Messiiiiiiiiiiiiiii - Vvv

Champagne Problems

CS x Reader x DR

A/N Hello friends! I apparently go on long hiatus' and then drop fics out of nowhere. Please enjoy the first part of what will be a series! Huge thank you to my muse and brainstorm buddy, @haterpenny. Any messages are hugely appreciated!

✨Please reply/reblog if you would like to be tagged in future parts.✨

Warnings: Smut, fwb situation, some light swearing, some questionable decision making, drinking.

Word count: 5K

Part 2 here

Part 3 here

Part 4 here

Part 5 here

Part 6 here

Part 7 here

It never failed to blow your mind how a race felt like it lasted forever, but it was over in the blink of an eye. All you knew was how desperate you were to win.

For the first twenty laps, you and Lewis were neck and neck, with him about a second or so behind. You’d gotten away well at the start and did everything in your power to keep that lead. Unfortunately for Mercedes, a pit stop error plus your “perfect” (Christian’s words, not yours) performance led you to the race win.

You crossed the finish line feeling elated, shouting into the radio, likely blowing out the eardrum of your strategist in the process.

You pulled into the spot reserved for the race winner, feeling as though your heart may burst from your chest. One more race completed, the championship still within your reach.

You composed yourself enough to stand upon the car’s halo, your arms thrust over your head in celebration. The roars of your team and the massive smiles made you swell with pride, and you did everything you could to soak up such a perfect moment.

After leaping into your team’s arms and receiving several slaps to your helmet you were being rushed towards the podium. You climbed atop the highest perch, just past Lewis and- oh hell, was that Daniel in third? You had not yet had the opportunity to share the podium with your closest mate on the grid, and you were equal parts thrilled and disgusted at the shoey that was surely coming your way.

You stood as your National anthem played, bobbing slightly on your heels, finding it difficult to be still for even a moment with all of the excitement bubbling in your veins.

And then, those speakers began blaring Bizet’s beautiful Carmen and you were shaking that champagne as vigorously as your tired arms would allow. You coated Lewis with a generous spray, and shared a nice half-hug, exchanging words of respect and congratulations at one another’s result. Then your eyes caught Daniel’s, sparkling with mischief as he knelt down and removed his boot, his finger pointing at you and beckoning you towards him with a devilish grin across his lips.

You tried to look annoyed, but it was nearly impossible; he was glowing, that successful post-race mix of champagne and sweat making his curls lay flat, his cheeks flushed and pink from exertion. He filled his shoe to the brim, some overflow sloshing as he raised the boot to his lips before taking a long, generous gulp.

You wrinkled your nose in slight disgust, as you realized you were next. Soon he was standing before you, his hand outstretched in offering. He had that huge, gleaming smile that nearly blinded you, and then you were drinking out of the man’s shoe. One gulp, then two, then three, earning a delighted eye raise from Daniel and a laugh that made his Adam’s apple bob ridiculously. If you were going to do it, you were going to do it right. Lewis politely declined the offered shoey, an uncomfortable smile on his cheeks- this wasn’t his first rodeo.

Then Dan was slipping an arm around your waist, his trophy in one hand, to pose for the mass of photographers and fans standing below. After a moment he set his trophy down and playfully hoisted you up, earning a surprised laugh from you.

Your friendship with Daniel was well known among fans and other drivers alike, and this was your first shared podium after three years in the sport together. What they didn’t know was just how close you and Daniel were. The look he was giving you on that podium- you’d know that devilish expression anywhere. It gave you a glimpse into his plans for the evening ahead, plans that promised hours with his head trapped between your thighs.

“Can’t wait to have you all to myself,” He whispered as he eased you back down to your feet, topping it off with a cheeky wink. You hadn’t expected him to be quite so forward in front of so many people, but his boldness just made you even more excited for the celebrations that the evening had in store.

After stepping off the podium and speaking to the many news outlets, you were sticky from the champagne and wanted nothing more than to take a shower. You decided to throw your hair up in a messy bun and opted to wait for the much nicer shower in your hotel room rather than the cramped, lukewarm water that your private room at the track offered.

In the car back to the hotel you were busy reliving the afternoon’s events, the pure elation you felt as you passed the finish line and the absolute glee that seemed to burst out of you as you stood upon the highest pedestal. And to top it off, Daniel was standing right beside you, just as he always had.

You hopped out of the car and checked your phone as you stood in the lobby, waiting for the elevator. Almost as if on cue, a light vibration alerted you to a text.

Big Dick Ricc: Is now a good time to celebrate? 😈”

His text read, simultaneously making you roll your eyes and smirk. That was what he had chosen to name himself in your phone, but it never failed to make you laugh.

Y/N: Room 355.

You replied simply, wandering down the hall and swiping your key card.

You and Daniel had been casually hooking up on and off for the last year or so. It was spontaneous, fun and no strings attached. The adrenaline of race weekend was something you both understood, not to mention the fact that it was nearly impossible to maintain relationships with people outside of the sport. It had started with too much champagne in Monaco, and your familiarity began to drift into lingering touches and lustful looks exchanged until he invited you back to his room. Initially, you were worried about complicating your relationship but surprisingly, things remained rather simple. You had agreed that you weren’t interested in a relationship, rather the opportunity to blow off some steam with someone you trusted and truly loved. You had also agreed that it was best that your escapades remain a secret. You didn’t want the other drivers- or anyone else for that matter- judging you. You were the only woman on the grid and with that role came garnering more harsh judgment.

You started the shower and allowed the steam to fill the room as you undressed, your still-damp coveralls tossed carelessly into your sink to dry. Just moments later you heard the sound of a knock at your door and you wrapped yourself in a towel to answer it. You tugged it open, expecting to see Daniel, but instead stood Carlos Sainz. Your initial reaction was confusion, followed by embarrassment at your state of undress. Carlos smiled, his eyes sneaking a quick glance at your form before pretending he didn’t notice. Carlos was back in his regular clothes, a dark green t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

“I’m sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to stop by and say congratulations.” He said honestly, his red lips pulled into a grin.

“Oh, thanks. I uh, was just about to get in the shower. I’m sticky from champagne.” You explained, laughing slightly before realizing maybe just how suggestive that sounded. You swore his cheeks flushed lightly just from the picture your words had painted for him.

“Of course. I just thought I’d let you know, we’re going out tonight. If you want to come.” You were touched at the invitation and smiled warmly in response.

“I’ll see what I can do. I’ll text you later.” You told him, leaning against the doorframe and looking up at him with big eyes. He paused for a moment and looked as though he wanted to speak, but instead opted for a smile and a nod before saying his goodbyes and turning on his heel. You mentally breathed a sigh of relief that Daniel had not managed to arrive during that short period of time. That would open you up to questions you didn’t wish to answer.

And then there was your relationship with Carlos. He had been putting in a bit of effort to speak with you and spend more time with you. He’d even asked you out for a meal or two. But whether he was looking for romance or pleasant friendship was unclear.

The hotel room was big and elegant, the walls painted a dark blue color with gold accents littered about. One thing you loved about this sport- your accommodations were always top-notch.

You went back in to check on the shower when finally you heard a weirdly elaborate knock that was surely Daniel. You tugged the door open and there he stood, arms already outstretched and waiting for you, a big goofy grin on his face. You grabbed him by his t-shirt and pulled him through the door, dropping your towel in the process. His hands felt so big and greedy against you, and you’d been craving his touch all day. He kissed you eagerly, his one hand splayed over your hip while the other came up to caress your cheek.

