wroetolando

One of those cursed fan-service clips Formula 1 puts out mid-weekend to pad content between FP2 and FP3. Fifteen seconds per driver, one simple question:

“Fuck, Marry, Kill, pick three from the current grid.”

The producers expected chaos. Banter. Maybe a few bleeped-out names. What they got instead? Nineteen separate declarations of intent.

Every single one ends with your name. And not just anywhere. Every one of them wants to marry you.

_____

LANDO NORRIS “Kill Max, fuck Charles, marry Y/N.” Zero hesitation. “She already acts like my wife anyway. Might as well make it official.” He smirks toward the camera. “What? I’d be the fun husband.”

OSCAR PIASTRI “Marry Y/N. For the record.” Then, dry as hell: “Kill Lando. For peace.” He taps the mic. “Seriously. Have you heard her talk about racing lines? Wife me.”

CHARLES LECLERC Immediate. “Marry Y/N.” Blushes. “She’s got... good energy.” Stumbles over the next part. Accidentally says he’d fuck Alex. PR yanks the clip before Charles combusts.

LEWIS HAMILTON Soft smile. “Marry Y/N. No question.” “She’s kind. Smart. Hot. Could teach Roscoe to drive if she wanted.” Adds, with zero shame, “Also has the best ass on the grid. Just saying.”

MAX VERSTAPPEN Quiet. Serious. “Marry Y/N.” Shrugs. “She’s calm. No drama. Doesn’t bullshit.” When the interviewer lifts a brow, Max just smirks. “I’d rather race and go home to someone who actually gets it.”

YUKI TSUNODA “Marry Y/N!!!” Screams it. Nearly tips over his chair. “I’d cook for her every night. I’d learn how to bake. She deserves cookies and hot chocolate and foot rubs.”

CARLOS SAINZ “Marry Y/N. Kill no one. Fuck…” Pauses. Looks at the camera. “Actually, I’d just marry her twice.”

ALEX ALBON “Marry Y/N. Obviously.” Grins. “Have you seen her post-race hugs? Wife behaviour. Don’t be dumb.” Adds, “And she likes spicy food. That’s a green flag.”

GEORGE RUSSELL Deadpan. “Marry Y/N.” Then mutters, “Kill Carlos. He flirts with her too much.” When asked if you’d approve, George raises an eyebrow. “She already calls me her little Victorian husband. I think I’m safe.”

KIMI ANTONELLI Bright red. “Marry Y/N. Please.” Panics slightly. “She smiled at me once. It changed my life.”

LANCE STROLL Shrugs. “Marry Y/N.” “No one else on the grid makes me believe in actual domestic bliss.” Pause. “And she looks good in white. I’ve thought about it.”

FERNANDO ALONSO Smirking. “Marry Y/N.” “I’m old. She’s sharp. She’d keep me young.” Then lowers his voice. “And she’d look excellent straddling a trophy. Hypothetically.”

LIAM LAWSON Flustered. “Marry Y/N. Yeah. Obviously.” “She beat me in karting once and I’ve been in love ever since.” Whispers, “Don’t tell Yuki.”

ISACK HADJAR “Marry Y/N.” Then, sulking, “But only if she stops ghosting me.” (You left him on read after Bahrain. He’s never emotionally recovered.)

GABRIEL BORTOLETTO Grins. “Marry Y/N. Duh.” “She looks like she’d make the world’s best espresso and ruin my life in one morning. I want that.”

NICO HÜLKENBERG Sips water. Stares down the lens. “Marry Y/N. No hesitation.” “She’s got the patience of a saint. And the thighs of a sinner.”

OLLIE BEARMAN “Marry Y/N.” No hesitation. No smirk. Just awe. “She said I drove well once. I’ve been writing our vows ever since.”

ESTEBAN OCON “Marry Y/N. Because she’s the only one who doesn’t call me ‘the French one who isn’t Pierre.’” He laughs. “She brings me snacks. That’s love.”

PIERRE GASLY “Marry Y/N.” Five seconds later: “Fuck Y/N-” Long pause. Blinks. “Wait. I meant marry. I meant marry.” Implodes. Clip goes viral.

FRANCO COLAPINTO Murmurs in Spanish: “Cásate conmigo, por favor…” Translation? “Marry me, please.” Adds in English: “I’d give her the world. Or at least my neck kisses.”

___

Then you walk in.

Media room? In flames. Someone’s already posted a supercut: “19 Drivers Who Want to Marry Y/N — and One Pierre Who Needs Help.”

Max is eyeing you like you’re his next championship. Lando has wife typed into the notes app. George looks like he’s ready to propose. Kimi is holding flowers he definitely didn’t have before. Pierre is missing entirely. Allegedly under a table.

And they hand you the mic. Grinning. Waiting. “Fuck, Marry, Kill. Go.”

You hum. Tilt your head. Lick your bottom lip for drama.

Then:

“Kill: whoever invented this segment.” “Fuck: whoever lasts longer than five minutes.” (pause for carnage) “Marry?” You glance at the camera. Then at the boys. “I guess they’ll have to fight for it.”

—

pure. f1. chaos.

“Oh! Those are my ferrets!”

“Your what?”

She moved calmly across the room and crouched, scooping up the two small, fuzzy bodies now bouncing excitedly around her ankles. “These are my boys—Rocket and Groot.”

Lando blinked at her like she’d lost her mind. “You named them after the Marvel raccoon and tree.”

She smiled proudly, cradling both ferrets in her arms as they squirmed and chirped in delight. “They’re a team. Just like us.”

“They look like slinkies with teeth.”

“They’re ferrets! They’re smart and sweet and very clean.”

One of them—he didn’t know which—stretched its neck toward Lando and let out a little warble noise.

He jumped back like it had just hissed. “It just made a demon sound. That’s not clean behavior.”

Y/N laughed again, walking over to the couch with both animals in tow. “Lando, they’re harmless. Rocket’s just curious. He probably wants to smell your hoodie.”

“I just bought this hoodie.”

“And now it smells like home,” she said sweetly, placing Rocket on the cushion next to him.

Lando immediately moved to the far end, staring at the ferret like it might explode. “If it touches my face, I’m out.”

Groot flopped over onto his side in her arms and yawned.

Lando pointed. “That one’s plotting something. He’s playing dead so we drop our guard.”

She giggled and kissed the top of Groot’s head. “He’s literally just a baby.”

Lando shook his head, jaw clenched like he was in a war zone. “I agreed to a movie night. Not a wildlife documentary.”

“You’ll get used to them,” she said, ruffling Rocket’s fur. “They’re part of the package deal.”

He groaned. “Next time, I’m picking the location.”

Rocket jumped into Lando’s lap.

Lando screamed.

Lando sat rigidly at the far end of the couch, arms crossed over his chest like the ferret beside him might lunge at any second.

Rocket blinked up at him, his tiny pink nose twitching with interest. Slowly, like a predator stalking prey, he crept closer. Lando’s eyes widened.

“Babe,” he said slowly, like talking to a hostage negotiator. “It’s advancing.”

Y/N, unfazed, was still standing by the armrest with Groot nestled in her elbow. “He just wants to say hi. He likes you.”

“No, he doesn’t. He wants my soul.”

Rocket stood up on his back legs and placed one paw on Lando’s knee.

Lando flinched. “BABE. BABE. HE’S TOUCHING ME.”

Y/N walked over, beaming. “He’s climbing you! That means he trusts you!”

“I don’t trust him!”

