F1 One Shots Based On Songs

Wonder - Brocedes

Song for this chapter: Wonder - Shawn Mendes

Nico Rosberg sat at the edge of his hotel room bed, staring blankly out of the window at the busy streets of Monaco below. The city, with its glimmering yachts and winding roads, was a place he'd come to know intimately over the years. He was supposed to feel at home here—this was his city, his life—but tonight, it all felt hollow.

He ran a hand through his blonde hair, sighing as he leaned back against the headboard. The lights of the city flickered through the glass, but they did nothing to distract him from the thoughts swirling in his mind. The truth he was too afraid to admit even to himself. He rubbed his hands over his face, feeling the weight of something that had been pressing down on him for years.

Nico's phone buzzed on the bedside table, the soft glow lighting up the otherwise dark room. He didn't need to check it to know who it was—Lewis. It was always Lewis.

The knot in Nico's chest tightened at the thought of his former teammate, his rival, his... what? Friend? Foe? He didn't know anymore. What he did know was that ever since they'd both left the heat of the racetrack, something inside him had changed, or maybe it was always there.

With a sigh, he picked up the phone, staring at the message on the screen.

Lewis: "Where you at, man? Let's catch up, for real this time."

Nico felt his stomach twist. It had been years since they were teammates, years since their rivalry had defined every waking moment of their lives. The championships, the arguments, the tension—it had all faded into the background after Nico retired. But that didn't make it easier.

Nico shook his head, tossing the phone back onto the table. He wasn't ready. He didn't know how to face Lewis without everything bubbling up to the surface. The rivalry had been so intense, and behind it, behind every competitive moment, there had been something else. Something Nico couldn't let himself think about, couldn't let himself feel.

But it was there, gnawing at him, especially at night when the world was quiet and his thoughts were too loud to ignore. He laid back on the bed, his eyes closing against the weight of his own emotions.

--

Lewis Hamilton sat in the driver's seat of his car, parked by the harbor, the sound of the ocean filling the silence around him. He'd been in Monaco for a couple of days, mostly keeping to himself, training, attending a few events. But his mind kept drifting back to Nico.

He hadn't seen him in months, maybe longer. Their lives had grown distant after Nico left Formula 1, but there was always that lingering connection. It was impossible to just let go of years of battling it out on track, of standing beside each other in both triumph and defeat. Nico had been a huge part of his life—his biggest challenge, his most formidable opponent.

But lately, Lewis wondered if there had been more to it than just competition.

I wonder what it's like to be my friends. Hope that they don't think I'll forget about them.

He chuckled to himself, the irony of it all sinking in. There were so many people in his life, but it was Nico who stuck with him, even when they weren't speaking. They weren't really friends, not in the traditional sense, but there was something unspoken between them, something Lewis had never been able to figure out.

With a deep breath, Lewis grabbed his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found Nico's name. He hesitated for a moment before tapping on the message.

You'll never know if you don't try, he thought.

Lewis: "Come on, Nico. Just one drink, let's talk."

He sent it before he could second-guess himself, tossing the phone onto the passenger seat and running a hand through his hair. The thought of seeing Nico again made him feel a mix of excitement and apprehension. They had so much history, so many unresolved feelings.

Lewis knew he wasn't perfect. He'd made mistakes, especially with Nico. They both had. But there was something about their connection that had always made him feel like there was something more underneath all the rivalry, all the tension. He just never knew how to talk about it.

His phone buzzed, and Lewis's heart skipped a beat as he saw Nico's name flash across the screen.

Nico: "Fine. Where are you?"

--

Nico walked through the crowded restaurant, his eyes scanning the tables until he saw Lewis sitting in a booth near the back. The familiar sight of him, even after all these years, made Nico's heart skip in a way that both frustrated and confused him.

He approached the table, feeling Lewis's eyes on him, and when he finally sat down across from him, there was a long, tense silence between them. It was always like this. They never really knew how to act around each other, not without the pressure of competition pushing them forward.

"You look good," Lewis said finally, breaking the silence.

"Thanks," Nico replied, his voice stiff. "You too."

Another silence stretched between them, and Nico could feel the weight of everything they'd left unsaid hanging in the air.

Nico wanted to say something real, something honest, but he didn't know how. He had always been good at keeping his emotions in check, at filtering what he felt. But here, now, with Lewis sitting across from him, it felt impossible to keep it all buried.

"Why'd you want to meet up?" Nico asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.

Lewis shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. "I don't know. Just felt like it's been too long, you know?"

Nico nodded, looking down at the table. "Yeah, it has."

Another silence. This one heavier than the last.

Lewis leaned forward slightly, his eyes studying Nico's face. "What happened to us, man?"

Nico looked up, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know how to answer that. There were so many things he wanted to say, but none of them felt right.

"I don't know," Nico said quietly. "We let everything get between us, I guess."

Lewis nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving Nico's. "Do you ever wonder what would've happened if things were different? If we hadn't let it get so bad?"

Nico swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. He had thought about that more times than he cared to admit. He had wondered what their relationship could have been if they hadn't been so consumed by their rivalry, if they had been able to see past the titles and the points and just... be.

"Yeah," Nico said softly. "I think about that a lot."

Lewis leaned back in his seat, a sad smile playing on his lips. "Me too."

There was something vulnerable in Lewis's eyes, something Nico had never really noticed before. It was like, for the first time, they were seeing each other for who they really were—not as competitors, not as enemies, but as two people who had been through so much together

Nico opened his mouth to say something, but before he could find the words, Lewis reached across the table, his hand brushing against Nico's. The touch was light, almost hesitant, but it sent a jolt of electricity through Nico's entire body.

He looked up, meeting Lewis's gaze, and in that moment, he knew. Knew that everything he had been feeling for years wasn't just about competition or rivalry. It was about something deeper, something he hadn't allowed himself to feel.

"I wonder what it's like," Nico whispered, his voice barely audible, "to be loved by you."

Lewis's breath hitched, and for a moment, Nico thought he had said too much. But then, Lewis's hand tightened around his, and the soft smile on his face turned into something warmer, something real.

"I've been wondering the same thing," Lewis said quietly.

Nico's heart raced, his chest tight with emotion. For the first time in years, he felt like he wasn't running away, like he wasn't hiding behind the walls he had built around himself.

Maybe, just maybe, they could figure this out together. One piece at a time.