Chapter Text
The first time Lando felt protected, cherished really, wasn't when his father held him nor when he hid behind his mother. It was when his friend - his knight in shining armor, Carlos had caught him in his still lanky arms when Lando - being the idiot he is, fell while climbing a tree.
He still doesn't remember why but that's his first memory of Carlos and the warmth he was forever surrounded by ever since.
"You're here again." Lando said as he felt warmth spread across his chest when he saw the guy who caught him yesterday.
"You are reckless and you need my help. So here I am." The taller kid said with the brightest grin Lando has seen (even though it might've been a little smug).
They fell into easy conversation, kind of surprising considering Lando hasn't had many of those. He soon found out that Carlos is the son of their army general. He had been training under his father's guidance ever since he learnt how to walk.
That's why he didn't dissapear like the other kids Lando had talked to. Lando was given a friend. His very first one.
***
Lando doesn't remember much from his childhood. Except Carlos and his animatic gestures of how he would protect Lando in the times of danger. Lando - being the overthinker he is, always painted a vivid picture of him in danger for Carlos to find a solution to it. Carlos always obliged, finding the British kid's imaginatory poweress endearing.
Like any other day, Carlos was waiting for him outside his room. Lando stepped out, clad in his loose white frilly victorian shirt - too dramatic for his era but Lando was a man of class, as he liked to say.
"Your Highness." Carlos said in one of his chivalrous tone, reserved for Lando and his parents. As many times as Lando has asked Carlos to drop the formality when it's just them, he never denied the flutter he felt when Carlos bowed down to him like that. When others called him by his title, it always carried either fear or bitter jealousy. With Carlos, it was just pure devotion. Not even just respect. Devotion. Lando sometimes wondered if he even deserves such level of adherence.
"Ah, Buenos días, Carlos." Lando said with a smug smile, prideful at attempting to speak his friend's language.
"Ay, your accent is still so terrible." The spaniard said with a fond smile.
Like always, they talked with ease as Carlos escorted Lando to the court.
And like always, Lando kept finding new ways to give Carlos a heart attack.
They were walking down the long corridors. Lando was walking backwards to face Carlos while talking.
"Tell me, my knight in shining armour~" he said playfully. Carlos had that look on his face, he knew exactly where this was going. Bingo.
"What if I were to be held hostage by one of these guards here? Cool dagger to the throat, hands tied back, threatening to end this bloodline?" Lando asked too casually for anyone's liking. But Carlos was used to this by now. He didn't like it though. It was too real. Almost happened too many times.
"I would negotiate. Ask the captor about his life as I approach you slowly. Talking calmly works best in hostage situations." Carlos answered mechanically.
Lando was abot to retort to his short answer when he was pulled closer by his shoulders and turned to face forward by Carlos.
"Besides, no one's gonna get close to you. Not when you are under my protection."
Lando felt Carlos' voice vibrate down his spine. God he loves it when Carlos is this protective.
"Smug bastard." Lando mumbled, feeling glad that he wasn't facing Carlos anymore.
"Muppet~" Carlos teased him back and Lando smacked his arm, spewing hollow threats of exile at the muscular one.
***
"I don't feel like going to the court today." Lando said suddenly.
Carlos looked at him.
"No? Why?"
Lando smiled, he knew Carlos would ask, but never refuse. He never said no to Lando.
"I just don't wanna. Come on. Take me somewhere else." He tugged on the spaniard's sleeve.
"Ay, cabrón. You're going to get me into so much touble." Carlos complained, but Lando knew he was already planning a detour.
"Don't worry. The kingdom will survive a day without their beloved prince~"
Lando flashed a triumphant smile when Carlos put a hand on his shoulder and steered him towards the garden.
***
Escaping was always easy with Carlos. No one really ever stopped them even if they were seen. A guard had tried snitching once when they were 17 and no one's ever heard about him again. Lando knew better than to ask Carlos about it.
The morning sun was getting warmer on their skin. The discreet walk toward the lake was always Lando's favourite. Quiet enough for him to admire Carlos from a distance. He still writes that off as just admiration for the stronger one.
"Lando, you're red already." Carlos' smooth voice pulls him out of his thoughts.
"It's a warm day." Lando tries to save face.
"Hm...it is. Do you want to go for a swim?"
"Yes." Lando is shocked at how quickly he agrees.
Carlos just smiles and takes his thick leather jacket off. Lando still doesn't understand how he wore that on such hot days. Carlos always brushed it off a protective measure and a mandated uniform. Lando can't wait to be the King one day and change the rules only for his best friend.
Soon stripped of unecessary clothing, Carlos jumped in first. Lando watched him and chuckled at the large splash.
"Easy tiger."
"You're taking too long Lando~" Carlos pulled him inside too.
Lando yelped.
"You brute-!" he smiles and splashes Carlos generously.
Carlos didn't live down to the insult, pulling Lando under the water at every chance he gets.
By the time Carlos decided it was time to ease into a swim, both of them were soaking wet and out of breath.
Lando had climbed out of the lake soon after, saying that he was cool enough now.
"Excuses, excuses." Carlos tutted as he swam.
Settling down on the edge, Lando didn't take his eyes off his best friend. Tanned skin looking almost golden and ethereal in the sun, brown eyes shining and glancing at Lando every now and then.
Lando smiled fondly. It was definitely normal to think this way about a close friend, no? Lando thought.
Whatever. Carlos wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. They had all the time in the world to figure it out.