Chapter Text
True to his words, Max Verstappen barely rests the entire night but he doesn’t feel tired at all, in fact, it’s the opposite, he feels rejuvenated and it’s all thanks to Charles’ scent. Lucky for him, Charles seems to be a heavy slipper and one that sleeps many hours. It’s past the 8 hour mark and his mate is still snoozing away, it must be quite lax to be the Sun of Maranello because if Max tried to do this back home, his father would’ve tore him apart before sunrise.
By the time the brunette stirs awake it is noon and Max pretends to still be asleep, lightly snoring away as he hears Charles yawn, stretch and slowly patter his way to the bathroom. Only when Charles comes out with a brief shower, Max stretches like a big cat on the bed, slowly rising up to greet his mate.
“Morning… Ow… my head.” The blonde groans, faking a hangover while Charles laughs at him “Sorry about last night… I really shouldn’t have troubled you.”
The Monegasque’s eyes softened, shaking his head “No, it was no trouble. I was supposed to help you but we both ended up falling asleep…”
They share a smile before Max asks for permission to use the restroom, in which Charles gladly steps aside, even offering Max a change of clothes and a fresh towel. The Dutchman declines the latter, well knowing that his room isn’t too far away and though he wants to be close to Charles, he also reminds himself that he has to act normal and not be too overly attached to the brunette, otherwise, Charles might start to suspect him and no one wants a way Mafia on their back.
After freshening up, Max knows he has nothing left to do here for the day, he apologizes again out of courtesy before taking his leave.
He knows Charles’ room number. He left his scent in that room. And they part on good terms.
This is the best he can do; Max returns to his room, takes a long shower and even takes a quick power nap before leaving the cabin again to get some food. Now that he laid out the introductory path, he needs to steer clear of his mate just so everything doesn’t look too ‘coincidental’.
He eats his late lunch alone, takes a brisk walk by the swimming pool, familiarizes the large ship’s layout and even got to chat with some of the crew. Mundane boring things but it’s all in his act of being normal. By the end of the day, Max is laying on one of the many sun loungers, a book in hand and his hair tousled from strong winds.
It’s a big ship and Charles could be anywhere but interestingly enough his mate finds his way back to him so soon.
So quickly that it almost makes Max hopeful— his mouth waters with just the thought.
“Franz!” Charles greets with a big grin, large sunglasses still over his eyes and he’s dressed casually in short sleeves and knee length shorts. “Are you feeling better?”
“Yes. Just taking it easy now…” Max glanced over at the book in his hand and Charles can’t help but laugh at him “You’re reading a book on this cruise? Your mother and sister would’ve wanted you to party or have some fun…”
“I tried that last night… wasn’t very fun.” Max jabs but he means no real venom, just making the conversation lighter.
“That’s because you drank too fast… would’ve been fine… I was there… I’d take care of you.” Charles says with a shrug of his shoulders, Max believes it but he rolls his eyes as a response “You mean we’d both end up asleep on the bar counter?”
“Hey! That’s not true!”
The Dutchman laughs together with him, the conversation starts and soon enough Charles is sitting on the next seat and they’re bantering about world politics. His mate is intelligent, open-minded to his surroundings and strategic, Max couldn’t ask for anyone else, he wouldn’t- Charles is more than perfect.
It gets late when Charles asks Max to join him for dinner but the Dutchman politely declines “No, my stomach is still recovering from all the alcohol. Maybe some other time…” Max smiles, gets up from his seat and walks with Charles, he can see the flash of disappointment in those green eyes, maybe because Charles doesn’t know anyone else on this cruise so if the Dutchman rejects him then he’d be all alone.
Exactly what Max wants him to feel.
He wants him to feel isolated to the point where he’ll appreciate Max’s presence more.
“Oh, could you help me with this…” Max passes his jacket and book to Charles to hold while he clumsily fishes out his phone and hurriedly stops a crew from walking midway. “Excuse me, I have an issue with my room… this afternoon I tried to turn the heater on but it doesn’t seem to be working… and…. Here’s a picture, I think something is wrong because of the flashing red light… but… I mean…” Max trails off his words with the attentive crew, leaving his mate behind with his belongings.
The conversation drags on longer as intended, finally, the crew says he’ll inspect it for Max and the Dutchman turns to Charles “I’ll see you tomorrow, Charles!” He barely spares him a glance before quickly leading the crew down the long hallway to his assigned room.
Max is scheming but he isn’t cruel.
