๐๐๐๐๐พโโโโ featuring charles leclerc, oscar piastri, max verstappen, kimi antonelli, ollie bearman โฟ fluff catalogue๏ผ established relationship
CHARLES LECLERC ๏ฝก you're shivering in the monaco evening breeze, arms wrapped around yourself as you wait outside the restaurant. charles notices immediately. he always does. and he's already shrugging off his jacket before you can protest.
"charles, you'll freeze," you start, but he's draping it over your shoulders, fingers lingering at your collar as he adjusts it.
"don't care," he says simply, that soft smile reserved only for you playing at his lips.
you've seen him do this exactly zero times for anyone else. arthur complained about being cold last week and charles literally laughed at him. told him to "walk faster, it'll warm you up." but with you? he'd give you his only layer of clothing in a snowstorm without hesitation.
the jacket smells like his cologne and something distinctly him. he stands closer now, one hand finding the small of your back. he's definitely cold. you can see the goosebumps on his arms, but when you try to give it back, he just pulls you closer instead.
"keep it," he murmurs. "you look better in it anyway."
OSCAR PIASTRI ๏ฝก you're wearing his gray hoodie again. the one he's had since his prema days, stretched out and faded.
"that's my favorite," oscar points out from the doorway, but he's already fighting back a smile.
"yeah?" you tug the sleeves over your hands. "want it back?"
"didn't say that."
he won't admit it, but you've seen him physically move his hoodies to the front of his closet where you can reach them easier. lando tried to borrow one once after a gym session and oscar deadpan told him "absolutely not, buy your own." but you? you've accidentally created a whole section of your wardrobe that's just his clothes.
you catch him staring as you flop onto the bed beside him. "what?"
"nothing." his ears go slightly pink and he's definitely fighting a smile. "just... bring that one back eventually? maybe?"
"no promises, piastri."
MAX VERSTAPPEN ๏ฝก max is in full concentration mode, hunched over his sim rig with that death grip on the steering wheel. you can hear him muttering curses under his breath. never a good sign for whoever he's racing. you pad into his living room, and he doesn't even flinch.
"baby," he mutters, eyes still locked on the screen as he takes a corner. "there's snacks on the desk."
you weren't even looking for snacks but sure. you grab one and plop into the chair next to him, watching his concentration face. the little furrow between his brows, the way his jaw clenches.
"not now," one of his friend's voice crackles through his headset. "we're in the middle ofโis that your girlfriend?"
"yeah," max says simply.
"mate, i thought you had a no-interruption rule?"
"i do."
"then why is sheโ"
"she doesn't count." he says it so matter-of-factly, like it's obvious. "different rules. now shut up, i'm trying to overtake."
KIMI ANTONELLI ๏ฝก kimi's supposed to be asleep two hours ago. early morning training session, toto's orders, the whole responsible f1 driver routine. and he's got a sleep schedule that would make a monk weep. but he's still awake at 2am with you.
"and then she asked for oat milk after they made it with regular, are you even awake?"
"mhm." his eyes are definitely closed now. "she's... she's lactose intolerant?"
"go to sleep, kimi."
"no, no, i'm listening." he forces his eyes open, reaching for you blindly until his hand finds yours. "what happened with the coffee?"
"you know your trainer would murder you if they knew you were awake right now," you whisper. "don't care." he tugs you closer, tucking his face into your shoulder. his words are muffled against your shirt. "tell me the rest. did she get the oat milk?"
"you're ridiculous."
"you're ridiculous," he mumbles. "keep talking. i like your voice."
OLLIE BEARMAN ๏ฝก ollie's been glued to the soccer match for the past hour, practically vibrating every time they get near the goal. you've seen this level of focus exactly twice: now, and during qualifying. literally on the edge of the couch like he might fall off. you feel a little bad interrupting, butโ
"ollie, do you think i should cut my hair shorter?"
his head whips around so fast you're worried about whiplash. "what? like how much shorter?"
"i dunno, maybe to here?" you gesture vaguely at your shoulders.
"wait, let me see." with this serious, concentrated expression. "hmm. i mean, you'd look beautiful either way, butโ"
"GOAL!" the announcer's voice screams from the tv.
ollie doesn't even glance back. "maybe keep it long? but honestly whatever makes you happy. do you want to cut it?"
"ollie, they just scored."
"whoโoh." he looks at the screen for half a second, then back at you. "it's fine, they'll replay it. so about your hair, have you thought about layers? or maybe curls?"
author's note. ack this will be my very late valentines gift to everyone ๐
Summary: corporate humiliation (noun): when you ask the woman in the conference room to fetch your coffee and she turns out to be the billionaire about to buy your entire team. Charles Leclercโs guide to career suicide includes mistaking your future boss for an intern, begging on your knees not to be sent to Alpine, and surviving a six-year-oldโs birthday party as penance. The worst part? Heโs pretty sure heโs falling for you
The air in Maranello always tastes different.
Itโs a flavor Charles knows better than the back of his own hand. Itโs a metallic, hopeful tang of hot engines and curing carbon fiber, layered over the sweet, earthy scent of balsamic vinegar and parmesan that drifts from the town. It is the taste of ambition. The taste of home.
Today, it tastes like ash in his mouth.
The summons was vague, delivered via a clipped, formal email from Fred Vasseurโs personal assistant. Meeting. 15:00. Main Conference Room, Gestione Sportiva. Mr. Elkann will be present.
That was it. No agenda. No context. And that, in the world of Scuderia Ferrari, is never, ever a good thing.
His heart hammers against his ribs in a frantic, unsteady rhythm that has nothing to do with athletic exertion. He walks the hallowed, clinically white halls, his PUMA sneakers squeaking softly on the polished floor. Every gleaming trophy in its glass case seems to mock him. Every larger-than-life photo of a past champion feels like a judgment.
Heโs replayed the last few races in his mind a thousand times on the short drive over. Did he say something wrong in a debrief? Was there a clause in his contract heโd forgotten about? The car isnโt where it needs to be, but thatโs not his fault. Heโs been driving the absolute wheels off it, wringing performance from it that has no business existing. It has to be something else.
The door to the main conference room is slightly ajar. He pushes it open, the heavy wood swinging silently on its hinges.
And the room is not empty.
Seated at the far end of the impossibly long, gleaming mahogany table is a woman. No, not a woman. A girl, maybe? You look young. He canโt see your face properly, itโs angled down, illuminated by the soft glow of a tablet propped in front of you. Sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows catches in your hair, turning the strands into a halo of spun gold. Youโre wearing a simple, cream-colored silk blouse and dark trousers. Elegant, but understated. Not the severe, high-fashion power suit of the usual corporate types who haunt these rooms.
He clears his throat.
You look up, and for a second, the air leaves his lungs. Itโs not a dramatic, cinematic moment. Itโs quieter, more profound. Itโs the simple, jarring realization that he has never seen a face quite like yours before. Itโs a composition of soft lines and sharp intelligence, your eyes โ a deep, unreadable shade โ holding his for a beat longer than is socially acceptable.
He blinks, recovering himself. New intern. Must be. Or maybe a junior marketing assistant, brought in to take notes. Theyโre always hiring bright young things from Bocconi University.
โHello,โ he says, his voice a little rougher than he intends. He strides into the room, dropping his phone and keys onto the table with a clatter. The sound echoes in the cavernous space.
โHi,โ you reply. Your voice is low, smooth. It holds a hint of an accent he canโt quite place, a musicality that makes the simple word sound like a melody.
He gestures vaguely towards the gleaming, state-of-the-art espresso machine in the corner of the room, a chrome beast that costs more than a decent road car. โDo you know how to work that thing?โ
You follow his gaze. A small, almost imperceptible smile touches your lips. Itโs not a mocking smile. Itโs โฆ amused. Curious. โI think I can figure it out.โ
โGreat.โ He pulls out a chair, scraping it against the floor, and sinks into it. The anxiety is making him antsy, irritable. โAn espresso, please. Doppio. No sugar.โ
He doesnโt mean for it to sound like an order. Not really. It just comes out that way. Heโs a man who lives his life in tenths of a second, a life of commands and instant responses. โBox, Charles, box.โ โPush now, push now.โ His request is just another line of code in a life run on efficient instructions.
From your perspective, the situation is almost comical. Youโve spent the last seventy-two hours in brutal, back-to-back meetings with lawyers and accountants, dissecting financial statements that could choke a supercomputer. Youโve been up since four this morning, preparing. The weight of your familyโs legacy, a global empire built over four generations, rests squarely on your shoulders. You are here to negotiate the potential acquisition of one of the most iconic brands in human history.
And this man, this beautiful, anxious, impossibly famous man, thinks youโre here to fetch his coffee.
You could correct him. You could flash a sharp, cutting smile and introduce yourself, watch the dawning horror spread across his face. It would be easy. It might even be satisfying.
But whereโs the fun in that?
Besides, thereโs something about the raw tension radiating from him that intrigues you. Heโs not just being arrogant. Heโs terrified. You can see it in the way his jaw is clenched, the way his famous green-blue eyes keep darting towards the door. Heโs a bundle of frayed nerves stuffed into a designer team-issue polo shirt.
So, you stand up. The silk of your blouse whispers against the leather of the chair. โDoppio, no sugar. Got it.โ
Charles just nods, already lost in his phone, scrolling through motorsport news sites as if they might hold the answer to his impending doom. He doesnโt watch you walk to the machine. He doesnโt notice the quiet competence with which you operate it, the practiced movements that suggest youโve made your own coffee a thousand times before. He just hears the comforting gurgle and hiss of the machine, the clink of ceramic.
You place the small, white cup and saucer on the polished table beside his elbow. The rich, dark aroma of the coffee wafts up, a stark contrast to the sterile air of the room.
โThanks,โ he mutters, not looking up. He picks up the cup, his long, artistic fingers โ fingers that can tame a 1000-horsepower monster at 300 kilometers per hour โ wrapping around the delicate handle. He takes a sip, the bitter liquid a familiar jolt to his system.
He risks a glance at you. Youโve returned to your seat at the head of the table, your attention back on your tablet. You look completely unbothered, as if serving coffee to distracted Formula 1 drivers is a perfectly normal part of your day.
The silence stretches. Itโs awkward. He feels a prickle of something โ maybe guilt? He was a little rude.
โSorry,โ he says, clearing his throat again. โIโm just โฆ itโs been a long day.โ
You finally look up from the tablet, your full attention on him. And when you do, he feels pinned in place. Your eyes are astonishingly perceptive. It feels like you can see right through the bravado, right to the frantic, panicked hamster running on a wheel in his brain.
โItโs not over yet,โ you say softly.
The words hang in the air, cryptic and heavy. Before he can try to decipher them, the door swings open again.
John Elkann walks in, followed closely by Fred Vasseur. The shift in the roomโs atmosphere is instantaneous. The air crackles with authority. John, with his patrician bearing and impeccably tailored suit, is the embodiment of quiet, immense power. Fred, by contrast, is a study in controlled chaos, his usual rumpled energy sharpened to a point.
Charles scrambles to his feet. โJohn. Fred.โ
John gives him a curt, polite nod, but his focus, his entire attention, is on you. A warm, genuine smile spreads across his face, a sight so rare itโs like witnessing a solar eclipse.
โY/N,โ he says, his voice rich with Italian warmth. He bypasses Charles completely, walking to the head of the table where you are now rising gracefully from your chair. He takes your hand, bowing his head slightly to press a light kiss to your knuckles in a classic, courtly gesture. โIt is a true pleasure to see you again. I trust your journey was comfortable?โ
You smile back, a radiant, easy expression that transforms your entire face. โPerfectly, John. Thank you for accommodating us on such short notice.โ
Fred is next, shaking your hand firmly. โMs. Y/L/N. Welcome to Maranello. We are all very pleased you could make it.โ
Charles stands frozen in place, a statue of dawning comprehension. The espresso cup feels slick in his suddenly sweaty palm. The gears in his brain are grinding, trying to connect the dots, but theyโre moving through thick, syrupy dread. Y/N Y/L/N. The name sounds vaguely familiar, but he canโt place it. A sponsor? A new board member?
John finally turns to him, his expression now coolly professional. The warmth he showed you has vanished completely.
โCharles,โ he says, his tone leaving no room for pleasantries. โThank you for joining us. I believe you havenโt been formally introduced.โ
Charlesโs mouth is dry. He feels like a schoolboy called to the principalโs office.
John gestures from you to him. โCharles Leclerc, this is Y/N Y/L/N.โ
Thereโs a beat of silence. Charles manages a tight, strangled nod. He still doesnโt get it. Who are you?
Fred decides to rip the bandage off.
โMs. Y/L/N,โ Fred says, his French accent thick, โis the CEO and Chairwoman of Y/L/N Holdings.โ
The name clicks. Not from the business section of a newspaper, but from the high-octane world of finance and power that occasionally intersects with his own. Y/L/N Holdings. They arenโt just a company, theyโre a modern dynasty. A colossal, family-run conglomerate with controlling stakes in everything from technology and pharmaceuticals to luxury fashion and green energy. They are spoken of in the same hushed, reverent tones as Berkshire Hathaway or LVMH. They donโt sponsor teams. They buy them. They buy the leagues the teams compete in.
Charles feels the blood drain from his face. Every drop. He feels light-headed, dizzy, as if heโs just stepped out of the cockpit after a 70-lap race in Singapore.
He looks at you. You, the woman he just ordered to get him an espresso. You, the head of one of the most powerful and influential private corporations on the planet.
And you are looking right back at him. Your expression is perfectly, maddeningly neutral, but he sees it. Deep in your eyes, thereโs a flicker. A tiny, dancing spark of pure amusement.
He is so, so screwed.
โWe are here today,โ John continues, his voice a low drumbeat of doom, โto enter into preliminary discussions with Ms. Y/L/N about the future of Ferrari. All of it. The road cars, the brand, and, of course, Scuderia Ferrari.โ
The room tilts on its axis. Charles physically grips the back of his chair to steady himself. Buy Ferrari? The idea is sacrilege. Itโs unthinkable. Ferrari isnโt just a company; itโs a national treasure, an Italian institution. And this woman โฆ this girl โฆ sheโs here to put a price tag on it.
His brain, which can process thousands of data points a minute during a race, is now stuck in a horrifying loop.
I told the potential new owner of the team to get me a coffee.
I told the woman who could soon be signing my paychecks to fetch me an espresso.
I treated her like an intern.
His career flashes before his eyes. The karting championships. The hard-won F2 title. The dream-come-true moment of signing with Ferrari. All of it, spiraling down the drain because he was too arrogant and too anxious to have a single shred of basic courtesy.
Heโs going to be fired. No, worse. She wonโt just fire him. Sheโll make an example of him. Heโll be bought out of his contract and publicly humiliated. Heโll be forced to sign with Alpine. The thought is so horrifying itโs almost paralyzing. He can already picture the depressing blue and pink car, the endless midfield battles, the sheer, soul-crushing mediocrity of it all.
โPlease, everyone, sit,โ you say, your voice cutting smoothly through his internal spiral of terror.
