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a-moment-captured · 14 hours ago

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Cabin Fever - Pt.4 // LH44

Lewis Hamilton x Y/N

Warnings: Angst, Alcohol Consumption, Swearing, Mentions of Unhealthy Relationship, Car Accident (dead deer involved), Lewis being an ass, Mental Health Struggles, 18+ Minors DNI, not edited

A WARNING WILL BE PUT BEFORE AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT (for those who have a hard time with animal injury)

Word Count: 8.1k+

Summary: He's your Sister in Laws best friend, you shouldn't even have to deal with him. Always seeming like a cocky arrogant prick, and now here he is crashing your family Christmas. Can you handle a full week of Lewis Hamilton? Or might he not actually be as bad as he seems?

Notes: It's been FOREVER (you can refresh your memory here), I am so so sorry, but I have returned! I come back with some Angst, some Drama, and dare I say some Character Development??? I've missed writing so much and I am so happy to be back in their world. I know it's not winter anymore but let's just pretend! I love you all and I am so happy to be back!

As always, I am not a professional writer and all of this is a work of fiction and is strictly for fun. Enjoy!

When you wake up in the morning your entire body hurts, your emotions deciding to take a toll on you physically as well. You can tell you were tense in your sleep, not having slept well during the night anyway. The hot shower does very little to soothe the deep ache in your body, somehow feeling like it's causing it to settle deeper within you. You take a while before deciding to emerge from your room, choosing to indulge in the fireplace you had yet to use. You find yourself getting lost in the flames, your brain running a mile a minute yet simultaneously feeling like it has shut off.

You had a weird air wash over you after your blow up with Lewis the night before. A weird feeling of normalcy, a reminder that this is what Christmas is actually supposed to feel like. Breakdowns and screaming around the holidays had never been a stranger to you, especially recently. Your most recent relationship being the best proof of that.

By the time you finally make it downstairs the house is once again far too loud, but the excitement of the previous day does not hang in the air like it did when everyone was getting ready for brunch.

“There’s no way I’m going to get a ham this close to the holiday! I thought you got it when you went to the store before everyone got here.” Vanessa wails, yelling at your brother when you enter the kitchen.

“What the hell is going on?” You mumble, half to yourself and half hoping for an answer.

“Apparently V is missing a bunch of stuff to make Christmas Eve dinner.” Lewis grumbles from his seat at the island, his head in his hands.

“Ahh, I see.” You say, surprised he even responded to you, but judging by his state you're not sure he was even aware he was speaking to you.

You listen as Vanessa continues her meltdown, her grocery list building by the minute. You decided to make yourself as scarce as possible, to avoid both her and Lewis for as much of the day as you can. You grab your coffee and make your way into the den, momentarily considering running back up to your room and just locking yourself away there for good. You choose to be polite and remain downstairs, listening to the tantrum in the distance. It lasts for what feels like hours, your father joining you in silence, flicking the TV on to try to drown out the wails. You can hear Lewis and Dylan trying to barter with Vanessa, telling her that we would be able to make do with the copious amount of stuff already stocking the shelves but she isn’t accepting the answer. There was no chance of logic being applied to the situation at this point. The kitchen finally falls quiet by the afternoon and you can’t help but wonder if they’ve finally come up with a solution or if V has just lost all energy. By the look on Lewis’ face when he steps into the living room, you assume it’s the latter. He looks far more exhausted than you’ve ever seen, he has bags under his eyes and his shoulders look too heavy, you also can’t help but notice that his beard looks scruffier than usual. He plops down on one of the couches nearby, pulling his phone out as he runs a hand down his face.

“So what's the verdict?” Your dad asks him, evidently trying to keep his voice light so as to not stress Lewis out further.

Lewis lets out a deep sigh, “Dylan is on the phone with the grocery store in town to see what they have left but it’s not sounding great, I’m gonna try to see if I can find a store closer to the city that might have something they can deliver. We’ll see.” He sounds defeated and you almost feel bad for him. You wouldn’t want to be having to deal with Vanessa's tantrum up close like he was.

“Well why don’t we call Tom and see if they can make a stop at the grocery store before they get back, see what they can find.” Your dad suggests, making you suddenly realize you hadn’t seen your mother or Vanessa's parents all day, conveniently having avoided the meltdown.

“V doesn’t want to bother them, she feels like asking them is a burden. Trust me, we suggested it.” Lewis says flatly, evidently having the same rational idea as your father.

“You let me call my wife and get it all sorted, then you’re not the bad guy.” Your dad offers with a wink, patting Lewis on the knee before standing up to go find his phone, not waiting for Lewis to argue back.

Once your father leaves the room you can feel an awkwardness settle between you and Lewis. Unspoken recognition of your spat from the night before. As much as you want to avoid him, neither of you make a move to leave the room, Lewis looking too exhausted to even consider picking his body up from its place on the couch.

“Erm,” You awkwardly clear your throat, not enjoying the silence, “How much is she missing?”

“More shit than she’s gonna find in a ski town grocery store two days before fucking Christmas.” Lewis grumbles, his gaze staying on the ceiling with his head tilted back.

“Lily said they will stop in town and see what they can get, gonna go have Dylan send her Vanessa's list.” Your dad proudly announces as he walks back into the room, headed straight for the kitchen where Dylan and Vanessa must still be.

“Thanks man, be careful in there.” Lewis says, very little teasing to be heard in his voice, truly warning your father.

“I’ll try to be sneaky about it.” Your dad says seriously, not wanting to deal with the wrath.

“I’m gonna go see if any of the stores near the city have any delivery slots open still, just in case.” Lewis says abruptly, quickly getting up and leaving the room like he’s afraid of being left alone with you again.

