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Max Verstappen pov first year of college

When Max first decided to move to England to study engineering and attend college. He never anticipated how difficult and complicated the whole ordeal would be.

Sure, getting into the school was one thing. But finding a decent place to stay and not having to pay too much for rent was another.

That's how he ended up in the college rooms program, hoping his roommate would be someone at least half decent. When he found out he would be paired up with some guy from third year, he panicked a bit, but at least he would be calm, right?

Wrong. 

Max never met someone as loud and enthusiastic, which was great on one hand, but sucked every time Max tried studying in said room. At least his social life won't be dying. Danny was trying to make sure of that every weekend.

And who was Max to deny free alcohol?

That's how he ended up at yet another student party, leaning heavily into the Aussie. He had passed the part of the night where he could remember how many vodka Red Bulls he had. Max was just so calm and happy.

Spread out over an unknown couch, laughing at everything Danny said. That's when he first saw him. 

Beautiful boy across the room. Even shitface Max couldn't help but fall in love. He had the softest-looking brown hair and the most piercing pair of green eyes. 

Max couldn't even start about the strong-looking arms and the cutest smile. He looked like a model for some underwear brand. Max wanted to see him in just underwear.

“Hey, hey, Danny, who- uhm, who is that?” Max asked as he pointed at the other boy. Danny stopped in the middle of the story he was telling and looked in the direction Max was pointing. 

“That's Charles Leclerc. I know his older brother. He's first year like you, I think. He's doing some complicated degree in architecture or something," Danny shrugged, not caring too much as he wanted to get back to his story. 

“He's so fucking hot,” Max said, keep staring, too drunk out of his mind to overthink the words. He couldn't help himself looking at the latter. The guy, Charles, was just so mesmerising in some way.

Danny laughed loudly at that. Max scoffed at him before taking another gulp of his vodka with Red Bull. How could he not see what Max saw? 

Only when the Aussie realised Max hadn't joined him in the laugh did he shut up too. His expression suddenly became serious. 

“Wait, you mean it?” Danny asked, tilting his head to the side and all. Idiot.

“Of course I mean it, fucking idiot. Look at him, he's like straight out of a magazine.” Max explained, still staring hungrily at the dancing boy. 

“I didn't even know you liked guys. How was I supposed to know you weren't just taking the piss out of me?” Danny reasoned and took another sip of his drink. 

“Besides, don’t even think about him. He's a fucking nightmare to date with.” He then added, catching Max's attention. 

“What? Why? He looks alright enough?” Max asked, easily watching the pretty boy. Honestly, what could be wrong with Charles?

“Oh, he's not, just trust me,” Danny dismissed Max with a wave of a hand, which angered the Dutchman, of course. Almost everything angered him.

“I'm not gonna just trust you. Tell me what's wrong with him, or I'm gonna come up to him now and-” Max was already standing up on wobbly legs when Danny interrupted him and dragged him back into a sitting position on the couch. 

“You're not going anywhere. You've had way too much to drink to be charming now. It's not my thing to tell you, really,” Danny reasoned, but drunk Max was anything but reasonable.

“Then you shouldn't have started this bullshit. C'mon, man, don't be a dick. Just tell me what's wrong so I can move on, and like, hit on to someone else or something,” Max prompted. 

There was no way he was moving on from Charles, but Danny didn't have to know that. The boy was just ten out of ten, and Max wouldn't be taking any reasons. 

Danny sighed heavily. “It's just he gets really attached, you know,” the Aussie started carefully. Max was lapping up each and every word. 

“That’s a good thing, though?” Max asked, confused. He couldn't imagine being angry with Charles for following him everywhere. Quite the opposite, if anything. 

“It's great until you break up with him,” Danny added, making Max frown. 

“But why would I break up with him? He's like smoking hot,” Max stated, trailing his eyes back on the green-eyed guy. 

“Max, just listen, okay. I didn't want to tell you this, but Charles is insane about his exes. His brother told me once,” Danny explained finally. Max still didn't know what was too bad about that. With the ass he had, he could be as insane as he wanted. 

“What did he do?” Max asked against his better judgment. Smile already, tugging at his lips as he took another gulp of his drink. 

“Just swear you won't tell anyone?” Danny assured himself once again and didn't continue until Max nodded vehemently. 

“Basically, Lorenzo told me that Charles dated a German guy two years back. Then the guy broke up with him because he was coming back to Germany and didn't want to do long distance,” Danny started explaining. Max's eyes were glued to him. 

“So Charles called him so many times that the guy had to change his regular number. Cause the imbecile got like twenty different numbers he called him from,” Danny continued as Max's eyes kept widening. 

“Only for Charles to stalk his business number and do the same. In the end, the poor guy had to go through three phones before Lorenzo found out about it and helped Charles move on and stop this madness,” The Aussie finished up and glanced at Max expectantly. 

Max, of course, started laughing loudly. Did Charles really do that? Why did it sound so endearing to Max?

“You can't be for real?” Max asked, tilting his head unbelievingly.

“Swear on to my life. Ask Lorenzo if you don't believe me.” Danny argued back. “It ain't funny, Max, he's crazy like that,” Danny added when he caught Max staring at Charles yet again. 

Max only shrugged. “I think it's not that bad. Like, look at him.”

“Max, you haven't even spoken to him. Just forget him, there's like plenty of guys in the sea that won't try to end your life just cause you break up,” Danny tried reasoning with Max.

But they both knew it was a long-lost battle. If Max liked something, he would fight tooth and nail to get it. No matter how much it could blow up in his face.

“Yeah, but I like this one,” Max replied with a shrug of his shoulders before he quickly got up. Danny had no time to react and get Max to sit back down as the Dutchman started rushing through the crowd on his wobbly legs.