Rocket began scaling Lando’s pant leg like it was Everest. His tiny claws scratched at the fabric, making steady progress up his thigh. Lando froze, too horrified to move.

“Rocket. My guy. Let’s talk about this,” Lando begged.

“He’s just exploring!” Y/N said cheerfully. “Aren’t you, baby?”

Rocket poked his head under the edge of Lando’s hoodie. Lando SHRIEKED.

“GET HIM OUT. GET HIM OUT RIGHT NOW—BABE, I’M NOT KIDDING—HE’S IN MY SHIRT—”

Y/N was wheezing with laughter as Lando shot up from the couch, Rocket still half inside his hoodie.

“HE’S IN THE BACK OF MY HOODIE—HE’S IN MY SPINE—”

“Hold still!” she giggled, carefully lifting the ferret out like he was stuck in a claw machine.

Rocket, smug, dangled lazily from her hand, then made a dramatic leap onto the armrest like a tiny parkour expert.

Lando collapsed back onto the couch, panting like he’d just survived a war.

“This is abuse,” he muttered, clutching his chest.

“Welcome to the family,” Y/N grinned.

Groot, sensing the energy shift, stretched from her arms and dove onto Lando’s stomach.

“OH MY GOD—THERE’S ANOTHER—”

“That’s Groot.”

“He’s heavier!”

“He’s solid muscle, babe. He works out.”

Lando looked down at the ferret sprawled across him like a sleepy neck pillow and groaned. “I can’t believe this is my life.”

“You love it.”

“I love you. They’re just… aggressively attached to you.”

Rocket hopped back into Lando’s lap.

He didn’t move.

He didn’t even scream.

Y/N raised a brow.

Lando looked at her like a man accepting his fate. “If I don’t move, maybe he’ll think I’m one of them.”

She giggled and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “You’re doing amazing, sweetie.”

Rocket licked his arm.

Groot sighed against his stomach.

And Lando—still and defeated—muttered under his breath:

“I swear to God if either of them poops on me, I’m breaking up with you.”

It was late when they finally shuffled into her bedroom—Lando yawning and rubbing at his face, Y/N carrying both Rocket and Groot like prized teddy bears.

“I thought they slept in their cage,” he muttered, watching the ferrets squirm in her arms.

“They do,” she said. “Usually.”

“Usually,” he repeated flatly, like that was a betrayal in itself.

She dropped them gently onto the bed and turned to grab her phone charger. The second her back was turned, Rocket took off like a bullet and dove under the blankets. Groot waddled casually to the pillows and made himself at home… right in the middle of Lando’s side.

Lando froze in the doorway.

Groot flopped over. Let out a little sigh. Closed his eyes.

Y/N turned around and saw it. “Oh my God,” she whispered, trying not to laugh.

Lando pointed, jaw slack. “He’s on my pillow. My side. My sacred sleeping territory.”

She grinned. “He’s a cuddler.”

“So am I!” Lando snapped. “That’s why I came here! To cuddle you! Not to get booted by a glorified worm with fur!”

She walked over, scooped Rocket off the mattress, and placed him in his cozy hammock on the floor. But Groot stayed. Groot didn’t move.

Lando stood at the foot of the bed, staring at the lump of smug ferret laying where his head should be.

“He knows exactly what he’s doing,” Lando muttered. “This is a dominance play. He’s challenging me.”

“You could share the pillow.”

“With a thief who sheds? No thanks.”

“Thief?”

“He stole my dignity the second he climbed my chest and licked my ear.”

Y/N bit her lip, trying not to laugh. “Baby, just get in. He’s already asleep.”

Lando glared at Groot.

Groot yawned.

Slowly, reluctantly, Lando climbed into bed. He laid stiffly on his back with half a pillow under his head while Groot curled into the other half and tucked himself into Lando’s neck like he belonged there.

“Don’t you dare purr,” Lando warned.

Groot purred.

Y/N kissed Lando’s cheek. “Goodnight, love.”

“This is a hostage situation.”

“You’re the cutest hostage I’ve ever seen.”

Groot was still curled into Lando’s neck like he’d paid rent to be there.

Lando laid stiffly on his back, arms pinned to his sides, staring up at the ceiling with the dead eyes of a man who had lost the battle for his own bed.

“Are you going to help me?” he asked, voice strained.

Y/N was on her side, propped up on one elbow, watching the scene unfold like it was the best entertainment she’d had all month.

“I mean… he looks cozy.”

“He’s touching my jugular.”

“He trusts you,” she said sweetly.

“He’s testing me.”

Groot gave a tiny snore. Lando twitched.

“Alright,” Y/N said, grinning. “Fine, I’ll help. But I’m gonna need something in return.”

“Freedom?” he offered.

“Nope. I want a kiss.”

He turned his head toward her—only to bump noses with Groot.

“…You meant you, not him, right?”

“I don’t know,” she teased, pretending to think. “Groot did claim your pillow first. Might be my new boyfriend.”

“Unbelievable.”

Y/N leaned over him and kissed his lips softly. “Don’t worry, babe. You’re still my favorite mammal in the bed.”

“That means nothing right now.”

With a chuckle, she gently scooped Groot off the pillow. He let out a high-pitched protest chirp but didn’t fight her. She placed him in his fluffy hammock beside Rocket, who was already snuggled up and passed out in a pretzel shape.

“I usually let them sleep with me,” she said as she clicked the cage door shut. “But since it’s your first night here, I figured I’d be nice. Didn’t want you to roll over and accidentally crush my children.”

Lando sat up slightly. “Children?”

“Fur-children. Same thing.”

He stared at the cage like it might burst open at any moment. “How do they sleep through the night? What if they wake up and want to start… tunneling or something?”

“They’re not moles, Lando.”

“Rocket bit my sock earlier.”

“He nibbled it.”

“I watched him drag it under the couch.”

Y/N giggled and flipped off the bedside lamp, settling under the blanket beside him.

“They’re asleep. You’re safe. Stop being dramatic.”

He turned toward her and grumbled, “I still feel like Groot’s watching me.”

———

Sunlight streamed softly through the curtains, and for once, Lando was actually comfortable.

The bed was warm. Y/N was curled into his side, hair messy against the pillow, breathing slow and even. Peaceful. Domestic.

He smiled a little to himself.

Maybe the night hadn’t been so bad. Maybe Rocket and Groot weren’t completely evil. Maybe—

CHOMP.

Lando shot upright in bed like someone had lit a fire under him.

“OW—WHAT THE—BABE. BABE!”

Y/N groaned and flopped onto her stomach, muffling her voice against the pillow. “Wha’ now…”

Lando frantically kicked the blankets off—and there, at the end of the bed, stood Rocket.

Puffed up.

Triumphant.

With Lando’s toe in his mouth.

Lando yanked his foot back like it had been electrocuted. “HE BIT ME. HE BIT MY ACTUAL BODY.”

Rocket chirped proudly and dove into the sheets.

Y/N sat up now, rubbing her eyes. “It wasn’t a bite. That’s just how he grooms.”

“I am not his sibling! I don’t want to be part of his weird ferret cult!”

She tried not to laugh. “He missed you.”

“Oh, he missed me? So he came to gnaw off my toes in the middle of the night like some weird rodent love language?”

Y/N peeked over the side of the bed. Groot was still in the cage, dozing peacefully in a pile of blankets. Rocket had clearly staged a solo prison break.

She reached down and scooped him up as he made another beeline for Lando’s foot.

“No, no, no,” she scolded gently. “We don’t nibble the boy. We love the boy.”

