#i need someone to look at me the way lando looks at franco

[vitalverstappen]

Homecoming SMAU - C. Leclerc

summary: have you ever had a massive crush on your team rival? (smau edition)

pairing: Charles Leclerc x Red Bull driver!reader

fc: various, just pretend they're all the same person

a/n: i kinda love this fic wayyy too much to let it go so soon, so I decided to make a smau version for your enjoyment!

written

masterlist

liked by redbullracing, charles_leclerc, and 737,602 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: Didn't go how we planned, but grateful to snatch a point. Congrats to Charles for the home race win!

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charles_leclerc: thank you!! can't wait to celebrate later!

yourusername: lmk when and where and i'll be there!!

user1: wdym my two fav drivers are definitely about to get plastered together??

user2: they've been friends since she broke into f1, only makes sense they would user3: yeah "friends" he's been in love with her since he saw her for the first time

user2: no.

maxverstappen1: over/under on how long it takes for her to get ready? line is at 2.5 hours

logansargeant: over

landonorris: over

oscarpiastri: over

redbullracing: over

user4: there's no way she really takes THAT long

logansargeant: you'd be surprised

twitter & max's texts

liked by user1, user2, and 36,583 others

f1gossip: some of the drivers out and about in Monaco celebrating Charles' home win!

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user5: whoever let lando dj needs a RAISE

user6: i heard logan and oscar were also there!

user7: is it just me or do charles and y/n look weirdly close together??

user3: im telling you guys there's got to be SOMETHING going on between them

user2: again, guys and girls can be just friends.

user6: it's also a club. they're gonna be packed together

user8: i don't even want to know how much money they spent

monza media day

liked by: logansargeant, francolapinto and 673,842 others

tagged: logansargeant, francolapinto

yourusername: wdym i'm now the only one here repping the red, white n blue?? but in all reality, it's been an honor getting to know you Logan, you'll always be my best friend & I can't wait to see what you do in the future!!

but welcome to the grid Franco! you've got some tough shoes to fill

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logansargeant: thank you y/n. gonna miss you <3

yourusername: at least now you wont have to spend the 4th in the UK... again...

francolapinto: gracias y/n! No puedo esperar a ver qué trae el resto de la temporada!

yourusername: i have no idea what you just said but yes!!

user9: oh she's just like us

user10: girl is down bad

user2: @/user3 no like from Charles... how are you feeling after this?

user3: by the end of this season i'll be yelling i told you so from the rooftops

liked by yourusername, charles_leclerc and 987,325 others

tagged: yourusername

redbullracing: The queen of COTA has arrived! 🇺🇸

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user11: ugh she's glowing

user12: her austin looks always slay

user3: CHARLES IS BACK IN THE LIKES! I REPEAT CHARLES IS BACK!!

user2: you weren't kidding when you said you didn't give up hope

maxverstappen1: you guys better not be plotting to get me in a cowboy hat

yourusername: pffffft why would we do that??

redbullracing: fine, we'll go put it away...again...

charles_leclerc: if you need someone to dress up, i know a guy

user13: omg stand up king, this isn't even y/n's insta

yourusername: @/charles_leclerc wdym "you know a guy" you couldn't even wear your hat properly

liked by charles_leclerc, kimi.antonelli and 985,432 others

tagged: charles_leclerc, kimi.antonelli, jackdoohan, texasfootball

yourusername: hook 'em 🤘

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texaslonghorns: it was a pleasure to have you! same time next year?

yourusername: you know it! 🫡

texasfootball: thanks for the support! we'll have to get you suited up next year

yourusername: as long as i don't get tackled im yours

user14: awh y/n and charles are already starting to adopt the 2025 rookies

oscarpiastri: i do not need any more siblings

charles_leclerc: thx for showing me the joys of college football 🧡

yourusername: anytime charlie!!!

user15: CHARLIE?? girl WHAT?

user3: GUYS ITS HAPPENING!!

liked by maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc, and 985,920 others

yourusername: P1 baby!! It's always special to race at home and being able to win it means even more! A weekend I'll forever remember ❤️🤍💙

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redbullracing: congrats y/n!! a win well deserved!

liked by yourusername

maxverstappen1: honor to be on that podium with you! let's run it back in vegas

yourusername: only in vegas??

maxverstappen: your ego is gonna get too big if you win everything else

user16: RAH RAHHHH AMERICA 🦅💥🦅💥🇺🇸

user17: U! S! A! 🇺🇸 U! S! A! 🇺🇸

charles_leclerc: congrats on the win!! now, drinks on me tonight?

user18: oh charles grew a pair

yourusername: @/charles_leclerc actually, i think i still owe you for monaco 😊

user3: 👀👀👀

liked by user3, user2, and 45,832 others

tagged: charles_leclerc, yourusername

f1gossip: newest wag(s)?? charles and y/n were caught making out in a club in Austin. The two, along with the rest of the grid were there celebrating y/n's homecoming win. Cheers were heard from the other drivers as the two shared their moment.

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user19: oh. my. god.

user20: what in the romeo and juliet with a happy ending??

user2: @/user3 go ahead. say it.

user3: @/user2 I TOLD YOU SO. I TOLD YOU ALLLLL SO

user3: I DON'T LOOK CRAZY NOW. I KNEW IT

user21: what does @/redbullracing have to say about this

redbullracing: i'm just glad it isn't one of the mclaren boys mclaren: we wouldn't date you either its fine

want more? @coco-loco-nut wrote a sister story. Check it out!

[mysteriouslyjovialcolor]

Brazil 2024

-George!!! He’s flying off!!

-Max and Lewis making up positions together

-Yuki still p3!!

-“Verstappen…and that’s Sergio Perez!” Dude I almost died!

-Yes!! Max!! Let’s go!!

-“17th on the grid! He’s made up 7 places on the first corner of lap 2!”

-Imagine having to drive Senna’s car and then downgrading to that…I feel for Lewis

-There was an extra formation lap? Damn, I missed that

-No DRS in these conditions

-Oh no Ollie :((

-This is giving Brazil 2016 so much, but I really don’t want to jinx it

-Franco Colapinto under investigation for causing a collision on Ollie Bearman (the rookies are fighting)

-“Norris could do with his teammate holding off Verstappen here- because so far no one seems to be able to do that”

-Don’t think I’ve seen Max and Oscar go wheel to wheel in a while

-Oh it was Ollie who caused the collision: 10s penalty

-“Max Verstappen hunting down through the mist and spray”

-I hate that Mercedes so much, what do you mean Lewis Hamilton can’t make up positions

-Carlos stuck behind a Sauber??

-Let’s go Max!! That’s the third time he’s pulled off that move!

-Yellow flag? Oh god Lewis- though that was George for a second

-“Wheel to wheel with Hamilton” Franco probably giggling in his cockpit

-“Starting procedures infringements” what happened??

-Ohmygod Charles versus Max again! Brazil is giving!!

-I’m so happy for Yuki! Look at him still holding p3! (Please let him make podium)

-Yuki just being the cork in the bottle for everyone behind him

-Honestly give Lewis Senna’s car back

-“Car’s not drivable mate. I’m locking up, bouncing everywhere” “Understood” The way I would scream at that response

-“Carlos Sainz, is this the smooth operation he was looking for?” Haha

-Oh god, both the Mercedes struggling

-Ahh Charles and Max!

-“That was Charles Leclerc knowing exactly where Max Verstappen was going to go” He was like “mistakes”, what mistakes?

-Carlos dropping back two places again??

-So much spray

-“Who is going to make that right call?” The pressure to change to the right tires would make me throw up

-Charles pitting first???

-Ferrari please do right by us or I will cry

-I need to be watching this race with someone so that we could scream at Ferrari together

-There goes the RB! Of Liam Lawson” Stop with the pauses!! My heart can’t take it!

-“Leclerc pitted for new tires, he went into traffic and can not not clear it” Ferrari whyyy

-Nico?!!?

-Aaah Yuki?!?

-VSC!

-Worked out I think, sort of, for Charles

-Oh shit Mercedes in technical trouble?

-Ocon leading the race??

-Yuki no!! P6 :(

-Ohmygod how are they driving like this??

-Oscar penalty??

-Pierre P3?? Alpine!! What’s going on?!

-Safety car again?

-“Give Esteban Ocon his due” Yes, I swear

-The spray is so bad, you can barely see the cars

-Oh hell! Franco?! That looks bad!

-“The Williams mechanics, they’ve had such a touch day” Someone check on them please

-Max: “My tires are just like a boat”

-I feel for the marshals who have to take care of that

-The pit lane looking so colorful with all the different team mechanics, such a stark contrast to the gray skies

-Aw the team reassuring Yuki>>

-“Oscar Piastri has just come over to apologize to Liam Lawson” :)

-Maxplaining in intense action

-I kind of like these moments in wet races. The drivers getting a comfort break and us getting to see them in between everything

-Black flag?? What does that mean?? Why is he out!

-Rolling start?

-Ollie Bearman has served his penalty? When?

