Chapter Text
It was a sunny Monday in the exclusive district of La Condamine in Monaco and Max woke up at the sound of his alarm. As he turned it off he checked the time, it was 7 am. Then he proceeded to stretch, trying to find the energy to get off the bed and do his daily workout session. He’s had this inner battle every morning for the last two years, he hated working out but liked to have a lean body, especially because he was tall and tended to gain weight quickly.
Once done with his workout session, he took a shower and had a quick breakfast before leaving his apartment for the next 12 hours, saying goodbye to his babies Jimmy and Sassy as he closed the door and promised to play with them later.
Yes, he always felt guilty leaving them alone and considered himself an absent father. That’s one of the reasons why he hired Landon’s sister as the cats' sitter.
Still thinking about them, he arrived at the Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace and went straight to the 4th floor, the Pediatrician department. As soon as he arrived, he greeted Lando, his best friend, and happily received his first patient of the day. Yes, he loved his profession with all his heart, it was his one and only passion, but there were days Max felt his life was too...predictable and boring.
For him, it was another day at the hospital or so he thought.
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Sergio arrived a little late to the 3rd floor of the Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace, designated to the OB/GYN department.
Even though he lived in Fontvieille, one of the most luxurious districts in Monaco, the traffic was terrible so he had to run to meet Christian at his office a few minutes after 8. He opened the wooden door and was immediately greeted by a way too happy Christian Horner.
"Checo, mate, it's amazing to finally see you again!"
Sergio closed the door and proceeded to hug his old friend and mentor.
"Hi Christian, so good to see you too. I'm sorry for the tardiness, I'm still getting used to all the streets and the city itself. Traffic was a nightmare this morning." Checo explained, just a little bit embarrassed because, yeah, the older man was his friend but he was also his new boss and it was his first day at the hospital. Then, he sat on the chair right in front of Christian’s desk, while the other man sat on the one behind it.
"Oh don’t worry, it’s okay.” The older man made a movement with his hand, trying to dismiss his worries. “What really matters is that you are finally here. I'm glad that after so many times insisting you come, you finally decided to give this hospital a chance."
Sergio sighed, remembering all those years of Christian asking and insisting he transferred to Monaco to work. At the time, he had a great and comfortable life back in Guadalajara and no desire to change that. But after almost 3 years of working non-stop and seeing a lot of people suffering due to Covid, he decided he needed a change. The pandemic in Mexico was terrible. Too many infections and deaths.
So when Christian called him last month, telling him there was a vacancy for an OB/GYN at the Centre Hospitalier Princesse Grace, he decided to take a leap of faith. The terrible conditions of the Mexican health system made his decision easier. Monaco’s system was one of the best in the world and it was an honor to work there.
When he got out of Christhian's office he proceeded to meet the personnel that worked on his floor, knowing he was going to spend a lot of time there and share many experiences with them. It was great, he was a very social person, so getting to know new people was normal and exciting.
He was pleasantly surprised when he realized he knew two of the doctors due to the years he spent in Europe studying his specialty. Turns out that over the last 3 years, Christian contacted the best doctors in the field and convinced them to work at the hospital.
One of them was Sebastian Vettel, a gentle and calm man, the other was Fernando Alonso and he was quite the opposite of Seb, but both of them got along pretty well. Checo was also introduced to his new secretary, a red-haired young woman named Alice, and with her help he stepped into a new stage in his career.
He didn't know how long he was going to stay, the agreement was for a year when he signed the contract, with the option of an extension. At that moment Sergio had in mind he was going to stay a year and then go back to Mexico, he just didn't know his life and plans were going to change forever.
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It was lunchtime and the cafeteria was crowded, again. Trying to ignore all the noises, a slightly annoyed Max looked for an empty table with Lando and Carlos, his best friend’s boyfriend and one of his closest friends.
He was so focused on the task, that he bumped into someone. Annoyed as he was, his first reaction was to send a death glare to the person in front of him, and that person was Fernando. The OB/GYN doctor was looking back at him with a playful glare and a smirk.
"You have a problem, Max?" The man asked.
"No, I'm just looking for a table and this place is fucking crowded. I can't believe after so many years with the same problem, the hospital still doesn't do a thing to find a solution. It's fucking ridiculous."
