Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tuesday:

Morning crept into the Sinclair house slowly, the kind that arrived quietly rather than all at once.

A thin wash of sunlight slipped through the curtains in the den, stretching across the carpet in pale gold stripes. The television had shut itself off hours ago, leaving the screen dark and reflective, and the room carried that faint, early-morning stillness that existed before the rest of the house fully woke.

Max stirred first.

At first she didn’t open her eyes.

Her cheek was pressed against warmth, and steadiness. The rhythm beneath it rose and fell slowly, and the fabric under her temple smelled faintly like detergent mixed with the soft trace of bourbon and vanilla… of course, it was Lucas.

For a moment she simply listened.

To the quiet.

To the distant hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.

To the sound of breathing that wasn’t her own.

Then she finally opened her eyes.

Lucas’ arm was still around her.

The extra blanket Sue had placed over Max the night before was twisted loosely around their legs now, though it pulled half off the couch sometime during the night. Lucas had slumped deeper into the cushions, his head tipped awkwardly against the backrest, curls flattened on one side.

He looked deeply asleep…and incredibly uncomfortable.

Max blinked toward the window.

There was morning light. A slow realization settled in her chest…They had fallen asleep in the den.

It wasn’t for a few minutes either, they had slept there the entire night…

Max shifted slightly, careful not to wake him.

The movement was small, but Lucas reacted instantly anyway.

His arm tightened around her for half a second before his eyes blinked open, unfocused at first before recognition slowly returned.

“…Morning,” he mumbled.

His voice was rough with sleep.

Max tipped her head up to look at him, smiling.

“Good morning.”

Lucas squinted toward the window, then turned his head enough to glance at the clock across the room.

6:28.

He let out a quiet breath of relief.

“Okay…good.”

Max frowned slightly.

“What?”

“I’m not late.”

She gave him a confused look, “That’s what you’re worried about?”

Lucas rubbed his face with both hands before glancing down at the blanket wrapped around them.

Then he froze.

“…We stayed here all night.”

Max lifted one shoulder in a small shrug.

“Yep.”

Lucas groaned softly, tilting his head back against the couch.

“Ugh, my neck is gonna fall off.”

“You could’ve moved.”

“You were asleep.”

“So?”

He looked down at her like the answer was obvious.

Max rolled her eyes faintly, but she didn’t pull away when his arm settled comfortably around her again.

For a moment neither of them spoke.

The house was still quiet enough that the silence didn’t feel awkward.

Lucas glanced down again.

“Did you sleep okay?” He asked softly.

Max nodded.

“Yeah.”

“No nightmares?”

She shook her head.

“None.”

The relief on Lucas’ face was subtle but immediate. His shoulders loosened, the tension leaving him in a slow exhale he probably didn’t even realize he’d been holding.

“Good.”

Max noticed.

She noticed a lot of things lately.

But something else settled quietly inside her then too.

She hadn’t fought sleep last night.

Unlike her nights in the hospital, she hadn’t laid awake waiting for something terrible to crawl into her dreams. She hadn’t woken up gasping, heart pounding, eyes searching the dark for red light that wasn’t really there.

She had just…slept.

And somehow, without really trying, she’d slept with her head on Lucas’ chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing until morning found them both still there.

She noticed how Lucas seemed to be a lot more drowsier than usual. Like he’d been up all night watching the tv, but Max knew that wasn’t the case.

“You stayed awake for a while,” she said.

Lucas scoffed. “No I didn’t.”

“Lucas.”

“I fell asleep right after you did.”

“So why do you look like you got ran over by a bus?” she asked teasingly, but still with seriousness.

Lucas chuckled, “Max…that’s just my face.”

Max smothered a laugh against his shirt.

Lucas’s thumb shifted absentmindedly along her sleeve.

“Lucas you really shouldn’t—“

Footsteps began to creak faintly down the hallway, and at first neither of them noticed.

Max was still leaning close, beginning to lecture Lucas, when the sound of quiet voices drifted nearer.

“…I’m telling you hon, that meeting should’ve ended twenty minutes earlier! I nearly overslept!,” Charles was saying.

Sue laughed softly.

They were walking past the den on their way to the kitchen when the whispering reached them.

Both of them paused.

Sue turned her head first, Charles followed her gaze.

The sight in the den was almost exactly the same as the night before. Max and Lucas were still on the couch, they were still sitting close, still wrapped in those blankets, but now, they were even more entangled.

And of course, now, it was morning.

Charles’ eyebrows lifted slowly.

Sue pressed her lips together like she was trying not to smile.

“…Um…Why are y’all still in here?” Charles asked, clearing his throat.

Lucas and Max both froze.

Max sat up a little too fast, the blanket sliding down her arm.

“We—”

Lucas cleared his throat.

“We fell asleep.”

Charles studied them for a second.

He remembered the conversation from a few days earlier very clearly.

The night Max had first moved in. The awkward morning after when he had very calmly told the two teenagers that there would be no sleeping in each other’s rooms.

It hadn’t been a harsh rule, just a boundary.

And Lucas and Max had nodded immediately, understanding.

However, Charles knew teenagers.

He knew rules didn’t magically erase curiosity or feelings or the simple reality that two teenagers who cared about each other were living under the same roof.

But he also knew his son.

Lucas wasn’t reckless, and he wasn’t particularly sneaky…in certain situations.

And right now the two of them were sitting in the family room—the most open room in the house. There’s no door, no lock, nor any real privacy beyond the dim light of the television the night before.

It was not exactly the setting for anything they were trying to hide…

Plus, Charles remembered something else.

He remembered the conversation he’d had with Sue last night, on the drive to the school board meeting.

The quiet way she had admitted that sleep didn’t come so easy for Max, as she experienced nightmares.

The kind of nightmares that made someone afraid to even attempt to close their eyes.

He looked at the couch again. At the way their blankets were still wrapped loosely around them. At the way Max looked more embarrassed than guilty. And at the way Lucas was rubbing the back of his neck like he knew exactly how this looked.

Charles could have given a lecture.

He could have reminded them of the rule.

But the truth was, if Lucas had stayed there because Max had fallen asleep without the fear of falling asleep…

Well.

That wasn’t something he was about to scold.

Besides, if teenagers were going to accidentally fall asleep together somewhere, the middle of the family room— a place anyone could walk through at any moment—was about as safe and harmless as it got.

So instead, he let the corner of his mouth lift slightly.

“Well,” Charles said, grabbing the back of a chair as he walked toward the kitchen, “at least it’s not Lucas’ bedroom like the first time.”

Max’s face immediately turned bright red.

Lucas groaned. “Dad!”

Sue shook her head as she passed them, still smiling.“Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes,” she said.

Charles pointed toward Lucas without turning around. “And you’ve got school!”

Lucas slumped back into the couch cushion.

Max dragged the blanket halfway over her face.

“Please tell me I that didn’t happen,” she muttered.

Lucas sighed.

“Nope. I can’t do that.” Then he glanced down at her, the hint of a grin tugging at his mouth. “It could’ve been worse.”

Max peeked out from the blanket. “How?”

“He could’ve given us another lecture.”

She thought about that for a second.

“…Okay,” she admitted quietly. “That would’ve definitely been worse.”

Lucas nudged her shoulder gently. “C’mon. We should probably move before Erica sees us.”

Max groaned. “I think it’s too late for that.”

Suddenly Lucas was greeted with a smirking and knowing Erica, standing at the family room’s doorway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The kitchen was warmer than the den.

Sunlight poured through the windows above the sink, reflecting softly off the countertops. Sue was already moving around the stove, flipping eggs in a pan while the smell of butter and toast filled the room.

Lucas dropped into one of the chairs at the table.

Max hovered near the counter, still trying to recover from the embarrassment of the last few minutes.

Erica was already seated at the table, attempting to eat her yogurt, however she stopped mid-bite, her eyes flickering from Lucas…to Max…then slowly back again.

A slow grin spread across her face. “I’m still so shocked,” she said.

Lucas sighed immediately.

“You two are just so bold these days…it’s unbelievable,” she continued.

Max narrowed her eyes.

“We fell asleep.”

“Sure you did…”

Before she could keep going, Charles spoke up from the other end of the table.

“Oh, princess, leave them alone and eat your food!”

Erica turned.

“Daddy—”

Max blinked. Then turned toward Erica slowly, “…Princess?”

Lucas immediately covered his mouth.

Erica pointed at Max.

“Shut it—”

“Oh don’t worry, Max,” Charles cut in casually, sipping his coffee. “I’ve got a nickname for you now too.”

Max looked confused. “…You do?”

“Yep,” he said with a confident grin.

Max tilted her head in confusion.

“Wanna hear?” Charles nodded toward her.

Max nodded, in disbelief.

“Red.”

For a moment she went silent, but then she echoed, “…Red?”

“Well obviously for your hair….but also for the way you turned red when Sue and I caught you and Lucas in the family room.”

And right on cue…Max’s face flushed again.

Lucas lost the battle with his laughter and Erica burst out laughing right along with
him. “That’s what you get, Max!” she said pointing a finger at her.

Max groaned, covering her face with her hands, but she couldn’t stop the grin that slipped through her fingers.

Charles finished the last sip of his coffee and checked the clock on the wall, then he frowned slightly, looking out the window.

“Alright,” he said, pushing his chair back. “I’ve got a new plan.”

Lucas looked up. “What are you talking about?”

Charles nodded toward the window. “Look outside, son.”

Lucas twisted in his chair and glanced toward the glass window.

The world beyond it looked like someone had dipped Hawkins in frost overnight. The yard was pale with ice, and there was a thin layer of melted snow that must’ve fallen sometime before dawn glittered under the morning sun.

Lucas grimaced. “…Okay, yeah.”

“It’s definitely below freezing out there,” Charles said. “The roads are most likely slick and I don’t need you two getting sick, or hurt while riding those bikes.” He said pointing at Lucas and Erica.

Erica rolled her eyes dramatically. “I don’t think its that bad.”

Charles raised an eyebrow in seriousness. “Princess.”

Erica slumped in her chair. “Yes, father.”

“I’m driving you two today.”

