Archive of Our Own

Lando feels his entire body untense, relaxing into the mattress. He sighs, the stress of the day flowing out of him as Logan does something truly wonderful with his tongue, his mouth wrapped around Lando’s dick.

He didn’t expect Logan to be this good at the whole sex thing. Nothing against the guy; it’s just that Lando didn’t think Logan was good at very many things in general. Which, sure, sounds rude, but the Logan he knew last year, fleetingly and peripherally, was awkward and insecure, a kind of shit driver with some extreme wallflower tendencies. 

Those assumptions flew out the window during a chance meeting over winter break in a gay club when Logan dropped to his knees in the bathroom and proceeded to suck Lando’s soul out of his body through his dick.

It made sense, after that, to keep seeking out Logan. Lando’s not aware of anyone else on the grid who’s into guys, and he and Logan have practically the same schedule. It’s easy to be there for each other, simple stress relief. Neither wants anything more; it was Logan who suggested this kind of casual arrangement in the first place. They both get off in the middle of stressful weekends without having to worry about some blabby guy going to the press.

And Logan, it turns out, is pretty good at a few things. Especially with his mouth. Lando thrusts shallowly into the wet heat, moaning as the head of his cock hits the back of Logan’s throat. They have qualifying tomorrow, so Logan won’t let Lando fuck him, but Lando bets he could convince him to let Lando eat him out. 

He’s too busy thinking about how he wants the rest of the night to go, so Lando doesn’t hear the beep of the key card or the opening of the door.

“What the fuck?” an unmistakably Australian voice says, making Lando curse and not in the fun why.

Logan pulls off Lando frantically, like it’s not Lando’s dick that’s now exposed in the cold air of the hotel room. Rude. Lando quickly pulls a pillow over his lap.

“Oscar, mate, what the actual fuck?” Lando asks, more annoyed than embarrassed. He really was close.

“Mate, this is my room!” Oscaar practically shouts, waving his key card and absolutely not looking at Logan’s shirtless form.

“Uh, no, it’s mine, considering I’m in here,” Lando gestures around. “Unless they accidentally gave us the same keycards again.”

Oscar groans and pulls out his phone, no doubt checking the email from McLaren. After skimming it, he sighs. “Yeah, looks like I’m supposed to be next door. They gave me the wrong keycard.”

He doesn’t move to leave though, just glances back and forth between Lando and Logan.

Logan is staring resolutely ahead, his back to Oscar and face aflame. The whole thing would be extremely funny if Logan didn’t look like he was contemplating opening the window and testing out the survivability of a 13-story drop. Oscar, in the meantime, looks like he was just told his teammate is from Mars.

“Well!” Lando exclaims. “This has been lovely catching up with you, but Oscar, if you don’t mind, we were in the middle of something.”

Oscar’s mouth opens and closes a few times, like a fish. His eyes don’t leave Logan. “Right. Uh. I’ll go talk to the front desk.”

“And don’t tell anyone,” Lando calls out as the door shuts.

After a beat, Logan lets out the most insane groan Lando has ever heard, burying his head in his hands. His entire body slumps forward. Lando spares a brief thought this his half-hard dick, realizing that this night is not going to end the way he hoped.

“Uh,” Lando starts and quickly realizes he has absolutely no fucking clue how to continue. “Sorry about that, mate?”

“Not your fault,” Logan mumbles into his hands. His entire upper body is flushed. “I can’t fucking believe this is happening.”

He straightens up and then falls back onto the bed, lying across Lando’s legs. Logan stares up at the ceiling momentarily before squeezing his eyes shut.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Lando tries. “It’s just Oscar.”

“Just Oscar,” Logan parrots back under his breath before groaning again.

“I take it he doesn’t know you’re, you know…” Lando gestures vaguely.

“Gay? No,” Logan sighs. “I mean, does anyone on the grid know about you?”

“Well, no,” Lando answers, leaving out the fact that no one on the grid is one of his oldest, closest friends. Like, Max knows because Max was there the first time Lando thought about kissing a boy. “He won’t tell anyone, though.”

“I know that,” Logan says, and Lando can tell they’re heading towards one of the Logan moods he doesn’t know how to deal with. “I just wish he hadn’t found out like this.”

Well, that’s certainly understandable.

“You mean with my dick in your mouth?” Lando can’t help but joke.

Logan groans, sitting up again and getting off the bed. “You’re so fucking annoying.”

“And yet, I bet I’ll see you next week when I’m in London.”

Logan pauses from where he’s pulling on his jeans, glancing at Lando. He looks him up and down before admitting, “Yeah, sure, just text me. But you better make it worth my while.”

“I always do,” Lando crows as Logan pulls his shirt on. Logan flips him off and leaves, no doubt to find Oscar.

Lando can hear soft murmuring through the wall until he goes to sleep about an hour later. The next day, Oscar not only doesn’t ask him about anything, but he also actively avoids Lando at every moment. So does Logan, but they don’t usually interact much outside of each other’s hotel rooms. 

The whole thing leaves Lando feeling mostly annoyed, to be honest, but he can understand it. Kind of. He knows he’s not the most important factor in the whole thing; it’s just annoying that he’s caught in the middle of whatever weird thing is going on between his teammate and his hookup. Of course, Lando would choose a booty call with a strange history with his teammate. Lando’s seen the Prema videos on his For You Page. He can recognize there was some weird energy there.

He doesn’t see Oscar again until a few days later, when they’re needed at MTC for a debrief and some other tedious, necessary work. They get through a very long morning and are rewarded with a private late lunch, just the two of them in some abandoned office. Normally, this would be a dream. But Oscar is being so weird. Fidgety, glancing between his phone and Lando and the wall every five seconds. It makes Lando feel on edge, but he just bites the inside of his cheek and eats his nutritionist-approved meal.

“What’s it like?” Oscar asks so suddenly that Lando almost jumps.

“What’s what like?” Lando responds, not looking up from his phone. 

“Ya know,” Oscar says vaguely, like Lando should know. Lando looks up from his phone, giving Oscar a look that he hopes conveys what the fuck are you talking about. Oscar clarifies, “Like, sex. With men.”

Lando almost laughs. “Sex with men or sex with Logan?”

Oscar has the decency to at least blush at that, squirming in his seat. “It’s not about Logan. I’m curious, is all.”

Lando raises an eyebrow. “Curious like bicurious or curious like you want me to tell you exactly how Logan likes to fuck? Because either way, you should be asking your friend and not your coworker.”

“You are my friend,” Oscar shoots back, and Lando can’t argue with that without sounding like an asshole. And they are friends, kind of, now. Closer than Lando was to Daniel but nothing like Carlos. Something between friends and acquaintances.

“Sure,” Lando acquiesces, “but I think you might be a tad closer to Logan, mate.”

Oscar sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, slumping in his chair. “We’ve…talked a bit. But, I dunno, it’s weird. I don’t want him to think I don’t still view him as my friend, ya know? Like, nothing’s changed, right?”

“Except now you’re wondering what it’s like to sleep with men?”

Oscar blushes, pink dusting across his nose. “Don’t say it like that. I was just asking a question.”

Lando sighs. He glances at the door; they have probably 5 minutes before they’re needed back. “Look, I’ll drive you back to the housing, and there, you can ask me a total of three questions. And I will answer them.”

Oscar nods like this is the gravest assignment he’s been given. He’s awkward through the rest of the afternoon, the content team clearly annoyed with how off their dynamic is in comparison to usual. Lando already knows they’re gonna be asked to refilm it next time there’s a gap between races.

Oscar’s quiet on the short drive to the temp housing as well. Lando’s not staying there that night, so he follows Oscar into his cookie-cutter flat, with white walls and grey accents.

“Real homey in here,” Lando jokes to break the near-oppressive silence.