Just as he was about to apologize for his attitude, Carlos interrupted him.
“Checo!”
What?
He had no idea what Carlos was saying so he followed the direction of his eyes. That's when he looked for the first time at the man standing next to Fernando and unintentionally locked eyes with him.
Brown eyes, dark hair, freckles, and a few wrinkles around his eyes. He also had tan skin and was well-built. The man was shorter than him but that didn't make him less attractive, quite the opposite. He was HOT. Max felt his breath taken away.
Why hadn’t he seen that man before? There was no way he could have forgotten that face.
He didn't know why but he felt like they stared at each other for an eternity. There was something in his deep brown eyes, like a spark, that sent shivers down his spine.
Then the man broke the stare and talked to Carlos. "¡Hola cabrón! Long time no see, I didn't know you worked here!" The man said excitedly with a thick accent.
Max was intrigued, he talked spanish and knew Carlos.
"Yeah, I've been working here for the last 2 years and I didn't know you were here!"
"Oh, it's my first day! Fernando was showing me around until we bumped into you guys."
That's why he hadn't seen him before, he was new.
Fernando decided to intervene. "Yeah. I was showing him around until we bumped into you and Max.” Fernando turned to him with an amused expression.“Mate, you certainly know how to make a first impression.”
He felt his cheeks burn. Damn him and his habit of cursing every 2 sentences. Of course, the first thing that man had to listen to come out of his mouth had to be a curse. Max didn’t care what people thought of his constant cursing, he knew how to control it when he was around his patients and that’s what really mattered to him. But at that moment with that mysterious man, it was different and he didn’t know why.
Max heard everyone laugh and wanted the ground to swallow him up, but that was until he saw the man smile.
Fuck. Why is he so attractive?
Remembering his manners, Fernando proceeded to introduce them all. “Everyone, this is Dr. Sergio Pérez. Checo, you know Carlos already, and due to the memorable first impression he made, I bet now you can recognize Max. But anyway, this is Dr. Max Verstappen, and the young man is Lando Norris. Max is a pediatrician so you may see him around on our floor.”
Well fuck.
"You are not a doctor?” Sergio asked surprised to the youngest man of the group.
“I'm a Med student yet, it’s my last year,” Lando answered.
Sergio looked surprised because Max looked as young as him and he was introduced as a pediatrician already.
“Oh, I thought you-.“ Max, who was torn between wanting to have his attention again and disappearing because he knew he was blushing, interrupted him nervously.
“Yeah, everyone gets confused because we hang out together all the time and he works with me.”
Checo was about to ask more questions but he heard his name being called from the distance by an older man, Dr. Helmut Marko. That's when Max knew their brief reunion was over. No one could ignore or leave Dr. Marko waiting.
“Well, Helmut it's looking for me and we all know I can’t leave him waiting. It was nice meeting you.”
Max didn't ignore how Sergio's eyes stayed longer on his when he said the last sentence.
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Checo was having lunch with Dr. Marko and he couldn't help but ignore what the other man was saying. All he could think about was the young, blue-eyed doctor sitting across the cafeteria talking animatedly with his friends. Max Verstappen.
Sergio was intrigued by him and the electricity he felt in his body the moment they locked eyes. He could tell Max felt it too as the young man blushed the whole time they talked.
"Sergio, are you listening to what I’m saying?" He finally heard Dr. Marko's voice and he seemed quite angry.
He tried to remember what they were talking about to not seem rude, especially since it was his first day, and that’s when he realized he'd been ignoring Marko for the last 2 minutes.
"Ah...no Dr, I'm sorry. I was thinking about all the paperwork I need to complete.”
The older man was annoyed but kept quiet, that was weird because the man always had something to say and Sergio knew that. He'd been a victim of his snarky comments, especially when he was younger, but he knew the old man meant well.
Just like with Christian, Sergio met Dr. Marko when he studied his specialty in England. He only studied there for 2 years but it was enough to make a bond with the old man. Maybe that's the reason why he dared to ask him about Max.
"Hey, Doctor?" He asked.
“Yes?” Helmut replied absentmindedly.
"Just before I came here with you, Fernando introduced me to some colleagues. Carlos of course, Lando and Max I think was his name." Sergio said trying to sound nonchalant.
