Archive of Our Own

Oscar sat on top of the counter, swinging his legs as Lando paced the bathroom. Six steps in one direction to the wall, turned, then six steps in the other direction to the shower. Over and over for the last few minutes, glancing at the piece of plastic sat on the counter next to the sink every so often. Oscar himself avoided looking at it, focusing on his husband instead. This had become a regular occurrence over the last nine months. Just them at some random hour of the night, waiting for the results of a pregnancy test. It had been a negative result every time so far. Oscar wasn't hopeful it would be any different this time. The only bit of hope Oscar had was his heat currently being five days late. The anticipation had kept him from sleep, so he woke Lando up at 4am to take this test. The timer on Lando's phone alarmed, letting them know the five minute wait for the results was over. Lando paused mid-pace, finding Oscar's gaze. The alpha stepped in between Oscar's legs, wrapping his arms around his omega's waist. Oscar hesitated before reaching for the test, pit forming in his stomach. He felt Lando suck in a deep breath and hold it as he picked up the test and flipped it over. 

Negative. 

Tears sprung to Oscar's eyes, frustration and sadness blooming in his chest. Lando released the breath he was holding, leaning up to press a kiss to Oscar's jaw. The older man didn't say anything, he didn't need to. The weight of the disappointment leaked into Oscar's scent, filling his nose and the small room with the bitter smell of burnt chocolate. The scent had become devastatingly familiar to Lando over the past nine months as they tried and failed to start a family of their own. The alpha knew that his own scent had also taken on a similar bitter tone by the look on Oscar's face. Sliding off the counter, Oscar released himself from Lando's grip, intertwining their hands instead. Without a second look, he threw the test in the bin before leading Lando out of the bathroom into their bedroom. Neither man spoke as they climbed back into bed, giving each other space with their own thoughts. 

Getting pregnant was more difficult than they had expected. Starting a family had been something they'd talked about for years, but as racing drivers it wasn't something they could consider until they'd retired. Oscar and Lando had agreed that while he was still in contention for championships, it wouldn't be fair for Oscar to have to take time off to have a baby. Lando had retired a few seasons ago, tired of a racing driver's life, but Oscar had just won his fourth championship and wasn't ready to give it up.  So, when Oscar finally retired the previous year at 35, a 5 time world champion, they got to work trying for a baby as soon as Oscar's first heat after the season hit. The first couple of months went by with negative pregnancy tests, but it didn't concern them too much. Oscar had spent a lot of years on birth control and he'd only been off them since the day after Abu Dhabi. The couple had also packed up their lives in Monaco to fulfill Oscar's wish of moving back home once he'd retired. They'd put down their lack of immediate success down to Oscar's body needing time to readjust and the stress of moving across the world. Instead of focusing on it too much, Oscar and Lando didn't keep their hands off each other, acting like the two lovestruck kids they were at the beginning of their relationship. Keeping their sex life light hearted and fun kept the fear that something was wrong away for a time. Until six months had passed with absolutely no signs of Oscar getting pregnant. An intense panic attack following another negative test that left Oscar practically catatonic in bed for hours afterwards pushed Lando to book appointments for them both to get checked. Dozens of tests showed there was nothing sinister that would stop them from having kids. When the doctor sat them down, she only had one reason they were struggling. 

"Omegas generally struggle to get pregnant in their 30s. I'm sorry Mr Norris-Piastri, but given that you're 36, I would prepare yourself that you'll likely never conceive naturally." 

The words had felt like a knife to the gut at the time and still did three months later. Guilt and shame overwhelmed him. Oscar was an omega, he was supposed to give his Alpha children. Instead he'd been selfish and prioritised a racing career over starting a family. As much as Lando reassured him that he didn't resent Oscar for any of it, that they'd both chosen to put their careers first,  Oscar couldn't help but resent himself. They both wanted children desperately, but they may have missed their opportunity. 

When Oscar opened his eyes again after the negative test, he felt the familiar cramping and simmering tension in his lower abdomen. Pre-heat had arrived. Even with his mind hazy from his building heat, he felt the crushing weight of frustration and betrayal at his body. Heats had now become a source of stress for Oscar, just another way of further proving his failure to be a good omega and husband. Everything about Oscar's heats had become methodical, aimed towards giving them the best chance of getting pregnant. He'd found every tip and trick he possibly could, but he still ended up with a negative test every time. The cramping, always the worst part of his pre-heat, worsened, making Oscar roll onto his side and curl into a ball. It helped to ease the tension in his stomach but not the ache in his chest. Within the haze, he finally registered the fact that he was lying in bed alone; his instincts flared at the absence of his alpha, a small whine leaving his lips involuntarily. Sitting up, he noticed the piece of paper placed on top of his phone, recognising Lando's messy scrawl immediately. 

Gone out for a run, home soon. I love you x 

Oscar smiled at the note, letting himself relax back under the covers. His omega settled at the reassurance that Lando would be back soon. Closing his eyes, he drifted back into sleep. 

The house was quiet when Lando got back from picking up pastries from the little bakery near their house that Oscar loved. The box he balanced in his arms was filled with an arrangement of pain au chocolats and chocolate chip muffins that were Oscar's usual choices. He'd also managed to grab croissants that were always sold out long before Oscar rose in the mornings. Lando hadn't able to sleep after the test, so he eventually gave up and turned his focus on trying to help Oscar feel a little better. 

"Osc?" Lando called as he dropped his keys onto the table by the door. When the house remained silent, Lando made his way upstairs to their bedroom. He'd reached the top step of their stairs when the scent hit him. The telltale, almost sickly sweet note that Oscar's scent took on when he went into heat. It normally drove Lando crazy, but the sourness from the earlier disappointment still remained, making Lando's chest ache. Entering the bedroom, he found Oscar curled up, still buried under the duvet. 

"Oscar? I brought pastries from Rosie's. I got there early enough she had croissants left, so you can finally try them." Lando maintained his usual bright chatter as he crossed the room to Oscar's side of the bed. Placing the pastries on the bedside table, the Brit knelt down by the bed, pushing the duvet down so he could see Oscar's face. He looked pale with dark bruises circling his eyes from exhaustion, but he thankfully didn't look like he'd been crying.

"I'm not hungry." Oscar murmured, barely meeting Lando's eyes. 

"Come on, just have a little? I know earlier was rough, but your heats starting and you need to eat. Just please try for me?" Lando tried to the coax the Australian into eating, bringing up one his hands to stoke his cheek. Oscar gave a little sigh at Lando's touch but didn't make an effort to move. Lando was about to speak again, but Oscar beat him to it. 

"Why do you still want to be with me?" The words were small and filled with despair. They felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water down Lando's spine.

"Why wouldn't I? You're my husband, Oscar and I love you." Lando replied immediately, disbelief at Oscar's question tinting his tone. 

"I was selfish. I put racing before everything else. It's my fault we can't have a baby" Oscar said, as he rolled onto his back to avoid looking at Lando. He brought his hands up to his face and dug the heels of his palms into his eyes to try and stop himself from crying. He was failing miserably, feeling the first tears escaping. 

"It's not anyone's fault. We made a choice together to put racing first. I could never have asked you to give up everything to have a baby. That wouldn't have been fair on you."  Lando tried to reason with the omega but he was already spiralling. It was always difficult to pull him out of it once he started.  

"You deserve better though. Someone who's not broken."

"You're not broken. And I don't want anyone else. I've only ever wanted you." 

"But you won't eventually. You're going to end up hating me because I'm a fucking shitty omega who can't give you children." 

"Osc, look at me." Lando said softly. Oscar gave another sigh, hesitating to follow Lando's request. He remained staring up at the ceiling for a few moments longer before turning back to face Lando. Those big, sad brown eyes focused on him as Oscar waited for him to talk. 

"I'm never going to hate you for something you can't control. I love you, more than anything. We're married, we're mated. I'm not going to just walk away from that because we're struggling to have kids. We're in this together, like always. You could still get pregnant, we just have to keep trying and hope it happens." 

"And if it never happens?" Oscar's voice was barely above a whisper. He'd stopped crying, tear tracks drying in streaks down his pale face. 

"Then it doesn't happen. We'll adopt or we'll be the fun uncles for all our siblings. As long as we've got each other, it'll be fine." Lando pressed a kiss to Oscar's forehead before standing, gesturing for Oscar to make room in bed for him. Oscar shuffled to the other side, allowing Lando to slide in beside him, arm settled around his waist.

"Let's take the pressure off things, yeah? We'll still be trying for a baby, but I miss when we just had fun together and enjoyed your heats. Not that I haven't been enjoying sex, just before you freak out about that as well. Let's just be us again, and we'll see what happens."

 Oscar answered Lando with a searing kiss, licking into his mouth with desperation. Lando responded with equal enthusiasm, hands already wandering. 

The pastries would have to wait. 

