Everything Has Changed

Everything Has Changed

A/N: Gif by @khelgad -Okay everyone, sorry for the long wait, but it's here! This chapter definitely got away from me a bit and became its own beast. I was hoping to fit SO much more in but decided to ultimately break it into two separate chapters. So the next update should be coming sooner rather than later! I'll officially announce it in a day or so! As always feedback is loved and encouraged! Thank you to my love @haterpenny for all of the inspo. ❤️

Words: 6K, Warnings: Swearing, alcohol.

Masterlist here (Previous parts linked there)

-----------------------------------------

You spent the next two weeks trying to focus on training. You stupidly hoped that some distance between you and your simultaneous paramours would help, but you were no closer to making a decision than you had been the last time you saw them. 

The Miami GP was shaping up to be perhaps the most ridiculous race you had ever attended, complete with a pre-race party that you had been roped into attending. Normally you would love an opportunity to party alongside drivers and even fans, but you just weren’t in the right mindset for it. Christian had promised you would be a part of the event, which meant fake smiles and probably too many selfies to count awaited you, along with pretending that nothing was wrong. 

Things with you and Daniel had been a little awkward. He lived one floor below you in your building in Monaco, and you were constantly bumping into one another in the lobby or the elevator. When you were both home you usually spent several nights together, eating pizza, having sex, building pillow forts. Now, you hadn’t seen him in days, and the distance was starting to take a toll on you. You even missed training with him. 

So, after almost two whole weeks of avoiding one-another, you had had enough of it. You ordered Daniel’s favorite from the pizza place- two pizzas, and bought a bottle of red wine. You’re supposed to have red with Italian food, right?

You gave his door a nice knock and waited, doing your best to balance your peace offering without dropping it all over the floor. Finally he tugged it open, his features looking slightly confused to see you standing there. 

“Y/N?” You didn’t allow him to finish whatever he was going to say. 

“Hi. I hate how things have been lately, and I just wanted to come spend the night with you. Are you free?” You asked, big eyes peeking up at him hopefully. A big smile spread across his cheeks. 

“Come on in.” He grabbed the pizzas from you to lighten your load,  and pressed a kiss to your cheek before leading the way back into his place. You sauntered in and set the wine on the counter before hunting around for his corkscrew. He flipped open the box and grabbed a slice, sighing happily as he bit into it. 

“How did you know this was just what I needed?” He asked, munching away as he watched you struggle to get the cork free. 

“You’re breaking my heart, kid. You should be able to open wine by yourself. What else have I been teaching you?” He feigned annoyance, swiping the bottle from you and popping the top with ease. 

“Or you’ve just made me dependent on you for alcohol.” You said, your eyes narrowing suspiciously. He waved his hand dismissively, as though that were a ridiculous notion and made you giggle. He poured you a generous glass as you started tearing into the pizza, realizing just how starved you were. 

“You excited for Miami?” You asked with a full mouth- it was Daniel, you weren’t concerned about maintaining your manners. He let out a bit of a laugh. 

“Thrilled.” He replied, only a bit sarcastically. 

“They’re having a principal parade.” You told him with raised eyebrows, raising the red to your lips. 

“Oh God, can’t wait to see that.” He laughed, reaching for another slice. The conversation gave way to silence, and you couldn’t help but think about how silent your life had felt for the last week. Still, you felt determined to not talk about your relationship. You much rather felt like pretending everything was fine. 

“How are you feeling about the car?” You asked, referring to the rocky start of Daniel’s season. You knew how frustrating it had been for him, and you knew how desperate he still was to win. 

“What are you doing?” He asked suddenly, catching you by surprise. 

“I- I just wanted to know how it was going.” You replied innocently, a piece of pie drooping sadly in your grasp.

“No, I mean what are you doing, showing up here with wine? Acting like nothing has changed?” Your felt a bit of anger flare up in your chest and you set your pizza down to give him your full attention. 

“Yeah, because I’m the one that changed everything.” You said with far more sass than was necessary. Immediately, you took your face in your hands, doing whatever you could to hide from the look that would be on Daniel’s face. 

“Danny- fuck, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I just don’t know how to do this.” You said, feeling absolutely defeated. Maybe you were mad at Daniel and you hadn’t even realized it. All you wanted to do was come and spend time with your friend and blow off some steam and it was quickly becoming clear that that wouldn’t be possible anymore. 

“Alright, this was a mistake. I’ll get my own flight to Miami, I’m sorry I stopped by.” You closed up one of the boxes of pizza, claiming it as your own. Daniel sputtered, but you didn’t pay him any attention as you made a swift exit. Maybe you had been naive to hope that you could spend the night with Daniel without recent events coming up. You went to the elevator and struggled to press the button, the box precariously balanced in one hand. 

You got back to your place and collapsed on your couch, feeling drained and lonely. One of your favorite parts of being in F1 was sharing the experience with Dan- now you were worried you’d lost that.

Daniel watched in confusion as you left, completely unsure of how he had so quickly lost control of the conversation. With every passing day he was more and more concerned that he was losing you, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it except sit around and hope you’d choose him. 

When he saw you he felt his heart swell in his chest, so relieved to have you near- but it quickly shifted to anxiety as he wondered if it would be the last time he’d find you at his doorstep. His first instinct was to take you in his arms and kiss you- it had been weeks since you had been together and he realized he wasn’t just hungry for sex, he was hungry for you. 

Having been alone so much the whole  week, Daniel spent most of his time thinking about your current predicament and his nerves were starting to take a toll on him. He knew that if you were going to pursue a relationship with Carlos, he wouldn’t just lose a fuck buddy. It would change the entire scope of your friendship and each interaction would have to be carefully conducted in order to avoid any possible scandal. His touch could never linger, his eyes would have to move away from yours despite his deepest desire to hold your gaze. Daniel wasn’t prepared to face that possibility, and seeing you so carefully avoid your current situation made him worry that your heart had already chosen Carlos. 

He fell back onto his couch, a slight groan rumbling in his chest. If he could have just been patient, maybe you would still be sitting across from him. Maybe he could have made you laugh- your nose wrinkling in that way he loved. Maybe he could have touched you- kissed you, to remind you how right it felt. 

Instead he wondered if Carlos had been kissing you. Could he make you feel as good as Daniel knew he could? Suddenly he was desperate to get the image of you and the Spaniard out of his mind. He grabbed his phone and shot you a message. 

—————————————————————

You ate the rest of your pizza while wallowing in self-pity. You wracked your brain, trying to decide how the hell you were supposed to pass the time by yourself in your flat. You weren’t used to being alone so much, there was often such a flurry of activity around you that you had become accustomed to it. 

Your phone dinged. 

Big Dick Ricc: I’m sorry 

Y/N: I know. So am I.

You replied, tossing your phone aside. You had nothing to say and assumed that was as good of a reply as any. You laid back on your couch and stared at the ceiling, wondering what you could do to distract yourself. You considered asking Lando if you could join one of his streams, or you thought about messaging Charles to ask him to meet you for a drink. 

