Chapter 69: Quiet Life. (2/2)

Max smiled and put down his laptop for the day, the screen dimming as he closed it, the soft click sounding louder in the quiet room. A faint mental weight pressed behind his eyes, not physical exhaustion but the kind that came from hours of focus and thinking, like his brain had finally hit its limit.

He rolled his shoulders once, stood up slowly from the bed, then walked over to her chair with light steps, careful not to make noise, and slid one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, lifting her gently like she weighed nothing.

She’s like a little kitten.

Her eyes fluttered open in sudden shock, her breath catching for a second as if someone unknown had touched her, fingers tightening on his shirt instinctively, but the moment she recognized his face and his familiar warmth, all the tension melted away.

She gave him a small sleepy smile, soft and trusting, then pressed her cheek against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, her body relaxing completely as if that sound alone was enough to protect her, and within seconds she slipped back into a deeper sleep in his arms.

He was certain she wanted to be babied like this, so he walked to the light switch and turned it off quietly, the room sinking into soft darkness while the city lights outside still slipped through the curtains, painting faint gold and blue lines across the walls, just enough glow to see without hurting the eyes.

Holding her close, he rocked her gently in his arms for ten minutes, slow and steady, like calming a child, her breath warm against his chest, her fingers still loosely clutching his shirt, trusting him completely.

Hearing her snoring grow deeper and steadier, he finally bent down and placed her carefully on the bed, adjusting the pillow under her head and pulling the blanket over her shoulders. Sometimes, even if it felt a little silly or unconventional, you just had to give love to the person who loved you the most.

She accepted my twisted love, she deserves the world.

Seeing her face up close, Max smiled faintly, the soft city light tracing her cheeks and lashes, making her look calmer than he had ever seen. He was finally building a family of his own, slowly, piece by piece, and the woman sleeping here was the first member of it, the first person who chose him without hesitation. She would always have a special place in his heart.

Kissing her gently on the forehead, he moved to his side of the bed and lay down quietly, setting an alarm for 5 a.m. It was already one in the morning, barely four hours of sleep, but his body didn’t complain, he had gotten used to running on less.

*BEEP*

His eyes snapped open the instant the alarm was about to go full blast, his hand shooting out to stop it before the sound filled the room, reflexes sharp and clean.

Jennifer was still cuddling him in her sleep, arms wrapped around his waist, warm and soft, and for a moment he wanted to stay there with her, but he knew the start of the day decides everything, if you begin lazy, the whole day follows the same way.

He changed his clothes and the air already smelled like eggs and warm butter drifting out of the kitchen. Leaving his room in sports gear, he saw Machina at the stove flipping breakfast with quiet focus, sleeves rolled up, hair tied back.

He ate quickly, simple and clean, then stepped out to jog around the city, the cold morning air hitting his face sharp and fresh, and surprisingly he didn’t even feel the lack of sleep.

Back in the orphanage he needed eight full hours, anything less and his whole day felt heavy and dull, eyes half closed, body slow, but now it was different, his muscles felt light, lungs steady, mind clear, like his body was running at its peak even on scraps of rest.

He jogged for an hour through the quiet streets, stopped by a small bakery, bought a loaf of freshly baked bread, and returned to the apartment with it, the crust still warm against his palm.

Machina tried to give him another round of breakfast the moment he stepped in, but he refused with a small smile, tore off a quick bite instead, then picked up his helmet and keys like he was already halfway out the door.

Starting the bike, he rode to the gym, the engine humming low through the cool morning air. Josefina wasn’t as fierce today, no sharp challenges or sudden sweeps, she was just flirting too much, brushing past him on purpose, fingers sliding over his arm, tapping his chest, standing closer than needed every time they talked.

Max saw the time and knew he was getting late for his classes, so he told her he would leave for the day. Josefina agreed but stopped him with her hand and leaned in like she wanted to talk in private.

” Max, why do you keep hurrying it up? The ladies train till eleven. ”

” Well, I have a class to attend. ”

” Understood… if you give me a ride behind you, you can come at six in the morning, I can train you at that time alone. ”

Max looked at her smile and understood what she meant, she was clearly interested in him, and even after he had already told her about his two girlfriends, she didn’t step back. He didn’t see a reason to refuse a pretty woman being this direct, so he simply nodded once.

*BRRRRR*

The dry clutch roared the moment the engine fired, echoing around the building. Josefina, who was usually brave, still grabbed his shoulder tight out of instinct, fingers digging into his jacket. Max just smiled and rolled the throttle clean and hard, the bike leapt forward in one smooth burst, and he knew with her strength and balance, she could easily hold on to him.

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