This hasn't been beta'd and I may have a had a few bottles of cider but I couldn't get this type of interaction out of my head! Honestly, I'm not completely sold on this as a 'ship yet (I want Max to be a good bad guy or a not-as-evil-as-Lex bad guy), but their interactions intrigue me and damnit Alex is a total badass and I want her to get some lovin'! She's probably my favourite character on the show right now.

Anywho, happy to take prompts if anyone has some. Heading away on holidays in a day though, so it might take a few weeks to show up!

"Agent Danvers, what a pleasure to see you again."

Alex turned at the voice and spotted Maxwell Lord standing casually at the end of the row of Christmas cards.

"Max? What are you doing here?"

"You mean, what is an orphan doing out Christmas shopping?" He replied, picking up a random card and glancing at the message inside. Grimacing at the mushy sentiment, he placed it back.

"That's not what I meant," she said with the soft voice, slight smile and tilt of her head that he had come to associate with her.

"I know," Max replied easily. "Please, forgive the attempt at levity. I am simply here to soak up the atmosphere." He spread his hands out to the side, indicating the hustle and bustle of the National City Mall.

Alex raised an eyebrow, not believing the explanation.

"It's also nice to pretend to be involved in the Christmas cheer that is supposed to exist at this time of year," he admitted.

Alex's raised brow turned into a frown. "You have no one to buy for? That's buying for you?"

"Orphan, remember?" He said with an easy smile.

"What about friends or colleagues?"

"More acquaintances that only expect the standard gift baskets or bottles of wine." He looked at the multitude of bags at her feet. "You, on the other hand, seem to be buying enough for the both of us."

"I may have overdone it a bit this year," she admitted with a glance at the bags. "Cards are the hardest thing to buy, I find. It's so hard finding a card that speaks to the person you're buying it for."

"Who are you buying for?" He asked, stepping closer and peering at the card she picked up.

"My sister. She is the queen of corny jokes."

"That's pretty corny," Max said with disgust. Alex laughed.

"This one it is, then." She gathered the bags at her feet, juggling then on both wrists as she made her way to the counter. Max trailed after her and took one lot of bags as she struggled to reach her purse. She muttered a distracted 'thanks' as she paid the cashier and made her way outside.

"Lunch?" He pointed at the sign stating the Food Court was to the right . Noticing that he still had half her shopping bags, Alex moved to take them back.

"Not until you agree to have lunch with me, Agent Danvers."

"That's blackmail!"

"Of course it is," Max said with no regret. He tried a different approach. "You mean to tell me that after your morning of shopping you aren't starving?"

Alex didn't bother dignifying the inane question with an answer: Her empty stomach was tying a napkin around itself and eyeing off her kidney. She set off in the direction the sign indicated.

With a smug smile, Max followed in her wake. She made a beeline for a small café that had several tables free and sat down with a sigh of relief. As she rested her aching arms on the table, Max saw for the first time a bandage peeking out from beneath her sweater.

"War wound?" He asked, indicating the white wrap. She tugged the sweater down with a small shrug.

"Hazard of the job," she replied dismissively, perusing the menu. The waitress came over and after they'd both ordered, Alex leaned back and eyed the man opposite her.

"So, what do you do for Christmas?"

It was Max's turn to shrug. "Not a whole lot. My cook generally makes me a traditional Christmas feast before heading off to spend the day with her own family."

"Wait, you have a cook? A honest-to-god person who cooks your meals?" Alex asked incredulously. Max nodded and thanked the waitress as she brought their drinks.

"I've never known someone who actually had a cook," Alex eventually said. "It seems so old-world." She paused. "You don't have a valet, do you?"

Max looked pained. "Please, Agent Danvers, I've been dressing myself for a few decades now. I think do a good job, on the whole."

Taking in the jeans and collared long-sleeved shirt he currently wore, Alex silently agreed. Thankfully, their meals arrived and cut short the conversation for a time.

After they had both devoured with meals, they sat in companionable silence sipping their coffees until Alex's phone chirped. Fishing it out of her pocket, she glanced at the name on the screen.

"I have to go." Alex stood and collected her bags. She hesitated before walking away. "It was nice to see you, Max." He raised his cup in salute.

"And you, Alex."

He watched as she strode out the door and disappeared into the crowd.