I have planned podium celebrations with less precision than this moment, and that’s saying something. My hands still shake as I stand in the middle of our living room, pretending to argue about what movie to watch, while the ring burns like a secret in my pocket. She is barefoot, hair messy from the shower, wearing one of my hoodies, completely unaware that in about thirty seconds her world is going to tilt on its axis.

She sighs dramatically. “Just pick one, Lando.”

God. I love her.

I step closer instead of answering. She looks up at me, confused, amused. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

Because I’m about to change our lives. Because every race start feels easier than this.

I take her hands. She laughs nervously now. “Okay..what’s happening?”

My heart is pounding so loud I’m sure she can hear it. I swallow and speak before I can lose the nerve.

“I hear the alarms but here in your arms seems like a fine place to die. The worlds on fire - I burn - happily dancing with you. Take my body and i’ll be the soul you’ll come crashing into. If it has to be the end all I ask is that I get to burn with you.”

Her smile slowly fades - not in a bad way. In a stunned way. Her brows knit together as she tries to process why I’m suddenly reciting poetry like the world is ending.

“Lando..?” she whispers.

I exhale shakily. “That’s what it feels like. With you. Even when everything’s chaos. Even when the world’s loud and racing and on fire. If I’m in your arms, it’s..it’s home.”

Her eyes are glossy now. She hasn’t moved. She hasn’t blinked.

“I didn’t plan to fall in love like this,” I admit, my voice rough. “I didn’t plan on you being the person who makes bad days feel irrelevant. Or the one I want to tell everything to first. Or the one I can’t imagine a finish line without.”

Her fingers tighten around mine.

“I don’t want to just burn with you at the end,” I continue softly. “I want to build with you. Grow with you. Fight with you and make up with you. Wake up next to you when we’re old and wrinkled and still arguing about movies.”

She lets out a shaky laugh through tears.

My pulse spikes. This is it.

I drop to one knee.

The sound she makes - half gasp, half broken inhale - is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.

Her hands fly to her mouth. “No. No way. Lando-”

“I know you didn’t expect this,” I say quickly, pulling the ring from my pocket. My fingers almost fumble it, but I steady myself. “I wanted it to be a surprise. A real one. Because you deserve something that makes your knees weak for once.”

She’s crying openly now. Completely shocked. Completely overwhelmed.

“I love you,” I say, and it feels bigger than any trophy I’ve ever held. “I love you when you’re loud. When you’re quiet. When you steal my hoodies. When you pretend you’re not soft. I love you in every version.”

I open the ring box.

Her breath leaves her in a soft sob.

“So if the world’s on fire,” I whisper, “and if I’m going to burn anyway..I want to burn my whole life with you. Will you marry me?”

There’s a split second where time suspends. Where I genuinely think my heart might stop before she answers.