While everyone ate, Max leaned back in his chair and just… watched.
For once, the hotel's dining room wasn't a battlefield of passive-aggressive stares, shouted insults, or Angel throwing something at Husk. Instead, people were actually talking—talking—without threats.
Charlie practically bounced toward him, joy glowing off her like a warm lamp.
"Max! Thank you. I guess good food really does help a lot," she said, wrapping him in a big, heartfelt hug.
Max carefully hugged her back with his one arm. "Well, it wasn't all me. Vaggie helped a lot yesterday. She felt pretty down about… everything, really. But she did the best she could."
Charlie smiled in that soft, earnest way that could've redeemed a whole census worth of sinners.
"Yeah, she told me last night. I'm really glad you were there for her. Honestly, you've been helping us so much lately. We're lucky to have you."
Max shook his head. "You give me way too much credit. Most of this stuff? Probably would've happened even if I wasn't here. You and Vaggie running the hotel and trying to help sinners. Loona doing her thing with Blitz. Octavia sorting through her feelings. Bee partying like it's a survival tactic. I just… happened to show up with an extra set of hands."
He shrugged. "I don't think I've done anything bad so far, at least."
Charlie raised a brow, a playful smirk forming. "Well, besides trying to hide multiple relationships at once."
Max snorted. "Yeah, okay, fair. I really do love all of you, though. Kinda 'love at first sight,' I guess, except five times over. Hell makes emotions weird."
"It's fine, Max," Charlie said gently. "Despite how I look, I'm far older than you. I fell for Vaggie fast, too. Then later… for you. Vaggie tried keeping us apart because she thought she was protecting me, then she fell for you too." She laughed softly. "It was a very strange time to love two people at once… let alone five."
Max's wolf tail curled around her waist in a little hug.
She jumped slightly, then smiled at how cute it felt.
"You know," she whispered, "even though we've been together a little over a year… I'm still nervous about tonight."
Max laughed and squeezed her gently. "Charlie, I'm just sleeping in the same bed. I'm not doing anything naughty. Not tonight, anyway."
The teasing tone made her go bright pink.
She attempted to pull away, but his tail refused to retract, trapping her in fluffy affection.
"Besides," Max added, "if you feel uncomfortable, I'll sleep on the floor. No big deal."
"No, no—it's fine," Charlie said quickly. "It'll just feel kind of… new."
"You act like you never plan on sleeping next to me ever again," Max said dramatically.
Charlie lightly smacked his chest before retreating back to the others.
Max smirked.
He had all of his memories back—every lifetime, every moment that led each of them to love him. Nothing was forced, nothing contrived. Every relationship had formed naturally, with patience, trust, and time.
"Hey Max!" Octavia called from across the room. "Come here, we're telling them about the first time we all met!"
"Oh, come on," he groaned jokingly as he walked over. "Back then I had no connections and way too much bad luck. Sorry that had to happen at a park, by the way."
An hour passed in a whirlwind of stories, laughter, half-arguments, and Angel's exaggerations.
Then Max had an idea.
He turned to Angel.
"Hey Angel. You still dealing with that drug problem?"
Angel shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. "Not much of a problem. More like… a lifestyle choice. A coping mechanism. A—whatever." His hands fidgeted.
"Well, it isn't crack… but I know a good chemist."
Angel's eyes lit with interest—too much interest.
Before the spider demon could say anything, Charlie practically teleported to Max's side and dragged him around the corner.
"What are you doing?" she hissed. "Max, we are trying to get Angel off drugs. Not hook him up!"
Max raised his hands. "Charlie, relax. The chemist I know owes me. I can ask him to taper Angel's supply slowly—lowering the dosage little by little until Angel doesn't need it anymore."
Charlie hesitated, visibly torn.
"Charlie," Max continued softly, "if you just try to confiscate Angel's stash, he'll go find more. You know he will. This way… he quits on his own terms instead of relapsing behind everyone's back."
Charlie bit her lip, thinking hard.
"…Fine," she whispered finally. "But just Angel. No one else."
Max nodded. "Deal."
They walked back together—Charlie still looking worried, Max determined.