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Blaine ran toward his brother, who was waiting for him with open arms and a smile full of pride. Blaine fell straight into the warmth of his brother’s embrace.
“Squirt, you were on fire out there.” Cooper’s voice brimmed with the kind of excitement a father might use if his son had just won a world championship.
He ruffled Blaine’s curls, always a wild mess after taking off his helmet. Blaine pushed his hand away with a laugh.
“Cooper, stop, you’re ruining it,” ten-year-old Blaine scolded, trying to fix his unruly hair.
“Oh, B, I’ve got bad news for you.” His brother’s teasing tone made Blaine roll his eyes.
They walked together all the way to the temporary paddock set up in a trailer for that weekend’s karting races. Blaine had just taken the win after a hard-fought battle with another rising star in karting: Sebastian Smythe.
Everyone congratulated them along the way, giving pats on the back and high fives to both. His brother, Cooper, had just become a Formula 1 World Champion for the first time the week before, driving for the most legendary team in the history of the sport: Ferrari.
He had celebrated with his team, partied, danced, and maybe even kissed a girl. Blaine, meanwhile, had been welcomed by one of the race engineers, who was basically a second father to both brothers. He had spent the night watching movies and eating junk food with Sam, Harrison’s son.
Harrison had taken them in after their parents died in a tragic road accident five years earlier. Cooper had been on the cusp of becoming one of the brightest young names in motorsport when that crash turned their lives upside down. He had wished it had been him instead of their parents. That would have made sense. Every time he got into a race car he knew the risks; people weren’t supposed to die in accidents on the way to buy groceries.
Cooper stepped away from racing for an entire year. At sixteen, he had to deal with lawyers, contracts, and money. He had to fight off people who wanted to separate him from Blaine and send his little brother into foster care, since they had no close relatives. They had no one else. He had never even met his biological mother. When his dad married Blaine’s mom, (the only mother he had ever known), and then had Blaine, they were completely on their own.
Their grandparents had disowned his father for chasing what they called a hopeless dream in racing. The fact that he had chosen to marry a Filipina woman hadn’t helped either.
Their mother, Pam, had fled the Philippines as a child, so there was no family on that side either.
Their father went on to become a two-time Formula 1 World Champion with the same Scuderia Cooper now raced for, before retiring early to enjoy family life. Their parents had been the kindest, most loving people on earth. They hadn’t deserved what happened. No one did. And yet, to this day, Cooper still asked himself why them.
Harrison had been the angel their parents sent when he stepped up and legally became their guardian, keeping the brothers together as the small family they were.
It had taken Cooper months to even think about getting back behind the wheel. And it would have been understandable if he never wanted to. But the day he did, it was as if his soul returned to his body after drifting for too long. He gripped the steering wheel tightly and lapped the Autódromo in Mexico, preparing for the upcoming Grand Prix. His heart filled with adrenaline and love for the sport, and that was when he decided to honor the legacy of his father, Richard Anderson.
He had raced with number 11 ever since, celebrating every victory with the secret gesture his mother used to share with them.
It only made sense that Blaine felt drawn to the sport too. Talent ran in his blood, and he carried the Anderson legacy. Still, Cooper let Blaine be as involved as he wanted, while also letting him be what he was: a child.
He had seen garages filled with fathers pushing and pressuring their kids to win. He had seen young drivers hang their heads in shame when they didn’t. He never wanted to be that for Blaine. Which was why he had bought him countless instruments when Blaine discovered his second passion: music.
He didn’t know if it would last, if Blaine would see it as a career. But that was okay. He was trying to be the kind of father he himself had had, by giving him the freedom to choose.
“How does a burger sound?” Cooper asked as they reached the drivers’ room, where Blaine had to drop off his race suit for the team’s staff to take care of cleaning.
“Sounds great,” Blaine replied with a smile as he changed into his street clothes.
“Then let’s go.” Cooper nudged him forward to lead the way to the car.
