def intercalate_chars(first: str, second: str) -> str:
    a = max(len(first), len(second))
    first_list = list(first)
    second_list = list(second)
    my_list = []
    for i in range(a):
        if first_list:
            my_list.append(first_list.pop(0))
        if second_list:
            my_list.append(second_list.pop(0))
    return "".join(my_list)