#lvl:ea

“Ohhh,” Lance groaned as Lando pulled himself from inside of him, “fuck.”

Lando let his hand skim over Lance’s hip as he collapsed next to him, the ceiling still a little too close for comfort in the motorhome. He’d had to really curl himself over Lance to fuck him right without hitting his head-

Oh my god, I fucked Lance. 

He could feel Lance shifting beside him, “Lando, I-”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“What?” 

“I said don’t worry about it.” Lando threw his forearm over his eyes, still panting from the exertion. 

There was a very uncomfortable silence, and neither man moved, both catching their breath as they thought of what to do next. Lando knew he should leave, but he wasn’t sure when. Leaving had always been easy, but after the way Lance had laughed at him when he’d try to confront him about this little run around they had going on, his blood had just boiled. 

“I can’t believe that just happened.” Lance broke the silence in the room and Lando couldn’t help but flinch from how loud he sounded beside him on the bed. 

“Seriously?” He mumbled, “Are you really surprised?” 

He could hear Lance grumbling beside him, and when he finally decided to peek at the Canadian, he felt a sort of thrill curl inside of him. 

“Oh, you really are surprised, aren’t you?” Lando purred, turning on to his side and taking in Lance’s red face, “Did you think I hadn’t noticed?”

Lando pressed his fingertips to the side of Lance’s cheek, and felt himself get excited again as he dragged his finger down Lance’s body. His blush followed Lando’s finger tips down his cheek, over his jaw and creeped down his chest.  

“Mmmmmm,” Lando moaned lowly, approvingly.

He could see the way Lance swallowed, the way he couldn’t meet his eyes. The way he seemed so responsive, so pliant, so good.

“Looks like I was right about you.” Lando teased.

He dropped his hand from Lance’s body and pushed himself to slide off the bed. That was when Lance finally looked at him and sat up, watching in confusion as Lando began picking up his clothes. 

“Right about what?” Lance pushed, “How?” 

Lando pulled his fireproofs over his hips and kicked his overalls so he could step into them. When the arms were dangling by his sides and he looked as he usually did in the paddock, he walked to the edge of the bed and leaned over towards Lance. He smirked when the taller man shrunk back, and his lips parted.

Needy, needy, needy.

“Keep your mouth shut and you can find out, again.”

Lando laughed as he took in Lance’s practically drooling expression, taking one last look at the way he was hardening between his thighs before he ducked out of the bedroom and walked towards the door of the motorhome. 

This’ll be worth the trouble, Lando thought. 

-

13 WEEKS LATER

“Daniel, I can’t.” You tsk’d looking out at the sunny road ahead, anything to you could focus on instead of killing the father of your unborn child. 

“Just sell the apartment.” Daniel said nonchalantly, to your rage.

“I can’t just sell my apartment, what if-”

“What if, what? What if you need it? For what?” He was so tired of this conversation.

“For me, for us.”

Daniel scoffed, “For us.” He repeated under his breath.

Months had passed, and you still hadn’t settled on a place to have your baby. You were seven months pregnant, and your ability to go on such a strenuous flight like the one to Australia had begun to dwindle. If he had his way, you’d already have packed up your shit and been on the farm. 

But instead you were exactly where you’d always been. You dragged your feet, and really trampled on Daniel’s plans. He really wanted you on the farm, where you were secluded, had privacy, and could have fresh air and loads of space for the three of you. He had already told you he had a room cleared for the baby, which you countered with clearing a room in your apartment, much to his annoyance. 

Neither room in either home was decorated, and you two had stayed at this stand off for weeks now. 

“It’s my place.” You growled. 

“And we need a place that’s ours.” 

“So you move me into your place?” You countered sarcastically, “Why can’t we just talk about this later?”

“Darling,” Daniel said carefully, “you’ve put this off for months. If you’re putting it off cause you want to end up trapped in London, then just say that. We need to get the baby’s room ready, wherever we’re gonna be and we need to be settled somewhere. We can’t be figuring out where to go when you’re in labor.” 

You sighed and looked down at your lap as Daniel pulled into the paddock parking lot. He leaned over the center console and reached for your face, cupping your cheek to turn your face towards him. He pressed his lips to yours and kissed you gently before lowering his hand to your swollen midsection. Rubbing circles on the side, in the exact spot where he knew was most soothing to you made you smile against his cheek. 

You leaned your head against his, “I know, I’m sorry... We’ll figure it out, okay?” 

“I have to go home next week,” Daniel gently reminded you, “you could come with me, try it out.” 

You grimaced and pulled away. Of course it wasn’t a trap, Daniel always wanted him with you regardless of what country he trekked to, but you felt guarded. You were getting closer to closer to everything changing, to your baby coming and you couldn’t bring yourself to give in. Daniel was always so disappointed at the end of these arguments, but you just couldn’t give in. 

You’d made loads of progress, and were a real couple now. It was a real adult relationship that made you realize just how many shitty ones you had been in before.

You spent time together, had a lot of sex, and lived together in both of your homes. It wasn’t perfect, and it was a still a bit loose, too loose for Daniel, and just comfortable enough for you. It felt something like drying concrete, and the impending cementation both terrified and exhilarated you. You felt like you couldn’t stop wiggling in it, while Daniel was ready for it to dry. 

You’d get there, as long as you didn’t find a way to fuck it up. 

Publicly, things were low key, as low key as they could be. People were wild with the news of you carrying Daniel’s baby. The first few weeks had been tough, and you had been hounded anytime you went out, but now with the two of you being a bit more public with your relationship, it seemed to calm. You hadn’t quite been brave enough to check anything online, and for the rest of your pregnancy you figured that was smart. 

A lot had changed, but Daniel hadn’t given you a single moment of doubt. Even with the surety he gave you, you couldn’t shake the little voice in the back of your head that warned you to keep your guard up. 

Daniel’s a good man, you chastised yourself as you watched him jog around the car to wordlessly help you out. 

“Come on, you.” Daniel forced a smile and interlocked your fingers with his to walk you across the windy parking lot.

Daniel hummed next to you. His tune sounded chipper, but his lips were straightened, no upward curve in sight. He was trying to keep the peace for you, you could tell. You just wished he’d understand, you wished you could find the right words to make him understand. 

All too soon, your opportunity slipped away and you could feel the clicks and hisses of the photographers. They ascended upon you and ruined any chance of the two of you having a conversation alone. 

“M’over this.” Daniel grumbled to you, his hand squeezed yours tighter as the photographers swarmed. 

“It’s not that bad today.” 

That much was true, while it was quite a few photographers, they circled around you both, not getting into your faces while they stayed more than six feet away. Daniel didn’t see it that way, and was a second away from taking off his sunglasses so they could get the full effect of his pissed off expression.

“You know,” you leaned closer to him, recapturing his attention, “if you keep making that face in the pictures they’ll think you hate me or something.” 

You’d meant it as a teasing joke, but a part of you got scared when Daniel just abruptly stopped next to you. He turned you towards him with a gentle hand on your neck and pressed his lips to yours in a sweet, very public-friendly kiss. When he leaned away, he bumped his nose against yours and gave you a smile.

“Never.” He told you.

You rolled your eyes, a smile on your face as you turned away and continued on without him, leaving him to jog to catch up to your almost waddling pace. You’d resumed your walk in semi peace for a couple more paces before your usual interruption occurred. 

“You finally see sense?” Lando’s asked as he crossed paths with you both. 

“No.” you snorted.

“Huh?” Daniel looked confusedly at you and Lando’s giggling faces. 

“I see her trying to run away, so I asked if she’d seen sense.” Lando obnoxiously spoke loud, loving to rag on Daniel’s older age. 

You slapped Lando’s arm and took Daniel’s hand back in yours.

“Nope,” you looked at Daniel, “never.”

Daniel’s smile threatened to split his face in half as you looked at him as you said it. 

“Ugh,” Lando groaned, “gross, it’s like watching my parents.” 

“Lando, shut up.”

The three of you continued your banter down the walk way, and the two boys play argued about this week’s race while you tried your best not to grimace. You really wanted to curse this track for having a parking lot so far from where they set up all the teams. Your feet were killing you. 

You had hoped it was a baby side effect that would leave as quickly as it arrived, but it seemed to have decided to stick around. You understood why pregnant women waddled now. It wasn’t because your gravity was off, but because you felt like you walked on two peg legs. 

A sharp ping caught your attention and you looked at Lando just to catch him licking his lips while reading a message off his screen.

Still such a hoe, you jokingly thought to yourself. 

“Alright!” Lando abruptly yelled, “M’gonna leave you two.”

“Where are you off to?” Daniel asked, “Don’t forget we have-”

“I know, I know, Dad, don’t worry, I’ll be there.” 

Daniel scoffed and flipped Lando off, Lando doing the same in return before he waved to you like a good boy. 

“That kid, he’s gonna be the death of me.” Daniel joked.

“He grows on you.” You shrugged.

“Eh, let’s not.” 

You gasped and slapped Daniel’s arm. Nothing made you cringe more than the reminder of your personal life disaster before getting pregnant. There were a lot of reasons why you loved your baby, but one of the reasons was definitely the little blessing she was. She really made you clean yourself up, get it together. A year ago, you would’ve laughed at the notion of being a mother, but now, you actually felt confident in your upcoming role. 

Okay, let’s not cry before 9AM.

“It’s so cold today.” You commented in an attempt to skew your mind from the emotional place it had been headed towards.

“You know where it’s not cold?” 

“Daniel-”

He grinned, “Australia.” 

“Daniel,” you sighed, “I don’t know where I want to have the baby. I don’t know where we should have this baby. I don’t even know where I want to raise her.”

“I do.” He told you for the millionth time, “And really, where to raise her is a totally different conversation, I just want to know where to set up the baby’s room.” 

“We have some stuff in London already.” You offered.

“And then we have all the stuff that people sent to my place. In Australia.” 

“Well, who’s fault is that?” 

“Uh, I don’t know, everyone who assumed we’d be living where I live?” 

You took a deep breath, “When do you leave again?”

Daniel laughed out loud. His shoulders shook with the force of his laughter. You were relieved he seemed to take the conversation better this time around. 

“Wednesday morning,” He finally answered, “it’s early as fuck too, Blake got me tickets before sunrise cause he obviously is still mad I kicked his ass at monopoly.” 

You choked on a laugh as you remembered the heated battle that had almost ended their friendship a few weeks back, “You did practically rob the man.”

“I played the game!” 

“You played it a little too well.” 

Daniel pouted and lifted his sunglasses so you could see his sad face, “He won’t play with me anymore.”

You giggled, “You can play with me.” 

“Butttttttttt,” he dragged out, “I’m leaving.” he looked at you, hopeful, “All the more reason for you to come with.” 

You both came to a stop in front of the McLaren garage and faced each other. The air shifted and you could feel that this was a serious try on Daniel’s part. He’d tried the serious approach, and now while he’d switched to the silly approach this morning, he stood by his cause. You could barely stomach the guilt. 

“Why don’t you just stay here?” You tried to say sweetly, taking a suggestive step into his space.

You could see the moment Daniel’s features hardened. 

“I’m going, with or without you.” You looked at Daniel, frozen in place as the wind blew through your hair. “I have business stuff to take care of,” he elaborated softly, “so I’m going, I have to, and you should come with me. I want to share my life with you and that’s not going to work for us if you keep pushing me away.”

“I’m not-”

“Love, I know an escape plan when I see one.” He interrupted, sounding sad, “When are you going to believe you don’t need one?”

“I...” you choked on your words, suddenly so aware of how much you had been hurting him, “Danny, I-”

“Daniel!” 

You cursed under your breath as Charlotte’s voice split between the two of you like lightening. The shorter blond was quickly approaching, and waving for Daniel to meet her halfway. 

-

Lance was good at sucking cock.

Lando couldn’t be more impressed with the way he’s was being sucked down. Every time Lance put him in his mouth, Lando felt like he reached nirvana. The boy just excelled at taking all his girth, and the tongue on him had Lando shooting down his throat all the time. But Lando was hungrier today than their usual, quick trackside blowjobs.

“Hey,” Lando flicked the side of Lance’s cheek and swallowed, he swore he’d felt the flick through Lance’s con-caved cheeks, “yeah, I’m talking to you, cumslut.”

Lance looked up at Lando blankly, a face that Lando learned is the way he looked when he didn’t want to admit he’s close to creaming his pants untouched. Not that Lance would really care, cause what Lando called him wasn’t just a nickname, it was the perfect word to describe Lance, and he knew it as well as his lover did.

Cumslut.

“If you don’t swallow so fast this time,” Lance shot him a glare that Lando couldn’t take seriously while his dick was in Lance’s mouth, “you can spit it back on my dick and sit in Daddy’s lap.”

Lance grumbled, making Lando moan from the vibrations around his cock as Lando leaned his head back. He knew his boy was just covering up his moans. Lance has made it more than clear that he’s all for riding Lando’s dick whenever and wherever Daddy calls.

Lance dropped his hands to the floor, leaning himself forward on his knees with Lando’s cock in his mouth before he started bobbing his head, fucking Lando with his throat. 

“Oh fuck, I love when you do that.” Lando moaned, “That’s it, baby, nice and deep for Daddy.”

Lance’s hand flew to his crotch, where he rubbed his palm against his own swollen length. He was so hard, his dick felt like it was tingling, and his balls felt heavy and tight. He didn’t want to cum in his pants again, but Lando made it so hard not to.

Still bobbing his head, he lifted his ass and pushed himself up on his knees so his head was right above Lando’s straightened cock. The angle made Lando’s feet tap on the ground, a quick indicator that he was well on his way to cumming. Lance meanwhile pushed his overalls down his hips, the thin material of his fireproofs that resembled glorified leggings did nothing to hide his own hardness. 

He pulled off of Lando’s cock with a pop and leaned back on his knees to look down at his own lap. He whimpered when he saw the wet spot, he was leaking pre-cum.

“Ah,” Lando hummed, his fingers just skimming the outline of Lance’s hard cock before the Canadian pushed his hand away, “wet for me, love?” 

Lance hated the way he preened under Lando’s words. 

“If you want me to take care of that, you have to take care of this.” Lando leaned back on the couch, holding his cock from the base and lightly shaking it back and forth like a lollipop, “Or, we can take care of both at the same time.”

Lance nodded, too cock drunk to really care, and knowing it was always good when he just gave in. 

He leaned back forward and choked himself on Lando’s dick, slicking him up and spitting on his length until it glistened. When it was practically dripping and Lando was a twitching, moaning mess, Lance rolled back on to his heels and pulled his pants off, stepping out of them and his overalls.

“Better make this good.” Lance mumbled as he threw his leg over Lando’s lap.

Lando chuckled as he reached under Lance’s lowering ass to hold his cock up straight. He teasingly rubbed his tip between Lance’s cheeks before pressing up against where he wanted him most.

“You know Daddy always makes it good.”

-

It had taken you a few minutes to get to Mercedes hospitality and climb the stairs to the area where you knew you could leave your stuff. Daniel’s words and your swollen feet really slowed you down, mentally and physically. It was made slightly worse by the fact that everyone seemed to be in meetings, so there was no one for you to distract yourself with. 

Maybe it’s good to be on my own, clear my head, maybe figure out what I want to do.

But really, you hadn’t a clue what to do. You dragged your feet for a bit, mulled around the paddock feeling really bad about how you left things with Daniel. Eventually you’d made it to the grassy side of the land. While it was peaceful, you also had to cringe at the way the fresh air that blew around you made think of Daniel. 

Normally, you looked forward to the end of these days, to meeting back by the car and driving back to wherever you were staying together. But today you really dreaded it. You knew he’d act like everything was good when he saw you and that sat in you heavier than the baby you were carrying. 

I don’t want to fight with my baby daddy, I just wish he wouldn’t be so.... well, perfect all the time. 

He didn’t want to stress the baby, so he treated you like a princess. Above and beyond anything you’d ever expected from him or any other man. He was attentive, always. He tried to always be there, schedule permitting, and he was hands on. Daniel really was nurturing, and showed that in the affectionate way he doted on you.

On days that he couldn’t be there cause he was at McLaren HQ, he’d send Blake or Michael to keep you company. It was endearing and sweet, but it also terrified you.

What happens when it all stops? 

There was a real part of you that pondered this, that feared that Daniel was all over you cause you held his child. Once you gave birth, there was an ugly little voice in the back of your head that repeated the notion that once you gave birth it would all change. All that love and affection would go to your daughter, not you.

It was no secret that Daniel would adore his daughter, but you couldn’t help but shamefully wonder if would he still adore you too.

You grunted and rubbed your eyes as you headed towards Lando’s motorhome. Time alone obviously wasn’t what you needed, and you’d probably be less likely to burst into tears if you were whining to Lando and taking his tough love than if you were wallowing in yourself. 

Lando’s motorhome was always so easy to pick out from others, because it always had a big Quadrant symbol on the sun cover blocking the front window. It also helped that the colors were neon and black, Lando’s signature duo. The boy made himself incredibly easy to find. And he almost never locked the door. 

You laughed to yourself as you thought of how easy it would be to kidnap the guy. 

Hope I don’t walk in on him jerking off, you thought errantly, the image of his mischievous smile as he looked down at his phone went through your mind. Maybe you didn’t have to come right out with your own drama, maybe you’d be able to get Lando talk about some of his. 

If anyone can be as messy or messier than me, it’s Lando. 

The big motorhome blocked the sun as you walked around the side of it. The temperature dropped dramatically in the shade and made you shiver. Propping one foot up on the first step, you reached for the handle to give it a little jingle.

“Ha!” you laughed as you pulled the door open and hauled yourself up and into the walk up. 

You knew the door wouldn’t be locked, but it should have been. Cause as soon as you glanced in, you saw everything you shouldn’t have. 

There, on the couch in the immediate living room part of the motorhome was Lando and Lance. Lance’s head was hanging down as he was bent over the couch, his hands and one of his knees on the cushions while his other foot stayed planted on the ground. Behind him, Lando mimicked his footing, but his hands gripped Lance’s hips. 

Even at a glance, you could see how his fingers dug into the soft flesh of Lance’s waist. And you could definitely hear them panting, the very slick, wet sound of their coupling reverberated off the walls as Lando desperately rutted into Lance from behind.

A very, very loud yelp escaped your mouth before your hand could slap it from escaping. To make matters worse, time slowed down enough for you to make eye contact with the both of them before you pivoted and threw yourself towards the door. Faster than you’d moved in weeks, you hopped to the bottom step and threw the door open, slamming it shut as you speed walked away from the motorhome.

And far away from Lando and Lance. 

Who you’d seen. Together. Fucking. 

Nervous laughter bubbled up your throat. You had no idea when they’d become a thing, and why. Of course you’d known they’d gotten kind of close once you had broken up with Lance, but you didn’t know they’d taken it to that step. You were shocked, but mostly amused.

Can always count on Lando to be messier, you joked with yourself.  

At least Lando had done exactly what you’d gone there to get from him, a distraction. You were still shaking your head when your phone pinged. The message made you laugh.

Lando Norris: think we even now?

WHAT THE FUCK

Lando Norris: you saw nothing.

Lando Norris: N O T H I N G

-

You stayed occupied all day, desperately trying to mentally scrub your ex lovers having sex from your mind. It made you a bit jumpy, but all in all you ended up having kind of a hilarious day. After you caught the two of them, you giggled at everything, no doubt your hormones were shaken up by the shock you’d gone through that morning. 

By the end of the day, you were still chipper, the adrenaline in you spiked every time you remembered that morning. Daniel was shocked to see you approaching him so quickly.

“Did you forget you can’t have coffee again?” He asked as he welcomed you with a kiss. 

“Nope.” you popped the p and giggled as you ducked into his car and strapped yourself in. 

Daniel mirrored you and had just put his hand on the gear shift when you finally exploded.

“I walked in on Lando and Lance fucking!”

Your baby daddy froze in place, as you exploded into hysterics, laughing so hard your ribs vibrated under your clothes and ached with exertion. Daniel quickly caught up and caught himself laughing with you as he yelled in surprise.

“You what!”

You took some deep breaths and wiped the tears from your eyes, “I, after we,” you paused and swallowed, willing away your stress from the morning, “I went to see Lando, to talk, and he- and Lance, they-”

“They were having sex?” Daniel asked wide eyed.

“YES!” you yelled, “I panicked, Dan, I panicked, I ran out of there so quick, I’m pretty sure I shook the baby.”

Daniel leaned his head back and started laughing, the mental image of you trying to move fast with your center of gravity as fucked as he knew it was made it all the more funnier. 

“Did you talk to them?”

“No! I got the fuck out of there.” You replied, “Lando texted me, but it was basically swearing me to secrecy.”

“So you told me?” Daniel nodded and put the car in drive as he pulled out of your parking spot, still grinning from ear to ear. 

“Naturally.” you quipped. 

“Oh my god, I wonder when that came about.” 

The rest of the night continued like that, the two of you shared the shock of this morning’s revelation. You’d play fought for a while too, after Daniel threatened to text Lando a ‘well done, mate’. He’d let you win, of course, but probably only because it meant you ended up on top of him. 

Like you had predicted, Daniel had acted like everything was fine, and the rest of the race weekend went smoothly. It may have been an artificial smooth, but smoothly nonetheless. By the time you were home, Daniel seemed to have forgotten the whole thing. 

Not Lando and Lance fucking, but the two of you having no idea where to birth your baby.

In the days that lead to his flight home, you felt torn. He was really excited but also moped around. And while you wished he could just feel happy, there was a part of you that was annoyed he was leaving, a really needy, whiny part of you that thought ‘Good, he should be upset leaving me here’.

But this was Daniel, so he tried to make it up to you as many times as you could take in a day. So the days passed as they always did, even on the morning he had to leave.  

The sweet sensation of lips on your neck and a large, heated hand on your swollen tummy woke you. In the dark of the room, you could make out the window across from you, and realized with startling certainty that it was still the middle of the night. The solid, heavy body against your back made your brain quickly catch up.

I love when he wakes me for this.

“Mornin’ baby.” Your words were barely above a whisper, but in the dead of night you were more than loud enough for even Daniel’s hearing to pick up.

He grumbled into your shoulder as his hand on your tummy slid lower, under the swell and on to the t-shirt covered skin that swelled and stretched between your mound and your bump. You instinctually pushed your hips back and grinned as the room stayed silent. You didn’t hear any clothing rustle as you rubbed against him, just the warmth that radiated from Daniel’s lap. 

He’s already undressed, you think as you giggle.

“Wha’s funny?” He sleepily slurred into your ear, his tongue flicked your lobe, “Gotta ‘ave you one mor’time.” 

“Mmmmmm,” you hummed, “I want you, but you sure you’re not gonna fall asleep?” you teased.

Daniel scoffed as he hooked his arm under your leg and pulled it up, “Not when I’m here.” he rumbled.

You gasped as he sunk into you. The pressure of your lower tummy coupled with the unprepared tightness between your legs made sex feel like ecstasy. Judging by Daniel’s reaction to being inside you lately, you’d say he felt the same.

“Fuck me.” You could hear him hissing through gritted teeth as his hips weakly lifted to test how deep he was.

Anchored inside of you, Daniel pressed his hips to yours over and over, not thrusting, just pushing against you in time with the pulsing of your walls around him. His arm held your leg up to the side under the sheets, while the other one had snuck under your pillow to wrap around your shoulders. His large hand was loose on your neck, but the rush of finger tips pressed to the sides of your throat felt like electric. 

You hissed as his pelvis rubbed against you, the touch of skin on skin too good to ignore. Quickly pulled to the point of whimpering, you reached behind you to squeeze Daniel’s hip. 

“Wait, wait, wait.” 

Daniel stopped immediately, even as he twitched inside of you. A smile pulled at your lips as you realized he must have thought you were stopping him for good. You definitely were not.

“I just,” you choked out as you pushed his arm out from around your shoulders so you had room to pull the oversized t-shirt off while still spread for Daniel, “I need to,” you finally pulled the collar over your head and sighed as you flung the shirt across the room, “to feel you, ohhh.” 

You moaned as Daniel quickly understood and cocooned you with his warmth, pressing as much of his body as he can to yours. His hips pressed over and over into yours. Your whole body felt on fire, and you couldn’t help but need more. You whined and moved your hips back, pulled on his hip, anything to get him to understand what you need.

“Need more, please.” you whimpered. 

Daniel groaned as he pushed the sheets off of the both of you, and his arm pulled out from under your leg. His hand on your hip, he kept you on your side as he kneeled in front of you. On his knees, your leg was trapped between the mattress and Daniel. He knew the sensation of being stuck in place made you wetter. Daniel wouldn’t tie you up while you were pregnant, but him holding you down with his own body was just as good.

You missed the feeling of his skin on yours but it was so worth the position change when Daniel grabbed a pillow and shoved it under your knee so your leg could be stretched out in front of you. 

“Like this?” He asked.

You nodded, “please.”

“Good girl.”

You both groaned loudly when he sunk into you this time. His hand on your thigh, he used your leg as leverage to pull you towards him as he thrusted into you. Your eyes rolled back into your head as the sweet drag of him entering and leaving you made you felt sublime.

“Oh fuck, that’s good.” you giggled, already feeling the effect of your hormonal body as it reached pleasure, “Oh!” 

You squeaked while Daniel groaned. His thumb pressed to your other hole, the pressure added to the sweet build up inside of you, causing you to squeeze him tighter. You whimpered, your back arching as you squeezed the pillow under your head. Daniel was working himself in and out of you, his own pants and groans made you more desperate to cum.

“Ah fuck, feel so good.” He bit out, “The things I’m gonna do to you when you’re not like this anymore.” His hand gently stroked the side of your very large belly.

With that simple touch, and the promise of more, you careened over the edge and cried out as your orgasm grabbed you unexpectedly. Daniel choked off curses as his hips uncontrollably broke rhythm, the drag of him so tight as you closed up around him. You both practically sobbed from the sensation inside of you. 

