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It was exhilarating, the feeling. Getting out of the car and getting to stand on the nose, cheering. Nico has never felt this way before, not once. And he assumed he never was. He felt someone tap his thigh, knowing who it was immediately. Nico looked down and over at his younger teammate, the smile never wavering.
“Buddy!” he heard Bortoleto shout, grabbing his hand firmly. Nico always saw the Brazilian as a younger brother for him, cheering him on in Austria the same way he’s doing for Nico right now. It was special, and Nico appreciated it and the radio message. Nico let go of the younger man's hand and cheered.
The team began chanting his name, and he could hear the thick material of his helmet. Even through the padding. They were loud, and the Swiss flag swung through the air with grace once again. The last time Sauber had a podium was 2012, a year before he joined them for the first time. Something about this day felt more than just stopping records and breaking them; it felt special.
He hopped down from the car and ran to his team, the shouts still loud, as hands grabbed him everywhere, pulling him in with force and jumping with him. He looked up through the raised visor at the red flag on the makeshift sticks. The team hadn’t been prepared whatsoever for this; he knew they didn't even have champagne in the back. The cheers of the McLaren crowd were drowned out by his name being cheered.
Part of Nico felt guilty; he knew Lando won the race, but for once, this was his day.
He moved from the crowd as they kept singing. There was a figure nearby, a familiar one. He stood nearby with his sweater and a smile. Nico waved at Kevin, too excited to process much around him. Kevin waved back, or Nico hoped he did. The crowd consumed him once more. He watched as Gabriel shuffled next to Kevin, not liking the large crowds. That's something Kevin and Bortoleto had in common, Nico pointed out.
He allowed the sea of green and black to carry him away with the officials, who were standing by, also smiling. He caught some orange colour suits tapping him on the back. He removed his helmet and laughed, grabbing his bottle. Even as presenters came up to him, he was too static to care about their questions. Till it was time for Jenson.
It was all white noise, the interview, the cooldown room, the podium. It only became loud when he got to the hospitality. He got sprayed immediately with champagne. “What the!” Nico laughed and let himself get drenched. “Gift from Mercedes and Aston Martin!” the Sauber crew laughed. He could hear them singing inside, too. It was truly unbelievable. “Hey!” Nico shouted over the cheers, Lopez, Nico knew Gabriel's race engineer. “Can you tell Gabi I’ll be back?” Lopez thought for a moment before nodding.
Nico snuck out from the crowd and rushed away, heading outside of camera view. “So you’re just going to wave and then leave?” Nico shouted, stopping in his tracks. The man he shouted at stopped. “I have practice.” Kevin argued, “I can’t stay for long.” Nico scoffed. “You did this last time, you came and then left.” Kevin turned with wide eyes. He didn’t think Nico noticed he watched a bit of Miami.
“We aren’t teammates anymore. Why are you so scared?” Nico's voice was rigid, almost as if one wrong word would dispel the illusion. “We still have our respective careers. I left, and you moved. That's that,” Kevin muttered. He watched Nico carefully; the German was just as confused as he was. Why did they stop? Why was this important?
“People are already saying you’re my good luck charm.” Nico laughed, and Kevin couldn’t help the chuckle that left his mouth. “Maybe,” Kevin answered, and silence befell them again. “I was drunk off my rocker when you won Le Mans, and now I'm back, watching you win P3 in Formula One.” Kevin smiled again, this time it was deeper, real. “I agree with them.” Nico's words hit the air like a gunshot.
Kevin looked up, it was something out of a movie, with the remaining crowds cheering in the back. “Maybe I’m scared of being your lucky charm and then seeing the day my luck runs out,” the Dane admitted. Nico's body froze, his mind spun as if they were gears working a clock. Waiting for the moment the hand strikes 12.
“You upgraded from HAAS,” Kevin joked. Waving an arm towards Nico, as if emphasizing a point. “Sauber isn’t much of an upgrade,” Nico laughed. Kevin shook his head, “It is. More points scored than Sauber has ever seen, you don't..” Kevin chose his words carefully, “you’re flying, Nico, you don't need me as a defender anymore. The kid isn't even doing much either.” Nico shook his head, “he won't ever be you, you’re right. You helped me in ways that damaged your own career, but he isn't an upgrade.”
Kevin figured Nico saw through his original statement about the upgrade.
“He isn’t your replacement in my life. That would be like me saying I'm Isacks replacement for him,” Nico laughed once more, taking a tentative step forward. Kevin did not move an inch, just staring confused. “We all have one person in our lives that are irreplaceable. You are mine.” Nico's final words ended as he reached Kevin. Inches away. As if he never left.
“And while I never see you anymore, or rarely. I can still feel you.” Nico nodded to the side, and Kevin looked over. As if on queue, he saw it, a familiar curly-haired Brazilian was standing and laughing with a shorter man his age. What Nico was talking about. “He is Gabriel's irreplaceable person, just as you...” Nico tilted his head softly, catching Kevin's attention, “..are mine.”
“That is silly,” Kevin admitted, not backing away from the touch. Kevin sighed. It was a losing battle, and one that Kevin found himself letting Nico win. “We aren’t teammates. Nor rivals, I don't want documents on BMW or its workings or-” before Nico could finish his proposal, Kevin covered his mouth with his hand and pressed his lips against the back. Making Nico stumbled, confused. Nico didn’t expect this kind of kiss, he’d been pawning for a real one.
Kevin moved away, keeping his hand pressed against the taller man's lips. “You come to my race, and be my lucky charm. Then I'll consider making the next kiss real,” Nico nodded immediately. Kevin felt the goofy smile against his palm. And as he removed his hand, Nico surged forwards, capturing the Dane in a real kiss. Feeling how Kevin prepared himself, knowing what was going to happen.
“That’s for being my good luck charm, idiot.” Kevin chuckled.
In the background, the French boy and the Brazilian boy walked away with smiles..
And maybe an arm wrapped around the other's waist.
But Nico? He walked away with his irreplaceable person.