That's the plan
Back at Terminal City, Alec and some of the other transgenics had spent most of the day setting up pool tables, hanging dart boards, and helping Joshua finish the murals. Everything was ready for the grand opening tomorrow.
By the time Max arrived, Alec was pretty tired, even for an X-5, but he had waited up just so he could surprise her with the new sound system. Max pulled into Terminal City and headed straight for her apartment, but she stopped when she heard strange sounds coming from the other side of the complex. "Where is that coming from?" Max followed the sounds and found herself outside the doors of the new Rec Room. When she walked in she found music blaring and Alec and Joshua stumbling clumsily around the Rec Room. Apparently, Joshua had talked Alec into teaching him how to dance and it wasn't going very well. Max giggled as she watched them both trying to lead only to end up in a tangled mess on the floor.
Alec jumped up when he heard her. Max watched his face turn red from embarrassment and it only made her laugh harder. Joshua started to laugh too, and pretty soon Alec had no choice but to join in. When they could talk again, Alec walked over and turned down the music a little. "So Maxie, what do you think?"
"I think you both need a few more lessons," Max said, still giggling a little.
Alec grinned, but feigned hurt. "I'll have you know, I excelled in etiquette and dance at Manticore. It was one of my best subjects."
"Manticore actually taught etiquette and dance?" Max was surprised. "Maybe I left too soon; I could have used those lessons."
"Alec can teach" Joshua offered, running over to turn up the music again.
"Thanks, buddy, but I think I've had my feet stepped on enough tonight." Alec teased Max back.
"Alec teach Max" Joshua was insistent and he shoved the two of them together just as a slow song came on.
Max and Alec both looked at each other and shrugged. "Might as well humor him." Alec whispered, taking Max in his arms.
Max once again found herself overcome by the proximity to Alec; all she could do was nod in response. Alec and Max began to slowly move across the dance floor. What started out as "humoring" Joshua was quickly replaced by something else. All Max could focus on was Alec. The rest of the room faded away and even the sound of the music dimmed. Her world became Alec.
Alec was experiencing the exact same thing. As far as he was concerned, Manticore, Terminal City, and Seattle could all be blown off the map and he'd never even notice. His mind was solely on the beautiful woman in his arms. As he swept her around room, he wished that she knew how he felt and he wished that she felt the same.
Joshua smiled as he watched his friends for a moment. Even he could see that the couple was completely caught up in each other and in the moment. "Max and Alec getting busy, that's the plan." Joshua whispered to himself as slipped out of the room.
Max and Alec danced through three whole songs before they even realized they were alone. They probably would have continued dancing too, had it not been for "lights out". In order to conserve energy, most of the generators in Terminal City were programmed to shut off automatically at 2 am. One moment the couple was whirling around the floor completely unaware of anything except each other, and the next they were standing in the pitch black silence.
"I think we were just set up." Alec said softly as he walked over to turn off the sound equipment. He didn't want it to come on all by itself when the power came back on in the morning, but he was reluctant to let go of Max for fear she would come to her senses and take off.
"Yeah, I think you're right." Max agreed. Surprisingly, she didn't mind a bit. She pondered this as they walked back to their apartment complex. Distracted Max slipped on a loose stone. Alec reached out to steady her and then slipped his arm around her waist as they walked the rest of the way back.
When they arrived at their apartments, neither one of them wanted to be the first to go inside. Alec turned Max around to face him and slowly leaned down to kiss her. Max kissed him back. It was a sweet kiss, gentle but full of passion. After a minute, Alec stepped back and looked down at her. "Good night, Maxie!" he whispered, and then he turned and walked into his apartment.
"Good Night, Alec!" she said and Max went into hers.
That night neither one of them slept.
Back at Terminal City, Alec and some of the other transgenics had spent most of the day setting up pool tables, hanging dart boards, and helping Joshua finish the murals. Everything was ready for the grand opening tomorrow.
By the time Max arrived, Alec was pretty tired, even for an X-5, but he had waited up just so he could surprise her with the new sound system. Max pulled into Terminal City and headed straight for her apartment, but she stopped when she heard strange sounds coming from the other side of the complex. "Where is that coming from?" Max followed the sounds and found herself outside the doors of the new Rec Room. When she walked in she found music blaring and Alec and Joshua stumbling clumsily around the Rec Room. Apparently, Joshua had talked Alec into teaching him how to dance and it wasn't going very well. Max giggled as she watched them both trying to lead only to end up in a tangled mess on the floor.
Alec jumped up when he heard her. Max watched his face turn red from embarrassment and it only made her laugh harder. Joshua started to laugh too, and pretty soon Alec had no choice but to join in. When they could talk again, Alec walked over and turned down the music a little. "So Maxie, what do you think?"
"I think you both need a few more lessons," Max said, still giggling a little.
Alec grinned, but feigned hurt. "I'll have you know, I excelled in etiquette and dance at Manticore. It was one of my best subjects."
"Manticore actually taught etiquette and dance?" Max was surprised. "Maybe I left too soon; I could have used those lessons."
"Alec can teach" Joshua offered, running over to turn up the music again.
"Thanks, buddy, but I think I've had my feet stepped on enough tonight." Alec teased Max back.
"Alec teach Max" Joshua was insistent and he shoved the two of them together just as a slow song came on.
Max and Alec both looked at each other and shrugged. "Might as well humor him." Alec whispered, taking Max in his arms.
Max once again found herself overcome by the proximity to Alec; all she could do was nod in response. Alec and Max began to slowly move across the dance floor. What started out as "humoring" Joshua was quickly replaced by something else. All Max could focus on was Alec. The rest of the room faded away and even the sound of the music dimmed. Her world became Alec.
Alec was experiencing the exact same thing. As far as he was concerned, Manticore, Terminal City, and Seattle could all be blown off the map and he'd never even notice. His mind was solely on the beautiful woman in his arms. As he swept her around room, he wished that she knew how he felt and he wished that she felt the same.
Joshua smiled as he watched his friends for a moment. Even he could see that the couple was completely caught up in each other and in the moment. "Max and Alec getting busy, that's the plan." Joshua whispered to himself as slipped out of the room.
Max and Alec danced through three whole songs before they even realized they were alone. They probably would have continued dancing too, had it not been for "lights out". In order to conserve energy, most of the generators in Terminal City were programmed to shut off automatically at 2 am. One moment the couple was whirling around the floor completely unaware of anything except each other, and the next they were standing in the pitch black silence.
"I think we were just set up." Alec said softly as he walked over to turn off the sound equipment. He didn't want it to come on all by itself when the power came back on in the morning, but he was reluctant to let go of Max for fear she would come to her senses and take off.
"Yeah, I think you're right." Max agreed. Surprisingly, she didn't mind a bit. She pondered this as they walked back to their apartment complex. Distracted Max slipped on a loose stone. Alec reached out to steady her and then slipped his arm around her waist as they walked the rest of the way back.
When they arrived at their apartments, neither one of them wanted to be the first to go inside. Alec turned Max around to face him and slowly leaned down to kiss her. Max kissed him back. It was a sweet kiss, gentle but full of passion. After a minute, Alec stepped back and looked down at her. "Good night, Maxie!" he whispered, and then he turned and walked into his apartment.
"Good Night, Alec!" she said and Max went into hers.
That night neither one of them slept.