You decide to remain in your spot by the fire, allowing them to deal with the drama. Too many of your holidays have been spent mediating other people's dramatics and you were plenty ready to be done with it. Whether it be someone being upset with themselves over something or being upset with someone else, there had very rarely been a holiday in your life that did not at some point include someone's tears or yelling, very frequently your own. You sat in silence, the warm fire warming your face as you watched the snow fall out the large window. The quiet room is a contrast to the vocal memories flickering through your head. You could still hear your moms exasperated shrill voice, complaining either about your Christmas Eve dress or Christmas morning breakfast, something was always off. You could hear your dad yelling at your brother for breaking a toy, could see the way his face got red when he ruined Santa for you because you were cranky at the Christmas Eve party. They had mellowed as you got older, becoming seemingly new people by the time you reached your twenties and sometimes it seems like they’ve forgotten those parts about all your family holidays.

The day passes by slowly, your body glued to your seat as the men tiptoe around the house, doing their very best to avoid another blow up from Vanessa. You had overheard Lewis mention to your father that there were no deliveries available from the city and all of you were just praying that her parents would come home with enough to suffice. When the front door finally opened you could feel the tension in the air, the sound of Lewis and Dylans voices cutting off abruptly, probably holding their breath for what was to come.

“Oh thank god, thank you so much for stopping!” Vanessa's voice squeals as she runs to meet her saviours in the doorway.

“Well, I wouldn’t get too excited yet.” Tom says, his voice sounding like he’s preparing to let down a small child, and from her behavior today you can’t help but see it as fitting.

“We got what we could sweetie, but it’s not a big store and they were pretty picked over. The storm only made it worse.” You hear your mom start to explain sympathetically.

“What do you mean? How bad is it?” Vanessa begins, evidently getting worked up again.

You hadn’t realized how still you had been sitting, listening intently, until Lewis appeared in the doorway. He looked tense, preparing himself for the worst once again. His sudden presence startled you but you tried to keep you attention on the mess that was about to occur as Vanessa and the parents made their way into the kitchen.

“Well we couldn’t find a ham and there really weren’t many other options.” Your mom tells her, the sound of canned goods hitting the marble countertop the only other sound in the house.

“You guys got pork chops? Seriously? For Christmas Dinner?” Vanessa shrieks for the millionth time that day. You see Lewis flinch out of the corner of your eye.

“Well sweetie, it was honestly that or a can of spam.” Tom sighs, evidently trying to stay patient.

“All that matters is that we’ll all be having a lovely meal together, right?” Dylan tries to reason.

“Yeah, sure, lovely.” Vanessa bitterly laughs, you can practically hear her eyes roll to the back of her head.

“Fuck this, I can not sit through this again.” You mutter to yourself, standing from your seat for the first time that day and making your way towards the entryway, this catches Lewis’ attention.

You don’t even notice that he has trailed after you as you grab your coat from the closet, on a mission to get out of the house and to a store far away with simple hopes of some peace and quiet.

“Yo, where are you going?” He speaks up, carefully watching your movements as you grab your boots.

“I can’t with this anymore.” You huff, making a general gesture towards the shrill complaints coming from the kitchen.

“What, so you’re just bailing?” He scoffs. The sound makes you want to smack him, your head whipping in his direction.

“No Lewis,” You snap, “I’m going to try to save the fucking princess.”

“What do you-” He looks rather shocked at your response but before he can get his question out you are marching toward the kitchen.

“Hey, V, give me the list and I’ll see what I can do.” You call out over the bickering, catching everyone's attention.

“Y/N, what are you talking about?” Lewis finally gets his question out, having followed you after your outburst.

“I’m gonna just drive into the city to the actual supermarket, might not be perfect still but at least we can say we tried.” Your answer comes out harsher than intended, throwing your arms out to the side in pure exasperation over the whole day. Just as you look back toward your family in the kitchen you can’t help but notice a look of concern on Lewis’ face, you can only assume he’s not sure Vanessa will be able to take another shopping trip fail.

“It’s a long drive, why don’t we call it a day.” Dylan argues immediately, concern washing his features as well.

“I was thinking I would go in the morning anyway.” Lewis says, dismissing both your heroic move and your escape.

“Oh that’s so sweet of you.” Beatrice gushes, ignoring your offer altogether.

“Thank you Lewis.” Vanessa says thoughtfully, the first calm thing you’ve heard leave her mouth all day.

“Well the longer the store is open tonight, the more opportunity they have to sell out of what we need, right? We’re already behind so let's not make it any worse.” You say the words casually with a shrug but silently pray that they land in Vanessa's anxiety just where you need. You should feel bad, attempting to toy with her emotions like that, but you really need the escape from the house. You know you have her the second you see her face contort in thought, the slight panic settling that maybe you’re right. Maybe there is one ham left in the city and if you don’t go tonight, Christmas will truly be ruined.

“I mean, Dyl’s right, it is getting late. Are you sure you don’t mind?” She asks sheepishly.

“Not at all,” You assure her quickly, “Just text me the list and I’ll get everything I can.”

“Thank you, you’re a god send.” She says with a small smile, running over to wrap her arms around you like you truly were saving her life.

“If it has to be tonight I’ll go, send me the list V.” Lewis pipes up, still unrelenting.

“Lewis, it’s fine, really, I want to.” You say cheerfully, sending an annoyed look in only his direction as you make your way back to the entryway.

“Y/N, I’m serious, the roads are still a mess out there.” He continues to argue, following hastily behind you.