Daniel groaned as he left your body, breaking the connection his tip released with a pop from your cunt as he collapsed behind you. Overstimulated and sated, you both laid there breathless. He rolled on to this back and whimpered as his cock pressed against your skin. You were still stuck in place to his surprise and he couldn’t resist running his fingers over the soft skin of your thigh. The muscle jumped under your skin, you body still so alive from the waves of pleasure.

“Oh my god,” you moaned, “I’m still cumming.” 

You heard Daniel’s breath hitch behind you, his hand on your thigh paused for a moment before it quickly moved behind you. 

“Oh, Danny, I-” you yelped as two of his fingers sunk into your still pulsing sex. 

“Look so pretty, baby,” he’s still out of breath, still high from his own horniness as he fingered you, “love watching you cum with that belly.”

“Ohhhh,” you groaned brokenly, the wet sound of Daniel’s digits splashed your juices and his own around fills the room, “it’s too much.”

“Reckon I can make you pass out like this?” He teased in your ear, “just one more, one more.” he encouraged. 

You hummed as your hand wrapped around his wrist, squeezing it but not stopping it as his fingers are driven inside of you. Your knee is in the air, and your hips shook, your hum a long drawn out moan amongst the splashing and slushing sound between your legs. 

“Daniel!” you cried out, your voice breaking as your legs uncontrollably shook and your body curled on itself. Your knees drew up as your cunt almost uncomfortably closed around his fingers. 

“That’s it, baby, so beautiful.” He kissed your shoulder, then your breast.

“No, no, no.” you whimpered, pushing his head away, “If you kiss there, you’ll never leave.” you giggled breathlessly. 

“But they look so good.” Daniel play whined as you gasped from him pulling his fingers out of you. 

You both giggled as you rolled partially on to your back, Daniel’s arms wrapped around you as he rests his head against your shoulder. His chin pressed to the swell of your tit as usual. They were so big and so sensitive already, any touch to them was bound to start a marathon session of sex.

And you didn’t have time for that.

Reality settled over you like cold water. You really didn’t want Daniel to leave, and even though you knew it wasn’t for good, and he’d come back to you, it still felt horrible. What were you fighting him for?

“We’re okay, right?” You asked in a small voice, still stroking Daniel’s head as he nuzzled into your collarbone and chest. 

“Yeah?” He looked at you confusedly before he got it, “Yes, love, we’re okay.” He breathed out onto your skin before lifting his head, “Baby, you’re trapped with me forever.” he huffed out a chuckle at his own joke.

You gave him a small smile before you tried to pull his head back down. 

“Nah, nah, hey,” he grabbed your hand in one of his hands before he used the other to grab your chin, “we’re gonna figure this out, together.” 

You looked at his hopeful face and felt your eyes brim with tears, “M’sorry I’m so difficult.” 

“My love, I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

Your breath hitched at his words. He’d called you all the pet names in the world, but he’d never said ‘my love’ before, never with the possessiveness of it. The feeling of hearing such a declaration made your heart skip a beat. 

How could you have questioned this man’s intentions? 

“Danny-”

He shushed you, his voice low as he pushed himself up on to his elbows, “I’ll wait forever,” he told you, the moonlight letting you seeing his sleepy, honest face, “right by your side,” he looked away before adding, “on whatever fucking continent you want us on.”

You giggled, feeling infinitely lighter at his honest tone. You felt the words bubble up on your lips, sitting on the tip of your tongue as you looked at Daniel in the peaceful moment. Just as your lips parted to tell him how you felt, he sighed.

“I have to get up.” he lowered his head between your breasts, kissing the skin between them before sliding further down your body to press his lips to your bump, “Be good for Mama, Papa will be back soon.” 

Daniel left two more sweet kisses on your tummy, adding one more when you felt your tummy shift, your little one reacting to her father, even when you could’ve sworn she was asleep. He froze for a moment, both hands on your tummy as he waited for your daughter to react again. When she didn’t, he pushed himself back up to you. 

“Be good, be careful.” he told you, pressing a kiss to your lips.

“I will, tell me when you’re home?” 

You internally cringed at the term, and instantly wished you hadn’t said it. From Daniel’s hesitancy, he felt it too.

“I will.” he promised softly.

You rolled on to your side as you heard him rummage around the room to gather his things to leave. By the time he started the shower, you were already sleepy again, and it wasn’t long before the gentle white noise of the water running lulled you to sleep.

Waking up hours later sucked. 

You shivered as the chill from the empty bed made the sheets cold, and stretching out your legs to press your toes to Daniel’s usually warm legs is a try in vain. There’s nothing but empty, cold space in front and in back of you. Your eyes popped open as you began to remember last night, began to remember how alone you were. 

The tears gathered in your eyes as you pulled the covers up over your mouth and silently sobbed. 

How could I be so stupid?

You squeezed your eyes shut and focused on the breathing exercises Daniel taught you. Even when he wasn’t here, even physically, he made breathing easier for you. 

The morning became a blur as your mind cleared and you realized exactly what you had to do. You kicked the sheets off, and moved like a tornado around the apartment. You kicked Daniel’s stuff out of your way as you gathered up your own. It’s not what you had spontaneously planned was that hard to pull off, this is what you do, so it’s only a matter of time until you found yourself exactly where you were supposed to be. 

No more escape plans. 

-

Daniel never felt as good as he did when he was home.

Australia would always be home for him, regardless of how laid back LA was, how fancy Monaco was, or how much time he spent in London, no other place in this world would compare to Perth. 

He just felt lighter at home. To be surrounded by familiar, yet ever changing scenery, to have that familiar hot sun beaming down on him. And of course there was his family, his friends, people who loved and supported him his whole life. And in a silly kind of way, it was nice to be somewhere where he could hear other people who sounded like him.

It was just home.

Holding out his arms, standing on the small stone ledge outside his home, he breathed in the air and happily sighed. He was finally home.

But there was a nagging in the back of his head, and the moment he hopped down and walked back to the doorway to go inside, he felt a kind of dark cloud hover over him. He was home, but he was alone.

Daniel never wanted to force you to do anything, but he’d hoped you’d noticed how much Australia meant to him, and how much he wanted your family here. But you were stubborn, and more than that, you were trepidatious about setting down any roots with him. 

To Daniel, it was simple. You were together, things were good and you had a daughter on the way. Why wouldn’t you put down roots?

But you dragged your feet and dug your heels in until Daniel felt so guilty even bringing up the conversation. He didn’t want to drag you to Australia, he wanted you here with him. He wanted this house to be a home, he wanted your baby to take the space that his family did when they were, he wanted to build your lives here- no matter where that would take you. 

She just needs to trust me, he thought. 

Daniel sighed as he dragged his bare feet into the kitchen, picking up his phone where he’d left it charging, seeing that the ‘home xx’ text he sent to you was still struggling to send. He hoped he didn’t worry you too much.

Fucking farm wifi, he snickered to himself, it’ll go through.

He watched the blue line stay two thirds of the way across the top of his screen for a little bit before finally just giving up. It wasn’t going to send with him watching it. Figuring he better busy himself, he wandered into the main room, creating a schedule to distract himself.

Clean, then shower, then call. 

Daniel nodded his head and got to work.

-

Even though you kept telling yourself you weren’t lost, it was hard not to feel lost. There was nothing but dirt, trees, and some cattle, sheep, bulls, you name it. 

You were in the sticks, no lights, no street signs, nothing. There was no guide to what was going on. It was lucky that you had stared at the general directions while you waited for your rental car, because your phone signal was done for. Luckily there was really only like three main roads around these parts, so you just had to stick. to the one you were on and trust your memory. 

Memory’s been razor sharp thanks to baby, you lowered one hand off the wheel and stroked your tummy over the baby pink sundress you wore. Dresses were way comfier than pants at this point, and your suitcase in the trunk was packed with all the ones you owned. 

It’s so beautiful, you thought as you took in the sunshine filled land. Made sense that your sunshine was from a sunny place like this.  

Part of you hoped Daniel wasn’t trying to call you like he often did when he thought you were in different countries. He’d probably panic and call the police or something. 

Won’t matter in a couple of minutes.

You smiled as you sped up the car, a house nothing more than a spec on the tree line ahead, but you knew whose house it was. Your heart beat in your chest, threatening to break through your skin and you were pretty sure you were sweating. Adrenaline coursed through your body as the space between the house and your car got less and less. 

Your hands were shaking when you pulled into his driveway. 

When you pulled up alongside the house, you could see the sliding doors that you’d seen a million times via FaceTime. Your new home was right here, in front of you, just waiting for you. With who you were pretty sure was the love of your life. 

Taking a few hectic puffs of air, you leaned forward and pressed your forearms on the center of the wheel, blaring the horn through the peaceful, silent air. Laughing, you did it two more times before you saw a shadow coming around the side of the house. 

Making sure the car was parked, you turned off the ignition and climbed out. You slammed the door shut just as Daniel spotted you.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Daniel ran across the land between you and gathered you in his arms. 

You held him as close to you as you could, “I’m home.”

Daniel pulled away from you and looked at you, checking your expression, “Really?” 

Your heart pulled at the shock on his face. 

“I’m not going anywhere now, you’ve got me.” You told Daniel, grabbing his hands as you lowered them to your swollen tummy, “You’ve got both of us.” 

Daniel smiles so big at you, the contagious energy and just the happiness you feel radiating out of every pore of your body as you pull him closer and hug him as tight as you can with your child between your bodies. The kisses he plants on the side of your head make you giggle, and before you know it, he’s separating the two of you a bit. The idea of him still a little nervous about hurting the bump makes you giggle knowingly. 

When he takes a step back, you’re still stomach to stomach. He looks at you, his brown eyes soft as he leans his head against yours, both of you just touching foreheads breathing in each other’s presence with your eyes shut. 

A peace neither one of you had ever known. 

“Yeah?” Daniel breaks the silence.

You giggle as you realize he’s finally responding to what you said before with words, “Yeah.” 

Daniel lets out a breathless chuckle, your foreheads still pressed together as he holds you against him, the zen aura around the pair of you beginning to crackle with excitement.

“Forever?” He asks. 

“Forever.”

-

EPILOGUE

“Can you hurry up?” Lando whined as he climbed into bed and leaned against his headboard, “You take forever and I should’ve called like ten minutes ago.”

The whole reason why he was allowed to stay last night was so we could both do this this morning.

“You’re always late.” Lance called from the bathroom.

“No, that’s you- and I don’t want to be late meeting her!” Lando yelled.

And he’d really meant it. He’d taken his uncle duties very seriously, so seriously that within the first week of you announcing your move to Australia he had bombarded the house with baby gifts and you’d had to tell him to stop. Now that you were on another continent with his teammate and you’d finally given birth, he couldn’t help but walk around with this nervous excitement.

He couldn’t believe you were a mother. I can’t believe Daniel’s a dad.

But in retrospect, there were many things about Lando’s life that had changed to an almost unbelievable state. And Lando knew only one person who could understand that feeling, and that one person was you. 

He’d meant it when he said he wanted to stay friends, and apparently you hadn’t been joking when you said that he’d grown on you cause you and Lando had stayed close all through your pregnancy. 

But now, she was here. Your daughter was here and Lando wanted to meet her so badly, but would settle for a video introduction until the following season started and he could fly over earlier and spend a few days with you and Daniel. 

Maybe I could bring my usual plus one. Oh, fuck, the time!

Lando dropped his phone twice as he tried to open his contacts and find your name. He could feel himself grinning.

“I’m calling!” He yelled to the bathroom. 

The typically obnoxious FaceTime ring shot through his head and his nerves as he tried not to fidget and to keep his phone at a good angle. Lando stared at his reflection and fluffed his hair as he waited for you to answer. The morphed sound of the pick up had Lando’s breath hitch as he felt his smile threaten to crack his cheeks open. 

“Hello!”

“Hey, son!” 

“You’re not the baby.” Lando deadpanned, giving Daniel an unimpressed look.

“Oh, so you only called for her, huh?” 

“Of course, Daniel, you going senile over there? I thought she’d keep you young.”

“Ah, shut the fuck up.”

Lando scoffed, “Wow, you talk that way in front of your baby?”

“She doesn’t know what I’m saying.” Daniel shrugged, before looking away from the camera and screen with a dreamy expression on his face, “She’s, she’s just everything, Lando.” Lando felt himself pout as he hummed. “And she’s so tiny!” Daniel went on, “She’s so small, our little sunshine.” 

“Well show her to me, mate.” Lando was running out of patience with his teammate, he wanted to see the baby already. 

“Alright, alright.” 

Lando could see nothing but the ceiling of Daniel and your home, and while the beige and wood weren’t the most interesting, he couldn’t bring himself to loosen his attention. Lance wandered out of the bathroom, and padded to the bed, but even then Lando didn’t so much as flinch. The sound of Daniel’s foot falls as he walked through the house echoed in his head.

Lance leaned in to kiss Lando’s cheek, but Lando, as usual dodged it. This time Lance was ready for his antics, and already had his hand on his hip to pinch him.

“Hey!” Lando yelped.

Lance chuckled as he got to kiss Lando’s cheek.

“Asshole.” Lando hissed while Lance grinned at him.

Daniel’s stride came to a stop and Lando couldn’t help but gasp as he heard the turn of a door handle, making Daniel and Lance laugh. 

“Aye, you there too, Lancey?” Daniel lifted the phone back to his face, waving to the Canadian through the screen.

“Yeah, hey Dan.” Lance replied, “Congratulations.”

“Thanks!” Daniel grinned before his face took on a totally different expression as he looked at something off screen, “Oh, here they are.” 

“Remember when you were almost the father?” Lance whispered lowly into Lando’s ear.

“You can’t ruin this for me.” Lando smiled through gritted teeth. 

Lando heard your giggle and shook back and forth like an excited puppy as he waited for Daniel to flip the camera. When he finally did, Lando felt himself choke up. 

“She’s so tiny, oh my god.” Lando cooed. 

You were smiling in a wooden rocking chair, obviously watching the sunset with the orange glow that was on the deck. Lando’s eyes zeroed in on the small bundle he could spot in your arms. You were holding the tiniest human Lando had ever seen.   

“Oh, she’s so precious.” Lance commented.

Lando huffed on a laugh and rubbed his eyes as Daniel got closer and you waved. He couldn’t believe it, he couldn’t believe how happy he was for you. 

“Hi guys!” you called, “Hold on, let me shift her.” 

Daniel stood in front of you and kept the camera on you as you shifted the baby so she was no longer against your chest, but laying on her back in your arms. All three men cooed as the baby turned her head towards the camera and sleepily raised her fists above her head without opening her eyes.

“Oh my god, she looks like a doll.” Lando said in awe.

“Doesn’t she?” You replied, softly stroking your baby’s cheek with your finger. 

“Oh my god, I want like twelve.” Lando gushed, “Not like now, but definitely later.” 

The whole group laughed at that.

“I don’t know about that.” Lance quipped. 

“Is that Lance?” You called, finally realizing he was on the small screen with Lando too, “Hold on, baby, give me the phone.”

Lando giggled and leaned his head against Lance’s shoulder in a rare moment of softness. He watched Dan struggle for a moment before you obviously just took the phone one handed and turned the camera back to the front. You held it in front of you and looked closely at the screen.

“Oh, look at you two, what a pair there.” You teased, “You put a label on this thing yet?” 

“Straight to the point as always.” Lance sighed. 

“I find it amazing, truly shocking that you can focus on anything other than the small human you aren’t showing us right now!” 

“Look, she has my attention 24/7,” both men heard Daniel yell an affirmative in the background, “but you two, you shocked us all!”

“Us?” Lance gasped, “What about you having a baby?”

“Oh, please.” 

“I’m just glad the sexual tension is gone and you two can stop crashing!” Daniel yelled from the background.

“Fuck you.” Lando and Lance said at the same time, shyly smiling at each other as their cheeks heated. 

You laughed and let the boys off easy, turning the angle of the camera so they could see your baby up close. They ooo’ed and ahhh’ed at the small sleeping bundle, before they started picking her features apart, Lando and Lance betting on what part of her would look like who. 

“Ah, I don’t care if she looks like her Papa.” you cooed at the baby off camera, the focus still up close on your baby’s face, “that’s okay by me.”

“Eh, I don’t know about that.” 

“Lando!” Lance hissed at him, slapping his elbow. 

“It’s okay, Lance, we all know he’s a dick.” 

Everyone burst into laughter at that, and Lando and Lance got to watch as the baby’s fists clenched as her face scrunched. Her little lips pursed, as her head turned, and even though Lando knew what was about to happen, he still found it adorable. Her little cries were as tiny as she was, and Lando felt his heart clench as he watched her little face get red so fast, not at all amused that her uncles had woken her.

“Alright, that’s enough Uncle Lando and Lance today, huh?” 

Daniel grabbed the phone back to you and walked a little bit away so he could talk, but Lando could spy how he kept glancing back at his loves. 

“Well, won’t be the first time you terrify my kid.” 

“Wow,” Lando sighed, “you had all these months to come up with dad jokes-”

“Goodbye Lando.” Daniel laughed, cutting off the Brit, “Bye Lance!” 

Both boys yelled goodbye as the tone signaled the end of the call. Lando threw his phone to the end of the bed and sprawled. He felt utterly boneless, like his whole being had been melted down into apple sauce. 

“I can’t believe how cute she is.”

“I know with Ricciardo as the father, I- ugh!” Lando cried out as Lance squeezed his hip as he had before, this time also letting his body fall on top of Lando’s. 

Pinned under Lance’s chest, Lando looked up and smirked at him. Lance shook his head, amused, before he leaned in and kissed Lando. Lando let his body lay lifeless underneath Lance, his lips the only part of him moving as Lance rubbed his lips against his. He nudged Lance with his nose and hummed as Lance leaned back and rested his chin on his hand that was planted on Lando’s chest. 

“What?” Lando asked, feeling Lance looking at him like he so often did.

“When are we gonna label this?” 

“Oh for fu-”

Lando screeched as Lance’s fingers danced up his sides, tickling him into hysterical laughter before Lando found himself on top of Lance. Finally gaining the upper hand, he sat on Lance and pinned his hands to the sides of his head. Both men panted as they looked at each other, a million things running through each of their heads.

“Soon,” Lando finally responded softly, “soon.”

Lance smiled softly at him as Lando lowered his forehead to press it to Lance’s. 

“You know,” Lance nudged his nose against Lando’s to get his attention, “maybe it was us all along.”

Lando groaned and rolled off of him dramatically, but once he was on his back beside Lance, his hand found his. Their fingers intertwined, Lance knew they’d be okay. When he glanced at Lando, he was smiling too. 

Lando turned his head and playfully narrowed his eyes at his lover.

Lance leaned back in his bed, shaking his shoulders against the pile of pillows behind him. He was holding his phone to his ear, where it just kept ringing and ringing. He closed his eyes and waited for the answer, sighing when he heard a sharp beep between rings. 

Pulling his phone back to look at the screen, he saw Lando’s name come up. Lance quickly tapped the red button to decline his call. Putting his phone on speaker as it kept ringing, Lance dropped it on to his chest so he could cross his arms over his eyes. 

“Hello, little brother.” Chloe’s voice came through way too chipper for someone who left him ringing on the line for so long. 

Normally, Lance found calling his sister one of the most relaxing parts of the day. But today, like most days lately, he’s woken up with a thorn in his side, and every time he thought he’d gotten his hands on it, it just sunk deeper and deeper, making him feel more and more irritated. 

“Hello?”

“Hi.” He bit out.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, why?”

“Well,” his sister dragged out, “you called me and you sound pretty grumpy. Wanna talk about it?” 

Yes, Chloe, my ex-girlfriend who fucked two other drivers turned up pregnant, and left us all in suspense as she figured out who fucked a baby in her. And now I know it’s not mine and I don’t know how the fuck to feel.

“No.” Lance answered, finally paying attention to the edge in his voice, “I don’t know, Chloe, I just woke up in a shitty mood.”

“Did something happen recently?” 

I became friends with my rival, who was one of the drivers she was fucking, by the way, and now Lando and I are super cool and get trashed together on race weekends, but now we also hang out during the day, like we got breakfast together- that was after I went to a clinic to get my blood taken for a paternity test with him. 

“No.” He sighed.

“Did someone say something that upset you?”

Nope. Absolutely nothing, cause I never opened up my mouth to ask. I didn’t ask who the father was and I’ve been too chicken shit to ask Lando if it’s him, so instead I’m just not talking to him. What if it is Lando? I don’t know if I can stand to look at him if he’s knocked her up.

“No.”

“Are you mad with anyone?” She pushed.

Mostly myself, both cause I’m going about this wrong, and because I felt like I couldn’t ask. Like I would feel guilty asking. She didn’t offer the information, and really, what claim did I have to it aside from the fact that it wasn’t me? And, fuck, Lando-

“No.” He sighed again.

“Lance, if you keep sighing, you’re gonna turn your hair white like Dad.”

Lance huffed out a laugh, “I know, I know, M’just stressed.”

The past few months have made me realize a lot about myself, and now things are changing so quickly and the way I feel about things is changing and it’s scary, and right now it’s fun scary because I haven’t done anything about it and its exciting thinking of doing something about it, but it’s also super stressful. 

Chloe put on a bright tone, she was always trying to cheer her brother up and usually it worked, “Well, work it out. And when you’re ready to actually tell me what’s eating at you, will you call me, please?”

When I figure out how to make myself not sound like a complete idiot, I’ll call you, Lance thought as he made a sound of agreement, not trusting himself to speak.

“Alright, I love you.” She always ended their calls this way.

“Love you too.”

-

You walked down your steps and pushed your door open, waving to Daniel before turning around and locking up.

You weren’t nervous, but you did feel sick. Little waves of lightheadedness and nausea washed over you for the past few hours. You knew it wasn’t your baby, she only made you sick in the morning. You were pretty sure it was just the fact that you were seeing Daniel. He was taking you to your appointment today.

You rubbed your hands against your baby blue peacoat, smoothing down the suede material as you stared down at your light grey booties. Your black jeans were a little light washed, but they were the only ones that were comfortable. You weren’t quite at the point of needing maternity clothes, but the discomfort you felt every time you tried to button any other pair of pants was beginning to feel threatening.

“Hello,” Daniel’s happy tone washed over you and made you smile big at him as you settled into the passenger seat, “how are the two of you today?”

You giggled at the now familiar greeting. Ever since you’d told him two weeks ago that the baby was his, he was always asking how ‘the both of you’ were. It was cute and endearing.

“We’re good.” You scrunched your nose, “A little nervous.”

“Why?”

“First time I’ve brought someone with me to one of these.”

Daniel’s jaw went a little slack as he came to a stop at a red light, “Seriously? You’ve been going to all these doctor’s appointments alone?”

You nodded nonchalantly, “Well, yeah.”

You watched as his jaw clenched before he took a glance at you, “Well, not anymore.”

Daniel turned up the music, his soft melodic alternative tunes filling the car’s silence as he drove.

Peeking at him with your peripheral vision, you took in how Daniel’s jaw was still clenched, and how his lips kept twitching. In the past two weeks, you’d met up with Daniel for dinners, went for walks together, drives, you name it. You’d been really trying to build a friendship.

Which had been a bit of surprise when you’d come out of your room two weeks ago after telling Lando and Lance that they weren’t the father of your baby, more than ready to jump Daniel, and you two didn’t have sex. 

Instead, he talked to you all night long on that couch in your living room. He had been respectful, kind, charming and seemed adamant on getting to know you better and better.

It made you feel special.

And it gave you a closer look as to who he was. And the one thing you’d noticed straight away was that Daniel was an emotional man, and his emotions were always worn on his face. When he was happy, or trying to feign happiness, the big smile was on his face, but his jaw and his eyes always gave him away. You’d learned that his eyes would crinkle when he meant his smile, and he’d clench his jaw when he was mad.

Daniel was mad right now.

But you knew it wasn’t at you. You both had made strict communication rules the night you told him he was the baby’s father, and so far, Daniel had been good at making sure to stick to them. He had even pushed you more than once to talk through the things you felt when you were around him. You’d joke and tell him that he owed Michael Italiano more than just for his body, but the truth was that you felt lighter, you felt let mentally heavy being with Daniel.

Some things were still in the air, but for now, this was enough. This was working.

You reached forward and turned down the bluetooth speakers. “What’re you upset at?”

Daniel exhaled through his nose and kept his eyes on the road as he answered you, “I don’t like that you’ve been stuck doing this alone. That those two jerks knew way before me and still had you doing it alone. It annoys me.”

You reached for his elbow and pulled one of his arms away from where it gripped the steering wheel. Pulling it over the center console, you intertwined your fingers and squeezed gently.

“I’m not doing it alone anymore.”

Daniel pulled into a parking spot one handed and kept his foot on the break as he looked right at you, “No, you’re not.”

He kept your gaze as he lifted your hand to his mouth and kissed it, before winking at you and putting the car in park.

Even though he let go of your hand to get out of the car, it didn’t stay lonely for long. True to his word and his intentions, Daniel held your hand in his across the parking lot and into the doctor’s office. You didn’t so much as glance at him the whole walk and wait inside, because you didn’t want him to see how hard you were smiling. You normally felt nauseous coming here alone, but now your stomach was settled. 

Our daughter knows her dad’s here, you thought wistfully, your eyes filling with tears. 

“Fuck,” you muttered, rubbing your eyes. 

“Don’t worry,” Daniel mumbled back to you, lifting your hand to kiss your knuckles, “we’ll be alright.”

Your head turned away from him as you tried to get a hold of yourself, your oblivious companion had no idea what he was saying to you and how it completely melted your hormonally fried brain. 

-

The doctor’s appointment had gone well, and both you and Daniel were in a bit of a haze leaving. You drove home in silence too.

The ultrasound had been turned towards the both of you, and witnessing Daniel see her for the first time had been overwhelming. The way he seemed to lock his eyes on the screen, and the way he stroked your knuckles as you both listened to her little heartbeat. 

It was finally starting to feel like she was something worth celebrating. There were no more bad feelings, no more sour moods, everything was beautiful and light and you had this amazing man next to you getting choked up at this weird sonar sounding heartbeat. 

