Chapter Text
They didn’t speak much on the way to the airport, and barely exchanged extra words as they offered their courtesies to the small crew of the private jet that Charles had borrowed from Ferrari to take them to Barcelona. Charles, in particular, hoped deeply that the crew wouldn’t be annoyed with this, as his reputation as Ferrari’s perfect, predestined prince urged him to seek the approval of every Scuderia employee.
The silence among the three extended palpably even after they settled into their seats. Pretending to act naturally while they were, basically, in the eye of a storm was nearly impossible; they knew they couldn’t avoid discussing their scaly tails, and they were also fully aware that it wasn’t a conversation to be had casually. Any overheard words could spark questions and unwanted curiosity, and there was always the risk of someone trying to verify the truth.
Charles shifted, attempting to settle in his seat to sleep, but Lewis and Sebastian could tell he was clearly restless and far from truly relaxing. Firstly, because of jet lag; they wouldn’t be sleeping now if they wanted to adapt to Barcelona’s timezone and maintain a decent sleep routine for the test days — and also to avoid any lectures from their trainers about sleep quality over the weekend. Then, there was the anxiety that sent their minds into a complete whirlwind of worry, making it feel as if their blood was boiling rather than flowing peacefully through their veins.
Meanwhile, Sebastian remained absorbed in his laptop, highly focused, almost locked in, on the research he had started back on the way to the airport. Deep in concentration, he was browsing a wide range of myths and legends, as well as scientific articles, in an attempt to find something that could help them resolve the situation they were in. Each new piece of information offered a glimmer of hope, but so far, everything he had found amounted to nothing more than unproven theories and hypotheses.
Lewis held his phone, the cold light reflecting on his face, but he was barely paying attention to what was in front of him. His eyes, restless, kept darting back and forth between Charles and Sebastian. After a few minutes, tired of the light irritating his eyes and still with no clarity on what to do, he sighed and turned off his phone, setting it aside.
With an exhausted expression and a hint of hope, Lewis leaned forward, fixing his gaze on Sebastian and cautiously whispering, “Any news?” The hope that, amid the tense silence, a miracle might have appeared in the last few minutes was reflected in his low, almost anxious tone.
Sebastian looked up, adjusting the reading glasses he always wore, frowning with a mix of concern and frustration. Before replying, he looked around, making sure no one from the Ferrari crew was close enough to hear what he was about to say. Then, he sighed deeply, the exhaustion evident on his face as it was on Hamilton’s perfectly tired face, and prepared to give an answer he knew the others didn’t want to hear but had no choice but to face.
“Not much.” Sebastian replied, crossing his arms with a frustrated look. “There are some old theories about amulets that could, in theory, undo this transformation if we’re in possession of them, but nothing that’s been truly verified outside of stories on obscure forums and the ‘fanfics’ young people write these days.”
Charles, who had been keeping his eyes closed in an attempt to rest, opened them and looked at Sebastian with an exasperated expression, whispering sarcastically, “So, basically, we’re destined to get wet and turn into half-fish forever?”
“Not half-fish, tritons.” Seb corrected quietly, as if the distinction really mattered at that moment.
“I don’t care, Seb! We’ll be half merchandise if anyone finds out!” Charles shot Sebastian an irritated look before turning his gaze toward the plane’s window.
Night had already fallen in Barcelona, and the city lights shone dimly, obscured by the threat of an impending storm. A thick layer of dark clouds hovered over the city, reflecting a gray-blue hue that clearly indicated the approach of rain. Charles held his breath as he saw the first flashes of lightning cutting across the horizon, followed by a muffled thunder, and he gripped the armrests tightly.
“Oh, no…” Murmured, the apprehension clear in his voice.
Noticing Charles unease, Lewis leaned over to look out the window, widening his eyes as he saw the rain approaching fast. “Are we going to have to deal with this now?” He asked, the tension in his voice matching Charles.
