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Mark had just gotten back home from the shops. He’d picking up some groceries for the dinner Seb said he’d cook tonight as he had offered to make a quick dash to the store seeing as Seb was already going to be making the food.
Walking through the door, though, he was immediately stunned by the high pitched yelp that sounded vaguely like his son.
Confused and faintly concerned, Mark pushed off his trainers and walked through to the family room.
There, sitting on the couch facing each other, were Oscar and Seb. Seb was holding a deck of cards, Oscar with his hands over his face, groaning out of frustration.
“You keep forgetting Hulme,” Seb chided.
“I know, I know!”
Seb let Oscar mope for a few more seconds.
“Again?”
“Again,” Oscar sighed, sounding drained yet simultaneously determined.
Oscar removed his hands from his face, only for his eyes to immediately dart to Mark, who had been watching silently from the doorway.
“Hey.”
“Oh. Hi dad.”
Seb turned to where Oscar was looking behind him.
“Hey. You just getting back?”
Mark gestured to the bag of food in his arm.
“Yeah. I didn’t know you were coming over today, Osc.”
“They texted me this morning about the first Grill the Grid episode. We’re filming in a few days.”
It made sense now.
“Ah. So you’re studying?”
“Well, yeah.”
It was mid 2025 for the F1 season. Oscar was having a phenomenal season, and on top of that, one of his favorite parts of the year was coming up.
Since Mark and Seb had adopted Oscar as a kid, he’d had an intrinsic connection with reading, history, and most importantly, cars.
He’d taken a bit to warm up to Mark and Seb seeing as he was just eight years old when he was taken out of his old housing and placed with them.
When Oscar had gone to his first race in person, and even sat in Sebastian’s car, it was like a flip switched on in his head. During the flight home, he’d gushed nonstop about the shiny cars, twisty track, and the loud roaring engines. Seb and Mark had shared a look of understanding, and Seb immediately noted in his mind to take Oscar to more races and start going to car shows.
By the time he was ten, Oscar had gone to a countless number of races and car events. Though it was on his tenth birthday that he was given a white and blue kart. His very first real kart. Before that, they’d gone go-karting together, but it was never anything serious. Seb and Mark had seen the fire in him on the track though, even though it was just meant to be familial competition, Oscar took every corner and every straight like they personally owed him something.
From the second Oscar hit the track with real opponents, his name spread like wildfire.
Win after win, podium after podium. He’d stand on the top step with boys taller, and older than him, on his sides, his smile brighter than the sun.
This traction and winning streak would follow him all the way to his F1 career.
It was known that Mark was Oscar’s manager since he’d started, and that Mark and Sebastian were married, but the connection was never made. They all bore the same last name of Vettel-Webber, but Oscar raced under Piastri so as not to raise any attention. The last thing he wanted was to get allegations of being some sort of stuck-up nepo baby.
When they’d found out in 2022 that Oscar would be getting a shot at Formula One the following year, Seb had decided to retire to allow Oscar to flourish to his full potential without him there to hover, even if a big part of Seb would’ve loved to stay and play guardian angel for his son.
It was hard to leave the sport that was essentially Sebastian’s whole life, but the reason why made that decision easier. He was beyond proud of his son. Oscar was only seventeen, nearly eighteen, and both Seb and Mark had found it hard to step back. They were glad to have though. With both of them holding his hand to keep him from falling, who knows if he would’ve gotten to the point he was at now.
In just his third year in Formula One, Oscar was leading the championship, collecting six wins, and a total of twelve podiums. So, now that they were in summer break, all Oscar needed to do was relax and keep his head straight, focusing on his goal of winning the championship. For now though, all he was worried about was winning Grill the Grid. After all, he was the reigning champion.
“You gonna join us?”
“I’ll hang out, but I think it’s best if you keep the quizzing between you two.”
“Fair enough.”
As Mark walked to the kitchen, he could hear Oscar rattling off random names, some Mark recognized as fairly current drivers, others being some he’d never heard of. He shook his head as he put away the vegetables and meat, thinking just how similar Oscar and Seb really were. Like father like son, he supposed.
Mark came back through to the living room, sitting on the single couch next to Sebastian.
“So what are you quizzing him on now?”
“Every WDC.”
“Oh god.”
Mark shivered at remembering the absolute masterclass his husband had pulled off on Grill the Grid when he named all DC since 1950. That was insane enough, but for it in order too? Mark wondered how he kept all that information up there.
“It’s not that hard, he’s getting it, if only he could remember 1967.”
“Denny Hulme,” Oscar chimed.
“Listen mate, I don’t think I could name more than fifteen.”
“Ah, that’s basically halfway there, sorta.”
Seb turned back to Oscar.
“Wanna try something else?”
“Yes please.”
Seb placed the cards he was holding onto the table, trading them for his tablet.
“Alright, for this one, I’ll show tracks, and you’ll tell me which one they are.”
“Right. I think that seems easy enough.”
“We’ll see.”
Seb wound up showing Oscar three current, and past tracks, him being able to get all six flawlessly. That was until Seb started zooming in on certain turns, asking him what track it was without being able to see the whole thing.
“Oh c’mom, how is that fair?”
“Listen Oscar, I didn’t make the rules,” Seb excused, sticking his hands up.
“Why don’t you quiz dad!”