Instead, you decided to eat pizza until you physically couldn’t anymore, and in your guilt you scheduled an extra session with your trainer. 

The bits of the track you had seen looked interesting, but the whole affair was certainly over the top and ridiculous. Still, you were excited. You hadn’t gotten to experience many ’brand new’ tracks, and getting to christen one felt significant to you. You were planning to stick around Miami for a bit after the race to enjoy some rare down time before getting ready to head to Barcelona. 

Your phone buzzed with a message from Carlos. 

You had been texting and shared a few video chats throughout the week and you did your best to refrain from speaking about your ‘almost’ relationship. He had, however, asked you to join him and Lando for a round of golf once you arrived in Florida. You warned that you were not a golfer and told him you would surely ruin their good time. Still, he insisted, and you accepted the invitation. 

Carlos: Enjoying your night? 

You pursed your lips in thought, wiping the back of your hand over your tired, misty eyes. 

Y/N: I’d enjoy it more if you were here.

You replied, thinking about just how much you meant it. Ever since he managed to confess his feelings for you things had been easy and comfortable. You avoided speaking about anything too serious, and he respected whatever space you sometimes needed. 

Carlos: I’ll catch a flight 

Carlos: Don’t tempt me 

You smiled at that. Part of you had actually considered inviting him to stay with you for a few nights. It was a short flight, and you had the time- apart from some training and simulator work. However the prospect of embarking on a sex life with him made you nervous. Crossing that line would not be easy to come back from and if he was sleeping beside you your resolve would chip away until you were on your knees for him. 

Y/N: You know I love to tempt you

You shot back, a little grin creeping across your cheeks at the flirtatiousness of it all. You texted a bit more before he said something you weren’t quite expecting. 

Carlos: How are things with Daniel? 

You froze at the words, your mind racing anxiously just from reading his name. 

Another text quickly followed. 

Carlos: You don’t have to talk about it

You just stared at the messages for a moment, hoping the perfect reply would pop into your head. You figured you may as well  be honest as there really was nothing happening between you and Daniel. 

Y/N: He keeps his distance. 

Y/N: Haven’t seen each other much. 

All you wanted to do was open the emotional floodgates and tell Carlos about how isolated you felt. Having Daniel so far away was a strange and new feeling, and it was something you were worried you would have to get used to. 

Carlos: I’m sorry, I know you’re close. 

Was Carlos actually sorry? Or did the distance between you and Daniel make him feel more secure? You decided not to question his motives and chalk it up to genuine concern. 

Carlos: I can’t wait to see you. 

You felt tense when the words flashed across your screen. Mostly because you were excited to see him too. 

You continued to send each other messages while you packed. You had  reached out to accommodations and asked to be on a different flight, claiming you wanted to get to the track earlier, so you were going to leave the next morning. It was a twelve hour flight, and you didn’t want to spend it avoiding eye contact with Daniel. Your hand hovered over your TRBL X DR3 hoodie as you considered whether or not to take it. You threw it in your carry-on. 

You woke up that next morning rearing and ready to go, hoping that the sooner you left Monaco the sooner you could leave your problems behind. You had a few last minute decisions to make, like deciding which design to go with for your special helmet. 

You climbed onto the jet and plopped into your seat, immediately getting yourself as cozy as you could without the use of Daniel’s comfy shoulder. Then you had your iPad out and began analyzing the track and watching back some of your sim work to be as prepared as possible. Just as you began to feel reality slipping away from you, your phone buzzed. 

Big Dick Ricc: Last night should have been different. 

You didn’t know what to say. It was your own fault for trying to set boundaries with Dan, and then immediately abandoning them. You knew he must be confused, but to be fair, so were you. 

Big Dick Ricc: I fucking miss you

You could almost hear the words leaving his lips. The hurt look he had given you the previous night was still fresh in your mind. You threw your head back in frustration before finally responding. 

Y/N: I miss you. And I’m sorry about last night. 

You were effectively ruined for the rest of the flight. You had no idea what the hell you were going to do, so you ordered a glass of wine and started writing your feelings down. You thought perhaps getting them out of you and onto paper would help you see things more clearly. It didn’t. 

You finally arrived in Miami feeling truly exhausted and jet lagged after such a long trip. Another weekend, another hotel room. You got settled in and climbed into the big, fluffy bed while you awaited the arrival of your room service. It was Monday night- and your golf date with Carlos was the next morning. 

You couldn’t help but imagine what you’d be doing if you were with Daniel. Surely he’d be forcing you to watch Ace Ventura as he had brought it up every five minutes since they announced the Miami GP. You decided to put it on anyway. 

Once you truly couldn’t take the silence of your own company anymore you actually chose to go for a run. You kept a cap on (not a Red Bull one) and AirPods in, doing your best to look like any other casual jogger, hoping to remain unrecognized. Which was a bit difficult with posters of you and the other driver’s faces plastered all over town. Still, you were able to get a solid workout in before heading back to your room. 

You spent the rest of the evening just trying to get time to pass, studying the circuit and working on reaction drills before getting ready for bed early. You were meeting Carlos and Lando the next morning at 9 am, and you were a bit nervous. You didn’t know anything about golf and you were sure to be criticized relentlessly by Lando for it. Usually you would just bring Daniel along, but something told you that probably wouldn’t be the best idea. 

The next morning, Carlos was at your door right on time. He looked so cute, dressed in some shorts and a light blue polo- maybe golf wouldn’t be so bad. You’d opted to wear a little tennis skirt you had found in the bottom of your dresser back home and a white collared top. You always saw Albon’s girlfriend in things like that, so it seemed good enough for you. Before you could say anything he was leaning forward and pressing a kiss to both of your cheeks in greeting. You chuckled and tried to play off how much it had flustered you. 

“It’s good to see you.” You told him- your voice sounding almost a bit shy and unlike your own. 

“It’s good to see you too. I’ve been looking forward to this.” He admitted, leading you down the hallway and back towards the lobby. 

“I am going to be very bad at this.” You told him, trying to hide your nerves with a bit of a chuckle. 

“Good,” He replied casually, making you furrow your brow in confusion. 

“You can’t be good at everything.” He said teasingly. You laughed at that, struggling to think of something you were good at beyond motorsport. Soon you were in his Ferrari heading to a golf course so fancy you didn’t even know how to pronounce it. 

There were many times you routinely felt out of place among your colleagues- this was one of those times. 

You went to rent the golf cart- which you were hoping to drive- when you bumped into Lando. 

“Y/N,” He greeted. 

“Muppet.” You responded with a nod, bringing a grin to his lips. You and Lando had basically perfected brother/sister banter at this point.    

“You ready to lose?” He asked, an eyebrow raised in challenge. As much as you hated losing- and especially to Lando- you couldn’t deny that he was right. 

“Oh I expect to lose miserably. I can’t even play putt putt.” You told him. 

“Right. And why did you bring her?” He asked, shifting his gaze to Carlos who simply rolled his eyes in response. 

“I know it’s not to make you look good, because I’m going to destroy you.” Lando continued on. 

