ednshtn - Tumblr blog

ednshtn · 7 months

Text

SHUT DOWN | SEBASTIAN VETTEL & LEWIS HAMILTON

pairing: sebastian vettel x fem!reader, lewis hamilton x fem!reader

time: november, 2019

word count: 3.4k

warnings: christian horner. mentions of an affair. seb is kinda jealous, so hot seb. swearing.

author's note: this is part of the 'Gentle Hit' series. masterlist found here. cursive dialogue :: French || normal dialogue :: English

• • • • • • •

''You're not gonna be mad at me, right?'' Y/N's voice sounded unsure through the phone, making Lewis laugh on the other side. ''It's in your contract, darling. I can't do much about that.'' He assured her.

Since Y/N is the global ambassador of Red Bull, she was obligated to attend a few races each year. They had given her an invite to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, to which she had agreed to go.

However, a couple days after she had confirmed to go, Lewis had also invited her to join him in the Mercedes garage. She really wanted to say yes to her boyfriend, knowing this could be the race where he wins his sixth World Championship. Y/N wanted to be able to support him and potentially celebrate with him, but her contract prevented her from being able to do that.

''Just know that on the inside I'm rooting for you, chéri.'' Y/N was still finishing up a tennis tournament after which she would fly to Austin. ''I know that, sweetie. I can't wait to see you, I feel like it's been ages.'' Lewis just wanted to be back in her arms again, her presence gave him a sense of peace.

''I miss you too. I just wish I could be there for you like all of the other girlfriends.''

Her and Lewis had decided to keep their relationship private until they were both ready to officially go public. It wasn't that they were ashamed of their relationship or that it was because of Y/N's contract with his rival team. They just didn't want the public pressure so early on their relationship, they were both very public figures and they didn't want any malicious rumors or articles ruin what they have.

''No, don't say that, my love. You might not be able to show it on the outside, but I know you're my biggest cheerleader and that's enough for me.'' Yes, he was sad that they couldn't show support to each other like normal couples could, but just having her there is already a huge support to him.

She chuckled hearing his words. ''I am your biggest cheerleader, don't ever forget that, Mr. Hamilton!'' Y/N laughed.

''Hey, honey? I have to go, they're calling me.'' His free practice was coming up and his team was waiting for him to join them. ''Alright, go get 'em, tiger!'' She cheered him on. ''It's just a practice, darling.'' He laughed, her French accent making her sentence 10x more funny. ''I know, but still, good luck, chéri! I love you!''

''I love you, honey!'' The couple bid their goodbyes to each other and went back to their own respective sports.

◦◦◦

''Hey Y/N, nice to see you, how are you?'' Christian, Red Bull's Head Principal, greeted her with a hug. ''I'm great and you?'' Horner and her got along, although she knew that the man wasn't too fond of the attention that the female garnered, as it sometimes took away from him or his drivers.

''Qualifying wasn't what we hoped, but we're still hopeful for a good race.'' He referred to Verstappen and Albon failing to gain the pole position the day before, Max having to start from P3 and Alex from P6. ''I'm sure they will make it count, Christian. They're good drivers and they've both performed well this season.''

''That's good to hear, we're happy to have you with us.'' The Englishman made sure to put an emphasis on the ''with us''.

Rumors of the relationship between Lewis and Y/N had been floating around for a while now. Neither of them had ever responded to it, not finding it anyone's business but theirs. They had told family members and very close friends, trusting them to keep the relationship to themselves and not leak anything to the press.

It wasn't a big rumor, but it did cause people to keep their eyes on the Mercedes driver and the tennis star. Red Bull had even reached out to her when the gossip first started spreading, asking her if it was true. They had contacted her around the time when her and Lewis weren't official yet, so technically she wasn't lying when she told them that they weren't together.

So, Horner's words didn't come as a surprise to her. ''I'm happy to be here, Christian.'' He simply nodded at her, figuring she got his subliminal message. ''I'll see you later, alright?''

''Yes, I'll see you.'' The man walked off, presumably to the Red Bull camp. Y/N didn't feel ready yet to be surrounded by all the RB energy and decided to take a small stroll around the paddock, maybe being able to get a quick glance of Lewis as she hadn't seen her boyfriend.

She didn't find the man, but she did run into some of his competitors, including a young Monagesque. ''Hey, Y/N!'' Charles greeted her, a small kiss on the cheek. ''Charles! How have you been?'' Y/N had always been smitten with the young man, finding him quite charming.

''Good, good. And you? It's been some months since I last saw you!'' The two got along pretty well, always ready to have a conversation once the two saw each other. ''I know, my schedule has been pretty hectic.'' She told him, giving him a smile.

''Charles!'' Another French accent joined the pair. ''Oh, Y/N! I didn't see you, I'm sorry.'' Pierre apologized, feeling bad for not properly greeting the woman. ''Don't worry about it, Gasly,'' she shook it off, ''you're lucky it's you.'' Y/N jokingly giving him a stern look.

''How are we feeling about the race, boys?'' She asked the pair, curious about their thoughts. Pierre shrugged his shoulders, not seeming to have great fate in the GP today, while Charles expressed his excitement. ''I'm starting from the second row, so I'm feeling quite good about it.'' He told them, a soft smile appearing on his face.

''Awesome! You know, you've probably heard it a thousand times, but you guys are still young and have many more races coming your way, so it's okay if you're not feeling your best.'' Her words were more directed at Pierre, knowing this season wasn't what he had been hoping for. She could see on his face that he appreciated the advice, his head nodding along to every word she said. ''We won't forget it, Y/N.'' Charles thanked her.

''Hello, guys.''

Sebastian had seen the three of them talking in front of the Ferrari hospitality, debating whether to join them or to pretend he hadn't seen them while he walked in. He opted for the first option and decided to join them, even if it would be awkward.

''Hey, Seb!'' ''Sebastian!'' Pierre and Charles chorused, greeting the older driver. Y/N's smile turned into a tightlipped one as the German locked eyes with her.

''Y/N, good to see you.'' He initiated two kisses on each of her cheeks. '''Hi, good to see you too.'' She awkwardly greeted him, a bit surprised by his sudden appearance.

''Congrats on Wimbledon.'' Sebastian said, a soft smile gracing his face. ''Thank you, I appreciate it.'' Winning Wimbledon had been one of the highlights of her year, it was nice to see your hard work being paid off.

''Yeah, you gave Serena a good run for her money.'' Charles complimented her, making Y/N laugh at the comment. ''Thanks, it wasn't easy though.'' On-court, her and Serena were rivals, but off-court, they got along really well. They recognised each other's hard work and determination, there was a great respect between the two of them.

''You did really well, Y/N.'' The sincerity with which Sebastian was speaking made her almost speechless. ''Thank you, Sebastian.''

''How have you been?'' He asked her, the former World Champion hadn't seen her in months. ''Well, you know, tennis, tennis and some more tennis.'' She nervously laughed.

Since she had started dating Lewis, she had been wanting to stay clear from Sebastian. She didn't feel guilty for dating one of his greatest rivals and friends, but Y/N knew the German driver wouldn't be too happy about it. ''How have you been, Vettel?''

''You know, racing, racing and some more racing.'' He copied her answer, trying to ease the tension that was in the air. ''How's the lady and the baby, Seb?'' Pierre asked, a little confused as to why he wouldn't mention his wife's pregnancy.

Whatever tension that Sebastian was trying to get rid off, made its way back and this time the two young men were also aware of it.

Seb scratched his voice. ''She's good, they're both doing good.'' He quickly answered the Frenchman, avoiding Y/N's eyes. ''That's good to hear.''

An awkward silence followed that was quite painful to be a part of. ''Hey, I'm gonna go now, but good luck in the race later.'' Y/N was the first one to break the uneasiness and made a run for it, walking back to the Red Bull hospitality.

The three men watched her leave, before Charles turned to Pierre and Sebastian. ''Do you guys think it's true that she's dating him?'' He asked them. ''I don't know, if they are, they're hiding it quite well.'' Pierre said to his friend, not being quite sure of the situation.

Sebastian furrowed his eyebrows at the young men's talk. ''Sorry, I can't follow.'' Had he missed something?

''Y/N and Lewis.'' Charles clarified for him.

''What about Y/N and Lewis?'' Sebastian asked, totally oblivious to what the Monegasque was insinuating.

''The rumor that they're a couple.'' Pierre was surprised that Sebastian didn't seem to know about it, it had been the gossip around the paddock for a while now.

Sebastian must have been in his own world, cause this was the first time he had heard about this. He didn't know how to feel about it, so he remained silent.

''So, what do you think, Seb? George thinks it's true and Lando thinks that Lewis couldn't have possibly pulled her.'' Charles asked, trying to fill in the silence that came from Seb's side.

He was pulled out of his trance. ''I… I don't know, boys. I'm too old for this kind of shit.'' He gave them a polite smile and after that he disappeared into the Ferrari building, suddenly having the urge to be alone with his thoughts.

Pierre and Charles watch in confusion as Seb walks away from them. ''What was that about?'' Pierre looked at his friend, who shook his head in return. ''I have no idea, I've never seen him like that.'' He answered.

''Wait a second, didn't he and Y/N used to have a thing?'' Pierre suddenly remembered the old gossip between the German and the French lady. ''Oh yeah! Did they confirm that?'' Charles asked him. Pierre shrugged his shoulders, not seeming to know. ''I don't think so, but it would explain his reaction.''

◦◦◦

''VALTTERI BOTTAS CROSSES THE LINE TO WIN THE US GRAND PRIX, BUT BEHIND HIM, ADDING ANOTHER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TO HIS COLLECTION, IS LEWIS HAMILTON! CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!''

Y/N proudly watched as Lewis crossed the line in P2, becoming a sixth time World Champion. She wanted to celebrate, but too bad she was stuck between the Red Bull engineers who applauded for Max and Alex as they crossed the line in third and fifth place. She clapped and cheered along with them as they cheered for Max's podium finish.

Afterwards, everyone made their way to the front of the podium, where she watched her boyfriend celebrating along with his teammate and the entire Mercedes team. Y/N had also spotted Lewis' family and she had subtly given a nod to his mum and dad.

The podium ceremony had finished and the drivers still had some media obligations to do. Lewis had sent her a quick text, asking her to come to his driver's room as he was done with all the formalities. To which she had happily agreed to go. It was a risky move, but she trusted Lewis.

Y/N seemed to have gotten lucky as she didn't run into many people on her way to his private space and the ones she did run into didn't seem to know who she was or they didn't care.

She knocked on his door, but didn't wait for him to tell her to come in. She could see the biggest smile forming on his face as he saw his girlfriend walking in. He opened his arms and lifted her off the ground.

''My champion!'' She giggled, swinging around in his embrace. ''I'm so proud of you, mon amour! You're champion of the world!'' Y/N exclaimed, wanting him to know how much pride she held for him.

''Thank you so much, darling. You have no idea how happy I am that you're here.'' He had sat her feet back down on the floor, but his arms didn't let her escape him.

Y/N cupped his face and brought his face closer to hers, pulling him in for a kiss. Lewis' hand went from her waist, slowly sliding it into her hair. She broke the kiss momentarily. ''I love you.'' She murmured, so close she was basically saying it against his lips. ''I love you.'' He mumbled back, pressing his lips back against hers, while not being able to contain his smile.

They both pull back. ''I'll change and then we'll meet my family to celebrate, alright? My cousins can't wait to finally meet you.'' Lewis told her, while starting to take off his racing suit.

Y/N sets herself down on the couch, admiring the man she can call hers. ''Me too! They always look so adorable in your pictures.'' She said to him, smiling from ear to ear.

''They're already calling you Auntie Y/N.'' He laughed, reminiscing about the countless times his niece and nephew had asked for their ''Aunt'', despite having never met their Uncle's girlfriend.

Y/N laughed along with him, finding it adorable. ''That's so cute, Lewis, your family is the best.'' She had gotten along great with his parents, step parents and siblings. The only people that are left are his 'little monsters' as Lewis calls them.

Their quality time got interrupted by someone knocking on his door. Y/N looked at Lewis, asking if he was expecting anyone. ''No, not from what I know.'' He walked up to the door, not opening it fully to prevent the outsider from seeing his girlfriend sitting on the couch.

''Oh, hey man.'' Y/N couldn't see who had knocked, since the door was blocking them. But as soon as the mysterious figure greeted Lewis back, her eyes almost fell out of her face. ''Hey, I just wanted to congratulate you again, you deserve it, man.'' Lewis motioned for Sebastian to walk into the room, blissfully unaware of what the German's actual intentions were.

Sebastian stopped in his tracks once he spotted the woman sitting on Lewis' couch. They both were equally surprised to see each other in the World Champion's driver's room. ''You have a guest, I see.'' He said to Lewis, avoiding her eyes.

''Uh, yeah,'' Lewis smiled at Y/N, ''we're kind of keeping it private for now.'' He told the Ferrari driver, confirming their relationship.

Sebastian nodded at his friend. ''So the rumors are true?'' His eyes switched from Lewis to Y/N, the accusing tone of his voice not escaping her. She simply nodded, not wanting her voice to give away how uncomfortable she was.

''It's still new, so we would appreciate it if you don't go and talk to other people about it, you know.'' Lewis trusted that Sebastian wouldn't go and tell everyone about their relationship, but he just wanted to be sure.

''Don't worry about it,'' he told Lewis, after which he turned to Y/N, ''your secret is safe with me.'' She knew he was taunting her with it, but she also knew he wouldn't snitch on them.

''Lewis! Come and take a picture with the crew!'' Angela yelled from behind the closed door. Lewis shot an apologetic look at Sebastian and Y/N. ''I'll be right back, love.'' She waved her hand, telling him to go.

As soon as Lewis closed the door, Sebastian sat himself down next to Y/N, looking down at the floor. Before he had the chance to say something, she stopped him. ''Don't say a fucking word.''

''Out of everyone, out of everyone, Y/N… It had to be him.'' He looked and sounded disappointed, which greatly upset her.

Y/N turned to him, visibly annoyed by his comment. ''It's been 6 years, Sebastian, you should get over it.''

''I am over it,'' he got back up again, ''but that doesn't mean I can't be upset over this.'' He was looking back at her now, his expression nothing but anger.

''No, you don't get to be upset over this! It's ridiculous, Sebastian!'' Despite the harshness of her words, she remained calm on the outside. Y/N didn't want to get herself worked up, especially not because of Sebastian.

He raised his eyebrow. ''It's not ridiculous! You just forgot all our time together? You're dating my fucking friend, Y/N.'' His German accent was very audible, due to his anger.

''I was never upset about your wife or your kids! What makes you think you have any right to feel upset about me dating Lewis?'' Y/N clapped back, finding his behavior comical.

Sebastian clenched his jaw. ''That's not fair! This is not the same!'' He spit through gritted teeth.

''We were never together, Sebastian! You don't get to decide what's fair and what's not fair.'' She could feel herself getting worked up and she absolutely hated it.

He scoffed at her words. ''Never together? Then what were we, Y/N? What was I? What were you?''

''I was the other fucking woman, Sebastian! What do you think we were? We were nothing.'' She had enough of him and this entire conversation.

He looked speechless upon hearing her words. ''I'm leaving, this is complete bullshit.'' And with that, he left, not even waiting for Lewis to get back.

During the few minutes it took for Lewis to appear again, Y/N calmed herself down and made sure there wasn't any evidence, on her face or in her behavior, of her argument with Sebastian.

''Most of the reporters have left, so we can take the back exit if you want to?'' Lewis asked her, grabbing his stuff.

Y/N nodded. ''That's good, I don't really feel like going our different ways now.'' She grabbed her handbag and walked over to her boyfriend, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

''Oh, you can't miss me for a couple more hours?'' He smirked, his arm sliding around her waist, pulling her in close.

Y/N laughed. ''I had to be besties with Horner all day, I just want to spend time with my love.'' She groaned, thinking about how many times the Red Bull Racing head principal annoyed her throughout the day.

''I missed you, I thought I would be fine seeing you with Red Bull, but it was actually quite hard.'' He confessed to her, a sad smile gracing his face.

Seeing Lewis' face made her pout. ''Hey, don't be sad! I'm here now and you've got me for the rest of the night.'' Towards the end of her sentence, her pout had turned into a smirk.

''I like the sound of that.'' He smirked now as well, putting his bag down and pulling her face closer, kissing her. The kiss started off gentle, but it quickly ended up getting heated.

''Lew, come on, your family is probably waiting to celebrate.'' Y/N was the first one to pull back, reminding him they had a place to be. ''Alright, alright.'' He gave in, grabbing his bag from the ground and opening the door for her.

''I forgot to ask you, where did Seb go?'' He asked her while they waited for their driver to start the car. ''Oh, he said something about a briefing, I think.'' She answered, her heartbeat raising at the mention of the Ferrari driver.

''Ah, too bad. What did you guys talk about?'' Lewis continued asking, curious about what the two had done while he was away. ''You know, just about life… and how great you were this season.'' She lied again, awkwardly smiling at her boyfriend.

He laughed. ''That's nice, it's great that the two of you get along.'' Lewis smiled, completely unaware how wrong his words were.

''Me too.''

Oh, boy.

• • • • • • •

taglist: @iamasimpingh0e

396 notes · View notes

ednshtn · 7 months

Text

Falling | Charles Leclerc

Charles Leclerc x photographer!reader

WC: 2.1K

Warnings: none

AN: Could’ve made it more angst but I was in the mood for fluff. I don’t think it’s my best work but I love it. I’m a bit tired and I wanted to post this so excuse the any mistakes.

REQUESTED

I hope you like it.

Masterlist

Charles walked into the paddock in his team’s kit, he was so out of it today for some reason. His manager was walking with him telling him everything he’ll be doing for the day, he was half listening half lost in his own thoughts. So it made perfect sense why he wouldnt see you, you were crouched down taking pictures of Lando who was posing for you.

Charles all but fell on top of you, you had just enough sense in you to move your expensive camera away from the ground. Letting a soft curse escape your lips at the impact. Charles manages to catch himself just in time not to crush you. You were on your side and Charles was on his hands and knees beside you. Lando? He was on the floor laughing, laughing at your wide and shocked eyes.

Sitting up you looked at the Ferrari driver, who was on his knees dusting his hands, making you both now sitting next to each other. It was then that Charles saw you for the first time. Your hat was on backwards so he had full access to see your face. His eyes moved all over your face taking you in, he never saw you before he’s sure of it, there's noway he’d seen you before and forgotten, your face isn’t the type to be forgotten.

“Are you okay?… You didn't hit your head did you.” It took Charles a moment to realise you were talking to him, he blinked a couple of times, and cleared his throat, Lando watched amused(He’ll be proud later on to be there when you first met). You had a smile on your face.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m alright, are you okay?” Charles checked you for any injuries, he got up and offered you his hand, which you gave him, your soft hand in contrast to his calloused one.

“As long as my baby is okay, I’m okay.” You said waving the camera in indication. “You know you could’ve asked for pictures if you wanted, didn’t have to run me over.”

“I uh, I’m sorry I wasn’t focused.” Charles apologised realising he never apologised.

“It’s alright.” You gave him a smile.

“Charles.” Charles braved and put his hand out for you to shake, you placed your hand back in his telling him your name, before anything else could be exchanged he was pulled away and you went back to the mini photoshoot you were doing to a still amused Lando.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Let’s say this wasn’t the last time you saw Charles, in fact he became one of the drivers who always posed for you and let you take pictures of him, and the fans had more pictures of Charles to rate in their weekly outfit rating when it came to the drivers.

“Come on, why won’t you take pictures of me?” Charles asked following you around the paddock, you were looking through the pictures you already took of him, and there were quite the few that were perfect, in your opinion.

“Charles I literally took over 50 of you just now, I’m not a Ferrari photographer you know.” You told the monegasque driver and stopped in your tracks suddenly he almost crashed into you, again. “Look at this one, you look so good here.”

“I always look good.” He said with a scoff, you rolled your eyes, but couldn’t admit that he’s right, it’s hard to take a bad picture of him. Charles looked at the picture over your shoulder, he was standing so close to you, you felt his body heat.

“I seriously have to go.” You told the driver, after a moment, looking at your watch. stepping away from the Ferrari driver you turned to face him. “Once I’m done with Ethan I can take more pictures of you.”

“You’re going to take some of Ethan, now?” Charles frowned, his upbeat mode gone, but you didn’t really realise too focused on what you had to do.

“Yeah, I’ll see you later Charles.” Charles clenched his jaw and rolled his eyes before he left for Ferrari’s motorhome.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

you were at Ferrari’s motorhome, you were getting food from there that day, Ethan your cousin was in a meeting so you weren’t at Williams’ cafeteria. Taking your food you found the two Ferrari drivers sitting at a table, you smiled to yourself as you watched Charles talk animatedly with Carlos.

“Care if I join you?” You asked the two.

“Yeah, sit down.” Carlos said and Charles groaned with a teasing smile. You glared at the male but sat down next to him.

“It’s great to know that Ferrari has such a welcoming atmosphere.” You said to Carlos ignoring Charles.

“Yeah, this welcome is only for you.” Carlos said and gave Charles a look, the Monegasque kicked his leg under the table. Carlos smirked and shook his head. It didn’t take long before Charles started nicking food from your plate, unlike the duo you weren’t on a strict diet, your plate looked more appetising than his.

“Why are you so annoying, go get your own food.” You said after the fifth fry was stolen from your plate.

“Because annoying you is what I’m best at.” Charles smirked and stole another fry.

“Come on mate, she needs all the food she gets, running around the paddock all day.” Carlos has found himself always amused watching the both of you. Him and Lando have a standing bet on when Charles will confess, the former teammates are waiting for him to get the courage, since you seemed oblivious of Charles’ raging crush on you.

“Honestly Carlos you’re becoming my favourite Ferrari driver.” You said and quickly pulled your plate away from Charles’ attack, your eyes met in a challenge narrowing slightly. Your plate kept moving left and right as Charles’ fork kept coming back.

“How come someone so tiny can be so annoying?” Charles asked giving up on eating from your plate.

