My Feral

3

Max goes through his day, getting lost in the hustle and bustle of the hospital.

Around lunch time, his knee starts to throb, and he just knows it's going to bruise.

In the midst of a groan, Cape slides into the seat across from him, imitating his groan. Glancing up at the redhead, he offers a half-hearted smile and goes back to massaging the kinks out of his knee.

Cape slides a paper cup of water and two aspirin across the table to him, nudging him with her foot until he looks up.

Taking the pills, Max pops them into his mouth and chases them with the water.

Giving her a grateful smile, he rummages around in a pocket of his coat and produces a red velvet muffin, which he pushes across the table to Cape.

"Matches your hair," he says gruffly.

Smiling broadly, the redhead peels off the plastic and bites into the muffin.

Max watches her, having to fight the urge to lean over and wipe the crumbs from her mouth. His baby girl would have been three by now. Just starting to talk, and at that stage where nothing that wasn't locked or tied down would be safe.

His heart fills with a heavy sadness, and a flashback prickles at his consciousness.

Pushing the offending flashbacks away, he picks up his sandwich for something to do with his hands, and takes a bite.

As far as hospital food goes, the sandwich isn't bad. Taking another bite of the grilled cheese, Max realizes that the nicest food he eats is at work. At home, it's mostly oatmeal, and once in awhile, he splurges and makes noodles of some kind.

Before he can go farther into his loneliness and grief, Cape sets a chunk of the muffin on his plate. Looking up at her, Max feels another smile tugging at his lips in spite of himself.

"Thanks for the muffin, Max," Cape says cheerfully.

He nods and bites into the muffin. It is sweet, almost too sweet coupled with the cream cheese icing on top. But, it is good. Really good.

Max had bought the muffin yesterday at an old friends bakery, and saved it for Cape because he knew she liked sweet things, and her smile made his old heart feel a little bit lighter than it usually did.