End Game (Charles Leclerc x Max Verstappen)

You Are In Love

Charles Leclerc

This feels more vulnerable than anything I have done in a long time. My fingers fly over the keys repeatedly, the music is coursing through my veins and I know every note by heart. I could play this drugged, asleep and blind folded, but it does not change the fact that I am scared. What if he hates it?

A clicking sound announces his arrival, and seconds later Max steps through the door. In an instant Pen is in his arms, chirping about everything we have done this week. She is telling stories of our trip to the zoo, the ice cream shop, the park. Max's eyes light up. 

After what feels like an eternity he is able to drag himself out of the entrancement that is his daughter and he meets my eyes. God I have missed him. This is my home. He is my home. 

"Hello schat." His voice is gentle, full of joy and an emotion I cannot place. "I've missed you my love."

Max bends down, planting a kiss on my lips before standing straight, spinning Penelope in a circle, and gently putting her back down. 

A moment later I am surrounded by him. His smell, bergamot and cardamom from his CK one eau de parfume. His feeling, strong arms wrapping me close to his chest as he rests his chin on my shoulder. His very soul seems to be seeking me out and mixing with everything that I am. 

"You are okay?" I ask, not even bothering with hello now that I can feel a slight trembling in his body. 

"I am now."

I sigh, pulling back with reluctance as I take in his face. He is beautiful, he always has been, but he looks different. His undereyes are bruised a slight purple, his face more gaunt than I have ever seen and his skin paler than it should be. I stare at him, searching his ocean blue eyes as I drown in him completely. What happened?

Max Verstappen

I don't know how to tell him. So I don't. 

I hate lying to Charlie. I hate making him think that I couldn't sleep because my blinds were broken and not because my entire body hurt so badly that I couldn't move. But I can't ruin this for him. I can't take away his day of telling his family about ours because of my stupid father. I've dealt with this my whole life, I'm used to hiding. 

"Max," Charlie's voice is cautious, as he walks into the kitchen with the paper towel I'd requested. "Are you sure that nothing happened? You can talk to me ma chéri. I promised you a long time ago that I would be here. I am here." 

I sigh, not wanting to get into this conversation again. "Charlie, I promise I'm fine." I say, brushing off his concern for the umpteenth time this evening and turning towards the vegetables that I'm cutting meticulously. 

"Please don't make promises you are already breaking."

Two arms wrap around my waist and I resist the urge to wince, praying that he doesn't notice my quick intake of breath at the contact. We fall into silence, quietly working on the meal for his maman and Arthur. Lorenzo wanted to come but had something with Charlotte, his girlfriend, that was urgent. 

An hour and a half later the table is set at Charles' apartment. We would have done it at ours but he was worried about his family finding out before he could tell them. I think we've outdone ourselves, heaping plates of pasta, vegetables, sauces, and every variety of food we could possibly image is laid out in the middle of the large dining table. Dark red place mats and cream napkins have been set out, the cutlery in perfect symmetry. The only stand out place is P's, who absolutely refused to part with her pink and blue flower placemat and Paw Patrol utensils. I didn't have any desire to get into a fight about it.