#dr3 fic

'this might sound strange, but can i hide behind you for a moment?' you're whispering even though there's no one inside but him and you and the almost asleep guy at the cash register.

daniel blinks, taking you in. you don't look like you're his fan (a shame, really. he wouldn't mind having such a pretty girl as his fan) and your whole posture screams of tension. you're shaking just a little and expression on your face makes every single protective instinct of daniel to kick in full force. he usually is all easy smiles and good laughter, but he doesn't offer any of that to you; instead, he gently wraps his arm around your shoulders and pushes you back so you'd end up unseen to spectators from the street because of the wall and his back.

'someone's following you?' daniel asks in a rasp whisper, trying to look casual as he looks at the windows of the shop.

he hears a sharp inhale and then timid: 'i- i think so, yes. i mean, i'm not sure but-'

'all good.' he interrupts, frowning at your obvious distress. shit, if he could, he'd tear every single fucker who makes women uncomfortable apart, but alas. 'how he looks like?'

'um, he has white sneakers and-'

'blue hoodie with some red logo?' daniel finishes, noticing the lone figure at the edge of the park. at your affirmation he tenses up, anger boiling inside. 'he's at the park. stay here, yeah? it's okay, i got you.'

daniel turns to take one look at you. the thought that smile would've looked so, so much better on your face instead of this tense expression strikes him and he looks over the counter, checking his options. 'matcha tea with blueberry bobas sounds good?'

you blink owlishly at him at the sudden change of the topic. 'sorry?'

'matcha tea with blueberries.' daniel repeats firmer this time. 'you give me the vibe of someone who likes blueberries.'

your posture relaxes without you noticing and daniel counts this as a win. 'the vibe,' you repeat, arching your eyebrow. 'i am basically using you as a human shield from a weird stalker and you're getting blueberries vibe from me.'

'with matcha.' daniel nods seriously.

and on one, two, three - beautiful smile breaks on your face. it makes daniel's breath hitch, because yeah, he was right. smile suits you so, so much more. he motions you to go sit at the further table and orders on the counter, turning to check at the guy at the park. he waits for some more time until eventually going back into the park, disappearing from the sight.

'there you go,' daniel hands you your boba tea, forcing a smile on his face. 'the guy is gone, by the way.'

you sigh in relief. 'thank god. i am never walking at this hour through that park again.'

daniel nods in understanding. god it sucks on so many levels that women have to go through this, so there's really not that much to say. he watches as you quiet sip on your boba tea and there's something so peaceful about you that he can't seem to let go.

spontaneously, he brings up: 'it can be safe if you walk with someone though. i mean, at the park at this hour.'

you blink up at him. he thinks he's pretty obvious with what he's saying but you still ask: 'are you saying that you can be that someone?'

daniel grins, wide and proud. he puffs his chest a little. 'hell yeah. i'd be a good bodyguard. and i can make you laugh. what's more there is in a man?'

you laugh. the 'head thrown back' laugh, the one that instantly makes daniel all warm inside. he smiles widely as you look up at him, grinning. 'yeah, okay.'

daniel relaxes on his seat, smiling. 'gonna let me walk you home? you know, to assure your safety.'

'my safety?'

'and to also know where i should pick you up from tomorrow.'

daniel is forward. he is a lot in general, but when you beam at him, he thinks he maybe finally found someone who doesn't mind.

a/n: my first ever danny ric thing, whoa! thank you for requesting! hope it was okay :) - nini

my other formula 1 writings are here

daniel had returned to his world of high-speed races and podium celebrations. you had stayed in australia to raise your twin daughters, isla and evie. the arrangement was simple. isla lived with you, evie lived with daniel in perth, and they switched places during school holidays. it was not perfect, but you thought it worked well enough.

until your daughters decided they had a better idea.

the first sign that something was off came when isla suddenly developed an interest in motorsports, despite years of insisting she hated racing. then evie, who had never been interested in anything outside of racing and adventure, started asking more questions about your childhood and your life. their wardrobes subtly changed. isla, who always wore bright colors, started wearing evie’s darker clothes. evie began picking out dresses instead of hoodies.

you thought it was just a phase, something harmless. that was until one evening, you turned on the television and saw an f1 broadcast showing daniel arriving at the paddock, his daughter isla at his side, proudly wearing his team’s cap.

except isla was sitting on the couch next to you.

daniel was not the most observant person in the world, but even he should have realized that his daughter was not actually his daughter.

for a full week, he had no idea. he had proudly introduced "evie" to his team, shown her around the garage, and taken her out for dinner, believing nothing was out of the ordinary. it was only when she casually mentioned knowing how to surf, something evie definitely did not know how to do, that realization hit him.

when isla finally burst out laughing and admitted the truth, daniel had stood there in stunned silence for a solid minute before calling you.

now you were sitting at a café in sydney, waiting for him to show up.

it had been years since you last saw daniel in person. the last time you had spoken face-to-face had been when you finalized custody arrangements, both agreeing that distance was necessary to make things work. yet, here you were, about to discuss the fact that your daughters had successfully pulled off an identity swap behind your backs.

you glanced at your watch and sighed. of course, he was late.

a chair scraped against the floor, and you looked up to see him grinning at you.

"hey, stranger."

you crossed your arms, unimpressed. "you’re late."

he shrugged, his smile easy as ever. "had to make an entrance."

"you mean you had to stop for coffee on the way here."

he laughed, shaking his head. "alright, you got me." then his expression softened as he studied you. "you look good."

you ignored the warmth in your chest and focused on the matter at hand. "we need to talk about what we’re going to do about isla and evie."

daniel leaned back in his chair, stretching out his legs. "well, grounding them would probably be useless. they’d just find a way to switch again."

you sighed. "i still can't believe they pulled this off."

"i can," he said, smirking. "they’re too smart for their own good. wonder where they get it from?"

