Unbroken Hopes|| Charles Leclerc X Max Verstappen(Lestappen)Wildest Dreams Book2 Love story

“Max can you please just not argue with me on this for once?” Charles asked as he let his hand glide over his face with a desperate sigh as he walked in to their bedroom, fetching the last things they need for today’s trip.
“I’m not arguing Charles, but as you knew I already made the reservation last week. I just don’t get why we would want to rush all the way to France and then to barely make it back on time for tomorrow?”
Max said looking at his boyfriend, popping up his eyebrow for good measure.
“Because both of them are racing this weekend and the both of us promised them separately that we would come to watch their race anyway!” Charles tried to make his point as Max rolled his eyes at that, folding his arms. “I get that, but why this weekend?”
They had been discussing this weekends plans since yesterday morning when Charles told Max about his idea to go watch their nephews race this weekend. Max’s nephew from his mother’s side and Charles’s nephew would be racing in the same catogory this weekend so in his eyes it was the perfect opportunity. Really Perfect.

Max sighed as he was done arguing. He really wasn’t happy with the fact that Charles suddenly wanted to plan this now on such short notice. He just hoped they would be back in time.
“Fine!” He sighed putting his hands up. “But if we can’t make the reservation, you are paying!” Which brought a grin on Charles’s face. “Of course, anything!” His grin turning into a dimpled smile.

——————

As they turned up the car park they could already hear the the sound of the 2-stroke engines, the smell of burning rubber and fuel. It was nostalgic. The track still looked the same. Though it definitely has had a paint job in the last 10 years. The grandstands were new and the look out post around the track, added.
Though Max was repulsive to go at first, he couldn’t suppress the small smile that crept on his lips as their childhood memories came flooding back.
“You still regret going?” Charles teased at they got their backpacks from the back of the trunk as Max looked at him pointedly. “The timing still sucks Charles” before he cracks his smile. “But yeah, today also could have been way worse”
“Yeah?” Charles said coming closer leaning in, when.

“O MY GOD, DAD LOOK!” One kids voice screamed as another chimmed in. “MAX AND CHARLES!”
And before they knew it they where swarmed by little kids and their fathers asking for a photograph to which they happily obliged.
It was only when Anthony, Max’s uncle came up to them they could finally enter the track. He clasped both of their hands with a smile “good to see you guys back here!” And the couple could only agree.

————-

“It’s so cool you are here!” Charles’s nephew Lucien says as he swings his arm around the young monegasque. Charles ruffles his hair and smiles. “I’m glad we could find a moment to see you race” he tells him.
“Yeah! And it’s so cool Henri is racing as well and you and Max could both come!” The young guy says just as excited. “Yeah” Charles grins. “Good to hear the next generation doesn’t hate each other” as he hears his uncle snort from beside them.
“Why did you hate each other before?” His nephew questions him. “Aah, we were stupid and each other’s biggest competition” he can’t help but smile “let’s just say we bumped karts on track a lot of times. And when I say a lot… I mean a lot” looking around the track where they had one of there most famous fall outs.
“But now you are in love” his nephew smiles and Charles nods and giggles “yes, yes we are” he smiles as he looks over his shoulder at Max who is walking with his respective nephew and uncle as well. Talking animatedly with his hands as only he does.

————-

“COME ON HENRI!” Max was shouting from the look out post as his nephew was trying to take over the karter in first place. Charles nephew following close, waiting for a opportunity to come up to place an overtake. The Battle went on for a couple more corners, trying to hit the apex differently, have a better exceleration out of the corner. And on the right handed corner, just before the long straight both nephews overtook the boy in first place. Only three corners later the boy tried to regain his position but ran wide, hitting Henri’s kart in the proces.
“Oh shit!” The driver couple exclaimed in unison as they saw it happen. The Belgian boy loosing out on first place and almost falling behind in third. They knew like no other how it felt to loose out on a mistake that wasn’t your own.
Fortunately he managed to get back to second but the fight for first was a done deal with only three rounds to go. Nevertheless their nephews crossed the finish line first as Lucien finished first and Henri second, so they were happy nonetheless , clapping their hands and cheering their names.

Afterwards they watched the prize ceremony and the little karts being rolled back in to parc fermé. Before they knew it , it was already dinner time. It felt nostalgic, some things never change, another barbecue beside the kart track.

