Max appeared just outside Octavia's bedroom door, the soft, luxurious carpeting of the Goetia manor swallowing the sound of his boots entirely. The hallway was dimly lit by floating lanterns shaped like crescent moons, their pale glow reflecting faintly off the polished obsidian walls. The manor itself felt tense tonight—like a creature holding its breath—still echoing with the residual anger of Stella's earlier rampage.
Even before he opened the door, Max could hear what was happening inside.
A low, rhythmic hum of music previews pulsed through the wood—Octavia's unmistakable taste in cosmic, melancholic soundscapes. Every few seconds, a shrill synth screech or distorted celestial chord blasted before being abruptly cut off. Mixed in with that was Loona's familiar, irritated muttering as she scrolled through her phone.
"Why is the lighting like that? Who approved this filter? Ugh—Bee, why are you naked in the background of this one—?"
Max smirked faintly and pushed the door open without knocking.
Inside, Octavia lay sprawled across her bed, wings half-unfurled, headphones clamped over her ears. Her legs dangled lazily off the side as she flicked through her music app, occasionally pausing to let a sample play before rejecting it with a disgruntled tap. The walls of her room glowed faintly with star projections—slowly drifting constellations and nebulae that pulsed in time with her mood.
Loona sat beside her, cross-legged on the bed, tail swishing idly as she scrolled through her gallery. Her phone screen reflected dozens of photos from the Lust Ring trip.
Some were genuinely cute—group shots, candid smiles, Octavia laughing in a way she rarely did.
Some were absolute chaos—Bee mid-party, Bee upside down, Bee clearly drunk and dragging Charlie into frame.
And some… definitely should never see the light of day.
Max moved silently across the room, his presence masked by instinct and habit more than magic. He leaned over their shoulders, eyes scanning the screen.
"I think the third one down is nice," he said casually, pointing at a group photo. The one where all of them stood together in their elegant Lust Ring outfits, rings visible, magic faintly glowing. It was polished, warm, and—dangerously public.
Both girls jumped.
"HOLY SHIT, MAX!" Loona yelped, nearly dropping her phone as she clutched her chest.
"Don't DO that!" Octavia gasped, feathers instantly fluffing up as her headphones slipped halfway off.
Max straightened, unfazed. "I was complimenting your photography. No need for dramatics."
Loona shot him a glare sharp enough to cut steel, then glanced back at the photo. Octavia leaned closer, adjusting the brightness.
"…It is nice," Loona admitted after a moment. "But it doesn't have you in it."
Octavia nodded, her voice softer. "Yeah. I want one with you in it too. It'd feel… complete."
Max sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, tail flicking once in frustration. "And that would be great… if it didn't paint a massive glowing target on my back."
Both girls frowned.
"Bee's in the picture," Max continued gently. "Charlie's in it. You're both in it. If Hell even suspects I'm romantically tied to all of you—especially publicly—I won't make it a week without someone trying something stupid."
Loona groaned and flopped back onto the bed. "Ugh. I hate that you're right."
Octavia's feathers drooped, her wings folding in tighter. She didn't argue—she never did when it came to safety.
Reluctantly, Loona edited the photo instead. She adjusted the lighting, softened the glow, added subtle sparkles to the background. When it was done, she hit post, tail wagging once before she consciously stilled it.
"Happy?" she muttered.
"For now," Max said softly.
He glanced at the time. "You two need help getting back to the hotel?"
Loona sighed dramatically. "Yeah. Teleport me. My legs are killing me."
Octavia hesitated, then lifted her head. "Could I… come too? I've barely seen the hotel. Dad never wants me near Pentagram City. Says it's chaotic and unregulated."
Max shrugged. "Charlie's there. As long as no Overlord crashes the place again, it's safe. And if they do?" His eyes darkened faintly. "I'll protect you."
He snapped his fingers.
Reality warped.
The floor vanished for half a second.
Both girls toppled sideways as gravity reasserted itself.
"AAAH—!"
THUD.
They landed hard on the polished lobby floor of the Hazbin Hotel.
Loona glared up at him, ears flattened. "WARN US NEXT TIME!"
Octavia groaned, feathers tangled. "Teleport nausea… hate it…"
Max winced. "Yeah. Shadow-port might've been gentler."
Before either could complain further, Charlie and Vaggie rushed out of the hallway.
"Octavia!" Charlie beamed, wings fluttering as she pulled her into a hug. "Welcome to the hotel! Are you moving in too?!"
Octavia panicked slightly, shaking her head. "N-no! Just visiting!"
Angel Dust strutted in just in time to see everything.
"Well, well, well," he purred. "Looks like someone's collecting royalty now."
Max deadpanned. "No."
Angel snapped his fingers. "Damn. Worth a shot."
Loona snorted. Octavia giggled despite herself.
Then something tugged at Max's awareness.
Like thousands of eyes blinking open at once.
Watching.
He stiffened.
"You girls go inside," Max said quickly. "I need to check something."
Before anyone could ask, he vanished.
Reverse Eden.
The heart of Hell.
Max reappeared in a place no sinner would ever see—a hidden layer beneath reality itself. A forest inverted and wrong. Trees grew upside down from the ceiling, roots drifting like smoke. Vines pulsed with demonic heat. A crimson sky reflected beneath his feet like a lake of blood.
He inhaled deeply.
"Roo," he called. "Where are you?"
The forest answered.
Eyes opened in bark. Roots twisted. A figure emerged—made entirely of red-and-black eyes, blinking independently.
"Entity!" Roo cackled. "Or do you prefer Max now?"
Max crossed his arms. "Stop spying on my girls."
Roo leaned forward, amused. "You should thank me. Without me, none of this exists."
Max's voice dropped, power rippling. "Stay out of their lives."
Roo laughed. "Fine. But destiny doesn't ask permission."
A twisted apple fell from the inverted branches.
Max stared at it.
Something was changing.
Something big.