WORKING FOR THE KNIFE ━ lando norris.

XVII. Exploration

( ACT II. ── Uncertain Waters )
chapter seventeen / Exploration

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Annika was truly talented at very few things. Her youth was an endless string of pinpoint obsession ─ Formula One, engines, wheels, drivers, speed, tracks, geography ─ and she seldom allowed herself time to practice most things that would be considered "normal" for someone her age. But she could cook, and she could do it extremely well. So for her and Lando's fourth date, she invited him to her flat and made dinner.

In a few days, they would be leaving home again to fly out to Canada, and then would come Austria, then Silverstone, and Hungary and Belgium in quick succession before they would be blessed with summer break. She knew they would both be busy in the meantime, so she intended to make this date count.

She buzzed him into her building, and moments later he was knocking on her door. She knew she looked like a bit of a mess with her hair tied up, her face flushed from cooking, sleeves rolled to her elbows; and in comparison he looked fresh and clean in a black button-down and matching dark slacks, his hair just as curly as ever, but dotted with rain that had ambushed him outside. When he entered her flat, he greeted her with a cluster of pink roses and a kiss on her cheek.

"Hi," she said in return, smiling into the roses. "Thank you."

Most of the time, it was easier to not think about Ciaran; she avoided comparing him to Lando, simply for her peace of mind. But Ciaran had never given her roses except as an apology when they had a fight.

"Sorry, I look a bit of a mess right now," she admitted.

"You look beautiful. You're pretty good at always looking beautiful." Lando slid his hands into his pockets, unabashedly examining Annika in her entirety as she closed the door.

Annika blushed and turned away from him. "You like salmon, right?"

Lando suddenly looked like he had just swallowed his own tongue, going a bit pale. But he nodded stiffly. "Yeah."

Annika smiled. "I'm kidding. I'm making risotto."

He stopped holding his breath with a rush of relief. "I was hoping..."

"I did my research, don't worry," she teased as she kissed his cheek in return, and went to place the roses in a vase.

When she returned to the stove, Lando shrank to the floor to give Kerttu some scratches on the head. The dog was excited to see him again ─ excited to see everyone again ─ and was circling his legs with her tail thumping cabinets and chair legs and everything else within reach.