“He doesn’t know the difference,” Lando grumbled, inspecting his poor bitten toe like it had been maimed. “I’m gonna need tetanus shots.”

Y/N plopped Rocket onto her chest and leaned against the headboard, smirking. “He just wanted to wake you up.”

“There’s a thing called an alarm clock, babe.”

“Alarm clocks don’t snuggle.”

“Alarm clocks don’t bite.”

Y/N cooed at Rocket as he curled up on her chest and sighed. “I think you’re his new favorite.”

Lando blinked. “…You’re telling me he bit me out of affection?”

“Mmhmm.”

“I’m never coming over again.”

Y/N looked at him, completely deadpan. “Lando, you let me fall asleep drooling on your shoulder and you woke up to my ferret chewing on your foot. Congratulations. You’re domesticated now.”

Rocket let out a happy little snore.

Lando stared at him. Then sighed.

“…Tell him next time to aim for Oscar.”

———

Lando was focused. He was dialed in. He was ready for FP2.

Until he saw them.

Or more specifically—them in matching custom McLaren jackets.

Y/N strolled into the paddock with a tote bag that wriggled.

From the bag poked two tiny, smug faces. Rocket and Groot. Wearing orange zip-ups with little black accents and stitched name patches like they were team personnel.

“Absolutely not,” Lando muttered, already storming toward her.

Y/N grinned like a Disney villain. “Good morning, sunshine.”

He pointed at the bag. “You brought the rats to work.”

“They’re not rats, they’re McLaren’s new mascots. Aren’t they handsome?”

Rocket chirped and tried to jump out. Groot yawned and waved his paw lazily in Lando’s direction.

Lando stared at them like they’d personally insulted his entire bloodline. “They can’t be here. There are rules. There are sponsors. There are people filming, babe!”

“They have media passes.”

He blinked. “What?”

She pulled two laminated tags from her back pocket—complete with headshots and barcodes that read:

ROCKET NORRIS – Emotional Support

GROOT NORRIS – Pit Lane Liaison

Lando dragged a hand down his face. “You forged badges.”

“I used Canva.”

“And no one stopped you?”

“The lady at security said Groot was cute.”

Just then, Zak Brown walked by, holding a coffee and nodding at the ferrets with genuine approval. “Nice gear, boys.”

Lando spun around. “ZAK?!”

Zak shrugged. “They’ve got team spirit.”

Y/N kissed Lando’s cheek sweetly. “It’s good PR, babe.”

“They’re ferrets in track jackets!”

As if on cue, Rocket wriggled out of the tote and made a break for it—darting under the folding table of McLaren’s catering spread. Groot followed like a silent missile.

“NO—NO NO NO—” Lando took off running. “SECURITY!!”

Back in the motorhome, Lando slumps onto the couch, defeated, while Rocket is curled in his lap like he owns him.

“Do you enjoy humiliating me?” he mutters to Y/N.

“You looked hot chasing them around.”

“I almost fell into a tire wall.”

“Still hot.”

He sighs.

Groot curls up on his shoulder and licks his jaw.

Y/N smiles at the sight.

“You know,” she says gently, “they really do love you.”

He glances at her.

Then down at Rocket.

Then back at Groot.

He exhales, long and loud. “…I swear, if I catch either of them in my race suit, we’re breaking up.”

Rocket licks his thumb.

Lando groans into his hands.

———

It was around 1:43 AM when Lando sat up in bed, unable to sleep.

The apartment was too quiet.

Y/N was already passed out next to him, curled under the duvet like a burrito. The ferrets hadn’t made a single noise since they went in the cage for the night.

No rustling. No climbing. No squeaking.

Suspicious.

He rubbed his eyes and whispered, “Where are your rats? They’re not gonna attack me, right?”

Y/N mumbled sleepily into her pillow. “They’re in the cage… chill.”

He slid out of bed anyway. “Yeah, okay, but like… what if they escaped? What if they’re in the vents? What if they’re waiting to pounce the second I pee?”

She didn’t answer.

So he tiptoed to the cage, phone flashlight in hand. Rocket and Groot were curled up together in their hammock like angelic little demons, completely still.

Too still.

He squinted.

Did Rocket just move?

He poked the cage gently.

Nothing.

He leaned closer.

Still nothing.

And then… the intrusive thought hit him.

What if they’re dead?

Lando’s heart plummeted.

He froze, breath catching in his throat. “No,” he whispered. “No no no—”

He opened the cage door.

Groot flopped slightly from the hammock edge. His body went limp.

Lando choked. “OH MY GOD.”

He dropped to his knees and began frantically poking Rocket with the end of a sock.

“Wake up, man. Wake up. Don’t do this to me. You bit my toe yesterday, you can’t just DIE.”

Rocket remained limp. Floppy. Motionless.

Lando let out a strangled wheeze. “BAAAAABE?!”

From the bedroom: a sleepy, concerned voice. “What?”

“YOUR RATS ARE DEAD.”

Silence.

Then a thud and rapid footsteps.

Y/N sprinted out, hair wild, shirt slipping off one shoulder. “What?! WHAT?!”

“They’re not moving!” Lando cried. “I poked Rocket five times! He’s not responding! He’s gone, babe. They’re gone. They’re gone and I was alonewith them and I’ll never forgive myself—”

She shoved past him, reached into the cage, and scratched Rocket’s ear.

The ferret blinked, stretched, made a grumpy noise, and promptly rolled back over into Groot.

“…They were sleeping,” she said.

Lando collapsed backwards on the floor.

“They were in dead sleep mode,” she added, yawning. “Ferrets do that. It’s called ferret REM. They sleep like corpses. It’s their thing.”

“WHY WOULD THAT BE THEIR THING?”

“They’re dramatic.”

“So am I! But I don’t pretend to DIE in my SLEEP.”

Y/N chuckled and crouched beside him. “You okay, babe?”

“No. I had a heart attack. I thought I was gonna have to tell people I lost your kids in the middle of the night.”

“You panicked.”

“I cried a little.”

“You love them.”

He paused.

Long silence.

Then, defeated:

“…Just a little.”

———

It started small.

Every now and then, when Y/N was in the shower or folding laundry, she’d peek around the corner and find Lando sprawled out on the couch—blanket over his legs, both ferrets curled on his chest.

Rocket was often tucked into the crook of his neck. Groot, snoring softly, laid over Lando’s stomach like a weighted bean bag.

Lando never said a word about it.

But he always had his phone out, pretending to scroll like he wasn’t softly stroking their fur.

One time she caught him kissing Groot’s head.

She didn’t say anything.

She just smiled and took a mental screenshot of the moment she knew he was gone.

———

The morning started off peaceful.

Y/N was humming in the kitchen, flipping pancakes, wearing one of Lando’s shirts that barely covered her thighs. The scent of butter and maple syrup filled the apartment. Rocket and Groot were roaming free, their little claws tapping softly on the floor.

And Lando?

He was already on the kitchen floor.

Laying on his stomach like a sniper in position, hoodie sleeves pushed up, feet kicking lazily behind him. Groot was gnawing on a sock nearby.

But Rocket was his focus.

“Alright, Rocket,” Lando whispered, lifting the ferret to eye level. “You know the mission. The enemy is distracted. Vision impaired. Weaponless.”

Rocket stared blankly.

“She has no socks on,” Lando added slowly, like it was top-tier classified intel. “Her ankles are vulnerable. We strike now. Quick in, quick out. You bite. You run. I’ll cover extraction.”

Rocket blinked.

Lando pointed a single finger toward the kitchen island. “Go.”

Rocket ran.

Lando propped himself up to watch.

