Left Behind

Getting ready

Max and Charles exchanged a glance before making their way to the kitchen, their steps hesitant as they braced themselves for the inevitable scrutiny of their friends. As they entered the room, a palpable silence descended, and all eyes turned to focus on them. It was as if they had walked into the middle of a scene frozen in time.

Lando, ever the instigator, broke the tension with a casual question. "Hey, how'd you guys sleep?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Max and Charles exchanged a knowing look, their expressions betraying a hint of amusement mixed with a touch of embarrassment. "Uh, well, pretty well, I guess," Charles replied, his voice slightly strained.

Max chimed in, his tone casual but his words laden with innuendo. "Yeah, not too bad, although I did wake up in the middle of the night," he admitted, his voice trailing off as he added almost under his breath, "but I guess you all already know that, right?"

A ripple of laughter swept through the group as the teasing began in earnest. Lando, with a playful smirk, quipped, "Oh, we know, Max. We definitely know."

Carlos joined in, a smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah, it's not like you two are fooling anyone with those excuses."

Pierre, ever the voice of reason, chimed in with a grin. "Well, I guess it's good to see you guys finally getting some quality time together."

Max and Charles then went on and retrieved plates and breakfast items for themselves. The morning light filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room as they prepared their meal. Their movements were fluid and synchronized, a silent dance born of familiarity and unspoken understanding. As they gathered around the table with the others, laughter and chatter filling the air, Max and Charles shared a glance, a silent reassurance passing between them. 

"No, but more seriously, is there something going on between you guys?" Carlos asked, his tone genuine but curious.

The question hung in the air like a weight, lingering amidst the laughter and banter of the group. Carlos's inquiry cut through the jovial atmosphere, injecting a note of seriousness into the conversation.

Max and Charles exchanged a glance, uncertainty flickering in their eyes as they grappled with how to respond. The room fell silent, all eyes turning expectantly to them, awaiting their answer.

Seeing their hesitation, Pierre and Lando chimed in, their voices laced with understanding. "Hey, it's totally fine if there is, but we don't want to pry," Pierre reassured them, his tone gentle.

Lando nodded in agreement, adding, "Yeah, whatever it is, we're cool with it. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

Daniel, who had remained silent up until now, watched the exchange with a knowing smile playing on his lips. He had suspected the truth for some time now, but he respected Max and Charles's privacy too much to say anything.

Max and Charles exchanged another look, silently communicating their thoughts. Finally, Charles spoke up, his voice steady but tinged with vulnerability. "Yeah, actually, we are together," he admitted, his gaze meeting each of his friends' in turn.

"It hasn't been for long, so we wanted to keep it low-key for now," Max added, his tone casual but genuine. "But, I mean, Daniel knows, so it's only fair for you guys to know too."

At Max's revelation, Pierre, Lando, and Carlos turned their heads in unison to look at Daniel, their expressions a mix of surprise and amusement. Daniel chuckled at their reaction, holding up his hands in surrender. "Guilty as charged," he confessed, his smile widening as he basked in the shared moment of revelation.