Chapter Text
Charles is exhausted. He’s just clocked out of a 62 hour work week, and after dealing with what felt like an army of entitled clients with generational wealth to spare, all he wants to do is go back home and crash on his sofa for the entirety of the weekend. That, of course is what a normal week looks like in the life of Charles Leclerc—the youngest, up and coming defence attorney in Monaco. Rumour has it he’s been promoted thrice in the span of half a year since he’s joined.
“How does he even function with the workload that he has”
“He’s a robot”,
“Maybe a psyop?”
“Well, it’s safe to assume he isn’t human”
This is one of the many conversations he’s overheard in the pantry, the bathroom stalls, fuck even the conference room where his colleagues meticulously break down his life and routine trying to figure out the secret behind it all, the secret behind such grand success, the secret behind his efficiency and wild ambition, little do they know—
His rampaging thoughts are quickly interrupted by a faint buzzing coming from his right pocket. As he makes his way out of the elevator, into the dimly lit corridor leading to his apartment door, he pulls out his phone to see Pierre’s name flashing on the screen. Oh Pierre, sweet-sweet Pierre, the only person in this godforsaken firm that he gets along with. He answers the call, turning the key into the door lock.
“What is it” he asks in annoyance, all he wants to do right now is crash on his couch order takeout and rot away for the weekend, in front of the tv watching some god-awful reality dating show to feel better about himself, but alas his perfect weekend plans come cascading down as he hears Pierre on the other end saying- “The Duke. Tonight, 9pm, you’re coming”
“You’re joking, there’s no way- ”
“Uh-uh I don’t wanna hear it, you owe me, remember?”
He does remember. Last week Pierre attended a meeting with one of his clients in his place when his car had broken down. He was almost expecting him to say no, why? Well coz everyone at the firm seems to hate him. But to his surprise Pierre agreed. He must have some ulterior motive, he thought to himself but as the week progressed, said ulterior motive was nowhere to be found. They ended up getting close as the days passed. Often helping each other out by taking out copies, drafting opening statements and getting coffee together at the pantry (a once daunting task for Charles). Charles ended up taking a liking to the guy and vice versa.
“But I- ”
“Charlie, you and I both know you need to get out of your apartment. It’s a Saturday night and there’s no work for you to dote about tomorrow. Lets go out. Lets have fun.”
Upon hearing radio silence from the other end Pierre chuckled, Charles can already see the wicked grin forming on his face. “Ill pick you up” he said before hanging up.
Pierre was right. He does need to get out of his apartment. What he doesn’t need is to be called out for his glaring lack of a social life after a 62 hour work-week. You chose this. You don’t get to complain, he told himself as he made his way into the hot shower attempting to wash away the fatigue from his face. He got out of the shower before putting on the most basic outfit known to man. Blue jeans and a black tshirt.
To no one’s surprise this is met with offended gasps and audible disgust as Pierre arrived at his doorstep. “We’re going out Charles, It’s a Saturday night at The Duke, one of the most busiest bars in Monaco, are you joking?”
Charles gives him a blank stare and within the next minute Pierre has not only made his way into his apartment mumbling something along the lines of “you’re unbelievable”, before digging through his closet and fishing out a black silk shirt.
Charles is in no mood to argue so he puts it on without any complaints. Walking out of his room he sees Pierre clasp his hands together, looking like he just saved Charles from catastrophe, he did. “See?, a subtle change much better” he says. They ride the elevator down to the parking lot. “We’re meeting up with some of my old friends from college by the way. It would be nice for you to mingle with some new people. A much-required refresher from those boring bums at the firm don’t you think.”
He's not wrong, Charles thinks to himself He’s getting increasingly sick of his fellow coworkers and the constant conversations they keep having behind his back. Atleast find better hiding spots to gossip, he thought to himself everyday but oh well. Charles didn’t care. Charles couldn’t care. Atleast that’s what he told himself every week.
They made their way through the bar, Pierre leading him to a table full of people who seemed to be having fun. “Guys!”, Pierre exclaimed as he sat down in one of the empty spots “This is Charles! My coworker that I told yall about.” “Charles” Pierre said turning towards him as he tugged on his sleeve to sit beside him, “This is everyone.”
Charles would be lying if he said he wasn’t having fun. The bar although crowed, is not suffocating. The atmosphere’s just the right amount of liveliness, where he does not feel overstimulated. And after what felt like months of living on edge, he has finally put his guard down. Pierre was right, he was having fun. The alcohol flowed seamlessly in and out of his conversations with Pierre’s friends and from what he could tell they were genuinely good people with really interesting fields of work. He has already exchanged numbers with a few of the people. There was George who worked as a freelance artist- he’d already invited him to his art exhibition happening next week, somehow Charles isn’t surprised that he was an artist given his whimsical yet joyous persona. There was Lewis who was an architect working at a firm that happened to be in the same building as the firm Pierre and himself were in, He was pretty quiet for the most part but that’s something Charles can relate to and found endearing. He was networking and he genuinely liked these people since they were fun to be around, something that Charles has missed ever since he graduated from college. Before he knew it he’s laughing at something Lando said about Alex’s cats, watching Oscar pour another glass of champagne for Max who swears he’s had enough to drink but still keeps coming back for more.
This brings him to his current predicament. He has conversed with almost everyone at the table, which was surprising, it might be the alcohol, he thought to himself.
