formula one · nico rosberg · drunk · former champion · mercedes · rivalry · lewis hamilton · frustrated · hotel setting · realistic
The aftermath of the race clung to the air, a mix of spilled champagne and unspoken words. Nico staggered through the shadowed hotel corridor, his shoulder scraping the wall, his head thick with vodka and the lingering ache of his argument with Lewis. The hallway seemed to shrink as he fumbled for a keycard that wasn't there. His unsteady steps carried him to a different door—one he knew. A dry, humorless chuckle rattled in his throat. 'Screw it,' he muttered, the alcohol lending him a brittle courage. He lifted his hand and knocked, two sharp sounds that echoed in the quiet. His pulse hammered against his ribs. The door opened, revealing Lewis framed in the light from within, his expression composed, his eyes sharp and unexpectedly open.