Chapter Text
25th November 2021
Nico dumps his keys onto the table, exhaustion creeping into him. He sinks into the chair, rubbing at his eyes. It had been a long few days, even though it had turned out the best it could, more minor than it should have been, he felt like he hadn’t slept in weeks.
The call on Sunday morning had broken the almost magical bubble that had surrounded him all weekend. Over Gina’s panicked cries, hearing that Daniel was in the hospital and getting on the first plane he can he doesn’t really remember the in between. One second, he was leaving the hotel, excited to see Lewis drive and the next he was entering an overly lit hospital.
Seeing his best friend laying on that bed, usual smile turned into a grimace of pain Nico couldn’t help but go to the worst-case scenarios. It was only until he was seeing Gina’s face, tear stained and distraught that he pulled himself together. Hit by a driver who was on their phone, Daniel was lucky to only have minor injuries, nothing that some physical therapy couldn’t recover.
Still, between tests for brain injuries and waiting around for results the stress had piled up, time spent at the hospital seemingly endless. There was only so many white walls he could look at without going crazy, how Daniel had regained his good spirits was beyond him. Nico had made sure to organize everything, sorted Daniel’s workload out and appointments.
In some weird way, Nico was happy to know that if there ever was an emergency he could hold up under the pressure. While he hoped that this was the worst, and they were lucky at that, he knew that this was something he could deal with. Hopefully life would throw no more curveballs for a long time, giving his nerves and shock system time to recover.
Nico knows he should eat, hospital food and takeout being all he’s eaten but he can’t be bothered. Heaving himself out of the chair, he groans as his knees crack.
“So this is old age,” he grumbles, as he moves towards the bedroom.
He couldn’t be bothered to shower, that was tomorrow’s problem. Collapsing onto the bed, he closed his eyes, letting the softness of his blankets engulf him.
Next thing he knows he is blinking awake to the sunshine, sprawled out like a star. Groaning he pushes himself up, feeling around for his phone, which was pushed under a pillow. He hadn’t had much of a time to check his phone apart from the phone calls and emails. He had to go into the office later, but he would use the morning to try and reset. Pulling open his messages he sees several messages from his parents, coworkers and lastly Carl.
Carl. Nico had thought about messaging him at some point, but every time he went to something came up and he forgot. He had five missed messages, the last from Tuesday night. Pulling his covers up around him, even though he’s already warmed from the sun, he opens them.
Knight Carl
Carl (21st November, 22:57)
How did the race go?
Carl (22nd November 10:31)
Not good?
Carl (22nd November 14:24)
You make it back to Monaco?
Carl (23rd November 07:12)
My trainer made me go on the treadmill for an hour today I think I’m dead
Carl (23rd November 18:29)
My legs are dying what am I going to do
He laughs at Carl’s dramatics. After the last couple days, it feels nice to laugh at last.
Knight Carl
Nico
I’m alive
But are you now?
Carl responds instantly, the three dots popping up.
Carl
Barely
I don’t get why I had to do that
On my week off
Nico
End of the year
Doesn’t want you slacking
Carl
I can’t wait Christmas holidays
No running for two whole weeks
Nico
Your trainer might actually kill you
Carl
She’s used to it
Everything ok though?
Nico
Uhhh
Not great if I’m being honest
I didn’t get to see the race
Daniel was in an accident
Carl
Oh NO
Is he ok?
Nico
Thankfully
It will all be ok
But very scary
Carl
I can imagine
It happened on Sunday?
Nico
Yes
So I didn’t get to see the race
But I saw Lewis won
Carl
Yes
I heard
Nico
Hahaha
Thankfully
I’m sad I didn’t get to see it
Or say goodbye
Carl
I’m sure he was sad too
But he’d understand
I mean
I assume so
Nico
You seem very sure about what he thinks
Carl
What can I say
Anything I can do to cheer you up?
Nico
This has been enough already
Carl
😊
Nico
So what grand plans do you have then
You said this was your week off?
Carl
You mean other than being tortured?
Got some meetings with the bigwigs
Nico
Bigwigs?
Wow
Carl
I said what I said
Nico
How old are you
Carl
What do you want me to call them?
Investors
Money movers
Nico
Is this what you think of me?
Carl
NO
I’m sure you're much better than all of them
Nico
You’re walking on thin ice
Carl
You’ve taken some time for yourself...?
Nico
Of course
Carl
Nico
Nico
Carl
Carl
Nico
Nico
no
Carl
You better take today to yourself
Nico
I have to go to work
Carl
I think they’ll live one day without you
Nico
I’m the CEO
Carl
NICO
Instead
You’re going to go to L’Épi d’Or
In twentish minutes
Nico
Carl
I can’t play hooky
Carl
Try me
Nico
FINE
I will go to the bakery
But you can’t stop me from working
Carl
I will find a way
Nico
????
Nico waited a minute for a response, but when none came, he dragged himself out of bed. Showering and getting dressed in record time, he steps out of the building into the weak fall sun. Wrapping his coat around him he heads down the street towards the bakery. It was one of his favourites, something he talked about with Lewis Hamilton over their dinner when they discussed Monaco.
