F1 One Shots II

#71 Carlos - Special meaning

NARRATOR POV: It's another race weekend, and Isabelle has lots of things to do, as a journalist. Even then, she showes her support to one particular Italian team, sporting red pants and suit jacket with black shirt underneath and black high-heeled boots. To complete the outfit was topped with light make up and golden hooped earings.
At one moment, when she was looking over her notes, her hair fell in front of her face. Wth a huff, Izzy tuked those hair behind her ear, but it didn't help, so she took a hair tie and tied them in two dutch braids in frustration. Because of that, her co-workers could see small black thing behind her right ear.
-Izzy?
-What, Samu?
-What is that?
-What is what?- she looked at him, confused.
-That- he replied and pointed at her ear.
-Ah..! That...- she realised and added -It's nothing...
-That's definitely something, cause you avoid the question- he pressed, smiling.
-Fine..- she agreed and added -It's a tattoo...
-Since when do you have a tattoo!?- he was shocked.
Beggining of 23' season..- she mumbled shyly in reply.
-Que?! Mija...!?
-It's 55, ok? Just something sweet to remind me of Carlos...!- she got defensive.
-It's really sweet. Can I see?
-Yeah, sure- she agreed and let Samuel look closer at her "55" tattoo in Carlos's handwritting.
-Looks awsome! Did it hurt?
-No. Not really..
After that they went into "work mode" again, doing their job. It took all their focus and energy for next minutes...

...
-There you are, Cara mia..- Carlos said, happily hugging Izzy from behind when he finished his "on track duties".
-Italian is rubbing off on you, Amor- she quiped back, smiling.
-Good thing is, I'm a polyglot- he replied and leaned in, to press small and sweet kiss behind her ear, over the tattoo.
-Always a charmer- his answer made her giggle.
-You love it.
-Course I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here, did I?- she replied and turned around in his arms, to look him in the eye -Tired?
-More hungry, to be honest...
-Food it is!- she agreed and wanted to let go of him, but Carlos kept her in place -Que pasa Carino?
-Nada.. I just..
-Just what? Talk to me...?
-I just keep thinking about that tattoo of yours...
-What about it?- confusion was evident in her voice.
-It's hot..
-And?- she pushed, sensing that he wants to say something else.
-How it was done, the planing, the meaning behind it... It's special and I want something special as well, to remind me of you when we're apart...
-Oh, Carlito...- she felt really touched by the words -But what would it be? Do you have something in mind?- she asked, internaly thinking about her tattoo...

FLASHBACK
WINTER BREAK BEFORE THE 2023 F1 SEASON
Isabella was thinking about it for a good while, wanting to do a tattoo and for it to have special meaning for her.
One day, she stumbled upon a sheet of paper, where Carlos wrote some stuff without thinking during one of the many meetings he needed to attend for the team. One thing in particular caught her eye. A set of 55s' all over the paper. Smiling to herself she took that paper and another one, a sticky note really and placed one over the other, and with black pen placed it on one of the windows in the office. Sneakly, she drew the fives on the sticky note, and then placed everything back like she found it, accept the note she took with herself. At that moment decision was made...
A few days later she went into tattoo parlour with confident smile on her face.
-Buenos dias..
-Buenos dias..
-(How can I help you?)- lady at the front desk asked her.
-(I have an appointment for a small tattoo)
-Si, Isabella. Encantada! Yo soy Marissa.
-Encantada- she smiled back and then let herself be lead to one of the stations, where she met Margarita, the tattoo artist she had an apointment with.
-Why the "55"? Formula One fan by chance?- Margarita joked, as she worked.
-Sort of... The numbers have special meaning to my boyfriend..- she replied, smiling and thinking about Carlos.
-Sweet. Wait...?! You're Isabella Jimenez-Ruiz! That famous journaist!
-Thanks for recognizing me by my work, not by who my boyfriend is..!- she joked airly -Most of people recognize me by Carlos...
-That sucks. You're mega journalist, so people should recognize you by that! I love watching your interviews in TV.
-It's nice you say that... - after that, for the rest of the session, the atmosphere was light and happy, and Isabella almost didn't feel any pain when tattoo was made. After it was done, she went over the aftercare routine for the tattoo, paid and left, happy with the result...
END OF THE FLASHBACK

-I don't know really..?! I don't think it would be a tattoo...
-That's a first- Izzy agreed and added -You do what you thing will be right for you, so if marking your skin is not it, then don't. Do what will be important to you...
-Te quiero mucho Amor...
-Tambien, te quiero..- they smiled to one another and then leaned in, to kiss each other softly and sweetly.

...
Few weeks later, Carlos started to wear diferent watch than before, which caught fans eye. But mostly because of the photodump Kym Illmann did, titled "Watches of .... Paddock". It made it to one of the shots, revealing great ditailing on the "wskazówki". It was a date engraved there in tiny letters, creating 24th of February and .... of .... . Meaningless dates to most, but not to Carlos. The first one being Izzy's birthday, and the other their first meeting as friends.
That way Carlos could wear it every day and not raise any suspition. His "something special"...
A watch and a tattoo, connected them to one another and made them able to "feel" each other during their time apart. Love has many forms, and is unique to anybody. It's about the thought of the other... Together but apart..
THE END

Something racing related but not really...
Carlos just seemes to me like a really cute and sappy-romantic guy..
He just deserves the world in my opinion..!
Have a nice day! / Goodnight!
F.