-Lando Norris behind Max Verstappen on the running down the pit lane game” haha

-“George Russel has a scooter. I wonder if he’s nicked Lewis Hamilton’s”

-See?? This is fun

-“First driver to get a black flag since 2007” That’s the opposite of fun

-Honestly just give Alpine the win, they need it

-Standing start…nope, rolling start

-We’re still only halfway through

-Carlos’ “Hello?” was hilarious. Ferrari what are you doing

-Yellow flag? Green flag!

-Oh shit Lando!

-Ohmygod Charles too??

-Ocon I’m sorry if I’ve ever doubted you

-Yuki losing positions is going to make me cry (please at least stay in the points)

-Charles stuck in a McLaren sandwich

-“Hamilton just driving into a wall of water” You really can’t see anything out there

-What is going on with Carlos?

-Oh bloody hell, another red flag? No! He got out

-Ollie is having the worst race right now

-Okay apparently if Alpine stay where they are right now they go past Haas in the WCC. I’m slightly less happy for them now

-I think Liam and Checo are just destined to fight every race weekend now

-Carlos Sainz???

-Another safety car

-Honestly this is such a bad weekend for so many team mechanics

-Kimi Raikonnen mentioned!!

<interlude cause I forgot to breathe>

-Charles!!

-Ohmygod Lando!

-Max!!!!

<screaming, crying, screaming>

-What is this race!!

-“Leclerc is the big beneficiary there” YES HE IS

-“Swap positions”

-Ohmygod Max calm down. He’s doing fastest lap after fastest lap!

-Max seriously how many??

-“Class 1 rain” Can McLaren just talk normally sometimes

-“Trying to lick it and send it” Daniel come back, they’re stealing your thing

-Oh Liam and Checo are going for it

-Aand Checo’s lost position

-Max!! What are you doing?? How many fastest laps!!

-I’m so paranoid of something going wrong and me being happy for nothing

-10s lead! I had only heard about days like this

-“It’s vintage Max Verstappen” “He hasn’t changed an iota from when he came here”

-Just remembered I watched Brazil 2019 yesterday and witnessed a Pierre podium, so I basically manifested this

-“You know what that is? Simply Lovely” Ohmygod I’m crying

-The Alpines driving in formation >>

-“The emotions today.. I’ll take it”

-17 fastest laps! That man is insane

I am so so so happy! No one talk to me for the rest of the week!

[theyluvkarolina]

[starlight-library]

Fallin' in love | FC43 (SM!AU)

pairing: norris!reader x fc34

summary: a glimpse into the relationship between williams newest rookie and lando's younger sister during the best time of the year

warning: nothing

fc: n/a!

a/n: please take this in honor of spooky season. oh i also made a ko-fi if you want to support me!

ynorris posted

liked by francolapinto, landonorris, oscarpiastri, carlossainz55, maxverstappen1, and 938k others

yourusername 👹🎃👹🎃👹🎃

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user1 CUTE CUTE CUUUUUTE

user2 ugh yes love a good pumpkin patch!!

user3 the lights. the pumpkin. the vibes. 🥺

landonorris bring me back a pumpkin!!

↳ ynorris ugh, fine i guess ↳ landonorris thank you. at least someone loves me ↳ carlossainz55 we are right here ↳ oscarpiastri yeah, babe wtf.

user4 i just know this photo dump bout to go HARD

user5 WHAT ARE THE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES??? 🗣️🗣️🗣️

francolapinto ah yes, right before disaster strikes

↳ landonorris yeah like how she should've left your ass ❤️ ↳ ynorris LANDO ↳ francolapinto no no i agree. ↳ ynorris babe ↳ landonorris see! for once we agree! ↳ francolapinto but amor, if you had left me it would've meant that your dear brother and i would have more time to bond ↳ ynorris omg you're so right babe ↳ landonorris I DID NOT AGREE TO THIS??

francolapinto posted

liked by ynorris, arthur_leclerc, lewishamilton, charles_leclerc, oscarpiastri, alex_albon, and 1.2m others

francolapinto 0/10. would not recommend. horrible experience.

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user6 ZOMBIE FARMS??? nah im good

user7 wtf that looks like sm fun??

landonorris oh you made it out...

francolapinto barely, but i did it! 😌 landonorris gross. ynorris LANDO. landonorris i mean, yay... ynorris even took a jump scare for me, my hero 🥰

user8 the way i would've cried

user9 please tell me theres a video somewhere of this--PLEASE

carlossainz55 where was this so i know where NOT to go

↳ landonorris BABE PLS PLS PLS PLS ↳ oscarpiastri it looks kind of fun ↳ carlossaainz55 absolutely NOT ↳ ynorris pfttt i'll text you the address to avoid it ↳ carlossainz55 thank you.

ynorris franco had a great time, everyone he's lying

↳ francolapinto i did not have a great time

francolapinto tagged ynorris in a post

liked by ynorris, oscarpiastri, charles_leclerc, logansargeant, alex_albon, and 1.3m others

francolapinto we always have a hauntingly good time together

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user10 god bless his looks because that was lando level horrible puns smhhhh

user11 boy PLEASE 😭😭😭

user12 someone get y/n to start proofreading all his captions im bEGGING

oscarpiastri boooooo

↳ francolapinto i made this while drunk please forgive me ↳ carlossainz55 that somehow makes it worse ↳ landonorris...it wasn't that bad ↳ ynorris 👀👀👀

user13 ooooh spooky 👻👻👻

user14 how lando wishes franco was ever since he started dating y/n 😭😭

landonorris where are your sunglasses?

↳ francolapinto lost them ↳ landonorris ...I guess i can lend you a pair. BUT I need them back ↳ francolapinto really?! ↳ landonorris don't let it get to your head ↳ ynorris thank you big bro ☺️ ↳ landonorris you're welcome

user15 LFGGGGGGG

ynorris tagged yourbestfriend & francolapinto in a post

liked by francolapinto, landonorris, oscarpiastri, maxverstappen1, carlossainz55, and 1.3m others

ynorris bar at 9 and club at 10

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user16 god to be going out tonight 😩

user17 I KNOW THAT GHOST GOT MOOOVES!!! 👻🪩

yourbestfriend SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS

↳ ynorris EVERYBODY!!! ↳ yourbestfriend LFG!!!!

user18 Y/N and all her twins fr fr

user19 i just know they're playing bangers rn

carlossainz55 you didn't say you were going to a club!

↳ ynorris oh, i didn't?? ↳ carlossains55 NO ↳ ynorris oh...whoops? 😬 ↳ carlossainz55 YN!! ↳ ynorris gotta go!

landonorris ANSWER MY DAMN MESSAGES

↳ ynorris WHAAAAT ↳ landonorris DO YOU NEED A RIDE HOME?? ↳ ynorris NO. WE HAVE A RIDE ↳ landonorris YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL BOUT UBER ↳ francolapinto i'm giving her and the girls a ride home! i've been the guard dog all night!! ↳ landonorris ..thank you Franco. ↳ francolapinto you're welcome! ☺️

francolapinto tagged ynorris in a post

liked by ynorris, landonorris, oscarpiastri, carlossainz55, yourbestfriend, and 1.5m others

francolapinto the spookiest day deserves an even spookier night with a double date

comments on this post have been limited

charles_leclerc where was my invite?

↳ ynorris next time?? ↳ charles_leclerc RUDE!!!

oscarpiastri who took the ghost arm before me??

↳ ynorris not me ↳francolapinto i was fighting carlos for a blood bag ↳landonorris BABE IM SORRY THERE'S A SECOND ARM ↳ oscarpiastri the BETRAYAL!

carlossainz55 do we really have to watch this movie? can we not watch something else?

↳ ynorris stfu you scaredy cat ↳ carlossainz55 I AM NOT--

landonorris okay, i cave. y/n you did a great job at planning

↳ ynorris aw thanks!! 🥰 but this wasn't me ↳ landonorris what?? ↳ ynorris it was all franco. my wonderfully goofy boyfriend ↳ landonorris well--credit is due where credit is done ↳ ynorris and??? ↳ landonorris and...i guess he can stick around ↳ ynorris YES!!! ↳ oscarpiastri war is over ↳ carlossainz55 finally ↳ francolapinto WOOO!!!

francolapinto love you mi amor ❤️

↳ ynorris love you too ❤️

[julietsf1]

Push & Pull - Franco Colapinto x Reader

summary: Y/N has always kept Franco at a distance, teasing and confident that he’d never give up on her. But when he suddenly pulls away, she can’t stop thinking about him, realizing she might care more than she’s let on. Could it be that he’s been waiting for her to figure it out all along? (6k words)

Warnings: None

AN: Another one for all you hotties! If any Argentinians read this pls recommend me some things to do in Buenos Aires!! I'm visiting next month ^-^ ciao

__________________________________________

The sun hung high over the paddock, its warmth beating down on the sea of activity buzzing between the garages. I walked beside Lando, who is both my best friend in the entire world but also my worst nightmare as his PR rep. I adored him, though. Lando, as usual, was in the middle of an overly dramatic retelling of his latest training session.

