Chapter Text
They had just finished filming their latest YouTube video, ‘Can four boys cook dinner with receiving punishments from a wheel?’.
Charles was laying on Alex’s bed, half scrolling through his phone and half watching Lando and George argue over the rough cut playing on Alex’s laptop.
“We’re keeping it in,” Lando said for what had to be at least the third time.
George gave him an offended look. “No, we are absolutely not.”
Lando dragged the playhead back a few seconds and hit space.
On screen, Alex was doubled over laughing while George insisted he had, in fact, followed the wheel’s instructions correctly. The sentence was immediately ruined by his voice cracking halfway through the word
“Come on George! It’s funny.” Lando tried again.
“It is utterly humiliating.” George protested, cheeks reddening from frustration.
“Exactly.”
George turned to Alex instead. “You’re the editor. Tell him.”
Alex glanced up from the timeline, trying and failing to hide a smile.
“It is quite funny.”
George stared at him. “And I believed you had a good heart.”
Alex just grinned, “Think about the big picture, Georgie. The fans would love it!”
George gave a blank stare. “You mean they would love making fun of me.” He countered.
“Basically the same thing, right?” Charles laughed from the bed without looking up from his phone.
“Leave it in.” He agreed with Lando and Alex. They have all had their share of embarrassing moment on camera. George is just being a bit difficult with it.
George glared.
“You” He pointed at the brunette. “Don’t get an opinion.”
Charles finally looked up, confused. “Why?”
“Because last week we cut out the bit where you walked straight into a glass door.”
Charles frowned. “I still think that door wasn’t very visible.”
Alex’ grin widened at that.
“It’s alright Charlie, it could’ve easily happened to Lando as well.” He moved his head just in time to not be hit by the pillow Lando threw at him, who was launching in an explanation that the bullying he endured will no longer be accepted since he had started a rebellion.
“Come on Charles, us victims of the bullies have to stick together in dark times like these!” Lando pulled him up by the hand, swinging an arm around his shoulder and puffing his chest out. Safe to say he looked absolutely ridiculous.
“Mate, you were just bullying me like 20 seconds ago.” George countered, rolling his eyes.
“I did no such thing.” Lando huffed in reply.
Charles smiled at them. Moments like these felt easy.
He loved filming with his friends.
Loved the time they spent together and the way strangers appreciated their bond and the effort they put in the videos.
But there were some days that he felt as if he had to put on an act, like he couldn’t fully be himself.
Hyper aware of the camera that was pointed at him, of the opinions strangers would base of those short moments they saw.
Sometimes it felt like he wasn’t just being himself, as if he was performing a version of himself.
A version that laughed a little louder, talked a little more, and never let the quiet moments linger.
This didn’t occur very commonly, he often felt comfortable in front of the camera. Trusting in himself to be entertaining enough. But the few times that he was insecure, filming always felt a bit more draining.
He often talked about this with the others.
They learned to recognise when Charles smile wasn’t real and he was putting on the act.
Often trying to engage him in a pointless conversation to pull him out of his head.
It always worked, he’d focus on them and forget the camera.
Allowing him to come across as more comfortable to the viewers.
“Alright, the video is uploaded!” Lando whooped.
“Charlie, could you and George please set up the instagram post. I sent a shirt video you could include in it.” Alex gave him a bright smile.
“Of course Albono!” He smiled back, downloading the video and opening insta.
He and George pondered between a few captions before just settling with the easy option.
twitchquartet
July 27, 2026
27.6k likes
twitchquartet NEW VID IS OUT NOW GO WATCH!!!!
[video attachment]
Description:
Alex spins the
colourful
punishment wheel positioned on the kitchen island between the two teams. It slows before landing on ‘no talking’ George groans in response while Lando and Charles laugh and exchange a high-five across the counter.
[view comments]
@landonorris
Watch if you want to see Galex get absolutely COOKED by me and charlie!!!!!🔥🔥
⤷ @GeorgeRussell
some might say cheating took its place in this challenge…
@Quartettsswho
STOP I’M CRYING HOW DID ALEX AND GEORGE NOT NOTICE LANDO ADDED A WHOLE STICK OF BUTTER 😭😭😭
⤷ @Galexsismygayness
they were just to busy gazing lovingly in the others eyes…
@Milominwaters
THIS EDITING IS PEAK MY TUMMY HURTS FROM LAUGHING
⤷ @Hallebinster63
REAL 😭 the slow-mo with We Are the Champions playing while Charles and Lando hugged and collapsed to the floor was so unnecessarily cinematic.
