mindlessly

At fourteen and sixteen, their relationship is all blood rushing to their cheeks, fluttering hands, kisses that last too long and not long enough, panting breaths, and hickeys below shirt collars. It’s whispers of forever, of I’ll take you here and there. That house will be ours one day. Whatever you want, you’ll have. I’ll be on break, you’ll come home and I’ll be waiting. You’ll follow me everywhere and I’ll do the same.

It’s promises they don’t realize they shouldn’t be making but do. It’s sweet nothings and petty fights that last a day before they’re back in each other's arms. It’s pretending not to notice how his dad watches him amused as he walks calmly out of the door before sprinting over to her house and sneaking into her bedroom. It’s her parents pretending not to hear the thud of him falling into her bedroom and the light giggles their daughter makes.

At fourteen and sixteen, their relationship changes. It’s no longer seeing each other when he doesn’t have a race or training and is home, no Red Bull duties to be done. It’s long phone calls, texts, snapchat streaks, learning how to video call. It’s carrying two power banks with them everywhere and Max buying them both expensive phone cases that charge their phones. It’s falling asleep on the phone while the other is just beginning their day. He attends classes with her, while she listens to him train. He goes to red bull meetings and pretends not to have the light sound of breathing in his ears from her falling asleep while studying or doing her homework.

Fifteen and seventeen, brings them peace. She’s still studying like a mad woman at Harvard of all places, but he’s got an F1 seat of all things. He’s in F1. He suddenly has more things to do but more free time. When he’s not racing or at the factory or doing weird press things that make him want to rip his hair out, Jos is putting him on a plane to America, to her. And he soaks up all the time with her he can, despite it being filled with her studying, attending classes, and forcing actual food down her throat which her parents both thank him for.

It also brings the stupidest thing in the world; the doubt and disbelief that he has a girlfriend.

Carlos is the first to bring it up upon seeing his home screen that’s just all black, not even the default that iphone has.

“No girlfriend?” Max frowns at him, pocketing his phone and sending a glance over to where his father is standing and talking to his race engineer. “What?” “Your home screen, it’s all black. You don’t have a girlfriend?” Carlos is teasing, joking. The whole paddock already knows that Jos Verstappen wouldn’t let his son have a girlfriend, not now when he’s got an F1 seat. Such a thing would be a distraction and Max isn’t allowed those. Max isn’t allowed friends on the grid either. Carlos wonders though how much the last part is just a Jos thing. “I do.” Then he says her name, all soft and sweet in a way Carlos never thought Max could be. It’s nearly enough for him to believe Max, but then he catches a glimpse of Jos and shakes his head, clapping the seventeen year old on the back.

He is the first to not believe Max, but far from the last. It’s Daniel next, Christian, Esteban, Pierre, Sebastian, Lando, every interviewer that asks.

It doesn’t matter because at seventeen and nineteen, she gets her second degree and begins the nightmare of getting her doctorates in education and history. And he picks out a ring before making his father hide it away. And instead of him constantly flying to her, she’s flying to him. Hiding out in his Monaco apartment, turning his living room into a disaster zone as she spreads her things around to study.

The mess drives him crazy, but he doesn’t move anything no matter how much his hands itch to do so, instead just pressing a kiss to the top of her head before pressing himself in between her and the couch. Grinning when she sends him a look, a clear don’t be a distraction, before giving him a kiss.

His days in Monaco when she’s there are spent in the living room after training, playing fifa or watching some documentary for one of her classes with her, and poking at her lightly because he doesn’t know shit about history but he’s still able to remember countries quicker than her.

They turn eighteen and twenty and nearly get married when her family goes on vacation to Vegas, dragging the two along despite them not being able gamble, which is the only reason her parents had chosen Vegas. The only thing that stops them from getting married is him not being a US citizen and her visa just being for school. It’s a fucking wakeup call for him and he can’t help but pester her about places in Monaco to live.

She entertains it for all of five minutes before she’s cupping his face and kissing him. When she pulls back, she’s shaking her head. “As long as it has you and four bedrooms, I don’t care.” “Four?” “We’ll need our own offices and a guest room.”

It’s barely anything for the real estate agent to work with but he doesn’t care. He wants something that’s at least four bedrooms, two baths, a decent kitchen, and a view. She liked the Monaco sunrise and sunset and he planned on letting her be able to see it anytime they stayed in Monaco.

His agent gets back to him in a week and he ignores the look on Daniel’s face when he comes over for the first time. Ignores the jokes about it being too big for one person just like Daniel ignores him saying that he has a girlfriend.

“If you had one, I’d have seen a picture of her mate. The whole world would.”

Max still remembers the way his jaw had twitched at the thing everyone said. That if he had a girlfriend, they’d have seen a picture of her, that he’d be showing her off every second, have her at the races, been seen with her. When Max had made it abundantly clear that the worst part of driving was the media, the fame. So why would he ever subject someone he loves to that when they both weren’t ready for that?

Because they weren’t. He wasn’t ready for another part of his life, one of the most important parts, to be something for everyone to look at and dissect. And she wasn’t ready for it either. Not when she was doing so much studying. She barely felt like she had time for him, which he denied and hated vehemently, she didn’t have time for the online vitriol of being a girlfriend to a high profile athlete. And she didn’t need to be harassed as she attended classes and studies groups and such if someone recognized her and didn’t like that she was with him.

Not showing any pictures or videos of her was also easy for him. It wasn’t because he didn’t have any, he had hundreds. But they were pictures and videos of her, only meant for him. Not because they were dirty in nature, though some were, but because how she was in them was something only she allowed him to see. It was photos of her with a finger pressed to her top lip as she glared at her books, videos of her sitting on something too tall for her feet to touch the ground and letting them swing. It was her smiling at him, all fond, shy and in love.

It was them wrapped up in each other's arms and love. Her in between his legs or the other way around. Her sitting on his lap as Vic stole his phone to video them laughing and exchanging kisses. Her giggles as she tries not to fall asleep as reads her books to him over facetime. It’s her in her purest form and he doesn’t want the people in his life who are so quick and sure to not believe him to get to see that.

Nineteen and twenty-one, she officially co-owns their place in Monaco and he starts scouting out property in Belgium and land in France that’s somewhat close to the principality he lives in. It was too early to start building a house to live in forever, not when they weren’t sure what they wanted to live in forever with their kids, but it wasn’t too early to buy the land for it.

It also leads to their biggest fight in years.