It was perfect.

You wordlessly walked up the stairs, Daniel trailing behind you. You could feel the folded up layers of the various ultrasound pictures the doctor had allowed you to print, it almost felt as heavy as the ever growing, tugging sensation in the pit of your stomach. 

This is our daughter, you thought for the thousandth time. 

You shrugged off your coat, throwing it on a loveseat before standing in front of the couch that Daniel had practically collapsed on to. He wore one of his hoodies, the material soft and warm, and flashes of you wearing the mint material and being able to fill it out and maybe even stretch it filled your mind.

“What are you thinking?” You asked.

Daniel looked at you, not quite smiling, still in the trance you’d both been in together, “How lucky I am.” He murmured back. 

Like magnets finally being let go of on opposite planes, you walked towards Daniel with a purpose, crossing the room in time as he leaned back against the couch. Throwing your leg quickly over him, you settled in his lap and cupped his face in your hands. Looking into his eyes for any sort of stop and not finding one, you leaned in and kissed Daniel. 

He instantly moaned into your mouth, his arm wrapping around you waist while the other hand came up to cup your cheek. You hungrily licked into his mouth and drank in his encouraging sounds as you pressed your chest to his, suddenly unable to focus on anything aside from getting closer. It was like a few weeks ago all over again, the unmistakable pull between you both.

You pulled away from Daniel for air, “We said,” you leaned in to kiss him again before turning your jaw, whining as his beard scratched against your jawline, “we said slow.”

“Uh huh.” Daniel grumbled against your neck, his lips like fire across your skin.

His large hands gripped your waist and shoved the white t-shirt you had on over your head. You moaned as his lips pressed to your sternum, just below where your bra fit as his fingers brushed behind you and unclasped it. You could barely pull it off your arms before his lips closed around a swollen nipple and tugged. You let out a broken yelp as ecstasy shocked your system. Your breasts had been especially sensitive, but now- you were dry humping Daniel as he sucked on your nipple. 

“You’re amazing.” He told you as his hands came between your bodies and unbuttoned your pants.

His hands went no further and while his mouth paid attention to your chest, his fingers gently rubbed against your tummy. 

“Daniel,” you murmured, “come here.” 

You put your hand on his cheek, hooking your thumb under his jaw so he’d pull off of you and look at you. You looked at him for a moment, the two of you just in the moment.

Connecting, you thought with a small smile.

A matching smile bloomed on Daniel’s face before he lifted you and let you fall on your back on the cushions. He pulled on the belt loops of your pants, pulling them off your hips and around your thighs.

“Off.” Daniel commanded with a smile, sitting up to work his own bottoms off. 

By the time you’d kicked off your booties and pulled your panties and jeans to your ankles, Daniel’s hands were there peeling them the rest of the way off and sliding them across the floor. He leaned over you and kissed your cheek.

“You’re so beautiful.” He whispered in your ear before his arm was around his waist. 

The weight of his hardened length slapped against your hip before the room spun, making you giggle as he pulled you back up on top of him, back into the position you were in before. And when we first did this. 

“M’starting to think you like a woman on top.” You playfully said against Daniel’s lips while rubbing your lower ones against him. 

“No,” Daniel said, making you look down at him as you reached between you to line him up with your entrance, “just you.” 

He kissed your chin, chuckling at your frozen state. Pinching your face at him, you resumed what you were trying to do before he spoke so sweetly. 

“Ohhhhh.” your eyes rolled back in your head as the sweet stretch of Daniel inside you grew as you sunk down on him. 

He was barely completely inside you before you were working your hips to drag back off of him, your thighs burning as you pushing yourself up and over his hips, dragging him out of you before sinking him back into you over and over. The wet squelch of your pussy sucking on his cock filled the room with your breathless moans. 

Daniel wrapped his arms around your waist, pressing his face between your breasts as you squeezed his shoulders in your hands. Even with his face buried in his skin, you could still hear what he was saying. 

“Thank you, thank you.”

-

When the race weekend came, Lance had been on the first plane out. Anxious to get back to some resemblance of normal, he’d arrived two days earlier than he had to and anxiously awaited the hours until he could actually go to the track. 

The weekend couldn’t have come soon enough. 

Lance dragged his feet through the paddock, sucking on the ridiculously long straw he was used to but still found hilarious to look at. 

The paddock was usually his place of serenity, most of the time. It was the one place he knew he was in control. His anxiety had been high in the paddock for the past months, but now, he felt like he could finally let it all go. He could walk down the paddock walk way without feeling like he had to speed walk, like he had to stick close to the motorhomes in case he had to duck into one or behind one.

In case he saw you. 

You were nothing but another face to him, and while it sounded cruel, it was true. He didn’t fear running into you anymore. The past two weeks of knowing that the baby wasn’t his gave him real clarity, real finality in the mess that had been your relationship. He’d taken responsibility for his part, he’d unpacked it, he’d worked on himself. 

Lance knew he had to talk to Lando, but decided he’d wait. This wasn’t the conversation to have on a race weekend. He cursed himself for not doing it earlier. Lance knew himself well enough to know that if he found out you were pregnant with Lando’s baby through social media, he’d be upset. He had to face it. 

And while he was still a little anxious, it was bone crushing pressure that you used to make him feel. This feeling he felt, it was a rush of adrenaline and it was really all Lando’s fault. He felt like he had to still be on his toes.

He felt new. 

No more running from things that upset him. No more hiding.

At least, until he saw two familiar orange hats. 

Lance ducked beside one of the hospitality set ups, and behind a tire stack. He was pretty sure no one had saw him. But then again, if Lance had quick enough reflexes to recognize you all, Daniel and Lando definitely did to recognize him. Embarrassingly, Lance found himself peeking over the tires, watching as the three of you passed by. 

You were walking down the cement with Daniel and Lando, strolling along the paddock. He tried to gauge your body language, tried to see how close Daniel or Lando were walking next to you. Just anything he could to understand what was going on. 

He was really regretting not reaching out to Lando. 

So he sat squatted behind the tire stack, watching for anything that would tell him what he wanted to know, and coming up with nothing. He wasn’t hiding from you, and seeing Daniel reminded him of the nice apology he had accepted from him a week ago. No one could stay mad at the honey badger. 

I’ll apologize to her, someday.

He was kind of relieved he spent the two weeks off having his little existential crisis about who he was and how he was feeling to finally capture the whole point. He didn’t want to be the father, but he didn’t want Lando to be the father either. Best case scenario to him was Daniel.

Seems fair that we both would be rid of this whole mess, he thought. 

Lance felt a little bit of hope bloom in his chest as his mind reasoned that Lando would’ve definitely called him if he was the father. But then again, maybe not. If Lando was still looking to ‘win’ against Lance, he might have enjoyed stringing him along just to get the last laugh.

But a baby would never be a last laugh to Lando.

Lando and him had a history, a long standing rivalry that got out of hand. The invisible barrier between on and off track had been blown to smithereens and the fault fell on both of them. Lando and him had been in this from the start, had weaved this intricate web that he now recognized they trapped you in. They made you feel like you had no one else but the two of them, and that couldn’t have felt nice.

Lando was a pain in the ass, sure. He was dry, and bratty, but he also had an air of confidence that Lance admired. All in all, he was good for Lance. He pushed the Canadian to stand up for himself, to change himself, to be more flexible to those around him. He pushed him to be better, and he hadn’t had a friend like that since before karting.

But now, Lando and him had warped their relationship, forged it into something healthier for the both of them. A friendship that made him feel better on track, and off it.

And he really didn’t want to fuck it up, and he got the feeling from the Brit that he didn’t either. 

He stayed squatted there until he couldn’t see the orange hats anymore, and even then he stayed for another few moments. 

“Hey, mate. You good?” 

Lance popped up just to catch a Haas mechanic looking at him. Glancing at the tire stack, he finally noticed the team logo on it.

“Ah, yeah!” He squeaked a little too fast, “Just tying my shoes.” 

-

“Alright, I’m gonna leave Mom and Dad now.” Lando sighed, looking at you and Daniel before branching off in the other direction. 

You choked on a laugh, reaching to shove Lando but he was already too far away, “Where are you off to?” You called after him.

“Gotta take care of something.” He screamed back.

Daniel nudged your shoulder, “Bet he forgot his pass or something in his motorhome.” 

You both walked in the other direction, your backs turned to the motorhome section that Lando was headed towards. 

“I can’t believe he’s calling us Mom and Dad.” You mumbled to Daniel, your shoulders brushing as you ducked into the McLaren garage. 

Daniel laughed like he did when Lando first said it, obviously way too high on the fact of being a father than Lando’s jabs. You followed him silently into his driver’s room, collapsing on the couch and slinking down in it so you were slouching comfortably. 

“Feeling heavy today?” Daniel asked, rummaging through his gear bag. 

“Yeah,” you sighed, rubbing your hands on your lower tummy, “I’m waiting for the day I wake up and she’s just...” you held your hands out curved in front of you.

Your bump may not have been noticeable quite yet, but recently, you’d been able to feel it under your palms. Your little girl. I understand why all the pregnant women I’ve seen have always had their hands on their tummies, you thought. 

“Me too.” 

You looked up at the dreamy expression on Daniel’s face, dubbed ‘Baby’s Face’ in your head. Daniel was obsessed with your little girl already, and it was so sweet, and so endearing, and so, so, hot. Things had been good between the two of you, and you were forced to look away from him when you felt yourself getting physically hot, flashes from a few days ago going through your mind. 

Slow and steady, you reminded yourself.

“Have you, uh,” Daniel looked away from you, and sat at the table across from the couch, “have you thought anymore about what we talked about the other day?”

Oh for fuck’s sake, your mood soured, which made you more grumpy since you’d really been enjoying your day.

“Daniel,” you started, trying to keep your tone neutral, “we have so much time to figure it out.”

“I just want to know what we’re doing,” Daniel repeated himself for the hundredth time, “what you want to do.”

You nodded, looking down at your sneaker laced feet. 

“Cause the end of the season is coming, my mom has been asking for more than just a FaceTime meet, and you know, eventually you won’t be able to fly, so we kinda have to-”

“Daniel,” you interrupted, “I really can’t have this conversation today, there’s just so much going on. Can we talk about this on a non-race weekend?”

“Why don’t you want to go to Australia?” 

You sighed, finally giving in and expressing what you were feeling inside. “I do want to go to Australia, Daniel, I’m just not sure if I want to have our baby there.” 

“We’d have my family, and the farm, and the seclusion, it’s not like London.” Daniel argued, “And there’s no way you’re having the baby in Monaco.”

“Fuck that.” You muttered in agreement, getting a smirk from Dan.

“So it’s London or Perth.” 

“What about LA?” You asked, laughing out loud when Daniel’s face went blank and his eyes glazed over for a moment, “I’m kidding, babe, relax.” 

“We have to decide.” Daniel pushed.

“And clearly you’ve casted your vote.” 

“I do want to be in Perth.” Daniel insisted, “I want to be with my family, on my farm, in my house, with our baby. You said it yourself, you’re not close with family, you only have friends in London-”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it’s not home for me.” 

“But it’s not home for me.” Daniel countered.

You raised your voice and counted off all of Daniel’s points on your fingers, “So let’s go to your country, to your family, to your farm, to your house so I can have your baby.” You held your palm out and tilted your head, “That’s a lot of yours.”

“I want it to be yours too! And hers.” 

“But you don’t get it. I don’t know anyone there, I don’t know Australia, aside from Melbourne I’ve never even really been there.”

“Isn’t that how it was when you got to London?” 

“Yes, but-”

“But what?” Daniel countered, “I’d really like my family to know my baby, and I’d really like for my home to be our daughter’s home. You really think we’re going to be comfortable in your flat with no help?” 

“Do you think I’m going to be comfortable having a baby in a brand new place with people I don’t know?”

He looked at you and bit his lip, collecting his thoughts before responding to you, “It would be easier and you know it as well as I do. I have a home just waiting for us, every part of you coming to Australia makes perfect sense.”

“So my opinion doesn’t matter?” 

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to!” 

A knock at the door broke the intensity around you, and the door shoved open. Michael peeked his head around the doorway before ducking into the room, “Uh, two of you are getting kinda loud.” 

Daniel cursed under his breath.

“Yeah, sorry, I’m leaving.” 

Without a single glance at Daniel, you pushed yourself up off the couch, walked around Michael and out the door. 

“What the fuck was that?” Michael asked as he took your spot across from Daniel.

Daniel leaned back against the wall, turning sideways so his narrow body fit between the back of his chair and the table top, “She won’t give in to going to Perth, it’s driving me crazy.”

“She’ll come around, mate.” 

“Nah,” Dan huffed, “she’s mad cause she doesn’t know Perth, or my family or the farm, but doesn’t get that this isn’t just about where our daughter’s born, but where I want our family to be, the three of us.”

“Did you tell her that?” Daniel looked away and shook his head, making Michael laugh, “Well that’s just peachy.”

“Go ahead, tell me how I’m being an idiot.”

“You’re not being an idiot, mate, you’re just not seeing the full picture.” Michael leaned his elbows forward on his knees, “She’s used to being on her own, and now you’re telling her to come be a part of a family, a big family, in a new place, you’re pulling her into your world.”

“Isn’t that the point of us being together? So we can make it our world?”

“Not when you ain’t made anything real yet.”

“We made a baby.” Daniel joked.

Michael got up and clapped his friend on the shoulder, “Just don’t push, and try to see this from her point of view. That’s a lot of change she’s going through, and you’re asking her to free fall into your world head first, I reckon I’d be scared too.”

-

Lance had scurried off to his motorhome after the awkward Haas encounter. He wasn’t needed for a few hours so he had time to kill. It was the perfect opportunity to take a power nap and Lance never wasted those on a race weekend. 

He was practically skipping as his motorhome came into view. He chuckled as he saw the Canadian flag hanging off the overhead of the sun shade thing. The team was always finding a way to tease his nationality, namely his accent. Which was funny in and of itself, because to him, the whole team had accents, but he was really the lone Canadian. 

Lance pulled his door open and took the few steps two at a time, almost falling back down them as he took in Lando on the couch. 

“Jesus Christ, Lando,” he picked his water bottle up from where he’d dropped it, still one hand clutching his chest, “what are you doing in here?”

“Oh, you know, just making sure you’re alive.”

Oh.

“Yeah, I’m sorry mate, I...” his train of thought floated away as Lando’s eyes narrowed at him. 

“What are you sorry for, mate?” He hissed out ‘mate’, the gritting of his teeth making the smile he forced on his face pretty sinister. 

“Lando, I wanted to talk to you but I just-”

“You were too busy partying over not being a daddy?” He bit out.

“No, not at all!” Lance countered, feeling his temper rise, “Lando, I was-”

“You were busy for three weeks while you were posting online about being at home on your couch?”

That shut Lance right up. He couldn’t believe Lando was taking his silence so personally. He had seen Lando petty before, but never like this. It kinda made him giggle, the thought that Lando was upset about being ignored by him. 

“Oh, Lando.” Lance huffed out, his smile erupting with giggles. 

“What exactly is so funny?” Lando yelled, leaning forward in his seat and holding out his arms, “I could’ve been dead and you wouldn’t have known.”

“I know now!” Lance joked.

“Unbelievable, you are.” Lando drawled as he stood and walked towards Lance, “You just pretend to give a shit cause you wanted to see who would end up fucked in the end?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m sure.” Lance’s smile dropped as he felt insulted by the insinuation, “I don’t pretend to give a shit about people, that’s more your forte.” 

“Yes, Lance, cause I’m here cause I don’t give a shit.”

“Well?” He held his arms out, “Let’s get this over with.” 

Lando gave him the most disgusted what the fuck face as he stood a mere two feet from the taller driver. 

“Are you,” his voice getting softer with each word, “are you the father?”

Lando scoffed, “Are you serious? She didn’t tell you?”

“Lando!” Lance’s fists squeezed at his sides. 

Both men stared each other down in the center of the room. Standing a foot from each other, Lando stared up at Lance like he was the taller one, a smirk playing on his smug face. Lance felt a buzzing in his body, like all the anticipation was mounting to this moment, here, now. 

“S’Daniel’s.” Lando muttered, the only phrase he’d said in the motorhome that wasn’t dipped in poison.

“Thank fuck.”

Lance grabbed Lando by the face and pulled the Brit to him, placing his lips on Lando’s and throwing caution to the wind. And he wasn’t disappointed. 

Cause Lando made a noise, but then he was pulling Lance closer, and when Lance reached for his waist, Lando flinched, moving away from his mouth for a moment before pushing back on his toes to kiss him. Lance smiled against his mouth smugly as he stepped chest to chest with Lando, his arms wrapping around Lando’s small waist as his his head leaned down to meet Lando’s lips. 

His victory was short lived, cause just as quickly as he felt in charge, he lost it. 

Lando pulled on his shoulders, manhandling Lance until he turned him. When Lando’s tongue rubbed against his, Lando held Lance’s face in his hands as he pushed the taller man back, pushing him down the hallway as their teeth, lips and tongues clashed. 

Everything was sloppy, but good. The two of them fell in sync even with the height difference as Lance backed up as Lando pushed him. When the back of his knees hit the plush surface of his bed, he dropped back, looking up at Lando expectedly. 

Lando looked at him, mouth swollen but smirking as he pulled his hoodie over his head.

“Hey, are you busy?” Lando’s smile is threatening to crack his face in half, and his cheeks are burning with the muscle strain, but he just feels so good, better than he has in weeks. 

“No, what’s up?” Your voice is so sweet, so nonchalant, so unsuspecting.

Lando giggles a bit, he really can’t help himself. “Well, I just wanted to give you the heads up that I told Daniel.”

“You what!” You screech, making Lando giggle more, “Lando, wait. Lando, please.” 

Lando can already hear the waiver in your voice, the hitch in your breath, and he just can’t quite bring himself to care. Not that you know that, cause you just keep trying to bargain with him, begging him to tell you that he didn’t just do what he’d just done. 

Lando didn’t care.

“Lando, please, please, tell me this a joke.”

“I told you to tell him.” Lando speaks clearly, annunciating his words, “And you wouldn’t, you were too scared, so I’ve done it now.”

“You bastard.” You hiss.

Lando laughs dryly, “Oh, darling, you don’t want me to say what I could say.” 

There’s an uncomfortable silence where he can’t even hear you breathing on the other end. Lando swallows. He can’t take the words back now, and he doesn’t intend to. You’ve been putting him through the wringer since this whole mess started, who cares if one little misfortune put a wrench in your ridiculous plans. Lando was sick of your control. He wasn’t even sure if you’d hung up, but after weeks of listening to you, he’ll be damned if he didn’t make you listen to him.

“I didn’t do this to you, so don’t act like I’ve just betrayed you or something,” he can hear his own irritation in his voice, “we are where we are because of all of our decisions. And I don’t know if it’s because he’s your latest fuck, but playing favorites-”

“Fuck off.”

“playing favorites” he repeated louder, “isn’t going to make whoever the daddy is not the daddy, you get it?” 

“How could you, Lando?” You’re practically panting, “I was going to tell him!”

“When? Hmmm? Today, tomorrow, next year? Ever?” Lando made an annoyed sound, “You were never going to tell him! So I’ve ripped the bandaid off for you, your very fucking welcome, darling.”

“Fuck you.”

“You already have,” Lando answered smugly, so fed up with being so sweet on you just for you to have stressed him unnecessarily for so long, “and somehow I’m still paying for it.”

“Yeah, well,” your voice is stronger, and Lando can tell you’ve swallowed down your tears to act tough, “maybe you won’t end up having to pay for it any longer.”

“All the more reason to tell Daniel.”

The last thing Lando heard before you hung up was a loud groan. 

You were going straight into panic mode. Your vision tunneled as your heartbeat filled your ears, and you were pretty sure you were already sweating. Both McLarens had been spun off the track, and you’d watched Daniel and Lando get taken away by separate cars, and that had been a few hours ago. They must’ve met up after, must’ve talked and Lando must’ve told him then. 

Guilt had threatened to eat you alive the second you saw the crash during quali, and even though you felt like you should’ve been mad, had acted mad towards Lando, you really couldn’t blame him. It was your responsibility to tell Daniel, and you hadn’t. 

Your eyes stung with tears as you realized that this was it, this was real. You were really pregnant, there really were three potential fathers and now they all knew. 

This day would come, it was inevitable. It’s not like you would’ve ever kept it from any of them, but that didn’t mean you didn’t want to drag it out for as long as possible. You just wanted the life that you knew for a little longer, before everything changed. Before your life, your body, your companion choice all changed. 

And while you knew Lando had been bitter about Daniel being saved for last, you had your reasons. He didn’t get it. To him, Daniel was an old man who could handle it, and while he wasn’t wrong, Lando didn’t get your own reasoning. And he didn’t want to even find out that reasoning, he just wanted everyone as miserable as himself. 

Knowing Daniel as you did, you didn’t want to dangle both the carrot and a wrecking ball in front of him. He wanted a family, wanted a child or two, but he wanted that all on his terms. Your Daniel prediction was that he’d be upset about his best laid plans being blown to shit, but happy to have a child, maybe even eager. But to have that possibility dangled in front of him as a maybe, and potentially coming out as a no would crush him. 

Lando didn’t get that, but now it didn’t even matter.

Daniel, Lando and Lance all knew that you were pregnant, and they all knew you had no idea which of them was the father. 

I am so fucked. 

Groaning and carefully rubbing your face so your disheveled inside didn’t match outside, you tried to hatch a plan. You had to find a way out of this paddock, fast. Having a meltdown at work would almost definitely make this worse. Especially if it was after running into another driver, a driver that wasn’t even on your team. You’d seen more than a fair share of photographers to know that they were all here this weekend, along with the whole rest of the F1 world. 

Pushing your seat out behind you, you quickly stood and shoved your laptop into its padded slot in your backpack. You swung your backpack onto your back and quickly threw out the little plate of snacks you’d been nibbling on and made a beeline for the door. You walked faster and faster, every pass of a dark haired man made your hair stand on end, your nerves getting more and more charged as you made your way across the paddock. 

You couldn’t believe Mercedes just had to be on the furthest end. And of course McLaren was towards the other end, and of course, the team was just a sea of orange ahead of you. A sea of orange you’d have to wade through. You hoped you didn’t see Lando, and you dreaded running into Daniel. Your eyes moved to the asphalt as you pushed closer and closer to the McLaren part of the paddock. 

Just before you crossed over, there was a brief gap in the set up of the paddock. You came to an opening in the little village, the green grass that lined the area around the stadium visible. You saw movement in the corner of your eye that made you turn your head. There, far in the grass area, was Roscoe and Lewis. 

You knew a good hiding place when you saw one. 

You made a light jog off the cement walk way and behind all the motorhomes and village of teams as you picked up your hand and waved it at your team’s driver. As always, Lewis was as friendly as ever, and quickly stopped moving further away, staying still to allow you to catch up. 

He always looked so effortlessly good, and you had wondered on more than one occasion whether or not he had a traveling stylist with him or not. The man stood in front of you in a tie dye sweatsuit and made it look good, it was unreal.

You smiled as you approached, looking down at Roscoe and giving him a few head scratches as a greeting. 

“Everyone always says hi to him before me, it’s like he’s my invisibility cloak.” Lewis shook his head, the light reflected off of his large rectangular sunglasses, and the chain around his neck.  

You laughed, “I mean, I see you everyday, but this handsome boy,” you cooed as you squished Roscoe’s wrinkled face, “I don’t get to see you every weekend!”

When you looked up at Lewis, he was smiling at you, “He likes you.” He motioned to Roscoe with the hand holding a folded up leash, “I was just taking him for a walk, we were going to circle around the outside of the paddock, just-”

“Can I come with?” You eagerly interrupted, “I, uh, I’m headed to my car so that’s along the way, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, if you wanna come along, by all means.” Lewis shook his head and started walking with you beside him. 

“Look at that sunset.” you muttered, the pair of you walking together towards it.

“I know, I always love taking him for late walks around this time.”

You hummed in agreement, the two of you walking side by side as Roscoe trotted around the pair of you. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Oh, so much better.” You answered truthfully, “I actually just feel like shit in the mornings and then it-” your voice hitched as you realized what you had let slip, “it just goes.” you finished in a whisper.

“Uh huh,” Lewis nodded, a cheeky smile on his face, “you sure you want to go to your car, or go to Toto’s?”

That took you off guard. “Toto?”

“Yeah, I had told him you were sick today, and we kinda talked a bit and I dunno- do you want to talk to him about it?” 

“About being sick?” You asked.

“Yeah,” Lewis chuckled and pointedly looked ahead at where Roscoe was circling in front of you both as you walked, “about being sick.”

You bit your lip and looked down, thankful for how delicate everyone seemed to be. It was embarrassing, knowing that the two biggest team members were well aware of how much of a mess you were. Well, maybe not a mess, but they basically knew you were pregnant. It wasn’t like you could deny it. And you would have to really talk to Toto, he was your boss and you would need time off eventually. 

“Yeah, yeah, I think that’s the right thing to do.” You sighed. 

Lewis smiled, “You know I’m an uncle, right?” You nodded, “And a godfather?” 

You nodded and smiled back at the driver, “Yeah, they all look really cute online.”

“Thank you,” Lewis nodded, “I love kids.” 

You gulped but let him go on without interruption.

“I really do, and I’d love to have my own some day, but not now.” Just like Daniel, “But I’ve found I’m a great fun uncle.”

You laughed with Lewis as he shot you a look and wiggled his eyebrows. 

“Just something to keep in mind.” He waved his hand in the air, forcing nonchalance when his smirk just kept growing and growing. “You know, for whoever, whenever.”

“Careful, Lewis, you smile any bigger and you’ll crack that pretty face.”

Lewis gasped at your playful words and laughed before abruptly turning his body sideways towards you, “You think I’m pretty?” 

“God, you drivers are insatiable.” You grumbled as you slapped his arm.

Lewis bit his lip, “Is Daniel as bad as me?” 

“What?” You asked, feeling your face heat up, “It’s not like... not like, well, that.”