“I learned how to drive in the snow before I even had my license, nothing new.” You grumble, not looking at him as you locate your wallet and make sure you have the list on your phone from Vanessa.

“At least let me take you.” He persists, sounding strangely panicked.

You choose to ignore him, not having any interest in being trapped in a car with him. You grab your keys and finally make your way out the door, happy to finally have a moment to yourself on the horizon. It’s when you hear the front door slam and him yell out your name that you finally turn around, your annoyance reaching its peak.

“You can’t be serious.” You groan, taking in the sight before you. He’s standing there with no jacket and his boots not even laced, looking strangely out of breath for a professional athlete.

“Just give me a minute and I’ll drive you.” He quickly pleads with you.

“Jesus christ! I’m more than capable of driving myself, you don’t need to try to steal this from me. You’re not the only person who’s allowed to save the day.” You huff, very nearly yelling at him now that you’re outdoors and somewhat away from everyone else.

“That’s not it.” He quickly shakes his head, “Like I said, the roads are still a mess, it’s a long drive and it’s gonna get dark soon.”

“Yeah it’s a long drive and I think we can both agree that I would really rather not spend that much time trapped in a car with you.” You say harshly.

He lets out a deep sigh, finally seeming to realize he can’t convince you, he concedes, “Fine. at least take my car.”

You roll your eyes yet again, “I have a car.”

“Yeah, a shitty rental sedan with front wheel drive and summer tires on it. Please just take my car.” This is the closest you’ve ever heard him to begging and it’s almost surprising you, “It’s got snows, it’s all wheel drive, it’s heavy, you’ll at least be safer, please. We’d all feel better.” He continues in his persuasion and you hate that it’s working.

You look at the large and sturdy G-Wagon parked next to your tiny sedan and know that he’s right, hate that he’s right, you would be safer in his car. You decide to compromise, letting out a huff, “Fine, if it’ll make it so I can leave.”

He blows out a deep breath before turning to go grab his keys. When he returns he has a slight look of contentment on his face but he still seems unusually tense. He mutters a quiet “Be safe.” as he hands you the keys and you almost question if you even heard him right but decide to let it go.

It feels wrong to be driving his car, it’s too expensive, it’s too him, but you do feel safe and confident on the road and for that you are grateful. Lewis was right about the roads being a mess and you find yourself silently thanking him for the use of his car every time you go through a ravine of slush that would have nearly beached your poor little rental, not that you would ever admit it to him though. Much to your annoyance, he stays prevalent in your thoughts for most of your drive, you choose to blame the car. You’re surrounded by the smell of his cologne that seems to linger everywhere he’s been, a sweatshirt of his tossed carelessly in the back seat, even his charger, it would be impossible not to think about it. The one thing you keep circling back to is why he cared so much that you at the very least take his car to the store. It doesn’t make sense to you that it was bothering him so much, the man barely seemed to be able to tolerate you and here he was offering up his car that was worth more than you made in a year.

The drive took longer than anticipated due to the roads but you finally did make it to the store safely. Shocked to see just how busy it was, not that you should have been, most people were probably in the same boat as you. You could only pray that there was enough to put together something that Vanessa would deem acceptable. You grabbed a cart, pulling off your jacket and reaching for your phone, ready to tackle whatever it was that Vanessa had sent your way. When you opened your messages you saw the photo of the grocery list from V, but much to your surprise, there sat a text from Lewis.

LH: Please let us know when you get there

You blinked down at it, rather shocked he’d even bothered to check in, but then you remembered you were driving his very expensive car, figuring that is probably what he was worried about.

Just walked in

You typed and deleted “don’t worry your car is fine” twice before deciding to leave it out, trying to be the bigger person. He responded immediately with a thumbs up, making you roll your eyes involuntarily. As much as you wanted to draw out your shopping trip as much as possible, you also knew it was getting late and you could only leave your family dealing with Vanessa's stress for so long without feeling a tad bit guilty. You moved through the store as quickly as you could with all of the people milling about with no lists and no idea where to go.You could feel relief washing over your body with each item you ticked off the list, somethings you had to substitute but nothing that should send Vanessa into a full blown panic again. By the time you were checking out you had a small sense of dread creeping up the back of your neck knowing that you were getting ready to head back to the circus that is your family but also felt a wash of pride, hopeful that you had quelled some of the lunacy.

After loading up your groceries into the back of the car you sat to let it warm up a bit, staring down at your phone in your hands. You had been battling with sending Lewis a text for longer than you would like to admit before finally deciding it was the decent thing to do.

Getting ready to head back now

His response once again came almost immediately, two texts in rapid succession.

LH: Thank you for letting me know

LH: Success?

I’d say so, got 95% of her list

LH: Owe you big time

LH: Be safe

The strange warmth in his simple words was bizarre to you, making you almost question if someone else was texting you from his phone. It stuck with you in a lingering way as you embarked on your journey, stupid thoughts of brief moments of kindness from him swirling your thoughts. It had always seemed to you that, to everyone other than you, Lewis was one of the kindest men on earth. He was charming, charismatic, charitable, and all around just warm. He offered the world a genuine and disarming smile with shiny eyes that seemed like they were unwrapping your soul. What you never understood was why when that same eyes met yours, they seemed to be judging your soul, dissecting it for interrogation and power rather than understanding. That same smile he offered the world always felt hollow and forced when directed at you, felt cold, like he was looking through you. But every once in a while you caught glimpses of the man that everyone else seemed to know, like his brief care for you being cold in the snow, but it never lasted long. And you hated just how much those little moments clung to you, how you let them wrap around you like a little fantasy of what it might be like if he didn’t seemingly hate you. Let yourself wonder what it would feel like to be bathed in that warmth as frequently as so many people are.

