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1.
Kimi heard the noise first.
He and Isack were walking down the hotel corridor in Jeddah, looking for Lewis because Isack had broken his sim rig settings again and needed help. It was late - past midnight - but Lewis had said to text him anytime they needed something, so.
They stopped outside Lewis's door. Kimi raised his hand to knock, then paused.
There was a sound coming from inside. A thump, then something like - furniture moving? A low groan.
"Is he okay?" Isack whispered.
Kimi pressed his ear closer to the door. Another sound, rhythmic now, and—was that breathing? Heavy breathing?
"Maybe he's working out?" Isack suggested.
"At midnight?"
"He works out at weird times."
There was another groan, deeper this time, and then—"Fuck, Charles—"
Kimi jerked back from the door like he'd been burned. Isack's eyes went wide.
"Did he just say—"
"Charles," Kimi confirmed. "He said Charles."
They stared at each other.
"Maybe they're playing video games?" Isack said weakly.
"At midnight. In Lewis's hotel room. And Lewis is groaning like—" Kimi stopped. "What kind of video games do you think they're playing?"
"I don't know! Intense ones?"
Another sound from inside—a gasp, then something that sounded suspiciously like "harder"—and both of them immediately started backing away from the door.
"We should go," Kimi said.
"Yeah," Isack agreed. "We should definitely go."
They practically ran back to their rooms. Kimi collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling.
His phone buzzed.
Isack: What just happened
Kimi: I don't know
Isack: Do you think they were
Kimi: No
Isack: But he said Charles
Kimi: Maybe Charles was on the phone
Isack: And Lewis was groaning??
Kimi: ...exercising
Isack: While on the phone with Charles
Kimi: MAYBE
Isack: That's weird
Kimi: Everything about this is weird
Isack: Should we ask him about it
Kimi: ABSOLUTELY NOT
Isack: What if something's wrong
Kimi: Nothing's wrong
Kimi: He just sounded like he was
Isack: Was what
Kimi: ...having a good time
Isack: Ohhhhh
Isack: OH
Isack: Do you think Lewis and Charles are
Kimi: I'm going to sleep
Isack: KIMI
Kimi: GOODNIGHT
But Kimi didn't sleep. He stared at the ceiling and tried very hard not to think about what those noises meant, and failed completely.
---
2.
Isack saw Charles first.
It was 6 AM in Imola, and Isack had gone down to the hotel gym because jet lag was destroying him and he figured he might as well work out if he couldn't sleep. The gym was empty except for one person on the treadmill.
Charles Leclerc.
In the same hotel as them. Which—okay, made sense, Ferrari had booked out most of the hotel. But Charles looked—
Isack stopped walking. Stared.
Charles looked satisfied. That was the only word for it. His hair was messy, he was wearing yesterday's clothes, and he had this small smile on his face like he was remembering something good. Really good.
And as Isack watched, Charles pulled out his phone, typed something, and that smile got bigger.
Then Charles looked up and saw Isack staring.
"Oh. Good morning," Charles said, not even slightly embarrassed to be caught looking like—like that.
"Morning," Isack managed. "You're up early."
"I am not up early. I am up late." Charles's smile turned into a smirk. "I have not been to sleep yet."
"Oh." Isack's brain was trying very hard to figure out why Charles Leclerc hadn't slept, why he looked so pleased about it, and why he was in their hotel. "Long night?"
"Very long," Charles agreed, and there was something in his voice that made Isack's face heat up. "Very good night."
Charles grabbed his water bottle and headed for the door, then paused. "If you see Lewis, tell him I said good morning."
And then he was gone.
Isack stood there for a solid minute, processing. Then he pulled out his phone.
Isack: I just saw Charles in our hotel
Kimi: So?
Isack: At 6 AM
Isack: Looking very pleased with himself
Isack: He hasn't slept yet
Kimi: ...
Isack: He told me to tell Lewis good morning
Kimi: Oh my god
Isack: Do you think
Kimi: Yes
Isack: But we don't know for sure
Kimi: We know
Isack: We don't KNOW know
Kimi: Isack
Kimi: Charles spent the night somewhere
Kimi: He looks satisfied
Kimi: He's telling you to give Lewis a message
Kimi: What do you think happened
Isack: Maybe they had a meeting
Kimi: At 5 AM??