Y/N flipped another pancake with a proud little hum.

Then—CHOMP.

“OW—WHAT THE—”

She jolted and whipped around, staring down at her ankle.

Rocket was already fleeing, paws skittering across the tile like a tiny fuzzy missile, back toward Lando at full speed.

Lando was wheezing.

“LAN—DO.”

He didn’t respond. He was already cackling, arms open wide like Rocket had just scored a game-winning goal.

“THAT’S MY BOY!” he howled.

Rocket launched into his arms and Lando scooped him up mid-sprint like they’d rehearsed this a hundred times. “GO GO GO—”

“YOU SENT HIM AFTER ME?!” she shouted, chasing after them.

Lando turned and ran for the bedroom, Rocket under one arm like a football, both of them giggling in their own ways—Lando out loud, Rocket with wild chirps of glee.

“YOU ABSOLUTE MENACE!” she yelled from behind, still holding the spatula.

“IT WAS HIS IDEA!” Lando laughed, skidding around the corner. “I’M JUST SUPPORTING HIS DREAMS!”

The bedroom door slammed.

She stood in the hallway, blinking at the chaos trail: her ankle still stinging, Rocket’s fur on the floor, and Lando’s socks abandoned mid-escape.

From inside the room, muffled laughter.

And then Lando’s voice:

“Operation Ankle Snap was a success, Commander Rocket. You’re promoted.”

———

Dinner was warm and loud—Oscar and Lily had come over for a little double date night at home. The table was full of pasta, wine, garlic bread, and half-finished stories.

Lando and Oscar were bickering about karting stories from God knows when.

Y/N was laughing so hard she almost choked on her drink.

That’s when Oscar looked around and went, “Hey, where are the little rats?”

Lily blinked. “The what?”

Oscar smirked. “The ferrets. You know—Rocket and Groot. Furry sausages with teeth.”

Lando, without missing a beat, reached for his drink and said casually,

“You mean my kids? They’re in their room.”

Y/N froze.

Oscar paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. “Wait. What did you just say?”

Lando looked up, deadpan. “My kids. They’re sleeping. I fed them earlier.”

Lily snorted into her wine. “You have kids now?”

“Apparently,” Oscar said, grinning. “You’ve gone soft, mate.”

Lando shrugged. “They wear matching hoodies. Groot licks my face. What do you want from me?”

Y/N smiled across the table, eyes shining.

Lando looked at her, then down at his plate, hiding the way his ears turned pink.

The room fell quiet for a second, warm and golden.

Until—

From down the hall:

CRASH.

CHIRP.

A door creaked.

Something shattered.

Lando sighed and stood up slowly. “…They’re awake.”

Oscar cackled. “Your kids sound like a full-blown riot.”

Lando smiled as he walked toward the hallway.

One of the coordinators for the program, Allie walks into the room, having left minutes prior to take a phone call, she looks at you with a sympathetic look on her face before sitting down next to you carefully.

You already know what she's going to say 

“Hi sweetie, that was your mum” she began, taking a deep breath trying to keep her voice low. “Your parents are going to be a bit late today, your mum said dad will get here as quick as possible” she continued. 

This wasn't the first time your parents have called, they were late most days, you tried to understand that they have unpredictable jobs, with both your mum and dad being doctors at one of the top hospitals in the country. 

You huffed, nodding before pulling out a colouring book that was given to you by your teacher as homework, the same homework the brunette across the room was doing. 

Down the table, the other three boys seemed to have heard your conversation with allie. 

“Ooooohhh y/n’s parents abandoned her!” one of them taunts, the boys burst into giggles before Allie sends them a stern face. they don't let up. 

“Isn't this like the third time this week? They must forget about you alot” they poke while their laughter grows louder 

You see out of the corner of your eye, Lando looks up from his book, his eyes looking to you while your head stays down, trying to focus on your coloring.  

Tears prick your eyes as Allie sends them to the hallway, probably to tell them off, some more. The sound of your sniffles fill the room and Lando watches you wipe your tears with your sleeve before he stands up and makes his way across the room and places himself right next to you. 

“I like your colouring” he says shyly, like he isn't sure what to say. You turn to him, his green eyes looking into yours as he offers you a warm, genuine smile. You find yourself smiling softly back at him, like it was contagious. 

“Thanks, yours is okay” you giggle mischievously, looking down to see his work. His colours were slightly different than yours, but you both had the same idea with shades and detail, his jaw dropped in faux offense. 

“Hey! They look the same!” he says, you both break out into a fit of giggles, playfully chatting while you continue with your artwork. 

When Allie returns, she finds you two in a very in depth conversation about the movie you watched in class today. Crayons scattered around the abandoned colouring books, she smiled softly at the two ten year olds as she watched a special bond form between them. 

You chatted about everything, Lando told you about his newly found hobby in karting. How he wanted to try competing and was mostly excited to miss school for races. You told him small details about you, his attention never wavering as you spoke. 

You both chatted until the rest of the kids had left, leaving just you two and Allie, who was sitting quietly in the corner playing some game on her phone. 

“You should come to one of my races” he declares, “i'll let you drive my kart” you cringe slightly, frowning at the boy. the thought of operating the machinery scares you slightly. “When you win a race I'll go karting with you.” You say shaking your head at him, 

The door opened and in walked a lady whose eyes found lando almost instantly, lando had his back to the door since he was fully immersed in his conversation with you. 

“I think your mums here” you say as Lando whips his head around to see his mum. He smiled, getting up from his seat and hugging her tight. You felt your shoulders drop as you realized lando would now go home, leaving you alone. 

“Hi sweetheart, ready to go home?” she asks her son, who hesitates before he answers. Lando made eye contact with you, the girl he’d found a new friend in and felt quite sad to leave her here, when he got to go home. 

Looking at his mum, he shakes his head “no i wanna stay with y/n until her dad comes.” 

His mum looked at you, shrinking into your chair with all eyes on you. She had a sparkle in her eye as she watched him make his way back to you. She could tell her son had grown fond of you by seeing how he continued your conversation as if his mum wasn't there.

“so, if I win a race, you will come karting with me. deal?” he holds his small hand out, you smile, showing him a toothy smile that made his ten eight year old brain stop in time. Wanting to freeze frame it and paste it onto his eyelids. 

You shake his hand 

“deal.” 

Fifteen  - the unofficial first date

You were anxiously scuffing your feet into the asphalt of your local karting track. Lando had won his first karting race long ago, he was actually set to win his first series this year. But you two had never gotten around to getting you into a kart and on track with him. 

Since that day five years ago, you two had been inseparable. He took you to races on the weekend, and you had helped him catch up in school when he needed help. 

You even started going home with him after school and your parents began to just pick you up at Landos. 

Lando knew he liked you, he had known since he met you. Since your hand brushed against his when you both reached for the same crayon. Your smile was contagious and he swore you grew flowers wherever you walked. 

What started as a small elementary crush– over the years had bloomed into something bigger, something Lando couldn't explain just yet. 

Lando was so excited to show you karting, you could see it on his face. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet while he pulled you through the garage with his hand held in yours. You tried to ignore the butterflies that have made home in your stomach years ago when Lando started getting touchy like this with you. It started with his hand lightly brushing your shoulder in conversations, hugs that lasted longer than they should’ve while his head was tucked snugly in the crook of your neck. 

he leads you to a small single seater that you assumed was yours for the afternoon, “this is what you’ll be driving, i'll be in my kart with you the whole time” he explains, showing you how to control it and the proper steering technique, while throwing in a couple tips. His hand is still laced with yours as he tells you about his own kart. 

