Work Text:
Stood by the door, Helen checks the time on her phone again. They should have left 5 minutes ago, but they are still waiting for Max. Looking down at Luna, the pair seem to share a moment of understanding. It’s their first morning leaving for work together since Helen had officially moved in and, so far, it had been… hectic. Helen had tried to remain as relaxed as possible as they got themselves, and Luna, ready, but as the seconds tick on, she feels her heart rate begin to build. They are going to be late, and she hates being late.
“Have you seen Luna’s bag?” He calls from their bedroom, and she flinches when she hears a small crash as he knocks something over. “I put it down somewhere after the park yesterday and with all the boxes from your place I think maybe it’s gotten lost somewhere. It has her change of clothes for day-care in it so it’s kind of important and it’s the only one she has. Can you see it out there anywhere?”
Helen sucks in a slow, calming breath before calling out “I’ve got her bag here, Max. We just need you and then we’re ready to go…” She squeezes Luna’s hand in hers and watches as Max moves from their bedroom into the kitchen. Passing by the table he takes a bite of Luna’s left-over toast before picking up the empty plate and placing it in the sink.
“What about her shoes, I’m sure one of us took them off her before the bath last night but I don’t remember seeing them in there this morning, did you move them?” He throws a cursory look her way, then points behind him in the general direction of the bathroom. “Want me to check again?” His brows raise in question, and she can’t help but fall just a little bit more in love with him and his utter cluelessness. Holding his gaze, she smiles as kindly as she can before calmly responding. “Luna’s got her shoes on, Max. We are both ready to go.” It’s almost amusing watching him comprehend her words, but his moment of stillness is fleeting and then he’s moving again. Talking again.
“Well great! Of course you two would be ready before me! I just need one last thing…” Marching into the living room he looks about, then moves over to the couch and starts fumbling along the edges of the cushions. “I think this every morning. If only I put my keys in the same place when I come into the apartment then I’d know where they were when it was time to leave. Ha! Do I do that though?!” He snorts at his own joke, before moving past Helen and Luna to the other side of the room, opening and closing the draws of the dresser and then peering between the picture frames perched on top.
Helen clears her throat and waits for him to notice her. It only takes a second for him to stop and finally turn around. With her free hand, Helen holds out his keys and gives them a quick shake. “These keys, Max?” He, thankfully, has the sense to laugh. “Oh,” he says softly. Walking over to them, he cautiously takes the keys from her outstretched hand and mouths a sheepish ‘thank you’ before peering down at Luna. Stood by Helen’s side, still holding her hand, she miraculously has her shoes and coat and backpack on. “Would you look at that, Luna. You are all ready to go and dada is keeping you waiting. Just give me one more sec, okay?”
Finally convinced they will be leaving imminently, Helen turns and opens the front door, ushering Luna out into the hallway. Turning back to check he’s not off on another escapade, she smiles at the sight of him. He may be simply pulling on his trainers, but the grin plastered across his face fills her with warmth. “What?” He asks when he catches her looking. But she shakes her head and repeats, for what feels like the hundredth time, “Max, we have got to go!”
Max pauses as he passes by, and something about the way he turns and looks at her makes Helen’s breath hitch in her throat. When he flicks his gaze from her eyes to her lips, the air between them starts to pulse. “Sorry,” he murmurs quietly, and for a second, she can’t actually think what he could possibly have to apologise for. Her confusion must be evident on her face because his brows furrow as he clarifies, “for keeping you waiting…”
“Y… yes, well,” she stutters. “Don’t let it happen again.” It’s embarrassing how weakly she delivers the final line and Max’s smirk confirms he knows it too. Bending down, he places a feather-light kiss on her mouth and against her lips he breathes probably the only sentence which can make her forget all his indiscretions, and then some. “I’ll make it up to you.” Helen can only nod and try not to swallow her own tongue. After she fumbles with pulling the door over, Max locks up and then sweeps Luna up in to his arms. As he reaches for her hand, he declares jokingly, “that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Surprisingly, Helen realises that she can’t wait to do it all again tomorrow. And the next day. And every single day after that.
Notes:
They could do the entire show about Max and Helen domesticity, and it still would't be enough. So that's why they made fanfics.
I just get the feeling Max's life will be just a little bit more organised with Helen in it, and I'm here for it.And I want to see it.