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It all started when Daniel joined McLaren, the fateful day when the entire universe thought Lando had had it too easy until then and decided to teach him a lesson of choices and patience.
Despite being one of the few omegas on the paddock, Lando has never had to complain about being bothered by the more represented gender, always finding his place in a group after a few weeks of adjustments. His younger self’s happy-go-lucky personality made every heart melt at first and as he grew up, his cheekiness and comfortable and comforting nests would do the job to keep those he appreciated around (except George and Alex, these two only stayed because Lando was and will always be too short to kick them out himself).
His first teammate Carlos had been incredible with him, matching his humor and never mocking his Omega condition, being surprisingly respectful and supportive even during vulnerable moments - proof being his superb job at guarding his hotel room door and growling at anyone that hadn’t been previously approved the day his heat got him a week earlier than planned in his second year in F1. Since then, when Lando reminded him he sounded like an angry chihuahua, the Spaniard didn’t even take the time to respond anymore, simply shoving his friend on his shoulder and ignoring his outraged screams as he walked him back to McLaren.
The biggest perk of having a tall, beefy, Spanish, mated Alpha man as a teammate however was definitely how it kept any unwanted attention from Lando. While Charles, with his charming looks and attention seeking persona had to be restrained 99% of the time by Sebastian from attracting any passing Alpha, Lando had always preferred to be left alone, not that much interested in a relationship of any kind. Not that he had never been tempted, George in his prime F2 era, cocky grin adding to his typical smell of confidence and multiple flirty moves almost made him change his mind until they both reached the top sport and the taller boy’s eyes got absorbed in something much more interesting than Lando could ever be. But as George, unpredictable as ever, set his eyes on the cherry on top of all Alphas, the rest of the paddock turned their eyes on the new Omega entering the place. First curious and willing to know if the Omega was a possibility, the stares quickly went impatient and hungry as Lando continued to close the door on anyone, and an unmated Omega has always been a more vulnerable one. Carlos’ presence therefore was very appreciated, especially as he was soon joined by some other Alpha drivers who ended up acting like a protection squad for their unsatisfied friend.
That is, until Carlos left and got replaced.
Seeing Carlos leave their team, their newfound family for the harsh reality of Ferrari had already been quite a change to deal with. Wearing the red shirt meant the Spaniard would be busier than ever and Lando would need to find a new friend slash protector slash unmated alpha repulsor to continue his peaceful life on the paddock.
It was a good plan, not as appreciable as keeping his friend in orange but since it was impossible he could do it this way. He could. He would have.
But as stated previously, the universe wanted to give him quite a challenge, thus why he was presented the tall, cheery but mostly not mated at all Alpha that Daniel Ricciardo was.
A few weeks have passed since the season began, and after a thrilling day of free practice Lando happily rejoins his hotel room for a good night's sleep. The team seems content, Lando is overjoyed to be back in the car, and if he ignores the thin tension growing around him every time he finds himself in a 5 meter circle around his new teammate, the young Brit can qualify this day as a good day.
He pushes close his door with a well-placed kick and promptly drops on the mattress in an unceremonious “humph”, feet hanging in the air to not touch the clean sheets and bag thrown on a cushion further up in the bed. He sighs, his muscles instantly relaxing and his brain fuzzy with comfortable sleepiness, already planning a quick but perfectly comfortable nest to make and in sleep in and-
A knock on the door brutally interrupts this perfect evening that barely started.
Lando opens his eyes, ready to glare daggers at whoever is on the other side of the door as he reluctantly gets up and his sleepy bubble is exploded, replaced by plain and simple annoyance.
“Can’t even have a full minute…” He mutters, dragging his feet on the carpeted floor and kicking his shoes in the entrance in the process. Sleep won’t be pushed for more than five minutes if the slight readjustment in plan is well executed. Open the door, say no, close the door, sleep.
But as he reaches the door, he is hit with the familiarity of the smell of the person waiting, as strongly as the new round of knocks gets more urgent. Lando gets confused, unlocking the door to reveal a black and silver shirt with the star logo associated with Mercedes. Worn by no other than George Russell himself. George Russell whose team is staying in another hotel. George Russell who looks equally as confused as Lando as they judge each other from the corridor.