*********

Exactly a year to the day of Oscar's final race, it happened. Oscar was 10 days late for his heat, not even a single sign of pre-heat had shown up. He'd tried not to get too hopeful over it, he'd been late before and still had a negative test. However, when he opened his eyes that morning, Oscar felt like he was going to throw up. Nausea made his stomach twist violently, a light sheen of sweat breaking out across his skin. He dragged himself out of bed, barely making it to the bathroom before spewing his guts up into the toilet. He barely had time to recover when a second, stronger wave of nausea slammed into him, vomiting again until he was dry retching, stomach emptied out. Once it finally settled, Oscar rested his head on the porcelain of the seat, trying to catch his breath. He didn't lift his head when he heard soft footsteps approaching from behind. 

"Osc, are you okay?" Lando asked, kneeling beside Oscar and placing a hand on his back. He ran his hand up and down his husband's spine in a soothing action. The omega instinctively leaned into the touch. 

"Better now. Must be something I ate." Oscar responded weakly, finally lifting his head off the seat. Sweat-damp curls stuck to his forehead and the back of his neck. His face was pale, natural pink of his cheeks drained away. Lando took Oscar in for a moment as pieces fell into place in his mind, and he began to wonder how Oscar wasn't thinking the same thing as him. 

"Oscar." 

"What, Lando?" Oscar was doing a good job of feigning confusion. Lando raised his eyebrows at his husband before speaking again. 

"You're 10 days late, you're throwing up. It's time to do a test." 

Oscar shook his head, pulling away from Lando slightly. Realisation hit Lando like a truck; Oscar was too scared to hope he was pregnant, even if his symptoms were matching up. He was so used to disappointment. Lando was terrified as well, but this was the biggest sign they'd had in this last year.

"I'm just feeling a bit sick. It's probably not that." Oscar protested, stubbornness flaring. 

"Please, Osc? We'll know for sure then." Lando pleaded, placing a kiss to the younger man's temple. The omega's resolve crumbled embarrassing quickly, finding himself agreeing to the request. Helping Oscar stand on shaky legs, Lando closed the toilet lid and sat his husband down on it. He grabbed the box of pregnancy tests from the cupboard under the sink, handing one to Oscar. Allowing himself to be shooed out of the room while Oscar peed on the stick, he set up the all too familiar five minute timer on his phone. He allowed himself a tiny amount of hope as the seconds began to tick down. This could finally be it. 

Another wave of nausea hit Oscar as they waited, part the sickness he'd been feeling all morning and part anxiety from impending results from the pregnancy test. He wasn't sure he could cope with another negative test. He was cursing himself internally for letting Lando convince him to take it. Stomach still empty, Oscar continued just to dry retch over the toilet, Lando rubbing soothing circles into his lower back. His stomach hurt from the cramping and his head was pounding. If this was his first experience of morning sickness, it sucked. When Oscar sat up again, he shuffled himself to rest his back against the shower wall, head tipped back against the cool glass. The sound of the timer alarming made him jump, wide brown eyes finding Lando's equally wide green ones. Picking up the test from the counter, Lando held it out to Oscar face down. Shaking his head, Oscar pushed himself up, steadying himself on the shower. 

"We'll look together." He said, grabbing Lando's wrist and pulling him closer. The alpha's hands shook slightly as he held the test in both hands. This moment suddenly felt bigger than any other time they'd done this, that little flicker of hope rising in both of them. Taking a deep breath, Lando finally turned the test over. 

Two lines.

Oscar let out a strangled gasp, sounding choked up. Lando made eye contact with his husband, finding shining brown eyes and tears tracking down his cheeks. Feeling his own tears spilling over, Lando let out a high pitched laugh.

"You're pregnant!" Lando laughed again, bright and overjoyed. 

"I'm pregnant." Oscar echoed, softly. Tears pouring in steady streams as he dropped a hand to his still flat stomach. Wrapping his arms around his waist, Lando picked Oscar up and spun him. Oscar responded by hooking his legs around Lando's hips, hands winding into the older man's curls. The smiles on their faces were the widest they'd been in months. Basking in the happiness of the moment, Oscar crashed their lips together in a messy kiss. Oscar's scent filled Lando's senses, deep and rich from the excitement and happiness. Pulling away, Oscar buried his nose into the crook of Lando's neck, inhaling his beautiful fresh scent. They remained like that for what seemed like forever, the couple letting themselves feel every ounce of joy at the news. The pain of the last 12 months fell away in that moment. All the worry and anxiety of an actual pregnancy would return but in that moment it was just Oscar, Lando and the little life they'd made together. 

*********

Anxiety sat in the pit of Oscar's stomach the whole day of his first scan. It combined with his morning sickness to make him feel the worst he'd felt in the two weeks since he'd found out he was pregnant. He'd spent most of the morning bent over the toilet, being sick until he was bringing up nothing but bile. Even the small sips of water he'd managed that morning weren't staying down for long before another wave of nausea hit him.  Lando had stayed by his side all morning, worried look on his face. In the brief periods Oscar's nausea settled, they curled up in bed as they waited to go to the appointment. Oscar's face remained buried in Lando's neck, nose pressed against the alpha's scent glands; Lando's alpha instincts had kicked in at the sight of Oscar's distress, his scent becoming more potent as a way to soothe his omega.

Oscar's mind was still going at a mile a minute when they finally set off for the appointment, imagining all the things that could go wrong. What if there was something wrong with the baby? What if there was a problem with him? What if he wasn't pregnant at all? All the scenarios played on repeat in his mind. Feeling his chest tighten with the rising anxiety, he tried to keep his breathing regular. The motion of the car had made his nausea return at the same time; he felt the familiar sensation of bile rising in his throat, having to hold his breath to stop himself throwing up all over Lando's McLaren.  

"Stop the car." Oscar managed to gasp out, clamping a hand over his mouth as he retched. Lando looked over at him with panic in his eyes, pulling into a lay-by almost immediately. Oscar was moving before the car stopped fully, unbuckling his seatbelt and turning to his side. He'd barely managed to open the door before he was leaning over and vomiting onto the gravel. Without speaking, Lando had unbuckled his own belt and climbed out of the car, walking around the front to the passenger side. He settled a hand on Oscar's back as the younger man remained bent over, running his fingers down his spine. The morning sickness had been bad, but Lando knew this was far more than morning sickness; he continued to run his hand up and down Oscar's spine as he waited for the other man to speak. 

"What if the test was wrong? What if I'm not pregnant?" Oscar's voice was barely audible as he finally voiced his concerns. 

"Osc, you've taken like, twelve tests in the last two weeks. They can't all be wrong." Lando said, trying to be reassuring and realising he failed when he saw the look on Oscar's face. Crouching down, Lando placed his other hand under Oscar's chin, gently adjusting his gaze so their eyes would meet. 

"It's going to be okay. We're going to go to the scan and see our baby for the first time. Everything will be fine." Lando's second attempt at reassurance was much better, the tension in Oscar's shoulders relaxing fractionally. After a few minutes of waiting for Oscar's nausea to pass, they climbed back into the car to continue their journey to the hospital. 

The waiting room of the maternity unit was all white walls, informations boards and smelt faintly of disinfectant. Oscar's knee bounced up and down as they waited for his name to called. Intertwining their fingers, Lando squeezed his hand. A silent reminder that they were in this together. It felt like they were waiting an age before a nurse called them through. She greeted them with a friendly expression, leading them to the ultrasound room. 

"Hi Oscar, my name's Anna and I'm going to do your scan today. Is this your partner?" 

"Yeah this is my husband, Lando." Oscar answered, throwing a quick smile to Lando as he settled himself on the bed. Lando took the chair next to it, never letting go of Oscar's hand. Anna looked between them, smiling as she set up the machine. She got Oscar to shimmy his joggers down so they sat low on his hips before pouring a small amount of jelly onto his lower abdomen. The coldness of the jelly pulled a jolt from him. Moving the probe around his stomach, Anna made idle conversation with them while periodically typing things in the machine. After a few agonisingly long moments, she turned the screen so Lando and Oscar could see it. 

"Okay, see that right there? That's your baby." She said, pointing to the right place on the screen. They followed her fingertip to the little blob on the screen. It was no bigger than a peanut, not particularly looking like anything but it meant everything to Oscar and Lando. That was their baby. The very thing they'd been trying for, for months was finally happening. Tears sprung to Oscar's eyes as he tried and failed to find words. 

"Our baby, Osc." Lando spoke for him, words choked up as his own tears welled up in his eyes. The nurse gave them a little time to take it in before she pressed another button and the room was filled with the sound of a heartbeat. 

"And that's one perfectly healthy heartbeat! From the information you've given us and the scan, I'd say you're about 7 weeks along. Your due date is around August 11th." She told them.

Oscar let out a sigh of relief at the sound of his baby's heartbeat and the nurse's words. The anxiety he'd felt in the lead up to this moment dissipated with every thump of that tiny heart. He looked away from the screen at Lando, whose gaze remained focused on the blob that was their baby. A few stray tears tracked down his cheeks; Oscar lifted his hand to his husband's cheek, wiping them away. The motion shocked Lando out of his trance, his green eyes focusing on the younger man. As the nurse finished up her checks and wiped the jelly from Oscar's stomach, Lando rose to place a soft kiss against Oscar's lips.

The appointment concluded quickly after that, the twelve week scan booked in and dozens of  leaflets on the first trimester handed over. They were soon in the car back home, a strip of ultrasound photos in Oscar's hands. His fingers traced over the spot that marked the existence of their baby, smile still playing on his lips. In the corner of his eye, he could see Lando glancing over every so often, similar grin on his face. 