Oscar snorts out a weird half-laugh. He’s not looking at Lando but rather crossing and recrossing his legs on the couch, fidgeting with his hands. Lando sighs and plops into the chair diagonally to his teammate. Oscar finally looks up at him, worrying his bottom lip.

“So, do you have your questions ready to go? Because I’m leaving for London soon and don’t want to get there too late.”

“London?” Oscar asks with a frown. “Are you seeing Logan?”

Lando raises an eyebrow. “I’m not going to answer that because I don’t think you want that to count against your questions.”

Oscar rolls his eyes and sighs. “Fine. First question. What does it feel like?”

Lando raises the other brow. “What does it feel like? You’ve had all afternoon to come up with questions, and this is what you came up with?”

“Fuck off. This is new for me.”

Lando laughs. “It feels good. I mean, it’s sex; of course, it feels good. And it’s different than with women. Not in a bad way, but there’s something about having sex with someone who’s a man, who has facial hair and muscles and a dick. And Logan…” Lando trails off, suddenly aware he’s talking to his teammate about his teammate’s good friend.

Oscar tilts his chin, clearly asking Lando to go on. But Lando just mimes zipping his lips shut, not wanting to make this whole thing. Oscar’s still flushed pink, and Lando doesn’t know if it’s because of the conversation topic in general or if Oscar is imagining it. He’d bet real money that, once he leaves, Oscar will be looking up a very specific category of porn and imagining what role Logan likes to take. Maybe Lando should give him some recommendations.

Oscar clears his throat. “So, you’ve had sex with women?” he asks like that’s the most pertinent thing Lando’s said. Lando’s counting that as the second question.

Lando shoots him a look. “Yeah, mate. You’ve met my ex-girlfriend. It’s not that deep; I’m bi.”

Oscar frowns. “Then why are you doing…it with Logan?”

Lando laughs. Question three. “Because it’s fun? We have the same schedule? Something about how pathetic he looks really gets me going?”

Oscar’s frown deepens. “I think I might be homophobic.”

At this, Lando can’t control the deep, incredulous laugh that tears through him. It must last a full minute before he speaks again.

“Mate, what are you talking about? Isn’t your sister gay?”

Oscar’s brow furrows. “Yeah, that’s true. But this whole thing with you and Logan is making me feel confused. It’s different, I guess, knowing about it and seeing it. Made me feel bad or something.”

Lando bites his tongue around his first instinct, which is to say something along the lines of, yeah, because you’re in love with him, and settles on something gentler. “I mean, you saw more than most people ever will. It’s a lot, to have to square this new version of someone you’ve known for so long. It doesn’t make you homophobic or whatever. It just means your world has shifted a little, and it will take some time to adjust.”

Oscar’s eyebrows are so scrunched up they could be one line. Lando hasn’t seen him this deep in thought since…maybe ever. Like thinking through Logan’s sexuality is more difficult than giving feedback McL60. Maybe for Oscar, it is. Lando was being truthful; it’s a lot to learn about your friend. 

“Look, it’s getting late,” Lando says. “I should head out. You’ve had a long day.”

The corners of Oscar’s mouth tip downward. “But I have two more questions.”

“You asked me ones as followup,” Lando argues.

“That’s a technicality,” Oscar dismisses.

“But it’s true.”

“Please?” Oscar asks, voice suddenly small. “Just. Just one more. Then you can leave.”

Lando studies Oscar’s expression, insecurity and desperation all in one, and sighs. He settles back into the chair, gesturing with one hand for Oscar to continue.

“How did you know? That you liked guys as well?”

Oh. “Well, that’s an easy one,” Lando flashes a smile. “One day, I realized I wanted to kiss my best friend as much as I wanted to kiss the cute girl in my Maths class.”

Oscar’s nose scrunches up. “That easy?”

“Yeah, mate. That easy. It’s not that complicated; if you want something, you want it. Nothing wrong with that.”

Lando leaves soon after, leaving Oscar on his sofa, contemplating what seems like his entire life. The whole thing feels surreal even to Lando, and he’s at the center of it. Oscar could do with some alone time to process. 

He sees Logan the next day, driving into London before he flies back to Monaco. He’s not just going to see Logan; Lando sees a couple of friends and films some content before he gets to Logan’s place a bit before dinner. 

Logan answers the door in sweats. He’s shirtless, even though it’s not warm in his flat, and his pink nipples are perky in the cold air. Lando goes for one immediately, pulling Logan into a filthy kiss and palming at his chest. Logan moans into his mouth, high-pitched and needy. It makes Lando feel giddy, in a way. Logan is easy, easy to learn, easy to rile up, always looks at him like Lando is something between a god and a sex machine. It’s good for his ego.

He gets Logan into the bedroom and strips him down quickly. Lando’s had a long week, and he needs the kind of stress relief that only comes after a couple of orgasms. It’s what started this whole thing, anyway. Similar schedules and similar needs Otherwise, Lando and Logan probably never would have bumped up against each other.

Logan is attractive, in a bland, all-American way, and he’s remarkably good at sex. But their time out of the bedroom is marked by awkward silences and misunderstood jokes. Lando doesn’t really mind, though, when he has three fingers in Logan’s ass, and his entire torso is flushed pretty pink.

After, when Lando confirms he’ll stay for dinner before heading to the airport, and they’re both dressed and eating burgers (“We can cheat because we just worked out,” Lando joked, which made Logan laugh in that halfway, aborted way he does), Lando finally brings it up.

“So, have you talked to Oscar about this?” Logan pauses, dropping the fry he was swirling through his ketchup.

“Yes, though I don’t know why that’s any of your business,” Logan huffs.

“It’s my business because he’s asking me about gay sex in a work environment.”

Logan chokes on air, sputtering for a solid 20 seconds before speaking again. “What? Why? What?”

Lando smothers a laugh. “Mate, I don’t know, he’s your friend. But I need you to talk to him about this before he asks for a demonstration in the middle of the third floor of the MTC.”

Logan rolls his eyes, but he’s blushing, like he’s thinking about it. Thinking about bending over for Lando, Oscar watching like he’s trying to learn. So now Lando’s thinking about it, but he pushes it to the back of his head. He, for some reason known only to the laughing universe, has become the responsible one in this triad.

“Look, mate,” Lando continues. “I know it’s weird. But he wants to be there for you. So just, I dunno, reach out.”

Logan narrows his eyes, like he doesn’t believe Lando. “Right. Fine. I’ll text him.”

Lando leaves, not quite believing him but also knowing this really isn’t any of his business, even if everyone is trying to make it so.

He doesn’t see either Oscar or Logan again until it’s race weekend. He winks at Logan from across the paddock on media day, which makes him blush and walk into Alex. Oscar, who’s glued to his side this weekend, glances between the two of them, frown etched onto his face.

On the ride back to their hotel, with Lando driving the rental and Oscar in the passenger seat, Oscar asks, “So, are you boyfriends?”

Lando looks sideways at Oscar. “I don’t understand why you can’t ask Logan these questions.”

Oscar shrugs. “I see you more often. Plus, I asked him, and I think he’s lying.”

Lando rolls his eyes. “We’re not dating. It’s purely casual. Stress relief.” He shoots Oscar a wink, and Oscar frowns. He’s been doing that a lot lately.

“Logan doesn’t do casual.”

Lando laughs, despite himself. “All due respect, mate, but you didn’t even know he was gay. How would you know if he does casual or not?”

“He’s a very sensitive person,” Oscar argues. “He pretends he's not because he’s never been very good at expressing what he wants, but he’s…softer than he likes to think. And if you suggested this casual arrangement, he’ll just go along with it even if that’s not what he wants.”

“He suggested it,” Lando cuts in before Oscar can soliloquize further. “So, no offense, Oscar, I think Logan is an adult and knows what he’s doing.”

Oscar frowns even deeper. “I guess I just don’t want to see him get hurt.”