“Uh huh,” Lewis laughed, “what about Lando?” 

Your legs felt weak as you laughed with him. It was all so crazy, the way Lewis was fishing for info, but also in the most innocent and funniest way possible. And you couldn’t bring yourself to care. What was the difference? Everyone would eventually know you were pregnant with a driver’s baby, who that driver was was just a matter of time. 

“Lewis your age is showing.” You smirked up at him, “You’re gossiping like the paddock old lady.”

Lewis laughed, his head tilted back and his mouth open as you finally reached the edge of the team principle motorhomes, right next to the parking lot. 

“Maybe don’t hang too close around the McLaren garage.” You shook your head at the laughing Brit. “Alright, well, I’ll leave you to the older old lady.” He joked, “Take care of yourself, alright?”

You nodded at Lewis and squeezed his arm as you passed him and walked down the row of motorhomes until you saw a familiar insignia in the window of one. Taking a breath, you rapped your hand against the door. Toto was quick to answer, and let you in. 

“Hello, hello.” He greeted as he sat across from you at the table in the front of the motorhome, “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Toto, I-” you looked away from him for a moment, and then finally choked out, “I’m pregnant.”

“I know.” Toto deadpanned.

“No, but, I-” you weren’t sure how to communicate what you were feeling to Toto, but luckily, in typical Toto fashion, he knew exactly what was going on.

“Am I the first person you’ve told?” He asked, “Aside from the father?”

You looked down at the word ‘father’ and felt your cheeks heat up from the instant plural correction that happened in your brain.

“Yeah, you are.”

“I’m honored.” Toto answered with a smile on his face, “How far along?”

“Like eleven weeks.” You brushed your hair behind your ear.

“Ahhh,” Toto nodded, “the morning sickness is unfortunately just starting for you.” 

“Yeah,” you laughed, nodding, as you felt more at ease, “I wasn’t expecting it.” you admitted.

“My first wife, she had horrible morning sickness with both our children, I remember feeling so terrible for her, so I really mean it if you need time off or if you don’t show up here until the afternoon-” He gestured with his hands towards you, “please don’t feel you need to be here suffering. There’s enough of that here to go around.”

You laughed and nodded, “I really appreciate it, Toto.”

“What kind of bosses have you had?” 

“What do you mean?”

“You came in here looking like someone had died, before I thought you were going to pass out when we spoke,” Toto spoke nonchalantly, but you could feel his pure inquisitiveness, “this is supposed to be a happy time, a peaceful time, were you worried I’d be mad? Go on maternity leave whenever you want, you have time to think about that and figure it out and let me know.”

You looked away from Toto again, “No, no, really- you’ve been so, so kind, Toto. I’ve just been, well,” you willed yourself not to cry in Toto’s motorhome, “I’ve been stressed.” 

At the words stressed, your voice cracked and you looked down at your lap as you felt your face scrunch, the tears welled up in your eyes as you squeezed them shut and internally begged them not to fall. You felt a warm palm engulf your hand on the table.

“It’s okay,” Toto reassured you, “we are all here for you. Regardless of what’s going on, or who it involves,” you looked up at Toto as you wiped your eyes, “you’re still a part of this team.” 

“Thank you, Toto, really, I’m so sorry to get like this.”

Toto leaned away and pulled his hand from yours, “You’re pregnant.” He shrugged and laughed. 

You giggled a bit too as you wiped away your tears, “Yeah, yeah I am.” 

“I’m going to make us some tea,” Toto pushed himself up and to the little stove in the corner, “herbal,” he said over his shoulder, making you giggle, “and you can listen to me tell parenting stories, and maybe you’ll learn from my fuck ups.”

You laughed and nodded as you leaned back in your seat and got comfy.

-

By the time you left Toto’s motorhome, it was later and the sun had fully set, which left the dark of night to help you make a clean run to your rental car. But like most things lately, it wasn’t that easy.

You felt at ease. It was dark, and while you kept looking over your shoulder, you didn’t feel the need to dart across the parking lot. You were a little anxious because of the number of cars that were still there, but you tried your best to hold on the good feelings from spending time with Toto. 

“Hey, wait up!” 

Frozen in place, you thought your ears had played a trick on you, until you turned around and saw Lance quickly approaching. 

“Hi.” You breathed out, taking a few small steps back so you could lean against a parked car and obscure anyone’s sight of you. 

“Hi.” Lance replied, scratching the back of his head.

“Uh, how are you?” 

It felt horrible talking to Lance, and the sinking feeling in your stomach grew as he seemed to reflect your discomfort. It was a real shame considering how comfortable you’d been with each other just months before. 

“I just, I don’t want to keep you,” Lance still looked everywhere but at you, “I just wanted to apologize for being mean, before, when you-”

“It’s okay.” You interrupted, “Really, Lance, I understand, I understood, I can’t imagine it’s a nice feeling to know what’s happening.” You felt like you were tripping over your words.

“Yeah, hell of a surprise.” He muttered, “I definitely never thought- I thought we were done. And now, well, we might not be, I guess.”

Your eyes narrowed at Lance, “It was a shock to me also.”

“Yeah, I bet.” He mumbled, “Did you find out who’s baby it is?” 

“Don’t you think I would’ve told you if I knew?”

“I don’t know what you do.” Lance replied, biting his lip as soon as he said it, “Look, I just want to make sure you’re going to tell me as soon as you know.”

“Yeah, well, I have an appointment on Monday so we’ll know then. You’ll be the first person I call, okay?” You couldn’t bring yourself to care for the tone you were giving him. 

“Great, can’t wait.” 

You rolled your eyes, “Anything else?” 

“No,” Lance rubbed his face before looking at you for the first time, his face pinched for a moment, “You’re doing alright?” 

“Yeah, Lance, I’m fine.” You replied, already taking steps back, “Just trying to get home.”

“You’re not staying for tomorrow?”

“No.” 

“Okay, then have a safe trip.”

“Thanks.”

You pivoted and left Lance behind as you continued towards your car with newfound energy. If you thought you were speed walking before, you were practically sprinting at this point. 

-

Being gone for only a couple of days, not even on a triple header weekend, and you were still practically moaning as you collapsed into your bed early Sunday. 

A multitude of stars seemed to align the night before after you left Lance behind in the parking lot, cause as soon as you got into your car and drove away from the paddock, everything began falling into place. The hotel was quiet when you got in, and you managed to make it to and from your floor without any additional people in the elevator with you. You didn’t even see one F1 affiliated person as you made it from the car, through the hotel to your room and back. 

By the time you’d gotten to the airport and returned your rental car, it had been late, and you figured you’d end up spending a few hours on the airport floor waiting for the next flight home. But again, magical stars intervened, this time by the name of Toto Wolff. 

When you gave your name to the receptionist at the ticket counter, she let you know that Merc had already reassigned your ticket for that night, and that your flight would leave in an hour. A flight that you would end up sleeping through, not feeling anything pregnancy related turning your stomach through out.

Now, looking back on the weekend as you laid balled up on your bed, wrapped in your own blankets, you were so happy you chose to come home. You closed your eyes and relaxed your body, your freshly showered skin practically vibrated with contentment as you stretched and curled around a pillow like a cat. 

While happy, you still felt some slight guilt about leaving. With a groan, you rolled back out of bed and grabbed your backpack that had laid abandoned on the floor. Fishing your phone out, you crawled back into bed and turned airplane mode off, muttering an ‘oops’ as you finally got a slew of notifications.

Most of it ended up being silly, social media related things, a few work emails, a friendly checking in text from Toto. It all seemed very regular, given the irregularity of the weekend. So you shouldn’t have been surprised when Daniel’s name sat on your notifications, with the number (5) next to it.

You swiped on the notification and let the text window open, bring Daniel’s messages to your focus.

Daniel R: Hey are you busy?

Daniel R: can i call you

Daniel R: we should talk

Daniel R: we really need to talk

Daniel R: please call me when you see this

You were so exhausted, but still clicked on his name. You had to face him at some point, you knew that. And now was as good a time as ever. But the time on your phone made your thumb pause over the phone symbol.

Fuck. 

It was practically race time, you realized. 

Now definitely wasn’t going to be the time to call Daniel. On the off chance he answered, you’d fuck his race. Not that his race wasn’t already fucked giving the disaster of quali, but still. You didn’t want to be responsible for another possible crash. 

Your head spun suddenly, and you felt like your brain had been put into a blender. Groaning loudly, you pushed your phone away face down on the bed.

Fuck today’s race.

You needed sleep. You could barely stand the way your head pulsed. 

They must be awake, you thought. Curled on your side, you lowered your hand to your abdomen. 

“Hey, you.” you called, “I’m going to sleep, so why don’t you?” 

You felt ridiculous talking to your basically nonexistent bump at this point, but scolded yourself for thinking so. 

At least I’m not completely alone, you thought. 

The fact that you truly wouldn’t be alone shook you to your core. You were finally embracing your situation, and ruminating about your conversation with Toto made you realize that this whole time you’d been so upset, so annoyed, so frustrated, that you must not have been making your little bean feel so at home inside of you. 

Toto and Lewis had been so happy for you, and looked so worried when you weren’t happy for yourself. You’d been too focused on all the bullshit around you. Strip away all the stress of men around you and things weren’t as grim as you’d let them seem. You were happy for yourself, you were happy for this little being growing in you, you’d love him, her or them regardless. 

You weren’t mad at your baby, and you couldn’t let the drama that the boys brought pull you down anymore. At the end of the day, yes, you didn’t know who the father was, but this baby was still yours. That wouldn’t change, regardless of the paternity results. 

Letting yourself stroke the skin under your belly button, you let an apology out. Your voice squeaked, and shook, but you felt it was important. 

You wanted this baby. This baby was yours. 

And you didn’t want this negativity anymore. 

Reaching over the expanse of your bed, you plucked your phone out from under the covers where you’d pushed it. Unlocking the screen, you clicked on your reminder app and added a new one, bright early and Monday.

Tomorrow, 8AM: CALL DR AND ASK FOR EARLIER APPT

You were ready for this mess to be over with. You and your baby had better things to look forward to, and if you cut quicker to a happier time, even by a few hours, you’d do it.

-

Lando and Lance sat in a rounded booth together at the hotel bar. Sitting a good six feet from each other, they downed beer after beer, practically begging to get black out drunk after they both had had a shitty race that day. 

While still careful not to reveal too many team and car tidbits, they drank and whined to each other.

“I still can’t believe I fucked up this bad this weekend.” Lando sighed.

“Well, it could be worse. You could’ve been me, starting fourth and ending eighteenth.” 

“How in the fuck,” Lando shook his head, “I don’t get how they fucked that pitstop that bad.”

“Me neither.” Lance took a swig of his beer, “Honestly, I couldn’t even bring myself to go up to them and tell them it was okay, I just went into debrief and left.”

“Yeah,” Lando shook his head and looked up at the ceiling, “I don’t know what’s worse, thinking you’re doing well and it all falling apart through no fault of your own, or doing horrible and knowing its all your fault.”

Lance scoffed, “You’re so melodramatic. People crash, it happens, it just happened to you during quali.”

“I crashed into my fucking teammate.” Lando whined. 

“What the fuck happened?” 

Lando let his head roll so he could look Lance right in the face, “You don’t wanna know, mate.”

 “You having problems with Daniel?” 

Lando sighed, “Come here, I can’t say this too loud.”

Both of them scooted closer to each other. Lance really was the only one Lando could confide in at the moment. No one else could know about this baby, so he couldn’t really talk with anyone but you, Daniel and Lance. And of those three, Lance was definitely the only one who he could talk to, the only one who would want to talk to him.

“So, basically, I-”

“The two of you are unbelievable.” 

Lando and Lance leaned away from each other, and came face to face with a very angry Aussie leaning on to their table.

“Hey Dan,” Lando said nonchalantly.

“Don’t fucking say hi to me,” Lando nodded at him and took a big gulp of his drink, “and you.” Daniel pointed at Lance, “you knew just like he did.”

“Oh,” Lance nodded his head knowingly, and turned to Lando, “you told him?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Daniel was getting louder now, but the two Scorpios, in their altered states, didn’t pick up on how serious the normally playful Aussie was. “You fucking knew I didn’t know too?”

The pair of them laughed as Daniel leaned on the table, his head hung as he took a deep breath. 

“I can’t believe the two of you would keep this from me.” Daniel finally spoke and lifted his head to glare at the two amused looking boys, “I can’t believe you’d just fuck around behind my back and not say a fucking word of it to me, do you even understand how fucked up that is?” 

Lando shrugged.

“What the fuck is wrong with the two of you? Do you not understand how fucked up that is?” Daniel threw his arms out and let them drop to his sides with a clap against his legs.

“The fact that this one,” Daniel motioned to Lando, “let this go on for so fucking long, and don’t say you don’t care cause you have fucked our race from weekend start and it has everything to do with this shit.” He hissed at Lando. 

“And you- we’re supposed to be like friends or something, right? Your sister’s dating my best mate, who I introduced you to! You walk around like you’re fucking cool with me, everyone, and walk around like a kicked puppy whenever someone is mean to you, but yet you don’t come to me with this?” 

“Dan, look-”

“Shut up, Lando.” 

“Okay, I know you’re upset,” Lance held his hand up towards Daniel cautiously, “but honestly, I thought they were lying when they said you. I had no idea you had fallen into this shit too.” 

“Why would they lie about that?” Dan asked incredulously, so confused by the behavior of Lando and Lance as they just sat there. “Who would lie about that?”

It made him angrier than he already was.

“Look man,” Lance huffed out a laugh, “a lot, I mean- a lot, of shit has happened, and I’m honestly in a real grey area with the trust thing with the two of them.”

“What the fuck?” Daniel muttered as he rubbed his face.

“Look mate, why don’t you sit.” Lando suggested, “I’ll get us a round and we can all talk together about what we’re gonna name it if it’s ours,” Lance snickered beside Lando, “and how we’ll celebrate when we find out who it isn’t’s.” Lando struggled to pronounce his s’s but still howled with laughter.

“This is a child!” Daniel roared. 

“Mate, chill-”

“No, listen to me, the two of you assholes-”

Lando and Lance froze, shocked at how Daniel wasn’t backing down, wasn’t being his easy going, playful self. The two other men leaned back with their hands held up and their jaws dropped open as Daniel unloaded on the both of them. 

“This is a child. It might be mine, or yours, or yours. This is not a fucking bet or a laughing matter, this is a responsibility, a living thing that will be one of ours. It’s not something to celebrate or drink about like its a fucking sporting event you’ve bet on, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Daniel hissed. 

“The two of you might be used to fucking things up, to getting girls pregnant, but I’m not, I’m a real fucking adult.” Lando and Lance held their tongues at the comment but shared a look, “I’m not going to fuck about and look like a moron in a hotel bar because I don’t know how to act.”

Daniel stopped for a moment to catch his breath. 

“I bet the two of you have made this a real nightmare for her, haven’t you? The two of you being all chipper with each other but probably in front of her you both hassle her, you should be supporting her, the both of you, and me. She’s going through it right now in a way none of us will understand, and you both sit here and get plastered. 

Did either of you even talk to her today? You know how sick, sick s-she’s been?” Daniel’s words faltered as his encounter with you yesterday fell into place, further frustrating Daniel as he realized all the signs were there, right in front of his face, even from you. 

“Hey, look man, I know finding out you might be a dad-”

“Lando, shut the fuck up!” Daniel shouted. 

“Why should I support her? We’re not together anymore, and until I know I have to tie myself to her, I’m not putting all that effort in.” Lance childishly said as he lifted his beer bottle to his lips. 

“You’re a dick.” Daniel answered Lance immediately, “A selfish dick.”

“Excuse me? Fuck you, Daniel! You have no idea what me and her went through.”

“She told me.” Daniel challenged Lance, “She told me all about your little arrangement, how you pretended to love her, how you played perfect boyfriend but turned out to be an insecure asshole.” 

“Yeah, whatever.” Lance shrugged and leaned back in his seat, “I may share selfishness with her but her and Lando share being the biggest sluts I know.”

Lando laughed and slapped Lance’s arm, “Hey!”

“Don’t talk about her like that, she might have your child.” Daniel hissed. “You are so immature, the both of you.”

“God, I hope you’re the dad.” Lando muttered. “Would serve you right, already got the disappointment tone.”

“You really think I want to be a part of this? I don’t even know who I hope the father is.” Daniel yelled, “Cause the two of you are jokes.”

“Oh yes, Daniel, you’re so much better than us,” Lando obnoxiously drawled, “so, so much better and cooler and more mature. Even though you got her pregnant fucking her just like the two of us did.” 

Daniel’s jaw tightened, and Lando saw his way under his skin.

“Oh yeah, that’s it, isn’t it? She’s not yours, she wasn’t mine, she wasn’t his,” he pointed to Lance who shrugged, “she was just a good fuck with failed birth control for all three of us. 

You really think you’re that much better than us, even though you fucked the same woman we did, in the same way. Right after the two of us, might I add. Did she mention that? That she had fucked us a few days before? You put that together, didn’t you? That’s why there’s three of us in this fucked up paternity pool. Cause she fucked all of us so close together-”

“Lando, shut the fuck up-”

“that any of our cum could’ve been it.”

“You are so fucking stupid.” Daniel yelled as Lando laughed, “Look at how I’m taking it and then look at you, it’s pathetic.” 

“Why are you even talking to us?” Lance pushed.

“Cause the two of you cunts kept this secret from me and put all the pressure on her, and now I can’t even find her-”

Lando howled with laughter at that, enraging Daniel even more.

“What the fuck is so funny?” 

“She’s running and hiding from you.” Lando wiped tears from his eyes, “She’s literally spent days in my home since she missed her period, but she can’t even stand to face you now that I’ve told her you know.” Lando smiled at Daniel, all teeth, “I told her I told you, by the way. She knows.”

Daniel sighed, the crush of that information heavy on his chest, but now, in front of Lando and Lance, wasn’t the time or place. 

“She’s not even here,” Lance added, “I caught her leaving Saturday, and- oh, that’s when this all happened, isn’t it?” 

“The two of you are assholes.” Daniel hissed as he turned over his shoulder and began to walk away.

“Yeah, fuck you, Daniel!” Lando yelled.

“Fuck you!” Daniel yelled back.

“Fuck your self righteous ass!” Lance yelled as Daniel left through the secondary entrance of the bar, turning around to give him the finger before finally disappearing. 

“I hate doctors.” Lando mutters.

“It’s not a doctor’s office, it’s just a lab.”

“What’s the difference? They’re gonna stick us.” 

“You’re such a baby.” Lance teased, “Is that why you wanted us to go together?”

“No.” The Brit’s voice got whiney, giving away how uncomfortable he was and how much he did need someone with him, “Matter of fact, I only came with you cause it beat coming here with her.”

“Oh, poor Lando,” Lance teased, “they might’ve thought you were a steady man here, they might’ve even congratulated the two of you.”

“Shut up.” Lando hissed, “I might be congratulating you by the end of this.” 

“You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

“The awkward and angry pair being forced to not be awkward and angry anymore? I’d pay to see it.” 

Lance shot Lando a look before they both broke out into laughter. 

Before they could banter any further, Lando was called in by a scrubs clad nurse. He stood quickly, but was slow to walk towards her, and when he looked back at Lance, his new found friend gave him an encouraging nod. A few minutes after Lando was called, Lance was called in too. 

By the time they’d gotten out, they were sporting matching bandaids, both having the same blood work done on opposite arms. Lance pulled his cap lower on his head as they left the lab and walked into the parking lot. 

“You nervous?” Lando called over the car before ducking into the regular street car he drove them in that day. 

“You aren’t?” Lance asked, buckling himself in.

Lando shrugged, “Yes and no, sometimes I freak out about it and then sometimes I’m back in denial.”

“Wow, that’s very self reflective of you.” 

“And yet you still ruined it.” Lando bit back, putting the car in reverse and pulling out of his parking spot. 

“I’m sorry,” He meant it, “I’m just nervous. I’m so nervous, man. I can’t believe you’re being so cool about it because I feel like I’m gonna die.”

Lando laughed, “Chill out, mate, it’ll be fine.” 

“But how do you know?” Lance could feel himself unraveling faster than he could keep it together, “We were such a fucking disaster, you were there, and we can’t bring a kid into all this drama and shit and if we can’t get along now, how are we going to get along later?”

“Look Lance,” Lando raised his voice as he pulled over to the side of the road, putting the car in park before going on, “if anyone had said I’d be getting on with you a year ago, I would’ve laughed, and now you’re here in my car and we are getting on, so anything is possible.”

Lance looked at Lando, scanning the Brit’s surprisingly serious expression. He supposed that Lando was right, they had been at each other’s throats just a year ago. Now, Lance was unloading his personal turmoil on Lando while Lando actually listened and responded and comforted him. It was the best version of comfort Lando had to offer, but it was comforting nonetheless, and Lance appreciated the effort on the Brit’s part. He hadn’t ever expected Lando of all people to be the mature one in this situation. 

What was more shocking was that as he was getting more comfortable with Lando, as he got to know him, he began to realize that Lando did give a shit. He could act like it all he wanted, but he was just as consumed by this potential future as Lance was. 

He wondered whether Lando was comforting him or himself. 

“Well, I appreciate you listening to me.” Lance told him truthfully.

“Ah, shut up, don’t get all mushy and shit with me now. You’re in my car, it’s not like I can ignore you.”

Lance laughed, “No, you can’t. But I can buy you breakfast to make up for it.”

“You really think I’m gonna turn down free food?” 

Both men laughed as Lando pulled back on to the road.

-

You felt like complete and utter shit. It was like your body knew- and a part of you blamed it on the stress of it- that you’d told 2/3 possible baby daddies so your little growing bean inside you had no reason to stay a secret or discrete. You were so sick every morning since telling Lance, and you noticed a slight curve to your lower tummy that hadn’t been your usual shape. 

Even on the airplane, which you had been used to for years, had been torturous. Your days of sleeping through flights felt as though they were long gone as your stomach flipped and turned every minute of the hours spent in the air. You’d already spent a majority of your morning in the hotel bathroom, getting sick and when not getting sick, feeling sick. It was horrible. 

You weren’t even sure how you got to the paddock, but it didn’t take long after you arrived for you to end up squatted behind a tower of tires, breathing deeply as you tried to relax your body into not embarrassing you. There was no way you anywhere near ready to let the paddock know that you were expecting, and throwing up all over the place would start panic about what bug you caught, and put everyone into a panic about when they would get it. And at that point, you’d have to be truthful, and you were really, really not ready to tell anyone you were expecting. 

Luckily, everyone was still wrapped up in their own teams for anyone to spot you. It was quali day and free practice was about to start soon. You’d had to miss being at the paddock for press day the day before cause you’d felt so terrible. But you couldn’t miss any free practices, qualis or races, that would just make you look like a bad team player. 

You just needed a few minutes to get your bearings behind this tire stack.

“Hey!” that damned Aussie can find me anywhere, can’t he, “Are you alright?” 

You turned and looked at Daniel, trying to make the arm across your mid section and the hand in front of your mouth look casual. “Yeah, hi.” you mumbled.

“You’re sick, aren’t you?” 

You looked at Dan for a moment before feeling your eyes water. You nodded at him. 

“Come on.” Daniel softly told you, putting his arm around you and gently helping you to your feet, “You should go back to your hotel or at least be with your team, not hiding back here.”

You froze in place once you were on your feet, waiting a moment for the dizziness to pass. Daniel looked you up and down, noticing how your whole body froze. 

“How sick are you?” Daniel asked, still using the soft tone with you. 

“It’s allergies.” You could’ve screamed from your weak excuse. 

Allergies, really? 

Daniel tilted his head and looked less than convinced, but didn’t push. The guilt that had settled in you only festered every time you saw him. You needed to tell him, but during a race weekend felt like the least ideal time. You needed to find him alone, maybe after this weekend. 

“I’ll be okay.” You interrupted Daniel’s sweet questioning about your health and how you feeling, “It’s probably just nerves for this weekend.”

Not a complete lie.

“Ah, I get those sometimes too.” Dan nodded as you looked at him, “I mean, Michael has helped a lot with the whole mental side of things, but can’t help the butterflies you know?”

He had given you a great segway, “Where is your partner in crime?”

Daniel scoffed, “Partner in crime my ass. He barely lets me eat ice cream.” 

You laughed as Daniel pouted at you, “I think a lot of women would vote him into sainthood for all he does for you.” 

“You think so?” He smiled at you brightly, “You think they’d vote me in too?”

“Don’t hold your breath.” You laughed before you bit your lip, “I think they prefer you bad.” 

“Do they,” Daniel took a step over until your shoulders brushed, “or do you?”

“Can you afford a distraction today?” 

“I’m professional, baby, nothing can break this concentration.” Daniel teased back. 

“Wanna bet?” You rose right to his bait and bit your lip as he looked at you not so differently than he did that night. 

You and Daniel’s steps slowed as you arrived at the Mercedes garage. You faced each other, and you couldn’t help but think you were standing a tad too close to the Aussie. But it didn’t matter really, everyone stood close to drivers, didn’t they?

Did you really care what everyone thought? At that moment, you didn’t. 

“You playing with fire again?” He asked, smiling down at you. 

“Nah,” you laughed, feeling way the bubble of excitement in you, “fire burns, I didn’t feel burned before.” Your voice lowered to a whisper. 

“How did you feel before?” Daniel asked, his hand brushing against yours as he stood close to you.

“I-”

“Aye, you trying to steal her already?” Lewis’ voice called. 

You both took a step away from each other and turned towards the Brit approaching you. You looked at Daniel and brushed your hair behind your ear, clearing your throat while Daniel clasped his hands behind his back and turned towards Lewis. From Lewis’ demeanor, you must not have looked too suspicious with the Aussie, or maybe the champ was oblivious to anything outside of his own focus.

“Thought she might wanna be on a team that doesn’t make her sick.” Daniel joked, motioning to you beside him, “Should keep an eye on our girl today.”

“Are you alright?” Lewis’ attention turned toward you, his worry clear on his face.

