Malia furrowed her eyebrows as he spoke, narrowing her eyes as he not only denied his attitude, but also brushed off Max’s importance. What he didn’t know about the young boy was that in the two weeks she didn’t have Carson, he was the one by her side, helping her to recover, and looking for Cars in his free time. He never asked for a reward, he was just being a decent person by not leaving her to die. As he pressed a couple kisses to her lips, she passively returned them, but not with the intensity that she could’ve. He was rubbing her the wrong way today. She glanced up as he insisted she stay put, denying her claim to walk. She wasn’t even able to get another word in before he was turning and walking away. With a tight smile she watched him depart, but heaved a sigh after he left from sight.<br/><br/>She stayed in bed, her legs in front of her as she stared at the sheets. There wasn’t much she could do, now, alone with her thoughts. However, a few minutes after Carson had left the room, Luke walked in with Max at his side. Malia smiled to the two, sitting up just a bit when they took seats next to her. Well, ‘seats’. Max used her legs as a footrest. With a playful roll of her eyes, she let him keep his feet there, her hands resting on his ankles. “Glad you came, Max.” With a beamning smile, she tilted her head at what he wore. “Nice stolen coat.”<br/><br/>“Thanks, I snagged it from one of the Vangaurd.” With a boyish smile, he winked to her.<br/><br/>“Is it just me, or is Carson being a complete prick?” Luke spoke up this time, his arms crossed as he sat next to Max. “More so than usual.”<br/><br/>At that comment, Malia rubbed a hand down her face, shrugging. “I know, I’m not sure why. I called him out on it but he brushed it off, he’s being sickeningly sweet to me. And, granted, we just found each other but...I’m not sure, it’s just not him.”<br/><br/>The trio spoke for quite awhile, back and forth about Carson, the Vanguard, anything they could think of. Luke had always been her closest friend, aside from Ollie, and having time like this was something she cherished. It was rare, and another day like it was not promised, to any of them. Her first tangle with the Vanguard Striders had proved this to her. Max had grown on her as well, at first tolerating his sarcasm and sass, but now she found it rather endearing. It was a part of who he was, and she didn’t mind. For a moment, the unease Carson had presented her faded, she was okay. And she was literally, okay. Many times as they spoke she’d get up and walk around, with a wince and a limp. But nothing she couldn’t handle, she was determined to prove this to Carson.