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alearicci · 8 months

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“what the hell, ricciardo?!” – DR3

pairings: daniel ricciardo x fem!norris!girlfriend; daniel ricciardo x girlfriend!reader; daniel ricciardo x y/n

summary: You are the older sister of Lando Norris who is secretly dating his former teammate, Daniel Ricciardo. What will the secrets lead to?

warnings: my grammar 🫣, a little bit dirty talk, secret relationship

note: ask me anything <3

reblogs and comments pls ♡

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You stood in front of a large mirror in your and Daniel's house and looked at yourself with interest. Your reflection looked at you expectantly, a mixture of nervousness and confidence flickered in your brown eyes. You spent hours carefully preparing for this event, making sure that every detail of your appearance radiated elegance and sophistication. Your long brown curls fell to your shoulders in loose waves, framing your delicate facial features, and light makeup accentuated your natural beauty.

Your outfit was nothing but luxury. You were wearing a stunning floor-length dress made of the finest silk, its deep royal blue shade complemented your porcelain complexion. The dress hugged your curves in all the right places, emphasizing your slender figure, and a daring thigh-high slit added seductiveness. The bodice was decorated with intricate beads that sparkled under the soft light of the chandelier, as if reflecting the stars in the night sky.

Elegant stiletto shoes decorated with delicate crystals that shimmered with each graceful step completed your look. On your wrist you wore a minimalistic diamond bracelet, the shimmer of which matched the brilliance of your eyes. You have spared no expense in creating an image that would charm and make an indelible impression on anyone who gets in your way.

Today there was a party on the occasion of the recent Grand Prix victory and the last birthday of your boyfriend, the man of your whole life - Daniel Ricciardo. You knew how much he craved it, how he devoted himself to training and came home so tired that he could hardly walk to the shower. Your heart has always ached because of how much he has to go through to achieve heights. Constant discussions, angry comments under posts, wishes about failures at races - does he really deserve this? Your smiling boy, your happiness, your very true love.

Shaking your head, chasing away the unpleasant thoughts that appeared, you smiled tightly and looked in the mirror again. The outfit turned out to be quite good, you really look great. Numerous hours spent in shops and beauty salons have done you good.

Suddenly, out of the blue, there was a knock on the door. You flinched a little, because it was too loud and unexpected.

"Babe?" On the other side of the door, the sonorous voice of your beloved rang out. "The guests will be here soon, are you ready?"

"Oh. Yeah. I'm on my way."

"Can I come in?"

"Yes, you can."

Ricciardo didn't keep himself waiting, and a second later the door opened and you turned to him, smiling to the tips of your ears.

"Ooooh shiiiit. It looks like I'll have to postpone the party until tomorrow, and spend time with my beautiful girl today." He said grinning and walked up to you.

Standing in front of you, he first just stood in front of you and looked into your eyes for about a minute.

Devils were clearly visible in his eyes. Devils that simultaneously showed his love for you and desire to possess you.

Dan grinned, oh my God, just from that grin, you feel like your knees are about to give way, then, smoothly lowered his hands to your waist and slowly pulled you closer to him, as if stretching this moment.

He bent down to kiss you, but you gently stopped him by putting your finger to his lips.

"Hey, hey, hey, take your time, baby. I've already painted my lips with my favorite lipstick, so no kissing!" You explained and witnessed how Dan's playfulness quickly evaporated, replaced by a slight bewilderment. He snorted in displeasure and slid down, squeezing his hands tighter on your hips.

"I hate it when you use this terrible invention of mankind. I love the taste of your lips so much, and you paint them with this tasteless lipstick."

"And this was said by my daniel, who ate my raspberry-scented lipstick the other day."

"Hahaha yeah. But at least it was delicious. And in general, I didn't eat, but used it for its intended purpose."

You laughed and grabbed the strong shoulders of your Aussie. He bent down to your neck and ran his nose over it. His hot breath burned your skin and made your whole body goosebumps. Daniel gently bites the tender skin of the neck, and then runs his tongue over the wound and kisses, as if apologizing without words.

You had very fair skin and it was very difficult to hide such manifestations of love. This could be understood by how carefully you covered up the hickeys left by him last night with foundation and how they still remained visible. Daniel himself knew perfectly well that today you would need to attend his party in the status of a family friend, not his girlfriend, but knowing this did not stop him.

Yes. You've been hiding your relationship. You were the older sister of his former teammate, Lando Norris. As Ric himself likes to say and repeat, he fell in love with you from the very first meeting, but did not dare to admit this to Lando, and to you, of course. Maybe the reason was that Lando took great care of you as his own sister and often jokingly threatened his friends that if they became victims of her love torments, his revenge would be cruel. Or maybe he just couldn't figure out for a long time what he really feels for you.

