Landoscar oneshots

Chapter 28: Mistaken Identity

It was supposed to be a simple team-building exercise. McLaren had arranged a day at a local amusement park for the drivers and the rest of the team, hoping to give everyone a break from the intensity of the season. Lando had been looking forward to it, in a way. It was a chance to get away from the track and hang out with his teammates without the usual pressures.

What he didn't expect was for Oscar to show up, wearing a bright green hoodie, sunglasses, and a snapback hat pulled low over his eyes. The moment Lando spotted him, he thought it was someone else entirely.

"Oscar?" Lando called out, walking over to him. "Is that you?"

Oscar didn't respond right away. Instead, he just stood there, glancing around awkwardly before finally lifting his sunglasses to give Lando a look of recognition.

"What?" Oscar said, his voice laced with confusion.

Lando paused, blinking. "Wait... you're not Oscar?"

Oscar's face twisted into an expression of pure amusement. "No, Lando," he said, barely holding back a laugh. "I am Oscar."

Lando's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he realized he had mistaken his teammate for a random guy. "Oh... right. Well, you look different with the hoodie and all."

"I look like I'm going incognito," Oscar grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. "I've been trying to avoid being recognized all day."

Lando raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "How's that working out for you? Because the second you take that hat off, the whole place will know it's you."

Oscar just shrugged nonchalantly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Not if I stay in the shadows."

The two of them stood there for a moment, the awkwardness from Lando's earlier mistake slowly fading away. Oscar wasn't exactly the type to get embarrassed, and Lando found himself impressed by how effortlessly he owned the situation.

After a while, they decided to wander the park together. The rest of the team had scattered, but Oscar and Lando seemed to naturally gravitate toward each other, starting with the food stalls and then heading toward the rollercoasters.

Lando had never been one for thrill rides — he was the type who would rather watch others scream their lungs out — but Oscar had other plans. The moment they saw the tallest, fastest rollercoaster, Oscar was practically dragging Lando to the line.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Oscar said, grinning like a child on Christmas morning. "You're not scared, are you?"

Lando hesitated, glancing at the monstrous ride in front of him. "I'm not scared. Just... not sure it's my thing."

Oscar didn't seem convinced. "We'll make it fun. You'll see."

The line was long, and as they waited, the conversation naturally shifted between the two of them. They talked about their favorite tracks, their memories from their karting days, and even their early career struggles. It was the kind of conversation they never really had at the track, where things were always more professional, always focused on strategy and performance.

"So," Lando said, looking at Oscar as they neared the front of the line, "you really think I'll enjoy this?"

Oscar grinned, his eyes bright with excitement. "Absolutely. You're going to love it. Just try to keep your screams down, alright?"

The ride was terrifying. There was no other way to describe it. Lando screamed through the entire thing, gripping the harness so tightly that his knuckles turned white. But when they got off, his legs were shaky, and he couldn't stop laughing. Oscar was right there beside him, grinning like he'd just won the lottery.

"You were great!" Oscar said, patting Lando on the back as they stumbled away from the ride. "See? I told you it would be fun."

Lando laughed again, shaking his head. "I think you've officially ruined me for any other rollercoaster."

Oscar chuckled. "You're welcome. Next time, we'll try the even bigger one."

"Please don't," Lando said, pretending to be exhausted, though there was still a smile on his face.

As the day wore on, they found themselves naturally drifting together. Whether it was the ridiculous photo booth, the cotton candy stand, or just sitting on the benches watching the sunset, they kept finding excuses to hang out. It felt... easy. Comfortable, even. Like they'd been friends for much longer than they had.

By the end of the day, as they were waiting for the bus to take them back to the hotel, Lando found himself talking to Oscar like he never had before. They were no longer just teammates, but something more. It wasn't that they had suddenly changed or had some big revelation; it was just that being away from the chaos of the track allowed them to see each other for who they really were.

"You know," Lando said as the bus pulled up, "this has been... surprisingly fun."

Oscar turned to him, his eyes softening as he smiled. "You know what? I'm glad you enjoyed it. I was starting to think I was going to have to drag you on every ride."

Lando smirked. "You probably still will."

Oscar raised an eyebrow, clearly considering the challenge. "Maybe... or maybe next time, we'll get to do something a little less scary."

Lando laughed, shaking his head. "I'll believe that when I see it."

As they boarded the bus, they found their seats next to each other, a quiet understanding between them. Neither of them said it out loud, but it was clear that something had shifted. There was no rush, no pressure to define what this was yet. It was enough that, for once, they could just enjoy being together without any expectations. And maybe that's all they needed.

The next day, when the team returned to the track, Lando and Oscar were back to their usual banter, but there was a quiet comfort in the way they interacted now. Something had changed. The connection they'd found during the amusement park day was still there, just beneath the surface, waiting to grow.