“Max!” Her nails are digging into her arms. “I’m not saying that. I’m saying that I want to help, that I can pay. I have money!” “And you don’t need to!” He’s yelling as well, face red with anger. “I’ve got money too! You don’t need to pay for shit when I can.” She shakes her head. “Really? Is that how it's always going to be? I won’t ever get to pay for anything? Just have a salary and trust fund wasting away.” She scoffs, giving another shake of her head. “Is it about being the breadwinner? Because don’t worry Max, I’m well aware that you’ll always have more money than me. Doesn’t mean I can’t contribute to our life.” “Fuck.” He murmurs seeing the tears brimming in her eyes but not falling, the hurt in her words. “It’s not about that at all. It’s not about being the breadwinner.” “Then what is it about?” Her voice is high pitched. “You won’t let me pay for a single thing! I can’t buy groceries without you slipping money back into my wallet. I can’t help pay the bills and now you won’t let me help buy the land that will have our house on it. What is it about Max?” “You’re mine.” Her eyes widened at his quiet but firm tone. “You’re my girlfriend, the love of my life. One day my wife and the mother of my children.” He runs his tongue over his teeth, feeling words and feelings he’s only ever really let come out during sex or when they're both so drunk they barely remember anything the next day. “I want to pay for everything because it’s providing for you, it’s making sure you’re eating, sleeping somewhere safe, getting the best, most accommodating flights. It’s knowing that I’m providing for my family.”

“Max,” she breathes out, arms falling away from her chest and then she’s moving closer, resting a hand over his racing heart. “You want to provide for me?” He nods. “For our future kids?” “Yes.” “So do I. So, we’re going to work on this. You want to buy the land, you can.” He looks at her distrusting, because this didn’t sound like working on it. “But, I get to pay for groceries when I go out for them, without you paying me back. I get to pay for netflix because I use it more and spotify.” She adds. He frowns at her. “I don’t like it.” “Too bad and I’m not done. In return, you get to pay the bills, put gas in the car for me,” he grins at that. “Pay for my flights and we are going to open a joint account to put an equal amount of money in every month. For things like vacations, anniversary dinners, and the kids. Because it’s important that I get to help provide for them too. And when we build that house together, I want to pay at least half of the contracting fee. I’ll let you pay for the rest.” “I want to pay for any of the kids' interests. Like art, ballet or karting.” “No deal.” She shakes her head and he’s frowning again. “You can pay for all the karting, it will mean more. But I want it out of the shared account for the other things. Unless,” she pauses. “Unless,” he encourages. “If any of them decides to go to university early like me, I want to pay fully for it.” “No.” It’s quick and now she’s frowning as well. “It’s our children and their education. Shared account.” “Their first degree.” He shakes his head. “And if it’s their only degree?” Her brows press together, it was a good point. Just because they decided to go to university early like her didn’t mean they’d go for more than one degree. “First year.” His eyes narrow as he looks at her, but he nods. “First year. But only of the first degree.” “First degree only.” She agrees.

It’s quiet between them before Max lets his face soften, lips twisting slightly into a smile. “Are we done fighting?” She laughs, but nods. “Yeah. We’re done fighting.” “Thank god.” He breathes, pulling her into his arms and burying his face into the crook of her neck. “Let’s not do that again.” “Not anytime soon at least.” “I love you.” He murmurs. “I love you too.”

Twenty and twenty-two has their families asking when exactly they’re getting married, wondering why there isn’t a ring on her finger and their only saving grace is their time spent in Monaco together away from them all. But when it gets to be too much as pressure builds as she tries to finish her doctorate in education while still working on her doctorate for history, it’s Jos that steps in for her and Max.

The three of them shared a complicated relationship. She could never like him for the parent he was to Max growing up. From the near abuse he hurled at him when he failed, the pressure he put on a child, the leaving him in a foreign country for a few hours when he wasn’t even a teenager more than once. But she did love him, because Max loved him and in his own way he loved Max and he showed that with his support of their relationship when everyone expected for him to have a problem with it, label it as a distraction. And now as a few years had passed and Max was comfortable in his F1 seat, he was Max’s fiercest defender, unwilling to back down, but would if Max told him too. And he was her fiercest defender as well. Glaring at jokes about her not needing a degree with the money Max made, not forcing her to join on trips when she was busy with school or questioning her support of Max because she didn’t attend races.

So, neither Max or her are surprised when Jos steps in when her grandparents are trying to back them into a corner as to why she doesn’t have a ring on her finger and how they have a number for a wedding planner and she should really give her a call, when all they want is to get breakfast before retreating to their room so she can resume her studies while Max hovers around her while going over his own work.

She hadn’t been thrilled at first when she learned that Jos would join them on the trip, knowing that Sophie wouldn’t be there, but now she was grateful and she made sure to squeeze his shoulder before leaving the kitchen and scheduled a nice quiet dinner for herself, Max and Jos as thanks.

The media becomes relentless when they’re twenty-two and twenty-four and Max wins his first championship. Because there is no girlfriend in sight despite the now champions thanks for her support and love. They tear Max apart for creating a fake girlfriend that has no name or face, call him unloveable with his fake championship. Some tear her apart as well, calling her gold digger, selfish, undeserving, fans of Max and the sport do as well.

It was supposed to be a happy moment for him, one of if not the best in his life, but it’s tainted, ruined, and as soon as he’s home with her in Monaco, all she can do is hold him and pretend that the texts from his friends begging him to go out and get laid don’t make her cry later in the shower.

Despite the texts and a bold one from Daniel about hiring him a prostitute, she forces Max to go out, to celebrate with the drivers in Monaco, to get drunk and have fun, and forget what the media is saying about him.

“I’m coming back if one of them even hints at a prostitute.” He tells her and she laughs, but she knows that he’s serious. He’s never even once considered cheating on her and one of their first serious fights had been about her trying to convince him and herself that she’d be okay if he got lonely while he was traveling and needed someone. He hadn’t believed it for a second and it had been one of the few times he had been so pissed at her that he couldn’t even stomach to look at her.

“Am I making a mistake, mom?” She asks, barely five minutes later, not even bothering saying hi when her mom greets her over the phone. “No.” Her mom’s voice is firm and has her blinking away tears. “But,” “No.” Her mom cuts her off. “Sweetheart, I can’t even begin to try and understand Max and yours relationship. But this, this privacy that you two have, that’s not a mistake. It’s rough right now and it will be. And it will come back later when you two do decide to be public, but it’s not a mistake. You two both made the difficult, heartbreaking, mature decision to keep it private for both of yours sake.” “I know.” She whispers, wiping away tears. “You both still need privacy and there is no shame in that. Max isn’t ready and neither are you. As far as I’m concerned the only mistake you two have made is still not being married with a baby on the way.” “Mom.” She groans and her mom laughs. “I know, I know. Just remember that despite the seven or so years you’ve been together, that you two are still young, still doing so much growing.” “Thank you.” “Of course.”

When Max arrives home hours later, drunkenly stumbling around and into bed, she’s not surprised by the smell of liquor clinging to him or the drunken murmurings he’s pressing to her skin. She is surprised by the deep inhale he takes and the splutter that makes her turn to face him.