But at the moment, you've been secretly dating for almost a year. It's amazing how it happened that neither the media, nor the family, nor Lando himself have yet realized that you are together. For them, you continued to be good friends. It was in your favor, because another reason for a secret relationship was just the same media. They are often the cause of the breakup of many couples and it happens that they watch couples too closely. So you continue to work, pretend and live in your secluded house when Daniel is free from racing and training and when you are not busy with your work.

"Oh my God, Daniel!" Finally, you shout jokingly. "Stop biting me, soon there won't be a place on me where there won't be traces of your bites, Ricciardo!"

"Honey, you mean you don't like it? In that case, you need to learn how to lie. You're doing pretty badly right now."

"You're insufferable, Dan."

"I know. And you love me."

"Yes. I love you."

"I know, my beautiful. Well. I will say that you helped me with the selection of the costume, if anyone has questions about how you ended up here among the first." He finished, but continued to hold you in his hands.

"Again, again a lie."

"I know, honey. I hate lying. And, wait a minute, it's practically not a lie, you really helped me pick up this suit."

You smiled warmly and rested your head on his shoulder.

"I'm waiting for the moment when I can officially call you my girl in front of everyone." he said in a hoarse whisper and kissed the top of your head.

"But then my beloved brother will look askance at us."

"Oh my God, I've already endured these looks when we were on the same team, because I often overtook him."

"Hey, he's good too!" you pretended to be indignant and lightly hit him on the leg with your knee.

"But no better than me."

"No one can compare with you, but Lanny is very good both on and off the track."

"Will anyone meet us in this house at all?" A voice was heard from below and you instinctively recoiled from your lover. The grievances belonged to Dan's good friend and his current partner, Max Verstappen. You immediately thought that he probably didn't come alone, but with his girlfriend Kelly.

"Oh, Maxie. Let's go meet."

"Danny. Are you sure? Maybe I'll come out later?"

"He knows that you and I are good friends, there will be no problems. Let's say you're very punctual."

♡♡♡

Time passed, more and more guests came. You and Daniel kept an appropriate distance, no hands on the waist, kisses and other things that could reveal your secret. It was hard, even if it has already become a habit for you. You really wanted to touch him, feel the warmth of his hands, hear the scent of his expensive cologne. You really wanted you to be an ordinary couple.

You've already gone down too and managed to say hello to many who came. First of all, you approached Daniel's parents, who came to celebrate their son's triumph. You were in a very close and trusting relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Ricciardo, they treated you as a close family friend. But they didn't even know that their son was head over heels in love with you.

Grace, Daniel's mom, recently, "in secret", said that Daniel likes you. At that time, you had already met, so you couldn't help but smile shyly and thanked the kind woman for this secret. Now I have to hide a secret from her.

Now you were chatting with her on the sidelines from everyone and she was telling you a funny story from Dan's childhood.

"Can you imagine? Then he firmly decided that he would become a racer. I'm afraid my heart just won't stand it soon, he's working so hard in training and taking risks on the track that I'm not moving away from sedatives."

"Ooooh.. Mrs. Ricciardo, as I understand you. Sometimes you want to hit him on the head with a pillow and..." for a moment you were silent.

... hug him and say that you are very worried.

... kiss him and tell him that you will always be there.

"I... Tell him to stop making his beloved mom nervous!" You finally finished the sentence and laughed along with Grace.

"Oh, you're right, my dear."

"Oh, Mrs. Ricciardo, I have to leave you for a while, I need to powder my nose." You really urgently needed to go to the bathroom to fix your makeup.

"Of course, no problem, sweetheart. I'll go find something delicious for now."

Daniel, who was standing nearby and talking enthusiastically with George Russell, who was also invited to the party, heard that you said you would go to the bathroom.

He realized that this was his chance to be with you for a few minutes.

When you excused yourself to go to the toilet, the urge became too strong to resist. Daniel carefully followed you, his heart pounding wildly. When he saw you disappear into the lavish lavatory, Ricciardo carefully followed you, making sure that no one noticed his departure. He found you standing at the sink, looking at yourself in the mirror.

Unable to contain his longing any longer, he cautiously approached you from behind, hugging you around the waist. You flinched slightly, surprised by his presence.

"I couldn't be in the company of these celebrities anymore. I needed to feel you in my arms. Moreover, I can clearly see how my mother sees you as her future daughter-in-law."

"Danny, you can't go on like this! We have to behave ourselves tonight. Not us, but you!"

"Oh. I know, but seeing that you look so amazing here, all I want to do is hold you to me. Just for a moment."

"Okay, just for a minute. But we have to be careful.

You hugged each other tightly for a few stolen moments, cherishing the intimacy you craved madly, knowing that you would soon have to part again.

Ricciardo tightened his embrace, feeling the warmth of your body on his. You stood there for a few blissful seconds, enjoying the intimacy of the moment. Then he gently kissed you on the forehead, and then went down to your cheeks and lips. But none of you guessed what would happen next.