They said their goodbyes on the way out, climbed into the car, and hit the highway. Music filled the speakers, and they hummed along. Cooper drummed against the wheel, unable to resist the rhythm. Eventually, both of them ended up belting out the chorus, laughing when Cooper purposely sang off-key.
For Cooper, the clearest sign he had done his job right was his brother’s laughter. His eyes always stung a little when he let himself think about that.
He pulled off the road and into a gas station. Parking by the pump, he nodded toward the convenience store. “Go grab a snack or a drink. I’ll be right there.”
Blaine nodded and jogged inside. He greeted the cashier and wandered down the aisles, picking up junk food he knew would earn him one of his brother’s looks. Still, he hoped Cooper would be in too good a mood to complain. After all, you don’t become World Champion at twenty-one every day. He had won his race. They were allowed to celebrate.
The door opened and Cooper headed straight for the counter. Blaine hesitated for a moment, peeking from the end of an aisle.
Cooper looked up from his phone and sighed. “Just bring it over, will you?” he said, unable to hide his smile.
A laugh echoed through the store as Blaine dashed to the register. Cooper glanced at the pile of food in his brother’s arms and rolled his eyes. “You’re going to eat all that. If you get a stomachache, don’t come crying to me.
He grabbed a couple of things for himself, and the guy behind the counter pulled out a paper bag for their haul. Blaine handed his snacks over, then started wandering the shop again while Cooper paid for the groceries and the fuel. He drifted to the magazine rack and the little stand of toys by the window. That’s when he noticed someone sitting outside. Knees drawn up, practically curled into a ball.
He recognized him instantly, and his breath caught.
Blaine bolted for the door, pushing against it with all his strength. The thing was heavier than his old kart when he’d had to push it down the track after losing a tire.
The cold air hit him as he stepped outside, and he shivered. The day was overcast, rain hanging in the sky, and he couldn’t understand why Sebastian was sitting there. On the ground, and apparently alone, because when Blaine glanced around, there was no sign of Sebastian’s father or any other adult.
“Sebastian, hi.”
The boy’s head lifted, pale and freckled, looking up at him.
Sebastian looked sad. Blaine figured it had to be about the race. He’d seen the disappointment even when Sebastian came up to shake his hand earlier. He’d seen his father dragging him away toward the paddock, not waiting for anyone else.
“Hi.” Sebastian answered before dropping his head again.
His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie. Blaine had gloves on. Sebastian probably didn’t.
“What are you doing here?” Blaine asked, crouching down in front of him.
Sebastian shrugged and said nothing. He seemed to shrink even more under Blaine’s curious closeness.
“Where’s your dad?” Blaine asked. It was the obvious question.
Sebastian’s shoulders began to tremble, and when he looked up at Blaine, his eyes were shining with tears. It reminded Blaine of the time he had crashed in a corner and his arm had taken the full impact of the barrier.
Sadness washed over him instantly. He didn’t know what to do. Cooper always hugged him when he was sad about their parents. Or when he fell playing soccer with Sam. His ten-year-old mind was working furiously when the door opened again.
Cooper stepped outside and locked eyes with his brother after spotting Sebastian. Blaine only shrugged at the silent question written on his brother’s face.
Cooper clenched his jaw and let out a heavy sigh. He glanced around, even though he already knew no one was there.
On the way in, he had seen Sebastian’s dad driving off in the opposite direction. Bastard son of a bitch.
Blaine’s eyes widened in shock and horror, and Sebastian’s head snapped toward Cooper with the same startled expression. Okay, so he hadn’t just thought that out loud.
“Sorry,” Cooper muttered, shaking his head, mortified. “Just remembered… St. James stole my… earbud?” It had actually been his almost-girlfriend. But who could tell the difference?
Both boys stared at him. Then they shared amused glances once the shock had faded. They didn’t believe him for a second.
“Little Smythe. We were looking for you where’ve you been hiding?” Cooper addressed the boy on the ground, whose expression was the most broken he had seen in a long time. His chest tightened. “Your dad asked me to pick you up, said he had an emergency.” He lied.
