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Oh, he was so late. He was so late and if Harrison had known about this he would have throttled him by now. Jumping out of his car, shopping bags in hand, Maxi high tailed it into the Woolies. He had two main priorities for the supermarket (he should have been at Harrison’s twenty minutes ago but those firetrucks weren’t going to clean themselves). One, he needed ingredients to make something nice for dinner, and a bottle of decent wine to go with it. Two, he needed lube. It had a habit of going missing in Harrison’s shoebox apartment and it really wasn’t funny when you’re trying to get your fun on and it’s nowhere to be seen.
Dodging other people who seemed to be in the same situation, Maxi managed to grab the ingredients needed to make a nice beef stirfry. Stopping in the bathroom essentials aisle he grabbed a tube of lube and tossed it into his cart, riding it down the aisle. 26 or 12, we’ll never know. Making a list in his head of what he needed to do before Harrison got home made him shiver, partially with nerves but also hints of excitement. Maxi had been staying in his apartment on the outskirts of the city instead of with Harrison for the past week because it was closer to the fire station and he had been on shift every day from 7am-7pm. That day was no different but Mouse had promised to keep Harrison distracted for at least an hour so Maxi could get to his boyfriend’s apartment then at least start on cooking. The aim was for Harrison to come home to a freshly home cooked meal, a glass of wine (knowing Harrison, he’d rather down a bottle of tequila), and then maybe, just maybe… a little WooHoo before the late-night cricket started.
The traffic was awful and by the time Maxi got to Harrison’s apartment close to the Bondi foreshore he only really had half an hour to get shit going before Harrison would be leaving the tower… the tower was only fifteen minutes from his apartment. Shitshitshit. Dumping the grocery bags on the kitchen bench Maxi quickly chucked a couple forks on the table, followed by two bowls in lieu of actually setting the table. As an afterthought he grabbed two wine glasses and left the red wine to drop to room temperature- the only way he could drink it. Turning he began furiously chopping vegetables; carrots, spring onions, capsicum, baby spinach- wait.
Where’s the beef.
Spinning on his heel Maxi dumped the contents of the other grocery bag on to the bench, narrowly catching the soy sauce bottle before it could shatter on Harrison’s freshly redone tile floors. With the beef mince nowhere to be seen Maxi swore. A beef stir fry was just a shit stir fry without the beef. He knew Harrison wouldn’t eat regular veggie stir fry and panicked, reaching up to open the cupboards and dig through for an alternative. Of course, Harrison didn’t even have beef stock. With his attention on the beef, Maxi didn’t even hear the veggies snap and crackle until the smoke alarm sounded overhead.
It had been a long day at Bondi beach. Posted everywhere from south end to north corner, Harrison was wrecked to say the least. He knew Maxi was supposed to be coming over that night but he was ready to cancel his plans so he could sleep for at least twelve hours. It didn’t help that Mouse and Deano had both been acting strange all day, then asked Harrison to stay for another hour and a half to do… fuck all. Talk about their feelings or something. When he’d finally gotten away it was too late to call Maxi and tell him to stay home so Harrison hoped to god that his boyfriend was ready to sleep all night instead of whatever else he might have had planned. Usually Harrison would be down to go out all night but he was exhausted and cranky and definitely starting to get a summer cold. Fuck you Harries and having kids. You too, Deano. Stepping up to his doorstep he unlocked the door and was immediately met with the sound of the smoke alarm going off. Swearing Harrison tossed his beach bag to the side, looking around for smoke. Running down the hallway he found Maxi, a supposed qualified fire fighter, holding a kitchen fire extinguisher and pointing it toward his- his newly tiled splashback. The fire was out in seconds and Maxi froze when he realised Harrison was there, a sheepish smile creeping on to his face.
“Hey, Hutts. Good day?”
That did it. Nostrils flaring, Harrison spun on his heel and hightailed it for the main bedroom. Slamming the door, he flopped on to his bed and breathed in deep, but all he got was Maxi’s deodorant and that pissed him off more.
Maxi knew he was in big trouble the second Harrison ran into the kitchen and saw his newly redone kitchen on fire. Once it was out Maxi turned and tried to greet him but it was obvious how done Harrison was when he just swore rather loudly and went into the bedroom. The door slamming was the icing on the cake and now Maxi felt himself flaring up.
“Harrison!”
Chasing after him Maxi got a mouthful of slammed door and he pounded his fist on the wood.
