A/N: In honor of the FEA stuff dropping, please enjoy a double update this week! I was a little emotional just watching the one episode of DTS and I just finished this and a few more chapters. I also started a Max story now which means I have a Charles and a Max story just sitting in the drafts.
Anyways, based on testing, any predictions for the season? Genuinely interested in what everyone is thinking here since it's all over the board.
Happy reading! Thank you as always and let me know what you think with a comment and/or a vote! 💚💚💚💚
Daniel
Maeve was right. I had been putting a lot of external weight on our relationship when we should've just been focusing on us. Maeve just wanted us to be together so I made sure to do that. Every night we spent together was full of laughs and time to be just us without everyone around. In return, Maeve was clearly trying as well and in ways I didn't initially expect. She introduced me to her new manager, Steven, and we had a really good conversation about what he wants for her.
That was immediately followed up by her practically jumping me in her driver's room after. I couldn't sit there and lie that I didn't enjoy this part of our relationship. The little stolen kisses behind walls and in hallways, leaving notes to each other between practices, and the quickies in the driver's rooms and the occasional supply closet were some of my favorite things. It meant that we were consumed by each other, but now we had two people that knew and only one was really on our side.
Max had been busy his entire time at the track in Italy. Neither of us were surprised that he was too busy to talk, but it did leave a small bit of unknown that I'm sure neither of us were enjoying. It didn't help that we both had a pretty terrible race. Maeve at least finished 5th while I had another DNF. I was feeling pretty lousy, despite Maeve trying to cheer me up back at the hotel that night. I still laid awake with her in my arms thinking about next year and hoping for the best instead of my fate of being tied to a lesser team.
My mind wandered to Max and trying to decide how to approach him about what had happened last week. He was taking his plane back, along with his press team, as well and Maeve and I with our teams. That was pre-arranged through the team as we were expected back in Milton Keynes pretty early this week for a team party/dinner. Maeve didn't know, but Christian was treating it as her birthday party. He had asked for my opinion to get her one of the cars of her dreams since she didn't really have one of her own. Whether he bought the one I recommended, I wasn't sure.
I wanted things to be ok with Max before that dinner though. That meant having to talk to him when we were in the plane or getting off. It would have to be quick. I had a plan when we made it to the airport, to pull him away quickly and let him know that I'd like to talk to him. Waiting for my window, I went through security and checked for a spot I could pull him to before we stepped on the plane. A small alcove next to a window seemed like the place to be. Maeve stepped away to find a snack and ran to the bathroom, so I took the time to text Max and ask him to meet me there.
It took him a few minutes, but he stepped over, looking annoyed but still here.
"Good morning. Why are we meeting next to a window away from everyone like there's a top secret discussion happening?" I gave him a look that read as 'because it is.'
"Ah. Well, my opinion on the matter still stands. I think it's insane that you'd do that instead of just telling the FIA and fighting for your right to be together. None of us care, why should they?" I sighed at his thought process.
"No, you're right. We were rushing things for the wrong reason. Maeve and I decided not to go through with it." He seemed surprised by that, his eyebrows raising as he crossed his arms.
"Good, it is smarter to not jump into something. If you love each other, which I've heard you two whine about separately for years, then when the time is right it will happen." I narrowed my eyes on him.
"Why did you really have a problem with it?"
He looked taken aback at my question. Max was a smart man though. If he was going to object to our decisions then he had to have a good reason. My only concern was that it was selfish, something I felt like I needed to figure out before this could ever be settled.
"I just told you." I crossed my arms, standing up straighter as I stared at him down. That was not a good enough answer.
"No, you gave me a seemingly acceptable reason. You blew up on us instead of talking about it last week. So why are you really upset with us?" Max didn't say anything, instead moving to step away until I grabbed his arm.
"Max, this is Maeve and me. We care about you and you're one of our best friends. So I'll ask again," I tried to push him a bit more as I had him turn back to me," What is going on?"
Max took a deep breath, the unwavering wall of emotional block that he put on to everyone else was falling. Which meant that it was serious. My face changed. Instead of my stronghold that I expected I would need for this conversation, I bit my lip and stared down at the younger man in front of me.
"I've wanted the two of you to admit your feelings for years. Then you did and honestly it was like I didn't exist. Other than her surprise visit in Monaco, how many times did either of you come and check in on me? After we left Australia, it felt like every time we talked it was about you two. Even the how are you texts turned into conversations about how you were going to handle what was going on," He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked out the window," I almost died and then I had my whole life ripped away from me. You guys can't really expect me to take your end all be all ways of fixing things by taking the nuclear option as the way it is?" He frowned as he looked at the floor.
