Chapter Text
"Buddy, you do not take that seatbelt off until the car has completely stopped." Daniel lectures, giving Lando an unimpressed stare through the car's rearview mirror as he turns the car onto a gravel path leading up to Lewis' driveway.
Lando pouts, trying to conceal that he's already clicked it open but the car's alarm starts beeping and gives him away. "Lando." Daniel sighs, parking the car, turning it off, and turning around to face the small Brit. "Bud, we tal-".
He's cut off by Lando looking straight past him and is sharply reminded of forgetting to child-lock the doors of the rental car when Lando pushes the door open with so much force it makes Daniel cringe. "Uncle Lew!"
Daniel turns back to look through the windshield to see Lewis already stepping out onto the gravel, barely catching the boy.
Daniel takes a second to take a breath and pinches the bridge of his nose before opening his door and swinging his legs out to walk around the car, opening Oscar's door who's still sitting there patiently. "Come on out, Osc." Daniel hums, watching Oscar get out before reaching in after him, grabbing two backpacks off the middle seat.
Oscar's stuffed giraffe, Louie, is a little too big for the bag, his head poking out of the zipper. Oscar's eyes glued to it for a second before his eyes lock onto Daniel's and a soft flush appears that Daniel answers with a reassuring smile. "Let's go."
Lewis has got his attention on Lando and Roscoe but turns when the sound of the gravel crunching gets closer.
"Mate." Daniel smiles, walking up and clapping his hand into Lewis' outstretched one before wrapping him up in a hug.
"What's up." Lewis smiles, returning the hug and puffing out a laugh when Daniel holds it longer than usual. "Tough night, huh?"
Daniel groans. "You know it."
Both papaya boys had a rough couple of days post-race weekend; long technical meetings at McLaren HQ that were both mentally and physically exhausting. Daniel had promised to go and pick them up, already in England for some Red Bull commitments, and was rewarded with a defiant and overly tired Lando who earned himself plenty of correction last night. It has prompted a string of text messages from Daniel to Lewis making sure he was still alright with taking the boys in this state.
"I'm serious, though," Daniel says, pulling out of the hug. "I can cancel, or like, rearrange. Tell them I'm sick or something. I don't want you to feel obliged to take them." He continues watching Lando chase Roscoe around, trying not to think about the fact that it rained and the terrain is slippery.
Oscar is more docile, glued to Daniel's side with eyes as big as saucers while he quietly stares at Lewis.
"Don't be silly, Daniel. Obliged? I love having the kid around. Lewis says. "We'll be just fine, I'll find a way to tire him out and have him down for a nap before 1."
Daniel laughs at that, a hint of frustration in his voice.
"Oh man, I miss this optimism and innocence I too had less than 24 hours ago. Don't forget you're getting double the fun today." He adds, gently squeezing Oscar's side. "Won't he, bud?"
"Like he's gonna give me any trouble." Lewis breathes and Oscar's cheeks flush due to the discussion, turning his face into Daniel's side.
"He's an angel." Daniel agrees, brushing a hand through Oscar's hair. "It's no-". Daniel stops himself mid-sentence when his eyes flick over to where Lando is, his voice nearly a shriek.
"Lando! Do not jump into that puddle I swear to God I'll have Uncle Lewis put you in time out until lunch!"
Lando snaps his head in the direction of Daniel's voice, a disgruntled frown appearing on his face at the mention of a time-out. Still, one of his sneakers slowly edges closer to the puddle.
Lewis shakes his head with a semi-amused smile, one that he can still muster now that it's still Daniel who's handling the boys.
Daniel mutters something unintelligible before holding the backpacks out to Lewis who quickly takes them as Daniel stalks towards Lando, who squeals and tries to set off in a sprint, the slippery surface working against him as he almost immediately slips, Daniel barely catches him around the waist.
"Lando." Daniel scolds, turning Lando around and tipping up his chin. "You're testing me right now, buddy. Please stop doing that, can you turn your listening ears on?"
