Work Text:
The excitement still thrums in his veins though the moment has passed ages ago by now. It’s a day very much worth celebrating, in his mind. Ollie still stands affixed where he’d been moments before. He’s not so sure if heck, he should even wash his hand - the moment much too consequential to be cast aside this easily.
“Well, I don’t think I’m going to wash this hand for a while,” a husky voice with a distinct lilt chimes his subconscious thought from beside him. Ollie nearly jumps, forgetting that he wasn’t actually at a meet and greet event, that he was in parc fermé which was very much an open, public space.
Ollie turns to see Franco next to him - he too had received a congratulatory handshake from Lewis. The both of them had done well in their own right respectively, finishing within the points.
Ollie chuckles, seeing how wide Franco’s grin was. Beneath the Baku sunlight, it looked like those gray eyes of his were positively gleaming. “I feel like I should congratulate you as well,” Ollie says, extending a friendly hand.
Franco tosses his head back in laughter, and all Ollie can mainly think of in that moment - besides that moment with Lewis earlier - is that wow, Franco is pretty dreamy.
“Here, take my other hand, since Lewis shook that one,” Franco jests as he slides his hand against Ollie’s to shake. “Congratulations to you too. You’re doing well.”
“Thanks,” Ollie says, feeling a spot of heat rush to his cheeks. He’s starting to really get Franco’s appeal - his clever humor, his wit. And him having that pair of very inviting eyes, and voice helps his case too.
Ollie feels like maybe, just maybe, he’s starting to sink a little bit. And perhaps he doesn’t seem to mind. His tongue darts out slightly to wet his dry lower lip, thinking what he ought to say next.
“Hey, Franco,” Ollie says, a shy half-smile crossing his soft features. “I hope I see you around more.”
Franco cocks an eyebrow, his smile lopsided in that way which reminded Ollie of one of those old timey Hollywood actors. “I could say the same, Oliver. See you around the paddock,” and he taps Ollie tentatively on his arm before walking off, his attention taken by one of the Williams engineers who’s walking in his direction with a welcoming grin.
Ollie’s hand brushes over the spot where Franco had touched, as he glances after his retreating figure. He fishes his phone out of his pocket, searching Twitter immediately for Franco’s name. One of the top posts is a video from his actual account, him lifting his sunglasses to wink at the camera.
Oh-kay, Bearman, he chides himself as he feels his pulse quicken. You gotta get a grip. He bites down on his lower lip, the video looping one more time until he quickly locks his phone, one of his team calling to him to head for the post-race interviews.
See you around rings in Ollie’s ears like the opening notes of a sweet song.
Yes, Ollie thinks as he walks with one of the Haas media team members, grinning to himself. I hope I see him very, very soon.