"Max, we didn't mean for it to come off that way. Maeve was thinking about you everyday. I did text you asking how you were to check in. We are sorry we couldn't be there. Maeve is really upset about how you took the news though. She really thought you'd support us until the end." He chuckled.
"I do support you until the end unless you're making a dumbass decision instead of being an adult. Yeah, I'm still a little hurt about the last few months, but I know better than anyone that I couldn't expect you guys to be there at my side everyday of my recovery. Frankly, I was happier to see Maeve kicking your ass everyday on the track instead." That made me laugh.
"Max, I really am sorry. I really didn't see your side of things. Maeve would say the same thing if she were here, but I wanted to talk to you first." He scoffed.
"Daniel Ricciardo taking the first step to try and make things right? Wow, I never thought I'd see the day." I rolled my eyes as I playfully shoved him.
"Yeah yeah, well I love her and my outburst hurt her. So I'm sorry. Maeve and I will always be here for you. Speaking of which, we have planned a welcome back trip for you. It's right after your birthday and almost all of the driver's agreed to go as well." He seemed surprised as he crossed his arms.
"We planned or Maeve planned and you hooked it up at the clubs?" I pursed my lips as I looked at the ceiling. My mouth opened to say something and then snapped shut, making him laugh at how easily he was able to profile the truth.
"Yeah, I know better than that. That's really sweet of you guys. Must be why everyone kept asking me what I was doing the week before the US GP." I nodded with a smile. Everyone wanted to know when we were going to tell Max about our plan, but there had been some personal things in the way before.
"Yeah, we're all bad at keeping secrets...." I let the conversation die there for a moment before looking back at Max, who sighed.
"I'm happy for both of you, but don't make dumb decisions that won't actually help you in the long run. I don't want to watch this implode because you don't think about what your decisions actually mean. Who fucking cares what the FIA has to say about it? Just be together and let what happens happen." He clapped me on the shoulder.
"Well right now Vettel thinks you and Maeve are dating so we can't really do that...." Max opened his mouth before breaking down in a full laughing fit. Keeled over, using me to stop him from falling to the floor as he laughed.
"Me and Maeve?! Where did he get that from?" He continued to laugh before wiping the literal tears that had come to his eyes.
"She approached him as the rep for the GPDA asking what he thought the FIA would do about two drivers dating. I think the timing was just perfect. Just don't make any comments to him about it." Max bit his lip as he stood up and composed himself.
"So bringing Dilara around probably isn't a good idea?" My eyebrows raised.
"I thought you broke up again?" He rolled his head from side to side.
"Sort of? I dunno, she came to visit a few months ago and things happened. She's been around since. We are just seeing how things work." I nodded.
"Well, don't go making any dumbass decisions." That made him laugh, the allusion to my own thoughts and actions.
"Yeah, you'd be the one to know about that wouldn't you?" I rolled my eyes and shoved him again before he shoved me back.
"What are you two doing?" Maeve was standing behind Max as we were rough housing.
"He was apologizing, but I have to apologize too," Max pulled Maeve into a hug," I didn't mean to blow up. You guys just make some dumb decisions for one of you literally months away from being a doctor." She chuckled.
"It was, but what's that about being blindly in love?" she winked at me as she stepped out of Max's arms and placed a hand on my shoulder, the most she would do in public.
"Yeah, as long as you stop making people think it's you and me. I do have someone I'm seeing."She looked at Max with a soft smile and kind eyes.
"Yeah, Dilara told me. She asked if I could see her next time I'm in London. She's considering going to school there." Max looked surprised now.
"You talk to Dilara? Since when?" Maeve pursed her lips.
"She asked if I was going to be in Monaco when she came to visit. We catch up every few days. Even calls sometimes." Her arm dropped from mine as she crossed both of hers across her chest.
"Well," He looked at me and then back at her," That's surprising. I just didn't realize you were talking to her." She chuckled, patting his arm as she started walking back to our group.
"She's part of your life Max, I do pay attention. She and I made plans when I'm back in London when the season's done. She said something about Pole Dancing classes?" I cleared my throat then and covered my mouth to stop the question I had coming out of my mouth. Max seemed equally surprised.
"Since when is that a thing?" Maeve shrugged, looking right at me at Max's question.
"It's been a thing for awhile. I started doing them a few years ago." That's when I scratched the back of my neck, unable to hold it in any longer.
"I'm sorry, you've been taking pole dancing classes?" She shrugged as if it wasn't that big of a deal.
"It's a good full body workout amongst other things. You don't seem to mind the physical attributes it gives me." She winked at me before walking away.
"They're waiting for us to board the plane!" She called behind her as I just stared at Max.
