SILENT (MV x CL)

34. PHOTOSHOOT

"Hey, are you okay?" Charles asked when he saw Max's face.

All the drivers had gathered on the track wearing their 'NO WAR' t-shirts. Max had arrived last due to the rocky start of the day. The lump that had been in his throat all day had caused it to feel sore.

When his eyes had crossed Charles' the tears that had been stored in his cheeks travelled to his eyes, watering them.

He lightly chook his head at Charles' question, whom instantly grabbed him by the arm and leaded him, as unnoticeable as possible, to the nearest toilets.

Charles lightly pushed Max inside, stepping in the small room too, before locking the door.

He turned around to face Max. One single tear travelled down his cheek. Charles immediately placed both his hands on both sides of Max's face.

"Tell me what happened." He whispered softly yet protective. The lump in Max's throat made it impossible for him to speak. Just a small whimpering noise came from Max.

Charles wrapped both of his securely around Max's neck and he hummed a tune in a comforting way, some sort of lullaby.

"Charles, it was such a hard day." Max told him after a while of just standing like that.

"And I am so incredibly sorry for this morning." He added before Charles could say something.

"Mon petit lion, it is okay." Charles reassured, admitting to himself that he had already forgotten about that.

"Charlie, I love you." Max said, still holding his boyfriend as tightly as he could.

"I love you too," Charles said, placing a soft kiss on Max's forehead. "Do you want to share what happened?" Charles asked carefully, not wanting to upset him even more.

Max briefly closed his eyes before speaking. "Bradley," he swallowed "he didn't take it that well. It got me thinking. If people I considered as friends react like this, how will others react." Max said.

"I'm sorry Maxy, that you had to go through that." Charles wanted to say more but got interrupted by Max.

"It made me realize another thing." He said. Charles got ready to console Max again, and he rubbed his hand softly on his back.

"I don't fucking care about others, I love you." Max said suddenly in a way more confident tone. It made Charles' eyes widen a small bit, not expecting this.

"Uhm," he was taken aback. "Does this mean... you... uhm... like... uhm..." Charles struggled with his words, getting nervous only by the idea. "like want to come out?" He finally said.

Max smiled a bit at the struggling man in front of him. However Charles was shitting himself and couldn't contain his nerves.

"No," Max reassured him, and placed his hands over Charles', whom was already playing with his ring again. "I'm just saying, we are okay. More than okay even. People can't break us." He said.

Max himself was also not ready to come out, and not ready was an understatement. However it may not break their relationship, it will cause them individually to break.

Max placed a loving kiss on Charles' lips, whom was already feeling more relaxed by Max's answer.

"Why were you so upset then?" Charles asked eventually out of genuine curiosity.

"He was disrespectful about you." Was simply Max's answer. As if it was an explanation as easy as putting one and one together.

Charles blushed a bit at this statement, not being able to deny that this was the cutest thing Max had ever said. Still in the back of his head he could feel the insecurity of Bradley being unkind about him.