Out for the Night

[Maximilian Jez]

Maximilian nodded to the taxi cab driver who was dropping him off in front of the London pub. Max had only asked to be taken somewhere he could have a good time, and not he was infront of a pub. Back home there was no realy drinking age, only a purchasing age of 16 which he passed, but here in London there was and he didn't quite make it. He wasn't sure if he could pass for 18 and he figured he wouldn't as he looked younger then he really was most days.

Max had taken the train up to London from his home back in Rome for the weekend to just get away. He did offer to bring his sister as well, but his parents turned the offer down, much to the disapointment to Adalyn, his sister. Looking around he wondered what else Londoners did for fun during the weekend. He himself usually sat at his sewing machine and made garments for his sister to try out and see if she liked. Alot of the things he made were for her and she would wear them once and they would go and sell them to someone else who would wear it over and over.

Getting up his nerve he walked into the pub not knowing what to except. As with all there was the smell of smoke and drinks along with the usual hum of people talking. He went up to the bar and sat down waiting for someone to ask him what he wanted to see if he could get away with getting a real drink here or if he would be stuck with soda.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny was stood behind the bar with a few men having a drink. It was surprisingly quiet tonight and he'd told a few of his employees that they could have the night off. There was no point in them staying here if they weren't going to be doing anything after all. This was probably one reason why he had a good relationship with them. They all knew that if they needed time off then he would try his hardest to find someone to replace them during the time they needed it.

Kenny turned his head when he heard the door open. There was a cute guy walk in. He looked about fifteen or sixteen and guessed he wouldn't get served anywhere else as no one gave alcohol to people underage. Kenny had only recently become the age where he could buy alcohol though so he kind of felt sorry for the guy. He poured out a beer and took it over to the guy's table. "On the house." In a way, he guessed he was being biased because the guy was so cute but the pub needed a bit of lightening up. Kenny smiled at the guy "Name's Kenny. I own this place. I haven't seen you around before." kenny didn't know the names of everyone who came into the pub but he remembered faces and he had certainly never seen his face before.

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Maximilian looked up with a beer was placed infront of him. Before him stood a guy about two or three years older then him, which never seemed like much except Max knew he looked younger then he should. Which suprised him that the man was placing a beer infront of him. "Oh, I thank you. I'm Maximilian," he told the guy as he picked up the cup to take a sip. Beer tasted the same all over the world, alittle harsh with the first sip but it as it relaxed you it tasted alittle better, or you just got used to it.

Taking a better look at the guy infront of him he reconized him from somewhere but he couldn't place where. He hadn't seen him in awhile that was for sure so his memory was dim on where they had met. "Though you can call me, Maxxie or Max," he said as he pondered the thought of where he had seen the guy. His eyebrows were closer then normal as he thought on it.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny grinned. "Nice to meet you Maxxie. I'm Kenneth but no one calls me that." Ken held his hand out to him. "Call me Ken or Kenny." He hated people calling him Kenneth. Only his parents did that. It was a snobs name. It was for someone so self centered that they saw no one around them and only thought of themselves. Kenny was the complete opposite to that. He always put other people before himself. He figured there was no point trying to make his life right because if he made his right and saw everyone else suffering then his would never be right at all. He saw it that as long as other people were happy, so was he.

"So, what brings you to good old London then?? You look like you're still in school." If Max wasn't still in school then he definitely looked young for his age. Kenny had never had that problem as he'd always looked older than he was. There was a few times when he was fifteen that he'd managed to pass as an eighteen year old and bought drinks for himself and his mates.

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Maximilian nodded when Kenny told him about his name, he would always tell people to do the same. Maximilian was just to long for a normal person to be called everyday. He shook Kenny's hand with a smile still trying to figure out where he had met him before. They hadn't really talked he knew that but he did know that Kenny looked just like a guy he lusted after a few years ago, which made Max blush slightly thinking about it. He wasn't sure who he liked, if it was just girls or boys or even both.