You didn’t even realize just how long you had been thinking about Lewis and the conundrum that he is to you until the soft voice of the GPS was guiding you onto the road where your brother lived. You let out a sigh, happy that you were almost home, much to your surprise. You slowed down a bit, the dirt road full of small wash outs with no street lamps in sight. You can see the minutes counting down out of the corner of your eye and you feel yourself relaxing, not having realized just how tense you had been the whole drive home.

~WARNING: POSSIBLY GRAPHIC CONTENT AHEAD~

It happens in a split second, you barely even have time to think when a large deer comes bounding out of the woods on the other side of the road, running directly into the hood of your (Lewis’) car. You scream as you slam on the brakes, the force of the deer sending you veering into the ditch beside you. Your body lurches forward with the force of the car skidding into the ditch, the seatbelt digging harshly into your collarbone. The car is still running as you sit in your seat shaking, tears pricking at your eyes as you fumble to reach your phone that has flown out of its spot in the cupholder beside you. When your trembling fingers finally clamp around the device you reach for your doorhandle, thinking it may be safer to get out of the car now than have it possibly catch fire while you’re still freaking out inside. Your door creaks open, needing some force as you push, the door hinges having been evidently damaged from the impact. The second your feet hit the road you’re clicking Dylan's contact, squatting down on the side of the road as you look at the poor dead deer lying in front of you, you feel like you’re going to be sick. It thankfully only takes a moment for your brother to pick up.

“Y/N? Everything good?” He asks, his voice sounding groggy like you’ve just woken him up.

“Dyl…” You whimper out, the tears coming full force the second you hear his voice.

“Whoa, whoa, Y/N what's going on? Are you okay?” He is alert now and you can hear rustling in the background as if he’s getting himself out of bed.

“A deer, it came out of absolutely nowhere, I was so close to making it home,” You choke out in between sobs, “and now Lewis’ car is stuck in a fucking ditch and I have a massive dead deer in the middle of the road and I don’t know what to do.”

“Hey, sshh, its okay. Are you okay?” He asks, you can hear the tension in his voice as he tries to stay calm for you.

“Yeah, I uh, I think so, I just don’t know what to do. He already fucking hates me enough as is.” Your tears pick up even further as you try to answer Dylan.

“Hey, nobody hates you. You said you were almost home, yeah? I’ll be right down to get you, we’ll figure everything else out together.” The confidence in your older brother's voice makes you cry even harder, grateful that you have him.

“I was like two minutes away.” You sniffle.

“Okay, you want to stay on the phone while I come down?” He asks and you can hear other voices in the background now and the embarrassment begins to seep into your bones.

“No it’s fine, just come down please.” You say.

“Getting in the truck right now, be right there.” He tells you and you can hear two car doors slam in the background, making you want to melt into the snow beneath you.

It feels like a small eternity that you stay there on the ground, squatting in the snow as you sob, staring at the dead deer and listening to the rumble of Lewis’ still running car behind you, but you know it’s only a few minutes. When you see the headlights of your brothers truck at the end of his driveway it really settles in just how close you were to getting home. When his truck stops right in front of you, your stomach drops, watching as Lewis hops out of the passenger side. Your brother makes it to you first, running towards you the second he spots you.

“Hey, are you okay? Come here.” He’s frantically questioning you as he pulls you to stand, squeezing you tight to his chest.

“I’m okay.” You whimper, your sobs calming slightly. Over his shoulder you notice Lewis standing in the road, staring at the deer, looking as if he truly might be sick, you’re not even sure if he’s taken in the damage to his car yet. Dylan holds you out in front of him, looking over you once again for any major injuries as you tell him again that you’re okay. You glance in Lewis’ direction, seeing that he is now taking in the damage to the car but his attention keeps drifting back toward the dead deer, seemingly more bothered by that than anything else.

“Alright, you go get in the truck and I’ll check out the car, don’t worry, we’ll get everything taken care of.” Dylan says, squeezing your arms. When he moves around you to assess the car you finally lock eyes with Lewis, your bottom lip immediately starting to quiver again but out of guilt this time. His expression is unreadable as he makes his way over to you.

“Lewis, I’m so so sorry, it came out of nowhere and-” You begin to apologize but you're cut short when he pulls you into his chest, hard.You’re stunned to silence when you feel his arms squeeze around you and his lips press to the top of your head.

“Stop,” He says, his voice firm but not harsh, “are you sure you are absolutely okay?” There’s an unmistakable warmth and care in his tone as he asks, and something that you could dare label as fear but you’re not quite sure.

“Yes.” You manage to croak out as you feel his arms tighten around you and his hand stroking your back.

“Okay, that’s all I need to know right now.” You’re unsure how to react to the gentleness in his voice, unsure how to feel about the absolute comfort that is radiating through your body at the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around you.

When he finally lets you go, he doesn’t let you go far but you notice his gaze drifting over your head to his car in the ditch, causing you to start up with your apologies yet again.

“I truly am so so sorry Lewis, I promise I will pay for whatever the damages are, it might take me a while but I swear I will-” You start to ramble again until you feel his warm hand on the side of your neck, looking up to see his eyes boring down into yours.

“Hey, it’s still running, I’ve got insurance for a reason. Wasn’t your fault. I’m just glad you were driving this instead of that shitty little sedan. Could have been a whole lot worse, I’m glad you’re okay.” His earnest tone catches you even further off guard and you can feel a weird sensation in your stomach as those brown eyes finally flood you with the same warmth you had been thinking of most of your drive home. You don’t even have time to formulate a response before your brother is calling Lewis over.