Meanwhile, Lando also decided to go to the bathroom to fix his tie. Disappointed with the way it sat on his collar, he yanked it, muttered a few playful curses under his breath and headed to the bathroom to get a dose of confidence from the mirror.

To his surprise, he saw Daniel and you, his friend and sister, in a passionate embrace. Lando's eyes widened and a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he said, leaning against the bathroom door and folding his arms.

Hearing the voice of your beloved younger brother, you abruptly pulled away from Daniel's lips and felt a blush appear on your cheeks.

"Oops," Dan said jokingly. "I'll explain everything now, Lando. "Ummm... I just came to help y/n with... her dress. It had to be fixed, you know?"

You intervened with a shy smile:

"Yes, yes, the lightning got stuck, and Daniel, being a gentleman, came to the rescue!"

Lando raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced by the story, but couldn't help but make a joke.

"And the kiss became a payment for help? Come on, guys. Don't make me regret introducing you to him, Miss Norris!" Lando exclaimed, no longer holding back his laughter.

"Uh... yeah?"

"Of all the people, it had to be my former teammate and my sister? Damn God, how long have you been dating? Do not deny that you are dating, otherwise I will definitely swear."

"Almost a year," Daniel replied and smiled his trademark smile.

"Oh my God, sis, I thought we should share everything!"

"Sorryyy."

When they returned to the event, Lando couldn't help but grin mischievously, teasing Daniel: "Just remember, Ricciardo, I will always watch!"

Winking, Dan cheekily replied: "Oh, I wouldn't expect anything less, Norris!"

#f1 imagine #oneshot #f1 fandom #f1 fanfic #formula one #drabble #dr3 x reader #dr3 #daniel ricciardo supremacy #daniel ricciardo x reader #danny ric #ric3 #daniel ricciardo #formula 1 #lando norris #nor4

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honey5ryder · 1 year

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✰ good luck charms ✰

instagram au

Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x Country!Reader (pt 3)

Summary: What could be sweeter than baby’s first race weekend?

Warnings: adorable baby and Daddy Ric

A/N: Did not proof read this one, so fingers crossed! Hard to lean into the country side of Y/N while at the track, but don’t fret, we’ll be back on the ranch soon enough! Enjoy <3

Hoping to post about once per week for now, life got busy. I have so many ideas though, so more coming soon! I’ve got the first installment of a Carlos Sainz Jr x Artist!Reader AU nearly finished!

#daniel ricciardo #daniel ricciardo x reader #daniel ricciardo x you #daniel ricciardo x y/n #f1 au #instagram au #f1 instagram au #f1 imagine #ric3 #daniel ricciardo x country!reader #daniel ricciardo imagine #f1 fiction #f1 fanfic #f1 fic #f1blr

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dannyleclerc · 1 year

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I’m in love with them❤️‍🩹

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sainzfilm · 1 year

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🎅🏻 secret santa - daniel ricciardo 🎅🏻

summary: having a secret santa tradition amongst your friends was already bad to begin with. who knew it could be so much worse from pulling your enemy’s name from the bag?

taglist: @svechyaho @mehrmonga @squderia @idkiwantchocolatee @koufaxx @melonunicornbby @myescapefromthislife @slut-era @pachiibatt @dan3avocado @estevries @sidcrosbyspuck @barzysreputation @verclercswiftie @mick2mercedes

check out my winter wonderland celebration!

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

Christmas festivities were always fun amongst your friend group – a wonderful way to destress from the hustle and bustle of each of your lives.

“Okay, everyone settle down!” Lando clapped as he shook the container in his hands, “It’s time for secret Santa!”

Taking a sip of your hot chocolate, you smiled to yourself and took a seat beside Carlos, “Who do you think you’re getting?”

“Hard to think about,” Carlos chuckled, crossing his arms, “I’m just hoping what they’d ask for would be easy to buy.”

As Lando walked over, you leaned over to pull out a neatly folded paper and scooted over to the edge of the couch to keep the name to yourself. Unfolding it, you groaned and crumpled it, shoving it inside your pocket.

“Who’d you get, loser?” Daniel grinned, leaning in close to you from behind, “I bet that person’s going to suffer from your awful gift giving skills.”

Rolling your eyes, you whacked the backside of his head and scoffed, “I could say the same for who you got, dipshit.”

You had a a few days left until the Christmas party and it was safe to say that you still haven’t bought a gift for who you got – Daniel. Normally, people would have a wishlist to make things easier, but Lando wanted a twist that it was up to the giver to ultimately decide.

“I’ve been here since this morning,” You groaned, walking around the mall, “This is hopeless.”

Sneaking up on you, Daniel wrapped an arm around your shoulder and placed you in a headlock, “Look what the devil brought in!”

“God damn it, Daniel!” You screamed, punching his arm repeatedly, “Get off me!”

Daniel laughed, releasing you from his hold and crossing his arms, “You shopping for your secret Santa?”