@Charleeessssss088
Charles and Lando cheating was the least surprising part of this video.
@Alexismyboy23
The wheel was against George from the very beginning 😭
@Georgierussyyy
Charles giggling before doing something he absolutely shouldn’t be doing is sooo funny
@Darrinthemgrils
Alex laughing instead of helping George gets me every single time 😭
“We posted it!” Charles announced, slipping his phone into his pocket. “What time do we have to be up tomorrow?”
George glanced at his own phone. “Eight.”
“Eight?” Lando repeated. “On a Saturday? That’s actually inhumane.”
“We have to beat the queues,” George reminded him.
“And get good lighting, I’m not in the mood for another demon fiasco.” Alex added, recoiling a bit at the memory of when he got memed.
It was one of their older videos before they blew up. They had stayed in Italy for a couple of days and when traveling back, there was a shot were George was arguing with the cashier of the gas station about god knows what while Alex stood next to him.
The bad lighting and his haunted expression caused by his tiredness making him look very demonic. The video quickly got resurfaced and the clip got memed. Still haunting him till this day.
Lando groaned dramatically. “I’m hearing a lot of things but not a single solution to the horror of waking up before 8.”
“The solution,” George said, “is going to bed before three in the morning for once.”
Lando glared “I sleep before 3 sometimes.”
Charles laughed, shaking his head.
They’d planned the amusement park trip months ago, originally as a weekend away with no cameras, no deadlines, and no pressure to entertain anyone but themselves. They had even filmed an extra video the week before so they could take a break from uploading.
Then Lando had pitched an idea over dinner.
“What if we film at the park?”
Within minutes, they’d all agreed.
None of them had really minded.
Filming had never been the problem. If anything, it often made the memories even better. Looking back through old videos meant reliving holidays they’d half forgotten, inside jokes that had somehow become fan favourites, and moments they’d never have remembered otherwise.
As long as they were together, it rarely felt like work.
“Is it alright if I go to bed now, then?” Charles asked, knowing he wasn’t a morning person. And not having his 10 hours of sleep definitely wouldn’t help.
“Of course, sleep well!” Alex gave him a warm smile, patting his shoulder as he stood up.
“I might go to bed early as well, I’m absolutely knackered.” George muttered, already standing up. “I will wake everyone up at 7 if you aren’t up already.”
George often took the role has the parent, making sure everything was organised and planned. He looked out for the rest and made sure they took care of themselves.
They, of course, all looked out for each other but George did it to an extreme extent. It was very sweet really.
“It’s not even 9, how are you guys going to sleep so early.” Lando groaned, standing up as well. “I’ll let you guys sleep. I don’t think I’m tired yet but miracles happen so who knows.”
Both George and Charles lived upstairs, along with Alex. Lando’s room was downstairs next to the living room.
George room was right next to Alex’ while Charles’ was down the hall. This luckily meant he and Lando would not be bothered by the sounds of the other duo getting up at the crack of dawn every damn morning.
So that was nice.
Charles had his own bathroom right next to his room, he quickly changed into Panama’s and brushed his teeth before he jumped in bed. He checked their uploaded video, the comments and likes had already started trickling in.
It made him happy to see so many people supported and enjoyed watching them.
At the start they weren’t super popular. Having a couple of thousand views every video. They were ecstatic at the fact people even watched so when the channel really took of they were over the moon.
They had recently hit half a million subscribers. They had a whole special video for that one. They did that for every big number they hit.
Sometimes he rewatched those videos. Feeling nostalgic at the view of their younger selves celebrating a thousand subscribers.
If only he would know where they were at now.
After trying to close his eyes, he decides he needs a game to wind off. He opens his laptop and joins the first open lobby he can fin, loading into a server immediately.
*
Max is streaming again tonight.
Daniel had convinced them to play an open lobby round so that they could interact with the viewers.
