They hadn't planned on staying at Dr. Martinez's after the whole Itex thing but frankly, when someone offers you a place to stay with actual beds, free food and the chance to maybe chill for a little bit without worrying about saving the world, one tends to take that person up on that offer.

Almost immediately they had settled into a routine, Iggy helping cook of a morning, Max waking everyone up with her usual tact and grace, Fang slipping into the kitchen all ninja style and scaring everyone senseless. Gazzy would make everyone sorely regret having beans on toast, Angel would probably make Max melt into a puddle of goo at something and, for once, Nudge could actually talk to someone normal non-stop that actually understood what the hell she was on about.

Still, something about it didn't sit right with Max. Even after a week at her mom's, she couldn't switch off from her fight mode. Tossing and turning in her bed, sleep just wouldn't come and when it did it was in fitful bouts of nightmares that she couldn't remember. She supposed she was lucky that it was just nightmares.

She had managed to keep it under wraps for the first week but others were noticing it too now. She wasn't at the top of her game. Something had been thrown at her head and instead of catching it or moving aside, she jumped in mild surprise when the cushion smacked into her head. Fang, damn him and his ninja sneaking, could sneak up on her easier than ever (as if her heartrate didn't skyrocket enough around him). If it was anyone else, she'd have turned around and busted someone's nose for making her that jumpy. One morning she had stumbled into the kitchen and walked straight into the table without realising it. Thankfully, Ella and Fang were the only ones up and Fang just tilted his head in a way that-Well, his eyes were-

Hell.

"You're not sleeping properly," he said to her later on the same day, long after everyone except for him and Ella had retreated to their rooms. She was in the kitchen, helping Dr Martinez with the dishes while Fang was stood leaning against a wall. Max, who had been sitting down, raised an eyebrow at that.

"I've run on less and you know it."

"You don't need to run on less." He said in that quiet way of his. "Far as I can see, we won. Don't need to be on the run anymore." His head tilted like it had that morning when she had ran into the table, eyes intense and concerned and Max had to avert her eyes to the TV. He didn't say anything though, letting her speak on her own terms. Brat had been paying attention.

"I can't switch off," Max said quietly after a time, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on the TV. "I know the fights over. I know we won. I just...I'm expecting someone to attack us at any moment." She left out the part about the nightmares about the School, about what could've gone wrong when they were taking down Itex because, honestly. What was she, five?

She felt a dip in the couch as he sat down next to her silently, knee knocking hers as he leaned forward so he was at least in her peripheral vision. For half a second, she swore she felt his hand ghost over hers but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

"Look, next time you can't sleep, come and get me, yeah?" His voice was barely above a murmur. "Better than tossing and turning on your own."

"I'm not waking you up just because I'm paranoid Fang." She felt him shrug next to her and he leaned back into the couch.

"You won't be waking me up, trust me." Something in his voice made Max think that maybe, she wasn't the only one having nightmares. "Look, you just need to relax. We're safe here and if someone does come for us, we'll beat their asses six ways from Sunday and show them not to screw with us."

"Easier said than done," Max murmured under her breath. She could feel Fang stretch his arm out behind her and she couldn't stop herself from leaning back onto it. She felt it snake around her shoulders but she quite determinedly kept her eyes away from Fang, whose gaze she could feel intensely studying her. They stayed that way for a time, until Max could hear the water stop running in the kitchen. Tiredness was catching up to her again as she relaxed backwards, knees coming up onto the couch as the tension in her shoulders left her. It wasn't a pleasant tiredness though-it was the type of tired that you fought tooth and bone to stay away from, that solid, inevitable type of tired rather than a pleasant, hazy one that signalled good dreams and a nice, long sleep.

Voices wished them goodnight somewhere behind them and the pair raised their arms lazily in acknowledgment. Max swore she heard Ella whisper something like "Cute." Other than that they were still, mindlessly watching the TV (and sneaking glances at the other when they weren't looking). Fangs hand began a small, smooth rubbing movement at her shoulder and Max leaned further into him without realising.

What the hell am I doing, hell hell hell, get up right now, you can't be doing this, not-

Her internal freakout was cut short when Fang stood up slowly, stretching languidly before rolling his shoulders and glancing towards where the back door was. His eyes flickered back to Max and raised slightly, small smirk on his face. It was like someone had flicked a light switch, the atmosphere around them changing almost immediately.

That heavy tiredness seemed to fall away and Max found herself standing up as well, her own small smirk falling into place.

Yeah, lack of sleep had clearly sent her nuts. Sensible Max wouldn't be doing this. Sensible Max wouldn't be admiring how bloody good he looked in that shirt.

He didn't say anything as he moved backwards towards the door, his eyes never once leaving hers. It was almost predatory the way they moved, lithe and smooth. The door was opened and they were outside, the night air cool as they stepped barefoot onto the ground.