But today, I wasn’t paying much attention. My focus kept drifting—not so subtly—toward someone else entirely.

“You know,” Lando said, waving his hand, helmet tucked under his arm, “if you’re hoping for another one of Franco’s smirks, maybe just walk up and wave a banner next time. Save us both the suspense. I mean, you’ve already pulled the ‘hot dress’ stunt last week.”

I flicked my eyes to the right. There he was, standing outside the Williams home, laughing with one of his engineers, completely oblivious to my presence. Green eyes and a beaming smile that could undo me with a single glance.

Lando snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Hello? Are you even listening?”

“Huh? Yeah, something about banners or your genius or something,” I muttered, my gaze still lingering on Franco.

Lando shook his head, grinning. “You’ve got it bad, don’t you?”

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Lando smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Come on, you’ve been sneaking looks the Williams motorhome since we left the garage. Just admit it. You are definitly not staring at James Vowels over there.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I scoffed, adjusting my sunglasses with forced nonchalance. “I’m just people-watching.”

“Right,” Lando said with a deadpan expression, “because there’s nothing more captivating than Franco ‘green eyes and a fluffy hair’ Colapinto.”

My lips quirked up despite myself, but before I could respond, a familiar voice cut through the paddock noise.

“Y/N! Looking for me?”

Franco’s voice carried over the chatter, as smooth and confident as ever. He strolled up with his usual big smile, and despite my best efforts, I felt my pulse quicken.

“Looking for you?” I raised an eyebrow, keeping my tone cool. “Why would I be looking for you?”

Franco grinned, leaning in just enough to make my heart skip. “Because you always do. Can’t resist me.”

Lando snorted loudly, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes at both of them. “Pretty sure I’m here for work, Franco,” I said dryly, crossing my arms. “Not to boost your ego.”

“Work?” Franco chuckled, throwing a quick glance at Lando. “Well, if that’s what it takes to finally get some one-on-one time with you, I could use a good publicist.”

I narrowed my eyes playfully. “You mean someone to clean up all the damage you do in your interviews?”

“Something like that maybe,” Franco replied, his grin widening. He leaned in slightly more, his voice lowering a bit. “But if you’re up for it, I bet we could give them something that'll really make headlines, hermosa.”

My heart skipped—he had a way of doing that. Always flirting, always smooth. I could feel Lando’s eyes practically burning holes into the side of my head, waiting for my reaction.

“Bye, Colapinto,” I teased back, tilting my head slightly. “We’re on our way to Alex. Don’t you have to focus on your practice session or something?”

Lando let out a soft, exaggerated “Ouch!” behind me.

"Point taken," Franco chuckled softly. "But don’t worry, hermosa, I’m always around when you need me."

I raised an eyebrow, holding his gaze for a moment longer before shrugging. “Of course you are.”

And just like that, I turned away, flashing a brief, teasing smile before walking straight toward Alex, who was conveniently nearby. I could practically feel Franco’s eyes on me, the way his playful mood shifted just slightly at the sight of me talking to his teammate instead of him.

Lando fell in step beside me, clearly enjoying every second of the interaction. “Wow. Just… wow. You’ve got the poor guy on the ropes, and you’re still playing it cool.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, my tone casual but a little too pleased with myself.

“Oh, come on,” Lando scoffed. “He is looking at you the way I look at capri suns while you barely even looked at him when he flirted with you. And now you’re talking to Alex? Cold-blooded.”

I shot him a side glance. “I came here to arrange a damage control golf session for you, Lando. I’m not playing any games.”

“Yeah sure,” Lando said, raising an eyebrow. “You have Alex’s number; you could just text about that. I think you needed your daily dose of Franco this morning.”

I just smiled and waved it off. “It’s just a small bonus.”

“You know, you keep this up, and Franco might actually grow a spine and stop chasing you. Then what?”

“Then I’ll cross that bridge when I get there,” I replied smoothly.

Lando shook his head, an amused smile tugging at his lips. “I’m just saying, even for me, it’s confusing whether you actually want him or not. Can’t imagine what is going on in his head.”

I glanced back over my shoulder at Franco, who was now back with his engineer, though his eyes lingered in my direction for just a second too long. I turned back to Lando, my smirk still firmly in place.

..

The post-qualifying buzz was winding down, but I was just getting started. There was just something undeniably fun about watching Franco get wound up, especially when I knew exactly how to push his buttons. He hadn’t taken his eyes off me since our earlier exchange, and that gave me all the more reason to turn up the heat.

Oscar was standing near the garage, chatting with a couple of engineers, looking completely unbothered by anything that wasn’t race-related. The perfect opportunity.

With a casual smile, I sauntered over, making sure every move was within Franco’s line of sight. I could feel his gaze burning into me, that sharp, undeniable tension building the closer I got to Oscar.

“Hey, Oscar!” I called, stepping up beside him, all friendly charm and bright smiles. “Great qualifying today. P3, right?”

Oscar chuckled, completely unaware of the storm brewing a few garages down. “Yeah, just behind Lando. He hasn’t stopped reminding me.” He rolled his eyes. “But I’ll get him back tomorrow.”

“Oh, I’m sure,” I said, leaning in just enough to make it look a little too friendly. “But you did great out there. Don’t let Lando’s big mouth get to you.”

Oscar smiled, clearly pleased by the compliment. “Thanks, Y/N. Means a lot.”

I could feel Franco’s attention prickling at the back of my neck, like a live wire sparking just out of sight. He wasn’t making a scene—yet—but I knew him well enough to know that the longer I kept this up, the more he’d unravel.

Oscar, bless him, remained blissfully unaware as I laughed at something he said, placing a hand lightly on his arm. He didn’t flinch, didn’t even notice the deliberate touch, but I knew Franco did. I didn’t need to look over to know that his jaw was probably clenched, his hands likely fisted at his sides, trying and failing to keep his cool.

“Really, Y/N?” Lando’s voice broke through, his tone dripping with amusement as he strolled up beside me. “Oscar? That’s your move?”

I blinked innocently at him. “What? We’re just having a nice chat.”

Lando shot me a knowing look. “Talk to him, sure. But, come on, this is hardly subtle.”

Oscar frowned, clearly confused. “Wait, what am I missing?”

Lando smirked, crossing his arms as he glanced toward Franco’s garage. “Only the fact that you’re a pawn in Y/N’s little game. Poor Franco looks like he’s about to storm over here any second now.”

Oscar blinked. “Franco? Why would—” He glanced in Franco’s direction, then back at me, the realization slowly dawning. “Oh. I see.”

I shrugged, still smiling. “Lando’s being dramatic, as usual.”

Lando snorted. “Am I? Because if looks could kill, Franco would’ve turned you both into toast about five minutes ago.”

Oscar looked between us, still processing what was happening. “You are not setting me up for some weird beef with Franco, right?”

I patted Oscar’s arm. “Don’t worry about it. You’re just an innocent bystander.”

Oscar, ever the polite one, chuckled awkwardly. “Uh, right. Well, I should probably get going. See you guys later.”

As soon as Oscar made his hasty retreat, Lando turned to me, a wicked grin on his face. “You are cruel. I mean, Franco’s been flirting with you for weeks, and now you’re just… torturing the poor guy.”

“I’m not torturing him,” I replied, though my smile betrayed my amusement. “He’s fine.”

Lando raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “You sure about that? He’s got the look of someone who just found out his favorite show’s been canceled.”

I shot a glance toward Franco, and sure enough, he was standing just a little too still, his jaw clenched as he glared in our direction. A thrill shot through me—he was unraveling, just like I knew he would.

“He’ll get over it,” I said, my tone light but full of mischief.

Lando sighed, leaning in with a grin. “Keep this up and Franco’s going to start writing poetry. You might want to give him a break before it gets tragic.”

My smirk grew, but there was a flicker of something else beneath it��a thrill, yes, but also a dangerous kind of enjoyment. I liked knowing I had this power over him, but at the same time, I wondered just how far I could push him before he finally snapped.

“You know, one of these days, it’s gonna get messy,” Lando teased, clearly enjoying the drama. “And when it does, I hope you’re ready.”

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t stop the tiny pang of anticipation that flared up at Lando’s words. “I’ll be fine.”

“Famous last words,” Lando quipped, casting another glance at Franco. “Seriously though, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this wound up. You’re going to need more than a PR damage control strategy when this all blows up.”

I stole one last look at Franco, who was now pretending to be engrossed in a conversation with his engineer, though his eyes kept darting over to me. The tension between us was palpable, and for a second, I felt the heat of it settle in my chest.

“It will be fine, Lando! Stop stressing so much,” I said confidently, though his warning echoed in the back of my mind.

Lando just laughed. “If you say so. But I’m getting front-row seats when it happens.”

..

The hotel lobby was dimly lit, casting a warm glow over the elegant space. I strolled in, mentally exhausted from a day of media meetings, ready to unwind. The plush chairs and quiet ambiance promised me some much-needed relaxation.

But of course, things never went as planned when Franco was around.