Lucas blinked. “You are?”

“On my way to work,” Charles said, nodding his head. “You can survive one day without the bikes.”

Lucas opened his mouth like he might argue, then closed it again, why would he want to ride his bike in the freezing cold?

“…Alright, that’s fair.”

Erica grabbed her backpack from the floor. “Finally,” she said. “Civilized transportation!”

Sue slid another piece of toast onto Lucas’s plate.

“You guys got ten minutes,” she said.

Lucas nodded, stuffing the last bite into his mouth before standing up and rushing over to his room.

———————————————————————————————————

Max was now standing by the counter, leaning against it as she watched the small wave of morning chaos unfold around her. Everything felt so normal… like “comfortably” normal.

He thoughts dissolves as she noticed Lucas walking towards her, lifting the strap of his backpack high on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t talk much this morning…We will just talk later…after school,” he said lower than expected.

Max tilted her head slightly. “You sound very sure of yourself.”

Lucas paused for a moment, “Huh?”

“Like you already know I’ll still want to talk…once you get back.”

Lucas shrugged, but there was a quiet certainty in the gesture. “I do.”

Max studied him for a second, like she was trying to figure out how he could sound so confident about it, but then she huffed a small breath through her nose.

“You’re annoying.”

Lucas smiled faintly. “Really because I don’t think that’s what you were saying five minutes ago.”

Max crossed her arms. “I wasn’t saying anything five minutes ago?”

“No,” Lucas said, his eyes flicking briefly to her cheeks. “You were just turning the same color as your hair.”

Max pointed at him immediately. “Don’t start.”

Lucas lifted both hands innocently. “I didn’t even say anything!”

“You were about to.”

Lucas’ grin widened just enough to give him away. “Red.”

Max groaned softly. “I hate that you like that.”

“I never said I liked it.”

“You definitely like it.”

Lucas shrugged again, but this time the amusement in his eyes gave him away, “I mean…what can I say? It fits!”

Max tried very hard not to react to that.

The nickname still sat strangely in her chest…it was somehow warm and unfamiliar at the same time. No one had ever really given her one before, or at least not like that. Not in a way that felt…casual, like she’d been there long enough for it to stick.

She wasn’t sure what to do with that feeling yet. So instead, she narrowed her eyes at Lucas. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”

Lucas considered that for a moment.“…Maybe a little.”

Then something shifted in his expression. A small spark of mischief crept into his eyes—quieter than Erica’s brand of teasing, but somehow more dangerous.

Max noticed the shift immediately. “What?” she said cautiously.

Lucas glanced briefly toward the rest of the kitchen.

Sue was still at the sink, humming along to her radio, not paying attention to the teenagers behind her. Erica was busy digging through her backpack, probably searching for her homework, and Charles had his back turned near the door, wrestling one arm into his coat.

And so Lucas leaned closer.

Max didn’t even realize what he was doing until he stepped into her space, bending slightly so his mouth was just beside her ear.

His voice dropped low enough that no one else in the room could hear it.

“Don’t worry,” he murmured, warm breath brushing against the edge of her hair. “I think the nickname is kinda cute.”

Max froze.

Her brain stalled for a full second.

Cute?

Her face heated instantly, the warmth rushing up her neck before she could stop it. She pulled back just enough to look at him, eyes narrowing in embarrassment as Lucas straightened again like he hadn’t just said anything at all.

He was very clearly trying not to smile.

“You—” she started under her breath.

But before she could finish—Charles cleared his throat loudly from the entryway.

Both of them jumped slightly.

“Well,” he said slowly, keys jingling in his hand as he looked between them, “that looks like a very serious conversation happening over there.”

Lucas immediately stepped back.

Max tried very hard to look normal.

Erica looked up from the table, eyes darting between them with sudden interest.

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck.

“We were just talking.”

Charles raised an eyebrow.

“Mhm.”

Then he opened the front door, a blast of cold air rushing into the house.

“All I’m saying,” he added casually, “is if you two keep huddling in corners like that, you’re gonna miss the ride.”

Erica’s head snapped up immediately.

“Huddling?” she repeated, eyes narrowing at Lucas.

Lucas groaned under his breath. “Erica—”

“Oh my god,” she said, pointing between them dramatically. “Gross! You two were flirting.”

“No we weren’t!” he quickly replied.

Max turned away quickly, grabbing the edge of the counter like she’d suddenly become very interested in the pattern of the laminate.

Erica grinned like she’d just won something.

“Wow. I didn’t realize that it was Lucas Sinclair Romance Hour.”

“Pack your backpack,” Lucas muttered.

“I did,” Erica said proudly. “Now I guess we’re all enjoying this new soap opera!”

Charles shook his head, though the corner of his mouth twitched.

“Alright, alright,” he said, clapping his hands once. “Baby girl leave your brother alone…grab your stuff. We’re leaving.”

Lucas swung his backpack over his shoulder again,sticking his tongue out at Erica, who could only give him her classic death glare.

Then he gave Max one quick glance, before leaving.

She caught it immediately.

It was brief—barely a second—but there was still that same quiet amusement sitting behind his eyes, like he knew exactly what he’d done to her five seconds earlier.

Max felt the warmth creep back up her neck.

“Lucas,” Charles called from the doorway.

“I’m coming!”

Erica shoved past Charles toward the door, still grinning.

“Bye, Red,” she sing-songed over her shoulder.

Max called back at her. “Oh don’t start ‘Princess!’”

Erica only laughed as she disappeared outside.

The cold air swept into the house as the door opened, then closed. And a few moments later the sound of the car starting drifted faintly through the windows.

And just like that, the house fell quiet.

Only Sue and Max remained in the Sinclair house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Max lingered near the kitchen, now helping Sue with chores, as she wiped down the counters, she realized that she’s adjusting to the strange mix of freedom and responsibility that came with being in the Sinclair house for the first week. It had been only a few days since she’d left the hospital, and the rhythm of ordinary life—kitchen noises, dishes clinking, people moving around—still felt new and almost dizzying.

Sue rinsed a plate at the sink, the warm water running over her hands. She glanced over her shoulder at Max, trying to anchor herself in this new, real world.

“Did you sleep well last night?” Sue asked casually, though her eyes held a careful, almost protective curiosity.

Max blinked, adjusting her grip on the damp cloth. “Yeah. I…actually slept.”

Sue’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “So, no nightmares?”

Max shook her head, a quiet warmth creeping up her neck. “No. Not this time.”

Sue leaned slightly on the counter, drying her hands, her tone softening. “You know, Max…maybe you just need someone around while you sleep?”

Max felt her cheeks heat up immediately. Her chest fluttered—because she knew, even before Sue said it, that whenever Lucas was near, her dreams were usually calm. She had no restless tossing, no shadows clawing at the edges of her mind. She’d figured it out back at the hospital, when she’d first started recovering: it wasn’t anything magical, it was just…him.

“You think?” Max whispered, almost shyly, her hands gripping the cloth tighter.

Sue’s lips quirked in a knowing way. “Mhm.” Then she continued, “And it’s got me thinking…maybe I could even change Charles’ mind. I know it’s just your first week out of the hospital and your first week here with us…so I get why it’s hard, why you might be afraid to fall asleep.”

Max froze, heat climbing higher. “Uh…you…you mean—?”

Sue shook her head, calm and deliberate. “Of course we’re both against the two of you sleeping in the same bedroom…for obvious reasons.”

Max’s ears burned, and she looked down at her hands, trying not to smile.

“But,” Sue continued, “I don’t want you going restless, and I don’t want you two trying to loophole our rules by always trying to sleep in the den. That would be no good for either of you, especially while you’re still trying to adjust to our home.”

Max couldn’t help it—she giggled softly, imagining how easily she could convince Lucas into doing exactly that if they tried.

Sue’s tone softened, gentle but firm. “So… with some boundaries set,plus some new rules, I think I could probably get Charles on board with letting you two sleep in the same room—but I can’t say it’ll be forever…just until we can figure out these nightmares, yeah?”

Max’s shoulders relaxed, and her smile softened into something warm and real. “Thank you so much, Sue. I…I don’t think I can even express how much I appreciate you.”

Sue wagged a finger, feigning sternness. “Girl, didn’t I tell you to stop thanking me? I oughta ground you or something!”

Max laughed, the sound spilling light into the quiet kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that afternoon, Charles and the kids returned home, and they immediately got into their after school routine. Erica eagerly claimed the family room, so that she could watch her sitcoms and do her homework all at the same time.

And Lucas had followed after Erica, not because he wanted to watch whatever corny show Erica had been watching, but because he knew that Max would be in there too.

The television murmured softly in the family room, the steady hum of it blending with the quiet scratch of pencil on paper and the occasional rustle of notebook pages.

Erica sat on the floor in front of the coffee table, one leg tucked beneath her while she worked through a page of math problems. Every so often she tapped her eraser against the table in mild irritation before scribbling another number down.

Lucas was stretched along the loveseat behind her, his back against the armrest and his notebook balanced on his knee. His pencil moved lazily across the page, stopping every few seconds as he leaned back and stared at the ceiling like the answer might be written somewhere up there.

Across from them, Max sat curled into the corner of the armchair with a comic book open across her lap.

She’d been reading it.

At least, she’d tried to.

But the same panel had been sitting in front of her for almost a minute now—some dramatic superhero speech bubble about justice or destiny—and her eyes kept drifting away from it toward the room around her.

The Sinclair house still felt strange in a way she couldn’t quite explain.

It was not uncomfortable, it was just…different and new…something she’s never been used to.

It had only been a few days since she’d started sleeping under this roof, learning the quiet rhythm of the house—the way Sue hummed absentmindedly while she cooked or cleaned the kitchen, the way Charles cleared his throat before saying something serious, the way Erica never seemed to stop talking unless she was concentrating on something she found important, like television or homework.

The sounds of it all blended together in a way that felt almost…safe.

Max turned another page in the comic, more out of habit than interest.

Lucas’ pencil tapping began to slow down.

And from the kitchen, Charles’ voice carried down the house.

“Lucas! Max! Come here for a minute…Sue and I want to have a chat!”

