#dr3 angst

[agentstarkid]

SAUDADE ✦ DR3

“Saudade” is a Portuguese word that carries a profound and complex meaning, often described as a deep emotional state of longing or nostalgia. It transcends mere language; it's a state of being, an emotion that seeps into the soul and lingers like an echo in the heart. It encompasses a mix of emotions, including melancholy, yearning, and a sense of emptiness, often accompanied by fond memories of past experiences or relationships. In the context of love, "saudade" captures the bittersweet essence of missing someone deeply, even when they are physically present or long after they are gone. It is the ache of the heart that comes from loving and losing, a poignant reminder of the depth of connection and the enduring power of love's impact on our lives.

✦ PAIRING: daniel ricciardo x famous!latina!reader

✦ PIT BOARD: social media au | ✦ FC: becky g

✦ TRACK LIMITS: female!reader, latina!reader, age gap, language, lots of angst, heartbreak, drama, internet meanies, mentions of mental health struggles, assholes.

✦ MAY'S RADIO: uh holi, loves 👀 sorry for the delay, but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter 👀 it's a little short but as present for not posting in March, I present to you: a bonus chapter hehe okay, byeeee *runs away as fast as she can*

< previous chapter | series masterlist | general masterlist | next chapter >

JANUARY 1, 2022

yourinstagram

📍 Latinoamérica

liked by danielricciardo, badbunnypr, rubendias and 2,145,873 others

yourinstagram Starting the New Year on a bright note! ✨ Wearing yellow to channel optimism and positive energy as we dive into this new year. 💛 I'm so so so grateful for all the love and support you've shown me throughout the past year and I'm excited to continue this journey together in 2022. Here's to another year of growth, laughter, and cherished memories! Siempre para adelante, mi gente! 🎉

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View all 952.512 comments

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danielricciardo Mi reina ❤️‍🔥

user1 I wanted to take this space to thank you for the happiness you have brought me over the years. Your music or your works of art have been a constant company in moments of joy, sadness and everything in between. Your talent is enormous, but so is your ability to connect with your fans in a unique way. Your humility and gratitude show that, despite the success, you are still a close and authentic person. Thanks for all that you do!

camila_cabello Good god woman have mercy

kylieminogue you are sensationally exquisite 💛✨

xtina my angel ❤️

user2 jawline could cut a diamond 🥶

user3 muy buena artista pero sobrevalorada respecto a su belleza, y no digo que no sea guapa sino sobrevalorada

user4 you could wear the rainbow if you wanted and that would still not make you relevant or give you any talent

user5 she always tries too hard

user6 watch out for Regina George in sheep's clothing

anitta Feliz ano novo para você Rainha 😘

diplo 💛

user7 the fact that they spent new year's day apart and on different sides of the world speaks volumes

user what? that they both wanted to see their families? grow up

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yourinstagram has added to their story!

⥂ translation: Everything I do and comes out of me it's because I'm feeling it, it's okay if no one else feels the same way. Two people can never ever feel the same at the same time.

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JANUARY 16, 2022

danielricciardo

📍 Perth, Australia

liked by yourinstagram, heidiberger_, natalie_pinkham and 1,562 others

danielricciardo Back seat baby seat bangers 🎶

tagged: yourinstagram

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yourinstagram this is all anyone needs to have a great day ❤️ please send me his manager's contact, I've been looking for a male backing vocal for my next album and I think he can be the perfect choice 😌

danielricciardo yourinstagram ah, you see, he's a really sought-after artist so he's super busy. But I know his uncle and he's interested on the job, only thing is that he likes to be paid with kisses 💋😏 yourinstagram danielricciardo tell him to contact me, I think we will be able to work out the payment details soon 😌

yourinstagram btw how is it possible that he's that big now if I saw him like yesterday and he was this 🤏🏽 small 🥺❤️

user1 is the copying the hand movements for me 😂❤️

user2 so this is how Y/N's future is gonna look like 👀

userA all that's missing is the ring 👀 userB yeah danielricciardo stop being lazy my friend 👀

user3 you're gonna be a great dad one day ❤️🥺

♥ yourinstagram has liked this comment

user4 siempre dije que no quiero ser mamá, pero después de ver esto... yourinstagram mi reina quién pudiera ser vos 😮‍💨

user5 coisa mais linda! ❤️

user6 Daniel really sang his heart out to that song lmao

user7 you have really shit taste in music mate

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FEBRUARY 4, 2022

yourinstagram

liked by danielricciardo, keleighteller, natalie_pinkham and 1,238,562 others

yourinstagram Te amo con el alma, porque el alma nunca muere ❤️ happy 2 years, mi Danielito 🥰

⥂ translation: I love you with my whole soul, because the soul never dies ❤️

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View all 19.598 comments

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danielricciardo My forever partner in crime ❤️

user1 cuide a ese hombre yourinstagram, que tu y yo no somos amigas 🫡

user2 oh God I'm so single 😩

mileycyrus so much love and happiness for you both ❤️❤️❤️

user3 THAT LAST PHOTO IT'S GIVING I'D MARRY YOU WITH PAPER RINGS 😭 SO 1 + 1 = THEY ARE GETTING ENGAGED‼️‼️

userA I'm so calling it, it is happening 🤩

user4 LIL BLAKE SIGHTING 😍😍😍

hermusicofficial favs

user5 she was talking seriously when she recorded A mi me gustan mayores 😅

userA será que aplica el "A mí me gustan más grandes. Que no me quepa en la boca..." con él?? 👀👀👀 yourinstagram userA los besos que quiera darme? 👀 sí, aplica 🤭😈 userB OMFG Y/N???!!! LMAOOO iamdannaschwarz yourinstagram that's enough internet for you today 🙅🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

chloestroll did he really cook? 😂

yourinstagram chloestroll he did! and it was really good actually 🥰 I felt ✨spoiled✨

oliviarodrigo mom and dad 💜

user6 the first pic is making me feel something. i don't know how to put that something into words though 🥵 *bi panics*

userA JUST A BIG FUCKING OOF I GUESS 🥵 userB they served cunt as per usual userC I grunted and groaned and moaned 🫠😩

user7 I'm so tired of them omg yeah, you're "in love", we see you, now stop shoving it at our faces every chance you have 🙄

fioamato congrats Sandy and Danny 😜💖

iamdannaschwarz Baby and Danny 😜💖 itsvittoriasousa nah, more like Troy and Gabriella landonorris Belle and the Beast 😜 yourinstagram landonorris aww did littol landow nowis just called me beautiful? 👀😊 landonorris nvm I take it back. Fiona and Shrek* 😌 yourinstagram landonorris well that makes you the donkey 😂

user8 every time I remember that there's a 9 year gap between them I wanna puke 🤮

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danielricciardo

liked by yourinstagram, martingarrix, landonorris and 1,562 others

danielricciardo happy 2 years mi vida ❤️

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View all 2.689 comments

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user "mi vida" brb gonna go chew on a live wire 😭

yourinstagram let's do this for a lifetime ❤️♾️

danielricciardo you have yourself a deal, Chip ❤️

user2 hey God, it's me again...

martingarrix ❤️❤️❤️

user3 these adorable videos ending with daniel squeezing y/n's butt is so dan-y/n core 🥹😝

marcusstoinis congrats, lovebirds ❤️

user4 did they leave their own love lock on the fence? 🥹😭

userA I don't think we'll ever find it, but I'm sure they did 😭

landonorris congrats on putting up with him this long yourinstagram ❤️

joshallenqb 🍾❤️

user5 somethin something "find a beautiful love, make sure they know they are your morning light" playing while the sunset iluminates her and cutting to "and that you'll never let go till the day that you die" while he has his arms around her 😭😭😭

userA THIS HERE IS LOVE 😭 THIS HERE IS LIFE 😭 userB something something he's got a tattoo of that song's title 😭 userC somebody get me a fucking doctor I feel like my heart is about to burst

scottyjames31 my favorite celebrity couple 😌

caamp we love you guys ❤️

user5 grandpa copping a feel 🤢

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FEBRUARY 10, 2022

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FEBRUARY 22, 2022

yourinstagram has added to their story!

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MARCH 8, 2022

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MARCH 9, 2022

danielricciardo

liked by mclaren, georgerussell63, heidi_berger and 584,981 others

danielricciardo Better this week than next… Unfortunate to miss the test, but I’m starting to feel better. I’ll stay isolated and just focus on next weekend. Big thanks to Lando & McLaren for the heavy lifting, I owe you some beers (milk for Lando). Appreciate the well wishes from everyone as well.

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View all 164.254 comments

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landonorris get well soon mate!

georgerussell63 speedy recovery danny ric 💪🏻

user did you and Y/N broke up??? please tell me it's a lie

user2 Y/N hasn't liked nor comment yet and it's been 2 whole days since he posted this

userA why whould she? they are quarantining together, she doesn't need to comment or liked every single post he makes. They are probably sitting side by side right now userB userA there's actually rumours that she was seen leaving the hotel in a rush yesterday and fans are already speculating if they broke up

user3 I hope you feel better soon Dan! I know we all wish to see you in action next weekend!!

user4 "milk for Lando" lmaooo i love them your honor <3

user5 this is your year mate don't let any setbacks bring you down 💪🏻

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MARCH 18, 2022

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MARCH 25, 2022

f1wags

liked by 3,474 others

f1wags It seems Danny Ricc has moved on quickly 👀 Just after a week since the confirmation of his break up with Y/N, a few fans have reported sightings of the driver with actress Heidi Berger —who has been linked to him a few times these past months— around Monaco.

The blonde is the daughter of former Austrian F1 driver Gerhard Berger and former Portuguese model Ana Corvo.

This love triangle drama just keeps getting juicier and more complicated! 🔥 What are you thoughts, did the Aussie cheated on his ex-girlfriend as some people say? Did he moved on too fast? or did he do the right thing? Let us know in the comments!

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View all 55 comments

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user I actually feel bad for Y/N, not a fan of hers at all but it must be hard to see the man you were talking of marriage with a month ago, move on from your relationship so quickly and easily. if it were me in her shoes, I know it'd really mess my head up 😕

user2 idc if he'd not been with Heidi physically while being with Y/N, it's still treason to be emotionally involved with someone else while you're in a relationship. I believe he already had feelings for Heidi while still being with Y/N because how the fuck can you move on from a whole 2-year relationship in two weeks?? I only hope Y/N is doing okay and that she gets to heal and find someone better for her 😞

user3 you can try to defend him with all the arguments you can think of but at the end of the day, he is still just a rich man. It's funny how you've been all pointing fingers at the innocent while playing lawyer to the guilty.

user4 I'm a Danny Ricc fan but I think this was too fast too soon, at least have some respect for your ex who stood by your side through the highs and lows of the past years, smh so disappointed

user5 Get over it already! He moved on to someone better, as he should. Let the poor man alone! He's been single for weeks! He's allowed to see anyone he wants! Stop whining about it, Y/N just wasn't enough, as simple as that 🤷🏽‍♀️

user6 I'm actually super worried for him, he's not himself lately. Just a few weeks ago he was calling Y/N the love of his life and now this? All jokes aside, I think he's self-sabotaging. He looks like a shell of his old-self, he is not smiling as bright as before, he's super quiet now and if you pay attention to him during interviews, he fidgets a lot and sounds so insecure when asked about his driving. GO TO THERAPY BABE!!!

userA you are reaching, babe! lmaoooo he's fine, he just got tired of that snake 🤪

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APRIL 2, 2022

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APRIL 4, 2022

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APRIL 22, 2022

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MAY 3, 2022

danielricciardo

liked by corey_wilson, michaelitaliano, mclaren and 269,852 others

danielricciardo Miami. We made it.

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View all 658.214 comments

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user i guess this is the confirmation we've been waiting for

user2 how can you move on from a 2 year relationship so fast??

user3 ugh men are so fucking unbelievable

userA jokes on all those whiny fangirls of his, turns out it wasn't he who deserved better, it was HER.

user4 he is a joke just like his driving lmao

user5 Heidi is so much better than that wannabe singer, she was just a plaything for him 🤣

user6 I'm so glad you opened up your eyes daniel

user7 so all those rumours have been true smh y'all were attacking Y/N nonestop for the smallest interactions with the opposite sex, and none of those rumours proved to be true but I'm not seeing the same energy directed towards him now that the rumours about him were actually true!

user8 I just know that the break up album is gonna be a banger 🔥🤪

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MAY 10, 2022

yourinstagram has added to their story!

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JUNE 19, 2022

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⇥ youtube search: falling (harry & y/n's duet version) - love on tour, london night 1

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JUNE 22, 2022

yourinstagram

liked by markhoppus, phoebebridgers, rubendias and 2,145,873 others

yourinstagram burned other memories just to make room for these ones 🎞️❤️‍🔥

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View all 75.364 comments

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user HI MOTHER!! WELCOME BACK WE MISSED YOU ❤️❤️❤️

user1 we love to see you living your best life!!! 🥰

user2 Can't wait to listen to the full version of the song she plays on the last slide 🤩

userA Daniel Ricciardo is shaking in his boots right now 🤪

machinegunkelly 🖤🥀🤘🏼

user3 🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍🐍

markhoppus kid what are you holding on your lap and why it isn't on my liquor shelf yet? 🤨

yourintagram sorry dad 😔 it's on its way to your doorstep right now 🤪 skyehoppus yourintagram make sure you are also included on the package arriving at our door, it's been too long honey ❤️ userA “dad”??? she knows mark hoppus?? what did i miss?? 😳 userB userA they have an on-going joke that mark found her wandering around and adopted her as one of the few blink-182's children along alex gaskarth and jack barakat from all time low 😂 she's super close with his family, too! I remember she collab on a song with him, but they didn't released it and then it got leaked, she did play it at a couple of concerts tho userC userB is it 'thank you & goodnight'? 👀 userB userC YES! I miss her pop-punk era 😔 that version she did of 'little lion man' was soooo good!!

user4 Baby Iza is on her way to hit a bitch (Daniel)

alexalbon I like pizza too 👀🍕

lilymhe sorry baby, bad bitches only 💅🏻

user5 OMG OMG WE'VE GOT HARRY, TAYLOR AND Y/N IN ONE POST?! THE HOLY TRINITY RIGHT THERE 😍

harrystyles ❤️

user6 I've got my two mothers in one photo 😭❤️

taylorswift Ms. Falls-a-lot 👻❤️

yourinstagram I swear I'm gonna scare you too next time 🙄😂

lilymhe walking among legends on this post 🙇🏻‍♀️ #blessed 🙏🏻

user6 I'm so happy that she's finally back ❤️ we need to flood her comment section with love 🥰

user7 Drama queen of this generation. Always playing the victim & tricking people into thinking that she's a mental health advocate. You're way too far from that. Cancel her 👍🏻🐍

user8 the caption: ICONIC 🔥

userA the taxi driver is twisting on his grave 😂🤪

user9 the old Y/N can't come to the phone right now, why? Oh 'cause she's DEAD! 😎

user10 most untalented celeb ever

fioamato where was my invitation? 🤨 yourinstagram iamdannaschwarz

iamdannaschwarz you got one, you just decided to ditch us for mr. i-have-an-art-gallery 🤨 yourinstagram iamdannaschwarz yessss expose her, dannita! 🤭 No te hagas de la víctima, mi corazón. We've got the receipts 😎🧾 fioamato I hate you both 🙄

user11 you should be ashamed to post a photo holding a tequila bottle when so many young people follow you. You should be a role model to them, not another alcoholic celebrity 🙄

user12 babygirl I hope you are doing better and feeling great! You deserve so much more ❤️

userA she's as fabulous as ever while he's floping big time, I call that karma 💅 userB not many people know how to truly appreciate the unique sazón and sabor of a Latina 🔥 homeboy couldn't handle the heat 🤭

user13 I know that album is gonna be 🔥🔥🔥

user14 attention seeker no wonder you always get dump for someone better

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JUNE 30, 2022

Video — CLEAN SHEET KINGS | STONES & DIAS

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─── Please don't forget to reblog and/or comment! ♡

[wcters]

𝗜 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨, 𝗜’𝗠 𝗦𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗬

pairing: lando norris x fem!singer!reader

summary: the falling out of one of formula one’s favourite couple

warnings: angst, cheating, get ready to get angryyyy, swearing, some crack, lando is the bad guy in this (sorry) | faceclaim is gracie abrams (my girl), this was honestly soo fun to write, let me know if you want a part two…. and if it should be with lando or someone else 😙😙

f1gossip

liked by user1, user2, and 24,973 others

f1gossip lando norris seen out a club in monaco with a mysterious women. is there trouble in paradise between lando norris and his current girlfriend, y/n y/l/n?

view all 126 comments

user1 ummm what?

user2 lando . . . what did you do

user3 i cant defend this one

user4 did they break up??

↳ user5 i kind of hope he did or else he’s cheating on her

user6 this HAS TO be a prank

user7 rue… when was this?

user8 if they broke up, WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH BERNIE

↳ user9 who’s bernie?

↳ user8 their dog, cutest thing ever

yourusername

liked by lilymhe, alexandrasaintmleux, and 545,973 others

yourusername i miss you, i’m sorry out now 🤍 i poured my heart and soul, and some tears, into this song. hope you all like it❤️‍🩹

view all 2,375 comments

user1 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN

user2 lando when i catch you lando

lilymhe so proud of you ❤️

user4 is this confirmation they broke up??

alexandrasaintmleux truly a piece of art 💞 always here

francisca.cgomes you’re so brave ❤️ missing you

user5 y/n you’re breaking my heart

danielricciardo we’ve all got your back ❤️

↳ heidiberger_ hell yeah we do!

user6 what do lily’s and daniel’s comments mean?

f1gossip

liked by user1, user2, and 34,901 others

f1gossip lando norris seen with the same mysterious girl from the night out in monaco in the paddock. is it over between lando and y/n?

view all 275 comments

user1 did you guys see the looks of disgust from the girls

↳ user2 they were planning on how to kill him

user3 he really fucked this one up

user4 y/n was there too but with daniel at his garage this time

↳ user5 he’s such a good friend to her

↳ user6 she avoided the mclaren garage at all times 😭 she’s obviously so heartbroken. and there was so many times where the girls were hugging her

user7 so is this conformation??

landonorris added to their story!

yourusername posted to their story!

yourspam

liked by artsyfartsyalex, totallynotdaniel, and 23 others

yourspam at least breaking up with someone creates a good album . . . but what was that fake ass story?

view all 17 comments

artsyfartyalex oh jolie fille ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

totallynotdaniel let’s run him over

↳ yourusername DANNY NO

↳ totallynotdaniel DANNY YES

professionalchili baby 😢😢 we can send the cats after him

↳ lilyswag we totally can

↳ yourusername you don’t need to, just let me see them againnn

smoothoperator i’m prepared to push him out of the next race

↳ tposebrat same

↳ lilyswag same

↳ simbasmom same

↳ yourusername girl 💀 you can’t drive an f1 car

↳ simbasmom i can find a way

nascarpastry sincerely apologize for my teammate

↳ yourusername you are too sweet 🥺 thank you oscar

berniethedog flame his ass

↳ yourusername daniel is this you?

↳ berniethedog noooo

newgirlfriend

liked by landonorris, user1, and 204,863 others

newgirlfriend this happens once every few lifetimes 🤍

view all 847 comments

user1 she did not….

user2 😐😐😐

landonorris 🖤

user3 not the black and white hearts…. she’s literally trying to copy y/n with the white and hearts…. and he’s playing along

danielricciardo 🤨🤨🤨

↳ user4 he’s thinking the same thing we are

↳ user5 on the public account too

user6 daniel is so real for that reaction

user7 i feel so bad for y/n, first the breakup and then this

youusername

liked by danielricciardo, landonorris, 809,768 others

yourusername good riddance coming to you in 5 days🤍 this was written with all my emotion and love and heartbreak. big thank you to my friends and family for being by my side through this, especially daniel and heidi for being my number one fans. i love you both so much 😭😭

view all 2,634 comments

danielricciardo streaming it right when it’s out!

user1 lando norris is my opp

user2 i’m not ready 😭😭😭

user3 i know he said it was mutual but her lyrics say different…

alexandrasaintmleux me, charles and leo are streaming it now!

user4 my heart is actually breaking with these lyrics

user5 “and i swear to god, i’d kill you if i loved you less hard” BABE

lilymhe beautiful ❤️

oscarpiastri great album!

↳ user6 he’s so awkward 😭

↳ user7 he’s got the spirit though

user8 even oscar’s on y/n’s side

user9 if you look at the credits for 405 it mentions daniel as a guitarist 😭😭 they love each other so much

newgirlfriend so good!

do not answer ‼️

do not answer ‼️

hey, can we talk?

[pineappleciders]

[its-avalon-08]

laughed it off (dr3)

✦ summary - y/n overhears danny's friends being mean about her and danny just laughs along.

✦ pairing - daniel ricciardo x female!reader

✦ genre - angst, tears, fluffy ending

The sun was shining brightly as Daniel Ricciardo and his girlfriend, Y/N, enjoyed a perfect day on a luxurious yacht with a few of Daniel's close friends. The group was lively, laughter echoing across the deck as the boat sailed smoothly through the sparkling blue water.

Y/N, as usual, was at the center of the energy, cracking jokes, dancing to the music, and playfully splashing water at Daniel. Her infectious spirit matched Daniel's own perfectly—they were a dynamic duo, known for their shared enthusiasm and zest for life.

“C’mon, Danny, let’s see those dance moves!” Y/N teased, tugging at his hand to pull him onto the makeshift dance floor at the back of the yacht.

Daniel laughed, letting himself be pulled along. “You sure you’re ready to be out-danced by an Aussie, babe?” he teased back.

“Oh, please! I’ve seen you dance, remember?” Y/N winked at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

As they danced, one of Daniel’s friends, a guy Y/N hadn’t met until today, leaned over to the others and whispered something. Y/N couldn’t quite hear, but she noticed Daniel glance in their direction, his usual wide grin dimming slightly.

Feeling a bit parched, Y/N decided to grab a drink and headed toward the small bar set up near the front of the yacht. As she reached for a glass, she overheard a snippet of the conversation Daniel’s friends were having behind her, not realizing she was within earshot.

"Man, she's exhausting, isn't she?" one of them muttered, just loud enough for Y/N to hear. "Can she ever sit still? I don't know how you put up with it, Dan."

Another friend chuckled, adding, "Yeah, it's like she's always on a sugar rush or something. Must be draining to be around that all the time."

Y/N froze, her hand gripping the glass tightly as her heart plummeted. She felt like someone had just punched her in the gut. They were talking about her. Her, the girl who had thought she was fitting in perfectly with Daniel's friends, being the life of the party. But now, all she could feel was a wave of humiliation crashing over her.

She glanced over at Daniel, hoping—praying—he would say something, defend her, tell them they were wrong. But instead, she saw him chuckle softly, looking a bit awkward but not saying anything to counter their remarks.

It was as if the ground had slipped out from beneath her. Her mind raced, trying to process what she had just heard and what it meant. Did Daniel really feel the same way? Was she too much? Was her energy that overwhelming?

She quickly composed herself, forcing a smile as she approached the group. Daniel noticed her coming and smiled at her, his eyes full of the usual warmth that always made her feel safe. But now, that warmth felt like a burning sting, a reminder of the words she had just overheard.

“Hey, babe,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady, “I think I might need to sit this one out. I’m feeling a little queasy… Must be the sun.”

Daniel’s smile faltered with concern. “You okay, love? Do you need anything?”

“No, no, I’ll be fine,” she assured him quickly, avoiding his gaze. “Just need to lie down for a bit.”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and made her way to the lower deck, her heart heavy with a sadness she hadn’t felt in a long time.

time skip

Y/N couldn’t get off the yacht fast enough. She managed to keep a neutral expression during the ride home, but the moment she walked through the front door of their apartment, her carefully held composure began to crumble.

