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harley-sunday · 1 year

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Feels Like Home [01]

Summary: When an unexpected three-week break between Monza and Singapore finds Daniel back on his farm in Perth he’s desperate to use this time to clear his mind, figure out his future in Formula One, and find his way back. He didn’t expect a new neighbour, a sassy two-year old, and three alpacas would make him realise that sometimes, what you’re looking for is right in front of you.

Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x reader (unnamed OFC)

Warnings: Language

Word count: 2.7k

AN: Yes. Hi. Hello. Believe it or not but I started writing this fic because I desperately needed some good guy!Daniel being cute with kids in my life. The idea was just a short one shot. Ha. Who was I kidding? Because here we are, six months and nine chapters later... I really hope you like it, please come yell at me in the comments, on anon, or in my DMs about any and all things about this story you want to yell at me about. I probably deserve it. ♥

Masterlist

There’s something about being here, on his farm outside of Perth, that he doesn’t experience anywhere else in the world. Not in Monaco, not in Los Angeles, not even in Austin, or Montana.

Because here- Here, he doesn’t have to be Daniel Ricciardo, Danny Ric, DR, or the Honey Badger. He doesn’t have to be a Formula One driver, an eight-time race winner, the most beloved driver on the grid, and the fan favourite. He doesn’t have to be Red Bull’s wild card, Renault’s saviour, or, most recently, McLaren’s scapegoat. Here, he is Daniel. And it’s enough.

Or, at least, it used to be.

Lately, there's been a yearning in his heart that he's unfamiliar with. Or he pretends to be anyway because he’s not ready to put it into words yet, not ready to speak into existence what he really wants from life. Afraid he'll jinx it if he does.

And so he keeps it to himself and lets his heart ache for something more in silence while the life he does know slowly keeps on falling apart around him.

***

Daniel rests his wrists on the handlebar of his dirt bike and lets out a breath he seems to have been holding in ever since he retired on lap forty-five of the Monza Grand Prix four days ago. Looking out over the valley below, he feels more grounded than he has in a long time and he hopes that the next two weeks will give him the peace he so desperately needs after the shitshow that has been his season so far.

The sun’s already low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the somewhat still barren trees and shrubs even though he can tell winter is slowly coming to an end from the sprouts of green that have started to grace the landscape with their presence. There’s a kookaburra laughing somewhere in the distance and he takes it as his cue to fire up his engine again for one last run around his dirt track before it gets too dark.

He knows technically he isn’t supposed to ride his bike during the season, knows technically McLaren could issue him a hefty fine for breaching his contract, but if they ever were to find out he figures they can just take it out of the settlement they’re due to pay him at the end of the year. He’s promised Zak he’ll do whatever it takes to score as many points as possible in the last six races but he also decided early on that he’s no longer going to let the team dictate what he can or cannot do in his time away from the track.

There’s a meeting tomorrow, with Blake and Michael, where they’ll try to figure out his future in Formula One. There have been a few offers, both from teams who want him as their second driver and from teams who want him to become their reserve driver, but he’s still undecided, not sure if he wants to settle for another midfield team or stay in Formula One without really being in Formula One.

By the time he completes his lap his head is somewhat empty, too busy instead to focus on keeping his bike under control and not ending up in the dirt. It’s almost dark now and so he opens the throttle wide and guns it home, a race against an invisible clock that, unlike this past season in Formula One, he wins every single time.

Once his bike is safely back in the shed he makes his way over to the house, hosing his boots down before he takes them off at the back door and leaves them to dry on the shoe rack his Dad made for him when he bought the farm. He changes out of his gear in the mud room, making a face when he takes his socks off and catches a whiff of the smell but laughing then because he remembers them smelling so much worse after a race in, oh let’s say, Singapore. With nothing but his boxer shorts on he steps into the kitchen and heads straight for the fridge, taking out an ice cold bottle of water. The sigh of relief when he rolls it against the back of his neck almost obscene. It might be winter but temperatures in western Australia are still as high as a beautiful spring day in Monaco.

It’s then the intercom rings and for a moment he debates ignoring it, not sure if he’s up for telling yet another local journo looking to make it big by trying to get an interview with ‘shunned McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo’ that now really isn’t a good time and that any requests for interviews should be made through Blake anyway.

Plus, he gave his family and friends the access code to the gate when it was first installed, so he doubts any of them are waiting for him to open it, not in the least because they know better than to just show up without a text or call in advance.

In the end, his curiosity gets the better of him and so he walks over to where the control panel of his alarm system hangs in the living room and pushes the button needed to connect to whoever’s at the gate, “Hello?”

“Hi,” the screen comes on then, the black and white image showing a woman wearing a Stetson hat. She’s staring somewhere into the distance, her face obscured by the shadows the brim of her hat casts under the streetlight, but her voice comes through loud and clear, “Sorry to bother you this late-”

“It’s seven thirty,” he shoots back almost effortlessly.

