Landoscar oneshots

Chapter 29: Behind the Mask

Lando Norris had always been the type of driver who knew he was good, and it showed. His cocky smile, playful jabs at the competition, and endless social media posts about how awesome he was had become a trademark of his personality. But not everyone appreciated his vibe. Oscar Piastri, for one, found it incredibly irritating.

Oscar was a serious guy. He focused on his racing, putting in hours of training, keeping his private life low-key. He didn't need to brag about his achievements. He just went out, did the job, and did it well. And Lando's constant, carefree attitude felt like a slap in the face to that approach.

"Ugh, can't stand that guy," Oscar muttered under his breath one afternoon after another one of Lando's infamous Instagram posts. His teammates had gathered in the paddock before a race, casually talking about their plans for the weekend.

"What's up with you and Lando?" one of the PR team asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you guys are teammates, right?"

Oscar snorted. "Teammates, sure. Doesn't mean I have to like him."

There was a laugh from behind him. "Well, good thing I'm not the one you have to impress," Lando's voice rang out, a playful taunt attached to it. Oscar whipped around, eyes narrowing.

"Maybe you should focus on racing instead of getting your followers excited for your next stunt," Oscar shot back, his tone colder than usual. Lando just shrugged, unfazed.

"Guess that's why we're on different wavelengths, mate."

Oscar's frustration grew. He couldn't help but feel like Lando didn't take his job seriously enough. And that, in turn, made Oscar want to be as far away from him as possible. He'd heard enough of Lando's stories and witnessed enough of his antics to know that the guy didn't need to do all that to be good. But he kept doing it anyway. And Oscar couldn't stand it.

A week later, the team's PR manager, Sarah, approached Oscar with an unexpected request. "Oscar, we need your help. Lando's been a bit of a handful lately, and we could use some... backup. We need to clean up his image a bit, and honestly, we think you could help."

Oscar blinked in surprise. "What? You want me to babysit Lando?"

Sarah smiled slightly. "Not exactly. But he needs someone to work with him. You know, do some of those behind-the-scenes things that will help him look less... well, like he's just a joker."

Oscar raised an eyebrow. "Why me?"

"Because you're the polar opposite. You don't give off the same vibe, and you've got a level head. If anyone can balance him out, it's you."

Oscar wasn't sure if this was a compliment or a punishment. But either way, he found himself agreeing to the assignment. He didn't think it would be too bad. He would keep his distance and just get the job done. How hard could it be?

The next day, Oscar was introduced to the PR campaign they were working on. It was all about interviews, media presence, and promoting Lando's next big project — a collaboration with a high-end watch brand. Oscar was tasked with helping Lando with the press photoshoot, which, as Oscar quickly realized, meant he'd be spending a lot of time with the very person he couldn't stand.

And things started... awkwardly.

"Alright, Piastri. Are you ready for this?" Lando greeted him as they met in the changing room. Oscar barely looked up, already focused on the brief Sarah had given him.

"You're the one who needs to be ready, not me," Oscar muttered, not in the mood to deal with Lando's energy.

Lando just laughed, a little too loudly. "You know, for someone who doesn't like me, you sure are spending a lot of time with me."

Oscar didn't respond, pulling the collar of his shirt straight. "Just keep it professional, Norris. That's all I'm asking."

It wasn't long before Lando started to get under Oscar's skin again. The way he joked around with the crew, making everyone laugh, even while Oscar just tried to focus on the task at hand. They couldn't seem to get anything done without Lando cracking some joke or laughing about something that wasn't even remotely funny.

"Can you stop for five minutes?" Oscar finally snapped when Lando had made some silly comment about the lighting. "You're here to work, not to show off."

For the first time in a while, Lando's usual grin faltered. He looked at Oscar, surprised by his sharp tone. "Alright, alright. I'm just trying to have some fun, mate."

Oscar rubbed his temples. "We're not here to have fun, Lando. We're here to get this shoot done. Some of us are trying to be taken seriously."

There was a long pause. Lando's face shifted, and for a moment, Oscar thought he saw something different in him. Something... less cocky and more frustrated. "You think I'm not serious?" Lando asked quietly.

Oscar opened his mouth, but the words didn't come out. It hit him, then — Lando wasn't just some cocky kid. Maybe he was more like Oscar than he wanted to admit. Maybe they were both just trying to prove themselves in different ways.

"I didn't mean it like that," Oscar said, his voice softening. "It's just... You have this way of making everything look easy. Like you don't care about anything, and that's not how I see things."

Lando paused, looking at him with a curious expression. "So, you think I don't care about racing?"

Oscar shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't say that. It's just... everything seems like a joke to you."

"I get it," Lando said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I guess I just like to have fun with it. But I do care. I'm just not going to act like it's the end of the world every time something goes wrong."

Oscar let out a sigh. "I get it now," he said, the tension between them beginning to ease. "I guess we're not as different as I thought."

Lando looked at him, nodding. "You might be right. You're way too serious, though."

Oscar couldn't help but smirk. "And you're way too cocky."

At that, they both laughed. It wasn't much, but it was a start. They weren't best friends, but they were finally on the same page. And maybe, just maybe, they could make this work.

In the weeks that followed, Oscar and Lando began to find a rhythm. Their partnership became more than just a PR stunt. They started understanding each other's strengths and quirks. Lando's natural charm and Oscar's focused energy started to complement each other. They weren't exactly friends, but they were learning how to tolerate each other's differences, and in doing so, they found respect.

And when the press finally published their photoshoot together, they both looked at each other, their first real smile shared.

It wasn't perfect, but it was something.