He saw Dr. Marko’s eyes instantly light up and admiration invaded his face.
"Oh yeah, Max. What a brilliant young man. Truly one of a kind.”
Okay, that’s new. He'd never seen Marko act like that for anyone. The man looked like he would give Max the world if he asked for it.
"He looks quite young, like 25? And Fernando introduced him as a pediatrician." Sergio replied trying to get more information.
Marko sighed proudly. "Yeah, Max is a prodigy. So smart he started med school at 16 and as soon as he finished it, he studied his specialty. He's one of the best in the field, always studying, improving, and trying to be the best. Some even say he's too competitive but I think that's his best trait."
He didn't answer right away so Marko took it as the end of the conversation and changed the topic. The truth was that Sergio was more intrigued by Max than he was before he asked Helmut about him.
All his mind kept repeating nonstop was Fernando's voice saying "Max is a pediatrician so you may see him around on our floor.”
And he wasn't going to deny the fact that he liked the idea of seeing the young man daily.
--------------------------------
As soon as he finished his lunch, Max went right away to the elevator, and just when was pushing the button that led him to his floor, someone came in. When he looked at who it was, he instantly repressed a groan.
Dr. Charles Leclerc. The golden boy of the hospital.
It was not that he hated the man. Charles was a nice person, which made him even more annoying. It was just they both were pediatricians, great at the field, and almost the same age.
This led people to always compare them. He was better than Charles, that was a fact and would always be, but the other man was Monegasque and more people knew him since he'd lived there all his life. So of course everyone knew Charles Leclerc was this sweet, gentle, and kind pediatrician that was great in his field.
Naturally, there was some kind of rivalry that grew over the years because they studied their specialties together and always competed to get the best grades. Max was better, everyone knew that but whenever Charles accomplished something, he was more praised than when he did.
To break the awkwardness that was filling the elevator, Charles decided to start a small talk.
"Hey."
Max suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't want to talk.
"Hi."
"So...have you met the new Doctor? Checo."
Max didn't like the way Charles referred to Sergio. Who did he think he was to refer to him by his nickname?
"Yeah, I met him at the cafeteria," Max replied with a bored face.
"He's really nice, isn't he?” Charles replied. "I met him a few hours ago when I went to the OB/GYN floor to talk with Seb. He told me about his life in Mexico and his trajectory there."
Max didn't like the idea of Charles talking already with Sergio. The man could charm everyone and unintentionally make him look like the cold and distant pediatrician that only cared about being the best doctor in the department. Normally he didn’t care what people thought about him but with Sergio, again, it was different. He didn't know why, but he wanted to give a good impression, and that was probably fucked thanks to his introduction at the cafeteria and Charles beating him on talking with the man.
Annoyed by that, the only thing that came out of his mouth was a "hmmm" and thanked the universe when the elevator opened.
All he could think about for the rest of the day was that maybe his opportunity to impress the new doctor had already passed and Charles had already beaten him on that. Of course, he always wanted what Max wanted.
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As much as Sergio was intrigued by Max Verstappen, he didn't speak with him until the next month.
He had spent the last 4 weeks getting used to his new life in Monaco, balancing his business in Mexico, and catching up with the work at the hospital. He took the time to get to know the
patients and their files, his colleagues, and how his department worked.
He had to thank his assistant Alice for the last part. The woman spent hours helping him and giving some bits of advice. She truly was a blessing and in no time became someone he could trust, a friend.
It was Monday morning and Sergio was in his office discussing with her the schedule of the day when Fernando came in with an excited face.
"Knock knock. Hola Checo, Alice."
The young woman replied immediately with a 'hello' and excused herself, deducing he wanted to speak privately with Checo.
"¿Que pasó?" Checo asked confused and scared at the same time. He knew his friend, so he was aware he was up to something. "Tu cara me asusta."
Fernando rolled his eyes. "Nada tío, queria comentarte que cumplo 5 años trabajando aquí y los del departamento y unos cuantos más vamos a salir a celebrar el viernes en la noche. Vine a invitarte y obligarte a que nos acompañes, no has salido desde que llegaste hace un mes."
Knowing Checo was going to give a dumb excuse to not go, he offered an opportunity he couldn’t refuse. "Max vendrá."