Eyes a little blurry from sleep and wine, she makes out squinted eyes, flushed face, and a frown.

“You’re drunk.” “You’re drunk.” She replies, curling closer to him. “You’ve been crying.” “Yeah.” He slips an arm around her, pulling her closer. “We’re going to feel like shit when we wake up.” “Yeah.” He chuckles, brushing lips over her forehead. “That bad?” “That bad.” She nods.

At twenty-three and twenty-four, the itch that Max has had since he was nineteen, one that’s grown worse and worse as the years have gone by, is too persistent and he takes a quick trip to his fathers house the day after she turns twenty-three and returns with a ring and the promises they made at fourteen and sixteen, promising them all over again, as she stares at him with a smile and teary eyes.

“I’d be stupid to not want to marry you Max.” She tells him when he slips the ring on her finger, breathing a sigh of relief when it goes on, fitting perfectly. “You’re going to marry me.” She nods, giggling at his blown pupils and silly grin. “Yes, I am.”

It seems stupid to be so giggly and flustered about it, so love sick, when they’ve talked about it so much. About getting married, about houses, kids, life after racing and teaching. But it’s different with the ring on her finger. Not more real or tangible. Just more.

“I know I proposed early.” She shakes her head, wrapping her arms around his neck and his arms eagerly wrap around her waist. “It’s perfect. I know we talked and had plans, but this is perfect. Besides, I’ve got news of my own that’s early.” “Oh?” Max’s eyebrow raises and he knows it’s not possible, not really with her religious use of the birth control shot and the way they mainly use condoms, more for convenience than anything else, but his eyes drift down to her abdomen that’s exposed. There’s no difference, but he can imagine what it would look like, he can also imagine what it will look like in a few hours. “Not that.” Her bottom lip is pulled between her teeth. “I got an email about my viva exam.” “Your viva? But you haven’t submitted your thesis yet.” “Actually,” “Stop.” He lifts a hand to press it against her mouth. “You submitted your thesis already? You completed it?” She nods, her laughter muffled by his hand and he drops it. “Well, what did it say? The email.” “Once I get to the ceremony, I will officially hold a doctorate in education and history.” He kisses her before she can say anything else.

“Unbelievable my love, unbelievable. Two doctorates by twenty-three.” He shakes his head, smiling wide. “You know what that means right?” He shakes his head again, unable to think of anything. Too overcome with his proudness and love for her. “I’ll have my position at Harvard right after the ceremony.” Blue eyes widen. “And they agreed to let me teach a mix schedule for all of 2022, but when the official school year starts for 2023, I’ll just be teaching digital.”

Twenty-three and twenty-five has them weathering the media storm once again as Max wins his second world championship. It’s worse this time. Not because he says more than he did last time about her or says her name or slips up and calls her his fiancee and not girlfriend like they agreed to. But because this championship no one can deny is his and she’s still not there. Too busy in a different continent with the start of the school year as she teaches by herself for the first time since earning both her doctorates.

It’s also not as bad this time, because some of his friends do think that he’s seeing someone, not the girlfriend of years, or even really a girlfriend, but just some random girl that understands he’s too busy for an actual relationship and willing to put up with him spouting to the media and everyone else that he’s in a committed relationship. She doesn’t have time to focus on the media and fans that believe she exists, she barely did last year, but this year she really doesn’t.

“You know,” she says five days after he’s won his championship and they are in the house they have stayed in for the past two years when she has to be at Harvard and he wants to join her. “Around this time next year, we’ll be public.” His face does a weird contortion at the thought. There was a giddiness to the idea, to the thought, but also dread. “That means,” she continues when Max doesn’t say anything. “That you have ample time to figure out how you want to tell people.” “How I want to?” “Yeah. This is your world, your friends, colleagues, nightmares,” she adds and they both laugh. “You can decide how exactly you want to get back at them for not believing you.” “I’m not going to be cruel.” “No.” She lifts her hand and lets her pointer finger trace over his lips. “You’ve never been a cruel person, Max. But you can be a menace.” His eyes light up at that. “Oh. And you don’t care?” She shakes her head, “This is all you and I’m more than happy to be along for the ride.”

She is twenty-four and he has just turned twenty-six when he decides to enact his plan that he came up with so many months ago.

He had made a reservation for a private hall in Monaco months ago, hired a party planner to take care of the finer details, but sorted himself out the place and the food and drinks that would be served. And the day after he turns twenty-six, he picks up the large stack of enveloped invitations he had made and carefully packs them in his suitcase for Qatar. He was winning the championship there and he’d be damned if he didn’t make an already memorable weekend even better.

It’s the first time in a decade she has traveled with him to a race to actually watch the race and not just be there at the hotel to support him as she studies and he can’t help the smugness and happiness that radiates off him when he shows up to the track for the first day.

He’s got his backpack over his shoulder, but the invitations are already in his hands, ready to be passed out.

“Max!” Charles greets when he arrives in the driver's debrief room. All twenty of them, plus reserves, team principals, and Daniel sitting and standing around as they wait for the FIA representative to get here. He looks down at his watch, noting that it will at least another ten minutes, before his eyes flicker to a member of the Red Bull staff that’s standing against a wall, but just like he asked, they’ve got a camera in their hands and there’s another one standing leaning against the opposite wall, also with a camera. “Charles. Safe flight?” “Always. What do you have there?” “Ooh,” Daniel chimes in, moving closer and looking at the envelopes in his hands. “What do you have there?” He smirks and he can see Daniel’s grin flatter at the sight for a brief second. “Invitations.” He says, before tossing or passing them around to the different drivers and Christian. He nearly avoids giving Lando one just to be a shit but Toto isn’t there to give it too and it wouldn’t be the same to give it to a different team principal jokingly.

“What is it for?” Carlos asks, eyeing the dark envelope like a lot of the other drivers are, suspiciously. He shrugs, eyebrows raising when he sees the way Lando is feeling the envelope. “Mate, I’m not giving you money.” Lando frowns, before ripping it open. “You’ve got more than enough to spare.” Seeing Lando open his, has the rest of them following suit.

“Dear friends of Max Verstappen,” George reads out and the wording earns a few snorts but he continues. “You are invited to celebrate at the” he pauses squinting at the french on the page. “The Salle des Étoiles” Charles says. “Cheers, mate. You’re invited to celebrate on the 8th of November at 4pm.” His eyebrows furrow. “Celebrate what?” Max watches from the corner of his eye as Christian flips the invitation over and nearly chokes.

“Your engagement?” “Your what?” “Engaged?” “Impossible.” “Lies.”

The whole room is filled with denial and panic and Max just smiles, nearly laughing when Logan thrusts his invitation into James’ hands and asks the team principal if it’s true.

