RP for ![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
drgatesjones (Used and abused ;) )
After this.
By the time Lee dropped him at Dia's place, Max was feeling sore all over. Worry, sparring, almost panic, relief... admissions. The thanked the driver, shouldered the bag - he'd not even recalled about it when shuffling with Stephen into the house - and made his way up.
As always, always when he went there, since that unforgettable evening of flowers, he smiled when he crossed the threshold. In a very small way... their threshold. Not... formally. Just of two people who shared love. Who shared each other.
His contribution to share tonight was rather... odd. Aching body, aching bones, aching thoughts. It had not ended badly, but the low after the adrenaline rush - and there had been one. Or two. - was a draw on his strength on its own. At least the emotional part... they'd talked about already. Briefly. It seemed different then though than now. One thing, a bodyguard with feelings for his boss. (a part of him was snorting and pointing out at Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston) A different thing the way it was standing since tonight.
Not different regarding Claudia. His light. The smile on his face. Not that Stephen couldn't put one - but it was different. His heart was filled with her to bursting.
And he was late. "m home." He started at how tired his voice sounded, almost like a mumble, and made a second, more concentrated attempt. "I'm home, beautiful!" She'd know, from the wards, probably. Still.
By the time Lee dropped him at Dia's place, Max was feeling sore all over. Worry, sparring, almost panic, relief... admissions. The thanked the driver, shouldered the bag - he'd not even recalled about it when shuffling with Stephen into the house - and made his way up.
As always, always when he went there, since that unforgettable evening of flowers, he smiled when he crossed the threshold. In a very small way... their threshold. Not... formally. Just of two people who shared love. Who shared each other.
His contribution to share tonight was rather... odd. Aching body, aching bones, aching thoughts. It had not ended badly, but the low after the adrenaline rush - and there had been one. Or two. - was a draw on his strength on its own. At least the emotional part... they'd talked about already. Briefly. It seemed different then though than now. One thing, a bodyguard with feelings for his boss. (a part of him was snorting and pointing out at Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston) A different thing the way it was standing since tonight.
Not different regarding Claudia. His light. The smile on his face. Not that Stephen couldn't put one - but it was different. His heart was filled with her to bursting.
And he was late. "m home." He started at how tired his voice sounded, almost like a mumble, and made a second, more concentrated attempt. "I'm home, beautiful!" She'd know, from the wards, probably. Still.
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No need for words, unless he wanted to talk more, just holding him and being, as her stepfather once put it.
She remembered being on digs and appreciated later on, how much strain that was for Sam, taking his family places that weren't always safe and making sure they were as secure as he could make them. Or when they were older and one location and how tired Sam would be sometimes after coming home and just needing a hug and some silent company.
Mother had never really listened to Sam...Dia'd been determined to make sure that once she did find someone to always give them a warm hug and listening ear if they needed it. She was more than happy to do this for Max. He worked so hard and he was so very good as what he did. He deserved to come home to a hot meal and a hug. Always.
She dropped a light kiss on his lips. "Anytime, Max. Anytime." She waited to see if he wanted to sit and be, a little longer or get up and head to the bed. She wasn't going to push him. No need for urgency right now. They could be slow. Slow was good.
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And he did care. Love. Possibly, if he'd grown up observing a family with jealousy and insecurity growing up when he could understand it, he'd be feeling guilt, now. For loving two people. But he hadn't. His experience with actual love was none at all, so he was taking it as it came. He wasn't conflicted. Loved them both, and that was it - different ways. Well, he wanted to protect them both, that was certain but... it was just not the same. He belonged to Dia one way, and to Stephen in an entirely different way.
And it was up to him to make neither unhappy. Nobody else. He leaned his forehead against hers for a moment, then wrapped his arms snugly and rose, lifting her up. (yeah. Painkillers definitely working.) Here and now. And here and now, it was Dia. "My Claudia."
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She smiled, "Yours always, Max." She wrapped an arm around his neck. "Bed, love?" She wanted to wrap her arms around him for a change and let him snuggle into her. She could be the strong one for him for a while.
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If she were somebody else, she might have made him. Choose. And it would have hurt more than--
Maybe that's why people were supposed to be careful about falling in love. His arms tightened around her as he shook that thought away. He wouldn't let what-ifs and could-haves break what was. Leaning to kiss her forehead, he started towards the bedroom again.
"Yes. Bed." And there he took her, and set her gently down on the bed (mmm clean sheets... smelled good, even not quite as good as her, any day) and set about undressing for bed, still staying close to her.
Not upset, no. Just... drained all over again. To no one in particular, he said, "I am a fool." For ... making things complicated. For only being able to do so much. "But not fortune's fool. I'd not change anything." A smile at her, even if more tired than almost any, and then moved to slip under the covers. "Not this. Not you, my beautiful love. Not even me."
Yes... snuggling into her didn't sound like a bad idea at all.
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