He tries to pretend he doesn’t need you. Until Pierre, he’s been with teammates who are mostly dominant, if not outright dominant, so he felt like he never could lean on you the way he needed to. He did all the required sessions, but he felt that he was being ‘weak’ by going to you more than what was scheduled because his teammates never needed that extra support. You’ve been with the team since it was called Renault, but you haven’t been so busy the way you know other team-contracted Doms have been.
Until Pierre. Pierre learned to lean on his Dom at alphatauri because they were some of the only support he got. So he asks for extra sessions when he needs them. And you’re always available because Esteban has never done that. And he sees Pierre doing it and realizes it isn’t something to be ashamed of because Pierre isn’t acting like it is, and and first Esteban might think that’s a front Pierre puts on but Pierre doesn’t just act like that when he knows Esteban can see, he’s requesting sessions through team management sometimes, it’s not always in the open.
Eventually, Esteban gets desperate enough to request a session outside of his regularly scheduled ones and it helps him so much. He requests another two the following race weekend. It’s Monaco. He gets a podium.
Ok so I was emptying out my askbox and how the fuck did I miss this?? This is incredible?? I can't believe I haven't answered this yet, we need to discuss this concept more oh my god.
So firstly, poor este being surrounded by doms. He's already had to fight twice as hard as his peers to be recognised and respected because of his sub status, so there was no way he was going to let himself seem weaker than he already was. He knew he couldnt be needy or desperate, couldnt allow himself to be seen that way.
And the worst part is that he LOVES his scenes with you? It was different at Force India, he didnt bond with that dom or feel comfortable with them.
But then he joined Renault and you became his team dom and he just... he loves scening with you so much. For the first time he's counting down the days until he can scene with you again, fantasising about being able to kneel for you whenever he wanted to. He finds himself nearly in tears when his aftercare is finished and he has to leave, has to stop himself from begging you to let him stay.
The first indication that Pierre is very different with you is when he finds out Pierre stays the night more often than not? He hears you and Pierre discussing when he'll scene with you next, and you remind him to tell his trainer to drop his dinner off at you hotel room.
He's confused about why Pierre would be having dinner in your hotel room and when he asks Pierre about it, Pierre is confused about why esteban isnt.
"You seriously leave immediately?" Pierre asks, shocked, "I stay the night. Just relaxing in a light subspace is the best part!"
Esteban doesn't know what to do with that information, and then he later hears Pierre arranging an extra scene with you. He realises Pierre does this all the time, that he just asks you for what he needs and you give it to him, even though it's above what's required.
He has to work up the courage to ask for that himself, especially because it's been years with you as his team dom by this point and he's never asked before, so he feels like he can't suddenly do it now.
But he needs it so bad? He's filled with restless energy and he knows he won't be able to sleep properly that night and he wants to sub so bad that his heart aches.
When he does ask, he stutters his way through the question in a bastardised mix of French and English and has to try two more times before you even realise what he's asking.
And then you just pull him into a hug, telling him you're so proud of him for asking for what he needs and that you would love to do a scene that night with him. You tell him that he should bring some PJs with just in case he decides to spend the night.
He loves every moment of that scene, and when it comes time to leave he even asks if he can stay, and he gets praised so much for speaking up.