“No, I’m shopping for my funeral,” You scoffed, smoothening out your clothes, “Obviously, dipshit.”

“I should definitely come along with you,” He grinned, “If you don’t mind.”

Rolling your eyes and walking off, you replied, “I simply don’t have a choice over here.”

Walking alongside you, Daniel had an extra skip in his step and looked over at you, who was looking a bit…prettier than usual, “So, what do you plan on getting?”

“That’s the thing,” You mumbled, shrugging at the same time, “I have no idea what to get the person at all.”

“Aw, poor little Y/N, no brainer for her secret Santa,” He pouted, eliciting another eye roll from you, “Why don’t you just get them a gift card or some sort of shit?”

“A gift card?” You stopped walking and turned to him, a confused look on his face, “Who hurt you?”

“At least that person would get something they wanted,” He laughed, nudging your shoulder, “Wanna get some refreshers?”

“I’m not saying yes unless it’s your treat,” You teased, putting your hands inside your pockets, “And if it’s coffee.”

As the two of you walked to a coffee shop, Daniel took a seat across you and looked at you intently, “I have a question.”

Looking up at him as you took a sip of your coffee, “What is it?”

“Why do you loathe me so much?” He asked nonchalantly, crossing his arms, “This is a serious question.”

Humming and avoiding his gaze, you leaned back against the chair and shrugged, “I don’t loathe you. You’re just absolutely…loud and annoying, it’s irritating to me. No offense.”

“But why just me?” Daniel raised an eyebrow, leaning his elbows on his knees, “You know that’s like half of the friend group we have with the guys, right?”

“Because it’s you,” You shrugged, throwing your wallet on the table and standing up to dodge his question, “I’ll just go to the bathroom, don’t…drink my coffee.”

Daniel sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and watching you walk off to the bathroom. It was absolutely a mystery for him as to why you were so avoidant towards him out of all people. He was your enemy, but you weren’t his.

“Don’t drink my coffee,” Daniel mumbled to himself, grabbing your wallet and looking through it, “She didn’t say that don’t touch my wallet.”

As he filed through your wallet, there were receipts from countless amounts of coffee that you bought for the past year. Daniel frowned in confusion as he found a small crumpled up paper stashed in between your bills.

Upon unfolding it, his eyes widened from the name scribbled on the nearly torn paper – ‘Daniel’. You were making such an effort for someone you claimed to be loud and annoying.

“You didn’t dri- oh god,” You choked out, standing in front of Daniel, “You weren’t supposed to touch my wallet.”

Daniel smiled sheepishly, setting it back on the table and looking at you, “So, you got…me?”

“Hip hip hooray, wonderful discovery,” You quickly said, snatching your wallet from him and walking out of the coffee shop, “What a great fucking day.”

“Y/N, wait up!” Daniel called out, running after you and grabbing your arm, “I’m sorry!”

Pulling your arm back, you scoffed and glared at him, “You are so fucking annoying. Always ruining things!”

“I didn’t mean to find out,” Daniel muttered, sighing in defeat, “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry this, sorry that. You tick me off,” You frowned, shaking your head and mumbled, “The way you joke, always trying to pull pranks, taking up my personal space…that smile of yours.”

Tilting his head, Daniel snickered and looked up at you, “My smile? From things that tick you off…my smile is one of them?”

“You weren’t supposed to hear that,” You stuttered, eyes widened, “I hate you.”

“I don’t think so, Y/N,” He replied, a teasing tone to his voice and took a step closer, “I think you like me. A lot.”

“No, I don’t. Not at all,” You mumbled, putting your hands in front of you to keep a distance, “Don’t even come near me. Cooties.”

“Oh please, cooties?” Daniel laughed, pushing your hands down gently and glancing at your lips quickly, “I know what you could get me.”

Rolling your eyes, you muttered, “What would be the best thing I could get you?”

“Well, for starters, you could get me the girl,” He shrugged, a teasing smile on his lips, “And a date.”

“Wow,” You replied, deadpanned, “That’s going to be one of the hardest gifts to get when I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

“You’re a bitch sometimes but,” Daniel replied, laughing as you punched his shoulder, “I don’t know what reeled me in.”

You raised your eyebrow, feigning offense, “Me? A bitch? Aw, sorry about that.”

“See, I should definitely get myself checked by a specialist,” He grinned, hesitantly reaching over for your hand and lacing his fingers with yours, “Theory confirmed, you do like me.”

“One word to the others,” You mumbled, walking to your car and dragging him with you, “I’ll kill you.”

Raising his fist in the air, Daniel cheered and trailed after you like a lost puppy, “Just wrap yourself in Christmas wrapper and I’ll get to unwrap you then.”

Turning around to smack his head, you shook your head, “Don’t test me, Daniel.”

“Oh no, I definitely am not. Let me make it up to you,” Daniel smiled, leaning over to kiss your cheek quickly, “There we go.”