Lando sighs, throwing the car into park in the garage of the hotel. He glances around, seeing a decent amount of people coming and going. “Let’s take this inside,” he grumbles, not happy that he’s still, somehow, dealing with this.

They go to Lando’s room. This week, Oscar’s on an entirely different floor. Lando always wonders how these rooms even get booked.

“Okay, so, are you going to tell me why you’re being so weird about this?” Lando asks. There’s no sofa in the room, so he’s on the bed, and Oscar’s leaning against the wall.

“I’m not being weird,” Oscar argues, completely unconvincing. “My teammate is fucking one of my best friends. This is a weird situation, and I’m acting accordingly.”

Best friend. Huh. Lando didn’t know they were that close. “Okay, fair,” he concedes. “But can you maybe start asking Logan some of these things instead of me? I don’t want to talk about him behind his back. Plus, we’re not nearly close enough for me to be talking about my sex life with you.”

Oscar winces. “Yeah, fine, that makes sense. It’s just. I dunno; this past year with him has been…weird. Something happened last year, and it made him different, knocked him off balance, and knocked me with it. It’s like I can feel him slipping through my fingers, and I have no idea why and no idea what to do, and now he’s fucking my teammate and couldn’t even do me the decency of giving me a head’s up.”

Oscar stops abruptly as if he’s suddenly aware he has been rambling. He snaps his mouth shut with an audible click, arms crossed over his chest and eyes wide. Lando, staring at him agape, wonders how much Oscar just realized himself in that little run-on sentence.

“I don’t…know what to do, I guess,” Oscar continues, and Lando feels abruptly out of his depth. “We used to tell each other everything, and then I guess at some point it stopped.” That some point, it seems, must have been whenever Logan realized he was gay and didn’t tell Oscar.

“It wasn’t wrong of Logan not to tell you,” Lando says gently but firmly. “It’s very scary to be gay in an environment like this. You can be his closest friend, and he doesn’t have to tell you. That doesn’t mean he’s not your friend.”

Oscar frowns. “I know that, logically. And I wish he would have trusted me, but I know why he didn’t tell me. But it’s not just this. He doesn’t…tell me anything anymore. About how he’s doing, what he’s feeling. It’s like he thinks I don’t care.”

“Well, do you?” Lando prompts.

Oscar shoots him an annoyed look. “Of course, I care. I’ll always care. It’s Logan.”

Lando raises an eyebrow at the emphasis but doesn’t comment on it further. “Maybe talk to him instead of me then.”

Oscar groans, hitting the back of his head against the wall. It makes the McLaren cap on his head tilt forward, covering his eyes. “I wish he would believe that I care about him without having to remind him.”

Lando thinks about Logan, who still looks a little surprised every time Lando seeks him out. Who spends the drivers’ parades curled in on himself. Who is probably a lot more insecure than anyone would assume.

“Maybe you just have to keep reminding him until it sticks,” Lando offers.

“Yeah. Maybe.” Oscar sounds a little defeated. “Thanks for hearing me out, though. I know I’ve been a bit annoying these past few weeks.”

“A bit?” Lando teases, laughing. “Dealing with you has been a full-time job. And it’s not in my McLaren contract.”

Oscar huffs out a laugh. “Okay, fair. Do you wanna game or something? I can let you win to make it up to you.”

Lando winces. “Uh, sorry, actually, Logan’s coming over,” he says, gesturing awkwardly to the door.

“Oh,” Oscar responds dumbly. “That’s why he blew me off tonight.”

Lando smirks. “Yeah, mate, sorry about that. Maybe he’d be down after. I could text you to come over.”

Oscar’s entire face scrunches up, like the idea of hanging out with Logan after he’s had Lando’s dick in him is thoroughly unpleasant. He really is an idiot, Lando thinks.

“Nah, it’s fine,” Oscar brushes off. “But I saw the room service menu has chocolate lava cake on it. You should order that for him.”

Lando lets out a short, shocked laugh. “Mate, he can order it himself if he wants. But I’ll let him know.”

Logan does, indeed, order the cake, naked and sweaty in the sheets as Lando mouths at the inside of Logan’s thigh, and Logan bites the inside of his cheek to keep silent as the receptionist confirms their order. Lando wonders, idly, what the McLaren accountant reviewing the hotel costs will think when they see two meals on the bill for Lando’s room. And his nutritionist will kill him if he sees the cake.

Whatever, they’re burning a lot of calories.

After, while Lando steals half of Logan’s cake in small increments and Logan shoots him a glare every time he does, and Lando broaches the subject.

“Oscar thinks you hate him.” 

Logan sputters for what feels like a minute, a bite of chocolate cake hanging in the air on his fork. Lando uses the distraction to swoop in and steal it. Logan flicks him on the forehead on the way back.

“What are you fucking talking about?” Logan finally settles on.

“Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating,” Lando says around the cake in his mouth. He swallows. “But he told me that he feels distant from you, and not just because of the whole staying in the closet thing. I think he wants you to open up more or something. I dunno, you two are like an episode of Degrassi.”

Logan rolls his eyes. “So Oscar told you he wants me to be more open?”

“Yeah, something like that. Look, it’s not that deep, okay? He’s your friend, and he misses you. I know you miss him, too. So, talk to him so I can stop being a messenger like this is primary school.”

Logan chews his cake thoughtfully, staring at a spot on the wall behind Lando. Lando always hates these silent stretches Logan gets into, where he won’t even have the decency to laugh at Lando’s jokes. Too wrapped up in whatever internal train of thought he has. Lando doesn’t understand; he’s way too external for this.

“How much of our whole thing are you comfortable with me telling him?” Logan asks eventually, and it’s such a sweet question that Lando forgives him.

He smiles. “As much as you want, Sarge. As long as he stops asking me.”

Logan must take his advice because for the rest of the weekend, the slope of Oscar’s shoulders is much more relaxed, and he actually spends a good chunk of his time with Logan. It seems like Oscar can get the real laugh out of Logan, the full-bodied, eye-crinkling one that Logan never offers to Lando. Interesting. 

-

Next week, Oscar is, for some reason, in Monaco and in Lando’s apartment. Oscar mentioned something about a sponsor obligation or maybe meeting up with someone who lives there. Lando can’t remember, but they decided to do the stupid McLaren-wide training they have to complete by June together. Apparently, even drivers can’t get over the dumb skits about workplace etiquette.

It takes over an hour of clicking through videos and knowledge checks, and all the information is immediately gone from his brain when Lando finishes. Whatever, he’s sure Oscar knows the pertinent stuff. Lando does find it a little ironic to be doing this with Oscar, who has asked him about sex in a work environment multiple times.

Lando orders them lunch and sprawls out on the couch when Oscar is in the bathroom. When Oscar returns, he scoffs and makes his way to the chair, his previous spot now occupied by Lando’s legs. Before he sits down, he grabs the shirt that was lying over the chair and pauses.

“This is Logan’s,” Oscar states. It’s not a question; Oscar can tell, somehow, just looking at this generic green t-shirt like it has Logan’s name emblazoned across the front.

“How do you know that?” Lando can’t help but ask.

Oscar shakes out of whatever stupor he is in, snapping up to look at Lando. He looks sheepish, off-kilter. “I recognize it. It’s…I’ve seen it before. It, uh, smells like him.”

He’s flushed a bright red, and Lando has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. “Smells like him?”

“Shut up,” Oscar hisses, tossing the shirt back on the chair. “It’s a distinctive cologne.”

Lando would argue against that, considering he’s had his mouth in Logan’s armpit and didn’t notice the cologne. But he doesn’t say that. Instead, he says, “I’ll make sure to give it back to him at the race this weekend.”

Oscar’s still frowning. “I didn’t know he came here. Thought it was just race weekends.”

And okay. That’s what this is about. Lando’s getting a little tired of this whole jealousy routine from Oscar. If he wants Lando to stop fucking his friend, all he has to do is ask.

