Chapter Text
Max collapsed onto the car seat, fixing his crooked glasses with a huge smile on his face.
P1
Simply lovely.
He shuffled towards the side as Lando slid in beside him, soon followed by George.
“Congrats mate” Lando grinned and patted Max on the back.
“Thanks” Max smiled at the McLaren driver and nodded at George who seemed to be more interested in the crowd than him or Lando.
“Are you boys ready?”
Terry Crews started the car, smiling at the camera off to his side.
Max laughed and raised his hand in the air-waving towards the screaming fans. The volume of the crowd seemed to rise for a few seconds. Multiple Dutch flags peeked out from the stands and bright orange posters were lifted up into the air.
‘Marry me Max! Please make me the happiest man alive!’ One fan screamed, their voice faintly overcoming the rest.
Max couldn’t stop the amused sound that escaped his lips and with the way Lando pulled down his cap to cover his face-he heard it too.
“Hahahah there are some crazy fans in the stands today,” Terry joked, looking back at Max for a split second.
“Go make a man happy mate” Lando cackled, nudging Max.
“Sure, let me just put on my wig again-” Max smirked, before perking up with bright eyes.
“You know…” Max leaned forward, grinning mischievously at Terry “This situation reminds me of a song.”
“A song?” Lando and George looked at Max inquisitively as Terry’s smile widened.
“Oh hell yeah!” Terry nodded, matching Max’s enthusiasm.
“Tananananana-na-na, Tananananana-na-na” Terry started, shaking his head.
“Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I’m homebound!” Max joined in, shaking his head aggressively.
“Starin' blankly ahead-” Lando joined in.
“Just makin' my way, makin' a way- through the crowd!”
Max leaned back in his seat, with a huge smile on his face and closed his eyes. The cool night breeze on his face, the roar of the crowd-he felt right at home.
He opened his eyes as he felt a finger caress his cheekbone. He turned his head to the side only to meet blue eyes, shining with a hint of mischief underneath.
George let his lips fall into a lazy smirk as he curled his fingers around the temple of Max’s glasses and pulled them off swiftly.
Max watched in bewilderment as George smugly wore the glasses and leaned back into his seat.
Lando snorted, shaking his head and started muttering under his breath.
“If you wanted a pair of fancy glasses, you could’ve gotten some yourself” Max huffed, looking over Lando.
“Why should I? Especially when I have a perfectly good pair sitting right next to me” George smirked and Max had to fight an eye-roll.
Max turned his body away from George and poured all of his focus onto the screaming fans. Stupid Russel with his stupid pretty face.
“Fucking..Hell!!” Lando cursed, wringing the McLaren cap in his hands.
Max watched quietly from the side, listening.
“Can you believe this shit?” Lando kicked a stone towards the wall, “Wait till I get my hands on Zac…ugh” he ran his hands down his face.
“You’re not the only one who wants to wrangle Zac’s neck” Max snorted, “Oscar’s probably going to be-”
“Oscar!” Lando shouted, startling Max, “That bitch! He was smiling Max, smiling! I’m sure he knew we were disqualified and was having a good laugh seeing me on the podium!”
Max sighed as the Brit ruffled his hair in anger. He was starting to get severe Deja vu.
“I think you’re over-thinking this Lando.”
He actually wasn't ...Max himself had gotten the news from GP after the parade so who knew how long Oscar knew about their disqualification. But….it was kind of funny.
Max pursed his lips and looked away from the angry Brit, he wasn’t ready to get into a fight with an angry Lando.
The two walked in silence as they reached the paddock.
“You know what Max” Lando sighed and looked at the Dutch, “I think…you’re ri-”
“MAAAAXXX!!!!”
Max swiftly turned around only to get tackled by a flurry of black and silver.
“Max, Max listen to me” Kimi looked up at Max with stars in his eyes.
“I’m listening Kimi” Max chuckled, grabbing the rookie’s shoulder and subtly trying, and failing to pry him off.
“I started P17 and now I’m P3! All thanks to McLaren’s disqualification!”
“That’s amazing!” Max grinned and ruffled Kimi’s hair who still clung to him like a Koala.
“You have no idea how happy I was to hear that McLaren got disqualified” Kimi rambled on, not noticing the McLaren driver behind him.
