Work Text:
„Lando, it’s time!“
Lando hears the knock on the door to his driver’s room and the voice of his race engineer, calling him, because FP1 is starting in half an hour.
Lando opens his eyes, which already is quite a task to do, because the light blinds him so much, he has to force himself to keep them open.
„Oh for fu* sake“, he curses in a low voice, when he tries to sit up and immediatly the pain shoots into the left side of his head, making him so sick, he has difficulties not to throw up right there on the floor.
He hasn´t had such a bad migraine attack in years maybe.
Lando has not been feeling great the whole week they are here in Silverstone, the humid weather messing with his head, after they have spent the past weeks in rather dry and sunny parts of the world. Usually some pain killers, a lot of water and fresh air are enough to cope with it and his head gets used to different weather, but this time, it did not work.
He has already woke up this morning, feeling rather nauseous and sick, his head slightly hurting and it got a lot worse during media duty and pre- talks for the weekend.
In Silverstone it is always a lot more than in other countries, obviously, as it is his home race and everyone wants their bit of attention from him.
After media duty was finished, Lando has tried to get out of the crowd and away from people as fast as possible, excused himself for a nap and went straight to his driver’s room. He even said no to a massage, because the thought of someone touching him made him feel even more sick.
He has hoped an hour of sleep maybe would solve the problem, but right now everything just feels a lot worse.
He has no idea, how to really get up, walk out of the room and worse, get into the car and drive without being a danger to himself and everyone else.
But he has to. It is Silverstone. And he isn't sick. He's just having a migraine. People have headaches all the time and do not moan. So who is he to ditch a practice session on home ground, because of it.
Lando knows deep down, migraine is not „just headache“. That it is an illness and driving with it can actually be dangerous, with the sight problems and slower reaction ability, but he does not want to go to the team, telling them he is not feeling well, while it is „just a migraine“.
He hates it, when others see him weak and the last thing he wants is this to happen in front of his home ground or the whole team.
A second knock makes him sit up on the bench he has been laying on. „Yes, give me a moment damn it, I’m coming!“
The door opens anyways, but it is not Will standing in front of it, asking Lando, what is taking so long, but Oscar.
„Hey, did you see my…“ Oscar freezes at the sight of Lando sitting on the bench looking at him, his face twisted with pain.
„Hey, what is up with you?“
The way Oscar closes the door, heading over to Lando with that worried look on his face, makes Lando realise, he must really look bad.
Oscar sits next to him on the bench, his hand carefully touching Lando’s shoulder.
Even though he can not stand anyone else touching him with the pain in his head and the nauseous feeling in his stomache, Oscar makes an exception for some reason.
Lando groans and lets his head rest on Oscar’s shoulder.
„It’s nothing, I’m just having a migraine“, he mumbles. Oscar raises his eyebrow, while putting an arm around Lando’s waist to steady him.
„Mate, you’re white as a wall, you look like you’re about to faint any minute“, he says worried and Lando closes his eyes. Just for a few seconds to ease the pain a little. „It’s okay, it’s not the first time I’m having this. I just need…“, his voice faints, because he does not know, what he needs.
Definitley not an hour in a race car, the tight helmet on his head, the heat of the engine around him and interviews and stuff afterwards.
Suddenly a wave of sickness runs over him and makes him get up to stumble to the bathroom.
The throwing up maybe is the worst part of that whole thing.
„You can’t drive like this!“
Oscar has followed him into the bathroom reaching out a hand, to help Lando up.
„I have to. It’s Silverstone. And it’s just a migraine“ Lando replies, getting a glas of water from the sink, trying to breathe deep and steady.
Oscar still has one of his hands in his. It is cold and sweaty and Oscar shakes his head.
„Please don’t“, he says in a very serious tone.
Lando turns around, pressing his free hand against the left side of his forehead, facing Oscar.
„I have to. I just need some pain killers and it is going to be okay. Don’t worry.“
Oscar looks at him, doing exactly, what Lando told him not to.
And he is right to do so. Lando knows it. He knows it is a bad idea, to get into the car like this, he knows no one will be mad at him, if he says, he cannot not drive. They all know, Lando has migraines, they all know how dangerous it is to drive during an attack.
If he would tell Will, he would forbid Lando to even get near the car and send him straight to the hotel.
But Lando can't. Not here, not in Silverstone with thousands of people expecting him to be there and be good and his usual funny and sunny self.
„Hey, promise we you’ll stop when it gets to bad. Please.“ Oscar helps Lando get into the race suit and ready for the car as he realises there is no point in stopping him from going.
Lando just smiles at him trying to hide, how bad he still feels.
The moment, Oscar takes away his hands and he can't feel him close to him anymore, the nauseouness and headaches are back as bad as before, even though he takes two pain killers before leaving the driver’s room.
Oscar lays one hand on Lando’s back before entering the garage and for a moment Lando leans into the touch, wishing nothing more, but going back to the driver’s room, laying down, with Oscar staying with him.
