Chapter Text
Charles was not dumb or too reckless for taking such a risk.
But.
Everyone had their weaknesses.
Why would it be his fault that he was in such a state when his biggest weakness had come alive, existing proudly in front of his eyes?
Obviously, it wouldn't.
Charles swirled the drink in his glass while narrowing his eyes, trying to inspect his prey with a blurry gaze.
One thing was certain though.
No matter the amount of his eyes became teary and his head started to spin-
The sight of the broad shoulders and back, dirty blonde hair and hot skin of that stranger-
Charles gulped another sip of his drink.
Well, it was impossible to ignore. Let alone getting distracted enough to forget, even for a single second.
So. Charles leaned on the wall behind of him as the life of the party threw his head back in the middle of a chuckle, eyes crinkling and hands flying to hold someone's arm next to him.
His dimples looked good on his cheeks, gaze shiny.
Charles needed this man, apparently.
So bad.
“Mate,” Another glass clicked on Charles’, catching his attention and making his head whip to his side. “Who are you sending that death glances?”
Charles’ mouth parted before he could gulp loudly. “What?”
Pierre brought the glass close to his lips, taking a sip. “You’re looking like you’re about to commit a murder, and I’m asking ‘who got on your nerves that much’?”
“I’m not-” Charles wandered his tongue inside his cheek, halting. “Wait, does it look like it?”
“Yes.”
Hah- perfect.
In fact, Charles knew, he was so sure of it, their eyes hadn't made contact for the entire night with this man, but if he would ever look at Charles, he would've thought Charles was angry and annoyed now, rather than indicating he was breath taken and broken by this man’s captivity.
Absolutely perfect.
“I’m just tired.” Charles blurted out before downing his drink, trying to gain time for a simple yet effective excuse. “It was not my plan to come here and party after a long day.”
That was the truth. Charles had been crying and whining like a baby to Lando for him to ignore Charles only for this one, and accept him to not be here tonight.
Instead, Charles had been literally dragged by his collar, Pierre never being a supportive friend and backing Lando up, and George taking advantage of Charles’ desperate situation and chuckling.
In conclusion, being here was never a part of Charles’ plan.
Until-
“You can leave if you want.” Pierre wrapped an arm around his neck, resting his back on the wall behind them and pulling Charles in front of himself slightly, holding eye contact. “I mean, it’s getting late already, and Lando wouldn’t even realize it, he’s so busy trying to impress that Aussie boy.”
Charles snorted. “I thought he would learn his lesson after burning his hands with Daniel.”
Pierre’s smile grew as he shook his head. “Apparently, no.” Then he turned to Charles. “Do you want to leave?”
Rolling his eyes, Charles opened his mouth to snap at his friend, annoyed, but before he could even think of a response, his body got jostled from behind-
Causing him to bump into Pierre right away, causing him to turn back in a heartbeat, ready to curse or scold whoever had hit him-
“Oh my God! I’m so sorry.”
Then his breath hitched in shock.
“No mate, it’s okay.” Pierre checked his black shirt to see if it had any stains on it, then raised his head to offer a crooked grin. “It’s your party after all, no?”
“Um.” The stranger’s blush was only visible under the purple lights for a few seconds until the leds turned to red, hiding the shyness on his cheeks. “But it doesn’t mean that I can bump into people, no?”
His gaze turned to Charles right after. “Are you okay?”
And- Charles could only baffle for a moment with his lips parted, eyes pretty sure looking blank with dumbness, brain short-circuiting- “I’m- Yeah, I’m, it’s okay.”
“Oh,” The stranger slowly nodded. “I’m glad.” But he didn’t break the eye contact with Charles, slightly tilting his head to the side, wetting his lips and opening his mouth to say something-
“Max! Can you come here? People want to meet the new boy of the city!”
- Just for Lando’s annoying voice to cut off his word.
Cutting all the chance that Charles had to talk with that stranger.
Fucking-
Charles wanted to strangle him- but, hey.
Max. Single syllable. Lips pressed together at the start, then turning to a tight smile at the end of it. Charles liked the taste, the taste that the name left on the tip of his tongue.
“Okay, okay, I’m coming in a minute!”
Max checked behind him quickly without turning his body, then trapped his bottom lip under his teeth while looking back at Charles.
Charles felt the layer under his skin overheating, causing his brain to melt and not thinking straight.
Just- Max. Sweaty blonde locks fallen on his forehead. Piercing blue eyes with dilated pupils, resembling the thunders in a rainy, cloudy day.
Resembling nature's beauty, freshly fallen from heaven.
“Sorry again.” Max ran a hand through his hair, wandering his tongue on his teeth with his parted mouth.
Plump red lips, would look definitely better if they were bitten, of course by Charles. Maybe some pulling, digging his teeth into, making it slightly bleed before letting his tongue soothe the pain and collect the blood, tasting metallic.
“Um…” Max’s gaze wandered on his body from head to toe before meeting Charles’ eyes again, fierce. “Have a good night? I guess. Yeah, um-” He inhaled deeply before offering a tight-lipped smile. “Goodbye...”
Then, vanished off into the crowd without looking back.
Charles could only blink behind him as he watched Max disappear.
It was a mistake. A huge fucking mistake. Charles’ way of thinking-
His legs hurt. So fucking much. But it was not even comparable next to the spin of his head.
He should’ve listened to Pierre a few hours ago. He should’ve gone home when he could and definitely, not drink that much.
But.
Everybody made mistakes.
Only that, Charles’ mistake was in a human form.
Nonetheless, Charles should’ve known better than staying up this late at a party, just to see a few more glimpses of Max.
His hand flew to hold into the wall next to him as his legs buckled, causing him to frown with a quiet whimper. He took a deep breath while massaging his temple, fingertips circling, then turned around a corner.
His eyes were so weak to kept open even if he tried, closing back again in a sleepy manner as he sighed sharply, his head feeling like a circus was placed into,
But before he could even reach somewhere to sit on, to take a normal breath and relax, his hand slipped on some wet area on the wall, making him lose the contact, making his eyes widen in the sudden panic, waking him up, making him lose his balance-
“Easy, there.”
Charles waved his hands in the air until he could tug to something, to hold on, reaching the big arms holding his waist-
“You should be more careful.”
Charles’ hold tightened on the soft flesh as he dug his nails unconsciously, puffing out in a mix of overwhelm and relief as he felt himself find a bit of balance again. “I’m- careful, I just-”
“Yeah?” The deep voice chuckled behind him before straightening Charles’ body with himself- and Charles felt the burn grow again as his back met Max’s warm body. “It doesn’t seem like it. Why did you drink that much?”
“I didn’t-” Charles tried to shake his head furiously before he could think better of it, an intense ache filling his temple right away and drawing out a pained, choked sound.
“Shit, don’t do that.” Max walked them somewhere as Charles couldn’t even open his eyes, just holding into Max tightly to not fall again.
Then his body met the softness as Max made him sit on the couch, melting to the comfortable texture encircling him.
“Why are you still here? I thought everyone had left?” Max’s voice seemed to fade away but Charles was not in a state to make sense of it.
“No, no- why are you here?” His tongue felt tingling as the words came out slurred. “What’s- who’s everyone? Am I everyone?”
“God.” A groan came in answer. “For real, how much did you drink?”
“Mmm.” Charles frowned while trying to remember. “Is infinity a number? Can I drink infinitely?”
“No.” A thumb tugged on his bottom lip while tilting his head upwards, then Charles sighed in a small voice as the wetness quenched his thirst, trying to swallow as much as he could.
“Do you have any friends that I can call?”
Charles’ hand flew to hold Max’s shoulder as the world seemed to spin and cause him to fall from height, causing him to close his eyes with a choked out whimper.
