Work Text:
“If we could get this meeting started…Jenson, please.”
Keeping his head down, Mark focused on the phone in his lap, scrolling through nothing in particular to keep out of the impending back and forth.
“Finally, he says please,” Jenson snickered as he got out of his seat. “It’s all I ever wanted to hear you say DC, please Jenson make my dreams come true!” Pressing both of his hands to his heart, he twirled about a bit to make his point.
Taking a sip of his tea, Mark could see David, out of the corner of his eye, start to smile. Him and Jenson teased and flirted with each other something rotten, and if he was feeling particularly down on himself he would allow jealousy to prevail. That wasn’t something he did, not with them, not with anyone.
“It’s Steve, Jense. I’m Steve.” It was pointless trying to keep the strain out of his voice, Jenson was clearly on the coffee, and Nico had yet to turn up. “David is patiently waiting for the meeting to start.”
“Oh god,” Mark muttered under his breath, this meeting was already shaping up to be a long one, and it hadn't really started. He felt for Steve, he was just getting into his stride, but still they took the piss.
“I know, but a boy can dream!” Chuckling to himself, Jenson slipped back into his seat, across the table from the object of his ever frustrating crush.
“Behave,” David warned playfully, completely unable to resist his charms. Between his genuinely good heart, and the freckles over his nose, he knew he was going to give in. But he loved the way Jenson flirted with him.
“Yes sir.” Biting his lower lip, Jenson always pushed right up to the limit, but he couldn’t help finding new ways to make David blush.
“As I was saying, let’s get this meeting started,” Steve repeated himself wearily.
Drumming his fingers on the pad of paper he was intending to write notes on, Mark waited to hear about what he was doing next on the show. He had only done a few short interviews in front of the camera, filling in for Nico when he didn’t turn up or didn’t want to do it. He knew he looked awkward as hell, but he did find himself enjoying the challenge the more he did them. But he knew he couldn’t compare to Nico, the perfect blonde German princess.
“Ah, Nico, glad you could join us,” Steve remarked shortly.
“No problem.” Setting his coffee cup down first, he emptied his pocket of his phones before sitting down next to Jenson.
“I didn’t mean it…like…that. Okay, so our feature pieces.” Shaking his head, Steve knew what he was about to announce was going to cause more than a couple of raised eyebrows. “So, now we’ve finally got the whole team together, I can reveal who we’ve managed to get for our big interview.” They were gaining some serious momentum, his team was the sports side of the company, creating content about all top flight sports.
He shouldn’t feel like he had any right to want to do it, but Mark squirmed in his seat from nerves anyway. Steve had mentioned that they had been surprised how well he had done, and that he might look into giving him a proper chance in the future.
“None other than Fernando Alonso.”
“Fuck.” Of all the people. There was no way he would be assigned to him, they were definitely going to be choosing their most experienced man.
“Exactly,” Steve replied to Mark's whispered word. “It’s only down to our hard work, going to get us some serious views.”
“I can’t wait to interview him,” Nico announced cheerily to Jenson’s teasing tuts.
Mark nodded at Nico, feeling surprised at how disappointed he was that he wasn’t going to be meeting Fernando. Fernando Alonso, insanely talented racing driver, and actually a little bit insane too. An absolute hero of his.
“I can see it now Nico, you mooning all over him,” David cut in with a smirk in his voice.
“Uh-” Nico felt winded.
Staring back down at his notepad, Mark sought solace in his mug of tea, now down to the perfect drinking temperature he sipped at it slowly. He really did love his job, it was a big change from being a development driver at Porsche road cars, and it was the videos he did in the car for their social media that got him noticed at Wolff TV.
“Oh Fernando, how big are your thighs?” Jenson mocked Nico with a high pitched voice.
“I am not like that!” Nico pouted, which he immediately knew was a big mistake, that was going to invite even more attention from Jenson and David.
“Didn’t think blondes were his type though,” David piped up, feeling mischievous.
“Nah, he’s a brunette lover through and through, have you seen the ladies he’s dated? Are they yours, DC?” Jenson asked over the table.
“Brunettes? No, I like blondes,” David grinned broadly as Jenson gave him a smile of his own.
Steve watched on as the meeting fell apart, Jenson and David were one more solid flirt away from leaping across the table at each other, Mark looked positively heartbroken, and Nico incredibly smug. Fuck it. “Nico, I’m going to get Mark to do this one.” That silenced the room.
“No.”
Jenson sat back in shock, Fernando was going to be the biggest name they were going to have on their channel, and Steve had made the decision to hand it to their least experienced person. Mark had only done quick interviews that Nico didn’t want to do.
“Yes Nico, this has come from up…” Steve started
“Where’s Toto and Susie?” Nico demanded hotly. “Why is this happening?” Getting up from his chair he shoved it back before stalking out of the room.
Mark just sat in shock as Nico’s voice got higher and higher, he knew what everyone else was thinking, that he was not the person to do this. “Uh, thanks?”
Steve knew he had to move on. “We’ll catch up afterwards if that’s okay?”
“Of course,” Mark replied swiftly before the meeting resumed.
“Jense, you are off to Switzerland to meet up with Sebastian Vettel again.”
“Seb? Yes please and thanks. I love that he’s grown his hair out, can’t resist a blonde.” He watched Steve’s eyes do an almighty roll. “Guess it’s to do with his environmental work since he left the grid?” After Nico’s moment, Jenson thought it would be wise to calm it down.
“Yeah, and…”
“Tone down the flirting?” Jenson made a good guess.
“Well, no, but, kinda. Just enough so not every single second is laced with it.” Some of their audience loved it, but some of their sponsors didn’t.
“Impossible, Seb is the absolute worst for flirting! You can’t not flirt with that guy, it can’t be done, he just smiles at you and you’re done for.” And he wasn’t joking, the last time he went to interview him, even he was taken aback as to how easy he fell for his charms.
“He did ask for you.”
“Well that’s set me up nicely for the rest of the day.” Jenson couldn’t help but be touched, he did like to build up a rapport with everyone he interviewed, it was how he got the best out of them. It made them look good to be relaxed.
“DC, you’re still doing okay with your British driver series?”
“Uh huh, although I am worried about how twinky they all are.”