"not from you," you said, raising an eyebrow.

he placed a hand on his chest, feigning offense. "ouch. here i was thinking we were going to have a mature co-parenting discussion."

you laughed despite yourself, shaking your head. "fine. let’s talk. what do we do? stricter rules? better communication?"

daniel hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward, his playful expression turning serious. "or maybe we listen to them. they’re obviously trying to tell us something."

you frowned. "like what?"

"like maybe they want more time together. maybe they don’t want to keep switching between us," he said. then, quieter, "or maybe they think we should try again."

his words hung in the air between you.

your heart pounded as you looked at him. it was impossible to ignore the way he was watching you, the way he had always watched you, with a kind of unwavering certainty.

you looked down at your coffee, stirring it absentmindedly. "daniel…"

"i know," he said quickly. "i know we said we were better apart. i know we thought this was the right choice. but what if we were wrong?"

you swallowed, your chest tightening.

daniel leaned closer, lowering his voice. "tell me you haven’t thought about it. tell me you haven’t wondered what it would be like if we tried again."

you didn’t answer right away. you had thought about it. late at night, when the house was quiet, when isla asked about her dad, when you saw him smiling in interviews and wondered if he ever thought about you, too.

"i don't know if it would work," you admitted softly.

"then let’s find out," he said. his voice was steady, sure. "no pressure, no expectations. just… us. as a family."

you hesitated, but then you thought about isla and evie. you thought about how they had done the impossible, how they had schemed and plotted not just to spend time together, but to bring their parents back into each other’s lives.

maybe they were onto something.

you sighed, shaking your head with a small smile. "i can’t believe i’m saying this, but fine. we can try."

daniel grinned, reaching across the table to squeeze your hand. "you won’t regret it."

"you better not make me regret it," you teased.

he laughed, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. "i won’t. i promise."

for the first time in years, it felt like maybe—just maybe—the family could be whole again.

Here you were walking down the isle in your large white wedding dress looking down where your husband stood with his best man and fellow groomsmen. He hadn't noticed you yet where he was talking to his best man Lando. Max, one of his groomsmen nudged him, shurgging his head over to you. His eyes met yours just as the music started playing for you to walk down the isle too.

Tears brim his eyes, he'd always seen you as the most beautiful girl in the world, but today you were etheral and he wanted to burn this image of you into his mind and keep it there forever.

You make your way down the isle, holding your dad's arm who also has tears in his eyes. All thats on your face is a huge grin, excited to be Mrs Ricciardo after this. You loved Daniel with all your heart and being able to share a last name with him was special to you.

"You're the only man i trust with her Daniel, i hope you know that. Look after my baby" you father says, before placing a kiss on the side of your head. Daniel smiles at your father a solid not to him.

"Always sir" Daniel says, before glancing over you seeing just how magnetic you looked up close.

You guys shared your vows, you had both done very meaningful vows for your actual wedding that you'd more than likely repreat in 10 years, then 20 and 30. You would save the laughter for at the after party where the maid of honor and best man, and some family members would to also say some words for the pair of you.

"You may now kiss the bride" the officiator says and you shake your head.

"Nope, i may now kiss the groom!" you grin and cup Daniels face pulling him down and in for a kiss. It's lasts for a while until you feel Daniel's grin widen.

"Nope, i'll listen to him" Daniel grins, pulling away and dipping you into the typical bride kiss. Your both giggling against one another as you do, the crowd below cheering and whooping.

"Come with me" he whispers in your ear, gripping your hand.

"Alright folks, if you all head into the barn i'm going to get Mrs Riccardo into something a little more ... breathable and then we'll see you out for the after party!" he grins, before taking your hand and walking you away. Everyone starts to leave while Daniel walks you into the chalet you guys had rented.

Before you know it, the minute you guys get into the home you were hoisted up onto the nearest counter, your large puffy dress bunching up around your hips. Your in fits of giggles as Daniel tries to work out how to step in between your legs but is sort of restricted.

"Daniel what are you doing!" you laugh looking at him.

"Need you so bad, wanna fuck you for the first time as my wife" he grins with that cheeky look in his eyes.

"What?" you burst out laughing.

"Please, need you" he groand trying to bunch up your dress around you.

"We dont have time!" you laugh, holding him at bay by his chest.

"Just, just a quick little taste. I'll be so quick" he says, sliding his hands down before getting on his knees.

"Daniel!" you gasp at the crudeness. But before you know it he's under all layers of your dress, teasing a finger up your thigh touching the garter of your white lingerie. He plays with the fabric before flicking it against your skin making you gasp. You feel his nose, and the bump run up along the silk covering you.

"Danny" you gasp, moving your hips forward and wrapping your legs around him, resting them on his back and shoulders.

He doesn't say a word, not that you'd hear it muffled under the ruffles and multiple layers of your dress, but you feel your panties pulled to the side and his wet tongue tease you.

His nose gives the perfect amount of pressure on your clit a moan coming from you. You would normally have a hand pulling at the curls of the hair, but with no access to it they gripped the edge of the counter.

"Oh fuck, please" you moan feeling the way he's moving against you stimulating every place that possibly needs it. You can feel his nose pressing agaisnt you. Your hips jut against his face and your can finally hear some slurps that he's making as you rock agaisnt his face.

You feel the coil build in your stomach as Daniel's licks are relentless against you.

"Omg please please please" you cry out your knuckles white from the grip on the table. Daniel's finger enters, his tounge moving to play with your clit, gasps coming from you and your head drops back.

He reaches a certain part of your spongey walls that makes your lurch forward grabbing his head through your dress with as gasp as your legs tighten round his head and start to shake.

"Omg" you gasp as he helps you through your orgasm. He ruffles up, finding his way out of the big puffy dress and the sight before you once his head pops up is one you would be happy getting all to familiar with.

He was there, your juices covering his chin and his curls messier, face flushed red from the heat.

