Author's note: Here's a short little story I wrote, using a prompt from Raising Hell. Takes place sometime after the season 2 finale, after Max assumes the role of transgenic leader.
Music suggestions: 'Be the girl' by Aslyn.
Disclaimer: Don't own Dark Angel.
Cutbacks and Positive Affirmations
"Finally!"
Standing in front of one of the few intact mirrors in the TC command restroom, Max shot about five feet into the air, turning mid-jump to crouch in a semi-defensive position facing Alec - the intrusive jackass that seemed to have a constant death wish - standing in the open doorway.
"Jesus Christ, Alec! Seriously!" Max shot back in an irritated tone, holding a hand over her heart. Living in close proximity to nearly every transgenic in Seattle almost immediately became very irritating, because privacy dropped to nonexistent the moment she'd accepted command. She really missed the good old days when she was the one constantly sneaking up on people.
Karma really was a bitch after all.
"Don't sweat it, Max. You've got nine of them." Alec joked in an offhand tone, shrugging off her withering glare and scathing tone as he entered the bathroom. The door swung shut behind him. "Well...more like seven. But who's counting?"
"I'm laughing on the inside." Max deadpanned, turning back to the mirror and raising a hand to twist a lock of her hair.
Rolling his eyes, Alec crossed the space between them to lean against the sink next to Max.
"It looks good." Alec commented briskly, dropping the teasing tone and looking down at his arms as he crossed them over his chest.
"Didn't recall asking for your reassurance." Max replied in dismissive tone, dispensing a dollop of mousse into her palm to scrunch into her hair.
"Seriously, Max. Short and curly suits you a lot better than that stick-straight style you never could quite pull off." Alec reiterated, openly watching her as she finished styling the unruly-looking mop on top of her head. "It made you look uptight and unapproachable, very Manticore. This looks a lot more...like you. Like you're supposed to look."
"Thanks for the roundabout compliment." Max ground out dryly, sending him a patronizing glare before gathering up the small pile of hair styling products she'd acquired from her friend Original Cindy the day before and stuffing them into her toiletries bag.
"I'm just saying." Alec remarked casually with a shrug, trailing close behind her as she made to exit the restroom. "You don't have to worry, Max. I'm still willing to have sex with you. You know all you have to do is ask."
"Alec!" Max snapped out in a seething tone, clipping him across the head with her toiletries bag.
Ducking away from any further attacks with an unrepentant grin, Alec turned and walked away in the opposite direction. Turning back to her own path, Max was unable to fight back the amused, heartfelt smile that blossomed at Alec's twisted attempt to put her very well hidden insecurities at ease.
She didn't regret the decision to cut her hair, or to let it revert back to its tousled state, but it was nice having a man's positive opinion. And if the fact that it was Alec's gave her that extra bounce in her step and extra vote of confidence as she put on the mantle of TC's leader for another day, well, it was because he was her second-in-command, had a killer body and his opinion mattered a lot more than it should.
Not that she'd ever admit to the latter two out loud.
ooooowoooo*ooooocoooo*
This is it, all it's meant to be. Just a short, cheerful oneshot. I was always of the opinion that Max looked a lot better with the curly hairdo. I saw that fake-straight at the beginning of season 2 and was like "really?". So there, I had her switch it back. And, Alec approved. End of story.