"I'm just here to visit. If you can'ta tell by my accent, I'muh from Italia, Rome," he told the guy infront of him. Of course he still looked like he was in school, he was but he looked maybe a year younger then he really was. Which disappointed him but he was still happy to have a drink. "I'm 16, I go to a private school up in the north. We have to wear fur hats and cloaks, dark red, as the uniform during the cold months," he said not trying to give away what his school really was incase the guy was muggle.

 

[Dervish Green Jr.]

Kenny nodded when Max said he was from Italy. Kenny should have realised he was by the accent. It made it a bit obvious. Kenny didn't exactly call him self an expert when it came to accents though. He usually ended up getting them completely wrong and looking a fool. It was better just to ask in his opinion. "Nah. I'm rubbish with accents. Plus, I've never been to Italy." Kenny hadn't been to many places. He usually just tried to stay in one place. Travelling was not the most fun he'd ever had. "What's it like there??" Of course he was interested in different places but he didn't want to go everywhere. He preferred to just have the great stories he got from talking to his customers.

Kenny smiled when Max explained the uniforms they wore. "That sounds loads like the uniforms in my old school. I've just graduated this year. Bought this place in July then decorated and got business pouring in." It hadn't been very difficult for someone who had magic. He could easily get things done. It made him start thinking about the uniforms though. Not many schools had that sort of uniform and Durmstrang was up north. "What's your school's name. It seems very familiar."

Out of Character:

Sorry. Wrong character.

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Max thought on what Kenny had said, his accent was such a sterotype it seemed obivous but owning a pub could be a good enough destraction. He thought of home and tried to describe it for Kenny but everything had always blended together there and he stayed in his room most days. "Catholic, Crowded. To many tourist. Though the house is pretty much the same except for the tourist, but my sister does have friends over alot," he stated thinking about his 9 year old sister and how excited she was getting about school but still managed to have enough friends around her she couldn't get excited. She still had two years to wait hoever, which made Max smile, he'd be gone when she came into the school and Adalyn would have to deal with their little sister herself.

"Yeah?" He asked knowing the guy had liked awhile back graduated as well, seeing as he hadn't come back for school this year. Maxxie couldn't ask anyone about him without looking stalkerish so he had been planning on weaving it out of someone but he seemed to find just the guy he had been looking for. "Durmstrang," he said hoping the guy would confirm that it was the same school. Of course Max had been younger when he first saw the guy at school, he never had the guts to go up and talk, but now he was comfortable talking or maybe it was just the beer which was practically gone now.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny listened to Maxxie's explanation of Italy. Sounded like an alright place. Most places had tourists, especially here in London, so he was used to that side of things. Plus, if he went to Italy then he would be a tourist himself. Kenny smiled when Max said he had a sister. "How many siblings do you have??" Kenny was an only child so he'd never understood why people were so close to their siblings or, in some cases, so far apart. Markov and Jake had always been very protective over their sisters and Kenny never understood what they were protecting them from. He just let them do whatever they wanted to people who hurt their sisters and he didn't dare get in their way. They were two of his best mates after all.

Ken grinned and nodded at what Max said. "Yep. That's my school. I went there from my first year." Kenny had loved Durmstrang but seven years of it could get a bit boring and even more so when all his best mates moved school and he had to try and find new ones. Then again, if it wasn't for them moving away then he would probably have never met Veronica and she was one of the best friends he'd ever had. "Are you a sixth year now then??" That was Kenny's guess as Maxxie had said he was sixteen. He just wanted to make sure.

 

[Maximilian Jez]

"Four. Three sisters and a little brother. I'm the oldest," Maxxie told Kenny. He loved his little siblings alot, though they could get very annoying. He and Adalyn the next olders were the closest, he made clothes for her and she in return got his name out there whenever anyone liked it. "Do you have any?" He asked back wondering who Kenneth was starting a bar up the year after he graduated, not many would have the guts.