“David!” Steve was close to throwing the towel in on the meeting and just sending out emails with all the information in. “What did you all have for breakfast?”
“Not DC, otherwise I wouldn’t be so hor…”
“You wanted Mark to do the interview?!”
The screech from Nico in the main office was easily heard in the meeting room, rendering them all silent, the clear glass walls allowing them all to see exactly how upset he was. Mark watched Toto fold his arms across his chest briefly as Nico started listing all the reasons why he wasn’t suitable for it.
“Mark, don’t give this up.”
The sincerity of Jenson’s voice shocked Mark from continuing to think of offering to do exactly that. “Oh, well.”
“Don’t, he’s having a hissy fit because he hasn’t gotten his way for once. That’s all.” Jenson reassured. “He’ll be grovelling to you with an apology soon enough.”
“He’ll have to clamber off that high horse of his first.” He tried not to be bitter about finding him and Jenson kissing at the last office party, but sometimes it slipped through.
“Oof,” Jenson puffed out.
“Toto! NO! It’s not right!” Nico complained loudly, hoping he’d win him around.
“Jense, why can’t you be that sincere all the time?” Steve pleaded, knowing it wouldn’t get him anywhere.
“Because you look hotter when you’re annoyed,” Jenson laughed, seeing Steve get even more exasperated. “And because I wouldn’t dare with someone I didn’t actually like.”
Steve had to give Jenson his due, despite the endless innuendos and playfulness, he always did as he was asked, and with real enthusiasm. “Cheers mate.”
“Ah, didn’t realise Susie was in.” Mark noticed her walk across the office, she didn’t look like she was going to rip into him, but then she never did. She was one of the better managers he’d worked with, she expected everyone to give their best all the time, but understood that it looked different for each individual.
“Looks like you’ll be getting your apology today then Mark.” Finishing off his coffee, David sat the empty coffee cup down as they all watched Susie walk Nico off.
“Think we’ll leave it there.” Knowing they weren’t going to get any further, Steve sent them off, the meeting was a lost cause.
Getting out of his chair, David collected his cup and phone off the table. “Yeah, good idea, think Steve and Mark have had enough of us flirting anyway, Jense.”
“Hey, not my fault they’re straight, if they had some taste they’d be joining in DC.” Sticking his tongue out at Steve at the rolled eyes, he got himself going to do some work.
Leaving the room last, Steve confirmed a time for their one on one meeting later, and he wished he could have been able to laugh along with Steve but he felt like he would be giving himself away somehow if he did, like they would be able to tell. And he didn’t know why he cared so much, because he knew they wouldn’t give a single shit about it.
Maybe he didn’t want the comment section to be filled with insults, maybe he liked being considered a ‘man’s man’. A wry smile slid over his lips, he would love nothing more than being some man’s man.
Slumped behind his computer screen, he knew he should be making the best of the situation he was in, hopefully about to interview Fernando Alonso. Fernando Alonso. An absolute god of a man. But in the back of his head the thought of Nico being given the job anyway, festered. It sat there all day until he was getting up to see Steve, a black cloud hanging over him, no one had mentioned it again, Nico was nowhere to be seen.
“Hey.”
“Mark, great, sit down, let’s actually get some work done.”
Steve was so easy going it made asking for help and advice less daunting when he started, Steve would just offer up his thoughts without making him feel stupid for not knowing. Mark began the job secretly feeling out of his depth from years of doing such specific content, but working an ‘open door’ team allowed him to transition quicker than he expected.
“This wasn’t just some punt, Mark. You realise that right?” Steve studied Mark's face for the truth.
“I really do feel honoured by the opportunity.”
Steve smiled broadly, “It’s belief. Toto and Susie didn’t guess or hope, they, we, love what you do on camera. And the viewers do too.” Steve pulled up some data on screen. “You really do cover all the bases. Knowledgeable, funny, passionate, good looking.”
“Oh.”
“Like I said, all bases. Viewers have asked for more content from you, and what would be better than an interview with Alonso.”
“Isn’t it a bit of a risk?”
“No. I think you’ll be able to get a bit more out of him. When you did those in car interviews, you’ll be tearing around the track like you’re on a little Sunday drive, and asking these really massive questions like they’re nothing.” Steve thought on it for a moment. “Actually we should do something similar to that, that was what really caught their eye.”
“But, what about Nico?” He wasn’t looking forward to the fallout from this.
“He has plenty to be getting on with, he hasn’t suddenly been left with nothing.” Giving the quick reassurance, he then set about getting through all the details with Mark, but he was already way ahead of him. “So you know Fernando Alonso then?”
“Not know-him know him, I’m a fan, just a fan, I’ve…I’ve just followed his career.” Why was he stumbling over his words? “He’s a good driver, you know, just phenomenal on track. Could do better in qualifying, but he’s incredible on race day, one of the best ever. And he…”
”Yeah, it sounds like it.” It was interesting to just watch Mark talk about him. If he hadn't heard what he was saying, his facial expressions screamed that he was talking about someone he was in love with, or at least fancied something rotten. He was the most animated he had ever seen him, and he hoped actually having his own assignment would allow him to come out of shell more.
---
“So when’s the interview set up for?”
“Tomorrow morning.” It had been a couple of weeks since the initial meeting about it, there had been a bit of back and forth about where and when, but it was firmly set in pace now.
“Nice, best not offer you another one then.” Jenson grinned as he got off the bench, Mark shaking his head at him in agreement. “I love the summer, drinking outside really does make everything better.” Clasping both of David’s shoulders with his hands, he gave them a brief massage before sauntering inside to get the next round.
“So, you two…” Mark flicked his eyes between David and where Jenson had gone inside.
“No, you don’t need to worry about any displays of affection.” David reassured him plainly.
“Oh, I…didn’t…oh…mean it like that. No, no, DC…”
“Look, mate, we all know how you feel about gay people.” Everyone had said not to mention it, but he was getting a little sick and tired of Mark's sideways looks.
“David,” Mark implored, it wasn’t like that at all.
“It’s fine, well actually no it’s not…” David began.
Mark had to find a way to explain. “David, no, shit.”
“You remember what you said, it’s okay to be a proud heterosexual…”
“I thought I dreamt that,” Mark whispered. Putting his head into his hands for a moment, Mark felt all the comments slide into place and make sense. “Fuck. Why the fuck did I say that?” He knew, he knew all too well. He tried to tell himself he was over and over in his head all the time. He needed a fucking therapist.
