I hmm got a little inspired by @laura1633 post about the Nürburgring races and omega Max...A very quick sketch. Just thinking about how Christian will think about their battle and especially about Max
Christopher Haase / Max Verstappen
Ao3
Chris scrolled through Instagram with a smile, watching countless video clips of his race. Different onboards of him and the number three car swapping positions and pushing everything to the absolute limit. The vibration of the car still resonated somewhere inside him, the feeling of the battle echoing in the now-familiar sight. The adrenaline still bubbled under his skin, sweat still dripping onto the ground.
He wanted more. To overtake, to win. His excited instincts were screaming at him, and he wanted more himself. A happy smile stretched across his lips and showed no signs of leaving as the commentator's astonished voice played from his phone while the driver of the blue car defended fiercely. Max, that was fucking Max Verstappen. Chris laughed quietly and ran a hand through his wet hair, shaking his head in disbelief. It was madness. Bright, desirable, and now captivating him like nothing else could.
After a moment's hesitation, he clicked on the comments. Hundreds of people just as crazy as he was right now were shouting in them, unable to calm down, alternately praising him and Max. A pleasant satisfaction from the battle settled nicely in his chest, his eyes darting over other people's words again and again. His finger scrolled on its own, and he immediately saw a familiar Red Bull logo, overtaking a car in traffic and doing it so successfully that Chris's eyes widened in disbelief. Damn, that was amazing. The video repeated. Again. Again. He rewatched the highlight and watched the confident position changes with a vague, pleasant feeling.
Reaching for the comments out of habit, he saw the comment section constantly refreshing. They appeared literally before his eyes and disappeared just as quickly, replaced by new ones. Some people couldn't contain their emotions, others posted shocked emojis, and some had already dubbed it almost a historic overtake. And Chris was ready to agree, biting his lip as he rewatched the confident maneuver. He leaned against the garage wall and took his phone in both hands, wanting to leave a small comment. His eyes shone with genuine excitement and admiration when he came across an unusual comment for this place. Long, emotional, but completely filled with profanity.
The username contained a reference to Formula 1 and seemed to have several drivers' names, but Chris didn't try too hard to parse it. Without a second thought, he stopped on it and expanded it fully. It started off rude, sarcastic. The manner was so sharp that for a moment it was almost disarming. "This needy bitch is tired of not being able to win a championship through the bed and decided to switch series? Good luck jumping on that many dicks, but even that won't help you lol." The commenter didn't stop, aggressively going on about "illegal" overtakes and then quickly descended into even more derogatory comments about Max, causing Chris to instinctively turn off his phone in irritation.
His breath caught when he saw that he had unknowingly let his fangs out and furrowed his brow, looking completely unhinged in the screen's reflection. Chris started, unaccustomed to feeling his instincts screaming out against the injustice. They demanded he protect, show that Max had fought him fairly and deserved his leading position, when a whisper went through the garage. It started quietly, then grew louder. When the mechanics, no longer hiding their interest, stepped outside the garage and looked around, Chris felt a growing pressure mixed with an internal, uncharacteristic irritation. And then a sharp voice.
"Car number three with a hole. They've brought the car in for repairs."
"Wow, shit, they're out of the running now…"
Chris froze. His head instinctively jerked towards the garage exit, and his body tensed, wanting to move.
"Is Max okay?" – his voice was too hoarse and quiet, surprising even himself. The mechanics tilted their heads strangely, but fortunately for him, didn't pay it any more attention than necessary.
"Yeah. No one knows where it came from, there's no data on a collision with anyone."
Chris nodded, relaxing his hands. The itch and pleasure from the battle faded, while irritation at the unknown person on the internet intertwined with worry for Max. He didn't understand why he was feeling anything at all, but the thought of Max being absent from the fight for the win felt so unpleasant that it scared him. Without thinking twice, he turned and walked to the hospitality room to gather his thoughts, at least somewhat.
