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No matter the time or weather of the hour, you can always find Oscar Piastri somewhere in the empty campus premises minding his own business. Sure you'd think that Oscar just enjoys the quiet and wants to spend a few more hours savoring it before walking home. That assumption isn't wrong and that's something you'd hear from Oscar himself whenever he finds himself asked that question by an unsuspecting passerby.
If you took a deeper look into what he's like and who he's associated with, you'd probably know that he's just there waiting for George Russell to finish his meetings with some of the organizations he's a part of. Shocking information at first considering he's most often seen with Lando Norris during the day and George doesn't seem like the type to date an unassuming engineering nerd like Oscar.
When George first made the Aussie boy laugh heartily during their first few encounters, there was a look in the Brit's eye and a smile that made it a little too endearing to be casual. After hanging around with him months after, George thought that maybe he wouldn't mind spending more time with him. Maybe it'd be a good idea to try and pursue him but he didn't really know how to bring it up or where to start.
Oscar was apparently a few steps ahead of him when he decided to wait for George to end his meeting with the student council one random afternoon. He walked up to him as he was walking towards the school gate and held up an umbrella for him as it started raining. George, surprised by the unexpected gesture, had said,
"Thanks mate." He said, lowering his head to fit under the umbrella's shade. The two boys then walked out the school gate, waving goodbye to whoever was leaving in their line of sight.
"But why are you still here? I thought you'd be home hanging out with Lando by now."
"Lando's busy." The younger boy replied, holding the umbrella high enough to not strain the older one's neck as they walked along the rainy sidewalk. Lando was in the middle of a call with some friends last time he texted so he wasn't really wrong. "Besides, I think you could use the company after a long day."
"Really?” George didn't know if he'd really believe that. He could sense bullshit from a mile away based on his own experiences. Yet, he could feel his ears slightly burn at the thought of the Aussie just deciding to wait for him just because he wanted to. “You didn't really need to do that, Oscar. I could walk home on my own."
"I know.” He shrugged. “But I wouldn't want you to come home like a wet cat.”
He'd never forgive himself if he'd leave George all alone running in the rain with a clipboard barely covering the top of his head. Pretty sure the Brit did have an umbrella of his own but Oscar felt like he should be there anyway. Sometimes it's a struggle having to own those small automatic umbrellas. In his eyes, George shouldn't need to go through all that additional struggle.
Realizing what he said, he quickly added, “Your roommate wouldn't want to handle that anyway. You'd be sick as hell.”
"Pfft. Alright then.” He resigned to the offer. His face softened at least by a fraction seeing how quick Oscar was to correct himself. “Lead the way Mr. Piastri."
Then there was a pause in George's words thinking about the word roommate. He did have one but it's just him alone in his apartment right now. He felt like he had to correct it even if it's an assumption people always make when they don't know or when they forget.
Oscar didn't forget. Hopefully.
"And just so we're clear,” He then added, "I don't have a roommate.”
Another pause.
“Not yet anyway."
Oscar let out a small smile hearing that. He doesn't plan on leaving his apartment and Lando pretty soon but...
That seems like an idea too early to even materialize. Let's just go through this one step at a time. Walking home with George is enough to make his day already. Lando's gonna be devastated if he decided to move out far too early anyway.
Now that he's started the habit, both of them have gotten closer than before. Oscar laughs at whatever home George has come up with and George finds himself invested with whatever project Oscar has been making during his spare time. Little by little, they're slowly ingraining themselves into each other's lives. Adopting the same mannerisms and tastes, it's like everyday brings a piece of themselves to exchange under the familiar warmth of a street lamp.
One day, Oscar might gather the courage to ask George if he can live with him in that apartment of his. He'll be able to get there. One walk at a time.