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I'm better, so much better now
I see the light, touch the light, we're together now
The stage lights come on one at a time as Alex hits the drums in an opening volley; George plucks the strings, laying down the baseline; and Lewis strikes the opening chord.
The fans scream louder and louder as each element comes into vision until they erupt in a tidal wave of sound when Charles plays the first few notes, and the spotlight illuminates him and his piano.
I'm better, so much better now
Look to the skies, gives me life, we're together now
Tucked within the folds of the curtains, Max smiles a private smile from within the wings.
We've only just begun, hypnotised by drums
The crowd is already singing along, even though the album hasn’t been out for long yet.
He can already see the phone lights waving around wildly.
Until forever comes
You'll find us chasing the sun
Max goes easily when Charles shoves him down onto his bed, flopping down
Charles shoves Max down onto Max’s bed, flopping down on top of the Dutchman.
Max draws him into a series of slow kisses before he is pulling away. “We have to sleep, schat.”
“But I don’t want this night to end,” Charles says. “I have to leave in the morning, you know.”
“I know,” Max whispers, dropping to the bed beside Charles, and wrapping his arms around the Monegasque. “But we have to wake up early tomorrow so I can drive you to the airport.”
He pouts.
“I love you. That’s not going to work.”
Charles pecks Max on the cheek. “I love you too.”
They said this day wouldn't come
It is once again way too early for Charles to be alive. Max tries not to tease him too hard for it.
Thankfully, Daniel and Liam have finished the first batch of croissants, so Max is able to present him with some breakfast.
Unfortunately, Charles can’t hold onto a cup of coffee when riding backpack on Max’s motorcycle, but Charles doesn’t seem too put out when he grips Max’s waist tightly.
We refuse to run
Charles kisses Max goodbye.
Like a good friend, Pierre gags appropriately.
The rest of the band hoots, because they weren’t forced to deal with this for their entire childhood.
Eyes closed, Max flips them all off.
We’ve only just begun
The cafe gets a boost when the airport pictures of Leclerc and Emilian go live. Coupled with all of the fans in town for the first stop of the new tour, The Lion’s Den is once again hiring the Sainz bouncers for a day shift.
It’s nowhere near as chaotic as the first time they’d gotten inundated, when the internet finally had a face to the name of the mystery ex-boyfriend co-writer.
Liam takes his double shot of espresso with him on his way out at opening like it was any other day.
Like clockwork, when Oscar arrives at the counter, the line stalls to a standstill. Like clockwork, they flirt with terrible terrible pick up lines. Like clockwork, Max pulls Oscar’s order together without a second thought. Like clockwork, Max takes four orders on the second register before either Lando or Oscar realises that Oscar’s order is sitting on the counter, ready to go. Like clockwork, it takes another two minutes for Oscar to actually leave.
You’ll find us chasing the sun
When Max falls into bed later, Charles is calling.
Max picks up on the first ring.
Charles sounds breathless, he always does after a show. The Monegasque tells him all about it; the show. The show in some sold out stadium, in some random city halfway around the globe.
“Cha,” Max hears, dimly in the background. “Let the man sleep. He has coffee to make in the morning.”
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
If Max thought the amount of Leclerc music he used to hear was bad, now that Lando actually knows the guy it’s about ten times worse. It used to hurt, to listen to all of these songs through the lens of heartbreak and yearning. Now, now Max would like to listen to literally anything else please.
It’s not that he’s tired of the music, and it would be unfair to claim that Lando never plays other people’s songs, but it is constant.
Unfortunately for Max, The Lion’s Den has become a hotspot for Leclerc fans due to the pictures, so everybody else is more than happy to listen to the same seven albums, and a smattering of EPs.
As much as Max loves his Charles’ voice, anyone would get sick of it.
You'll find us chasing the sun
Lando commandeers running The Lion’s Den’s Instagram, because apparently Max is not doing it right.
Max thinks it’s fine, but if Lando wants to do it, Lando can’t do it. Max should really learn how to say no to people. Especially since Lando is still their finance guy.
The cafe is doing very well.
And when they say life's faded (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
We're gonna play in the dark 'til it's golden again (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Like every famous person ever, Max learns that the paps are a bitch, and the absolute worst.