Sebastian, engrossed in his laptop research, only noticed his friend's growing panic when he heard Charles murmur. He leaned towards the window, pressing his lips into a worried line as he observed the heavy clouds. “We have no choice.” He said, trying to keep calm. “With a bit of luck, the storm might disperse before we land at the airport, or the wind might carry it away.”
“Seb, you know as well as I do that these storms tend to catch us by surprise." Charles replied, his anxious tone carrying an almost pleading note, as if hoping for a miraculous solution. Rain was never good with any driver; maybe it was only good with Max, but he wasn’t someone to think about right now.
Sebastian shrugged, letting out a soft sigh. “Look, I’m just trying to be optimistic!”
Charles scoffed, still gripping the armrest tightly, his fingers nearly digging into the padding. “So that’s it? Now we’re literally praying to, I don’t know, Zeus or any other weather god to make a miracle and send this rain anywhere but Barcelona?”
Sebastian closed the laptop with a sigh, casting a look at his friends that seemed to reflect both determination and a silent attempt to convince himself that everything would be fine. "Listen, even if the rain catches up to us, we're not going to magically transform in the middle of the plane." He said, trying to sound reassuring. "Most likely, we'll be inside the airport when it happens. So as long as we avoid any contact with water, we're safe. Trust me, it'll be fine."
Charles raised an eyebrow, giving Sebastian a skeptical look. "So basically, our plan is to run like crazy if we spot a drop of water nearby?"
Lewis let out a nervous laugh, trying to lighten the tension in the air. "Yeah… pretty much, yes."
Sebastian gave Charles a light smack on the arm, a smile breaking through his worried expression. "Stop being so dramatic. We’ll disembark, put on a hood, pretend we're invisible, and slip out quietly. It'll all work out, you'll see."
Despite the attempt, the look in Charles eyes showed he was still skeptical. He turned back to the window, watching the dark, threatening sky, almost as if the heavy clouds were mocking their situation. He pressed his lips together as the first jolts of turbulence began to intensify, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to stay calm amidst the growing nervousness.
Finally, as the plane landed, it was as if the setting had been staged for a suspense movie: the storm began to roar with full force, the raindrops threatening to fall and soak everything around at any moment. Lightning slashed through the sky, illuminating the airport in intermittent flashes as thunder echoed across the runway, reverberating strongly against the plane's structure, making Charles shudder. Sebastian cast him a careful look, his lips curling into an encouraging smile, but his own unease was unmistakable.
Lewis didn’t waste a moment and got up, pulling one of his bags from the overhead compartment, knowing that their clothes would be more than enough to protect them on the way to the hotel. Despite the rush, he carefully pulled out a few bomber jackets, hoodies with hoods, and some hats, handing them over for Sebastian and Charles to wear.
"We have to move quickly." He said, pulling the hood over his braids.
Sebastian and Charles nodded, each adjusting their coverings. They looked like three penguins, unrecognizable and completely bundled up in so many layers of clothing. Without even saying a proper goodbye to the crew — they made up an excuse so it wouldn’t seem strange that they were leaving as fast as the flashes of lightning outside — they ran as quickly as they could, without raising suspicion, to the terminal gate.
The path seemed endless, but soon enough they were safely under cover.
Lewis leaned against a pillar and exhaled heavily, catching the breath he didn’t even realize he’d lost — he was an athlete, for heaven's sake, how could he get tired so quickly?
"First part done." He finally said.
"Great, but we still need to get to the car." Replied Sebastian, showing his phone screen where the driver’s message indicated he was already waiting at the airport door.
Fortunately, this wasn’t their first time at that airport, so they knew there was a large covered parking area right where the car was parked. As they got in, the tension between them didn’t diminish. On the contrary, the fine rain beginning to fall outside only made them more nervous.
Hamilton looked out the window, watching the drops trickle down the glass, almost hypnotized by the way they merged and dissolved.