Thankfully the attendant was back pulling up in the cart before Carlos had the chance to reply. 

The three of you climbed in, Carlos squished between you and Lando. The weather was surprisingly pleasant for May in Miami, and the course was littered with trees that offered some much needed shade. 

You drove out to the first hole while discussing what you had all been doing for the last week.

Once you arrived, Lando wasted no time hopping out and rummaging through his clubs, looking to find just the right one. 

You turned your eyes to Carlos and watched as he did more of the same before finally muttering “perfect” and removing the club from the bag. 

“I hope you know I have literally no idea what I am doing.” You warned, slightly alarmed at the amount of focus you already saw the two former teammates showing. 

“I know, I’ll help you.” He told you happily with a slight shrug. Lando decided it would be best if he went first, so he grabbed a ball and a tee and stuck it down in the immaculate green. You watched as he considered the distance and the wind before finally taking a satisfying whack at the little ball. You watched, admittedly a bit impressed as the ball sailed on towards the first hole. You tried to take note of his stance, but his movement was so fluid and quick that it was basically a blur to you. Then Carlos was shooing you to go next. 

You tried to mimic the pose you had just seen Lando in- legs shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, hands- overlapping? No, that didn’t seem quite right. 

You could feel their eyes on you as you struggled to get the positioning right and it made you feel a bit silly. Before you could ask for help, Carlos was standing beside you, his hands reaching for yours. 

“May I?” He asked. You nodded. He took your hands and guided them along the grip of the club, his touch giving you a bit of a chill even in the Miami heat. 

“You want to keep your grip there.” He instructed before turning and putting his hand on the small of your back, encouraging you to straighten your spine a bit. 

You swore you could hear Lando’s eyes rolling from behind you. 

Carlos guided you through the motions, showing you exactly where to start your backswing and how to swivel your hips through your downswing. 

Now you understood why he took you golfing. 

The first time, you missed. The second time- you missed. You laughed it off and returned to the pose he had taught you. Finally that third time you hit the ball and it went a good bit further than you had anticipated. Nowhere near Lando’s impeccable shot, but for your first attempt you were pleased. Carlos appeared to be as well. 

“Good! That was good!” He told you excitedly, a smile spread across his cheeks. You weren’t sure if he was humoring you or being honest, still you chose to believe him. Carlos took his turn next, a shot equally impressive to Lando’s. 

The next few holes continued on that way, with Carlos and Lando in a competitive game and you about 15 strokes behind them. Or ahead of them. You really had no idea what was going on. You couldn’t help but scoff at how seriously Lando took the whole thing- at one point he nearly lied down on the green, his body contorted into some ridiculous position as he surveyed- well, you didn’t know what. You captured the moment in a sneaky photo and posted it to your story on Instagram, tagging Lando and writing a joke about how much he looked like a praying mantis. 

At around the sixth hole some dark clouds started rolling in, but the boys didn’t seem to mind. Carlos was far too focused on ”helping your posture“ to notice. He would watch you mime your swing a time or two before clicking his tongue in disapproval and moving closer to you, his hands skimming over your form a bit longer than necessary. Finally Lando had had enough. 

“Oh, get a room.” He groaned from behind you, clearly not appreciative of the public displays of affection that Carlos seemed so comfortable with. 

“Jealous?” You asked eyebrow quirked teasingly. 

“I can’t believe I was rooting for you two.” He replied with mock disappointment. 

“I’m sure Carlos wouldn’t mind helping you with your swing too,” You offered, eyes glancing towards Carlos’ brown ones to see him smiling at you. 

“I think I’ll pass, thanks.” The Brit replied smartly, arms crossing over his chest. 

“Ignore him.” Carlos almost whispered before directing your attention back to the tee. His hands moved back to your hips, helping you sway them as you slowly acted out your swing once more. Then he took a step back and allowed you to take your shot. Although he definitely seemed keen to have his hands on you- you had to admit, the ball went much further and the motions felt much more natural. 

“See? You’re a natural.” Carlos told you, leaning forward to press a kiss to your cheek. 

You felt a blush creeping up your face but hoped you could blame it on the heat. 

“Come on, or you’re walking to the next hole.” Lando warned, having believed he’d been patient for long enough.

“You’re not very fun to play golf with.” You told him, moving out of Carlos’ grasp. He feigned being hurt, a hand to his chest as though you had wounded him. 

“I’d just like to finish before midnight.” Lando replied. Then he glanced around at the menacing skies and made a face.

“Or before the world ends. Whichever comes first.” You couldn’t help but chuckle at that. 

“You go on ahead.” Carlos told him, waving his hand to convince his friend. 

“Yeah, I think I’ve had enough golf for one day.” You agreed with a nod. With a slight shrug, Lando was off, speeding onto the next hole, yelling that he would catch up with you later. 

You turned to Carlos who was smiling widely, his eyes looking rather adoringly at yours. 

“What did you think?” He asked. 

“Definitely harder than it looks.” You told him, truly having a newfound respect for the sport as a whole. 

“And I think I need a drink.” You added, shooting him a little wink. Before he could respond, the floodgates finally opened, and an angry, heavy spray of rain began to fall from the sky. You couldn’t help but laugh a bit, your clothes already completely soaked through. You watched the rain flatten Carlos’ hair, little droplets falling down his forehead and nose rather mesmerizingly. His smile faltered minutely as his hand came up to caress your cheek, and you gulped at the intensity. Then he was pressing his lips to yours, his arms wrapping strongly around you. You felt completely consumed by him and his touch, your hands grabbing the collar of his shirt to keep him as close to you as possible. For that one beautiful moment, you thought of nothing other than Carlos- not Daniel, not the media, not the championship. Just the way his touch made your body hum with excitement and longing. The kiss was deep and passionate, his tongue battling with yours for dominance. His fingers carefully tucked some of your wet hair behind your ear, his nose nudging against yours gently. The kiss felt like it lasted forever, but it was still over all too soon. 

The two of you glanced up at the sky, blinking back the drops that showed no sign of slowing down. He offered his hand and you accepted, and the pair of you ran under an awning attached to the clubhouse. You couldn’t help but stare at the way his drenched polo hugged his broad shoulders, or the way he ran his fingers through his hair in an effort to keep it out of his face. You closed the space between you and captured his lips in another kiss, catching him a bit by surprise. You swore you could feel him smiling against you, his hands falling onto your hips. 

“Mi corazón,” He finally spoke, his voice a bit lower than usual. You could get used to a nickname like that. You bit at the edge of your now puffy lips, eyes innocently looking up at his, as if you didn’t know the effect you had on him. 

“You drive me crazy.” He told you, his head shaking slightly, as though you couldn’t understand what he meant. 

“Yeah? And what about what you do to me?” You asked as the rain continued to pour around you. 

“I was doing just fine, then you…” You struggled to find the right words. 

“You changed everything.” You finally said. He offered a small smile as his hand reached for yours. 