Finally, he reached Charles just as the brunette turned outside of the dance floor toward a group of guys. Probably his friend group. Max took a deep breath and quickly stole a cup of water from the giant table with different drinks. 

He didn't want to look completely slammed while talking to Charles. After that, he took all the remains of his courage before he went straight towards Charles and his billion of friends. 

“Hey, guys, you think I could borrow your pretty friend here?” Max asked as he walked up to the group, glancing towards Charles. It was a good thing that Max was the tallest one there. Except for Charles, he was probably the same height. 

But the floppy-haired guy that Max didn't know and Pierre, whom he knew from around the campus, were shorter. God, why was Charles friends with the biggest campus whore?

Whatever, Charles was hot enough for Max to ignore that. The two men exchanged confused looks while Charles gave him a once-over. He smiled cutely when Max called him pretty. 

This could work out. Max thought to himself, wishfully. 

“I think you should ask me that,” Charles answered Max, blinking slowly and softly. He had the longest eyelashes Max had ever seen. 

“Well, can I borrow you for a sec?” Max asked again, now speaking directly to Charles, even leaning a bit closer to him. 

“Depends on what you want to do with me,” Charles answered cheekily. Pierre rolled his eyes at their shameless flirting. Meanwhile, the floppy-haired guy looked more and more uncomfortable each second. 

“Well, I was thinking if you'd join me on the dance floor. Or we could go outside for a bit. It's quite crowded,” Max suggested easily. His words were getting tangled, with his tongue all twisted up from the alcohol, but Charles laughed yet again. 

Then he reached and grabbed the cap Max was wearing and put it back on him, now backwards. Max's breath stopped for a little and he felt as if he was fifteen again and some handsome guy complimented his biceps. 

“I don't want to dance, I've danced so much already,” Charles answered with a pout, his hand still lingering now near Max's shoulder. God, he was cute.

“So you wanna go outside?” The Dutchman asked, taking Charles's hand in his tangling fingers and pulling the brunette closer. 

“S'il te plaît, pars avant que tu baises sur la piste de danse ou quelque chose,” Pierre murmured next to them. (Please go, before you fuck on the dance floor or something.)

Max had no idea what he said. Charles threw him a scandalised look and started dragging Max out of the club. 

It was easier to breathe outside, and Charles looked even better in the lamplight. Max wanted him so bad. 

“You look so good,” Max admitted to Charles. The brunette only rolled his eyes, but the smile was still there. 

“You look stupid,” Charles answered and cliqueter Max on the forehead softly, taking him by surprise. 

“Is it working for you?” Max asked cheekily as he leaned against the wall. His eyes were trained on Charles.

Charles' eyes flickered between Max's eyes and lips as he leaned in closer, their breaths mixing. “What's your name?” 

“Max,” the Dutchman answered, still not crossing the line. Waiting for Charles to do it first. 

“Max, I like that. I'm Charles,” the green-eyed boy answered, before Max could utter out an awkward I know their lips connected. 

God knew it was the best kiss Max ever had. Slow and sensual but so warm. When they pulled away, Max kept his hands wrapped around Charles. 

“So, do you think you could give your Instagram to this stupid boy?” Max bit his bottom lip, waiting for an answer. 

And that was how they first met.

_____

Max sat in the library of the social science faculty. Danny dragged him to a big study hangout. There were around thirty people across different faculties, all buried in their notebooks and notes. 

They decided on this particular library since the toilets were the nicest and the buffet was the cheapest. Max was sitting next to Lando Norris. Guy that was studying some kind of graphics degree. 

Danny basically forced Max to sit next to him since both of them were the only first years there and knew none except for Danny. Max was scared it would be awkward, but they clicked quite well. 

They both got buried in the studies rather quickly anyway. Max was deep into his notes from control engineering. Lando was furiously clicking something on his notebook and bobbing his head to the beat of whatever song he was listening to.

Max had no idea how the Brit could focus with songs blasting so loudly into his ear, but who was he to judge? He was probably the weird one since almost everyone was wearing some kind of headphones. 

Probably an hour later, another group of guys arrived. The one Max was anticipating for the entire time. The group was the only reason Max even came to this stupid study session. 

Charles, Pierre and that guy whose name Max couldn't remember, no matter how hard he tried. Which wasn't much, honestly. There was just no way for him to care about the guy when Charles was right next to him.

They waved at each other with Charles, but neither made a move to go greet the other. Max really did need to study, and Charles probably did too. At least Max gained a nice view, though. 

“I'll go get something to drink real-” Lando started saying, but stopped speaking when he also noticed the newcomers. 

“Right, I could also use a break,” Max agreed and glanced at the Brit. He noticed the line of Lando's sight. He was staring at the floppy head guy next to Charles, his mouth open and his eyes wide. 

Max nudged Lando into his shoulder, getting the younger out of whatever trance he got stuck in. “You alright there, mate?” 

“Yeah, yeah, let’s just go. Let's go,” Lando repeated as he hurriedly started to detangle from the mess of cables that his notebook, mouse and headphones created. 

Max chuckled at the awkward attempts as he easily got up and waited for Lando. Finally, the younger man managed to get up, and they went out with the doors closest to them.

“So what happened there?” Max asked Lando as they walked towards the buffet. Lando still looked a bit nervous, but calmer now outside the room. 

“Oh, nothing, really, nothing,” Lando answered as he almost tripped over his own legs, and Max thought he was clumsy. This guy was a disaster. 

“It's okay if you don't want to tell me, mate, but we both know that was nothing,” Max added with a smile still on his face. He couldn't help himself. Lando's reaction to that guy was too funny. 

Lando took a deep breath before he looked at Max; his expression was nervous again. More serious than Max expected. “Promise you won't be a dick about it?” 

