Disclaimer: Sometimes I forget, but, yep, I don't own anything.

A/N: HELLO, FANDOM! So, if you haven't heard, I'm crazy and I've challenged myself to do as many Christmas oneshots as I can for this month. I'll be doing a variety of ships, sometimes not even ships, just character-specific, some serious and sweet, others pure crack, canon and even my personal AU. Consider this my Christmas gift to y'all.

Summary: Kaylie hears it in Max's tone. He's looking at you like an idiot in love. Mostly Kaylie/Max (friendship), KayAus

-BB-

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime

11

Kaylie never really spent time with Max Spencer before. They'd exchange friendly smiles and hellos in passing, but she doesn't think she's ever had a real conversation with him. That's why Kaylie finds it a little strange how when Kaylie takes the lead on the Rock's Christmas toy drive for the underprivileged, Max would volunteer his time to help. He says something about giving back and good karma. Kaylie doesn't object because she needs all the help she can get and it turns out Max is damn skilled at wrapping presents.

"You're really great at this," Kaylie comments. She watches the way Max cuts a perfect line down the green and red wrapping paper. She hasn't stopped staring since she caught him expertly curling ribbons a few minutes ago, finishing up a different one.

"Thanks," Max says. "I am the gift-wrap champion."

"Why do I feel like that isn't a joke?"

Max just smiles, tearing off a piece of tape and smoothing it over the edge of the present. "I'd help my mom a lot as a kid. It was one of my favorite parts of the holidays."

"Did she take you shopping a lot too?" Kaylie asks. "Lauren told me you shop like she's never seen from a guy before."

Max shrugs his shoulders. "So, I like nice things. Is that a bad thing?" He tries to be playful and lighthearted, but Kaylie notices the sharp defensiveness behind his voice.

"It's not," she assures him. "I think it's a nice change of pace. Trying to get Austin to go shopping is like trying to get a cat to take a bath. Come to think of it, Payson is the same way. Even worse sometimes."

"Speaking of our favorite Olympian," Max says, gazing across the room. "He's looking at you right now."

Kaylie hears it in Max's tone. He's looking at you like an idiot in love.

Just a little embarrassed, on the verge of a blush, Kaylie busies herself with wrapping the puzzle set in front of her. Kaylie can't help, but glance up and notices that Max isn't just teasing. Austin is staring over at them, a slight smile on his face, like always. Ever since Worlds, he thinks he has some right to look and smile over at her in that way even if, technically, they aren't dating. Kaylie blamed the excitement for the kiss they shared (that the press had a field day over) but Austin just keeps smiling at her, knowingly.

"Next time you talk to him, tell him to stop," Kaylie says snottily. "It's more than creepy."

Max laughs softly. "Kaylie, Kaylie, Kaylie, don't pretend you're blind."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You can't tell me that you don't see the way he looks at you," Max says. His voice softens and so does his expression, growing almost solemn. "And he won't shut up about how much he likes and cares about you."

"Good for him," Kaylie says, folding the sides of the present she's working on. "It's confusing is what it is. He's so arrogant and thinks that just because he wants something then he'll get it because he's Austin Tucker. And yeah, he really helped me and flirts all the time, but he also helped and flirted with Emily and Payson too. Don't let him think Pay didn't tell me about their sexy cat lessons or whatever that was. And he focuses on me, me, me and my recovery so he doesn't have to open up about him no matter how much I want him to and try to get him to. Then there's the fact that he intentionally makes people believe he's this disgusting whore man who can't start a committed relationship just so he can prove them wrong and it drives me crazy—"

Max sighs loudly. He spins the finished present in his hands and it is perfect. Kaylie doesn't even want the present she wrapped anywhere near Max's. "So," he says, "you obviously like him just as much, then?"

Kaylie stops a moment. Damn it.

Max smiles softly. "Why don't you go talk to him? Don't tell him I told you, but he is dying to take you out for an early Christmas dinner or something. Go ahead. I can finish up here."

"Really?" she asks.

"Think of it as my Christmas gift to both of you," Max says sweetly. "Also, I might need a little help shopping for Lauren and Payson. After the way this last year as been and how much I messed up, I could probably use someone who really knows them."

Kaylie smiles. "Sounds like a plan."

When she walks over to Austin, trying to sort through her thoughts and figure out what she's going to say, he just wears that infuriating smile. Before she can go into a rant about how, yeah, maybe she might have feelings for him too (as if a kiss in front of the world could mean anything else) she finds herself completely without words.

"I couldn't hear what you were saying, but I saw you give Max an earful," Austin says, amused. "Tell me about it over dinner?"

She hesitates like she always does, but then gets trapped by that damn smile. "Sure."

"Cool. I got the car parked outside." Austin offers her his arm and Kaylie willingly takes it.

Before walking out the front door with Austin, Kaylie makes sure to glance back at Max and give him a smile.

A/N: Classic Kaylie Cruz. She always pretends she doesn't like boys and then ends up falling for them. Both my most beloved and most hated thing about her. I am intrigued by interaction between Max/Kaylie just because they have so many connection, but never actually spoke on the show and he's literally the only boy she hasn't fallen for. I think the most we got was them sitting on the same side of a table (AND PAYSTIN SITTING ON THE OTHER SIDE TOGETHER) so that's why I really did this. Side order of KayAus just because it was necessary. Merry Christmas!

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