Chapter Text
The small apartment almost completely quiet. It was the early hours of the morning, the only light coming from the headlights of an occasional passing car. It was almost serene.
Well, until its occupants returned.
The door was thrown open carelessly, mostly due to Sam only having one free hand. The other cradled Max as delicately as he could.
He closed the door behind him with his foot.
"Sam, it's just a couple scratches, geeze! I'm fine -"
"Shut up Max, I'm not putting ya down. You've been so reckless lately, you need to be more car -"
"Yeah yeah yeah" Max made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Look, I'm fine Sam, stop worrying!"
Sam let out an annoyed huff.
Max had blown him off about this. Again.
They were going to talk about this whether Max liked it or not.
For now though, there were more important matters.
He carried Max over to the bunk beds, placing him down gently on his own bottom bunk. Though, considering how little Max used his own top bunk, it was probably safer refering to it as "their" bunk at this point.
Max flopped back onto the pillow as Sam travelled the short distance to their kitchenette, digging in a cupboard for their first aid kid. The kit got more than it's fair share of use considering their job, but it'd been used more often than he'd have liked recently.
Sam made his way back over to the bunk, flicking on their bedside lamp before kneeling down in front of the bed. He shed most of his excess clothes, throwing them carelessly on the floor before rolling up his sleeves.
Max scooted to the edge of the bed, legs dangling off the side. Sam gestured for Max to hold out his arm.
Max complied as Sam went about applying antiseptic to the worst of the scrapes. Max hissed as it touched the first wound.
"Hurt too much?"
"Nah, s'fine" he said through gritted teeth.
Sam couldn't say he believed him.
He repeated the process for each scrape before wrapping bandages around the deepest scrapes.
"How's your leg? Are you positive it's not serious or -"
"Yes, Sam, it's just twisted. Calm down!"
Sam let out another huff.
Finally, the process was complete, Max now sporting bandages in various spots.
He gently cupped Max's cheek with a sad sigh, tilting the little guys head up. Max leaned into the touch with a purr as Sam ran his thumb through the fur on Max's cheek, getting a better look at his eye. Max had taken a hard knock and a black eye was beginning to bloom.
This wasn't an unusual event at this point.
Sam was worried.
Ever since Max had gotten "back" in the elevator, the little guy seemed like he was on a suicide mission.
It'd started small at first. The odd scuffle wasn't an odd occurance in their line of work, and Sam was very used to handling himself in times of need. Max always took the lead in physical altercations of course, the little guy was a force to be reckoned with, but Sam could hold his own.
Sam couldn't help but notice Max was barely letting him get a punch in edgeways however. He was more aggressive than normal, which was saying something for Max. Max purposely got in Sam's way until he was forced to step back, Max finally managing to subdue the guy after a punch to the face.
That'd just been the start.
After their relationship had began, it'd only increased tenfold.
From then on, the guy seemed to have a death wish. He edged Sam out of fights more and more, and even began jumping in front of hits that would've left Sam with a bruise at worst but left Max in a much worse state due to his small stature. Normally the little guy could dodge perfectly, but now he seemed to be purposely be taking the blows.
He had taken stupid risks on cases too. If something looked even remotely dangerous, Max dove in head first before he could even get a chance to step forward, happily stomaching any injury that they otherwise could've handled together.
Left right and center the guy had been diving into danger. He'd been practically diving in front everything, even if Sam would've been left with a minor injury at worst. More often than not these attempts left Max with a worse injury than Sam would've got if he'd simply taken the blow.
Seeing the guy he loved be beaten black and blue after practically every case was starting to have him worried sick.
They had to talk about this.
He kissed the Max gently as he could, feeling like the guy could shatter at any moment. Seeing the guy so injured reminded him just how delicate he could be.
Max leaned in happily, hand moving to cup Sam's own cheek. He hoped the kiss would soften him up to their upcoming conversation.
He pulled back, still kneeling as he took both of Max's hands in his own.
"Max...you need to be more careful." He said in as serious a tone as he could muster.
As was his normal response, Max rolled his eyes.
"Sam, I'm fine, really -"
"No, you're not!" He said, voice slightly raised. He was determined not to let Max blow him off like every other time he'd tried to breach this topic.
"Max, you've been throwing yourself into danger like it's going out of style!" He squeezed Max's hands.
"Darlin', I'm worried about ya. You keep putting yourself in danger. You keep getting hurt -"
"Sam I already said we don't need to talk about this! I'm not putting myself in danger any more than usual, I-"
"Yes, you are!"
"No I'm -"
"Max, I've had to patch you up more times this month than I can count!!"
Max pulled his hands out of Sam's grip, crossing his arms. "Fine! Look Sam, even if I am, what's the problem? You're safe and I'm fine so-"
"Max, this isn't about me, it's about you! You keep getting hurt -"
"So?! You're safe, that's what matters -"
"No, it doesn't!" He stood up, towering over Max as his voice got louder.
"You can't keep diving into danger like it's nothing -"
Max attempted to stand on the bed, twisted ankle making it difficult as he leaned against the bed post for support. "Stop treating me like an idiot Sam! I know what I'm doing, alright?! Just drop it!"
"What you're doing is getting yourself beaten to a pulp! If you'd just listen -"
"No Sam, I'm not gonna listen. I -"
"Yes, you are!"
"Drop it!"
"No!"
The two went back and forth over and over, their voices continuing to rise. The conversation became cyclical, just like every other time Sam had tried. But he refused to back down this time.
"Max, you need to be more careful -"
"No Sam, I don't! Just drop -"
"No!"
Max let out an annoyed yell, pulling his ears in frustration.
"You don't get it Sam! I need to do this! Just let me do this one thing for god's sake!"
"No Max, I won't! I love you, I'm not just gonna let you hurt yourself!"
"I'm not...agh!" Max tugged on his ears tighter in frustration.
"Forget it!" Max jumped off the bed, injured leg making him wobble as he gripped the ladder. He began to clumsily ascend.
"Max, what're you doing? We're not done taking about this!"
"Yes, we are! Now leave it!" Max finally reached his bunk, wrapping himself tightly in his blanket and slamming his head onto the pillow as he faced the wall.
"Max, would you just speak to me? You can't keep blowing me off every time I bring this up!"
Sam was met with complete silence as the rabbit determinedly lay facing away from him.
"For god's sake Max!"
He was simply greeted with more silence.
He waited for moment as if something would change, even when he knew it wouldn't. If there was one thing Max was, it was stubborn.
"Fine." He said, admitting defeat.
He sat down in his own bunk, rubbing his temples in frustration.
Fine. In the morning it was.
Sam rose up from the bed, changing into his pyjamas. Max remained silent, still facing away from him in the top bunk.
He climbed into his own bed, flicking the beside lamp off.
He missed having Max curled into his side.