“He’s here sometimes,” Lando says vaguely. “And I’m there sometimes. We never make it a point to travel, but London and Monaco are frequent enough destinations for F1 drivers, so. Convenience is our whole thing.”

“Right,” Oscar says quietly, under his breath, more to himself than to Lando. Then, louder, “If he comes here a lot, you should get one of those white noise machines. He has trouble sleeping in new places, so it helps.”

Lando bites past the well this isn’t a new place that’s on the tip of his tongue. “I’ll look into it,” he says dryly. 

“Also, when was the last time you checked in on him? He’s been having a weird season.”

“Uh, last week? When I had his dick in my mouth?”

Oscar flushes a deep red, but he keeps going. “I meant texted him. He doesn’t reach out; you have to make the first move, or he’ll never ask for anything.”

“We don’t really do that,” Lando says truthfully. “Our text history is mostly hotel room numbers and thumbs-up emojis.”

“Romantic,” Oscar says sardonically.

“I’ve told you a million times, it’s not romantic. We’re friends with benefits. Not even. Acquatinces with benefits.”

Oscar looks so pained that Lando wouldn’t be surprised if he were passing a kidney stone. “I just want to make sure Logan is being treated well. Even if it’s not romantic. You spend a lot of time with him. He should enjoy that time.”

Lando thinks Logan enjoys their time together very much, but he knows that’s not what Oscar is getting at. “Are you saying I’m not capable of treating your friend well?”

Oscar huffs. “That’s not it. It’s just that I know him better than you. He’s hard to crack; it took me some time to figure out Logan. I can use that to help you out.

Lando purses his lips. “I just don’t get why you can’t do this. Buy him the white noise machine, give him the candy, text him yourself!”

“Because we’re just friends. You two are, you know.”

Lando raises an eyebrow. “We’re nothing; you’re closer than we are. We just fuck.”

Oscar winces, and Lando, not for the first time, wishes that Oscar would just grow up. “I know. But that’s something I can’t offer him. I don’t know this part of Logan’s life. I guess I just want to see him happy.”

Lando studies Oscar, eyes running over his tense posture, his red face, his twitchy fingers. He wonders if Oscar’s ready to hear it, ready for Lando to tell him that, maybe, he’s in love with his best friend. Or at least wants to fuck him. Oscar’s claiming that he can’t offer Logan sex, but it’s clear to Lando that Oscar wants to. Wants to offer that and so much more. Sex and chocolate lava cake and white noise machines.

He just wishes Oscar would figure this out, too, so that he can stop bothering Lando about it and do it himself.

“Well, if Logan wants me to be his boyfriend, then he has to ask,” Lando says like he’s explaining it to a five-year-old. “And then we can put a stop to this whole thing because we’re obviously not on the same page.”

Oscar frowns. “You’re saying if Logan asked, you wouldn’t want to be something serious with him?”

Lando doesn’t miss how Oscar avoids the word boyfriend. “I’m not sure how many times I can tell you that it’s not like that before you realize that it really, really, is not like that.”

“But it’s Logan,” Oscar says, mostly to himself. Like he can’t believe anyone would know Logan and not want to buy him chocolate lava cake.

“No offense, mate,” Lando starts, “Logan’s a nice enough guy, but there’s negative romantic chemistry there. Like I would have better luck with Zak.”

Oscar still clearly doesn’t believe him, looking at Lando as if Lando’s the one not getting it. “People say it’s not serious all the time while having casual sex and still develop feelings. You can’t say it’ll never happen.”

“Mate, you’ve been watching too many romcoms,” Lando argues back. “But fine. I promise if pigs suddenly fly and Logan confesses his love for me, I won’t break his heart.”

Oscar doesn’t look entirely convinced, but he at least drops it, letting the conversation shift, finally, away from Lando’s sex life. Maybe one day, Lando should flip the script and pester Oscar to the extent that he does Lando.

A couple of weeks later, Logan is in Monaco. Lando’s not entirely sure why; he thinks Logan’s visiting Alex, but Lando doesn’t really ask. He just practically devours Logan, licking into his mouth and pushing himself into him.

They haven’t done this in a bit. Last race weekend, Lando was busier than usual, and the one time he stopped by Logan’s hotel room, he was turned away, Oscar already on the couch. Lando doesn’t mind, and he’s not lying to himself when he says that. But he has missed the regular sex he’s been enjoying, and he’s happy Logan sought him out again.

“Sorry about last weekend,” Logan pants as Lando tears their clothes off. 

“It’s fine,” Lando says easily. “We don’t owe each other anything.”

“I know,” Logan replies. “But I tot—” he cuts himself off with a whine as Lando bites right under his nipple. “I totally would have been down, but Oscar wanted to hang out.”

Lando pulls back and grinds their hips together slowly, making Logan squeeze his eyes shut. “Aw, replacing me with Pastry?” he can’t help but tease.

Logan’s nose scrunches up. “Obviously not. He’s not gonna fuck me, is he?”

He might, Lando thinks as he digs around for lube. If you asked, I think he’d do anything.

Lando quickly forgets about Oscar, lost in the chase of his orgasm. It’s fast and dirty, but it gets the job done, and Lando feels looser than he has in a while. He’s even feeling charitable enough to clean them both up, which makes Logan squirm under Lando’s touch. 

It’s stupid. But he has Oscar’s voice in the back of his head, talking about how Logan doesn’t ask for what he wants and that Logan is actually very lonely and maybe Logan needs friends. Lando still can’t imagine anything romantic; the thought of holding Logan’s hand makes him laugh. But being friends with Logan wouldn’t be that bad. They get along fine in the bedroom, and Alex seems to like him well enough, so with the smell of sex still clinging to the air, Lando lets the mini Oscar on his shoulder urge him on. 

“Wanna watch a movie or something? It’s still early,” Lando offers. Logan shoots him a look but agrees, searching for their underwear on the ground.

He and Logan are friendly, if not friends yet. Lando’s known Logan for longer than it feels, all the way back to karting, and Max even asks about him occasionally. But they’ve never really clicked. Logan’s always been squirrlier than Lando knows what to do with, awkward in a completely different way than Lando’s awkwardness. But over the weeks, they’ve grown more comfortable with one another. Friends doesn’t seem as far away as it used to.

“I’m gonna grab some water, maybe a snack,” Logan says after he pulls his briefs on, turning towards the door. “Want anything?”

“Yeah, water would be great, mate, thanks,” Lando calls out after him.

He’s settled on some dumb Jason Statham movie when Logan returns, carrying two glasses of water and a bag of mini Reese’s cups.

“Since when do you like Reeses’s?” Logan asks as he settles on the couch, passing Lando the water.

“I don’t,” Lando replies, matter of fact. “Peanut butter is gross.”

Logan scoffs. “One, that’s the most wrong you’ve ever been about something. And two, then why do you have these in your kitchen?” He waves the bag in front of Lando, who frowns, trying to remember.

“Oh, yeah, Osc brought those over the other week.”

Logan purses his lips. “Osc?”

“Yeah, Oscar,” Lando clarifies. “He dropped them off, said they’re your fave, and would want to have them.”

Logan’s silent for long enough that Lando tears his eyes away from the screen. He’s staring at the bag like it’s grown legs, brow furrowed and eyes concentrated. 

“He didn’t poison them or something, mate, just eat one,” Lando says, snapping Logan out of whatever trance he was in.

“Right,” Logan says slowly, ripping open the bag. “Why?”

“Why?” Lando echoes.

“Why’d he do that?” Logan clarifies, looking at Lando with a confused expression.

“No idea, mate!” Lando laughs. “He seems to be under the impression that we’re meant to fall in love.”

Logan’s mouth twists up like he just bit a lemon. “What the fuck? You’re not falling in love with me, right?”

“Absolutely not. No offense,” Lando tacks on. “And I assume you’re still not falling in love with me?”