And he knew Sebastian could tell, because the boy’s eyebrows shot up before his face dulled to gray again. But no one said anything. Sebastian nodded with a weak, pitiful smile and pushed himself up. Blaine helped when he wobbled, stiff from sitting on the cold ground for over an hour. Waiting for that worthless excuse of a father who wasn’t coming back. Maybe he’d send someone later. Maybe not.
Sebastian walked with them, withdrawn, limping slightly. When they reached the car, he froze, unsure what to do. Blaine and Cooper exchanged a look.
“This way,” Blaine said, opening the back door.
Hesitant, Sebastian gave him the faintest ghost of a smile and climbed in. Blaine joined him, and Cooper couldn’t help smiling at the gesture. His little brother refusing to leave Sebastian alone back there. As he slid into the driver’s seat, he thought there was no greater gift Blaine had been given than kindness. And yet, it also terrified him how many people in the world would try to take advantage of it.
He pulled out onto the highway again and turned on the stereo, filling the tense silence with music. That was Cooper’s trick. Even Sebastian seemed to know it. He looked smaller somehow, despite the fact he was shooting up faster than most kids his age.
“We’ll stop at McDonald’s first. Sound good?” Cooper asked, glancing at the rearview mirror.
Sebastian, who had been watching Blaine play on his Nintendo, lifted his head. Panic flickered across his face before he dropped his gaze. “I don’t have any money,” he muttered, embarrassed.
Cooper felt another sharp pang in his chest. “Well, lucky for you, little S, my last paycheck can cover an extra burger.”
Blaine grinned at Sebastian, nodding. Sebastian nodded back and managed a weak but genuine smile.
“And then you use this to attack. That’s it. It’s super easy!” Blaine exclaimed before handing over the game to a now less-scared Sebastian.
They reached McDonald’s half an hour later. Cooper held the door open for them after both struggled with the handle. He mussed their already messy hair as they passed, teasing them, then headed to the counter to order the things they had already agreed on in the car.
The boys slipped into a booth near the play area at the back. It was mostly empty, just a couple of kids bouncing in the ball pit. They sat facing each other.
“You’re sad,” Blaine said, watching Sebastian, who still looked uncertain with every movement.
Sebastian’s eyes widened, then he shook his head.
“It’s okay to be sad. I’m sad all the time when I think about my parents.” He lowered his gaze for a moment, letting himself feel it. “And I’m sad when I lose too.” He looked back up, determined to make Sebastian believe him.
Sebastian’s expression softened with sorrow. Blaine could tell he was trying as hard as he could not to be.
“But Cooper says it’s okay to feel sad when you lose. And that it’s okay to lose sometimes. You can’t win every race.” Blaine tilted his head, watching him carefully.
A sigh slipped from Sebastian’s chest, and then he seemed to deflate all over again. “Nobody tells me that,” he admitted, wiping his nose with his sleeve. When he looked at Blaine again, his eyes were brighter than they had been back at the gas station.
“My mom said it’s really brave to cry. Because that way you’re letting it out, and it won’t stay inside as anger.” Blaine offered the wise advice his mother had given him at four years old, when he used to hold back tears at preschool because the other kids teased him for it.
He waited two seconds before Sebastian hiccupped. The tears came rushing after, streaming down his freckled cheeks uncontrollably. Blaine scooted out of his side of the booth, rounded the table, and slid in beside him. Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around Sebastian’s shoulders. The boy stiffened in surprise, then looked at Blaine, and finally sank into the comfort, allowing someone to hold him for the first time in his life.
Cooper returned a few minutes later with trays piled with food. He stopped short when he saw them. The sight hit him like a wave, dragging him back to his own darkest days of grief after losing their parents. He sighed, then moved forward, sliding into the booth across from them.
Blaine lifted his gaze, from he was worried, making sure his friend would feel better soon. Sebastian did the same, quickly wiping his tears away with his forearm.
“Better?” he asked.
Sebastian stared at him, wide-eyed and doubtful. But slowly, the idea seemed to settle, and he nodded.