It was something, that developed over the past year between the two of them. Lando hates other people around, when he is not feeling good, no matter if physically or mentally, but Oscar makes an exception.
They never talk about it, but whenever Oscar is coming to find Lando after a bad day, Lando feels better and Oscar knows it.
Will notices something is off the moment Lando is entering the garage.
„Headache?“ he asks and Lando just sighs and nods, carefully to not move his head too much. Luckily, Will does not ask any more questions. He lays a hand on Lando’s arm, facing him with a serious look.
„You tell me, when it’s too much. It’s just FP1, nothing to lose or win here. We need you fit tomorrow and on sunday. Not today.“
Lando swallows down the sickness and the urge to just leave and lay down somewhere, to keep his head from spinning and hurting and his stomache from the feeling of turning inside out.
„It’ll work. It has to, okay?“
Will raises an eyebrow, but does not say anything else. He helps Lando put on his balaklava and helmet and Lando gets so dizzy and sick for a moment, with the warm and tight helmet on, he grabs Will’s wrist, to stop himself from trembling.
„Lando, I do not think, this is a good idea“, Will says worried and Lando can see, how Oscar keeps sending him worried looks from the other side of the garage too, before getting into his own car.
„It’s my home race, I cannot ditch a session because of a damn headache“, he says, biting his lip, trying to breathe away the urge of throwing up right in his helmet.
„Your decision, mate.“
Will lets go of the topic and Lando climbs into the car. It feels like torture, when he turns on the engine and the roaring sound gets into his head like knife cuts, it almost makes him tear up.
What follows are probably the worst 45 minutes of his life. Trying to ignore the hammering pain in his head, managing not to throw up and keeping the car on the track, is almost an impossible task.
Will keeps telling him over the radio to take it easy and come back to the garage if not feeling good, but Lando ignores it until 15 minutes before the end of the session.
By then he feels so sick, his hands are shaking and he is covered in cold sweat all over. His legs are trembling and he is barely able anymore, to press the right buttons on the wheel.
„I’m coming in“, he manages to say over radio and turns over for the pitlane.
He is more than glad, they put the car into the garage WITH HIM in it and he does not have to get up in the open view of the pitlane.
„Get up the walls!“ He can hear Will say and the pit crew starts to build up the covers around the car they usually use when they have to work on the car while the media is in the pitlane.
Lando lets his head sink on the steering wheel, breathing unsteady and heavy.
„I feel so sick, help“, he whispers into his helmet and has no idea, how he possibly should get out of the tight car now without just fainting next to it.
„Just give me a minute okay?“ he asks Will still over radio and is more than glad his engineer just answers with „take the time you need. You did good out there, I’m proud.“
Lando feels like crying or throwing up right here and now, not exactly sure about what first.
Suddenly hands are over him, putting out the steering wheel from the car and unlocking the seatbelts around his waist.
When he opens his eyes, he can see Will and Oscar around the car.
„Give me your hands, I’m helping you out“, Will says calmly and Lando does as asked.
Will almost haa to lift him up and out of the car, because Lando is feeling so weak, he can barely stand on his own two feet.
And then, Oscar ua there, opening his helmet, pulling it over his head and taking off the Balaklava gently.
„You are so stubborn and stupid sometimes, Lando Norris“, he says in a low voice, but Lando can't answer. The sudden relief of knowing Oscar near to him makes him feel dizzy all over again. He hears a ringing sound in his ears, his head feeling like it will explode any minute.
He closes his eyes searching blindly for Oscars hands and grabbing them like he is about to drown in a deep lake.
Oscar pulls im in a hug and Lando sinks into it, burrying his face on the younger one’s shoulder.
„Get him out of here“, he hears Will say to Oscar. „We make sure, there is no media around to make photos or ask silly questions. I will put him out for FP2 this afternoon, he can moan about that how much he wants as soon as he feels better, but he will not see this garage from inside anymore until tomorrow. I’m counting on you.“
Oscar, who is still stoping Lando from losing his balance and falling, nods. „You can, no worries. Come on.“
He puts an arm around Lando’s waist, guiding him out of the garage, through the back door.
Will has organized a car, taking them both to the hotel right next to the race track.
Lando does barely realise how he comes from the garage to his room, how they both get changed into normal clothes or how he makes the way from the garage to the car, feeling so off, he is more than glad Oscar is with him.
Oscar has his hotel room key from somewhere, opening it for him.
„You do have meds for bad migraines, where are they?“, he asks and Lando just points with a finger towards the bathroom.
He then sinks on the bed, waiting for Oscar to come back with the meds and a glass of water.
„I feel so sick“, he repeats what he has said in the car already, shaking all over his body, barely able to take the glass and drink properly from it.
„Yes, because you are so stupid“, Oscar replies in a dry tone, but Lando can still hear the worry in it. This time he does not try to talk Oscar out of it. He is too scared Oscar will just leave when he asures him, he is okay.
„You need to sleep, if you want to get into the car without another breakdown tomorrow.“ Oscar says.
Lando looked at him and shrugged.
