Reading between the lines

A date or not a date, that is the question

"I was kind of hoping that me finishing the book would mean I could get you to let Max leave early... only like half an hour." Charles added the last part when he noticed the not really excited expression on the shop owner's face turn into complete disappointment, like watching a door slam shut.

At the mention of his name Max felt four pairs of eyes on him. Seb only briefly glanced over to him, frowning and clearly unhappy. Oscar and Lando he could see smiling at him out of the corner of his eye before they exchanged eye contact, probably speaking without words.

And then there was Danny whose eyes were boring into Max from behind, but those he definitely didn't want to soo. The last thing Max needed, actually, was to see his ex-boyfriends reaction to another guy asking his boss if he could get off early to go hang out with him (not that a request like that necessarily entailed something romantic, but Danny probably thought so).

But it wasn't really like Max would have even been able to look at any of them when his undivided attention belonged to Charles. Wide eyed he stared at the Monegasque as questions flooded his already overworked brain.

Where did Charles get the courage from to even ask Seb something like that? Why was he grinning so hard (even with Seb staring at him like he was about to strangle him)? What did he need Max to get off work early for? What had he planned? What did this all mean? Intentions?

He tried to get an answer out of Charles' face, but for once he did not look over at Max, all of his focus laying on Seb as he awaited a response. And from the side it was impossible to read him, his sharp features frozen neatly into a patient mask. At least Max knew that was fake as Charles was one of the most impatient people he'd ever encountered...

He didn't need to end up saying anything as Seb seemed to have been wondering the same thing as him. Neatly folding his arms over his chest and widening his stance, the German looked up at Charles (yes, Charles was taller, something Seb didn't appreciate very much as he commented the height difference with a small frown).

"And what exactly would you like to do with Max that would require him to leave half an hour early?" Seb was trying to be intimidating. It was easy to tell because he actually used proper English - which surely would have been appreciated by Lewis, had he not run off to the back.

"I wanted to take him to this place-"

"What kind of place?"

Charles pulled his face into a grimace, still managing to somehow look stunning while doing it, and then glanced over at Max. Seb didn't understand the silent gesture, looking displeased as ever.

Clearly holding back some more annoyed reaction, Charles muttered, "Well, I can't really tell you in front of Max. Wouldn't be a surprise then."

It was quiet for a moment. Seb was trying to figure out what his answer would be and Max was too busy trying not to visibly freak out as to say something (which he probably should have, since it was him they were talking about).

The silence didn't last long though. They never did when Lando was present.

This time the Brit let out a high giggle, leaning over to Max and whispering in his ear, "Oh my god, he's going to take you out on a date!"

"What?" Max gasped, not really having considered this to be an option yet.

For a moment he let it pass through his mind, a 'date'... He shook his head. Not because he wouldn't have liked these plans Charles had for them to be a date, but because Max believed that would be impossible.

One look at Charles, standing there casually, not really dressed in anything special and still looking like a model straight from a billboard and then remembering how he looked when left the house this morning... No. Charles was way out of his league. Miles ahead in everything. Looks, skills, education, personality. The list could go on, but Max didn't hate himself quite enough for that.