"Do you wanna go to your mum's and we'll call my parents from there so they all know at the same time? Or do you wanna call my parents now? It's late back home but they should still be awake." Lando asked. Oscar hesitated in answering. Finally getting pregnant after so long of trying was exciting, but he still couldn't let go of the worry something might go wrong. 

"Can we wait?" He asked, rushing to explain himself when he sees the disappointed and questioning look on Lando's face. 

"It's not that I'm not excited to tell people. I am, it's just I'd rather wait until we're past 12 weeks. Just in case." The "in case the worst happens" remained unspoken. Lando nodded, not looking away from the road as he spoke. 

"We'll do whatever you're comfortable with. This way, I get to enjoy my pregnant husband all to myself." 

Oscar grinned at Lando's words, making brief eye contact with him before turning back to the pictures in his hand. One of his hands dropped to his still flat stomach, feeling love build in his heart for the little peanut that resided there. 

*********

Oscar began his second trimester the same way he'd started every morning of his pregnancy so far, by vomiting up the contents of his stomach. That morning it had been the smell of Lando cooking eggs that had set off his nausea. He was excited to be pregnant, truly he was. He was just hoping the morning sickness part of it would settle down soon. Over the last weeks, he had gotten very acquainted with their bathroom floor. The doctor at his first prenatal appointment and the 12 week scan the previous week had said that the morning sickness would begin to settle as his pregnancy progressed; he was starting to think they were just saying that to make him feel better. Fourteen weeks along and Oscar had already had enough of it. Sitting back on his heels after throwing up again, Oscar grimaced at the feel of his shirt clinging to his back with sweat. Pregnancy and Australian summer did not mix well. Pulling his shirt off and throwing it into the hamper, Oscar walked back into the bedroom with just his joggers hanging low on his hips. Lando was sat on the bed scrolling through his phone, the ginger tea he'd made sitting on the side ready for Oscar. He looked up as Oscar entered the room, appreciating his shirtless form when he noticed the soft swell of his husband's stomach. It was subtle, just noticeable but unmistakable. 

"Oh" Lando murmured softly. Oscar turned to him when he heard his voice, search for a shirt abandoned. 

"What?" He asked, look of confusion on his face. Smile forming on his lips, Lando stood from the bed and crossed the room to his husband, directing to the mirror hung on the wall. Oscar let himself be manhandled, finally clocking what Lando was reacting to. A warm feeling flooded his chest as he observed the curve of his stomach for the first time. His hand dropped to his stomach, placing it right where his bump had began to form. 

"You're showing." Lando's voice remained soft, his face still in awe of what he saw. 

"Hi Peanut. First growth spurt, huh?" He continued, addressing the baby directly. Since they found out about the pregnancy, they'd begun referring to the baby as Peanut and it'd stuck. Lando planted a gentle kiss to Oscar's lips before kneeling down to place an equally gentle kiss to the tiny bump.   The action made Oscar's heart burst with fondness. 

"I guess it's time to tell our families." Oscar said, finally moving away from the mirror to pull on a shirt. The couple dressed quickly, wanting to head out almost immediately after. They'd planned to buy a tiny onesie to go with sonogram pictures for the announcement to their families. As much as they pretended it wasn't, it was simply an excuse to go baby clothes shopping. 

They were looking at the generic, gender neutral clothes when everything all of a sudden hit Lando. He froze, hand on a white sleep-suit with a tiny giraffe on the front. Oscar turned to face the older man, ready to show him the options he picked when the look on Lando's face stopped him mid-sentence. 

"Lan?" Oscar spoke softly, brow furrowed with concern. 

"We've created something that will be this small." He said, looking at the ridiculously tiny outfit in his hand before meeting Oscar's gaze. Expression softening at the words, the adoration Oscar had for his husband became obvious on his face.

"Yeah, we did." He replied, hand dropping down to his barely there bump again. 

After their momentary pause, Oscar and Lando continued shopping, buying far too many outfits for a pregnancy reveal. Each one just seemed to be cuter than the last and neither had the heart to stop themselves going overboard. They picked a soft beige sleep suit with a rainbow and the words "I'm new here!" embroidered on the front to use in the announcement, placing it in a plain gift bag with the sonogram picture underneath. Starting the drive to his mum's house, Oscar texted their parents to make sure they were still on for their planned morning. The plan was a mid-morning brunch with Nicole while Lando's parents joined on facetime; the couple telling their parents it was about a family holiday they wanted to plan for summer in the UK. Excitement bloomed in Oscar's chest as he received confirmation texts, glancing at the bag on the back seat every few minutes. Lando noticed what he was doing, taking one hand off the steering wheel to rest it on the omega's thigh snd squeezing, a silent gesture of his own excitement.  

Nicole greeted them warmly when she opened the door, ushering them inside. Following her into the kitchen, Oscar made quiet conversation with his mum while Lando set up the call to his parents. The gift bag had been placed with great care on the counter, and Nicole glanced at it suspiciously when her son and son-in-law didn't address it. Cisca and Adam picked up the call almost immediately, the kitchen filled with bright chatter. Oscar and Lando remained at the edge of the conversation, letting their parents catch up as they waited for the perfect moment to share their news. The opportunity presented itself naturally when Cisca finally directed a question to them. 

"So you two, you wanted to discuss family holidays?" She asked, looking at the couple expectantly. Oscar felt himself flush, cheeks going pink, before taking a deep breath. Lando intertwined their hands under the counter. 

"Actually, Lando and I have something to tell you guys. Mum, if you'd open the gift bag?" Oscar said, placing the gift bag in Nicole's hands. She glanced at the screen to Cisca and Adam, who both had similar confused looks on their faces before opening it. A gasp escaped her as she pulled the baby outfit from the bag, displaying it to the screen. Oscar focused on his mum's expression as Lando focused on his parents; wide smiles spread across their faces as they took in their parents' overjoyed reactions. Reaching into the bag once more, Nicole let out a choked sob as she pulled out the sonogram photos, fingers tracing over them in awe before looking back up at Oscar and Lando. Seeing the few tears streaming down her face made Oscar well up, a sniffle escaping him. Lando also felt a couple of tears fall onto his cheeks, wiping them away quickly. 

"You're having a baby?" Nicole asked, standing to hug the couple. 

"Yeah, we are. I'm 14 weeks." Oscar replied, sinking into his mum's arms. When they broke apart, Lando was wrapped into his mother-in-laws tight embrace. Their attention turned back to Adam and Cisca who were waiting to gush over the baby news. 

"We're so happy for you two! You deserve this after everything." 

Both Oscar and Lando were smiling so much their cheeks hurt by the end of the video call with Lando's parents. It was getting late in the UK, nearing midnight. As Cisca and Adam began to say their goodbyes, Lando jumped in at the last minute. 

"Mum, Dad, before you go, do you want to see Osc's bump?" He asked, excitedly. His enthusiasm jostled Oscar, who had slowly leaned further and further into Lando as the conversation went on. 

"You're showing already?" Cisca asked, eyes wide as she looked the Australian. 

"It's a tiny bump, I'm only just showing." Oscar replied as he stood, lifting his shirt so the swell of his stomach could be seen. This set off another round of gushing and ecstatic chatter from his in-laws and his mum.  Eventually, Cisca and Adam ended the call, promising to visit soon, leaving Oscar and Lando to their brunch with Nicole. It was quiet compared to the fuss of the announcement, but it was the perfect way to end the morning. 

*********

Max and Charles visited the weekend of the Australian Grand Prix; all four of the former drivers being invited to the season opener. Oscar and Lando invited them over for dinner, wanting to catch up with their friends before entering the chaos of the paddock once again. They also had to announce the baby news to their friends before Oscar showed up to the paddock visibly pregnant. The bubble they'd lived in since they’d found out about the pregnancy had only expanded to their families so far. Now at four and a half months pregnant, Oscar's growing baby bump was harder to conceal. The baggy shirt he'd worn for dinner with Max and Charles was only just helping him get away with it. 

Dinner was a dose of their life in Monaco that they both needed. They’d only visited once for the Monaco grand prix the year before and hadn’t seen Max and Charles since. It felt like no time had passed at all, falling back in their normal routine. It was reminiscent of when the two couples would have dinner back in Monaco before Oscar and Lando moved to Melbourne. The only difference was the secret Oscar was hiding in the form of the baby bump under his shirt. Planning to announce the pregnancy after dinner, he kept his movements careful to not raise their guest’s suspicions. Lando had taken over making dinner, Max joking that they would all get food poisoning. Charles caught them up on all the gossip from Monaco and the grid; Oscar and Lando engaged in the conversation enthusiastically, missing the drama of the paddock just a little bit.

