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“Oh-kay, chat, I think we’re almost done with this-” Max trails off, as her eyes land on the chat flying by, her finger hovering awkwardly over her mouse, ready to click back into her save file of Minecraft right away. However, the name flashing repeatedly through her viewer’s messages keeps her frozen in place.
Charles Leclerc.
Repeatedly flying through her field of vision, being mentioned again and again. Some people are just screaming the name, others are asking what’s going on, but Max’s heart beats fast in her throat, letting her mouth stand open dumbly as her eyes flitter to catch more context in the messages.
It’s not a secret that Max has had a crush on the singer - no, popstar - from Monaco for years now. Ever since her first single had come out, Max had heard it on the radio and instantly fallen in love. It’s not the primary reason she moved to Monaco, but it is up there, if she is honest with herself. It still makes her heart skip a beat whenever she thinks about the possibility that she might be able to catch Charles in the streets.
In her mind, there’s always been the possibility of running into the star, literally or figuratively, Max isn’t really picky.
Suddenly a bright purple banner plops up, a loud ringing noise echoing through her headphones and into her ears, as a message flies all over her screen.
princess_percy has gifted 10 subs: gifting subs so you go check out the video charles just posted on her tiktok
It startles a chuckle out of her. At least her audience knows who exactly they’re watching every other day of their lives. “Thank you, princess percy, for the 10 gifted,” she grins, leaning back in her gaming chair, “What’s that about a new video?”
maxietops: omg she doesnt know
vicisthebest: lmao
mon23enjoyer: charles’ new single!!
mothman: check on her tiktok!
starrrboy: get ready
starrrboy: maxie wont survive watching this
princess_percy: charles posted a new tiktok! go watch it live on stream!
hazynights: omgyesplease
torturedpoets: pls
maxietops: pls
starrrboy: pls
“Lol,” Max says out loud, cringing internally at how lame she actually is. Her stream knows her too well, if they’re keeping her updated on Charles Leclerc news. It’s not like her twitter notifications didn’t pop up as soon as the video was uploaded, but that’s besides the point here. “Well, okay, chat. Since Percy was kind enough to donate and gift 10 subs, I guess we’re going to watch it on stream. Let me just save our progress-”
She takes exactly two seconds to click back into Minecraft, have her character place a bed and go to sleep to save. Sometimes, she is impressed by herself and how whipped she is - literally folded immediately upon the promise of watching Charles Leclerc.
“-and then let me just pull up my TikTok,” she narrates as she pulls the browser up on her shared screen. As soon as the page loads, a thousand new messages and people tagging her in various videos plops up, making it impossible to navigate anywhere. “Jeez, guys, we’re on the maximumspeed account today. We’re not leaving any traces behind, alright?”
princess_percy: don’t worry, i’ll clip the mental breakdown
mothman: screencapture is on just in case lmao
starrrboy: 10 bucks that she’ll accidentally like the video
princess_percy: 10 subs for her to like the video on the maximumspeed account
It makes her laugh even harder, the dedication to humiliate her in her own fans. Max has never really thought about the fact who watches her and what they do with the amount of stupid things she does and says during her streams. It’s just her little wholesome community of people laughing at her when she dies in Minecraft, and thirsting over her when her thighs are visible during her iRacing streams.
“Okay, chat, before you pray on my downfall,” she forces out between laughter, “at least let me watch the video first. It’s not like this will change my life.”
She’s lying, Max knows she’s lying to herself and to all her viewers, but she can’t care less. It’s Charles Leclerc, she’s been in love with her since before Max can remember ever picking up a video game in her life. Sure, this won’t change her life, but that’s because Charles has already, irrevocably changed it.
For just a moment, she lets her eyes glide back to the chat where her usual viewers keep making fun of her, before she navigates to the newest video on Charles’ TikTok account. The thumbnail itself is already enough to have Max salivating and panting like a dog - it depicts Charles in a form-fitting, white dress, her boobs deliciously on display for Max to ogle at. Her brown hair is pushed behind her ears, half-flowing in the wind, showing off her long neck and miles of unblemished skin that Max feels the sudden urge to bury her teeth into.
