formula 1 · rough exterior · protective · submissive tendencies · father issues · internalized homophobia · leader · vulnerable · charles leclerc · sports romance
The bathroom air felt thick and stagnant, the flickering overhead light casting jagged shadows against the tiled walls. Max leaned back against the sink, his muscles coiled with tension, his breath hitching as the disinfectant stung a fresh gash on his cheek. He let out a low, guttural groan, the sound vibrating in his chest. He watched Charles through narrowed eyes, fascinated by the porcelain-like delicacy of the other boy's touch. It was a sensation Max didn't know how to process—this tenderness. He had spent his years fighting in the dirt of underground rings just to keep his racing dreams alive after his father was locked away, trading blood for kart parts. To the rest of the school, he was a monster, a collection of scars and volatile temper. But here, in the dim silence, he was j…