“You looked so fucking sexy up there,” Daniel said hotly, pulling back for a moment to take you in in all of your glory.

“Winning beside you makes it so much better,” You sighed, desperately reaching for his lips once more. You led him to the bathroom and started grabbing at the hem of his shirt, and he quickly obliged, tossing it aside carelessly while you worked on unbuttoning his pants.

“You still taste like champagne,” He told you before taking a long, slow lick from your collar to right below your ear pulling a moan out of you.

“Oh fuck, Danny. I need you.” You leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the tattoos splayed across his bicep as he kicked his pants and underwear aside. The shower was a large walk-in, perfect for the amorous activities you had planned.

Daniel loved to put his hands on you. He had no problem letting you be in charge, but there was something indescribable about the way your body responded to his ministrations. He pressed you back against the wall, the chill of the tile bringing goosebumps to your skin.

“You know you’ve got me, you’ve always got me, doll,” He said as he dropped to his knees, edging your thighs apart with his palms. God, you’d never get sick of seeing him worship you the way he did. You watched as the water slipped through his hair, dampening his curls and sticking them back on his forehead. His lips were parted as he looked up at you, his chest heaving slightly as if holding back from you were an effort in and of itself.

You reached down and fondly ran your knuckles over his cheek before tracing his bottom lip with your thumb.

You used your hand to pull him closer to you, earning a slight chuckle at your impatience from him before he put his mouth where you wanted it most. You loved when Daniel went down on you. He was relentless in his pursuit of your pleasure, licking and sucking lightly on your clit. Your legs felt like jelly already, and he’d barely just begun. He wrapped his hands around your thighs and held you in place as you wriggled against him, bucking your hips against him, desperate for friction. You nestled your hand in his hair, tugging slightly in encouragement and guidance, although he certainly didn’t need it. He knew your body and made you feel better than anyone else ever had. One of his palms snaked up to your ass, which he grabbed a greedy handful of eliciting a surprised groan from you. Once he was sure you could handle it he pushed one finger into you, and then a second. You could feel yourself flutter around him, and knew that you were already dangerously close to your orgasm.

Daniel always ate you out like it was the last chance he’d ever get, zeroing in on the spots that drove you wild until your legs were shaking and all you were capable of doing was moaning his name. He settled into a rhythm and lapped at your core until you were seeing stars and his name was falling from your lips like it had from the crowd of fans just that afternoon. He helped you ride out your orgasm, his fingers thrusting in and out of you at a more gentle pace, his tongue licking long, languid stripes over your clit until you settled back into yourself.

He steadily got back to his feet, one hand finding its way back to your hip (he loved your hips) while the other brushed some of your damp hair out of your face.

“You earned that, sweetheart.” He said before pressing a deep kiss to your already swollen lips. Still, you could barely process what he was saying, you felt tingly all over like he had electrocuted you somehow.

“Do you want me?” He asked, his forehead nearly touching yours, his eyes searching for your response.

“Yes, Daniel, please.” You finally found the words you were looking for and wrapped your arms around him in an effort to better support yourself. He lifted your leg and secured it around his hip while your other kept you steady in the slippery shower. Daniel took the space he needed between your thighs and lined himself up with your entrance and pushed in, allowing you just a moment or so to adjust before pulling out and thrusting back in again. Soon he was moving faster and you felt like a mere ragdoll in his arms, so blissed out from your high that he could do whatever the hell else he wanted for you and you’d happily take it.

You had had Daniel so many times before, in so many different positions, but there was something about this position and the access it offered that you found so incredibly satisfying. His wet, strong chest pressed against yours, the tight grip of his hand supporting your thigh while he buried himself in you in a way that made you eagerly await his next “You up?” text.

He let out a low groan that you were all too familiar with, one that meant he was about to finish. You ran a free hand down his chest and captured his moans with a kiss as his hips stuttered and he came inside of you. He stayed with you frozen in that closeness for a moment. While you weren’t exclusive, everything between you and Daniel was full of love and tenderness because above all else, he was your best friend.

“That is the best way to celebrate a podium,” He said after a moment, chuckling deeply in a way that usually made you roll your eyes, but you couldn’t disagree with the sentiment. You grabbed the washcloth that hung on the spigot and held it out to Daniel and looked up at him with big, pleading eyes.

“Wash me?”

“Since you won today? Fine.” He replied, accepting it and pressing a chaste kiss to your lips before returning to his knees once more. Dan lathered the washcloth with some body wash and ran it up and down the length of your leg, and over the curve of your ass- an area that he liked to give special attention to.

“I mean, I feel like you made the mess. The least you can do is clean it up.” You quipped, a playful smirk pulling at your features as you watched him work.

“Oh, you mean the mess you begged me to make? This mess?” He asked, reaching up and cupping your sex, making you jump slightly and giggle. You swatted his hand away and allowed him to get back to his task, adding a bit more soap before continuing up towards your back.

“I forgot to tell you, Carlos invited me to a thing tonight. Do you want to go? I think Lando and Charles and the other guys will be there too.”

“Yeah, we’ve still got celebrating to do.” He agreed, popping the lid on the hotel’s shampoo and pouring it into his hands before running his fingers through your hair. You groaned at the feeling- you loved when Daniel washed your hair. It was the ultimate luxury as far as you were concerned- and certainly, one you deserved after such a triumphant day.

Once you were done enjoying your shower, you stepped out and began to get ready. You rifled through your drawers for something fun and sexy, hoping to feel confident and enjoy the wealth of attention you were sure to get.

No one on the grid knew about you and Daniel’s little arrangement, and you preferred to keep it that way. You’d known Daniel for far longer than the other drivers and your relationship had always come with a simple wordless understanding that you knew one another better than anyone else could. Still, you were the only woman on the grid and you wanted your competitors to respect you. You weren’t in Formula 1 to fuck around, you were there to win. Daniel understood. You didn’t have to explain yourself to him, you could let your guard down and say or do whatever you wanted, and you knew he’d never look at you any differently. But if you were bed-hopping on the grid you’d look like a joke. You refused to let that be the narrative that surrounded you. Instead, you’d be the first woman to win the World Drivers’ Championship.

Finally, you settled on a pink dress, one short enough to show your legs off, and low cut enough to draw eyes. Nothing made you feel quite as sexy as holding a trophy above your competitor‘s heads while people chanted your name, but a hot outfit for a club wouldn't hurt.

As you did your makeup, Daniel finished showering while loudly singing a song you didn’t know. Once you decided your makeup was acceptable you moved on to your hair, dying it quickly with a blow dryer before plugging in your curling iron.

“You look nice,” Daniel said, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel to dry off. Just as you were about to respond, your phone dinged on the counter.

Carlos: Here’s the address. See you soon!

You gave Carlos the thumbs up on his text and started curling a section of your hair.

“Danny, you almost ready?” You asked, glancing in his direction in the mirror. He was pulling his outfit from earlier back on, a quick nod in answer to your question.

Once you were satisfied with your looks, you headed down to the lobby together to grab a taxi. The club was only about fifteen minutes away, and you were eager to see the rest of your friends. It had been a while since you had been out with the other drivers. Everyone’s schedules were always so jam-packed, that you often didn’t have time during the season to hang out with anyone other than your teammate, who just so happened to be Checo Perez. And while he was lovely, he wasn’t exactly the biggest party-er on the grid.