I spotted him instantly, leaning casually against the reception desk, chatting with a hotel staff member. The way his eyes lit up when they landed on me was unmistakable—like I was exactly what he had been waiting for.

“Y/N,” Franco called out, his voice smooth and rich as he broke into a wide grin. He abandoned the conversation with the staff member and headed straight for me, the playful glint in his eyes making my stomach flip. “Fancy running into you here.”

“Franco,” I greeted, letting my lips curve into a small smile. “You really do seem to be everywhere these days.”

“Can you really blame me?” Franco said with a playful grin, moving closer, his presence radiating that effortless charm that always set my pulse racing, his eyes trailing up and down, taking me in. “I tend to gravitate toward the best things in life.”

I laughed softly, shaking my head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously charming,” Franco corrected with a wink. “Have you eaten yet?”

The question hung in the air for a beat, and I could see the flicker of hope in his eyes. He was practically handing me the opportunity to push him a bit again.

“No, no dinner,” I answered slowly, watching as his grin widened.

“Perfect,” he said, his eyes gleaming. “What do you say we fix that? There’s this incredible little spot nearby—quiet, cozy, great steak. I could use the company.” He paused, leaning in slightly, his voice dropping a little. “Especially your company.”

I raised an eyebrow, biting back the urge to laugh at how effortlessly flirty he always was. He was good, I had to admit that. But I wasn’t about to make it that easy for him. Where’s the fun in that?

“Oh?” I said, feigning interest, though I knew exactly how I’d respond. “That sounds tempting.”

Franco’s grin grew, and he took another step closer, his hand resting on the back of a chair near us, bringing him even more into my personal space. “Most definitely. You, me, good food, and a quiet night… what’s not to like?”

I tilted my head, letting my gaze linger on him for a moment before replying. “Mmm, I don’t know, Franco. It’s been a long day. I might just head to bed.”

Franco’s expression faltered, but only for a second. He recovered quickly, his smirk never quite leaving. “We’ll keep it simple. No grand gestures, no expectations—just good food and a little company.” He leaned in, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “I promise I’ll behave.”

I laughed softly, the sound teasing. “You? Behave? I find that hard to believe.”

Franco’s grin widened, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I can be on my best behavior... if the moment calls for it.”

I gave him a slow, appraising look, letting the tension build between us. I could see the way his eyes darkened, the slight shift in his posture as he waited for my answer.

“Well,” I drawled, my voice teasing as I leaned back against the wall, “maybe another time.”

Franco’s smile fell slightly. “Another time?”

I nodded, the corners of my lips curling up as I played with him. “Yeah. I mean, you make a good offer, Franco. But I’ve got an early morning tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep.”

Franco tried to keep his cool, but I could see the flash of disappointment in his eyes.

“Beauty sleep?” he asked, his voice still carrying that flirty tone, though it was softer now. “You don’t need any of that.”

I smirked, letting my gaze flick up and down him for a brief moment. “Loving the flattery, though.”

“So, dinner tomorrow maybe?” he asked again, hopeful.

My smile turned more teasing as I gently patted his arm. “Another time.”

Franco’s smirk faltered, and he ran a hand through his hair, his confidence slipping just slightly. “You’re killing me, Y/N.”

“Not yet,” I replied, my tone light but filled with playful challenge.

Franco chuckled, though it was clear he was a little defeated. “Fine. But you owe me one.”

“Do I?” I teased, tilting my head playfully. “Goodnight, Franco.”

He watched me go, standing there in the lobby, a little defeated but still holding onto that spark of hope I’d dangled in front of him. I didn’t look back, but I could feel his eyes on me the entire way to the elevator.

As I rode up to my room, the thrill of our back-and-forth lingered. Seeing him lose his mind over me was fun—really fun—but there was something about tonight that felt different. Hurt eyes that lingered just a bit too long. Maybe I was taking it too far.

..

The next day had been a whirlwind of post-qualifying interviews and pre-race prep, but none of it could distract me from the change in Franco’s behavior. After last night’s playful banter at the hotel, I expected him to keep up the chase. But today, something was different.

No looks, no comments, nothing.

And worst of all? He was very publicly flirting with someone else. Right in the middle of the paddock.

And not just anyone—a stunning blonde journalist with a smile too bright and a laugh that seemed to come far too easily. It wasn’t the harmless banter I was used to seeing from him. No, this was something different. He was invested, leaning in close, saying something that made the blonde practically cling to his every word.

Irritation flared in me, but I did my best to mask it.

“You’re being weird,” Lando remarked, raising his eyebrows as he caught me staring across the road of the McLaren motorhome. “Did you swallow a lemon or something?”

“I’m not being weird,” I snapped, a little too quickly, my eyes still fixed on Franco as he threw his head back, laughing at something the journalist said. “He’s… being weird.”

Lando followed my gaze, and a slow grin spread across his face. “Ah, I see. You’re not used to this, are you?”

“Used to what?” I tried to play it cool but was failing miserably.

Lando laughed. “Used to him not obsessing over your every move.”

I rolled my eyes. “Please, I really do not care.”

“I called it.” Lando smirked, leaning against the wall, clearly enjoying himself. “Looks like Franco’s finally had enough of your games.”

The words hit me harder than I expected. Sick of chasing after me? That couldn’t be it. Franco had always flirted with me, always seemed like he enjoyed our interactions as much as I did. And now? Now he was acting like I didn’t exist. Not even a glance in my direction.

I crossed my arms, trying to maintain an air of indifference, but Lando could see right through it. “He cannot be sick of me.”

Lando raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know, darling, but it looks like he’s pretty content chatting up Blondie over there.”

I gritted my teeth. “He’s just being polite.”

“Uh-huh,” Lando said, the grin never leaving his face. “Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

I stole another glance toward Franco, who was now laughing again at something else the blonde said, his hand resting on the bar beside her. The ease of it, the fact that he wasn’t sparing me even a glance, gnawed at me.

Lando chuckled. “Wow. Easy there, tiger. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.”

“Like what?” I snapped, my frustration bubbling to the surface.

“So worked up and jealous,” Lando said with a shrug. “He’s just having a good chat with the sexy Spanish lady, and you’re over here, practically steaming.”

“I’m not jealous,” I bit out, my voice sharper than I intended.

Lando raised his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, I’m just calling it like I see it. I haven’t seen you this stressed since I my DM’s leaked last year. If you really care, you might want to do something about this before he completely forgets about you.”

My pulse quickened. Leave it to Lando to offer up some brutal honesty. The idea of Franco actually moving on, of him getting over me, didn’t sit right. Not at all. I had enjoyed the back-and-forth with him, the flirting, the tension. But this? No. This was not good.

“And then there’s the padel match yesterday evening,” Lando added, casually tossing out the words like a grenade.

I blinked, confused. “The what now?”

“Franco,” Lando explained, smiling a bit awkwardly now. “He went on a padel date with that journalist yesterday. It’s all over the paddock.”

My stomach twisted, but I forced myself to keep my expression neutral. “So what? He can play padel with whoever he wants.”

Lando’s grin widened. “Right. Because you’re totally not bothered by the fact that he’s off playing padel and flirting with someone else.”

“I’m most certainly not,” I shot back, my voice sharper than intended.

Lando laughed, leaning in closer as if he’d just discovered the punchline to his favorite joke. “Oh, you so are. It’s written all over your face.”

I clenched my jaw, glaring at him. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure, sweetie,” Lando said, clearly not buying it. “What is it that they say? You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone or something.”

My eyes flicked back to Franco, and I felt that familiar twinge of irritation. He still hadn’t looked my way. Normally, by now, he’d have come over with one of his cheeky comments, trying to make me smile. But now? He was completely engrossed in his conversation with the journalist, as if I didn’t exist.

“He’s just trying to make me jealous,” I muttered, more to myself than to Lando.

Lando snickered. “I don’t know, Y/N, maybe he’s already over you.”

The comment hit me, and for a moment, my usual confidence wavered. I felt the sting of it—not as a challenge, but as something that didn’t sit right in my chest. Franco moving on? That wasn’t supposed to happen.

“Yeah, okay,” I muttered, more to myself than to Lando, my voice not as steady as I would’ve liked. I tried to brush it off, but it still lingered.

Lando noticed the shift in my tone, his smirk softening slightly. “Whoa, I was just messing around. I didn’t mean to—”

I forced a small smile, waving him off. “It’s fine. I just… wasn’t expecting that, I guess.” I paused, then shrugged. “Anyway, whatever. He’ll come around. Maybe.”

Lando looked like he was about to say something else, but I was already walking off, my thoughts swirling with what-ifs. I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much, but I wasn’t about to dwell on it—not yet.

But the unease lingered.

..

The day hadn’t gone as expected. Franco spent the entire afternoon being... different. Detached, even. Chatting up what felt like all the girls in the paddock, from catering staff to marshals. Especially that blonde journalist. The thought made my stomach twist in a way I wasn’t used to.

I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I needed to talk about this, and who better than the girls?