He left Charles his book in hopes his little precious Omega will be curious enough to read and maybe it will kill some time. He also left his jacket, maybe Charles will miss his scent or grow fond of it— Regardless of what happens, it gives both of them a reason to meet again.
If Max is lucky Charles will not return his book or jacket tomorrow.
-O-O-O-
On the next day, Max’s face is stoic when he accepts both the book and the jacket from Charles. It seems progress isn’t moving as fast as he imagines it. The Monegasque continues yapping along in his casual behaviour, they both take their lunch together and Charles tells him about his plans for the day; swimming, and then there’s some wine tasting in one of the bars, and then some other people invited him for an indoor padel match.
Independent as he should be. No question about that. Charles continues saying how he’s already stuck on the cruise, he might as well make the best of it.
Max encourages his mindset, like a good friend would but internally he’s groaning and his wolf is growing impatient again.
“You could join me if you want to…” Charles suggests, and Max has half the heart to accept but he knows better… he knows he can’t just think of short term wins.
“I’m not… very sociable… I think I’ll continue reading my book today and maybe get a drink after.”
“Okay… just don’t overdo it. I won’t be there to haul your fat ass.”
Max chuckles “Rude.” he mutters and they leave it at that.
-O-O-O-
The Dutchman makes good promises on his agenda, he does return to the bar late into the night in his polo tee, skinny jeans and casual sport shoes. Instead of his more formal gel hair, he leaves it in a soft mess, not bothering to even style it a little. Max isn’t stupid, he knows he’s charismatic and honestly intimidating so he opts for a more laid back look and sure enough, a few Omegas approach him.
Max drinks alone despite the attention; he does humor a few with conversation but none of them interest him. Anyway, he works down his drinks until his cheeks are tinted pink and he leans back in the cushioned seat, chuckling with female Omega who’s an inch away from sitting on his lap.
The blonde is not usually the type to play these tricks but since it’s just the beginning, it would be nice to know what Charles reacts and doesn’t react to.
He cannot be sure the Monegasque would show up tonight at this specific bar but Max is hopeful because if Charles is his mate, and there’s even a drop of primal instincts and connection between them— he should show up— he should care enough to come check and then—
“Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen… but he’s with me…”
Charles’ voice cuts through and the omegas around Max immediately whimper and blush at the new eye candy.
“Oh~ You could join us… there’s more than enough for two Alphas~” She licks her lips and even pushes her chest out more to give him a view of her assets but Charles' eyes are solely on Max’s face, probably trying to gauge how drunk the Dutchman is.
“No. Actually, we have something important to discuss… if you could just leave us.”
“Oh- But—”
Charles shoots one look, his Alpha hormones flaring up and all the Omegas immediately stumble to take their leave. Max chuckles, playing the drunk card again “You scared them away.”
The brunette huffs, taking a seat next to the Alpha “What are you thinking? They look like they were ready to jump you! I’ve never seen such a careless Alpha before…”
“They’re just being friendly….”
“Friendly? You were gonna be dragged back to their hotel room and then they’ll jump you-”
Max throws his head back in another loud laugh.
“Nah… they can’t. Only you can haul my fat ass.”
A smile cracks into Charles’ face, immediately his shoulders relax and he even playfully nudges Max’s arm, “I am serious though, you need to be more careful…”
“We’re just two passengers on a ship, Charles. What can go wrong?”
The eyes staring into Max’s have so much to say but no words come out, maybe he’s thinking he’s being too strung up for no good reason.
Max slides his glass over to Charles, half of the drink left in there “Cheers.”
Charles sighs, but ultimately he grabs it and downs it in one shot. Showing Max that he is indeed the cooler, calmer, steadier Alpha.
A short term battle Max is willing to lose because he had already dropped a pill of Omega hormones activator into the drink as soon as he caught a whiff of his mate’s scent.
One pill isn’t going to change much but it is a start of something and Charles not suspecting a thing means he’s starting to really trust Max.
It’s too early to rejoice but Max has a silly sheepish grin when Charles blinks at him without comment after swallowing his drink down.
-O-O-O-
A few drinks too many, Max manages to slip one more activator pill into Charles’ drink but he doesn’t push it further tonight. This time, Charles is more tipsy than the last, they’re both dragging their feet out but Max firmly holds Charles up with a hand on his waist.
“I need… to …. Introduce you to… Omegas in Monaco… they’re a different kind, Franz… they’re soft… and sweet… and you know… wait- do you have someone already?”
“No. No. I’m single.” “Pssh… no, you aren’t.”
“I am.”
“How? You have like a gazillion omegas around you.. I saw that…”
Max doesn’t know how to quantify ‘gazillion’ but he assumes that’s just hyperbole.
