Chapter Text
“How was your break?” You ask Lance as you stand up from the briefing table to greet him with a hug.
You’d never admit it to anyone, but during the month-long break, you missed your teammate. One of the few drivers on the grid that you actually missed.
“Really good, how was yours?” Lance asks.
“Good,” You reply with a nod. Not elaborating at all.
“Where were you again? Did you go home?” Lance asks.
You shrug as you pick at your nails, trying to come up with a vague answer as you’re already talking.
“Um, I was kind of all over the place, but a quick visit home, some time in London working, then a little break, it was really nice,” You ramble before you just sort of… stop talking.
“Oh, cool,” Lance replies as he looks at you curiously. You know you’re not very good at lying, but you didn’t realize how awkwardly you were going to have to skirt around certain topics.
“Yeah, what about you, were you in Canada or in Monaco?” You ask Lance, desperate to change the direction of the conversation.
“Both,” Lance replies. “You really need to come out and spend some time in Monaco– for real, not for a race – I think you’d really like it.”
“I know, I’m… I’m thinking about the pros and cons of a move,” You admit.
Which is ridiculous. You and Max have only been dating for what? Three weeks? There’s no reason for you to be thinking about your future with any sort of seriousness. But you can’t help but think about how much more convenient your life would be if you lived in the same place, even the fact that it would be the same country.
Not to mention almost all of your friends have places in Monaco.
Yay, tax evasion!
“Really?” Lance asks, his face breaking out into a wide grin.
“Don’t get too excited,” You reply, trying to mellow out his expectations. “And don’t tell anyone! I’m just thinking about it,” You add.
The last thing you need is word of this getting back to Max somehow, and him thinking you’re some sort of psycho girlfriend who’s already plotting how to move into his flat.
“I won’t,” Lance replies with a solemn nod. “But it would be great to have you around.”
“That’s P2, (Y/N)! P2!” Alex comes on over your radio as you finish the race.
You’re screaming into your mic before Alex can even finish talking.
“YES! WHOO! WHAT A WAY TO COME BACK! CAN’T THANK THE WHOLE TEAM ENOUGH! WHAT A RACE!”
Once you’re out of the car, you bound over to Max and hug him tightly, earning a strong slap on the back from Max as the TV cameras are pointed at you from all directions before you head over to do your post-race interview.
“Seems like you were able to get yourself back up to where you started the season with the summer break,” The interviewer asks.
“It was great to take some time away and reset. But I’m ready to finish out the season strong,” You reply with a grin, and you prop your arm up on your hip. “With results like this, it’s a great rookie season that I’m really proud of.”
After the podium, you’re in the cooldown room again, talking to Max, continuing your rehash of the entire race. It’s equally amusing and frustrating because Max has almost no awareness of anyone else’s race, thanks to how far ahead he is. But it also means he’ll listen to you closely as you detail every exciting moment of your race.
“You did great. Seriously, it was an insane drive,” you tell Max as Catie gives you a look that means you are officially out of wiggle room before press duties.
“So did you,” Max replies.
“I’ll see you after,” You promise as you give him one last hug. The maximum amount of affection you can get away with at the moment.
You both know that affection in front of other people, especially cameras, needs to remain at a minimum, but with both of you on the podium, some hugs are more than acceptable.
“Let’s go,” Catie says as she pulls you out of the room down to your first interview.
“Great work, by the way,” She adds as you walk quietly beside her.
“Thank you,” You reply with a smile.
“You shut down the naysayers with that result. Whatever you did over break, keep doing that,” She adds.
You nod wordlessly.
After she reprimanded you so aggressively before the break, you still feel some trepidation when it comes to Catie. You know she’s just doing her job (and doing a hell of a good job at that), but now that the relationship that you’d convinced her she’d completely imagined is a reality… well, you feel a little worried about how she’s going to react when you finally decide to tell her the truth.
“Hey,” Catie says as she glances at you, as if she can read your mind. “I’m serious. I know I’ve been tough on you this year, and I’ve had to play the bad guy, and I’ve made you play by their rules, but I’m here to make sure that all of the noise goes away and everyone knows just how good you are.”
