Unbroken hopes|| Charles Leclerc x Max Verstappen(lestappen)Wildest dreams book2

Unwanted invitations

Trigger warnings at the end of the chapter! ⚠️

"What is it?" Max asked his boyfriend as he sees him looking conflicted towards his phone, frowning slightly.
"Oh.. oh it's nothing cheri" he tries to wave him off.
Max in return stops folding Charles clothes in to the suitcase and comes to lay next to him on the hospital bed. "Charlie?" He just says raising his eyebrow at him. "I know you, what is going on?"
Charles sighes and turns to smile at his boyfriend. "Yes, and sometimes that is very annoying" he says before pecking the dutchman's lips. "But it's nothing, it's stupid really" he finishes.
"Charles just tell me" he smiles at him though he also looks at him pointedly as he rests his hand on the monegasque's cheek.
"It's the invite for the FIA prize giving gala" he sighed again showing the invitation to his boyfriend.
"Oh yeah..." Max says. Not having thought about anything related to racing for the last couple of days in the hospital.

"Well this will sure be a look for the red carpet" Charles jokes as he points towards his face. The cut in his lip and the purple-yellowisch bruise fading at his right eye socket. Max grimaces before kissing his boyfriend again. "Hey you are always beautiful okay" he says what makes Charles smile. "Thank you Maxy"
"But maybe we just should not go? I think we can get off the hook because of this?" Max says and Charles face drops.
"Why?" He ask.
"Because you are hurt? And still in the hospital now?" He says looking serious a look in his eyes that the monegasque can't quite decipher before cracking a smile and the strange look is gone "And it's a boring gala believe me" as Charles rolls his eyes at him.
"Well first of all, I hope that I'm released from the hospital by then and that I'm allowed to travel again in two weeks" he says and then turns further towards his boyfriend "and I was kind of looking forward to going together" grabbing the Dutchman's hand. "The top two of the world" he then smiled again kissing their intertwined fingers.
"Okay" Max says slightly sighing.
"Okay?" Charles asks
"Yes okay Charles" Max smiles slightly. "But only if the doctor says you are allowed to go and it's safe for us to go!"
"Obviously!" Charles smiles happily.
"Okay" Max finishes kissing his boyfriends nose before returning back to folding the clothes he started on.

One day later the couple learns that Charles is allowed to go home the next day. To finally spend time together in their new and own home. Charles has to come back a week later for check ups and then the doctor will decide if he is allowed to travel or not.

That evening Max is already packing some stuff the monegasque will probably not need anymore during his stay in the hospital , while Charles is walking through the room as he has to ease in putting pressure on his wounded leg. While doing so there is a knock on the door. Max opens the door were two police officers are waiting, the two same officers that came to take their statements the day after the beating.
"We've got them under arrest" they get told and the couple let a mutual sigh off relieve. Their statements added with those of other club go-ers and security footage made it fairly easy to find out who the assailants where. This releases the tension of their shoulders a bit. But by now the word had also spread towards the outside world about what had happened. They find out just as the agents left and both of their phones start ringing.

Headlines cover social media and all the news pages.
"Charles Leclerc target in beating"
"Formula one's first gay couple targets in hate crime"
"Footage of Leclerc's beating leaked"

"Fuck!" Charles says as he rolled his eyes groaning. "I guess it was a furtile hope keeping this out of the media" he says shaking his head "well otherwise my face was probably a dead give away" he jokes trying to light the mood. "It's good our teams already prepared a statement" What else can he do, it's not like he can change the situation anyway.
As his boyfriend is still turned from him holding his phone he calls out for him. "Max?" He notices now how his shoulders are tense. "Maxy?"
And Max turns revealing his face full of tears. His bright blue eyes blurred by the saline on his cheeks. Charles's eyes widen in realisation "Oh Max" Charles says as he stumbles his way.
"Hey, what's going on?" He says resting his hands on either side of his cheek and Max just sniff's circling his hands around Charles's waist, clinging on without applying to much pressure. Charles cradles the blonde mop of hair. "Hey it's okay , tout va bien, wij zijn oké" he breathes in English, French and finally Dutch and lets his boyfriend's breath's even out against his chest.