Chapter Text
“Charles, baby, you need to pack now” Max shouts from the bedroom of the small cabin they rented for their vacation.
Charles continues to look at his phone, not willing to dignify him with a reply. He’s not even really looking at the screen, his mind quickly loosing focus every time he tries to read something.
“Charlie?” Max asks again, his voice growing closer.
He looks up to watch Max stop right in front of him, standing over the couch where Charles buried himself under the plaid and has refused to move from since.
Max presses his face against Charles’, his blue eyes looking at him intensely. Charles can’t get enough of them. “Sweetheart?”
His chest warms at the pet name, sounding ever so soft in Max raspy voice.
“What?” He plays stupid.
“You need to pack. We’re leaving in what —an hour and a half?” Max tells him, always organized, looking at the expensive Tag Heuer on his wrist.
Charles pouts. He really doesn’t want to do that.
“No?” Max says gently, brows furrowing. “Don’t look at me like this, it’s not my fault you brought like three suitcases for five days. Like, did you really need the — Red LED face mask?”
“It’s for my skin!” Charles protests.
Max shakes his head fondly. When Charles doesn’t move an inch from where he is sitting, he sighs and sits next to him.
“What is it? I can help you pack if you want t—" Max offers.
“I don’t wanna” Charles mumbles quietly.
“You don’t—Oh” Max stops. “But. Why baby?”
Charles shrugs then sighs loudly. “I don’t want us to go.”
“Oh” Max says again, listening with attention.
So Charles continues “I —I had fun. Like, so much fun. I liked the morning runs in the forest, the walks with Leo around the lake, cooking together, our movie nights next to the fireplace, just — I don’t want it to end. It’s stupid but it was just, our place.” The kiss Max presses softly against his forehead ground him. “So if I pack — then it means it’s really over.”
He tries to look away, feeling too vulnerable, but Max cups his cheek. The dutchman gives him a soft, loving kiss, pecking him several time on the mouth.
“It’s just a vacation baby” Charles opens his mouth but Max beats him to it. “I had so much fun also, like —it’s probably the best five days of my life” He smiles fondly. “But there’s nothing to be sad over Charlie, because we will have so many more.”
Charles bites the skin of his nails, still unsure. “Yeah?”
“Yes. I promise. I’ll take you to—well, wherever you want to go. Um, except for your crazy adventures. I’m not jumping out of a plane for your enjoyment.” Max jokes.
Charles thinks he would. If Charles asked really, really nicely about it. Max gets a little stupid when Charles goes on his knees for him.
He chooses not to comment. “Still—” He says instead. “It was nice having time, just the two of us.”
Max puts an arm around his waist, pressing him closer. “Yes, it was. I liked having you all to myself.”
“Oh my god.” Charles puts his hand on both of Max’ cheeks and squeeze. He looks like a fish like this, it’s cute. “I said two of us, but there’s Leo, I meant the three of us.” He adds, scandalized.
“Yes because how can we forget your sausage dog” Max tries to deadpan but Charles can barely make out the words he’s saying with his cheeks pressed together in Charles hand. Still, he doesn’t try to escape, happy to indulge Charles, as always.
Charles takes mercy on him and lets go.
“You’re talking about your step-dog babe.” He frowns in exaggeration.
Max rolls his eyes but his smile is bright. “Of course, sorry baby. I had a very nice time just the three of us”
Charles gives him a full dimpled smile, feeling victorious as he does whenever Max makes a point of agreeing with him over stupid little things.
“Maybe we should buy the cabin then?” Charles tries as a last resort.
Max snorts. “Baby. Come one, you would go crazy if you lived here. I know you. You would like it for maybe a month top and then you would try to find another mountain to climb or to ski and—”
“Maybe” Charles agrees with a pout. “I would miss racing for sure.”
“Of course you would. You can’t wait to get back already, right?” Max smiles.
“Well yes, of course” Charles answers easily. “Not you?”
He sees Max hesitates for a moment. That makes him wonder. But then Max says “Yes, I will be happy to be back in the car”
“But?” Charles adds, feeling Max isn’t being a hundred percent honest in his answer.
