#slight insecurity

Max never really let anyone get close. Sure people in his team knew him well, but they never really knew him. All they saw was the focused and intense driver that only knew two things, how to race and how to win. That was the most anyone saw these days.

Max made sure no one saw the real him underneath those hoodies and jeans he wore constantly. That no one ever saw the lion's mane of his that he constantly cut short so that he’d look normal. That tail he always hid under clothes. His almost golden eyes hidden behind eye contacts. Those ears that now instinctively flatten out so that no one would see them. And the small animalistic characteristics he had, like purring or feeling anxious in areas he’d never been in, hidden by music that kept his senses calm.

As it was, Max already had too much on his plate. The team was in shambles. Their second driver had quit, the backup driver was injured, the car wasn't working like how it used to, and all the pressure was on Max to fight for the championship. All of it weighed down on him like the sky was about to fall if he didn’t win a race. 

Safe to say it didn’t end well. Lando ended up winning the world drivers championship and RedBull was nowhere near close to the constructors championship. Max was beginning to consider that maybe it’d be best if he left RedBull for another more fortunate team like McLaren or Mercedes. But Max couldn’t do it. It’d just be the same rodeo all over again if he just kept switching teams when the going got tough. 

So Max pushed down his complaints and stuck with RedBull. At least now the pressure was shifting off him and onto the higher ups. RedBull needed a second driver. Not some rookie from F2 or another driver from Racing Bulls. They needed a legit second driver that would help Max win points for the team and be good enough for RedBull’s standards.

Max knew that was a long shot. RedBull was an impossible team for new people. They demanded results the moment someone joined the team, nothing less. So Max decided not to get his hopes up. He let the team decide who would be the other driver and he’d go along with it.

Not long before the new season, RedBull finally announced their second driver. You. A female driver who’d been stuck in F2 for years because no F1 team would sign you. It wasn’t that you were bad at driving, you were great at it. The problem was no one wanted to hire a woman, especially a hybrid. 

It wasn’t well-known that you are a hybrid but it didn’t take much research on you to figure it out. Your eyes are a bright green just like a panther, long jet black hair that looked like any other head of hair except for the fact it was very thick, pointed ears that blended in with your hair, and a long black tail. A panther hybrid. 

Max met you at the official meeting where you signed your contract. At first he was very distant, not wanting to get attached to a teammate that might not stay very long. But then he noticed it, the almost glowing green eyes, the ears that you could only see if the light hit them just right, and what he was sure was a tail tucked under your jacket. You were a hybrid too, just like him.

It didn’t take anymore than that to get Max to speak to you. Finally there was another hybrid around, someone he could relate to, someone who wouldn’t tease or hate him for the animalistic characteristics that he never wanted. 

In the beginning, it was slightly awkward between the both of you. Just the occasional small talk in between practice sessions and races. Even if you were a hybrid yourself, Max was still very weary about letting someone into his life. You on the other hand, you were outgoing, energetic, and very confident. Max didn’t understand how you could act so normal despite the circumstances. But then again, no one really knew you were a hybrid. You could hide it much easier than he could and people would treat you normally. Max envied that. 

Then one day, you surprised him. During the season the two of you occasionally shared a motorhome if there were no hotels available, so Max had grown accustomed to your presence. That is until one day he walked out of his room and into the kitchen where you were. On a normal day he would’ve just nodded at you and went about his business. But today was different. You were in the kitchen, making a coffee as usual, but all your features were out.

Your tail was dangling carelessly, ears perked up, and silently purring. Max couldn’t believe that. He couldn’t remember a time where he just let himself relax in his own skin. To let his tail move on its own, purr when he was happy, let his ears perk up like they normally would when he was younger.

From that day on, Max finally decided that it might be ok if he let you in. Over the course of the season the two of you grew closer and closer. Max wouldn’t admit it but he was getting attached to you. You were always so understanding with him, letting him open up on his own accord. You never forced anything on him, just let him tell you when he was ready to open up or even something as small as to let his ears perk up when it was just the two of you. 

It’s been months since then. Max was now accustomed to letting his guard down around you. His ears now moved comfortably, his tail as well, he started to let his mane grow out a little more, and he would even purr around you when he was in a good mood. 

Especially right now with you combing through his mane. It took a while before Max would even let you touch it but now he practically begged you to. He had no idea just how much he’d love letting some brush his hair, cut it occasionally, and even just have hands run through his hair. 