Lando had opened a bottle of wine after they'd eaten, moving from the kitchen into the lounge. The conversation flowed easily as they settled onto the sofas, wine glasses in hand. Pouring Oscar a glass purely out of habit, he handed it over to his husband. He paused when he realised what he had done but Oscar played it off smoothly, placing the glass on the coffee table. It remained untouched on the table as the evening continued. Charles glanced at the full wine glass then at Oscar and Lando while they spoke but kept quiet, not wanting to assume anything. He knew pregnancy was a sensitive subject, especially after everything his friends had been gong through recently. Oscar had confided in Charles a lot when he and Lando were struggling to get pregnant; their friendship on the grid had become a lot stronger once they’d both retired. Even after the move to Melbourne, Charles was the only other person except Logan outside of his family and Lando that Oscar would open up to. Little did he know, the biggest surprise of the night was yet to come.

"Did McLaren invite you guys to come out to Monaco for the race?" Max asked, taking another sip of his wine.

"They did, but we're probably not going to make it this year, mate." Lando said, providing an evasive answer to the question. 

"Why not? I thought you two were coming to Monaco for the summer?" Max pressed.

"That was the plan, but I'm going to be 31 weeks along by then. Not sure I'll cope with a 20-something hour flight." Oscar kept his voice casual, acting as if he was talking about race strategy and not announcing his pregnancy. Max looked confused for a few moments, then his face spread into a wide smile as realisation set in. Charles, who had been suspicious of Oscar's full wine glass, lit up at Oscar's words. 

"Oscar, you're pregnant?" Charles asked softly, green eyes shining. The Monégasque man felt himself well up at the wide grin that appeared on Oscar's face as he nodded. 

"Yeah I am." Oscar said. He looked across to Lando who had the same grin on his face. Max and Charles had bright smiles on their faces, overjoyed for their friends. They all stood, closing the distance to embrace each other. Max hugged Lando, clapping a hand on his shoulder when he pulled away. 

"Congrats, mate. It's amazing news. I know how much you both wanted this. Got another reason to come visit now." The Dutchman said, looking between the couple. 

"Thanks, mate. We're so happy." Lando replied, positively glowing. At the same time, Charles had pulled Oscar into a hug, pulling back with an excited gasp when he felt Oscar's rounded stomach between them. 

"You've got a bump! How far along are you?"

"I'm 18 weeks, so nearly halfway there." Oscar answered, hands smoothing out his shirt so his  bump was visible. Lando watched Oscar's face as Charles fussed over him, asking him as a stream of questions as they settled back on to the sofas. Lando would never get enough of seeing him like this, his face lit up with a wide smile, one hand rested on the curve of his stomach as he chatted with their friends. It felt like all the pieces of their lives were falling into place, and their baby was at the centre of it. 

*********

Lando had to fight the temptation to open the envelope that held the piece of paper with the gender of their baby the entire way to Oscar's family's home. When they'd originally discussed the gender scan, they'd agreed to find out what they were having and then tell their families after. Neither Oscar or Lando wanted the fuss of doing a gender reveal. That was until Oscar's sisters heard their plans and immediately started convincing him otherwise. Oscar, filled with pregnancy hormones and forever the soft hearted big brother, had relented and allowed Hattie, Eddie and Mae to plan a gender reveal party. Lando's own parents had reinforced the idea, telling him how their visit to Melbourne had landed exactly when the scan was. Lando himself, had remained reluctant, until Oscar had looked at him with big, puppy eyes and talking about how nice it would be to celebrate their baby with everyone. His resolve crumbled pretty quickly after that; he couldn't deny the man carrying his baby anything. It meant that he was now sat watching Oscar drive, trying to ignore the itch in his brain that didn't want him to wait to open the envelope. 

"You'd best not be sneaking a peek inside that envelope."  Oscar teased, eyes remaining focused on the road. 

"Well if you'd let me drive, I'd be distracted." Lando joked back. Oscar rolled his eyes fondly at his husband.

"You are 38 years old, you should be more than capable of not opening an envelope." 

"I'm just excited to know if Peanut is a girl or boy." Lando pouted. 

"Me too, Lan. We'll know soon." Oscar said gently, teasing tone now gone. Taking one hand off the steering wheel, he reached across and squeezed Lando's thigh. Lando responded by lifting Oscar's hand and pressing it to his lips. 

Everyone was gathered in the backyard when they arrived. Oscar's sisters had decorated the garden in soft pinks and blues; streamers and balloons adorning the fence and the door they'd entered through. Hattie had bought cupcakes with pink and blue icing as a centerpiece for the food table. Even if Lando had been reluctant at first, it made his heart swell to see how much effort his and Oscar's families had put into celebrating their baby. His parents were the first to wrap them in tight hugs, Cisca excited to finally be able to fuss over her son-in-law. She immediately engaged Oscar in conversation, bombarding him with questions about how the pregnancy was going and how he was feeling. 

"Do you have the envelope?" Adam asked, pulling Lando's attention from the conversation. 

"Yeah. It's in my pocket, why?" Lando replied as Adam held his hand out for it.

"The girls bought party poppers for the reveal. I said I'd look and give you the right ones." He asked, hand still held out patiently. Lando rolled his eyes fondly but handed over the envelope anyway, knowing better than to argue with the Piastri women. Hattie saw the exchange and immediately hustled Oscar and Lando to stand in front of the decorations. She had her phone out ready to take photos. 

"Any last guesses, you two?" She asked as Adam handed them the party poppers. 

"Lando thinks we're having a boy. I don't mind as long as they're healthy." Oscar answered for both of them. 

"Cop out answer." Edie chimed in, smirking from behind Hattie's shoulder. Oscar flipped her off before turning his attention back to Lando and the party poppers. Taking that as confirmation they were ready, Hattie began the countdown, both of their families joining in. 

"3, 2, 1!" 

Lando and Oscar pulled the poppers; the garden became a cacophony of delighted gasps and cheers from their families as pink confetti burst from the poppers and fluttered through the air. Dropping the used cardboard on the floor, Lando turned fully to Oscar and grabbed his face with both hands. The world narrowed down to just the two of them as their eyes met, both watery with tears. 

"A girl." Lando whispered, reverently. 

"Our girl." Oscar echoed, his voice also barely above a whisper. His arms looped around Lando's neck as the older man pulled him in, their lips meeting in easy familiarity. The kiss was gentle, but deep and intense, all the emotion of the day poured into it.  Pulling apart, Oscar rested his forehead against Lando's, not wanting to break the bubble they'd formed. The excited hum of their families chatter continued around them, everyone allowing them this moment together. Oscar looked radiant when they finally separated, a wide grin paired with a blush high on his cheeks. Some pieces of pink confetti had settled in his brown waves; Lando brushed them away with a chuckle. 

Turning their attention back to their families, Oscar and Lando were pulled into multiple hugs by their parents and Oscar's sisters. Oscar's nose scrunched as Nicole and then Cisca kissed him on the cheek, both delighted at the prospect of a granddaughter. Hattie, Edie and Mae were talking at a mile a minute, planning all the things they'd do with their brand new niece. 

"You're still outnumbered by girls, Oscie." Mae teased, using Oscar's nickname from when they were kids. Smiling, Oscar reached out to grab Mae's hand, pulling her in for another hug. 

"I wouldn't have it any other way. My baby girl is going to have the best aunties ever." His voice was soft and full of love. Mae wrapped her arms around his waist, melting into the embrace of her older brother. Resting his chin on the top of Mae's head, Oscar made eye contact with Hattie and Edie, summoning them to join in. Oscar's arms moved up to wrap around all three of his sisters as Hattie and Edie came on stand on either side of Mae, the newest, tiniest Piastri in the middle of them. Lando, who had been speaking to his parents, watched the tender scene unfold, feeling tears spike his eyes again. 

The rest of the evening was spent enjoying the food and each other's company. Nicole and Cisca shared memories of Oscar and Lando as babies, teasing the pair on all the antics they'd have to deal with if their baby was anything like them. The two families predicted what the baby would look like. Oscar saw them in his mind's eye as they discussed it. A tiny girl with Lando's eyes and his hair, or with his eyes and Lando's curls. A life filled with ballet classes, princesses and braided hair. It made it all so much more real. 

Hattie sent Oscar the videos and photos she'd taken throughout the day as they were getting ready to go home. He scrolled through them as Lando drove them home, eyes half shut as he leant his head against the window. She'd taken plenty of photos of Oscar and Lando, as well as some group photos with both families. One picture in particular made Oscar pause his scrolling. It was of his and Lando's kiss after the reveal. Oscar thought it almost could be a first family photo, their daughter's presence only known by the now prominent curve of Oscar's stomach. Pink confetti fluttered around them as they were pressed together, clearly in their own bubble. It captured the intimacy and happiness of the moment perfectly. Smiling widely at the photo, Oscar opened his messages, deciding on the perfect way to announce his and Lando's daughter to their friends. He settled for a very simple text with the photo attached: 

Introducing baby girl Norris-Piastri :) 

*********

Lando woke to Oscar shaking his shoulders. Groaning from the disturbance to his sleep, he scrubbed a hand down his face. 

"Osc? Is it the baby?" He said, voice still thick with sleep. He opened his eyes to see Oscar leaning over him, face just visible in the dim light. The first signs of dawn were just beginning to slip through the gaps in the curtains. 

"I want pickles and peanut butter but we don't have them. Can we go to the store?" Oscar asked, sounding wide awake and pleading. Oscar's request was a lot for Lando's half asleep brain; he gave himself a second to process before sitting up. 

