bringing back this fernando!pov snippet from chapter 9 qatar in it's prime silly season because i love how i wrote fernando's voice in this (and maybe it's helpful to reread for ferwis reasons hehe). 1015 words, all sorts of fernando nonsense, also ipss spoilers :)
It is not like Fernando means for it to happen, either.Â
Qatar is short on good clubs, the ones that turn an eye around for a fight as long as it stays rather clean, or the one that can really be anything if you let it.Â
Besides, Rosbergâs gone and Mark didnât come to this specific race, and Hulk decided heâs staying in or something for whatever reason (Fernando is not stupid, he knows itâs because Gabi won first) and oh, heâs happy for his protĂ©gĂ©e but as good as his liver is, itâs not the one of even ten years ago, and his only company for older times is Jenson and/or Lewis.Â
With Jenson it is always fun, so Fernando already has the half-mind to invite him along, but never let it be said that Fernando is not petty.Â
He is, oh he fucking is and he will show it.Â
The years donât matter in the face of winning, Fernando thinks smugly as he finishes lacing on too-fancy dress shoes that will be covered in vomit tomorrow morning, and texts back to Lewis: đ.Â
It is easy to infuriate his old teammate; Fernando does not delight in that fact enough, really.Â
Itâs a second thought to text Jenson too, inviting him along, and the old McLaren driver is more than happy to come so Fernando is not losing. He never loses, but just for the record.Â
Lance also asks Fernando if heâs going out to celebrate Gabi, mentioning that the rookie had asked for some recommendations, and would Fernando like to come? Yes he would, he responds, and also heâs bringing Lewis and Jenson.Â
Lance calls him then, laughing brightlyâthere is nothing to gloom about to each other if theyâve finished one after the other after the points, P13 and P14âand since when has Fernando been this popular?Â
Lewis is gloomy as they drive, something about Adrian, if Fernando guesses, but Fernandoâs also never had a hard-on for German drivers like Lewis or even Seb so itâs no big problem.Â
They get to the club without warfare, Lance greeting them with delighted laughter and a small, fake los besitos, and there is a grinning Esteban-and-Pierre behind them. Lance says, âThe rookies are inside. Gabi is waiting for you.âÂ
Sometimes Fernando wonders what would happen if Gabi had ever been on the grid in 2010âhow different could it have been? But those years are long gone, just like the other fourteen between then and now, and itâs not like Fernandoâs gotten any closer to winning in the recent years, but they have already gone back in time a bit, Lewis hanging onto a dancing Jensonâs arm, pouting, and Fernando resists the urge to gloat.Â
Instead he asks Lance, âWhere?âÂ
Lance laughs, points somewhere up at the VIP section where Gabi is decidedly not, and gets dragged out by a screaming Pierre who apparently has a dance. Or something.Â
Fernando hums, picks up a drink that looks like la puesta del sol, and basks in the cheers of the young drivers.Â
Time moves strangely, he knows.Â
Once there had been moments that felt never-ending, standing on top of the world with his hands held high or crying at night to the sound of his car purring in the night air. Those days areânot long gone but somehow out of reach. Something will click soon and he will able to regain that feeling underneath his hands.Â
Fernando takes a swing of his drink.Â
Qatarâand its clubsâare not loud per se but they are something, a magic hovering outside of Fernandoâs reach. Maybe that is what makes the time move even slower here.Â
Fernando feels as though he can open his eyes and glance at the dancing throng and make out Lewis and Jenson, dancing all on top of each other, and even the figures of Seb and Nico and Nico and Romain and Kimi and Mark and and and. But if he opens his eyesâand he does, quickly picking up a fluorescent green drinkâhe sees nothing but a moody Lewis (okay, so if Fernando snorts, that is only his business) and a half-dancing Jenson, because now they are no longer the epitome of cool.Â
Fernando surveys Gabi, maybe just a little half-drunk. Has he always been able to see stars?Â
Gabi looks a bit like a king overwatching his court, even if he is not the highest in the driversâ ranking. Fernando thinks that Gabi has just overtaken him too. They look happy, they look likeâthe new generation?Â
Those are not the right words but curse English, curse the British like Lewis and Ollieâhe adds with distaste as he sees the young Brit encouraging Gabi through shot after shotâand only really Jenson is spared from that.Â
Fernando hums again, smooth as a song.Â
Their time will come. His is not done, not yet.Â
Fernando spins on his heels, nearly losing his balance and ramming into a covered waitress, but heâs not a driver for nothing and years of training have honed his reflexes to be used for much more, so Fernando regains himself and goes to look for Lance. Maybe Lancito will be interested in hearing some stories.Â
(It turns out that Lance had decided to abandon Pierre and Esteban and their shtick and had settled on watching by the side with a shot cup of tequila and a shot of water, and does not mind at all when Fernando claims the barstool next to him, ordering some strong cocktail or another, and he also doesnât mind when Fernando starts to talk about everything under the sun, or is it the moon? Does the saying change in English? Fernando squints at his glass; English is such a stupid language and Brits are like pests.Â
Lance is a good kid. He is also Fernandoâs teammate and decidedly not British, so thatâs another point in his favor. Well, Fernando has never had a problem with Jenson but he has with Lewis, and Lewis kind of ruined all British people for Fernando.Â
Still, Lance is good.)Â Â