Lando scowls, lips jutting out in a pout as he stares up at Daniel, not answering the question.
Daniel sighs gently, lets go of Lando's chin, and wraps both his hands around Lando's wrist, finding a familiar pressure point. "I need you to turn your listening ears on. If you do not turn them on, you can not stay with Uncle Lewis."
There are immediate tears that well up in Lando's eyes, pouts jutting out impossibly further. "Beep beep!" He rushes out immediately.
"Okay." Daniel breathes, rubbing his thumb into Lando's wrist. "Good job turning them on, bub. Can you listen to what Danny is going to tell you?"
Lando nods, blinking back his tears.
"Good boy, Lando I need you to listen to Uncle Lewis, okay? He has to be able to keep you safe. Danny's not trying to punish you by taking you home but I cannot leave you here if I don't think you are going to listen to Uncle Lewis. Do you understand?"
Lando nods, sucking in his bottom lip.
Daniel squeezes his thumb into Lando's wrist once more before wrapping Lando up in a hug, bringing the younger one close. "You've got Oscar here too, buddy. You wanna be a good big brother, no? Oscar's nervous, bubs. He needs you." Daniel is intentional with his words, Lando does well with given tasks and he hopes the 'big brother task' will keep him in line today.
Lando pushes himself out of the hug. "I am a good big brother." He says and Daniel nods, pressing a kiss to Lando's nose. "The best."
Lando scurries off ahead of Daniel then, back to where Lewis and Oscar are chatting. Oscar seems a little less introverted, Daniel figures out why when he gets in earshot and hears him talking about Louie.
"I'm going to be a good big brother."
"Is that so, hm?" Lewis turns his attention to Lando, holding an arm out as the young Brit attaches himself to his side. "Sounds good, poppet. Let's go be good boys inside."
- - -
"-and a change of clothes for both of them are in their respective bags. Oh! And Lando's new obsession is with this turtle thing, he'll probably ask for it when you're putting him down."
"Okay, Daniel." Lewis chuckles, used to the lengthy lectures on childcare by now. "I have your number, you're not leaving the country. We'll be fine."
Daniel puffs out a breath. "You're right." He turns his attention to the boys, curled up together on the couch, munching on slices of apple as an episode of Trash Truck plays.
"Boys," Daniel says, briefly pausing the episode so he can get their attention, crouching down. "Danny's gonna go, ok? You're going to be good boys for Uncle Lewis. I'm going to try to be quick so we can have dinner together, alright?"
Both boys nod in unison.
"Promise Danny you're going to use your listening ears, even if Uncle Lewis says it's time for a nap."
Lando's face turns into a scowl immediately, while Oscar obediently nods once again. "Promise."
"Lando?" Daniel asks, gently squeezing Lando's knee.
"I promise, Danny."
It earns Lando a flurry of kisses, pressed all over his face.
"Danny!" Lando giggles, pushing at Daniel's chest. "Enough!"
"Okay, okay. Next one." Daniel relents before turning to Oscar, peppering his face with kisses until he's squirming too.
"I love you." Daniel hums, pushing himself back up, basking in the "Love you's!" he gets back.
"You done?" Lewis laughs, amused.
"Almost," Daniel says, trademark grin splitting his face before he rounds the couch and charges at Lewis, pressing a wet kiss to his cheek. "Now I'm done. Bye!"
- - -
"I don't want 'waffle." Lando grumbles, pulling on Lewis' sleeve.
"It's falafel, poppet. You'll like it." Lewis soothes, squeezing Lando's hand before turning back to the register. "Three, please."
Lando grumbles some more, his free hand coming up to rub at his eyes.
Lewis has some sympathy for the boy. He figured the best way to tire his little friends out was a nice long walk with Roscoe. They'd grab lunch on the way back so once they got home they could go straight for a nap. But Lando's still learning to share, and while Lewis can see the little adores Oscar, having to share Roscoe while also getting increasingly closer to a desperately needed nap was still a little bit hard. Still, they'd managed, and Oscar was now standing outside of the little corner shop with Roscoe, Lewis' eyes on him through the window patiently waiting for them to come back out.
