Unbroken Hopes|| Charles Leclerc X Max Verstappen(Lestappen)Wildest Dreams Book2 Back to the grid: love and laughter in the paddock

The early morning sun cast a warm, golden hue over the Zandvoort circuit as Max and Charles arrived at the paddock for the Dutch Grand Prix. This was Max’s home race, and the air was already electric with anticipation. Fans waved orange flags and banners adorned with “Super Max” slogans, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement. But this time, there was an added layer of attention: the newlyweds had returned from their honeymoon, and everyone was eager to catch a glimpse of them.

Max and Charles stepped out of their car, immediately drawing a wave of cheers from the fans gathered around the paddock entrance. They exchanged a quick, knowing glance before Max gave Charles a playful nudge. “Ready to face the chaos?”

Charles chuckled, adjusting his sunglasses. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s just try to survive today without getting too distracted.”

“Good luck with that,” Max teased, sliding his hand into Charles’s for a brief moment as they walked towards the paddock entrance. The gesture was subtle, but it didn’t go unnoticed by the crowd or the photographers who were quick to snap away.

As they made their way through the throngs of people, they could hear snippets of conversations around them—fans gushing about the wedding, journalists discussing their honeymoon, and a general buzz of curiosity about the couple’s return to the paddock. Despite the increased attention, they tried to keep things professional, though there was an undeniable ease and warmth between them.

Once inside, they headed toward their respective team hospitality units, but not before sharing a quick, conspiratorial smile. Max leaned in, his voice low. “See you at the press conference?”

“Try not to miss me too much,” Charles quipped, his grin widening as he turned to walk towards the Ferrari area.

As they settled into their work routines, both Max and Charles found themselves occasionally distracted by thoughts of each other. It was hard not to be, given the affectionate texts that Max kept sending Charles between meetings, and the occasional glance they would exchange whenever their paths crossed in the paddock.

By the time the press conference rolled around, the anticipation had built up even more. Max, Charles, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and Oscar Piastri were all seated at the long couch , facing a packed room of journalists. The dynamic in the room was lively; it was clear that everyone was ready for a bit of fun.

The first few questions were the usual race-related inquiries, but it didn’t take long for the journalists to steer the conversation towards Max and Charles. The first question came from a journalist near the front, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“So, Max, Charles, congratulations on your wedding! We’ve all been eager to hear more about your honeymoon. Can you share any highlights?”

Max and Charles exchanged a glance, both of them smiling slightly. Charles was about to answer when Lewis leaned forward, a mischievous grin on his face. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m dying to hear if Max finally learned how to relax.”

The room erupted in laughter, with Charles joining in. Max rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Trust me, I know how to relax. And I had the best teacher.”

“Teacher?” Alonso interjected with a raised eyebrow, smirking. “Charles, are you giving out lessons now?”

Before Charles could respond, Oscar, who had been quietly observing, jumped in. “Can I sign up? I could use some tips for my own… relaxation techniques.”

More laughter filled the room, and even Charles couldn’t help but blush slightly. Max, however, was in his element, clearly enjoying the banter. He turned to Charles with a playful grin. “Looks like you might have a new career path, love.”

Charles gave Max a mock glare before addressing the journalists. “Our honeymoon was amazing, but I think the real highlight was not having to deal with these guys,” he said, gesturing to the other drivers.

Lewis feigned offense. “What, you didn’t miss us? I’m hurt.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Lewis,” Max said, leaning back in his chair, “we missed you… for about five seconds.”

The back-and-forth continued, the drivers taking turns teasing Max and Charles about their newlywed status. The journalists were eating it up, loving the candid, humorous exchanges. Eventually, one of the more persistent journalists managed to steer the conversation back to racing, though not before getting in one last question.

“Seriously, though,” the journalist said, “does being married change anything for you two when you’re on the track?”

Charles was the first to answer, his tone thoughtful. “Not really. On track, we’re still competitors, still pushing each other to be the best. But off the track, it’s nice to know that no matter what happens, we have each other.”

Max nodded in agreement. “Exactly. We’ve always been close, but now there’s just that extra layer of… security, I guess. We know we’ve got each other’s backs, whether it’s in racing or in life.”

“Does that mean we’ll see some love taps on the track this weekend?” Alonso asked, his tone laced with amusement.

Max smirked. “Only if he tries to overtake me.”

Charles rolled his eyes playfully. “Keep dreaming, Verstappen.”

The press conference continued with more questions about the upcoming race, but the lighthearted banter had set a positive tone. As they wrapped up, Lewis clapped Max and Charles on the shoulders. “You two are going to be the talk of the paddock all weekend.”

Max shrugged, glancing over at Charles with a smile. “Let them talk.”

After the press conference, the five drivers shared a few more jokes before going their separate ways. As Max and Charles walked back towards the paddock, their fingers brushed briefly, a small reminder of the bond they shared.

“Ready for the rest of the weekend?” Max asked, leaning in slightly.

“With you by my side? Always,” Charles replied, his voice filled with warmth.

As they navigated the rest of the day, from team briefings to fan interactions, the spotlight never wavered from them. But Max and Charles handled it with the same grace and humor that had become their signature. They might be rivals on the track, but in every other aspect, they were a team—a team that everyone in the paddock couldn’t help but admire.

And as the day came to a close, both of them knew that no matter how intense the weekend got, they had each other to come home to. And that was worth all the attention in the world.