After breakfast, Max cleared the dishes, insisting it was only fair since Scarlet had cooked. She leaned against the counter, watching him rinse off the plates. The apartment felt unusually peaceful, a quiet calm settling over them.
Just as Max was about to toss a towel over his shoulder, a loud knock at the door shattered the tranquility.
"Yo, Max! You alive in there?" Chris's voice called out from the hallway.
Max exchanged a glance with Scarlet, who looked momentarily startled. "Uh… yeah! One second!"
He wiped his hands on his shirt, hesitating before opening the door. Chris and Evan barged in without waiting for an invitation, their eyes widening as they spotted Scarlet standing in the kitchen.
Evan smirked. "Whoa. Didn't know we were interrupting something."
Chris raised an eyebrow, nudging Max with his elbow. "Didn't expect to see you with company, man."
Max gave them both a look that said drop it, but his friends just grinned wider. Scarlet seemed unsure whether to laugh or shrink away.
"Morning," she said, trying to sound casual.
Chris winked. "Morning to you too. Didn't know Max had overnight guests."
"It's not what you think," Max cut in, rolling his eyes. "She just—"
"Oh, no need to explain," Evan teased. "Your business, buddy. Just didn't expect it, that's all."
Scarlet couldn't help but giggle at the way Max's face turned a shade darker. "Seriously, it's not like that," she added, trying to help.
Chris folded his arms, leaning against the doorframe. "Well, whatever it is, it's nice to see our boy actually having someone over. Usually, it's just him and his guitar."
Evan shot Max a knowing look. "And the occasional punching bag."
Max groaned. "You guys done?"
Evan snorted. "Almost. Just curious—did you even sleep on the couch, or are you just saying that to save face?"
Scarlet bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "He did sleep on the couch. I took the bed."
Chris mockingly wiped his brow. "Phew. Wouldn't want Max to be accused of being a gentleman or anything."
Max shook his head. "You two are the worst."
Evan glanced at Scarlet. "Don't let him fool you—Max usually doesn't let anyone crash here. You must be special."
She looked at Max, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I guess I'm just lucky."
Chris caught the look they shared and grinned. "Alright, alright. We just came by to check on you, man. You didn't answer your phone, and we thought maybe you were sulking after practice."
Max crossed his arms. "Yeah, because I do that all the time."
Evan shrugged. "Hey, just looking out for you. Didn't expect to find you entertaining a lady, though."
Scarlet gave Max a side glance. "Entertaining, huh?"
Max sighed. "Ignore them. They're idiots."
Chris put his hands up. "Alright, we'll get out of your hair. Just wanted to make sure you weren't hiding out, brooding."
As they headed for the door, Evan paused and shot a sly grin back at Scarlet. "Take care of him, alright? He doesn't always know how to handle nice things."
Scarlet smiled warmly. "I'll do my best."
Once the door closed behind them, Max shook his head. "I swear, they act like I'm incapable of being normal."
Scarlet laughed, the tension from earlier finally easing. "They care about you. It's kind of sweet."
"Sweet?" Max scoffed. "That's one way to put it."
Scarlet nudged his arm lightly. "Hey, I thought it was cute. You should let them tease you more often."
He gave her a sideways glance. "You're not going to start doing that too, are you?"
Scarlet just smiled innocently. "Maybe."
A comfortable silence settled between them before Max spoke again. "Sorry if they made it weird. They're just not used to seeing me… you know, with someone."
Scarlet's playful expression softened. "I didn't mind. Actually, it was kind of nice. Like… being part of something."
Max's gaze softened too, and he didn't miss the way her eyes seemed to search his face for reassurance. "You are part of something," he said, almost too quietly.
Scarlet didn't respond, but the look they shared said enough. Max wasn't sure when it happened, but the space between them suddenly felt charged—like a silent agreement that neither was ready to voice just yet.