The first race of the year had come around quickly, the whole team finding themselves in the scorching heat of Bahrain. It was a far cry from the subzero temperatures they'd left behind in Woking.
The entire team was in shorts and T-shirts, except for one. He hadn't seen her since the day they'd filmed the video at MTC, and he was fairly sure she was purposefully avoiding him. She stood out in the garage though, her messy blonde hair scraped back and her face flushed red from the heat as she moved around the stuffy garage taking videos to edit together later.
He didn't know why he did it, she'd been nothing but clear that she didn't want to talk to him. He should just leave it alone, but he couldn't. So when she moved around and came in front of him he took a step forward to stand beside her.
"Is it not warm enough for you in here?" He raised an eyebrow at her hoodie and jeans.
She flinched at the sound of his voice, turning her head to look at him as she stopped recording. "Hi, Lando."
"What are you up to?" He asked, gesturing at the camera.
"Oh just filming some bits on the car to edit together later." She shrugged.
"If you need me to explain any of it, to help with the video let me know." He offered.
She looked surprised for a moment but then recovered. "Oh er, thanks. But my fiancee is actually one of Oscar's mechanics. I'm covered in that front." She inclined her head in the direction of the other side of the garage, causing Lando to turn his head and meet the rather angry gaze of a tall dark haired mechanic he could've sworn he'd never seen before in his life.
"Right, well I should go get ready." He mumbled.
"Good luck!" She called after him as she watched him retreat in the direction of his drivers room.
She was stood on her own for all of five minutes when a hand very roughly grabbed her arm, dragging her out to the back of the garage.
"Tom, let go. You're hurting me." She cried, trying to twist her arm out of his strong grasp.
He stopped dead at the back of the garage, looking around for a moment to see if anyone else was around before he shoved her up against the wall. "What the fuck are you doing flirting with him."
"I-"
"Don't try and say you weren't I saw you with my own eyes!" He kept his voice down, aware of the fact that other people would hear them, but the words were dripping in anger.
She shrank further back against the wall as he towered over her petite frame, hands gripping onto her already bruised ribs in a way that made her eyes water. "I was just working." She protested. "I needed to get some clips of the car. I wasn't talking to him, I promise. I promised you I wouldn't." She blinked furiously as the tears threatened to fall.
"You're pathetic, I don't know why you think someone like him would ever give two shits about someone like you. He's got literal models falling at his feet." Tom spat back. "And look at the state of you."
He'd been about to say something else, but the sound of someone calling his name from inside the garage had caught his attention.
The hands that had been digging into her ribs, and somewhat holding her up, vanished in an instant as he disappeared back inside. Aimee slid down the wall, gasping to try and catch her breath as her ribs protested at her laboured breathing. She eventually hit the floor, drawing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around them. The tears she'd held back in front of him now falling freely.
She had no idea how long she'd been sat there when she became aware of movement beside her, turning her head slightly to find Lando sitting beside her. His position mirrored her own, but he didn't say anything. His eyes raking over her as though inspecting damage.
"Before you ask if I'm okay-"
"I wasn't going to." He interrupted. "It would be a stupid question because clearly you're not."
He'd been on his way back into the garage after getting changed when he saw her, doubled over and leaning against the wall of the garage, head in her hands. The silent shaking of her shoulders gave away the fact she was crying, and he'd been unable to just walk past without stopping.
"Should you not be getting in the car?" She asked, rolling her sleeve up slightly to check her watch.
He peered at her wrist to look at the time. "I've got ten minutes or so." He shrugged, making no attempt to move.
She wrapped her arms back around her knees, taking a couple of breaths to try and steady her breathing, ignoring the pain that radiated through her ribs. "Is my make up half way down my face?" She asked quietly.
He studied her closely for a second, eyes coming to linger on the yellowish bruise that covered her cheekbone, visible now her makeup had been disturbed. "You might need to do something about that." He told her, gesturing to her cheek and attempting to keep his facial expression neutral.
"Oh shit." She mumbled, trying to pull her hair forward in the hopes of covering it.
"Here." He said quietly, taking his orange number four cap off and pulling it on to her head.
"Thank you." She mumbled, unable to bring herself to look at him. "I should um..." she grabbed her bag.
"Yeah, me too." He jumped to his feet and held out his hand when she still didn't stand up.
"Thanks." She said quietly, taking his hand and letting him pull her up right. He didn't miss the way her facial expression contorted in pain as she got to her feet.
"Go hide in my drivers room for a bit if you need to." He offered. "Everyone is in the garage for qualifying. No one is going to find you there."
"Thanks, Lando." She said softly, the faintest hint of a smile on her face. "Good luck with qualifying. I'm sure you'll smash it."
He couldn't help the grin on his face at her words of encouragement as he headed back into the garage, so in his own world he completely missed the way Tom was glowering at him from the other side of the garage.
YOU ARE READING
Stay With Me- Lando Norris
Fanfic*Completed* After discovering that one of his coworkers is in a desperate situation, Lando makes it his mission to try and help her. Except she doesn't want his help, and does everything she can to push him away.