“-but I wondered if I could maybe ask you to keep it down with the dirt biking a little?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

She looks up and into the camera then, pushing her hat a little higher so he can finally see her eyes, “It’s just- We’ve got a flock of alpacas over in Eagle's Nest and they tend to get a little jittery from all the noise. Especially when they try to settle in for the night and-”

“I’m sorry,“ he can’t help but grin, running a hand through his hair, “but I’m going to need a little more context here.”

She laughs and he thinks it’s the most beautiful sound he’s ever heard and so he’s a little distracted but then he sees her taking her hat off, revealing her face and- Fuck. She’s gorgeous. He watches her as she shakes her head, a smile tugging on the corners of her lips, “Shit, sorry. I probably should have given you a bit more to go on.” Putting her hat back on she straightens up and points to somewhere over her shoulder, “Your neighbour on that side, Oscar Linton? He’s my granddad. I think you know him, right?”

“Old man Linton!” He smiles and nods, “Of course I do.” When he first bought the farm he made sure to introduce himself to his neighbours and while he likes to think he has a good relationship with all three of them he’s always had a soft spot for the elderly man further up the road. So much so that he always makes sure to drop by for a chat whenever he finds himself back in Perth. It’s then he connects the dots and recognises her from some of the pictures Oscar has up in his living room. All of a sudden he feels guilty for not going to see his neighbour yet even though he has been home for two days already but maybe he can do that tomorrow or-

“He fell a few days ago-” her voice pulls him out of his thoughts unintentionally and his guilt triples in a matter of seconds. There’s a sad smile tugging on her lips which makes him prepare for the worst.

Surely they would have let him know if- He remembers the pile of unopened letters waiting for him on the kitchen counter then and curses quietly, “Shit.”

“He’s ok,” she’s quick to reassure him, as if she knows what he was thinking. “He spent a couple of nights in hospital and still has a long way to go but at least he’s home again.” She takes a deep breath, “They had to replace his hip and he’s got a broken wrist but,” she shrugs, “it could have been worse.”

It’s then the absurdity of the situation hits him, with him in his boxers in his living room and her on the other end of his kilometre-long driveway, talking into a metallic box. He shakes his head and pushes the button that opens the gate automatically, “I think maybe we shouldn’t have this conversation over an intercom. I could make you a cup of coffee if you want? Or something stronger? I make a mean-”

She bites her lip and seems to hesitate.

“Just a quick cuppa. It’s the neighbourly thing to do, right?”

He sees her nod, “Yeah, ok.”

He can’t help the grin that spreads across his face, “Happy days.”

***

The house is not at all how you expect it to be, much more modern and open-planned than any of the other farm houses in the area. The west-facing wall has been completely redone in glass panels, offering a stunning view of the valley and surrounding paddocks and you can’t help but admire the interior design of both the kitchen and the living room, which is masculine but still inviting. You wonder if he decorated the place himself or if he hired some interior designer to do it for him.

“Here you go,” Daniel, who told you ‘You can call me Dan’ when he greeted you at the door with a bright smile and an outstretched hand- offers you a cup of steaming hot coffee and motions for you to join him at the kitchen table. He’s wearing white sweatpants and a matching white sweater that look incredibly comfy and that make you want to wrap yourself around him and hang onto him like a koala bear. Wait. What?

You take your hat off to try and keep from ogling him, placing it on the chair next to you before you sit down and smile at him, “You know, all these years I thought you were called Danny Ric because that’s what Granddad keeps calling you. I’m not sure I can get used to Daniel.”

Daniel laughs, the laughter lines in the corners of his eyes even more prominent now, “Trust the old man to keep that gag going.” He shakes his head then, “I can’t believe he fell though.”

“Yeah,” you agree quietly, blowing into your coffee. “We’re lucky Mrs Mackenzie found him when she did or-” You let out a ragged breath and see him nod, his eyes kind, and it makes you continue, “His hip was completely shattered and his wrist is broken in three places so it’s going to take a while before he’s up and running again- I mean, if his new hip ever heals completely- He’s already seventy-eight so-” You hear yourself starting to ramble and so you fold your hands around your cup and try to calm down a little. You’re not even sure why you’re even telling him all of this, but he’s a friend of your granddad and so you figure he’s good people. “Mum and Dad wanted to come back from New Zealand to help out but-” you look up at Daniel and shrug, “I spent a lot of time on the farm as a kid, right until I left for uni, so it made much more sense for me to move in with him for the time being.”

“That’s a pretty big thing to do,” Daniel says with a kind smile, a warmth to his brown eyes that you can feel yourself get lost in. “You sure your family can miss you that long?”

You don’t really know what he’s getting at, whether he’s talking about your Mum and Dad or the husband and kids he thinks you might have left behind to come back to Mundaring, and you don’t really know you want to tell him your truth either, after all you’ve just met him, so in the end you shake your head and settle on an honest, “I’ve got everything I need right here.”

He eyes you suspiciously but doesn’t push it and instead he says, “If you’d have me I’d love to come over to see him some time. I’m still here for almost another two weeks and-”

“I’m sure he’d like that,” you offer with a smile. “He always tells me what a nice bloke you are.”

Daniel leans back in his chair and grins, spreading his arms, “Can’t say I blame him. I’m the best.”

