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After travelling through the Rabbit Hole to stop his father’s mess in Wonderland, Max (who still refuses to admit it) began to grow fond of the HKs that helped him. Luis in particular, who he became a little more than just friendly with. The others started to notice how they would trail behind the rest of the group whispering to one another, or deciding each other’s company was more important. They never chose to define their relationship; Max was too scared to commit to any sort of formalities, and Luis didn't feel the need to put a label on what they both felt. Max often found himself sneaking into Luis’ dorm room to get away from the chaos that still followed him, and Luis was more than willing to let him.
This time, instead of Max's carefulness with entering Luis’ room, he nearly slammed the door open, feeling an overwhelming sense of anger and- fear?
“Woah woah Max, what’s going on?” Luis shot up from where he was laying on his bed.
“I don’t understand you,” Max takes off his hat and roughly runs their other hand through their hair.
“What- what are you talking about? What's going on?” Luis persists.
Max avoids his gaze. “Why are we still doing this? Seriously, it’s insane to me that you’re still pretending to care about us. No one even knows because I’m too much of a coward to say anything so why bother anymore right?”
“Max.. where did this come from?”
“Oh stop being clueless Madrigal. You know you’d rather be with some HK like yourself. Someone who wasn’t the son of the man who tried to destroy auradon. Someone you could actually show off as your own.”
Luis hesitates from the shock of their words, seemingly giving Max the answer they were looking for.
“You can’t even deny it. Hell you probably think I’m just like my father too, huh? Like they all do. You saw what I did to Chloe back in Wonderland, the monster I made of myself using her like that.”
Luis stares in utter disbelief. “You can’t seriously believe I think that low of you. I know you were hurting. I don’t blame you for what happened to her, no one does.”
“Yeah sure,” Max rolls his eyes, still refusing to look at Luis.
“Max,” Luis takes a slow step towards them. “Sweetheart, why are you saying all of this?”
Max tenses up at the closing space between them, shifting backwards a small bit. “…it’s not like what I’m saying is wrong. Everyone else sees me as a carbon copy of my father, it makes sense you would too.”
“Listen, I have never, never seen you as your father, because you are not him. You are your own person who actually cares about others more than you’d ever be willing to admit. You are someone who gets far too invested in the movies we watch together, and when it's just the two of us you begin to mumble the words of whatever book you're reading. I can't imagine spending the time I have with you with anyone else here. I care about you, Max. Not who your father is, not what anyone else thinks of you, because you are what is important to me.”
Max's face shifts into the more fearful side of his previous expression. “You noticed all of that?”
“I’ve noticed a lot more about you since we became…this. Please don't push me away, Max.”
Max’s eyes dart to the ground as he murmurs something Luis can’t quite catch.
“What did you say, sweetheart?”
“...I’m sorry.”
“No, no. Please don't apologize,” Luis takes another step closer. “Look at me.”
“What happens when you realize I'm not enough for you,” Max chokes out, and when he finally looks up, Luis notices the streaks of tears running down his face.
“No, don't go there. You are more than enough. I love you, okay?”
Max responds by throwing himself into Luis' arms, words too difficult to explain what he's feeling. Luis responds by holding them tightly, careful not to crush them in his hold.
“Please don't push me away, not when you mean so much to me. I'm not going anywhere, and I'll do anything to prove it to you,” Luis says with utmost sincerity.
Max nods. “..can we lay down?”
Luis laughs softly. “Of course, sweetheart,” He carefully let go of Max and laid down on his bed, allowing Max to lay next to him before he pulled them back towards him.
Max quickly found comfort in the warmth of their partner. The movie Luis chose went unnoticed by both of them as Max remains stuck in his head with the events of the night. Despite that, he allows himself to be loved by the man he's tucked up against as he starts to drift off to sleep.
“.. I love you too, by the way.”