#ap80

. . . Hanging out with Alex and the other Prema drivers was always a good time, but if there was one thing his teammates loved to tease him about, it was how clingy he got whenever you were around.

Not that you minded. Alex’s affection was one of the many reasons you loved him. It was just funny seeing him squirm when the guys decided to give him a hard time about it.

The first time it happened after a particularly tiring race weekend. Alex had just climbed out of the car, soaked in sweat and grinning from ear to ear after a podium finish.

You had barely stepped into the paddock when he spotted you, immediately heading in your direction. His arms wrapped around you tightly, and he buried his face in your shoulder.

"Alex, you’re sweaty!" you laughed, trying to push him away, but he refused to let go.

"Don’t care," he murmured. "I missed you."

From behind him, Dion’s voice rang out. "Mate, she was gone for what, two hours?"

"Not even," added Rashid, crossing his arms and grinning. "And you’re acting like you haven’t seen her in weeks."

"Leave him alone," you said, playfully defending Alex while running a hand through his damp hair. "He deserves some love after that race."

"Deserve it all the time," Alex mumbled against your shoulder, making you laugh.

Dion pretended to gag. "God, get a room. Or at least shower first, Alex. We can smell you from here."

Alex shot them a glare but didn’t loosen his hold on you. If anything, he tightened his arms around your waist, as if daring them to say something else.

Another moment came a few days later in the Prema lounge. The team had gathered to relax and watch some old race footage, with snacks scattered across the table.

You’d come by to hang out, not expecting Alex to immediately pull you onto the couch next to him. His arm draped over your shoulder, and he leaned in so close it was like he thought you might disappear if he gave you even an inch of space.

"Comfy?" you teased, tilting your head to look at him.

"Always comfy with you," he replied, pressing a quick kiss to your temple.

"Does she have to sit here?" Kean groaned, gesturing at how you and Alex were practically glued together. "It’s like you’re incapable of being apart for five minutes."

"Jealous, Kean?" Alex shot back, smirking.

"Not at all. I just don’t get how she puts up with you," Kean retorted, earning laughs from Dion, Rashid and Tomass.

"I think it’s sweet," Tomass chimed in, though there was a teasing glint in his eyes. "You know, in a borderline obsessive kind of way."

"Obsessive?" Alex frowned, looking genuinely offended.

"You’re literally holding her hand right now," Dion pointed out. "And we’re just sitting here watching TV. What’s next? You’re going to spoon feed her snacks?"

Alex’s ears turned red, but he didn’t let go of your hand. "You guys are just jealous because I have someone who actually likes me."

"That’s debatable," Rashid argued, earning a laugh from you.

Then there was the time the team decided to have a movie night at Tomass' place. You and Alex had shown up together, of course, and he immediately claimed the corner of the couch, pulling you down next to him.

His head rested on your shoulder, his legs stretched out across the cushions, effectively blocking anyone else from sitting too close.

"Alex, you’re hogging the couch," Kean complained as he tried to squeeze into the remaining space.

"Plenty of room on the floor," Alex replied without moving an inch.

"You’re so annoying," Dion muttered, grabbing a beanbag chair instead. "Does she even get to breathe, or are you going to steal all her oxygen too?"

"She’s fine," Alex said, reaching up to intertwine his fingers with yours. "Aren’t you, love?"

You nodded, suppressing a laugh. "Perfectly fine."

"See?" Alex smirked, looking smug.

Rashid rolled his eyes. "Man, I don’t know how you’re not sick of him yet. He’s like a koala. Clings to you for dear life."

"Hey, koalas are adorable," you defended, running your fingers through Alex’s hair. "And besides, I like it."

"Unbelievable," Tomass muttered, shaking his head. "You two are insufferable."

The teasing didn’t stop even during more serious moments. After a track walk one morning, Alex had casually grabbed your hand as you walked back to the garage. It wasn’t a big deal to you, but it apparently caught the attention of his teammates.