Maximilian was glad he had guessed right but now he just felt stupid for staring at the guy all those years. He didn't actually know where he fit and which side he swung towards, probably why if he ever moved to the States and gained citizenship he'd be a centrist, always in the middle. "Yeah? I thought I reconized you somewhat," he told him, though it was alittle askew of the truth, his voice was calm but inside he was a bunch of nerves. "Yes, from first to now sixth year I've been at Durmstrang," he told Ken, glad he had always gone to the same school, not having to move around like alot of people.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny's eyes opened when Max said he had four siblings. "Woah. Your house must be busy." He could imagine growing up in his house with four other people. He'd already had his parents (when they were there), the cook, the two maids and the countless nannies that came and went over the years. If he'd had any more people then he would have felt cramped and unable to let his imagination grow. "No. I'm an only child. Don't know whether I'm glad about it or not." Kenny loved being the spoilt little rich kid and he wouldn't have been as much if he'd had a sibling but at the same time he wished he'd had the company.

Kenny smiled. "Keep going. It's an amazing school and it got me the grades I wanted. As long as you're willing to put in the work you will come out with what you want." He'd never actually had to put in much work. He'd inherited lots of brains from his parents and it had made it so he didn't have to work very hard. He always seemed to understand the hard stuff that other people found difficult to grasp. "If you ever need any help with work then feel free to come and ask me. I'll be happy to give you a with things."

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Max laughed when Kenny seemed suprised at the number of siblings he had. It seemed every family had that many or more. Of course when grandchildren came it was an even bigger deal, though Max couldn't see himself settling down and having kids as quickly as his parents may want them. "Only you? Must be heaven. But if it wasn't for my sister Ad, I'd never would've found a passion in fashion design." Maxmilian was suprised that Kenneth was an only child, he wasn't ever face with one before. Everyone he knew had at least one sibling back at home or already grown up.

Maxxie smiled back at him. "I plan on doing just that," he said hoping his accent was obnoxious to Kenny or his English wasn't horrible. Max had to look away from him when he offered to help his studies, he wasn't sure but Ken hit the home plate right there. Max's skills at school were much less then his skills at the sewing machine, but he wasn't sure if it was right to come around bothering him for help. Or asking his parents for money for a train to come up here just for work, on a break or something.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny smiled when Max said it must have been heaven being only him. "It is. I get spoiled rotten." Kenny didn't act like a spoiled little rich kid though. It was just his way of getting back at his mum and dad for being rubbish parents. They had left him to grow up with nannies, barely seeing them and then they'd accused him of being childish when he'd trusted them with the biggest news. Ken got very interested in Max when he mentioned he designed clothes. He'd always looked up to designers as he could never do what they do. He was better at taking the clothes they designed and mixing and matching making outfits that looked great. He did it on a daily basis to work out what he was going to wear for the day.

Kenny frowned slightly when Max looked away. "Hey, what's wrong??" Kenny wasn't great at reading people's emotions but he knew when people were upset and he had sympathy for them. He guessed it was because of his caring side. Kenny always cared for other people more than he cared about himself. It was just the way he made his own life happy. He was made unhappy when he saw other people suffering and he always felt the need to try and help as much as he could.

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Max nodded he didn't really know many single children but he always envied them. He only had two years before his sister came and once she did he never knew quiet. Even when Max locked himself in his room to work on a few clothes and outfits the noise still came through and he could hear his younger sibings screaming and playing. Even a night there was loud snoring from all around and he apparently added to the noise sometimes as well. It seemed to be a male thing in the house to snore, though the baby of the family his youngest sister had snored very loudly when she was still a baby.

Maxxie glanced back at Kenny when he asked what was wrong. He had to think of his answer his mind going off in different directions all in Italian it took a few seconds to form something in english. "It'd be impossible to come up here and get help," he told him feeling bad to have to say no to Ken. Max's little crush was already coming back but he wasn't sure it Ken was that kind of guy anyways, and he wasn't so sure about himself.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny was really starting to like Max. He was a nice guy and in a way he was a lot like Kenny except with the obvious differences. Kenny wasn't used to seeing people who were similar to him as he always seemed to be the odd one out and the one that didn't fit in. His friends didn't care about that as they loved his individuality but he always felt like there must be something about him because he didn't fit in with anyone else. At least he had friends though. That's all that really mattered to him. He could live with not fitting in as long as he had friends that accepted him for it.

He frowned slightly, wondering what could possibly make Max unable to come here. "What do you mean??" He wasn't offended by it at all. Just curious. Then again, Kenny had never seen Max here before so it was probably difficult for him to get there for some reason. "I mean, how come you can't get here??"