But what catches her attention, besides the obviously attractive person, is the background. Charles is seated on a balcony in Monaco, and while she’s directly staring down at the camera, her ocean green eyes boring holes into Max’s consciousness, the view behind her shows the harbor. Port Hercule - in a way that is eerily familiar to Max.
“Great, this is the new one?” she asks, just to be sure, staring directly into the camera for just a moment, before all the yes’es flying through her chat make her feel like she’s wasted enough time to pull in even the last reluctant viewer to focus now. “Then let’s go, chat. And again, we’re being respectful, alright?”
As she clicks on the video, it finally also clicks in her mind. The background is so familiar because from her balcony, the view is exactly the same. There’s no way- but yes, that is definitely her neighbor’s balcony, there’s even the very obvious pride flag hanging from the corner of the banister.
Her heartbeat rushes in her ears, and she has to fight hard to keep her jaw from dropping open, as she feels the heat rush into her cheeks. Max knows her eyes have grown wide in shock, and she hopes her viewers take it as gay panic, or whatever they want to call it.
princess_percy: omg she’s blushing already and the vid hasn’t even started
mothman: gayyyyyy
starrrboy: useless lesbians pining
oceaneyed: charles is gorgeous ngl
maxietops: i know what max’s thinking right now lmao
vicisthebest: screaming crying throwing up
“She’s really beautiful, you’re right, oceaneyed,” Max winks at the camera, playing up the part of the happy streamer. “Okay, now everyone shut up, we’re watching this now. No chattering, I need to concentrate.”
Her finger twitches ever so slightly, and the music blasts in her headphones - so much louder than Minecraft’s calming background was before. Charles’ voice fills her ears, the chorus to her new song echoing with each loop of the video, in which the brunette lip-syncs: “Baby, where the hell is my husband? What is taking him so long to find me?”
Fittingly, Max registers in her mind, Charles raises her right hand to show off the lack of a wedding ring on her fingers. It’s a cute gesture, very sweet. Definitely designed to be a trend on this godforsaken app - it makes sense why this sound would come out right before Valentine’s Day, Max notes.
“Damn,” she breathes out, as the video starts over, barely a few seconds long, as she is captivated by Charles’ eyes staying locked on her - on the camera, she corrects in her mind. “She’s pretty and the song is catchy? What can’t she do, huh, chat?”
The chat is freaking out, too many messages pouring in all at once. She barely catches the messages, but she knows exactly what they’re saying. Max can feel the heat in her cheeks, the flush burning through her and casting her skin in a bright ruby red. She’s sure they’re making fun of her wide-eyed stare and the way her blush is disappearing below the neckline of her shirt.
princess_percy: you should ask her out!!
mothman: having a crush is so embarrassing lmao
maxietops: this is my roman empire you guys
starrrboy: i was gone for a moment, what did i miss
torturedpoets: @starrrboy nothing much, just maxies big gay crisis
vicisthebest: @princess_percy lol max would never do that, she’s too much of a chicken
princess_percy: >:(
princess_percy: how many subs for you to comment on the vid as a possible husband candidate?
That particular chat message makes her laugh, as her finger is hovering over the exit button. The video is still looping, the song still playing on repeat on her stream, being promoted to all her viewers. But it’s a catchy melody, so Max really doesn’t mind.
“100 subs, Percy,” she smiles, “at least.”
Finally, Max presses on the pause button, the video stopping on a perfect screenshot of Charles showing off her ringless hand, smirking at the camera. It barely takes her a moment to open the comment section, even though she already knows what she’ll find there. “Let’s see, chat. Ah, yes, there we go. Hundreds of guys, posting cringe selfies, telling Charles they could be her husband. Perfect. I could be one of them, and it would only take you another 100 gifted subs, princess percy!”
She laughs at even just the thought of it - there’s no way anyone would spend that much money on a comment. Not when most of her viewers are probably college students living off of pasta and hope. It would be absolutely insane for anyone-
princess_percy has gifted 10 subs: look, this picture could be cute (attached selfie of max in a backwards cap and crop top that shows off her tits)
princess_percy has gifted 10 subs: or maybe this one (a picture of young teen max sitting in a kart, grinning at the camera)
princess_percy has gifted 10 subs: look, this one’s cute! (screenshot of max blushing while watching the video in question)
“Oh my god,” Max stares at her screen in shock as multiple more notifications pop up, all of them showing more gifted subs by princess_percy. “Percy, stop this! Don’t spend all of your money on me!”
