"Oi, Alex. Get in here. I need your help." Ben called form the downstairs kitchen. Alex sighed. Ever since the mission in Afghanistan, MI6 had decided that Alex, once again, needed a guardian. It wasn't his fault if one of the terrorist followed him home, or tried to blow up his school, or his house, or the neighbor's cat. Okay, maybe not the school, it was only the science building. It was always the science building. Alex chuckled lightly at the thought.
"What do you need Ben?" Alex asked entering the kitchen. By the counter stood Ben, or Fox, as he had been known at the SAS, struggling with something in a large bowl. Alex couldn't help a small smile at the man. While he had been at MI6 he had come to appreciate the few allies he had, Ben being among them. Walking up behind him, Alex peered into the bowl and burst out laughing. Not a oh-this-is-funny laugh but a holy-hell-this-should-not-exist-thank-whoever-made -it-anyway laugh. Ben huffed.
"I don't see what's so funny." He said glaring down at the laughing boy. Alex couldn't help it, he really couldn't. There, in all his 5'11, previously talented SAS man turned successful spy glory, was MI6 Agent Daniels fighting a bowl of cookie dough. Oatmeal by the looks of it. Which, in all honesty wasn't that funny, but it was the color. The dough was pink! How was he supposed to react?
"Sorry Ben, it's just so pink. How the hell did you manage that anyway? We don't have any pink food dye." Alex said recovering.
"I, I mixed some of the colors." Ben said shifting slightly.
"How? Last I checked we only had the colors purple, blue and yellow. Unless…no." He said peering at Ben as the other man shifted uneasily." You did! I am so telling K-Unit!" Alex started laughing again as Ben flushed.
"It's not what you think okay? These are for a charity event tomorrow and I was asked to use this color." Ben said defensively.
"Oh?" Alex asked raising one eyebrow. "So these aren't for the get together with K-Unit tomorrow to celebrate Wolf's birthday, and you didn't accidently grab the pink when trying to find red, since it's Wolf's favorite color?" Ben sighed in defeat.
"Alright, fine. So I made one little mistake with the coloring. We're out of the ingredients to make another batch and it's already too late for another run to the store, so I'm stuck here. Help me out?" Ben pleaded. Alex smirked.
"You dug your own grave you know." Alex said, smirk growing wider as Ben nodded in defeat. Ever since they had started living together, Alex had been the chef for all intents and purposes. It wasn't so much that Ben couldn't cook but, that if he ever tried, they would probably have to find a new house by the end of it. Something Ben was rather ashamed to admit, so naturally, the first time Ben started requesting Alex make more portions of food, it had seemed reasonable. That is, until he realized that it wasn't just Ben enjoying the food. As far as K-Unit was concerned, Ben was an excellent chef and Alex was lucky to have him, and while Ben had never actually taken credit, he had never denied it either. Which is probably why Wolf requested that, if anyone were to bring a home cooked meal, it be Ben and, by unknown extension, Alex.
"Alex, I swear, I will set the record straight or whatever you want, just help me out here. Wolf will kill me if I try to get him to eat pink cookies." Ben said, all but begging. Alex let out fake sigh.
"Well I guess I could, just promise me one thing."
"Anything." Ben assured quickly. Alex couldn't help an amused smile.
"Eagle doesn't get any." Ben nodded. He could understand that. Eagle was already hyper, without the sugar.
"Great, then let's get to work, pass me the flour, about two cups of water and some sugar." Alex ordered, and the two began working into the night.
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"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear James-ey, happy birthday to you!~~" Eagle sang, horribly off key. Wolf still wincing, moved to punch the childish man.
"Damn it Eagle. I told you not to sing." Wolf growled.
"Aw, but Wolfie, how was I supposed to resist giving you the sweet sound of my voice?" Eagle asked winking at him. Wolf tackled the man. Snake, Fox and Alex, standing by the table, watched amused.
"So Fox, Cub, any news?" Snake asked. Alex shook his head while Ben smiled.
"Oh you know, this and that." Snake nodded, accepting the answer. He understood that the two had secretive lives and, that if they ever needed him, they would let him know.
"Hey, that's right, what have the two super-spies been doing lately?" Eagle asked detangling himself from Wolf. Ben scoffed.
"Please, the only 'super-spy' is Cub over here and you know it. I'm still his protégé, for all intents and purposes." Ben said. Alex chuckled lightly.
"Hey if I were you I'd be impressed. You've lasted longer than most."
"Oh?" Snake asked. "How long was the record?"
"A month." Alex said smugly. Wolf looked at him confused.
"But Fox has been around at least three, and he's fine. What happened to the others?" Alex just shrugged.
"Well then, can you tell me who they are? Maybe we could talk." Ben suggested. He was curious as well.
"That would be rather difficult." Alex said carefully.
"Why's that?" Ben asked.
"Well, we would need a psychic to ever start." Snake, Wolf and Eagle all looked at Alex in confusion while Ben blanched.
"What do you mean?" Wolf asked, in spite of himself.
"He means that none of them have survived." Ben said, sounding a little shaken.
"Yep." Alex said cheerfully. "You've lasted the longest, though, in retrospect, it is still up in the air."
"How do you mean?" Snake asked.