After posing for a few photos and a quick check-in with the bouncer, you were ducking into the dimly lit club, immediately overwhelmed by the pulsing music and crowd of sweaty dancers. You searched the crowd until you finally caught sight of Carlos, sitting in a corner, shouting into the ear of Lando Norris.

____________________________________

Carlos looked down at the text, his chest now feeling much like a swarm of butterflies, his leg anxiously bouncing below the table. Lando seemed to notice, a smirk pulling at his features to see his normally suave friend in such a state.

“Relax, man. She’ll be here.” Lando said, raising his soft drink to his lips.

“Yes, I know. It’s fine, I’m fine.” The Spaniard replied almost a bit too quickly, forcing a smile and turning his phone face down. Pierre and Charles were on the other side of the table, much oblivious to the situation, quickly speaking in French to one another. Finally, the pair paused and turned “Shots? I think we need shots.” Charles announced, reading the expression of the two former teammates that were not matching his vibe.

“No!”

“Yes!” Carlos agreed, much to Lando’s chagrin. Perhaps a bit of liquid courage would help him calm down a bit.

“Right, you can do a shot. I’ll be fine, thanks.” Charles was satisfied enough with the responses and went to the bar with Pierre to help bring their drinks back.

“Carlos, what exactly is the plan here anyway? You’re gonna have a dance, tell her you’re in love with her?” Lando questioned sarcastically, leaning awkwardly close to be sure Carlos could hear him over the extremely loud bass of a song that he couldn’t understand any of the words to.

“I’m not in love with her,” Carlos yelled back, somewhat defensively.

“Sure,” Lando replied, fully unconvinced. Carlos went back to eyeing the entrance, trying not to seem as desperate as he truly felt. Luckily for him, Charles was back and handing out Tequila shots, which proved to only distract him for the amount of time it took the liquid to pass his lips.

And then he caught sight of you, pushing through the crowd, scanning faces in search of his. He threw his hand up to catch your attention, a big smile across his face. A smile that fell as he caught sight of Daniel Ricciardo trailing behind you, holding onto your hand.

“She brought Daniel.” He said, the dejection clear in his voice. Lando pursed his lips and furrowed his brow, admittedly a bit disappointed for his friend.

Carlos stood in greeting and you pulled him into a hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“What are we drinking boys? Except you, Lando. I know you’re drinking Root Beer.” You only half-joked, an unamused smirk covering his features.

“Daniel, I didn’t know you were coming,” Lando said, rising to give his teammate a friendly slap on the back.

“Um, we’ve got a world championship contender to celebrate,” Daniel replied, nudging you in your side. You rolled your eyes, embarrassed about all the fuss.

“Lewis has been blowing us away and we’re finally catching up. If that’s not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is.”

“Cheers to that!” Charles yelled in agreement, raising what must have been his third shot.

“Apparently we need to catch up. I’ll be right back.” Daniel told you, nodding towards the bar. You shouted your order after him along with a thank you and turned your attention back to Carlos.

“I saw you finished P4 today, brilliant result.” You told him, poking him in the chest suggestively.

“Yeah, definitely happy.” He replied although he did not look happy in the least. In a moment, Daniel was back and pulling you from Carlos’ side. You threw back a shot. Then another. And Charles and Daniel egged you on enough that you had a third.

Once he deemed you tipsy enough, Dan pulled you onto the dance floor. Few things made you laugh harder than Daniel dancing, and since you were a little drunk, the dancing got a little dirtier. He held your waist and planted a thigh between your legs, allowing you a little friction as you bobbed and swayed to the music. You ran your fingers through his hair and he leaned down into your neck, his hands starting to wander to your ass. Truthfully, you should have been way more composed. You didn’t want the other guys seeing you looking horny and drunk, but eh. You decided to indulge and enjoy the evening. After a few songs, Daniel pulled away, determined to get another drink into you.

Charles and Pierre were somewhere on the dance floor, also too drunk to know how stupid they looked.

Still, you couldn’t help but notice that Carlos didn’t quite seem to be himself. You decided to do something about it, locking eyes with him and pushing past people, and making your way over to where he sulked.

“Come on, come show me that Spanish passion I’ve heard so much about.” You said, shooting him a wink and reaching your hand out to him. His expression finally broke, a big, goofy smile spreading across his features. You led him back to the dance floor, not without noticing the pleasant way in which his hand fit into yours.

“Oh, I can show you passion.” He whispered as you turned your back towards him, rubbing a little more ass across his crotch than friends usually do. You snuck your hand back behind his neck, pulling him close as you swayed, his hands firmly planted on your hips. Feeling Carlos moving behind you was new and exciting, and maybe it was just how drunk you were, but there was nothing that you wanted more than to take him back to your room. Still, you were friends, and maybe it wasn’t entirely appropriate for you to be grinding so hard against him. You swore that maybe he was thinking the same thing you were, the way his hands glided down your skin and his hips moved against yours- you were thinking some very not PG thoughts. He spun you around and pulled you into his chest, his fingers pushing some of your loose hair behind your ear, then tilting your chin up to make you meet his gaze. You were pretty sure he wasn’t looking at you like you were a friend. You found yourself thinking about his full, pink lips and how flushed his cheeks were. He looked so focused with his brow knit together, so in the moment- like there was no one else around. You loved when Carlos had a fresh shave, he looked so damn handsome and he even smelled amazing- you swore you saw Lando throw a thumbs up in your direction, but you didn’t get time to think about it before-

“OI! Get your ass over here! I’ve got another round for you!” You don’t know how Daniel’s voice was able to cut over the noise of the club, but it did. His voice pulled you back to reality, almost like a rubber band snapping. You dropped your hands away from Carlos, suddenly feeling embarrassed by how carried away you had allowed yourself to get.

You avoided his eyes for a moment before saying “How about another drink?” Carlos looked a bit dejected but followed you anyway.

After your drink, you headed back to dancing, this time with Charles and in a much more PG way. He had you laughing, and you could tell the next morning would certainly be rough for him.

Finally, at around 3 am, you were running out of steam. You were seated in the booth, trying to understand Charles’ broken English when Daniel nudged you on the shoulder.

“You ready to go, darling?” He asked. “I think you might need a chaperone.” He added cheekily, shooting a wink in your direction. You stood, and immediately you were a bit wobbly. He was right. You linked your arm in his and turned to the other men, all in various states of sobriety.

“Salut, boys. Thank you for a good time, Carlos.” You told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek before focusing all of your lowered inhibitions on Dan.

He helped you into the back of a cab and you leaned against him, his arm slipping around you.

“Alright, let’s get you home. How would you feel about… keeping this party going?” Daniel asked lowly, his appetite insatiable as always. You giggled but returned his question with a kiss.

————————————————————

Carlos hated having to watch you leave with Dan. Holding you in his arms, getting to feel you move against him, it felt so good, so right. There was no way you could be oblivious to that. He laid in his hotel room bed, scrolling through Instagram when Daniel’s most recent post popped up. It was a picture of you, from the club last night and the caption read “Winning GPs and hearts. Here comes Trouble.” Trouble was the affectionate nickname the reporters had dubbed you upon your arrival in F1. The reason being you were a fierce competitor and always ready to cause trouble on the grid. Well, no one could argue how well it suited you. Carlos clenched his jaw in frustration, feeling so close yet so far away from you. It seemed like he could never have a moment alone with you as Daniel was never far behind. He knew you’d been good friends for many years, but your relationship seemed far more intimate than any other typical friendship. Just as he felt hopeless, his phone dinged.

