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Everyone in the paddock knew that Max ground his teeth. That he had a lisp. That he pushed his tongue against his teeth.
What they didn’t know was that he despised anyone coming near his mouth. That unless he was half asleep and ready for bed that he would fight Daniel on having to brush and floss. That he would grip onto his soother so hard sometimes that Daniel would have to trick him into dropping it with something to eat. That sometimes he would have to put Max down and let him fall asleep before he could get it out and brush his teeth. That he had to be drugged for his dentist appointments.
It hadn’t taken long for Max to figure out that the little white pill that Daniel snuck into his supplements would knock him out fast, and that he would wake up in bed with throbbing gums and an apologetic Daniel, cuddling him as he cried and listened to what the dentist had told Daniel what needed to be done.
It had started out with a need to floss more. To be more regular with brushing. To get his back molars better. That turned into having mild gingivitis - he got prescribed the worst mouthwash ever, crying every night when Daniel forced him to floss and swish the alcohol laiden liquid around his mouth. Then it turned into needing to have two cavities filled. Then Daniel was telling him that he needed to start wearing retainers at night and in the car, that the grinding and the sucking on his soother was becoming too severe and that they needed to correct his bite before he was back in braces as an adult.
Max revolted at the news.
But he still took the little white pill when Daniel put it in his cup, swallowing it down and waiting for the world to go fuzzy.
Daniel put his shoes on at the couch an hour later, helping him up even as his world spun.
“Yep, I’ve got you, one foot in front of the other baby,” Daniel said as Max grabbed for him, holding him around his waist as he encouraged him to walk to the car. The medicine was working, but not enough yet for Max to let him carry him while he was big, so he had to guide Max around all the pointy countertops and door jams their house had. He made sure Max didn’t hit his head on the car door and helped his feet in as he sat down, leaning over him and snapping his seatbelt over him.
“I don’t-” Max started, Daniel looking at him as he frowned, shaking his head a little and letting it fall back against the headrest.
“You don’t? Don’t what baby?” Daniel asked, Max looking at him, blinking slowly.
“Don’t wanna,” Max said in a whisper, his eyes crossing as the medicine kicked in a little more.
“I know you don’t want to, but it’s important and you’ll be okay, I won’t leave your side,” Daniel said, patting Max’s knee before standing up and closing his door. Max could barely keep his eyes open by the time Daniel got in and started driving to the office.
“Max is here,” Daniel said to the receptionist when they got into the office, the woman smiling as Max hung onto Daniel’s arm, Daniel definitely keeping him upright.
“Thank you, you can come with me, so you can wait somewhere a little more private,” the woman said, Daniel helping Max walk as they followed her to an empty exam room.
“Doctor Lee will come get you in a minute,” the receptionist said, Daniel thanking her as he got Max to sit on the chair in the room. He cuddled him and rubbed his back as they waited, Max breathing gently against his stomach. Daniel could tell he was still awake, feeling his eyes blink from time to time.
“You’re doing great, being so good,” Daniel said to him, stroking his cheek, “you’re going to be fine during your appointment.”
Max hummed and pulled back from Daniel a little bit, his eyes lazy and bloodshot as he looked up at him, holding his hand up against his nose, “am I? Do I get, the, the stuff?” Max asked, his words feeling all jumbled up in his head.
“The laughing gas? Yeah you’ll have that sweetie, it keeps you nice and calm,” Daniel said, letting Max face plant back into his stomach.
He looked over as someone quietly knocked on the doorframe, their dentist smiling at him.
“Hi, it’s nice to see you again, how are you doing?” Dr. Lee asked, Daniel shaking his hand when he got close enough.
“Good, we’re tired from the medicine,” Daniel said, brushing Max’s hair with his fingers.
“Good, good, that’s what we want,” Dr. Lee said, “do you need a hand helping him to the back?”
“No, I don’t think so. He’s still able to walk,” Daniel said, coaxing Max to stand up again, helping him waddle to the dentist's room.
“Yeah, you can sit right here for a bit,” Dr. Lee said as they settled Max into his chair, Max whining as Daniel moved to put his legs up on it as well.
“I know, I’m not going anywhere,” Daniel said, sitting down in his own chair, resting his hand on Max’s knee.
“This is Mary, she’s going to help me today, okay? She’s going to look after you while I look at your teeth,” Dr. Lee said, Mary smiling at Max as he lazily looked at her.
