I'm actually proud of myself for finishing this hahah. Maybe I'll write an epilogue or sth but for now this story is finished.

“I fucking hate you George. You too Alex for throwing me into a team with him”, added Lando once he heard Alex chuckling. “I mean you said you didn´t want to third-wheel. Soo you can just snog off Arthur now”. The picture inside his head made him blush immediately “Fuck off” “Aww, look George he´s blushing.” “Adorable. You still didn´t tell us what's wrong now?” George commented.

“Well Arthur and I have been texting the entire day …” “Naaawww” came it in unison from both of his friends. Oh, how he already regrets telling them anything. “I messaged him this morning before my shower and when I came back my phone was constantly blinking.” “So, what´s the matter I still don´t get your problem mate.”, Alex said.

“Goddamn it! He´s been flirting with me the entire time and I didn´t know how to act. Fuck I almost had a heart attack twice.”

“Lando he´s already been shamelessly flirting with you when we all played games together and if he wouldn´t have been streaming I'm pretty sure he would´ve been even more forward back then already” “That doesn´t solve my problem, George! How am I supposed to act? Christ, you know what I´ll just send you screenshots.”

Setting his phone down he rubbed his face with his hands. It´s been so long someone actually showed interest in him, who Lando didn´t immediately waved off because of his asshole of an Ex that cheated on him for months, that he totally forgot how stressful flirting and actually letting someone near you could be.

“He´s so fucking into you mate I swear. Charles, his brother, literally called me like two days ago because Arthur was either glued to his phone or pacing around the entire apartment ´cause you hadn´t texted him yet.” Alex words ran through his head. They kept repeating over and over again until he couldn´t take it anymore and aggressively shook his head. “I just don´t…” “Just give him a chance Lando, he´s a good guy I promise. Just one date and then you can still decide. And if you want to I'll push him off the track the next race.”

He didn´t want George to push Arthur off the track. Hell, he didn´t want Arthur to get hurt in any way. And he found himself thinking that if Arthur actually asked him out, he wouldn´t be able to say no anyway. “Fine. But if he can´t deal with my fucked-up self and we both end up heartbroken it´s your fault”

“You´re not fucked up Lando. Yes, you have your issues, but we all have and they´re a part of you. Arthur will eventually get to know them and it´s going to be okay. Just don´t push him away”.

Lando had no answer to this, he knew George was right, but he always thought that if someone got to know about his problems, they would leave anyway so he chose to push away every guy that showed interest in him in the last two years because he didn't want to get hurt again, but he didn't think he had it in him this time.

Arthur had stolen his heart and took over his mind in just one week. Pretty much just two days of this week and he really didn´t want to push Arthur away. Lando really missed the feeling of having someone to hold, someone to hold him, someone to love him and reassure him, give him the validation he needed and just someone he could give his love to. Someone that wasn´t Blizzard.

“Lando!” his moms voice shook him out of his thoughts. “Alright. Gotta go. My mom is calling for me”. “Don´t think about it too much. For once just let your heart guide you” he snorted, “You sound like my grandma, Alex” “Shut up and go”.

It was a week later now and he was already in London for his last show of the season. Him and Arthur had been texting the entire time his siblings couldn´t shut up about him being glued to the phone and eve his trainer had noticed. Turning and tossing around in his bed he tried to sleep. He needed his sleep before a competition, but he somehow couldn't get over the thought that something was off.

Lando set up in his hotel bed and turned on the light on his bedside table. He grabbed his phone and somehow, he automatically ended up on his and Arthurs chat. Arthur had been sending him pictures of him training, eating or watching a movie with his brother and friends. Lando however, hadn´t found the courage to send the other a photo of him.

It was stupid because really Arthur had already seen him when they were playing together and they even played together again even though Lando had turned his camera off with the excuse that he didn´t have one back on his own PC which was a lie obviously but he didn´t know how else to escape the situation.
His entire body shook when he randomly heard his ringtone go off and he looked back at his phone screen. His breathe stopped, his heart made a jump and was now racing faster than what could possibly be healthy.

