I choose you.
The way morning tenderly craves the embrace of dawn's first light.
A quiet surrender to the allure of new beginnings,
Where every sunrise whispers your name.
And my soul awakens in the warmth of your love.
As if the universe itself conspired to bring us into being.
I choose you.
In the hush between heartbeats,
Where certainty blooms without needing to be asked.
Where the world softens, and time folds itself around us.
Like a secret meant only for two.
You don't have to force yourself to bounce back so quickly. I read something recently that said "when you come in from a rainstorm, you don't expect yourself to be dry and warm right away", and it really resonated with me. It's okay to take time to dry off and warm up. Take the time you need to process what happened to you.
endometriosis: a chronic condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, leading to pain, heavy periods and sometimes fertility issues
As she arrived, the paddock was alive with the chaos of formula one. Cameras flashed as PR staff hurried between garages, and the low hum of engines idling in the distance made the air tremble. It was media day, the least glamorous part of racing, she thought, and everyone was trying to look awake, polished and invincible.
She had done it before. Smiled through exhaustion, handled logistics, and laughed at Lando’s teasing with a clipboard in one hand and a headset in the other. But today, something was off.
It had started that morning - a low, dragging ache in her abdomen, familiar enough that she didn’t need to look at the calendar to know what it was. She had taken painkillers, hoped for the best, and told herself she could push through.
Now, standing beside the McLaren garage, headset pressed to her ear as she coordinated a press lineup, the ache had sharpened into something heavier. Each breath felt too shallow, her pulse too quick. She forced a smile anyway when Lando walked past, waving a takeaway coffee cup.
“Morning,” he said, grinning in that easy way that made people like him instantly as he handed her the coffee. “You look– uh–” He frowned slightly, eyes flickering over her face. “Are you okay?”
She blinked. “Yeah, just a long morning.”
He didn’t look convinced. “You sure? You don’t look too well.”
She gave a weak laugh, “Says the guy who lives in a helmet.”
That earned a chuckle, but his gaze lingered, thoughtful. “I mean it. You look really poorly.”
She turned away before he could read too much. The last thing she wanted was for him - or anyone - to see her struggling. She reached up to fix his collar. “You worry too much.”
He caught her hand gently before she could pull away. “Only about you.”
She smiled faintly, but her stomach twisted from both the pain and from the affection he was showing her.
~~~
By the time the afternoon interviews started, the cramps had worsened. The air felt heavier, the crowd noise was like static in her skull. She stood to the side, half-listening as Lando fielded questions with that mix of charm and self-deprecation that made journalists adore him.
The next cramp she had nearly buckled her knees. She gripped the barrier beside her, her hand going numb.
Lando noticed instantly, mid-answer, his eyes darted straight to her. Concern flickered quick and real. He wrapped up the interview faster than usual, ignoring the PR handler’s confused look, and went straight to her.
“What’s wrong?” He asked quietly.
She tried to brush it off. “Just cramps.”
He raised a brow. “Cramps don’t make people look like they’re going to pass out.”
“Lando, it’s fine,” she said, the words tighter than she meant them to be. “I just need a minute.”
“Then sit.” He said firmly, nodding towards a bench outside the hospitality area.
“Lando–”
“Please. Humour me.”
There was no point arguing. He already had a hand at her back, gentle but insistent. When she finally sat, she realised how dizzy she was. The world seemed too bright, too loud and too sharp.
Lando crouched in front of her, his usual playfulness gone. “This isn’t nothing.”
She hesitated, then sighed. “It’s endometriosis. It… flares up sometimes.”
He blinked, clearly trying to piece it together. “That’s the–?”
“It’s when tissue like the uterine lining grows where it shouldn’t,” she said softly. “It causes pain. Sometimes it's really bad.”
He exhaled slowly. “And you’ve been working through that all day?”
“I didn’t want to make a fuss.”
His eyes softened but his jaw clenched. “You shouldn’t have to hide when you’re in pain.”
Before she could respond, another wave hit, sharp and gut-deep, making her fold slightly forward. Lando’s hand shot out, steadying her shoulder.
“Woah,” he muttered, sitting next to her on the bench to help her sit up.
She focused on his touch, allowing it to ground her. When the worst of it passed, she leaned back with a shaky sigh. “It’s easing.”
He rubbed her shoulder, watching closely. “Better?”
“Yeah?”
He stood only to fetch water and a heat pack from the motorhome, returning within minutes. He handed her the bottle, then carefully pressed the pack against her stomach. “Here.”
“Thank you.” She whispered, voice breaking slightly.
He exhaled, relief loosening his shoulders. They sat like that for a while with her leaning slightly against him, his arm looped around her shoulders. The atmosphere faded around them.
“Sorry,” she murmured eventually. “This isn’t exactly the glamorous part of F1.”
Lando laughed quietly. “I don’t care about glamour. I care about you.”
She looked up at him, surprised by how simple he made it sound.
He smiled softly. “You could tell me next time, you know. You don’t have to power through alone.”
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
He reached up, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. “I’ll always worry. That’s kind of my thing now.”
She laughed weakly. “Since when?”
“Since about a year ago, give or take.”
That made her smile, tired, but real. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Yeah,” he said, grinning now. “But I make good company when you’re miserable.”
~~~
Later, when the day finally ended, he walked her back to the car, carrying her bag without question. When she leaned against the door, exhausted, he opened it gently.
“Home, food, then bed,” he said. “Doctor’s orders.”
“Doctor Norris?” She teased faintly.
“The one and only.”
The drive through the city was quiet. Lights shimmered across the windshield, her head resting against the seat, his hand occasionally brushing hers when he shifted gears.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
“I will be.”
He nodded, eyes still on the road. “You don’t have to be strong all the time, you know.”
She smiled faintly. “I’m working on it.”
“Good,” he said, his thumb grazing her knuckles. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”
Honestly not enough people are treating conditions like endometriosis and PCOS like disabilities. Not surprising considering ailments associated with the menstrual cycle are so normalized that affected people are pretty much just expected to live with it, but still. It's pretty damn debilitating actually.
heyhey i have decided to take a bit of break, i just have alot going on right now and idk if i can mange rn i will still be active on dms, pls know if i dont answer ur dms it doesn’t mean im ignoring you im js going through alot w my health and i dont feel well enough to be active but i’ll try my best to be as active as i can but no promises
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