“Absolutely not,” Logan confirms, and they both laugh. “Why the hell does he think that’s gonna happen?”

Lando shrugs. “I think he’s seen too many romcoms or something. He also can’t understand that you’re going through the very normal and expected gay slut phase.”

Logan splutters. “How am I in a slut phase when I’m sleeping with one person?” he exclaims.

Lando rolls his eyes. “Slut in theory if not in practice, then. Engaging in casual sex for fun. Uninterested in a relationship. Slut phase.”

Logan frowns, narrowing his eyes. “I wouldn’t say I’m uninterested in a romantic relationship. Just uninterested in one with you.”

“Wow, you are so kind to me,” Lando jokes, clutching his chest like he just received a grievous insult. “But I think Oscar just doesn’t understand the whole casual thing. Maybe he’s too much of a romantic.”

He says it in a teasing tone, but Logan smiles softly. “That’s cute.”

“That’s one word for it,” Lando concedes. “Now, can we watch The Beekeeper, or should I call Alex to collect you?”

Logan rolls his eyes. “He’s not my keeper.”

“No, that’s Jason Statham. The beekeeper, that is.”

Things continue similarly. The season drags on, the car gets better, Lando and Logan fuck, and Oscar continues to try to Cyrano them. Lando gets better at brushing Oscar off, and he also gets closer to Logan. Not through the effort Oscar clearly wants him to put in, but just by proximity. Logan’s funny if you give him the space to be, but also perfectly happy to listen to Lando fill the silence. 

He can feel Oscar’s eyes on him sometimes. A lot of times, actually, whenever he talks to Logan during the drivers’ parade or splits from Oscar to head to Logan’s room or any other number of times. Oscar watches them so much that Lando’s surprised Logan hasn’t noticed. But if Lando tries to bring it up or turns to meet Oscar’s eyes, his teammate pretends nothing is going on. 

“Everything good with you, mate?” Lando asks between content filming on a factory day. Oscar’s been mostly normal, but he still doesn’t meet Lando’s eyes for as long as usual.

Oscar frowns. “Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”

Lando resists the urge to sigh. “I dunno, but you’ve been really weird lately, mate. Just wanted to make sure we’re still good.”

“Yeah, we’re fine, Lando. It’s nothing with you, I promise,” Oscar says, but Lando’s not sure he believes him.

“Are you heading to the temp housing after this? Maybe we can game a bit or something,” Lando offers.

“Sorry, can’t. I’m heading into London. Logan and I have plans.”

Lando raises an eyebrow. “Oh, that’s nice. You too hanging out more then?”

Oscar nods, a light blush across the bridge of his nose. Cute. “Yeah, we are,” he confirms. “He’s been, I dunno, better recently. Happier, better at reaching out. So, uh, thanks.”

Lando shoots him a look. “I’m not doing anything. We’re just, ya know,” he says vaguely, aware of the lingering staff members.

“I know,” Oscar agrees. “But he said you two are friendlier. So, thanks.”

“He’s not some charity case,” Logan jokes. “He’s a cool dude. Fun to hang out with, despite being so…American.”

Oscar smiles. “Yeah, he is. He just requires some patience, sometimes.”

“You are the most patient man I know,” Lando observes, mostly off hand. But it makes Oscar blush so hard that Lando’s sure the cameras will pick up on it in the next video.

-

A couple of weeks later, it’s race week again, and Oscar is still acting weird. But he’s weird in a different way, following Lando around like a skittish bird, seemingly always on the verge of saying something. Lando ignores him through their media duties, but between practice sessions on Friday, it starts to get to him.

“What is going on, Oscar?” he asks.

Oscar nibbles on the straw of his bottle. “Lando, I need to talk to you about something.”

Lando’s never seen Oscar look so serious, not even after a DNF. Oscar’s a pretty level guy, even and cool, which has been good for Lando. Something to counterbalance his wild swings. But right now, Oscar looks almost manic. His eyes are wide and squirrely, and though he’s standing still, Lando can see his fingers fidgeting by his thighs.

“Okay,” Lando answers slowly. “I assume you don’t want to talk about it here?” Oscar nods. “We can go to my hotel room after practice, if you want.”

Oscar nods, quick and jerky. “Okay, yeah. See you then.” And then he turns around, walking so fast that Lando thinks he’d be better off just running.

Oscar does pretty mediocre in the next practice session and then zones out in the debrief. Lando’s starting to really worry about what Oscar could be about to tell him. Once he’s settled into his room, he texts Oscar the room number and waits. It’s barely any time before there’s a rapid knock on his door.

“Hey,” Lando barely gets out before Oscar is barreling past him into the room. “Uh, welcome.”

Lando sits on the couch while Oscar remains standing, entire body full of obvious tension. He doesn’t say anything, just stares at a spot on the wall.

“So, you wanted to tell me something?” Lando prompts.

“I kind of feel like I’m going to be sick,” Oscar says, and he does look green.

Lando’s eyes go wide. “Mate, what is going on? Did you kill somebody or something?”

Oscar laughs, forced and awkward. “No, of course not. It’s—this is personal.”

“Are you leaving McLaren?” Lando asks, suddenly shot through with fear. He likes having Oscar as a teammate. He thought he was safe there.

Oscar shakes his head. “No, it’s nothing to do with racing. Just. Give me a moment, okay?”

So Lando does, sitting there patiently as Oscar paces the length of the room, body radiating stressed energy. It takes another few minutes for him to finally calm down, rolling his shoulders back a couple of times and then coming to sit on the chair across from Lando.

“I think I’m bi,” Oscar eventually says.

Lando blinks slowly several times, letting the words wash over him. He ignores his first instinct, which is to say, ‘you finally figured it out,’ and settles for, “Okay. That’s—I’m happy you told me. That’s a big deal.”

“Yeah,” Oscar says awkwardly. He’s fidgeting with his hands.

“How are you feeling about it?” Lando asks cautiously.

“Fine? I think? I mean, I’ve been thinking about it for a while. And saying it out loud, it feels good. It feels right.”

“That’s good,” Lando says encouragingly. “I’m proud of you, Osc. This is never easy.”

“Yeah,” Oscar sighs out. “But, you know, knowing you has been…good. Knowing that you’re here, on the grid, the same as me. That you can be bi, and it’s okay. And that I’ll have a friend in it with me.”

Lando’s so touched that all of his snarkier tendencies fly out the window. It’s sweet, to know that Oscar has seen him as something encouraging. That he’s served this role for him. 

“Yeah, mate, you have me,” Lando affirms. “You, me, and Logan should form some kind of alliance.”

Oscar’s face pinches weirdly. “Logan doesn’t know, actually. And don’t tell him. please.”

Lando pauses, gathering his thoughts. “Look, I’m honored you told me. But why me and not Logan?”

Oscar groans. “Because I think I might love Logan. This whole thing is his fault because I saw him with you, and then I started thinking about if it was me he was with, and now my whole life is upside down.”

Ah. Okay. So maybe Oscar isn’t as stupid as Lando thought. Progress. 

“That’s great!” Lando says, perhaps too enthusiastically, because Oscar looks at him like he’s insane. “I mean, it’s you and Logan. You two belong together.”

Oscar continues to look at him like he’s sprouted another head. “He will literally never go for me.”

Lando throws his hands up in frustration. “What the fuck are you talking about? He’s obsessed with you.”

Oscar rolls his eyes. “I have nothing to offer him; he’s so…cool and smooth and hot, I’m sure he could have anyone he wants. Including you, remember?”

Lando takes a second to get past this description of Logan that Oscar’s provided, so far from the Logan that Lando knows. Logan is a lot of things, but cool and smooth certainly aren’t any of them.

“Well, one, he doesn’t ‘have’ me. We’re just easy. Convenient. He’d abandon me in a second. And what do you mean you have nothing to offer him? You’re one of his best friends.”