“Harrison, c’mon. I was trying to do something nice for you. You don’t have to be a dick head about it!”
“You lit my fucking kitchen on fire, Trent! You’re a fire fighter, for god’s sake!”
Oh, he pulled the big guns. The Trent card, only used in big arguments or sex and sometimes both at the same time, told Maxi he was in the deep shit.
“Why are you so riled up, Hutts? I’m sorry about the kitchen, but all it needs is a good clean and it’ll be good as new.”
When he didn’t get a response that time, Maxi leaned his head against the door.
“Hutts. C’mon, I’m sorry mate-“
The door opened just long enough for Harrison to toss out a pillow and blanket.
No WooHoo for Maxi tonight. In fact, no Harrison for Maxi tonight.
Sitting on the couch Maxi kicked off his shoes and undid his jeans, sliding them off and folding them back into his bag. Shucking off his shirt as well he let out a groan, his stomach rumbling in defiance.
“Two-minute noodles it is then.”
Hefting himself back up, Maxi strode over to the kitchen and spent about an hour cleaning it up before he made the noodles, a sad reminder of his failed stir fry. By the time he had food in his stomach it was nearly 11 o’clock, the cricket was starting, and he couldn’t bare to watch it without Harrison. Harrison always had good commentary for a boring game- that was the only reason they watched it together. Also, late night cricket almost always ended in making out and Maxi never had a problem with that. He also knew Australian captain Tim Paine didn’t have a problem with it either which just made it ten times better. Glancing from the couch toward the bedroom he couldn’t see if the light was on inside and it made him frown to think of Harrison sitting there in complete darkness. On the other hand, knowing Harrison, he was probably snoring by now. When he’s tired he can sleep anywhere, even mid-fight. It was impressive, really.
“He didn’t make any effort, Nic.”
“Did you ask him?”
Nicola’s voice rang through the phone and Harrison shrugged.
“I was too pissed off. I came home and my kitchen was smouldering and he hadn’t even bought the beef for the stir fry.”
In the background, Harrison could hear Nicola’s girlfriend laughing and he groaned.
“Thanks, Terri.”
“Do you really want my advice?” Nicola asked.
“I guess I do, if I’m calling you at midnight,” Harrison said and she laughed too.
“Harrison, he tried to do a really sweet thing. It sounds to me like work didn’t let him off until late, then he had a short time until you got home, which got him all stressed out. The kitchen on fire thing was an accident. See the funny side, Hutts. He’s a qualified fire fighter and he lit the kitchen on fire because he was freaked out about the beef for the stir fry. Ironic, if you ask me. You should check in with him. Maxi’s older, he has balls of steel sometimes, but he’s a softie at heart. This is your first fight, right?”
“Yeah. I didn’t even think about it like that.”
“Well, that’s why you called me. You’re welcome, I expect you with your head on straight first thing Monday morning. No more dazed-sex-crazed-Harrison, okay?”
“I was not sex-crazed! Sex deprived, maybe,” Harrison defended himself. In his belly he could feel a laugh coming and he climbed out of bed.
“Thanks Nic. Definitely owe you.”
“For starters, Jethro owes me twenty bucks. Can’t believe he thought you were just tired.”
Harrison hung up and immediately stifled a laugh. He had to go and reconcile with his boyfriend.
Feeling a hand on his leg, Maxi looked up from his phone and half smiled at Harrison.
“I really am sorry about the kitchen, babe.”
“I know. Do you know what I was actually pissed about?”
“I assumed it was the hundreds of dollars and long hours you put into the tiling-“
“-it was the fact I was tired as hell, and the fire was just the icing on the cake. A lot happened at work; I was frustrated, and I nearly called you to cancel then I figured you were already on your way so it wouldn’t be worth it for you. I’m glad I didn’t. I’m sorry too, Max.”
Harrison lay on top of Maxi, pressing a kiss to his lips as he wrapped his arms around his neck and rested his head on chest. Maxi hugged him close, sighing into Harrison’s curls.
“Still love you,” Harrison whispered. Maxi cupped his cheek to kiss him again.
“Even when I accidentally call you mate?” Maxi asked. Harrison laughed.
“Yeah, even when you call me mate. C’mon, let’s go to bed.”
Snuggled in Trent’s arms, Harrison realised how much he’d missed him over the last week. Rolling over to be chest to chest, he snuck his hand into Maxi’s boxers and kissed him.
“Hey, we should reconcile properly.”
“Trent, where’s the lube?”
“Not again!”