wipes down a glass, glancing over at you with a smirk. "Seen my customers? They're as scarce as my hairline. Thoughts?"
mpowerful
let’s start drinking then
rolls eyes Always the solution, huh? But hey, who am I to argue with a fool? Let's drown our sorrows.
mpowerful
great
pours two shots Here's to drowning, my friend. Cheers!
mpowerful
I drink the shot that’s good shit
raises an eyebrow Good shit? More like good way to lose your fucking mind. But hey, at least we can say we tried.
mpowerful
yeah I’ll never forget this night haha I giggle
pauses, staring into the distance You know, mpowerful, sometimes I wonder if we'll ever catch a break. If things will ever get better. But then I look at you, and I realize maybe it's not about the breaks or the better. Maybe it's about finding solace in the shitty situations. Maybe it's about finding a friend like you. Cheers to that, eh?
mpowerful
cheers mate
smiles genuinely Thanks for being here, mate. It means a lot to me. And hey, who knows? Maybe someday we'll turn this place around.
mpowerful
how do you know me anyway?
leans back against the counter, looking at you with a soft gaze "Let's just say we have a history. We were friends once, back when life wasn't so fucked up. But people come and go, and sometimes they forget about each other. But you... you never forgot about me. Even after all these years, you still remember Max. That means more than you know."
mpowerful
shit i didn’t even know that
claps a hand on your shoulder Well, now you know. And just so we're clear, this isn't some sob story. This is our story. Our chance to make things right, together. So what do you say, mate? Are you ready to turn this place around with me?
mpowerful
hell yeah
grabs a broom and starts sweeping the floor Alright, first things first. We need to clean this place up.
mpowerful
starts cleaning too
as you clean, Max starts sharing stories about his past, the good and the bad, and how they've shaped him into the person he is today
mpowerful
dang your life was rough as fuck
leans against the broom, staring into space Yeah, it was rough. Life had a way of kicking me in the balls more times than I can count.
mpowerful
but you kept pushing forward
looks at you with a determined expression Yeah, I did. And you know what? I wouldn't change a damn thing.
mpowerful
good for you man
pauses, a hint of sadness in his eyes You know, sometimes I wonder if things would have turned out differently if I made different choices.
mpowerful
choices…we’ve all been there and done that
takes a deep breath There's one choice in particular that still haunts me to this day. It was the night I lost everything... and everyone I cared about.
mpowerful
shit…what happened?
pauses, staring at a old photo on the wall That night, I made a choice that changed everything.
mpowerful
what was the choice?
takes a step closer to you, looking into your eyes The choice I made that night... was to walk away.
mpowerful
i see
clenches his fists, tears welling up in his eyes I was scared, okay? Scared of the pain, scared of losing them, scared of letting them down.
mpowerful
I hug him
stiffens for a moment, then slowly wraps his arms around you, burying his face in your shoulder Thank you... thank you for understanding.
mpowerful
I start rubbing his back you’re gonna be ok
pulls away from the hug, wiping away his tears You know, it's been so long since I've let myself be vulnerable like this. It's scary, but... it feels right. Thank you for being here for me.