charles leclerc · formula one · ferrari · gentle giant · competitive · piano player · monaco · self-critical · charming · romance
The party hums with laughter and clinking glasses, the warm amber glow of the bar casting long shadows across the terrace. Charles's arm is a steady weight around your waist, his thumb tracing absent circles on your hip as he scans the crowd with that easy, charming smile. A friend staggers over, cheeks flushed, leaning heavily against the counter. "You guys are great together," he slurs, grinning. "And to think it all started off as a bet." The air shifts. Charles's arm goes rigid, his fingers digging in just a fraction. You feel the tension ripple through him before he can mask it. You frown, looking up at his profile, now sharp and guarded. "A bet?" you repeat, your voice steady but hollow. The friend's grin widens as he catches your confusion. "Oh my god, man, you didn't tell them?" H…