You loved seeing him in his element. Watching him race was your favourite thing. You admired his face as he spoke, the freckles you've grown to love topped with his curls that he was still learning to care for properly (after you had begged him too). 

“You with me?” he nudges your arm, shaking you out of your daydream. You nod 

“yeah, just zoned out a bit.” you reply, 

When you walked out in fireproofs and a karting suit, Lando felt like time froze, the world around him spinning to a halt as his gaze found you. He thought you looked beautiful everyday, but seeing you in a race uniform made his mind go fuzzy. 

His breath caught in his throat as he watched you walk over to him, holding a helmet and gloves. His green eyes sparkling at you, like you were the only girl in the world.  

He helped you with your helmet, his fingers brushing under your chin as he clipped the chinstrap, sending shockwaves down your spine. When you were secured he gave you a light tap on the side of your head before you both got in your karts, starting your engines. 

-

You were slowly getting the hang of the machinery, the kart vibrating underneath you as you took each corner with more confidence as you went, Lando staying steadily out in front of you. Turning his neck around to check in on you when you two would rush down the straights. You understood why he enjoyed this so much, the thrill of taking a corner slightly too fast, pushing the kart to its limit. 

You almost enjoyed it too much. 

The barrier came quickly, you hit a dead spot on the track, your kart skidding straight into the make-shift padded wall. When Lando watched the yellow flag fly out, he immediately felt his stomach drop, turning around to see you wobbling slightly in your kart. 

Stopping his kart safely off the track, his feet hit the ground as he sprinted to you, dropping in front of you, flicking his and your visor up, his eyes scanning yours frantically as he watched tears brim your eyes. 

“Hey, you okay?” he asks, his concern evident in his voice as he checks you over. “Where does it hurt?” you groan as he moves your arm slightly, cringing as your muscles contract from the sudden shock. 

“Im okay, just annoyed, im sorry” you huff, tears threatening to fall from your eyes, you knew how much lando wanted to take you karting and show you his world. And now you've ruined it by crashing. 

“No, no none of that.” he soothes, helping you out of the kart and back to the garage. Sitting you down and helping you take your helmet off. You looked adorable when he saw your messy hair from the balaclava. Lando had never wanted to kiss anyone yet, but at this moment he was coming very close to kissing you. 

It was like an itch that surged his whole body, the desire he felt to do all the things a couple does. He wanted to try them, with you. The hand holding while walking to classes, the nights spent wrapping in eachothers arms, he wanted all of you. 

 he wanted to learn what being in love was like, and he only saw himself learning with you. 

“Are you sure you're okay?” he asks cautiously, concerned that your adrenaline hasn't allowed you to fully feel any pain you might be in. 

“Yeah, i think i'll just be sore” you sigh, taking a sip from the water bottle he retrieved from the cooler for you, sitting himself on the floor in front of you. He's looking up to you like he's mesmerizing every inch of your face, studying every mole and freckle. 

Lando chuckles, “oh yea, you're gonna hurt like hell tomorrow” he jokes, you kick him lightly as you break into a fit of giggles, your laughs filling the garage with a sense of joy. 

The mechanics nearby smile at the two of you, infatuated with the way Lando acted in your presence. On a normal race weekend, he was focused, almost unable to see past the task at hand. With you, he was light, laughing, almost as if you showed him what happiness was. 

Your laughs die down and you catch yourself staring at the way his nose crinkled as he smiled. How his curls sit perfectly even after being smushed in his helmet. Your cheeks go flush while you fidget with the hem of your fireproof. 

Lando gaze locked onto you, he watches as your face focuses on your fingers, smiling softly before he stands up, offering his hand out to you. 

“c’mon, lets make my dad get us ice cream” 

You break out into a smile, linking your fingers with his before standing up, you two making your way to find Landos dad. 

Even though karting didn't go how he had planned, Lando felt today was a successful day nonetheless. Because he got to spend his day with you, showing you his other world he loved, the world he was building and working towards, imagining what the future would be when he climbs his way to the top, and he knew he wanted you to be right there with him when he did.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue” you say playfully as you walk with him towards the car, he just smiles, his curls bouncing as he strolls beside you.

“Anytime, anywhere.” 

Seventeen - bruise knuckles with a side of love  

The lights were dimmed as you walked into the house of your friend's house, music was pumping through the speakers providing background noise to the conversations you could hear flowing throughout the room. 

Your eyes scanned the room, looking for the familiar head of chocolate curls who you refused to admit was the whole reason you had come. Lando had been away karting for the past week and you haven't seen him, when you spot him, he has his back turned to you fully engrossed in a conversation with Max Fewtrell. 

Max's eyes catch your from over landos shoulder, a small smirk creeping into his face as he announces your entrance.

“ayeee!! There she is!” he shouts, landos head whips around, slightly confused to who Max is referring to, when he spots you, his eyes light up. You two lock eyes and it's like the world falls away for a moment as you take each other in. He noticed you had straightened your hair differently, training a soft curl at the end of your hair, framing your face perfectly. 

He's on his feet in seconds, making his way across the room to close what felt like a ravine between you. Mumbling a soft hey while engulfing you in a hug, it felt like coming home after a horrible day. His arms squeezing you softly as he tucks his head into your shoulder. You hug him back, closing your eyes as you both linger in the hug for a moment. 

You don't realize that it's been long until Max is next to you, he clears his throat loudly, startling you guys apart. He smiles, greeting you with a brief hug that has Lando sending him a slight glare. You failed to notice the brunette pinching his friend's side afterwards, max letting out a small whine. 

You told Lando how much he missed school, he shrugged it off with a laugh, you both knew he had given up on completing school. Joking that you were getting the degree for both of them. The three of you had always been close, going through schooling together since you were young. Though Max knew there was a bond between you and Lando that he would never be able to fully understand. 

You two understood each other without even having to speak, if Lando was upset with a race, Max often would text you as they drove home, you’d be waiting for them on the porch with snacks and a movie. Lando falling into your embrace before you settled on your own end of the couch, one of his favorite films playing on the tv. 

If Max looked over to you two, he’d see Lando absentmindedly playing with your fingers, he’d see you slowly running your hand through his curls, something you knew would calm him down 

You always knew lando needed comfort after a bad result, but you failed to understand that all he ever really needed was you. 

 “I'm gonna go grab a drink, do you want anything?” you ask softly, pointing to the small mini bar that was set up in the corner, one of the guests dramatically pouring non-alcoholic drinks as if you were in a club. 

“Monster pleasee” he drawls, smiling widely as if mimicking a little kid asking for candy. You roll your eyes with a smile before turning to Max, who shows you his already half drunk redbull. 

You turn away, sauntering your way to grab the beverages, lando and max watch you as you make your way. Once you're out of earshot, Max drops his smile before turning to smack lando in the arm. The boy yelps in pain, grabbing his arm with an unamused look on his face

“Oww!” Lando groans as Maxs face stays serious. 

“Why haven't you told her” he asked, leaving no room for bullshit. Lando and you had been dancing around the idea of a relationship for years, and he was tired of it. He was tired of seeing his two best friends hopelessly in love with each other and choosing to ignore it. 

“It's just not the right time,” Lando argues, his voice small. He tried so many times to tell you, to blurt his feelings out like a case of word vomit, to just scream i love you in your face. But every time, the words died in his throat at the possibility of you not returning his feelings. 