"Been waiting to do that for years" he sighs, leaning his head against your thigh.

"Years? You've been dreaming of marrying me for years for the sole purpose of what? Eating me out in my wedding dress?" you laugh out loud looking down at him.

"Right, lets get you out this dress now" he says, avoiding the question while helping you up despite the wobbly legs and heels combo that isnt helping. You couldn't help but giggle as he carries you up the stairs to the master bedroom where your body-con white dress was laid out by your maid of honor.

Daniel helps you take off the dress and just looks at you in your underwear.

"Gods, i cant believe this is what i get to see for the rest of my life" he says, running his hands along your waist. He helps you get into the dress despite his wish to ravish you on the bed behind the pair of you, but knows that people are waiting to celebrate the newly weds.

"Every day" you grin holding the side of his face before he pulls you into a kiss.

"I love you"

"I love you too"

Taglist:

“I need the toilet,” Max says.

Daniel blinks. “Congratulations!”

Max leaves. He shuts the bathroom door. Locks it. Stares at himself in the mirror. His face is blotchy and red. His hair is bad. His dick is, unfortunately, extremely hard, straining against his jeans.

“No,” Max says to it.

His dick says yes in the language of being a traitorous organ.

Outside, Daniel calls, “You okay in there, mate?”

“Yes,” Max says, too loud.

“Okay.”

Max grips the sink. His phone buzzes on the counter.

GABI BORTOLETO

Max grabs it and answers. “What?”

“Oh my god,” Gabriel says. “Finally. Did you ask Daniel for the 3?”

Max freezes. This is already bad. This is already very, very bad.

“Yes,” Max says.

“And he said yes?”

“Of course.”

Gabriel makes a noise like he has watched Max step on a rake.

“What?” Max asks, panicky already.

“I tried to warn you!”

“You texted call me urgent number thing. That is not a warning.”

“Max. Listen to me. There is a curse.”

Max closes his eyes.

“Are you hard?”

Max’s hand slips on the sink.

“That is...private.”

“Oh my god, you are.”

“I did not say that.”

“You didn’t have to. Your silence is boner.”

“There is, of course, no such thing as boner silence.”

“There is when it is curse-related!”

Max looks down, which is a bad tactical decision. Horrible. His dick twitches in his pants like it has heard Daniel’s name from the other room and wants to be included in the conversation.

Max says, “Fuck.”

Gabriel says, “Ew.”

“You asked, Gabi.”

“I asked, like, medically.”

“There is no medical boners.”

“There is the curse, though!” Gabi almost shouts it. “When you take someone’s racing number, you have to fuck them. That is the curse. Or you die!”

Max stares at the soap dispenser. The soap dispenser gives him nothing.

“No,” Max replies, voice raspy.

“Yes. I had the same with my number.”

Max goes still. “With Seb's 5?”

Gabriel says nothing. Max says, “Did you want to fuck Seb?”

“I had to.”

“You wanted.”

“I had to.”

“You very much wanted to fuck Seb.”

“You are hiding in a bathroom with a curse boner for Daniel Ricciardo. Fuck off.”

Max is silent because its true.

“So,” Gabriel says. “You have to fuck Daniel.”

Max’s body reacts like Daniel has personally walked into the bathroom and put his mouth on the words.

Max makes a sound. Gabriel says, “Ew, did it get worse?”

“Stop saying ew.”

“Then stop being cursed-horny near me.”

“You called me.”

“To save you!”

“I will not explode.”

“You feel like you will, right?”

Max doesn’t answer.

Gabriel says, softer, “Right?”

Max looks at the door again. He thinks of Daniel on the other side. Daniel’s smile when Max asked. Daniel’s eyes goinging soft, only for one second, before he makes a joke about Max wanting his lucky charm. Daniel saying it’s yours like he doesn’t know what he is handing over. Like Max has not been missing him in little stupid places for years. In the wrong corner of the garage. In jokes nobody else makes. In every time someone says his name and Max pretends not to hear it like a dog hearing its dead owner’s whistle.

“Yes,” Max says.

Gabriel sighs. “Then go.”

“What if he says no?”

“Then he says no.”

“And I explode.”

“I don’t know, maybe. Stand in the shower.”

“Gabi.”

“I’m not curse support!” Gabriel snaps. “But if he says no, you do not do anything. Obviously.”

“Obviously,” Max says, offended.

“Good. Then go ask him. Not like a freak. Explain it.”

Max looks down at himself again. His body has not become less freakish. “I cannot go out there like this.”

“You have to.”

“No, because he will see.”

“Max,” Gabriel says, with the exhaustion of someone much older than him, “that is maybe the point.”

Max hates him. He hates Seb for not warning him. He hates racing numbers. He hates curses. He hates the bathroom fan. He hates his own dick. He hates Daniel for sitting out there and making Max want to live and die and have a number three tattooed on the back of his eyelids.

Gabriel says, “Go!”

Then he hangs up. Max stares at his phone. There is a knock on the door and max almost drops the phone into the sink.

“Maximus?” Daniel says. “You alive?”

Max unlocks the door. Daniel is standing there in the hallway with the Red Bull can in one hand and his eyebrows up. His mouth is already shaped around something stupid. Then he sees Max’s face and the stupid thing goes away.

“Hey,” Daniel says. “What happened?”

“There is a curse,” Max says, angling his hips away.

Daniel blinks. “Okay,” he says. “Sure...”

Max steps out of the bathroom because if he is going to humiliate himself, he is not doing it next to the toilet. Daniel follows him into the living room. Max stands by the sofa and Daniel stands in front of him. The air between them is so thick Max could maybe bite it.

“It is about the number,” Max says.

“Three?”

“Yes.”

“The number I just gave you.”

“Yes.”

“Is it, like, haunted?”

“Yes.”