“Max, you aren’t engaged, right? Like that was a fuck up with the print place?” Daniel is nearly pleading, begging, and Max would feel sorry, but for the past ten years he’s been telling people he isn’t single, and sure he’s never shared many details, but they all refused to believe or even consider it. He ignores him, instead looking at the room in large. “You’ll meet her tomorrow. She’s very excited about it.” And as if he planned it, the FIA official walks into the room and no one can question him.

When the meeting is over he manages to avoid all of them except for Christian, who nearly drags him into a private room.

“Is this real?” Max raises an eyebrow at the way he’s waving around the invitation but nods. “Yes.” “You’re really engaged.” “Yes, Christian. I am.” The older man stares at him, not blinking before sighing and running a hand over his face. “Is she pregnant?” “What?” “The girl you’ve been sleeping with recently. Is she pregnant, is that what this is about? Because you don’t have to marry her.” “No one is pregnant.” He reassures, not even able to find any anger for Christian and his assumption. The older man sighs again before sitting down and slumping in the chair.

“You’ve had a girlfriend since you were sixteen.” There’s regret, guilt, and sorrow in his voice. “Yes.” “And I never believed you.” He shrugs, it had hurt yes, but he had always understood Christian’s disbelief in it over anyone else's. “No.” Christian nods. “And I owe you both an apology for that. I should have believed you Max.” “Thank you.” “But really, ten years and you’ve just put a ring on it?” Max groans, rolling his eyes. “You sound like our families.”

They are twenty-four and twenty-six when Max wins his third championship, with the sprint race of all things, and the whole world watches as he’s enveloped by his team before he’s tugging off his helmet and kissing the unfamiliar girl that’s between Christian and Jos, shielded from the rough crowd of Red Bull mechanics, crew, and such. They are twenty-four and twenty-six when everyone finds out that Max had been telling the truth the whole time.

Just about a month later, she eases into the spot between Max and the arm of the couch, eagerly tucking herself closer to him when he drapes an arm over her shoulders.

“You alright?” She nods, “Yeah, Vic and Tom finally left.” Max snorts, “It only took them thirty minutes.” “A record for them.” She grins, before looking at the other people surrounding them, or rather Max. She wasn’t surprised that Max had taken to quickly grabbing a few people and secluding themselves in a corner. She was a bit surprised by the people however.

Charles and Daniel which isn’t too surprising, but there’s the three rookies of the season, Liam, Oscar, and Logan, as well, a little surprising, but nothing compared to the two Mercedes drivers also in front of her.

“You aren’t trying to get Lewis to play paddle are you?” Lewis laughs, shaking his head. “I get enough of competing with him on the track. There’s no convincing me there.” “It’s fun, Lewis.” Charles says. “You should join. George you too. Make it Mercedes versus,” he pauses, eyebrows scrunching together as he tries to think of something to call himself and Max. “Lestappen.” She offers, inching away a bit when Max pinches her side. Charles doesn’t notice the pinch, just smiles at her, before looking at the two British drivers. “Yes! Mercedes versus Lestappen.” His eyebrows then furrow. “What is Lestappen?” “Mate, you don’t want to know.” Liam tells him. Logan chuckles, “I don’t know. Either he finds out now or he finds out when he googles it later.” “Googles it.” George murmurs, mocking the American accent that Logan has. “Bloody Americans.” “Yeah, yeah, tea and crumpets.” Logan waves off Georges mocking with a grin as he looks at Charles. “It’s what people call you and Max, a nickname you could say for when you two are together.” She tells him before Logan can say anything. “Oh,” he frowns, considering. “That doesn’t sound so bad.” “It’s not.” She assures.

Before anyone can say anything else, someone joins their group, eyes focusing on her.

“Dr. Y/L/N, congratulations on your engagement.” She looks at the older man in surprise before quickly standing to shake his hand. “Toto, a pleasure to see you again. And please you don’t need to call me doctor.” Toto smiles, tilting his head forwards, conceding as she sits back down. “Doctor?” Daniel questions, eyes flitting between her and the Mercedes team principal, not sure of what to make of the interaction, though Max seems perfectly fine with it. She presses her lips together and she can feel Max move a bit closer as Toto’s eyes narrow at Max. “Yes.” She tells Daniel and the rest. “I managed to get both of my doctorates last year.” A few jaws drop and Lewis whistles. “And I thought you were just a teacher.” Toto’s looking at her now, with narrowed eyes and she sighs.

It would be just her luck that despite having just met the man once, that one time had resulted in a long conversation after he gave his guest lecture at Harvard.

“You told them you're a teacher.” “I told them I teach.” She corrects. “Let's not make a big deal out of it.” “I want to make a big deal out of it.” Max mumbles and she sends him a pleading look. But Max doesn’t give in, instead he turns to the rest of them. “She’s a professor at Harvard. She got both her doctorates at twenty-three and quickly was signed on as professor.” “So, what you’re saying,” Oscar starts, breaking the silence that has fallen over the group. “Is that she is way too smart for you?” Max laughs, eyes crinkling and body bending forward from the force of it. “Without a doubt, mate. Without a doubt.”

Apparently no one would truly ever fight over a female driver, at least according to some of the less respectable retired drivers.

Ferrari runs in the blood of the Leclerc's. As proven by Charles one rookie year and immediate move up into the Ferrari team while Arthur is in the Ferrari academy and has been for a few years now.

Ferarri had y/n in her one F3 year.

But her contract was only for her time in F3. Now she's out of the Ferrari family.

"We are very happy to have you in our team." Christian states as she sits in the Milton Keynes office.

"It's good to be joining such a successful team." Y/n smiles almost shivering as she makes the final signature on the contract. Cementing her future. "Thank you so much for taking a chance on me. I promise, I'll not let you down."

"I don't think you could if you tried." Christian chuckles before standing up. "How about I get someone to give you a tour?"

"That'd be amazing." Y/n nods always eager to make sure her excitement and commitment is shown in every form. Including knowing this whole building inside out like she grew up here.

-

By the time y/n gets back home, Arthur is awaiting his younger sister along with their mother. Only by the better part of a year. She was born 10 months after him and he never lets her forget it.

"Where have you been?" Arthur asks as she rushes to kiss Pascal's cheek then moving quickly to join them for dinner.

"Just some prep for F2. We only have a couple more weeks." Y/n smiles while Arthur hums, he still doesn't know what team she's driving for. Even if he knows there's only so many seats left that haven't been announced.

"I know, do you know what team you're in yet?" Arthur asks making Pascal look at her only daughter who has already told her mother of her betrayal to Ferrari. But Pascal insisted it was y/n's choice of when the right time to tell her brothers was.

Definitely not now.