"What time is it?" Even in the dull light Lando saw the flush high on Oscar's cheeks, the younger man suddenly sheepish. 

"It's just after half past four. I'm sorry, Lan. I tried to go back to sleep but it's all I can think about." He let out an embarrassed chuckle, the pink dusting his cheeks becoming deeper. This was the first time Oscar was experiencing an intense pregnancy craving. He'd had cravings, but only for simple things like chocolate and apples. Pickles and peanut butter was definitely strange, considering he didn't particularly like either, but he'd woken up an hour ago hungry and only those two specific foods would satisfy it. Lando nodded, reluctantly pulling himself out of bed. Oscar began to move to join him but Lando placed a hand on his shoulder, stilling him. 

"I'll go. You stay in bed." Lando said, leaning down to kiss Oscar's hair. 

"No, Lan, I'll come with you." Oscar protested without making any effort to move. 

"Oscar, it's fine. Now, do you want crunchy or smooth peanut butter?" 

"Both." 

Lando chuckled at Oscar's eager answer as he pulled on a hoodie and joggers. Grabbing his phone, he left Oscar settled back under the covers and headed out. 

Lando knew he was going to have a problem before he started driving. It was barely 5am; stores didn't just magically open because your pregnant husband has cravings in the early hours of the morning. After driving around to different stores for nearly an hour, Lando was beginning to think he'd have to go home to Oscar empty handed, but he was reluctant to admit defeat. He'd hoped that one store, even just a little convenience store would be open at this time. Deciding to drive around until their normal grocery store opened at 7am, Lando pulled onto the highway that led into the city centre. He'd only driven a few miles when he saw the bright lights of a gas station. Signaling for the exit, Lando pulled into the car park, feeling a small spark of hope. He smiled at the assistant behind the counter as he walked in, the middle aged woman smiling back at him with tired eyes. He immediately went to work scanning the aisles for what he wanted. By some miracle, he found exactly what he'd been looking for. Doing an internal happy dance, he picked up two jars of pickles, and a jar each of smooth and crunchy peanut butter before making his way back to the counter. The cashier gave him a curious look but didn't say anything as she scanned the items. Lando, overjoyed at being able to fulfill his husband's request, felt the need to explain his odd, early morning shopping to the woman. 

"My husband's pregnant. Early morning cravings, you know?" Lando joked, lightly. The cashier smiled knowingly as she put the jars in a plastic bag.

"Ah, I remember that well. Mine was blackberry jam on everything. How far along?" 

"He's 22 weeks. The morning sickness was pretty bad so I'm just happy to see him eating." Lando replied as he tapped his card to pay. 

"Seems like you're taking good care of him." 

Lando beamed at her words, thanking her as he left the store. The drive back was much quicker than the drive out, Lando eager to get home to Oscar. The Australian was sat up in bed when he arrived, one hand tracing mindless circles across his stomach and phone in the other. He must have got up to open the curtains so the dawn could sweep into the room, casting Oscar in the hazy, golden glow of the rising sun. It made Oscar's bright skin and permanently flushed cheeks from the pregnancy glow he insisted he didn't have more prominent. Lando stopped in the doorway, taking in the sight of his partner; all he could think about was how lucky he was to have this man carrying his baby. 

"Still hungry?" Lando asked, announcing his presence. Oscar's gaze snapped up, face lighting up at Lando holding the plastic bag up in victory. 

"Starving." Oscar responded, eagerly. Reaching out for Lando, he made grabby hands for the bag. Laughing, Lando crossed the room, handing the goods over before placing a kiss to Oscar's temple. The Australian makes quick work of opening the jars and smothering a pickle in peanut butter, opting for crunchy over smooth. Taking a bite, he let out an almost pornographic moan at the taste. Lando, who had slipped back into bed during this, watched with curiosity and faint disgust; he declined with a grimace when the snack was offered to him. They sat together in comfortable silence as Oscar swapped between crunchy and smooth peanut butter until the first jar of pickles was nearly empty. A content look had settled on his face, craving satisfied. It filled Lando with a sense of pride that he'd been able to provide for his omega. Oscar had begun dipping another pickle in peanut butter when he abruptly dropped it in the jar, hand moving to his stomach instead. 

"Dad did a good job running around after us, didn't he sweetie?" Oscar's voice was soft, gaze focused on the bump. Lando lit up at the words, bright smile on his face. He could tell by the look of awe and adoration on Oscar's face the baby was moving around again. 

"Is she moving?" He asked. Oscar had been able to feel their baby's movements and kicks for a couple of weeks now, but Lando still couldn't, much to his disappointment. 

"She's been wiggling around in there most of the morning. Here, see if you can feel." Grabbing Lando's hand, Oscar placed it right on the spot where the baby was moving. Holding his breath, Lando focused on his hand against the bare skin of Oscar's stomach, trying to feel the movement. Oscar tried to help, telling him every time the baby moved or nudged him, but Lando still couldn't feel her. After a couple of minutes, he pulled his hand away disappointed. Sensing the alpha’s feelings, Oscar put his snacks on the side table and laid on his side facing Lando, bump between them. 

“You’ll feel her soon, she just needs to be a bit bigger.” Oscar reassured him, placing his hand on Lando’s cheek. The older man turned his head to kiss his palm.

“I know. I'm just being impatient.” 

“I don't think you'll be waiting much longer." Oscar repositioned them so he could tuck his head until Lando's chin. "Thank you for this morning." 

"Of course, Osc. Anything for you two." 

Oscar's heart skipped at the sincerity of Lando's reply, pregnancy hormones making him far more emotional about it than normal. He pulled Lando as close as he could with the bump in the way, tangling their legs together. Lando's hand came back to rest on the bump again, the older man drifting back off to sleep after his early morning adventures. As he looked up at his sleeping husband, Oscar thought that none of the championships he'd won would ever compare to carrying this man's baby. 

**********

Oscar was lounging on the sofa, feet in Lando’s lap when he felt a sharp nudge in his side. He was used to the movements of his baby now, but this was the strongest one he’d felt so far. Placing his hand over the spot where he felt the movement, Oscar let out a gasp as he felt another kick against the bottom of his rib cage, the feeling taking his breath away for a moment. Lando’s eyes snapped up from his phone, his face already filled with worry. Placing Oscar’s legs onto the floor, Lando moved closer to his omega. 

"Oscar?" Lando asked, gaze already scanning for any sign of pain or illness. The omega’s scent hadn’t changed as it normally did when something was wrong, leaving Lando confused. Glassy brown eyes met hazel ones as Oscar’s lips curved up into a smile. Wordlessly, he grabbed one of Lando's hands and placed it on the curve of his growing baby bump. Lando remained confused for a few moments, watching his hand flat against Oscar's stomach while nothing happened. Then he felt it. A distinct kick against his palm. Amazed, Lando let out a bright laugh. He closed the small distance between them, their sides pressed flush against one another. Oscar’s other hand found its way into Lando’s hair, carding through the soft curls. 

"Hi, Peanut. You've got strong little legs already."  Lando spoke, using the familiar nickname as the spoke directly to the baby; a habit he'd developed once Oscar had started showing. As if in response to his words, the baby kicked against his palm again. They both chuckled again, fingers intertwining over the soft skin of Oscar's stomach. 

"She likes the sound of your voice." Oscar murmured, watching as Lando lit up at every movement he felt. Finally being able to share this together was special; feeling his baby move was still a novelty to him and he'd been waiting for her to be big enough that Lando could feel it as well. He'd hated seeing the disappointment on his husband's face every time he'd tried and hadn't gotten any results. Every part of his pregnancy Oscar got to share with Lando made their connection to each other and their baby deeper. The movements settled after a few minutes, baby's little burst of energy seemingly over. Their intertwined hands remained on Oscar's bump; Lando's thumb stroking across his bare skin. 

"I felt her, Osc." He said softly, still basking in the excitement. Oscar chuckled, adjusting so he could tuck himself into Lando's side more comfortably. Unlinking their hands, Oscar wound his arm around Lando's waist.

"Good feeling isn't it?" The Australian replied, settling his head on Lando's shoulder.

"Fucking incredible." Lando's enthusiastic declaration made them both chuckle before falling silent again. Pulling his feet up onto the sofa, Oscar pressed even closer to Lando, dozing against Lando's shoulder as a tv show they were no longer paying attention to played in the background. 

When they went to bed later on that night, baby girl decided she was uncomfortable right as Oscar was falling asleep, waking him up with her movements and succession of kicks into his side. He let a sigh escape him; his baby's movements were new enough that it still excited him, but he was sure he'd start getting tired of them once he got towards the end of his pregnancy. Especially if she kept disrupting his sleep. 

"Your child is using me for football practice." Oscar said, rolling over to face Lando. His hand rested on the spot where she'd kicked; Lando's hand came up to join his. The older man's eyes widen at the strength of the kicks under his palm, feeling them much more clearly now. 

"Oh so she's my child when she's kicking you?" Lando replied, mock offended. He has a fond smile on his lips. 

"When she's stopping me from sleeping, yeah." Oscar had the same smile on his face. The baby kicked again in the same spot. 