“But —Well, I love being in the car, but the rhythm of the calendar gets tiring sometimes. So I’m just glad to have some relaxing time.” Charles wants to say something, asks about something he doesn’t want to know the answer to, about retirement, but Max simply adds. “I’m especially glad to have some time with you.”
“See? I’m not the only one then.” Charles laughs lightly, trying to defuse the tension.
“Of course not. I’m always happy to be with you. But that’s because I lo—” He stops himself suddenly.
“You?” Charles prompts again, urging him to finish.
“Because I…” Max seems to think it over then stay silent once again. “Um, nothing, sorry, nevermind.”
Charles has a feeling about what Max is trying to tell him. He doesn’t want to think too much about it, but he has felt it during the whole week. In the touches, the smiles, the tone of his voice. Yet, he doesn’t press.
He just gives him a soft kiss and lays his head on Max’s shoulder.
They stay on the couch for a little while, just basking in each other presence and closeness, Charles lets Max enter his burrito shaped cover and kiss him on the nape of his neck gently.
After a couple of minutes, Max gives him one last kiss before saying carefully. “We really need to finish packing Charlie. The plane leaves at seven and we have to hit the road.”
Charles contains his disappointment and agrees with a sigh. “Will you help me? You said you could”
“Sure” Max laughs. “I mean, I better help. How else are we going to pack a full house closet in the time we have left?”
He gets off the couch and helps Charles up right after.
In the end, and despite all of Max snarky comments about Charles messiness and excessive packing, they finish tidying the cabin early.
“What are we going to do now?” Charles rolls his eyes playfully. “All that panic and for what? Even Leo is ready to go” he mentions at the dog in the living room, looking all packed in his dog bed with his dog accessories.
“Well, maybe he is ready to go because I grabbed all his things. You think he did it by himself?”
“He’s a smart dog” Charles crosses his arms.
“Sure, same as all of the bathroom products for a certain someone here packed themselves surely.” Max laughs incredulous.
Charles changes his tactic. He puts his arms around Max’ neck. “Mmm. Well. Then, maybe — maybe I should thank the person that worked so hard to help me today”
Max looks at him with wide eyes, surprised by the change in Charles behavior. “What?”
Charles keeps his eyes fixed on Max as he slowly sinks to his knees. He sees the Dutchman mouth opens and his cheeks flush rapidly. “We have some time to spare, after all.”
This time, Max doesn’t protest.
***
Max was right. He did miss the feeling of being in the car. They didn’t have much time to see each other since the start of the weekend but Charles has been busy getting back into the rhythm anyway.
American Grand Prix are always a little crazy with celebrities parading around and shows at every corner of the paddock. Sprint weekends are even crazier.
Charles Leclerc 15:07
Congrats babe
Back to the top I see
He texts Max as soon as he is freed from the long debrief he had with his team. He had many thought about the sprint race and the Ferrari teamwork but he couldn’t voice them all out loud, as much as it pissed him off.
He gets an answer almost immediately. Max’ debrief must have been a lot shorter. Not so much to say when everything goes right, he guesses.
Max Verstappen 15:08
Haha feels good
Simply lovely ;)
Charles in his driver room, almost ready to take a nap before the quali, when he gets another message.
Max Verstappen 15:32
Just watched the highlights
You had an action packed race
Charles Leclerc 15:33
Max no
Don’t get me started please
His phone rings. He rolls his eyes but answer before the second ring can be heard.
“Babe, no” Charles says instantly.
“Come on” Max laughs “Debrief with me. Please, it’s been so long, we are never on the podium at the same time anymore.”
“Whoa” Charles huffs, repressing a smile “Sorry we can’t all be P1 I guess”
“Charlie” Max protest “I know you want to baby. I can hear it your voice. You want to tell me about all the moves that happened —especially the ones you didn’t like”
“You’re ridiculous. And you hate when I talk shit about people.” He tells him because it’s true. Max never lets him comment on Lando’ performance for example.