“I won't," Max answered, shrugging. He didn't know why he would be a dick. 

“I- uhm. I'm into guys, you know, and that was Oscar. We hooked up two weeks ago at a party, and I was an idiot and forgot to ask for contact or anything. I don't even know his last name,” Lando started explaining in almost a whisper as they entered the buffet.

“I couldn't find him anywhere. But like, I promised to text him, but I can't, so he probably thinks I hate him, but I really don't, so I just panicked. It's so shit mate innit?” Lando finished up, glancing nervously at Max. 

Max was listening to the end only half-heartedly, choosing the snack for the rest of his study session. Still, he hummed in acknowledgement. “I think it's not that bad, you just have to play it cool,” Max explained. 

“Probably I just get so nervous about the whole thing,” Lando reasoned. Max ended up buying Red Bull and some sandwiches. Lando chose some chocolate pastry and this greenish monster. 

“I think you have nothing to worry about. He looks like a chill guy, and if he's into you, he will understand,” Max replied as they exited the buffet. 

“Hopefully, he's just so cool. I don't want him to think I'm some loser,” Lando sighed.

Max shot him a confused side eye. “Trust me, he can be pretty awkward. He's definitely not the coolest guy in that friend group.” 

Lando laughed a bit at that. “Yeah, he can be pretty awkward, but he's so cute when you talk to him. At least he's not insane like Leclerc. Or loud like fucking Gasly.” 

“Charles is not that insane,” Max argued with an eyeroll. 

“Yes he is. Do you even know that guy?” Lando asked cheekily. The gremlin inside him was overtaking the anxiousness. 

“A bit, yeah. He's fucking hot,” Max added, completely serious, only for Lando to laugh. 

“Mate, don't tell me you like Charles?” Lando asked disbelievingly as he threw him a judgmental look. 

Max shrugged his shoulders. “What would be so bad about that?” Max asked and looked back at Lando, not answering properly. 

“I don't know, maybe because he's insane,” Lando whispered as they entered the library and sat back on their spots yet again. 

“He's not that insane,” Max argued as he opened his can of Red Bull. It made a satisfying hiss. 

“It's because you don't know half the shit he does. Didn't you hear about the guy he dated last year?” Lando asked with his eyes wide. It was almost funny how hard both of them tried not to look at the group with Charles and Oscar. 

“I only know about the German guy,” Max answered honestly, also lowering his voice as he took a sip of his Red Bull. He didn’t want Charles to overhear since the library was quiet.  

“Mate, that was barely a start. He dated a guy I knew a year back. He was my classmate, and he broke up with him a week before our school had prom,” Lando started explaining. 

Max nodded in acknowledgement before Lando continued. “Charles somehow got an invite to our prom, and dude, it was so embarrassing.” 

“I don't think that's so bad,” Max argued. Sure, it was fucking weird, but not too bad. 

“Mate, that's just the start. He climbed on the stage meant for the band and stole their mike. Then he started reading all the embarrassing messages the guy ever texted him before he asked if they could get back together,” Lando continued, leaving Max staring wide-eyed at him. 

Maybe Charles really was slightly insane…

“Mate, the guys' whole family was there in our class. It was a shit show. They had to drag him off the stage cause he wouldn't stop. I think he ended up at the police station for it.” The Brit finished up. 

Max tried to hold it in. He really did, but he couldn't keep the laughter in. 

“Mate, that ain't funny,” Lando squeaked out, making the few people around them turn their heads. Lando's ears turned red almost immediately. 

“It's kind of funny,” Max shrugged his shoulders, still shaking with the remains of laughter. 

“You're hopeless,” Lando sighed. Max finally calmed down enough to stop laughing so hard. 

“Anyway, Charles and I are texting if you want to go over to their little group and try to get some contact out of Oscar,” Max suggested, wiggling his brows at the younger. 

Lando shook his head in disbelief. “You won't stop texting him?” He asked helplessly.

“No, why should I?” Max asked, genuinely confused. 

“Forget I asked,” Lando replied with an eyeroll as he sipped his monster. 

“You were the one who asked me for no judgment. What is it with this attitude?” Max questioned cheekily. 

“No, you're right, enjoy getting your life ruined by Charles,” The Brit said dismissively.

“Oh, I will, he's so funny and pretty. You have no idea,” Max explained. “So do you wanna go say hi?” Max asked, glancing towards Oscar. 

“Are you crazy? We can't just come over there,” Lando widened his eyes. 

“What? Why not? Don't be a baby. I told you, Charles, and I are cool.” Max forced Lando to get up and walk over to the group. Charles looked up and smiled at Max before he threw a nasty stare at Lando. 

Max had to hold in another burst of laughter at that. 

“Hey there, what are you studying?” Max asked Charles as he sat down on the free chair next to him. He quickly glanced towards Lando and helped him pull another chair so he wouldn't be awkwardly standing next to them. 

God, this guy was a mess.

Max tactically placed it next to Oscar and could already hear the awkward: “Hi,” from the Brit. Oscar looked at him and gave him a once-over before he continued writing something in his notebook. Yikes. 

“Descriptive geometry. It's so boring,” Charles whined, looking at his notes on his iPad. 

“I believe that geometry sucks. I think you deserve a break. Do you want to?” Max offered up his Red Bull only for Charles to scrunch up his nose cutely. 

“I do deserve a break, but I think Oscar deserves an explanation first?” Charles said as he turned toward Lando, who was still hopelessly trying to make conversation. 

The Brit got instantly red from all the attention. 

“Yeah-uhm, I am working on it,” Lando answered to Charles, at which Oscar lifted his eyes. 