“Yeah, yeah,” you nodded, even though you knew you looked like shit, “I’m just a little under the weather today. Had a bit of a migraine yesterday, just pulled me down today.”

“I’m sorry, darling,” Lewis practically cooed at you, “Daniel,” he motioned to you before giving you a wink, “I think I can take her from here.” 

“Alright, mate, be careful.” Daniel teased, “I’ll catch you later.” He told you, squeezing your shoulder before taking off down the paddock. 

“Can I get you anywhere or anything?” Lewis asked, gently pulling you along into the garage.

“No, no, no.” you sighed, “Really, I’ll be alright. I missed yesterday, I don’t want to miss today.”

Got nine more months of this.

“Well, why don’t you sit, I’ll tell someone to bring you water-”

“Already got, thanks.” You smiled and held up your water bottle to show him. “Hey, don’t worry about me, just get in that car and put on a good show for us, yeah?”

“Alright, then you just sit and enjoy.” 

You giggled as Lewis walked away. With no Daniel or Lewis, you were suddenly aware of how sick you were again. When surrounded by the human sunshine that was Daniel and the walking talking gentleman, sorry, walking talking knighted* gentleman, you had felt like shit but not been awfully aware of it. With no one to distract you or for you to distract yourself with, all the nausea came rolling back. 

Settled into your comfy and padded seat, you stayed perfectly still as free practice ramped up, and you watched the cars. If you didn’t move, you didn’t feel like the world was spinning, and the longer you stayed still, the further away the disgusting feeling you’d been feeling all morning got. 

By the time free practice was done with, you felt like a better version of yourself. You were exhausted, but you’d take exhaustion over your nausea any day. At least now you could wiggle and fidget in your seat without feeling like you were in danger of passing out. The garage was buzzing and bright, and the sounds and lights didn’t threaten to split your head open. You figured it must be getting later in the day, the pattern lately had meant that your first few waking hours were torturous. 

You were happy that you were feeling more chipper, quali was the best part of the weekend, aside from the actual race of course. You loved the drama of it all. The way so many drivers would really save their last laps to pull off their best times, and when they didn’t- the drama was sometimes better than the drama during the race. And the cars were just starting to pull out of their garages and lining up in the pit lane. 

You had just opened your water bottle when an engineer tapped on your shoulder.

“Toto would like for you to sit with him.” 

You kept your face neutral but nodded and silently followed. Toto only ever sat with other race engineers in the garage. He usually didn’t bother with anyone once you were all in the garage, and with quali about to start, it was hard not to feel like the kid being brought to the principal’s office.

“Hey Toto.” you greeted as you slid into the chair next to the German.

When the engineer walked away, Toto looked at you, dare you think knowingly, and leaned in, his deep voice lowered, “How are you feeling?”

Lewis, what a snitch, you jokingly thought. 

“Just a bit tired.” You tried to keep your voice even, oblivious. 

“I heard you were a little under the weather lately.”

“Lewis?” You nodded before reassuringly adding, “Yeah, but it’ll pass.”

Toto had a faint smile on his face, “Lemonade in your tea, herbal tea, no caffeine, of course,” your head turned towards Toto so fast it could’ve snapped and you could feel your eyes bulged, “but you know that rule, don’t you.” He finished with a smile. 

Your lips parted, but nothing came out. Toto had pulled your secret out of thin air. It was unbelievable. 

“Don’t look so shocked,” Toto teased, “or people will notice and ask, I’ve been through this a few times, you know.” 

“I...” you trailed off helplessly.

“Just let me know when you need off, okay? And if mornings are rough right now, please don’t come to anything you can’t stomach, there’s nothing you can’t phone in or save for a later time in the day.” He winked at you, “Like I said, not the first time.” 

“Toto, I-”

“Oh, and there goes the McLarens!” The scream of the announcer made your head turn towards the screen.

-

It’d been a while since Michael had seen Daniel this angry. 

“That brat drives into me when I’m supposed to be letting him pass, and he just darts off- no apology or anything?” Daniel huffed as he shoved his hat on his head, “Fuck that.”

“Mate, cmon, you don’t know what’s going on with the kid, let’s focus on ourselves, yeah?”

Michael leaned against the far wall as he watched Daniel be a little tornado around the room, clothes and shoes flying through the air as he quickly changed after his DNF.

It was just as Daniel had said. He had a puncture from some debris knocked off the car from eating the curb, so team orders were for Lando to pass him to get a fast lap in and hopefully a higher starting placement for at least one of their cars. But just as Lando had pulled up alongside Daniel, the two drivers seemed to nod at each other, and Lando just completely lost his front and decimated both his own and Daniel’s cars.

It was a breathtakingly bizarre crash that had silenced the whole garage.

And while Michael would never explain it all this way while Daniel was still so hot, he found it so odd how Lando had basically threw himself out of his car and went running off the track. The kid had no reason to fear Daniel, he had to have known there wouldn’t have been a confrontation. But that had been Lando’s MO lately when it comes to Daniel- avoid and avoid some more.

It was strange and while Michael was curious himself about what had changed, he didn’t want Daniel to end up harping on it, so he discouraged any Lando talk and tried to keep Daniel focused on himself.

“No, fuck this.” Daniel growled, “I ignored it before when it seemed personal, I gave him space, gave him room to talk, tried to force him to talk, but now he’s making it professional and fucking shunted me.”

Michael looked at the furious expression on Daniel’s face and frowned, his fingers flexing at his side. He really didn’t need Daniel punching a wall and potentially injuring himself. Michael braced his center of gravity in case he had to grab his friend from lashing out. 

But, as was the theme for today, Daniel took Michael by surprise. 

Daniel froze for a second, looking towards the front of his driver’s room. “That little shit is gone, isn’t he?” He pressed his ear against the wall between the rooms, “Yeah, he fucking is.”

Daniel pushed off the wall and pulled his door open, darting out of it. Michael ran after him, desperate to catch up to him as he went after him. The shorter Aussie was lighter than him, and he damned how much quicker he was as he sprinted to keep up as Daniel headed straight for the motorhomes parked behind the paddock. 

“Daniel!” Michael yelled at his back once they were out of the paddock. 

He really hoped Daniel wasn’t going to the motorhome to punch Lando. That would be super out of character, but everything had been off lately, like the balance had been disturbed, and Michael felt on edge. Everything seemed unpredictable at this point.

“Daniel!” Michael tried to yell again now that they were out of ear shot of the paddock and running through the grass of the motorhome park that had formed, “Daniel, slow down.” 

And the Aussie did. He slowed his sprint into a speed walk, and Michael was able to catch up to him. When he did, he didn’t touch his fellow Aussie, just matched his stride alongside him.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“I’m gonna go make Lando talk to me and we’re gonna find out what the fuck is going on around here.” 

“Do you really think it has anything to do with you?” Michael asked.

“It has to, mate, it has to. I know you’ve seen it, it can’t be me going nuts, I know it’s something.”

Michael nodded and kept up the brisk pace, “Well, as long as you just talk.”

Daniel gave Michael a sharp look, and Michael instantly felt bad, patting Daniel on the back and giving a quick apology. Daniel wasn’t violent, he wasn’t horribly impulsive, he really wasn’t impulsive period. And the absolute last thing Daniel could stand was conflict. He wanted to solve everything now, now, now. So, of course, he was just going to talk and make Lando face whatever was going on in the Brit’s head. 

And then it struck Michael, Daniel was trying to help Lando. 

It had been happening ever since they’d ended up in the thicker levels of mental health fitness. Michael had noticed Daniel speaking differently with people around him, offering little bits of advice on how to approach things, how to process things. Daniel wasn’t just learning from Michael, but sharing what he learned cause Daniel was a sweetheart. He wanted everyone to be okay.

Daniel wanted Lando to be okay.

“Here it is.” 

Daniel’s words shook Michael out of his head and he watched as Daniel lifted his fist and banged on the door. There was some light footsteps on the other side of the door, and from what Michael could see the windows and their curtains hadn’t moved an inch.

Kid really wouldn’t answer the door blindly, would-

“Daniel!” Lando’s voice squeaked as he did blindly answer the door and came face to face with both Aussies. 

“Let me in Lando,” Daniel growled, brushing past the Brit, “we need to talk.”

“Hey buddy,” Michael nodded at Lando and let the Brit move aside and let him in, much more politely than Daniel had, “don’t worry.” He whispered as he passed him. 

Lando’s motorhome wasn’t much different from the Aussies’, with a pretty large, open seating area in the front. Michael ducked around Daniel, who was still standing, to sit on one of the cream colored couches. 

When Lando finally clicked his door shut and came to stand in front of the Aussies, he looked like neither man had ever seen him. 

Lando was playing with his fingers in front of his waist, looking down instead of at either one of them. He was also silent, which wasn’t unusual for Lando, but the nervous, jittery energy he was exuding was. Lando kept to himself sometimes, but he wasn’t usually so timid. 

Michael was taken back by the display, but Daniel just got frustrated.

“Do you want to say anything?”

Lando shrugged.

“Are you- Lando.” Daniel said sternly, holding his hand out flat in front of him as he gestured with each work, “You crashed into me, mate. You crashed for no fucking reason during qualifying, fucked both our cars, fucked the team, and that’s after you’ve been avoiding me like I have a disease.” 

Lando shrugged again, this time adding in a sigh as he messily pulled on his hair. 

“What the fuck is going on?” Daniel raised his voice, “Clearly, some shit has gone on, something is bothering you about me that you’re treating me this way. And I was gonna be quiet, wasn’t gonna care, wasn’t gonna bring it up, nothing, and now this, today. Clearly you need to talk to me about whatever issue we have.”

Lando scoffed, “I can’t.”

“What?” 

“I can’t.” Lando repeated, “I can’t just talk to you about whatever.” He straightened up and gave Daniel a look he never had before. 

“What the hell does that even mean, Lando? You’re speaking in riddles like I can understand you, just say what you mean. What is the issue?” 

“I’m sorry we crashed.” He said calmly and sincerely, cause it was true: he was sorry they crashed, and if anyone really pushed to know, he had no idea how he even managed to do it. 

But clearly Daniel wasn’t looking for just an apology, “Lando, tell me what’s going on.”

Lando made a frustrated sound and pulled on his hair, grumbling under his breath as he weighed his options mentally. He thought of everything: how to get the Aussies out without spilling, how to apologize to Daniel for crashing, how to avoid the real reason he was fucking everything up and avoiding Daniel.

But lying seemed so stupid at this point, and Lando was tired of it.

It couldn’t be helped. Lando had been so stressed by caring and protecting Daniel’s precious feelings, his delicate little angelic-ness, for you. He’d spent the weekend relaxed, cause him and Lance knew, and he didn’t feel sick from secret keeping now that he could share it with someone. But one weekend back at the paddock and the stupid smile on Dan’s face made him nauseous. 

The way Daniel looked at him like he cared, like he was there for Lando, like he was just so mature and nice about the way he got to fuck you. It all burned Lando from the inside out. 

He saw red.

“You have no idea what I know, what I’ve been forced to know for weeks!” Daniel took a step back as Lando suddenly exploded, “Everything has been, Dan can’t know this and Dan can’t know that and Dan this, that and don’t hurt Dan and it’s so fucking stupid because you’re the oldest out of any of us!”

“Lando, I-”

“It’s so stupid! You should be the one by her side, doing shit for her, figuring this shit out, I have no clue what the fuck I’m doing! I don’t get what makes you so fucking special that you’re spared the stress of this bullshit.”

“Lando-”

Lando sighed, and Michael watched as the Brit collapsed on to the couch next to him. “Why am I stressing over a baby that might not even be mine?” 

Lando’s shoulders suddenly dropped, like an invisible weight had fallen off of them. He looked like a boy just saved from drowning as he breathed deeply and evenly like he’d never tasted oxygen before in his life. He rubbed his eyes before looking up at the pair of confused men in front of him, and both Aussies jump as Lando clapped his hands together and laughed at their reaction.

“Lando,” Daniel spoke sternly, “what the fuck are you talking about?”

“Oh my god, are you daft? She’s pregnant!” He yelled, annunciating the word ‘pregnant’ as Dan suddenly collapsed into the chair behind him. “Yeah, yeah, that’s exactly how I felt. Yup. Fair now since it might actually be your problem.”

Michael shook his head and held up his hands to pause the conversation, “Wait, who is pregnant?”

Dan and Lando both uttered your name, and Michael’s eyes widened like saucers. “Wait, with your baby?” He points at Lando.

Lando laughed, “Or his.” 

Michael watched in shock as Lando pointed at Daniel.

“Daniel.” he spoke calmly, looking at his friend with concern. 

Daniel was looking down at the floor, his face blank as he breathed steadily but made no move to talk or acknowledge anyone in the room. He was either completely ignoring Michael, or he just didn’t even hear him, cause his next words were directed at Lando.

“How long?”

“A few weeks.” Lando muttered, “I don’t know exactly, enough for it to be confirmed by a doctor.” 

“And I...”

“Yup!” Lando replied, nodding at his older teammate as he leaned back and folded his arms behind his head.

Michael was beyond confused at this point, and didn’t completely understand what or how this had anything to do with Daniel. Even as the obvious dangled in front of him, he couldn’t bring himself to assume it. 

Not Daniel. 

Not hyper focused, super organized and planned Daniel. 

Not a chance. 

Except that all signs, every word in this conversation was very obviously pointing towards not only something that had been kept from Daniel, but a whole lot that had been kept from Michael. He didn’t allow himself to feel petty feelings like jealousy or annoyance towards friends, but it did slightly sting to think that Daniel hadn’t bothered to utter a word of you and Daniel to him. 

When the fuck had that happened? 

Of course, he had seen countless times how you got on, but you were a nice girl, easy to get along with. He, himself had enjoyed spending time with you when you stopped by to chat or joke around with the boys. Memories of you laughing with him, Dan and Blake came to mind. 

Why did this have to happen the weekend Blake isn’t here? But as quickly as he thought that, another thought came to the forefront of his mind: Does Blake know?

And since when were you and Lando a thing? Michael was still finding gaps in his own knowledge when Daniel brushed passed him and fled the motor home.

Michael followed Daniel in silence, the Aussies’ strides were fast as they made a beeline for their shared motorhome. Michael had so many thoughts in his head but in the middle of the motorhome lot was not the place to give any of those thoughts airtime. 

He stared at Daniel’s back as his thoughts washed over him. He didn’t understand how or why this was happening. Daniel might be a father to a baby that he didn’t know Daniel had even made, and the mother was you. It didn’t make any sense. He didn’t understand how he could’ve missed something so major. 

Michael more often than not knew where Daniel was, always. There was never an exception. They shared hotel rooms a majority of the time, they shared motorhomes, they shared car rides. As much as he loathed it from time to time, they were truly attached at the hip. So even thinking of a point where he wasn’t with Daniel, where Daniel could’ve gotten together with you was difficult. 

And he’d just broken up with his girlfriend, the lying, cheating mess that she was. Michael had never liked her, and liked her even less for what she’d done to his friend. Daniel had been crushed.

Daniel had been crushed.

Michael could’ve rolled his eyes once all the pieces came crashing together. It would be Daniel to get a rebound fuck pregnant. 

He followed Daniel up the steps into their motorhome. Daniel walked in, standing between the rest of the motorhome and the front seating area, giving Michael plenty of room to sit down while Daniel paced. He took a deep breath before he decided to just let it rip. 

“You slept with her?” Michael asked, trying to keep his voice as monotone but comforting as possible.

“Yeah,” Daniel nods, rubbing at his face, “yeah, a few weeks ago.” 

“After-”

“Yeah, exactly after that. I had just gotten dumped, everything between her and the boys had gone to shit, we were both in the same shitty place.”

Everything between her and the boys- what the fuck. Where have I been?

“Figures the one time you have a one night stand you get her pregnant.” Michael teased before letting the frown pull at his face, “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I didn’t think, like at all,” Daniel sighs, “I wasn’t sure what to do, or how I felt, so I just sat with it.”

“Daniel-”

“I know, I know, I shouldn’t sit with my feelings, and I tried to journal but it just felt like something that was like, not a secret, but it was mine.” Daniel groaned, dropping his hands to his sides as he unraveled in front of his trainer, “Everything is always do this, go here, everyone knowing our business, everything is recorded, there’s no such thing as privacy and I just,” he struggled for a second with his words, “so I have this one night where I really connect with someone, where I’m with her, and it feels like a memory I could have entirely to myself, like something I don’t have to share, something I could have and keep and care about, and then, and then, this happens.”

“You didn’t tell me because it was for you. I get it, I do.” Michael nodded, “But with everything that’s gone on in recent weeks, it would’ve helped me help you.”

“Now no one can help anyone, can they?” 

“Don’t go there DR,” Michael warns, “this is a lot and it is a shit mess, but it’s a shit mess that can be cleaned up.”

Daniel chuckled and looked up at the ceiling. “A child isn’t a shit mess. It’s the circumstances.”

Michael’s head tilted, “Well, yeah. You’re right.”

“At least it would be with her.”

What? Michael was getting more and more confused, and more worried with every minute that Daniel processed this. When Daniel looked at him and dryly chuckled, Michael braced himself for whatever was going on in that mind of Daniel’s.

“At least it would be with her,” he repeated with a stronger tone, “she’s a good girl. We get along. She’s gorgeous too so it’s not like it would be hard.”

“What would be hard?” 

“Being with her.” Daniel said nonchalantly, “I mean, if we have a kid, we should at least try to make it work. We get along well enough, don’t we? You’ve seen her with me. To be honest, before this whole mess and all the avoiding bullshit, I kinda thought she liked me too.”

Daniel collapsed into the couch across from Michael, leaning over with his elbows on his knees, “We could make this work.”

“Daniel.” Michael’s voice is soft but stern as he slips off his couch and crouches down in front of Daniel. “You have to think this one through.”

“I am!” Daniel finally began to snap, “I am, I am. That’s what I’m saying, mate, like if I do have, with her, then we could try. Things could work. We could work. Don’t you think?”

Michael shook his head at Daniel. This was a dangerous train of thought. Daniel couldn’t make you fit his plans, and Michael had to remind him of that.

“How well do you really know this woman?” Michael tilted his head at Daniel’s incredulous look, “Really, mate, think. You barely know her on a more than superficial level. She was a one night stand, and now she might be having your kid.”

“Exactly! So we can get to know each other, it would be unconventional as fuck, I know. But I know her enough to know that she would want the same as me.”

“You don’t even know if it’s yours, so please, just pause for a minute.”

“I mean, I know it’s all backwards, but me and her could work, we could have this kid, fuck, we could like, even get married if that’s what she wants.”

“Daniel, you can’t marry a woman because she’s having your child.”

Daniel was pulling at his curls, running his hands through his hair repeatedly as he babbled ways to combine the potential future in front of him and the future he had planned. It was all fucked up, and the idea that the future he planned was shot and that a whole new future could unfold at any moment gave Daniel goosebumps. He felt lightheaded. 

“Daniel, look at me.” Michael catches Daniel attention, “I know this isn’t a part of your plan, this kinda fucks up your vision for the future, but this is the way things could fall in place. You have to remember ‘could’,” he emphasized the word, “that baby could very well be Lando or Lance’s.”

He ignored the look that flashed across Daniel’s face.

“Don’t do that. You don’t want this right now, no matter how much it’s got you thinking you do right now.” 

“I’ve always wanted a kid.” Daniel mumbled.

“Not like this.” Michael replies softly, “If this is the way it was meant to be, it is what it is. But don’t get too far ahead of yourself. We need to figure out if this baby is even yours.” 

“We?”

You should’ve known the GP weekend would’ve been a disaster after your horrific run in with Daniel on day one of the circus. It had just been your luck to run into him when you were still so emotionally distraught. What really brought you down was the combined emotional weight so much what was happening and the disappointment you felt in your inability to shake all those emotions. You couldn’t separate your work brain from your emotional brain and it drove you mad. 

And things only got worse as the days dragged on. 

For one, seeing Daniel had really torn you. The poor man didn’t know what was going on, and had looked so happy to see you and you had made yourself look utterly stupid and strange. 

But then the press day was over, and the GP weekend went into full swing and things became a nightmare. 

Both cars on your team had no grip, and it had been a nerve wracking show watching free practice and quali. Friday and Saturday, you got back to your hotel room feeling horribly stiff having been so up tight watching the utterly puzzling performances on track. And while quali hadn’t gone too terribly, it wasn’t a front row lockout, and in typical Murphy’s Law fashion, the bad really picked up. 

One car went off, unable to finish the race after a brake failure, and while Lewis killed himself to try to make the tires work, there was a mess up at a pit stop that costed him three placements. Toto ended up on a cursing rampage towards the end of the race.

It wasn’t often that Mercedes made a mistake, but when they did, they did it right. 

Relief didn’t even begin to cover how you felt when you’d finally made it home Sunday night. You couldn’t stand another minute in the paddock, another minute in the emotionally charged air of the garage. You had more than enough of an emotional charge to bring the whole track down, and it hadn’t taken long for you to find sleep once you were home.

-

“Being good for Daddy, princess?” Lando purred into your ear, his tongue flicking against the underside of your jaw.

He filled you so good, and it had been so long, you were already panting. His hips were between yours, and you couldn’t see anything but his body and your own as he buried himself inside of you over and over. 

“Oh, yes, always so fucking good, aren’t you?” 

“Always.” You whined, your eyes tightly shut as you felt him.

With a swish of air that choked your lungs, you felt as if you were suddenly falling as this force pushed through your body. You gasped and opened your eyes, the sensation gone but replaced by a new one that was quickly spreading you. The space inside you that Lando had been filling seemed to stretch differently, as if someone new was entering you. Instead of Lando’s incessant thrusts, there was a gentle rocking between your legs and a warm body pressed to your back.

“Got you always.” Daniel whispered into your ear. 

You whimpered as you looked down to see his hands on your body, one on your lower stomach while his rose adorned one held one of your swollen breasts so gently. His soft, gentle touch made you lean back into him, your arms going around the back of his head as you held him to you. 

“You got both of us, don’t you?” 

Lando’s voice caught you off guard, and with it the feeling of all fullness inside you was lost. The pleasure mounted inside of you, but the familiar stretch of either man inside you was gone. Daniel was still behind you, holding you to him and whispering sweet nothings as his hips rocked against your behind, while Lando stood in front of you, your legs wrapped around his waist as he pushed against you until his hips were hitting into your own. 

Your breath felt like it was being compressed out of your lungs as you got overwhelmed in the sensations around you. The mounting pleasure that you could feel, but not completely, teasing you from the background as you lost your mind to the warring sensations. Lando’s hands, grabbing and commanding as he pulled at your nipples and caressed your clit. Daniel’s hand holding your tit, massaging the swollen skin and rolling the nipple against his palm, his other hand curled on your lower stomach, just as he did the night he’d had you. 

“Do you want me?” Daniel asked breathlessly in your ear, making your head tilt back as you whimpered.

Lando’s bite to your shoulder made your body clench, “Do you want me?” He asked, “Tell me you want me.”

“You want this.” Daniel spoke to you. 

Your eyes opened and you were suddenly very aware of the pitch black darkness around Lando and Daniel where they bracketed you between their bodies. You sucked in a breath and tried to focus, becoming increasingly panicked as your overwhelming sensation became less about pleasure and more terror. 

The edges of Daniel and Lando’s bodies blurred on either side of you, and when you looked down your stomach dropped. Every time Lando thrusted into you, his chest should’ve pressed to Daniel’s hand but instead it went right through it. Neither man could touch, and while you could feel them, you couldn’t feel them in their entirety. 

You went to speak, but were cut off by an unexpected voice. 

“Did you think things would feel better?” Lance’s words echoed in the empty void you, Dan and Lando seemed to be floating in. 

Just like that, Daniel and Lando evaporated from you, their bodies melting away into smoke until you were free falling into the blackhole that they had been holding you up above. You just kept falling, and falling, and falling.

You woke up screeching, clutching your chest as you rolled to your side and gasped for air.

“Fuck!” You snarled, pushing yourself to sit up and get on your feet. 

Might as well go shower, you thought, no way I’m falling back asleep after that. 

-

The shower had been futile, you couldn’t feel the pulse of the water, nor the temperature. Your whole body seemed to be shot from all the nerves you’ve fried lately. And no matter how many times you told yourself to suck it up, your body just kept resisting. 

You wondered if it was even just your body anymore. 

When you looked at your reflection after your shower, your body looked as it always had. The same bumps, the same scars, the same ridges and curves. Every inch of you still looked the same, and somehow that put you more on edge. That your body could be so traitorous. You turned sideways, indulging in your paranoia by turning your hips so you could stare at your lower stomach, inspecting it for any change in size or shape. 

You didn’t notice anything, but again, that didn’t mean anything. 

Every task felt like it was being done on autopilot these days, and getting dressed was no different today. You tried your best not to be distracted, but you seemed only able to sort yourself for work, so home time might as well have been labeled ‘floaty time’ with the way you sunk into your brain. 

A dull sound rhythmically sounded in your ears as you pulled a hoodie on, and the thumping resounded in your ears. Convinced it was your own heartbeat, it took you a moment to realize the thumping was actually knocking and it wasn’t your heart, it was your door.

“Shit...” you muttered, shaking your head before tousling your drying hair.

Your feet patted across your floors, and when you’d barely pulled open the door when the person on the other side was coming in.

“What are you doing here? What is that?”

Lando pushes past you easily, walking into your kitchen like it was his own and dropping the bag on the counter before shaking it upside down, the boxes contents spilling out on to the counter. You approached the island slowly as he turned on the kettle on the stove.

You picked up one of the boxes before quickly dropping it back on to the counter. Pregnancy tests, Lando had bought you pregnancy tests. It looked like he’d cleaned out a pharmacy, with almost every type of test in front of you, and quite a few of each.

“We need to get this sorted.” Lando spoke matter of factly, “so you need to drink up, and take all these tests and find out whether or not I’m losing fucking sleep over nothing.”

You leaned over the counter and rubbed your face before looking back up at him.

