Work Text:
It would have been a far more sentimental moment, Lando had thought, if not for the fact that 1) their sweat had barely dried off from a rigorous qualifying session; and 2) they were still in their team kits. Somehow the two of them had been wrangled from the paddock and gently shoved onto a yacht.
They were in Monaco, about to board a yacht that would cruise down the French Riviera for what appeared to be for purely corporate reasons.
“The sunset’s really something today,” one of the admins had quipped while another was in the midst of securing Oscar’s mic to the collar of his shirt. Lando, meanwhile, didn’t even try to conceal the fact that his attention was very much fixed on Oscar — who was glancing down while the admin checked on his mic.
“It is,” Lando remarked distractedly, quickly glancing sideways.
“D’you need us to, uh, make any comments about quali? Answer any questions?” Oscar didn’t seem to notice Lando’s apparent distraction, hands resting on his hips.
“Not right now,” the social media admin, a bubbly lady named Ella, grinned, glancing down at the phone in her hands. “We just need a few shots of you guys enjoying the view,” she shrugged casually.
They were quickly shooed onto the back of the yacht, with only a few members of the McLaren staff trailing behind. The captain, a solemn faced man with silver hair, nodded as he got the engine running, and soon, they were off. The remaining crew members waved dramatically at the passengers, and Lando’s grin widened as he half knelt on the cushioned seat, pretending to wave a handkerchief at them.
Oscar, on the other hand, looked like the pictorial definition of relaxation. He slouched back on the seat, leaning against the backrest with arms folded. He was glancing around the harbor, seemingly more keen to observe the comings and goings around him. At the muted sound of a horn, he’d jolted up slightly, before relaxing back on his seat again.
Lando decided to pretend that he certainly was not ogling Oscar’s legs — his dark shorts provided Lando with a pretty good view of his toned thighs. See, Lando never really thought of himself as a particularly shy person, but there was something about the way the fading sunlight — coupled with the lights dotting the perimeter of the harbor — and, especially, how they landed on Oscar’s face, and how they brought out his freckles. He turned away, fishing his phone out of his pocket with one hand to capture the view of the Riviera. Lando frowned, wiping at his camera lens when the lights came out as streaks in his camera roll.
He does not miss the familiar, soft chuckling from behind him. “What’s got you so tickled, Osc?” Lando snorted, still occupied with taking photos of the lights around them.
“Nothing,” Oscar replied with a slight shrug. “Just you.”
Lando decidedly narrowed his eyes at Oscar, before quickly turning back to the harbor.
“Are you guys just gonna sit there quietly for the entire thing?” Ella, who was very much still there in front of them, laughed as she adjusted the angle of her phone.
“Huh,” Lando blurted, turning back to face her, and then turning to Oscar. When their eyes meet, both of their faces light up with mirroring grins. Oscar averted his gaze, thumb tracing over his elbow. “Always had a way with words.”
At that, Lando snorted, setting his phone down next to him on the seat, sliding both arms to rest on the metal railing behind him. He leans back, finally feeling like he’s able to actually relax even though some minutes had passed from when they’d first stepped onto the yacht.
“Do you come down here often?” Oscar said, pulling a knee close to his chest. Somewhere along the line, he’d adjusted his position on the seat, and it also doesn’t escape Lando’s notice that he’s inched closer.
Lando’s grin goes lopsided, as though on the edge of unbridled laughter. “You’re hilarious, you know that?” he retorted playfully. It was only some months ago that they’d snuck out for a stroll by the Riviera, hoodies over their heads to evade eagle eyes and nosy neighbors.
“Just saying, maybe we should,” Oscar shrugged, eyes crinkling in a way that made Lando’s pulse skip. “On our next break.”
“You say that as though we aren’t living just streets apart. That can be easily arranged, y’know,” Lando waved a hand with a slightly dramatic flourish.
“Ah,” Oscar nodded, looking quite satisfied. “I’ll make sure to empty my calendar. Especially for you,” he tilted his head, grinning toothily.
For some reason, the way that Oscar said that made Lando’s cheeks go hot. Oscar made him feel a type of way even in the most mundane of things he did. Lando swallowed, averting Oscar’s gaze again and pretending to ignore Oscar sidling up close to him. He looks away at first, as though to check if they were still being watched. The social media admin appeared to be satisfied with whatever she’d sought to capture from them, and had wandered off to the front of the yacht, where the other staff members were huddled, talking seemingly about the view and what was next.
“Hey,” Oscar’s voice lowered to a murmur. He’s now close enough that Lando can feel the warmth of his breath on his cheek.
“Hi, you,” Lando beamed, eyes glinting. “You look like you’re… plotting something.”
Oscar stretched out a hand, and Lando made note of how his fingers felt brushing against his cheek. “Do I, now,” he whispered, lips gently pressing against Lando’s jaw.
“Osc,” Lando hissed, pulling back only slightly. “Not sure if you’ve already forgotten, but we’re not exactly alone here, as romantic as it looks.” He lifts an arm, pointing to the lights behind him with a hand.
Oscar simply chuckled, before gently pulling Lando in again by the shoulder. “It’s called killing two birds with one stone, Lando.”
“Mixing business with pleasure is often ill advised,” Lando said with mocking disapproval.
“Too bad I’m not really in the mood for sound advice today,” Oscar murmured again, before tilting his head sideways, lips pressing softly against Lando’s. Lando made a low noise in his throat, somewhat startled at Oscar’s rather sudden decision to act on impulse.
They remain exchanging languid, unhurried kisses for a moment, and to their relief, they’re quite far away from the houses closest to the waterside, where anyone could have caught a glimpse of them.
When Oscar finally pulls away, he smirked, taking in how Lando’s hair looked slightly mussed, lips a little redder than usual.
“Well, I’m not going to complain about you deciding to be impulsive,” Lando managed to jest, letting Oscar rest a lazy hand on his thigh. “Oh. Looks like we’re going to dock soon.”
Ella then chooses to make her presence felt again, looking none the wiser. “We’ll be back on land soon, boys. Enjoyed the view?”
“Oh, yeah, very much so. Beautiful stuff this evening,” Oscar said with a serious nod, sneaking a smirk at Lando who playfully swiped at his chest.
Just before they get close to the dock, Oscar tugged Lando back towards him again, this time cupping his face with both hands, kissing him back with more intent than before.
“I’ll look for you later at yours,” Oscar said once he’d had his fill of kissing Lando, sounding a little breathless.
Lando grinned, leaning in to press a kiss to the corner of Oscar’s mouth, as though sealing in a promise. “And I’ll hold you to that, darling,” he hummed, a pleased noise leaving his lips.
As they alight the boat, Lando lets Oscar brush his fingers against his hand. Lando wanted so badly for Oscar to curl his fingers between his own — but that would have to wait.
Just a little bit longer.