My Book of Fics

Maybe Don't - Daniel Ricciardo

You keep the phone at your ear, the clock next to your bed showing that it's well past midnight, the silence between you and Daniel dragging on. "I should go" you murmur into the phone as you turn to look up at the ceiling, "don't" is all he says making you smile slightly, "it's almost 2 o'clock here, I need to be awake for tomorrow" you hear him sigh, "I miss you Y/N" you close your eyes hating that the three words awaken your instinct to run from the relationship with the Australian. You release a breath and open your eyes again, "I have to go Dan" you don't let him respond before you hang up the call, placing your phone on your nightstand next to the clock. You curl up in your sheets turning in the opposite direction, your gaze on the window as you try not to think about how much you're starting to like the Formula 1 driver.

The next day you find that you're ignoring all of Daniel's text messages, telling yourself that you have too many things to do and not enough time to look at your notifications. Deep down you know that you're just reverting back to what you know best, running when things get too serious, your past relationships being the proof behind the habit you've developed. The look your work friend gives you whenever you phone vibrates with a new text is ignored as well as you keep your gaze locked on your computer pretending like you don't hear anything other than the clicks of your keyboard. When your phone suddenly starts ringing your eyes flick to it for a second before you look back at your computer, "are you going to answer that?" your friend asks while lifting her eyebrow, "uhhhh no?" you reply with a shrug. "Y/N don't do this" you look over pretending like you don't know what she's talking about, "do what?" she narrows her eyes, "you're ignoring Dan, which always leads to running". You bite your lip and she curses under her breath, "shit you've already planned it haven't you" you shrug again and turn back to your computer trying to wipe the images of the Aussie's smile from your mind.

••••

A few days later you've packed up your studio apartment with a smile on your face ready for a new start elsewhere. A frantic set of knocks breaks you out of your thoughts so you walk around the many boxes and open the front door. You're shocked to find Dan standing in front of you, his clothes slightly disheveled and eyes wide while he catches his breath. "What are you doing here?" you ask knowing that he should be in France for his next race, "don't run Y/N" he replies while stepping closer to you. Your lips part in surprise unsure of how he knows what you're doing, "how did you-" he places his hands on your arms gently, to keep you in place, "your friend from work called me" you shake your head in disbelief and try to get out of the Australian's grasp.

"This is what I do, I don't know how to stop" you explain while looking everywhere but his eyes still trying to distance yourself from him, "let me help you" he says making you freeze while looking into his dark eyes. "I'm not going to make you stay with me when all i'm going to do is run when things get serious" he suddenly pulls you in for a kiss, his hands on either side of your face to keep you in place. When he pulls away seconds later he moves his forehead to yours, "i'm ready to be with you through everything, even if that means running after you when you get scared" you feel a prickling sensation at the corners of your eyes and a tear rolls down your cheek. "Dan you deserve someone who is always going to be there, not someone who gets spooked easily" his thumb catches the tear making you looking into his eyes through slightly blurred vision, "and yet i'm here fighting for you because you mean so much to me" you place your hands on his chest to push him away gently. "Please don't make this harder for me" you whisper while lowering your eyes, "I came here to do just that, maybe don't leave for once" he replies while using his finger to tilt your head up. "I can't I'm not strong enough" he brushes some hair out of your face and nods, "okay, but when you find that strength come back to me" you don't have enough time to reply before he lets go and steps out of the apartment, the door shutting behind him.

••••

"I know that you're racing right now so you won't hear this until later but I want you to know that i'm done running, so uh yeah, okay bye" you say into your phone before nervously hanging up the call. Your gaze goes back to the TV near the airport gate where you're waiting to board, the F1 race nearly half over your eyes following the number 3 car weaving through traffic. As you sit with your bags at your feet you can't help but remember the past few months without the cheerful Australian. You shake your head not knowing exactly when you realized that being scared was pointless and that you wanted Daniel to be the one that changed the horrible track record you've had with other guys. When your boarding announcement comes on you take one last look at the race and text the person you're meeting at your destination to let them know that you're getting on the flight.

After landing and some searching you're standing in front of Daniel's hotel room. You start to second guess your impulsive decision to make this trip as you bite your lip. But before you can completely talk yourself out of it you knock on the door while taking a deep breath. When the door swings open you're met with Daniel who is only wearing some shorts, "I don't know if you heard my message and I know it was lame of me to call when I knew you wouldn't be able to answer but I-" he pulls you forward and presses his lips to yours cutting off your words. Your hand moves to his chest as his rest on your lower back to bring you even closer. "I'm so happy you called and I'm so happy that you're here, I was ready to go to you" he murmurs when he pulls away, "I figured I would run after you this time" you reply. He smiles before stepping around you to bring your bags into his room, then he curls an arm around your waist tugging you in and closing the door. "No more running huh?" you grin and bring a hand up to trace his bottom lip, "no more running" you whisper,meaning every word as you sink into Dan's arms feeling safe and sure of your decision.