Beyond the Track - Oscar Piastri bxb

Conversations in between

The morning sun filtered through the hotel rooms curtains, casting a soft glow over Oscar's bed. He blinked awake slowly, the remnants of sleep fading as he remembered the night before. His heart beat a little faster at the thought of it, the late night drive, the quiet conversation, the kiss he couldn't quite believe had happened.

He lay there a while, letting the memory sink in, a faint smile pulling at his lips. It felt surreal, thinking about Nick this way, but he didn't want to push it away. Instead, he let himself linger in the feeling, savouring it like a secret he wasn't ready to let go of.

After a quick shower, Oscar pulled on his team gear and headed downstairs for breakfast, half hoping he'd run into Nick. The hotels dining area was bustling with other crew members and drivers, but Nick wasn't there. Oscar tried not to feel disappointed as he grabbed some coffee and found a quiet spot by the window, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.

He didn't have to wait long. A few minutes later, he caught sight of Nick entering the dining area, looking a but more relaxed than yesterday. Their eyes met across the room, and Nicks face broke into a warm smile, one that made Oscar's heart skip just like it had the night before.

Nick wove through the tables and joined him at the window, holding a cup of coffee and a bagel. "Morning," he said, his voice casual, though there was a spark in his eyes that hinted at the unspoken memory between them.

"Hey," Oscar replied, trying to keep his own voice steady, "Sleep well?"

Nick chuckled softly, glancing away for a moment before looking back at Oscar. "Honestly? Not much. Last night was... something else."

Oscar nodded, feeling a quiet thrill that Nick had felt the same. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

They fell into an easy silence, sipping their coffee and watching as the room bustled with morning energy. It was a different kind of quiet than the one they'd shared on the drive- a comfortable, companionable silence that felt natural, like they'd done this a hundred times before. Oscar found himself relaxing, feeling at ease in a way he rarely did around anyone, much less someone he was still getting to know.

After a while, Nick glanced at him, a soft smile playing at his lips. "Any plans today, other than the usual?"

Oscar shrugged, realising he didn't have much in his schedule beyond a few team meeting. "Not really. Just some prep work and maybe some debrief stuff. You?"

Nick sipped his coffee, looking thoughtful. "Nothing major. Just PR work. But..." he hesitated, his gaze flickering to Oscar, as if weighing his next words. "If you're free later, maybe we could go grab a coffee or just... somewhere. No pressure though."

Oscar felt a flutter of excitement at the invitation, nodding before he could second guess himself. "Yeah, I'd like that. Maybe we can take a walk or something."

Nicks smile widened, his expression brightening in a way that mad Oscar's chest feel lighter. "Sounds good. I'll let you know when I'm done for the day?"

"Perfect."

They finished their coffee together, letting the conversation meander through light topics. Oscar found himself laughing more than he had in weeks, feeling the weight of the season lift as they talked. It was refreshing, not having to be on guard, not having to worry about what he said or how he was perceived. With Nick, he felt like he could just... be himself.

Oscar's good mood carried him through the hotel and into the conference room where his team meeting was set to begin. As he slipped into to his seat, he noticed Lando Norris at the other end of the table, already deep in conversation with one of the engineers. Oscar gave him a quick nod, which Lando returned with a smirk and a lifted eyebrow, as if he'd already caught on to the shift in Oscar's mood.

The meeting kicked off with the usual analysis- the debrief of the race, the data from the cars performance, endless charts and breakdowns. But Oscar found his mind wandering, his thoughts slipping back to the quiet morning with Nick. Even here, surrounded by the intensity and precision of racing, that memory brought a calmness he wasn't used to.

The engineers wrapped up their technical rundown, and Oscar did his best to refocus, reminding himself that he had a job to do, and that Nick could wait. But as the meeting stretched on, Lando leaned over, giving him a playful nudged.

"You're grinning mate. What's got you in such a good mood?" Lando whispered, his tone teasing.

Oscar blinked, feeling heat rise to his face as he quickly tried to look more serious. "I'm not grinning," he protested, a little too quickly.

Lando raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Right. I've known you long enough to know when something's up. Spill it."

Oscar glanced around, noticing the focused expressions of everyone else at the table. "It's nothing," he muttered, trying to brush it off. "Just... I guess I had a good night, that's all."

"A good night, huh?" Lando's grin widened. "So, this 'good night' wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain someone?"

Oscar rolled his eyes, not quite ready to give Lando the satisfaction of knowing he'd guessed right. "You're making way too big a deal of this."

"Am I?" Lando said, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied look. "If it's really nothing, then why are you turning red?"

Oscar couldn't help but laugh quietly, shaking his head. "I'll tell you later, alright? Just keep it down."

Lando chuckled but dropped the subject, though he shot Oscar a knowing look now and then, clearly amused by the whole thing. When the meeting finally wrapped up, they both stood and lingered a bit as the other engineers filtered out, until Lando gave Oscar a nudge toward the door.

"Okay, now you've got to tell me," Lando insisted, grinning. "I haven't seen you like this in... ever."

Oscar sighed, realising he wasn't going to get out for this. But at the same time, he didn't mind. Lando was one of the few people who really knew him here, someone he could trust. So he shrugged, keeping his tone casual as he said, "I, uh... I met someone."

Landos eyes widened, a look of delight flashing across his face. "I knew it! So, who's the lucky someone? Anyone I know?"

Oscar hesitated, the thought of saying Nicks name out loud making him feel exposed. But there was a thrill there, too- a quiet pride in this unexpected connection. "It's... Nick. Nick Johnson, the new press guy."

Landos expression softened, a genuine smile replacing the teasing. "Nick, huh? He seems like a good guy. I didn't know you to were... close."

"Yeah, neither did I," Oscar admitted, a small smile tugging at his lips. "It just kind of happened. Last night we ended up talking and... I don't know. It was different. Good different."

Lando nodded, looking thoughtful. "Good for you mate. Really. I think you deserve something like that- someone who gets it you know?"

Oscar felt a rush of gratitude, relieved to see the understanding in Landos expression. "Thanks. I dont know what's going to happen, but... if feels like its worth finding out."

"Then go for it," Lando said, clapping him on the shoulder. "I've got your back. Besides, who knows? Maybe he'll be good luck. We could use that this season."

Oscar laughed, feeling lighter as he and Lando walked out of the room together. He appreciated Landos support more than he could say- it gave him a quiet reassurance that whatever this was with Nick, it was okay to let himself explore it.

As they parted ways, Oscar checked his phone. A message from Nick.

Nick: Hey, I'm done with my meetings. If you're free, want to meet up?

A small smile tugged at Oscar's lips and he quickly typed back.

Oscar: Yeah, let's do it. Meet you in the lobby?

He slipped his phone back into his pocket, a rush of anticipation filling him as he headed to his room to drop off his things. For the first time time in a while, he felt like he had something to look forward to outside of racing- something simple, something good.

And as he made his way toward the lobby to meet Nick, he felt that sense of quiet excitement settle in again, ready to see where this new connection would take him.