“He says the same thing about the postie,” you tease with a casual shrug, “so don’t get too excited.”

“Ouch,” Daniel brings a hand to his chest, “that hurts.”

You pout, “So sad.”

“Very,” Daniel agrees quietly, trying his best to keep a straight face. He puts his arms on the table then and leans forward, “Before you stomp on my ego some more, why don’t you tell me the real reason you’re here. What’s up with that eagle’s nest over in some paddock?”

“Oof,” you pull a face and shake your head, “you were so close.” You can’t help but laugh when you see him pretend to be hurt at your comment. You take a sip of coffee before you explain, pointing in the general direction of your paddock, “Your dirt track borders Eagle's Nest, the paddock Granddad uses for the alpacas in September and October, and I guess normally it isn’t a problem because you usually aren’t home during this time of year but I heard you yesterday and today and-”

“Yeah, we had an unexpected three-week break this year so I figured-” Daniel waves his hand around for you to continue then.

“It’s just, we have three pregnant females this year and- I don’t know if you’re at all familiar with alpacas?”

He shakes his head, “I didn’t even know you guys had alpacas. Your granddad and I just tend to talk shit about Mrs Mackenzie and them over a cuppa but I've never really asked him about the farm to be honest."

You throw him a look, knowing all too well your granddad doesn’t drink coffee.

He quickly backs down, “Fine, I drink coffee, he drinks tea.”

“There you go,” you mouth with a wink. “Anyway, alpacas are basically scared of everything, even their own shadow, so you know, someone riding a dirt bike close by doesn’t really help with keeping them nice and calm during these last few weeks of their pregnancy.”

“Gotcha.”

“They’re usually out on the other side of the paddock during the day, so anything until five in the afternoon is fine” you offer, not wanting to deprive him of his hobby completely, “but we have their feeders and the shed they can hide in during the night out over in your corner, so-”

“You’re giving me a five pm curfew, basically,” he says with a raise of his eyebrows.

“Just until the end of October.” You bite your lip, “I’m sorry, it’s just-”

“Nah, no worries,” Daniel puts his hand on your forearm and gives it a squeeze to let you know he means it. “I’d do anything for old Oscar.” Then, with a grin he adds, “And his girls.”

You can’t help the heat that rises to your cheeks and try to hide it with a smile, “Thank you.”

He squeezes your arm again, “He’s gonna be fine by the way. He’s tough, that one.”

“Speaking of Granddad,” you risk a quick glance at your watch, letting you know it’s almost eight fifteen, “I should probably head back.” You push your chair back and grab your hat, putting it on as you tell Daniel, “Thank you for the coffee.”

“Anytime,” he says with a grin as he stands up as well, following you to the front door. “Tell him I’ll come by soon, ok?”

“Will do.” You turn around then and smile again, something about not getting your hopes up but doing so anyway when you ask, “I’ll see you around then?”

Daniel tips his imaginary hat, “Yes ma’am.”

#Daniel Ricciardo #F1 Fanfic #Daniel Ricciardo x reader #DR3 #F1 Imagine #Harley Sunday x Daniel Ricciardo #Feels Like Home

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harley-sunday · 1 year

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Feels Like Home [08]

Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x reader (unnamed OFC)

Warnings: Language. Smut. Probably NSFW (Finally, right?)

Word count: 5.7k

AN: It’s probably weird to say this about your own writing, but I love this part. Mostly because I’m a sucker for a nice full circle moment but also because I’ve grown these three characters so much. I hope you like it as much as I do ♥

Masterlist

A quick glance at your watch tells you you’ve got about thirty minutes left until Ellie wakes up from her nap and even though there are still some chores you need to do, you decide to grab yourself a cup of coffee and sit outside on the porch for a bit, so you can try to figure out how to talk to Granddad about maybe hiring a farmhand. Not just to help you out now but also after, when you’re- When he’s fully recovered. It’s definitely too much work for one person and even Granddad fully recovers, he’s seventy-eight, you’re not sure if he’ll be able to manage the growing herd of alpacas.

You’re a little lost in thoughts when you hear a car come down the driveway, a blue Toyota you think you recognise from somewhere, and so you stand up, ready to greet your visitors, wondering who it can be.

Are you a little surprised to see Grace and Joe step out of the car? Yes.

Maybe.

Ok, not really.

“Hello sweetheart,” Grace says as she walks over to you. She kisses your cheek before she hugs you, holding you tight.

“Hi,”

When you let go of her Joe is already waiting, wrapping his arms around you carefully, “Hiya.”

“What-” You look from Joe to Grace and back, “What are you doing here?”

Joe lets go of you and nods to Grace, “It was her idea.”

Grace smacks his chest, “Hey. No.” She lets out a laugh then and shrugs, “Well, it was but-”

“Daniel called you, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” Grace nods, taking your hand in hers. “I mean, I had plans to come visit you soon anyway, you know, have a cuppa together, but when Danny called us yesterday and said you had two new alpacas to take care of, well-” She squeezes your hand, “We figured we’d come over and see if there’s anything we can help with.”

“Plus, it’s been too long since I’ve seen old Oscar,” Joe says from where he’s standing behind Grace. “I was long overdue for a visit anyway.”

