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Max hates being here. He does not want to be here but his dad forced him.
Max knew he hadn’t been pleasant back at home. He and his dad would get in screaming matches all the time and most of them ended in Max breaking something. Max had also been caught with cigarettes and alcohol in his room multiple times. But still Max didn’t think he belonged here. The people here were worse, with actual issues. One of the worst being his roommate, George.
George was a priss. Nothing was good enough for him, he refused to eat almost everything he was served. He nagged Max about leaving socks and dirty clothes around the room but he’d always end up picking them up as Max ignored him. He was just completely and utterly insufferable.
***
Everyone was gathered around the table for DBT skills group. Max sat in between Charles and Lando. He missed Daniel who got discharged two weeks ago.
He was tuned out of whatever coping skill bullshit Lewis was saying, just staring at the worksheet he was supposed to fill out when that annoying British twat spoke, “You’re not better than any of us, Max.”
Max’s head shot up to glare at George who was glaring right back at him. “Shut the fuck up.” He hissed
“You know I’m right,” Lewis now looked a bit conflicted on whether he should start deescalating the situation, “we’re all here for a reason and you’re just as fucked up as the rest of us.” George knew he was riling Max, but he still flinched when Max lunged forward across the table, held back by Nico H.
Nico lead the seething max away to talk outside, he was good at calming clients. George looked a bit startled, too prideful to display guilt outwardly. He had the sense to at least look ashamed as Lewis motioned for him to step aside to talk.
As soon as they were out of earshot of the other clients George began to ramble, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to go that far, It’s just that it frustrates me so much when he looks down on me and everyone, as if he’s too good for this place, too good to fill in worksheets when he’s just-“ Lewis cut him off.
“Max has a lot of trouble expressing and acknowledging his feelings and belittling that won’t help, we’re doing what we can to help him and I just ask that you try and work with him okay?” Lewis didn’t let him answer as he patted him on the back and led him back to the table. George glanced at the window, he saw Max ranting to Nico. Nico was an amazing employee, especially when it came to just listening.
Alex looked at George and gave a questioning thumbs up, George nodded, he wasn’t ready to talk about it.
***
Max only rejoined the group at dinner. He sat with Lando and Charles again. He glanced at the other table, he saw George pushing his food around the plate like always and rolled his eyes. “What a princess.” Max muttered under breath.
“He’s not that bad.” Lando tilted his head. Oscar nodded in agreement, those two were always together and in agreement. Max didn’t know much about why Oscar was here, he knew Lando had a self-harm problem and severe ADHD though.
“He’s actually really kind y’know.” Charles glanced around to make sure no employees were watching before he nudged Max playfully. He went back to talking to Carlos but kept an ear open to Max’s conversation.
Since Daniel had left Max became closer with Charles just to avoid being alone. He learned that Charles was here because of a self-esteem issue. Max deemed him not crazy.
Max just grunted, a bit embarrassed no one agreed with him. He wish he had a cigarette. He just ate his dinner to avoid his cravings.
***
George laid in bed staring at the ceiling, deep in thought. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Lewis said. He glanced at the doorframe, the door that had to be open at all times, the dimmed light coming in from the hallway, the bathroom door, his dresser which were hard to close because of how much clothes he brought, the countless books of his on top of the dresser since reading was one of the only things you could do here during free time besides play cards with the others and napping, he glanced at Max’s dresser which was neat because Max seemed to bring the bare minimum of stuff.
George finally glanced at the bed across the room, opposite of his. Max lay there, back facing him, George couldn’t tell if he was even awake or not. How late had he stayed up just thinking?
Finally George gathered what courage he could and whispered, “Max?”
No response came for a minute and George certainly wasn’t going to try again when he heard a quiet and grumbly, “What?”
“I’m sorry about today…” He admitted, shoving down his pride.
Max flipped over so he was facing George. They could barely make each other out but being able to see each other’s presence was better.
George waited for a response he was becoming sure wasn’t going to come when Max whispered, “Why’re you here?”
Now it was George’s turn to get quiet. Maybe it was the late hour that made vulnerability easier as he began to talk, “I have trouble eating, I have had it so long it’s hard to remember a time without it, and that makes it so hard to recover, I don’t mean to be picky, I just get so in my head about calories and stuff…” he trailed off as he suddenly realized he was spilling his heart out to Max Verstappen, someone who probably doesn’t even know what empathy is. But through the dark he could see Max completely focused on him, eyes wide with curiosity.
“What about you?” He asked hesitantly.
Max suddenly tensed and turned back over so George could only see his back, “None of your business. I only asked cause Nico H says I need to try and be more understanding of others situation.”
George scoffed, “I doubt you can understand others if you don’t let others understand you.”
