Max undressed in the bathroom after Liesel was done, his reflection in the mirror slowly returning to normal. After he first was liberated from the camp he was imprisoned in he screamed when what he saw in the mirror wasn't his reflection but was death. He shuddered remembering the moment, but also remembering a voice telling him it wasn't his time yet as well. Looking at his face now he could no longer count his veins, but he was still sallow with dark circles entrenched around his eyes. He still had trouble sleeping at night because of the dreams. He had asked Alex about it and found it was a common occurrence amongst the military, especially those troops who liberated the camps having no prior knowledge of what lay beyond the walls and barbed wire fences.
Max stepped into the shower, grateful to wash off the sweat from the day. It was nice spending some alone time with Alex Steiner, he was a kind man with a large heart. Max picked up the homemade soap and saw Liesel had etched a heart into it. Liesel. Max groaned in frustration. Alex had informed him of Liesel's affections, to which Max replied that he knew already. He had taken so many comforts in her already: hugs, touching her hair when he could get away with it, standing in the door way while she slept, a kiss. He knew how she felt about him, saw it in the way her eyes followed him across the room. He could physically feel her adoration in the tiny apartment. All the more reason to be careful, Max thought to himself.
Over the past almost two weeks Max began to notice the slight curve in her hips, and the way she pouted her lips when he denied her something. He did love her very much, she was his best friend, but the true color of that love eluted him. Max started to wash his hair when there was a timid knock on the door, and it creaked open.
"It's just me," Max heard Liesel say as she entered the steamy room. Max turned to hide himself because the only thing separating them was an opaque, moldy shower curtain. "Mr. Steiner cut himself again. I'm just grabbing a towel."
Max could feel his blush creepy up past his ears and down his neck, but he stayed facing the wall while she darted into the cupboard to find a hand towel. It only took a step to reach the door and she seemed to linger a little longer than necessary, but that may have simply been Max's imagination. He quickly rinsed his hair and pulled on his clean clothes for dinner.
Alex, having stopped the bleeding on his finger, put the sliced and buttered bread on the table just as Max sat down next to Liesel. Alex was brimming with happiness at having a family again. They could never replace the family he lost, but it was nice being able to provide for someone and to enjoy the company of familiar people.
"Let's eat!" Alex boisterously announced. He filled himself a plate of pasta and only a third of a piece of sausage. There was plenty for the three of them, for the first time in many years, but Liesel was growing extremely fast and Max still looked like it had been a lifetime since he ate last.
"Liesel, were there many people in shop today?"
Liesel took a second to swallow the large piece of bread she had just ungracefully shoved into mouth.
"After you went up to the roof it was just that man who owns the bakery a few blocks away. All he bought was a box of needles."
Alex smiled, all the neighborhood shops had been going out of their way to try and keep each other afloat.
"You'll have to go tomorrow and buy a loaf of bread from him then, Liesel." Alex winked at her, and she smiled back at him.
"Okay,"
Liesel had always been a sweet girl, it seemed right to take her in when he had found out everyone had died in the bombing. If his family had lived, she would have been his daughter-in-law anyway. He and Liesel had only talked about Rudy once, when they first moved in together but they had said everything that needed to be said and they both knew never to mention him again. Alex shook back a few tears again, thinking about his children.
"Max, do you have anything planned for tonight?"
Max, looked up from his food for the first time, he had been putting as much sausage into his mouth as he could without being conspicuous—and failing.
"No, I did not have anything planned for tonight. There is a shipment arriving tomorrow evening that I'll need to unpack, but nothing tonight."
"Great, you can take care of Liesel tonight. I'm going to a friends to play cards." Alex encouraged his friends that the way back to a normal life was to do normal things. He had been playing poker every Saturday night with his neighbors for years, and he insisted they not change that. Granted, they no longer bet money, but it was still nice to do something normal.
Liesel noisily dropped her fork onto her plate. "I don't need someone to look after me…" Liesel muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, but still noncommittally.
Alex chuckled to himself and took another slice of bread. He watched his two foster children eat in silence as the room grew darker in the setting sunlight.
Liesel picked up all the dishes to wash them in the sink and Max picked up a clean towel to dry them.
"I'll be back later tonight." Alex shouted behind himself as he stepped through the door onto the creaky stairs. He took one last backward glance, was satisfied, and left for the evening.
Max was drying dishes as Liesel handed them to him, staring blankly into space. He was very full and was relishing in that fact. Liesel eventually stirred him out of his reverie.