“You took your sweet time” Max jokes as Charles returns to their table as he excused himself before to go to the bathroom.
“Yeah… I have this headache so I went back to the car to get myself some aspirin” he offers as he goes to sit down next to Max.
The smile on Max’s face immediately turn in to a worried frown as he rest is hand on his boyfriend’s lower back. “Are you okay? Do we need to go home?” He asked concerned. But Charles just smiles at him. “It’s okay, probably just from standing to much in the sun today. I’ll be fine, but maybe I go for a little walk to get out of the noise for a little bit” he told Max.
Max was looking his boyfriend up and down. Charles looked kind of pale and sweaty. His hands slightly trembling. He knew arguing with him to go home wouldn’t work. But in this state he wouldn’t leave him alone either so he was quick to tell him that much.
“Okay, but first make sure you drink this” he said as he offered his boyfriend a water bottle with the tube with electrolyte tablets he got from Brad. “And I’ll join you because you look pale and I want to make sure you are alright”
Charles offered him a smile and didn’t argue that as he took the water bottle and drank it. “Thank you Maxy”

For their walk the decided to go around the track As it was far away enough for the music to be a silent lullaby in the distance but light enough so they could still see something.
Halfway down the track Max purposely bumped in to Charles on a very particular corner of the track, not to hard but he couldn’t help himself. Charles stares at him for a moment before a grin creeps on his lips. “no, he’s just unfair I’m leading, he wants to pass, he push me, I push him back and after he push me of the track. It’s not fair right!?” Charles resited Max’s by now famous words, trying his best to do it in a butchered English with a Dutch accent. As Max listens to his boyfriend he can’t help the laugh that escapes him. He throws he arm around Charles shoulder and adds “nothing, just an inChident” making Charles laugh out loud too.

As they walk along Charles sighes, letting his hand sloth in that of the dutchman. Reminiscing as he looks around the track. The track that holds so many of their memories. Val d’argenton.
“You know, though I hated you in that moment it is still one of my fondest memories” he smiles up at Max as he now stears them away from the track and towards the bleachers. As Max followes and kisses his cheek briefly.
“You remember we had this terrible fight on these bleachers and in the end almost kissed?” His cheeks turning pink from the memories.
Max giggles at that “yeah, we were so stupid back then… could you imagine that we almost had a first kiss back then… like that… almost until my dad was calling out for me” Holding his hand over his eyes. “Oh god, what would have happened if we did have our first kiss by then?” Max can’t help but wonder.

They just walk on a little bit further until they are behind the bleachers. Just bathing in the comfortable silence between them. Their hand stil intertwined. Thinking about Max’s question.
Suddenly Charles stops and takes Max’s other hand also in his. As they are now facing each other he smiles at him. His green golden eyes sparkling.
“Even though I don’t know what would have happend then… I do know one thing for sure. I would have always found my way back to you” he says as he softly kisses Max’s lips.

As Max opens his eyes he is speachless, he is entranced by the beautiful man in front of him who suddenly is surrounded by a thousand fairy lights hanging from the bleachers.
He tries to open his mouth, trying to say something but he probably resembles more like a gaping fish right now. What is happening? Is this really happening?

“Maxy” Charles starts as his voice is slightly wavering.
“I meant it when I say that one way or the other we would always find our way to each other. Our paths always meant to be intertwined. And… and eventhough it wasn’t always the easiest…Together we made it through every storm.
In our time together there were more times that I felt like I lost you forever than I would like to count” he says as a silent tear rolls down his cheek though he still smiles. Max is quick to wipe it away with his thumb though himself is sniffing too.
“There is nothing that scares me more then a life without you Max, there is nothing more that I want then spent the rest of my life with you” he says as he smiles again. Taking in this little moment shared between them. Before he knelt to the ground and pulled out a tiny box from his pocket. Fidgeting to open it, earning a chuckle from Max.
As he looks up again.
“Max my heart races for you, it will always race for you. I love you more then any words can say.” He tries to sigh away his nerves.
“So… Max Emilian Verstappen will you marry me?” He ask him hopeful.
Max is still speechless as he nods. But as he sees Charles face falter slightly, he probably missed his nod. He makes sure he quickly finds his words again and pulls the monegasque up by his shoulders, enveloping him in the most bone crushing hug.
“Yes! yes! Charlie of course I want to marry you!” He says before taking his head between his palms and kissing him fiercely. “I want nothing more then that!” He mumbles against his lips.

And then suddenly they hear cheering and screaming from above and behind them. As they turn to look around Max notices they are surrounded by all their closets friends and family. Most of them with tears in their eyes and bright smiles on their faces.
Max stunned to silence once more. His boyfriend, o no fiancé! Had gone above and beyond to make this one of the most special moments in their lives.
As he watches their moms cuddled up with tears in their eyes. Jos having his arms around Victoria and Tom holding his little nephews. Charles knew the importance of family for Max and they were all here.

It was only as Charles placed the ring on his finger and they hugged and kissed some more that Max couldn’t help but laugh. “You’ve beat me to it this time Leclerc” Charles stared at him quizingly, well that was a story for another time.