Dumb Love- Lando Norris

34.

Land's race takes a disastrous turn.  I wince as I watch from home as he spins off track at his home race at Silverstone. My heart breaks at the close up of his gutted expression, and sky sports have the nerve to show it repeatedly in HD during and after the race.  I can barely watch as the cameras follow him, his expression sullen and devastated.  He shrugs off his team and angrily sips his water, shaking his head at the words of Zak. 

My heart aches for him. 

I quickly fire off a few text messages to my manager to move our afternoon meeting to later this evening, wanting nothing more than to be there for him when he finally gets home.  Even if it's just for a few minutes, nows not the time to be like passing ships.

I ring the housekeeps and give her the afternoon off, cleaning up myself to pass the time until Lando's home.  I set the living room up for a lazy afternoon with blankets and fluffy pillows.  I lay out his comfy loungewear on the bed, set the heating on a timer and dress myself up for him. 

Anything to soften the blow of today.

***   ***

"Hey baby" I greet him when he finally comes home with a delicate voice, too aware of how disappointed he will be feeling right now, "how are you holding up?"

"Shit" his response is clipped and his voice is dry, void of any emotion whatsoever. "I just-" he pinches the bridge of his nose and barely looks at me.  I know all of his signs, I've spent hours cataloguing them and learning them, and one things for certain, Lando's angry as hell.  He grits his teeth, "you saw it, i fucked up"

"You made one mistake" I try my best to console him as he throws his hoodie with a thud aimlessly in the reception room, "how many times have you saved the teams arse? You're incredible, dont let one mishap knock your belief in that"

"I get what you're trying to do Lot, but I just dont need that right now" I flinch at his sharp words, taken aback.  I watch on as he undoes his shoe laces and kicks them off to the side.  He sighs as he looks at me, "dont look at me like that"

I try and school my hurt expression into something more neutral as I shrug my shoulders, "I was just being honest"

"Well, what would you know? All you do it prance around a stage and look pretty" he snaps carelessly as my breath catches.  His eyes widen and he shakes his head, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that, I'm just frustrated"

"You can be frustrated, I get it" I breathe out.  I know he doesn't mean to take it out on me and my heart breaks in two at how hard he is on himself, "but I've seen the way you talk to others when they believe they cost their team the race and I'd like you to give yourself some of that love" I assure and give him a patient smile, "for me, at least"

His jaw clenches for a moment and then he lets out a tired sigh, "I know, I think I'll just go run a bath and chill out a little" he plucks his phone out of his pocket and scoffs, throwing it carelessly on the side table, "and maybe do myself a favour and stop rewatching the replays of it"

"See, you already know what you need" I say with a reassuring smile as I try and cheer him up, but his expression remains grim.  "Tell you what, why dont I run the bath and you can have a lay down on the sofa?"

""No, it's fine. I'll do it" he mumbles as he makes his way to the stairs. 

I follow him, confused, but clinging on to the hope that I can try and change his mood. "Come on, I dont mind.  Let me look after you"

"I've got it, I dont need looking after" he dismisses flatly.

As he reaches the bottom of the stairs I rest my hands on his shoulders and gently massage.  He leans into it for a second with a relieved sigh, then his back tenses underneath my fingers.  I press on, desperate, "sure you dont want a nice hot bubble bath and for me to get those knots out your back?" I ask with a gentle voice, "I'll even let you listen to whatever music you want and I'll be quiet. And bear in mind me being quiet is a once in a lifetime offer-"