Max felt her stomach tighten immediately. So much that the comic page blurred slightly as her focus shifted.

She looked up.

Lucas looked over at her at the exact same moment. One eyebrow lifted slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching in a silent uh-oh.

Max closed the comic slowly and set it on the armrest beside her.

Erica didn’t even bother looking up from her homework. “You guys are in trouble,” she said flatly, erasing something aggressively.

Lucas rolled his eyes. “Relax…” but even he sat up a little straighter.

Max stood first, brushing her palms lightly against her jeans like she suddenly wasn’t sure where to put her hands.

“Let’s just go,” she murmured.

Lucas followed her down into the kitchen, the hardwood floors smooth beneath their feet. The warm light from the window spilled onto the small table, casting long shadows across it where Sue and Charles were already sitting.

The moment Max stepped into the kitchen, the feeling hit her immediately.

That quiet, unmistakable sensation of being called in…like she was about to be scolded or even worse…disciplined.

Sue had a glass of water in front of her, both hands wrapped loosely around it like she’d been waiting there for a few minutes already. Charles leaned back slightly in his chair, one arm resting against the table while the other tapped lightly against the wood.

Neither of the adults looked angry, which somehow made Max even more nervous.

Lucas reached the table a half step before her, and without really thinking about it, he grabbed the back of one of the chairs and pulled it out.

Max paused for half a second when she realized what he’d done.

It was such a small gesture that she almost missed it.

Lucas didn’t look at her while he did it. He just pulled the chair back slightly and then moved toward the one beside it like it was automatic, like it wasn’t something he’d consciously decided to do.

Max slid into the seat anyway.

“Thanks,” is what she almost said, but the word reached the tip of her tongue before she stopped herself.

Suddenly, she was aware of Sue watching them from across the table, her expression warm but quietly observant.

Max folded her hands together in her lap instead.

Lucas sat down beside her, pulling his chair in with a short scrape against the floor.

For a brief second she glanced at him.

His expression was carefully neutral now, his jaw was set slightly, like he was already bracing for whatever conversation this was about.

He didn’t look at her, which had made the small gesture he’d just made feel even more noticeable.

Across the table, Sue’s eyes flicked briefly toward Charles.

It was quick.

Just a small glance.

But Charles caught it.

His gaze moved from Sue…to Lucas…and then briefly to Max sitting beside him.

Something thoughtful passed over his expression before he leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the table.

Neither of them said anything about it. Max had the strange feeling they didn’t need to, or really didn’t want to. And somehow that made the nervous knot in her stomach grow worse than before.

Finally Charles cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “So,” he said evenly, “Sue has brought something to my attention that she’s noticed since you’ve been here.”

Max felt her shoulders tense immediately.

Sue gave her a small, reassuring smile across the table, but there was still that careful attentiveness in her eyes—the same look she’d had earlier that morning, while asking Max how she’d slept.

“She’s noticed that you haven’t exactly been eager to sleep by yourself.” Charles calmly added.

The words landed gently, but Max felt heat climb up the back of her neck anyway. Her gaze dropped to the table before she could prevent it.

Of course Sue had noticed…Shes a mom, most moms notice everything.

It had only been some days since Max moved into the Sinclair house, and somehow that had still been enough time for the problem to become obvious.

She hadn’t thought she’d been that obvious.

But apparently she had been.

Beside her, Lucas shifted slightly in his chair.

Max glanced toward him out of the corner of her eye, but he was still staring straight ahead at the wall across the room, his posture stiff in that way he got when he was trying very hard to look serious in front of his parents.

Charles continued calmly. “Now, we know you did sleep in your room the other night.”

Max’s stomach twisted again.

“And from what Sue told me,” he added gently, “that didn’t exactly go very well.”

The memory flashed across Max’s mind before she could stop it—the sound of Vecna’s voice…her sudden jolt awake,the pounding in her chest, the silence of her room that had felt too big and too empty all at once.

Her fingers tightened slightly against her jeans.

Across the table, Sue spoke softly, “sweetheart, we’re not bringing this up to make you feel embarrassed.”

Max looked up.

Sue’s expression had softened again, her concern was more prominent now. “We just want you to feel safe here,” she said gently. “That includes feeling safe in your bedroom.”

Charles nodded beside her. “This house is your home now,” he added. “The last thing we want is for you to feel like you have to suffer in it.”

Max swallowed slightly.

Something warm and uncomfortable simultaneously settled within her.

Was she still embarrassed?

Hell yeah! Of course she was…she didn’t know where this conversation was going to go.

Still, she felt something else, too. It was in the way the two adults were talking about it…it didn’t feel like she was being lectured. It felt like they were trying to help her solve her problem.

Charles folded his hands together.

“And based on what Sue has noticed ,” he continued, “we’ve come to some pretty simple assumptions.”

Charles leaned back slightly, one eyebrow lifting as he gestured vaguely toward Lucas.

“First,” he said, “You seem to feel pretty safe around this idiot we call our son.”

For half a second the room went completely still. Then Max let out a quiet giggle before she could stop herself. It slipped out automatically, the tension that had been sitting in her chest loosening just enough for the sound to escape.

Lucas immediately turned toward his dad with an offended look.

“Hey—”

His eyebrows pulled together like he genuinely didn’t understand what he’d done to earn that title.

Across the table, Sue pressed her lips together, clearly trying not to laugh. Her shoulders shook slightly as she hid the smile behind her hand.

Max ducked her head again quickly, the giggle fading into a shy smile as warmth crept back into her cheeks.

Beside her, Lucas muttered under his breath.“What did I even do?”

Charles ignored him.

His expression softened slightly as his attention returned to Max.

“And the second thing,” he continued, his tone turning more thoughtful again, “is that maybe you don’t want to deal with these nightmares alone?”

The humor drained gently out of the moment, and it was quickly replaced with a quiet understanding.

Max’s fingers tightened slightly against her jeans. She didn’t look up this time, she simply nodded.

Charles watched her for another moment with a thoughtful expression. Then he leaned back in his chair again, folding his arms loosely across his chest. “And Sue and I also know,” he said slowly, “that if that’s the case…”

His gaze flicked briefly between the two of them.

“…then the rule I set about you two not sleeping near each other probably isn’t going to be working much longer.”

Max’s stomach dropped.

Beside her, Lucas went completely still.

The words hung in the air for a second, and Max felt a small knot of panic tighten in her chest.

What did he mean by that?

If it wasn’t going to work anymore…did that mean they were about to make the rules stricter?

Lucas shifted slightly in his chair, clearly thinking the same thing.

Charles noticed their reactions immediately, which was likely the reason why the corner of his mouth twitched just a little before he continued.“So,” he said calmly, glancing at his wife, “Sue and I talked about it.”

Sue nodded beside him, her expression was gentle but firm.

“And we’ve decided,” Charles finished, “that we’re going to allow you two to sleep in the same room for a little, while Max is adjusting.”

For a moment Max didn’t move, the words that just came out of Charles’ mouth took a quite a second to register.

Beside her, Lucas blinked.

The tightness in Max’s chest loosened so quickly it almost made her dizzy.

“Oh,” Lucas said faintly.

Charles held up a hand immediately.

“But—”

Both teenagers tensed again like someone had snapped a rubber band between them.

Max straightened in her chair.

Lucas muttered under his breath, “There it is.”

Sue shot Charles a look that was half warning, half amusement.

“Charles,” she said gently.

“What?” he said defensively. “We talked about the rules.”

Sue sighed softly beside him, though there was still a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Yes,” she said gently, “but maybe don’t sound like you’re sentencing them to prison.”

“I’m not,” Charles replied. “Baby, I’m just being realistic.”

Sue could only roll her eyes.

Charles looked between them for a moment longer, like he was measuring something invisible, then he slowly raised a finger.

“Alright. Rule number one.”

Lucas straightened immediately, like he’d just been called on in class, and Max mirrored him without thinking, her hands folded tightly in her lap, and she pulled her shoulders back just a little.

Charles nodded once, satisfied with the sudden attention.

“If you’re going to do this,” he said evenly, “you sleep in one room for the night. Sue and I would prefer for it to be mostly Max’s…we didn’t buy that new bed in there just for decoration.”

Max blinked, caught off guard by how casual he made it sound.

Lucas nodded quickly. “Yeah—okay. That makes sense.”

Charles lifted a second finger without missing a beat.

“Rule number two.”

His tone didn’t change, but there was something sharper underneath it now.

“No sneaking around halfway through the night. If we say you’re in one room, that’s the room you stay in until morning.”

Lucas immediately raised a hand. “Dad, why would we do th—”

“Good,” Charles cut in smoothly. “Then that won’t be a problem.”

Lucas leaned back a little, lips pressing together.

Max dropped her gaze to the table, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.

A third finger went up.

“Rule number three.”

There was the slightest pause this time—just enough to make both of them look up.

“You’ll be using separate blankets.”

Max’s head snapped up.

Lucas blinked. “Wait—what?”

“Separate blankets,” Charles repeated, completely serious.

Lucas frowned, clearly thrown off. “Why?”

Before Charles could answer, Sue turned her head slowly toward him, one eyebrow lifting.

“Charles. I thought—“

He glanced at her.

“They’re teenagers. Why would they need to use the same blanket?”

Sue pressed her lips together, clearly fighting a laugh.

Lucas let out a quiet, disbelieving breath, running a hand over the back of his neck.

Max stared at the table again, her face heating.

“And one more thing,” Charles added, lifting a fourth finger.

Lucas groaned softly under his breath.

“You stay on your side of the bed.”

Max’s head snapped up, eyes wide.

Lucas blinked. “Okay—wait, now—”

“Charles,” Sue cut in, turning toward him with a look. “That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

Charles turned to her, incredulous. “A bit much? Did you not see them this morning!?”

Both Lucas and Max went completely still.

Charles gestured between them, already shaking his head. “They were all tangled up like—” he made a face, half-cringing, half-amused, “—those irritating little love bugs that only come out in the South…they were just stuck together for no reason!”

Sue’s eyes widened, she was still clearly trying not to laugh, but a small wheeze like sound came out like she was fighting a battle of bronchitis.

