GENTLE VIOLENCE - Lestappen

9. F R I E N D S

CW for this chapter: Just bad vibes tbh, but Carlos, Lando and Daniel are great friends! 

Charles Leclerc

Charles feels... not so well. The night with Ibrahim is clear in his mind as he sits on the plane back to Monaco and he can barely hear the conversation around him. Carlos and Lando is on the same jet as him- filling the void around him but Charles still feels empty and alone anyways. It had seemed like a good idea with alcohol in his body and his cock thinking more for him than his brain- but now it didn't feel good any longer.

Max hadn't yet responded to his text that he'd sent the other night after getting back to the hotel and it settled in the pit of his stomach like a heavy stone. Had he been clingy again, annoying and too much? Charles hates the thought of that, wanting to crawl in on himself to disappear. If he could unsend a text he would or maybe he would've just undone the whole night- feeling guilty and almost a little dirty.

Max wasn't his.

Still it felt like he'd just done something bad, feeling the energy shift between them without even having met after the party. Not to mention how Max had been in Daniels room the other night. Charles doesn't want to assume anything, knowing just how close friends the other two are since before- but jealously builds in his stomach where before he felt like Max was all his.

Within his grasp and untouchable.

What if Daniel was taking his place? Making Max feel good and making him feel safe- the way that Charles had tried to after the altercation with his father. He was not sure now if he'd done a good enough job. It worries him also to think about what Daniel might be able to give Max that Charles can't- he might be more sure of himself, older- more secure feeling to the Dutch driver?

Charles covers his face with both hands where he sits and comes to give a small sigh. This is going to be a long plane ride, he could already feel it.

"Are you okay?" Carlos speaks up after a while and Charles can feel a hand on his shoulder, smiling some as he opens his eyes and sees it's Lando. Being quiet for so long had made his coworkers worried and Charles just shakes his head a little.

"I think I'm just feeling the effects of last night still..." He jokes, but Charles is pretty much okay from last night, not feeling hungover at all. It also seems both Lando and Carlos aren't buying it- they look at each other for a moment as if to silently ask each other if this was a good idea before Lando is speaking up softly.

"Listen, not that we have anything to do with it... but we noticed it looked like you and Max weren't the best of friends the other day. Yesterday he and Daniel left the party without telling anyone else and Daniel had an arm around him... he looked upset. Is everything okay with you two?"

The question has Charles just staring, quiet for a while as his eyes flicker between a very concerned looking Lando and Carlos. He's sure they just want the best for him and he could trust them both- he was just worried to say too much taking little breath before speaking up again. But it hurts- knowing that Max has been upset looking as he left the club.

"We're okay, yeah. I think we both just had a few turbulent days..." Charles says softly, not wanting to out his friend and also not wanting to out himself, even if he hadn't been very careful with it while at the Abu Dhabi afterparty. He could admit that, it was bold of him to leave with Ibrahim. But Charles hates lying and this is Carlos and Lando he's talking to, so he decides to say something at the very least. "Do you know... uhm- have I ever talked to you guys about...-"

Charles takes a small breath, shaking his head before he continues.

"I've been a little off. I've been anxious about a lot of stuff and I know Max has been too... we've talked about it. I think maybe right now we're just taking a small... break- uhm..." Charles shrugs but as he lifts his head from where it has dipped down along with his gaze- he's met by very unimpressed looks from both Lando and Carlos.