John and Fred take their seats. Charles moves stiffly, mechanically, lowering himself back into his chair. He feels like a condemned man taking his place at his own trial. He risks another look at you. Youโre arranging your tablet, your movements fluid and confident. You are completely in your element. You own this room. You might soon own him.
โCharles,โ you say, your tone casual, as if the last five minutes havenโt just shattered his entire world.
He flinches, his head snapping up. โYes?โ The word comes out as a squeak.
You gesture towards the small white cup still sitting next to his hand. โHowโs the espresso?โ
The question is a stiletto, slid expertly between his ribs. Itโs not an accusation. Itโs a gentle, devastating reminder of his monumental blunder. John raises an eyebrow, a silent question passing between him and Fred. They have no idea what youโre talking about, but they can feel the sudden, specific tension radiating from their star driver.
Charles canโt breathe. His mind is a static-filled television screen. What is he supposed to say? โItโs great, thank you for your excellent service, Ms. Y/L/N, my potential future boss whom I have insulted beyond all repairโ?
He looks at you, his eyes wide with a desperate, silent plea. Please donโt. Please donโt tell them.
A slow, secret smile finally breaks through your composure. Itโs a breathtaking thing, a flash of warmth and mischief that lights up your face. You give him a tiny, almost imperceptible wink.
Itโs not a reprieve. Itโs a promise. I own you now.
โItโs โฆ perfect,โ Charles chokes out, his voice hoarse. โThank you.โ
You just nod, your smile vanishing as you turn your attention to John. โJohn, my team has reviewed the preliminary financials you sent over. I have some questions regarding the projected Q4 earnings for the automotive division before we move on to the Gestione Sportiva โฆโ
The meeting begins. The words flow around Charles, a meaningless soup of financial jargon and corporate strategy. EBITDA, amortization, market capitalization, synergy. He hears none of it. All he can hear is the frantic thumping of his own heart and your voice, calm and authoritative, as you dissect the company he has dedicated his life to, piece by piece.
He sits there, trapped at the table, a ghost at the feast. He has to project an air of calm confidence, of being the franchise driver, the cornerstone of the team, while inside, he is screaming.
Every so often, your eyes drift from the financial reports and land on him. You donโt say a word to him. You donโt have to. The message is clear. He made a fatal error in judgment. He mistook the person with all the power in the room for the person with none.
And now, his future is in the hands of the woman he sent to get his coffee.
***
The drive back to his apartment is a twenty-minute exercise in controlled dissociation. Charles operates the vehicle on pure muscle memory, his mind a million miles away, replaying the meeting on a torturous, high-definition loop. The polite smile on Johnโs face. The concerned frown on Fredโs. And your eyes. Always, it comes back to your eyes, holding that glint of knowing amusement. That terrifying, brilliant spark that told him you saw everything.
He barely registers parking his car in the underground garage or taking the elevator up to his penthouse. The door to his apartment clicks shut behind him, and the sound reverberates in the sudden, oppressive silence.
His apartment is his sanctuary. A cool, minimalist space of clean lines, polished concrete floors, and vast windows that look out over the rolling hills of Emilia-Romagna. Itโs a place of quiet and order, designed to soothe his perpetually overstimulated mind. A grand piano, a glossy black Yamaha, sits in the main living area, the only object that hints at the passion beneath his controlled exterior.
Today, the silence doesnโt soothe. It suffocates.
He doesnโt take off his shoes. He doesnโt put his keys in the bowl by the door. He paces. Back and forth, back and forth across the expensive rug, his phone clutched in a white-knuckled grip. His mind is a high-speed collision of worst-case scenarios.
He sees himself in a Haas, fighting for P17 with the kind of grim determination reserved for men whose dreams have died. He sees the pitying looks from his former colleagues, the triumphant smirks from his rivals. He sees the headlines: โLECLERCโS FERRARI DREAM ENDS IN MYSTERIOUS SPLIT.โ
The wink. That tiny, devastating wink you gave him. It wasnโt a gesture of solidarity. It was a death sentence delivered with a smile. It said, โI know what you did, and I am going to enjoy this.โ
He canโt take it anymore. He stabs at his phone screen, his fingers clumsy with panic. He starts a video conference, adding two numbers. Two faces pop onto the screen, one after the other.
First is Lorenzo. His face, a slightly softer, warmer version of Charlesโs own, is etched with immediate concern. Heโs clearly at home, a collage of photos held on by magnets visible on the refrigerator behind him. โCharles? What is it? You look like youโve seen a ghost.โ
Before he can answer, the second face appears. Nicolas Todt. His manager. His face is framed by the sterile white of an office, his expression sharp, analytical. Heโs a man who deals in facts and contracts, not emotions. โCharles. This is unexpected. Is everything alright?โ
Charles stops pacing and stares into the phone, his eyes wide and haunted. He runs a hand through his already messy hair.
โNo, Nicolas. Everything is not alright,โ he says, his voice tight and strained. โI need you to do something for me. Both of you.โ
Lorenzo leans closer to his camera. โAnything, Charlou. Whatโs happened?โ
Charles takes a deep, shaky breath, as if preparing to jump from a great height.
โI need you to start calling other teams,โ he says, the words rushing out in a torrent. โCall Ayao Komatsu. Call James Vowles. Call anyone. I donโt care. Just find me a seat for next year. Any seat. I will drive a tractor if I have to, but my time at Ferrari is over.โ
Silence.
Lorenzo and Nicolas exchange a bewildered look across the digital divide.
Lorenzo is the first to speak, his voice gentle, coaxing. โOkay, Charles, just โฆ slow down. Breathe. What in Godโs name are you talking about? You have a contract. A multi-year contract.โ
โContracts can be broken!โ Charles almost yells, his voice cracking. He starts pacing again, the phone held out in front of him like a scanner sweeping a disaster zone. โThere are clauses. Performance clauses, conduct clauses, clauses for bringing the brand into disrepute! I have probably violated all of them in the space of ten minutes!โ
Nicolasโs eyes narrow. His professional calm is absolute, but Charles knows him well enough to see the flicker of genuine alarm. Nicolas deals with problems. For him to be alarmed, the problem must be monumental.
โCharles,โ Nicolas says, his tone clipped and serious. โStop talking about tractors and tell us exactly what happened. From the beginning.โ
And so, he tells them. He recounts the cryptic email, the anxiety, walking into the empty conference room. He describes you. And then, he gets to the fatal moment.
โโฆ so I asked her to get me an espresso.โ
He says it flatly, the words tasting like poison.
Lorenzoโs mouth falls open. For a second, he looks like he might laugh, then he sees the sheer, unadulterated terror on his brotherโs face, and the humor dies in his throat. โYou โฆ you asked her for a coffee? Charles, who is she?โ
โShe is Y/N Y/L/N,โ Charles says, the name feeling like a curse. โShe is the CEO of Y/L/N Holdings.โ
Nicolas goes rigid. He says nothing. He doesnโt have to. The complete and utter stillness that comes over him is more terrifying than any outburst. He brings a hand to his mouth, his gaze distant. He is processing. Calculating. Running scenarios.
โY/L/N Holdings,โ Lorenzo repeats slowly, the name dawning on him. โThe ones who just bought that biotech firm? And the fashion house? That Y/L/N Holdings?โ
โThe very same,โ Charles says, his voice hollow. โAnd they are not here to buy a biotech firm, Lorenzo. They are here to buy Ferrari. The whole thing. John Elkann said it himself.โ
A heavy, profound silence descends upon the call. Lorenzo just stares, speechless. Nicolasโs mind is clearly working at a thousand miles an hour.
โMon Dieu,โ Lorenzo finally breathes, summing up the situation with perfect, horrified simplicity.
โYou see?โ Charles cries, his voice rising with hysteria. โYou see why itโs over? I didnโt just insult a sponsor. I insulted the potential new owner of the entire company! I treated her like a servant. And she knows it. When Elkann introduced us, she looked at me โฆ and she winked. She is going to fire me. She will take one look at my contract and tear it into a million pieces. It will be her first act as owner. โGet the arrogant little Monegasque driver out of my sight.โ I can hear it already!โ
Nicolas finally speaks, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. โStop. Panicking.โ
Charles stops, breathing heavily.
โFirst,โ Nicolas says, holding up a finger. โYou are not calling Haas. You are not calling Williams. You are the lead driver for Scuderia Ferrari, and we will not project that level of weakness and desperation. Is that clear?โ
Charles nods mutely.
โSecond,โ Nicolas continues, his gaze intense. โCatastrophizing is a waste of energy. We have a situation. A โฆ deeply unfortunate and incredibly stupid situation, but a situation nonetheless. And we will manage it.โ
โHow?โ Charles demands. โHow do you manage this? Do I send her a gift basket? Whatโs the protocol for offending a billionaire who is about to own you? Should the fruit be domestic or exotic?โ
โDonโt be an idiot,โ Nicolas snaps, the first crack in his professional veneer. โThis is not about gift baskets. This is about damage control and strategy.โ
Lorenzo, recovering from his shock, shifts into his role as the practical older brother. โOkay. Okay. Nicolas is right. Panicking isnโt a plan. What did she do when you asked for the coffee?โ
โShe got it for me,โ Charles whispers, the absurdity of it hitting him all over again.
โShe just โฆ said okay and made you an espresso?โ Lorenzo asks, incredulous.
โYes! No argument, no comment. She just did it. Thatโs what makes it so much worse! She was playing with me! It was a test, and I failed spectacularly.โ
โOr,โ Nicolas interjects, his mind piecing things together, โshe has a sense of humor. Or she was amused by the absurdity of it. We have no data on her personality. We are operating blind.โ
โSo what do we do?โ Charles asks, his voice small. He feels like a child again, looking to his older brother and his manager to fix a mess heโs made.
โWe need to formulate an apology,โ Nicolas states. โA direct, sincere, and immediate apology. This cannot wait. Every hour that passes makes you look more arrogant and unconcerned.โ
โHow?โ Charles asks. โI donโt have her number. I canโt exactly send her a message on Instagram.โ
โNo,โ Nicolas agrees. โThis needs a more delicate touch. A formal letter is too cold. An email could be missed or feel impersonal. You need to do it in person.โ
Charles recoils. โIn person? No. No way. I canโt face her. She will just look at me with those eyes and I will simply โฆ combust.โ
โYou will not combust,โ Lorenzo says firmly. โYou will act like a man and you will apologize. But Nicolas is right, it has to be handled carefully. You canโt just ambush her at her hotel. Thatโs stalker behavior.โ
โWe need to find out everything we can about her,โ Nicolas says, already typing furiously on his computer, his eyes scanning a different screen. โI am looking at her professional profile now. Y/L/N Holdings is a private entity, famously secretive. But she has given a few interviews. Forbes, Wall Street Journal โฆโ
โWhat do they say?โ Charles asks, desperate for any insight.
โThey say she is brilliant,โ Nicolas reads, his tone grim. โA prodigy. Took over the family business at twenty-five after her father retired. Quadrupled its value in six years. Known for โฆ ah. Here we go. โAn unconventional but ruthless negotiation style.โ And here, another one calls her โthe iron butterfly.โโ
โThe iron butterfly?โ Lorenzo scoffs. โWhat does that even mean?โ
โIt means she is beautiful and delicate on the outside, but underneath she is made of steel,โ Charles says miserably. โIt means I am dead.โ
โIt means she is a serious businessperson who likely does not have time for the bruised ego of a racing driver,โ Nicolas corrects him sharply. โWhich could work for or against us. She might dismiss this as a trivial matter, or she might see you as an unprofessional liability.โ
โSo, what is the plan?โ Lorenzo presses, bringing them back on track. โWe need a concrete plan, right now.โ
Nicolas leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers. The strategist has taken over. โOkay. Here is what we do. Step one: Charles, you are going to write an apology. Not an email. A letter. On proper stationery. You will write it by hand.โ
โBy hand?โ Charles balks. โMy handwriting is terrible.โ
โI donโt care if you have to write it in crayon,โ Nicolas says. โIt needs to be personal. It needs to show effort. You will take responsibility. You will not make excuses about being stressed or anxious. You will state that your behavior was unacceptable, and you are extremely sorry. Nothing more. No groveling. Just a clean, sincere apology.โ
Lorenzo nods in agreement. โHeโs right. It has to be genuine.โ
โStep two,โ Nicolas continues. โI will reach out to my contacts. I will find out where she is staying. Not to ambush her, but to have the letter delivered by a professional courier tomorrow morning. It will be the first thing she sees. It shows initiative.โ
โAnd step three?โ Charles asks, a tiny, fragile sliver of hope beginning to form amidst the wreckage of his panic.
โStep three is the most difficult,โ Nicolas says, his eyes locking with Charlesโs through the screen. โYou need to find a way to speak with her. Face to face. The letter opens the door. You have to walk through it.โ
โBut how? When?โ
โFred,โ Lorenzo suggests. โYou could go through Fred. Ask him to set up a brief, five-minute meeting. Say you want to properly welcome her to the team.โ
Nicolas considers this. โItโs a possibility. But it also signals to Fred that something is wrong. He will ask questions.โ
โItโs better than the alternative, which is Charles hiding in his apartment until he is formally dismissed via courier,โ Lorenzo argues.
โI hate this,โ Charles groans, sinking onto his sofa and burying his face in his hands. โI feel like Iโm in a nightmare.โ
โYou are not in a nightmare. You are in a crisis of your own making, and you will deal with it,โ Nicolas says, his voice hard but not unkind. โNow, listen to me, Charles. This woman, this โiron butterfly,โ she did not get to where she is by being petty. People have likely made far worse mistakes around her than assuming she was an intern. Your saving grace here might be the sheer absurdity of the situation.โ
โAnd the wink?โ Charles asks, his voice muffled by his hands. โWhat about the wink?โ
โThe wink is a data point we cannot yet interpret,โ Nicolas says. โIt could be mockery. It could be amusement. It could be her telling you she knows she has you at a disadvantage. It doesnโt matter. Your course of action remains the same. Humility. Sincerity. Professionalism. You must show her that the man who asked for the coffee is not the real Charles Leclerc.โ
The call continues for another hour. They debate the exact wording of the letter. They discuss potential scenarios for a face-to-face meeting. Lorenzo provides emotional support, reminding Charles of every other time heโs faced adversity and come out stronger. Nicolas provides the cold, hard strategy, a road map out of the disaster.
By the time they hang up, Charles feels โฆ not good, but fractionally less terrified. The panic has receded from a tidal wave to a manageable, if still treacherous, current. He has a plan. A fragile, desperate plan, but a plan nonetheless.
He is left alone once more in the echoing silence of his apartment. The setting sun casts long, dramatic shadows across the room, painting the walls in hues of orange and blood red.
He walks over to a sleek, modern desk and pulls out a sheet of thick, cream-colored paper and a fountain pen. It feels archaic, like preparing for a duel. He stares at the blank page for a long, long time.
How do you apologize for an insult that was rooted in such a misjudgment of a personโs entire being? How do you write a letter to a woman who holds your entire future in the palm of her hand?
He uncaps the pen, the nib scratching softly as he begins to write.
Dear Ms. Y/L/N,
He stops. It feels too formal, too cold. He crumples up the paper, the sound aggressively loud in the quiet room. He takes another sheet.