"Le-hew." Lando whines, right after Lewis pays.
"Ye-hes?"
Lando makes a face but ignores Lewis' tone. "Can I hold Roscoe again after we get food?"
Lando had had Roscoe for most of the walk, but Oscar seemed to be the better sharer, at least right at this moment and Lewis could use this to his advantage.
"Once you finish your wrap you can have the leash again, okay sweetheart?"
It's a great way to get Lando to eat and luckily, Lando accepts.
"Okay!" He nods, pout long forgotten and resistance to the earlier mentioned falafel melted away.
Back outside, Oscar is presented with the deal too. "Uncle Lew?" Oscar asks quietly, and Lewis wants to melt a little.
"Yes, darling?"
"Will you hold my 'lafel until Lando's done so I can hold Roscoe with two hands?"
Oscar had been taking leash duty very seriously, keeping both hands on the leash, and taking very cautious steps ever since he had been in charge of the pup.
"Of course, buddy." Lewis nodded, handing Lando his falafel wrap that the younger dug into immediately. Plan succeeding.
Lando had finished eating in no time, taking over leash duty from Oscar who ate much slower, one hand intertwined with Lewis' as they strolled home, barely finished by the time they turned back onto the gravel.
"Race ya!" Lando shouted, setting off in a sprint that Oscar quickly followed, dropping Lewis' hands as he rushed after Lando.
"We beat you!" Lando cheered once Lewis caught up, poor Roscoe panting at the front door having been dragged along.
"I know!" Lewis chuckles, reaching in between the boys to unlock the door. "I'm getting old." He added, pulling giggles out of Lando and Oscar.
"Alright," Lewis hummed, ushering the boys inside and taking the leash off of Roscoe, who waddled ahead to probably get himself some water. "Shoes off and upstairs, please."
Oscar flopped to the floor immediately, pulling on his laces to try and get them off.
Lando scowls immediately, crossing his arms. "No nap!"
"Yes, nap," Lewis says gently, reaching out to unzip Lando's windbreaker. "Come on, buddy. Listening ears, remember?"
Lando pouts, he does remember, doesn't mean he wants to but lets Lewis take the windbreaker off of him anyway before he's gently lowered onto one of the steps as Lewis undoes his laces for him. "Good listening, poppet." Lewis praises, patting Lando's ankle. "Can you take them off yourself so I can help your brother? I already undid your laces."
With that Lewis turns to Oscar, who's already holding his foot out, a soft pout in his features. "I got you." Lewis soothes, making quick work of getting the shoes off before he helps Oscar up and swings the bags onto each shoulder. "Up, up, let's go!"
The twins follow him up the stairs obediently, even if Lando's turned to pouting now. Lewis leads them into the spare bedroom and drops the bags on the bed.
"Alright, socks off, jeans off, grab what you need from your bags. Uncle Lew's gonna grab you some water, okay?"
Both boys nod and Lewis jogs down the stairs and into the kitchen and fills up two small cups with water, taking the stairs a bit more slowly as he walks up. When he rounds into the bedroom both boys have followed his instructions, except Lando has emptied all the contents of his bag onto the bed.
"Lando-" Lewis starts.
"I need that to sleep!"
Lewis raises his eyebrows, amongst the contents on the bed are race cars, random pieces of legos, and a plastic fork.
"You do not need that to sleep, buddy. Danny said you might need your turtle, you can keep that. The rest goes back in."
"But-"
"Lando, Uncle Lewis says so. Come on, sweetheart."
"Bu-hut!" Lando whines, a single foot stomping down.
"Lando," Lewis warns, an unimpressed look on his face. "I gave you an answer bud, you can either use your listening ears or Uncle Lewis can take you somewhere private and we can have a different discussion."
Lando pouts, he's not entirely sure what a discussion means but he is sure he does not want to find out.
