Unbroken Hopes|| Charles Leclerc X Max Verstappen(Lestappen)Wildest Dreams Book2 Easter egg’s

“So Max, did you enjoy your winterbreak? Anything exciting happened in those weeks off?” Tom the official F1 press conference interviewer ask him without any prior knowledge. Honestly it it was the usual question that all drivers used to get.

“Enjoyed the time off, you know spending time with friends and family you don’t get to spend time with during the season”  he smiles and then mischievously adds. “Getting to eat everything I want, that we can’t during the season” he then laughes at his own joke. “You know Redbull catering is good, but nothing beats a good and full home cooked meal!” jokingly pointing at last year’s costcap drama. Earning laughes from the journalist in the room.

Though it is a bit more off a private question, Tom doesn’t shy away from asking it as it is meant harmless. “Yeah, you and Charles enjoying cooking at home?” What makes Max just snort. “No! Charles can’t cook to safe his li- oeef” he glares side ways playfully as Charles practically pushed him over on the couch they are seated on with a “hey, watch it!”. Earning them another round of laughter from the people in the room. Playfully shoving his boyfriend back before turning towards the journalist again. “Like I said, Charles can’t cook to safe his life, but I definitely can’t either. So it’s good that our mothers look after us from time and also in Monaco every restaurant practically offers take out” he smiles.

“So we won’t find you two in the kitchen ever?” Tom ask playfully. “Oh we cook! If you want you can come over and taste our absolutely phenomenal blant tasting pasta’s!” Charles chimes in. Referring to the pasta they cooked together last week. He still wondered how they manged to cook it so tasteless and crusty.

“Thank you Charles!” Tom bids with a smile. “Though I think for the food I first follow up on Yuki’s offer if you don’t mind” he says laughing. Before turning back to his question cards. Side tracked by the couple’s jokes.

“So Charles, aside from your cooking escapades. You come back well rested for the 2023 season? Did you do anything special durning the winter break?”
Charles can’t help but smile to himself, the crowd still oblivious to what went on just last month. Honestly he wasn’t proud that they kept it quiet for so long. But in hindsight a month is nothing compared to the time they kept their relationship a secret.

“Nothing particular, just getting to spend time with loved ones” he says as he smiles sideways for a second. “But nothing special” he tries to say with his best media trained straight face while Max next to him just bluntly huffs. If Tom noticed the little interaction he didn’t mention it before he askd his last couple of questions to Fernando before opening the questions for the journalist on the floor.

As the three drivers walk of the stage Fernando is the first one to question of what just happend.
“nothing special huh?” He asked with a raised eyebrow and a huge smile. “You guy’s aren’t being very subtle you know” he laughes as he walks along and pats them both on their backs. “Young love, I give you boys a month maximum before you break” he laughes again while walking off towards his own motor home. Convinced the young driver couple won’t be able to keep their wedding plans a secret much longer as they practically beam and sparkle to anyone that passes them by.
Charles laughes but can’t help but shout after him as some form of reply “well, tell Taylor we said hi!” He laughes as Fernando turns to give him the finger with the biggest smile. “I’ll bring her as a date for the big day!” He jokes before leaving them for real this time. Still laughing far after he reached his Aston Martin motorhome. “Silly boys”

———-

Of course their friends on the grid knew as they returned back to the grid for the Bahrain pre season tests. They had decided to keep their news theirs until they wanted to share. On one hand they wanted to scream it from the rooftops. On the other they wanted ti enjoy the privacy about their wedding plans they had just now.

After the first test session of the Bahrain testday, Charles was waiting behind the Redbull garage waiting for Max to emerge. He himself had spend the first session before the lunch break on the Ferrari pitwall as Carlos drove their teams first session of the day while Charles would drive in the session later that day. Just as he was about to fumble his phone out of his pocket again to check the time (despite the huge Richard Mille on his wrist) he saw a mop of blonde hair and piercing blue eyes heading his way. “Hi Champion” he greets him with a big smile. “You had a good morning?” He ask. He knows Max can’t tell him much but Max’s demeanour and smile gives him an idea. Max’s kisses him on his cheek. “Come fiancé” he whispers. “Let’s get lunch” what leaves Charles stunned and blushing for a second before he follows him.

As they’ve got their food the couple joins the group of other drivers. As they approach and went to sit down Yuki exclaimes excitedly “okay tell me everything!” He says as he looks between the couple. But instantly gets elbowed by Lando as Pierre exclaims. “Yuki! Shut up! They want to keep it a secret!” What doesn’t really help to keep their secret at all. The drivers that didn’t know about what went on during the winterbreak are just staring at them funny. “What’s the gossip?” Esteban now asked intrigued. The couple rolled their eyes, though fondly. “Go ahead, tell them” Max laughed as he looked towards an eager looking Lando.
“We are getting a lestappen wedding baby!”