“Talk to me about racing then. I don’t mind the collateral damages.” He hear Max move around and a door closing. “You texted me because you wanted to anyway.”
“That’s not true bébé” Charles denies. “I texted because I wanted to congratulate you. You were unbeatable today.” And it’s the truth.
“Well thanks. But maybe, you, could have, you know… if it wasn’t for Carlos, right?” The dutchman baits, very obviously.
It brings an incredulous giggle out of Charles “Oh my god, stop it. You’re trying too hard and it’s ridiculous. I won’t fall for it. Just let me tell you that you were the best today and shut up.”
“Whoa, the best, really?” Max mocks with a soft laugh “Maybe I will let you continue then. Go on, tell me, I’m listening.”
Charles shakes his head but can’t stop the bright smile from forming on his lips “You’re so annoying I swear. Don’t get used to it, I’m coming for you tomorrow.”
“Mmh, I’d love to see that then.” There’s noise in the background, wherever Max is now.
“Where are you?” He asks curiously.
“In our hospitality, I’m just going to get something to eat.” Max explains. “You?”
“In my driver room, I was about to sleep for a few minutes.” He responds softly.
“Oh, I didn’t want to bother you baby, I will leave you to it if you are tired. You need the rest.” Max says, and he always sounds so sweet in Charles’ ear.
“It’s fine” Charles mumbles. “But we can call again tonight, after the quali?” He asks, hopeful.
“Yes, of course.” Max answers easily. “I’ll let you get your precious sleep then. Sleep well and good luck for this evening. Go for that P2” He jokes.
“P2? You wish” Charles shouts playfully. “Well, bye bébé, and congratulation again.”
“Thank you. I lo—" There’s a sudden pause. “Um, uh, I’ll see you soon baby”
The dutchman hangs up. Once again, Charles is left wondering with a his heart in his throat —what was Max about to say?
***
“Are you okay?” Charles asks him on the podium, after they both finished spilling their champagne on the crowd and each other.
Max looks a little stunned. Charles knows the race was hard for him. He had to fight on the limit to be where he is, on the podium with Charles.
“Yes, all good” Max tells him with a sweet smile. He looks tired but happy.
He isn’t usually happy with anything other than P1, but Charles has a feeling it might be related to seeing his boyfriend win the race. His chest feels a little warm at the thought.
They take the podium photo and Charles feels Max firm hand on his waist, squeezing and holding him close. Delicate when touching him as always, but present.
Fuck, it’s been a long time.
And this time —Charles is the one on the top step. COTA has been so great for both of them.
“We see each other tonight?” Max asks him with hopeful eyes once they are back inside the building. He pauses. “Or maybe you have something planned already?”
Charles laughs. “I really don’t know, it’s not like I was expecting to win this one, you know?”
“I’m not surprised.” Max says easily.
“I think you’re a little biased. But it is very sweet.” Charles gives him a soft kiss on the cheek after making sure no one was looking.
Max preens. It’s so easy to please him. “Well —I fought very hard to be on the podium with you this time. Not every boyfriend would do this you know?”
It brings a soft giggle out of Charles. “Not every boyfriend can.”
“Mm, well —any man lucky enough to be your boyfriend should.” Max says, stealing a kiss on Charles lips and causing him to gasp loudly.
“Max! They could see us”
“Relax, no one’s here baby” He shakes his head. “So—you let me know about tonight?”
Charles give him a bright smile. “I think I know what I want to do anyway.”
Max tits his head “What?”
“Let’s go out! To celebrate” Charles exclaims with impatience
“Together?” Max arks an eyebrow.
“To—well yes, of course together! Come on Maxie” Charles gives him his best puppy eyes.
“But —Charles. Celebrating together, that’s a little suspicious no?” The dutchman protests.
“Oh my god, who caresssss” He whines back “You won the sprint, got a podium. I won. I don’t think it’s the end of the world if people sees us both at the same party”
Max smiles gently. He clarifies with indulgence. “I’m just saying that for you Charlie. I don’t care about what people might say.”
