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SPANISH GP, MORNING AFTER RACE DAY, MONDAY
Oscar woke up from his sleep as he felt a soft thumb brush against his cheek. Carlos looks at him softly, tracing his thumbs over Oscar's cheek to his lips.
He sighed as he felt a terror run in his body just now. He thought he was alone, he thought Carlos already left after the night. But he didn't.
Carlos kisses his forehead while he pulls them both close together in each other's arms. Intertwined their hands inside the blanket. Oscar hums as he places his head on Carlos's chest. Hearing his heart slowly beating, he follows the same rhythm with his breathing. Buried in his chest, he thinks about why he is so clingy to Carlos this morning.
Last night was intense, for the first time he got to taste the Spaniard's gorgeous lips. Pulling his soft hair, scratching his back as Carlos fuck him hard. Maybe the tension between them last night made him crave for Carlos's presence.
"Oscar, is it alright to do this?" Carlos pauses, kissing Oscar's hair. "How is Lando going to react?"
Lando, Oscar's teammate, best friend, and his first crush. A crush that knows he likes them. A crush that will never like him back. A crush that will never answer back his confession. He knows Lando will be surprised when he tells him he is already over him. Maybe Lando will be happy because they don't have to be awkward around each other anymore. He was tired of chasing Lando, on tracks and outside tracks. Or the other way we could say, ‘He wrote a book for him but he never loved them back.’
Lando never gave him the answer to his confessions. Only a mixed signal to him, he acts like he cares at one point, then not at a different time. Every time they are together, making a PR video, he fights the urge to not stare at Lando. He's too beautiful, charismatic, and charming.
But Carlos? Oh wow, he never felt anything for him until last night. When he was at his lowest, drinking at the Red Bull party, celebrating Max another win in Spain. Carlos bumped into him and Logan at their small little corner at the back of the club.
They were fine at first until Logan asked to leave for a bathroom break. Left him all alone with Carlos. Too drunk to think straight, both of them start to vent their frustration with the race and other things to each other.
It wasn't very comfortable at first for Oscar until Carlos started to encourage him. Hoping for him to stay strong, and he will get over Lando in no time.
That's when a little change of hope starts to build in him, but not for Lando except for Carlos.
He thought he was a bastard, an asshole who kept running him in the track, moaning about him to give him a penalty. He is a fine man who cares only about himself, and his win. A person who shouldn't even be in any space of his mind at all until last night.
He smiles at him when he looks up. Staring into his beautiful brown eyes, he blushes and hides back, burying his face into Carlos's chest.
He is still thinking about how to tell Lando that he is already over him, or does he? But what if Lando likes him back? Will Lando and him be normal again? Well, do they become normal teammates after that like how they used to be?
He felt conflicted about this. He thought it might be better to talk it over with Logan, and perhaps get a few tips from him. After all, Logan had a crush on one of the other drivers too. Things didn't end well, but at least they parted on good terms even though he didn't want to mention who it was.
Logan knows how Oscar always talks about Lando—his eyes, his laugh, his humor, everything. He has heard so much of it that Logan started to give up. Logan was the one who pushed him to confess to Lando. Oscar initially refused the idea, but Logan told him that if he never confessed, they would never know what could happen. Now they know, things didn't turn out as they had hoped.
Then Carlos pulls back a bit, reaching for his phone on the side table. Oscar loses and releases his hand from Carlos's grip. He turns around toward the window of his hotel room and sits up.
“I don't know… “ Oscar turns back to look at him, clenching hard on the sheet as turned back again facing the window. He heard a rustle on the blanket, Carlos might start getting up to take a shower.
He needed some time alone for now. He hated being complicated toward his feelings. He does love Lando but it's hard to accept that Lando will never like him back. He looked at his hands as he rubbed them slowly, and then he felt a hand touch his shoulder.
“Oscar, can you,” Carlos paused, unsure of what he was about to say. “Move? I meant- like if you want to shower can you get up or-” Oscar squished Carlos's hand on his shoulder. “I can but might need your help…”
Carlos nods as he helps Oscar up from the bed, walking slowly to the bathroom, side by side. It is still weird for him to see Carlos soft with him. Carlos was always rough with him, either on track or outside. Always glaring at him, whether they didn't DNF because of each other or not. Carlos will give him a piss-off face at him.
This other side of Carlos is fascinating.
After the shower and everything, Oscar walked up to him, took Carlos's wrist, and held it before Carlos left his hotel room for his afternoon plane to Austria. He knew Carlos would stay for a while at his home race but he needed to catch up with something in Austria before heading back again to Spain.
Carlos turned to look at him with a smirk. “Cabrón, you are very clingy this morning.” Oscar might miss soft Carlos now.
“Come on, you're never this soft with me.” Oscar rolled his eyes as he let go of Carlo's hand.
“Of course, enjoy it while it lasts. Don't worry about Lando. It will be okay.” Carlos chuckled as he pulled back his waist close to him and gave a soft kiss. He pulls back and grins before letting go of Oscar, walking to the door, and leaving.
Oscar was standing there completely stunned as he looked at the door shut.
‘What was that???’ Oscar thought as he started to turn red and flushed, and turned around to his room. That was unexpected from Carlos. He felt his body begin to heat when his mind rewinds the kiss.
He walks to the side table and looks at his phone charging on full battery. When did he charge it? He remembers vividly turning off his phone in the club with Logan. He turns it on and fully blasts off multiple notification calls from Logan and Lando filling his lock screen.
He let out a sigh as he slid his hair back and read one by one of the messages Logan and Lando had sent.
Lando
Mate, where are you?
Did you leave the club already?
Osc?
Osc??
Osc, why did Carlos ask for your room number?
2:39 a.m., Monday.
Oscar lets out a groan as he squats down to the floor. Shit, how does he explain this to Lando? He slowly typed his answer back, trying not to get carried away with his answer.
Oscar
Sorry, mate.
He just came to ask me if I saw Charles at the club.
8:20 a.m., Monday.
He waits for Lando to reply as he is still squatting on the ground. He kept checking back and forth his message if Lando read it.
Lando
Oh, alright then.
But isn't that a lil weird to ask you in person?
He could text you
Idk.
Maybe he didn't have my number?
Well, he asked for my room number with you, remember?
That makes sense.
Anyway, I meet you later in Austria.
See you there
Im going with max btw
Ouh aight, mate
See you soon too.
8:30 a.m., Monday.
Thank god, Lando didn't suspect him of anything. He got to save himself from creating another problem between him and Lando. He sighed, and then he checked on Logan's message. Logan did spam a bit on his phone, Logan was worried for him after all when he went missing from the club out of his knowledge.
Log :]
Oi, osc
Where did you go???
Mate, where have you been?
Osca?
Osc?
Osc
Osc
Oscah
Oscar
Oscarrrrrr
Mate
Did you leave me all alone because of Carlos???
Please tell me no
Or did you leave with Lando?
???
Nvm Lando is still here.
So…
IT IS CARLOS???
3:30 a.m., Monday.
Fine
You are with Carlos
Don't ask me how I know
Text me back in the morning.
Or I ask Mark instead
4:30 a.m., Monday.
Sorry log
I got too drunk last night
And yes, I was with Carlos.
But he only dropped me off in the hotel
That's it
Mate, don't lie
I know what you did last night with him
What?
Don't make me say it
Fine its only a one-night stand
Nothing more than that
Sure, osc
Sure
9:10 a.m., Monday.
Oscar pushes his back laying on the floor while he looks at Logan’s message. Logan obviously knows it, he doesn't need to lie to him but he already did. What could he say? Lying again over and over when his own best friend knows the most obvious of it.
MateWhy do I need to lie to you?Of course yk
HAHAHASorry for teasing you like thtI need a conformation
9:30 a.m., Monday.
Oscar sighs as he closes his phone, open wide with his hands on the floor. Laying a head in the shape of a snow angel. Now he misses Australia, playing in the snow with his sisters on the night of Christmas Eve. Thinking about it, he couldn't wait to go back home to celebrate Christmas with them but it's all a little too early to be thinking half of the year in the future after the 2024 season.
He checks his message back, he sends Logan a rolling eyes emoji at him before getting up to wash his face and start packing his luggage. He’s flying early today, and getting up early for media day tomorrow.
As he is ready to walk out of his hotel room, he checks one last time to not miss anything in the room. He walked to the edge of the bed corner unplugging his phone charger then he saw a note flying past behind the bed back on the dusty floor.
He picked up the note and read the note as he swept the dust sticking to the note. He tried to figure out who was writing this until he remembered it was from Carlos.
‘Your phone was dead last night, i thought of charging it for you since i saw Logan spamming before it went dead. No need to thank me. It was funny to see Logan's message, osc.’
Oscar flustered as he massaged his forehead, trying to hold himself from smiling when he read the word ‘osc’ on the note. It's new for him, Carlos has never used that nickname since it became popular when Lando used it. It became a personal nickname for him for Logan and Lando. He’s alright when other drivers use it when using that nickname but it still makes him uneasy when Carlos uses it.
He read it again one more time, then he folded it in a smaller shape as he shoved it into his back jeans pockets. Still smiling from the note as he walks out of the room, he pulls out his phone scrolls over Tiktok, and reads a few comments from his Q&A video choosing what question he wants to answer for his next post as he tries to distract himself from thinking of Carlos.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
AUSTRIAN GP, POST-SPRINT RACE, SATURDAY
Oscar holds the 2nd place sprint trophy in his hands, capturing the details of it. He tried his best to win but ended up 2nd in the sprint race, it's enough for him. He was hoping he could win but Max drove like crazy on the rocket ship.
He felt a hand touch softly on his shoulder, Lando patted his shoulder and gripped it slowly as he stared at it. “We did a good job, Osc. Your overtake was amazing. Took me off guard there,” Lando smiles at him. “Let's do good on Quali.” He turns back, walking to hug Max. He smiles at him before staring at Lando walking away.
He did it again, caring about him. Compliment him when he does well. Cheer him up when he did well or bad. Who else did not encourage their teammate when they did well? But he knows deep down Lando knows that every word he says to him. It's another heartwarming word for Oscar. He's making him crave every single one of them every day.
He turns to look at the trophy again before walking back to the paddock. He walks beside Lando side by side, feeling a warm presence from him. Looking around while talking to Lando, he felt a pair of brown eyes watching him from afar.
Carlos stares at him from inside the Ferrari motorhome, talking with Charles beside him as the monesgasque messages somebody on the phone while leaning over the window. Carlos's stares hold a lot of meaning there, either, sympathy or worried. He only glanced back at him, he didn't want those brown eyes conquering his thoughts.
He’s trying to avoid everything that jumps over him that might cause him another mental breakdown. He‘s not ready yet, not after he had one last night that ended up a miserable night when Carlos came over to his hotel room.
Last night, he came over after Lando had invited him to hang out in his room. At first, Carlos was going to drop by, checking if he was alright after hanging out with Lando but in the end, Carlos had invited himself to stay for the night. He was all right with it.
It's just quite an unannounced situation that when he opened the door, his face showed a post-mental breakdown face. His face is wet because he was soaking his head with a bowl of ice-cold water, trying to get rid of his puffy eyes from crying.
Carlos knows it right away and decides to pull both of them to the sofa and comfort him. It's funny to see Carlos gentle with him when they just argue that same mourning about which food they prefer when it comes to Schnitzel or Strudel.
It all started when the Red Bull media team came to ask them the question when all the drivers were making a circle in the paddock. Oscar chose Strudel because it's in sync with his last name joke. Carlos on the other hand chose Schnitzel because he's not a sweet tooth. Fair enough. He loves both but Carlos almost crosses the line when he jokes that he's a kid because he likes sweets.
Oscar felt offended when he called him that, He does like sweet but calling him a child is ridiculous. Oscar replied with a stare and Carlos accepted the challenge and stared at him back. The competition ends when Max nudges Carlos's shoulder when he sees them not ending their staring competition.
It's all too funny but sweet at the same time. Carlos holds his hand's thigh as he tells him the reason he had a mental breakdown. He sighed as he heard that Oscar was stressing again with Lando's behavior toward him. Sending a mixed signal again and again.
Carlos ends up pulling him for a hug and takes him to bed. He looks at Oscar on the bed staring at him, he can't help but chuckle. “You prove my point you are a kid.” Oscar rolls his eyes as he turns his body, facing his back toward Carlos. “Aww, look at you acting like a kid again.” Carlos laughed at him as he sat on the floor, leaning against the bed.
“Shut up, Carlos.” Oscar pulls the blanket covering his flushed face from Carlos’s teasing. “Well, I tug you in, help you from crying more, listen to your problem-” Oscar sat up immediately as he looked at Carlos sitting beside him. “Fine, call me whatever you want Carlos.”
Carlos responds with a chuckle as he gets up and sits at the side of the edge of the bed. Both eyes meet each other, sharing a deep meaning in them. A meaning of comfort and reassurance to each other even tho knowing both of them don't have feelings for one another.
“Can I call you mi princesa?” Carlos smirked before his face got hit with a flying pillow from Oscar. “Fuck you, anything but that.” This ends up with a loud laugh from Carlos as he throws back the pillow at him. Oscar couldn't help himself from not smiling at the memory from last night.
It's only a few days, almost a week to be exact. They had been going around spending time together a lot. Carlos frequently came to his hotel room, either for a minute or a whole night. He likes to hang out with Carlos. It's fun.
He snaps back when Lando calls his name. “Mate, are you listening?” Lando looks at him worried. “Sorry, my mind went off for a second.” He gave Lando a genuine smile at him. He went back to listen to Lando rambling about the race.
Lando will be aiming for a win tomorrow if he can get a pole on Quali. He likes to listen to Lando talking about his aims, he looks cute and energetic. Trying to win more wins after he felt the happiness of winning a race in Miami for the first time. Hungry for more, Oscar wishes he could taste the same feeling of victory once he finally did it.
He turns back to look at Carlos behind them as they walk past them, Carlos eyes remain on his face, staring deep into his soul before he turns to follow Charles from behind walking back to their room. Oscar turns back to look at Lando, focusing back on his talking, responding to his question.
He felt uneasy by Carlos's stare, even tho he knew the meaning of it.
As they arrive at their room. Lando pats his back before smiling at him when he enters his room. Oscar couldn’t help but smile back at the gesture. He stops back when he realizes he is smiling again about Lando. He enters his room and lets out a sigh. One hand on his forehead, the other in his pocket taking out his phone.
He’s not sure if he can move on from Lando. It felt like playing a tug game, Lando kept pulling him back and forth. As he tried to run, Lando pulled him back. When he tried to pull back, Lando backed away.
Phone in his hand, He opens his message inbox. A few congrats from Logan and other drivers. He smiled as he read one by one of the messages.
Log :]
Congrats, mate!
You did well for P2
2.31 p.m., Saturday
Thank you log :)
You did well too
P16 is impressive
Thank you, Osc :))
But I didn't get a point.
Your welcome
It's okay Log
You did well
Let's do better in Quali
okay?
Okay
Do you want to join me after Quali?
Sure
I might need to tell you something.
Ooooh
And what's that?
It's about Carlos.
Carlos?
Did both of you clash or something?
Hell
No, not again
It's different
I'll tell you later tonight.
okay
Goodluck
Mate
You too, Osc
2.43 p.m., Saturday
He wants to tell Logan about the situation between him and Carlos. He needs advice from him for sure. Logan had experienced a similar situation before.
In Logan's knowledge, He only knows both of them hooked up one night and sees Carlos keep taking a glance at Oscar every chance he gets. Not that weird for Logan but he already knows something is going on between those two more than he knows.
His secret is simply saved with Logan. He knows he could count on Logan to keep it secret but mostly he knows it will go past to Alex or George. Surprisingly, it didn’t this time.
Oscar closes his phone and drops down on the couch. He shoves his head onto the pillow, trying to release all the stress and adrenaline from today. He’s trying to prepare himself for Quali in a few hours.
Then his phone started to buzz again. He looks over his phone in his hands. A notification call from Carlos. Why so sudden?
He presses the answer button and puts it on speaker.
“Oscar”
“Hmm?”
“Congrats on P2”
“Thanks” Oscar mumbled as he turned his head facing his phone from covering his mouth on the pillow.
“You did well.”
“You too, Carlos. You could message me. Why did you call?”
“Calling you is easier.”
“And why that?”
“If I message you, you will not answer me.”
“I do.”
“Not just now.”
Oscar looks up from his pillow. He scrolls through his message and sees an unknown number congratulating him. Oh, it was Carlos. He didn't save his number, which he did, but he thought it must be Carlos's new number.
“Did you change your phone number?”
“Yes, but I got two numbers in my phone.”
“Why, isn't one enough?”
“Personal number. Separate number for work.”
“Oh.”
He saves Carlos's new number and changes the current one with an “Official” beside it.
Then the silence came for a while on the call. He took a glance at the call bar. It still is moving and appearing in the green bar timer. He thought he only left a minute to save his number but he didn't know Carlos would disappear fast.
“Carlos.”
“Carlos?”
“Oh, yeah?”
Oscar hears a groan from his phone and the shuffling of sheets from the speaker.
“Sorry, I fell asleep.”
“It only been a minute?”
“Just tired.”
“You okay?” He presses the call bar back. Is it unusual for Carlos to fall asleep on call with him or is it just his habit every time he’s on call with somebody? He started to worry for a minute before Carlos replied.
“I'm okay. Just keep talking…”
“Carlos just go to sleep. I end the call.”
No answer. He guessed Carlos had already fallen asleep again. He pressed the end-call button and messaged Carlos a sweet dream.
----
Oscar (143?)
Sleep well
Dont forget quali
Carlos
3.01 p.m., Saturday
Carlos moves his hands from his face as he looks at his phone beside him. A smile appeared on Carlos’s face as he read the message from the notifications bar. Deep down he’s happy that he got to hear Oscar's voices before Quali. He likes to listen to the soothing sound of Oscar's voice when he talks. He found it adorable and calmed him down.
Carlos gets up from the couch and walks out of his room. Still looking at his phone, he walks to the garage, replying to Oscar's message. Smiling like a boy in love, he has been interested in Oscar for so long since they had Crash at Spa. But it starts to turn into a serious after the conflict in Miami.
He likes it. He likes it when they have a competition between them. He liked it when he could get on Oscar's nerves. It's fun for him. He was teasing and everything. He loves it. The problem is that he cannot hold himself anymore from having fun with him. He feels he will be going insane sometimes.
After that unforgettable night for him, his points of view change toward Oscar. He wants to hold him close. Wrap his arm around his waist. Whispering sweet words to Oscar's ears as he cries in his shoulder. Take care of Oscar when he is at his lowest. He’s not even sure why he keeps smiling and feels a happy giggle in his heart when he sees Oscar. He is insane.
Learning that his best friend, Lando, has been playing with Oscar's heart makes things worse for him. His heart sank. He wants to be fair toward Lando and Oscar but Lando's actions make him boil. How can he be fair? He wants to keep the friendship good between them, and Oscar too.
He looks up at Charles beside him after he bumps a bit on his arms, getting ready with a helmet in his hands. "Mate, you still on with your phone? oh, who that- Oscar?" Charles looks at him in shock, then he gives him another bump with his helmet on Carlos's arm and gives his usual iconic wink before walking to his car. He cringes a bit when Charles does that, annoyed more, he's used to it but it is still weird to see him wink at him instead of his little bird.
Their argument on Spain already passed but it still took him a while to get used to smiling at Charles. Both of them made up that if they keep fighting, the team will not be winning more with their fuck up strategy. He sighed and took a deep breath before pressing the send button and passing his phone to the PR team. He is ready for Quali. He’s ready to catch Oscar on the top.
----
Carlos
I won't
Goodluck, osc
3.21 p.m., Saturday
You too.
:]
(This message has been deleted)
3.27 p.m., Saturday
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
AUSTRIAN GP, EVENING AFTER POST-QUALI
Oscar could remember when Carlos said they were like magnets back in the press conference in Spain. Looking back at it, he couldn't agree more with him when on Quali both of them ended up starting for the race tomorrow side by side.
He feels pissed off when the steward deletes his laps when he could start on P3 but he dropped to drive beside Carlos on P7. He feels more upset when he has to start the race together with Carlos because he can't predict his move at the start when the lights are out.
Thinking about it again, he felt sad and happy at the same time. Racing beside Carlos always have been challenging and extremely wild. No amount of excitement and pressure could describe how much his rivalry with Carlos was on track.
He brushed his hair out as he let out a small gasp. The thought of his laps getting deleted still wanders in his mind. Frustrated and anger still lingered in his heart. He leans against the wall of his driver's room as he drops to the floor. He tugs his hair to the back, making a space for himself to breathe freely.
Oscar breathes in and breathes out. He was trying to calm his heart from the adrenaline pumping like crazy. One to seven, he breathed in. One to seven he breathed out, repeating the steps 3 times. As he let out his last breath with a loud huff, a knock from the door greeted him, startling him.
He looked at the door, ‘It must be Lando’, he thought. “Come in.” Lando opened the door, peeking out his head and slowly his eyes fixed on his face. He shut the door slowly and walked near Oscar. “Osc, you okay?” Lando crouches in front of him looking at him, worried.
“Yeah, I'm alright. Frustrated.” Oscar looks away from Lando's face, avoiding his beautiful greenish-blue eye. Oscar slips his hand in his shirt and presses his hands on his heart as he looks down on the floor. His heart raced, begging him to look at Lando's pretty face.
“It's alright, Osc. You did great,” Lando pauses as Lando hugs his knees, tilting his head to look at Oscar better. “Really. Fuck the steward, you did your best for that lap.” Lando leans forward toward his face more as Oscar hugs his knee, mimicking Lando's action. Oscar still didn't believe whether Lando's words were sincere or fake.
“Really?” Oscar looks up, his eyes fixed on Lando's face, Hoping his word was sincere all along. “Really.” Lando touches his knee slightly, with a smile on his face. His smile has always been Oscar's favorite thing about him. His soft mannerisms around him. The way Lando comforts him when he has a bad day.
All his actions were why he has feelings for him but why can't Lando give him the answer to his heart?
He smiles back at him and Lando pats his shoulder softly. “Thank you, Lando,” It still feels lovely to have Lando as a supporter even tho he knows how Oscar feels for him. He was not pushing or running away from him when Lando knew Oscar liked him. He was grateful for that.
“When are you going to give me your answer?” before his head could properly register, words slipped from his mouth before he could hold them.
Even though he knew his heart had been seeking an answer, he felt it was still not a proper time to ask. Answering people's confessions takes time when it comes to your closest one. He understands it.
Lando eyes wide when he looks at him. Lando shrugs and looks the other way as his mouth is slightly open but shut again when he turns to look at Oscar.
“One day, Osc. One day.” A thousand words from social media couldn’t hurt him how much Lando's words could kill inside him. Oscar's heart sank, as upset as he could get, he knew Lando's answer all along would hurt him after all.
Even he had been waiting for so long, so long since Miami. He knows this kind of day when he has to move on will come. When he thought telling him after Lando's first win would be the best thing to do after planning with Logan, telling him after they celebrated the next morning.
Lando was surprised that he could only reply with a hug and a pat on the back. He hugs back, waiting for Lando to answer.
‘Osc, how much I want to answer your confession… I don't know. I'm not sure about myself. Please give me time to think about it.’
He only nodded in reply when Lando said it. Lando gave him a thin smile before walking back to his hotel room.
He sighs and smiles back. “It's okay, I understand.”
“Come on, mate. Let's get up.” Lando nods and pulls him to stand up, opening the door for him as they walk out of Oscar's room.
Oscar looked at Lando one last time before assuring himself that maybe abandoning his feelings for Lando would be better. He wouldn't dare to risk his friendship with his teammate. Lando is too good to be worth the risk of losing friends like him.
Now, how will he tell Lando that he is slowly losing feelings for him?
Logan opened the door as he heard a knock from the door of his hotel room. Oscar waves at him as he enters his room. “Mate, it's been so long since we last hung out.” Logan closes the door as he follows Oscar from behind to the sofa.
“Not that long. The last time was in Monaco when you and Alex crashed into my house.” Oscar let out a small laugh as he leaned against the sofa. Logan lands beside Oscar and both of them bounce from Logan's hard land on the cushion.
“Yeah, that is still considered long. You know, we were too drunk after celebrating Charles Win.” Logan hiss as he adjusts his position on the sofa, regretting his decision when he feels a sharp pain in his back. Oscar chuckled at him as he finally sat in his position properly facing Oscar.
He still could remember how Oscar had to hold him and Alex side by side inside Oscar's house after celebrating Charles's win. Logan was not at the same club as them but Oscar had to pick him up after dragging Alex to his car since he’s the only one who is sober from that celebration.
Logan ends up on Oscar's Sofa while Alex sleeps on the floor with a mattress as a cover beside him. In that mourning, They wake up to the smell of Oscar pancakes from the kitchen. Oscar was cooking multiple pancakes for them since he didn't know what to give them to eat after the hangover. He chuckled as he recalled the memory again.
“So, what were you going to tell me about Carlos?” Oscar looks at him with wide eyes. His lips were half open, searching for a word to say before he shut it up. Oscar must have forgotten about that topic.
Oscar sighed as he looked down at the cushion. “So, like you know, we hook up, right, but I think I-”
“You think?” He cuts Oscar off as he looks at him in a confused but sarcastic way. He knows how to piss Oscar off to make him less nervous. He could see right through him that Oscar was struggling to tell him something.
“Dude, let me finish.” Oscar glared at him as Logan let out a small giggle. “Okay, okay, go on, Osc.” Logan stops his laugh as he leans back to the couch comfortably, leaning at the little edge of the corner of the sofa.
“Have you seen Carlos staring at me before?” Logan does see Carlos stare at Oscar a few times when they have a team debrief. It's sometimes a little obvious when Carlos sits very close to Oscar. Not just him only but other drivers see it too.“Many times, Osc.”
“Oh, okay.” Oscar nods slowly as his eyes start to drag to the TV.“Why?” Oscar never cared about Carlos before. Logan knows something is up when Oscar takes interest in Carlos, his rival on track. Even as a best friend, he knew Oscar wouldn't take interest in his rivals on each other outside the track because of how much he hated him, except this time he felt something was up with both of them.
“No reason, I just feel his stare making me feel weird.” Oscar crosses his arms as he leans back against the sofa.
“Make sense, if somebody stares at me like how he did it to you. I would creep out too.”
“Creep out?” Oscar raises his eyebrow.
“Yeah, he looks at you like he wants to eat you while giving you the most cute sympathy eye.”
“Huh, what do you mean Log?”
“He looks like he falls in love with you... I think?” He pauses then he feels something similar. Too similar as he could remember.
“Huh?” Oscar tilted his head to the side, trying to piece together the puzzle of information that Logan told him.
Then something clicked. He looks at Oscar with a surprised face. Shit, he just figured something out. He figured out that Carlos has feelings for his best friends. Carlos Sainz jr has feelings for his best friend, Oscar Piastri.
Then he felt a wash of sense of Deja vu that reminded him of when he told Oscar that he might have a crush on Alex, Alex was giving him the same stare at him when Alex had feelings for him. He figured it out a little too late after Alex moved on from him and started dating Lily.
‘Is this a sign?’ Logan thought to himself as he looked at Oscar's hands playing with the cushion sheet.
He still couldn't believe that he just figured out Carlos might have feelings for Oscar. Oscar still looks at him confused, oblivious that Carlos might have feelings for him.
“Oscar, do you ever thought that Carlos might have feelings for you?” He asks in a whisper as he leans closer to Oscar. He was scared by the sentences he was saying and tried to keep it as low as he could.