“Hi, I’m going to take your blood pressure and watch your oxygen, okay?” Mary said, Max just watching as a cuff was wrapped around his arm and a little clamp was put over his middle finger. Mary rested his arm in his lap, Daniel reaching out and gently taking his hand.
“No medication changes or health issues since last time?” Dr. Lee asked Daniel as he looked at Max’s file.
“No, not that I can think of,” Daniel said, watching as he nodded and rolled over to Max with a bib in hand.
“I’m going to clean your teeth up a little and then I’m going to take molds of them, okay? It won’t be too long and it won’t hurt at all,” Dr. Lee told Max as he hung the bib around Max’s neck, resting it on his chest, “you can rest your head back on the chair, I’m going to put a mask over your nose now.”
Dr. Lee pushed on Max’s forehead to get him to put his head back on the chair, Max struggling to comprehend the instructions being spoken to him, startling slightly at the mask coming over his head.
“It’s okay, it’s not going to hurt, it’s going to help you relax some more,” Dr. Lee said, gently placing the mask over Max’s nose. He squirmed for a second before going lax, the laughing gas working as he breathed it in.
“Good job, you’re so brave,” Dr. Lee said as he tied the tubing behind the chair, holding Max’s head still with it. He got to work then, feeling all over Max’s jaw and throat, wiggling his finger and thumb into Max’s mouth to get him to open up.
“Good, just a quick cleanup,” Dr. Lee said as he looked around Max’s mouth, Daniel rubbing his thumb on Max’s knuckles as he watched Max’s eyes droop, out of it as his teeth were cleaned up.
“There’s still some bleeding and inflammation, but it is looking better,” Dr. Lee said, Daniel nodding at him, “the retainers will help with it too, I can prescribe some medicine to put in them overnight, so his gums can really heal up.”
“Okay, and continue with the mouthwash?” Daniel asked.
“Yes, and take your time flossing, so we’re making sure that nothing is being left in the pockets of infections,” Dr. Lee said, “even if you need to do it a little bit at a time, it’s good to be detailed with it.”
“Sounds good, we do our best some days,” Daniel said, “he’s not always cooperative.”
Dr. Lee smiled at him, “isn’t that a little’s job?”
Daniel smiled back, watching as they prepped to make Max’s molds, “of course it is. I would be concerned if he wasn’t a little bit feisty with me.”
“Okay, I’m going to put a tray of gooey paste in your mouth Max, it’s going to be uncomfortable but we’ll do one tray at a time and be done in about ten minutes,” Dr. Lee explained to Max, who was struggling to keep his eyes open.
He perked when Dr. Lee put his hand back up to his mouth, prying his teeth apart and quickly taking a tray from Mary, wiggling it into his mouth and pushing it against his top teeth. Max’s hand jumped in Daniel’s and he started breathing heavier, blinking his eyes open as he let out a quiet whimper.
“He can have a little more,” Dr. Lee said to Mary, Daniel watching Max breathe in a heavier dose of gas, settling back down as Dr. Lee encouraged him to relax his bottom jaw against the tray.
“Just relax, you’re doing excellent,” Dr. Lee said, “you can close your eyes if you want to, it’s okay to sleep through this.”
Max blinked a few times until his eyes closed, falling into a light sleep until the mold was ready, barely opening his eyes as it was peeled off of his teeth.
“Same thing, you’re five minutes away from being done,” Dr. Lee said as he wiggled the second tray into Max’s mouth, pressing it down onto Max’s bottom teeth. Max stayed calm this time, his eyes fluttering shut as his mouth was allowed to close as much as it could. Everyone stayed quiet as the mold formed, not wanting to disturb Max.
He woke up again when the mold was finished and pulled from his mouth, Dr. Lee smiling at him.
“All finished, you were a superstar,” Dr. Lee said, “let’s get you ready to go home.”
Max was quiet as he was unhooked from the chair, barely moving as his face was cleaned up. Daniel came around to his other side and scooped him up into his arms, cuddling him close on his hip. Max put his head on Daniel’s shoulder and closed his eyes, a faint feeling of his back being rubbed his last thought.
—
Max woke to the smell of food.
He felt like a wet dish cloth and could tell that he was on the couch before he opened his eyes, his brain slowly registering that the tv was quietly playing in the background as well. He opened his eyes cautiously, squinting and seeing that Daniel had set him up on the chaise lounge, a duvet tucked around him that he didn’t understand why they had in here, where it really never got cold enough to use it. He felt warm and cozy right now though, and whatever Daniel was cooking smelt divine, Max was hopeful that he would bring some to him soon.