“Well I never thought an F1 driver could be stupid but here you are.” Carlos burst out laughing, you bit back a laugh as Charles blinked and stunted.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Charles heard your laughter before he saw you, he couldn’t help but smile. When he rounded the corner his shoulders deflated and the smile on his face fell away. There you are again taking pictures of Ethan and joking around with the rookie. You’re 80% of the time just taking pictures of him, you both looked close and very comfortable with each other. You had your head thrown back in laughter as you both stood so close looking at the pictures on your camera. There’s nothing that the rookie could do that's this funny, in Charles’ opinion anyway.

“Why won’t you ask her out?” Pierre asked coming up behind his friend, he followed his sight and it fell on the female photographer. The female is well known now in the paddock and she took some crazy good photos of him and Kika last week.

“What are you talking about?” Charles acted confused and turned to walk the way he came from, Pierre followed him, determined to make his friend see reason and admit his feelings. Plus the bet money just doubled as more people also placed their bets.

“Come on now, just because she’s blind doesn’t mean the rest of us are.” Pierre said and rolled his eyes. “You’re going the wrong way.”

Charles stopped and looked around, seeing where he was and where he’s going. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know how, okay?”

“You don’t know how…” Pierre was confused.

“I-I’ve never asked a girl out before, they’ve-they’ve always been the ones to approach me first.” Charles mumbled and Pierre couldn’t help but laugh, Charles cursed his friend and went to turn away when Pierre stopped him.

“WAit, wait, just tell her you like her and want to take her out for dinner or something, it’s simple.” Pierre said getting over his laughter when he saw Charles was serious and really didn’t know how to ask you out. “Isn’t she supposed to have a mini photoshoot with you today?” ‘yeah’ “Ask her then.”

“I don’t know.” Charles mumbled.

“Think about it.” Pierre patted his back in encouragement.

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Charles thought about it, he did, but every time he got the courage and told himself to just ask you out, he remembered all the times he’s found you with Ethan, the hugs he’s seen you share after races, the hundreds upon hundreds of pictures you have of him, your professional instagram is filled with the Williams driver. It irked him how the rookie could get you, he hated it, he really did. so he decided to sulk in his driver’s room.

Charles was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a knock on the door. He was laying back on his bed. ‘come in.’

he didn’t expect you to come in, he sat up on the bed. You timidly closed the door behind you but didn’t move further in the room, it’s your first time in a driver’s room that wasn’t your cousin’s.

“I was looking for you, a-are we having the shoot?” For some reason you found yourself nervous, Charles and your relationship has always been light and easy going so the heavy air around you both didn’t make any sense at the moment. “Are you not feeling up to it?”

“I thought you’d take photos of Ethan.” Charles said bitterly, you frowned at his words, he clearly didn’t like your cousin by the way he spat his name.

“No, I finished with him today… Do you not like him or something? Did he do something?” You asked and for those who know that you’re related to Ethan can tell that you’re asking for a place of an older sister, but to Charles it didn’t sound like that.

“No.”

“You can tell me, I’ll tell his mum.” You tried to joke but Charles didn’t react to your words at all, sighing you moved closer to him, he was still on his bed looking up at you. “What has my cousin done now?”

A long moment of silence and recognition flickered over Charles face.

“Cousin?”

“Yeah?” yYou were confused at his confusion now. “What did Ethan do?”

“I- I didn't know he was your cousin.” Charles muttered, you raised an eyebrow with a small smile.

“If not a cousin or a brother then, there’s no way I’d spend that much time taking pictures of a single person if I wasn’t under the threat of family.” You joked and sat on the very edge of the bed besides Charles.

“it - it makes sense.” Charles was talking to himself at the moment he connected the dots, it looked like he was debating something with himself while rethinking all his life decisions. He looked from his fingers up to meet your eyes, your breath hitched in your throat and in this moment you understood why you felt nervous. This is the first time you’ve been completely alone with the Ferrari driver. “Do you want to go out to dinner?”

“W-what?” Your eyes went wide, this came out of nowhere.

“Can I take you out on a date?” Charles has no idea where this courage came out from but the more she took to answer he started to doubt himself.

“A date?” It seemed like the only thing you can get yourself to say is to repeat what he was saying.

“I thought I was stupid.” Charles raised an eyebrow, you jokingly hit his shoulder and glared at him, but as he held your gaze.

“I would like to go on a date with you.” Both your cheeks flushed with colour and suddenly you aren’t able to keep eye contact. “I didn’t know you liked me like that.”

“We’ll, you trapped me the first time we met.” Charles joked remembering the first time you met.

“Me? You literally fell down the first time you saw me.” You replied straight away. “Some would say you fell right in love with me.”

“I don’t know about love, but I really like you.” Again you were left speechless, cheeks pink, you hid your face away from him by leaning your forehead on his shoulder. Charles couldn’t stop himself from hugging you and kissing the side of your head, unknowingly making it worse for you. Taking a deep breath you pulled back and pushed your hair back. “Do you want to take pictures now?”

“I don’t know, you did miss your appointment.”

“You should feel honoured to take pictures of me.”

“I feel sick.”

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

Lando will definitely be telling everyone how he was there when Charles fell in love with you.

Carlos and Pierre won the bet.

username here's some of my favourite @/y/ntwt photos of @/charles_leclerc this year

username yn really has been working hard 👏 🤧

username no because what did she say to have him smiling like this!! ART 🙌

username forget what she said, look at how he looks at her (the 2nd pic isn't by her but he's looking at her) 👀👀

username we should all say thank you yn! 🥰🥰

1K notes · View notes

ednshtn · 7 months

Text

I couldn’t fix him, but I could fuck him, and that could fix me, and that’s more important.

17K notes · View notes

ednshtn · 7 months

Text

sebastian vettel masterlist

all blurbs are listed from oldest to newest - oldest being on the top and newest on the bottom. // it’ll be updated as I post!

header by @stuffspaddock

Keep reading

386 notes · View notes

ednshtn · 8 months

Text

me and the devil

words: 3564

introduction/part 1 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5

warnings/notes: charles leclerc x reader, friends to enemies to lovers?, mentions of alcohol, language;

inspired by: Soap&Skin - Me And The Devil, The Neighborhood - Afraid, The Academic - Why Can’t We Be Friends?, lovelytheband - i like the way, The Wombats - Turn , Wallows - Pleaser

masterlist

Fools, fools, fools again – both of you, and now both for the same reason: pretending works until the boiling point, and yours has been long reached but to be exploited still.

You avoided each other for the rest of the evening. Glances were exchanged. Time-consuming and penetrating ones. Charles’ eyes on you when he engaged in chit-chat at the bar while you were dancing and having fun with somebody else within the team or not, and yours on Charles when he will get approached by any of his fans (mostly girls, mostly pretty).

It has not always been exactly like this in between the two of you, except maybe for the unexpressed jealousy only through eyes but never through words. And yet, you two avoiding talking back in the days when you were not teammates nor on each other’s throats was out of the question.

As mentioned, you followed him everywhere and he made time (all the time) to watch over you before your F2 races and to congratulate you after any of your wins.

“You have to be smart.” Charles intoned as you were walking side-by-side on an empty Emilia Romagna circuit at the dusk of sun two days before what was the time and place of your first F2 driver championship catch, “You have the same car as anyone else, therefore you have to be smart about the way you use your tires here, especially when taking turns.” He added, vrooming through the apex as if he was a racing car and you were a mere spectator.

You laughed, back then what Leclerc managed to do to you was only laughter and not hard feelings. He caught your laugh and then warned you with a finger to cut the giggles and to pay attention to him and only him as he was explaining to you the best kind of a set-up you could use for the race.

You closed your mouth shut mimicking a closed zip, being the one to cause the laughter to Charles as he watched you tossing your imaginary key far away from the place you have now stopped.

“Understood?” He then inquired, watching you watch him back with whopping googly eyes and hope flickering in the irises of your eyes partly thinking about the win, mostly thinking about him and how attractive having him advising you was.

If you were to be in school and Charles Leclerc were to be your teacher – you would have been most definitely a teacher’s pet. The thought of that scenario made your blood boil, and the way you looked while picturing that made Charles’ spine shiver in pleasure while your body heated underneath his look.

“If you want to make a pass here, you have to be careful to—” He hesitated, heavily breathing in the process.

“What?” You stopped, watching Leclerc’s words being cut short as well as his steps slowing.

You slowed yours too, wondering what was going in the back of your mentor’s mind with a slight hope that your thoughts were the same. They indeed were, and oh how much anticipation was there for them the become real and not just fantasies hidden in the corners of your minds and extremities of your fingers.

“Nothing.” Charles anxiously gulped, his eyes being fixed anywhere else on the track but not on yours that were examining him attentively, “You just —“ He then stopped again, arms close to his chest almost as if he was frightened of the thought that you might see it lifting up in a sorrowful sigh, “You are looking at me like that again.” He explained, arms falling around him helplessly, fingers snapping his knuckles in nervousness.

You let out a giggle, pretending not to know what he was speaking about. When in all trueness, you knew even since then that looks played a major role into your relationship no matter the status of it.

“What are you talking about?” You asked, proceeding in walking away from him so that he will be the one to follow now — which he refused.

With a hold of your wrist, Charles’ fingers wrapped against your skin. Your eyes widened, there have been little to no chances of him daring to touch you. You looked down for a short while, and then up again meeting his gaze.

“I have a girlfriend, Y/N.” He then suddenly spoke, and your heart dropped into your stomach.

Charles had Charlotte at that time, and you knew for the better not to ask details about their relationships. You saw them in the paddock often, and each time you would say “hello” to them while passing by the two holding hands for the photographers to capture, you would have wished for nothing but the Earth to swallow you whole.

Retracting your wrist from Charles, you adjusted your voice with a short grunt, “I am aware of that.” You muttered before a short smile, “You have to question yourself why you had to reminder me that just now.” You added, stepping away from him while your chest was aching still by that mere touch of barely hands, “I was just listening to what you were saying and I—”

“Looked at me like you never do at any other driver, Y/N.” Charles dared to say with a shake of tone, the shakiness progressively getting softer as he spoke your name, “We need to keep this professional.” He continued, enforcing the truth for himself rather than for you just as mentioning his girlfriend before.

With a smirk crossing your lips, you teased even further as you replied, “You pay attention on how I look like at any other driver?” You inquired with a sly smile hid within the tone of your voice, “My plan is not to steal you from Charlotte, Charles.” You assured him, knowing that scooping through the man’s relationship was the last thing on your to-do list when it came to Charles, “My plan is to steal your knowledge, and one day to beat you at your own game on the track.” You proudly declared, managing to shake the uneasiness on Charles’ face for it to be replaced with the humbled proudness you were used back then.

“Oh,” He mouthed, “I would like to see you try.” Charles mocked in a sarcastic tone, “Just don’t be disappointed if that never happens, tough.” He then cockily continued, clapping both his hands together before you went back to the circuit’s tour and racing advice – both pretending that the talk outside the two never took place.

Fools, fools, fools – both of you. You, for teasing him that much during your mentorship era and him for accepting and playing along, toying not only with your emotions but his too. Two days ahead of your little evening escapade on the track, you won your first major championship and Charles’ arms were fast to grab you into a warm hug once you were on the way of getting back to your garage with the trophy tightly squeezed in between your hands.

“That was amazing, Y/N!” Charles shouted within your ears as your bodies entangled for a short yet intense while, “Taking the turns exactly how I told you they are supposed to be taken, amazing!”

You laughed as you two departed, “Taking all the credits, I see.” You joked with a huge smile spread on your face, “I think I did a great job at executing them.” You proudly spoke for a minute before your smile faded as you switched glare from Leclerc to Charlotte who was standing behind him.

Greeting her shortly with a shy “hello”, your hands fully departed from Charles’ forearms as you picked the trophy back from the ground where you first tossed it for the man to have a full access on you.

“Good luck on your race too.” You spoke, the enthusiasm in your voice slowly fading as well as Charlotte’s hand grabbed back Charles, both on their way to the Ferrari garage for Charles to get ready for what was coming that afternoon.

“Ah yes, yes, yes, thank you.” Charles still frenetic spoke looking at Charlotte before taking another one good look at you and your rosy cheeks, “Send me the details to your party for tonight! You must celebrate!” He added, patting your shoulder in passing as they were hurrying on their way.

You nodded yet said nothing. Of course, there was going to be a party, but would you risk it for him to show with Charlotte as he always had done in the past and ruin your winning mood just because she had something you so foolishly desired at the age of eighteen? No, the answer was no.

You had not texted Charles that evening, although every bone within your body wanted for your mentor to attend the celebrations. Selfish mood driven by an even selfish heart, one that Charles was very much aware of and yet one that he wanted to understand without having to lose in the process. And yet, as young as reckless as you both were – mistakes were made in the form of him showing up at your hotel’s door at midnight without Charlotte or anyone else knowing.

A knock into your door as you were ready to go to sleep startled you. Your scared steps carried your body at the door to slowly open it. Yes, you would have lied if you were not to admit that you wanted for the person behind it to be Charles.

Then, seeing him standing upright with a bottle of champagne in one hands and flowers in the other – your heart sunk even deeper, and you knew that him being this close to you and at that hour will not do go to neither of you.

“I waited.” Charles begun with the same type of shakiness into his tone as the one back at the track, “I know from Carlos that you had your party.” He added, eyes all over you as you almost hid behind the door, “Did I do something wrong?” Charles then pleaded, and you had to restrain all your urges to not invite him into the room.

You declined with a nod, “No, it is just that I –” You gulped, “It was just a small party with people from the Prema Racing team, and some of my non-racing friends.” You almost whispered with a smile, “No big F1 drivers were invited, no huge fuss nor cameras, no drinks nor dances, no fun actually – really.”

You lied stumbling at your own words, avoiding Charles’ look as much as humanely imaginable until your eyes laid on the man’s slowly trembling fingers. You made that; you made him shiver even when your intentions were not to do so.

Charles guzzled as well, “I understand then, yeah – sounds like a boring one.” He then laughed, handing you what was waiting into his hands, “I came here actually wanting to celebrate with you alone, but I think that –”

You nodded even before he stopped his words, taking the bottle and the flowers into your own hands, “I think it is a good idea too.” You added, for you to leave. There was no need for one of you to utter the words, as both of you were tragically thinking the same. “Thank you for stopping by, and thanks for the flowers.” You spoke, sniffing the scent of what were your only and favorite type of flowers that you perhaps mentioned once or twice during some of your interviews but never to him, never to any boy really. And yet, Charles knew – he had documented this moment, the very first time when he bought you flowers.

“Goodnight then.” Charles shyly verbalized, grabbing the back of his neck for you to not notice any further the trembles of his fingers, “You did a great job today, Y/N.” He then added with a soft short smile, “You will do just great in F1.” Charles continued, watching you giving him one last shy smile and a glimpse of your rosy cheeks in the dim lights of the hallway before closing your door once he turned to leave and go back into his hotel room, one in which Charlotte was most definitely soundingly sleeping.

You glued your back to the door once he left, the words “keep it professional” resounded in the back of your mind. With an aching chest, you placed the flowers in one of the random vases that the hotel room had to offer but not before noticing a hand-written note enveloped on the top of the bouquet.

You have one of the best talents I have ever witnessed in this sport and not only, do not waste it – and I cannot wait for us to fight together. I would like to see you try, younger and much ruthless me.

Charles was right back then with quite a few words; you were one of the most talented drivers he had ever seen – one of the most talented drivers everybody ever seen. And yes, you were the younger and much ruthless version of him. But now, oh – Charles Leclerc was not that keen on fighting with you together on the track exactly for those three reasons alone, and for the fact that you were on to get him and slow his process of being the best that there ever was on racing circuits.

The now two-times world champion was watching you leave your own party earlier than everyone else. You wanted some time for yourself the night after your scandalous win against him, therefore you took a car straight to the hotel to ease a little. You were not eighteen anymore, and you found yourself a little too much of an alcohol enthusiast now (although you were bad at holding your liquor).

With your head ponding too much after many of Norris’ gross shots, you quickly get rid of your cloths and showered before limping to the bed. You need to get a good night sleep before tomorrow arrived when you had to take an early flight back home – three weeks without Formula 1 were ahead, and you would have never thought that you wanted a break from it more than you did now during your most successful season so far. You were almost dreaming about time spend with your non-racing friends far away from all the craziness, when a knock into your door blasted you awake.

“What are you doing here?” You awed spoke once you wide opened it, expecting for the knock to come from one of the hotel’s employees or your manager who drove you back to the hotel.

And yet, there someone else stood – the one you opened your door two more than six years ago with nervousness, thrill, and anticipation, “Leclerc, it is past midnight for God’s sake. What are you doing here?” You intoned with the annoyance of repeating the same question after receiving no answers at first try while inviting him in without giving it a second thought as you made him room to pass by you.

Charles was without a girlfriend now, and the idea of you two being in the same room late at night seemed more bearable now knowing that you despised each other rather than being attracted to the other.

Fools, fools, fools again – both of you, and now both for the same reason: pretending works until the boiling point, and yours has been long reached but to be exploited still.

“I saw you leaving.” Charles added, giving you a quick glance from head to toes, “Cute PJs.” Your teammate mockingly spoke, leaning against the wall in front of you as you closed the door, “I told you we need to talk – I am not leaving until we talk.” He demanded as you looked down at your pink and white PJs sprinkled with smiley yet creepy faces that you drunkenly ordered online one time.

“I very much like my PJs, thank you.” You spoke, eyes up now watching Charles crossing his arms at his chest.

Fuck, the training in the past years did its job. You could not help yourself but notice his biceps through the white plain loose t-shirt and the way his clothes fitted on what was now a very sculpted body. And yet, you sighed to act uninterested and even more annoyed that you were by the fact that Charles showed up without letting you know ahead, “I told you that we have nothing to talk about.” You added, glare catching his now.

You were not the only one who pretended within the room, of course not. Charles has been looking at you for the entire night, and he has seen how your body moved close to guys that were not him – and he reminded himself of all the moments he shallowed his urges whole to touch you, to caress the back of your hand with his, to glue his body on top or under yours. Yes, the view he had upon you was very much different than the one he had when you were eighteen or in the years that followed since then and yet, the shivers were the same.

That was the main reason why Charles held his hands so closely gripped to his chest even now, for you to not notice his nervousness around you anymore and for him to tame the pleadings inside of his mind as much as he could. Your dominance over Charles was turning him on more than he had ever guessed, and no one made him feel like this before – that was the trick.

“You need to slow down.” Charles intoned, the words were again spoken more for him to hear rather than for you to listen – and it was very much not about racing anymore. Leclerc’s mind was all over the place, and it has been like that since he decided to knock at your door with no plan whatsoever but just to warn you about your next steps, “This will get quite ugly in the future if you keep acting like this.” He added, eyes never away from yours.

You nervously chuckled, mimicking’s Charles’ body pose now. Younger and much reckless me, “I’ve slowed down for you in the past two years, mate.” You intoned with a very much sarcastic tone, “Are you that scared?”

“Are you that fearless?” Charles added, two steps now made towards you with both arms clasped at his back, “You went through a lot to get your seat next to me – are you planning on losing that?” Leclerc threated with a cunning smile; head titled to the right in trying to intimidate you as inches of the hallway divided in between your bodies.

“You taught me that.” You argued, the slug into your threat toughening as you parted your back from the wall and faced Charles closer, “How to be fearless,” You counted slowly, “How to fight for my seat.” You added, your fingers going up Charles’ cheek just to feel the burning inside his untouched skin, being the one between the two of you to first dare touching the other risking for the walls of your caged unspoken tormenting urges to crack, “Are you really threating me now?” You wondered, watching’s Charles’ eyelids sliding shut as you placed your whole palm on his cheek and part of his neck.

Charles took you in – you and your scent, you and your touch and all that he had been craving even more fervently now than six years ago since the first knock at your door.

And yet, winning seemed to be more important.

“If needed, I will.” Leclerc spoke with his eyes still closed to let himself enjoy the moment of one of your hands on him – although he would have enjoyed for both on him and every single part of his body, “Just a warning for now Y/N, do not stand in my way.” Charles added, stepping back and thus privatizing you of touching his skin no longer.

“What happened to you, Charles?” You breathed slowly as you watched him stating back at you now with one hand on the lock of the door, “You used to be so sweet.” You spoke, eyes on the handle.

“Sweet does not get you championships, darling.”

“So, you do care.” You highlighted, how the others call me, “Sweet might not get you championship, but neither being a dick.” You harshly spoke, placing your hand above him on the handle to stop him from clicking it down, “Look, I get it –” You paused to tame whatever was going inside that aching chest of yours, “You changed, but so did I. You want to win, but so do I.” You enunciated while your fingers gripped his, “Let’s see who wins – fair and square. No games, no threats.”

Charles chuckled, “Does not sound like us.” He spoke, hand hardly pressing the handle down for him to leave, not bearing anymore for you to touch him like that, “What’s the fun in fairness when it comes to us?” Leclerc then added, retracting his hand from underneath yours now that the door has opened, “Goodnight then, see you after the break.” Your teammate spoke, and you have never heard him speaking in such a grave alerting tone before – see you after the break was not a greeting, you had to take it as what Charles was intended for that to be: a warning.

878 notes · View notes

ednshtn · 8 months

Text

FALLING FOR ME|CL16|•

Charles Leclerc x fem!reader

IN WHICH: After having a crush on Lorenzo’s school friend for years, Charles is finally able to evolve their relationship.

WARNING: +18(minors do not interact) small age gap with the reader being older, smut, fluff, angst, flashback scenes. Friends to lovers. Its really fucking long. Depicts pregnancy and childbirth so if you don’t like that shit keep scrolling.

A huge thank you to the anonymous request, I’m dumb with Tumblr and can’t find the original question but I’ll hopefully get better with time and I hope you enjoy the story <3

2011

“Look there’s Charles now.” Lorenzo spoke from beside me, pointing to the kart speeding past,” He’s doing well no?”

“Very well.” I answered, smiling up at the boy as he stared on proudly, cheering as his little brother crossed the finish line.

We made our way down to the track, seeing the young boy jump to hug his father as he cheered.

“Hey Charles!” Lorenzo called, causing the boy to turn and smile, running over to hug his brother,” You did so well kiddo.” He smiled, pulling away to ruffle the smaller boys long hair.