“Are you crazy?! Does he have feelings for me? That is impossible.” Oscar shouts at him as he looks at him in disbelief. He never saw Oscar this shock before. Before he could reply to Oscar, Oscar's phone rang with a phone call.
Oscar looks at his phone and his face starts to pale, ‘what's it, Carlos?’ He couldn't turn pale just from a ringtone. Oscar excuses himself before running to the kitchen, leaving himself all alone on the sofa still thinking if his theory was true. He gathered all the evidence he could find from his observation of Carlos every time he found Carlos staring at his best friend and its true. Carlos does have feelings for Oscar.
---
Carlos was calling him, his mind still racing with the thought that there was a potential Carlos might have feelings for him. Speaking of the Devil, Carlos had called him while they talked about him. Panic grew inside him as he answered the phone.
“Hello, Carlos?”
“Oscar, are you in your room?”
“No, why?”
“Can we meet up?”
“Okay, but I'm at Logan Hotel.”
“I could wait,” Carlos answers with a plain voice.
“You sure?” Oscar ask, concern. Wouldn't it be weird for a Ferarri Driver waiting in front of his room when the whole floor is the McLaren team?
“Yeah, I could hang out in Lando's room while waiting for you.” Carlos looks around the corridor as he walks near Lando's room. Luckily for him both the driver's rooms were beside each other.
“Okay.”
“Hurry up, princesa.” Carlos ends the call as he knocks on Lando’s room. Oscar could hear the knock on the phone call before he could answer. This dude did not just end the call on him.
“Fuck off,” Oscar murmurs when he looks at his dark screen phone. He brushes his hair while he walks back to Logan lying on the sofa playing on his phone.
“So?” Logan looked up at him when he felt Oscar's presence.
“Gotta go, he’s waiting for me.” Logan whistles at him with a grin. “Good luck, mate.”
Oscar rolls his eyes in annoyance. Logan gets up from the sofa before walking to open the door for him. Logan winked at him before he closed the door after he walked out and called an Uber to go back to his hotel.
When Oscar was inside the Uber, his head still couldn't wrap around Logan's words about Carlos catching feelings for him. Can just a stare hold a deep meaning like love in his eyes, when all he could ever see in the Spaniard's eyes is sympathy and sorrow for him?
He never thought Carlos could have held more meaning than that. He ignores the thought that Carlos has feelings for him as he closes his eyes, leaning against the seat. He looks back at the night sky outside, from the window as he sees his hotel building, a few miles from them.
When he steps out from the lift lounge, walking to the corridor. He looks at Carlos leaning against his hotel door as he crouches burying his head to his knees. Oscar chuckled looking at Carlos sleeping as he went near closer to Carlos.
“Ay, sleepy head. Wake up.” Oscar whispers to Carlos's ear, he doesn't know why he did it but he feels bubbly when he whispers to Carlos's ears. Carlos looks up as he blinks, rubbing his eyes while looking at Oscar.“Osc..ar” He blushed when Carlos dragged his name when he said it, making him feel a weird twist inside his stomach. “Mate, did you just sleep here? Aren’t you with Lando?” Oscar slowly helped him get up from the floor and enter his hotel room.
“He kicks me out after a while because Daniel coming over. ” He stopped as he turned to look at Oscar beside him before continuing. “ugh, but he just did it.” Carlos rolled his eyes before walking further down the hallway then turning to enter the bathroom and check on his messy hair.
Lando was not surprised when Carlos came over to his room, but to be honest, Lando knew Carlos came here for a reason and that reason was not about him. Lucky for Carlos he got to spend at least 10 minutes together with Lando and Daniel before they kicked him out for absolutely no reason in his opinion. He was hanging around chilling with Lando all the time, nothing too weird but Kickin' him out was unnecessary.
Oscar leans against the door frame, looking at Carlos brushing his soft fluffy brown hair to the side like he always did it. He looks good, too good that Oscar could consider hot. He fought the urge to walk up to him and play with his hair too many times. Whether they were in the paddock or when they had a driver debrief.
Carlos turned to look at him, smirking as he brushed his hair to the back again. “Enjoy the view, Oscar?” Carlos grins at him facing toward the mirror as he watches Oscar's face from the mirror reflection.
“Not really.” Oscar bit his lips as he tried to deny he did enjoy watching Carlos. The Spaniard's face is too gorgeous not to stare at. He looks away from the mirror as he tries not to look obvious he is staring at Carlos's face.
“Oh, why? Slowly catching feelings for me?” Carlos turns toward Oscar as he leans against the sink. Oscar's face burns with fluster, flutter from the fact that he might have feelings for Carlos. Oh well, he still doesn't know if Carlos loves him. If he did, wouldn't it be so bad?
“No, no.” He let out a small laugh, trying to laugh it out as he hid his blushing face. His face still be burning hot from Carlos's comment. Carlos could read him so easily that he would always fluster around him. Carlos chuckled as he replied with awe as he went closer to him.
Carlos leans against the door frames as he looks up at Oscar. Their height is not that far from each other since Oscar is a little taller than Carlos. It's still cute to have someone like Carlos have to look up at him.
“Look at you, Oscar. Face red from all the fluster.” Carlos slips his hand on Oscar's waist, rubbing the back of Oscar as they slowly press to the wall, closing the gaps between them. Oscar flusters when their body slowly close to each other.
“Tell me, princesa. What message did you delete yesterday?” Carlos pinned him against the wall, one hand locking him on the wall on top of his shoulder and the other continuing to rub his back when he slipped inside Oscar's shirt. Oscar shivered as he could feel Carlos's warm hands against his skin.
“Carlos, I just deleted that I-” Carlos pushes his tight against his legs. He felt a jolt of Carlos's pants brush against him hard.
“Carlos.” Oscar gasped when Carlos's lips reached his neck, kissing it slowly, and tenderly. Carlos takes things slowly as he devours the soft spot on Oscar's neck, enjoying every second of it while Oscar whines when he feels Carlos's teeth clench on his neck.
“I just wrote take care but I accidentally sent it.” Carlos pulls out as he looks at Oscar. His eyes looked at him up and down from his eyes and his mouth, like aiming for another kiss but he was so confused over the fact it was just a simple text message that he had to pause to look at him. Why will it be so consternation to Oscar that it is just a 'take care'?
“Then why did you delete it?” Carlos slowly backs off, giving a space between them. Oscar sighed as he was finally relieved that he might gone crazy for a second from the tension in his skin when he felt his melting under the influence of Carlos's kiss on his neck.
“I thought it was weird.” Oscar looks away from Carlos, avoiding the man's pretty eyes. Carlos's hand slipped against his face, cupping his cheek soft. He rubbed it slowly, and their eyes met. He thinks he might gone crazy again just like their first night together.
Carlos being gentle with him always makes him weak. Either if he was on the edge of tears or hard against his dick. He wouldn't hesitate to follow every single word that would consume him that came out of Carlos's mouth. The thought of Carlos loving him will make him weaker than he could ever describe. He knows he is confused and puzzled over his feelings.
He is weak for gentle and soft Carlos. He is weak for that man's softness. He is weak for Carlos.
“No, it's not. I would like it.” Carlos kisses his forehead as he rubs Oscar's temple. Oscar couldn't hold it anymore. He craved that man's gorgeous plump lips. He wants it. He needs it. Fuck it, if he catches feelings for him for real. Carlos's lips are too hard to resist; hard to ignore by other people if they are staring at their faces.
Oscar kisses him, hard against his lips. Carlos was taken by surprise but replied as he nipped his bottom lips with his teeth and continued to kiss him roughly with his tongue, licking him hot inside him. Oscar's hand slowly reaches Carlos's neck as it climbs to his hair. While gently brushing his soft hair, he felt the heat start to climb his head.
Oscar let out a slight moan when Carlos pulled out and started to bite his neck. He continues where he left off as his hands slowly change direction, down to Oscar's pants. He groped his ass slow and steady, exploring every inch of Oscar's ass.
"Fuck, Carlos."
Oscar let out a whimper as he felt their hard dick brush against each other again. He drops his head on Carlos's shoulder as his head starts to spin enough, to let him think to beg Carlos to fuck him. He mentally undressed Carlos when he could feel Carlos's hands move from his ass to his crotch, sending another shiver straight into his body. He needs him inside him already, it's too much, too much for him to keep up with his teasing.
He is way too impatient every time Carlos touches him, hard and rough. The pure desire of lust to be fuck by Carlos consumes him, not letting him breathe for a second. If he resists asking Carlos to fuck him, he thinks he will die from misery and regret. His body heats up, making his hot breath let go against Carlos's neck.
“Carlos, bed, please,” He bit his lips when Carlos's finger moved closer to his curve. ah, that's it, that's the point he couldn't hold it anymore. Carlos nods at him and kisses his temple again. He lets out a chuckle when he looks at Oscar, almost crying from the need to be fuck. Carlos slips his hand off Oscar’s pants and then carries him to the bed while Oscar wraps around his neck with his hands brushing Carlos's fluffy hair.
“Anything for you, mi Oscar.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
SUNDAY, RACE DAY, BEFORE DRIVER PARADE
“So, how were both of you last night?” Logan looks at both of them as he turns facing Oscar standing behind Carlos, a grin drawn all over his face. Carlos standing beside Charles turns to look at them at the back as he faces toward them while they wait for the driver's parade to start. They were waiting for their name to be called while they waited around the garage, hiding from the bright sun shining above them.
“Mate, what the hell.” Oscar turns to look at Logan as he slowly slaps his back. Logan slaps Oscar's back back as he pouts to himself.
“You know?” Carlos looks at Logan and Oscar back and forth, confused by the fact Logan knew about them last night. ‘Oh, Logan knows they had…hmmm’ Carlos thought. Oscar sighed in response as he looked the other way while nodding his head. That is surprising since he hasn't told anyone yet besides Charles after he asks him why he keeps texting Oscar from the mourning.
He thought Charles should keep his own business but Charles said he getting more annoyed at him, smiling at his phone like an idiot when he texted Oscar. He kept peaking over his phone like a kid asking what game they had on their phone. In the end, Carlos had to tell Charles when he couldn't stop nagging him about it since mourning. Saying he is a boy who's in love for the first time.
“Too well, mate. I know it too well.” Logan grins at Oscar still looking the other way trying to avoid their face from making eye contact, especially Carlos. He looks at Lando talking with Max while Max is ' Maxplaining' something random he couldn’t hear from where he was standing.
“Nothing, he doesn't know that much. He’s talking nonsense.” Oscar turns to look at Logan back quickly while rolling his eyes. He then turns back and watches the car run across the track to the starting line, waiting for them.
Logan let out a chuckle turning to look at Carlos's back. “Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.” Logan smiled at Carlos before bumping Oscar's elbow, saying goodbye, and walking away toward Alex. He nods at Logan while he feels a slight relief escape from his lips.
Carlos turns to look at Oscar waving at Logan, but before he can come closer to Lando, Carlos holds his wrist, making Oscar startle a bit before turning to look at him. “What?” Oscar turned to look at him, quite annoyed. A little glare from the sun kisses his eyes, making it harder for The Aussie to look at him. He lets go slowly as he whispers, "Sorry." Oscar shook his head, saying it was alright.
“Good luck, mate.” Carlos gave a genuine smile. He could still feel his heart racing from last night, even though they had done it multiple times but the feelings of excitement never left him in mourning every time they did it. He was happy to wrap his arms around Oscar again while Oscar sleep-buried himself into his chest. He still couldn't figure out if he did have feelings for that rookie (not a rookie now), to be honest.
To say things were good between them is factually true but even though they were used around each other the feelings of love were still unknown and perplexing to both of them toward each other. Carlos would like to consider it a close tie between them even as rivals on track or friends with nothing more than a place to pour out their unspoken words and feelings from the outside world to each other.
“You too, Carlos.” Oscar sighed as he finally let out a genuine smile back at him before leaning closer to hug him. He feels offended a bit by Oscar's sigh. “Don't act like you did not get fuck by me last night.” Oscar doesn't need to act like a dick after they had a night together.
“Whatever, Carlos.” He hugs back but Carlos is caught a little off guard when he feels Oscar's lips press against his temple before walking away like nothing happened toward Lando.
“Dios..what the hell.”
He looks at Oscar walking further away out of his eyes, but his heart starts to pump faster again. He didn't know how to react even though he was pissed at how Oscar acted, his hot cheeks burned from flusters and he could only respond by smiling at him. He thinks Oscar has never been that open with him making close contact except for hugging inside the track. He kept his distance and close contact with a few drivers when necessary. Despite the thought, Oscar had made a list and listed him inside his 'proper distance to be with the other drivers besides Lando' list.
He knows it's bad to think unnecessary speculations about Oscar like the list he never made in the first place but he can't help it. His thought consumes him with an imaginary interaction and story between him and Oscar to keep him asleep at night.
His face starts to slightly turn red again from blush as his head rewinds the little clip of a second that already started to become his favorite interaction between him and Oscar as he walks side by side with Charles to their car parade.
He snaps back from his thoughts when he hears Charles talking to him as they walk to their car. His face still carves a smile at the moments a second ago when he climbs over the car trunk and seat on the trunk edge while talking to Charles about him nagging about Max's need to stop ignoring him after the little fight they had last night.
Carlos. (official)
You didn't tell me Logan knew about us
Ofc he knows idiot
Its Logan
he knows it right away even the slightest thing
Still
I never thought he would be that smart
He's always been smart, mate
Remember the first time we did it after Spanish?
We left the club
And he knows right away
Oh yeah
I read his text on your phone
See
I thought you almost forgot
You might be coming
Old Gramp
Shut up
I do remember and
We are only a few years apart
But you are still older than me
Mate
We are only 6 years apart
Doesn't that still make you older than me
yes?
🙄
Just accept it you old
Fine
Lol
1.27 p.m., Sunday
By the way
Why did you text me using your main?
I can text which number I want
I'm just asking
Geez man
Why do you ask?
Nothing
It's just weird bcs usually
You text me on your second number
I left it in my room
I only have my main phone
with the team
Oh
Okay
1.45 p.m., Sunday
but
I am not finished yet with the age gap
I am not in my 30s
But you almost become one
It still doesn't count I'm one of them
Just like you didn't count to
be a driver next year
Fuck you
oh, I love to be fuck by you
;)
Dont make me let you beg for me again
Not a chance
I make you
Nope
Let me finish.
if both of us podium
Even when Max and Lando are in front?
I don't think so
You never know
With Ferrari like that?
At least I'm not like Charles
My car is alright
I think you mean to say
Tractor
🖕🏻
My car is fast
How come I got P4 then?
Idiot
1.50 p.m., Sunday
Pathetic
Can’t even fight me back
Cause I don't have time to waste on a
shitty person like you
Too bad
At least I don't have a slow-ass car
Mirror your pathetic self too
Oh, btw
What are you racing to actually?
The nursing home?
Princesa, mind yourself
At least I don't have a slow-ass aging process,
You sound like a kid stuck in preschool.
Immature as bitch
1.53 p.m., Sunday
huh
Now who is really pathetic
Right now?
🤨
🙄
Reply to: Immature as bitch
Talking to yourself too? 🤨
1.55 p.m., Sunday
lol
Podium.
2.08 p.m., Sunday
Oscar looks at his phone screen again before throwing it on the bed of his driver's room. , ‘Fucking ass, Carlos.’ He groaned at the thought as he plopped on the bed. He takes off his McLaren cap and puts it beside the bed on the floor. He brushes his hair back with his finger slowly trying to breathe in and out as he counts while shutting his eyes.
They will not be on the Podium. Not at all. With Max and Lando in front, while they are at the back of the grid, it's hard to get on Podium together. Unless one of the grids had an accident that led to them both on the podium. It's impossible. Seriously it sounds unlikely to him but deep down he was hoping it would become true.
Maybe the small spark of feelings inside him gave him hope for it to become real. Even his head was fighting the feelings, his heart still full of hope today's podium would be Lando, Max, George, or Lewis on the podium. High possibility Carlos could get the podium but looking at Ferrari's shitty strategy, he doubts they would get it.
He got up back again and took his cap and balaclava, walking back to the garage. Lando greeted him with a handshake and a pat on the back. Lando smiles at him while he puts on his helmet and walks back to his car. Suddenly, he remembers a bracelet that a fan gave him to give to Lando. It was a ‘Carlando’ bracelet. It was a name combination of Carlos and Lando. He thought maybe after the race, he would give it to him.
Oscar walked close to Lando's side garage patted his back for good luck and went back to his side and started to wear his balaclava while looking around. He saw Lando give him a thumbs-up before entering the car. He chuckled at the thumbs-up before climbing into the car.
He let out a small sigh as his head recalled that he still had feelings for Lando. He was tired already. It drains him mentally, he wouldn't have thought moving on from Lando would take up half of his sane mind and would be thrown into the ocean.
Then his mind drifted back to the events of the previous night. He wanted to scream and hit his head so badly when he remembered his night with Carlos. He hated his head so badly today. Every thought that he didn't mean to remember before the race came rushing inside his head. He didn't need to remember all of that before the race. Not even the event from last night. He had enough to handle all of this unwanted fluster and blushes. His mind kept betraying him, making it hard to maintain a cool composure and calm nerves before the race, which was a challenge in itself.
Well, he enjoyed their night together even though Carlos was taking things very slowly with him. Carlos was careful with every movement, every touch, and each kiss on his delicate skin. Oscar felt embarrassed for having acted so forward, hoping to make Carlos more intimate. But Carlos only laughed, saying he didn't want it to be too uncomfortable for Oscar the next morning. Oscar could only sigh in defeat when Carlos reassured him that he would not enjoy dealing with back pain. Oscar couldn't protest despite his reservations when Carlos showered him in kisses that night.
Once again, He’s caught in a tug-of-war between his lingering feelings for his crush and his growing affection for someone new. While he's trying to move on, he's unwittingly falling for the new person, and it's causing a whirlwind of emotions as he navigates these conflicting feelings. He shut his eyes, clearing all his thoughts free from all these unnecessary pressures on his mind.
He will score points in today's race, if he gets on the podium, at the least god can help him is not on the podium with Carlos. He enjoys getting bangs by Carlos, but he wishes tonight he wouldn't get fuck by him at all.
Carlos. (official)
Tonight?
6.55 p.m., Sunday
Fuck off
Not after Lando DNF
I think he needs a hug after that
The whole accident with Max
he really needs it
He goes quiet
After the race
Better check on him
Yeah
I think so
I brb
Okay
7.05 p.m., Sunday
Update on Lando?
He’s not answering my message
7.15 p.m., Sunday
He’s alright
We just talk and
Play games a bit
He said he’s going offline tonight
Or taking a walk to ease his mind
with me
Oh, tell him pls
Max feels worried
He might gone crazy
Maybe
Never look at him so anxious before
He’s with me
and also with Charles
Okay
Update me on Lando
If you can
Also, could I claim that anytime?
anytime
Gracias, mi Oscar ;]
7.20 p.m., Sunday
He moved his head aside when Lando took a sneak peek on his phone, reading Carlos's message carefully. “I shouldn't ghost his message.” Lando frowned a bit, after taking a glance at Oscar's phone again when he went down to the floor to tie his shoes “Yeah, you should text him.”
Oscar scrolls down his message to the latest one, rereading Carlos's last message before turning off his phone. He blushed a bit when Carlos used the same phrase he had heard the previous night. He took his time to translate a few of the spanish words he heard every time Carlos accidentally used it on him. Well, his current favorite one probably be ‘mi Oscar’, my Oscar.
He does sort of weird out with himself when he realizes he likes it when Carlos uses it. He is not Carlos's partner or anything. He just feels like it.
Lando puts on his black Quadrant’s cap before opening the hotel door. They go out from Lando's room and Oscar stands beside Lando. Looking at him as he closes the door properly, safe and secure. They walked out of the hotel and drove to the city street, taking their time watching the night sky of Speilberg.
The cold breeze of wind washes over them, brushing Oscar's brown hair as he looks over the window. Lando drove around Speilberg until he stopped at the side of the street. Lando sighs, he looks over at Oscar beside him, watching him waiting for Lando to say something. “You good?” “Yeah”
“Wanna go back to the hotel or wanna look at the circuit?” Oscar suggested while he crossed his arms, leaning on the door. Worry spread across his face, as he looked at Lando leaning to the side, pouting to himself. “It's okay, Lando. You did very well, don't go too hard on yourself, please.” Oscar pats his shoulder, reassuring him that it will be okay. It hurts for him to see the person he cares about as a crush close friend stay in his position.
If Lando could be there for him yesterday, then let him return the same favor for him today. Let him be a good teammate for Lando for once, even with the feelings he still felt inside him that slowly and painfully detached him from the Brits. He was ready maybe enough to let go, to let go of this wounded heart and open for a new one.
Both of them had a bad week. They went through a rollercoaster week with the team and the crash accident caused a lot of impact on Lando. “I know, but Max..” Lando sighed again, tilting his head more toward Oscar. “Mate, his alright. He worried for you. Text him.” Lando looks away, looking at his hand and tracing the steering wheel. Lando tries but he’s too upset at Max.
Lando wiped his face and adjusted his cap, trying to keep his head together, letting himself in check. Lando looks at Oscar again, the Aussie smiles at him and pats his back. “To the hotel, I guess. I need to rest.”
“Okay, the hotel then. Remember what I said before, Lan. Text him.” Lando nodded at him before pressing the pedal and driving to their hotel. “Thanks, Osc.” Lando looks at him as he drives slowly to the intersection and turns left to their hotel street.
They arrived less than a few minutes after Lando stopped near a street, which was not that far from their hotel. As they got out of the car, and walked to the hotel entrance, Lando suggested going to the cafeteria since he feeling a little hungry. Oscar nods, and he follows Lando from behind to the cafeteria.
After finding a spot, Lando runs to the food section searching for something to eat while Oscar sits on the table scrolling his phone. He scrolls a bit then he puts down his phone searching for Lando who is in the food section. He easily spots Lando taking a teriyaki chicken pork bowl in his hands and heading toward the drink section since their table is not that far from the food section.
Then he turned to look around, there's fewer people in the cafeteria since it was midnight and people might have gone out partying for George's win that evening. His team did suggest throwing a celebration for Oscar P2 but he denied it since he rather spend time alone and comforting Lando. Thankfully, Andrea agrees to his request and only does a mini celebration with them before they return to their hotel.
After a few minutes, Lando finally back with his food. Teriyaki bowl in his hands with lukewarm water in the other hand. “Hungry aren't you?” Oscar chuckled at Lando's bowl half-full as he sat on the chair while nodding at him. “I didn't eat dinner actually, I was about to before you burst into my room.” Lando giggles as he dugs into his food. “My bad,” Oscar grins at him. Teriyaki Chicken pork bowl is well known to be Lando’s favorite and he's comfort food. It's not a surprise to Oscar if he sees Lando eat a lot today.
“I was going to do order room service,” Lando shoved a spoonful into his mouth. Oscar patiently waits for him to finish before Lando finishes his sentence. “I wasn't expecting you to come over.” Oscar nodded as he smiled at the event that occurred this evening.
Well, he getting worried a bit since he keeps seeing
Lando's distressed face all day. He brought a sandwich and a few other snacks with him when he visited Lando's room. Expecting Lando going to lock himself and not eat the entire night. Looking at him enjoying his food is a big relief for Oscar.
“Well, about yesterday,” Lando looks up from his bowl, wiping a bit on his mouth with a tissue. “About your confession.” Oscar looks up at Lando immediately as his body starts to tense up. He did not expect Lando to talk about that topic.
“I make up my mind.” Lando looks back at his bowl, mixing the rice and the chicken slowly. Taking his time to construct a proper sentence to tell Oscar how he felt. “I do love you, Osc- but I hope you understand that I want to keep our friendship. Deep inside I do want to accept your confession but if I accept, I don't know how to manage our time together. I mean- I want to keep our bond like this.” Lando looks up at him, stuttering with his word. He pauses a minute, shutting his eyes, trying to keep his mind clear with all his words.
Oscar could only chuckle at Lando's stuttering. His heart feels at ease because he’s glad he's not the only one who thought the same thing about it. “I want our friendship to stay the same, I want what we have right now. As a support to each other, even as a teammate. I want to keep what we have like right now, having fun with each other while competing for wins.” Lando tilts his head aside while biting his lips.
Oscar nods in understanding. He understands what Lando means. Both of them thought they would rather keep this close friendship close to each other without breaking any boundaries. Close as one, everything or nothing. Friendship over a relationship, friends over a lover. Teammate over a rival. Bond over a separation. Together or none.
“I understand. I thought the same, Lando. I don't want to break our friendship. I think it through yesterday too after you comforted me.” Oscar places his hands on the table, putting his phone down. “And I'm still in the process of moving on from you, so bear with me if I get too distant sometimes.” Oscar rubbed his neck, getting a little awkward. Hoping Lando understands, If he messed up a bit in keeping their close friendship together.
“And about-”
“Carlos?” Lando cut him off, taking a bite of his chicken in his mouth. Oscar looks at him in surprise. “Carlos, something is going on between you too isn't it?” Lando points at him using his spoon, squinting his eyes trying to find an answer between those two in Oscar's face that could give away some idea for him.
“I-” Oscar leaned back to the chair, taking back after hearing Lando's question.
“It's not like what you think.” Oscar protests as a red flush starts to spread across his face. “Well, it just-” Oscar sighed, covering his face with his hand in embarrassment. Lando giggles at Oscar's fluster all over the place.
“Can I ask, do you think Carlos has feelings for me?” Oscar throws his head back close to Lando. He panicking if Lando thinks he likes Carlos. He does not have feelings for him, he- Oscar might have feelings for him.
“If he falling in love with you it must be obvious since-” Lando paused when he saw Carlos walking toward the dining section searching for a spot. Lando waved at Carlos, and Carlos waved back while walking toward them. Carlos took a seat beside Lando, eyes fixed on Oscar and back to Lando. Oscar rolls his eyes and looks back at his phone, scrolling over on Instagram.
“Mate, you okay?” Carlos turns to look at Lando taking the last bite of his food. Lando nodded, reassuring that his alright now. After going out with Oscar, getting some fresh air. His head is rest assured is clear now free from all the stress.
Carlos smiled back, relieved his own best friend was okay. He pushes his back, leaning over the chair as his body starts to relax.“Sorry, mate. I shouldn't ignore your text like that.” Lando leans against his chair looking at Carlos. “It's okay, Lando.”
Then Lando turns to look at him still scrolling on his phone. “What?” He looks up at both of them, a little confused at Lando staring. He puts his phone down. Lando smirks at him while tilting his head a bit toward Carlos. Carlos looks at him confused too, ‘what's up with him?’ Oscar looks at Lando while eyeing Carlos.
Lando grins at them while getting up and walking to the food section to throw his trash away. Oscar went speechless at Lando's behavior. Carlos smirked at Lando walking away, leaving them both clueless about his unusual behavior.
Carlos turns to look at Oscar still watching Lando leaving. “So, any planning on moving on?” Carlos’s finger starts to tap on the table. Tapping a familiar yet, unknown melody of a song he has heard before.
Oscar sighs, he turns to look at his phone, annoyed with Carlos's question. He heard the question over and over from those red plump Spaniard mouths. Carlos had asked him before while both cuddled in bed after a tiring night.
He refuses to answer because he’s waiting for Lando to answer his confession. Now he knows, he still needs to let himself decide before making his next move. Once he is ready, Carlos will be the first person he will tell. Carlos always, always, has been his little secret diary.
Carlos could be described as writing at the opening of the first new page of the torn diary he despised since he was a kid and finally writing a horrendous amount of bottled-up feelings he had inside after a long time.
"Werent you with Max and Charles?"