This worry didn't leave him until the very end, until the victory hit like a bright wave, finally allowing the tension in his body to dissolve and turn into joy. The team celebrated as the atmosphere finally stopped pressing down on them. Tired and happy, they genuinely hugged each other, mixing their scents so thoroughly that it was impossible to tell who was who. Chris laughed, joining the bacchanal, while his phone still had the onboard open with the clear inscription "Verstappen Racing."
The celebration lasted a long time, promising to stretch even longer, endlessly fueled by what seemed like an inexhaustible feeling of victory. The backslaps had become such an endless event that Chris had stopped feeling his back about an hour ago. Slipping away quickly to a far corner, he allowed himself to exhale and take off his cap, wiping away sweat with his hand. Ben materialized beside him, looking slyly at his attempt to hide.
"Tired already? How are you going to drive 24 hours?"
Chris giggled, smiling back, as his teammate's figure concealed him in the corner.
"I'm making way for the young," Chris ruffled Ben's hair while the latter rolled his eyes demonstratively.
"For 'young', you have Max."
Chris flinched slightly. His smile became crooked as Chris subtly hunched under his teammate's curious gaze. His fingers fidgeted with the brim of his cap, while his gaze thoughtfully swept the garage, making sure no one could hear them. The alpha took a step forward, lowering his voice.
"Speaking of him. Maybe you've heard something about him?"
"Besides the fact that he's a world-famous Formula 1 champion?" Ben raised an eyebrow mockingly, as a blush slowly crept across Chris's face and his fingers tightened on the brim.
"Maybe about his reputation? Or what kind of person he is?"
Ben looked at him thoughtfully, until a spark of understanding in his eyes flared as brightly as the blush on Chris's face. His smile became predatory, and his gaze so knowing that it became uncomfortable under such scrutiny. The beta leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest and restraining himself from laughing.
"If you're asking if he's available – then absolutely yes," Ben gestured to cut off Chris, who had opened his mouth, and continued, "But his reputation… you wouldn't wish it on anyone."
"What do you mean?" Chris faltered, tilting his head in confusion. He quickly ran through everything he knew about Max and found only broken records and victories.
"The media in Formula 1 clearly doesn't like him, and neither does the local pack. They quickly labeled him a deviant, aggressive omega who was rejected by the pack. That happened in '21 and continues to this day, even when newer drivers try to refute it," Ben paused briefly, giving him time to digest the information. Giving him a thorough look, acknowledging the readable disbelief in Chris's eyes, Ben continued, "I myself, to my shame, thought the same until we crossed paths at a small event. And god, he's literally the softest and most good-natured omega I've ever met. But years in Formula have faded him. If it weren't for a mutual friend, I wouldn't have even noticed him in the darkest corner."
Chris processed the words. They didn't match the Max he had seen here. That Max was bright, constantly enthusiastically describing all his sensations and wanting to discuss every corner of the Nürburgring. He was an inexhaustible stream of energy who, even after the news of the disqualification, congratulated him on the win and, right in front of them, calmed down his upset team. It seemed only right that Max had enough authority and influence that everyone was literally ready to melt in front of him. Especially when his two alphas covered him with such a thick layer of comforting scent that Max's own scent was barely there at all.
"But I didn't see any of that here? Even his teammates treat him like the pack omega."
"You're too good to understand that while we kept our distance out of respect, others did it to avoid him," the words hit physically, knocking out a shocked exhale. "Of course, his team knows what he's really like, otherwise they wouldn't work together."
Silence fell between them as Chris sighed heavily and shook his head. He stared at the floor, slowly discovering a new reality. Endurance racing had always been distant to him, and Formula 1 even more so. Its media image still couldn't even come close to what he had seen with his own eyes.
"Honestly, I still can't fully believe all this. It's just so strange. How can a lie be so widespread…"
"An omega in royal racing, beating seasoned alphas and a seven-time world champion. Of course, some egos were too wounded. Especially with his straightforward and honest character, combined with his edge-of-the-limits driving – he broke all the rules," Ben frowned ruefully, realizing how terrible it really was.
