Fic: Interconnection, Part 7
Pairing: Mark Webber/Sebastian Vettel
Rating: M
Synopsis: Post-Hungary, Seb and Mark come to terms with the reality of the upcoming break
Word count: 3257
Disclaimer: Didn’t happen, never will. Don’t like, don’t read.
Interconnection, Part 7
Sebastian was far from happy.
While it was true that third was decent, the fact was he had still lost the race. He’d had the pace out there, but getting stuck behind Jenson and then damaging his front wing certainly hadn’t helped. Then not being able to overtake Kimi… There were opportunities left begging out there, and he knew it.
Now he was walking back to the paddock car park, where his moped was parked alongside his and Mark’s Infiniti cars. Mark had driven in because he was staying at a hotel with Ann, whereas his own commute was only to and from his motorhome. It annoyed him to no end that his teammate wasn’t available for a stolen kiss or even a proper in-person argument, but then again, they were both responsible for Ann’s suspicions.
And Hanna’s.
Sebastian checked his phone. Another missed call from his girlfriend. A few seconds later, yet another text came through.
Third is still great! Call me as soon as you get this. Really looking forward to the break.
He hated how ambivalent he was beginning to feel. It meant that he had already turned into one of those guys - the type who cheated on their girlfriends and thought nothing of it, or at least found a way to justifying their straying.
Hanna was of course the rational option in all this, and it was true that she’d never had reason to feel threatened. They’d been together so long that it was comfortable. She wasn’t one to complain when he went away for a race or for sponsor commitments. It was his way of life - Hanna slotted in nicely, accommodating every chop and change to his schedule.
She, like Ann, had begun to ask questions about how things were within the team. Suddenly she cared about the new teammate speculation. How will Kimi or Dan compare to Mark? Are you talking to Mark? Are you worried about him saying bad things once he leaves Red Bull behind?
It was like returning to another press conference, except there was a much more personal dimension involved.
Wiping his brow of sweat - the ambient temperature really was uncomfortable - Sebastian halted when his phone rang in his hand. At first, he was convinced it was Hanna, but when he read the screen properly, he noticed it was actually Heikki calling.
Retreating to the shade of the undercover parking spots nearby, he took the call with a sigh of relief.
‘Hey.’
‘Seb, have you heard?’ Heikki said hurriedly. ‘Alonso’s manager met with Christian.’
‘What?’
‘Yeah.’
Sebastian tried to stay rational. ‘For sure it must be something about the junior drivers. His manager represents other people.’
‘Yeah, I guess.’ Heikki sounded contemplative, like there was still some doubt in his mind. ‘But I wouldn’t be happy driving for Ferrari right now… Anyway, where are you? You ran off so quick. I thought we were going to go together to your motorhome.’
‘Sorry. Heading there soon on the scooter. Kinda want to be alone. Think through the race and all that.’
‘Ah, no problem. I’ll be at the main motorhome if you need me.’
‘Thanks.’
‘Hey, you better hurry if you are in the car park. I think Mark could be on his way out.’
‘By himself?’
It was a careless slip-up, but he wanted to know Ann’s whereabouts so badly. Fortunately, Heikki continued non-plussed.
‘I don’t know. Heard his people saying he was keen to leave. Ha ha, call me if he has a posse. I have your back. I’ll bring Britta too. She can record everything. Bull fight.’
‘You’re not even funny,’ Sebastian said in good humour. ‘I’ll talk to you later.’
‘Okay. See you.’
Sebastian put his phone away and thought about his options as he began walking again. In the slim chance that Mark was leaving alone, maybe it was worth loitering around. Then again, loitering meant he’d probably bump into other drivers in due time. The parking spots here were reserved in car number order, so all other drivers had to pass Red Bull to get to their own hire vehicles.
If Mark wasn’t alone, he’d have to rush off as soon as he spotted him in the distance.
There should’ve been a plan, he thought as he stopped again (this time to admire the cars of the Hungaroring’s VIPs). Mark had predictably rushed off after the team debrief. Yesterday had been rough for the Australian, but he seemed okay today, not nearly anywhere as angry.
