End Game (Charles Leclerc x Max Verstappen)

London Boy (Part 2)

Max Verstappen

It's Monday afternoon when Charles, P and I all pile into my rented Porsche, Mirabella had flown home yesterday night. P has been napping for almost the entire drive and we're nearly in London by now. The whole drive has actually been really nice, Charles has mostly listened while I talked, he's been joking that I'm 'Maxplaining' but really doesn't seem to mind.

"I haven't forgotten about my promise. Your RedBull shirt's in the back." I say, switching the topic of conversation from his recent streams, which are absolutely unhinged.

"Hmm" he responds, glancing at me and raising his eyebrows in question. "How do I know that you really won anyway?"

The smile spreading across my face has no way of being restrained. "As I was leaving the next morning, after basically running out of the hotel with embarrassment, one of the guy's sisters stopped me. She asked if I'd really met you while scuba diving for sea racoons in Cambodia. Apparently I'm not as famous as I thought." 

It's comical how wide Charles' jaw drops in that moment and I can't stop my laugh from sounding throughout the car. Within two seconds Charles laugh joins in. It's beautiful how the sounds of our voices harmonize together, I could listen to this forever, the only missing sound is P's little giggle.

"I- a sea racoon?" Charles is gasping for air now, folded over in the passenger seat as he's trying to compose himself. "How did you even come up with that? That is preposterous."

"I don't know Charlie. I was very drunk okay." I'm not even sure how to explain myself anymore and I'm laughing so hard that I pull off the road so I don't endanger us all. "But your Redbull shirts are in the trunk. I even went to the trouble of getting you workout gear incase you wanted to head to the gym." I lower my voice to a barely audible whisper when we finally make eyecontact.  "I can't wait to see you in blue." I know I shouldn't be flirting, and the wink maybe took it to far but the heat rising in his face brings me a level of satisfaction that I didn't know was possible.

"I am stupid for making this deal. I do not think I even came up with a story." 

I pull back out to the road, finally having composed myself enough to focus and drive safely. "Don't worry schatje, you'll look great." I think I might be choking on air when Charles reaches over and places his and on my thigh. Fuck, there goes my focus. 

The rest of the drive is rather uneventful, more shameless flirting while P naps in the back, but soon we've arrived at the apartment. It's gorgeous. The flat has three bedrooms, each with their own ensuite, a huge open kitchen and large living room attached to a balcony overlooking the Tower Bridge. P's awake now and has been running around the living room with her pink sparkly build-a-bear named Pinkie, very creative I know, for the past few minutes while Charles and I unpack. 

Walking out of the first bedroom a shred of disappointment clouds my chest when I see Charles unpacking across the hall. It's not like I expected us to share a bed or anything but it doesn't stop the longing, and very detailed images of what that might look like, from blossoming in my head. How the fuck have I fallen for this man so fast? Okay, maybe fast is an exaggeration, there may have been some  tension when we were karting together but then I got with Kelly and it all faded into the background, completely forgotten about. I definitely didn't know what it was back then though, not like I do now. 

"Max? Pen's been asking about ice cream for nearly two minutes, are you ever going to answer?" Charlie's hand on my arm only increases the flush rising on my cheeks as I stare into his eyes. 

"Right." Turning to P I pick her up and spin in a circle, "Anything for my birthday girl!"

Charles Leclerc