Till the afterglow

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Happy new year to all you lovely readers!❤️

I hope you all had a good one and that 2023 may be even better for you!
Sorry for the slight delay this week in posting but with all the holiday stuff I didn't have time to write as much.

I hope you like this chapter, happy new year!

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Charles was blinking open his eyes, silently yawning as he looked at the alarm on the bedside table.
12.53 he read. That was okay as it was January first, they stayed up late after their new year's celebrations.
As the monegasque turned to his other side he saw Max laying wit his hands behind his back smiling in to the nothingness. It appears that he hadn't yet noticed the monegasque had woken up.

Charles popped himself up on his arm looking at his boyfriend while smiling. "You look happy, what are you smiling about?" He asked as he traced his fingers over the Dutchman's shoulder.
"We kissed" Max said proudly turning at his boyfriend with a grin on his face.
"I don't know if you remember but we seem to do that a lot" Charles teased him.
Max rolled his eyes with a smile.
"Oh believe me I know" he wiggled his eyebrows "but we kissed" a slight pause "in public" Max turned serious though happy again.
The monegasque sighed "yes we did" a content smile on his face as he leaned in kissing the man he loves.

Who would have thought? Only three months ago he didn't even want to be seen talking and now they did this. It felt freeing and kind of liberating. It went unsaid that they both thought this was enough for now but it felt good so that was what matters...

"You want breakfast?" Charles asked him their lips barely parting, the Dutchman smiled against them. "Yes please" the corners of his eyes crinkling.
"Okay, will do!" Charles smiled again, giving his boyfriend another kiss before swinging his legs out of the bed. Putting on some sweatpants. To lazy to put on a shirt.

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"What do you want to do today?" Charles asked him after they finished eating.
Max scratched his chin in thought. "Can we go to the sea?" He asked. "I think some fresh air will do us good"
"Sure, let's get ready then" he smiled.

About an hour later Charles parked his Ferrari in the parking spot by the shore. Max was about to get out when Charles said "wait" as he made it out of the car to Max side of it.
The dutchman rolled his eyes snorting "you afraid I dent the door of your precious Ferrari or something"
"No Maxy, I'm trying to be a gentleman here" he laughed as he extended his hand towards his boyfriend.
The dutchman gladly took it with a smile.
"Well thank you very kind sir" he said with a posh voice as his boyfriend couldn't help but chuckle. "You are very welcome mon prince"
"I thought you were the price out of us both" he laughed "Ferrari prince"
"Well your mine" Charles smiled pecking his cheek.
"Oh prince Charles , lord Percival, you swept me of my feet" he laid the back of his hand on his forehead like he was fainting but still smiling.
The monegasque laughed loudly "common you menace, I love you"
Steadying himself he smiled "I love you too"

Though it was winter cold they walked on to the beach wrapped in their wintercoats and scarfs. Max almost stumbled on the unsteady surface.
"We can walk back to the boulevard if you like" Charles proposed after he catched his boyfriend a second time from falling.
"No this is okay" he smiled "you are there to catch me when I fall"he winked at the monegasque.
Laughing loudly "since when are you such a sap Verstappen?"
Who in return wiggled his eyebrows.
"Well I don't know, maybe that is what love does to you?" laughing with him "Mon dieu simp" he smiled as they walked further down the shore.

After a while they neared the rocks and coves where they went to sit down, they brought some hot chocolate and snacks with them. As they went to sit down Charles wrapped a blanket around them so they wouldn't catch a cold. Handing the Dutchman his mug of hot coco, helping him wrap his fingers around it as he went.
"Thank you" Max smiled as he went to watch the glinstering of the January sun on the water.
As Charles wrapped his arm around his shoulder kissing his cheek, the dutchman sighed and rested is head on his boyfriend's shoulder, closing his eyes.