“That’s why I came to find you, Max. You must be so ha-Ack!” Kimi choked as Lando dragged him back by the collar.
“I’m right here, you know” He raised an eyebrow and Kimi looked down sheepishly.
“You should have a better sense of your surroundings” Max said, amused.
“Ehhhh, I’ll keep that in mind.” Kimi shrugged, shooting Lando a stinky eye.
“Max! Lando!”
The two drivers flinched as cameras flashed around them and reporters swarmed them like hungry sharks at the sight of fresh blood. Kimi immediately grabbed Max’s sleeve as he pulled on his sunglasses…smart move.
“Max, congratulations on your Podium!”
“Lando, do you have anything to say about McLaren’s disqualification?”
“Max, you must be feeling elated at your rival’s disqualification!”
“Do you think the Championship can be yours Max?”
“Kimi do you feel bad you couldn’t stand on the podium tonight?”
“Lando what happened? This was a critical mis-”
“By when does Mercedes expect their rightful trophy?”
Max felt his head throb, he absolutely hated this part of his job. The constant camera flashes, the stupid questions and on top of it all the fucking FIA. He calculated how much money he’d have to give if he told each and everyone of them to fuck off-personally. Not enough to make a dent in his bank account, if that was even a question.
“I think we should go,” Lando murmured in Max’s ear and the latter nodded, grabbing Kimi by the wrist.
Just as he was about to turn around with the two drivers in tow, his eyes fell on a figure in red. A very angry figure in red.
Max froze as a hush fell over everyone in the vicinity. He almost pinched himself to check if what he’s seeing was real.
Charles, a very angry Charles was walking towards them. His pristine Ferrari-red racing suit, crumpled and wrinkled, with little smudges of dirt splattered around. His hair ruffled and sticking out as if he’d ran his fingers through them a million times. His beautiful green eyes, now shadowed by an unnamed darkness.
“Oh fuck”
Max faintly heard Lando mutter. He wanted to look at the Brit but he couldn’t seem to get his eyes off Charles.
The swarm of reporters easily parted and made way for Charles-like he was royalty.
“Max” Charles’s eyes softened a bit as they landed on Max.
“Charles” Max’s mouth felt dry.
“Come with me.”
Max shivered as Charles’s fingers wrapped around his arm. He wanted to ask ‘Why?’ but the words stuck in this throat and he let out an embarrassing noise instead. Thankfully, before he could even get a chance to be embarrassed-Kimi stepped in between the two, glaring at Charles.
“Where are you taking Max?” Kimi crossed his arms.
Charles stood quietly for a minute-still looking at Max before his gaze shifted down to Kimi.
“None of your business.”
“I think it is my business” Kimi took a step forward.
Charles grit his teeth and snapped his eyes to Lando who flinched like he’d been struck.
“Take Kimi and go.”
Lando immediately nodded and grabbed Kimi by the arm and dragged him away as the latter kicked and thrashed around to escape the Brit’s grip.
“Charles-”
“Come with me now.”
Charles said it like an order and Max couldn’t help the shiver that ran down his spine. He let himself be dragged away, ignoring the wave of whispers permeating around them.
Max kept his eyes trained onto Charles’s back, too embarrassed to even look at the people around them who were no doubt gawking at them.
When he did eventually look up-they were near Ferrari’s motorhome.
“I don’t think I’m supposed to be here Charles” Max looked around wearily.
“Says who?” Charles let them in and walked towards his room.
“I uh-” Max swallowed thickly. He didn’t know? The FIA maybe? What about Ferrari themselves?
Once they were in his room, only then did Charles release Max from his grip.
“Ok, I didn’t question you when you dragged me all the way here but now I deserve an explanation” Max crossed his arms.
Charles leaned against the door and tilted his head, watching-silently.
“Well?” Max raised an eyebrow.
“Well?” Charles shook his head, “That’s all you have to say? After what happened?”
Max furrowed his brow, “What happened?”
Charles held his gaze for a second before bursting out into humorless laughter; making Max feel uncomfortable.
“You’re making no sense” The Dutch shook his head, “and you’re acting weird.”