-

Red Bull juniors team announced y/n's union with them only a couple days after her contract was signed. Thankfully she had to fly back out to England to train ahead of Bahrain.

Her phone blew up with more than just her brothers trying to contact her.

What she didn't expect was for her to end up being cornered by the reigning F1 champion, who had been made aware of her lack of communication with her brothers who she is simply fearful to speak to about her change of team loyalty.

"You are a natural." His voice comments making her jump from her seat in the simulator.

"O-Oh, thanks." Y/n smiles nervously, never being sure how to feel about Max. "Could've been better really."

"There is always room for improvement...for everyone. No matter what level, what car, there is always room for error and room for improvement." Max shrugs then nodding at her the screens. "You can spend as much time as you like here. But your brother is reaching out to me and asking if I can talk you into calling him. I think you should."

"He's mad."

"He is."

If Charles couldn't even find it in himself to hide that fact from Max then it really is bad.

"You hid it from him." Max points out as a reason as to why her brother might be mad rather than mad that she chose Red Bull.

"He's not as easy to speak to as you think." Y/n murmurs while Max smiles.

"Then you don't have to talk to him right now. But you do have to get out the simulator. We both have flights to Bahrain." Max states making her nod before she swallows as Max reaches in and undoes the seatbelts with scary ease then offering his hand to help her up. "You will be ok."

"I hope you're right." Y/n hums before she stands next to the Dutchman who is pretty intimidating to be stood next to.

-

Y/n walking into the paddock in Bahrain. The media are all over her and so are Ferrari fans shouting their distaste of her choice to not only leave Ferrari but to join Red Bull.

She moves through getting into the Red Bull unit to hopefully hide. But she knows she has to see her brothers at some point. Especially since Arthur is going to be racing against her.

"Come on." Max states pulling her back out of the unit and through the garages till they're in the pit lane where her brothers are both standing next to the Ferrari pit wall. "Get it over and done with, if they are too angry I will step in."

Y/n isn't even sure where this has came from since her conversations with Max have given no indication that he would be willing to go up against her brothers over something like this. Something that is essentially so personal to her.

Y/n sucks in a breath, swallowing thickly before she looks at him for a moment watching him nod before he moves forward and kisses her softly.

Y/n walks up to the pit wall, watching her brother spot her in her Red Bull kit and fall silent from their conversation. Both of them with unreadable expressions.

"I'm sorry, but not for leaving Ferrari...I'm just sorry I didn't tell you and you found out with the rest of the world." Y/n states quickly making the two brother's faces drop to an unimpressed expression. "I'm still kind of in red..."

"I just don't know why you didn't tell us or why you left Ferrari academy. You were doing well with us." Arthur states while y/n winces at her brother's tone, it's not so much angry but hurt.

Both her brothers had admittedly helped her get into the academy, without them she'd not have the experience and skills developed to impress Red Bull in F3 and gain an offer for her F2 seat.

"But...is it not great that I managed to impress them enough on my own to get an offer? For them to want me on the junior team?" Y/n asks almost desperate for their approval in her career. Then she makes one last desperate attempt, by telling the truth and looking directly at Charles when she does it. "I had to step out your shadow. I can't do that if you're both driving under Ferrari and I'm just following your footsteps. I want to be written as y/n Leclerc in headlines, not as Charles and Arthur Leclerc's little sister."

Charles softens into the older brother she's used to.

"Why did you never just tell us?" Charles questions while she sighs.

"Do you not see how hard it is for me to say this after the fact? Saying it before felt impossible...and easy to avoid." Y/n murmurs with a soft shrug as she looks down before feeling Charles arms wrap around her, immediately making her wrap her arms around him. "I should've told you."

"No, I-We understand, right Arthur?"

"Yes...right." Arthur nods as Charles shifts to give her the chance to hug her fellow F2 driver which Arthur is much more hesitant to return before he does squeeze her.

-

Y/n's first race gave her a rush of energy. She got P3. She got a podium in Bahrain.

Charles was awaiting both her and Arthur, but obviously she got the podium so when she tossed herself onto her older brother in a hug of celebration.

Afterwards, between the F2 feature race and the F1 Grand Prix. She finds herself with none other than Max Verstappen and her need to inform everyone on her news of her first ever F2 race result overcame her.

"I got P3!" Y/n beams bouncing to him and not stopping herself when she jumps up onto him in a hug which earns a laugh and a lung squeezing hug.

"That is very good, y/n." Max chuckles while she feels no sign that he intends to release her. "I have a surprise for you actually, since I knew you would do well."

Y/n frowns a little in confusion but nods and gestures for him to go ahead. Max tugs her to the Red Bull unit till he reveals a random room that has a cake with her name on it and "P3".

"Did you have this made between the end of the race and now?" Y/n pouts finding the whole gesture the cutest thing on the planet. "Max...This is the nicest thing ever. I really didn't expect anything from you."

"You deserve it." Max smiles with a shrug then clearing his throat. "I might not be able to deliver a cake for every win, that'd be a lot of cake I'm predicting. I'll get more creative for Jeddah."

"Well...don't...don't get too cocky for me." Y/n laughs nervously feeling her body flush under his gaze. "Thank you for this. It means a lot."

"You are part of the team and I know you don't realise it, but I have been watching your career for a while." Max admits before looking like he just admitted something that he shouldn't have said. "I should go. Will you be watching?"

"Yes. Christian invited me to watch from the garage."

"Ok, well I'll see you out there." Max nods pulling a ballsy move by both their standards. He leans down kissing either of her cheeks feeling the burning heat of her face from the proximity.

Y/n is left with the cake, feeling almost too alone with it before she smiles a little, shrugging off the upper half of her driving suit off before picking up the cake and carrying it to the Red Bull garage to share with others there who do happily take a piece as she cuts it up.

The camera in the garage does catch her at one point of the race handing out the cake. Although when she sees that Charles has to pull to the side of the track, her beaming mood changes.

She ends up leaving the garage just to meet her brother in the paddock and to make sure he's alright. But Charles is ushered to the media pit before she gets a chance to properly speak to him.

-

When they get to Jeddah, y/n is feeling a little more nervous seeing the track. But once again, the full time F1 driver/part-time hype man for a certain Red Bull junior is there to help her build up the confidence.

"Get in the car, y/n." Max instructs making her look between Max and the F1 car that is already showing serious pace, especially in Max's hands. The mechanics around them also seem fairly intrigued by Max's words to her. "Need help?"

"Please." Y/n nods before feeling Max move around her, hands landing on her waist before he lifts her up and into the cockpit. He reaches to help her sit down comfortably.

"Hold on, you need a helmet for the real experience." Max smiles moving to pick up his own helmet since all of hers are elsewhere.