“Fuck it.” Max brushed his sweaty hair from his forehead, resting the back of his hand there to check his temperature. “You’re not even conscious nearly. Do you want to stay here?”
All the fogs vanished from Charles’ head as his gaze turned unblurry again. “Here?”
“You can sleep on my bed.” Max shrugged. “I’m not much settled, so. I can sleep on the couch either.”
Charles barely held back a whine. He didn’t want to sleep in Max’s bed. What was the point of sleeping in Max’s bed if he wouldn’t be there with Charles?
“But I-” Charles’ bottom lip quivered as he gulped loudly. Then he came with the most unhinged, most stupid idea he could think of. “I’m scared of the monsters.”
Max snorted before his eyes widened. “You’re- what? Monsters?”
“Monsters.” Charles crossed his arms in front of his torso as he pouted annoyedly. “Monsters will eat me if I sleep alone.”
“Uh…” Max’s brows knitted in the middle of his face. “Are you saying… that you should not sleep alone?”
Charles puffed out while shrugging like a grumpy child, angry at Max for him to make fun of Charles. “You wouldn’t joke about it if they've eaten you before too.”
Max snorted again, a teeth showing smile settling on his lips and Charles was sure- He wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off his face.
He just wasn’t sure about kissing him or punching his mouth to do so.
“So you got eaten my monsters before, hm?”
“I-” Charles tried so hard to remember what was he saying, frowning in concentration- but his words died in his throat as a voice called his name.
“Charles?! Where the fuck were you?” Lando ran to the couch with a phone in one hand, the other holding a key. “Do you know how many times Pierre or Alex called me?! We couldn’t find you anywhere!”
“But I-” Charles whimpered softly before leaning towards Max, his dizziness coming back with the sudden loudness, cauising him to rest his head on Max’s shoulder and clutch the front of his hoodie, rubbing his hair on it. “I’m not.”
“Lando.” Max’s soft voice filled his ears, and Charles wanted to whimper for a second time as his big hand caressed Charles’ back in a comforting way. “He had drunk so much obviously, I thought he could stay here for the night?”
“Mate, I don’t think it’s a good idea, his friends are waiting for him.” Lando tapped on Charles’ shoulder slowly. “I can drive him to his house? I just dropped off Oscar, so.”
“Noo!” Charles’ hold tightened on Max’s hoodie, knuckles turning wide as his frown deepened. “I don’t want to-”
“-Yes.” Lando tried to separate his body from Max, tugging at his shoulders to pull him. “It’s two in the morning Charles. You need to sleep and preferably, at your home.”
“Uh-uh.” Charles whined while trying to put up a fight, but his body was so tired to resist.
“Let me.” He heard Max saying before feeling the warmth on his hands under his kneecap and back, then his arms wrapped around Max’s neck automatically, eyes closing in relief with the softness of Maxy.
“Don’t drive so fast or sudden brake when he’s in the car, he’s already sensitive and…”
Charles couldn’t hear the rest of his sentence while sighing dreamily.
“COME ON!” George threw his hands in the air angrily, groaning. “How can you miss this one Alex?!”
“I’m trying, okay?!” Alex’s frown deepened as he ran to get the padel ball from the floor where it had fallen. “It’s not my fault that we’re playing against Charles!”
“HAHA!” Charles made a high-pitched laugh while throwing his head back enthusiastically, pointing his fingers at them. “What happened to ‘we’ll wipe the floor with you’? What happened, huh?”
George rolled his eyes as his jaw clenched, then glared at Charles. “This won’t work.”
“Right.” Alex nodded, raising his brows in emphasis.
Charles’ smile wavered. “What does that mean?”
“That means,” George spitted out angrily before waving his hand somewhere behind Charles, calling. “You two are too powerful like that, so Lando’s out.”
“What?!” Charles’ mouth fell down as he baffled. “No! This is not how you play-”
“Sounds okay to me.” Lando placed his hands on his kneecaps before bending, panting heavily. “I’ll just go and-”
“NO!” Charles extended the syllable in fury, frowning. “You can’t leave me with these-”
But before he could finish his sentence, Lando turned back to exit the court, and George’s annoying voice filled his ears. “MAX! Come here, we switch!”
Max.
Charles’ frown deepened as his nose wrinkled. Max. Who was Max? Charles hadn't even heard of that name before. Why would some stranger would play with-
Oh,
Max.
Charles’ head snapped to his right with the unfamiliar laughter, meeting the dirty blonde hair and shining blue eyes.
Fuck.
Max. From the party Max. Welcome to the city Max. Lando’s roommate Max. Lando’s friend Max. You know, come hang with us whenever you want Max.
Fuck, indeed.
“You’re underestimating me so much, mate.” Max rolled the ball in his palm before throwing it in the air, then sent it right across the court.
“Woah, “ George ran to catch the ball with his racket, jumping a bit. “Tell me before you start the game mate!”
Then he sent it back to their side, full force, and Charles could do nothing but blinking at Max, mouth fallen, shocked-
But he felt it in his every nerve as the hard texture of the ball landed on the side of his face, hitting powerfully,
And it hurt like hell as he let out a yell while his hand flew to hold his cheek.
“WHAT THE-” Alex started to run towards them, throwing his racket somewhere. “Charles, are you okay?!”
“I’m-” Charles whimpered in a small tone as the tears formed in his eyes, the pain directing his body right away even if he tried to hold them in. “No! Why did you even hit me?!”
“I didn’t-” George came close to them with a little frown despite Charles’ little pout and quivering lips, scratching the back of his neck. “I just sent it! Thought you would catch the ball but you just stood there without averting your eyes from Max!”
“I didn’t,” Charles whimpered again before sitting down on the ground slowly, rubbing his red cheek. “Wasn’t looking at- I didn’t-”
“Charles,” Charles’ head snapped at the voice’s owner as he got called, sniffling quietly. “Does it hurt so much?”
“Um,” Batting his eyelashes, Charles separated his hand to show the redness to Max, a fat tear rolling down right at that second. “Here.”
“Fuck.” Max leaned down next to him with bent legs, blowing to the area carefully. “It looks bad.”
Charles sniffled again with a pout, closing his eyes as Max’s minty breath fanned over his cheek to calm the sting. “It hurts so much.”
“I’m sorry, Charles.” George sat on his knees near Charles, brushing his slight sweaty hair from his forehead. “I think you should sit at that bench and rest a bit, we can play later.”
“I’ll bring you some ice.” Max leaned down more towards him, turning a bit, then moved his hands near Charles’ kneecaps and his back, trying to get him up from the floor and carry him-
“NO!” Charles slapped Max’s hands away as he retreated from the hold, and he got up in a heartbeat from the floor while barely ignoring the pain, hissing quietly.
Max had already seen him drunk as hell a week ago, embarrassing himself, and this-
This couldn’t happen. Not for a second time. Charles couldn’t just make himself miserable or pitiful in front of Max.
Not when he had to attract Max’s attention for good instead of being a crybaby everytime they came across.
Nobody loved crybabies.
“It’s- It’s good.” Charles wiped a tear on his unhurt cheek with the back of his hand, getting his racket from the floor where it had fallen. “I want to play.”
“You can’t play like that.” Alex crossed his arms in front of him. “You should at least put on ice on that-”
“I’m fine.” Charles hissed through his teeth before moving to his former place on the court. “I will play, okay? I’ll grab some ice after this set.”
“Charles,” Max frowned with a glimpse of hurt flashing in his eyes, and Charles hoped that Max hadn’t understood him wrong when he slapped Max’s hand. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“I will play.” Charles narrowed his eyes before getting the ball from the ground, turning it inside his palm, but a whimper cut off his words before he could open his mouth as an arm wrapped around his waist in the next instant-
And his feet lost the connection with the floor as he got thrown over a shoulder, flying in the air. “OH MY-”
“You never listen to a word for real.” Max shook his head as his hold tightened behind Charles’ kneecaps, holding him in the air strongly with a single fucking hand. “Do I have to carry you on my shoulder to shush that little stubborn mouth?”