“You’re not sleeping either.” He grimaced, “You look terrible.”

“Yes, thank you, Lando.” You replied annoyed, “It’s not as if I haven’t got a mirror in this whole place.” 

“Where are your mugs?”

“What are you doing?” You raised your voice as you watched Lando rummage through all your cabinets.

“Ah!” He called, grabbing a lavender mug from your cabinets before setting it down, “Now, where’s the tea?” 

“Lando.” 

“You wanna just drink hot water?” He looked at you over his shoulder. 

You sighed, “In the cupboard to the right.”

Lando hummed with a smile as he prepared your cup. You sat in a seat, still feeling defeated and let Lando take care of you. He slid a can of soda across the counter at you. 

“Drink that while we wait for the water to boil.”

“You’re just gonna make me float away.” You joked dryly, snapping open the can before you started chugging it down. 

“Oh!” Lando called out, scaring you into choking. 

“Oh my god, what?” You coughed as you wiped the soda around your face. 

Lando hesitated before asking, “Isn’t caffeine bad for babies?”

Your face scrunched at him, “Have you-” your mouth dropped open as Lando turned on his heel, his reddened face telling on himself, “You’ve been researching!” 

You laughed as tears dripped down your face. Feeling both the hilarity of the situation, as well as the complete meltdown of emotions, you laughed and cried hysterically until Lando placed a steaming mug in front of you. 

“Finish that can and then finish this.” He pointed to you jokingly before taking a seat next to you, turning on some music to play in the silence between you. 

“How many pregnancy tests are there?” You asked before lifting the can back to your lips while your tea cooled.

“10.”

“Please tell me you didn’t buy them in person.”

“No! Do you think I’m dumb? I used Postmates.”

“Great.” You rolled your eyes, giggling as Lando gave you a face.  

There turned out to be eleven different pregnancy sticks, and Lando had not played when he told you you were going to take all of them. He pumped you so full of tea and soda, it was ridiculously easy to take all ten one after another, after another. 

You’d never been so nervous, so eager for time to both slow down and speed up, to finally have clarity. From the way the silence settled among the two of you, a surplus of slowly revealing pregnancy tests between you, you could only guess that Lando was the only one to know exactly what you were feeling. 

When the timer went off on Lando’s phone, signaling that every single test was ready, you both went through them, once, twice, three, four, five times. You were pretty sure Lando went through them another six. 

You were pregnant.

It was unsettling how calm you became once you knew. This zen seemed to emit from you as you nodded in acceptance. You were no doubt in shock, but you also were done with the guessing, this was an almost sure thing now, and now was the time you could take some control.

You needed to go to a doctor and get a medical professional to confirm the pregnancy, then you needed to find out what next steps were for you physically from that doctor, and then you needed to let the boys know, then you needed the boys to agree to a paternity test. 

And that’s when everything went to shit in your head.

You started panting, and it felt like you could barely get any breaths in. Lando ran around the side of the table, grabbing your hand and calmly telling you it would be okay, to breathe with him. You remembered briefly an interview where you’d heard he’d worked with a psychologist to help him with his on and off track mentality and anxiety, and mentally categorized in things you thought Lando was full of shit for and you were wrong about. 

It seemed like there were a lot of things that fell into that category these days. Each and every new detail added to the list just added to your growing list of why you were an asshole. You had so foully misjudged Lando, had been so critical of him.

And here he was, making you face your fears, and helping you through them, literally helping you breath as he got you to your couch. He held your hand as you calmed, and helped you lay back on the soft cushions while he took his place on the floor next to where you were laying comfy. 

“Don’t you worry,” He mumbled, “gonna find a doctor we can call in the morning.”

And he did. 

Lando had found a OB/GYN for you to go to nearby, after having taken hours researching them all. You couldn’t believe how he went on and on. The review boards, websites, you hadn’t even known doctors had a review site. It was torturous to hear his incessant typing, practically vetting the whole of the United Kingdom’s specialists.

But it had kept him occupied as you returned to your place of solitude: the couch.

You laid there in the silence between Lando and you and let your brain melt. The sound of his fingers tap, tap tapping on his glass screen protector was more soothing than not and gave you something to listen to that wasn’t your own thoughts. Your eyes looked at Lando, leaning against the other side of the couch, he was sat on the floor.

When you realized that his eyes were locked on his screen, and he was deep in the Google search, you looked back up at the ceiling. Ever so slowly, you lifted the hand between you and the back of the couch and brought it to rest on your stomach. Your chest felt like it was going to cave in as you rested your palm right under your belly button, where you knew your womb was. You squeezed your eyes shut as you tried to wrap your head around how it was most likely filled with a little cluster of cells that would upend your life.

And someone else’s.

For the first time, you managed to think deeply about what was truly going on. Namely, the men involved. You thought of each one critically, not knowing which you might end up tied to forever.

Lando. Lando was young, and emotional. But he was fiercely loyal, and it filled you with shame to remember how sure you were that he would leave you before you told him. You were admittedly torn on your opinion of Lando. He was like a pendulum, constantly swinging one way and another. If he wasn’t emotional intense, he iced you out, if he wasn’t being supportive, he was doing his best to tear you down. While he was here now, how much longer would he stick around?

Lance. Lance was soft, but destructive. You knew he wanted a family, but you weren’t even sure if he was emotionally mature enough. Like Lando, he was emotional and right now he was holding a grudge. He was not only avoiding you, but you were sure that he had you blocked on every possible communication. If it did end up being his, how would you tell him?

Daniel. Daniel definitely fit the bill of most fit to be father, but he was an adult. A usually responsible one at that. He had a vision for his future, and he was so sure of what he wanted. Maybe that’s why it stung the most to think of him because you were forced to painfully face how you did not fit into that vision. Daniel was an accident, and while you didn’t want to call it a mistake, it sure felt like it now. He was the only one who hadn’t been involved in the past year’s mess, so dragging him in now felt cruel.

You had let your hand slip off of your body as you held back tears.

-

“It’s about to open.”

“Lando, hush.”

“It’s 8:59.”

“Lando.”

“9:00!”

“Lando!”

You slapped his arm as you unlocked you phone. But when you looked at the search page glowing on the screen, you felt your stomach twist. 

“It’s 9:01, can you please...” Lando whined, bringing you back from the memory of last night.  

You sighed and stared at the call icon on the google search page. All you had to do was press it. 

Lando’s hand dropped heavily on your shoulder as he pulled you under his arm, “It’s gonna be okay.” He kissed your hair and leaned his cheek on you, “May I?”

You inhaled sharply as you watched his finger hover over the icon, but still nodded your head. The whole world seemed to slow as the google search screen disappeared, your screen going black for a moment before the ringing screen came on, showing you and letting you hear that indeed, it was ringing this doctor’s office.

“Hello?” A woman’s voice answered. 

Lando nudged your shoulder, and you finally began talking. 

-

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Lando asked for the fiftieth time that morning.

“Yes, yes, I’m good. Now, go. I’m sure you’ve got stuff to do and I definitely have things to do and it’s time to go.”

Lando looked at you suspiciously as you pushed him towards the door. “You know, you may not even be pregnant, those tests aren’t always right.”

“There were eleven of them.”

“But still-”

“Lando, get out.” You sighed dramatically and groaned as you pointed towards the door, a smile on your face to show him it was still a friendly kicking out. 

You’d spent the whole night with him, and you’d made the doctor’s appointment for two weeks from now. You were ready for some alone time. That, and you did actually have a team call to get on Zoom for. 

“I’m serious!” You laughed, “I have a work call and I can’t be seen with the enemy.”

“Oh, now I really wanna stay.” Lando snickered.

“Out!” 

Lando strode out your door finally, grin threatening to crack his face from how hilarious he thought he was. You watched him until you couldn’t see him anymore before shutting your door. Taking a deep breath, you grabbed your laptop and went to the kitchen to log online. 

Your eyes had a different plan for you though, and you found it hard to type in your credentials when your eyesight was so blurry from unshed tears. 

No, no, no. You thought, not now.

It seemed that all the tears you held back last night and all the emotional burn out from this morning had caught up to you and your body was in desperate need of release. Your meeting be damned. 

You tried to calm yourself, you really did. But the more you wiped at your eyes, the more tears leaked out of them. Anger rising, you angrily rubbed at your face. You could feel your stupid lower lip shaking, could practically feel the splotches painting your skin in your hysterical state. 

How had it gotten this bad?

You sighed as the ding from your laptop told you people were arriving to the meeting. Shutting off your camera so no one could see the disaster you were, you joined. 

-

Lando had dreaded being in this meeting when he’d received the notification for it days before. It was a brand meeting, the kind of meeting that was all about McLaren and nothing to do with their F1 drivers, even though their attendance was mandatory.

The worst part was that they were in the dome, the presentation arena that they unveiled their car in before. The circular room had a wicked echo to it, the surround sound system that was installed made it all the more dramatic. It felt like a circus tent if Lando was being honest, with the center stage have a bright, hot light shining down on it. 

But that really wasn’t the worst part. The dome was kinda cool, the real worst part of the dome was the seating. The seating was not single chairs all the way around, no, whatever genius had created their room had decided to make desks, and those desks were in pairs. 

And of course, they had to seat their F1 drivers together. 

So Lando was stuck next to Daniel for almost two hours, his neck getting stiff from keeping it so still while fighting the natural urge to turn and look at Daniel. He could feel Daniel glancing at him, and he kept remembering the way Daniel had frowned at him when Lando had showed up last minute, nodded to him and greeting before sitting and promptly ignoring the Aussie’s presence. 

She would kill me if he found out.

It might have been a lot, but Lando knew himself, and he knew one good look from his teammate and he’d snap. He couldn’t be the one to complicate things further, and this was technically your burden. A burden that he had no idea when you would take care of.

He was kind of sick of being the only one to know about your ‘secret’, especially when there were two other people who should’ve been carrying this stress with him.

Lando sighed and rubbed his eyes as the lights clicked back on in the room and people dispersed. He felt a few claps on the shoulder and Daniel greeting some people, but Lando kept his head down. What a time to get an eyelash in his eye. 

When he finally felt like he could see, he opened his eyes and blinked, turning in his swivel chair away from where Daniel was sitting, just to come face to face with the Aussie. Lando glanced around the brightly lit room, and gulped as he realized it was just him and his teammate. 

Daniel stood in his way, obviously taking advantage of Lando’s blindness for a moment to block his getaway. He raised in an eyebrow at Lando, and in typical Lando fashion, he leaned back in his chair and mimicked the facial expression back to Daniel. 

Daniel’s face pinched in annoyance, and he decided not to keep his mouth shut this time, "When are you just going to say it, mate?” 

“Say what?” Lando glanced at Daniel over his shoulder.

“I know you know about the one night stand.”

Oh, fuck. Please, please let my phone right, someone come to the door, someone save me, please, please, please. Lando looked up to the ceiling as he mentally begged someone to spare him from a conversation that could pull the truth from him. 

“And I know,” Daniel took a step towards him and kept his voice stern, but not hostile, “about you and her.” 

Kill me.

“And I don’t know what’s still going on with you two, I have a good idea-”

Wait, what.

“but I don’t know for sure. And that’s fine because it’s your life and hers and it’s none of my business. I just want you and me to be good, I don’t want you to think I’m another Lance.”

She told him everything, oh my fucking God.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to hate me, or compete with me cause what happened, happened, and I can’t take it back-”

Lando couldn’t help but break out in nervous laughter at the thought of Daniel ‘taking back’ his oblivious running in who had knocked you up. Lando kept laughing, harder and harder, even as he mentally begged himself to stop. He felt stupid, and hot, and as he felt wetness on his cheeks, he felt humiliated too.

“Lando, what’s going on?” Daniel asked softly, his hand squeezed Lando’s shoulder as Lando tried to get a hold of himself.

He sniffled and shook his head, “I can’t tell you. It’s just, a lot. Fuck, I don’t even know what I’m doing.” 

“Are you,” Daniel stuttered for the first time since Lando met him, “are you in love with her?” Daniel asked in a small voice.

Lando’d giggles abruptly turned into hysterical laughter. Daniel had no idea what was going on and, bless him, he thought that Lando was having a crisis over his feelings for you? He wasn’t sure when his life had turned into a rather funny sitcom, but he knew that if this went on for much longer, it was going to drive him mad. 

“No,” Lando struggled to speak through his cackling, “no, oh no.” He whined as he choked on air. “Fuck, no.” 

“It’s okay, mate. It’s okay if you do, obviously it’s eating up at you.”

“Daniel!” he finally yelled, giggling before taking a breath, “I am absolutely not in love with her.”

“You’re just having sex?”

“What?” Lando asked, dumbfounded at the present tense of Daniel’s words, “You think we’re sleeping together?”

“Aren’t you?”

“No!” He screeched, “I haven’t slept with her since weeks before you did.” 

Fuck. He groaned out loud and pressed his palms to his head before he let his head lull forward. A lower groan left his lips as he poked his temples with his fingers. This was not the time, not the place, just all around not the conversation Lando wanted to have ever. 

“So, you know?”

“Of course I know!” Lando snapped. 

Daniel didn’t know what to say to Lando’s outburst.

“I just-” Lando looked at Daniel’s shocked face and knew nothing he was saying made any sense to the Aussie cause Daniel truly did not know anything, “I’m sorry, Dan,” Lando groaned and squatted down before pushing himself back to standing, “I didn’t mean to yell, I just, it’s been a lot these past few weeks.”

“What’s been going on? What don’t I know?”

Lando took looked Daniel in the eye and settled for sparing himself the lies, “Ask her.” 

Daniel looked at Lando shocked, unsure how to take his words. His mind raced to think up all the possible things that he could ask about and what asking would reveal.

“Ask her what?” He yelled to Lando’s retreating form.

“if you want to know what’s up with her ask her.”

“Lando-” Daniel had only managed to utter his name before Lando cut him off.

You had found out that an appointment when you were pregnant wasn’t just a check up, it was called a prenatal appointment. And as if you weren’t wholly aware of why you were at that office, the ‘PRENATAL QUESTIONNAIRE’ banner across the top of the stack of trees they killed to record you your life story did. 

You filled in line after line, signed on dotted line after dotted line, circled symptom after symptom, logged your past few periods, by the time you reached the end your hand was cramping and the sudden stop of questions was so abrupt you thought it was a mirage. And then you faced the ‘PARTNER FAMILY HISTORY’ page without crying and wrote a huge ‘N/A’ across the blank table on the page. 

But facing the doctor had been a whole other ordeal. 

The questioning, the blood work, the check up stuff, some of it was routine and other things were odd. There was just so much this woman wanted to know and half the time you felt like you were answering wrong, even though you knew you weren’t. 

You had thought it’d been nerve-wrecking enough, but then she’d said words that filled you with anxiety. 

“Okay, so I’m going to go check the results of the urine and blood analysis, and then regardless if those come back positive or negative, we’ll do an ultrasound and take a look at what’s going on.” 

“Wait,” you reached for her from your perch on the exam table as she tried to step out of the room, “ultrasound? Isn’t it too early for that, isn’t there like- how can you already-”

“Oh, no, not at all. You marked that it had been roughly 6-8 weeks since your missed period, and even longer since the last period that came, so we should be able to see something if you are pregnant.” The doctor reaches out to place a comforting hand on your arm, “And if you aren’t pregnant, we might be able to see if there’s any abnormalities that may be masquerading as a pregnancy.” 

You stared blankly at the woman who was doing a stellar job at completely ignoring your less than enthusiastic, solo self. 

“Don’t worry, at least not yet. Regardless of what the ultrasound shows, I’ll be right here with you the whole time.”

She was plenty giddy for you, and smiled big before she nodded and just waltzed out the room like she hadn’t just started your own personal doomsday clock. 

The ultrasound machine mocked you in the corner of the room. You’d been to a gynecologist enough in the past to have spied the machines in the corner of the rooms. But before they had been curious things, now you just wanted to roll it out a window. Your own thought made you flinch, and you forced yourself to reassess where you were at: 

You might be pregnant, with your first child. 

Stripping your circumstances down to the bare bones, being in the doctor’s office in that moment, it didn’t feel all horrible. It wasn’t like you had ruled out being a mother, it just wasn’t something you had put high on your priorities list. 

When you’d gotten hired into Formula 1 you all but dismissed the idea of being a mother as just a dream to give up for a bigger dream. The lifestyle was hectic, rushed and time was spent between countries, continents- it wasn’t a stable lifestyle to raise a child in. You truthfully didn’t know how the wives of the drivers did it, they were basically single moms. And to be the one carrying the child and doing all the traveling and all the word that came with being a part of the traveling circus? It was insane. You couldn’t have one dream without giving up the other. 

And yet here you were, wanting it all, apparently. 

Do I want this baby? Do I want to be a mother? Can I be a mother?

The questions didn’t feel pressured on you, they were honest, real questions that you should’ve asked yourself weeks ago when you first realized you’d missed your period. But you, being a coward, you’d just let time drag between the week you’d been due for your monthly hell and now. It was reckless, really, and the seriousness of the situation was emphasized by your inaction. You were a woman of action, of responsibility, and yet here you were pushing yourself into an identity crisis while also having a huge life crisis. 

But it felt wrong to consider your child as some horrible, wrench in your plans and career.   

For the second time in recent weeks, you found your hands cupping your lower stomach, but for the first time as you held it, you looked down at it. Your lower stomach was still suspiciously normal, but you knew that didn’t mean anything until the doctor came back. 

“Are you in there?” You mumbled, feeling silly, but also allowing a smile to pull at your lips. 

In that moment, you felt a sense of knowing, a sense of security and confidence come back to you. You were actively collecting yourself as the time towards knowing ticked by. It was time to stop feeling so sorry for yourself. 

If I am pregnant, I want this baby. I can be a mother, regardless of anything else.  

I can do this.

Your shoulders rolled back and you clasped your hands in your lap, ignoring the crinkling of the paper blanket you had over your legs. The scratchy cotton that covered your bare body in a weird tie-less robe style was not comforting either. The soft cotton of your warm, comfy leggings and the long, baby blue t-shirt top you had worn to the appointment mocked you from the stool they were folded and stacked on across the room. But that didn’t matter right now. 

The time for crying, for feeling sorry for yourself was over. If you were pregnant, you had another being to provide for, to prepare yourself for. If you weren’t pregnant, you had to figure out how to move on from this experience, and take the time to figure out what you’d learned from it, what to take away from it. Cause you’d be damned if you went through all the emotional turmoil just to run around all over again and go through it a second time. 

You’d use condoms for the rest of your life. You might even make the next dick you took wear two if you found out you weren’t pregnant. And you weren’t even sure if you’d ever want sex again after all of this. 

A knock at the door made you almost fall off the exam table. 

This is it.

“Alright, so, I have your results here...”

-

Just call her, you idiot. 

Daniel laid on his couch, staring at your name on his phone. He wouldn’t say he was avoiding the call, he was just putting it off until he felt more confident in his ability to talk. 

Lando, damn that kid, had been as vague as possible, making one half of his brain think he was in trouble. But you were fine with him when he ran into you on the track, and at McLaren. If you had a bone to pick with him, you would’ve been different. There were so many instances where he’d seen you since he slept with you that made him think that it could be something else. 

Maybe something with Merc, they are a busy bunch... 

He felt better about you being busy or stressed with work than with you being upset with him about something. You seemed like the type who would talk things out if you were upset though, at least he thought (hoped) so. Maybe you were the type to rather bottle things up, compartmentalize. Daniel realized with shocking certainty that he’d never seen you mad before. He’d obviously seen you upset, which led him to flashbacks of your shared night that he had quickly pushed out of mind. 

Now wasn’t the time to relive his memory of sex with you. 

He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he felt like a schoolboy who knew he’d done bad- even though he couldn’t name what he’d done. 

-

“Do you need to get that?” 

You blinked at the doctor before you heard it. The vibrations coming from your bag. Someone was calling you, but there was no way you were going to answer right now. 

“No, no.” You nodded at her, giving her a small, tight smile. 

“So, just as a precaution, I want to an ultrasound just so we can take a look inside of you. Would you be comfortable with that?”

You nodded, your stomach twisted as the ultrasound machine was rolled over and you settled back on to the table. It was hard not to flinch at the snapping sounds the stirrups made as they were fixed into place. The plastic footholds were cold, even with your socks on, and you took deep breaths as you tried to keep yourself calm.

Looking down, you could see the doctor squirting some clear liquid on the long, plastic covered wand. You squeezed your eyes shut, already deciding that the ceiling would most definitely be the best focus for your eyes during this ordeal.

“Okay, worst part, I promise.” The doctor warned before the obvious happened.

You breathed out and forced yourself to relax as the wand was pushed inside of you. You wondered how many women knew this would happen when they went to the doctor for a suspected pregnancy.

-

Daniel sighed as the line rang and rang. He had really been hoping to catch you, and not end up with his mind’s continued warring, but it was no use. One side of his brain said you were purposely ignoring him, the other said that you were probably just busy. 

He sighed as he leaned back into his couch cushions, pushing himself against the rustic colored leather. He stared at his ceiling while the line kept ringing and ringing. 

Doesn’t she have a voicemail box? 

-

“Alright,” your doctor sounds way too happy as she pulls the wand from your insides, “everything looks great, which is always a great end to every appointment.” 

You nodded and sighed in relief, sitting up gingerly and trying to adjust to the weird after feeling of the strangest exam you’d had in your life. 

“I know it might feel a little strange, but by the time you get to your car, you’ll be fine.” The doctor waves at you, dismissively, “A lot of women don’t expect these sort of exams to be so invasive, everyone thinks they get the wand on the belly to check for pregnancy-”

“Yeah.” You agreed, breathing out a laugh in agreement. 

You could tell what the doctor was doing. She was trying to settle your nerves. You nodded through everything she said, tests you’d have to take, different things you’d have to be on top of, and appointments that may be needed later. 

You just nodded, and nodded, and nodded. You might have nodded all the way to your car, you wouldn’t really know. Your whole body felt like it was moving through a fog while simultaneously being the fog. 

When you settled into your car, you groaned, letting yourself melt into your seat before cursing under your breath as you heard the familiar vibrations ringing in your bag in the passenger seat. Annoyed, yet too tired to sit through the constant sounds of vibrations, you grabbed the phone and reached to blindly answer. 

You weren’t sure why, but you chanced a look down and gasped as you stopped your finger just shy of answering a call of Daniel.

Yeah, I’m not dealing with all that just yet.  

-

Lando stared at the video, watching how his hips snapped into the ass of your friend. He wished he’d turned up the volume to listen to her moan, but he hadn’t been turned on enough to find her sounds attractive when he first started and now he was too far gone to break the rhythm. 

“Ohh,” Lando moaned.

He watched his past self spread her cheeks, putting on display the way the tight, pink rim of her pussy sucked on the length of his cock. Creamy white smeared across the swollen flesh of his dick, proof of the multiple rounds of sex he’d been able to record before this moment. 

“Are you a dirty little girl?” He taunted her. 

Even with his volume lowered he heard the high pitched “Yes!” and sped up his wrist movement as he jerked himself off. 

“Do you want Daddy’s cum?”

“Yes!”

“Where, where do you want me to cum?”

“Inside me, please!”

“In that mouth?” 

“In my pussy.” She hiccuped as current Lando hissed, squeezing the base of his cock as he heard her recorded broken cry. 

“Look back at Daddy.” 

The girl he was fucking flipped her hair and looked over her shoulder, and Lando whimpered on his couch. She looked so pretty, tears streaming down her face, lips swollen, cheeks flushed. Lando wished he had a video of him cumming on her face. 

His hand pulled on his cock over and over, the heated thick flesh in his hand practically pulsing as his balls drew up. The edge was just there, and he pulled on his ball sack a few times to relieve some of the pressure that just wouldn’t snap. His cock was leaking all over himself, the clear pre-cum practically begging to slick up a pussy as he jerked himself off. 

“Beg, like a good slut.” 

And she did, almost hysterically. Lando groaned as he listened to her whine and plead for his cum in her cunt. His hand dragged up his length until he held the fat tip of his cock in his hand, and he began rolling his wrist while holding on to the sensitive tip. He could feel the base of his cock jerking, the muscles in his pelvis seizing as he pleasured himself.

He hadn’t realized his eyes slipped shut until the phone vibrated in his hand. Quickly looking down, he caught the notification text banner across the top of his screen, above the sex tape he was watching.

I’m pregnant. 100%. 6 1/2 weeks about. 

Lando felt his breath catch before his cock jerked and he came in buckets all over himself. 

“Fuckkkkkkkkkk.” He groaned as he trembled. 

-

After your pity party in the parking lot, which you were pretty sure only two people had randomly caught a glimpse of in the parking lot, you managed to drive yourself home. And because the universe wasn’t done being cruel to you, it poured rain the whole drive. It was as if every tear you didn’t have left in you leaked from the sky and made the roads treacherous, just daring you to make another mistake, to fuck up your life in some other catastrophic way.

You couldn’t really remember the drive home aside from the rain. 

The pity party didn’t continue at home, and as you settled into your couch, you gathered your thoughts. Organizing your thoughts instead of your emotions had always been a strength in the workplace, and you needed it now to be strong for your current situation. 

You had to start tell the boys. 

Lando had been easy enough, he’d already known this was coming. But Daniel? You leaned forward on to your knees and rubbed your temples. Lance- you weren’t even going to think about him yet. 

Prioritize. 

Organize. 

You reached for your phone, letting the ‘go’ part of your brain take over and move you into action. You teared through your contacts, typing out an inconspicuous yet direct ‘hello’ to Lance before you quickly swiped away the screen. Being on that screen when Lance read it or potentially answered it was not on your list of priorities. You needed to be calm, and you needed to have time to plan how you were going to handle Lance. 

You also had to call Daniel before the whole thing went to shit. Luckily, Daniel and you were on speaking terms, so you considered the Aussie to be slightly less difficult than Lance, but more difficult than Lando. It was a comfortable midway point for the Aussie to be.  

Now is as good a time as ever.

