Chapter Text
London, Summer 2021
The warm air of a London sunset wrapped around the park where Lando, just 21 years old, was hanging out with a group of friends. His carefree laughter rang out as he tossed around a frisbee someone had brought. He was an omega, radiating that vibrant energy that drew glances without effort. His curly brown hair fell over his forehead, and his eyes sparkled with a light that seemed to brighten the world around him. He wasn’t looking for anything more than to enjoy the moment—but fate had other plans.
Oscar, 20, was sitting on a nearby bench, watching the game with a faint smile. Australian, an alpha, calm but with a quiet strength, he had arrived in England months earlier to train with the British military. His dark hair was slightly tousled by the breeze, and his eyes followed Lando’s every move with a curiosity he couldn’t hide. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t look away.
“Are you just going to sit there and watch, or are you going to play?” Lando called out, tossing him the frisbee with a cheeky smile.
Oscar caught it with ease, surprised but amused. He stood, tall and confident, and joined the group. That was the beginning. An afternoon of laughter, jokes, and stolen glances that soon turned into long nights of endless conversations, walks along the Thames, and a love that grew so quickly neither of them could resist. Six months later, they were engaged. A year later, married. And before long, Alexander came into their lives—a little omega who filled their home with chaos and joy.
London, January 2026
Winter had blanketed the city with a light layer of snow. The Piastri home, a cozy house in a quiet London neighborhood, was filled with life thanks to Alex, who ran around clutching a toy car, while Lando sat on the sofa, absentmindedly stroking his belly. Two months pregnant. The bump was barely visible, but Lando already felt the weight of the new life growing inside him. They had decided to name him Kimi, though there were still months to go before his arrival.
Oscar was in the kitchen making tea when the sound of the mailbox broke the calm. He went to collect the post and, among bills and leaflets, found an envelope stamped with the official seal of the British Army. His face tightened as he opened it. Lando noticed from the living room and walked over, Alex clinging to his leg.
“What is it?” Lando asked, though deep down he already knew.
Oscar read in silence, his fingers gripping the paper. Finally, he looked up, his expression grave. “They’re calling me up. Ukraine. The conflict with Russia… they need reinforcements.”
Lando felt the ground vanish beneath his feet. “What? No, you can’t go. You’re Australian, Oscar. This isn’t your war! What happens in Europe isn’t your war!” His voice trembled, a knot rising in his throat.
Oscar set the letter on the table and took Lando’s hands. “Lando, I live in England. I swore allegiance to the British Army when I joined. It’s my duty.”
“To hell with duty!” Lando burst out, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “You have a son, Oscar. And another on the way. You can’t…” His voice broke, and Alex, sensing the tension, clung tighter to his leg.
Oscar knelt in front of Alex, gently brushing his hair. “Hey, champ, everything’s going to be fine. Daddy has to go on a trip, but I’ll be back soon, okay?”
Alex looked at him with wide, confused eyes but nodded. Lando, however, couldn’t accept those words. In the days that followed, the house grew heavy with silence. Lando tried to keep up a routine for Alex: dropping him at daycare, making dinner, reading him bedtime stories. But every night, once Alex was asleep, Lando curled up against Oscar, seeking comfort in his warmth, his scent, the fragile certainty that he was still there.
The night before Oscar’s departure, their bedroom was bathed in the dim glow of a lamp. Alex slept soundly in his room, and the house was quiet except for Lando’s soft whispers and breathless gasps. Oscar held him tightly, his hands moving over Lando’s body with a mix of desperation and tenderness. They made love as if it were the last time—each touch heavy with unspoken promises, each kiss an attempt to etch the other into their skin. Lando clung to Oscar, his fingers digging into his back, as if he could keep him forever.
“Don’t go,” Lando whispered against his chest, when they finally lay tangled in the sheets, exhausted.
“I’ll come back,” Oscar replied, his voice steady but thick with emotion. “For you, for Alex, for Kimi. I’ll come back.”
Lando didn’t answer. He only closed his eyes and pressed closer, wishing the night would never end.
The morning of the farewell came too soon. The sky was gray, and a light drizzle fell over London. Oscar, dressed in his military uniform, carried his rucksack while Lando, holding Alex in his arms, struggled to keep his composure. The little boy, unaware of the gravity of the moment, held up a drawing he had made: three stick figures, one tall with dark hair (Oscar), one shorter with curls (Lando), and a small one with a wide smile (himself).
“For you, Daddy,” Alex said proudly, handing him the paper.
Oscar smiled, though his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He took the drawing and tucked it carefully into his jacket. “I’ll keep it with me always, champ,” he said, kissing Alex’s forehead. Then he turned to Lando, who could barely look at him without falling apart.
“I love you,” Oscar whispered, pulling him into a fierce embrace. Lando didn’t answer with words, only clung to him as though trying to fuse them together.
The blare of a horn shattered the moment. The military vehicle was waiting outside. Oscar kissed Lando one last time, then Alex, and headed to the door. Before stepping through, he turned back, imprinting their faces in his memory.
“I’ll come back home,” he said, pouring all his certainty into the words.
The door closed, and Lando stood there with Alex in his arms, staring at the empty space where Oscar had been. In his mind, only one thought echoed: Come back home.