My Book of Fics

The Internship (5) - Daniel Ricciardo

The roar of the home crowd surrounds you while streamers fly around the football team. Your phone elevated to capture the championship moment for the fans that will be scrolling through the team social media channels. Suddenly the footballers spot you, grins on their faces as they rush over, making you squeal as they hoist you in the air. "If I die it's on you lads" you exclaim loudly, "live a little Y/N" one of them exclaims while they easily put you back down. The red of the Arsenal fans make you smile before a hat is pushed onto your head, "cheers babe, we did it" the other communication manager says making you nod and throw your arms around her in a hug. "We're definitely going out with the team tonight" you say into her ear, "hell yes" she replies and the two of you separate to get photos of the players with the FA Cup.

••••

You bite your lip as you enter the crowded bar, the Arsenal boys already present. Their chanting drowning out the music that is playing. The red dress you decided on clinging to your curves as the lights shine on the sequins. When your colleague pulls you deeper into the crowded space the players see you, clambering over as only drunk footballers could. The moment suddenly takes you back to months earlier, when you were doing the same thing with McLaren, the smile becoming less genuine as you're brought into a hug. You're handed a drink, making you forget about racing as you throw back the alcohol, wanting to focus on the present where you're a part of a championship team's celebration.

Hours later you're giggling while one of the players carries you into your apartment. He's chuckling at your drunken mumbling, as you hold onto him. "Hey, would you be mad if someone forgot to tell you about a job opportunity, like didn't want to hurt you so waited to tell you" you slur while looking up at the Brit that has become a really close friend to you, he lifts an eyebrow in confusion, "y/n what are you on about?" he replies while gently putting you on your bed. You stretch out on the covers and sigh, "never mind it doesn't matter" you say, your mind a complete mess. The bed dips and a hand goes to you hair, "talk to me y/n, I know there's something" you rotate slightly, your tear blurred eyes pointed at the man sitting next to you, "do you think Daniel would've stayed if I told him earlier about this job?" he easily gathers your tears with his thumbs smiling at you sadly. "I don't know Y/N, I would've stayed either way, because of it meant staying with the person that I love there would be no hesitation or debate" you groan and stuff your face into a pillow, not caring that your streaky makeup will transfer to it, "how have you not found a girl, you're fucking amazing" you slur, he chuckles and proceeds to tug off your shoes before tucking you body under the covers, "haven't found the one Y/N" he replies and kisses your head, "get some rest and remember that we won the FA Cup" you smile at the statement, falling asleep almost instantly.

••••

Your phone ringing at max volume the next morning makes you whine while holding your head in pain. Last nights decisions coming to bite you in the butt as you sluggishly sit up the dress you're still wearing feeling constricting. Your phone rings again making you reach out a hand, answering it without checking the caller ID. "Check your socials" is what you hear, the statement makes you forget about your hangover, the serious tone in the other comms manager's voice worrying you. The first thing you see when you open your Instagram is a photo of you hanging onto an Arsenal player, your dress hiked up a little too much to be decent, a drunk grin on your face as your best friend on the team has an arm around your hips his lips touching your ear, most likely telling you a joke. As you scroll through your timeline several other versions of you from the previous night appear.

"Shit was I that bad" you mutter, "your lucky one of the guys stayed sober enough to bring you home" she replies as you bring a finger to your temple, "I'm an idiot, I should've just stayed home" she snorts, "too late, the Arsenal fans think that you're seeing your best friend" you groan and flop back onto the bed, "I was a mess when he brought me home, I broke down and cried about Dan" you murmur. She goes silent at your admission, "Y/N" you sigh while staring at the ceiling, "why does this happen every time" she doesn't say anything so you bite your lip feeling like you're on a constant loop of missing the one person you wish stayed around. "I gotta go Y/N, and I'm sure you have a massive hangover to cure so I'll see you in a couple of days for the parade" she says so you sit up again, "okay, see yah then" you reply and she hangs up the call. All that you manage to do is slide off the sequinned dress and throw on the nearest sweater before shuffling to your medicine cabinet to grab painkillers for your head.

Once you've finally showered away the grime from the previous night you find yourself sitting on the couch in your small living room. A mug of tea in your hands as you watch reruns of your favourite tv show and avoid your phone until everything calms down. A sudden knock on your door makes you furrow your eyebrows in confusion, not expecting anyone. When several more knocks follow you pause the tv before putting down the mug. Shuffling over to the front door curiously your hand circling the handle to tug it open. A massive lump grows in your throat at the sight of Daniel on your doorstep. "How did you find me?" is what you finally manage to say, "Lando and Charlotte" he murmurs in response, his hands deep in his pockets while looking at you. "Why are you here?" he sighs while looking down at his feet, "I can't stop thinking about you, and how everything went down in Abu Dhabi" you puff up your cheeks and let out a breath the memories you wanted to forget resurfacing. 

"We made mistakes, that's what it came down to in the end, right?" he looks up at your question, "I didn't want them to tear us apart" you shrug a tiny smile appearing on your face, "I can't be expected to follow you around the world Dan, what I'm doing now with Arsenal is THE DREAM" he steps closer his hand cradling your cheek, "I didn't-I don't expect you to follow me like that Y/N" you see the sincerity in his eyes while his thumb moves along your cheek, "you left" he moves his forehead to yours, "because I was shocked, you didn't tell me about your plan to leave". You close your eyes with a hand moving to his chest, "I didn't want to distract you, I was going to tell you at the end of the race, I had no idea that Zak planned the going away cake and celebrations" he chuckles so you smile. Opening your eyes to see the joy in his expression, "he ruins everything" you shrug, "good thing he's not here then" Dan nods and easily pulls you into a kiss, you tugging him into your house by his shirt. 

"Where's that red dress Y/N?" he murmurs while placing his hands on your hips, pulling away slightly. You furrow your brows in confusion, "which one?" you reply, "the one your were wearing in all of those photos with the tall footballer" he explains making your eyes widen before you blush, "shit you saw those?" he chuckles and presses his lips to your head, "I think everyone did" you groan quietly. "Do I need to be worried about him" you look up at the Aussie, "god no, he's my closest friend on the team, he made sure that I got home in one piece" he nods and you pull him back down for a kiss. "Let me see you in that dress sometime?" you nod while pulling back to see him, "deal" he smiles and brings you closer again, "stick around for a bit?" he peppers kisses to your neck, "deal" you smile and let him walk you towards the nearest surface, the missing part of your life clicking back into place after all of those months apart.