“You're?” Oscar asked, and it was the first time Max heard the other boy speak. It was so funny. Maybe he should've paid more attention to him. Only friendly, of course, Charles was the real deal. 

“Yeah, I was just about to explain to you that I forgot to ask you for a number or any contact.  Those two weeks back,” Lando quickly got out, nervous under Oscar's gaze. 

The floppy-haired guy frowned as if deep in thought. 

“That's strange since I remember writing my Instagram into your notes app that you handed to me,” Oscar stated, and Lando's whole face turned even redder. 

“You did? I didn't remember you did that- I had no clue- I'm so sorry I searched for you like everywhere. I even asked random people around campus. I thought I was going insane, honestly,” Lando continued his explanation as Oscar eyed him up suspiciously. 

“Do you wanna give them some privacy?” Max asked Charles, reaching for his hand. 

Charles looked back at him and laced their fingers together before smiling sweetly. He has the sweetest smile.

“Yeah, I think they will figure it out,”

____

Max walked inside the classroom on Tuesday morning with headphones over his head and a cap pulled backwards. Charles said it looked better like that. 

He really wasn't ready for the introduction of sustainable design, but it wasn't like he had a choice. Max sat down at his usual spot in the back of the class and opened his notes. 

He needed to invest in a decent notebook because it was getting embarrassing how he was the only one with papers all the time. 

The Dutchman, of course, owned a notebook. Unfortunately, the battery was so weak that it barely lasted an hour without being charged, and he refused to risk carrying it around. 

The professor didn't arrive yet, so Max properly relaxed in his seat. Took off his jacket and headphones before he lay down on the table in front of him, ready to catch up a bit on his sleep for a few minutes. 

Maybe playing video games till midnight and studying wasn't the way to do college after all… Max thought to himself as a guy entered the room. He was quite handsome. He had this dark, wavy, healthy hair and was tan. Kind of Max's type, honestly.

Still, he wasn't even near Charles, of course, and he looked painfully straight (Max did too, but whatever). 

The Dutchman was ready to close his eyes again. Not caring about the guy since it wasn't the professor. The scary thing was that the guy was nearing Max and even gave him a soft smile. 

The fuck he was looking at?!

“Is this seat free?” The guy asked; he had a bit of an accent again, like Charles. Charles’s was nicer, rolling the Rs softer and making the vowels less pronounced. This guy sounded more heavily, like Spanish or something. 

Max gave him the rudest look he managed to muster and looked him up and down. That will teach him not to talk to strangers.

When the guy wasn't budging, Max just sighed. “Sure,” he said and let the guy sit in the chair next to him. 

“Awesome, I was getting worried since there isn't much space available,” the guy added, smiling warmly at Max yet again. Not caring about the rudeness. God, he was the nice chatter type, wasn't he? What did Max get himself into again? 

He decided to only hum in response in an attempt to give the guy a clear stop sign. 

“So, what's your name?” he asked obliviously. Thankfully, the professor walked in and rescued Max from his misery before he could even answer. 

Unfortunately, the guy wasn't giving up. 

“I'm Carlos,” he murmured, not even two minutes into the lecture. 

“I didn't ask,” Max said seriously as he kept making notes. Carlos only laughed at him. Seriously, what was wrong with this guy?

“You're a ray of sunshine, aren't you?” Carlos asked, nudging into Max with his arm. Max took a deep breath in. He will have to just roll with it, won't he? Carlos didn't look like he was ready to give this shit up anytime soon. 

“I'm just trying to focus,” Max answered, but not so unkindly. 

Carlos nodded at that, and Max prayed that was the end, but it wasn't. “I see, I see. Do you think I could copy your notes from last time? I was-ehm sick,”

Max gave him another of his scowls. This guy couldn't be serious. 

“Please, I'll make it up to you. I can buy you something after class, or the next time you won't be here. I'll give you my notes,” Carlos pleaded, and Max only glanced toward the blank page on Carlos's tablet. 

This had to be some kind of social experiment. God. 

“Just take a picture real quick, and you'll buy me a Red Bull after the class. The winter edition,” Max demanded before he leaned his notes toward Carlos. 

“Awesome, thank you so much. I'll get it for you as soon as the lecture ends,” he thanked Max overdramatically before he took a quick picture of all Max's notes. Even the ones from today. Moron. 

After that, Max was finally able to lock back in. Carlos was probably so weird just cause he wanted the notes and now let Max be. 

Halfway through the lecture, Max’s phone dinged. He glanced at it, ready to put it on, do not disturb and lock back in, but the notification caught him off guard. 

It was Charlie asking if they wanted to meet after class today. They have known each other's schedules for a while now. Apparently, Charles had some change cause one of his professors was sick, so he could go meet with Max right after this lecture. 

The Dutchman's face lit up as he unlocked the phone and started typing back an enthusiastic response. Carlos shamelessly stared over Max's shoulder into the Dutchman's phone. 

Not like Max noticed, too caught up in the chat. 

“You know Charles?” Carlos asked closer to Max. 

“What the fuck, man!? Yeah, I know him,” Max whisper-yelled as he locked his phone and pulled further away from Carlos. 

“That's so cool, he's like my best mate,” Carlos said enthusiastically. He did everything enthusiastically. 

Max gave him an unsure look. “He is?” 

“Yeah, where do you know him from?” Carlos pried. Max won't be able to have any more notes. He will never let Caros sit next to him again. 

“We met at a party a few weeks back,” Max explained and took a pen back into his head, trying to focus. 

Carlos nodded, but the longer he looked at Max, the faster his smile disappeared. “Wait, are you Max?” 

“Yeah, I am,” Max answered truthfully, shrugging. 

“Man, no way, are you, like, the Max?” Carlos continued his expression, more and more worried. 

