The Fuel To My Heart || A lander AU

🏁ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 2🏁

Luke pulled up to the stadium in his red sports car, he parked up his car, he still had a few minutes yet until he had to go inside to start training. He took a final sip of his water as he laid back on the drivers seat. He pulled out his phone to check the time, he still had like 10 minutes yet, but he couldn't be bothered to wait. So he decided to just get out the car and sign in early.

He walked up to the terminals and showed his ID card, immediately being let in. He walked past the displays, pictures of previous champions on the walls, he hoped to be on there one day. He made his way up the stairs, they should really install an elevator here...

Finally, he made it to the top, and walked over to the office door, knocking twice.

"Come in!" He heard his manager, Sean, call out to him. He did just that.

"Morning! Im here a bit early-"

"Oh! Luke! Morning! Do you want to just start now?"

"Hm? Yeah of course! I need as much practice as i can get!"

"Luke, I've already told you, your practice isn't what matters here. We just need to figure out how to enhance your car like Ace has! I don't know how he did it but, that's where we're lost. He lacks control and technique, he just has more speed on his car. We don't know what kind of things his mechanic added, but whatever they are, that's why he keeps beating you. When it comes to actual technique and skill, you have the high ground."

"Well I'm sure Victor will make it work!" Luke grinned. But his smile faltered as he saw Sean look away.

"What's that look for, Sean?" He asked.

"Victor retired last night."

"What-!? Retired-!? I thought he said he wouldn't be retiring for a while!?"

"That was the plan, but unfortunately he was forced to, he's been getting unwell, and the fumes from the car probably don't deal with that."

"Oh-! I get i-"

"Luke.."

"..Yes..?"

".. oh god how do I even say this-"

"What is it Sean -?"

"He didn't just retire I guess..?"

"Oh..?"

"..he is in hospice care-.."

Author note: Hospice care is basically when someone is at the end of their life, rather than being treated by nurses in hospital, nurses will come round to their home to care for them and talk to them until they die. The objective is not to stop them from dying, its to help them emotionally and spiritually until they pass away.

"What-!? Hospice-!? He's dying!?" Luke said, wide eyed, his brows furrowed. Sean nodded slowly, clearly also feeling sorrowful.

This couldn't be happening. Victor was the sweetest man he'd ever met, aside from his own grandfather. He couldn't help but even see him as a grandfather, despite having a great one already, he was at work and he couldn't cry, but for gods sake did he want to. Victor was going to die. But he was just fine yesterday! Of course he was old, infact he was almost 90, but Luke just couldn't seem to accept he was actually going to die. Instead he choked up the courage to ask a question, to distract both of them.

"Who's my new primary mechanic..?"

"Oh-! Well, you're in good hands." Sean smiled. "I managed to recruit Victors grandson for the job.."

Luke's eyes seemed to light up, maybe there would still be apart of Victor on the job. "His grandson? That's great! What's his name!" Luke smiled.

"Alexander Victor Wickham, you'll see him at half time around the track!" Sean grinned. "Now go get ready, I'll be waiting down there as always." Luke smiled and nodded as he walked off.

Meanwhile, Zander was prepping the car for the first round of the day, checking the tire pressure, making sure everything was ok under the hood, filling up the oil, as he was making very brief repairs, he couldn't help but notice a few flaws within the mechanical structure, he knew he'd have to fix it later, but he felt bad as his grandfather always prided how good he did on Luke's car, though he knew he'd be more than happy to know Zander corrected his mistakes..

"Hey! Im done over here." Zander called out as closed the oil canister, watching as some employees wheeled away the car, ready to deliver it to the track.

Zander quickly sanitised his hands before leaving the garage, heading over to his station.