“I know. I don’t want you to feel pressured. You said you need time, you can have all the time you need.” Carlos’ voice was tender but soft as he spoke. The sweetness in his gaze was enough to tug at your heartstrings. 

“I’m sorry I-” You were about to apologize for the lack of answers you had to give when he dismissed your concerns with a wave of his hand. 

“Stop. You’ve got enough on your mind.” He moved his hands to rest on your shoulders, effectively centering you. He was right. You were grateful that neither he nor Daniel had put any pressure on you for immediate answers. They both knew the kind of stress you were under and while limbo wasn’t a fun place for them to be, they knew you had it worse. 

“Let’s get you dried off.” Carlos said, breaking you away from your thoughts. You glanced down at your all-white outfit and realized the press would have a field day seeing that your undergarments had been exposed by the rain. You were just a little embarrassed, a sheepish smile passing over your cheeks as you crossed your arms over your chest in an effort to hide the light pink bra that was suddenly very noticeable. Carlos somehow remained the perfect gentleman, leaving to duck inside the clubhouse before returning with a  couple towels for you. You thanked him and did your best to dry off, watching as the rain continued to fall. 

After a few moments, you decided you were as dry as you could get and asked Carlos if he would be interested in that drink. He agreed and followed you inside, slipping a protective arm around you. 

You ordered a Paloma and Carlos did the same. You stuck your damp hair in a messy bun and accepted the drink gratefully. 

“You excited for the party tomorrow?” Carlos asked, looking for a more neutral topic of conversation. You raised your eyebrows- either at the drink’s strength or his question- you weren’t sure. 

“Oh, I can’t wait.” You replied, just a bit sarcastically. 

“I think it’ll be fun to have everyone together. We don’t get to do that much. But I’m just anxious to get on the track.” You elaborated, earning a knowing nod in return. 

“I think it’ll be fun. Different. Might be nice to break up what we’re used to.” He said optimistically. 

“Until this championship fight is over, I’m going to be anxious. It’s almost easier when you’re not in the running.” Your brows shot up at the admission. “I mean- I don’t want to complain. This is what we all want. It’s just a lot of pressure, you know?” You tried to backtrack on the statement a little, worried you would sound insensitive complaining about your success, but Carlos seemed to understand. 

“I know. And your position is unique. But I’m rooting for you- just in case that wasn’t clear.” He told you, a bit of that perfect smile flashed your way along with a disarming wink. Carlos knew about the stress that plagued each driver- but to be the first female in F1- the first female championship contender- it was like you had the weight of your entire gender on your shoulders. A win for you would mean a win for every woman that had ever aspired to be a part of motorsports. You didn’t want to let them and all of the people that had believed in you down. 

You were grateful and let out an exhale you hadn’t realized you had been holding in. Just as you went to ask Carlos how he felt about the car this year your eyes caught sight of a very damp Lando Norris wandering up to the two of you. You couldn’t help but laugh at his droopy self, his wet shirt clinging to his lean but admittedly muscular torso. 

“Get a little wet, Norris?” You asked with a smirk. 

“Looks like I’m not the only one.” He said, nudging his head in your direction. You bit at the inside of your cheek to keep yourself from saying the dirty joke you wanted to make. 

“I'm heading back to the hotel if you want to come.” He said evenly. 

“Yeah, probably a good idea. I’m freezing.” You said, your clothes still mostly drenched, but hopefully a bit less see-through. 

“I can tell.” Lando replied teasingly, earning an elbow to his ribs from Carlos. Again, you crossed your arms over your chest and rolled your eyes. 

“Gimme a sec.” Norris said simply before walking off towards… you didn’t know what. You shrugged and turned back to the bar and downed the rest of your drink. 

“Is it that bad?” You asked Carlos, the idea of any photos of you in a pink bra and black panties making their way online made you shudder. 

“It’s… not great.” He replied a bit slowly, unsure if honesty or a white lie would be the better way to go. You groaned and cursed the day golf was invented. And Florida, for that matter. 

In a moment Lando reappeared, a sweatshirt draped over his arm. 

“Here.” He handed you the cozy jumper, the name of the golf course plastered across it. 

“Better than nothing, right?” You were grateful. 

“Norris, your genius is showing.” You told him while tugging it on over your head. 

“Thank you, seriously.” You added, and he nodded in return. 

Carlos closed out your tab and the three of you left. 

The former teammates were staying at a different hotel, so they dropped you off which you appreciated. You were dying to get into some dry clothes, and you assumed that a McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull driver wandering through the lobby together wouldn’t go unnoticed. However in your current state, you were able to slip in and up to your room without any eyes lingering on you for too long. 

You changed into your pajamas and ordered up some room service as you planned to spend a quiet evening alone before the chaos of race weekend started. You devoured your pasta dinner, and headed to the bathroom to wash your face when you heard a knock at your door. You furrowed your brow in confusion and glanced through the peephole. You felt yourself tense at the sight of Daniel. You opened the door but stood firmly at the threshold. 

“Daniel? What are you doing here?” You asked, genuinely surprised to see him before you. 

“Marsali gave me your room number.” He explained. Marsali was your trainer and friend, and she knew how close you and Daniel were. 

“Ah.” You replied stupidly. 

“Look, I know things have been… weird. And I’m sorry- I hate it. But you mean too much to me to let anything come between us. I just want to spend time with you, anyway you’ll let me.” You smiled gently. 

“I miss you too, Dan. Come on in.” You told him, opening the door the rest of the way. You couldn’t help but notice his smile widen as he followed after you. You climbed into bed and grabbed the TV remote. 

“I know exactly what we’re doing.” You said, pulling up the search bar and typing in ‘Ace Ventura’. His eyes widened with excitement. 

“God, yes.” He sighed happily, settling beside you. 

You felt extra aware of how close he was, but he made sure he wasn’t touching you. You decided to break the tension for him and rested your head on his shoulder. You could feel him relax a bit and he wrapped his arm around you. The two of you relaxed and soon things felt like old times.

He laughed along, loudly quoting the most iconic lines as you pretended not to be amused. It felt so right to be back in his arms, hearing his laughs echoing around you. Soon you were tangled up, your head resting on his chest as his fingers absently carded through your hair. You couldn’t help but listen to the comforting sound of his heart thumping beneath your ear, your eyes skulking over the tattoos his short sleeves exposed. Being so close to him felt like going home, like you could finally relax. You realized you were looking at Daniel more than you were watching the movie. Before letting yourself overthink the consequences, you sat up and pressed a kiss to his lips. You could tell you had caught him by surprise, but he readily returned the kiss, letting out a satisfied sigh at the feel of you. His whole demeanor changed, like he could finally breathe. His hand cupped your cheek sweetly and you could tell there was some desperation in his kiss. Like if he were to stop you may disappear. Finally, you were pulling back to breathe. 

Incredibly, he said nothing. No flirty jokes, no teasing, no smug grin. Instead you saw what looked like relief in his eyes. 

“I was worried I may never get another chance.” He said sadly, trying to hide it behind a chuckle. You didn’t know what to say. You were hoping that maybe a moment like this with Daniel would give you some clarity and help you decide which of the two men had truly captured your heart. Instead you were just as confused as ever. 