Isack: Strategy meeting?
Kimi: You're in denial
Isack: I'm being logical
Kimi: You're being stupid
Isack saw Lewis later that morning in the paddock. He was wearing sunglasses even though it was overcast, and he moved a little stiffly, like he was sore.
Like he'd worked out really hard.
Or.
"Morning," Lewis said, sounding tired but happy.
"Charles says good morning," Isack said before he could stop himself.
Lewis's expression did something complicated. "Does he."
"Yeah. Ran into him at the gym. He seemed—" Isack paused. "Good. Happy."
"That's nice," Lewis said, but his mouth twitched like he was trying not to smile.
Isack's brain was screaming. "Did you guys have a late meeting or something?"
"Something like that," Lewis said, and walked away.
Isack immediately texted Kimi.
Isack: He smiled
Isack: Lewis SMILED when I mentioned Charles
Isack: And he's walking weird
Kimi: I fucking knew it
Isack: We still don't know anything for sure
Kimi: You're impossible
---
3.
Kimi noticed the hickey during the press conference in Monaco.
Lewis was answering a question about tire strategy, and when he turned his head, his collar shifted. Just barely. Just enough.
There was a bruise on his neck. Dark purple, about the size of a thumb. Definitely not from racing.
Kimi's brain short-circuited.
He grabbed Isack's arm and pointed.
"What?" Isack whispered.
"His neck," Kimi hissed. "Look at his neck."
Isack looked. His eyes went wide. "Is that—"
"Yes."
"But who—"
They both turned to look at Charles, who was sitting three seats down from Lewis, answering his own question about the Monaco streets. As they watched, Charles glanced at Lewis, and his eyes definitely dropped to Lewis's neck. And he smiled.
Smiled like he was proud of it.
"Oh my god," Kimi breathed.
"We don't know it was him," Isack said, but he didn't sound convinced.
"Look at how he's looking at it."
"Maybe he's just noticing it like we are."
"Isack. Come on."
After the press conference, they cornered Lewis in the paddock.
"Nice hickey," Kimi said, trying to sound casual.
Lewis's hand immediately went to his neck. "What?"
"Your neck. You have a hickey. Pretty visible one."
Lewis's eyes went wide, then he pulled out his phone and turned on the camera to look. "Fuck."
"So?" Isack asked. "Who's the lucky person?"
"None of your business," Lewis said, adjusting his collar to try to cover it. It didn't work.
"Is it someone we know?" Kimi pressed.
"Drop it, Kimi."
"Is it Charles?"
Lewis's face did something complicated. "What? No. Why would you—no."
"You hesitated," Isack pointed out.
"I did not hesitate. I was processing the ridiculous question." Lewis was already walking away. "Stop being nosy."
"He totally hesitated," Kimi said once Lewis was out of earshot.
"He did hesitate," Isack agreed. "But that doesn't mean—"
"It was Charles. I know it was Charles."
"How do you know?"
"Because Charles keeps looking at him like he wants to eat him," Kimi said. "Haven't you noticed? Every time they're in the same room, Charles stares at him."
"Lots of people stare at Lewis. He's Lewis Hamilton."
"Not like that." Kimi pulled out his phone. "I'm texting them."
Kimi: Nice hickey Lewis
Lewis: I hate you
Kimi: Who gave it to you?
Lewis: Goodbye Kimi
Kimi: Was it Charles?
Lewis: I'm blocking you
Kimi: You won't
Lewis: Watch me
Lewis did not, in fact, block him. But he did stop responding.
Isack: You're going to annoy him
Kimi: He'll get over it
Isack: What if we're wrong
Kimi: We're not wrong
Isack: But we don't have proof
Kimi: Yet
---
4.
They caught them by accident.
Isack and Kimi were looking for Lewis because they wanted to get dinner and Lewis had said something about knowing a good place in Budapest. They'd checked his hotel room—no answer. His motorhome—locked. The Ferrari garage was their last option.
The garage was mostly empty, just a few mechanics cleaning up for the day. Kimi and Isack walked through, looking around.
"Maybe he already left," Isack suggested.
"His bag is still here." Kimi pointed to Lewis's backpack on a chair. "He's somewhere."
