Chapter Text
A new race week, a new full day of social media filming.
Arvid and Liam had spent the whole day with the social media team doing funny TikTok challenges, and they were down to the last video of the day. Surprisingly, this last video was a normal one, just sitting down and answering random questions like their favorite artists, their favorite current songs, and so on.
“Ok, last question for both of you,” said the admin. “What country that you’ve never been to would you like to visit for a holiday?”
“Ohhhh, great question,” said Liam. “Any country is fine really, it’s always good to see new things.”
“What about you, Arvid?”
Arvid started thinking. Was there any special place he would like to see for the first time? He looked at Liam, who was smiling slightly, looking as beautiful as he always did, and then he got his answer.
“If I could, I would like to visit New Zealand.”
Liam’s eyes widened. “What? New Zealand? Why?”
He started thinking. Why did he want to go there? He knew absolutely nothing about that country, but of course, there was a reason.
Arvid had a secret crush on Liam. Well, probably more than a crush, he was probably in love. Ever since he became teammates with Liam, he noticed how pretty the Kiwi was. And as they started working together, he couldn’t help but completely fall for him. Liam was just so sweet, always caring for him, giving him advice, and even when they were playfully fighting for the social media challenges, Liam was always the funniest and nicest person. They also shared so much in common: they liked a lot of the same music, shared a passion for racing, and just got along very well in general.
However, Arvid was curious about much more. He wondered what the place where Liam grew up was like, what his family was like, and if he was this sweet with his parents and siblings.
He looked back at Liam and smiled. “Because it’s your home, and I want to see it.”
Liam looked surprised. “Really? Well then, you are invited to come to my home. I’ll be your host and your tour guide if you want.”
“Will you really do that for me?”
“Yes, of course, mate. I’ll be happy to show you around.”
“Alright boys, that was the last question. You are now free to go,” said the admin.
They thanked the team as the cameras were removed and everyone started to leave.
When he and Liam were walking back to their rooms, Arvid casually said:
“Well, we have a long break after this race. Would that be a good time to visit? I have to go back to England to see my parents, but there’s enough time for me to take a week to visit you.”
“Wow, you really want to go there,” Liam said.
At this, Arvid blushed a little. Maybe he had gotten too excited about the trip. Then he became self-conscious. Liam was probably just being polite when he made the offer; he probably didn’t actually mean to invite him to his house. He probably wanted to rest and spend time with his family and girlfriend, and Arvid was just being a burden.
“I mean, yeah, but only if you can. If it’s too soon, we can plan it for some other time,” said Arvid, trying not to show his disappointment.
“NO!” said Liam, a bit too loudly. “No, no, no need. This break is perfect for you to visit.”
“Ok, sounds good then!” Arvid said, and with that they went their separate ways to rest for practice the next day.
The rest of the weekend was pretty good. They both managed to score points in the race, and the performance from both was great overall. Now they were preparing to leave for the long break.
Arvid was saying his final goodbyes to the team when Liam appeared. He was unsure whether to ask again about the trip to New Zealand, but Liam beat him to it.
“Bye Arvid, see you at home next week then?”
“Yes! Are you sure it’s ok for me to stay at your house?”
“Arvid, stop worrying. I told you it’s fine. Let me know what time you arrive, and I’ll pick you up from the airport.”
“Ok, I will. Thank you, Liam. Have a safe flight home!”
“Thanks, you too!”
And with that, he left to go back home to England, happy to meet his parents.
After a couple of days resting and spending time with his family, it was finally time to catch his flight to New Zealand. He arrived at the airport and passed through security smoothly. Once he was at his gate, he texted Liam to let him know that he was ready to leave and what time he would be arriving. Liam replied almost immediately: “Great! I’ll see you at the airport. It’s a long flight, so try to get some sleep. Can’t wait to see you!”
The last part of the message made him very happy, but the strange feeling returned. Was Liam as excited as he was to spend time together outside of the paddock, or was he just being nice? He pushed the thoughts aside when his flight was called to board. He sat on the plane, put his headphones on, and prepared for the long journey ahead.
After more than 30 hours of traveling, the plane finally landed. “Welcome everyone to Auckland, New Zealand. We hope you enjoy your time here,” said the pilot.
Arvid got off the plane and passed through security. While waiting for his luggage, he texted Liam to say he had arrived and was almost ready to go outside. “I’m outside waiting for you,” replied Liam.
Arvid sighed with relief, Liam hadn’t forgotten to pick him up. He spotted his luggage, picked it up, and headed outside.
There were many people waiting for friends and relatives. He looked around and, in the back, finally saw Liam. Liam was dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a blue sweater that made him look extremely cozy. Maybe it was the New Zealand air, or maybe Arvid was just hopelessly in love, but Liam looked like he was glowing, and it made his heart skip a beat.
He walked toward Liam, who looked up and smiled. Liam gave him a small hug, and Arvid happily hugged him back. “Hey Arvid, how was the flight?” “It was ok, very long but all good.” “Yeah, you must be tired. Let’s go, my car is parked this way.”
And with that, Liam grabbed his suitcase and guided him to the car. Once there, he loaded the luggage into the trunk and even opened the passenger door for him. Arvid thanked him and got into the car.
“We’re going to my house in Pukekohe. It’s about an hour’s drive from here, so feel free to sleep if you’re tired,” Liam said. “Thanks, mate! I slept enough on the plane, so I’ll stay awake to take in the scenery.” “Good. Here… you can choose the music for the ride then.”
