Chapter Text

The summer had been… tolerable, for the most part. Not one to admit his emotions, Max wouldn’t dare say he had had fun. He would silence his reluctance to go home, as well. Afterall, why complain if nothing could be done to change it? The days passed faster near the end of camp. Max grew more and more angry as the final day neared, knowing what he’d have to go back to. He fought with David nearly every time they saw one another, he distanced himself from Nikki and Neil. He always did this, knowing he wouldn’t be able to see them a lot hurt even if he had their numbers. Unless their parents felt like driving to pick him up, Max didn’t get a chance to hang out with them. His parents couldn’t be bothered to get off the couch, let alone drive all the way out to their houses for him.

Max trudged up to the apartment complex, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. This walk from the bus stop always seemed the longest. His third time home from camp, it felt like it dragged on longer than he was alive, feet scraping the pavement in a reluctant protest against the chilly air. Once he got to his building, the elevator was a welcome presence in contrast to the cold air outside while he walked. Floor number three, Max slumped against the wall as the elevator hummed to life and began rising. At least now he’d have a bed instead of a bunk. Well, a futon at least. Close enough. The elevator dinged, it’s way of saying ‘Get the fuck off’.

Max obliged, hefting his bag up onto his shoulder again and walking out into the hall. As he stepped onto the carpet, a man walked by with a trash bag and a pizza box in his hand. Pizza from Sleepy Peak. Max’s steps faltered as he walked to his room.

Since David and Gwen had seen his file on parent’s day, Max couldn’t help but reconsider David. When it counted, at least he told Max how it was. And he was right about pretending. It sucked, and that’s why Max tried to avoid it. He didn’t hide his displeasure with things, nor any of his other feelings. If he had to be feeling them, other people would know exactly what was up. Sometimes, yeah, it got him into trouble, but it was better than biting his tongue and doing something he didn’t want to do and pretending to smile through it. That night with the pizza was the first time he was really happy at camp, or had been for a long time.

The moment of thought passed him as the man turned the corner to dump his trash down the chute. Max turned about and resumed his path down the hallway. With a whump, his bag was discarded to the floor as he knocked on the wood a few times, hoping he wouldn't need to dig his key out from his bag.

“Anyone in there?” Max called, scowling at the door as he waited for a reply that didn't come.

With a sigh, he dropped to his knee to unzip his back and dig through his clothes to find his key. They were probably out with friends again, which meant he'd be home alone for most of the night. He wondered if they had even remembered today was the day he was coming back? Or maybe they had, and specifically left for the night for that reason. Either way, Max wasn't really surprised.

Frustrated he couldn't find the key in his bag, Max cursed and shifted it over to dig into the corner - his fingers just barely brushed the cold metal trinket. Grabbing it out of his tangled clothes, he stood up to unlock the door. The ground under his foot crinkled and he glanced down at the noise. A paper with big, fat, read words on it was stuck to his shoe, poking out under the door. After pulling it off, he found it read;

Empty- For Rent

For information, see front desk. For Gisteck’s Apartment Complex information and inquiries, please….

Max scanned the page- not his room, right? Couldn't be. His parents were pretty loaded, unless they died they couldn't have been evicted. He dropped the paper back to the ground and lifted his key to the lock. It refused to turn. Something adjacent to panic bubbled in his belly. Not for his guardians, more for himself. If they were gone, where did that leave him? On the streets? At another orphanage? Maybe a Foster home? He’d seen four different state homes before he was ten, this was the longest time he’d spent with one set of parents, almost three years. Even if they couldn’t care less, at least it had been somewhat stable. He could count on food, housing, internet. He knew they were only in it for the money; a whole $113 a day, who wouldn’t be? And apparently, Max was pretty easy to tolerate.

According to his ‘father’, the first time they got into a screaming match and Max asked why they got him, he said “I thought you were mature enough to be seen, not heard,’. Petty as ever, Max stomped around the house, slammed doors, and banged things on counters from that moment on. He would be heard, like it or not. He skated by discipline, just toeing the line of his anger. Max knew when to make himself scarce for an hour or so. Aside from that, it was ok. Better than other places he had lived. Better than having his hair torn out of his skull or beatings til he bled. Max could live with being an annoyance.

He picked up his phone and dialed one of their numbers. After lifting it to his ear, it never rang. It gave a dial tone-’Sorry, but the number you are trying to reach does not exist,’

The second number gave no hope either.

He felt cornered in the hallway all of a sudden, like the walls roared to life and pushed towards him. What was he supposed to do? Yeah he’d been left at a foster home before, but at least then it was obvious what he was supposed to do. At least he knew where he was going. Now? He left half of his shit at home, even if it was a very small amount. With that, he had no means of getting anywhere, no money, no plan. And that lack of a plan settled panic in his gut that quickly festered to anger. How could they leave him? No note, no warning. Just left him on his ass.