Arthur was calling him. A video call. They hadn't even normally called each other yet. Why was he calling him? Why was he awake? He didn´t even intend to answer the call but he did, nevertheless.

This just gave him the next heart attack though. Arthur was lying in his bed. Shirtless. If Arthur would´ve said something right now he wouldn´t have noticed anyway. Too busy staring at his chest at the least the parts that weren´t covered with a blanket.

“Why are you still up mon ange?” Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He was so dead, oh god that sleepy voice. He was so gone. Also hearing Arthur say that nickname he´s been calling Lando out loud for the first time. It did things to him and god beware how he wished he´d be lying in this bed right now.

“I…Sleep…Couldn´t. No, fuck. Uhm, I couldn´t sleep. Yep” best he wanted to drown himself in the next lake or jump out of his hotel room window. He could feel the heat rise in his cheek and he´d have to be redder than Arthurs team colour by now. It was so embarrassing. Why did Arthur have to be shirtless. He already made a stuttering mess out of him fully clothed. Why half NAKED?

“I´ve come that far, Lando. But why can´t you sleep? Isn´t your show tomorrow?” that laugh, it almost made him forget to answer. “No. I mean yes my show is tomorrow, but that´s not the reason I can´t sleep.” “Then what is. Tell me mon ange. Maybe I can help you and if not I´ll just stay awake with you and talk to you until you fall asleep.” Arthur sounded genuinely concerned and Lando felt bad again. “I don´t want to keep you up. I´ll be fine, go to sleep. There´s no need to worry.” “I won´t let you stay awake on your own though. You don´t have to tell me what´s wrong, just I don´t know tell me what I should do.”

He didn´t know if it was his tiredness speaking, him being completely lost because of Arthur shirtless in bed or something else that made him say that, but he did and even though he was still blushing like crazy he didn´t regret it. “You could just talk to me. I like hearing your voice.” A smirk was forming on Arthurs face “Well then. Let me talk you to sleep baby.” Yeah, he did indeed almost die right there and then.

As soon as he heard his alarm go off, he wanted to go back to sleep again. He just wanted to go back to his dream-world in which he won his competition and Arthur was sitting in the crowd cheering on him with a proud look on his face. He sighed, why was love so complicated. Couldn't the people like have a message on their forehead that said. 'Hey yeah, I like you and I´m ready to be in a relationship with you´ or 'Hey I´m just going to break your heart so stay away from me´. Why did all of this shit need communication and socialising.

Anyway, it was the morning of a show so let´s get started with the routine. Which really everything except the riding and celebration was just shit. All Lando ever did was waiting to finally get on his horse and forget everything else around him.
Breakfast, Interview, routine check, more interviews, getting Blizzard ready, warm up and go. The second he put his foot in the stirrup, all his anxiety disappeared. Trotting into the Arena he went through everything his trainer always told him over the last years. Back straight, chin up, heels down, hands gentle, legs long and pure perfection. Every single mistake could end his life.

He came to hold in front of the judges, took his reigns in one hand and bowed down. And when he got the allowance to do so, he started his routine.

Trotting down the long side, starting of with a circle into sidewalk.  'It's like a dance Lando feel the music, feel the hoof beat like it's your heartbeat' . One more deep breath, one more corner. He turned coming down the middle line in trot and then switching to canter. 'Slow and controlled´ he told himself. One, two, three and stop. He came to hold again. Making a clean stop straight out of the canter. He bowed down again and then nervously waited for the judges to finish discussing his points.

Having switched to a relaxed walk by now, Lando gave Blizzard the reigns and promised him multiple treats for being such a good boy. “Blizzard King represented by Lando Norris. 36 Points in total.” He let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding. 36 was a good score in fact it was one of the best scores he's had this season.

He rode out of the main Arena over to the cool down area. Walking a couple of more rounds to get his and Blizzards heartbeat back to normal he slowly came back to reality again. 36 Points could easily save him one of the top three spots. It was a decent performance, he knew his piaffe had been a bit off but they were still working on that, so he found himself being very proud.