“Enzo!” The boy yelped, pulling away to try and fix his hair,” You asshole.”

“Aye watch your language.” A man said from behind, moving to ruffle Charles’ hair yet again.

“Uncle Jules I won, did you see?” The boy said excitedly, hopping slightly to try and contain his excitement.

“I did see, and I’m very proud of you.” He said, pulling the little boy up into a piggyback,” I can see the headlines already ‘Charles Leclerc formula one world champion!” He laughed as he span around, pulling a laugh out of the group before setting Charles down.

That was when I seemingly came into his view, his cheeks turning red as he stared, causing his older brother to laugh.

“Hi Charles,” I said, holding my hand out for the younger boy to shake,” I’m Y/N, it’s a pleasure to meet you, that was an amazing race.”

He stood, staring up at me in shock, I looked about five inches taller than him, a thought that made me laugh internally, only a year or two younger and yet so much shorter.

He finally took my hand, but instead of shaking it he pulled it to his lips and planted a kiss to my knuckles,” Hello,” he said,” I’m glad you enjoyed watching me race beautiful.”

It was my turn to change shades as I felt my cheeks heating up. I pulled away as everybody laughed,” You little flirt.” I heard my friends father speak as I looked down, feeling Lorenzo’s hand on my shoulder.

“What I can’t call her beautiful?” The boy asked,” She’s my good luck charm.”

This time I laughed, covering my mouth, before walking over to him and moving to place a kiss on his cheek,” Well I’m glad you won.” Was all I said before walking off, leaving the boy stunned whilst his brother, father and godfather laughed.

2015

I sat at the bar, drink in hand as I tried to work up the courage to move. Jules’ funeral had been a beautiful and heartbreaking ceremony, the Leclerc brothers making it even more heartbreaking.

And yet I couldn’t bring myself to go and talk to them.

I didn’t know why, because I love them with all my heart, but seeing them, Lorenzo holding little Arthur’s hand as Charles stood as tall as possible, tears threatening to fall but staying put, it was enough to pull a sob out of anyone within a five mile radius.

“Y/N?” I heard behind me, turning to see the usually bright young Arthur with a red face a puffy eyes.

I smiled, holding my arms out as he ran to hug me, his hands clutching onto my dress as a stood,” You came.”

“Of course my love.” I whispered, moving to crouch slightly to let him hear me over the loud noise of the bar,” I wouldn’t want to leave you boys alone.”

He pulled me closer, before moving and pulling me towards his brothers. Lorenzo was first to hug me, clutching me as he cried softly into my shoulder. He pulled away, kissing my cheek before turning to Charles.

My heart broke for him.

He’d grown up into a handsome young man. A man his godfather was very proud of, but in that moment he was nothing. There was no emotion. No grief. No pain. Just nothing behind those normally bright green eyes.

“Hey handsome.” I whispered as I moved to stand next to him, using the nickname I had given him since he was thirteen.

He nodded, giving me a forced smile and a small,” hi” before turning back to whatever he was looking at.

I looked at his older brother with worry, who just shrugged his shoulders, Arthur doing the same.

“Charles?” I asked, getting his to look at me,” Do you wanna go for a walk someplace?”

He nodded as I took his hand, leading him out of the crowded bar and towards the docks.

Charles and I had become close since our first encounter after his kart race, he had since moved up in the world to Formula 3 and was making a name for himself just like his beloved uncle.

He enjoyed flirting with me. I flirted back now and again but when he turned sixteen we had made a deal I wouldn’t date him until he was either twenty or he reached his dream formula one team.

We reached the dock in a short time. I took my shoes off and hiked my dress up my thighs before sitting down at the edge of the dock, my feet hanging in the water.

Charles sat cross legged beside me, his head resting on my shoulder as he watched the sunset.

“I can’t do it without him.” He whispered after a moment,” I can’t do it without Jules.”

“Hey.” I said, moving to make the young man look at me,” You can, and you will Charles. You are the most amazing young man I have ever met and you’re going to do great for him., remember? You’re gonna drive for Ferrari.”

I wiped the tears from his face, pulling his in and just holding him as he sobbed, the grief pouring out of his body.

“I’ve got you sweetheart.” I whispered,” I’m not going anywhere.”

2017

“Hello this is Y/N.” I said, answering my phone as I walked to the Redbull Racing Garage. Sure Charles had always wanted to be a driver, but it was me who got to Formula One first. I was a PR manager, mostly for Daniel who fist bumped me as I waited for a response on my phone.

I pulled away to see who had called me, seeing a random number,” Hello?” I said again,” Who is this?”

“Y/N.” I heard on the line, my heart dropping as I recognised the voice.

“Charles?”

“He’s gone.” Was all that was said before I heard sobbing on the other end of the line, I felt Daniel standing beside me as I turned, tears threatening to fall as he nodded, letting me past to run back out.

“What hospital darling?” I asked as he answered between sobs,” I’ll be there in ten minutes.” I said, hanging up and speeding to the hospital.

I made it in seven, jumping from my car and running into the building to find Charles, sitting on the ground with his head in his hands.

I walked over, crouching next to him as he looked up, his eyes red as tears fell, nothing was said as we stood up and he hugged me.

We held each other as he sobbed, my own tears spilling as we mourned the loss of Hervé. I felt helpless as I held him, wanting to take his pain away.

He pulled away,” I need air.” He whispered as he pulled away, Arthur coming behind him as his elder brother rested his hand on his shoulder.

The young man was now the same height as me, he collapsed into a hug as I held him, rocking back and forth to try and bring him comfort, Lorenzo eventually joined too, I guessed they had went to see their father one last time as I held them, whispering how much I loved them and how proud their dad would be.

After about fifteen minutes I wondered outside, finding Charles holding a sheet of paper in his shaking hands.

“Hi love.” I said as he turned to me whilst putting the paper in his back pocket,” I don’t need to see that if it’s from your father sweetheart.” I spoke, sitting next to him as I saw him relax slightly.

“I fucking hate this shit.” He said, voice hoarse,” Why him, why Jules.”

“It’s not fair.” I said, wrapping my arm around his waist as my head fell to his shoulder,” I wish I could take your pain away.”

“You do.” He whispered, kissing my forehead,” I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you.”

2018

I sat bored beside Daniel and Max as we listened to music, waiting for announcements of new drivers for the Formula One teams. I only really cared about Red bull because of my job, but my heart felt caught in my throat as I checked social media, seeing if anything about Charles had been mentioned.

“Just fucking date him already.” The Aussie spoke, snatching the phone and turning it off,” You pine after him like a dog in heat it makes me want to vomit.”

“Just cause you’re sad and alone you old fuck.” I said, sticking my tongue out at him as Max laughed.

“He has a point Y/N.” Max said,” You drool about him and he’s been in love with you since he won that fucking Kart race.”

“Hush child.” I laughed as my phone rang, jumping up off the chair to answer,” Hey Charles you okay?”

“Turn around.” Was all I heard as I saw the boys laughing in front of me.

I turned to look at the doorway, seeing Charles standing proudly in Alfa Romeo merch.

“Guess who’s a Formula One driver baby!” He yelled as he hung up the phone, jumping around excitedly just like he had done on the track all those years ago.

I ran and hugged him, laughing with tears in my eyes as he span around,” You did it.” I said, pulling away slightly to look at him,” I’m so fucking proud of you.”

He smiled, a tear running down his face as he hugged me again,” I did it for them.” He whispered, “ Would they be proud of me?”

“Oh honey.” I laughed, kissing his cheek,” They would be so fucking proud of you.”

•••

The season was going good, Max and Daniel either being best friends or putting each other out of races was a bore but it was a side affect of the role.

Charles was doing good, but he was always busy, I was so proud of him, he was racing well but I missed hanging out and talking.

That was until I got a knock on my door at six am.

I dragged myself out of bed, pulling a nightgown over my underwear as I went to open the door, pushing my hair out of my face.

Charles stood there, a huge grin on his face as I blinked my sleep away,” What’s wrong darling?” I asked, squinting to look at him.

“I’m driving for Ferrari next season.” He said, smiling brightly as I took the information in.

“You’re lying.” I said, my heart beating faster.

“I’m not lying I swear,” he said holding his phone out for me to check,” I did it Y/N.”

“Holy fuck.” I whispered, looking between the article and Charles as happiness filled my soul,” Oh my god you did it!”

I jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly as he laughed and span around,” I’m a Ferrari driver.” He whispered,” I did it.”

“You did baby.” I said smiling bright,” They would be so fucking proud of you.”

We pulled away from each other, smiles painted on both our faces as we took in the news.

“Y/N.” Charles said after a moment, moving closer as he began gazing at my lips,” Remember the deal when I was sixteen?”

I nodded.

“Does that still stand?”

Again, I nodded.

And with that he kissed me, capturing my lips with his in what can only be described as a soulful kiss, his entire being, his emotions, worries, feelings all flowing through the kiss as he pulled me in by my waist.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, my hands raking through his hair as we moved back, my shoulders eventually hitting a wall as his lips became more demanding.

It felt rough, but comfortable as his hands moved to my thighs, grabbing them as signal to jump which I did, I felt him press against me, all of him.

“I want to fuck you.” He whispered,” If you aren’t comfortable with that it’s okay but I’ve dreamt about fucking you since I was seventeen so please.”

I nodded,” Come on then.” I whispered as he set me down, following me like a lost puppy as I discarded my nightgown and bralette as I walked.

When we made it to my bedroom he took no time in ripping his shirt off, laying me into the bed as he kissed down my body, leaving a trail of goosebumps as he went from my neck to my cleavage.

His mouth wrapped around my tits, flicking my nipple softly as his other hand went to do the same, pulling a moan from my lips as he worked slowly to turn me on. My hand reached for his trousers, quickly unbuttoning them to speed the process up.

He pulled away, removing his trousers and then his boxers as his dick sprang up to hit his stomach, I could feel myself grow wet just at the sight as he moved to lay on the bed.

“Can you ride me?” He asked, his voice quiet.

I nodded, moving to get on top of him whilst removing my panties but he stopped me, moving to remove them himself as his hand went to my clit, fingers rubbing gentle circles around the bud of nerves.

”You think I didn’t want to make you feel good first?” He asked,” Although, you’re already so wet for me aren’t you sweetheart?”

“Fuck.” I moaned, pulling him closer to me as he continued to send pleasure coursing through my veins.

“That feel good darling?” He asked,” Do I make you feel good?”

I could only nod as pleasure continued to flow through my own body, he smiled, moving to kiss and suck at my neck, probably leaving marks.

I felt my stomach grow tighter as I clawed at his back,” Charles don’t stop please.”

“I like it when you beg.” He whispered as he continued on, seemingly basking in how he made me weak.

A loud moan escaped my lips as I orgasmed, my legs shaking as the young man above me helped me ride out my high.

He moved to kiss me, letting me relax slightly for a minute before a moved to top him, moving to slowly take him in.

“Fuck.” I hissed as I moved slowly down,” Sorry baby, it’s been a while.”

He laughed,”If it’s uncomfortable we can stop.”

I shook my head,” No it’s just I haven’t fucked anyone in like two years so I’m a little rusty.” I whispered as I finally took him all in, feeling him even in my stomach as I began to move slowly.

He threw his head back as a groan escaped his lips as his hands moved to my hips, almost trying to move for me before I grabbed his hands and pinned them above his head.

“No way sweetheart.” I said, stopping myself from moaning as he stared at me,” I’m pleasuring you, you just have to lie there and take it.

“But I want to touch you.” He whispered, sending heat straight to my core.

“Then beg.”

He looked stunned for a minute before he actually began begging, whines and pleases leaving his lips as I moved faster with ever word, finally I let his arms go and he shot up to hold me, his arms wrapping around my body as his lips met my boobs for a second time.

As his tongue swirled around my nipple I moved faster, pleasure feeling close to overflowing as he worked my body and I his.

“Charles.” I moaned as I felt myself grown tighter.

“It’s okay baby, I’ll take over if you need.” He whispered as I nodded.

He moved elegantly, him now on top of me as he sped up the pace, his mouth reattaching to my other nipple as he thrust into me, probably making a bruise on my thigh from how hard his hips rocked against me.

It wasn’t long before I orgasmed, screaming his name as I tightened around his dick, causing him to moan loudly as his thrusts became sloppy and he soon came inside me, filling me with him as he slumped on top of me.

My hands reached to stroke his hair. We lay in silence, taking in what we had just done.

“That was fucking amazing.” Charles whispered after a moment, causing me to laugh.

“It was wasn’t it?” I responded, smiling as he pulled me closer, planting a kiss on my cheek before moving to my lips.

The kiss was gentle and much more emotional than before, unspoken words being past between each other.

I pulled away after a moment, taking a second to just stare at him,” You’re perfect.” I whispered as I hugged him.

“You are to my love.”

2021

“Y/N!” I heard the door slam as Max ran into the house,” You texted nine one one what happened.”

My heart was beating fast, my breathing shallow as tears streamed down my face, the test lay in my hands as I sobbed, Max reaching me and engulfing me into a hug.

He took the test, staring at it before picking me up from the floor and setting me on the counter,” I’m texting Charles okay?” He said, pulling out his phone before I could manage even a sound of protest,” I won’t tell him what’s wrong don’t worry.”

“Ma-Max.” I finally whimpered,”I’m sca-scared.”

His eyes softened as he pulled me back in for another hug,” I know Zus, I’m here.” He whispered as he rubbed my back, trying to calm me down as tears continued to fall.

“I can’t b-be pregnant Max.” I said, looking to stare at the young man who had quickly became my little brother,” What about Charles and the Championship?”

“No offence but with Ferrari and their shitty strategy he’s not gonna get the championship.” Max laughed,” And besides, you’ve always been more important to him than any of this.”

“What about you?” I asked,” I don’t want to miss you winning.”

“You won’t.” He laughed lightly,” But if I win that kids being named after me.”

I sighed, hugging him as I heard the door open and slam, running on the stairs as the door to the bedroom practically burst open.

“What’s wrong?” And exhausted Charles said, crouching over the bedside table to look at us.

“I’m gonna leave you two to it.” Max said, standing and allowing Charles to take his place,” Give me a text when you can so I know how you’re doing.”

He kissed me on the cheek, smiling comfortingly at me before leaving.

“Charles.” I whispered, turning to him,” Please don’t get mad.”

He stared at me confused before I went to the bathroom to lift the test, handing it to Charles as he trailed behind me.

“You’re pregnant?” He whispered after a moment, tears filling his eyes as I nodded,” I’m gonna be a dad.”

My anxiety evaporated at his reaction, he pulled me into his chest, crying tears of joy as we held each other before he picked me up and spun me around.

“Holy shit.” He said after a moment, turning to smile at me, his hand reaching to feel my stomach,” Hi mommy.” He whispered into my ear, kissing my head as tears continued to fall down our faces.

“We’re gonna have a baby?” I finally asked, wanting a full verbal confirmation.

“We’re gonna have a baby Darling.”

•••

“Where are you taking me sweetheart.” I asked as I held my arms out, Charles having one of them as I felt around me to make sure I wouldn’t crash into anything, although now being five months pregnant, I doubted that the father of my baby would put me in any sort of danger.

“You’ll see my love just five more minutes.” He mumbled as we continued walking.

We eventually arrived and I felt Charles’ hand leave mine,” Charles?”

“Take of the blindfold.” He called as I removed the red scarf, watching it fall down to reveal the dock, decorated with beautiful fairy lights and flowers.

My eyes began to well up as I saw Charles stood at the edge, a smile gracing his lips as I walked towards him. When I reached him he pulled me in for a short kiss, carefully wiping the tears from my face to try and not ruin my makeup.

“Y/N.” He began, his voice already shaking as he got on one knee,” I think I’ve been in love with you since I met you when I was thirteen, I had never understood true beauty until I lay eyes on you and since then everyday my love has grown for you.”

Tears now fell from his eyes as he continued,” You have been with me through everything, you have supported me during my worst times and my best times. And- and now.” His voice faltered as his hand reached to rub my growing belly,” You’re giving me the best gift ever in the form of our son.”

I sobbed as he cried with me,” Y/N will you marry me?” He whispered, opening the box to reveal a beautiful gold band with a sparkling ruby in the centre with small diamonds. It wasn’t a massive flashy ring, but it was perfect.

I stood stunned as tears flowed down my face,” Please say yes my love. It would be really weird to raise a baby with a woman who turned me down.” Charles spoke up, laughing as I jumped slightly before nodding.

“Yes, holy shit yes of course I’ll marry you.” I cried as he picked the ring up to gently place it on my finger, moving to kiss me as we cried tears of joy.

I heard applause from behind me as I turned to see my friends, Max crying as he held Penelope tight, with Daniel recording on his phone as he smiled proudly. Carlos and Pierre stood with them, smiling bright as Charles waved them over.

Max ran to me, engulfing me in a hug,” You’re getting married.” He laughed as he pulled away, Daniel coming to join as he planted a kiss on my forehead.

“You’re so grown up.” He laughed as Penelope held her arms out, I gratefully took her. She hugged me tightly as Daniel pulled me in for a side hug.

“Auntie Y/N!” Penelope yelled as I hugged her, Charles joining me as he played peekaboo over my shoulders for Max’s step daughter.

•••

I lugged myself around the house, my growing belly putting strain on ever muscle on my body as I moved.

“I’m home my love!” I heard from the door as I tried to gracefully fall into our bed. Charles eventually made his way upstairs, smiling at my miserable state before moving to kiss my belly.

“How’s our little Emilio doing?” He asked, sighing at the name but as I had made a promise, I intended on keeping it.

“He’s fine my love.” I sighed as my Fiancé moved to kiss my lips.

“And how are you?”

“Fat.” I said as he laughed.

“Shut up.” He said, moving to pull me onto his lap and straddle him as he lay in my spot.” You look very hot.” He whispered as I felt his member grow beneath me. He tugged at my dressing gown, undoing the tie to reveal my underwear.

I sighed as he sat up to kiss my neck, biting lightly,” So perfect.” He groaned lightly as he flipped me onto my back, his lips trailing down my body, stopping at my stomach,” Sorry Milo,” he whispered,” But daddy’s about to do some very unholy things to mommy.”

I laughed before a short moan escaped my lips as his breath fanned over my clothed pussy.

“Fuck Charles.” I moaned as he tugged at my underwear, pulling them down my thighs as his tongue met my clit.

He found his usual rhythm, tracing small circles and sucking lightly as I moaned beneath his touch, he added his fingers, slowly pumping into me as he found my g-spot.

“What are you trying to do to me.” I moaned as the heat at the pit of my stomach grew quickly.

“I want you to cum.” He groaned, his breath and the vibration of his voice, as well as the pressure already on my stomach due to the pregnancy just about pushing me over the edge as I orgasmed, my body shaking and stomach contracting as he licked my fluids up.

“That’s my girl.” He said, moving back to remove his clothing,”On all fours beautiful.”

I did as I was told, turning and getting on my hands and knees as I felt Charles behind me, before he slid into me and groaned.

“Fuck mommy.” He whispered as he began moving,” Gonna make me cum before we even start.”

I moaned as his hands moved to rest on my stomach,” Look how amazing you are.” He sighed, bending over to talk in my ear,” Growing my son in that perfect body.”

I moaned as his pace grew, an unfamiliar feeling shooting up my back as I shuddered,” You look so fucking amazing my love, look in that mirror.” He pointed to the mirror facing us as the sensation subsided and I looked up, seeing my swollen tits and belly rock as he pounded into me.

I felt the pressure again, moaning loudly as he thrust harder,” Cum on my dick my love.” He groaned as I tightened around his cock.

And so I did, I nearly fell as I orgasmed for a second time, Charles following behind me as I felt him groan and steady himself.

He pulled out, helping me to the bathroom as he got into the shower with me. We bathed each other, taking care in making sure we didn’t get any soap in our eyes. He took extra care in rubbing the body wash over my swollen stomach, talking to our little Emilio as he did so. When we were clean we just stood there, kissing and enjoying the privacy and intimacy we knew would be fleeting once our baby arrived.

I felt the uncomfortable feeling across my stomach again, moving to put more weight on Charles. Concerned washed over his face,” What is it?” He asked.

“I think it’s just Braxton Hicks.” I said, the feeling evaporating before I was helped out of the shower, my fiancé taking care in drying me off and grabbing comfortable clothing and helping me into them.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” He asked as he helped me into bed, pulling the glass of water he had grabbed closer.

“Yes Charles I’m okay.” I laughed,” I just need to drink some water.”

Water never helped, and after a few hours I awoke to a pain shooting up my back.

Charles jumped beside me, holding my hand and breathing with me and he went to call my midwife, explaining the situation as he helped me into a pair of shoes and into the car.

He drove quickly, looking over at me every few seconds which made me laugh,” I’m not gonna deliver in the car.”

“I know.” He laughed,” I just don’t like seeing you in pain.”

I smiled as we arrived at the hospital,” Well have our baby boy soon.” I said, kissing his hand,” It’ll all be worth it.”

We walked into the hospital, grabbing a wheelchair for me as Charles began wheeling me to the room assigned by a nurse and hooking me up to all of the machinery that monitors me and baby.

“This shit is more confusing than my car.” Charles said, staring at the machines as I breathed through another contraction.

“What kind of car do you drive?” The nurse asked as she jotted down stuff in her notes.

“A formula one Ferrari.” He deadpanned, moving his mask down to show his beautiful face.

The nurse’s eyes widened in surprised as I laughed,” Holy fuck can I get a photo?” She asked excitedly.

He nodded,” I’ll take it.” I said, laughing as she handed me her phone and stood beside him. I snapped the photo before handing the phone back to the nurse.

“I’ll definitely get the anaesthesiologist to come in here first.” She laughed as she said thank you again before leaving the room.

Charles sat next to me, rubbing my back as yet another contraction raked my body,” You okay my darling?” He whispered, pulling the hair out of my face and into a ponytail.

“I’m alright.” I mumbled,” I get through this and Emilio will be here.”

He smiled, his hand resting on top of all the wires and belts,” He will be.” He kissed me gently,” I’m so fucking proud of you my darling.”