Finally, another message pops up:
princess_percy has gifted 10 subs: NOW THATS 110, GO COMMENT ON HER VID 😈
It takes a moment, but Max snorts ungracefully as the reality of her circumstances set in. “You’re all insane, but especially you, Percy. Okay, well, thank you very much for the one hundred subs, princess percy. Chat, we have half an hour left in this stream, let’s pick a picture and then post it.”
--
charlesleclerc: where is my husband? what is taking him so long to find me? 💍
comments:
maximumspeed: (picture of max, at last year’s twitch gala, streamer of the year award in her hand, in a tight fitting corset and suit pants, smirking smugly at the camera) i don’t know about husband, but if you’re looking for a wife, i could be all yours 😽
liked by charlesleclerc
--
During the last half an hour of the stream, Charles keeps refreshing her TikTok notifications - there’s no way that Max chickened out. There were too many people in her chat that would absolutely call her out, especially since Charles spent so much money on sending subs to her favorite streamer in the entire world.
As she waits, she keeps half an eye on her laptop, where her newest demos are uploading. Lewis has already been annoying her, sending her hundreds of texts to remind her of how important it is to have them uploaded today. She sighs and switches back to Max’s stream, watching as the blonde blushes furiously, as her comment is sent out into the ether that is Charles’ comment section.
maximumspeed has commented on your post
The notification sends her heart into overdrive, even though she already knew it would be. It still sets the butterflies in her stomach free, a tingling feeling rushing through her. “Finally,” she grins, as her finger immediately twitches to click on the highlighted comment. “Took you long enough, chérie.”
Right away, she likes the comment, staring for only a second at the picture - one of her favorites of the last year. Max has always looked beautiful to her, but Charles loves it that extra bit more when her Maxie is winning, grinning with the knowledge of her success. It makes her dream about what it could be like, if the Dutchwoman decided to give her a chance.
princess_percy: there it is (picture of max’s comment, with charles’ like clearly visible on it)
mothman: they’re gonna be insufferable
starrrboy: they’re gonna start dating, i feel it in my piss
maxietops: go get your girl crush!
mothman: gayyyyyy
vicisthebest: oh no, look at her
vicisthebest: max.exe has stopped working, brain shut down
Charles grins to herself, keeping her eyes on Max’s blushing face, and her stuttering on stream, as she tries to navigate Minecraft and her gaggle of pet cats following her every move.
“Stop making fun of it, chat,” the Dutch accent rings out through her speakers, sounding dull and far away, “She probably just likes all the comments she comes across. This doesn’t mean anything!”
She has to stop the giggles from slipping from her lips, as on her phone, she navigates from her comment section into Max’s DMs. Charles only debates for a second, before she sends the exact same screenshot that she did as princess_percy, with a short message below it: i’ll take you up on it 😈
“If she’s not gonna pick up on it,” Charles hums to herself, as Leo jumps onto her lap, “then we’re simply not meant to be. Right, petit bébé? Then I’ll just have to move on.”
She can’t stop her eyes from wandering back to Max’s stream, a small smile spreading on her lips as she follows the exact moment the blonde gets the notification for her DM. Max picks up her phone, looking at the message for a single moment, before the blush on her face deepens, having fully overtaken her ears and spreading down her neck below the hem of her shirt.
“Oh,” Max’s voice rings through her living room, the surprised tone of voice catching Charles by surprise. “I have to go, guys. Thank you so much for watching my stream, sorry for ending it so abruptly.”
As she watches, the stream switches to the endscreen music, a soft melody that Charles has heard way too many times before. Usually, it is soothing, but today it is unsettling. There’s confusion swirling inside her gut, mixing with disappointment that settles on her sternum now that her plan didn’t work.
Max isn’t texting her back. She isn’t trying to flirt back. Charles is simply staring at the read receipt of her message, when a sudden knock rings out through her apartment, originating from her front door.
“Who even-” she mumbles to herself as she gets up, smoothing her dress out as she goes, so her image can stay perfect, as she wants it to be. She heads with quick steps through the rooms, until the door swings open. “Oh.”
“Uh,” the Dutch accent rings through the air, sounding so much like it does over her speakers on the stream. “Hello.”
