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Liam didn't really know how to understand George. The guy had started getting in his space recently, then immediately leaving it only to suddenly talk shit about him after races, qualifying, practice, you name it.
He'd stare over at the man, currently mid conversation with his engineer or something, he didn't really take in those particular details.
What he did take in was George's almost bright turquoise blue eyes striking through Liam's body occasionally before flicking back to whoever he was talking to. Liam softly huffed, taking a sip from the peach flavoured Redbull can in his hands, before finally looking away from George.
"You're starin' a bit too much at George mate."
Arvid commented, lightly shoving Liam in the shoulder.
"Shut up, he started it."
Liam replied back, lightly shoving Arvid back with a soft chuckle. He'd flicker his eyes over to the younger male, attempting to engage in conversation.
"Yeah I heard about his many interviews ranting about you. They're a bunch of nothing to be honest."
Arvid replied, waving Liam's perceived concern and annoyance off with a small hand movement.
"I know, I just don't know why he's got it out for me. I mean, I'm not exactly in the championship fight here."
Liam replied with an annoyed noise. He could feel George looking at him again, he stubbornly wouldn't look back.
"Understandable, honestly thought he'd be ragging off Kimi or Max at the least."
"Yeah that'd be more understandable yet, I've gotten on his shit list."
Liam replied to Arvid, taking another sip from his Redbull can. He could still feel George staring, and he wasn't sure why it was continuing. Liam had half a mind to go over there and start at fight with George, but, that would do nothing.
"Let's hope he gets over his funk sooner rather than later then."
Arvid replied, before both men were pulled out of conversation, one of the social media admins were calling them over.
As Liam walked away, he could still feel that damn stare.
Liam was going to scream. Someone, well he knew who it was, George, had been knocking on the front door of his apartment, in Monaco mind you, for about five minutes now.
He assumed George probably got it off Alex, considering Alex had been over a few times for hangouts, and the occasional chill hookup. He was so chewing Alex out next time he saw him.
"Fucking stupid posh Brit, fucking knocking on my door at 5pm,"
Liam muttered under his breath as he got out of bed, and walked to his front door, swinging it open with a scowl.
"What the absolute fuck is your problem?"
"Well that's a way to address a guest."
"Guest?!"
Liam replied to George, his tone incredulous. He'd stare slightly up at the taller man, who was stood there, a pair of Mercedes car keys and a phone his hand, then the other hand held some sort of woven wicker basket with a flowery print fabric covering the top of it.
"Yes, a guest. I'm at your apartment with a basket of food."
George replied as if all was well between the two, he'd push past Liam, leaving the man even more annoyed as he shut the front door to his apartment behind him.
"You can't just waltz in 'ere after everything you've blabbed to the media about. According to you, I'm 'the most annoying driver on track'."
Liam replied, getting in George's face as George set the woven wicker basket on the counter. He'd put his arm against the counter as he got in George's face, despite the height difference of Liam being the shorter one. Though he had general strength and stock over the Brit, that's for sure.
"Oh I came to, talk, about that."
Liam stared up at George as if the man had grown an abbess on his head. He'd walk away from the man, beginning to rant now.
"Talk? You mean apologise? Because frankly you've randomly decided to make mine and my pr manager's lives a nightmare during your own title fight,"
Liam would spin around to George, pointing at him accusedly.
"Which I'm not even near being involved in!"
Liam finished, glaring at George. Liam's old 2024 self coming to rear it's head, George bloody well brought the worst out of him. He hated it, he felt like an tangerine pretending to be an orange in a way.
"Why would I apologise? I said the truth, sure I should've been more relevant, but my point still stands."
George replied, too stubborn himself to admit defeat. Liam nearly blew a lid at that, cursing this sport and the fact every single driver basically was as stubborn as this, just in different ways.
"George you insulted me to the media, and now practically everyone thinks I'm back to being like how I was in 2024 when I flipped Checo off. You can't just,"
Liam paused, sighing as he sat on the top of his couch in the apartment, looking over at George, his body language and expression now looking a bit more, downtrodden.
"You can't just act like I'm going to go back to how I was at the flip of a coin. I don't care if you're frustrated at the season, I'm not the one fighting you here."
Liam quietly explained, attempting to keep his voice even. He didn't want to argue anymore, he'd lost all that energy really quick after realising he'd sunken into that usual, familiar anger he always used to have.
"I,"
George paused as well, as much as he found Liam frustrating, he couldn't help but, fear how much he saw himself, a different version of himself in Liam. Liam didn't know that, but he assumed that George had some sort of personal trigger around Liam, though he was unsure of what specifically.
"I understand, I, I'll be careful with how I voice my frustrations going forward."
"You said that a bit formally."
Liam replied, his head tilting to one side slightly, looking over at George with a little more ease. Less, 'I'm about to throw you out of my apartment in five seconds' to 'You may be slightly annoying but you're tolerable for now'.
"It's just how I talk."
George replied with a soft huff, sitting down on a nearby stool at the bench in Liam's apartment.
"Yeah, I guess prince. Though you're probably a little bit less formal around your mates I assume?"
Liam replied, trying to ease into some sort of normalcy. God knows he needed it, and he could tell George needed it as well. Considering the rather, eventful season he's had so far.
