Title: From A To Z Round 2
Chapter Title: Taste
Author: Restive Nature
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Dark Angel. They belong to Cameron/ Eglee. No infringement is intended and this fiction is for private enjoyment only.
Rating: PG
Genre: Dark Angel
Type: fun and friendship
Pairing: Max/ Alec
Summary: Max cooked. Max cooked!?!
Spoilers/ Time line: Mid season two.
Feedback: Always welcome!
Distribution: Ask first please.
A/N: This is my interpretations of the second round of A to Z fictions, using the prompts that Seamagik has come up with. Thanks for the inspiration, as well as Nickeldime17 for getting this all started.
T is for Taste
“So what'cha doin'?” Alec asked impishly as he leaned against the column, rickety as it was, that was supported by the counter in Max and Cindy's apartment. He had been watching Max with interest for the last few minutes, since he had walked into their apartment, to be totally ignored by this woman he was there to see. It was kind of entertaining as she rooted around in her cupboards, mumbling and grunting unintelligible curses.
“My nails!” she snapped back. “What does it look like?”
“Ah, looks to me like you're on a hunt for something,” he chuckled, his arms crossed as he enjoyed the show she was, obviously, unintentionally putting on for him. Whatever they called the skin tight stretchy pants, she should invest in a months worth. The way they molded around her curves was almost perfection. But then, recalling a story Cindy had shared recently, he grimaced. “It's not rats, is it? Cause if you're hunting rats, I'm outta here.”
“Yes, I'm hunting rats! I'm going to poison them, cook them up and feed them to you in a casserole,” Max snarked back. “That seems to be the only way to get rid of pests.”
He recognized then that she was frustrated about something and it didn't particularly have to do with him. He was just in the crossfire at the moment. But since she was busy with her hands elsewhere, he could forebear. For a little while anyways. Finally though, just when he was most enjoying the wiggling of her back end, did she begin to back up, emerging from the lower cupboard that she had ensconced herself in. Alec saw that she had come away with a long rectangular pan.
“Ah Maxie,” he crooned teasingly, “are you cookin'?”
“Yes Alec,” she rolled her eyes as she settled the pan on the counter and reached for a damp washcloth with which she began wiping the pan out. “I will be cooking. Heed my warning now. There will be plenty of slicing, chopping, mutilating... with very sharp, very long knives. And it's been a while, so my aim might leave something to be desired.” The threat was adorable when he noticed that she actually had something that looked like flour smeared across her cheekbone.
“I think I'm fast enough to avoid the slicing and dicing,” he grinned as he looked over the array of comestibles on the counter. He had thought at first that they'd had trouble with their power source and needed to eat up the fridge's offering before everything went bad. He'd been about to offer to let them use his kitchen, since his electricity source was a little more reliable that what the squatters had hooked up. But then he'd noticed that not everything needed cold storage. “So what'cha making?”
“None of your business,” Max replied as she rinsed out and then set the pan aside and reached for a box. She opened it up, peered inside, looked upward, biting at her lip and then gave a little nod. Alec, enjoying this almost as much as minutes ago, moved around the corner of the counter and slid onto one of the stools. He rested his arms on the counter, well back from any mess that she could make, he hoped and rested his chin in one hand.
“Now is that any way to treat a guest in your home?” he pouted, laughing silently as she grit her teeth and gave him a glare.
“Unwanted guests, yes,” she finally smiled. “You should thank your lucky stars Alec that you're too big to take care of the same way I took care of the rats we had.”
“Do I even want to know?” he chuckled.
“Well,” Max sighed, pretending to contemplative, “Cindy always told me that a hot oil treatment was good for you hair.” Alec's eyes widened minutely and then he grinned again.
“Yep,” he agreed at once. “Too big for the cook pot and I don't think you've got enough oil to boil me.”
“Just your head, maybe,” Max agreed happily. Alec shook his head again and resumed watching as she began to carefully measure out ingredients.
“So,” he interrupted after a moment of watching her mix some crumbs and margarine and ground nuts in a bowl. “Are we baking or cooking today?”
“We are not doing anything,” Max huffed. “I am working on this and you are annoying me!”
“And we do it so well,” Alec cheered, unable to explain why his mood was so buoyant. Perhaps it had something to do with it being the weekend. He'd had a good day of tips the previous workday. It was a Saturday with the coming evening full of hot prospects and good friends and he had just finished retrieving some information he'd been looking for. All he needed was a partner in crime and of course, his first thought had been Max. But instead of just coming immediately to the point of his visit, he had found things unusual to their typical routine and was entertained immediately by her behavior. Before he could bring up the heist though, she had inserted the pan into the oven and set a timer. She then whirled over to the refrigerator and pulled out a plastic bowl. That was settled on the counter and when her back was turned, Alec's hand darted out to tip the bowl in his direction. His eyes lit up when he saw the chocolate pudding inside.
Before the thought could even fully form, he felt the sharp sting of her hand connecting with his.