They had been live for a couple of minutes, but slowly viewers started trickling in.
“Lobby’s full!” Daniel’s voice boomed through his headset. “Let’s get this show on the road, boys.”
The loading screen disappeared, replaced by the starting grid.
Twenty names filled the timing tower.
He skimmed over them absent-mindedly while waiting for the lights.
Most of them were usernames he didn’t recognise.
“Good luck,” Daniel said.
“Try not to take each other out before turn one, guys.” Carlos commented, smirking lightly.
The lights went out.
It was chaos. In his mirrors he saw someone spinning out into the barriers, cars collide and many overtakes.
Daniel’s laugh echoed through the headset.
“There they go.”
“I told you,” Carlos sighed.
Max slipped through the middle of it all untouched, emerging from the first sector still in the lead.
“That’s how it’s done.” Max couldn’t help the satisfied smile forming on his face.
“Don’t get cocky now, Maximilian.” Daniel’s voice was teasing.
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
The first few laps settled into a rhythm.
Daniel had somehow remained sixth despite having made contact with a McLaren.
Carlos sat comfortably in fourth, having chosen Ferrari since the other chose the red bulls.
Max slowly built a gap at the front.
The chat flew by too quickly to read properly.
Every now and then a message would catch his eye.
MVFANNNN33: MAX FOR THE WINNN
Reyreyfsfsf7: LOOK AT P2 HES COOKING
He ignored it.
People always wanted him to look at something while he was focusing on driving.
Usually it was to make him lose focus. It was like they wanted him to lose.
By lap five, the gap behind had shrunk.
Eight tenths.
Six.
Four.
“Hm.” He wasn’t opposed to some wheel to wheel from time to time.
A red car filled his mirrors.
Quick.
Very quick.
“P2 is absolutely flying!” Daniel observed.
“I’ve noticed.”
The driver stayed tucked in behind him for another lap.
Patient.
No desperate divebombs.
No weaving.
Just… waiting.
Max glanced at the leaderboard.
“Who’s is in second?”
“Not sure, the username does ring a bell.”
Max defended the inside into Turn Three.
The red car didn’t commit.
Instead it tucked back in, carrying more speed through the corner.
Interesting.
The next lap, they tried again.
This time around the outside.
Max frowned slightly.
That was a very bold move.
He held his line.
The red car refused to back out.
Wheel to wheel.
Neither giving an inch.
For a heartbeat it looked like they might actually make it.
Then the track narrowed.
A slight nudge.
Nothing major.
The red car bounced over the kerb before dropping back in behind.
Daniel whistled.
“Ooh.”
“Bit close.”
“It was fine.”
“Mhm.”
The chat had other ideas.
Messages flooded past so quickly they blurred together.
smoooothhhoperator: WHO IS THAT
Dannnyyyylove: NO WAY THATS THAT YOUTUBER RIGHT????
Daniel suddenly burst out laughing.
“Mate! You won’t believe this!”
“What?” Max hesitated, not sure where this was going.
“Look at P2.” Daniel’s glee was very evident in his voice, obviously not bothered by the fact he had spun out laps ago.
“I’m looking at P2.” Max snapped.
“No, look at the name.” Carlos added, also sounding very entertained.
Max finally glanced properly at the timing tower.
C.Leclerc
Carlos chuckled at Max’ silence.
“I also didn’t expect to see him here.”
“Well,” Daniel said, sounding far too pleased with himself, “this just got interesting.”
Max’s grip tightened almost imperceptibly around the wheel.
One race.
It was still just one race.
But he wasn’t particularly interested in losing it.
But Leclerc seemed to have a different idea. Another lap went by.
This time the exit behind him was much stronger.
The red car was already pulling alongside before they’d even reached the braking boards.
“Oh.”
Max’s grip tightened around the wheel.
He stayed to the inside.
Late on the brakes.
The red Ferrari held the outside.
Neither lifted.
His headphones had grown quiet. Neither Carlos or Daniel were speaking anymore. Both were to focused on watching the fight via Max’ camera point of view.
The only sounds in Max’s headset were the engines and the rapid clicking of paddle shifters.
They turned in together.
Max clipped the apex perfectly.
He was fractionally ahead. Enough to claim the corner.