Y/N: Thank you for the invitation last night and the dance. 😏

The message did not quell Carlos’ frustrations, it was just as ambiguous as every interaction he had with you. He decided to roll the dice and send back a flirtatious reply.

Carlos: I’m more than just a good dancer.

He pressed send feeling like he may explode and immediately took a screenshot and sent it to his best friend.

Carlos: I'm fucked.

Lando: I know.

Part 2 : I Knew You Were Trouble

Part 3 : It’s Nice To Have A Friend

Part 4: Mad Woman

Part 5: This Is Me Trying

Part 6: Everything Has Changed

Part 7: Dancing With Our Hands Tied

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

Terrible At Secrets

Requested: Yes

hi! idk if you’re taking requests right now, and it’s totally fine if you’re not!! but, if you are could you possibly write one about the reader is dating charles leclerc and shes about to graduate from university, but charles says he can’t make it because of his schedule. little does reader know that he’s actually planning on surprising her at graduation:) maybe slight angst but mostly fluff.. xx

Charles Leclerc x Reader

Summary: It’s your graduation day and you are heartbroken that Charles can’t make it to support you.

Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Swearing, Alluding to sexual activity.

Word Count: 2292 words.

Authors note: I am so sorry this took so long! But it is here and I hope you all like it :)

_________________

“my love, what do you think?” you gave the dress you wore a twirl in front of Charles, excited to see what he thought.

“As always, beautiful” Charles admired, “what’s the occasion?” Charles couldn’t take his eyes off of you, you truly did look gorgeous.

You paused, disappointment immediately covering your face, “my graduation” you whispered out.

Had he seriously forgotten? You’d been talking about it for ages. Finally done with the hell of a degree you had pursued, and he had forgotten.

“Oh yeah, when is it again?” Charles had carried on playing on his computer, no longer looking at you.

“Are you being serious?” every ounce of excitement you had disappeared in a second. One of the most important days of your life and he couldn’t even remember when it was.

“What? I just asked when it was?” Charles still hadn’t bothered to look up from his game.

“Friday” you suddenly hated the dress you were wearing, feeling dejected and self-conscious that you thought the day mattered at all, that some minor achievement of your mattered at all.

“Oh, this Friday?” he wasn’t interested in this conversation at all, he wasn’t even giving it a second of his time, no, clearly a stupid racing game was more pressing.

“Yes, Charles, this Friday” you were done with this conversation.

“Oh, baby, I can’t come” he finally stopped to look at you, twisting in his chair, not an ounce of remorse on his face.

“I’m sorry? What?” You couldn’t believe it. You had tried to make every single one of his races, every single bloody practice you even tried to make, but he couldn’t come to your graduation?

“Yeah, I have work” he spoke to you as if you were the one who had done him wrong, and it only made you angrier.

“Charles, you’ve known about this for ages?” you tried your best to be reasonable, but it really wasn’t like you had kept this a secret from anyone, especially not him, you’d been bouncing off the walls from excitement the last two weeks, the prospect of finally finishing your studies making you happier than you had ever known, because this is something you did, all on your own. This was the product of your years of blood, sweat and tears and he was treating it as if he was blowing off a simple walk in the park with you.

“I guess I forgot” and with that he spun back around to continue his game.

“Jesus Charles” you huffed out as you left the room, gathering up your stuff as you went along, desperately needing to get out of his apartment.

“What? What did I do wrong?” he was following you in an attempt to stop you from leaving, to get you to stay so you could calm down and let the entire thing blow over.

“ I’m sorry I’m not a fucking formula one driver and winning podiums but this was important to me. Do you get that? Important to me Charles. This was something I worked hard on, this was to better myself and you’re treating it like I have no right to be upset that my boyfriend doesn’t give a shit that I am graduating from university which was the most gruelling years of my life” you couldn’t stop the tears from falling even if you tried.

You hated crying in front of him for something like this, it made you feel stupid and pathetic, but you were so hurt. You never thought the man you loved would hurt you so much.

And the way he was looking at you now made you feel all the more worse. He didn’t have the right to look at you with pity, not when he caused this.

Charles wanted to tell you the truth, he really did and honestly, looking at you standing there, teary eyed and the saddest he had ever seen you in his life very nearly broke his resolve, but internally he just kept reminding himself of how happy you were going to be with the surprise he was planning for Friday.

He had always known how important your graduation was for you. He was always in awe of the fact that you were able to get as far as you did in your studies, knowing he would never be able to. Truthfully, he was pretty sure you were one of his heroes with what you had achieved and he couldn’t wait to celebrate you and all your hard work this weekend, but for now he had to keep the secret, and the only way he knew how to do that without bursting was to just try and deflect the subject to something else.

“Baby, I have to work, I’m sorry” he tried reaching out for you, but you flinched away, absolutely not standing the thought of him holding you right now.

“I’m going to go. I’ll see you when you aren’t so busy” and with that you were walking out his door, leaving him standing there, unsure of how to make you understand without ruining the surprise.

_______

Today was the day.

Finally, today was the day.

You had worked harder than you could ever express to get where you were and this was the physical accumulation of it.

You were going to wear your beautiful dress and hold your head up high and walk across that stage and get your degree and that was that. You were proud of yourself.

Even if your boyfriend doesn’t feel the same.

No, you didn’t even want to think of him today. Your graduation will always be tinged with  sadness because of him, but you refuse to let yourself dwell on it any longer than necessary. You were y/n fucking y/l/n and you deserve to be celebrated, even if he didn’t think so.

Waiting for them to call your name to go up was probably one of the most nerve-wracking things you’d ever experienced and you hated that you found yourself wishing that you’d be able to see your boyfriend out in the crowd, knowing that catching a glimpse of his smile would calm you down completely.

‘My love, stop fiddling with your dress, remember who you are and all the that you are worth’

You began to play the conversation in your head, knowing this is exactly what he’d say to you, probably accompanied by a kiss to your cheek and you would be lying if you said you did not indulge in the thought of feeling his lips pressed against your cheek, cradling the other in his hand, your whole being melting into the thought, calming you down instantly, taking in the entire essence that is your boyfr-

“Miss Y/n Y/l/n, Cum Laude”

Shit, that was you.

You quickly made your way up the stage stairs in order to collect your degree, politely smiling out towards the crowd. You definitely didn’t realise how much you’d hate this. The entire room staring at you? God, how did Charles do this all the time? This was God awful.

Wait, is that Charles?

Holy shit, that is Charles. Oh my god. He came. He fucking came!

“Miss, if you wouldn’t mind” the speaker directed you to move across the stage as she pulled you out of your disbelief that here your boyfriend sat, with the biggest bunch of flowers you had ever seen, looking as gorgeous as ever and you really needed to walk across this stage now and you really needed to do it without tripping, and he came.

This truly was the greatest day of your life. How were you meant to sit through the rest of this ceremony now that you knew he was here?

He hadn’t taken his eyes off of you the entire time, from the moment he walked into the hall to watching you across the stage and as you proceeded to make your way back to your seat. Shit, that dress really did look good on you. And that gown, that was, surprisingly hot, in like, a weird Hogwarts kind of way.

Was the whole nerdy academia thing doing it for him?

Why did Charles look so confused? Was something wrong?

You threw a concerned look his way before sitting down, trying to figure out what was disturbing your boyfriend so much that it warranted that look on his face. In return you got a wide toothed grinned and small thumbs up, who knew such an innocent gesture could fill you with such joy.