Oscar turns an odd shade of pink. “I mean, sure, we’re good friends. But there’s, you know, other stuff.”

“What stuff? You’re gonna have to spell it out for me, Osc; I’m not very bright.” Lando winks, making Oscar sigh.

“There’s, like, sex,” his voice breaks on the last word, coming out quiet. Almost like a whisper.

Lando, despite his best efforts, bursts out laughing. “Are you fucking serious? You think he won’t want to be with you because you’ve never had sex with a guy?”

“It’s a valid concern!” Oscar argues, entire face now flushed a bright red. “Clearly, sex is important to him if he’s willing to have it with you regularly.”

Lando gasps, hand going to his chest like he’s been shot. “You wound me, Oscar. And I really, really fucking doubt that Logan will pass over you because you’re inexperienced at gay sex. And anyway, that’s easily fixable with Grindr and an NDA. Hell, if you want, I can show you.”

Oscar, if possible, turns a deeper shade of red. “I don’t want to have sex with you,” he says, disgusted. Lando tries not to feel too offended. “And I don’t want it to be with a stranger, either. I want it to be…Logan.”

Oscar looks so defeated that Lando can’t help but feel for him. “Osc, if you talk to Logan, I guarantee it’ll be fine. Between the two of us, I know more about his sex life, and I am certain this would not be a problem.”

Oscar sighs. “I’m not gonna make things awkward between us because Logan happened to be my gay awakening. I’m just gonna ignore it, and I’ll get over it.”

Lando raises a skeptical brow. He has a feeling Oscar will be doing anything but getting over it. But he’s done as much as he can, and even though it seems like he’s now tangled so far in this whole situation, there’s no way out, Lando is certainly gonna try to find a way.

Especially now that Oscar is most certainly not getting over it. Lando still feels Oscar’s eyes on him constantly, and now he knows it’s jealousy. Oscar also finds ways to insert himself into every conversation. One night, when Lando was in Logan’s hotel room, Logan’s lips attached firmly to his jaw, Oscar knocked so loudly that the two of them sprang apart like they’d been shocked. Oscar came in with some excuse about borrowing a charger and then just. Stayed. On the Sunday, Oscar physically slotted himself between Lando and Logan at the parade, placing a hand on Logan’s upper arm and keeping it there.

Lando wouldn’t mind, really, if Oscar was making any kind of move other than just cockblocking him. After he found out that Oscar is most definitely in love with Logan, Lando decides it’s time to ease out of the situation. It’s gotten way too complicated for something whose whole premise was based on convenience. He can’t be worrying about whether Oscar is cutting the brakes on his car or putting Nair in his shampoo out of jealousy. 

The problem is that, sometime over these past few months, Logan has gotten bolder. Better at asking for what he wants, better at taking the first step. So when he texts Lando and asks him what his room number is, Lando can’t very well say, ‘no, sorry, your friend is kind of obsessed with you and I value my life,’ now can he? So when Logan asks to stop by his place in Moncao, Lando says yes. 

“It’s been a while since we did this,” Logan remarks passively, after. He’d offered to order them both dinner, which Lando will never say no to, so that means he’s lingering.

“Ah, yeah, sorry, been busy.” It’s not a lie, but Lando adds, “Plus, you’ve been spending a lot of time with Piastri lately.”

Logan bites the inside of his cheek, blushing. “He seems to want to spend more time together lately. I’ve actually been meaning to ask—did you do something to piss him off or something? He’s been so weird about you lately.”

Lando grinds his teeth together to keep from emitting an audible groan. “Mate, I’ve no idea. I mean, I have noticed it, but I don’t know what’s up with him. I should talk to him about it.”

He’s lying a little because Lando definitely knows what it’s about. But he doesn’t want to tell Logan that, so he just brushes it off. Plus, it’s not totally false; he should talk to Oscar about it. It’s getting bad if Logan’s noticed.

He talks to Oscar about it a week later, trying his best to bring it up casually.

“So, you need to stop treating me like you’re a jealous ex in a CW show.”

Oscar’s head whips up. Lando said he’d try casual, not that he’d get it.

“What are you talking about?” Oscar sounds genuinely confused.

“Logan’s noticed that you’ve been so fucking weird with me lately. So. Stop. I don’t know if it’s something I did, but we’re still not anything serious, so you need to calm down.”

Oscar looks adequately shamed, sheepishly tapping his fingers on the table between them. “I wasn’t trying to act any particular way.”

Lando stares at him. “Last week, you came and stood right between me and Logan and then proceeded to speak only to Logan for at least ten minutes. I said your name, and you ignored me.”

Oscar winces. “I don’t remember that.”

Lando snorts. “Sure. Well, stop. We’re teammates; this isn’t sustainable. Also, I’m literally not a threat to you in any way when it comes to Logan. I’m pretty sure if you asked, he’d crash his car into the barriers every week just for you.”

Oscar rolls his eyes. “You’re so dramatic. It’s not that deep.”

“Want me to stop sleeping with him? Will that make you normal again? Or has some switch been flipped, and now I’m stuck with this Oscar forever?”

Oscar flushes. “I’m not telling you what to do. I’ll…try to figure it out, okay? It’s a me problem, not you or Logan.”

Silence stretches between them for a moment. Then, Lando says, “I still think you should tell him. It doesn’t have to be the whole enchilada, but you should tell him you’re bi. Remember how hurt you felt when you found out Logan didn’t tell you?”

Oscar shakes his head. “No, that was just me being jealous and stupid. It wasn’t Logan’s fault he didn’t tell me anything.”

Lando sighs wearily. “Fine, whatever. Do whatever you want, but you have to be more normal moving forward.”

Oscar laughs. “Okay, okay, I’ll try.”

To his credit, Oscar does get less weird. It’s still nothing approaching normal, but Lando chucked the idea of his life being normal out the window the second his teammate walked in on him having sex. 

Logan, apparently, also wanted to talk to Oscar about it, which is something Lando only finds out because he’s about to round a corner in the paddock and hears them talking. His instincts tell him to stop, so Lando does, shamelessly eavesdropping.

“Everything between me and Lando is fine,” Oscar is insisting, and Lando gets that thrill up his spine you get from overhearing something you’re not meant to.

“Then why have you been acting so strange? Is something happening at McLaren?” Logan sounds so concerned; it’s almost cute.

Oscar sighs, then starts and stops an astounding series of sentences. Lando leans forward; maybe it’s finally about to happen.

“I’m just worried about you,” Oscar settles on.

“Worried about what? This season is much better than last year, I promise,” Logan reassures.

“Not that, not racing. I’m worried about you and Lando. I don’t want you to get in too deep and get your heart broken.”

“Lando Norris is not going to break my heart,” Logan says with a laugh. His tone is a little too dismissive, in Lando’s opinion. Sure, they’re nothing serious, but Lando could break a heart. If he wanted to. “Believe me, it will never get that serious. You think I’d fall in love with someone that addicted to Tarkov? Have some faith in me.”

Oscar’s laughing now, too, and Lando feels haughty enough to want to butt in. He keeps his wits about him, though, aware that this could actually lead somewhere.

“Okay, well, when you say it like that,” Oscar concedes. “I guess it’s just been weird, seeing you so close with someone else.”

There’s a long pause. Then, Logan says, “Someone other than you? You jealous, Piastri?”

“Fuck off,” Oscar mumbles, and god, Lando wishes he could see their faces. “I’m out here looking out for your heart and you’re making fun of me? Some friend you are.”

“Awww, he cares about my heart,” Logan coos and Logan better be unaware of Oscar’s feelings because otherwise this is a little cruel. “Don’t worry, baby; it’s all intact.”

“You’re the worst,” Oscar groans, and then Lando hears their footsteps retreating, getting quieter. 