Maybe I am too much… Maybe I should tone it down… The thoughts whirled in her mind as she numbly kicked off her shoes and headed to the bedroom. Normally, she would have felt a twinge of guilt for leaving a gathering so abruptly, but all she felt now was a deep ache in her chest. She pulled out her laptop, trying to lose herself in work, anything to distract her from the sinking feeling in her heart.

The hours ticked by slowly, and before long, she heard the familiar sound of the front door opening. Daniel was home. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the encounter.

“Y/N, I’m back!” Daniel’s voice was full of its usual cheer as he walked into the bedroom, expecting to see her bounding over to him with one of her trademark hugs and kisses. But instead, he found her sitting up in bed, her laptop on her lap, staring intently at the screen.

She glanced up at him and gave a small, forced smile. “Hey,” she said softly before returning her attention to the screen. “Just finishing up some work stuff.”

Daniel frowned, his heart sinking a little. That’s… different. Usually, Y/N would leap up and throw her arms around him, peppering his face with kisses and asking him about his day with an enthusiasm that always lifted his spirits. But tonight, there was none of that. Just a quick smile and back to work.

“You okay?” he asked, trying to sound casual as he approached the bed.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she replied, her voice too calm, too controlled. “Just a bit tired.”

Daniel studied her for a moment, noticing how she avoided eye contact. Something’s off. But he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. She wasn’t usually this distant.

“Alright,” he said slowly, leaning in to kiss the top of her head, but she barely reacted, just nodding absently as she continued to type away.

She must really be tired, he thought, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling settling in his chest. But it didn’t go away.

Later, as they both got ready for bed, the sense of wrongness only grew stronger. They usually had fun together during their nighttime routine, making goofy faces in the mirror or playfully shoving each other out of the way for space at the sink. But tonight, Y/N was eerily quiet, methodically brushing her teeth and washing her face without any of the usual banter. Daniel tried to catch her eye, to get her to laugh or smile, but she seemed lost in her thoughts, distant in a way that made his stomach twist uncomfortably.

What happened today? he wondered as he watched her move about the room. He wanted to ask, to push for answers, but something told him now wasn’t the time. He didn’t want to pressure her if she wasn’t ready to talk.

When they finally climbed into bed, Daniel reached out to pull her into his arms like he did every night. But to his surprise, Y/N turned the other way, her back to him.

“Goodnight,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

“Goodnight,” Daniel replied, though his voice was thick with confusion. What’s going on?

As Y/N lay there, facing away from him, she stared blankly at the wall, her mind replaying the cruel words she had overheard on the yacht. Her chest tightened with each memory, the laughter, the dismissive comments, and worst of all, Daniel’s silence. How can he just laugh along? Do they all think that about me? Does he? The questions spun endlessly in her mind, each one cutting deeper than the last.

Daniel lay beside her, staring up at the ceiling, his heart heavy with worry. Something’s really wrong. I just don’t know what. He desperately wanted to reach out to her, to hold her, but the way she had pulled away made him hesitate. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to bridge the sudden gap between them.

The silence stretched on between them, filled with unspoken words and unresolved hurt. Neither of them slept easily that night.

time skip

Daniel woke up to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains, his hand instinctively reaching out for Y/N’s warm body beside him. But instead of finding her curled up against him as she usually was, his hand met cold, empty sheets. He blinked, groggy with sleep, his heart sinking as he registered the emptiness beside him. Where is she?

Yawning, he sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. It wasn’t like Y/N to be up before him, especially on a weekend. They usually spent the morning lazing around in bed, entangled in each other, exchanging lazy kisses and talking about everything and nothing. But today, the bed felt too big, too empty.

He stumbled out of the bedroom, still half-asleep, and made his way to the living room, where he heard the familiar clinking of a spoon against a coffee mug. Y/N was standing by the kitchen counter, freshly showered, her hair still damp and clinging to her neck. She was wearing her running clothes, and Daniel realized with a pang that she must have gone for a run—something she usually only did later in the day, if at all.

“Morning,” she said, glancing up at him with a small, polite smile before turning back to her coffee.

Daniel frowned, the unease from last night gnawing at him again. No morning kiss, no joke about me being the sleepyhead… He missed the way she usually greeted him, bounding over with her signature enthusiasm and peppering his face with kisses until he was fully awake.

“Morning,” he replied, his voice laced with confusion as he walked over to her. “You’ve been out running?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. “Just needed to clear my head a bit.”

Daniel leaned against the counter, searching her face for any sign of what was wrong, but she kept her eyes trained on her mug, avoiding his gaze. Clear her head? Since when does she need to do that alone? He watched her carefully, noting how different she seemed—quieter, more subdued.

Usually, their mornings were filled with light-hearted banter, Y/N teasing him about his bedhead or him playfully tugging at her clothes as they tried to decide who got the shower first. Today, though, there was none of that. Just a few polite exchanges before Y/N quietly went back to whatever she was doing, leaving Daniel feeling more lost than ever.

Later, as they sat down for breakfast, Daniel noticed how Y/N barely spoke. She ate quietly, not her usual animated self who would chat non-stop about random topics or playfully steal food off his plate. When she finished, she simply got up, rinsed her plate, and headed to the living room without a word, leaving him alone at the table. This isn’t right. She’s never like this.

He followed her into the living room, where she had already settled on the couch with her laptop, focusing on some work. Normally, Sunday mornings were their time to cuddle up together and watch silly TV shows, often forgetting about the world outside. But today, Y/N was distant, absorbed in her work and not giving him the usual attention that he had come to cherish. Daniel sat down beside her, hoping she’d lean into him like she always did, but instead, she shifted slightly away, her focus still on the screen.

“Wanna watch something?” Daniel asked, trying to sound upbeat.

Y/N looked up briefly, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “Maybe later, I’ve got a lot to finish.”

Later? Daniel thought, the word stinging more than it should have. He leaned back into the couch, feeling the distance between them growing, an invisible barrier he didn’t know how to break.

As the day wore on, Daniel kept trying to bring her back, suggesting they go out for lunch or do something fun together, but each time, Y/N politely declined, claiming she was tired or had things to do. Every attempt he made to connect with her was met with that same polite, distant response, and it was driving him crazy.

This is not us. What happened? He replayed their last few days in his mind, searching for anything that could have caused this sudden change, but he couldn’t pinpoint it. It was like she had just pulled away overnight, and he had no idea why.

By the time evening rolled around, the tension between them was palpable. Daniel couldn’t take it anymore. They were usually inseparable, laughing and joking even after long days, but now it felt like they were miles apart, even sitting on the same couch.

As Y/N stood up to put away her laptop, Daniel finally spoke, his voice tight with the anxiety that had been building inside him all day. “Y/N, we have to talk.”

Y/N froze, her back to him, her hands trembling slightly as she placed the laptop on the table. She had been dreading this moment, knowing that Daniel would eventually confront her about her behavior. But how could she explain the hurt she felt, the betrayal that had been gnawing at her since she overheard those cruel words?

She turned slowly to face him, her heart pounding in her chest, knowing she couldn’t keep avoiding this conversation. The look on Daniel’s face—the worry, the confusion—made her want to cry, but she held it in, biting her lip to keep her emotions at bay.

Daniel could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he watched Y/N stand there, her back still partially turned to him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside him. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he needed to understand what was going on.

“Y/N,” he began, his voice softer now, “what’s wrong? Please, talk to me. I feel like you’re a million miles away.”

Y/N took a shaky breath, trying to hold herself together. She didn’t want to cry, didn’t want to let the emotions she had been bottling up spill over, but the concern in Daniel’s voice was too much. She turned around fully, her eyes locking with his, and in that moment, the dam broke.

“Daniel, I—I can’t keep pretending like everything’s okay,” she said, her voice trembling. “I heard them. I heard what your friends said about me on the yacht.”

Daniel’s stomach dropped as her words registered. “What? What did they say?”

“They… they called me exhausting,” Y/N choked out, tears welling up in her eyes. “They said I’m too much, that I never sit still. And you… you just laughed along, Daniel. You didn’t say anything.”

Daniel felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He remembered the conversation now, the way his friends had made those offhanded comments, but at the time, he hadn’t thought much of it. I didn’t think it mattered. I didn’t think she heard.

“Oh, Y/N,” he whispered, stepping closer to her, reaching out to hold her, but she took a step back, shaking her head as tears spilled down her cheeks.

“No, Daniel. You don’t understand. That hurt. So much,” she cried, her voice breaking. “I thought I was fitting in, I thought they liked me. But to hear them say that… And then to see you just… go along with it? It broke my heart.”

Daniel’s eyes filled with tears as he watched her break down, each of her words cutting deeper into him. He had never seen her like this, so vulnerable, so broken, and it shattered him to know he had a part in causing it.

“Y/N, I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion. “I swear, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t think… I should have said something. I should have defended you. But I didn’t think they were serious. I didn’t think it would hurt you like this.”

“That’s the problem, Daniel!” Y/N exclaimed, her voice rising with the pain she had been holding back. “You didn’t think. You didn’t think about how it would make me feel, how it would tear me apart to hear the people you care about think so little of me. And you just stood there, laughing with them, like it was okay.”

Daniel’s heart ached as he saw the tears streaming down her face, the hurt in her eyes so raw, so deep. “Y/N, you have to believe me, I love you just the way you are,” he pleaded, his voice cracking. “You’re not too much for me. You’re everything. I love your energy, your spirit. It’s what drew me to you in the first place. I don’t want you to change. Not for them, not for anyone.”

“But you didn’t say that,” she whispered, her voice so quiet it was almost drowned out by her sobs. “You didn’t say anything. And now I feel like… like I’m too much, even for you. I feel like I don’t belong, like I’m just a burden.”

“No, no,” Daniel shook his head frantically, desperate to make her understand. “You’re not a burden, Y/N. You’re my everything. I should have stood up for you. I should have told them how amazing you are, how much you mean to me. I’m so sorry I let you down. Please, don’t think for a second that you’re too much for me.”

Y/N’s knees gave out, and she sank to the floor, burying her face in her hands as sobs wracked her body. “It just hurt so much, Daniel. I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never felt so… unwanted.”

Daniel was on the floor beside her in an instant, pulling her into his arms despite her initial resistance. He held her tightly, his own tears falling freely now as he pressed his lips to the top of her head.

“You are wanted, Y/N,” he whispered fiercely, his voice thick with emotion. “You are loved. I love you. I need you. I’m so sorry I made you feel this way. I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you from that. I never wanted to make you feel unwanted or unloved. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I can’t stand the thought of you doubting that.”

Y/N clung to him, her tears soaking his shirt as she cried out all the pain and hurt she had been holding inside. Daniel rocked her gently, whispering apologies and reassurances, his heart breaking with every sob that escaped her lips.

“I’m here, love,” he whispered, kissing her hair, her forehead, anywhere he could reach. “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll do better, I promise. I’ll never let you feel like this again.”

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, tangled together on the floor, holding onto each other as if their lives depended on it. The weight of the day’s hurtful words slowly lifted as Daniel poured his heart out to her, begging for her forgiveness, for a chance to make things right.

And in that moment, Y/N knew that despite the pain, despite the heartbreak, Daniel’s love was real. She could feel it in the way he held her, in the way he whispered her name like it was the most precious thing in the world. But the hurt was still there, lingering beneath the surface, a reminder that words—whether spoken or left unsaid—had the power to break even the strongest of hearts.

time skip

After what felt like hours of clinging to each other on the floor, Daniel and Y/N finally moved to the couch. The exhaustion from the emotional storm that had passed left them both drained, but neither could bear to be apart. Y/N nestled into Daniel's side, her head resting on his chest as his arms wrapped securely around her. The room was quiet now, the only sound being their slow, steady breathing as they tried to find some semblance of peace in each other’s embrace.

Y/N’s eyes fluttered closed, but her mind was still racing. The warmth of Daniel’s body against hers was comforting, but the memories of the hurtful words she had heard kept playing in her mind. Yet, she could also feel the sincerity in Daniel’s touch, the way his hands never stopped moving, as if he were afraid to let her go. She could tell he was struggling too, and that realization tugged at her heart.

As they lay there, the silence between them filled with unspoken apologies and lingering pain, Y/N suddenly felt something wet against her temple. She shifted slightly, tilting her head up to see Daniel’s face, and her heart clenched at the sight of tears streaming down his cheeks. His usually bright eyes were glassy, the usual spark in them dimmed by guilt and sorrow.

“Danny?” she whispered, concern flooding her voice.

Daniel didn’t respond right away, his jaw clenched as he tried to keep his emotions in check, but the tears kept coming, no matter how hard he tried to stop them. His grip on her tightened as if holding her close would somehow undo the pain he had caused.

Without thinking, Y/N climbed onto his lap, straddling him so she could face him fully. She cupped his face in her hands, her thumbs brushing away the tears that continued to fall. The sight of him like this—so broken, so vulnerable—made her chest ache. She had never seen him cry like this before, and it tore at her heartstrings in a way she couldn’t describe.

“Danny, please,” she murmured, her voice soft and pleading. “Don’t cry.”

But Daniel shook his head, his tears blurring his vision as he looked at her. “I’m so sorry, Y/N,” he choked out, his voice thick with anguish. “I’m so, so sorry. I can’t believe I hurt you like that. I should’ve stopped them. I should’ve told them to shut up. You didn’t deserve any of that, and I just… I failed you.”

“Danny…” Y/N’s voice broke as she tried to comfort him, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she leaned in, pressing her forehead against his, their breaths mingling as they both tried to steady themselves.

“I love you so much,” Daniel continued, his voice cracking with each word. “You’re the most important person in my life, and I hate myself for making you feel anything less than that. You’re perfect just the way you are, Y/N. I don’t want you to change, not ever. I’m so sorry I let you down. Please, please forgive me.”

Y/N felt tears welling up in her own eyes again, her heart breaking all over at the sheer desperation in his voice. She could see how much this was tearing him apart, how much he regretted what had happened, and it made her realize that he was hurting just as much as she was.

“Danny,” she whispered, her voice trembling as she gently kissed his forehead, then his cheeks, tasting the salt of his tears on her lips. “I know you’re sorry. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. I forgive you, okay? I forgive you.”

Daniel let out a shaky breath, his hands coming up to cradle her face as if he were afraid she might slip away. “I don’t deserve you,” he murmured, his voice filled with raw emotion. “I don’t deserve how understanding you are, how forgiving. I don’t deserve you.”

“Don’t say that,” Y/N replied, her voice firm despite the tears threatening to spill over. “You’re everything to me, Danny. I’m not perfect, and neither are you, but we’re perfect for each other. And that’s all that matters. We’ll get through this, okay? Together.”

Daniel nodded, his lips trembling as he pulled her closer, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “I love you so much,” he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. “I’ll do anything to make this right. I just need you to know that I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. You’re my whole world, Y/N.”

Y/N tightened her hold on him, her fingers threading through his hair as she held him close. “I love you too, Danny,” she whispered back, her voice thick with emotion. “And I’m here too. We’ll be okay. We will.”

For a long moment, they just held each other, their tears mingling as they clung to the comfort of being together, of knowing that despite everything, their love was strong enough to weather the storm. Slowly, the tension between them began to ease, replaced by the quiet reassurance that they had each other, and that was enough.

As they sat there, wrapped in each other’s arms, Daniel pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, his tears finally beginning to subside. “Thank you,” he murmured, his voice barely audible. “Thank you for forgiving me. I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you never doubt how much you mean to me.”

Y/N nodded, her own tears finally slowing as she felt the sincerity in his words. “Just don’t ever shut me out again,” she whispered. “We’re in this together, Danny. Always.”

“Always,” Daniel echoed, his voice filled with a promise as he kissed her gently, sealing the words between them.

[formula1au]

daniel ricciardo x gf!reader texts pt2

summary: you and daniel after his retirement

[rex-rambles]

➤ HELLO DARLIN' (SMAU + FIC)

pairing: daniel ricciardo x countrysinger!reader

summary: you and daniel have a falling out - can an old loretta lynn song bring you back together? (inspired by 'Hello Darlin' by Loretta Lynn)

wc: 1.6 k

warnings: angst with a happy ending :) faceclaim: megan moroney

➤ MASTERLIST

Liked by kelseaballerini, dollyparton, and 1,361,092 others

yourusername Thank you, Nashville! Needed some of that hometown healing

↳ kelseaballerini 💙 💙 💙

↳ yourusername my favourite VIP

↳ fan54 seeing you live was unreal!! missing you already

liked by yourusername

↳ fan105 anyone notice Daniel wasn't in attendance??

↳ fan29 he's at the Singapore Grand Prix

↳ fan243 he didn't even like the post

f1gossip Fans noticed that Daniel Ricciardo and long-term partner @/yourusername have unfollowed each other on Instagram.

↳ mclar_win NO, PLEASE NO

↳ fan105 Daniel has to be in the wrong here, the songs she wrote for him were so sweet

↳ fan29 the break-up songs are going to be next level

↳ f1-fanatic so you're telling me he's single

↳ fan12 so you're telling me SHE'S single!!

_

_

Liked by kelseaballerini, zachlanebryan, and 1,418,122 others

yourusername I promise I'm getting work done this week, just you wait

��� kelseaballerini recording? without me?

↳ yourusername you know you're always welcome 🫶

↳ zachlanebryan can you come open the studio door?

↳ fan44 OH MY GOD

↳ fan243 the collab I have been WAITING for

↳ fan98 stay away from her

Liked by yourusername, kelseaballerini, and others

triple_j On this weeks 'Like a Version', country singer @/yourusername puts her own spin on Loretta Lynn's 'Hello Darlin'. Giving us a behind-the-scenes look at why she chose the song, she explained that her love for old country songs, and her own overuse of the word darling, made it a perfect fit. Only this time, she isn't the one apologizing - the listener should be. 

↳ kelseaballerini you're so talented, I can't believe you @/yourusername

↳ yourusername it was an honour to sing with y'all!!

↳ fan98 you can't tell me this isn't about Daniel. 

↳ fan243 I'd bet real money on it

_

_

You were aware it was all a matter of circumstance. The wrong words, the wrong day, the wrong emotions. It had felt like the past month of your relationship with Daniel, he'd been pushing you away, devoting himself to his racing with a vigour you'd never seen before, forgetting every other responsibility he had. 

Then, one random Tuesday afternoon, it had all snapped. All the years you spent together turned into one sentence: 

"Who cares about your music?" 

You were aware it was all a matter of circumstance, but that didn't make it sting any less. Daniel had tried to backpedal, to apologize, but the worst was done. Until he could get his head out of his ass and realize what he was doing to the people around him, you weren't going to be a part of it. 

Didn't mean you didn't miss him any less. Kelsea had stayed up with you at ungodly hours of the night as you poured your heart out to her, how the man who meant so much to you had changed. She'd been the one to show you that he'd been dropped from F1, that he was retiring, and the world slowed a little, and started to make sense. 

Sitting here, waiting for him now, you wonder why he didn't say anything. He'd been racing a long time, sure, but look at Fernando - who knows the age limits of F1 drivers. It had never occurred to you that he was working so hard to save his seat, but that still didn't excuse his behaviour. 

The Nashville heat was evident, even this late at night as you sat curled up on your balcony. If you strained, hard enough, you could make out the music of some bar nearby, a nice old tune if it weren't blasted at such a volume. He said his plane was getting in at 11, and as the clock got closer to midnight, you wondered if he'd actually show. 

He always kept his word, it wasn't like he'd say that and disappear, but this was the first real rough patch you'd hit, and neither of you was really sure how to navigate it.

"Hello, darlin'?" You bolt up, peering over the railing and down to Daniel in the street, blue bouquet of flowers in hand. He had always been one for little romantic gestures, and even after everything, it still hadn't changed. "You know, I'd serenade you, but you are the singer in the relationship, and I don't think the paparazzi need to hear that." 

"I mean, they might appreciate the show." It's old banter, like nothing had changed, like the last time you saw him you hadn't stormed out of his hotel room sobbing. You both realize that you'd slipped into old habits like worn boots, and end up staring at each other for a bit too long. 

"You going to let me up?" Something unknowable passes over Daniel's face as he says it, and you silently nod, moving back into your apartment to buzz him up. You knew he had the spare key, had spent enough nights here to know your keycode, but it was still nice of him to ask. 

In an instant, he's at your front door, and this close, you realize just how much you missed being in his presence. That song wasn't just a random choice. You had listened to it on repeat after everything you went through, and realized every word was about Daniel. Only, you weren't sorry, besides that it all went down the way it did. You're sure he felt the same way, and he holds out the bouquet with a small smile. 

"They're a bit crushed, since they're from England." 

"England?" You let him into the space, setting the flowers down on the kitchen counter to deal with them later. Last you checked, he'd be in Singapore, or maybe back home in Australia.

"I had to finish my offboarding." He admits quietly, still not moved from his place just a few steps in from the door. "They got some celebration stuff they want to plan for me, too, but yesterday made it official." 

He was no longer an F1 driver. You're not quite sure what to say, knowing how much love he put into the sport, but also the relief that it's all over. He did his best, he was moving on, but it still didn't make it hurt any less. "When do you have to go?" 

"The end of the week." Four days. That's how long you had him for. "I've booked a hotel, just a few streets over." 

"What?" Then, it dawns on you again why he's here in the first place. "Oh." 

"I was a dick." Daniel finally begins, setting down his backpack as he approaches you. He stops, the kitchen island between you, and you know if you look into his eyes any longer you're going to cry, so instead, you focus on staring at the flowers he brought. "I was so involved in the end of my career that I ignored how important yours was, and that wasn't fair of me." 

"Why didn't you say anything?" You knew he was stressed, you knew how hard this must have been for him, so why wouldn't he let you in? Every time you went through something, he was right there, listening to you, ready with solutions, or to just validate you.

Why didn't he think you'd do the same? "I didn't really know, but I had a hunch. I thought...if I said anything, it might come true, but I guess it did anyway." He lets out a weak laugh, before slowly moving around the counter to stand right in front of you. "I never should've said what I did, and I hope you know how grateful I am for your music, and everything you've written about me, and I'm so proud of all that you've done."

If the sight of him alone wasn't going to make you cry, his words most certainly were. You immediately step forward, wrapping your arms around his torso and pulling him into you, and you bury your face into his sweater, revelling in the smell of him. "I'm not going to lie and say it's all okay," Your voice is muffled by the fabric, and you pull away so he can hear you better. "But I understand what the pressure is like, darlin'. The only thing is I make sure to talk to you about it, rather than try to hide it away." 

"I'm just sorry. So sorry."  Then, the first tears fall, and you unloop your arms from him to wipe at his cheeks, holding him there as he tries to take deep breaths. Seeing him like this hurt more than the distance, knowing that it got to the point where he pushed you out before he could even think to pull you close. You should've been there for him, and the guilt of missing his last race still hangs over you. "I wish you were there for my last race." He continues, taking a deep breath, and your vision blurs as you blink away your own tears.

"I wish I was there too." You whisper as Daniel's hand comes to cradle yours, pulling it away from his cheek to press a kiss to the palm. "I'm sorry about your seat." 

"Ah, well. I've finally got some free time on my hands." He cracks a small smile, and you can't help but smile back. If there was a silver lining, in all of this, it was that Daniel was now a whole lot more free for you, and you needed to make up for lost time. "I hear there's this great country singer touring right now, might go see her." 

That pulls a laugh out of you, shaking your head as he lets your hand drop. "Oh yeah?" 

"Yeah." Then, with the reality of everything hitting again, his eyes dip to the floor as he admits, "I really...I'm really going to miss racing." 