Daniel’s mouth twitches. Max glares weakly, his dick twitching again. Daniel holds up both hands. “Sorry. Sorry. Serious haunted number face.”

“When you take someone’s number,” Max says, and then stops because suddenly every word is a staircase with a missing step.

Daniel’s expression changes. “Max.”

“You have to fuck them,” Max says in a rush. “Or you explode.”

Daniel stares at him. The refrigerator clicks in the kitchen.

“Um.”

“Yes,” Max replies.

“Literally fuck?”

“Yes.”

“Literally explode?”

“I think so.”

“You think so...”

“Gabriel was not very precise.”

“Gabi knows this because?”

“He took five.”

Daniel opens his mouth and immediately shuts it. Then opens it again. “Seb?”

“Daniel.”

“No, yeah. Respectful silence for Seb’s cursed service.”

Max scratches his neck, if he doesn't come soon, he might actually explode and he does ot want to imagine Daniel covered in his blood and guts or whatever.

Daniel says, “So that’s why you’re…”

He looks down to the very apparent bulge in his pants. Max’s whole body lights up like a dashboard full of warnings.

“Fuck,” Max says, but it comes out thin.

Daniel’s eyes snap back up. His cheeks are pink now. “Sorry.”

“It is the curse.”

“Yeah?”

Max swallows. Daniel is close. Too close. Not close enough. His shirt is soft and old and ugly in the way Daniel’s clothes are sometimes ugly because he looks good in anything and therefore has no discipline. Max wants to put his hands under it. Max wants to feel his new beard all over his skin, maybe on his thighs.

“Not only,” Max says.

Daniel goes still. Max looks at the floor. “I asked for three because I missed you. Because it is yours. Because I wanted—some part. I don’t know. It is stupid.”

Daniel doesn’t say anything.

Max looks up despite himself. Daniel’s face is doing something Max cannot survive. His eyes are wide and wet-looking, his mouth soft, like Max has hit him with something and he doesn’t know whether to laugh or bleed.

“Fuck,” Daniel says quietly.

“You don’t have to,” Max says. “Of course you don’t. It is still your choice. The curse is my problem.”

“Max...”

“If you say no, I will go back to the bathroom.”

“And explode in the shower?”

“Maybe it is easier to clean.”

Daniel laughs, shocked and helpless. “Jesus Christ.”

Max’s hands shake. He puts them behind his back. Daniel sees that too, because Daniel sees everything when Max least wants him to.

“I want to,” Daniel says.

Max’s brain stops. “What?”

“I want to,” Daniel repeats. His grin wobbles, but it is there. “Not because of the explosion thing. I mean, obviously that’s compelling. Nobody wants Dutch confetti on the carpet. But because it’s you.”

Max cannot breathe. Daniel steps closer.

“Also,” Daniel says, voice dropping, “because the whole cursed boner thing is doing something to me.”

Max laughs once, sharp and startled.

Daniel smiles. “Yeah?”

“Yes,” Max says. “I—yes.”

“Can I touch you?”

Max nods.

“Words, mate.”

“Yes, Daniel.”

Daniel reaches out. His fingers touch Max’s wrist first, warm and careful. Just there. Just skin on skin. Max’s dick throbs so hard he feels stupid with it. Daniel’s eyes drop again, and this time Max lets him look. Daniel’s mouth parts.

“Oh,” Daniel says.

Max wants to cover himself. He also wants Daniel to never stop looking.

“It is the curse,” Max says, because apparently he is going to keep saying this until someone kills him.

Daniel’s smile goes crooked. “Yeah, Max. The curse is very impressive.”

“Shut up.”

“Can’t.”

Then Daniel kisses him.

Max doesn’t know who moves first. It doesn’t matter. Daniel’s mouth is on his mouth and Daniel’s hand is still on his wrist and the pressure in Max’s chest turns into something bright and molten. He grabs Daniel’s shirt. Too hard maybe. Daniel makes a sound and Max pulls back immediately.

“Sorry.”

“No,” Daniel says, and looks almost offended. “Do it again.”

Max does. Daniel laughs into the kiss, breathless, ridiculous, and Max bites his lower lip for it. Daniel says, “Fuck,” against his mouth, and Max feels it everywhere.

They move badly.

Max backs Daniel into the sofa, then Daniel says, “Bedroom, unless you want to ruin your very ugly rich-person couch,” and Max says, “It is not ugly,” and Daniel says, “Baby, it looks like a dentist waiting room for villains,” and Max kisses him again because Daniel cannot be allowed to continue.

The bedroom is Max’s bed and Daniel in front of it, pulling his shirt off and getting briefly stuck in the collar.

“Fuck,” Daniel says, muffled. “Textile attack.”

“You are bad at this.”

“I’m under pressure,” Daniel says, finally freeing himself. His hair sticks up. His chest is bare. He is smiling like an idiot. “Some of us are trying to save your life.”

Max’s mouth goes dry. Daniel’s smile fades under the look.

Max steps closer. He puts a hand on Daniel’s stomach, flat, feeling the muscle jump under his palm. “Still okay?” Max asks.

Daniel’s throat works. “Yeah.”

“For real?”

“For super real, Maxy.”

Max kisses him again. Lower this time. Daniel’s jaw, his neck, the place where his pulse beats fast and stupid. Daniel’s hands go to Max’s hair.

“Fuck,” Daniel says. “You’re intense.”

“Yes. Of course, Daniel.”

Daniel laughs. “No denial. Love that.”

Max gets Daniel’s jeans open with hands that do not quite work. Daniel helps. Daniel’s hands are shaking too, which makes something in Max calm down and get worse at the same time. When Max touches his dick, Daniel swears so loudly Max clamps a hand over his mouth.

“Quiet,” Max says.

Daniel’s eyes go huge. Max feels him twitch against his fingers.

“Oh,” Max says.

Daniel’s voice is muffled. “Don’t say oh like that.”