I sighed, leaning on his shoulder as the quiet enveloped the room. Until the doctor walked in, pulling her mask over her face.

“So mum,” she said,” How we feeling?”

“In pain.” I answered, moving to lay back as Charles stood up,” I stared feeling pains this morning and thought they were braxton hicks but they’ve gotten closer and stronger.”

The doctor nodded,” Okay would you put your feet together and move your knees down?” She asked, doing what I was told,” Lovely darling.”

She checked my cervix as I grabbed my fiancés hand, the feeling weird.

“Okay lovely you’re at about five centimetres, I can’t feel baby’s head but I can break your waters if you want.”

I looked to Charles before nodding, turning my head as she pulled the equipment to break my waters. To say it was uncomfortable was an understatement and I nearly threw up at the sensation.”All done, sorry.” The doctor said as she stood up, moving away and allowing Charles to retake his seat.

“What about epidural?” I asked, feeling my stomach tighten as another contraction shot through me, liquid spilling out of me as I tried breathing.

“I can page the doctor now and wait until you get sorted Mrs Leclerc.” The doctor said, pulling her pager out as I went to protest.

“No one has called you that yet.” Charles said, a smug smile gracing his lips,” It’s sounds perfect.

I laughed as the doctor gave an apologetic look, moving as the beloved doctor with all the drugs entered the room. He robotically instructed me to get into position on the bed, Charles holding my hands as I closed my eyes and winced at the feeling of the needle entering my spine.

After a few minutes and the doctors leaving I finally felt relief. Charles laughed at me as I pulled my phone out to Snapchat Max,” Aye Broer I finally got the good shit it’s a vibe.” I sent the message, Charles laughing as he sent photos to his brothers and Carlos.

It wasn’t long before the shakes came, my body felt freezing as I shifted uncomfortably,” Holy shit.”

“What? What’s happened?” Charles asked, pulling himself away from TikTok as he rushed towards me.

“He’s like dropping down holy shit.” I said as I felt the normal pressure of my son move from my stomach to my pelvis.” Can you call a nurse?”

Charles pressed the call button, a nurse coming in and checking my cervix, her eyes widening as she called into the hall.

“Right mum are you ready to have your baby?” My doctor asked, fear filling my body as I stared at her.

“No?” I said,” Charles I can’t.” Tears filled my eyes as he pushed past the nurses to hold my hand.

“Yes you can.” He said, kissing my forehead,” You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met and you’re gonna bring our boy into the world.”

I nodded as he took my leg, holding it out of the way as the doctor took a seat between my legs,” Ready to push sweetheart?” She asked.

I nodded, following the instructions given as I began pushing, feeling the pressure moving lower with every push.

It was over an hour and I still felt nothing, the doctors seemed to grow more concerned with every push I gave as I felt weaker.

I threw my head back, sobs raked my body,” I can’t I’m sorry.” I whined,” Please make it stop.”

Charles rubbed a cool towel over my forehead,” My love you have to.” He whispered, kissing my head,” Keep going for us okay?”

“I’m gonna give you a little help Y/N.” The doctor spoke, pulling some forceps from the table,” Baby’s head is right there so when you push I’m gonna use these to help you out.”

I nodded as a nurse instructed me to push again, I bore down, pushing with everything I had left as I felt his head come out. I took a few breaths before pushing again, begging for his shoulders to come out as I closed my eyes.

Suddenly I heard crying as my eyes open to see this tiny baby boy being set down on my chest. My hands came up to rub his back, crying as he nuzzled into me. I turned to see Charles staring at us, his eyes welling with tears as him hand met mines, his lips meeting my forehead as he kissed me.

“Congratulations guys, dad would you like to cut the cord?” Charles nodded as he took the scissors and carefully cut the cord, following his son as they took him to be cleaned up.

After five minutes I looked up to see Charles being handed his son, tears streaming down his face as he walked over to sit on the edge of the bed.

“He looks like me.” He whispered as I sat up carefully to stare at them.

“He’s perfect.” I said, kissing both my boys on the head,” Just like his daddy.”

He smiled as he passed the baby to me, my eyes refilling with tears as I held my son,” Hi Emilio,” I whispered as I brushed his hair away from his face,” I’m your mommy.”

888 notes · View notes

ednshtn · 8 months

Text

—the seasons of love

or: the enemies to lovers situationship fic charles leclerc x female reader summ. and all of the sudden it was summer. minors dni. nsfw warnings under the cut. 5.9k part one part two part three part four part five

18+ because: public sex (not caught, not almost caught. just. public), dry humping, language.

“Please,” he begs, voice cracked and half-broken. His fingers dig into the fabric on your hips, pulls you down harder, moves your hips faster. You love feeling him grow under you. You can feel his dick, hard under you in his shorts, and you can feel yourself, hot and bothered and soaking wet. He pushes you impossibly further down against him, sinks his teeth into your shoulder, around the strap of your tanktop and the material of your sports bra.

It’s so hot. So hot and steamy and everything is sweaty and flushed. You think you might have to drink a gallon of water after this, that it’s the only way you’ll be able to accomplish another task all day. The sauna had to be the worst place to do this, to finally break after all this time. It’s hot and it’s dangerous in more ways than you can count.

You barely hear him over the thick heat covering both of your bodies, over the dehydrated ringing in your ear. “What?”

“Enough,” he breathes, thumbing at the waistband of your shorts, trying to slip you out of them, to have you all the way. “Wanna be inside you.”

“Mm-mm,” you hum against his lips, smile out of the kiss because you know your words will piss him off. Your hand covers his, practically intertwines between his fingers, holds him still at your waistband. He’s pouting before you can even tell him. “No, this is all you get,” you mutter, moving his hand further down, until it’s resting where the fabric of your shorts meet his, where you grind against him, against his hand. “Anyone could walk in.”

He pulls your shorts to the side, lets his thumb slide between the fabric and your underwear, slides up and down over your slick, all messy and wet through your underwear. It makes him shake his head, how much of a mess you already are for him. You relish in it, watch him with a sick smile. “Let them.”

You laugh, elbows on his shoulders while your hands run through his hair, all sweaty and salty and lacking the familiar scent of his shampoo. No, no, it just smells hot. Everything smells hot and humid. “You don’t mean that.”

He leans into your fingers, lets your nails drag across his scalp gently with fluttered eyelids. He looks pretty and content and you hate it. “I might,” he mumbles into your shoulder, kisses the skin just past your clavicle, nips a bruise on top of a bruise on top of a bruise. Just in case you forget.

“If you did,” you hum, sitting up, raising your hips off his and reaching behind your body, under your ass to palm him through his shorts, to put the outline of his dick just where you want it–where you need it. “You’d let them hear how good you feel instead of biting off my fucking shoulder.”

“You want to hear me?”

“Yes,” you nod. He takes a deep breath, almost spits it out in a laugh and you can predict his actions before he even starts. “FU–” you smack your hand over his mouth before he can even get the vowel sound out, head whipping around to look at the door, to wait for the handle to jiggle against itself and for someone to push it open to see what all the commotion is about. When nobody does, you turn your attention to him.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!?” You scold, a laugh tickling the back of your throat through the muffled rage. He’s such a fucking idiot. He licks a long stripe across your palm and he about curls over in laughter when you yank your hand away disgusted.

He shrugs, toothy, dimpled grin on his face. “I was making sure you could hear me.”

He thrusts against you, fingers digging into your hips, flat hands spanning your back, your sides, groping at your boobs through far too much fabric. He agrees with your assessment, he does, because he’s pulling up the hem of your tank top, of your sports bra, pulling them up over your chest so he can properly play with your tits. You know you should keep them covered, stay as clothed as possible just in case, but every nerve in your body reacts to his touch, his gentle fingers over your skin, and you’re in no place to be sensible.

You kiss him, hard and deep and not very mean at all, nothing like you usually do, all noses bumping and half giggles and foreheads resting against each other. “I hate you,” you whisper into his mouth before kissing him again.

You swallow his laugh. All of this is entirely too laugh-ey for your comfort. It’s weird. It’s all so weird, this new dynamic; the way you both stumble back and forth, swing like a pendulum from one side of the line to the other. One minute, you wish you could strangle him with his own tongue. The next, you’re lavishing in the taste of his laugh. “You wish you hated me,” he says. You don’t say anything. You do wish you hated him. You do, because it would be so much easier. If you hated him the way you used to, you wouldn’t be here like this, fucking his lap, desperately tugging on the waistband of your shorts to pull them tighter across your cunt. Nothing you do will make it close enough, not as long as you refuse to actually fuck him, to let him fuck you. “Cat’s got your tongue now, does it?”

You shake your head, kiss along his jaw, nibble his ear and his neck and his shoulder; you give him a taste of his own medicine. “Mm-mm, just feels good,” his skin muffles your words, makes them short and lispy.

He laughs. You’re so fucking sick of the fact that you aren’t sick of his laugh. It exhausts you, the way his dimples dig into his cheeks, the way his shoulders shake and his abs flex and you get to watch it all up close. It’s fucking infuriating. “You don’t think I’ve fucked you enough to know that sex doesn’t shut you up?”

You smirk, grind down onto him and God, it feels so fucking good. Better than it should. “And what does shut me up, Charles?”

“One of my life’s great mysteries,” he says, and you don’t know how long it’s been since he last met your eyes. He’s so glued to the two of you it’s bordering on pathetic, loose jaw and half-lidded eyes watching every movement of your bodies. He looks at you like he’s starved. It makes you fucking crazy, and he’s the only one that does it–which is that much more annoying. Nobody looks at you the way he does.

It’s just the time. The reason he watches you the way he does. It’s time. Time apart, a lot of it. It’s just the time, you tell yourself again and again. “I missed this,” you tell him, and it’s because of the time.

“Arguing with me?”

“No, no. Missed you.” Because of time. Because of time. Because of time. You think maybe you’d gotten addicted to it all, to the push and the pull and the promise of things never going anywhere. That you grew reliant on it, on him, to be there when you needed him to be, when nobody else was good enough for a quick fuck. You’d become an addict, a sloppy drunk who’s favorite drink is him. The orange juice is gone now, and you’re back to consuming him and it’s like you never stopped.

He grabs at your ass, at your shorts and your underwear and your thighs, at anything that might possibly force you down onto him harder and quicker. The pace is fading fast, and you’re both losing the fight to keep being smart. “Fuck,” he groans, the same way he always does when he’s close.

“I know,” you whine, nodding, fucking against him like your life depends on getting off. “Me too.”

“So good, baby,” he coaxes you. You hear the pet name, you always hear the pet name. You always tell him to shut the fuck up because it makes you mush, putty in his hands everytime. This time, though, this time you’re silent, breath pausing against his skin. “Sorry, sorry,” he corrects before you can. You weren’t going to, not this time.

“No, it’s okay. God—it’s okay,” the conversation gets harder and harder, your mind cloudier with each passing moment, with each thrust bringing you that much closer to the tantalizing edge.

“Yeah?” He moves you quicker, finds the space somewhere to rut up off the hard bench and into you. “You like that shit now?”

You nod, eyes pinching shut, fingernails digging into the skin on his back. “From you, baby, fuck, I do.”

He sighs, pained, half-whimpered. You don’t know how you aren’t coming yet, how the fuck you’re still having a conversation. You’re blindingly close. He’s closer. “Stop saying shit like that to me, gonna make me–fucking… fuck,” he sputters out, and you feel his dick twitch in his shorts. God. Next time–fuck. Next time, you want him dripping down your leg.

The thought of it is enough to unravel you, to leave you following right behind, thinking maybe, maybe you can fit in another smart comment, something to still manage to assure that you’ve got the upper hand. Something that, when the two of you walk out of here, you’ll be able to replay back as the moment you won the battle. You’re wrong. “But it makes my jo…” your words trail off into a laugh, a stuttered moan that’s lost all semblance of the joke.

(twenty-two minutes earlier)

You'd decided to take some time after Monaco, to separate yourselves in an attempt to untangle the mess of webs you’ve wrapped yourselves in. You’d turned to the gym to blow off all that excess steam left behind in his wake. Only problem is, your gym is his gym, and you’ve spotted each other from across the place more than once.

As you entered the sauna, the steam enveloped you, wrapping you in a cocoon of warmth and relaxation. You were looking forward to some peaceful time alone, a chance to unwind and forget about the newfound complications of your life.

The tranquility is short lived, however, when you notice Charles sitting on the other side of the room.

Your eyes meet for a split second, and in that fleeting glance, a myriad of emotions pass between you. Surprise, annoyance, that same third thing you’ve been trying to kill for months. Both of you.

You didn’t have time to dwell on his presence, not with strangers in the sauna with you.

You took the farthest possible seat from him, trying to focus on the hot air working your muscles instead of the irritating man glaring at you. You can feel his eyes, their stare only dueling your frustration.

Minutes pass in tense silence as you both pretend not to notice each other. The other people in with you, acting as a silent buffer, your own personal sauna Switzerland, get up and walk out, leaving the two of you alone. The moment the door closes behind the last person, he’s jumping down your throat, his annoyance no longer restrained.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, tone laced with irritation.

You rolled your eyes. It’s been so long since you’ve gotten to play your little game, no way you’re backing down this early. “I could ask you the same thing,” you retorted, crossing your arms defensively.

He let out a humorous chuckle. “Maybe I wanted some peace and quiet,” he shot back.

You scoffed. “Peace and quiet? You’re the last person I expect to want that,” you said, unable to hide your disdain.

Charles glared back at you , clearly unappreciative of your sarcastic wit. “Well, we can’t all be perfect like you,” he replied. The tension was thick between the two of you, thicker than it had been in a long time. “Can’t you find another gym to steal?”

You huffed, tired of his complaints. “I can go wherever I want. It’s not my fault you’re so inflexible with your workout schedule,” you shot back, trying to mask the unease you felt.

He leaned back in his seat, a hint of smugness in his voice. “And can you at least wear something a little more… decent? You’re not leaving much to the imagination,” He comments, eyes flickering over your outfit. He’s just a douche, you’re wearing a sports bra and running shorts.

You annoyance flares. Who the fuck does he think he is, acting like a boyfriend—an overprotective one at that. Fuck him. Fuck him. “Oh please, I don’t dress to impress you,” you retorted flatly.

He seems unphased by your rage, which only makes you angrier. “It’s distracting,” he mumbled.

Fed up with his attitude, with everything he decided to represent by waking up and coming to the gym and walking into the sauna, you decide to call his fucking bluff. You got up from where you were sitting, moved closer to him, hands on your hips.

“You want to see how revealing my clothes can be?” you challenged, folding over the waistband of your shorts, revealing just a bit more skin.

He blinked, caught dumbfounded by your move, by your sudden proximity. “That’s not what I meant,” he stammered, bravado faltering. You took a step closer, gaze locked with his.

“Then what did you mean, Charles?” you asked, voice softening just enough to let him think he’s going to get off easy. He’d never be that lucky, not when he’s talking like he owns you, like he has any right to your body or the clothes you put on it. “Did you mean to criticize everything I do, everything I wear, or just assert some kind of dominance over me?”

He looked taken aback by your words, and honestly, you didn’t blame him. Your tone surprised even you. It was clear he hadn't expected you to challenge him like this. “No, that’s not what I meant at all,” he replied, voice softer now.

“Then what is it, Charles?” you pressed, refusing to back down. “What is it about me that’s bothering you so much?”

He hesitated for a moment, and then finally spoke, his voice tinged with frustration. “It’s not that I’m bothered by you,” he said, “I just… I don’t know how to be around you.”

You took another step closer, closing the distance between the two of you. You roll your eyes, huff and puff and almost groan because he’s only reminding you of why the two of you agreed to keep your distance in the first place. He can’t hang, can’t get with the program and understand that you just can’t deal with the implications of him. “What do you mean?” you ask, voice cooling, wanting to understand him.

He hesitates, gaze locked on yours. “It’s like… every time I’m with you, everything is just. It’s different,” he admitted. “I can’t pretend it’s not.”

You can, you can pretend. You like pretending. Pretending is easy, far easier than facing the facts, facing the feelings. Your heart skips a beat, his words resonating with the feelings you’d been trying to bury. “So, what are we then?” you asked, already gearing up to refute any claims he goes making about us, about we, about any other multitude of pluralities he wants to stutter out.

He has no sort of a clear answer. “I don’t know,” he replies, harrowingly candid. You don’t think you’ll ever be faced with him being this vulnerable and not feel like throwing up. “I wish I did, but I don’t.”

The vulnerability in his voice breaks any and all anger you’d managed to carry to this point. You almost felt bad, a pang of sympathy tearing through your chest. You knew he was struggling as much as you were. “I don’t know either,” you admitted, voice threatening to fall into silence. You both stand there for a beat too long, heavy with the weight of it all. And then, in a moment of impulse, you reach out and take his hand, intertwine your fingers with his.

His thumb moves over the back of your hand, but he says your name like you’re hurting him, like he’s truly pained to hold your hand. “I can’t lose you. I won’t,” he whispers. “I can’t, I can’t keep running from it.”

You were taken back by the sincerity, but rather than pull away, recoil into safety like a scared turtle into their shell, you squeezed his hand gently. “I don’t know if I’m ready,” you spoke honestly, more generously than you had yet allowed yourself to. “But I. Yeah, I can’t lose you.”

And just like that, the months of rebuilding the barriers and the boundaries has all gone to shit, all the walls melting to the floor in a steaming puddle. The tension that had been built, destroyed, redbuilt, for so fucking long that it felt like a tightly wound spring just begging to snap.

Without another word, you leant down, closing the distance between you and pressing your lips against his. There was no fight, no anger or frustration or game to win, it was just a kiss. It was no longer a hookup, a friends or enemies or… frenemies with benefits situation. It’s not an itch that needs to be scratched anymore. It’s a gap, begging to be bridged, to be explored after so long.

You moved to straddle him, out of pure convenience–no distraction, no battle for domination. Just you, sitting on his lap, and him, kissing a smile onto your lips.

As you pulled apart, breath heavy and hearts pounding, you looked at him, searched his eyes for the same fear you felt, gentle fingers making a half-hearted attempt at styling his hair. “I don’t want to ruin this,” he says. You don’t know how it could possibly make any sense, how you could possibly feel like you do, but you miss him. He’s right here in front of you, and you miss him.

You nodded, “I don’t either,” you confirmed. You don’t know which one of you moved first, who started it all. Just that you were the first to speak again. “We shouldn’t.” Push.

“I know.” Pull.

“But I want to.” It’s pained, just like everything else. You know better. You both know better.

“I know, I know.”

You gathered at the entrance of the trailhead, the air full of laughter and excited chatter as all of your friends caught up, planned for the hike ahead. It was Marta’s idea, and she’d swore to you up and down that Charles wasn’t going to be there, that he had too much to focus on with summer break coming to an end in just a few days.

It has been so long since the whole group got together, and when you’d gotten the text it sounded like the perfect excursion, the best way to spend a warm evening. You beam talking to them, catching up on work and romance and family and other friends. Your gaze sweeps over the group, stopping dead at the sight of him. Either Marta had lied to you, or Ricky had lied to Marta.

“What’s he doing here?” you asked her, and she followed you gaze.

“Who—oh. I don’t know, honest.”

As if he can feel your eyes on him, his gaze meets yours for a fleeting second. The shared surprise, the shared irritation, it tells you that he didn’t know you’d be here, either. There’s something else there, too, something about a reminder of shared history, an acknowledgement that no matter how hard you two try, there’s no escaping each other.

You set off on the hike on opposite ends of the group, as far away from him as you can manage. Maybe, maybe you’ll be able to put off the inevitable for just a while longer. You’re not naive enough to think you can make it to the viewpoint without ending up next to him, without being forced into conversation.

It lasts all of fifteen minutes before you, Marta, Charles, and Ricky have all been relegated to the back of the pack. You’re not surprised it’s the three of you—Ricky has Chiara strapped into this little backpack carrier, and it weighs him down. Marta spends more of the hike snapping pictures of the baby than watching where she walks, while Charles is attempting to be a professional photographer at every possible lookout point, grabbing a picture of each and every interesting thing he sees. And you, well. You’ve always been a slow hiker.

The two of you still stand with Marta and Ricky between you, walking four wide through the trail. Marta’s already planning Chiara’s first birthday, trying to work around everyone’s schedules to make sure the whole friend group can be there. Ricky talks Charles’ ear off about work, about if they choose the best possible hiking trail and whatever else it is straight men talk about.

Despite your separate conversations and the couple between you, your eyes continually find his, drawn in by the laughter and animated gestures that always annoyed you so. There’s just something so. So painfully familiar about the unspoken and impossible to ignore tension between the two of you. You feel like a child, the way your mind blanks and time stops for just a second every time you meet eyes. It’s stupid. It is.

“Aimez-vous cette randonnée?” Enjoying the hike, Ricky asks you, oblivious to the tension floating around him.

You tear your eyes from Charles, offer a distracted nod. “Ouais. Excellent moyen de passer la soirée,” Yeah. Great way to spend the evening, you reply.

You hear the rest of the group before you can see them, huddled off to a decent-sized lookout point, one with a clear view of the entire country. The sun is just starting to set, casting a warm, golden glow over your home, sparkling off the calm sea.

The group dispersed around the opening, snapping pictures of the view and with each other. You find a seat-shaped boulder to sit on, silently appreciating the sights, irritatingly aware of Charles’ proximity. You can always tell when he’s nearby, can feel him like he;s electrically charged.

He’s only a few feet away, carefully crafting away at an Instagram story when he speaks to you for the first time all evening. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” he speaks softly, mumbles almost, and doesn’t bother to look up from his phone.

“Always is,” you reply, eyes fixed on the horizon.

He nods in agreement, and the air is so heavy. So, so heavy.

Marta cuts through it all with a photocall, and because of the laws of nature, you and Charles find yourselves side by side. Like you said, electric. Magnetic, maybe; the pull.

The camera clicks, captures the smiles and the shared experience and he’s looking at you again. It’s like it’s just the two of you, sometimes, all muddy history and lingering potential.

With the picture captured, conversations resume, groups disperse, and everything is back as it was; even the innate awareness of where Charles is.