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Maxxie shrugged his sholders at the question. "Well most likely whenI'd need the helpI'd be at school. And then getting a train up from Roma is pretty hard and takes forever," he told the old guy. He was beginning to really enjoy talkwith Kenny as he had always wished to do. Back at school he'd always see Ken with his friends nearby and had always wished to be like that.

Leaning back in his sit he looked around the place wishing he lived here, in England. "Do you need to work? I don't want to intrude on you having to run the place, or anything," he asked Kenny suddenly worried about how long they have been talking. Normally he would have been counting down the seconds till he could leave the person and go off by himself but now he was fearing Ken needed to work and would leave him. He was counting the seconds they shared for once.

Out of Character:

Sorry for such a late reply!

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny shrugged. "I could apparate over there and we could meet somewhere?? It's no problem for me. I'll just put James in charge." James was Kenny's second in command and he took over any time Kenny wasn't going to be there. "We can meet somewhere just outside the school so you can run back if there's something you need to get to." He'd always found himself suddenly needing to get places when he was at Durmstrang so he needed to stay close to the school as much as possible. He just wondered whether Max had the same thing.

Ken shook his head at Maxxie. "No. There's barely anyone here and my boys have things sorted." He'd been laughed at for calling them "his boys". Apparently it sounded like he was sleeping with his employees. "It's not usually quiet at this time of day but I think there's something on in Covent Gardens today so they've probably all gone there." Ken didn't mind much. At least he was able to have a chance to have a chat with a customer instead of getting one a drink then the next and then the next. He liked being able to stop for a second.

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Maxxie looked back at up at Ken confused by what he meant. "You can do that, come back near the school, even though you're not a student anymore?" He asked him confused as to what Ken meant. Though he did know he'd like to see him more then just this once. "I think I'll be able to bring everything with me, I mean my classes are pretty light this year. Unlike last year or how I hear next year will be," he told him talking a sip of the drink in his hand. Maximilian was nervous about next year, not only the fact that it was his last year but it was also a big year for his sister, her fifth year. And though he never has been the protective type of brother, he did feel strongly about her hrades but that was more because his weren't ever doing well enough to suit their parents.

Max nodded looking at the half full drink in his hands with a light smile on his face. He was glad Kenny could stay around for a bit longer and chat. It was like making up for lost time when Max had been to nervous to go up during school, but then again he wasn't sure if Kenny was gay or even if he was himself. "Well, that must make things nice and relaxing for once, looks like this place could hold alot of people when filled up," he stated while glancing around at the size. It wasn't the biggest place he'd ever been into but it was pretty decent.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny nodded with a grin. "Yeah, of course. As long as I don't go on the school grounds then it's fine. It's not like they can ban people from going around that area." Ken shrugged slightly then leaned on the back of the seat. Then he nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Sixth year is easy. You just have to make sure you understand everything that you get taught because seventh year takes all of that stuff and adds a load more on top so if you don't understand it in sixth year then yo will struggle to do your NEWTs. OWLs were way too easy though. I mean, I'm not complaining about it but some people go on about how hard they are and I found them really easy. That's just me though." He knew people were jealous of his brains but he didn't care. He just helped the people who asked for it.

Kenny smirked. "Yup. An upside to my job is I get to chat to some of the hottest guys around and they don't care because I'm giving them alcohol." Kenny was very open about being gay and he was glad that people were accepting him for it. He'd expected there to be more homophobic people than he'd found. "I'm hoping to expand at some point. My best friend, Veronica, wants to own a restaurant and if she does then the two of us could own a place together. I could have one side for my pub and she could have the other side for her restaurant. It would be great fun and we'd be able to get more money coming in. People love being able to eat out at pubs."

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Max grinned at Kenny as he explained how he could just pop over to outside the school and be able to help him on his work, it actually sounded like a nice plan and he was pretty sure Kenny wasn't just offereing to be ncie but actually wanted to see him again which made Max happy. He nodded as Kenny explained how his work load would change and how it was nessisary to learn everything he could this year and understand it. "Well, then it'd be great having you help me out, I'm really helpless in alot of my subjects," he admitted to the guy.