They walked toward the back, where the driver rooms were. Lewis's door was closed.
Kimi knocked. "Lewis? You in there?"
No answer.
"Maybe he's in the bathroom," Isack said.
"Or maybe he left his bag and went back to the hotel."
Kimi tried the door handle. It was unlocked. "Lewis?"
He pushed the door open.
And immediately regretted every decision that had led him to this moment.
Lewis was against the wall. Charles was pressed against him, one hand on Lewis's hip, the other cupping his face, and they were kissing. Deeply. Charles's thigh was between Lewis's legs, and Lewis's hands were in Charles's hair, and—
"OH MY GOD," Kimi said.
They broke apart. Both of them turned to stare at Kimi and Isack with wide eyes.
Lewis's face was flushed, his lips swollen. Charles looked wrecked. Neither of them said anything.
"WE'RE SORRY," Isack said, grabbing Kimi's arm and yanking him backward. "WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING."
"We saw everything," Kimi corrected, stumbling as Isack dragged him.
"GOODBYE," Isack yelled, and slammed the door.
They stood in the hallway, both breathing hard, staring at each other.
"That just happened," Kimi said.
"That definitely just happened."
"They were—"
"Kissing. Yeah. They were kissing."
"Like. Really kissing."
"I noticed."
Kimi's phone buzzed. He looked down.
Lewis: I can explain
Kimi: Can you?
Lewis: ...no
Lewis: Please don't tell anyone
Kimi: Who would we tell??
Lewis: I don't know. Everyone?
Isack: We won't tell anyone
Isack: But also we KNEW IT
Kimi: I TOLD YOU
Isack: You were right
Isack: I can't believe we walked in on that
Kimi: I can't believe Lewis is with CHARLES
Lewis: Can we please not discuss this
Kimi: Nope we're definitely discussing this
Kimi: How long??
Lewis: I'm not answering that
Isack: Months?
Lewis: ...
Kimi: MONTHS???
Isack: LEWIS
Lewis: Since Monaco
Kimi: THIS YEAR'S MONACO??
Kimi: THAT WAS FOUR MONTHS AGO
Lewis: I'm turning off my phone
Isack: You can't just drop that and leave
Lewis: Watch me
Kimi and Isack looked at each other.
"Four months," Kimi said.
"Four months," Isack repeated. "They've been together for four months and we had no idea."
"We had some idea," Kimi pointed out. "The noises in Jeddah. Charles leaving his hotel looking satisfied. The hickey."
"But we didn't know know."
"Well now we definitely know."
"Lewis is going to kill us for walking in."
"Worth it," Kimi said. "Totally worth it."
His phone buzzed again.
Charles: I am sorry you had to see that
Kimi: We're not
Charles: ...okay?
Kimi: Are you serious about him?
Charles: Yes
Kimi: Good
Kimi: Because if you hurt him we'll slash your tires
Charles: Understood
Isack: And key your car
Charles: Noted
Kimi: And tell everyone about that time you DNFed because you forgot to fuel
Charles: That was ONE TIME
Lewis: Stop threatening Charles
Kimi: We're being protective
Lewis: I don't need protection
Isack: Everyone needs protection
Isack: Especially from Monegasques
Charles: HEY
Lewis: Can you all please stop
They did not, in fact, stop. The group chat went on for another hour, mostly Kimi and Isack asking increasingly ridiculous questions ("Who confessed first?" "Do you do cute couple things?" "Does Ferrari know?" "Does Fred know??" "Does FRED KNOW???") until Lewis stopped responding entirely and Charles sent a picture of Lewis asleep on his chest with the caption "He is tired of you."
"They're cute," Isack said, looking at the picture.
"Disgustingly cute," Kimi agreed. "I'm happy for them."
"Me too."
"But we're definitely going to tease Lewis about this forever."
"Obviously."
---
5.
The simulator incident happened three weeks later in Monza.
Kimi and Isack had decided to do some late-night data analysis because they were both nerds who couldn't sleep and figured they might as well be productive. They grabbed their laptops and headed to the simulator room, which was usually empty after 10 PM.
It was not empty.
The lights were off, but the glow from the simulator screens lit up enough of the room for them to see.
