Title: Dirty Laundry
Author: HisVampira
Pairing: M/A - duh
Rated: PG-13
Status: Standalone
Summary: While doing Max's dirty laundry Alec airs some of his own. - This is what happens when Shana(jracklesfan77) and I talk about music - she dared me to write this :)
Disclaimer: I don't own a damned thing - not the characters, not the music. :sigh:

Dirty Laundry

Alec watched the clothes go around and around in the only washer TC had been able to 'acquire' as of yet. To say he was bored would be like saying the Space Needle is kind of tall - it would be a gross understatement. He'd been in the basement alone for over two hours. Doing Max's dirty laundry.

"How the hell did I get roped into this?" Alec spoke aloud, standing up from the rickety chair in which he'd been sitting - and knowing full well why he'd agreed to do the chore. You'd do anything for her, you idiot. He paced in front of the washer, eyeing it angrily as if it were the offending party.

"You'd think the leader of a nation would be able to do her own damn laundry," he grumbled. The buzzer on the washer sounded and he trudged over to it. Did she have to wait until there were like 50 loads? He pulled open the door and unceremoniously dumped all of the clothes into the dryer. Mimicking Max's voice he said, "'No, Alec. There's not that much. You'll be done in a hour tops.' Right, I should've learned a long time ago not to trust your time estimates." Once finished, he reached into the basket of clothes - now only 1/3 full - and began shoveling them into the washer's chamber.

A clatter sounded as something metallic fell to the hard floor from the pile of cothes. Alec glanced down and saw a small black metal object. A wire extended from it, up and into the basket. He pulled it out and discovered headphones. Lifting the object, he realized what it was.

"Well I'll be damned," he mused with a smile as he pressed the power button. "Maxie's got an MP3 player." An antique, no less, he thought as he put the headphones to his ears. MP3 players had long been replaced by newer fads and he was surprised Max had found this one. And to think this thing coulda gotten thrown into the wash. He decided he would tease her later about saving it from an untimely death by drowning - if he gave it back at all, that is. Making Max angry was something he did every chance he could - and was damn good at it. He loved seeing the fire dance in her eyes, the way her jaw set and flexed. Part of him secretly wished he could use other methods to bring that fire and passion into her.

He pushed 'play' and loud rock music blared into his ears as he set the times on the washer and dryer.

I won't ask where you're going
If you don't ask where I've been
'cause if you're looking for an answer, babe
I wouldn't know where to begin.

"Maxie, Maxie," he chuckled. "Didn't know you were into 80s hair bands!" Truth be told, he was impressed. Poison was quite the band, in its time. Alec knew them well - Poison was the first rock band he'd ever heard. He and Biggs had been on a mission years ago in New York. They'd established cover with a gang of bikers who lived on pre-pulse rock. He looked back on the days he'd spent with them with fondness, but pushed away the other details of that particular mission. Better not to dwell on what you can't change, he thought as he began to sing along with the music.

I don't know what I want sometimes
But I sure know what I likes
You've got that thing about you
Gets me hot inside
If it makes no sense when I wrote this song
Cause half way through it you were turning me on
The lyrics caused his thoughts to turn to that fiery brunette that seemed to always push herself to the forefront of his mind. Cause half way through it you were turning me on, huh? Alec smiled as he remembered several mission planning sessions where something similar had happened. A particular memory surfaced of a session last week in which he'd completely spaced in the middle of a recon report because he was just staring at her. Watching the way she bit her lip, showing that she was a bit nervous about the raid they were planning. It would've gone unnoticed, as usual, had he not been the one giving the report.
Lay me down
I just might be your kind
I'll show you a better way
We can do away the time
If you stop looking so hard
I think you just might find
I ain't finding it so bad
Might be the best thing you ever had
At least I'd be better than the guys she's been seein' since she threw Logie-Boy outta TC.Completely lost in the music and the thoughts the words brought to him, Alec did not hear the object of his attentions walk into the laundry room.