This ceremony was taking entirely too long for either of you, not being able to help yourself and constantly sneaking glances at each other, sharing small smiles and giggles. Feeling giddy when he mouthed “I’m so proud of you”, tears welling.

And then as soon as the ceremony was over you both beelined to each other, weaving your way through the crowd, refusing to take your eyes off your route, wanting to be in each others arms as quickly as possible.

And then you were.

He encased you in a hug, wrapping his arms around your waist as yours moved around his neck, moulding your bodies as tightly together as the natural laws would allow. Charles was sure he had whispered how proud he was about you one hundred times in one different ways before you two broke apart.

“Thank you for taking off work to come” you had never felt as much gratitude as you had in this moment, you needed him here and he showed up.

“Oh, I didn’t have work, actually, I have the entire next week off, I’m just really bad at keeping secrets” he sheepishly confessed, red tinging his cheeks.

“Wait, what? What secret?” it was your turn to sport confusion as you tried to piece together what Charles might be talking about, but before you could get any further explanation, you were interrupted by your mom finally finding you amongst all the graduates.

“Well done!” your mom pulled you away from Charles to congratulate you, “and as proud as I am for you my dear,” she began leading you all out of the hall to the parking area, “you two are going to be late for your celebratory dinner”  

“Dinner? It’s 2pm? Wait, aren’t you coming with?” What the fuck was going on?

“No baby” your mom threw you a mischievous grin, “you have her bag yes?” she had directed the question towards your boyfriend who was starting to look more and more proud of himself by the second.

“In the car, and we should probably get going” he kissed your mother on the cheek before gesturing for you to say goodbye to your mom, who had initiated it, placing a kiss on your cheek before reminding you how proud she was of you and saying goodbye.

“I’m confused” you were wanting answers, and Charles had yet to provide you with a single one as you began walking back to his car.

“We’re going to be late for dinner, we need to go” he looked at you as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

“Charles, baby, its 2pm, dinner isn’t for a few hours” you were certain everyone had gotten their times wrong, trying to get Charles to realise.

“Yeah, but then it’s the whole plane ride-“ Charles began, to casually for there to have been mention of a plane.

“What plane ride Charles?” you had stopped dead in your tracks as he opened the car door for you, the silence between you creating a tension full of excitement, both of your smiles so wide it began hurting your cheeks, a small giggle slipping out of you from happiness, your body unsure of what to do with all of it accumulating inside of you.

“The one that we need to catch so we can get to the Maldives for the reservation I booked for dinner” his smile grew impossibly wider as he watched the excitement on your face.

“No” was that genuinely all you could get out at the moment?

“Yes” he gestured towards the car in order to try and get you going.

“No Charles” it was official, there was too much happiness inside you and all of it was spilling out in laughs.

“Yes Y/n” he had moved in front of you and had begun peppering kisses all over your face as you laughed from excitement.

“Why” you all but whispered as you calmed down, staring into his eyes as he looked down at you.

“My love, you just accomplished one of the most difficult things someone can do, I watched as you worked yourself for years trying to achieve this. It’s one of the bravest things I’ve seen someone do and I doubt I’d ever be able to do it, so, why? Because no one deserves this graduation gift more” he punctuated it with a tender kiss to your lips, “but now, we need to go or we’re genuinely going to be late” suddenly kicking you both into gear as you scrambled to get into the car.

Charles started the car after he got settled, “Oh! Wait, let me see if I can get my mom to take my gown” you grabbed your phone to begin dialling her umber, stopping when Charles laid his hand on your own.

“No, without you asking too many questions, just please do me a favour and keep it” Charles hand had now moved to your thigh, giving it a firm squeeze.

“Why?” yet again, he had left you confused today.

His only answer was a wink thrown in your direction, alluding to what he wanted and suddenly pushing both your thoughts to how fun the Maldives were actually going to be.

max singing baby shark it's how we know he lives with a toddler and is a full time step dad

This Is Me Trying

A/N: Hello friends! Happy Monday! I hope you enjoy Champagne Problems Part 5! Any and all feedback is always appreciated! Thank you @haterpenny for everything, love youuuuu. Next week is going to be wild, guys.

Masterlist Here

Warnings: Swearing, alcohol. Think that's about it!

Words: 5.6K

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“We need to talk.”

Daniel’s eyes made their way over you. You had a look on your face that he wasn’t very familiar with. It was more than just sad, or angry for that matter. He set the bottle of champagne down on the credenza beside the door and moved towards you, reaching for your hands in concern. You avoided his grasp, and he furrowed his brow in confusion.

“I don’t want to talk about this here. Let’s just go back to the hotel.” You said, turning on your heel and going to the little bathroom to change. You returned a moment later, dressed in some leggings and your team polo. 

“What’s going on? Did I do something?” He asked, his voice suddenly much softer than his usual goofy booming one. 

“Dan, I want us to talk. In private.” You replied through gritted teeth, grabbing the backpack you had stowed your things in and heading for the door. Daniel followed, the champagne and celebration long forgotten. 

He followed you out of the paddock, and to the private driver’s entrance where your rental car waited. You climbed in and Dan followed suit, sitting mostly in silence for the fifteen minute ride back to the hotel. Your mind was working a mile a minute, trying to find all of the words that you wanted to say to him. You couldn’t figure out why he would withhold Carlos’ visit from you. The only reason your little arrangement had worked so well all this time was because you were always completely honest with one-another- or so you thought. You gave the keys to the car to the valet and stopped out front of the hotel to greet the smattering of fans that awaited, you and Dan smiling bigger than ever. You did your best to stop for a moment for each fan, signing shirts, hats, and taking photos. Dan did the same, but there was something about his smile that didn’t have that same carefree charm as it usually did. After a few minutes you thanked them all for their support and went into the hotel, heading straight into the elevator and up to your room. Finally, with the door closed and locked behind you, Daniel couldn’t bear the silence anymore. 

“What is going on?” He asked, his nerves starting to give way to frustration. 

“Why did you lie to me?” You asked, dropping your bag abruptly by the door. 

“What? I didn’t-”

“Dan, did Carlos come by last night?” You cut him off, your hands on your hips as you waited to see how he could possibly rationalize his actions. He sucked some air through his teeth and thought for a moment before finally replying. 

“Yes. He stopped by.” He finally admitted, doing his best to avoid the anger in your eyes. 

“And you thought I didn’t need to know that? Come on Daniel, why wouldn’t you tell me?” You questioned. 

“I was trying to protect you.” He sighed in response, almost like it sounded stupid to say out loud. 

“What does that even mean? It’s Carlos.” You replied with a furrowed brow. 

“The last time you were together- when he ditched you. You were really upset. I hated seeing you like that. And you were finally sounding like yourself again, I just… I didn’t want him to hurt you.” Daniel answered, his demeanor one of regret. He wanted to reach out and touch you, but your expression made him think better of it. 

“It’s not your job to protect me, Dan.” You finally responded, your own tone softening at the sight of the wounded puppy standing before you. 

“I disagree.” He told you, shrugging simply. 

“Y/N, I love you. I have since I first met you. I should have told you about Carlos. I was wrong, I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to see you upset again.” Okay, that was a pretty good apology. You pursed your lips, and looked at the man that you had spent so much time beside. Sure, Daniel could be an absolute idiot sometimes, but his intentions were always good. Still, there was one thing you couldn’t help but wonder. 