Lewis was bent over the simulator seat. Charles was behind him, one hand braced on the seat, the other gripping Lewis's hip. They were both still mostly dressed—pants shoved down, shirts rucked up—but there was no mistaking what they were doing.
Lewis's head was tilted back, mouth open, and he was making small, desperate sounds. Charles's face was buried in Lewis's neck, and he was moving, and-
"OH MY GOD," Kimi said, for the second time in three weeks.
Lewis's eyes flew open. Charles froze.
For a moment, nobody moved. Nobody breathed.
Then Isack made a strangled noise and spun around, covering his eyes. "SORRY SORRY SORRY."
Kimi was already backing toward the door, also covering his eyes. "WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING."
"You saw everything," Lewis said, voice wrecked.
"WE SAW NOTHING," Kimi insisted loudly. "NOTHING AT ALL. WE'RE LEAVING NOW."
"Please don't tell anyone," Charles said, and he sounded pained.
"WE WON'T," Isack promised, fumbling for the door handle without looking. "THIS NEVER HAPPENED."
They got out into the hallway and ran. Didn't stop running until they were back in their hotel, in Kimi's room, sitting on his bed in shocked silence.
"That was worse than the garage," Isack said finally.
"So much worse," Kimi agreed.
"I'm traumatized."
"I'm going to need therapy."
"They were-" Isack stopped. "In the simulator."
"I noticed."
"On the simulator."
"Yes."
"The simulator we use."
"YEP."
"I'm never using that simulator again," Isack said.
"Me neither."
Kimi's phone buzzed. He looked down and immediately regretted it.
Lewis: I'm so sorry
Lewis: I don't know what to say
Lewis: Please don't hate us
Kimi: We don't hate you
Kimi: We're just traumatized
Isack: SO traumatized
Lewis: I'm sorry
Charles: We thought everyone had left
Kimi: We came back to do data analysis
Charles: At 11 PM?
Isack: We're dedicated
Charles: You are dedicated to walking in on us apparently
Kimi: IT'S NOT ON PURPOSE
Lewis: I'm mortified
Charles: I am not sorry
Lewis: CHARLES
Charles: What? I am not
Lewis: You should be sorry
Charles: Why? They have seen worse
Kimi: WHEN HAVE WE SEEN WORSE
Charles: You walked in on us in the garage
Isack: That was kissing!
Isack: This was..more than kissing
Lewis: Can we please never speak of this again
Kimi: Absolutely not
Kimi: We're going to speak of this forever
Isack: Every time I see that simulator I'm going to remember
Kimi: Every time I see EITHER of you I'm going to remember
Lewis: I hate you both
Charles: I think they are just surprised
Kimi: SURPRISED???
Kimi: We're TRAUMATIZED
Lewis: I'm changing teams
Charles: You cannot change teams
Lewis: Watch me
Isack: Don't change teams
Isack: Just maybe
Isack: Lock the door next time?
Charles: The door was locked
Kimi: IT WAS NOT LOCKED
Charles: ..are you sure?
Isack: VERY SURE
Charles: Oh
Lewis: I'm moving to a different country
Charles: Which country
Lewis: Anywhere you're not
Charles: Rude
The group chat continued for another two hours. Kimi and Isack asked increasingly pointed questions ("Was that your first time in the simulator?" "Does the FIA know you're desecrating their equipment?") until Lewis threatened to block both of them and Charles sent a picture of a bottle of wine with the caption "Bribe for your silence."
"I can't believe they've been fucking in the simulator," Isack said, staring at his phone.
"I can't believe we caught them," Kimi said.
"Twice. We caught them twice."
"At this rate we're going to catch them a third time."
"Please god no," Isack said. "I can't handle a third time."
"Me neither."
But despite the trauma, despite the imagery now burned into their brains, they both had to admit—Lewis looked happy. Really happy. Happier than they'd seen him in months.
And Charles looked at Lewis like he was the only person in the world worth looking at.
So maybe walking in on them twice was worth it.
Maybe.
---
+1.
The wedding was small—just family and close friends. Kimi and Isack sat in the front row, wearing matching suits that Lewis had insisted on paying for.
"I can't believe they're actually getting married," Isack whispered as they waited for the ceremony to start.
