Work Text:
Fanfic Fiasco: Operation “Red Bull Gives You Feelings”
Starring:
- Isack Hadjar, self-proclaimed not-in-love French menace
- Liam Lawson, oblivious Kiwi with a teasing smile and far too much power over Isack’s heart
- Cupids & Co.: Kimi Antonelli (CEO of Chaos), Oliver Bearman (professional meddler), Gabe Bortoleto (team strategist), and interns Checo Pérez (romantic messiah) and Daniel Ricciardo (team hype man)
….
It all started with a Racing Bulls media event where Isack, originally slumped on a beanbag doomscrolling TikTok, immediately leapt up when Liam walked in with the PR team.
Kimi (watching like a hawk):
“Did he just bolt across the paddock at Mach 1 speed?”
Oliver (nodding):
“He almost took out a tire wall.”
Checo (sipping tea):
“This one’s in DEEP.”
Daniel (already taking notes):
“This is giving secret pining, slow burn, workplace romance. Delicious.”
Thus, Operation “Red Bull Gives You Feelings” was born.
…
When confronted:
Ollie:
“Do you have a crush on Liam?”
Isack (sputtering):
“What? No! I just… admire his throttle control and composure under pressure!”
Gabe:
“You wrote 'Liam 😍' in your tire strategy notebook.”
Isack:
“That was... a doodle. You can’t prove anything.”
Kimi (deadpan):
“We have a video.”
…
Step 1: Fake Jealousy Test
Checo volunteers to “flirt” with Isack during media day. He wears a very tight shirt.
Liam:
Immediately scowls in the background while Isack laughs at Checo’s jokes.
Liam (to Checo later, dead serious):
“You’re, like, 35. Stay away from Isack”
Checo:
“Jealousy: Confirmed.”
….
Kimi, Ollie, Gabe, Checo, and Daniel are gathered around a table, looking at their failed “subtle” attempts to matchmake Isack and Liam.
Kimi:
“We tried staged flirting, team dinners, fanfiction leaks—”
Ollie (head in hands):
“He ran away when we tried the hand-holding drill.”
Checo (sniffing):
“Maybe it’s time to retire.”
Gabe (scrolling Twitter/X):
“Guys… GUYS… have you seen Racing Bulls’ Instagram lately?”
Everyone leans in.
…
Post 1: Reels of Isack and Liam on a track walk
🎶 Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me” instrumental plays
Caption: “We love a teammates-to-soulmates arc 😍 #LawJar #RacingHearts”
Daniel:
“Is this… a ship post?”
Checo (zooming in):
“Wait, the slow-mo clip of Isack smiling at Liam. The MUSIC CHOICE. Oh my God, it’s happening.”
….
Post 2: A “Who Knows Who Better?” Quiz
Liam and Isack on camera, giggling while throwing popcorn at each other.
Isack:
“His favorite snack? Uh… banana bread?”
Liam:
“Correct.” [smiles like a man in love]
Caption: “They know everything about each other… except how obvious their chemistry is 💙 #BullsOfLove”
…
Post 3: A Reel titled “Liam & Isack: Off-Track Edition”
They’re building Lego cars together. Isack has a tiny smudge of oil on his cheek. Liam wipes it off instinctively.
Close-up. Slow-motion. Sappy piano music.
Checo (wiping a tear):
“This is better than any telenovela I’ve ever seen.”
….
📸 Post 4: "They Share a Braincell (and Maybe a Heart?)"
Video reel opens with Liam and Isack answering quick-fire questions:
PR Girl offscreen:
“Who’s more likely to forget their gloves?”
Both (simultaneously):
“Me—wait. Him.”
Liam:
“Okay, maybe it’s you.”
Isack:
“You left your helmet in the freezer last week, you can’t talk.”
Caption:
“We’re not saying they’re in love, but we’re also not not saying it.
🧠❤️
#LawJar #TeammateGoals”
….
📱 Post 5: Isack’s Birthday Reel
It’s a montage of all the times Liam’s gone out of his way to grab Isack’s water bottle, fix his helmet strap, or nudge him playfully. Then:
🎥 Cut to Liam baking a wonky-looking chocolate cake.
🎥 Cut to Isack eating it with sparkly eyes like it’s Michelin star.
Caption:
“When your teammate becomes your favorite person
🥹
#BakeItTillYouMakeIt #LawJarSweethearts”
….
Charles (reposting a reel to his story):
“Bro. This is better than Netflix.”
