Work Text:
The year was 2018.
After so much years spent working hard, crying tears of happiness, frustration, sadness, and a so much things that only one with such a high dream could understand, he made it.
He was going into Formula 1.
Of course, he was there around the paddock before, doing tests for potential teams that wanted him – the hype of being a F2 champion in his first year HAD to mean something, right? but still, nothing could take away the feeling of the butterflies in his stomach – to be there, officially, as a Formula 1 rookie – and future Formula 1 World Champion. That was the reason he got there, after all.
He remember the big smile Pierre shone on him when he first met in him in person after hearing the news – “ You little batard, I'm so happy for you!” - , Charles was a confident 18 years-old young men, but he was happy that he got his childhood friend, someone he trusted, to welcome him into this whole new world, and not make him so lonely in his rookie season.
Not that he cared that much though, he knew that this world is not one to collect friends – he had his own and wasn't complaining about them – but to focus on his performance. Step by step, until the final one – the championship.
In his first race, the world was buzzing around him. He greeted his teammate, Marcus, his engineers and his team principal, Fred, with the natural confidence this place recquires. Suddenly now he was heading where the drivers stand to pay respect to the National Anthem, as he felt the presence of those people trough brand new eyes – the media, photographers, mechanics, , and a lot, a lot of people on the standings cheering and screaming for these select group of 22 people of the whole world.
-
“Ok. So, that's it. That's what my life is now.”
It wasn't like he was expecting something vastly different just because he was officially a rookie, it was just- acceptance. He knew he wanted to be here, and now he knows he wants to keep being here, it's a slight different sentence but to say it out loud felt a whole lotta different.
“Hey batard! So, how doest it feel, huh? To officially complete your first race weekend here? good, right?”
“Yeah... i guess... i just have to get used to it, now.” The words sounded reasonably cool, but his eyes could never lie the excitement for the rest of the season had ahead for him.
“So, met some other drivers yet? You know we don't bite here.”
Well, it's not that it's his first time seeing them there, of course not, this universe is such a small space after all – but at the same time, so full of information, names, full of schedules, people to meet and sponsors to please, full of ‘I have my performance to care about' that everyone kind of blend in a blur, unless you had to work or live really close to them.
“Mate... come on, this is not high school. I know i’m gonna get along well, don't need to worry.”
“...just asked.” Pierre shrugged.
At the corner of his eye he caught a man walking past both of them. He only saw the back of him, but he saw he had a slightly tan skin, though still looked pale for some reason, and was wearing the yellow Renault polo shirt. That was Carlos Sainz. Carlos Sainz Junior.
Again, it's not like they haven't met. Well, maybe not met in the true sense of the word, but hey, theu greeted each other in some occasions out of courtesy and politeness. He could still remember how the handshake had a diferent kind of grip in his hand, and how this guy's eyes met his in a way that made him feel like everything else stopped for a split second. But he doesn't remember the exact situation this happened though. Only that man's grip and gaze.
“Hey! Carlos! Come here" Pierre shouted.
“Hey!” He responded. He punched softly the shoulders of the blond, tall guy that was walking besides him and casually started to stroll towards their direction instead.
“What's up? All good?” Pierre and Carlos fist bumped, and then he nodded towards Charles direction offering a clasped hand and a soft, friendly, polite, but firm pat on the younger guy shoulder.
Oh, geez. That quiet burning feeling where he touched, again. That gaze that feel half a second bit too long, again.
“We were just talking about my guy Charles having his first race weekend.”
“Yeah...” Charles says, awkwardly. “...but its just a race weekend really, but being the forst in formula one, i guess...” the tone of his voice polite and formal, naturally sibce he was around someone he didn't really know enough.
“Yeah... it was same for me, actually. You just want to focus on the whole season, and the first race feels more like... like the first of many because theres so much more... well, that was for me though, i dont know, it must be different, depending on each person. I dont know.”
“i just think you guys are boring. I mean i felt like a could run around the track on my own if i wanted to, with the amount of adrenaline i had.”
“Sure it sounds like you.” Carlos remarked calmly. Charles giggled softly, and they met each other eyes again, now the man- uh, Carlos, yeah, Carlos- with a light smirk on his face. And the brief talking went on for some time.
-
As he said to Pierre before, it wasn't long until he started to blend in. He wasn't a introvert, but not a overly-extrovert class clown either, he was just moving at his natural social pace. But it was only logical that he talked a little bit more with his teammate though he was older than his generation and not really a natural relationship.
