Brake check- autistic Oscar Piastri, ADHD Lando Norris

8: Lando's meltdown

Oscar's POV:

When I got a message from Lando asking if I'd come round to his, I did think it was a bit weird. I've been to his Monaco flat before, but it was more of like a 'McLaren have asked me to do this' move and I hadn't stayed long.

I got a taxi over; it was late at night but not worryingly late. Assuming it was stress over seeing Carlos the day after, I put together a backpack with my own essentials and got there as quickly as I could.

After knocking on the front door I stood nervously in the hallway, rocking back and forth on my feet not knowing what state Lando was going to be in when he opened the door. Unfortunately, he opened it and turned around before I got a chance to really look at him. I closed it behind me and slipped my shoes off before following him into his lounge.

"What's up?" I asked, feeling like if I didn't start the conversation, we might never start one.

"I DON'T KNOW!" He shouted back, making me jump and sink further into his sofa. He was sat on the other sofa, curled in on himself and his shoulder's jumped with each sob.

"Okay, uh, you don't have to know all the time." I said calmly, fidgeting with my tangle in the pocket of my hoodie.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence I asked again, "would you like to talk now?" He nodded and came to sit on the sofa next to me.

"Sorry for shouting."

"It's okay."

"I just, I haven't slept."

"Since when?"

"Uh, well I was getting the plane in last night and I couldn't sleep on the plane and then I didn't sleep when I got here and I've been awake all day and I'm exhausted."

"Wow, I can see why you're tired. Do you know why you can't sleep?"

"NO! AND IT'S SUCH BULLSHIT!" He shouted standing up before sitting down again.

"Just breathe," I reminded him, "I'm here to help." I took some deep breaths and he followed suit; I gave him a weak smile after we'd done.

"I've kind of always struggled with sleep but this time it's like no matter what I do I just can't fall asleep and I'm so tired." He whimpered at the end, wiping away tears before they could really fall.

"I'm sorry you've not been able to sleep, what do you do normally do?"

"YEA BUT I SAID, I said, it doesn't, IT'S NOT FUCKING WORKING!" He was evidently struggling to keep calm, his feelings jumping in and out of him. His hands were running through his hair, pulling on it a bit.

"I know," I said, trying to stay calm as Lando was struggling to, "but I'm trying to work out what else might help?"

"I listen to podcasts and that normally works but I've listened to so many episodes and my brain just WON'T SHUT UP!"

"Have you eaten?"

"What?"

"Have you eaten? You had dinner?"

"No." He said quietly, sinking into the sofa and looking at me nervously.

"You got the meal prep stuff here?"

"No, Jon said there'd be an issue with the order. It's not come yet."

"You got anything in the cuboards?"

"Not really. I leave it empty if I'm not here. Kind of left some bread here one year and came back to a mould creature living in my flat."

"Well, you could have charged it rent?" I offered, hoping it would make him smile and relax: he seemed so tense still. But he smiled a little and let out a breath in a half-laugh. "I'll have a look. Why don't you have a shower and get changed into different pajamas, sometimes that helps me." I didn't mention why that helped me (something that I had only realised recently and was due to sensory issues) but got up to search the kitchen anyway.