Max looked at him, confused now. “What? Which Max? I'm just Max,” 

“Are you the Max that has been like hitting on Charles these past few weeks?” Carlos asked carefully as if the Dutchman were a sheltered animal. 

“Yeah, that should be me,” Max replied, feeling awfully smug about the fact that Charles told his friends about him. 

Carlos kept the horrified expression as he looked at Max. “Carbon, you don't know what you're getting yourself into.”

“I'm pretty sure I do,” Max argued now, just mindlessly writing things from the presentation. He couldn't focus when the conversation was about Charles. 

“Max, guy to guy. I love Charles, but he can get a bit too attached to his exes, and I don't wish that upon anyone,” Carlos tried warning Max like others before. 

“I've already heard about the guy with the phone calls and the prom guy. You’ve got something worse?” Max asked with a cheeky smile on his face. He couldn't help but smile when thinking about how Charles was. 

Carlos shook his head. “I did hear worse. I'm telling you, are you sure you like Charles?”

“Yeah, he's cute, what do you know?” Max asked immediately. Why couldn't Carlos start with that? They could've talked normally the whole time. 

“Have you heard about the balcony guy?” Carlos asked, and Max shook his head negatively. He could already feel the smile forming on his face. 

Carlos sighed. “They were together for a few months, but he broke up with Charles because he was too overbearing. So, Charles broke into his apartment,”

Max was all ears. 

“The poor guy called him when he got home cause he couldn't go inside. Charles locked himself from the inside and started throwing out literally everything from the balcony,” Carlos explained tiredly. 

The Dutchman squeezed his lips together in an attempt not to laugh. 

“It was clothes that came before the plates, I think he even threw a chair at one point. The firefighters had to get him down, and he paid nasty money for it all. Still, he said that it was worth it or something,” Carlos finished up.

Max burst out laughing as expected. 

“Max, don't laugh at that. You know how dangerous that was?” Carlos nudged Max. 

He only rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but it's just Charles, you know, he's a bit crazy like that. I don't mind,” Max shrugged with his shoulders. Carlos shook his head as the people slowly started to leave the lecture hall. 

Max barely noticed it was the end of the lecture, too caught up in the whole Charles thing. 

“Well, nice chat, let's get me some Red Bull now?” Max glanced towards Carlos, who also decided to let the whole Charles thing go as they left the classroom. 

The green-eyed man was already waiting there for Max. His cheeks scrunching up in an adorable smile as soon as he noticed him. 

Carlos knew this expression. This will end so badly. 

____

Max really wasn't a fan of parties, but he couldn't say no to Charles. That’s how he ended up at Lando's place on Friday night. They decided to have a bit of a pre-game here before going to the real party. 

It was nice so far. He was squished next to Charles on a small couch, each with their own drink. Charles had some frisco while Max was chugging on his beer. 

They didn't want to drink too much before the party, so they settled on these lighter drinks. The shots could come later. Still, the atmosphere was already getting heavier. 

The space between him and Charles was basically nonexistent now as they leaned in closer to each other every minute. It was nice in their little bubble. Laughing at nonsense and exchanging kisses. 

Max didn't understand why they had to leave for the main event. He would be completely fine in Lando's tiny apartment, squished next to Charles. Lando was probably sharing his idea since he and Oscar were in a similar position. 

But then Pierre had to ruin it all with a phone call to Charles. The whole conversation happened in French, so Max had no idea what they actually said, but Charles told him that Pierre was already there waiting after they hung up. 

Which sucked to say the least. 

“Why can't the moron just come over and lock himself in the bathroom or something?” Max rumbled grumpily near Charles' ear. He didn’t even realise he said it out loud until Charles started laughing. 

“What? Do you want to leave?” Max asked the laughing Monegasque, trying to save it. 

“No, not really, but Pierre will hate us if we leave him hanging,” Charles tried to convince Max as he got up. He turned to the other couple and told them that they should head out already. 

Lando got up enthusiastically as the party boy he was, but Oscar was also hesitant. Max got up with a sigh. 

“None could hate you,” Max argued with Charles one last time. He wrapped his hands around Charles's waist and kissed him on the cheek, making Charles laugh and roll his eyes. 

“Oh, you would be surprised,” Charles said cheekily. As if Max didn't already hear all about it already. 

Trust me, I wouldn't. 

Soon, Lando managed to convince Oscar to also get up, and they rolled out of Lando's apartment. It was cold outside, and Max and Charles drifted closer to each other on the short walk. 

They went on a ten-minute walk to the club where Pierre was already waiting. Max managed to sneak his hands around Charles, so that was a nice bonus. 

Finally, they stepped inside the too-hot place. It was disgusting how sweaty everyone was, but Max knew that a few shots could fix that. 

They found Pierre rather quickly. Despite that, before he and Charles found him, Oscar and Lando disappeared somewhere. Max noticed only later that Lando climbed on the DJ booth, somehow dragging Oscar with him into the mess. 

Charles and Pierre were greeted with the typical kiss on the cheek, while Max only clapped hands with the other guy. They were heading to the bar when Charles stopped suddenly. 

“Guys, I need to go to the bathroom,” he complained, only realising it when they were about to buy drinks. 

“Go on, then we can wait for you at the bar with Max, right?” Pierre said and glanced toward Max. The Dutchman really didn't come here to spend time with Pierre of all people, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice now, did he?

“Yeah, we can wait for you there,” Max agreed, against his better judgment. He let Charles leave as they continued their walk towards the bar. 

Max ordered himself a gin and tonic and a tequila sunrise for Charles. Pierre got himself a cocktail that Max didn't catch the name of. 

“So are you serious about him?” Pierre asked, not even two minutes in. Max couldn't fight the amused smile. 