"Fuck, now I want to go and tell them exactly what I think of them," Ben patted him on the shoulder as Chris disappointedly rubbed his face with his hands. "I just don't understand it, I really don't."
"Unfortunately, the atmosphere in Formula 1 is completely different," Ben squeezed his shoulder, starting to speak thoughtfully, but then stopped. The beta's figure hunched as he leaned closer, gently pulling him in, "Listen. He's still here, reviewing the footage. If you want, you can go to him: he's always happy for the company. Even from a rival."
Ben smiled gently and looked towards the garage occupied by the number three crew. Chris was taken aback. At first, he wanted to refuse, but now, knowing all this, the instincts inside him, still nervously itching after reading the comments and the new information, just writhed under his skin. Sighing heavily, he pulled on his cap, adjusting it until his fingers stopped trembling. The strange excitement and worry didn't want to let him go, while his gaze was already looking through Ben, who stood there with a knowing smile.
Max was sitting in the fresh air to clear his head a little. The day had been tough. The race, even tougher. The unknown cause of the breakdown still gnawed at him and wouldn't let him focus on anything except reviewing the footage and yet another check of the car. The already cooled Mercedes was a pleasant sight for sore eyes, even if the Red Bull inside him ironically reacted to it. Max ran his fingertips over the hood, adjusting Lucas's jacket with his other hand. It was warm and pleasant, completely saturated with his slightly sharp but sweet scent. His nose habitually buried itself in the collar for a little relaxation. His thoughts drifted away from the race, returning to his team and their invisible presence. Just as they were now present in his nest and the clothes he wore: Dani and Jules had already bombarded him with their things since they couldn't be there themselves.
A smile appeared on its own at the memory of the two alphas looking at him like beaten puppies, wanting to give him their last shirt so he could use it at the Grand Prix. It was nice. Nice and so unfamiliar that he was afraid of getting used to it, especially since in Formula he couldn't even enter the common pack room. Sadness settled in his back as his hand involuntarily clenched the edge of the jacket, pulling the fabric so tightly that it hugged his body as firmly as possible. It felt like he had entered a completely different world, a world where he wasn't a mistake.
Footsteps sounded very clearly in the night silence. Soft, slow, almost hesitant. Max lifted his head from the collar and tilted his head with interest, waiting for the owner of the footsteps to appear. Christopher seemed to appear out of nowhere, smiling strangely and shifting from foot to foot, like a deer ready to bolt at any rustle. The analogy made Max giggle quietly, as he took a step forward.
"Hi," Max tilted his head and smiled, his hands already releasing the fabric, ready to be used for conversation.
"Hi, um. I wanted to say that the race was excellent, especially the battle with you," Chris spoke a little haltingly, still feeling awkward as he stood opposite the lone omega in the night. "I'm glad you joined endurance racing."
At that moment, Chris's heart skipped a beat. Max smiled so hard that his eyes were almost hidden. A blush quickly rose up his face, visible by the light of the nearby streetlamp. But what struck him most was the scent. The sweet, slightly sour scent of a happy and contented omega. He had experienced it before, when it had been mixed with adrenaline and, seemingly, victory. But now it was softer and so much more attractive that Ben's words completely fell apart. There's no way the Formula 1 grid ignored this omega, right?
"Thank you, I have to say, the battle with you was truly amazing. Especially how you didn't let me relax for a second," Max's hands were already flying, and his face had taken on that delighted expression that always appeared when he talked about racing. "Especially when you almost passed me at the corner, I decided at the last moment to use a different tactic. I haven't used that one here yet, so I had to take the curb into account, but yes, it was definitely thrilling…"
Max kept talking. His hands flew up, his body turning almost 180 degrees, completely immersed in the discussion. Chris didn't notice how he nodded and laughed at the small jokes, unable to take his eyes off the blue eyes, sometimes looking directly at him. He couldn't say a word while Max smiled at him so sweetly, so sincerely threw his head back in laughter when Chris rolled his eyes at a too-blunt phrase. It seemed like a switch flipped, and instead of the awkward conversation he had expected, he was already completely absorbed in Max's story. Reliving their battle, but now together, already feeling the warmth of the body that had imperceptibly moved closer, and hearing that hoarse voice.
