Tinder - [Lando Norris]

2.2 || the stars

"Hey, Dagmar. You're still here?". Jon, Lando's trainer, asked Dagmar when she was still standing in the pit box of Lando. "Don't you want to be above the pitlane?". He asked next and her eyebrows furrowed together. "I have access to that?". She asked and he laughed. "Of course you have. Come, let me show you". Jon took his headphones off and so did Dagmar, hanging them back on the wall in the back of the garage. Dagmar followed him outside. They just had a lunch break and Lando was back in the car already. Jon moved up the stairs of the pit building and they walked outside onto the balcony. He was right, the sight was better here. Dagmar had liked the up-close view she had in the pit box, but the was way better to see the cars properly and also quite up close. "Thanks". She smiled at Jon. "No worries". He said. She leaned on the balustrade and watched the cars pass by.

The atmosphere was relaxed and she noticed that Lando was right about what he said this morning. Testing had become much more commerical and that while it wasn't that spectacular at all. In her opinion, Barcelona hosted a beautiful circuit, but there were definitely better ones on the calendar to see the cars drive on. The grandstands were far away from the tarmac and the fans probably attended testing to come in contact with their favourite drivers. Dagmar couldn't blame them either, however it did prove why the tickets were sold out. She looked down at the pass that dangled around her neck and she let out a soft chuckle, her name was pressed onto it and it showed she was special guest of McLaren for today. The balcony of the pit building was also available for fans in different time slots. They walked around her and sometimes glanced at her pass, as if they were trying to figure out who she was.

Dagmar just had a good time watching Lando pass by round after round. It wasn't something she could ever get tired off. She shot some pictures of him and made short videos for her to watch again later, of him coming back into the pit lane and practicing some pitstops with his crew. The day at the circuit flew by and she felt her stomach dropping at the thought of having to fly back to London tomorrow morning and at the same time, she couldn't help it but start thinking about when he's going to Australia. She'd have to miss him for a bit. She hoped her university schedule would let her join him for a weekend later on in the season as well. Jon came back up to her to inform her that Lando was doing his last lap. He was one of the few drivers left on the track and they'd haul him in soon to mark the end of the day. Dagmar got back to his pit box, waiting patiently for him to come and the crew pushed his car backwards into the pit box.

Lando hopped out and gave her a smile through his opened visor. He had to speak briefly with his engineer before they'd get to the actual briefing later this evening. They were going to have some dinner at the track too and then head over to the meeting room. Dagmar watched how his mechanics unscrewed the bolts of the tires and brought them away after taking the tires off the car. They covered the car with a sheet to keep it protected while the pitbox was closed overnight. Martin, his PR manager suggested she followed him to the hospitality. Lando would be occupied for a little while and there wasn't much to do or to see in the pit box anyway. Dagmar agreed and followed him outside of the pit box as they crossed the paddock. Lando would have to leave some media statements too and they could have dinner here. As soon as Dagmar set foot in the McLaren hospitality, she could smell that something delicious would be served tonight and her stomach rumbled at the thought.

She was tired, but she felt extremely satisfied with the day too. Dagmar loved that she had seen everything that involved a day in Lando's formula one life and she hoped to be able to visit him during a race this season too, to experience that as well, if he wanted her to come along of course. Dagmar looked around in the hospitality, even though she had been there already today, there was still more to see each time she entered it again. It was crowded with journalists and team members, from either the media crew or the catering service and that while everyone mentioned, hidden in some other words, that the wintertest was more for 'show'. The data was of course useful, but as many drivers have said already, they can really see which car is the best as soon as they start racing. "Hey, Dagmar. How was your day?". She looked up when Charlotte, the blonde from the media team, moved to sit next to her.