"They went to buy something in the convenience store. I wait for them here"
"Oh"
Oscar nods his head, and gets up from the chair, walking toward Lando who has been waiting for them at the cafeteria entrance. Carlos follows him from behind, making a beeline toward Lando.
Lando waved at the fan walking away from him, after asking for a few signatures and wishing a goodnight to him. Oscar greets him, followed by Carlos behind him. Lando turns to look at them and wraps his arms around Oscar's shoulder as they walk to the lift. Carlos walks beside Lando as they chat about the UEFA Euro prediction semi-final team later on Silverstone.
They arrived at McLaren's floor and wished each other goodnight. “Sleep well, Mate.” Oscar waved at Lando. “Thank you, Oscar.” Lando smiles back at them both, before closing the door of his room. Carlos looks at Oscar beside him, eyes still fixed on his face.
“Why do you look at me like that at the cafe?” Oscar looks at Carlos as they start walking to his room.
“Like what?”
“Like you try to eat me.” Oscar tapped his card on the lock pin and opened the door. Carlos chuckled, amused at Oscar's statement.
“Maybe I was trying to eat you.” Carlos leaned over the door, teasing him again. God, not again.
“Carlos.”
“Yes, mi princesa?” Carlos smiled at him, a soft line drawn on his plump lips. Tracing a brown soft look down on Oscar's face. Slowly painted his face with a light pink blush with his melancholy eyes. Building a warm presence around him, making Oscar feel soothed with the delicate tension between them.
If the media portrays Carlos as modest and lightly brushed by melancholy. He couldn't agree more than that, he never looked at a man who was more soft with him other than Carlos. Sometimes, he questioned himself if Logan's words were true. If it is true those brown eyes trying to send him a very thin piece of a love letter that is hidden behind away with laughter and humor talk.
As he said it again, he couldn't make up his mind, his head conflicted with all the possibilities that Carlos could have on him. All he knows all along, the bond between them was only created because of hatred for each other. They only bond and become closer as they learn each other weaknesses openly. Where they could understand why are they feeling this way toward each other.
Deep down, they still do not know each other weaknesses, unless someone had to tell them both the hard truth, that they are each other weaknesses.
People could it say is an amazing bond between rivals, comparing them to Max and Charles or Kevin and Nico. It's rare to see the side of it in F1. Formula 1 itself is toxic, too toxic for a rival to bond with each other. If a Best friend could split into two, it could be the same for them too.
Both eyes meet, looking deep inside each other's soul. Letting the heat, hugging the warmth inside him spread all over his body. If his head were on his side, he would kiss Carlos for a long time now.
Carlos is a little concerned about Oscar. A little couldn't be counted, too much could be considered as an option. Staring into the Aussie eye, sadness and exhaustion capture all over it. He worried that Oscar couldn't get over Lando.
He felt it better if Oscar stayed close to him instead. What he means by close is Oscar falls in love with him. He felt Oscar was safer with him than Lando. Not that Lando is a huge red flag, he only wants Oscar to himself.
He felt they were more than friends, perfect for each other but deep down it was impossible to be one. Oscar does not like him. He knows that. All the grid knew. While for him, it's so obvious that he truly loves him.
He only realizes he finally does love Oscar after watching Oscar getting sprayed by George on the podium. Champagne liquid flows down to Oscar's face. Gasping from the sticky champagne spray all over his face. Laughter and George's name chanted from their mouth as they got sprayed from all different directions.
With all the amount of podiums he had, today is one of his favorites. He never makes a bet on something before the race because he knows he will jinx it. But today, miraculously, He did not. Staring at Oscar's stunning wet face on the podium has been his head's favorite moment of the day.
He wants to know what is he to Oscar. What actually does Oscar think of him in the end? Is it the cliche trope, rival, or friends with benefits? It will most likely be one of them. The thought of it still bitters him a bit, even though they both fit the description perfectly.
“What am I to you, Osc?” Carlos looks at Oscar eyes widen and his lips loose. He looks at Oscar Adam's apple move as he swallows his saliva in nervousness. He didn't expect that reaction.
“Why do you ask?” Oscar pushes the door as he turns his head to look at Carlos. “Just answer it.” Carlos let out a small sigh, a little eager to hear Oscar answer.
“Friends with benefits? I think. A rival with benefits makes much more sense.” Oscar tilts his head to the side, unsure of his answer.
“Do you think we only just that?” Carlos crows his eyebrows.
“Yeah.” Oscar opened the door a little wider, making a little space for both of them to enter his room.
Carlos enters and he closes the door gently, trying not to make a loud noise. “Do you ever think us more than that?” Carlos bites his lips, not ready for Oscar's answer. Oscar stops his step and turns to look at Carlos at the door. He was a little shocked at his question.
Oscar brushes his hair to the back, looking down at the tile floor. The cold wind from the air conditioner blows against his sweaty skin. He could feel his body start to build a good amount of heat inside him from all the nervousness. Making him fight over the room temperature on his while hoping Oscar would give him the answer he wanted.
The gap between them makes Carlos difficult to breathe properly. The face gap between each other is only a few inches away. They could kiss each other if he leans a little closer to Oscar but he tries not to. Holding himself more to wait for his answer.
“No, no more than that.” Carlos shut his eyes as he hears it from Oscar’s mouth. He was holding himself from the burst of sadness inside him. He tries not to cry, he knows Oscar’s answer all along. He knows it from the start. He put his hope too high, too high for his own good. He’s nothing to him.
He turns his head to the side, facing the door. Too scared to look at Oscar’s face, he feels pathetic. Why did he think Oscar would love him only after one week? He’s the one have been obsessing over from last year. He’s an idiot for thinking that.
But why did he feel so painful? It's not like it was Oscar's fault in the first place.
He let out a rough gasp, making Oscar look up to his face from the floor. He opens the door slowly, hands shaking as he holds the door handle. Oscar calls his name as he whispers to him, asking if his alright.
“Carlos?” Oscar holds his arms while he moves to the side to look at Carlos's face properly. He looks away, hiding his face from those pitiful brown eyes.
“Oscar, If you think that so-” He paused, trying to catch some breath. “Can I let you go?” Carlos bites his lips, as tears start to sheet slowly from his eyes. Betraying him as he admired Oscar's face one last time.
“What? What do you mean?” Oscar looks at him confused over the fact that Carlos's face is filled with tears.
He holds Oscar's hands tight, refusing to let go. He felt the soft skin of Oscar's hands wrap against his. Delicate and small, compared to his rough and big hands. He wants to stay close to him, he wants it but he refuses to let Oscar see him in this deplorable state.
Oscar still looks at him confused, puzzled by Carlos’s words as he looks at Carlos looks at him one last time before he pulls the door handle.
“Letting me go? Letting me go for what?” Carlos gives him a thin smile before he pushes the door he walks out and shuts the door tight. Making it difficult for Oscar to open the door to catch him. He ran to the lift and press the down button. Thankfully the lift was the same level as he was.
He enters the lift and presses the button close. He could hear Oscar shouting his name, running to the lift to catch him. He gasped as the lift finally started falling, tears shedding down on his face. He could feel his heart etching, devastated as he cried. He leans over the wall and wipes his tears away.
Why did he ask that stupid question? Those words hurt exactly how he could imagine. He shouldn't even ask it. He makes a big mistake.
He hit his heart with his fist as he let out a gasp from crying. He brushes his hair to the back, trying to make him breathe better.
If he can't pull himself together then he might not even dare to look at anybody outside from this lift. He's done, he screws up everything.
He looked up to the ceiling, groaning at the thought that slowly overwhelming him, and shut his eyes again until he heard the door lift open to the ground floor. He could hear a little chatter mixed with different accents coming from the outside lift. He looks at the door, a two-man holding a plastic bag watching at him. They stop their chatting as their attention focuses on him.
Max and Charles freeze, looking at him, shocked at his state. Looking at Carlos with messy hair, and red eyes from crying like a lost man losing his wife. He step back and let out a hick. Oh, how he doesn't want Charles to see him in this fuck upstate. He's losing it this time.
Charles sprints to him as he passes the plastic bag to Max. “Mate, What happened?” Hands clenching to his shoulder, trying to ask him if everything was okay. Worried could only read all over the the Monegasque and the Dutch driver.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
AUSTRIAN GP, LANDO HOTEL ROOM, NIGHT AFTER QUALI
“Now he is gone. You want to know a story?” Daniel leans against the armchair. He looks at Lando walking from the door after kicking Carlos out of his hotel room and sitting across the floor. He nods, and a smirky smile spreads across Daniel’s face.
“SO, you know how Carlos always took a glance at Oscar every time he got a chance?” Daniel stood up and sat beside Lando on the floor. He cracked a can of Redbull and took a sip.
“Yeah, what's wrong with it?” Lando looks at him back and forth from his phone. He was scrolling through his Instagram page, and liking a few of the fan's comments on one of his posts. He gives a snarky look on his phone when he finds reading a nasty comment.
“Soooo, me, Logan, Alex, and George have been making a theory that Carlos. Carlos Sains Jr. Your own best friend. HAVE a crush on Oscar.” Daniel turns to look at him, waiting for his reaction.
“Pfft- what?” Lando stops his scrolling and looks at him. A big smile appeared on his face as he found it amused by The gossip girl group theory about Carlos. “What- Why didn't you tell me that you guys are making this theory?”
“Because we thought it would be sad to tell you that your best friend has a crush on someone who has a crush on you that you already know who the person is in the first place.” Daniel points at him, and then he swings his head to take the Red Bull can beside him. Lando went speechless for a while as he tried to put his head together with the new information Daniel gave him.
“So, you want to kick him out just now because…” Lando points at the door. Daniel nods and leans against the armchair. “Because of this.”
“Wow, aren't you guys a little…what was the word?” “Busybody? We know.” Daniel took another sip of Redbull. “But it was George and Alex's idea. Not me.” Lando only nods, understanding those two behaviors around the grid. "but it fun you know."
Surely he will join them to gossip too but lately, he has been through a rough week. He grows a little tired of keeping up with the gossip but he lets it go for a while to have peace of mind.
“But aren't you the one that is always snooping around with Alex and George about gossip on the grid?” Lando rolls his eyes, a little piss with Daniel's statement. Daniel only laughs at Lando's snarky face.
“But we didn't confirm yet because we don't have enough evidence, they said.” Daniel continued.
“Did other drivers know about this besides you guys?” Daniel chuckled and gave a slight grin.
“All of us know except you, Oscar, and Carlos.” Lando's jaw drops a little too fast when he hears all of the grid knew except him. “OH WOW. You guys knew?!” Lando was a little flabbergasted when he knew he was ostracized by the knowledge of it
“Yeah, sorry, mate. I want to tell you earlier but they wouldn't give me until today.” Daniel frowned a bit at the thought of it. When he first knew about the gossip, he wanted to tell Lando right away but Max threatened him not to. He was going to tell anyway but Max, again, stopped him right away after promising to give him a blowjob if he keep his mouth shut.
It was worth it for him, of course, but he finally felt relieved after having to hold his tongue from telling Lando for so long.
Lando only smiled and pat Daniel back to assure him he was okay with it. Lando thought it was okay, at least he still knew about it after all.
Then a sound of notification comes from Daniel’s phone. A WhatsApp message came through Daniel's group message. It was one of the private groups in the grid that was named under ‘the gossip grid group’.
Both of them look at each other and look at their phones.
THE GOSSIP GRID GROUP :VV
Logannn
GUYS
OMG
Oh GOD
Albonoo
Jesus Logan
Calm down
Georgie
Yeah, mate
You need to chill
Yuki 👀
I smell teaa
Gasoline
Same
Zhou
Ooooo
Georgie
What are you going to tell us btw?
Logannn
I think i could said
We could officially announce that
Carlos loves Oscar For real
Max
Ohhh
Are you being fr?
Logannn
FR
Albonoo
Jesus
How do you know?
Logannn
OKAY
Sorry for the capslock
I got too excited
Carlos just called oscar
Yuki 👀
Ohhhhh
And then?
Logannn
He wants to meet him at his hotel room
And Oscar is on the way right now
Bcs he just left my hotel
George
Oh damn
Charless
Someone needs to check
@lando
Lando
Im here 🫡
Daniel
Both of us here
Lando
We kick out Carlos
Actually
Esteban
Just now?
From your room?
Daniel
Yep
From Lando room
Max
Why?
Lando
No reason
Daniel wants him out
Daniel
I was going to tell him about them
That's the reason
Lewis #bless
Fair enough
Logannn
I actually already told Oscar
About Carlos…
Charless
Already? We plan not to tell him yet
Logannnn
He asks me about Carlos
How could i resist??
Albonoo
I thought you were better than that
Logannn
HEY
At least he knows now
But he is still in denial
Grid dad #2
You guys talking about them
Are they in here?
Lance
Of course not Fernando
Lewis #bless
I thought i was your guys' grid dad.
Grid dad #1
No, its not Lewis
I am
Lewis #bless
Thats not fair!
Seb got to be Grid's dad
Grid dad #1
Get over it, Lewis
I am the best
I deserve it
Charless
yepp
Max
yes
Georgie
yes
Albonoo
yes
Lance
yes
Gasoline
yep
Yuki
👀
yeah
Zhou
👍
Lando
Yess
Daniel
YES
Bottass
agree
Grid dad #1
Look even Valterri says yes
Lewis #bless
Fine
How do you become so menace?
Too this?
Grid dad #1
The power of bee
Bee
Lewis #bless
Right
Why are you even here in the first place?
Georgie
Shhh
Back to our topic
Are you sure Carlos is in Oscar's room now? Logannn
100 percent
But i need confirmation from the neighbor himself
Lando
I dont want to check on them
Yuki 👀
Oh come on
Daniel
He still didn't want to do it
Even if I force him
Lando
I still don't trust your guy's theory
Albonoo
Jesus Lando
You literally the closest to them
How come you didn't see it?
Lando
Nope
Daniel
He blinds
Like them
Grid dad #1
True
Even im not there
I could still see it
Georgie
I might need to pull out my PowerPoint
To explain it to you
Lando
NO THANK YOU
Daniel
Give it to me
I force him to read it
Georgie
Already send 🫡
Daniel
Thank you, mate
Lando
I heard a bang sound
Daniel
Me too
From the wall
Lando looks at Daniel as they look up from their phone. Both of them turn to look at the wall that connects to Oscar's room. Then the sound of banging on the wall appears again.
“No,” Lando said as he leaned a little back far from Daniel.
“Jesus Christ, Lando,” Daniel groans in frustration as he looks at him. He sighs, thinking how he doesn't know how to explain to him besides forcing him to read George's PowerPoint.
Checo
don't leave it hanging pls
I want to know what happened
Max
We all do Checo
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
LANDO’S HOTEL ROOM, MIDNIGHT, AUSTRIA GP
Lando :u
Hey!
Daniel
Daniel :n
Lando!
Are you alright now?
Need me, mate?
Or do you want me to come over?
1.55 a.m., Monday
I'm alright
The thing is
About Oscar and Carlos
I think I believe you guys
GOD FINALLY ANSWER MY PRAYERS
Let us go, mate,
We need to celebrate
lmaoo
Pizza?
We in Austria
There is no pizza here
You sure?
Yep
We could ask Yuki to make one
We are not in Monaco
And he is in a bad mood
Fine
Im going to buy beer
Call
Caall
Call?
Call.
Let me accompany you
To the convenience store
Downstairs have a bar
wdym
Doesnt hit harder than the 24-hour store
Hmmm true
Okay
1.57 a.m., Monday
PICK UP THE DAMN PHONE
ALRIGHT
SORY
2.07 a.m., Monday
Lando opened the wooden door, pressing his phone close to his ears while a thick Aussie accent voice spoke to him through the phone.
“Lando, I know it's a shocker for you,” Daniel sighed as he pinched his nose.
“Mate, to compare their relationship with you and Max is wild,” Lando closed the door and pressed the handle, ensuring it was properly locked. Better be safe than never.
“You did not just compare me and Max to them. We are not the same.” Daniel shouts at him through the phone. Lando hisses at the pain in his ears from Daniel's shouting as he pulls his phone away from his ears.
“Both of us were teammates, we were close to each other when we were teammates, we fought for position, and we went through a long fight. As much as we were the same as them, at least we didn't use each other.” Daniel sighed at the thought of it. “It's you and Max, not me with Max.”“You know what I mean. If you don't want to end up like me before. Text Max.” Daniel put his phone on his table and leaned it against the small tree vase that was held as a decoration.
“Fine.” Lando looks at his phone and changes their call to FaceTime. Daniel's pissed face appears on the screen. “Yeah. Just don't be stubborn” Daniel rolls his eyes as he sips a can of beer in his mouth. “I know.” Lando frowns and looks up to the hallway.
“But hear me out, I heard this from Ale-” Daniel stopped when he saw Lando's face frozen from shock. “You okay, mate?”
“Yeah, I saw Oscar running after Carlos.” Lando looks at Oscar pathing. Oscar presses the down button while his hands start to twitch. Lando steps slowly near the lift lounge, eyes fixed on his teammate as he peeks at him.
Oscar rushingly enters the lift and presses the lift button quickly. The lift door closes and starts moving down to the ground floor.
“Something must have happened right?” Daniel looked at him worried.
“Yeah, how quick isn't it? Things could turn around.” Lando looks at the lift and stares at the floor number.
Oscar exited the lift and scanned the hotel lounge area, searching for Carlos. He saw Max and Charles sitting beside him, talking to each other. He saw Charles wipe Carlos's tears on his cheek with a tissue, calming him down while Max opened a can of beer to him.
He felt something wrong as he looked at them. Charles comforts Carlos, he wishes he could switch places with him. Let him be the one comforting Carlos, the one Carlos could reach out to, and seek comfort from him.
He tries to walk closer to them but hesitates. He turns back facing the lift and presses the button. He thought Carlos might need time as he is.
Let him figure out what he meant by ‘letting him go’. Letting him go by what exactly? His crazy driving' when he passes him? His heart? His love? His misfortune? What is it? Did he confess to me?
Oscar turns to look at them again. His eye was still fixed on Carlos, crying as Charles held him. It hurts him to watch Carlos crying. But what could he do? If he goes there to confront Carlos, He might not even try to look at him. Those brown eyes wouldn't even dare to bait an eye on him.
Oscar didn't even realize the lift in front of him arrived. The lift bell doesn't pull him out from his gaze on Carlos, instead, it was Alex.
“Oscar, you okay?” Alex taps him on his shoulder. He snaps back from his gaze on Carlos and turns to look toward Alex, standing in front of him.
“Yeah, I'm alright.” Oscar shakes his head and smiles at Alex. Alex only nods and waves at him as exits the hotel lobby.
Oscar let out a small sigh and turned to look at the lift. Then he looks at his phone while entering the lift, reading the chat between him and Carlos from yesterday. Everything was alright a few minutes ago.
He tried to recall the cost of Carlos's outburst, trying to remember every word that came out of their mouth a while ago.
Do you ever think us more than that?
No, no more than that.
Fuck.
It's gonna be a hell of a week before Silverstone without a text from Carlos.
“Carlos, you want to tell us why are you crying?” Charles looks at him, opens a bottle of mineral water, and puts it in front of him. Then he looks at Max beside him, shaking his head as Max's eyes look at both of the Ferrari drivers back and forth.
Then Max mouths an O word. It took a few minutes for Charles to understand what Max was saying. Max almost gives up for a second and points his head toward the lift.
Charles turns to look at the lift before his eyes almost couldn't capture a figure standing looking at them. He saw Oscar enter the lift while turning to look at them.
Charles nods understanding and turns to look at Carlos back. “Mate you okay now?”
Carlos lets out a sigh as he looks up to both of them, wiping his tears as he leans to the armchair.
“Yeah, a bit.” Carlos gave them a thin smile, trying to put at least a small bright smile for them. To let him look he was fine all along. “Take it slow, mate. Tell us what's wrong if you are ready.” Max pats his shoulder slowly. Making him feel at ease after a few breakdowns for a few minutes.
Letting him know he was not alone in going through what he was going through right now
“It just…” Carlos sighed again before continuing. “I think I might have feelings for Oscar.” He looks at both of them to see their reaction. Charles and Max only nod slowly.
“You guys didn't feel bothered?” Carlos looks at them confused. “All of us know Carlos. We know.” Charles gave him a small smile, while a few chuckles passed from Max's mouth.
“Then Oscar?” Carlos looks at both of them, stunned at the fact the grid knows he has feelings for Oscar. He starts to feel horrified at the thought Oscar knows about his feelings. That might be one of the reasons why Oscar rejected him in the first place.
“Oh, Oscar and Lando don't know. Don’t worry.” Charles looked at Max and gave him a small wink. Charles tries to let him know he is lying about Lando to keep their secret safe and not cause more problems in the future if Carlos knows it too early to know the truth.
Carlos felt a heavy weight vanish from his chest when he heard Oscar didn't know about his feelings. Carlos thought it was better to let Oscar doesn't know how he felt.
“Okay, that's good,” Carlos nodded and he continued.
“I was being a nut for asking him if both of us were more than rivals or friends on track.” Carlos shuts his eyes as he tells both of them. Shallowing hard his stupid decision to ask that question in the first place.
Charles and Max only nod as they listen carefully to him. “I know the most obvious answer he gonna say is no but it still hurt when I heard it from his mouth.” Carlos sighs, brushing his hair to the back as he grabs the mineral water Charles gave him and drinks it.
“It's okay, mate. We understand.” Max patted his back, trying to calm him down again. “I have been through that with Daniel.” Carlos looks at him. Max smiles and leans on his chair. Charles looks at both of them as he also starts to relax.
“You going to give advice eh?” Charles jokes, for Charles, Max is not good at giving dating or crush advice as he knows for being close friends with him for so long. One time he try to advise one of the drivers on the grid. It turns out ridiculous and they almost had to advise him back for giving weird advice to them when they thought he was being serious. In the end, they finally know Max was joking around and laugh it off.
“Don't underestimate me, Charles.” Max points at him, laughing as he rolls his eyes and looks back at Carlos. Charles shakes his head and waits for him to continue. “Here, this is what I think about your crush on Oscar. Do you realize both of you were rivals and never close in the first place?”
“Yes, but we are close now,” Carlos replied.
“Like how close?”
“What do you mean?”
“Close like me and Charles or close like Pierre and Esteban?”“None, I guess?”
“Oh,” Charles looks at Max. “I know.”
“Yes, Charles?” Max answers while both Max and Carlos look at him.
“Kmag and Nico?”Max claps their hands in sync as they look at each other. “That's a close one!” Max said as he turned to look at Charles again.
“But really?” Carlos shrugs, still thinking it doesn’t fit their dynamic.
“Yes, it's the same. The difference is both of you are on different teams.” Charles looks at him as he starts to open the plastic bag they got from the convenience store. He pulls out one of the beer cans and cracks it open. He passes it to Carlos and pulls out another one for both him and Max. “Beer for tonight.”
“Thanks, Charles.” Carlos took a sip and sighed again as he felt the beer go down his throat. “You sigh a lot today.” Max looked at Carlos, retaking another sip of his beer. Carlos only stayed silent, still trying to let his head think straight and calm down as before.
Carlos looked a mess, he was looking just fine before he and Charles ran to buy some beer. With messy hair and puffy eyes, just because he was scared listening to Oscar's rejection answer. Even if it's not a rejection answer in the first place.
A few minutes of silence surrounded them, as they took a sip of their beer quietly. Charles finally starts to speak with Max while Carlos starts to zone out with his empty thoughts. Trying to drown himself in drunkenness only with one beer. He badly wants to forget today's accident.
He knows only with one beer can, he cannot let his brain distract from the words coming out of Oscar's mouth.
No, no more than that.
He shakes his head, trying to shake off the words that keep floating inside his head. He took a big shot of the beer can down his throat in one go. He needs to fucking distract himself right now.
Meanwhile, Max and Charles chat with each other, they stop to look at Carlos taking his beer.
Charles shakes his head,
already used to seeing Carlos acting this way if they had one bad race for the week. Carlos is good at hiding his sadness on bad race day but once liquor touches his throat, all kinds of emotions and actions Carlos does can catch you off guard. Charles looks at Max, eyes gazing at him, and worried writing all over his face.
‘This week's race is fuck up for everyone.’ Charles sighs again in a low voice.
“Max, I will take Carlos from here. You can go back to your hotel. I will take care of him.” Charles breaks the silence, and worry also starts to fill up inside him as he looks at Carlos starts getting worse as he takes a second beer can from the plastic bag. Tears could be seen starting to build up in Carlos's eyes.
“Carlos, let's go. Let's go, mate. I take you to your room.” Charles gets off the chair and starts to clean the small coffee table, followed by Max standing up to try to pull Carlos from the armchair.
Max only nodded and hugged Charles before he exited the hotel, driving back to his hotel that was not that far from here.
“Okay,” Carlos replied with a groan and got up as he walked side by side with Charles to their room. Charles could only sigh at his teammate's state.
Falling in love with your crush from last year while holding it so strong every time Oscar mentions his love for Lando is devastating. ‘When is this going to end?’ Charles thought, patting Carlos's back as they walked to their room.
After that night, Oscar couldn't get to sleep properly. He stays up late worrying over Carlos. Thinking it was his fault for making him cry or Carlos was just randomly bursting into tears. He had never seen that man's tears in his life.
It's impossible to see one, but shamefully he thought Carlos's tears were so beautiful. The tears drop to his face, down to his chin. Those teary eyes on his face are majestically beautiful but so melancholy to see as it was directed at him. He hates those tears that he caused.
He squeezes hard the bracelet that he should have given to Lando yesterday. He looks at the red and orange bracelet beanie with Carlando all over it. He doesn't know why he felt so jealous it wasn't his name with Carlos.
He sighed, he should have given it to Lando yesterday when they went to take some air together. He wouldn't end up like this, lying on his bed, staring at the bracelet.
He drops the bracelet beside him and rolls to the side.
Then a sound of notification came from his phone, he rolled back to the side looking at his phone beside the bracelet. He picked up and found Logan's message on the lock screen.
Log :]
Osc
Mate
I have a meet and greet this Friday
After the practice
I think
i thought hanging out with you
After that if you are okay
Wanna join?
If you free
10.43 a.m., Monday
Hanging out with Logan could be a stress-release activity for him. Plus he needed something to do, with no schedule with Mclaren on the calendar. Even tho the next race week is the team's Home race.
Yeah
Sure
Time?
6 p.m
Alright
I don't really have that much plan too
After practice
Niceee
Hit me up
If you can't join me
Okay log
👍🏻
11.00 a.m., Tuesday,
He presses send and drops his phone to the side. He looks at the clock, and he will have a flight to Silverstone in a few hours. He got up from the bed and went to the bathroom to get ready himself.
After showering, packing, and making sure everything is ready to go. He locked the door to his room and was greeted by Lando who also was out of his room as he turned to the corridor.
“Mourning, Osc!” Lando waved at him as they walked side by side.
“Mourning, mate.” He replies, with a smile.
“Ready to fly to Silverstone?”
“Yeah, it's gonna be wild for sure. The crowd I mean.”
“Yeah, I know what you meant.” Lando chuckled as he pressed the lift button.
They stand idly, waiting for the lift while the Australian McLaren driver's head is occupied from yesterday night's accident.
Oscar is still thinking about Carlos unintentionally, remembering the Spaniard's big rough hands, soft hair, and his tears. He sighed, thinking ridiculously at the Spaniard, thinking how he could admire his melancholy-sad look. Then he turned to look at Lando beside him, a worry written all over the British driver's face.
“You okay, mate? You look shit. With those tired eyes, you alright?” Lando points at his eyes.
Oh, is it that obvious?
“I'm alright, I just couldn't sleep last night, maybe I will sleep on the plane to make it up.” Oscar shakes his head, trying not to make his teammate worried. Lando only nods in reply, his face still showing a concerned look at him.