As soon as Lando got off Blizzards back his trainer and his family were directly surrounding him. “That was an amazing ride Lando. If that won't get you a medal I don't know what will.” Slightly blushing he felt the pride swell in his chest. Now it meant waiting for the last three competitors to finish.

“Called to the award ceremony are, third place Deadlight the second, represented by Andrew Linder, second place Feather-heart, represented by Mia Light and first place “Lando held his breath “Blizzard King, represented by Lando Norris”. A squealing sound left his lips as soon as he registered what the speaker had said. “I did it! I really did it!” “Yes you did it Lando and it was well deserved.”

He was pulled into a group hug and was just unbelievably happy. “Now go get your ass back on your horse so you can go and ride your lap of honor.”

With a big smile, he lead the group of three through the arena in their lap of honor. Lando received his medal and the tournament loop was put onto Blizzards bridle. Getting of his horses back once again he took the reigns in his hand and walked back to his family, who were waiting for him at the box Blizzard stayed in.

However, when he came nearer there was another person standing there next to his family and trainer. “Arthur!” Lando called out, the surprise in his voice unable to notice. He immediately stopped walking, Blizzard next to him seemingly confused, but Lando couldn't think rationally. There he stood next to his family, looking at him with a soft smile and proud eyes. “Hi. Whatever you did out there was spectacular.”
Lando didn't know when his sister turned up next to him, but he surely wasn't complaining. Out of reflex, he handed her Blizzards reigns over and started walking again. His mind was empty just Arthur, he actually turned up at his event even though he said he wouldn't not that Lando minded. He was almost running now until he had reached the boy that occurred his dreams last night and practically threw himself at him.

Arthur, who clearly didn't expect such a greeting caught him anyway. The younger one grabbed Landos thighs and smiled wildly at the boy in his arms, who buried his head in his neck and was almost crushing him because damn these legs were stronger than they looked but he didn't care. He was happy he listened to George and Alex and went to surprise Lando.

“Hi there.” He whispered in the smaller boys ear letting him down again still hugging tightly. A shiver went down Landos spine at Arthurs voice so close. “Hi”, he whispered back. “Mind if I kiss you now?”
Look, Lando really expected to be scared, he expected for his anxiety to take over his senses and just run off and then break down crying. But he didn't, he was calm, he felt safer than ever before, standing here in Arthurs arms, and he really didn't care they still were in a public place which was normally even more scary to him but today in this second he didn't mind.
He pulled Arthurs head down and propped himself up on his tiptoes so he could reach the others lips. To say he was overwhelmed by the feeling was an understatement. Arthur pulled him closer and Lando felt so complete it was incredible. There was a warm, fuzzy feeling in his stomach that was spreading through his entire body, his heartrate sped up with every little movement of their lips and he was feeling so excited yet so calm and fulfilled.

These few seconds were perfect and he had lost any sense of time by now. Arthur kissing him senseless. “That was amazing mon ange. I really, really like you and I'd love to call you my boyfriend.” And there came back his nervousness and shyness. Quickly he hid his face in Arthurs neck and pressed himself closer to the other one in the hope he could hide himself. “You don't have to answer now Lando, you don't have to say anything. I just wanted to let you know. I'll gladly take you out to a hundred dates before or I won't whatever you want and whatever you're comfortable with.”

He didn't intend to start crying, he really didn't but his win, Arthur being here, their kiss it was just too much for his emotional self. “I want to be your boyfriend too”, he blurted out sniffling afterwards and clinging to Arthur because he was scared the other one would just laugh and walk away. He didn't, of course he didn't. Arthur gently took his face in his hands and wiped the tears away. “Don’t cry, mon ange. I'm still here. I'm not going to leave until tomorrow evening if you don’t want me to and if I leave then just because I have to race in two days and if you want I'll even take you with me, alright? No reason to cry.”
Lando didn't answer he just kissed Arthur again.

Uhm so apperently or most definitely I have a trigger for being home alone :)
Like apparently not all people carry a knife around in the house if they hear a noise?
Like I'm diagnosed with anxiety but now that a friend of mine has said it. Being home alone when I hear noises is something that triggers my anxiety on an extreme level
Sorry for this rant tho lul