He’s not sure how Carl knows about it, assuming the British man lived in Britain, although it is one of the more well-known bakeries in Monaco, so he steps into the store eager. He fought it over the texts, but he would never say no to a croissant here.
Maria, the front of house for the bakery greeted him with a, “Hey Nico,” and a smile. Before he could even ask for his usual she was handing him a bag, which after peaking inside he sees it's laden with pastries.
“Already paid for sweetie,” Maria says.
“Thank you,” He responds.
He walks out of the store with a smile, feeling lighter than he has all week. He walks along to the marina, sitting on a bench so he can enjoy the pastries with the beautiful view.
After devouring two and licking the crumbs off his fingers, he pulls out his phone.
Knight Carl
Nico
How did you do that?
Carl
Do what
Nico
Carl
Carl
😊
Nico
I
Thank you
Carl
You deserve it
Please say you aren’t going into work
Nico
Fine
For you
But I will be working from home
Carl
I will call this a win
Nico
*beach.jpg*
[Carl reacted ❤️ to ‘*beach.jpg*’]
True to his word Nico didn’t go back into the office. He made all his calls from the comfort of his own couch, until he fell asleep sometime around 2pm to reruns of Top Gear. He awoke feeling relaxed, eating the last of the pastries to tide him over until dinner.
Startled by his phone ringing, he dumps his plate in the sink, bumping into a kitchen chair in his effort to grab the phone.
“Ouch,” He mutters as he picks up.
“You ok?” Daniels voice echoes through the speaker.
“Just bumped into the chair,” Nico replies, “How you doing? Gina got you set up at home?”
“Yeah, it’s been nice to be back. And to go to the bathroom without help,” Daniel jokes. Nico takes a deep breath. Daniel had taken the whole thing with good humour, masking his pain but Nico knew him. It had shaken his friend more than he wanted to admit.
“I’m sure that’s a relief for Gina. Although I guess it’s practice for when you get older.”
“Hey! Age will not stop me.”
“I’ll remember this in thirty years.”
“Try me! Anyway, I’ll be coming into the office by Monday, I know you can’t function without me.”
“Woah, no way. You need to rest!” Nico argues, already making a note to message Gina and get her to scare Daniel into staying at home.
“Okay pot, let me guess, you’re at the office now?” Daniel retorts.
“Actually, I’m not,” Nico says. He’s sure the smugness can be heard even through the phone based on Daniels hmpfh.
“That’s not the Nico I know. What happened to you?” Daniel questions, suspicious. Nico falls silent. He’s not sure how to tell Daniel without sounding a little crazy, although considering the man is well versed in his small crush by now it probably wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Moving towards the window he stares out at the setting sun over the city. Barely 6pm and the sun had already dropped, he gets lost in thought.
“Nico?” Daniel’s voice prompts through the phone.
“Umm,” he weakly says, then all at once, “Carlgotmepastriesfromthebakerysomehowandtoldmetostayhomeandtakecareofmyself.”
“WHAT?”
He takes a deep breath and starts again. “Carl told me to go to L’Épi d’Or and when I did he had already paid for the pastries somehow and he told me to take a day off and relax. I mean, I did some work, but I stayed home but then I fell asleep on the couch, so I guess I did as asked.”
There’s a long pause from Daniel before he starts to laugh. “Wow, you are whipped. If I had suggested that you would have bitten my head off, but when Carl,” he says the name with a sing song, “suggests it it’s all, as you wish and of course I’d listen to you.”
“Ok, hold up,” Nico tries to argue but it’s a dead point over Daniel’s teasing.
“Look Gina’s making me do some of the physio exercises, but I’ll talk to you later,” Daniel finally stops, voice going soft at the end. “Nico?”
“Yes?”
“Thanks, for everything. Over the past week. You’ve been – well. Thanks, mate.”
“Of course,” Nico replies sincerely, “Anything for you. You’re my best friend.”
“Don’t you know it,” Daniel says. “And as best friend, I better be best man at your wedding to Carl!”
Nico is left spluttering while Daniel says a cheerful goodbye, staring at the blank phone screen as he tries to gather his thoughts. As what’s become the norm, before he can stop himself, he’s picturing Carl in a tux. Well, the vague shape of Carl as he doesn’t really know what the man looks like, but he bets in a tux he looks fine. Unbidden, the unknown man is replaced with the face of Lewis Hamilton, which makes him internally shut down as he tries to get over that mental image. And refrain from googling it, sure the pictures would be out there.
Knight Carl
Nico
There
I didn’t go into the office
Took a nap
Now I’m making dinner
Carl
Good good
Any chance I can get you to take tomorrow off too
Nico
Not a chance
Carl
Even for some more baked goods
Nico
Tempting
But no
Carl
Worth a shot
Nico
No but seriously
How did you do that
Carl
A man’s got secrets
Nico
Ok spy
Carl
😉
Nico
.....
Thanks
Carl
You deserve it
Ted Lasso?
Nico
Dinner will be finished in 10 minutes
And then yes!
[Carl reacted 🎉 to ‘And then yes!’]