Misery | Charles Leclerc [Abandoned]

𝚃𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚛.

The heat flushes to his cheeks and he clears his throat to get his head back to the conversation. Which seems to have continued without him noticing, because Fayen is looking at him expectantly. Like he has the next turn to speak. He blinks a few times. "Sorry, what?"

She rolls her eyes at him. "Where did you float off to?"

He just shakes his head a little and flashes a smile at her. "Nowhere, what did you say?"

"I want to, but I can't. I need to finish here." She looks behind her where the models are getting out of the designer pieces and crew members start working on all sorts of things.

She wants to. For the second time Charles' breath hitches. It's an opening he was not expecting to get.

"I could wait." The words stumble from his mouth without any sort of grace. What is he doing?

She takes her bottom lip between her teeth and shakes her head. "It will take a while," she says, but she looks genuinely put out by refusing his offer. Maybe she just really needed that drink. Still, Charles feels the hope seer in his clouded head.

Pushed by the growing ember he takes a more casual stance and shrugs. "I have time." He has no control over anything that falls from his mouth at this point and is fully being controlled by some weird higher power. Fayen, looking all professional and beautiful, just spins his head around so much that he loses it completely.

Something flashes behind her eyes, a split second and it is gone. Too short a moment for Charles to unravel. To his utter delight she nods then. "Right, if you are willing to wait I could use that drink and a friend."

Friend.

Charles comes crashing down back on earth from hearing that one word. Right, they were being a weird fake-friend thing. Her calling him a friend instead of fake-friend should be a win, but it doesn't. The ember in his chest sputters and tries his best to stay alive, but Charles' rational mind is making that very hard.

"I'll come find you when I'm done," she says with a smile. "You can find Pierre first, I think he will be wondering where you went off to." Fayen turns around and walks off after that, leaving Charles in more distress than she realises. Because that was the second wake up call. Pierre.

He had texted his best friend where he was, but he should indeed go and find him. He watches Fayen a moment more. She starts ordering people around and the authority she shows almost makes Charles fire up again. He keeps himself in check by quickly turning away and going to search for his best friend.

He finds Pierre and Kika on their way out. "I was just about to text you. Where is Fayen, I wanted to see her before we need to leave to make the Louis Vuitton show in time," Pierre asks him when he catches up with the pair.

"She is finishing some things backstage," Charles answers. "Would take a while."

Pierre sighs sadly. "Well, I'll just call her after. We need to leave now, otherwise we'll not make it."

Charles shakes his head and stops Pierre from walking to the exit. "I'm staying here for a bit. I don't think we will see each other again before Austria, so this is goodbye for now."

Pierre turns around, giving the other his full attention. "I thought you wanted to come with us?"

"Yes, to this show."

"Not that you have seen much of it."

Charles scoffs. "I was backstage, saw everything, don't worry." He claps Pierre on his shoulder.

The Frenchman gives him a sceptical look. "Why did you stay backstage?"

Charles falters. He isn't quick enough in answering and Pierre's brows knit together. "I-I just, there was an issue and I thought I could help."

"Even when the show started?" Pierre's expression is growing darker by the second and Charles can't find the words he needs to explain his worries away. "And why are you staying after?"

Charles is looking somewhere next to Pierre's head, avoiding his stare. He doesn't know why he is being so difficult about this. It is not like he has any intention with Fayen, or well... But she doesn't have intentions with him so it is still nothing more than friends getting a drink. Why is he being so awkward about it? His throat feels dry when he tries to explain again. "Pierre, it's nothing really-"

"Sweetheart, we need to go if we want to make the show. If Charles wants to stay here that's his choice," Kika interrupts him and takes Pierre's hand before turning to Charles. "I am not attending the Austria Grand Prix, so I think I will see you in Silverstone?"

Charles thanks the heavens for Francisca Gomes. He smiles at her and nods. "Yeah, see you there."

Pierre makes himself lose from his girlfriend to hug Charles. "See you Thursday," he says, but then squeezes him a little harder and whispers so Kika can't hear him. "Don't try anything Leclerc, I mean it."

Charles swallows thickly and nods before letting go. Pierre is smiling again and takes Kika's hand in his again. "Bye," he says and waves. While they turn to walk away Kika throws a look over her shoulder and gives him a wink with a bright smile.

Oh.

Charles gives a sly smile back and mouths 'thank you.' She turns and walks off with an unsuspecting Pierre.

Thank the heavens for Francisca Gomes.

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