So you curled back up against his side and watched the rest of the movie, blatantly ignoring the panic bubbling up in your chest. 

The only thing you knew for sure was that you were going to have to make a decision by the end of the weekend.

Tags: @oyesmendes @cowboydr @prettybiching @ruledchaos @imaginemrvel @f1thirsttraps @ferrarifwendvale @avengemepercy @thebagginsofbaggend @d0ntjudgemy50shades @just-addicted @honeybadger03 @she-shines-bright @spngi @lovingroscoee @lestappiebaby @dad-seb @an-ocean-blue @vinvantae @forzaferraris @perfektpasta @kat-to-the-rina @ellalovesvettel @delilah-leclerc @crappystoryteller @internetgremlin-reads @chilisainz @mysticalnightenthusiast @watermel0nsugarhigh @naturastace @merrymissesmaxiel @noldcardigan @jasmindaughteroftheworld @danielricciardo3f1 @gridgirldrabbles @jeanslilslut @im-bored12345 @smoothoperator55 @lu-morningstar @miahelen @formulacherry @obeskenobes @dr3lover @lsspsunflower @dr3ln4 @sad-fridge2323 @alternativemadchen @libbyxoxo @lievesobsession @valkryejh @saintandrea-droidsmuggler @misswolff @gaily19 @whatssupeef @teapartydreams @lily-horvitz @withyoutilltheendofthismess @whitetreeofhope @unicornshavedreams @p10g @vroom63 @cvrsdx @myjourneysmuses @love-all-things-writing @mishaandthebrits @comphersjost

If you requested a tag and you didn't get one, either your account wouldn't allow it or I ran out of space! Forgive me!

Dancing With Our Hands Tied

Champagne Problems Part 7

A/N: Hello! I hope you all enjoy and don't kill me! ❤️ Thank you to my live @haterpenny. Gif credit to @mclarenpodium

✨Previous parts linked here✨

Warnings: Swearing, panic attacks, drinking.

Words: 5.4K

———————————————————

You woke up on Wednesday morning with Daniel fast asleep beside you. Nothing happened the previous night save for a few kisses. By the end of the second Ace Ventura movie you were both struggling to keep your eyes open and you were far too comfortable to move. 

You glanced down at his sleep-tousled curls, a tired smile spreading over his lips as your eyes met. 

“Good morning,” He said groggily, his arm wrapped around your waist pulling you in a bit closer. Not quite ready to let go yet.

“Good morning Danny,” You replied softly. 

“I love when you call me that.” His voice was low and thick with sleep. It was a simple comment but it felt oddly intimate. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever told you.” There was a slight pause as he thought, his brows scrunching. 

“I guess there’s a lot I never told you.” He finally said, forcing a weak smile to his lips. You pursed your lips and couldn’t stop yourself from moving one of the stray curls on his forehead. You snuggled back into his chest, hiding yourself away in him. You would have been content to stay in that moment forever. 

“We should get up.” You muttered against him. 

“No, I think we should stay here.” Daniel responded, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. 

“We have training, we have media appearances,” Your voice trailed off a bit as the long list of responsibilities the two of you had ran through your mind. 

“No, I quit.” He replied simply, making you giggle. You tried your best to sit up, but he pulled you right back into him. You found it difficult to fight him.

“You’re a terrible influence.” You said with a smirk. 

“Thank you.” Daniel’s smile had returned at that. Again, you sat up and again he pulled you back down beside him. You let out a frustrated groan although you weren’t really upset. His face was only a couple inches from yours and you couldn’t help but think about how gorgeous he looked. His eyes staring back into yours like pools of golden honey.

“Once we leave this room… I just don’t know that I’ll ever get to spend this kind of time with you again.” He confessed, doing his best to avoid your gaze. That really let the air out of your sail. 

“I… I’m going to figure things out. I just need a little more time. I know it hasn’t been fair to you, and I’m sorry.” You told him, your fingers running over the astronaut tattoo on his arm. 

“No, I know the kind of pressure you’ve been under. And I should have figured out how I felt sooner. I’m sorry that it took this long.” You shook your head at his words but said nothing. 

“So, the big party’s tonight. Gonna get shitfaced? I’d love an excuse to.” You said, propping yourself up to gaze down at him and doing your best to change the subject. 

“Yeah? On a race weekend?” He asked, brows raised in surprise. 

“Well, it’s Wednesday. So definitely not the weekend.” You told him, a finger poking his chest. His head tilted back and forth in consideration. 

“Alright, fair. So how messy are we getting?” Daniel asked.

“Messy enough to forget about our problems.” You answered. 

“Sounds perfect.” He agreed. You couldn’t help but lean over and press a kiss to his lips. He held you tightly by your waist, milking the kiss for all it was worth. When you pulled away that time, he let you go. 

“Wanna meet for breakfast?” You questioned, peeking down at him as you stretched. You didn’t think there would be anything too scandalous about sharing a meal with your best friend. 

“Yeah, that sounds good.” 

“Alright, I’m going to get a shower.” You told him while rummaging through your dresser for something to put on. 

“Is that a shower for two or…?” Daniel asked, his eyebrows raised in question. You pursed your lips and gave him a look. 

“No? Okay, got it.” He said with a nod, a sort of chuckle leaving his lips. 

“I’ll meet you downstairs in a bit.” You said before disappearing into the bathroom.

————————————————————

You and Daniel shared breakfast and mostly reflected on the start of the new season. You did your best to stick to business, talking about his new merch line, the McLaren updates he was a bit desperate for and some of the reliability issues you and Checo had been experiencing. 

“Doesn’t matter how fast I go if I can’t finish the damn race.” You had told him, earning a chuckle in response. 

When you finished your meal you promised to find him at the party that evening and parted ways. 

You caught up with Marsali and did an ab circuit and some cardio that thoroughly kicked your ass. On your way back to your room you stopped for a few photos and autographs and found yourself stunned at the popularity Drive to Survive had brought the sport in America. In Texas barely two years ago no one had any idea who the hell you were. Now you were stopped every hundred feet or so to be wished well- even by those with the number 44 plastered across their shirts. 

The party started around 7 and you got back to your room around 4:30. You took your second shower of the day before debating on outfits and how you were going to do your hair and makeup. The event was rather unusual for you and you had pretty much no idea what to expect. Likely some soft media questions, some drinks and some music. You chose to go with your team wear but decided to bring a short light dress to change into for when your press responsibilities were over with. Your phone buzzed as you worked on your hair. 

Carlos: I’m going to need a dance with you tonight. 

Your cheeks heated up at the thought. You felt a grin tugging at your lips as you wrote your reply. 

Y/N: The press will be there. You’ll have to keep it PG. 😏

While you would literally never pass up the chance to have Carlos near you, the idea of being so close in front of everyone concerned you. You weren’t looking for attention in that regard. But perhaps a shot or two would help quell those fears. After all- it was a party, right? Who could blame you for cutting loose and having a little fun? 

