Work Text:
Poking her head into the home office, Maisie finds Alan at his desk, looking studiously over something she can’t quite see.
“Whatcha doing?” She asks, stepping into the room.
Alan startles and frantically tries to hide that something under all the other paperwork on his desk. He spins his chair to face her, trying to throw on a look of nonchalance. Alan’s tone is noticeably higher than normal with his reply, “I’m not doing anything.”
Maisie quirks her brow, peering past him where she can still see the corner of the haphazardly buried paper.
Alan looks past her briefly, before directing his focus back to her. “Ellie still in the garden?”
Maisie nods.
Alan sighs and looks away. “I’m trying to be a good boyfriend.”
Maisie explodes, stomping up to him. “Oh my god, what did you do?!” She gets up in his face and stabs a finger into his chest. “I swear to god, Pops, if you break up this family I will make your life a living hell and you will rue—”
“Whoa, whoa, cool out. Ellie and I are fine. What I meant was I’m trying to be a better, more expressive, boyfriend this time around.” He emphasizes and runs his hands reassuringly down her arms.
The fight leaves Maisie’s body with a weighted exhale. After another deep breath, she regards her adoptive grandfather appraisingly.
“Okay, I believe you, but take that as a warning.” Alan nods in acknowledgment with a smile on his face, raising his hands slightly in mock surrender.
Maisie adds with barely suppressed laughs. “And by the way, it’s ‘chill out’ not ‘cool out,’ but I appreciate your effort in trying to update your slang, even if you’ve only made it to the late nineties.”
Alan scoffs and throws his arms up in frustration. The action finally gives Maisie an opportunity to dart her arm out and grab the paper he was trying to hide.
“HEY! No. Give it back.” Alan exclaims as she spins away from to examine the paper. However, Maisie immediately turns back around with her face joyfully lit up.
“Aww, are you making her a homemade card?”
Alan nods bashfully.
Maisie runs her hands over the front. “That’s so—”
“Sweet?” Alan offers.
Maisie shakes her head with a giggle as she continues, “—much like a five year old.”
Alan huffs and grabs it back from her, settling back in his chair at his desk.
Maisie desperately tries to reach for it again. “No! Can I see it?”
Alan responds sternly, turning further away from her. “No.”
Maisie tries again, softly this time. “Can you at least read it to me?” After a beat, adding, “I could help!”
Alan ponders it for a moment before replying with a quieter, “no.”
Maisie bends down to catch his attention, and once she does, she gives him her best wide-eyed, puppy dog expression. “Please?”
Alan sighs in defeat and turns back towards her, looking intensely at his work. She quickly takes a seat in Ellie’s desk chair.
Alan takes a cleansing breath and opens the card. “Love is a five letter word.”
Maisie snorts. “Wait—What?”
Alan rolls his eyes but continues. “Because it’s incomplete without ‘u’.”
Maisie supplies through giggles. “Lovue?”
“No.”
“Luove?”
“Stop it.”
“Ooh! No no, I got it! Ulové!”
Alan playfully glares at her as she collapses into hysterical laughter. “Go away. I was still workshopping it.”
Maise calms herself down enough to reply as she stands. “You know that old love song, ‘When You Say Nothing At All’?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe you should take it’s advice.” Maisie wheezes.
Alan guffaws and flings the card at her. She howls with laughter again as she stumbles out of the room.
“I hate you.” He says with a smile.
“I love you too.” She yells back from the hallway.
Alan smiles ruefully to himself as he reaches down for the card. Moments later, Maisie peeks her head back in the doorway, a wide smile still covering her face.
“Pops?”
Warily, Alan responds. “Yes?”
“She’ll love it.” Maisie promises.
“It’s not too ‘dorky’?” He emphasizes with air quotes.
“Oh no, it totally is.”
Alan rolls his eyes once more, ashamed to have fallen for her quips yet again.
Maise quickly adds, with complete conviction. “But then, so are you, and she absolutely adores you.”
Alan looks down at the card, and then back at his mischievous granddaughter. “Thanks, kiddo.”