Dear Y/N,
Too familiar. A fresh wave of anxiety washes over him. He feels completely and utterly out of his depth. He is a man who understands braking points, tire degradation, and the delicate art of a qualifying lap. He does not understand this.
He gets up from the desk and walks over to the grand piano. He sits on the bench, his fingers hovering over the keys. He begins to play. A sad, melancholic Chopin nocturne. The notes fill the room, a language he is fluent in, a way to express the complex, swirling storm of regret and fear inside him.
He plays for her, the unseen, unknown woman who single-handedly overturned his world. The iron butterfly. He plays, and wonders if you can be reasoned with. He plays, and wonders if you have any idea of the chaos youโve unleashed.
He plays, and he hopes, with a desperation he has not felt since his very first race, that you are a person who knows how to forgive.
***
It takes him three nights and seventeen crumpled sheets of paper to write the letter.
Each failed attempt is a monument to his anxiety. One draft is too groveling, another too stiff and formal. One sounds like it was written by a lawyer, the next like a panicked text message. He is trying to distill the entire, complex storm of his regret and terror onto a single page, and the task feels impossible.
In the end, exhaustion wins. On the third night, sometime after 2 AM, with the melancholic echo of another Chopin nocturne still hanging in the air from his piano, he gives up on trying to be strategic. He just writes.
The final version is short, brutally honest, and devoid of excuses. He writes that his behavior was unprofessional and inexcusable. He writes that he was deeply embarrassed by his own arrogance. He writes, simply, that he was sorry. He signs it, โCharles Leclerc,โ his signature a barely legible scrawl.
The next morning, a professional courier in a crisp, unmarked uniform picks up the envelope. Charles watches from his window as the courierโs scooter disappears down the winding Maranello roads, carrying his fragile paper-and-ink peace offering.
And then, the waiting begins.
It is a unique form of torture. For the next seventy-two hours, his phone becomes a source of constant, tormenting hope and crushing disappointment. Every buzz, every notification, sends a jolt of pure adrenaline through his system. He checks his email every five minutes. He has tense, circular conversations with Nicolas and Lorenzo, who can offer nothing but strategic patience, a concept entirely foreign to a man who lives his life in milliseconds.
โAny news?โ Lorenzo asks, for the tenth time, on Wednesday afternoon.
โNothing,โ Charles says, pacing a well-worn path in his living room rug. โSilence. Maybe she never got it. Maybe her assistant threw it away. Maybe she read it, laughed, and set it on fire.โ
โOr,โ Nicolas cuts in, his voice a dry, calming presence over the speakerphone, โshe is an extremely busy woman negotiating a multi-billion-dollar corporate acquisition and has not had a spare moment to deal with a contrite racing driver. The silence is not necessarily a bad sign, Charles. A swift rejection would have been worse.โ
The logic is sound, but it offers little comfort. The silence is a vacuum, and his anxiety rushes in to fill it with horrifying possibilities.
Finally, on Wednesday evening, an email appears. It is not from you. The sender is โOffice of the CEO, Y/L/N Holdings.โ The subject line is simple: โMeeting: Y/N Y/L/N & C. Leclerc.โ
His heart stops. His hands tremble as he opens it.
The body of the message is brutally efficient.
Mr. Leclerc,
Ms. Y/L/N can see you tomorrow, Thursday, at 4 PM.
Location: The Terrazza, Fiorano Circuit.
Please be prompt.
Thatโs it. No pleasantries. No acknowledgement of his letter. Just a time and a place.
โThe Terrazza?โ Lorenzo says when Charles reads it aloud to him and Nicolas. โWhat is that?โ
โItโs the rooftop hospitality suite at the test track,โ Charles explains, his mouth dry. โItโs private. Exclusive. You can see the entire circuit from up there.โ
โA neutral ground,โ Nicolas muses. โNo, not neutral. She chose the location. Itโs her ground now. She is setting the terms of the engagement. This is a power move.โ
โSo, what do I do?โ Charles asks, his voice barely a whisper.
โYou prepare,โ Nicolas says, his tone leaving no room for argument. โYou will be calm. You will be professional. You will wear something smart, but not a suit. You will reiterate your apology once, briefly. You will not ramble. You will not make excuses. And then you will be quiet and let her speak. And Charles, I cannot stress this enough: you will not, under any circumstances, beg.โ
***
The next day, at 3:45 PM, Charles is in a state of quiet, spiraling panic.
He stands in front of his wardrobe, having already discarded three perfectly acceptable outfits. He has rehearsed his opening line in the mirror a dozen times, and it sounds more stilted and unnatural with each repetition. Nicolasโs final words echo in his mind: โDo not beg. Project confidence. You are an asset, not a supplicant.โ
Itโs good advice. Itโs also completely impossible to follow. He feels like a supplicant. He feels like a condemned prisoner walking to his own execution.
He finally settles on dark trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a soft, unstructured navy blue blazer. It feels like a costume. The clothes of a man who is calm and in control, a man he is pretending to be.
The walk from the main Gestione Sportiva building to the Fiorano trackside suites is short, but it feels like miles. The late afternoon sun is golden and warm, casting long shadows across the immaculate grounds. In the distance, he can hear the faint, high-pitched scream of a junior driver putting an older F1 car through its paces on the track. Itโs a sound that has been the soundtrack to his entire life, a sound of comfort and purpose. Today, it sounds like a eulogy for his career.
He takes the private elevator up to the Terrazza. The doors slide open with a soft hiss, revealing a stunning, open-air space. Glass walls provide an uninterrupted panorama of the legendary circuit below, its asphalt ribbon winding through the green Italian landscape. There are tasteful arrangements of lounge furniture, a sleek outdoor bar, and at the far end, a small, shaded table for two.
You are already there.
You sit with your back to him, looking out over the track, a glass of sparkling water on the table in front of you. Youโre wearing a simple, elegant black dress that leaves your shoulders bare. Your hair is tied back loosely, and the gentle breeze plays with a few escaped strands. You look serene, a portrait of effortless power.
He takes a breath, the air feeling thin and sharp in his lungs. Be calm. Be professional. Do not beg.
He walks towards you, his expensive leather shoes making no sound on the stone tiles.
โMs. Y/L/N?โ He says, his voice coming out as a rough croak.
You turn. Not with a start, but with a slow, deliberate grace, as if you sensed him approaching all along. Your eyes, the same unreadable shade he remembers from the conference room, meet his. Today, they hold no trace of the amusement he saw before. Your expression is perfectly, terrifyingly neutral.
โCharles,โ you say. Your voice is as smooth and cool as the marble table between you. โThank you for coming. Please, sit.โ
He pulls out the chair opposite you and sits down, his movements stiff. He feels like a marionette with tangled strings. He clasps his hands in his lap to stop them from shaking.
โThank you for meeting me,โ he manages. โAnd, I, uh, I hope you received my letter.โ
โI did,โ you reply. You take a slow sip of your water, your gaze never leaving his face. โIt was โฆ concise.โ
He canโt read your tone. Is โconciseโ good? Is it a compliment, or is it a criticism, implying it wasnโt groveling enough? The ambiguity is killing him. Nicolasโs carefully crafted script evaporates from his mind, replaced by a wall of white noise.
โI just wanted to say again, in person,โ he starts, the words stumbling over each other, โthat I am truly, truly sorry. My behavior was โฆ there is no excuse for it. It was arrogant, and unprofessional, and โฆโ
โI see,โ you say, cutting him off cleanly. You set your glass down with a soft click. The sound is like a gunshot in the tense silence.
This is it. The calm before the storm. He can see it in your cool, appraising gaze. Youโre just letting him squirm before you deliver the final blow. Youโre going to tell him his apology is noted, but insufficient. Youโre going to talk about brand values and professional conduct. Youโre going to fire him with the same detached efficiency with which you ordered a sparkling water.
His mind flashes again to Alpine. He pictures the blue car, the French flags, the perpetual, soul-crushing battle for nineteenth place. He imagines explaining it to his family, to his friends. The humiliation. The failure.
Nicolasโs voice in his head screams, โDO NOT BEG!โ
But Nicolas isnโt here. Lorenzo isnโt here. Itโs just him, and you, and the vast, terrifying expanse of his ruined future.
Logic abandons him. Strategy flees. All that is left is raw, primal fear.
In a single, fluid movement that is born of pure desperation, he pushes his chair back and drops to his knees on the stone floor beside the table.
The sound of his knees hitting the ground is shockingly loud.
He looks up at you, his face a mask of utter panic. โPlease,โ he says, and the word is a ragged, broken thing. โPlease, I am begging you. I will do anything. I will take a pay cut. I will do every single sponsor event, Iโll even do the terrible ones with the awkward photo-shoots. I will be the first one at the factory and the last one to leave. Anything. Just โฆ please.โ
He can feel the hot sting of tears welling in his eyes, a humiliation so profound it makes him dizzy. He lowers his gaze to the floor, unable to look at you. His voice cracks, shrinking to a horrified whisper filled with a very specific, very personal dread.
โPlease donโt make me drive for Alpine.โ
The silence that follows is absolute. It stretches for an eternity. He can hear his own heart hammering in his ears. He waits for your gasp of shock, your cold dismissal, the sound of you getting up and walking away in disgust. He is prepared for anything except for the sound that comes next.
Laughter.
It starts as a choked gasp, a sudden burst of air. Then it blossoms. Itโs not a smirk or a polite chuckle. Itโs a genuine, unrestrained, musical laugh. Itโs a sound of pure amusement, and it fills the quiet air of the Terrazza.
He slowly, cautiously, lifts his head.
You are leaning back in your chair, a hand covering your mouth, but your eyes are squeezed shut and your shoulders are shaking with mirth. The cool, intimidating CEO has vanished, replaced by someone who looks โฆ human. The sound is so unexpected, so completely at odds with the execution he was expecting, that his brain short-circuits.
โAlpine?โ You finally manage to get out between waves of laughter, your voice giddy. โYou think Iโm going to force you to drive for Alpine?โ
He just stares, still on his knees, utterly bewildered.
You take a deep, calming breath, wiping a tear of mirth from the corner of your eye. The laughter subsides, leaving a bright, warm smile on your face. It completely transforms you. The โiron butterflyโ is gone.
โCharles,โ you say, your voice still sparkling with amusement. โGet up. You look ridiculous.โ
He scrambles to his feet, his face burning with a mixture of humiliation and profound confusion. He sinks back into his chair, his mind reeling.
โI โฆ I donโt understand,โ he stammers.
โNo, I donโt suppose you do,โ you say, your smile softening. You lean forward, your expression turning serious, though the playful light remains in your eyes. โLet me be perfectly clear so you can stop having a nervous breakdown. I was never going to fire you.โ
He blinks. โNever?โ
โNever,โ you confirm. โCharles, letโs put the coffee incident aside for a moment and think about this like a business. I am here to potentially acquire one of the most valuable brands on the planet. My number one objective is to increase its value. What do you think would happen to the value of Scuderia Ferrari, to the morale of the Tifosi, to the stability of the entire organization, if my very first act was to fire the most popular, most beloved Ferrari driver since Schumacher?โ
You lay it out for him, your tone crisp and logical. โIt would be a public relations catastrophe. The fans would revolt. The team would be demoralized. The media would have a field day. It would be the single stupidest, most self-destructive business decision I could possibly make. My job is to build empires, Charles, not set them on fire for my own personal amusement.โ
Relief washes over him in a wave so powerful it almost knocks the breath out of him. Itโs a physical sensation, a loosening of every muscle in his body he hadnโt even realized was clenched. He sags in his chair, the tension of the last four days draining out of him, leaving him feeling hollow and incredibly foolish.
โOh,โ is all he can manage to say.
โYes. Oh,โ you echo gently. You watch him for a moment, letting the reality sink in. You let him absorb the fact that his career-ending catastrophe was entirely a figment of his own panicked imagination.
โBut โฆโ you say, and the word hangs in the air, pulling his attention back into sharp focus. You lean forward slightly, a slow, intriguing smile playing on your lips. The pragmatic CEO is receding again, replaced by someone else, someone he canโt quite figure out.
โThe letter was a nice touch,โ you say, your voice dropping a little. โAnd this โฆโ you make a vague, graceful gesture towards the spot on the floor where he was just kneeling, โโฆ was certainly memorable. I appreciate a man who isnโt afraid of a grand gesture, even a deeply misguided one.โ
He feels a fresh blush creep up his neck.
โSo,โ you continue, your eyes locking with his. โWhile Iโm not going to fire you โฆ if you really want to make it up to me for the, shall we say, โunconventional startโ to our professional relationship, I can think of something you can do.โ
He is so high on the dizzying cocktail of relief and humiliation that heโs not thinking clearly. All he knows is that this woman, this impossibly powerful and surprisingly amused woman, has spared him. He feels an overwhelming, desperate need to prove his gratitude.
He doesnโt even hesitate. Nicolasโs voice is a faint, forgotten whisper from a distant past.
โYes,โ he says, the word rushing out of him, full of conviction. โAnything. Whatever it is, Iโll do it. I promise.โ
A slow, enigmatic smile spreads across your face. Itโs a smile that holds a thousand secrets. Itโs the smile of a woman who has just been handed a blank check. Youโve got him. You played the game, and you won.
โGood,โ you say softly, leaning back in your chair and picking up your glass. โIโll let you know.โ
***
The two days that follow his meeting with you are a strange, surreal limbo. The acute, life-altering terror has been replaced by a low-grade, humming uncertainty. He is not fired. His career is not over. But his fate is still very much in your hands. He has signed a blank check made out to you, and he has no idea when, or for what, you will decide to cash it.
He throws himself into his training with a manic intensity, trying to sweat out the anxiety. He spends hours in the simulator, the familiar G-forces and whine of the engine a comforting cocoon. But even there, his mind wanders. What could you possibly want? A public endorsement of one of your companies? A series of mind-numbingly dull sponsor appearances? A donation to your favorite charity? His imagination, usually reserved for finding the perfect racing line through a complex corner, now conjures a thousand different scenarios, each more bizarre than the last.
The summons, when it comes, is not an email from a corporate assistant. Itโs a text message, from a number he doesnโt recognize, that appears on his phone on Saturday morning.
Good morning, Charles. I have your assignment. Y/N.
His heart leaps into his throat. He stares at the message, his thumb hovering over the screen. His first assignment. It sounds ominous, like something out of a spy movie.
He types and deletes three different replies before settling on a simple, professional. Good morning. Iโm ready.
The three little dots that indicate you are typing appear and disappear for a full minute. The suspense is excruciating. Finally, a new message pops up. Itโs a location pin, dropped on a sprawling villa in the hills outside Modena. Below it, a short line of text.
Today. 2 PM. Dress code: casual. And durable.
Durable?
He stares at the word. Durable. What kind of assignment requires durable clothing? Is he going to be doing manual labor? Is this some bizarre, character-building exercise where he has to help landscape your garden?
He immediately calls Lorenzo.