"I know, love." You link your hand with his, pulling him away from the counter and toward the couch, and you force him to sit. You stand before him, holding his face in your hands, and wiping the last of the tear stains away. "But I'm here whenever you need me." 

"Yeah?" This would never have ended in heartbreak. There was no universe where you and Daniel didn't repair everything you went through, because that's just who you were. You made mistakes, and you fixed them together because even hurtful comments in the heat of the moment can't break your love for him. 

"Yeah. I told you, you're a hard man not to love, darlin'." He pulls you down onto him, looping his arms around you to hold you close. You press a kiss to his cheek as you relax into him, having missed the ways his arms feel around you. Neither of you speak for a while, just listening to the sound of each other breathing as you let yourself take up space in each other's lives again. Then, when it feels right, you rest your head back against his shoulder to look at him. "I picked up some things for you since we were running low." 

Confusion crosses over Daniel's face as he presses a kiss to your forehead. "Hm?" 

"Shampoo, your toothpaste, all that." Something sparks in his eyes, a realization that, despite the whole apology, you'd already planned for him to stay, already got his favourite things. You might've been hurt, but there's no way Daniel's staying in a hotel, away from you, when that bed's been calling his name since he left. "What? You really think you were coming here tonight for me to kick you out?" 

"I love you, you know that?" Those words always sounded so nice, coming from him, and tonight's no different as you lean forward to properly kiss him. It's a tender thing, kindled only by your time apart, no need to rush into something more than just sitting on the couch and letting each other be.

"Oh, I do." You say against his lips, hand smoothing against his chest. "But, it wouldn't hurt to have a little reminder-" 

Daniel's kissing you again before you can even finish the sentence, and you decide that for the next four days, you're not moving from this couch, and you're not moving from his arms. 

_

f1gossip Making up (or making out)? Though his trip was short, Daniel Ricciardo was spotted by fans with @/yourusername clubbing and karting in Nashville!

↳ fan5 They're following each other again too!! 

↳ brocedes thank god, after losing his seat? I couldn't imagine losing my girl

↳ fan84 i told y'all!! it was nothing

↳ fan243 we better get some good music out of this

_

A/N: know that if I could, I would make country music themed fics about all the racers.

[procrastination-queenie]

Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x fem! Actress! Reader.

Synopsis: you express your love for Danny's nose.

Or

Daniel is your favourite pickle.

Warning(s): rude interviewer, mentions of insecurities, very mild smut.

Contains a short smau at the end.

Daniel never gave much thought to how he looked in general, not the physical aspect at least. Style wise, yeah, of course, as a world-famous athlete, he has to take care of how he looks, but that's mostly up to his stylist, especially during important events; such as this one.

Daniel was currently attending one of the most famous awards shows in the entire world, the Oscars, with you, his girlfriend. And never had he thought that someone, particularly an interviewer, would be questioning you about his looks, his physical look, specifically his nose.

"I am sorry, what?" You questioned with a frown on your face. "I just wanted to know what you think of Daniel's nose? Isn't it ... ugh I'd say too big? Has he thought about plastic surgery before?"

You continue to look at the interviewer in disbelief as you try to remain professional. Your facial expressions are not really your best friend. It has betrayed you many times on numerous occasions.

Throughout your entire career, you have learnt that interviewers like these with questions like that are trying to do two things: either provoke you to try and give something to the audience, which is most likely the aim of this question, or they just take the liberty of seeing you as a close friend who they can nag for information about your life. However, even your closest of friends never asked a question like this.

So, as a professional actress and a very loving girlfriend, you played out this situation in a smart way... by truly telling the interviewer how you felt about Danny's nose.

"Oh," you took your time to look at the interviewer before turning to Daniel, who you felt started to withdraw his grip over your waist. Daniel saw nothing in your eyes except love. Your brows were raised in concern and your lips pouty. "Baby, what's wrong with your nose?" You faked concern as you put both of your hands on each side of his face as if inspecting it. Danny chuckled at your adorable act. You asked him in a voice that he heard all the time when you were playing with his nephew. His eyes only focused on you, still holding his face between the palms of your hands, you turned to look at the interviewer with a funny look, as if the man was seeing things.

"I see nothing wrong with him," you almost whispered, turning to look back at Daniel as you stood on your toes to reach him. Daniel thought that you would give him a peck on the lips. Instead, you went for his nose and gave it a gentle kiss. He stood there in awe, looking like a love sick puppy that was wagging its tail happily while looking at the owner of his heart.

"He looks perfect to me. Actually, his nose looks like the Greek status that we see in museums," you said looking back at the interviewer who now grew annoyed by the fact that he couldn't get a reaction out of you or Daniel. "In fact, I think you're jealous because you wish you had a nose like his," you stated as a matter of fact.

The interviewer growing more uncomfortable by the second tried to end the conversation, seeing that you saw through him and did not give him what he wanted.

Daniel, on the other hand, couldn't keep his hand off you all night wanting nothing than to keep you in his arms, loving you, away from any preying eyes. It did not help after you had won the best actress award for your recent film, making him feel like he had won the world championship again.

That night, you straddled Daniel's naked waist wearing nothing but your undergarments and the chemise he had for the Oscars. Both of you, hair looked wild after all the love making you spent doing, feeling so proud of each other. You were staring at his face while your hand was tracing his cheeks softly. "You didn't have to answer that guy tonight, you know." Daniel said, feeling that it was not worth your effort to speak to someone like him. Your hands halted their soft tracing as you looked at him, listening to what he has to say on this. "I've dealt with interviewers like him before. He was not worth your time," Daniel said as his lips kissed your palm that rested on his cheek, eyes refusing to look at yours.

"Hey, look at me," you gently kept his head in its place, preventing him from moving it anywhere. Daniel raised his eyes to meet yours as your fingers continued to trace his cheek again. "I meant every word of what I said that night." Your fixed look on his eyes reflected nothing but sincerity. "Danny, if I could spend the rest of my life listing what I love about you, I'd do it, and it would never be enough," your eyes glistening as you recalled all times that you felt unworthy of his love, and because you didn't want the comment of a stupid ass interviewer to make him feel what you felt at your moments of insecurity. Daniel deserved to be loved for everything that he is. He will always own your heart in a way that no one has ever, or will ever do.

"Baby, what are you tearing up for now?" Daniel hated himself for ruining the mood. He wiped your tears as he took you in his arms. "It's just... I- I love you so much, and I would hate for you to be brought down by someone like that asshole," you sniffed as you hugged Daniel tightly. Daniel sighed as he hugged you back, putting his chin on top of your head.

"And I wanted everyone to know and for you to know that no matter what, you're pretty in my eyes,"

"even if you're turned into a jar of pickles, I would still love you the same," Daniel stiffled a laugh as he moved his head to try and get a look of your face that he's sure is all pouty.

"Yeah, but you'd still love me because you love pickles,"

"Yeah, well, I love you more, though." Daniel laughed so hard as he kissed your forehead. "Oh, wow. I feel special,"

"You should,"

Y/UserName

Liked by danielricciardo and 173,487 others.

Y/UserName Forever, my favourite pickle.🥹✨️🥒

danielricciardo love you, too sweetheart ❤️ why the teary eyed emoji tho? 🥹

↬ Lilymhe @/danielricciardo, come get your gf. She's drunk and won't stop talking about pickles.🫠

↬danielricciardo omw 🏃‍♂️💨

FanUser1 I am feeling more and more single with each post 🙂

FanUser2 @/FanUser3 wake up. Mum is emotional and drunk, again.

FanUser4 We appreciate a drunk girlfriend in love 🤌🏻❤️

landonorris Did she just call you a pickle? 😂

↬maxverstappen1 I'm intrigued 👀

↬danielricciardo y'all just jealous you don't get to have cute pet names like me. 🙄

FanUser5 not Daniel actually taking the pet name seriously 😂

georgerussell63 @/carmenmmundt why am I not your pickle, too? 🥹

↬carmenmmundt George, you hate pickles. 🌚

*danielricciardo liked your comment*

[ricciardosheart]

Just casually imagining that DR wants cockwarming.....

heyyy i am soo sorry this has been rotting in my drafts for so long, thank you for the request, lots of love , hope you like it, its not my best work sorry

Title: In Between Moments Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo X fem!GF!reader Warnings: suggestive and smut, 18 and below DNI!!!

GIF is from Tumblr credits to owners

The night had settled in, the room bathed in a soft golden glow from the bedside lamp. You and Daniel lay beneath the covers, bodies tangled together in that perfect, quiet intimacy that always seemed to find you after long, chaotic days. The race weekend had been exhausting—adrenaline and stress running high—but here, in this room, everything was calm. Everything was just you and him.

Daniel’s arm draped lazily around your waist as he pulled you closer, his chest warm and solid against your back. His lips brushed against the nape of your neck, a light, absent-minded kiss that made you smile.

“You know,” he murmured, his voice low and drowsy, but with that familiar playful edge, “I’ve been thinking.”

You chuckled softly, already anticipating the teasing that would follow. “That’s a dangerous habit.”

His fingers traced circles on your stomach, the pads of his fingers warm against your skin. “Maybe,” he admitted with a laugh of his own, “but hear me out. I have a… suggestion.”

Turning slightly to glance at him over your shoulder, you could see the mischief dancing in his brown eyes. He looked utterly content, relaxed in that post-race bliss that only came with moments like these. “I’m listening,” you said, raising an eyebrow.

Daniel’s hand slid lower on your waist, and you could feel the heat of his body pressed against you, growing firmer. He shifted beneath you, his lips now trailing lazy kisses down your neck. “What if we just… stayed like this,” he whispered, his voice low and teasing.

You raised your eyebrow, smirking as you turned fully to face him. “Like this, huh?”

He nodded, his eyes twinkling with mischief as his hand slid down to cup your hips, pulling you even closer. “Yeah. Close. No rush. Just… warm and cozy.”

You couldn’t help but laugh softly, shaking your head. “Are you asking me to cockwarm, Ricciardo?”

The slow grin that spread across his face was unmistakable. His brown eyes darkened with playful desire, and his voice dropped to a soft murmur. “Well, when you put it like that, it sounds even better.”

You playfully rolled your eyes at him, but there was no denying the warmth that spread through your chest at his request. There was something so intimate about the idea, something deeper than just physical closeness. With a teasing smile, you shifted on top of him, straddling his hips, feeling him hard beneath you.

Daniel’s hands settled on your thighs, his fingers lightly pressing into your skin as he gazed up at you with that boyish grin that always melted your heart. “I’m a lucky guy, aren’t I?”

You leaned down, your lips brushing his ear. “Very lucky,” you whispered, your voice low and teasing.

With a slow, deliberate movement, you guided him into you, sinking down until you were completely joined, your bodies fitting together like they were made for this. There was no rush, no urgency—just the feeling of him inside you, warm and steady, grounding you both in the moment.

Daniel let out a soft groan, his hands tightening their grip on your hips as his head fell back against the pillow. “God, you feel… perfect,” he whispered, his voice thick with affection.

You leaned forward, brushing your lips against his as your hands found their way into his curls, twisting gently. “You’re not too bad yourself.”

For a long moment, neither of you moved. The fullness of him inside you, the warmth of his body pressed against yours, it was all you needed. Daniel’s hands roamed lazily over your back, his touch slow and soothing as he hummed contentedly beneath you.

“You know,” he said after a while, his voice a low murmur, “this might be my favorite thing.”

You raised an eyebrow, smirking down at him. “Really? Out of everything?”

He chuckled softly, his hands sliding up to rest on your waist, holding you close. “Okay, maybe not everything,” he admitted, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “But it’s definitely up there. It’s like… I get to have all of you without any rush. Just you, me, and this moment.”

His words sent a warm shiver through you, and you leaned down to press a soft kiss to his lips, savoring the gentle way his lips molded to yours. “You’re a sap, Ricciardo,” you teased, though your voice was full of affection.

“Only for you, baby,” he replied, his grin widening as he kissed you back, his hands wandering down your back, tracing every curve and line.

You let out a soft laugh, shifting slightly against him, feeling the way his body reacted to the slightest movement. His breath hitched, but he didn’t push for more. Instead, he just watched you with half-lidded eyes, his smile soft and full of love.

“I could stay like this forever,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as his hands caressed your sides.

You felt your heart swell at his words, the intimacy of the moment wrapping around you like a warm blanket. “Maybe we should,” you whispered back, brushing your lips against his again.

Daniel’s eyes fluttered shut as he kissed you deeply, his hands pulling you even closer. For a moment, it felt like the world outside didn’t exist. It was just the two of you, tangled together in the quiet of the night, completely lost in each other.

When the kiss finally broke, you rested your forehead against his, your breaths mingling as you stayed connected, both physically and emotionally. “You really like this, don’t you?” you asked, your voice soft as you traced a finger along his jawline.

Daniel smiled, his eyes full of warmth as he gazed up at you. “What’s not to like? I get to have you all to myself, no distractions, no rush. Just… us.”

You felt a lump form in your throat at the tenderness in his voice. This was why you loved him. Not just for the playful banter and the mischief, but for moments like this, when he showed you just how much he cherished being with you.

Leaning down, you pressed another kiss to his lips, slower this time, savoring the way he responded, his hands sliding up to cup your face as he deepened the kiss.

When you pulled back, his eyes were half-closed, a lazy smile on his lips. “You know,” he murmured, his voice thick with affection, “if this is what every night is gonna be like, I’m gonna be one very happy man.”

You laughed softly, running your fingers through his curls again. “You’re impossible, Ricciardo.”

“Only for you,” he replied with a wink, his hands squeezing your hips playfully. “But seriously… can we make this a regular thing?”

You rolled your eyes, though you couldn’t hide the smile tugging at your lips. “What, cockwarming?”

Daniel grinned, his hands wandering back to your thighs, his thumbs tracing lazy circles. “Exactly. It’s cozy, it’s warm, and… well, it’s you. What more could I want?”

You couldn’t help but laugh at his words, shaking your head as you leaned down to kiss him again. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously in love with you,” he quipped, his voice full of warmth.

You rolled your eyes again, but your heart fluttered at the way he said it, so effortlessly, like it was the most natural thing in the world. And maybe it was. With Daniel, everything felt easy. Even the quiet moments like this, where nothing much happened except the shared warmth between your bodies, felt perfect.

For a long while, you both stayed like that, simply enjoying the closeness, the quiet intimacy. Daniel’s hands continued their lazy exploration of your body, his touch light and affectionate, as if he was memorizing every inch of you. His breathing was slow and steady beneath you, his chest rising and falling in a soothing rhythm that made you feel completely at ease.

Eventually, Daniel let out a contented sigh, his voice barely above a whisper. “You know, I think I could get used to this.”

You smiled, resting your head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath your ear. “I think I already have.”

His fingers threaded through your hair, gently massaging your scalp as he pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head. “Good,” he murmured, his voice full of affection. “Because I’m not letting you go.”

You closed your eyes, letting yourself relax fully against him. In this moment, everything felt right. No distractions, no rush—just the two of you, wrapped up in each other, completely at peace.

And as you drifted off to sleep, Daniel’s arms still wrapped around you, you couldn’t help but feel like you were exactly where you were meant to be.

[kigieri]

Meeting The Parents

The Danny Ric Series🍯🦡

Daniel Ricciardo × Reader

Meeting Daniel's parents feels daunting, but he supports and reassures you. He fell in love with you after all, so his parents are going to love you as well.

A/N: Welcome! I hope you enjoy The Danny Ric Series. It is dedicated to the wonderful man that brought so much joy to Formula One and its fans. I sadly did not feel inspired to write the actual meeting, but I hope you will enjoy this little fic anyways.

This story on AO3.

It was daunting, the mere idea of meeting his parents. They had been together for almost a year, but in between the F1 season and her own job she had not yet made it to Perth and the home where he grew up. This, however, was about to change.

Standing in front of the mirror she tucked at her dress. It was one of her favourites, just long enough that she was perfectly comfortable and a fabric that made her feel good. She let her hands glide over it, trying to calm herself.

It was not the first time she would speak to Daniel's parents. She had participated in a few phone calls. Even the odd facetimes here and there, but she held herself in the background, not wanting to intrude on their time.

Even though, with the Ricciardo family, that was easier said than done. Daniel had been so proud to introduce them and his mother always asked for her to just shortly pop in front of the camera and to say 'hello'. They were always greeting her with enthusiasm and a joy that was contagious.

Now she stood in front of the mirror in their hotel room. They had, at her insistence, booked a hotel for the night. Daniel had told her time and time again that that was not necessary, but she was refused to meet his parents at 2 AM after flying for over ten hours.

That argument had also, ultimately, convinced Daniel. He did not want his parents to drive multiple hours to come pick them up, which they insisted on, and neither did he want to drive that long in the night himself.

In the end, they had settled on taking a room at one of the fancier hotels at the airport. They had checked in right after getting their bags and collapsed on the bed. Now, a good night of sleep richer, they had only a bit of time left until they needed to check out. Daniel's parents were going to pick them up and drive them to their home.

She walked over to the vanity, picking up her earrings and putting them in. Daniel had sat down on the bed after getting ready. He was marginally less concerned, since he was not about to meet anyone new, but her worry worried him in return.

"You look great. Stop worrying. They already love you, your outfit is not going to change that, and neither is your self-doubt. I know it's stressful, but it is really not necessary." He smiled at her, but she just looked at him with slight concern on her face, clearly now thinking about all the possible ways she could unintentionally mess up.

Daniel stood up and walked over, taking her hands in his and kissing them. "You look absolutely stunning, as you always do. But they're going to love you either way, because even if you turn up in a jumper and jeans, they're going to be convinced by your personality. Which is what I fell in love with." She looked at their hands, squeezing his slightly. "I know their approval means a lot to you, so I simply want to be perfect."

He shook his head. "No, don't even start that. You are perfect just the way you are. I simply want you to be who you are. The lovely, caring, empathetic woman I fell in love with." He lifted her head by the chin to kiss her. "Okay?" He asked and she nodded in return.

They gathered their last remaining belongings and after looking around the room one last time to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything, it was not as if they'd unpacked much, they left.

While waiting for the elevator, she stepped from one foot to the other. Daniel regarded her from the side. He understood her nervousness, his parents were very important to him, but so was she. They already loved her anyway. He could not stop gushing about her and the few interactions they had had were enough for his mother to make jokes about grandchildren and for his dad to talk about wedding bells.

This was not even taking into account his sister and nephew that had already met her at this year's Australian Grand Prix. They had absolutely loved her and she was so wonderful with children, he knew his sister was just waiting for the next time she'd get him alone to start making innuendos.

The elevator arrived and they both stepped in, their luggage was going to be brought down for them, they did not need to worry about it. She pushed the button for the lobby and, while watching the doors slide shut, she reached for his hand. "I love you, and they're going to too. You're amazing." He smiled at her. She didn't look back at him, her gaze focussed on the elevator doors. "I know. I know, okay... They're super friendly. I love your mom, your dad is cool, but I'm still nervous okay?" She looked at him and he was hit by a wave of adoration for her, that he might never get used to. He squeezed her hand. "Yes, okay."

As it is announced that they had reached the lobby, the doors open and Daniel could already spot his parents. Meeting them might be a bit nerve wrecking but, as he had said, there was nothing to be afraid of. He adored her and so would his parents.

@kigieri 2024. All rights reserved. Do not copy, steal, translate or repost any of my work.

[n0vazsq]

Romantic homicide | DR3 x Reader

pairing . . . daniel ricciardo x ex!reader

summary . . . Deciding to call Daniel after you two broke up, you never expected to hang up with the possibility of getting back together

request . . . no!!

word count . . . 1.2k+

warnings . . . none!

faceclaim . . . N/A

alexavia yaps . . . why is d4vd so good??? in my d4vd angst era fr fr. HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE IT!!!

taglist . . . @barcapix ,, @f1lover55 ,, @ilovebarcaaa ,, @httpsdana (lmk if you want to join the taglist!)

. . . The rain beat gently against the window, the steady rhythm almost lulling you into a sense of calm. It had been a long week, one of those weeks where time felt like it moved slower, and everything felt like a blur.

The day was dim, the gray sky casting a quiet haze over everything. You sat on your bed, legs tucked under the soft comforter, phone in hand. Daniel's name glowed on the screen, a reminder of something you couldn’t quite shake.

You hadn’t talked in weeks. Months, really. A whole season of races had gone by without a single message exchanged between the two of you.

No texts. No calls. Just silence.

It wasn’t like you were mad. Not really. It wasn’t even that you hated him. It was just that... things had faded. Like the tracks he raced on, slippery, uncertain, fading into the distance.

Your relationship had been one of those summer flings that felt so perfect, so effortless, in the beginning. The kind that starts in the heat of the moment and then, before you know it, slips away with the change of seasons.

You’d spent those days wrapped up in him. His laughter, his presence, his passion for racing. It had all felt so real. So natural. But time has a way of wearing things down, of shifting priorities, and in the end, that’s all it was. Just a memory.

Still, you couldn’t forget it. And maybe that was your mistake. Maybe it was a mistake to hold on to the ghost of something that was never going to happen again.

But even with the fading memories and the lingering pain, you missed him. You missed the way his eyes lit up when he talked about his next race, the way he’d laugh at the stupidest jokes, and how everything felt right when he was near.

You stared at the phone in your hands. You should’ve deleted his contact by now. Should’ve let it go. But you hadn’t.

You could hear his voice in your head, his teasing tone, the way he always said, "You think too much, you know that?".

And maybe you did. Maybe you thought about him too much. Maybe that was your downfall. But there was something about him, something about his presence, that made you feel like you could just let go. Like you could trust him. If only...

You took a deep breath, glancing out the window. The rain was starting to slow down, leaving behind the smell of wet concrete and fresh air. You could feel your pulse quicken, your heart racing a little faster than it should. You hadn’t planned on reaching out, but somehow, the weight of silence had become unbearable.

You unlocked your phone, fingers hovering over the screen. The message you had typed out earlier in the week was still sitting there, unsent. It was simple. Just a few words. "Hey, how have you been?".

But every time you went to send it, something stopped you. Something held you back.

And now here you were again, caught in the same cycle of hesitation. Should you send it? Should you not?

Suddenly, your phone buzzed in your hand, snapping you from your thoughts. Your heart skipped a beat when you saw the name flash on the screen.

Danny Ric.

Your thumb hovered over the screen. You could answer. You could see what he had to say. You could ignore the creeping anxiety that gnawed at you, telling you to let him be.

Maybe he’s just checking in, you thought. Maybe it’s just a casual thing.

You tapped the green icon before you could second guess yourself.

The phone clicked, and the line rang. You braced yourself for the familiar voice, for the warmth you hadn’t heard in so long.

"Hello?" His voice was a little breathless, as if he’d just gotten out of a car or off a plane. But it was still him.

Daniel.

The man whose name you’d been saying in your head for weeks, even if you didn’t want to admit it.

"Hi," you said, your voice sounding a little shaky, like you hadn’t used it in forever. Why am I so nervous?

"Hey, it’s been a while," he said, and there was a hint of surprise in his tone, but also a trace of something else. Something softer, almost nostalgic. "How are you?"

Your mouth went dry as you thought about the answer. You could say 'fine' or 'good'.

You could lie. You could say the last few months hadn’t been difficult, that you hadn’t thought about him every single day.

But you knew that wasn’t the truth. And if there was one thing you’d always been good at, it was being honest. At least with him.

"I’ve been okay," you said, the words coming out slow and measured. "Just… thinking about things."

"Yeah? What kind of things?" His voice was gentle, like he was trying to find his way back into your world.

You swallowed, the lump in your throat growing. "Us. I guess. Everything that happened, and why it ended the way it did."

