The sun blazed over the paddock as mechanics bustled about, packing up equipment and preparing for the next leg of the season. The tension from the race lingered in the air, heavier than usual for Oscar. He couldn't stop replaying what he'd overheard last night outside Lando's hotel room- Carlos' frantic, grief-stricken voice, so unlike the self-assured, borderline cocky demeanor he usually displayed. Oscar couldn't decide whether it made him feel smug to know that Carlos wasn't unbreakable or if it stirred something deeper, something uncomfortable he wasn't ready to acknowledge.

After hours of tossing and turning, Oscar finally resolved to at least try and make things right with Lando. The previous day's confrontation still weighed on him, especially Lando's words about being a teammate who treated others poorly. He knew he'd crossed a line, even if he wasn't entirely ready to admit it outright.

He found Lando in the paddock early, sitting on a low wall near the hospitality suite with a coffee in hand. He looked up as Oscar approached, his expression wary.

"Morning," Oscar began awkwardly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Lando raised an eyebrow. "Morning."

Oscar shifted uncomfortably, glancing around before meeting Lando's gaze. "Look, about yesterday... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did. You were right. I... I was out of line."

Lando's expression softened slightly, though the caution didn't entirely leave his eyes. "Thanks for saying that. But it's not me you need to apologise to."

Oscar hesitated, the image of Carlos' tear-streaked face flashing in his mind. "I... I'll think about it. But for now, I just wanted to clear the air with you. We're teammates, and I don't want this hanging over us. I shouldn't have been so insensitive."

Lando nodded, his shoulders relaxing a fraction. "Alright. Just... try to ease up on him, okay? There's more going on with him than you realise."

Oscar didn't respond immediately, but he gave a small nod before walking away. He wasn't ready to commit to anything more yet, but at least he'd taken a step.

As the paddock buzzed with activity, Oscar spotted Lando and Charles huddled together near a stack of tires outside the hospitality suite. Their heads were bent close, their voices low. Suspicious, Oscar moved closer, pretending to be engrossed in his phone. He caught fragments of their conversation.

"He's barely holding it together," Charles said, his tone thick with concern. "I've never seen him like this."

"I know," Lando replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's killing me that I can't do more. He's been through a lot before, but this... this is different. I've never seen him break down like that."

Oscar's curiosity piqued. He stepped closer, careful to stay out of sight behind a large stack of crates.

"What exactly happened?" Charles asked softly. "I know it's about his friend, but..."

Lando sighed heavily. "One of his closest friends back in Spain. He's... gone. Apparently, it was sudden. I don't know the full story, but they were really close. Carlos told me they made some kind of promise to each other, something important to him. It's why he's been so distant lately."

Charles frowned, his expression darkening. "And he's stuck here, expected to act like nothing's happened. No wonder he's losing it."

"Yeah," Lando replied grimly. "He's always been good at bottling things up, but this time... I'm worried about him. He needs time, but you know how he is. He won't let himself take it."

Oscar felt a pang of guilt twist in his chest. He didn't like Carlos. Hell, he couldn't stand the guy most days. But hearing about his grief, about the friend he'd lost, stirred something he wasn't ready to confront. It wasn't pity- he refused to call it that- but it wasn't the satisfaction he usually felt when Carlos stumbled, either.

"What about Oscar?" Charles' voice cut through his thoughts. "I don't want him near Carlos, he doesn't need anything more to upset him."

"Neither," Lando said firmly. "Carlos doesn't need Oscar poking around in this right now. He's got enough on his plate without adding their stupid rivalry to the mix."

Oscar's jaw clenched at that. Stupid rivalry? Sure, he and the Spaniard didn't get along, but it wasn't stupid. Carlos' arrogance, his condescension- it wasn't imagined. And yet, as much as he wanted to bristle at Lando's dismissal, part of him wondered if maybe he had been too quick to judge. Maybe. He doubted it.

Charles nodded, though his face remained tight with worry. "We'll just have to keep an eye on him. Make sure he knows we're here, even if he doesn't ask for help."

"Yeah," Lando agreed. "But keep this between us, okay? The last thing he needs is anyone else finding out."

Oscar slipped away before they could catch him, his mind racing. Carlos was grieving, and it was clearly tearing him apart. It wasn't what Oscar had expected when he'd seen the usually composed Spaniard sobbing in Lando's hotel room. He'd thought it might be a bad breakup or some personal crisis, but this... this was different. It was raw and real in a way that made Oscar's usual disdain feel hollow.

As he walked back to his own team's garage, he wrestled with his conflicting emotions. He still didn't like Sainz, but the image of him sitting on Lando's bed, sobbing into his hands, wouldn't leave his mind. For the first time, Oscar wondered if there might be more to Carlos than the arrogant facade he presented. And whether he wanted to or not, Oscar felt an undeniable pull to find out what that was.