Aimee wasn't quite sure what possessed her to agree to eating a late lunch with Lando in his hotel room. Possibly the fact that Jon was originally supposed to join them, or perhaps it was the way Lando was so insistent, or the fact that the way he chattered excitedly about the race barely pausing for breath allowed her to forget her own problems for a little while.
It was a stupid thing to do, and one she'd only come to regret, but she didn't have it in herself to stop either. In her defence, Lando was so incredibly persistent she wasn't sure he would've let her get away with bailing out anyway. Or at least that was the excuse she was telling herself.
That's how the two of them ended up cross legged on the sofa in his hotel room eating food they'd ordered from room service. They'd chatted away about the race, the team and pretty much everything before they fell silent for a moment.
"Are you feeling better now?" Lando asked quietly, looking almost afraid for a moment that she might get up and leave if he asked the question.
"Yeah." Aimee nodded. "I can't actually remember eating any breakfast and I definitely didn't have any lunch. I've been running round all day trying to get everything sorted and well..."
"And your arm?"
Aimee's fingers ghosted over the small swelling on her collarbone subconsciously at his words. "It's getting there." She said softly. "Slowly, but it's getting there."
There was a long pause, Lando shifting awkwardly in his seat and she could see him thinking, trying to find the words.
"Can I ask you something?" He said, hesitating. He was eyeing her up, as if trying to assess quite how far he could push his luck before she was going to tell him to piss off.
Aimee nodded slowly, her heart pounding in her chest as she wondered what he was going to come out with. He didn't have much of a filter and normally nothing was off limits.
"Why do you stay with him?" He asked quietly.
Aimee picked up one of the last fries on her plate and chewed it to give herself a moment. It was a question she'd been asking herself repeatedly.
"It's complicated." She said quietly. "I have thought about it, believe me." They'd gone through a particularly rough patch the previous year and she'd got as far as packing a bag and then stopped.
"But?" Lando pressed.
"But I stood there with a bag packed and realised I had absolutely nowhere to go." She said quietly. "I'd have to quit my job and move far enough away that he wouldn't find me. I'd have to start all over again and I don't know if I can do that."
"Friends? Family?" He asked.
Aimee shook her head. It was all she could give him for an explanation on that one. She didn't have the words to explain to him how Tom had managed to quietly cut her off from everything and everyone until she had nowhere left to go.
"I know you're going to tell me no, but I really think if we spoke to Zak he'd kick him out of the team without a second thought. You could keep your job and you wouldn't have to leave..."
"Lando." Aimee interrupted him with a sigh. "We've had this conversation. I'm not going not to tell anyone, you're not going to either. I know you want to help, but if you go and tell anyone about this I'll never forgive you." The words were harsh, perhaps a bit harsher than intended, but it was her panic that he might go and tell people what she'd spent so long carefully hiding in some misguided attempt to save her that did it.
"I won't tell." He said quietly. "If you think you're safe with him, then I won't say anything. It's your decision to make."
"Thank you." She whispered, mulling over his words. It was written all over his face that he didn't agree with what she was doing, much less actually believed it was safe for her to stay with Tom.
"Thank you for listening to me, too." She added quietly. He was the only person she'd ever actually spoken to truthfully about what had happened between her and Tom.
"I just..." Lando sighed. "You're just going to let him keep doing this to you forever?"
Aimee shook her head slowly. "No... maybe... I uh, uh don't know. You make it sound like there's some kind of plan here." She mumbled, looking down at the floor to avoid Lando's piercing gaze. "He keeps saying it's the last time. He didn't used to be like this. I know you won't believe me, but I loved him. I love him. We can get back to that, right?"
"You're asking the wrong person there." Lando muttered, although he knew that the question hadn't particularly been aimed at him.
Aimee shot him an awkward smile.
"Just promise me you'll be careful?" He asked quietly. "And if you ever need anything, you call me. It doesn't matter what time or day or night it is. Call me."
"Thanks, Lando." She smiled softly. "You've been such good friend."
"We're friends now?" He raised an eyebrow. "I've been promoted!"
She shook her head at him, laughing quietly. "Who'd have thought it would've made you so happy."
"Better than a podium." He joked.
Aimee glanced at her watch, the smile dropping from her face. "I have to go. I need to get back before he does." She jumped to her feet. "Thanks, for lunch an and the moral support. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"See you tomorrow." He called after her as she made a hasty exit out of his hotel room.
YOU ARE READING
Stay With Me- Lando Norris
Fanfiction*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.
