Summary: When Red Bull thinks it's a good idea for Max to be in a PR relationship with a model, Max is left to make a choice. Ruin your privacy or ruin your relationship?
Words: 1.0k+
♡♡♡♡♡
Secret relationships were fun.
Sneaking out behind people's backs, stealing glances at each other when you thought nobody was watching.
But they stopped being fun once management got involved.
Max had a very public life, and a very dangerous job to begin with. He needed to be careful with a lot of things, and that oftentimes included his image. He didn't care about any of it, he was content with people not knowing about your relationship in order to protect your privacy and have something that was only for himself.
He was okay with it, you were okay with it, everybody was happy.
Except for Red Bull Racing.
They didn't like the idea of their number 1 driver being seen as unapproachable because he is always without a partner, and since you two didn't want to showcase the relationship on their terms, they figured out another way to go.
PR relationship with a model.
You couldn't say that you were surprised. Red Bull was notorious for being willing to do whatever it takes to be on the top, no matter in what field. But you didn't expect Max to go along with it, certainly.
"We need to talk" he had announced after he came home from a meeting with Red Bull.
You raised your eyebrow, his tone doing little to soothe the worries pitting in your stomach.
"About what?"
"Us" his response made your breath hitch in your throat.
"What about us?" a million thoughts were running through your head, one more sinister than the other.
He sighed, scratching his neck.
"I don't want to beat around the bush, so I'm just gonna say it. The team doesn't think that hiding our relationship is beneficial for my reputation, so they are giving us two choices. We either go public in the next few days or they're gonna hire a model to be my fake girlfriend" to say that the news had come like a punch would be the understatement of the year.
You knew from the very beginning that Red Bull was very vocal and opinionated over your relationship with Max and how it should evolve, but you never thought they would stoop down so low and come up with something like this just because you wouldn't play by their rules.
"What did you tell them?" you asked, part of you afraid of what the answer would be.
He was silent for a moment, which spoke more about the situation than his words would.
"I told them that I didn't like being given an ultimatum and that I'm gonna think about it" hearing him brought tears to your eyes.
You didn't know what you should have expected. Of course he would end up agreeing, you were stupid to think that he would stand up for your relationship and live a secret life forever. You should have known better from the very start.
Who were you even kidding?
"I see" you said, after being silent for a good minute upon hearing him.
"I obviously don't want to date someone else, regardless if it's fake or real. But we need to talk about this. You know how the team is, they're going to make the decision for me and we both know what that decision is going to look like" he said, slowly approaching the bed and sitting down next to you.
You nodded, staring at the folded hands in your lap.
Your brain was struggling to make a decision, struggling to weigh in all the factors that it was supposed to consider.
Were you ready to go public with your relationship? Did you really have what it takes to be Max's girlfriend? How would his fans react when they found out he was dating someone as ordinary as you? How would it affect his reputation and relationship with the team? Was it even worth the risk?
"I can see the wheels turning in that pretty head of yours. Wanna tell me what you're thinking so hard about?" his voice woke you up from your little trance, his joking tone doing little to soothe your worries.
You looked at him, analyzing the features of his face. He was too good for you, you knew that. But damn you and your selfishness, you weren't about to let him go.
"I don't want to be the reason you tarnish your relationship with the team. I love you too much to be that person. The decision is up to you" you figured that letting him decide would be your best bet, it was his reputation on the line after all.
"I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you into going public. We'll do whatever makes you comfortable. I just wanted you to know what the team is planning to do, but I'm not going to let them ruin us" he reassured you, taking your hand in his.
You closed your eyes and savored the feeling of his skin on yours, his touch familiar and safe. Nobody had ever made you feel like Max does, not even close to it. He brought a sense of comfort in your life that nobody else ever could, he knew you better than you knew yourself.
You had to take a risk if you wanted to be with him.
No matter how hard it would be.
"I want to go public, believe me, I do. But what are your fans going to say? You see what they do with the other girlfriends, they look for the tiniest reason to just tear them to shreds" you said, worry laced with apprehension in your voice.
Max shook his head and scooted closer to you on the bed, wrapping his arms around you in a comforting hug.
"My fans are the last thing that you should be worried about. If they don't agree with our relationship, then they aren't my real fans. All that matters is that we're happy and in love, nobody else has a say in this" he reassured you, running his hand up and down your back as he spoke.
You listened and then ultimately nodded, knowing that he was right and you were freaking out over nothing.
As long as you had Max, you would be fine.
