Max turned his head toward the voice.
His eyes softened when he saw her — his sister, standing a few steps away. Same sharp eyes, same half-smile she used to have when she caught him doing something stupid.
He let out a small breath. "You guys are back too, huh? From Douluo?"
She nodded, walking closer. "Yeah. The system pulled us out not long after you vanished."
He gave a quiet chuckle. "Figures. Guess I wasn't the only one getting dragged between worlds."
She tilted her head, studying him. "Where did you go this time?"
Max looked around — the skyline, the faint hum of the Marvel world's tech, the distant sound of traffic and wind mixing together. "A different kind of world," he said. "One that needed to fall apart so it could start again."
She crossed her arms. "And you just… roamed?"
"Pretty much," he replied. "Walked. Watched. Tried to remember what quiet feels like."
She sighed but smiled a little. "Still can't stay still, can you?"
Max shrugged. "Not yet."
There was a short silence. Then she said softly, "I made lunch."
He blinked. "You… what?"
She smirked. "Lunch. You remember that, right? Normal food. Not rations. Not system packs."
Max laughed under his breath, the sound rough but real. "Yeah. It's been a while."
She turned and started walking toward a small safehouse tucked between two ruined buildings. "Then come on. It's getting cold."
He followed her. Inside, the lights were low — a small table, a few tools scattered around, two plates waiting.
The smell hit him first — simple food, warm and real. Not coded, not conjured.
He sat down slowly as his sister placed a bowl in front of him. "Didn't think I'd miss this," he said quietly.
She sat across from him. "You always say that."
For a few minutes, they ate in silence. No missions, no ghosts, no system prompts — just the sound of the city outside and the clink of forks on metal.
When they finished eating, Max leaned back in his chair, looking at the small window beside them. The light outside was soft — evening settling over the city, neon faintly flickering to life again.
His sister rested her chin on her hand, following his gaze. "You really were gone a while," she said. "That place… the cyber world you mentioned — what was it like?"
Max was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Loud," he said finally. "Too many voices, too many wires. A city that never slept, even when it burned."
She nodded slowly. "Sounds familiar."
He smirked. "Yeah. Every world's got its version of the same thing. People chasing power, others trying to survive. Doesn't matter what tech or gods they have — it always circles back."
She looked out the window again, the horizon glowing orange against the steel towers. "You think that's just how it is? Every world repeating itself?"
Max shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe it's just how we see it. I used to think each world was different — now I'm not sure. Some feel like mirrors, just angled a bit."
She smiled faintly. "So this place… Marvel, Night City, Douluo — all pieces of the same thing?"
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Different rules, same core. They all teach you something — then break you a little before you move on."
She leaned back, thoughtful. "And this house? Where does it fit in?"
Max gave a small grin. "This one's mine. A mix of all of them. Bits of code, some tech, a little spirit power left over… and a roof that doesn't fall apart when it rains."
She laughed softly. "Figures you'd build something like that."
"Had to," he said. "Needed a place between worlds. Somewhere that's not theirs — just ours."
Outside, the city hummed low and steady, a reminder that the world kept moving no matter who stayed or left.
She looked at him, eyes steady. "If you go back next time," she said, "you bring me and Peter. Or I'll make sure you don't come back at all."
Max laughed, low and easy. "You'd do that?"
She nodded once, serious for a heartbeat, then allowed a small smile. "Yeah. I would."
He met her look and held it. "Alright. I'll bring you both. No solo trips."
"You better," she said. "I don't want to bury you twice."
He rolled his shoulders, the grin staying. "Noted."
They ate the last of the food in quiet company. The city hummed outside — distant lights, distant movement — nothing urgent.When they cleared the plates, his sister stood and pushed her chair in. "Get some rest," she said. "Tomorrow we check the perimeter and see who's actually trying to rebuild and who's still selling trouble."
Max nodded. "Sounds like a plan."
She paused in the doorway, then turned back. "And Max — don't disappear without a word next time."
He gave a small, genuine smile. "I'll try."
She left him alone in the low light. He watched the door close, then looked out at the skyline one last time before turning off the lamp.
The room sank into a soft darkness, broken only by the faint pulse of neon through the cracks in the blinds.
"Hmm…" Max muttered, stretching slightly as he sank back onto the cot. "What next world should I visit?"
He smirked to himself, eyes half-closed. "I know… Pokémon." A quiet laugh escaped him. "Man, I always wanted to go there when I was a kid. Catching starters, exploring regions, battling trainers… back when the biggest problem was picking between Charmander or Squirtle."
His voice trailed off into a hum. "After all the worlds I've been through, maybe it's time to live that dream again… or at least rest for a bit before I do."
He yawned, long and lazy, turning on his side as the city lights flickered faintly over the walls.
"Yeah… maybe just… rest first," he murmured.
His breathing slowed. The hum of the world outside blurred into the rhythm of the tide. For the first time in a long while, Max didn't plan or fight or run — he simply drifted.
***
Support me at
patreon.com/boring_world
It's 22 chaps ahead