Charles was scrolling down on his laptop as he heard their front door opening. He quickly closed the laptop as he heard Max shout “Charlie, I’m back!” From the hallway while entering the living room where Charles was sprawled out over the couch.
“What were you doing?” Max asked curiously as he saw his boyfriend putting away his laptop as soon as he walked in. “Nothing, mister curious” he says as he turns his head, jumping a little as he sees the dutchman already leaning over the couch. “Just. Finished up with. Ferrari” he says smiling as he boops the Dutchman’s nose. Accepting the kiss that his boyfriend offers. He scrunched up his nose as they break apart slightly. “You stink” he half jokes.
“Yeah, I’m happy to see you to Charles” he laughs as he once again rubs the towel that was hanging around his neck, over his sweaty face. “But you are right, I could probably use a shower” he grimaces as he smells it now too.
“I see you in a bit” he smiles before he leans down once more for a kiss. “Or you could join me of course” he then smirks “given your not yet dressed”
Charles smiles back up again. “Maybe I should” he ponders. “But you go, I’ll be there in a sec” he winks. And with that Max is off to the bathroom. Charles quickly checks his laptop of he closed everything correctly and the tabs ons his phone. Soon after he practically runs after the dutchman as he shouts. “You better already be naked Verstappen!”
———————
Christmas rolls around soon enough and they are in the car on their way to val-d’isére. They have been driving for at least four hours when Max decided to turn down the radio a bit. Only to be faced with a pouting Charles Leclerc in the driver seat. “Why you turn the music down?” He ask seemingly upset and Max can’t help but be in awe. “Because I’ve been listening of your rendition of Mariah Carey’s, all I want for Christmas is you. For about 4 hours straight now lief.” He laughs at him fondly “I love you, but enough is enough”
And Charles just rolls his eyes at that, focussing on the road ahead of them.
“Besides” Max smiles. “You will definitely get me for Christmas” he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively as Charles can’t help but laugh and turn bright red. Max’s no brain to mouth filter, till this day on ,still manages to surprise him. Though of course in the best way possible.
After a while of just listening to to the roaring of the engine Charles can’t help but ask, the smile already tugging at his lips as he thinks about it . “So how about santa is comming to town?” And Max groans at him as the monegasque can’t stifle his laugh. “Or do you prefer SUPER MAX?” As he starts to sing song the lyrics. “Max, max, max, super max, max, supp…rr” Charles laughs as Max places his hand over his mouth. “Okay you win” he says while faking his annoyance. “You win, we will listen to Christmas music” as he rolls his eyes for good measure, though he can’t hide the fondness he feels. Charles was right with his secret Santa gift. After all he was his biggest fan.
————
“Hey” Max smiles as he pecks Charles’s lips who just came skiing towards him and Lorenzo. Charles had been skiing with his mom and Arthur while Lorenzo stayed back with Max. They all took turns because as they had know beforehand Max wasn’t allowed to go skiing by Redbull. Something with dangerous sports…Like f1 wasn’t…But, oh well… It was in his contract that he couldn’t so. They knew it was like this.
Luckily the Leclerc’s didn’t mind staying with the dutchman. Though luckily for Max they had also planned some fun activities in which he was allowed to participate.
“Hey” Charles smiles back at him as he puts his ski goggles on his helmet. “Had fun with my brother?” He asks smiling between them.
“Of course, we enjoyed some hot cocoa” Max says with a big smile on his face as he hold up the bright yellow cup. I’m off season it really was one of his favourites. “We had some good talks, it was fun!” Lorenzo chimes in as he throws his arm around the Dutchman’s shoulders. and Charles is just so happy how his family gets along with Max. He appreciates every bit about it.
“Thanks for keeping him company Lorenzo” Charles hugs is brother as he hears Max laugh behind them. “You act like he had to babysit me”
Charles rolls his eyes at him. “Well he did, didn’t he?” He says sticking out his tongue at him. “Watch mouth Leclerc, you should respect your elders” what earns him a snort from the Leclerc brothers. “It’s only sixteen days” Charles says dramatically as Lorenzo pats his back. “Charlie, you should be a little nicer to him” he reprimands him with a smirk tugging at his lips only to huff out another laugh as Charles says “traitor”
———-
After a week of impeccable fun in the snow, good schnitzels and lots of laughs in the apre-ski. Spending lovely Christmas dinners with the family. Exchanging gifts in the morning. Max is laughing, doubled over as he opened his gift. It where two sweaters. One for himself and one for Charles he was sure. He was sure as because as he read the big bold letters printed on it, he already knows where it’s heading. Charles, who is curious rests his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder. He can’t help but groan as he sees what got Max laughing like a madman.
Max is holding two red sweaters with big blue letters. One reads “I’m with stupid” and the other is obviously his. Reading his famous saying from when he crashed in the wall at Baku. “I am stupid”
“You guys are bullying me” he says with a fake pout which gets everyone laughing again.
“Well I’m proud of being with stupid” Max says lovingly staring at. His boyfriend’s eyes. “Very, very proud” he ads as he leans in closer. Making their lips meet in the middle. A sweet and adorable kiss only to be disrupted by Arthur “mom they are scaring my eyes!” as his mother just slaps the back of his head playfully.
Karma Charles thinks as he kisses Max once more for good measure.
————-
After the Christmas days, spending their time in cold they are looking forward to spending new years with Max’s family in the sun. They left val d’isére early this morning to make a quick pitstop at their house. Putting their winter clothes in the washer and getting their pre-packed suitcases with summer clothes from their bedroom before they go to their car again to head to the airport where Max’s jet is already waiting, packed with his family.
