Little Maxie

Chapter 40

Brad looked with a sad smile at Max, who was still studying the pacifiers, his brow furrowed.

"You know, you don't have to give them back," Brad said, seeing Max glance at him, before returning his gaze to the paci's, "Lando gave them as a gift,"

"I know that," Max said softly, "but he wouldn't have needed to give a second one if my first one didn't..didn't break. I know it's not my fault, but it feels like it,"

Brad patted Max on the shoulder, at least glad to know that he wasn't blaming himself for it anymore.

"Well, I'm sure he'll appreciate the return gift," Brad said, "you'll probably find Lando when you're going to breakfast. Just make sure to be at training in an hour and half,"

"You're not going?" Max asked, looking surprised at Brad. It almost seemed as if the caregiver had been with him continuously, so to be suddenly left on his own felt weird.

"Are you big?" Brad asked.

"Of course," Max said, slightly loud, wondering if it wasn't obvious to the man.

"Well, you don't need me around when you're big," Brad said, figuring out that Max would appreciate the privacy of not being followed around by a caregiver 24/7, "so I thought to go do some personal things and we'll meet up at the training, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Sounds good," Max said, feeling a bit apprehensive at embarrassed. Of course the man would need a break from him. And from what Max understood, he was going to be in headspace quiet often, so Brad should take every opportunity when Max is big, "see you at training,"

Brad smiled when Max turned back to the paci's, and quickly gathered his stuff, not wanting Max to feel nervous about anything. Once outside the room, the smile on his face disappeared, before he gave a small self-mocking laugh.

"What did you expect? Him begging for you to stay?" Brad muttered to himself, putting his hands in his pockets, "you're just temporary. Max barely wants to be little,"

The thoughts kept on haunting in Brad's mind. Max being in headspace like they were doing was just a millimetre from being forced, and it did leave a bad aftertaste in his mouth. It was only because the trainer knew how Max was dedicated to everything that had to do with races that made him not feel bad about what they were doing.

"Once he gets on his feet, he'll be able to find someone fitting for him," Brad said out loud in his car, before driving off, "and you'll go back to being an eternal loner. Not a lot of littles want to be with someone who moves every two weeks during the biggest part of the year, so you better try and enjoy the time with Max you still have left,"

Max managed to chose two paci's he liked less, and grabbed them.

Before he left his room, he went back to the bedroom, taking a bag with his reserves in there. Biting his lip, Max looked at the stuffies in the crib. He wanted to bring bunny with him, but a stuffed animal had no place during training.

"Come on, Max, it's just a toy," he said to himself, leaving the room and leaving the stuffies in the bed.

A moment later, he entered the bedroom again, tucking bunny in bed and looking with a frown to the other stuffies and putting them on the pillow again, leaving a little space between them and bunny before he tucked the blanket around them.

Leaving the room, Max hoped that Brad would enjoy the time off and just hoped that the man would manage to stick with him until he could just handle his headspaces on his own.

Perhaps he should ask Christian if it was possible to have Brad as his caregiver during the active season. The excuse of always being on the move sounded good enough to him.