Soon after the movie, Max helped the girls settle into his room at the Hazbin Hotel.
The combination of alcohol, gummies, and Bee's incredibly soft fur had left all four of them completely relaxed. Verosika was curled against his left side, Poppi had claimed his right arm as a pillow, Millie was sprawled across the foot of the bed, and Bee—thankfully back to her normal size—was happily cuddled against everyone.
They looked completely content.
Max couldn't help but smile.
It had been overwhelming at first, having so many people wanting to be close to him, but now it just felt... peaceful.
Seeing them sleep so soundly filled him with a warmth he hadn't expected.
He carefully tucked the blanket around everyone before quietly slipping out of the room.
"Man," Max muttered to himself, "the hardest part of tonight was convincing Bee to shrink back down. She was ready to sleep in giant mode."
He chuckled to himself.
"Now... I should check on Octavia. I have a feeling she's here."
---
As expected, the hotel lobby was mostly empty.
The fire crackled softly in the fireplace, bathing the room in warm orange light.
Curled up on one of the couches was Octavia, completely absorbed in a thick book. The flickering flames reflected in her crimson eyes as she slowly turned another page.
She looked up when she heard footsteps.
"Oh... hi."
"Nice to see you here, Octavia," Max said with a smile. "Enjoying the peace and quiet?"
She closed her book halfway.
"Yeah... I just needed a change of scenery."
She glanced around the lobby.
"This place is... surprisingly comfortable."
After a brief pause she looked down.
"Sorry if I'm intruding."
"No, not at all," Max replied.
"If anything, I'm glad you're here."
He walked over and held out his hand.
"There's actually something I'd like to show you."
Octavia hesitated.
She looked at his hand for several long seconds before slowly placing hers into it.
The instant their hands touched, the world dissolved.
---
A cool breeze brushed against her face.
When Octavia opened her eyes again, she immediately clung tightly to Max.
"W-We're falling!"
"No," Max said calmly.
"We're standing."
She looked down.
Far beneath them stretched the entirety of Pentagram City.
The streets looked like glowing rivers of neon. Buildings reached toward the crimson sky, while demons moved like tiny dots below.
"...What?"
"Go ahead," Max encouraged.
"You can stand."
She reluctantly loosened her grip.
Very carefully, she put one foot down.
Instead of falling...
She stood.
On nothing.
It felt like invisible glass supported her weight.
Her eyes widened.
"I... I'm standing..."
"It feels weird at first," Max said with a chuckle.
Octavia slowly took a few nervous steps across the empty sky.
"I didn't know magic like this even existed."
She looked around in amazement.
"You really are the strongest sinner in Hell."
Max shook his head.
"No."
"This isn't really my power."
He looked out over the city.
"And we aren't exactly flying."
She looked confused.
"Think of this as... a dream."
"A dream?"
"We're viewing Pride from outside reality. Everything you see below is happening right now... more or less."
"More or less?"
"There's about a ten-minute delay."
She nodded slowly, continuing to admire the incredible view.
"It's beautiful..."
"It is."
After several moments of silence, Max spoke again.
"There's another reason I brought you here."
Octavia looked back at him.
"I need to ask you something."
"What is it?"
Max's expression became serious.
"Why do you hate your father being with Blitzo so much?"
Her smile vanished.
"...Because..."
She looked away.
"It means he lied."
"He married Mom."
"He promised her."
"And then he left."
"I hate people who lie."
Tears slowly formed in her eyes.
Max gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey..."
"It's okay."
She wiped at her eyes.
"It isn't."
Max looked toward the mansion in the distance.
"Then let's look at it from another angle."
The scenery shifted.
Within seconds they were standing outside the Goetia mansion.
Even from outside, they could hear shouting echoing through the halls.
Octavia flinched.
She hated hearing those arguments.
Max slowly knelt until he was eye level with her.
"Octavia."
"I need you to answer honestly."
She nodded.
"Let's pretend..."
He spoke carefully.
"Let's say one day you married me."
Her face immediately turned bright red.
"M-Max..."
"Hypothetically."
She nodded awkwardly.
"And let's say after we got married..."
"I constantly insulted you."
"I treated you like you were beneath me."
"I ignored your feelings."
"I looked down on everything you cared about."
"I stayed because I had to—not because I wanted to."
He met her eyes.
"Would you be happy?"
She immediately shook her head.
"No."
"Would you want to stay married?"
"No..."
"Exactly."
Max stood back up.
"That's what your father lived through."
Octavia looked toward the mansion.
"I know your parents only got married because of royal obligations."
"But that doesn't mean every obligation becomes love."
He gently smiled.
"Sometimes people have to begin something."
"They don't have to spend the rest of their lives suffering because of it."
The world around them shifted again.
This time...
Instead of arguments...
Echoes.
Memories.
She heard Stolas laughing with her as a child.
Reading bedtime stories.
Taking her to see the stars.
Comforting her after nightmares.
Telling her...
"I love you, Via."
The words echoed all around them.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Octavia's breathing became uneven.
Max spoke quietly.
"Listen carefully."
"Not to the yelling."
"Listen to everything else."
"The things your father says when nobody's looking."
"The little things he does."
"The sacrifices he makes."
"He has never once thought you were a burden."
"He loves you more than anything."
Octavia could no longer hold back her tears.
Without thinking, she stepped forward and wrapped both arms tightly around Max.
She buried her face against his chest and cried.
Max didn't say another word.
He simply hugged her back.
Sometimes...
Silence helped more than advice ever could.
They remained like that for what felt like hours.
Eventually the world around them faded.
---
The warmth of the fireplace returned.
Octavia found herself back on the couch exactly where she'd been before.
It almost felt like none of it had happened.
Almost.
Max walked over carrying two steaming mugs of tea.
He handed one to her before sitting nearby.
She accepted it with both hands.
"Thank you..."
She stared into the tea for several moments.
"...Really."
"You gave me... a lot to think about."
Max smiled softly.
"That's all I wanted."
"I wasn't trying to convince you."
"I just wanted you to see another side of things."
Octavia took a slow sip of tea.
For the first time in a very long while...
She felt like she understood her father just a little better.
[A: Sorry for not posting in a while. Been a bit overwhelmed and working on my original story that hopefully will let me do a lot more. But im back on this story and im not leaving this story. Enjoy]