APPETENCE | c. leclerc & m. verstappen [+18]

05. barcelona

"We're not who we used to be."
♪ complicated by avirl lavigne

It was the first testing of the 2022 season, Charles was confident and excited to start the new season. He knew that he could fight for the championship this season, it was a little hope but it was possible. They worked hard on the new car during the last two years.

Charles smiled as he walked down the paddock, he looked around to search for Andrea. He was already somewhere in the paddock because Charles was very slow this morning, Andrea decided to drive alone as he had to make some preparations for the new season.

His green eyes glanced around, many people were already working and running around the paddock. He greeted a few people that walked past him but he didn't find Andrea anywhere. Maybe he was in his driver room? He looked at his watch, he had a meeting in 30 minutes. "Charles!", his eyes moved up from his watch into the direction where the voice came from. He smiled as he saw that it was Pierre, but as fast as his smile came across his lips he lost it again as he saw who stood beside his best friend.

He tried to keep a friendly smile as he approached the two drivers. "How was your winter break, my friend?", Pierre laughed as he gave Charles his hand for a handshake. "Well, it was good, very relaxing.", Charles gave Pierre a small smile and tried to avoid eye contact with the dutch driver beside him. The strange feeling entered his stomach again, was he sick? It was weird, he always got this feeling when he was around Max. This wasn't normal at all. He tried his best to ignore the feeling, he needed to get away from them as fast as possible.

"Hi Leclerc, I didn't saw you in a long time.", Max laughed as he shook hands with him too. The moment when their hands touched for the first time again was like an electric shook through their whole body. Charles took a little step away and took his hand away from Max as fast as he could without looking stupid. Charles laughed a little and shook his head. "You're right. Last time I saw you, you were on the yacht partying, heavily drunk.", Max furrowed his eyebrows as he heard the words from Charles. They both knew very well that this wasn't the last time they saw each other.

Both of them laughed uncomfortable for a second and their eyes found each other for a moment. Max stared into the green eyes of Charles and tried to figure him out. But he lost that battle a long time ago, he never understood Charles. It was always complicated.

"Oh, I can imagine how drunk he was. I lost him at like 11 pm somewhere on the yacht.", Pierre laughed and broke the quit uncomfortable silence between them. Charles looked away from his eyes and started laughing. He was very happy when Pierre started to talk again, he still noticed that Max was staring at him.

The uneasy feeling in his stomach got worse by every second he felt Max eyes on him. He felt like he had to throw up. He tried to focus on his French friend in front of him again. What was wrong with this man beside him? But mostly what was wrong with himself? He knows he shouldn't feel anything, at least not when Max was standing beside him.

They started chatting a bit more about their winter break and the new season. Max noticed that Charles was behaving weird. Well for Max Charles was always weird, he couldn't easily read the brown haired man. He didn't even look once in the direction of Max again, he felt uneasy. This strange feeling came back, he noticed how his hands started to sweat. He should walk away, now. But he doesn't. Instead he watches Charles.

"Well, I need to go now. I can't be late for the team meeting.", Charles said and smiled at Pierre. "Oh, that's okay. Let's catch up later?", Charles nodded as an answer and started to walk away.

"Wait Leclerc, I'll come with you. At least then I won't be late to my own team meeting.", Max said with a laugh and started to walk beside him. "Bye Pierre, I'll see you later.", Pierre nodded with a smile on his face and watched them walk away. Maybe someday they would get along, at least that was something Pierre wanted badly. Both of them were one of his friends and he hated how they didn't seem to like each other. He knew that something from their past needed to be a reason for that but he didn't find it out yet. He will, someday, he was sure about that.

Charles didn't look at Max, he didn't understand why Max was acting this way. They weren't friends. "What do you want, Max?", his mouth was again faster than his brain, he just said what he was thinking. He glanced at the dutch driver as they passed by the motorhomes in the paddock. "Can't I just walk with a friend through the paddock?", was all Max said as he stared forward, not once looking at him.

"We are not friends.", Charles stopped staring at him and he started to walk faster. He felt Max catching up again. "Can we talk?", the question came out of nowhere for Charles, he didn't know what he wanted to talk about. There was nothing that they needed to talk about. Charles suddenly felt angry and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Stop it, Max.", he stopped walking and he looked into the eyes he has seen so many times in the past. "There is nothing we need to talk about. I'm no longer your shoulder to cry on, do you hear me? You lost that privilege a long time ago. I was nothing but a good friend to you, you never wanted it. So stop this thing that you are doing right now. I'm sick of it.", Charles whispered the words as he didn't want anyone to hear their conversation. He didn't want to start any drama at the beginning of the season.

"Charles, please. That night I-...I was drunk. I know, I shouldn't have come to your room but I-", Max tried to calm him down, he didn't realize that Charles felt that way since the last time they saw each other. He thought they were over that. "No. You're right, you shouldn't have come to my room so there was no night. That never happened, do you hear me?", Charles didn't give him time to answer as he started to walk again.

Max looked after the brown haired man as he greeted a lot of people on his way and smiled at them. Why was it always so complicated between them? Max sighed as he followed Charles and tried to catch up with him again.

He tried to not look weird as he walked faster. "Can you listen to me for once? I know, I fucked up but-", Max tried again, he also whispered the words. Charles didn't answer and only walked faster, it seems he wanted to get away as fast as possible. But Max had other plans. He grabbed Charles arm and tried to stop him. As soon as he felt Max's hand on his arm, he turned around with an angry expression on his face. "What? What do you want me to say, Max? Tell me, what do you want?", Charles words caught Max off guard in this moment, he opened his mouth but no words came out.

Max didn't know what he wanted, he wanted to make things right but he wasn't sure if it wasn't already to late for that. "I already thought so.", was all Charles said as he turned around and slipped out Max grip on his arm. Max looked after his rival as he sighed. Maybe he was right, maybe it was already too late.

A/N: Long time no update, I'm sorry :( I don't have so much time to write as I would like to but I try my best. I also need to write some chapters before posting them so please be patient with the next chapters <3 Thank you so much for your support. :)