#i just adore stories where a character who is lonely and miserable realise they need community

[sumarak]

one thing I love about Max is that he's constantly like "I don't need friends. Neil? I keep him around 'cause he's useful. I'm so good at being alone all the time." and then every scene he has with Nikki and Neil he's holding them by the wrist or hugging them or otherwise clinging to them. it's so sweet 'cause even before he was ready to admit they're his friends in the s3 finale he was always seeking out being close to them, even if he didn't know how to do it emotionally yet