❛ DEJA VU ❜ - 𝖼𝗆𝖻 ✓

083; i'm already corrupt

third person.

"are you sure this is all you want to eat?" max asked, laying a bowl of soup in front of his sister as she replied with a quick nod while she stared at it.

as max took a seat at the end of the table just beside her and astrid sat opposite, a frown was on both of their faces as they watched the girl slowly pick up her spoon while sighing.

"when is corbyn back?" he spoke up, desperate to initiate a conversation to avoid the awkwardness of the meal.

"in a few days," mollie told him, "but he'll be here for just a day and then we both move to la."

the boy slowly nodded as the frown on his face grew wider, placing his fork down before he glanced to astrid and then to his sister, "i think we need to talk about this whole moving to la thing.."

"i don't want to talk about it." she said, "i'm moving, that's that."

"but it's a big jump," max argued, "especially since you said you'd never move to that city."

"yeah well things change." mollie looked up at him as he paused, "and i want to be where corbyn is."

"i don't think you've thought about this properly," he looked at her and shrugged, watching her roll her eyes before she turned to astrid.

"do you think he gets to choose where i should live?" mollie asked her, placing her spoon down and folding her arms.

"mollie." astrid mumbled, "he's your brother.. he's just looking out for you, i don't want to be involved in this argument."

"i don't see the issue." mollie glanced between them both, "my friend group is there, i don't want to be the only one here."

"what is nana supposed to do?" max asked, "she enjoys spending time with you and corbyn and you know she refuses to get on a plane."

"we'll see nana when we come visit." she suggested, "stop trying to get me to stay."

"i don't think la is going to be good for you."

"you're just saying that because you don't want me to go do my own thing." mollie glared at him as he shook his head, "i'm twenty max, i'm not a child."

"i'm not saying that, but you don't know who has good intentions in la, it's full of two faced people." he explained, "it's overcrowded too, you don't like that."

"you're trying to convince me to stay." mollie told him with a frown, "i'm not staying."

"what about your dance classes? and your photography?"

"i'll just expand them and transfer it all to la." mollie shrugged, "i'll get a studio there."

"with all that heavy competition?" max asked, taking a bite of his food while mollie stared at him for a few seconds, "...what?"

she raised her eyebrows and shook her head, letting out a sigh as she got up from the table and grabbed her bowl of soup.

"you need to eat more than-"

"i'm not sitting at this table if you're just going to tell me how i shouldn't do what i want to do." mollie argued.

"but la isn't what you want." max dropped his fork and turned to look at her, while astrid rested her hand on his arm to avoid a bigger argument.

"and you think you know that?"

"i do know that mollie," he nodded as she rolled her eyes and walked away from the table, "i was the one who took care of you for-"

"don't pull that card on me," she interrupted him, placing her bowl on the kitchen counter and turning to look at them, "nana was here too."

"nana didn't sit with you every night while you were crying because of what we had," he told her as her face slowly dropped, "i know you better than you know yourself, i'm going to pull that card."

"you're trying to convince me to stay but you'll be fine without me max," mollie shrugged, "i don't need you, i have corbyn."

max immediately went quiet after she had finished her sentence, turning back around to where astrid was sat and picking his fork up again while mollie watched him do so, shaking her head before she rolled her eyes.

and while he picked at his food with his wife rubbing his arm with her thumb, the boy's sister slid on her shoes before she grabbed her car keys, moving the soup closer to the sink to be washed up before she turned back to the table.

"the silent treatment isn't nice." mollie said, "i'm not a kid i don't need to be treated like one and cared for like i am."

"i don't want to talk about it anymore." max replied, "just go wherever you're planning on going."

"no because you're never-"

"i'm not ready for you to leave." he admitted and turned back to look at her, "i still need you and i'm nervous about what la could do to you."

"it's just la." she mumbled.

"it's a city that corrupts people." max said. 

"well i'm already corrupt." she smiled, "so it's fine."

"i didn't mean-"

"i don't need you as much as you think i do." she placed her hands on her hips, "la isn't going to-"

"i don't want to have this conversation anymore."

"you're so concerned about me moving that i think you do want to." mollie said, "you're just scared because i'm going to move anyway."

"yes i am scared because it's across the country and i can't be there." max argued as he glared at the girl while she slowly frowned as her arms fell, "and that worries me, because what if something happens?"

"like what?" she asked, "corbyn's there."

"yes i know he's there but i don't want you to get so inside of your own head that you forget he is, you've done that before." he said, "i'm always going to be here and so is nana, but i'm worried you'll forget."

"i won't forget."

"you could feel guilty for moving." he suggested.

"max. i'm moving." she told him while opening the front door, "you're not stopping me."

"i never said i was i-"

"you're trying to convince me to-"

"because i'm worried that-"

"let me be an adult and do things myself for once."
mollie raised her voice slightly as she stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her which caused max to jump.

"great." max mumbled, grabbing his plate full of food as he stood up and walked over to the sink.

"she's been acting off recently." astrid mentioned.

"i wish i knew the cause." he raised his eyebrows, "she's just trying to shut me out on purpose."

"she probably doesn't understand that you're looking out for her rather than trapping her here." she shrugged, walking over to where max was stood and placing the plate beside his.

"yeah," max shrugged it off with a mumble, sighing as he turned to look at astrid, who gave him a small smile before placing a kiss on his cheek and helping him with the dishes.

♡

a/n

scary things happening rn 😔😔 what are we thinking my people :(