Tell Tale Heart [Pierre Gasly]

Chapter Forty-One

"Why him?" Pierre asks coldly for the third time in an hour and I just sigh from my position curled up in the armchair of his hotel room while he is pacing by the bed.

"Because I just saw him and chatted to him P. Please...I was just talking to a friend, I don't get why this is such a big deal," I ask him quietly and run my hand anxiously through my hair as I try to calm my nerves under what feels like the longest interrogation of my life, more than a little offended that my integrity was being questioned for no reason.

"He's also my biggest competition for the Alpine seat - I know that Ocon is trying to talk him up to Otmar!" Pierre is almost yelling, talking as though it's obvious which to be fair it makes sense but I just sigh as I close my eyes and hide my face in my knees.

"Bullshit," I whisper quietly to myself before I can even help myself, failing in my efforts to be patient, aware that he is stressed after just missing out on points once again but not quite able to be totally empathetic because I am also tired from the stress of the second week of the triple header. People might not be aware how tiring the long hours are week after week and sure he had the physical aspect of the sport but watching him drive around different tracks at 200 mph, with a camera always trained on me for some sort of reaction makes an already awful experience that much more terrifying. On top of that, I had already noticed that for some reason I was being pulled into the conspiracy around Yuki's retirement, which was obviously insane because I'm a photographer - I have nothing to do with the cars.

"What?" Pierre asks sharply and I look up, practically snapping my head from his tone which sent ice through my veins as I consciously remind myself that he isn't Ben.

"I just mean...like you didn't like me talking to Mick before this was a thing - so that's not your real issue but you just have to trust that we're friends, P. I'm not her...I love you," I say quietly and watch as his face softens slightly at the words and he walks towards me and sighs, seemingly taking in how small I have become, guilt coming onto his face as he kneels in front of me and nods slowly, blue eyes peering curiously into mine as he brushes the hair back from my face, my eyes peering over the top of my knees.

"Of course you're not mon rêve, I'm sorry I just don't like it...all I've seen the rest of the day is your hug all over social media," he continues and I nod, still not lowering my legs as I stay in my shell. I didn't want him to hold me and make me forget right now as I know he well could although it's getting awfully tempting.

"I know...but I didn't do anything. He caught up with me, asked how I was doing - then we said bye. I left the track after that and came back here to your room...I didn't do anything wrong," I say stubbornly and watch him sigh, getting more frustrated with me by the second due to the fact that I hadn't conceded like he had.

"But him?"

"Why not him? Pierre this is ridiculous..." I whine as we go back in the same circle, hitting my head lightly against my knees. I'm racking my brain for how to break the cycle, so far past done with this conversation and just wanting it over, wanting Pierre to hold me after a long week and a stressful as all hell day.

"You didn't do anything, I know," Pierre promises me after a moment and I lift my eyes to meet his, seeing that he wasn't being one hundred percent truthful, a sliver of doubt evident in his eyes. "It's just how it looks...you've already been pictured out with him before on what looks like a date - this doesn't look good for you," he says softly and I frown slightly, aware that he has no idea how accurate those words are as I just nod and lower my legs that were keeping the distance between us, taking his face gently in my hands as I lean forward and press my lips to his.

I'm tired, this is only week two out of three in a row and I don't stop working any time soon as I'm taking the break to help Lando shoot some stuff for Quadrant and this new deal he has with a company called Tumi who sell travel bags. Then after that it's time to travel to Asia, which I'm incredibly excited for because it's something I've wanted to do all my life and so there is very little chill time in the balance for me until the end of the next triple header...