He laid there and watched the documentary that was playing on the tv, not really able to hear it but it was enough - enough to let his brain wake up and reconnect to his body after being disconnected for a few hours. He finally found the urge to sit up on his elbows, forgetting about the tv as he peered over the back of the couch to look at Daniel.
He looked incredibly domestic, standing by the stove stirring something in a pan, a silly little frilly apron tied around his waist that one of their friends had joke-gifted them when everyone learned they were back together. Unfortunately Daniel could make anything work, so he just looked sweet and charming as he moved around the kitchen quietly.
He jumped a little when he turned around and saw Max looking at him, settling into a smile with a little wave as they made eye contact. He held up five fingers afterwards, Max nodding and laying his head back down, knowing that Daniel was going to be another five minutes. The tv changed to something he would like, Max smiling into his blanket at the care he got to receive.
Daniel came five minutes later with cut up chicken and mashed potatoes and soft peas, helping Max sit on a pillow on the floor in front of the coffee table, feeding him his dinner on silicone covered utensils, even though Max wasn’t little. Max knew it was because of his teeth, and that whatever was happening at his dentist appointments lately had made Daniel paranoid, like he didn’t want to cause more damage to Max’s already messed up mouth. Max didn’t protest because his mouth was sore, and he was sick of going to the dentist even if he couldn’t remember the visits. Plus he liked the way that the silicone made him feel little even when he wasn’t. He wasn’t afforded these luxuries when he was a kid, and he was learning to enjoy them now as an adult.
“What happened at my appointment today?” Max asked after, their dishes left on the table as they cuddled under the duvet together on the couch.
“Not too much, he just had to do a quick clean and do molds of your teeth today, for your retainers,” Daniel said, “you got a little anxious with the first mold, but they kept you calm.”
“Oh,” Max said, trying to search his memory for any remnants of his appointment happening, but he couldn’t find anything past Daniel putting his shoes on.
“We’ll go back in a couple weeks to pick them up and make sure they fit correctly,” Daniel said, Max squirming against him for a second.
“Do you think I’ll need sedation for that?” Max asked, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth, Daniel gently getting him to release it with his thumb on his chin.
“I don’t know, do you think you’d be okay going in and sitting in his chair for five minutes? And letting him fit your retainers? He’ll still need to poke around your mouth a little bit,” Daniel said, running his knuckles down Max’s jaw, “if that doesn’t seem like too much we can give it a try.”
“Maybe.”
“You can think about it and change your mind at any time, even if you want to try just the gas or something else I’m sure we can figure it out,” Daniel said, Max nodding against Daniel’s collarbone.
—
Max was shaking.
Daniel was humming to him and rocking him back and forth on his hip to try and keep him calm as they waited for the dentist, but Max’s shaking was uncontrollable, his anxiety through the roof.
“Shhhhh you’re going to be okay,” Daniel whispered as Max gripped onto his neck tighter, his breathing shaking with his body.
Daniel smiled as Dr. Lee came to get them, staying quiet to try and not upset Max more. There was no way they were going to get him in the room if he started squirming, and Daniel wanted him to feel as safe as he could through the appointment.
“You can sit with him on the chair until he’s settled,” Dr. Lee said, Daniel putting one knee up on the chair so Max could stay in his lap, his other foot staying on the floor to support them. Max squirmed as his leg touched the chair, trying to push away on it but Daniel cooed to him, reaching down and lifting his calf so that it laid flat on the chair.
“Try and relax sweetie, I’m not going anywhere,” Daniel said, reaching up and prying Max’s hand off of his neck, “they’re going to take your vitals baby, okay?”
Max cried as he felt the blood pressure cuff wrap around his arm and the oximeter clamp to his finger, Daniel holding his wrist so he would stay still.
“Oh your heart is working so hard sweetie,” Dr. Lee said, Daniel feeling bad as he looked at the monitor, Max’s heartbeat fluctuating in the one-thirties.
“Shhhhhh, it’s okay, there’s no need to worry,” Daniel whispered to him, letting him wrap his arm back around his neck.
“Look, I have something that will make it better,” Dr. Lee said, Max turning his head for a split second to see the mask in his hand, turning away and stuffing his head into Daniel’s neck.
“Baby, baby, it’s okay. It’s going to take the anxiety away so you can relax,” Daniel said, rocking Max in his arms, “why not give it a try?”
Max shook his head and kept it firmly planted in Daniel’s neck, Daniel shifting them slightly and shoving his hand in between them.
