Chapter Text
Coming to Max's Grand Prix felt right. They couldn't afford to see each other too often, so when Dani carefully asked, Max was absolutely thrilled. They hadn't announced yet that Dani would be his new teammate, but journalists were starting to notice the frequency of their meetings too quickly.
Their awkward pack came together slowly, as if each was expecting something different, and was too shocked by what it ultimately turned into. It became strong in record time, even too strong for a temporary pack, which it no longer was. It seemed like a new foundation, one that was becoming something bigger than anyone had planned. But now it felt essential.
Max sent him the key card through his manager. The manager, already used to this, greeted Dani outside with a smile and, after exchanging a few words, also handed him a box of Kinder Surprises. Dani winked cheerfully and pressed his index finger to his lips, as both of them understood just how forbidden this was.
When the door opened, Dani was already full of anticipation. They hadn't seen each other for too long, even for ordinary friends, which they had long since ceased to be. The omega bite was proof of that, standing out particularly brightly in photos that actively flashed on gossip sites next to comparisons of Max's bite marks.
"Max?" There was no answer, but a soft rustling from the room caught his attention.
Dani put down the chocolate and hung up his jacket, looking with a complicated expression at the number of empty energy drink cans gleaming in different corners of the room. At least he definitely had the right room.
Slowly walking into the room in question, Dani froze, finally taking in Max. A pile of colorful blankets and mountains of team kits had created a surprisingly strange nest. It was unpleasant for his alpha, not only because it was clearly not from the pack, but also because of how it smelled. It was simply awful.
The heavy scent of competition, dominance, and quiet malice, which felt like almost physical poison, sticking cloyingly to the skin. In some places, the scent intensified, in others it weakened and turned into something good, soft, but so insignificant it was almost impossible to detect. And in the middle of all this, curled up in a ball, lay Max.
The omega's body was tense, his hands clutching a dark green shirt and a white sports jersey, which actually smelled of something normal. But it clearly wasn't helping. Max was obviously trying to make himself smaller, less noticeable, completely ignoring his discomfort where it shouldn't exist at all. Dani's hands clenched on their own, but he forced himself to relax and release a little calming scent.
He slowly moved closer, squatting down, and then kneeling completely, resting his head on the edge of the nest where Max was touching it. The scent intensified, as his hand touched the other's back, tracing slow circles. A heavy sigh was heard, as the body noticeably pressed into the calming gesture: Max was waking up.
First, he simply turned to face Dani, not even realizing it, seeking that scent that felt right, pleasant. His hand now touched the omega's chest, feeling the heart beneath his fingers slowly pick up speed, emerging from sleep. His eyelids fluttered, opening confusedly, revealing blue, sleepy eyes. Without even fully realizing it, he smiled softly, immediately reaching for the alpha.
"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Dani whispered in greeting, pulling Max closer. His arms wrapped around the other's back, feeling the slow rhythm of a budding purr. "Is everything okay?"
"Mmm," Max pressed closer, gradually trying to climb onto the floor to be closer to Dani, and that was what was impossible. He shouldn't be leaving the nest; he should be pulling Dani into it. And that made everything even more worrying, even more unpleasant. "Dani, I missed you."
Max nuzzled against the other's neck, softly touching the other's lips. His arms wrapped around the other's neck, as the sweet scent of mango with lavender and sandalwood mixed with vetiver and orange. Hot breath scorched his skin; Max closed his eyes, just letting himself breathe in their scent. His body slowly relaxed, as his fingers clung to the warm skin.
Dani sat back on his heels, carefully pulling the willing Max towards him. Max sat on his lap, pressing his body as close as possible, leaving no air between them. Dani closed his eyes, beginning to trace soothing circles on his back. Max seemed too sweet when he was sleepy, but the upcoming race placed too many restrictions on them.
"Me too, my little one," Dani began to slowly cover Max's face with kisses, while Max purred, leaning into them. His breath hitched when the lips touched his cheekbones or lingered too long near his ears, and a quiet moan escaped when Dani softly pressed against the corner of his mouth.
A quick tongue darted out, running over his mouth with familiar precision. Max loved this, and always did it when he could. He licked at Dani's lips, slowly tasting his alpha, moaning softly. This could go on for a long time, perhaps for hours, but restraint wasn't their pack's strong suit. But now he could only squeeze that waist to keep his hands from going higher or doing what he couldn't. He trembled, as Max continued his actions selflessly, it seemed, like a real threat, knowing that Dani couldn't do anything. And yes, the alert, sly squint gave him the answer that this was intentional.
"Little devil," Dani narrowed his eyes, when Max bit his lower lip in retaliation.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Max smiled with such an innocent look that, from the outside, Dani now seemed like the real villain.
"I would gladly continue this conversation after the Grand Prix," Dani squeezed Max's waist, pulling him in, giving a small thrust of his hips, making the omega squeak.
Max blushed and pouted so quickly that Dani couldn't help but giggle. He hunched over, grimacing, and hid his head in the junction of Dani's neck and shoulder. His nose pressed into a clean scent gland, not hidden by any blockers. While Max did everything to show his displeasure. So cute.
"If I let you into my nest," Max snorted, but rubbed his cheek against the gland, covering himself with the scent.
"Whatever you say, honey," Dani laughed, when small omega fangs scratched his skin. He tilted his head back, giving Max better access, for which he received an even more disgruntled snort.
