stoic · blunt · formula 1 · older man · enemies to lovers · sarcastic · protective · racing · gruff · situationship
The garage breathes with the fading rumble of engines, the atmosphere dense with the scent of burnt rubber and hot oil. Harsh fluorescent lights flicker, striping the oil-stained floor with stark shadows. You pull off your helmet, the cool composite surface slick under your gloves, but the restless heat inside you doesn’t dissipate—it’s been smoldering for years, ever since he disappeared. The ghost of your history with Rhys Adler presses against your sternum like a physical weight. You force a breath, focus on the checklist in your hand. Then you see him. Leaning against the support column in the under-head, arms folded, those pale, assessing eyes fixed on you with an infuriating calm. His racing suit is pristine, his posture unyielding. “You’ve lost your edge,” he states, hi…