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Max hates rain delays.
He is a racer, and he wants to race. It doesn’t help his mood that his car is set up for the wet, and if the race director decides to wait out the rain for a dry patch, then everything the team has done to prepare for a wet weather race is going to get thrown out of the window.
Max inhales sharply through his nose.
There’s no use in thinking like that; the race will start when the race will start, and Max is nothing but a passenger to when that decision will be made.
Max is just annoyed about the whole thing.
He is a racer, and he wants to race.
Instead he’s cooped up in his garage, talking to his mechanics—which is never time wasted in his eyes—, watching the weather radar, and waiting for some hire-up to give them the ten minute warning. And worse of all, Max is not only annoyed, he’s bored, he’s antsy, and a little tired.
Honestly? He wants to go hide in his den with his packmates.
Now, this is an easily solvable problem. Max could very easily walk down the pitlane, pick up all of the rookies, and smuggle them into his driver’s room. It wouldn’t even be that much of a stretch to pick up everybody else from the Grid Pack that’s not only annoyed, bored, antsy, a little tired, and would be more than happy to snuggle with him in his den. The problem with that is that everybody in his paddock has assigned him ‘Grid Dad.’
Not even.
They literally just call him ‘Dad.’
Max does not want to be ‘Grid Dad’ right now. He does not want to be the bigger person. He does not want to calmly sit out the rain, and wait for the conditions to clear up. If he’s being honest with himself, Max kind of wants to stamp his foot down, pout, and be told that everything is going to be okay: the race will start up again eventually.
Max can’t do that if he’s playing dad. He can only be like that if he’s going to be playing pup.
The Boy Band
Max
Anyone in town?
Jenson
Oh my god everybody!
Stay calm!
Stay calm!
Max is texting in the group chat!
Max
Yes, hello.
Are you in Spa?
Jenson
Yes, I’m in Spa.
Why?
Did you need something?
Is everything okay?
Why are you texting us here?
Usually you ignore us.
Max
I’m bored.
Seb
Go play in the rain.
Max
I’d love to.
But the race is red flagged.
Seb
The visibility is very bad.
It is not safe to be driving in these conditions.
I know you think it is fine, but you are Max Verstappen: you love the rain, and there are not so many cars in front of you.
Max
Think of the people at the back of the queue, I know.
I am aware that it is for safety, Seb.
I am not complaining that the race is red flagged.
That is a lie, I am a little.
But I understand.
Seb
Good.
Max
Are you in Spa?
Seb
No, not this weekend.
Max
Helpful.
Jenson, where are you?
I will come.
Jenson
How on Earth have you managed to make that sound like a threat?
Max
What does that mean?
Fine, I won’t brother you.
Enjoy wherever you are.
Jenson
No!
I didn’t mean it like that, c’mon Max.
I’m nowhere.
I’m just puttering around.
Nico came to bother me with a microphone, but I’m free now.
I’m coming over to Red Bull.
I’m at Aston Martin right now, do you want me to go nab Nando?
Max
He’s probably busy.
Jenson
Like you are?
That wasn’t a no.
Max
[Photo of Fernando in the doorway of his driver’s room, bent over, and breathing heavily.]
Apparently you missed him.
I think he ran.
Mark
That’s hilarious.
Fernando
I will remind that I am younger than all of you.
Seb
No you’re not.
Max
And yet the rookies are all calling you Grandpa.
Speaking of grandpas: Mark, I am so sorry.
I know when Oscar started calling Charles Dad, he started calling you Grandpa instead of Dad, and when you came to tell us I laughed at you.
Seb
It was very funny.
Mark
He calls you Grandpa too!
Seb
Of course he does.
Charles is his father, and Charles is my son.
Max
Pierre convinced Jack to call me Grandpa.
I was not even aware that I was Pierre’s Grid Dad, but here we are.
I am so sorry for laughing.
It was terrible.
At least Oscar is like half your age and calling you Grandpa.
Pierre is older than me, and calling me Dad!
Seb
Aslfsldkgnlkdasnglkadsnglkasdnglks!
Jenson
Bsdljgpsdgjkrsmglsdmlksvksndlkvnslvknsdlkvnsl!
Max
You are both being very helpful right now.
Jenson
Sorry, mate.
But you don’t talk to us often.
We miss you around these parts.
Mark
Apology accepted.
Now give me five minutes to get away from Osc, and then I’ll be over to laugh at you in person.
Max
You are terrible.
Mark
You know exactly what we’re like.
Actually, did you want me to bring Oscar?
Fair warning, Lando’s probably going to come too in the case.
Max?
Max
You can bring them.
Fernando
Do not bring them.
Mark
Not bringing them.
“You didn’t have to say that,” Max tells Fernando. “I do not mind.”
“It doesn't matter if you mind, it matters what you want. It is okay to not want your pups right now.”
“They aren’t my pups.”
“You’re grid pups then, whatever.”
“Don’t ‘whatever’ me.”
“Pups, Grid Pups, who cares? They look up to you all the same.”
Max snuggles into Fernando’s chest, something he hasn’t done in what feels like years. “I care.”
Fernando sighs. He brings his hand up to scratch Max’s scalp. “You only hurt yourself, pup. Trying to separate family from Grid Pack.”
“Says the guy who’s not interested in family.”
“Because I have a family: here on this grid. You know it is possible to have more than one family, yes? The one on the grid, and the one off of it? You even have that extra family with your Redline boys.”