โShe wants me to go to a villa. She said I have to wear something durable,โ Charles says, the words tumbling out in a rush of renewed panic. โWhat does it mean? Am I being hazed? Is this a thing that billionaires do?โ
Thereโs a pause on the other end of the line, followed by the sound of Lorenzo trying, and failing, to suppress a laugh. โCharles, I donโt think the potential new owner of Ferrari is going to haze you. Maybe itโs a charity event? Building houses for the poor?โ
โIn a blazer?โ Charles asks, gesturing wildly at his own closet. โWhat is durable casual? What do I wear?โ
โJust wear some nice jeans and a polo shirt,โ Lorenzo says, his voice full of amusement. โAnd Charlou? Try to relax. The worst is over. Just go, do whatever she asks, and keep smiling.โ
***
An hour later, Charles is driving his Ferrari 488 Pista down a long, cypress-lined driveway, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. The villa is magnificent โ a beautiful, old stone building that has been tastefully modernized, with sprawling, impeccably manicured gardens. He can hear the faint sounds of music and โฆ screaming? Not screams of terror. Screams of high-pitched, chaotic joy.
He parks the car and walks towards the garden, his stomach churning. He rounds a corner, past a large, sparkling swimming pool, and the scene that greets him stops him dead in his tracks.
The lawn is a jumble of primary colors. There are balloons everywhere. A massive, inflatable bouncy castle in the shape of a red racing car dominates the space. A long table is laden with cakes, sweets, and enough sugar to power a small city. And running, jumping, and shrieking through it all are at least two dozen small children.
Itโs a sixth birthday party.
And standing in the middle of it all, looking completely in her element, is you.
You are not the CEO from the conference room or the serene woman from the Terrazza. Today, you are wearing faded blue jeans, a simple white t-shirt, and your hair is in a messy ponytail. Youโre holding a small, dark-haired boy on your hip, and you are laughing, your head thrown back, as he whispers something in your ear. You look young, relaxed, and impossibly beautiful.
This is his assignment. This is what required durable clothing. Heโs been summoned to a childโs birthday party.
You spot him then. Your eyes meet across the sea of chaotic children, and a slow, wicked smile spreads across your face. Itโs the same smile he saw in the boardroom, the one that says, I own you. You nod your head, a clear instruction. Come here.
He takes a deep breath and weaves his way through the tiny, running bodies. He feels like a giant, clumsy oaf in this world of miniature humans.
โCharles,โ you say as he approaches, your voice full of false, saccharine sweetness. โSo glad you could make it.โ You shift the little boy on your hip. โAdam, look who it is. Itโs the man from the fast red cars.โ
The little boy, presumably the birthday boy, Adam, stares at him with wide, solemn brown eyes. โAre you Charles Leclerc?โ He asks, his voice full of awe.
โI am,โ Charles says, forcing a smile.
โMy aunt said you were coming,โ Adam says. โShe said you owed her a favor.โ
Charles glances at you. Your smile is positively gleaming with triumph. โThatโs right, sweetie,โ you say, patting Adamโs back. โMr. Leclerc was very, very naughty at work, and this is his punishment.โ
Adamโs eyes go even wider. โWow,โ he breathes.
Before Charles can process the full, mortifying horror of being framed as a naughty employee to a six-year-old, Adam points a chubby finger at him and yells at the top of his lungs.
โEVERYONE! ITโS CHARLES LECLERC! THE REAL ONE!โ
The effect is instantaneous. Itโs like a switch has been flipped. Twenty-five tiny heads whip around in his direction. A moment of stunned silence, and then, a roar.
He is swarmed.
It is a tidal wave of small, sticky hands and loud, unfiltered questions.
โAre you really him?โ
โIs your car here?โ
โCan you go faster than a cheetah?โ
โWhy didnโt you win the last race?โ
โMy papa says you need to be more aggressive in turn one!โ
โCan I have your hat?โ
They hang off his arms, tug on his polo shirt, and pat his legs as if checking to see if heโs real. He is a human climbing frame, an island in a sea of relentless, six-year-old energy. He looks over their heads, a desperate, pleading look on his face, searching for you.
You are leaning against a large oak tree, arms crossed, watching the scene with an expression of total satisfaction. You raise your glass of lemonade to him in a mock toast.
He mouths the word, โHelp.โ
You just shake your head, your smile widening, and take a delicate sip of your drink.
The next two hours are the most grueling, physically and mentally demanding of his entire life. It makes a double-stint at the Singapore Grand Prix feel like a casual Sunday drive.
He is forced to give endless piggyback rides, his back screaming in protest. He is dragged into the bouncy castle, where he is mercilessly bounced upon by a pack of shrieking children until he is dizzy and gasping for air. A little girl with a formidable grip insists on braiding his hair, pulling it into tiny, painful knots. Another child, whose face is a smear of blue frosting, decides to use Charlesโs very expensive white polo shirt as a napkin.
Throughout it all, you watch. You drift through the party, the perfect, doting aunt, chatting with other parents, cutting cake, but your eyes are always on him. Every time he catches your gaze, you give him a little wave, a silent, mocking encouragement.
At one point, he manages to extricate himself from a heated debate about whether a Formula 1 car could beat a T-Rex in a race and makes his way over to you.
โThis is cruel and unusual punishment,โ he says under his breath, trying to discreetly wipe a sticky handprint off his jeans.
โIs it?โ You ask, your voice laced with innocence. โThey seem to be having fun. Adam said itโs the best birthday party heโs ever had.โ
โIโm not a party clown,โ he hisses. โI am a professional athlete.โ
โReally?โ You say, raising an eyebrow. โBecause from here, you look like a very expensive, and not particularly durable, piece of playground equipment.โ You pat his arm. โNow, if youโll excuse me, I think Nina wants you to be the horse for her princess carriage. Donโt keep her waiting.โ
He is about to protest when a tiny hand tugs on his trousers. He looks down to see a small girl with enormous blue eyes staring up at him.
โAre you the horse?โ She asks.
Defeated, Charles sighs. โYes,โ he says, his shoulders slumping. โYes, I am the horse.โ
The absolute low point of the afternoon comes without warning. He is on his hands and knees, being the aforementioned horse, with a determined little girl on his back. Adam is running alongside, directing the โcarriageโ with wild, enthusiastic gestures.
โFaster, horsey, faster!โ Adam shrieks with delight.
In a burst of sugar-fueled excitement, Adam decides to climb aboard as well. He takes a running leap, attempting to land on Charlesโs back behind his friend. He misjudges the jump. Badly.
Instead of landing on his back, Adamโs small, bony knee connects squarely, and with horrifying accuracy, with the most sensitive part of Charlesโs anatomy.
The world goes white.
The air leaves his lungs in a silent, explosive gasp. All sound fades to a dull, distant roar. The bright, sunny garden dissolves into a pinprick of light. He collapses onto the grass, curling into a tight, fetal position, unable to speak, unable to breathe.
The two children, oblivious to the catastrophic damage they have inflicted, simply slide off his back and run away, screaming with laughter, towards the cake table.
He lies there on the lawn, a fallen gladiator, felled not by a rival on the racetrack, but by a six-year-old in a superhero t-shirt. He can hear your voice, suddenly sharp with concern, cutting through the haze of his pain.
โCharles? Charles, are you alright?โ
He cannot answer. He can only manage a low, pathetic groan.
He feels a gentle hand on his shoulder. He cracks open an eye and sees you kneeling beside him, the teasing amusement on your face completely replaced by genuine worry.
โOh my God,โ you whisper, your eyes wide as you realize what must have happened. โAdam, did you โฆโ
He just shakes his head weakly, which is all the confirmation you need.
The party begins to wind down shortly after that. Parents arrive, collecting their exhausted, sugar-comatose children. The shrieks of joy are replaced by the tired whines of the homeward bound. The garden slowly empties, leaving behind a battlefield of discarded paper plates, deflated balloons, and one deeply wounded Formula 1 driver.
Charles is sitting gingerly on a cushioned patio chair, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity while his entire lower body throbs in agony.
You emerge from the house and walk towards him. You are holding something behind your back.
โThe last of the guests have gone,โ you say softly. Your voice is gentle, stripped of its earlier mockery. You sit in the chair next to him, a respectful distance away.
โMy legacy,โ he rasps, his voice still an octave higher than usual. โTo be remembered as the Ferrari driver who was taken out by a six-year-old.โ
A small smile touches your lips. โHeโs got a mean right knee. Weโre thinking of getting him into football.โ You bring your hand forward. Youโre holding a small, plastic bag filled with ice cubes, wrapped in a clean dish towel. You offer it to him. โHere.โ
He stares at the bag of ice. โAre you serious?โ
โStandard medical procedure,โ you say, your expression unreadable. โIt will reduce the swelling.โ
He hesitates for a moment, the sheer, clinical awkwardness of the situation warring with the very real, very intense pain. Pain wins. He takes the bag of ice from your hand, his fingers brushing against yours. The touch sends a strange, unexpected jolt through him that has nothing to do with the injury.
He carefully, discreetly, places the ice pack on his lap. The intense, numbing cold is a relief.
They sit in silence for a moment, watching the sun begin to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The quiet feels strange after the chaos of the afternoon.
โSo,โ he says finally, breaking the silence. He looks at you, really looks at you, in the soft, golden light. โDoes this mean Iโm forgiven?โ
He asks it lightly, but the question is heavy with everything that has happened between you. The disastrous first meeting, the panicked apology, the agonizing wait, and this absurd, chaotic afternoon.
You turn to look at him. Your face is serious, your eyes searching his. The smile is gone.
โYes, Charles,โ you say, your voice quiet but clear. โYouโre forgiven.โ
The words hit him with the same force as the relief he felt on the Terrazza, but this time itโs different. Itโs not just about his career. Itโs โฆ something else. Itโs a feeling of resolution, of a strange, shared experience coming to an end. The blank check has been cashed. The debt is paid.
He should feel free. He should feel relieved. And he does. But he also feels a strange, unwelcome pang of disappointment. This bizarre connection, this weird power dynamic that has defined their every interaction, is over. Now, you will go back to being the untouchable CEO, and he will go back to being the employee.
The thought is surprisingly dissatisfying.
And thatโs when the second-stupidest thought of his entire life enters his brain. The first, of course, was assuming you were an intern. This one is arguably worse. It is an idea born of pure, pain-addled, relief-fueled insanity.
Heโs going to blame it on the groin injury. It has to be. The trauma must have temporarily rewired his brain, short-circuiting the part that controls self-preservation and common sense.
โGood,โ he says, his voice a little shaky. โThatโs good.โ He takes a breath. โSo, now that my career is no longer in jeopardy, and my future as a potential father is merely in question โฆโ
He pauses. He can still back out. He can stop right there. It would be the smart thing to do. The sane thing to do.
He does not do the sane thing.
He turns to you, his expression deadly serious, and says the words.
โWould you be willing to go on a date with me?โ
The question hangs in the quiet, twilight air between them, feeling both monumental and utterly absurd. He has just asked out the woman who is in the process of buying his team, the woman he mortally offended, the woman who used her nephewโs birthday party as a form of psychological torture.
You just stare at him. Your mouth is slightly open, your eyes wide with a look of pure shock. The cool, composed, in-control CEO is gone once again, replaced by a woman who has been rendered completely speechless.
And Charles Leclerc, for the second time in a week, realizes he is so massively, incredibly screwed.
For a long, silent moment, your brain refuses to process the words. The CEO part of your mind, the part that runs on logic and risk assessment and quarterly projections, is frantically searching for a protocol, a script for this exact situation. It finds nothing. There is no chapter in any business manual for what to do when your star employee, moments after being forgiven for a career-ending blunder, asks you out on a date while nursing a groin injury inflicted by your six-year-old nephew.
Charles watches the mix of expressions that flicker across your face. He sees shock, then disbelief, followed by something he canโt quite decipher โ a flicker of confusion, maybe even a hint of vulnerability. He sees the precise moment your formidable composure cracks, not into anger, but into bewilderment.
His own mind is a siren, blaring a single, repeating warning: ABORT! ABORT! RETRACT THE STATEMENT!
โIโm sorry,โ he says, the words coming out in a strangled rush. The relief has evaporated, replaced by a fresh, even more potent wave of horror. Heโs done it again. Heโs snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. โThat was โฆ stupid. I am so sorry. Itโs the pain. Iโm not thinking clearly. The ice pack must be restricting blood flow to my brain. Please, just โฆ forget I said anything.โ
He makes a move to stand up, to flee, to run back to his car and drive directly into the nearest canal.
โSit down, Charles,โ you say.
Your voice is quiet, but it carries an authority that roots him to the spot. He sinks back into his chair, his posture rigid with dread. He keeps his eyes fixed on a particularly interesting paving stone, unable to meet your gaze. He is preparing for the verbal evisceration he so clearly deserves.
But it doesnโt come. Instead, there is another long, heavy silence. He risks a glance up.
You are looking at him, really looking at him, with an intensity that feels like itโs peeling back layers of his skin. The shock has faded from your eyes, replaced by a deep, analytical curiosity. A slow, almost imperceptible smile is beginning to form at the corners of your mouth. Itโs not the triumphant, mocking smile from the boardroom. Itโs something else entirely. Something โฆ intrigued.
โLet me see if I understand this,โ you say, your voice a low, deliberate murmur. โYou mistake me for an intern and order me to get you coffee. You then spend the next four days convinced I am going to ruin your life. You follow this up by literally falling to your knees and begging me not to send you to the Formula 1 equivalent of Siberia. And now, having been absolved of all your sins via trial-by-toddler, your very next move is to ask me on a date.โ You lean forward slightly, your eyes sparkling with a dangerous light. โAre you out of your mind?โ
โYes,โ he answers immediately, with profound sincerity. โClinically. I am beginning to think I have a serious problem.โ
The answer is so honest, so devoid of bravado, that it makes you laugh. Itโs not the full, unrestrained laugh from the party. Itโs a softer, deeper sound. A sound of genuine amusement.
โAt least youโre self-aware,โ you say, shaking your head slowly. โThatโs a start.โ
โSo, thatโs a no, then?โ He asks, his voice small. He already knows the answer. It has to be no. Itโs the only logical, sensible, professional answer.
You are quiet for another moment, your gaze drifting out towards the darkening hills. He can see the calculations happening behind your eyes. You are weighing the pros and cons, the optics, the sheer, unadulterated insanity of it all.
โEvery professional instinct I have,โ you say, turning back to him, โevery single one, is screaming at me to say no. Itโs inappropriate. Itโs complicated. Itโs a potential HR nightmare, assuming my acquisition bid is successful.โ
His heart sinks. โI understand.โ
โBut,โ you continue, and that single word electrifies the air between you, โI am also the woman who runs a multi-billion-dollar global corporation. I did not get here by always listening to my professional instincts. Sometimes, you have to take a calculated risk.โ You give him a sharp, appraising look. โAnd you, Charles Leclerc, are nothing if not a risk.โ
He doesnโt know what to say. He just stares at you, his mind a hopeful, terrified blank.
โAlright,โ you say, a decisive glint in your eye. โI will go on one date with you.โ
He blinks. โYou will?โ
โOn one condition,โ you add, holding up a finger.
โAnything,โ he says immediately.