As you brought your hand up to your cheek, you couldn’t help but feel yourself go red from the feeling of his lips lingering. You gave him an awkward smile before walking off to your car in a hurry.

“She’s blushing, oh my god, I made her blush!” Daniel laughed, chasing after you, “Wait for me!”

“Leave me alone!” You groaned, a smile coming onto your face, “I didn’t blush!”

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vinylsbygi · 1 year

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hey @/annavicii on tiktok, you just made my cry </3

#daniel ricciardo #danny ricciardo #danny ric #ric3 #dr3 #mclaren f1 #f1 #formula racing #formula one #formula 1 #mclaren #f1 mclaren #daniel ricciardo x reader #daniel ricciardo x y/n

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princemick-archive · 2 years

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danielricciardo: Don’t fight it, there’s a cowboy in all of us.

#f1 #formula 1 #daniel ricciardo #kyle.gif #f1edit #ric3

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dr3smile · 4 months

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So cute!

#daniel ricciardo #danny ric #dr3 #ric3 #christmas #heidi berger #daniel x Heidi #the cutest #quokka #Rottnest island

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feraltwinkseb · 2 years

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Drivers x text posts / Daniel Ricciardo 1/?

#I think about the peacock one all the time bc its so true #daniel ricciardo #dr3 #ric3 #f1 #Formula One #Formula 1 #ogferal #dtp #dtp/dr #meme #text post

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3-13-3 · 6 months

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DANIEL RICCIARDO: Sundae Conversation with Caleb Pressley

#daniel ricciardo #ric3 #dr3

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itzmaxiel · 1 month

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I LOVE THIS CHEEKY SIDE OF DANIEL SO MUCH😂🫶

Love this Ad, it's a good one😂

📷 Instagram: danielricciardo

#daniel ricciardo #f1 #formula1 #ad #f12024 #f124 game #instagram #dannyric #honey badger #dr3 #ric3

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sbdskate · 10 months

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Laws Of Attraction (Part 6) - DR x lawyer!fem!reader

Summary: McLaren is in breach of contract, dr3 hires a lawyer to deal with the aftermath. Tropes ensue. Slow burn. Enemies(kind of) -> Friends/colleagues -> Lovers

Pairing: lawyer!fem!reader x Daniel Ricciardo

Warnings: language, slight angst, alcohol consumption, mature themes

Word Count: 3,635

A/N: That’s right, I broke the ending into another part which means another chapter is on the way. If you’ve been keeping up, I appreciate you sticking with me through my draughts and generally inconsistent posting schedule. Thank you again for every like, comment, and reblog. Please let me know what you think and enjoy ❤️

The week passed more quickly than you anticipated. You pulled an all-nighter to draft the language you promised. It helped that you couldn’t sleep anyways. You tried to make up for it on the twenty-hour flight from Brazil to Abu Dhabi but again, rest evaded you. It didn’t help that between the travel and the time difference you basically lost a day and a half. You threw yourself deeper into your work as a distraction. You were thankful that there were lots of back and forths of redlines, as expected.

But no matter how busy you kept yourself, you couldn’t stop thinking about that damn kiss that had now been tattooed in your mind. You wished it wasn’t good. You wished he had chapped lips and tasted like onions. But it had enveloped you. The way he grabbed you and the feeling of his stubble on your face set off butterflies in your stomach and other places down south. You were pretty sure you saw through space and time and you suddenly had the ability to hear colors.

And even though the kiss was so good, it was made bittersweet by everything that was discussed afterwards. You didn’t miss the warmth leaving his eyes and his obvious disappointment. On one hand, you handled the situation the best way you knew how. You had been very clear in Mexico on the limits of your relationship, that should not have been a surprise to him. Your job was to be professional and you reestablished those boundaries. On the other, you had somehow removed every laugh line from his face. You missed the crinkles around his eyes and the reverberating bravado of his laugh. If there was another way you could have gone about the conversation, it was lost on you. Leaning into the kiss and those feelings surrounding it was legally impossible. He would simply have to pick up his bruised ego and move on, which you were sure wouldn’t be difficult. The thought helped you somewhat – he was still a handsome, charismatic celebrity who could get any girl he wanted. You were one piece of parsley in an endless buffet. Poor little rich boy couldn’t have the one dish he wanted right now, but as soon as the season was over and you went your separate ways, you would be a distant memory he would laugh at in retrospect. Amongst the models, actresses, singers, and influencers he could pick from, he had trauma bonded with his very average and nerdy lawyer during a particularly vulnerable point in his life.

