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There was a thud and then a curse from outside before Max paused the game she'd been annihilating to pass the time. Comfortable as she was curled up in a chair next to Matt's bed, there was a moment where she seriously considered not getting up to check on the source of noise. Until the singular curse turned into a veritable flood of language she hadn't heard since watching her father try to install Windows 15.
Rolling her eyes Max placed the gaming console back down where she'd found it (she'd grown bored with her own earlier in the night and while Matt's small collection was hardly challenging, it did keep the mind occupied), stood for a quick stretch, and rehearsed the lecture she was going to deliver if the eight year old's sleep was disturbed because certain older brothers couldn't quietly enter a house after midnight.
Granted, certain older brothers couldn't properly babysit for an entire night either without calling in the troops either. It was clear that she was expecting far too much from one Terry McGinnis.
Max closed the door to Matt's bedroom and padded down the hall of the small apartment the boys shared with their mother. Mary was out for the evening –a holiday work party; the type of function that she, as a single mother with two children, almost never got to attend-- leaving Matt and Terry to fend for themselves.
Which, in turn, became leaving Matt and Dana to fend for themselves. Which had subsequently turned into leaving Matt and Max to fend for themselves, because Dana was once again, “Tired of your BS, McGinnis!”
“And I'm right behind you, sister,” Max muttered under her breath.
In the living room Max hit the light pad on the wall with little ceremony before crossing her arms and leaning against the door frame. It only took a few moments for Terry, clad in a wrinkled undershirt and black jeans with a pack slung over his shoulder, to finally meet her eyes.
She refused to speak first.
“Is Matt asleep?”
“Barely.”
“Thanks.”
“Uh huh.”
“I mean it.”
Max pushed off the wall, starting towards him. “I assumed you did. You're not a complete ass.”
“Still,” he said, rubbing a palm across his eyes. “I owe you. What's babysitting run these days?”
“Approximately the cost of one spelunking trip.” She snatched the bag from his shoulder and carefully tucked away a tuft of deceivingly thick black material sticking out of a pocket. “Babysitting on a Saturday night ranks only second to cave exploration in my book.” A quick pull of the zipper and Max handed the bag back to Terry with a knowing look.
His hand was still hovering above the wallet in his back pocket. “You sure?”
“Keep your creds, Ter.” Harsh looks and sarcasm aside, there was no way she was going to make her best friend pay her for babysitting his little brother. Especially not when she could just forward the bill to the JLU. They were the ones who'd called him away in the first place. It was only fair.
Max scooted around Terry and flopped down onto the couch, though not before adjusting the coffee table. The corner was just out of place and was, coincidentally, just about the height of Terry's shin. That explained the cursing. She pulled her legs in so that Terry could join her.
After a moment of hesitation he did, putting the bag between them. “Was he really pissed?”
“Hmm?”
“Matt.”
“Oh.” Max ran a hand through her hair. “Yeah, the usual. Terry's job is dumb. Terry sucks. Terry's gonna be in so much trouble when I tell mom-- don't worry, I bribed that one away. You can use those creds you're not giving me to take him to Fun Land next weekend.”
Terry groaned. “I have work next weekend.”
“And you've got seven days to get out of it,” she replied easily. “Gotham's not gonna fall into depravity while you're spending a day with your little brother.”
“You say that now...” he trailed off and closed his eyes. “Did he tell you that I'd promised to take him out for pizza tonight?”
“Yeah. I think he was angling for an arcade visit too. I offered, but he didn't want to go with me.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm not you.” She looked over at him and shrugged slightly. “I'd take Matty over my sister any day of the week, but I don't think he feels the same way about you and me.” A pause. “Or Dana, by the way.”
“Don't remind me.”
“Was it worth it, at least?”
The question elicited a look far more grim than the mention of Dana's name. Max couldn't help as her interest piqued. “It was. I--”
Max narrowed her eyes.“Oh come on, who am I gonna tell?” Six months in knowing 'The Secret' and they were still playing this game? She supposed she would have been more offended if the secret keeping was all Terry's doing. Knowing that so much of it was pressure from the Old Man made her feel better. Slightly. Still, how many times had she helped? Come up with the needed solutions when she herself had only been given fifty percent of the information from Terry because Wayne had been listening in on the coms? How many times had she covered for him in school? Broken every Girl Code by lying to Dana?
Given up her Saturday nights to babysit his very exhausting, if adorable, younger brother?
She looked at him expectantly. “You what?”