When Daniel answered, a chipper greeting he gave you rang through your ears as he called you by name. Simply put, you blanked. Panic seeped into your brain and you choked on your breath. Embarrassment grew inside of you like your new little body buddy as you coughed a few times before you were able to catch your breath.

“Yeah, uh, sorry about that.” You forced yourself to chuckle, “Hi Daniel, I saw I missed your call.”

Liar.

“Yeah, I wanted to talk.”

“About what?”

You didn’t mean to sound so aloof, but you were hoping Daniel knew you well enough, and cared well enough, to notice your stress. You hoped that he’d noticed it, that he’d want to know what it was about. That he would be able to drag the info you were having trouble sharing with him out of you. The feeling was that of dread and anticipation as he finally spoke up. 

“What’s been going on with you?” Daniel’s voice is hesitant, and the guilt wells up inside you. 

“I’ve just been really busy, working for Merc is really strenuous and I just- I haven’t quite been myself.” Two truths in front of a bigger truth was better than two truths to cover a lie. 

“You’ve been working a lot, that and kinda acting weird, I was kinda worried about you.”

You smiled down at your feet, “Ah, there’s no need for that. I’ll be alright. Just have to keep figuring stuff out.”

“It’s not anything serious?”

“Uh, no.” Liar, “Nothing that won’t clear up, I’ll get a hang of my nerves and I’ll be alright.”

“Well, I know you’ll get it.” Daniel reassured, “Do you wanna come over tonight?”

“What?” 

“Not like that!” Daniel blurted out, nervously giggling, “Not like, that night, no, like, for dinner, as friends.” He corrected quickly. 

“Yeah,” you sobered as you glanced at the packet of paperwork on your kitchen counter, “I think that’s a good idea.” 

“Alright,” you could hear the smile in Daniel’s voice, “I’ll see you, in like, 45 minutes?” 

“Yeah, yeah, that sounds good.” You agreed.

You both said your goodbyes and you hung up. It was surreal, how everything was moving, how fast things went. Now or never, you thought, it’s time Lance and Daniel find out.

Lance still made you cringe, and if Daniel was offering himself as your second tell, you’d spare Lance tonight. And bother Lando about a strategy for talking to the Canadian tomorrow. At this point, if Daniel’s not in too bad a shape tonight, you might just ask him how you should tell Lance. 

This may as well be a group effort. 

You checked your notifications and found them empty. Lance hadn’t answered you, which you weren’t surprised at. Sitting on the couch and staring at the notifications on your phone wouldn’t make time go any faster, and you didn’t need to marinate in your anxiety. 

Busied with sprucing yourself up and washing the scent of lubricant and cool jelly that left a film on your mid section, the time you had left to leave for Daniel’s got closer and closer. You were able to ice your eyes too, and got rid of every remnant of this afternoon. With your fixed mindset, it felt more like a deadline than an execution time, and you tried to keep that thought process as you drove off to his place. 

-

You thought you’d done a pretty stellar job of acting normal for Daniel. Greetings had gone fine, you’d let him hug you, hadn’t even flinched when his hands touched your sides, caught yourself crossing your hands in front of your midsection in a subtle way and dropped them in an even more subtle way. Things were going just peachy.

Until one question made the first crack in your confidence.  

“Wine?” Daniel called to the sitting area you were in.

You felt heat flood your body at the innocent question, “Um, no, thank you!”

“You sure?” You jumped as Daniel stuck his head around the corner to look at you, “I got some bottles of my own that are yet to be released...” He smiled big and wiggled his eyebrows at you. 

You smiled softly and giggled at his antics, “Yeah, wine just- it knocks me out and I still have to drive, so-”

“Oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Daniel quickly agreed and disappeared into the kitchen again. 

You took an inward sigh of relief as he bought your excuse. It was a relatable and very valid excuse, and you tried to calm your racing heart with that before Daniel came back and saw you panicking on his couch. 

When he came back out, he had a wine glass in one hand, a glass of water in the other and the wine bottle tucked under his arm. He motioned for you to follow him into the next room where he set the table. The room was a bit narrower, which your anxious mind just accentuated and made you feel as though the walls were literally closing in on you. But turning your professional brain back on, you leaned your head on to the arm you had bent on the table and smiled as Dan leaned against the wall across from you.  

He fidgeted like he had something to say. 

“I ran into Lando early in the week, and he told me I should ask you what’s been going on.” You tilted your head at Dan, and focused on how wide your eyes were looking at him, “He’s been acting weird, like avoiding me, kinda? Thought he was mad at me.”

What the fuck, Lando. 

“Oh,” you started, trying to think fast on your feet, “I don’t know, you know Lando can be moody. He could have a bad day and blame it on everyone around him.” 

Daniel nodded, unbeknownst to you he was just as rattled by your presence in one of his homes was struggling to thoughtfully think about how else to broach the topic.

“So, there’s no, like, he didn’t tell you anything?” He asked gently.

“Nope.” 

“I just thought maybe he was mad at me for, you know, us-”

“No.” You answered quickly, already knowing where he was going. 

“I didn’t want to mess things up with you two. I know...” Daniel made a vague hand flourishing movement that made you giggle.

“Lando and I are still friends, just not friends like that. That’s probably why he’s so stressed.”

Daniel nodded before he stepped back into the kitchen. You could hear plates clanging, so you took the opportunity to pull your phone out of your sweater pocket.

You told him i told you everything?

Lando Norris: u told him everything about me and lance

You stared at your screen in disbelief, and wondered how far that conversation went, when that conversation had even happened.

The relationship between Lando and Daniel had been purely professional, or so you had thought. You didn’t think they’d be able to get on familiar grounds with Daniel being the exact opposite of Lando, but maybe the Brit did see the older Aussie as a bit of a teacher, or a mentor, or just an older confidant. 

That possibility had a shiver run down your spine. You did not need the two of them being close. 

Lando Norris: i dont evn get y u did all that

Lando Norris: r u with dan now?

Lando Norris: oh are u telling him?

Lando Norris: this will be good

Lando Norris: do me a favor and dont fuck him again

Lando Norris: and call an ambulance if the old man drops from the news

You growled at Lando’s crassness at the same moment Daniel placed your plate in front of you. Locking your phone, you threw it on to the ledge behind you. You’d answer Lando later. 

“Everything good?” Daniel asked as he settled across from you.

“Yeah, yeah,” you nodded, “just work shit.” 

Liar. 

But Daniel bought it, and before long he was filling the silence between the two of you with his most recent trips, the funny things that happened on some of the flights he’d had to take for different races. 

In the rush and fear of all that had been going on, you’d forgotten how much you could enjoy Daniel’s presence. You’d been so wrapped up in, well, yourself, that you’d digressed into exactly what you’d been trying to not do anymore: neglect your friends. Cause at the end of the day: that was what you and Daniel were, friends. 

Friends don’t lie, or sleep with each other. 

You pushed that thought away as you forced yourself to focus on the silly story Daniel was telling you. 

“I swear, I would’ve never thought of Jensen as the domestic type, even after retiring, but his kids are cute.” Daniel sighed, taking a sip of wine.

This is your moment, speak!

“Have you ever thought about all that that domestic life entails?” You tried to ask casually, “like marriage, kids, babies are a big part of that, aren’t they?”

Daniel shook his head before you could even finish your question, “I could never have a family while I’m driving. That’s just like not possible.”

You pushed around the chopped up veggies on your plate, listening to Daniel talk so surely about his idea of his future had your stomach curling up inside you.

“I just don’t think it’s fair to have a wife or a baby with this lifestyle. Cause that’s really what it is, it’s not just a job, I don’t get to come home every night, I spend more time in hotel rooms than the homes I own. I don’t want to be a dad until I can actually be a dad, you know?”

“I get it.” You shook your head, stabbed your food and took a bite to give you a moment to steel your expression. “You’re a good man, Daniel Ricciardo.”

“Yeah, don’t go around telling everyone.”

And just cause he’s charming Daniel, he winked at you, and you feel the conflicting sensation of both your crippling anxiety and overwhelming need to blush. You couldn’t do this to Daniel. You couldn’t upend his life. Not when he was so painfully normal, and caring, and trying to do things the traditional, cookie cutter way.

You were not a cookie cutter girl. 

He was trying to find someone, date them, fall in love, get married, have babies. He wanted the whole white picket fence package. Getting some random, spur of the moment one night stand pregnant? That was not love, that was not the start of the family Daniel had obviously envisioned for himself.

You couldn’t do this to him. Not tonight, maybe not ever.

-

Daniel walked you to his door, keeping the conversation going as he had all through dinner. You had enjoyed yourself, but you were desperate to get out.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Daniel asked, his hand landed heavily on your shoulder.

“Yeah.” You nodded, pulling open his door. “I’ll see you. Thank you again.”

The walk out of Dan’s home and to your car feels like walking on glass. And every shard seems to stab at your insides. You’re dangled on the verge of tears even though you’ve managed to smile. And Daniel, sweet, sweet Daniel stayed in the doorway and watched, oblivious to your train wreck insides. Of course he did, the good boy had to make sure you got into your car and backed out into the street safely.

Which left you no choice but to get yourself strapped in and get moving, fake smile with little waves and all. All the while your brain has a full blown meltdown, and you can’t help but wonder if your hormones will get better or worse as this pregnancy goes on.

The pregnancy you didn’t tell Daniel about.

Fuck. You press the talk button on your steering wheel.

“Call Lando Norris.”

The phone only rang twice before it was answered.

“How did it go?” Lando’s voice came through the speakers of your car, curling around you in the air. 

“Okay.” You answered honestly. 

There was a slight pause before Lando spoke again, “Did you tell him?”

“No.” 

“What do you mean, no?” Lando asked, already annoyed, “that was the whole point of you going there.”

You took a deep breath and looked in your rear view window. When you couldn’t see Daniels house anymore, you pulled over to the side of the road and turned your hazard lights on. The waves of shame, disappointment, anger, sadness, it all washed over you as you spoke out loud about how you failed to do the one thing you’d gone to Dan to do. 

“You think I don’t know that!” You finally snapped, “He doesn’t want this, Lando! He doesn’t want me.” You bursted into tears, and cursed yourself for how usual this had become, “He said he doesn’t want a family, he doesn’t want a fucking baby until he’s fucking retired.” Your voice cracks.

“But you just said-“

“I didn’t tell him I was pregnant, I just asked him about kids, about whether or not he wanted them.”

“Darling,” Lando’s voice softens and your heart clenches at his gentleness, “you need to talk to him.”

“Maybe not.” You wipe your eyes and pull down the mirror so you can see your splotchy reflection, “If you and Lance take the test, then we’ll know it’s Daniels if it’s not one of you two.” You took a deep breath and nodded as you snapped the sun visor against the roof of your car, “There’s only three possible matches, and if two of you are going to do this; then we don’t need the third.”

“This is so stupid.” Lando growled before he groaned, “but you’re right. Fuck, we’re gonna have to get Lance to agree.”

“He’ll agree. I’ll go to his place tomorrow.”

“By yourself?” Lando scoffed, “not a chance, I’ll go with you. Besides, I’m betting you’re still the last person he wants to see. He’ll probably answer the door for me though.”

You didn’t have the strength to argue with Lando, and while that was your first thought, your second thought was how helpful Lando was being. 

From the moment you’d told him, after he’d woken up from passing out, he’d been all hands on deck. He’d been there for you, as a friend, as a confidant, and you were overwhelmed by the sudden rush of gratefulness you felt for the Brit. You’d fucked a lot of things up, but Lando was still here helping you.

“Lando?” You took a moment, “Thank you. A lot. I couldn’t be getting through this the way I am without you.”

-

Lando leaned back in his gamer chair, beyond relieved that he had been late starting his stream. You’d called him as soon as he sat, and he was happy that he hadn’t turned everything on while he was on the call. He wasn’t sure why, but this uneasiness settled in him and his stomach twisted as he thought through the phone conversation again. 

Why was Daniel so special? 

It was a question that burned him, that caused him an array of emotions that he could barely put his finger on most of the time. You weren’t his, he didn’t have a claim on you. Even if the baby ended up being his, he might still not have a claim to you. He tried hard to clear his head but just couldn’t. You were so concerned about not ruining Daniel’s life, but had ran to him at the first inclination you had. 

It’s not fair.

Now, he would have to submit himself to tests, pray those tests didn’t fall into public knowledge, and wait like he was about to win the world’s shittiest lottery. It felt like gross poetry to him, the idea that he guessed this was the final hurtle, the final challenge in who gets you. It felt sick. 

It made him sick. 

Lando sighed and grabbed his phone, typing out a quick excuse on twitter (technical difficulties, with blame put on his wifi) before he pushed himself away from his gamer chair and walked downstairs to the kitchen. 

Pulling open his fridge, he pulled out a beer, a real beer, and hopped up on to a chair, swiveling himself around so he could lean on his elbows on the table. Tilting his head back, Lando allowed himself a chug, downing half the beer in moments before he squeezed his eyes shut, the alcohol made his eyes water. He was a lightweight, he knew it, hell, everyone who ever drank with him knew it. But tonight was a special occasion, and after practically caring for his pregnant friend (is that what she is now?), Lando thought he deserved something of a stress relief. 

When he adjusted himself in his seat, he couldn’t help but giggle as he felt the slow motion of his body. Every lightweight tease he’d ever gotten came to mind and he shook his head in agreement to the memories. 

Leaned on the counter, Lando let his heavy head hang over his phone as he scrolled. Seeing a bandana with a print he liked, he hummed and clicked on the linking, his screen jumping from instagram to whatever site the bandana was from. Looking through the bandanas, he found some other accessories pop up, some mittens, some beanies, some socks- all of them gamer related. 

He really liked the COD beanies. 

It wasn’t until he clicked on one of the bandanas towards the bottom that he realized why they looked kind of strange. 

He wasn’t on a normal site, he was on a baby site. A clothing site for babies. 

Still loosened up by the alcohol in his system, Lando gave into his own curiosity and the cuteness on the site and scrolled. He wasn’t sure how many minutes passed, but his face kind of hurt from how long it had been resting on the hard part of his hand, and somehow there was a red icon that read ‘10′ above the cart button. The shock of reading the number of things that he had almost committed to actually buying had him shook.

What the fuck.

He clicked the red number and felt his eyes widen as he realized how deep he fell into this fucked up rabbit hole.

What the fuck.

The total was $384.59, and the shipping said TBD underneath it.

What the fuck.

The realization that there was a little voice in his head enticing him, telling him that that total really was nothing, and honestly, what did he know about baby prices? The website said it was a steal. 

What the fuck.

Lando sighed and dropped his head on to the counter, his forehead pulsing as it thudded against the hard counter top. He couldn’t believe where his mind was at, where he was letting it get to. He lifted his head as another ping was heard and he saw that the website was offering him the code ‘DADDY15′ to get 15% off the items in his cart. 

He was speechless.

What the fuck is wrong with me I am not supposed to be this kind of Daddy. 

Lando felt his dumbfounded spell lift when a text notification swung down from the top of his screen.

Lance Stroll: hey man you busy?

“Lando!” You scream, the image of his crumpling to the ground one of the most horrifying things you’d seen in recent months. 

Lando is in a heap on the floor, and you feel overwhelmed as you hook your arms under his to pull him so he’s sat up against the counter cabinets. You ignore how cold the tiled floor feels under your knees as you kneel beside him and gently rub his cheeks. 

He’s breathing, that’s good. Holy shit.

You try to take a deep breath, but a few tears still escape your eyes. Your heart hurt, and the fear that you had kept inside you welled up as soon as you spoke to Lando. The way he tore into you echoed in your head, not in a tormenting way, but in a grounding way. He said terrible things, was sarcastic to you, but what else could you have expected?

Definitely didn’t expect him to hit the floor, you thought.

“Lando? Lando, can you hear me?” You rubbed his cheeks as his head lulled and you could see his eyes moving behind the lids, “Lando, Lando,” you repeated over and over.

Lando’s eyes fluttered open before slipping shut, and he began murmuring under his breath, too low for you to comprehend. He finally groaned and lifted a hand, pushing yours out of the way so he could rub his eyes.

“Ahhhhhhhh,” He groaned loudly, “what the fuck.” 

You looked at him and could feel your lower lip quivering. You tried to tell yourself that now wasn’t the time to cry, but that had been your tactic for a while now and now that you started you didn’t know when you’d be able to stop again.

Lando’s eyes finally focused on you, and he looked confused for a second, before he broke out into giggles.

“Lando?”

“Oh my god.” He hiccuped, his laughter beginning to get louder and louder, “Oh my god.”

You couldn’t help but laugh with him, his stupid hysterical laughter was too good to not be contagious. The whole situation was ridiculous as it was. Why not laugh at yourself. You allowed yourself some giggles before you finally heard the hitch in his breathing.

Oh no, no, no.

Lando was crying. 

“Lando, I’m-”

“If you,” Lando’s breathing stuttered and he nervously giggled before continuing, all the while tears poured down his reddened cheeks, “if you try to say sorry again, I’m going to throw myself in the street.”

“I never meant for this to happen.” 

Lando laugh-cried harder, and you were starting to feel lightheaded from the rush of adrenaline and emotions. 

“Which part? Fucking Lance, me, or Daniel? Telling me you fucked Daniel?” Lando paused for a second, his smile faltering as he sniffled, “Or getting preg-”

Lando couldn’t even finish the words, and his lips puckered as his face scrunched. His whole body felt tight and tired, every inch of his body wound so hard, his emotions fried as he cried it all out. 

“Why would you do this to me?” He finally sobbed. “How could this happen? How the fuck is this even going to work?” 

He pressed his palms to his eyes. Lando knew what he looked like when he cried, he knew he was a mess. From his splotchy skin to his red eyes, he was crying so hard he was beginning to sweat. It was the worst kind of meltdown to have in front of another human being, and he absolutely hated that it was happening, and more so that it was happening in front of you.

“Why the fuck do you keep making this mess?” He whined, still unable to look at you, “Why do you keep dragging me into this bullshit? At least before we could pretend it was someone else’s problem. This is real life shit- this can change my life! You could ruin everything for me, everything.” Lando sobbed. 

His giggles started up again, “And you don’t even know who it could be?” 

Lando leaned his head back, letting out a squeak when his head dropped back too hard and hit the cabinets behind him with a thud. He held his head between his knees, rubbing the back of his head as he began deeply breathing like his calm app taught him to. When his breathing was as close to normal as his shot nerves allowed, he heard it. 

It was like a staccato rhythm, the sound of broken rushes of air that took him a second to realize was no longer coming from him but across from him. He lifted his head and felt his heart twist in his chest.

You were on the floor, leaning against the wall across from him, completely shattered. You sobbed silently, your whole body shaking from your head to your feet. Your face was shiny with tears, and your hands were fisted in your hair. Your eyes were clenched shut and your lips made a thin line from how hard you were pressing them together. From the corners of your cheeks he could tell you were clenching your jaw. 

In an instant, the gravity of the situation landed on Lando.

Along with the guilt.

Here he was, chewing you out, talking about how this scares him, about how this ruins everything for him, and pointing the finger, metaphorically and emotionally stabbing at you over and over. Meanwhile, you were here too, supposedly with a little being in you, who might be his, stressed and in distress. 

Yeah, this might change things for him, but it was nothing compared to what would change for you. Every aspect of your life would change, guaranteed. His life may not change cause this could fall on him, Lance or Daniel. You were the one who would shoulder all the responsibility, the one who would harbor all the change, the one who would face the undoubtably difficult ‘after’. 

Flashes of the last time he had you, the moments that he had you, the connection that now could be creating a new one, ran through his mind. He fleetingly felt lightheaded, remembering the way you looked at him that morning, the way you made him feel, the way he thought he could see you feel. The way you had asked, not begged, so sweet and soft. The way you rocked like ocean waves against each other, breathing in each other’s air, foreheads pressed together and noses brushing.

This was not just your ‘fault’. 

I’m an asshole. Lando rolled his eyes at himself.

“Hey,” He spoke softly, wiping his face before he crawled across the tile to you, “hey, come here.” 

Lando leaned forward with open arms. You pushed him away at first, broken sounds of refusal leaving your lips, but Lando still (gently) pulled you in until you gave in and collapsed against his chest. From there, the loud sobs you let out and the way you clutched on to him made him want to cry all over again. 

“I’m sorry.” He kissed the top of your head, “I’m being an asshole. I shouldn’t have said all of that to you.”

“No-”

“No, listen.” Lando interrupted you as you finally began to get a hold of your breathing, “Pointing fingers isn’t going to help anyone here, and last time I checked, I was the one fucking you, so really, it’s both our faults.” 

You sniffled, “I’m sorry.” a low sound like a whimper vibrated against his chest, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know how this happened.”

“Pretty sure you do.” Lando laughed dryly. 

He felt proud of himself as you punched his arm, leaning out of his arms to fuss with your hair and wipe your face. When you must’ve felt presentable again, you looked at him and leaned your elbows on your knees, shrugging at him.

“I’m scared.” You admitted to him.

“So am I.” 

“Fuck.” You cursed, pulling at your hair. 

Lando stayed silent beside you, his shoulder against yours. You could feel the calmness rolling off him in waves. There was his usual anxious energy, but there was also a softness, a comfort asking you to finally just let it all out.

“I haven’t taken any tests or anything. I know it won’t go away, like I can’t ignore something like this, but I’m also terrified of it being real.” Lando’s thumb rubbed over your shoulder, encouraging you to go on. “Things are so fucked with Lance, and you and I are casual, and Dan and I were on a one time thing.” You sighed, “I fucked up so much already,” your voice cracked, “this is just going to be the biggest fuck up if it is real.”

“Why would you call this a fuck up? Besides the obvious.” Lando asked carefully.

“Because, it’s like you said, I’m going to ruin my life and someone else’s.” 

Lando licked his lips, regret heavy on his mind as his words from before haunted you, “I was mad, and lashing out.” He clarified, “Look, something... like this... would change a lot, obviously, but we have to think that sometimes things happen so better things can come together.”

“Was that one of the inspiring quotes of the week that Jon is trying to make a thing?” 

Lando laughed, “No, that’s just my brilliant-ness.” 

You both leaned against each other, the silence stretching between you guys. The floor was cold, your nerves were shot, but you felt warm and safe tucked into Lando’s side. He might’ve lashed out at you, his words as venomous as they were striking, but Lando was an emotional person. 

He would’ve never acted that way or said all that if he didn’t care.   

“Did you tell him?” 

“I haven’t told either one of them. You’re the first.”

“Lucky me.” Lando snorted.

“I’m scared to tell Lance.” You whispered, your eyes beginning to water again, “He already hates me enough.”

“Fuck him.”

Now you were the one giggling, “Stop it.” You reply, before abruptly dropping your smile, “He has good reason.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

“And Daniel, fuck,” you whine, rubbing your face with your hand, “How am I going to tell Daniel?”

“It’ll be okay.” Lando whispered. 

You nodded, letting the silence stretch a bit more before you were the one to interrupt it. 

“What am I going to do?” You asked in a small voice. 

Lando scooted next to you and sat on his butt against the wall, throwing an arm over your shoulders, “We’ll figure this shit out together.”

“Lando,” you sighed, “it might not be yours. If I even am pregnant.”

“Wait, I thought you said you were?”

“I said my period was late, which, like, yeah, usually means that, but I’ve also been super stressed, and that could do it too.” You picked at the sleeve of your sweater, “I don’t know for sure yet.”

“So why would you tell anyone yet?” Lando asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You can’t go to people and tell them you ‘might’ be pregnant,” Lando rolled his eyes, “you’re going to give a bloke a heart attack.”

You elbowed Lando’s ribs, “So what? Find out I’m in deep shit then tell them?”

“Yes!” 

“Fuck. You’re right.” You sighed. “Oh god, you’re right.” 

Lando sticks his tongue out at you before rubbing your shoulder, “We’ll find out for sure, then we’ll figure this shit out together. 

“What if I am, you know...”

“We’ll figure this shit out together.” Lando repeated, giving you a small smile.

You gave him the same back, “Is that how you’re going to answer everything right now?”

“Until we know more, yeah.” Lando nodded at you, “Look, it is what it is, we can’t undo it, we can only figure out how to move forward, right?” When you nodded, he went on, “Regardless of whether it’s mine, or whoever’s, I’m not just going to scream ‘fuck you’ and make you feel like shit. We’re supposed to be friends, right?”

“I mean, yeah, some sort of friends.” You joked, making Lando snort.

“Yeah, well, I like to think of myself as a not shitty friend.”

You turned your head and looked at Lando, finally realizing that he was offering his support, that he wasn’t throwing you out, and while he’d thrown his tantrum at the beginning, he clearly was back to the right state of mind. You wouldn’t have been surprised or blamed him if he threw you out of his house, but instead Lando was once again shocking you. The boy had a bigger heart than he let on.

“You’re a good person.”

“I’m really not, it’s only cause we have good sex.”

“You are unbelievable.” You groaned, ignoring Lando’s laughter as you pushed yourself to your feet. 

-

By the time you left, Lando felt like he’d aged five years. 

You had stayed for another hour after you had told him the news. Unlike every other time you’d been around each other, you made banter here and there, but the conversation couldn’t be helped tonight. Your spirits were drained, and there was a palpable tension in the kitchen for the rest of your time there. 

You both weren’t mad or upset with one another, you were just anxious about everything going on. Lando had half a mind to drag you to the drug store that night, but you seemed to be even more anxious than he was. When he brought up taking a test, your face paled and Lando gave up his cause pretty quick.

He definitely was going to make you take one, but decided it definitely wasn’t going to be tonight. 

The fear that rolled off of you in waves gave Lando chills, and he could see it in your eyes. You told him that you hadn’t told anyone else, hadn’t taken a test, hadn’t done anything and Lando could tell from how fast you were speaking how much this whole thing was freaking him out.

By the end of that hour, Lando told you to leave as gently as possible. He thought he’d managed to pull off sounding like a gentleman instead of an asshole, cause you had smiled and hugged him snug to you when you said your goodbyes. 