The silence that followed was heavy, thick. You could hear the faint hum of his breath on the other end of the line, the absence of words filling the space between you both.

Finally, Daniel spoke again, his voice quieter now. "I didn’t want it to end like that. You know that, right? It wasn’t easy."

"I know," you said softly. "But distance... racing... it just... you were always gone. I couldn’t keep waiting for something that wasn’t there anymore."

There was another long pause. You could hear the sound of a car in the background. Maybe he was in his hotel room, or on the move again.

"I didn’t want to be the one to hurt you," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "But I think I did anyway."

You closed your eyes, feeling the weight of his words settle deep inside you. The truth was always a little harder to swallow, but it felt real, at least. Like maybe you both hadn’t given up just yet.

You opened your eyes, staring out the window again. The rain had stopped completely now, leaving the air crisp and clear. But the world still felt unsettled.

You couldn’t undo the past, but maybe, just maybe, you could find a way forward.

"Do you think we could try again?" You whispered, before you even realized you’d said it out loud.

The pause that followed felt like an eternity. Then, softly, Daniel’s voice came through, full of hesitation and hope. "I don’t know, but maybe we can try... talking again. See where it goes."

You smiled softly, a tear slipping down your cheek.

"Yeah," you murmured, "Let's see where it goes."

[formulaforza]

—everywhere, everything

keep my hand in yours ('til our fingers decompose) pairing: daniel ricciardo x female reader warnings: parent death, angst, language, driving under the influence, underage smoking/drinking love, mackie... 6.6k. part two of this guy (but I think can be read stand-alone). I hope I make u all sad enough that you never ask me for a part two ever again <3

I hear you’re snooping around the old stomping grounds. I’d love to be there when you do it. Bring your dad if he’s free. It’ll be a good night, lots of strawberry wine—the real shit this time. All love, (always your) Danny.

— —

Danny is notably absent from your mom’s funeral. Granted, he is in Budapest at the time, and he had two races this weekend. You know this because you still keep tabs on him, even if he’s not yours to keep tabs on anymore, even if there’s nobody to blame for that but yourself. 

If you didn’t know better, hadn’t spotted Grace, Joe and Michelle a dozen or so people back in line to greet you and your dad, you would have been able to convince yourself Danny didn’t have a clue your mom was even sick. She went quick, less than eight months from her death sentence to… well. From death sentence to death. 

Two hundred and thirty-one days since her diagnosis means two-hundred and twenty-eight days since you broke things off with Danny. So even if he was in town, you probably wouldn’t have seen him. You wish you would have though, that he would have appeared in the plethora of grieving faces. Not for you, but for her. She always loved him, even before you did. 

Grace’s arms feel like the light at the end of a dark tunnel when she finally gets to the front of the line. She squeezes you tight, the only way a mother knows how to, and you cry in her arms. Grace doesn’t tell you how sorry she is, or that your mom loved you so much, or that she’s in a better place now. She just hugs you and wipes away your tears. 

“Danny wishes he could be here,” she tells you, but you don’t want to think about him and you don’t want to believe her. 

“Tell him I said ‘thank you?’” you say, a forced smile on your face. It’s got to be the hundredth of the afternoon. If there’s one thing your mom is—was. If there’s one thing she was, it’s loved. Tell him I hate him, is what you wish you could say to Grace. Or maybe tell him I love him. 

A million and two hugs later and you find yourself missing his arms more than you should. He was always a good hugger, and you could use a good hug right now. 

— —

You showed up at the property fifteen minutes after the event started. You’d hoped to slip in and out, to at least be able to say you went, that you tried. You had no intention of trying to find Daniel, and you figured it would be easy to avoid him, especially if you showed up after everyone else did—it’s his show, he’s the man of the hour, everyone will be fighting for his attention. 

You don’t even know why you came, really. Maybe it’s to figure out how the hell Daniel even got your address to send the invite in the first place. You’d moved half a dozen times since he last knew you. Or maybe it’s that you don’t believe, even after seeing it with your own eyes, that somebody actually had success with growing berries in the heat. It could be that you just… It could be simple, that you miss your Mom, and that everything about that place reminds you of her. 

Whatever the reason, you put on a long, flowing sundress, tied your hair back, and slipped on a pair of comfortable sneakers and a denim jacket. You didn’t even bother to tell your Dad—knew he’d want to catch up with Daniel, or maybe want to strangle Daniel. You didn’t want to give him the chance to do either. You park on the dirt road that leads to the vineyard, because the parking lot is overflowing, a pattern you’re beginning to notice since he’d taken over. 

The place looks the same as it did last time you were here. DR3 Wines still adorn the fleet of ATVs out front, and the wooden letters on the perfectly red barn are still perfectly white. You give your name to the woman working the door, regret it as soon as you catch her announcing your presence over the radio-headset she wears. 

Momentarily, you consider turning around and walking right back to your car. But, you aren’t one to waste a good outfit, not if you’d gotten all dolled up like this, so you walk into the Barn with your head down. 

It smells the same inside; wood, lavender, citronella and alcohol. There’s candles burning to make it feel cozy, but they do a poor job at changing the aroma in the air. The walls are still hung with photos, and the counter is still that slab of wood. It’s exactly the same as it was a few months ago, and manages to remind you of the place you grew up without wearing your childhood memories like a costume. 

Daniel has always been easy to find in a room. He’s loud, his voice and his laugh vibrate off the walls of whatever room he’s in. He’s loud and he’s confident and sometimes it feels like he’s the only person in a room that’s really alive. That’s how it felt then, at least. 

It’s been thirteen years since you last shared a space with him, but the fact you can hear his laugh on the other side of the crowded room assures you that while everything has changed, some things have stayed exactly the same. 

You can’t see him, but man can you hear him. 

You sign the guest book—proof, in case anybody asks. Proof that you did show up. It’s the top of a wine barrel, DR3 2023 branded into the oak—two tops, because so many people are here. It’s covered in signatures and messages from people he loves. You feel guilty even signing it, but you do. 

Congrats Dan—your marker pauses. You scoff at yourself. Congrats Daniel. Time flies, 13 years! The place looks beautiful. Wishing you continued success, you write, finishing it off with your signature. 

He still wears the same cologne, you realize, when you look up and he’s leaning against the table watching you write. He wears the same cologne, and the same smile, even if less crooked. Everything else about him is different. His hair is shorter, eyes older. His arms are covered in art, face is all together thinner, and his five o’clock shadow is less of a pipe dream and more of a full-fledged beard. He’s taller, maybe. Or you’re shorter. It doesn’t really matter, you suppose. 

You purse your lips into a curt smile. He matches—you didn’t even know he could smile like that. “Hi, honey,” he says, leaning over to read your message. 

“Hi.” “Who’s Daniel?” He teases, the smile on his face growing into one you’re much more familiar with. You look back at your writing, but you don’t laugh. If anything, you’re sure you look a little scared. “I’m teasing.”

“I know,” you nod.

“Okay,” he nods right back, slow, apprehensive over your apprehension. 

“Sorry,” you force out a chuckle. “I’m being so weird,” and you adjust the strap on your dress. He shoves his hands in his pocket, rocks back and forth on the sole of his shoes. Do you know how weird it is to be face to face with someone you were head over feet in love with? It’s really fucking weird. You put your best smile on your face, “Hi, sorry,” you continue, opening your arms for what you think might be the most awkward hug you’ve ever given. 

He’s quick to pull his hands back out of his pocket, like he’s worried if he doesn’t act fast enough you’re going to rescind the offer. 

His touch is uncanny; familiar and comforting and unsettling. It melts the years away and you feel just like you did some twelve years ago when you wished so desperately for one of his hugs. You’re nineteen again, and he’s twenty, and everything feels like it’s going to be okay. 

“How are you,” he asks quietly, his arms tight around you. “You look great.”

“I’m okay,” you say over his shoulder, and then again, as if you’re trying to convince yourself: “I’m okay. How are you?”

“Oh, y’know,” he shrugs, pulling away from the hug, gesturing your question away. “Same old, same old.”

“Yeah,” you nod, even though you don’t know. Even though it’s been eleven years since you forced yourself to ignore his existence, since you last kept any sort of tab on him. You can’t get over how different he looks. How you’d still recognize him without a second glance. “You look different.”

He laughs, looks down at himself. At his arms, his hands. He can’t look at his face, but it’s different, too. “Yeah, I guess so, huh?” He keeps looking back at you every time he laughs. He makes sure you’re laughing, or smiling at least, before he lets his slip. “Is your Dad here?”

“No. He uh, he wasn’t feeling well.”

Once upon a time, Daniel could spot your lies from the other side of the vineyard. You get stiff and stuttery, he told you, it’s easy when you know what you’re looking for. That was once upon a time, though, and this is now. Now, you don’t know if Daniel remembers any of those little things about you. 

His eyes go momentarily soft, worried, almost. “Just a cold, yeah?”

“Exactly.”

“Well, can I get you a drink? Give you a tour?”

You look around the place—not much to tour. Not when it used to be yours, not when one of his teenaged employees gave you a tour a few months back. He seems so excited about the idea, though, so you go along with it. “Sure. Yeah, that’d be nice.”

“Nice, awesome,” he says, looking around the place like he forgot where everything is. He claps his hands together, pulls them apart into a snap, and points at you with both hands. “Stay here? I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” you chuckle, and it’s genuine. “Staying here.”

“I know you, Bee,” he says, walking backwards away from you. B. He totally knows you’re full of shit about your Dad having a cold. “Don’t try to sneak out while I’m gone.”

“I won’t.”

“You promise?”

You nod. “I promise.”

— —

You, Daniel, and your Mom worked the closing shift that night. When he was around, that’s almost always how it went, because the two of you were the only ones who’d worked there long enough to know how to properly close up without a babysitter. 

Your Mom worked tediously in the office counting all the money—she was the slower counter of your parents, but it wasn’t like anyone was ever sitting around waiting on her. There was always something to be done, and Daniel was always good at making sure those closing tasks took up more than a chunk of the evening. 

You’d cleaned inside, swept the floors and vacuumed the rugs and cleaned the tables and the counters. You washed glasses behind the bar and restocked displays. The landline on the counter rang while you were writing up the day’s inventory, and you almost didn’t answer it, but your parents had told you to improve on your customer-service skills, even when you or the customer weren’t on site. 

To your surprise, the voice on the other end was Daniel’s. He was calling from the cellar, is too lazy to come over there to get shot down. “Is your Mom finished counting?” He asked, and you pulled the phone away from your ear to try and listen past the office door. 

“I think so,” you say, bringing the phone back to your ear. “We should be heading out soon.”

Sometimes you feel like you can hear Danny’s smile. “You wanna do the lock check with me?”

You slot the phone between your shoulder and your ear, returning your hands to the task of finishing up your paperwork for the night. You needed to be done when he got here, or there was no chance your Mom let you go with him. “How do you know I’m done with my shit?”

You can hear the lull of the old beat up golf-cart engine in the background, can almost feel the vibrations, can see clear as day Danny sitting there, lounging on the leather seat—tanned skin, unruly hair, toothy grin. “You always finish fast so you can daydream about your boyfriend,” he says, turning the last word into his own little sing-songy ballad. 

Your pen pauses on the paper, and you roll your eyes. “Jake isn’t my boyfriend.”

Danny laughs, and you roll your eyes again, pretend like you aren’t smiling. “Oh? But you knew who I was talking about!”

“Because you never shut up about him being into me.”

“Because he is!”

You set the pen down for good, now, grab the phone again because you want to make sure your next words come across loud and clear, even if it is the millionth time you’ve told him. “He’s my friend, Danny!”

“Oh, come on!” His laugh intensifies. “I don’t think a guy has ever been just friends with you.”

“You’re my friend, aren’t you?”

His laughter quells, and you’re sure he’s picking on the plastic of the steering wheel. There are so many scrapes on it from the same thing. He’s always picking at it, ever since you told him to give his poor nails a rest. He has to destroy something, you suppose—teenage boy and all—but you prefer a destroyed golf cart steering wheel to a destroyed Danny, so you let it slide. He sighs, and then he clears his throat, and the memory of your question dies in the silence. “Are you coming with me or not?”

“Are you coming to get me?”

— —

The air is chilly—nippy almost, especially with the sun dipping below the horizon like it is. You’re walking stride for stride with Daniel over the gravel path to the cellar, glass of sweet pink wine in your hand. He’s taking you to the strawberry field, per your request, because even after tasting it, even after telling you which field it’s in, you still don’t believe him.

“So,” he asks, one hand deep in his pocket, the other hanging in the space between your bodies. He’s very hesitant with you today, you’ve noticed. It’s nothing like the brash boy you called your first love. He’s gentle, softer, like he’s scared of his next words. “Who finally put that ring on your finger?” The threat of a smile is weak, but the idea of it alone is charming. 

You look at your free hand, carefully decorated with several different rings. “Which one?”

He drops his head to his shoulder, gives you a pathetic smile and a matching chuckle. “The only one an ex-boyfriend would ask you about, Bee.”

The sunlight—the little bit that’s left of it—catches the diamond on your ring finger. “Oh,” you shrug, dropping it back to your side. “It’s Mom’s.”

“I know,” he nods solemnly, and your head shoots over to look at him. You don’t know why he would remember that. “Who put it there, though?”

A smile pulls on your lips, and you bury it in the lip of your wine glass. “I’m not engaged, if that’s what you’re asking,” you laugh. “I just wear it… I don’t know, it makes me feel close to her.”

Sunsets at the property have always been gorgeous. When you were younger, you thought that maybe it was the most beautiful place in the entire world. The blues and the pinks and the yellows all mix together into some grand watercolor and tonight is no exception. 

The silence that lingers in the air should be awkward, but it’s not. It should be harder to be here, to watch the sunset, to walk the paths you have memorized, to stand next to Daniel after all these years. It’s not hard, though. It’s comfortable, like it was when you were sixteen and seventeen and eighteen and barely nineteen. Like it was all the time you knew him, even before you loved him. 

“I’m sorry,” he finally speaks. “She was really cool.”

You chuckle softly. It’s a familiar routine, consoling those attempting to console you about her death. “That’s what everyone says,” you say, even though Daniel might be the first person to posthumously describe your mom as cool. Lovely, you’d gotten more times than you could count. Beautiful and kind and oh honey, she loved you so much, you knew already. She was really cool, that’s a Danny-original if you’ve ever heard one. 

“I should have been at the funeral.”

“It’s okay,” you nod, because his presence wouldn’t have changed that your Mom was lovely and beautiful and kind and that she wasn’t around to be any of those things anymore. There wasn’t anything Daniel could have done to remedy that reality. “You were busy. We weren’t together,” and before he can come back with something, insists that it’s a bigger deal some decade later than it was, you change the subject. “What about you, though? Putting rings on anyone’s fingers these days?”

He laughs. A person can only get poetic about Daniel’s laugh so many times before it’s easier to just leave it at that. He laughs, everyone around him lights up, and he laughs some more. “Believe it or not, my work-life balance isn’t super great at fostering long-term relationships.”

You don’t exactly know what Daniel’s work-life balance looks like. The last time you paid any attention, he was racing with Toro Rosso. Every update you’d heard since had been one you weren’t looking for—commercials and posters and billboards and word-of-mouth; more than a couple ex-boyfriends and a few stray friends. 

You never cared much about racing. It was Daniel you cared about. 

There aren't a lot of specifics you remember about Daniel’s schedule, but you remember that he was almost always coming or going. There wasn’t much staying, and that was before he’d even made it to the big show. “You mean, women like it when their partners are around for most of the year?”

“They do, yeah,” he nods, dimples digging into his cheeks. “Crazy, right?”

“Crazy.”

— — 

Danny didn’t go down without a fight. He caught what had to have been the first flight home—home, you’re not sure that he can call Perth home now that he doesn’t live here. He caught the first flight to you, threw wood chips at your window at three-in-the morning. He didn’t need to wake you up, it’s been two weeks since you had any kind of meaningful sleep. You spend the majority of your time in bed looking at the ceiling fan spin or staining the sheets with your tears. 

You let him throw mulch for twenty minutes though, hoping that maybe he’ll give up and leave so you don’t have to face him. 

You’d done the breaking up over the phone for a reason. It wasn’t that you couldn’t wait until whenever he was home next. You could. It was that you couldn’t break up with him while looking him in the eyes, and you knew it. 

Eventually, though, you pull your pajama-clad frame out from under the warm covers, drag your feet the entire way to the window, pulling the curtains open just enough to confirm what you already knew—that it was him in the driveway. His entire face relaxes when he sees you there, forcing the window open. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“What the fuck am I doing?” He scoffs. “What the fuck are you doing?”

You cross your arms over your chest. The night air is cold and your pajamas are scarce. “I’m trying to sleep.”

He rolls his eyes, always dramatic, always over-the-top. “Come down here, honey.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

You stand there in silence, shivering in your bedroom window. He stands there in silence, thick jacket on and a handful of wood chips from the garden in your driveway. It’s a stalemate, and you don’t know which of you is more exhausted. Appearance points to him, but you dread that fact that you’re standing, that you’re tired enough to give up the fight this quick. 

“Fine,” you relent, and it’s less than two minutes before you’re running into him on the back porch, slowly closing the sliding patio door behind you so as to not alert anyone else in the house of his presence. “What do you want?”

“Where are your clothes?” He asks, and is already taking his coat off to wrap around your frame. You huff and puff the entire time he’s doing it, because your lack of clothing was a choice—you were hopeful that he wouldn’t keep you long if you were shivering. 

“What do you want, D?”

“I want you to talk to me,” he says. “Tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it.”

Your lip trembles, and you bite down on it to try and stop it, chew on the skin until you taste copper and then it still trembles. You don’t look at him, you can’t. “You can’t fix it.”

“No, no,” he argues, grabbing your elbow in a plea, stepping closer to you, speaking hardly above a whisper. “Just tell me, baby.”

You yank your arm away, tone a direct contrast to his when you insist: “You can’t fix it this time, okay!? Nobody can fix it.” You point an accusatory finger, like there’s actually something he’s done to deserve this. There isn’t, there never will be. “You can’t fucking fix everything just because you want to.”

He matches, points his finger at you, presses it into the middle of your chest. Your heart races. “You can’t just fucking break up with me because you want to.”

You swat his hand away, offended by the accusation that you wanted this, that any part of you is enjoying this, finding relief in this. You hate this. Fucking loathe it, but it doesn’t change any of the facts. “I don’t want to,” your lips downturn into a frown, all pathetic and trembled, and your voice cracks and shakes half as much as your lips. The tears that burn in your eyes are reflected back in his, tired and bloodshot and wet. 

“Then don’t do it,” he pleads. 

You gulp around the lump in your throat, voice leaving your body meekly through tears. “I have to.”

“No, you don’t,” he assures you quickly, his hands slotting on either side of your face, the pads of his thumbs wiping your tears, his fingers locking into the hair at the nape of your neck. He shakes his head before he speaks, brown eyes searching yours, begging you to change your mind. “You don’t.”

His hands on your face are what push you over the edge, turn you from poised and sniffly to half-wrecked—choking on sobs and swallowing snot. It all hits you at once, all the weeks of testing, the days of trying to come to terms with a diagnosis, the hours spent grappling with the fact that nothing will ever be the same about you. You’re changed, now, and you’re only going to continue to change. It’s not Daniel’s responsibility to see you through any of this fucking shit.  “I do, I do,” you sob. “I have to, I’m so sorry, I have to.”

He presses his forehead against yours, your tears mixing with his every time your noses bump. It calms you, if only slightly, and your eyes close, mind focused on remembering this, on remembering what it feels like to have his skin on yours, to feel his voice in your bones, to breathe in the same air, the same space, the same atoms. 

Your breath is shaky, but the pattern is steady. In, out. In, out. Your nose is so stuffed you can’t breathe through it. Your lips are all but touching his, a stray tremble holding the power to force them together. You don’t know if you want to kiss him or not, if it would make things better or so much worse. 

He swallows hard, pulling your faces apart. “I love you,” he mutters softly, like a wounded animal, and then he presses a long, hard kiss into your forehead. 

You sniffle, your hands holding onto his wrists. “I’m sorry.”

He nods, drops his arms, your hands falling into his. “Yeah.”

He lets your hands go, lets you go. You feel like you might be sick watching him walk down the steps of the patio, along the path of pavers to the gate. A shiver runs up your spine, and you pull his jacket closed over your chest. His jacket. 

You wipe a new set of tears from your cheek with the back of your hand. “Your jacket,” you sniffle, “hold on.”

He doesn’t stop, doesn’t even turn back to face you. “Keep it,” he says, unlatching the gate and slipping through to the other side. You sigh, and then you cough, and then you cry some more before finally finding the ability to move again, to go back inside and up to your bedroom, and that was that. That was the last time you saw Danny. The last moment that he was yours. 

— —

You’re walking back from the unbelievable strawberry field, quickly approaching the still lively barn, people and smiles and conversations pouring out into the adjacent spaces. Someone appears in front of you with a camera, with two cameras—one professional, and one a cheap polaroid. Smile, they said, and you laughed, your cheeks burning red. 

Daniel slinks his arm over your shoulder, and you step closer to his side. He flashes a toothy grin and a shaka sign to the camera. You hear the shutter of the camera take a dozen photos, and then the photographer holds up the polaroid—one for the road, she says, and Daniel pulls you that little bit closer, you blush that little bit harder. 

There’s a flash, and then you both relax, the photo printing out of the bottom of the camera. She holds it out Daniel, but he nudges you with his elbow to take it. You do, even though you aren’t sure you want it. 

You shake the polaroid while the two of you make your way into the barn. “What do I do with this?” You ask, looking carefully at the developed print. 

Daniel shrugs, leaning over. You flip the photo in his direction so he doesn’t have to lean as far, but he still does. “It’s cute,” he says. “You don’t want it?”

“I mean, I’ll take it, but…” But. But I’m going to throw it away when I get home. But it only reminds me of you. But it only represents what won’t be. 

He looks to the wall of photos behind the counter, eyeing the display carefully. You follow his sight line, your eyes going to the exact place you remember the photos of you being. You don’t know why you’re surprised that they’re still there, like you knowing they exist means they’d vanish. “Hang it up,” he says. 

You laugh. “Where?”

Daniel shrugs. “Anywhere you want.”

— —

The best part about only being able to afford cheap workers, was that you spent every day at the property with a new teenager looking to have just as much fun as you were. Between that, and the plethora of college kids that were constantly leaving to go back to school, to get a grown-up job, to get any job that paid more than your family could offer—there was always an opportunity for going away parties. And party, you did. 

You and your coworkers turned friends had slept down by the river more summer nights than you could count, hiding six-packs in the staff locker-room and hiding ziploc bags of joints behind the six-packs. 

Tonight, the going-away party is to honor someone whose face you won’t remember in a year, much less thirteen. He’d worked there for the holidays and not much more, and there wasn’t much memorable about him. 

The bonfire on the back of the property snaps and crackles, sparking off into the night and lights everyone in flickers of orange and yellow. The breeze has picked up after dark, and the tank-top and shorts you’d donned earlier in the day aren’t appropriate any more, one of Danny’s hoodies—a purple one that sits in his locker just for you to steal and smells like weed and wood from all the past nights just like this one—takes the chill out of the night and keeps the goosebumps off your exposed legs. 

The sky is clear and cloudless, a big moon staring back at you and a million shining stars fill the night sky. It’s times like these you think there’s no prettier place on Earth, nights like these where you feel completely rich. 

Two joints are being passed around the circle lazily, laughter and conversation filling the air. The first one comes your way from the left, from Daniel. He takes a long hit, the embers at the end of the paper burning orange with his inhale. He holds it in, nodding his way through someone else’s joke, and exhaling into a laugh. 

