped Max didn’t notice his slip, although the whole “being a guy today” thing was probably distracting him plenty.
His cute face helped ease Audi’s irritation, and he sunk into the blissful feeling of comfort and safety Max’s eyes brought him.
Max seemed slightly confused at first and he thought over what Audi had just said before the sentence clicked and he nodded, "Ah, alright. Do you still go by Audi then? Just with guy pronouns?" He didn't seem overly shocked or confused about the change and once again he smiled, leaning forward on the counter, "So, I'm a worth person to talk to when you want to get out of the house? I'm honored." It was still Audi with his beautiful eyes and now visible beautiful hair, and Max didn't mind the change, he would just have to be careful to ask Audi if they were a girl or guy whenever they met.
Audi was floored. Completely and utterly floored. Never in his life had someone responded that positively to him telling them about this. His siblings were an exception, though they still needed an explanation. But his mom refused to believe it. She didn't understand, and she wouldn't ever understand. And it killed him. So for this boy in front of him to understand completely after only knowing him less than half an hour made his jaw drop. "I– yeah. Same name, just male pronouns." He said slowly. "How are you so okay with this?" This just made him even more awed by the gorgeous boy ahead of him. How was it possible that he was the one that Audi met all those days ago? How was it possible that he already cared about him way more than he should have?
"I'm honestly not sure," He said with a light laugh, standing back up straight and rubbing the back of his neck, "I mean, in my head it it makes sense, but I can't really explain how any better than you're still the same gorgeous person, just now you're a guy." Max shrugged and his half smile came back as he joked with him, "So, how's it going? I mean, it must be better now that you're back here talking to me."
His laugh made every ounce of irritation and frustration leave his body, and a wide grin replaced them. Audi's cheeks flushed with the compliment, and a smirk grew with the last comment. "Of course," he teased. Then his tone got serious. "You have no idea what you accepting me means to me," he said quietly. "You have no idea how much just talking with you makes me feel like I'm not alone in the world. Thank you." Red streaked his cheeks, and he lowered his eyes, fidgeting with the hem of his tunic. A tiny smirk curling across his lips, he raised his head, and told him, "You're not too bad yourself by the way. I like the hair." His eyes flickered up to the messy, sticking-up-all-over-the-place, hair that was Max's, before landing back on his eyes. "You sure know how to woo a guy."
"I'm glad I can be of assistance, you're welcome," He said, his tone gentle. With Audi's last two comments he had to laugh though, making a show of messing with his hair again, "I'll have to make sure to have it extra messy whenever I see you then." Talking with Audi felt so natural and easy, and his beautiful eyes just made the whole thing better, especially paired with the smirk that was now on his face. Hot damn, that smirk was the final thing that alerted Max to the fact that he cared way too much about this boy he had spent less than a few hours with. He matched it with one of his own and tried to pull off a careless shrug, "What can I say, it's a natural charm. You seem to know the secret to wooing a guy as well though."
Audi laughed, a melodic sound he hadn't done much lately. "I try." He winked. His eyes came to rest on Max's, and he seemed to look further, seeing something deeper in him he hadn't seen in anyone else. Something sweet, and kind, and caring, and safe. Right then Audi knew that whatever had caused them to meet each other, was fate. They were supposed to meet. And Audi couldn't be more grateful for it. "Anyways." He flashed a grin, before tearing his eyes and letting them sweep over Max's work space. "What are you working on today?"
"A hitch, for one of the local farmers carts. Theirs broke earlier this week and I've been working on it," He replied, glancing back at his workspace as well and shrugging, "Plus a few things to keep myself busy while things are slow. Wanna see them?" Max rarely let anyone see what he was working on or go over by his worktable, and normally he wouldn't let Audi actually go to his table, but he had a feeling in his gut that he could trust him and his musical laugh and beautiful eyes.
"Really?" Audi's eyes brightened. "You'd let me see?" He grinned widely, thinking back to the dagger he had seen when he had met Max. How beautifully crafted it was. If what he was working on now was anywhere near as good as that, Audi was going to be very impressed. From what he could tell of Max so far, he was an amazing metalworker, and genuinely loved it too, and he couldn't wait to see what else this gorgeous boy had made.
"Yeah, you just have to not touch anything without asking, and I'll warn you now it's pretty warm if someone opens the furnace so beware," He said, chuckling lightly and motioning for him to walk around the counter and follow him, "You'll also get to meet my brother Liam, if he's back there and not out making out with his girlfriend." His worktable looked terribly messy, and to a degree it was, though if you looked close enough there was a pattern of were everything went. The projects and metal scraps were what made it look messy, as they were scattered around and piled up, half made things scattered around that Max never got to finishing yet.