"Looks like we've got a future England striker on our hands." Lando joked, still in awe of being able to feel their baby. 

"Absolutely not. You're going to be a Tillie, aren't you?" Oscar addressed the baby directly. He laughed at the responding kick, as if she understood every word and was agreeing with him. 

"Wow, not even born yet and she's already siding with you." Lando pouted dramatically, pretending to sulk at the thought of his daughter being primarily Australian. Rolling his eyes fondly, Oscar kissed Lando's cheek before pulling away with a smirk. He shrugged, still intent on teasing his husband. 

"She knows she's an Aussie." 

*********

"Tell me again why the nursery is green and not pink?" Lando asked, stepping back to look at the wall he'd just painted. It needed another coat, he decided, eyes spotting multiple patchy areas where the paint had settled unevenly. 

"Pink's so stereotypical. Green is a lot better. Calmer." Oscar replied, watching on from the newly assembled rocking chair in the corner of the nursery. Lando nodded in agreement, still focused on where he needed to repaint. 

"It would go a lot faster if you let me help." Oscar said, restless from just being sat down. He wanted to get involved in decorating the baby's room but Lando had emphatically refused, arguing that at 32 weeks pregnant, Oscar should be resting as much as possible. His baby bump had grown rapidly in the passing weeks, making his stomach heavy and back ache if he was stood for long periods of time. Small amounts of activity were now making Oscar feel short of breath; walking up the stairs earlier that morning had left him panting for breath like he'd ran a marathon. He'd probably be more of a hinderance than a help. Lando confirmed this with stern look on his face as he turned to face the younger man. 

"No, you need to rest. And your mum would kill me if she found out I let you paint or build furniture." Lando's tone made it clear he wouldn't change his mind. Oscar decided not to argue. Instead he pulled a laundry basket filled with freshly washed baby clothes towards him, keeping himself busy while Lando decorated. Lando turned back to the wall, picking up the paintbrush to start another coat. Oscar began folding and organising the massive pile of clothes they’d accumulated; tiny outfits all in soft shades of mostly pinks, whites and creams, mixed with small amounts of yellows and greens. They fell into a comfortable silence, each focused on their own tasks. 

It took most of the morning for Lando to finish painting the walls, all four of them evenly covered with a soothing shade of sage green. Most of the furniture still needed to be put together but he could finally see the vision of the nursery Oscar had in his mind when they’d picked the colour scheme. It would be the perfect space for their little family of 3. Oscar turned from where he was putting the organised clothes in the wardrobe to appreciate Lando's hard work. 

"It looks perfect." He said, crossing the room to hug his husband. 

"Okay, now to build the crib." Lando announced, separating from Oscar. He got to work opening the box and laying the pieces out on the floor. Oscar settled back into the rocking chair, accepting the bag of screws and instruction leaflet for the crib when Lando handed them to him. 

Oscar watched Lando build the crib for a while, recognising the focused expression on his face from their racing days. His mind wandered, daydreaming about the baby girl whose room this would belong to when he remembered they hadn't actually discussed names yet. The Australian had thought about it; he had a list of names written out on a piece of paper tucked in the drawer by their bed, but he hadn't talked about them with Lando. Deciding now would be the perfect time, Oscar stood from his chair. He needed to use the bathroom again anyway, the baby in his womb pressing on his bladder. Oscar stretched and let out a small groan, aching from being sat in the same position for so long. Lando glanced up at him from where he was sat on the floor, checking in on the younger man. 

"Just going to pee. This child loves laying on my bladder." Oscar chuckled, running his hands through Lando's curls as he walked past. Lando shot him an amused look before focused back on the half built crib. 

After using the bathroom, Oscar grabbed his baby name list from the drawer where he'd kept it, scanning the list for his favourites. He walked back into the nursery with the piece of paper in hand to find Lando still sat on the floor. The focus on his face was an expression Oscar recognised from their racing days. The older man didn't look up as he settled back into the rocking chair, remain fully focused on his task. 

"Lan?" Oscar said, trying to capture his attention. 

"Hmm?" Lando still didn't look up as he responded. Rolling his eyes fondly, Oscar poked Lando in the hip with his foot. 

"I've got some ideas for baby names." He finally looked up at that, concentration broken by the foot in his side and Oscar's words. 

"Baby names?" 

"Yeah, I don't think Peanut can be her actual name." Oscar deadpanned as he held the paper out to Lando. Lando agreed with a laugh as he took the list, scanning the names written on it. He pulled his phone out, unlocking it before passing it to Oscar. 

"I also had some ideas." 

They fell silent as they both went through each other's lists, only making occasional comments on names. There was some very quick decisions on certain names, one or the other expressing a strong dislike for them. Lando's list was short compared to Oscar's, who'd wrote down every name that crossed his mind. He hadn't found one he'd particularly settled on. Lando's was more precise, each name appeared to be chosen with care. The Australian's eyes landed on a name that had been written in bold, a clear favourite. His lips quirked up into a smile as he broke the silence. 

"This one's on my list too." He turned the phone to show the older. Lando saw it and smiled, eyes flickering up to meet Oscar's.

"Yeah, that one's my favourite." He replied, gauging Oscar's reaction. The younger man said the name aloud a few times, smile growing wider as he did. Both men felt the excitement in their chests at how natural it sounded. Oscar said the name once more and felt the baby kick, as if she was confirming she liked their choice as well. Placing his hand over the spot, he nodded at Lando. Lando broke into a wide grin, hand reaching up to feel her movements. 

"I think she's picked her name." He said. Oscar nodded in agreement.

"Eight more weeks and she'll be here." Oscar said softly, anticipation in his voice. 

"And not a minute earlier. I might still be building this crib." Lando sighed dramatically. They both laughed as Oscar picked up the instructions again. Their focus shifted back to completing the nursery; the decision on a name giving them more motivation. 

*********

The house had been tense for the past few weeks as Oscar's pregnancy progressed further into his third trimester. The Australian was four weeks from his due date and he was struggling with the end stages of pregnancy. With his ever growing bump, Oscar felt bigger than ever; walking was now more of a waddle and his back and pelvis seemed to ache constantly. A full night's sleep was now impossible, he was uncomfortable in every position he tried because of his large bump.  No amount of support pillows or repositioning seemed to help. To add to his discomfort, baby had also decided her new favourite trick was to kick Oscar sharply in the ribs at all times of the night, adding to her already wonderful habit of pressing on his bladder so he had to pee all the time. This had been happening every night for the last few weeks as he progressed into the final weeks of his pregnancy, making him understandably sleep deprived and grumpy. Nothing Lando said or did seemed to be of any help, any efforts resulting in Oscar snapping at him. It had happened again that morning. Oscar had begun nesting in full force, spending the morning organising baby clothes for what seemed like the 100th time and putting the finishing touches on the nursery. Lando knew better than to get in the way of an omega's nesting instincts, so he had filled his time with various mundane tasks. Changing bedsheets, cleaning the kitchen and making a list for their next grocery shop. Making the most of their dwindling number of slow, peaceful mornings, he even FaceTimed his parents, catching them up on Oscar's pregnancy and how life in Melbourne was going. Being on the other side of the world to his family sometimes made Lando sad, especially now he was about to become a dad for the first time, but he couldn't imagine raising a family anywhere else. 

Lando ended the phone call with a promise to call his parents again soon with Oscar. Picking up the laundry basket he'd left on the kitchen counter, Lando made his way upstairs. He was putting clothes away in their bedroom when he heard a thud and a frustrated "fuck!" from the nursery. Lando dropped what he was doing immediately, concern blooming. Walking into the nursery, he found Oscar bent over, one hand gripping the cot, the other trying to reach the box that was tipped over on its side. Baby bottles, pacifiers and a few baby books had tipped out of the box - a box Oscar shouldn't have been carrying in the first place. His face was screwed up in concentration as he tried to navigate bending with his protruding bump in the way. It hasn't been possible for Oscar to bend like that for weeks, but he was so stubbornly independent he kept trying anyway. The scattered items remained out of reach of the heavily pregnant man and Oscar stood upright, defeated. 

"Fuck's sake!" He exclaimed, looking up at the ceiling. Tears of frustration stung his eyes as he tried to prevent them from falling. Oscar didn't register Lando's presence in the room until he spoke. 

"Osc, what were you doing? You shouldn't be carrying boxes!" Lando's words were gently scolding as he approached, bending down with ease to pick up the items from the floor. He placed the box upright and dumped everything back in it to deal with later.  

"God, why do you always have to act like I'm incapable?" Oscar said, folding his arms across the top of his stomach. 

"I'm not, I'm just worried about you pushing yourself too much." Lando felt his tone go slightly defensive, feeling his own frustration building up. He loved Oscar, but why did he have to be so stubborn? 

"I know my own body, Lando." Oscar's unwillingness to see Lando's side made the older man's patience snap.

"Clearly fucking not, Oscar! Is it so bad I'm asking you to be more careful? You're eight months pregnant for fucks sake!" Lando snapped at him. 

"You don't need to remind me! I'm the one dealing with this fucking pregnancy, not you!" The words tumbled out of Oscar's mouth before he could stop them, tears finally spilling over.  They were both silent for a moment, just staring at each other. 

