When He Was Bad
Summary: Set after "When He Was Good." Final part in the mini trilogy. He just doesn't care anymore. Got a bit of a higher rating because Justin is a teenage boy and they do have… thoughts.
It'll make more since if you have seen the first season.
They've been doing this whole flirting-but-that's-all thing for a while and it's starting to get old. He's ready for more. He wants to act; to kiss and touch and incite breathy little moans from parted lips. He wants to feel her, and taste her skin. And when he's mad at her and she's teasing him for the way he dresses/how nerdy his friends are/how dorky he is/his obsession with the weather girl, he wants to shove her against the wall, or down on her bed or the couch or any nearby surface (he's not picky) and just kiss her already.
They do homework together now, or more he does homework while she gets bored after thirty seconds and starts poking him with her pencil and stealing his text books to make miniature forts out of; he's amazed at how young she still as. It's annoying and endearing, but it's time together with an excuse to touch arms or have his hand "accidentally" brush against her bare thigh, she's been wearing more skirts and Justin likes to imagine they're for him.
Theresa started all this, so it's not really all that surprising when she inadvertently pushes him to the next step. Max is depressed, his head down and he hasn't uttered a single inane thing since walking in the door that afternoon.
"Mom," he calls while she's walking through the kitchen, Alex and Justin sitting at the kitchen table working on homework and not at all bumping knees every few minuets and grinning insanely at each other. "What do you do if you like a girl, but she's into something you're not into?"
Theresa's eyes lit up before she quickly composed herself, walking over to the couch and sitting next to her youngest child. "Maxie, if you really like her, then you need to learn more about what she likes. You don't have to like it too, but doing some research would help. Take your father and me for example, I knew nothing about wizards when I met him, but I researched the magical community. Of course that was before I learned that he would have to lose his powers to be with me." She paused, thinking about what she said and how impressionable her youngest was. "On second thought, ignore that. If you really like this girl you shouldn't let anything stop you from being with her if that's what you both want."
Max nodded for a moment, his eyes dropping away from his mother's to stare at the florr before springing up off the couch. "Oh, I just got the most awesome idea." He took off for his room, sprinting up the stairs.
Theresa looked over at her elder children before sighing. "This is going to be bad isn't it?" Alex and Justin just nodded, stifling smiles as they watched their mother run after their little brother, hoping to catch him in time.
It takes almost a week after his mother's advice to Max before he gets up the courage to do anything. He keeps leaning closer to her, getting near enough he can see the flickering emotions behind her eyes before he panics and turns away. So many things could go wrong, and he just can't bring himself risk it all.
They're at home on the couch and it's really late and he'd love to say that he found the courage, but he's pretty sure that it's the near darkness that's surrounding them and close proximity of their bodies that allows him to build of the nerve to lean closer and press his lips against hers. She's very still against him and he allows himself a brief moment to panic before one of her small hands is in his hair pressing him closer and her mouth is open under his and she's arching into him distractingly that all his thoughts melt away as she does something very interesting with her tongue.
His days are packed with stolen kisses in empty halls, his teachers are worried about his abrupt tardiness streak, and late nights filled with breathy moans; he's found the he's addicted to the interesting little noises his sister makes and he's determined to discover them all. He feels like Columbus, because she's all new territory and he gets to discover her. They don't do much, but he knows all she's ever done is kiss and he's happy with the knowledge that she's gone further with him than any other boy, and he's determined to keep it that way.
She's kissing him hungrily and her hand keeps brushing him just so and he knows she's not meaning to, but his body doesn't seem to be getting the memo that she's not ready. Suddenly he pushes her up and off of him and her eyes are wide and indignant, but before she can open her mouth to yell at him, he takes a breath and cuts her off, "I just need a breather. It's not… easy." He shifts uncomfortably and sits up a little, and she bits her lip as she glances briefly at his tightened jeans.
"Oh." Her voice is husky and low and he can't stop the thought that it's not helping him any.
He lets out a sigh, because she's still his little sister and it's still his job to protect her. "Look, it's not your fault. I got a little… carried away." He can feel his cheeks heat up as her gaze turns to him. He waits for the teasing that's sure to come; the new development in their relationship has not stopped her from making fun of him. Indeed it's just added ammo to her already full arsenal, but the words never come.
"Justin…" her voice is low, steady, and then she's kissing him briefly before pulling away to look at him, and his eyes go up to meet her's. "I want you. But not yet." Her brown eyes, so like his own, ask him to understand. He smiles at her reassuringly. He can wait.
The first time they had sex, Alex insists he call it that, claiming she's not some girl in a teenage romance flick and she's not calling it "making love" (she says this mockingly as she rolls her eyes and makes air quotes), he's not entirely sure how they got there. One minute he's sound asleep in his bed, the next he's being shaken away by a tousled headed Alex telling him that if he doesn't get up and kiss her she's stealing his Aqua Man doll and seeing if it can survive a trip to the sewers.
He ends up going to a local university for a year before transferring to Washington State, Alex insists. She goes with him and gets a job at a local art gallery; the artist thinks she has a lot of talent and has been tutoring her.
It hurts a lot when their dad stops speaking to them, but Max visits and Theresa calls at least once a week. There's disappointment in her eyes, but she hides it well, and they pretend not to notice. She tells them to give their father time; that he'll come around, and Justin doesn't really believe her, but he smiles anyway. This is the path he chose, and he's ok with the consequences.
Jerry shows up four years later for the birth of his grandson. He doesn't apologize or make eye contact, he barely speaks to anyone but his wife, but it's a start, and Alex is so proud, holding his son, their perfect little boy, in her arms and beaming at him, that he knows that even if this is the last time he ever sees his dad, he wouldn't change a single damn thing.
A/N: Ok, there's going to be a few of these.
I know the Columbus thing was kind of corny, but it seemed like something Justin would think/say so I left it.
Not really relevant, but I've named Max's crush (Amanda). She even has a history and a bit of her character has been developed in my mind. I'm either really invested in this fic or I have too many unoccupied thoughts in my head.