They continued sitting, exchanging words, until Max had completely melted over Dani, who had leaned back onto the floor. The nest was forgotten, completely displaced by their mixed scent, with a clear note of arousal. Not flaring up, but languid and sweet, enough for Max to start feeling hungry.
"You should have come earlier," Max grumbled, as the familiar pressure on his lower back never led to anything. "The only consolation is that this is the last race of the season."
"Mmm, yes. I think the guys have really missed you; maybe I'm even lucky that I'll manage to grab a piece of you before I get kicked out of the room." Max rolled his eyes, but broke into a smile, thinking about how he would finally reunite with his pack. He lowered his head, pressing against the other's chest. His ear was right over Dani's heart, listening to its rhythm. Max sighed, closing his eyes.
"I wish you could all be with me always."
The confession came easily, but hit Dani like a blow to the gut. They both understood that with their schedules, this was almost impossible. And how tired and sad his voice was made it painful. Dani wrapped his arms around his back, pulling him close and leaving a series of kisses in his hair.
"We'll do everything to make that happen," Max nodded, knowing that Dani would understand, but his hands still unconsciously clenched on the other's shoulders.
"Your scent lets me breathe," Max shifted, slowly curling into the fetal position. Dani paused, not knowing how to start the conversation. He glanced quickly at the nest and sighed.
"We could give you more things, so you could take them with you," Dani began slowly. "We didn't know you don’t have enough."
Max froze. His hands rose to his chest, clenching. He closed his eyes again, when he felt a soft stroking on his hip. Dani's wrist rose to his face, covering it from above, almost touching his nose with his scent gland. Max covered his knuckles with his own palm, pressing them closer, as moisture gathered under his eyes.
"I can't," Max replied quietly, barely audible.
"But why?" Dani frowned, looking confusedly at the other's crown.
"The pack doesn't like the scent of 'outsiders'," Max squeezed the other's hand tighter, threading his fingers through Dani's.
"Max," Dani sighed. "You don't have to stay with them anymore, do you understand?"
"It's my first pack," he paused. "I can't just…"
Max curled in on himself, forcefully trying to escape the memories of his years in Formula One. But even so, he could now smell the nest again. A lump formed in his throat, from the desperate realization of how much he didn't want to lose Dani's scent and feel that oppressive mixture again.
"Honey," Dani pressed his lips together, struggling to find gentle words. "These are not the people you should be worried about."
Max sighed. He reluctantly sat up. His shoulders slumped, and his eyes were red, holding too much regret.
"I don't know how I'll cope when they reject me again," Max looked through him, as his fingers clenched his shirt until his knuckles turned white. "They take care of me."
"Maxi…" Dani sat up as well, carefully taking Max's face in his hands, feeling the quiet trembling of the body before him. "They don't."
"They give me nesting materials," Max absently smoothed the fabric he had just crumpled, still not looking up. "Before, they even helped with the heat."
"But then why do they give you things that smell of hate?"
Max froze. His hands stopped, as his head slowly lifted. The confusion on his face was so genuine that Dani realized with painful clarity that Max couldn't feel it.
"What do you mean?" Max spoke slowly, confusedly, frowning and pressing his lips together.
"I…" Dani hesitated and pressed his lips together. It was wrong and unpleasant, but what he wanted to do would help Max understand. Dani leaned away from Max, as Max continued to watch him, and released a scent filled with weak, too timid, but hate — just a small part of what he felt for the Formula One pack right now. "What do you feel right now?"
"Your scent?" Max sniffed the air, tilting his head. "A bit sharper, but what's all this for?"
Dani closed his eyes, immediately struggling to change it to a calming sweetness, while the hatred inside him boiled. Max couldn't recognize the scent of aggression. What is ingrained in everyone's instincts, especially an omega's instincts, when it comes from an alpha. Almost the entire Formula One pack consists of alphas. Fuck.
Dani stood up, pulling Max into an embrace, as Max looked at him strangely, clearly not understanding what was happening. Sleep was long forgotten, but the conversation was still just beginning, as Dani closed his eyes, holding back his anger and a horrifying feeling of pain. He wanted to protect him, take him away from this fucking Formula One, and give him, together with the pack, all the love he deserves.
"Max…" he paused, realizing that Max couldn't know this before the race, even if he reacted normally. "Maybe you could do something for me?"
"Yes, of course," Max relaxed a little, but still looked too disoriented.
"Maybe, while I'm here, we could use things from our pack?" he bit his lip, trying not to add the desire to burn almost every item from that other nest. "I think everyone is too busy right now to notice."
Max thought for a moment, biting his cheek, then slowly nodded. A wave of relief washed over Dani's body, while the pain inside seemed only to grow.
"Yes, I would like that."
Max smiled weakly, still finding the situation strange, but the relief that Dani's mere presence gave him overshadowed everything else. The alpha leaned in, kissing him softly. Chastely, almost as if he didn't want to break something fragile. He wanted to press closer again or continue the kiss when Dani's tongue touched his lips.
Max froze, shocked. His eyes darted up and down, catching a soft, laughing gaze in return.
"God, you know, it's like those videos where people licked a dog," Dani laughed, while Max was still completely stunned, making Dani laugh even harder. Something ached inside him from the love that overwhelmed him at the sight of Max. He couldn't control himself, kissing him deeply, strongly, the way he had wanted to from the start, but now he wasn't thinking about any Formula One, much less about other drivers. Nothing mattered except Max, in his arms. And they would figure out the rest together.