Mark had been furious about the birthday card incident, but even that anger hadn’t lasted. Sebastian knew he had a hold on his teammate. Whether either of them wanted to acknowledge it or not, Mark was touched by the fact Sebastian had held onto the birthday card as if it was some sort of love letter. The older man’s initial fury had been replaced with a reminder that they be a lot more cautious from now on.
There’s cautious and then there’s radio silence, Sebastian lamented. He soldiered on, finally reaching his moped and, in acceptance of his circumstances, sped off to his motorhome without taking the risk of waiting around for his teammate.
*
An hour later, Mark was beginning to run out of excuses. He was still holed up in his room in the Red Bull motorhome. Having already finished his media interviews, he had no real reason to not come out and join Ann, who was waiting for him in the hospitality area with Mitch.
He didn’t want to go back to the hotel yet. Even though the weekend had been a write-off since his qualifying woes, his mind was still here in F1. He wasn’t ready for the summer break. The break meant that if he wanted to see Sebastian in person, they’d have to arrange it. Whatever was going on between them would then turn into an actual affair, complete with secret holidays and cover stories.
Checking the clock, he wondered why the German had yet to text him. Usually he had to tell him to stop, to shut up so Mark’s friends wouldn’t get suspicious. Sebastian actually heeding the warnings? It seemed off.
Mark slumped back onto the couch but then jumped when someone knocked on his door.
‘Mark. Open up!’
Sebastian.
Mark was careful not to seem too excited when he answered the door. He opened it a fraction and saw his teammate anxiously standing there, his blue eyes pleading with him. The desperation tugged at Mark’s heartstrings, which in turn brought on a rush of self-hatred. Why were they so attracted to each other?
‘Vettel, what are you doing?’ he hissed.
Sebastian was having none of Mark’s attitude. ‘What the fuck do you think I’m doing?’ he hissed back. ‘Fucking let me in.’
Knowing he had no choice but to oblige, Mark stepped back and quickly ushered Sebastian in before anyone else walked into the corridor.
As soon as the younger driver heard the click of the lock, he pushed Mark up against the door, grabbed his polo collar and hauled himself up for a kiss.
It had been too long. Mark reacted instantly and grabbed the sides of Sebastian’s face, kissing him with undue force. It was painfully chaste at first, their lips bruising against each other as both men took a moment to register the contact. When Sebastian’s eyes fluttered open, he saw that Mark hadn’t even closed his eyes. There was a new consciousness, yet again. It was if the older man wanted to see the effect he was having.
Sucking on Sebastian’s bottom lip, Mark then pushed his tongue into the younger man’s mouth. This time, both men closed their eyes, simultaneously needing to concentrate on how it felt to be kissing like this. It wasn’t about sight; it was about feel. Just like they knew how their cars were supposed to feel on track, they were beginning to figure out how it was supposed to feel when they kissed.
Sebastian took his turn to dominate with his tongue, with Mark responding by pulling him closer at the waist. Their bodies pressed up closer, Mark began to struggle with the shame he felt at being so aroused. As if he could sense this anxiety, Sebastian slowed the kiss and loosened his grip on Mark’s collar, leaning into him rather than holding him hostage.
Mark grunted and broke the kiss. ‘We’re kissing like too horny teenagers,’ he whispered.
‘You’re too old to be a teenager,’ Sebastian responded, a glint of mischief in his eye. He reinitiated the lip lock - the soft, wet kiss was gentle, but his hardening cock was suddenly urging him to be more aggressive. It was taking all his willpower to respect Mark’s hesitations when it came to anything more than kissing and groping.
‘You’re killing me,’ Mark complained, his frustration showing. His heart was pounding from exhilaration and fear, and his cock was straining against his shorts. Resting his forehead against his teammate’s, he then surprised himself with his own admission. ‘But I can’t go four weeks without seeing you. Three was tough enough.’
Sebastian was instantly smug. ‘If you need me this much, we should make plans.’
Frowning, Mark gently pushed Sebastian away. ‘Ugh, wipe that smirk off your face. You’re the one who came rushing in here.’
‘I know.’
His body screaming to be touched, Mark groaned and collapsed onto the couch, lying lengthways across it. ‘Get over here.’
Truth be told, Sebastian didn’t know what Mark was asking for exactly. Was he merely asking him to come over and sit by the couch?
He raised an eyebrow, querying him. ‘What do you mean?’