“God damn it! Ow!” he yelped, pulling the offended limb away and shaking it. Max just looked pointedly at him, a scowl marring her lips. “I was just gonna have a teeny taste. See if it was set.”
“Any moron can see that it's set,” she grunted. “Which I guess excludes you, seeing how you're an imbecile!”
“Hey, I resent that,” Alec pouted once more. But when that didn't move her, not that he expected it to, he leaned forward once more. “What's it for?”
“To be eaten by other people,” she answered smarmily. He rolled his eyes at her.
“Yeah, I got that,” he grimaced, “loud and clear.”
“Then why'd you ask?” she grinned, but it wasn't pleasant. Alec scowled at her and then slumped a little.
“You're a stingy bitch,” he accused. “You know that?”
“Yes, yes I am,” she agreed mildly as she moved the bowl out of his reach and with an eye still on him, returned to the refrigerator. She removed another bowl that was covered and then reached into a cupboard to retrieve something.
“Well, at least you admit it,” Alec chuckled without much humor and then his eyes lit up again. “And seeing's how you're good buddy Alec is here to help you remedy all those little personality flaws that, hallelujah, you've finally admitted to, how about you learn to share?”
“Screw off Alec.”
“No seriously,” he picked at her, enjoying the spark that was lighting up her eyes, even if it didn't reach the rest of her face. “I mean hey, even Manticore managed to pound sharing into our thick heads.”
“Really?” she asked dryly and with a total air of disbelief.
“Yup,” he grinned, waggling his eyebrows at her. “We learned to share body heat, and fluids. Yeah, fluids were very important. Gotta stay hydrated, right? Of course, I seem to recall that they wanted us to share-!”
“Quit being gross!”
Alec caught his lower lip between his teeth and leaned in again. “It's not gross,” he teased. “It's a natural, beautiful thing. I mean, seriously, have you ever seen a dehydrated body? Not horrible, but not pleasant either.”
“Okay, fine!” Max snarled as she braced her hands on the counter. “Why are you here? And cut the bull. What do you want?”
“Ah, and here I was, gonna ask you out of the goodness of my heart,” he began, but Max, with unerring swiftness, had reached across the counter and caught hold of his shirt collar, yanking him forward.
“Spill!”
“Okay, okay,” he held his hands up peaceably. “I've got the line on that jewelry exhibit down town and since the security is for crap, I figured we could hit it up tomorrow night. Your take would be thirty percent,” he drawled, dangling that little carrot in front of her. She eyed him thoughtfully before letting him go.
“Sounds interesting,” she murmured. “Can we do it another night and I would so be taking forty percent.”
“Thirty-five, and no,” Alec replied. “Has to be tomorrow night. Security will be too tight once the exhibit starts. No one's supposed to know they're here yet.”
“Fifty and no, I can't tomorrow,” Max sighed. “We've got plans.”
“Oh come on Max,” Alec whined, rolling his eyes. “Are you telling me you'd give up half the take just for some chintzy dinner with your not like that boyfriend?”
“It's not dinner with Logan,” she snapped back. “Were going to a wedding. Tomorrow afternoon, with the reception most likely running late enough into the evening. So as much as I would like to save your hide from whatever dumb ass plan you've concocted, I made a commitment to go.”
“A wedding,” he grimaced, suddenly taken by a little monster on his shoulder that was emitting a very green tinge. “That'll be fun. Sitting around, listening to some priest blah blah blahing about honor and obeying and the reception? What's the point when you can't even dance. One touch and it's...” he trailed off as he saw the tightening of her features. She turned abruptly and leaned over to check the pan in the oven. And Alec recognized the behavior at once. Touch a nerve and she turns her back. Not to dismiss you, but because she doesn't know how to let anyone else in, to see the pain.
Feeling a little like a heel, he sank back on his stool. “Sorry,” he murmured. And then a little more loudly. “Never actually been to a wedding myself. Thought they sounded kinda boring. I guess some people must like them, or you know, they'd never have 'em, right?” She did not respond and he chewed at the corner of his lip again. Silence reigned for the few minutes until the timer went off and Max moved to take the pan out of the oven. When she turned back to the counter, Alec was relieved that there were no tears, or traces of tears in her eyes.
“It's Cindy and I,” she explained softly, in low tones. “We're the ones going. An old room mate of mine is getting married tomorrow and we were invited.” And suddenly, Alec felt even lower than he had, moments ago, for crapping all over what was obviously a friend of Max's, happy parade. “Date optional,” she added with a morose chuckle. But avoiding Alec's eyes on that, she hurriedly went on. “And the whole thing can get pretty expensive, so instead of doing the catering route, they're going the potluck route. Everyone's bringing something.”
“So that's what all this flurry of cooking is for, huh?” he asked, even though she'd already given him an answer. She nodded.
“I managed to “pick up” a ham that I'm doing tonight,” she explained. “Cindy made a layered salad and I'm doing a dessert now.”
“Cool,” he nodded, feeling a little foolish. “Although, I woulda thought that cooking was more Cindy's thing. Don't know why that is,” he added teasingly, gently. Max shrugged one shoulder.
