⌞ the chain ⌝

⌞ forty : lights out ⌝

"We'll see."

_

The thing about racing was it got in your head. And you may think that a bad thing. That it lingered and kept you there, in some unforgettable moment. But it was more like an addiction. A drug I couldn't exactly kick. It made me chase that high of being in a moment when everything cleared out and it was just me with the car. When Damon shut up and I could just feel the engine and the track below me. It was nothing that could ever be replaced. And god, I chased it with every single session.

But now, now it felt like it came to me like it was breathing. I couldn't be without the car like I couldn't be without the air in my lungs. And it seemed that was a classic trait among my colleagues. It was welcome. And cherished because I was finally around people who understood what it meant to be truly free. Jules said I would find my people and this felt almost as close as one could get. But there was still work to do.

And so I sat. In the car. Waiting. Breathing. Feeling. The helmet over my head. The rumble of the engine below me. The soft static of the radio as I zoned out Damon to get in my zone. Hands on the wheels, fingers covered by gloves. This was it. This was racing. This was what I craved and why the blood ran through my veins.

"Lu? Are we done with the revel or do we need more time before the princess is ready to do her job?"

I snorted, shaking myself out of the haze as I took a breath. "Let's do this shit."

_

I groaned as I watched Jem ahead of me. The first fucking race of the season and I was most definitely not losing to him. And most definitely not on the first race of the season. I had already screwed qualifying, I was not about to screw this race. Especially since there were three cars ahead of me before I could even get close to Jem. That was enough to get me the motivation I needed. I was not going to do this.

"Damon. Please tell me I have the ability to get work done."

"I was waiting for you to finally start acting like we're here to race and not just drive."

I groaned. He had gotten more sassy with each day and I hated it. Well, not really. He was just adjusting to my attitude now that he had learned all the little pieces of me. He was my engineer and my friend and my older brother and my mentor and my therapist. It was nice to have someone who knew all those hidden parts of me. But at the same time, I didn't appreciate the attitude matching.

I didn't say anything else as I took a breath to focus. Lando, George, Charlie. Three to go and a few laps to get it done. Well, at least, that's what I told myself. It was still early in the race but I wasn't here to give photo finishes. I was here to make a name and to prove my dominance. Or at least, make it known that I had some sort of dominance to this godforsaken sport.

But it was Lando and I had to do this civilly. I knew him and he knew me. This was businesses, a job to do. And I had to prove that my move to Redbull wasn't a waste. I missed McLaren but that didn't mean I was going to give up my wins and my work just because of it. Plus, it was easy to go around someone when you knew how they drove.

George was next. I didn't mind playing dirty with him, especially since he wasn't my teammate or a past one. Sure, we were becoming quick friends but the track was no place for alliances, not right now. It wasn't the place nor the time. Even if his defense was amazing, he was still just a car to get around in the corner and put some distance between in the straight. That's two.

But this was going to be the hard spot. Charlie. The Alfa car in front of me. Holding out. Defending a position he most definitely deserved. But then again, I did as well. I had to force myself to breathe. Arty was in the garage watching this and I was sure whoever was commentating on the whole thing was making it out to be more romantic and tragical than it was. Two siblings. Twins. Head to head in their first race together. Leclerc against Leclerc. I could almost roll my eyes at the thought. It was more than annoying.

But then again, as most things, my mind drifted back to Jules. I wondered what he would have thought about this moment. Who he would be rooting for. What would be his thoughts about me moving to Redbull. If he would have made me think more rationally about the idea. What it would have been if could have met Lando and seen how quickly he had become a friendly face in the apartment. How Jules would have welcomed him with open arms.

But I pushed those thoughts aside. I had a job to do and Charlie was just another car in my way. Which meant I needed to focus. I knew all the little things he did because I had been there. In all the training sessions, in all the moments where he was learning what kind of driver he was. Shots in the corner, hard in the straights, tight in the moments things got close. He was a wheel to wheel driver. And I knew when he hesitated. I counted on it. And it made me an insider, rather than a guesser. A shot in the dark. And it gave me the advantage I wanted as I came around, my wheel barely coming against his.

"One man, two man, three man down."

"Don't get cocky on me."

"Let me have some fun, Damon."

I could hear his snort on the other side of the radio and it made me smirk beneath my helmet. I knew he was probably smiling at his station on the pit lane. He wanted me to do as well. He wanted me to succeed because he was doing his job correctly. We were a team. He was my man in the chair and I was following the numbers. As Damon said, numbers never lied.

"If you focus and get the job done, maybe I'll allow it. But that's winner talk and I have yet to see a trophy or a P1 position yet."

"Aye aye, captain."

________________________________________________________________________________

a/n: merry christmas you guys!! ive missed doing this for you. and this will be my gift to you. well, and maybe i might just drop the xmas traditions that each one does. as a little treat. hehe. enjoy your holidays, whatever you may celebrate. and there will be another chapter before the new year. as always, love it or don't :p