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Furiosa is late returning to the room, having to direct some boys on where to store certain supplies. On her way back, many War Boys step to the side to give her a path and some even put their hands to their hearts in honor for her. In many ways, she is honored, but she is frightful that the people may begin to look to her as a god.
She will not become Immortan Joe.
When she returns, the Sisters have set up the food and have surrounded Max, all eagerly trying to tell him about everything he has missed. Cheedo is closed to him, speaking wildly with her hands. Furiosa believes she may feel left out from greeting Max so late compared to the others.
Max looks up when she enters and nods at his supplies she's carrying. She moves quickly to put his supplies on his bed, wanting to join them and begin to eat.
She comes back to find that a space has cleared next to Max. Cheedo has squished herself closer to Dag. Furiosa shoots her a look as she sits down and Cheedo looks back with the most practiced look of innocence.
"This is a lot of food, Dag," Furiosa comments to break the shared looks between the Sisters.
Dag has brought a feast of vegetables before them, with some selected fruits. From her conversations with Dag and the other workers, the fruit seeds require longer care and nourishment. With only a small selection of these seeds, the fruit had become a rare part of the city's food.
"I wanted Max to have as many options as he likes. We will save everything we do not finish, if that is what worries you," Dag takes a head of lettuce and begins to peel the leaves.
The Sisters soon pick up their chatter again, mostly directed at Max. He responds with his usual grunts, shrugs, and short answers. Furiosa hardly minds the lack of attention, continuing to eat and listen to their endless questions. From the corner of her eye, she watches Max eat every offering Dag gives him. He is clearly famished, as he takes large bites of his portions. He never asks for more, but accepts food every time the Sisters offer it.
Once dinner is finished, Toast finally asks the question they all were thinking.
"How long will you stay?"
Toast is direct, which Furiosa is thankful for. She finally turns to gaze at Max, who has suddenly become very interested with his plate.
Max shrugs, looking up to face Toast. "I don't know."
Capable hums understandingly. "That's alright. You are welcome here as long as you like, right Furiosa?"
"Of course," Furiosa responds easily, catching his eye. They have always been good at communicating without any words and this time is no exception. He knows she understands he can come and go as he pleases.
Despite her different feelings on the matter.
He enjoys the meal. He appreciates that the Sisters (not the Wives…he has to remind himself) do not require him to comment on every subject they discuss. They are content for him to simply listen.
He notes how the Dag's belly has grown swollen with her child. He had felt her belly against him when she greeted him. She is not too large as of now, as she still manages to stand up easily and help the Sisters collect the leftover food.
Furiosa leaves to check on the people before sleep. He watches as she fondly smiles at something Capable mentions to her, a look that softens her face and makes him want her to turn to him with the same expression.
"Max?"
Cheedo lightly puts her hand over his, looking at him earnestly.
"Please stay…at least for a little while."
She stands up before he can answer and moves to a room where the Sisters are preparing for bed. He is not used to people wanting his company nor is he used to this gentle affection, and as he watches Cheedo join her sisters, he wonders if he could ever do this. Live in peace with them and Furiosa.
He stands and wanders into his room, coming up to the bed and feelings the soft blankets under his rough fingers. He can't remember the last time he slept in something as normal as this.
He will either have a wonderful or horrible sleep tonight.
Furiosa returns to find the Sisters cuddled together in the center of the room, whispering to each other before they routinely fall asleep.
They look up at her entrance and grin.
"Max is waiting for you in his room," Capable explains, barely keeping it together.
Furiosa has a pretty good idea of what they have been whispering about.
She enters Max's room without knocking. It doesn't even occur to her that she should knock, as she is so accustomed to a life of people with little privacy. Max sits at the edge of his bed, wearing a loose shirt and pants, eyes focused on the ground in narrowed concentration.
She's never seem him like this, in comfortable clothes in a normal setting. A strange ache settles in her chest at the sight, forcing her to lightly cough to get his attention and end the feeling.
He looks up and stands when he sees her, seemingly trying to push away his dark thoughts.
"I will stay at least for tomorrow."
He will stay.
She remains silent in surprise. Perhaps he is unsure of her silence, because he adds on, "The Sisters wish me to at least stay a little. I should honor that."
'And me,' she thinks, but of course does not comment.
"Do you think you will sleep well in here?" She asks, redirecting the direction of their conversation.
She sees the way his eyes snap more in focus with her and she knows he's picked up what she means. The nightmares she witnessed when he slept next to her were harrowing to listen to. Before he would wake up in a commotion of fists and growls, the few sobs and whimpers he made struck a similar chord with her own nightmares.
Not that her own were anything like his. She imagines his were quite different.
Max is honest, which is one of the things she admires about him. "I'm not sure."
She wants to tell him about how her own nightmares have lessened in the many days from when she returned here. How sleeping in a familiar bed, with the Sisters outside, gives her a comfort so great she cannot express it into words. But she fears that this explanation will imply to him how much she wants him to stay.
Of course he would see it.
He wakes up in a cold sweat, his eyes darting around the room as he tries to catch his bearings. The nightmare was far worse than anything else this time. Breathing heavily, he throws the blankets off his body and heads to the door.
She's safe…she's safe and alive," he tells himself, but he needs to see.
The Sisters, he notes, are asleep, nestled next to each other like a litter of pups. Without breaking stride, he opens Furiosa's bedroom door and enters.
He moves to stand next to the bed, looking over her, calming himself down. She sleeps right in the center of the bed, straight on her back, with her good arm thrown over her head. He studies her face, how soft and youthful she appears in sleep, without the weight of her responsibilities and her past.
His mistake, once he feels his heart settle once more, is to shuffle his feet as he turns to leave and Furiosa's eyes snap open.
Her eyes soften when she recognizes him, but he remains utterly still in her discovery of him.
Finally, after a long moment, he mutters, "Couldn't sleep."
He doesn't tell her how he watched her die in front of him in his dream. How the Sisters screamed at him in his failure. How he held her battered body to his chest and how he began to sob.
He doesn't want to make her feel like a burden.
His eyes widen when she, without replying, moves to the side of the bed and opens the covers.
"You may sleep here tonight," she whispers, patting the empty space.
Only hesitating a second, he crawls into the space, careful not to touch her and pulls the blankets over himself. The heat from her body feels good against his and a part of him yearns to reach out and hold her, to bring that heat completely to him.
Furiosa can perhaps read his thoughts, because suddenly she is turning and pressing her body against his side.
It feels incredible.
"It's okay, Max. Sleep now."
With her soft words, Max falls into a dreamless sleep.