“I-” Charles let out a small whine as his fingers gripped Max's shoulders, and he knew that, Max was looking big, broad, but it felt even bigger beneath Charles’ touch on the tight, huge muscles.
“You’re-?” Max chuckled breathlessly as he opened the door of the court, then walked towards the locker room. “Oh, now that you’re quiet? Got shy?”
Charles made a soft noise on Max’s shoulder, rubbing his hair, nuzzling, inhaling the divine scent of him, rosemary mixing flawlessly with sandalwood, and a hint of vanilla mixed with Max’s sweat. Charles thought, it should be disgusting.
It was not.
“I’m not shy.”
Max snorted before slamming the door of the locker room, and Charles realized it was a few more seconds before he would get put down rather than being wrapped up in comfortable muscles.
What a shame.
“You’re shy.” Max’s voice sounded enthusiastic as he closed the door with his foot, and he placed Charles right away to one of the benches-
Maybe, it was the disappoint of leaving Max’s lovely arms,
“Actually, like a shy kitten.”
Or Max’s words that drew out a broken whine from Charles, sounding embarrassing more than ever-
But, neither helped.
“Oh,” Max placed his hands on each side of Charles on the bench, trapping him, holding eye contact with his face so, so close, tilted slightly to the left. “Kitten, do you like being called kitten?”
Charles gulped loudly before biting his bottom lip, nervous as he got lost in Max’s intense gaze, the shine in the blue eyes making his head turn. “I mean, kittens are cute. Everyone likes kittens.”
“You’re cute.” Max’s gaze dropped to his lips for a second, Adam’s apple bobbing in addition. “In fact, I do have two kittens.”
Charles swallowed a question similar to, Can I be your third?
Instead, he took a deep breath before licking his lips instinctively with Max following the motion in full focus. “You like kittens, then.”
You like me.
“Of course.” A small grin settled on Max’s face, and Charles felt his heartbeat completely stop when a thumb brushed the outer part of his thigh. “Kittens are sweet, all pliant, and will ask for your attention while nuzzling on you.”
Fuck.
So, Max was fully aware of it when Charles had rubbed his hair on his back.
“Do you-” Charles choked out before a loud gulp cut his word. “Do you give them attention?”
And Max was supposed to answer him, to talk-
But Charles’ breath hitched with a churn of his belly as Max brought his lips to his cheek, right where the ball had hit, the sting that Charles had long forgotten after getting wrapped up by Max-
And he kissed it.
Kissed Charles’ wound better.
Fuck.
“I do love, giving them attention.” Max’s whisper made his head turn. “And of course, I always take care of them when they’re hurt.”
Charles was going to-
Fucking cry,
“I’m hurt.” He blurted out while feeling the tears coming back along the despair adorning his broken voice, not able to hold himself.
Take care of me.
“I know.” Max separated his palms from the bench, straightening himself before putting a distance between their bodies.
Charles didn’t like it.
He was sure, kittens didn’t like the distance either.
“So, I will try to find some ice for you, and you’ll sit here silently without doing something to hurt you more, okay?”
Charles nodded.
“Good boy.”
-Fuck.
Max offered another soft smile before walking towards the door, then shut it behind him with a loud thump.
Alas, still quieter than the tachycardic rhyme of Charles’ heart.
“Is it better now?” Max brushed Charles’ hair from his forehead after hopping both of their bags on his shoulder.
Charles nodded without separating the ice from his face.
“Don’t forget to,” Max took Charles’ hand in his and parted the cold mass from his cheek. “Don’t always hold it there, it’s not healthy, can cause stiffness and poor circulation.”
And smart.
As if Max was not already perfect, sweet, breath taking, caring; he was also smart-
“How can you know all of these?” Charles frowned with the contrast of the ice inside his palm and the heat of Max’s on outer part.
Max let his hand fall while averting his gaze. Then gulped, looking painful. “Used to get hurt sometimes, in my childhood.”
Charles snorted before a small laugh. “You were an adventurous child then? To be honest, I can imagine you climbing to every surface-”
“-My dad.” Max dropped his head down, sniffling coldly.
Charles’ blood froze.
He couldn’t react for a second, trying to not let his mouth fall, to not do something stupid-
“I’m so sorry.” His empty hand found a way to sneak on Max’s shoulder, squeezing, supporting; I’m here, I’m sorry it happened to you, but I’m here if you need anything at all.
“It’s okay.” Max offered a hurt smile while raising his head, tilted it to the side, and for a second, Charles thought, he would rest it against Charles’ hand where it'd been placed on his own shoulder;
But he chose to change the subject all of a sudden, and Charles just let him.
“You’re awful when you’re drunk, you know?”
“I’m sorry.” A little, forced giggle left Charles’ mouth as he didn’t find power to retreat his hand, not when Max was looking so close to lean on it any second. “But if I’m being honest, I don’t even remember anything at all.”
“Yeah?” Max pulled away from him with a teeth showing smile settling on his face, his blue’s shining with filled tears but his smile- “Do you want me to tell you about it?”
“Okay.” Charles licked his lips before placing the ice back to his face, full attention on Max.
“So,” Max clasped his hands together with his smile growing so much that his dimples came out. How lovely. “You were last to leave the party.”
“Okay.” This time sounding more timid, Charles narrowed his eyes as he felt his face reddening with the incoming embarrassment, scared to hear the rest. “What happened then?”
Max snorted before clearing his throat pointedly. “You saw me and tried to fall on me, and I held you.”
Charles grimaced after closing one eye in pain. “Is that it?”
“No.” Max puckered his lips enthusiastically. “You said that I was looking so good the whole night and couldn’t take your eyes off me.”
“This didn’t happen.”
“Unfortunately.”
“Fuck.” Charles squeezed the ice package between his palm.
Max nodded with a devilish smile. “Then you ranted a lot about the color of my eyes and how bad you wanted to being crushed between my arms while I hold you at the party instead of drinking all by yourself.”
“Maax.” Charles whimpered in embarrassment. “Tell me this didn’t happen and you’re making all of-”
“And what was the worst, you know?” Max closed the distance between their bodies as he stopped walking on the road, making Charles halt also. “What?”
“You said you wanted to sleep with me.”
Charles’ mouth fell down without his own consent as his brain stopped working, and the thought of starting to run so fast that he would never see Max again to face his embarrassment-
“NO!” Max’s eyes widened as he raised his hands, shaking his head. “Not like that! You wanted to sleep in my bed with me, like actually sleeping.”
Charles didn’t even know which was the worst before the tears came back to his eyes.
Telling Max that he wanted to have sex with him on their first conversation-
Or asking to sleep with him in his bed together, domestic like-, as if it was- as if they were-
A thing. They were not a thing. They were nothing, in fact.
It was embarrassing. So much.
“I’m sorry.” Charles blurted out, tilting his head down with a dry swallow, then started to walk again with really big steps, trying leave Max behind, as if he would not be followed.
“No.” Max quickened his steps before closing the distance again. “It’s not-” He tugged at Charles’ arm as Charles didn’t even acknowledge his presence, walking so, so fast- but nonetheless, Max turned his head towards himself. “I didn’t mean to- fuck, Charles- are you crying?”
“I-” Charles made a broken noise, lips quivering. “I’m not- I’m not a- didn’t want to make you feel-”
A tear fell down his hurt cheek without his consent, and Charles sniffled as his breathing got shallower.
