Dedicated to: luminousmoonlight
Warning: it's v long and hints at some spicy stuff ;)
Lance sat in his armchair in his living room. He was expecting his daughter to be dropped off for the week at any moment. Laya Stroll was practically the same as her father. Her attitude and kind heart made her the same, but she was a replica of her mother Y/n. Y/n and Lance had fallen deeply in love over the summer they had both turned 18 and from that, a beautiful relationship had come to exist. Over time however, things went downhill and a breakup was within reach, until Y/n found our that she was pregnant. They tried to keep the love alive but the truth was, it simply wasn't there anymore. No matter how much they tried, nothing worked and the two just broke up. Since then, they've been co-parenting and trying as much as possible to give their daughter the best life.
He jumped as heard the gates opening, followed by the pebbled pathway crunching against the wheels of her car. He stood up and walked towards the front door and opening it. He leaned on the door frame as he watched Y/n help their daughter out if the car door. Lance looked over to Laya. She was so little and she looked smaller with the huge backpack she had on her back. "Hi Daddy!" She squealed, waving at him with delight. Lance's lips immediately turned to a smile. "Hey pumpkin! You ready to have some fun?" He asked, picking her up. Y/n stood looking between the both. "She's got everything in her bag. Her pyjamas, her vitamins, her toothbrush-"
"I know. You got it all there." Lance replied. He moved a strand of hair from Laya's face. "I'll be back tomorrow. You don't have anything to worry about." Y/n reassured him. Lance bit his tongue on what he was going to say. She bent down and kissed her daughter on the cheek. "I'll see you later baby, alright?" Laya nodded and kissed her mother back before running inside and jumping on the sofa. "I'll be back maybe at 6. I'm sure you'll be fine." Lance nodded. "Okay. Bye Lance." She said, walking away. Lance waved back and watched her get into her car and drive away. He never really said goodbye to her. He wasn't trying to be rude, it's just the last time he said goodbye to her, she was out of his life for months. Y/n's mother was bringing Laya over to Lance's place so he could take care of her and it was the same person who picked her up. It wasnt until Silverstone last year when Lance invited the whole family. Y/n really had no choice but to go. She had a baby to take care of.
Lance walked back inside and locked the door. He walked into his living room and saw her watching Narcos. "No, Laya, we've talked about this I'm not allowed let you watch it." He said, taking the control and putting on some cartoons. He heard his daughter whimper. "Look, how about I go get you some food? Sound like a good idea?" Laya looked up to her dad and nodded her head. "Okay! Can I come and colour?" Lance smiled and picked her up. "Of course, pumpkin. Let's go."
Lance stood at the sink, washing the dishes as Laya sat colouring at the table. "Daddy?" Laya asked. Lance turned from doing the dishes to look at his daughter. "Yes pumpkin?" He replied. "How did you and Mommy fall in love?" Initially, the question gave Lance a warm and fuzzy feeling, but then he turned cold as he remembered that they were no longer together. He let out a sigh and picked her up, placing her carefully on the counter beside him. "I suppose it was when we were younger. See pumpkin, I was in Austria for a race and I saw her. From then, I couldn't stop thinking about her, I kept talking to her for as long as I could until the summer break and we just went on a road trip around France."
Laya's face turned to one of confusion. "Why France?" She asked. "We both speak French. It's something we both kind of bonded over that. In fact, we always went back, even the last time we-" Lance felt something inside him. It was the feeling of watching back an old memory, only to be saddened by the fact that the person in it is no longer there. Its painful to watch back even. "Our last Summer where it was just us was the best. It was just us and only us and I loved every moment of it." Lance had told her everything about their last trip before she was born. Like how they were once walking along the Seine and then it started to pour rain and they started laughing because they hadn't brought coats with them. Or the time they were stuck in their car during a traffic jam near the Notre Dam. Wherever they walked, it was hand in hand. Every morning they'd go to the same cafe every morning for their fresh croissants. Oh how distant thos ememories seemed now. "That sounded so fun! Maybe one day you and Mommy could bring me to Paris!"
