Max eventually made it back hours later, his body aching in that dull, exhausted way that came from pushing far past reasonable limits. The journey back had been a nightmare from start to finish. He had woken up alone in the forest with no landmarks, no familiar energy signatures, and a lingering sense of irritation that refused to fade. Two hundred miles was a long way to travel without preparation, especially when most of his higher-grade abilities were sealed. Still, he adapted, like he always did.
Stealing the motorcycle hadn't exactly been part of the plan, but desperation had a way of rewriting morals. The rider skill had kicked in almost instantly, muscle memory and instinct blending together as if he'd been born on two wheels. The engine roared beneath him as the road blurred into streaks of moonlit asphalt, the wind cutting through his jacket and forcing him to stay sharp. By the time he ditched the bike and continued on foot, his reserves were thin and his patience nonexistent.
When Max finally reached the Shack, the sky was already beginning to lighten at the edges, the early signs of dawn creeping in. He stepped inside quietly, closing the door behind him with practiced care. The place was warm, safe, and faintly familiar in a way that made the tension in his shoulders finally ease. His boots hit the floor softly as he moved deeper inside, and that was when he saw them.
The girls were passed out on the bed, tangled together in sleep, completely unaware of how close he'd come to not making it back until much later. Blankets had been kicked aside sometime during the night, leaving them sprawled out in nothing but their underwear, hair messy and expressions peaceful. Max froze in the doorway for a moment, exhaustion forgotten as concern took over.
"Man… they're gorgeous," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head, "but so careless."
He set his things down and approached slowly, movements careful and deliberate. One wrong step, one careless noise, and he knew they'd both wake up instantly. He gently adjusted their positions, pulling a blanket up over them and tucking it around their shoulders. It was a small thing, but it mattered to him. They deserved comfort, not cold floors and careless sleep.
"I care for you girls more than you think," Max said quietly, voice barely more than a whisper. "But leaving me stranded like that… that was kind of stupid. Whatever it was you were trying to do."
He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to each of their heads, lingering just long enough to convey what words couldn't. There was no expectation, no hidden intent—just relief that they were safe and here. As he straightened, a tired smile tugged at his lips.
"Damn," he murmured. "Hana was right. I really am too shy to do anything."
"Correct."
Max nearly jumped out of his skin.
He spun around just in time to see Luna sitting up, eyes half-lidded but unmistakably amused. His heart hammered in his chest as he exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to his sternum.
"Damn it, Luna," he hissed. "I thought you were asleep."
"Quiet," she whispered back, glancing toward Hana. "She actually is. She tired herself out."
Luna reached over and gently cupped Hana's ears, her expression softening in a way Max rarely saw. For a moment, he just watched, the tension bleeding out of him again.
"Oh," he said quietly. "My bad."
"You need to do research," Luna continued casually as she climbed off the bed. "I have Sloth. I don't need sleep. No dreams, no fatigue. It's kind of a backwards skill, but whatever."
"Luna," Max said suddenly, turning away far too fast. "You aren't wearing anything."
"Oh, come on," she replied, completely unbothered. "Hana told me she walked out of the shower on you multiple times back in our old body, in our old world. I would've too, but you were always so careful. Guess you still are."
She grabbed a set of pajamas and slipped them on with deliberate slowness, clearly enjoying his discomfort.
"It's adorable," she added. "But you should loosen up every now and then."
"I don't want to take things too far too fast," Max said, rubbing the back of his neck. His voice was heavy with exhaustion now. "Especially when you're still getting used to your new bodies."
"What do you think we've been doing?" Luna shot back, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Getting used to them. It's kind of unfair, actually. Some past sensations transferred. She knows all my weaknesses now. I don't know hers."
Max snorted softly despite himself. "I still don't understand how you two didn't have the same… preferences. Same body, different reactions. That was weird."
"Different minds," Luna replied simply. "Different priorities."
She studied him for a moment, then sighed. "You look awful. When did you last sleep?"
Max shrugged. "I'll just grab my blankets."
"No," Luna said, stopping him before he could move. "You're sleeping with us from now on. No more being the too-nice guy."
She stood and grabbed his wrist, pulling him toward the bed with surprising strength. "Besides, we can sleep in. Thanks to whatever magic you used to make this place bigger, that door can't be opened by any demigod. Nothing's waking us up."
Max opened his mouth to argue, but the words never came. The moment he lay down, Hana shifted in her sleep and wrapped her arms around him from behind, face pressing against his back.
His entire body went rigid.
"Shit," he whispered in a panic. "She isn't dressed."
"Then don't turn around," Luna said calmly as she curled into his arms, fitting against him like she'd always belonged there. "Just hold me."
Max hesitated, then carefully wrapped an arm around her, acutely aware of every breath, every subtle movement. His mind raced even as exhaustion pulled at him, dragging him toward sleep whether he liked it or not.
They were going to sleep great.
Max… not so much.
But for the first time since waking up alone in that forest, he felt grounded. Surrounded. Home.