Then the lift finally arrives as the bell rings, both of them enter the lift while Lando waves at the people inside the pre-occupied lift.
It was Charles and Carlos.
Charles waves back at both of them while Carlos only smiles at Lando. Oscar tries to look at Carlos but the Spaniard avoids his eyes every time he tries to make eye contact for a few seconds when the McLaren’s drivers enter the lift.
As they enter the lift, Oscar is taken to stand beside Carlos at the back. Oscar was surprisingly shocked at first because Lando pulled him to stand at the back as Lando tried to make space for him and Charles to chat.
While both Charles and Lando chatted in front of them, Oscar and Carlos had an awkward moment at the back of the lift. Oscar tries to say something but words can't come out of his mouth. He wants to apologize if he did something wrong. Maybe he did say something wrong, or maybe he did not.
Carlos's words were like riddles to him last night, or maybe not. Maybe he was too slow to catch the hint Carlos tried to give him. He looks down at Carlos’s hand. Oh, how he wants to hold that hand so bad.
He looked away at the floor and took a small breath before he said in a low voice.
“Look, Carlos, if I did something wrong last night, I’m sorry. But please tell me what I did last night to make you cry.” Oscar said as he looked at Lando in front of him. Trying to distract himself from looking at Carlos.
Carlos turns to look at him and stays silent. The Spaniard gazes at him and stays silent until the lift arrives on the ground floor. Oscar waited for Carlos to say something as they were outside the lift but Carlos left with Charles just right after they stepped out.
He felt his heart sink when Carlos didn't say anything but left him behind, he should have already expected it. He should have known better. That man is still sad about last night. He groans a bit for not catching him.
Meanwhile, Lando beside him waves at Charles, as they stand in the middle of the hotel lobby.
He looks at Carlos walking beside Charles, slowly disappearing from his sight.
“It's gonna be hectic for sure in the group.” Lando smiles at him as he slings his hands at the back of Oscar's shoulder.
“What do you mean?” He looks at Lando, confused with what Lando just said.
“Nothing! Anyway, I text Max already. Just this morning.” Lando pats Oscar's shoulder, avoiding Oscar's question. Still leaving Oscar lost and hanging with Lando's words as they exited the hotel lobby, walking to the car that would drive them to the airport.
NIGHT, 2 DAYS BEFORE THE BRITISH GP, TUESDAY
Muppet 1.0
Yo, Carlos!
Free tomorrow?
Do you want to go to Padel or hang out?
10.55 p.m., Tuesday,
Muppet 1.5
Sure
Im free
I don't have golf anyway
What time is it?
11.00 p.m., Tuesday,
9?
If you alright
We could hang out after that
okay
I update you tomorrow
11.03 p.m., Tuesday,
Carlos wiped his face with a white towel hanging around his shoulder. After a long day of walking around the track and doing Pr stuff with the Ferrari team, he finally got to finish showering. Jet lag still overflowed him even after he took a long nap before going out to walk around the track.
As he closes Lando's chat, he looks at the pin chat on his WhatsApp, Oscar (143?), an empty chat box that has had no message since yesterday.
He feels empty looking at the chat, reading the last text, they were having a fun time, laughing and happy with each other's achievements finishing on the podium. Suddenly, he felt sorrow wash over him.
“Fuck, what's wrong with me,” Carlos drops to his bed, cupping his face as he groans in frustration.
I’m sorry… please tell me… what I did last night… to make you cry
Remembering those sentences from yesterday, made him realize it was his fault for leaving Oscar all clueless. Asking for forgiveness, all pitiful like an abandoned kitten asking for food on the ally.
“Argh, I shouldn't do that,” he pushed himself to lie on the bed. Hands gripping his phone, he rolled to the side turning on the phone screen. Waiting for something miraculous like an Oscar message sliding to his dm. It's not gonna happen obviously, Carlos thinks.
Then he opens their chat and looks at Oscar's profile. Oscar (143?), Suddenly Carlos feels cringe at the nickname he saves for him.
He might need to change those names and change it to something more proper. Maybe no more of those numbers and save it like on his business phone. Oscar Piastri.
He shakes his head thinking about it, way too formal. Oscar? Osc? Oscah? Or Carcar? Carcar might be good. He smiled at the thought of it and then realized it was a similar combination name between him and Oscar. He starts to feel his face heated, flustering at the name combination.
No.
No, he shouldn't think that. Oscar doesn't love him.
Carlos shut his eyes, head twitching everywhere, playing both of their last conversations together on a loop. Oscar's voice hung around his head, playing a soft voice asking him if he was alright, like a soft lullaby.
God, you are testing the strongest soldier on this earth for making him fall in love with an Australian man since their first rivalry. Also, making him face the truth that his rival was never falling for him in the first place.
Forcing his eyes open, he turns to look at his phone. Watching his reflection on the black screen reminds him how sad his love life was after falling in love with the Australian man. He clicks open his phone lock screen and a picture of a Mclaren driver with a black fireproof suit smiling at the camera.
He smiles looking at his lock screen, then shuts it, slowly closing his eyes as he melts in a peaceful sleep. He was dreaming about how his life would be if Oscar fell in love with him.
— — —
EVENING, BRITISH GP, FRIDAY
“Logan, I don't know anymore…”
Oscar put his head on the table. Sighing out loud as his eyes wandered around the paddock looking at millions of fans passing by the driver booth.
“What’s wrong, Osc?” Logan turns to look at him as he places his phone on the table. Poking at Oscar's pouting face, making both of them giggle.
“Have you seen Carlos's new Instagram post?”
“Oh, the one that shoots the ball on the goal?”
“No, before that one.”
“Oh, you mean-” Logan turned to look at him surprised. “That one post he was wearing a blue-white striped T-shirt while having breakfast?” Oscar nods slowly, impressed with his best friend's guesses.
“Why? Do you love that post?” Logan strikes him with an unexpected question, almost making him have a small panic attack on answering that. He gulps slowly, his head panicky trying to construct a word.
“I- no. Never mind, yeah..” Oscar slowly buries his face into his own arms, hiding his blushing face. Lying to Logan will be useless, his face always gives it away anyway.
“I see, my best friend falling in love with his own rivals, I see.” Logan nods, smirking at Oscar's flustered face. Oscar is so obvious when he blushes, that his ears start to burn to color red slightly. A slight pinkish will spread all over his ears.
“It's okay, Oscar. You told me before that you would never fall in love with your rival from last year.” Logan chuckled as he took a sip of his water. “But I said if you kept complaining, you would fall in love with him.”
“That was back then, Log. I didn't know it would be true.” Oscar replied, head still buried in his arms.
“I don't even know if I was truly falling in love with him,” he continued, toning down his voice as he felt he was getting worked up with all this.
“What about Lando?” Oscar pauses, turning his head a little toward Logan. Logan gives him a thin smile, hoping he is not burdened with his triangle of feelings toward those two.
“I'm still in the process of getting over him.” He mumbles, looking away, and burying his face into his hands back.
“Ouh, Osc. It will be okay. The one that got away will bring the other one for comfort.” Logan patted his back, making a small circle on his back.
“Say for yourself,” Oscar commented dryly.
“Hey, I have you!” Logan smacks him in the back, Oscar groans out loud as he feels joint pain. “Alright. Alright, Logan. I know.” Oscar chuckled, amused by Logan's reaction. He looks around hoping nobody sees them teasing each other.
“You still need to find a lover if you don't have me anymore.”
“I will, I will.” Logan rolled his eyes before he continued. “Maybe I stay with you for now.” Oscar nods slowly, agreeing with Logan that he should stick with him for a while as much as he can.
“Anyway, you know what I got from a fan?” Logan tucked his hand inside his pocket, and a pair of blue and orange beads came out, showing a cute bracelet made by fans.
“Aww, bracelet. What bracelet you got there, mate?” Oscar finally pulls his head up to look at the bracelet closer. He looks over the bracelet when Logan carefully puts them in front of him on the table. Then Logan pulls out another pair of bracelets, placing them with matching colors side by side.
The bracelet is written Loscar on the beads, a combination of Logan and Oscar's names. Oscar smiles at it as he takes one of the bracelets, sliding them into his arms. He looks at the well-made bracelet and looks at Logan smiling, taking a picture of the bracelet.
“This is a lot,”
“The fan was very generous with me when they gave me the bracelet,” Logan placed his phone down, took one of it, and slid it into his right arm. “Look! We have matching bracelets.” Logan smiled at him, touching his arms as he pulled closer to his, and comparing those two bracelets side by side.
“Oh yeah. This is cute. I wonder if they have one for you with Alex and mine with Lando.” Oscar commented, looking at the bracelet as his finger traced over the Loscar name.
“I think obviously they have, but might be rare to get one,” Logan looks at him, taking another picture of their hands together. “But I have mine and Alex.” Logan tugged his hand back inside his pocket and pulled out another dark blue crystal bead with Logalex written on it.
“Talking about bracelets,” Oscar pulls out a mix of Orange and red bracelets from his pocket, placing it in front of Logan on the table. ”I have to pass one to Lando.”
Logan's eyes widened as he read the name written on the bracelet. He slowly leans back in his chair as his eyes lock on the bracelet.
Logan wasn't expecting Oscar to pull a duo name that combined Carlos and Lando from his pocket. Oscar was a little taken aback by Logan's reaction, not expecting a shocked face from him.
“When did a fan give it to you?” Logan holds the bracelet, turning it around on his hands.
“It was last week, Saturday.” Oscar leans in his chair, trying to find some of the memories he remembers from last week. It was quite blurry for him to remember clearly. He was not even sure whether it was Saturday or Friday. Logan only nodded and took a lot closer to the Red-orange bracelet.
Carlando. That was written on the clear beads, with red and orange surrounding the other white beads on the bracelet. Logan finds it cute with the color scheme and the position of the beads sitting side by side with a touch on a few extra shapes of different beads. Making it a pleasingly cute bracelet that matches the energy between those two drivers, Carlos, and Lando.
“Are you going to give him?” Logan turns to look at Oscar. Oscar only nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the bracelet. Pensiveness over, making him lost in the thought wishing it was his and Carlos's name.
Logan looks up at him, expecting a vocal response instead of a body language.“Oscar?”
“Down to earth, Oscar. Are you there?” Logan calls his name again, repeatedly snapping his finger on his face. Oscar responds as he realizes he is lost in his thoughts again, thinking about Carlos.
“Oh, sorry-” Oscar, shakes his head, frustrated with himself, he slowly slaps his cheek. “I thought of giving them after race day,” Oscar replied, letting out a low sigh.
“Why don't you just give it to Lando after this?” Logan tilted his head to the side, a bit, a little confused by its logic. He could easily give it to Lando when he got back to McLaren Motorhome.
“Uh, I don't know.”
“Is this your method in trying to meet him?” Logan's face palms as he crosses his arms. “Carlos, what I mean.”
“What if it's true?”
“Oscar,” Logan gave him a thin smile, he sighed as he got up from the chair and put the bracelet on Oscar’s hands.
“Fine, I follow you to meet him.” Oscar's eyes widen, and excitement starts to fill up inside him. “Really-” “BUT in one condition, you have to wear that bracelet all week.” Logan cut him while pointing one finger up in the air.
“Oh, you mean this?” Oscar points at their matching bracelet. What an odd condition. “Yeah, sure.” Oscar nods, thinking it wasn’t a harmless request from Logan to agree with him to accompany him to give the bracelet to Carlos.
“So, Sunday?”
“yeah, Sunday.”
“Okay, Osc.”
“Okay”
Carlos pulled the balaclava from his head, his brown hair tangling out, he slid his hair to the back, and looked around as he pulled out his earpiece. His eyes wander around, eyes twitching a bit as he looks at the bright Ferarri color garage.
Then he turned to look at Charles, talking with Fred, Charles gave a little wave as the Monegasque saw him staring. He smiled back and put his helmet on the counter. Slowly he breathed as he felt the adrenaline start to pump down.
Quali was not good for both of them, getting P7 and P11 for Charles was a hell of a rollercoaster for them. He’s getting a little piss off by the car even more and more every race but hold it back. Thinking it was going to end, and they will make a comeback.
He got back to his driver's room, preparing for the interview. As he arrived at the media pen, he saw Oscar standing beside the concrete pole, leaning, as he talked to Lando and Daniel.
He looks at Oscar as he leans on the wall, waiting for his turn. As he stares at Oscar wearing his black fireproof, he can’t help but blush when his eyes stop at Oscar's waist. He looks away, trying to hide his puffy cheek of blush.
He tries to distract himself from looking at Oscar more by playing with his hair but unfortunately, his eyes are fixed on his wrist, a blue-orange bracelet tangling on his hands. He follows the bracelet's movement as he tries to read what is written on it.
Loscar.
Suddenly he felt something burn inside him, a build-up irritation for the name. He stares at the bracelet, Not leaving the bracelet out of his sight, even Oscar walks further away from him to the interview. Then he found Logan walking in front of him to talk with Alex beside Daniel and Lando.
Then he saw a similar bracelet wrap around the Williams driver's wrist, the same copy of Oscar’s bracelet. He looks at Logan, smiling as he talks with the three drivers. He had seen the bracelet yesterday, hanging around Logan's right wrist. He thought it was a normal fan bracelet that only had his name.
He looks away, trying to stop himself from getting more annoyed by it. Why did he feel he was getting jealous over a bracelet? Oscar could wear a matching bracelet with his mate. Logan and Oscar had been friends for so long. It's not like they dating or anything.
He doesn't have the right to question it. He also wears a matching bracelet with Charles, sometimes even with Lando. Why would he even question it? It's a normal thing now between drivers.
Even before he realizes himself walking the group, he finds himself, standing beside them, and next to Logan. They greet him and ask him how the Quali goes. He could only reply with the usual frustration. Alex and Lando nod, understanding the frustration. Meanwhile, Daniel pats his back, joining the other sympathy as well. Logan smiled at him, also understanding the frustration, since he had been in his place before.
“How are you between you and Oscar?” Logan speaks, turning his head and facing him as his hands play with the water bottle cap. The other driver suddenly turns to look at Logan shocked, then turns to look at him.
Carlos starts to feel nervous all of a sudden, he doesn't expect Logan would ask him that. If he told the truth his secret would set loose. The secret will spread fast especially there Alex and Daniel in front of him. Lying is the only option here. He stuck with that.
“We’re okay. Nothing much. The rivalry still set in between both of us.” Carlos scratches his neck, suddenly feeling a sudden itchiness behind his hair.
“ah, I see.” Logan nods, the same goes with the others.
“Are you and Oscar dating?” Carlos accidentally slips as he slowly covers his mouth.
“Dating?” Logan responded. All of the drivers turn to look at Logan. Logan stands in shock in front of him, speechless at the question.“Dating?” He repeats. He needs confirmation since when the thought of Logan and Oscar together crossed his mind just now, shivering him a bit.
“Yeah, we are dating.” Logan slowly said in a low voice.
Oh, they dating. Logan and Oscar
are
dating
with
each other.
The word dating stuck in his head, he shouldn't ask. His lips slipped again today, he did it with Oscar. Now with Logan. Fuck, he hates himself now for asking unnecessary questions and ends up hurting himself back. Carlos nodded slowly before he continued.
“Since when?” He replies, hiding his fist behind his back. Lando nods too, greatly confused by the news.
“Last week…” Logan replies, his hands starting to shake, panicking as he Logan answers the bold question. Carlos noticed it as he looked at Alex’s hand, starting to hold Logan's hand.
“I see,” He looked back up at Logan and smiled. Logan start to tense up, frightened at Carlos's stare.
Maybe it's a little too obvious there's a hint of bitterness, covered by the smile and too extra for the stare. But he wasnt planning on hiding it. Not at all. He feels anger slowly start taking over him, but he tries to hold it back, rather stressing out over the car in his head than whatever Oscar and Logan's relationship is up to or why, Alex holding Logan’s hands.
Before Carlos could continue, he was interrupted by his Pr, It was his turn to talk to one of the interviewers. He waves at them before walking off to the interviewer. Alex and Lando wave back at him before turning to talk to Logan about the dating news.
“Congrats,” words slip his mouth in a whisper as he turns to look at Oscar and pass him, back to the circle. A sad look disappears from his face, putting a smile in front of the camera. Hiding away his sadness from the media, and kept his missing feelings, every piece of the Australian’s driver.
“Oh god, Logan.” Alex shakes his head as he gives Logan a frustrated look.
“I’m sorry, I'm sorry, I panic.” Logan covers his eyes with his palms. Regretting what he just said. He thought of joking with Carlos about his dating Oscar. But the look at Carlos’s seriousness on his face didn't reach his joke at all.
“Man he pisses off so bad,” Daniel rubs his head while laughing.
“My question is, how you didn't get jumped by him?”Alex laughs at Lando's comment,
while Daniel wheezes beside him.
“Also, why do you ask that?” Alex looks at Logan, starting to squat down on the floor, and jokingly sobbing.
“Well, I just want to see his reaction.” Logan looks up, looking at them smiling at him.
“Man, I'm not even that brave.”
“His American blood is showing.” Alex and Lando turn now to wheeze at Daniel's reply.
“He never this Brave” Alex pat Logan’s back as they continue to laugh together.
“Since when im not?” Logan gave an annoyed look to Alex, Alex immediately stopped laughing and apologized.
“James.”
“Owh.” Logan shrugs. Lando mentioning his name has become a trigger for him, coming back to a sad crouching position.
The taught of James Vowels traumatized him a lot. Unfortunately, even Alex couldn't save him at some point.
“Lando.” Alex scolded him, shaking his head.
“Sorry.” Lando bites his lips, starting to sympathize with Logan. “It's okay,” Logan replies with a low voice, smiling at Lando, he stands back up and sips his water from the straw bottle.
“Hmm, he gonna be in a bad mood tomorrow before race.” Daniel turns to pick at Carlos, getting interviewed by one of the interviewees.
“He’s not, maybe, if I try to cheer him up.”
Daniel gives him a thumbs up, “Do the job, champ.”
“But you're still dead.” Lando points at Logan. Logan let out a small sigh, “I know.”
“Send me prayers guys.” Logan put his hands together, making a prayer sign.
“Already told the group chat. They are sending prayers to you,” Alex patted Logan back slowly, repeatedly, while showing him the text on the group.
“Oh, come on Alex!” Logan cried out as he read one of the messages, sent by Lewis and Seb as the first response, followed by Max and Charles.
“Have to let others know my teammate did an amazing job heating the gossip.”
“Yeah, I'm dead, both physically and mentally now.” They chuckled at Logan's frown faces, cupping his face with his hands. In a whisper, he said to himself, “I fuck up by any chance.”
Suddenly, Oscar joined the circle back after finishing one of the interviews.“Yo, did I miss anything?”
“Nope.” Lando shakes his head. “We were shit-talking about the weather.” Alex lies back, joining the undercover. “Yeah, that's all.”
“Okay, why-” Oscar paused, looking at Logan's dead face. “You look stressed?” Oscar points at Logan.
“Let him be, it's nothing.” Daniel husshed him.
“Also, what was that about?” Oscar looks at the fourth of them back and forth. “With Carlos.”
“Ohhh, it's nothing.” Lando pat his back and smiled at the others. They will keep this secret far away from Oscar until it's time for both of them to be ready.
Before they walk from the Media pen after finishing for the day, Oscar stops at one of the poles. A phone has been dropped from somebody's hand, lying on the floor.
Oscar picks up the phone and turns it around, trying to remember if it was one of the driver's phones. It was one of the newest Samsung Galaxy flip phones. He doesn't recall any of the grid-wearing Samsung flips. Mind blank, he opens the lock screen and a picture of him appears as wallpaper.
“God, who phone is this?” Oscar chuckled at the photo of him smiling. He swipes the phone lock screen, trying to guess if the password could be related to him. As he taps the keyboard button and enters the password, the screen successfully opens its home screen.
“Jesus, I didn't expect it would be OP81,” Oscar cursed to himself as he walked out from the Media pen, eyes still locked on the phone screen. He walks back to the Mclaren hospitality, exploring the phone home screen.
Whatsapp, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram. All look the same as an average human being media consumer phone. He thought maybe, he didn’t have to check the owner's social media account to not breach their privacy but opening their gallery did not breach the owner's privacy.
He immediately opens the gallery and looks at their recent photos. The first recent photo in the gallery is his face, smiling in the paddock while talking to Logan, yesterday after FP2.
He stops to look at the photo clearly, zooming in and out to see the photo detail. Oh my god, this is stalking! Oscar's face drops and he slowly, folds the phone closed, runs to the McLaren entrance, and straight to his driver's room.
He needs to check who is the stalker, taking his photo. Not one but five photos of him in the paddock.
As he closes the door rushingly, taking a seat on his sofa. Lando opens the door, looking at him with a vague concerned face over the fact, the door lets out a loud bang that jolts him leading Lando to check on him.
“What was that?” Lando closed the door as he took a seat beside Oscar.
Oscar took out the phone, ignoring Lando's question as he immediately went to scroll on the gallery. A lot of photos of him from different places in the paddock make him feel more unbelievable with what is contained inside the phone gallery.
Lando beside him, looking at the gallery together, had the same reaction as him.
“You seeing what I'm seeing?” He looks at Lando, “Jesus, this is stalking.” Lando mutter. He nods in agreement as he scrolls the gallery to the bottom. The number of photos of him was a lot but not only him but others plenty of driver photos too.
“Wait, whose phone is this?” Lando turns to look at him, one brows up.“I found this inside the Media pen before we all left,” Oscar replied.
“Ouh, why don't you just give it to the security?” Lando reply.
“I was! But the lock screen and the password prevent me from doing it.” Oscar folds the phone back and places it in front of each other, looking down on it.
They stare at the phone, trying to think of a solution. “You could press charges you know,” Lando said, crossing his arms to his chest. “For stalking? But it looks like a completely normal fan phone.” Oscar replies as he leans against the sofa, eyes still fixed on the phone.
“Inside the media pen? I don't think it's a fan’s phone.” Lando replied.
“Well, it could be one of the Pr people from a different team,” Oscar added.
Both of them sigh, trying to squeeze their head over who the owner's phone might be. “I have an assumption it might be one of the drivers.” Lando grins, thinking it might be one of them. They never know.
“Driver? With a lot of photos of myself in their gallery? Who would even save my photo?” He looks at Lando, thinking he was crazy for a second there. Lando snorts and starts to laugh.
“Oh, now you laughing? What so funny?” He looks at Lando annoyed. What is so funny for a driver to save photos of himself that much? He gets up from the sofa and grabs a mineral water from the mini fridges across the couch.
“Carlos?” Lando replied, giggling at his answer. “That arsehole? Nope, no. I don't think so.” Oscar turns around in shock, he shakes his head, denying that it is possible to be Carlos. Lando turns to look at him and sighs, “Whatever, Oscar.”
Then he stops as he starts to remember their interaction together, Carlos staying by his side after having a night together, calming him down after a mental breakdown, encouraging him to stay strong when he was at his lowest, his stare, his words, and last weekend's interaction. Shit, it is possible.
“He misses you lately,” Lando mumbled, taking the phone in his hands, and starting to explore the phone again. Oscar tilts his head as he can't hear Lando mumbling, “Sorry, what?”
“Nothing, go shower, mate.” Lando throws the towel from the chair beside him to Oscar. “You smelly,” Lando added. Oscar catches it, shakes his head, takes a few of his clothes from his bag, and goes inside the bathroom to take a shower.
Meanwhile, Lando looks at him as he enters the bathroom and smirks. He looks at the phone again and whispers to it, “Carlos, Carlos, you left your phone again at the media pen.” He closes the phone, shoves it into his pocket, and walks out of Oscar's room. Walking out from the Mclaren’s Hospitality toward The Ferrari’s Hospitality.
NIGHT, BRITISH GP, SUNDAY
The lift bell rings as it arrives at the 5th floor, the Ferrari floor. They stepped out of the lift and walked closer to room number 3955 as they turned to the left. Logan slowly took a slow step, leaving Oscar to walk even closer to the room.
Logan stopped behind a wall as he looked at Oscar, and typed a message to him. Oscar looks behind him as he turns toward Logan waving at him. He took a deep breath as he looked at Logan's message.
Log :]
Im not that far
I will be watching you from here
Besides its only a bracelet
Yeah i know
Wish me luck, mate
Maybe i could get to talk to him this way
Yeah
Good luck, osc
😀
man, what if he didnt want it?
Dude, we talked about this before
He will and would want to talk to you
And it's him and Lando's bracelet
Ofc he would take it
9.03 p.m., Saturday
Oscar looks up at Logan smiling at him as he points to the wall he hid behind. Oscar took a deep breath and started to turn, walking toward the door closer. He stopped in front of the door and took another deep breath.
He starts to get nervous more and more. He hesitated at first before knocking on the door. Thinking two times again, before knocking on the door. He waits for a reply or someone shouting back at him as he waits for him.
Silent. He knocks again for the second time. Silent replying to him. Carlos is not in his room. He must gone somewhere. Maybe the club or he is still having a Ferarri Debrief. He feels slight relief but disappointment at the same time. He wants to meet Carlos and meet him to talk about last week's accident but at the same time, he feels nervous.
Oscar looks at the red-orange bracelet as he pulls it out from his pants. He stares at it before placing it in front of the door. Carlos might easily be spotted the bracelet after he gets back from the meeting.
He gets up from the floor and starts to walk to the hallway. He stopped when he saw Carlos looking at him, across the hallway, standing in front of Logan's hiding spot. His brown eyes start to fix on Oscar, he slowly walks toward him. Looking at the Aussie as he was about to burst into tears.
He touches Oscar’s cheek, cupping it in his hands with care. “Hi, mi Oscar?”
“Carlos.”“Mi Oscar!” Yeah, he is drunk.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
NIGHT, BRITISH GP, SUNDAY
The cold glass clings as the ice-cold whiskey hits the glass and stirs around slowly. The whispery-sheepish sound of people talking warms the low gloomy atmosphere inside the bar.
Lando taps his finger and leans forward to the counter. He holds his glass while looking inside it. He took a sip of his whiskey, slowly burning down inside his throat with its sweet taste.
He turns to look at the man beside him, Carlos, looking all gloomy with a glass in his hand. Half-finished drink in his glass as he stirs the glass slowly. Carlos’s face was full of a joyless kind of expression. A sorrow-looking pale face with twitching sad eyes.
“You look depressed more than me,” Lando said, chucking his whiskey down full.
“Tell me, mate.” He puts his glass down and shakes his head.
“What have got you looking like this?” Carlos turns to look at him, a thin smile appears on his lips.
“I don't know if you know about me and Oscar.” Carlos's eyes drag to his glass, avoiding making eye contact with him. “But I'm sure you knew.” Carlos sighed, contemplating whether to tell Lando about his relationship with Oscar.
“I knew,” Lando replied, nodding slowly.
Carlos turns to look at him, surprised. Carlos didn't expect Lando to know all along, he wasn’t sure if Lando knew at first but when Charles told him Lando didn't know, he was unsure whether to believe him or not.
Now, Carlos felt bad for not telling him in the first place. He thought he might have betrayed him for not being true friends but looking at Lando's sincere face, he was sure Lando understood him.
“I’m sorry for not telling you much earlier, I was about to but Oscar's condition made me rethink my decision to tell you or not.” Carlos paused, putting his glass on the counter.
“You know Oscar loves you all along but you see, I'm the one falling for him. After spending time with him, comforting him when he cried in my arms when he got confused with you. Making him happy in a weird kind of way even tho we sometimes fight a lot.” Carlos pinches his temple, pausing for a while as he drags his eyes to Lando. Lando waits patiently for Carlos to continue.