As I walked into the small café where I was meeting up with Kika and Alexandra, I took a deep breath. The quiet buzz of conversation and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, but my mind was far from grounded.

Kika spotted me first, waving me over with a wide grin. “There she is! Come sit, we were just talking about you.”

I slid into the booth, trying to force a smile. “All good things, I hope?”

Alexandra gave me a soft, knowing look, but Kika, ever the lively one, was quick to dive in. “Of course! But you look stressed. Spill.”

I sighed, glancing between the two of them. “It’s... Franco.”

Kika’s eyes lit up immediately, like she’d just been handed a fresh piece of juicy gossip. “Ah, your fanboy. What did he do now?”

“It’s not what he did exactly,” I said, picking at the edge of the menu absentmindedly. “It’s more what he didn’t do.”

Alexandra leaned in slightly, her voice calm and curious. “What do you mean?”

I let out a frustrated breath. “He’s been different. Ever since last night. He asked me to dinner, I played with him a little—kept things flirty, but didn’t say yes. And now, today, he’s... ignoring me. He spent all day flirting with that blonde journalist.”

Kika raised an eyebrow, sitting back with a smirk. “So, you’re saying you miss the attention?”

“No!” I replied quickly, but the doubt in my voice betrayed me. “It’s not that. It’s just... I don’t get why he suddenly doesn’t care. He’s been chasing me for weeks.”

Alexandra gave a small smile, her eyes gentle. “Maybe he’s tired of the chase.”

I frowned, not liking the sound of that at all. “Tired of the chase?”

“Yeah,” Kika chimed in, her tone playful but pointed. “Maybe the poor guy finally got sick of working so hard. He’s been trying and trying, but you’ve been making him run in circles.”

I crossed my arms, feeling more defensive than I liked. “He knew what this was. It’s just... fun.”

Kika snorted. “Fun for who? Hard to get gets exhausting after a while, sweetie.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but Alexandra spoke first, her voice soft but firm. “Y/N, maybe it’s more than just a game to him. And from what I’m hearing, maybe it’s more to you too, but you’re not ready to admit that.”

I hesitated, the words striking closer to home than I wanted to admit. I’d always enjoyed the back-and-forth with Franco, the way he chased me, how easy it was to keep him on edge. But today? Today felt different. Seeing him flirt with someone else... it bothered me more than it should.

“You think I actually like him?” I asked, trying to keep my voice casual but failing miserably.

Kika grinned, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Oh, sweetie, you don’t just like him. You’re jealous.”

I scowled, pushing my hair back as if the action would help me regain some control. “I’m not jealous.”

“Uh-huh,” Kika teased, leaning forward. “That’s why you’ve been stewing all day.”

Alexandra, ever the caring one, placed a gentle hand on my arm. “It’s okay to admit it. Sometimes, these things sneak up on you.”

I looked between the two of them, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion. Had I really let it get this far? Was I jealous? The idea of Franco actually moving on, actually losing interest in me, made my chest tighten in a way that was entirely unfamiliar.

“What do I do?” I finally asked, my voice quieter now, the bravado gone.

Kika’s eyes sparkled with excitement, leaning in with a mischievous grin. “Alright, here’s the plan: tonight, we’re going out, and you’re going to look amazing. We’ll remind Franco exactly why he’s been chasing you all this time. By the end of the night, he won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”

She paused, her grin widening. “Trust me, he’ll forget those other girls even exist.”

Alexandra smiled softly. “Or, you could just talk to him. Tell him how you feel.”

Kika waved that suggestion off. “Yeah, we’ll get to that part eventually. First, we make him sweat a little.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Kika’s enthusiasm, but Alexandra’s words lingered. Maybe I did need to talk to him. But not yet. Not until I figured out exactly what I wanted to say—and what I wanted from him.

“Alright,” I said, a new determination settling over me. “Let’s go out tonight.”

Kika grinned like she had just won the lottery. “That’s my girl. Franco won’t know what hit him.”

The thought of seeing Franco’s reaction later sent a thrill through me, but there was something else too—something that was still unresolved, simmering just below the surface. For now, though, I was ready to play this game one last time.

..

Later that evening, the city was alive with music and lights, and I found myself standing in front of a mirror, adjusting the dress Kika had practically forced me into. It was sleek, eye-catching, and made me feel like I owned the night. I had to admit—Kika’s plan to make an impression was already working, and we hadn’t even left the hotel yet.

Kika and Alexandra stood behind me, both beaming with approval.

“Perfect,” Kika declared, crossing her arms with satisfaction. “Franco won’t know what hit him.”

Alexandra smiled softly, leaning against the wall. “You do look stunning, Y/N. But remember—don’t do this just for him. Do it because you feel good.”

I met her eyes in the mirror and gave a small nod. “Yeah, I know.” But there was no denying it—tonight, I wanted Franco to see exactly what he’d been missing. The uncertainty of the day still gnawed at me, but if nothing else, I would remind him who had the upper hand.

“Alright, ladies, let’s go,” Kika said with a dramatic flourish. “The night awaits, and so does your boy.”

I rolled my eyes at the nickname, but I couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto my face. Maybe tonight was exactly what I needed—a chance to reset and reclaim my confidence.

The club was packed, the music pulsing through the air as we stepped inside. Neon lights flashed over the crowd, and the atmosphere buzzed with energy. My heart beat in time with the rhythm, a sense of anticipation building.

It didn’t take long for me to spot Franco.

He was standing by the bar, drink in hand, surrounded by a few friends. And, of course, the blonde journalist was there too, her laughter ringing out a little too loud, her hand lingering a little too long on Franco’s arm. But she wasn’t the issue. The only one who mattered was Franco.

Kika nudged me, leaning in to whisper. “Time to work your magic.”

I smirked but kept my focus forward as we passed by the bar, brushing deliberately close to Franco. I didn’t turn to look at him—just a quick glance from the corner of my eye—but I knew he saw me.

Yet, he didn’t move. Didn’t even shift in my direction.

We ordered drinks right next to him, deliberately positioning ourselves in eyesight of Franco. I let my fingers trail across my glass, playing with the straw, while Kika and Alexandra chatted away. The music thumped around us, and the atmosphere was thick with excitement. But still, no reaction from Franco.

Finally, I allowed myself a glance over—just a flick of my eyes—but he was still talking to his group, completely ignoring me. He seemed annoyingly relaxed, easygoing, but he wasn’t focusing on anyone in particular, not even the blonde in front of him. That was a small relief, but his lack of attention toward me stung more than I’d expected.

My stomach tightened with frustration, but I wasn’t about to give up just yet. With a subtle nod to Kika and Alexandra, we moved to the dance floor. If he wasn’t going to come to me, then I’d have to make him notice.

The music vibrated through the club, and I let myself get lost in it, dancing with my friends, feeling the beat in my bones. I moved with confidence, my body swaying to the rhythm, knowing Franco had to be watching. But every now and then, when I glanced back, he was still at the bar—no smirk, no playful look, just the occasional unreadable glance in my direction.

Minutes passed, and my frustration grew. Franco didn’t bat an eye, wasn’t chasing me like he usually did. My attempts to get his attention were falling flat, and the game I’d been so sure of was slipping away.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” I muttered to Kika, feeling a flicker of defeat rise in my chest.

Kika gave me a sympathetic look. “Take a breather. He’ll come around.”

I nodded, but I wasn’t sure I believed it. I made my way through the crowd, the thumping bass and flashing lights pressing in on me. The night wasn’t supposed to go like this. It felt like Franco was slipping out of my grasp, and the sting of that realization made my chest tighten.

As I reached the hallway leading to the bathroom, my mind raced. Had I pushed him too far? Was this it?

Just as I reached for the door, a hand wrapped gently around my wrist, pulling me back. My breath hitched, and I turned to find Franco standing close, his eyes fixed on mine with a steady intensity.

He didn’t look amused. He looked... focused.

“Going somewhere?” he asked, his voice low but full of that teasing edge I was used to.

My heart raced, my frustration still simmering beneath the surface. “I was.”

Franco didn’t let go of my wrist. Instead, he stepped closer, his other hand resting lightly on my waist. His eyes never left mine, and the heat between us was undeniable.

“You’ve been oddly close to me and my friends all night, hermosa,” he said, his voice smooth and confident. “Staring at me through the crowd.”

I blinked, thrown by his words. “What?”

Franco’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile. “You really think I didn’t notice you? I’ve been watching you since you walked in.”

My pulse quickened, but I kept my tone steady. “You had a funny way of showing it.”

Franco chuckled softly, his hand tightening slightly on my waist. “I wasn’t ignoring you. I was waiting.”

“Waiting?” I repeated, my frustration now mixed with confusion.

Franco nodded, leaning in slightly, his smirk growing. “I knew you cared. All that running around trying to get my attention tonight—it was cute, really.”

My breath caught in my throat as his words sank in. This whole time, he’d been in control. He hadn’t been ignoring me—he’d been making me chase him.

“You—” I started, but Franco cut me off with a laugh.

