Team orders- autistic Oscar Piastri, ADHD Lando Norris

15: building bridges

Oscar's POV:

I was on my way to my office (basically just the room I get told I can sit in) and decided to take the long way round the centre, headphones in listening to some music and just chilling before I got some late lunch. I found walking helped me. Pacing worked too when I was in a smaller space which ended up happening a lot, but walking around with no one bothering me and just getting to walk was very calming. I didn't love hiking or anything, just walking around calmly I guess. And after feeling weird about my normal schedule being changed, the walking felt nice. Just bringing me down after quite a tense simulator session. I was settling myself.

My walk took me past the gym where I guessed Lando would still be training. The lights were off and the door closed so I assumed he must have finished early. I began walking again but heard some shouting through my headphones. At first I thought it was the music, but then I realised it wasn't. I looked through a door to see Lando darting from side to side, trying to avoid balls Jon was throwing at him. Jon saw me, waved and beckoned me in. I slipped off one headphone and walked in reluctantly.

"Hey!"

"Hi." I said nervously, but trying very hard not to sound it.

"We're playing dodgeball," Lando said happily, throwing a foam football up and down, catching it two handed, throwing it up with one again.

"Looks fun," I said with a small laugh.

"Want to join in?" Jon suggested.

"Uh, okay." I mumbled, afraid to disappoint anyone.

"Oh, I'll got get Kim, we can do drivers against trainers!" Jon was running off before Lando or I got a chance to answer.

We looked at each other before saying at the same time, "sorry about the weekend, you shouldn't have had to give up the place, I understand why you're mad at me, and I'm still sorry about taking Daniel's seat I just, things are hard" and "I'm sorry that I made it difficult, I didn't need to and it was so stupid." Lando stopped much earlier than I did; my brain didn't realise I probably should have stopped too.

"Why would I still be mad about Daniel?" He asked.

"You just never seem to really be yourself around me? I thought it was because I took his seat."

"It's cause you never let your guard down," Lando said, a little frustrated, "it's like talking to a brick wall, it makes me feel like I've got to tone myself down or something. I know I'm a lot."

"I don't want you to, I just." I blinked hard and thought about it for a second, "I think something's wrong with me and it means that I don't react how I'm supposed to. So instead of reacting wrong sometimes I just don't react, I let it all blow over."

"How can you react wrong?!"

"Nothing, it's just, you don't want to know."

"I'm sorry you don't feel safe to be yourself around me?" He looked at me sadly.

"No it's not you, it's a me thing honestly. And you can be however loud you want to be. I'm already used to your music."

"Is it too loud?"

"Sometimes, but I just put my headphones on or ear plugs or umm, well I've got some ear defenders, they work too but they're stupid and I well I don't know why I've told you about them, only Logan really knows they exist." Why the fuck was I telling him all of this.

"You can wear them around me if you want, stuff is loud sometimes, especially on race weekends. I won't mind. Daniel wore his headphones like everywhere and those things were hideous!" I laughed a little. "And don't be sorry about last weekend, I was being selfish."