โYou plan it,โ you say. โNo assistants. No PR teams. No reservations made by someone else. Just you. You choose the time, the place, the activity. And it has to be good. It has to impress me. And trust me,โ you add, your voice dropping to a confidential whisper, โI donโt impress easily.โ
Itโs a test. Another one. But this one is different. This isnโt a punishment. This is a challenge. And if there is one thing Charles Leclerc understands, it is how to rise to a challenge.
A slow, genuine smile spreads across his face, the first one heโs felt in days that isnโt tinged with fear. โOkay,โ he says, his voice full of a newfound confidence. โItโs a deal.โ
***
He spends the next three days planning the date with the same meticulous focus he would apply to a race strategy. He dismisses a dozen ideas. A fancy, Michelin-starred restaurant? Too predictable. Youโve been to a hundred of them. A concert? Too loud, no room for conversation. A simple movie? Too impersonal.
He needs to show you his world. Not the glitz and glamour of the Formula 1 paddock, but the real, authentic heart of it. He needs to show you the man, not the celebrity.
On the evening of the date, a vintage, immaculately restored 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT in a stunning shade of deep silver pulls up outside your hotel. It is not a loud, aggressive supercar. It is a piece of art โ elegant, timeless, and understated.
Charles gets out of the driverโs side. He is not wearing a team polo shirt or a designer suit. Heโs wearing dark, well-fitting trousers, a simple linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and leather driving shoes. He looks relaxed, confident, and impossibly handsome.
You watch him from the window of your suite, a surprised, appreciative smile on your face. Point to Leclerc, you think.
When you come down to the lobby, he is waiting for you. He doesnโt say anything cheesy. He just smiles, his eyes lighting up when he sees you. Youโve chosen a simple, elegant navy-blue slip dress. Itโs beautiful, but not ostentatious. You are meeting him on his level.
โNice car,โ you say, your voice dry, as he holds the passenger door open for you.
โI thought it was more appropriate for the occasion than my Pista,โ he replies, a playful glint in his eye. โA little less โฆ aggressive.โ
The date begins not with dinner, but with a drive. As the sun begins its slow descent, he takes you out of the city, away from the familiar streets of Maranello, and up into the winding, cypress-lined roads of the surrounding hills. He drives the car with an effortless, fluid grace, the vintage engine a soft, throaty purr behind you.
This is his element. Here, on a challenging road, he is not the anxious, bumbling man from the boardroom. He is a poet in motion.
And he talks. He points out the ruins of an old castle on a distant hill. He tells you stories about growing up in Monaco, about the first time he ever drove a go-kart. He talks about the unique, almost unbearable pressure of driving for Ferrari, the weight of the entire nationโs hopes on his shoulders every other Sunday.
You listen, truly listen, asking questions that are sharp and insightful. You ask him not about his fame, but about his fear. Not about his wins, but about his most difficult losses.
In turn, you find yourself opening up to him in a way you rarely do with anyone. You talk about the immense, suffocating pressure of taking over your fatherโs company, the constant feeling that you have to be twice as smart and work three times as hard as any man in the room to be taken seriously. You tell him about the loneliness of being at the top, of having board members and employees, but very few true friends.
You discover that your two worlds, the high-stakes corporate boardroom and the high-G-force racetrack, are not so different. They are both places of immense pressure, public scrutiny, and a relentless, unforgiving demand for perfection.
He finally pulls the car to a stop at a scenic overlook. The entire valley is spread out below you, bathed in the soft, purple light of dusk. The lights of Maranello are just beginning to twinkle in the distance.
โItโs beautiful,โ you breathe.
โItโs my favorite place to come when I need to think,โ he says quietly. โWhen the noise gets too loud.โ
You sit there in comfortable silence, watching the day end. The unspoken tension between you has dissolved, replaced by a warm, easy sense of connection.
For dinner, he doesnโt take you to a place with white tablecloths and a sommelier. He drives to a small, unassuming building tucked away in a tiny village. Itโs a family-run trattoria, with checkered tablecloths, mismatched chairs, and the incredible, mouth-watering smell of garlic and fresh pasta hanging in the air.
The owner, a stout, beaming woman in her sixties, greets Charles with a loud cry of โCarletto!โ and pulls him into a smothering hug before planting two loud kisses on his cheeks. She looks at you, her eyes twinkling.
โAnd you must be the special girl he told me about!โ She says in rapid, musical Italian.
Charlesโs face flushes a deep, adorable shade of red. โNonna Maria, per favore โฆโ he mutters.
The meal is simple, and it is the best you have ever had. Fresh, handmade tortelloni, local wine served in a simple carafe, and tiramisu so light it feels like eating a cloud. You talk and laugh, and he tells you stories about coming here for the first time with Sebastian Vettel. You see a side of him you never could have imagined โ the teammate, the brother, the local boy who made good.
By the time he drives you back to your hotel, the night is dark, the sky thick with stars. He walks you to the main entrance of the hotel, the grand, imposing doors a stark contrast to the warm intimacy of the evening.
Neither of you wants it to end. The thought of going back to your separate worlds, of you becoming the CEO and him the employee again, feels wrong.
โIโm not ready for this night to be over,โ he says, his voice low. The confidence from the drive has been replaced by a soft, hesitant vulnerability.
โNeither am I,โ you admit.
โMy apartment is not far from here,โ he offers, the words tentative. โIf youโre not tired. I could โฆ make you a drink?โ
You smile. โIโd like that.โ
His apartment is exactly what you would have expected, and yet it surprises you. It is minimalist and modern, with clean lines and breathtaking views, but it feels like a home. There are photos on a side table โ him as a boy in a karting suit, him with his brothers. And in the center of the vast living space is a beautiful, glossy black grand piano.
He leaves you by the vast window overlooking the city lights and goes to the kitchen. You can hear the soft clink of glasses.
He returns a moment later, his hands empty. He looks nervous again, that familiar anxiety flickering in his eyes.
โCan I get you something?โ He asks, his voice a little rough. โSome wine? Water?โ He pauses, a hesitant, mischievous smile playing on his lips. He takes a breath, and the whole world seems to hold it with him. โโฆ An espresso?โ
The question lands perfectly. The callback is so unexpected, so brilliantly audacious, that you burst out laughing. All the remaining tension, all the awkwardness of your history, evaporates in that single, shared moment of humor.
โI would love an espresso,โ you say, your eyes shining.
You follow him to the kitchen and watch as he stands in front of the gleaming, state-of-the-art machine โ the same model from the Ferrari conference room. But this time, the roles are reversed. You are the one watching, and he is the one at work, his movements practiced and competent. He grinds the beans, tamps the coffee, and pulls the shot. The rich, dark aroma fills the kitchen.
He hands you the small, delicate cup. It is a perfect mirror image of that first, disastrous meeting. A full circle. A closing of a loop that you never knew you needed.
You take a sip. โItโs perfect,โ you say softly, your eyes meeting his over the rim of the cup.
โIโm glad,โ he whispers.
He takes the cup from your hand and sets it down on the counter. He doesnโt move away. He is standing so close now you can feel the warmth radiating from him. He lifts a hand, his fingers gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear. His touch is electric, sending a shiver down your spine.
โY/N,โ he says, his voice barely audible, and the sound of your name on his lips is both an apology and a revelation.
And then he leans in and kisses you.
It is not a hesitant, questioning kiss. It is a kiss of absolute certainty, a culmination of every moment that has passed between you โ the misunderstanding, the fear, the laughter, the forgiveness. It is tender, and it is passionate, a release of all the unspoken energy that has been crackling between you from the very first second he walked into that conference room.
You melt into him, your hands coming up to cup his face, his arms wrapping around your waist, pulling you tight against him. The world outside the windows disappears. There is only this room, this moment, and the incredible, undeniable truth that this impossibly complicated, slightly broken, beautiful man has somehow found his way straight into the center of your carefully guarded heart.
When you finally break apart, you are both breathless, your foreheads resting against each other.
You look up at him, a slow, playful smile spreading across your face as your quick, strategic mind finally catches up with your racing heart. You see the whole, absurd, wonderful trajectory of your story laid out before you.
You reach up and trace the line of his jaw with your thumb.
โSo, Charles Leclerc โฆโ you say, your voice a low, teasing murmur, the CEO returning for one last, brilliant power move. โWhat do you think is better for your public image? The driver who pissed off his future boss โฆ or the driver whoโs sleeping with her?โ
He looks down at you, his eyes full of a light youโve never seen before. The anxiety is gone, replaced by a natural confidence.
โI think,โ he says, his voice a low, happy rumble, as he leans in to kiss you again, slow and deep. โI will take my chances with the second one.โ
summary: two separate pictures of you and charles without your wedding rings and one song released at the wrong time has fans speculating that everyone's favorite married couple is heading for a divorce. the truth is a lot less scandalous.
pairing: charles leclerc x wife!reader
fc: jade thirlwall
warnings: tiny bit suggestive - minors dni โข time skips โข likely a mistake or two
vicious speaks: a short and sweet one for you today ๐
deuxmoi F1 driver Charles Leclerc was spotted in a new video today without his wedding ring - a few months after we reported that things were tense between him and his wife, singer Yn Leclerc. Was this just a coincidence, or is there trouble in paradise? ๐ง Let us know your thoughts below!
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fan NOT MY PARENTS ๐ฉ
fan i refuse to believe this
fan NO
fan iโm sure this is all just one big misunderstandingโฆright? RIGHT?
fan for the sake of my sanity this is photoshopped
fan you canโt make me believe a couple so in love are suddenly getting a divorce
fan theyโre intensely private, i can see them quietly divorcing. unfortunately ๐ฅฒ
fan guys can we calm down? maybe he just forgot his ring.
fan iโm sorry i doubted you when you first reported that they were having problems ๐
fan LOVE IS DEAD
fan aw fuck
fan we know absolutely nothing!! letโs all calm down.
โคท yn_leclerc me when u do anything โฅ๏ธ by kellypiquet
fan where the FUCK are her rings??!
โคท fan oh itโs so over
sabrinacarpenter fufn is so good bby!! โฅ๏ธ by author
fan just listened to the songโฆiโm scared
f1gossip hmmโฆ
fan theyโre interacting normally but charles wasnโt wearing his ring & neither is yn and this song is not helping me feel better about the whole situation at all ๐
deuxmoi interesting.
fan man i donโt know what to think
fan new yn album ohhh we are so back
taylorswift she's baaack!!! โฅ๏ธ by author
fan this song is gonna haunt me i fear
perrie so proud of you and so excited for the album!! i already have fufn on repeat ๐ โฅ๏ธ by author
fan welp.
oliviarodrigo FUCK YEA NEW YN MUSIC ๐พ โฅ๏ธ by author
fan are you soft launching a divorce album ๐ญ
reneerapp proud of you babe!! โค๏ธ โฅ๏ธ by author
fan fufn is gonna go triple platinum in my house
zayn big congrats! โฅ๏ธ by author
fan AOTY. SOTY.
leighannepinnock proud proud proud ๐ โฅ๏ธ by author
fan the middle finger emoji pls
alexandrasaintmleux so excited! ๐ค โฅ๏ธ by author
leclercupdates Yn put the rumors to rest in her Zane Lowe interview!
ZANE: You know we gotta address the elephant in the room, right?
YN, LAUGHING: I figured!
ZANE: Where did FUFN come from?
YN: I was pissed at my husband after a night out and said "I have no more words, just fuck you. for now." and then thought to myself "Hey, those are pretty good lyrics" so i put them down in my notes and then kinda forgot about them because i was quite drunk at the time *laughs* eventually i came across the lyrics again and wanted to build on them so i got in the studio and eventually, this song was born.
ZANE: I noticed you said "Husband." Does that mean you guys are doing good? No trouble in paradise like people are suggesting?
YN: No! We're great. Our rings were sent out for cleaning and people just started spiraling. We actually find the rumors quite funny!
ZANE: It's good that you two can find the humor in that kind of stuff.
YN: Well, we've been together so long that eventually those kind of rumors are easy to laugh off and make light of.
ZANE: Yeah, i can understand that. We'll, i'm glad you guys are doing good!
YN: Thanks!
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fan THANK GOD
fan well i feel silly ๐ฅฒ
โคท fan i think we all do ๐
fan not us losing our minds over nothing
fan we were having a collective breakdown and they were laughing at us ๐ญ
i knowwww ur request are really full rn but if i donโt send this now ill forget. so. as a society i think we need party girl/no shame/horny asf leclerc youngest sister reader x lando. where sheโs lowk just traumatizing the hell out of her brothers while lando fights for his life
No Shame, No Regrets
Lando Norris x Leclerc!reader
Synopsis: She's confident, unapologetic, and relentlessly flirty. Zero filter, maximum chaos - meet baby Leclerc.
Moonlight Radio: and yes my requests are practically bursting at the seems but I really enjoyed writing this one - I hope u like it!
The Monaco Grand Prix paddock was buzzing with its usual energy-team personnel rushing between motorhomes, journalists hunting for quotes, and drivers navigating the controlled chaos. Charles Leclerc was mid-conversation with his engineer when he heard it.
That laugh.
His head whipped around so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. Sure enough, there she was: Y/N Leclerc, his youngest sister, wearing a sundress that was perfectly appropriate yet somehow still made him want to throw a blanket over her, leaning against the McLaren hospitality area like she owned the place.
And she was talking to Lando Norris.
"-honestly think it's the way you handle the curves," Y/N was saying, her voice carrying just enough for Charles to catch it. "Very... smooth. Controlled. I appreciate a man who knows exactly what he's doing with his hands."
Lando's eyes widened slightly, a grin tugging at his lips. "Iโare we still talking about driving?"
"Are we?" Y/N tilted her head, her smile absolutely wicked. "I was definitely talking about driving, Lando. What did you think I meant?"
Charles felt his eye twitch. That was his sister. Talking to his friend. About... he didn't even want to know.
"Y/N," he called out, his voice strained.
She turned, her expression brightening. "Charlie! I was just complimenting Lando on his performance. He's been doing so well this season, don't you think? Really... hard work paying off."
The way she said 'hard' should be illegal.
Lando coughed, clearly fighting back laughter. "Hey, mate. Your sister was justโ"
"I heard what my sister was doing," Charles interrupted, his jaw tight. He switched to French, directing his words at Y/N. "What are you doing here?"
She responded in English, because of course she did. "Supporting my favorite driver, obviously."
"I'm your brother."
"I said what I said." She turned back to Lando, whose shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter. "Anyway, I should let you get back to... whatever it is you do to prepare. Stretching? I bet you're very flexible."
"Oh my God," Charles muttered.
"I do yoga sometimes," Lando offered, because apparently he had a death wish.
"Do you?" Y/N's eyes lit up. "I'd love to see your downward dog sometime."
"I'm leaving," Charles announced. "Y/N, you're coming with me."
"I'm twenty-three, Charles."
"I don't care if you're forty-three, you're notโ" He gestured vaguely at Lando, who was now openly grinning. "This. You're not doing this."
"Doing what? Having a conversation?" Y/N's expression was pure innocence. "Lando doesn't mind. Do you, Lando?"
