Petrol in his Veins // Charles Leclerc

31

I wish you all a wonderful christmas time ♡

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The Christmas season in Monaco brought a special atmosphere. The city was festively decorated, and Jolie and Charles spent several evenings admiring the city lights and strolling through the snowy streets. The preparations for the holidays and the search for gifts for their loved ones kept them quite busy.

Monaco covered in snow was a rare but breathtaking sight. The city, usually characterized by sunny Mediterranean weather, was now adorned in a white robe, transforming the boulevards, palm trees, and buildings into an enchanted winter landscape. Charles, bundled up in his warmest clothes, looked around with sparkling eyes as he walked through the streets with Jolie. His face was flushed from the cold, and despite the many layers he wore, you could easily see that he was cold. Every gust of wind that stirred up the snow made him shiver a bit. 

"Why am I doing this again?" he asked, smiling, while trying to tighten his gloves even more. "Because you love Christmas, and it's fun for you to personally choose gifts," Jolie laughed, squeezing his hand. "Besides, look around! It's beautiful." He nodded. "Yes, it is. But it's also damn cold!" The two turned into an illuminated street where festive decorations adorned the shop windows. A small market with Christmas stalls was set up at Port Hercule, and the scent of roasted almonds and mulled wine filled the air.

After their shopping spree, they took a break in a cozy café at the marina. Charles wrapped himself in a warm blanket and ordered a hot cocoa, while Jolie opted for tea. "You know, I love Christmas," Charles began, "but I think next year we'll order everything online and stay indoors where it's warm." Jolie laughed softly. "But then we would miss all these wonderful moments. Like your desperate attempt to keep warm." Charles looked playfully offended. "I'm doing all of this just for you, you know?" Jolie kissed his cold cheek. "I know. And I love you for it." 

After the short warm up in the café the two strolled through the festively lit streets of the Christmas market, from which the scent of mulled wine and roasted almonds rose. Charles tightened his scarf around his neck, but the cold seemed to have already penetrated his body. "What do you want to eat?" Jolie asked, trying to lighten the mood. "Doesn't matter," Charles replied shortly, and she noticed him shrugging his shoulders and lowering his head, as if trying to shield himself from the icy wind. She opted for two crepes with Nutella. Charles ate mechanically, without real enjoyment, and hardly spoke a word. Jolie's attempts to start a conversation were met with short, sometimes almost dismissive answers. She gave him a concerned look. "Are you okay?" she asked cautiously. After all, it hadn't been too long since he had caught the flu, and maybe he wasn't completely back on track yet. "I'm just cold," he answered irritably. Jolie sighed softly. "I think we should go home," she suggested finally. "Yes," he replied, seeming relieved by the suggestion. 

On the way home, she felt the cold as well as the growing gap between them, although they were holding hands. When they reached their apartment, Charles took off his shoes and collapsed onto the sofa. Jolie decided to make something warm for him and turned on the kettle. "I'll make us some hot cocoa, okay?" she called to him. Charles nodded without saying a word. She wondered if his bad mood was really just due to the cold or if he might not be feeling well. After all, his mood had shifted within two minutes. After handing him a cup of cocoa, she sat down beside him and gently placed her hand on his forehead. "You feel a bit warm," she said, concerned. Charles closed his eyes. "Maybe I should just get some sleep." Jolie nodded. "That's a good idea. Rest, and I'll make you some soup later, okay?"

Charles mumbled something unintelligible, and Jolie kissed him on the forehead before getting up to leave him in peace. Jolie looked worriedly at Charles from the kitchen, who was tightly wrapped up on the sofa and had already fallen into a light sleep. The apartment was filled with a pleasant warmth that would hopefully contribute to him feeling better soon.