For a while he just listened to the waves coming down the shore, the wind brizzeling in the air, bathing in the warmth his boyfriend provided.
After a while Charles reached for the Dutchman's hand, holding it tightly between them and the blanket.
"There is this little sail boat Maxy, just up on the horizon, the sun is setting a little and it looks like there is almost a halo of fire around it" he tried to explain the sight to his boyfriend.
Max snorted "well I hope it isn't like fire" at his boyfriends choice of words. "Though at least there is enough water to take care of it" he smiled looking up at him as Charles shoved him playfully laughing. "I tried you ass!"
"You love me" Max just smiled brightly.
Charles placed his hand on his neck pulling him close "yes I do" before he connected their lips.

After a while they pulled back smiling before opening their eyes.
Max blinked a couple times, as he turned quiet, no this couldn't be, his mind was playing tricks on him. And as he blinked again he was right it was gone again. For a second he thought he could see his bright golden green eyes, the warm smile painting his face, but in a second it was gone. It probably was muscle memory what made him remember, but fuck how he wished those seconds were true.

Max sighed looking down.
"You okay Cherie?" What is it?" The monegasque asked worriedly.
"It-it's nothing" he smiled sadly at him "I just wish I could see your beautiful smile" and Charles's face fell. How could he comfort the man he loved as he couldn't imagine the thing he lost.
"Come" Charles said as he reached for both of the Dutchman's hands for a second holding them in his lap before guiding both the flat palms to his cheeks.
"It is not the same, I know" he sighed "but I hope you can feel the smile on my face, the lift in my cheeks, cause that is all because of you"

A smile arose on the Dutchman's lips, a slight blush tinting his cheeks what made Charles smile even wider. "I can feel your dimples" Max Chuckled and Charles couldn't help but laugh.
"O my god, when did we become such saps?" Max now started to laugh loudly as his boyfriend joined in. "Mon dieu, I've got no idea"

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That night they cuddled closely only to wake up again like that, after some kissing and gentle touches in the dark Charles offered to make them some breakfast in bed. Throwing on a pair of sweatpants as he went in too the kitchen, the dutchman still wrapped up in the white sheets.

The smell of fresh coffee and warm croissants filled the air of their apartment and after a while the monegasque returned to their bedroom with a tray in hand. "The sun is out already, the city looks beautiful" Charles told Max as he walked in, like he did every morning giving his boyfriend a little view of the world.
placing the tray on his end of the bed chuckling
"You look like a breakfast burrito" he smiled as he saw Max tightly wrapped in their white sheets, only his disheveled blond locks and eye's peaking out above the blanket.
As the monegasque turned to open up to curtains letting the rays of sunshine in Max propped himself up on one arm. "You can unwrap this burrito and take I bite" he laughed as his eyes adjusted to the light.

As he blinked his sleep away he let his eyes roam over the marble skin of his boyfriend, his muscles painting patterns his back. The golden hue of the morning sun peaking through the dark strands of hair. Almost like fire he laughed too himself as he thought of his boyfriends yesterday's words. The sweats he was wearing riding low on his hips.
God his boyfriend really was gorgeous. He thought with a smile on his face.
As the monegasque turned after staring over the city for a while he saw his boyfriend smiling.
"What?" He smiled at him as he walked towards the bed.
"I'm just admiring how gorgeous you are" Max smiled at him pulling his boyfriend in for a kiss. There lips almost touched when Max's words sunk in and Charles pulled back. Holding his boyfriend by his shoulders staring in to his blue eyes.
"Wha-" Max couldn't even finish.
"Max?! Does-does this mean? That?!" He sounded hopeful but scared to ask.
Max looked at him questioning before it dawned upon him. "FUCK! yes it does" as he realised what it actually meant. "I can see you" he exclaimed still astonished.

"putain de Max, je n'arrive pas à y croire ! c'est la meilleure nouvelle de tous les temps ! Oh mon Dieu!" The monegasque said as he wrapped his arms around his boyfriends frame so incredibly tight. Falling back at his native tongue like he only does when he is very emotional.
As it dawned upon the dutchman a stray tear escaped his eye. "I have know idea what you just said but I hope it's good" he chuckled trough his own sobs.
Charles pulled back, his hands on his cheeks, his eyes and cheeks equally wet. "It's not just good Maxy, it's the best news!" He said as he kissed him the taste of saline happiness on their lips.

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