Chapter Text
Lando had expected everything to fall apart after that night at his house, but it hadn’t.
Life moved on, race days blended together in a mix of good and mediocre results for the team. Lando considered more schools and weighed the pro’s and con’s of moving to find a school that met their needs. He spent nights tucking Eloise into bed, and days playing with her, spending as much time as he could with her to make up for the days he missed.
And through it all, Daniel was there.
Lando had assumed he would slowly disappear from their lives, becoming just an acquittance that they saw from time to time, but he didn’t. He still watched Eloise while Lando was on the sim, and Fridays nights still included Daniel sometimes cooking for them and watching movies with them. The only difference being that Daniel gave him more space, and that consideration made Lando wish he had listened to his heart instead of his brain.
Yet whenever he thought about it, he remembered Eloise and the way her face lights up when Daniel is around.
The bond the two of them have is something Lando would never forgive himself for destroying. If he had listened to his heart and it had gone wrong, he didn’t know how Daniel would be able to remain part of their lives. It was easier to shut the door before it even fully opened and protect Eloise for that loss. She would learn eventually that sometimes people come and go from your life, but Lando didn’t want her dealing with a revolving door of partners and almost at a young age because he was lonely.
He had his friends, and his family. He didn’t need someone to love, or at least that is what he tells himself as he curls up in beds too big for one person.
Maybe some day when Eloise was older, and he wasn’t chasing his dreams then he could entertain the idea of bringing someone into there lives, but for now, it was enough to have the supports he did.
And Daniel was one of them even now.
He had never brought up the almost kiss. He hadn’t even acted weird about it and when Lando had woken up that Saturday, Daniel had already sent him a text of his exhausted face on a plane flying back to Monaco. Things were normal. Daniel still hugged him and messed around with him during race weekends, and he was there when Lando needed someone to help get him out of his head.
Lando had been terrified everything would have changed, but nothing did. They were still Lando-and-Daniel, Daniel-and-Lando, the duo that broke down in tears dring press conferences form laughing too hard.
The normality had made it easier to try move on, and to deal with his friends sighs and headshakes when he told them about the talk they had.
“You’re making a mistake Lan”, Alex had sighed, giving him a pitying look that made Lando tense.
He had wanted to bite back at them, yell at them for not understanding why he simply couldn’t take this leap, but he hadn’t. He had shrugged and reminded them he was an adult, that he was free to make mistakes as long as they didn’t hurt Eloise, himself or anyone else. They might be thinking of his best interests, but he was sick of justifying himself to people who didn’t want to understand.
The only one that never judged him was Max, who had wrapped his arm around him two weeks after everything while they waved at fans from the back of the parade truck.
“I get it”, Max whispered, eyes shielded by his sunglasses and smile on his face to not give away a thing, “Besides Eloise, I get the fear, and it’s valid. If this is what’s best for you right now then you don’t have to justify shit to anyone”
“This is why you’re our favourite”, Lando had whispered back, nudging an elbow into Max’s ribs to make him laugh.
“I’m totally rubbing that in Charles’s face later, but I know Daniel and Seb are her real favourites beside Jon”, Max had grinned, ruffling Lando’s hair and prompting Lando to knock his hat off which ended with them bumping into Daniel and Sebastian who rolled their eyes at their antics before looping them into their conversation.
It had helped settle something within Lando, meaning that he didn’t think twice about Eloise asking if Daniel could come with them when they went trick-or-treating on Halloween. He wasn’t able to say no to her, especially when she told him about how much more fun it would be and how they could watch those ‘old Halloween movies you like daddy’.
Daniel had been so happy when he had asked him, delighted to be invited and promising he’d protect them from all the evil candy stealers which had made Eloise laugh because “the only candy stealer is Daddy!”.
Lando had pretended to be offended for all of five seconds before shrugging because it was true. He did sneak some candy when Jon wasn’t around to stop him.
Halloween had come quick, and it was an evening that made Lando want to scold his little gremlin of a daughter for how she had played them, but it was impossible to be mad at her when she was grinning up at him so innocently. She had demanded on being a scary skeleton and Lando had gone shopping for her costume with her, buying face paints so she could do her face. Eloise had insisted that Lando go as a skeleton as well, wanting to match with her daddy and when a nosey older woman had told her she should want to be a princess or something girly, Eloise had put her in her place before Lando could.
