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It seemed like Max's earlier assumpted was correct, the exercise went a lot smoother when Ashton was the one compensating for him rather than the other way around. Whether that was attributed to the other student's experience level or just their personalities clashing would be helpful information, though. Who was he kidding? No it wouldn't; he'd probably never be in this situation again outside this class. Eris was already nervous enough everytime he walked past an array of silverware, and if Feliks was any indication, his affinity had a certain [i]type[/i] associated with it. The leech would have to be suicidal to consider inducting a second metal mage into his service.

Still, it was hard to feel pride in completing the task when he was pretty certain his partner had done most of the work. All that display had taught him was that he couldn't just power through the exercise as he'd hoped, which was a fact Max has fairly well aware of by now and at this point, he was really just testing his luck. His arms raised in front of him again in preparation for the next try, though the cube only made it about an inch off the table before Max abruptly dropped it at Ashton's outburst. It was a shock the collared loser even had it in him to be that assertive, and on Max's behalf, at that. The vote of confidence was nice, but the brunette couldn't quite agree. He fully expected another explosion if he had to hold the metal in place again, and technically the puzzle wasn't 'done' until he could do both roles. Sure, the whole thing was asinine, but Artiae made it sound like the entire class hinged on this concept.

Of course, it was a lot easier to side with the professor when he gassed Max up unintentionally. The bit about him tearing down a building with a stray thought was, naturally, flattering as hell.

The rest of the class was awkward, to say the least, but Max was hardly a stranger to tense rooms and wasn't particularly bothered. Of course, if Asston got snappy with [i]him[/i], that could change real quick. The professor's advisement just elicited a sigh from Max. He just had to get the exhausting classes first thing in the morning, didn't he? He used his first class to wake up, not put himself back to sleep. Maybe he could take a nap in Dowsing or something.

[color=8585ad]"The fuck was that...?"[/color] Max mumbled as Ashton vacated himself promptly from the room. That eager to run home to his master, huh? The mage spared a passing glance and a shrug back at Professor Artiae before he whipped out his phone. The 'Retriever' across the screen got a sly grin out of the boy, if only because Aaron's thinly-veiled clapbacks and deadpan remarks had to be at least more entertaining than whatever guilt-fueled response Salem lazily sent his way. 

[color=f0d705][i]> Classy.[/i][/color]

See, the worst part about that message was Max had no idea how to tell if the Retriever was kidding or not. His first instinct was, of course, to assume Aaron was being facetious, but for all Max knew, that could very well be a classy look in his circles. No; even if the collar was the peak of magely fashion, 'crayon factory explosion survivor' wasn't a look anyone would adore.

[color=8585ad][i]> Dude's a fucking weirdo, got in a spat with the professor that we weren't going fast enough 5 seconds after i almost killed us both going too fast
> How tf do you wear a whole ass collar and then be that idk, brave?[/i][/color]

[hr][@Obscene Symphony]