As the car moved through the wet streets of Barcelona, Lewis found himself staring at the puddles on the ground, the people walking with umbrellas, the decorative fountains scattered around the city. Everything seemed like a potential trap. How are we going to handle this? he asked himself, not for the first time in the past few hours.
The truth was that, no matter how rational he tried to be, fear had a grip on him. It wasn’t just about the physical transformation, but about how it could permanently impact their lives if they couldn’t find a solution soon. What if they could no longer compete? What if they couldn’t hide the truth for long?
"Are you all right?" The driver asked, noticing their tense expressions and the obvious air of worry inside the car.
"Yes, we’re just tired from the trip." Lewis hesitated for a moment before replying, trying to cover it up.
When they finally reached the hotel, Hamilton took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He would still have to deal with Sebastian and Charles, who probably were — or no, he was sure they were — feeling the same way, and perhaps it would be a relief to share the anxiety with them. But for now, he was alone with his thoughts as Sebastian and Charles split off to take their luggage to their own rooms.
Entering his room, he shut the door behind him, locking it as if that could somehow keep him safe. He ran his hand over his face, feeling the cold sweat he hadn’t realized was on his skin mix with the chilled air conditioning of the hotel. He needed to focus, plan, and find a way to deal with this. Charles and Vettel would be arriving soon, and they finally needed to discuss what to do next.
Hamilton threw himself onto the hotel bed, his tense muscles thankful for the soft contact with the king-size mattress. For a moment, he tried to focus on the muffled sound of the air conditioner, pushing away any thoughts related to water or the transformation. But it was impossible. Every second, the worry crept back in, slow and insidious. He stared at the ceiling, trying to find comfort in the familiarity of the hotel room, which felt just like so many others he’d stayed in over the years. But nothing felt the same.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him from his thoughts. As he picked it up, he saw it was a message from Charles in a group chat with just him and Seb.
Charles
I just finished putting my things away. I'm on my way.
Lewis
Okay, I'm already in the room.
Seb hasn't checked in yet, but he should be on his way too.
A few seconds later, Charles replied with a thoughtful emoji.
Lewis sighed and got up from the bed, taking off his travel clothes and tossing them onto a nearby chair. He walked to the bathroom and stared at the closed sink. Hesitantly, he turned on the tap with a light touch, allowing the water to accumulate in the basin.
The water gleamed under the bathroom's cold light, reflecting his own tense face on its still surface. Lewis hesitated, watching the liquid — something so common, yet now a constant trigger for anxiety.
Suddenly, the water started reacting strangely. Lewis took a step back, watching as small ripples formed on the surface, as if it were responding to his presence. He blinked, disbelieving. Hallucinations were part of the side effects of becoming half-fish? A second later, the ripples grew stronger, creating a small spiral that spun under his fixed gaze.
When he reached out, it was as if his body knew what to do, even though his mind still didn’t understand. To his shock, the water seemed to follow him, almost as if it were drawn to him, forming a liquid column suspended in the air, completely obedient to the movement of his tattooed hand.
He stared at it in disbelief as the water thread danced, twisting and shaping according to his will. It was both terrifying and mesmerizing, like a vivid dream he feared he might wake up from at any second.
The sound of something falling outside his room snapped him out of the trance. Losing focus, the water dropped back into the sink basin, splashing against the white marble before settling, as if it had never come to life.
Lewis turned off the tap just in time to hear Charles and Sebastian knocking on the door. He quickly composed himself, crossed the room, and opened the door. The two stepped in, looking at least a bit more relaxed than they had in the middle of all the chaos of the storm.
“Are you okay, Lewis?” Charles asked, frowning in concern as he noticed Hamilton's pale look.
“I’m fine, but…” Lewis didn’t even know where to start explaining what had just happened. “I need to show you something.”
Sebastian and Charles exchanged glances, apparently having a silent conversation, before nodding and following Lewis to the bathroom, stopping in front of the sink.
