Prompt: "don't be so hard on yourself"
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My heart constricts when I get the news of his penalty. Even when the camera pans away from his face, that immediately dropped upon heart JJ the news, I can still imagine his sadness and guilt ridden face.
I know Lando, sometimes it feels like I know him better than myself.
And so I know he's gonna put all this weight on his shoulders. He so hard on himself, every little detail of imperfection gets to him and I hate it.
He still did good despite the conditions of blistering heat and exhaustion.
My attention is drawn from the tv as I'm zoned out when I hear commotion starting up around the garage. I look over and see Lando moving past people who try to talk to him, I can see his stoned expression he puts on but even from the little distance I am away from him, I know he's agitated.
I hesitate for a moment when I follow him with my eyes, he walks through a hallway and then I hear a door- probably to his drivers room- slam shut.
Will Joseph, his racing engineer, and I share a look. He must see the conflict on my eyes. On the one hand I want to follow after Lando to comfort him, on the other I don't know if he wants his space to cool down or not. But Lando typically doesn't cool down for a while, instead he over thinks until he's shut the world- and me- out.
So that why when Will nods towards his door and says, "he'll want you around" my feet move quickly.
Others give me compassionate looks as they've probably guessed I've gone to deal with him.
I knock on the door once only to receive a muffled 'go away please'. Even muffled I can hear the emotions in his voice.
I don't listen and respond with, "Lando, baby, it's me"
With that I hear the lock click.
I slowly push the door open and see Lando walking back to the couch in the room. However, before he can sit down I move quickly to grab his hand. He turns around but before he can say anything I've wrapped my arms over his shoulders.
He pauses for a beat in time before quickly returning the hug with much more force. His arms slide around my waist and pull me closer to his chest as he rest his head in the crook of my neck.
Usually, a running joke me and Lando have is that I don't typically touch him until he's showered just because the sweat disgusting me. But now I don't care if he was drilling so much sweat that it looked like he just came from a pool.
He needed this hug. I could feel it in the way he was basically hanging onto to me as if I was the only Life-raft in treacherous waters. My finger tips play with the tiny curls at the back of his neck while he just holds onto me.
"I'm sorry" his words once again muffled. My heart aches for him and the fact that he's apologizing.
"Don't apologize Lando" i whisper back while also hugging him closer.
"No no, I screwed up so bad" he grumbles and pulls away to run his hands down his face. He takes a step back, his hands still covering his face as he mumble incoherent words.
I step towards him, my hands coming to pull his off his face so I can instead cup his face gently.
"Lando," I start but when he continues to avoid eye contact I repeat with more determination, "Lando look at me please"
Finally his blue eyes meet mine.
"It's okay Lando, you made a tiny mistake" I tell him softly but he shakes his head.
"A mistake that cost me my grid spot" he reminds me of the sad truth.
"You'll get it back tomorrow" I say almost immediately, unwavering faith in him and his abilities to put that McLaren on a podium spot.
"But it should already be there" he speaks up, guilt and sadness still filling his crystal blue eyes.
"It'll be okay Lan" I speak softly again.
"How can You he so sure?" He ask, clearly not having the same faith in himself that I have. But it's okay, if he needs someone to believe in him when he doesn't- I'll happily be that person.
He pulls away again to sit on the plush couch. I follow after him, sitting down next to him before lacing my hand through his and then placing it in my lap while I try to draw soothing circles into the warm skin.
"Because you're an amazing driver" I speak up after I've lad my head and his shoulder. I kiss his shoulder before saying, "you've done so well this year, this is just one hiccup- you'll get past it"
"One big hiccup" he grumbles, laying his head on top of mine:
"You've just gotta push past it, push through and do what you do best- race to the top"
"You sound so confident in me" he mumbles and lifts his head. I do the same and look up at him, a soft smile curls the corners of my lips upwards.
"That's because I am Lando," I tell him, "and I always will be, you are my favorite driver after all"
He chuckles at this and finally I see the normal easy going Lando peek through.
"I sure hope im your favorite driver" he jokes and presses a kiss to my temple.
I bring up our conjoined hands to press a kiss to his knuckles.
"I love You Lando, and i know you're gonna do amazing tomorrow"
———
Kinda took a break from
posting on this
But I hope you enjoy this as
a lil back at it symbol