“Of course,” You tell her. You’ve been playing by men’s rules your entire career. You’ve never asked for any special treatment because you know that the only way to earn respect in motorsport, as it currently stands, is to make sure you’re not giving anyone an inch where they might find something to criticize about you.
But it’s also, as you’ve recently come to realize, impossible.
“I took this job because I wanted to work with you. For you. I want to be part of your story as you make history,” Catie tells you quietly. “If you don’t agree with something I say, I want you- I need you to push back. Because, fuck those guys, And fuck anyone who doesn’t see that you are a once-in-a-lifetime talent on that track. You can outrace all of these little boys.”
“And you have.”
“Thank you, Catie,” You tell her. “I couldn’t do any of this with you.”
“You’re in a good mood,” Max comments as you answer the door with a wide smile.
“I just got second at your home race,” You tell him as your grin only widens. “And P2 at any race this year is basically P1, so if you think about it, I won your home grand prix.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Max mutters as he closes the door behind him before wrapping his arms tightly around your waist and pulling you against him.
“You love it,” You murmur against his lips.
“Yeah, I do,” Max replies.
You freeze in his hold, and you look up to stare at him for a moment, your eyes wide. You’re trying not to make a bigger deal out of those words than he meant by them.
“I’m falling in love with you,” Max says as he sees your mind short-circuit a bit.
“Oh,” You whisper. “That’s very nice, isn’t it?”
Max’s eyes search your own as your expression turns into something completely unreadable.
“I’m falling in love with you, too, by the way,” You add as you run your fingertips down Max’s shoulders. Beaming at him.
Fuck. You’ve never been this happy before in your entire life.
“My whole family is here this weekend,” Max says.
“I know, I saw them at the podium celebration,” You reply with a nod.
“I want you to meet them,” Max tells you.
“Max…” You start to hesitate.
“I don’t know when they’ll be able to make it to another race,” Max explains. “After the Red Bull dinner, come meet them.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” You ask hesitantly. Mostly because of the optics, definitely not because you’re intimidated by the thought of meeting Max’s family. Intimidated by what that meant.
You might finally be able to talk to Max about how you feel, but talking to his family about him? That’s a whole other level. And you’re not really sure about all of that.
“I’ll rent something out, very private, and make sure everyone knows to keep us to themselves,” Max tells you.
“I’d really like to meet your mom,” You admit as you intertwine your fingers with his.
“Lovely,” Max replies with a brilliant smile that you can’t help but mirror as you look back at him.
“Okay,” You reply with a nod. “See you later.”
“Oh, and babe?” You add. “Is that what you’re wearing?”
Formula1: Max and (Y/N) are all smiles on the podium. Finishing 1 and 2, respectively, at the Dutch Grand Prix.
User1: Did you see the way they looked at each other ?
F1gossipofficial: Max Verstappen photographed arriving at the Red Bull Celebration dinner after his win in Zandvoort.
User1: Who got Max out of those Red Bull shirts and skinny jeans???
User2: They deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for their act of service
You giggled a bit madly to yourself as you read the comments on the F1 fan page’s post before sending it to Max.
Max: What was wrong with the skinny jeans?
You: Babe…
You: I don’t even know where to start. But you have great thighs, and they look so much better when you’re not squeezing them into those fugly jeans.
Max: :(
You: Tbf the white t-shirts really do it for me
Max: Noted
You: :)
Max: :)
You’re smoothing down the front of your dress for the millionth time since you put it on as you walk into the restaurant Max sent you the address for.
It’s nerve-wracking. Meeting the family.
The one member of Max’s family that you are very familiar with definitely does not like you. And a part of your mind is worried that this will just be that, tenfold over.
But Max had assured you that the rest of his family is nothing like his dad. His mom especially. You’d met her in passing years ago, but when you’re led into the private room of the restaurant, Sophie Kumpen’s face lights up like you’re her oldest friend.
