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English
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Published:
2023-07-14
Completed:
2025-09-15
Words:
2,339
Chapters:
2/2
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30
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454
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Maxy and Charlie

Summary:

It was raining and the track was wet when the car slowed down. It took Charles a second to realise that not only his car slowed down but time did. He was in his seat, both hands on the wheel and right there, when his car got of the track, he knew…

Notes:

DISCLAIMER

This is a work of fiction I do not want to assume anyone sexuality THIS IS NOT REAL
A copie of this work is on Wattpad under the same pseudonym
Likes and comments are always appreciated

Love you
-L

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

It was raining and the track was wet when the car slowed down. It took Charles a second to realise that not only his car slowed down but time did. He was in his seat, both hands on the wheel and right there, when his car got off the track, he knew.

He was going to die and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. So as time stood almost still, he stayed motionless, looking in front of him.

He thought about his brothers, and how there’s going to be only the two of them left. He thought about the days they spend in Monaco when he had the time to go back home and how his mother always made sure that all of them attended the little family gatherings.

His mom, she was a strong women, always putting her children first that Charles wondered if she’ll let herself grieve. His mom was the kindest person he knew, even if sometimes she had troubles expressing her worries in a healthy way Charles always knew she meant the best. When his father passed, she always made sure everyone was feeling okay at all time of the day and the night.

But Charles knew, he heard the silence sobs when she thought that everyone was fast asleep, because he wasn’t, because he was doing the same. He resembled his mother a lot in that way, smiling and making everyone is alright whist sobbing in the shower. During that time he helped his mom as much as he could without her questioning it because he knew she wouldn’t accept someone helping her.

He wondered if someone was going to help her this time.

He thought about his father, asking himself if he’d see him when he close his eyes. If he’d be proud of the man he’s become. If wherever he was he saw his son going trough life and holding trophies after trophies towards the sky for him. He contemplated whether he’d greet him with a smile on his face or tears rolling down his cheeks for seeing him so early.

Then it was Jules that came trough his mind. He thought about how it was like to loose him at 17 years old, he was his model, his idea of a hero and then death took him alway. Of couse Charles knew the sport was dangerous but until then it never actually affected him. After that he was never the same, at first he stated driving like a mad man and taking unnecessary risk all the time until his mother slapped him in the face telling him that she didn’t need to go to another funeral that year.

Then he got depressed, couldn’t get out of bed, couldn’t shower and even eating became a chore. He lost 5 kilo that year and when Arthur noticed, he insisted of eating with him as much as he could. It quickly became a routine, and it made Charles clean his apartment and shower at the fear that his brother would notice how bad he was doing. Not that he’ll ever judge.

After that it got better, there were still days were he couldn’t move but most of them were okay and even a some were good. And as time passed depression turned into acceptance.

He hoped that Arthur wouldn’t be alone. He perceive his older brother in the same way that Charles saw Jules so he knew his death would hurt.

As the wall came closer and closer he thought about Max and how far they’ve come. Charles had goals in life, some he had archived over the years, some who’d stay a dream, but the greatest of them was falling in love and he was happy he could say that he managed that one.

Nobody knew of course, the drama, the media and the fans, neither of them was ready for that. So for the past 3 and a half years it had been their secret. Of course the idea of being able to kiss him on the podium, hold his hand in the pits and tell the hole world he was his and his only felt like paradise, for both of them. But it took them years to admit to themselves that they weren’t straight and some more to admit to the other one.

He wondered if Max would get angry and smashed everything in his apartment or would just stare into space and dissociate from reality.

So he dreamed one last time, of his touch, his hands, his kisses, his eyes. Of waking up next to him, of the croissants he brought after the first he slept at his place. Time was the only thing he regretted, he wanted more time, he wanted to grow old with him, become a dad then a granddad, have a cat, a dog and fill a home with their love.

A tear slowly rolled down his cheek as he closed his eyes, taking a last breath before impact.

————————————

He saw it, on his little rear-view mirror, but even before the team got to the car, he felt it. Something in his chest something died that afternoon. He doesn’t remember the rest of the day, the safety car, the podium, the trophy, the press conference, all of it felt like a fever dream.

It hit Max as soon as he closed his hotel door, like he was under water and finally came back to the surface to breathe. But he couldn’t, no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t calm himself enough to get oxygen back into his lungs. All of the emotions came back, he fell to his knees and tears flowed down his cheeks.

Charles, sweet Charles who couldn’t hurt a fly even with the world’s motivation, Charles with his sparkling green eyes when he looked at him. Charles and his love for morning croissants. That Charles was gone. It was awfully simple, too simple, Charles died on impact after turn 8.

Max took the small amount of strength left in him, crawled to the bathroom, made a mess until he found a plastic bag, emptied it and started breathing in and out. He tried to ignore the fact that it was Charles that taught him the hack when he was having a panic attack.

When he breathing slowed he took the bag away from his mouth and sat, back against the bathtub. He sat there for while just staring at the white wall in front of him. Then he zoned out again, crying.

He didn’t heard Daniel coming in before he entered the bathroom. His friend sighed in relief when he saw him. Daniel didn’t know what to say so he just approached and held him in a tight embrace, whisper that it’ll be okay. After a while Max turned to Daniel.

‘How did you… We never told…’ Max was emotionally drained and could hardly from a sentence.