"I'm sorry that carrying our child is such a burden to you." Lando's words were quietly scathing. Oscar felt every one like they were knives to the gut. 

"Lando, that's not what I meant." Oscar tried to backtrack quickly. Lando just shook his head. 

"I'm going for a run. I think we both need a minute." He said before leaving the room. Oscar stood there frozen. The baby, as if she could feel the tension, kicked sharply into Oscar's side. He placed his hand where he'd felt her, rubbing soothing circles into the tight skin, tears still falling.

Stepping out into the fresh air let Lando release the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. The whole debate with Oscar had been intense and he could feel the tension through his whole body. Such a simple disagreement had been blown out of proportion; Oscar's mood swings and Lando feeling like he'd been walking on eggshells for weeks making it bigger than it needed to be. Lando felt slightly guilty for leaving Oscar upset, but he knew giving him some space while his mood settled would be better for both of them. Putting his headphones on with music blaring, Lando set off on his run. He didn't have a destination in mind, just kept putting distance between himself and their house. He'd keep it short, just so they could both cool down, then he'd go back and sort things out with Oscar. 

Lando had been running for twenty minutes when his phone rang. He stopped, pulling out his phone and seeing Oscar's name on his screen. Even though they'd argued earlier, Lando didn't hesitate to answer. 

"Hey, is everything okay? I'll only be another 15, maybe 20 minutes." 

"I need you to come home now." Oscar sounded panicked. The tone made a pit form in Lando's stomach immediately. 

"What's wrong?"

"I think I had-" Oscar's words were cut off with a gasp. "I'm having contractions.." 

"Oh, fuck. Okay, fuck, I'm on my way." Lando ended the phone call abruptly and began running at flat out pace back home. 

When he arrived home and opened the door, Oscar was stood leaning over in the hallway, one hand flat against the wall and one hand wrapped around his bump. He was breathing deeply, brow furrowed in concentration. Lando grabbed the first set of car keys off the hooks by the door; the keys to the sensible family car they'd bought recently. The one with the car seat installed and Oscar's hospital bag packed and ready in the boot. Going straight to his husband, Lando wrapped an arm around the younger man's waist, supporting some of his weight. He helped Oscar into the car and drove like a maniac to the hospital, picking up at least three speeding tickets on the way. The pains Oscar had been feeling had begun to ebb away when they reached the maternity unit, and in its place clarity returned. He remembered the doctor telling him about Braxton Hicks, and how they would potentially happen the closer he got to his due date. Embarrassment washed over Oscar as he realised he'd most likely panicked both him and Lando over false labour. The doctor confirmed it was a false alarm. 

"There's no signs you're going into labour. Practice contractions are common at this point of pregnancy, it's your body's way of preparing for the real thing." The doctor explained. 

"I'm sorry to waste your time." Oscar apologised, sheepishly. He shifted awkwardly where he was sat on the edge of the hospital bed, feeling his face grow warm. Lando met his eyes from where he was sat in the corner of the room, giving Oscar a reassuring smile. The doctor must have noticed his embarrassment, stopping in front of Oscar and placing a hand on his shoulder. 

"You haven't wasted anyone's time. Braxton Hicks are scary the first time you have them and it's very easy to mistake them for the real thing. Don't feel bad about coming in to get checked."

Oscar nodded at his words, giving him a small smile. 

"So, everything's good with the baby?" Lando asked, speaking for the first time. Turning his attention to him, the doctor nodded.

"Everything is progressing exactly as expected. I'm happy for you to go home and rest. I'll sort out your discharge papers." The doctor confirmed before leaving the room.  

The discharge process was faster than they expected, meaning they didn't have to linger in the hospital. Oscar and Lando walked back to the car quietly, neither man knowing how to break the silence to have the conversation they needed to. Lando helped Oscar into the car; the younger man whispered a "thanks" when Lando climbed into the driver's seat, receiving a nod in reply. They were joining the main road back to their house when Oscar broke the silence. 

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. Carrying our baby is something I never thought I'd get to have, and it's not a burden to me. I'm just- The last few weeks have been really hard but it's not fair for me to take that out on you." 

"I'm sorry for what I said too. I'm just worried about you, Osc. I can tell you've been struggling, and I try to help. But you just keep shutting me out. Talk to me. " Lando was gentle and earnest, trying to get Oscar to open up. 

"Well for starters, I'm fucking huge." Oscar gestured to his stomach, playful smile on his lips. Then his face became more serious. "I haven't slept properly in weeks because I'm so uncomfortable or peanut is using me as her personal punching bag, or I need to pee every five minutes because she's squashing my bladder. My hormones are all over the place and I feel like I'm not in control of my emotions. I just feel so useless." Oscar's big brown eyes were glassy with tears again. 

"You're not useless. You're growing a human, that's a massive thing. I hate seeing you so uncomfortable. I wish there was something I could do." Lando took one of his hands off the steering wheel and placed it on Oscar's thigh. Oscar placed his smaller hand over Lando's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. 

"You've been so amazing my whole pregnancy. Just being here is everything you can do. I'll try and be better at appreciating it." Oscar said, turned his head to gaze at Lando's side profile. In response, Lando lifted their intertwined hands and brought them to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to Oscar's hand. He brought their hands back down to rest on Oscar's stomach, just as their daughter kicked. They both smiled widely at the tiny foot that nudged their hands. 

"I love you, both of you so much." 

"We love you too, Lan." 

Oscar was well and truly exhausted when they got home, the stress of the day catching up to him. Lando settled them on the sofa, taking extra care to position pillows to make Oscar as comfortable as possible; Oscar's head was cushioned on Lando's lap, pillows surrounding him supporting his back and bump. After a spurt of strong kicks, the baby had settled once again, giving Oscar momentary peace from her movements. Choosing a trashy tv show neither of them would pay much attention to, the couple settled into comfortable silence. Lando's fingers carded through Oscar's waves, soothing him into sleep. Oscar's breathing evened out as he drifted into sleep and it didn't take long for Lando to follow him, curled around each other as they dozed through the afternoon.

*********** 

Braxton Hicks had become such a common occurrence to Oscar that he didn't realise when his first real contraction hit him. He felt the twinge as he chopped vegetables at the kitchen counter. He'd brought a hand to his bump, riding out the discomfort. The pain dissipated fairly quickly as it normally did and Oscar dismissed it, going back to preparing lunch. It was only 15 minutes later when the second one hit, a much sharper pain in his lower abdomen, making him grip the kitchen counter that he realised he might actually be in labour. The due date circled on the calendar had passed a few days before, and Oscar was more than ready for pregnancy to be over. His first thought when the pain died down was to tell Lando. He was in a meeting in the office, but he'd told Oscar to disturb him if anything happened. Oscar walked to the kitchen door before stopping himself. There was still a chance he could be having Brixton Hicks again; it wouldn't be fair to disturb Lando for another false alarm. The meeting would be over in an hour, Oscar could just wait and see if he had anymore contractions in that time. Turning back to the counter, Oscar resolved to return to his normal tasks, but with anticipation now building up. He glanced down to his stomach, one hand rubbing a soft circle into tight skin of his baby bump. 

"Okay, baby girl. Time to let me know if this is the real thing." He whispered, a gentle smile forming on his lips. 

Just over an hour later, Lando emerged from his meeting to find Oscar in the lounge, gripping the back of the sofa. His knuckles were white from how tightly he gripped the fabric. His face was set in grim determination, eyes closed. The distinct smell of pain and distress in Oscar's normally sweet scent kicked Lando's instincts into overdrive. He couldn't move fast enough to be at his husband's side. 

"Osc?" Lando murmured gently, placing a hand on the small of Oscar's back. The younger man didn't open his eyes or look up, but his grip on the sofa loosened slightly. 

"I'm having contractions, real ones." Oscar gritted out, breathing heavily. Lando felt an overwhelming range of emotions all at once. His heart soared at the idea they would finally be meeting their daughter, but he hated the sight of Oscar in pain. The panic of being a dad also crept into the edges, anxiety settling in his chest. Pushing it down, he forced himself to remain level headed. 

"Okay, so hospital?" Lando asked, quickly running through his mental checklist of what he needed to do before they left. Finally lifting his head, Oscar shook it in disagreement.

"I've already called them. They said it's still too early to go in." Oscar explained, pushing himself upright. Lando's brow furrowed at Oscar's response. 

"How long have you been having contractions?" 

"Every 15 minutes for the last hour and a half." Oscar responded, looking up at the clock to confirm the timings. Lando's eyebrows shot up, eyes wide. Oscar met his eyes, cheeks flushing pink at the alpha's reaction. 

"Oscar! Why didn't you tell me?" 

"I wanted to make sure it was the real thing before I worried you." Oscar's voice was soft and small. He didn't seem panicked or overwhelmed by any of this, although he had had over an hour of contractions to at least get used to the idea of giving birth to their daughter. The only trace of any fear was visible in his chocolate brown eyes, wide and bright with nerves and excitement. Lando smiled, leaning down so his face was in line with Oscar's stomach. 

"Well Peanut, I guess we finally get to meet you today." 