He looks at you, hesitates to hand it over. “I really don’t want a lecture from your parents tomorrow morning,” he teases, playful smile pulling on his lips, mischievous glint in his eye. 

You roll your eyes. “They won’t know,” you insist, to no avail. Daniel chuckles, but holds his resolve and passes the joint around you to the next person. 

Undeterred, you keep your eyes on the joint that moves clockwise, that comes to you from the other direction, a path with no Danny-sized roadblock. With practiced ease, you take a hit, exhaling slowly, savoring the warmth in your chest. You meet Danny’s eyes on exhale, find them half-amused and half-concerned, brows raised and smile drawn. 

“Whatcha got there?” He laughs, gently taking the joint from her. “I told you not to,” he continues, taking a hit himself before passing it along again. You grin, a wave of giddiness washing over you. It always goes like that when he laughs—makes you all warm and fuzzy and silly. 

“It’ll be okay, Danny-boy,” you laugh, leaning against him. Lazily, without hesitation, he tosses his arm over your shoulder and pulls you that much closer. You like being closer, can feel his laugh instead of just hearing it. You like the way his arm rests on your shoulder, the way his fingers trace patterns over the fabric of his sweatshirt, every touch echoing on your skin for minutes. You like being close, even if it makes your palms a little sweatier and your heartbeat a little faster. You could get used to being closer, you think. 

The fire is starting to die out now, and the air gets colder. You wonder how long your parents waited up for you to get home. The original excuse was that Daniel had forgotten the lock-check, that you wanted to come along and really, it’s no problem to drive her home. After about fifteen minutes, you’d snuck away from the newly-built fire to make a phone call, to let them know you were grabbing food on the way home and don’t wait up for me. You’re sure they did, though, even if only for a while longer. 

Anyway, the air is colder and the joints have been smoked through and the beers have been drunk—not by you, you’re too messy when you’re crossed. And not by Daniel, either, who refuses to drive drunk but insists on driving high. 

You yawn under Daniel’s arm, find a way to somehow lean in closer. “Sleepy?” he asks, and you nod. Carefully, like he’s done it a million times before, he presses a kiss into the crown of your head. It’s not the millionth time, it’s not even the second time he’s kissed any part of you. It’s the first time you've felt the press of his lips and you think that you’ll feel it there forever. “You wanna go?”

“No,” you say. “I’ll stay, make sure the fire gets out and everything.”

It’s not much longer, anyway, until the fire is being doused with water bottles and beer and everyone is taking turns spraying the same perfumes and colognes over their clothes in a poor attempt to mask the smell of smoke and weed. 

Daniel drives you home. It’s not the first time you’ve been the passenger in his old Ford Bronco. It’s not even the first time you’ve been in the truck while he was high. Usually, car rides with Danny consist of cranked down windows and loud music, of louder conversations and excessive laughter. This drive is quiet, though. 

His hands are steady on the wheel, eyes focused on the road ahead. There’s no music, the windows are up, and he doesn’t talk. You watch him carefully from the passenger seat, study him in your paranoia. You haven’t done anything, you don’t think. There’s no reason for him to be mad at you. Unless there is. 

“Did you have a good time?” You ask. Danny nods. “That’s good.”

He turns to face you at a stop sign. “Sorry,” he laughs. “I’m trying to focus.”

“It’s okay,” you nod. 

“It’s harder,” he explains. “It’s hard with you here.”

— — 

The evening you’d anticipated is far from the evening that unfolds. Fifteen minutes, maximum, in and out. That was the plan. But then Daniel—Daniel, and all the far-fetched dreams of him making himself at home in your life, all the passing thoughts you’d had over the years about the what-ifs; the grocery bills and the taxes and the white wine and the rusty barn doors. He glues you to his side for hours that feel like minutes. 

The event is winding down, people keep coming up to him, firm pats on the back and handshakes and hugs goodbye. They tell him how great the place is, how great the wine is, how great he is, and you move around like his shadow, smiling awkwardly whenever someone catches your eye and waiting for the next joke Daniel has to crack quietly, just to you.

You stand at a high-table next to him, elbows on the tabletop, shoulders bumping everytime one of you moves. There were people around the table, a reason—an excuse—for the proximity, but they’re long gone now.  “You know,” Daniel says quietly, dropping his head against his hands, speaking to nobody in the room but you. “I’ve missed you a lot.”

“Yeah,” you nod, speak just as softly. “Me too.”

He takes a long drink from the wine glass in front of him. Liquid courage, you know now, for what he was going to do next. The glass returns to the tablecloth with a soft pat, and he lets out a heavy exhale. “I heard there’s a new coffee place opening in Northbridge?” He asks, and you assume it’s because he knows your neighborhood, wants to know more about it. The wine has made you naive, or maybe you’d just pushed the reality of his implication so far from your mind that it’s an impossible thought. 

“Yeah,” you nod. The new coffee shop in Northbridge is a seven minute walk from your apartment, and is on your way to work. You’ve been eyeing the place since the empty building went up for lease. “It’s got this super cute bakery right next door,” you add. “I think they opened last week.”

Daniel nods. “I’d love to try it out.”

“Yeah,” you continue, still genuine and naive and oh-so silly. “You should. I’ve heard good things.”

He laughs, then. Laughs this specific kind of Daniel laugh that you used to get so excited to hear. It meant he was going to do something for—or to—you. He’d laughed like that before he kissed you for the first time, and he’d laughed like that while orange juice ran down his arm and he asked you out for the hundredth time. He’d laughed like that on every anniversary, every birthday, every holiday. It’s Danny’s you laugh. “I’d need someone to go with, though,” he says. And the laugh and the words and the whole thing clicks. Daniel is trying to ask you out. “I don’t really know my way around Northbridge.”

A lie, objectively. One that confirms the assumption you’d just jumped to. Daniel’s first apartment was in Northbridge. He lived eleven minutes from where you live now. He knows the place like the back of his own hand, knows the streets like he used to know you. 

You nod into the bottom of your wine glass, watching the liquid spin around the clear glass. “You don’t?”

He purses his lips, looks all deep in thought. “No,” he shakes his head. “No, I don’t think I do.”

“Oh,” you frown, your eyes meeting his. It’s really hard to mess with him when he looks at you like that. Hard, but not impossible. “My dad’s usually around.”

He chuckles. “Your dad, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah,” you nod, a smile pulling impossibly hard on your lips. “Retirement and all, you know.”

“Oh, sure.”

“I guess…” you shrug, stop spinning your glass and set it down altogether. You push it slowly across the tablecloth towards the center. “I could always show you around, too.”

He leans back, stands up straight and scratches his beard, makes a piss-poor attempt at wiping the dimpled smile off his face when he cocks his head to the side and says, “As much as I like your dad…”

“As much as you like my dad.”

And, because Daniel was never really Daniel, because he’s always going to be your Danny, no matter the time or the distance or anything else that should get in the way, he says: “You’ve always been my honeybee.”

— —

“Don’t call me that, Mom,” you shouted from the office, gathering your morning gear. You were working tours with Danny, today, and the two of you had spent all morning bickering over who gets to be lead and who has to be secondary guide. While you shoved the batteries into the walkie-talkies, you could overhear Danny successfully pleading with your Mom. Honeybee, she’d called out to you. Let Danny take Lead today, won’t you? 

She laughs. You roll your eyes, slipping behind the counter where she leans, where Danny lounges on a stool. You toss Danny’s walkie at his chest, and he catches it before it hits him. She raises her brows pointedly, meets Danny’s eyes in some shared language, a shared silent remark about you. “Why not?”

“Because. It sounds like something Grandma would say.”

Your mom smiles, twirls the end of your ponytail around her finger. “But you’re so sweet”

Danny chokes on his laugh, shooting up straight in his seat to clear his throat, to cough into his elbow. “She is NOT sweet.”

You scowl, shove his shoulder gently. It only makes him, and your mom, laugh harder. “Hey!”

“You make my life sweet, baby girl,” she hums. 

Danny nods, falling back into his comfortable spot, crossing his arms over his chest. “You’re kinda like a bee,” he says, leaning back even further. Your entire day would be made by him losing his balance and falling flat on his ass. “You make her life sweet but for me…” he pauses. “You’re just this annoying little buzzing I can’t shoo away.”

Silently, you hold up both middle fingers to him, walking backwards out from behind the counter, towards the back door. Your mom only laughs at you, always laughs at you and Danny. “Love you, Bee,” she calls to you, and winks at Danny. 

“Yeah,” he calls, the stool creaking underneath him as he properly stands up. “Love ya, Bee!”

[agentstarkid]

CERRANDO Y ABRIENDO HERIDAS, DE ESO SE TRATA LA VIDA ✦ DR3

✦ PAIRING: daniel ricciardo x famous!latina!reader

✦ CHECKERED FLAG: this one is pure ANGST, Daniel Ricciardo (you'll see why), complicated feelings—english is not my first language, besties.

✦ TRACK LIMITS: 10K

✦ MAY'S RADIO: this a really important chapter imo, and it's been a long time coming so i really hope you guys like this one. i better see y'all floading my comments/asks after this 'cuz i poured every ounce of angst juice in my brain into this lol. ALSO, this is dedicated to the sweet Nonnie who told me that they binged the whole series and that they're "not even Latina"—I hope you enjoy this as much as I did writing it <3 Buen provecho!

Part of The Joker & The Queen series | Set at the end of Revenant.

Divider by: cafekitsune

Meet: Fiorella | Vittoria | Danna

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The house had settled into a familiar kind of calm—the kind that only came after hours of laughter, sugar highs, and the chaotic energy of a child’s birthday party finally winding down. What had once been a space filled with shrieks of joy and the pitter-patter of tiny feet racing across the floor was now softened by exhaustion and the quiet hum of conversation.

Most of the guests had already trickled out, carrying sleepy toddlers, offering tired but grateful goodbyes on their way out the door. Only a handful of close friends remained, sprawled across the living room in a way that felt effortless, like no one was in a rush to leave.

The aftermath of the party was still evident—half-deflated balloons clung to the ceiling, colorful paper plates and empty juice boxes littered the coffee table, and stray confetti pieces glimmered against the dark wood floors. A cake-stained napkin sat abandoned near an untouched slice of chocolate cake that no one had the heart to throw away just yet.

The atmosphere had shifted into something softer. Cozy. The kind of night where conversations dipped into low murmurs, where the warmth of good company made the weight of the day settle comfortably into tired limbs.

At some point, someone had taken one of Andrew’s guitars off the wall. You didn’t know who had made that decision, but now it rested in the hands of Shane McAnally,—a producer you’ve work with a couple of times,—his fingers effortlessly gliding over the strings, strumming the first few chords of a song that fit the quiet intimacy of the room.

Iza and Lyra sat cross-legged on the floor, their movements sluggish as they played some half-hearted game, exhaustion finally creeping into their tiny bodies. Baby Jupiter had long since fallen asleep in Fio’s arms, her small breaths soft and even against her chest, while the Puertorrican gently rocked her, murmuring to Ed’s wife in hushed tones.

Blake lounged on the couch, head tipped back, his foot lazily tapping along to the rhythm. Ed sat on the floor with his back against the couch, his arm draped over his knee as he watched his daughter with an easy, contented smile.

And you?

You were curled up against Danna, your head resting on her shoulder, your fingers absentmindedly playing with the fabric of your skirt. The gentle rise and fall of her breathing, the way she leaned into you slightly, was grounding.

Because despite the ease of the night, despite the warmth of friends and the music weaving through the space like a familiar thread, there was him.

Daniel.

You didn’t have to look to know where he was. You could feel him.

He had been lingering just at the edge of your awareness all night. Not close enough to be a part of your space, but not far enough to be ignored. He was watching you—you knew that much. Every time you shifted, every time you laughed at something Danna whispered in your ear, you felt the weight of his gaze.

And you hated that a part of you wanted to look back.

Instead, you focused on the music, on the steady strumming of Shane’s guitar, on the way the melody settled into your bones.

And then—

“You should sing something, man,” he said, tilting his head toward Ed with an expectant grin.

There was a split second of quiet before a ripple of excitement passed through the group, energy sparking back to life at the idea. Even in a room full of musicians and songwriters, Ed Sheeran singing in such an intimate setting wasn’t something anyone would casually brush off.

A soft flush crept up Ed’s neck as he waved a hand dismissively, though the small smile tugging at his lips gave him away. “Oh, c’mon,” he chuckled, shaking his head as he adjusted the guitar in his lap. “You lot hear me sing all the time.”

“Yeah, but not like this,” Vitto shot back, leaning forward with a teasing grin. “Something catchy, Sheeran. You know what the people want.”

The people—meaning the handful of friends still left in the room—voiced their agreement, throwing out song requests all at once.

“Yeah, man. For the old times,—y’know, back when you used to crash into my sofa for days and we’d just play whatever and eat cereal for lunch. ‘member that? Food of champions,” Andy recalled chuckling, a nostalgic smile gracing his face, and his arms wrapped around Vitto.

Ed laughed, rolling his eyes playfully before his fingers began idly plucking at the strings. “Alright, alright. Something catchy…” He hummed to himself, considering his options.

And then, with an amused glint in his eye, he settled on a choice.

The unmistakable opening rhythm of You Need Me, I Don’t Need You filled the room, and a few cheers rang out in response. The song had always been a crowd favorite—fast-paced, filled with sharp lyricism and an infectious beat that made it impossible to ignore.

But it wasn’t just the song itself that had people leaning in, waiting to see where he’d take it. Because every Ed Sheeran fan knew that when he performed this track, he had a habit of weaving in verses from other songs—his own or others—transforming each rendition into something unique.

And tonight?

Tonight, he had something up his sleeve.

The room moved with the rhythm, heads bobbing, fingers tapping against knees and arms of chairs. And then—

“So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street, crash the party like a record scratch as I scream: ‘Who's afraid of little old me?’”

The words cut through the space—familiar but with a faster tempo,—and your breath hitched in surprise.

As Ed’s expression met your gaze there was a hint of mischief in his smirk. He didn’t say anything, simply flowed right back into his own lyrics as if he hadn’t just quoted your song for the entire room to hear.

The reaction was instant.

Danna let out a quiet, impressed whistle. Fio grinned and nudged your leg with hers, giving you a look that screamed did you hear that?. Even Blake’s eyebrows shot up, a smirk pulling at his lips. 

Flattered and honored, you reached out and ruffled Ed’s curls, shaking your head fondly. “Show-off,” you muttered, but your smile was genuine.

As the song came to an end, the room burst into applause, voices overlapping with praise and good-natured teasing. Ed, ever the performer, gave an exaggerated bow before turning to you with a knowing look.

“Well then,” he drawled, tilting his head. “What d’you say, Pinky? Fancy singing one of ours?”

You rolled your eyes at the nickname he had given you years ago, and even before you could respond, the chorus of encouragement from your friends was enough to make the decision for you. Laughing, you shook your head but relented easily, already running through the possibilities in your mind. After a brief back-and-forth, you settled on one song—an acoustic version of ‘South of the Border.’

It was a fun song—familiar and easy, like slipping into an old, well-worn memory. Your voice found its place effortlessly, harmonizing with Ed’s, the two of you feeding off each other’s energy as you had so many times before.

As the song ended, a wave of satisfied applause rippled through the room. The energy was still buzzing, and when the calls for another began, you were already sifting through possibilities in your mind. Maybe Run—one of the first songs you and Ed had ever written together, something nostalgic and safe.

But before you could voice the thought—

“Weren’t you guys working on something a few months ago?” Cherry mused, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. “Could we… perhaps… get an exclusive?”

Your pulse faltered.

Oh, Cherry.

It wasn’t malice. She had no idea what she had just stirred up. But right now, of all moments, was not the time for that song.

Because the song she meant was the one you had written with Ed in December. The one that had come so effortlessly, each lyric woven with a quiet intimacy you hadn’t even realized you were spilling onto the page.

The one that, despite everything, hadn’t been about Rúben.

A flicker of heat spread across your skin, your palms dampening as the weight of the moment pressed down. The air around you felt heavier, as if the room had shifted just slightly off balance.

Ed, ever attuned to you, noticed the hesitation before anyone else. He stepped in smoothly, his voice light but firm. “Ah, we should probably save that one—”

But something inside you rebelled.

Maybe it was the emotions simmering beneath your skin for these past two days. Maybe it was the fact that Daniel sat there, silent, unmoving—but listening. Maybe it was exhaustion. Exhaustion from sidestepping old wounds, from policing your feelings, from pretending you had truly left it all behind.

You felt a light squeeze on your thigh, coming from your right where Danna was sitting, so you inhaled deeply and said, “Fuck it. Let’s do it, Teddy.”

You pushed yourself up, feet moving before your mind could catch up. The room fell into a hushed anticipation as you crossed to the piano nestled in the corner. Your fingertips skimmed over the keys, the cool ivory grounding you.

Ed met your eyes, his expression unreadable for a beat—then he gave the smallest nod.

And with a breath, you pressed down on the first chord. And Ed joined in.

How was I to know? It's a crazy thing

I showed you my hand and you still let me win

The world around you blurred, fading into nothing but music and memory.

His voice was smooth, grounding, effortlessly slipping into his verse. It was rich with meaning, a quiet intensity that made the lyrics settle deeper. 

The melody poured out, delicate yet steady, the kind of tune that held weight even in its quietest moments. Each note carried something unspoken, something raw, something deeply embedded in your bones. The words followed, soft at first, then stronger, weaving through the room like a confession you hadn’t meant to speak aloud.

I've been played before, if you hadn't guessed

So I kept my cards close to my foolproof vest

But you called my bluff

And saw through all my tells

And then you went all in

And we left together

A small, bittersweet smile graced your lips as you closed your eyes. Your voice followed, soft at first, then steady, each lyric unraveling something fragile, something you hadn’t meant to lay bare in front of all these people—least of all him.

The song had never felt so vulnerable before. Not when you’d written it, not when you and Ed had first played it together. But now, under the weight of this silence, with him in the room, every note carried something heavier.

Your chest ached with the effort of holding it all in, of keeping your expression unreadable. You knew the moment you looked up, the moment your eyes found his, it would all be over.

So you didn’t.

You focused on the piano, the keys grounding you, keeping you tethered to something tangible while everything else spun into uncertainty. You let yourself sink into the music, let it shield you, even as it exposed you completely.

Then Ed’s voice came in, warm and rich, balancing yours with a quiet strength. He didn’t push, didn’t overshadow—just supported, as he always did. His voice was steady where yours threatened to waver, anchoring the song when your own emotions made it feel like you might drift away.

Still, you felt it. The shift in the air. The way the song hung between you and the past, between you and him.

The way the truth sat there, unspoken but heard.

And still, you sang.

And I know you think that what makes a king

Is gold, a palace, and diamond rings

When I fold, you see the best in mе

The Joker and the Queen

You weren’t going to look up. You weren’t.

But something in you—it betrayed you.

Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was years of knowing him so well that you could feel when his focus was sharpened, honed in like a blade. Maybe it was something deeper, something you weren’t ready to name.

Whatever it was, it made you look.

And when you did—when your eyes finally met his—your breath hitched.

His eyes—God, his eyes.

Daniel wasn’t staring at you. He wasn’t looking at you.

He was watching.

Watching in a way that made your pulse falter, your fingers slip slightly on the keys before muscle memory saved you. Watching in a way that made the air feel too thick, too charged, too much.

Watching like he was memorizing every line of your face, every flicker of emotion, every breath.

Like he was absorbing every lyric, every note, as if they were something sacred, something meant only for him.

Like he was hearing it not just with his ears but with something deeper.

Like he knew.

And then—the stillness.

It was unnatural.

Daniel never stilled.

You had known him long enough, loved him long enough, to understand that stillness, for him, was as foreign as silence. He was a man in constant motion—always tapping, always shifting, always adjusting the rings on his fingers, running a hand through his curls, bouncing his knee, stretching his arms. Restless energy lived in his bones, in his blood.

But now?

Nothing.

He wasn’t just still. He was locked in place.

The glass in his hand was clutched too tightly, his knuckles white, his fingers motionless against the condensation. His knee, the one that usually bounced without thought, was frozen, muscles tensed like he was holding himself back from something. The only sign of life was the way his chest rose and fell—like he was forcing himself to stay composed. Like he had to remind himself to breathe. And you saw the way his fingers twitched—like he wanted to reach for something, someone.

Like he wanted to reach for you.

It all felt like standing at the edge of a storm, right before the sky split open. 

You averted your gaze, staring down at the black keys under your fingers. And as the last note lingered in the air, hanging heavy between breaths. The room, filled with laughter and easy conversation just moments ago, suddenly felt too small. Too full.

A beat of silence. Then—applause. Cheers. Someone clapped Ed on the back, murmuring something about how much they loved that song. Another voice, light and teasing, called for another one.

You could still feel it.

His eyes.

Still watching.

And when you dared to glance up again—God.

The intensity hadn’t faded. If anything, it had deepened.

“Another one, please!” someone called, grinning.

And you might’ve been able to handle it—might’ve found a way to school your features, to pretend like you weren’t seconds away from unraveling—

But then Ed, ever the good-natured, easygoing soul, smiled and started playing a different tune on his guitar.

Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you

But ain't nobody love you like I do

Promise that I will not take it personal, baby

If you're movin' on with someone new

The air left your lungs.

Out of all the songs—Of course it was Happier.

Because the universe had a wicked sense of humor.

His stare felt even heavier when Ed reached the chorus, almost unbearable, like the words were echoing inside him—like he was saying them to you without ever speaking a word.

'Cause, baby, you look happier, you do

My friends told me one day I'll feel it, too

And until then, I'll smile to hide the truth

But I know I was happier with you

Your chest constricted beneath the intensity of his gaze. You needed air.

So you forced a smile—small, barely there—and slipped off the stool.

No one questioned it. No one thought twice about it.

Except him.

Daniel’s brows furrowed, his fingers twitching around his glass. His lips parted slightly, like he was about to say something, but no words came.

Because what could he say?

You didn’t give him the chance to figure it out.

With quiet, steady movements, you walked toward the door, out of the suffocating warmth of the room, out into the lingering heat of the summer night, hoping—praying—that it would be enough to settle the storm inside you.

But you already knew.

It wouldn’t.

(And neither would the man who followed you out.)

You sat down on the lounge chair by the pool, the warm night air embracing your body like a soft hug, but you barely felt it. Your hands pressed against your legs, fingers gripping the fabric of your skirt as if grounding yourself, as if the world wasn’t tilting beneath you.

You squeezed your eyes shut.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

The ache in your chest didn’t ease. The tightness in your throat didn’t fade.

You didn’t hear the door open behind you, but you felt it—footsteps.

Slow, hesitant, but deliberate.

You didn’t turn around. You didn’t have to.

You knew it was him.

Daniel came to stand beside you, leaving just enough space to be polite but not enough to sever the invisible thread between you. For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The only sounds were the muffled music from inside and the wind rustling through the trees.

Then, finally—movement.

A slow inhale. A subtle shift of his weight. The faintest brush of his thumb against his knuckles, like he was trying to work up the courage to say something.

But still, silence.

And you weren’t sure which of you was more afraid to break it.

Finally, you let out a quiet, bitter laugh, shaking your head.

“I had to get out of there,” you murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

Daniel exhaled sharply through his nose, a sound that could’ve been agreement or just an attempt at a breath.

“Yeah,” he finally said, his voice rougher than usual. “Yeah, I figured.”

Another pause. Another breath.

“D’you want me to leave?”

That was the real question, wasn’t it?

Did you?

Could you?

Because if you told him to go, you knew he would.

But if you didn’t…

God help you both.

