We haven't talked about it.
It has been a full 24 hours and neither of us has brought up the fact we kissed multiple times yesterday. Our date last night was more so just us being giddy about being around each other and knowing, deep down, we felt so much for the other.
But we haven't kissed again and haven't mentioned it.
Now, we're on a plane to go from Baku to Miami, nearly 16 hours long. Carlos was with us, but he was keeping to himself at the front of the plane, leaving Charles and I alone at the back. We sat in adjacent seats, a blanket over our laps as we relaxed, it was going to be a long flight.
Our hands were connected, fingers intertwined as we sat in a comfortable silence.
Out of nowhere, I felt Charles lifting my hand, pressing his lips against the back of it in a kiss. I dropped my phone in my lap and looked to him, his eyes still on his own phone as his lips stayed pressed against the skin of my hand.
"Est-ce qu'on va en parler?" (Are we going to talk about it?) My voice was nearly a whisper when I asked.
Charles blushes, setting his phone down and looking at me, "Je ne savais pas comment en parler." (I didn't know how to talk about it.)
I tried to think, how we could bring it up, how we could discuss this recent development between us.
I kept hold of his hand, pulling it into my lap. "Quand avez-vous réalisé vos sentiments? Commencez par là." (When did you realize your feelings? Start there.)
His cheeks got even redder, "Je ne veux pas te le dire." (I don't want to tell you.)
My brows furrowed at his statement and I shifted in my chair to face him better, our hands still resting in my lap.
"Pourquoi pas?" (Why not?)
I ran my thumb over his knuckles, my eyes locked with his.
"Parce que vous allez vous moquer de moi depuis combien de temps cela s'est produit." (Because you're going to laugh at me for how long ago this happened.) His voice was quiet as he spoke, almost as if he didn't want to admit it.
A small smirk rested on my lips, "Combien de temps, Charlie?" (How long, Charlie?) I was genuinely curious.
He leaned in, tucking his face into my neck before speaking again. I couldn't help but giggle at the feeling of his hot breath against my neck, my free hand now holding the back of his head.. "Le jour où j'ai gagné ma première course de karting et où je t'ai vu m'encourager. Cela m'a alors frappé." (The day I won my first kart race and saw you cheering me on. It hit me then.)
What?
I had only realized my feelings in the last couple of weeks. Charles' admittal had clued me in that he had felt for me for nearly 20 years, we were only 7 when he won for the first time.
"C'est long?" (That long?)
He simply nodded, his face still tucked into my neck. A string of giggles fell from my lips, my hands going to hold the sides of his face, pulling him up to look at me. Fuck, I could get used to looking at his sweet face every day, in a different way than I have before.
"C'est adorable, tu es adorable." (It's adorable, you're adorable.) I'm pretty sure my smile reached my eyes at this point, so big my cheeks hurt.
Charles tried to hide his face again, but I struggled against him, pulling his face closer to mine so I could connect our lips once more. Our first kiss since yesterday, this one slow and sweet.
"Della." He hummed as our lips parted.
"Pourquoi n'as-tu jamais rien dit?" (Why didn't you ever say anything?) I asked before he had the chance to say anything else.
He leaned his head against the seat back, his eyes filled with the utmost look of adoration. I'm glad he wasn't hiding his feelings anymore.
Charles took one of my hands again, pulling it into his lap. "Je ne savais pas vraiment ce que cela signifiait quand j'étais plus jeune. Et puis je suis sorti avec Giada et Charlotte pour repousser ces sentiments, ce qui n'a pas fonctionné. Et tu avais Lando. C'était un gâchis compliqué." (I didn't really know what that meant when I was younger. And then I dated Giada and Charlotte to push those feelings away, which didn't work. And you had Lando. It was a complicated mess.)
I watched him in awe, taking in all of the different features of his face.
He was beautiful and I'm not sure why it took me so long to notice how wonderful Charles Leclerc was. I guess I always knew deep down.
