Chapter Text
Max is wrapped up tightly in Sebastian’s arms. He’s shaking from the force of his tears and all the emotions that are fighting their way through him. Beyond the bubble that he and Seb had created, Max could hear cheering and clapping. He realises two things simultaneously at that moment.
He is happy.
He is safe.
Seb pulls away, one arm still placed protectively over Max’s slim shoulders, as the others smile at him like he’s the centre of attention for once in his life. “The first of many.” Lewis says, genuinely happy as he reaches out with his fist. Max meets him half-way and they bump their fists together in a gesture only meant for them.
Charles grins and says, “Can't get rid of you now, the return-by date has officially passed.” Max laughs and makes a half attempted swing at Charles, who easily dodges it and smiles.
The boys crowd around Max as Sebastian steps back and into Kimi’s side, talking quietly to him. The brothers aren’t listening though, too busy all trying to give Max their own version of birthday punches as he runs from them around the kitchen. Lando cuts him off quickly and grabs Max, but he doesn’t go down without a fight. Once they’re all tired out, the four of them collapse onto the couch under the large window. On the kitchen table there is a large cake with blown out candles, still uncut, but not for long.
Seb and Kimi come back into the room, having left at some point while the boys were busy trying to beat each other up. “I know you said you didn’t want any gifts,” Seb started, addressing Max with his hands behind his back and a little smirk on his face. “But we don’t care. It’s tradition.”
Lando, Lewis and Charles have all edged forward on the sofa, looking between their foster parents and brother. “Don’t worry, first year present is always the biggest. Next year won’t be as big.” Lando says, half jokingly.
When he doesn’t move, Max is pushed from the couch by Lewis, encouraging him towards Seb. He stands up and takes the wrapped box from Seb’s outstretched arms. He and Kimi have matching broad grins on their faces. Max’s cheeks heat slightly when he turns back to face his brothers again and feels the attention on him.
“You really didn’t-“
“Oh, shut up and open it!” Charles interrupts.
Max giggles, the excitement now overcoming his initial anxiety and hesitance, and tears the wrapping off. The box itself is quite big, needing to be awkwardly balanced against Max’s arm and thigh as he uses the other hand to open the wrapping paper. When he rips off enough to see what it is, he whips his head up and around to Kimi and Sebastian.
“You got me a PS4?” He asked incredulously, his voice high and squeaky with excitement and disbelief. It’s rhetorical; the box is in his hands, ‘PS4’ displayed largely across it in block letters.
They smile back at him. “It was Lando’s idea.” Kimi replied, his voice a little waterier than he would ever admit.
“Mine too!” Charles objects.
“It was a group decision.” Lewis reminds them. “Now you can play FIFA properly against Lando.”
“You mean, now Max can beat him properly.” Charles snickers as he says it. Lando pouts.
Max doesn’t have a response for them. He’s still staring at the box in his arms, mouth agape with shock. He knew today was an important day - a celebration. A new birthday, Lando had explained to him last week when he casually brought up what he was going to do for his ‘One Year Anniversary’.
Max had always hated his birthday. He couldn’t think of a single good memory about his birthday, the bad ones always taking precedence over them in his mind. Lando had told him a few weeks after Max had moved in that they all had bad memories about their birthdays, which is why Seb and Kimi chose to make such a big deal about this day instead.
A large part of Max had doubted them all when they’d told him he was here to stay. He’d been told that before, he was used to being told that. As the weeks and months went by in the Vettel-Raikkonen house, Max fought the urge to start calling this place home. He refused to give into decorating his room. His clothes were still neatly folded just inside the closet, easy to get to when he needed to pack them and leave. Again.
But now it has been a year. The longest stay Max had ever had with one family. Against what Max considered better judgement, he began to think of them not just as a family, but as his family. He constantly reminded himself that Charles, Lando and Lewis were his foster brothers and not actual siblings. An important distinction, but the lines had begun to blur over the months.
Every day Max got more and more comfortable with his foster family, thought of this place as home more often. Maybe as a present to himself for making it one year in the same place he’d decorate a little. Maybe put up the picture he had printed out of them on Christmas and stick it to the wall.
In September Max will start in the same school as his siblings, having spent the last year being home-schooled, not yet ready to fully integrate back into big populations (It took four months for him to stop having panic attacks at the store). In September he would start school as Max Emilian Vettel like Charles, Lando and Lewis. For the past few weeks, he had been debating changing his Instagram name from Verstappen to Vettel, and although only one or two of his close friends would notice, it felt like a big step for Max.
“So, are you gonna play it or just stare at the box?” Lewis asked, pulling Max from his thoughts. “I mean, it is a nice box.”
Max tore his gaze away from the box and looked at Lewis with a glare that they both knew held no real threat. “Shut up.” He said, a smile breaking out on his face as he failed to keep up the mock-anger.
The three brothers took that as an invitation to jump on top of him and cheer. “Maxy can finally be a pro gamer.” Lando shouted as they headed to Max’s room to set up his new console.
“If you can do it, anybody can.”
“Wait! I want cake.” Charles announced loudly.
Having forgotten about the cake, Max turns to the table and smiles. “Yeah, me too. Let’s bring it to my room.” He suggests. Seb nods and takes a knife from the kitchen drawer and making his way to the table as the boys started chanting ‘cake, cake, cake.’
As Sebastian cut each kid large slices, Kimi muttered something under his breath that only Seb understood and laughed in response. The two men handed off the slices to each of them as they shouted a ‘thank you’ over their shoulder, already running up the stairs to Max’s room.
“Don’t make a mess.” Kimi barked after them, even though he knew they would either way.
“No promises!” Lewis shouted back as the four boys giggled, racing each other to the landing.