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Everybody.
Loves a winner.
So why was it so hard to like him?
The irritating, short, Italian man was impossible to enjoy being around.
And it’s not like he was even trying to be annoying. Nikola just could not deal with him.
The stupid smile, the stupid laugh, the stupid accent.
The stupid way he always seemed to be anywhere Nikola looked.
The stupid brown eyes staring up at him.
It was unfair
He kept noticing things he definitely shouldn't.
That’s his rival for the championship.
That is the guy he needs to beat.
The one he needs to look at and think about lap times, and points, and championship standings.
Not his smile.
But he finds it hard to stop.
Watching as he walks through the paddock.
As he talks to someone else.
Usually Paul.
Or Dino.
Nikola hates that he’s noticed anything at all.
He has better things to worry about.
But he can put those on hold because the man currently haunting his thoughts is heading straight for him.
And Nikola hates that he isn't alone.
Which is ridiculous.
Why would he care about him?
"Ah Ciao Nikola!” The Italian gave him a small smile.
“Hey Gabriele, Dino.”
“Ciao Nikola.” The Ferrari junior responded. The two of them had stopped, Dino slinging an arm over Gabriele’s shoulders as if it was normal.
It probably wasn't unusual. They were teammates.
Friends.
Had spent years around each other.
Whatever.
Nikola immediately regretted acknowledging Dino.
The Ferrari junior's grin widened.
Not much.
Just enough.
A subtle shift before Dino's arm tightened around Gabriele's shoulders.
Gabriele, barely reacted.
Of course he didn't.
Apparently this happened often enough that having a six-foot Swede hanging off him counted as normal.
Nikola hated that.
He hated how comfortable it looked.
How easy it looked.
"Good race?" Gabriele asked.
Nikola nearly laughed.
Good race.
Right.
The race where he'd finally started clawing back points before the penalty dropped him down the order.
The race where Gabriele had somehow ended up keeping his championship lead.
Fantastic race.
"Could've been better."
"Could've been worse," Gabriele pointed out with a shrug.
His smile was small.
Annoyingly genuine.
Nikola hated that too.
Beside him, Dino hummed.
Then somehow moved even closer.
That should not have been physically possible.
"Yeah," Dino agreed. "Worked out pretty well for us."
Us.
Nikola narrowed his eyes.
Dino looked delighted.
The bastard knew exactly what he was doing.
The worst part was that Gabriele still hadn't noticed.
He was busy fixing the sleeve of his MP shirt, talking without a care in the world while Dino practically draped himself over him.
Nikola suddenly understood why people committed crimes.
Not serious crimes.
Just enough to make Dino move away.
For legal reasons, obviously.
"Anyway," Gabriele said. "See you in Austria?"
The stupid smile appeared again.
The one Nikola definitely didn't spend too much time thinking about.
"Yeah."
"Good."
Then Gabriele waved and started walking away.
Dino stayed exactly where he was.
For one glorious second, Nikola thought he'd finally escaped him.
Then Dino looked back over his shoulder.
Smirked.
And tightened his arm around Gabriele one last time.
Nikola considered appealing his penalty purely out of spite.