“Because you are?” David offered as he sipped at the bottle of beer playing in his hand.
“I’m so sorry, shit, I’m…I’m going to go.” He didn’t give David any time to say anything as he walked away, shocked at how much the words had upset him. How much he had upset himself.
Holding the two bottles in one hand, Jenson made his way back to David, the warm summer sun melting away to air conditioning he had just been enjoying. “Where’s Mark?” He hadn't seen him inside.
“I might have said the thing we all agreed not to say.” He thought it was best to own up immediately.
“Fucks sake DC, could have at least waited until after the interview.” Leaning down, Jenson pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “Was he okay?” Slipping back onto the bench seat beside David, and swallowed a couple of mouthfuls as David spoke.
“He was upset, but not the…not the way I thought he would be. He was upset at himself, if anything.” It was such an odd reaction. But David couldn’t help but notice the way his demeanour changed whenever he flirted with Jenson, he just stared at them with a weird expression on his face.
“He’s a strange lad.” He liked Mark a lot, but he did have a tendancy to say some really dumb things. He just hoped he didn't say or do anything dumb with Fernando, otherwise he was going to get an earful from him.
“That he is.”
He knew he shouldn’t have left, he should have stayed and been normal about it. But he clearly wasn’t normal about things. “Ugh,” Mark groaned at himself as he opened his front door. But he was going to have to be normal with Fernando in the morning, and that was going to require some work.
---
Full of a good night’s sleep, Mark lay on his bed staring at the ceiling as the sun streaked around his curtains. He felt rested, but he could feel a restless energy begin to stir in the deep pit of his stomach. The day he was about to have was going to be a voyage into the incredible, Fernando Alonso. He couldn’t believe it.
He was about to be sharing a room with the absolute hottest man on the planet.
“Fuuuuuck”
Whipping the covers off of his body, he hauled his body out of his bed to get himself sorted for the day. With the thoughts of exactly how hot Fernando was, Mark began to run through the questions he had lined up. The whole premise of the interview was a bit of an overview of his career, with a few links to the sponsor thrown in as well, but as he didn’t want to have to refer to notes at all he was committed to memorising everything.
Methodically washing his body, Mark actively thought about anything other than the man he usually did, he couldn’t have that on his mind as he sat across from him. Not quite the level of professionalism he wanted to exude.
“Espresso for Fernando.”
Mark's eyes left the screen of his phone at hearing his name being called out, it was highly unlikely that he would be getting his own coffee, but there he was. Looking all kinds of gorgeous, right there, a few feet in front of him. “Flat white for Mark.” Walking up to the counter Mark grabbed the coffee, all the while wondering if should introduce himself.
“Con permiso.”
Mark guessed and stepped back to let him past, now he had to follow him out, and to the place they were having the interview. Hopefully Fernando wasn’t going to make the leap straight to stalking, but Mark had no choice, he wasn’t going to be late. If he tried, he could even overtake him and get there before like he should.
And he did, just, Fernando seemed determined to keep up with him, or get back past him. Mark couldn’t help but enjoy the secret race they had for a while, it was only when they were a couple of streets away that he seemed to disappear. And for that Mark was relieved, it gave him the opportunity to settle himself in with the team, and get the camera angles just right so there was minimal fussing once Fernando arrived.
“Ah, I almost beat you.”
Looking up from his notes as he sat on the pale leather couch, Mark had Fernando standing in front of him, looking down at him with an amused smile on his lips. “Yeah, almost.” Standing up, he offered his hand to Fernando to shake it. Firm, warm, a couple of fingers across his palm as they let go. It left Mark on the backfoot slightly. “Great to meet you, I’m Mark. Mark Webber.”
Couch, he assumed it was going to be chairs, but no they were going to be sharing a single piece of furniture with the word ‘Bang’ behind them. And if he had a choice, he would let Fernando bang him right there and then, cameras there or not.
“Good to meet you too, I’m Fernando Alonso. Is everything set up?” Fernando asked, looking around the room as he spoke.
“Uh huh, just let me know when you’re ready to go and we can begin.” Mark had already been through make-up, and seeing one of the women who sorted his face out walk over, he knew Fernando was going to be doing the same. “I’ll let you get to it.”
It was pleasant, cordial, but as Mark did some last checks, he couldn’t help but trace down the palm Fernando did. He knew it was nothing, he knew there was absolutely nothing behind it, but it didn’t stop his mind wandering off into the realms of fantasy. “Nope, no, not now,” Mark muttered under his breath. “Professional, professional, be professional.”
“Would think that would be best, no?” He was amused by the way he was whispering to himself.
“Uh, oh, yeah.” If any hole were to open up in the ground nearby, Mark would happily fling himself in it. His only goal was to get an incredible interview, to make his bosses proud, to get the views in and move onto the next project. The little extra something for him was some close up interaction with Fernando that he could insert into his alone time. He didn’t want that marred by anything cringey. “Probably best.”
“Professional has a time and place,” Fernando teased lightly. He wanted the interview to be over and done with quickly, but still done right, so he was somewhat relieved when his specific request was fulfilled.
Mark obviously didn’t know Fernando at all, but he liked to think his voice was actually being playful, the corner of his mouth quirked up for a moment before he sat down on the couch beside him. “Of course.
“Fernando, can you move across here please.”
Fernando had sat fairly close to him, close enough that Mark could smell his cologne, close enough that he could continue his existential crisis from earlier. But now he had scooted over at the request of one of the cameramen, to sit in the frame of the camera that was going to be focused on him. Mark had his own, and there was a third that was going to be trained on both of them. All angles covered.
With the microphone checks done, lighting checks too, all there was to do was to start. Taking a deep breath, Mark did just that.
“Hello Fernando, first of all, can I say congratulations on the great season you’ve just had with your new team, Aston Martin.” As Mark spoke, Fernando just looked at him in the eye, gently nodding every now and then. “You’ve had podiums and a win, it’s been great to see you back up the front of the grid again, where you’re born to race.”
“I certainly feel more comfortable at the front,” Fernando smiled softly. “Where I can push.”