“Where did Lion go in here? There he is,” Daniel said, finding the soft toy that Max loved in between their chests, pulling it out as Max pulled his head up and whined for his toy.
“Yeah, he’s your favourite, isn’t he?” Daniel said, distracting Max by booping his nose with the nose of the toy, cuddling it into his face before pulling it away slightly, Max leaning forward to chase the toy. What he didn’t think about was that he was leaning closer to Dr. Lee, who rolled closer to him and put his hand on his upper back.
“Do you want a cuddle baby? Come for a cuddle,” Daniel said, letting Max rub his face on his toy, cuddling up to it as Dr. Lee snuck the mask close to him, moving to hold the back of his head as he closed the mask over Max’s nose.
“Shhh, shhh, it’s okay, you’re alright,” Daniel said as Max tried to shake his head, trying to get the mask off of his face. Daniel held his head on either side to stop him, Max whining and crying as he began to breathe in the calming gas.
“Good job, deep breaths Max,” Dr. Lee said as he watched the monitor, Max’s heart rate decreasing as he began to relax.
“Yeah, it feels good, doesn’t it?” Daniel said as Max went cross eyed, his hands loosening on Daniel’s neck.
“Want to sit against the chair? You won’t have to hold your head up then,” Dr. Lee asked.
“I think that would be nice, let’s do that sweetie,” Daniel said, taking Max’s hand and putting Lion in it, helping maneuver him against the chair, Dr. Lee moving the tubing of his mask behind the chair so Max couldn’t move his head.
“There we go,” Daniel said as he straightened Max’s legs out, making sure he was comfortable. Max was following him with droopy eyes, looking sleepy but still more alert than his usual appointments.
“Okay, do you think it’s alright if I have a little look at your teeth? Just with my mirror?” Dr. Lee asked, holding up his small dental mirror where Max could see it, Max looking at it for a moment before his eyes drifted away, staring off into space.
“Can you open nice and big for me Max? Open your mouth?” Dr. Lee asked, touching Max’s bottom lip to try and get him to open up, Max grinding his teeth together at the feeling.
“Yeah, thanks for showing me that’s what I don’t want you to do,” Dr. Lee said quietly, putting his mirror down and rubbing at the joint of Max’s jaws, soothing the tight muscles so that he would stop grinding his teeth.
“Good, let’s try again,” Dr. Lee said as Max stopped grinding his teeth, Dr. Lee wiggling his finger in between Max’s lips, putting pressure on his lower gum line. It made Max try and get away from the feeling, opening his mouth as he tried to squish his lower jaw away.
“Good job, there we go,” Dr. Lee said, shining his light into Max’s mouth and getting his mirror, looking at Max’s teeth and gums.
“They’re coming along, slowly but surely,” Dr. Lee said, taking Max’s retainer case from his assistant, “having longer lasting medicine should heal up the real problem spots.”
“Let’s see how these fit,” Dr. Lee said as he took out Max’s top retainer, sliding it into Max’s mouth and pushing it onto his teeth. He did the same thing with the bottom one, checking how they looked with his mirror.
“Good, can you put your teeth together for me Max? Like you’re making an angry face, perfect,” Dr. Lee said as Max managed to follow his instructions, letting Dr. Lee look at the outside of his teeth too.
“And can you put your front teeth together? Like when you’re anxious and want to grind?” he asked, helping Max move his lower jaw forward when he couldn’t quite figure out where to place it.
“Good, they’re a little thicker in the places where it seems that he grinds. If they start to look thin, make an appointment and we’ll get him a new set,” Dr. Lee said, Daniel nodding, “they just pop out and you’ll put the medicine right in the trays for ten days. If he starts bleeding worse or complains it burns badly, stop using it and we’ll try a different medicine.”
“Okay, and he can use a soother with them, right?” Daniel asked.
“Yep, it might feel funny to him at first because the suction won’t be giving him pressure on his teeth anymore, but that’s what we want. They’re slightly corrective so his teeth should sit straight again, and he might feel that pressure instead, but it’s very slight so you won’t even see a difference probably,” Dr. Lee explained, Daniel following along.
“Okay, that sounds good,” Daniel said, watching as Dr. Lee popped the retainers out of Max’s mouth and rinsed them off, sliding them back into the case.
“This is the medicine, squeeze a thin lineten drops on each trayside of his retainers before bed after. Give him a good brush and floss and the same mouthwash as before., put it in the retainers and then pop them in for overnight, He should wear them overnight and during races but you just have to do the medicine once a day,” Dr. Lee said.