‘What kind of best friend would I be if I didn’t know who my best mate heart’s beats for?’ Daniel smiled slightly at him. He knew. Charles and Max liked to believe they were discrete, but apparently not enough for the Australian to notice the smiles and the blushing. ‘And I asked Christian for the spear key of your room.’

‘Thank you’ was all Max responded, all he could get out, his head laying on Daniel’s shoulder. He had stopped crying due to the lack of tears when he said.

‘You know, I wanted to tell you… It’s just…’ He was trying to justify himself. Daniel turned his head to look at him.

‘Hey, it’s okay, you don’t have to say a thing, I’m not mad or anything…’ He reassured but it didn’t seem to make Max feel better. ‘Do you… Wanna talk about it, you and him?’ He tried.

And so Max did, he told him about their first kiss, their first birthdays, their first dumb fight, the dates at the Italian restaurant in front of Max’s building and he laughed then cried then laughed again. He told him about how hard it was at first and how none of them knew what they were feeling. And how they became one. Max told the memories a smile on his face and Daniel held the toilet paper for the tears, even his own.

Max didn’t sleep that night nor the night after for that matter. He talked to Daniel for hours, his friend cooked pasta forcing him to eat and they watched the sun rise. It’s after he took a shower that he looked at himself in the mirror for the first since the crash. He was pale, his eyes red and swollen and the dark circles under his eyes made him look half dead.

He spend the day inside watching movies and napping as much as he mind allowed him to. Sleeping was nice as long as he could fall asleep, but each time when he woke up it took him a moment before he realise there was no use to look for Charles in the hotel room. And then the grief will hit him again.

The second night he scrolled down the picture on his phone longing for the smile of his lover. He refused to open any social media knowing Charles’ death will be mentioned, he didn’t need the reminder.
He heard somewhere that their voice is the first thing you forget about someone, Max tried to think but he couldn’t. Forgetting, that’s what scared him, he didn’t want to forget so he watched the Monaco Vlog and cried some more.

On the second day he got the invite to the ceremony in Monaco, telling him to meet at Charles apartment. That made him somewhat happy, he wasn’t sure he’ll be invited to the funeral since no one knew about them, so yeah, he was glad. That motivated him enough to get him out of bed, pack his things and hop on the first plane to Monte-Carlo.

He arrived at his apartment the day before and texted Daniel if he’d be there in which he responded that he was invited to the party after. Max didn’t questioned it.

That morning the Dutch stared at his locked screen until the alarm rang. He gathered the strength to take a shower then put on a black shirt and pants to finally walked to Charles apartment . He tried not to break when he saw the Italian restaurant, when he saw their favourite cafe and when he knocked on his door.

It was Arthur that answered, he offered a smile of sympathy and let him in. To Max’s surprise they only were Charles mom and brothers in the room. They looked at him as he entered the main room, he felt so out of place. Charles’ mom got up from the sofa without a word and hugged him. If the tears had managed to stay in Max’s eyes since then they were now streaming down his face.

Max was confused by the lack of people, Charles surely hadn’t told them he was sure of that. His questions got silenced by Arthur coming toward him hand in his pocket.

‘When we unpacked, his things we… we found this… it’s yours.’ He was confused he knew Charles probably had some of Max’s t-shirts in his baggage but it didn’t feel like that was what the youngest Leclerc was referring to.

He stopped in front of him and gave him a box, a little black box. Max looked at the women standing next to him, she nodded implying for him to open it. So he did.

Inside stood a golden ring. And that was what Max couldn’t take in anymore. His hands stated shaking as he got it out of the box, on the inside of the jewel you could read ‘Maxy and Charlie’. A whimper got out of his mouth and the mom opened her arm again for Max to burry his head against her shoulder he was holding the ring like his life depended on it.

When he pulled out of the hug, he put the ring on and sat on the couch. He looked around the apartment, well their apartment if you consider the fact that he had the keys, that their clothes were in the closet and their pictures on the wall. He realised that the place had Charles name on it and that he’ll probably have to get his stuff back to his flat even though he hadn’t slept in for the past year.

‘I should get my…’ he stated and stood up before being held down by Arthur.

‘How long?’ He asked, his voice a mix of grief and anger for not knowing.

‘Umm…’ Max didn’t want to answer, he knew that no matter what he said it’ll hurt. ‘3 and a half… years.’ He didn’t even dared to look into his eyes.

‘Fuck… 3 and… Why…’ Arthur was now screaming. ‘Why didn’t he tell us?!’ He was looking at his mother, looking for answer. ‘Did someone knew?’ He looked at Max tears in his eyes. He was going to respond when Charles’ mom interrupted,

‘Arthur! Let him be! I’m sorry dear this is just… surprising for us…’ The Dutch wondered how she managed to keep a motherly smile on her face the hole time.

‘No, it’s okay I get it…’ he face the youngest, ‘nobody knew’. Arthur calmed down and sat next to him on the sofa.

‘You lived here together didn’t you?’ Lorenzo asked, he nodded. ‘Then you should stay here.’ That wasn’t a question and Max was glad, he didn’t want to move back to his lifeless flat. ‘I’ll sort the paperwork, Charles wouldn’t want us to kick you out of your own place.’ The older brother was the only one who seemed to be able to think rationally.

‘Thank you’ Max was now crying again, eyes fixed on the ring on his finger.

Chapter 2

Chapter Text

Author’s note:
Sorry guys for the emotional hell love you all <3
-L :)

Notes:

Thank you for reading tell me what you think :)
No I will not pay your therapy bills
Love
-L

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