You’ve been a little on edge ever since Daniel left but so far you’ve been pretty good at hiding it, at not letting your emotions get the best of you, but now- You lower your eyes and bite your lip but it’s no use because once you blink the tears are streaming down your face.

“Hey, no,” Grace says, her voice soft and soothing. She pulls you in for another hug, her hands rubbing your back, “It’s ok, sweetheart.”

“I’m sorry,” you manage in between sobs. “It’s just- I- The girls- And Ellie- And-”

“Ssh,” Grace shakes her head. “It’s ok.” She holds you a little longer, waits until you’ve calmed down before she lets go of you and puts her hands on your arms, making you look at her, “We’re here for you, ok? Joe can take Oscar to go check on the girls for a bit and I will stay here with you so we can do whatever needs to be done around the house, ok?”

“Thank you.” You use the sleeve of your sweater to dry your eyes and try to smile.

Grace tuts, “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart.” She nods towards the house, “Why don’t we go inside?”

Granddad greets Grace and Joe like they’re old friends and you find out they’ve seen each other a few times before, when Daniel first moved in. Joe and Granddad settle into some easy banter between them and it isn’t long before they head outside, so Joe can take him to Eagle’s Nest and check up on the rest of the paddocks.

You hear Ellie call for you from upstairs then and so you excuse yourself and tell Grace you’ll be right back. Ellie’s waiting for you in her cot, looking at you expectantly, as if she knows someone else is here.

“Hi bub,” you pick her up and head to the changing table so you can change her into her clothes. “Guess who’s here?”

Ellie’s eyes grow wide, “Danny?”

Your heart. Oh, your heart when you see her smile drop, “Danny’s in Mexico remember?.” You press a kiss to her forehead, “But Grace and Joe are here. You remember them?”

Ellie seems to think about that for a second and then nods, “Danny home.”

“Yeah, bub,” you tell her, picking her up and settling her on your hip, “they’re Daniel’s mum and dad.”

When you get downstairs you find Grace in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher. Her smile grows wide when she sees Ellie, “Hello pretty girl.”

You put Ellie down in her high chair so you can warm up her bottle of milk and when Grace asks you what else she can do you want to tell her it’s fine, that you’ll manage, but one stern look from her makes you swallow your words and give her your to-do list instead.

Grace busies herself with the laundry and Ellie insists on helping her and so you find yourself in the living room, tidying up and cleaning the floors and windows. It takes a little under two hours but then the living room is clean again, all the laundry is folded and put away, a new load in the machine, and the kitchen is looking like a kitchen again instead of a storage room.

By the time you are finished, Granddad and Joe make it back as well and all of a sudden you find yourself on the front porch, enjoying a cup of coffee with Daniel’s parents, Granddad, and your daughter, who’s happy with her fruit pouch, sitting in Joe’s lap.

After half an hour Granddad announces he’s going inside to take a quick nap, which Grace and Joe take as their cue to leave.

“Thank you so much,” you tell them before you give each of them a hug. “I really appreciate it.”

“It was our pleasure, sweetheart,” Grace tells you with a kind smile. She hands you a piece of paper then, “These are mine and Joe’s numbers. Promise me you’ll call if you need anything? We’re happy to help, whether it’s watching Ellie for a few hours, or-”

“Thank you,” you tell her, carefully folding the paper and putting it in your back pocket, knowing there’s no use in protesting.

“We’re flying out to Abu Dhabi on the sixteenth for Danny’s last race,” she says, “but until then we’re here.”

***

Brazil is- It’s a race he’d rather forget. A collision with Magnussen on the first lap means Daniel is out of the race before it’s even started and he spends the remainder of the seventy laps watching the race from the garage. They leave for Abu Dhabi the next day and the knowledge that it’s his last ever race for McLaren makes him actually look forward to the last race of the season.

His parents come in on Wednesday and if he gets a little emotional when he hugs his mum, so what? It’s been a long time since he last saw her and it’s an emotional weekend as is.

Daniel finishes ninth in the race and brings home a few points that in the end don’t make that much of a difference in the constructor’s championship but he feels good about. The team throws him a small farewell party after the race and he spends most of Monday a little hungover and vowing to himself he’s never going to drink again.

By the time Tuesday comes around and it’s time for their weekly call, Daniel feels giddy with excitement, knowing that the next time he’ll talk to her won’t be over the phone.

She picks up on the first ring and smiles into the camera, Ellie sitting in her lap with an equally bright smile, “Hi.”

“Hi,” he feels his grin grow ever wider.

“You’ve made it,” she says, hugging Ellie closer to her. “How are you feeling?”

“Good,” Daniel admits easily enough. “I’m glad it’s over. I uh-” He runs his hand over his face and shrugs, “Yeah.”

“And then tomorrow-”

“Yep,” he answers, knowing what it is she wanted to say.

“I’m really happy for you, Daniel,” she says. He can see Ellie nod in agreement even though he doubts the little girl knows what’s going on. “When-” She looks at him with a shy smile, “When are you flying back?”

“Next Monday, but it’s a late flight so-”

“That’s ok,” she answers. “There’s no rush.”