“Bullshit.” max counters “you two have been all heart eyes since we were what? twelve? I don't care whatever story you’ve run in your head, she loves you Lando and you both need to open your eyes and see it” he commands, sending a blow straight to Landos heart as he exhales with a sigh, his gaze fixed on you chatting with the boy handing out drinks. 

“What if it doesn't work out? I'm never here anymore max, how is that fair to her?” Lando says, a sense of longing evident in his eyes while he looks at you.

 Max’s offense crumbles slightly, but he didn't let up “she loves you enough to fight for it. She just needs to know you're willing to fight for it too.” he offers, you make your return, holding two cans of monster, the two boys staring slightly.  Like they had just been caught doing something they shouldn't. You frown slightly, your hand rising to cover your face.

“Do I have something on my face?” you ask worried, your hand rubbing along your features as you search frantically. Lando chuckles, lightly grabbing your wrists to halt your movements 

“No no,-” he breathes through a laugh, his touch sending sparks up your forearms  “you look beautiful” he said lowly, like it was only for you to hear. 

 You exhale deeply with a small laugh, sending him a soft, genuine smile that had Lando seeing double. 

This boy was done for. 

– 

The atmosphere had shifted since you arrived, the party was now in full swing as bodies filled the house, the base of the song vibrating underneath the floor. You and Lando were standing in a corner, your conversation light as you both nursed your drinks. 

Lando was explaining the new video game he and max had started playing when he was– quite rudely– interrupted by a boy approaching you, it was the same boy from the drink bar, whose name you learned was james 

“hi y/n, i just wanted to say that i enjoyed our conversation earlier. It's always a pleasure chatting with you” he smiles, one of those smiles that has a cheshire cat behind it, one that makes you slightly stiff next to lando. James didn't acknowledge landos presence, acting as if you were standing next to a plant pot. 

“Oh, thank you james.” you say, noticing lando’s eyes have turned to the black and neon can in his hand, fiddling with the pull tab. He's trying not to listen, but the way you shifted towards him slightly as James kept talking to you made him wary. 

“–hey you wanna get outta here?” James offers. 

Something in lando snaps when he sees the cocky smirk on his face.

“Woah,woah,woah, let's slow your roll here, mate.” he steps slightly in front of you, puffing his chest. 

“Last time I checked I wasn't talking to you” James barks back. his voice became louder as you hid behind lando. 

 “she clearly doesn’t want to be talking with you” he argues, you could see Landos fists balling at his sides. the monster abandoned on the windowsill behind you. Landos neck grows red as the anger bubbles underneath his skin. 

“Yk’what, why don't you let me and the lady have a conversation, yeah?” he says trying to push past Lando, his tone dripping with smugness. 

Oh that had Lando seeing red.

His fist connects with James' jaw, then his nose. Sending him to the floor, you gasp as James groans, before getting up and raising his fist. He doesn't have the time to think before Lando sends another blow to his chest, knocking him down for good. 

Two guests go to James, picking him up to place him on the couch as Max rushes over to you and Lando, his eyes falling to Landos hand.

“Shit mate–” he exhales, scanning the room for a way out “–c’mon let's go get some ice and fix that, you have to drive this weekend.” 

He leads you upstairs to a somewhat secluded bathroom, shutting the door as Lando sits on the sink, the pain from his hand evident in his movements. 

You haven't spoken since the fight, slightly shaken up from watching your best friend almost did beat the living daylights out of someone. You didn't want to think about what could've happened if James was able to land his own punches. 

You press toilet paper to his bleeding knuckles, and Lando hisses from the pain of you pressing on the inflamed flesh. Dropping his head onto your shoulder as max ruffles through the cabinet.

“score!” he exclaims, holding up a bright red first aid kit. He pulls out the alcohol wipes and hands them off to you. 

“m’sorry, this is gonna hurt” you say quietly before you clean the wounds, lando squeezes his eyes shut at the sting, his uninjured hand finds your waist, using it as a lifeline. 

Once the wounds are clean you begin to wrap his hand, your touch light as max hands you gauze, but nothing to secure it with. 

“Max, I need tape or something–” you mumble, focused on the task at hand. Lando watches as your tongue pokes out of your mouth while your eyes –which he's just noticing are slightly glossed over– are focused on carefully covering the wounds. 

Once Max makes his way to find you tape, you and Lando are left in silence, spare from the muffled sound of music still coming from downstairs. You were mumbling soft swears as the gauze would slip in your hold. 

“um- i'm really sorry–” lando breaks the silence, you look to him but he won't meet your eyes, “–i didn't like where he was going with that, but if you–uh..wanted him though, i understand” he says low, his eyes fixed on his lap while you look at him slightly shell shocked.

You scoff, almost like a laugh “you’re an idiot” he looks up, green eyes pouring into yours, hyper aware of the hold you had on his hand and his on your hip.

“Wh-what?” he breathes, confused. You send him a small are you stupid? look before saying what you’ve been trying to build the courage to say for years.

“I don't want him, god did you see his greasy hair?-” you roll your eyes, lando chuckles softly before you continue “i want you, you muppet”

Lando froze, he stared at you with nothing but admiration, you stood in front of him with a smile on your face, he swore he could’ve died right there. He exhaled deeply as a smile grew wide on his face, reaching both ears as he pulled you closer.  

“Thank god because i'm not sure what i would've done if you didn't” he whispers, his eyes flicking to your lips, tilting his head down slightly. You leaned in slightly, his breath fanning across your face before he locked his lips onto yours. 

The kiss was slow, but hard, like the crescendo of a musical piece. Years of longing being poured into it, your lips slotting together perfectly. Moving in sync as your free hand cups his jaw. He pulls you closer by his hold on your waist, humming slightly when you bite his bottom lip.

 The world seemed to have faded away as he deepened the kiss. His tongue swiping across your bottom lip, asking for access you happily granted. You kissed him until you were breathless, smiling against each other's lips, you swore you could see sparkles in landos eyes.

“ten year old me is so happy right now” he mumbled against your lips, smiling so wide as you giggled. You kissed him again, softer this time, drinking in the kiss that you had dreamt about for years.

You kissed him multiple times in that bathroom, the pain in his hand forgotten as his focus was solely on you. 

That was, until the doorknob jingled before Max opened the door, holding tape and a bag of ice. You step back quickly as Max halts his movement, it didn't take an idiot to put two and two together. Your puffy lips, landos slightly messy hair, and his poorly wrapped hand that had been perfectly wrapped when he left moments ago.  

All he did was smile, before handing lando the ice to hold to his hand. He hands you the tape before moving back to the door, lingering in it before he leaves.

“I am so, so, fucking happy for you both.” is all he says before shutting the door, leaving you alone once again. 

You turned to each other slowly, staring for a moment before you broke out into giggles. Once you both quiet down, you rewrap his hand, maybe stealing a kiss or two (or three) while you work, making up for all the time you could’ve been kissing him over the years. 

Lando watched you lovingly, thinking to the future. Yes he was scared, he was scared of what this meant with you in school and him racing. But he could see that you wanted this, you wanted him. if he had to die fighting to make you two work, he was gonna sure as hell try. 

Nineteen - through the storm

The crisp autumn air turned your nose red as you walked through the streets of London towards Max and his girlfriend, Pietras’ flat. It was Saturday afternoon and Lando was in Italy, it was Lando’s first year in F1, you two had been dating for two years now, and had your own flat in London you called home. 

Every race weekend, it became a tradition for you to watch qualifying and the race with Max and Pietra. Ordering pizza while you shout at the tv against anyone who dares to overtake your boyfriend. 

