Chapter Text
The word mamihlapinatapai is derived from the Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego, listed in The Guinness Book of World Records as the "most succinct word", and is considered one of the hardest words to translate.
It has been translated as "a look that without words is shared by two people who want to initiate something, but that neither will start" or "looking at each other hoping that the other will offer to do something which both parties desire but are unwilling to do".
A romantic interpretation of the meaning has also been given, as "that look across the table when two people are sharing an unspoken but private moment. When each knows the other understands and is in agreement with what is being expressed. An expressive and meaningful silence."
The perks of overthinking, aside from the final relief it might bring, are the self-induced readiness and fake anticipation. Even if it probably makes you look a little bit like a stalker, getting to know your future colleagues through previously-approved media content doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all. At the end of the day, you will already have a notion of how they act on a daily basis, thus making it effective to interact with them in a certain manner.
Right. This is what little Arvid’s brain was trying to convince him of five minutes before going to bed. He had been given the news of his promotion a few hours before, and, still buzzing in excitement, had decided to go straight and lie in bed while thinking about the trivialities of everything.
Yes, he clearly had checked on his new training regime conditions, diet changes and simulator hours: those were natural. Now, however, he had to prepare himself to face a new environment.
Things didn’t stay as subtle as they used to do in Formula 2. In his current position, being under the spotlight made every single movement intensely strict and observed. Paparazzi went harsher, photographers wilder, and journalists fiercer. PR personnel didn’t spare either, as they had reiteratively insisted on the quite big change it was and how public scrutiny may change his way of seeing the sport.
Bearing these in mind, he found himself now mulling over his thoughts while absently scrolling through past grill the grid videos, surveying the drivers’ attitudes and gestures. Despite his attention having to be on some other aspects, he couldn’t help giving in to his curiosity. Known pairings, long-endured idols, past teammates flashed by, leaving these last memories and the tickling of the clock sank him into a rather peaceful void.
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Dropping a suitcase and shoving clothes on his bed, Arvid had already hurried a shower when he started to make his luggage: barely a month of intense training had passed, when he suddenly found himself preparing for the so long awaited Barcelona pre-season testing week. The constant psychological tests kept him at bay, and the booked flights were the backbone of his motivation.
No matter the uncertainty of a new phase, he was capable of recognizing his progress and acknowledging his potential. While balancing personal life with karting sessions and sim-training, anxiety had flown long forgotten, making this intimate moment of preparation and anticipation as much lighter and less-stressful as it could be.
Oliver had hired a driver who would take them to the airport later that day: the landing was scheduled for 21h, leaving them a decent amount of hours to sleep before beginning with the next day’s planning.
All in a rush, scarce time had passed when he realised how deep in conversation he was with the taxi driver, feeling the warm sensation of late-night highway Lisbon. Later on, some hours after taking a nap and a tea, Arvid had finally fallen asleep well-fastened on his flight’s seat, leaning his side near the window, comfortably enough to keep that position until they had reached their destination.
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The incessant buzzing slowly melted down on his head. The remnants of his alarm were gone, indicating that he was finally waking up for the day. Several minutes lying on his comfortable bed were enough for him to jump up and quickly start his routine. Having agreed on meeting up with the team for breakfast that morning, he underwent his morning shower at special ease, glancing now and then out the, still asleep, Barcelona coastline.
Team’s gear with extra layers on, Arvid decidedly walked himself down to the hotel’s wide hall. Too tired the day before to take everything in, he quietly appreciated the very well-thought arrangement of the place: floor-to-ceiling windows, marble mosaic tiles and dark hard-wood furniture, once more welcomed him into their warmth. Rapidly enough though, he was soon exiting the doors, feeling the thin winter mist running over his skin.
Ambling around the somewhat illuminated paths, letting the few early-Sun rays hit him, he waited for his colleagues patiently by the café’s doors. Reclining on one of its columns, he glanced around for a while. Checking his watch he realized how ahead of time he was, therefore chose to put on his airpods and dive into his playlists. Wisely choosing over his favourite song, he daydreamed for a little before starting to acknowledge his surroundings.
Drifting from some palms to empty benches, he couldn’t help but notice a group of people calmly walking their way out of the hotel. Their rather electric blue jackets caught his attention, and while driving his gaze across them he spotted a particularly familiar face.
Pale skin, snub nose, almond curls and a bright smile displaying pink lips, were enough to take his breath away for a second. Despite perfectly knowing who this guy was beforehand, his stupidly aware senses reacted ahead of his usually attentive brain.
All of a sudden, his rhythmic breath had stopped, trying and failing to retake its pace. Worse than any punch on the chest, he felt his ribs unmercifully shrinking his thorax up, enclosing his heart and lungs.
As much as the sensation was hard to miss, it was strangely ignored by his brain, way too invested in the bright smile and the cheerful, distant laughter emanating from it.
Interrupted by Oliver himself calling out his name, he slowly came back to Earth, absentmindedly raising his hand to greet him and the team from afar. Pivoting to the left to face them, he took off his earphones and smiled, forcing his half short-circuited brain to keep working.
When doing so, however, he wasn’t quick enough to catch the intense almond eyes glancing at him while through the discreet door’s threshold… .