Archive of Our Own ^beta

When Max dragged himself to Milton Keynes for a Saturday morning meeting, he wasn’t expecting someone new to appear, he guessed it was some intern, some kid who would be here for a few weeks for experience, until Helmut starting speaking.

“Max, for the foreseeable, this is your new race engineer- George Russell, he is one of the best, you two better not let me down this season.”

The colour drained from Maxs face. What happened to GP? Why did he need a new race engineer? This new guy was not championship material, not this year atleast. Max rolled his eyes before greeting the blonde. He couldn’t wait to leave.

Bahrain Grand Prix Weekend.

Russell: Push on turns 3 and 8, slow down on the exit of turn 5. It’s only FP3 Max, don’t ruin the tires.

Verstappen: I know what i’m doing. Leave me alone.

Russell: Copy.

“An hour till quali, max” a voice shouted across the garage, Max wasn’t sure who. He sat in his garage contemplating the weekend, it had felt weird with a new voice filling his ears in the track, yet somehow it was nice, something he could get used to.
He immediately shook that thought out of his head.

Qualifying was a disaster. He’d gotten P20. Last. The car was un drivable, unsafely so. He stormed back into the garage, throwing his helmet into the abyss of his drivers room and sank down against the wall, anger filling his veins. He took off his race boots and threw them across the room, before unzipping his race suit and leaning his head back against the wall. He didn’t know how much time had passed until he heard a knock at the door, almost like a gunshot shooting him out of a trance. He mumbled at them to come in- and instantly regretted it when those blue eyes walked in.

“It wasn’t your fault Max, the car was awful. We should’ve noticed before we sent you out. It’ll be better tomorrow”

Max just ignored him, he didn’t feel like talking to anyone right now.

“Max cmon, say something at least.”

George slid down the wall and sat next to him, far enough away that Max didn’t move, but close enough to feel the warmth from his body.

“I don’t get P20” Max mumbled before turning his head away, almost as if he was embarrassed.

“I know.”

Max didn’t realise he was crying until he could taste the salt on his lips. He buried his head in his hands, an attempt to hide the emotion from the blonde next to him. He wanted to ground the swallow him whole, he wasn’t to emotional type. He was a man, he didn’t cry.
But those thoughts left his head as soon as he felt George carefully pull Maxs head into his shoulder, and ran his hand through my hair.

“It’s okay Maxy, let it out.”

That induced a loud sob from Max.

Around an hour later Max sat up, having fallen asleep after the dose of emotion. He noticed George sat there, playing on his phone.

“Oh hey sleepyhead. Nice nap?”

“Get out”

“What?”

“I said get out!”

George immediately stood up and left, a confused look painting over his face. Max sighed and leant back against the wall. He couldn’t do this, he can’t let someone just waltz in and think they know everything about him.
He decided from now on to hide everything from Mr blue eyes.