Carlos thought absolutely nothing of it the first time. The entire grid had been dragged to some ridiculously expensive restaurant after a sponsor event. The kind with tiny portions, fancy lighting, and menus nobody could pronounce. Half the drivers were still wearing team gear because nobody had bothered changing.

The long table was already filling up by the time Carlos arrived. Lando had immediately stolen the seat beside Oscar before anyone else could get there. Charles was already sitting across from them, looking deeply offended by the menu prices. Lewis was talking to Fernando. Daniel was somehow making everyone laugh.

Carlos paused beside the table, scanning for an empty chair. There were only two left. One was beside Max. The other was near Alex. Carlos's eyes landed on the empty seat beside Max. The chair sat untouched despite people still arriving.

Max was already seated there, lazily scrolling through his phone. He looked exactly the same as always. Calm and unbothered. Mildly annoyed by the existence of humanity.

Carlos glanced at the chair. Then at Max, then at the chair again. Surely not.  Max didn't particularly seek people out. He wasn't exactly known for being social.

Carlos was just about to sit down next to Max when Alex suddenly looked up.