“(Y/N)!” Sophie greets you as she opens her arms wide and makes a beeline for you. “When Max told us you would join us tonight, I was thrilled!”
“It’s so nice to officially meet you,” You tell her as she pulls you into a tight hug, rocking you side to side slightly.
“Aren’t you just lovely,” Sophie says as she holds you out at arm's length to get a good look. “Doesn’t she look amazing, Max?”
“She does,” Max replies as he appears over your shoulder, dropping his arms over your shoulders and hugging you against him in a silent hello.
“Hi,” You whisper softly.
“Hey,” Max replies as he pulls you into his side.
“You two are adorable,” Sophie replies as she clasps her hands in front of her. Beaming at the two of you. “Oh, this is so wonderful. I always thought Max had a bit of a crush on you growing up.”
“Oh, Tori!” Sophie shouts as she glances over your shoulder and you turn to see a woman you recognize as Max’s sister walking in.
“I’m Victoria,” Max’s sister introduces herself as she hoists a little boy higher up on her hip. “Max has told me so much about you.”
“Same!” You reply. “And who’s this little guy?” You ask as you grin down at the boy in her arms.
“His name is Luka,” Victoria replies. “He’s a little shy, he’s Max’s mini-me,” She explains.
“Oh my god, He definitely is!” You coo as you look between little Luka and Max. “Chubby cheeks and everything!”
“Alright,” Max mutters as he drags you away from his sister before either of you can say anything else to embarrass him.
Max does a round to introduce you to everyone. Aunts, uncles, and cousins, as well as Victoria’s younger son, Lio, and her husband, all say hello in rapid succession as you struggle to keep their names straight.
And then suddenly you’re standing in front of the sweetest looking little white-haired lady.
“Grandma? This is my girlfriend, (Y/N),” Max introduces you.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” You tell her as you smile down at her.
“You’re a driver as well, yes?” She asks as she studies you, her eyebrows knit together. “You were on the podium today.”
“I was,” You say with a small nod. You try to stand still as you can tell she’s taking you in. Sizing you up.
She takes your hand into hers and pulls you close so that she can whisper in your ear.
“Don’t let Max always win,” She tells you, and you alone as you stoop down to listen to her.
“I’m not trying to, I promise,” You reply with a smile as you turn to look at her.
“He needs a challenge,” She continued with a nod. “He never did like things that were easy.”
She says something to Max in Dutch that you don’t understand as you stand back up, and Max just grins and nods before rattling off his own response in Dutch as well.
As he leads you over to some cousins, you lean over.
“What did your grandma say to you?” You ask him.
“That I shouldn’t let you go, and that I need someone like you. Someone who… I don’t know what the phrase would be in English exactly…” He trails off as he searches.
“Who busts my balls,” He tells you.
You try not to burst out laughing, resulting in you sputtering in Max’s face.
“She got all of that from me saying hi?” You ask as you glance over your shoulder at the sweet old lady that Max’s sister’s family is now speaking to.
“Well, I’d told her about you,” Max admits.
“You did?” You ask in shock. “Oh my god, you told your grandma about me? Before we were together?”
“Yes, yes, I’m down horrendously bad for you, we’ve covered this,” Max replies with a roll of his eyes.
“Down bad,” You mutter. This tied with you both telling each other you were falling in love with the other, and the race results were putting you on a high that you’d never really experienced before. “I really am rubbing off on you, aren’t I?”
“I can think of a couple of things I’d like for you to rub,” Max muttered lowly in your ear.
“Max!” You hiss as you slap at his chest, trying to act scandalized as you glance around to make sure that none of Max’s relatives overheard you.
“That has to wait until after I’ve met the rest of your family,” You inform him. “We can’t just disappear before we’ve said hello to everyone.”
“There’s a bathroom down the hall,” Max offers with a shrug. “We could…”
“I hate you,” You mutter as you shake your head.
You hate that this man is genuinely causing you to consider having a quickie in the bathroom right after you’ve met his very lovely grandmother.
“No, you don’t,” He replies.
“I don’t,” You admit.
Not even a little bit. Not at all.