As the hike continues to the summit, you and he move together in step. The familiarity is like a blanket, something comfortable amidst the messy chaos of emotional turmoil.

“I used to love sunsets like this,” Charles began, snapping the silence of shoes on dirt and half-crunched leaves.

You turn to him with piqued curiosity. “What changed?”

He hesitates, locks his gaze on the path ahead. “Life, I guess. Responsibilities, expectations, the weight of it all. It’s easy to forget to appreciate the simple things.” He shifts his steps slightly, brushes his arm against yours and makes you shiver. He makes you so nervous. You fucking hate that he makes you so nervous now. He’s looking at you, and you’re the one fixed on the trail. It’s a simple swap, but it feels heavy, it does. “Hey,” he says, soft. Comfortable.

You pick at your nails. Anything to avoid his eyes. “Yeah?”

You can hear it in his pause before speaking that he’s choosing his words carefully. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately,” he began, gaze never leaving the side of your head. “About us, about everything.”

Your heart races the same way it does everytime he tries to have this conversation. You know what he’s referring to. You always know, even if he doesn’t say it outright. “Yeah,” you nod, meet his eyes and dare him to continue.

He swallows, Adam’s apple bobbing when he does it. “I just. I think we owe it to ourselves.”

His words sink into your skin slowly, poisoning your every cell like he just has to put voice to every thought that haunts you. “Charles,” you start, voice soaked in uncertainty and longing. He holds up a hand, stops you before you can continue.

“I’m not asking you for an answer,” he says, and a lump is already forming in your throat. “I know you need time. I don’t understand it,” he chuckles, “but I know it.”

“Charles,” you whisper, voice barely audible.

His fingers brush against yours in the space between your bodies. It’s so small, such a minute gesture, but it speaks volumes, gives you permission to feel, to open up to the possibility that lies before the two of you.

“I know you’re scared,” he says, dares to hold your hand, to run circled over the back of yours with his thumb. “I don’t have answers, but. I don’t know,” he admits, “I don’t know, maybe we can figure them out together.”

You have to look away, you do. Because if you don’t watch the cotton candy sky, the watercolor oranges and yellows and pinks and blues, you might just cry right there on the hiking trail. He always does this, it’s his go-to move recently; make you feel all safe and stupid and like it’s okay to be vulnerable.

You huff, think carefully before nonsense tumbles from your lips. “How did we end up like this?” You’d asked, as if it wasn’t obvious. The two of you had stumbled your way into this situation the same way you’d stumbled through the rest of your lives, bouncing from opportunity to opportunity just hoping, praying, that someday it would all work out the way you thought it would.

“Does it matter?” he replies.

This isn’t how you thought it would end up with Charles. You thought things would always stay the same—they’d made it this far, through this much in the past two and a half decades. What could possibly change the irritation between you two now? If you hadn’t softened with Jules, with Herve. If none of it had made you budge, why on God’s green Earth would a single drunken night change everything?

It shouldn’t. There’s no reason that the cards should have fallen like this, but they did. They did, and now everything is so fucked up because you’re soft for the one person you’d counted on never being soft for.

“No,” you finally say. “No, I suppose it doesn’t.”

He doesn’t fill your silence, the two of you just sit in it, continue up the trail, following the sound of your friends’ voices, of the music playing from someone’s speaker.

L’appel du vide. The call of the void. The French and their incessant need to make everything sound more romantic than it is. Only they could romanticize the impulse to be destructive. You’re faced with it at the trail peak, standing on the edge of the cliff next to him.

You could push him, solve all your problems and create half a dozen more. You could jump, solve all your problems and leave one big one for the rest of them to deal with. The problems would be solved, they would.

“Okay,” you say, the toe of your shoe twisting into the gravel.

“Okay?” He asks, in the middle of taking a picture of the sun. It’ll be dark when you get back, the sun is disappearing into the horizon as he photographs it.

“I guess we,” you sigh. He shoves his phone in his pocket. “We can figure it out together.” It’s a terrible admission, an agreement that something does exist, that there is a thing, glaring at you with a third eye and needs to be dealt with, sorted out, controlled.

He nods, doesn’t poke or prod for anything he knows you can’t give. “Alright.”

“Yeah.”

You don’t give into the call of the void that summer night. You couldn’t, even if you wanted to. The void had left you a voicemail in the early hours of the year, before the sun rose and after the moon set, lost somewhere in the dawns. The void had already called, and you’d already answered.

(1 hour later)

You were right, it was dark when the group of you had finally made it back to the parking lot. You’d separated yourself from him again, somewhere on the way down the trail, and had taken Chiara from Ricky. You carried her on your hip and talked with Marta the whole way back.

“Is there something going on with you and Charles?” She asked, and your heart rate doubled instantaneously. You focus on the baby in your arms instead of looking at your friend, know that one glance in her direction and she won’t wonder anymore, she’ll know every detail without a moment and a half of eye contact.

“What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugs. “You guys have just been weird all year.”

Your stomach drops. You’d thought the two of you had been so good at hiding it, and here you are finding out that what… everyone has known for eight months? For almost nine months, they’ve all been looking at you and Charles and knowing the two of you were fucking behind closed doors. “All year?”

“Yeah, I mean,” she laughs. “Ricky and I figured the two of you hooked up on New Year’s.”

Of course. Of course they knew. You weren’t exactly subtle about it that first time, the two of you drunkenly disappearing, just the two of you, walking hand in hand off into the night. Of course they knew, how couldn’t they when you’d made it so fucking obvious.

“We didn’t,” you still lie. If you can’t sort out your own feelings, rationalize anything internally, how are you supposed to attempt to explain the situation to anyone else, much less your best friend and his. Even if you could—maintain some sort of composure about any of it—you owe it to Charles to talk to him about it before anyone else.

Despite all of it, you owe it to him.

“Yes you did!”

You get defensive quick, and Marta’s insistence that you did sleep with Charles (even though you definitely did, and she’s more right than she knows) gets under your skin and rubs you in the wrong way. “And what if I did?”

Marta purses her lips, presses them into a thin line that reminds you of your sister, of your mother. “Nothing. If you did, it means nothing.”

“Right,” you sigh, nod, raise your voice half an octave and talk to Chiara more than Marta, squeezing her little leg. “It means nothing.”

She matches your tone. “Unless it means something.” You glare at her. “If there’s anything there, you can tell me.”

“I know,” you nod. She continues to pry.

“So?”

“I…” you sigh. It would be so much easier to just tell her she was right. That she couldn’t be more right and there are a million and one things going on between you and Charles. It would be so much easier to tell her, just like it would be so much easier to tell Charles, but. You can’t. No matter how much easier it would be, you can’t. “No. No, nothing is going on.”

“Okay,” she says, clicks her tongue on the roof of her mouth to remind you just how much she doesn’t believe you. “I better not see you getting into his car tonight.”

You smile, weak, but a smile nonetheless. “You won’t.”

You managed to maintain your distance, somehow, against all the polarizing forces of the universe, but trying to stay away from Charles is like running against a rubber band. You can only go so far.

He’s parked two spots over from you, in one of his more… under the radar cars. It’s why you didn’t blink when you’d parked by it, because it wasn’t the Monaco National Anthem on wheels, it was just a car. Anyways, you’d parked two spots over and now here you were, walking side by side to the back of the lot.

“So,” he says, drags his feet against the blacktop, scuffs on the bottom of his sneakers with every step.

You can feel Marta’s eyes on you, look over your shoulder to confirm her position on the other side of the parking lot, and drag your own feet. The faster you walk, the faster you get to the cars. “So…”

The silence is half-suffocating, the wavering dare to break it hanging in the air above you both. You never can start the conversation. You never know what to say. “You wanna come back to my place?” He offers, and you think that maybe the reason so much between you is said in silence is because he doesn’t know how to start the conversation, either.

“Uh,” you’re at your car now, fingers moving over the shimmering paint. You glance at Marta, still watching your interaction while Ricky straps Chiara into her carseat. “I do, but,” you sigh, eyes finding their way back to his. “I can’t.”

“Okay, yeah,” he follows your former sightline. “You alright?”

You nod. “What about tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow’s good,” he says, and then, with a dumb look on his face, “Are we gonna fuck?”

You laugh. “Probably.”

“Are we gonna talk?”

“Probably not.”

He purses his lips into a smile, runs his hand through his hair once, twice, three times. “Saw that coming.”

You’ve slowly—slowly—been making your way to the car door, backing away from him at the back end. “It’s settled, then,” you say, unlock the car door and open it, lean against it while you continue your conversation.

“Yeah, settled,” he nods, fidgeting with one of the bracelets tied around his wrist. “See you tomorrow.”

You smile, annoyingly endeared. “Goodnight, Charles.”

He smiles back, at his bracelet and then at his shoes and then finally at you, stepping backwards toward his own car. “Goodnight.”

You watch him walk away, because anyone would, and just when he’s about to vanish from your eye line, you call after him. “Hey!”

His head shoots back to you, eyes wide and brows raised. “Yeah?”

“Fuck you!” You tell, stand on your tip-toes to make sure he can see your middle finger over the cars. He shakes his head and winks back at you before climbing into the car.

655 notes · View notes

ednshtn · 8 months

Text

Right Timing | Charles Leclerc

Notes: 11k words of Charles and y/n pinning for each other…your all (hopefully) going to love it xx

this is my first post in about 6 months and I'm so happy to be back! thank you all for the continuous love and support I fucking love this app. this fic hasn't been proof read but oh well, ignore some spelling mistakes, sorry. anyways... ENJOY!!!

Blurb: One where you have a huge crush on your best friend's brother, the one and only charles leclerc, since you were a teenager, with him continuously telling you he was too old for you and you had no chance. You eventually gave up hope and moved on. But did charles? (Best friends brother troop/ slight enemy’s to lovers troop/ Older boy and younger girl)

Warnings: lots of angst, crying, sad y/n and sad Charles. lots of arguments and slight nsfw? but not really. Small age gap.

11.1k words

Arthur leclerc, your best friend since nursery… Your favourite partner in crime, your favourite laugh on a bad day, your favourite person in the whole wide world. Best to be described as home, your comfort person. He was the voice within reason, all that was right in the world.

He's your best friend.

Y/n y/l/n, she was truly and utterly his favourite thing about the world. He counts his lucky stars he has her to help him carry his weight. Y/n was the only person Arthur let visit him when his dad died, and in his books, that made her alright. Sure she would make him want to scream and cry and punch walls, especially with her choice in men. But Arthur was always there for her, when she needed to laugh or to cry he knew what it was she needed at any given moment, he could read her like she was his favourite book.

She was his best friend.

—

How it started:

A little girl with puffy red cheeks sat at the bottom of the nursery playground. Her legs crossed on the green summer time grass as she sniffled again, gently plucking a daisy for the ground before adding it to the daisy chain she was making. She liked to say she enjoyed her own presence, but truly she was distracting herself from the lack of company. With the other young girls teasing her for her wild curly hair, she willingly chose to be sat on the grass of the playground alone.

“Hey! Can you teach me how you did that? I wanna make one for my mum!”

And with no regard for her personal space he sat down next to her on the grass, squashing half of her daisy chain, but she didn't tell him that.

He didn't care that she was crying or that she had poofy hair or that she was even a girl, he was eager to learn her talents and carry on with his lunch break.

But when Arthur noticed the signs that the girl was rather shy and sad he thought he would stay with her for the rest of lunch, keep her company.

Little did she know this company wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

And at age five, the pair promised to be friends for life.

It didn't take long for them to get their mothers talking, and after that it was set in stone, playdate after playdate. Arthur's mum became your mum's hairdresser, so there were many nostalgic memories for the two in the salon, especially when y/n would accompany her mother to her appointments. The pair's best memory is y/n letting Arthur cut her hair in the storage cupboard of his mum's shop. The horror on both parents' faces when one of y/n's pig tails were held in the hand of the young boy.

Their friendship only bloomed from there…

After spending almost every weekend watching Arthur and his older brother race in karts in the rain, to spending most afternoons around the leclerc residence playing with Arthur on his xbox, the girl felt like family.

When she was young she always found herself drawn to the middle leclerc. He was away a lot of the time, karting. He was slightly older so no doubt he found the pair childish and would always moan when he was made to spend time with them.

Charles' mother was the first to figure out your little crush on the boy. She first noticed it when you joined the family on a winter skiing trip, you were around thirteen. It was your first time up in the mountains, so when your arms started to wave and you felt your body lean way too far back Charles did the only morally right thing, dropping the glove he was putting on and outstretching his body to catch you in time.

He didn't catch you in time.

Instead his heroic act to save you turned into humiliation when he realised you had taken him down with you.

Pascal carefully watched as you turned around, her eyes glued to yours that were glued to her sons. She watched your tinted red cheeks as Charles scoffed and begged you to get off of him as his bare hands were now engulfed in the thick snow, causing him to suffer with a cold for the rest of the holiday.

Your eyes widened and sparked at the sight of him. You would gaze up at him like he hung the moon and the stars, an expression his mother would soon get used to as she watched you fall for her son over the next few years.

Charles was older, and very uninterested. He didn't find your little crush as cute as everyone else did, the thought it made him look uncool. He would roll his eyes when you would grab his arm or duck when you would try to kiss his cheek. He hated when your families would go out for meals and you would sit next to him, or how you would call him after a race to congratulate him, no matter his result.

Charles always saw you as his little brother's best friend, nothing more and nothing less.

That was until your first boyfriend. A three year age gap wasn't that big of a deal as they all grew older. Charles found himself having mutual friends with his brother and would occasionally bump into Arthur and you at a party.

You were 16, you thought you had met the love of your life, an older boy, he was 18, around charles age who was now 19 and worming his way into f2.

Arthur didn't approve of Joao. He knew you were trying to prove to charles that the age gap isn't that big of a deal after his brother had repetitively told you you were to young for him, but somewhere down the line you found yourself mesmerised by Joaos eyes and that was it for you, charles no longer rented the forefront of your mind.

Joao was great, at first. You knew he wasn't the love of your life, but for the moment he looked to play the role quite well, and you were happy. You just didn't expect it to end like it did, maybe age gaps do matter?

You were at some house party in the hills of monaco, some friend of Joaos. You were downstairs in the kitchen with Arthur as he watched you drink your body weight in alcohol. He could tell something was bothering you but he chose not to mention it. In all your years of friendship he knew you would come to him eventually.

“Where is the lover boy anyway?” he spoke up.

Your lack of response is when Arthur clocked onto your boyfriend being the reason for your excessive drinking. Him ditching you, yet again.

You slammed down your empty red cup, wiping the dribble from your chin as you decided enough was enough and you looked for the presence of your boyfriend.

Arthur bid you good luck on your travels as his attention was now turned to the girl he had been eyeing up across the room.

And with your liquid courage you stumbled around the party. The house was huge. Gigantic windows that draped around the whole house. Everywhere you looked was so picturesque, making you fall in love with Monaco more and more. From the kitchen window you could see the river of lights leading down to the beach front. From the other end you could see continuous hills leading up into the stary sky, tiny specs of light from homes probably just as big and fancy as the one you were currently standing in swarmed your vision, a far cry from the apartment you and your mother shared where your view was a brick wall to another apartment complex.

Your heels were rubbing the back of your ankles as your hands gripped the bottom of your dress pulling it down as it was miles too short as you made your way out to the garden.

And there he sat, on the steps leading to the lit up outdoor pool, your boyfriend. A skinny little blonde girl sat on his knee. She was older than you, clearly. She took the cigarette from his lips and placed it on her own as her other arm draped over his shoulder. It was like this week after week, it was like you were a ghost.

This isn't the young love you put out for, and you decided enough was enough.

You always forgave him, but tonight was different. This night changed everything.

Tears welled in your eyes as you turned back into the house, you were going home. Joao caught a glimpse of this as he jumped up and followed you back into the house, why he would always chase after you you still don't know.

“Y/n, baby stop.” you ignored the sound of his voice as you pushed through the crowds of people to get back to the kitchen in hopes that Arthur was still there. He wasn't.

You made it to the kitchen before he grabbed the back of your arm pushing you against the kitchen island. His hand came up to wipe away a fallen strand of hair as he tucked it behind your ear.

“Come on y/n i didn't even do anything-”

“She was on your lap.” your voice crooked, you so desperately didn't want to be the little girl everyone thought you was and cry, not in front of everyone anyway.

“It's not that big of a deal-”

“It is that big of a deal! I'm humiliated!” you shouted back, creating a scene you so desperately wanted to avoid.

“I just- I just want to go home.” you said in between sniffles.

“Baby, don't cry, let's just go back to mine, okay? I'll call a taxi-”

“No, I want to go home, my home.” you begged, the tears were falling now.

His grip tightened around your arm as you tried to wriggle out of his grasp.

“I need to find Arthur, and I need to go home.” you said, pushing his arm as he still had you pinned against the counter.

“Oh come on y/n, drop the act you know you want to come back to mine.”

You threw your head back dodging his fingers that were trying to touch your hair again, avoiding his eyes.

“Joao let go, you're hurting me.”

That only made his grip tighten around your arms, pushing you against the counter even harder than before. As he leant down to your ear-

“She said let go mate.”

Your vision was too blurry to focus on what happened next, but you felt joao grip loosen as he stood back.

“Yeah and what are you gonna do about it, leclerc?”

That's when punches were thrown and Joao was hunched over holding his busted lip. Joao was grabbed by another person before he could lunge back at who you assumed was Arthur, but as you turned your head you saw a different leclerc shaking his hand. His knuckles were red, and his eyes were darker than the ones you were used to, charles.

“y/n get in the car.” he said, you stood up, sniffing and nodding your head. But then you remembered your missing friend.

“Arthur-”

“I'll get him. Get in the car.” his tone was strong, not what you were used to from the middle leclerc.

You waited by his car in the cold for a few moments just before Charles came out the house, a stumbling tipsy Arthur under his arm. There was pink lip gloss smeared over his cheeks and lips, and at that moment you felt a small smile creep on your face.

However, the car ride home was silent, you sat in the front with Charles, as Arthur passed out in the back seat. Faint french music played from the radio as charles eyes were firmly gripped on the road.

As you rounded the street to your home Charles finally spoke up, “You really know how to pick them.”

You sniffled again, unable to reply to him mainly because he was right and you were embarrassed. As the car came to a stop Charles undid his seat belt mumbling that he would walk you to your door.

He balanced on the back of his heels as he watched the moonlight highlight your tear stained cheeks. Charles thought you looked beautiful that night even though you had been crying for the last half an hour, your hair hadn't been brushed and you were rummaging through your purse like a mad woman, he still thought you were pretty. He would never tell you that though.

“Don't tell me you've lost-”

“Got them!” You giggled, shaking your keys in the air before whipping your nose for what felt like the fifth time that night. You stalled as you pushed the key in the door, turning to look Charles in his eye for the first time since the party.

“Thank you-” but he cut you off, not wanting to hear it. You were his brother's best friend, Arthur wouldn't forgive him if he ever watched you in a position like the one that night and didn't do anything.

“Dont.”

“No really, thank you, charles.” You smiled, Charles smiled too, mainly because it was probably the first time you had called him Charles and not charlie.

After a moment you dropped your bag on the floor and wrapped your arms around the boy's waist, your head rested on his chest as he hastily moved his hand and rubbed your back.

“Just make sure the next one isn't a total dick, okay?” he whispered, his chin placed on the top of your head.

He didn't know how much that sentence broke your little 16 year old heart.

You smiled and entered the house, Charles didn’t drive off that street before you waved at him out your window.

On the drive home we looked back at his younger brother, drooling on the back seat of his car.

It was that night where he realised the both of you weren't all that different, but so far apart.

The first time Charles saw you after that night was a couple months later, a family day at the beach. You had turned seventeen in that time and joao was old news. But charles eyes were stuck on your body as he watched you sat in the sand on your own. Sipping from a bottle of beer that you most likely stole from his crate, your toes were dipped in the wet sand as you watched the sun set on your own.

Arthur had brought his new girlfriend with him and even though you were still as close as ever, Arthur's attention was stuck on the pretty blonde that was talking to his nan.

The rest of your families were distracted too, or so Charles thought. His mum watched him intently as he walked back to the car park, grabbing a spare jumper from his car before making way down the beach front to join you.

He spent so much of his life avoiding you, but after the night of the party he just wanted to make sure you were okay.

He crouched down in the sand next to you, aware of how your eyes were on him. He placed the jumper on your legs,

“You're going to get a cold.”

You scoffed but complied. Putting the jumper over your head and pulling at the sleeves, it smelled like him.

“How are you?” you asked charles, he could feel your eyes staring into his side profile, but he stared at the sun setting over the monegasque sea.

“I'm okay.”

The boys lost their dad a little under a year ago now, you hadn't really seen Charles since. But he knew you hadn't left Arthur's side for them few months.

“How you holding up, really?” you nudged his shoulder with yours, he did his little signature smile before looking down at his lap. Avoiding the question.

“Thank you. For looking after Arthur I mean, he's lucky to have you.”

“Charlie…”

He looked in your eyes this time, he looked so sad, so broken. So desperate for a hug. You didn't pressure him to answer your question, insted you gently placed your head on his shoulder looking along the coastline in silence.

Charles appreciated the silence and the way you didn't push him, moments like these he understood why Arthur loved you so much.

“It will be alright you know.” you hummed on his shoulder.

“I know.” Charles whispered back.

“Really, i can already see Charles leclerc, ferrari formula one driver. Your face will be all over Monaco, and we're all so proud. He'll be so proud.”

Charles hated how much you believed him, because in that moment a nineteen year old boy with dreams bigger than the world itself everything felt impossible.

“Don't forget about me when you're all big and famous, yeah?” you smiled up at him.

Charles looked down at you, his eyes were glossy but the smile on his lips was enough to melt your heart, he threw his head back in a laugh.

“I dont think I'm ever getting rid of you.”

Now it was your turn to laugh, “at least your self aware charlie.”

After all the laughing he noticed how your eyes shifted from his own to his lips, and then he remembered why he was avoiding you in the first place.

“y/n..” he whispered, oh how he whispered your name in his little broken accent, your heart melted as he backed away.

