.

"You were right,"

Gwen sipped at her red and blue slurpy as she waited for the gas to pump into the car,"Mm?"

David sat in the driver's seat, hands folded in his lap as he glanced towards the gas station in case Max came back,"About Max. I don't think I could take care of him,"

Gwen squinted, confusion clear on her face as she turned to look at David, popping the straw out of her mouth,"And how did you find this out?"

Reluctantly, David recounted the morning's argument. Gwen listened in seething silence, nails threatening to pop the styrofoam cup in her hands as she gripped it angrily.

"I'm gonna kill him," She hissed, unhooking the gas pump without much grace and shoving it back into the nozzle.

David gasped,"No, no! Just… I thought you would want to know you were right," David said quietly, rubbing his arm,"There's no need to cause a scene,"

Gwen scowled, tapping her foot,"I just… eugh! That little brat," She snarled.

David winced,"Should I have kept it to myself?"

Gwen shook her head,"No. No, you should have told me,"

David nodded but said little else, glancing at the store again.

"Did you talk to him about it?" Gwen was still fuming, wondering how the fuck David hadn't lost it on him.

David shrugged,"I...I said…"

David slowed the car in front of the flagpole, shutting off the car and gathering up enough energy to speak just enough. He reached over and touched Max's arm before he could leave the car, receiving a disgusted scowl from the kid as he jerked away.

David winced, but continued,"I understand that… that you're up-set," David's voice broke and he pressed his knuckles against his mouth as he breathed,"And I know th-at I...I was nosy and out o-of line," David was struggling to hold it, pushing a strained breath out through his nose,"So I'm- I'm sorry,"

"Good, I don't know where you got the dumbass idea to-"

"I wasn't done, Max," David's voice was louder, commanding, even as he struggled to keep it together in the face of the conversation-lucky for him, his message went through clearly-,"I don't like what you said, I don't like that you said it… And I really…" Another slow breath before he whispered,"...I wish you didn't feel… that way,"

There was quiet for a moment.

Max finally started moving, grabbing the donuts from the backseat as he opened the door,"And I wish I didn't know what a fucking broken rib feels like," he said in a low tone,"Life sucks, move the fuck on,"

The door slammed, and David clapped a hand over his mouth as his face crumpled.

"I said I… didn't like what he said," David said quietly,"And I wish he didn't feel that way,"

Gwen frowned, tugging her card from the machine and pulling the straw back to her lips for a drink,"I'm honest to god lost for words," She admitted,"Or at least lost for words you would approve of," She glanced at him and he gave a tearful chuckle.

Gwen sighed and, in response to his crestfallen look in the distance, opened her arms for him,"C'mere, this has to suck,"

David looked up at her and his expression twisted all over again, getting up and gratefully accepting a hug as he tears stung his eyes again,"Thank you,"

"Thanks for what?" Gwen grumbled,"You won't let me do anything to that little shit,"

David managed a watery chuckle,"Just for helping me,"

Gwen patted his back with her free hand,"Anytime, bud,"

When David tugged away, he rubbed his eyes and wiped his face on the inside of his jacket, sniffling a few times before climbing back into the drivers side again. As Gwen got into the other seat, Max finally emerged from the gas station doors. He made his way over, and tossed something in the David's window as he passed to get into the backseat.

"They had free trail mix," Max offered quietly, and clicked his seatbelt into place,"Some fuckin' over stock or something,"

David stared at the little pack in his hands, listening, and eventually put it in the glovebox,"Language, please,"

That was it. David turned on the radio to cut the silence, and pulled away from the pump.

The ride was quiet outside of the radio, and they got up to a few minutes away- considering they started the drive at 7 and it was now almost ten- before Max piped up again.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

Gwen's voice overran Davids, spite evidence in her tone,"David spent a lot of time looking into good foster homes. He couldn't settle for any in Sleepy peak, so we had to run out of state,"Gwen explained coldly.

David swallowed thickly, shifting his hands on the wheel as he turned a corner,"We're almost there,"

Now, apparently, they played the waiting game. Max gave them the numbers, answered the questions, told them that yes he knew David and he wasn't a Pedo. They told Max he would need to wait at the facility until they got ahold of his parents and straightened things out. Basically, they would be calling and contacting the parents however they could for two days or until they answered, until they got an affirmative answer as far as whether or not they wanted Max.

Meanwhile, Max felt something heavy on his shoulders as they waited. David had barely spoken to him- or spoken at all, for that matter- since the incident this morning. Max had figured David would give up trying to be his parents, not being one in general. But this was it, Max was gonna be stuck here for god knows how long, David had basically given up on him.

That…

Yeah, that hurt.