Max’s face burned instantly, her gaze dropping straight back to the table.

Lucas dragged a hand down his face. “Oh my—”

Charles leaned back, still shaking his head. “I’m serious! We could barely tell where one of you ended and the other began.”

“Okay!” Lucas cut in quickly, mortified. “Alright, we get it!”

Max covered part of her face, shoulders curling inward as she tried to disappear.

Sue finally let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “Charles…”

Then, a little more gently, almost innocently, she added, “But they were only cuddling.”

That did not help.

Lucas closed his eyes briefly. “Oh my gosh…”

Sue smiled, glancing at him now. “And you know,” she continued lightly, “Lucas has always loved a good snuggle…ever since he was a little baby.”

She tilted her head slightly. “Isn’t that right, Lucas?”

Max immediately bit down on her lip, shoulders starting to shake as she fought to hold it together.

Lucas’ eyes widened. “Okay—no. No, that is not—” He sat up straighter, shaking his head. “That was a long time ago, Mom. I was like—what, ten when it stopped? I’m a new man.”

Sue gave him a look, lips twitching. “Barely.” Then, with a small shake of her head, “I don’t even know why you would—Boy, I was trying to help you out!”

Max’s shoulders shook again, a soft laugh slipping out.

Lucas stared at his mom in disbelief. “Well…you’re not helping!”

Max let out a quiet laugh before she could stop herself, quickly ducking her head.

Lucas shot Max a look. “Don’t encourage this.”

Then he continued, speaking to Sue. “I’m serious,” Lucas added, running a hand over the back of his neck. “That doesn’t even count anymore.”

Sue only smiled, completely unbothered. “Mm-hmm.”

Then Sue returned back to Charles, “Honey, I think we should give them a break…I think the blanket rule covers our concerns,” she finished gently.

Charles looked between the two teenagers again—Max still avoiding eye contact, Lucas trying and failing to look composed—and he let out a quiet huff. “Well new man or not,” he said, leaning back slightly, “I guess I’ll leave y’all alone with that…”

Lucas exhaled, thinking he’d finally won something.

“But—”

Lucas froze.

Charles leaned forward just a little, pointing between them, his tone sharpening just enough.

“Don’t get too happy. That door better stay cracked at all times!” His eyes shifted, landing directly on Lucas. “And you better keep it appropriate.”

Lucas blinked. “…Why were you looking at me when you said that?”

Charles raised a brow. “Because I know how you teenagers think.”

“Especially teenage boys.”

Max’s eyes widened slightly.

What Charles was implying hadn’t even crossed her mind...

“Whoa—okay, that’s crazy,” Lucas said quickly, sitting up straighter. “We’re not even—”

He stopped himself.

The words caught somewhere between his chest and his throat, like saying them out loud might make everything more difficult than it already was.

Charles tilted his head. “Not even what?”

Then Lucas blurted, “That’s crazy because we’re not even official yet!”

The second the words left his mouth, Lucas visibly regretted them.

Max’s head snapped toward him.

Yet?

The word echoed in her mind before she could stop it.

Yet?

So he was also thinking about the fact that they didn’t have a label…yet?

Her mouth moved before her brain caught up.

“Lucas…we are not official…yet?” She repeated with a smile.

Lucas squeezed his eyes shut for a second.

“Oh my goodness,” he muttered. “Max—”

Max could feel the heat of his embarrassment radiating toward her, making her cheeks burn. And just like that, the attention moved.

Charles and Sue shared a brief look—one of those silent, married exchanges that carried more meaning than words ever could.

They hadn’t pushed the teens. Not once. Not when Max first woke up. Not when Lucas started hovering closer. Not even when it became obvious—painfully obvious—that whatever had been between them hadn’t really disappeared like Lucas insisted a couple of years ago.

The two adults had given them space.

They wanted to give them time to figure it out on their own, without pressure, without labels being forced onto something still so very fragile.

But now…the words were out there.

Honest. Unsteady. Real.

Sue let out a small breath, turning back to them, her voice gentle but direct.

“Well…since we’re here being open…”

Charles nodded slightly beside her.

Sue’s gaze moved between the two of them.

Max froze. Her stomach did that little tight flip again. Here it comes…

Charles, sitting across from them in his chair, raised an eyebrow, calm but sharp. “Yeah. And y’all know normally, we wouldn’t ask, but, well…you two have given us a lot to think about these past few days….”

“So…you’re not together?” Sue asked curiously, and still somehow not intruding.

Max’s throat tightened. Her fingers curled around her sleeves. She glanced at Lucas—he was stiff, his jaw was still tight, and he was trying to look serious, like he could make his parents’ words disappear if he just glared hard enough.

“No, it’s not like that—” Max started, her voice now faltering. “I mean…it kinda is, just not like that, if you know what I mean.”

Lucas winced beside her, gripping his the fabric of his jeans a little too tightly, his body betraying his panic.

Sue gave them a knowing look, trying not to smile, while Charles leaned back slowly, a faint grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Uh…Max? I think you’ve made it worse,” Lucas muttered under his breath.

Max groaned quietly, her cheeks were burning, and a small embarrassed smile tugged at her lips.

Charles shook his head slowly, letting out a small laugh. “You know what? We don’t even care. It’s clear to see that y’all have gotta figure your shit out.”

Max’s stomach flipped again.

Lucas groaned, exasperated, rubbing the back of his neck.

Sue shot him a sharp look, her tone firm but playful. “Charles! I have told you about your mouth!”

Charles shook his head, allowing his fingers to drum against the table. “Before we got…here,” he began, eyes flicking to Lucas, “When I said keep it appropriate, I meant it.”

Lucas blinked, flustered, shifting in his seat. “Why are you only looking at me when you say that? How do you know I’m gonna break the rules? It could be Max, for all we know!”

Before Max could even defend herself, Charles’ eyes softened a little but the tone stayed teasing. “I know little Miss Red is a sweet girl, and she would never disobey my house rules. You, on the other hand…” He paused, letting the words hang just long enough to make Lucas squirm. “…you just might.”

Lucas’ eyes widened. “Clearly, you don’t know ‘Little Miss Red’,” he muttered under his breath.

Max’s foot twitched beneath the dining table, giving him a quick, playful kick.

Charles’ head tilted, and his grin softened even more. “I do know her. Isn’t that right, Red?”

Max looked up at him, trying to seem innocent, though the small mischievous spark in her eyes betrayed her. She nodded sweetly. “Yes, you do,” she said softly, knowing full well she would bend a few rules if the chance presented itself. The corners of her lips curved into a quiet smile, just enough for Lucas to notice, making his own expression twitch between amusement and exasperation.

“See, I knew I could count on you, Red!”

Max and Lucas exchanged nervous glances, still flushed from the conversation.

Sue leaned back slightly, the corners of her mouth twitching into a soft, knowing smile. “Before we let you both go… I would like to say that you should seriously keep it…safe, like Charles said. Though I’m not nearly as concerned as he is, but…since you two clearly can’t figure out this little ‘dynamic’ you have, I feel like I must say I don’t want you guys restless…from tossing and turning all night due to…distractions.”

Max froze mid-breath, her cheeks flaming hot enough she could practically feel the heat rising into her hair. Her hands fidgeted around her lap, gripping the edge of the chair like it could somehow anchor her to sanity. She wanted to disappear, sink into the floor, vanish into the cushions of her seat…she’d do anything to escape this mild, well-meaning torment.

Lucas threw up his hands with mock irritation. “MY GOD. Okay. We’re done. Are we done? Can we please go now!?”

Charles and Sue exchanged a glance and nodded. “Of course,” Sue said calmly, though her eyes glimmered with quiet amusement.

As Max and Lucas scrambled from their seats, moving quickly toward the hallway like teenagers caught red-handed, the house finally felt spacious again—but only for a heartbeat.

“Wait,” a sharp voice called from the family room.

Both of them froze.

The youngest Sinclair leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed, and brows raised in perfect judgment. “What were you guys even talking about? And why is Max so red again?”

Max’s stomach did that little flip, the one that always seemed to show up around Lucas.

Lucas tried to mumble something, anything, but it came out as a strangled, “N-nothing!”

Max muttered under her breath, shooting him a helpless look. “Ugh…You’ve got to be kidding me…”

Max wished fervently for invisibility, as they both hurried down the hallway, leaving the adults and Erica’s piercing curiosity behind.

As she scuttled down the hallway, elbowing Lucas lightly as they went. She wished furiously she could vanish, but even through all of the awkwardness and the embarrassment, a quiet, almost imperceptible warmth bloomed in her chest.

It was the way Sue had phrased it, the gentle care behind her words, the fact that she’d been thinking about her comfort and not just enforcing rules. And Charles—even when he teased, even when he’d made them squirm—it wasn’t meant to shame them…It was meant to protect. To make sure she felt safe in a world that hadn’t exactly been very gentle to her.

Max realized, as she tried not to trip over her own feet, that she could feel it now; the tiniest flicker of trust in her own space, in this house, in the people who were giving her a kind of family she hadn’t had in years.
And yes, it was paired with embarrassment, but maybe that was okay! Maybe it was normal to feel exposed and cared for all at once.

Her heart gave a small, almost shy flutter as she glanced at Lucas, who was still muttering about Erica and shaking his head. She knew he felt it too—this quiet relief that they could be allowed sleep side by side and they were allowed to figure things out. And in that moment, Max realized that maybe, finally, she could start living at night without fear, knowing that Lucas would be there for her when the nightmares arrived.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The evening wore on slowly. The smell of soap and the faint scent of dinner still clinging to the kitchen lingered as everyone washed up, the clatter of plates and silverware a steady rhythm against the quiet hum of the house. Outside, the sky had turned a bruised shade of blue and purple, the last light of day slipping beneath the horizon.

Everyone had settled into the living room, and the house had softened into a gentle calmness. The Sinclair family, and Max included—sprawled across the couches, blankets draped haphazardly, eyes glued to the flickering television. An 80s sitcom played in the background, laugh tracks punctuating the pauses between dialogue, but Max’s attention drifted elsewhere. Her stomach still fluttered faintly whenever Lucas leaned just a little too close while lifting his blanket, and she could feel the residual heat on her cheeks from the earlier conversation with his parents.