“I don’t want others… I just… want my mate.”
Charles stills in his tracks, eyes dazed from the alcohol “...Oh… you’re romantic like that?” It almost sounds like he’s adoring Max for that fact.
“Yeah. You think it’s stupid…”
“ Non! Of course, not! I am… the same.”
“My dad thinks it’s stupid…-”
“I think your dad is stupid.” Charles cuts him off immediately and Max chuckles. “There’s nothing wrong with… um… waiting for the one that’s made for you… People in my family- not my brothers, of course, they keep… pestering me about Omegas… I do not know why. And when I was younger… I was not allowed to be near any Alphas or Omegas, I could only be around Betas… suddenly they want me to think of Omegas… it is so… stupid! ”
Max mentally agrees on that.
“It can be forced. I’ve met so many omegas and honestly… they do not smell even the slightest good to me! It is so… weird! I think…it’s because I haven’t been around a lot of them so I am not used to it…. It’s just nothing! I cannot even pretend—”
None of the Omegas smell appealing because… Charles isn’t meant to be an Alpha sniffing out for other omegas.
“You’ll know when it’s your mate.” He coos softly and Charles nods absentmindedly “Yeah… that’s what I keep saying… no one gets me…”
“I do.” Max’s hold on Charles grows tighter.
“...I don’t understand… Everyone never allowed me to be around Alphas for long unless it’s Arthur or Lorenzo… they said I’d be too territorial and would end up fighting… but look at me! I’m conversing just fine!! I don’t….” Charles suddenly turns to face Max in the face “...I don’t look at your handsome face and think I wanna punch it!! See! Perfectly normal! To think I was deprived…. Of all the outside games with Pierre…. And…. I still have a curfew in Monaco… a curfew…. Do you know how crazy that is, Franz?”
The Monegasque mumbles and slurs his words, even going as far as speaking foreign tongue; Max affirms the discussion with nods and hums of agreement.
“Your family sounds overprotective.”
“They are! They are! That’s a good word, Franz! You are so smart!”
To stabilize himself, Charles leans his weight on Max, the Alpha doesn’t comment how the brunette breathes in deeply, so close that his scent must be all he can smell.
“Think we should go back to our rooms and rest… maybe pick another hobby that isn’t drinking….”
“But Franz!!!!” Charles whines loudly “We’re free… of our jobs, our responsibilities, our families… our everything… I can drink the cruise broke and it wouldn’t matter…”
Max contemplates for a while.
“Well, what do you want to do?” He thinks he should indulge his Omega.
-O-O-O-
It is so late that some areas are closed off or restricted; still, it doesn’t stop Charles from dragging Max along the familiar deck. There is no one else but them, it is quiet and after a few turns and run in with the walls, they make it to the indoor pool.
Apparently, drunk Charles is a mischievous Charles or maybe just relaxed and playful. He likes to swim, he yaps about Monaco’s waters– Max is only half way trying to persuade him off this bad idea before the Monegasque dives in.
He emerges out like some God, Max has to swallow a lump in his throat.
Water drips down the side of his sharp jaw, eyes as bright as the sparkling light, hair soaked and the shirt he’s wearing becomes almost transparent thanks to the pool water.
“Come on!” He beacons and who is Max Verstappen to deny the love of his life?
The Alpha jumps in all the same, creating a much bigger splash in which Charles laughs, scolds him for the mess. Their laughs echo through the quiet place, gibberish exchanged between them, they do a few laps, racing each other which Max is sure he wins but drunk Charles is adamant that he’s the faster swimmer. The Monegasque isn’t wrong, it’s just that he keeps swimming in the wrong direction thanks to his slower cognitive abilities right now.
Charles is all giggly, but Max can see the tiredness seeping in.
“We should go… before someone catches us…” Max reaches out to grab Charles by the hand, leading him to the edge before he helps himself out, sitting by the edge and waiting for the brunette to do the same.
As expected, Charles refuses to leave, mumbling about the waters in Monaco again.
Max sighs, he leans closer, grabs Charles under his arms on both sides and just lifts .
The weight of him plus excess water on clothes means he’s heavier than normal but Max makes it look effortlessly. He plops the Omegas next to him, Charles seems so surprised that he’s speechless.
The Dutchman doesn’t throw any comment, he quickly grabs a nearby towel, dries Charles the best he can before he takes his hand and leads him back to more well lit areas. They are dripping water on the carpet floor, someone will complain about this but Max will deal with that tomorrow, now he has a semi-drunk, semi-sleepy mate to care for.
