ch 1/5. 3k words, post qatar, breakup & making up, angsty, Max is bad at feelings, rated e!
The rest of the room seemed to melt away, the rapt attention of eighteen other drivers a long-distant thought. In that moment, there is no one else: it is just them, George and Max, the accusations they have made, the words still left unsaid, and the growing chasm between them.
“Can I ask you for something? I promise I’ll sign these papers after. I promise, you’ll be free. For good.”
Wanda sighed, her expression solemn but still, motioned you to go on.
“Can you pretend that you still love me? Even just for 7 days.”
“Y/n, I don’t think that’s a good— “
“Please? Just this once. I, I promise, it’ll be the last time I ask one thing from you.”
She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She thinks it’s a bad idea. You’re supposed to move forward without each other now. It was what you agreed upon before calling it quits.
But seeing the silent pleading emanating from your eyes, she finds herself agreeing to your request.
“The last time?”
“The last time.”
Day 1
“Good morning, draga.” It’s been awhile since you’ve heard her call you that. You’ve missed it. You can also hardly recall the last time she held you in the mornings like this, as she had already moved from your shared house since the split.
Instead of responding, you hugged her even more tightly while burying your face farther into her chest. You couldn't help but sigh in contentment as you felt her kiss the top of your head. You basked in the affection she was currently showing you, despite the fact that you knew it was all phony.
“We should get up and make breakfast, baby. We have plans to do that which you planned, dorogoya. " You can hear her chuckle softly when you just whine and entwine your legs around her torso.
“Five more minutes, please?”
“Okay.”
~~
“You were supposed to add a pinch of salt, baby.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot.” Wanda could only look at you softly, playing the role of an understanding partner, you think.
“That’s okay, let’s start over?”
Your brows furrowed in frustration. You don’t want to start over. It’s just a simple task and you ruined it. Just like how you ruined both of you.
“Detka, what’s wrong?” When you felt your wife's comforting hand resting on your arm, you snapped out of it and looked at her. You merely grinned at her and assured her that nothing was wrong. As you two continued to prepare the food together, it seemed like the first morning you had spent as wives.
~~
Together, you took a shower and dressed each other. It appeared as though everything was back to normal. Like before, when Wanda and you are both happily married. Even if it was play pretend, you remind yourself.
You went to your favorite places before, reminiscing about the old times as you walked. Smiles and laughter were exchanged. Even if it was play pretend.
At the end of the day, you held onto each other. You slept with a smile on your face while having a conflicting one on Wanda’s.
Day 2
“Should I get this? How do I look?” You put the silly headband on your head, opting to get a smile from her. And when you successfully did, your heart soared at the sound of your wife’s laughter.
“Ohh, definitely. You look like a princess, detka.”
“Then you shall be my other princess.” You tried to put the same headband on her head, but she just playfully shook her head at you.
“Uh-uh, I’ll be your knight in shining armor. I’ll have this sword instead.” She held up a sword keychain, but when you left the store, both of your heads were adorned with headbands and each of your purses had sword keychains on them.
Day 3
“I love you.” You felt Wanda stiffen beside you. Her soft, sharp intake of breath was drowned out by the movie you were watching.
“I-I love you, too.” That was enough for you. Even if it was only play pretend.
Day 4
“Detka, what are you looking for?”
“My fuzzy slippers, Wanda. I swear I put those over there at the shoe rack.” You were still crouched down, peeking under the couch.
“The ones with the bunny ears?” Her voice is laced with confusion.
“Yes, they’re the ones.”
"You asked me to throw them away the other day, detka. It was so worn out that it had a tear. "
“Oh. I must have forgotten.” You chuckle nervously, but it made Wanda worried. You seem to forget a lot these few days.
“Is everything okay?” She must have missed something. Before the split happened, fights between you had increasingly happened when you forgot a lot of things you were supposed to do. Wanda had enough of your excuses as it happened regularly, so inevitably, you broke up.
“Of course, everything is fine.”
Day 5
Everything was not fine.
One of the reasons she justified breaking up with you is that you lie so easily to her.
Years of marriage gave her the ability to see right through them. But still, you insist on your lies, even if they are very blatant.