“We haven't talked about it too much yet. Just enjoying ourselves,” Max replied easily. He was, of course, serious about Charles. There was no way he would be telling that to Pierre of all people. 

The Frenchman gave him a judgmental once-over. “Max-” 

“Let me guess, he's crazy, and if I don't mean it, I should drop him. Guess what, I heard that already,” Max interrupted Pierre as he took his and Charles' drink from the barman. 

“Well then, are you serious?” Pierre asked, pushing again. 

“I already told you,” Max answered, rolling his eyes. Seriously, what was up in this guy's ass? Maybe nothing, and that was the problem…

Whatever, Max wasn't here to settle Pierre's sex life. 

“Max, I'm not sure you realise the extent of Charles’s craziness, if you're so chilled out about it,” Pierre argued, taking a sip of his own drink. 

Max fought the urge to sigh. “Go on then, tell me your horrible story about Charles and one of his exes.”

Pierre gave him an unfazed look but continued. “I have known Charles for a long time. I was there with him when he got into his first serious relationship.”

“He was a nice guy, but they argued a lot in the end. It got Charles hot and bothered for some reason. The guy, not so much, so he decided to end it one day. That didn't sit well with Charles, as you’ve probably guessed already,” The Frenchman continued. 

It was the first time Max found him interesting. 

“Charles then stalked his location through his phone and went to all his dates for several weeks,” Pierre continued. Max already let out an amused chuckle at that. 

God, he loved how insane the guy was. 

“Oh, you think it's funny? He then proceeded to ruin every date he had for those weeks until I forced him to stop,” The Frenchman finished up, taking another big gulp of his drink. Max was full-on laughing now. 

“What did he do?” Max asked Pierre who was watching him, confused. 

“I'm not telling you that,” he said, settling Max down with a firm look. 

“C’mon, man, that's like the most fun part,” Max pleaded hopelessly. 

“Just bullshit, you know. You can ask him yourself if you're interested in that so badly,” The Frenchman suggested smugly. Max remembered all too quickly why he didn't like the other guy. 

“Right, I'm gonna ask about his exes while actively trying to hit on him. No wonder you're single,” Max huffed out, annoyed. Pierre looked over at Max, his eyes wide. 

Before the drama queen managed to curse Max's whole bloodline, Charles fortunately came back from the toilets. 

“I'm sorry, it took so long. There was a horrible line there,” Charles complained as he walked up to them. 

“That's alright. We chatted a bit," Max answered to Charles and handed him the drink, making the Monegasque smile. 

Pierre snorted at that. “What? Was Max mean?” Charles asked Pierre when he noticed him staring, annoyed. 

“Just a bit, it's alright,” Pierre dared to say. 

“I literally did nothing, dude,” Max argued, rolling his eyes as he finished his gin and tonic. 

“Sure you didn't," The Frenchman bit back with an eyeroll. 

“What were you talking about anyway that got you so riled up?” Charles asked, confused at the conflict. 

Pierre explained to Charles how Max made fun of him for being single. “That was unnecessary, Max, really.” 

The Monegasque looked sad, but Max could see the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, so he didn't think too much about it. “Yeah, sorry, man, didn't know it was that deep for you.”

Max said it only halfheartedly, his eyes on Charles. Pierre sighed and left somewhere. Not like Max would miss him. 

“So, dance floor?” Max suggested easily as Charles drank his cocktail in record time. 

“Yeah,” the Monegasque agreed, easily dragging Max there. Lando and Oscar were already dancing wildly. It was the first time Max saw the Aussie dance, and it was definitely a sight. 

It was awkward and funny at the same time. He was glad that he wasn't the only stiff person there. Charles and Lando looked like they were born for the dance floor, jumping and screaming. 

Maybe clubbing wasn't so bad…

_____

Max Verstappen was a lot of things, but he definitely wasn't a family type. So when Charles invited him to a barbecue at home, he refused at first. 

Especially since Charles' family was all the way from Monaco, so he would have to fly out during the weekend. It would be a few hours, but still.

Charles begged him several times anyway, and since Max couldn't deny him anything for too long… He found himself agreeing eventually. It was weird because they weren't even dating officially.

Still, Charles wanted him there, so Max went. At least the price of the flight wasn't too high since Monaco was quite close. They would also stay over at Charles' home, so no paying for that either. 

Max wasn't on a trip for several months, which was also a bit of motivation to go there. The worst thing was when Danny found out about the whole thing. 

If you're going to date the maniac, at least get the good things out of it.

He said to Max shamelessly. 

Anyway, that's how Max found himself at the airport with Charles at eight a.m. on Saturday. The air around them was soft as they giggled through several controls. They bought overpriced coffee and waited for their flight.

“Are you nervous?” Charles asked him all of a sudden. It was quite stressful since they were about to board the plane. 

“No, should I be?” Max asked as one of the attendees checked his pass and ticket before she let him further into the tunnel. 

“No, it's just if my brothers say something weird about me, don't take it too seriously.” Charles shrugged, but Max could tell from his tone that he was nervous. 

Max turned to face Charles as they entered their plane. He already had a suspicion what this could be about… “What would they say?” 

Charles swallowed a sigh and forced a smile as they found their seats. “I don't know, like childhood stories or some embarrassing stories,”

So it was definitely about how Charles is crazy with his exes. 

“I won't care, don't worry,” Max said as they sat down, and Charles gave him an honest smile. 

The Monegasque wanted to thank him, but the flight attendants started the safety procedure, so they had to pay attention. 

Charles fell asleep quickly on the flight. Max tried to do the same, but his mind wouldn't let him. He didn't have the best relationship with his own family, so he just hoped Charles’s would like him. 

Max at least used his chance and took some adorable pictures of the Monegasque sleeping. The flight only took two hours, so soon they were landing. 