Cheeks red with embarrassment, Mark sat up and pulled his polo over his head. ‘I don’t know. Just come over here.’
On a day where certain manoeuvres hadn’t been executed properly, or indeed fast enough, Sebastian wasn’t about to be hesitant. If Mark yelled at him for taking things too far again, then so be it.
The German removed his own polo shirt and stalked over to Mark, pushing him back down into a lying position so that he could climb on top.
‘I hate myself for this,’ Mark said plainly as Sebastian straddled him.
‘Me too,’ was the quieter reply. He didn’t want to think. He had Mark pinned on a couch in a locked room. He was grinding against him, making him choke back groans of pleasure.
Sebastian ceased his motions, however, when he saw the fear in Mark’s eyes again. Everything felt dangerously good, and for someone so disciplined, their attraction was clearly going to continue taking its toll.
Changing tack, Sebastian laid himself down on Mark, inviting him to simply hold him. It was shocking, though, to have skin on skin contact. Chest-to-chest was so intimate that the older man gasped as if he’d had the air knocked out of him. Trembling, he then wrapped his arms around Sebastian, keeping him in place as if this was needed to keep himself from unravelling.
The younger man rested his head in the crook of Mark’s neck and hummed contentedly. He was trying to tell his body that this was comfort only and to not get too excited - a task that would be easier if Mark’s warm touch wasn’t so thrilling.
‘Maybe I’m having an early mid-life crisis,’ Mark wondered out loud. ‘Most men buy a Ferrari or something. That’s not enough for an F1 driver, is it?’
‘Don’t talk Ferrari. I’m hearing rumours now that Fernando suddenly wants your seat.’
Mark chose not to comment. Fernando would be disgusted to know what he was doing right now. He could never divulge this secret to anyone. How could he? Here he was, lying with Sebastian Vettel, rubbing his back soothingly like they were true lovers.
‘You’re warm,’ Sebastian said, calmness still battling with his hormones.
‘Bet your girlfriend is also warm.’
‘Can we not talk about her?’
‘Maybe I’m just a last minute pit-stop before you get married. Think about it.’
Agitated, Sebastian poked Mark in the side of the ribs. ‘Shut up.’
‘Just trying to make sense of things. I’m older than you…’
Sebastian tuned out when the lecture began. He didn’t need the self-pity and introspection. His time with Mark was always running out, and he wanted to take advantage.
So he did. He moved his hand to the waistband of Mark’s shorts, propping himself up so he had even better access.
‘…Ann’s been so loyal to me. Now I’m hurting her…’
If Mark hadn’t noticed what Sebastian was doing, he was certainly noticing now. The younger man had unbuttoned and unzipped Mark’s shorts, and was currently palming Mark’s cock through his underwear. Mark was getting harder by the second, the glorious sensation striking him with terror. He was liking this. He was loving this.
Staring up at the ceiling, he told himself not to move. If he looked down, he’d be watching his teammate groping him.
Feeling as though he was overheating, his breath began to catch as Sebastian tightened his grip and began to squeeze and rub with more confidence.
‘Seb?’
‘Mmmm?’
‘Uh…I can’t feel you properly, mate. Touch me directly.’
Mark bucked into Sebastian’s touch when the latter moved his hand to where Mark really wanted it. He stifled his groans, smacking a hand over his own mouth. Already he wasn’t looking. Hearing himself getting off to Sebastian’s touch was just as bad.
‘Fuck,’ Mark whimpered.
‘You are hard.’ It was more of a wondrous observation than an attempt at dirty talk. Sebastian was in awe at how hot and hard Mark’s length was, so much so that he was rubbing him slower and slower.
Mark’s eyes rolled into the back of his head. ‘Your accent was so German then. Can’t believe I found that a turn-on.’
The only response was a grunt. Sebastian’s own lust was beginning to overwhelm him.
‘Faster, Seb.’
Before tugging faster, he actually squeezed Mark unexpectedly hard, prompting him to cry out in pleasure.
‘Fuck.’
‘Shhhhh.’
‘I’m trying…Oh my God.’ Mark was somewhere else. Gone were the burdens that he usually carried. He was focusing on how this felt and how this felt only. ‘Suck me off. Please.’