“And it shows, you’ve brought the whole grid alive with your performances, and the fans are certainly enjoying the Alonso revival too. But then again, the fans have always loved you.” It garnered a wry smile and a small chuckle from Fernando, it was just enough flattery to open him up. Maybe. He was perhaps a little too calculating to be undone with a few kind words. “And now with Aston Martin securing plenty of podiums, and a win, do you now envision a fight for a championship again?”
“Is something I would like, for sure, but now is not the time to reach too far and stretch ourselves too much. Twenty twenty two was a tough year for the team, and is now we are turning the corner.” And it really did feel that way to him. “This season we have learned so much about the car, how we operate in the races, and how we face challenges.”
“So would you see this as setting a foundation for the future?” Mark probed.
“Yes, is what we need, to push too soon when we do not have a solid foundation is not how we win. Winning a championship is about set up, like a single race win, even one overtake needs more than a hope. Is all about what we have learnt, and how it can be applied to set us up for success.” Fernando knew he had to be well behaved and get the sponsor stuff in.
“Like the Bang and Olufsen systems?” It was in the brief from Fernando's sponsor to encourage a more natural conversation about them, rather than a specific stand alone question.
“Is exactly like that, all the knowledge and expertise are put together to create a great sound system, or car, but what is equally important is that the set up is taken seriously. Is why Bang and Olifsen have and expert installation team, and why Aston Martin do not let me get involved in putting the car together!”
Mark appreciated his natural ability to weave the sponsor into the answer, laughing along with Fernando at the hint of self-depreciation, Mark saw an opportunity to butter him up a bit more. “But I’m sure the team has enjoyed your expertise in setting up the car? With your first title win in two thousand and five after only joining the grid in two thousand, you have such a wealth of knowledge to offer. And not just the team, but your team mate too.”
Mark saw the squirm, a slight shift in how he was sitting, even though he laced it with compliments, it was a pretty tough question. It wasn’t hard to find a mountain of anecdotes about the way he operated, how he would do anything to get what he wanted, no matter the consequence. Well, that’s what he had read. But despite that, Mark knew that there would be more to the story
“I have high standards, yes for my team, but is the highest for myself. Is why I train so hard, last winter you know I train every day, I took not one day off. There is no let up in Formula One, if you pause, give up, stumble, then you are behind. Is the same in development inside a Formula One team, if you stop researching, stop fine-tuning, you fall behind.”
“No time off? Has that level of commitment become easier to maintain over the twenty three years you’ve spent in Formula One?” Mark carefully angled his body towards Fernando, he could totally understand how he drew people in, he could feel himself being entrapped by his endless supply of charisma.
“Are you calling me old?” Fernando smirked.
Fernando brought his leg up onto the couch, widening his stance, turning more towards him. “Not at all, but you are on the upper end of the age scale now, it is something to consider?”
“Can not believe you are calling me old, am heartbroken.” Leaning back more onto the couch, Fernando groaned playfully.
“I’m older than you, don’t worry,” Mark ensured the smile was heard in his voice, he didn’t want to risk a need for some familiarity to insult Fernando.
“Mentally I find it easier actually, is not something I have thought too much about before, I really do enjoy going to the gym, is a way I deal with things. For the team I want to be the best I can be, so if I am physically at my best, I know I can be mentally at my best too.”
“So would you say, for you, that physical and mental health is intertwined?” It was a touch off topic, but it could be cut if necessary.
“Absolutely, for me, it’s so important. Especially when the gym is empty.”
“An empty gym?” Mark whistled. “Don’t think I’ve ever been so lucky.”
He was guessing Mark visited the gym, under the smart shirt he could see the outline of his biceps as he moved about, the broadness of his shoulders pulled it taut. The shape of his thighs…he should probably answer. “Is easier for me to have, uh, my own at home. Then I don’t interrupt anyone else being on things for so long.”
“That’s very courteous of you, such a gentleman.”
“Ha! I don’t get called that very often at the track!” Fernando couldn’t help but chuckle at what Mark was saying. He wouldn’t consider himself that at all.
“I can’t imagine why, could it be your notorious reputation for making it incredibly hard to overtake you? It’s certainly been one of your trademarks over the years.”
“An overtake is much better when you earn it.”
The brief wrinkle of Fernando's forehead made Mark dip his gaze, coupled with the earnest tone of his voice made Mark want to cross all sorts of lines. “Is that what you tell them?”
“Are making fun of me!” Fernando laughed loudly, he wasn’t used to anyone poking fun at him, but Mark doing it after knowing him for hardly any time had him wanting to be teased.
Getting the interview back on track took a couple of minutes, but Mark managed it after a brief spell of silliness, but he prayed it came across just the right side of professional because it was all on tape. He was probably going to get made fun of in the office either way. But what he did know was that he was getting a great interview out of Fernando, that he was certain of.
“You’re very active on social media, often giving fans an insight into life beyond the track, your training, and regular travel across the globe. And music often accompanies those posts, do you use music to help you prepare before a race?”
“Not so much just before a race on the grid I know other drivers do, I like to talk to my engineers, and my team, to prepare the strategy for the race that way. But when I travel I listen to music a lot, I like to use it to relax. Every two weeks is another race to travel to, and with how far I travel is plenty of time to listen. And when I am in the gym, is a great motivator!”
“I know people will be wanting to know what type of music you listen to now,” And Mark wanted to know too, he’d done his research, and couldn’t really find an answer that he would have used in a question.
“I am not a guy who just sticks to one type of music, I am very flexible, so I like to find new music to listen to. I like to try many different types, sometimes I surprise myself with what I like.” Fernando was ever more impressed with the relaxed nature of Mark's interviewing technique, sponsor led media tended to be a bit stilted, but he got it closer to a conversation than most.
“A bit of the unexpected does you good,” Mark agreed, “which of the Bang and Olufsen products are your favourite ways to listen to those surprises?”
Going up to thank everyone for doing their part, and helping put some of the equipment away, Mark failed to notice that Fernando had stayed behind. “Oh, hello.” Mark tried his best not to stare as Fernando walked back towards the couch, he had been standing out of the way. He wasn’t stupid enough to believe he wanted to stay to spend more time with him, but Mark could pretend otherwise later.
“Hola,” Fernando replied lightly, walking around from behind the couch to sit back on it, surveying Mark all the while.