He had had to admit that they made a cute little skeleton family.
Lando just hadn’t expected to open the door to let Daniel in, only to find him wearing a skeleton costume too.
“Eloise told me you weren’t dressing up as a skeleton and she wanted someone to match her”, Daniel had grinned, shaking his head when he realised she had played them both, “Your kids brains are dangerous, she is either going to run a country or run a war when she’s older”.
“I know”, Lando had laughed fondly, giving his daughter a look as she just grinned at them both before grabbing their hands and demanding they go before the good candy was gone.
Lando couldn’t believe that this was his life now. He couldn’t believe that Daniel, who was infamous who jetting around the world to chill with his friends, was giving up time to take Lando and Eloise trick-or-treating. He had watched them laugh and play, chasing each other down the street before Daniel had picked Eloise up, tossing her in the air gently. Her laughter had spilled over the streets, making other parents chuckle and kids tug at their dad’s jackets to ask them to do the same.
“You have a beautiful family”, one mother commented as Lando hung back, watching Daniel and Eloise do a little dance for candy.
He hadn’t corrected her.
For once he hadn’t felt the urge to run, to shut down whatever this was between the two of them. Lando had proudly thanked her, opening his arms for Eloise as she ran back to show him her spoils and when he had looked up at Daniel, Lando hand briefly reached out to touch his hand.
Daniel’s eyes had widened for a moment before they had soften, and Lando’s heart had felt as if it were going to jump right out of his chest when his fingers had briefly wrapped around his own.
Lando had wanted to keep holding on but he knew he couldn’t. Not when he still wasn’t sure if he could do this without hurting them all, so he had left go. Yet when Daniel had wrapped an arm around his waist as Eloise chatted to some other kids, Lando had leaned into it. His head resting on Daniel’s shoulder for a moment.
“Whenever you’re ready, I’m here”, Daniel had whispered, “ I’m not going anywhere”.
Those words had hit Lando in his chest, and he had carried them with him for days. They replayed in his mind constantly, even now as he was being led into the garage for what he assumed was his ‘surprise’ birthday celebration. Jon was grinning, joking with him and laughing when Lando muttered about hating surprises, especially when they weren’t surprises which got them a sharp look from Charlotte.
As he rounded the corner, Lando was greeted with a burst of cheers and streamers, but all he could look at was Daniel.
Daniel was standing in the middle of everyone, dressed in his team gear but he had Eloise resting on his hip as she laughed. She was waving a little orange flag with Lando’s face on it, a little party hat perched on her curls as she yelled “Happy birthday Daddy!”.
“Happy birthday, Lan”, Daniel smiled softly when Lando came close to take Eloise, her lips smacking a loud, wet kiss on his cheek. Daniel’s eyes were focused on him, his hand warm on his back when Lando turned to blow out the candles on the cake that declared him twenty-one with Eloise’s help.
“You’re old, Daddy”, Eloise laughed with icing smudged around her face as she sat on a counter after the cake was cut and handed out, but then she titled her head to look at Daniel who was leaning against the counter beside her, “But Dan-Dan is even older”
“Oi!”
Daniel’s laughter ruined the offended look he had on his face, and Lando couldn’t help but grin.
“That’s my smart girl. Dan-Dan is really old, he’s so old I’m going to beat him in qualifying today”, Lando teased, wiping some icing from Eloise’s face as she giggled.
“I don’t know why I’m friends with you two”, Daniel grumbled, pointing his fork at them while glaring at them slightly but there was a slight smile on his face.
“Because you love us, Dan-Dan”, Eloise rolled her eyes as if the answer was obvious.
Daniel grinned, reaching out to ruffle her hair softly before looking at Lando. His gaze was piercing.
“Yeah sweetheart, I do”.
Four simple words, but to Lando they were everything. The weight of them made him dizzy as he swallowed, eyes just focused on Daniel before he was back to chatting with Eloise, leaving Lando reeling from them. He barely tasted the last bite of his cake because his mind was in over driver. So much so that he jumped when Jon appeared beside them, telling him he needed to get ready for practice now and holding his arms out for Eloise to cuddle into her god-fathers hold.
He managed to focus for practice, but barely. It was as if he was driving on autopilot which since it was practice, was okay. He didn’t make any mistakes; he drove cleanly and gave feedback when asked but Lando couldn’t remember the laps he did. His mind kept replaying that little innocent interaction between Daniel and Eloise.
