𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚 𝟏 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

𝐈𝐭𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲

What a shit race. What a shit strategy. What shit tires. What a shit day.

Even hours after the chequered flag of today's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Lando could still feel the frustration rushing through his body, like he had just ended the race. Finally, they had been allowed to go back to the hotel and forget about everything that had happened today as fast as possible.

Actually not really forgetting about it, because they really had to learn from the mistakes they had done today and make it better by their next chance, but to forget the way they were feeling.

The actual start was alright, but then all of his teammates debris had landed on his car, and he lost position after position and couldn't really do anything against it.

Quite frankly all he wanted was his boyfriend. Carlos on track saw him, and gave him a wave a hand signal that only they knew which meant that they needed each other. What was even better was that a Williams overtook him, but hey at least teammate got by, right? Right.

.....

The moment he had seen his boyfriend, he could see exactly how broken Lando was, and he was aware that it wasn't about just this race, rather the build up of how McLaren had started this year as being the last team on the grid, with 0 points and other teams in the mid-field already beating them. You good?" Carlos had asked him quickly, while he placed his arm over his shoulders and pulled him gently into his side.

Bravely, the younger one had nodded his head, even though he was aware about that it was a lie. Carlos just knew his boyfriend already way too good to know, that he was everything, but sure as hell not alright.

Still, because he couldn't do much more right now, he had quickly placed a small kiss onto his sweating temple in compassion, even though he knew his boyfriend's sorrows weren't so easily to get healed with just a stolen kiss, before he whispered "C'mon, let's get it over to get the hell out of here."

Interviews after a bad race were always difficult and even more annoying than usual, but interviews after such a race were just horrible. Carlos was actually proud of his boyfriend, about the way he handled the whole situation, still being able to answer the interviewer's stupid questions, make the after race video with Oscar for McLaren's social media pages, and still getting through debrief two garages in between them

The Spaniard had watched his boyfriend closely all the time. Making sure he was as good as he could be on a day like this and intervene the moment Carlos would notice him breaking down. But Lando didn't. He stayed strong, he was so much stronger than he was even aware of.

But that strength finally began to crumble, when they finally entered their shared hotel room at the end of a very, very long day. It was the first moment they were all alone, really all alone. Lando had entered the room first, just to let his bag fall down right next to the door and getting over to the big window to look out into the distance.

Wordless, Carlos had followed him and let his bag slide down next to his boyfriend's, after he had closed the door behind his back. Still without saying one word, the Spaniard was just eyeing the younger one in concern first, trying to think about what he should say best or if he should say anything at all. If Lando maybe wanted to be alone for some time or if he was longing for some body contact and support.

Because Carlos was never able to see his beloved like that for too long, he finally breathed his name all carefully into the silence "Lando?" No reaction coming from the young Brit. "Carino. Are you good?" The older one repeated his question from earlier, after he had stepped closer to where his boyfriend was still standing and staring out of the window.

Carlos could exactly see, when the whole tension finally left his body, when his shoulders and head sank, when his whole body began to shake, when he finally took off his façade and just be his Lando, the strong and talented, but at the same time also so broken and unsecure young man he had fallen in love with.

But still Carlos kept standing still, waiting for some more reaction, maybe even Lando telling him to please leave him alone for some minutes, but instead the younger one slowly turned around to finally face his boyfriend and show him his real face, how he was really feeling after today.

In his even now still so beautiful eyes, tears were waving, making his view blurry and causing his bottom lip to wobble. Even though he had carefully shaken his head, those thick tears still made it over the edge of his eyes and rolled over his cheeks like little rivers, before he somehow still managed to press out "No."

"Oh, carino." Carlos did response in compassion, before he finally closed the distance between the two of them to finally give his boyfriend a proper hug, to finally take him into his arms, so he could share his sorrows with him.

The moment their bodies had melted into one, Lando began to sob from the bottom of his heart, he sobbed and cried out everything he had on his heart, trusting his boyfriend fully to hold and catch him, while he was breaking down. "I know, carino. I know." Carlos whispered into his hairline, because he was exactly aware about what had caused that state by his boyfriend. I have got you. It's okay, it's okay." Carlos tried to shush him, even though he knew it was probably pointless at the moment. Carefully, he dragged both of them over to their double bed, laying down and pulling Lando against his chest to let him cry out there, while he was leaning against the headboard of the bed and didn't even waste one second thinking about ever letting go of that boy.

Carlos didn't know how long it did take for Lando to finally calm down at least a little, he actually also didn't care about it, because he would always be there for him, no matter how long it will take, forever. The younger one was clutching onto his shirt so tightly, that his knuckles even already turned white, why Carlos tried to loosen his grip gently to instead hold his hand, when his sobs became less and his body wasn't shaking that bad any more.

Lando was only quietly crying to himself any more, his body was already way too exhausted for anything else after today. His boyfriend's hand was almost cramped from holding onto his that tight and strong, why Carlos tried to loosen his muscles and tension with gently brushing over the back of his hand. During the whole time long, he had made sure to hold him close, as close as possible, exactly knowing how much he needed it. To see Lando like that was also never easy for him, especially because he knew he couldn't do much, at least not when he was in that state. He could only make sure about holding him close and be there for him, even when that meant to only make his body lean against his. Carlos also really needed to keep it together, feeling his eyes getting hot and starting to burn as well, but he needed to stay strong for his boyfriend, because he needed someone to be strong, when he couldn't. Reassuring that he was indeed there for him, the Spaniard kissed the top of his head in affection the whole time long, but never said a word, until Lando's hand relaxed and the older one laced their fingers together.

After sitting in silence for some minutes, Lando finally breathed through and Carlos took it as a sign for that the worst was over, why he told him softly "We should better make the best out of the rest of today, it's only a few hours anyway, until a new day will start and we are able to try again." Carlos kissed his cheek in affection once again, before he reached over to get that water bottle standing there on the night stand. He forced his boyfriend all well-meant to have a drink, after those tears he had spent and being aware of how exhausted he was after everything, he just needed to stay hydrated. "And what do you think about the idea to take a shower together, wash everything away, while we are waiting for our ordered delicious food, we are actually not even allowed to eat, but on days like these we just don't give a damn about it and just eat whatever we would like to?"

Lando' expression already lighted up by the thought to shower together with his boyfriend and have some decent dinner, after he hadn't eaten much during the whole day and he was feeling hungry now, since Carlos had managed it once again to make him feel better.

"I would really like to do that." The younger one agreed to his boyfriend's suggestion, causing Carlos so to be relieved about that today was only a bad day in office, but not a bad life.

"And if you want, you can also give me some more Spanish lessons later, Chilli." Lando teased in the best Spanish accent he could manage. Carlos started to tickle him and Lando began to giggle in his arms and caused so also Carlos to smile, before he leaned down to press his lips against his boyfriend's for a long, tender kiss. Telling him so, that everything will be good in the end.