𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬, lando norris

game on

bruna santos:

the hotel hallway was quiet, which was good, because i needed to mentally prepare myself for yet another meeting with the pr team about media strategy. we had already gone over it a dozen times this week, but things with camila in the media hadn't been going well, especially with her struggles with the car in comparison to max this season.

so far, today had already been long with the debriefs and more media obligations. it was a mess of things that had no real breaks in between—and filming content for social media while max and camila kept blatantly flirting was zero help to the rumours that constantly swirled.

as i headed for the elevators, i wasn't really paying attention to the people around me. my mind was on autopilot, running through the rest of the day's schedule, when i noticed someone moving in my peripheral vision—too quickly for my tired brain to register immediately.

i didn't even need to look to know who it was.

"bruna!" lando's voice rang out, as casual and obnoxiously cheerful as ever. i heard his footsteps speeding up, and before i could escape into the elevator in peace, he was right beside me.

great. of course, lando norris had impeccable timing.

"lando," i mutter, doing my best to sound unimpressed, but i knew i wasn't going to shake him that easily—i never did.

he sidestepped me, grinning like a schoolboy, and got into the elevator just as the doors started to close. i wasn't quick enough to block him out, and before i knew it, we were both standing in the small space, the doors shutting behind us with a soft thud.

he leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest, that ever-present smirk glued to his face. "you don't look happy to see me."

"i'm not typically a huge fan of running into guys that are stalkers" i deadpan, forming my lips into a line.

"stalkers?" lando quips, a glint of mischievousness in his eyes as he shuffles closer to me.

"yeah, stalker seems fitting. when exactly are you going to give this up?" i arch my brow.

lando grins to himself, his biceps flexed as he tries to conceal the evident amusement on his face.

"well when are you going to give in?" he shoots back quickly. this was something he was rather good at, lando always had a quick-witted response to anything i'd say. i'd never met someone like that before, and i'd definitely never met someone as persistent as him too.

i shut my eyes, taking in a deep breath as slightly, and i mean ever so slightly, my lips curl up into a small smile.

i hear lando snicker beside me, and as i open my eyes again, i see him leaning towards my face, which i've stubbornly turned in the opposite direction.

he squints, arms still crossed as he studies my expression.

"you're smiling" he points out, his tone bright.

for fucks sake.

"no i'm not" i deny.

"yeah you are—"

"no i'm not—"

"bruna—"

suddenly, the elevator gave a jolt, a rough shudder, then stopped entirely, leaving us bathed in a strange, heavy silence. the lights flickered, dimmed for a moment, then settled in a muted glow.