<strong>Maximillian Guntherstadt -- Employee commons -- Suddenly distracted</strong><br/><br/>'<em>As expected, three times a  moron</em>,' Max thought derisively as he watched Cobblepot fumble with his rag and glasses and mumble to himself. He put the fellow out of his mind and was about to spread out his tools and begin work on upgrading the Common Room's intercom system when he caught sight of Beatrice entering the room. His mouth suddenly felt much dryer and he quickly turned away from her, speaking over his shoulder. "Ah, Miss MacNally.<em>Guten abend</em>. You are having a pleasant evening, I trust?"<br/><br/>With supreme focus and precision, Max laid out his tools and began removing the com system's casing, carefully keeping his eyes away from Beatrice. Of course, that didn't stop him from listening very intently as she bustled about the room, gathering the accoutrements for her meal. Which led to him not paying quite as much attention as he should have been when he started turning the adjustable wrench in the wrong direction on one of the rusted old bolts, tightening it almost to the point of stripping it instead of loosening it as he intended to. Thankfully, before the casing was damaged the wrench slipped its grip and sent his good hand crashing against the wall.<br/><br/>Max bit his lip to keep from shouting, and rubbed his sore knuckles against his pant leg before turning to see if Beatrice had noticed the ruckus. The woman seemed distracted enough, and he had no wish to add to her stress just now. He had no idea why she seemed to affect him so, and even less why it didn't bother him so much. Certainly she was beautiful, but what woman in this place wasn't? But unlike the others that pranced and scurried about, Miss MacNally was most definitely possessed of a mind -- and the will to use it. In his experience, that was a most rare combination to find.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=89547.msg3980214#msg3980214">Quote from: Sasha on 06-12-2010, 04:13:11</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"><strong><br/>" You boys had some Stew ?  If not I can dish us all up some .....and we have some nice warm bread been delivered as well . " </strong> <br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Maximillian's stomach growled like an irritated wildcat, and he licked his lips both at the notion of a warm meal, and of sharing it with Beatrice. Unfortunately, he had little faith in his withered conversational skills and even less desire to make a fool of himself in front of her, and so decided to decline her most kind offer.<br/><br/>"Ah,<em>nein</em>, Miss MacNally,<em>danke</em>. I am...not hungry just now," he said absently as he tried to keep his thrice-cursed stomach from betraying the lie. Before he could return his full attention to the task at hand, however, he was utterly stunned by Cobblepot's outburst.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=89547.msg3980291#msg3980291">Quote from: ArtemisHighmore on 06-12-2010, 04:36:23</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote"> "Ummm, no, I should get back to my work. Oh, on a side note... miss Beatrice, if you ever feel like being my muse...lover... damn it, I mean subject for a portrait please stop by. Excuse me, must run."<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>His eyes widened in outrage and disbelief, and he spun around with his wrench in the air fully intending to throw it at the impertinent artist's head. But it was already too late; almost as soon as the words left the man's mouth, he was already out the door and retreating down the hall. Max bristled as he listened to the man's dwindling footsteps, and quickly lowered his improvised weapon before Beatrice could notice.<br/><br/>"<em>Mein Gott</em>, what a moron," Max grumbled to himself as he turned back to the opened system casing.