Charles frowns. “Well I don’t think it’s a big deal. I want us to have fun together. I’ll worry later.” He almost spins on himself, waiting for Max to say yes. “Come one” He tries again. “It’s a Grand Prix in the States. We have to party.”
Max takes a second too long to agree so he pushes harder. “You were quicker to say yes in Miami for Lando. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about it.”
“Baby” Max sighs fondly. “You know why I’m hesitating. Of course I want to. I just know you don’t want people to find out about us. “ When he sees Charles frowns again, he quickly adds. “—But alright. Fine. We’ll party together. I’ll be fun.”
Charles give a dramatic fist bump in the air, happy. “Great. I’ll text you the details then” He shouts as he leaves excitedly.
***
“Are you arriving soon?” Max asks him on the phone. Charles can hear the loud music and the noise of people talking in the background of the club.
Is Max already there? Shit.
Charles takes one last look at himself in the mirror and grabs his shoes. “Uh yeah, on my way—I should be here in a few minutes”
Well, more like thirty minutes at best, but well.
“Charlie. You’re late right?” Max huffs in his ears. Why does he know him so well? This is starting to be a problem.
“Um, no, it’s just —the traffic you know” He says as he steps out of his hotel room in a rush.
“Baby, is that a door closing that I hear?” Max scoffs.
“Yes, just the door of the car —don’t worry about it I’m nearly there” He winces.
“Yeah sure. You better” He hears Max sighs.
Charles sprints to the lobby “Yep, see you in a minute.”
“Alright.” Max hangs up, putting Charles out of his misery.
Charles doesn’t wait a second and immediately call Joris.
“Where are you? We need to go like —now.” He presses, stepping outside to call for a taxi.
Joris exclaims. “You’ve got some nerves, I’ve been ready for like thirty minutes. But no, you had to take an hour getting ready and—”
“Oh my god, just come here. We’re so late. Max is going to kill me.” Charles interrupts.
His best friends mocks. “Unfortunately I think that man is too whipped to do that. But fine, relax, I’m here in a minute”
True to his words, Joris is there a minute later and they can finally step into the car to the club. On their way, Charles gets another message from Max.
Max Verstappen 23:18
Charles
Where are you?
“Why didn’t you tell me we were late?” He whines in his best friends here.
“I tried Charlot. Twice. You don’t listen to me” Joris says with a shrug, unbothered. “I don’t even know why you took so long to get ready. You already got the man.”
“So what, we are already fucking so I can’t look good anymore?” Charles rolls his eyes.
“You’re so crude.” Joris laughs. “And you could wear a plastic bag and that poor man would still look at you like you’re a living god.”
Charles pouts. After a while, he says. “Do you really think he —sees me like this? I mean, like he — I don’t know”
“Like he loves you? Yes I think he does.” Joris says gently.
Charles doesn’t answer, thinking about it and trying to wrap his head around the word love. The rest of the ride is rather silent.
Twenty minutes later, they finally step into the club.
“I’m going to get a drink” Joris tells him.
“Ok, I’ll find Max and then I find you at the bar” Charles tells him before disappearing into the crowd.
He doesn’t know where Max is but the VIP section of the club isn’t that big. It should be alright, even if Max didn’t reply to his latest text asking where he is.
He spots him a minute later.
The dutchman is leaning against a pillar, a drink —probably G&T — in hand, and talking animatedly.
He’s wearing a dark grey shirt and black jeans, watch on his wrist. He looks —good, very handsome. Charles can’t wait to press himself to his side and feel the firm muscles of his arms.
But, as he approaches, he can’t help but find something tugging at his chest. Max is talking with a man and Charles has a weird sensation of Deja-Vu. That man is standing close to him, approaching his head to hear better each time Max opens his mouth.
He can’t quite explain it, but it feels like he has seen a similar scene before.
Weird. And why is Max giving that unknown stranger such a bright smile, laughing at his —probably stupid— jokes?
He rushes and cross the room. He makes his presence known by passing an hand softly on Max’s back, while raising his head to say in his boyfriend ears. “Hey. Hi, I’m here.”