Max's eyes narrowed as she realized he was listening to her MP3 player - the one she'd come here to look for. Figures, she thought, rolling her eyes. Her anger was forgotten as she had to stifle a laugh when Alec began to pretend to play the drums while singing along. Not like he coulda heard me anyways, she grinned. This would make the ultimate blackmail. Leaning her body against the open door frame, she watched and listened to Alec's display with amusement.

You know a little 'bout love and
I know a lot about hate
I believe you gotta make things happen
You believe in fate
"If that's not me and Max, I don't know what is," Alec mumbled as he finished the verse. It was always 'Logan and I were meant to be together - oh wait! Alas, look at the signs! It was not meant to be!' She can be such a drama queen. I guess that's one of the reasons I love her though - all that passion. Through some miracle, this time he didn't even bother to correct himself when he thought 'love.'

Max couldn't believe her ears. He was thinking of her while he sang the song? She shrugged it off as either a misinterpretation, or nothing of real importance. I always liked this song. It's kinda always reminded me of him. At the realization of what she'd just thought, Max's eyes widened. No, absolutely not! she chastized. I told myself I wouldn't go there - we're just friends! Maybe if she kept repeating it, she would someday believe it. Nah.

But this won't be the first time that
We didn't see eye to eye
You may not be religious but I'll make you see god
If you give me a try
Upon hearing the words that were the epitome of Alec, Max couldn't help but laugh. But then that traiterous part of her - her libido - reared it's ugly head. See god? Honey, you are a god. She would've groaned had she not begun to believe the fight against herself - and her sex drive - was futile. Sighing heavily, she debated on whether or not to make her presence known.

Alec was dancing now - shuffling his feet across the tile floor, playing air guitar, and singing loudly. Max couldn't help but notice the grace with which he did everything. "He can't even look bad while he's actin' like an ass," she grumbled.

Don't shoot me down
I'm not a social disease
You've got that thing about you
Bring a grown man to his knees

"Gladly, Maxie," Alec threw in during a pause in the music. This grown man's been on his knees more often than he can count. His face scrunched into a puzzled expression as he realized the double entendre in his words. Figuratively, he amended.

Alright. There's no denying that one. He's - it's like he's singing to me! Half of her was terrified of the implications - the other half treacherously wanted nothing more than to simply run up and throw her arms around him. "Alec, what the hell are you thinking?" she muttered under her breath. Maybe I should just leave before he realizes I saw his performance. Though logically, that's what she knew she should do, she just couldn't seem to pull her eyes away from him.

I'll teach you baby
'bout them birds and them bees
When you get around
And think about it ain't so bad
Might be the best thing you ever had
Best thing I ever had
"Best thing I ever had," Alec sighed. "Yep that would be her. But I'll never know. She won't - why the hell am I talking to myself?" Alec suddenly stated, eyes wide. This is what she's reduced me to. A blithering idiot talking to himself in the basement. "Crazy in the basement," he muttered amusedly, grinning. The idea reminded him of one of his favourite shows - not that he, super-solder extraordinaire would everadmit he was a fan of Buffy.

Max was smiling wide after hearing his ramblings. If only I could be sure he was talking about me But she already knew he was. The attraction between them was something they'd both known for a long time. We've just both been to damn stubborn. Taking her weight off of the wall, she began quietly sneaking up behind an unsuspecting Alec.

When she reached him, she had to move quickly to get behind him as he swirled around. She breathed a sigh of relief as he kept on singing and kept his back to her. The relief was short lived, however, because she heard him sniff the air. Shit. Figures he would know my scent.

"Max," he breathed huskily, then shook his head. The smell from her damned clothes is gettin' to me.

Ah, give me some of that!