Carlos: I’ll behave if you will. 

You let out a groan at that. What the hell was he trying to do to you?

Images from your golf date with Carlos flashed through your mind. You remembered how lovely it felt to have him so near you, the way his kiss made your knees go weak. You were excited to see him again. 

Then your eyes glanced over to the bed you had shared with Daniel the previous night, a lump forming in your chest. You hadn’t been in the same place as the two men since the night at the club where this whole mess began and you had no idea what it was going to be like. You pushed the pessimistic thoughts out of your mind and tried to remember that the party was not the most important part of the trip. The first practice session was the next day and you were eager to get out on the track and see for yourself what it was like. You glanced into the mirror and smiled- it seemed you would be doing a lot of it that evening. 

You left the hotel in your team polo and a pair of high-rise black shorts that made your legs look extra long. Paired with some cute Vans, you felt comfortable and ready for whatever festivities the night would hold. 

When you got to the track you headed to the Red Bull garage to meet up with Checo and Christian. One of the members of the PR team, Patricia was fluttering about, talking a mile a minute about what to say, topics to avoid and how to behave at a F1 sponsored party. The only F1 events you typically attended were the races, press conferences and the end of the year award ceremony. But a party? With alcohol? And your two favorite people to makeout with? You were just the tiniest bit nervous. 

“So you know,  pretend it’s a press conference. Just smile and don’t have too many Heineken’s. They’re the sponsors so they’re passing them out like candy.” You chuckled until you realized this warning only seemed to be for you, Checo and Christian shooting you a knowing look with raised eyebrows. 

“Wh-what? Why are you looking at me?” You sputtered, mildly offended. 

“Let’s just say I’ve stopped a photo or two from going to the press. And when was the last time you saw Checo drunk?” You opened your mouth to protest but they had a point. 

“Yeah- fine. Bet no one said anything to Kimi,” You grumbled under your breath, arms crossed as though you had just been scolded by your parents. 

Soon the three of you were making your way backstage and you were already overwhelmed by your surroundings. You could hear the crowd on the other side of the stage, but really had no idea what you were in for. Your eyes wandered through the drivers wandering around, all hunching over into one another in an effort to hear over the booming music. Before you could catch sight of Daniel or Carlos, you were being shooed into a line up of sorts. You realized Mattia, Charles and Carlos were in front of you. You poked right between the 55 printed across the back of Carlos’ shirt. His head whipped around and the minute his eyes found yours a big smile was spreading across his cheeks. 

“Oh- hola,” He said, his voice lowering into a bit of a hush as he leaned in towards you. 

“Hey. This is… weird, right?” You asked, unsure of why you had decided to grab his attention in the first place. It just seemed wrong for him to be so near and not have his eyes on yours. 

“Yes, weird. But it should be fun-” Carlos was cut off as he rushed a bit to keep up with his teammate. You listened as the emcees announced the Ferrari team and took a shaky exhale as you were next. 

“Now let’s welcome Sergio Perez and- here comes Trouble- our championship leader!” You had to stop yourself from rolling your eyes just a little bit. You stepped out from behind the curtain and became acutely aware of the way your heart was beating. There had to be thousands and thousands of people below, all watching you with bated breath. You were the picture of perfect composure, a well-practiced smile on your lips as you waved a wave pretty enough to make pageant queens envious. At some points in your career, you truly couldn’t see the difference between racing and pageants. 

Christian stood beside the two of you, looking very much like a proud Papa. 

“How are you feeling to be here in Miami?” They asked you, handing a mic your way. 

“Damp. It’s very humid.” You said, coaxing a laugh from the interviewers. 

“No, we’re thrilled to be here. The city, the food, the people- everything is beautiful.” That earned a cheer from the party-goers. 

“And how are you feeling about your chances of extending your lead?” There was that damned question again. 

“Fingers crossed! We have the team, we have the car, we have the drive. We’re ready to make it happen.” You answered, Christian nodding his agreement over your shoulder. Of course that was the only answer you could give. 

They turned to Checo and he spoke in Spanish- of course the crowd went bananas. You loved seeing him get that kind of response- he was a wonderful teammate and you genuinely celebrated his successes. 

Thankfully after that the three of you were out of the spotlight, with the Mercedes boys stepping up behind you. 

“Fuck that.” You muttered under your breath, so relieved that portion of the evening was over. You never had a problem speaking to the press, but standing in front of a literal sea of people was intimidating in a way that you had not been expecting. Usually you could hide behind your helmet or your car- but being out in the open made you feel exposed. 

You were pulled back to the present at the sound of Daniel’s hearty laugh. His voice echoed through the speakers as he talked about the car’s new updates and his excitement for the race. Then they brought up his helmet and he was doing his Ace Ventura impression and you couldn’t help but smile at his antics. 

You often found yourself envious at the way people couldn’t help but adore Daniel. He fed off of people’s attention and it all seemed so easy and natural for him. You did not have that same kind of comfort in front of the crowds. People doubted your ability, talked down to you and always asked you questions that never seemed relevant to the sport. Questions like ‘How do you balance having a love life and racing?’ or ‘How do you stay in shape to keep up with the other drivers?’. You always did your best to smile through the misogyny and drive the car as best as you could. But Daniel- even when confronted with uncomfortable or just plain rude questions- took it all in stride and won his critics over; it was a part of his magical Ricciardo charm.

You stood as more teammates and principals walked out and more questions were asked and answered. You did your best to look interested, but still you found it difficult to ignore the thunderous way your heart was thumping. Your desperation to be literally anywhere else was growing exponentially with every passing second. After what felt like hours, the formal portion of the evening was coming to an end. You posed for photos and spent a few minutes making small talk before finally being able to make your escape.

You vanished into a private room and slipped into your light dress, hoping it may make breathing in the heat a bit easier. Then you were forcing yourself back out and into the chaos.

You climbed down the little stairs and into the VIP section, hoping to mingle and hide among the crowd. You were brought out of your thoughts when you felt a hand on your arm. 

“Ready for your first drink of the evening?” Daniel asked, a beer outstretched in offering. You had no idea how he’d gotten them so fast. You happily accepted nonetheless. 

“Yes, please.” You took a generous first sip, hoping it would distract you and cool you down a bit. 

“This whole thing… It’s a bit much, don’t you think?” You hollered up at him, hoping your tone sounded more casual than you felt. Dan didn’t seem to be buying it, his brow furrowed as his eyes scanned your features. His hand gently rested on yours. 

“Are you okay?” Daniel asked, leaning in ever-closer in an effort to keep your comments private. You put that same winning smile back on. 

“Yeah- great, I’m great. I just would love a distraction.” You yelled back. 

“Too many eyes,” You added, hoping that would be enough for him to catch your meaning. Almost as if on cue, Kygo began playing and Daniel commandeered your beer, setting both yours and his on the nearest table. 

