cw: outdated views; shaming culture
[name_u]Maddox[/name_u] " [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] " [name_m]Xander[/name_m] van Pelt (30) is Keegan’s best friend, the two having met on the first day of transferring to middle school and bonding over a love of asking questions - which meant they quickly learned a lot about one another. [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] grew up the only child of a single mother too [his father having made it very clear he didn’t want to be a parent before [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] was born], but his circumstances were different and seemed charmed on a surface level. His maternal family are very wealthy - owning numerous successful businesses - and so money wasn’t an issue for he or his mom: they had their own home on his great-aunt and uncle’s property, as well as an allowance; but the traditional values they abide by absolutely focus inwards on themselves.
Maxxs’ mother was treated as if she’d brought an intense scandal into their lives - when really no-one batted an eyelash - and constantly made to feel as if she had to prove herself to earn respect: when really, she’d been fed promises by a man interested in her wealth who then ran from responsibility. There was a distance between the two of them and the older generation of the van Pelt family, something [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] became more aware of as he grew up and recognised this separation. In turn, it made him very defensive of his mom, who endured the lies of someone she loved, only to be blamed for this as if she should’ve manifested an ability to see the future before getting into a relationship everyone around her approved of and encouraged.
Unlike [name_u]Keegan[/name_u], [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] is single, having never had sucu a profound sweetheart in his teenage years - not that it’s something he has an issue with when it comes to [name_u]Keegan[/name_u] and [name_f]Adah[/name_f]. He’s dating at the moment - his partner being genderfluid, using xe/she pronouns - but very happy to continue moving slowly. The couple met through work, both belonging to a music magazine and minor promotions network, which [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] became affiliated with thanks to his love of playing drums, as well as wanting to remove himself further from his family empire, should it be held over his head. He belongs to a garage grunge band - lobster roll - which Keegans’ children proclaim to be the number one fan’s of, something [name_m]Maxx[/name_m] absolutely supports.