"Okay." He whines, defeated as he stuffs everything back in his backpack. "Oscar needs his giraffe, Lew." Lando says quietly as he finishes.
"I know, buddy. Good job for reminding me, I think Oscar's got that covered, hm?"
Oscar nods, a little subdued and wide eye from the little back and forth he just witnesses, but holds up his beloved plush. "Louie, Lan."
Lewis smiles. "Okay, waters." Lewis hums, handing each boy their cup, they take a couple of good sips before it's put on the nightstand.
The boys take turns going to the bathroom, Lewis assists with washing their hands and face before tucking both boys into bed.
"Have a good sleep, poppet." Lewis hums, pressing a soft kiss to Lando's forehead, before rounding the bed and making sure Oscar's comfortable, pushing the hair off of his forehead before pressing a kiss down. "Sleep well, sweetheart. You can always call for me if you need anything, okay? Lando knows too." Lewis makes sure to add, it is Oscar's first time napping under Lewis' care and Lewis can sense a little bit of tension.
"Okay," Oscar whispers, squeezing Louie a bit tighter.
Lewis has to go back upstairs before he even sits down, already hearing Lando out of bed by the time he is in the hallway. It happens twice more and Lewis wonders briefly if this is because he made fun of Daniel for having a baby monitor, it sure would be handy right now. He's losing a little bit of patience the fourth time he has to go in.
"I needed something from my bag!" Lando protests as Lewis steers him back into bed.
"What do you need?" Lewis asks pausing briefly.
Lando huffs. "Fork."
"Absolutely not, baby boy. That's not very safe. Grab your turtle friend, ok?" Lewis offers up the little plush as he tucks Lando back in, and the little reluctantly takes it.
"Lando, I'm serious. You're both exhausted and you're keeping Oscar up too. I need you to make good-boy decisions, okay? If I have to come back in here you will be in trouble."
Lando pouts and it does tug on Lewis' heartstrings, he hates being a disciplinarian. Still, Lando gets another kiss on the head and Lewis leaves the room, closing the door but opting to stay right outside of it for now. Tired of climbing the stairs but hoping he gets to go down them soon without having to interfere.
Unsurprisingly, about a minute later Lewis hears Lando get out of bed again and Lewis swings the door open the moment he hears a noise, fed up.
"Lando. Norris!"
Lando shrieks, startled, and barely stays on his own two feet as he stumbles at the sudden entrance. "I-"
Lewis is about to start his reprimand when a subdued wail from the other side of the bed grabs his attention. It's Oscar who starts to cry, hands balling into fists to rub at his eyes that are leaking tears, his shoulders now shaking with heavier sobs.
Lewis curses under his breath, his first time babysitting and he's already managed to make Oscar cry. He quickly rounds the bed and prays Oscar will allow Lewis to soothe him, he doesn't want to have to call Daniel with Oscar wailing in the background. Luckily, Oscar reaches out with what only can be described as grabby hands and Lewis quickly scoops him up, struggling briefly to support his weight before sitting himself down in the corner of the room in the rocking chair that Sebastian likes to make fun of him for, cradling the brunette into his chest.
"Hey. Hey Oscar, shh. You're okay." He soothes, brushing his fingers through Oscar's hair as the younger continues to cry his little heart out.
And then there's Lando, who's watching the scene with wide wet eyes, bottom lip worrying in between his teeth, knowing full well he's in trouble.
"Lando," Lewis says, gentler this time, still rocking himself and Oscar. "Come here."
Lando’s got a signature pout on as he shuffles his way over, eyes downcast. “Sit down.” Lewis moves one of his arms off of Oscar to point at the edge of the bed. “I want you to sit and think a bit about what’s happened just now, okay?”
“Okay,” Lando says, quietly. Folding his hands in his lap with a soft little sigh as he fiddles with his fingers, blinking back his own tears.
Lewis turns his attention back to Oscar, who’s still tense and upset, and tries his best to calm him down. He’s not entirely sure what will work, their dynamic too new but he’s figured out the soothing circles onto Oscar’s back at least get the tension out of his shoulders, his crying quieter too.