Lando looked between the two siblings, clearly weighing his options. Self-preservation lost to entertainment value. "I mean, it's a free paddock."
Charles pointed at him. "You. Stop encouraging her."
"I'm not encouraging anything! She's just-โ
"Very friendly," Y/N finished. "It's called being personable, Charles. You should try it sometime." She patted her brother's cheek and walked away, calling over her shoulder, "See you around, Norris!"
Lando watched her go, then turned to Charles with barely contained amusement. "Your sister is-โ
"Don't," Charles warned. "Whatever you're about to say, don't."
"I was going to say 'funny.'"
"That's not what she's trying to be."
"Oh, I know." Lando's grin was absolutely shit-eating. "Mate, you look like you're about to have an aneurysm."
"I might," Charles admitted. "She's going to be here all weekend."
"Is she?" Lando looked far too pleased about that information.
Charles pointed at him again. "Stay away from my sister."
"She approached me!"
"Then run away next time!"
โ
The next morning, Lando was reviewing data in the McLaren garage when someone cleared their throat behind him. He turned to find Y/N holding two coffee cups, wearing jeans and a McLaren-orange crop top that he was absolutely certain she'd chosen specifically to torment her brother.
"Morning," she said brightly. "Brought you coffee. Flat white, right? I asked around."
"You asked around about my coffee order?"
"I'm thorough." She handed him the cup, her fingers brushing his deliberately. "How'd you sleep?"
"Fine?" It came out as a question. Lando glanced around the garage, noting several mechanics suddenly very interested in their work while clearly eavesdropping. "Did you need something?"
"Just wanted to wish you luck for practice. And tell you that I think you're going to do really well this weekend." She leaned against his workstation. "You've got great... stamina. For the long races, I mean. Very impressive endurance."
One of the mechanics dropped a wrench.
Lando bit his lip, trying not to laugh. "Thanks? That's... yeah, endurance is important in racing."
"In lots of things," Y/N agreed solemnly.
"Y/N!" Charles's voice carried across the garage like the wrath of God. He appeared moments later, looking like he'd aged five years overnight. "Why are you in the McLaren garage?"
"Bringing Lando coffee. Want some? Oh wait, you're Ferrari. Guess you're stuck with their coffee. Shame."
"Can I talk to you?" Charles didn't wait for an answer, taking her elbow. "Privately?"
"We're just talking, Charles."
"You're not just talking, you're-" He seemed to struggle for words. "You're doing that thing you do!"
"What thing?" Y/N's innocence was Oscar-worthy.
"The thing where you-" Charles glanced at Lando, then lowered his voice. "Can you please not flirt with my friends in their workplace?"
"I'm networking."
"That's not networking!"
"Fine, I'm shooting my shot. Is that better?"
Charles looked like he wanted to scream. "He's my friend!"
"So I have good taste. It runs in the family." She patted his chest. "Relax, Charlie. I'm just having fun. Besides, Lando doesn't seem to mind." She looked past Charles to where Lando was definitely listening while pretending not to. "Do you, Lando?"
Lando knew the correct answer. The safe answer. The answer that would preserve his friendship with Charles and prevent any awkwardness.
"I mean, the coffee's good," he said instead.
Charles turned to glare at him. "You're not helping."
"I'm just being honest!"
"Be less honest!" Charles turned back to Y/N. "You. Ferrari motorhome. Now."
"So demanding," Y/N sighed. "Fine. But for the record, I'm an adult and you can't actually tell me what to do." She wiggled her fingers at Lando. "Bye, Lando. Love watching you work."
After they left, one of the mechanics sidled up to Lando. "Mate, Charles is going to murder you."
"Probably," Lando agreed, taking a sip of the coffee. "But did you see his face? Totally worth it."
โ
In the Ferrari motorhome, Charles was pacing while Y/N sat on the couch, examining her nails.
"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Charles demanded.
"I'm trying to get laid, actually, but sure, let's make it about you."
"Y/N!"
"What?" She looked up at him. "You're acting like I'm doing something crazy. I think Lando's hot. I'm making my interest known. This is normal human behavior."
"Not in the paddock! Not with my friends! Not-" He gestured frantically. "Not like that!"
"Like what?"
"Like you're... you're..." Charles struggled. "You told him you wanted to see his downward dog!"
"I do. I bet he's very bendy."
Charles made a noise like a dying animal. "Please. Please, Y/N. Have mercy on me."
"Charlie." She stood up, her expression softening slightly. "I love you. You're my big brother and you're amazing. But you don't get to police who I'm attracted to or how I express that attraction."
"I'm not trying to police you, I'm trying to save myself from having to hear my baby sister talk about-" He shuddered. "I can't even say it."
"Sex?" Y/N supplied helpfully.
"Stop!"
"Charles, I'm going to say this once: I like Lando. He's funny, he's cute, and he seems into it. I'm going to continue shooting my shot. You can either accept that or spend the whole weekend stressed." She headed for the door, then paused. "Also, for what it's worth? He has really nice hands. Like, really nice. I bet he's great atโ"
"GET OUT!"
Y/N's laughter echoed down the hallway.
โ
That night, Lando was heading back to his hotel room after dinner when he heard his name. He turned to find Y/N leaning against the wall near his door, wearing a little black dress that made his brain short-circuit slightly.
"Do you just... lurk in hallways?" he asked.
"Only when I'm hunting," she said with a grin. "Good dinner?"
"It was fine. How did you know which room was mine?"
"I have my ways." She pushed off the wall, moving closer. "Want to know a secret?"
"I feel like I shouldn't say yes to that."
"Charles's room is two doors down."
Lando's eyes widened. "Why would you tell me that?"
"Because I think it's funny how nervous it makes you." She was close enough now that he could smell her perfume. "You're not actually scared of my brother, are you?"
"Terrified," Lando admitted. "He's very intense when he wants to be."
"So am I." Her voice dropped lower. "When I want something."
"Y/N..." Lando's voice came out rougher than intended. "What are you doing?"
"Right now? Trying to figure out if you're interested or just being polite because I'm Charles's sister."
"Can't it be both?"
She laughed, the sound genuine and warm. "I like you, Lando. You're funny. You don't take yourself too seriously. And you've got this whole thing-" She gestured vaguely at him. "โthat really works for me."
"What thing?"
"The slightly chaotic, definitely charming, probably-trouble-but-in-a-fun-way thing."
"That's a lot of hyphens."
"You're deflecting."
"I'm processing," Lando corrected. "Your brother is two doors down, you're standing here looking like that, and I'm trying to figure out if this is a test."
"It's not a test. It's an invitation."
"To?"
"Whatever you want it to be." She stepped back, giving him space. "But no pressure. I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted you to know that I'm genuinely interested. Not just messing around to annoy Charles, though that's a fun bonus."
Lando studied her for a moment. She was beautiful, obviously, but there was something else-a confidence, a directness that he found incredibly attractive. "You're serious."
"Completely."
"And you don't care that Charles might actually kill me?"
"He won't. He'll threaten to, but he won't." She smiled. "Besides, I'm very good at protecting what's mine."
"I'm yours now?"
"Not yet. But I'm patient." She started walking backward down the hall. "Sleep well, Norris. Dream of me."
"You're ridiculous," he called after her.
"You're smiling!"
He was. He really, really was.
โ
The team dinner the following night was supposed to be a nice, civilized affair. Key word: supposed.
Lando arrived to find Y/N already seated, strategically positioned between an empty chair (which he suspected was meant for him) and across from Charles and her other brotherโArthur, who looked equally uncomfortable.
"Lando!" Y/N brightened. "Saved you a seat."
Charles's fork clattered against his plate.
"Thanks," Lando said, because what else could he do? He sat down, very aware of Charles's death stare from across the table.
"So," Y/N said conversationally as she reached for her wine, "Lando, I was thinking about what you said earlier about racing lines."
He hadn't said anything about racing lines.
"About how important it is to find the right entry point?" she continued innocently.
Arthur choked on his water.
"And how you have to be patient, wait for the right moment, and then commit fully once you're sure?"
"Y/N," Charles said warningly.
"What? I'm talking about racing." She turned to Lando. "Isn't that what you said?"
Lando was trying so hard not to laugh. "I... might have said something like that."
"I thought so. It's good advice. Applicable to lots of situations." She took a sip of wine. "Like overtaking, for example. You have to be confident, decisive. Really go for the gap."
"Oh my God," Arthur muttered.
"And the way you handle pressure," Y/N continued, her expression perfectly innocent. "Very impressive. You stay so calm even when things get intense. That's a valuable skill."
Charles was gripping his fork like a weapon.
"Some people fall apart under pressure," she mused. "But you? You seem like you'd be very... composed. Very focused. Even in high-stress situations."
"Y/N, I swear to God-" Charles started.
"What? I'm complimenting his driving!" She looked around the table. "Why is everyone being weird?"
"You know exactly why," Arthur said.
"Do I?" She turned back to Lando, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Lando, do you feel uncomfortable?"
He should say yes. He should absolutely say yes.
"I feel like I'm in danger," he said instead, "but not uncomfortable."
Y/N's smile was radiant. "See? He's fine."
"I'm not fine," Charles interjected. "None of this is fine."
"Charlie, you need to relax. You're going to give yourself an ulcer." Y/N reached for the bread basket. "Besides, I'm just making conversation. If your mind is going somewhere inappropriate, that's on you."
"My mind isn't-you're deliberately-" Charles looked at Arthur for support.
Arthur held up his hands. "I'm staying out of this."
"Coward," Charles muttered.
The dinner continued in much the same fashion, with Y/N making increasingly suggestive comments disguised as innocent observations, Charles slowly dying inside, Arthur pretending to be invisible, and Lando caught between amusement and genuine fear for his life.
By the time dessert arrived, Charles looked like he'd aged another five years.
"You know what I appreciate about you, Lando?" Y/N said, scraping the last of her tiramisu from the plate.
"I'm almost afraid to ask," Lando admitted.
"You've got a great sense of humor. You don't take things too seriously. Life's too short to be uptight all the time." She glanced meaningfully at Charles. "Some people could learn from that."
"Some people don't have to watch their baby sister openly flirt with their friends," Charles shot back.
"I'm not a baby, I'm twenty-three."
"You're still my baby sister!"
"That's a you problem, not a me problem."
Arthur stood up abruptly. "I'm going to the bathroom. For a long time. Maybe forever."
After he left, Y/N leaned closer to Lando. "Want to get out of here? There's a club nearby. Much better atmosphere than... this." She gestured at Charles's miserable face.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Lando said, even as he was already mentally saying yes.
"It's a great idea. Charles can come too if he wants to chaperone."
"I'm not chaperoning anything," Charles said firmly. "I'm going back to the hotel to drink and forget this dinner happened."
"Your loss." Y/N stood, smoothing down her dress. "Lando?"
He looked at Charles, who was shaking his head frantically. Then he looked at Y/N, who was smiling like she'd already won.
"One drink," Lando said, standing up.
Charles dropped his head into his hands. "I need new friends."
โ
The club was packed, the music loud enough to feel in your chest. Y/N had dragged Lando straight to the VIP section, where several other drivers and their friends were already celebrating the weekend.
"Want a drink?" she asked, leaning close to be heard over the music.
"I'll get them," Lando offered.
"Such a gentleman." She touched his arm. "Vodka soda, please."
When he returned with their drinks, she'd claimed a small section of the couch. He sat next to her, very aware of how close they were.
"So," she said, taking a sip of her drink, "are we going to keep dancing around this, or are you going to admit you're interested?"
"Pretty sure of yourself."
"I am. But I'm also right." She angled toward him. "You've been flirting back all weekend."
"I've been trying not to die."
"You can do both." She set her drink down. "Dance with me."
"That's not a question."
"No, it's not."
On the dance floor, with the music pounding and the lights flashing, things felt different. Less performative. More real.
"Can I ask you something?" Lando said, his hands on her waist.
"Anything."
"Is this really just to mess with Charles, or...?"
Y/N's expression softened. "You think I'd put this much effort in just to annoy my brother? I mean, it's a fantastic bonus, don't get me wrong. But no." She looped her arms around his neck. "I think you're genuinely great. You're funny, you're talented, you don't take yourself too seriously. And you're hot, which doesn't hurt."
"Very romantic."
"I'm not trying to be romantic. I'm trying to be honest." She bit her lip. "I like you, Lando. For real. Not as a joke, not as a game. I like you."
Something in Lando's chest loosened. "I like you too. Even though you're absolutely insane."
"Especially because I'm insane," she corrected.
"That too." He pulled her closer. "Your brother really is going to kill me."
"Probably. But what a way to go."
"You're terrible."
"You like it."
"I really do."
She kissed him then, and it was nothing like the careful, tentative first kisses he'd had before. This was confident, sure, a little bit reckless-exactly like her.
When they broke apart, she was grinning. "So, was it worth the risk?"
"Ask me after I survive the week."
"Y/N MARIE LECLERC!"
They both turned to find Charles and Arthur standing at the edge of the dance floor, looking like avenging angels.
"Oh shit," Lando muttered.
"Relax." Y/N didn't even look concerned. "Charlie! Arthur! Want to dance?"
"We want to talk," Charles said, his voice tight. "Now."
They moved to a quieter corner, though 'quiet' was relative. Charles looked like he was vibrating with the effort of staying calm.
"Are you serious right now?" he demanded, looking between them.
"Very," Y/N said simply.
"Youโ" Charles pointed at Lando. "You kissed my sister."
"Technically, she kissed me."
"NOT HELPING!"
"Charles." Y/N stepped forward. "I'm an adult. Lando's an adult. We like each other. You don't get a vote."
"He's my friend!"
"And I'm your sister. So either you accept this, or you spend the next however-long being miserable while we date anyway." She crossed her arms. "Your choice."
Charles looked at Arthur, who shrugged. "She's got a point."
"You're supposed to be on my side!"
"I am on your side. I'm also a realist." Arthur clapped Charles on the shoulder. "She's going to do what she wants. She always does."
Charles turned back to them, his expression pained. "I can't believe this is happening."
"Believe it," Y/N said cheerfully. "Oh, and Charlie? You might want to invest in noise-canceling headphones. Hotel walls are thin."
"Y/N!" Charles looked genuinely horrified.
"I'm kidding! Mostly." She grabbed Lando's hand. "Come on, let's get another drink."
As they walked away, Lando heard Arthur say, "At least she's happy?"
And Charles's response: "I hate everything."
Lando looked down at Y/N, who was grinning like she'd won the lottery. "You're going to be the death of me."
"Yeah," she agreed happily. "But you're going to have fun dying."
summary: mclaren hires a new chef and a certain ferrari driver can't seem to stay away from their garage now
folkie radio: HI GUYS IM BACK !! life is finally giving me a break and i can finally get back on track with writing !! this is short but a way for me to get the creative juices flowing again. remember that my requests are open. hope you like this !
MASTERLIST | MY PATREON
liked by lando, oscarpiastri and 15,836 others <
yourinstagram Finally can share the news! Your girl is officially feeding the fastest team on the grid ๐งก Started my journey as @mclarenโs new team chef and still can't believe I'm cooking for these legends. From 4AM breakfast preps to late night recovery meals - every bite fuels these incredible humans.