“Crying’s good. I do it sometimes,” Cooper offered, trying to comfort the broken boy in front of him.
He kept his arm around Sebastian until the trembling from his sobs faded. “See? It helps,” he said cheerfully. Sebastian gave him the briefest smile, and it only encouraged him more.
“You know, I lose sometimes. And that’s okay. There are a lot of talented kids chasing the same goal. But you never really lose, because you always learn from it,” Cooper said, believing the words himself.
Sebastian straightened up and looked at him intently.
“You’re very talented, Sebastian. And… don’t tell anyone, but, I heard the two of you are the best.” Cooper whispered the last part behind his hand like a secret. Both boys laughed.
The mood lightened, and the tension melted away along with their burgers. Sebastian ate as if he hadn’t had a proper meal in days. Cooper couldn’t stop noticing every small thing the boy did from that moment on.
“Can I have an ice cream?” Blaine asked once the tray had been pushed aside.
“You got it,” Cooper replied, ready to stand. He looked at Sebastian, who lowered his gaze, cautious. “One for you, little S?”
Sebastian shook his head, then glanced at his empty tray.
“I could go for another burger. Want one too?” Cooper offered. He and Blaine shared an empathetic look.
Sebastian raised his eyes and nodded.
“Perfect. Be right back.” He disappeared and returned a few minutes later with more food, which they devoured in record time.
“Can we stay a bit longer?” Blaine asked. Cooper already knew what he meant without him saying it. The play area.
He gave him a mock-annoyed look but nodded, pulling out his phone to distract himself.
Blaine squealed with excitement and jumped to his feet. He looked at Sebastian, eager and expectant. Sebastian gave him a confused look. Blaine understood and spoke up: “Do you want to go to the slide?”
Sebastian’s little face scrunched up in confusion. “The play area?” He looked completely lost at the unexpected invitation. Blaine nodded with a grin and a dangerous amount of enthusiasm for his size.
“Dad says I’m too old for the play area,” Sebastian muttered, shrugging.
Blaine and Cooper exchanged a look, their eyes reflecting the same sadness and sympathy for the boy.
“Well, he’s not here, is he?” Cooper said conspiratorially, making Sebastian smile.
Nodding, he hopped up and ran after Blaine toward the play zone. They climbed to the third floor and slid down the slides enough times to make themselves dizzy before settling for the tunnel instead.
“If you two throw up, you’re cleaning it,” Cooper warned from his seat without looking up from his phone.
The boys sat in the tunnel for a while, legs crossed, catching their breath.
“You’re not sad anymore?” Blaine asked hopefully.
Sebastian shook his head. “A little. I don’t like losing. Dad gets angry,” he admitted.
Blaine’s heart ached for him. He didn’t know what else to do to make him feel better. “I’ll try not to shut you out on the corner next time,” he offered with good intentions.
Sebastian shook his head immediately. “If you let me win, it doesn’t count.” His voice was stronger now. “I need to win without anyone helping me.”
“You’ve beaten me plenty of times,” Blaine said. Sebastian still didn’t look convinced. “I think you’re the best out there.” That caught Sebastian’s attention. His eyes went wide and bright, but not with tears. “But Cooper’s right. We can’t always win. And that’s okay. He loses sometimes. And still, he managed to be champion this year. You will too, one day.”
Sebastian perked up even more. “You’re really kind, Blaine. And I think you’re the best too.” His voice was small and still shy, but he meant it.
“Are you going to the summer track in Spain?” Blaine asked once the atmosphere lightened. Sebastian nodded. “You should come to our room there, Sam’s coming because he’s got school holidays. We can play Mario Kart and Sam can teach us how to kick the ball around,” Blaine proposed excitedly, bouncing in place even though he was still sitting down.
“You want us to play together?” Sebastian’s voice sounded surprised, matching his dazed expression.
Blaine frowned, tilted his head and nodded. “Of course, that’s what friends do.”