Sergio didn't know what to say, because he actually had no excuse to not go and also he wanted to talk with Max.
Maybe he didn't see him that much the last month or talked to him at all but that didn’t mean he stopped thinking about him or sneaking glances the times he was at the cafeteria and the younger man was there having lunch with his friends. He was aware of the glances Max threw at him when they were in the same room, and whenever they locked eyes, the blonde instantly looked down blushing.
Checo found that really endearing. Max was really endearing and cute. He had these blue eyes, blonde hair, and puffy lips that made him look so innocent. The perfect look for a pediatrician.
He realized too late he was daydreaming about the young man and tried really hard to find anything to say but he couldn’t. In fact, he didn't need to, it was pointless because Fernando knew since that meeting on his first day that he liked Max and pestered him about it from time to time.
"Venga Checo, si no es por mi, mínimo ve por el chaval, se ve que mueres por hablarle, hasta das pena."
Checo rolled his eyes and replied "Cállate wey, pensaba ir pero si sigues con tus cosas mejor ya no. Especialmente si te vas a poner así de nefasto frente a Max."
Fernando laughed and ignored his threat."Nos vemos el viernes en el Blue Gin a las 9. Y ponte chulo."
Sergio didn't get the chance to reply because Fernando left quickly his office. He wasn't going to admit it to his friend, but he was actually looking forward to Friday night. He just needed to find out where that bar was located.
--------------------------------
"Bloody hell mate, can you stop for fucking minute staring at that table and pay attention to what I'm saying? He is clearly not coming today."
Max almost choked on his food."Wh-what?! What are you talking about?!"
"Oh shush, you're not fooling me, I'm your best friend. You're clearly looking for Checo like you have been doing the last few weeks. You like him."
Max thanked the universe they were alone. Was he that obvious? Did Sergio know too?
"Shut up! What makes you say that?" He replied pretending to be outraged and with a little bit of panic in his voice.
"Like I said, I'm your best friend, and at least to me, it's really obvious. The way you look around every day looking for him and how you stopped going that much to the OB/GYN floor, only going when it's strictly necessary. I know you Max, you are avoiding him, and you do that when you like someone."
Max didn't reply to that because he didn't want to lie to his friend and Lando spoke again.
"So I have good news for you. Fernando is celebrating 5 years working here." Max looked at him surprised. "You would know that if you went to his floor and stopped avoiding the place like the plague. Anyway, he's celebrating it Friday night and he invited us. It's in Blue Gin at 9 and guess who is going." He said the last part with a sing-song voice.
Max refused to answer, making Lando roll his eyes.
"Yes, mate, Checo is going, so it's the perfect opportunity for you to finally speak to him and stop staring at his table like a lost puppy wishing for him to show up and talk to you.”
"Ahh...I don't know Lando." Max replied doubtfully.
"Oh come on mate. Let's go! It's not like you have anything else to do other than read another article about kids. Besides, as I said, it's the perfect time for you to speak with him. No one needs to save lives or attend to patients, so you can take your sweet time to talk and I don't know...maybe even do more than that."
Max rolled his eyes. “Shut up, I’m not like you and Carlos”.
He thought about it for a few seconds. He was actually excited at the prospect of seeing the man outside of work, but he was also nervous because he remembered their first encounter, so getting the opportunity to interact with him and finally know the perspective he had of him made Max feel a little bit anxious.
He was aware of the fact that Charles had been speaking with Sergio constantly because the man had asked for help to get to know the backgrounds of the patients both departments shared and of course, the Monegasque was the first to volunteer. So naturally, Max thought Sergio had the perspective of both of them that almost everyone had. Charles the kind, selfless doctor, and Max the superficial and competitive one.
"I'm not taking a no for an answer. You are coming, whether you like it or not."
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It was 9:45 and Checo had just arrived in the Blue Gin bar, and like everything in Monaco, it was full of luxury and sophistication. There were days when he was still amazed about his new lifestyle.
Yes, he knew he worked his ass off for many years and made the right investments but still, living in Monaco was something different, and sometimes overwhelming.
The bar was located at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort and had a Mediterranean sea view. Lights were mostly blue and purple, giving the place a mysterious and mischievous vibe he liked right away. He realized with a grin that it was the perfect atmosphere for his purposes.