"Max, would you like to read together?" Liesel smiled up at him expectantly, handing him the last of the pots. Her blonde hair had pooled around her shoulders, and she had little tiny wisps floating around her face. Max thought that was a very pleasant option to do, reading was not only their favorite pastime together, but also a subtle joke between the two of them. Liesel pulled out her book, a romance called "Forever Amber" and settled on the sofa waiting for Max to join her. Max grabbed a random book from the stack they kept on the floor and sat next to Liesel. The sofa was rather small so it was impossible for them to sit together without touching. In fact, both of them were releveling in the closeness. They both opened their books and began to read by the lamplight; the sun had finally set.
Liesel started reading her novel, but was distracted by Max being so close. Now that the sun had set the room was becoming chilly and she was grateful that he was close enough to keep her a little warmer. Finally though, Liesel shivered, and Max got up to get a blanket for the two of them. He wrapped it around them and pulled Liesel into the crook of his shoulder. Max's smell was all around her as well as the heat from his body. Liesel could not remember being happier as she rested her head against his collarbone. They read in silence for some time before Liesel decided now was the time to talk to Max.
"Hey, Max," Liesel murmured trying not to allow her body to become stiff with discomfort.
"Hm," Max hummed, his cheek resting against the top of her hair, his book in front of him in his other hand.
"I was wondering, why—no how you, uh, feel, you know, about me—about us?"
Max became very still, and lowered his book down to his lap. Liesel stayed curled up against him, not waiting to meet his eyes in the glow of the lamplight.
Suddenly, Max relaxed again and said, "You're my best friend, Liesel. You mean the world to me."
Max picked up his book again, Liesel wanted to push the subject, but for the first time feeling hyperaware of his hand placed against her ribcage, holding her close to him. Max started to brush his thumb back and forth along her side, and squeezed her closer to him sighing as he did. Liesel felt her stomach do somersaults, but still she leaned into his embrace.
Max had successfully dodge her question, he thought, but he felt himself become very much aware of how close she was to him, and how soft her body felt. He wanted to push her away, hold her tighter, and simply stay how they were all at the same time. Her soft blonde curls were tickling his cheek, and the feminine smell he associated with her was doing pleasantly unpleasant things to his body. He craved this kind of contact and affection. Trying to stay as innocent as he could, he wrapped his hand tighter around her side, pulling her closer to him under the warm blankets. He pretended to read his book for the next hour or so until he heard Liesel soft breathing. Finally, he thought. Max set his book down, scooped Liesel and the blankets up into his arms to carry to the bed. He looked down at her soft face and he definitely felt for the first time in a lifetime the twinge of arousal. He quickly placed her onto her bed to escape, but as he went to leave her, Liesel reached out to him.
"Stay with me, Max, please?" Her blue eyes stared up at him, with wonder and expectation. Max internally groaned to himself.
"Liesel, I really shouldn't."
"Please, Max. Don't you remember all those nights I stayed with you when you got sick? Please stay with me for a little while?"
Lord help me.
"Fine."
Liesel, opened up the blankets for Max to join her. He wasn't expecting her to do this, but unable to help himself slid under the covers with her. He opened up his arms so she could slide into them, the bed was just big enough for the two of them. Liesel sighed, and snuggled as close as Max would let her. He had to make sure certain body parts were kept far away from her notice.
"There, are you happy now, my pet?" Max whispered into her hair.
"Very much so." Liesel responded, sighing and closing her eyes.
"I had expected to find you alone, you know…" Max murmured against her hair, hoping she wouldn't hear but desperate to tell her.
"What," Liesel whispered back.
Max sighed and began to speak, "I was expecting to find you just as broken and alone as I was when I came for you. I was expecting you to come with me to American or England. I never had considered that you would have found a new family and that you were completely happy."
Max tightened his grip around Liesel and his heart ached for more. Ached because he loved her, ached because he found that she did not need him the way he needed her, ached because he could not steal her away.
"I didn't know that," Liesel started to say, stopped to think, and continued carefully. "I don't know what I would have done if Mr. Steiner had not taken me in. Is that why—why you kissed me the first night you found me again…" Liesel finished her question quietly. Max pulled back a little to see her face, and looked into her eyes.
"I kissed you because you are what I thought of everyday while I was imprisoned. Every day, Liesel. You have been my savior, I thought if I could just get back to you none of this would have happened. But, after so long without anyone, I needed to be comforted. Like right now, Liesel. I shouldn't be in your bed. I shouldn't let you get so close to me." Max physically groaned in self-disgust.
Liesel didn't say anything, just wrapped her arms around his ribcage, and squeezed.
"I needed you, too. I looked for you after you were gone. Hoping I would find you. I need you, too. I need this." Liesel hugged Max again, so tight it took his breath away.
"ah—hahaha. I can't breathe, Liesel." Max smiled, and pulled Liesel gently towards him.
"I love you, Max." Liesel said, against his chest. Max kissed the top of her head, something chase.
"I know." That's was all Max was willing to say to her at the moment. She had no idea that he was falling irrevocably in love with her as well.