“You liked it.”

Daniel closes his eyes like he is suffering. “Unfortunately, yes.”

Max smiles. Daniel bites Max’s palm. “Fuck,” Max says, and pulls his hand away.

Daniel grins, wild and red-faced. “There he is.”

Max pushes him onto the bed. Daniel bounces once and laughs, but then Max climbs over him and the laughter thins into a breath. Daniel reaches for him, careful now, and Max lets himself be pulled down.

They kiss until Max forgets the curse for a minute. Then his body remembers. The pressure sharpens, a hot hook low in his belly. Max gasps and jerks against Daniel, helpless. Daniel’s hands tighten on his back.

“Bad?” Daniel asks.

“No.” Max presses his forehead to Daniel’s shoulder. “Need...you”

Daniel’s breath catches.

“Yeah,” he says. “Okay. Yeah, Max. I’ve got you.”

This should sound stupid. It should. Daniel says it with too much feeling, and Max is the one about to explode, and none of this makes sense. Instead it makes Max shake. Daniel feels it.

“Hey,” Daniel says. “Look at me.”

Max does. Daniel’s face is flushed, mouth swollen, eyes dark and scared and wanting and so fond Max nearly has to close his eyes again.

“I want this,” Daniel says. “You hear me?”

“Yes.”

“Not just the cursed emergency dick appointment.”

Max laughs before he can stop it. Daniel smiles, relieved. “There. Good. Great. Consent and comedy. We’re nailing this.”

“You are so stupid.”

“Yeah, and you want me so bad.”

Max says, “Yes,” because he is past lying.

Daniel’s smile slips.

“Shit,” he says.

Max kisses him before Daniel can look too breakable. They get properly naked and Daniel kicks one sock off and the other somehow stays on until Max notices and says, “Off,” very seriously, and Daniel laughs so hard Max has to kiss his stomach to shut him up.

Then Daniel says, “Top drawer?” and Max says, “Yes,” too quickly, and Daniel says, “Oh, prepared,” and Max says, “For myself, Daniel,” and Daniel says, “Sure, mate, love a man with lube.”

The first slick touch of Daniel’s fingers makes Max’s brain go white at the edges.

“Okay?” Daniel asks.

“Yes. Fuck. Yes.”

Daniel’s grin is a little shaky. “Look at you with the full sentences.”

“Daniel.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m helping.”

He is. He is careful, even when he jokes. Especially when he jokes. His fingers move slow and slick and Max has to bite his own wrist because the sound he makes is humiliating. Daniel watches him do it and then makes a sound of his own, broken and low.

“Jesus,” Daniel says. “Max.”

“What?”

“You’re—fuck.”

Max would like a better sentence. He does not get one because Daniel adds another finger and Max arches so hard his shoulder blades hurt. The curse pressure lifts a bit.

“Oh,” Max says. Daniel’s eyes go bright. “Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“Good?”

“Good,” Max says, except it comes out like a curse in a different way.

Daniel leans down and kisses him, filthy and soft at once. Max opens under him. For him. Maybe because of the curse. Maybe because Daniel says his name like it is something he wants to keep in his mouth.

“More,” Max says.

Daniel’s hand stills. “More?”

“Yes. Now.”

Daniel laughs, but it breaks halfway. “Bossy.”

Max pulls him down by the back of the neck. “Daniel.”

“Okay,” Daniel says, suddenly breathless. “Okay, baby.”

Max nearly comes from that alone. It is awkward at first. Of course it is. Daniel’s knee slips. Max says, “Not like that,” and Daniel says, “Sorry, my cursed-fuck technique is rusty,” and Max laughs and then gasps because Daniel pushes in a little and the whole world narrows to that.

Daniel freezes immediately.

“Max?”

Max grips his arms. “Don’t stop.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“For real?”

Max opens his eyes and glares. “Daniel, I will kill you.”

Daniel’s smile spreads, dazed and delighted. Then he moves. It hurts, at first. Just a stretch-burn, bright and close, like Max’s body is being told a truth it should have known already. Daniel goes slow, too slow, so careful Max wants to hit him.

“More,” Max says.

Daniel groans. “Fuck, Max.”

“More, please!”

Daniel gives him more. Max’s head drops back. His hands clutch at Daniel’s shoulders, his back, anywhere. He is making noises now and he cannot stop. He doesn’t know if the curse is doing this or Daniel is doing this or if there was ever a difference. The pressure in his chest changes.

It is not explosion now.

It is Daniel.

Daniel above him, eyes blown wide, mouth open. Daniel trying to make jokes and failing because Max clenches around him and Daniel’s whole face blanks out.

“Oh my fucking god,” Daniel says.

Max laughs, breathless and mean. “What?”

“You’re bad,” Daniel says, horrified. “You’re getting fucked by a curse and you’re smug.”

“You are easy.”

Daniel makes an offended noise and thrusts harder. Max’s laugh snaps into a moan. “There,” Daniel says, voice wrecked. “Yeah? That shut you up?”

Max cannot answer because Daniel hits something inside him that turns his bones to sparks. He grabs Daniel’s wrist and digs his nails in.

“Again,” Max says.

Daniel looks at him. Max knows what his own face must look like. Red, open, wrecked. He does not care. “Again,” he demands.

Daniel does it again. Max almost sobs. Daniel says, “Fuck, fuck, Max. There?”

“Yes. There. Don’t stop.”

The room goes hot and blurry. Max feels sweat at his temples, Daniel’s mouth on his neck, Daniel’s hand around his dick. Too much. Not enough. Perfect. Horrible. Max’s body is no longer an emergency warning light. It is a car at top speed, finally pointed straight, every part of him screaming toward the same place.

“Daniel,” Max says.

“I’ve got you,” Daniel says again, and maybe that is what does it.