“I thought you would have bolted.” Rubbing the back of his neck, Mark hovered where he stood, not sure what was going on.
“Bolted?” He made himself comfortable in the same spot he had for the interview.
“Gone, I thought I missed my chance to thank you, properly.” Mark had offered his thanks in a perfectly normal and professional way, so even though he said it, he wasn’t entirely sure what he meant by ‘properly’.
“How would you like to thank me, properly?” Fernando mirrored the way Mark had spoken, because his mind was running up quite the list he would happily tick off.
“Well, uh…” Fernando was sitting on the couch, legs spread in a way that Mark couldn’t help but cast his eyes over. “Thank you for your time today, I imagine you’re incredibly busy.” It wasn’t the most imaginative way to start, but it was all he could think to say as Fernando held his gaze.
“Never busy for my sponsors.”
For a moment Mark thought he was being wholly serious, but Fernando left him dangling for a couple of seconds past comfortable, before grinning wolfishly up at him.
“I almost get you.” Waggling a finger at Mark, he liked the way he squirmed on the spot. And then there was the way he was biting his lip and holding his breath. “Mark?”
The way he rolled his accent over his name was literal heaven, how was something he imagined even better than he could possibly imagine it? “No, you did get me.” Mark acquiesced, as he walked across the room towards him. With the lighting rigs gone, they were left with the warm afternoon summer sun, making Fernando's tanned skin even more golden.
“You give in so easily.” And he made it so easy to play with him.
“I’m not a superstar Formula One driver,” Mark pointed out as Fernando spread his legs a little wider. And if he spread them any further, Mark would have felt compelled to kneel between them. But because that would have been truly idiotic, he settled for sitting back beside him, which was fortuitous considering the person walking into the room.
The man obviously knew Fernando, and as they chatted in Spanish, Mark felt the urge to make his excuses and go, but as he shifted his weight, Fernando touched his leg. Mark was stilled instantly. Once the man left, Fernando was on his feet, walking towards the door, confusing Mark further.
“And I am?” It felt a little more sincere coming from Mark.
“Yeah, just a bit,” Mark huffed a laugh.
“Oh I should ask, is this off the record?” Checking the door, he turned around and leant against the door to see what Mark's reaction was.
“One hundred percent.” He wouldn’t tell anyone else, but he was committing every single second of this interaction to memory, especially the view of Fernando walking towards him like he was prey. Getting to sit this close to one of the hottest guys in the world was a rare treat, especially one that was getting closer to him. “Why do you want it off the record?”
The way Mark was looking at him told him a great deal, he was subtle during the interview with his glances, but they were certainly becoming less so. “Is always good to check.”
Fernando dropped his voice and Mark found himself inching a little closer, craving more of it. “Check what?” Bringing his leg up like Fernando did during the interview, Mark turned more to face his profile.
As Mark's gaze dropped to his lips, Fernando brushed his fingers up Mark's thigh, and when his legs widened a little and his hips flexed, he decided his checking was getting the right results. “Mark.”
“Fuck. Do you say everyone’s name like that?” He was very close to needing to readjust himself.
“Like what?” Fernando put on his best innocent voice to see how Mark reacted.
“Like you want to fu…”
“Maybe I do.” Mark groaned again, and Fernando squeezed the top of his thigh with his hand, slightly pulling him closer to see if he would comply.
“Fer. Fuck.” The hand pulling on his leg was tucking under his knee, digging in slightly. And he could so easily swing his leg over Fernando's lap, and it kind of felt like that was what he wanted. So by shifting his weight a little to sit up on his left knee, Fernando took charge with firm hands on his waist to shift him over. “Oh god.”
The way Mark sat into his lap was so decadent, it was slow, and the way his rolled his hips as they connected made him gasp out. Tipping his head back, Fernando moaned quietly as he bucked his hips up against Mark. But what had him moaning louder and louder, was the way Mark was kissing up his neck, lips first, then cheeky flicks of his tongue. It was softer than he usually got, than what he usually asked for.
Grabbing the back of Mark's shirt, he tried to get some purchase, but it was so tight across him, Fernando couldn’t. Bringing his head back up to face Mark, he dragged his hands up his back to hold onto his face, his stubble rasping against his palms and he brought him in for a kiss. And he kept it softer. Not bruising, or fierce, but slower and possibly closer to sensual than he had ever got.
“Mark…Mark…Mark…”
The chanting of his name at his ear had Mark rocking to the rhythm of it. It felt meditative, Fernando telling him what to do. Each breath, his name again, he ground down. He couldn’t could barely catch his breath, let alone believe what was going on. “Fernando,” Mark gasped as Fernando's hands at his waist were slowing him down. “Fuck.”
“Mmm.” Snaking his hands around to grab at Mark's ass, he encouraged him to kneel up with squeeze, Mark’s strong thighs bracketing his own. It gave him the very best view of how much he was straining against the fly of his trousers, and dragging his fingers over his clothed cock Mark canted his hips towards him. “You want?” Tucking the tips of his fingers into Mark's waistband, he gave it a gentle tug.
Mark undid the button himself, popping it through the material, he made his desires known. It could turn out to be a hideously unfair daydream, but Mark was past caring, Fernando was pushing his hands under his shirt, getting it loose from the once professional look he had started the day in. Now he was being undressed by Fernando fucking Alonso. “I want.” He was struggling to make much sense beyond a couple of words.
“I want this.” After he pulled down the zip over Mark's impressive bulge, Fernando looked up at Mark face, lips parted as he panted, but his mouth was wide open as he grabbed his ass again. “This.”
“Yeah. Yeah, fuck, please,” Mark growled, he needed what Fernando was offering. Now. He needed it now. “Please.” Sitting down on Fernando's lap again, Mark leant in to kiss his again, easily licking into his mouth as he tackled his trousers. Fernando was hard under his hand, pressing his palm over his cock he moaned at how big he felt, pushing his fingers under the fly of his jeans he tested just how big.
As Mark's fingers tried to wrap around him, Fernando eased his trousers down a little to give him what he wanted, and the hitch in Mark's breath as he broke the kiss made his cock throb. “Is good enough?”
