Spoilers for 'Designate This.' Thanks to FridayAngel for betaing this piece of shameless shippyness.

Push-pull: shallowness

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He leans down to reach her, just as she moves a little closer. They have been rehearsing this for a while. Sparring and arguing.

Alec faced the possibilities when Max first jolted him off-balance, and then he pretended to recover like a good X-5. She chose denial.

They weren't ready then, they say with passion and firmness and lips grappling against the idea that it was a mistake to be so slow.

And they withdraw, breathless, but somehow they breathe again, because they need the oxygen for the next plunge. This time, both try harder to keep the other close.

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END

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