You hesitated, the weight of his question pressing down on you like the night air—heavy, thick, charged with something unspoken.

Did you really want him to leave?

The logical part of you screamed yes. Screamed that this was dangerous, that you had already let yourself feel too much, that you had barely survived the last time.

But your heart—your traitorous, aching heart—whispered no.

So, you shook your head.

Daniel nodded once, almost imperceptibly, before shifting his stance. “D’you mind if I—?” he gestured to the lounge chair next to you, his voice quieter now, careful.

You shrugged, a movement so small it barely qualified as an answer. But Daniel understood. He always did.

Slowly, he sat down, mirroring your posture—feet planted on the ground, hands resting on his thighs. He exhaled, rolling his shoulders back like he was trying to shake off whatever was weighing him down.

And then, for a while, there was nothing but silence.

Not the awkward kind. Not even the kind that begged to be filled.

Just… silence.

The soft wind carried the distant hum of the city, the occasional laughter from inside, the gentle ripple of water in the pool. And between all of it, there was this—the space between you and Daniel, filled with unsaid things, unfinished stories, and the ghosts of every moment that had led to here.

Then, finally, Daniel moved.

A slow inhale. A flex of his fingers against his pants. A turn of his head—just enough that, if you looked, if you dared—you would meet his gaze.

And then, softly—

“You sounded good in there.”

You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, your fingers curling slightly against the fabric.

You swallowed. “Thanks.”

Daniel nodded, his own hands twitching against his thighs, like he wanted to do something—reach for you, maybe—but held himself back.

“I meant it,” he said after a beat, his voice quieter, almost careful. “It—” he exhaled sharply, shaking his head as if searching for the right words. “It hit different. Dunno. Just… felt like you meant every word.”

Your eyes flickered to the water, the reflection of the string lights shimmering across its surface, anything to keep yourself from looking at him.

You shrugged. “That’s kind of the point, isn’t it? That is my job.”

Daniel let out a breath that sounded almost like a laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess it is.”

More silence.

The kind that crackled, that carried weight.

And then, softer—softer than you were prepared for—

“Was it about me?”

Your breath caught.

He didn’t ask if that one was about him too, but the weight of it was there, thick and unspoken. You remembered how he had tried to ask at your friends' wedding a month ago, how the words had nearly left his lips before you cut him off—before you refused to let him hear the truth. Because, yes, they had been about him. Every note, every lyric.

And now, just like then, that silent too echoed between you, lingering in the space neither of you dared to fill.

Your fingers tightened around the fabric beneath them, nails pressing into your palms.

You could lie.

You should lie.

But when you finally turned your head—when you finally met his gaze—you knew it was already too late.

Because Daniel’s gaze was set on you.

Like he already knew the answer. Like he had known it long before he asked.

And the worst part?

You weren’t sure if you had the strength to deny him. So instead, you swallowed hard, blinking against the sudden sting in your eyes.

Your fingers moved to the armrest and dug into them, knuckles white. The word was stuck in your throat—why.

Why do you care so much?

Why now?

Why did you leave me?

Why wasn’t I enough to be the one?

Why did you move on so fast?

Why, why, why?

You clenched your jaw, forcing down the lump rising there, but the ache didn’t subside.

Your throat tightened as you forced out a bitter chuckle, shaking your head. “Does it really matter?”

Daniel’s lips parted slightly, like he wanted to answer, like he had something real to say. But nothing came out.

Instead, his brows pulled together, his throat bobbing with a hard swallow.

You let out another quiet, humorless laugh, more to yourself than to him. Because really—what was the point?

And yet, he flinched. Flinched. Barely noticeable, but you caught it.

And for some reason, that tiny reaction—the way his body betrayed him before his words could—it made something sharp twist inside you.

His jaw tensed as he looked away, eyes flickering toward the pool. His fingers flexed against his knee, his telltale sign of frustration. But he didn’t deny it. He didn’t brush it off.

He just exhaled slowly, shoulders rising and falling before he said, almost too soft—

“It does to me.”

Your stomach lurched.

A cruel, unwelcome flicker of hope clawed at your ribs, but you crushed it before it could take root.

Because what did that even mean?

You forced a breath through your nose, willing yourself to keep steady, to keep control. “Well, it shouldn’t,” you murmured. “Not anymore.”

A beat of silence. Then—

Daniel huffed out a bitter laugh, shaking his head as he ran a hand over his face. “Yeah,” he muttered. “I guess I deserve that.”

You watched him, watched the way his fingers lingered over his mouth like he wanted to press the words back in, like he regretted saying them out loud.

Good.

Let him sit with it. Let him feel it.

Because that’s what you had been doing every day since he left. Sitting with it. Drowning in it.

And maybe—just maybe—he deserved to know what that felt like, too.

You exhaled sharply, shaking your head. God, this was so frustrating.

Frustrating how he could sit there, looking at you like that—like you still meant something to him. Frustrating how he spoke to you like time hadn’t passed, like the two of you weren’t different people, living different lives. Frustrating how he could act as if things between you hadn’t ended when they were supposed to be forever.

Your fingers dug into your thighs, nails pressing crescents into your skin. “I don’t—” you started, then cut yourself off with a sharp breath. You didn’t even know what you were trying to say.

Daniel leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees. “You don’t what?” he asked, voice lower now, careful.

You snapped your gaze to him, eyes flashing. “I don’t get you,” you admitted, the words tumbling out unfiltered. “I don’t get how you can just—” Your hand lifted, gesturing vaguely between the two of you. “Sit here like this, talk to me like this, like—like we’re still—”

You broke off, shaking your head again, swallowing the lump in your throat.

Daniel’s lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but for a long moment, he didn’t. He just looked at you—really looked at you—like he was searching for something in your expression, something he wasn’t sure he’d find.

And when he did speak, his voice was barely above a whisper.

“Do you want me to pretend?”

Your breath caught.

Daniel exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “That’s what you want, right? For me to act like I don’t care?” His voice was rough now, laced with something you couldn’t place. “Because I can’t do that, Chip.”

You swallowed hard. “Why not?”

His jaw tightened. “Because I never stopped caring.”

The words landed like a blow, knocking the air from your lungs.

For a second, neither of you spoke.

Then you let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh, shaking your head. “Unbelievable.”

Daniel frowned, shifting toward you. “Chip—”

“No.” You stood abruptly, the suddenness of it making him flinch. Your chest heaved as you stared down at him, every nerve in your body buzzing, burning. “No tienes ningún derecho a decir eso,” you rubbed your forehead, frustration boiling over. You let out a sharp exhale. “You don’t get to say that. You don’t get to fucking call me Chip as if nothing has changed.”

Daniel blinked, taken aback. “What—?”

“And you don’t get to sit here and act like—like this was my choice.” Your voice wavered, but your resolve didn’t. “Like I was the one who walked away. Like I was the one who—” You broke off, pressing your lips together, forcing down the lump in your throat.

Daniel’s expression softened, but that only made it worse.

You inhaled sharply, blinking against the sting behind your eyes. “You left me, Daniel. You left us.”

The words hung between you, raw and heavy, settling into the space he had carved out and abandoned.

Daniel’s throat bobbed, and he looked away, exhaling through his nose.

But you weren’t done.

“You dumped me, and then you moved on like we were nothing. Like I was nothing.” Your voice cracked, and you hated yourself for it, but you pushed forward anyway. “So don’t—don’t fucking sit here and tell me you still care.”

Daniel’s eyes snapped to yours, something unreadable flashing across his face.

You shook your head, stepping back. “Because if you really did, you wouldn’t have left in the first place.”

Silence.

He didn’t argue. He didn’t defend himself.

He just sat there, staring at you, his hands clenched into fists against his knees.

And for the first time since this conversation started—since he started it—you saw it.

Guilt.

Good.

Let him drown in it.

The silence between you stretched, thick and suffocating. The string lights above barely flickered, casting a warm glow that felt at odds with the storm brewing in your chest.

Daniel’s jaw was tight, his gaze flickering away for a moment before settling back on you. His fingers flexed again, like he was fighting the urge to reach for you—but he didn’t. He never did. Not when it mattered.

“You think it was easy for me?” His voice was quiet, rough around the edges.

You let out a sharp laugh, disbelieving. “Oh, don’t do that. Don’t stand there and try to rewrite history, Daniel. You left. You chose to leave. That wasn’t something that just happened to you.”

His eyes flashed. “You think I wanted to?”

You froze.

Daniel exhaled, shaking his head. “You think I just—what? Got bored? Woke up one day and decided I didn’t want this anymore? Didn’t want you?” He scoffed, running a hand through his hair. “It wasn’t that simple.”

Your heart pounded, frustration bubbling over into something dangerously close to hurt. “Then explain it to me,” you shot back, voice unsteady. “Because all I know is that one day we were planning a life together, and the next, you decided that we were over. And I had to watch you be fine. I had to watch you move on, like I—like we—meant nothing.”

Daniel’s expression cracked.

And that—that was almost worse.

Because for so long, you had convinced yourself he hadn’t cared. That it had been easy for him. That you were the only one left carrying the weight of it.

But now?

Now, you weren’t sure what to do with the way his shoulders dropped, with the way his hands curled into fists against his thighs, with the way his lips parted like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

You swallowed, shaking your head. “Why, Daniel?” Your voice was barely above a whisper now, shaky and raw. “Why did you run from us?”

Daniel’s throat bobbed.

For a long moment, you thought he wouldn’t answer. That he would let the silence stretch until you couldn’t bear it anymore. That he would do what he always did—walk away.

But then, so quietly you almost missed it—

“Because I thought I was doing the right thing.”

You stared at him, searching his face, trying to make sense of the words. “What?”

Daniel exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “I thought—I thought I was protecting you.” His voice wavered slightly, and that was almost as shocking as the words themselves. “I thought you deserved more than what I could give you. More than—more than being dragged into my world, my mess.” His jaw clenched, his fingers digging into his knees. “So I convinced myself you’d be better off without me.”

Your chest rose and fell, breaths uneven as you processed his words. Protecting you. Like you had been some delicate thing in need of saving. Like you weren’t the one who had to piece yourself back together after he left. 

Your stomach twisted. “That’s bullshit.”

Daniel blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

You took a step forward, heat rising to your cheeks. “I said that’s bullshit, Daniel.” Your voice shook, but not with sadness. With anger. You let out a sharp exhale, shaking your head. “That’s not what happened.”

Daniel’s brows furrowed. “Chip—”

“No.” Your voice was firm, and you took a step closer, eyes flashing. “You weren’t protecting me, Daniel. You were protecting yourself.”

His lips parted slightly, but you didn’t give him a chance to interrupt.

“You thought I deserved better?” A humorless laugh slipped from your lips. “Que ‘merecía algo mejor’ pero por favor,” you mumbled bitterly, the disbelief lacing your tone, “You’re the one who told me I was too young to understand. That I was naive. That I didn’t get what this was.”

Daniel flinched, guilt flickering across his face.

You scoffed. “You think I forgot?” The lump in your throat burned, but you refused to let it take over. “Because I didn’t.” Your voice wavered, your index finger jamming into your chest. “You said that to hurt me. You knew it was my biggest insecurity, and you used it anyway.”

“I—” Daniel exhaled sharply, looking away for a moment before his gaze snapped back to yours. “I know. I know, and I—” He ran a hand down his face, frustration evident in every inch of him. “It wasn’t fair. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then what did you mean?”

Silence.

He swallowed, jaw clenching. “I—”

You tilted your head, pressing. “Decíme, Daniel. ¿Cuál es la ver-,” you closed your eyes for a second and took a deep breath, trying to regain control of yourself, “What was the truth? Huh? Because if you were really so sure you weren’t good enough for me, why did you throw it in my face? Why did you make me feel like I wasn’t good enough for you?”

Daniel inhaled sharply, his fingers flexing against his thighs, frustration bleeding into his features. And for a second, you thought he wasn’t going to say anything. That he was going to shut down, to push you away like he did back then.

But then, in a voice so low you barely caught it—

“Because I was scared.”

Daniel swallowed hard, his gaze never leaving yours. “Because I wasn’t ready,” he admitted, voice raw. “Because everything was moving so fast, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I—” He hesitated, shaking his head slightly. “You came into my life like a fucking storm, Chip. And I loved it. I loved you.” He exhaled sharply. “But I didn’t know how to keep up.”

You stared at him, your heart pounding in your ears.

“I’d never been with someone like you before,” he continued, voice quieter now, like he was laying himself bare. “Never been with someone who—who the whole world knew.” His lips pressed together. “I was used to you being mine, and then suddenly, you weren’t just mine anymore. You belonged to everyone.” He swallowed. “And I didn’t know how to deal with that. How to share you with the world.”

Your throat felt tight.

Daniel let out a breath, shaking his head. “And then the rumors started. And I knew they weren’t true, I knew that, but—” He let out a humorless chuckle, running a hand through his hair. “But I let them get to me anyway. I let people get in my head. And all the shit I was already hearing about me being too old for you, about me holding you back with my washed-up career—it just… it all built up.” His jaw tensed. “And instead of dealing with it, I took it out on you.”

Daniel exhaled. “I shouldn’t have said those things. I shouldn’t have hurt you the way I did.” He shook his head, gaze heavy. “And I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

The words hung between you, thick and suffocating.

You blinked against the sting in your eyes, heart hammering. “I would’ve chosen you,” you whispered. “No matter what they said. No matter how hard it got.” you let out a breath, shaking your head, “You don’t get to sit here now, after everything, and tell me you did it for me,” you continued, voice laced with anger. “Because if you really cared—if you really loved me like you said you did—you would’ve fought for us. You wouldn’t have just let me go.”

Daniel inhaled sharply, his expression crumbling.

“I did choose you. Every. single. time,” you continued, voice barely above a whisper. “But you didn’t choose me back. So, you don’t get to come back now and act like this is some great tragedy. Like you were some martyr.” Your hands curled into fists at your sides. 

Daniel’s lips parted slightly, but no sound came out.

And maybe that was the worst part.

Because he had nothing to say. Because he knew you were right.

And then—

“I know.”

It was barely a whisper. A confession. A realization.

You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment, pressing your lips together, forcing yourself to swallow the lump rising in your throat.

Because it didn’t matter.

“People called me crazy for letting you get away. And they were right.” he croaked.

The moment the anger left your body, it was as if everything inside you collapsed in on itself, leaving only the ache behind—the unbearable, suffocating weight of heartbreak you had spent so long trying to outrun. You had been furious, livid even, for so long. It had been easier that way. Anger was fire; it burned, but at least it kept you moving, kept you from feeling the deep, aching cold of grief. But now, standing in front of him, hearing his voice shake with something dangerously close to regret, the fire was gone. And all you had left was the hollowed-out remains of what used to be love.

Your hands trembled slightly at your sides, but you willed yourself to stay still. To hold your ground. You swallowed hard, voice quieter now, tinged with something fragile.

“Was it worth it?”

Daniel’s eyes widened slightly, as if he hadn’t expected the question, as if he thought this conversation couldn’t reach a rawer and more painful tone.

He should know better.

“What?” His voice was barely above a whisper.

You took in a slow, shaky breath, forcing yourself to meet his gaze. “Was it worth it?” The words felt heavier this time, like they were dredged up from the deepest part of you—the part you had tried to ignore, the part that still ached when you let your guard down for even a second. “All of it? Leaving me, hurting me—was it worth it?”

His jaw tightened, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. You could see it in his face—the hesitation, the weight of his own regret pressing down on him.

And then, finally, he spoke.

“No—No, believe me, it wasn’t.”

Something inside you cracked. It wasn’t relief. It wasn’t even vindication. It was just another reminder of how much you had lost.

You bit the inside of your cheek, steadying yourself.

You had to ask.

You had to know.

Your voice felt too small, too fragile as you whispered, “Was I not enough?”

The air between you stilled, thick and suffocating.

Daniel inhaled sharply, his entire body going rigid.

You forced yourself to hold his gaze, even as your vision blurred, even as your chest tightened painfully. “Because that’s what it felt like,” you admitted, voice barely holding together. “Like I wasn’t enough for you.”

His hands curled into fists, his knuckles white. He said your name—soft, broken—but you shook your head.

“No, just—just tell me the truth.” You took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to steady yourself, trying to keep the overwhelming flood of emotions at bay. “If I wasn’t enough for you, just say it.”

His face twisted with something wrecked, something almost unbearable to look at.

“You were everything to me.” His voice was hoarse, raw, carrying the weight of every unspoken word, every regret.

A bitter, broken laugh escaped your lips before you could stop it. “Then why wasn’t that enough?”

His eyes closed for a brief second, his breath slow and deliberate, as if he was trying to gather himself, trying to find the right words. And when he opened them again, they were heavy with something that made your stomach twist.

“I was scared,” he admitted. The words were quiet, but they hit you like a blow to the chest. “I was scared of losing you, scared of ruining what we had. And in the end…” He let out a breath, shaking his head, his expression crumbling. “I did it anyway.”

You stared at him, your heart pounding so loudly in your ears that you almost couldn’t hear anything else.

So that was it.

The truth, bare and exposed between you.

It wasn’t that you weren’t enough. It was that he was too afraid to fight for you. And somehow, that hurt even more.

You let out a slow breath, trying to steady yourself, but your heart was racing, your pulse thrumming in your ears. Still, you needed to know.

Your voice was quieter now, softer, but no less urgent. “Were you happy with her?”

Daniel’s expression flickered, his lips pressing into a thin line. He took a moment before answering.

Daniel’s expression shifted, something unreadable flickering across his face before his lips pressed into a thin line. He hesitated, as if weighing his words carefully, as if debating whether the truth would hurt you more than whatever lie he could offer. But then, finally, he spoke.

“In a way,” he admitted, voice low, measured. “It was easy. Comfortable.”

His fingers curled slightly at his sides, as if he were testing the weight of his own words, the way they sat on his tongue.

“She was good to me,” he continued, almost like a confession. “And I reckon I liked the security of it all—the simplicity.” He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. “But that’s just it, innit?”

Your stomach twisted, your breath catching in your throat.

“I realized that’s not what I wanted,” he murmured, voice quieter now, more introspective. “I told myself that easy meant right. That it meant safe.”

His jaw clenched, his gaze flickering downward for the briefest moment before meeting yours again, unwavering.

“But it never felt the way it was supposed to.”

A lump formed in your throat.

Daniel swallowed, his shoulders rising and falling with a deep breath. And when he spoke again, there was no hesitation, no doubt, just quiet certainty.

“Not the way it felt with you.”

The words settled between you, heavy, unshakable.

Your vision blurred, trying to hold back the dam that threatened to break, but you refused to look away.

Because deep down, you had always known.

And somehow, that made it hurt even more.

“And I couldn’t give her what she deserved.” His voice was quiet, almost pained, like he was finally saying the words out loud for the first time. Like he had been carrying them inside him for too long.

“I tried. I really did. But it wasn’t fair to her.”

Daniel swallowed hard, his fingers flexing slightly at his sides.

“She deserved someone who could love her fully. And I…” He hesitated, his lips pressing together before he exhaled slowly. “I was never all in. Not with her.”

Your heart pounded against your ribs, but you forced yourself to stay still, to keep your voice steady.

“Did you love her?”

“Yes.”

The answer came easily, without hesitation. But then—

“Not the way I loved you.”

Your pulse roared in your ears.

Daniel let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe himself. “Not even close.”

You pressed your lips together, trying to ignore the way your chest ached, the way your fingers trembled slightly at your sides.

“I couldn’t see a lifetime with her,” he admitted, voice raw. “I tried, Chip. I really did. But I kept—” He cut himself off, exhaling shakily, his jaw tightening. “I kept seeing you instead.”

A lump formed in your throat.

Daniel’s gaze was heavy, unwavering, filled with something you weren’t sure you were ready to face.

“And she deserved more than being a placeholder for someone I could never forget.”

Your stomach twisted, nausea creeping in.

“I hated myself for it,” he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. “For dragging her into something that was never meant to last. For pretending. For trying to force something that wasn’t real.” His fists clenched at his sides. “But I was a coward. I told myself I was moving on, that it was for the best. But deep down…” He shook his head, his expression crumbling. “Deep down, I was just running.”

Silence settled between you like a thick fog, suffocating and unrelenting.

When you finally spoke, your voice was barely more than a whisper.

“So why now?”

Daniel exhaled slowly, like he had been waiting for that question.

“Because I stopped running.”

He stood up, taking slow, measured steps toward you—cautious, like he was approaching something fragile, something easily shattered.

“I put in the work,” he admitted. “Therapy. Cutting out the people who didn’t really care about me. Facing all the shit I was too scared to deal with before.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed, his voice quieter, more hesitant. “I had to fix myself. Not for anyone else. For me.”

He hesitated, then softer, more vulnerable—

“But also… for you.”

A tear slipped down your cheek before you could stop it.

Daniel’s gaze softened, his hand twitching at his side like he wanted to reach for you but wasn’t sure if he could.

“I wanted to be better,” he murmured. “For real this time.”

God—

You desperately wanted to believe him.

You swallowed hard, blinking quickly as if that could somehow erase the new tears threatening to fall. Your throat burned with the weight of everything—everything he was saying, everything he had done, everything you had spent so long trying to forget.

Daniel took another step closer.

“Chip…”

Your breath hitched. That name. That stupid, familiar, heartbreakingly tender name that he refused to let go.

You forced yourself to look at him, to really look at him. His face was open, unguarded in a way you hadn't seen in years. The mask was gone—no cocky smirk, no easy charm to hide behind. Just him. Just Daniel.

And it hurt.

It hurt because this was all you had wanted once. This honesty. This rawness. You had begged for it in silence, in the way you loved him, in the way you had broken when he left. And now, after all this time, after all the sleepless nights and unanswered questions, he was finally giving it to you.

But it was too late. Wasn’t it?

You took a shaky breath. “Do you have any idea what it was like for me?”

Daniel flinched. He didn’t answer. He just waited.

“I had to live with it,” you whispered, your voice shaking. “With knowing I wasn’t enough. With knowing I was so easy to leave.”

His face twisted in something wrecked, something desperate. “No—”

“I waited, you know?” You let out a hollow, bitter laugh. “At first, I waited for you to come back. And then, when I realized you weren’t going to, I waited for the moment it would stop hurting.” You swallowed, blinking back the tears welling in your eyes. “But it never really did.”

Daniel’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his entire body tense like he was holding himself back.

“I know,” he rasped. “I know, and I hate myself for it.”

You exhaled shakily, running a hand through your hair. “You don’t get to do this, Daniel.”

His brows furrowed, something panicked flashing in his eyes. “Do what?”

“Say all the right things now. Tell me you’ve changed. Tell me you want to be better.” You shook your head, voice barely above a whisper. “You don’t get to come back after breaking me and expect me to just—” You cut yourself off, inhaling sharply.

Daniel swallowed hard. “I don’t expect anything.”

Your eyes met his, and the pain there nearly knocked the air from your lungs.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me,” he said, voice raw, “and I sure as hell don’t expect you to want me back.” He let out a breath, his hands flexing at his sides. “But I needed you to know the truth. I needed you to know that I never stopped—” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “I never stopped loving you.”

Your breath caught.

Daniel let out a quiet, humorless laugh, rubbing a hand over his face. “God, I tried. I really tried. But no matter what I did, no matter how much time passed, it was always you.” His voice was thick now, raw with something he could barely contain. He looked at you then, eyes filled with something devastating—something that made your breath catch in your throat. 

And then you saw it.

The tears welling up in his eyes.

Daniel Ricciardo, the man who always had the biggest smile, the loudest laugh, the effortless charm—was breaking right in front of you. His jaw tightened, as if he was trying to keep it together, but the way his chest rose and fell unevenly, the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, betrayed him.