As your thoughts meandered during the course of the long flight, you were appreciative that you would not be on your own this weekend. The partner apparently decided to show up in Abu Dhabi, finally making Daniel a priority knowing that the matter would be closing. You had gotten somewhat frustrated with Joe, that he kept cancelling on meetings last minute leaving you to deal with everything. There were several silver linings, however. First, you hoped it meant he trusted you with the significant responsibility, which again would likely lead to a positive performance review and a hefty bonus. It may even come in handy a few years from now when you would become eligible to make partner yourself. Second, in picking up that responsibility, you had grown a lot professionally in the last few months. Belgium felt like a lifetime ago, in more ways than one. In the last few restless days your mind kept reflecting back to that first race weekend when you were full of nerves, but lately you didn’t quite feel like the same young associate with a chip on her shoulder and something to prove. Third, for better or worse, you grew to know you client in a way you would not have been able to but for the partner’s absence and that transfer of duty. Because you knew him so well now, you were better able to represent him. This was, of course, a double-edged sword. You’d unintentionally gotten to know the driver far better than you intended. Over the course of months, he poked little holes in your armor leaving you open and vulnerable and inching you closer towards that delicate line you dared not cross. The two of you had danced around it for weeks. If you hadn’t crossed it before, kissing certainly pushed the two of you over the edge together. You wondered what he thought about all this, considering he had far less to lose from the predicament. It would probably be awkward the next time you saw each other, but hopefully still respectful and professional if nothing else.

Meanwhile, Daniel along with the rest of the grid arrived in Abu Dhabi a day early to have a retirement dinner party for Seb. Seb had been unexpected source of support during this uncertain time in his career. Not all of the drivers had reached out to him when news about his early termination with McLaren broke. Of those that did reach out, some were simply surface level exchanges lacking compassion and depth. Seb, however, had helped him navigate a slew of existential crisis. The least Daniel could do was return that support to his friend. He sat next to Lando and Pierre, the drivers chatting amongst themselves during the meal. Of course there was a general curiosity about his plans for next year, but he playfully remained tight-lipped. The conversation was light, reminiscing and debriefing on some of the post-race debauchery over the course of the season. It was all fun and games until Pierre brought up Halloween in Mexico and his failed attempts at bringing home an instragram influencer and a model that night.

“I think I might be losing my touch. But that was a fun night though, yeah?”

“It was, I’m surprised you remember most of it,” Daniel teased.

“Honestly, me too. That girl dressed as you, she was a good time.” Daniel did his best to remain casual, though his heart skipped at beat at your mention.

“Yeah, y/n is fun when she’s not working.”

“I’ve seen her around the paddock a few times. She’s your lawyer, right?” He took a long drink, not liking the direction the conversation was headed.

“Yeah.”

“Maybe when the season is over I can grab her number.” It was more of a statement than a question. Daniel feigned ignorance at the request and laughed.

“I mean I can give it to you, but she probably wouldn’t be able to help you.”

“How so?” Pierre looked at Daniel, both men visibly confused.

“I mean I’m no lawyer myself, but wouldn’t it be a conflict of interest for her?”

“Oh no dude, I don’t want her services – or, uh legal services I should say,” he said cheekily. Daniel’s ears immediately turned red, his jaw clenched, and hand balled into a fist. He did his best to control his facial muscles to not let on to the fact that Pierre had unknowingly stepped on an emotional landmine. Lando, who had been talking to Zhou across from him, sensed the shift in the driver sitting next to him. He diverted his attention for a moment to try to break the tension before Daniel could say or do something he would regret.

“Pierre, she’s way too smart for you and you’re not her type,” he said casually, earning a laugh from the others including Pierre.

“What are you talking about, I’m everybody’s type,” he said with a smirk.

“Yeah, I think that might be part of the problem,” Lando responded. “Plus, you’re already in a committed relationship with this one,” jabbing his thumb in the direction of Yuki. That side of the table continued to laugh and joke, Daniel included, but he didn’t miss the chance to lock eyes with his teammate to silently convey his thanks for discreetly deflecting the conversation away from the woman that had taken up so much space in his mind. Had he really almost punched his friend at a fancy restaurant during his mentor’s retirement party? He was in deep. Hook, line, and sinker.

Daniel had bought himself more time extending the signing with Red Bull, but he had no idea what he was doing. You had made it abundantly clear that nothing could happen until after everything was signed. You also hadn’t explicitly said whether you wanted anything to happen afterwards... All he knew, whether or not anything progressed further between the two of you, he just needed to be near you. He needed more time with you, beyond Monday.

The evening continued with heartfelt sentiments exchanged, and Daniel found himself more and more in his feelings especially as the drinks flowed. He thought he recovered from Pierre’s comments at dinner, but then Seb gave a speech to the rest of grid that brought him to the brink of tears. His mentor’s goodbye made him reflect and contemplate his own journey over the year. Though neither driver would be on the grid next season, Daniel was envious that Seb had the opportunity to leave the sport on his own terms compared to the lack of agency he felt with his tenure with McLaren. Feeling unmoored, you showed up out of nowhere to turn his ship around at the eleventh hour. He wasn’t sure what was next for him, but he knew he couldn’t do it without you by his side. Maybe another drink would take his mind off you.

