Formula 1 One-Shots (II)

Lando Norris [Gingerbread Man]

A/N Suggested by hellomartii

WORDS: 1123

PROMPT: "You bit my gingerbread man's head off!"
_____

Lando and I have been dating for around three years now, and the holiday season still remains our favourite part of the year. Finally, we have time to spend the days together decorating our now shared apartment, hanging lights around the windows, and setting up a tree in the corner of the living room. The smell of cinnamon and ginger fills the air because I just finished baking gingerbread men, something I always do during this time of the year.

When the last ornament is hung up we settle on the couch, wrap the presents we are going to gift others and sip some hot chocolate, On the coffee table in front of us rest the plate with some of the gingerbread men, baked till golden brown with their details out of icing and some candy buttons.

I test if the icing is dried on one of the gingerbread men, admiring my own work, before dicing to take a first testing bite out of the leg. "They turned out pretty good." I tell Lando with pride, especially when I remember the first times, I have baked them, and something had to go wrong every time.

Lando reaches for his own gingerbread man, but before he tastes it, he looks at me with a mischievous grin. Without saying anything he leans over and quickly bites off the head of my gingerbread man. Lips decorating with some icing while I look at him in shock.

"You bit my gingerbread man's head off!" I exclaim and slide away from him to bring me and my treat into safety.

Lando grins at me, not even trying to suppress the laugh. "It was too tempting." He says with a shrug of his shoulders. "I couldn't help myself and needed to start with the best part."

I put my free hand on my hips, pouting at his words. "That was my favourite part, and you know that! You can't just go around biting the heads of gingerbread men off."

Lando leans closer to me again, a grin still covering his lips. "It was an accident. I promise it won't happen again."

I raise an eyebrow at him, clearly not convinced. "An accident?" I repeat, crossing my arms. "How exactly does one accidentally bite off the head of a gingerbread man?"

Lando just shrugs, the playful glint in his eyes betraying his true intentions. "It was a very unfortunate accident," he says, reaching for another gingerbread man. This time, he seems to take extra care not to look at me too closely, as if afraid I might spring into action again. But I'm not going to let him off that easy.

"Unfortunate, huh?" I muse, narrowing my eyes as I carefully inspect the remaining gingerbread men on the plate. "Maybe I should do some 'accident-proofing' around here. That way, no more heads will be missing."

Lando bursts out laughing at my dramatic tone. "You're going to lock in the gingerbread men?" he teases, leaning back against the couch with an exaggerated look of horror. "Oh no, I'll never survive. The poor gingerbread people don't stand a chance."

I roll my eyes and shake my head, but I can't hide the smile tugging at the corner of my lips. I'm mad at him for the headless gingerbread man, sure, but that's just Lando—he has a way of making everything feel like a joke, even when it's not. We've spent three years together, and somehow, his antics never get old. Even when they should.

"Maybe next time I'll just bake you a batch of gingerbread people with no heads," I say, watching his face fall in disbelief. "You know, since you can't seem to leave their heads alone."

He stares at me for a moment, then dramatically raises his hand in the air, as if making a vow. "I swear I will be on my best behaviour, and I will leave the heads of your gingerbread men untouched for the rest of time."

"Hmm." I tap my chin thoughtfully. "I'll believe it when I see it."

With a playful huff, Lando grabs another gingerbread man, this time carefully inspecting the little cookies, making sure to avoid any part that looks too tempting. "Fine, you win. I'll behave."

I settle back against the couch, satisfied for now. We both return to wrapping presents, the soft hum of holiday music playing in the background. I take a sip of my hot chocolate, the creamy sweetness warming me from the inside out, and I can't help but let out a contented sigh. This time of year always feels like magic.

"Have you figured out what you want to do for New Year's Eve?" Lando asks, breaking the comfortable silence.

I glance over at him, noticing the way the light from the nearby tree reflects in his eyes. There's something about the soft glow of Christmas lights that makes everything feel more intimate like the world has paused for just a moment.

"I'm not sure," I say, thinking. "I like the idea of just staying in. Maybe making another batch of gingerbread men and binge-watching movies."

Lando's eyes widen with excitement. "Oh, we can totally do that! But you know... with a lot less gingerbread murder involved."

I laugh, shaking my head. "Fine, we can skip the gingerbread casualties. But only if you promise not to eat all the cookies before New Year's."

"I promise nothing," Lando says with a grin, leaning over to steal yet another gingerbread man from the plate. This time, he opts for one without a head. "For the record, though, I'm not the only one who eats them. You were the one who baked these, so you can't blame me for indulging."

"Right, blame the baker," I reply with a sigh. "Typical."

We settle into the rhythm of our evening again—me, wrapping presents, Lando, nibbling on gingerbread men. The clock on the wall ticks steadily onward, but in these moments, time feels like it slows down. Everything is quiet, calm, and warm, with nothing to worry about other than who's going to get the last gingerbread man.

Moments like these remind me why I love the holiday season. It's not about the presents or the fancy decorations. It's about the little things—the laughter shared over silly jokes, the way Lando looks at me with that mischievous grin and the simple pleasure of being together in the cozy little bubble we've created.

And as I glance back down at the gingerbread men—most of which are now headless, thanks to Lando—I can't help but laugh quietly to myself. Maybe next year I'll bake a whole army of gingerbread men. But for tonight, it's perfect just as it is.