Chapter Text
The race week approached rapidly, too fast for Charles' taste. Media flashed by in a blur, the practice sessions all melted into each other, hell, he didn't even register the race properly, placing somewhere in the points but no clue where exactly. It wasn't a podium finish though, the one on the podium was Max. A P1 finish, simply lovely by him. It was a rough start, him having some trouble in Q3 that caused him to start from P6, but was a wonderful drive otherwise.
Charles was in his room, released from media duties earlier than expected, left to nothing but his own thoughts. He needs to do it, for his sake, for Max's sake, for Pierre's sake so they can make up properly, but it still claws at him. What if Max says no, what if this ruins everything, what if. He needed to remind himself that anything can happen. And it usually does.
Max walked into his room without knocking, as is tradition by now, with a beaming smile, causing Charles to snap out of this little spiral. Looking up at Max made him feel at ease, at least until he remembered what exactly he needed to do.
Max threw himself at the brunette, very happy about his win. Charles hugged him back automatically, but it wasn't like their usual hugs. Max noticed, he stiffened.
“Charles?”
“Max, we need to talk about something.”
The Dutchman's stomach sank. He was too much in the end, Charles was about to tell him he wasn't able to do this anymore, fuck this was a mistake, he should have never-
“I like you.”
What.
“What?”
“I like you. I am sorry if this is out of nowhere but I cannot keep this to myself for any longer and I don't want you to feel like I'm taking advantage of you by keeping quiet about this. I like you, Max, I have liked you since the first day you came here and comforted me, I couldn't get you out of my mind. I know this isn't romantic or anything close to what you deserve but I just…I cannot wait any longer.”
Max stilled, assessed the situation, waited until he processed everything. To Charles, those were the longest and most painful moments in his life. Until they weren't. Max hugged him again.
“I like you too, Charlie.”
The relief that flooded through the younger man's system was almost palpable. His arms wrapped around Max, holding him as if this was his last chance to do so.
“You are like a safe space to me. You haven't judged me for the things people usually call me a freak for when they learn them, you haven't tried to overstep anything just to see if I am pretending, you stayed there for me exactly how and when I needed you. That means a lot. I want…whatever this is. I want to do more of this. Not just during race weeks.”
“I would want that too, Mon Chéri.”
“Is it okay if we take things slow? I am..not very well versed in relationships.”
“Of course, we can take everything at your pace. I don't want to rush into this either, I want this to work.
“Me too.”
They stayed there, in Charles’ room, holding each other, knowing what they had was worth it. As the day began to come to a close, they realized they needed to get to their hotels. They separated for a brief moment, gathering their things, before they headed off together.
Lewis, the nosy man that he was, followed Charles when he left his driver's room. He saw him waiting for Max, them hugging, a brief kiss shared between them, and he understood. He understood well.
Next to him, a blonde man materialized out of seemingly thin air. Looking behind him, he caught the glimpse of a small Japanese man running away from the crime scene.
Nico Rosberg, someone he's had a complicated past with, being forcefully put right next to him, for them to watch what is seemingly a brand new healthy couple. Of course it just so happened that he was here for media duties post race, just his luck that Yuki would have the perfect opportunity.
“They seem happy,” Nico spoke, breaking the silence between them.
“They're good for each other.”
“I'm glad, I don't want them to end like us.”
“Me neither.”
They stayed quiet after that, watching as the two of them disappeared into their cars, ready to leave for the hotel. They didn't walk away after, they stood there beside each other, watching nothing.
“I didn't want things to end the way they did.”
“Me neither.”
“Coffee tomorrow?”
“Unblock my number.”
“Already did.”
“I'll let you know then.”
With that, they parted ways. There was still tension between them, of course, but less. And that was a start.
Max and Charles didn't notice the two of them watching as they left. They were too busy with each other, being happy. They drove separately, both coming with their own respective cars, but they were staying at the same hotel.
Two people cramped in one bed, watching some pointless TV, talking, laughing, enjoying time spent together, that was something they could get used to.
“You know, Pierre has been trying to get me to confess for a while.”