“So yeah if you can get it out of the ditch, I’ll drag the deer off to the other side and call the game warden to take care of it in the morning.’ You hear Dylan explain to Lewis who is nodding as he stares at the caved in front panel of his expensive car, tufts of fur sticking out of the seams.

You stand in the middle of the road feeling helpless, hating that you note the coldness left behind from where Lewis’ warmth had flooded you just a few moments ago. You watch as Lewis hops into the drivers seat of his car, barely even noting the loud creak the door makes as he swings it open. Dylan walks toward you, guiding you toward the truck and tells you to wait in the passenger seat to keep warm while they get the road cleaned up. He grabs a pair of work gloves from his back seat before approaching the deer. You watch him from your seat for a moment, feeling queasy when you see the blood stained snow begin to appear as he drags the poor animal across the road, quickly averting your gaze to where Lewis is gently easing his G-Wagon out of the ditch. You’re impressed by how easy he makes it look, knowing you would have spun out immediately and probably made it worse. It only takes a few moments before your brother is throwing the bloodied gloves in the bed of his truck and hopping into the driver's seat, asking once again if you’re okay.

“I’m fine but why did you have to bring him? He’s just gonna hate me even more now.” You groan like a child, flopping your head toward your brother who laughs at you.

“Well first of all, he was gonna find out eventually,” He chuckles, “and second he doesn’t hate you, he was immediately worried when I told him what happened.”

“Yeah, because I was driving his bajillion dollar car, of course he was worried.” You argue, not quite ready to accept that Lewis may have actually been concerned about your well being.

Your brother just shakes his head, “First thing out of his mouth was, ‘Is Y/N okay?’”

~END OF ACCIDENT~

You don’t respond to that, just settle down into your seat as your brother backs his truck up to give Lewis room to head up the driveway. At the top of the hill, your brother parks next to Lewis’ injured Wagon. The house looks dark other than the few outside lights the men had left on in their haste to get down to you. You notice that Lewis has already hopped out of his car and is loading up his arms with shopping bags from the backseat, seeming totally unphased by the state of his hood, not that he can do anything about it right then you suppose. When you round the side of the truck your brother is ushering you away toward the garage, telling you the house is unlocked and to go inside and get warm, that he and Lewis will grab the groceries. You feel bad, after everything they had already done to help and the damage that you’ve caused but you don’t argue, not having the energy for much at that moment.

The house is completely silent when you step inside, the only thing illuminating your entry is the dim under cabinet lighting coming from the kitchen. You take a moment to enjoy the subtle peace before you hear the guys trundling in behind you, causing you to reach for the nearest light switch. They’re bickering slightly, all light hearted, but you can’t help but laugh when you see the cause is them getting stuck in the door together, both of them having taken more bags than necessary to avoid multiple trips. You giggle to yourself as you watch Lewis force his way through the door, one of the bags swinging behind him as your brother mutters some curse about overtaking that makes Lewis playfully scoff. You can’t help but be impressed by their good nature despite the evening you all just had, you can still feel the shakiness in your hands and the stinging of your eyes. You follow behind them to where they’re setting bags down on the counter, reaching to start unbagging things.

“Hey, we got this. Grab some water and go sit down.” Lewis is closer than expected when you turn, reaching for the can in your hand with a gentle tone.

“It’s fine, there’s a lot of stuff, I’m-” You begin to argue but are cut off.

“Y/N, go sit.” His voice is firmer now, not harsh but certain.

You just nod, swallowing as you let him take the can from your hand and turn to grab a water from the fridge. You make your way into the smaller living room that is open off the dining room, not nearly as fancy as the den but you don’t need the opulence, just somewhere quiet and cozy. You let out a deep breath as you sink into the plush couch, only flicking on a soft lamp on the side table. You can faintly hear the guys talking in the kitchen, the slight rustle of bags and the thud of cabinets being closed but it’s still peaceful in comparison to everything you’ve been through over the course of the day. You let your head lean back against the cushion behind you, your eyes falling shut to ease the lingering sting, you know you will have some work cut out for you in the morning so people aren’t asking too many questions when they arrive for Christmas Eve.

“Hey you,” Dylan’s gentle voice startles you, “Lewis is just finishing up in the kitchen but I’m gonna go let V know that everything is alright and you had success at the grocery store, alright?”

You just nod, offering him a tired smile.

“I’ll see you in the morning, try to get some rest.” He says, stepping forward to squeeze your shoulder and kiss the top of your head.

You grab his hand before he can move too far away, “Thank you Dyl.”

“Always Y/N, don’t gotta mention it. I love you.” He whispers, squeezing your hand before heading off to find Vanessa whom you’re surprised hadn’t appeared the moment she saw the truck lights in the driveway.

It’s not long before Lewis arrives in the entryway, you assume also to say goodnight, but much to your surprise he walks to the corner of the room where a small bar cart sits. You watch him carefully as he pours himself a glass of bourbon before looking over his shoulder just enough to meet your eye, his eyebrow raised in a silent question.

“Yeah.” You breathe out, more than happy to have a drink before you head to bed.

You’re not sure but you think you see the faintest bit of a smirk playing on his lips as he pours your drink. He stays silent as he walks toward you, handing you your glass and plopping down on the couch next to you with a sigh of his own.

“Didn’t realize just how much shit Vanessa needed, my god.” He mumbles, his head leaning back on the cushion much like you had been.

You can’t help but breathe out a laugh, because he was right, it had not been a particularly short shopping list, “Yeah, but at least I think I got everything.”

