Max noticed the others like a bee might notice the unscented white dahlia flower in the middle of a field of strong sweet smelling honeysuckles. He noticed no one but Veti. He didn’t even try. He smelled her like that bee who needed pollen or die. And smell her he did, with his nose, with his hands, with his lips, with his whole body just taking in the scent of her. He had dreamed of this taste of sweetness for so long. Even more. If she was here, if he was here, than he was out. He was out. He wasn’t dead any longer.

Or was he? It was actually Max who after feeling Veti thought perhaps he might be dead. But what did that matter really as long as he wasn’t trapped in death. 

 Thad pushed the thought aside. He was taking in Veti as well. Even more so than Max because he heard her words and felt the weight of them. For so long Thad was sure if Max disappeared, if somehow Thad was able to reserve this spell, Veti would leave him. For good this time. It was Max she loved. He had made the guy just for her after all. Yet as time went by Thad was sure Veti caught sights of him, feels of Thad. She just said so. Right to him she had made it clear she saw all of him. She loved all of him. “You know I love you.” Thad answered nearly creaming his jeans in the thrill of that. 

Ha, Max snorted, so Max like you are. 

Thad pulled Max off in his own way keeping his hands, both of them around, Veti but giving her room to breath to get up to move back to this crowd. Max slowly growled at the retreating hound, or dog. It was Max’s that called to Daisy “You,” He grinned, “get the sewing badge girl scout.” Then he growled again “But shit, don’t ever take me back there again.”

He looked with surprise to Nestor, damn the dude was still hanging around this crowd? He gave the man a small nod as if that was all the appreciation he could muster. As he looked at him he wondered if the guy still had his flask. Shit, he could use a drink.