“Come on,” He said, outstretching his hand towards you. Normally you would be extra cautious about dancing with Daniel in public, but some drivers were dancing with their friends and guests so it didn’t seem like it would raise too many eyebrows. Every one knew how close the pair of you were, and as long as you didn’t let things get too intimate you thought it would be fine. Plus, Daniel wasn’t trying to seduce you this time- he was trying to make you laugh. Daniel busted out his most embarrassing moves- almost like he was in Pulp Fiction. You were giggling and just doing your best to keep up as Dan took your hand and spun you. It wasn’t at all pretty- you stumbled over yourself a little as he maneuvered you into a dip. You almost toppled over, but somehow he kept you on your feet. The pair of you had your heads thrown back in laughter as you broke apart, the light from a flashing camera catching your attention. The photographer nodded their thanks before moving on to photograph Toto and Lewis who seemed to be talking over drinks. Just as you went to speak you felt a finger tap your shoulder. You turned away from Daniel and there stood Carlos. He had a smile on his lips- but it was different from the one that you were familiar with. 

“You don’t mind if I cut in, do you Daniel?” You could barely hear the exchange. For the first time you saw Daniel’s calm exterior crack just the slightest. His usual big grin fell for just a moment before he put it back on. You glanced between the two men, unsure of what to say or if you should speak at all. 

“Of course not.” Dan glanced at you, as if to see your reaction. You did your best to avoid his gaze and smiled weakly. You barely registered a nod from Dan and then he was grabbing his beer and disappearing back into the crowd. You felt a pang of guilt but you had been nothing but honest with him and Carlos was already slipping his arms around you. You were swaying to the music but you didn’t feel much like dancing. It seemed like everywhere you turned there were expectant eyes anxiously watching your every move, asking questions you couldn’t answer. You didn’t know if you would be the next world champion, you didn’t know which man you wanted to be with.

You dropped Carlos’ hands and took an abrupt step back. Immediately a look of concern flashed over his features. 

“Are you okay?” He questioned, his brows pressed together in confusion. 

“Yeah- I, I just need a minute.” You backed away, quickly looking around for an escape route. You dodged past Lando who shot you a look, and almost ran straight into Toto Wolff. You tried to feign a smile before apologizing to the wall-of-a-man, and then you were back on the run. You made it backstage, but there was still far too much activity going on for your liking. You wandered a bit until you found yourself alone and you slumped back against a wall and slid down to a sitting position. Your chest heaved as you did your best to breathe, your shaky hands coming up to put your hair behind your ears. You dropped your head, tears streaming down your cheeks with abandon. Everyone was so busy partying, they didn’t seem to notice your absence. You just couldn’t hold it in, your body ached and you tried to focus on getting your breathing back under control. You were so out of it, you didn’t even realize someone had followed you. 

“Hey- it’s okay, everything’s fine.” The voice startled you and you looked up through glassy eyes to see Lewis Hamilton. Normally you would be embarrassed- mortified even, for him to see you in such a state but for some reason you couldn’t bring yourself to care. He sat beside you, his elbows resting on his knees, worried eyes watching yours. 

“Just breathe, yeah? Come on, in 1, 2, 3, 4. Hold, 1, 2, 3, 4. Out, 1, 2, 3, 4.” He said in a calm and even voice, joining you in the breathing exercise. You nodded and did as he instructed. Something about the way he spoke and hearing his breathing line up with yours really did have a calming effect.

“Good, again.” He told you, holding your gaze as you saw his chest fill with air once more. The two of you sat like that for at least five minutes before you found yourself capable of speaking. You wiped your bleary eyes and forced a smile. 

“Thank you. I- I don’t know what happened.” You said finally finding it in yourself to meet his eyes. 

“I’m embarrassed,” You muttered, hiding behind a slight chuckle. 

“No, come on. This stays between us. I know exactly how you feel.” Lewis placed his hand on your shoulder as he spoke. Usually the two of you had short, polite exchanges, but you never expected for him to see you in such a vulnerable position. 

“I’m a mess.” You groaned. 

“No, you’ve got a lot going on. Working for the championship… it’s not easy. Even with the right team and the right car. I know what it’s like to feel alone here.” You chewed at the side of your lip as you considered how much you and Lewis really did have in common. You watched as he stood. 

He offered you his hand and helped you to your feet. 

“You’re not alone. We’re competitors, but we can be friends too.” He told you. You were touched by his sincerity. 

“I would like that.” You agreed. He extended you his hand, but you pulled him into a friendly hug. Once you released one another, you weren’t quite sure what to say. 

“Do you want to go back to the party?” Lewis asked, his thumb pointed back towards nthe chaos where you now heard- was that Joe fucking Jonas?

“Yeah, yeah I think so. Thanks again, really.” You told him sincerely. 

“Anytime.” 

The two of you emerged back into the crowd and went your separate ways, a nod in each other’s direction. You grabbed yourself another beer and focused on enjoying the music. You kept your eyes away from Carlos and Dan’s, eager to focus on yourself and having a good time. Instead you found Seb, huddled over with Mick in the corner. He had on his Miami 2060 First GP Underwater tee on, and you couldn’t help but smile at just how ‘Seb’ the message was. You pointed your finger over at him, and beckoned him over, a big goofy smile on his features. He gave in and set his drink down and made his way over to you. If you thought Dan’s dance moves were bad, Seb’s were way worse. It was exactly what you needed to distract yourself. After a minute you went and grabbed Mick and forced him to join in, an embarrassed blush settling over his cheeks. The two of you had overlapped a bit already in your racing careers and you were thrilled when he got the call to F1. He and Seb were like your weird little work family and you were more than happy to make a fool out of yourself with them beside you. 

Between songs you went to grab a drink and found Daniel there, likely on his fourth beer or so with his elbows leaned back on the bar and he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of you.

“You should come join us.” You said, nudging your elbow towards your two favorite German dorks dancing disjointedly only a couple yards away. 

“The life of the party.” He said with a smirk. 

“I was thinking I might head out.” Dan told you and your smile fell a little. 

“Yeah, okay. I probably won't last much longer either.” You replied casually. 

“You know I’m here for you, right?” He asked suddenly, catching you a bit by surprise.

“Y-yeah, of course I know that.” You replied with a faltering smile, taken aback by his sudden sincerity.

“Well, I hope you have a good night.” He told you simply and you nodded.

“Yeah- you too, Danny.” You grabbed your drink and headed back to dancing. Mick and Seb did a great job of making you forget about the panic that had so recently been flowing through your veins. Especially because Mick was a lightweight and a very goofy drunk. 

The three of you hung out for about another hour before you decided to call it a night. You were exhausted, physically and emotionally. You wished Seb and Mick a goodnight and thanked them for being your distractions and watched as Seb guided a very wobbly Mick into the backseat of a car. 

You laughed and shook your head before you wandered over to the entrance where you planned to meet with Marsali for a ride back home. 

While waiting for her you heard your name in Carlos’ low voice. 

“Are you okay? You kind of disappeared earlier.” You bit at your lip and glanced towards the ground. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just had a rough minute there.” You explained. He nodded knowingly. 