“Oh my god” “no way?!” “Congratulations guys!” Was heard amongst them. Atrackting attention from the other team personnel. The group of drivers toned it down quickly to not spill the secret further.
“But since when?” Oscar asks as Charles answers “just after new years” with a proud smile playing on his lips.
“But that is more then a month?!” George says. “Why don’t we know this?” Which earns in a playful slap on his head from Alex. “Let them enjoy the honeymoon fase!” He hisses playfully towards the Brit. “Honeymoon? Did we miss the wedding aswel?!” He asks a bit to serious, almost earning another slap from the Thai-Brit before bursting out laughing. “Ofcourse I know”

As the table quiets down again Carlos ask. “You wanna keep it a secret till after the wedding or do you guys have anything else planned?”
Max smiles at Charles encouraging him to go ahead. “We were planning to not really hide it. We just won’t announce it either. Let them figure it out, have a little fun with it”
Max then laughes. “If you tell them Charlie, then tell them your whole plan” what turns the attention right back on the monegasque who smiled mischievous. “And when they least expect it, we drop the bomb” what gets the table laughing again.
“Charles, you are a menace!”
“Yeah but this menace won’t be able to keep it a secret for long enough” Pierre laughs as he listens to his best friends master plan.
“Of course I can!” Charles says offended.
“I bet you won’t be able to keep it quiet until the first race!” Pierre challenges him. And who is Charles to not take up that challenge? Though the only problem with this is, is that their friends and colleagues now are placing bets on them. But he now definitely wasn’t gonna tell them that he actually was slightly worried about their or rather his secret keeping abilities as he was just so excited.
Max next to him just rolled his eyes as he hears about everything the other guys are betting on.

—————-

Fortunately for the couple they were paired together at the press conference at the end of the three days of testing again. They made sure to put on their ring’s before entering the room again. It was time to drop the little Easter eggs. They were just curious to see how soon people would start to figure it out.

During the whole press conference Charles made sure that he was playing with all the rings on his fingers like he usually would. Just trying subtly to bring attention towards his new addition.

Max on the other hand made sure to scratch his other arm with the hand that had his ring. Max didn’t usually wear rings, so the couple would have guessed beforehand that would be a dead give away. Though during the press conference still no one mentioned it.

It was only as Charles was scrolling through instagram, parched under Max’s arm in his jet . Grey joggers on with his feet tucked under him that he saw people had started to notice. It were some fan accounts pointing out that they were both wearing rings.

“Look Max” Charles says as he shoves his phone in Max’s face. The Dutchman has to adjust his eyes as he was half asleep, staring out of his planes window. Mindlessly playing with the short hairs on the nape of Charles’s neck.
“Mhhh?” He asks mindlessly nuzzling his nose in Charles’s sweater before looking at the phone screen again. As he registers what he sees he breaks out in a grin. “Well it took them long enough” he says before focusing his gaze elsewhere. Keeping himself busy with attaching his lips against his boyfriend’s neck. Rather then the world figuring out their little secret. They were bound to find out anyway.

———-

It’s now a couple weeks later and the 2023 season is about to officially kick off. Except for the fan speculation nobody had figured them out. Charles felt proud as it was only three more days until Pierre and they other guys would lose their bets. Though by now that already took place in the back off his mind. Not really paying attention to it anymore after the initial teasing from his best friend.

It’s Thursday, press day.
Charles was quite pleased with the panel the FOM had chosen. George. Zhou, Pierre, Max and himself.
As they get the basic questions get out of the way like what they expect for this season racing wise. As the other guys are talking Charles sees Max and Pierre talking animatedly on his right side. It this moment he realised once again how lucky he is with two great guys by his side. One he calls his best friend and the other his boyfriend, or fiancé, whatever you will.

As soon as they can as Pierre is being interviewed, the couple turns to each other.
Max whispers to Charles. “What is it?” Smiling. Having clocked Charles staring at him and Pierre only minutes ago.
“I’m just really happy” and then he giggles.. harder then he intended. He didn’t really intend to giggle at all. The noise instantly focuses the attention on him.
“Anything to share calamar?” Pierre asks him Challenging with a raised eyebrow. Making Charles blush even more.
Max who’s watching in amusement gives the frenchman a playful shove. Knowing exactly what Pierre is trying to do.

“Charles?” Tom question as he tries to get the press conference rolling again. “No, nothing to share” he says hastily with a polite smile So Tom continue’s his questions as planned.
As he asks Max another question about being the rumored title favourite again this year Charles suddenly interrupts his boyfriend. Raising the microphone to his mouth.
“Actually I do have something to share” he says before eying up Max. Checking is what he is about to do is okay. Max rolls his eyes playfully. Nodding at him while leaning back on the couch.
“Well Charles… go ahead then?” Tom says confused.
“I’ve got an announcement” he says suddenly a bit self aware. Laying himself bare for the world once more. But as Max squeezes his hand reassuringly. The doubts in his head all vanished and disappeared.
“We’ve got an announcement” he now smiles.
“We, Max and I, we are getting married!” He says proudly as the room turns quiet”