Sergio was a man on a mission that night. And no, as much as he loved his friend, the mission was not going there to celebrate Fernando.
He was being led by a host to the designated table but then his eyes found someone he knew from the distance.
Max.
Like always, the young man was talking non-stop, and at that time his victim was Carlos. Checo thanked the host and told him he could find his way to the table. As he got near, he finally got a clear view of Max. It was weird looking at him wearing anything but his white robe. He was wearing a black T-shirt, skinny jeans, and white sneakers. The outfit made him look younger and carefree. Not a sight of the serious doctor he got to see at the hospital.
Checo found him even more attractive if that was even possible. Yes, he was definitely going to make his move that night.
It was not like Checo was a man whore or something like that. Well, not anymore. He definitely enjoyed the perks of being a handsome young man during his years at med school and when he studied his specialty in Europe, but that was in the past. In fact, he didn’t go to Monaco with the idea of finding someone. It never crossed his mind. But Max was so different than anybody else he had met and wanted to get to know him.
It was until he reached the table that everyone became aware of his presence. Fernando, Sebastian, Lando, Carlos, and Max were the only ones who had arrived.
"Checo! You came!" Fernando said hugging him. He felt Max stare at him.
"Yeah, I told you I would. I even brought you a present!" He then proceeded to give the man the bottle of tequila he was carrying.
"¡Gracias hombre! Is it from that new business that you invested in?” Fernando asked. He was so happy with his gift, it almost made Checo feel guilty about his true intentions for that night. Almost. But the man was the one who suggested he should go and finally talk with Max, so never mind.
"Yeah! I hope you like it! The quality is really good, one of the best."
“Nice, maybe we can open it when you invite us to your new and fancy apartment”.
Checo smiled rolling his eyes and then proceeded to say hi to everyone, taking his time speaking with each man until he got to Max.
"Hi Max!" He said with a charming smile, sitting next to him.
"Hey." The younger man replied.
"It's been a while since we've talked. That day at the cafeteria I think?”
"Yeah," Max said again.
He looked nervous and Sergio could even see the blush on his cheeks. It was endearing and funny at the same time.
Oh, it is going to be a great night.
Sergio didn’t have dark intentions, to be honest, he just wanted to get to know Max better and get his number. But considering how shy he got when Checo was around, it could be quite challenging. And he loved a challenge.
"I haven't seen you at my department that much and I remember Fernando saying we would see each other constantly due to the nature of our fields," Sergio commented innocently, but he knew why Max avoided the place because Fernando was such a gossip and told him the reason.
Max replied with another "Yeah" and Sergio saw Lando nudge him with his elbow making the blonde startle a little bit and awkwardly try again. "I mean yeah, I- I've been very busy lately."
Checo was captivated. Max Verstappen who never shut up, was speechless in front of him. He couldn't even look him in the eye for more than 2 seconds without blushing. And Sergio being Sergio couldn't help but laugh at him.
"Did the cat eat your tongue, Max?"
That got the young doctor even redder and Sergio could listen to Lando's laugh, making Max annoyed. "No."
"Then why you don't talk to me right now?" Sergio said with a grin and getting closer to him, making Max shiver. "The moment I came, I saw you talking with Carlos. In fact, you literally talk with everybody else non-stop, but when it comes to me...it seems like you are out of words. You don't like me? Is that it?”
He could hear Max's breath hitch. The distance between them was not appropriate for 2 colleagues that were casually talking. And Sergio could feel his friends' eyes on him but he didn’t care, it was not like they didn’t know about his attraction to Max. He could thank Fernando for that.
Max tried to find words for a few seconds and when he finally opened his mouth he just said "No."
Checo just laughed. Max got cuter every second he spent with him. He made a frustrated face, making a pout in the process and Sergio repressed the urge to steal a kiss right there.
"I mean it's not that I don't like you. It's just that...Oh god." Max covered his face with his hands embarrassed.
Checo took the situation as the opportunity he was looking for that night. The DJ started to reproduce a tecno beat louder than before, so he leaned closer to Max’s ear, effectively closing the distance between them.