“Alright, well how about a nightcap?” He asked sweetly just as your trainer pulled up in the Honda that had been deemed yours for the weekend. You considered his invitation for a moment before deciding you weren’t up for it. 

“Sorry, I’m ready to call it a night. Maybe later this weekend though?” You offered, hoping that wouldn’t discourage him. 

You bid him goodnight with a hand patting his shoulder gently, and then you were climbing into the car and heading back to the hotel.

The rest of the weekend went by fairly quickly- you had at least a dozen public appearances to make and had no time to yourself, which you were pretty grateful for. Your busy schedule kept you out of your head and helped you focus more on the race ahead. You hadn’t been given a chance to reschedule with Carlos, though you had bumped into him once or twice around the paddock. 

Before you knew it, it was Sunday afternoon and you were stretching in your race suit in your driver’s room. Marsali was doing her best to hype you up, making jokes and playing your favorite playlist to get you in the right mindset. 

Soon it was time- you climbed into the cockpit and tugged your helmet on. You thought about your encounter with Lewis back at the party. 

In, 1, 2, 3, 4. Hold 1, 2, 3, 4. Out 1, 2, 3, 4. Even though having a panic attack in a public place was an absolute nightmare, you were almost grateful it had happened. It gave you a peek at a much different Lewis than you were used to. You were two different generations of drivers, so you had never gotten the opportunity to be particularly close. It wouldn’t make him less intimidating in your rear view mirror, but it reminded you that you weren’t alone. The two of you knew what it was like to be an underdog, maybe more so than the other drivers on the grid. 

“Alright, Y/N. Just go out there and do what we all know you can.” Christian’s voice came in over the radio. 

“Got it.” You answered simply, determined to keep your cool. You flipped your visor down and rolled out onto the track, taking pole position and coming to a stop. You had managed to outqualify Hamilton as Mercedes struggled with a mechanical issue and a poorly timed yellow flag in quali. Leclerc had snagged P3 followed by Sainz, Perez, Norris and Ricciardo. 

You led the pack during the warm up lap, weaving back and forth on your soft tyres as the other 19 drivers did the same. You slowed your pace as you hit the grid, hoping to let Albon and Latifi catch up a bit before you took your spot. 

Finally you were all in position, eagerly watching the red lights blink, blink, blink before going out. You were roaring away from the start, doing your best to keep your eyes locked ahead instead of on any possible first- lap carnage that may happen behind you. You hardly ever made it through a first lap without a yellow flag, and this race wasn’t an exception. After flying down the rather long straight and taking the turn easily enough yourself, you heard your engineer through your headset. 

“Big crash, yellow flag. Yellow flag.”  You glanced in your mirror to try and figure out who it was, but all you could really see was debris. You slowed your speed before taking another peek behind you. You still saw Hamilton, Leclerc, Perez and some papaya- though you couldn’t be sure who. 

“What happened? Who is it?” You asked, feeling yourself tense. The radio stayed quiet. 

“Hey- who is it?” You repeated, letting your annoyance shine through. 

“Ricciardo- Ricciardo and Sainz.” Your stomach dropped. 

“Are they okay? Are they out- what happened?” You asked as calmly as you could- you knew your radio would be available for people to listen to after the race and you wanted to keep your composure- even if it was a lie. 

“I will keep you updated.” Well what the fuck did that mean? 

“Are they out?” You asked again, louder. As if perhaps he hadn’t heard you correctly the first time. 

“They are getting out.” You sighed your relief at that. Your team was well aware of how close you and Daniel were and any time he was in an incident they did their best to shield you from it so you could focus on yourself.

“Are they going to red flag it?” You asked, doing your best to keep your head down and follow the Aston Martin in front of you. If there was a red flag you could maybe sneak away for a moment and go check on them. 

“Negative. Mostly large debris and they’re removing the cars now.” You clenched your jaw. You wanted to know what the hell happened. You wanted to see for yourself that they were both okay.

Usually you loved hiding away in your car. You used it as a sort of escape from reality. It was a place in which you could be completely selfish in the pursuit of victory- push yourself to be the absolute best that you could be. But at that moment it felt like a prison. You were confined to it for the next hour and fifty minutes. 

“They’re both headed to the medical tent.” Fuck. You didn’t reply for fear of what your voice may sound like. 

Soon you were nearing the accident space, your car slowing to nearly a crawl to avoid the bits of wings and side pods littering the pavement. The wreck did look big- and it was into a concrete wall rather than the many well-cushioned spots along the track. The longer you followed the Aston the more you tortured yourself wondering about what had happened and if they truly were okay. Finally after passing the scene another two times, you were given the green light for the race to continue. 

“Alright- let’s stay focused.” You knew Christian meant well but you wanted to tell him to fuck off. 

“Ricciardo and Sainz are back in their garages. No serious injuries.” You were grateful to hear that, but until you had your eyes on them you couldn’t let yourself relax. 

It took literally all of your experience and training to get you through the rest of that race. Every time you saw Hamilton crawling up your side you reminded yourself to breathe. You successfully held him off and extended the gap between you to about three seconds where you held a comfortable lead until you crossed the finish line. 

That victory- you didn’t feel like celebrating. Every lap felt like an eternity and all you wanted to do was finish the race as quickly as you could. You weren't even that concerned about winning- you just didn’t want to let your team down. 

You pulled into your designated spot and quickly removed your steering wheel and unhooked your helmet from the HANS device. You still felt full of adrenaline and you hopped out of the car, handing your wheel off to the nearest engineer. 

“Y/N, you need to speak to the media and then get ready for the podium.” 

“I’ll take the fine.” You said absently as you passed Patricia and headed towards the garages. 

As you trotted off towards the garages, it hit you. 

You knew exactly who you wanted to be with. 

Sorry guys but my tags aren’t working and tumblr keeps crashing. This was as many as it allowed! Love you guys!

Tags: @ferrarifwendvale @oyesmendes @f1thirsttraps @she-shines-bright @heyitskay-21 @spngi @cowboydr @internetgremlin @lestappiebaby @dad-seb @an-ocean-blue @d0ntjudgemy50shades @f1thirsttraps @formulacherry @gridgirldrabbles @merrymissesmaxiel @watermel0nsugarhigh @vinvantae @prettybiching @noldcardigan @naturastace @ujisworld @jasmindaughteroftheworld @danielricciardo3f1 @witchy-whore @dad-seb @justaddicted @honeybadger03 @valkryejh @ellalovesvettel @delilah-leclerc @crappystoryteller @miahelen @chilisainz @rankystankycowboy @myjourneysmuses @beebuilds @dr3lover @teapartydreams @imaginemrvel @misswolff @saintandrea-droidsmuggler

Daniel: Hey do you have any shaving cream?

Lando: No I don't like the way it tastes.

Daniel: You eat shaving cream-

Lando: No, why would I if I don't like the way it tastes?

the alpha tauri mechanics frantically wrapping layers of duck tape around the rear wing while yuki screams slurs as yet unheard of in the western world down the radio is the funniest shit i have ever seen this sport is not real