“Charles, your room number?” Max asks as if he doesn’t already memorize it.
Charles plays coy, refuses to hand over the card or the number.
“ Charlie, please. You will catch a cold if you don’t get out of these clothes… and we are making a mess…” Max pleads, he really is worried for Charles’ health but the desperation is just a setup for what he’s about to say next “I’d take you back to my room to dry you up but my heater is still broken… so tell me your room number.”
The Monegasque blinks at him, as if he’s recalling that conversation Max had with the crew about the heater and stuff.
“Oh. They didn’t fix it?”
“Not yet.”
It can’t be fixed because he broke it but no one has to know. Honestly, Max can’t see the future, he wouldn’t have known Charles wanted to go swimming while drunk but his opportunistic mind moves as it goes on so the previous bait now catches an even bigger prey. A huge win if he pulls it off.
“Then you’ll be cold tonight…”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it isn’t. What if you catch a cold?”
“Charles, I am—”
“Let’s go. You can use the shower in my room.” Charles grabs the keycard in his back pocket, and shoves it to Max’s hand. “I even have a tub.” He says absentmindedly.
-O-O-O-
Yet again, Max Verstappen finds himself in Charles Leclerc’s room.
“You first…”
“No, Charles, you–”
“My head is still spinning… Franz, you go first, please .”
Max doesn’t argue, he gets in the spacious bathroom, strips himself bare, kicks off his wet and heavy attire to the corner and takes a quick hot shower. He doesn’t want to take too long because Charles should have his turn otherwise he might really catch a cold. Steam escapes the room when Max opens the door, his hair is still wet with droplets but he’s very warm now.
With just a towel wrapped lowly around his waist, he walks out “Charles… I’ll need to borrow some clothes.”
The Monegasque’s face is almost comical, if Max isn’t so invested in his scheme, he would’ve laughed because Charles is staring at him with wide eyes, pink cheeks and his mouth slightly ajar. What is going through the Omega’s mind? Max doesn’t know but he’s probably not sure how to behave around another Alpha at such proximity.
“Charles?”
“Right- Clothes! Sorry- Franz! Hold… just.. Um… my luggage…. I….”
Max turns his body to follow Charles’ gaze and finds the large luggage set behind him, he helps himself to rummaging for suitable clothes; giving the Monegasque a very clear view of his muscular back and broad shoulders. All those hours of gym isn’t for nothing, Max knows he has quite the body to show for it.
“I’ll dry clean these before I return them…” Max takes out an oversized shirt and some plain shorts, Charles just mutters “Ok.”
His Omega looks so dazed. He’s so cute!
Max feels a need to squeeze something in his hand, he has a severe case of cute aggression because Charles blinks at him so confused and adorably.
It must be new, to be with another Alpha in such closed quarters. To have a connection that was forbidden before; to find someone so easy to relate to that brings a foreign ease and comfort.
“Charles… you should shower before you catch a cold.”
Charles does exactly as he’s told without missing a beat.
Max smiles to himself, pleased by the obedience.
While his mate is in the shower, hopefully more sober now, Max takes his time looking through the drawers and his suitcase. Unsurprisingly, he finds a loaded gun piled below clothes, of course, Lorenzo Leclerc wouldn’t send his baby brother off without a weapon. Is it just for safety reasons? Or could the current head of the Leclerc Family be a bit suspicious after all? Max is very sure they ran background checks on all passengers before setting Charles up for this wild ruse.
If it comes clean, there would be no need for a weapon like this, especially for 2 months. Unless he wasn’t sure… unless he was extra careful… unless he had reasons to doubt because everyone is on a cruise ship, there is no way out unless thrown off the ship–
The Dutch Lion locks the remainder of his thoughts away when shower sounds come to a halt.
Charles walks out in a fluffy bathrobe, definitely sobering up now.
“I left some pills for tomorrow… good for your hangover if any…”
“...Thank you, Franz. That’s very considerate of you.”
“No problem. Get some rest, Charles… I’ll…”
“You could stay if you want… it’s late anyway….”
As if his room isn’t just a few levels away or so.
“I really don’t want to impose…”
“You’re not. And… I feel… silly for making you jump in a pool with me fully clothed…”
Would it have been better if we were nude? Max doesn’t ask.
“I had fun.”
Charles looks surprised by that response, he mumbles softly “...Me too”
The Omega continues “Besides, we’ve already shared the bed before… this is no different.”
Max pretends to contemplate before he nods his head.
“You’re right. This is no different.”