"I can," Kimi said. "They've been together for three years. This was inevitable."
"I know, but—" Isack paused. "It feels like just yesterday we were walking in on them in the garage."
"And the simulator."
"Don't remind me."
The music started, and everyone stood. Charles appeared first, looking nervous and happy and devastating in his tuxedo. Then Lewis, walking down the aisle in a white suit that probably cost more than Kimi's car, smiling so wide it looked like his face might split open.
When Lewis reached Charles, Charles took his hands and said something too quiet for anyone else to hear. Lewis laughed—actually laughed—and squeezed Charles's hands back.
The ceremony was beautiful. Traditional in some ways, completely them in others. They'd written their own vows, and when Charles got to the part about "loving you even when Kimi and Isack walk in on us," everyone laughed, including Lewis.
When they were pronounced married and told to kiss, Charles dipped Lewis backward like they were in a movie, and Lewis's laugh rang out across the venue.
At the reception, Kimi and Isack were called up to give a speech.
"We've known Lewis for three years now," Kimi started, holding the microphone. "And in that time, we've learned a lot."
"We've learned about racing," Isack continued. "About strategy, about how to handle pressure."
"But mostly," Kimi said, grinning, "we've learned to knock before entering rooms."
The whole venue erupted in laughter. Lewis put his face in his hands. Charles was shaking with laughter.
"We've also learned," Isack said, "that sometimes the best relationships are the ones you don't see coming. The ones that surprise you."
"Lewis and Charles surprised us," Kimi agreed. "Not just because they were together—though we definitely were surprised about that—"
"Multiple times," Isack added.
"—but because of how good they are together. How happy they make each other."
Kimi looked at Lewis and Charles, sitting at their table, hands intertwined. "We're not going to tell the story of how we first figured out they were together, because that would be inappropriate."
"Very inappropriate," Isack said.
"Extremely inappropriate."
"But we will say this:" Isack raised his glass. "Lewis, you're like family to us. You've mentored us, supported us, put up with our constant questions and late-night texts. You've been more than a driver we look up to - you've been a friend."
"And Charles," Kimi said, "you make Lewis happier than we've ever seen him. You balance him out. You challenge him. You love him in a way that's obvious to everyone who sees you together."
"Even when we accidentally see too much of you together," Isack added, and everyone laughed again.
"So," Kimi raised his glass higher. "To Lewis and Charles. May your marriage be filled with love, laughter, and significantly fewer interruptions."
"To Lewis and Charles," everyone echoed.
Lewis stood up, crossed to where Kimi and Isack were standing, and pulled them both into a hug. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For everything."
--
Later, when the dancing had started and the champagne was flowing, Kimi and Isack stood at the edge of the dance floor, watching Lewis and Charles sway together.
"They're happy," Isack said.
"Yeah," Kimi agreed. "They really are."
"Worth all the trauma?"
"Definitely worth it."
Kimi's phone buzzed. He looked down.
Lewis: Thank you for the speech
Lewis: And for not actually telling the simulator story
Kimi: We would never
Kimi: (In public)
Lewis: I'm going to kill you
Charles: Leave them alone, we are married now
Charles: You have to be nice
Lewis: I don't have to be anything
Kimi: He's so romantic
Isack: Truly a wordsmith
Lewis: I hate you both
Charles: He does not hate you
Charles: He loves you very much
Charles: He cried during your speech
Lewis: I DID NOT
Kimi: You totally did
Lewis: A little maybe
Isack: We love you too Lewis
Kimi: Yeah
Kimi: Even if you are a terrible person for using the Ferrari simulator for that
Lewis: I'M BLOCKING BOTH OF YOU
Charles: You will not block them on our wedding day
Lewis: FINE
Lewis: But tomorrow
Lewis: Tomorrow you're both blocked
He did not block them. Not the next day, or the day after that, or ever.
Because despite everything—despite the interruptions and the teasing and the trauma—Kimi and Isack had been there from the beginning. Had seen Lewis and Charles fall in love, even when Lewis and Charles hadn't fully realized it themselves.
And when Lewis and Charles adopted their first child two years later, Kimi and Isack were the first people they called.
Some things, Lewis thought, were just meant to be.
Even if they came with a lot of embarrassing stories attached.