Closing his eyes for a second, Lewis turned on the tap again and, as before, extended his hand over the flow. The running water responded as if it were an extension of his own body, rising from the drain and faucet to form a crystalline sphere, perfectly suspended. Leclerc's eyes widened, a mix of astonishment and fascination on his face.
"Lewis… How did you…?" Sebastian stammered.
"I don’t know!" Hamilton responded, just as amazed as Charles. “It just… happened! I was here, and the water started moving.”
He tried to detail the steps of how he managed to do it while the water moved around them, like a tentacle with a mind of its own.
Sebastian, driven by curiosity, repeated Hamilton's movements, extending his hand over the sink with his eyes fixed on the suspended water, which now slowly rotated, as if waiting for a command. He looked at Lewis, hesitant, as if silently asking if he should try it. Lewis nodded, still stunned by his discovery.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes, focusing deeply. He felt a slight vibration in his palm, as if a cold chill was slowly spreading from his hand to the water tentacle. Suddenly, a thin layer of ice began to form on the surface, covering and solidifying it into a perfect, shining frozen structure. The ice reflected the bathroom light, creating small rainbows that danced on the walls.
Charles let out a small gasp of surprise, fascinated. "Seb… you just froze the water."
Sebastian stared at the ice tentacle, his eyes wide, as incredulous as the other two. "I didn’t even know… I didn’t think about freezing it." He gave a nervous laugh, looking at his hands in disbelief. "It was just… instinctive. Like I knew how to do it all along."
Lewis rubbed the back of his neck, still trying to make sense of it all. "So… each of us has a specific power? I can control water, you can freeze it… and Charles?" He looked at the driver, who now stared at the ice with an intense expression, as if trying to discover if he also had a power.
Charles extended his hand, hesitant, lightly touching the ice. He felt a strange warmth rise up his arm, like some energy was building up. The ice’s temperature began to change under his fingers, and slowly, the ice tentacle melted, turning into a cloud of vapor that floated up to the ceiling, disappearing in a soft puff.
Sebastian and Lewis looked at Charles, impressed.
"You… evaporated the water." Said Lewis, barely believing what he was seeing.
Charles shrugged, still stunned. "It seems so. But how are we going to hide this? If it was already hard to hide the fact that we turned into mermen, now this…" He left the sentence hanging, his eyes reflecting his concern.
They eventually returned to the room, and Sebastian pulled out a notebook that Lewis was sure he hadn’t been carrying before. In silence, Sebastian began writing frantically, noting down what had just happened and possible theories about it, while Charles and Lewis could only watch.
"We have a problem…" Said Sebastian after a while, as the other two looked at him. "The weather forecast for tomorrow changed. Now they're predicting a storm around midday." He turned the notebook, showing them the clear alert.
Lewis and Charles exchanged glances, the impact of the news hitting them like a stone. A storm. Water would inevitably pour down on them in the paddock.
"This is a disaster!” Murmured Charles, starting to pace. "How are we supposed to avoid the rain in an open circuit? We can’t hide forever."
Sebastian interrupted before the discussion escalated. "Hey, calm down. Let’s not lose our heads. We need to act as usual, keep our composure, but be ready to leave quickly if things start getting out of hand. No one will suspect anything if we don’t give them a reason to."
Charles sighed, crossing his arms, remembering the little isolated chaos they had gone through earlier. "Easy to say, but in practice…"
"Look..." Lewis interrupted, his voice firm. "Let’s not freak out. Seb is right. We can’t be seen as a trio of fish out of water. We’ll behave as always, like it’s just another race weekend, super normal, we’re not mermen and have nothing to hide."
The other two nodded, though doubt still lingered in the air. There was no other option.
"If it rains, we leave quickly. Agreed?" Lewis finished, looking at them for confirmation.
Sebastian was the first to respond. "Agreed. If we need to vanish, we vanish."
Charles shrugged but eventually nodded. "Alright. I hope this works."