without you - max verstappen x charles leclerc

-Him-

Max Verstappen

It is the first race of the season. We are in Australia right know. It's Daniel Ricciardo's, my teammate, home race. Daniel is one of my best friends he always knows how to cheer me up when I am in a bad mood.

I'm talking to my engineers about the upcoming race. "How are you feeling about the new season, max?" One of them asked me. "Actually really good, at testing the car felt pretty good so I'm hoping for good results this season" I answered. "We all hoop that. You know you have knew competition this season.". I definitely knew that. He was talking about the only Charles Leclerc himself. I never liked him. Actually I did when we were younger but after some time he just started to hate me without a reason and he started to bully me and talk me down in front of other people. So then I decided to hate him. "Yes I know but he is a rookie so it doesn't matter" I said like I didn't even thought about him once.

I was walking trough the paddock with my dad. We were talking about racing and discussing the strategies for the upcoming race. Or more my dad was talking. When it comes to strategies or something like that we never have the same opinion. But he always says that only his opinion is worth something and every time I try to bring in my ideas, he cuts me of and says that I shouldn't talk back to him. So after a will I just started to say nothing anymore.

I'm not listening to what my dad is saying because the only thing I can think of the new driver on the grid. I know that I shouldn't be this bothered of it because he is driving in just a Sauber and I'm driving in a Red Bull and I should hate him of course but stil I can't lose the thought of seeing him again after all these years. 'Maybe we can be friends now' I thought, No!No!No! You hate him you know, forget about him and just focus on racing.
"Max are you even listening!!!" yelled my dad. "yes dad I'm listening" I lied instantly. "If you are thinking about that stupid Leclerc again, I swear it's not gonna end wel for you!" he threatened me. "I wasn't thinking about him I swear" I tried to calm him down a bit. "You beter not!" He said in a tone i didn't like and left.

I saw Daniel walking up to me after my dad left and decided to talk to him. "Hey mate, what was your dad so angry about?" Daniel asked curious. "ehm...Nothing just racing and stuf". "You sureeee?" He asked suspicion because of my hesitation in my answer." Yes just that, but anyway wanna go for a walk around the paddock?" I said to change the subject as fast as possible. "Yeah why not".

As we were walking trough the paddock daniel was telling me a story of something that happend on his farm a view days ago. daniel told me "so then i was riding on my horse trough the feld to-... Max are you even listening?!?!" he asked a bit irritated. I wasn't paying attention because i was looking at something else or more someone else. There he was, Charles Marc Hervé Perceval Leclerc. I cant concentrate on anything else exept for him. I feel how everything around just faids away and i only see him. 'damn he looks good' NO! NO! NO! MAX DONT THINK THAT. He is your rival and you hate him. you shouldnt be thinking about him this way. Eventough i know that im gay, i cant think that way about my biggest rival. And especially not about Charles Leclerc.

"MAX VERSTAPPEN what is wrong with you!!!" daniel yelled in my face. Finally i snapped out of my thoughts. "what- what, sorry i didnt listen" i said still a bit shocked about my thoughts. "mate what is wrong, you know you can tell me everything" daniel resured me. I know that i could tell him everything but that im gay? I know that he would suport me but im still scared of his reaction or more the reaction of other people especially my dad's. "No everything is fine, im just a bit nervous," i lied. "max you can really trust me you know that", "i know..." i answered with a bit sad tone. "max i see that something is bordering you ok? so please just tell me what it is and i can maybe help you when you have a problem." daniel huged me. I stayed silent and didnt hug him back. "max come on, please, just tell what it is" "you know i-...i- am g- just really nervous for the upcoming season, you know". i felt bad about lying to him but i just couldnt say it. "if you say so" daniel said, eventough i know that he didnt believed me. we huged and went back to the red bull garage.