A couple of hours had passed in this easy quiet, and the jokes on the screen became background noise. Erica, now curled in her corner of the couch with her head resting sideways, finally succumbed to sleep, her soft breathing marking the late hour.

Charles stretched, a hand running through his hair. “I guess that means it’s time for bed,” he said, his tone light but firm.

Max and Lucas shifted immediately, a fresh wave of embarrassment creeping over them as they remembered the conversation from earlier with Charles and Sue. Both of them were suddenly very aware of how close they were, and how thoroughly Lucas’ parents had observed their dynamic these past few days.

Charles’ eyes flicked to them, stern but with that familiar glimmer of humor. “Don’t forget our rules. We’re trusting you guys to do this right.”

“Yes, sir,” both Max and Lucas muttered in unison, heads ducking slightly.

Sue, reaching down to gently nudge the sleeping Erica upright, added in a soft voice, “Well, I guess this is goodnight. Sleep well, kids.”

Charles smirked, just enough to make Lucas frown. “But not too well.”

Lucas blinked at him, dumbfounded, and a bit agitated from all of the embarrassing remarks. “Dad—What does that even mean?”

Charles waved him off. “Just…be responsible, son.”

Max let out a quiet sigh, a mixture of relief and nervous anticipation. The awkwardness hadn’t left entirely, but the trust they’d been given—combined with the rules—made it feel manageable.

They left the living room, Max trailing slightly behind Lucas. Before they reached her bedroom, Lucas paused and ducked into his room. A moment later, he emerged with a blanket in hand, pulling it over his shoulders like a cloak of comfort.

Inside Max’s room, the soft yellow glow of her lamp cast a warm halo over the freshly made bed, the new comforter was inviting and smooth beneath her fingertips.

Lucas set his blanket down gently. “Which side do you want to sleep on?” he asked, his voice low.

Max hesitated, glancing at him. “I…don’t know. Which side do you want to be on?”

He shrugged slightly, a small, teasing grin tugging at his lips. “This is your bed, Max. Come on.”

“I don’t know,” she admitted softly. “I guess…I’ll take the wall side?”

“Okay,” he said simply, settling in opposite her with his blanket draped over himself again, careful and deliberate. The room felt still, and intimate in a quiet, comfortable way. Max took a deep breath, letting herself relax into the soft mattress, the rules, and the trust that had been laid out for her.

Max tugged the corner of her comforter around her shoulders, trying not to overthink it. Every small noise—the distant car on the street, the creak of the floorboards in the hall—felt magnified, and for a brief moment her chest tightened.

Lucas shifted across from her, careful to keep the blankets between them in the way his parents’ rules demanded, but close enough that she could feel the faint warmth radiating from him. Max noticed it immediately, the subtle reassurance in his presence. It wasn’t intrusive; it wasn’t meant to provoke, but it was enough. So much that it made her think, I don’t have to be afraid tonight.

She glanced down at the edge of her blanket, tugging it just a little closer, and when she finally looked up, Lucas had caught her eyes. He gave a tiny, almost imperceptible smile, one that didn’t need words. Max felt her stomach do that nervous little flip again, the same one that had been fluttering all day, and she quickly looked away, blushing under the lamp’s warm glow.

Lucas shifted slightly, reaching for his notebook on Max’s nightstand. As he moved Max’s hand brushed the edge of his blanket, causing a spark of warmth to shoot through her, and she nearly froze.

“Wait—where’d you get that?” she asked, nodding at the journal.

“I grabbed it when I grabbed my blanket,” he replied, shrugging casually.

“Oh…so do you like…journal before bed?” Max asked, curious despite herself.

“Yeah,” he said. “It calms my mind.”

Could he get any more cuter? Max thought, feeling her chest flutter slightly.

“Maybe you should try it,” he added. “Just jot down your day, your feelings…maybe stuff about Vecna, El, or…even your mom?”

Her chest tightened at the mention of her mom. She remembered mentioning how she didn’t care about her mother’s wellbeing—though she and Lucas both knew that wasn’t very true. Then, her mind somehow wondered, fleetingly, if her mother was even alive.

Shaking those depressing thoughts, she resolved to answer Lucas’ question.

“Next to each other?” she murmured, the idea taking root.

Lucas chuckled softly. “Yeah, maybe.” He placed the journal down, and they laid side by side, now very distant.

Max noticed how careful he was, he was trying to respect her, and his parents’ rules. But what’s the point of separate blankets if she can’t get a little cuddle?

“You know, Lucas…” she whispered, her voice a little teasing now. “You don’t have to stay so far away from me.”

“Yeah, but the rules, Max,” he said. “I don’t want to get us in trouble the first night.”

“Since when do you care?” she countered, a grin tugging at her lips. “Weren’t you the one trying to convince me to sleep in your room before we had this new ‘system’?”

“True,” he admitted, a small smile touching his lips. “But this is something new and different…They have given us the green light. I don’t want to disobey or disrespect them by not listening.”

Max felt a warm swell of admiration. He really was a great guy. She understood completely—but she also knew they didn’t need to be separated…Sue said that herself!

“Lucas…what do you think the separate blankets are for?” she asked suddenly, a playful glint in her eye.

“Oh, right,” he said, and shifted closer, just a few inches apart.

Max rolled onto her side. “Lucas…you know that’s not what I meant,” she said, feigning grumpiness.

“What are you talking about, Max?” he asked softly.

She grinned, pulling his arm from his blanket and placing it over her waist. “See? That’s so much better, now you’re not so far away….”

Lucas shifted just slightly, careful to respect the invisible lines the new rules had drawn, but his hand stayed over her waist. Slowly, almost teasingly, he pulled her a tad closer. “Yeah…you’re right,” he murmured, a faint smirk in his voice. “I guess this is better…”

Max froze for a second, heat rushing up her cheeks. She pressed her lips together, hoping he couldn’t see how flustered she was, yet she didn’t move away.

“Goodnight, Red,” he said quietly, letting the nickname linger in the darkened room.

“Lucas…please you have to let that go,” she murmured, voice half playful, half embarrassed.

“Never,” he replied softly, a little laugh hidden in his words. “It’s my new favorite thing. Soon enough, the whole house is going to be calling you that now that my dad started it!”

Max rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help the small grin tugging at her lips. “Ugh…maybe I don’t want you to hold me anymore.”

“Wait—Max, no. I’m sorry,” he said instantly, shifting just enough to reassure her without breaking the rules.

She felt the warmth of him and couldn’t help but tease back, even softly. “Aww your mommy was right, Little Lucas loves himself a good snuggle!”

Lucas now embarrassed, “Oh be quiet, Max!”

She giggled.

Momentarily they fell silent, letting the quiet stretch around them. The bed felt big, but not empty. Lucas stayed at a respectful distance, his arm still over her in that small, protective way. Max adjusted herself under her blanket, letting the steady, tethering presence of him beside her wash over her.

The quiet hum of the house surrounded them, the shadows soft and familiar. And slowly, almost reluctantly, Max drifted into sleep.

——————————————————————————————————————
Wednesday:

Morning came slowly again—but this time, it didn’t feel as fragile.

The light that filtered through Max’s blinds was softer than a couple of days before, muted by thin clouds that turned the sun into a pale glow instead of something sharp. It stretched across the room in a quiet haze, settling over the bed, over the carpet, and over the two figures tangled together beneath separate blankets that had long since stopped doing their job.

Max’s face was tucked against Lucas’s chest, her arm draped across him without permission, her leg half thrown over his like sometime in the night she’d decided distance wasn’t an option anymore. The blankets had shifted and twisted, one pushed down toward their legs, the other bunched somewhere beneath the bed, leaving them closer than anything Charles and Sue had probably intended when they made their rules.

Lucas woke first.

It wasn’t sudden.

It was gradual—the kind of waking that came from awareness before movement. The weight of something against him. The steady warmth. The quiet sound of breathing that wasn’t his own.

For a second, he didn’t move.

Then he blinked, eyes adjusting slowly to the dim light, and very quickly became aware of the situation.

Max was—everywhere.

Curled into him like she’d tried to get as close as physically possible in her sleep, like some unconscious part of her had decided that proximity meant safety and taken it to the extreme. Her cheek was pressed against his chest, her fingers loosely curled into the fabric of his shirt, her knee hooked slightly over his leg.

Lucas stared at the ceiling for a long second.

“…Okay,” he whispered under his breath.

Carefully—very carefully—he let out a slow breath, like if he moved too fast he might wake her or somehow make it worse. But even as he stayed still, he could already hear his dad’s voice in the back of his mind.

Separate blankets.

And keep it “appropriate.”

Lucas closed his eyes briefly.

“…We did not follow the rules,” he murmured.

Max shifted slightly at the sound of his voice, her grip tightening for half a second before her eyes blinked open, slow and heavy with sleep. It took her a moment to focus, to realize where she was—and then even longer to realize how close she was.

But she didn’t move.

Instead, her voice came out soft and quiet, still caught halfway between asleep and awake.

“Lucas…what do you mean we didn’t follow the rules?”

Lucas let out a small, almost disbelieving breath, glancing down at her before looking pointedly at the situation as a whole.

“Max…” he said quietly, “if my parents walked in right now, I don’t think they’d classify this as ‘appropriate.’”

That got her attention.

Max blinked again, slower this time, and finally lifted her head just enough to actually look at how tangled they were.

Max took a short pause.

“…Oh.”

But even then, she didn’t move right away.

Her eyes flicked back up to his, something faintly amused slipping into her expression despite the sleep still clinging to her.

“…Okay, but that’s not my fault,” she said softly.

Lucas turned his head slightly, eyebrows pulling together.

“Not your fault?” he repeated. “How is this not your fault?”

Max shifted just enough to prop her chin lightly against him, her voice still quiet but now threaded with teasing.

“Well, clearly you didn’t stop me,” she pointed out. “You are still holding me.”

Lucas let out a short breath, somewhere between a laugh and disbelief.

“Okay—but I was half asleep,” he argued.