Special thanks to @lando and @oscarpiastri for trusting my experimental papaya-inspired dishes ๐ (Yes, that orange smoothie bowl was a bit too much, sorry boys!)
Still getting used to cooking in different countries every other week, but loving every second of it!
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username1 OMG SO COOL !
username2 congratulations girlll
lando finally some proper food in the garage! but pls no more orange food experiments ๐
oscarpiastri that pre-quali pasta hit different mate. also can we get those tim tam brownies again? asking for a friend ๐
username3 LIVING FOR THIS ERA!!! Show us more behind the scenes pleaseee
username4 The way Lando's performance improved after getting a proper chef... we see you YN
username5 okay but drop that smoothie recipe tho???
username6 not me crying because the team finally has good catering ๐ญ take care of our boys!!
username7 Anyone else notice she used to be RB's pastry chef? ๐ McLaren really said yoink
โ lando oi leave her alone, we stole her fair and square ๐ค
liked by yourinstagram, maxverstappen1 and 876,925 others
lando we're baaaack in the papaya kitchen with chef @yourinstagram making sure we don't starve ๐งก
ngl might've gained 2kg just looking at these banana protein pancakes but chef says they're "performance fuel" so who am I to argue ๐คทโโ๏ธ also my mum wants your shepherd's pie recipe btw
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username1 AWEEE THEY LOVE HER
username2 best chef ever
charles_leclerc when can I visit the catering? asking for... research purposes ๐ง
โ oscarpiastri mate there's a waiting list now ๐
yourinstagram those were FOR AFTER QUALI ๐ค also your mum already dmed me for the recipe x
username3 CHARLES I SEE YOU IN THIS COMMENT SECTION
usermame4 yn keeping the champions fed
username5 chef yn looks so pretty and cool i love her already
username6 NOT A WAITLIST FOR THE MCLAREN CATERING
usermame7 is she single?? asking for science
liked by charles_leclerc, yourinstagram and 198,339 others
f1 Meet The Crew: Behind every fast lap, there's a full stomach ๐ณ
Meet YN, @mclaren's head chef who's revolutionizing the team's nutrition game. From 15-hour race days to dawn testing sessions, she keeps the entire garage fueled and ready.
Fun fact: She can prep 60 personalized meals in under 3 hours and travels with her own set of lucky knives that have been to more GP tracks than some drivers
"Every team member gets a tailored menu - drivers, mechanics, engineers. Different roles need different fuel!" - YN
Swipe for a day in her life โก๏ธ
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username1 THIS IS COOOOOL
username2 i love when they show the crew behind the scenes
lando she threatened to feed me only kale if I binned the car
oscarpiastri fun fact: she stress bakes before races. ask me how I know ๐
(thanks for the 3am cookies in Singapore )
yourinstagram THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY, job of my dreams
username3 CHARLES WHY ARE YOU LIKINGGGG
username4 i bet all the other teams are dying to taste her food
username5 she's so prettyyyyyyy
username6 this is such a cool job. feeding the champions
username7 I WANT TO BE HER
username8 i bet charles is dying to try those pastries
liked by username1, username2 and 2,986 others
f1updates Charles Leclerc was asked about paddock life and casually dropped: "The food at McLaren is really good actually... really good. I heard they have fresh croissants every morning. I mean, Ferrari's food is good too of course" ๐
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username1 THE WAY HE SMILED WHEN TALKING ABOUT THE FOOD???? HELLO???
username2 CHARLES LECLERC YOU ARE A FERRARI DRIVER STOP SIMPING FOR THE MCLAREN CHEF ๐ญ
username3 not charles finding excuses to visit mclaren garage
username4 okay but did you see how he lit up talking about the croissants??
username5 Charles baby what is you doing
username6 THE AWKWARD PAUSE WHEN HE REALIZED WHAT HE SAID ๐
username7 someone tell charles that being a food critic isn't part of his ferrari contract
username8 lewis in the background looking betrayed bc charles keeps sneaking to mclaren's breakfast ๐
username9 PROTECT YN AT ALL COSTS! Our girl got Charles Leclerc stuttering about pastries
username10 I SO SHIP THIS
liked by yourinstagram, lando and 895,922 others
charles_leclerc Mission accomplished: Successful invasion of McLaren garage These tacos from @yourinstagram might be worth the penalty points from @fia...
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username1 CHARLESSSSS OMG
username2 he finally did it
yourinstagram I literally gave them to you Charles ๐ญ you didn't have to pretend to "steal" them
lando oi those were for US mate ๐คจ also you dropped your dignity on the way out
oscarpiastri man really showed up during strategy meeting just to "check something"
arthur_leclerc maman wants the recipe btw
username3 charles leclerc stealing tacos from mclaren like he's in a heist movie is my new personality
username4 SOMEONE COUNTED AND THIS IS HIS 8TH "VISIT" TO MCLAREN THIS MONTH ๐
username5 charles baby what is this behavior
username6 OK BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW YN JUST EXPOSED HIM IN THE COMMENTS ๐
username7 someone tell him there are easier ways to get the girl's attention than pretending to steal tacos๐ญ
username8 tag yourself i'm fred vasseur being done with charles' antics
username9 LANDO'S COMMENT HELP-
liked by charles_leclerc, lando and 49,685 others
yourinstagram For this race week we have victory brownies! Still finding papaya sprinkles everywhere but worth it ๐งก And to a certain red-suited someone who keeps "accidentally" ending up in our garage during meal times - next time just ask, I'll save you a plate ๐
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username1 AHHH LOVE HER
username2 she really is the coolest ever
lando caught in 4k but those cookies helped me get fastest lap so...
charles_leclerc ...I don't know what you're talking about ๐
username3 the way everyone knows exactly who that "certain red-suited someone" is ๐ญ
username4 THE WAY SHE CALLED HIM OUT I'M SCREAMING
username5 not charles liking this post within 0.001 seconds of it being uploaded
username6 petition to keep yn forever, our cars got faster and apparently we're collecting ferrari drivers now ๐
mclaren Our favorite yes chef !
zak_brown Whatever you're doing in that kitchen, keep doing it
(but maybe stop feeding the competition ๐ )
username7 THE PEOPLE'S PRINCESS FOR REAL
username8 such an icon she should date charles already
liked by notlando, notmax and 67 others
notcharles guys how do you ask someone out when:
1. they work for rival team
2. entire paddock is watching
3. you've been caught stealing their food multiple times
4. pierre won't stop texting "down bad" every time i mention her
5. carlos keeps sending me gordon ramsay memes
6. fred threatened to make me eat only protein shakes if i visit mclaren again
7. lando recorded me tripping over equipment trying to "casually" walk by
asking for scientific purposes obviously.
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the_superior_leclerc mum says to just invite her for dinner already ๐
notpierre down BAD down BAD down BAD
notcarlos remember when you said you'd never date anyone from another team? good times ๐
notalbono you've got it bad ๐
notmax bro you literally drive f1 cars at 300km/h but can't ask someone on a date?
notlewis why are you using memes of yourself
notoscar you know she already knows right? whole paddock's taking bets
notgeorge glad I'm not the only one who sneaks into mclaren for food anymore
liked by username1, username2 and 5,484 others
f1gossip SPOTTED: Charles Leclerc and McLaren's chef YN having dinner in Monaco! ๐
Sources say HE was the one cooking for HER this time... brave man cooking for a professional chef
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username1 THE WAY THIS WHOLE TIME WE THOUGHT HE WAS JUST AFTER THE COOKIES ๐ญ
username2 EVERYONE STAY CALM IT'S HAPPENING
username3 why does it look like they're inside of his house wtf
username4 i forget how little privacy drivers have in monaco
username5 charles trying to impress a professional chef with his cooking is actually the cutest thing help-
username6 man really pulled up with homemade pasta... he's SERIOUS serious
username7 THE WAY WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS SLOWBURN FOR MONTHS ๐ญ
username8 All those "accidental" visits to McLaren finally making sense
username9 lando somewhere: my plan worked perfectly ๐
username10 GET IT GIRL!! (but pls keep feeding mclaren we're winning races)
username11 not charles booking the most visible terrace in monaco... he said y'all gonna SEE this
username12 this is better than my netflix shows help-
liked by charles_leclerc, lando and 67,098 others
yourinstagram Not often someone cooks for me... even rarer that it's actually good
Plus points for not burning down the kitchen (unlike some McLaren drivers I know ๐) ps: whoever taught him to make pasta, good job
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username1 OMFG
username2 SO HE DID COOK
charles_leclerc My nonna says you're welcome for the recipe ๐ค (she wants you over for sunday lunch btw)
lando exposed but in my defense that fire was ONE TIME
pierregasly look who's not "down bad" anymore ๐
leclerc_pascale โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
username3 GIRL THE WAY HIS MOM AND NONNA ARE ALREADY CLAIMING YOU ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
username4 not charles' mom dropping the lunch invite in the comments i'm CRYING
username5 THE WAY HE LEARNED TO COOK JUST TO IMPRESS HER????? HELLO?????
username6 remember when we thought bros just wanted free cookies ๐
username7 we really watched this man go from stealing cookies to cooking pasta i'm emotional
username8 HELP WHY IS THIS THE CUTEST THING EVER????????
username9 ok but can we talk about how his mom commented with hearts IMMEDIATELY
username10 YALL THE WAY HE GOT HIS NONNAS RECIPE.... THIS IS SERIOUS
username11 the way the entire paddock was just waiting for this to happen i'm screaming
liked by notmax, notalex and 76 others
notcharles ok so:
nonna gave her secret recipes
maman invited her to 3 family dinners
she laughs at my bad jokes
fred stopped threatening me about mclaren visits
i learned to cook (kind of)
haven't crashed trying to impress her (yet)
...can i ask her to be my girlfriend now? ๐
(also where tf do i hide all these cooking practice videos before she finds them)
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the_superior_leclerc bro she already has our nonna's secret recipes... pretty sure that means you're married ๐
notpierre i started typing "down bad" but honestly... you got this
notlando my guy you literally learned to cook italian food from scratch... just do it
notmax half the grid lost money betting you'd ask by japan btw
notalex bro she let you cook for her and didn't run away... that's true love right there
notoscar better do it before DTS makes a whole season about this
liked by charles_leclerc, lando and 71,298 others
yourinstagram turns out stealing cookies was just his way of stealing my heart ๐ค
(yes, this is exactly what you think it is)
ps: @scuderiaferrari your boy makes really good pasta now
pps: @mclaren don't worry, still feeding our guys too ๐งก
view all comments
username1 OMFH
username2 OH I LOVE THIS
carlossainz55 Finally i can delete all those videos of him practicing "casual" walking past mclaren
lando about TIME also please keep feeding us we're finally winning races
leclerc_pascale Bellissima โค๏ธ Sunday lunch at 1pm as always
mclaren Happiness and good food, win-win ๐งกโค๏ธ (but seriously keep feeding our guys)
username3 NOT THE COOKIE STEALING WORKING OUT IN THE END ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
username4 BRO WENT FROM STEALING SNACKS TO STEALING HEARTS IM SOBBING
username5 THE WAY THE WHOLE PADDOCK IS IN THE COMMENTS LIKE PROUD PARENTS
username6 nah bc his mom dropping the sunday lunch reminder in the comments is sending me ๐
username7 everyone acting like they weren't watching this slowburn for months ๐คก
username8 THE WAY THIS WHOLE THING STARTED WITH HIM SNEAKING INTO MCLAREN FOR SNACKS I'M-
username9 okay but why is this the cutest hard launch in f1 history???
charles_leclerc my instagram feed when iโm hungry
โคท lando what the fuck
โคท carlossainz55 He isnโt even trying to be subtle anymore
โคท charles_leclerc where has being subtle ever gotten me?
sharls_lerklerk something good to come out of this whole thing is the fact that charles crushing on y/n has practically made him and lando best friends
โคท carlossainz55 No cause why is Charles at Landoโs more then me? ๐
kikagomes body tea ๐๐
kikagomes wow who took this amazing picture?
โคท charles_leclerc I bet I could take better pictures of her
โคท lando leave my baby sister alone charles
โคท charles_leclerc NEVER i WILL be your brother in law one day little lando
โคท yn stop
โคท charles_leclerc okay ๐
alex_albon who allowed charles to be this down bad for a girl 6 years younger than him
โคท georgerussell63 We did actuallyโฆ
โคท alex_albon oh yeahโฆ
โคท kimi.antonelli I guess us constantly sending ship edits to the drivers gc didnโt helpโฆ
danielricciardo y/n stronger then me cause if charles leclerc was openly crushing on me i would not shut up about it
โคท yn ???
โคท danielricciardo what?
๐ฎ
charles_leclerc
๐ต sienna โข the marรญas
liked by georgerussell63 and 1,617,324 others
charles_leclerc ๐
lando what are you doing with my baby sister in the middle of the night charles leclerc
โคท charles_leclerc enjoying life
โคท yn weโre with kika and pierre
โคท lando thatโs not easing my nerves those two are the biggest shit stirrers other than george and alex
ihatemymiserablelife sheโs obviously playing with his feelings like bro take the hint she doesnโt like you
โคท charles_leclerc goodness forbid a guy likes a girl who makes a man work for her love
kikagomes i guess your photography skills arenโt the worst
lilymhe this is giving mysterious baddieeee
olliebearman heโs in loooveeee
lando i donโt like you hanging out with my little sister without my supervision
โคท charles_leclerc lando i would never do anything inappropriate to your sister
โคท charles_leclerc without her consent ๐๐ ๐
โคท lando CHARLES YOU BETTER NOT TOUCH MY SWEET LITTLE INNOCENT BABY SISTER
โคท kikagomes innocent?
โคท lando NOT NOW KIKA
โคท yn iโm in bed lando you donโt need to worry
โคท lando whoโs bed
โคท yn mine
โคท lando with who
โคท yn me, myself, and i
โคท charles_leclerc i can fix that mon amour
โคท lando charles donโt make me come sit with you all night to make sure you donโt sneak out to see my baby sister
โคท charles_leclerc i wouldnโt mind some cuddles ๐ฅฐ
โคท lando oh iโm omw baby boy
โคท charles_leclerc doors unlocked ;)
โคท yn what ๐
๐ฎ
yn
๐ต forrest gump โข frank ocean
liked by serenaapagee and 1,294,055 others
yn soaking up the sun
lando silverstone babyyyy ๐ฌ๐ง
โคท yn manifesting that lando lewis max podium
oscarpiastri Forrest Gump? Sure
โคท yn whatchu out here being messy for ๐คจ
charles_leclerc absolutely beautiful
lilyzneimer Cutie girl ๐ฅฐ
โฅ๏ธ by author
charles_leclerc My feed is just obsessed with you
โคท arthur_leclerc Is it or did you just mute everyoneโs posts except hers?
โคท charles_leclerc shut up arthur no one asked you
olliebearman sheโs in loooveeee
โคท yn what i canโt listen to good music anymore?