"Alex, do you think she’s going to get lost on the way back?" Tomass joked, pointing at your intertwined hands.

"No, I just like holding her hand," Alex replied, completely unfazed.

"You’re hopeless," Dion sighed, though he couldn’t hide his grin. "You know that, right?"

Alex shrugged. "I’d rather be hopeless than alone."

"That’s… weirdly sweet," Kean admitted, looking mildly impressed for once. "Still clingy as hell, though."

One morning, the team decided to grab breakfast together before heading to the track.

You were sitting next to Alex, and as usual, he was finding little excuses to touch you; whether it was holding your hand under the table, brushing a crumb off your cheek, or leaning in to quietly ask if you needed anything.

"Do you ever just… sit still?" Rashid asked, watching as Alex handed you the honey before you’d even asked for it.

"Not when she’s around," Alex replied, unashamed. "Have to make sure she’s taken care of."

"She’s not a toddler, Alex," Tomass said, rolling his eyes. "She can pour her own honey."

"Yeah, but I like doing it for her," Alex shot back, his tone completely sincere.

You couldn’t help but laugh. "Okay, now you’re just giving them more points."

"It’s worth it," Alex said, grinning as he kissed your cheek. "Let them talk."

By the end of the day, you’d heard enough teasing to last you a lifetime, but you could tell Alex didn’t care. If anything, he was even more clingy, unapologetically showing his affection no matter what anyone said.

As you walked out of the garage together, his arm draped over your shoulders, you leaned into him with a smile. "You know they’re never going to stop teasing you, right?"

"Let them," he said, pressing a kiss to your temple. "As long as I have you, I don’t care what they think."

"You’re such a sap," you teased, but your heart swelled at his words.

"Only for you," he replied, grinning. And in that moment, you knew you wouldn’t change a thing about him, clinginess and all.

It was just like perfection.

Well, nearly. It was as close as you could get to perfection.

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. . . The apartment was filled with the soft hum of music as you stood in front of your vanity, finishing your makeup for your date with Alex.

You’d told him he didn’t have to arrive early, but, true to his eager and punctual nature, he showed up at least thirty minutes ahead of time.

Now, he was sitting on the edge of your bed, dressed in a black shirt and dark pants, looking effortlessly cute and already ready to go.

He’d been scrolling through his phone at first but quickly abandoned it in favor of watching you, his gaze lingering on you with an intensity that made your heart flutter a little.

"You’re really good at that," Alex said suddenly, his voice breaking the comfortable silence.

"At what?" you asked, glancing at him through the mirror, your brush still hovering near your cheek.

"Your makeup. Like, how do you even know what goes where?" he asked, his head tilted in genuine curiosity. It was the way he said it that made it sound like the most intriguing question, as if makeup was some secret art he was eager to understand.

You smiled, dipping your brush into your blush. "It’s not that hard. You just practice a lot and figure out what works for you."

Alex got up from the bed and wandered over, leaning casually against the side of your vanity.

His curious gaze flickered between your face and the array of products scattered across the table. "What’s that?" he asked, pointing to the compact in your hand with a little smile, clearly fascinated by everything.

"Blush," you explained, "It adds color to my cheeks."

He nodded thoughtfully, his eyes scanning your face before narrowing a bit. "Do you really need it? Your cheeks are already kind of pink."

You laughed, lightly tapping the brush against his nose, leaving a tiny dusting of pink powder. "That’s sweet, but yes, I do. It ties everything together."

Alex grinned, swiping at his nose with the back of his hand. "Right, right. I see. Can’t forget the details." His eyes fell to another item on the table, his curiosity unwavering. He picked up a small tube of mascara, holding it up like he’d just discovered a rare artifact. "What’s this one for?"

"That’s mascara," you said, smiling at his continued intrigue. "It makes my eyelashes look longer and darker."

He turned the tube in his hands, inspecting it closely like he was trying to figure out its entire function. "Do you put it on every eyelash? How do you not poke your eye out?"

