It's a quiet day. Max has just come back from a ridiculous travel week- he'd had to drive 11 hours just to make it in time for Dynamite, to ground the point home to Ospreay via Kyle Fletcher's skull, then he'd gone to the UK and tried to do the same there, but Ospreay had been there unbeknowest to him and had chased him away. Then he'd flown back home to spend a couple days with Adam and Piper before having to make his way back out for Dynamite.
So for now, they're here, Max sprawled out over the couch, his head resting in Adam's lap while Adam focuses on whatever video game he's currently obsessed with. Piper is curled up on Max's chest, purring softly, and it's the most comfortable Max has felt in weeks. He's been so busy, he's barely been able to think about anything except for travel- from Mexico to the States, to England, and back, but now laying here, he's given the space and time to do just that, and it's while staring up at Adam's softly lit expression that he's able to fully reflect.
A year ago, things had been so different. They were still building a relationship, while working together to become tag champs, preparing to compete for Max's world title. The road to All In had been so different. So much less lonely.
Max realizes he must have made a noise because Adam's eyes drop from the game and rest on his face, the music and sound effects dying away as Adam focuses completely on him. "Hey, are you ok?" he asks softly, resting a hand in Max's curls.
"Oh, yeah," he says, voice loud and full of fake bravado. He clears his throat, trying to sound more in control of himself. More normal. "Uh, you know. Guess I was just thinking about last year. Things were... really different then."
Adam's eyes soften and he curls his fingers around Max's, squeezing gently. "Yeah," he says. "They were."
Max exhales, thinking about traveling to London by himself. Facing Wembley for the first time since being there with Adam, with a different title, different goals, a whole new mindset. It's overwhelming, he feels a little choked about it all. Thinks maybe not having time to think is actually preferable to this.
"Hey, hey," Adam says quietly, drawing Max back to here and now, their eyes locking. "Talk to me, Max."
Max shakes his head, still overwhelmed. "Adam?"
"Yeah?"
"Just tell me it's all gonna be ok," he says quietly, dark eyes searching Adam's face. "Please."
Adam exhales slowly, stroking soft circles over Max's forehead before he leans over and presses a kiss to that spot. "It's all gonna be ok, Max. It will."
Max nods, clinging to that. Those words, the look in Adam's eyes, will have to be enough to hold him together in the quiet moments of the weeks to come.