โคท arthur_leclerc she said she will not stand for everyone thinking sheโs in love with charles ๐
โคท charles_leclerc fuck you
โคท arthur_leclerc oops touched a nerve there
โคท lando he in fact does not play about her. i said she was acting like a brat once and he gave me a wedgie. it was extremely humbling
โคท charles_leclerc ah good times good times
charles_leclerc drop the haircare routine ๐ฃ๏ธ๐ฃ๏ธ
charles_leclerc we need a youtube channel bรฉbรฉ
โคท lando BรBร??????? oh weโre getting real comfortable huh
โคท charles_leclerc uhhh I meant mon ange
โคท lando just shut up
โคท charles_leclerc Okay
danielricciardo I just have a hard time believing that someone so cool and beautiful and funny and kind is related to someone like lando
โคท yn thx king i do too ๐
โคท lando umm okay??
๐ฎ
yn
๐ต middle โข dj snake, bipolar sunshine
liked by charles_leclerc and 1,301,688 others
yn livin that sweet life
charles_leclerc if I speak
โคท lando donโt
charles_leclerc just one chance
kikagomes the best traveling buddy, i love our cuddles ๐ฅฐ
โคท yn me 2 ๐
lando delete this
lewishamilton You broke him
charles_leclerc yk you wrong for that
โคท yn i was feeling bold
โคท charles_leclerc youโre feeling bold, iโm feeling hard weโre meant to be
โคท lando what the hell charles
โคท charles_leclerc in a respectful way you know??
โคท lando no i donโt know, thatโs my baby sister you pedo
โคท charles_leclerc I thought we agreed you would stop calling me that if I stopped sending you ship edits of me and your sister
โคท lando yeah then you started openly thirsting over her again
โคท yn maybe i should delete this post
โคท charles_leclerc go ahead I already took a screenshot of everything I need
โคท yn okay creep
โคท charles_leclerc only for you mon cลur ๐
lilymhe so hot wow ๐๐๐๐
alex_albon i dare you to date charles leclerc
โคท lando she said truth
๐ฎ
charles_leclerc
๐ต pipe (feat. xdna) โข christina aguilera, xdna
liked by charles_leclerc
charles_leclerc one like and Iโll ask her out on a date
lando did you seriously just like your own post?
โคท charles_leclerc pfft no, thatโs so lame
yn what the fuck why do you have a picture of me sleeping in the doctors office when i was sick
โคท charles_leclerc shhh donโt worry about it
mclaren The way everyone collectively decided to not like his post is hilarious
โคท charles_leclerc oh who is you
alex_albon This post reeks of desperation and I love it
lewishamilton Are you drunk?
โคท charles_leclerc drunk in love ๐ฅฐ
alex_albon YES CHARLES A MAN WHO YEARNS IS A MAN WHO EARNS
danielricciardo Wow you just unlocked a whole new level of pathetic yearning
โคท charles_leclerc only for my baby ๐ฅฐ
โคท lando boi
charles_leclerc sooo @yn what do you say about that date??? me + you + sushi??? ๐๐
โคท yn what the hell, sure
โคท lando excuse me?
โคท lando are you guys serious i thought this was just a joke
โคท lando guys??? no
โคท lando GUYS??? NO
โคท lando I HAD ONE RULE CHARLES
โคท alex_albon LFGGGGGG
โคท kimi.antonelli HE DID IT
โคท olliebearman MAMA Y PAPA
โคท pierregasly MY BOY DID IT
โคท oscarpiastri What a time to be alive, truly
โคท arthur_leclerc big bro finally grew a pair ๐ฅน
lando i had one rule for her, donโt date any f1 drivers. what does she do? goes out on a date with an f1 drivers
โคท lorenzotl I had a rule for him too, donโt get involved with anyoneโs sister. What does he do? Gets involved with someoneโs sister
โคท lando they grow up so fast donโt they? ๐ฅน
โคท lorenzotl They sure do
โคท arthur_leclerc acting like they just got married and youโll never see them again, they havenโt even went out for their date yet jeez
โคท charles_leclerc and for my next trick, i WILL pull my best friends sister
๐ฎ
yn
๐ต kind of โข faye webster
liked by lando and 2,416,815 others
yn i like em french
charles_leclerc yk what, I donโt even care as long as iโm yours
โคท lando how come she gets to call you french and not me?
โคท charles_leclerc she lets me do things you wouldnโt let me do to you
โคท lando i hate you
โคท charles_leclerc I love you too BROTHER
โคท lando yeah yeah ๐
alex_albon i used to pray for times like this
oscarpiastri This is hope core
carmenmmundt So cute ๐ฅฐ
arthur_leclerc he is a proud frenchmen ๐ซ๐ท
carlossainz55 He can die happy now
charles_leclerc MON AMOUR โฅ๏ธ
kimi.antonelli We got chayn before gta6
georgerussell63 You have my etsy witch to thank for this ๐
โคท yn girl
โคท charles_leclerc THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
โคท yn girluhh
๐ฎ
charles_leclerc
๐ต best part (feat. h. e. r.) โข daniel caesar, h.e.r
liked by lewishamilton and 2,164,973 others
charles_leclerc thank you george russellโs etsy witch for making my girl mine
georgerussell63 I take PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo,
โคท charles_leclerc just sent you 16 dollars โค๏ธ
โคท georgerussell63 Dafuq am I supposed to do with that
โคท charles_leclerc get some tea or something, I know you buss down on some good matcha
oscarpiastri What am I looking at here
โคท charles_leclerc the intro to our sex tape
โคท lando what the actual fuck
โคท oscarpiastri And the crowd is not surprised
โคท francolapinto Need a third? ๐น
โคท charles_leclerc I donโt share
โคท francolapinto ๐ฅ
lando i guess out of all the men out there iโm glad my baby sister ended up with you ๐
โคท charles_leclerc OHHH YOU CANT WAIT TO HAVE ME AS YOUR BROTHER IN LAW
โคท carlossainz55 Lando acts like he doesnโt like you two together but I caught him telling his mom that you two are โdefinitely gonna lastโ
โคท yn awhhhh landoooo ๐ฅน
โคท charles_leclerc HE LOVES ME
alex_albon Oh yaโll are freaked out
โคท lilymhe Oh yeah he wants that cookie
โคท yn real bad
โคท lilymhe ๐๐๐
francolapinto Can I at least watch?? You wonโt even know Iโm there
โคท charles_leclerc You wanna sit in the cuck chair?
โคท francolapinto Iโm open to anything ๐ธ
โคท charles_leclerc No
โคท francolapinto ๐พ๐พ sharing is caring
โคท charles_leclerc I donโt care
๐ฎ
charles_leclerc
๐ต i always wanted a brother โข lion king
liked by maxverstappen1 and 1,862,343 others
charles_leclerc my brothaaaa
lando BROTHAAAAAAA
โคท charles_leclerc YES LANDO YES LFG
lorenzotl What am I then??
arthur_leclerc Ungrateful, as always
โคท charles_leclerc oh bug off
โคท alex_albon youโve been hanging out with lando too much
Summaryโฆย Vogue invites Y/N Leclerc to film her beauty routine, but between breastfeeding, toddlers barging in, and a very attentive husband named Charles, it becomes the internetโs favorite accidental family vlog.
A/N:ย This wasย soย much fun to write. Thank you for the support.
Comment to be added to the tag listย ๐ซถ
Reblog if Charles in lip gloss healed you ๐
Requests open!
Donate a matcha?!
Like, Comment, Reblog, Enjoy!! - ๐
โ๏ฝกหโ๏ธห๏ฝกโ๏ฝกหโฝห๏ฝกโ
Sophie was not emotionally prepared for what awaited her in the new Vogue Beauty Secrets video.
She had expected skincare tips and light glam. Maybe a glimpse of the Leclerc home in Monaco. What she got instead? Full-blown domestic intimacy and the softest glimpse into Charles Leclercโs family life that had her immediately texting her group chat in all caps.
The video starts with a softย clickย of a camera. Then, a yawn.
โHi, Vogue,โ Y/N greets, bleary-eyed but smiling, her voice raspy from sleep. โIโm Y/N Leclerc. Itโs 6:42 a.m., I havenโt had coffee, and I have approximately six minutes before someone needs me, so letโs go.โ
Sheโs in a silky ivory robe, hair loosely twisted up, bare-faced but still radiant. The Monaco morning light spills in through tall windows, and behind her, their bathroom is sleek and softly lit, complete with pampas grass, glowy wall sconces, and a tiny pink toothbrush on the counter.
โSo, I start my routine with cold water to fake looking awake,โ she says, splashing her face. โThis cleanser is my holy grail. Saved me from pregnancy acne, postpartum dry skin, and whatever hormonal situation is happening now.โ
Just as she starts patting her face dry, a high-pitched wail breaks through the audio.
Y/N sighs, already smiling. โHold on.โ
The camera stays rolling as she walks out of frame. A minute later, she returns with a sleepy, whimpering baby girl snuggled into her chest and latched under her robe, suckling quietly.
โThis is Amรฉlie,โ Y/N explains with a gentle bounce. โShe woke up from a nightmare. Or gas. Or because the moon shifted slightly. Who knows.โ
She reaches for her toner with one hand. โWe multitask in this house.โ
From the hallway, thereโs the unmistakable sound of tiny feet running and then,
โMAMAN! Maxime threw the car in the toilet!โ
Y/N freezes mid-serum. โOf course he did.โ
Seconds later, Charles appears in the doorway in a plain white tee and black boxers, holding their son Maxime upside down like a sack of potatoes while their other son, Luca, trails behind looking scandalized.
โWeโre resolving a Formula 1 incident in the bathroom,โ Charles says, grinning at the camera. โLucaโs the steward. Maxime is currently being investigated for unsportsmanlike conduct.โ
โDid you retrieve the car?โ Y/N asks.
Charles shrugs. โNo comment.โ
He presses a kiss to her temple, checks on Amรฉlie with soft eyes, then scoops up both boys with ease. โWeโll be back. Maybe.โ
As he disappears, Y/N turns back to the camera with a laugh. โAs you can tell, I live with four Leclercs. And none of them understand volume control.โ
She continues her routine: moisturizer, under-eye cream, a little face oil, occasionally pausing to adjust Amรฉlieโs head or sip coffee that mysteriously appears beside her.
Y/N narrows her eyes toward the door. โHe always does this. Drops off coffee like a skincare fairy.โ
Thereโs a beat.
Then Charles reappears with Leo, their dog, trailing behind him and immediately curling up at Y/Nโs feet.
Charles grins, now shirtless and balancing Luca on one hip, Maxime hanging from his back like a little koala.
โThought you needed a refill.โ
Y/N lifts her brows. โYou mean a refill of chaos?โ
He kisses her cheek again. โAlways.โ
She rolls her eyes fondly. โIโm going to try to do mascara. Letโs see how this goes with a baby attached to me and a toddler kicking a soccer ball off the bidet.โ
The camera captures her reflection in the mirror, her swiping mascara with practiced precision while Amรฉlie dozes, Charles wrangling twins in the background, Leo curled up protectively beneath her. Somehow it feelsโฆ cinematic. Like watching a memory unfold.
She reaches for her blush and hears,
โMaman, I want the pink lips too!โ Maxime shouts, bolting into the room again with one of her glosses in hand.
Charles walks in, sheepish. โHe stole it. I tried.โ
Y/N gestures to the camera. โWell. Raw and real, right Vogue?โ
She lifts Maxime onto the counter, dabs a bit of gloss on his lips, and hands the wand to Charles with a teasing smirk. โYour turn.โ
Charles blinks. โI thought this was your video.โ
โYour lips are dry. Donโt embarrass the family.โ
The camera catches Charles puckering obediently, Y/N laughing as she applies the gloss while holding Amรฉlie in place.
Sophie canโt believe sheโs witnessing this. Charles Leclerc in a lip gloss application tutorial. Shirtless. Surrounded by three kids and a dog. Whispering something soft in French to his daughter, whose little fist is tangled in his necklace.
โI swear by this nipple cream,โ Y/N adds, completely unbothered. โFor any of you breastfeeding, itโs a life saver. Charles applies it for me when Iโm too tired.โ
โI do?โ he calls from the hallway.
โYou do now,โ she calls back.
She finishes her makeup with one hand, blush, a bit of highlighter, tinted lip oil.
โAnd thatโs it,โ she smiles. โThatโs my five-minute face for school drop-offs, F1 events, or just chasing the dog through the garden while holding a crying baby.โ
Charles reappears once more, now with Amรฉlie peacefully burping over his shoulder, the twins playing with Lego on the rug behind him.
He leans into the frame. โShe forgot the most important product.โ
Y/N blinks. โI did?โ
Charles kisses her cheek. โConfidence. And a little gloss.โ
Sophie feels like her heartโs going to explode.
The screen fades just as Maxime announces, โPapa tooted,โ and chaos erupts behind them.
Y/N blows a kiss to the camera.
โThanks, Vogue. Come back when weโve slept for more than three hours.โ
She Sleeps, He Races, and the Internet Falls in Love
Charles races on Twitch while Y/N naps in his lapโone forehead kiss sends the chat spiraling into romance-core chaos.
Disclaimer: This is a fictional story created purely for entertainment and imaginative purposes.
Charles Leclerc is live on Twitch.
The chatโs buzzing. The screen shows the iconic F1 track layout. Charles, laser-focused, hands gripping the controller, brows slightly furrowed.
But in his lapโher face is not fully visibleโis Y/N.
She's wrapped in a plush, pastel blanket with tiny embroidered race cars and little stitched strawberries. She's curled up on his lap, arms tucked around his waist like muscle memory, head nestled into the crook of his neck. Her breath is soft against his skin, and her feet are peeking out from beneath the blanket.
The chat catches on.
โWAIT IS SOMEONE ON HIS LAP???โ โCharles blink twice if youโre holding a human burrito.โ โWhat is that blanket, and where do I buy one???โ
Charles glances at the comments and chuckles quietly.
โAhโyeah. Sheโs asleep,โ he says, nudging the mic aside. โThis is her racing blanket. She made it.โ His voice dips instinctively softer, protective. โItโs got little strawberries because theyโre her favorite. Sheโs the creative one.โ
Then someone in chat notices the forehead kiss.
Charles botched a cornerโtoo wide, lost grip. The game penalized him. Instinctively, Charles leaned back, pressing a quiet kiss to the top of Y/Nโs head, murmuring a โdรฉsolรฉโ under his breath like she could sense his mistake in her dreams.
The chat breaks.
โHE KISSED HER HEAD BECAUSE HE MISSED A TURN IโM GOING TO CRYโ โTHIS IS THE SOFTEST FERRARI CONTENT SINCE HE FED THE BIRDS IN MONACOโ โCharles Leclerc winning boyfriend of the year and itโs not even close.โ
Then he nails a sector. Fastest lap.
His fist pumps silently. He smiles and whispers, โCโest pour toi,โ to the girl on his lap whoโs still sound asleep.
At one point, Y/N stirs gentlyโhe pauses mid-turn, shifts just enough to help her resettle, adjusts the blanket around her shoulders, and whispers, โSleep, mon ange. Youโre safe.โ
She murmurs something unintelligible and presses her cheek tighter into his neck.
And every viewer watching? Emotionally obliterated.