“Let’s hope you did because I’m not sure we can fit anything else in the kitchen.” He says with his own light laugh, his head lulling to the side to look at you with a small smile.

You hold his eye for just a moment, offering him a small smile before taking a sip of your drink and staring ahead at the wall. You can feel his eyes on you still as you fall into a shockingly comfortable silence that eases something in your brain. You haven’t felt this peaceful in a while, despite the tragedies of the evening.

“I’m sorry, by the way.” Lewis suddenly says, his voice rough.

You turn your head to look at him, shocked, “You’re sorry? Lewis, I totaled your car tonight!” You say through an incredulous laugh.

He chuckles softly, “You most definitely didn’t total it,” he shakes his head before his voice comes out softer, sincere, “but I mean for last night. I was a dick. And well, the other morning too.” He lets out a deep sigh.

“I mean, I haven’t been the best either.” You admit quietly into your glass before finishing the last of it.

Lewis takes note of the empty glass, taking it from your hand and standing before you can even set it down. He takes both your glasses back to the cart, refilling them as he speaks again, “I’ll admit, your sheer annoyance with being here has been pissing me off.”

“Really? You’ve been doing a great job at hiding it.” You tease him lightly, making him roll his eyes as he walks back to you but you can see the faintest smile creep onto his lips as he takes his seat next to you again, both now with refilled drinks.

“In all honesty, your annoyance every time you’re around is what pisses me off.” He continues, his elbows resting on his knees as he looks straight ahead, “The fact that you have the opportunity to be around all the people that love you for the holidays, yet treat it like a prison sentence, it’s just…” He trails off slightly, before looking at you, “My niece and nephew were supposed to come stay with me for Christmas, well I mean my sister and brother in law too but it was really the kids I was excited about, but it fell through. I’m ridiculously busy so I don’t get to see them enough and I swear they're a foot taller every time I do.” He chuckles.

You nod, realizing he was missing out on what he felt you had here.

“You’ve gotta know you’re lucky to have this, to have the ability to see these people so often. I would kill to be able to spend as much time with my family as these guys spend with each other, and they want you there too. It irks me every time I talk to V and she tells me about an anniversary party or an easter dinner that everyone got together for, everyone but you. You have the chance to be there but you constantly avoid it and then when they do nail you down, you seem like you would rather be anywhere else in the world. You’re gonna miss out on things, on milestones, for all you know by next Christmas Dyl and V could have a kid.”

You feel a moment of annoyance creep in when his voice becomes lectury again towards the end of his speech but let it slide, choosing to contemplate his words for a moment. Trying to find your own to really help him understand what he’s been seeing from the outside.

“Ya know, last night, after our screaming match, I had a realization.” You start, still not quite sure how to explain this to him, “I was realizing that it felt totally normal to be screamed at or be screaming at someone around the holidays. It’s been a norm for me, since I was a kid, yelling has been a holiday special.” You pause for a moment, looking across at him. You see his brow furrow in concentration but don’t miss the way his eyes also seem to soften.

“I’ve never seen that.” He says softly.

“Well when I was a kid, it was my parents, but they’ve either gotten better at hiding it or they’ve mellowed out with age. Then as I got older it was the people I chose, always managed to find myself around someone that would have something negative to say around the holidays.” You admit the last part quietly.

“I’m sorry I added myself to that list.” He says gently, his gaze locked on the side of your face.

“A shocking apology to hear from a man who hates me.” You let out a dry chuckle, not sure if you’re trying to deflect, lighten the mood, or just being honest.

“Do you really think I hate you?” He asks, his voice almost timid, almost hurt.

“Uh, well yeah, you’ve always seemed to at the very least have a very significant dislike of me.” You say, like it’s obvious.

“I don’t dislike you at all Y/N, certainly never hated you.” He says, causing you to turn to face him.

“Then I would truly hate to see how you treat people that you genuinely dislike.” You tell him honestly.

He presses his lips together like he’s deep in thought before he speaks again, “I’m sorry if I haven’t always been the warmest, it’s never been because I don’t like you.”

His words are vague but you decide not to pester him any further, surprised enough that you two are even having this conversation in the first place.

“Can I ask? If the yelling stopped, why do you always avoid family like the plague?” He asks after a beat of silence, circling back to your earlier conversation.

“I don’t,” You immediately try to defend yourself but fall short when he sends you a look that immediately calls your bullshit, “Okay, fine, I didn’t used to but for a while when I first moved to LA, I was seeing this guy, and at first he would come to stuff with me and it was okay.” You pause, looking away from him as you prepare to explain a little bit more.

He hums while you gather yourself, “I remember him. Xander, right?”

You nod, looking down at your glass.

“Never liked him.” He says simply before you can continue.

“Well maybe you’re a better judge of character than I give you credit for,” You laugh to yourself, “because I wish someone would have told me that. He started getting annoyed when I would want to travel to family things, got upset when I would ask him to go with me and then even more upset when I would try to go on my own. He had a few outbursts in front of the family about it so I just stopped trying, it was embarrassing. Anyway yeah, then it just became the norm that I wouldn’t go and the longer I waited the more questions everyone had and yeah.” You finish your thought quickly, trying not to think too much about the way Xander would explode about you inconveniencing him.

“I did tell you.” Lewis says.

“What?” You look at him confused.

“You said you wished someone would have told you that he sucked, and I did. It was at Dylans launch party, you’d been crying and I remember telling you that you could do a whole lot better than that piece of shit.” His voice comes out rough and you can only blink at him, because he had.