The question stunned Mark out of his Fernando-induced daze, grinning at the sheer level of arrogance in the way he said it, and the way he arched an eyebrow, he stood up and started to get rid of his shoes. Carefully. His cock pressed against his stomach as he bent over, Fernando having enough class to busy himself with his own clothes before he righted himself.
“Is. Good.” Fernando wasn’t afraid to openly stare at what Mark had revealed, slumped back against the couch, he looked him up and down slowly. He thanked his ability to make good choices as Mark straddled him again.
“Where did you…?” Fernando was tearing into a condom, was it something he just always had on him?
“What?” Mark was looking at him, amusement over his features.
“You always this prepared?” Mark marvelled at how everything was all literally unfolding.
“When the interviewer looks like you, si.” Fernando grinned as he rolled it down his cock. “You?”
As turned on as he still was, Mark couldn’t help but chuckle at the small bottle of lube that was being offered to him. “Yeah,” he breathed as he took it from him, unclicking the top he gave himself enough to get him started.
Fernando was expecting to be asked to help, he was ready to help, but Mark had slung an arm around his neck, and reached behind himself with the other to fuck himself on his fingers. The slick, wet sound of him fucking himself was intense, intertwined with his deep throated breaths as they kissed, open-mouthed, licking into each others mouths. Fernando bucked up into nothing, his cock slapping against his own stomach as the weight of Mark across his legs kept him pinned to the couch.
“More.” Taking more lube, Mark was starting to rush stretching himself open, knowing that Fernando was going to fuck him as soon as he was ready. His thighs were threatening to ache, but he didn’t care, he’d let everything go numb before he’d complain, he needed to be fucked by him. He needed to be fucked full stop. But to be fucked by the object of a long-standing, deep-rooted, decade long celebrity crush was beyond a simple need.
As he struggled to keep his cool, Fernando busied his fingers with unbuttoning Mark's shirt. “Joder,” he gasped as his chest came into view. He was so broad over his shoulders, but his waist was just begging to be grabbed.
“Ah, no, no, no, don’t. Oh god, don’t. I’ll come, I’ll come,” Mark gasped out. Fernando was playing with his nipples, brushing over them with the pads of his fingers, a light touch that was making it hard to concentrate. The two fingers he was fucking into himself stuttered as Fernando lightly pinch one of them. “Fuck. Fuck you,” Mark breathed out a short laugh.
“No, I fuck you.” Reaching around Mark, he traced down his back until he met the fingers pumping in and out of his body.
Burying his face into Fernando's neck as he was being touched, Mark soaked up the sensation of his finger circling his entrance, it was strangely intimate considering they were about to fuck in some random room. It was a drop of intimacy he wasn’t expecting, but soon disappeared when Fernando breached him with that finger. “Fucking hell,” Mark sighed over his skin, the rasp of Fernando's stubble against his own was electrifying.
“Are ready?”
Mark wasn’t sure if it was truly just a question, or if it was laced with demand. But Fernando’s finger insistently pushed further in, making him hiss from the stretch.
“Feel so good,” Fernando praised, knowing it was about to feel even better, whilst Mark made the most delicious groan and arched his back as Fernando took his hand back.
“Yeah, yeah. Fuck, yeah, now.” Slowly taking his fingers out, Mark sat himself back up, and now able to look at more of Fernando, he noticed where his shirt had ridden up, there was a tattoo his wasn’t familiar with. He knew the others through all the photos he could find. Allowing himself to be manoeuvred onto his back, Fernando's hands firmly pressed the inside of his thighs to spread him open like the whore he felt. “More lube,” he asked. He knew he was going to need it, Fernando was his perfect amount of long and thick.
Fernando complied as Mark got himself more comfortable, putting a foot on the floor was going to give him all the space he needed to fuck him. Sitting back a little, Fernando leant against the couch as he stroked the lube over his length. He could see Mark out of the corner of his eye, his shirt fully open, propped up on an elbow, watching his hand stroke his cock with unguarded lust.
He was expecting Fernando to be a lot rougher with him, but he pushed a couple of fingers into him again in the new position, giving him the chance to ready himself. Hooking his right leg around Fernando's waist, Mark used the foot he planted on the floor to lift his hips up, giving Fernando all the access he needed. “Oh.” The blunt tip of his cock pressed to his entrance, bearing down a little as Fernando guided himself in, Mark sank into the mind-numbing bliss of being stretched.
The huge breath in Mark took outlined the edges of his ribs, the sigh afterwards allowed him to push forward, the hot heat of his body enveloping him, the sensation he craved and had to hide made his head drop. Concentrating on not coming instantly, Fernando focused on breathing steadily as Mark sighed again, but this time he rolled his hips, giving him reason to cry out.
Planting his right hand between Mark's waist and the back of the couch, he grabbed his waist with his other and started to rock into him. Feeling Mark's body properly relax, Fernando sank into him further, pressing his hips to his ass until he was buried up to the hilt, his cock finally fully inside him. “Fuck, are tight.”
Fernando was too still, deeply in him, but not moving. “Ngh, please move, just move,” Mark keened, needing everything Fernando was willing to give. Then he started moving, a slow pull out, then and equally slow thrust in, over and over, achingly slow. “Fernando, please for the love of god, just fuck me.”
The frustration in his voice was hot, really hot, and when Mark brought his leg off the floor and settled it around his waist, Fernando crowded over him, bending him at the middle. Fucking into him as his body completely relaxed, Fernando soaked up the way Mark was just taking it, his mouth slack with what he hoped was pleasure.
“Oh god, fucking hell.” Bracing himself with a hand against the arm of the couch, Mark loosely circled his own cock. “Fuck.” Each thrust pushed the air out of him, forcing him to gasp for each and every breath. Fernando was orchestrating every shot of pleasure he was going to feel. It was all he wanted.
“You like?” Fernando panted, planting his left foot on the floor for more leverage. “Take more?”
“Yeah, yeah.” He wanted to be fucked, and now he was. The slick sounds of Fernando fucking into him was matched by their heavy panting. The view of Fernando over him, his free hand pinching a nipple before slamming it down beside his head, crowding his body, getting more access to slam into him. “Fer…” Forcing his eyes open, Mark gazed up at Fernando's face, he even looked good fucking.
“Don’t come,” he demanded with a smirk. He could feel Mark's leaking cock rub across his stomach, each thrust painting him further with his pleasure.
