All Of Me

It was a chilly February day in Monaco. The kind of day where the grey clouds stretched endlessly across the sky, making the sea and the sky blend into one dull horizon. There was no chance of warmth, no break in the clouds for the sun to pierce through. Time and again, the rain pattered harshly against the large glass windows of Charles' flat, the droplets racing each other down the massive panes, leaving streaks behind as they splashed onto the terrace below. The usually picturesque view of the Monaco harbor, a sight that always brought Charles peace, now felt cold and distant, as if the world outside was shut away in a grey haze.

Inside, though, things were different. The house was warm and smelled faintly of coffee, a hint of security and comfort in the midst of the stormy day. In the living room, Carlos sat at the large table, focused on his mechanics textbook, the pages spread out in front of him messily in a pile. His brow furrowed in concentration as he sipped his coffee, its warmth radiating through his fingers as he absentmindedly tapped the mug. The sound of the rain mixed with the quiet rustle of pages turning, echoed in the stillness of the penthouse.

Carlos didn't need to glance over to know what Charles was doing. In the playroom just a few steps away, he could hear the faint sounds of little Charles giggling, the soft whirring of toy cars, and the unmistakable clack of plastic wheels zooming across the floor. Charles was engrossed in his brand new Hot Wheels set, one Carlos had gifted him recently. A gift for little Charles, who loved the bright colors and fast cars, who loved losing himself in simple things when the world felt too big, too heavy crushing him under the weight of the expectation of fans, Ferrari, Formula 1. It was their regular "free day" routine, spending time together, but in their own worlds.

But today was different. When Charles woke up that morning, something was off. He didn't have the same energy, the same fire behind his eyes. Instead, he was quiet and softer, his movements smaller and more tentative. Carlos recognized it immediately the way Charles' fingers curled into the sleeve of his sweater, the way his lips formed a small pout as he stared at the rain with wide eyes. Charles had woken up little.

And Carlos didn't mind. In fact, he loved it. Taking care of Charles when he was little calmed Carlos in a way that nothing else could. It was almost as if, in caring for Charles, Carlos could allow himself to slow down too, to put aside the pressures and expectations that came with the outside world. Today, he wasn't Carlos Sainz, the racing driver. He was simply Carlos, the one who made sure Charles felt safe, loved, and understood.

Charles' voice rang out from the playroom, high-pitched and full of excitement as he pushed a tiny red car across the floor. Carlos smiled to himself, his heart warming at the sound. Even in the middle of a stormy day, Charles' laughter brought light into the house.

Carlos was startled by the sudden ringing of his phone, breaking the peaceful atmosphere in the house. He fumbled to answer it, only for Lando's enthusiastic voice to burst through the speaker, loud enough to make him flinch.

"CARLITOS!" Lando practically shouted. "Oscar asked me out! Like, actually asked me to have dinner tonight! What do I wear? Casual? Should I go full tux? Sweatpants? Oh God, I don't know please help me! You've got to come over, I need your fashion expertise!"

Carlos chuckled softly, glancing over at the playroom where Charles was still happily engrossed in his toy cars. "Lando... I-I can't come over right now," he replied, his voice quiet but firm. "I'm with Charles today, and he's little. I can't leave him alone; he gets scared when I'm not here. It... probably has to do with his father, you know?"

Lando let out a dramatic sigh on the other end of the line, undeterred by Carlos' explanation. "Aw, come on mate! Just turn on the TV or something, he won't even notice you're gone for a little while. Besides, I helped you ask Charles out back at Silverstone in 2022. Remember that? You owe me, mate!"