"Carefully," you teased, taking it from him and unscrewing the cap with ease. "Watch."

Alex leaned in closer, his gaze now laser focused on the mascara wand as you swept it across your lashes with practiced ease. He watched every movement so intently, his brows furrowed, and you couldn’t help but laugh.

"That’s… impressive," he said, sounding almost awestruck.

"Thank you," you replied, setting the mascara down with a little grin. "Anything else you want to know?"

His gaze darted to the eyeliner on the table, like he had just found another mystery to unravel. "What’s that for?"

You picked up the eyeliner, holding it up for him to see, the shiny pen glinting slightly in the soft light. "This is eyeliner. It defines my eyes and makes them stand out more."

"Can I try?" he asked suddenly, a mischievous glint in his eyes as if he was already planning to do something ridiculous.

You burst out laughing. "You want to put eyeliner on me?"

"Why not? How hard could it be?" he said with a grin, his eyes twinkling with playful confidence.

"You’d probably stab me in the eye," you teased, raising an eyebrow.

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. But you have to admit, it’d be funny."

As you moved on to your lipgloss, Alex was right there, hovering over your shoulder, watching your every move like a fascinated child in a candy store.

"So, lipgloss is just for your lips, right?" he asked, a genuinely curious tone in his voice as though this were the most essential question of the night.

"Yes," you said, carefully applying the shade you’d chosen. You added a quick smile, glancing at him. "Not as complicated as mascara, I promise."

"Does it stay on all night?" he asked, sounding like he was genuinely concerned about your lipgloss' staying power.

"Not really, especially if we’re eating or drinking. That’s why I usually bring it with me to reapply," you explained, tapping the tube against the side of the vanity with a thoughtful expression.

"Interesting," he murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as though he was mentally filing all this information away, clearly fascinated by the precision and detail you put into it all.

Once you’d finished, you leaned back, taking a final look at your reflection, your fingers brushing over your face as if to check for any imperfections. Then you turned to Alex, flashing him a smile. "All done. What do you think?"

Alex’s eyes softened as he took in the final look, his gaze lingering on you with a warmth that made your stomach do a little flip. "You look beautiful. But then again, you always do."

Your cheeks warmed at the compliment, and you playfully shoved his arm. “You’re such a charmer.”

He grinned, shaking his head slightly, before holding out his hand to you. "Ready to go?"

You nodded, taking his hand as he helped you up from the chair. As the two of you headed out the door, Alex glanced back at you with a teasing smile. "So, if I ever need to put on eyeliner, I know who to call."

You laughed, shaking your head with a smile that couldn’t quite hide how fond you were of him. "You’ll be the first guy I’ve ever taught."

"Lucky me," he said, squeezing your hand as you both stepped into the night. With the cool air greeting you both, the city lights twinkling around you, you felt a rush of excitement for the night ahead.

The date with Alex was only just beginning, but the warmth between you both was already filling you up, making everything feel just a little bit more special.

. . . The late afternoon sun poured through the windows of the Prema lounge, casting a warm glow over the room. It was a rare quiet moment between races, and you were hanging out with the team’s drivers; Alex, Dion, Rashid, Kian, and Tomass.

Snacks and random jokes were flying across the room when Kian suddenly stood up, his eyes catching on something near the corner.

"Whoa, there’s a guitar in here," he said, walking over to pick it up. "Whose is this?"

"No idea," Rashid said, leaning back in his chair. "But someone clearly wanted to start a live singing session."

Kian strummed it clumsily before turning to you with a mischievous grin. "You play, don’t you? I remember someone mentioning it."

You blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… yeah, I do, but-"

"No buts," Dion interrupted, already gesturing for you to take the guitar. "Come on, you can’t just sit there while we’ve got this perfect setup. Play something for us."

The others joined in, their teasing relentless, and you sighed, finally giving in. "Fine. But if I mess up, don’t make fun of me."

