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Max sighed, his mind very much not focused on the latest RedBull strategy meeting as the team gathered around the garage to listen to Christian ramble for what felt like hours. Max knew these meetings were important, in order to be the best team on the grid they all had to work together, but he just couldn’t seem to find it in him to pay attention to anything the Team Principal was saying. It wasn’t the first time he’d let his mind wander during a meeting, his brain never fully being able to recover after seeing Charles first thing on the Thursday morning of a race weekend. It instantly threw him off his game, the Ferrari driver never failing to get Max’s heart thumping more than a RedBull ever could as he smiled and wished him good morning. They would continue to chat until they branched off to their respective team garages, Max feeling like a sap for how happy seeing one person made him. He knew he was in deep when even a quick glance at the man before practice was enough to make his cheeks flush an embarrassingly bright shade of pink under his helmet and his brain almost stop functioning. It was like every word he knew, in both English and Dutch, vanished from his vocabulary and he’d have to spend the next 10 minutes rerouting himself back into race mode. He had hoped it wasn’t TOO noticeable, he’d rather not make a fool of himself in front of everyone (cameras included), but it didn’t take long for him to be caught out, a certain Australian calling him out on his “heart eyes” almost instantly.
“Alright then! Any questions?” Christian asked, clapping his hands together loud enough to snap Max back to reality as the meeting came to a close. A few people piped up, deciding to linger around and chat while most of the team got back to their duties, Max himself quickly choosing to make a beeline back to the motorhome.
“Ah! Not so fast!” Daniel’s thick accent called out before the Dutchman barely stepped out of the garage. “Where are you running off too Maxy?” He smirked as he jumped in front of the younger of the two, Max rolling his eyes as he knew he wasn’t going to be able to escape his pestering.
“None of your business Daniel.” He sassed, taking a step around the brunette to continue his trek to find some peace and quiet.
“Going to see your boyyyyyfriend?” Daniel sang, smirking to himself as Max stopped dead, taking a deep breath before turning back to his friend to flip him off. “Ouch!” Daniel joked, clutching his chest overdramatically as Max rolled his eyes yet again, smirking himself this time. “Someone’s touchy.”
“Someone needs a nap.” Max responded as he started back on his walk, Daniel quick to fall in line beside him as they dodged the bustling behind the scenes crew. “That someone is you by the way.” He added, Daniel scoffing back a laugh as Max chuckled himself, enjoying having his partner-in-crime back beside him.
“Did you hear anything that went on back there?” Daniel quizzed, changing the subject as they closed in on the motorhome. Max shook his head, feeling both guilty and annoyed at himself as he let out a sigh. He knew he should’ve been paying attention. His focus should be on this upcoming weekend, what with Checo already hot on his heels for the championship, but he just found it so hard when all he could think about was Charles. He felt like an idiot. Charles was one person! Hell he was one of his rivals! He didn’t understand why he had such a hold over him. Nothing has had such a hold over him since he discovered racing! “You’ve got it BAD man.” Daniel laughed lightly as Max frowned. No shit he had it bad! “Have you ever thought of, I don’t know, talking to him about it?” He asked, earning a snort in response.
“That’s funny.” Max laughed, shaking his head as he kept walking. Talking to Charles? Telling him he blushes whenever he thinks of him? Pffft! No fucking way was he going to do that! Charles would laugh in his face!
“I’m not kidding.” Daniel said seriously, his tone causing Max to stop in place as Daniel rarely ever got serious with him. “Max think about it, he might feel the same way.” He encouraged. “You both could be pining over each other and you don’t even know it!” He smiled, Max trying desperately not to laugh in his face as that was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. There was NO WAY Charles was hiding some sort of crush on him. It’s CHARLES! Max could dream but he also knew his reality. Charles was NOT into him. “C’mon! Would you rather know for sure if something could happen, or spend every day watching him from the safety of the garage?”
“I don’t watch him!” Max exclaimed, already feeling his cheeks growing warm as Daniel sent him a pointed look. “That makes me sound like some kind of perv!”
“Okay, sorry!” Daniel laughed yet again, shaking his head as Max sent him a glare. “Not watching.” He nodded. “Observing?” He tried out, Max only looking more annoyed as he quickly decided to cut his joking around short, not wanting to actually piss off the Dutchman. “All I’m saying is, maaaaybe Charles might see you how you see him.” He shrugged, Max’s expression quickly changing as he sensed Daniel knew more than he was letting on.
“What do you know?” He questioned, instantly on edge as he knew anything with Daniel could be unplanned and unpredictable.
“I don’t know anything!” The older shook his head as Max stepped closer to him, looking deathly serious.
“Daniel, I swear to god if you’ve said anything-“
“I didn’t say I word, I swear!” Daniel held his hands up in defence, hoping to calm Max down before he got too fired up. An angry Max wasn’t a nice Max, he knew that well. “I wouldn’t gossip about your business, you know that.” He added, Max nodding as he sucked in some deep breaths, his anxiety too high for his liking.
“Sorry mate.” He sighed, Daniel sending him a smile as he nudged him lightly, showing him they were all good.
“You don’t have to say anything you don’t want to say Max.” Daniel said seriously himself as they once again continued their walk. “I don’t want you to feel like I’m trying to force you into it.”
“No I know.” Max nodded again as he let out yet another sigh. “I just, I don’t see the point in bringing it up with him, you know.” He shrugged. “He’s not going to feel the same.” He mumbled, hating the aching feeling that spread through his chest as he thought about it. It scared him, the feeling. He’d never felt that way before about anybody. Sure he’d had girlfriends, and he’d gone on two dates with one guy over a year ago, but nothing felt natural or right to him. Nothing felt the way he had imagined being with Charles to feel like. This was more than just a crush and that also scared him. He didn’t want to ruin a friendship, because he thought they were friends, and potentially get his heart broken all at once. He couldn’t handle that.
“Maybe not.” Daniel shrugged himself as they stopped just outside the door to the motorhome. “But he would be silly not to.” He winked, Max rolling his eyes with a smile as the door was held open for him.
Over something quick to eat and a few RedBulls the two talked more, Max finally opening up about how he was truly feeling for the first time in his life. He was always taught to hide his feelings. His father told him feelings made you vulnerable and weak and he was already too small and too stupid so why would he want to be vulnerable and weak as well? He was taught feelings were bad, that nothing good ever came from them, but with some words of encouragement from Daniel he found out maybe they weren’t so bad after all. Maybe feelings can be beautiful and powerful and maybe it is okay to show them. It’s a scary thought when you aren’t used to sharing, when all you ever did was put on a mask around people, but it was also a little exciting for Max. He was more scared than anything, he didn’t want to lose a friendship he valued, and the start of a season isn’t really the most ideal time to try dating someone (especially when that someone was also in the fight for the championship), but he’d managed to talk himself into slowly showing his feelings to Charles. He wasn’t about to throw himself at the guy, but surely a meal together wasn’t too much, right? Could it ruin their friendship? Yes. Could he get his heart broken? Yes. Did the thought of both things make his stomach flip? Yes. But would he regret not knowing if there could be something between them? Absolutely.
This (as well as a cheeky smile from Daniel) prompted him to pull out his phone, find Charles’ contact (the one with a beautiful picture he had stolen from his Instagram), and spend about 20 minutes drafting one text before finally pressing send.
“Hey Charles, would you like to go to dinner Sunday after the race? Max x”