You met Lando in a way that was almost disappointingly normal. No dramatic moment. No movie like first glance across a crowded room.

Just a quiet Tuesday afternoon and a mutual friend who insisted you both had to meet.

You knew he worked in motorsport somewhere, that he travelled a lot, and that people online seemed to care a lot about what he was doing.

But beyond that, he was just another guy sitting across from you at a café table, stirring his coffee absentmindedly.

The first thing you noticed about him was how easy he was to talk to. There was no awkward pause, no forced small talk.

The conversation just…flowed.

After that, things moved slowly. He travelled constantly, and your life stayed mostly where it was.

At first it was just messages, every now and then a random meme. Then phone calls, visits.

Now, almost two years later, evenings like this had become normal.

You’re lying on the couch, half under a blanket, your phone loosely in your hand. Lando sits beside you, busy with his phone as well, his shoulder lightly brushing against yours.

The room is quiet, the only sound the steady rhythm of your breathing.

At the other end of the couch lies Milo, your dachshund. Curled up like a small, warm ball, he’s fast asleep, his chest rising and falling evenly.

You only realize Lando has been watching you when the typing beside you stops. With a soft sound, he places his phone on the table in front of the couch.

A moment later you feel the blanket shift on your lap.

“Hey wha-” You start, but you don’t get any further.

He slides closer and half collapses onto you, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. His weight spreads across you, warm and familiar.

Before you can protest, he pulls the blanket back over both of you and buries his face in the crook of your neck.

His breath brushes your skin, calm and warm. “Much better." He murmurs quietly.

You snort, more out of habit than real resistance, and let your phone drop. Then something moves at the other end of the couch.

Milo lifts his head. Sleepily he blinks, his long ears leaning slightly back. For a brief moment he looks disoriented, until his gaze lands on the two of you.

More precisely, on Lando.

Then he stands up. His short legs carry him surprisingly quickly across the cushions, and barely a second later he jumps onto Lando’s back.

Little paws start trampling determinedly across his back.

Lando lifts his head slightly from your neck and glances over his shoulder just enough to see Milo, who is now standing squarely on his back.

“Buddy…what are you doing?” He murmurs.

Milo pauses for a second. Then his tail starts wagging immediately.

Slowly he shuffles closer, balancing across Lando’s back until his snout is right in front of his face.

And then he licks Lando’s mouth.

You burst out laughing. Lando freezes for a moment, as if his brain needs a second to process what just happened. Then his face twists immediately.

“Ew! Milo!” He jerks back instinctively and buries his face in your neck again.

“He kissed me..” He mutters against your skin, his voice muffled. “I felt his tongue in my mouth.”

You feel his breath against your skin as he shifts even closer to you, like he urgently needs distance from Milo.

Behind him, Milo is still standing on his back, looking completely satisfied with himself.

You can’t stop laughing. Your hand automatically slips into Lando’s hair as you try to catch your breath.

Lando sighs softly. “I think he did that on purpose.” You shake your head, laughing. “You’re exaggerating.”

“I am not! That was disgusting!" He mutters immediately. “He only did that because he’s jealous.”

Behind him, Milo has now sat down. Perfectly casual. As if that spot belongs exactly to him.

Lando carefully turns his head again. Milo immediately leans forward and tries to lick his face a second time.

“NO!” He jerks back again and buries his face back into your neck. “You need to control your dog, babe!”