“And should I kind of break him in with wearing his retainers? I don’t know if he’ll tolerate them all night at first,” Daniel asked.
“For sure. Some people can handle all night right away, but if he wakes up or can’t sleep there’s no harm in trying little stints at first and working on getting through an entire night,” Dr. Lee said, “even if it’s just naps at first, some time is better than none.”
“Okay, sounds good,” Daniel said as Dr. Lee put the retainers and medicine in a baggy for him, passing it to him.
“Let’s get you sorted now,” Dr. Lee said to Max, rubbing his shoulder as he unclipped the tubing behind the chair.
“You can have this off now, look at that,” Dr. Lee said, Max blinking as the mask was taken off his nose and his head was free, but it still felt like it weighed a million pounds.
“You did so good, I know the mask is scary and uncomfortable,” Dr. Lee said as he wiped up Max’s snotty nose, “you’ll feel more normal in a few minutes.”
“You did great sweetie,” Daniel praised as well, rubbing Max’s knee, “I’ll get you home soon, I know you’re exhausted.”
Max started to perk up a few minutes later, frowning as he started to look around the room.
“I think we’re good to stop monitoring,” Dr. Lee said as he saw Max lift his head, looking down at the monitor that was still attached to him. He watched as the assistant took it away, Daniel standing up and moving to his side.
“Hi sweetie, feeling better?” Daniel asked, sensing that Max was becoming slightly more aware.
“I don’t want to be here,” Max said, looking skittish as he looked around the room.
“That’s okay, you’re all done, and I think you’re awake enough to head out,” Dr. Lee said, “you’ll be woosy for a little while but it’ll pass.”
“I- okay,” Max said, Daniel helping him move forward so he could sit sideways on the chair, “thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Dr. Lee said as he stood up and opened the door for them, smiling as Daniel helped Max stand up. He definitely didn’t feel right still, Daniel holding him around his waist as his feet didn’t want to listen to him, his own hands too busy gripping onto Lion to help save himself if he fell.
“Thank you, we’ll see you soon,” Daniel said as he helped Max wobble out the door, guiding him through the office that was more than overstimulating for Max.
“Step down sweetie, you got it,” Daniel said as he held the door out of the office with one hand, helping Max down the lip of the threshold. It was easier to help Max in the parking lot, getting him to the car and into it with relative ease.
“Is it always like this when we’re done?” Max asked as Daniel sat down beside him.
“You’re usually passed out by this point, I just carry you, so kind of but in a different way?” Daniel said, “I try really hard to not ding your head off anything or give you any fresh bruises.”
“Oh my god, Daniel,” Max said, covering his mouth with his hands, “that means you have before.”
Daniel cringed as he shrugged, “yeah, I’ve had a few mishaps, would an ice cream make up for them?”
Max let his arms drop to the seat, resting his head back and looking at Daniel, “yeah, but more because you look after me so well.”
—
“Maxieeeee Max, please swish and spit into this cuuuuuup,” Daniel sang that night as Max sat on the toilet lid, trying not to laugh as he dealt with the terrible mouthwash in his mouth, Daniel doing his best to distract him. He held the cup in front of Max so he could spit into it, checking it to see how much bleeding Max was dealing with still.
“Nice, thank you for the donation,” Daniel joked, Max laughing as he wiped his mouth off with the corner of his towel.
“Okay, new retainers and new meds time baby,” Daniel said, Max watching him pull out the thin pieces of plastic, squirting medicine into them.
“Are you going to wear yours too?” Max asked, Daniel pursing his lips as he thought about it.
“I don’t usually have to wear them to bed, but I can,” Daniel said, “if you give me a second they’re in my race bag.”
“Oh, okay,” Max said, looking at his own retainers and reading the medicine bottle as Daniel slipped out of the bathroom. He came back a minute later, his own little case in hand.
“What is this stuff?” Max asked, holding up the bottle to Daniel.
“Stuff with an incredibly hard name to say?” Daniel joked as he took the bottle and tried to decipher the name of the medicine, “you have a few spots that don’t want to clear up, so this is supposed to help. If it’s painful or makes you bleed more we’re supposed to stop and call the dentist though, so if it doesn’t feel right, you tell me, right away.”
“Okay, I will,” Max said, watching Daniel put the bottle down and open his own retainer case, taking out his retainers.
“Ready to watch?” Daniel asked as he crouched down in front of Max, who nodded at him.
