Gridlocked Hearts

VI

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"Recalculating," Claude groaned as his satnav reset for the 4th time.

He had been on the road for hours, opting for a more lowkey route, rather than motorways. The drive from Maranello to Borgo La Scola had been long, winding and scenic, but he barely paid attention to his surroundings: his mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of the upcoming season, and being stuck with Noah.

When Claude stepped out of the car, the first thing that struck him was the silence. The kind of silence that only comes from being in a very, very small village. Borgo La Scola was nestled in the heart of the Italian countryside, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. The air was crisp and clean, and the scent of fresh flowers filled his nostrils. It was a welcome change from the pollution of the city.

His gaze wandered to the distant hills, their slopes covered in verdant vineyards that stretched out as far as the eye could see. He could smell the sweetness of the grapes in the air, and he felt a pang of nostalgia for the weeks he had spent in his grandfather's vineyard in the south of France. His mother would occasionally summer there and he loved seeing her so relaxed, and free.

But this was not a holiday. It was a punishment. In mere minutes, Claude would have his phone taken from him and be forced to live in close proximity with the man child who cost him a world championship.

An elderly gentleman passed the driver, as he walked through cobbled streets. Claude opened his mouth to say hello but the man simply glared. Clearly, the locals were not used to strangers, but at least he was not being recognised. A welcome change.

He continued to look around at the narrow alleyways, wondering how he was going to spend the next couple of months here. It was a far cry from the fast-paced life he was used to. But he felt a strange a sense of calm that he hadn't experienced in a long time. The pressure of racing, the media scrutiny, the need to always be "on" was gone, and for the first time in a while, he felt like he could breathe.

Claude's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Noah's voice behind him. He turned to see the Englishman striding towards him, an unreadable look on his face.

"Bonjour, Claude," Noah greeted him with a smirk. He had a backpack on his shoulder, and had presumably already dropped his luggage at the villa. "I see you made it here in one piece."

Claude rolled his eyes, "Don't get too excited Blondie. I'm only here because I have to be."

Noah chuckled, and headed to Claude's rented car, grabbing a suitcase from the backseat.

"Come on, the villa is this way," The Englishman pointed to a cobbled driveway. "Most of the team have already arrived,"

The villa that Ferrari had arranged for him and Noah was perched on a hill overlooking the village. Its ochre walls and terracotta roof tiles blended seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, and a small vineyard stretched out behind it. Claude could hear the distant sound of church bells ringing, and the faint hum of cicadas in the trees.

"Welcome to our humble abode," Noah drawled, gesturing towards the large building in front of them. "Shall we?"

Claude didn't reply, but followed Noah inside. The atmosphere was tense, with the only sound being their footsteps echoing off the walls. As they entered their shared room, Claude couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at the sight of the small twin beds pushed together. Probably a team member's idea of sick joke. He made a mental note to talk to Don about getting a better arrangement.

"Well, this is cozy," Noah commented, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I'm not here to be cozy with you," Claude retorted, before pushing one of the twin beds as far away as possible, creating a three foot gap between them. That was better.