“The thing is, I don't know why I didn't tell you. It's not like you were his boyfriend or anything. It would be much easier if I told you first.” Carlos frowned, slowly putting his elbow on the counter, cupping his head as he looked down.
Looking down at his half-finished glass, he continued.“What makes me more confused with these things is whether Oscar moved on from you or not. He never told me. Then yesterday, I saw him having a matching bracelet with Logan, and the next thing I knew, he was dating Oscar.”
Lando chuckled when he heard Carlos mentioning Logan dating his teammate. It was funny to him since he knew the whole truth about yesterday's accident.
“What so funny?” Carlos frowned and turned to look at him.
“Nothing, continue please.” Lando shakes his head as he covers his mouth. He finds it funny but feels bad looking at his best friend in this state of misery due to falling in love with his teammate.
“So, now, when I remember why Oscar rejected me. I think it's because of Logan isn’t it?” Carlos said in a low rough breath, holding himself from shedding tears. Lando slowly puts his hands on Carlos's back. He circles at Carlos' back while trying to calm him down.
“Carlos,” Lando calls him in a low voice. Carlos hums in reply.
“Do you really think Oscar loves Logan?” Lando paused his hand motion on Carlos’s back and went up to Carlos's head. He gently brushes Carlos's hair before getting interrupted by a bartender asking them if they want more drinks. Lando silently shakes his head at the bartender. The man nodded and left both of them alone with a bottle full of whiskey that Lando asked way earlier. Carlos only stays silent, not moving.
“Do you?” Lando asks again but in a soft and lower voice.
Carlos turns to look at him, with despair and unsure. “Is he?” Carlos replied. Lando smiles at him and strokes Carlos’s hair. “No, Carlos. He never did.” He chuckled, smiling at Carlos.
“Remember yesterday when I gave you your phone? I said to you, I didn't open it but somebody did. I told you that I found it in the Media pen which again, I lied but the same person who opened it, found it.” Lando turns his seat, pushing the back of the chair against the counter.
“And you never told me who was it?” Carlos asked, begin to feel more curious. He starts to pick up more and more interest in who found his phone. “I didn't even realize my phone was gone.” Carlos chuckled, remembering the time Lando casually waited at Ferarri Hospitality Lounge. He was quite shocked that his ex-teammate waiting for him in Ferarri Hospitality.
Lando through his head back, laughing softly.
“Carlos, you could be careless sometimes.” He tilts his head,
looking at Carlos's little sheepish smile in his drunken state. Carlos nodded as he took his glass and fill his glass half-full with whiskey.
“Surprisingly, it was Oscar, who found it,” Lando said casually, waiting for Carlos’s reaction.
Carlos pauses his movement, putting the bottle back on the counter slowly as he turns to look at Lando. He suddenly felt he was sober up from the alcohol and let out a small gasp. “You kidding?” Carlos looked at him unbelievably, not believing a single word that just came out of Lando’s mouth.
Carlos shook his head as he kept looking at his mate grinning with a wide smile, trying to hold his laugh. He couldn't believe the person who found his phone wasnt a random stranger but Oscar. Oh, he thought how could it be more fuck up for him when Oscar knows it was his phone all along.
Lando couldn't keep his laugh any longer with his smile and immediately burst out laughing. He wheeze quietly, trying to keep his voice low, and not accidentally disturb the other customer.
“Mate, what the fuck! Is it really Oscar?!” Carlos frowned even more when Lando kept laughing. He looked around when he felt his voice was a little loud, nodding to other customers in a slow gesture. He pats Lando's shoulder even more, turning the Brit's body facing him completely.
“Muppet, stop laughing. Tell me!” Carlos raises a little his voice when he shakes Lando to stop laughing. Lando slowly stops and catches his breath as he shakes his head. “Oh god.” Lando chuckled when he finally looked up at Carlos.
“Don't worry, Oscar doesn't know it was you!” Lando replied as he wiped his tears from laughing from his eyes. Carlos let out a heavy sigh of relief, still holding Lando on his shoulder, he put his head down a little.
Closing his eyes, he thanked god multiple times that Oscar didn't know it was him. He kept repeating until he finally felt everything was alright and not a big deal anymore. As long Oscar doesn't know the owner is him, everything will be okay; things won't be complicated even more.
“You fucking scare the shit out of me,” Carlos yells at him as he looks up and lets go of his arms from Lando's shoulder. Lando let out a wide grin like an idiot. Carlos couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
“But you said Oscar doesn't love Logan, what's the point with the phone?” Carlos continues, still confused about the two connections that Lando trying to make.
“See here, now you know Oscar doesn't love logan, and Oscar knows the content of your phone. Why don't you take this opportunity and make it your first move back to talk with Oscar after so long?” Lando suggests, turning his head back to the counter to pour the whiskey down into his glass.
“Mate, are you trying to make me a clown?” Carlos replies dryly, taking a sip of his glass. “Hell no. I don't even know what was his reaction when he saw it. I'm not going to shame myself. Tell me, you were there with him.” He put his glass down and stared at the Brits, contemplating to know what Oscar's reaction was when he got more curious.
“Not sure but he looked like he was smiling but still a little worried if the owner was stalking him.” Lando smirks, amused at Carlos's reaction he mentions the word stalking. The words hit like a pang on Carlos’s face. He is self-aware with himself and he did save a lot of photos of Oscar on his phone. Too many to begin with.
Using those photos to admire him late at night, helps him to sleep at night when his head is too busy to shut itself to sleep; even helps him to make him feel good when he finds himself turned on looking at a hot photo of Oscar. He felt embarrassed but doesn't it what you do when you fall in love with someone? Saving their photos on your phone?
He wouldn't call it stalking in his opinion. He did not take multiple photos of Oscar everywhere! He is against the word stalking to be put as a label on his name.
Lando smiles at Carlso and turns his chair around facing the counter front.
“No worries, mate. Everything will be alright, we talk about it tomorrow properly. Like last Tuesday, okay?” Lando hands his glass close to Carlos. Carlos looks at him with a small sigh and nods slowly as they cling their glass together.
They have another few glasses together, talking about that evening race. From the frustration about the team strategy to admiring Lewis's win after 2 years of no wins and breaking it on his home race with his last year's with Mercedes.
After a few hours, Max came to pick up both of them with Daniel. They were too drunk anyway to even drive back to the hotel. Max was like a lifesaver for both of them when he and Daniel the only ones was available that night.
As Carlos arrives at his room floor, his head still spinning from alcohol. He walks slowly, trying not to stumble back to his room.
As the distance between him and his room got closer, he felt he saw a silhouette standing in front of his room. He stops his steps and looks up at the silhouette properly. He rubbed his eyes to look at it clearly and a figure of an Australian man with brunette hair looking at him appeared in front of him, standing across the corridor.He starts to walk closer to the man, trying to figure out who is it. As he stepped closer and closer, he felt a familiar face in front of him. He felt a sudden sadness wash over him. He’s not sure why he felt like this. Must be from the alcohol, Carlos thought.
He pulls his hands up to touch the man's face, cupping it with care as he brushes his finger soft on the Aussie's face. His head still trying to wrap itself to remember who was it. Then, slowly he creeps out of familiarity with the man and starts to remember.
Oscar.
Its Oscar.
“Mi Oscar?” He said it softly, feeling a little bubbly suddenly. His face starts to light up when Oscar replies saying his name. “Mi Oscar!” He said with a slow giggle. Then a sudden urge to kiss him started to twist in his heart. His eyes fixed on the Aussie brown eyes, staring deep into the ethereal loophole of the spark of a beautiful pair of brown eyes.
Oscar holds his hands, touching them slowly with the soft texture of Oscar’s hands. He fluttered when he felt the gentleness of Oscar’s hands holding him. He stumbles a little to the front as he tries to stand properly. He tries to hold himself from the tiredness of his body from today. Almost felt like collapsing at any moment.
But without him realizing it, he has pecked Oscar on the lips. Oscar looks at him in shock and slowly pulls away. As Oscar pulls away, his head drops to Oscar's shoulder. The Aussie catches him and pulls him a little closer to him. Trying to make him at least stand up straight.
“Carlos, god, this idiot,” Oscar said, face a little pinkish, and a little fluster from the kiss.”You are drunk,” Carlso replied with a hum. Then a sound of mumbling came out from his mouth. Oscar turns to look at Carlos on his shoulder.
As he keeps mumbling, Carlos wraps his arms around Oscar's waist. Hugging him as he melts into the soft warmth of Oscar’s heat.
Oscar could only shake his head slowly in disbelief at the odd action from Carlos. Oscar just accepts it willingly, it's rare for him to feel this Carlos side again. The last time was before the accident, he felt happy after a week of no text or call even interaction with the Ferarri driver that finally ended. Maybe for a while before Carlos starts to sober up.
“Hey, Carlos,” Oscar calls his name in a low tone. Carlos turns his head to look at him.
“Im sorry,” Oscar whispers. “No, I should be the one saying that,” Carlos says with a whisper, a little louder as he snuggles his nose to Oscar's shoulder. “Sorry.” He said. Oscar could only smile at him and he started to drag a little Carlos's body press to the wall. Carlos refuses to let go at first but Oscar pulls his hands that wrap around his waist away.
Leaning him to the wall, it is much easier for him to ask for Carlos's key card to enter his room. Carlos's tired and sleepy eyes it big signs that man needs sleep. Carlos slides down to the floor, sitting on top of the red carpet pattern with a gold flower. He slides his hands into his pockets and passes the key card to Oscar.
Oscar takes the key and opens the door. Before he swings the door open, he stops to look at Carlos beside him asking an unexpected question to him. “Do you love logan?”
He look at Carlos, a little confused and shocked. “Since when idiot?” Oscar shakes his head at the ridiculous question. He opens the door while shaking his head. Yet again before he tried to enter to switch on the lights, Carlos stopped him as the Spaniard grabbed his hands.
“I love you, amor,” Carlos said, soft and calm. Eyes fixed on his pretty brown eyes. He struggles to respond when he hears the 3 words that he wouldn't imagine would come out of Carlos’s mouth. He stands there statics, looking at Carlos's beautiful face. No words could describe how he felt at that time. The silence in his head that had been occupied by those 3 words kept wandering around all over it.
“Im sorry, i mess up.” Carlos continues, a shed of tears drops on his cheeks. A pang of sadness touches Oscar’s heart. He couldn't help himself but shed tears and crouched down beside Carlos. He never felt so overjoyed with happiness and sadness at the same time but deep down he was relieved that he had finally realized, that he had fallen for his rival, Carlos Sainz, his fav rival on and off track.
Maybe he do was waiting for Carlos to tell him he loves him for him to accept that himself have fallen for the Spaniard. The denial that is strong only for the same man in front of him can break it.
When the day both of them are away emotionally, they finally feel how their hearts aching is it to be away from the person they love in the first place.
“It's okay,” he responds. Brushing Carlos’s hair slowly with his hands. Touching the softness of Carlos's hair smooth and healthy. He presses a kiss on his head before Carlos pulls him to kiss deeply and rough against each other lips.
“I wish you were sober”
“I do, mi amor.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
NIGHT, BRITISH GP, CARLOS'S ROOM
“I wish you were sober”
“I do, mi amor.”
“No, you don't.” Oscar pulls away from the kiss. He looks at the man in front of him. Carlos smiled with a giddy smile that clearly didn’t state a sober condition. He’s not going to believe him at all. The way he talked and acted was out of normal the way Carlos was supposed to.
“I am,” Carlos shouts at him and starts to lean his body to the side, touching the carpet floor. Closing his eyes as he tries to drool himself to sleep. Oscar sighs at the older behavior.
“Carlos, let's get inside.” Oscar pulls him back up but Carlos stops him halfway as he looks down near the door. An orange and red bracelet with Carlando writing over it. He bends down to take it and looks at Oscar.
“Bracelet?” Carlos asks, blinking slowly as he holds himself from passing out. Not looking at the bracelet properly, he shove it inside his front pocket.
“Fan,” Oscar replied quickly, pulling him inside.
“Oscar, I said I'm not drunk..” Oscar smiles at him as he looks at Mclaren’s driver dragging him with hands wrapped around his waist, walking to the bed.
Oscar keeps quiet and pushes Carlos to the bed, carefully laying him down as he takes out his shoes and puts them tidily at the front of the door near the shoe rag after he tugs Carlos to sleep.
Oscar looked around the hotel room and back to the door connecting the room was sleeping. He felt he was back where he was supposed to be. Staying inside each other's space when both of them had a bad race or bad day. Where is everything their relationship has started and bonded together. He could feel how relieved he was to have Carlos back again. Letting him have a proper conversation with him. He doesn't care whether it was Carlos drunk talking or not. It is still much a fresh breath to let him breathe properly again to be with him.
He walked back inside the bedroom and sat at the edge of the bed. Looking at Carlos groaning to himself as he turned his body to the side, hugging the pillow tightly in his arms.
“Aren't you supposed to be at your motorhome?” Carlos mumbles as he turns back to look at Oscar. Gazing at his face he hides his smile with the pillow he is hugging.
“I was but I was supposed to give you that bracelet. It has been with me for too long.” Oscar answers him, rolling his eyes at himself. He should have given that bracelet way earlier to not get things complicated but here we are.
He looked at Carlos, gazing at him up and down. He couldn't help but feel flustered as the older man kept looking at him. Their eyes met, and they met each other’s brown eyes. He let out a small sigh when Carlos reached for his hands. He resisted at first but gave up at the end when he couldn't hold himself longer from looking at Carlos's pleading eyes.
A few minutes of quiet pass by, as they hold each other's arms. Carlos slowly feels he is melting in his sleep as he feels the worms in his hands held by Oscar. Letting himself completely taken by the soft touch of Oscar's hands. Pulling his hands close to his cheeks. Mumbling quietly with words Oscar couldn't catch at all. Oscar looks at him, pitying how Carlos makes himself put his guard down with him. Instead of being all high with his face and not bothering to look at him or trying at any cost to avoid eye contact with him at the Driver's parade.
Sad to tell the man in front of him looks completely exhausted. He knows deep down Carlos loves deeply that it hurts so badly to hear a single phrase that bites him deep inside. Not just tired of his love life but with the car performance with Ferarri. Winning once in this year must feel like a blessing to Carlos. Winning at his home race in Australia. One week after his appendix surgery is a miracle. Way to coincidence miracle for him to win but Carlos has given all out with the car and tried his best to fight with the Red Bull at the front.
Remembering it again, he was happy for him. Way too happy if he could remember. The mixed emotions of disappointment and pride for the Spaniard leave a winning legacy for the Ferarri after beating Red Bull domination back in Singapore.
Then recalling back the time Lando won his first ever win in Miami after a long time fighting with the car. He felt proud of both of them. Really. The two of them have become a huge part of his life to the point he could never make him hate them. Even it took a turn of his life up and down.
He wishes he could have achieved the same with them. The way they hold high their trophy up in the air. Smiling brightly at their achievement to the crowd. Letting out all the burthen in their heart as they sing the national anthem satisfied. Then he turns to look down at their hands. Brushing his thumb slowly in phase against Carlos's skin.
He reminds himself how he used to be on Carlos' spot. Getting comforted by Carlos, as he hums him to sleep like a child after a breakdown. Singing a slow lullaby in his ears. Making him laugh when Carlos had to pause when his voice cracked at the song. He chuckled to himself when felt like a child, asking for protection after having a nightmare. He misses those times again.
Nonetheless, he felt happy to be beside Carlos for so long. This week also has been a stressful week for both of them. With his own result on track for free practice getting inconsistent from time to time. The effect of his throbbing heart for seeking Carlos.
Passing passed Carlos in his car as he tried to set up the fastest lap in Qualifying. Rushing with the adrenaline inside him harder every time he passes Carlos. Going to fight with him with the car together at the track as they climbed through the position at the evening race.
Fighting for the P4 position as they try to reach for the podium. Looking at the Ferrari car behind him, he tried to speed up even faster, trying to leave the figure of the red car away from his side.
Or looking at him at the pit lane after the end of the race. Staring at his gorgeous face as Carlos looks up to look at the podium winner. He smiles at them as he watches them shake the champagne bottle, burst, and spray the white bubble on each other's faces.
He felt a tinge of sadness burying into his heart like a sword as he kept looking at the Ferrari Driver. Leaving the unpleasant amount of sorrow like it was not his from Carlos' melancholy look. He hates it. He hated it looking at his gloomy face of Carlos. He hated that he didn't understand why he wanted to hug that man and kiss him. Not until he heard the word from the man himself today.
The buzz of Oscar’s phone snaps him from his thoughts as it shakes inside his pants pocket. He takes out to look at the message Logan sends him.
Log :]
Osc
I'm going now
Since things have been really well with you there
[photo]
Did you take a pic of us?
Yeahhhh
you
guys look so cute
Mate
It's okay, enjoy your time with your boo!
Logan, he’s not my boo
We not even dating
Yet.
Log
Did you even confess to him?
Come on
How long are you gonna stay quiet about your feelings?
Until im ready?
Until When?
Mate
It's hard
He already confesses to me but
But?
It's all drunk words
even I know it sober thought
Osc, you can't do this to yourself
I know you have been confusing with yourself
All this time
Logan, I do realize I do love him
But it was not easy for me to tell him
I know it's not easy
It's hard for me when I try to confess to Alex too
it was Alex?
i know but
It's way harder to accept and move on
When i knew he already moved on from me
Way before i got to confess and share the same
Feelings as him
Don't lose your chance, man
Don't be like me
11.07 p.m., Sunday
Oscar looks at the last text Logan sends him.
Oh, how hurt is it to accept the truth crushed inside him.
He felt a burning tear fall across his cheek. He sucked back the tears that started to fall from his eyes. He cries quietly trying not to wake Carlos up beside him. Covering his nose from the sound of sniffling he unintentionally makes.
It's not like he didn't try to accept the feelings that he loved Carlos back. He was scared because all this time he loved Lando. He never felt it was his heart that wanted the other one that had been fighting him for a long time. He felt pathetic for not being truthful to himself.
He turns to look at Carlos fast asleep in his bed. Intertwining their hand together close. He rubs Carlos's hands with his thumbs with care. He took a deep breath before brushing his hair back. Releasing the last gasp of his heartbroken, heart thought and finally accepting the truth.
He took a red Ferrari color handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his nose and tears. He looks at the handkerchief long before turning to look at Carlos's face longer. The handkerchief was given by Carlos when he could remember it was after the press conferences at Monaco.
He could only chuckle at it, remembering the moment it was given to him before kissing the Spaniard's forehead.
“Yeah, I love you too. I love you so much, Carlos.” Oscar said to him, shakingly as he tightened their hands together. Shedding tears in his arms, surrounded by the dark room with Carlos, peacefully sleeping next to him.
I fucking love you to death, Carlos. I fucking do.
POST-RACE, MONACO GP, PRESS CONFERENCES
Carlos took a glance at Oscar as he looked at him scrolling his phone. Both of them waited for Charles to come to the press conference room after the Mongasque won his home race celebrating with the team downstairs.
He wags his toes left to right in a rhythm. Feeling bubbly at the moment while both of the drivers lay on the white couch. Carlos keeps scrolling through his phone and keeps taking a glance over at Oscar who still been occupied by his phone.
Carlos started to wonder how close they were next to each other. He and Oscar had never been this that much close as he could remember for a while. The only time he managed to remember was inside the safety car side by side after a heavy crash at Spa last year. Later than that nothing came to his mind.
Well, it was quite fine for him to be honest to be lying next to Oscar. Not like next to each other on the couch since it is shaped like a half-circle. He could feel his toes accidentally touching the McLaren driver's toes but Oscar didn't react or anything but only gave a quick look at him before moving his legs to the side, far away from him.
Carlos suddenly felt like a big firework started to explode in his heart for no reason. Why did he feel like this? Shit. He knows he has a crush on Oscar but why does it beat nonstop? Why does he feel happy when his toes touch against Oscar's toes?
He pressed his heart for a quick minute to calm himself down with his hands before dropping it when he heard Thomas start to talk for the press conference that evening.
He took another glance at Oscar and found himself looking at Oscar smiling at him as The Aussie raised his eyebrow, taking his water bottle at the back of the sofa as they sat up from the white sofa carefully. On not trying to make the couch dirty.
Is it weird to feel flustered to your crush a.k.a your rival on track after ignoring each other when they trying to avoid eye contact yesterday after qualifying? This guy is unreal.
He took his bottle and started to sip as he looked at Charles enter the room and immediately make a beeline to the middle of the couch.
As Charles sat down, his own thoughts immediately switched on with his professional thoughts. Putting aside his emotional thoughts and focusing on the journalist's question.
After the press conferences, Charles pulls him to the side as they walk out of the room. Hugging him from the back as he hugs back from the side and saying congrats to his teammate on the win. It's a pleasure to see Charles smile so brightly after the race. The man's smile never left his mouth as other kinds of people shouted congratulations to him.
“My Charles here is the happiest person on earth don't you?” Carlos presses his hands on the Monegasque shoulder as they walk through the paddock, leaving behind the F.I.A. room. “I am, Carlos. I am. Merci mon Dieu…” Charles closed his eyes as he slowed down his walking phase.
As he stops, Carlos stops his walking to look at him. “You alright there, mate?” Carlos chuckled as he looked at him with a big smile. “Haha, I am. Party tonight shall we? A big one.”
“Of course, Char. It's your home race win. Who's not gonna throw a fucking big party for you? Especially yourself.” Both of them laughed as they felt amused at the party celebration. “And I'm going to bring my son,” Charles added as he continued to laugh. “Your son? Oscar?” Carlos shakes his head, unbelief with the word that's coming out of his teammate's mouth.
With the ongoing joke with both Oscar and Charles about adopting him for the home race gp is getting a little annoying second by second for him. Carlos rolls his eyes as he looks at Charles still laughing at his annoyed face. “You bringing Oscar to the party? That kid won't even step inside the building for a hot minute.” Carlos said when he thought that McLaren Driver was not going to the party. Taking a sip of his water as he turns to look at Charles.
Ridiculous, Carlos thought. Oscar never likes parties. It's rare to spot him at the club if other drivers invited him. Plus if the Australian driver does come to Charles's party, it's going to be a hell night for him to stop himself from staring at the man.
“Oh, come on, Carlos. He will join us for sure.” Charles pats his shoulder and shakes his body for a second before stopping, smiling at the fan camera, and taking a picture together. The taller driver continues to catch up to him as they continue to talk about tonight's party plan. Carlos keeps listening to Charles talk as he continues taking a sip of his water.
Then suddenly, Charles shouts Oscar's name as he turns his head to the back. Oscar was behind them with Lando beside him. Talking to each other as they walk back to the Mclaren Hospitality. Oscar glances at Charles and smiles back at him as he walks closer to them.
Took Carlos by surprise with Charles shouted Oscar's name, and he accidentally sprayed his water on Oscar’s face. He coughs for a moment to the side, stepping aside from their face from his coughing state. “Woah, Carlos! You alright man?” Lando pats his back to help him from the coughing.
He looks at Lando beside him, holding himself from laughing. He bites his lips as he turns to look at both him and Oscar and back to Charles. He turns around to cover his mouth when he makes eye contact with Charles, also holding himself.
These two assholes are going to get beaten by him after this. How is he going to hide this shitty face of embarrassment in front of his crush? By acting like nothing happened?
“Gosh, I'm so- sorry, mate.” Carlos turns around as he flushes from feeling embarrassed. “Dude, what was that?” Oscar asks him, feeling a little piss off for a moment before taking a turn to feel concerned for the Spaniard still in his coughing state. Charles shakes his head as he passes Oscar his handkerchief.
“Oscar, I'm so sorry,” Carlos said as he turned properly toward Oscar’s face. He hands his handkerchief to Oscar as he pushes Charles's hands down. He felt sick in the stomach when he felt he just embarrassed himself in front of Oscar.
Well, he did just spray his face accidentally. God, why in all people it must be Oscar that he accidentally sprayed at. Shit. He could see Oscar's face getting slightly red as he took the handkerchief and wiped his wet face.
“No worries, mate,” Oscar said, wiping his face as he looked at Carlos.
“At least you alright over there.” Oscars continue.
He felt his heart start to throbbing in the wild as their eyes locked together. He doesn't know why he felt his heart likes to pump a lot harder today. First, it was at the press conferences. Then, it was literally in front of the McLaren Hospitality. God, couldn't this little heart stop pumping faster at inappropriate times?
“Yeah. Sorry again.” Carlos said, patting Oscar's shoulder. “No worries, like I said before.” Oscar looks at him sincerely.
“You could keep it. An apology gift for you for that...” He stutters while he gives a thin smile at Oscar. Oscar nods and holds the handkerchief tightened on his hands.
“Carlos, Carlos, my man.” Charles shakes his head again looking at
Carlos. Feeling bad for him for getting caught in this embarrassing moment. Lando only let out a small laugh at him before looking back at Oscar.
“What were you going to tell me, Charles?” Oscar turns to look at Charles, waiting for him to tell him what his going to tell him before all the fuzz happened. Carlos only stares at him as Charles tells Oscar about the party going to happen tonight. He is lost in his thoughts as he keeps looking at him.
Jesus, this kid is unbelievably cute.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
MIDNIGHT, AUSTRIA GP
THE GOSSIP GRID GROUP :VV
Lando
OMG
Daniel
GUYS
This shit you guys won't believe us
Charless
It is a big SOS
Max
Not that big tbh
It is just about that two lovers' bird
Lando
Uh still a big news
Lewis #bless
I thought you liked big news?
Big drama?
Max
I do
But i got sick with these two
being insufferable w each other
Don't mistake me with Charles, Lewis!
Lewis #bless
I wont
He will
Max
who?
Britney
Me.
I thought you were copied of Charles
Charless
HE IS NICO
DONT EAT HIS LIES
Britney
HAHA
I wont Charles
Grid dad #1
OMG
You actually alive?
Britney
I've always been alive
wdym?
You are the one who is dead right now
In OUR GC
Grid dad #1
Our Gc is boring
I came here to talk w the kids
Daniel
Well damn right
our gc is boring
Grid dad #2
Wayy too boring
Lando
What gc??
Webbah
retirement grid gc
Lewis #bless
Dont tell lies Mark
Its old grid gc
Bottass
But most retired drivers are there
So it counts
Albonoo
I dont even know you guys are here mostly
Grid dad #1
Well, Surprisingly this is the og gc
Jenson made it
Most of us are here
Button
I HAVE BEEN SUMMON
Well i can’t take all the credit, seb
You also did the most here
We were co-admin back then
Before i gave my admin to George
And disappear
Georgie
Still remember the day I got randomly added
And getting admin by Jenson on the same day
I took the chance and added everyone
Lewis #bless
You okay kid after the party?
That was a big party Toto held there
Georgie
my head is spinning like crazy
right now
but I'm okay
No worries, lewis
Yuki 👀
Well now im curious
What did you guys even talk about here back then?
Kimi
2016
Britney
Dont mention it…
Button
mostly
And 2013
The original reason why this gc was created
Hello kimi btw
Kimi
👋🏻
Webbah
You guys gossip about us?
Daniel
They do
It was fun rereading the entire gc when i got added when you left
Checo
Its is
But can we hear them now?
Just tell us already with Carlos and Oscar
Grid dad #1
Thats quite unusual for Checo to respond here
Checo
I have become impatient
Since the last time, you guys hung us
With a cliffhanger
Zhou
That's true
Yuki 👀
I got the full story by asking Daniel
He told me this morning
Lewis #bless
Before race?
Yuki 👀
Yes
Georgie
He told you?
Albonoo
But not us?
