well this spiraled....

He meets this hot guy at a bar, well meet is subjective. There is this hot guy at a bar. Curly hair, full beard, beautiful nose and smile. dressed in all white. Max's mouth waters.

He goes over to talk to him, finds out his name is Daniel.

"You shouldn't drink that." Daniel takes his drink from him.

"What? Are you like one of those 'alcohol is poison' type people?" Max rolls his eyes, trying to grab after the glass.

"No, some guy just tried to roofie you." Daniel is deadpan. Max blushes, oh. He leaves becasue that was fucking embarassing.

But he keeps seeing this Daniel guy, he pops up at the supermarket. He saw him at the beach once. He even saw him at a race. And he wore full white each time, different outfits, but all white.

He brings it up to Lewis.

"That's your angel bruv."

"Tch. He's not an angel. He'd probably a stalker who loves white clothes more than Geri. They'd get on I feel."

"He's an angel" Lewis says sing song and leaves him to it.

Max see's Daniel in the medical tent after a crash in the race. Daniel is watching the Dr talk to a nurse.

"Why are you here?"

"Uh, you can like say thanks once in a while or something." Daniel sticks out his tongue then goes back to watching.

Max shakes his head. "You aren't an angel."

Daniel shrugs back, but winks. Max blushes.

Daniel keeps popping up, he doesn't always stay long, but he seems to be always there. Max doesn't know what to think about the whole thing. But Daniel at least seems fun. Like he would be the life of the party.

Speaking of parties.

"Your pants are see through." Max is deadpan looking at Daniel's brocade linen outfit-- all white of course.

Daniel lifts up his top to show his ass, then twerks. Max notices- not for the first time- that Daniel's thighs look like they would have tattoos.

"Why aren't you wearing any underwear???"

"Oh Maxy, what is the point of underwear anyway." Daniel winks at him, popping his hip before skipping off into the thick of the party. "Don't do anything I wouldn't dooo!"

"I don't even know what that means." Max mutters, his face red. He did not have a crush on his guardian angel. No matter how cute, funny, hot Daniel was.

Wait no. Max still didn't believe in guardian angels. So there was no possible way he was crushing on one. Nope not a thing.

Max looked around his empty living room. It was messy still, with Little Daniel's toys scattered about. Messy, but loved in. Lived in.

He didn't even want to clean up.

Little Daniel wasn't here. Blake had come to get him after Max had called, Vic's words ringing in his ear like an annoying alarm.

Little Daniel had cried when he had realized that Max wouldn't be leaving with them. He'd cried out for Max, looking over Blake's shoulder as they left the flat. Max felt each sob like spear to his heart. Sharp and quick like when the car was porpoising through the uneven surface at COTA.

It would be fine. Daniel would be fine, Max told himself. Grace was on her way and they all thought it best she stay with Little Daniel in his own flat. Max thought he saw the disappointment in her face when he had asked her to come. She had been confused, but he'd explained the conversation with Vic and Grace had simply agreed. Saying 'okay' as easily as her son had.

Max wondered if that was another moment to fight that he'd missed. Was this another grand over correction?

It didn't matter. It was already done. Little Daniel would be with his mother, where he should have been this whole time, and he would Exchange back in no time. Max would be here… picking up the pieces once more.

He bent to grab a toy car from the floor. Turning the painted plastic around in his fingers. Max felt his face heat and his chest hurt.