“Fuck,” Max wiped the tear in a heartbeat, mouth parting in shock, then he didn’t waste another second before tugging at his back and pulling Charles to himself.
Charles made a pained voice on Max’s jacket, burying his face as he gave up on holding the ice package and raised his hand to clutch a handful of Max’s t-shirt.
“God, Charles, I didn’t mean it.” Max’s fingers soothed the small of his back with his head laying on Charles’ shoulder. “I was- fuck, can I confess something?”
Charles nodded after barely swallowing a small sob, feeling the heat increasing on his face in embarrassment.
“Actually-” Max retreated a bit to hold eye contact, pushing Charles’ body slightly, and Charles didn’t want to let go of Max, but. “But promise that you will not get mad.”
A frown settled on Charles’ face as he whispered, confused. “Promise.”
“Okay, actually,” Max licked his lips before taking a deep breath. “Maybe everything I said was not real.”
The tear on Charles’ face stopped mid- way on his cheek with the breeze of night evaporating it. “W-what?”
“Ugh-” Max threw his head back with an annoyed groan, then he pulled Charles to himself again in a heartbeat, hugging him tighter than before. “I wanted to make a joke but I didn’t know that- that you would cry, God.”
Charles hiccuped on Max’s shoulder. “Not real? Everything?”
“Not real, everything.” Max nodded. “But um,”
“But what?”
Max sighed a long breath. “The sleeping part was real.”
Another embarrassed noise left Charles’ mouth. “It was real?”
“Uh-huh,” Max retreated again after rubbing his back in a comforting way, then let him go again. “You said you were scared of monsters.”
“Monsters?”
“Yup.” Max frowned as his gaze fell down on the ice package on the groan, picked the edge of it carefully, and Charles realized that he wasn't even aware of it had fallen. “But it’s okay- it happens. I made worse things when I was drunk.”
Charles shook his head right away, wiping his cheek as another tear fell. “No, you didn’t, you’re just trying to make me feel better.”
“Dear,” Max tilted his head to the side with a careful, thoughtful gaze boring into Charles.
Dear.
Charles, Max’s dear.
“I said it’s okay, and if I knew,” Max took his wrist before making them walk towards the sidewalks rather than the middle of the street. “That you’d care this much, I would never say it in the first place.”
“It’s embarrassing.” Charles confessed while letting himself get dragged.
“It’s cute.” Max threw the dirtied package inside a bin. “I wanted to tease you and get you shy, because you blush so much when you’re shy, but you blush even more when you cry.”
Charles’ lips quivered as a hand cupped his cheek, batting his eyelashes innocently, hurt.
“Would it be bad if I said that you were even cuter when you cry?”
“Yes.” Charles whined, mouth parting to suck enough air into his lungs, feeling a bit dizzy. “Bad, bad Max.”
“Yes?” Max smiled a bit while tightening his hold on Charles’ face, tilting his head to the side, something in his gaze- like admiration. “But it’s the truth.”
“Fuck off.” Charles pushed him without meaning it, regretting right away, but Max didn’t seem near offended as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder and made him walk again.
“I won’t fuck off before knowing that you’re home and safe.”
Charles wanted to roll his eyes, but his body language told something else as he leaned towards Max unconsciously. “As if you even care, you want to see me cry.”
“I don’t want to see you cry.” Max interfered, shaking his finger. “I just said that your eyes look beautiful when you cry. And minding you, it was me who took care of you a week ago when you were drunk, so yes, I do care for you.”
Care for me.
“I’m sorry anyways.” Charles sniffled while resting his head on Max’s shoulder, just- so instinctive, automatic. As if it was, meant to be, that how things should’ve been of course.
“I don’t care.” Max slowed down his steps to not disturb Charles on his shoulder. “You could do me a favor one day, if you want to get even. But I don’t care much, to be honest.”
“Okay.” Charles whispered in the still night, closing his eyes in relief with the breeze washing over his face.
It took ten more minutes, to reach Charles’ dorm with a silent rest of the walk. Then Max extended Charles’ sport bag after making sure that his wound was better and not much aching, but he still admonished him to apply a soft cream for the redness.
“Thank you,” Charles whispered with a shy gaze, feeling the redness of his eyes and face, blushing in the idea of Max liking him like that. “For walking with me here, and um, about-”
“Of course.” Max smiled at him endearingly, fondness flashing across his cerulean eyes. “Anytime, I’m here if you need me.”
That was probably, the tone full of care, why Charles couldn’t hold himself before tiptoeing on his feet and placing a chaste kiss to Max’s cheek, feeling the dimples growing under his lips.
It made his heart warm up.
“Have a good rest of the night.” He whispered before retreating again.
Max nearly raised a hand to hold his cheek, but stopped himself mid-way. “You too.”
Charles made a sweet bye-bye to him before closing the door and collapsing on the floor with his back sliding on the door, sighing, with a lovesick heart.
Charles opened the door while trying to shush his shy giggle, pushing Max's chest slightly, playful. “You didn’t do that. You’re just making up things to make me laugh.”
“I don’t.” Max’s smile grew on his face as he placed one hand on the wall right next to where Charles stood, near his waist, teasing. “Not that I need to do, also. You’re laughing at everything I say.”
Charles tried to shake his head innocently, feeling the dimples settling on his cheeks. “I’m not laughing at-”
“-Yeah?” Max closed the distance between their bodies before leaning down to his face, other hand coming up to caress Charles’ dimples softly, his hot, minty breath fanning over Charles’ skin, tone deep. “You don’t?”
The desperate whimper threatening to leave Charles’ mouth got barely swallowed, but his voice was still creaky and raspy. “I don’t.”
Max just chuckled at that with a teasing grin tugging on his lips, then he licked them slowly as his gaze darkened all of a sudden, a light flickering on the blue shining orbs-
And Charles’ breath stuttered as he parted his mouth in expectancy, batting his eyelashes like a kitten, fast-
Then Max’s soft, plump lips met the skin under Charles’ eyes, right a bit higher than his cheekbone, so intimate, so, so domestic-
As if he was kissing Charles every day, every time.
“What about us…” Max cleared his throat shortly while narrowing his eyes, deep in thought, then pressed his lips to a thin line. “Starting on the preparations before they come?”
Halting, still, Charles nodded right away, gulping the small lump in his throat before separating himself from the wall, trying to calm himself while following Max as he headed towards the kitchen. “What will we do now?”
“I’m thinking,” Max opened a cupboard, taking a huge bowl out. “I have a recipe that I’m very good at, my mom had taught me, so we could do it.”
“Yeah?” Charles placed the ingredients neatly that Max kept added randomly on the countertop, slightly frowning. “What’s the recipe?”
A soft smile settled on Max’s face. “Honey muffins.”
“Honey muffins?” Charles wrinkled his nose while opening the package of flour. “I don’t like honey much to be honest.”
Max’s shoulders sagged down in frustration but his smile didn’t fall as it just weakened a bit. “But it’s my recipe, and it’s really good.” Then he pouted a little. “Wouldn’t you eat it anyways?”
“I-” Charles swallowed dryly to the sight of Max ogling at him expectantly, eyes shining, waiting for a positive answer.
So, he smiled a bit as his face softened. “Of course I would eat it.”
“Yeah?” Max’s weakened smile turned back to even more bright than before, captivating, then he tugged his hair behind his ear. “I’m so glad you would eat it.”
Charles felt like his smile could rip his face if it'd grow more, dimples deep in his cheek, with both of them smiling at each other without even a single word, like lovesick teenage girls, causing an innocent silence.
Thankfully, Max took care of it.
“Um... So, I will put two cups of” He dipped the cup into the flour, adding it to the empty bowl, “A half cup of sugar- can you also give me the baking powder?”
Charles quickly ripped open the powder’s package, pouring it down as Max mixed the sugar to the dry pool of ingredients. “Like that?”