The night continued, one by one the other drivers called it a night. But Daniel stayed until the wee hours of the morning with some of the younger drivers who had higher tolerances. Lando took note of his teammate’s condition who refused to believe he couldn’t keep up. They hadn’t discussed the elephant in the room, but he could put two and two together even if he didn’t have all the details. You might have been discreet, but Daniel was anything but. He noticed how Daniel perked up just a little on the days you had meetings. He noticed the stupid looks you gave each other, each party oblivious to the other. He noticed all the times you went out with the drivers at Daniel’s invitation, which was surely not in your job description. And right now for whatever reason likely involving you, Daniel was miserable, his melancholia exasperated by alcohol.

“Hey mate, I think it’s time to go back to the hotel,” Lando said as he put an arm around Daniel.

“Nooo, but we’re having fun! For Seb!” Daniel slurred as he held up his drink triumphantly.

“We are having fun, but we have to get up really early. Remember?”

Daniel was too tired to fight back. So he pouted as Lando corralled him into the backseat of the car back to the hotel.

You rolled into Abu Dhabi at 2am. You were exhausted. You had no shame about rocking under eye patches and a face mask mid-flight to at least hopefully make it look like you’d gotten some type of rest over the last two days. Unfortunately, the dark circles that remained begged to differ.

You were in the middle of checking in when you heard commotion in the lobby behind you. You rolled your eyes at the drunks stumbling in, keeping your head down to avoid any interaction.

“That’s it, almost there mate.” You knew that voice. You slowly turned to find Lando struggling to guide a dazed Daniel towards the elevator. You rubbed your eyes and blinked a few times to make sure you were seeing clearly. That made you wake up.

“Lando? Daniel?”

Both drivers looked your way. You suddenly became very aware and self-conscious of your grungy airport outfit: messy bun, no makeup, and full Enchante sweatsuit Daniel had gifted you after Japan. You couldn’t decipher the look Lando gave you that was equal parts relieved and concerned, but Daniel’s face lit up immediately showing off those darn dimples.

“Y/n!”

“Hi. What are you guys doing?” you asked hesitantly. It was mostly directed at Lando since he still had his wits about him, but Daniel answered anyways.

“We had to say goodbye to Seb,” he said solemnly. Lando rolled his eyes seeing the immediate look of concern and confusion on your face.

“Jesus Christ. The guy’s retiring, he didn’t die.”

You gave a polite smile. “I’m sorry, I think I’m missing something.”

“The whole grid had a retirement party for Seb, not a funeral as this one might have you believe. It started with dinner but some guys stayed out and well… he’s just been slightly overserved.” You pursed your lips together to keep from laughing. You could tell Lando’s patience had run thin, but despite his annoyance he had made sure Daniel got back safe which you appreciated.

“Well, thank you for taking care of my client.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m fine,” Daniel slurred a few feet away, leaning against a pillar in the opulent lobby – immediately followed by him almost slipping but quickly catching himself. He smiled again, proud and satisfied with his own rescue effort.

“Right…” you drawled. You turned to the concierge who had been patient and stoic as the scene unfolded. You’d been informed that the hotel catered to Westerners, but you were still cautious being in a country that technically followed Sharia law despite the many exceptions for expats and tourists. “My apologies ma’am, is it ok if I help escort my friend to his room for a moment? I can finish checking in afterwards.”

“Of course Miss l/n. I’ll still be here.” Having the green light to accompany the two boys, you and Lando flanked Daniel linking your arms through his to walk him to the elevator.

“I don’t need help,” *hiccup* “I’m a strong, independent woman,” he said, though he did nothing to resist your assistance.

“You are maybe half of those things,” you retorted.

“That’s being generous, I give him zero out of three,” Lando chimed in.

“Oh be nice, you know you can feel those muscles,” you lightly countered as you gave Daniel’s bicep a quick squeeze. You gave him a tired, playful smile and the look he returned you was so full of adoration it felt like your heart was going to burst at the seams. He leaned his head on your shoulder when you stepped in the elevator and you wished you could put the moment on pause to keep him there a while longer.

“You can’t possibly be referring to these chicken wings,” Lando replied. “Do you have your room key?” Lando asked Daniel, breaking your daze. Daniel shuffled for a second, patting his pockets, then nodding in confirmation. “Good, I’m going to bed.” He pressed the floor for himself, then Daniel’s.

“I’m sorry, what?” Lando gave you a knowing smile.

“I already did 90% of the heavy lifting, I’m sure you can handle it from here.” You shot daggers his way, Daniel still between the two of you, blissfully unaware of your quarrel. “See you in seven hours,” he said as he got off the elevator.

You sighed as the elevator doors closed, leaving the two of you alone. Daniel was too drunk to feel awkward about the predicament given how you last left things, a lazy smile still on his face.

“You called me your friend. To the concierge.”