Georgie
That is unacceptable
You should have told me at the driver's parade
Daniel
Sorry George
Should have come to talk to me
I was having a blast with Yuki
Yuki 👀
Tbh i want more 🙃
Esteban
Same
Gasoline
Esteban know?
Lance
I know too
Gasoline
Okay
They knew
You knew too, yuki
And you don't tell me?
Yuki 👀
Like Daniel said
Should have come to talk with me
Daniel
GET HIM YUKI
Gasoline
I always did!
Yuki 👀
You never ask???
Gasoline
Idk you knew about it
Lando
Should have asked me btw
Gasoline
You don't even believe they're together
Lando
Oh come onn
I do know!
Grid dad #1
Cut it you two!
HULKen
Charles
Would you like to continue?
Charless
Thanks, Hulk
Anyways
We found Carlos crying in the lift
Right before we enter the lift to go to Carlos's room
Max
So we put him down on the couch
And comfort him in the lobby
Charless
Its sad to see him like that
Lewis #bless
I just got deja vu
Grid dad #1
Me too
Grid dad #2
Hope the kids is okay
Logannn
Now im worried about Osc
Lando
This is the part where i should enter now
Oscar run to catch Carlos
But he came back up w a long face
Dont worry
He’s with me
Videocall with Daniel
Daniel
He looks like he is about to break in any second
Lando
God its so painful to look at him like that
Grid dad #1
This is so 2016 all over again
Lewis #bless
Shut up seb
Grid dad #1
🙄
Charless
Its all fine now
With Carlos
For now
After all the confession
He told us
I put him to bed after that
Max
He confesses to Oscar btw
Logannn
HE CONFESS
Albonoo
OMG
Lando
OH THATS WHY HE PUT A LONG FACE
And stare into space…
Checo
Jesus
kmag
Oh that must be rough
Zhou
😧
Webbah
my son
Lance
Sheesh
Logannn
I know what the answer Osc going to give him…
Its going to be really rough for Carlos
Webbah
I need to call my son
Lando
You want to ring him?
Webbah
yeah
Lando
Okay
Let me tell Osc
I think its going to ring in any sec now
Webbah
Thanks kid
Lando
Your welcome :)
Grid dad #1
I think you guys should all go to bed
And continue tomorrow
Update us you two
Lando
Okay seb
Charless
Alright dad
Goodnight, seb
Grid dad #1
Goodnight Char
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
MORNING, POST-BRITISH GP, MONDAY
The sunlight between the curtains shines through Carlos’s room. The sound of traffic on the street woke up Carlos that early morning.
Carlos blinks. He feels he just had a long night last night after spending the night with Lando. A headache slowly attacks a few sides of his head when the light shines through his eyes. He groans as he turns his body to the side, avoiding the sun's rays. He sighs as his head hits him with the conversation he had with Lando last night.
Argh, Lando already knows about his feelings for Oscar. One job on the list is done, but another hard one is on the list. Explaining to Oscar that he already told Lando. How the hell is he going to tell him?
Then he buries his face in the blanket as he lets out another groan. He also remembers Lando telling him that Oscar is not dating Logan, which is good, but the knowledge of it is still twisted in his head. Also knowing the fact that Oscar had looked at whatever was inside his phone filled with lots of his photos is such an embarrassment to him. Oscar knowing who is the owner or not, is still an embarrassing thing to think about if Oscar brings it up one day.
Nonetheless, he was happy that he got to dream about Oscar with him in his room last night. The dream that felt so realistic to him. The confession and holding hands, He could feel the warmth of Oscar still in his hand. It felt so real. He can't recall whether it was just a dream or just his head game.
“Gosh, I miss him.” He mumbles, griping his hands with the blanket. He tried to recreate the same feeling of warmth in Oscar's hands holding him. But it didn't feel the same as when he was in his dream. He misses his warm.
Sucks to be himself for pushing Oscar away, and jealous of Logan for dating him. Argh, he knows already Logan did not date Oscar. Even if he did, Oscar still doesn't have feelings for him. He needs to get a grip on himself.
The sound of a ringing phone, makes Carlos sigh deeply.
Who even called him this early morning?
He reaches out his hands on the bedside table where his phone is located. As his hands ruffled the table for his phone, he heard the sound of falling things to the floor. He pulls his head up to look at them. He gets closer to the table as he answers the phone. Putting his phone leaning against the lamp.
“Carlitos, morning to you! How was it dreaming of Oscar?” Charles let out a giggle from the phone speaker. Carlos looked at his phone confused. How did Charles-? “Morning, Charles… I did not dream of Piastri.” Carlos replied, denying the fact he did dream of him as he looked over on the floor. A note and two pills of pandol drop on the floor. He blows the two panadol quickly and puts them back on the table as he picks up the green note.
“Yeah, sure, Carlos. Sure.” Charles rolls his eyes at Carlos's reply. Carlos huffs at Charles's answer when he flips the note. He read the notes carefully while Charles ranted about this morning's flights with Max.
“Think about it, why does Max have to book an early flight on his private jet when we have a two-week break for the next grand prix?” Charles shakes his head, thinking it was crazy for Max to do this kind of schedule. “Uh, Charlie, I’m literally next to you,” Max commented as he looked at Charles in shock. Then a sound of Daniel's laughter came from the phone.
Carlos shakes his head as he listens to their conversation. He was only half listening to Charles talking when he was way too focused on reading the note in his hands. Way too interested in the mystery note that suddenly appeared in his room.
As he finishes reading that note he cupped his mouth from screaming with happiness. He felt like a light of hope appeared with a surprise. Hope was created by his blatant mistake of action that led to him to back to Oscar last night. His emotion mixes with joy and shame to himself that he did confess to him in real time.
“Shit, Charles. Jesus.” Carlos let out a small scream. “Woah, what was that?” Max answered, a little taken back from Carlos's scream that came from Charles’s phone. “Note from Oscar,” Carlos replied giddily in happiness on his bed. Rolling around on his bed. He felt like he was dreaming again.
Good morning to you, Carlos. Please take the Panadol and find something to eat for your hangover. Also pls, take care of yourself for these two weeks since I'm going to race hard with you, mate. Also, Your confession last night…hmm. You should tell me much earlier so I wouldn't look like an asshole running around figuring out what the fuck happened with you in Austria. I won't be like Lando, hanging my answer to your confession, but I will give my answer after I win my first win. So, see you in the next race, Carlos. :)
- Your Oscar
It have been a week since he last saw Oscar from the British Grand Prix. Things have been good for him lately. He woke up feeling fresher than his usual day. Eating has never been more tasty than he ever had. Coffee has never been so great for his energy boost for today. He felt a kind of heavy unknown burden just left his empty heart more than anything.
Well, he thought he kinda wants to thank his drunk self last time for confessing to Oscar. Getting a proper response from Oscar was a huge relief because he had been scaring himself for an unknown reason, but his day was also ruined because the other part of his brain thought it was the gentler way for him to reject him.
The night of his confession he thought it was all dream. He was mad at himself that he couldn't be his sober self when he confessed to Oscar. All he could remember from his dream was confessing and getting hugged by Oscar.
He scratches his un-itchy head harder as he drops down to his living room couch. Thinking about how he could improve his days better without getting his emotions mixed up with excitement and devastation.
He looks at his phone lock screen, turning it on and off nonstop.
No new notifications besides his Twitter and Instagram posts. It had been a week since he had done the same routine from the day he received that yellow note from Oscar.
“Oh my god, Carlos!” Carlos shouts to himself as he groans in frustration. He could have just texted Oscar from the day he received that note. But his heart is fighting with his mind. The result is that he does not text the Australian man.
He could text him but how long has it been since he ever texted him? From the night of the race in the Austrian Grand Prix until the end of the first week after the British Grand Prix.
Besides what else should he text him anyway? Say hello and apologize. He should have done that a long time ago. Time has been passing way too long. He pushes Oscar away from him for way much longer than he should.
All he could do now was shut himself up and wait until Oscar won his first win.
But until when?
Carlos groans in annoyance with himself again. He knows Oscar could win this year with the McLaren Rocketship anytime, but he is stressing out about when the time has come. It could be this month or even after the summer break. Or even any kind of race that will held this year.
But time is running out. He needs to make a move. He’s way too impatient to know what Oscar answers. He’s too needy, too greedy to keep Oscar all to himself. And he needs the real truth of Oscar's feelings for him. Not some confused answer he got like back then. That ended both of their relationship tearing to the ground.
He also could not let only Oscar move by himself. He needs to play fair. If he lets himself become an idiot, he loses all the chances and embarrasses himself. He’s not going to make the same mistake all over again.
He needs to be true to himself and talk out the actual proper way with Oscar. He needs to do it then waiting for a long time again.
Hungarian Grand Prix or never!
MORNING, HUNGARIAN GP, MONDAY
“So, Osc.” Lando looks at him, tilting his head to the side. Pressing his head close to the window, looking out at the pretty view of Hungary.
“Yeah?” Oscar looks up at him from his phone. Scrolling through TikTok out of his boredom.
“How's Carlos?” Lando asks him, half-serious, half-joking.
Oscar bites his lips as he looks at his phone. Taking his time to answer Lando. “Why do you ask?” He looks back up at too him.
“I heard something from Charles.” Lando taps his lap, trying to act cool like he is not excited to know what happened between them.
Logan sent a photo of Oscar and Carlos together in the group chat that caused a lot of havoc until now as he could remember. But lately, Lando tried to avoid getting involved again since he tried to focus on the race week. Trying to find parts that have been missing in that new McLaren rocketship to help the team win WCC.
Oscar perks up as he hears Lando mention Charles. “What did you hear?”
“Note,” Lando said.
“Oh…” Oscar nods slowly, not to try to make it obvious that he did give Carlos a note.
“What up with the note?” Oscar asks, curious about what Charles told his teammates.
“Confession?” Lando smirks at him, he knows he hit the jackpot when Oscar accidentally gave away his smile when the Brits mention it.
“What confession?” Oscar said, trying to act nonchalant about it.
“Don't act like you don't know, Osc.” Lando laughs at him when he looks at Oscar and starts to fidget out of nowhere.
“I'm honestly asking, what confession?” Oscar asks again, trying so hard to act like he did not know what happened. He covers his mouth as he leans over to his chair. Trying to hide his smile.
Lando easily read his facial expression and thought it would be fun to poke him around more.
“About Carlos. I remember you mentioned him back in Austria last night. Did something happen between you two that I didn't know?” Lando asks, smiling eye to eye as he pushes Oscar's legs that have been sitting across him.
“Nothing happened,” Oscar answered quickly, rolling his eyes as he looked back to his phone. Pushing his feet back to Lando.
“That’s too quick. You usually take your time to answer.” Lando looks at him suspiciously, he knows he is playing tug of rope with Oscar; his mission is trying to make him say it.
“I don't know what you are talking about-” “Oh come on, Osc!” Lando cut him off, sitting up straight on his chair. His hands gripped the chair handle, holding his hands back from grabbing Oscar.
Max and Daniel look at both of them, startled by Lando's shout. Daniel almost throws his Uno cards flying as he catches some of them before dropping them to the floor.
“Everything fine there, mate?” Max asked them as he put his uno card down on the uno stack. Daniel looks at Max before putting his card down, smirking at Max when he gets distracted by the two McLaren drivers.
“Uno card, UNO GAME!” Daniel shouted in joy as he finally finished his card. Max turns to look at him and back to the stack. His mouth when wide open as he looks at Daniel unbelievably. George who was sitting beside Daniel groaned in frustration as his card didn't have the same matching end card as his.
“Blimey, mate. Congrats on the win.” George said as he put his cards down. Rubbing his temples in frustration. Max gave Daniel a congrats smile for finally beating George after a long time. Patting his shoulder as he gives him a thumbs up.
“It's all because of you Lando!” George shouts at Lando, blaming Lando’s shout for preventing him from focusing on his game while fighting against Daniel.
“Hey!” Lando shouts at him back. "I didn't do anything to you!" "You distract me!" George shouts back. "It's your fault then for getting distracted." Lando rolls his eyes, looking at George with a disgusted face. He turns his head to face Max and answers his question quickly.
“Yeah, everything is fine. But this dude doesn't want to tell me what is going on between him and Carlos.” Lando rolls his eyes as he looks away from Oscar. Oscar chuckled at Lando’s gesture, finding it amusing that his teammate acting like a child.
“Ah, what a small thing to be bothered about.” George comments, as he fixes up the messy stack of cards on the table. Shuffling them back and forth before handing 5 random cards to Daniel and Max.
“He would tell you later when he’s ready,” George added as he took a look at his cards. “Bloody hell,” George mutters to himself as he examines the card he got. “Bad card huh,” Max chuckled as he looked at George's pale face.
“Nope,” George shook his head, denying what Max said. Oscar let out a small laugh at them, finding Daniel and George have the same reaction to their cards, opposite of Max who has been greening nonstop. Things going to be heating up between them.
“Besides don't you already know what happened to them?” Daniel asks as he flips the first card down on the table. Number 3, red. Easy. Daniel put down his number 3, yellow card. Followed by Max placing another number 3, blue, and another number 3, green from George. Weird huh?
Oscar turns to look at Lando, a little surprised after hearing what Daniel said. “You know what happened between us?” Oscar asks, a little unprepared to hear what will come out of Lando's mouth.
Lando bites his mouth as he turns back to look at Oscar. He let out a heavy sigh. “I know,” Lando said in a low tone. Almost a whisper to Oscar's ears. Gosh, is it that hard to say it out loud?
Oscar's eyes widened when his head finally processed what his ears had received, the low-volume answer Lando had given him.
“You know like how we..?” Oscar pauses, waiting for Lando's reaction. Lando nods, he knows everything by now. All of it is because of the gossip group chat. They compile everything after Charles tells the group chat about Carlos receiving a note from Oscar.
George, as always, had to make the PowerPoint after he and Alex got too excited about Oscar telling Carlos his real feelings. Alex presented two types of PowerPoints, both written and made by George. They had to hold a Zoom meeting for two hours just to finish one hour of itch for one PowerPoint, titled ‘ The history of CARCAR ’ and ‘ The love journey of rival 8155 ’.
It was ridiculous, according to Mr. Webber, but it was not to the majority of group members. It was Classic Mark Webber, trying to protect his son from further harm.
“So, you know I love Carlos?” Oscar asks again, still feeling uncertain about a few things. Still making sure that Lando knows a few certain things about him.
“Oh, that's new. I only know Carlos- Wait?!” Lando covers his mouth, shocked and speechless hearing the words from Oscar's mouth. Alex and Logan's theory last week- oh god.
“Oh, mate! You do love Carlos?” Daniel lets out a wide smile as he looks at Max and George. All of them stop putting their card down and turn to look at the other Aussie across from their table.
“What?” Oscar glances at them, alarmed at their surprised face. “Is there something wrong?” Oscar brushed his hair to the back as he felt their stare terrify him even more. Neither of them inside the jet was saying a word. It was too quiet it made Oscar spokes by the atmosphere.
“Oh my god, please say something…” Oscar said as he looked away, scared that he had said something wrong that had left them speechless and not saying anything back to him.
“Oscar! This week you are going to fucking win the race. You must too!” Lando said as he let his body fall to his chair. This was the first time he ever heard Oscar say to himself that he loved Carlos and it excited him to the sky.
All along he only knew Oscar had been chasing him all the time since last year, knowing Oscar going to move on from him after their talk in Austria was a big relief but knowing his teammate again fell in love beside him made him feel awe. Overwhelmed with feelings of Joy and pride that Oscar can rely on someone else besides him for emotional support too.
“Wow,” George said, feeling his hands a little numb. It was a little too overwhelming that the hot topic in front of him revealed he did love Carlos. “Unbelievable,” George continued as he immediately went to text Alex about it.
Daniel let out a laugh, impressed that they could go on each other throat while in love with each other.
“I could win but your championship is on the line, Lando. I'm not gonna just win and destroy your points.” Oscar said, a little furious about the idea. He did plan on winning but winning at the appropriate time. Going to destroy the championship battle between his teammate and Max while also fighting for The Construction Championship is not something to casually play about.
“Well, that’s true but I'm gonna make you catch me instead.” Lando grins at him, gazing at him with a burning fire in his eyes. Oh, how fun is it pouring fuel into his teammate's heart? Building the rage of trying to win the race. Pumping that true anderline inside their body harder and harder in every corner they turn. Making each other fight on track side by side, all because Oscar chooses to be true to his feelings for one person by using his first win.
“Well said then. I will.” Oscar grins back, crossing his arms as he leans to his sea, accepting Lando's challenge. Now, he understands what Lando's game is.
“We see on the track, Osc. I will be waiting for you at the front.” Lando said, mimicking Oscar's action too. He's ready to beat his teammate to make Oscar love story with Carlos much longer.
“If you can overtake me first,” Max said, smirking at the Brits. Lando chuckled at him, he would love to do that again. More play fight on the track then huh, “Oh, I will Max. I will.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
EVENING, HUNGARIAN GP, FRIDAY
Free practice, like other weeks of it, produced a lot more sweat than his body should have. Carlos felt cold and sweaty when he got out of the car. He was also hot and thirsty, and his temperature started crawling up his body.
His eyes start to trail down to the screen, Charles next to him nudges him as he looks at the screen. Appearing off Oscar’s car entering the pit back to his garage, he cannot stop staring down the McLaren driver as he leaves the papaya color scheme car.
Charles nudges him again, trying to move Carlos's attention to him.
Carlos turns to look at the Monegasque, who keeps brushing his hair nonstop from the sweat on his hair, itchy at the sight of his scalp.
“Don’t scratch too hard, your scalp will bleed,” Carlos said as he put his helmet down on the red cabinet, passing the Monegasque bottle as he reached his bottle right next to it.
Charles, who has stopped scratching with his hair, sips the water from his bottle. Taking a deep slurp of water down his throat. “It was goddamn itchy, I couldn't help it.”
“You need to wash your hair after this,” Carlos replied, still watching Charles’s finger move up against his brunette hair. “I will,” he replied, scratching his head softly while looking at the screen. Watching the reply to the final Free practice for today.
Charles turns to squeeze Carlos’s shoulder, leaning his head toward outside the garage. He guesses that Charles needs to go hang out with Max or Pierre or maybe, take some time off before their media duty. Carlos finds himself nodding at Charles, waving his goodbye to the Ferrari people in the garage.
Both of them move together from the garage back to their driver's room. As they passed people on the paddock, he couldn't help but see Oscar talking with Lando, walking to the McLaren Motorhome.
Oscar was like a magnet; his eyes couldn't stop looking over the Australian man. Like he always did.
His heart started to throb every time he saw the man walking past him or standing far away from him, Whether it was 10 meters away from his eyesight or even sitting next to him.
Then Charles interrupts him as he taps on his shoulder.
“Still couldn't take your eyes off Piastri?” Charles asked, looking at Oscar laughing with Lando.
“Yeah,” Carlos replied, eyes still fixed on Oscar.
“Excited?” Charles looks back and forth between Carlos and Oscar.
“Maybe…”
Charles chuckled, shaking his head. Both of the Ferrari drivers have their eyes still fixed on both McLaren drivers, laughing and giggling with each other over some joke Lando made with Oscar.
“I had planned actually,” Carlos said softly.
“Plan?”
“To ask…Oscar out,” Carlos said, biting his lips as he looked at his teammate. Standing still with hands clasped on his waist. What a diva-looking pose.
“Carlos! Are you stupid?” Charles exclaims, looking at him in utter shock.
“What?” Carlos cries out loud.
“Can you even wait?” Charles looks at him annoyed.
He can read the Monegasque face written ‘Stupid, Carlos’ out loud. Carlos snorted at The Monagasque before turning to look back at the Papaya duo.
“Don’t laugh, I'm telling the truth,” Charles said harshly.
He could only laugh at the Monagasque as a reply because yes, he is not impatient. They didn't even start the two-day weekends yet.
“But you didn't let me finish. I was going to ask if he didn't win this weekend.” Carlos mumbled, letting his voice volume reach Charles only.
“You are very impatient, you know?”
“I know…” Carlos replied dryly, he’s going to do it anyway.
Charles shakes his head as he looks back and forth again between his teammate and the papaya duo.
As they arrive in front of the motorhome entrance, Charles opens the door and looks at Carlos who is standing still and holding the door handle; eyes still eyeing Oscar.
“Mate, Oscar is not gonna run away from this circuit,” Charles comments, laughing slowly at Carlos.
“I know but-” Carlos cut himself off as he entered the motorhome.
“You still have time, yeah?”
“I do but who the hell's going to wait for your crush to win his first win to hear their confession?” Carlos groans, following Charles to the Monegasque driver's room.
“Daniel? Nico?” Charles asked, confused, he threw his bottle on the couch. He sat on the floor, against the couch looking over Carlos who went to sit beside him.
“Rosberg?”
“Yeah?” Charles replied, reaching for his bottle while nodding.
“But Lewis and Nico?” Carlos asked, a little confused. He had never heard the former Mercedes driver confess to the 7th world driver champion before. Even more with their current relationship which looks like a shipwreck.
“George never told you?”
Carlos shook his head, he was never aware George had ever told a story about the Brocedes Duo before.
“Hmm, too bad.” Charles patted his shoulder, sipping his water bottle. Calming down their breath. So, they did not feel overwhelmed that much. They needed to return for the media duty in a few minutes.
Then a knock from outside the driver's room shook both of the drivers. Silvia, holding the door, points to her watch, reminding them about their media duty. Charles shook his head as he got up, followed by Carlos who reached the door first.
“You want to know how Daniel asks Max out? Even though they have only been teammates for a few races and Daniel confessed, not Max?” Charles asked, closing the door behind him. Walking side by side to the Media pen with Carlos next to him.
“You mean, Daniel confesses to Max on his first win?” Carlos asked back, making sure he heard Charles right like the first time.
“Yes,” Charles snapped his finger.
“He gave him flowers but he never mentioned to Max who gave it to him. He gave him every single race when Redbull was on the podium. He finally confessed to Max's first win for 2018, five races after their crash in Azerbaijan.” Charles bites his lips as he recalls the day Max told him about him and Daniel, days when no one was aware of what happened between them in private on Redbull in 2018.
“Crash, confess, left,” Carlos said slowly, looking at Charles.
Charles nodded before continuing, “Imagine how Daniel felt. He couldn't hold it anymore.”
“What about Max?” Carlos asked, worried about what happened.
“30 September 2018, his birthday, right?”
“Yeah?”
“That was the last day Daniel gave him flowers even though the Red Bull was not on the podium.” Charles sighs heavily. Carlos shakes his head, what a heart-wrenching love story. He never knows both the former Red Bull driver and current Red Bull champions to have that history between them.
Back in their rookie year, none of the people in the paddock nor the Red Bull garage knew about their other conflict besides the crash in Azerbaijan.
“Also, remember when we bumped into each other accidentally when we tried to sneak out after media duty. Then we saw Max crying in the rain behind the Red Bull motorhome?” Charles continued.
“Russia?” “Russia.”
“Max was holding- oh. Those Daniel flowers?” Carlos covers his mouth, shocked when his head finally connects the dot.
Charles nods, patting Carlos's back. “Don't worry, Oscar will get his first win. Mclaren is fast this week.”
Carlos looks at Charles walking even faster to his interview spot. Making Carlos freeze on his spot. Left him speechless.
Shit.
He can't put his high hopes up after hearing this heart-wrenching love story of Daniel and Max. Daniel took so long to even confess to Max even tho he could just confess to him. Like easy . They are teammate. It's not going to be a problem, right…?
But no, Daniel was scared. Scared of how Max going to react, scared of how his feelings not going to be accepted by the norms, the scary thing is…He doesn't know Max is even like him.
As a person who has been in a first hand like Daniel, he understands how the struggle of the Australian man feels very much.
Keeping yourself checked every time people keep reminding you how both, you and your rival. Had always been nothing more than a driver with a high-risk job, trying to achieve the dream of winning a grand prix and winning, again and again until they finally felt satisfied in the Media's eyes.
And nothing more - no more. No more…than just a rival and co-worker on track.
Even he wants more than what he had planned.
Losing a seat in a top team already soul-crushing his bones, the only choice he got left was the underdog team. William.
The announcement will be early in the start of the summer break. He chooses to announce it in the early of the break, so he could take the long week for himself to calm down and release all the stress he was having with Ferarri.
Sometimes, he does wonder if James has told Logan before they make the announcement. But surely he already did itself. Logan understands the choices Williams had made to remove him from the team. The un-improve, inconsistent results of previous races already have not been a shocking thing to the Americans.
Logan's heart had peace with the decision and wished him a piece of good luck for the next season.
Adding fuel to the fire, fighting his constant feelings of bickering over his feelings for Oscar. Act knowledge Oscar’s feelings for himself have always been another play toy for letting go of each other stress. Again, his heart was crushed when he heard the words come out of Oscar's mouth.
it's just- Just… Just like how many times he said to himself, Oscar will never, never… like him. He put his high hopes up when that pretty… beautiful Australian man finally won his first maiden win.
Piastri- Oscar, break his negative thought of…
Fuck.
He loves that man so much. So much.
He wishes…wish,
Oscar would love him back. Like how he loves every single moment he has with him. Neither it was sad or happy, fighting or hugging, flirting or arguing. He wants- he wants Oscar to love him back.
And he prays with every single tear, that Oscar loves him.
He sighs, taking a deep breath. Wiping out his teary eyes, looking around before walking to the journalist he was supposed to, finish his media duty of the day.
EVENING, HUNGARIAN GP, SATURDAY
After good qualifying - P4, for Carlos. He’s already walking back to Ferrari Motorhome, all alone, satisfied. He heard his name being called from a different direction. Little far from the Ferrari garage but a loud shout was being called to him.
“SMOOTH OPERATOR,” Daniel shouted from afar from the RB garage. Waving at Carlos, left and right as he ran to him.
Carlos laughs at him as he pulls Daniel's waist for a side hug.
“Daniel! What's up?” Carlos asked as he patted Daniel's shoulder.
“I'm all good, P9 was alright,” Daniel replied with his signature smile as he threw his head back, laughing, patting Carlos's back too.
“You did a good job with the car but,” Carlos paused, looking at Daniel suspiciously.
“What's up with a that-hmm un-usual smile?”
“What?” Daniel tilts his head to the side, still smiling with his iconic smile.
But for Carlos, that is not his iconic smile. It looks a little too smirky to be his usual smile. He knows something was up.
“You have something to talk about with me aren’t you?” Carlos gave him a face-palm at him, squeezing Daniel’s shoulder.
“Ah, you got me.” Daniel chuckled, smiling down before sighing out loud.
The Australian man looks up, smiling at Carlos, giving a little silence between him before he starts to talk.
“It's been a while since I gave someone advice,” Daniel squeezed his own water bottle slowly.
“Carlos.”
“Yeah?”Carlos replied nervously, still waiting for the RB driver to continue with his main point.
"I heard somebody need me to advise you for something," It must be Charles, Carlos thought as he smiled at Daniel.
“Don’t worry too much, I know saying that sounds useless because you will either way but-” Daniel paused, turning a little without Carlos realizing as he looked back at the Spanish Driver.
A McLaren driver walking with his teammate, side by side, looking at him as both of them wave at Daniel in sync. Daniel replied with a small smile, to not make it obvious to Carlos in front of him.
“That boy will love you back,” Daniel whispers to his ears as he gives him a back pat, and pulls for a hug, hugging Carlos back tight. Carlos hugs back, eyes wandering to the Australian man's neck.
“Oscar?” Carlos asked nervously.
“You know who,” Daniel replied quickly, pulling away from the hug.
“Also, that bracelet,” Daniel points toward his hands which are preoccupied with a red-orange color scheme, writing Carlando all over it.