A few seconds pass with no reaction from the taller boy, simply a change of expression, his face going from utter confusion to a slightly more offended one.
“Erm… Yes, G?” Lando ends up asking and it seems to wake George from his odd trance as his eyes finally focus on the young man in front of him and his ears go red instantly.
“Oh yeah- Hi erm… I was…” He starts, or tries to, before taking in a breath and the offense is back to Lando’s complete misunderstanding. “You reek , it’s violent.”
“Excuse me?”
It’s like George is back to normal, pushing past his friend and looking disgustedly at everything around him, sniffing from time to time as if trying to locate the source of a smell.
“You smell like Daniel, did he scent you or what?”
Realizing quickly that kicking George out will take more than the initially planned few seconds, Lando closes the door again, watching George analyze the entire room with an unimpressed look.
“I smell a bit like my teammate I spent the whole day with? What a surprise.”
The irony has the expected effect, stopping the Mercedes driver in the middle of the room with a sheepish look on his face (stupid look Lando would say).
“Yeah well… It’s weird.”
“Weird?”
“Weird. Unusual.”
That doesn’t make much more sense to Lando, but his tall friend now looks genuinely concerned and that’s enough to melt his annoyance and have him concerned too.
“So you followed me because I smell unusual.” He states, ignoring George’s nod in favor of grabbing one of the spare blankets next to the bed and unfolding it carefully. “That’s really sweet of you, George, but I’m perfectly fine just as you can see.”
He can see the other man fold his arms from the corner of his eyes as he settles the first rolled blanket against the wall, between the preinstalled pillows.
“Yeah… Sorry, it’s weird. You never smell like any other Alpha besides me from time to time, I guess I got-”
“Possessive?” Lando gives him an accusatory look which George has the decency to smell guilty about. “Defending me against idiotic Alphas around is one thing, G, but going possessive on me because a guy we both know talked to me is… a little bit over the top.” He accentuates his words by pressing his thumb and index finger as close as possible without touching, making George chuckle in embarrassment.
“Yeah, sorry sorry. For my defense though, I wasn’t the only one unsettled.” He adds, sitting down on the bed while Lando finishes the nest, a longing look in his eyes at wanting to throw himself in it right away. Lando poses at that, raising an eyebrow interrogatively. “With Charles, we’re used to him smelling like half the grid all the time, but you’re always so careful, and I guess with Carlos already mated with his girlfriend, his smell didn’t stay on you as much as… this.”
The last word is thrown with such disgust it has Lando snort, before he pushes George down in the bed for a nest cuddle. The other Brit lets himself be manhandled for once, certainly not opposing to a break in an Omega nest.
“Well get used to it fucker, because it’s already annoying enough for me and I don’t need a bunch of possessive Alphas banging into my room trying to get my usual smell back to normal.”
“Would be funny though, you should have seen Lance’s face earlier, it’s like his brain got disconnected for a second.”
“Poor guy can’t handle a change.”
Both boys chuckle lightly and Lando pulls George closer, baring his neck in a silent invitation that doesn’t go unnoticed. Gently, George scents him, his nose rubbing soothingly at the Omega’s neck to try and push away the unfamiliar odor of the Aussie driver, at least until Lando gets more used to it he thinks.
It happens again a few weeks later, under the heat of the French summer season. Daniel and him kept their distance for some time, a bit to avoid a repeat of what Lando nicknamed the “George issue” - especially considering he did get to see Lance’s shortcircuit reaction the next day after lunch with McLaren - but mostly for a lack of common understanding.
For this weekend, Daniel offered some change, some peace-opening, get their morning coffee together before having to regroup with the rest of the team for the Saturday preparations. With no valid reason to refuse, Lando agreed and they joined early on the paddock. Without it being the best time of his life, Lando can’t lie as he actually had a good time, no work pressure, just two boys with the same passion chilling together for a few minutes. It was nice and now here he is, 8am on the paddock, waiting for Jon to arrive as his teammate finishes his talk with a certain Max Verstappen that crossed their path on their way back to the motorhome.