She hadn't realised how close they were to each other, to the point where she could feel Fang's breath ghosting over her lips. Still, he didn't say anything. All hints of tiredness had disappeared now and she was very, very focused.

Even with their eyes locked onto each other, Max could see his wings unfurl and she almost unconsciously let her own spread out, curling them so the tips just breezed over Fang's own. She saw him shiver a bit at that and let a slow smile spread at seeing it.

Sensible Max just got round housed in the head. Oops.

"Nudge. Ella. Get up right now!"

"Huh? Wha?"

"Angel, god damnit, I just want to sleep."

"Come here, quickly! It's Max and Fang!"

"What are they up-Oh."

The three crowded around the window, peering at the scene below. Max and Fang were close-nose to nose close-wings unfurled and tips touching. The darkness kept their features hidden but just the way they held themselves, the way their heads tilted or their wings twitched; it was pretty intense.

Ella blinked rapidly before yanking the curtains shut.

"What the hell?"

"Oh, c'mon!"

"We shouldn't be watching that." She told the two girls quietly. "That's private."

"Did you see their wings though? That was pretty sweet. Come on Ella, you can't tell me you're not curious."

"Screw that, did you see how close they were? That was intense."

Ella just sighed and ran a hand over her face.

"It's ridiculous how invested you two are in seeing those two together."

"What's ridiculous Ella, is how much they've danced around each other. I've got good money on those two kissing before the end of the month with Iggy."

"...I suppose one more look couldn't hurt."

"Iggy. Iggy!"

"I swear Gazzy, if your not waking me up for the second coming of the Messiah, me and you are gonna fall out."

"Screw that, it's Max and Fang."

A pause. "Gazzy, I'm blind you dolt. What about them?"

"Their...um...wow."

"Gazzy, I swear to-"

"They're close together, like ultra-close. Nose to nose close." Iggy scrambled to sit up at that.

"Are they kissing? I've got money at stake here, my man."

"No, but their wings are out. They're touching tip to tip-it's weirdly sweet actually. Kind of intense too."

"What are they doing?"

"I don't know. Not talking, not kissing. They don't look like they're about to start flying. They're just-"

"Staring at each other. Like they don't know what comes next."

"More like they know what should come next-I think they're afraid."

"You're wise beyond your years Gasman. Shut the curtains and give them some privacy." He heard noise from the room next to him and sighed. "Well, as much privacy as they can with three girls swooning over their romantic asses."

He heard the curtains being drawn about halfway before he heard gasps-from Gazzy and all around the house. Before he could ask what was going on, Gazzy was giving him a running commentary.

"They just started flying but-wow, that was cool-Max just shot up like a rocket and folded her wings around herself when she got real high. Like, she hovered for a moment and started twisting while she fell. Her wings, she snapped them out real sharp like; she must've caught the wind or something, she's just gliding now."

"Come off it, we've all seen Max fly fancy. I'm blind and I know how fancy she can fly when she wants."

"Nah, this was different. The way she twirled through the air, I swear she was showing off or something, she was like a tornado the way she was spinning."

"Don't you dare tell me Fang's just taking that lying down."

Gazzy sniggered a bit at that before continuing.

"Oh no, that boy's got the moves Ig. He took off behind her and sort of stayed out her line of sight while she was gliding. Got himself right over her and all, tapped her shoulder." He sniggered again. "I don't think I've ever seen Max turn so fast."

There was silence after that, although if he strained he could almost hear the pair laughing, the noise as their wings powered through the air.

It'd been a while since he'd heard that. Off Max or Fang.

"Gazzy." He said quietly. "I think you should draw the curtains now."

"I...uh, yeah. Good idea. Privacy and all that, yeah?"

"You're a quick study, Padawan. We'll make something off you yet."

It was with windswept, messy hair and huge grin plastered on her face that Max went into her room eventually. She heard lots of shushing and movement seconds before she opened the door and just sighed, sitting down on her bed.

"Right, you nosy bunch. Might as well get it out your system now while I'm still stupidly happy."

She couldn't help the grin sneaking over her lips as there was scrambling from the beds and a bedside lamp was turned on, accompanied by hushed whispers.

Iggy heard the door open and close softly, and slowly moved up in his bed.

"Fang?"

"Yeah." He heard the ruffling of clothes as he got dressed and into his bed.

"You alright?"

"...Brilliant Iggy. More than alright." There was a lightness to his tone that he hadn't heard in weeks, months maybe. "Night."

"Night." And then, as they both settled down, a quieter whisper from the blind boy.

"About time. Atta boy."

A/N-Looking to make a series of very loosely related oneshots here. Let me know how you enjoyed (or disliked) this.