"Damn, you're good at cookin'," Millie said happily as she leaned over the small kitchen counter, watching Max flip a strip of bacon in the pan.
The smell filled the apartment. Real breakfast food. Not the usual cheap junk demons ate when they didn't feel like trying.
Loona sat at the table with her head resting against one hand, ears drooping slightly. She looked like she was fighting a war behind her eyes.
A hangover war.
"You know," Loona muttered hoarsely, "you could be quieter. I only crashed here because it was closer than the bar."
She grabbed a bottle of juice and chugged half of it like it was medicine.
Max slid eggs onto three plates and glanced over his shoulder.
"You drank something you probably shouldn't have," he said calmly. "Noise is the least of your problems."
"Yeah, yeah," Loona groaned.
Max set the plate in front of her along with a glass of water.
"I need to find more of those pills for you," he said. "Too bad I can't go to Sloth yet. That ring's basically one giant medical district."
"Yeah," Millie nodded while stealing a piece of bacon early. "Weird place. Hospitals everywhere. Real slow folks though."
Max chuckled and sat down with his own plate.
A lot had happened over the last few days.
Mostly discussions.
Important ones.
Loona and Millie had surprisingly taken the lead when it came to setting ground rules for the… arrangement.
Two main rules.
First — No succubi or lust-demons joining the harem.
Second — Max had to make time for everyone individually. No overwhelming himself or neglecting anyone.
It was… honestly pretty sweet of them.
He hadn't expected that level of consideration.
Meanwhile, Poppi had apparently caused enough chaos in Pride that more demons were hunting her than Cherry at the moment.
Max still didn't know exactly why.
He suspected reincarnation shenanigans.
Millie leaned her elbows on the table.
"So," she asked brightly, "how you integratin' into Hell so far, hon?"
Max took a bite of eggs.
"Well… not what I expected," he admitted. "But I prefer this over being stabbed or boiled for eternity."
Millie laughed.
"Fair."
Loona finished another bottle of juice and rubbed her temples.
"Even Hell-born get bored after enough centuries," she said quietly. "We adapt."
Max reached into his pocket and slid a small bottle across the table.
"Take these."
Loona blinked.
"Pills?"
"Hangover suppressants," he said.
She eyed them suspiciously before swallowing two and chasing them with water.
"…Thanks," she muttered.
Within a minute her posture improved slightly.
Millie grinned.
"Magic pills?"
"Cooking skill crossover," Max said with a shrug.
Millie tilted her head.
"So what's the plan today?"
Max wiped his hands with a napkin.
"Well," he said casually, "I've got a lunch date with Poppi."
Loona's ears twitched.
"And later tonight I was thinking a group date. All three of you. I found a pretty nice place in Pride."
Millie clapped her hands.
"Ooo, fancy!"
Loona frowned slightly.
"You sure it's time to meet this Poppi girl?" she asked. "She sounds… wild."
She hesitated.
"…And I'm not used to sharing."
The honesty surprised even her.
Max leaned back slightly and smiled softly.
"Hey," he said. "I'm not abandoning anyone I get involved with."
Loona watched him carefully.
"Plus," he added, "I've got a way to make sure none of you feel that way."
Both girls raised an eyebrow.
Max lifted one hand.
Magic gathered in his palm slowly, deliberately.
He made it look difficult.
Strain creased his expression as a sheet of glowing paper formed from condensed magic.
The contract.
He let it float between them.
Loona grabbed it first.
"The fuck…?" she muttered.
Millie leaned over her shoulder to read.
Both girls scanned the text.
It was simple.
Clear.
Binding.
Equal loyalty clauses.
Shared emotional protections.
No abandonment.
No manipulation.
No replacing one partner with another.
Everyone included would be connected through the contract, preventing jealousy spirals or emotional isolation.
Millie blinked.
"How the hell did you learn contract magic?" she asked.
"That stuff's dangerous."
Loona kept reading.
Her tail flicked slightly.
"…There's no downside in here," she said slowly.
Then she looked up.
"You sure about this?"
Max shrugged lightly.
"Best way I could think of to prove I'm serious."
The paper shimmered in the air before dissolving into harmless light.
Loona stared at where it had been.
Millie grinned.
"Well," she said cheerfully, "that's one hell of a morning surprise."
Loona huffed quietly and went back to eating.
But her ears were perked forward now.
And for the first time since the hangover started…
She looked a little less worried.
[A: Sorry for late chaoter. My grandpa is on his last few weeks so its been busy. Ill post when I can just can't do a lot rn. Thanks fkr understanding]