Everyone but the mysterious enigmatic man sitting at the other end of the table burning holes in the back of his mind. He’s staring, he thinks to himself and part of him almost wants to stare back. He might as well make it a game and have fun, but this thought s quickly dispelled when he steals a glance at the man as he’s ordering another pint of beer. Fuck he's gorgeous. Charles knew he was in trouble.
You're so gorgeous
I can't say anthing to your face
Cause look at your face (Gorgeous)
And im so furious
At you for making me feel this way
But what can i say
You're Gorgeous.
This was very atypical of Charles. He rarely found any one attractive these days and part of the reason was that he wouldn’t allow himself to. To put it simply he did not have time to be fooling around, he did not have time for a man. There’s no way his lifestyle would allow it. More so, he didn’t need a man, he was perfectly capable of living his life without a significant other. He refuses to let all his work this he’s put into his career over the past year go to waste coz of some guy. He refuses to let anyone else have that power over him, especially after what happened last time, with Liam.
The thought of him almost makes Charles puke, to stop himself from spiralling any further he orders himself a whiskey on ice. He excuses himself from the table to get some fresh air on the balcony, as the lively quickly turned suffocating. This ends up working out without drawing too much attention to himself as the others made their way onto the dance floor. Pierre shot him a concerned look before getting up but Chares reassured him with a knowing smile.
He’s standing against the railing, whiskey in hand, looking at the street below. All the college kids scrambling to find taxis, a couple of them throwing up on the sidewalk before continuing to skip through the street hand in hand singing a god-awful rendition of the club bangers. They’re wasted. Charles smiles as he sips his drink reminded of his days from college but before he could reminisce he’s caught offguard by a deep voice coming from behind him.
“People watching?”
Spanish, he thinks to himself as he turns around to answer the faceless voice.
Oh shit, “yea- I mean no- I” he manages to stammer as he takes in the sight in front of him. It’s the guy from earlier, except this time much closer on the cramped balcony. He’s wearing a light pink pure cotton shirt, and ofcourse it hugs his sculpted torso in all the right places, the more he looks at it he realises that’s its kind of see-through—Oh No. He readjusts his gaze back to see his face and can’t not notice his perfectly styled hair wafted to the side, he imagines his fingers combing through them curling towards the bac of his neck. Stop it.
He looks into his eyes and oh his eyes, they were like the cherry on top of it all, they were a deep brown, dark oak-y, with little slivers of hazel arranged in meticulous concentric circles around his dilated pupils. He almost feels his knee give out utterly drawn into the vortex of his gorgeous eyes. He stabilizes himself against the railing only managing to bring his glass upto his lips, a last ditch effort to distract himself.
“Cat got your tongue?”
“Something like that, it might’ve been Alex’s actually” he giggles, that was a terrible joke what are you doing.
But to his surprise he finds the other man smiling. Oh his dimples- Im in trouble.
He extends his right arm forward offering a handshake “Its Carlos”, Charles returns the handshake, ”Charles” their palms clinging to each other for a moment too long—
“Almost thought you were ignoring me back there”
Fuck.
“You should take it as a compliment that im talking to everyone here but you”, Charles bites back.
im too tipsy.
“Well then maybe you should think about the consequence of your magnetic field being a little too strong”.
oh he’s quick with it.
Charles raises his hands in mock surrender, and Carlos snorts. “Didn’t see you on the dance floor back there”, he asks.
“So what you came looking for me?”, Charles retorts
“Don’t flatter yourself” theres that smile again, shit.
“Care to join me, Sharles?” Carlos now dangerously close to his frame, his face inches away from Charles’. He can practically hear my bated breath.
The way his name runs off Carlos’ tongue almost makes him want to die.
He casts away his intrusive thoughts telling him not to entertain this guy. He’s not worth it Charles, are you really gonna throw away all your life’s work for some guy?
But he was too far gone, already taking Carlos’ hand as he leads him back into the bustling club. Their hands meet each others’ as they dance the night away. Carlos is bad, like really bad. He’s like a newly hatched chick learning how to walk on two left feet. Charles finds it adorable, coz ofcourse he does. His hands find Carlos’ waist, the warmth of the touch sending shivers down his spine, he looks up at Carlos who’s now grinning with a whats the idea here kind of look. He guides Carlos’ hips gently to the sway of the music, only until he catches the rhythm of course.
Hours pass by when it really felt like seconds, and Charles is lost. Like fully lost. Lost in the music, lost in the alcohol running through his bloodstream, lost in the dizzying heat of Carlos’ body next to his. It’s like a trance that he’s yanked out of when he feels his phone vibrating from his right pocket.
The notification reads, “Im leaving, looks like you’re having fun 😉 Text me if you get back home”
From across the bar he catches Pierres eyes, he’s smirking at Charles mouthing “have fun”. Knowing full well the emphasis on the “if”. Charles can’t help but smile. He was having fun, maybe the most fun he’s ever had. Yeah he’s just having fun right? He’s just fooling around. This is not going to develop into anything serious right?
Yea, he’s just having fun.
You make me so happy, it turns back to sad
There's nothing I hate more than what i can't have
You are so gorgeous it makes me so mad
You make me so happy it turns back to sad (Yeah)
There's nothing I hate more than what I can't have
Guess I'll just stumble on home to my cats, Alone
Unless you wanna come along