Silver Lining, Scarlet Shadows

Max Verstappen was built to win. But under the steel nerves and ruthless consistency lies a boy forged by fire, silence, and fear.
Charles Leclerc shines in scarlet - on posters, podiums, and screens - but no one sees the bruises beneath the brilliance.
Their story begins in silence and secrecy, threaded with tension on and off the grid. But when Charles crashes and everything stops, Max is forced to reckon with what he's been too afraid to name.
A slow-burning journey of healing, secrecy, and love - in the paddock, on the track, and in the hidden corners of their hearts.
This is not a fairytale. But maybe, just maybe, it can still end in gold.

crossposted on ao3 as ReadNowSleepLater