“How!” Reluctantly releasing his cock, Mark risked it by running his hand up Fernando's arm up to his neck, lightly pressing his thumb against his pulse, he could feel it strum strong against the pad. Then he felt Fernando press into his thumb on purpose, Mark clasped his fingers to the back of his neck on instinct, knowing that samurai tattoo was right there. The ink he wanted to lick at like a desperate slut.
“Wait,” Fernando demanded, wanting to come first. “Me first.” The ghost of a smile over Mark's lips edged him closer, the way he teased his throat with pressure, the way he begged for it with his body. “Joder,” he breathed out deeply. They sounded obscene together, skin slapping together, groans as Fernando got as deep as he could, bitten half-words as their senses sparked pleasure.
As Fernando's hips stuttered against him, Mark released the loose grip he had on his neck, and just watched on as Fernando's body strung tight. Fernando thrust shallowing into him as he came, his climax written all over his face, and Mark was enthralled by how gorgeous he looked, heavenly. Pushing himself off the leather, it stuck to his back momentarily as he reached to kiss him, a risk of intimacy he took and was rewarded for.
“Mark, joder, fuck.” Panting around the kiss, he continued to thrust into Mark as sparks of his climax shook through his body, riding it out, he licked into Mark's mouth in time to each push into his body. Mark squirmed beneath him as they continued to kiss, the desperation to join him so obvious. “So tight still.”
“Ugh, please.” He was straining to stave off his own orgasm, the pulse of Fernando's cock, still inside him, was the most decadent sensation. “Please, fuck.”
“Are so good,” Fernando teased with a kiss, before carefully slipping out of Mark to a shared hiss. “So good.” Mark's cock was flushed a deep pink, straining for release, begging for his attention.
He was trying to watch Fernando, but he was more concerned with not coming, breathing through the faint waves as he was left clenching around nothing. But the moment the back of his head touched the couch, hot wet heat covered his cock. “Fer…nando.” Fernando was sucking his cock, and he had to watch, he had to see the slutty way his lips stretched around him. He had to commit it to memory. And the moment their eyes connected, Fernando started to move his head up and down. “Oh god.” He was not going to last at all.
The firm point of Fernando's tongue licked up the underside, the firm point over his slit, a hand cupped his balls, and he was just about to choke a couple of words out. “I’m…gonna…co…”
As Mark arched his back, pushing his hips into the shallow cushion, Fernando sucked the climax out of him willingly, strong thighs pressed around his head as he swallowed around his cock. A thrust threatened to make him gag, but he was experienced enough to avoid it, Fernando closed his eyes and enjoyed the tickle of hair at his nose, the shake in Mark's body around him, and the blissful cries of his name over and over.
“Oh fuck, fuck,” Mark sighed, utterly lost in how Fernando had been in him, and now was around him.
“Joder.” Mark looked a sight, a wonderful sight, but a fucked out one. It was perhaps his own arrogance, but Fernando loved the mess he could leave a man in, barely able to talk, legs spread unashamedly, swimming in the afterglow. And Mark was easily the best looking of the lot. It looked good on him. “Are okay?” Sitting back, Fernando watched him come around.
“Yeah.” He honestly felt lightheaded, as he made his best effort to sit up, he was careful to do it slowly. “Yeah.” If he thought Fernando was gorgeous before, the sight of him leaning against the opposite arm of the couch, not hiding an inch of his body, looking indecently smug was another level. Reaching over, Mark lifted the hem of Fernando’s half-buttoned shirt up to get a proper look at the tattoo again. The open pocket watch had a time on it, and. I matter how curious he was about the meaning, he wasn’t going to ask.
“Not many people get to see it,” Fernando revealed quietly.
“I bet.” His head was still swimming, and he was practically naked. “Fuck.”
“Mmm.” Gently taking the condom off, Fernando reached around for his trousers, pocketing the evidence to deal with later. “Good fuck?”
Mark chuckled, “yeah, something like that.” He realised he shouldn’t feel as serene as he was, but he couldn’t force himself to feel any other way. Scrubbing over his hair, he could feel the damp edges with his fingertips, and he wasn’t surprised. Forcing himself off the couch, Mark made the effort to get dressed first, the scratch of material over his sensitive skin almost too much to bear. He usually preferred to settle and swim in the afterglow, but it wasn’t ever going to be an option today.
Following Mark's lead, Fernando got dressed quickly, matching Mark item for item. “Okay?”
”Yeah, I am, you?”
“Uh huh.”
Mark saw a flash of something across Fernando's face. “All off the record.” He wasn’t sure if Fernando needed the reassurance, but Mark offered it nonetheless, and got a warm smile in response.
“Si.” He felt touched that Mark had said it, but it wasn’t what he needed. If anything he was at the point of his career, that he was certain it wouldn’t matter all that much if it got out.
“And for me too?” Mark grinned.
“Hmm, I think I can do that.” Fernando smiled back easily, the ghost feeling of his hand around his neck giving him a reason to think.
---
“Mark, this interview…” Steve wasn’t sure how to get it across.
“Yeah,” Jenson chimed in, “it’s…”
“You massive flirt!” David was the first to get out a full thought. “You were both flirting something rotten, subtle though, but enough to get people obsessed with it.”
“Oh, uh, thanks.”
“That’s it?” Steve asked. “We need the details, how did you get him that open, that happy and chatty?”
Open. Mark took a sip of his coffee to give himself a moment. He was the open one. “I don’t know, I don’t think I did anything special.”
“I swear his eyes sparkled,” Jenson smirked, “Nico, you ever get their eyes sparkling?”
Nico was staying quiet on purpose, even he couldn’t deny that Mark did a better job with Fernando than he ever could, or ever did. He had wanted another chance to do better than the last time he interviewed him, Nico had found reserved and withholding. But Mark had opened him up like a book. “Mm.”
“I wouldn’t stay sparkled, Jense, but Mark seriously, prepare to do more of this, the Wolff’s loved it. And I’m sure our viewers will too.” Steve gave the praise easily, he had another strong member of the team he could count on. “Stay behind after, got something for you.”
Mark stayed sat as everyone else left the room. “What’s up?”