At least, that’s how he saw it.
He unwound the steering and squeezed the throttle. Naturally, the car drifted towards the outside kerb. It was the quickest line, it always had been.
For a split second, he forgot the red car was still there.
The red car bounced across the exit kerb, kicking up a cloud of dust before somehow gathering itself again.
“Ooh…” Daniel let out a low whistle.
Max expected him to fall back. Anyone else probably would’ve.
Instead, the red car stayed planted.
“Seriously…” He muttered, frustration building up in his chest.
The other driver had somehow carried enough speed over the kerb to stay level with him.
Because Max had drifted wider, his own exit suffered. He felt it immediately.
The rear stepped ever so slightly.
Traction.
Just enough.
He watched as the red car edged ahead. First half a car length. Then a full one.
By the next corner, the move was done, and Max had no choice but to slot in behind.
Daniel whistled. “No idea someone could actually beat our MaxyBoy. But I seemed to be wrong.”
Max just rolled his eyes, he had always hated losing. This occasion wasn’t an exclusion from the frustration he usually felt.
The remaining laps passed in a blur. Max stayed close enough to have another go. Never quite close enough to make it happen.
Charles didn’t make a single mistake in the remaining laps. Not once.
And when the chequered flag finally fell, Max crossed the line just over half a second behind him.
He leaned back in his chair. The round was over, the server was refreshed and he tried to just move on. Making quick conversation with Carlos and Daniel as they talked about their own races.
They played 2 more rounds before coming to ending the stream. Max won both, obviously. But all the chat seemed to talk about was him losing.
He was aware of Charles’ existence.
A YouTuber who was mostly known for his Humor, charm and undeniably good looks. Really Charles was utterly breathtaking. Sharp, but soft features and big eyes. It seems as God really did have favourite.
Max shook himself out of those thoughts, forcing to think about Charles’ YouTube channel instead. The videos were well made and that earned them a fast growing fan base.
Objectively, Max knew their videos were good. He admittedly has watched a video or two, admiring the obvious real bond between the friends.
He could see it by the way the moved and spoke around each other.
Right now, Max couldn’t find that admiration as he opened instagram, checking if Leclerc his profile.
charles.leclerc
july 27, 2026.
34,2k likes
@charles.leclerc: Thinking about opening for orders. 😊
[6 photos attached]
Description:
1st photo: A selfie taken by Alex of the group. Lando is sticking his tongue out while flipping George off, who is frowning deeply at the camera. Alex is smiling widely and Charles is giving the camera a wink.
2nd photo: a photo of Lando and Charles’ first meal, the Mac and Cheese that they cooked.
3rd photo: A photo taken of Charles where he makes a pouty face at the camera while his face has streaks of sauce. 4th photo: a photo of the punishment-wheel being tucked in in George’s bed. Google eyes are sticked on top of the wheel. 5th photo: a selfie of Lando made where he, Alex and Charles are laying on Alex’ bed. A laptop with the editing tab perched on Alex’ lap.
6th photo: A photo of a laptop showing a victory screen. Under it reads:
P1: C.Leclerc
P2: M.Verstappen
…
[view comments]
@landonorris
You just can’t stop winning today, can you 😎
@rileyreadssz
NOT HIM INCLUDING HIS WIN AGAINST VERSTAPPEN 😭
@Mnibondelo
I feel so parental over the wheel now ❤️ the way George abused him was NOT okay… 😔
⤷ @Gigiqrstz
#freethewheel #stopabusinghimGeorge…
@Yarassslifr
I’d pay double if the deliver is Charles 😍
⤷ @Uginefffg6
Real that man is out of this world beautiful. I mean look at those dimples mate.
@MaxVerstappen33
Nice cooking. Driving could use some work.
⤷@Emilyyyy16
NO WAYYYYYYYY
⤷@Tessintroublessz
BAHAHA MAD MAX HAS RETURNED.
⤷@Max33Yrooks
He is right tho, the overtake was outside of the kerb. He just got lucky.
⤷@Charlesssswelove
Mate it was still a great move.
But stay mad ig
He smiled, satisfied with the comments before turning off his phone and going to sleep. Surely this wouldn’t be such a big deal, right?