Lando finally rounds the corner and sees the two of them walking ahead of him, shoulders brushing. Well, that was something. Hopefully, something akin to progress.

-

The weeks roll on. Oscar does reach a baseline of not completely insane, which is great for the McLaren content team, and the three of them start hanging out as a group more. Alex tags along, too, when he can, and it’s weird at first, but Lando gets used to it quick enough. Somehow, over the season, Logan’s become one of his closest friends on the grid. It’s nice, to be around people who know the whole of him.

He and Logan are sleeping together less frequently, but Lando doesn’t really mind. It’s the busy portion of the season, back to backs up to the break, so it’s not like they have that much time anyway. Still, they end up in each other’s hotel rooms about once a race weekend.

This time, though, Logan pushes gently on Lando’s shoulders early on, separating them from a kiss. Lando groans but goes with it, leaning against the headboard.

“I was wondering if we could talk, actually,” Logan says nervously.

Lando frowns. “Please don’t tell me you’re in love with me.”

Logan snorts. “God, no. I, uh, actually wanted to ask you about Oscar,” he admits.

“What else is new,” Lando mutters under his breath. “Okay, what’s up? He’s being less weird now.”

Logan nods slowly. “Yeah, in some ways. But in others, have you noticed it?”

Lando raises an eyebrow. “Noticed what?”

Logan blushes. “I don’t know. I don’t know how to describe it. He keeps asking to hang out and talk and then when we do, it’s like he wants to say something to me and just. Doesn’t. Is something going on at McLaren?”

“Nothing that would explain why he’s acting like that,” Lando says truthfully. “He hasn’t said anything to you?”

Logan shakes his head. “To be fair, I haven’t really asked him. I’ve always been a bit more, I dunno, careful around him.”

Lando frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Because, you know,” Logan gestures vaguely, not making eye contact.

“I really don’t, mate,” Lando says truthfully. “Why don’t you spell it out for me.”

“Because I’m in love with him,” Logan says like it’s obvious, and Lando’s entire world tilts on its axis.

“You’re what,” Lando says, deadpan.

“You honestly didn’t know?” Logan asks, now more nervous. “I thought it was so apparent.”

“Nah, mate, it really wasn’t,” Lando tries not to sound too shocked. “So you love Oscar? My teammate? Piastri?”

“Yeah,” Logan laughs nervously. “Don’t know another Oscar, do you?”

“You’re not gonna, like, say his name in bed or something, right?” Lando half jokes, “Because I know we’re not anything serious, but I won’t stand for being forgotten when my dick is inside you.”

Logan blushes a deep red but, to his credit, doesn’t flinch away. He’s been getting better at it, meeting Lando where he is. At not backing down. Sometimes, Lando feels like a proud older brother, but that feeling is fleeting before he shoves it back to whatever dark hole it comes from for the therapist he’ll inevitably get at 30 to unpack.

“I’ve been in love with him for five years, mate. If I haven’t said it before, it’s not happening now.”

Lando blinks rapidly. “Five—I’m sorry—five years? Like, continuously?”

Logan groans, leaning back to smack his head against the wall. “I really don’t want to talk about this, actually.”

“Sorry, but we have to. Five years is a really fucking long time, Sarge. You should do something about it.”

Logan turns to him, brow scrunched up. “Like what? He’s straight.”

Lando’s pretty sure he’s not, actually, but that’s not really his place to say. And he doesn’t want to actually encourage Logan to get over Oscar, not when his teammate seems on the verge of perishing from fucking pining. How he ended up in a fucking episode of The OC, except they’re all gay professional athletes, is beyond Lando. But now, he apparently has to deal with it all.

“Are you sure about that?” is what Lando lands on, and hopes for the best.

Logan’s eyes go wide. “What do you mean? I’ve known him for ten years, Lando; I would know if he wasn’t.”

“Did he know about you?” Lando presses, and Logan rolls his eyes.

“That’s different. Plus, by now, he would have told me.”

“Maybe he didn’t know,” Lando says carefully. “Maybe he’s been figuring some things out about himself.”

“Has he been talking to you?”

Lando doesn’t want to lie, so he says, “He’s been asking me a lot of questions. Stuff that someone who wasn’t at least a little bicurious wouldn’t ask.”

Logan frowns. “Why is he asking you and not me?”

Because he likes you too much, Lando thinks, but he bites past his first instinct. “I dunno, mate. Think he feels a bit too close to you. Like it would be awkward.”

“Nothing’s awkward with us.” Lando raises an eyebrow, and Logan adds, “Or nothing used to be awkward with us. I thought we were getting better.”

“I’m sure you are,” Lando encourages. “And I really, really think you should tell him. “Because even if he rejects you, isn’t that better than living in this half life forever?”

Logan frowns. “I’d rather have Oscar halfway than not at all.”

Lando sighs. “That’s a little pathetic, mate. But fine, it’s your life. Just please stop complaining to me about it.”

Somehow, despite Lando’s best efforts, he’s somehow found himself in the middle of the world’s most boring gay melodrama. Both Logan and Oscar view him as their only confidant, so here he is, fielding both of their complaints like they’re not involved in the most solvable problem ever. And he and Logan aren’t even hooking up anymore, so Lando can’t even get an orgasm for his efforts.

“Tell me again why you’re here and not at Oscar’s?” Lando asks after having to listen to Logan rant for far too long about how he and Oscar spent their entire break together and how cute Oscar is and how unfair it all is.

Logan shoots him a look. “You know why. C’mon, you’ve never been in love with your straight friend? It’s like, a gay right of passage.”

Lando has, but 1) he did something about it, and 2) Oscar’s not straight. But he figures it’s a dick move to out your teammate to his best friend, even if it’s for the greater good, so Lando keeps his mouth shut.

“Sure, but at this point, I’m thinking you need to start doing something about it. If not for your sake, then for mine. There’s only so much more of this I can handle, mate.”

“Like get over him?” Logan says like it’s the worst thing he can think of. “I don’t want to do that.”

Lando looks at him incredulously. “So, what’s your solution here? Be hopelessly in love with him for the rest of your life? That’s pretty pathetic, mate.”

Logan grumbles, something vague and annoyed. “Maybe. It’s been fine so far.”

“It’s not fine for me!!” Lando protests and Logan flips him off.

“I’ve offered to suck you off in exchange, and you’ve declined. Multiple times.”

“Yeah, because I’m not trying to be your stand-in papaya boy.” The real reason is that Lando feels really weird about it now that he knows Oscar is into Logan. And Logan into Oscar. Like Lando is just some stand-in for both of them. Frankly, he’d like to remove himself from this narrative, but it seems like the narrative has sunk its claws in.

“You’re not my stand in papaya boy,” Logan says, voice light. “You matter way less than that.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Lando groans as Logan laughs. “Get out of my hotel room; you are no longer welcome here.”

“Aw, c’mon,” Logan pouts. “Williams has us across town. Lemme crash?”

Lando resists the urge to roll his eyes. “Oscar is two floors up. Go ask him.”

“Wow, that’s so mean. Gonna make me share a bed with the guy I’m in love with? I thought we were friends.”

“I miss when you were too shy to talk to me,” Lando fires back. He pulls out his phone to text Oscar (pls come collect ur bf) and heads to the bathroom. “When I’m finished with my shower, you better be out of here!”

When Lando steps out into the steamy bathroom, he checks his phone to see a message from Oscar. I don’t have a boyfriend, it reads, but when Lando checks the rest of the room, Logan is indeed gone, so he counts it as a win. 

For the debrief at MTC the next week, Oscar picks him up from the airport and gives Lando a ride. Apparently, Oscar is heading back to London in the evening, so Lando will be on the way to drop off. Lando assumes it’s to see Logan, but Oscar doesn’t say anything.

“So, Logan told me you two aren’t…together anymore,” Oscar says, clearly trying to be casual.