Now there's only one thing that could ruin this endearing moment. Or maybe two things. First being Charles sees this. Second is a camera from Sky sports of all things catching the moment and when y/n spots Ted Kravitz doing a bit more.

"Oh shit." Y/n murmurs slumping down in the seat while Max knocks the visor down to hide her face while standing up.

It's fairly obvious who it is and more obvious that somethings suspicious what happening from their reactions.

Y/n hears her name being spoken.

"Y/n Leclerc, the newest member of the Red Bull family who seems to be testing out a car she might just have for herself one day." Ted states thankfully not painting anything of this that she feared. "Possibly using Max to envision a championship winning future. People constantly say Charles might challenge for the championship in another team, perhaps another Leclerc might prove that theory right."

Max can't even stop himself from smirking a little at the thought of y/n winning the championship under the Red Bull team.

"What do you think?" Max asks as he leans back into the halo over her, lifting the visor again. "Feel like you could handle this?"

"Yeah, probably handle it straight into a wall." Y/n hums earning a deadpanned expression. "I need to go on the track walk and get a feel for it I think."

"I can go with you." Max states making her smile a little sadly.

"I promise Charles I would go with him. He just wants to still feel involved in my career." Y/n sighs then nodding. "Maybe in Imola."

"Promise?" Max questions growing some confidence with her.

"I promise." Y/n nods with a smile that is trying to hide her giddiness.

-

Charles isn't blind, he's seen the videos, he's seen heard the whispers across the paddock. Even the drivers seem to be noticing Max's attention on the youngest Leclerc. Some even think it might make for a good distraction from focusing on his own championship fight.

But Charles would rather lose a limb than be so ok with his little sister dating his childhood rival. He likes Max, he doesn't think the Dutchman is a bad man, but that doesn't mean he wants his little sister dating him.

"Y/n?" Charles asks deciding to use the time with her in a private jet over to Australia.

F2 doesn't have a race there but y/n is travelling over to be with Red Bull, mainly to support her team but Christian seems eager for her to be as present as possible.

If it's for media attention or whether he just wants her to see the workings of the team and be apart of it all she doesn't know. but she's being brought to Australia despite the next F2 race being Imola.

Arthur is actually going to Italy for some Ferrari academy training ahead of Imola.

"Yeah?" Y/n smiles pulling her headphones off since she'd been plugged into watching the F1 race again. The girl can usually be found rewatching any one of the F1 races from any season. Usually focused on Seb and Kimi's time in Ferrari together.

"Are you and Max dating?"

"Excusez-moi?" Y/n questions in pure shock of her brother's words. "Not that it's any of your business, but no. We are not."

"Do you want to?"

"Charles!" Y/n exclaims then looking to Joris and Andre who are on the flight with them. "Can the two of you please control him?"

"You think we have not tried before now?" Joris asks making her frown at the two. "Ah, but Charles, y/n is right. You cannot ask that."

"I want to know." Charles argues now feeling like he has to defend his position since he only questioned it since she is his little sister and he is protective over her. "Y/n, you and Max are close. I just think that if he is making advances you do not want I can speak to him."

"Charles, I mean this from the bottom of my heart. Stop right now." Y/n demands with a voice chilling enough for Charles to nod understanding that is her putting a stop to it.

-

Y/n looks at Max who is standing in his garage look at her while speaking to his mechanics who notices his gaze redirecting and give up their conversation to let Max speak to the young Leclerc who has been at the forefront of his attention any time she's in the same room.

"Hello, schat." Max greets as she walks over.

It's a new nickname that started in messages during the brief weekend break between the Jeddah race and travelling to Australia. It means treasure in Dutch and she can't hide her burning face.

"Can I ask you something?" Y/n asks making Max shift slightly closer. "Can we go somewhere else?"

Max frowns but nods and gestures for them to go to his driver's room where she walks with him following and before they know it.

"Charles thinks that we might like each other. Which I want to know as well...I need to know." Y/n states making Max look at her for a moment before he smiles a little, amusement sparkling in those eyes before he waits for her to speak again. "Do you want to date? Like be my boyfriend?"

"Will Charles kill me?"

"No. He might try, but I doubt he'll succeed." Y/n murmurs before she is gently pulled forward toward her and the long-awaited kiss is exchange with Max's hands on her waist, where in private they have been finding a new home as he keeps his hands placed there. "So it's official."

"It's official. No hiding it. I will handle Charles...and Arthur if I have to." Max smiles showing his rare slightly cocky side that he has no shame in showing when it comes to y/n.

-

Rather than throwing the surprise onto Charles, this time y/n feels a confidence in her new relationship that gives her the poke she needs to just go ahead to do whatever she needs.

"Charles..." Y/n murmurs as she sits across from him for breakfast at the hotel.

"Yes?" Charles hums, very obviously distracted by something.

"Max is my boyfriend."

"I fucking knew it." Charles mutters tossing his phone down on the table with an unimpressed expression. "I'm not ok with this."

"I'm not asking for your permission, I'm an adult Charles...I'd prefer you to be happy for me. But if you aren't then I guess, I'll just deal with it." Y/n shrugs before she stands up. "I just thought I'd let you know since I didn't want you to discover it in the same way you found out I moved to Red Bull."

It stings them both, her not getting his support and him feeling the jab about her leaving the team he's spent his career loyal and spoken so highly about.

"Y/n...I'm sorry." Charles states turning to speak to her but she's gone and instead he turns back to Andrea who witnessed the whole thing and looks at Charles with admitted disappointment.

"You cannot keep expecting her to make herself a second priority to keeping you happy, Charles. You will push her away." Andrea sighs, not being able to contain his opinion anymore. He can't watch two siblings who were so close, he's watched y/n grow up even more than he's watched Charles grow up and she has spent her life admiring her older brother with shiny big eyes and an unwavering need to live up to the standard that he's set for them. "Have you see just how happy she is with Max?"

Charles has definitely seen the smile and joy in his sister's whole being when she's around Max. She just glows and radiates happiness with him. Max also seems so well fitted with her and in fact the Red Bull team is treating y/n better than Ferrari Academy treats any of their drivers.

-

Y/n and Max being official means Max can finally stop withholding any urge to make small gestures or touches. However, her distance from Charles through the weekend has been noticed and with people noticing her and Max's behaviour with one another. There's rumours churning out of the mill that are making their rounds both in the paddock and online.

"And here we have the newest Red Bull junior driver. Y/n Leclerc, thank you for joining us." Karun smiles as she joins them for the race Sunday. "You are here supporting Red Bull, but are you still secretly here for another certain Red team?"

"We can see you are dressed for Red Bull, you're here with the team." Naomi adds making her nod looking down at her uniform.

