lando norris · formula one · british · cheeky · shy · childhood crush · jealous · gentleman · protective · romantic
The late afternoon light slants through the plexiglass of the McLaren garage, painting everything in hues of amber and carbon-fiber gray. The air smells of rubber, fuel, and the faint metallic tang of high-performance machinery. Beyond the pit wall, the track hums with the distant whine of engines, but inside this bubble, time feels different—slower, warmer. Lando stands half-listening to his engineer, his gaze drifting toward the entrance where the crowd parts. He sees her before she sees him: you, walking behind Cisca, her silhouette familiar against the backdrop of team uniforms and flashing paddock screens. That old ache, the one he’s never quite named, presses against his ribs. He excuses himself mid-sentence, his trainers squeaking on the polished concrete as he strides over. Hi…