Thankfully, Max’s closet consists of: twelve dark blue collared shirts, all from the same brand; three different patterns across seven tee-shirts; three navy blue button ups; four pairs of dark jeans, all skinny; two grey hoodies; and one good jacket.
His pictures become unsellable by virtue of being too similar from day to day.
And now it feels so amazing (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Can't see it coming, I will never grow old again (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
If Max is free, or if Charles has a second to spare, they are calling.
It’s a little honeymoon-y for Max’s taste, but he wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Even if Daniel is bullying him about it.
Lando doesn’t, but only because Max dishes it right back at him.
You'll find us chasing the sun
When Charles comes to visit for the mid-tour break, Pierre has to physically stop his oldest friend from vaulting over the counter to get Max back in his arms.
Max laughs at Charles’ poured face when he decides to make everybody a drink before he comes around the counter and draws Charles into his arms.
When they kiss, Pierre gags appropriately.
Max flips him off.
“Lando is going to be so upset he missed Leclerc showing up here,” Ollie whispers.
“Again!” Kimi says, gleefully.
Max kisses Charles again.
“Oh my god, stop! Get a room. Il ne te parlait pas!”
I'm never, I'm never down
Lying here, staring up, and you're looking down
Max drops down onto his bed. Pierre safely in a hotel room fifteen minutes away.
“I love you,” he says.
“I love you more.”
“I love you most.”
I'm never, I'm never down
Live forever, forever with you around
Charles wakes up first for once, and Max wakes up to the Monegasque just looking at his face.
“What is it, schatje?” he asks, voice rough with sleep when he notices that Charles is wearing a little frown.
“I was thinking…I was wondering…” He looks away, eyes darting down to Max’s uncovered chest. “Could I? Would it?” He rolls over, and groans loudly. “I cannot ask!”
“Ask what?”
Charles makes a face in his general direction.
Max smiles. “Go on.”
Charles huffs. “Could I move in?”
That wakes him up. “What?”
We've only just begun, hypnotised by drums
Until forever comes
You'll find us chasing the sun
“I will of course keep the house in Monaco, but… You are home. I have the tour of course, and the studio is in Germany with Seb so I would be flying out a lot. But…” He looks at Max again.
Max can feel the love creeping into his expression as the words permeate into his brain.
Of course he wants Charles to move in. He does not mind that Charles will spend most of the time not at home.
“I am honoured to be home.””
They said this day wouldn't come, we refused to run
Charles is across the world when his times get shipped to Max’s apartment.
They call while Max unpacks everything. For most things, Max has a good idea of where they go, where Charles might like them to be. But, of course, there are some things for which he is not sure, but his first guess is usually right anyways.
We've only just begun
You'll find us chasing the sun
The sun, the sun, the sun, the sun, the sun
In the week between Max and Charles’ birthdays, the Monegasque invites him and all of his employees out to the show.
Well, Charles invited Max, and then told him to bring the whole gang so that they could all celebrate together.
Confirming the guest list, Max rolls his eyes when he realises he just called Oscar and Logan his employees.
You'll find us chasing the sun
There’s a private jet waiting for them in Nice.
‘AirMax’ is painted on its side in bright orange.
Take off is delayed half an hour due to Lando’s rolling around the tarmac in pure, delighted, teasing, laugher.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Charles got them tickets four rows back from the stage; close enough to be close, far enough away that their necks aren’t killing him.
You'll find us chasing the sun
Charles looks breathtaking under shining lights.
He looks at home in front of a crowd. He looks like he belongs on stage, playing his heart out to the masses.
Max might not be in the wings, but Charles’ eyes seek his out at every opportunity. His heart soars every time they meet.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Lando is screaming the lyrics in his ears on one side.
Max is screaming them too.
Sue him, he wrote a couple bangers.
On this other side, Daniel is flicking his camera between the two of them, and Charles on stage.
You'll find us chasing the sun
After the show, Max slips into Charles’ greenroom for a few minutes before he has to go for the VIP meet-and-greet.
And when they say life's faded (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
We're gonna play in the dark 'til it's golden again (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
“We could have had this, if I wasn’t stupid,” Charles says, curled up into Max’s side in his hotel room.
“We have this now.”
“Stop being sappy.”
“Your fans love it.”
“My fans aren’t here.”