"I am obviously here to support Red Bull, they are my team. I want them to win and I think there's a small chance of them not doing well. But Charles is family, I wouldn't be where I am today without his support and I want to see him become a champion. To do that, he's got to have a race win. I don't see why he can't start here." Y/n smiles before she jumped when two hands find her waist. "Merde, Max."

"Max, we were just discussing y/n's support of you." Karun states clearly surprised by Max's appearance while Naomi looks like she wants to ask what everyone currently wants to ask but is just too fearful of offending one of them.

"Just ask." Y/n smiles looking at Naomi as Max is handed a mic and stands beside her.

"Are the two of you possibly dating?" Naomi asks almost sounding like she feels some relief in getting to ask.

"Yes. But it happened after I joined the team, so no I didn't use Max to get this seat."

"No. I can confirm that Helmut would not do that sort of thing for me." Max nods while the two hosts smile though Max is quickly grabbed by some Red Bull media assistants and has to toss his mic to the sky team, though he jogs back to kiss y/n's cheek before he leaves. "Bye, schat."

"Bye." Y/n laughs then pulling a slightly embarrassed face since she wasn't expecting even just a kiss on the cheek. "I think he's enjoying that new privilege a little too much."

"I think the two of you are about to break f1 internet." Naomi laughs then deciding to change topic. "I can't wait to see two Leclerc's on the grid very soon and potentially in a title battle with each other from two different teams."

"That's a lot of confidence in me."

"I think Red Bull is a history making team, you being the first women since 1976 to get on the grid and in a fighting position is not out the question."

Y/n smiles trying not to waver at the thought of fighting against Charles for a title. By that point he might have already won one. Or maybe he'll have left Ferrari? Who knows?

-

To say the Australia race had a bad start for Charles would be an understatement. Y/n is certain he didn't even hit the 30 second mark before he seemed to bounce off of Stroll and into the gravel trap.

Y/n can't stop herself from going to see him once he's back in the paddock. Though following that the race is red flagged by Alex losing his car and crashing out sending a lot of gravel onto the track and apparently being bad enough for the race to be called to a stop.

"It's not the end of the world." Y/n tries once Charles is back from the media pit. but Charles anger is getting the better of him and he has to vent to someone.

"I cannot drive that car. The understeer is impossible to control." Charles exclaims as they sit in his driver's room and y/n grimaces knowing that of the first 3 races in the season. Charles has now DNF'd 2 of them. "I should've had the podium in Bahrain. I could've got through the pack for a podium here. But I am out the race again."

"Charles, it is early in the season. You have time to improve. Remember that Red Bull's cars last year had the worst time at the start of the season. You do not need to write off the year yet."

"I am going back to the garage. I don't even want to talk about it...thank you for coming to see me."

"I'll always come and check on you...you're still family even if you're being a bit of a dick by not supporting me."

Charles looks hurt by her words but the two leave and Y/n gets out to the pitman, bumping into Max in the garage as he heads inside with the red flag.

"What happened?" Y/n frowns, unaware of the race stopping due to focusing on Charles.

"They have red flagged for gravel on the track. We didn't need to red flag. But they red flag." Max states while y/n internally groans at the fact that both Max and Charles are now annoyed. "Where were you?"

"Charles ended up in the gravel. I had to check on him." Y/n shrugs knowing the driver's at the front don't always need to be informed of who behind them is out of the race.

"Oh, is he ok?"

"Angry. I think he is just feeling a bit defeated about the weekend." Y/n sighs while Max nods. "It's alright, it's not like there's a lot of damage. The red flag will be done soon."

Y/n smiles reassuringly, hoping she can at least bring some comfort to one of the men and thankfully Max seems happy to accept it.

Little did Y/n know that the red flag would be one of three with two very late in the race and honestly it’s questionable for the last red flag to even allow for them to finish the race. It all seems fairly obvious the ronaldo lights out seems to be to completely ruin Carlos’ race and points position.

So y/n spends a lot more race time with Max than she usually would. Not that she was complaining but Max certainly was and he was getting more and more frustrated with every time they stopped.

"I think I should climb in your car in your place and finish the race for you." Y/n jokes while Max looks at her with a smile before he tugs her over to sit in his lap and smiles. "You're going to win the race, we both know it."

"What if I don't?"

"Oh well I'll offer myself to replace you." Y/n hums then grinning at him. "I think Christian would let me take over."

"I think you're right." Max hums before kissing her only for his name to be called for the red flag finally being over. "There is no way there can be another red flag."

"No. If there is then I vote I do just get in and finish the race for you."

"I really will let you." Max grunts as they stand up and move out of his driver's room.

-

Imola was cancelled and for F2 the Barcelona race followed next which went pretty well. But the big race which she's beyond excited for is her home race. Monaco. She didn't get to see Max while she was in Barcelona so being back in Monaco, outside of race prep she's been spending time with him.

Arthur and Charles are honouring their home race with a tribute helmet to their dad in the Monaco red and white colours. Meanwhile, y/n is taking another route in the inspiration behind her home helmet design.

Her usual helmet is bright pink because she's unapologetic in her love of the colour. But this time she's taken Max's iconic helmet design and made it all pink, different shades varying to replace all the colours but Max actually looked so touched by the gesture that he asked for a replica the moment she took it out the bag.

"Here we have-oh isn't that cute?" Ted chuckles seeing y/n in her pink helmet with Max lifting the visor wiggling his finger at her while they are too caught up with each other to notice the cameras on them ahead of the F2 practice. "For anyone who doesn't know, y/n's helmet is Max's exact design, without the sponsors, but entirely pink. She talked about it and said that she wants to embody his race success but she had to put her own twist on the design and Max-Max who has been very hush hush about the relationship. He did comment about it and said that he loves the helmet more than anything else about the Monaco race weekend."

Y/n does well until she causes a red flag when her brakes fail and she crashes at the swimming pool chicane of all places. Since she couldn't slow down the impact was pretty bad and in a moment of panic seeing his sister not really moving around much to make an effort to get out her car, Arthur stops his car to climb out and check on her.

"Y/n?" Arthur questions as the marshalls begin to shout in a panic of him climbing out.

"I'm ok. That was big." Y/n winces while Arthur reaches in helping her undo her seatbelts. Her breaths are pretty hard, clearly winded from the impact.

The medical delegate appears moving to help aid her and Arthur ends up in the medical car with her while she is taken to the make shift medical centre.

Since it's a Thursday for the F2 practice, Max and Charles both rush to get there too knowing that y/n was in enough pain to not manage much of a radio message to give the ok.

When the two get there though, she's not impressed and her pain is replaced with embarrassment and frustration as the medic gives her the ok to leave.

"I'm fine. Leave me alone." Y/n huffs stepping around the two men appear at the doorway of the room.

Charles is wise enough to leave her while Max is also wise enough to follow her. Knowing that one of them has to go after her and clearly Charles doesn't want to.