Max’s lips twitched.

“Okay,” she shot back immediately, “and so was I.”

Lucas just stared at her for a moment in disbelief.

But then a few moments after, the tension broke.

A quiet laugh slipped out of Lucas first, soft and tired, and Max followed right after, her shoulders shaking slightly where she was still half draped over him.

“…Alright,” he admitted, shaking his head faintly. “Maybe that’s fair.”

For a few minutes, neither of them moved to fix their position.

Neither of them rushed to separate or pull back or pretend it hadn’t happened.

They just stayed there—caught somewhere between embarrassment and something softer, something quieter.

But of course, the sound of the alarm that Lucas had set went off.

Lucas groaned immediately, letting his head fall back against the pillow.

“My alarm,” he muttered.

Reality hit a second later.

School.

His eyes opened again, a different kind of awareness settling in now as he glanced down at her.

“…Wait,” he said, voice softer this time. “Did you sleep okay?”

Max didn’t hesitate.

“Yeah,” she said, her voice still quiet but steadier now. “I did.”

Something in Lucas’s expression shifted at that—something relieved, something warm.

“Good,” he said gently. “Maybe my parents are right.”

Max gave a small nod against him.

“Yeah…maybe they are.”

The moment lingered for just a second longer before Lucas let out a breath and carefully shifted beneath her.

“Well,” he said reluctantly, “I guess I have to go get ready.”

Max made a small, sleepy sound, already sinking back into the mattress as the weight of the morning tried to pull her under again.

“Are you coming?” he asked, glancing toward her.

She shook her head slightly, eyes already closing.

“No…I think I’m gonna try to go back to sleep…if I can.”

Lucas nodded, even though he knew she probably didn’t see it.

“Okay.”

Carefully this time, he eased himself away from her, slower than necessary, like he didn’t want to disturb the quiet they’d settled into.

Max barely reacted, already drifting again, her breathing evening out as she curled slightly into her pillow.

Lucas hesitated for half a second.

Then, without overthinking it, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Goodnight, Max,” he murmured quietly.

It wasn’t anything new.

It wasn’t something sudden or bold—it was familiar to them. It was a sweet gesture that had started back in the hospital, when nights had been harder, when sleep hadn’t come easy and reassurance had to come in smaller, quieter ways.

It didn’t mean anything more.

Even if it kind of did…

Max barely stirred, her voice soft and drowsy as it slipped out automatically—

“Goodnight…”

And just like that, she was gone again.

Lucas lingered for only a second longer before straightening, running a hand through his hair as the reality of the morning finally caught up to him.

Then he grabbed his blanket and slipped quietly out of the room, leaving the door closed this time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sunlight had shifted, spilling through the kitchen windows in warm, lazy streaks, softening the edges of everything it touched. Dust particles floated in the beams, catching the light like tiny suspended stars. The quiet hum of the house settled into Max’s bones as she padded in barefoot, still wrapped in the sleepy haze of late morning. The floor beneath her was cool, grounding her in the present, while the lingering scent of toasted bread and warm dish soap made the kitchen feel like a butterfly’s cocoon—safe and domestic.

Sue was at the sink, sleeves pushed up just past her elbows, hands moving in a smooth, practiced rhythm as she rinsed a plate under the steady stream of water. The metallic hiss of the faucet, the soft clink of ceramic, the muted drip into the basin—each sound was a heartbeat in the quiet room, a rhythm that coaxed Max’s scattered thoughts into stillness.

Max lingered in the doorway, letting her gaze sweep over the sunlit kitchen. Her hair was still messy, soft strands falling across her face, and the faint flush of sleep lingered on her cheeks. She felt a tug of self-consciousness but also a new, fragile comfort. The past couple of months had been chaotic, painful, disorienting, and yet here she was: warm, safe, and relaxed.

“Well,” Sue said, her voice breaking the quiet in that perfectly measured way that made Max feel noticed without being exposed, “look who finally decided to wake up.”

Max blinked, squinting against the sunlight. “…What time is it?” she croaked, her voice rough from sleep.

Sue, drying her hands with the dish towel, glanced at the clock over her shoulder and raised a brow. “Take a guess.”

Max followed her gaze, heart giving a small, surprised flutter. “…Almost one?”

Sue laughed softly, the sound easy and warm, like a soft bell. “Mhm. I was just about to come check on you!”

Max let out a small, breathless sound, somewhere between disbelief and embarrassment, pressing her palm to her face as she stepped further into the kitchen. “I didn’t mean to sleep that long…”

Sue waved a hand as if brushing away the notion entirely. “Max,” she said gently, “after everything you’ve been through, you could’ve slept until dinner and I would’ve let you.”

The weight of that calm certainty pressed against Max in a way that made her shoulders drop without her noticing. Her fingers drifted along the edge of the counter, cold and solid under her touch, a grounding that allowed her to just…exist in the space without having to defend herself.

“So?” Sue prompted softly, turning to watch her, her voice like a warm tether, steady and patient. “How did you sleep?”

Max felt the pulse in her chest slow. “…I slept good,” she admitted quietly, voice soft, almost more to herself than to Sue. “Like really…good.”

Sue’s gaze softened, warm and almost luminous in the afternoon light. “No nightmares?”

Max shook her head, a tiny, unstable movement, and a tension she hadn’t realized had been coiled so tightly suddenly eased.

“Well,” Sue murmured, moving a plate across the counter toward Max, “I’d say that’s a pretty big win.”

Max huffed a laugh, low and shy. “Yeah…”

The kitchen settled around them again, quiet but alive. The faint hum of the fridge, sunlight pooling across the floor, the scent of the dishes and the lingering warmth of toast. And then, like a hesitant whisper, Max asked, “…Was Lucas acting weird this morning?”

Sue didn’t answer at first. She just observed, eyes soft, noting the faint tension in Max’s shoulders, the way her hands lingered on the counter. Then the corners of her mouth lifted.

“Weird?” Sue repeated, voice gentle, teasing just slightly.

Max shrugged, trying to mask the heat rising in her chest. “I don’t know…just…quiet. Or…different.”

Sue hummed thoughtfully. “He was quiet,” she said, slowly, savoring the words. “But not bad-quiet. More like…he had something on his mind he wasn’t ready to share.”

Max’s fingers flexed lightly on the counter. “…What does that even mean?”

Sue laughed softly, a short, warm sound that seemed to settle the room even further. “It means he was trying very hard not to smile at absolutely nothing,” she said.

Max froze for a moment, heat creeping up the back of her neck. “…Oh.”

“He was distracted,” Sue continued, tilting her head, “and a little…giddy. I handed him his toast and he stared at it like he’d forgotten what it was for.”

Max’s chest fluttered at the memory. Her stomach twisted, a sudden wave of guilt and warmth mingling within her body. “…He was probably like that because we broke one of the rules,” she admitted quietly, almost too fast to catch, “…actually…two of them.”

Sue paused, letting the words linger, and then met her gaze. Max’s pulse hammered in her ears. “…Maxine—”

“No, I know,” Max interrupted, voice soft, low, almost embarrassed, her hands tightening slightly on the counter. “We weren’t supposed to—we had the separate blankets at first, but then I guess we just…” She trailed off, swallowing against a sudden flush of shame. “…didn’t stay like that.”

Sue’s gaze softened further, gentle and reassuring. “Max, honey, I know,” she said, calmly.

“…You do?” Max’s voice faltered.

Sue nodded, a quiet, confident motion. “I checked on you both last night,” she admitted. “Just to make sure everything was okay.”

Max dropped her hands over her face, groaning softly. “Oh my God,” she muttered.

Sue chuckled, moving closer, not in a way that demanded confession but simply to hold the space around her. “It was like you thought he was your mattress,” she said lightly. “And those separate blankets? Yours was halfway off the bed.”

Max groaned again, dragging her hands down her face. “Ugh—no, I’m sorry. I really am. If you don’t want us doing that again, I understand—”

“Maxine,” Sue interrupted, gentle but firm enough to make her still.

Max lowered her hands, heart hammering, pulse catching somewhere between relief and lingering embarrassment.

“Of course I’m going to be a little concerned,” Sue admitted, voice honest. “You’re both so young. It would be strange if I wasn’t paying attention.”

Max swallowed, a wave of nervousness washing through her.

“But trust me, I am not nearly as concerned as Charles,” Sue added, a faint smile touching her lips.

Max blinked. “…Why?”

Sue’s eyes softened, warm and unwavering. “Because I know my son,” she said simply. “Lucas would never try to disrespect us like that. He wouldn’t take advantage of these circumstances…not in this house, not anywhere, really.”

Max felt her chest tighten slightly, a warm flutter spreading through her stomach. Of course he wasn’t like that—Lucas would never do something reckless, never take advantage of anyone. She remembered the careful way he had held her last night, the way he had respected the invisible lines of the new rules even while she was the one who practically clung to him in her sleep. That thought made her chest ache a little—an ache that was equal parts of relief, admiration, and…something she didn’t quite have words for yet.

She felt almost silly, the wave of guilt that had hit her earlier now meshed with an undeniable sense of closeness.

Sue’s smile softened further, a playful warmth threading through her voice now. “I trust him. And I trust you. So no, I wasn’t exactly losing sleep over it.”

Max’s laugh bubbled out, quiet, embarrassed but free.

Sue tilted her head, mischief flickering in her eyes. “It looked like an accident,” she said. “And even if it wasn’t…who am I to judge?”

Max shook her head, laughter breaking through the last threads of tension.

Sue’s voice dropped softer, more intimate, like a gentle secret just for Max. “It’s like what I said yesterday…every now and then, everybody likes a little snuggle…especially Lucas!”

Max laughed properly this time, shoulders shaking, cheeks warming as the moment hung between them—light, safe, honest.

Sue chuckled, turning back to the counter as if nothing had happened. “Now,” she said, “sit down and eat before I decide you’re trying to sleep through all my cooking.”