Lando could only lie to you, not himself. He was scared. He was scared, and he knew you did not need him blubbering away across from you, so he sent you home. He was worried about you, but also knew he had to be there for you. 

After walking you out, he’d barely made it into the living room before he let it all out. He ended up hanging off the edge of his couch, sobbing into a pillow he squeezed to his face, crying his eyes out until he felt dry of liquid in his body. 

The idea that you might be pregnant, with his child, made him feel like he was floating. He wasn’t sure whether he was on the verge of passing out again, or if his nerves were so shot from all the crying that he was just numb to it all. He knew it was also partly shock. Finding out you may be the father to your fuck buddy’s baby is pretty shocking.

She might not even be pregnant, he thought to himself, she said it herself, she misses her period when she’s stressed and she’s been stressed out for weeks now. But she also said that it usually just comes late. She’s weeks late now. Lando groaned as his thoughts took over the forefront of his mind. 

But you might not even be the dad. 

Lando wasn’t sure why, but that reminder sat in his stomach like a piece of coal. He didn’t understand what he was feeling, but he knew he didn’t like how it felt. 

He wasn’t a sharer, and he had been pissed when you told him you slept with Daniel. It wasn’t just that Daniel was another driver, or that Daniel was his teammate. It was just that Daniel had been with you. Lando knew he didn’t have any claim to you romantically, but he thought he’d at least have a claim to you physically. But clearly he was wrong. And that fact bothered him more than he expected it to. 

Lando chalked it up to his exasperated nerves, the drama of him, you and Lance, and just plain laziness on his part. Lance was a whole problem in and of itself. The two had been trying to forge an acquaintanceship which was more of a pastime than a serious venture, nonetheless it provided entertainment for the Brit. But now? How could he face the Canadian while he didn’t know he might be a father?

And you. He’d never kept himself tied to one body for one arrangement for such a long time. Sure, he’d had your friend in between, but that felt like ages ago now. 

His fingers rubbed at his temples, willing the dull ache he could feel forming on the sides of his heads to fuck off. 

Picking up his phone, Lando decided he needed a mental break. He clicked on the Instagram app and started scrolling through the feed of his personal account. He paused on an ad in his feed and felt his stomach twist. 

There, on top of a blue bar that would link him to the vendor’s site, was a picture of a soft green onesie that read ‘I LOVE MY DADDY’. 

Lando stared at the ad, dumbfounded, anxious, and all around pissed at what was already coming up in his feed. He was about to scroll passed it when his stomach unexpectedly twisted, and he had no choice but to jump to his feet and race to the bathroom where he ended up losing his dinner. 

-

Lance stared at his phone, specifically at Lando’s name on his screen. He wasn’t sure why it was so difficult, it was just a phone call. Ever since that night, the night that him and Lando got on equal footing and agreed to be friends, Lance had decided on putting in real effort to keep the Brit’s friendship.

The two kinda had an unspoken agreement to find each other in hotel bars or just shared spaces to drink and watch whatever sporting event was broadcasted on the tvs around them. It was hardly a friendship yet, but it was a healthy acquaintanceship. Definitely better than the rivalry they had been drowning in. 

It had taken some talking, texting and prodding, but Lance had finally found a glimpse into Lando’s mind and took comfort in what he found: Lando didn’t really know how to be a friend either.

“Don’t you have any physical friends?”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Friends that aren’t just digital.”

“Don’t you have like no friends, digital or otherwise?”

Lance had laughed off the exchange, knowing that Lando only lashed out when he was hurt. And really, Lando was as right about Lance as Lance was about Lando.

Just fucking call him, you idiot.

He, admittedly, really did have no idea what he was doing. And by the time the ring tone had gone to the third ring, he was ready to hang up and give up. But suddenly Lando answered.

“Yeah?” 

“Lando?”

“What?” Lando’s voice wavered as he spoke, and there was a slight echo in the background. 

“Are you okay? You sound-”

The Brit cut him off with a groan, “I’m sick, I’m fine.”

“I think those two contradict themselves.” He chuckled at Lando’s ridiculous way of flipping the script on himself. 

“Who the fuck cares?”

Lance felt a bit of shyness creep up, and had to remind himself that this was how Lando was, blunt and dry. He’s not mad or upset, this was just the way he talked. 

“Are you going to be alright? I was calling to see if you wanted to get a drink, hang out or something.” Lance heard something that sounded almost like gagging, and he grimaced.

“No, no, no. I think you should stay away, stay far away from me. I might be contagious for all I know- yeah, stay away, mate. For your own health.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, far, far away. Like you may not wanna come by for a few weeks, could be something that sticks around for a bit.”

Lando felt himself glare at the ceiling, “Lando. If you don’t want to hang out-”

“Never said that, I’m over here puking my guts up and you wanna come over for a pint, are you mad?” 

“Okay, okay. Another day, or night, or whatever.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” 

And without even letting Lance say goodbye, Lando hung up on him.

He’s so fucking weird. 

-

Your drive home was done in silence. You couldn’t bring yourself to turn on the radio or hook up your phone to the stereo. You needed peace and space with your thoughts. By the time you’d gotten home, you could barely turn the car off. You leaned your head back and closed your eyes in the parked car, taking deep breaths. 

Lando knows now. This is real. 

The realization that you had actually done it, you had actually told one of the three men that this problem was potentially tied to sent chills down your spine. 

It wasn’t like you were going to ignore your missed period for months on end, but you did let the first few days and weeks pass by without a thought. As the days dragged on, and your period got later and later, you felt yourself getting physically sick from the stress, the worry, the fear. You knew you’d have to face it eventually. A baby wasn’t something anyone could hide from. 

And that’s when the real fear started.

If it was a baby, if you were pregnant, you would have to do the math or something to figure out who the father was. Which was both the most horrifying and embarrassing part.

It wasn’t like you were just sleeping with Lando, no, you slept with Lando, then had an angry fuck with Lance, then a make up fuck with Lance, then you slept with Daniel... You had gone through the drivers one by one, week by week. There was barely much time between the three men, Lando and Lance had happened within days of each other. 

You’d never thought you would be made to feel bad about your sex life, but you were feeling pretty shitty about it right about now. At first, you’d tried to keep calm, tried to keep your mind empty and think thoroughly about how you would say it: where, when, how, and for each man. 

The absolute last thing you’d expected was the spontaneity of Lando finding out the way he did, with you just blurting it and making him faint. With a thought that made you giggle, you realized that that was exactly what you should’ve expected with Lando. In typical Lando fashion, he had reacted exactly how you hadn’t expected him to. 

You thought that he might freak out, might be mad. And while he had that moment of anger, it was fleeting. Lando was more gentle, more caring, more willing to be there and promise to be there than you expected. And that made you feel even worse, cause you really had thought the worst.

Do you even know Lando as well as you think? Or do you just know his dick? 

You knocked your head back against the headrest, whimpering. These random thoughts that poked at you and called you a slut weren’t helping. 

By the time you’d dragged yourself to your place from the car, you were exhausted. Telling yourself that it was part mental exhaustion and physical exhaustion didn’t really sound convincing when every other part of your brain was telling you it was because you were pregnant. 

You really did need to take a test. 

But first, you thought, a nap. You need a nap. 

You curled on to your side on your couch, curling your fingers into your palms, your hands naturally resting just a couple of inches from your midsection, a couple inches from your stomach that may already be harboring a new life. 

Lando barely had his door open before you were barreling in. 

“This is never going to work.” You angrily huffed, “There’s no way Lance is going to let either one of us into his home.” 

Lando rolled his eyes, his greeting dead on his tongue as he followed you into the living room. You plopped down on his couch and crossed your arms. Not even looking at him, he could see the anger steaming off of you. 

“So, you tried to call him?” He asked plainly, taking you in where you sat on his couch. 

You had on a white sweater, and judging from the shape of you, and the shape of your breasts, no bra. Lando’s eyes dipped lower to your leggings, and he couldn’t stop the thought of whether or not you had panties on either. 

“Tried to call him? Lando, I- I called him four times, texted him, like, seven, and he didn’t answer a single fucking one.”

Lando snickered, and covered his mouth with his hand when you shot him a look. “I don’t know why you thought he’d talk to you.”

“I thought maybe he’d realize it’s something important since we haven’t spoken in forever, and now, here I am, out of the blue, reaching out! You’d think he’d answer.”

Lando sat next to you and leaned towards you, “Maybe he thinks you’re just calling him for a booty call.” 

“Shut up, Lando.” You groaned, your head tilted back as you looked at the ceiling.

“I mean, I wouldn’t blame you, it’s hard to quit something once you’ve had it.” 

“You would know.” You answered snarky. 

“I do.” He huskily replied.

Lando and you both looked at each other, your faces somehow much closer than they just were. 

“You know how I know?” He asked, “Cause I kept waiting for that call.”

Lando’s fingers pressed against the hem of your sweater, and you whined as his finger tip pressed under the material. One of his fingers hooked and dragged it upward, his whole hand slipping under the sweater as he lifted his hand. No stranger to your body, he easily slid his hand exactly where he wanted it. Under your breast, his thumb against the underside of your breast while his fingers pressed to the soft skin on the side. 

You damned your reluctance to put on a bra that morning. Lando’s hands felt like fire on your skin. You’d never gotten wet so fast, your core tingling between your legs. Skin heated, your forehead was already feeling clammy, and you almost felt dizzy. Lando was so close, his thumb sliding over the underside of your breast. You whimpered when the edge of his finger brushed against your swollen nipple. 

“I-”

“Shhhh, darling,” Lando leaned in and licked your jaw, “Have you thought of it?”

His lips dragged across your skin, and your head lulled to the side so he had plenty of skin to nip and kiss at. But he didn’t. His lips stayed pressed to your skin, and he dragged his plush mouth across your skin, teasing you relentlessly. 

“Wha?”

“Did you think of how good we could’ve been?” Lando whispered against your skin, his hand coming up to cup your tit, “If you hadn’t been such a slut, you could’ve been all mine.”

You whimpered as your eyes slipped shut, the sensation of Lando’s thumb pressing and rolling around your nipple making you cry out. Your body was on fire. You didn’t know what was wrong with you. 

“Look at you,” his teeth pressed to your skin as he smiled, “how soaked are you just from me touching your tit?” 

You arched your back, pressing your soft breast into his hand further. Lando answered your movement with a harsh squeeze that had you crying out. 

“But now we don’t even know if this is you,” Lando kissed your neck, “or just your hormones.”

His words rushed over you like freezing cold water, and you gasped as his hand fell out from under your shirt. You lowered your head and looked at his stupid smug face. You hated the way he was looking at you, like he had gotten you, like he was once again just using you to make himself feel good. 

“You’re an asshole.”

“An asshole you would’ve fucked had I not stopped all that.”

The sudden rush of awareness made you feel lightheaded, and you felt horrible to realize that Lando had a point. It was just hormones, and you would’ve thrown yourself on to Lando’s dick had he not deescalated it. 

Lando laughed as he stood from the couch, “do I need to get a towel for you to dry yourself with?” 

You rolled your eyes as Lando disappeared into the kitchen. When he came back, he had only one water bottle in his hand. When you held your hand out for it, he lifted an eyebrow at you before opening it and taking a swig. 

“This is for me.” 

“Lando,” you sighed, rubbing your temples, “what the fuck.”

“You came here, you tell me what you’re doing here.” Lando answered, his face still smug even though his tone was irritated, “Do you need Daddy or do you need to find out who the daddy is of her?” 

Lando pointed to your midsection, causing you to cross your arms over yourself reflexively. He scoffed at the movement. 

“What? No, I-” you flinched as you spread your legs to fold them under you, feeling exactly how damp you were between them, “wait, her?”

“Yeah, I don’t know I feel like it’s a girl, but yesterday I thought it was a he, so really it just depends on the day.” 

You felt a headache coming on.

“Lando, what the fuck.”

“Oh, chill out.” He hissed, “I decide to finally have fun with this and you suddenly get sensitive about it. It might be mine anyways, so let me wonder the gender if I want to, okay.” 

You leaned back at the outburst, and stopped your mouth from replying. It wasn’t fair to act like this was only your burden, you realized that now. Plus, besides his change in attitude, Lando was still making himself the most helpful.

He’s only helpful cause you haven’t told the other two.

Your thoughts about Lando’s helpfulness and sweetness had begun to take a turn in recent days. You knew as well as anyone that Lando’s emotions ruled him, and he could turn on the flip of a dime. Stress, upset, it all ate away at Lando and affected his mood and actions. 

And a baby was a lot of stress.

So Lando’s sudden burst of cruelty shouldn’t have shocked you, even though you had been spoiled lately. You had to stop projecting your happy little supportive man idea on Lando and come back to reality. You had to see and accept Lando as he was, as you always had before this. Even if he had humiliated you moments before. 

The realization that Lando might actually be your baby’s father sunk in suddenly, and it felt like the couch fell through the floor, like you were horribly weightless yet free falling at the same time.

Lando was emotional, and he could be cruel. He could give you love and affection, sweetness and gentility, attention and devotion, but he could take it all away if the weather changed between days. Could you tie yourself to such a tumultuous man forever? Could you tie a child to that?

You couldn’t believe you hadn’t considered the whole of having a baby. The whole included a father, a father who you might not be romantically tied to, but were forever tied to through the being you created together. 

Lando, Lance or Daniel would be tied to you for life. 

“Hey, hey, are you okay?” Lando’s voice, while you could hear it, sounded like it was being shouted through water, “Hey!”

You gasped as you came back to, the weight of Lando’s hand on your shoulder anchoring you, the feeling of the soft cushions under your hand grounding you. The room was too bright for a moment, but it settled quickly. You were embarrassed when you realized how hard you were panting, and when you looked at Lando, you could barely see him through the glassiness of your eyes.

“Don’t cry.” Lando warned, “Now’s not the time for all that.”

“I just-” you blubbered out some of your thoughts that had thrown you in such disarray, and were shocked to have Lando’s palm plant itself across your mouth, silencing you.

“Please don’t. You think I’m stupid?” Lando dropped his hand as his eyes narrowed at you, “You think I don’t know what it would mean if I am the father of your baby?” He shook his head. 

Lando’s hand dropped from your mouth, “But we’re not going to know until-”

“Until we tell the other two idiots.” Lando hissed. 

“So we need to tell Lance.” You defeatedly pulled your coat into your lap. 

“Yeah.” Lando sighed and pushed back to his feet, “I’ll call him, or actually, I’ll text him.”

You make a face at Lando before pulling your coat over your shoulders, “Since when are you and Lance buddies?”

“Since you tore his heart in two and he realized I wasn’t the problem, you were.” Lando sticks his tongue out at you as he pulls on his laces.

“Lando, I don’t want you pretending to be Lance’s friend just to sucker him into letting us into his place.”

Lando sighs, muttering to himself as he tied his shoes, “You know, maybe I just want friends? Like real friends on the grid.”

The way he’s refusing to look at you makes you feel worse than worse. Lando always seemed to pick the work times to show you a glimpse of the real him. 

“Sorry.” You tell him, “That’s probably nice, making friends with the guys- less rivalries to worry about, right?”

“That’s the idea!” Lando calls as he ducks into his closet to grab a coat. “But you know, something like this and fucking three people on the grid makes that tricky.” 

“Wow.” You laughed, “Are you ever going to let my sex life go?”

“Probably not.” He shrugged.

-

You’d ended up sitting in the car for a bit, parked in Lando’s driveway. Your text remained unanswered while Lance answered Lando casually for a bit before he stopped. He had told Lando that he was staying in for the night, so that had been your cue to head over. 

Half of the drive had been silent, and it was in that silence that you realized how far Lance lived from Lando and you. Lando and you lived relatively close, but Lance was kind of far. The long car ride at dusk wouldn’t have bothered you had it not been for the way Lando seemed to steam in the driver’s seat. 

“So,” Lando finally broke the silence, “what makes Danny so special?”

“What do you mean?” 

Lando laughed, “Oh come on, you can tell me. Do you have a crush on him? Danny can’t know that he’s in the running to be a father until you know for sure it’s him, huh?” 

His tone had taken a more harsh turn, and you realized if you didn’t steer this conversation in the right direction, you’d probably end up screaming at each other and on the side of the road no less. You couldn’t even be mad at Lando, he was right. You had dumped this all on him and for some reason kept Daniel and Lance for the most part out of it.

“I think you should take it as a-”

“If you say compliment I will leave you on the roadway.”

“Oh hush,” you slapped his arm, “I mean it. Lance and I, we were a disaster, not even on talking terms, and Daniel- he’s just, he doesn’t quite get it.”

“I know the romantic doesn’t sleep around. Except with you apparently.”

“I do feel comfortable with you, you know. I know you try not to be, and you do your damndest, but I know you’re a good person, Lando, and you have a sweet heart. Even if you don’t want-”

“Alright, that’s enough of that.” Lando’s cheeks were burning, you could see them from your seat alongside him, “Let’s just get this over with.” 

“Awwww, is that why you’re so moody? No one ever takes care of the softie side of you?” 

Lando let out a growl, “I’m not soft.”

“You’re as soft as a kitten, baby.” You teased.

“Not what you thought before.”

“It’s what I know now.” 

Lando grumbled under his breath as you smiled, enjoying the momentary banter. It kind of felt how you all used to get on. It was nice.

“Are you ready?”

“What do you-”

Lando nodded his head as his car swung around, sliding into a spot between two cars on the side of the road. You licked your lips as you looked up at Lance’s building. 

This was it.

“No backing out now,” Lando clapped his hands together, “let’s go, then.”

He didn’t give you a chance to drag your feet, making his way around his car and pulling your door open. He even grabbed your arm, pulling you out of the car and alongside him. You felt like a child being dragged into a doctor’s office and your cheeks burned as you entered the building. Lando seemed smug on the elevator which made you hold in your nerves. You became hyperaware of yourself, you didn’t want to give Lando the satisfaction of seeing you sweat. 

He was getting what he wanted, and honestly, you owed it to him and to Lance to just get this done. 

When you got to Lance’s floor, Lando dragged you behind him before putting a hand on your shoulder, not letting you go any further, the doorway about five feet ahead. 

“Don’t move until he opens the door, kay?” 

You nodded as Lando walked right up to the door and knocked loudly. You flinched with each echoing sound but stayed frozen in place. The sound of footsteps was coming so fast, and the click of the lock- your heartbeat was in your ears and your stomach was on the floor-

This has to be done. 

“Hey man!” Lance’s excited voice made your stomach twist, and every muscle in your body twitched and told you to run. 

“Hey,” Lando nodded and smiled at the taller driver.

They were really friends now. 

Your shock overwhelmed your anxiety as you took in the pair of them. It wasn’t that you were jealous, you were just shocked that they could get on after everything. It was childish but it felt unfair. How could they just get on with each other and yet Lance held you responsible for everything that had gone wrong. 

Lance stepped into the doorway and looked to the side as he brushed a hand through his hair, and finally noticed you. You tried not to flinch as his whole demeanor changed, you could already feel your frown dragging down your jaw. 

“What’s she doing here, Lando?”

He crossed his arms and looked down at Lando, not even willing to acknowledge you.

“We all need to chat, and since everyone’s being a kid, I’m making you talk.” He brushed passed Lance and stepped into his place, “Come on then.” 

Lance turned towards you. He was still leaning against the doorway, and his arms were still crossed. You didn’t know what to say, so you both stood there in silence, just looking at each other.

Finally, Lance’s arms dropped, “Come on.” 

You nodded and followed him in, not quite sure how to act. Lando must’ve disappeared into the living room, further into the apartment. You knew this place like the back of your hand, and a quick glance around proved that nothing had changed. But you weren’t allowed to just frolic around, you’d lost the ability to walk around his home like you knew it.

Lance didn’t want to know you anymore. He’d made that abundantly clear. 

“Lance, I-”

“What are you doing here?” He had let the door shut and was leaning against it now.

“I needed-”

“What? To come here, to rush in, to force me to talk to you?” Lance was still hurt, “You’re this upset I’m not answering your texts?” He scoffed at you, “You’ve never been stupid-”

“I’m not. And that’s not why I’m here, Lance, I-”

“You’re sorry?” he cut you off, “What is this? Why are you here?” 

“If you’d let me talk-”

“That’s hilarious. You came rushing in here, using him!” Lance yelled the ‘him’ over his shoulder, and you could hear Lando giggle, the little shit. 

“It was his idea!” 

“You seem to go with a lot of those.” 

“Lance, stop it.” You growled, “I didn’t come here to fight, I didn’t come here to apologize. I came here to talk.”

“What if I don’t want to talk?” 

He’s just being fucking petty now.

“You don’t have a choice! I need to tell you-”

“I don’t have to listen to you anymore,” Lance crossed his arms, and you could see Lando peek around the corner at the two of you, “that’s the whole point of me not talking to you, not seeing you, it’s to get away from you, it’s to finally move on from all the bullshit.”

“I understand that,” you blinked hard, you really didn’t want to cry before you told him, “but you need to listen to me, please-”

“Do you think you can barge in here and what? Tell me we’re gonna be friends, tell me to forgive you? I don’t need to forgive you. I’ve made peace with what happened. I’ve moved passed you, I’ve moved on. I’m not avoiding you to get over you, I’m staying clear of you because I don’t need you and I don’t want you.”

Your knees shook at his words.

“Mate,” Lando intervened, putting his hand on Lance’s arm, “listen to her.”

“No!” Lance pulled his arm out of Lando’s grip, “I don’t care if the two of you are friends, and I know we’re friends,” he motioned to himself and Lando, “but I don’t want to be with you, friends, lovers, whatever you’ve come here to talk about- I don’t want it.

“I want to be free of whatever stupid bullshit you’re trying to bring to me. Cause that’s all we ever did for and to each other- dragged each other down.  We were like poison for each other. Granted, Lando did his part in it all, but we’re both fucked up to begin with, and we don’t need to be fucking each other up.

“So whatever in the world you are coming here to say, it’s not going to fix anything, it’s not going to change anything, we are not-”

“I’m pregnant.” You cut off Lance’s rant and look down at your clasped hands in front of you.

Lance fell silent and looked at you hesitantly before taking a step toward you. His whole demeanor changed and he even lifted a hand to reach for you. But as quickly as that softness was there, it was gone. With a single glance to Lando, Lance’s stoic, hardened demeanor was back. His hand dropped, and he crossed his arms across his chest, standing up straight to tower over you. 

“Why should I know if it might not even be mine?”

You breathe out, still looking down at your hands, having missed Lance’s whole struggle. So ready to accept his rage and his pettiness, you had dismissed the disappointment in his voice as disappointment in you. 

“Because I need to know if it is yours.” 

Lance looked down at your hands, your fingers twisted in front of your abdomen. He wanted to reach towards you so badly, wanted to feel if your body was the same, if anything had changed. He was angry still, but the idea of a baby...

It was soured. 

Every glance towards Lando was a reminder of what he had lost, what he had gone through, what you had put him through. What he had put you through. And if it’s one thing he’d seen in his life of privilege, it was that wealth didn’t equate to happiness, and a baby didn’t fix a couple. He didn’t allow himself to think of what could’ve been, if he had gotten his shit together, if you had gotten your shit together.

I might’ve been happy to get this news, he thought, but not now. 

“Fuck, you really can’t help yourself, can you?” He squeezed his eyes shut, the rage boiling over before he could even feel the heat of it, “Are you even pregnant? Or is this some way for you to get back between Lando and I?”

You made an outraged sound, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Come on, mate.” Lando grumbled across the room.

“Come on, Lando!” He turned towards the Brit, “How do you even know she’s really pregnant?”

“I am very pregnant!” 

“She went to a doctor, you muppet.” Lando yelled, “There is a baby in her, and that baby might be yours or it might be mine. We need to figure this shit out, cause its someones responsibility, not just hers.”

Lance turned back towards you, his eyes glanced between your face and your stomach. You shifted your weight from one foot to another, anxious and ready to bolt out the door that was behind you. 

“How do we do this?” Lance sighed.

“Blood test,” you replied, “you get your blood taken, I get my blood taken and in a week or two, they find the match through there.”

The memory of absolute shame of having to ask about paternity tests at your doctor’s appointment burned inside of you. It was horrible, and the way the doctor had gone out of her way to plaster that dramatically huge, forced smile was engrained behind your eyelids. 

It will all be worth it in the end, you told yourself, your fingers pressing momentarily into your lower stomach. 

“Fuck me.” Lance grumbled under his breath, “I can’t believe this is happening, how in the fuck could you let this happen?” 

Me? Now he wants to act like he wasn’t the one fucking me?

“You know what, Lance? No one’s particularly thrilled about this, but hating it or me won’t make it go away. This is happening, whether you want it to or not. So you can take the paternity test and take responsibility for once in your life and be a fucking adult.” 

"What if it comes up not me or Lando?" Lance speaks callously.

“Motherfucker.” you mumbled before you turned on your heel, so sick of his cutting remarks. “Then it's Daniel's." You yelled over your shoulder. 

“What the fuck did you just say?"

“You heard her,” Lando backed you up, “don’t be a prick when this could be your problem.”

“You knew?” You scoffed at the look of betrayal Lance was giving Lando. “How could you know she’s fucking your teammate and be okay with it? Do you get off on this shit? Being the biggest slut-“

“Shut up!” You yell, “You know what, Lance. You can choose to take the test or not, I don’t give a shit. I don’t even know what I’m doing.” Your voice goes ragged and you swallow the lump in your throat.

You hear a slight thud sound, and when you look up, Lando is giving Lance a hard look. 

“I’ll take it.” Lance mutters.

“Thank you.” You responded sincerely before motioning to Lando, “Let’s go.”

Lando spared Lance one more look, taking in the sad brown eyes that followed him as he gets the doorway.

“Hey, we can get that drink now that I don’t have to worry about blurting this out.” Lando offered, half jokingly, half guiltily.

Lance’s lips quirked, but his sad eyes won the expression on his face, “Just go, Lando.”

Lando sauntered to the door after you, and you were forced to watch and listen as Lando hung his head and leaned into the doorway, one hand on Lance’s door.