George:
“Do they even know they’re soft launching?”
Carlos (sighing):
“I miss when we had subtlety. And quiet.”
Max:
“I just want one week where no one accidentally confesses feelings during Twitch streams or in helmet cams.”
Daniel (full chaotic grin):
“Max, be honest. You love it.”
Max (muttering):
“…I do like the baking part.”
….
Back at their HQ (now officially in a broom closet with a makeshift corkboard), Kimi, Ollie, Gabe, and Checo stare at the LawJar posts.
Gabe:
“They’re doing our job better than us.”
Ollie:
“They have transitions. And mood music.”
Checo (wiping a tear):
“That cake reel changed me.”
Kimi:
“…we need to hire their intern.”
Daniel:
“I would let them edit my wedding video.”
….
Meanwhile, Liam & Isack scrolling their own team’s Insta:
Isack (panicking):
“Are we… being shipped?!”
Liam (softly smiling):
“I mean… maybe they just see what we haven’t said out loud yet.”
pause
Isack (very softly):
“…Would it be so bad?”
And Liam just leans over and taps the "save" button on a Reel where they’re laughing together — as if he’s been saving Isack all along.
…..
At a post-race debrief, PR rolls the latest “cutest teammate moments” montage in front of the whole Racing Bulls team.
Isack is bright red. Liam is laughing.
Isack (muttering):
“They’re insane.”
Liam (without looking):
“…Yeah, but they’re right.”
Isack (freezing):
“What?”
Liam:
“I like you, Hadjar. And now 300k followers know it too.”
Isack (whispers):
“…Do we kiss before or after they post a new reel?”
Liam (smirking):
“Depends. Want it to go viral?”
….
🏁 Scene: Thursday Media Day at the Paddock
The Racing Bulls PR team struts into the paddock like they own the place.
Ferrari PR:
“Hey, congrats on the new fan engagement—”
RB PR (sipping matcha):
“We don’t do engagement. We do love stories.”
Mercedes PR (eyeing them suspiciously):
“Didn’t you just post a reel titled ‘When your teammate is also your soulmate’?”
RB PR (smirking):
“And it hit 2.4 million views in two hours. Sit down.”
….
George (to the media):
"I just think it's funny how Liam and Isack got a whole romance arc but myself and Kimi had to fight for a single shared water bottle post."
Alex:
"At Williams, we don’t even have a joint TikTok. This is sabotage."
Pierre (deadpan):
“I had to beg Alpine for a soft-focus photo. Beg.”
…..
ntern #1:
“Should we do a reel of Isack teaching Liam French?”
PR Manager:
“No. Too subtle. Let’s make them do a fake wedding shoot.”
Intern #2 (gleefully):
“Can we give them flower crowns and make it ‘Enemies to Lovers AU’?”
RB PR Manager (in full megalomania mode):
“We are the Netflix now.”
….
They print limited edition “We Made LawJar Happen” hoodies and casually wear them around the paddock.
One even hands a hoodie to Kimi Antonelli and goes:
RB PR:
"Don’t worry, darling. You’ll get there eventually."
Kimi:
Cries
…..
Checo (dramatic):
“We’re being replaced by content creators.”
Ollie:
“They have editing software and a corporate budget! Unfair advantage!”
Gabe:
“I spent two hours Photoshopping Alex and George into a heart-shaped cereal bowl. TWO. HOURS.”
Daniel (squinting at his phone):
“…I think Racing Bulls just posted a ‘Liam kissing Isack” reel. WITH Taylor swift IN THE BACKGROUND?!?”
.....
Author’s Note 💌
Listen. LISTEN. I know I said the last fic was the final one. But the ships? They just keep sailing into my request forms at 3AM and what am I supposed to do?? IGNORE THEM?? Be normal?? pfft. No. Absolutely not.
So here we are again, besties — welcome to another chapter of ✨Fanfic Fiasco✨, this time starring Liam “I am not here to make friends” Lawson and Isack “literally blushes if you look at him” Hadjar. And no, I will not apologize for letting the Racing Bulls PR team outmatch every matchmaking attempt by the Cupids. They’ve earned their crown.
I just wanted to write a soft fic. Instead I got PR interns staging cottagecore content and Daniel Ricciardo crying at TikToks in a supply closet. We are so back.
Anyway, buckle in. It’s soft. It’s stupid.
Love,
your tired Engineering girlie who just wanted a break and now has 7 active ships and a Doc full of fics.