A/N: Wow, what a weekend! From seeing my favorite drivers up close in the fanzone to getting soaking wet near Eau Rouge and a sunburn on Sunday at Blanchimont. A perfect weekend! I had the best birthday too, seeing both Max and Charles up close.
I couldn't wait to start writing this. There's some Dutch in here; the translations are at the end of the chapter, but to stay in Charles's POV, I suggest reading it after ;)
"We'll call, okay?" Max snaps, halting Charles on the spot. He doesn't know how to reply. Max has never spoken to him like that, like he can't wait to get away from him.
"Okay," Charles says, defeated. He watches as Max gets into his car and takes off without looking at him once.
"Merde..." Charles sighs to no one in particular before turning toward the Ferrari he shares with Carlos during the weekends. His teammate is already seated behind the wheel, looking at him with a frown.
Charles gets in, trying to play it off cool, but Carlos sees right through him. His friend always does.
"Why did he act that way?" The Spaniard demands, staring at Charles's side profile.
"I said something wrong," Charles replies, looking at his hands. Carlos's gaze burns, but he refuses to meet his eyes.
"What did you say?" Carlos isn't giving up.
"Nothing. Just drive." To Charles's surprise, Carlos does as he's told.
It's quiet until they reach their hotel. Carlos parks the car, but as Charles reaches for the handle, Carlos pulls him back in.
"Was it about the race?"
Charles nods. He doesn't understand why Carlos wants to bring it up again. It's Max and his business, not anyone else's.
"Did you bring up his P5?"
"Yes. Mate, I don't feel like talking about-"
"Well, we're going to, Charlitos!" Charles is taken aback by the force behind Carlos's words. He opens his mouth to reply, but the Spaniard cuts him off once more.
"No, listen," Carlos says, holding up his hand. "I've been watching you two dance around one another for years now. You finally got your act together, so keep it together!"
"You're acting as if I lashed out!" Charles raises his voice, matching Carlos's volume. He loves his teammate, but he has no right to talk about his relationship like that.
"No, that was last time," Carlos groans.
"I apologized for that."
"After, I had to think of something to screw your head back on."
"Well, I don't need your help this time."
"So you admit you're fucking it up once more?"
"Who's side are you on?"
"No one's!" Carlos yells. "I just want to see you happy!"
Charles rubs his eyes. "As if I don't want that. I love Max so much it hurts, Carlos."
"I can assure you, Max is hurting just as much right now."
"I don't think so. He clearly doesn't care," Charles says, pulling at his hair. Somehow, he's always known it would end up this way. One of them freaking out about a bad result. He didn't think it'd happen so soon.
"He cares a lot more than you think. Max cares too much." Carlos goes with a hand over his face. "His dad's here this weekend. You know how he gets when Max doesn't do well."
Charles drops back against the headrest. "I know. He freaks out when we talk about him."
"You know why, right?"
YOU ARE READING
If Clarity's in Death, Then Why Won't This Die?
Romance"Max doesn't know what to say. His eyes draw over every inch of Charles's face. His green eyes with brown specks, the sweat dripping down his face, his lips curled in a small smile... "If only you saw yourself the way all of us do. The way I do." Ma...