“Woah mate, leave me out of this.”
Seb giggled, looking between the both of them.
“You know your father isn’t like us.”
“Hey, what does that mean?”
“Oh, you’re just not as historically educated,” Seb teased.
Mark knew he was getting baited, but he also knew it was working.
“Fine. Show me a circuit.”
Oscar got a look on his face, quickly leaning to his father and whispering something. Seb looked slightly shocked, but his face quickly gained a conniving look.
“What is this secretive stratagem you two’ve got going on?”
“Nothing,” Sebastian dismissed, quickly typing something in his computer.
Not even a minute later, Seb turned his screen to Mark.
He had zoomed in so much that all Mark could make out grand stands in the background, the track itself curving to the right.
Honestly, he was dumbfounded.
“Can I know if this is old or current?”
Seb turned to Oscar who nodded.
“Old.”
“Hm.”
Mark started intensely at the screen as if it would just suddenly click.
“I don’t know,” he finally admitted.
“Don’t give up that easily, dad.”
“Mate, how am I meant to know this?”
“Do you wanna know what turn this is?”
Mark sighed.
“Sure.”
“Turn three.”
“Older track, turn three…”
Seb waited for him to get it.
Finally, he tossed his hands up.
“I give up. What is it?”
“No. One last hint?”
“Seb.”
“One more, you’ll get it.”
“Fine.”
“It’s in Southeast Asia.”
Mark’s brow furrowed as he muttered the three hints to himself.
After about a minute, Mark looked back up at Seb and Oscar who were just barely containing their laughter.
“Are you kidding me?”
Mark groaned, palming his forehead.
“You guys suck.”
Oscar dissolved into giggles, grabbing at his father’s arm as he rocked back and forth.
“Sorry Liebling, wasn’t my idea.”
Even though he was apologizing, his face and smile said the total opposite.
“Ha ha.”
Mark pretended to look annoyed, but with his son laughing like this was the funniest joke he’d ever heard, and his husband seeming all too pleased with it too, it was hard to even faux annoyance.
After they’d settled down again, they all moved to the kitchen, Seb starting on dinner while still testing Oscar, and now Mark too. They laughed, Oscar arguing Seb on answers, ultimately to find out his father was in fact right.
As Seb plated their food, Mark set up the plates around the table. Though you’d expect the conversation to switch to something else, Oscar was adamant on getting out every ounce of practice he could from his father.
Mark ate his food, occasionally chuckling at Oscar getting heated over getting the same question wrong twice. He watched, letting them have their own time. He knows how much it means to Seb.
Because they’d not publicly come out as Oscar’s parents, neither could be around as much as they wanted without it seeming odd. It was easier for Mark, seeing as he was Oscar’s manager, but Seb had no real excuse for being around the paddock as much as Mark was.
Seb had always felt bad for not being around as much. They’d adopted him at the end of 2013, Mark permanently retiring from all motorsports, Sebastian still being tangled up with Red Bull. The F1 schedule had him dashing across the globe nearly year round. Even when he had grown up, Seb was still in F1 until Oscar came, and then, it was Oscar’s turn to be dragged across the world.
Sebastian had stressed about that for essentially Oscar’s whole childhood. Even though he hadn’t expressed those thoughts in years, Mark knew his husband well enough to know it still lurked somewhere in his mind.
Mark looked up from his plate to see the nerdy banter they were having. Though Mark had only ever had one real shot at a championship, he would’ve traded that chance every time in every lifeline if it meant he’d have this. He was happy, sitting in their cozy home, his husband getting to bond with their son, who looked just as pleased to get this moment.
Oscar left a bit after dinner, promising he’d visit more before break was over.
Seb had given him an extra tight hug before he left, Mark ruffling his hair and wishing him a safe trip home.
That night, when they were finally in bed, Mark could’ve sworn Seb seemed to have a permanent smile, even if it was small. When he’d gotten up to go to the bathroom around dawn, Seb still had the ghost of a smile on his face, despite him being one hundred percent asleep.
Mark chuckled and shook his head. Oscar really did need to come over more.
A few days later, Oscar sent a photo in their family group chat of the newest Grill the Grid scores. At the top was Oscar’s name with a total of twenty two points next to it.
OSCAR: All thanks to you papa
Sebastian stared at his phone, a proud smile spreading across his face, though, if Mark looked closer, there was a trace of sadness there. He didn’t want to bring up anything if Seb didn’t, but he was extra gentle with him that day, even going so far as to telling him they should plan a trip down to Monaco soon to see Oscar again. That cheered him up a bit, Seb immediately getting out their diary to find a date that worked with all of them.
OSCAR: I’m good for the twelfth if that works for you guys
MARK: All good for us. See you then
OSCAR: See you two
Mark set his phone on the coffee table, hugging Seb in closer as he refocused on the movie they’d put on.
Sebastian rested his head on Mark’s shoulder, letting out a long sigh.
“I missed him.”
“I know you did. He missed you too.”
Seb didn’t say anything else, only sniffling quietly. Mark knew he wasn’t up to talking right now, so until he was, they’d stay like this. He pulled Seb more onto his chest, giving him a light squeeze on his arm.
“We’ll see him soon.”
Seb nodded against him, already thinking in his head how much he wished the twelfth could come sooner.