“What's up with it?” Carlos asks again worried this time.
“I prefer it written Carcar.” Daniel giggled as he passed Carlos, squeezing his shoulder when we walked to the papaya duo.
Carlos flushed as he heard the word Carcar from Daniel. He suddenly remembers the night he thought about that name again. He guesses that his duo name for him and Oscar is getting popular among the drivers then. Or is it just another famous duo name made up by fans that he wasn’t aware that has already exited all long before.
He turns to look at Daniel walking away from him but he wasnt expecting The RB driver to walk to the papaya duo behind him.
His eyes linger all over the trio before he eyes stops, gazing over Oscar.
His eyes focused looking at his face, he could see Oscar's eyes taking a glance at him before he stopped and looked at him back properly.
Oscar smiles at him softly, he never felt his heart start to beat faster than it should in his life. He felt the same feelings he had when his eyes gazed over Oscar when they spent their night together for the first time.
He misses them.
He misses it so much, it hurts.
After a long time of avoiding, and much more conflict between each other, he finally could sense the smiles of warmth wash over him again from the pretty smiles of Oscar.
His mouth was smiling - mumbling, mumbling of Oscar's names. Trying to call out Oscar.
The same goes with Oscar, his mouth was trying to call Carlos, mumbling word for a phrase to talk to him again.
But before both of them could reach out their voice to call each other, both, Charles and Lando drag both of their asses back to their motorhome.
Carlos was cursing Charles in his head back to their motorhome and no surprise, it was the same with Oscar too with Lando.
Both of them were groaning as they back to their motorhome, lying on their couch, hugging their knees as they stared at spaces.
Carlos was happily giggling when his head replayed a clip of Oscar’s smiles at him. He never felt so happy after Silvertone like this. Charles, who has been sitting beside him, shakes his head at Carlos's behavior.
He had seen what happened after Daniel talked with Carlos. He couldn't be more surprised and happy for the Spaniard but in either to keep Oscar's promise for Carlos to stay. He has to drag Carlos back to Ferarri Motorhome.
Plus he could see Lando's face was already smug when both of them watched Carlos turn red and happy when Oscar was smiling at him.
Good for them because Charles, as himself couldn't handle the tug of love war between those two idiots.
Charles took a quick picture of Carlos smiling to himself and sent them down to their group chat.
THE GOSSIP GRID GROUP :VV
Charless
[sent photo]
Max
My god
He giggles like lil girl
Grid dad #2
Something happened ay?
Charless
Yep
Grid dad #1
And that is?
Charless
Oscar piastri :)
Lando
[sent photo]
(a photo of Oscar sitting at the corner of the couch while cupping and smiling like a shy cat)
Mr. Polite Cat finally smiling :D
Lewis #bless
Glad to see the kid smile again
Lando
Ngl
Oscar has been upset these few weeks before Hungary
Logannn
Thats true
The last time I saw Oscar was smiling
when the time I send the photo of both of them outside Carlos's room
Zhou
I love that photo
They look very much in love with each other
Looking into each other eyes
Albonoo
Ah yes!
Especially when Carlos leaning against the wall looking at Oscar
When he tried to open the door
Webbah
I can't deny
It's a very lovely photo
Logannn
Thank you, Mark!
[like by Mark Webbah]
Charless
I think i saw Oscar smiling at him
That is why Carlos very much
look very happy here
He still giggling on his phone
Lando
Same here
om g
Someone stop Oscar pls 😭
He never giggles this much
Logannn
Aww, i miss giggling Oscar
Prema Oscar 🥲
Georgie
Lando, i hope you have a good race with him at the front tomorrow
Lando Oh we will
I will make him race good tomorrow
Charless
If Andrea didn't tell you to swap…
Max
Oh Charlie
Don't said that
Grid dad #1
Like Max said
Its okay charlie
tomorrow, you guys have a good race
And good luck to all of you
Okay?
Charless
Thanks Seb :)
Grid dad #1 No problem Charles
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
RACE DAY, HUNGARIAN GP, SUNDAY
Only Oscar knew how he felt about how messed up that race was but to him, he was not getting that shit stirred up in his head. That fucking Papaya rules - that fucking car.
God. Why can’t you let him have a good race for his first win?
He knows Lando already told him he will race him good. He remembers that promise all too well. With yesterday's debrief, Lando had said it all clear he would let have a clean race with him, wheel to wheel, to let him win this fucking Hungarian Grand Prix.
And here he is, saying sorry to his team as he rounds the track back to the Parc Ferme. Looking at Lewis, other drivers give him a thumbs up as they pass him, or he is.
Right after he parked the car rightfully where he was supposed to, he wanted to scream into the air that his team messed up so badly, that his thought knew what the media was going to twist- said their word for view.
But standing on top of the car cheering for his win was a big relief but somehow he found himself feeling fake. Like he didn't deserve the win .
Hugging his team, Lewis and a quick back pat from Lando was something that he felt he couldn’t describe. Maybe empty is not the right word, or maybe it was something else. Something like…
Like those brown eyes…oh he knows what is it now.
Bittersweet
and
Him.
He felt that because of him. He shouldn't feel bittersweet. He should feel happy. He wins his first win. He’s going to tell his true feelings to him. Why he felt-
A tap on his shoulder shivers him in shock, turning his head to look at Lando beside him. Smiling, before he says something only both of them could hear. “Sorry, Osc. The team messed up and I was being a pr-”
Oscar stops him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It's okay, let's settle this properly back at the driver's room?”
Lando nods, smiles quickly, and walks out of the podium entrance. Waving back to the crowd as he steps onto his podium. Followed by him walking out, waving to the crowd.
It's not because of him.
That's a relief when Oscar thought about it again. His heart was searching for something to put blame and he did not mean to blame the Ferrari driver.
It's only because his heart was crawling up inside him with this mixed emotion. Guilt, pride, happiness, frustration, tiredness, and hunger all lead to mixed emotions.
He was trying to let himself smile cheerfully at least. He looks at the two men beside him, Lewis and Lando. Lewis was smiling at him and his teammate was looking around trying to calm himself down. He sighs as he looks up.
Tonight's debrief or celebration might become awkward for a while and he already gave up on that. He knew he was not going to stir his heads up but eventually, he did. Oscar sighs again as he looks at the sky, watching the bird and the helicopter passing by the podium.
It was bittersweet because of the team and not him.
But It was also bittersweet because he saw that man smiling at him with his eyes. Proud and happy.
That was his head thought but his heart said otherwise.
It was bittersweet because it was not Carlos stepping up on the podium. It was not Carlos standing beside him. It wasn’t Carlos who was dressing in red watching him on the podium. It was not Carlos who was smiling at him right now.
Because he knows Carlos is already back at the media pen, being interviewed by journalists and other media press and only watching his celebration on the screen. And not looking at him right now.
His heart was disappointed but he needed to stop himself because he needed to enjoy his time on the podium for his first win. Enjoying the moment: the crowd, the champagne, the trophy, and the time he had before he stepped down from the podium, back to face his problems.
Getting drowned from the champagne from Lewis and not Lando is okay. Mistakenly Lando going to spray him when he dug is okay.
It's okay to wonder what happened with his teammate's eye when he looks at Lando's red dim eyes when he toasts the champagne bottle with him.
In the end, it was okay for Lando to get upset and Oscar happy on the podium together.
It was not their fault. It's the team's fault.
The team does them wrong and it's going to be okay when they back to the motorhome.
And It's going to be okay.
“Argh, What the fuck!” Lando screams into the pillow. Oscar beside his teammate looks at him weirdly. He only shakes his head when Lando throws the pillow to the wall.
“Oscar, today's race was shithead because what the actual fuck was that!” Lando screams again as he cups his face with his hands. He throws them back to the sky when he gets up from the sofa, walking back and forth in front of him.
Oscar could only chuckle at his behavior because he was glad the old cheerful Lando was back. After the podium and media duty, when he arrived back at the motorhome and walked straight to his room- Lando's room since they had to share a room because of the thunderstorm, he was greeted by the upset-looking Lando sitting cross-leg on his couch.
Frustrated look all over his face with his favorite Tim Tam flavor placed beside the Brits. Crossing his arms when he looks at Oscar straight without blinking. He almost thought he was going to shit his pants when he saw Lando.
The Brits were not alone; he was accompanied by Logan sitting across them. He crossed his arms as he looked intently at Lando, Ignoring Oscar's gaze on him. This was weird because he clearly knew Logan rarely interacted with the Brits, and he was quite shocked about it.
But he had heard from Alex at the media pen before that Logan was furious and went to Lando immediately to talk with him but he was not expecting the Florida man would actually lecture the Brits into sitting in front of him.
All the lectures and bickering ended quickly after Oscar reassured Logan, that the strategy was all fine, even though it was not what they talk at first. Things had happened already.
“I know, Lan, I know.” Oscar nods as he looks at his trophy in front of him. Still mesmerizing at his winning trophy. The unique pattern draws across the trophy with green emerald motives.
“I'm still going to complain to Andrea after this. Fucking hell.” Lando said, pointing his index finger to the ground. “We going together, I also have something to complain about that race,” he responded, placing the trophy on top of the table carefully.
“I'm also going anyway, Alex texted me that James needed to talk,” Logan who was sitting on the floor announced. Both of the McLaren drivers turned to him. Well, both of them kinda forget about Logan, who is still there for a moment.
“Now?” He asks, wondering if Logan leaving is now or when both of them leave to go to Andrea's office inside. “Yeah, and Alex had something to talk…” Logan pauses looking at his phone, “...to me.”
“We going with you then,” Lando said as he turned to look at him, Oscar shook his head and shrugged back. “I'm going now, good luck Oscar with that confession. I know my best friend is brave.” Logan looks up and pats Oscar’s shoulder. He let out a heavy sigh and pulled him for a hug. Logan embraces back, hugging him tight.
“I know both of you will end up together after that night in Spain,” Logan whispered, giggling back when Oscar slapped his back hard. “Ouch,” Logan squeaks as he pulls away.
Laughing at Oscar when he opens the door, followed by both of the McLaren drivers.
After sorting Logan out and waving to him as he walks out from the McLaren Motorhome. Lando squeezed Oscar’d shoulder hard. He looks at the Brits worried, the frustration and anger still plaster all over Lando's face- like it’s about to burst out any second; like an angry Pomeranian.
“You still holding your anger, yeah?” Oscar commented, Lando rolled his eyes as he slung his arms up Oscar’s shoulder. Walking away together from the McLaren entrance back upstairs to Andrea's office.
“I am. You were far behind and I was waiting for you to catch up but I was not expecting them to pull that fucking papaya rules here and there,” Lando muttered, letting out an angry huff as they stop in front of Andrea's office.
Oscar chuckled and pat Lando back as he held the door handle, “Let's get this sorted out shall we?” Lando nods and Oscar pushes the door, seeing Andrea talking with Zak with his fingers messaging his temple. Other hands scramble through the notes as his hands stop, looking at his two drivers.
“Hello, there…” Zak greets them. Oscar passes the door handle to Lando. Lando looks at him and back to the two men in front of them. “We have complaints,” Lando said firmly, closing the door behind them slowly. Avoiding a hard click that might sound unpleasant to both of their bosses. “We started the debrief earlier than now, yeah?” Oscar chuckled at Zak's words before they sat together discussing the race today.
Oscar walks out with his black bags slung to the back. Closing the door of their driver's room firmly. He walks out from the McLaren motorhome after waving goodbye to some of the people who are still left in the motorhome. The sky was about to go down, plastering a pinkish-orange color in the sky. It's pretty , he thought to himself as he turned to walk down the left aisle.
As he walked down the entrance aisle, he saw Carlos standing idly- like waiting for someone- in front of the hospitality walls. Which was number 81- not that Oscar was a little surprised at the coincidence. His stomach just makes a flip suddenly.
He walks slowly in front of him and Carlos turns to look at him. “Oscar,” Carlos greets him with a smile. Cute. He thought to himself when his eyes landed on Carlos’s lip. He looks back up meeting Carlos's eye, he misses that pretty brown eye.
“What are you doing here, mate? Waiting for Lando?” Oscar asks as he slides his hands down to his pants, searching for his phone to text his teammate. “Oh, no actually,” Carlos replied nervously. Looking down to the ground as he does a little kick.
“Then? Want me to text Lando since you here because-” He looks at Carlos back and forth from his phone, texting Lando about Carlos's whereabouts in front of the McLaren motorhome. Carlos cut him off when he pressed his hands gently on Oscar's hand to put the phone down.
“Lando already texted me. He already left early with Max. He said he w-want me to…uhm.” Carlos pauses, looking away for a minute before looking back at him. “H-he want me to drove you to the airport together. So, we could have time to talk.” Carlos said, looking at Oscar with face already red.
“Oh,” He could only manage to say that when he looked at Carlos’s face. “I-I mean…if you were not uncomfortable-” Carlos started to panic when he heard the short reply from Oscar but Oscar managed to stop him with a shush. “I love to. I love for you to drive me to the airport.” He said calmly, holding Carlos’s hands gently.
Carlos smiles happily and he laughs slowly, nodding at Oscar. Oscar's eyes start to wander to Carlos’s face again. Looks at Carlos’s lips, smiling brightly at his answer then his eyes look down at Carlos's hands.
A red and orange bracelet wrapped around his wrist, writing ‘Carcar’ on it. He could feel his stomach make another flip. His heart was beating fast and he looked up back, Carlos was looking at him.
“Pretty isn’t it?” Carlos asks gently.
“Yeah, where did you get this?” He asks, eyes back at the bracelet. Tracing them down, his eyes linger on the bracelet. The color matches Carlos's skin, blending them. “Fan gave me it today,” Carlos answered before placing another matching bracelet in Oscar’s hand. “I have one for you if you want to wear it.”
“Thank you,” Oscar replied, smiling brightly as he looked at the bracelet. “Shall we go now?” He nods at the Spaniard. They walk together side by side in the paddock back to Carlos’s rented car.
Carlos helps Oscar to put his bag inside the boot even tho it is only one bag but Oscar doesn't mind it anyway. It was pleasant to have someone you like- Carlos especially help you.
As he gets inside the passenger seat, Carlos pulls out a shoe box from the back seat. A Puma sports shoes box specifically, passing them to Oscar. Looking at him as he waits for Oscar to open them. Huh, a gift for him?
“What’s this?” He asks, opening the box and the cover carefully.
A pair of white trainers with dark blue stripes. Writing a golden puma beside them and a light blue color spot at the back of the shoes. It looks pretty to Oscar but he is still confused why Carlos gave it to him.
“You giving me these trainers?” He turns to look at Carlos beside him who has started the engine of the car. Carlos nods as he presses the pedal, driving the car out from the parking spot. Heading out toward the entrance of the Hungaroring circuit.
“Why?” He asks again, confused why Carlos is generous on giving him trainers all of a sudden. “The shoey,” Carlos answer simply.
Oh.
It was only because of the shoey he makes with Lando back in Silverstone. It was not even a big deal even tho his other half shoes gone into the crowd. He even got a new shoes from Lando anyway.
"You don't need to buy new shoes from me. I got a new pair from Lando after that.” Oscar chuckled, looking at Carlos' face already pinkish. "Just take that as a congratulations gift for your first win from me," Carlos replied, eye focused on the road. Not even taking a glance at him.
‘This silly man’, Oscar thought as he took the trainers out to look at his size. Huh, how did he know his shoe size? Oscar turns to look at Carlos who is looking at him. Quickly the man turns his head facing the road.
Oscar let out a small laugh as he put the trainers back in the box. Placing them back at the back of the seat.
“So, do you like it?” Carlos finally asked after a few minutes of silence when the car stopped at a red light. “Yeah, it's pretty,” Oscar replied, scratching his right arm. “But how do you know my shoes' size?” he asked again, waiting patiently for Carlos's answer.
“Uhm, Lando?” Carlos replied as he shrugged at him. Oscar nods; expecting that answer already from Carlos.
“Thank you,” Oscar said gently, looking at the road that was starting to wet from the rain. “My pleasure,” Carlos replied back quickly. Looking at Oscar, eyes fixed on his face, he turned back to the road when the light turned green.
As they were almost reaching the airport, the whole ride was quiet until Carlos started to break the silence.
“So, how long did you know I have feelings for you?” Carlos ask.
“Try guessing,” Oscar replied quickly. Avoiding to answer them as he tries to tease Carlos. “Uh, Austria? If it's not that really obvious.” Carlos replied, clicking his tongue when he remembered what happened back in Austria. Oscar let out a small laugh as he leaned against the side of the door. Looking at Carlos's gorgeous face now colored red and pinkish.
“I don't know, come on just tell me.” Carlos bites his lips as he glances at him. “I want you to guess,” Oscar insisted again, Pushing Carlos to the edge to keep him guessing.
“You avoiding my question,” Carlos said firmly. Looking at Oscar; un-impressed with his teasing. “Oh, come on, I'm just teasing.” Oscar laughs, covering his mouth with his mouth. Carlos frowns and rolls his eyes as he presses the pedal again.
That led Oscar to jump and press his hands on his heart. Beating fast from the sudden movement of the cars. “Carlos, What the Hell!” Oscar slaps his shoulder. “Ouch!” Carlos hiss as he rubs his shoulder.
“Deserve,” Oscar said as he leaned back to his seat. “You are the one who doesn't want to tell me your feelings. You're already a winner, champ!” Carlos said, still frowning. “Okay, fine,” Oscar replied with a giggle.
Oscar waits for a moment keeping Carlos waiting much longer. “Osci, come on. Don’t keep me waiting.” Carlos said as he pulled the car stop at the airport parking spot. He turns to look at the Australian man beside him. “Osci! Wow, new nickname for me.” He smiles even so brightly that he finds it funny to have that nickname from Carlos.
Meanwhile, Oscar is already laughing at him. Carlos frowns even more when he looks at Oscar still laughing. “Outside, I tell you outside.”
Oscar finally speaks up after he finishes his laugh. He bops Carlos's nose with his finger, smiling quickly, and exits the car to open the boot.
Carlos freezes inside the car from Oscar bopping his nose. His face turned bright red and he could feel his stomach do a flip and butterflies flying inside his stomach at the same time. Fuck. Carlos thought as he looked at Oscar who already opened the back of the boot, taking out his bag and Carlos' luggage.
Carlos runs his finger through his hair, cursing the fuck out of himself before he gets out of the car with his red Ferrari umbrella. It was running drizzle outside and he wouldn't make both of them catch cold if it suddenly rained cats and dogs.
"Hold this," Carlos nudged Oscar's wrist with his umbrella. Oscar takes it without complaining as he covers both of them from the rain. Watching carefully Carlos took out a few more bags and placed them on top of the luggage.
“Cover me would you?” Carlos asked before he ran to take the Puma shoes from the back of the seat and put them inside his bag. Oscar only nods slowly as he looks at the Spaniard closing the boot and locking the car before they walk to a very long path that leads to inside the small airport lounge.
As they walk along the path that is covered with a roof from teh rain, Oscar closes the umbrella and holds them close to his hands as he slides the umbrella rope to his wrist. They stop for a while in a small convenience store. That is near the airport entrance.
Oscar was looking for something to drink as he waited for Carlos to pass the rented car key to its owner back. As he stepped outside, Carlos was waiting for him. looking at him with a smile. A warm smile that Oscar felt he wanted to melt into Carlos’s arms.
“So, you love me or you not?” Carlos asks as he puch the apple box hole using a straw. Carlos sips them slowly, looking at him as he looks around as if he is searching for anyone familiar with the area.
“Lando answer or my answer?” He said to Carlos, still trying to make Carlos confused with his teasing answer. “What?” Carlos asks even confused. “What the fuck is Lando’s answer?” Oscar giggles as he drinks his mineral water bottle. Feeling funny looking at Carlos’s confused face.
“You know what I mean, late reply, confused answer,” Oscar said casually. “Fuck that, I'm not going through what you've been through,” Carlos replied, scowling at Oscar's answer. “Your answer,” Carlos said adamantly, as they walked inside the airport lounge. Searching for their group; Max and Lando especially.
“Okay then,” Oscar nods before he stops his steps. Carlos who is a little far from him turns to look at him at the back.”Why do you stop?” Carlos tilts his head, confused even more with Oscar’s behavior.
Oscar smiles softly at him, ambling near him and softly holding Carlos's cheek. He looks around, hoping nobody saw them, even though the airport was pretty empty in the first place—it’s a private plane airport anyway. He closes the gap between them and places his red lips on Carlos.
It was a soft and long kiss. Like a kiss that heals the confused and broken part of his heart. He was not sure why he never realised his feelings a little earlier but he was glad he did now. He could feel Carlos was getting needy of his mouth when he could feel Carlos biting a little on his lips.
But he pulls away, trying to catch some breath. Carlos looks at him, eyes teary, and Carlos pulls him for a hug. Oscar hugs him back, hands already reaching the back of Carlos's hair. Brushing his hair soft, whispers, and tears start to wet his shoulder.
He could hear Carlos sniffing, burying his face into his shoulder. He cried quietly as he pulled Oscar even tighter between his arms. "I waited for a whole half and a year, even though I got my heart broken at your confused answer, but—" Carlos paused, catching his breath. I'm glad at the end..."
"I love you back," Oscar continued his sentences. Loosen a little of their embrace, softly stroking Carlos's cheek, and wiping Carlos's tears before pecking him.
"Sorry for realizing my feelings for you so late," Oscar wiped another tear from Carlos's eyes. "I was confused with my feelings for Lando and caught with you in this mess," He continued, pressing his forehead to his. Tears also started to shed from his eyes.
"It's okay, I understand. You went through so much this year. I want to be your support but I caught messing with my feelings with yours and I have become a burden to you," Carlos said, wiping Oscar's tears.
“You are not a burden, you are not,” Oscar shakes his head as he presses his face to Carlos’s shoulder. “Then, I could officially could you mine now, yeah?” Carlos said softly, kissing Oscar’s hair. Stroking them lightly as he hugged Oscar—shaking his body left and right.
“Yeah,” Oscar nods. “Mi Oscar?” “Tu Oscar.”
Oscar pulls away wiping his tears with the red napkin Carlos had given him. He wipes Carlos's eyes too. “Is that my Ferrari napkin?” Carlos asked, feeling a little too familiar with them.
“Yeah, Monaco. Don’t you remember?” Oscar said casually, still wiping his tears. “Oh…” A flash of horrific memories suddenly jolts him. “Ah, that day. We don't talk about that.” Carlos laughs awkwardly when he remembers them.
Oscar laughs out loud, and he kisses him on the cheek. He finally felt lighter after all that happened half of the year and getting to laugh with Carlos was a big relief to himself. “You look a little…” He points to Carlos’s eyes looking a little puffy from the crying.
Carlos let out a small laugh, “Is it that bad?” Oscar shakes his head,” But I'm sure they will ask you why your eyes are puffy.” Oscar commented as his hands pat a little on Carlos’s face. Carlos grins at Oscar’s comment. “I have to come up with an excuse,” Carlos replied.
Oscar nods and looks at his watch. “Ooh, we're going to be late.” He coos when he reads his watch. “Shall we go now?” Carlos asks, handing his palms. Oscar looks at his hands and backs to Carlos. “Of course.” Oscar slaps his hands on Carlos and holds them tightly as they continue walking to where they should meet their group.
THE GOSSIP GRID GROUP :VV
Lando
GUESS WHO JUST CONFESS
Albonoo
HAHAHHAHAHA
MY SHIP FINALLY SAILING
[photo +5]
Charless
FINALLY
OMG
Lewis #bless
Oh, thank god
I am so sick of them pining each other
Georgie
You are not alone Lewis
Max
Don’t mind me dropping this bomb
[ photo +11]
Lando
How the hell
Do you get that many pictures?
You are not even with us
Max
I have my way
Maybe because you were on the other side
Meanwhile, I'm on the other side of them
Lando
Fair enough
Albonoo
They were so sweet w each other
I almost cry
Lando
Sameee
But Max did you get our nuggets or not?
Max
Yeah, yeah, i already have them.
But i was caught up with a whole damn television drama
In front of me.
Charless
I wish i could see them
Grid dad #1
They look so happy
Mark
I hope you okay with Carlos together with
Your son.
Webbah
Im fine with whatever makes Oscar happy
If he happy, then im okay with them
Grid dad #1
That’s very so thought of you
[Mark Webber react with ☺️]
Albonoo
They finally here
We update you guys if anything happens
Lando
Yeah
We update you guys
later when we are on the plane
[12 people react with 👍]
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
SPANISH GP, MIDNIGHT, POST-RACE, FRIDAY
“You want to know something?” Oscar put down his glass slowly. He looks at Carlos, hands slung to his chest. Eyes dragging from his hairy hands up to his lips. He bites his lips before looking away.
“Having you on top of me. Every chance you get to pass me in every race. Something inside me burst into anger.” Oscar paused, gazing back at Carlos’s face.
“All because my heart is still holding a grudge for you from last year,” Oscar smirks, taking another sip. “But you want to know what changed?”
Carlos tilts his head, looking at Oscar softly. He watches the man in front of him lean back on the cushion, holding one glass in his hands while his eyes wander around the club ceiling. He is waiting for Logan to come back from the toilet. Mouth stuttering to form a word.
“Monaco.” Oscar’s eyes met him. “That was the last time…my hate for you. Disappear.”
Carlos blink. He tilts his head again, eyes in disbelief.
His eyes were studying Oscar’s face. His eyes smiled in sincerity. His brown hair covered a little part of his eyes. His cheek turned pinkish from the smile.
“What do you mean?” He asks in a low and slowly.
“The day you gave me the handkerchief.” Oscar grin. “That's the first time you've been nice to me. Sincerely…in front of everybody.” Putting down his glass back on the table.
Carlos pauses, hands reaching for Oscar. His body moves closer to Oscar. Oscar looks at him eyes widening. “What are you doing?”
Carlos quickly let go of Oscar’s hands. Heads turning away, “Sorry, I —” Carlos bites his lips. He looks at Oscar back. Their gaze locks into each other.
“Forget about Lando.”
“Forget about today.” He added.
“Tonight,” He paused, “Take me with you. I will be what you want me to be.” Carlos looks at him smiling. “Even I am another version of myself you never imagined.”
He looks at Carlos. The man in front of him, sitting across from him. Holding his finger at the edge of his fingertip. A small smile carved on his face. He smiles back, unnoticed his finger tightening the grip back.
“Let me be nice to you again. Even for one night or one day.” Carlos said, holding back his full smile.
“You serious?” Oscar asked, making sure he was being real. “Anything. Even you want me to eat you tonight.” Oscar laughs, putting down his head as he shakes them.
“You funny.” He replied. “I am. Don’t you know that?” Carlos answered back. Giggling as he stares deep into his eyes.
“No, maybe…sometimes.” Oscar looks up and sighs heavily. The man in front of him asked him a big favor. Maybe forgetting Lando for one night could ease his mind a bit. Besides, He wasn’t trying to be a jerk right now.
One night together? Tasting his rival gorgeous sculpture. His lips — Maybe, not that. But being nice and not being assholes for one night? Yeah…Maybe he will take him. It's a different version of Carlos than his original jerk version after all; for sure, he will want it.
This could make it up for him for Carlos being a nasty person to him. Miami and especially Spa last year. He could use this opportunity perhaps to use him to do some kind of things he would want Carlos to suffer. Or just; seeing his other side that he rather see instead. Even tho he did not hold the grudge inside his heart anymore.
He gazes at Carlos who is still waiting for his answer. He nods a little and smiles at him, “Okay, Carlos. Surprise me tonight.”