“I don’t know how to exist in a world where I don’t love you,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “And believe me, I tried to learn.”

A lump formed in your throat as you took him in—the man who had shattered you, standing there with his walls crumbling, his heart in his hands, his eyes begging you to see him.

But could you?

Could you let yourself believe him after everything?

You hated how much you wanted to.

Your chest ached, your hands trembled, your entire body screamed at you to run, to leave before you let yourself get hurt all over again.

But you didn’t move.

You just stood there, staring at the man who had broken you beyond recognition—the man who, despite everything, still had the power to make your heart race and your walls tremble.

The tears you had been holding back finally fell, slipping down your cheeks the moment you saw him break. Daniel's breath hitched, his expression crumbling even further as he instinctively lifted his hand toward your face.

His fingers were warm against your skin, rougher than you remembered but still achingly familiar. He wiped away your tears—first the right side, then the left, his touch lingering. And then, without thinking, his knuckle grazed the slope of your nose, tracing it gently with the pad of his finger.

It was muscle memory. A gesture from a lifetime ago, one he used to do whenever he saw you cry, hoping it would make you smile.

The moment he realized what he’d done, he froze. His hand stilled, hovering just inches from your face, his breath unsteady.

And you didn’t pull away.

A soft, sad smile ghosted across his lips as the first tear slipped down his own cheek. His voice was barely above a whisper when he finally asked,

“Are you happy with Rúben?”

Your lips parted, but the answer didn’t come easily. Instead, you inhaled deeply, steadying yourself before saying,

“Rúben is a good boyfriend.”

Daniel’s gaze didn’t waver. He searched your face, waiting, but you offered nothing more. His jaw clenched slightly before he shook his head.

“That’s not what I asked.”

You swallowed, blinking rapidly, before finally whispering, “Yes.”

And it was true. You were happy. But it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t the all-consuming, heart-racing, gravity-defying happiness you once had with Daniel. It was different—steadier, safer, something that made sense in a way your past with him never did.

And that was okay. It had to be okay.

Because they were two different people.

Daniel exhaled slowly, nodding as if trying to accept your answer, even as something flickered behind his eyes. His voice was even softer when he asked his next question.

“Do you love him?”

You didn’t hesitate this time. “Yes.”

But that was all you gave him. No explanation. No elaboration. Just a single word that should have been enough.

Except it wasn’t.

Because Daniel knew you. He knew your little tells, the subtle shifts in your expression, the way your nose twitched slightly. There was more you weren’t saying, more that lingered beneath the surface. Maybe you didn’t understand it yet. Maybe you just didn’t want to.

And he understood.

The space between you felt impossibly small, the weight of everything unspoken pressing down on both of you.

Unconsciously, Daniel kept stepping closer, drawn to you like a tide pulled by the moon. Neither of you moved away. Neither of you wanted to. The air between you was thick with everything that still lingered between the lines of your past and present.

His voice was quiet when he finally spoke, raw with something aching, something heavy.

“All I want is for you to be happy,” he murmured. “Even if it kills me that it might not be with me.”

Your breath hitched, but you didn’t move, didn’t break away. His gaze held yours, searching, pleading—not for a second chance, not for forgiveness, but for understanding.

“I just… I just want you in my life again,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “Even if I’m not the one holding your hand. Even if I’m not the one you come home to.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed, his fingers twitching at his sides, aching to reach for you again but knowing he had no right. “I get it now. I understand.”

His jaw clenched. “I pushed you away, and you drifted so far that I can’t reach for you anymore. And that’s on me.”

Silence stretched between you, thick and suffocating. His voice cracked when he spoke again.

“You deserve the world, and I failed you.” His lips pressed together as he exhaled shakily. “You deserve someone who can keep their promises. Someone who won’t falter when things get hard. Someone who can meet you where you are—with all your brilliance, all your light—and not let you down.” His expression twisted, pained, devastated. “And I wasn’t that person.”

Not then.

And not now.

He wasn’t sure he ever would be.

But God help him—he wanted to be.

The selfish part of him, the part that still ached for you even when he had no right, refused to give up. If there was even the slightest chance of being worthy of you again—someday, somehow—he would take it.

He would work on himself to the end of time if it meant even the smallest hope of being enough for you one day.

It might never happen.

You might never look at him again the way you once did.

But if there was even the tiniest fraction of a possibility—he’d hold onto it.

Because you were the one thing in his life that had ever truly made sense.

And if there was one thing he could promise himself, it was that he would never stop trying to be the man you deserved.

Even if it took him forever.

Your chest felt tight, emotions warring inside you, tangled and complicated. The weight of his words settled deep in your bones, in the spaces between old wounds and lingering what-ifs.

Daniel had always had a way of getting under your skin, of speaking straight to your heart even when you didn’t want to hear him. And right now, standing this close, caught in the storm of everything that had been and everything that could never be again, you felt yourself teetering on the edge of something dangerous.

You should say something.

You should step back.

You should remind yourself that you weren’t his to love anymore. That he wasn’t yours to fall into again.

But instead, you stood there, your breath shaky, your pulse unsteady.

Daniel’s eyes flickered down to your lips—just for a second. It was instinct, muscle memory. A ghost of the past surfacing before he quickly rested them in your eyes again, his jaw tightening as if scolding himself.

And still—neither of you moved.

His fingers twitched at his sides, and your own hands curled into fists, desperate to hold onto something, to ground yourself.

“I know I don’t get to ask for anything,” he finally murmured, voice hoarse. “I lost that right a long time ago.” His throat bobbed, and his next words came out like a confession, stripped bare of any pretense.

“But if there’s even the smallest part of you that still—” He cut himself off, exhaling sharply, shaking his head as if to stop himself from saying too much. “I just… I hope that maybe, one day, you’ll let me be in your life again. Even as just your friend.”

His voice cracked slightly at the end. He hated himself for it.

Your lips parted, but nothing came out.

Because you didn’t know what to say.

Because even though you were happy, even though Rúben was good to you, even though you had moved on in every way that counted—

There was still something in the way Daniel looked at you.

Something in the way he said your name like it was still sacred to him.

Something in the way your heart stuttered, like it still remembered how to beat for him.

And maybe that was the cruelest part of it all.

That some loves never really faded.

That some ghosts never really left.

And that no matter how much time passed, no matter how far you drifted—

Daniel would always be a part of you.

His eyes flickered down to your lips again—just for a second, just long enough for your own breath to catch in your throat.

It would be so easy.

Too easy.

A step forward. A tilt of your chin. A surrender to the pull that had never really gone away.

His hand was so close to yours now, fingers twitching like they ached to reach for you. Your pulse pounded, your body betraying the logic screaming in your mind.

Then—

The sharp chime of your phone shattered the moment.

The ringtone was so familiar that it sent a shockwave through you. On the lounge chair you were sitting earlier your phone vibrated with Rúben’s name flashing across the screen.

Your heart lurched, and reality slammed back into you like a cold wave.

You stepped back, breath unsteady, and Daniel—his jaw clenched, his entire body tensing—looked away. He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his curls, as if physically forcing himself to break whatever spell had been wrapped around the two of you.

You swallowed, throat dry, forcing yourself to answer the call. “Hey,” you said, voice softer than it should have been, still laced with the ghost of what almost happened.

Daniel watched you, something breaking behind his eyes.

And as you stepped away to speak to Rúben, assuring him that everything was fine when he worried about the tone of your voice—Daniel took a deep breath. Then another.

Because he knew.

He knew that if your phone hadn’t rung, if reality hadn’t come crashing back in—

Neither one of you might not have stopped.

You barely registered the words coming out of your mouth as you spoke to Rúben, nodding and humming along to whatever he was saying even though your mind was somewhere else entirely—still caught in the gravity of Daniel’s gaze, still feeling the phantom warmth of his body so close to yours.

You ended the call as quickly as you could, muttering something about being tired, and the second you hung up, you took it as your excuse to leave. To flee.

You didn’t look back as you walked away.

Didn’t give yourself the chance to see whatever expression Daniel wore as you slipped through the door, putting distance—physical, emotional, necessary—between you.

But even as you locked yourself in your room, heart hammering against your ribs, it didn’t feel far enough.

The silence pressed in around you, suffocating. The weight of what had just happened—or almost happened—settled heavily on your chest.

You sank onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, replaying every second of the encounter in your mind. The way he looked at you. The way you had let yourself get lost in it. The way, for a split second, you had wanted—

No.

You squeezed your eyes shut, shaking your head as if you could physically rid yourself of the thoughts clawing at your resolve.

It felt like déjà vu.

Like you had been here before, in this very same bed, trying to make sense of the mess Daniel Ricciardo had left behind in your heart.

And just like before, you felt the sting behind your eyes before the first tear fell.

Crying over him.

Again.

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[afterglowsainz]

Hiii! How are you? 🩷🩷

For your Spotify challenge maybe Daniel Ricciardo and number 25?

Lots of love!!!

i know it won’t work | daniel ricciardo

song; i know it won’t work - gracie abrams

part of the spotify wrapped special

The situation with Daniel was never complicated, but it wasn’t simple either.

You were soulmates, the love of each other’s lives, written in the stars according to what a witch had told you during a visit to New Orleans. You belonged together, tied by an invisible red thread. But as you both grew older, the red thread stretched during your long-distance relationship—while he traveled the world, and you stayed in the same city—and it tangled in the lies and the words left unsaid.

Two people so destined to be together ended up going their separate ways. And you two were no exception. Even though you always found a way back to each other—because, well, you still had that invisible red thread tied to your fingers—you also always found a way to break apart.

“I feel like we haven’t grown since we started dating,” Daniel said one random Wednesday while you were making dinner and he fiddled with the straps on his wristwatch.

That comment triggered a fight that led to yet another breakup. You thought that if you hadn’t matured since your teenage years, it wasn’t your fault, and he claimed you always assumed the worst about him. You finished cooking dinner and told him you were going to your best friend’s house. He didn’t stop you.

Somehow, the air felt different that night.

Months later, you found yourself forced to return to the apartment you had shared and abandoned in a fit of anger. While you had already retrieved most of your belongings, too much time had passed since you left the rest behind. Daniel opened the door.

“I just need to grab my things,” you said, brushing past him quickly.

You didn’t want to look at him, yet you couldn’t tear your eyes away from him either. The familiar scent of his cologne filled your nose, and you wanted nothing more than to lie against his chest, the way you used to when all you wanted was to feel close to him.

When you reached the bedroom, you saw your side of the closet was still empty, while half of his clothes remained in suitcases. Why hasn’t he unpacked his clothes?

“I’m waiting for you to come back,” he answered the unspoken question.

You turned to look at him leaning against the doorframe, his expression a puzzle you couldn’t help but try to solve.

“I miss you,” his eyes blinked.

“I feel different,” your gaze responded.

Because you did. This time felt different. Why couldn’t you just go back to how things used to be? Why had insecurities suddenly taken hold of your mind? Were you worth the time and energy both of you had been fighting for? Was he?

“Why are you so sure I’ll come back?” you finally asked.

One look at his face was all it took to know that this time, both of you felt different.

Part of you wanted to walk away until he understood, but part of you wanted to stay. And you began to question how much you valued your dignity against the love of your life. How many people can say they love someone the way you love Daniel, and the way he loves you? How many people can say they have a love like yours? How many great loves does one get in a lifetime? You know Daniel is yours, but is he the only one?

If you leave now, will there ever be someone else?

But deep down, you also knew that even if you left, even if he left, neither of you would truly be gone from each other’s lives. You were tied together, written in the stars, and all that.

“I’m not sure,” he replied. “But I’d like you to.”

Part of you really wanted to stay, but you knew it doesn’t work like that.

[mythunderstorm]

We‘ll be okay | DR3

Daniel Ricciardo x reader

summary: It’s normal to argue. You know that. But that doesn’t mean it hurts any less, even tho you know you and Daniel will work it out in the end.

warnings: bit angsty, actually not sure what else to say. Soft ending tho

a/n: i‘m so sorry for not posting a lot atm. I have so many drafts but I can’t seem to finish them. Whenever I try to write it’s like my brain shuts off completely. Not even sure if this is any good but it’s the only thing I was able to complete, so enjoy ig haha

masterlist

Arguments. They‘re normal, every couple has to face them at one point. Some argue more, some less. But it’s normal. They happen, you talk it out, you make up. Normal.

You and Daniel argue. Normal. It doesn’t happen often, but it happens. Normal. What wasn’t normal, is that you had to leave the apartment. It wasn’t normal for him to yell at you like this, both of you throwing words at each other you didn’t actually mean. Not normal.

You had to get out, leave for a bit. Before anyone of you says something you can’t take back at the end.

You wander around, aimlessly. It‘s raining, hard. You didn’t bring an umbrella with you, but you didn’t care. The water droplets on your skin felt kind of refreshing.

Your phone beeped, your boyfriend worries about you being alone, out in this weather at night. He sent multiple messages, telling you to come home.

The feeling of relieve fills your chest, glad that he’s still caring about you, even after the fight. But you ignore his messages, at least for now, needing some space to clear your head a bit. He was really mean tonight, something that basically never happened, not like this. You understand that he’s frustrated, not being able to race this season, but that’s not your fault.

Just because you said that you’re glad to spend some more time with him now, happy to have him to yourself for a while, doesn’t mean you don’t support his dreams and career. You’re proud of him, always have been, always will. But being away from him so much is hard and you really really missed him over the last year.

After a while you stop at a little café that was open late. Exactly what you needed right now. You sat by the window, ordering a cup of tea while watching the rain pour.

Your phone beeps once again.

„I'm really worried about you, the weather forecast said that there will be thunder too, you should really come back home.“

Your thoughts and emotions whirle around your head as you stare out the window.

With a sign, you type back a quick message to let him know you’re safe and not outside in this horrible weather. You may be mad at him but you’re not so cruel to let him suffer and worry about your well-being for the rest of the night.

But a part of you still doesn’t want go back home.

You look around the café, noticing that it is completely empty except for you and the barista. It is quiet, calm, peaceful. No one would be yelling at you here. No one would be blaming you for everything.

At first you just needed a break, now... now you needed an escape.

You look out of the window again, watching the raindrops sliding down the glass. It’s like they’re racing against each other. Even something small like rain on a window reminds you of him. It keeps your mind occupied for a while, watching the water glide around the surface but you’re still thinking about him. You’re always thinking about him.

It’s like the weather mirrors your exact feelings at the moment, like it’s trying to tell you that you’re not alone.

You put your phone aside, not responding to the rest of Daniel‘s texts. His mind was always full with thoughts about racing, training and other things related to his profession. And you understand, he loves his job. And you don’t blame him for that.

But you have feelings too, you have feelings that you want him to acknowledge sometimes. You need him to realize that. To recognize how upset you are and how hurt you feel.

Your thoughts spiraled down deeper and deeper as you watch the rain outside. The water droplets, they look like tears.

You sign again, squeezing your eyes shut for a moment. You know you and Daniel will work it out, like you always do. You love him and you know he loves you. Arguments happen and you understand he’s frustrated, even though it’s not okay for him to put the blame on you. You both need some space, time to calm down before you can face each other to actually talk about it. But you‘ll be okay. Everything will be okay in the end.

The rain starts hitting the window harder than before, making it difficult to see the world outside.

Taking a sip of your tea, you look at the clock. It’s already 1 in the morning. You feel a bit guilty. It's late, really late.

You pick up your phone, hesitating as you look at Daniel's last message. He was panicking about the storm and kept telling you that he was worried. You know him, he's usually not the hysterical kind.

„I‘m inside a Café, don’t worry. I‘ll wait a bit until the storm calms before I come home.“

You think for a moment, not sure if you should send the next text. You want to but.. fuck it.

„I love you.“ you type and hit send quickly, before you can change your mind. But you mean it, because you do. You love him.

A notification appears instantly on your phone. It's a message from Daniel. It reads „I love you too."

Your heart skips a beat. Of course, your love still means the world to him.

You close your eyes and picture his face. When Daniel smiles at you, his eyes sparkle in a way that no one else's eyes could. He's so good at showing his emotions through his eyes…

Ding. Another message.

„Please come home honey, I can't take it another second."

You smile softly at the nickname. You look out of the window again, the storm seems to get only worse. You want to go home, right now. But you know it wouldn’t be the best idea, not in this weather. But you don’t care. You pay your tea, tipping the barista generously, before making an exit to finally get home. To the person you love most.

As soon as you enter your apartment you see Daniel standing there, waiting for you. You lock eyes for a moment, neither of you saying anything... It's quiet. The only sound you hear, is from the rain outside.

Daniel is smiling at you, and he starts walking towards you. He softly puts his arms around your drenched body, pulling you close and kissing your forehead gently. Your heart is pounding in your chest, your face is turning red.

„Sorry“ you whisper into his chest, hiding your face in his sweater. You’re tearing up again, breathing in his scent.

"I should be the one to say sorry." You hear Daniel's voice whispering into your hair as he holds you tight. "I was cruel, I should never speak to you like that. Never." His words are soothing to your ears.

Even though you were fighting badly only hours prior, you felt safe. It has been a long time since you felt this safe. Since you felt this protected.

Just then Daniel takes a step back to look at you, as if he was admiring your face. Then he leans in to kiss you, needing to feel that you’re real. That you’re here, that you came home. The kiss only last a few seconds but it’s soft, gentle and full of love.

Yes. You‘ll be okay.

Daniel's lips on your face feel like heaven and you close your eyes, not wanting to let the situation end just yet... but before you could do anything, his hands reach for your face, gently moving you away. For a second, you were scared to look at him but he's just fixing your wet hair.

"Let's get you warm," he smiles as he guides you into the kitchen, the warm light from the lit oven illuminating your face. You enjoy the warmth for a moment while Daniel was already boiling water for some tea.

„I- I‘ll go change into some dry clothes real quick“ you whisper into the quiet kitchen, watching him move around the room to prepare the tea.

Your boyfriend nods and smiles at you, putting his hand on your thigh and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Go ahead, let me make you some tea" he smiles as he pushes your hair away from your face again.

The kettle whistles, it's boiling. Daniel picks it up and pours the hot water into two cups, putting lemon in both of them. The scent of lemon fills the room, mixed with Daniel's cologne.

You disappear into your shared bedroom, quickly getting rid of your wet clothes, throwing them into the hamper. Grabbing one of Daniels Hoodies, you pull it over your head and instantly hold the collar up to your nose, taking in his scent. Wiping your tear stained face with the sleeves, you take a deep breath before returning back to the kitchen where Daniel‘s waiting for you.

He is leaning against the kitchen counter, watching you slowly while the tea waits for you on the table. Two hot cups of tea, steaming up the kitchen.

Looking at his face, you find him smiling at you when he notices you’re wearing his hoodie. He wraps his free arm around you, pulling you close.

He kisses your head softly and whispers in your ear. "Drink it, it will warm you up."

Daniel's arms encircle you, squeezing you like he never wants to let you go.

You didn’t want to ruin the mood but you had to ask. You and Daniel were always good at communicating in the past and you didn’t want to stop now by pushing this argument away, you had to talk about it for the problem to be completely solved.

„We still need to talk. Not now, but.. we need to talk.“ You whisper, leaning closer into Daniels arms, hiding your face in the crook of his neck.

„You're right, we will talk." His voice is soft. „Not now though. For now, let's enjoy this tea. And... let's just be together." Daniel said as he kisses you again on the cheek and your still damp hair brushes against his face.

He was right. You need some rest. It's late, after all. And what happened shouldn't be discussed when you're both tired. Let alone now, when you're so peaceful.

„We‘ll be okay“ you whisper, a short promise. To him and yourself, that your love is stronger than an argument like that. You‘ll work it out. And it‘ll be okay. Like always.

[its-avalon-08]

im not giving up on you (dr3)

after the singapore gp, i was sobbing. danny, our sunshine danny might be leaving us and that broke my heart so entirely. here is to out honey badger, you made me love this sport, seeing your smile was the only light on some dark days. you made it, you lived your formula one dream and you will always be able to say that. for always making us laugh and find joy in the butterflies, we thank you daniel <3

✦ pairing - daniel ricciardo x female!reader

✦ genre - angst, losing his seat, tears, fluffy ending

The Singapore night was thick with humidity, the scent of burning rubber still clinging to the air long after the race had ended. Daniel Ricciardo walked through the now-empty paddock, the silence overwhelming. The once-vibrant energy that pulsed through the grounds was now replaced with nothing but the dull hum of the lights, casting long shadows that made the place feel eerily lonely.

Daniel had always been good at putting on a strong face. Smiling, joking, pretending everything was fine. He had perfected it over the years. But tonight, the facade had cracks — deep, painful cracks that threatened to break him entirely.

After the Singapore GP, the world knew. The news had broken: Daniel was losing his seat at V-CARB. Another seat lost. Another chapter closing. And it felt as though he had lost everything again. He couldn’t bear to face his team, his friends. Not even Max. So he stayed in the paddock long after everyone had left, sitting alone on a stack of tires, his head in his hands.

He didn’t hear the footsteps at first.

"Daniel?"

The voice was soft, familiar, and full of concern. He looked up, blinking through the blur of tears that stung his eyes. There she was — Y/N Verstappen. Max’s little sister.

She had always been around, always there, a comforting presence from the days when he and Max were teammates. She had been his friend, but it was so much more than that. They had danced around their feelings for years, never daring to speak the truth, both afraid of what it might mean.

Daniel quickly wiped his eyes, trying to pull himself together. "Hey," he said, his voice strained, cracking under the weight of his emotions. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same," Y/N replied softly, stepping closer. "It’s late."

"I couldn’t leave," he admitted, his eyes staring at the ground, unable to meet hers. "It’s just… a lot."

Y/N stood in front of him, her eyes searching his face. She could see right through him. "You don’t have to pretend with me, Daniel."

"I’m not pretending," he lied, letting out a shaky laugh. "I’m fine. It’s just another bump in the road, right? I’ll bounce back. I always do."

But even as he spoke, his voice trembled, and Y/N could hear the pain beneath his words. She sat down beside him on the tires, close enough to feel the heat radiating off him in the humid night air, but still hesitant to touch him.

"It’s okay to not be fine," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

Daniel’s jaw tightened as he looked away, blinking rapidly. He didn’t want her to see him like this. He had always been the strong one, the happy-go-lucky guy who could handle anything. But tonight, the weight of everything was crushing him.

"I feel like I’m losing everything," he finally admitted, his voice breaking. "Like no matter what I do, no matter how hard I fight, it’s never enough. I’m never enough."

Y/N’s heart ached at the sight of him like this — so vulnerable, so raw. She reached out hesitantly, her hand gently resting on his arm. "Daniel… you’re more than enough. You’ve always been more than enough."

He shook his head, biting down on his lip as tears welled up in his eyes again. "I don’t know how to keep going. Everyone keeps telling me to just keep my head up, keep smiling. But I’m tired, Y/N. I’m so tired."

Her hand tightened around his arm, the warmth of her touch grounding him in that moment. "You don’t have to do this alone."

Daniel’s shoulders shook as he exhaled a deep, shaky breath. He didn’t have the strength to pretend anymore. The tears he had been holding back for so long finally fell, spilling down his cheeks as he covered his face with his hands, his body trembling with silent sobs.

Y/N felt her own tears start to fall as she watched him break down, the sight of him so utterly heartbroken making her chest ache. She couldn’t hold back any longer. Without thinking, she pulled him into her arms, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

"I’ve got you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I’ve always got you."

Daniel buried his face in her shoulder, his arms wrapping around her waist as he clung to her, the dam of emotions finally breaking. He sobbed into her neck, all the pain, frustration, and helplessness pouring out of him. And Y/N held him, stroking his hair, whispering soothing words in his ear.