“Lew?” Lando quietly speaks next to him, barely making eye contact. “Can I give him something?”
Lewis turns, eyeing the younger to see if he actually wants to get Oscar something that might help or is just trying to get out of whatever make shift time out this is.
“What do you want to get him, darling?”
“Louie.” Lando mumbles, and against his chest Oscar shifts at the mention.
Lewis looks down. “Oscar, sweetheart, do you want Lando to give you your giraffe?” He regrets it as soon as he asks, worried he might have another George on his hands who might deny himself the comfort despite needing it but luckily, Oscar nods.
“Alright,” Lewis says, rewarding him with a kiss on his forehead before turning back to Lando. “You can come give it to him, buddy."
"Okay," Lando nods, climbing onto the bed and struggling a little with the duvet before fishing the plush out from under it, sliding off the bed and holding it out. "I'm sorry, Osc." Lando whispers, voice dangerously close to a whimper.
Oscar's too curled into Lewis' chest to get the plush himself so Lewis gently grabs it from Lando and holds it out for Oscar to take. "Thank you, sweetheart. Go sit back down, please."
Tears are sliding down Lando's face by the time he sits back down again, and Lewis wishes he could split himself so he could take care of them at the same time but figures he has to prioritize getting Oscar settled for now. Luckily, the giraffe seems to have helped tremendously, and the shift Oscar had to make to accommodate the plush meant he found his thumb too, cries mostly stopped now that he was contently sucking on the digit, eyes firmly closed.
Oscar falls asleep fairly quickly and Lewis manages to maneuver him back into bed without waking him up, gently wiping his face before he turns to Lando, who's still got silent tears rushing down his cheeks.
"Come here, poppet." Lewis soothes, holding a hand out and pulling Lando up who crashes into his chest with a sob. "I know," Lewis whispers, hooking his hands under Lando's legs and hoisting him up, settling down in the rocking chair once again. "Shh, you're okay."
Lando shakes his head furiously, crying into Lewis' chest. "I'm- I'm. I- I'm not.. not a good bi-big brother!" He sobs, and Lewis wraps him up a little tighter, praying Oscar doesn't wake up again.
"Lando, sweetheart. Hey.. Shh. You are a good big brother. You got Oscar his Louie, did you not? Uncle Lew forgot all about that, that's what calmed him down, buddy. I couldn't have done it without you."
It gets Lando to take a really big shaky breath. "Really?"
"Hmm, really." Lewis hums, gently rocking the chair. "But you have to make good boy decisions too, okay? Uncle Lew gave you plenty of warnings, and the reason both you and Oscar got so upset just now is because you are tired. You need a nap, poppet. You need to listen to Uncle Lew. Do you understand?"
"I'm sorry." Lando cries, burying his face back into Lewis' chest.
"Shh. I know, I know sweet boy." Lewis soothes, gently running his fingers through Lando's curls. "I'm not upset, you're no longer in trouble. You're ok."
Lando sniffs, cuddling closer, tears lessening.
"There we go." Lewis encourages, pressing a soft kiss to Lando's head. "Go to sleep, poppet." Lewis hums, adjusting Lando so he can tip him back, brushing his tears away and pressing gently in between his eyebrows, down the bridge of his nose. "Close your eyes."
The whine Lando lets out is muffled by a yawn, eyes fluttering close as he squirms a little closer to Lewis, his thumb coming up into his mouth. Lewis really needs to talk to Daniel about getting the boys some pacifiers.
"Good boy, Lando." Lewis whispers, rocking the chair until he's absolutely certain the boy is fast asleep, carefully transferring Lando to his side of the bed and tugging him in.
Lewis tiptoes down the stairs, terrified of making any noise even though he knows both boys are deep sleepers, and throws himself onto the couch.
Roscoe looks up to the movement, given Lewis some apparent side eye before plopping back down with a loud sigh.
"Right?!" Lewis huffs. "Don't I know it."