As Max parks his Audi on the parking lot he is quick to take the heavy luggage from his boyfriend’s hand as they make their way towards the customs “gentleman” Charles smiles as they walk toward the jet.
“Hey guys!” Max says as they enter the private jet. Putting their luggage away before heading towards the cabin where the rest of the family is seated. As they walk towards them to greet them Victoria already starts laughing hysterically. Earning her a very wide eyes and suprised look of her youngest son Lio who is seated on her lap.
“I’m sorry” she says still laughing as she whippes the tears from her eyes. “Just-HA- those sweaters!” What sends everyone’s attention back to the driver couple. Looking at the very similar garments they are wearing. As soon as they read what’s on there everyone starts laughing. “That’s hilarious” Sophie says as Jos is shaking his head but laughing in his hand.
“Papa, wat is er zo grappig?” (Dad, what is so funny?) Blue Jaye, Max’s half sister who is seated next to her father ask in Dutch puzzled by the others in the plane. “Niets lieverd, ome Max en ome Charles zijn gewoon een beetje gek” (nothing honey, uncle Max and uncle Charles are just being a bit stupid) he laughs again looking at his son and his boyfriend.
“But why those sweaters?” Victoria asks as she finally calmes down a little from her fit of laughter.
“It was my Christmas gift from Arthur” Max laughs as he explains how they got the sweaters and why they actually choose to wear them today. Totally missing the inner turmoil within Charles who just figured out what Jos just called him. His Dutch wasn’t good, but he was definitely leaning. Max had teached him the dutch word for uncle when his nephews were born. Charles was pretty sure that, that was what Jos just said. Uncle.
He called him uncle Charles, not just Charles or Max’s boyfriend. It didn’t seem like a big thing. But to Charles it was. Of course their relationship had bettered immensely over the years, especially in the last. But as far as he was concerned this was the first time Jos actually names him a part of the family like this.
Apparently Charles had been standing there for longer than he thought as Max squeezed his arm slightly. Still smiling but a glimmer of worry in his eyes as he looks at his boyfriend. “You okay?” He asks as he rests his hand on the monegasque’s back, Charles shakes his head to get out of his stupor and then smiles. “Yeah sorry, just lost in thoughts for a second” he says as Max softly pushes him towards the free seats “okay” he smiles “come sit, we will take of in a minute” and before they know it they are up in the sky on their way to St. Barths.
————-
The Caribbean does them well. Their days filled with sun, warmth, swimming, cocktails and fun. The warm sun burning on their skin relieving the ache in their muscles. Here they really could relax and reset from the exciting but stressful year they have had. Max was laying on the sun lounge with Victoria as they watched out over the blue water in front of them. Charles, Tom and Sophie sitting on the shore, where the water meets the land with the kids playing beside them. Charles balancing Lio on his knee while splashing around with a little dolphin toy. The little boy laughing and splashing his little hands on the surface of the water.
Victoria was quick to snap a picture before she looked over to her brother wanting to show him the picture, but as she watches him she decides to do that later. And as she put the phone in to her bag she just smiled at her brother. “You look happy” she says as Max wakes out of trance to look at her briefly before turning his gaze back to Charles and Lio as he sighed contently. “I am happy” he says with the brightest smile and his cheeks tinted pink. A warm fuzzy feeling washing over him.
Victoria rest her hand on his upper leg as she squeezes it ever so slightly. “You deserve it Max, you deserve to be happy” he turns to her again smiling, resting his hand on hers and squeezing it back. “Thanks Vic, you do too” they sit like that for a little bit. Enjoying that they get to share this moment together, until eventually they turn back to watching their family, still playing at the shore.
“What are you thinking?” Victoria asks as she takes another look at her brother. “Mhhh?” Max replies, having heard only half her question.
“What it is you are thinking about?” She says with a knowing smile.
“Mhh nothing” he simply replies. “Just enjoying the view”
———-
New Year’s Eve comes sooner then expected. Mostly because the last couple of days had been so much fun. The whole family got together tonight for the new years celebrations.
They are seated in a restaurant, because they were with such a big group they made a reservation for a private dining lounge. They had been enjoying all the different dishes of local food they got served. It was truly one of the best things they had ever eaten. After they scooped off the last bits of their dishes with desert, the family went to an outside terrace to lounge around for a bit, before they would eventually head towards the New Year’s party. Watching the fireworks pop in the sky.
Charles was quick to seek out his boyfriend, going to sit next to him as they had been seated on opposite sides of the table during dinner. Talking and chatting the evening away with various family members.
“Having fun cherie?” He ask as he wraps around his boyfriend’s shoulder, pulling him in for a kiss on his cheek. Max nods as he turns his face towards his boyfriend. “But this view makes it even better” he smiles as he inches closer to his lover. His slightly alcohol stained breath ghosting over Charles’s lips. “Oh yeah?” Charles breathes before they promptly turn their heads towards the commotion happening only a couple of meters from them.
Jos is there with his two daughters, twirling them around while they dance on blue jay’s favourite song. trying to do the steps his two daughters do. And well.. all of the adults in the room are fairly surprised to see Jos verstappen doing so.
“Well he looks happy” Charles laughs as he looks briefly at Max who is watching with an equal amount of glee at his fathers antics. “I never thought I’d see this day” he laughs his loud and throaty laugh while his eyes crinkle. “He looks so happy, what did he drink? We should give him this more often” he says as he can’t tear his eyes away from the sight in front of them. Charles laughes. “Oui- yea we probably should”
Before they know it the clock strikes twelve at midnight. After the initial hesitation because they are in public. They kiss each other without a care in the world. They were out after all by now. A kiss to close the book of a tumultuous year, but also to open the next page in their story. One thing is for sure, it would again be one full of Surprises.
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