“We should go and see a doctor. There’s something wrong— “
“Is it two teaspoons of cornstarch—or baking soda? Which is it? What’s the difference?” You try to evade her.
“Are you listening to me?” She is trying to keep her voice from rising, but you are making it difficult for her. You brought to her attention the reasons why it was difficult to continue loving and living with you.
She grasped your shoulders, forcing you to look at her, and all you could do was look at her pleadingly.
“Two days, Wanda. I promise I won’t be your problem anymore.” She wants to protest. You always do this. Pushing her away until she’s on the edge.
You closed the distance between you to distract her from thinking too much. This is supposed to be play pretend, you remind her wordlessly.
“Okay.”
Day 6
“I want that red panda plushie. Reminds me of you.” You sneakily reach for her fries and she lets you. Amusement is clear in her eyes looking at you.
“Why? Because of my hair?”
“... Yeah. And also for the fact that you get startled like them.” You raised your hands upwards, teasing your wife.
“Hey! I do not look like that.”
“You do!” The banter between you flows easily, momentarily forgetting what tomorrow was.
It has been the best days of your life. Even if it was only play pretend.
Day 7
But for Wanda, it was hellish. She’s supposed to move on, but how can she when you make it impossible not to love you? Honestly, she never stopped loving you, even when you made it difficult for her.
She’s waiting for you to tell her to stop all of this pretending and be real for good. She’s waiting for you to let her in once again. She’s waiting for you to stop pushing her away. She’s waiting for you to fight for both of you this time. Stop telling lies and begin again.
She tears one last orgasm from you before collapsing on top of you. She couldn’t stop the tears flowing out, wailing at the idea of losing you once this day ends.
“I don’t want us to end…”
Divorce was never her idea. It was yours.
“I’m sorry.”
Your throat is scratchy as you cried with her.
“You’re cruel.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“I don’t have to pretend, you know. I have always loved you. I think—no, I know I’ll never stop loving you at all. I don’t want to let you go.”
“...You have to. Eventually.” She angrily pries herself off from you.
“Why? Why won’t you just tell me what’s happening?” Even when she’s crying, she still looks breathtaking.
You gently took her hand and kissed it softly.
“I’m sorry.” That was all you could say, and the more you said it, the angrier she became.
She wants to run away from this feeling. She wants to run away from you. But at the same time, she doesn’t want to.
“I love you, Wanda.” It hurts when you say that because she knows it’ll be the last time she’s going to hear it from you. But instead of saying it back, she pours everything she feels into the last kiss that both of you are going to share.
~~
She blindly reached for you, and when her hands met an empty side, she sat up quickly and panic settled in. You’re gone.
The papers were finalized, and a lone single note sat on top of them.
‘Free yourself from me.’
~~//~~
12 years later…
“Mom! Tommy called me doofus!”
“I didn’t mean it!” Hurried footsteps can be heard as the twins start chasing each other.
“Boys! No running or you’ll hurt yourself.” Wanda gently reprimands. Two small bodies collided each side of her body as she settled down the cookie batter on the counter.
“Sorry, mom. Are you done? Can I eat it?” Tommy, the ever energetic child slyly asks.
“I have to bake it first, honey. You’ll get sick if you eat those raw.”
“Can we help, mom?” Billy cutely asks beside, which her brother excitedly follows up.
“Pretty please?” She kisses the top of their head, giving in at their pleas.
“Okay, but first you gotta wash those tiny hands.”
“They’re not tiny, mom!” She just ruffles their hair before ushering them to wash their hands.
After some time of giggles and quite a mess, they finished making the cookies and now just have to wait for them to be done.
Wanda is in the middle of cleaning up when the doorbell rings. She orders the twins to clean themselves first before coming to get the door.
“Hi! How can I help you?” A teenage girl greets her at the door.
“Hello! I’m America Chavez, I was wondering if there is a Wanda Maximoff here? I think I have something that belongs to her.” The girl, America, is carrying a large box that is strangely familiar to her.
“That’s me. Uhm, would you like to come in first?”
“Oh, I don’t want to impose. I just came by here to drop these off. We found these in the attic of the house we bought, well, from you. I’m sorry but I have to go, moms and I were going to the arcade.” She thanked the Chavez girl before taking the box from her and bidding her goodbye.