„What?“
„Too cold to sleep. Feeling too nauseous. Head hurts too much.“ When Oscar sat next to Lando on the bed, Lando let his head rest on the younger one’s shoulder again.
„Little better“, he mumbles.
Oscar laughs and carefully shoves Lando off him.
„Don’t go, please.“
Lando knows he is begging, he knows it is embarrassing and he maybe won’t be able to look Oscar in the eyes by tomorrow, but right now he is feeling so miserable, he would basically do almost everything to stop his friend from leaving.
Oscar sits himself on the bed, his back resting on the cussions, then he smiles at Lando.
„I did not plan on leaving. I can work through the data with the boys via Teams, Will already arranged that.“
Lando looks at him with disbelieve and relief all at once.
„Lay down, okay? You still look like you’re about to faint.“ Oscar’s voice is soft and caring and it makes Lando shiver, this time not only because of the cold and pain.
He crawls over to Oscar’s side and then, without thinking twice, lays down right next to him, his head resting on Oscar’s belly, trying to soak up as much of Oscar’s presence and body warmth as possible.
Oscar pulls Lando into a closer hug, one of his hands resting on Lando’s back, slowly drawing circles on it, while typing into his laptop with his other.
„Better?“, he asks after Lando lets out a deep sigh.
„No idea what you are doing to make me feel like this, but yes“, Lando answeres, his voice sounding muffled, because he has his face half burried into the warmth of Oscar’s green hoodie.
„It’s my magic, didn’t you know?“ Oscar answers with a smile on his face.
Lando lets out a little laugh and this time it does not make his head explode with pain.
It still hurts, he still feels sick, but it is less overwhelming, less painful, than before.
„That 45 minutes in the car were the worst of my life“, he admits after a while, Oscar just shaking his head. „I can imagine. As I said you are so stubborn sometimes, it’s unbelievable. Trust me, I’ll make sure, you won’t drive the second session today.“
Lando looks up at Oscar for a moment. „Trust me, there is no way I am leaving this bed again, for anything else but a shower later.“
„Good.“
Oscar keeps stroking over Lando’s back, letting him fall asleep in his lap until it was time for him to leave for FP2.
Lando wakes up at Oscar’s body shifting under him.
„I’m sorry I woke you up but I have to go“, Oscar whispers, gently putting the blanket over Lando again, to keep him warm.
„Oscar?“
„Hm?“
„Will you come back? After FP2 I mean. It’s just… I… I feel so much better with you around.“
Lando flushes at his own words trying to avoid Oscar’s look.
„I still have your key card, so I guess I could do that, yes“, the other one answers and Lando can hear that he is grinning.
„Promise me you’ll stay in bed until I come back and try to catch some sleep?“
Lando nods, in this very moment, he would promise Oscar almost anything, just to make sure, he would come back to him and hug him, like he did before.
„Good. Then sleep well.“
Oscar softly strokes over Lando’s hair once again, before he walks away and Lando can hear the door close behind him.
He is immediatly feeling worse again, but not as bad as before, so with a deep sigh, he gets himself up and into the bathroom. He needs a shower and a fresh shirt to wear.
Afterwards he really does, was Oscar made him promise. At least parts of it. He get back to bed, trying to rest, after taking another painkiller. But he can't sleep. Not without Oscar's warm body next to his. He follows the free practise session on the phone a little, texting Will that he is already feeling better and finally falls asleep after the session has ended.
It is a light sleep and he keeps waking up from the headache but at least he has not to throw up again and his body has stopped from shivering and shaking.
He has no idea how much time it is, when he hears his hotel room door opening again.
Lando smiles half awake, halfway still asleep.
He has not been sure, Oscar would really come back. It is one thing to comfort each other in the garage or the debrief after a session, another to come over to spend the night with the other driver, sleeping next to each other.
„Hi“, Lando whispers, when he feels Oscar’s body weight next to him as he sits down on the edge of the bed.
„Hi. How are you feeling?“ Oscar asks. He smells of a fresh shower, too and Lando just reaches out with his hands, to grab Oscar’s arms, pulling him down to him.
„Almost good, now you are back“, he mumbles and does not care, how the words sound. He does not care what Oscar might think of him or the whole situation.
Oscar does not refuse to lay down next to Lando anyways. Instead, he puts his arm around the older one as he already does before, so Lando can rest his hurting head on his chest.
Oscar starts to massage his neck with the other hand and Lando almost melts into the touch.
„Oscar?“
„Yes?“
„If you don’t stop with what you are doing right here and now, I will have to make you stay the whole night. Because this feels way too good to be over in a few minutes.“
Oscar laughs a little and goes on, running his fingers over Lando’s back and neck and through Lando’s hair which made him groan a little, this time not out of pain but comfort and relief. It feels so much better any massage from any physio in the world could ever feel.
„Okay.“ Is the only thing, Oscar says.
„Okay what?“ Lando asks.
„Okay, I’ll stay the whole night. I did not plan it any other way.“
Lando allows himself to sink even deeper into Oscar's touch and hug, knowing he will feel okay by tomorrow again.
Even more than okay.