You adjusted the guitar on your lap, strummed a few notes, and then began to play. The familiar melody of Take a Chance With Me filled the room, and as you started singing, the teasing stopped.

His laugh you'd die for, his laugh you'd die for The kind that colors the sky Heart intangible, slips away faster than Dandelion fluff in the sunlight And he's got swirls of passion in his eyes Uncoverin' the dreams, he dreams at night

Your voice was soft but steady, and without meaning to, your eyes kept drifting toward Alex. He was sitting across from you, unusually quiet, his gaze fixed on you with an intensity that made your heart race.

Oh, why can't we for once Say what we want, say what we feel? Oh, why can't you for once Disregard the world, and run to what you know is real? Take a chance with me, take a chance with me....

The other drivers exchanged knowing looks, smirking behind their hands as they caught on to the way your voice softened and your gaze lingered. By the time you finished, the teasing was relentless.

"Well, someone’s definitely got a muse," Tomass said, grinning.

"Yeah, who’s the guy?" Rashid added, waggling his eyebrows.

You laughed nervously, shaking your head. “It’s just a song, guys. Chill.”

"Oh, sure," Kian teased. "You just ‘happened’ to look like you were singing to someone specific.” "

As they piled on, Alex’s face darkened. He forced a smile, but his mind was racing. Was the song about someone else? Maybe Dion? The thought made his chest tighten.

"I’ll be back," Alex mumbled, standing abruptly and heading for the door.

The teasing immediately stopped as the others noticed the shift in mood. Rashid raised an eyebrow and then smirked, nudging Tomass. "We should… uh, grab snacks from the kitchen."

"Yeah," Dion chimed in quickly, standing up. "Let’s go, guys."

Kian shot you a wink before following the others out. "Have fun, lovebirds."

You blinked, confused at first, but then realized Alex hadn’t come back. Sighing, you set the guitar down and went to find him.

You found Alex outside, leaning against the railing of the balcony, his hands gripping the edge tightly. He didn’t look up when you approached.

"Alex?" you said softly, stepping closer.

He glanced at you briefly before looking away. "Hey."

There was a tension in his voice that made your chest ache. "What’s wrong? Did I do something?"

"No," he said quickly, shaking his head. "It’s just… the song."

You frowned. "What about it?"

He hesitated, his jaw tightening. "It sounded… personal. Like it was about someone." He paused, exhaling sharply. "Is it Dion? Or someone else?"

Your heart sank as you realized what he was thinking. "Alex…"

"You don’t have to explain," he cut in, his voice quieter now. "I just… I thought maybe…"

"Alex," you interrupted, stepping in front of him so he had no choice but to meet your eyes. "It’s not about Dion or anyone else. It’s about you. Always has been."

His eyes widened, and for a moment, he looked completely stunned. "Me?"

You nodded, your cheeks burning. "Yeah. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know if you felt the same, but every word… it’s all about you."

He stared at you, the tension in his shoulders melting away as your words sank in. "You… you mean that?"

"I do," you said softly.

Before you could say anything else, Alex pulled you into a hug, his arms wrapping around you tightly.

"I’ve liked you for so long," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "But I didn’t think I had a chance."

You pulled back slightly, meeting his gaze with a soft smile. "Well, now you know."

He laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can’t believe I almost walked away without saying anything."

"You’re lucky the guys forced us into this moment," you teased lightly.

Alex grinned, his expression softening. "Yeah, I guess I owe them one."

The moment hung in the air, and before you could overthink it, Alex leaned in, his lips brushing against yours in a kiss that was sweet and full of all the feelings you’d both been holding back.

When you pulled apart, he rested his forehead against yours, his smile impossibly wide. "So… is this the part where I take a chance with you?"

You laughed, your heart feeling impossibly full. "It’s about time."

From inside, you could hear the faint sound of the others cheering and hollering, clearly eavesdropping. But right now, none of that mattered.

All that mattered was Alex, his hand in yours, and the feeling of finally being exactly where you were meant to be.

It felt…. right.