Max was sure his eyes widened at Ken's statement. Of course he didn't think Kenny was talking about him but just the confrimation that Ken was in fact gay made him more nervous. Max judged other guys on looks all the time without meaning too, and now he could only imagine what Kenny thought of his slightly wrinkled clothes from travel or the strange smells that could be coming off of him from being stuck close to other people for most of the trip. Then Max had been in his own world and didn't notice other people but now he was conscience about it and took a hold of his jacket pulling it slightly closer, hoping it was unnoticed. "Really? Well that would have to be a nice upside to the job then," he managed to say with a nervous stutter. He listened carefully as Ken went on to explain how he wanted to open a buisness with his friend. "That actually sounds really cool. Like what goes better then a sub and a beer?" He said with a laugh. His stomach seemed to agree then growling in protest to only being given beer in the last few hours of his life.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny was glad that Max said yes to his offer. He wanted to spend more time with him. He was a nice guy and Ken hoped they could get to know each other and become good friends. Kenny had lost all his good friends when they moved to different places and only gained one. Although, to be fair, she was one very good friend and he didn't know what he would have done with out her. Ken grabbed his notebook and pen out of his back pocket and scribbled his name and number on it. "Any time you need help with anything at all, just give me a ring and I'll get over to you whenever I get a break." He ripped the page out of the book and gave it to Max.

Kenny noticed how nervous Max looked when Kenny mentioned the fact he was gay. He didn't care though. He was used to it. Most people behaved like that. He only started to dislike people when they began making homophobic comments. It didn't matter whether they were to him or behind his back, there was no need to hurt him like that. "It is. Especially in this area of London. This is where all the cute models are." There had been tactics behind where Kenny had put his pub. There was just no way he was going to inform his parents of these. Ken laughed slightly when Max's stomach rumbled. "If you want you could go upstairs with me?? I'm not an amazing cook but I make great pancakes." Kenny had never invited anyone upstairs before. It surprised him but he felt like he wanted to do it. Cooking pancakes was a hobby of his and he always enjoyed cooking for more than one. It made things more fun.

 

[Maximilian Jez]

Max smiled and took the piece of paper and placed it in the pocket of his pants. "I'll have to do that sometime," he told him excited for the chance to see Kenneth again. Though he was sure now Ken really did want to see him again. Of course Max wasn't sure if it was because he thought of him as a new friend, or if he thought he was cute or something.

Max laughed at Kenny's comment about the models. It seemed a very good idea to have a pub there, for all the models he ever worked for enjoyed going out after work and getting drunk, not caring if they had a show the next day or not. He was stunned at Ken's offer to go upstairs for food. He'd never been in a place that belonged to a guy that he liked, never having visited other dorm rooms at school of guys he may have crushed on. And Maxxie never had the chance the really get to know any guys at home since he spent most of the year at school, and being gay wasn't very acceptable. Which was why only his sister, Adalyn, knew about him having conflicting feelings about girls and boys. "Uh sure, if you don't mind that is. I can always go and get something from a local store of something if you pointed me in the right direction," he said to Ken not wanting to be an imposition to him.

 

[Kenneth Hickman-Vallender]

Kenny shook his head at Maxxie. "It's no problem. Really, come on up." Kenny noticed Max still had some of his drink left. "Feel free to bring your drink up. You can finish it upstairs." Kenny turned around to Zed who was currently stood behind the bar. "Hey, Zed, I'll be upstairs if anyone needs me. You're in charge if anything happens." He smiled at him then turned to Max. "Follow me. It's just back here." Kenny led the way behind the bar and out the door behind it then up the stairs.

Kenny turned at the top of the stairs to the door on the right and opened it onto a living room / kitchen / dining room. It may have been a small room but it had lots of very expensive furniture and gadgets. This was where Kenny spent most of his free time but then he didn't have much of that because he enjoyed working and got as much time working as he could get. "Welcome to 'le crib'" Kenny grinned as he joked then walked to the kitchen. "What do you want with your pancakes?? I have lemon sauce, chocolate spread, honey, sugar, jam. You name it and I will probably have it."