Lewis had found you out on the balcony of your brother's party that you were trying so hard not to ruin. Xander had been quietly seething about how boring the event was and how there had been no point in flying all the way to Colorado for a stupid engineering firm launch party, he had gotten nasty with his comments and you were trying too hard to keep it together. Vanessa had noticed that you didn’t seem like yourself and told you to get some air and just as the first tears had fallen Lewis had stepped out onto the balcony. His tone had carried that normal judgement you were used to from Lewis, cocky and all knowing, telling you that Xander was embarrassing you and you could do better. At the time you had taken it as a judgement on you, but as you look at Lewis’ warm brown eyes now you start to realize he was trying to console you in his own fucked up way.

“You made me feel like shit when you told me that.” You confess quietly.

“I apparently need to work on my communication with you Y/N, I’m sorry.” He says, his voice warm as he reaches out to place a large hand on your forearm that is now draped across the back of the couch.

“You may not be quite as cocky and aloof a bastard as I have always thought you were.” You laugh softly, hoping to cut some of the tension.

“Well I may actually be a bit aloof because I didn’t even know you thought that.” He laughs with you.

You send him a playful look, “Lewis, you woudln’t even eat my breakfast that saved the day. Cocky, aloof, bastard.” You make your points as you count on your fingers.

He laughs loudly now, “Hun, you made bacon and eggs!”

“Isn’t it your off season? I’m sure you can work off a piece of bacon after I cooked it on an open fire for you!” Your own laugh growing now.

“Y/N, I’ve been vegan for like a decade, I don’t think I can work off whatever that would have done to me.” His eyes are crinkling at the corners now, his teeth on display with a boyish grin and a laughter that folds into your ribs.

You can’t contain your own laughter as you hear that, surely someone had to have told you that at some point. And then the reality of the evening hits you like a freight train and you immediately feel like a criminal.

“Oh my god, Lewis,” You gasp, your laughter falling short as you slap your hand over your mouth and your eyes go wide, “the deer, I’m so sorry, you looked disgusted and I thought it was just… Oh my god, I didn’t know.”

His own laughter dies down but a small smile stays on his face, “Sweetie, you have nothing to apologize for, it was an accident, it’s fine.” You feel his hand squeeze your arm as he reassures you, you hadn’t even realized he had left it there.

“You won’t even eat meat and I’m slaughtering animals with your car.” You groan, hiding your face in your shoulder.

“I’ll survive, just glad you’re okay.” He says, his voice sincere.

“I’m still really sorry.” You say, peeking out from where you’ve hidden yourself.

“Promise I won’t hold it against you,” He assures you with a soft smile, “but speaking of your wild night, we should probably get to bed. Pretty sure it’s gonna be a mad house here in the morning.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” You groan, earning a soft chuckle from him.

“C’mon,” He laughs, taking your now empty glass from your hand and standing up, “we gotta be on our A game tomorrow, pretty sure all the Aunties are gonna want to hear about Y/Ns wild ride.”

“Oh shut up.” You grumble as you get to your feet, unable to hide the small smile that tugs at your lips.

After saying your goodnights to Lewis you find yourself sitting in the middle of your bed with a strangely calm mind. For the first time in a long time there is no lingering thought of dread about the possibility of running into him when you wake up for breakfast or feeling like you need to avoid him at all costs. The only thing that your mind is struggling to comprehend is how on earth did you end up having such a heartfelt conversation with the man you swore up and down hated you from the day he met you?

#lvis44 #lewis hamilton #lh44 #lewis hamilton fanfic #harry styles #lewis hamilton imagine #fanfic #lewis hamilton smut #lewis hamilton one shot

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a-moment-captured · 3 days ago

Text

imagine giving joe a hickey.

author's note⠀⁎⠀requested by @lovelyburrow, some sub!joe undertones (my bad)

Joe was always very selective about PDA. He liked to keep his relationship with you private. It was something sacred to him, not to be shared with the prying eyes of the public or his even teammates. So, when he felt the warmth of your lips on his neck the night before, he didn't think much of it. He had no idea the kisses and nips to his neck would lead him to this.

He entered the hotel conference room, finding Ja'Marr sitting alone as players and coaches began to file in. Sam soon joined them, plopping down next to Joe with an smoothie in hand. The room filled with the low hum of male voices and the occasional burst of laughter as the Bearcats game from that afternoon replayed on the TV screens around the room.

Ja'Marr leaned over, peering at Joe's neck. "Yo, what's that on your neck?" He pointed to his neck, his eyes squinting at the sight before him.

Joe's hand shot up to cover the spot. "What are you talking about?"

"You've got a hickey the size of a quarter, bro," Sam said, his eyes wide as he brought a fist up to cover his mouth, his shoulders shaking with a deep laugh. Ja'Marr's laugh boomed through the room as Joe's eyebrows furrowed, a blush creeping up his neck. He glanced around, hoping no one else had noticed.

"What?" Joe murmured, self-consciously touching the spot.

"Come on, Joe, let's see," Ja'Marr prodded, reaching for his phone to snap a picture.

Joe slapped his hand away, "Fuck no. You're not putting that anywhere," he hissed, his cheeks burning.

Sam leaned back in his chair, grinning. "Looks like someone had a good night."

"Or a good morning," Ja'Marr piped up, still chuckling. "Did your girl sneak in before you came down?"

Joe sighed flipping his camera to selfie mode, dropping his hand, and turning his head to show the offending spot. It was definitely a hickey, a dark, round bruise that stood out against his skin. "No," he muttered, "It's from last night."

Sam leaned in to get a better look. "Damn, she wasn't playing around." He took a sip of his smoothie, pulling back with a smirk when Joe sent him a glare.

