"Hey," Adam greets the rehab nurse as he lets her in. "Max is in the living room."
"Thanks," she says, moving around him as she heads in for the twice weekly appointment scheduled to get his arm stronger post-surgery.
Adam watches her go before heading into the kitchen, preparing a post-appointment snack. Mostly protein and other healthy things to help Max regain some strength, but also... he smiles a little and hides Max's favorite chocolate bar under the tray, looking up and listening to the quiet murmurs from the other room. He exhales and holds a hand up. "Five... four... three..." He continues to count, ticking his fingers down, until-
"SON OF A BITCH, ow!" Max's whining complaint echoes through the penthouse and Adam sighs, ducking his head as he finishes up with the fruit and vegetable spread, setting it all back in the fridge to stay cool until Max is done.
He makes his way to the living room and settles in next to Max on the couch. "You torturing him in here?" he teases lightly, examining Max's face as he winces through another exercise.
"Not trying to," the nurse says. "Just slow to build back up, isn't it, Max?"
He huffs, looking woefully over at Adam as the exercises continue growing in intensity. Because his arm is still healing from surgery, the nurse takes it as easy on him as she can, but it still hurts for him to endure and for Adam to watch.
Finally they wrap up, the nurse leaving them with fresh instructions for the next few days before taking her leave and Adam scoots closer, rubbing his hand gently. "You ok?"
"No," Max says miserably, burying his face into the couch as Adam looks sympathetically at him. "I hate everything. It wasn't supposed to be like this."
Adam sighs and leans in, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "Hey, I have snacks for you," he says.
"More fruit, yay," he says dully, Adam running his fingers through Max's hair before pulling away.
"Not just that," he says, turning to walk into the kitchen.
Max gingerly straightens himself out and looks up. "Caramel?"
"Maybe," Adam says, smiling back at him before he walks out of sight.
Max waits, gingerly manipulating his arm, until Adam returns and sets the tray over his lap. "Thanks," he says, picking at the slices of pineapple and berries, apple and kiwi mixed in with carrots and celery.
"Before you start," Adam says, reaching under the tray and pulling out a familiar purple wrapper. "You get a treat for making it through those new exercises she wanted you to try. With a minimum of complaints too. Proud of you, Max."
Max watches as Adam unwraps the candy for him, exhaling slowly. "What would I do without you," he says, smiling a little as Adam holds the candy to his lips, waiting while Max bites into it, letting out a soft moan at the soft mix of chocolate and caramel.
"Good?"
"Very. I have amazing taste."
Adam huffs out a laugh as Max rests his head on his shoulder and chews the fruit slowly, relaxing more and more as the aching in his arm eases off, dulled by the pain meds he'd been given by the nurse. He presses a kiss to the side of Max's head and hums, content to sit here and help him refuel.