#anyway nearly 4k words strong in the wip so far 💪💪

[readingbythestreetlights]

posting a short snippet of the princess cake wip as a gift for @thechocolatecoffeecollection @crimsonicarus !! thank you guys for all the support!! 💞💞

this is still an early, early draft, so excuse any mistakes/inconsistencies!!

To the credit of his agent, the shoot does actually fly by quickly. Filming wraps up what feels like half an hour sooner than what’s usual for this type of thing. Both Jenson and Nico are now left to twiddle their figurative thumbs while they wait for the media team to clean up. At least, Nico is twiddling his thumbs—Jenson somehow seems immune to the awkwardness that tends to linger in the brief interim period after the cameras are shut off. Nico would like to catch him in a situation where he isn’t one hundred percent comfortable in his body. Something in him tells him such a moment will be hard to come by. It’s not exactly envy that comes over Nico, but it is a what-if sort of feeling. What must it feel like to exist with that much ease? It’s sort of unfair.

“Enjoying the view?” Jenson breaks the silence.

Nico realizes he’s been staring, studying Jenson’s (admittedly well-structured) features as his mind has been mulling over the character of the brunet. His cheeks flush slightly, but he remains composed. His gaze meets Jenson’s, where the older man’s eyebrows are raised in self-righteous smugness.

“I could ask the same of you.” Nico is aware of how he looks. Many a so-called straight man has been quick to switch teams upon laying eyes on him. Causing sexuality crises has gotten boring at this point.

“Yes, then. I very much am.” Jenson smiles, lets any of the embarrassment Nico had perhaps tried to lay on him slide right off. Unfair.

Nico just rolls his eyes. He can’t even tell if Jenson’s joking, is the problem. He’s not in the mood for another man to fall in love with him simply because they think he’s basically a girl, right? He’s also not in the mood for Jenson to be saying it as some sick joke, as if it’s all one big gag and of course it is to Jenson because he lives in America, and southern America at that, and—

God, Nico needs to stop being so quick to judge. Take a compliment when he gets it.

“So, how are you liking New York?” Jenson continues kindly, apparently oblivious to Nico’s internal dilemma—or perhaps he can see it all play out on the blond’s face and finds it entertaining. “It’s not your first time here, is it?”

Nico shakes his head in answer. (If it shakes away some of the negative thoughts residing in his mind, that’s a pleasant byproduct.) “No, no. I was here for a gala a few years back. And yes, I enjoy New York, it has a very distinct identity.”

“A gala, wow, Formula 1 is exactly what everyone thinks it is, huh? Surprised you’re alright hanging out with someone who drives on dirty tracks.”

“I’ll have you know I’m an avid rallycross fan.” And to think, Jenson was doing so well only half an hour before. Now he’s throwing it all away to what? Rub the pretentiousness of F1 in Nico’s face? It’s hard to live the job without being aware of it.

“A man of culture.” Jenson nods in approval.

Okay, that’s one point toward his redemption in Nico’s book. Still a lot of work to do, though.