"Hi". She replied with a smile. "It was great, I've seen so much I'm barely able to process it". Dagmar smiled and Charlotte giggled. "I can imagine, but I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, I think we'll be seeing you more often". She winked and Dagmar let out a breathy laugh. "I hope so, I still have my study at the University of London". Dagmar explained. "Lando bragged about how smart you were already, we know everything, believe me". Charlotte rolled her eyes with a playful smile. "Oh well". Dagmar shook her head, thinking of her boyfriend rambling about unrelevant things while they had to be serious. "Hey, is it dinner time?". Lando entered the hospitality, Jon followed with Lando's helmet in his hand. "Almost". Charlotte replied and Lando walked around the table to get to his girlfriend. "Did you have a good time?". He asked, his lips pressing lightly to her cheek to greet her and she nodded. "The best day I've had in a long while". Dagmar replied and he smiled back at her.

His overall was still tied around his waist and the warmth of his body nearly radiated through the fireproof shirt he was wearing. "Jon took me to the VIP boxes so I could see the pitlane from above". Dagmar said, leaning her head on her hand as he sat next to her. "So I've been spying on you". She added, which made Lando laugh. "Hmm, I already thought I felt someone staring". He chuckled. "Let's get upstairs to the cafeteria room, I bet it's dinner time already". Lando suggested and his hand gently brushed over her spine when she got up from the chair. "Was it a good day in the car?". Dagmar asked and he nodded while they walked upstairs. "For sure, engineers say we've gotten a lot of useful data, so I guess that's good". His lips lifted with a lazy grin. "I'm more eager for the season to finally start though". He sighed. "Patience". Dagmar chuckled and he rolled his eyes in a playful way.

They got their dinner plates and Lando and Dagmar joined Carlos and some others at a table. "We've got some briefings after dinner". Lando explained to her as they were seated closely together. "You can take a taxi to the hotel if you don't want to wait?". He suggested and she shook her head. "No, I can wait, it's fine". She smiled, not wanting to leave without him. "Alright, but it can take a while". He said as he studied her face. "I'll find something to spend my time". Dagmar shrugged. "Alright then". Lando replied with a smile as well, his knuckles grazing her cheek in an affectionate way.

"Here you are". Dagmar looked over her shoulders when she heard Lando's voice behind her. They had arrived back from the circuit and it was relatively late already. Tomorrow morning they were flying back home together and Dagmar sighed at the thought of the normal university life restarting again, even tough she had been out of London for just three days. She had enjoyed it too much and her heart slightly ached when she knew she had to miss him for nearly two weeks when he went to Australia. Dagmar hummed in response to what he said to her a couple seconds ago. She leaned against the metal balustrade of the balcony of their hotel room that gave a sight upon the sea and the moon that was full and beaming its light upon the water and the beach beneath them. Lando's shirtless body pressed against hers and she felt the heat coming from his skin, the material of his joggers felt soft against her own bare legs, she was just wearing a large shirt to bed.

Her hair was still wet too as she had showered before Lando. His curls were slightly dampened and she looked up at him with a small smile when he looked down at her too. "The weather's never this good at this time in the UK". She laughed lightly, not feeling cold outside in just a shirt and some underwear. "Right?". Lando chuckled. "Is it weird that I just don't want to go back yet?". She muttered, feeling his hands wandering to the small of her back and her fingers moved to trace his collarbones. "I'd rather stay here with you". Dagmar added and her words made his heart skip a beat. "Me too, but we have to get back home". Lando gently said. "And you have to get back to your classes". He laughed when she groaned. "I don't want to". She pouted, bumping her forehead against his chest. "Hey, it's not like our lives are suddenly split apart or something, we will continue to see each other, right?". Lando asked, lifting her chin with his fingers. "Of course". Dagmar hummed.

"Then I don't see a reason to not turn this frown upside down". Lando cooed and she scrunched her nose upwards at the childish rhyme, she giggled nevertheless. His thumb rubbed over her cheek as his fingers spread over her neck and he leaned down to kiss her. They hadn't kissed properly all day, they could've, but definitely not with any camera's around. Dagmar closed her eyes when he pecked her lips a couple times before the kiss deepened and she could feel his tongue against hers. Butterflies fluttered around in her stomach and she wished for the feeling to never leave.