“Why haven't you?”
“I didn't think you felt that way.”
“I didn't think you felt that way either. What made you do it properly this time?”
Charles was a bit embarrassed, but he was going to be honest with his boyfriend.
“We got into an argument about it, he dared me.”
Max looked puzzled.
“Dared you?”
“Aha, yes. I was adamant about the fact you don't like me, he dared me to prove it.”
Max chuckled a little, of course this way how his overly competitive boyfriend asks him out.
“So did you win or lose in this case?”
“I lost the dare in a way, but I won something so so so much better, Mon Tresor.”
Max pressed a kiss to his boyfriend's lips. He wouldn't have had it any other way.
“Thank you for today, schat.”
“What are you thanking me for?”
“Everything, but mostly finally confessing,” Max giggled.
“In that case, you're very welcome, Mon amour.”
“Can we have a proper date tomorrow?”
Charles thought about it, mentally sorting through places to find one Max would like. He remembered a small cafe that Pierre mentioned to him a while back.
“Coffee date?”
“Coffee date.”
They drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, feeling a sense of peace they haven't ever considered possible. Waking up was just as easy. They got ready, Max needing to leave to his room to do so, but he made sure to hurry up so that he didn't keep Charles waiting.
They stepped out of the hotel, hand in hand, as Charles led him to a small local coffee shop, very out of the way and quiet, perfect for Max, as it wasn't too overstimulating. They stopped dead in their tracks as soon as they entered though. In a small booth near the back were none other than Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. And they looked…civil with each other. That was not something those two expected to see ever. It's not like the two were happy but they were tolerating each other and that's more than they've done in years.
They realized they were still staring and quickly moved along to order, sitting down with everything in a spot that made it easier to spy on the older drivers. They didn't expect their first date to be a stealth mission but they were enjoying it. Nico and Lewis were engaged in conversation, and while they couldn't make out exactly what they were saying, they could try to interpret. It looked like they were talking about the past from some of the words they picked up and- oh, they're smiling, Lewis is laughing at something Nico said, surely that's a good sign.
After not too long, the pair was getting up, forcing Max and Charles to act as inconspicuously as possible, trying to disappear into the background. Surprisingly enough, it worked, the older drivers walking out without noticing them. They shared a hug before they departed their separate ways. That's definitely a new development between the two.
Then, Charles' phone received a notification.
Pierre:
enjoy the show?
Charles:
Yuki again? please stop stealing his phone
Charles:
but yes, we did.
Charles:
Max is asking how you knew?
Pierre:
simple, I put them together, listened to the conversation, told Nico where to take Lewis
Charles:
That doesn't explain how you would know we would see?
Pierre:
also simple, I suggested that coffee spot to Pierre, I overheard him telling you, I know that it is a spot max would enjoy,
Charles:
This doesn't explain how you knew to set this all up beforehand?
Pierre:
it was a gamble, but it worked out. if not i would have treated Pear to make sure you went on a date today.
Charles:
You are scary
Pierre:
good.
Pierre:
Even I wonder how he gets these plans to work
Charles:
Your boyfriend is actually insane
Pierre:
I know, it's amazing, I love it so much!
Charles:
You are weird, but you are my best friend so I will let it slide
Charles:
Also I guess this is me officially telling you Me and Max are together, you were right.
Pierre:
I always am
Charles:
You are starting to sound like Yuki, goodbye.
“Even having Yuki as a teammate, I never realized he was this…evil? Is that the right word?”
“Maybe not evil, but he and Pierre seem to plot a lot. Yuki is the one making the moves though. So probably just mischievous?”
“Yes, that seems about right. He probably had a hand in setting us up too.”
Charles chuckled. “Definitely, do you think we should send them a thank you basket or something?”
“Maybe, but for now, let's just enjoy the rest of today.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
“You're flying home with me tonight by the way.”
“Ferrari won't be too happy about it.”
“They can learn to live with it, schatje.”
“Guess they will need to.”
They stood quietly, realizing this was going to be their new normal.
“I love you, Charlie.”
“I love you too, Max.”