Max smiled, settling onto a kitchen chair, letting the sunlight wash over her, feeling the warmth lingering in her chest—the quiet, subtle knowledge that, for the first time in a long week, she felt entirely, unreservedly…at home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The scrape of bicycle tires over melting snow had long faded, leaving a faint drip of slush against the driveway as Max watched from the window. Sue had left not even five minutes ago, heading to meet Erica for a parent-teacher conference, and had asked Max to keep an eye on the mailbox while she was gone. Max’s hands wrapped around the warm mug Sue had left on the counter, steam curling up and tangling with the faint scent of winter air drifting through the slightly cracked window.

The front door creaked open, letting in a rush of cold that carried the tang of melting snow and wet winter coats. Lucas, Will, and Dustin stepped inside, careful to kick their boots onto the mat, gently placing them on the shoe rack near the front door. Water pooled in little rivulets around their boots, a damp, earthy scent mixing with the warm, cozy aroma of the house. Max noticed the way their shoulders slumped slightly, coats hanging heavy and wet, hair speckled with melting flakes.

Something in their expressions made her chest tighten. They looked…off. Down.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly, stepping forward.

Before they could answer, she noticed the shivering, the cold fingers tucked into their sleeves, the way they rubbed at their arms. She tilted her head, a small smile forming. “Do you guys want some hot chocolate? Sue just made some before she left.”

A brief flicker of relief crossed their faces. “Yeah…that’d be good,” Lucas muttered, his teeth barely hiding a small shiver.

By the time they reached the living room, mugs in hand and heat radiating through their palms, the soft patter of melting snow from their coats onto the rug filled the quiet. Max settled into the couch with them, watching as they took tentative sips. The room smelled faintly of chocolate and winter wood smoke, and the warmth of the heater pooled around their bodies.

As they sipped, Max listened while the boys described Hawkins High, her brow furrowing with each detail. The hallways that were once crowded with laughter and lockers slamming, were hollow now, the echoes of footsteps bouncing off bare walls. Some teachers hadn’t returned after the long break, and even more students were absent, some of them are not even coming back at all. The air, Max imagined, must feel heavier there, quieter, as if the walls themselves remembered the fear that had once gripped the town. Even with Vecna’s defeat, the shadow of what he had caused, still lingered, subtlety but still persistent, which weighed on the entire towns’ shoulders. The emptiness gnawed at her friends in ways she could see—slumped shoulders, hesitant gestures, voices quieter than usual—and Max felt a twinge of helplessness. She of all people knew that Hawkins hadn’t fully healed, but seeing that the dark days was still very much alive in the people she cared about…really shattered her heart.

Dustin shifted slightly on the couch, the edge of his mug warm against his fingers, and let out a low sigh. “What makes it worse,” he said, voice soft, “is Mike. He’s barely speaking to us. The most we’ve heard from him was last weekend at your welcome-home sleepover…and that’s it. He’s probably spoken like five words since then, and we’re only halfway through the first week back.”

Will nodded, cheeks flushed from the winter cold. “Yeah. I get it, though. I know he’s processing everything…but I just wish he’d talk to us. We’re supposed to be his best friends. It’s hard seeing him…like this.”

Lucas’ gaze dropped to his mug, steam curling around his fingers. “Yeah…at first, I thought he’d bounce back like he did the last time, in middle school. But now…now I think he knows El’s not coming back, and he’s just…spiraling. And I…I don’t know how to reach him.” His voice wavered slightly, and for a moment Max forgot to breathe, her chest tightening at the sight of him so weighed down by worry.

Without thinking, she reached over and rested a hand lightly on his knee, warm through his jeans. “Hey,” she murmured, her voice soft and steady. “We can’t fix everything, but we can be there for him. That’s what matters.” She glanced at Dustin and Will, her gaze gentle and stable. “Has he been eating lunch with you guys…or hanging around in your classes?”

All three boys nodded, and relief washed over Max, easing the tight knot in her chest. “Then there’s no need to worry yet,” she said, squeezing Lucas’ hand just slightly. She leaned closer, her arm brushing against his, and she slightly whispered, “It’s like what you said the other night on our walk…we stick around. We don’t let him slip away, right?”

Lucas looked up at her, his usual guardedness softening, and nodded slowly. “Yeah…you’re right, Max.” A small, tentative smile tugged at his lips, and the quiet between them lingered, charged with unspoken understanding.

Dustin and Will exchanged a quick glance, curiosity sparkling in their eyes, and Dustin couldn’t resist breaking the moment. He smirked, a little teasing, a little pointed, “Wait…what happened on that walk?”

Lucas stiffened slightly, looking over at Max before answering. “We just…talked on the walk...that’s all,” he said carefully, voice low but steady, though his cheeks warmed slightly.

Max looked down at Lucas’ hand resting against hers, her thumb brushing lightly over his. “Lucas…we didn’t just talk…we talked about starting over,” she said, voice soft but firm, the words slipping out before she even realized it.

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, his cheeks were warming, and he fumbled slightly with his mug. Around Dustin and Will, he suddenly seemed…flustered. The easy confidence he used to having around them was replaced with that slightly awkward, protective energy Max had come to know so well. He opened his mouth, closed it, then looked at her like he was trying to find a safe answer without giving too much away.

Max blinked, unsure what came over her to be so blunt, but the truth just spilled out anyway.

The conversation yesterday with Lucas’ parents had already been awkward—the rules, the boundaries, the careful explanations of what they could and couldn’t do together—and that air of formality had made everything tense and uncomfortable.

Here, with their friends, that weight was gone. She could speak freely, breathe freely, and even tease Lucas without worrying about missteps. She was grateful for that comfort, for the ability to be open and honest without feeling so awkward from an adult audience.

Will’s shy, innocent voice piped up, “So you’re…dating again?”

Lucas blinked, flustered again. “Well…no…not exactly.”

Max smiled, her cheeks were warming, yet she shrugged it off. “Yeah, it’s kinda complicated….We’d have to go on a date to be dating.”

Dustin’s gaze flicked to an awkward Lucas, and suddenly his mind jumped back to yesterday in class, Lucas had been practically bouncing in his seat when he’d whispered something about plans with Max on Saturday. A slow grin spread across Dustin’s face as the realization hit him.

“Wait…” he said, leaning forward slightly, voice teasing. “Aren’t you guys going to the arcade and movies on Saturday?”

Max froze, her eyes darting between him and Lucas. “How do you know—” she started, and then she caught Lucas’ guilty little smirk, the sheepish tilt of his head that made her heart do that little fluttering thing.

“Sinclair!” she hissed, laughing despite herself.

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish chuckle escaping. “I…may have mentioned it yesterday in class…I was just excited, okay!?”

Max rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the little smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, whatever.”

Despite her sarcastic response, a warm feeling spread throughout her chest. The idea of Lucas being so chipper about their date on Saturday, practically bouncing with excitement in class yesterday, made her really happy.

She couldn’t help but think it was adorable how he had brought up their date at school, barely twenty-four hours after they’d even planned it. Even if he’d embarrassed himself a little, it made her feel seen, cherished, and…quietly, sweetly cared for in that small, perfect way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The house had settled into that familiarly deep, late-night quiet that felt almost sacred, like the world had finally exhaled.

The pipes hummed softly behind the walls, a slow, yet calm rhythm, and every now and then there was a faint tick of cooling metal. The outdoor wind brushed gently against Max’s bedroom window, not loud enough to be distracting, but enough to remind Lucas and Max that it was there.

Under their blankets, the air was warmer, softer, and lived-in, carrying the faint scent of laundry soap and something that was unmistakably Lucas’ cologne and Max’s shampoo.

Max lay on her side, facing the wall, tracing her fingers lazily against the uneven texture of the paint as her eyes followed the faint shadows shifting across it. Behind her, she could hear the quiet scratch of Lucas’ pen moving across his journal paper.

She didn’t need to look to picture him.

She could see through his shadow that he sat cross-legged, slightly hunched over his journal. She’d imagined that his eyebrows were drawn together just a little in concentration. With the lamp on her nightstand, which sat beside him casting a warm, golden glow that softened everything: the journal page, his hands, the curvature of his shoulders.

Max waited.

And waited.

Her head flicked backward to look at the clock.

Then back to the wall.

Then, finally, with a small, impatient breath, she shifted under her blanket, the fabric whispering against itself.

“Okay…” she mumbled, voice thick with sleep but edged with teasing, “are you done yet, or do I need to schedule an appointment with you?”

Lucas’s pen paused mid-line. A quiet laugh slipped out of him as he glanced over. “I’m sorry, I’m almost done.”

Max rolled her eyes, even though he couldn’t see it, dragging the blanket higher up over her shoulder. “Mhm Sure. That’s what you said five minutes ago.”

He smiled to himself, finishing the last few words with quicker strokes now, the scratch of pen against paper just a little faster, like he suddenly felt the clock ticking too.

Then—Max heard a soft snap of the journal closing.

“Alright,” he said, setting it carefully on the nightstand.

Max didn’t turn around. She just subtly but intentionally shifted—edging a little closer to his side of the bed, her voice quieter now, softer in a way that didn’t quite match her words.

“Good,” she murmured. “Now hold me.”

Lucas blinked, caught completely off guard, his body going still for half a second. “Max—”

She groaned, dragging his name out like a complaint. “Luuucas.”

His fingers tapped lightly against the mattress, nervous energy slipping through before he could stop it. He thought about this morning…how the two of them went against simple rules. He heard his parents’ voices, he also thought about the conversation from the day before, the careful boundaries that had felt so important to him not even twenty-four hours ago.

Max must have felt his hesitation, because she shifted again, rolling just enough onto her back to glance at him over her shoulder. Her hair fell messily across her cheek, eyes half-lidded but sharp enough to catch every flicker of uncertainty on his face.

“Lucas,” she said, quieter now. “I talked to your mom this morning.”

His posture straightened, as her words landed instantly. “You—what?”

Max swallowed, and for the first time that night, there was a flicker of something softer under her tone. She was almost nervous.

“She knows.”

Her words felt bigger once they were out in the open. Still, Lucas went completely still.

“She knows?” he repeated, his voice dropping, something tight threading through it now. “Like…she saw—?”

Max let out a quick, slightly breathy laugh, cutting him off before he could finish. “Lucas, will you let me get to where I’m going with this?”