“We’re friends?” Sebastian kept staring at him, puzzled. “I’m not supposed to have friends.”
Blaine looked at him in confusion, then around them. Where the two of them were sitting together, playing. Just like friends do. To him, it felt obvious.
“Don’t you want us to be friends?” he asked fearfully. Because if Sebastian said no, it would make him really sad.
“I shouldn’t have friends. Dad says I can’t. Because everyone is competition. Especially you.” He added the last part at Blaine’s questioning look, which finally shifted into a crestfallen expression that made Sebastian feel strangely uncomfortable.
“Why?” Blaine dared to ask, a lump forming in his throat.
“Because you’re the best, and you’re my competition.” He said it as easily as his father did. But it didn’t feel right. Something about it felt wrong. Still, he was so used to hearing it that he didn’t know how else to say it.
“But…” Blaine stopped, catching his breath and trying to steady himself after the thought of not having a friend had shaken him. “Cooper is friends with all the drivers. They hang out, and they have fun. Don’t you want that?” His voice came out small and vulnerable, like the faintest breath of air could make him cry.
Sebastian’s lips curved downward as he nodded without looking at Blaine, too busy tugging at the loose threads on his pants. “But my dad can’t know,” he added quietly.
Blaine didn’t quite understand. He didn’t think there should be anything wrong with making friends, but now he knew Sebastian’s dad was different. He’d ask Cooper later. So he just nodded.
“Then we’re friends,” Blaine declared firmly. Sebastian didn’t correct him.
“Sam is that blond kid you’re sometimes with in the garage?” Sebastian asked, still a little shy in front of the whirlwind of joy that was Blaine. His new friend. Blaine nodded with a smile. “Doesn’t he race?”
Blaine shook his head, pulling a candy wrapper with colorful chocolates out of his pocket. He offered some to Sebastian before throwing a few into his own mouth. “He tried. His dad’s the team engineer. He crashed at the first corner and never wanted to get back in again.” He said it with amusement, and Sebastian laughed too.
The world was absent to the birth of a new friendship that would last a lifetime. Right there, in the play area of a McDonald’s.
A week later, Blaine was running toward Sebastian to congratulate him. Sebastian was a little surprised when Blaine’s body crashed into his. “Congratulations! You were brilliant in that last corner!”
Sebastian grinned wide, then lowered his gaze, a little embarrassed by the attention. He was still struggling to adapt to this new friendship, full of kindness he wasn’t used to.
“Thanks. You did really well too.” Blaine smiled at him. “You didn’t let me win, did you?” he teased.
Blaine shook his head quickly. “Of course not. You kicked my butt fair and square.”
“Does that bother you?” Sebastian asked cautiously.
Blaine winced. “A little. But seeing you win makes me happy too. If I lose to anyone else, then I do get a little sad.”
Sebastian felt something strange stir under his skin. He liked it. He liked Blaine. His friend Blaine.
“I saw your dad with you a moment ago. He looked kind of… upset. Are you okay?” he finally dared to ask, nervously kicking at the ground.
Sebastian frowned. “He was actually happy.” Blaine’s eyes widened. Well, he didn’t want to imagine what his father looked like when he was upset. “Now he’s gone and we can go play. I’m staying with the pit crew. Maybe if Cooper talks to them, they won’t tell my dad anything.”
Blaine nodded, thrilled. “Cooper can totally do that! Everyone loves him.” He bounced with excitement toward his own team.
Sebastian followed, and when he got there, Cooper clapped him on the back like an older brother. “Good job out there, Little S.”
Sebastian laughed nervously. The world champion was congratulating him. And his friend’s brother was being kind. It was a good mix. It made him feel warm inside.
From that day on, Sebastian came to know kindness and support. From that moment, his life shifted and he grew into someone who raced for love, not for the wrong reasons. Thanks to two brothers, he grew as a real kid, on his way to becoming one of the greatest legends in motorsport. But that’s another story.
Both of them ran off to get changed, buzzing with excitement at Cooper’s promise to take them to the games later.