“I wanted to see you try a little,” he teased, his voice dripping with amusement. “I’ve been trying to get you for weeks, Y/N. Figured maybe if I pulled away, you’d realize what you were missing. And, well... it worked, didn’t it?”

My heart raced, my frustration melting into something else, something like relief. “Well, I hope you’re satisfied.”

Franco chuckled softly, his eyes darkening with a mix of amusement and something more. “Hmm... almost.”

Before I could respond, Franco closed the distance between us, his hand sliding from my waist to the small of my back, pulling me against him in one swift, confident movement. His other hand cupped my jaw, thumb grazing my skin as his lips met mine with a slow, teasing pressure. The kiss started soft, almost playful, his lips brushing over mine in deliberate, controlled movements, like he was savoring the moment. Then, without warning, the intensity surged, the kiss deepening as Franco pressed me closer, his lips firm and demanding against mine.

I felt the heat radiating from him, my pulse quickening as my fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt, twisting it tightly as I pulled him closer. His hand tightened at my waist, fingers digging in slightly as if grounding us both in the moment. His lips moved with a passionate rhythm, his kisses deeper now, bolder, his breath mixing with mine as he tilted my head just enough to angle our kiss perfectly.

My hands slid from his chest to his shoulders, fingers brushing over the firm muscles beneath his shirt as I pressed myself fully against him. Franco’s grip on my waist shifted slightly, one hand slipping to my hip, guiding me even closer. His kisses grew more urgent, his lips parting to allow just a hint of his breath to escape before he claimed my mouth again, the heat between us spiking as the kiss intensified.

I responded in kind, my heart racing as my hands slid into his hair, fingers tangling in the strands as I pulled him deeper into the kiss. Franco’s fingers curled against my waist, the firm grip of his hands sending shivers through my body as his lips captured mine again.

When we finally pulled apart, breathless and flushed, Franco’s forehead rested lightly against mine. His thumb gently traced my lower lip, his smirk widening as he held me close, his hands still possessively gripping my waist, as if even now, he wasn’t quite ready to let go.

“Took a while, but we got there,” he murmured, his voice rough with satisfaction.

My pulse was racing, my mind still spinning from the kiss. I opened my mouth to respond but found myself at a loss for words. My heart thudded in my chest, and I felt the heat rising in my cheeks.

“I—” I stammered, flustered but smiling despite myself. “Maybe... maybe I cared more than I let on.”

Franco’s grin widened, his hand sliding gently from my waist to brush a strand of hair away from my face. “See? Not so hard to admit, was it, hermosa?”

I let out a soft, nervous laugh, my eyes dropping briefly before meeting his again. “Guess not.”

Franco leaned in, his lips brushing my forehead with a light, teasing touch. “Told you—you can’t resist me.”

“Don’t let it go to your head,” I managed, but the blush in my cheeks and the way my voice wavered betrayed my attempt at being unaffected.

Franco’s grin widened as he pulled me even closer, his voice warm and full of teasing affection. “Too late,” he said softly. “But nice try.”

Without missing a beat, he wrapped me tighter in his arms, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. After a lingering moment, he loosened his hold just enough to meet my eyes, his teasing smirk fading into something softer, more serious.

“You know I’m not letting you go now, right?” he murmured, his voice dropping with sincerity, his green eyes locking with mine in a way that made my heart skip.

I swallowed, feeling a rush of emotions I wasn’t prepared for. For weeks, I’d been pushing and pulling, testing the limits of our back-and-forth game, but this—this was different. There was no playful banter now, no teasing. Just him, holding me close, looking at me like he had been waiting for this moment all along. It made me question why I ever found joy in keeping my distance from him.

“I think I’d be okay with that,” I whispered, my smile soft and genuine.

[mywritersmind]

DROWN IT OUT - LN4

summary : a very drunken night makes for some very drunken mistakes.

listen up : dirty jokes. kissing. lando norris x zakbrownsdaughter!reader. sort of toxic reader.

word count : 1205

⋆｡‧˚⋆

I laugh as my friends and I walk through the club, getting to skip the line (thank you mick my favorite bouncer!). I pull my little black dress down, holding my friend's hand tightly as we maneuver through the crowd.

I grin even wider when I see Oscar and Franco, standing with drinks in their hands while talking. “Blue and Orange! My favs!” They turn me, wondering who’s screaming at them.

“Ay! Y/n!” Franco hugs me, clearly tipsy and even louder than usual, “You're here!”

Oscar laughs at Franco before messing up my hair, “Hey! Have you seen Lily?” I shake my head.

“I’d be with her if I saw her here! Better than you two.” I take Franco’s drink from his hand, tasting it before coughing, “Freak!”

“Uncultured!” He yells back at me as I shake my head and make my way to the bar, ordering my first drink of many.

Once my friends find me again, my night seems to blur a bit. I’m dancing with them, then some guy, then Franco?

“Got an audience, Y/n.” He whispers in my ear, his hands on my arms. I look to where he’s pointing to and silently swear to myself.

Lando Norris takes no measures to pretend he’s not staring at me. I raise a brow and he raises his glass. Franco shivers next to me, “I could cut the tension with a knife!” I shake my head, grabbing Franco’s hand and pulling him out of sight from Lando.

I find my friends who are with Oscar and Lily. I scream and hug the girl as he giggles. I sip my drink while throwing my hands up in the air, twirling around to the music.

The club is stuffy and loud, the smell of smoke all around us. I jump in my heels because the alcohol in my system is numbing my feet pain. I flip my hair back so it’s out of my face, wishing I had a hair tie.

I continue to dance, swinging my hips and singing alone before I back up into someone. His hands are on my hips in an instant to stop me from falling further, “Brown.” he leans down to whisper it in my ear as my back is still facing him.

My eyes widen, I turn around quickly before crossing my arms, Lando’s hands leaving me for his pockets, “Norris.”

“You look really good.” I ignore the slight smile that forces its way onto my lips and focus on his voice instead.

I look him up and down, the all black doing something to me that I can’t explain… I bite my lip and look up at him, “You too. Great race today.”

We’re in Austin and the clench of his jaw tells me everything I need to know, “You’re funny.” he deadpans.

“So I've been told!” I smile widely as he leans down a bit so I can hear him. I look at him flirtatiously, “Dance with me?”

He shakes his head, wiping down his face as he looks at me. Fuck, the way he looks at me. He wants to, I know he does. He shakes his head anyways.

I roll my eyes, “Right, I forgot your my dads golden boy!”

His expression hardens, “He wouldn’t like you starting anything, either.”

“I’m his baby girl!” I smile innocently, “I do no wrong.”

“Yeah until you get too close to me. Why is it, just me? I feel like he gets antsy when you’re even a garage away.”

I laugh, “Because you- ” poking my finger at his chest, almost hitting the ‘4’ dangling from his neck. It’s a perfect reminder why I can’t do the things I want to do with him. “Are Lando Norris. And Oscar is happily glued to Lily! I don’t know if you know this…” I whisper in his ear, “But you’ve sort of got a fuck boy reputation.”

He pushes his hand through his curls, and I watch his arm go up and down. I hate myself for being attracted to him but damn is he good looking.

This makes a smirk grow on his face, tilting his head down, “He’d kill me.”

I smile, “I wouldn’t mind! The things we’d do aren't the sort of thing I'd tell my dad.”

His smile drops, taking a breath, “You make a convincing point. Still, no though.”

I sigh dramatically and back away, “Fine! Remember, Norris. My lips are always here for you!” I wink and walk away, joining my friends and letting Franco place his hand on my hip, knowing he’s watching.

⋆｡‧˚⋆

I met Lando the first day he signed with Mclaren. He was younger, we both were. We were never friends, we didn’t see each other much because I was busy with Uni.

This year however, has been different. Very different. It’s like I missed four years and suddenly Lando got hot, flirty, and cocky.

But I still think back to that day when we first met, it was the day that my dad saw Lando and I smile at each other, he immediately vetoed any relationship with the McLaren drivers, or any other for that matter.

Lando knows this. He thinks it makes him more interesting to me, maybe he’s right.

I slam my phone back down on the table, a little drunk and severely pissed off.

“Your dad?” Lily asks me, Oscar’s arms are wrapped around her as he listens in.

I nod, “I just- Ugh! I can’t stand him sometimes.”

Oscar laughs, “I hear that.” I sometimes forget that other people have options on my dad. It’s sort of weird to me.

I sigh and down the rest of my drink, quite drunk and scanning the room before I can talk myself out of it.

“I’ll be back.” I mumble, setting my eyes on Lando and striding towards him. He’s talking to Carlos and Franco, a drink in his hand. “Norris!”

I yell, moving around the people who are annoyingly in my way. He turns to me, standing up straighter with a brow raised. I march right up to him, taking his hands in my face and kissing him.

He freezes for a second before grabbing my waist with one hand and kissing me back. This was what I wanted and it feels damn good. I can taste the alcohol on him, he smells like cologne.

People whistle and cheer around us. It takes my hand moving to Lando’s hair for him to back away from me.