"I don’t know what to do, Y/N," Daniel choked out between sobs. "I feel like I’ve failed. Again."

"You haven’t failed," she insisted, pulling back just enough to look at him, her hands cupping his tear-streaked face. "You’ve given everything, Daniel. You’ve fought so hard. You’re one of the best drivers out there, and no seat can take that away from you. Not now, not ever."

Daniel let out a long sigh, pulling away slightly from Y/N’s embrace, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. His voice was quieter now, but it carried a weight that hadn’t been there before, like he was finally allowing himself to speak the truth that had been buried deep inside for years.

"You know," he began, staring out at the empty paddock, "when I left Red Bull, I thought I was making the best decision of my life. I really did. I thought… this was it, you know? My time. I didn’t want to be second to Max — your brother’s an incredible driver, you know that. But I couldn’t sit there anymore, watching everyone around me believe I’d always be the second-best. I wanted to be number one. I wanted my own team to back me, to believe in me. And at the time, Renault seemed like that opportunity, like I could prove I could lead a team, that I could fight for championships."

He laughed bitterly, running a hand through his hair. "God, I was so naïve. I thought leaving Red Bull would be the start of my rise, not the beginning of my fall. Renault wasn’t easy, but I stuck it out. Then McLaren came calling, and I thought that was my shot. It was McLaren, you know? One of the biggest names in Formula 1. I thought I was stepping into greatness."

He paused, his voice trembling. "And then everything fell apart. From the start, it felt wrong. Like I didn’t belong there. I tried so damn hard, Y/N. I worked my ass off, but nothing clicked. No matter what I did, how much time I put in, it never worked. Every race, every session, I felt like I was slipping further away from the driver I used to be. And it wasn’t just the car — it was everything. The pressure, the doubts, the whispers that I’d lost it, that I wasn’t the driver I once was."

He swallowed hard, the pain of those years written across his face. "They treated me like I was broken. Like I was damaged goods. And I started to believe it. Every time I got into that car, I felt like a shadow of myself. They replaced me without a second thought, like I was disposable. And I tried to be strong, you know? I tried to tell myself that it didn’t matter, that I’d bounce back. But deep down, it hurt. It hurt more than anything."

Y/N squeezed his hand, her heart aching for him, but she stayed silent, letting him speak.

"And then this year," he continued, his voice cracking. "I thought coming back to V-CARB was going to be my redemption. That this was finally going to be the moment where I’d prove to everyone that I still had it. But now… now I’m losing my seat again. And it just feels like the world’s telling me I’m not wanted. That no one believes in me anymore. Every time I think I’m getting back on my feet, I just get knocked down again. It’s like no matter what I do, no one sees me. Not as I am, not for what I can be. They just see what they think I’ve become — a has-been."

Daniel’s voice grew quieter, almost a whisper. "I feel… I feel like I’m unwanted, Y/N. Like I don’t belong anywhere anymore. I used to love this sport so much. It was everything to me. But now it feels like it’s slipping away, like I’m being pushed out, and I don’t know what to do."

He ran his hands over his face, the weight of his journey pressing down on him like a heavy burden. "I’ve given everything to this sport. Years of my life, my heart, my soul. I sacrificed everything to chase this dream. And now… I’m just scared, Y/N. I’m scared that no matter how hard I try, I’ll never be enough. I’ll never get back to where I once was."

There was a long pause, the silence between them thick with emotion. Daniel’s chest rose and fell as he tried to steady his breathing, but his eyes were red, his cheeks stained with tears.

"I just… I don’t know how to stop feeling like I’m failing. Like I’ve lost everything that mattered. And it’s killing me, Y/N. I don’t know if I can keep pretending like I’m okay, when inside, I’m falling apart."

Y/N couldn’t take it anymore. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, pulling him close. "Daniel, you’ve never been a failure. Not to me. You’re the strongest person I know, and no matter what happens, no seat, no team, no damn race can take away who you are. You’ve always been enough."

And this time, Daniel didn’t pull away. He sank into her embrace, the tears falling once again, but this time, it felt different. He wasn’t alone.

His eyes searched hers, filled with so much pain, so much doubt. "What if this is it? What if this is the end for me?"

"It’s not the end," Y/N said firmly, her thumbs brushing away the tears on his cheeks. "And even if it were, you’d still be Daniel Ricciardo — the man I…"

She stopped, the words hanging in the air between them, unspoken for years.

Daniel’s breath hitched as he realized what she was about to say. "Y/N…"

She looked away, her own tears threatening to spill over. "I’ve loved you for so long, Daniel. And I hate seeing you like this. I hate that you’re hurting, and I hate that I never told you sooner because maybe… maybe you wouldn’t have to go through this alone."

Daniel was silent for a moment, his mind racing as her words sank in. He had always known. Deep down, he had always known. But hearing it, finally hearing it… it shattered something inside him.

"I’ve loved you too," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I’ve loved you since… since forever, Y/N. But I was scared. I didn’t want to lose you. I couldn’t lose you."

She looked at him, her heart breaking at the sight of the tears in his eyes. "You could never lose me."

Daniel leaned his forehead against hers, his breath shaky as they both cried, the weight of their unspoken feelings finally crashing down on them.

"I need you," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"I’m here," she replied, her arms wrapping around him again, holding him as if she would never let go.

They stayed like that for a long time, clinging to each other, their tears mingling in the humid night air. And when the exhaustion finally overtook them, Daniel shifted, pulling Y/N down with him onto the bench beside the tires. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, their bodies fitting together perfectly as they lay there in the silence of the paddock.

Y/N rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat as they both closed their eyes, the weight of the world fading away for a little while.

And in the stillness of the night, they finally found peace in each other’s arms, their unspoken love wrapped around them like a blanket, protecting them from the world outside.

the next day

The next morning, the sun filtered through the windows of the small café tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the paddock. Daniel felt lighter today. His heart still ached, the reality of his situation hadn't magically disappeared overnight, but there was something different. A quiet peace had settled inside him. Maybe it was because, for the first time in a long time, he wasn’t carrying his burdens alone.

He glanced at Y/N across the table. She was scrolling through her phone, a soft smile tugging at her lips as she absentmindedly tapped her fingers against the table. His chest warmed at the sight of her. Y/N was always there, had always been there, but now it was different. Last night changed everything.

They hadn’t said much that morning, but they didn’t need to. She had been a constant presence at his side, making him feel like, no matter what, he’d be okay.

“So,” Y/N said, breaking the comfortable silence. “You ready for this?”

Daniel chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. "Depends. Is Max going to kill me or just be incredibly smug?"

Y/N laughed, and Daniel could swear it was his favorite sound in the world. “He’ll be a bit of both, probably. But definitely more smug. He’s been calling this for years.”

As if on cue, Max Verstappen walked into the café, spotting them immediately. He made a beeline for their table, his signature serious expression betraying just the faintest hint of amusement. He slid into the seat across from them, a wry smile on his face.

"Morning," Max said, folding his arms across his chest, eyes flicking between the two of them. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here."

Daniel groaned playfully, rubbing the back of his neck. "Go on, get it out of your system."

Max leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, and grinned. "I knew it. I’ve known it since, what, the first year we were teammates? You two were practically inseparable. The way you used to look at each other…" He shook his head, pretending to be exasperated. "I can’t believe it took you this long."

Y/N blushed, rolling her eyes. "Alright, Max, don’t be so dramatic. It wasn’t that obvious."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Y/N, you’re my sister. You think I didn’t notice how every time Daniel was around, you’d act different? Or how he was always finding some excuse to come over when you were visiting?"

Daniel groaned again, leaning back in his chair. "Okay, okay, you were right. Is that what you want to hear?"

Max smirked, taking a long sip of his coffee. "Yes. Yes, it is." He paused, then his expression softened, his teasing giving way to something more sincere. "But seriously, I’m happy for you both. You’re good together."

Daniel felt his heart swell at that. Max wasn’t the type to dish out compliments easily, especially when it came to his sister. He knew how protective Max was of Y/N, and hearing those words meant more than he could express.

"Thanks, mate," Daniel said quietly, meeting Max’s gaze. "It means a lot."

Max gave a small nod before turning his attention to Y/N. "Just promise me one thing — if he does anything stupid, you’ll let me know so I can give him hell for it."

Y/N laughed, giving her brother a playful shove. "I’m pretty sure I can handle him, Max."

Max grinned. "I have no doubt."

The three of them fell into an easy rhythm after that, the conversation light, the teasing back and forth, just like old times. For a brief moment, it felt like everything was as it should be — like the weight of the past few months had lifted, even if just for a little while.

As Max droned on about the next race and the changes to his car, Daniel glanced at Y/N, who was laughing at something Max had said. She caught his gaze, her smile softening, and in that moment, Daniel realized that no matter what happened next — no matter how uncertain the future felt — he wasn’t alone.

For the first time in a long time, he felt like he belonged. Not just in the sport or on the track, but with Y/N by his side. And whatever came next, they’d face it together.

"So," Max said suddenly, breaking through Daniel’s thoughts. "You’re both officially a thing now?"

Daniel smirked, his hand finding Y/N’s under the table. "Yeah, Max. We’re a thing."

Max raised his coffee cup in a mock toast. "Finally."

Y/N giggled, squeezing Daniel’s hand as they exchanged a knowing look.

Finally.

[gguk-n]

Alternate Universe (Daniel Riccardo x Reader)

Summary- You're in college when there's an invasion. You and your friend try to find a route to safety but end up being the chosen one to fix this problem. What if you try to find a solution but end up in a different world and don't know how to come back?

{Reader's POV}

I was a simple college student who was trying to get her Masters Degree and be done with this college once and for all. Honestly, I hated the college I went to and I had to settle for it due to my family wanting me to be closer to them instead of going to another one that was in another city since this one was in the city I grew up. I had conceded and right now I hated my college with a burning passion. The only good thing that came out of joining this college was the friend I made along the way.

I was a poor judge of character is what I realised soon after I joined. I had made friends with people who laughed at my expense and the moment someone or this friend in particular stood up for me; all hell broke lose and now I felt like I was in high-school all over again and surrounded by kids who fought about the pettiest of things. That's how me and Rhea became friends. Quite the unusual situation but hey, if I get a life long friend out of it, so be it.

Now today, was just another day. I had texted Rhea whether she would be coming to class or not and since she said she would, I left for college too. What I didn't expect was that in the middle of the day when we were about to head out for lunch the whole college went into lockdown. It was so sudden, we barely had anytime to react. All the students were ushered into the main building and the Principal was stood there with a microphone.

"Students I have gathered you here today to announce that there has been an outbreak of some sort. People are going crazy and harming their friends and family and any one near them. We've been saved since we were all inside, if you go out you will also be harmed and end up contaminated. I advice you all to stay put until we figure something out."

I immediately called my parents and they said that they had safely gotten home and everyone was at home and safe. I informed them that we were in lockdown in the college and that I was perfectly fine, for now.

There was mass pandemonium and hysteria and everyone was screaming. The principal and the college authority were able to settle everyone down eventually and food was rationed out. Me and Rhea found a place for ourselves in the college halls near the classes. We spent the next few hours just chatting away until there was a large alarm that was sounded. We were informed to evacuate the building since people inside were also affected and told to leave. Since the college was shut we were stuck. We saw people killing people and it was unbelievable. I felt like I was in my own sci-fi movie. Me and Rhea started running while actively trying to avoid the swarms of people that were trying to kill anyone and everyone. We found stuff along the way that would help us like knifes and sticks.

After running around for a while, we found a tightly shut room in the next building. We had never been there and it would usually be locked but not this time. We opened the door to an almost empty room and locked it behind us. A few feet away from the door was a latched door. We opened it and decided to climb out of this windowless room. Maybe this would lead to safety. After some time, we ended up running into an old man in the tunnels. Both of us screamed and almost hit the aged man. He was quite short maybe only 4 feet with a hunched back and a stick for support. His beard was long and covered half his body, wearing a grey clock.

"You are just in time" the old man crocked. "Who are you?" we asked calming ourselves down. "I'm here to help you." he said. "We just want to get out of here. We wanna go home" I said. "You are the chosen ones" he whispered. "We are not, we are dumb college students that wanna go home. This isn't fucking dora the explorer or the purge" Rhea huffed. "Children, you must understand, the world is in danger and you can save it. There are somethings you must collect and make your journey forward. There will be a door and it will help you solve the problem at hand. You will need a peacock feather, ash of precious rock, hair of a fair rabbit and last but not the least a stone from the house of the keeper" he announced. "Ok, sir, I don't know anything about this. This sounds straight out of Final Fantasy. We wanna go home" I cried. "You can once you find all this, the first 3 things are close by for the last you will have to travel far and wide from the door ahead. Collect everything and I hope to see you here in an hour" he said pushing us back to where we came from.

"That man is unbelievable. This is real life not fantasy. Let's leave from the main gate, we'll just jump it." I said. Rhea nodded her head in agreement. At the main door we were swarmed with hungry people after our flesh. We quickly ran back to the animal shelter on campus. That's where we found a fair rabbit sleeping. Rhea saw the rabbit and said, "Maybe it is our destiny to save the world." She slowly found a shaver and shaved the rabbit off and put his hair and put it in a zip lock bag. I was ready to go along to anything as long as I had Rhea by my side so then we went to the storage where we found the peacock feather in a box. We then headed to the chemistry lab which had coal; a precious rock which burnt to an ash. We burnt the coal and collected it's ash in a bag.

We threaded the area carefully to end up back in the tunnel where the old man had disappeared. "This was a hoax, I told you. Let's go" I said skeptical. "No, let's go ahead. If there's a door we'll follow his advice, if not, we'll head out" Rhea reasoned. After much deliberation, I agreed. We walked forward and after a long while, I saw the door the old man had talked about. Rhea looked at me, "Let's get the last item" she said and opened the door. I expected to be out of the college campus, maybe on the road. The tunnel ahead lead me to some sub-burbs. An area I had never seen before. I'd grown up in this city, I've seen it expand and grow with me; this area was new and foreign to me.

We walked around until I saw a big white house. It was gorgeous, the structure was tall with many floors and balconies, the porch was lined with many cars and you could see many people going about the house doing stuff. We looked a mess, from the chase that happened to threading an underground tunnel, we looked unkept and unruly. "Shooo, go away." the man at the entrance of the white house gate shooed us. "Ugh, these people, where do they come from?" he muttered. "They hear of our master's kindness and come seeking it" another mumbled. "Please, can you tell us where are we?" I asked. "Oldest trick in the book" the previous man sneered. He started pushing us away, "You'll dirty the place, you are disgusting looking" he said pinching his nose close. We fell from the hard push until a man with striking and approachable appearance crouched to our level. He had a warm smile that radiated friendliness and confidence, with a cheeky grin. His dark hair was tousled and slightly wavy, giving him a relaxed vibe. He had an athletic built. His brown eyes were so warm an inviting. He was wearing a casual outfits, a graphic tee paired with jeans and a leather jacket.

"Are you okay, darling?" he asked. "I'm fine" I muttered, brushing myself off until I felt a sting in my palm only to find them scrapped. The man who helped me stand saw it, "How many times I have I told you to behave? It was some one who needed help and we cannot be pushing the away like this" he reprimanded the man that pushed me. "I'm so sorry about him. Let's get you fixed up" he suggested. "I don't know who you are" I retreated towards Rhea. The man's eyes softened, "I'm Daniel, Daniel Riccardo. I'm the owner of this house" he said pointing at the white house. "I'm sorry about my staff. Let me make it up to you" he suggested. "Y/N, we don't know where we are. We don't know what we are supposed to do. Let's take his help" Rhea whispered. I sighed "If something happens I'm killing you first" I whispered back, she nodded. "Okay" I told Daniel. "Splendid." he announced leading us in.

He asked his staff to get us clothes and a room where we could freshen up. He had a doctor visit us and look at my scrape. We showered, got changed. I changed into a short white flowy dress. We walked out, "this place is huge and beautiful" I whispered. "I know right, the room he's having us stay at is like a 5 star hotel" Rhea whispered back. We were led to the dinner table which was lined with delicacies of various varieties. It was a spread of any and every kind of meal you could think of. "I didn't know what you would like to eat. So, I had them prepare everything" Daniel said. "That would be wasteful" I exclaimed. "Don't worry, there will be no wastage. I never got your names" he said now standing tall in front of me. "I'm Rhea and this is Y/N" Rhea replied. "What a beautiful name" Daniel mumbled taking my hand in his and kissing it. I pulled it back instantly. "What are you doing?" I asked. "Sorry for startling you, but you are very beautiful and I can not seem to take my eyes off you" he said. Daniel was a very attractive man and I would be lying if I said that it didn't affect me. "Shall we eat?" Rhea coughed. I quickly nodded and took a seat opposite to Daniel. I saw his eyes flicker for a moment but I wasn't sure what they wanted to say, so I dug right in. We'd been so hungry, since a lot of time had passed since our last meal and the weird events of the day.

"Thank you for the meal, Mr Riccardo" I thanked him. "Call me Daniel" he purred. "We'll be leaving soon" I stated. "No, please stay. Stay for as long as you need to" he suggested. "That would be over stepping. Thank you for the meal and clothes and for also doing our laundry. We greatly appreciate it" I said. "Why are you saying no to an attractive man that seems to be interested in you." Rhea whispered. "We're here on a mission. We should finish it and leave" I said. "Please do stay" Daniel insisted. "It's already dark" he said. I agreed to stay the night.

We couldn't fall asleep for whatever reason. So, the two of us started exploring the house. It was big and ornate and had paintings and expensive items littering the place. After walking around for a while, I saw something. It felt familiar but it wasn't, I had never seen this before. A stone in a glass case at the end of a long basement. I was about to touch it when, "What are you doing here?" a voice asked. I turned around to find Daniel. Rhea and I had split up a while back. "I got lost" I stammered. "Why are you out of bed so late?" he tsked and wrapped his hand around my shoulder leading me out. "Couldn't sleep" I mumbled. "I make really good camomile tea" he suggested. We walked in silence, back in the kitchen, his staff was cleaning up when we entered. "Continue your work" Daniel announced and asked me to sit on the chair in the corner. He got the kettle going. I could hear the staff whispering, "He doesn't make himself a cup of tea but he'll make her one." I felt small and awkward there. Daniel soon came back with 2 cups of camomile tea, "Let's enjoy this in the garden" he said leading me out. The garden was just as, if not even more beautiful than the main house. He handed me the cup and we sat there sipping in silence. The moon was big and bright, the sky littered with stars. "Where are you from? I've never seen you around and I know everyone here?" he asked. I started choking on the tea. Daniel started rubbing my back and took the cup from me. After I had settled down, "It's ok, you don't have to tell me now. Whenever you're ready. Just promise me you'll stay" he almost begged. I thought about it for a moment before nodding.

The next day, we sneaked out to find the way we came here but that place was no where to be seen. The small hill from which we had emerged had disappeared. We returned sadly to a very worried Daniel, "Where have you been?" he almost shouted. "We were walking around" I lied. "Don't scare me like that" he said and suddenly wrapped me in a hug. I pushed him away, "Daniel" I said. "Sorry, I was just worried. If you're okay then that's fine" he smiled slowly and went in. We had lunch together but the atmosphere was tense.

We'd been here for almost a month now. Daniel was a gracious host but his staff weren't. We could hear them whisper about how we were leeching off of Daniel. When in reality, if I was not in his vicinity he would freak out. I had yet to understand why that was. My friendship with Daniel had deepened. We would spend our sleepless nights walking the garden or hearing Daniel tell me about his adventures. We spent a lot of time together, even Rhea noticed and asked me about it. I wasn't sure what I felt but I knew it felt different.

"What's that stone in the basement?" I asked one day at our nightly stroll. "I have no clue, my family is supposed to guard it till it's rightful owners come" he replied. "Can I see it?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me. Daniel agreed and led me back to the basement where the stone was and I held it in my hand. Some how, I felt it; like this was mine. I was the rightful owner. I placed the stone back and headed to sleep.

The next day, I spoke to Rhea. "I think the stone we are looking for is in the house's basement" I said. "How do you know?" Rhea asked. "Well, Daniel said that his family was supposed to guard a stone till it's rightful owner came and when I held it yesterday, it felt like it was ours. The stone from the house of the keeper. I believe Daniel is the keeper, I'll get it tonight and then we can leave" I said. Rhea looked elated.

At nightfall I asked to see the stone again. We were standing in the basement when, "You can keep it for now, I know you will keep it safe" he said. "How do you know that?" I laughed. He shrugged, "Even if you don't, I don't care" he said. "I just want you to be happy. I just want you to stay with me. I love you Y/N. I think I fell for you the moment I saw you and that's why I wanted to have you stay. I don't care where you came from or what you do. I just know that I need you" he said. I gulped hard, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to say. "You don't have to say anything, take your time. I'm always here" Daniel explained and we headed back with the stone in my possession.

The next day we tried to find a way out but we were unsuccessful. The next few days, we kept the search up. The whispering among the staff had gotten louder, they said that I was using their master and I had probably cast a spell on him to make him fall for me. That was unbelievable. I couldn't wait to get out of here.

A few weeks later, we found it. A similar tunnel through which we had come. As I stood at it's entrance, I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave, just yet. "let's go" Rhea said, ready to leave. "No, let's wait for a few more days" I said. "What if it disappears?" Rhea sighed exasperated. "It won't" I hoped. I couldn't leave Daniel, I realised that night. As I stood in front of him, his brown eyes bore into mine. "I think I like you too, Daniel" I said abruptly. He looked elated, he cupped my cheeks and leaned in for a kiss. The kiss was warm and soft and familiar. I melted right into his hands.

After the love confession, Daniel was even more tender and loving if that was possible. Rhea wanted to leave, as soon as possible. "I don't think I can leave, I think I love Daniel" I said. "people are dying and we have to save them. We must" she reasoned. "You should leave. I'll stay here" I said. "Don't you miss your family. Won't you miss me?" she asked. "I do and I will but I love Daniel" I said. "I'll wait for you, let's wait for a few more days and then leave" Rhea stated.

We did wait, I only got closer to Daniel. He got me a ring, he showered me in gifts. It overwhelmed me, in a good way. I had never been loved like this. One night just before our nightly stroll, I escaped the house with Rhea. We went to the tunnel and opened the door. When we reached the other side; the old man stood there "Took you long enough" he stated. He took all the things we had collected and started working on it in a huge open field. As the potion simmered, a huge cloud of smoke rose and enveloped everyone and anyone. And then suddenly everything was okay. No more chaos, no more harm. Everything back to normal. "I know you gave what you love to save us, so thank you child" the old man told me. I cried.

Time hadn't passed since we had left. It was like it had stopped. I was able to reunite with my family and even went on to finish my Masters. But I could never forget Daniel. I left all the gifts he got me except the ring; I couldn't get myself to leave it.

One day, I was returning from work when I saw a man that looked an awful lot like Daniel. He was looking around and as our eyes met, he ran to me and hugged me; "I missed you" he whispered in my neck. "Why did you leave me?" he asked. I had tears running down my face. "I love you Daniel, I'm sorry. I had to" I tried to explain. "What happened?" he asked. "I wasn't from your world, I had come there to get the stone so I could save my people." I explained. "Did you?" he asked. "yes" I nodded. "I thought I would go mad when you didn't come to our nightly stroll or when I didn't find you or your belongings in your room" he explained. "I'm sorry" I apologised. "I love you so much, please be mine" he mumbled now crying himself. "I love you too and I'm forever yours" I said. He pressed a kiss against my lip, the feeling was so perfect, like everything just fell into place where it was supposed to be. I saw that old man from afar smiling as he watched Daniel hold me in his embrace.