"Well, they all died the first mission in. Although, one died while we were at a café getting acquainted. Assassination attempt for me that got him instead." Alex said with a shrug as Ben paled further.
"I don't suppose I could convince Blunt to assign me a different senior field agent?" Ben inquired.
"Probably not, we actually make a pretty good team. You'll survive, probably." Alex said, keeping a straight face.
"Anyway," Snake said, cutting in. "why don't we start eating?" The others nodded in agreement.
"Don't worry Fox. Cub has a 100% success rate, right? You're in good hands. Right, Cub?" Eagle asked. Alex hid a smile and shrugged in a distracted manner as he looked over the different dishes. Ben looked ready to faint.
"Relax Ben, as long as you keep your head, you'll be fine." Alex assured him. Ben nodded slightly, still looking worried. Wolf and Snake on the other hand were practically moaning in delight.
"Damn Cub, if you get this kind of food every day, it's no wonder you're so good." Wolf said. Alex almost sighed. For some reason, Wolf just couldn't bring himself to admit that Alex had actual ability. He was constantly giving credit for Alex's accomplishments to outside factors. Like the time in Paris, when Alex brought down a drug cartel, it was the timing of the French police. Or the time in North Korea, with the nukes. It was the stupidity of his opponents. Even the time in South Africa, when it was just him against a well-armed, well informed military base of Nazis (don't ask). Wolf had claimed the heat had made them lazy and lax. Alex shook his head slightly. Moving to the kitchen he went to grab some more food.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Ben asked quietly from behind him.
"It's nothing. I'm fine." Alex said, equally quiet. Ben walked closer till he was next to Alex, and leaned against the counter.
"No, you're not. Tell me." Ben said, sternly but with obvious kindness. Alex let out a sigh. He trusted Ben, he did. He just didn't think it was fair to him to push off all his problems onto the guy.
"It's nothing, really." Alex said again, more firmly. Slowly Ben nodded, though it was obvious he didn't believe him.
"You don't have to lie, you know. Not about that. I get it if you don't trust me-"
"I do trust you." Alex muttered.
"-but I had hoped you'd have enough respect for me to not lie so blatantly." Ben finished as though Alex hadn't spoken. They stayed standing there in quietly a few moments.
"It's just he never acknowledges me. No matter what." Alex said finally, breaking the silence. Ben nodded.
"He just doesn't want to see the obvious. We're meant to protect kids and other people, to see a child out there protecting he people who should be protecting him, isn't something anyone wants to face. Just give him some time. He'll come around, even if he does it kicking and screaming." Ben assured him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. Alex suppressed a flinch. Ben must have noticed because the hand was gone a moment later.
"Hey, you really are amazing, you know that? What other fifteen year old can say they've saved the world? More than once even. You've paid the price for it as well. Wolf respects you Cub. It'll just take some time for him to realize that." Alex nodded, feeling slightly better.
"We should probably head back out there. Don't want to leave them alone too long. Who knows what they'll do." Alex said before walking towards the door.
"And Fox, thanks."
"You're welcome Cub."
"Hey, where've you two been? We have a situation!" Snake said, hurrying towards them. Both spies were immediately on alert, having been trained to deal with any situation. Before Snake could explain however, an overly excited Eagle burst into the room with what appeared to be disorientated Wolf on his back.
"Guysguysguys. Guesswhatguesswhatguesswhat? Foxmakesthebestcookiesever. TheytastesoamazingalthoughIcouldtastealotoffooddye ,butthat'sokaybecauseitwasstillsuperdeliciousanddo esanyoneelsesmelldog? IsmelldogIwonderwhatkindofdog, Ilovepoodlesmyself. Iknowstrangechoicebutheywecan'tallbesupertoughallt hetime. Youknow,Ihavethisauntwholivesingeorgiaand-OHMYGOSH ISTHATASQUIREL!" Eagle shouted before jumping out the nearest window along with a terrified looking Wolf, still attached to his back.
"Well he won't be forgetting this birthday anytime soon." Ben said chuckling slightly. Alex however was not. Turning slowly he glared at Ben.
"Do you remember what I said yesterday?" Alex asked in an icy voice.
"Um, no?" Ben said, making it sound more like a question.
"I believe I had you promise not to let Eagle eat any of the cookies." Alex said, his voice still icy. Ben scratched the back of his head nervously, inching slowly towards the window Eagle had just exited out of.
"We don't know that he ate any cookies." Ben reasoned.
"Yes we do. The idiot said so himself." Snake and Ben looked at him in shock.
"You could understand that?" Snake asked, the wonder obvious in his voice. Alex ignored him and kept his eyes on Ben.
"Well, you know, I-" Ben stuttered out before jumping out the window. Alex sprinted over and looked out only to see the man already half a block away.
"YOU LYING SCOUNDRAL! I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!" Alex shouted. Hearing a chuckle he whirled around.
"What?" Alex asked.
"Nothing, I'm just surprised you didn't jump out of the window after him." Snake said. Alex looked at him amused.
"And why would I do that? He has to come back eventually and I am a very patient person." Snake chuckled again.
"Oh he's in for it now." Snake said chuckling.
"Of course he is." Alex said scoffing. "He broke a promise."