“Oh” Max replies, startled. “Oh, you’re here.”
Charles smiles at him, happy. But then Max frown, the corner of his mouth closing a little, despite smiling still. He doesn’t look as glad to see him suddenly.
“Everything okay?” Charles tilts his head.
Max is about to reply when the man in front of them, that looks at Charles with an assessing gaze, cuts him off. “Oh it’s you again. Charles right?”
He gives Charles his hand for a shake. Charles does it automatically but stays puzzled. Do they know each other? There’s something about him, sure, but Charles can’t recall what.
“I’m sorry, do we know each other?” He says politely, despite the fact that his only knowledge about this man is the weird ugly feeling in his chest.
The jaw of the man ticks. “Um, we met once. During the Miami GP. We were at the club together and I was with Max.”
What.
Charles pauses, narrowing his eyes. Max shifts next to him.
“I’m Sean.” The man points to himself, as if it was obvious and Charles should have remember this insignificant man.
Oh. Right. Sean. It’s coming back to him now.
Sean, the fucker that was most definitely flirting with Max last time they went to the club together. Charles had completely forgotten his existence.
He plasters his better plastic smile. “Oh, right, Sean. Sorry, how could I forget you?”
“Charles” Max begins.
“It’s weird” Charles ignores Max. “—That we keep running into each other like this. Really weird.” He gives him a fake laugh. “Are you stalking Max or something?”
Sean stays silent for a second before he laughs. It’s clearly fake as well. “Of course not, I always go to every US grand prix.”
Max shifts again, clearly a little uncomfortable, but Charles isn’t finished. “Oh, so we will have the pleasure of your company in Vegas also then? What a treat” He says pettily.
“Well probably. I always have a fun time. Especially with Max” The man tells him with a knowing laugh, titling his head toward the dutchman.
The smile falls of Charles face. What the fuck.
Max touches his arm. “Charles. Let’s—” He says again, trying to grab his attention.
“Oh, right. Of course, you were with Max.” He steps closer to the man, seriously annoyed now.
“Charlie.”
“Well —until you interrupted us actually” Sean says. And who the fuck does this little nobody thinks he is?
Max finally turns his attention off of Charles to face the man with an warning tone “He’s not interrupting anything.”
Charles watches the smile disappear from Sean stupid face. “What—”
But Charles can’t let it stop here. “I’m sorry for you, Shawn, but I don’t think you are here with anybody. Maybe you should fuck off a little furth—”
“Charles.” Max stops him. “This is ridiculous, let’s get out of here—”
“What the fuck is your problem man” Sean explodes “Take a hint” He points at him and Max “We were in the middle of something.”
This time, Max is the one raising his voice “Hey no. Stop talking to him like this. No. We were not in the middle of anything mate. I’m sorry but you got the wrong idea.”
“What—are” The American man stops himself, realizing. “Are you two— what the fuck” He laughs meanly. “Are you two together? Fuck me”
“Charles, I’ve had enough, we’re leaving” Max tells him, trying to drag him by the arm.
Maybe Charles should listen. But he’s too angry to let it finish there. And when he is angry, he turns petty.
He looks at Sean dead in the eyes. “Fine baby. We’re leaving then. We have better things to do than worry about some weirdo who thinks he can pull my boyfriend. Sorry mate but this was never going to happen. What a loser”
He hears Max gasps loudly, a hushed Charles, stop it, and lets himself be dragged away, enjoying the ashamed look on this fucker face.
Max takes them to a quieter place, a private booth with couches. He sits Charles down, then exclaims. “Charles, what the fuck?”
Charles glares at him, still reeling from that interaction. “What?”
“Why—” Max passes his hand frenetically in his hair “Why would you say that— calling me your boyfriend in front of a stranger — you don’t, fuck. You don’t realize that you can’t do this?”
“Well it’s the truth no?” Charles says angrily. “I can’t say it when a man is literally claiming that you’re here with him?”
