The Ties That Bind

He'd caught her off guard, as he'd thought he would, and the way she smiled gave Maxim a bit of hope for her future. If they could get her past the hurdle of the gang she was leaving behind, she still had it in her to have a good life. It was too far to look forward, but occasionally he allowed himself to be an optimist.

"I can't say I've ever been a huge fan of musicals," he answered with a small smile of his own, glad to see her with a bit of energy behind her words, "but I do enjoy comedies, if they aren't completely slapstick. I prefer action that has comedy mixed in, and I'm a bit of a sucker for sci-fi." He gave a soft, almost disappointed sigh into his cup. "Unlike Marina, who is specifically into bad sci-fi. You two would surely have no trouble agreeing on something to watch. Unfortunately I never agreed to the 'so bad it's good' world of C-tier films." After a pause, he gave a soft chuckle. "Lately though there's just been a lot of 'Bluey' around." They hadn't had a movie night in a while, not with everyone crowded in together, but he really could track what apartment the children were in by listening for the colorful cartoon.
 
She shook her head a little at his dismissal of musicals and bad films, "Oh, you are missing out my guy." She teased playfully, "well good at least one of you has some taste then."

"There's nothing more fun then munching on popcorn, snuggling up with a blanket, throwing on a bad movie and laughing and making fun of it with somebody."

She smiled as she looked thoughtful, clearly remembering doing so. "When I was a kid, we made an elaborate pillow and blanket fort to watch it in aswell."

She laughed softly, "could be worse, at least it's a good show." "Though I'll bet its pretty annoying hearing the theme song over and over again."
 
Maxim only chuckled at her insistence that he was missing out. "Just call me the uncultured swine, if you must. At least you had pillow forts. Everyone should have a few good pillow forts as a kid." And occasionally as an adult, if one were feeling whimsical.

"It isn't so bad," he added with a shrug at the idea of hearing Bluey over and over again. "Eventually you learn to tune it out. Simon keeps trying to tell me I should actually watch it." It seemed like a strange thing for an adult to say about a children's cartoon, but he hadn't tested the theory. He was usually too busy to sit and actually watch cartoons with the children during the day anyway.

All the while as they talked his eyes scanned over the windows, an almost idly motion as if he weren't on the lookout at all. He was adept at multitasking, and wouldn't let his guard down even as the conversation lightened.
 
She laughed a little, "oh I need no encouragement to do that." She teased playfully, "Don't worry, I'll find one to convert you eventually."

She nodded a little, "you should, I've seen a bit and it's actually pretty funny and wholesome." She smiled a little, "I'm sure the kids would love to share it with you too."

She noticed the way his gaze continued to roam, and she had to admire how prepared he was. It was honestly a nice change for her to have someone else keeping an eye out, so she could relax a little bit.
 
He was inviting trouble, letting her call him names or poke at him, but Maxim had never been the type to think he was above teasing, or that a few little words were worth getting under his skin. Some alphas might bristle at the very idea of their subordinates speaking to them with anything but the deepest respect, but 'insults', though they were often playful anyway, only made him want to laugh. If it helped Madeline relax a little he didn't mind letting her poke fun at him.

"Maybe I'll give it a try some day," he said with a shrug, though he held up a finger to forestall any of the immediate reaction sure to come his way. "The cartoon, not the bad movies. I'll take my cinema with quality, thank you." But he did enjoy it, at times, just experiencing his pack mates having fun. He didn't share Marina's taste in movies, but if she wanted company and he wasn't horribly busy he would never deny her, or any of the others. He could imagine it already, being pulled onto the couch under a pile of little ones wanting to tell him who every character was and which were their favorites.

"In the meantime, if there's anything you'd like to watch feel free to steal my tv. Simon doesn't mind, and if he does he can always go sit with someone else." Her new bedroom was empty and lifeless for the time being, and he knew she would feel awkward for a while inviting herself into the others' spaces. He didn't mind sharing his things so she could enjoy basic creature comforts.
 
She was enjoying herself, this playful teasing and joking around with someone again reminded her painfully of the old days, but it was nice.

"Fine, fine." She sighed dramatically in defeat, still smiling in amusement "if you wish to remain a cinematic snob, then I can't stop you."

"I might take you up on that sometime, thanks." She said softly, a small but genuine smile on her face. His offer surprised her, but she appreciated it. There was no way she would have asked anyone to use theirs, feeling far too awkward and like an unwanted visitor for that.

Though she wanted to change that, at least a little by not feeling so much like a burden. "Listen I wanted to ask if there was anything I could do around the house?" "Like cleaning or cooking or anything, I just want to earn my keep you know?"
 
Perhaps to her it was strange for him to invite her into his personal space, but Maxim was very aware of her position. She was new to their home, knew no one, and on top of it had come to them with the branding of 'criminal' all but plastered across her face. Even if it had been a less than ideal life, having her previous existence ripped out from under her feet was going to be difficult. For now, he was her only friendly face, the only one who had chosen to have her around. He wasn't so selfish as to be the cause of the change in her life without also offering himself as a lifeline.