“Does he know?” Carlos shouts as he looks at Oscar in front of him. Throwing his white chili emoji Ferrari cap at him. He laughed at Carlos who was drenched in the rain. They were standing under the canopy of Convenience stores from the heavy rain. They waiting for the rain to stop.
“What?” He shouts back at Carlos. Carlos brushes his wet hair back with his finger. “Does Lando know he being a jerk at you?” Carlos shouts back a little louder. Oscar was silent before he responded, throwing the cap back at him.
“What do you think?” Oscar replied, softly as he watched Carlos looking around the street as he wore his cap back. “I would never have thought Lando would be a jerk to you,” Carlos answered. A little softer than his previous shouting.
“Lando is usually self-aware of himself but…” Carlos moves closer beside him. A few inches between them lead to a soft brush against each other shoulder. “...Listening to your story. He needs a little punch here and there, yeah?” Oscar chuckled and shook his head.
“Don’t Carlos. How am I going to race if my crush got hurt by you?.” Oscar turns to look at the convenience store behind them. “I'm just saying…since I'm being nice to you.” Carlos shoved his hands inside his pocket.
Oscar rolls his eyes as he walks a little closer to the entrance. “You want to buy something while waiting for the rain?” He points at the convenience store. Carlos nods as he walks inside with him.
“Piastri, get me that apple juice.” Carlos points at the second-row fridge at him. “Apple juice? Coffee or anything else?” Oscar turns to look at him. “No, I'm fine. Get me a mineral water too.”
Oscar only nods as he takes the beverage from the fridge and walks to the counter. Carlos put down some of the snacks beside him and told him to leave first.
Oscar was baffled at first. He hadn’t expected Carlos to pay for his things before. Besides, he could pay for himself. Not like he doesn’t have a million dollars in his bank account. “I could pay them myself.” Oscar nudges him to the side, handing out his card to the cashier.
“Oscar,” Carlos looks at him and sighs. “I paid,” he insisted.
“No, no, Oscar. I paid, I promise you I will be nice tonight.” Carlos pushed him to the side, a little bit far away from the counter, and handed his card over to the cashier. The cashier shook his head, chuckling as he pushed the payment terminal screen and handed it to Carlos.
Carlos taps his card and looks at him, upset. He looks outside at the rain near the entrance. Carlos took the food and slung his hands on Oscar. Grabbing him as he pulled them outside.
He looks at Carlos, sitting him down, near a dry bench next to the store and passing him his favorite Tiim Tam. “How-” Carlos hushed him and placed the monster drink he bought for himself beside him.
Oscar felt he was not used to this. It made him feel all sorts of feelings at the moment. He was not sure if making Carlos nice to him felt like punishing him for being an arsehole to him but he sure know it wasn't to the Spaniard.
The gesture and his words were too nice like he willingly did it. It makes Oscar feel irritated but he wasn’t at all at the same time. He breathed out and took a peek at Carlos.
“You don’t need to pay for me, mate,” Oscar said quietly as he glanced up at Carlos, standing in front of him. Eating his soft bun, quietly as he looks around at the rain. He bites his Tim Tam slowly, waiting for Carlos to respond.
Carlos looks at him, “It's alright. I don't mind paying anything to have a sweet dessert in my mouth.” He chuckled and went to sit beside him. Oscar was a little confused about what Carlos seemed to find funny about it. He just looks at him in silence as he finishes his second TimTam.
They sit there for a while, waiting for the rain to subside a little. Both of them finish their snacks and Carlos asks to go back to the car so he can send Oscar back to his hotel. He only nods and follows him from behind.
But suddenly, both of them were stuck standing again on the pavement, shielded with a roof from the sudden heavy rain. That is quite not too far from Carlos's car. He was a little piss off because he need the heater inside the car right now. His body shivered as the wind went past him.
He hugs himself a little, rubbing his left arm as he looks at the rain still pouring nonstop. He was wearing his usual maroon shirt and the air coming inside his shirt made his body run in a shiver. He blows his hands as he looks down, watching the water run through in between the pavement.
Carlos looks at Oscar, silently watching him. He looks at his car and back to Oscar. They could make it if they ran fast enough back to the car or he just could run back to his car and took the umbrella from the back seat. But the best solution is for both of them to run straight away to the car, so, he doesn't need to run back and forth to get Oscar back to his car.
But, he doesn’t want to get the Aussie wet from the rain. Fuck. He bites his lips as he looks back at the Aussie. Standing watching the water on the pavement.
He waited for a moment if the rain suddenly wanted to stop for a moment which it likely not. He sighs softly, shoving his cap at Oscar's head and jacket. He slings his arms around Oscar, “I count to three and we run to the car, yeah?” Oscar looks at him surprised. “Mate, you going to get wet.”
“I don't care, just let's run for it, okay?” Carlos shook his head, bowing a little to shield his face. He counts one by one and before Oscar can complain, Carlos holds his hands as they run back to the car.
Carlos shouted as he felt the cold rain run through his hair. Oscar laughs out loud at him, as they run side by side to the car. Oscar shoved Carlos’s cap back to the owner's head and pushed his head down, still insisting Carlos wear them.
The cold rain runs through their palms making every single touch of their hands feel warm against each other.
The feelings of warmth and laughter in the cold weather hold an unspoken word for both of them. Even though they were holding each other, one against the other, the universe had already written; that they would hold each other while changing every kind of status between them. Because their name-holding each other; Oscar and Carlos.
“Osc — Oscar, get in!” Carlos shouted as he unlocked his car, he ran to the driver's seat after Oscar was safely inside. “You drenched way more than before.” Oscar looks at him worried, his grey shirt soaking wet. “This is nothing,” Carlos replied simply, taking his shirt off and throwing them on the floor in the back seat.
Carlos's eyes linger on the back of the seat, searching for a towel he bought when he went out for a swim at the beach with his family.
Carlos only chuckled when he turned his head back at Oscar; looking a little red as he shoved his hand back to the back seat. He takes a dry towel to dry Oscar's wet hair off. He rubs the towel against his hair, drying it off carefully.
“Mate, I can do it myself. You do not need to dry them for me–” Oscar groaned when he took Carlos's hands off. He’s not a child, he can do it himself. He rubs his hair as Carlos rolls his eyes and turns the engine on.
He turns on the heater and glances at Oscar, “You okay now?”
“Yeah,” Oscar replied quickly. He passes the towel back to Carlos. Carlos dried his hair and wiped a few wet parts of his body. He tosses his cap at the back and rummages through his gym bag, searching for a fresh t-shirt.
Oscar watched him in silence, gaze following Carlos's hands moving from the back seat and to the front back and forth. His hand finally stops when Carlos places them on his hips. He looks up and their eyes lock together.
“Did anybody tell you, you look good with your hair messy like that?” Oscar said, scanning Carlos’s face. Carlos grins, covering his mouth as he smiles at Oscar. “Thank you.”
They sit in silence facing each other, waiting, for a moment. Waiting for their bodies to cool off from the cold temperature before Carlos took Oscar back to his hotel. At the moment, Oscar was zoning out, resting his body from the ache from running earlier.
Carlos was scrolling through his phone, he wasn’t expecting it was only 2:45 in the morning. He thought they already spent time together for more than an hour after they left the club. Or he was too busy to look at the time because he was having fun spending time with his crush.
Looking at him zoning out watching the rain outside. He felt really happy because this felt like a moment in his lifetime he would get to experience. In a small space together with his favorite co-worker– crush; sitting facing each other. Sharing the same breathing space.
Oscar was snapped out of his zone when he felt very heavy pretty eyes staring at him. Turning to Carlos, slinging his arms to his chest. He gave a small smile at the Spaniard. Carlos smiled back at him. The more Oscar studied Carlos, he thought for a moment if it would be funny to fall for your rival. The Ferrari driver did be an absolute dick to him for few times but he didn't feel Carlos was trying to be any of it tonight. Just like he said, the completely different version of him sitting in front of him; staring deep in his eyes was completely different than the version he used to.
Not like he hates it. It's just weird and strangely pleasant to feel.
The thought of Carlos being nice to him is weird. Now he experiencing it, he felt his heart just want to jump at him and kiss him deep in every moment. He couldn’t handle Carlos being so kind and gentlemanly to him. It almost felt like Carlos was trying to tell him something but he was unsure of what is it supposed to be.
For a moment, he focus back at Carlos's eyes. Locking their eyes together, resisting Oscar looking away. It's too damn attractive. His heart felt a building of hope start to shape inside his heart. If he can finally move on from Lando and maybe… maybe for a time, his heart wants Carlos instead.
Carlos finally looks away, he moves getting the towel from the back seat. He throws them at Oscar. Oscar looks at him shocked. “What was that for?”
“For making me feel butterfly,” Carlos replied, moving closer to him as he hand reached for the towel on Oscar’s hand.
His hand went rummage to Oscar’s hair again. Oscar just lets him be as he looks down at his hands. “You didn't dry your hair properly. It dripped down to my car seat,” Carlos said.
“Sorry,” Oscar replied softly. Carlos was a little inches away from his face. His eyes have been eyeing the lips of the man in front of him when he moves.
Carlos stops and bows a little, putting his eyes on teh same level as Oscar. Oscar chuckled and smiled, “Carlos, can I?” The Spaniard's brows furrowed, “What?”
“Can I kiss you?” Oscar said quickly.
“If you don’t want to it’s okay,” Oscar added. Looking at Carlos as his eyes softened. He chuckled and shook his head. “No, it's okay. “Carlos holds his chin up, he touches Oscar’s cheek softly.
Oscar could see his eyes darken. Inches away, they listen to each other breathe. Huffing out of each other mouth. Carlos glances at him for approval before he presses his lips against his. Short but sweet. It still tingles a little inside his tummy. He wanted more but he still waiting for Carlos if they could kiss again.
But at that moment, not even a second, their lips were touching each other again. It was long and longing felt in that kiss. A desire feeling that was locked for a long time ago finally let out from that moment; that was the first time, Oscar wished it was Carlos he fell for instead of Lando.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Love wasn’t always on Carlos's bucket list but meeting and arguing with the new grumpy guy who always hung around Lando made him write it on his lifetime list.
And Love has always been on Oscar's bucket list. Meeting Lando was a new beginning but it was not ticked in the right check box. However, if he told his old self It was Carlos, he would laugh at him back. He thought it was sometimes bullshit for Oscar to think how come he fell for two people at the same time but in the end, he still chooses the pretty grumpy guy.
2023, BELGIAN GP, SPA, SUNDAY
“Lando!” The Spaniard shouts Lando's name across the paddock.
Lando waves at him as he walks to give a side hug to the Brits. Next to the Brits Oscar was watching them. He stands idly beside Lando.
“Lando, I'm going inside. Anything I'm inside my room,” Oscar pats Lando’s shoulder as he smiles at him. The Australian looks at Carlos with the same smile as he turns to The McLaren entrance.
Carlos studied the smile the Aussie gave him. Huh, something feels weird. His eyes follow Oscar inside until he disappears from his sight.
Lando looks at him weirdly, “You good?”
“Yeah,” Carlos replied, eyes still stuck to Oscar inside.
“No, you not,” Lando crossed his arms in his chest. Turning to look at his best friends and back at his teammates who had already disappeared inside the McLaren Hospitality.
Lando squints his eyes, thinking of the possibility as to why his best friend was still looking inside McLaren Lounge.
Carlos was not responding, making Lando more curious, “You good with Oscar?”
Carlos makes a sharp turn at Lando, making Lando startle from the sudden motion head turn from Carlos. “Huh?”
“Woah! What was that?” Lando studied Carlos’s face which was beginning to turn red. He watches him in confusion.
“No, no, I'm good with P-Piastri. It was nothing,” Carlos answered quickly, stuttering his words as his head turned inside the McLaren Lounge and Lando back and forth.
“Doesn’t seem like it. You hiding something from me?” Lando pokes Carlos' arms. Lando made that head turn again, the same head turns he did when Max was looking at Daniel back in the time Daniel made a comeback in the paddock. Turning his head in a 45-degree angle seems to look weird for Carlos. Looking all skeptical at him.
“You seem close with Oscar lately,” Carlos said, focusing his head back on his best friend next to him. Eyes still keep peeking inside the papaya team’s lounge.
“Yeah, we do. What’s wrong with that? Are you jealous, Carlos?” Lando makes a smug look, looking at the Ferrari Driver with a cheeky smile.
“Nope and yes,” Carlos replied quickly as he slung his arms on the Brit's shoulder.
“Ohh which for which?” Lando replied, laughing at Carlos who was smiling ear to ear.
“No for the wrong and yes for the jealousy,” Carlos answered as he pointed the answer in the air.
“Dude, you're jealous because of me being close to Oscar. Ridiculous. I will always be the best mate you ever have in F1,” Lando answers with a laugh as he pats Carlos’s back.
Carlos smiles at him while nodding in agreement with him. “Yep,” Carlos replied with the popping ‘P’ sound. Lando snorts as he shakes his head.
He wished it was it. He was jealous because Lando was close to Oscar. Not because Oscar is close to Lando. Seems weird from the perspective of a person who knows how he and Lando were close to each other. Truth be told, it was the opposite. And that made Carlos irritated with himself because there's no absolute reason he should be jealous of Lando.
To add more irritation to his heart, he colluded with Piastri. Ending each other's race with a few other cars he does not give a shit about. He grips his helmet as he walks back to the Ferrari Garage. Pulling out the balaclava, he turned to look at Oscar who was walking in front of him back to the McLaren Garage.
“Fucking hell,” Carlos curses to himself as his head gets much more irritated with every single replay of their crash on the screen. Watching the replay both of their cars collide and that pretty face of the Aussie on the big screen.
But who knows only himself, getting heated in his one-sided beef with the McLaren driver leads him to stalk him month for months. Counting the Calendar on his new phone, which was foolish of him to buy one – just for stalking that man on social media– took him five months to finally stop after that accident.
His phone was filled with a stupid amount of photos he had of Oscar Piastri in his phone. He was half-embarrassed and half-guilty for doing his illegal activity.
He was overheel for him even tho his heart tried to deny them. The itch of every single moment he had with him, the feeling inside himself grew even bigger. He was obsessed with him.
The first time, he picked up his second phone after 2024 was after the night he spent together with Oscar. Snapping his pretty sleepy photo of the Aussie in his arms. He was proud of it. Proud of himself that he almost set the photo into the wallpaper on his main phone.
Little did he know, his own best friend found his phone when they were hanging out together for a pedal game. Lando found them by accident while helping Carlos search for his main phone in his bag. For the second time he found it by accident, he knew it would be fact-checked that Carlos owned it.
Lando was weird at first, staying in denial the whole time that Carlos had something for Oscar. Even if Oscar confessed to him, it took him a lot of thinking for him to accept it or not. He was denying it until Daniel finally broke the news. It finally hit him hard for the first time.
Lando kept his secret obviously. Sealing his mouth like it was Victoria's Secret all along. Not telling any soul or Carlos that he found that phone. He was proud of himself at some point.
2024, ABU DHABI GP, NIGHT, SUNDAY
After winning the World Construction Champion, McLaren was pretty busy with a lot of singing shouting, and celebrating in their garage. Holding the trophy in their hands as they slung around each other singing along to ‘We Are the Champion’ by Queen all over again.
The two McLaren drivers celebrate non-stop as they hold each other; drinking the champagne in hand. The McLaren garage was lively, far more lively with happy moments than compared with those years back.
After a couple of hours of celebration, Lando was tapping Oscar's shoulder. Pointing at the Ferrari driver who was watching them not far from the Ferrari Garage. Staring at Oscar with messy hair, looking a little too hot for Oscar to handle with Charles next to him, who was drinking, staring at Max in the Red Bull Garage.
“Get your boyfriend, mate. He looked at you like he was about to eat you in any second.” Lando frowned, looking at Carlos. He had never seen Carlos staring at them like that. Too wild with the amount of tense smirk and stare. Oscar chuckled as he looked at Carlos. Shaking his head, Oscar signaled Carlos with his hands to the back, pointing toward the paddock.
Carlos nods as he moves toward the surprisingly unbusy paddock. Startling Charles who was too focused on Max with his hands patting Charles' waist.
Oscar turns to look at Lando beside him, the Brits nod at him. Assuring him to go, so he shouldn’t be worried that much about what is happening with the celebration in the garage.
“Thanks, champ,” Oscar pat Lando's shoulder. “Your welcome champ!” Lando shouts as he waves at the McLaren driver moving back to the back of the garage. Lando smiled at him before walking toward Zak who was talking with Andrea at the little hidden corner of the garage.
Oscar walked a little faster with his heart pumping in excitement, searching for a sight of the Ferrari driver. Turning his head searching for the man, he finally found him at the back of the McLaren motorhome. In between are a few quiet alleys that connect at the back of the paddock.
“Hey, Osci,” Carlos greeted him, leaning on the wall with arms crossed in his chest. Oscar's smile grew wider as he ran to hug the Spaniard. Hugging him tight, as Carlos placed his hand soft on Oscar’s cheeks.
“Congrats champ,” Carlos whispered in his ears softly. Smelling the sweet sweat of champagne on his neck. Carlos kisses his neck and up to his forehead. Oscar looks up at him, smiling as he gives him a peck on his plump lips.
“Thank you, Carlos. Sorry for your loss,” Carlos shook his head. Assuring him it was okay all along. “At least you were okay. from the stunned Max made on you,” Carlos kissed his cheek.
“That one was shit of him to do that but he apologized. It's okay, Carlos,” Oscar places his hands on Carlos’s hand, caressing his cheek in a soft motion.
Carlos' smile couldn’t grow wider than he ever could. He kisses Oscar deeply, pressing his lips on his as Oscar pulls his head a little closer. Kissing him deep and sloppy, both feeling a little needy for each other.
Carlos's hands move down to Oscar’s hips, squeezing them as he turns their position. Clashing Oscar into the wall slowly, while his other hands move against the back of Oscar. Carlos’s tongue moves inside; exploring each part like it was his first day discovering them. He tastes like sweet champagne.
Oscar moans as his hands move up to the back of Carlos’s neck. Carlos pulls away as he looks away, studying Oscar’s face, red with a light pink blush. Fuck, He never looks so good. He took a quick breath slowly before his mouth moved to kiss Oscar’s neck. Kissing every single spot he could reach.
Before his head moves to the other side of Oscar’s neck, a flash of the camera stops his movement. Both of them look to the side to see Lando standing with a phone in his hands. A phone that Carlos recognized; was Carlos’s second phone in his hands.
Carlos was stunned in his spot and immediately grabbed his phone after the realization hit. Looking at Lando smirking at both of them, “Sorry to bother both of you lover birds. Zak called Oscar and Fred told me to get you.” Lando said, looking at them as Carlos slipped the phone in his pocket quickly.
Oscar was standing awkwardly after the sudden encounter. Walking back closely to them meanwhile, Carlos is already nagging Lando about his phone. “You fucking muppet, what’s wrong with you?”
“Sorry, mate. Both of you looked like it was not about to finish any further but I had to. Sorry, again,” Lando gives him a thin smile as he pats his back. “Also, enjoy that photo I took,” Lando nudged Carlos to the side as Oscar stood beside them. Carlos glares at Lando but softens back when Oscar stands before them.
“I think I saw a familiar phone,” Oscar asked.
“What phone?” Carlos quickly answers, cutting Lando who was about to answer.
“Oh that was my phone, don’t worry. I brought a new one,” Lando quickly covers Carlos as he slung his arms around Carlos’s shoulder.
“Never know you bought a new one,” Oscar replied, looking at Lando surprised. “Also, that was embarrassing. You should just call me,” Lando said a quiet sorry to him. Oscar nods in acceptance as he looks at Carlos, a red blush starts to build around his cheek.
“Zak call?” Oscar turned to look back at Lando when he almost couldn’t handle Carlos smirking at him.
“Yeah, shall we go now?” Lando asked. “Yeah.”
“Okay,” Lando nods, turning back toward the McLaren motorhome. Oscar follows him from the back. He turns to look at Carlos, nodding at him to go.
“See you at the hotel,” Carlos said as he held the phone gently in his hands, hiding away from Oscar's sight. Oscar nods as he keeps it up with Lando beside him.
Carlos smiles as he waves at Oscar. He sighs deeply, licking his lips, trying to remember the taste of Oscar's mouth. Then, a sound of cough startles him as he looks up at Charles in front of him.
“Hey, Char,” Carlos grinned at him. “Carlos, come on. Fred and Silvia are going to kill us if we are not at the office now.” Charles shakes his head, looking back at the busy paddock. “Yeah, I know. Let’s go.” Carlos sighs heavily as he pats Charles back; forcing Charles to walk together back to the motorhome first.
“By the way, did Lando take a good one?” Charles asks jokingly. “Oh my god, not you too!”
WINTER BREAK, 1 MONTH AFTER 2026 SEASON, NIGHT, SUNDAY
“Babe, you need anything? I'm going to come back a little late.” Carlos unlocked the door as Oscar passed him his jacket. While helping him with his jacket, Oscar responds, “Buy me TimTams.”
Carlos turns at Oscar, a little shocked over what he said. “TimTams? Didn’t we already buy them yesterday?” Oscar bit his lips as he let out a chuckle. “Uhh, I ate all of them last night.”
Carlos smirks at him, pinching Oscar’s cheeks slowly. “You silly.” “Well, I was craving for them because after that stressful season we had.” Oscar defended himself, crossing his arms in his chest.
He has every right reason to eat them, fighting WDC against Charles and Lando was a hell of a stressful year. The new team joined the year, forcing the top team into a tense WCC fight against Ferrari, and McLaren. Adding the new regulation for the car, he needs to adapt too. Plus, Losing the WDC to Charles and the WDC with Ferrari.
For the love of his life in front of him, It was like watching a cinema for Carlos; sitting back and observing the top team fight as well Williams rose to the top with Cadillac and Haas; Fighting the midfield category.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Carlos pat Oscar’s hair. Brushing the slightly strained hair covering Oscar’s face. “I buy you a lot of your fav TimTams, yeah?” Carlos said, kissing Oscar’s forehead.
“Okay.”
Carlos wore his sneakers before remembering his phone was inside their bedroom. “Oh my god, Oscar, can you take my phone in my bag?” Carlos looks up at Oscar as he looks at him already walking back to his room to take his phone.
Oscar rummages inside a white tote bag, sitting beside the white table beside their bed. As Oscar's hands touch a familiar phone. He pulled them out expecting Carlos’s phone but it was a foreign white phone he felt familiar with. He opens the phone screen, showing a clear picture of him sleeping as a lock screen wallpaper.
His face went red, fluster over his sleeping picture. He closes them quickly, placing them on the floor as he shakes his head searching for Carlos’s phone. As he found them, he quickly ran to give them back to Carlos.
Carlos on the door looks at him confused, “Why your face is red?”
“It was nothing,” Oscar answered quickly. He pushes Carlos out as he waves the Spaniard goodbye. Carlos clueless, waved back at Oscar as he smiled at him. Walking on their hallway apartment backward, almost bumping into Logan and Alex.
Carlos apologizes to the couple and waves at both of them before disappearing from Oscar's sight. Oscar who was still standing at the door waved back at Logan; walking together with Alex by his side with a very familiar Japanese food in their hands.
Oscar closed the door and ran back to their room, to take a look at the strange phones. He flips the flip phone up open before staring at the password keypad before randomly his finger taps a familiar password he had done before.
The phone unlocked immediately before he could press enter, it was unlocked by his fingerprint on the ‘on’ button. His face turns horrified, looking at the phone in his hands. His finger trembles as he opens a few similar apps on his phone.
Scrolling through a private, unposted account on Instagram, then next to WhatsApp text. There are only a few chats of a fellow driver he knows, Lando was pinning on top. Along with a display name of
‘my loml <3’ on the top.
Oscar looks at the chat display long, curiosity rising in his mind. He presses the chat, and a few years of text he had with Carlos back when it was the 2024 Season show. The time he had discovered Carlos's second number.
He sighed heavily, it was Carlos's phone all along. He got scared for nothing.
He drops down on his sofa with the phone in his hand. Pressing his heart to slow down when it was beating fast. Oscar smiles as he looks up to the ceiling.
Recalling the moment he had with Carlos back when they were first time being close to each other. He looks back at the phone and smiles again, “He never told me it was his phone all along.” Oscar mumbles as he opens the Camera app. Snapping a few pictures of himself. He still has not used to taking a selfie of himself for few times.
He took a look at his photos as he looked at them one by one he previously took. He deleted some ugly pictures and kept scrolling through all the saved photos Carlos took when Oscar was not looking. He looked at them one by one until he saw a very beautiful picture of a ring in a black jewelry box.
He sits up from the sofa, zooming through the picture. He closes his mouth as his eyes study the ring picture. He bites his lips, holding himself from screaming for happiness.
Oh, he was so excited to wait for Carlos to come back home. He has to act nonchalant until it's the right time to finally open up about the topic.
He spent most of the time Sim racing all day long while waiting for Carlos to come home. He did some sim racing with Lando for a few hours before saying goodbye to each other. Lando did tell him he finally got together with his best friend, Max Fewtrell after a long time of realizing he might be feelings for him.
Oscar was really happy for him because it seemed obvious that Max had feelings for Lando for a long time too. Battering and supporting each other after one another. Even after the rejection a few years ago, he still supports his teammates on all sides of the form.
“I’m home, Osc!” Oscar turns to look at the door, he puts his headset on the table as he gets up from the sim and goes to greet Carlos. Carlos put a small plastic back on the kitchen counter and a small bouquet in his hands.
“Flower?” Oscar looks at him surprised. He gazes at the bouquet and smells the sweet scent of lavender and white tulips. “Thank you,” Oscar kissed Carlos’s cheek long.
“You love it?” Carlos asked, grinning ear to ear as he smelled the bouquet too. “Yes. Thank you, dear,” Oscar nods, eyes still gazing at the flower. Then, Oscar moves to place the bouquet on the counter before pulling Carlos for a kiss.
“I miss you, cariño,” Carlos said as he pulled Oscar a little closer. Hugging his waist he places his head on Oscar’s shoulder. Oscar nodded at him, smelling the scent of soft shampoo on Carlos’s hair.
Oscar kissed him again, a little deeper and longer, craving more of Carlos's touch. He slung his arms around Carlos’s neck. Carlos let go and looked at him, “Why are you so needy? Did something happen?” Oscar smiles, not answering back.
“Oh, something did happen. Come on tell me?” Carlos carried him and put him on the counter.
Oscar smiles as he kisses Carlos’s forehead. He was not saying a word, only staring at Carlos's face for a long minute.
Carlos tilted his head confused, “Cariño, why are you staring at me like that?”
“Why? I like to stare at your gorgeous face.” Oscar replied.
Carlos chuckled, taking a deep breath before looking back up at Oscar.
“You testing me right now aren’t you?” Carlos places his hands on Oscar’s hips. Squeezing them slowly as his other hands reach for Oscar’s hands, stroking them slowly.
“When is the wedding?” Oscar asks simply. Carlos looked at him surprised, “What?”
Oscar pulls out Carlos second’s phone and shows him the ring picture. Carlos chuckled out loud and let out a heavy sigh. His turns fluster, face becoming red. He was not expecting Oscar to finally find his phone after all the effort he had to put into hiding them.
He wished he had found them but now, his wishes have come true. The man in front of him with the biggest smile he ever craved on his face really melted his heart. “I’m going to purpose properly don’t you know that?” Carlos asked as he kissed Oscar’s hands.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” Oscar chuckled and kissed Carlos’s nose. “But I don’t know that my future husband has a obsessed with me from the very first day,” Oscar said, making Carlos groan out loud.
“Shut up,” “Make me,” Carlos pout and pull him kiss right away. An echo of the sound of laughter and giggling surrounds the house with a soft song playing on the speaker.