“I know, I know.”

You smiled and placed your head back on his shoulders looking at the sun that was nearly gone.

“You know I'm too old for you, right?” Charles whispered as he leaned his head on yours that was resting on his arm.

“I'm in it for the long game leclerc.” Charles giggled as he let his cheek get comfy on your head, pushing his side into you as you fully watched the sun disappear over the sea.

On the night of your 18th birthday Arthur had taken you out to your first club, you drank, alot…

Charles happened to be at the same club, so when your drunk body collided with his you couldn't help but wrap your arm around his torso, clinging onto him.

He gently placed hand on the small of your back smiling as you leaned on him.

Charles was 20 now, soon to turn 21 and had just signed a contract with alfa romeo, he was officially in formula one. Even Though you were proud of him you missed having him around.

You stood on your heels, leaning up to his ear as Charles met your movements and bent down to hear you better in the loud club and your heart fluttered at the small action of his ear hovering near your face.

“I'm eighteen now charlie.” he could hear the smile in your voice.

“I know, happy birthday mon amour.” kissing your forehead, this was the closest you had ever been to him before, and you craved more. He had never called you the nickname before, he was teasing you.

“I'm officially an adult nowwwww.” you longed out his ear before you hand palmed his cheek. You so desperately wanted to kiss him.

“Y/n.” His tone was serious as he caught onto your intentions.

“Y/nnn.” You teased him back, imitating his serious tone and rolling your eyes as you do so.

“I know you want to Charlie, come on…” you giggled at him, but you were drunk and a mess, so the arm around your waist was to stop you from falling flat on your arse not because he just wanted to touch you, you thought. You pushed his hand off you and stood up straight, Charles sighed as he placed his hand back on the small of your back, you looked up at him. The stupid little puppy dog eyes that he refused to listen to.

“I'm too old for you, love.” Charles' hand once again held you close as you started to lose your balance again, “and you're too drunk.”

“Drunk on love.” you exclaimed, Charles laughed, like really laughed and you couldn't help but admire the creases around his eyes. He moved your arm over his shoulder so he could hold you up.

“Let's find Arthur and get you home, okay?” but as Charles pulled away you pulled him back.

“I've waited eighteen years, Charlie, I'm sure I have the patience to wait a bit longer.”

Charles thought maybe you had forgotten that night, but you remembered the way his hand was filmy stuck to the small of your back most of the night, and how he lent down to hear you and how his stubble felt in the palm of your hand, and the butterflies only got worse.

You were falling harder everyday and you hated yourself for it, he didn't like you back.

Charles carried on with his f1 career with alfa romeo that year and you took up a journalism degree, following around arthur as he navigated the world of f3. You would occasionally bump into Charles when the boys had races at the same circuit.

But with his first Monaco race you obviously had to be there to support him.

Charles hated how his heart beat boomed in his ear when he saw you standing in his garage with your old ferrari cap on and an alfa romeo shirt with the number 16 on the back hugging your chest.

You truly had blossomed into a beautiful young woman and Charles found it harder to stay away. Your hair isn't frizzy anymore and you had for sure gone through puberty, he didn't like to stare but he found it hard not to sometimes. Especially on family boat trips when you would wear a bikini in front of him.

The worst part is you hadn't even openly flirted with him in a while, and he couldn't seem to figure out why, and that bothered him so much more than he liked.

The small little y/n that used to follow him everywhere, always latched to his arm, looking up at him with heart eyes. I mean, you weren't sixteen anymore that was sure, but Charles couldn't help but feel a sense of abandonment that you weren't head over heels for him anymore.

Charles needed to snake off that weird feelling in his stomach.

You were now 19 about to turn 20, it was the off season and you couldn't wait to soak up some sun on the leclerc yacht. Your favourite summer getaway.

You drove up to the small paddock on a little beach and climbed onto the grey boat, it was charles’, of course. The whole family was there, you were talking to pascal as arthur pulled you around the side of the boat, nearly causing you to break an ankle.

“Erm hello? Watch it.” you scolded him for pulling you so ruffly.

“You're over the whole in love with my older brother thing, right?” he asked, his hand running through his hair.

“I- i why?” you said, clocking your head to the side at Arthurs panicked manor. He knew you had been doing great this year, and he also knew why you declined every single boy that had attempted to ask you out on a date this year.

“Okay, erm,'' Arthur stood up straight and scratched the back of his head.

“Forget your stuff, let's just get off this boat. And er, don't turn around okay?” he tried to nonchalantly say, his hands gripping your shoulders were a dead give away something was wrong though.

You nodded your head and followed Arthur down the steps of the boat before stopping in your tracks.

“Since when have I ever listened to you? I going to read my book on the sun-”

Your mouth fell open as you turned around to be met with Charles, your Charles with a girl.

A pretty girl, beautiful actually, she was slim and perfect and her smile was enough to make you want to crumble in a ball.

She was leaning on him, grabbing his bicep as her hand brushed through his hair, he was laughing like really and truly laughing at whatever it was she had to say and you had never felt emotions like the ones you felt in that moment.

You felt like he had personally ripped your heart out himself, no remorse, and had just served it back to you on a silver platter.

He really didn't want you.

“y/n, i didn't even know he was bringing her i-”

“You knew?”

Arthur sighed before running his hands through his hair, “it's been around four months, mum really likes her, she's nice. I mean she's not you, but he's happy so i can't complain.'' Arthur shrugged his shoulders, not sure how to console you in that moment.

You turned away from the happy couple and sat on the small steps that lead down to the bottom of the yacht. Arthur sat down next to you, pulling your body into his as he wrapped his arm around you.

“What about me? When will I be happy?”

You hadn't realised you were crying until Arthur grabbed your arm and pulled you straight off the boat.

That was your wake up call, you had spent too much of your life waiting for someone that never wanted you. 19 years to be exact, a sad sad story to anyone that knew you. You were embarrassed and angry at yourself.

You needed to actually move on.

So that's what you did.

And that's when you met him, a young british boy, he was around your age and drove for a papaya team that shared the f1 grid with charles.

Lando norris.

He was 20, awkward, way too cocky for only his second year, and when you bumped into him in Bahrain of 2020 you chose him to be the one to make you move on.

He asked for your number a few races later and the two of you used to text all the time. He took you on cute picnic dates, asked if he could kiss you before he did, and overall was the kindest most respectful boyfriend a girl could ask for. You were actually happy, and it only took nineteen years.

It was imola when you bumped into Charles in the paddock, his brother wasn't here so he was confused as to why you were here, but then he saw the McLaren hat on your head and his eyebrows furred evenmore.

“y/n?”

“Hello, charles.” you gave him a tight lip smile before moving past him but he chased after you why you walked down the paddock strip. Past the ferrari garage.

“You're a McLaren fan now, huh?”

“Yep.”

Charles' heart hurt at your bluntness, he grabbed your arm so you would stop walking and talk to him.

“y/n.” serious charles. That stupid tone that usually made you freeze and obey whatever he had to say.

But this time you rolled your eyes and pulled your arm from his grip.

“Charles, I really have to be somewhere.” you lied, checking your watch.

“Like a journalism thing? Why didn't you tell me you were going to be here, you could have flown with me and Joris?” and Charlotte, but he didn't mention that.

You really tried to pull your eyes from the red drivers suit that was wrapped around his hips, he was a ferrari driver now and you had never been more happy for him. You just wanted to wrap your arms around him and tell him how proud you were of him.

But right at this moment, you had never wanted to create more distance between you both.

“y/n?”

Both of your heads snapped as Lando ran up to you, you coughed and took a step back from charles.

Landos arm wrapped around your shoulder as he put out a fist for Charles to spud. Charles' eyes were glued to landos arm resting on your shoulder and he could feel the blood pumping in his heart speeding up.

Lando kissed your temple and Charles' eyes were glued to yours.

“Charles.” Lando smiled nodding his head.

“Lando.'' Charles' voice was laced with venom, not that Lando noticed.

“So you guys are?” Charles' eyebrows furred pointing between you both.

“We havent you know, labelled it yet. It's still kind of new” you smiled, it had been months.

“But I'm happy, really happy.” Charles knew that was a message to him, you were happy and he needed to leave you be. But with Lando of all people, Charles couldn't seem to shake this one off.

Charles mumbled something about needing to be somewhere and walked away from you both. Lando again oblivious to the interaction as his arm stayed secured around you and he balabbed on about the race as you walked to the McLaren motorhome.

Charles hated him.

Charles hated himself for his feelings.

He didn't know why he was so bothered, he had never been this bothered, nothing gotten to him like you and Lando just did. Joris told him maybe it was because he had a soft spot for you deep down, he joked that maybe Charles liked you back and Charles ignored him for the rest of the weekend at that accusation. But that didn't mean he didnt ignore his words.

It was over, you grew up and he should feel relieved you've moved on, right?

He broke up with Charlotte a month later.

Charles scoffed when you first bought lando along to family night, he hated how your mum loved his accent and how arthur laughed at all his jokes. He hated that he hadn't caught your eye all night, instead your eyes were glued on the stupid little british boys. Charles hated it, he sat there like a toddler that hadn't gotten their own way all night. He knew it was wrong but he hated his feelings more than he hated lando being sat at his table.

Charles was in the kitchen, he was picking at the leftover pie on the table top as everyone else was outside fawning over one of landos stories, he had really charmed the family.

His mother walked into the kitchen as he was taking a bite of cherry pie looking like a caught child, she laughed at the cherry stains in the corner of his mouth and passed him a tissue.

The pair stood in silence for a moment before Pascal spoke up.

“That's definitely not allowed in your diet, my sweet.” she smirked knowing the driver's strict diet.

“But you won't tell on me maman.” Charles flashed his puppy dog eyes as his mum laughed at his actions. She sighed and moved closer to him as he stood up straight.

“You have a lot on your mind my boy, and don't tell me you don't because I gave birth to you, I know you better than you know yourself.”

“Maman.” Charles sighed.

“This is about her isn't it?” Charles' eyes refused to look at his mother at her words.

“I don't even need to say her name, it's her, it will always be her.” she smiled as she walked over to her son and placed a hand on his cheek.

“She's happy, Charles.'' he heard the sternness in his mothers voice.

“So everyone keeps telling me.” Charles scoffed again.

“So then you know you're being an ass, right?”

Charles' eyes widened at his mothers language but she just laughed and waved him off.

“After all the years she spent pining after you, Charles, it would be cruel for you to not let her be happy.”

“But what if I'm not happy?” he asked his mum, she just sent him a sympathetic smile and grazed his cheek once more.

“Do you love her?”

“I dont know.” Charles shrugged.

“See, it would be cruel to break her heart over this kind of uncertainty. Either you love her or you're just jealous. You have a lot of thinking to do my boy, but don't do anything until you're really sure. She's fragile when it comes to you.”

Charles nodded his head.

His mum was right, he really did have a lot of thinking to do.

And as if on queue there she was, walking into the kitchen, the widest smile on her face as she grabbed another beer from the fridge. She had started to let her curls rome free recently and it was sending charles’ heart into a spiral, with her stupid little shorts and crocs and no doubt she had conned lando into giving her his jumper.

She used to do that to him, Charles thought, remembering all the times you had tricked him into stealing his hoodies.

She smiled at Charles mum and told her again that the food was lovely, nodding at Charles, and she left just as quick as she came in.

“Maman, I'm so in love with her it physically hurts me.”

And there it was, the words you had so desperately wanted to hear your whole life, but you didn't hear a sound as Charles vowed to never say it again out loud. Your happiness came before his.

Charle suffered for a year, he knew he loved you, he had said it out loud once and the vulnerability he felt in that moment knowing you were stood just 15 feet away with the boy you were in love with was enough to make him swear to never voice his feelings again, he was embarrassed and wanted the world to swallow him whole. The worst part was the guilt, he could only feel like he had let one of the best things go, slip straight from his grasp all for a bit of pride. He didn't want to be seen with the young naive girl that had a crush on him, but now he just felt stupid. Stupid that he didn't recognise your love for him sooner, he had always thought you were one of the most amazing humans he had ever met, he found himself looking for you in other people when he didn't even know it. He was stupid, and he knew that for sure.

Charles dedicated the rest of the year to focusing on his f1 seat, with ferrari fucking him and sebastian over and over and after his wins at spa and monza he felt hungry for more and felt that the true love of his life should be formula one.

But his heart hurt when he didn't hear from you after his win in spa, and then it crushed him again when you didn't contact him after his result at monza.

No call.

Not even a text.

He had fully let you slip from his grasp.

It was a long year for Charles that year, and as summer break quickly approached he found girls and training were his favourite pastime. He stopped turning up to family events when he knew lando would be there and you were in love and happy. After a while it was a rarity he would even stay at an event for an hour.

He was 22 and as a new season started the only thing he was talking from lando was his teammate, not that charles was complaining. He liked Carlos, and he was ready to step up and take that 1st driver's seat. He was ready to make everyone proud just like you had promised him that night on the beach.

After a while charles mothers birthday rolled around, one he would definitely not miss as his mother requested a small family meal. Everyone was sitting, looking over the menu when Charles undoubtedly noticed the missing presence of you.

“Where's y/n?” Charles asked Lorenzo, who was sitting next to him.

Lorenzo just shrugged and turned his attention back to his menu, was it normal for you to not attend family outings? Charles hadn't been around for so long he didn't even think to consider that maybe she didn't turn up to these things anymore either.

“With Lando I suppose.” Charles murmured, he tried not to sound jealous but the older brother just laughed.

“Lando?” as he turned to his younger brother.

“Why would she- you really haven't spoken to her have you?” Lorenzo asked, his eyes widening at the thought of his brother being so dumb.

Charles just shrugged his shoulders as he urged his brother to continue.

“They broke up, a while ago actually.”

Charles didnt know why his shoulders felt lighter but he chose to ignore it and try to press some more information out of his brother.

“So? First break up, we've all been there, doesn't mean she can't be here for mamans birthday.'' Charles rolled his eyes as he tried to act like he didn't care.

“She's not even in the country charles.”

Charles' head snapped towards his brothers, “She's taking a gap year, last I heard she was staying in Australia for a while.”

Lorenzo could see the gears turning in charles’ head; he knew he wanted to ask more so he answered for him.

“Hey Arthur, where's y/n these days?” Lorenzo asked his other brother who was at the other end of the table with his girlfriend.

Arthur shrugged before answering, “Still in australia at the moment, she really likes it there, but i told her she cant like it to much because there's no way i'm sitting on a plane for twelve hours every time i want to actually see her face and not on a phone screen.” arthur joked, everyone else laughed along with him for a moment until charles countered up the courage to speak up.

“Why didn't she just travel with formula one? She wanted to be an F1 journalist anyway.”

Arthur's eyes narrowed at his brother.

You definitely hadn't meant to cause it, but there was a small crack in between the brothers' relationship within the last year. Arthur definitely blamed Charles and his stupid effects on you for you running away.

“She wanted to be away from f1 for a while.'' Arthur told his brother like it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world, hoping to squash this table subject, not really wanting to talk about his run away best friend.

“I mean I don't blame her, especially when her Lando ended like it did. She's living her best life.” Carla, Arthurs girlfriend chimed in. Arthur slightly winced at his girlfriend's words not wanting this to be the dinner conversation tonight, especially when Charles clearly knew nothing about y/n's life within the last year.

“What?'' Charles asked the table, but no one answered him, instead everyone's heads were down dead planted down at the table, everyone except for Carla who had no idea what she had just started.

“Why did no one tell me what's been going on?” charles raised his voice slightly, catching the attention from everyone else on the table.

Charles mother intervened knowing where this was going, “charles, not right now-”

“No, she's been going through something and no one even thought to mention it? What the fuck.”

Arthur was visibly turning red, Charles noticed as Lorenzo's head was shaking telling his little brother now wasn't the time, pleading Arthur to just bite his tongue.

“Say it arthur.”

The flame was lit.

“And who do you think upset her in the first place, charles?” Arthur tutted, picking up his menu pretending to scan it so he didn't have to pay attention to the conversation anymore.

“Drop it, arthur.” Lorenzo sternly interrupted.

“Considering no ones told me anything how the fuck am i supposed to answer that question?” Charles spat back at his brother.

Arthurs cheeks were a visible red now, he was about to blow up. Something he had been holding in for a while. He slammed his menu down and turned to look at his older brother.

“You know what Charles, you have no right! No fucking right, sorry maman for the language-” charles mum just put her hands up in defence as she let her youngest son get it all off his chest.

“She loved you, and you constantly broke her heart and told her no and then when she was finally happy in a relationship you had to go tell the world you love her so much that ‘it physically hurts you!” Arthur mugged his brother's words.

Charles was shocked, he had no idea what was happening.

No one knew of his feelings towards you, no one except- charles head snapped towards his mother who pulled a tight lip smile and just shaked her head in a no. Charles was about to deny deny deny when-

“Yeah, she heard it. And it fucking broke her charles. It was mean and it was selfish, and I've never despised someone more than you for what you did to MY best friend.”

“Arthur-”

“I'm not finished. Then you have the decency to finally come to a family meal for the first time in nearly a year, nearly a year charles! And ask about her like you didn't completely cut her and us out of your life? You're selfish, completely and utterly selfish charles.”

Charles sat at the table pale, he felt the colour drain from his face as he scrambled to find the words to say but his mouth didn't open.

“You really do pick and choose your moments brother, I don't know why I even came tonight, I'm sorry maman but I told you I wouldn't be able to sit in a room with him.”

Arthur stood up, he grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and took Carla's hand in the other.

“I'm really sorry maman, and everyone else, happy birthday, i guess.” Arthur gave his mother a hug and walked out of the restaurant with carla. Leaving everyone else at the table in pure shock.

Especially Charles, he had know idea what to say, he looked up at his mother opposite him who looked at him with sympathy.

“My sweet boy, I'm sorry to say it but there was some truth to your brother's words. I told you she was fragile.”

Charles felt awful.

Charles felt like he was going to cry at the table.

It had been a long year for Charles, he had groveld for the most of it, thinking you were happy somewhere while Lando flew you anywhere and everywhere around the world. Now he came to think of it, maybe there was a better reason for the young mclaren driver avoiding him.

He wasn't really friends with Lando, but his teammate, Carlos was close with the boy and whenever there was an offer for the three of them to hang out Lando magically had something come up and couldn't attend.

It all made sense now. Even the fact he hadn't seen you in the paddock, he thought maybe you were caught up in your studies, oh how he was wrong.

He sat at the table for the rest of the meal, and with every passing comment he didn't think he could sink more into his chair.

He was an awful person, he thought.

When the family were leaving the restaurant Charles hugged his family members, swallowing the anxiety and embarrassment down.

He looked over at Lorenzo who sent him a sympathetic smile, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Tonight wasn't supposed to go like that, i told arthur to just drop it i-”

“No, it's okay. I deserved it.”

“I dont know, you fucked up, but you didnt need to run, nether did she.'' Lorenzo, his older brother shrugged.

“What happened? With her and lando." Charles pushed.

“alot .” lorezono chucked.

“I don't know if it's my place to-” enzo sighed at that stupid little puppy dog face his younger brother was pulling.

“I'm pretty sure she cheated on him, Arthur said as she fell into a bit of a hole. So the only thing she really could do was just leave Monaco for a while. She seems good, Charles, healthy and happy." Lorenzo shrugged, watching as Charles' eyes widened and he latched onto every word.

“If it's any closure she's not mad at you, Arthur, well I'm sure he would be he loves y/n like a twin sister, but she's not mad at you. She was just confused and hurt.”

“If i call her-'' Charles started but his voice flattened as he realised it would ne dumb to contact you.

“Call her Charles, I'm sure she would be happy to hear from you.”

You knew what today was, arthur's molthers birthday. You had called her in the morning sending her your love and wishes, she told you that Charles was attending the meal and Arthur would be on his best behaviour, little did you know.

You wondered if Charles knew what you were up to, if pascal or lorenzo had been keeping him in the loop.

You were at the beach, cocktail in hand and book in the other, your earphones were in as you hummed to the faint sound of the music and read, but you were disturbed when the rigging was a call from your phone echoing through your earphones, charles.

Pick it up.

You couldn't do it.

Your body froze in place, you pulled your airpods out, throwing down your book, not caring that you lost the page you were on. You took in a deep breath and picked up your phone, and just as your thumb hovered over the answer button, the ringing stopped.

He had called you?

You needed a moment to think about what you were going to say to him, what he would say.

You so desperately wanted to hear his voice, it had been a year, and you wondered if that was enough time for feelings to vanish.

You looked out at the calm seas for a moment, did you really want to fall back into a loop of pining for him like a puppy. You loved him, loved, past tense. You were a grown woman now, so you opened your phone and called him back.

Ringing.

“Hello?” his voice echoed through the phone.

“Charles?”

You heard his sigh of relief over the phone, and your heart melted all over again, he hadn't even spoken yet, but the closeness of his presence made it all too real.

“I'm sorry.”

He's sorry?

“Charles-”

“I'm sorry, okay. Arthurs right, I was mean and I was selfish and you deserved so much more than what I did to you. From the bottom of my heart y/n/n, I'm so so incredibly sorry.”

“It's- it's okay.”

You forgave him.

“It's not.”

There was a silence that lingered for a moment.

“What I said, what you heard, it wasn't supposed to happen like that. I really didn't want it to happen that way.” he pleaded over the phone, his breathy voice echoing through the speaker.

“I want to see you.”

More silence.

“Please, y/n.”

“Okay.”

More silence.

“Soon, okay.” There was promise to your words.

“Soon.” he repeated, as though it was something for him to hold onto.

Soon.

“When I'm ready Charles I'll come home, I'm just not ready yet.” you winced at your own words because you so desperately wanted to see him too.

“Then don't come home- i'll come to you, i'll catch the next plane if i have too just tell me where you are-”

“Charles, I'm not ready yet.” you interrupted him.

Silence.

Charles wanted to cry, hearing your voice and knowing you were just within reach he wanted to see you, hold you, apologise as much as you would allow him to. He wanted to kiss you and hug you and love you forever, but you weren't ready.

“I'll wait for you, okay? Soon or not.” his voice cracked, and god did it melt your heart.