“Are you jealous?” You asked, glancing up at him through your lashes, a part of you worried that he may laugh at you. 

“Jealous?” He repeated, as if considering it for the first time himself. 

“Maybe I am.” He finally replied, shrugging slightly. You didn’t know how to respond to that. You didn’t think he would actually agree. 

“W-what does that mean? I thought the great thing about us was the no strings?” You sputtered, thinking out loud instead of choosing your words carefully. 

“I wouldn’t say that’s what makes us great.” Daniel looked so serious, you found it a little unsettling. When you decided to confront him, you never thought you’d end up here. You felt your phone buzz in your pocket and you grabbed it. 

Carlos: Does tonight work? 7:30?

You felt nauseous. You didn’t know what any of this meant. You knew you loved Daniel, but you’d never let yourself consider the possibility of having an actual romantic relationship with him. Nothing scared you more than the idea of losing him, and if things were to go poorly between the two of you, you would never get over it. 

“Is that him?” He asked, reading your expression like a book as you stared at your screen. You chewed on your lip for a second and considered lying yourself, but decided against it. 

“Yes. He asked me out to dinner.” You told him softly. 

“Well you should go. It’s what you want. And I really am sorry. I promise I won’t interfere.” Daniel was being oddly mature about the whole thing. Something about the way he spoke made your heart ache. 

“I can't believe you’re doing this now.” You mumbled under your breath, mostly to yourself. 

“It wasn’t the plan.” He said, as if that would make you feel any better. You stayed quiet and kept your eyes glued to the floor in an effort to fight the tears that you thought may well up at any moment. 

“Look, I don't want you to worry about us. No matter what happens, we’ll be okay. We can talk about this more later. You should go out. I’m here when you’re ready to talk.” He told you sincerely, likely in an effort to reassure you. You couldn’t tell if that was a blessing or a curse. How could you possibly focus on Carlos when you had this conversation floating around in your head? Part of you was angry that he’d told you all of this. This was exactly why you and Dan had been together- to avoid messes like these. Still, you knew he hadn’t done any of this maliciously- he was just a big idiot. 

“Alright. Well… I love you too. You’re a pain in the ass.” He chuckled at that and you couldn’t help but pull him into a hug. You didn’t want to be mad at him, you didn’t want this weird air between the two of you. His embrace felt comfortable and you allowed yourself to relax in it for a moment. Then he was heading out the door, leaving you to stand in shock, replaying the conversation over and over again in your mind. You had never really considered that Daniel may have romantic feelings for you. Now that sounded naive and silly, but really, you just never thought about settling down or pursuing something more serious with him. 

After a sharp exhale, you sent a text to Carlos. 

Y/N: 7:30 sounds great. I’ll see you then!

You decided to push the conversation with Dan out of your mind and went to get ready. You tossed your polo aside and glanced through your dresser, trying to decide just how fancy you should look. You decided to go for a black romper adorned with pink lace flowers, something soft and feminine as opposed to the usual race suits and teamwear he usually saw you in. You took your time doing your makeup and your hair, thinking about your conversation with Carlos earlier that day. You thought about the way he touched you, the feeling of his lips on yours. It was so different than all the times you had been with Daniel. You were annoyed with the two men, and all of the drama that seemed to be unfolding. Maybe Seb was right- maybe you should just swear off men entirely. 

Before too long you heard a knock at your hotel room door. You finished clasping your pink platforms and made your way over, pulling the door open. Carlos stood there, a big smile spread across his face. He had a small bouquet of flowers clutched in his right hand. You felt a blush rise to your cheeks at the gesture. 

“Wow, you look… Beautiful.” He said, his eyes a little wide as he glanced down your form. 

“Thank you, you don’t look so bad yourself.” You replied with a little wink. He did look rather handsome, a black dress shirt on with some black dress pants. Damn, he looked good as hell in all black. 

“These, they’re for you.” He said, moving the flowers closer to you, as if you didn’t know. 

“They’re lovely, Carlos. Thank you. Let me slip these inside.” You turned and left him waiting there, sticking the carnations in  one of the water glasses that housekeeping had left for you. They really were lovely, and it felt like a very ‘Carlos’ thing for him to do. Then you were standing before him once more. 

“Vamos,” You said, bringing a little grin to his lips as you turned and wandered down the hall together. 

The valet went and fetched Carlos’ silver Ferrari, one he drove on race weekends. You almost thought about asking for another car to garner less attention, but you couldn’t bring yourself to. He had worked hard to be a part of the Ferrari team, and you were happy to let him show you a little bit of his world. 

Plus, you didn’t often get the chance to be in a Ferrari, and you were hoping you could convince him to let you take a turn behind the wheel. 

Finally, after about fifteen minutes you arrived at what looked to be a quaint bistro. Carlos had been spending a lot of time immersing himself in Italian culture. You knew very little Italian, just the basics to get you through a race weekend. Carlos however talked to the restaurant host with what appeared to be confidence, which you would have certainly lacked. You were impressed, raising your brow with the ease in which he spoke. 

The host nodded and gestured for the pair of you to follow him. Carlos allowed you to lead, and followed closely behind as you were escorted to a table tucked away in a romantically lit corner. You were grateful for this, as you were hoping to stay away from any of the media’s prying eyes. Carlos pulled out your chair before taking his seat across from you. 

He seemed just a little nervous and not like the ‘smooth operator’ his nickname suggested. You were handed a menu, and you glanced at it, trying desperately to pick out words and dishes that were familiar to you. He seemed to notice you struggling slightly and decided to try to help. 

“So lasagne al forno is just baked lasagna. And tortellacci is prosciutto and cheese stuffed tortellini, pretty much.” He explained as he pointed at some of the different options. Whenever you were in Italy, you usually stuck to pizza and the pastas you knew how to pronounce. Instead, you decided to try something different this time. Carlos placed your order for you, and you were relieved he had saved you from butchering the pronunciation. Then you managed to order yourself some wine- if there was one thing Daniel had taught you, it was how to get wine no matter what part of the world you were in. And there you went, thinking about Daniel again. 

You expelled him from your mind and focused on Carlos and the adoring way in which he was looking at you. In the dim candlelight he truly looked as if he were glowing. 

“You did brilliantly today- I don’t know if I told you.” You said, pausing politely for a moment only as the waiter returned with a bottle for the two of you. A bigger smile spread across his lips. 

“Thank you, it was a good race. If I couldn’t win, then I’m glad it was you.” He replied, raising his glass in cheers. You lightly tapped your glass against his before taking a sip, your victory as good as anything to drink to. 

“I’m just glad we’re doing this. That day when you left… I was really upset about it.” You confessed, trying to hide your expression behind the brim of your glass. Carlos furrowed his brow, his smile dropping a little. 

“Yeah, I was too. I know, I should have just talked to you. Lando told me-”

“Lando? Of course, that explains it.” You chuckled a bit, thinking about Lando’s odd behavior on the plane that very same day. No wonder he’d been so suspicious, clearly he was just trying to protect his friend. You explained Lando’s not so subtle investigating and Carlos laughed, shaking his head and lightly rolling his eyes. 

“Are you sure he’s not in love with you?” You asked teasingly, pulling yet another laugh from him. 