Reeling his foot back, Max slammed the toe of his shoe against the door so hard that something rattled in the doorknob. Who could he go to? Did he even want to go to anyone? Why burden someone else with this drama?

Lifting his bag to his shoulder again, Max stalked back to the elevator, a scowl set deep on his face.

What now?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

David tried hard to stifle his sniffling as he packed up his things. Gwen was across the room, sorting through magazines and clothes. Upon hearing David’s series of pitiful sniffles, she rolled her eyes and turned to look at him.

“Are you still crying?” She sighed.

David gave a tearful whine,”They’re gone and- and they won’t be back for a year ,” He blubbered, tugging the shirt he had in his hands closer to his chest.

“David, it’s just a job. Just go home and relax for a few days, why don’t you?” Standing to unpack her dresser, she shook her head.

“It’s just a job to you , but to me, this… this is it,” David whimpered quietly, wiping his eyes on the t-shirt.

A grimace crossed Gwen’s face,”What is that supposed to mean?”

A thoughtful pause,”What am I supposed to do when I get home? Watch TV? Stare out the window?” He hugged himself,”I have nothing to do,”



Gwen huffed a breath to calm herself,”David I don’t know what to tell you- I mean, if you love kids so much, why don’t you adopt? I mean, I’ve seen your place, and it’s plenty big enough.” Gwen grumbled, reminded of her own 500- a-month apartment.

David’s brow furrowed,”But it’s just me… Aren’t you supposed to be married?”

Gwen wasn’t surprised he immediately accepted the idea of adoption and got into details,”Fuck, Davey I don’t know. Look it up,”

Casting the co-counselor a glance, David began to wonder what it would be life to be a parent. He’d always wanted to have kids, but was he too young? Was there such a thing? Google might have answers.

Just as he reached for his phone on the dresser top, it began to buzz and light up. A phone call?

His lifted it up and saw the number was unknown. Never one to pass up a chance for a new friend, he answered.

As cheerful as he could muster, he greeted the unknown person,”Hello! This is David!”

“ Hey, it’s Max ,”

David’s cheery tone dropped and his stomach unsettled. Max hated him, as far as he knew. Why would he call him? Maybe he forgot something, and got his number off the camp directory. He hoped that was the case, because the tone in Max’s voice was eerily calm and passive, and David didn’t like it one bit.

“Max! What can I do ya for?” He asked, curious,”Forget something?”

“ No, dammit. I’m-- fuck,” The line went silent aside from some fabric shuffling.

“Max? What’s wrong? Hello?” David stood up and looked to Gwen as he wiped his nose, feeling a deep sense of dread clutch his lungs.

“ Look you’re the first one in my phone that could really help me out here, don’t fucking look into this,” A pause, rattled breathing,” My parents are fucking gone- they moved out,”

David wanted to be more surprised than he was.

“Hang on, kiddo, let me check to make sure they didn’t update their address!” David assured him, handing the phone quickly to Gwen as he went to mail and files to rummage through.

“Oh- er, Max- heya,” Gwen sputtered, shooting David a look.

“ Yeah, yeah hey Gwen. What is he doing? ”

“Looking through files… and… what’s- what the fuck is going on, David?”

“Max says his parents moved out-”

Gwen’s face flashed horror,”Oh, shit, Max… Look, Davey’s gonna fix this, I’m sorry kiddo-”

“ Just… H-hurry him the fu-uck up god dammit,”

“Max are-- are you crying?”

David’s eyes lifted, nothing in his eyes but unabashed sympathy and concern.

“ Don’t- Fucking forget it. Stop looking, ”

Gwen hurried,”Whoa, Max wait wait-”

The line clicked.

David went back to frantically searching files until he got to Max’s, and the accompanying mail and updates. Two papers, his information from when he signed up, and a post it David put in there when he found out when Max’s birthday was. No updates, no new address, no nothing.

“They left him, didn’t they?”

Slowly, David nodded. He gripped the folder hard, glaring down at the near-barren page with enmity, as if the file itself had cast out such a wonderful kid. Who in their right mind could do that? To anyone, let alone Max? David scanned the address again, and threw the file back into the drawer. Gwen nearly jumped when he slammed it shut. It was rare to see David so upset. He put his hands on his hips, staring at the corner of the room as his foot tapped incessantly on the wood.

“I can’t just leave him,” David said decidedly, shaking his head.

Gwen offered him his phone back,”What can we do? We have no way of finding his parents,”

David’s determined demeanor wavered,”I don’t know… but at least I can be there,” He glanced at Gwen,”Or ‘we’?”

Gwen gave him a weary smile,”I’ll drive, bud,”