“That’s not—” Max pauses, regaining his breath and says more gently. “Charlie, that’s not a reason. You’re putting yourself in risk. What if he starts telling this or if someone filmed and—”
“I don’t care” Charles says pettily.
“But you care baby. You care. You don’t want people to know you’re not straight. You weren’t thinking this through. And I don’t want you to get hurt.” Max tries to make him understand. “You can’t do things like that, even if you’re mad.”
“But he was —he was saying shit and—” Charles stutters, frustrated.
“I know. Baby, I know. But he was wrong. We both know that. He was annoying but you shouldn’t let him get into your head. He’s a loser, you said it yourself.”
“But you were talking with him” Charles protests.
“He approached me. I was bored so I didn’t think too much of it. I was alone —because you were late, by the way” Max tells him.
Charles bites his nails. “Are you angry?”
“Not angry. But I was annoyed when you arrived, maybe yes. But I don’t care anymore. I just want it to be clear that there was no interest in that man from my side.” Max looks at him straight in the eyes.
“He thought you were interested.” Charles pouts
“Well he’s an idiot. He didn’t know I was with you, else he would have understood quickly that he had no chance.” Max sighs and puts a comforting hand on Charles thigh. “Baby, I only care about you, you have to know that.”
Charles rubs his face on Max shoulder, trying to get close. “Sorry for being late.”
“It’s fine” Max smiles. “It’s part of your charm I guess. And you were like a little tiger out there, I thought you were going to bite him.”
“I almost did.” Charles jokes.
“But you have to be more careful baby. It’s important. Alright? No more outing yourself like this” Max kisses him on the forehead.
“I’ll try.” He looks at Max with fire in his eyes. “But if somebody comes for the man I love, I can’t promise anything.” He jokes.
He's met with silence.
Why his Max not reacting? Charles takes a look at him and he sees Max looking at him with wide, wide eyes.
After a beat, he finally breaks. “What —what did you just say?”
Charles shrugs, repeating. “Well, that nobody better come for the man I lo—”
He stops himself net.
Oh. Oh god. What the fuck. Did he just—
Fuck. Fuck. Stupid big mouth.
“Oh my god.” He puts his hand on his mouth, shoked. “I can’t believe I just said that—Oh my god, Max”
Max looks as shocked as him. “Um—uh, but—” He asks with a small voice. “Did you — did you mean it?”
Charles looks at their hand, intertwined on his thigh. He thinks about how mad it made at the thought of Max laughing to someone else joke. He remembers all the small little things about Max that makes him happy in his everyday life.
The answers comes naturally.
He finally answers, wanting to smooth out Max stressed expression. “I did yeah. I do. I love you. Sorry if it’s too early.” He pauses. “Well, I’m not sorry, I just do.”
Max gazes at him with his mouth open.
After several long seconds, Charles interrupts his thoughts with a nervous voice. “Um—maybe you could, I don’t know, react a little more?”
Max reacts instantly. “Fuck. Fuck, sorry, I just wasn’t expecting that.”
He kisses Charles deeply, cupping his cheek and sighing in his mouth. “Fuck baby, I love you too. I love you so much. So, so much. Oh my god, I can’t believe it.” He peppers Charles face with kisses. “I love you, I love you”
Charles giggles without interruption, feeling high on happiness.
“I can’t believe I said it like that” He whispers in Max mouth, after another long kiss.
Max laughs loudly, his eyes crinkling in the corner, just as Charles loves. “I can’t believe I got you to be jealous and then tell me that”
Charles screams into his hand “Oh my god, that’s so embarrassing.” He peaks through his fingers. “I need to drink to forget that.”
Max chuckles “Well, good thing we are at the right place. Let’s get shit faced and celebrate baby?” He says as he gets up and helps Charles up with his hand.
“Let’s get shit faced” Charles agrees with a laugh.
He takes a step to get out of the booth when Max catches him by the arm and drags him back to him.
He gives Charles one last soft kiss on the lips.
“I love you Charlie” He says, before opening the curtains and stepping out.
Charles follows him easily.