So every Thursday you’d sit on the couch, Max sitting on the floor between your legs, and you’d just take care of his hair. Max loved it a lot. Like right now, you were doing something so simple as combing his hair and he was purring like a house cat, his tail wrapped around your leg happily, almost possessively. You found it adorable but you wouldn’t dare say that to his face.

“Someones in a good mood.” you smiled.

“I like it when you touch my hair.” he hummed between loud purrs. 

You chuckled and went back to combing through his hair, patch by patch. Being that he was a lion hybrid, Max’s hair was very thick, so it took a while to comb through. To which Max now enjoyed the extra time he got with your hands in his hair due to its thickness. 

“Think it’s time to cut my hair again? It’s getting a little long.” Max asked, his hand moving through the strands of hair as if to check the length.

“Let it grow. You’re a lion, be proud of your mane.” you smiled down at Max.

You knew he was still insecure about letting his features show out in the open, but maybe this would be his first steps into feeling comfortable in his own skin. 

“If you say so.” he shrugged. 

As of lately Max couldn’t help but trust your opinion more and more. You made him feel like being a hybrid might actually be a good thing. That maybe someone could actually love him even if he looked like a giant housecat at times. 

Half an hour later you finished combing through Max’s hair. He whined at the loss of your hands in his hair. You laughed softly at his reaction, it always amused you how much he loved you touching his hair.

“Why’d you have to stop…?” he complained, now nuzzling against your leg.

“I can’t comb your hair forever, you know.” you smiled at Max’s nuzzling, he could be so cute at times. 

Silence soon took over the space, calm and comfortable. Max slowly got up from his place on the floor and climbed back onto the couch. He let out a loud yawn as he settled down next to you. You knew what that meant, he was sleepy, and if he was sleepy, he wanted cuddles. 

Carefully you laid back against the couch, allowing Max to lay next you, balling himself up like a common housecat. He let out soft purrs as he got comfortable in his spot next to you, his tail now wrapped around yours, coaxing you closer. Soon enough the two of you were wrapped around each other like two big cats ready for a nap in the sun. 

Max nuzzled his head into the crook of your neck. For someone so tough on the outside he was very affectionate with you. You wondered if there was something more to it or if it was the lion instincts of him, the ones that needed the social aspect of a pride. He soon let out more loud purrs, his tail swinging back and forth, still wrapped around your own, and his ears weren’t pinned back for once, instead they stood up comfortably. 

“Are you always this affectionate or is it just me?” you whispered, careful not to burst the tranquil bubble.

Max went silent for a minute, almost debating his answer, “just you…you get me. I trust you. I- I love you…” he whispered against your neck, almost muffling that last part.

You went silent. He said it. He said those three words that you never thought you’d hear and especially not about you. Max’s ears pinned back again, your silence worrying him. Did you not love him back? Did he make you uncomfortable? He started to pull back from his place next to you.

“Hey, you don’t have to do that.” your hand moved back into his hair, slowly moving through the strands once more. 

Max’s ears slowly stood back up again, his body moving back into its former position next to you. 

“You can just tell me if you don’t feel the same. I’ll understand…” he mumbled under his breath nervously. 

“Hey, look at me.” you gently pulled his face out of the crook of your neck. 

Max looked nervous, worried, somewhat hopeful, and confused. Like he was trying to understand his own feelings. 

“I love you too, Max.” you whispered, placing a soft kiss on his forehead. 

Max smiled, a real one, happier than when he usually smiled around you. He nuzzled against the hand that was still playing with his hair, his eyes closed in tranquility, and a set of very loud purrs now emanating from deep within him.

“I was scared you wouldn’t feel the same…” he sighed against your neck.

“C’mon, why else would I spend time helping you with your hair, cooking you extra food, and helping you feel better about being a hybrid?” you smiled. 

Max hummed at that. You had a good point, maybe it was just his anxiety the whole time.

For the next hour the two of you stayed there, cuddled together. It was so comfortable that even you started purring softly, nuzzling against Max’s hair. At some point in the quiet moment, Max started to test boundaries and started leaving small kisses along your neck. Small but sweet and affectionate. You smiled at the feeling of his lips on your skin. 

It took a while but Max finally gathered the courage to kiss you on the lips. A short kiss but it was enough for you. It’d be a while before Max felt ready for anything more so you were just happy he felt this comfortable with you as is. 

“We’d have cute cubs…” he randomly said.

“Slow your roll, Casanova. We’ve only just had our first kiss.” you laughed. Max was weird like that but you loved him for it.

Max also laughed at your reaction before nuzzling back into your neck.