He sighed, keeping his eyes locked with mine, the faintest smile on his lips, "Et je ne voulais pas risquer de ruiner notre amitié. Je pense honnêtement que je mourrais sans toi." (And I didn't want to risk ruining our friendship. I honestly think I would die without you.)
I kissed him again, soaking in the feeling.
"Tu ne pourrais jamais me perdre, Charlie." (You could never lose me, Charlie.)
He smiled the sweetest smile, leaning in to kiss me once more.
"Ça fait plaisir à entendre." (That's nice to hear.)
We stared at each other for a moment, his gaze captifying. A smile crept onto each of our faces, happy to just be in each other's presence. Happy to be with the other.
"Dors maintenant?" (Sleep now?) It was late and we still had hours on this plane.
He just chuckled, opening his arms, knowing how I preferred to sleep – with him.
I giggled in my enjoyment, crawling over the armrest to lay on top of him. His arms wrapped around my torso after readjusting the blanket so it layed over both of us. I tucked my face into his neck, getting comfortable, pressing a kiss to the skin before closing my eyes.
~~~~~
I'm pretty sure I slept for nearly 10 hours, maybe more. I was exhausted and definitely needed all of the sleep I'd just gotten.
I sat up just barely, remembering I'd been laying on Charles. His eyes were fluttering open as I looked down at him, "Bonjour. A quelle distance sommes-nous?" (Good morning. How far away are we?)
He looked to his phone, checking the time I presume. "Je pense une heure ou deux." (I think an hour or two.)
I nodded, laying back down and nuzzling my face back into it's previous spot in his neck. I could easily go back to sleep.
But that was interrupted.
Charles laughed, poking my sides which made me squeal and sit up, effectively straddling him. I crossed my arms over my chest, pouting at him.
"Je n'en avais pas fini avec notre conversation plus tôt." (I wasn't done with our conversation earlier.)
I raised my eyebrows, urging him to keep talking. What topic hadn't we covered?
"Pensez-vous... que nous pourrions l'essayer? Essayez-nous." (Do you think... we could try it? Try us.) He looked nervous, a faint blush on his cheeks.
Normally, this would be fantastic news to hear from someone you have feelings for, but my stomach sunk at his words.
It wasn't that I didn't want to be official, I really did. I just couldn't help but think of the British driver.
"Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas, chérie?" (What's wrong, Darling?)
I sighed, shaking my head, "Je ne veux pas que tu sois en colère." (I don't want you to be angry.)
"Vous ne pouvez pas faire de mal." (You can't do any harm.) His face pulled a frown, his fingers reaching up to caress the side of my face. The action was sweet.
I couldn't help but look down at my hands, fiddling with my fingers in my lap. "Tout en moi veut nous essayer..." (Everything in me wants to try us...) My heart was beating out of my chest.
"Mais?" (But?) Just by the tone of his voice I can tell he's preparing himself to get hurt.
"Il faudrait que ce soit un secret. Lando et moi avons rompu il y a seulement quatre mois après avoir été ensemble pendant deux ans. Je pense qu'il m'aime toujours et je ne veux pas lui faire de mal et–" (It would have to be a secret. Lando and I broke up only four months ago after being together for two years. I think he still loves me and I don't want to hurt him and–)
Charles' hands found my face again, his fingers tilting my chin up and kissing my to stop my rambling.
"Je pense que c'est très gentil de ta part de penser à lui, tu as un si bon cœur. Cela ne me dérange pas, du moment que je peux vous avoir pour moi tout seul." (I think it's very nice of you to think of him, you have such a kind heart. I don't mind, as long as I can have you all to myself.)
He was too good to me.
I couldn't help but lean in to kiss him again, enjoying the feeling lips of his on mine and wishing that the feeling would never end.
•
i think the most iconic
thing is the fact that this
fic has 3.5k reads and *zero*
comments?? idk i kinda love it