"Y/n, it was only a practice and the brakes failing is beyond your control."

Y/n's eyes are filled with tears as she wrinkles her nose and he sighs pulling her against himself. There's definitely a combination over emotions just overwhelming her right now and Max knows that the crash itself near the bottom of her list of reasons.

"It's ok, I crashed there and my career wasn't over. I've crashed here many times." Max states while squeezing her. "Do you want to come to the Red Bull garage and see a surprise I have for you?"

"I want to hide from everyone and never be seen in public again." Y/n murmurs before looking up and immediately being kissed without much warning but she's certainly not going to complain. "Ok...I want to see a surprise."

Max leads her to the garage and shows her upstairs before he shows her the helmet bag and a helmet that looks like an odd mash up of blue, white, yellow and red. It takes her a couple moments to realise that he's taken her usual helmet design and put his own helmet colours on it.

"Shut up. Stop. Stop it right now." Y/n pouts beginning to feel tears escape but this time for the best reasons. "I can't believe you did this...Max..."

"I like your design, but I think I may need to wait to test out the pink helmet...so I added my own colours."

-

Charles both loved and hated the matching helmets. Seeing y/n gushing over Max's helmet and posting constantly in her own helmet. Charles did make a comment about her helmet being a big improvement on Max's choice of colour scheme. He couldn't help himself.

Y/n's qualifying went better than her practice and following that the sprint and feature races went well. She broke the Leclerc Monaco curse with a P2. Not the worst result, but not the best which meant she was a little harsher on herself than most people thought was fair.

But she was more bothered about seeing the F1 race where admittedly she's annoyed seeing Charles lost his top 3 position due to a penalty for impeding. There's no arguing it but it doesn't stop how annoying it is.

When she watches Max take the win, the radio message actually leaves her running down to the podium awaiting for her boyfriend.

"This win was for y/n." Max states through the radio and when he spots y/n waiting for him with his team, she lifts his visor kissing her fingers and passing the kiss to his cheek.

"You were amazing. As always." Y/n states while Max hugs her with one of his famous hugs that get attention and cry out about how amazing it must be to be on the receiving end of it.

It's not till later that Charles sees the footage and when he does. He's finally forced to confront the truth.

That his little sister and Max might be the perfect pair and that her signing to Red Bull will probably be seen as the best thing that y/n ever did for her career. It's more annoying than hurtful that she's happier now than he's ever seen her. Annoying in the sense that it has to be his rival team and his rival competitor that managed to bring her so much joy and success.

You were sleeping peacefully to the sound of rain until the sound of the sheets ruffling and the bed shifting behind you, fully pulled you away from your sleep. Over the past 30 minutes you could feel your restless boyfriend stir around in bed, but then he would go still making you think that he went back to bed. But hearing his tired sigh you knew that your boyfriend didn't go back to sleep. 

You turn your body around to face your boyfriend, feeling his arm that was under your head adjust to your new position. Charles was laying on his back, so you placed your hand on his chest as you tilt your head that was now resting on his shoulder to look up at him. Charles looks down at you and smiles at the cute, tired pout you had on your lips, you notice that he looks like he barely slept. “You haven't slept?” 

“I've slept some” His tone matching yours, both tired. You frown and scoot closer to him, sitting up a little and leaning back on your elbow. You were a little worried, your boyfriend rarely had trouble sleeping and when he usually does it is because he has something on his mind. You look down at him, bringing your hand up to softly brush some of his hair back, his eyes closing at your touch. “What's wrong mon trésor?” 

“Nothing to worry your pretty little head about” Charles speaks softly in a promising tone, his heart filling with warmth at the sweet nickname you called him. He was a little embarrassed to tell you the real reason why he couldn't fall asleep, he knew you wouldn't tease him, but it was still a little embarrassing to admit. 

“Well too bad because I’m worried, you need your rest” you tried your best to sound stern, but it only made Charles giggle, finding it adorable. You pout and hide your face in Charles' chest, your complaints coming out muffled. Charles wraps his arms around you, holding you close. “I’m alright ma chérie” Charles whispers before he presses a kiss to the top of your head. A loud clap of thunder and lightning echoes through the room and Charles' reaction to the loud sound betrays his previous words. 

“Awe mon trésor it's just a little thunder” you try to comfort him, bringing your hand up to softly caress his cheek. You now realize what has been keeping him up, you have always been able to sleep through thunderstorms, so you never noticed his small fear until now. Charles sighs and closes his eyes, leaning into your touch, his voice coming out in an embarrassed whisper “Please don't baby me.” 

“Come on, we both know you like it when I baby you” You whisper teasingly into his ear, littering a soft trail of kisses down his neck and to his bare shoulder, feeling his muscle twitch under your touch. Charles felt his breath hitch and his leg rub against yours at the feeling of your soft and plump lips against him. 

“So responsive” you say between your giggles as you fully sit up, you sweetly smile down at him when he pouts at the loss feeling of your lips. You trail your hand down his bare chest, your eyes not leaving his as you feel the ridges of his abs and muscles, you could feel his chest rise and fall faster. All because of your touch. Charles eyes widen and he bites his lip when your finger dips into the waistband of his sweatpants, teasingly tracing the skin under. You were so close but so far at the same time, it was driving poor Charles crazy. 

“Chérie” Charles groaned, your poor boy was so desperate. You pull your hand away from his sweatpants and you instead swing your leg over his waist, now straddling his lap. Charles almost immediately brings his hands to your bare thighs, caressing the soft skin. This was not how he envisioned the night to go, but he surely wasn't complaining. 

“Cmon, let me distract you” you whispered seductively as you leaned down, you placed your hands on the side of his head, softly gripping onto the pillow he was laying on. Your hair fell down around you, hiding you and Charles away in your own world. Charles smiles big up at you and moves his hands up your side from your thighs to softly cup your cheeks and pull you down more, capturing your lips in a desperate kiss. 

You flutter your eyes close eagerly kissing him back, your lips moving perfectly against his taking the lead of the kiss and Charles was quick to follow. You gently nip his bottom lip, his mouth opening with a whine, and you take the chance to slip your tongue into his mouth. Charles breaks the kiss for a second to let out a loud moan, his hands moving to hold your hips, you were absentmindedly grinding your hips against his and it was starting to feel torturous for him in his now tight sweatpants. 

You let out a giggle when you now notice how hard he is under you, teasingly rubbing against him again, smirking when he lets out a throaty groan. Charles holds your hips still and looks up at you with a smile, both of you panting against each other's lips. You watch as your boyfriend looks down at your lips, his eyes focused on your wet lips as he rubs his thumb against your bottom lip.

“This is going to be a long night” Charles whispers when he sees the desire in your eyes and his words were confirmed by the smirk you gave him. 

“A pleasurable one”