Daniel disagrees. He can’t wait.

***

You angle your phone towards Granddad, “Look, it’s official. Daniel’s back at Red Bull.”

Granddad nods, “Good.”

“He’s not driving though-” You frown as you read the caption of the Instagram post, “They’ve made him their third driver-”

“That’s good,” Granddad says with a mischievous smile. “He’s getting the best of both worlds, sweetheart. There’s no pressure anymore.” He chuckles then, “I can’t wait to hear what shit excuse McLaren comes up with next year, when their cars still aren’t performing and they figure out maybe it had nothing to do with Danny.”

“Granddad-”

“What?” Granddad feigns innocence with a cheeky smile, “Don’t tell me you’re not thinking the same thing.”

***

It’s close to ten when they finally make it back to his place, their flight delayed because of bad weather over Sri Lanka and a long wait at baggage claim despite their priority tags. Daniel’s happy to be back on his farm but he wishes they could have made it earlier so he could at least have gone over to see her.

“I’ll see you in two weeks, yeah?” Blake’s voice pulls him out of his thoughts.

Daniel nods and leans over the centre console to give his best friend a hug. “Thanks, mate,” Daniel says, patting Blake’s back, “for everything.” There’s a weight behind Daniel’s words that he hopes Blake understands.

“Absolutely no worries.” Blake lets go of him and pats Daniel’s cheek, “I’m glad we’re back.”

Daniel nods, understanding exactly what Blake means, “Yeah.”

“You need me to help you with your bags?”

“Nah, I’m good, thanks” Daniel says as he gets out. He grabs his backpack from the backseat, already using the one Red Bull gave him, before he takes his two duffel bags out of the trunk. He taps the side of the car and waits until Blake has driven off before he makes his way over to the house, putting his bags down on the porch so he can take his keys out of his pocket.

He drops his bags in the mudroom, deciding he’ll unpack them tomorrow because he desperately wants to take a shower first. The lights in the kitchen are on and he isn’t surprised to see there’s a note from his mum on the counter, letting him know she came by earlier today to sort through his mail and do a bit of cleaning. He’s already talked to her while he was waiting for his luggage but still he sends her a message to thank her and to tell her he’s made it back.

After a quick shower he finds himself back downstairs, wearing a comfy t-shirt and a pair of shorts hanging low on his hips. It’s still nice enough to sit outside and so Daniel grabs a beer from his fridge, sending a silent ‘thank you’ to his parents for making sure it’s fully stocked with food and drinks, and heads to his front porch. Or tries to anyway, because all of a sudden his intercom rings and with a confused frown he answers it, “Hello?”

***

Even though you try not to speed down his driveway, you still make it to the house in under a minute, Daniel waiting for you on the back porch. It’s been sixty-three days since you last saw him and it both feels like it was only yesterday and a lifetime ago and your heart seems to be bursting at the seams while doing somersault after somersault.

And if you park your car rather haphazardly, well, so what?

Taking a deep breath for no other reason than to not feel like you’re about to lose it, you unbuckle your seatbelt and step outside and all of a sudden Daniel’s right there and cupping your face. He pushes you against the car gently but there’s a sense of urgency when he captures your mouth in a desperate kiss. You close your eyes and moan into the kiss as your hands grab onto the fabric of his t-shirt, needing something to hold onto.

His teeth graze over your lower lip and when you open your mouth he licks inside without hesitating and fuck, that feels good.

Your hands have found their way into his hair, pulling him closer to you so you can deepen the kiss, and you hook one of your legs behind his, needing more of him.

Daniel pulls back then, panting, and lets his forehead rests against yours, “Fuck, I’ve missed you.”

You wrap your hands around his neck and pull him close, breathing him in, “I’ve missed you too.”

“How did you-”

“Your mum called me after you texted her earlier.” You let go of him and cup his face, your thumbs caressing his cheeks and feeling yourself getting a little lost in those big brown eyes, that seem to be just a little watery, “I really wanted to see you.”

He lets out a shaky breath, “How long can you stay?”

“We’ve got all night,” you whisper back and give him another kiss. “Ellie’s with Granddad.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you nod, going in for another kiss because now that he's back you're not sure you ever want to let him go.

“How’s Oscar doing? Back to his-”

“Daniel,” you groan, dropping your head against his shoulder. “We are so not talking about Granddad right now.”

Daniel laughs, “Noted.”

“Good.” You look up at him and roll the corner of your bottom lip between your teeth, “‘Cause I’m gonna need you to kiss me again.”

“Oh, don’t you worry,” Daniel says in between kisses. “I’m planning on doing a whole lot more than that.”

***

They make it to his bedroom eventually, both of them a little out of breath and a lot turned on. Daniel's never not touching her, as if he wants physical proof that she is really here, as if she might disappear when he lets go of her.

"Daniel-" she breathes, tilting her head back to give him better access to where he is sucking in the pulse point in her neck.

He lets his teeth graze over her skin before he swirls his tongue over the now sensitive spot, drawing another moan from her. There's entirely too many layers of clothes between them, he decides, and so he lets his fingers dance from her hips to her shoulders, hooking them under the straps of her dress. Daniel kisses his way back to her mouth, nipping at her bottom lip, and pushes the straps down her arms.