“Of course I’m acting weird. I always act weird around you Max-always.” Charles lifted himself off the door and walked towards the Dutch. “How can I not? Especially when you’re swimming around in my head every second of the day. When everything you do imprints itself into my brain and consumes me.”
Max’s eyes widened as he took an involuntary step back.
‘What?’
“Max I need you to open your eyes, please” Charles’s voice turned desperate as he reached his hands out but stopped mid-way…hesitant.
“See what?” Max’s voice came out weak, “And why are you thinking about me? Just what in the world are you trying to say?!”
“This” Charles growled and hooked his right hand behind Max’s head, pulling him into a kiss.
Max’s heart jumped and his eyes fluttered shut. His hands involuntarily found Charles’s arms as the latter used his left hand to cup his chin.
‘Oh so this is what he meant…’
Max tightened his grip on Charles’s arms as he felt his fingers begin to shake.
‘I’m such an idiot.’
Memories from Sao Paulo raced in his mind.
‘“Je veux que tu sois à moi, rien qu'à moi. Personne d'autre ne peut t'avoir.”’
He remembered Charles’s words and thought that he really needed to learn French.
After what felt like an eternity, he gasped as they finally parted for air.
Charles barely looked phased but on the other hand Max was flushed and gasping for air like a fish on land.
“Mon beau garçon(My beautiful boy)” Charles muttered, using his thumb to caress Max’s cheek and pressed a kiss to his nose.
“Tu es si jolie(You look so pretty)” He kissed his eyelids and Max positively melted.
“Stop sounding so hot in French” Max muttered, his ears heating up as Charles laughed and placed another soft kiss to his cheek.
“Sorry mon petit lion but there is simply no way I could describe you in English. I feel like even French doesn’t do you justice. I feel like there isn’t a language out there that could describe how you look to me and how I feel about you.”
Max’s heart fluttered as he sneaked his hand behind Charles’s neck, “then…then why do we need to use words?”
Charles’s smile widened as he pulled him into another kiss and neither of them let go.
Green eyes fluttered open and Charles winced as the sunlight fell directly into his eyes through the small opening in the curtains. He picked up his phone from the bedside table and checked the time-7:26.
He placed the phone down and rubbed his face. He froze as he heard a soft mumble from his left. He couldn’t help the soft smile that made its way onto his face as he watched Max.
The blonde was even more beautiful like this, looking so serene and peaceful- it was so unfair.
As much as Charles would have loved to sit there in bed watching Max sleep, he had to remind himself that they were still in their race suits which were no doubt filthy from yesterday’s race.
After much contemplation he got up with a groan and made his way to the door. He’d probably have to tell someone about Max’s whereabouts lest Red Bull has already collapsed into hysteria at the absence of their star driver.
As he opened the door he heard a sharp clink making him freeze. He peeked out from the little opening and looked outside. He surveyed the empty hallway for a second before his eyes fell onto the tray right in front of the door.
Confusion filtered through Charles’s mind as he carefully opened the door and reached for the tray.
It was a blue tray with a slender glass vase balanced on the side with a beautiful rose. Next to it were two plates with steel coverings on top-one big and one small. Next to that was a plastic water bottle.
He gently picked it up and maneuvered back to the bedside table, setting the tray down softly.
He removed the covering of the big plate and immediately the smell of pancakes spread across the room. On the plate was a bunch of pancakes stacked one on top of the other with a little note on the side with a smiling sun.
Charles chuckled as he saw the note, it was probably Fred who sent it. He uncovered the second plate and his jaw dropped. He felt his cheeks heat up as he saw 3 condom packets laying there along with a note that read- ‘Safety First’
The most embarrassing part of this situation was the signatures under the note- L.H and C.S.
Charles felt his ears burn and he wanted the earth to swallow him whole.
“Charles?”
Charles swiftly turned around to see Max getting up, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
“Max” Charles’s smile wavered as he saw Max’s eyes fall onto the tray.
“I thought I smelt pancakes” Max nodded, crawling towards Charles and settling beside him.
“Y-yeah” Charles laughed nervously and picked up a pancake.
Max immediately snatched it into his mouth, startling Charles.
“Mmmhmmm” Max groaned, “This is good.”
“Is it?” Charles picked up another pancake and took a bite. It was really good.