“‘Kay, top one pops in,” Daniel said before snapping his top retainer in, “then the bottom one.”
Daniel snapped the retainer over his bottom teeth, smiling at Max to show them off.
“See? They just fit over, and then your teeth are protected,” Daniel said, letting Max reach out and touch his front teeth.
“And mine are the same?” Max asked.
“Yep, want to give them a try?” Daniel said, getting a shrug in reply. He picked up Max’s top retainer anyways, offering it to him.
“You put it in,” Max said, opening his mouth.
“I’ll put it in,” Daniel said, being gentle as he put the plastic into Max’s mouth, snapping it around his teeth.
“One down, one to go,” Daniel said as he got Max’s bottom retainer, snapping it over his bottom teeth.
“There we go, they’re all in,” Daniel said, Max closing his mouth and running his tongue over the retainers, trying to get used to the feeling.
“It feels-“ Max started, but stopped when his lisp sounded a hundred times worse, Daniel smiling as he threw his hand over his mouth.
“It’s okay sweetie, we all sound a little funny with them on,” Daniel said, encouraging Max to take his hand off his mouth, holding his hand on his knee.
“Feels weird,” Max said quickly, “bulky.”
“Yeah, they feel bulky at first. But you get used to them over time. If you feel like you can only do a few hours at first that’s okay, we can build up to longer periods of time,” Daniel said, “you might forget about them once you’re in bed too.”
“True,” Max said.
“Come on, let’s give that a try. Nothing a cuddle can’t fix,” Daniel said, standing up and holding his hand out for Max to take. Max followed him, letting him dress him and tuck him into the covers, distracting him enough so that he fell asleep without thinking about his retainers too much.
—
Max was grumpy.
He had been on a shoot that was too long, too complicated and with too many people. He was overtired and it was enough of a fight to get him through a shower, forget trying to get through a dental routine without any tears.
“I’m sorry baby, I know it’s a lot, but we’re almost done,” Daniel said as he put Max’s medicine into his retainers, Max hiccuping in a sob beside him.
“Thank you, such a good boy,” Daniel said as Max let him put his retainers in without a fuss, picking him up immediately after.
“Shhhhhh, I know it’s been a long day but now you can sleep baby, it’s all over and you can have a snooze,” Daniel said as he took Max to the bedroom, rocking him in his arms as he wandered around the room. Max wanted to cry through, keeping his head off of Daniel’s shoulder so he could continue sobbing.
“Maxie, it’s okay, there’s no more to do,” Daniel said as the tears dripped down Max’s face to his chest, mixing in with the sweat that had already formed on his skin, “what is it sweetie? Why so upset?”
Max shook his head in protest to answering, Daniel kissing his shoulder and sitting down on the edge of the bed, Max folding his legs up on either side of his hips. Daniel opened the drawer in the nightstand and pulled out a soother, Max closing his mouth as soon as he saw it.
“You love your soother, you don’t want it?” Daniel asked, trying to prod at Max’s mouth with the rubber nib.
“It doesn’t feel right!” Max bursted out with, sobbing into his hand as he tried to curl in on himself.
“Oh, baby, it doesn’t, does it? Why don’t we take your retainers out for a bit and you can have a suck that feels normal?” Daniel asked, Max looking at him with wide eyes.
“But my teeth,” Max replied, Daniel smiling and wiping his cheeks with his knuckle.
“They’ll be okay. It’ll just be for a little while and then when you’re sleepy I can put them back in,” Daniel said, “how does that sound?”
Max shrugged, “okay?”
“Okay, let me see,” Daniel said, Max opening his mouth so Daniel could take the retainers out, putting them on a kleenex on the nightstand. He gave Max his soother next, making sure he was sucking on it before letting the ring go.
“There, that’s a bit better, huh?” Daniel said, Max nodding.
Daniel moved them to the headboard so they could cuddle properly, moving the covers so they could get under them.
“Oh, who’s hiding under the covers?” Daniel asked, Max looking to where he was holding the blankets up.
“Lion!” Max said around his soother, grabbing the toy and holding it close to his chest.
Daniel put the blankets over Max’s legs and cuddled him to his chest, kissing his face and hair until he settled down, eventually getting sleepy. Daniel moved him under the covers and made sure he was comfortable before getting his retainers again, Max barely able to keep his eyes open as they were fitted back onto his teeth, his soother put back into place afterwards. Daniel turned off the light and cuddled around him, kissing his neck and shoulder.
“Have sweet dreams, baby boy.”