Opening the door you waltz in, announcing your arrival before shrugging your shoes off, placing your coat and bag in the mudroom. Your sock clad feet pad across the floor into the living room where Max had set up the broadcast. 

“How's he doing?” you ask, grabbing a blanket and snuggling into the couch. “He's doin’ fine but I'm not sure we're getting out of Q2” he answers, a sigh escaping his lips as you frown. Lando had told you the struggles he's been having recently with the car, not being able to find that balance he needs. 

The media knew it too, it felt like every time you checked your phone, someone had something horrible to say about the man you loved. You knew it was getting to him despite the brave face he put on. 

Your boyfriend was the type of person who wanted everyone to love him, the amount of scrutiny was eating at him while all he did was try his best in the car he was given.

 It wasn't his fault the car he was given was a tractor.

You watched anxiously as the timer ticked down, a minute left in Q2. Lando was setting his final lap, nibbling on your fingernails as he rounded the final sector, crossing the line to land in P14. his teammate Carlos sainz, landing in P7. 

You deflate, knowing lando wouldn’t be happy with himself, you knew him too well. After years of watching him in F3 and F2, you know what was running through his head and it killed you that you couldn’t be there with him. 

When he was home earlier in the month he told you one night how the one thing that scared him was people thinking he didn’t deserve his seat, this result certainly didn't help him with his self doubt. 

“He's going to be so upset” you mumble, turning your ringer on while you wait for his call. Another small tradition you had was if you weren't in attendance, the minute he had a moment alone, he was on the phone with you.

Max nods silently, Pietra sighing as she makes her way to the kitchen to order pizza for you all, silence stretching throughout the apartment as you watch the final moments of qualifying. 

As the commentators congratulated the pole sitter, raving on about the final laps that had been revolutionary all you could think about was Lando and how he was beating himself up over this. 

You could see the tweets now, the hate, the scrutiny that was going to flood your socials the second you looked, just as you went to pick up your phone, it vibrated from lando calling you, the goofy smile of his contact photo smiling back at you as you answered the call.

“heyy baby!” you say, walking into the guest room for some privacy, sitting down on the foot of the bed. The line was quiet for a moment before Lando responded with a soft “hey” his voice wobbled as he spoke.

“You drove really well lando.. don't beat yourself up over one bad quali” you say softly, keeping your tone light. Soft sniffles came from Landos end of the line, your heart squeezes as you hear him cry softly. Lando wasn’t a crier, so when he did, you knew he was close to his breaking point.

“I can't do this anymore,” he sniffles. “I don't even want to know what they're saying right now.” he cries. You listen to his broken sobs as tears escape your own eyes. You hated being so far away from him while he was hurting like this, he was alone and vulnerable and that made you want to scream. Wishing you could crawl through the phone and get to him. 

You debated telling his trainer, getting someone else in the room with him to make sure he was safe, but you knew he needed to let it out first. You’d tell Jon later, right now you needed to be there for lando. 

Landos breathing starts to become ragged as his sentences come out in short breaths, you hear the panic attack coming before it fully hits him, his voice was shaky as it grew quieter. His words dying in his throat before he could say them, you could hear his breathing becoming more frantic. 

“Lan, baby i need you to breathe for me” He was sending himself deeper into a panic and it only worried you more. You felt useless just listening while he struggled to find a breath.

“I ca- i cant” he chokes out, his sobs echoing through the phone as you begin to frantically text Jon. Your fingers shaking as you message the man, tears flowing down your face.

You: 911!

You: get to landdo now he's habvin a panic attack on the phone wit me 

You: please jon im panicjking myself listning to him

Jon: On it.

You keep assuring him through the phone, trying to say something– anything that will calm him down. Telling him to unzip his race suit, asking him what he can smell, see, hear, or taste. None of it worked, the boy was breaking down in your ears and you felt helpless while waiting for Jon to find him. 

You hear the door open on the other end, the phone falls to the floor as the murmurs of Jons voice filter down the phone. You don't hear much for a few moments, taking the time to compose yourself, wiping your tears with the sleeve of your landos hoodie. 

“hey y/n, he's all good now, i'll have you call him back in a bit. Are you okay?” Jons voice crackles through the phone after a while, you exhale a sigh of relief, clutching a hand to your chest. 

“Yeah… sounds good, thank you jon.” you say softly, hanging up the call.

You splash some water on your face before returning to max and pietra. The two noticed something was off with you immediately. 

“You okay? How is he?” Max asks slowly, you didn't say anything. He could tell something was wrong when tears flooded your eyes. Closing the distance, he pulls you into a hug as a sob escapes your lips, you clutch onto him while you cry. Tears pour down your face as you explain what just happened, Max listens with sympathy written all over his face. 

 Hes silent for a moment, before an idea pops into his head “Let's get you to italy.” he says, determination in his voice as he grabs his phone, immediately googling flights. 

“what- but i don't have anything packed- what if there's no flights” you ramble, slightly shocked he was so set on this idea, he shakes his head, finalized in his decision that you needed to get on a flight as soon as possible and he didn't care how.

“Go home and pack, you don't need much it's only a night- SCORE” he turns the phone around, showing you a flight to Italy “leaves in four hours, if we hurry.. we can get you there” he says. You two lock eyes, a new sense of determination blooming inside you. You needed to be there for Lando, and you were going to get there.

It all happened so fast, one minute you were packing clothes into a duffle bag, and now you had landed in Italy, the flight was quick, two hours from London to Milan. You sat in the cab, the streetlights fading by as you made your way to landos hotel. 

The hotel was beautiful, wishing you could've come on better circumstances, thinking back to all the times you and Lando would be talking late at night, hushed whispers about what it was going to be like once he reached F1, all the places you’d go together. 

You never expected what reality would end up being. 

You stood in front of landos hotel room, Jon was standing next to you. Since the phone call, you had asked Jon to stay with lando. Explaining to him why incase of an emergency, you wouldn't be available for lando. He immediately agreed and also offered to walk you up to the room upon your arrival. 

Once the door opened, and you saw him. His eyes looked drained, his hair was messy from him running his hands through it. When he locked eyes with you, they widened so big they could’ve popped out of their sockets. 

He stared at you for a moment, trying to decipher whether or not you were really here, actually in front of him at his hotel in Monza. Once he felt you wrap your arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace, it hit him. 

It hit him hard.

“Oh my god” he breathed as he melted into your arms, his emotions bubbling over again as tears escaped his eyes. He had never felt so relieved to be in your arms, not since that moment in a bathroom years ago, it was like you were an angel sent straight for him. 

He pulled away to get a good look at you, you were wiping his cheeks softly. He still couldn't believe you flew to him. 

“Are you actually here, or am I dreaming?” he asks, a wet chuckle escapes you both as you realize you're also crying. 

“Im here, i'm real” you smile, pulling him back into a hug as you smooth the hair on the back of his neck. “I couldn’t stay in London when you were here in this state. It would’ve killed me.” you sniffled. His hands wrap around you, holding on like if he’d let go, you'd disappear, and he'd wake up from this nightmare with you still in london. 

He pulled back, placing a soft kiss to your lips before mumbling many “i love yous” into your mouth as you kissed him back, soft and slow. Forgetting about Jon standing a few feet away from you two. He turns away slightly, letting you have your moment. 

You pull away echoing a soft “sorry” to Jon who just smiles softly, shaking his head in dismissal as Lando wraps his arms around your waist, activating his clingy-ness. 

You say goodnight to Jon as you and Lando head into bed, the events of the day taking their effect. Lando immediately wraps his arms around your waist, nuzzling his face into your shoulder, placing soft kisses on the exposed skin before resting his head on your chest. 

