TOO LITTLE TOO LATE | charles leclerc

prelude

⋆ but i still miss you, when i'm with you
cause i know we're not playing for keeps ⋆

THREE THINGS WERE A GUARANTEE in Lana Dumas' life: death, taxes and ending up in Charles Leclerc's bed.

They were like two magnets, although she could never quite figure out if they were pulling towards each other or pushing away. It had started in 2019, when a fresh eyed Lana entered the Paddock for her first summer internship. Renault Junior Programme, aimed at bringing in young women to the paddock. Sure, it was more performative than anything, but it was the start of everything.

A P4 in Monza for Daniel Riccardo had prompted team wide celebrations in the local hotel. From there, Lana and a few other of the younger folk had headed to the local club, packed to the brim. Drinks continued to flow, the bar crowded as everyone fought for position.

Finally, Lana flagged down the bartender, ordering her fourth vodka coke of the night. Charles' hand had appeared at her waist, before she even knew what was happening.

"I've seen you around the place," he mentioned, handing cash to the barman with ease. "Renault, right?"

"Oui," Lana responded, her inhibitians significantly lowered with the alcohol in her system. Her hands reached for the drink placed infront of her. "And yourself?"

Charles blinked for a moment, before rolling her eyes when he saw her smiling behind her glass. "You have a sense of humour."

"And you have an ego."

Charles raised an eyebrow. "It's a requirement of the profession, is it not?"

That first night in Monza had ended up with soft kisses against skin, and sweet nothings that were just that - nothing. Lana went back to Imperial College in London for her second year the following week. Charles continued competing, different country every week. They exchanged nothing - no messages, no dms. There wasn't even the occasional instagram like.

2020 meant Covid, restrictions and hours spent in her room. Lana had managed to secure another summer intership with Mclaren this time, but due to a limit of personel at the track, her work was mostly at Woking. She watched Charles race through the eyes of Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris, as if that night in Monza never happened.

But it had.

She graduated with a first class honors in May of 2021, and her father had bought her tickets to Paul Richard. She had managed to get both tickets upgraded to Paddock Passes through her Mclaren connections, before she started full time with them that September. Being French, it had always been a dream of hers to attend, and now she finally could.

For Charles, the race had been a disaster. Starting in 7th, Ferrari stratagy struck, dropping him to 16th due to two trips into the pitlane to swap tires. Lana had caught him outside their hotel on Sunday night, his fingers tapping lightly on the rail, deep in thought.

"Bad day?" she offered, leaning next to him.

His eyes turned to hers, flashing briefly in recognition. "Lana. I thought my eyes were decieving me for a moment."

"Here in the flesh," she replied, a little suprised he remembered her name. She was one of presumably many hookups.

He read her expression with ease. "You seem surprised I recognised you?"

"It's been a while."

"You're not easy to forget," Charles shrugged, as if it was simple. As if hadn't been almost two years since he had seen her. Those words caused an unwarrented reaction in her heart. "I don't sleep with just anyone."