“See, he isn’t running away”, the part of his brain driven by his heart whispered and Lando, for once, didn’t feel terrified with that realisation.
Instead, it filled him with a warmth that had him smiling all day. It kept him going through qualifying, and through the media he had to do. Lando felt as if a little weight had shifted inside of him, but he didn’t realise exactly what until he was back in his hotel suite.
Jon had given him the okay for a small cheat meal, and Lando had enjoyed every bite in the best company he could imagine.
Daniel had arrived not long after they had gotten in. He was freshly showered and dressed in patterned pyjama pants with a hoodie. His curls were loose and damp, and he looked as gorgeous as ever as he had joined the, for the little pyjama party Lando had told Eloise they could have for his birthday.
The warmth he had been feeling all day, and that little voice in his mind had gotten louder as they had laughed and joked over dinner until Lando could no longer deny it; he was in love with Daniel, and he was sick of being scared to be happy.
It was a realisation that had been creeping in since Halloween when Daniel had said those words, and over the last few weeks, Lando had seen it. He had finally stopped looking at Daniel through the idea of pining and want, and saw what Daniel had been saying; he wasn’t going anywhere.
Even with the rejection, Daniel hadn’t left, and he hadn’t stayed with the hopes of winning Lando’s heart or attention. He stayed because he loved them and loved spending time with them. It was clear Daniel wasn’t just humouring Eloise or missing out of his ‘real’ life while spending time with them because this was where he wanted to be.
And Lando was sick of denying them both of what this could be.
“What’s the grin for?”, Daniel asked, noticing how Lando was watching him and Eloise instead of the movie.
Lando could only shake his head as he ran a hand over Eloise’s back as she huffed a little snore, face smooshed into Daniel’s chest.
“Time for bed, monkey?”, Lando asked, ignoring the question in Daniel’s eyes, “Come one, up”.
Eloise grumbled, giving him a glare that everyone swore was like his own as she clutched at Daniel’s shirt.
“Dan-Dan bring me”, Eloise yawned, blinking tiredly at Lando.
“Dan, that okay?”, Lando asked softly, playing with Eloise’s curls as she cuddled into him more when Daniel nodded, Lando leaned in and kissed his daughter’s forehead softly, “Okay baby, sweet dreams. You know where my room is if you need me, and Mr Koala is in your bed already. He’s just waiting for you. I love you”.
“To the moon and back, Daddy”, Eloise smiled sleepily, leaning in to kiss Lando’s cheek before Daniel was cradling her close.
He watched as Daniel took her to the second bedroom in the suite, listened as Daniel settled her in and started to read to her.
And Lando waited with shaking hands for Daniel to come back.
What was probably only a few moments given how busy the day had been for Eloise, felt like an hour before Daniel appeared once more. Lando watched as he closed the door but left it slightly open so the light came in and Eloise would be able to get out if she needed to.
“She is out like a light”, Daniel grinned, whispering slightly as he stopped in front of Lando, “It didn’t tak-”.
Lando cut his words off by standing on his tiptoes, wrapping his arms around Daniel’s neck and pulling him into a kiss.
Daniel froze for a moment before he relaxed, a hand coming up to cup Lando’s face so softly that Lando couldn’t help but smile into the kiss as his other arm wrapped around Lando’s waist. He pulled him closer, wanting everything that Daniel was willing to give him as Daniel’s thumb brushed across his cheek.
Eventually, they had to pull back, and when they did, Daniel’s eyes were so full of hope and joy that Lando felt as if he was going to burst.
“I want this”, Lando smiled, lifting a hand to touch Daniel’s face, brushing away a little tear that fell, “I want you, I want an us, but us includes a very sassy four-year-old that I’m pretty sure tried to set us up at Halloween”
His words made Daniel laugh, and Lando could hear where his throat was catching with emotion as he pressed his forehead against Lando’s.
“That sounds like the best damn thing I’ve ever heard in my life”, Daniel whispered back, nose brushing Lando’s.
“Even if it means school drop offs, and kid friendly activities. Or me having to put her first?”, Lando asked, nerves getting the better of him.
“Lando…”, Daniel cleared his throat, pulling back to gaze at him with a smile that Lando noticed he only had around him and Eloise, “I meant it when I said I wasn’t going anywhere, and I meant it when I said I love you both today. I want this too”.