“I did.”

“I thought I was your client.”

“The two aren’t mutually exclusive.” He hummed in response. The answer seemed to make him happy. His eyes grazed over you, his smile growing.

“You’re wearing my clothes.”

“An astute observation.”

“They look good on you.” The elevator doors opened as a blush crept to your face. You guided him into the hallway and ignored his comment.

“Ok, what number are you?”

“This way,” he said, ignoring your question and yanking you to the right. You kept your arm around him to steady his swaying. You could smell the alcohol coming off him, making you wonder about the events leading up to this but whatever it was wasn’t a conversation for today. He finally stopped in front of a door and fumbled with his pockets. You waited to make sure he could get into his room, but after a minute or two you got concerned.

“I can go back to the concierge to get another key-”

“No, no, I got it.” You watched as he fished it out from the depths of his front pocket, then struggled with getting it to work on the fob.

“Here, let me help you.” Your own patience running low, you took the key from his hands and opened the door. You had planned on finishing your check-in when you knew he made it inside, but felt bad leaving him in the condition he was in. You reasoned that it was to help him avoid a hangover in the morning so that he would be as camera ready as possible for press day, but it was a loose excuse.

You cautiously entered his room and turned on some lights. Your jaw dropped for a moment – his room was at least triple the size of every other hotel room you had stayed at over the course of the season, every detail pristine. You held the door open for him as you ogled in the foyer. He pinballed off the door frame to make his way inside, leaning against the wall across from you. He openly took you in, admiring how his merch hung from your body more perfectly than he ever could have imagined. He didn’t turn away when you returned his gaze.

“Come on let’s get you tucked in, you have a long day tomorrow – or in six and a half hours.” You grabbed his arm again and brought him towards the bed, and he happily followed you like a puppy. You were relieved he was at least cooperating. You sat him down. “Ok sir, where do you keep your pajamas?” He gave you a wicked grin.

“I don’t wear any,” he said shamelessly. You pursed your lips, you knew you walked into that one.

“Of course you don’t. Well when I leave you can get undressed. Just sit tight for a sec.” You opened up the bottle of water by the coffee maker and poured it into a glass. “Here, drink this.” He guzzled the water, so you poured him another. “Good job. How are you feeling?”

“Better now that you’re here.” He showed off his pearly whites with a giant smile, closing his eyes as his head flopped back.

Oh my God, you’re so drunk, you said under your breath. “I’m serious, do you feel nauseous at all? Headache?”

“I’m peachy,” he said as he swung his legs back and forth off the bed. He played with his hands in his lap. Seemingly able to entertain himself at least for a minute, you walked into the bathroom to go through his toiletries to find some Advil and maybe some tums for the morning. When you returned, your patient was already taking off his shirt and had started undoing his belt.

“Woah, woah, woah, slow down there tiger. Why don’t you take two Advil first?”

“I’ll do anything you tell me,” he said before swallowing the pills you handed him. “I’m going to miss you when you leave.” His sudden shift in tone threw you off. You sat down next to him to show your support and solidarity.

“You know you can always call me. It will be like I never left.”

“As a friend?” he asked hopefully. You smiled and put a reassuring hand on his thigh.

“Yes, definitely as a friend.” There was a pause.

“What about as more than a friend?” *hiccup* “Like, afterwards?” You bit your lip, but smiled.

“I think that’s a conversation for another time.”

“You didn’t say no.” You laughed.

“You’re drunk as a skunk and this is the moment you choose to dissect semantics.” He picked up your hand resting on his thigh, bringing it to his lips to kiss without breaking eye contact.

“Enchante.”

“That doesn’t even make sense, but it sure is charming as heck,” you said between laughs. You pulled your hand back and stood up. “On that note, I think you have everything you need so I’m going to head out. You have two more ibuprofen on your nightstand for the morning and two tums in case you get heartburn or an upset stomach. I set your alarm for 8:00 so you can sleep in a little, but still gives you an hour to get ready before you need to head to the paddock. I think it’s ok if you’re fashionably late.” He pouted. “Oh come on now, no need to frown. You get to take off those pants and go to bed. I’m going to go to bed too.”

“You’re sure you don’t want to stay?” He gave the best puppy eyes he could. Matched with his bare torso, six pack on full display, and unbuttoned belt and pants, anyone with a weaker constitution would’ve folded immediately. But at this point you were a trained soldier, the end of your internal battle in sight. You did make one concession though.

Maybe it was impulse. Maybe it was the jet lag. Maybe it was the possibility he wouldn’t remember any of it in the morning. But in a streak of boldness, you brought your hand to the side of his face, feeling the sharpness of his jawline and the texture of his stubble. You bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Maybe next time,” you murmured, your lips ghosting over his.

His eyes were flying saucers when you stood. “Good night, Daniel. Get some rest.”

Despite how tired he was, it was hard for him to fall asleep after that.

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