Chapter Text
There is no better way to understand your mate than playing competitive sports; some say it brings the best in people, sometimes the worst. For Max, it is just one of the many reasons he loves Charles Leclerc. It is clear that he’s very driven and passionate in whatever he does. They played a couple of warm-ups together before two strangers asked if they were up for a challenge.
Max and Charles shared one glance and the decision was made. Now, side by side they’re in perfect understanding of the objective: they want to win . It doesn’t matter that this is a friendly random match on a cruise ship in the middle of some ocean- It doesn’t matter that they’ve just met these two kind souls who probably just want some leisure sports to chill. It doesn't matter because Charles and Max have zero intention to lose.
It takes awhile for them to get a flow of each other’s playstyle; Charles is aggressive on the court, takes every opportunity to do a fast blow but does occasionally make mistakes when he gets excited. Max is as aggressive but tends to drag out the game and send out unpredictable moves. They communicate well on the court, and honestly, at some point Max just knows the two strangers opposite of them are regretting this.
Still… he is not a man capable of denying his future husband anything and everything he wants, so Max plays to his best abilities.
The Monegasque is a stunner, the way he cheers when they score, immediately turning to Max for a clap of their hands together. Max enjoys it too, likes it when they mess up together, when they do a long rally and it ends up their point, when Charles praises him for a good move. He enjoys Charles more than he does the game but that’s something only Max Verstappen needs to know.
It’s match point and the rally goes for quite a long while; seems like their opponents have also upped their game for it. Max and Charles are leading so in all truth, they could give up this one point and move on to the next or wait for a mistake but Charles being Charles is not going to let it go and Max absolutely loves him for it. He’s a menace and all the Dutchman can think of is giving him kisses and wanting to shove him in a pocket–
“YES! YES! YES!” Charles scores and he’s over the moon. Max is happy too but not like he just won a padel championship or something.
It takes him by genuine surprise when the Monegasque literally jumps into him, a hand going around his body for a half hug. Max is quick to reciprocate, all big laughs and smiles as he takes the opportunity to return the partial embrace.
Charles is warm; from the sports, the sweat, the adrenaline and Max is a total creep for being extra happy about his enhanced scent too.
“You are so good, Charles! You’re amazing!” He praises, watching how Charles smiles, still huffing for air but he’s elated and everyone can see it in his eyes.
“ We did it!” He shares the win and Max wouldn’t have it any other way.
They shake hands with their opponent, exchange some pleasantries before taking a break nearby. Max is quick to fetch some bottled water, he unscrews the cap, pops two hormone pills and passes it over to Charles openly as if opening the bottle is just him being a gentleman.
High off the win and probably just very thirsty, Charles thinks nothing of it; he downs the water like he trusts Max and starts yapping about the match. They talk about the funniest moment, swinging and missing the shot, almost running into each other and random times they just mess up in general.
The Dutchman smiles fondly when Charles tosses the empty bottle into the trash can.
-O-O-O-
They end up parting to go back to their rooms for a shower and a break, the brunette does invite him to use his heater again but Max declines, saying he’ll do fine with the cold in the warm afternoon. Point 1, he doesn’t want to cross boundaries, he still wants to be very nonchalant in Charles’ view so the other doesn’t suspect a thing. Point 2, Charles was really sexy and Max really really really needed to masturbate.
Was it a selfish thing? Yes, but this is Max Verstappen.
He spills into his hand, groaning with the thought of his mate in his mind before he continues his shower routine and comes out composed and sweet again. The Dutchman decides to play it a little wilder today by wearing a tighter blue button up, not using the top few buttons to display his chest, his shorts are a little tighter but nothing that anyone will complain about. He gels his hair back neatly before he leaves his room.
Not wanting to play into desperation, he doesn’t seek out the brunette, instead he finds a nice cozy spot at the diner area and just gets a drink. It wouldn’t take long for Charles to spot him, surely he’d be hungry after sports. This isn’t some prediction, it’s just logical reasoning—-
“Franz~”
Max’s lips quirk up in a smile as he turns to face Charles; all clean, fresh and happy.
“Charles. Hungry?”
The question seems to fly over the Monegasque’s head because Charles blankly stares at Max for a few heartbeat longer before he stutters a ‘Yes’ and they head over to the buffet area. Max knows he’s not conventionally good looking at first sight but he does have his charms and Charles did call him ‘pretty’ once so really, he’s just got to play into the good books. The Dutchman grabs an empty plate for him, passing down as they survey the large variety of food.
Whatever Charles is picking is not enough; Max frowns, thinking his mate has such a thin frame because of his bad eating habits.
“This is good too. Try it.” Max sets some meat dishes on Charles’ plate, watching the young man fight the urge to decline but probably also wants to be nice cause the food is already on his plate.
“This too-”
“Uh…Fr-”
“Oh, and this is superb… you have to.”
“Franz– I don’t think I can finish….”
