Baby, just say ... yes? | Landoscar <3

The Archer

Belgian Grand Prix part 1 (was a sprint-weekend last year but wouldn’t fit the story so it isn’t)

What the hell do you do when you‘re being blackmailed? I gave myself one week to figure that out because I strongly suspected that it was someone in f1 who must have  my number so I knew Lando and I would be safe during our little holiday in Belgium. Here nobody could see us, consequently the blackmailer wouldn’t know if I broke up with Lando.

But the thought of really having to break up with him haunted me. However, I also knew that it would be the worst case scenario for Lando being outed that way, probably even worse than us breaking up so I had to consider this thought. I didn’t want to out myself like that either but leaving Lando seemed like the bigger loss for me, much bigger. Still, I couldn’t be selfish, not for his safety. I just have to find the blackmailer and then I don’t have to make this decision.

Lost in thought I felt hands covering my eyes, "Who is it?“, this mysterious someone asked me. "Mhm tough one. Let’s think, I arrived with a 1,75 meters tall man-child called Lando Norris and we haven’t left our room yet so I would say him?“ I turned around to look in an offended face which also had two eyes of the most beautiful shade of green. "First of all, I’m 1,80. Second of all, I’m older and much wiser than you.“

"Oh right, so you’re taller than me, didn’t know that yet. And you think 19 months give you such more wisdom?“ I said while laughing at him. "Hey if you mock me you don’t get the present I have for you“, he pretended to be truly hurt.

"Okay I’m sorry, in just our universe you're 1,80 and wiser than me. What present?“ The smile was back on his face and I couldn’t hide my curiosity either. "Close your eyes again and hold out your hands“

I did as said but he left for a while before I felt something slightly cold in my hands. "Sorry, it was in the fridge. I got it yesterday when I visited my grandparents here. It’s typically belgian. Open your eyes now.“

I saw a heart out of chocolate in my hands, something was engraved in the mid. I read "L + O" and looked up at him. His face showed a hint of concern but I kissed it away, saying "thank you“ over and over again.

We ate the heart together because it looked too delicious to not eat it. "Mhm, it was nearly as sweet as you“, I said to him but felt how the bitterness hit at the same time. I can’t lose this, I can’t lose him.

Qualifying day

Since Thursday I walked through the paddock like on eggshells, always hyper aware of my surroundings and trying to hold Lando at a distance. Whenever I talked to him in public I made sure I stood far enough from him so he couldn’t touch me, like when he normally would do our signal. I knew he noticed it but it was necessary. I also looked around to maybe find someone in the crowd who seemed suspicious.

However, I quickly realized that it was all in vain. We were being watched and filmed all the time, even in the team I couldn’t make out someone acting strange. And it was most likely someone there, wasn’t it? They stayed in the same hotel as Lando and I did so they could’ve filmed us. They also could have the motive for tearing us apart because of PR and our image as a team. It would be pretty disappointing to be in a team that thinks like this but it may be a possible explanation.

It just doesn’t get me anywhere. Too many people could be the blackmailer and I'm not able to prove a thing. I'm also not the police so I can’t trace the number that texted me. Besides, I think it was from a burner phone anyway, blackmailers these days aren’t stupid.

I was getting ready for Quali when I received another message.

I KNOW YOU’RE STILL TOGETHER. BREAK UP OR I WILL POST THE VIDEO AT MIDNIGHT.

Shit. I felt the fear spreading through my body, I've never been this helpless in my life. How could they know, I haven’t even touched him since we were in the paddock?

I was drowning now, my chest rising quickly up and down trying to push air into my lungs but nothing seemed to come in. Blinded by the panic I searched for somewhere to sit and finally found the sofa in my drivers room. I sat down and put my head between my legs like my mother showed me when I had my first panic attack. I tried to take in a deep breath one, two, three, four times and eventually it worked.

"Oscar? You have to come to the garage now“, my race engineer knocked on the door and told me. "Yeah … I’ll be right there …“, I answered, still a bit out of breath. Now I have to get in the car and forget everything that is happening at the moment and a part of me was grateful for that.

Because I know how to drive but I don’t know how I could ever break up with Lando.