“It's not hard when you have the instructions written out, step by step,” she offered, holding up a small note card that Alec hadn't noticed before. And then she grinned. “And it was actually Kendra, the friend getting married, that taught me to cook in the first place.”
“Ah, that's sweet,” Alec grinned. He leaned back and clapped his hands together. “So what can I do to help?”
“Stay out of my way,” she returned immediately.
“No, seriously Maxie,” he leaned in. “You've gotta have a taste tester, you know. Can't take poor offerings to feed you and your dates and your friends, you know. And I gladly offer my services!” It didn't matter what excuse he gave, he was fishing and he knew it.
“No dates,” Max shook her head and Alec was just a tiny bit glad to see that she looked disappointed about it, though she was probably mourning that Cale couldn't make it. But before he could throw out a quip, she went on. “Tanisha dumped Cindy a couple nights ago. Kinda short notice to ask someone else.”
“Ah,” he drawled, nodding wisely. “That's why she was so... pissy the other day.” He frowned up at her and then gestured with his hand. “We had a few runs together and she was...”
“Yeah,” Max nodded as she reached for a spoon and began to stir up the pudding. “And also why she was hittin' it hard at Crash last night.” The pair winced in sympathy for the woman. “So I figured that it would be really crass of me to show up with a friend, when Cindy was alone. So we're goin' stag, together. I mean, like you said, couldn't invite Logan, even though he knows Kendra. There's definitely gonna be dancing and making this food,” she rambled, “can't really take the chance of him eating any. Not that I'm sticking my hands in it or anything, but better to be safe than-!”
“Yeah, I gotcha,” Alec agreed quickly, thinking rapidly to move her off the topic of Cale before she became maudlin.
“But the thing I'm not seeing?” he hinted and Max's eyebrows furrowed as she narrowed her eyes at him. “How does all that add up to me not getting a taste?” And there was the eye roll, yet again.
“Alec,” she started, seemingly sweet, but he knew that it would last all of point oh two seconds. “I'm sure that even somewhere in that screwed up psyche of yours, that narcissistic viewpoint, even if you aren't going to acknowledge it, that you realize that it would be extremely rude for Cindy and I to show up at a fancy do like this, offering half eaten food!”
“I'm not gonna eat it all, or even half!” he protested with a laugh. He held his fingers up, his forefinger and thumb infinitesimally parted. “Just an eensy weeny taste. That's all I'm askin' for! Please?” he tried to adopt a little boy pout, but she wasn't moved. Not one bit, it seemed.
“You are not having any of this,” she smirked, gesturing with her hand at the counter between them. “One friggin' “little taste” and you'd devour the whole thing!” And then she spun away to open the fridge door one more time. She grabbed something from it and cradling it in one arm, moved to Alec's side and yanking him off the stool, began a very unceremonious dragging and expelling of his body from her apartment.
How she managed to open the door, all while holding his coat sleeve and not dropping the little silver pan she held, he'd never guess. But suddenly he was on the wrong side of the door, his lower lip quivering as convincingly as he could make it. “Please...” he began but she shook her head at him.
“Alec, once and for all, quit beggin' for a bite of what I'm makin',” she instructed. “Go home and enjoy your own.” And with that, she shoved the small rectangular pan, covered in foil, into his stomach. He caught it reflexively and she stood for a moment, smirking at him instead of the other way around. He pursed his lips, wondering at the joke, but before he could even ask, she was laughing. “Sketch called me an hour ago and told me that you were lookin' for me. And I know you. But seriously Alec, I have too much to do today. I'll catch ya later, okay?”
“Okay,” he grinned. The door shut between them and he was only able to move about two feet down the hallway before he was peeling back the foil and taking in the creamy whipped topping with nuts sprinkled over it. Biting his lip and contemplating for a nanosecond, he dug one finger into it and came away with whipped cream, nuts and the hoped for chocolate pudding. It was creamy, sweet and dark in his mouth and he inhaled deeply, savoring it. After swallowing and licking at his lips, he carefully replaced the foil. Wouldn't want anything to happen to his specially made treat. And he knew, as he grinned over thinking of enjoying this at his home, that Max was right. He never would have been able to stop at one taste. He turned his head.
“Thank you Maxie!” he called loudly, knowing that she would hear it.
“Yeah yeah,” she called back, laughing inside her apartment as he heard her moving around. “Bye Alec!”
The rest of his day made, Alec headed out, figuring on how long he planned to savor this little bite, versus the reality that made him want to just hunker down in the hall and dig in like a little boy in a candy shop. Knowing she'd have a fit if her offering wasn't fully respected as the gift that it was, Alec tucked the little pan, that looked like a miniature loaf pan, into his coat as best as he was able, before climbing on his bike.
Maybe, he mused, he'd pull that heist on his own, it was doable, and find her a nice little something or other she'd enjoy. It'd be just the thing to say thanks.
AtZ R2- Unit
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