“Ha-ha. I could say the same to you about Daniel.” He replied in a similar tone, although you found that much more difficult to laugh at. You quickly changed the subject, asking about how he liked being a part of Ferrari and if it was possible to get any work done with Charles as a teammate. He told you he missed Lando of course, but he loved where he was and he felt like he was finally starting to reach championship contender level. Your conversation flowed as easily as the wine did, and the food was absolutely heavenly. You found yourself wishing you could stay in this little bubble for a while. Just you, Carlos and all the absurdly decadent food Italy had to offer. 

Then you began to discuss summer vacation and what the two of you enjoyed doing the most outside of F1. 

“What do you do on holiday? Aside from posting shirtless photos of yourself.” You asked cheekily, trying to think of a conversational topic that didn’t pertain to work or other drivers.

“Are you telling me you don’t like them?” He asked, pretending to be hurt. You rolled your eyes. 

“Don’t think that’s what I said.” You teased, earning a smug grin from him. Carlos then told you about how he loved being able to go home any chance he got to spend time with his family. He talked about the plethora of sports they enjoyed together, and of course that he always made time for the beach- as if Instagram didn’t make that obvious. He told you about Piñón, his smile widening as he did so. 

You smiled, thinking of the glimpses of his family that you’d caught on the track and on Drive To Survive. They seemed incredibly kind and close knit, and you didn’t hate the idea of getting to know them better. 

Truthfully, you were a little envious that Carlos had gotten to grow up with racing in his blood. It was different for you; your parents were working-class and used all of the extra money they had to get you through karting. It didn’t come naturally to your family, and there were many growing pains as your career advanced. The first time you’d gotten into a kart was mostly by accident, but you were hooked immediately. It belonged to a cousin of yours, and you were only about four when you first climbed behind the wheel, determined to keep up with the older kids. In that moment a passion began and it consumed you. 

Again, it made you feel different from your colleagues, as the majority of them were born to race. You felt like you spent years trying to compensate for being a woman, and catch up to their money and their names, and prove that you belonged. Whenever you performed exceptionally well it was deemed a ‘fluke’, and you couldn’t help but feel like that part of your job would never end. 

And now you sat across from Carlos Sainz Jr, while you battled with Lewis Hamilton for the championship. That dream- the sacrifice, the passion, the countless hours of practice- it had all brought you here. 

So when Carlos asked more about your parents, you explained the lengths they went to keep you in the sport, and the way they had always supported you. Still, you found that imposter syndrome lurking in the back of your mind, doing its best to undermine your accomplishments and hard work. You didn’t frequently share those feelings with the other drivers on the grid, because you didn’t want it to sound like you were complaining. But still, it weighed on you heavily. 

You caught yourself rambling, but his big brown eyes looked captivated, his hand cradling his chin as you spoke. There was something about his demeanor that made you want to open up to him. He was curious but didn’t pry, and he contributed while truly listening to everything you said. You grabbed your napkin and gently dabbed at the side of your mouth, suddenly feeling embarrassed by just how much you had shared. He seemed to have that effect on you, you completely lost yourself in his company. You thought back to that night in your hotel room, where you told him about your greatest hopes and some of your most intimidating fears when you had barely spent any time alone with him at all.

“And I’ve talked about myself entirely too much.” You chuckled, glancing down at the food that you should have been eating instead of droning on and on. 

“No, I don’t think so. I want to get to know you, I’m happy you feel comfortable enough to share.” He replied, sounding so reasonable, his shoulders raising slightly in a shrug. 

“I want to know you.” He added, his voice just a touch deeper as he eyed you from across the table, bringing his wine glass back to his lips. You nearly gulped at that. 

Dinner was delicious, and you weren’t sure you’d be able to make room for dessert, until you heard about the gelato. Carlos offered to share, and that seemed like an offer impossible to refuse. He ordered you chocolate, and the son of a bitch pulled his chair around to the side of the table to make it easier to share. He gathered a bit on the spoon and began to raise it to your lips- and it was corny as hell, but damn were you turned on. He held your gaze as you parted your lips and sucked the spoon clean, your eyes flashing up suggestively at his, for just a moment. He cleared his throat minutely, his jaw clenching slightly. You grabbed your spoon and dug in, feeding him just as he’d done to you. You deliberately missed his mouth, just a smidge, making him chuckle slightly as he licked the rest off of the spoon. You leaned over and gently ran your thumb over the spot of chocolate before licking it off, making Carlos’ cheeks flush that bright pink color. Sometimes you liked doing things to deliberately throw Carlos off- making him blush made you feel sexy and desirable. 

“You really are trouble, aren’t you?” He asked lowly, reaching over to brush some of your hair behind your ear. You grinned at that, biting your lip just a little. 

“That’s what they tell me.” You responded, thinking about just how sweet his lips would taste in that moment. 

Just as you were building up the courage to lean over and peck his lips, the waiter was appearing with your bill. It broke your little trance and Carlos quickly swiped it, not even allowing you the opportunity to fight over it. 

“Carlos, at least let me split it with you.” You suggested, placing your hand on top of his in an effort to pause his movements. 

“No, nonsense.” He answered quickly, already handing his card off. You rolled your eyes, but couldn’t help at the smile that fell over your features. 

Soon he was standing, and gesturing for you to lead the way. His hand slid onto the small of your back as you walked, the little touch setting your chest on fire. As the valet went to fetch your car, you caught sight of a few race fans across the street, decked out in their team wear, and you took a step away from Carlos. He looked at you with concern, until he saw them too. 

“Should I just get a cab home?” You asked lowly, trying to gauge his reaction. 

“There’s nothing wrong with us having dinner.” He said, shrugging slightly. You flashed him a look- you figured it had to be rather clear that the pair of you were on a date. The last thing you wanted was to see photos of you on a gossip site, at least not until you hard sorted out all of the feelings that you had. 

“Ok. Fine. Two friends, having dinner.” You agreed with a nod, trying to convince yourself that that wasn’t suspicious at all. 

Then his Ferrari was pulling up, and although you said it was fine, you tried to stoop into the car as quickly as possible. You settled into the passenger’s seat and he sped off, a sort of awkward silence falling between the two of you. You felt like you were doing everything you could to avoid the elephant in the room- Daniel. 

“I had a good time.” Carlos finally said, breaking the silence first. 

“Oh, yes. I did too, it was lovely.” You said, smiling as his eyes briefly met yours. 

“I would love to do it again.” He said, sounding almost cautious, like you were an animal he was afraid to startle. 

“I would too.” You responded truthfully. You were grateful a few moments later when he pulled up to the hotel. You suddenly felt as though you were suffocating in that car, thoughts of both of the men you cared so deeply for flashing through your mind. 

He opened your door, breaking your train of thought, and offered you a hand to steady yourself as you stood. The staff allowed you to enter the hotel through the service elevator, allowing you to slip inside unbeknownst to the prying eyes of the waiting tifosi camped out in the lobby. 

You spoke about the next race on the calendar as you walked- Miami. A new city, a new circuit. The whole grid had been buzzing with excitement- mostly at the thought of Cuban food and beautiful beaches to explore. Racing in a new city was always extra exciting, but you were glad to have a two week break to prepare yourself before being thrown back into the chaos of a race weekend. 

Before long, you were standing at your hotel room door, the two of you shuffling for a moment, unsure of quite how to proceed. Then your gaze met his, and you couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. He moved closely to you, backing you up against the door, until he had trapped you. His hand gently touched your cheek, his eyes narrowing in contemplation as he looked at you. You felt your breath catch in your throat in his proximity. 

“Are you okay?” He asked softly. 