“Yeah,” Max pushed the flour and sugar away on the countertop to create more space, then his gaze turned to Charles with a little, soft smile. “And, um…”
He licked his lips before biting them to hide his grin, and tilted his head to the side gently. “Honey.”
Breath catching on his throat, Charles felt the blush creeping on his face at the pet name, trying to hide how he was affected-
But failing clearly.
Max was playing so dirty with him.
It was unfair. He couldn’t just call Charles honey, and wait for him to not get defeated like a small puppy who loved compliments.
Charles leaned on the countertop before placing both his elbows on it, moving so automatic while placing his hands on each side of his cheeks, sighing dreamily, rolling the syllables enthusiastically. “Am I really your honey?”
Then Max’s smile wavered before he frowned slightly, opening his mouth to ask-
And it turned into an ‘o’ shape as his brows raised in realization.
Making Charles feel attacked.
“I meant,” Max chuckled breathlessly a bit while pointing at the ingredients. “Honey as, adding honey for the muffins.”
Oh-
Fuck.
Charles could barely stop himself before slapping a hand upon his mouth in embarrassment.
“Oh,” He straightened himself right away, blinking rapidly as if it would help him to think faster. “I thought- I thought like you-”
“It’s okay.” Max offered a sidelopped grin before reaching for the honey bowl, digging his teeth into his bottom lip. “You’re sweet as honey anyways."
Charles couldn’t hold back the whimper he swallowed five minutes ago this time, letting out a broken noise-
And Max’s head snapped at him with a parting mouth in slight shock before his smile turned to something mischievous, teasing, biting his lip seductively. “Oh, you like that?”
Trying to shake his head, Charles’ breath stuttered as Max got closer to him, pressing his lips to a thin line before he could make another embarrassing sound.
“I could call you honey,” Max brushed a few locks from Charles’ forehead, whispering the next words. “Would you like that?”
“Yes.” Charles’ hand moved to hold Max’s bicep instinctively, chest ascending and descending quickly-
In a thrill with the butterflies in his stomach, closing the distance between-
Tilting his head to the side as his heartbeat quickened-
Only for a key to turn in the lock in the next instant, popping their little bubble and causing both of them to jump while snapping their heads to the front door.
Fucking-
Great.
Reluctantly, Charles retreated himself from Max a bit before taking a deep breath, a pained sigh, alas.
And he waited for Lando’s annoying voice to fill his ears in a few seconds, making him want to roll his eyes-
But the silence conquered the hall for a moment.
Charles frowned. His hand fell from Max’s bicep as he narrowed his eyes in concentration, trying to wrap his head around the reason of silence-
“Oh my-” Max’s mouth fell down in the next second with the wet kissing noises, then his shocked ‘o’ turned to a smile before he closed a hand to cover it, but the lovely crinkles around his eyes exposed how amused he was. “Is this-”
Charles’ eyes widened in response, realization hitting in full power. “-The guy from the?”
“Yes,” Max replied before biting his lip, making a head shake, raising his brows amusedly. “Oscar.”
Charles held himself to not lean into Max's side again and say something like, maybe we should also kiss, huh?
Instead, he blinked fastly to wash the image off his mind, and turned towards the countertop to ignore Max's alluring existence.
But-
"What?" Max frowned, swallowing dryly. "You didn’t like it?"
Charles frowned also, placing his palms on the surface, confused. "Why would I like it?"
"I-" Max gulped. "You know that Lando's not straight, right?”
Slightly, Charles tensed, his hand dropping before it could even reach the ingredients bowl. "Yes? What does that mean?"
Max wandered his tongue inside his cheek, stiffening. "I thought, that you-"
Then he closed his mouth back, turning away so fast. "Nevermind."
Charles' eyes widened with a wave of panic. "Wha- What do you mean never-" He tried to hold Max's arm, light, to attract his attention again. "Say it."
"I just-" Max rested his palms on the countertop, biting his cheek, closing his eyes with a shaky exhale. "I didn't know that you were straight."
Wheels started to turn rapidly in Charles' head to the words.
I didn’t know that you were straight.
I didn’t know that you would not be into guys.
I didn’t know that you would not be into me.
"I'm not.”
Max’s head snapped at him with a flicker of shine, but a frown, but a hope inside his blues. “You’re not?”
Charles swallowed down the hardness in his throat, shaking his head. “I’m not straight.”
I’m gone for you, how could I be straight?
“Oh,” Max chuckled breathlessly for a beat, a relief settling on his expression, blinking rapidly with his lips’ edge curling in a little smile. “Okay, then.”
“Yeah,” Charles raised his head just a bit to keep eye contact, feeling suffocated, but also so safe and warm in the intensity, a small smile. “Okay.”
We’ll be okay.
“Come on! Everyone is almost here Charles!”
Charles groaned loudly in an annoyed tone, a beat away from punching the soft dough in front of him. “I’M TRYING, OKAY?! It’s not my fault that thing is broken!”
Lando poked his head inside the kitchen’s door. “What do you mean it’s broken?”
“It doesn’t-” Charles pushed the dough with his knuckles, pouting in an uncomfortable way. “Doesn’t get into shape! What’s wrong with it?! I’m literally kneading it, no?!”
But when he turned back, he saw his friend blink at him rather than an understanding gaze, numb, lips slightly parted. “Charles, you’re aware that you should use your fingers instead of knuckles, right?”
Charles frowned. “What do you mean?”
Lando slammed his hands to his forehead in the next instant, closing his eyes. “You should use your whole hand, Cha! Like fingers and palm and roll your wrist- not just your fucking knuckles.”
Puffing out all the air inside his lungs, Charles slammed the dough in annoyance, voice getting high-pitched. “But this shit is so hard! How can I even-”
“You know what?” Lando took his phone out of his pocket with a frown. “Lemme just order some pizzas for us before you can cause another disaster.”
Charles’ eyes widened in a mix of anger and the hurt from humiliation. “You- What? No! You can’t just-”
“Yes, I will-”
“LANDO, NO!” Charles literally ran to get the phone from his friend in the next instant, panicking,
But Lando ran away also at the same moment, taking the corner of the kitchen leading to the hall quickly,
And Charles tried to chase him before-
Before he got stopped by an obstacle, yelping to the suddennes as his nose hurt a bit.
A soft obstacle.
Soft skin of a human obstacle.
Charles raised his head dumbly to see-
Max.
Standing broadly with his brows knitted and lips parted in confusion, inspecting him.
Charles gulped a bit while batting his eyelashes innocently, and he only realized then, as his brows rose up and body stiffen, that Max was actually waiting for an explanation.
“Oh, sorry I’m,” He exhaled a shaky breath. “I was trying to catch Lando, um-”
“Yeah, I saw that much.” Max’s frown deepened with an attentive narrow of his eyes. “Why were you trying to catch him? I heard you yelling.”
“Um,” Charles felt himself starting to play with his fingers unconsciously. “It’s nothing, I just-”
I couldn’t even knead a dough.
I’m so incompetent.
Lando wanted to order takeout rather than having me mess up all of the kitchen just to ruin the pizzas also.
No, he couldn’t say any of that.
Not when Max would think the worst of him even more after their stupid first meet. Charles couldn’t just embarrass himself more in front of his crush.
“It’s what?” Max rose a brow in question, tilting his head to the side.
“It’s nothing.” Charles pouted a bit, biting the inside of his cheek, but Max didn’t seem much convinced when he took his wrist in the next second without any warning-
And Charles couldn’t control his heartbeat as he let himself get dragged towards the kitchen-
Mm, not getting dragged.
Getting manhandled, more like.
Charles loved it lots.
Max stopped in the middle of the kitchen, then, cauising Charles to bump into his back while squinting with surprised eyes.