There had been a time when he had stopped a blow job from happening. Not like this, he’d said. Now, however, in the heat of the moment, he was going to allow it.
Emboldened by the permission, Sebastian moved down on the couch and got himself into position, unzipping his own shorts so he could touch himself while he sucked Mark’s cock. Though he’d never dreamed of doing this before this attraction to Mark had developed, he wasn’t afraid of doing it badly or doing it wrong. He was just going to go for it, pulling Mark’s clothes down so nothing was in his way.
It was strange, taking Mark into his mouth. Surreal. As he clamped his lips over Mark’s tip and slowly took more and more of him in, he did hear taunts in his head. Taunts in the voices of his friends. Didn’t know you liked men, Seb. You’re gay for Mark, are you? What’s it like, hey? Confronting as these imaginings were, he told himself to shake it off. Mark was clearly enjoying this, bucking into his mouth and whispering the most offensive of swear words as Sebastian sucked. Up and down, up and down. He swirled his tongue around, thinking of what a girl would do.
With one hand wrapped around the base of Mark’s shaft and the other busy pleasuring himself, Sebastian had no free hands to hold Mark down. It was uncomfortable absorbing the extra movement; his gag reflex was being well and truly tested. Mark was big, and Sebastian had to groan in protest when Mark reached over to hold him down. There were already tears in his eyes from the effort.
‘Sorry,’ Mark said. ‘I just…I’m…’ The build-up was as intense as he’d ever felt it. The tightening in his balls was so overwhelming that he’d wanted to hold Sebastian down so he could finish the job as fast as possible. ‘Oh God. I’m coming.’
It wasn’t enough warning. Mark spilled into Sebastian’s mouth, catching him off guard and resulting in an awkward coughing fit for the German. It was only then that Mark looked at him. Though he was still recovering from his high, he was lucid enough to realise his teammate had had a rude awakening.
The scene was far from delicate. Sebastian clambered off the couch, stumbling as he went over to the sink to clean up. Adding to his discomfort, his erection was now painful and without relief. That, however, wasn’t nearly as shocking as the reality that he’d committed his first sexual act with Mark.
‘You okay?’ Mark felt guilty as anything - the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach churning until he felt nauseous. There was a reason he’d always held firm when it came to more, and yet he’d gotten so caught up in how good everything felt that he hadn’t listened to his own reservations.
Confirming Mark’s fears, Sebastian didn’t say anything as he ran the tap and grabbed for more tissues.
‘Seb…’ Mark sat up properly, pulling up his shorts as he did so. Getting redressed was a different experience now. Covering himself didn’t erase what they’d just done. He too needed to clean up.
‘Can’t believe we actually did that,’ Seb muttered, leaning on the basin with two hands.
Unsure whether it was wise to walk over and close the distance between them, the older man stayed where he was. ‘I could’ve given you more warning…about you know…’
Sebastian slowly sank to his knees. ‘I’m just going to sit here for a bit.’ He then shifted, bringing his knees to his chest and hugging himself.
He looked lost.
Noticing the tap was still running, Mark went over to turn it off. As he did so, Sebastian turned away, as if he couldn’t bear the proximity.
‘I’m older,’ Mark began, standing about a foot away. ‘I should’ve known better…’
‘I’m not a kid. I know what we did.’ There was a long pause where he still couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact. ‘I figured it wouldn’t be a big deal.’
A fresh round of taunts started up in his head. Some of them were slurs, things he’d expect certain people to say if they knew. He knew how cruel people could be. He also knew he was a bit of a target these days.
‘It’s pretty scary, isn’t it?’ Mark asked. ‘Us, I mean.’
‘Yeah. More than I thought.’
Mark moved to the other side of the room so Sebastian could get redressed without feeling like he was about to get jumped. As he watched, he couldn’t help the protectiveness that was mixing in with all the guilt. It made no sense, but it was there.
‘You going to be okay?’
Sebastian touched his lips self-consciously and took another step towards the door. ‘Yeah.’
‘Don’t lie. I care, remember?’
‘Then come over here and hug me. I don’t know when I’ll see you next.’
Sadness gripped them both as they realised how vulnerable they really were with each other. The embrace was brief, and all Mark offered was a kiss on the head.
Four weeks was too long. One of them was bound to break before then.