“I'll see you soon charlie.”

This was feeling a little too much like a goodbye for charles.

“y/n?”

“Yeah?”

“Am I too late?’

“Time doesn't apply when it comes to you.” and Charles had hope. He hadn't fully let you slip, yet.

Charles would now spend every waking moment wondering how soon was soon?

But after a while he figured ‘soon’ was a little long, three more months to be precise.

You had left Australia, travelled around more like you wanted to, and you came back to Monaco just before the end of the f1 season.

Charles was already in Abu Dhabi by the time you landed back in monaco.You had asked everyone to not tell him of your arrival.

You were sitting with Arthur in his mothers living room, just like the old days. You told him about your travels while he updated you on his love life and gossip in the paddock.

You had missed this.

And it wasn't until pascal passed you a warm cup of tea and sat with the two of you, sharing her own gossip from the hair salon you realised how much you were ready to be home again.

Arthur had run to his room quickly to grab his trophies to show you and as he walked out of the room your eyes lingered on the suitcases by the door.

“You're going to Abu dhabi?” you asked pascal.

“Tomorrow.” she smiled at you.

Pascal could visibly see the gears turning in your head, she placed a hand on your knee and smiled up at you.

“I don't want to pressure you y/n, and i know you just got back but you should consider it.”

You knew what she meant and you nodded at her with a small smile, and Arthur came back.

You went home a few hours later and sat in your room, if you go you'll see him, but you're going to see him at some point regardless.

You felt vulnerable.

So completely scared, but that didn't stop you from texting Arthur that night telling him you were going to join him and his family tomorrow.

You were going to see him.

Your time was up.

You were ready.

You meet up with the leclerc family at the airport in the early hours of the morning, your suitcase gripped in your hand as you were mentally preparing yourself to sit on the plane and go over any and every possible outcome this weekend could have.

Arthur sat with Carla at the front, and Pascal was fast asleep. But the chair next to you suddenly became occupied when you looked up and saw the eldest leclerc.

“You look well, y/n.” he smiled down at you.

“Thank you.” you smiled back at lorenzo.

“I think the time away did you good, no?”

“yeah, i really needed some space, but now i'm back and just feeling a little..” you stumbled on your words, struggling to describe your emotions.

“Overwhelmed?”

“Yeah, exactly that.”

“Does he know you're coming?” you knew the ‘he’ lorenzo was referring too.

“I dont think so.”

“He's going to be happy to see you.” lorenzo nudged your shoulder.

“I hope so.” you nervously chucked.

You took in a deep breath and looked back at the eldest leclerc brother, “I'm just anxious, I have no idea how this weekend will pan out. The next time I'll be back on this plane going home I could be happy, sad, crying or planning to run away again. I just feel so lost.”

“Lost isn't a bad thing.'' Lorenzo shrugged.

“He's just as lost as you y/n, trust me. I just hope you both figure it out, you both deserve the peace of mind. And if this all goes to shit, you still got on this plane today and tried.”

“I just don't want to get my hopes up.”

“Then don't, sometimes things aren't just meant to be.”

That's what was worrying, you had loved this man for years, and now was the deciding day if he loved you back or not and you don't know if you were ready to give up the fantasy of him

being the love of your life up yet.

You weren't mentally prepared for the shit outcome of this story, you didn't know if you could handle Charles breaking your heart another time.

When the plane landed and the warm air hit your skin you took in a deep breath. Time to face the music.

You went straight to your hotel, it was a Friday so Charles was about to participate in fp1 by the time you turned up to the track.

The smell of burnt rubber and the sound of happy fans filled your ears, you had missed being in the paddock more than you knew. This place was your home.

You were walking with Arthur and Carla when your name was called, judging by the accent you knew it wasn't the monegasque, it was the papaya coloured boy running up to you.

You told Arthur and Carla you would catch up with them as you stopped and smiled at lando who had now reached you.

“Hey.” he smiled.

“Hey.” you smiled back awkwardly.

“Listen lando, you deserve an explanation-”

“It's okay y/n, we were young, it was a while ago you’re forgiven.” Lando chuckled as he poked your shoulder.

“But that doesn't mean what I did was okay, you deserve more than what I gave you.”

Lando gave you a sympathetic smile.

“Consider it done with, okay? No hard feelings.”

You smiled up at the British boy, he looked good, he seemed well and that made your guilt feel a little less painful.

“I erm, I have a girlfriend actually, she's great, her names luisa.”

You watched as he lips upturned at the mention of his girlfriend, he was smitten.

“I'm happy for you landini.”

You both laughed for a moment, the free air was nice. Seeing lando meant there was a weight lifted off your shoulders.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing, I didn't want things to be awkward.” he said.

“I don't think I could ever be awkward around you.” Lando smiled at your words.

“Are you still thinking about becoming an F1 journalist?” he asked, remembering how it was your dream, he had also hoped your disappearance in the paddock for the last year wasn't his doing, stopping you from reaching your dream.

You smiled as he remembered, “I'm working on it.”

“Well i hope i see you around more often then, you deserve it y/n, really.”

Lando was getting called from the other end of the paddock as he had to be in his car within the next 10 minutes, you both shared a hug and it felt nice to feel comfortable with him.

His hands squeezed your back before saying a quick bye and skipping down the paddock.

As he pulled away and walked past, your eyes connected with them all to familiar grey ones you were so nervous to see.

Charles.

He didn't seem too happy though.

He had just watched you smile and laugh with your ex in the middle of the paddock and then hug him bye, even though you thought nothing of it, Charles' mind was spinning.

There he was, a tight lipped smile right opposite you. He had grown out his stubble and he looked tired. You knew he hadn't had the best of seasons with Ferrari, you didn't keep up with it too much, it upset you that his childhood team had failed him massively.

He nodded his head and followed his press officer in the opposite direction, but you weren't going to let him go just yet.

“Charles, wait!”

And before you could process it you were running, sprinting down the paddock after him, but he had already disappeared into ferrari hospitality.

“Shit.” you mumbled as you jogged down to the garages in hopes of catching up with him.

You scanned your pass and walked into the back of the garage Pascal had walked up to you and grabbed your hand.

“You need to put some headphones on dear, it gets loud in -”

“Pascal, where did he go?” you asked her frantically, like a mad woman out of breath.

“Charles?”

“yes!”

A slight smile just appeared on her face as she turned around, “Be quick dear, I think I can see him putting his balaclava on.” She pushed your shoulder and you walked around the red barrer that clearly said ‘no public entry’.

“You can't be back here, ma'am.” a security officer grabbed the back of your bicep.

“No, I need to get through, it's an emergency.” you whined, pulling your arm from his grip.

“I'm sorry ma’am, it's a safety hazard.” the man's grip tightened on your arm as he pulled you away from the back of the garage. You pushed off him but his grip only improved as he swept you off the floor, lifting you up at your attempt to run. You kicked your legs like a child learning to swim and kicked arms that trapped you.

“If you refuse to cooperate, I'll have no choice but to remove you from the garage.” he said, trying to dodge your feisty little kicks.

“And If you don't get your slimy huge hands off me right now i'm going to-”

“y/n?!”

Your head snapped at the sound of your name, Jorris, Charles' best friend.

“Jorris, oh thank god!”

“She's okay, she can come in.” Jorris grabbed your other hand and wiggled you away from the huge security man's grip as he dropped you back to the floor. You brushed off your dress and gave the security man a dirty look before turning to Charles' best mate.

“Jorris, where is he?” your breathing was rapid and your heart beat feeling like it was thumping out your chest.

“y/n you really shouldn't.” he sent you a sympathetic smile.

“Please.” you pleaded with him. After seeing you try to fight a six foot five security man Joris really didn't want to feel the wrath of you right now, so he complied.

“You have five minutes, follow me.” he led you through the back of the garage.

Whenever Charles got in the car he liked to be left alone to his own devices, it was his switch off time, but you knew on some occasions he didn't mind the company, you just needed to talk to him, tell him you were here for him. You didn't want him getting in the car overthinking that you were here for lando.

And before you knew it, there he was, standing in front of you, you were painting out of breath with your hands on your knees as you looked up at him.

Charles giggled as you held up a finger to let him know you were still getting your breath back. He pulled his ear pieces out of his ear and zipped up the rest of his race suit.

“I hate to rush you, but I have to be in the car in four minutes.” Charles frowned, “and four minutes aren't enough for what I have to say to you, y/n.”

“Let's keep it short and sweet then.” you stood up straight and smiled at the boy.

“Im sor-” he started but you cut him off.

“That's not what I meant by sweet.”

Charles squeezed his eyes and winced at his name being called behind him, he opened his eyes and saw you beaming up at him and he knew he was in love, he just wasn't going to tell you yet, especially not if he had just witnessed you make up with lando. Lando made you happy, Lando didn't break your heart on multiple occasions like he had. Charles wouldn't blame you if you went back to the British driver.

You tilted your head to the left and smiled at Chris, Charles' manager. He was pointing at his watch and tapping his foot.

You looked back at Charles and took in a deep breath, you stood on your tip toes and placed your arms on his shoulders, gently placing a kiss to his cheek.

Your soft lips connecting with his ruff stubble is something Charles cherished, he couldn't wipe the Cheshire cat grin off his face.

“I know it's only a practice session, but good luck out there charlie.”

“Thank you.” he smiled, trying to hide his blush. He couldn't believe he was blushing and how the roles had reversed between the two of you.

“What about lando?” he had to ask, it was on his mind.

“I'm not standing next to Lando wishing him good luck right now, am i?” you smirked at him.

Charles smiled before looking back at his manager, he bent down and kissed your forehead like he had done a thousand times, but this time it felt different, electric, it felt like love. It was love.

“I'll be waiting for you, okay?” you told him.

Charles smiled to himself, he wasn't too late.

If anything was on Charles' side that day it wasnt timing. Charles finished fp2 with a few flying laps and a heavy heart, his first plan was to find you but his press officer had forced him to do interviews, and then he had a meeting and then he had checked his watch and it was way past nine and he knew you were probably back at the hotel by now.

He huffeed as he left his meeting, grabbing his jumper and keys and saying goodbye to the engineers that were going to work on the car overnight.

He had it all planned in his head, he was going to get some flowers on the way home, knock on your hotel door and ask you on a date.

“Charles!” called out his manager, he really hoped he didn't have to stay in this hell hole any longer, he just wanted to leave the track and get his girl.

“What?” he huffed.

“She waited.”

“What?” Charles repeated, his manager now having his full attention.

Charles caught the way his manager's lips turned into a devilish smirk, but he wasn't looking at Charles, yet something behind him. When he whipped his head around there you were, his heart thumped at the massively oversized ferrari jacket one of the staff must have given you to keep you warm while you waited.

You just smiled at him and waited for him to walk to you, but charles sprinted, he was a man on a mission and when he got to you his hands slipped around your waist, pulling you up in the air for a moment before he dropped you back down, his hands still remaining tightly wrapped around your torso.

He tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear before placing his forehead on yours.

“Take what's yours charlie.” you smiled.

Charles' thumb gently traced over your plump bottom lip before he placed his hand on your cheek, smiling like an idiot.

He slowly grazed his lips on your before gently adding pressure and connecting your soft lips with his in a quick kiss. A kiss that was full of smiles as Charles pulled you as close to him as possible. Towering over you as he kissed you unlike he had kissed anyone ever. The way your lips moved in sync with his was magic to him, it had never felt like this before.

He pulled back letting you get some air, before using that as leverage to stick his tongue in your mouth, he put all his power and passion into the kiss and it was just as you imagined him to be with you. Sensual and passionate.

Your hands ran along his shoulders and up to his head where you gently tucked on his hair. Charles groned on your lips and eventually pulled back, he giggled as he placed his forehead on yours again.

“All mine, finally.” He said through a wide smile.

“I've always been yours…”

Thank you for reading!! Here’s a gif of baby Charles because this is how i imagined him when y/n had her teenage crush. Bare faced and spiky hair🥹

8K notes · View notes

ednshtn · 8 months

Text

Already Home || Chapter 2 - Flying Dutchman

(gif and divider are mine. If you like them, you can use them with credits!) Navigation || Masterlist Previous || Next If this is your first time here on this blog, please check the Disclaimers here.

pairing: max verstappen x female!reader, mentions of charles leclerc x female!reader genre: friends to lovers, kind of slow burn, angst, fluff and comfort !tw!: swearing, drinking, brief mentions of catcalling, insecurities, negative thoughts, mental breakdown (as a famous anonymous quote says, “All the time you need to read the disclaimers”) other notes: loosely based on the Dutch GP 2022 word count: 9.9k I wanted to thank you for reading and liking chapter 1! ♥ Hope you’ll enjoy this one too!

Keep reading

216 notes · View notes

ednshtn · 8 months

Text

“Merde, I love her.”

Charles Leclerc x Fem!Reader.

Summary: Charles and reader are best of friends, always flirting and joking but always swore never to date. Charles then realises he loves her and doesn’t know how to act around her.

Warnings: Swearing, friends to lovers, pure fluff, Google translate, no proof read.

Key: Y/N (Your name), Charles and reader have been friends for about 6 years.

Word count: 4,068.

A/N: I got a bit lost half way through this- idk some parts seemed rushed but we are just rolling with it, hope you enjoy! 🖤

Y/N P.O.V:

Me and Charles was like two peas in a pod, when together we was in our own world. If one of us was somewhere the other never too far. We’ve been like this for the most of our 6 year friendship, the only thing to ever get between me and Charles was ‘Girlfriends’ and ‘Boyfriends’.

That being said truthfully I would say that was jealousy on both parts, we both had the same mentality Charles was my only closest friend, he was mine first before any other girl, and prioritised before any of the boyfriends I had- you could blame that on the reason they never lasted more than a few months.

Each boyfriend had their own way of blaming my Charles, but it wasn’t his fault that I chased him around like a love sick puppy. Charles wasn’t to blame that I had this burning crush on him since 6 years ago. That’s my own doing, but I also squashed them feelings when I learned that we can be friends and nothing more- because I couldn’t risk losing someone like him, I always say, having someone like Charles in your life is better than no Charlie at all.

“Y/N?” Snapping my head up from the floor in front of me, stood there was a very concerned Charles. Face still red from free practice, hair damp and pointing in every direction, his overalls opened but not off his shoulders and yet he still looked good.

“Yeah? Sorry- did you say something? How was the car?” I took my purse off my lap standing up and placing it back on the chair behind me.

“It was okay- are you okay?” Tilting his head slightly, he let his hands rest on either shoulder, eyes laser focused on my face like he was trying to read whatever I was thinking about.

“Oh I’m fine- I just zoned out that’s all.” Waving him off with a smile, my hand then come up to pat his chest before moving away. One thing I have noticed about that little “crush” I had months ago- I cannot be in close proximity with Charles otherwise the need for him only grows. So I made a rule, keep Charlie at a arms distance, that way I can’t notice the little details in his skin, or the way his cologne smells stronger when I’m on his right side compared to his left you know the little things you tend to notice when your whole world revolves around one person…

“Okay-” Charles was right behind me as I walked towards the car examining it myself. Like I had any idea what I was looking at or saying, it really only was for a distraction. Cause I will think about him constantly and them white fireproofs his got on, then it’ll wander to what’s underneath...

Eye rolling to myself I leaned to look inside the car. “So how was the car?”

“I said- it was good chérie, we’ve got good pace so… hopefully a good weekend” (Darling) Smiling he stood next to me also looking in the car.

“What you looking for?”

“Charles… I have no idea.” Laughing we both moved away as I went to grab my belongings. “I’m gonna go change and stuff then we can go out?”

I nodded pulling the bag strap onto my shoulder “d'accord, I’ll be around” (okay) gesturing around me we both exchange a smile before Charles ran off.

Humming to myself I take a slow walk down pit lane, some drivers doing exactly what Charles is, some speaking to their team and some having a wander also. And to my luck, I bumped into lovely Lando.

“Hi Landiniho” he spun around his smile then disappeared into a scowl. “Oh it’s you.” I shook my head laughing a little as he then pulled me into a tight hug. “Has Charles kept you hidden all day or what?” Shaking my head again I pulled back from the hug. “I’ve been in my own world all day truthfully… I didn’t even realise practice had finished until Charles came back-” Lando let out an exaggerated gasp with his hand on his chest. “Oh no- the worlds going to end.” I rolled my eyes at him smiling a little, always the dramatic one.

“Come I’ll walk with you for a bit, then back to the garage.” Lando held his arm out like the little gentleman he is and I looped my arm through giggling. “Your a strange guy Lando.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Charles P.O.V:

When I got back from showering and getting changed, I headed back over to the garage to speak with the team. Truthfully, I was eager to be back around Y/N, she is like a breath of fresh air, a sunflower amongst roses. During practice I just thought about her being in the garage waiting for me, and that alone would cause any man to put his foot down, pedal to metal.

Sliding back through the door I bumped into Carlos who gave me a smile and a pat on the back, we exchanged little conversations about the car before both sitting down with the team. And I couldn’t help but seek her out, is it strange to say I knew she wasn’t here, the room felt dull, it felt stuffy. Where did she disappear to?

Sending her a quick discreet message I put down my phone and begun listening in and giving my input. I didn’t really want to be here now, I wanted to be wherever she is. I know that wherever she is, the world feels even better. Even sitting here I felt off, like I was going to be sick, she was my antidote always… Has been since 2017,

I always told myself it’s a small crush that I’ll get over- but to hell I’m 25 and this crush isn’t going away anytime sooner.

Pierre is always saying I’m whipped by her, that I chase her around like a lost dog. If Y/N leaves, I leave, Y/N doesn’t like it, I don’t like it. Y/N loves it? I love it and try and repeat whatever it is 100 times after. I was infatuated with her smile, her laugh, she is my comfort person whenever it’s a bad weekend, she is the first one to text on race week when she cannot attend, I love how she calls me Charlie when she’s in her teasing ways, or the firm Charles when she knows I’m being stupid. How when I’m driving sometimes she would come on the microphone and tell me how proud she is, I felt like everything I done and do is for her. I just want her always around.

It’s such a stupid little crush…

“Well Charles?” Snapping my head up I looked around at everyone staring at me.

“Huh?”

“We just went over some strategies for tomorrow- wasn’t you listening?”

I opened my mouth to speak, looking over at Carlos who was only laughing behind his hand at me. “Sorry…” mumbling I straightened myself up in the chair trying to focus as they all tutted and groaned.

The sound of a door opening behind caught everyone’s attention, we all watched as she slide back in trying to be as quiet as possible. Someone else also trying to squeeze in next to her-

“Lando?” Now all eyes back onto me- I didn’t mean to call his name out loud it was a shock reaction- why was Y/N with Lando? And why are their arms linked and they’re all giggly and smiley? What the? A thousand thoughts went through my head at once? Was they together and she didn’t tell me? She would’ve told me-

“Hi everyone!” Lando smiled pulling Y/N into the circle with everyone.

“Lando- they’re busy let’s wait outside…” watching Y/N get so close as she whispered away in his ear, it infuriated me. She keeps me at like a 2foot distance- but Lando? She is all over him, like a heat rash on a hot summers day.

I couldn’t stand it- was anyone else thinking the same thing. Turning my head away from them I looked straight to Carlos, who was already looking at me with a small smirk playing on his stupid face.

I shook my head glaring at him, before quietly gagging. The sound of Carlos laughter broke the silence everyone now snapping their heads to him. I took this as an opportunity for an escape, standing abruptly I stormed for the door.

“Charles- where you going?” The way she says my name, it’s like honey dripping off her tongue- so angelic, it made me want to fall to my knees and beg her to repeatedly say it, beg her to just choose me.

“I need five minutes-” mumbling quietly I pushed open the door they entered in.

I cannot believe it- I genuinely felt sick- even with Y/N in the room, it’s the worst sickness I’ve ever felt maybe because she is the one causing it- tugging at my hair I started pacing up and down outside the garage-

Maybe I’m over thinking it- maybe I’m being dramatic. The door opened again, and I turned to see who, praying she had chased after me, but it wasn’t her… Carlos stood there smiling happily at me.

“Well you composed yourself.” Shaking his head he walked over clasping my shoulder.

“I feel sick, why didn’t she tell me Carlos?”

“Tell you what? She went for a walk?” I don’t know-” he turned to look at the garage confused and around at the pit lane.

“No toi idiot! Elle et Lando?” (No you idiot, her and Lando?”

“I don’t understand- something Lando” shaking his head again looking, if possible, more confused.

“Her and Lando!” I threw my hands in the air like I had made it the most obvious situation in the world.

“Ohhh- your jealous.”

“Yes- wait no! No.” Copying his movements I shook my head violently.

“I am not jealous.”

“You are, because Lando has got her and you haven’t”

“They might not be together so, and that wouldn’t make me jealous.”

“Then why have you stormed off as soon as they walked in.”

“Because”

“Because?”

“Because I did”

“Because why though?”

“Because!”

“Becauseeee?”

“Because I love her!”

We both pointed at each other, trying to shift blame onto each other for my sudden outburst and declaration of love.

My arms slouched and hung down next to me like I have waved a little white flag in defeat, maybe it wasn’t a crush after all…

Stepping away from Carlos I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to scrub of any evidence that I had just screamed about my love for a girl I can’t be with. All because I’m scared to ruin a friendship I so need. Because having someone like Y/N in your life, is a happy life, to me.

Sighing out, hands still covering my face I couched down to the floor, trying to ground myself somehow. Carlos crouched down with me rubbing my back.

“Merde, I love her.” (Shit) I shook my head in utter shock looking up at Carlos. “And I can’t tell her.”

“Why not? Would be fun, no?”

“No, it’ll ruin everything, I need her in my life wether she is with someone or not-”

“Even Lando?”

“Did she say she is with Lando?”

“No.”

“Then why say that?”

Carlos shrugged smiling “funny”

Tutting Charles shook his head letting out another loud sigh, “come, let’s go listening about this strategy.”

“I’ve already listened once.”

“Well listen again.” Charles held the door as Carlos walked in mumbling swear words in Spanish.

Y/N P.O.V:

As Charles stormed off outside, my heart only ached, my eyes followed him all until the door shut.