Gently, he walked them to the countertop, narrowing his eyes to inspect the dough and let go of Charles' wrist, a soft frown settling on his face. “What's that?”
“Um,” Charles felt a blush creeping on high cheeks. “I tried- tried to… pizzas, then I thought I would… but-”
“-You tried to make pizzas?”
Sniffling, Charles nodded, the redness on his face growing more with each second.
Max blinked at him for a few seconds, biting the inside of his cheek, and Charles waitef for a humiliation to come, to any kind laugh, scold, or pity;
But it never came.
Instead, Max placed his hands on each side of Charles’ waist, and dragged him in front of himself in a smooth movement.
Taking his breath away.
His hands settled on the marble surface, wide, creating a circle with Charles in it.
Trapping Charles between the countertop and himself with strong, big arms.
Drawing out a loud gulp from him.
“You should,” Max grabbed the outer part of Charles’ hands gently-
And intertwined their fingers out of nowhere,
Making his breath hitch with the suddenness.
Pressing his lips to a thin line, Charles tried to calm himself, to not do something stupid, like whining in Max's hold.
“Use the heel of your hands, and gently push to dough away from yourself, okay?”
Charles nodded, whispering in a shy voice. “Okay.”
“Want to try with me?”
Want to try with-
Charles nodded again, knowing his face was completely on fire by now, the blush creeping down his neck and even his chest.
Only, he wished, Max wouldn't be able to hear the tachycardic beat of his heart.
“First, feel the dough under your palms, and- hey, relax.” Max massaged over his hand with his thumb. “Don't need to tense this much, or” His voice dropped an octave. “Is it because I'm making you uncomfortable?”
Charles’ eyes widened in absolute fear as he turned his head to Max, then he bit his tongue while shaking his head vigorously, not wanting him to misunderstand.
“Yeah?” Max bit his lip, narrowing eyes as if to see through a lie, but his face softened again when Charles gave him puppy eyes, pouting sweetly.
That earned him a chaste kiss on his cheekbones.
Charles felt the fire blazing on that specific spot.
They could've kiss.
If Charles would lean down just a bit more, they would kiss.
Charles wanted it more than anything else he ever wanted.
“Push the dough with your palm,” Max’s broken voice made him shiver, not even breaking eye contact as he moved the dough on the countertop away with their joined hands. “Like that.”
“Ah,” A broken whine escaped Charles’ mouth, small. “Like that?”
“Yes,” Max hissed through his teeth with his pupils dilating more and more each second, devouring Charles whole. “Honey, hm? Like that. Don't go easy on it.”
Charles settled with a silent hum, blinking at Max as he tried to push the dough again, but it didn't move-
Instead, Max pushed his body more to Charles’, drawing out a whimper from him with the force of his action as he trapped Charles between himself and the countertop.
“Harder.” He growled, face not carrying anything soft this time, lust growing more and more with each second- “Go fucking harder.”
Charles let out a broken noise with his pout deepening. “Harder?”
Max's breath ragged as he placed his lips on Charles’ jaw, just pressing, not kissing but, pressing. Hard. Really, really hard.
“You can do it, no?”
“I'm,” Charles shook his head as his heartbeat quickened, veins popping on his neck- and it caught Max's attention eventually.
His blue sapphires dropped to Charles’ throat, right on his pulse point, then he let his lips fall lower, nuzzling his jaw but mouthing his neck.
“Why don't you,” He inhaled deeply, consuming all of Charles, closing his eyes slowly. “Take care of the muffins while I knead the dough?”
Frowning a bit, Charles opened his mouth to ask, confused-
“Before I do something-” Max gulped, digging his teeth more to his bottom lip, inhaling a sharp breath. “Please.”
Before I do something-
What?
Before I do what?
I want you to do something.
Want you to kiss me.
Kiss. Why don't you just kiss me?
Why don’t you just- Ruin it.
Fucking ruin it. Please. Whatever that's between us, I'm begging you to ruin it.
And kiss me.
But then, Max separated their hands and let go of the hold, retreating from Charles’ body,
Charles could only nod desperately as he gave up, moving to the side with a loud gulp, and letting Max.
Letting Max knead the dough.
Letting Max do what he deemed suitable.
Letting Max to protect whatever disgusting thing they had.
Charles didn't want to protect it.
Letting Max to not kiss him.
No. Charles definitely didn't want it.
At least, the pizzas were good enough for them to eat without breaking their teeth.
In fact, Charles still thought it would be uneatable if it wasn't for Max helping him with it, but when Pierre offered a warm smile at him and a ‘thanks’ while chewing his bite enthusiastically, well, it stroked his ego just a little bit.
“Come on,” Lando whined, pointing in front of him grumpily. “You guys are so slow, it's just a stupid question!”
“I'm thinking, okay?” Alex placed his fingers to his temple, massaging and seeming deep in thought. “I can't remember the last time I even tried to talk with a girl.”
“See?” George smiled smugly before choking himself on some muffins, voice hoarse. “He's so into me that there's no one else in the records before me.”
“Argh, shut up mate.” Lando rolled his eyes before reaching at the glass bottle, spinning it, and grinning devilishly when it stopped on Oscar.
“Mm,” He mumbled enthusiastically. “Truth or dare, Oscar?”
Tensing a bit, Oscar managed to offer a poor smile, scratching the back of his neck. “Um, truth, I guess.”
The ninth puff left Lando's mouth with a roll of his eyes that night. “But truth is so boring! Will anyone do some dare?!”
Voices seemed to fade away, getting further as Charles sighed softly in Max's hold, his slim fingers massaging Charles’ temples and dipping into his brown locks from time to time.
Calmness grew so much that at some point Charles closed his eyes with a big relief conquering every part of his heart.
Max straightened himself a bit, but not cauising any harm to Charles, placing his head back to his lap, on his stomach, Charles laying between his legs on the couch.
Until an annoying voice interrupted their happiness again, breaking their little bubble.
“You two!” Lando called with a teasing voice.
Again. Charles wanted to strangle him. “What?”
A dirty smile grew on Lando's face. “May I ask what y'all think you're doing?”
Slowly, Charles raised his head from Max's lap, frowning, gulping. “What do you-”
“He's just tired.” Max interfered, placing his hand to Charles’ nape to make him lay again. “And it's none of your business, also.”
“Oh, is that so?” Lando puckered his lips with a sassy attitude, trying to hide his smile. “Since when you guys are this close?”
“Yeah?” Pierre backed him up, tilting his head to the side. “What’s up calamar?”
Charles buried his head more to Max’s sweatpants, voice muffled against the fabric. “He’s a nice guy, why wouldn’t we be close?”
“No, no,” Lando got up from his seat and came closer to them. “I said ‘this’ close. If there’s something you want to say-”
“Lando!” Max hissed under his breath, clenching his jaw in warning. “Just get back to your fucking game, would you? He’s already tired.”
Halting, Lando exhaled a long breath and retreated, but only to cause more problems in the next minute. “Actually, it was Charles’ turn.”
Max snorted. “Charles doesn’t play, mate.”
“No?” George poked his head behind Alex’s shoulder to get into view. “We said everyone plays, and that includes you two.”
“He doesn’t want to-”
“RULES ARE RULES, LADS!” Lando clapped his hands enthusiastically before sitting back on his haunches. “If it’s Charles’ turn, then he has to answer the question.”
Charles let out a tired groan, burying his head more to Max’s lap before opening one eye to take a glance at the room-
Only to immediately meet Pierre’s devilish smile with his eyes looking back and forth between him and Max.
It sent down shivers from his back, and a loud gulp.
“Calamar,” His grin turned toothy with amusement. “Answer the question, truth or dare?”
