#25mg

Later today, Daniel is flying to the UK for a meeting with Christian to discuss a contract for next year. Conveniently, Max has an engineering meeting at the factory later too, so they are flying together.

“He cares about you,” Max says, taking a spoon of Coco Pops into his mouth. Daniel questions his taste in cereal, he’s not sure if Brad has approved Max’s morning Coco Pops or if he sneaks them into his diet. “Also, he supported GP when he went off work sick.”

“GP went off sick?” Daniel asks, unaware.

“He wasn’t at testing, remember?” Max shrugs, spooning another mouthful of Coco Pops into his mouth.

“What was wrong with him?” Daniel asks, but he has a sneaking suspicion Max is bringing this up now for a reason.

“Stress,” Max says, nonchalantly. “And of course before you make a joke about me being the cause of that, I was not, it was actually stuff at home.”

The way Max says stuff at home is protective, like he’s not willing to share any more details of his race engineer’s life with Daniel. It makes Daniel’s heart swell, Max is a good friend to GP, he is a good friend to everyone.

Daniel doesn’t say anything. He watches a boat pull into the harbour, pristine white, a hot tub on the deck.

“Daniel, it will not affect the contract,” Max tells him, nudging him slightly with his elbow. “It is your choice, you don’t have to tell him, but he will support you if you do.”

--------

He talks to Christian. Explains how much he was struggling earlier in the year, that he’s taking meds now, and that it feels important for Daniel to share this with his potential new team.

Max is wrong though. It does affect his contract. Christian understands now why Daniel isn’t willing to travel to all of the races. He understands why Daniel needs a break.

“Daniel, let me put together a contract that will suit us both,” Christian says, “We want you on the team, we’ll put together a contract that works for both of us and gives you the time away from the track to work on your mental health.”

So, Max is wrong, but his honesty pays off. Christian appreciates honesty. He always has.

It’s towards the end of their meeting, when they’ve moved on from contract discussions and Christian is telling Daniel about his mischievous young donkey, that Max knocks on the door. Walking in like he belongs here. Like he’s not interrupting a meeting with another driver.

“Hi Max,” Christian rolls his eyes, “did I accidentally send you the invite for this meeting that I’m having with Daniel?”

“No,” Max laughs, “I just wanted to stop by.”

“Hi Max,” Daniel says, impressed by his boyfriends confidence to just stroll into a meeting he has not been invited to. Daniel knows what he is doing though, he’s checking in, checking Daniel is doing okay. He can see it as Max’s eyes search his face, a small smile appearing when he’s satisfied that Christian hasn’t been a dick to Daniel.

“Hi Daniel, all good?” Max grins, and Christian looks at him suspiciously, his elbows resting on the hard wood of his desk.

“All good, mate,” Daniel tells him.

“I don’t know what I am missing here, but Max as you are clearly so desperate to know… we are drawing up a contract for Daniel which should suit both parties, Daniel will then review and sign if it meets his requirements,” Christian explains, “And now that you know that… get out.”

Max lets out a short and loud burst of laughter, before leaving the way he came in. Shutting the door gently behind him, a contrast to the way he had waltzed in so unexpectedly.

“Sorry,” Christian sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “You know what he’s like…”

Daniel has been taking sertraline for a couple of weeks now. He has to take it in the mornings or he won’t sleep properly at night, but Daniel won’t set an alarm, doesn’t have the motivation at the moment to get up just to take his stupid meds. Sometimes it feels like all he wants to do is sleep.

So, Max helps. He’s prepared to help for as long as it takes. Maybe eventually he will become a morning person and it won’t feel like his eyes are about to liquify out of his face every time he wakes up to his alarm. Well, it would probably also help if he didn’t stay up so late. Whatever, he’s working on it.

“Morning,” He whispers as he climbs back into bed with Daniel, careful not to rock the glass of orange juice he has in his hand. They don’t want any of it on their sheets.

Daniel grunts back at him and pulls the duvet up higher, a very clear message. Shut up, I am still sleeping.

Max puts the orange juice down on their bedside table, next to the open blister pack of Daniel’s meds, and shuffles back under the covers with Daniel. He wraps his arms around Daniel’s middle, spooning him from behind, and presses a kiss onto his shoulder.

“C’mon, you can go back to sleep after,” Max tells him, gently loving on Daniel until he’s properly awake.

“Okay,” Daniel sighs, rubbing at his eyes. He props himself up on the pillows, not sitting up, but up right enough to take his meds.

Max smiles and gives Daniel a proper kiss before he hands Daniel the orange juice and the blister pack of sertraline.

“Proud of you,” He tells Daniel.

Daniel rolls his eyes, as if to say I haven’t done anything for you to be proud of but he smiles anyway. Appreciative of everything Max does for him.

Every single one of Daniel’s close friends are supportive when he chooses to confide in them about his struggles. However, there are a few issues with casual friends… because all they see is Daniel’s huge smile and his Daniel Ricciardo act. They’re confused, and some distance themselves from him for a while… which obviously upsets Daniel a little bit.

He doesn’t want to tell the team he’s been struggling. Daniel has a lot of conversations with both Max and Michael about this, and obviously they will support his decision either way, but ultimately he doesn’t want the team to use this against him.

He does have to tell their team doctor because he has started a new medication and if he were to have an accident and need medical assistance it is important to be transparent. The team doctor is the only person who is aware.

Once a month Max joins Daniel’s therapy session with Eleanor, it’s really difficult for him at first and he hates it so much, but he does it anyway because he’ll do pretty much anything for Daniel.