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It was already late in the night when Max finally arrived at the hotel. The long, grueling day had left him utterly exhausted. His back ached from bouncing around the track, and his eyes were heavy with sleep. All he could think about was collapsing into the soft bed awaiting him. As he trudged through the lobby, he fumbled with his keycard, barely able to keep his eyes open.
When he reached the room, the door swung open to reveal the warm, inviting glow of the bedside lamp. Charles was sitting on the bedside waiting for him. This sight brought a small, tired smile to Max's face. He walked straight to the bed, threw himself onto the soft mattress and closed his eyes.
Then he felt tender fingers slightly brushing through his face, gently pushing his hair off his forehead. He knew these feather-light touches can always chase his tiredness away.
“Are you okay, baby? It has been a really tight weekend for you.” Charles asked softly.
“Yeah, just tired, but okay.” Max replied, his voice thick with fatigue.
Charles lay down beside him and wrapped his arms around Max, pulling him into a gentle hug. Max sighed contentedly, leaning into the embrace and letting the warmth of Charles' body seep into his tired bones.
“Let's get you comfortable first,” Charles murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Max’s temple. “I remember you need some painkillers, and massage?”
Max froze a little bit under these words. He was too tired to think straight during the press conference, but he didn’t expect Charles to remember his ramblings. He laid a hand on Charles’ chest. “No. I’m really okay, baby. I was just exaggerating a little bit at the moment.”
Charles just kept staring at him, eyes filled with concern. “Are you sure you don’t need anything?”
“You, I only need you.” Max snuggled further against Charles, feeling his stress starting to melt away. Charles chuckled a little bit and pulled him closer.
“I really wanted to lay your head on my laps when we were in the press conference room.” Charles whispered against his ears, “For a second I almost forgot there were media and cameras around.”
Max let out a smirk. “I was expecting more, to be honest. I was even waiting for you to put your lips on mine.”
“Oh my god.” Charles slightly shook his head, giggling, “You are unbelievable.”
Max let out a small laugh, then he felt small kisses peppered on his forehead, his cheeks, his jaw, and gentle hands roaming around his torso, from his chest to his back and his shoulders, making him warm all over. He felt so assured, peaceful, and safe.
It was never a rare or strange feeling since he was together with Charles. The feeling of being cared, being cherished, being loved could always make his heart melt. But now it just hit him a little bit differently, with his drowsy mind he felt every touch of Charles was striking something he couldn’t explain. It was hot and calm and desirable and comforting at the same time. Everything was such a haze.
He really wanted to sit up and press himself over Charles and tell him all these things that he was feeling, but his exhausted limb only allowed him to throw an arm around Charles’ head and pull him into a lazy, mindless kiss.
They still devoured each other hungrily into it. Charles’ lips always tasted like heaven.
Until they were both a bit out of breath, Charles pulled back a little and gently stroked his cheeks. Max still stared at him fondly.
"How about a nice shower?" Charles suggested, his lips brushing against his ear. "I'll do all the work. You can just stand here and lean on me and relax. You don’t have to lift a finger."
Max nodded with a smile. Then he felt Charles’ hands on his shoulder, helping him to sit up. Charles knelt to untie his shoes, slipping them off his feet and setting them aside. It would be a huge effort to get him up and into the bathroom, but Charles was already on it, pulling him gently to his feet and leading him on the way.
Once inside, Charles began to undress Max with deliberate, gentle movements, then massaged his aching back and shoulders, pressing kisses along his neck and jawline. When they were both undressed, Charles guided him into the shower. The hot water cascaded over them, washing away the grime and tension of the day. Charles took the soap and lathered it in his hands, beginning to wash his boyfriend with slow, soothing strokes.
Max leaned against Charles’ shoulder, his eyes closed as he surrendered completely to the sensation of Charles’ hands on his body. It was intimate, not in a sexual way, but in a deeply comforting, nurturing way. Max just stood there, letting his boyfriend take care of him, a deep sigh escaping his lips as he began to relax under Charles' touches.
Once they were both clean, Charles turned off the water and grabbed a fluffy towel, wrapping it around Max and then himself. They stepped out of the shower, and Charles gently dried him off.
“Come on,” Charles said softly, leading him back into the bedroom. “Let's get you into bed.”
Max nodded, too tired to form coherent words. He let Charles guide him to the bed and help him under the covers. As he settled into the soft, warm embrace of the blankets, he closed his eyes, waiting for Charles to slip in beside him and wrap his arms around him, but he didn’t expect a gentle hand to hold his cheek again. He opened his eyes and found Charles returned to his side with a glass of water.
“I guess you still need to take some pills.” Charles put the glass on the nightstand and fumbled with his luggage to find the painkillers, then he gently helped Max sit up and handed him the tablet and the water. After swallowing the pill, Max just kept gazing at his boyfriend, who looked incredibly angelic under the faint light from the lamp.
“Do you need anything else, chéri?” Charles blinked at him curiously.
Max just launched himself forward and pulled Charles into another kiss. It’s a bit fierce, despite his weary state. He hoped that Charles could understand all theses feelings he wanted to convey. In fact he didn’t need to worry because Charles already started to smile against his lips, because Charles always knew.
“Thank you.” Max pulled back, gasping a little bit. “I don't know what I'd do without you.”
“You don't have to thank me.” Charles ran his hand through Max’s hair soothingly. “I'm here for you. Always.”
After Charles turned out the lamp and get on his side of the bed, Max didn’t wait a second to plaster his body against his boyfriend. Charles hummed comfortably before pulling Max into a tight hug, until their bodies couldn’t get closer anymore.
“I love you.” Max murmured, his voice barely audible.
“I know.” Charles replied softly. “I love you too, chéri.”
With those words, Max felt like the last remnants of tension left his body. He closed his eyes, letting the sound of Charles’ steady breathing lull him into a deep, restful sleep. As he drifted off, he started to contemplate all these thing he wanted to do to Charles when he regained his energy. He would make it up another time, when the sun went up.