“So..” Max swallowed his pancake and pointed at the second plate, “Are we going to go at it for three rounds?”
Charles choked on his pancake and almost fell off the bed.
“Charles! Oh god I was joking!” Max fumbled around, trying to open the water bottle.
“Augh!” Charles grabbed the water bottle and took a big gulp of water.
“I’m so sorry” Max rubbed his back soothingly. He watched nervously as Charles placed the bottle next to the tray-keeping his head down.
“Charles?” Max asked nervously, leaning closer towards the Monegasque.
He gasped as Charles swiftly lifted his head, almost causing their noses to bump together.
The Ferrari driver wore a mischievous smile.
“Such a shame, I could definitely make it to 5 at the least.”
He was immediately thrown off the bed and pelted with pillows as Max swore in Dutch.
Charles and Max spotted making their way towards the Ferrari motorhome.
@verstahppen
→ I knew it! I knew it would happen one day! #lestappen #thewaitisover
@maxsterclass
→ Lestappen girlies where are y’all?!?!?! It’s happening!!!! #lestappen
@sixTeen33
→ Someone pinch me, I think I’m still dreaming 😭
@charleslechair
→ You’re not dreaming girlie it’s real 😩
@maxsskinnyjeans
→ When is the wedding?!? @redbull
@cornilieusfickle
→ 😏
173 more comments…
“So, I’m sure you’ve heard the news” the reporter could barely conceal her smile, “Everyone is talking about it. Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen. Do you have anything to say about it?”
Carlos
“No one is happier than me. It’s been a long time coming, trust me-a long time. Seriously, I wish them all the best. They’re finally together and my mind can now rest.”
Yuki
“I’m really happy for them! I can’t say I didn’t see this coming. I’ve always noticed some tension between the two-well, mostly from Charles. Max always seemed so cool I almost thought I’d been imagining it.”
Liam
“Let me tell you something, let me tell you something! I thought I was being delusional because I couldn’t talk about this to anyone. I always knew there was something and it was eating at my head. I knew…I always knew…
Lewis
“I finally understand why Carlos used to be so drained after a Max and Charles podium. I’ve been through it myself and it’s….an experience…hahahaha. Congratulations though, I’m really happy for the two.”
Ferrari engineer
“We have been praying for this day to come. Charles can finally stop yearning like a love sick man. It’s hard you know, pitying him. Once he looked so sad we almost contemplated kidnapping Verstappen and giving him to Charles with a bow.”
Pierre
“I’m honestly just happy they got together in this lifetime because Max is one heck of an oblivious person.”
Fernando
“Congratulations Max! And Charles too. I could not imagine a more perfect match haha. You guys have my blessings although Charles…I’m watching you.”
Lando and Oscar
“I’m so happy Max stopped being such an oblivious bitch. I thought I’d have to climb onto the roof of Red Bull’s headquarters and scream it out on top of my lungs.”
“Congratulations”
“Seriously that’s it? That’s so Aussie of you!”
“What the fuck Lando?”
“Show some emotions man, you have a mom now!”
“You do realise you have to fight with 7 other people for Max’s attention, right?”
“Oh fuck”
Alex
“I am seriously happy for Charles and Max. They make a good pair but in all seriousness has anyone checked up on the rookies?”
Kimi
“Absolutely horrible. This is the worst decision Max could’ve made. He should be focusing on the races instead of Charles. This is so not right.”
Gabi
“This was a very bad decision. They absolutely don’t have my blessings.”
Oliver
“I personally feel like Max could’ve done better….like me.”
Isack
“I think Charles should step back, he doesn’t deserve Max.”
Franco
“I’m happy for them….but why?”
Kimi
“This has to be illegal right? I mean drivers can’t date each other, right? Right?!?!?!”
Oliver
“Max give me one chance, one chance is all I-"
“He doesn’t need to give you anything” Gabi stood menacingly over Ollie’s shoulder, “Max has us! He doesn’t need Charles!”
Kimi
“Honestly there is only one person who can be with Max and it’s me! Err- I mean us!” Kimi pointed behind him, towards Gabi and Ollie who were trying to move Franco out of each other’s way.
“The news has shocked us but I promise you once we regroup…it means war.”