“Thank you, for understanding me more than I do myself” he mumbles sleepily, his breaths even out as he finally looks at peace with his mind. Your smile is warm as you place a light kiss to his forehead before finally resting your eyes, having your boy in your arms. 

And when you wake up to a text message from Jon, attached is a video of you and landos reunion he recorded secretly, you smile, cropping the video properly to post on your instagram story.

Posted is a small 10 second clip of Lando realizing you were standing in front of him, then showing the hug you two shared. Rocking back and forth as intelligible murmurs are exchanged between you two. 

captioned for you, anywhere, anytime. 

Twenty two - a handprint on her heart

The sun was shining down on your face as you perched yourself on a lounge chair on the exquisite yacht you get to call home for the summer break. You sported a bright orange bikini as you read your book while you listened to the waves below you.

It was peaceful, until you heard the stomps of two smaller people, followed by the stomps of a bigger person. You looked to the door to see Mila and Athena squealing as they ran around the deck, followed by none other than your boyfriend, who was chasing them, pretending he was a sea monster. 

“Look! There's auntie, she’ll save us," Mila shouts as the two girls make a beeline for you. You quickly place your book down so the girls can climb on top of you, hiding from their overly enthusiastic uncle. 

“Ohh auntie can't save you now! She's on my side” he says playfully while you begin to tighten your grip around the girls, not strong enough to hurt them, but tight enough to where they would struggle to break free. 

The girls giggle as Lando ‘rounds the couch, the girls wiggling in your arms, sounding cries of betrayal while you laugh at the trio's antics. He makes it to your pile of laughter and starts tickling the two girls until they are breathless.

Once he ceases the tickles attack, you let the girls free. They hop to the ground, their baby feet bouncing off the deck as they make their escape from the tickle monster, but to you he's just lando. 

Lando lets out a sigh as he sets himself down on the couch next to you, placing his arms around your shoulder. You had been on this yacht for a week and he had already worked up a tan, he looked divine, the sun hitting his face perfectly as he turned to look at you before placing a kiss on your temple. 

“y’know, it’ll be nice when we have our own munchkins running around a yacht one day” he says, far too casually, as his hand traces your shoulder. You both knew you wanted kids, but also knew being twenty two, in the height of landos career was not the right time for either of you to even think about creating your own bundle of love. 

Before you could respond to him, Max waltz’s his way onto the deck, sunglasses propped on his face as he spots you two. “Don't you two look cozy” he jokes, acting like you two haven't been head over heels for each other since you were small. It was a running joke for years, Max loves to tease you two about anything and everything.

Today was no different 

“oi! LN,” he says, lightly smacking landos sunburnt shoulder, causing the brunette to wince. “When are you proposing, I've got bets placed man!” he says with a faux serious tone. 

You giggle at him, you had discussed this before, you had an list of milestones that you and lando wanted to complete in a specific order

Championship

Marriage

Kids 

“You act like we haven’t basically been married for years max” you say, playfulness evident in your tone as Lando pulls you closer by the shoulder. Lando knew Max was just joking, but deep down part of him did want to forgo the list years ago and just make you his wife.

He's known since before you were officially dating that he’d marry you, it was obvious to him, you were the only option. The only person he saw his future with, the woman he goes home to, the mother of his children, you checked all the boxes of perfection and he was anxious to put a rock on your finger to solidify it for eternity. Devoting himself to you completely. 

Lando observes as you and Max move onto a different topic, he observes every detail about you, the way your nose crinkles when you smile, how your freckles pop when you spend more time in the sun, the way you always manage to speak with a heartwarming smile etched onto your face. It made him dizzy the way he knew you better than he knew himself. You were his everything, there is no lando without you. 

“Lan baby, you with us?” you ask, noticing he spaced out slightly. Nodding he smiles, placing a kiss on your hand, interlaced with his.

“Yeah, just thinkin’” he says simply, thinking for a moment before he taps your shoulder, 

“Wanna go for a walk?”

– 

You walked down the side of the boat, your fingers interlocked as the sun casted a golden light on your skin. Lando rubbed his thumb over your knuckles as you walked to the edge of the boat, overseeing the mediterranean behind you. 

Lando is quiet for a moment, his eyes following the horizon while he thinks. You can see in his eyes he's piecing his sentencing together but struggling– after a while, he speaks up. 

“Max got me thinking,” he pauses, taking a deep breath “I wanna change the list.” 

Your heart stops, looking up at him to find anything on his face that says he's joking, you meet his eyes already looking at you, 

“Are you serious?”

He chuckles, running a nervous hand through his hair, “I've never been more serious about anything in my life baby,” you feel tears welling up in your waterline. “I've known my whole life that I wanted to marry you, I don't want to let a championship decide when.” 

He brings a hand up to cup your cheek, your bottom lip trembling while he continues. 

“You're it for me baby, I can’t remember what my life was like without you in it and I don't want to have to learn. You know me better than I know myself, I am hopelessly in love with you and there's nothing that will ever change that,” you were full on crying now, he takes a moment to collect his thoughts, 

“–loving you is my greatest achievement, no championship could ever come close to how i feel about you,” Lando feels a lump form in his throat as he tries to finish his mini speech before he becomes emotional. 

“Let's get married” 

You cry softly before you cry out a yes and Lando feels a surge of love flow through him. 

“Yeah?” he smiles so wide as you nod, tears freely flowing down both your faces as he pulls you into an earth shattering kiss.

He kisses you like you’re his last breath of fresh air— soft and sensual, holding your face with such gentle care like you’d break if he let go. 

You pull away for air, giggling into each other's lips, stealing more kisses as the sun begins to set over the sea. The air felt warmer as you kissed your fiancè, you kissed him again, and again, you kissed him so many times you forgot where you were. 

That was until Lando pulled away sharply with a gasp. “Wait here” he mumbles before he takes off running back into the yacht, you take a seat while you wait for him to return, slightly confused to where he ran off to. 

Moments later he comes back, hands held behind his back as he makes his way over to you, a cheeky smile spread across his tanned face. 

“I'm sorry, your actual ring is at home.” you choose to ignore that fact for the time being. “But I do have this,” he chuckles as he pulls a small ring pop from behind his back. 

You laugh at the small candy as he opens it, placing it on your left ring finger, placing another kiss to your lips, you throw yourself into his arms, returning the kiss in full force. 

“It's perfect, thank you.” you mumble into his mouth. 

He rests his forehead against yours, his green eyes pouring into yours— a window to his soul showing nothing but love for you as he pulls you closer, his smile giddy. “We're getting married!!” he exclaims, you both giggle as you revel in being newly engaged. 

You think back to when you were kids, before the fancy cars and extravagant races, you loved him before he made a name for himself, before the outside voices. When it was just you two on a karting track, nobody watching to see where he goes next. 

you will continue to love him in the highs and lows of his career, as he shows the world what he's truly made of. You will forever be there, holding his hand, being his first phone call. Continuing to support him throughout it all, believing in his dreams as they’ve now become yours. 

You will love him when it's over, when it's just you two in the quiet mornings, for when you have nowhere to be. When you're old and grey living in the countryside in London, hand in hand on the porch side of your family home, grandkids running around in the yard. 

Like a handprint over your heart, Lando had plastered himself over every inch of your existence. His love hidden in plain sight of places you’ve yet to even realize. you loved this boy with every fiber of your being, and you would love him in every universe, in every past life and through the next. 

You will love him anywhere, anytime. 

~~