Chapter Text
Max couldn’t believe it. Charles in love with… him?
It couldn’t be, it had to be some sick joke on him. But Charles looked so sincere, and oh, how Max wanted it to be true.
Charles started stammering, looking so embarrassed, Max couldn’t help but to find it cute. But the sound of his excuses of it all did manage to snap Max out of it.
“Ik denk dat ik ook van je hou," Max finally replied, cutting Charles off.
It was now Charles's turn to be surprised, “What?”
“I think I love you too.”
Charles smiled, all snow-white teeth and perfect dimples. Max had never seen something so beautiful.
Charles took a step closer, smile shifting to something mischievous, “Well, if that’s the case, you wouldn’t mind getting away from the crowd, would you?”
Max, speechless at the fact that Charles Leclerc liked– loved– him, followed dutifully behind like a lost puppy after placing his drink down on one of the empty tables.
They ended up in a family restroom, the door locked, Max still surprised and flustered, and utterly incoherent.
Charles looked heavenly, an angel that’s fallen from grace. Max couldn’t think what for, Charles was perfect in every way.
The Monegasque took a step forward, standing close to the dutchman who still looked shocked.
“You look awfully cute like that,” Charles said with a smile, voice low.
The compliment did not help Max, who was even more flustered at the words, a pink blush spreading across his features.
Charles, despite wanting to continue teasing Max and watching Max get all flustered and blush, took the lead. He raised his hand, fingers finding the back of the blushing man’s neck. He paused, giving Max the chance to back out, Max did no such thing.
So, pulling him in by the hand on his neck, Charles kissed him.
Max thought he was ascending.
He kissed back, clumsy and inexperienced, and Charles smiled, keeping the kiss slow and soft.
Max wanted to take Charles back to his hotel room, to kiss him and love him and hold him, he wanted to take Charles back to the Netherlands with him, to show him his home, to keep him there, away from whoever wanted to separate them.
Max wanted Charles.
⊰══════════⊱
Max remembered only a few fleeting moments of that night. He remembered Charles coming up to him, Charles confessing, Charles kissing him in a family bathroom while the public remained blissfully unaware.
He remembered Charles leading him away, keeping out of sight as they sneaked out of the building towards Max’s car.
Thankfully, Charles had carpooled, so they didn’t have to risk leaving a car at the venue.
He remembered getting to Max’s hotel, kissing in the elevator ride up to his floor, sneaking into his hotel room without anyone noticing the two of them. After that, it all went a bit dark, apart from a few glimpses of kissing, of touching, the shedding of the fancy clothing that had been for the ceremony. They had kissed their way under the covers, skin warm against skin as their legs tangled together, as they curled into each other.
⊰══════════⊱
Max woke up the next morning to the sun peaking through the blinds of his window, the curtains dimming the pale morning light.
There was a weight on his chest, something warm, solid, alive.
Max, in his sleepy state, for a moment assumed it was a cat. But no, Max was not home, it could not be.
Opening his eyes slowly, he saw Charles Leeclerc. The Mongasque was halfway on top of him, their legs tangled together, and his head resting on Max’s chest.
Max thought that there was no better sight.
Max wanted to photograph this moment, to preserve it. Max wanted to memorize every detail, it belonged in a museum, for everyone to see.
Charles Leclerec was his.
Max thought that a moment like this would fit in with the classical oil paintings of old. With the way Charles was so beautifully splayed out on top of Max, his hair, soft like a cat, perfectly positioned like a halo around Charles’s head.
God, Charlie.
Charlie was an Angel, Max a demon.
For once, Max couldn’t bring himself to care, opting to instead continue watching until Charles awoke, not daring to move an inch lest he wake the man.