He’s out of breath and licking his lips. He shakes his head, “Y/n.” I can tell he’s drank as much as me, he closes his eyes and breathes before the grip on my waist tightens, except he’s moving me away from him.

I know what he’s going to say by the look in his eye, he leans closer to no one can hear what he says except me, “I don’t want to be a way you piss off your dad.”

I frown, “Come on, Lando!”

“Come to me when you’re sober and not pissed off.” He shakes his head, still holding onto his drink as he walks away.

[inchidentally]

just me flipping out over landoscar over the past 48hrs :)

ohhh GOODDDDD the way the commentary here is already perfect but just to add!! both shuffle about and seem to do a little of their creepy unspoken communication and then both immediately slip their arms around each other at the same time before they both look over to Max at the same time. bc the slightly scary bonded little McLaren creatures need to remember the rest of the grid exists sometimes ;__;

a-amvryllis

also the fact that Oscar's growth spurt over the winter really is visible when they're stood this close

and yet he's still the same awkward recent-growth-spurts young lad that got delivered to Lando's driver's room last season. he doesn't know what to do in front of cameras and his instinct is still to have Lando dancing and sparkling like the natural star he is so that Oscar can stand just a bit behind and fulfill his own publicity quota by reacting to whatever Lando is getting up to

mecachrome

THE CHEST TAP ohhhh the way that Oscar requires very little physical touch and Lando craves it and they've just… figured it out !! Lando squeezes Oscar's shoulder, taps his arm, initiates a handshake, shuffles back a little bc Oscar's always standing just behind him, snuggles closer to him when they're in cars for the drivers parade and it's remotely cold… and taps Oscar's chest as a 'thank you'

bc for Oscar, he gets his emotional fill through his eyes. while he's perfectly content with most people to do glances and hold eye contact when someone's speaking directly to him. but his eyes l i n g e r where he's especially fond or affectionate or in love. he watches Lily when she's looking at other people, he watched Logan for when he seemed lonely or when they were talking and Logan would stare out at the crowd, and g o ddddddd does he love to watch Lando. you can track his eyes as they trace Lando's features and the way his smile responds to watching Lando's mouth.

yet there's also the way they've learned each other's ways of expressing care/affection/checking in bc Lando can trust that Oscar will be looking to him when something is awkward or unsure, and Oscar can trust that Lando will come to him and let him know how he's feeling aaaaaaand I just think that's !!!

bc no bromance, no cultivating a dynamic or relationship by blending their social lives, no performing in any way. all of their little hallmarks are the most unplanned, unintentional sweet things like the nicknames Lando accidentally started and only continued bc it makes Oscar so happy, to Oscar's hearteyes that he absolutely surely must know fandom teases him about but doesn't bother to change. them being opposites in certain things and then eerily similar in others.

all of it comes back to the way they communicate in ways everyone else has to interpret to understand - and even then it's not like we ever get to see the stuff they think and talk about behind their little privacy door and in the downtime we know they have but that isn't documented. like, I don't want to stretch too far by implying something too intense or specific but there's definitely a Their Own World kind of thing happening. whether or not it's smth they've specifically knowingly cultivated or if it's just naturally how their dynamic shakes out.

bc we all love to joke that Oscar's jealous of Carlos or Daniel or Franco - but then he brings them up on his own in friendly ways and is a very definite carlando! and ppl wanted to make a lot out of Lando openly complaining to an audience that Oscar doesn't like enough of the same thing as him so they don't hang out as much as he does other drivers he knows. but then after that they immediately start playing padel and oh it's okay now! it literally was as simple as Lando not knowing Oscar was up for padel even if golf and regular partying won't be! and that shared activities are not a defining quality of a relationship and Lando said "spends the least time with off track" about Oscar and not "likes the least" or "has the least interest in" lasfgslajgfsalf

and like, I'm always saying how of course they'll have the usual teammate fights or spats or tensions at some point! it happens! Lando is deeply ingratiated into Max V's life socially - moreso than anyone else on the grid with Lando - but they're ever so slightly on ice at the moment bc they're too similar when it comes to competitiveness. but they'll be back to normal when the season - or the WDC race - is done and finished. and nobody likes to document it for good reason but Carlos and Lando have had plenty of challenging moments and many a 'see?? we're fine!!' golf excursions or fan service videos to smooth an issue over (including the worst gifs of all time that I can't find anymore where Lando straight up looked murderous). and then ofc the "I don't feel sorry for him" Lando/Daniel DTS stuff that caused such a fandom headache. and Oscar's always had a very simple, on track the job is to win unless instructed otherwise and then off the track we interact as people not drivers. so it's fully normal to expect situations where they're not happy w each other and it shows! but it hasn't yet and that's honestly kind of weird!! esp when they don't have the big broey type of friendship that Lando's had with his other two teammates - you'd honestly expect him to feel more at ease in showing it when he's pissed off with Oscar bc there's nothing to keep up for fandom/PR sake and no messiness with shared friend groups etc to worry about. but he's cultivated an exceptionally and very pointed approach of This Is My Team and My Job/I'm Established, He Is Not Yet/I'm The Experienced One where he sees the team unity as especially important for him to publicly present and assert. like, for all he hated the idea of being the older one and no longer baby brother, he's responded to Low Maintenance Watchful Oscar in the long run as someone's he needs to take care of and whose place in the team is partly his own responsibility. he's not just one of the drivers, he's The Guy at McLaren and Oscar's extremely painful induction into the team and F1 with basically the whole world praying for his downfall was so vastly opposite to his own gradual and loving introduction that it's clear he's taking their disparities into account. a LOT. this moment being a prime example of him correcting fans because of that. and probably also an uncomfortable awareness of the segment of his own fandom who are able to inflict a special kind of hell on anyone they view as not 100% serving Lando, the object of their unhinged obsession and bias.

like, it's a side note I'll prob never be able to go too deeply into for just that reason^^ but this viewing Lando as a permanent victim whose every good deed is seen as Not Necessary and ignoring the huge differences in position within this sport and within McLaren between him and Oscar - and simply slotting Oscar into a space Carlos and Daniel held - totally undermines Lando's real life growth as a man who does understand that disparity and does appreciate that Oscar inhabits a space totally his own and nothing to do with his older, experienced teammates - and also a man who is saying and doing these things about teamwork and appreciation for Oscar in a way that responds to those differences while not remotely expecting Oscar to mimic or parrot it back because they're not equals in the sport or with the team (which makes logical sense !!) and they're not what Lando was with Carlos or Daniel. and in all the insanity I feel like this coddling, constantly pitying and victimized approach that still hearkens back to Lando being The Baby on the team - completely fails to show him appreciation for who he actually has become and what he actually does and says that is so specifically commendable and shows such growth and strength that is so admirable. the constant expectation that he's saying and doing these things in any way that expects Oscar to copy or mirror him - when their positions could not be more different or imbalanced !!!! - and ignoring the way Lando actually doesn't expect that and that he receives gratitude and appreciation from Oscar in a way that is unique to Oscar bc everyone is different !! by viewing Lando as always perfection and never in the wrong and any good deed being automatically greater than anyone else's good deed, he is cut off from authentic appreciation and praise of the individual real life complex person he actually is and that such flat, default levels of adoration will ring meaningless to him compared to people who can objectively give him praise him as objectively as they see his flaws !! and that's why Max F is his lifelong best friend above all others ! anyway !!!!!

and like. idk. part of me feels a suspicion that this private little world Lando and Oscar have - that they cultivated around the time they decided to pull a lot of their relationship off of social media and not use it for PR (apart from the bog standard team media) - is also them wisely deciding to keep their negotiation of this new front runner craziness entirely to themselves. bc of course things aren't all sunshine and roses between them all the time, but what's clear is how mutually and maturely they've approached each new bout of drama. especially considering they're so young and everyone expected that to be the downfall to Zak's plot to have two young generational talents. and EVERY time it would make perfect sense for them to snipe at each other through the press or be caught feeling cold toward each other - or someone strategically edits or crops media to make it look so - they're huddled together somewhere giggling or playing board games or sharing junk food ;__; the brain rot of stan culture threatens to destroy fandom experience for everyone else but meanwhile the objects of their obsession are sharing a conspiratorial look and grinning at each other.

like… Netflix AND an F1 reporter have quite literally goaded and begged for them to fight and hate each other and each time Oscar boldly steps forward with that cool expression and undermines the effort, with Lando literally cheering him on <3 <3

[swiftiethatlovesf1]

A race for love p.9

Hii guyss, I hope you enjoy this part and if you've missed, part 8 or the other parts you can find them on my masterlist.

- Silverstone 2023 -

You wake up with a smile, the memories of last night flooding back—Franco’s sweet words, the kiss, the excitement of being with him. Just as you’re about to get lost in the memory, your phone buzzes. It's a message from Franco, and your heart skips a beat.

Franco: Morning, princesa. Last night was fun, but I miss you already.

You bite your lip, feeling your cheeks warm as you type back.

You: Morning! Yeah, last night was amazing. I had so much fun too. Are you always this charming this early, or is it just with me?

Franco: Only with you.