For the next few hours, Oscar and Lando remained at home. The contractions steadily increased in frequency to 10 minute intervals, labour slowly but surely progressing. Lando was a firm presence by Oscar's side as he walked around the house, too uncomfortable to sit down. When a contraction hit, Oscar would curl into himself, bracing himself against furniture or walls as he breathed through it. Lando, ever present, would trace circles into his lower back, brush his hands through Oscar's curls while whispering soothing words or planting kisses to his temple. It was a beautifully intimate process, those last hours as a pair while they prepared to welcome their daughter into the world. 

Lando coaxed Oscar into having a bath at his mum's suggestion. Nicole was Oscar's second birth partner, so Lando called her while he made tea to make sure she was ready to go if Oscar needed her. Having had four kids of her own, Nicole had plenty of advice to help Oscar's labour go smoothly. A bath to relax and help with the pain seemed like the perfect way to keep the early stages of labour as stress free as possible for the omega. Oscar stood in their bedroom gazing out of the window as Lando prepared the bath. The last rays of sun shone through the window, casting Oscar and the room in soft orange hues. He looked so beautiful, Lando thought, both hands resting on top of his bump, head turned away from Lando as he watched the the day fade into night. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Lando took a couple of photos without alerting Oscar; he wanted a physical reminder of this moment forever. Putting his phone on the dresser, Lando crossed the room. His hands found Oscar's stomach, just in time to feel the wriggling movements of the baby. Smiling, he pressed a kiss to Oscar's shoulder. 

"Bath's ready, babe." Lando spoke softly. Oscar nodded, letting Lando assist him to get undressed and sink into the bath, pausing briefly as another contraction hit him. A sigh of relief escaped him as he settled into the warm water. The tension drained from every muscle, the warmth settling his nerves. Lando sat beside the bathtub, like a silent guard. Oscar's labour had sent his alpha instincts into overdrive, making him not want to have any distance between them. Oscar lingered in the bath until the water started to go cold, then he allowed Lando to help him out; goose pimples rose all over his skin as cold air hit him. Wrapping him in a towel, Lando began to dry his skin. It was now approaching 10 hours since his first contractions, and Oscar was beginning to get impatient. He just wanted to meet his baby now. As if in answer to his impatience, a contraction much stronger and more painful than any he'd had before slammed into him. He yelped in surprise, jolting forward to grab the sink. 

"Fuck." He let out through gritted teeth. 

"They're getting stronger." Lando said in response, his hand finding the space at the bottom of Oscar's spine that seemed to soothe him. Oscar only nodded, still breathing his way through it. He was about to ask Lando to call the hospital when his thoughts were cut off by a sudden gush between his legs. Making eye contact with Lando, they both looked down to see the puddle of water forming at his feet. 

"Hospital?" Lando asked.

"Hospital." Oscar echoed as his answer. Lando helped Oscar dress as quickly as they could, the process slowed significantly by the increasing frequency of his contractions. The time between them had shortened, Oscar not having much time to recover before the next wave hit him. The walk from the front door to the car felt miles long, Oscar having to pause at the side of the car to ride out his next contraction. Once they're finally in the car, Lando had to stop himself from driving like a mad man to the hospital. Extremely uncomfortable in a sitting position, Oscar kept a white knuckled grip on the seat the entire journey. He barely registered their arrival at the hospital or them being ushered into a room, his only focus on breathing through the pain and his grip on Lando's hand. 

Once they were in the room, Oscar made himself more comfortable by pulling his joggers off, leaving him in his oversized t-shirt and boxers. Another contraction ripped through him, forcing a loud groan from him. He braced himself against the bed, hands twisting into the bedsheets. Feeling the weight of Lando's hand on top of his, Oscar released the sheets and turned his hand to interlock their fingers. He was probably squeezing hard enough to break fingers through each wave of pain, but Lando didn't complain. At the end of his next contraction, a midwife entered the room to assess him. 

"Hi Oscar. I'm Sarah, I'll be your midwife! Let's check your progress so far." Sarah introduced herself cheerfully. She moved around the room with purpose, carrying out all her checks. Oscar winced with discomfort when she checked how far along he was. 

"I'm afraid we've still got a ways to go. You're only 5cm dilated at the moment." Oscar whimpered at her words. He still had a lot of pain to go through before he'd meet his little girl. 

Oscar hit his 18th hour of labour and he was completely exhausted. Every contraction pulled out a string of curses or a loud whimper. Sitting or laying down made his discomfort worse. With the support of Lando, he paced the room, gripping his husband's hand for dear life through every bit of pain. He dealt with the particularly excruciating ones by leaning forward against the bed or Lando, swaying his hips in a slow circle in a way to help relieve the pressure. Oscar's resolve quickly disappeared as labour dragged on with no end in sight. 

"Call my mum. I want mum." Oscar pleaded to Lando, tears threatening to fall. Lando obliged immediately, pulling out his phone and calling her. 

Nicole arrived within half an hour, immediately taking her place on the other side of Oscar as soon as she arrived. 

"Oh my darling, this little one is certainly taking her time to arrive." She said softly, pressing a kiss to Oscar's sweaty curls. Oscar let out a sob as another contraction hit, forehead resting on Lando's shoulder as he leaned his weight on his husband. 

"I can't do this, mum. I- I'm scared." Oscar panted out through sobs. 

"You're already doing it, Oscar. You're doing so well." His mum reassured him. 

"We've got you, my love." Lando chimed in, pressing a kiss to Oscar's forehead. Oscar's arms tightened around his neck as he fought through another round of pain. 

The contractions ramped up in intensity, drawing closer and closer together until Oscar was having his fifth contraction within 10 minutes. At that, Nicole made eye contact with Lando over the top of Oscar's head. She gave a single nod and Lando knew what it meant. It was time for them to meet their daughter. Nicole was scarily accurate, because just a couple of minutes later, Oscar lifted his head from Lando's shoulder, a new feeling overwhelming him. 

"I think I need to push." Oscar gasped out, breathless and worn out. Nicole called the midwife in and she confirmed what they all hoped. 

"Okay, Oscar. On your next contraction, nice big push." She said. The now familiar feeling of a contraction began to build up very quickly. 

Oscar took a deep breath and pushed. 

Oscar had no idea how long he was pushing for. They'd tried to get him lay down for it, but he insisted on staying stood up, using Lando to keep him steady. His mum and Lando's encouragement, the midwife's coaching, the excruciating pain all blended together in a cacophony of feeling and sound. He poured every ounce of energy into each push, a guttural shout erupting from him every time. It felt like an eternity before the midwife spoke again. 

"You're almost there, Oscar. One more big push for me, okay?" 

Oscar let out another sob, squeezing his eyes shut. He felt his tears and sweat soaking the shoulder of Lando's t-shirt. Lando remained standing strong, hands planted firmly on Oscar's ribs to support his weight. 

"I know you're in pain, Osc. But just one more push. One more and our baby girl will be here." Lando spoke softly into his ear, low enough that only the two of them would hear his words. It was exactly what Oscar needed to muster the final bit of strength he had.

With a shout through gritted teeth, Oscar gave one last push. The pain spiked, more intense than it had ever been, then a wave of relief washed through him. 

That feeling was followed by a loud cry. Oscar's legs almost gave way at the sound. He lifted his head from Lando's shoulder and found his husband's eyes. His face was a picture of awe and wonder, eyes shining with tears. The pain seemed to fade away as the midwife stood from the floor, holding their baby in her arms.

"Congratulations, dads. You have a baby girl." 

Lando repositioned them, supporting Oscar's weight from behind so Oscar could hold his baby for the first time. More tears flowed, this time from joy as the tiny, warm weight was placed into his arms. Oscar instinctively cradled her head, holding her close to his chest. She was still crying, tiny hands curled into fists. 

"Oh, hi my beautiful girl. Shh, I know. It's been a big day, huh? It's okay, you're here now." He said softly, as the cries died down into soft sniffles. He felt Lando press a kiss to his temple, one of his large hands coming to cradle their daughter's head.  

"Hello, darling. Look at you. It's nice to meet you after all this time." Lando's voice was choked up, completely awestruck by the tiny human they'd created. Lando pressed another kiss in Oscar's sweaty hair. 

"I'm so proud of you Osc. She's perfect."

 They remained like that for a few more moments, taking in their daughter until Oscar felt his exhaustion hit him like a tonne of bricks, the adrenaline finally wearing off. 26 hours of labour felt like driving the Singapore grand prix 10 times over. Passing his daughter over to his mum for her first grandma cuddles, Oscar got situated in bed with Lando's help. His entire body was sore and aching, sinking into the bed immediately. His mum passed the baby back over to him as soon as he was settled. She was now dozing peacefully against his chest, Oscar unable to look away from her. 

"She needs a name." Lando said, perching on the edge of the bed, settling one hand on the tiny girl's back. Oscar nodded, still not tearing his eyes away. 

"I like the name we picked out first." He replied. 

"Yeah? Me too. It suits her." Lando agreed. Oscar finally looked up at his husband, brown eyes locking onto green. They shared a smile and a soft peck on the lips before their focus tracked back down to the baby in Oscar's arms. 

"Welcome to the world, Harper Nicole Norris-Piastri."