Max melts into his pack elder’s embrace. “I’m not a Dad.”
“Sure you are,” a new voice calls.
Max peeks up. “Hi Jenson.” He holds out his hand. He reminds himself of Ollie reaching out to him and / or Charles like this.
“Oh now you want me,” the older man teases. “I’m coming, I’m coming. Good den, got a lot of stuff in here.”
“Thank you.”
“Anything of mine?”
“Always. I even have that beige knit sweater with the two rows of black stitches around the collar and the sleeves that you were looking for two weeks ago.”
There’s a beat of silence.
“Oh my god you check the group chat.” Jenson’s eyes look like they’re welling up with tears. “I thought you just ignored us all of the time.”
“Oh. No. I check in on you guys, but you are normally talking about things that do not concern me.”
Fernando snorts. “We all jump in on conversations that do not concern us all of the time.”
“I am aware.”
“And that conversation did actually concern you,” Jenson points out, “since YOU STOLE THAT SWEATER!”
Max shrinks into Fernando’s chest. “It was three years ago.”
“THREE YEARS? MATE!”
“In my defense: it did take you three years to notice.”
Jenson scrunches up his face, and points at Max. “Not the point,” he says before letting an easy smile take over his face, and turning towards Max’s piles of stuff. “Where is it?”
“Somewhere here. It used to be part of my home den, but then you were talking about it, so I packed it with the travel den. Haven’t had a chance to return it, sorry.”
“It used to be part of your home den?”
“Why does it sound like you are about to cry?”
“I’m not about to cry.” Jenson reaches over to ruffle Max’s hair. “Not at all. I’m all good, mate. But I will be taking it back now.”
“Okay.” Max lets himself nuzzle into Jenson’s palm. “Your stuff should be with Mark’s.”
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Max registers the sound of his door opening and closing.
“Mate, you’ve got so much Red Bull gear in here: ‘Mark’s stuff’ isn’t going to help me find anything.”
Max laughs.
“Sorry, why are we talking about my stuff?”
“Aparently Max is hiding my sweater in a pile of your things.”
“The white one you were looking for?”
“Yeah.”
“Well then let’s find out which of this kit is mine.” Mark walks over to the nearest pile of dark blue, picks up a shirt, and brings it to his nose. “Nope. Daniel.”
Jenson picks up another shirt. “Nope. This is Toro Rosso.” He sniffs it anyway. “Pierre. Is that closer or further to you than Danny Boy?”
“Further, I’d say,” Fernando says, fixing Max’s messed up hair.
Max huffs. “Can you guys do that later?”
Both Mark and Jenson freeze, turning their heads to Max where he’s laying on the floor with Fernando.
Max bristles under their gazes. “My den will still be here when the race restarts,” he mumbles.
“Oh, Max,” Mark breathes. He drops the shirt he’s holding and comes to settle down on Max’s other side. “You asked for us to be here, and I didn’t even say hi. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Max dismisses, turning to bury his face in Mark’s chest. “You smell like Oscar.”
“Happens.”
“I’m not complaining.” Max relaxes into his old Red Bull Pack Alpha’s embrace, breathing in his woody whiskey scent.
“And it’s not fine,” Mark tells him. “I should have realised you wanted a cuddle.”
“It’s fine. I’m not usually one for cuddles anyways.”
“Still.”
Max rumbles lightly.
Mark rumbles right back at him.
Fernando continues to play with his hair.
Jenson finally finds his sweater. “Huzzah! Okay, I’m coming over now. Com’ere, pup.”
The Boy Band
Jenson
[Selfie of Jenson curled up beside Mark who is half under Max with Fernando. Fernando is grinning quietly at the camera as he plays with Max’s hair. Mark is rubbing circles on Max’s upper back, and smiling gently at the camera. Max is face down in Mark’s chest. They are all on the floor.]
Seb
Did you not make him a nest?
Jenson
They were already on the floor when I arrived!
Seb
So you make him a nest!
Jenson
Max likes the floor just fine and you know it!
Seb
Just fine?
Just fine is not good enough!
Fernando
I would have appreciated a nest.
The floor is not very comfortable.
Seb
See?
Jenson
I am older than Fernando, and my back doesn’t hurt.
Mark is saying that’s because I am on top of him, and not on the floor.
Seb
That is two votes for make a nest.
Go make a nest!
Max has so much stuff in his den, you’ll find enough things.
Jenson
Problem: I tried to get up, and Max growled at me.
So no nest building.
Seb
Tsk tsk tsk.
Jenson
Don’t tsk me.
Look how happy he is!
[Photo of a disgruntled Max who is pouting, and squinting at the camera.]
Daniel
I am keeping that.
Fernando
Max says ‘fuck you.’
‘If I find out that Lando has that photo, you are first on my list.’
Daniel
Personal connection only, got it.
Max flops back down into Mark’s chest.
This is nice.
He’d forgotten what it was like to play pup in these grid family trees.
What was he annoyed about earlier?
The Boy Band
Nico
Are you telling me I missed cuddle time with my Grid Pup?
Jenson
Sucks to suck.
Nico
The rain delay is over by the way.
Race start in ten minutes.
Max grumbles when Jenson reaches across Mark to shake him awake with the news. But as much as Max wants to stay curled up on the floor in this warm little bubble, Max is a racer, and it’s time to go racing.