Max's feet felt heavy as he climbed the stairs to Charles' apartment. It had been a few days since their last conversation, and Max had been dreading this moment ever since he ran away from Charles' apartment. He knew he had been unfair to Charles by leaving without a word, but he couldn't help feeling overwhelmed by their conversation about his father.
As he knocked on the door, his heart fluttered with nervousness and uncertainty. When the door opened, there was Charles, looking as serene and handsome as ever. "Hey," he said warmly, stepping aside to let Max in.
Max took a deep breath and followed Charles inside. They sat down on the couch, and Max fidgeted with his hands, unsure of where to begin. "I'm sorry," he said finally. "I shouldn't have just run away like that. I know I hurt you."
Charles placed a comforting hand on Max's arm. "It's okay, Max. I understand. It was a lot to take in, and you needed some space. But I'm glad you're here now. Is everything okay?"
Max nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, everything's okay. I just... I think we need to talk about our relationship. I don't want to rush into anything."
Charles gave him an understanding smile. "Of course, Max. I'm open to whatever you need to say."
Max took another deep breath. "I really like you, Charles. I don't want to mess things up between us, but I'm also scared. I've never felt this way before, and I don't know how to handle it."
Charles gave him a reassuring nod. "I understand, Max. It's okay to be scared. But I want you to know that I really like you too. I think we have something good here."
Max felt a surge of warmth towards Charles. He had been worried about how Charles might react to his uncertainty, but he was glad to see that Charles seemed to understand.
"But what if we mess it up?" he said, his voice trembling slightly. "What if we rush into things and then realize it's a mistake?"
Charles put a hand on Max's cheek, gently turning his face towards him. "Then we'll move on, Max. We'll take it one day at a time and figure things out as we go. We're both adults, and we're capable of making good decisions."
Max felt a sudden sense of clarity. He had been so caught up in his own fears and doubts that he had forgotten how smart and capable both he and Charles were. "You're right, Charles," he said, feeling a glimmer of hope. "We can do this. We can figure things out together."
Charles gave him a warm smile. "Absolutely, Max. We're in this together." He leaned in and gave Max a gentle hug, and Max felt a wave of tenderness wash over him. They had a long road ahead of them, but with Charles by his side, he felt like he could face anything.
Max took a deep breath and, feeling more at ease, continued. "There's something else I need to tell you, Charles. It's about my dad. When we were talking, he told me that being gay is wrong, that it's a sin. And...I don't know. It just made me feel like I'm doing something wrong by wanting to be with you."
Charles looked taken aback. "Max, I'm so sorry. That's really unfair of him to say. But I want you to know that being with me, being who you are, is not wrong. Love is love."
Max felt a lump form in his throat as Charles placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. " I know it's hard, Max, but please don't let what your dad said affect how you feel about us being together. We have something beautiful and real, and it's worth fighting for."
Max felt a sense of comfort wash over him. "Thank you, Charles. That means a lot to me."
They continued their conversation, talking about their feelings and their hopes for the future. They agreed to take things slow and be honest with each other. Max felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The road ahead of them would still be challenging, but he knew that as long as they were together, they could face anything.
A/N: #Jos Verstappen Hate club.