"Whenever you'd like," he offered softly, with a little shrug as if it were not a very large olive branch. "I don't use it so much."

Her request, while not completely off the wall, was still a surprise to him. He paused for a moment, considering it honestly. "I suppose, if you really can't stand it there's always cleaning to do. If you're handy in the kitchen I don't mind if you want to use ours, or if you want to help make dinner for a group I'm sure there's something to help with." His attention had shifted more to her than to the outside world for a moment, and he offered her a small smile in way of reassurance. "I don't often get in the way in the kitchen, though, so you'll have to ask Simon about that one." Though they didn't do it every night, often Aether and Oscar were the ones in charge of dinner, with Simon, Marina or sometimes Bella chipping in every now and again.
 
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She shrugged a little, "it's not that I can't stand it, I just don't like feeling useless or like a burden." "It's just how I was brought up.." Her expression darkened for a moment, "for the most part anyway." "Everybody helps, and contributes whatever or however they can."

"I'd do more but I'm obviously kinda limited right now." "Plus I'm assuming I'll be stuck around the house for a while anyway." She said with a trace of annoyance, thinking of the bounty.

"So yeah if there's anything that I can do, just let me know ok?" She smiled a little, "I'm pretty handy with a lot of stuff, and I'm not a bad cook, even if I do say so myself."
 
The way Madline's voice changed as she spoke didn't go unnoticed, but in the interest of keeping her relaxed rather than bristling Maxim didn't press the issue of her upbringing. Instead, he filed it away in his mind for a later date, a different setting, different circumstances. It was something he'd gotten used to doing with work and with his pack. There was a right time for everything, and though he wasn't sure if he would know exactly when that was he was sure it wasn't now, in a public cafe with others around.

"I can relate," he said instead, knowing that he did not accept being idle while others work as easily as others could, "but you can understand, I hope, how I don't want to make it seem as if you need to be our maid. You're a guest, so if you'd like you can help out, but I won't order you around." It felt too much like taking advantage, and the last thing he wanted to do was make her feel even worse about her situation in life.

He considered the thought for a moment, eyeing the windows again, and finally gestured towards her just slightly with his cup. "How about this? I'll have the others help me make a list of things that need to be done - cleaning, food preparation, whatever chores are around - and you can come and pick what you'd like to help with." He would text Simon and have him start work on it while they were out. His human ward was home more often than he was, anyway.
 
She seemed surprised by his words, pausing to consider them for a moment. She honestly hadn't thought he would think of it that way, though she could understand his fear.

She couldn't deny she had been treated that way and worse in the past, and not just by Farkas. Still she wasn't worried about that with him, she wasn't sure why, she guessed he just seemed like a better person.

"That would work fine." She smiled in amusement for a moment, "don't worry I wouldn't let you order me around." She joked lightly, before growing serious again. "But I understand what you're saying, and I appreciate it, honestly."
 
Maxim offered a small smile in response to her continued teasing and didn't comment, though truthfully he wouldn't mind a little push back when it came to things around the house. If they were out in the field and she needed to be kept safe she would need to listen to him, but when their safety wasn't at stake he wasn't going to punish her for speaking out about him. As much as he was watching over her, she wasn't truly one of his pack.

"We'll learn how to work together some day," he said with a simple shrug, idly tapping out a quick message to Simon as they lingered. "I view this as a partnership, not slavery." There were certain things he would have to tell her she couldn't do, like contacting former associates or going anywhere by herself, but those were largely out of his control. He was just doing his best to keep her safe while she did her best to help him get death-dealing gangsters off their streets.
 
"We've done alright so far." She replied, with a little shrug of her own. Though she appreciated his words, she didn't think they could be viewed as partners.

Her current circumstances had basically forced her into this, and she was forced to be at least somewhat at his mercy. Which for someone as independent as herself, was a hard pill to swallow.

"Speaking of that, I want to thank you for listening to me and not busting anyone back there." She said quietly, "and for trying to help Doc, but I wouldn't expect any calls from him anytime soon."
 
Maxim gave his head a slight considering tilt when she thanked him, not thinking much of it himself but not denying her gratitude either. "I've been known to be reasonable, now and again," he said with a small smirk, and gave his head a shake at the idea of busting anyone who was just trying to live. "They weren't hurting anyone, and I am not, strictly speaking, a police officer."

His job was not to make sure every citizen he saw was obeying every law in existence. The HED was more black ops than law enforcement, at times, and existed both to keep inhumans in check and to assist in making sure they stayed a secret from the general public. Sometimes that meant giving someone who was struggling a hand so they wouldn't resort to things they shouldn't, and sometimes that meant quietly making someone like Farkas disappear.

"I suspected as much," he said rather than dwell on the idea, shrugging slightly and giving a soft huff of laughter at the thought of the man. "He seemed the stubborn type. All I do is extend the olive branch, it's up to him to decide if he'll take it." The idea that he couldn't save everyone, and that he wouldn't be able to save anyone at all if they didn't let him, was not an idea that had ever sat well with him but he had come to accept it. "Have you known each other long?"
 
