𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗗, oscar piastri

𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘, flirt (but only slightly)

          OSCAR WAS A LITTLE confused on how he was supposed to go about flirting with Stella in a subtle way. Oscar wasn't a great flirt regardless (if the 14 years he had spent in love with the same girl said anything), but he was sure he would be even worse at subtly flirting. What even was subtle flirting?

It was week three of the commencement of Operation 'Make Stella Button Fall in Love With Oscar Piastri, a 14 Step Plan' (or, as the group chat was titled O.M.S.B.F.I.L.W.O.P.A.F.S.P). Addie had instructed Oscar to leave one week for each step of the plan, meaning that on week three, they were on step three. Subtle flirting.

Oscar didn't even know where to start.

It was the Friday of the Saudi Grand Prix, the second Grand Prix of the season. Stella would be arriving later that day, her mother accompanying her. Oscar would be leaving directly after Free Practice to pick them up from the airport.

Addie, damn her, wasn't coming for the second race of the season. Oscar was seriously wishing she was, he could use her guidance. Addie was probably the best flirter on the face of the planet, both subtle and unsubtle. And no matter how much Oscar spammed her messages, begging her for tips and help, she didn't respond. All she sent back was a 'lol'. And it wasn't like Oscar could ask Logan for help, the American was as helpless with flirting as Oscar was.

He was on his own.

The whole ride from the paddock to the airport, Oscar's hands were tapping against the steering wheel nervously. He had spent all day, other than the times he had been in the car for free practice, looking up ways to subtly flirt. There had been no good advice anywhere on the internet. All he had gathered was to not use pickup lines, which he already knew.

What Oscar was gathering was that he was pretty much screwed. Whatever, he'd figure it out. He was good at winging it (no he wasn't).

As Oscar pulled up to the airport, he could see Stella outside with her mother, sitting on a massive suitcase as she explained something animatedly, waving her arms around in the air. Stella was always like that when she spoke Japanese, it was like something about her mother's language injected her with energy. Oscar remembered how, back in school, Stella had begged her friends to take Japanese, and Oscar had been the only one to actually do it. He had never gotten all that good at speaking, but he could understand enough for Stella to whisper things to him secret, like how the boy sitting behind them in class was crushing on Addie, or how their English teacher was secretly dating their maths teacher. It was like Stella and Oscar had their own secret language, even though more than 120 million people around the world also spoke it.

When Stella's eyes landed on Oscar's car, she immediately shot up from her sitting position, her suitcase rolling away slightly as the back of her knees hit it. She waved happily at Oscar, leading her mother over to the Australian man, who had stepped out of his car.

"Hey Oscar!" Stella said, her voice excited, even though she had last seen Oscar only three days ago.

"Hey Stell." Oscar accepted the hug Stella offered him, letting his hand linger on her lower back. Ever since their gym excursion, Oscar had been weaving in more and more physical touch with Stella, to the point that it felt almost normal. That was the point, wasn't it? To make himself more prevalent in Stella's life, so when he eventually pulled away (he was dreading that step of the plan) Stella would notice it all the more.

"Hi Ms. Michibata." Oscar said once he pulled away from Stella, giving Jessica his most humble smile.

"Good to see you, Oscar." Jessica said, offering him a fleeting pat on the shoulder. "Let's get to the hotel, I'm exhausted."