#Alex laughs unkindly. 'right. because of the seat. guess i'll try him before i leave.'

[thepavementsings]

#sorry in advance to baking-soda for butchering her wonderful verse #i was listening to this on a walk with my dog thinking about TURNED INTO A GIRL ALEX #it happens at the end of the 2020 season. #He calls george. trying to joke about it #'Its barely the worst thing thats happened to me this month. adding it to the tally eh george?' #but george can hear the fear and hesitation nestled behind the exasperated laugh he lets out #So george offers. He can talk to Lewis for Alex. If he wants. He's helped - well he knows about this stuff- george has heard. #alex's shaky smile on the other screen as he breathes out a thanks is enough for George to push through the trepidation as he makes the call #Of course Lewis tells him everything #but george cant hear 'emotionally meaningful' and 'sex' and 'alex' in the same sentence without feeling like his chest is being hollowed out #so he lies. says Lewis told him it has to do with life stressors. tries to ignore how his skin crawls when he suggests it to Alex #that he should see if Max is in Monaco. Swallows thickly around the sound of 'you know because of your seat' #Alex laughs unkindly. 'right. because of the seat. guess i'll try him before i leave.' #before he packs his bags and his dreams and moves back home to england. back to me. george thinks #he doesnt see alex over the winter. pretends it's because he's busy with family and training and a mercedes seat he's vying for. #it isnt until he's walking past the red bull hospitality in Spain the next spring when he sees it #Alex. standing in the doorway just tucked out of the way. arm stretched over his head to holding the frame. #he looks the same. save for the way his red bull shirt hugs his chest tighter. the puffiness of his cheeks more present #he catches george's eye from where he's been standing. nods him to the space between the buildings #his shoulders are drawn up. hands in his pockets when he shoves lightly into george's side #george's mouth feels dry with the words 'you didn't.. it didn't work?' #theres an anger that flashes behind alex's eyes before it's quickly replaced with a familiar bemusement #'no. guess you cant fuck the girl out of red bull but cant fuck the red bull out of the girl.' but theres no heat behind it #'hey. it could be worse. at least i dont have to be out there doing media with the rest of you idiots' #george barely makes it back to his motorhome before he heaves up whats left of his breakfast #there's more but only so much fits in the tags. sorry again. #george/alex