From where he is sat on the entrance stairs of the McLaren motorhome, the young Omega has an open view on the two friends chatting animatedly, Daniel with his back to him and Max opposite him, giving the older man amused grins and fondly exasperated smirks every so often. It makes Lando chuckle even if he has no idea what they are talking about.
Max and him have a good relationship, they play games together, Lando knows he can call him if he ever gets in trouble, and he was the first one to join Carlos in the Lando protection squad the previous year, always letting Lando know where he could find him while giving him all the space he could need. All in all, Lando doesn’t need much more to consider someone a friend and he definitely adores the guy.
Max is also bigger than Daniel, more fat and muscle on his body and Lando always feels ridiculously small next to him despite the growth in his own muscular structure. Max contests that he might be stronger but he can’t make anyone feel better with the simple fold of a blanket, and Lando always feels better after that, because he definitely makes the best nests out of all the Omegas of the paddock, and Max never lies to him.
The memory of the praise makes him blush and he tries to hide it by cupping his cheeks with his hands, elbows resting on his thighs as he stares dreamily in the void, not noticing it is still in the general direction of the two former teammates.
Lando gets thrown out of his reverie when someone clears their throat right next to him a few seconds later, making him jump.
“What the- Charles! You scared me.” He complains, a hand dramatically tapping his chest as he laughs sheepishly.
But the older Omega doesn’t seem amused, his eyes going from Lando to the duo further away with an increasingly condescending look.
“I don’t know what you’re playing at, but you should stop now.” Charles grumbles, fixing his blue eyes on the back of Daniel’s head as he crosses his arms, trying to look more imposing.
Lando opens his mouth to announce his complete confusion at Charles’ sudden hostility, but his own smell hits him like a brick and he sighs annoyingly.
“Oh for freak’s sake…” Here he was, thinking he could avoid a repeat of the George situation, but all his precautions get thrown out of the window in response to a jealous Omega whose hormones are not used to smell any concurrence. “Stop that, Charles, Dan’s smell is just super strong and I’m a smell sponge, you can have him in your bed tonight for all I care.”
At least that get a reaction out of the monegasque who squeals offendedly, losing his serious composure in favor of an unconsciously petulant attitude.
“I do not want him in my bed!” He seems terribly insulted by the mere thought of that, and Lando has to remind himself he is not the only Omega dealing with drastic changes in his team, except while Lando lost the perfect peace with Carlos, Charles lost all the privileges of having a fatherly Alpha teammate wrapped around his little finger - not that it keeps him from raiding the green garage from time to time, but that’s another story.
“Me neither, can we change the subject now? What the hell are you wearing?”
The high-pitched scream Charles makes attracts the eyes of the two former teammates, and as the oldest Omega claims the youngest doesn’t know a thing about fashion and shouldn’t criticize his pants, Lando notices Max chuckle at their antics, waving discreetly at the Brit before resuming his conversation with Daniel. Charles’ tirade comes to an abrupt stop, followed by a few silent seconds until Lando realizes his eyes are still on the Dutchman and his hand is still waving slightly.
“Oh.” Is all Charles says, making Lando turn swiftly to him only to be faced with the smug look of his Omega-companion.
“Oh what?”
“More like oh who, non?” It’s Lando’s turn to squeal out of nowhere, the sound so unexpected it spooks him. “Forget what I said, little one.”
Lando wants to protest at being called little but Charles is already walking away, greeting Jon who arrives at the same time.
The two Alphas are still talking, Jon lifts an eyebrow at Lando whose blush comes back full force with an unprecedented heat that could beat the midday sun coming for them, and the young Brit rushes inside, ready to start the day and forget about that entire situation.
They are in Monza, the sun is shining, the atmosphere is electric, and Daniel and Lando just finished their obligations after their historic 1-2 podium. To say the team is ecstatic on the way to the bar next street would be the understatement of the year and Lando is not an exception in the group. They all sing, scream and laugh together, Zak ordering a round of drinks as they get joined by other drivers and friends.