“I have something from one, Fernando Alonso, to give to you. You know he asked for you specifically?” When Susie had told him that, Steve was immediately left wondering as to what was behind the request. Susie had agreed with it, saying that Mark should have a bigger presence on the channel. “For the interview.”
“I thought it came from Toto and Susie.” He was questioning a few things now.
“It did, they agreed, but apparently Fernando would only do it if you were.” Steve had found it curious at the time, but it was clear Fernando knew what he was doing, he had been around long enough.
“Oh. So this message?” Mark couldn’t deny that he was buzzing at what it could be. They had left the building together, and then parted in opposite directions once they hit the street. To want anything else at the time was far from his mind, he was aware of how insanely lucky he was to get what he got. It filled his mind any moment he wasn’t actively thinking about work, especially as he lay in bed trying to get to sleep.
“It’s not a message.” Sliding the box across the table at Mark, all he saw was a very confused look as he picked it up. “So, I’ll let you get back to it.”
Mark wandered back to his desk with the brown cardboard box tucked under his arm, all it had on the outside was his name in what he guessed could be Fernando's handwriting. Maybe that was too hopeful. Once he was seated in his chair, Mark carefully opened it, and grinned at the box he found inside.
Bang and Olufsen
It was a pair of headphones, very nice headphones. Seriously nice headphones. The sort he looked at occasionally, winced at the price, then moved on. He couldn’t deny he was slightly disappointed, not at the expensive gift at all, but because he was hoping for something a little more…
“You only fucked the once,” Mark whispered to himself. He knew getting his hopes up for something more was stupid, but in the short walk from the conference room to his desk, he let them raise a little. The gift was nice, actually it was kind of funny, the word Bang brought a smile to his face. But still he opened the box containing the headphones, sliding the packaging out, he saw that Fernando had gotten their before him.
There was a card placed on top, business card sized it had a phone number on it under Fernando's name. Flipping it over, he found more handwriting.
my personal number, call me
And so Mark did, he had nothing to lose. “Hey.”
“Hola Mark,” he recognised his voice immediately, “glad you call.”
Hearing the smile in Fernando's voice had Mark grinning like an idiot behind his computer screen. Ducking down, Mark rested his elbow on his desk, resting his cheek against his palm, he told himself to keep it together.
“Yeah?” Mark tested the waters. “Thank you for the headphones, you didn’t need…”
“I did, everytime I wear mine, I think…” Fernando paused, he wasn’t sure if he should say the thing. “Can not stop thinking about you,” Fernando breathed, admitting it out loud for the first time.
If he was grinning like an idiot before, hearing those words had Mark swinging around in his swivel chair like a damn teenager.
“I need to find out what was in that box.” He had stared at it through the meeting, wondering what it was, so to see Mark walk out with it piqued his interest. Then he saw him make a phone call with the biggest smile on his face when it was answered. “I’ve never seen him look so happy.” When Mark turned and all he could see was the back of his head, so David had scurried over to lean on Jenson’s desk which was nearer to Mark's than his own.
“Yeah, christ, he looks younger,” Jenson agreed, Mark was lighting up.
“He’s biting his lip, well that solves it then.” With Mark totally wrapped up in the call, he didn’t notice either of them being nosy. “That’s sex related.
“Ha, let’s imagine it’s Mr Fernando Alonso then, makes it far more interesting.” Jenson had David laughing beside him, then a quick kiss later they were doing their best to get back to work. Occasionally popping their heads up and around their screens to keep tabs on Mark's reaction to whoever was on the phone.
“Yeah, I’d love to meet up again,” Mark agreed warmly to Fernando's offer, unable to stop himself from punching a fist in the air. He couldn’t believe what Fernando was asking him.
He was going to be brave and ask. “Maybe for dinner?” It had been a few weeks since the interview, and Fernando had found himself thinking about Mark in quiet moments. And he wasn’t lying before, every time he slipped on his headphones, his mind went right back to their tryst. Fernando knew they hadn't spent any time together realistically, but he had felt a little spark of the possibility of maybe something beyond just great sex.
“Uh, oh, yeah, yeah that’d be great.” Mark stopped himself before he babbled on and made an idiot of himself. “Um, yeah.” His mind was racing, he was absolutely reeling from the question, Fernando actually wanted to see him again. Mark wished he had waited until he had returned home before calling, because then he could have paced about to keep himself calm. But no, he had to do it at work, with a potential audience.
“Am in the city next week, have your number, is okay to let you know the reservation?” He couldn’t believe that Mark was agreeing.
“Yeah.” Even over the phone, his voice could have him on his knees, he had it so bad.
David spied the contents of the box on Mark's desk, and as he searched for how much the headphones cost, he stopped working altogether. Messaging Jenson a screenshot, he watched the messy blonde hair poke over the top of his computer screen the other side of Mark. His eyes were comically big, then soon settled into something more mischievous. The message he got back from Jenson made him giggle.
-ten quid he blew Alonso for the headphones
“So, Marky boy, who’s your sugar daddy?” David muttered to himself as he wandered past his abandoned desk, he was going to bother Jenson again, so he reasoned it wasn’t technically snooping. But he saw nothing, especially the business card Mark had been playing with. That would have been the key.
“They’re a gift for doing the interview,” Mark explained to the back of David’s head as he walked up behind him, as he was making himself a coffee, he had watched his pathetic attempt at spying. He thought it wise to leave out the fact he got them for letting the interviewee do him. And he was grinning again.
“Glad you’re happy mate,” Jenson chipped in.
"Me too mate, me too." Regardless of what may or may not happen, Mark was happy, really happy. "And you guys too, you make a great couple."
David gasped, pretending to be offended. "We're not just great, we're rugged, manly, breathtaking!"
"You got me there, I stand corrected," Mark chuckled as he returned to his seat, mouthing 'sorry' to David for that conversation. When he got a generous nod of the head in response, Mark felt an urge. "You guys up for a drink after work? Just wanted to run something by you." It wasn't to atone for what they thought of him, it was to finally make peace with himself.
"We'll be there with bells on," Jenson assured with two thumbs up. Maybe he would get the otherside of the story he had gotten from Fernando, he knew the juicy bits had been left out. And he knew for a fact there were some, Fernando wasn't that good of a liar. "Thanks in advance for paying Mark." Proud hetero my arse Jenson thought with a smirk.