Max leans down, and kisses him. “You love it.”
“Yeah.” He frowns a little.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m still sorry.”
“Charles,” Max sighs, squeezing his shoulder. “Do you need me to accept your apology, schat? Not just tell you that it’s okay?”
“Maybe.”
So Max pulls back, and gathers the Monegasque’s hands in his. “I accept your apology. I forgive you for walking out on us. We were young. We were sacred. We are older now, and still a little scared, no? But we are okay, don’t you think? Turn your face towards the sun. Let the shadows fall behind you.”
“Okay.” Charles smiles. “That was good, you should write that down.”
And now it feels so amazing (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Can't see it coming, I will never grow old again (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
With Charles’ head tucked under his chin, Max pulls out the notes app on his phone. He writes the idea down, expanding on it a little, and adding his boyfriend’s input whenever he decides to pipe up.
You'll find us chasing the sun
(Chasing the sun)
(Chasing the sun)
(You'll find us chasing the sun)
You'll find us chasing the sun
The tent people have died down, but the morning rush is still bigger than it used to be. Sometimes Liam is forced to help with the register until Oscar comes in for their morning coffee.
He still does get his first double shot of the morning with Daniel and Lando—a caramel latte, and an americano respectively—as Max flips the sign from closed to open.
On days like these, Daniel comes out from the back to work side by side with Max on the coffee machine.
Like clockwork, Oscar shows up in Lando’s line. Like clockwork, his line comes to a standstill. Like clockwork, Max starts to make the order: a plain black coffee with a double shot of espresso, a double double, and a large dark roast with count ‘em twelve sugars.
Liam goes to clock out, and Daniel comes up front to take over the Kiwi’s still working line.
“Order for Oscar!” Max calls, placing the three coffees in a tray.
Today Liam pays, and then has to physically drag Oscar away from his boyfriend. If they don’t leave for their day jobs, Logan is never going to get his coffee. And what is Logan going to do if he doesn’t get his coffee count ‘em twelve sugars?
And when they say life's faded (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
We're gonna play in the dark 'til it's golden again (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Once Oscar has cleared the window, Lando is capable of working again.
Daniel slips away to the back to email suppliers, or whatever other admin task needs doing.
Max continues to chug along at the coffee machine, because Max doesn’t have to do a song and dance to get himself to work. He’s good at his job like that.
And now it feels so amazing (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Can't see it coming, I will never grow old again (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Lando has picked up another DJing gig at Sainz. Tonight, Max is resting at the bar, Red Bull in hand.
Oscar stumbles over, crashing into the bar top next to the Dutchman.
“Water time. Carlos?”
“Ay.”
“What if I wanted a monster?”
“Water first.”
“Worst boss ever.”
“You don’t work for me.”
Oscar frowns. “Right.” He drinks the water that materialises in front of him. “Don’t you run a coffee shop? How much caffeine do you need?”
Max laughs. “Cheers, mate.”
You'll find us chasing the sun
Climbing into his now-shared apartment, Max says hello to the cats.
He takes a picture of them, all spread out on the couch, and sends it to Charles.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Charles flies home to spend the tour’s weeklong break in Max’s arms.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Or at least his space, because Max still has a pesky thing known as a job.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
“I love you,” Max tells Charles, cuddling on the baby blue couch in the backroom during a fifteen minute break.
“More than coffee?”
“Of course more than coffee. You know I don’t drink coffee. I get my caffeine from Red Bull.”
“Fine. More than making coffee?”
“Maybe not more than making coffee, but definitely more than song writing.”
Charles laughs; warm, bright. “I’ll take it. More than Red Bull?”
“More than Red Bull.”
You'll find us chasing the sun
Max makes a honey ginger cinnamon latte, and a green tea for Ollie and Kimi. Their statics homework spread across three of the cafe’s tables smushed together, for a study session before their afternoon shifts.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Charles Leclerc haunts The Lion’s Den like a ghost.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
He’s everywhere. He’s all encompassing. His music permeates through the air. His fans ring the bell on the front door every day.
He’s even staring at Max from Lando’s now signed T-shirt.
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
There’s a sign on the counter, next to the register, at The Lion’s Den.
“Emilian will not take a picture with you, and he will not sign anything. Is there anything else we can get you today?”
You'll find us chasing the sun