"Are we going to address this or just pretend it never happened?" Max just stared at me in response.
"Right, ignoring. Let's go." he nodded before we hightailed it to the plane.
Max and I were the last on the plane. Our press officers occupied the booth so they could work as we flew while Michael and Pyrita were in the single chairs across from each other at the front of the plane. Maeve occupied one of the double seats across from Michael and Pyrita, talking about something I didn't hear as I sat across from her and Max sat next to me.
I stared at her, waiting for her to acknowledge me and abandon her conversation with Michael. Max elbowed me in the side, drawing my attention away from my girlfriend and to him.
"Staring is the easiest way to get caught, idiot." He mumbled while he looked at me.
"Michael knows. Pyrita probably knows. The others aren't even paying attention. I can ignore those comments with you, but man do I have questions." Max groaned, smacking his head against the headrest of his seat.
"Questions that you can ask later in private like I will be. Nothing on the plane." I smirked at the very thought he was having.
"We haven't...." He raised an eyebrow as he picked his head up to look at me.
"That sounds like it's followed by 'yet' which is not cool." I just shrugged at him with a smile.
"No, I would never. At least not on your plane..." He groaned again as I looked at Maeve. She was still blissfully unaware that I was staring at her with want and adoration mixed into one.
"This is what I have to deal with now that you're together?," He whispered before reaching out and kicking Maeve's shin," Here."
"What the hell Max?!" Maeve and I yelled at the same time. It went from us both staring at Max to us looking at each other. Then we looked at the other passengers of the plane that were looking at the three of us since we had disturbed the peace of the plane.
"Sorry, she was taking too long to acknowledge us. I was bored." I rolled my eyes at Max's words, but it made everyone go back to what they were doing. Except Michael, who looked at me because he knew better.
"You three back together again is a direct threat to society." Michael commented before pulling a book out of his bag to read like Pyrita had been doing.
"See, you two cause all the problems here." Maeve rolled her eyes at Max before pulling out her computer.
"No no no, you are just as much to blame as we are. Arguably, it's worse when you're here because they think you'll keep us in check and then you just give us the ideas." I added. She dropped her jaw in mock shock.
"Me? The ringleader of your bad ideas? I would never." She didn't say anything else as she placed her laptop in the empty chair next to her with the smallest smile across her face.
The plane was now moving down the tarmac. Which meant she couldn't get to work as soon as she wanted to. Her thesis was close to done and there was only a few months left before she would present her findings to her professor and a committee of advisors that would tell her if she earned her title and degree. I was extremely proud of her for sticking with this, but man was I ready for her to have more free time.
"See, the ringleader would find a way to pin it on the henchmen." Max added, crossing his arms.
"Did you just reduce us to henchmen?" I asked him as the Jet suddenly kicked up to speed for take off.
Only Max stared at me, then at Maeve. He opened his mouth to say something as Maeve smirked.
"Yes, he did and he didn't even realize that he devalued your troublemaking skills by trying to blame me. This is why I'm the ringleader."
The rest of the plane ride Maeve spent doing her school work with Max and I occasionally butting in like children. Be it throwing smaller wrappers at her, nudging her with our feet, or 'accidentally' bumping into her computer when we had to get up. She was slightly annoyed, but the little smile she got every time she chastised us told me she enjoyed us all being together again. I felt the same way. While Maeve and I were best friends, Max was always who I had been closest to on the grid. To have him back, even if it was just traveling with us for the short term was more than worth it. Now that we were all on good terms after the small blow up it was even better.
Max was also welcomed back to the factory with open arms and a round of applause. Maeve and I followed behind him, clapping happily as the entire team stood in the lobby to welcome him back for the first time. He stood in the middle of the lobby thanking everyone and giving a small speech about how he hopes to be ready for next year. When I looked over and saw Maeve crying though, I couldn't stop myself from wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
She looked up at me and wiped her tears. All I could do with all of these people around us, all I could do was smile at her before looking back at Max. He was clearly overcome by emotion seeing everyone here for him. It made me excited for Vegas and what we were going to do for him. Jake, his Physio, told us that he was completely cleared to drive now. Not a Formula 1 car of course, but that would come. Instead, Maeve and I had lined up a selection of cars and a private track for us to go and have fun in. I should say that Maeve did, but I helped pick out a few cars.
Before we could get to Vegas, we had some other issues to iron out. The main one being Maeve's secret contract with Mercedes. It was extremely clear that she was going to say yes. It just depends on what Toto says about the relationship. That's gonna be our biggest hurdle of the year. I was very seriously trying to forget that detail sitting over our heads like a dark cloud. Right now I had to focus on being by her side and Max's in the transition phase we were all going through.