"Hey, it's ok. I think I have the solution to this problem." Max turned around a little bit and locked eyes with him, face so close Sergio finally realized he had a birthmark on his upper lip. "You could perhaps give me your number you know? Maybe not looking at me would help." He said with a flirty smile.
Max couldn't help but laugh, throwing his head back because of his antics, which made him even more attractive. The blue in his eyes, the way his whole face lighted up, and just enjoyed his laugh. At that moment Checo knew he would do anything he could to see that smile again and again.
"Ok," Max said. It was short and simple, but it was enough.
Checo excitedly took out his phone, unlocked it, and opened his contacts list. “Great. So, how should I save you? What do people call you? Max? Maxie?"
"Just Max."
“Okay, just Max. Would you do me the honor of giving me your number?" Just as Max was about to reply he interrupted him. "Hey and don’t even dare to give a fake number 'cause I'll know."And once again Max blushed. “The fuck mate? You really were going to give me a fake one?”
"No! I swear I wasn’t! Max said, then proceeded to give him his number.
"Okay, I'm gonna make sure you gave me the real one and that you have mine," Sergio said with an accusatory tone. He opened WhatsApp, searched for the Max contact, and there he was. So handsome and young in his profile picture. He was standing on a beach with the crystal water behind him.
“Where was this photo taken?" Sergio asked while he sent a “Hi” to him and heard the buzz on the other man’s phone.
"Ibiza. I went there with some friends for a weekend last month.” Max replied and then, after a few seconds proceeded to talk again, sending Sergio a suspicious glare. "If you wanted to get my number so desperately, why didn't you just ask for it from Fernando or Carlos?"
“Who said I was desperate?” Sergio replied, arching an eyebrow and making Max blush. But he did not deny it because, to be honest, he just used the lamest excuse to get the young man’s number.
It was Max’s turn to arch his eyebrow and Sergio answered again with a question. "You would've liked that?”
“You would have looked like a weirdo," Max said honestly with a smile.
“So if I send you a text tomorrow, are you going to reply or are you going to act like you do when we meet in person?” Sergio asked while getting back the drink he had left at the other side of the table and causally putting his arm around the back of Max’s chair.
"Yes, I will reply," Max said making a face. Not wanting the conversation to end he asked Sergio what was he drinking.
"Vodka, you want some?" Sergio replied after taking a sip, and Max instantly made a disgusted face. He just stared at him with an amused look, waiting for an explanation of his reaction.
"I just hate it. I have bad memories with vodka."
Then Checo proceeded to get closer to Max again, lips near his ear and he could actually see it turn red, just like his neck.
"And do you like tequila?" He asked in a husky voice, still very close to him. Max’s face was burning red and he was also out of breath.
"Yes." He managed to reply and Sergio could feel the tension between both of them.
All his senses were focused on Max, and Max only. And from what he saw, the taller man liked it.
“From...? You know it's fabricated in many states.”
"Jalisco," Max replied embarrassingly quick, blushing again. Sergio couldn't help but smile because he didn't know how but he could tell Max knew he was from there. Maybe Carlos told him a little bit about his life. Also, it didn't go unnoticed by Checo that Max pronounced the ‘j’ correctly.
"Good, the best quality, believe me." He said with a sparkle in his eyes and a flirty smile. “You know what else I like? A lot actually.” He licked his lips while he waited for Max’s reaction, and the man didn’t disappoint, because he stared at him with a curious look waiting. "Jenever. The Dutch certainly know how to produce exquisite things." He finished whispering in Max's ear.
He heard his breath hitch again and had to wait 3 seconds for the man to react again. Just as Max was about to reply, he felt a hand on his shoulder startling him and making both men look up to Checo’s side. It was a drunk Fernando who dragged him to another part of the table to talk about the memories they shared together.
They didn't get the chance to talk again, or even say goodbye, but he didn't care. He finally got the opportunity to speak with Max, have a little fun with him and get his number.
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Max woke up with a groan the next day to the doorbell ringing. He was hungover and part of him regretted going out the night before, especially because he had planned to read and basically memorize a new article that was published on Thursday.
Putting on a t-shirt he opened the door, letting Lando come in quickly so his cats didn’t go out. They were cute but also a menace.
“Hey! The great night you had yesterday!” His friend said excitedly.