Ja'Marr chuckled. "You ain't have to stunt on us like this. Good for you, Joey B."

Joe silently thanked the heavens when Zac stood up at the front of the room, calling for the team's attention. The teasing subsided, but the guys couldn't resist throwing a few more jabs under their breath as they turned their focus to their coach. The meeting dragged on, Joe's thoughts consumed by the unwelcome brand on his neck.

Later that evening, Joe fell back against the crisp hotel sheets. His mind was racing with thoughts of how to cover the hickey before the game tomorrow. He picked up his phone and called you, hoping you would have some kind of ingenious solution. Your face filled the screen, your tired smile brightening at the sight of him.

"Hey, babe," you said, your voice warm and unassuming. "How's the hotel?"

"It's fine," Joe replied, his tone flat. He felt his annoyance rise as he thought about the hickey. "But I've got a problem." He turned his head slightly, showing you the reddish blemish that was beginning to purple around the outer edges.

Your eyes lit up with amusement. "Oh," you giggled. "Is that from last night?"

Joe rolled his eyes. "Yes, it is, and it's not funny."

You couldn't help but laugh, your eyes sparkling. "Well, you never told me to take it easy," you said, your voice teasing. "I got a little carried away. That's not a crime."

Joe felt his own smile tugging at his lips despite his embarrassment. "It's not funny," he said, trying to keep his tone serious, but failing. "What am I gonna do?"

Your laughter subsided, your expression turning thoughtful. "Makeup?" you suggested. "You can get some concealer to cover it up before the game."

"Makeup?" Joe echoed, his disbelief clear. "You want me to wear makeup?"

Your smile grew. "Well, not exactly. You don't have to go full glam. Just a little dab of concealer to even out the skin tone."

Joe groaned, rubbing a hand through his damp hair with a scowl. "Where am I gonna get makeup from? Won't it melt off from the sweat anyway?"

Your eyes danced with amusement. "Well, I guess you gotta own it, Burrow. Maybe it'll be your new good luck charm," you said, leaning closer to the camera to kiss the screen. "From me to you."

Joe couldn't argue with your logic, though the thought of walking onto the field with a glaring hickey didn't sit well with his image. He sighed, nodding. "Alright, I'll figure it out. Thanks for the support," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Anytime," you said, your laughter bubbling up again. "Good luck tomorrow. Love you."

Joe couldn't help but smile back. "Love you too." He ended the call, feeling a bit more at ease despite the looming embarrassment of tomorrow. He decided to take your advice and own the hickey. It was a small price to pay for how down bad he was for you. Plus, he had to admit, the idea of you leaving your mark on him was kind of hot.

His confidence lasted until the next afternoon, when Joe found himself in the locker room, surrounded by his teammates and their knowing glances. He felt like he had a neon sign pointing at his neck. The guys didn't let up, making hushed comments and sharing smirks every time he looked their way. It was clear that the news had spread through the team like wildfire. Joe tried to ignore them, focusing on his preparations for the game. But as he pulled on his jersey, the fabric brushed against the tender spot, a stark reminder of his predicament.

He stepped onto the field for warm-ups, the cool air hitting his bare neck. The stadium lights seemed to highlight the hickey even more. Joe felt his jaw clench and his face grow hot, but he forced a straight face as he threw the ball around. He had a game to play, a job to do, and he wasn't about to let a little thing like a hickey throw him off his game.

By the time he returned home that night, a win tucked under his belt, Joe was exhausted. He was looking forward to cuddling with you and forgetting about the long weekend. But the moment he walked through the door, you were trying to suppress your amusement, your eyes dancing every time you looked at him.

"Okay," Joe sighed, his chest deflating beneath your head as he exhaled deeply. "What are you smiling about?"

You couldn't hold it in any longer, bursting into a fit of giggles. "You looked so grumpy all game," you exclaimed, poking his chest playfully. "You were trending on Twitter again."

Joe groaned, his hand sliding from his neck to his face. "I know," he said, his voice muffled by his palm. "Couldn't believe it when Sam told me."

You sat up, your laughter fading into a gentle smile as you reached over to trace the hickey with your finger. "You looked like a spoiled toddler," you said, your eyes sparkling with affection. "It's kind of cute, you know."

Joe rolled his eyes, his irritation from the day melting away. "Cute is not the word I would've chosen," he muttered, but he couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I can't believe you did this to me. Destroyed my neck like a chew toy."

You leaned in to kiss him, your eyes gleaming with mischief. "Could've stopped me," you whispered, your breath warm against his skin. "But you didn't."

Joe chuckled despite his feigned annoyance. "I guess I was a little preoccupied," he admitted, his voice low.

"A little?" you teased, your eyes twinkling. "I think you liked being my chew toy."

Joe's cheeks flushed, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Okay," he conceded. "Maybe a little."

You leaned back, your expression satisfied. "So, you're not mad at me?"

Joe sighed, his annoyance giving way to a fond smile. "Mad? Nah, I can't be mad at you," he said, pulling you closer. "It's just, you know how I feel about PDA. It's all over the internet now."

You shrugged, kissing away his pout. "Well, at least your fangirls know you're taken," you said, planting another kiss on the bruised spot.

Joe grimaced, but couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through him at your touch. "Very funny," he said, his tone laced with affection.

"You have a pretty neck," you whispered playfully, your hand moving to his neck again as your eyes darted over his skin as if examining where you could stake your claim next. "You want another one?"

Joe rolled his eyes but didn't stop you. Your touch was gentle and loving, a welcome contrast from the rough teasing from his teammates. "Just don't make it any bigger," he said, his voice a mix of exasperation and resignation.

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