He shook Charles awake gently, and the brunette gave him one of the most beautiful smiles Max had ever seen. Before he pouted about the fact that they had to get up. 

The Dutchman soothed him with an embarrassingly long kiss before they got out. Max caught a few nasty looks from strangers but ignored them bravely.

Finally, they got to exit the plane. They headed straight towards where Charles' brother should be waiting for them with a car to get them to Charles' house. 

The walk there was tiresome as many people walked around the airport confusedly. Fortunately, Charles knew his way and got them out quickly.

“Hey, my name is Lorenzo, I'm Charles's older brother.” Lorenzo greeted Max and shook his hand in front of the car. 

“I'm Max, Charles’s…” he started, not really sure how to explain the situation they were in. 

“Charles’s,” Charles teased him about it, making Max roll his eyes while his ears turned red. 

“Fuck off,” Max muttered, making Charles laugh harder as they sat in the car. 

Max drifted off to sleep during the drive. Charles and Lorenzo spoke in French the whole ride, and he got tired from trying to keep up. 

Only when Charles shook him awake did Max realise that he had fallen asleep on the latter's shoulder. “Hey, we're here.”

“Oh, right, yeah,” Max said awkwardly, getting out of the car to Charles's amusement. 

They walked the short pathway towards the house where Charles apparently grew up. That guy had to be rich because he had a house in Monaco. Not many people could afford that. 

Charles stepped inside after Lorenzo and Max followed last. He initially thought there wouldn't be too many people, but he was wrong. There were aunts and grandfathers and little kids. 

Max's head spun a bit from it since he wasn't used to any of that. The wildest family he talked to was his sister. Charles noticed Max's panicked look and tangled their fingers. 

“I promise you they are all nice and you don't even have to talk to everyone, okay?” Charles said, his thumb was drawing soothing circles over Max's hand. It wasn't very comforting since talking only to half of the room made Max feel like shit, but he swallowed it down.

“I would hope so,” Max mumbled as he watched the packed room. Charles let out a small smile as he shook his head. 

“I will make it easier for you. There are only two people I want you to meet. How does that sound?” Charles suggested tilting his head to the side cutely. Lorenzo managed to escape them, already greeting various people. 

Max took a deep breath in, regretting that he didn't do that outside where the air was fresh. “That sounds alright, but if you want me to talk to everyone, I can. I'm not some fragile-” Max started, but was quickly interrupted by Charles. 

He even put his finger on Max's lips. Max wanted to bite it playfully, but surrounded by Charles's family, he knew that wasn't the time or place for such things.

“I don't think you're fragile. There are just so many people, and you don't like people. So let's make this as enjoyable for you as it can be, okay?” Charles suggested pulling his finger away. 

“Alright then, yeah. So who is it you want me to meet?” Max was the one to ask now. Charles beamed out a smile at the thought of his family. 

“My maman, of course and my younger brother. They are the most important to me,” Charles explained. 

“The problem is, we have to find them first.” Charles sighed and turned away from Max. Still, he was holding the Dutchman's hand as he searched with his eyes around the room. 

Max only stood there, waiting, since he had no idea how either of these people looked. It was a bit strange that Lorenzo was making this whole round of greeting everyone while Charles was stuck at Max's hips. Not like Max was complaining. 

“I see Arthur, let's go,” Charles turned to Max, excitedly, dragging him in an unknown direction.

Quickly, they stopped in front of a slightly shorter guy. He didn't look really similar to Charles, much like Lorenzo. The scary thing was when he started speaking. 

“Hé, tu as réussi!” Arthur greeted them in French. His voice was so similar to Charles's that it was almost unbelievable. (Hey, you made it.)

“Oui, ça nous a pris du temps.” Charles kissed his brother's cheeks. (Yeah, it took us a while.)

“This is Max, Max, this is Arthur, my younger brother,” Charles said proudly, letting them shake hands. 

They barely got a “Hi” out when some older lady came to them. She was probably in her early fifties with her kind eyes and smile. 

“Te voilà, Charlie ! Je commençais à m'inquiéter,” the woman said and pulled Charles to kiss his cheek before she squeezed him in a firm hug. Max was left standing there awkwardly. (Here you are, Charlie. I was getting nervous.) 

“Je ne pouvais pas rater ça,” Charles replied and kissed her right back. Max once again stood behind him awkwardly. The woman looked at him as she leaned across Charles. (I couldn't miss it.)

“Qui est ce beau garçon que vous avez amené avec vous?” The woman asked, she stared right at Max, but the Dutchman had no idea what she said. He would definitely need to learn some more French if he wanted to continue dating Charles. (Who is the beautiful boy you got there?)

Charles pulled away from his mom with wide eyes, looking back at Max. “Oh, right, Maman, this is Max. Max, this is my mum.” 

Max offered his hand, but the lady pulled him into a hug before she kissed both of his cheeks. She took him by surprise, but there was nothing he could do about it. 

“Nice to meet you, Max. I'm sorry, but I will have to steal Charles from you. There are some things in the kitchen that I need help with, and I don't trust Arthur in the kitchen,” Charles's mother said in broken English. 

The Dutchman barely had time to react. He was completely overwhelmed by the whole interaction. So he only nodded and gave the woman a tight-lipped smile before she dragged Charles away. 

There was a moment where both Max and Arthur just watched their feet. Not knowing what to say. “So, uh, do you, guys, like… together?” Arthur asked Max as they stood next to each other in silence. Max didn't mind the silence, honestly, especially in the chaos. 

Still, he knew ignoring Arthur would be rude, so he answered him. “Not yet, no,” 

Arthur hummed. “Not yet?” 

“Well, I mean, I think I wouldn't be here if Charles wasn't interested in me. And I like him a lot, so you know,” Max shrugged. 