Tidal waves started to visit Charles’ whole body when everyone’s head whipped at him, giving him a look, each one of them.
Oscar’s a bit soft, a small supporting smile, but Lando’s threatening to split his face to two.
Alex understanding his discomfort and offering a shrug, but George showing his teeth and laying back on he floor to the table’s feet, enjoying the show.
Pierre’s- well. Charles already knew what he’d be asked if he answered ‘truth.’
“Dare.”
Alas, instead of fading, Pierre’s smile grew even more incredibly, devilish things screaming from his eyes, but Lando stopped him before he could open his mouth to say something.
“Actually, you two missed two rounds in total, so that makes four truth or dare’s.”
Max snorted again, puffing out with an annoyed attitude. “Mate, we already said-”
“NOO!” George got up from his seat, shaking a finger vigorously. “We said everyone plays, and Lando’s right. We all did embarrassing dares and-”
“We didn’t do any dares-”
“Shut up, Al,” George’s eyes widened as he turned back to look at Alex, then he added right away. “Shut up, darling. Don’t get in the way of an auspicious relationship.”
Charles let out a broken noise. “I don’t want to make two truth or dare’s.”
That drew out a rather than necessary enthusiastic chuckle from Lando. “Guys, look, let’s make a deal. Make it two dares and zero truths, what about it?”
Max wrinkled his nose. “Will you let us go if we do them?”
Something lit up in Lando’s blue eyes. “Of course mate! And even more, you can not play for the rest of the night! Isn’t that awesome?”
Charles frowned, trying to wrap his head around it, but Max waved his hand in the air nonchalantly before whispering. “It’s just a dare, mostly something so embarrassing like a phone prank, what can happen at most-”
“Charles will sit on Max’s lap.”
Charles’ head whipped to Pierre in a heartbeat as his neck felt like breaking. “What?!”
“You hear me!” Pierre shrugged, raising his hands in the air with a teasing voice. “I want you to sit on Max’s lap for the rest of the night.”
“HIHIHIHI!” George brought his hands together to rub them devilishly. “He has to do it!"
“What the fuck?!” Charles got up on his elbows, spitting out. “This is- you can’t just- what if Max doesn’t want it? He’d be uncomfortable.”
Pierre snorted, letting his eyes fall on Max. “More like, I think he would beg you for it.”
Confused, Charles raised a brow and wrinkled his mouth, shaking his head to his friend as if to say ‘what’s going on?’, but as he turned his head to Max, he thought-
He understood, a bit. What Pierre meant with his teasing sentence.
Darkened gaze of blue checking him out fully before settling on his face, so intense, so primitive that Charles had to shudder, letting his lips part.
Beg me for it.
Beg me for my love.
“Sit,” Pierre repeated, gesturing. Charles felt his heart throb in his ears, face reddening.
Max licked his lips absentmindedly, but his tongue lingered more than necessary, and Charles, well.
How could he refuse his demand when Max had extended an arm at him, waiting him on his lap?
Charles' legs wobbled as he straightened himself on the couch, moving towards Max slowly, and his fingers trembled also, as he tried to place them on Max’s shoulders to gain balance.
Not that it mattered when it happened in only two seconds.
When Max tugged at his waist harshly and pulled him down to his lap just in a heartbeat, impatient.
Charles swallowed, hard.
“Also,” Lando started, voice coming from further, a bit of distance, and Charles realized he hadn’t even remembered Lando leaving the room with the heat of the moment. “You will wear this.”
This. Charles didn’t even have a chance to look at what was ‘this’ before it got put on his hair, feeling like a-
“Are you putting a headband in my hair?!”
Lando let out a deep chuckle to it, throwing his head back. Charles puffed out angrily as his hands flew to his hair, trying to get the headband-
But.
Oh,
Maybe he didn’t need to look at it to understand what it was.
Maybe Max’s intense gaze on his hair was already enough of a proof for it,
But when Charles dipped his fingers to his hair and felt the texture of the headband, two little soft triangles,
The broken voice leaving his mouth wasn’t his fault.
Universe seemed to play a fucking game with him.
This couldn’t be real.
“You have a kitten now, Max.” Pierre placed his hands on his hips, a proud look on his face. “Right, Charlot?”
Kitten. Max’s kittens. Charles being one of them-
“Of course.” Max’s eyes widened to how his own voice came out so raspy, then he cleared his throat, caressing the soft fabric of Charles' kitten headband. “He’s sweet.”
Sweet like honey.
“Lol,” George swayed his head from left to right amusedly. “Kittens, British fellas, and birthday parties, it’s a good day citizens!”
“Georgeeee!” Alex swatted his boyfriend’s hand. “Don’t get spoiled too much.”
Charles’ nails dug in Max’s shoulder as an arm sneaked around his waist, and a hand, into his sweater, meeting his bare skin.
Letting out a breath, he welcomed the cold tingling, and gained courage, leaning a bit into Max’s body.
Max just pushed him more than Charles intended to go.
Mm.
“Okay guys,” Oscar cleared his throat, trying to attract everyone’s attention back. “It was my turn at last, and I said truth.”
Charles allowed his head to fall between Max’s neck and shoulder, placing in there calmly, inhaling.
It was- good, felt so good, and Charles felt his mind getting hazier, blurrier as Max started to stroke his back with direct contact to his bare skin.
"Are you comfortable, kitten?" Max whispered, when everyone continued playing, their attention fully on something Oscar had done in his freshman year-
And Max was so fucking close, it was in Charles’ ear, where he whispered it, causing goosebumps all over his body.
Kitten.
Little kitten.
Charles was a good kitten, wasn't he?
"Uh-huh." He nodded, letting himself relax a bit more, and he literally tasted the heaven while sleeping on Max's shoulder as slim fingers started to comb his hair.
"God, you’re a really shy kitten." Max laughed softly, and Charles nuzzled his neck, trying to hide a small bashful smile that had started to grow on his face. "You like to be a little kitten, don't you?"
Charles’ response was an instinct at this point. "Uh-huh, meow."
But he felt it in his every fiber when his soft meow made Max wince.
Playing with fire, he took a deep breath, then lifted his head a bit from Max’s shoulder, just to show a glimpse of his batting eyelashes, and a bite of his lip.
Then the blues darkened.
Charles’ body tensed, making his brain go numb.
Again, instincts, Charles would try to defend himself with, if anyone would ask why he had lose the last piece of mind he had, and kitten licked the back of his hand-
Right before offering a sweet giggle as if it was the funniest joke ever,
Max’ hand tightened on his thigh, where it had been calmly sitting, and it got ruined as Max signaled a harsh squeeze, almost on the verge of hurting.
"Charlie," He sighed, a shaky sigh, clenching his jaw. “Stop.”
Charles didn’t do it on purpose, the next squirm on his lap.
But he froze anyways when Max really squeezed his meat this time, drawing out a pained whimper.
“Stop.” Max repeated, a brutal gaze on the blue orbs- that caused a sweet pout on Charles’ face.
That caused a softening in Max’s expressions.
“Why don’t you like me?” Charles brushed his dark locks on Max’s shoulders, sounding like the grumpiest, spoiled baby ever. “You-"
“Charles.” Charles exhaled sharply as a rough hand cupped his chin to raise his head from Max’s shoulder, and an eye roll, in pleasure, unfortunately escaped him as he saw how Max’s fat tongue licked his plump lips seductively. “Don’t say ridiculous things.”
Charles let his lip part as Max put a thumb in between, and he sucked on it softly, just the tip of it, putting a little kiss.
“You know that I love to be around you so much.” Max whispered, tone still dark.
You know that I love you.
So much.
“Do you think I would’ve let anyone else sit on my lap? That I’d be comfortable?”
Charles managed to shake his head in no.