Daniel doesn’t leave Lando’s side all beginning of the evening, arm looped around the younger man’s neck, pulling him around to cheer with various people, and Lando lets him, too overjoyed to protest. Podiums in the team are not an easy feat lately, so a double is the best reason to party he has ever had for a long time. Valtteri joins them soon enough, stealing Daniel’s attention in favor of a round of shots and Lando is left on his own for a well deserved minute of calm.
His happiness slightly covers the lingering smell of his Alpha teammate but the looks he gets from the less known partiers are insistent enough to make him move around to the bar where less people are crowded for now.The Omega leans between the bar tools to catch the servers’ attention and looks around for more familiar faces. His mechanics are well on their way to get shit faced in the next ten minutes, some drivers are sitting at a table with drinks in hands but George and Alex are absent for the night - something about checking on a girlfriend for one, and checking on a future-teammate-who-I-dont-fancy-at-all-shut-up-Lando for the other. Speaking of which, Lando takes out his phone to see Lewis had answered his message from right after the race, assuring him he was all right, to the young Brit’s relief. The crash had been bad to see from his car, no one had heard from Max since the end of the race (not that Lando wasn’t still hoping to see him when he arrived at the bar), but if Lewis was fine then Lando could fully enjoy his night with the group.
At least that was the plan, until a large hand suddenly gripped his side and pulled him away from the bar.
Lando yelps in surprise and turns around, ready to playfully push the responsible, thinking Carlos gave in and chose to party instead of sleep. But instead of the dark eyes and smooth brown hair of his spanish friend, Lando finds himself facing the blonde and blue-eyed Frenchman that is Pierre.
Lando saw him when they all arrived at the bar, on a stool with Esteban and Charles and what looked like a thousand drinks around the three of them as they laughed together. But Pierre doesn’t seem only drunk as he looks at him from his seven supplementary centimeters.
“Hi mate, sorry for your DNF.” Lando simply says, intrigued by the older Alpha’s attitude.
Him and Pierre, while not being enemies, aren’t exactly friends either. They don’t really interact, only chat a bit when Charles wants them both around, Pierre has good jokes and good looks and is nice to hang out with. So, they just… are.
The same goes for Esteban, standing right behind Pierre, all long legs and confusion written on his face, except that Lando doesn’t even remember a time when he exchanged more than a few words with the Beta.
Both Lando and Esteban watch Pierre expectantly as the Alpha takes a few more seconds to decide on his next move, which is entirely unexpected for the three parties involved.
Pierre pulls Lando right to him in a strong embrace.
“Pierre what the-” The French Beta starts, stopping himself to pinch the top of his nose with unhidden irritation, mixed with the red flush that only vodka can bring to that boy - confirmed by the way he needs three steps to stop swinging on his legs.
“Uuuuuh okay” is all Lando can say as Pierre pats his head clumsily with a loud growl from his chest. It makes the Omega laugh at first, Pierre’s antics being more funnily awkward than anything, especially with Esteban half laughing half groaning behind them. They stay there for what feels like a good minute until Lando feels like they passed the barrier of amusing and are definitely reaching the painfully awkward part of that sort of hug.
The Omega tries to push Pierre away, a complete failure with the strength the older boy suddenly puts in his hug, and Lando whines a little from it.
“Come on, Pierre, thanks for the hug but I need to breathe.” He complains with no effect but some words finally leaving his mouth.
“I don’t like your smell.” Pierre simply states, and Lando wants to groan in annoyance. He would do so, if Pierre didn’t suddenly plant his face in the crook of Lando’s neck to scent him.
It’s like the world stops for a full second, sounds tuning down as Lando’s brain gets cold-washed instantly. Daniel’s smell on him is now a constant and while it is stronger tonight with the amount of physical contact they had since the podium, Lando doesn’t mind anymore, just like he thought everyone stopped caring about it after the third race of him smelling like an Alpha he hadn’t even interacted with in days.
He was wrong, and an unwanted Alpha was trying to scent him for this lack of care.