“Yes.” You lied. He leaned down and pressed his lips to yours, his hand sneaking around your waist and closing what little distance remained between the two of you. When he pulled back you were the one blushing- all of your thoughts of pulling him into your room and dropping to your knees for him. But your damn conscious- it made you hesitate. You weren’t in a position to be fully committed to Carlos, and you didn’t want to lead him on. 

“I’m not ready to be exclusive.” You burst out, although he certainly hadn’t asked. He furrowed his brow a bit, clearly not expecting that. 

“I… I have feelings for you, Carlos. Like, strong feelings. And I want to be honest with you- I’m overwhelmed and I’m conflicted with life right now. I’m not ready to make a commitment. And I don’t even know if that’s what you want, I just don’t want to hurt you.” The words tumbled out of your mouth before you could even consider what you were going to say. He took a slight step back and you feared for the worst. 

“Okay, I understand.” He said simply. When did everyone around you become so goddamn mature? Your face must have accurately shown your confusion. 

“I can wait. If you need time.” Another response you were not expecting. 

“Really?” You questioned, a sigh of relief falling from you. 

“Really. I just want you to be honest. If you need time, I have time.” How did that make you want him even more? You thought about inviting him into your room, but you weren’t sure if that would be sending mixed signals. You leaned up and pressed another kiss to his lips, trying to satiate your growing desire for him. You didn’t want to have sex with him for the first time with the day’s events still fresh in your mind. 

“So, maybe we can do this again?” You asked hopefully. He reached up and gently ran his thumb across your bottom lip. 

“Yes, we will.” He said definitively, nodding slightly as if to reassure you. “I’ll text you.” He told you, before kissing you once more and turning to walk down the hall. You stood there, just kind of frozen, a smile on your face when he turned back to sneak one more glance at you. 

You collected yourself for a second and swiped the key card for your room, sauntering in and plopping down on your bed. You lied there and thought about what a picture-perfect date that had been. 

You truly felt so conflicted, but decided you wanted to find Dan to finish your earlier conversation- you also kind of wanted to tell him about the date. After all, he was still your best friend. You slipped into some more comfortable clothes, and stuck your head out of your door, peaking to be sure Carlos was gone. 

Once you saw that he was, you headed over to Dan’s and knocked. After a moment of silence you knocked again, but to no avail. You tried to call him, but his phone went straight to voicemail. 

You hopped on the elevator and wandered down to the lobby, his sudden disappearance not sitting right with you. 

You wandered over to the desk, thankful that the race weekend was officially over and there didn’t seem to be any people camped out waiting for you anymore. 

“Hi- sorry, I just had a question. Has the guest in room 1220 checked out?” You asked quietly. The man behind the desk finally glanced up at you, a slight recognition sparking in his eyes. He seemed a little hesitant, but pulled up the information without too much of a fuss. 

“Yes, it looks like that guest left an hour ago.” 

Sonofabitch. You muttered back a ’thank you’ through clenched teeth and headed back up to your room. 

You got into the shower, trying to drown out your frustrations, but it didn’t help. Part of you considered going back to the lobby and finding a perfect stranger- perhaps a bartender- for you to vent all of your frustrations.

You couldn’t believe Daniel had left. You were supposed to fly back home to Monaco together the next day. 

You decided that you’d just continue on with your original plan, although it would certainly be a far more boring commute. Thankfully it was only a three and a half hour long flight. 

You went back to your room and considered drinking the little whiskey bottles that sat in your minibar but decided against it. You knew getting shitfaced wouldn't help you solve your problems. Still, you spent your night tossing and turning, and the next morning you were glad to be getting on the plane. You wanted to confront Daniel- and it wasn’t like he could avoid you- you were neighbors for fuck sake. You spent most of the flight stewing, the empty seat beside you serving as a constant reminder of the sudden distance between the two of you. You put on your headphones and settled back into your seat mentally mapping out everything you wanted to say to him.  Maybe Seb was right, once again you found yourself consumed by thoughts of Carlos and Daniel rather than the fight that you still had in front of you. You took a moment to reminisce about the race, determined not to forget that the weekend had been a victory for you. 

Before you knew it the plane was landing and you were grateful. As soon as you could you shot out of your seat, got your bag, and took off. You grabbed a cab back to your apartment and went straight to Dan’s doorway rather than your own. You knocked as loud as you could, working through the script you had written yourself in your mind. After a moment, the door finally opened. Daniel looked pretty exhausted, his curly hair disheveled, his eyes looking a bit droopy with sleep. He offered a weak smile. 

“Hi.” He said simply. 

“Hi?” You replied harshly, no interest in hiding your annoyance. You pushed past him and into the threshold of his home, dropping your bags carelessly. He closed the door and slowly turned to face you. You were reared and ready to tear into him, but he beat you to the punch. 

“Before you begin, I want to say sorry. I couldn’t- I couldn’t just sit in my room. I just needed to get out of there. I’ve had a lot to think about.” He told you carefully. Something about seeing Dan speak so seriously made you uncomfortable. You were used to bad jokes and pick up lines, but melancholy self-reflection was never a good look on him. You stood with your arms crossed and waited for him to continue. 

“You were right, we’re easy. We’ve always been easy. But, I was thinking about all of the great things in my life- the things that make me the happiest- and all of those things bring me back to you.” You felt your chest tighten a bit at his words. 

“You’re my constant- I don’t know why I didn’t realize it sooner. I knew you didn’t want something serious, and I thought I didn’t either. But the thought of losing you, or seeing you with someone else- it made me realize how stupid I was being. I want to be the person that you celebrate all of your wins with. I want to be with you on your worst days. I want you, and I’ll always want you.” Dan said finally, his voice shaking just minutely. You felt a tear slip down your cheek that you hadn’t realized was brewing. 

“Danny,” You really didn’t know what to say. All that time planning out what you wanted to tell him, and it was all gone in an instant.

“And I know it might be too late,” He continued on, slightly avoiding your gaze. 

“And if I am, that’s my fault, and I understand. I’ll still be here for you.” Daniel said lastly, nodding at his words as if to prove how much he meant the sentiment. You stood and stared, mouth slightly agape as you considered how to respond. 

“Please say something.” He finally pleaded, a bit of that smile you knew so well spreading across his cheeks. 

“I don’t know what to say.” You finally choked out, finding yourself truly speechless. You gave yourself just another moment to gather your thoughts. 

“I need time, I think.” You finally squeaked out. 

“I know I love you too, but. I just need some time to think. I really do care for Carlos.” He winced a little at that bit. But you wanted to do everything you could to be honest. You’d been best friends with Daniel for three years, and he’d never once hinted at being interested in a relationship. Why the sudden change of heart? You didn’t want to make any hasty decisions, especially when it came to the feelings of the people that you cared so deeply for. 

“Can we just… Pretend everything is normal, please?” You sort of blurted out, some tears still streaking your cheeks. 

“Just for one more day, can we pretend like nothing’s changed?” You asked a little desperately, looking at him with pleading eyes. He reached out and pulled you into a hug. He ran his fingers through your hair and pressed a light kiss to your forehead. 

“Yeah, of course.” He mumbled, keeping you close to him. It felt so good to be back in his arms, his touch had always made you feel so relaxed and safe. But you knew the reprieve would be short-lived. You only had two short weeks before the Miami GP and you didn’t want to have Daniel and Carlos in the same place without being able to offer some clarification on your feelings. For now, you only wanted to order a pizza with Dan and pretend that everything was absolutely the same.

So that’s what you did.

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