“You can say fucking, Oscar, no one’s gonna make you put a coin in the swear jar,” Lando teases. Oscar blushes but flips him off. “And yes, we’re no longer sleeping together. We’re just friends.”

“Huh,” Oscar hums, clearly aiming for casual. “Why?”

Lando raises an eyebrow. Oscar’s focusing intently on the road in front of him, refusing to even glance at Lando. “We both wanted to stop, so we did,” Lando says truthfully. “Plus, it was getting a little weird to fuck the guy that my teammate is in love with him.”

Oscar’s hands spasm, but thankfully, the car stays on track. “I’m not in love with him,” he seethes.

“Yes, you are, mate,” Lando replies, face scrunched up. “You told me you were. And you’re being really annoying about it as well.”

“You haven’t told him, right?” Oscar’s chewing on his bottom lip.

“Obviously not. Besides a gun in the mouth, that would be the fastest way out of my misery, but I’m too good of a friend to go behind your back like that.”

“Thanks,” Oscar says quietly. “It’s not—it’s harder than I thought, getting over him.”

Lando studies Oscar’s profile, clearly tired and confused. He can’t help but feel a little bit of sympathy. “Maybe spending so much time with him isn’t helping,” he offers gently.

“I’m not gonna say no when he asks to hang out,” Oscar argues. “Especially when we’re finally getting back to how it was before.”

“You mean when you were insufferably obsessed with each other?” Oscar shoots him a bewildered look, so Lando adds, “Those Prema videos are inescapable on my recommended, mate.”

Oscar’s head whips back to the road, looking sheepish. “It wasn’t like that. We were just friends.”

Two friends with the biggest crushes in the world on each other, Lando thinks, but doesn’t say. Instead, he focuses on not opening the car and throwing himself onto the highway in frustration.

It’s after the third day in a row that Lando catches Oscar staring at his phone dreamily that Lando decides something needs to be done. What that is, he has no idea, but he starts by insisting Logan come to his hotel room after media day. He needs this shit sorted before the break.

“What?” Logan asks, annoyed, when he enters. “You know Williams is staying at a hotel like 30 minutes away? This better be good.”

“Okay, here’s the deal. I need you to tell Oscar you love him,” Lando states.

Logan’s eyes go wide. “What? No! What?” he splutters, and Lando rolls his eyes.

“Just please put me out of my misery. This whole thing was supposed to be fun and easy and it’s somehow more stressful than my day job. He thinks you’re too much of a gay veteran or something to go for him, you think he’s straight, and I’m stuck in the middle of all of this, not even getting my dick sucked between all the useless pining.”

“What do you mean ‘think he’s straight’?” Logan asks.

“Jesus Christ,” Lando mutters. “Come with me.”

He doesn’t give Logan a choice, just grabs him by the sleeve of his quarter zip and drags him out of his hotel room. Luckily, Oscar’s right next door this week, so it’s not a far walk before he’s banging on Oscar’s door.

“Piastri!” he yells. “Open up!”

“What the fuck?” Oscar says as he swings the door open. His eyes flit between Lando, Logan, and where Lando’s fingers are clutching at Logan’s sleeve. “What are you doing here?”

Lando doesn’t answer, just pushes his way into the room, dragging a bewildered Logan with him. Oscar closes the door behind them, and Lando lets go of Logan, forcing the two of them to stand next to each other.

“We are staying in this room until the two of you figure out your shit.”

Oscar and Logan look quickly at each other and then look away.

“What shit?” Oscar asks, like he doesn’t know.

“Like the fact that you two are in love with each other and Oscar is bi and neither of you will fucking talk to the other about it.

“You’re bi?” Logan asks at the same time Oscar blurts out, “You’re in love with me?”

Both wince, flushing a deep red. Lando tries his hardest not to sigh. “Yes, these are the facts. Now, can we do something about that?”

Oscar shoots him a glare before turning back to Logan. He squares himself, standing up straighter and staring right at Logan. Logan’s still looking at the ground, very much like he hopes it swallows him up.

“Yeah, I’m…bi, I guess,” Oscar confirms. “Or something, at least, because I love you, too.” Logan snaps his head up at that, and Oscar, bravely, continues. “I didn’t realize it until I, regrettably, caught you with my teammate’s dick in your mouth, but I think I might have been in love with you for most of my life.”

Logan laughs, but it sounds weird, like all his breath is leaving his body. It sounds like relief, Lando realizes. Relief and shock and maybe some awe. His entire posture changes, Logan standing up straighter and stepping towards Oscar until the toes of their shoes touch.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Logan asks softly, cupping Oscar’s cheek. “I’m pretty sure that it’s obvious how into you I’ve been since we were teenagers.”

It’s all getting very intimate, but unfortunately for Lando, they’re standing between him and the door. And, honestly, Lando’s put too many hours into this to miss the conclusion.

Oscar squeezes his eyes shut briefly. “I was being a little dumb. Lando can confirm. I guess I figured that you wouldn’t want to be with someone who had just figured out his sexuality. Plus, I dunno, I thought you and Lando were gonna fall in love or something.”

Logan laughs, far too much, in Lando’s opinion. “You’re ridiculous. I would take you any way you offered, Osc. As long as it was you.”

Oscar blushes. “Well, I would, too. The feeling’s mutual. Any way I could have you.”

Logan is smiling so wide that it’s practically half his face, all scrunched up and happy.

“I didn’t know you were into guys like that,” Logan says quietly.

“I didn’t either,” Oscar confesses. “To be honest, I’m still not sure I am. I just know I’m into you.”

Logan grins, running his thumb over Oscar’s cheekbone. They’re so close that Lando can barely see any light between them. 

“Can you two kiss already so I can leave?” Lando prompts after what feels like five minutes of them just staring at each other.

Oscar squeezes his eyes shut in embarrassment, head falling forward. But Logan uses his grip on Oscar’s jaw to tilt his face up and then closes the short distance between them, kissing Oscar softly. It’s just a peck at first, but as Logan retreats, Oscar chases him, locking their lips together again.

Logan sighs happily into the kiss, wrapping his free arm around Oscar’s waist and pulling him closer. Oscar hums, placing a hand on the back of Logan’s neck, deepening the kiss. When Lando sees a flash of tongue, he decides it’s time to leave.

“Okay!” he says louder than necessary, making the two of them jump apart. “I am leaving. Oscar, if you want, there’s lube in my room.”

Oscar chokes on air, coughing awkwardly.

“You’re the worst,” Logan says. His arm is still wrapped around Oscar.

“And yet, without me, you two would still be making the entire paddock suffer with your pining,” Lando has to point out.

Logan tilts his head in agreement. “Fine, in a way, I guess this was sweet.”

Oscar elbows Logan in the side, shooting him a look. Logan rolls his eyes, and Lando has a feeling an entire conversation has just occurred that he’s not privy to.

“Thank you, Lando,” Oscar says, voice way too sincere. It makes Lando want to throw up. “For everything. We really cannot thank you enough.

“No thanks necessary,” he reassures. “But I call dibs on the longest speech at your wedding.”

Oscar groans. “You are being ridiculous.”

At the same time, Logan says, “Fine, but we get an editing pass and final approval.”

That makes Oscar snap his head up, turning to Logan with a kind of dopey expression that Lando previously thought was inaccessible by Oscar. 

“You think we’ll get married?” Oscar asks, voice all syrupy sweet. Honestly, Lando wants to gag.

Logan glances between Lando and Oscar, obviously aware of how awkward the whole situation is. “Of course, baby. It’s only ever been you.”

“I am leaving!” Lando practically shouts before things escalate further, pushing his way to the door. “Remember, I am next door! Be quiet!”

He can hear them giggling through the wall, but they do mostly keep it quiet. The next morning, Logan’s riding with them to the track, and if Lando looks hard enough, he can see what looks like a mouth-shaped bruise under the collar of Logan’s shirt. 

Fucking finally.