You smile, unable to stop the giddiness rising within you.

You: I miss you too. I hope you aren’t causing too much trouble in the F3 paddock without me.

Franco: Nah, it’s boring without you. I mean, what’s the point of winning races if I don’t get a kiss from you afterward?

You laugh, rolling your eyes at his playful tone.

You: Win the race, and we’ll see what happens. 😉

Franco: Deal. Now hurry up and come see me—I need some luck.

But before you can reply, your phone rings again. It’s your dad.

“Where are you?” he asks, sounding a bit frantic. “We’re short-handed today, and I need you at McLaren. It’s race day, Y/N! We’re swamped.”

Sighing, you know there’s no avoiding the chaos. “On my way, Dad,” you answer, reluctantly setting aside your conversation with Franco.

You arrive at McLaren, where the morning blurs in a flurry of activity. Lando’s pole has everyone on edge, preparing for what’s likely to be a thrilling race. You spend most of the day helping the crew, darting around to make sure everything is in place. Unfortunately, that means no time to sneak away to see Franco as you'd hoped.

However, Franco’s texts keep you smiling throughout the chaos.

Franco: Not even a quick break to come say hi? I’m hurt.

You: I’m stuck helping my dad! But I’m sending you virtual kisses for good luck.

Franco: Virtual? Come on, Y/N, I deserve the real thing after last night.

You: Maybe later.

After the race, things get wild. Lando finishes second, and the team is ecstatic. The motorhome becomes a mini-celebration, with everyone cheering, clapping, and passing drinks around. Seeing an opportunity to slip away unnoticed, you sneak out and head toward the F3 paddock to find Franco.

As you walk, you type out a quick message to Franco, letting him know you're on your way. Before you can hit send, you hear a familiar voice behind you.

“Y/N!”

You turn to see Oliver approaching, a curious expression on his face. “Did you ever figure out who sent you that weird message?” he asks.

You shake your head. “Not yet, but I talked to Franco about it.”

Oliver’s eyebrows raise slightly. “And?”

“I trust him. He didn’t seem to know anything about it, and he was pretty upset that someone would write that,” you explain, sensing that Oliver has more to say on the matter.

His lips press into a thin line, and after a moment, he lets out a small sigh. “I still think it’s odd. You should be careful.”

You nod, though you feel a twinge of doubt. “You’re right. It’s just… I don’t know who else it could be. It’s a little unnerving.”

Oliver’s gaze softens, and he hesitates before speaking again. “You know, if anything else happens, you should keep me posted.” He pauses, then adds, “Do you mind if I get your number? Just in case.”

Caught off guard, you smile and nod. “Sure.” You exchange numbers quickly, and just as you’re about to continue your conversation, another voice interrupts.

“Hey, you must be Y/N!”

You look up to see Kimi Antonelli, the Formula Regional driver, smiling brightly as he walks over to you and Oliver. “I’ve heard about you,” Kimi says with a grin, shaking your hand. “Nice to finally meet you.”

You laugh at his enthusiasm. “Nice to meet you too, Kimi.”

For a few minutes, the three of you chat casually, the lighthearted conversation making you forget the tension surrounding the mysterious message for a moment. Kimi’s energy is infectious, and you feel yourself relax. But just as things start to feel normal again, your phone buzzes with another message from your dad.

“Where are you? We’re packing up soon, and I need you back at McLaren.”

“Sorry, guys,” you say, glancing at Oliver and Kimi. “I have to get back. My dad’s leaving.”

Oliver nods, but his expression remains thoughtful. “Take care, Y/N. And seriously—if anything else happens, let me know.”

With a quick wave, you head back toward the McLaren motorhome, your mind racing with thoughts about the strange message, Franco, and what the rest of the weekend might bring. Something still doesn’t sit right, but for now, you push those thoughts aside, determined to get through the day.

As you head back toward the McLaren motorhome, you send Franco a quick text, letting him know what’s going on.

You: Hey, I have to head back. My dad’s getting ready to leave, and they need me to help pack up. We probably won’t get a chance to see each other until Spa… I can’t go to Budapest because I need to move into my dorm for the term.

You feel a little disappointed as you press send, realizing just how much you’ll miss him over the next few weeks. Your phone vibrates moments later with his reply.

Franco: Aw, that sucks. I was hoping to spend more time with you.

You smile at his honesty.

You: I know, me too. But maybe we can FaceTime later tonight? I want to hear all about your day.

Franco: Of course. I’ll give you a full report, but I’ll need something in return.

You chuckle, already knowing where this is headed.

You: Oh yeah? And what’s that?

Franco: Another date when I see you at Spa. I miss you already.

You can’t help the flutter in your chest as you read his message.

You: Deal. I miss you too.

Franco: Good. But I expect at least an hour on FaceTime tonight. I need my Y/N fix.

You: An hour? That’s a lot of talking time but I'm sure you won't have a problem with that.

Franco: I’ll make an exception for you. And maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll get to see that smile of yours again.

Your heart skips a beat, the flirty banter making your cheeks warm.

You: You’re so cheesy, Franco.

Franco: Only for you, princesa. Can’t wait to see you on my screen later.

You: Can’t wait either. Good luck with everything today, and don’t forget about me while you’re out there impressing everyone.

Franco: Never. You’re stuck in my mind.

With that final message, you tuck your phone away, a smile playing on your lips. Even though you won’t see him for a while, knowing he’s thinking about you makes the wait a little easier. And as much as you hate the idea of being apart, you’re already looking forward to seeing him again at Spa—and the FaceTime call tonight to hear all about his day.

You might not know where this is all headed, but you can’t deny how excited you are to find out.

Part 10

Tag list: @hs2016

[livelaughghoul]

Austin 2024 Sprint Race Prediction

Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only, nothing observed or taken away from this should be considered fact.

So I used a newer tarot deck than my usual deck (which is literally falling apart), and I’ll be honest, I’m not meshing with this new deck at all. I’m not thrilled with any of the readings I’ve done with this new deck, and I’m sorry about that because I really feel like I’m not able to fully get into it because I just feel like the vibes are off.

Anyways, here is the prediction for the sprint race!

P1 - Max Verstappen - Six of Pentacles

This one is all about the amount of resources you have, what’s available, what’s missing, and the level of knowledge you have. Im going to assume that Max feels way more comfortable with the car, and feel like he just has more, ya know? I think that we’ll hear the anthem tomorrow, I don’t think we’ll see a change in his finishing position.

P2 - George Russell - Nine of Swords, reversed

I’m going to need a therapist to check in how Mercedes as a whole is doing, not just George (I think he needs it the most though). In the reversal position, I’m guessing that he’s stuck in his own head about what went wrong, what he needs to improve on, and just over analyzing everything. I don’t think we’ll see him on podium tomorrow for the sprint.

P3 - Charles Leclerc - Six of Swords

Great news for the Charles girlies! It’s a card of recovery and one that signifies overcoming something. I’m going to assume that his bat shit wild practice runs today are going to pay off, because he’s absolutely going to be on the podium, and I won’t be shocked if it’s a battle for that stop step.

P4 - Lando Norris - Ace of Pentacles

He’s absolutely going to gain position tomorrow, but I don’t think it’ll be to the level of fighting for the top step. The Ace of Pentacles to me is about trust as well, and I’m thinking that there might be a bit of waning in the trust somewhere within the team and it’s going to be obvious tomorrow that there is a breakdown happening somewhere.

P5 - Carlos Sainz - Five of Wands, reversed

I’m sorry for the Carlos girlies, it’s definitely not the best card to pull, and seeing where he is starting, I’m going to assume that there is going to be contact and it’s likely going to throw a wrench in his chances. It’s a card of disagreement, hassle, and competition. It’s not looking super positive for the sprint.

P6 - Nico Hulkenberg - Nine of Wands

I love this, because this is hilarious to me. Nico knows that Kevin is behind him, but not very far behind. He knows he has that added protection there if necessary and it’s peace of mind for him. He’s maintaining the position, if not gaining.

P7 - Lewis Hamilton - Four of Wands, reversed

This one is interesting, I think with how practice went, and how he’s feeling with the car overall, the celebration aspect of this card is more internal and feeling like this is the best of the worst position. I’m not seeing any gains with this one, I think it’ll be a maintained position.

P8 - Kevin Magnussen - Three of Pentacles

Even my cards know that Kevin will do anything for his haasband. It’s literally written in the stars that they are together in every capacity. This is a card of teamwork and planning, it’s absolutely going to be a wild fucking race for Haas tomorrow and I’m so excited to see it. Kevin will die for Nico, and Nico knows this.

P9 - Yuki Tsunoda - Two of Cups, reversed

…I’m taking the connection aspect literal. Yuki is absolutely going to make contact with someone tomorrow. Yuki most likely will not be finishing the sprint, cause this man is going to be at the scene of the crime.

P10 - Franco Colapinto - Four of Swords, reversed

This is a card of rest and contemplation, so I’m going to assume that this is going to be a decently easy and pain free sprint race for him. This is going to be interesting though, considering he’s around Nico and Yuki…