She shivers and he's worried he's overstepped but then she pulls back a little and looks up at him with a cheeky smile as she tugs on her dress to let it fall to her feet until she stands there in nothing but her bra and panties.

Daniel feels his mouth go dry because she looks absolutely gorgeous, all soft curves and glowing skin and he has to tell her, has to let her know and so he licks his lips and swallows hard, "Fuck, you're beautiful."

She lowers her eyes and he sees the minute shake of her head, like she doesn't believe him.

Fine, he thinks. I'll prove it to you then. Daniel takes a step closer and puts two fingers underneath her chin to make her look up at him. He sees her biting her lip and dips his head, kissing the corner of her mouth and smiling into the kiss when he feels the tension drain from her body. He cups her face and gently walks her backwards towards his bed, making her sit down on the edge before he pulls back and locks eyes with her, "Absolutely gorgeous."

He grabs the back of his shirt and pulls it up and over his head, not caring to see where it lands. She catches on quickly and brings her knees to her chest so she can scoot backwards, watching him as he climbs onto the bed with her.

She leans back on her elbows and he puts his knees on either side of her hips so he can lean forward and capture her mouth for another kiss. When she lies down he follows her willingly, deepening the kiss by licking into her mouth before he sucks on her tongue so he can taste her.

When he pulls back she whimpers but then he kisses his way down to the swell of her breasts and the whimper turns into a moan when he pushes the fabric of her bra aside and swirls his tongue around the sensitive bud. It makes her arch her back and he can feel himself grow hard when she rakes her nails over his back. Daniel cups her other breast with his hand, his thumb rubbing her hard nipple over the fabric, and marvels at the way her breathing picks up.

“Dan-” She tugs on his hair gently, leading him back to her mouth for another kiss and he can feel her smile against his lips when she says, “I need-”

“Tell me what you need, babe,” he whispers, mouth close to her ear now. “Tell me exactly what you need and I’ll give it to you. Everything.”

“I need more,” she tells him without hesitating. “I need you inside of me. I want to feel you.”

And fuck if that isn’t the hottest thing anyone has every said to him. Daniel lets go of her and slides down the bed, hooking his fingers behind the elastic of her panties so he can take them down with him, while she reaches behind her and unclasps her bra, letting it fall to the floor without looking. When he stands at the edge of the bed so he can take his shorts off, he can’t stop looking at her, finds himself mesmerised by her body - the softness of her stomach, her plump breasts and-

Daniel makes quick work of undressing and then he’s back on the bed, kneeling in between her now spread legs, letting his fingers roam over her legs before he leans down and presses a kiss to the inside of her thigh, muttering a quiet, “Fuckin’ gorgeous,” against her skin. He slowly, slowly makes his way to her sex, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake before he lets his thumb run through her folds, amazed by how wet she already is.

“Dan-"

She doesn't say anything else but he knows exactly what it is she wants from him and so he dips his head and lets his tongue follow the earlier path of his thumb before he swirls it around her clit. Her hands are in his hair again, keeping him there where she needs him most, and he is more than happy to oblige because he can feel himself already starting to become addicted to her taste.

***

"That's it," you whisper when Daniel bends the two fingers he has inside of you just right. "Don't stop. Don't-"

Daniel doubles his efforts, nose against your clit as his mouth joins his fingers, his beard burning the skin of your thighs in the most exhilarating way.

"Dan," you warn him, your breathing becoming more and more erratic and your body tensing up, preparing for what is to come. "I'm gonna- Shit. Right there, baby. Don't stop. Please. Please, please, please."

He does as he's told and continues his attack on your clit while his fingers pump in and out of you and it's too much, it's-

Your orgasm washes over you, offering the sweet release you've been craving for so long. Daniel slows his movements but doesn't stop, helping you down from you high at a leisurely pace, as if you've got all the time in the world. You guess maybe you do.

When you finally stop shaking and your breathing is back to normal, Daniel pushes himself off and up so he is face to face with you. There's a soft smile playing on his lips but then he dips his head and kisses you, letting you taste yourself and it's almost enough to make you come again. Bucking your hips you feel his erection press against your core and it makes you pull back from the kiss so you can repeat your earlier request, “I need you inside of me, baby.”

Daniel’s pupils blow even wider, a darkness to his eyes that you haven’t seen before but that turns you on even more. He rolls off of you, pulling you with him, and watches through hooded lids as you kneel on top of him, your fingers skimming the hem of his boxers. He closes his eyes when you brush your thumb over the outline of his cock, letting out a quiet, “Fuck.”

You slide back a little and lean down, sliding one hand inside his boxers and taking him out. There’s a bead of precum on the tip and as you wrap your fingers around him you use your thumb to spread it out, before you lean down and take him into your mouth. He’s big, too big to take all of him at once, and so you use both your mouth and hands to get him ready.