Max sunk in his seat on the bed, boiling beneath the surface as he thought that over. David gave up. You broke him. David, happy-camper, too excited for everything, always-try-even-when-I-fail David had given up. On Max. How shitty did he really have to be to bring them to that moment? And why did he fucking care. Three months ago, Max wouldn't even consider the possibility that David existed so pleasantly without medication. Now, he...now… Max didn't know. He knew he didn't like the way David was behaving. Even the smile at the counter was forced.

When Max first got to camp, yeah he hated David. He hated the whole damn place. Not because he prefered his house, but at least there he could go where he wanted, eat what he wanted if he took the money from his savings. There, nobody gave a shit and he knew it. At camp, he couldn't tell if David cared because he 'assumed' his parents did, or was genuine about the concern. Of course, now he knew better, but still.

David said he'd be in to see Max after they finished asking him questions about what happened, and he was true to his word. Max looked up as the door opened, and David stepped into view, that sad fucking look still on his face. Max hated it, he hated it more than when David had that stupid grin. At least then, it was easy to get him flustered, trick him, do whatever else. It was fun for Max, but this… Max hated this with everything he had.

"They said it could be two days," David said quietly.

"I know, they tell me shit too," Max snapped.

David's eyes dropped and he took a seat in the corner, hands wringing together.

Max stared at him, trying hard to keep his mouth shut. He had done this to him. Tore him up so bad he didn't even want to smile. That didn't feel good at all. He'd taken it too far, way too far, and now the question of whether he could take it back or not was driving him insane.

"Hey… David?" Max started.

David shook his head,"Don't. Don't- Max, not today, please,"

"No! I-," Max struggled, knowing David thought he was gonna try to joke around,"I just...I wanted to say-"

"Don't say it," David said, clearly,"You don't need to,"

Max stared at him, confused. He didn't need to? It sure as fuck felt like he needed to. Just an apology might not fix this, but it was a start, wasn't it? Isn't that how this usually went?

The dry laugh that came from David was, in a way, kinda scary,"I just, wow, you were right,"

What?

"I am… not good at this, obviously," He stated, a look of confusion on his face, as if he were thinking of what to say,"I tried, for so long, to help you. I know it was stupid, you don't want to be helped, why bother? But I just," He huffed a shaky sigh,"I saw… so much of myself in you,"

Max gripped the sheets under his hands, unable to do anything but listen to him.

"I hated everything about that camp," David had a painful smile on his face,"I hated the people, Campbell, the other campers. It was all this big happy-fest and I just wanted to make everyone feel the way I did so they would stop being so happy," David hugged himself,"Eventually, my attitude changed. I thought that would happen for you, just by being what Campbell was for me," He paused,"Just… by trying to be a good role model,"

"David…" Max had never seen him like this, it was weird and he didn't know what to do.

Another humorless laugh, but Max could hear the tears,"We see how my role model turned out. I wanted you to be happy, I still do, don't ever think that will change," He looked at Max,"But I… I thought if I helped, you could be happy. And like I said, obviously I failed. And! Not just that," Tears stained his face, and his smile was desperately broken,"Instead of making you happy, camp ruined your life, and you can't fucking stand me and that- that," David sat back in his chair, shutting his eyes as he covered his mouth, well over the tipping point.

Max was frozen, watching the aftermath of his bullshit unfold before him. David had cried in front of him, sure. He wasn't an emotionally reserved kind of guy, he knew how he felt and that meant everyone else did too. Max would kill to not know how he was feeling right now.

Finally, David took his hand away from his mouth,"If I can't even help you be happy…"

You do, Max thought, surprising himself.

"How am I supposed to be a decent parent?"

Max wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted to do so many things, but he couldn't move. Every word sunk into his chest like a knife, knowing he caused this doubt and the hateful words David pointed back at himself. He wished he could fix it, but he didn't know how.

David stood up, trying to wipe his face clean,"Someone good will come along, I'll make sure of it," He said, softly,"They'll be able to make you happy,"

No they won't.

"They could parent you better,"

No, they can't!

"They… they would deserve you,"

I don't deserve you, idiot!

Max felt the impulse to move his feet as David went to the door, but he couldn't connect his body to his head. What he'd just heard he couldn't forget. He wouldn't forget. David was leaving. Max would be alone, he would be put in some random home he didn't want, with who he hated. He wanted David and David was leaving. He… yeah, he wanted David. He wanted whatever attempt he could make at this, he wanted to let him try, he wanted to give it a shot. David might be his last shot for having a decent home, somewhere he felt good and not like a fucking burden. Where he felt like he… he wanted to be there. But David was leaving.

Max realized as the words connected in his head that this wasn't about giving up on him.

David wasn't giving up on Max.

David was giving up on himself.

Max shot off the bed like it was on fire, throwing the door open and racing back to the lobby.

"David!"