her hollow heart

chapter 16: home sweet home

Max's POV:

As me and dad got up together, the zombies came rushing towards us. I'd stretch before charging in, breaking bones from both sides as my body ached in pain. We fought so long, it felt like hours have passed as we punched hordes full. I was letting out quick. "Dad, now!!" I shout, we got closer together before letting out a giant blast in unison, killing the rest of the undead.

I fell to the floor, my body hurt far worse as my left arm and leg broke by the pressure of the massive explosion and landing on my leg. Dad would catch this and run to me, "Fuck!! Hey, pull through this hun!!" he shouted as he treated me to the best of his ability.

Once done he settles me down and picks me up onto his back, walking us back to the prison. We talked on the way, "So what gave the idea of going out alone with dangerous gauntlets in the middle of the night?" Dad asked. I can hear the tiredness in his voice... "Sorry dad... I just-" he cuts me off, "Nevermind, you need time don't cha?" I nod in reply.

Dylan's POV:

I catch Max staring at a store, old but still noticeable. A store full of plushes. "You wanna go in there? I ask, petting her head. She'd mumble her answer, "Mm... nuh uh..." but I take her over anyway, breaking down the door. "Pick one and we'll come back later for a bunch of em," I say, taking her through the isles. She'd freak out, "OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD-" "What?"

Her reaction was rather cute. She gripped a Murder Drones J plush, cuddling it tightly while mumbling. I chuckle and look around myself. Something about a certain three plushes, a shark, a brachiosaur and a t-rex plush would kinda... call to me. So, I took them, holding the three in my left arm as I held Max with the right. No stops until we get back, we've been out too long.

I jogged, it was a long while, but we made it. I take her straight to the infirmary, bringing Lucy to help Max. "Get well soon sweetie, dad loves you," I say, patting her head and walking away with the plushes. I go to the forge, cleaning the plushes with the bucket of water before drying them next to a fire inside my room.

Sooner than expected, Max came in and I lied her down on my bed. "You alright hun? Any discomfort?" She would spout random gibberish followed by giggling. I pat her head and give her the now dry and clean J plush.

Max's POV:

I lay there, my body still feeling the throbbing pain from the fight. My left arm was bound in a makeshift cast, and my leg had been splinted with whatever Dad could find. The pain wasn't unbearable, but it was constant—a dull throb, a reminder of what I'd done. But more than the physical pain, it was the guilt gnawing at me. Dad didn't say it, but I could feel the disappointment in the silence as he carried me back.

I hadn't meant for things to get so out of hand. I just... I wanted to help. I wanted to show him that I could handle myself. But now, lying in the infirmary, I felt like a burden more than anything else. The door creaked open, and I glanced up to see Lucy. She smiled softly, her hands already moving with practiced ease as she checked my injuries. Lucy wasn't just some caretaker to me; she was something more, a guiding force, like a second mom even if she didn't want to admit it."How's it feeling, sweetheart?" she asked, her voice calm and soothing, even as her eyes betrayed the concern she felt. "Better... I think," I muttered, though we both knew it wasn't entirely true. Lucy leaned over, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "You'll be up and running in no time. Just don't go pulling stunts like that again, alright?"

I nod, watching her as she worked, her movements steady and confident. For a moment, I wondered how she did it—how she could hold it together so well. In this world, everything had fallen apart, but Lucy... Lucy always seemed so strong, like she had all the answers.

Dylan's POV:

I stood by the fire, watching the flames dance as the plushes dried beside me. There was something peaceful about it, the crackling wood, the warmth—it was a moment of quiet, of normalcy in this chaotic world. As I worked the fabric of the plushes between my fingers, cleaning them up as best I could, I thought about Max. She was strong, no doubt about that, but sometimes I wondered if she knew when to take a step back. This world—our world—it didn't care how tough you were. It could break anyone, no matter how hard they tried to fight back.Lucy came in a few moments later, moving like a ghost, quiet and graceful. She gave me a look that said everything she needed—Max was stable. I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding.

"You're doing good, Dylan," she said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "She's lucky to have you."

"Nah, I'm the lucky one," I replied, forcing a smile. "You've been doing more for her than I ever could." Lucy chuckled lightly, her eyes crinkling at the edges. "I don't know about that. You're her dad. That's the most important thing in the world to her."

I nodded, staring into the fire. She was right, of course. Max was my world, and I'd do anything to protect her. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I was failing somehow, that I wasn't enough. Lucy had stepped into the role I couldn't quite fill. She was always there when Max needed her, always knowing exactly what to say, what to do. And in a way, I was grateful for that. They were like mother and daughter, even if we never spoke the words aloud.

Max stumbled into the room soon after, her body still weak but her spirit undeniably strong. She giggled as she flopped onto the bed, clearly still out of it from the meds Lucy had given her. "Hey, you alright?" I asked, sitting beside her as she made herself comfortable.She just mumbled something incoherent, her eyes half-lidded but bright with that familiar mischievous spark. I chuckled, ruffling her hair as I handed her the plush, now clean and soft. She hugged it close, her face lighting up with joy as if nothing had ever been wrong.

Lucy stood by the door, watching the scene with a soft smile, her eyes filled with warmth. It was moments like this that made everything worth it—the chaos, the fear, the endless fight for survival. Seeing Max smile, watching Lucy hover like a protective figure over us both, it felt... right.

"Thanks, Luce," I said quietly, meeting her gaze. She simply nodded, her lips curling up as she stepped out, leaving us in the warmth of the fire. I watched her go, feeling a deep sense of gratitude and affection. She'd become so much more to us than just a healer, more than just a friend. Max, still clutching her plush, looked up at me with sleepy eyes. "Dad?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Lucy... she's kinda like a mom, huh?"I smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah, she is. We're lucky to have her."Max nodded, closing her eyes as she nestled deeper into the blanket. I sat there for a while, just watching her breathe, thinking about how, in this broken world, we'd somehow found a family. Not the one we'd started with, but one that felt just as strong.

And for now, that was enough.