“Fuck, you’re amazing,” he breathes from somewhere above you, one hand now cupping your face as you double your efforts and try to take him even deeper. He taps your cheek just as you can feel him start to swell inside your mouth and so you stop what you're doing and look up at him. Daniel swallows hard, “I’m gonna need you to stop if you want me to-”

“I want you to,” you tell him as you pump him one last time and then look at him expectantly.

Daniel reaches over and opens his nightstand drawer, finding what he’s looking for not much later. Getting the condom on somehow turns into a two-person job and makes you both laugh, which seems to relieve some of the built-up pressure. Once the condom is on, Daniel flips you over again and leans down for a kiss.

You can feel the tip of his cock nudge your entrance and so you reach down and gently guide him inside of you, gasping for breath when he starts to fill you.

“You feel so good,” Daniel whispers against the corner of your mouth just as he bottoms out. “So tight.”

“It’s ok,” you tell him, clenching your walls around him. “You can move.”

He does. At first he only pulls back a little before he pushes down again but the slicker you become the more he pulls out, until he’s pumping in and out of you in a rhythm that you know will get you there sooner rather than later. From the way Daniel’s breathing picks up you’re sure he’s not far behind either. You can feel your second orgasm starting to build and so you reach down for your clit just as Daniel puts his mouth close to your ear, “You’re taking me so well.”

His words go straight to your sex and you can feel your body starting to tense up once again, “Fuck, I’m gonna-”

“I’m right there with you, babe.”

“Fuck.” You arch your back and hook one leg over his waist, wanting to feel all of him, and somehow it makes the angle just right and he starts hitting the spot with each thrust and- “Don’t stop. Please. Don’t-”

Daniel picks up his pace even more and before you know it you’re panting, your hands cupping his face so you can look at him. “That’s it,” he says. “Take me in, babe.”

“Dan, I-” you try but then he slams into you harder and harder and you can feel yourself being tipped over the edge, your orgasm washing over you in full force and so all you can do is just enjoy the ride.

“Fuckin’ gorgeous,” Daniel says, watching you as he keeps chasing his own high that follows not much later when he comes with a loud groan.

***

The sunlight seeping through his curtains wakes him up somewhere around ten and he’s a little confused when he hears quiet snores coming from the other side of the bed but then the memories from last night come rushing back and Daniel feels something tugging on his heart. He rolls over and can’t help but smile when he finds her tangled up in his sheets and so he presses a soft kiss between her shoulder blades.

She stirs, stretching her legs before she lets out a quiet moan, “Too early.”

Daniel chuckles, wrapping one arm around her waist and dragging her over to his side of the bed, “Good morning.”

“Mornin’” she whispers as she turns around in his arms so she can face him.

She looks absolutely beautiful and Daniel feels like the luckiest man alive when he presses a kiss to her forehead, “How you goin’, sleepyhead?”

She nuzzles into him, her warm breath hitting his chest as her fingers dance over his stomach, “I’m really glad you’re back, Dan.”

He smiles against her hair, “Me too.”

“Last night was-”

“Yeah,” he agrees quickly. “It was.” He hugs her closer, “We should do that again some time.”

He feels her laugh and she pinches his side then, “We should.”

***

“Do you think- Will she-” Daniel clears his throat and rubs his hands on jeans, “Do you think she’ll still recognize me?”

You put a hand on his knee to stop his nervous habit and smile up at him, “Just wait and see.”

When you pull up to the house not much later, Homer lets out an excited bark and rushes towards the car to greet you and whoever it is you’ve brought along. When he realises it’s Daniel, Homer wags his tail enthusiastically.

“See?” You try, scratching Homer’s ears, “Even the dog remembers you, Ricciardo.”

“Uhu,” Daniel nods, patting Homer’s head absentmindedly. “That’s great.”

The way he’s so nervous is absolutely endearing and so you don’t hesitate and take his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to let him know it’s ok. You nod towards the house, “Come on.”

Ellie’s inside, having a tea party with Granddad and Mr Koala, but the minute she spots Daniel her face lights up and she claps her hands, “Danny!”

You have to bite your lip to keep the tears at bay and next to you Daniel clears his throat and when you risk a quick glance at him you can see his eyes are a little glossed over as well.

He lets go of your hand and squats down, holding out his arms. Ellie all but launches herself at him and Daniel hugs her close, “Hello Miss Ellie.”

“Danny,” Ellie says again, patting his cheeks with her hands.

“I’ve missed you, kiddo.”

You rub Daniel’s back and when he looks at you from over his shoulder you give him a warm smile.

Daniel stands up then, Ellie still in his arms, and walks over to greet Oscar with half a hug before he sits down on the couch, Ellie snuggling up to him in his lap. She’s babbling, trying to tell him about all the things he’s missed and Daniel listens intently, asking all the right questions with a wide grin.

“I has day tomorrow,” Ellie says then. “Danny come with?”

“I-” Daniel shakes his head and looks up at you for help.

“It’s her birthday on Saturday,” you explain as you run your hand through your daughter’s hair, “but the concept of the days of the week is still a little confusing so she’s been saying it’s tomorrow for the past week or so.” You throw him a wink then, “I think she just invited you to her party.”