Once she has settled in, she softly gasps as she opens it and is met with tapes and letters. It’s yours. The letters were all addressed to her, but it was never sent. The dust indicates that these must have been forgotten. Why hadn’t she noticed these before?
She chuckles bitterly as she remembers that even when you left her all these years ago, you still managed to hide things from her. She's curious to see what those tapes and letters have in store for her, but she decided against it. It can wait. But for now, she has to manage the twins that collectively decide to call her name.
~~
When the twins retired for the night, she tucked them in before getting the box and a bottle of wine before settling herself down in the living room. Something tells her that she’s in for a long night.
~~
‘Hi! I’m Y/n Maximoff-L/n, I’m 25 years old and I’m the luckiest gal in the universe. Wanna know why? Because I’m married to the most amazing and kindest soul to ever exist in this realm. Can you believe it? She put a ring on me! Wanda Maximoff-L/n… God, I will never get tired of hearing that name…”
Every tape, it’s the same introduction. Each was a summary of their lives together. The first time they met, the first date, the first night as wives, the first time they fought, the first time they broke up, the first night without each other, until the very last night of them together. And it always ends with the same reminder aimed at yourself, to always remember her, your wife.
As she looked through the envelopes, the dates were always the same. Her birthday. Starting from the first year you were together, until it dated 60 years later.
She can't stop the sob from escaping her as her heart begins to tighten. The letters were gifts from you when you’re no longer around to give them. When you no longer remember everything.
‘... I never really truly deserve my wife, you know? God, if she finds out, she’ll drop everything just to be there for me. I don’t want that. I-I don’t want her to give up her dreams just to take care of someone like me. Someone who will likely forget her as time goes by. It hurts when I can’t remember myself, but imagine how much more it will hurt if she’s always there to witness her partner not remember her. I, she deserves someone who will always remember to love her, capable of taking care of her. Someone that does not have this kind of sickness. Someone that is not me.
This will be the last you’re gonna hurt her, Y/n. It hurts to let go but you’ll forget about it eventually. Don’t be selfish and give her the chance to live the life she deserves to have. This will be the last time you’ll have to remember everything. It’s time for you to let go.’
She’s angry. She’s hurt. You should’ve told her. You shouldn’t have let go. You shouldn’t have given up for the both of you.
She hates it when you make decisions for the two of you. What about her? But most importantly, she hates it when you are right.
She hates that she still loves you after all these years.
She hates that she couldn’t forget about you but you can.
And lastly, she hates it when she can’t let go of you for the last time.
She has no throne. Girls without thrones should not have knights, but hers won’t go. Princess Zelda – the girl who killed Calamity – would love to fade into legend, but Link’s bought a house, he’s fighting off monsters, and he’s selling giant horses to strangely familiar Gerudo men. She'll never have any peace now. (ao3)
The man took four long-strided heavy steps toward her and reached out, curling a finger under the leather thong that kept it around her neck. His fist closed around the crystal and he effortlessly yanked it free.The helm tilted down as he studied it, then his head snapped back up to her as if she’d said something rude to him.
He raised his hand again, inches from her face. Unbidden, her mind began to flash through images, things she knew she wasn’t calling forth herself and fear and anger at the intrusion bubbled to the surface along with her confusion, but she was helpless to stop him and unable to even do so much as to scream as he riffled through her memories.
He wouldn’t find much: sand, portions, the splintered insides of the Empire’s abandoned war wagons. The life of a desert no-one.
The man reached out to her, lightly brushing the back of his knuckles against her cheek. Though the rich leather was smooth and soft, the contact burned like a firebrand and Rey heard herself whimper against the sensation.
“It is you,” his deep voice was smoke and heat, distorted by the helm. "Rey."
Her name, pilfered from her mind, sent a chill down her spine.
3.5k, Chapter 1/?, George x Max, a/b/o, mpreg, max is not actually in this chapter, confusing amount of galex
Secrets are a hard thing to keep in the Formula One paddock, especially when they come in the form of an overactive seven-year-old with stormy blue eyes and an all too familiar temper.