“Okay, okay”, Lando repeated, laughing softly because he couldn’t believe this was happening, “Can you…can you stay tonight?”
Daniel grinned back, leaning in to kiss him again.
“Forget tonight, I’m here forever babe”
And with that, they were kissing again.
The two of them smiling and laughing into each kiss. Both of them half sure this was a dream, afraid to sleep in case they woke up alone in their own beds. Most of the night was spent curled together, talking softly about how this would work, what boundaries they needed in place to make this relationship work with a four year old and racing demanding their time.
“As long as we’re together and open with each other, we can do anything”, Daniel had reassured, kissing Lando softly just because he could, “We’ll figure this out, I promise”.
Lando, for once, didn’t feel the anxious dread that normally consumed him when it came to the unknown. All he could feel was a happiness that made his entire body feel light, and a safety that came from being wrapped in Daniel’s arms as they rolled over, the older spooning him with their hands joined against Lando’s chest.
And that was how they fell asleep, wrapped together with smiles on their faces and Daniel’s face tucked into Lando’s messy curls.
It was the best sleep Lando had in a long time, and waking up in Daniel’s arms was even more amazing than Lando could have ever imagined. He woke with his head on Daniel’s chest, listening to his heart beat with Daniel’s arm slung over him, holding him close. When he looked up, Daniel’s mouth was open a little, his breathing heavy and Lando couldn’t help but grin.
He soaked it in as he glanced at the bed side clock, noticing they had plenty of time before alarms were blaring and people came looking for them. So he snuggled closer, sighing in content as Daniel pulled him tighter in his sleep.
And then he heard it; the sounds of little feet running, and the door creaking open followed by a gasp.
Lando barely had time to sit up, Daniel rousing beside him as Eloise threw her little body at the bed. She scrambled to climb up, Lando automatically reaching out to steady her before her little body collided with his, pushing him back into Daniel’s hold as the other sat up.
“Morning monkey”, Daniel laughed, reaching out sleepily to ruffle her curls as he yawned.
Eloise was grinning, glancing between the two of them so dramatically that Lando was sure her head would roll off her shoulders.
“What’s going on in that evil little brain of yours, sweetpea?”, Lando laughed, pressing kisses all over her face to hear her giggle as Daniel wrapped an arm around his waist.
She didn’t answer for a moment. Her face scrunched up cutely as she tilted her head as if she were trying to solve a particularly perplexing math problem. Her eyes still drifting between the two of them before she leaned into Lando. Her eyes focused on Daniel.
“Daddy…does this mean Dan-Dan gets to stay?”, Eloise whispered in the way only a four-year-old could, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Yeah, monkey, it does. Is that okay with you?”, Lando asked softly , tucking a curl behind her ear, watching her face as it broke out in a big grin.
“I though you’d take forever!”, Eloise laughed, pointing at Lando, “Daddy, you’re so silly, I told uncle Shar it would take you foreveeer to tell Dan-Dan you like-like him”
Lando could only blink at her words while Daniel collapsed backwards into the bed, his laughter loud and vibrating into the mattress. It even shook a little with the force of it.
“I even tried to make you kiss at Halloween, but you’re both so slow”, Eloise complained, crossing her little arms over her chest, “Is it because you’re both so old?”
“Oh that’s it”, Daniel declared, sitting up and grabbing Eloise gently off Lando’s lap and tossing her own onto the mattress, his hands held up in a little threatening gesture, “Someone deserves tickles for being mean to her daddy”
Eloise’s protests were lost in her laughter as Danie started to tickle her, managing to avoid her little legs as she kicked them out at him. Her squirming messing up the sheets, and Lando was sure her laughter would wake Jon next door, but he honestly didn’t care as he watched the two of them.
He finally had everything he wanted right in front of, and it was his.
“Daddy! Save me!”, Eloise begged through her laughter, and Daniel was grinning at him with so much love in his eyes that Lando felt his heart skip a beat.
“I’ll save you baby”, Lando laughed before tackling Daniel back into the bed and sitting on him, grinning down at his boyfriend as he turned to Eloise, “Quick, let’s tickle him!”
As their laughter filled the suite, Lando never wanted this to end, and something deep inside him whispered that it wouldn’t.
And oh how he hoped it was right.