“Shut up, stop trying to be some cliche roommate with late night talks.”
“As if I would ever choose to be your roommate, if I could be Alex’s, I would be.”
“Good night, Princess.” Max seethed
George wouldn’t dignify that with a response. Inside George felt embarrassed he’d opened up to Max. He wanted to respect Lewis’s request but he didn’t know how he could if Max didn’t let himself be worked with.
***
George always woke up first in the mornings. He had a long morning routine he had to keep up with and he’d be damned if he let residential interrupt with. He looked at Max a bit warily. He looked so calm when he slept.
George snapped out of his thoughts, he probably looked creepy staring. He quickly rushed out the room to ask an employee for his hygiene basket which was in the contraband closet. There was a quiet peace of the morning throughout the house. He enjoyed it while it was there because it never lasted long.
***
Sebastian stared at Max who was curled up on the couch across from him. He was Max’s therapist, for individual and family sessions. He never got much out of him though. He was so closed off.
“Y’know my husband works night shifts. He said he heard you and George talking. That’s a first.” He tried to nudge conversation out of the teen.
“You’re married?” Max blinked.
Sebastian sighed, of course that was all Max got from that, “Yes, to Kimi Räikkönen. Now back to Late night conversations with George.”
Max shifted uncomfortably, “Yesterday we got into a… disagreement, Nico H pulled me aside to talk and let me rant and when I was done he just told me to understand where George was coming from so I tried last night but then he started prying me and-“
“Max.” Sebastian sighed, “Did George open up to you and you responded by shutting him out?”
Max shrank a little feeling called out. He mumbled, “Do you know if he’s okay?”
“We’re doing what we can, Lewis says they make good progress in their individual sessions, but you can only really know by asking him yourself.” Sebastian explained before beginning to talk about what to bring up in their next family session.
Max tuned him out, turning to look out the window. He was completely lost in the thought thinking about his confusing roommate.
***
At dinner George sat with his usual friends. He stared down at his plate. Teriyaki chicken with rice and broccoli. He began to spiral in his thoughts, how much sugar was in the teriyaki sauce? How many calories was the rice? Was the broccoli touching the chicken?
Alex kicked him lightly under the table, “you gonna eat tonight?”
George pursed his lips, “no…”
He looked up and flinched when he saw Max staring. The boy quickly looked away. How weird.
***
That night George entered the room a few minutes before lights out, Kimi had roped him into playing cards with the younger boys. It was so easy to get attached to them, they just seemed so young and out of place even though most of the older kids had been in their place before.
He quickly brushed his teeth and as he was getting into bed something hit him, “Hey!”
He glared at Max who was looking at him expectantly, before looking down to see a fruit snack bag. Oh.
“I don’t know if you like those they’re just low calorie and I didn’t see you eat anything all day, nevermind this was dumb-“ Max rambled running a hand through his hair.
“No- no, I like these, they feel… safe.” George picked up the small bag. “Thank you.”
They sat on their beds in the dark in silence, George quietly eating. Max was the one who ended up breaking the silence, “I’m sorry I don’t understand most the people here. Or you.”
George looked down at the gummies in his hand, “it’s okay, I think you don’t realize but this,” he held up a gummy, “This is trying. There’s a difference between at least trying to understand and not. And I see how you are with the younger kids, you’re really good with them. Don’t sell yourself short.” He finished eating and lay down.
“Goodnight George.”
“Goodnight Max.”
***
Max forced himself to participate in the groups today even if he found them so stupid. It surprised everyone, the employees masked their surprise and some other emotion that Max couldn’t name better than the kids.
He tried to talk to some of the people he usually didn’t talk to. He found out a lot of new things, it gave some new perspective, and it was a bit humbling. He should remember to bring this up with Sebastian.
***
That night as the two roommates were getting ready for bed their hands brushed. A small barely noticeable touch but it was enough to freeze the two touch starved boys, they stared at each other, flushed and wide eyed before rushing to continue on their own tasks.
As they lay in bed George whispered, “Do you think this place actually helps?”
Max thought about it, “Maybe some people, I don’t think I’ve gotten much, even when I do participate.”
“I feel like I’m doing everything I should be to get better but maybe my heart’s not in it.” George admitted.
Max hesitantly began to talk, “My dad forced me to come here cause I was just so angry all the time and I would really only relax when I was smoking or drunk.”
George paused, he’d never heard Max so vulnerable, “I don’t think you’re angry all the time.” He mumbled softly.
Max didn’t respond.
***
The employees and residents all noticed the Max and George began to gravitate toward each other. They noticed Max begin to put forth effort. They noticed George try to eat more. They didn’t notice the small touches the two boys would exchange, their way of saying, ‘I’m here.’