“Hey no!” Lando suddenly exclaims, twisting around to get away from the Alpha who growls louder in retaliation and the Omega’s pulse peaks at the sound. “What the fuck, get away from me!”
A mix of anger and outrage floods his veins as fast as alcohol withdraws from Esteban’s and he jumps on his friend to get him to release Lando. The young Brit doesn’t register the music in the background or the ring of the door opening, only his blood pumping as his body releases panic pheromones trying to get the Alpha to move back.
And it seems to work as Pierre finally lets him go and takes a large step back, stumbling against Esteban and almost making them both fall. Lando takes a moment to register what the hell just happened, looking at his hands that hadn’t pushed against the Frenchman’s chest that way for him to move this way. The physics of it all get quickly explained as he notices a newcomer in the bar standing in front of him, a hand displayed as if he had pushed Pierre away himself. The newcomer turns his head toward Lando slightly, his deep blue eyes boring in him as Lando’s brain erases everything from his head to let the alcohol call him his hero.
“You okay mate?” Max asks, quickly scanning him up and down and turning back when Lando gives him an incredulous nod.
The whole interaction sobered Pierre up so fast his face now looks green as he looks at Lando in horror.
“Oh putain, fuck I’m so sorry I don’t know why I-”
“Fuck off, now.” Max’s voice is calm but he could have screamed in anger that the effect would have been similar and both Pierre and Esteban run back in the crowd toward Charles who gives them a very confused stare.
“Wow…” Lando breathes out, eyes still fixed on Max’s poker face and cold eyes. He has to mentally slap himself before a ‘that was hot’ also escapes him.
The Alpha turns back to him completely, hands flying to Lando’s shoulders to hold him in place.
“Jesus, and people said I was smelling like Dan, this is ridiculous on you.” Max comments, an amused smirk on his face, but the words don’t make Lando smile like he hoped for.
“What, you’re gonna go all possessive and force-scent me too now?” He lets out, frustration and wariness sweating from his tone. It’s like it slaps the older boy in the face who goes back to his previous seriousness.
“Absolutely not, oh my god I’m not drunk and stupid like the other idiot.” He sounds so offended, Lando relaxes a bit in his grasp. “A chance he didn’t have the time to do more, you barely smell of him.”
Lando’s hand flies instinctively to his neck in a futile attempt to cover the unwanted smell. He wishes George was there to cover it, or even Alex who would cuddle him in a nest until their little pack scent covers him all over, but both his friends are absent tonight and Lando is taken by the sudden urge to cry.
Max must feel the change in his mood, a hand gently rubbing his arm as he tries to smell more calming himself.
“I just passed by to congratulate you and Dan, wasn’t about to stay, I can bring you back to your room if you want?” The Alpha suggests and Lando nods hurriedly, the whole crowded and loud room overwhelming his senses now.
They walk back in silence, the chilled air sobering up Lando completely as Max keeps a respectable distance between them. The younger man feels conflicted, wanting nothing to do with an Alpha out of his own pack but at the same time wanting Max to hug him close so he would feel as safe as when he pushed drunk Pierre away earlier.
His hesitation lasts until they reach Lando’s hotel and Max doesn’t immediately leave for his own hotel, patiently waiting for Lando to decide. All the feelings mixed in his head get kicked away by this simple politeness and the Omega grabs Max’s hand, pulling him behind until they get to his room.
“I’ll make a nest.” Lando states tiredly, not expecting an answer. He wants the comfort, he wants the focus and calmness it gives him, and a little part of him also wants to thank his savior of the night by providing him the most perfect nest he would ever see. Max doesn’t protest, slowly taking off his baskets and cap, ruffling his free hair quickly.
Lando lifts his head from his rapid work at the same time, and the vision is so rare , even for any of Max’s friends, and Lando wants this protective and hot Alpha in his nest right about now that he gives up on making it absolutely perfect and simply pulls Max in the bed by the shirt.
The Alpha falls down unceremoniously and laughs at the sudden move before readjusting himself in it to not destroy the quick work of his Omega friend.