When I put out the dog
Ya get them old ghosts out of bed
I ain't looking for a little to say
Baby some place to lay my head

Max's mischevious smile softened as she heard the sadness in his voice as he sang those last words. Damn. He's a romantic under the player exterior, she thought. She leaned in close to him, taking time to revel in his smell. The low rumble of his voice as he sang sent shivers up her spine. I think it's time to 'make things happen'. To hell with fate.
I'm the one to right your wrong
If you give me a chance and I'll turn you on
Max could no longer hear the loud buzz of the music from the headphones and she used the lull to make her move. "I'll just bet you would," Max whispered next to Alec's ear. She laughed as he jumped and ripped the headphones from his ears, turning around quickly to face her - and almost falling in the process.

"Jesus Christ, Max! What the hell do you think you're doing?" The startled look on his face was priceless. Max just smiled at him as he sputtered, trying to ask her more questions. "Why? When did - ? How long have you been there?" He fought to keep the rush of blood from going to his cheeks, but it was difficult - that's not usually where the blood went when he was around Max.

"Lay me down, I just might be your kind," she sang. He groaned as he realized she'd been there for most of his impromptu concert.

"Max, just - Good god, just don't tell anyone." He contemplated whether or not to use one of her famous lines. "Don't make me kick your ass." Max laughed and then brought her hand to his face.

"You know, you're cute when you talk to yourself." Satisfaction coursed through her upon seeing the look of surprise, embarrassment, and something more primal pass over his gorgeous features as he backed away from her.

"I know. I'm always cute, Maxie," he retorted, not missing a beat. Shit. I'm screwed.

"You know what? You kinda are," she purred, taking a step closer to him, making up the distance he'd put between them.

"Who are you and what did you do with Max?" He smiled cheekily, trying to get her angry enough to drop the topic. "Wherever she is, keep her there. I like you better. I haven't been punched yet."

"Exactly what were you thinking while you were singing, Alec?" she asked softly, catching his gaze.

"That eighties metal bands don't get enough appreciation these days," he ventured, backing away again from an advancing Max. Max just smiled and shook her head. "No really, they don't. I mean those lyrics and that guitar, you don't find stuff like that anymore." Max kept closing in on him, moving closer each time he moved back.

"What were you really thinking?" she asked once she had Alec's back against the washing machine.

Shit, no escape! Alec sighed and decided that - for once - honesty was the best policy. After he tried just one more lie. "I was thinking about asking you - where you got that MP3 player. I mean, it's vintage! And - "

Max gave him a warning look, her eyes smoldering with a mix of desire and amusement.

Alec sighed in defeat. "You. I was thinking of you," he murmured, not even a whisper.

"I see." Max stepped forward, her body nearly in a line with his. "So, were they good thoughts or bad thought?"

Without thinking, Alec smirked and said, "Believe me, Maxie. They were good thoughts." It took entirely too much effort to keep him from clasping a hand to his mouth. Either that or bang his head against the washer. "I guess I was just airing some dirty laundry." She'll never speak to me again.

Max appeared to think for a moment, then smiled. "How dirty?" Her voice was husky and her eyes laden with desire. Alec sniffed the air, searching for any signs of pheromones. Max rolled her eyes. "I'm not in heat, you twit." Placing a hand on the back of his neck, she eased his head down until his face was nearly level with hers.

"If you're not in heat, then what the hell are you doing?" This is too good to be true. If this is a dream, the person who wakes me up is as good as dead.

"Airing out my dirty laundry." She raised up to meet his lips, enveloping him in a tight embrace and kissing him with all the passion she'd held back - all the love that she'd denied.

Once their lips parted, Alec just gaped at her. "Max...I - do you really know what you're doing?" Damn me and my conscience.

"Yeah. I'm about to get busy with the crazy guy in the basement." Alec's cheeks threatened to redden, but he laughed in spite of the shock. "You know - I'm trying to picture you with fangs and platinum blonde hair - it just doesn't work," she grinned. Alec rolled his eyes and pulled her in for another kiss.

"You know, I might just have to start doing your laundry like, every day," he joked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Plan on it."

Please Read and Review! Hoped you enjoyed :)

HisVamp