Max's hand jerked too sharply, slightly pulling the jacket off his shoulder. Chris laughed so disarmed, as if he had never seen anything funnier. His hand shot up to adjust the edge, but stayed there, as Max took another step closer. Now the warmth of his skin could be felt on his fingertips. His breath caught as his fingers rubbed against the shirt, and in response, a quiet purr was heard. The voice continued to sound nearby, but all Chris could think about was the warmth with which Max was looking at him. Something in his chest tightened at the thought that this little omega probably hadn't received the attention he deserved. If Ben was telling the truth, then the alphas might not have even given him ordinary contact. Chris choked for a moment at the thought.
"Maybe you'd like to come to my room?" Max asked quietly, unexpectedly stopping his speech. Chris blinked in confusion and nodded, not even thinking about it.
The small nest was in the very corner. It was clearly only meant for two people, and by the strong scent, Chris understood that the second person was his teammate – Lucas. But Max didn't seem worried about it at all; he sat down in the nest a little nervously and looked at Chris with a bitten lip. His hand automatically smoothed out some hoodies with Dani's scent to calm himself a little. Chris didn't even know how to say that he was just as nervous. He had been in nests before, but for the first time, he felt that this meant something more to someone.
"Can I join?" His voice sounded muffled, but Max heard it anyway and nodded quickly, nervously licking his lip.
"Yes, yes, of course. Here," Max moved further towards the edge, leaving him so much space that Chris's heart clenched.
Slowly, he sat down in it and released a little calming scent, trying to soothe the omega. He clenched his hand and quickly squeezed it, then turned it over and held it out to Max. A small conciliatory gesture to demonstrate safety. He bent his wrist, showing his scent gland more, offering. The omega's pale hand slowly lowered on top, mixing their scents. Chris felt their combined scent slowly settle into the nest and exhaled at how good it was.
Max intertwined their fingers, pressing harder against his palm, as Chris moved closer, their thighs and shoulders touching. A quiet purr escaped the other's throat again. Chris stroked his thumb along Max's knuckles and tried to echo him with a soft rumbling. They sat like that for some time, while work continued outside. But now there were no thoughts, even the words that had wanted to escape after Ben's revelation were forgotten, as Max began to speak quietly.
He spoke slowly, as if afraid that if he said more, Chris would leave. But Chris only encouraged him, interjecting with the silliest facts about himself, until Max began to speak more confidently, seeming to glow from within. The conversation flowed slowly, without the adrenaline of the battle, gradually moving from one topic to another. Pleasure and a feeling of completeness finally settled in his chest when his opponent, with a sly smile, promised him an unforgettable rematch.
"If you can catch me, of course," Max giggled, as Chris looked at him as if he had hung the moon.
"I hope you'll wait for me," Chris froze when Max threw his head back laughing and exposed his neck. Max quickly caught his gaze and raised their joined hands, bringing the scent glands on Chris's wrist into contact with his neck.
"Only at the finish line."
Later, in his hotel bed, Chris felt like a teenager, putting his hand over his face and inhaling their combined scent. Soft and gentle. He could only think about how, at their next meeting, he would give Max his clothes. About how he was ready to publicly stand up for Max and do everything to ensure their battles continued beyond just the Nürburgring. And while the thought was fresh, he quickly opened Instagram and posted several photos, the first of which they had taken before parting ways. A soft Max, literally radiating happiness in Lucas's jacket and Chris's cap, and a small caption: "Glad I got to race with you today. Already looking forward to next time! The best driver and a wonderful person, Max Verstappen x".