She was a little surprised by his answer, though she supposed as an agent he had bigger fish to fry. Still it was her experience that it didn't seem to matter much, anyone with authority usually relished the chance to make a bust.

She smiled at his laughter, nodding a little in agreement, though there was a sadness in her eyes. "He is, maddeningly so sometimes, but he's a good man."

She nodded a little, "we have, since I first came to the city." "First friendly face I came across actually."
 
There was history behind the way she smiled, Maxim thought. He wasn't sure exactly how long she and Jackson had known each other, but he couldn't help thinking of her like his Aether. Young and lost, fighting just to survive. If Maxim hadn't come upon him when he did, maybe Aether would even have been entangled in the same atrocities as she had. If Jackson had had better circumstances, perhaps the man would have been able to save her from her eventual fate.

"That was either a very quick meeting, or a very relieving one," he said with a little shake of his head, and after a pause to drain the last of his tea gestured for her to get ready to go. "I'd like to hear about it, if you feel like telling it." But in the car, where it wouldn't matter what words she used, what references to species and their dynamics. No one had shown up, so it was about time they get going.
 
She looked a little confused, not really understanding what he meant by a quick or reliving meeting. Finishing her drink, she got to her feet and tossed her empty cup into the recycling bin.

"Sure, if you want." She said with a little shrug, reserving the right to keep certain details private if she felt like it, but she had said she'd answer what she could and she was trying to let down her guard. Or at least a little anyway, enough to work with him if nothing else.

She moved to stand behind him as they got ready to head outside, her demeanour once more alert as she kept her eyes peeled for any danger. "What did you want to know?"
 
Maxim gave her a small smile even as he moved to open the door for them, alert to their surroundings even as he fished in his pocket for his keys and headed for the car. "It's all right to relax a little," he said with a soft chuckle as they walked, attitude relaxed despite keeping up with the need for constant vigilance. "This is not an interrogation, I'm just asking questions."

What her connection to Jackson was had just about nothing to do with Farkas and her own case, he was sure. Even if it did, he was making polite conversation not a police inquiry.

"How did you two meet?" He asked as they settled in the car, checking his mirrors before pulling out of the space and beginning to make a very roundabout trip home so as to keep an eye out for anyone following. "Was it whenever you first moved to town?"
 
"I'm not tense because of that." She said softly as she followed him to the car, "I'm tense because I'm keeping an eye out for the minions of an insane man who wants me dead"

"But you know what?" "You're right, I should relax." Her amused smirk and good humoured tone, made it clear she was joking and making light of things.

She was relieved once she was back in the car, her bag undisturbed on the back seat, she hadn't realised until she'd seen it was safe how worried she'd been it might get stolen.

She looked out the window thoughtfully as he drove, remembering while she answered. "It was, I'd only been in the city for about a week or so and I....."

She shrugged a little, gaze fixed firmly away from him and out the window. "I wasn't... in a good place." "With everything that had happened, I was getting ready to just.... give up but he changed that." She sighed a little, "which is pretty ironic considering what i know about him now."

She realised she was getting off track, and shook her head a little. "Uh anyway, we met in the park." She smiled a little, "I grew up in the country, and I was missing the nature you know?" "So i spent a lot of my time there."

"He did too and one day we just sort of stumbled across each other." "He could tell I was like him, in more ways then one, and so we just started talking."
 
"I'm helping with that," Maxim reminded with a shrug, but was relatively relaxed still. He was alert and had seen no signs of anyone that might be stalking them, so it was all right for her to breathe. He hoped having someone else around to help watch her back would help her to feel a little less stressed, though he understood her rightful anxiety.

He glanced at her occasionally as she spoke, attention on her despite his eyes largely remaining on the road and his mirrors. There was a lot more history behind her words than she was fully explaining, but he left it to her. Some other time, perhaps, he would ask more in depth questions, but they were still in the beginning stages of her being comfortable speaking to him so it was best not to press unless it was for work purposes.

"It must've been nice, finding a kindred spirit when you felt at your lowest," he said finally when she had paused for a moment to allow it, his voice low and gentle. "Did you meet there often, or did you hit it off right away?"

As an alpha it would have been Jackson's instinct to help her, if he considered her at all as someone that might need him. Maxim wasn't sure if the man's family or pack was lost to him, or if any of the people squatting in the same building as he was had been his, but Jackson had struck him as somewhat of a lone wolf.
 
She nodded a little, "we did." "I mean we did hit it off pretty much straight away but as I'm sure you can understand, I was a bit wary at first."

"I mean there were the obvious reasons why." She smiled a little in amusement, "but also, as you know from experience, I'm not great at letting people in."

"So yeah at first we would just see each other there sometimes and just talk, I was broke and homeless and he had his own problems, and I don't know, we both just helped each other as best we could you know?"
 
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