"Right.” Max nodded, taking his thumb away from Charles, and Charles mewled softly as Max’s hand met his nape, as Max made his head rest on his shoulder and buried his own head to the dark locks.
Lovely, so, so warm, to be in Max’s arms.
Inhaling his sweet scent.
Charles just closed his eyes, and enjoyed the warmth as his hands turned to fist into Max’s shoulders, not wanting to let him go.
And as Lando shouted enthusiastically that he'd spin the bottle to indicate who's turn was next, he realized.
Truth or dare wasn't being played with round's, and the bottle had never come to Charles neither Max.
The next time he was conscious, someone was jolting his body from shoulders, shaking his head to themselves, pulling-
But the real jolt happened when a voice scream whispered in his ear.
“... I’m telling you to let it go! Why are you still trying to get him?!”
“Because it’s fucking midnight, Max! We have to go home!”
Charles gulped uncomfortably, his eyelids feeling so heavy.
“Why?! He can stay here! It's so-”
“-Max?” Charles felt something tickling against Max’s chin as he raised his head, hardly opening an eye.
It didn't last than a second before a hand squeezed the side of his belly, and Charles realized a warmth on his waist, burning, a good kind of burn.
“Charlot,” Pierre’s voice faded away as if it was far away, like little waves hitting the shore at seaside. “Can you-”
“Let him stay.” Max’s voice still sounded rich, deep and nice above him. “You know that I'll take good care of him.”
“But-”
“No buts. Let me.”
Charles let out a soft noise, squirming, feeling like flying on the clouds as his hair brushed on something soft and broad.
"Baby?" The rich voice whispered, and Charles hummed, quiet.
"You're asleep?" Max asked.
Even slow, Charles managed to shake his head this time for a proper answer, then Max caressed his cheek. "Do you want to stay here?”
Well-
That line, captured Charles' attention for the better, and his eyes widened with the excitement growing inside him, even if his mind was still sleeping.
“Here?” He asked, sounding desperate- touching the sensitive part of Max's neck with his lips as he spoke.
"Yes, do you want to?" Max whispered softly, rubbing his cheek with a thumb, and Charles opened one eye to look at him, sighing. “It's so warm."
His hands sneaked under Max's t-shirt, trying to chase the warmth more.
"Let's go to the bedroom, okay?" Max brushed a slightly sweaty lock from his forehead.
“Max.” Pierre sniffled coldly, puffing all the air inside his lungs. “But he-”
“It's okay.” Max cut him off, and caressed Charles’ waist. “I'll make sure he sleeps properly. You can trust me.”
Charles let out another soft sigh as his eyes flutter shut, nuzzling to the hot skin of Max-
But the world felt like running away under his feet as he flew all of a sudden, different than the feeling of the clouds, and he tried to tug at something, instincts.
Large hands wrapped under his knees and back. "I'll carry you, okay? Can you hold on to me?"
Still in progress, Charles slowly nodded, holding Max's shoulders, feeling the air washing over his face while swaying in the heights.
Loud thump of a door slam made him jump suddenly, but Max soothed his back, whispering sweet things to him.
Charles couldn’t wrap his head around much things.
Alas, when it felt so cold all of a sudden, he realized that he had been slowly left in a bed, so, so cold; so he rubbed his eyes and tried to open them. "Maxy?"
Silence seemed to stretch for a while.
Charles felt the breeze hitting his skin and damaging the softness, piercing through his clothes.
So, so windy.
He tried to straighten himself, failing as his elbows slid on the satin sheets, back of his head digging again to the bed.
Hope started to fade away with a blurry mind, gaze getting hazier-
Until a soft kiss landed on the tip of his nose,
Until a pair of hands grabbed his body and slid it until the edge of the bed, causing his legs to hang down.
Oh, Charles sighed, when the warmth returned to his body, blessing him again, running along his skin.
“Can I change your sweater?”
“Hm?”
“Can I change your sweater?” Max repeated, his hands on the hem of Charles’ top, waiting. “It wouldn’t be comfortable to sleep with it.”
To sleep with it.
Sleep with-
Charles’ eyes widened as his hand flew to his hair, feeling none of the heaviness before-
Oh,
A sad pout settled on his face.
No kitten headbands.
“I’m not a kitten anymore.” He murmured, trying to cross his arms in front of his chest but failing clearly, body still not awake.
Max just chuckled, sighing fondly. “You’re my kitten at all costs, but can I change your sweater, now?”
You're my kitten.
At all costs.
A smile took over Charles’ face, and he nodded happily with his dimples weak on his cheek.
Max exhaled a breath of relief, then rose the hem of his sweater, pulling it up.
He didn't care when Charles couldn't even raise his arms to help him, just struggled a bit-
But never wanted anything from Charles.
Calmly, took care of him, doing everything on his behalf.
“You're so cute,” His hot breath fanned over Charles’ skin, awakening goosebumps, right on his belly. “So sleepy, not even thinking properly, no?”
A weak, amused smile came as an answer along with a small nod.
Warmth of Max’s fingers replaced, even defeated the hotness of any sweater could provide.“Would you remember it?”
“Hm?”
“If I did something.” Max whispered on his skin, putting on a soft fabric on Charles, taking his arms and placing them in the cloth.
“Baby Maxy.” Charles mumbled with the half roll of his tongue, hands weakly grabbing the milky sheets under him.
Only thing that made him grip harder was a soft touch on his belly.
Hot.
Burning, burning lips touched his skin, massaged his meat, and Charles’ back arched instinctively, wanting more than a small touch.
“I want to kiss you.” Got murmured against his belly. “You don't know how precious you are to me.”
Precious, to me.
“But," Charles let out an unsatisfied voice as the warmth left his skin again. "Don't leave me."
“I won’t.” Max murmured while putting a hand under his nape, then dragged him on the sheets, not stopping until it hit something soft.
“Mmm,” Hands curling into fists, Charles let his body melt in the softness, smoothness, opening the door of dreamland again.
Silence conquered the room for a few seconds, and Charles patted on his side, mewling.
“Would it be okay with you if I slept next to you?”
Hardly, Charles opened one eye, seeing Max dropping his own top to the floor and getting a t-shirt from his wardrobe.
“Please,” He whispered, making grabby hands, but failing as they fall weakly to the bed again. “Wanted to sleep with you since the- the…”
Max just chuckled, rich and deep. “I of course know, I’m the one who told you that.”
His soft sweet noise put on a smile on Charles’ face too, but his smile grew even more as the sheets dipped next to him, getting heavier-
And the warmth came back as a pair of hands pulled his body towards themselves, hot, big, protective.
Sharp stubbles tingled his forehead before Charles buried his face to the broad chest.
Max wrapped his arms stronger around him, completely holding, suffocating literally. “Will you also remember if I say something stupid now?”
Charles let out a soft noise, snuggling to Max’s chest and nuzzling like a kitten, still sleepy. “I wouldn’t.”
“Yeah?” Max dipped his fingers to his hair once again. “What if I say I might be in love with you?”
Dimples settled on Charles’ face right away in an inhuman speed as his smile grew. “I love… you. Too. Three… Four?
Max snorted, putting a kiss on his locks. “You’re as miserable as when you were drunk when you’re sleepy.”
“Uh-uh.” Charles’ hands turned into curls with a deep frown and a big pout. “Bad Maxy. Shut- um… shut down.”
This time, it drew out a loud chuckle from Max, the shake of his chest interrupting Charles’ hazy phase. “Did you mean shut up?”
Charles shook his head, burying his head more to the softness. “Shut down, not funny.”
Max snorted again, taking in a deep, fond sigh, and closed the covers upon their bodies.
“Nighty, sweet little kitten.” He whispered.
Charles nuzzled on him before whispering back. “Nighty Maxy.”