“Hmmm. Why are you this happy so early? You always wake up late on weekends.” He replied, petting Jimmy and Sassy so they shut up. Their incessant mewls were giving him a headache.
“Mate, it's noon.”
Fuck, no way .
That's why his babies were practically yelling at him. They were hungry and angry.
“I didn’t know that, I just woke up.” He replied, making his way to the kitchen to feed the cats that were following him still mewling, louder this time.
“Hmm yeah. I bet you are on cloud 9 right now.” Lando said with a shit-eating grin, leaning on the black kitchen counter.
“What are you talking about?” Max asked confused, serving Sassy’s food while Jimmy bit his feet trying to get his attention.
“Mate, there is no way you don't remember. You weren't that drunk.”
“What are you-.” Then Max stopped talking. He quickly served Jimmy’s food and hurriedly made his way to his room to get his phone.
He touched the screen and read a message from an unknown number.
"Hey you okay? You were quite happy when I saw you leaving last night" (11:38 am)
Sergio.
He unlocked his phone and opened his chat. His first instinct was to look at his profile picture. Like him, Sergio was at the beach, but he was sitting on a yacht, wearing sunglasses and smiling at the camera. Ever the hard worker he had a computer on his lap.
After staring at the picture for what it felt like an eternity he remembered he had to answer.
"Hi" (12:18 pm)
He instantly regretted his reply.
You idiot, why can't you form a proper sentence? It's not like you are in front of him right now for fucks sake. It's a text.
“Hi. Did the cat eat most of your fingers too?” (12:21 pm)
He couldn't help but smile. Sergio could be such a dork sometimes. It amazed him how he could be so serious one minute and in another he acted like a kid.
"No, I just woke up. But just so you know, I think my cats were considering biting my fingers to wake me up because they were starving and not happy" (12:23 pm)
Remembering Lando was waiting for him in the kitchen he left his room, and as he was getting closer, he got another text, making him stop in his tracks.
"I knew you gave the vibe of a cat person" (12:28 pm)
He smiled, again. And then realized he hadn't saved his contact. But how should he save him?
“Hey, how should I save your number? Like the name” (12:30)
"Uh...you can save me as Checo. Or Sergio if you want to, but no one calls me by my name” (12:31)
He got another text and that time Sergio added a winky emoji.
"I've been called by other names, but that's a topic for another day ;)" (12:32)
He couldn't help but roll his eyes and smile again.
God, he's really such a dork. An old dork who still uses emojis instead of stickers. How many times have I grinned for the last 15 minutes?
Remembering the task at hand he started thinking, maybe too much for something so simple like the name of a contact, but he didn't care.
Or Sergio if you want to, but no one calls me by my name.
Sergio. He really liked his name, it was unique, at least in Europe. Just like him. And the fact that he could use it when no one else did, made him feel like he had a different type of connection with the older man. Different connection than anybody else had. So yeah, Sergio it was.
Remembering he left him at seen, he replied.
"You don't use stickers?" (12:35 pm)
"Hey, I'm not that old. I do use them as a matter of fact, I was just too lazy to find the right one in the sea of stickers I have." (12:36 pm)
He smiled again and was about to reply when Lando called him from the kitchen.
“Mate, where are you? Are you taking a long cold shower?”
Max rolled his eyes."No, I'm on my way."
“What took you so lo-ohh. You guys are texting, aren’t you? Wait, are you sexting already? Did I interrupt something?” His friend replied with a smug smile.
“Lando shut the fuck up. And how do you know I'm texting Sergio?”
“Ohhhh Sergio. You are calling him by his name.” The young man replied with a teasing tone.
Just as he was about to tell Lando to fuck off, he felt his phone buzz again.
"So...what's the final result? How did you save me?" (12:41 pm)
“Is that Sergio?” Lando said his name with the same teasing tone.
He decided to ignore him, opting to take a screenshot of his chat and send it to Sergio. Max waited a few seconds for a reply, actively ignoring Lando because he had been extremely annoying that day, more than usual.
He was getting nervous. Was it too much? Did he overstep a boundary? Maybe Sergio didn’t like his name. Just as his mind was about to spiral into many tragic scenarios, he got a reply. Short. Simple. But it had a meaning underneath.
“I like it” (12:47 pm)