And then Max stops in his tracks, a solemn look in those bright blue eyes “Oh… I’m sorry, Charles… we just had a long day and I want you to regain your strength. I didn’t mean to be over-”
“No. No. No. It is fine, Franz. You are very kind. I can eat this… but no more extras.” He laughs it off and Max nods his head, happy with that response.
They eat together, throwing their comments and feedback in the air. Charles does a good job at emptying his plate but the last few cuts of his steak proves to be a bit difficult. It’s not like Max would force his mate or anything so he doesn’t comment on it. The Monegasque instead stabs the meat with his fork and brings it up to Max instead, “Help me finish it?” He asks with a slight tilt of his head.
‘Sly boy’. The Alpha thinks but he obliges; smiling, leaning forward, opening his mouth and taking a bite off the fork.
Charles’ sweet giggles is enough for him to know that the Monegasque finds him entertaining as he does charming.
Max gets a bottle of wine delivered to the table, they share a toast for not any good reason except for their shared victory in padel. Savoring the small wins right? Charles leans his head on his propped up hand, quite a gaze to Max across the table while the Dutchman plays it cool by slowly sipping his wine.
“Something on your mind?”
“You’re something, Franz.” Charles blurts out and the response catches both of them off guard.
“Shit- I-mean…”
While the Monegasque attempts to save himself out of that hole he dug, Max just chuckles, “You’re quite forward, Charles. Are you trying to court me or something?”
The blush on his cheeks made him look so adorable.
“N-no! Not- not like that- I mean… you are… you are an amazing person, Franz… and I’ve never felt this connection with anyone, to be really honest. I have a lot of friends in Monaco, I am the life of the party but you… I know we just met but…”
So, what he should do now is completely validate Charles’ feelings so he doesn’t feel embarrassed or shy to face them.
“...I…. I feel the same way. I can’t explain it but we just click. ”
“Yeah, that’s right! You get me! We click and it’s crazy… because I really like spending time with you… and… I’m really… glad that of everyone in the world, I’m stuck on this cruise… with you.”
It was planned but still… It means Max did a really good plan.
“I’m glad too… I don’t know how I’d survive the days if I was just alone here or stuck with unwanted company… I’m really lucky to have run into you…it helps that you’re gorgeous too…” Max compliments and it is Charles’ turn to chuckle, shaking his head because he’s so humble as well.
“...Are you courting me, now?”
Max would kill to have the chance to court Charles Leclerc.
“I’d say it's rare to find what we have… whatever it is .” He doesn’t want to put a name to it yet, they need to start off as friends first, good friends, friends that confide in each other, eat together, yap together, tell secrets together and then it can go be something else. “And I wouldn’t mind just seeing where it goes…”
Charles’ green eyes soften, nodding his head, smiling with much content.
It might be his sheltered upbringing that makes Charles easy to connect with as an outsider but also hard to really understand on the inside. Max, who already knows so much, is just able to bridge the gap.
“I know I’m really full but… I’m kind of craving for tiramisu.”
Max laughs, already making a move to get up from his seat “The one next to the chocolate fountain, right? We can share.”
“Thank you, Franz~”
Anything for Charles. Anything at all. Max comes back with the treat and two dessert spoons, they eat together like friends would, chat like friends would but Max has no intention to ever treat Charles like a friend…
There is no cream on Charles’ lips to execute that very cliche move in the movie where one person wipes off excess cream from another person’s mouth but Max doesn’t need actuality to happen– some might even say he creates his own opportunity. He reaches out and just gently touches the edges of Charles’ soft lips “Silly. You’re being messy.”
Charles looks taken aback by the move but he’s not appalled; he just shrugs and says “It’s really tasty.” outwardly seems normal but Max catches the way his gaze goes down to the treat and how he’s stabbing it but not really picking any up, probably his head in a daze of an alarm or something.
If only he knows what his dear Omega is thinking about? He could make a few guesses; either he thinks Max is being a big flirt or how the Alpha is good at taking care of others—
“There’s a movie showing at the outdoor theaters… do you want to?” Max initiates this time.
“Oh… Is it the free selection ones? The TV in my suite has all the available options… we don’t need to sit in a hall with everyone else if you want to watch a movie.” Charles says very casually and Max likes where this is going. “We could go back to my room and just watch whichever you like…”
“That sounds good actually… and…. If I could also borrow your heater-”
Charles laughs at him, nodding his head and then they skip over the topics before returning to the Monegasque’s room. It is no one’s business that they end up lounging on the couch for a movie, especially no one needs to know that as the hour goes by, Charles and Max’s postures get worse as they get tired And most definitely no one needs to care that the Monegasque’s head ends up on Max’s shoulder, snoozing away while the Dutchman remains very much awake.
If there is any chance Charles is awake or at least aware when Max moves, he doesn’t say a thing, doesn’t even twitch an inch. The Dutchman lays down on the sofa, slowly and gently bringing Charles down with him, head on his chest. He has his mate on him like a weighted blanket, breathing, full, content, happy— Max closes his eyes, he isn’t one bit mistaken that Charles’ scent sweetens a little more in the room.
The pills are working, he should speed up the dosages soon.