Liam started the car and began driving toward his house.
The drive home was pleasant. Near the airport, the city was busy, full of buildings and terrible traffic. They talked about general things, how they felt after the last race, what they had been doing with their families, and other casual topics.
As they got further from the city, the scenery grew more rural. There were farms, markets, cozy cafés, and nice-looking houses. Arvid turned to look at Liam, who was quiet and focused on driving. To him, Liam looked breathtaking. The wind blew through his hair, making it look soft; the sun caught his eyes, making them even prettier. He looked relaxed and free, as if all the tension from the paddock had completely disappeared.
Arvid turned to the other side and rolled down his window. The air was cool and gentle, carrying a freshness that made each breath feel pure. It calmed him, inviting him to go with the flow and relax. They fell into a comfortable silence, humming along to the music and enjoying each other’s company.
Not long after, Liam took a left turn and slowed down until they reached a big, nice-looking house at the end of the road. He parked the car, opened the door for Arvid again, and helped him with his luggage.
He opened the main door and called out: “We’re home!”
Liam’s parents appeared in the living room to greet them. “Arvid, this is my mom Kristy and my dad Jared. Mom, Dad, this is Arvid.” “Hello, Mrs. and Mr. Lawson. Very nice to meet you. Thank you for letting me stay at your home,” Arvid said politely. “Aw, hello Arvid! We’re so happy you’re staying with us!” said Liam’s mom. “Make yourself at home, kid! Let us know if you need anything,” said his dad. “Thank you so much! I hope I won’t bother you too much.” “Not at all! We’re really happy to have you here. Liam has told us many nice things about you!”
At that, Liam widened his eyes at his mom.
“Ok, enough introductions. Arvid, let’s go to the room so you can unpack and rest a little.”
They went upstairs, Liam carrying Arvid’s suitcase, until they reached the last room at the end of the hall. “This is my room; you can sleep here in my bed,” Liam said. “I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs. I planned to use the spare room, but my sister is using it.” “Oh no, I can’t let you do that. I’ll take the couch and you stay in the room.” “No, you’re the guest. You can’t sleep on the couch, that would be rude.”
Arvid looked at the bed. It was big enough for two. Maybe they could share it. Would it be too bold to suggest that? Before he could think twice, his mouth betrayed him.
“Let’s share the bed then! … If you don’t mind, of course. Otherwise, I’ll sleep on the couch.”
Liam seemed a little taken aback by Arvid’s proposal. He contemplated his answer, looking back and forth between Arvid and the bed, until he sighed and said, “Fine, let’s share the bed.”
“Now, there’s the bathroom. You can go wash and rest a little. After that, we’ll go down to eat dinner.”
Arvid opened his suitcase to look for fresh clothes and went to the bathroom to take a long-deserved shower.
After he finished, Liam entered the room again to let him know that dinner was ready, so they both went downstairs.
When they reached the dining table, Arvid saw Liam’s parents, as well as a blonde girl he didn’t recognize.
She turned around, looked at Arvid, and immediately jumped from her chair with a huge grin on her face. He heard Liam mutter something under his breath, clearly annoyed.
She ran toward Arvid and hugged him, yelling: “Oh my god! Is this THE Arvid? I’m so excited to finally meet you! Liam has told me so much about you, and I couldn’t wait to see you in person!” She spoke so quickly that Arvid barely understood half of what she said.
“Okay, that’s enough, let him breathe,” Liam interrupted.
“Arvid, this is my annoying sister Jessica. Jess, well… you already know this is Arvid.”
“Nice to meet you, Jessica,” Arvid said, still a bit shocked by the whole encounter.
“Ok kids, time to eat. Come on, sit down,” said Liam’s mom.
With that, they all sat down to eat. Mrs. Lawson had cooked a lot of homemade food that looked and tasted delicious, and she had even made Pavlova for dessert.
The dinner was extremely pleasant. They talked about Arvid’s flight, racing in general, and many other topics. Arvid was surprised at how comfortable he felt with Liam’s family. I could get used to visiting them like this, he thought.
After dinner, he was really full and started to feel a bit tired.
“Arvid, I think it’s time to sleep. I have many things planned for you this week, and we’ll start tomorrow, so better get some rest,” Liam said.
Arvid thanked Mrs. Lawson again for the dinner, said good night to Liam’s dad and sister, and headed upstairs.
He brushed his teeth, changed his clothes, and walked toward the bed where Liam was already lying down, scrolling on his phone.
Shit! He had forgotten he’d agreed to share the bed with Liam, and the worst part was that it had been his idea in the first place.
He slowly walked closer to the bed, standing on his side and looking at Liam as if waiting for permission to climb in.
Liam stopped scrolling and looked at him. He mindlessly lifted the cover and patted the space next to him. Arvid lay down and pulled the blanket over himself. He adjusted his pillow and tried to act as nonchalant as possible, hoping Liam wouldn’t notice how hard his heart was beating.
He didn’t know what to do or say, and an awkward silence settled between them until Liam turned around and hovered over him. Arvid stopped breathing for a moment, staring up at how close Liam’s face was to his own. Their eyes locked for a second, until he realized Liam was only reaching to turn off the lamp on the bedside table. When Liam finally switched it off, he returned to his side and lay down as if nothing had happened.
“Good night, Arvid,” Liam said, turning his back to him.
Arvid just stared at the ceiling, trying to calm his heartbeat. After a while, weariness overcame him, and he drifted into a deep sleep.