Things were going as usual on another weekend, walking around the familiar place with his familiar people around, until he heard: “Hey Charles!”
He turned to the already familiar voice.
“Excuse me, but had you seen Pierre?”
He already knew it was him- Carlos, but it still was different had to look at him in the eyes, not in a bad way, it was just some kind of shyness he didn't knew he had came over him every time he had to.
“Uh, not really, sorry. Actually, i have no idea.”
“no, it’s fine. See you.” He nodded as he walked away from his sight.
“see you too” Charles nodded back and went on with his life. He felt a slightly force urging to look back once again but he had things to do, as you have when you're in F1.
-
It wasn't soon until they started to cross paths regularly in the paddock and feel at ease enough to star greeting each other more, sometimes with a nod, with a thumbs up, with a fist bump, and then sometimes even with a shy, discreet smile.
Sigh. It made Charles feel like something was curling up in his chest everytime he replayed that smiled in his idle time. He smiled thinking about it. He felt silly realizing he was smiling but he couldn't stop doing it. Sigh.
-
They were now ocasionally walking closer. The politeness, friendly distance, still there, but somehow more amicable as each weekend passed by, talking about nothing but small talk that he would forget in the span of a week, only remembering that deep sultry voice directed towards him, low tone and quiet volume, but still feeling like it was asking to be engaged and that made Charles feel a little bit more special.
-
Charles was still a cool headed guy about it though. He had more important things to focus on even though he felt his hormones alive all through him in some specific thoughts. Besides, ot was his first year in this weird stage, amd everything he felt in f2, eyes prying upon his every move, muted, silence pressure that was well earned and a weird priviledge to have, felt duplicated and triplicated here, and he had to maneuver through this new stage with talent, skill, focus. He was determined to do it. So he had the guy, Carlos, as a funny, curious, kind of lovable picture to look at at the back of his mind, and he only looked at it in his killing time, for a few minutes, before going back to reality. He didn't know why though, or maybe he knew but choose to, had to, suppress in favor of bigger things. At the end of the day, they were nothing but acquaitances still, Pierre being the only real link between them.
-
That was until Singapore.
He was restless in his hotel room, bored to death. He though: you know what, fuck. I deserve some prize, im in mid-season and im doing a pretty fucking good job in a Sauber. I'm going to the pool, right now, even though it might be a bit too late for it. But it’s open so... yeah.
Now he was there. He took a deep breath and felt the pool water embrace his muscles and skin. Good. It feels good. He looked at the view, the lyxurious Singapore circuit laid bare, only lights around it. He got over the edge of the pool to appreciate the view a little bit better.
“Hey, is this time for the kids to be up still?”. That voice. Him. Carlos.
Charles knew. But he still turned just to make sure, just to see his face.
“Well, if the kid is working pretty hard to be in formula 1, i guess they deserve it.” He replied with an spontaneity that lowkey surprised himself. Guess it’s confidence. Or familiarity.
“huh. Good one...” Carlos got a little bit closer through the water. “Guess I'm getting to know the real you now.”
Charles looked at him again. There was a defiant, mischievous smirk in Carlos' face. This one he didn't remember seeing before.
“Well, it's a little bit too late now.” Charles snarked back. “So don't cry when I beat you at the end of the season-"
Suddenly there was a splash of water in his face mid setence.
“Fuck! Putain!”
“What were you gonna say, huh?” He kept splashing looking at Charles with a wide grin on his face.
“Fuck off, you idiot!” he slashed in Carlos' direction back, finally stopping when they both were too distracted laughing.
“Okay, calm down, golden boy. I'm happy for you, just dont get too cocky or i'll crash into your car every race.”
“I know you won't" , now Charles softened his tone, smile still loght in his face from the giggles.
“Golden boy, huh? I hope that’s good fortune.”
“Well, it is a very remarkable rookie season.” Carlos said, now tone sincere in his voice. “I started with Max, so it takes one to know one.”.
“... thank you. Its always nice to hear it.” “coming from someone who is part of this madness, even more.”
“it's true, Charles.” “you know... i dudnt say it before, but, so far, congratulations. From what i've seen from you so far, you'll have a long career ahead.”
The gaze was there, again. Coupled with the sincere compliment, it almost made Charles feel like he was floating in those dark eyes instead.
“I'm sure you'll have one too, Carlos.” He said bravely staring back at the other man's gaze with the same amount of sincerity. He felt a key turning somewhere inside him unlocked when he said it.
The long conversation was just starting.
The rest is history.