Max comes so hard he loses time. For one second there is nothing. No curse. No number. No bathroom. No pressure. Just Daniel’s name punched out of his mouth and Daniel holding him through it, fucking him through it, swearing into his shoulder.

Then Daniel follows, hips stuttering, face pressed to Max’s neck. Max feels it. Feels him. Hot and close and impossible.

Daniel collapses on top of him, heavy and shaking. For a while there is only breathing. Max stares at the ceiling.

He is alive. This is good. Daniel lifts his head slowly. His hair is damp at the temples. His mouth is red. His eyes are very wide.

“No explosion?” Daniel asks.

Max checks. His chest is not tight. His skin is not buzzing. His dick is no longer possessed by dark number magic.

“No explosion,” he says.

Daniel’s smile blooms so bright it is stupid. “Hell yeah.”

Max laughs.

Daniel flops down beside him. “Daniel Ricciardo: curse breaker. Put it on a trophy.”

“You are very annoying.”

“You love it.”

Max turns his head. Daniel is already looking at him. Max says, because apparently the curse also removes whatever filter he has, “Yes.”

Daniel’s face changes.

Max looks at the ceiling again. “I mean. Yes.”

Daniel is quiet for one second. Then he says, “You really missed me?”

Max closes his eyes. He can lie. He could. The curse is gone. He is safe. He can be normal again, whatever amount of normal he had before Daniel came over and said yes and broke Max open in his own bed.

“Yes,” Max says.

Daniel exhales. Max opens his eyes when Daniel touches his chest. Two fingers, right over his heart.

“Yeah,” Daniel says. “Me too.”

Max turns toward him. Daniel’s smile is small. Nervous. Not a joke yet, though Max can see him reaching for one like a life raft.

“Like, embarrassing amounts,” Daniel says. “Like, if missing you was a crime, I’d be doing hard time. Orange jumpsuit. Little tin cup. Whole thing.”

Max smiles despite himself.

Daniel points at him. “There. Tiny smile. I knew it.”

“You are ruining it.”

“Nah.” Daniel shifts closer. His leg brushes Max’s. His sock is still on.

Max looks at it. “You still have one sock.”

“It survived the war.”

Max laughs into his shoulder. Daniel’s hand comes up to the back of Max’s head. After a while, Daniel says, softer, “You can have it.”

Max lifts his face. “What.”

“3.” Daniel’s throat works. “You can have it.”

“You already said.”

“Yeah, well. Now I’m saying it post-cursed-sex. Legally stronger.”

Max looks at him. Daniel looks back, trying so hard not to look scared that it makes Max ache.

“It is still yours,” Max says. Daniel blinks. “The number. Even if I have it. It is yours.”

Daniel’s eyes go shiny.

“Fuck,” he says.

Max waits.

“Sorry,” Daniel says. “I mean, like. Emotionally fuck. Not—well, also, obviously, but we just—” He covers his face. “Jesus. I need to be euthanised.”

Max pulls Daniel’s hands away.

“No,” he says. “I like you like this.”

Somewhere on the floor, his phone buzzes. They both look.

Daniel says, “Gabi.”

“No.”

“I have to tell him you lived.”

“No.”

Daniel is already reaching over the side of the bed. Max grabs his waist, but Daniel wriggles away, laughing, one sock waving in the air like a flag of surrender.

He answers the phone. “Gabriel, mate, great news. No Max explosion.”

Then Gabriel says, “I hate you both.”

Daniel beams. “Quick question. Seb. Was it weird?”

but you knew one kiss wouldn't calm down daniel's need for you. one kiss turned into two and two often turned into three rounds of sex in the closest bad you could find. you knew you had every chance to say no, but the charm of daniel ricciardo was undeniable.

even when he got on your nerves at times. you gave him several small kisses and one long make-out session with his tongue in your mouth before he was able to do his interviews. you tried to deny the heat between your legs while you watched him from the sidelines. you could see the slight shine on his lips, obvious from your kisses.

you had been secretly seeing daniel for about six months. you had been his assistant for over a year and a half, all that time together let something bloom between you two. nights spent between races, the home-cooked meals you made him try, that one time you held his hand while he got his newest tattoo.

you two were close and daniel loved you. which was why he yearned for your kisses. and why he whined when you refused to give him more. he was insatiable at times, but yet it made you flustered. like when he kissed you and ran his tongue across your bottom lip.

"we're in public you know." you said as you ended up pressed against the wall of a hallway. you moaned into another kiss when he pinched you behind.

you knew it didn't actually matter. you could publicly date him with little to no fuss. but you didn't want people to think you got your job because you were sleeping with your boss. daniel understood, he respected that you wanted to be seen with integrity. but that didn't lessen his need for your kisses and your love.

"sorry, babe." he said sweetly, "i like when you make sure i'm well taken care of. i feel like i should do the same considering how needy you get."

you chuckled, warmed by his words, "what do you me to say? i've never wanted anyone to fuck me this badly? get on my knees for you." you held onto his strong shoulders. you were totally smitten.

the allure he had over you, you were both alone in the hallway with his lips on yours. he said lowly, "i want you. i want to taste you. i don't think i can wait till we get back home." his large hands were on your hips. he held you close and licked his top lip.

"you're insatiable, ricciardo."

he leaned in further, "i know, but you love me. just like how i love you." you quickly ended up in a supply closet with your back up against a few shelves.

"fuck." you whispered as daniel quickly and quietly closed the door and turned on the low light. even in the dim light he looked good, you eyes him as he got to his knees and hiked up your short skirt. you covered your mouth as he pulled your panties down and exposed your pussy to him.

"look at you." he mused quietly, "you look so good. i et you taste so sweet. when i was talking to the press i thought about you. how i'd rather be back home with my head between your thighs." and chuckled before he heard you quietly moan.

