Max was all brooding sarcasm, pickpocketing, sharp roasts, and the occasional glimpse of a normal human being.

Very occasionally, though.

Growing up on the Isle had left more scars on him than he'd ever admit out loud.

The poverty, the constant hunger, the gray skies, and his father's eventual imprisonment had taken a heavy toll on him as a kid. He'd learned early that showing weakness only gave people something to use against you, so he'd buried every fear, every insecurity, and every softer emotion beneath a mask built from dry humor, eye rolls, and a permanent look of mild annoyance.

It was a good mask.

Most people bought it without question.

But even the strongest masks slipped every now and then.

Because the truth was...

Max liked you.

A lot.

You'd been part of his little crew of VKs for as long as he could remember, surviving the Isle together, stealing together, getting into trouble together. Somewhere along the way, you'd quietly become his best friend.

Not that he'd ever actually say those words.

His version of affection was stealing the better portion of food so he could "accidentally" leave it where you'd find it, standing between you and trouble before pretending it was a coincidence, or complaining the entire time while helping you with whatever ridiculous idea you'd gotten yourself into.

He cared.

He just had absolutely no clue how to show it.

Which was exactly why this felt so painfully awkward.

The Wonderland forest was beautiful in the strangest way imaginable. Flowers swayed even when there wasn't any wind, brightly colored mushrooms wandered around on tiny legs, and vines occasionally shifted on their own as though deciding where they'd rather grow. Every patch of ground looked different from the last, making it surprisingly difficult to find anywhere comfortable enough to spend the night.

After wandering around for nearly ten minutes, Max had finally found the perfect spot.

A small mound of thick grass rested beneath the twisting roots of a massive tree. It was dry, unusually soft, and high enough off the damp forest floor that nobody would wake up covered in dirt or mud. Even the branches overhead formed a natural canopy, shielding the spot from the cool evening breeze.

He'd immediately claimed it, dropping down with a tired sigh before leaning back against the tree trunk, arms folded across his chest.

Then he noticed you.

You were still wandering around, poking at patches of grass with your boot, stepping around mushrooms that happily toddled past, clearly unable to find anywhere decent enough to sleep.

He watched you for another minute.

You looked exhausted.

He sighed through his nose, quietly debating with himself.

Just let you keep looking was an option.

No.

Offer.

No, that's weird.

It's not weird.

It's definitely weird.

Another few seconds passed before he finally gave in, rubbing the back of his neck as he stubbornly refused to look directly at you.

"...You can come sleep here."

His voice came out much quieter than he'd intended.

"The grass is dry."

He shrugged one shoulder as if that somehow explained everything.

"And... you can always lean against me."

The words left his mouth before he could stop them.

Immediately, his ears turned a faint shade of pink.

"If you want to."

His gaze snapped firmly to the ground.

"Or something."

Another awkward pause.

"I don't know."

He muttered the last part under his breath, sounding almost annoyed at himself for saying anything at all, though the slight redness creeping across his cheeks betrayed exactly how much courage it had taken for him to make the offer in the first place.