“Sorry,” he said immediately, the word coming out a little too fast.

She shifted onto her back fully now, staring up at the ceiling for a second before glancing back at him. For a moment, she hesitated—like she was deciding how much to say, how to say it without making it worse.

“ I felt kinda guilty,” she admitted, her voice softer now, more honest. “about how we woke up this morning, and so…I told her.”

Lucas’ stomach dropped a little at that.

“And she said that she checked on us,” Max added.

There it was.

Lucas’s eyes widened despite himself, his shoulders tensing again. “So she did see us.”

“Lucas.”

“Max.”

There was just enough panic in his voice to make her laugh again, but this time it came out lighter, warmer, like she was trying to ease him, not tease him.

“Relax,” she said, shaking her head. “She wasn’t upset…Like at all.”

He searched her face, still unsure.

“She literally told me she trusts us, most importantly, she said that she trusts you.” Max went on, her voice steadying as she said it, like repeating it made it more real. “And…she said that she knows your character.”

That made something in him falter.

“She said you’d never try to disrespect their rules like that, you’d never take advantage of a situation like this.” Max added, quieter now.

Lucas’ gaze dropped for a second, something grounding settling in his chest. The tension in him didn’t disappear completely, but it softened, like a knot loosening just enough to breathe.

Max watched him, her own chest feeling strangely tight now.

“And…” she started, then stopped.

Her fingers fidgeted slightly with the edge of her separate blanket, her confidence slipping just a little as she tried to find the words. Heat crept up her neck, and she suddenly found the ceiling very interesting again.

“She said it’s okay to…” she trailed off, scrunching her nose faintly. “…to enjoy…being held.”

Lucas’s lips twitched before he could stop them.

Max groaned quietly, dragging a hand over her face. “Okay, fine—she said it’s okay to like ‘snuggling,’” she corrected quickly, the word coming out awkward and wrong in her mouth. She actually cringed after saying it, shoulders hunching a little. “Ugh, that felt really weird to say!”

That earned a soft laugh from him, the tension breaking just enough.

“And—well—we both know you like…it,” she added, trying to recover, her voice still a little flustered. “Your mom’s mentioned it to me twice now—”

“Hey—” Lucas cut in, immediately defensive.

“But so do I,” Max said quietly, cutting him off before he could get any further.

The room stilled.

For a second, he just looked at her.

Of course he knew. He’d known, in the quiet ways that mattered—in the way she never pulled away in the hospital, in the way she always settled into him without thinking or arguing, he had known in the way that her body seemed to recognize his before her words ever did.

But hearing her say it? That was different. Max had appeared to be more soft and braver…and it all hit him so fast and all at once.

A slow, teasing smile tugged at his mouth. “Yeah,” he said lightly, a hint of mischief slipping into his voice. “I know that.”

Max’s eyes narrowed slightly, already suspicious.

“You initiate it every time.”

Her face warmed instantly. “What are you—”

“And you know what?” he continued, a little bolder now, that grin settling in. “From now on, every time it happens and we get caught, I’m not taking all the blame anymore.”

Max stared at him, she was almost horrified.

Lucas paused just long enough for his words to stick—but then he added, “I’m letting it fall on you too.”

“Stalker,” she shot back immediately, half whispering, half hissing. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, but I would,” he said, not even trying to hide his smirk now.

She groaned, dragging the blanket up over her face for a second before dropping it again. “Ugh—fine.”

But the embarrassment lingered, soft and warm and impossible to fully hide.

When she spoke again, her voice had shifted—quieter now, more careful.

“Still…” she started, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the edge of the separate blanket between them—the one that was still there, still technically doing its job even as they hovered closer than they probably should’ve been. “If you’re worried about the rules or whatever…we don’t have to...snuggle.”

Lucas’ smile faded just slightly, replaced with something more attentive.

Max’s gaze dropped, her bravado slipping just a little more. “I don’t wanna put pressure on you,” she admitted softly. “And I’ll be fine…as long as you’re here…next to me, I know I’ll be okay.”

That did it.

Lucas exhaled slowly, like something in him finally gave way.

The rules were still there.

But she was here.

And that mattered more.

“No,” he said, firmer now, no hesitation this time. “I want to.”

Max didn’t answer right away.

But the small, relieved smile that softened her face said everything.

Lucas moved closer to Max’s side of the bed. He was careful at first—just enough to cross those invisible boundary lines, but then he became more certain. He slipped himself completely under his own blanket beside her, the fabric separating them in the smallest, most technical way—one layer between what was allowed and what they actually wanted.

His arm slid around her waist.

And when he pulled her back into him…Max went in easily.

To Lucas, it was like she’d been waiting for this moment.

Their legs tangled almost immediately beneath the blankets, warmth building where their bodies met, even with that thin barrier between them. Her back pressed into his chest, solid and steady, his breath warm against the back of her neck.

Max let out a soft breath, her body melting into his, all the tension she hadn’t even realized she was holding, had finally slipped away.

Her fingers curled lightly around his arm where it rested at her waist, anchoring him there.

“See?” she murmured, voice soft, already drifting. “Its not so scary.”

Lucas huffed a quiet laugh against her shoulder, his grip on her tightening just slightly.

“You say that now, let’s just hope Charles Sinclair never catches us like this,” he whispered.

Max could only laugh at his remark.

For a moment after that, neither of them spoke. It wasn’t because they were awkward, or because everything was weird and heavy now…because it wasn’t. In fact, everything felt…easier.

Max sank further back into Lucas, her body softening in a way it hadn’t all day, like every tight, guarded piece of her had finally found somewhere to rest. The warmth of him at her back spread slowly, seeping through the thin layers of the fabric between them, grounding her in something real, something safe, something so very Lucas. His arm stayed wrapped around her waist, secure and gentle, his thumb absentmindedly brushed once against her side before going still again.

There was something quiet in him too—something calmer than before, like the carefulness he previously carried had eased just enough to let him actually feel this. The weight of her against him, the way she fit perfectly into his embrace, the calming rhythm of her breathing beginning to match his.

Max shifted again, just enough to tuck herself even closer, her hand lightly rested over his where it sat at her waist. And right after her, Lucas adjusted himself slightly too, to hold her better, his legs brushing more firmly against hers beneath the separate blankets.

However, their covers still draped between them—his twisted halfway around his legs, hers bunched somewhere near her knees—they were tangled enough that the rule felt more like a suggestion than anything serious.

Max let out a small breath.

“Hey…?”

Lucas hummed softly. “Yeah?”

She hesitated for just a second, her fingers tightening faintly around his hand.

“You know how Dustin and Will were being earlier?” she started, her voice a little more awake now, though still soft. “How they were asking about…us?”

Lucas groaned immediately, dropping his forehead lightly against the back of her shoulder. “Please don’t remind me.”

That pulled a quiet smile from her.

“No, listen,” she said, a little amused now. “It just—it reminded me of yesterday…With your parents.”

“Max—”

“You literally told them we’re not together…’yet’,” she cut in, a hint of laughter in her voice now

He lifted his head slightly, already defensive in that playful way. “Okay, but when my parents asked, if we weren’t together, you went—” he paused, shifting his voice into a very obvious imitation of her, “‘No, it’s not like that— I mean, it kinda is...’”

Max went completely still for half a second.

Then—“Oh my God.”

There was heat creeping up her neck again, fast this time, her face scrunching in embarrassment even though he couldn’t fully see it.

“I did not sound like that,” she muttered.

Lucas let out a quiet laugh behind her. “You absolutely did.”

She shifted slightly in his arms like she was about to turn and argue—maybe even shove him—but the warmth of being wrapped up in him stopped her halfway. Instead, she just huffed, settling back into him with a quiet groan.

“Well, I didn’t want to get into all of that!” she shot back, her voice muffled slightly by the pillow now. “What was I supposed to say? ‘Oh yeah, we’re rebuilding our emotional connection while carefully navigating unresolved trauma and now these new parental boundaries you have set for us’?”

Lucas snorted softly at that.

Max let out a small breath, her tone softening again, the teasing slipping into something more thoughtful.

“I wasn’t trying to make this a teasing war,” she added, quieter now. “I just…think it’s kinda funny.”

Lucas stilled a little behind her, listening.

“How everyone keeps asking,” she continued, her words slower now, more reflective. “Like they’re trying to figure us out.”

Her fingers tightened slightly around his.

“Like we don’t know what we’re doing,” she said.

The words lingered for a second—but this time, she didn’t let herself shrink back from them.

“But I think we do,” she added, more confident now.

Lucas shifted just slightly, his arm tightening around her without thinking. “Yeah?” he asked softly. “What are we doing?”

Max swallowed, then answered simply—

“Well, we’re starting over like we agreed.”

She let that sit for a second, her voice grounding itself in the truth of it.

“We’re taking it day by day,” she went on. “We’re not rushing anything. We’re just…figuring it out.”

Lucas didn’t respond right away.

Behind her, something in him flickered—just a brief moment of uncertainty, of wondering if maybe he had been moving too fast, thinking too far ahead.

His arm tightened around her again, just slightly.

“Yeah,” he said after a second, quieter now. “Yeah… that makes sense…But maybe that’ll change after Saturday.” His words somehow came out casual…too casual.

But Max felt them anyway.

Her breath caught just slightly, her mind connecting the dots before she could stop it.

Oh.

The warmth that spread through her chest this time was softer—but deeper.

Her thoughts moved faster than she could stop them, warm and a little dizzying.

‘No wonder Dustin implied that we’re dating if we have the date’, she thought.

The realization settled deep in her chest, spreading into something softer, something that made her stomach flip in the best way. Of course he’d think that. Of course Lucas had said something, and of course he wasn’t being nearly as discreet about it as he probably thought he was! It almost made her want to laugh. Of course this all pointed to something more.

He was going to ask her.

Max didn’t say any of this out loud, she didn’t tease him, and she didn’t even turn around.

But her fingers tightened just a little where they rested over his hand, and a small, private smile pressed into the pillow in front of her.

“Yeah,” she said quietly, her voice softer now—but lighter. “Maybe.”