"danny." you said and tensed up as he kissed your pussy. he held onto your soft thighs with your skirt pushed up to your waist and your panties to your ankles. you leaned further against the shelves.

his tongue was talented, and with a pussy as perfect as yours he only wanted to make you feel good. he groaned against your cunt and licked at it. he could feel heat in his body, the air in the cramped space got warmer. his cock throbbed in his jeans. he held on a little tighter and pressed his nose further into your sex.

your wetness stained his lips more than your lip gloss did earlier. while daniel liked the apple pie flavour, your pussy tasted better. you moaned and tried to keep yourself composed. you couldn't be too loud or else people would start to get curious. you covered your mouth once more with one hand and held onto his short dark hair with the other.

daniel groaned against your pussy when you gave his hair a short tug. he licked your stiff clit and felt an electric feeling move through him. you tasted divine. he pressed further, he couldn't get enough. your pussy was the most divine of tastes and it made daniel eager to have more.

his attention on your clit made your body tense up as pleasure raced through you. "danny." you said in a hushed tone, "right there, fuck. i love when you tease my clit." you shakily exhaled and held onto his hand with both hands now. it all felt overwhelming in the best way possible, but you couldn't cause a scene right now.

you didn't want to be public with your relationship at that time, you knew what a hard launch was. but you didn't want to launch your relationship because someone cause daniel's head between your legs!

he looked up at you and dragged his tongue messily across your cunt. your wetness drooled down his chin. he was a messy eater. it was endearing, almost cute. you felt a wobble in your knees as he admired you for a moment before he went back to orally pleasuring you.

you felt the lingering heat in your body and swore under your breath. his large hands held onto your thighs and he licked your sopping wet sex. you whimpered as his movements and you knew you weren't going to last much longer.

daniel felt the strain in his jeans as he continued to pleasure your pussy with a talented eagerness. he could feel the pre-cum stain the front of his briefs. he couldn't care less. not when he had a mission. your eager noises only pulled him in closer and he loved how you tasted. it was like a taste of heaven and your noises were angel choirs, it made his heart sing. it felt good as he applied more pressure to his movements and then felt you quiver around him.

in a cramped storage room, daniel feasted on your beautifully slick cunt and your hushed pleasured noises. you felt blissed out as he only worked himself harder against you.

daniel loved you, that was certain. he knew it from the bottom of his heart. he ached for you, needed to be close to you. even when you tried to do your job. you held on a little tighter and pushed your pussy up against him. he could feel your love through your pussy up against his face.

"please. fuck, yes." you near squeaked as the pleasure reached its pack. you shakily exhaled in an attempt to hold back a moan. silence was key. it was heated in the closet, the sweat dampened your back as your breathed heavily.

daniel's moan was muffled by your pussy and felt the tension in your thighs. he gave you one last lick and felt your orgasm cross through you. he looked up and watched you have to cover your mouth as you came. your knees shook as the intense feeling washed over you. a small noise spilled from his lips. you cursed under your breath as you relaxed a little.

daniel pulled away and wiped his wet mouth with the back of his hand. he chuckled lightly and let himself remain excited. he grinned at you, "pretty girl." then helped you back into your panties before he pushed your skirt down over your thighs.

"i'm not making this a habit." you said pointedly. daniel got back to his feel, he kissed you on the cheek before he wiped his wet mouth.

"of course." he wrapped his arms around you, "next time we'll just leave easily and i can see how loud you can get." then winked.

you playfully pushed his chest, "you're insatiable, danny."

“Just trying to keep up with you.”

“Maybe you two will be next.” The woman wonders out loud, a playful glint in her eyes as she winks at Daniel, leaving the two of you to enjoy the reception. He doesn’t miss a beat, feeling no need to acknowledge what just happened.

You, however, can’t brush this one under the rug. “What was that about?”

“What was what about?” Daniel questions, playing clueless.

“Either I hit my head earlier or you just told that lady we’re a couple. You do realize you just lied to an old lady right?”

“I prefer the term method acting.” Daniel quips, all the more amused at your very unamused expression. “Come on, two great looking people together at a wedding? My jacket matches your dress? We’re not exactly avoiding the assumptions.”

“And that was purely coincidence, might I remind you.”

Daniel rolls his eyes playfully at your recollection of the morning. The look on your face when you first realized the matching colors was priceless. It won’t be the last stunt he pulls off, for now he’ll let you believe it really was a coincidence. “Oh please, you love it.”

You shrug, indifferent to what he’s insinuating. At least that’s what you hope he receives from it. Internally you wince every time you have to shut down his relentless positivity with another cold shoulder. “Your performance was convincing, I’ll give you that.”

“Just don’t wanna let anyone down. She’s not the first person to say something y’know, we might as well just accept our fate now.”

You avoid his eyes, finding the drink in your glass to be the safer of the two options. Whenever you do lock eyes with him, you can’t be held responsible for what you might say. Confronting the spark between you two has weighed on your mind, and heart, for more sleepless nights than you care to admit. Here and now, at your friend’s wedding, certainly isn’t the time to start.

–

The night stretches on and the mood is much lighter. Tears of joy for the happy couple have already been shed and the celebration was ongoing well into the night. Dinner was everything you expected it to be, each course more perfect than the last.

Daniel had been asked to give a toast in the upcoming weeks of the grand event. Not that he was the smoothest speaker to ever hold a microphone, but his humor was undeniably perfect for every crowd and setting.

He was rarely at a loss for words. For this speech in particular, when he tried to picture the moment and sit with his thoughts, he realized he had none. It may have been the first time he was truly out of his league. Ask him to write a speech about racing and the intensity that comes with it? No problem. Writing about love, in its truest and most passionate form? That poses a greater challenge.

Scribbled on the notecards tucked away in his suit jacket are a few quotes from philosophers or books he’s read, hoping one will inspire some profound words.

When the microphone finds him, Daniel takes one good look at you smiling back at him, and drops the cards on the table. A rush of confidence flows through his veins, telling him that he may not be so hopeless after all. He takes a deep breath and greets the room.