“That’s lovely.” He says, eyes closing in contentment as his hand pats Lando’s leg proudly. Said Lando who can’t stop the happy squeal from pleasing an appreciated Alpha. It makes Max smirk and he opens one eye, watching Lando mischievously before he grabs his arm firmly and pulls him down against his chest.
“Thank you for the nest, Lando, but I would help you any time anyway, you know.” He mumbles in the Brit’s hair who’s only response is a short series of embarrassing stifled squeals and whines. Lando whispers something in return, blushing from his forehead to the back of his neck from it.
“What?” Max whispers back, a hand passing along Lando’s back in a soothing manner, making him drowsy with sudden sleepiness.
“I said, I must smell horrible.” He repeats a bit louder, squeezing himself more against Max in order to take away his uncomfort. The Alpha only hums in response, hugging Lando closer, before he opens his mouth again.
“If you want, I can do something about that.”
It is barely a whisper in his hair, yet it resonates in Lando’s head so loud he wants to scream YES in answer.
Shily, the Omega nods before baring his neck slightly, fully appreciating the patience Max gives him - has always given him, to him and him only - and letting him settle completely before making a move. His nose brushes the delicate skin, making Lando shiver slightly until Max starts scenting him gently, and Lando can’t help but whine.
Rapidly, the different mixed scents on him disappear, letting the strong musk of Max cover his entire being. It feels like appearing on top of a mountain, fresh and strong, with the cool air entering his lungs when he takes a deep breath against Max’s skin. The moment drags for what could be hours but was probably just a few minutes, but Lando feels safe and content like he hasn’t felt in a long time. Max’s hand on his back goes past between his shoulders, to his neck and settles in his hair, fingers lightly scratching his scalp as he finishes scenting the Omega with a brush of his lips against the scenting gland.
As he lifts his head slowly to face the smaller man again, Lando’s heart pumps blood in his ears louder than ever, so satiated with the new perfect smell and the knowledge of being taken care of by a protective Alpha.
They find themselves face to face, their nose brushing each other. It was probably an unconscious twitch of his hand, but the feeling of Max’s fingers dragging in his hair makes Lando’s barriers fall and he lifts his head slightly, just enough for his lips to find the Alpha’s.
Max’s reaction is immediate, kissing him back with his characteristic strength yet not pushing for more, simply enjoying the slide of their mouths against each other and his smell on the Omega.
“Stay the night?” Lando whispers against his lips in between two kisses, and Max answers with a light chuckle.
“Wouldn’t want to go anywhere else.”
The second he steps a foot at the next race, Lando knows he will never hear the end of it.
He flew in with Daniel, was at breakfast with him, didn’t leave his teammate’s side for hours, and yet the very strong smell of his Alpha teammate barely lingers on him, as if he hasn’t seen the man in days.
However, seeing the way Dan looks at him with this stupid knowing smirk and his eyebrows moving suggestively every five minutes, Lando knows it is not because he suddenly stopped smelling like everyone around him.
He knows it is because Max’s smell won’t leave him now.
People’s reactions are quite funny, the young man thinks as Carlos raises an eyebrow questioningly the second they meet on the paddock. His only answer is an innocent smile that could make him pass for a saint if he didn’t have a mark on his neck barely hidden by his shirt.
Charles gives him a proud thumb up later in the day before winking at Daniel and Lando stops himself before he snickers loudly at the thought of Max winking at him the same way before, all face scrunched up and a proud smirk to complete the look.
The best is when Pierre runs at him to apologize and stops mid-sentence when he notices the completely different smell on the Omega. His face then goes from utter shock to disgust and finally settles on an amused fear, as if he knows Max will not hesitate to use his head as a hammer to finish the motorhome if he sees the Frenchman around Lando any time soon.
All in all, things go back to normal, just like the year before. No one bothers him (or even dares to), he gets to spend time with his Alpha friends again without them twitching uncomfortably from the unusual Alpha smell on their Omega companion, and he can enjoy his time out of the car just like he used to.
The only difference is that instead of having an Alpha protection squad, he now only needs one.