Daniel chuckles and pinches Ellie’s cheek, “Of course I’m coming with, sweetheart.”

“I be three,” Ellie explains, holding up five fingers proudly. Her little eyebrows knit together then, as if she’s trying to figure something out. You guess she did when she grins at Daniel, “Like you.”

“Like my race number, yeah,” Daniel nods, beaming with pride.

***

Daniel’s all over the place the rest of the week, catching up with his parents, his sister and her kids, some old friends he hasn’t seen since the summer break, and he hates that he’s not on the farm as much as he’d like even though she’s assured him things are much more manageable now that Oscar’s finally caved and hired a farmhand who comes to help out four days a week.

On Saturday though, there’s only one thing marked on his calendar and so he finds himself driving over to his neighbours after lunch, opting to get there a little early so he can help out with any preparations that still need to be done before the party starts.

He can’t help but smile when he pulls up to the house and sees the front porch is decorated with balloons and banners, and has to stifle a laugh when he sees Homer’s wearing a pink bow tie instead of his normal collar. Daniel pats the dog in his head when he steps onto the porch, “Looking sharp, Homer.”

Knocking three times, like he always does, before he lets himself in and finds her and Ellie in the kitchen, both of them wearing colourful summer dresses and looking absolutely beautiful. Daniel greets her first, with a quick kiss that might seem pretty chaste but still gives him the butterflies and he knows he’ll never grow tired of, before he presses a kiss to the top of Ellie’s head, “Hi sweetheart.” Ellie looks up at him with a goofy grin and holds out her arms without hesitation. Daniel picks her up and peppers her face with kisses, “Happy birthday, Miss Ellie.”

When he sits her down in her high chair again he hands her the gift he so carefully wrapped this morning, this time using the pink and purple wrapping paper he picked up at Woolies yesterday, “Here you go.”

Ellie starts tearing into the paper, letting out an excited giggle when she sees what’s inside.

Daniel looks at her with an apologetic smile, “I didn’t know what to get her but Michelle told me Isabella loved this when she was Ellie’s age so-”

“It’s perfect,” she says, her hand on his arm. “She’s really into colouring right now so this will keep her busy for some time to come.”

“Momma! Look!” Ellie holds up the box of crayons and the colouring book Daniel got her.

“That’s a fun gift, huh?” She squats down next to Ellie and nods towards Daniel, “Did you say thank you, yet?”

Ellie looks up at him with a bright smile, “Thank!”

“You are very welcome, sweetheart,” Daniel grins back. He looks at her then, “If there’s anything I can do to help-”

“Thank you but everything’s set,” she says as she stands up. He catches her looking at the clock on the wall, “I want to show you something.”

“Ok,” he draws out, not sure where this is going.

She picks Ellie up and nods towards the back door, “Come on.”

Daniel follows her outside and watches as she puts Ellie down, taking the little girl’s hand in hers. Ellie looks up at him then and holds out her hand and so Daniel takes it, trying to make his brain actively remember this exact moment because it is definitely one of the happier ones of his life.

“Your parents and sister should be here around three,” she says as she leads the way to where, he’s not sure. “Blake texted me right before you got here, to let me know he and Michael are running a little late but-” she shrugs and smiles, “I guess what I’m trying to say is we still have some time before everyone gets here.”

It’s then the field they went to a few months ago, when he first visited the farm, comes into view and Daniel lets out a quiet, “Oh wow.” There is a sea of red flowers in front of him, thousands and thousands of poppies swaying gently in the soft summer breeze, the rolling hills in the distance offering a perfect backdrop.

Ellie tugs on their hands, urging them forward until they reach the fence and she lets out a content sigh, “Pretty.”

“Just like you, bub,” she says, letting go of her daughter’s hand so she can squat down next to her. She picks a poppy and hands it to Ellie, “Here you go. A pretty flower for a pretty girl.” When she stands up she looks at Daniel, “What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful,” Daniel admits easily enough, a tiny voice in the back of his head telling him what he already knows. That he’s not just talking about the flowers.

She takes a step closer to him and puts her arm around his waist, letting her head rest against his shoulder, “Told you so.”

Daniel slings his arm around her shoulders and pulls her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. There’s something- It’s weird, he realises. He’s only known her for a little over two months, and he was gone for most of that, but it feels like he doesn’t have to pretend to be someone he’s not. Not anymore. He doesn’t have to be Daniel Ricciardo, Danny Ric, DR, or the Honey Badger. He doesn’t have to be a Formula One driver, an eight-time race winner, the most beloved driver on the grid, and the fan favourite. He doesn’t have to be Red Bull’s wild card, Renault’s saviour, or, most recently, McLaren’s scapegoat.

After thirty-three years, it feels like this is exactly where he was meant to be. It feels like everything that has happened, everything that he’s been through, has led up to this. To this exact moment.

Because when he is here, when he’s with her, and with Ellie, he is Daniel. It feels- Words can’t describe it but in the end it feels like-

It feels like home.

#Daniel Ricciardo #F1 Fanfic #Daniel Ricciardo x reader #DR3 #F1 Imagine #Harley Sunday x Daniel Ricciardo #Feels Like Home

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