“I’ll be honest, when the bride and groom asked me to give a speech on their big day, my immediate response was ‘Are you sure’?” Light laughter falls over the crowd, putting him at ease.

“I’m no expert, but when I think about why we fall in love, the answer is simple. We fall in love when the idea of spending the rest of our days alone with someone feels more like paradise instead of a punishment; when we wake up and fall asleep to the thought of them, and happily let them run through our mind every hour in between.”

Everyone in the crowd lovingly gazes at their person. Daniel notices that your eyes have remained fixed on him this whole time. He feels himself blushing, and smiling at you before continuing.

“The way I see it, falling in love is this feeling of unwavering commitment, of being unwilling to give up on someone no matter how much they beg you to. It’s knowing that even if your love is never reciprocated, you’d still feel like the luckiest person on planet Earth, knowing they hold a place in your heart no one else ever could. Loving somebody, to me, means accepting that you couldn’t un-love them even if you tried.”

Daniel catches your eyes and they sparkle, whispering everything you wish to say back to him. A pause lingers over the crowd. You wonder if anyone else can hear your heart beating out of your chest. Under Daniel’s gaze, it feels as though you’re the only two left in the room.

He turns towards the bride and groom once again to end his remarks. “It’s for all those reasons that we’re here celebrating today. My deepest congratulations to the happy couple, may your love story never end.” Daniel raises his glass of champagne and everyone else follows suit, cheering loudly.

The bride and groom beam with joy, tears in their eyes as they resonated with every word he spoke. Everyone in the room had someone they thought about, someone they picture standing across from at the altar, hands held while they swear to keep their promises. The more Daniel went on, the more you realized that for you, it’s him. By the way he was looking at you, you have a pretty good idea that he was thinking of you, too.

Daniel shares an embrace with the bride and groom as they thank him for his heartfelt words. If they only knew the speech didn’t come from those notecards left discarded on the table. Daniel’s speech came straight from the heart, purely inspired by the burgeoning love he feels for you. Other guests sing his praises as he walks past their tables as he makes his way back to you. Romantic notes of the piano pick up from where they left off, and the floor opens up for guests to dance their night away. It gives him the perfect segway, unsure of how you’ll. If you react at all, that is.

“Congratulations, Plato. That was a pretty great speech.”

“I felt inspired,” He charms, extending his hand for you to take. “May I have this dance?”

Your lips curl into a smile, letting him lead you to the dance floor. “Do you even have to ask?”

Daniel shakes his head. “You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“Deflecting by speaking in sarcasm and responding with rhetorical questions.” Something that admittedly drives him crazy, for better and for worse. “Why do you do that?”

“Why do you wanna know?” He gives you a pointed look, silently telling him that you’ve just proved his point. “Oh. I don’t know, maybe it’s easier for me that way. To imply how I feel because I can’t say it.”

The music is soft and the way Daniel holds your body to his… it's intimate. Like you could bare your deepest secrets to Daniel and leave it here in the ballroom once the song’s over. Insecurities only seek to discourage, they’re little reminders that this music isn’t for you. This night of romance doesn’t belong to you and Daniel, two friends that have blurred the lines so many times that they now cease to exist.

The last thing Daniel wants to do is rush you or scare you off. It’s a shame that he doesn’t think more before he speaks. “Do you ever get tired of keeping it in? Not saying what’s really on your mind?”

“Not always. I’d say it’s better to keep people guessing, never let them know my next move. I’m sure you know what that’s like.”

“Am I just ‘people’?” He questions. His tone is soft and smooth, not accusatory in the slightest. It’s what makes Daniel so easy to talk to, even when it hurts. You never have to hide from him, he’s always waiting for you with open arms.

“No, you’re not just ‘people’, but I don’t want to get your hopes up.”

“Are we talking about me or you? Because I’m pretty sure this entire party knows that I’m madly in love with you. I think you might be the last one to realize.”

You freeze, and instinctively feel like taking a step away. “We’re at a wedding, Daniel. Love is in the air. You’d kinda have to be a psychopath to not let your heart soften when you’re around all of this.”

“Has yours softened? Is that what I saw in your eyes when I gave my speech?”

“I guess I’m just surprised to hear you talk all romantic like that. If there weren’t about a hundred witnesses here I wouldn’t believe it.” You giggle and he smiles at your joke, knowing that you’re absolutely right. This wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence for him.

“Well, believe it. I’m telling you all of a sudden, but it isn’t new with me. I love you.” Daniel pauses, gauging your reaction. “You don’t have to say it back. I’m still the luckiest man in the world, remember?”

They say actions speak louder than words, and the way you kiss him says more than you can express in this moment. It’s not the first kiss you’ve shared, and Daniel is relieved in knowing that it won’t be the last. He kisses you back, and this time it means something. It’s a chance at having more than you ever thought possible. Less of keeping your love locked away and more accepting what’s been here all along.

“It’s not new with me either. I love you too, Daniel.”

“If I knew that was coming, I would’ve said it sooner.”

“Don’t be smug.”

“I’m not, just happy.” Daniel shows off that signature smile, one that won’t be erased anytime soon. The maid of honor interrupts your moment, asking for all of the men to clear the floor. “Now go, it looks like you have a bouquet to catch.”

Your eyebrows raise in surprise at his boldness. Then again, the Daniel you love has never been one to back down from being unabashedly himself. “You mean you want me to catch it? You know that means we’re next right, are you sure you can handle that?”

Daniel lets his fingers trail down your arm as he backs away, bowing slightly and planting an affectionate kiss on your hand. He’ll be gone before you can scold him any further for what he’s about to say.

“With any luck, we will be.”

💌: i miss danny so much 🥲 feel free to request more from my blurb event here! comments and reblogs are always appreciated :)