Terry put a finger to his lips while he used his other hand to yank his bag off the couch. He dropped it onto the floor and kicked it beneath the couch, and before Max could ask another question she understood why. A smaller version of Terry stood in the doorway, arms crossed, and looking far more petulant than any child had any need to be.
“No one was gonna tuck me in?”
Max couldn't help laughing. To her credit, she did so from behind her hand. Not that it made a terrible amount of difference, judging from the sleepy scowl Matt gave her as he climbed up onto the couch between them. There wasn't much room, but the eight year old seemed content to take as much space away from Terry as needed.
There was a small foot resting against her thigh before she replied, “Lies. We read like five bedtime stories.”
“'Cause she got the voices wrong in the first two,” Matt said, looking up at Terry.
“Harsh.” Terry smirked and glanced at Max.
“In my defense, I didn't have much advance notice prior to performing,” she said. Matt looked unimpressed even through a yawn.
“Did we wake you up?” Terry asked.
“Whatever. What'd you have to do at work?”
“Really, really boring stuff. Going out with you would have been way better.”
“S'okay. Max says we're going to Fun Land.” He pointed at her for confirmation. “We should go tomorrow instead of next weekend. She can come if she promises not to ruin any more books.”
Her Gandalf voice wasn't up to the exacting standards of an eight year old. Truly, Max had no idea how she would go on in life knowing this. She quirked her lips, considering a response in defense of her honor. She wasn't one to brag (except for when she often was), but her Gollum voice more than made up for any other deficiencies she may have possessed when it came to reading The Lord of the Rings aloud.
Terry caught her eye, shaking his head just slightly and wrapping his arm around Matt's shoulder. “Max has homework to do tomorrow.”
Actually, Max had finished her homework for the weekend during 8th period on Friday (because how much attention did it really take to pass health class?), but she could take a hint. She grinned. “So much homework.” So much in-home-spa-girly-time with Dana, 'cause I owe her. “But, you two should go. It'll be schway. And Terry can give Mr. Wayne my number, so if anything comes up he can call me instead of-- OW!”
Well, they'd have matching bruises on their shins now. She rubbed the spot on her leg, but flashed another grin over at her friend. “Just sayin'.”
Matt giggled and leaned back, resting his head on Terry's shoulder. It was, most likely, the calmest and most content she'd ever seen the kid. Certainly the quietest.
Max crossed her legs, allowing the youngest McGinnis to spread out a bit more. When she spoke again, gently teasing Terry about his hectic job life, her voice was softer and Terry replied in turn. Their conversation murmured along with an occasional mumble of input from Matt, until Terry paused halfway through her diatribe regarding their biology teacher and an undeserved detention and made a face of disgust.
She raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Terry shifted just slightly and Max realised that Matt had fallen asleep against his brother. “Drool,” he said, pulling his shirt away from his neck.
“Perks of being the world's best older brother.”
“In what 'verse?”
“Don't tempt fate,” Max smirked. “We've both been up close and personal with a boomtube.”
Terry laughed and leaned forward, shifting Matt so that his arms would wrap around him. “I should probably...”
“Yeah. Maybe now he'll actually stay asleep.”
“Maybe.” He braced himself after standing up with Matt pulled against his chest. “I was kinda looking forward to pizza tonight.”
“So was he.”
“And hey, I do owe you. I wasn't trying to shut you out tomorrow or anything. If you really wanted to come--”
Max held up a hand. “No, man... definitely not. Do the whole brother thing. He misses you. Besides, I have to go smooth things over with your girlfriend. Call her after four, okay?”
“You are--”
“Amazing?” She stretched and stood. Her shoes, bag and coat were by the front door. “I know. Have fun tomorrow, let him win a game or three, call Dana after four, and tell your mom that it was you who ate that whole package of cookies sitting on top of the fridge.”
“The entire thing?”
“The Twip's disturbingly good at poker.”
“No wonder you did five bedtime stories.”
“Don't knock my methods.” Max slid her coat on. “See you on Monday?”
“Yeah.” Terry smiled at her. “Thanks again, Robin.”
“I'll kill you.” She punched his shoulder before running a hand lightly through Matt's hair. “Tell him I said good night.”
He nodded the promise as Max slung the messenger bag over her shoulder, slipped her shoes on, and pulled open the front door. That was one relationship crisis solved-- or at least salved and bandaged for the time being. Tomorrow, with far fewer cookies, a face mask, and one or two expensive bottles of nail polish, she'd solve another.