“Max, do you know what Charles is like?” Arthur asked him carefully. Max couldn't believe it for a second. Even Charles' family knew about him being all crazy about his exes. He couldn't hold back a snort. 

“You mean the whole ex’s thing?" Max asked back as Arthur led them to a free couch. It was nice to sit down for a sec. The younger one probably needed it for the whole conversation they were about to have. 

“Yeah, he told you?” Arthur questioned, surprised. Max laughed at that. 

“No, but some of his friends did. Trust me, I think I've been warned enough," Max said with an eyeroll. He knew this would only spur Arthur; he looked like the type.

“Oh, I bet you didn't hear them all, man. Like he was like this even in his first relationship when he was fifteen,” the younger announced subtly.

“I don't believe that. He was basically a child back there. It couldn't be that bad,” Max argued casually. 

“It was that bad. Charles was dating this guy from his class, and he obviously broke up with Charles cause he started to like this other girl,” Arthur started explaining. Max listened carefully, not wanting to miss anything. 

“That's a dick thing to do, though," Max argued in Charles' defence. 

“Sure, it is, but Charles didn't have to ask the girl out. Make them date and then ask them all if they wanted to be a throuple,” Arthur said matter-of-factly. 

Max spurted out laughing, to Arthur's horror. 

“That’s not funny, man. Do you know how mad maman was?” Arthur complained. Max only laughed harder, imagining the whole scene. 

That's when he saw Charles from across the room, coming out of the kitchen. Max couldn't fight the fond look. Honestly, how could anyone break up with this guy? 

Max didn't understand the whole thing at all. If someone was breaking up here, it would be Charles with Max. Arthur watched Max's hopeless look and gave it up. The Dutchman was too caught up in Charles already. 

“Hey, I'm sorry it took me so long. Hope you weren't bored without me,” Charles sat down next to Max and looked firmly at Arthur. 

“I was actually terrible, so I think you should make it up to me,” Max said sarcastically and let Charles pull him into an apologetic kiss. 

When he asked Max if it was better now, he couldn't help but dazedly nod in agreement. Arthur watched this shitshow while shaking his head dismissively. 

____

Not long after that, they went on their first official date. Max found a beautiful cafe that sold many caramel-themed desserts. Which Charles loved. It was a beautiful afternoon. 

Both of them laughed and talked, and time didn't seem like a real concept between them. So Max decided to fuck it. Just fully sent it in. 

“Charles I was uh, thinking. I've had so much fun with you these past months, and I would love for you to be my boyfriend,” Max got out nervously, glancing at Charles. The Monegasque lost all the colour in his face. 

“Like, for us to be official?” Charles asked, still pale as a ghost. What the fuck was wrong?

“Yeah, I'd like that. You wouldn't?” Max questioned, confused. He thought they were on the same page here the whole time. Was he really that naive?

Charles took a sip of his lemonade and looked around nervously. “Max, I'm not sure you know what you're signing up for here. I can be a bit much.” 

Max frowned, confused. “Charlie, I highly doubt that. We are already together all the time. Why don't we just make it official?”

Charles sighed desperately. “I- okay. Max, I have something to tell you.” 

Max then realised what this was about. What this had to be about. 

“Is it the whole thing about you being crazy about your ex’s?” Max asked, taking Charles's hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. Charles' whole face turned tomato red. 

“Who told you that?” The Monegasque asked, horrified. Max couldn't fight the chuckle that escaped him. 

“Literally everyone, schatje,” Max explained, his smile sweet. 

“No, how could they? Give me names, Max, and why are you still here if you've heard about all of it?” Charles started freaking out. Not even the lemonade could soothe him now. 

“I'm still here because I like you. I'm not giving you their names, because you'll kill them,” Max argued, drawing small circles into Charles' palm to help him calm back down. 

“But Max, you don't know it all. I don't want you to regret this and break up with me…” Charles admitted. His tone was sad, and Max hated that. 

“Then tell me, baby. I think I've heard enough to make the picture, though,” Max tried again, but Charles looked at him with those sad eyes again. 

The Monegasque took a deep breath in. “You definitely don't know about the last one. I didn't tell anyone, but Max… I need you to promise me you will still like me.” 

Max was never quicker to answer. “Of course I will. You're it for me,” 

Charles smiled at that, the honest thing with dimples in his cheeks. God, Max wanted him so bad. 

“I was with this guy a few months back, and he broke up with me, obviously,” Charles started explaining shyly. Max nodded vehemently, paying attention. 

“I, uh, broke into his apartment and burned all the things I gave him and stole things that I knew he liked and also burned it…” Charles trailed off, still holding shaky eye contact with Max. 

The Dutchman really tried hard not to laugh, but he just couldn't. So he burst out laughing to Charles's astonishment. 

“Max, I could have gone to jail for that. This is not funny,” Charles whispered. Max couldn't take him seriously, though, with his cheeks still red and an angry pout. 

“I'm sorry, I just can't even imagine the face of the guy. Charlie, I have one thing to admit to you, too, I guess,” Max calmed down his laughter eventually as Charles rolled his eyes at Max's reaction. 

“I've never actually been in a relationship, so if you'll be my ex. You'll be the first and last because I'm not planning on being with anyone else, okay?” Max admitted shyly. His ears matched the shade of Charles' cheeks. 

The Monegasque only stared at him for a second. Mouth opened cutely and expression full of surprise. 

“I want to be your first and last,” Charles said confidently, making Max feel shivers on his neck. 

“So is that a yes on being my boyfriend?” Max cheekily asked, his fingers riding up higher on Charles' hand. 

“Yes,” Charles agreed easily before they kissed. 

Nothing felt as easy as this.