Max had long since given up trying to grasp how his life had flipped upside down in the last couple of months. From a nobody stuck in the monotony of high school to the one "normal" guy attending Nexus Academy—a school for the super-powered, magical, and just downright extraordinary—his existence had become anything but predictable.

Despite the whirlwind pace of this new chapter of his life, one thing had remained remarkably consistent:

most of his time at the academy had been spent with the women of his strange, otherworldly peer group. Maybe it was the sheer number of them that overwhelmed him.

Maybe it was the undeniable charisma and intensity of women like Yang Xiao Long, or the soothing calmness of Uraraka, or the mischief that came naturally to girls like Yagyu from the shinobi class. But Max couldn't help but notice that, without intending to, his circle of friends skewed almost entirely female.

It hadn't bothered him at first—if anything, it felt flattering to be amidst such talented and powerful girls—but lately, Max found himself yearning for balance. For once, he wanted to hang out with some of the other guys at Nexus Academy, find out who they were beyond the chaos of controlling quirks and ultimate talents. And if he was honest with himself, there was another layer to his curiosity—one he wasn't ready to voice aloud just yet. He liked girls, sure, but he'd started to wonder if liking girls wasn't all there was to it.

Shaking the thought from his head, he headed toward the dorm building that evening, determination bubbling within him. Tonight, it was going to be different.

As it turned out, organizing a "guys' night" wasn't as easy as Max had imagined. Most of the male students were notoriously bit players in the academy's drama—either too hyper-focused on their training to socialize much or kept cornered by the bombastic energy of their female counterparts. But once Max put feelers out, he was pleasantly surprised by the interest he received.

Goku:Guys' night? Sounds like the perfect way for a break!

Goku from the Dragon Ball universe, ever the optimistic ball of energy, had been the first to sign up for the plan.

Goku:Count me in.

Shouto Todoroki and Izuku Midoriya from the My Hero group expressed curiosity but had seemed a bit hesitant. It wasn't until Max outright promised casual games and snacks that they reluctantly agreed.

Even Kaito Momota—the Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars himself—caught wind of the plan and declared dramatically.

Kaito:Ha! You've chosen the perfect leader for this adventure in the majesty of male bonding. I, Kaito, will take charge!

Max had also left a hasty invitation for Jaune Arc from RWBY before realizing Jaune was likely already overwhelmed after eight women teaming up to fix his messy dorm room had caused a minor spectacle earlier that day. Still, to his surprise, Jaune showed up anyway.

When the appointed evening arrived, the common room in the dorm tower hummed with laughter, buzz, and the general chaos of a whirlpool of universes colliding.

The night started predictably enough with what Max dubbed "guilty pleasure bonding" over a table stacked with chips, sodas, and some out-of-place alien snacks from Goku's dimension that Max wasn't brave enough to eat.

Shouto, ever the serious one, said little but seemed to enjoy himself, leaning on his icy demeanor to avoid some of the sillier conversations. Izuku, the perpetual overthinker, busied himself taking notes about all the snacks and their origins—until Goten dared him to eat one of the alien chips, and Max thought he might combust from the intensity of the spice.

Kaito, meanwhile, came alive in the group dynamic, hosting the evening as though it were a great space expedition. He told grand, exaggerated stories about the worlds he'd seen and the ones he planned to visit. Jaune chimed in with his own awkward humor, occasionally breaking into self-deprecation that earned him an empathetic nudge from Max or chuckles from the others.

As the evening wore on, the group shifted into games, cycling through card tournaments, silly challenges, and an intense round of "real-life Among Us" orchestrated by Kaito, complete with overly dramatic (and ridiculous) deaths when you got ejected.

At some point during the night, Max found himself sitting on the sidelines, catching his breath with Jaune.

Jaune:You've got a real knack for this whole 'group bonding' thing.

Jaune said with an approving grin.

Jaune:Can't believe I didn't think of something like this before!

Max:Yeah, well... you guys are pretty great company...

Max admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

Max:Honestly, I've been meaning to get to know some of the guys here, and, well—y'know—it can be a little... overwhelming.

Jaune tilted his head curiously.

Jaune:Overwhelming? You mean... like the personalities?

Max:Kind of.....?

Max paused, hesitating.

Max:I mean, it's not just that. It's... me? I'm still figuring myself out. I mean, I've always been kind of the 'go-with-the-flow' kind of guy, but lately I've been wondering if maybe there's stuff about me I haven't really... looked at closely, y'know?

Jaune gave him a thoughtful look before leaning back slightly in his chair.

Jaune:Well, as someone whose life is a series of learning curves, I think you're handling this whole 'otherworldly school' thing a lot better than I would. Whatever you're trying to figure out about yourself, it's cool. You've got time.

The simplicity of the comment hit Max harder than he expected.

Max:.....Thanks, Jaune.

By the end of the evening, the common room was littered with spent snack bags, empty cans, and half-hearted attempts to clean the mess.

Kaito:Guess we really brought the chaos tonight.

Kaito declared proudly as he slung an arm around Max's shoulders.

Kaito:But This is what bonding looks like! Pure, unfiltered chaos!

Max grinned and gave an exaggerated sigh.

Max:Yeah, yeah, Kaito. Just don't let the Headmaster catch us, or I'm pretty sure I'll get blamed since I'M Class Leader.

The night wrapped up with everyone retreating to their dorms, but Max lingered a moment longer in the empty common room, reflecting on the laughs they'd shared, the friendship that had sparked, and the burgeoning feeling growing deep within him. Maybe stepping out of his comfort zone wasn't so bad after all. Maybe it would lead him somewhere new—somewhere he was meant to go.

For the first time in weeks, Max felt a little less average, and a little more like he belonged.