Before her, Max Verstappen, maximumspeed, twitch streamer and sim racing world champion stands, a flush everpresent to her pale cheeks, as her chest heaves in uneven breaths. Silence settles over them, as Charles’ brain rushes to try to catch up, her voice dying in her throat, as Max, still in the same outfit as she was on her stream, picks up the conversation, words rushing from those plush pink lips in a flow that rings in Charles’ ears.
“I’m Max,” the blonde speaks, pushing the words out into the air between them - as if Charles doesn’t know who she is, she thinks desperately. “I hope this isn’t creepy, coming over just like this, but um- we’re actually neighbors? I recognized your pride flag, and obviously the view from your balcony. It’s the same as mine, so it wasn’t hard to figure out.”
An awkward chuckle leaves the Dutchwoman, as her hand raises to tug her hair behind her ear, even though some of the strands are too short and fall right in front of her blue eyes again.
Putain de merde, Charles curses in her own mind, how did she not know?
But she can’t really do anything but let her mouth drop open, gaping like a fish, as Max keeps rambling on and on. Under her scrutinizing gaze, she watches as the blush on the older woman’s face deepens to a bright cherry red, and the words cut off awkwardly. Max’s blue eyes suddenly widen in abject horror, her voice growing tiny.
“-oh my god,” Max whispers, staring right through Charles, as it seems, “This is technically stalking, I’m so sorry, this is so weird. I didn’t mean - I just saw your message and I thought- you know what, this is really weird and awkward, and I’m just gonna lea-”
The blonde already turns to step back towards her own apartment, her hands fidgeting , Charles’ hand flies out, burying in Max’s soft hoodie, and pulling the Dutchwoman inside.
“Salut, chérie,” she finally breathes out, as the blonde stumbles inside, right into her waiting arms. Charles marvels at the heat from Max’s body, wrapping all around her front. “I didn’t know you knew me. Why didn’t you ever say something if we are neighbors?”
“Well,” Max says, her voice sounding breathless, as her fingers grip onto Charles’ hips, digging into the fabric of her dress and pulling her even closer. “I saw you in the elevator from time to time, but we didn’t know each other like that, right? And I know you’re a big star, so I didn’t want to make you feel awkward by flirting with you outright.”
It takes a second for the words to sink in, but Charles can feel the smirk growing on her lips. Oh, so that’s what this is. She knew Max had a crush on her, has known it since she first tuned into Max’s streams, but this is just the most delicious opportunity for her.
Max’s ocean blues are avoiding her gaze at all costs. There’s some form of shame sitting in her features, but then, the Dutchwoman in her arm freezes suddenly, as her eyes seem to find something that catches her attention. When Charles turns to follow her gaze, it lands on the open stream on her laptop, the endscreen music still playing loudly.
There’s heat rushing into her own face, she can feel the blush spreading over her cheeks, and rushing down her neck. “Oh,” leaves her lips, and she fights for her life to find a way to explain why she has the stream open, “that is-”
But recognition sweeps over Max’s face, and Charles can practically see the lightbulb glow over her blonde hair. “Oh my god, your middle name is Perceval!”
“Um, yes?”
“You’re princess_percy!” explodes out of the Dutchwoman, as her ocean blues swipe back over Charles, an unbelieving laugh ringing out from her lips. “You baited me into flirting with you! You literally know who I am, and you baited me into flirting with you online so you could make a move!”
“I- no? I would never- I mean, you don’t- what?” she sputters, words failing her as an amused air of smugness settles around Max, her own face feeling hotter and hotter. Her voice dies off at the same time the music of the Dutchwoman’s stream fades out as well. There’s only silence between them, as they simply stare at each other.
Finally, Max clears her throat, grinning at Charles once more, before a softer smile overtakes the blonde’s features: “Does that mean I can kiss you? Just saying, I’ve been drafted as your wife-applicant, after all.”
“Casse-toi,” Charles smiles, before her fingers bury themselves in Max’s hair, pulling the Dutchwoman close enough to connect their lips. It sends butterflies rushing through her limbs, as Max presses even closer, eliminating any space left over between them.
Behind her, her laptop dings, as her upload is finally complete.
She’ll deal with it later. First, she has to make out with a certain streamer she adores.