"I guess. You'd have to ask them."
George replied, slightly stuttering at the nickname but catching his words to sound normal as he watched as Liam walked over, casually resting his arm next to George his hand on the bench as he idly lent over, looking at George with narrowed eyes.
"You still seem annoyed. Like you're wanting to change something about me still."
Liam observed. Sure, he was probably a bit more comfortable in himself compared to George, but he didn't expect the man was still holding some sort of unknown grudge to him.
"I hate how much you're content in your,"
George paused, gesturing with his hand slightly.
"Current state. You're in a low midfield team, you could be in a better team, but you're not."
George eventually spat out, making Liam chuckle.
"Really? That's it? George, I'm doing the best out of my frankly, fucked up situation. There's nowhere for me to go right now, so I just, sit where I am."
Liam replied, still leaning his side against the bench, though he'd lent forward slightly to look over at George.
"But you should be fighting for something more."
George muttered. Considering George did that, he fought so hard in the mess that was Williams, to claw his way into Mercedes. Yet here Liam was, demoted from Redbull last year, now almost stuck in VCARB.
"And if I'm not?"
Liam replied, attempting to get George to actually try to metaphorically peel him open like a tangerine. He'd lean closer, more closer to George's face. Which George didn't know what direction to go in at the sight.
"Well, I'd want to make sure you had that fight, I don't want to see-"
George cut himself off, not wanting to completely project onto Liam. He'd shift on his sat spot on the stool next to the bench, kissing Liam to shut him up basically.
Liam paused at the kiss, before pulling away, sure it was, decent, but he was a little confused to why George did that. Especially as it was in the middle of a serious conversation.
"George, why did you do that. I didn't mind it but, you can't just end a conversation like that because you don't like it."
Liam carefully reminded George, putting his hand up against George's lips, making the Brit sigh in annoyance. The topic wasn't being avoided.
"Because you remind me of everything I could've turned out like."
George replied, his voice quiet. Liam paused a moment at George's words, carefully moving his hand from George's lips, to gently wrap it around one of George's hands.
"Is that truely so bad? Yeah, i've had it a bit rough, but it doesn't mean things are over yet."
Liam gently replied, running his thumb up and down the side of George's hand. He'd continue the movement, grounding George as he patiently awaited a response.
"I still don't like it. It's like the universe is mocking me."
George replied, letting his long fingered hand ease open as Liam continued to gently rub it with his thumb. Liam continued to carefully observe George, not wanting to rush anything. He didn't want George to fall into some toxic codependency with him, Liam already dealt with that once, and it wasn't pleasant.
"I think maybe, the universe is trying to tell you it's okay if things you want end up taking more time. And that those around you aren't going to be achieving constantly."
Liam would say, being more careful than his words than he'd been in a while. The last time he was this careful with his words was probably during his responses to being dropped by Redbull after two races.
"Maybe. I, I don't know anymore."
George mumbled, looking down a little. Liam gently tutted George, his other hand coming up to tilt his head back to Liam's eye level since the Brit was taller than him.
"Hey, just, let's take it slow yeah?"
Liam said with a soft sigh, carefully, very carefully, scooping George up, and carrying him over to the couch in the apartment. It sat near the windows, allowing one to overlook the skyline if they so wanted. Liam would ease George onto the couch, carefully sitting the taller man between his legs and resting George's head and back on his chest.
"You're warm."
George said after a few moments of silence, he luckily hadn't moved away, though he'd turned at some point, burying his head into the crook of Liam's neck even if it was a little awkward to do so.
"I get that often."
Liam replied, bringing one of his hands away from George's back to run his fingers through George's thick and short brown hair. George hummed contently at the feeling, pushing his head up into Liam's touch.
"I assume you're probably going to be here a while."
Liam quietly said to George, watching as the sun outside began to set. The sky now cast in hues of red, orange, purple, and blue.
"Mhm. Don't want to leave just yet."
George mumbled in reply, tilting his head up a little to peer up at Liam just a tiny bit. Liam looked over at George, slightly amused, before gently kissing the man's forehead.
"Alright then. But as I said, we're taking it slow."
Liam replied, earning a soft reluctant huff from George.
"Hey, I'm bein' responsible here. I don't want to be another Max on your record."
Liam said in response to the huff from George. It was well known that Max and George went into their whole, previous fuck buddy relationship too quick, resulting in a stellar fallout, which was eventually fixed, now the two remained friends.
"True, I should probably learn from my past."
George said, reluctantly. He should take it slow, but Liam was rather comfortable, and attractive. But no, he had to respect Liam's wishes.
"I agree with you on that."
Liam replied, continuing to cuddle George, looking out at the sunset still. He'd adjust to George practically curling his taller body into his arms with ease, considering Liam had done the same with Alex in the past. It was basically second nature for him at this point.
"It's fine if you fall asleep, just, I want you to be comfortable for once."
Liam eventually mumbled out, his voice a little awkward, but he made up for it in a gentle few peppered kisses on George's forehead and shoulders.
"Thank you."
George replied, sinking into just, being completely content for once, his eyes finally shutting as it brain for the first time in a while, slowed down to a peaceful hum.
All was right for now, even for a little while, as Liam held a snoozing George in his arms, watching as the sun set on Monaco's skyline once more.