Toto's Redbull Son [F1 Fanfic]

13

Max tried to slow his breathing as he waited for Charles to arrive. He looked out out over the calm waves gently washing over the beach, a stark difference to the ravenous butterflies that seemed to be trying to escape from Max's stomach.

After what felt like an eternity Max finally saw him walking over, in all of his Monegasque glory. Max didn't know if the butterflies settled or got more aggressive.

"Hey," Max said as Charles arrived in front of him, trying to ignore the urge to pick at his nails. Charles nodded in greeting and they stood in silence for a couple seconds before Max spoke again.

"So, Uh, do you want to, set up on the beach?" He asked.

"Ok." Was the simple response Max got. Was he doing something wrong? Maybe Charles didn't think this was a date? Or what if Charles did but he regretted it and didn't even want to be friends with him anymore? Were they friends? They had to be. But maybe Charles was just trying to be nice and Max was bothering him.

They set up a couple towels on the sand setting down their bags.

The two talked for a while, enjoying the sun on the sand, before they decided to finally go for a swim. Well, Max decided to go for a swim.

"Max, No! Max, Max, Max! NO!" Charles pleaded as Max picked him up, carrying him to the calm ocean waters before dropping him. Charles landed with a splash reaching towards Max as he fell, pulling Max down with him.

They both resurfaced spluttering, Max laughing.

They splashed around in the ocean, letting the water wash away any worries they had for a while.

When they got out and went back to their stuff, Max just threw the towel over his shoulders before turning to Charles again.

"Wanna grab something to eat?" He asked. Charles turned to look at him, his pretty blue eyes staring at him. Charles didn't answer for a moment, the two simply staring at each other, before stumbling out an answer.

"Oh, uh, sure?"

They stayed silent for another awkward moment before Max nodded. "Right."

They walked off the beach and towards one of the beachside restaurants. But as they turned the corner down one of the streets Max nearly ran into someone, again. He really needs to pay attention, but who can blame him when Charles is talking about his new dog so passionately with the exaggerated hand gestures.

"Watch where you're going." Came the gruff voice of the man Max almost walked into, he swore he recognised it for a second.

"Uh, sor-" Max stopped his sentence as he looked up to see the face of Jos Verstappen staring back at him. He froze, his heart going a million miles an hour. Max took a single step backwards, almost running into Charles.

"Max." The Dutchman in front of him said. "What are you doing here with him?"

Max stayed silent desperately looking for a way out of this without turning it into a fight.

"I thought I always told you to never make friends with your rivals, especially him." He said to Max making a pointed gesture towards Charles.

"I uh-" Max stuttered.

"What's going on here?" Another voice entered the conversation, but not Charles, no no, now a Austrian man entered the conversation.

"Dad." Max said relieved.

"Toto." The other Dutchman said with a sneer. "You have no need to be apart of my son and I's fight." He said with an underlying tone of disgust.

Toto Wolff stepped in between the Dutch duo, Max gladly hiding behind him, throwing a glance towards Charles who seemed like he was about to turn tail and run but also didn't want to leave.

"I see no reason as to why you need to be speaking to my son." He said coldly, taking a step closer to Jos, the Austrian towering over the man.

Jos didn't step down from the challenge. "He is MY son, I am the one who raised him, I am the one who turned him into the winner he is today!" The man replied.

"And yet you are the one who left him at a fuel station?" Toto said with the same cold tone.

"I- I would have gone back for him!" Jos took a small step back, not expecting to be called out like that. Max thought for a second, what did Jos think when he has disappeared at the fuel station? Only to stay in the karting scene and become an F1 driver?

Eh, he didn't care too much.

"Besides, he isn't your son in anyway except blood, he is mine, legally. He is my son, not yours." Toto said looking at the man as he took another step back.

A few noises escaped the Dutchman's mouth before he turned and walked off, stumbling on the path.

Toto turned towards Max, pulling him into a tight hug.

"You're alright."

The simple statement was enough for Max to relax completely. Max turned to look at Charles once he escaped the embrace.

"Uh- Sorry Charles, tha- I didn't realise he was here." Max apologised.

"No! It's alright, just uh- Unexpected." Charles said, he looked at the father and son. "But maybe we should continue this another day? Maybe after the next race?" He offered. Max nodded in response.

"Yeah, sounds good." He said, looking at the ground slightly. Charles nodded silently before walking off, leaving Max and Toto alone.

"Thank you." Max said.

"No need, It is simply my duty as a dad to do things like that." Toto said, pulling the boy back into a hug. "Now, why don't we head back home?"

Max nodded and Toto led him on the short walk back to his apartment building.