“Two minutes-”

Just as I went to chase him, Carlos stood in front holding his hand out. “I got this-”

“Are you sure?” Nodding his head he opened the door sliding himself out.

I don’t know what happened- maybe they had a tense conversation in here or something I don’t know-

“Lando I think you need to go anyways, they’re discussing team stuff.” I turned back around and smiled apologetically at him and he hummed waving me off. “Yeah my lot are going to be wondering where I am.”

Leaning in I gave him a hug with a little squeeze. “And back to earliers conversation just, talk to the girl. She maybe feeling the same way…” I leaned back wiggling my eyebrows at him and then leaning in nudging his shoulder.

“Y/N you look like my mum right now.” He raised his hand in my face and wandered towards another door. “Bye Ferrari friends.” He shouted over his shoulder slamming the door. Such an annoying dweeb. Smile I apologised to the team for interrupting. And for Lando…

“Y/N you can sit if you want to-”

Shaking my head quickly I smiled slightly. “It’s fine, tell Charles I’ve headed out and will be waiting in the car.” Some nodded in response and I said my goodbyes running out to Charles car and waiting. Charles always left it unlocked in the car park for tines when I needed 5 minutes. It was like my very own escape room.

Maybe Charles was annoyed that we disrupted the team talk? I didn’t even think about that- stupid stupid girl.

I sunk down into the chairs pulling my phone out my purse realising I had a message from Charles,

Charlie🏎️

Hey, where you gone? Need you here.

Smiling down at my phone, like a giddy school girl I just stared at the message. If only he knew the things he said have such an effect. My poor little heart.

I texted him back just to reassure him, and kind of because sitting here with no Charles is boring.

•sent

Charlie, I’m in the car,

Sorry for interrupting ❤️

•Read 6:27pm

Sighing, I started looking through photos of today putting a few on social media, messaging people back and typing out some emails as I waited. About 45 minutes later the drivers side door opened and Charles slipped in.

“Sorry, we had to go over a few things-”

“Sorry I interrupted the meeting- I didn’t know they was going to be one on at that time-”

Both looking at each other, a small smile crept onto both our faces and we broke into laughter, we both spoke at the exact same time, both apologising for no reason whatsoever, both being stupid.

“Truce?” I held my hand out to Charles and he glanced down at my hand and then nodded his head, shaking my hand ever so gently, like he was scared to touch me. Like I was going to burn him.

“Are we still on for dinner tonight with the others?”

“I was just going to say, did you want me to drop you home or?” Charles now stared at his steering wheel fiddling with his keys.

“Oh has everyone cancelled?” I pulled my seatbelt over myself turning back to look at Charles.

“Well no…”

“Oh?…”

I paused for a second confused, before it clicked, maybe he just wants five minutes without me? I mean I walked into the garage he walked out- now he doesn’t want me at the dinner maybe I’m around him to much which is understandable. The guy needs to breathe-

“Okay, homes fine.” Smiling slightly at him, it wasn’t the best smile, I couldn’t hide that I was a little offended but that’s just cause of this weird attraction thing to Charles. It stings when someone that you like doesn’t want you around sure.

“Y/N I didn’t mean- you can come it just. I just wasn’t thinking right I’m sorry.”

“Charlie it’s okay, I don’t mind going home” smiling a bit more genuine, I leaned over patting his forearm. Which only caused him to freeze. The jingle of his keys stopped and he just stared at my hand.

“Charles?”

Clearing his throat he started the car heading for my house.

“You can come if you don’t take agesss to get ready.” A little smile was on his face

Tutting and shaking my head with a smile.

“Charlie if you so desperately want me there- you just have to say” teasing back, a small laugh came from Charles as he turned his head slightly before back at the road.

“I always want you around-”

Smiling to myself I looked out the window, trying to hide the blush on my face. What a stupid crush.

We finally got back to my home, and Charles followed me in going straight to the kitchen and rummaging through my fridge for food. “I’m timing you!” Challenge accepted.

Scoffing at him, I ran for the stairs kicking my shoes off and running up to change.

I quickly went through my wardrobe picking out a simple black dress and some heels, my makeup still looked okay from earlier and so did my hair, which I had just pinned back.

If there was a pit stop trophy on how quick my changing skills were, I definitely would’ve took home that trophy. Breathing out heavily I quickly grabbed a purse and chucked my perfume inside it just in case and a few items of makeup.

I leaned down grabbing my heels and ran back down the stairs, “how quick was I?” Heavily panting and probably bright red I stood in front of a frozen Charles.

He stood there with a bowl of pasta and a fork in his hand just staring at me.

“Well?” Sitting down on the stairs I start pulling my heels on and tying the string round, every so often glancing up at Charles who hasn’t moved one bit.

“I don’t think you can come-”

“Oh shh Charles. You said be quick so you get what your given.” Laughing a little I held my hands out to Charles to help me back up.

Putting down his food and wiping his hands he pulled me up, now chest nearly touching, I could feel his body heat, our chest only touched when we both took a breath. The closeness of us both was like an unbearable magnet, neither of us pulling away.

“vous êtes belle.” (You look beautiful.) It was like a whisper of secrecy between us both. My heart rate quickened as I watched over his face, waiting for him to laugh and nudge me, but nothing, his face was stone cold serious, his eyes telling a thousand things.

“toi aussi.” (So do you.)

It felt like hours we was both standing there, hands holding each others tight and close to our chest.

Then realisation kicked in on Charles- he quickly stepped away shaking his hands and looking around for the bowl and fork before rushing back to the kitchen.

Me? I was still stood the reeling in what the hell just happened, Charles is playing hot and cold with me- one minute we’re absolutely fine, next we’re the most awkward people to be around. I was getting whiplash from the sudden changes. It didn’t feel great at all…

The awkward tension continued in the car all the way to the restaurant, only little to none conversation. As soon as we got out the car, Charles was right next to me like something had switched in him again. Rolling my eyes to myself I adjusted my dress and purse before trailing into the restraint, a smile soon plastered on my face.

“Bonjour” smiling at everyone I looked around the table for somewhere to sit, Lando being my go to option out of the empty seats. With a teasing smile I crept round the table sliding into the seat next to him.

“Not you again-” rolling his eyes at me, the smile of his face giving away his joking manner. “You can never get to far from me Landiniho.” Nudging him I turned to the rest of the table, Charles had forced Pierre and Kika down a seat and is now sitting next to me, I leaned slightly in front giving kika a small wave and asking how she is and we got into small conversation.

The night was quite enjoyable, every now and then I would feel Charles leg against mine, or his hand would brush mine on the table, the burning on my face evidently gave away at my true feelings.

“Did you get told off when you went back?” I turned my body slightly to Lando, when doing so I felt a hand on my knee, my leg felt like it was going to fall off- why is he doing this to me? Lando shook his head quickly taking a sip of his drink.

“Of course not, I am their driver!” Rolling his eyes like it’s the most obvious thing.

“Your so annoying I’m just making conversation.” He then smiled “you just easy to annoy.” Shaking my head at him with a smile I turned back, Charles hand still firmly on me, now resting on my thigh, at the movement Charles turned also now facing me, once again both very close, even worse this time when he has his hand so securely on my thigh.

“Are you okay?” I raised my eyes brows at him chin resting on my hand. In response Charles just shook his head.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t talk about it right here-” he quickly removed his hand, and turned away.

Turning my head away from him in annoyance I looked around the table, eyes catching onto Carlos who was potentially trying to kill Charles with a stare. His eyes shifted and he looked at me smiling a little, like his own vote of support from his end of the table.

“Your are stupid.” All this shuffling around was giving me aches and pains everywhere, I shuffled back around to where the voice come from.

“I am not stupid.”

“You are.”

Charles and Pierre are both leant into one another in a heated discussion, their voices growing louder each minute, both going between English and French as they insult one another. This only caught other drivers attention and all conversations went quiet everyone watching this all unfold right in front of them.

“elle connaît l'idiot français.” (She knows French idiot.)

“You know french?” Pierre stuck his head around Charles tilting his head slightly as I nodded, more confused than ever.

“I never realised-” he turned back to Charles now continuing their conversation in Italian.

“se non le dici che la ami allora lo farò io.” (If you don’t tell her you love her then I will.)

“tu mi ami?” (You love me?) my heart felt like it was going to burst through my chest. My eyes were bulging as I stared at Charles. If I wasn’t so caught in the moment I probably would’ve been crying with laughter how quickly both their heads snapped to face me. Charles colour all drained from his face. Pierre red with embarrassment.

“Merde-" (fuck-) they both gasped in unison.

“Fai?” (Do you?) my hand was now resting on Charles arm holding onto him tightly like he was going to slip through my fingers.

“SÌ…” (yes…) he whispered so quietly like he was ashamed to admit it- my eyes softened, tilting my head with a smile. “tu mi ami” (you love me.)

“What are they saying?” Everyone looked at Lando who was looking around the table for answers. Me and Charles? We was the only ones in the room as far as I knew.

“Je t'aime depuis que j'ai 19 ans.” (I’ve love you since I was 19.) the smile only grew on my face, all this time I’ve loved him his loved me. Reaching my hands up cupping his face, scared I might scare him off I pulled him closer.

“Je t'aime Charles Leclerc. Toujours avoir.” (I love you Charles Leclerc. Always have.)

He let out a puff of air he must’ve been holding, before leaning in both capturing each other in a kiss-

That type of kiss that tells every feeling you’ve wanted to say but wouldn’t dare let slip past your lips, the same lips that are now telling every secret you ever kept from one another.

The type of kiss that seals every “I love you” you had wished you said all them years ago.

It was a kiss that said,

My Charlie always had my love.

And always will.

A/N: okay I kinda rushed it cause I just wanted to get to the confessions 🥲 I’m sorry <3 hope you enjoyed though. 👀

Masterlist

268 notes · View notes

ednshtn · 8 months

Text

deal - cl16 (14/?)

Pairing: Charles Leclerc x Reader

Series Summary: Your whole life has gone to shit. Your boyfriend broke up with you, you just lost your job and the Monegasque, who suddenly stands in your doorway, claims that it’s his apartment.

Chapter Summary: Watching someone sleeping is something that friends do - right? And borrowing a sweater?

Warnings: this is sooooo soft, flirting, a bit angsty (but nothing serious) and a hint to the smutty scene in chapter 13

Word Count: 2.9k

series masterlist

previous part

A/N: this is bad and short and I'm sorry. have been struggling mentally this week. love you all. feedback is appreciated.

The sun shines softly through the bedroom window, warming your face as you snuggle deeper into the covers. You're enveloped in Charles' scent - it's his bedding, after all - and you take a deep breath to feel just a little bit closer to him, even though he's only inches away from you.

A few minutes after you get into bed, your friend has actually fallen asleep. He has one hand behind his head, while the other is on his bare chest, rising and falling with each breath he takes. His eyes are closed, his thick eyelashes almost touch his cheekbones, and his breathing is calm and deep and so soothing that you could fall asleep just listening to it.

You turn on your side to get a better look at him, which I'm sure would be pretty strange if he woke up. But as relaxed as he lies there - mouth slightly open and brown strands falling lightly into his forehead - that won't be the case for the next few minutes.

You can hardly forgive yourself for causing him such worry last night. You promised him that you would let him know as soon as you got home. And even though you weren't actually home, and thus theoretically didn't break your promise, you feel miserable about it.

You can't imagine how worried he must have been when he walked in the door hours after your last conversation and you were nowhere to be found. For sure, he ran all around the apartment several times to make sure you were indeed not home before he called twelve times. And you slept through every single one of his calls.

Charles moves next to you, scooting a little closer to the center of the bed and turning onto his side facing you. He has his head nestled on his bent elbow, while his other hand is against his stomach. You notice the many birthmarks speckled on his skin, and you would love to run your finger over them, feel how soft and warm he is. But you would never cross that line in your life without his consent.

Never would you have expected to find someone like Charles. A man so good, so kind, so unique and compassionate that your heart blossoms and opens to him in his presence, even though after Raphael you swore you would never take another person into your heart so quickly. And yet Charles has broken down the wall you so masterfully and carefully built, clawed his way into your skin, and you pray - almost plead - that he would never disappear from your life again,

Charles breathes in and out deeply and his warm breath gently strokes your face. He looks so peaceful, so young and innocent that you melt as his mouth twists into a faint smile. After last night's worry-filled night, he deserves an undisturbed nap, so you sit up and slip out of bed without waking him.

He seems to notice your absence anyway, because he slides another bit across the soft bed, to be exact, to where you were lying just moments ago, and puts his head in the hollow of the pillow you left there. He takes a deep breath and seems to relax a bit more.

You tiptoe around the bed without taking your eyes off him, reaching for your comforter to carefully spread it over him. Instinctively, he grabs the hem and pulls it up to his chin before tangling his legs in the fabric and exhaling deeply as the warm rays of the sun fall on his face. Apparently, nothing and no one can disturb his sleep.

Quietly, you close the door to the room behind you - not, of course, without catching one last glimpse of your sleeping friend as he turns onto his stomach and now seems to have fallen fully into a deep sleep. His bare back shimmers golden in the sunlight, and as he slides his hand under his pillow, his muscles dance beneath his skin.

In the living room, you grab your laptop and plop down on the couch. On the home page of your internet browser there are still a few job postings and, just like two days ago, none of them are suitable for you. You're starting to fear that you'll actually have to apply for the dog-sitter position in order to continue living in Monaco, so you take a quick look at the pictures of the cute dogs before frustratedly putting the laptop aside and pulling your knees up to your chest.

You've been aware that finding a decent job would be difficult, but it seems almost impossible. You had already considered just sending a few applications to magazines without them explicitly looking for new photographers, but you already knew the small companies that might hire you from your old job and their treatment of their own employees definitely left something to wish for.

The thought of starting your own business has also crossed your mind, but unfortunately you lack the experience and financial resources to do so. And this aspect is exactly the thing you need to sort out.

To distract yourself from your hopeless situation, you turn on the TV and press the Netflix button on the remote control. You don't even need to browse through the many movie and series titles before you find something suitable. There's one series that you've already seen several times and still can't get bored of.

Bridgerton.

Although the first season with Regé-Jean page and Phoebe Dynevor did a good preliminary work, you find the second one a lot better. Although the protagonists can't stand each other at the beginning, the chemistry between the two is incomparable and electrifying. There's a deep connection that's unparalleled in your own life, and while Anthony Bridgerton can't tear his gaze away from Kate, you can't help but think of Charles sitting next to you in the restaurant, laughing as he shares the tiramisu.

Whatever is between you two - it goes so much deeper than what you want to tell yourself.

If it weren't for your exes, you might have a different relationship. Not as friends who are forced to share an apartment because they have no other choice. But as two people who met somewhere and got along great from the beginning and whose friendship would have developed into something more at some point. They would have had the opportunity to get to know each other better under different circumstances. They would have had a real chance.

But you are not. You are Y/N with the ex-boyfriend who knows no boundaries, and Charles, who apparently also has problems with his ex-girlfriend. And you have to share an apartment. Your friendship is forced because you have no choice. Because it's more comfortable than not getting along well when you live in such close quarters.

What happens if you no longer share an apartment? Would you still remain friends? Watch movies and drink wine and cook together? Would you have late night conversations about how important this friendship is to you? Would Charles continue to try so hard to be a good friend because he wants to, not because he has to?

You become painfully aware that your friendship is a means to an end. And that thought breaks your heart.

The bedroom door opens and a sleepy Charles pads barefoot across the threshold. His hair stands on end and his eyes flicker around the room as if searching for something specific. When you come into his field of vision, knees drawn to your chest, he exhales and rubs the heels of his hands over his eyes and then his chest.

"Combien de temps ai-je dormi?" how long did I sleep? His voice is raspy and deep and so beautiful.

You glance at your phone next to you, surprised that it's actually afternoon already. The paused series in front of you also shows you how much time has passed, because apparently you've watched a whole four episodes without really paying attention.

"A little less than three hours," you reply to him as he plops down next to you on the couch. He scratches the back of his neck before stretching out his arms and resting them on the back of the couch. "How did you sleep?"

He shrugs, running a hand over his beard. "Not so good. Kind of restless, like my body needed the sleep but my brain didn't. Like it hasn't been able to rest, you know?" When you nod, he puts his head back. "I definitely slept better with you last night. How's that going to work out if we don't see each other for four days now?" Means to an end. He looks at you again. "Why did you even let me sleep?"

You tighten your lips into a thin line. "You were apparently up very early this morning and the night was exhausting and I thought you could use a little nap," you counter him.

He tilts his head, then glances toward the TV. "I just thought we could spend some time together before I leave the day after tomorrow."

You turn a little in his direction. The fact that he wants to spend time with you before you don't see each other for four days makes your heart beat a little faster. But in the interest of your friendship, you ignore the fierce pounding in your chest.

"There's still time," you say, "The evening is still young. And tomorrow we still have the whole day to do something, too. Those few hours don't really matter, do they?" You smile slightly at him.

He clasps his hands behind his head. If he had a shirt on, the hem of the sleeves would stretch across his biceps. God, couldn't the man put some clothes on?

"What do you want to do?" He sits up straight. "We could watch a movie, like the second part of Cars." He raises his eyebrows with a grin, and you throw a pillow at him. "Okay, okay. It's okay. We could also cook something or -" Charles is interrupted by the ring of his cell phone. He holds up a finger and answers the call. "Allô?"

You hear someone on the other end of the phone say something, and Charles nearly jumps up from the sofa to sprint to the bedroom. He closes the door behind you, leaving you alone in the living room.

Is it his ex calling him? Why is she doing this? Hasn't she tormented him enough with whatever happened between them? If she's going to ruin his mood again like she did last night, you'll drive by her place in person - wherever that may be - and give her a piece of your mind.

When Charles re-enters the living room a few moments later - this time wearing a shirt, even - he doesn't sit down next to you on the couch again, but remains standing in the open doorway. He types something else on his cell phone before lowering his arm and looking at you dejectedly.

Oh God, it was indeed his ex.

"That was my boss," he begins, and for a brief moment you breathe a sigh of relief. So you don't have to hurl any profanities at anyone after all. "They moved the meeting up."

"To when?" Your voice is low, because from the way Charles is looking at you, you know for a fact that the schedule change isn't for a few hours.

The brunette exhales audibly. "'Tomorrow at noon." He moves around the living room, restless, as if he doesn't quite know where to go with himself. Your eyes follow his every step. "So I have to leave from here tomorrow morning around 7. I don't have to pack a bag, I still have a few things on site. I just need to -" He stops in front of you and looks at you sadly. "So we don't have the whole day tomorrow. Just tonight."

You have to swallow. You still think it's right to put some distance between you after dreaming about him that night, and since your friendship of convenience somehow goes deeper than it should. But you didn't expect him to leave so soon. So rushed. Head over heels.

Your gaze catches Charles' sad look. You're certainly not going to let him drive hours to Italy like that. And like you said, the evening is still young. And even if this friendship is just a means to an end, you'll do whatever you can to get as much out of the time as you can. Savor what little time you're given, down to the last bit.

If Charles should disappear from your life at some point, at least he should leave behind fond memories.

"Then we should make the most of it, don't you think?" You get up from the sofa and stand in front of him. You would love to put your hand to his cheek and stroke his skin with your thumbs to comfort him. But you don't. Friends don't do that.

Charles eyes flicker briefly from yours to your mouth. "And what do you suggest?" His arm twitches as if he's about to move it, but changed his mind at the last moment. He tilts his head before taking a tiny - but noticeable to you - step back.

"You showed me one of your favorite places," you begin, pushing past him into the bedroom. In your closet, you rummage for warm clothes - a thick sweater, plus pants and fuzzy socks - and lay them on the rumpled bed. "I'll show you one of mine now." You turn to him and put your hands on your hips. "But only if you are brave enough, of course."

Charles has to grin. "Are you taking me to a secluded place to kill myself? Or are you really taking me to one of your favorite places?" He crosses his arms in front of his chest, grinning.

Theatrically, you smack your hand on your chest, "So that's how little you think of me?" You shake your head in mock disappointment. "And I thought we were friends. I was wrong, for better or worse. Sorry. My mistake." You pretend to put the clothes back in the closet until something soft lands on your head. As you carefully pull the fabric off of you and examine it, you see that it's a sweater. You look to Charles.

"You better put this on. It'll keep you a lot warmer than whatever that was just now." With a nod of his head, he points to the open closet.

The sweater in your hand is black and has a hood that catches on your head as you slip the garment on. Immediately, you're enveloped in Charles' scent - like you were in your bed just a few hours ago - and the fabric is so warm and soft that you wish you could never put anything else on again. Is that what Charles hugs feel like?

You try not to read too much into the fact that he gave you his own sweater to put on. After all, it's still winter and certainly pretty cold outside. He's probably just worried that you might freeze to death.

"So what are you going to wear?" you ask him as you fix your hair. You feel his gaze on you, causing heat to shoot into your cheeks, but you try to ignore it.

"Just a second," Charles says, disappearing for a moment before joining you back in the bedroom in a white sweater. "'Ta-dah. It's the same as the one you're wearing. I usually wear it when I'm skiing, but somehow it's so cold outside that any other sweater would be too thin." He pats his shoulder with a grin. "How lucky I am to have those." You toss him off with the pair of socks you just pulled out of the closet. He catches it casually. "Well, that wasn't nice. Is that how you treat your friends?"

You reach for another pair of socks and this time actually hit him in the head. "You think I'm going to take you to some secluded place to kill you!"

"I only said to you what you said to me two days ago," he counters, picking up the socks from the floor to throw them to you. Then he walks up to you and stands close in front of you. "You know very well how much I appreciate your company, Y/N. And you also know that I would go anywhere with you if you asked me to." He grabs one of the laces hanging out of the hood of your sweater and wraps it around his finger. Then he pulls you a little closer to him so that there are only a few inches between your faces. You feel his hot breath on your skin, and his closeness and smell make you dizzy. "So, mon amour."

At the nickname, images of your dream flicker before your eyes. His lips on your burning skin, his fingers on your heat. I'm yours, mon amour. Forever. You can almost hear him say it.

"What are you asking for?"

982 notes · View notes