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For You, I'd Become Hercules - Daniel Ricciardo

Summary: After many years spent apart from each other, Y/N gets back to Daniel, her childhood best friend, who happens to have held back a big part of his life from her. His son Theo.

A/N: My bestie is about to go wild on this one. Title was inspired from Evann McIntosh's song "Yours", which you should totally listen to. All credits go to them.

Word Count: 9,1k

Warnings: swearing, mentions of absent mother, single parenting, heartbreak, mentions of hospitals and sickness.

"Y/N?"

You smiled as your eyes settled on your childhood best friend after all the years you had spent apart. "Hey, Dan," you chuckled. He closed the front door of his condo behind himself, making the two of you settle into the lightly dimmed hallway of his complex.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, letting his arms open to engulf you in a long hug.

"I promised you I'd move here after college," you said, smiling at him. "I got my degree and now I have a job here in London,"

"No way," he chuckled excitedly, throwing his arms around you again. "I'm so proud of you, I know-"

The loud cry that came from his door made his body stiffen as he let go of you quickly before inching back inside his condo, leaving the door open for you. He sent you a quick look behind his shoulder, forehead creasing. "This wasn't exactly the way I wanted you to know, but here we go," Daniel huffed under his breath while he walked inside the living room, you following right in tow.

A toddler sat in the middle of the room surrounded by toys, wailing his heart out until Daniel lifted him up in his arms, shushing him quickly. "Daddy-" was all the little one could say, wrapping his small arms around your best friend's neck.

Saying you were shocked was an understatement. You and Daniel had stopped talking to each other as much as you used to because of his career, of how busy he was. But missing out on a baby was a big thing, especially if it was your best friend's baby.

"Y/N, this is my son Theo," Daniel sighed, rubbing the little boy's back as his body shook with sobs. You let silence fill the room as you looked between Theo and his father, rubbing your forehead as you tried to get past the initial shock.

"Hi, Theo," you breathed out, sending him a small, reassuring smile. "I'm your daddy's best friend," you whispered sweetly, wiping away the tears that streamed down his cheeks.

Theo hid his face away from you, tucking it in Daniel's neck as he shook with another sob. "He's a little shy," Daniel mumbled, biting on his lip as he made his way inside the kitchen. "Want a cup of coffee before I leave for training?"

-

"Mrs. Blake, this is my best friend, Y/N," Daniel introduced you quickly to his neighbor, grabbing his duffle bag from the laundry room and making his way back to the kitchen, where you and the middle-aged woman stood. "Thank you again for coming over,"

"Daniel, will you just stop thanking me? We've been doing this ever since Theo was basically born," Mrs. Blake chuckled. "Do you need me to make him dinner?"

"Uh, no. Y/N is staying over, and I won't be long today," Daniel said, checking inside his bag for everything. When his eyes settled back on you, he sent you a quick, cold smile before bending down to kiss Theo's forehead. "I'll see you later, buddy. Okay? Be good for Mrs. Blake and Y/N,"

The toddler nodded absentmindedly as his focus stayed on the plastic dino he was playing with. As you looked down at him, you noticed the familiar traits that Daniel and he shared, from the mops of dark curls sitting at the top of their heads, to the familiar dark eyes and the nose you had found so strange when you were a kid.

You didn't hear the front door closing or Daniel's last goodbyes, too busy looking at the little guy sitting in front of you.

"So, tell me, Y/N, what are you doing here in London?" Mrs. Blake asked with a small smile, sitting on the couch right next to the floor-to-ceiling windows and motioning for you to join her.

"I, uh- I just graduated from college and I managed to get a job here," you said, playing with your fingers in your lap as you zoned out again, silence building between the two of you.

"You didn't know about Theo, did you?" She asked gently after a few minutes.

"Not really,"

Mrs. Blake chuckled sadly, her hand opened as she grabbed the toys Theo handed her, the boy sending you a quick smile. The two of you found yourselves observing him, silence settling between you again as the little boy talked to his toys.

"I only remember the wailing from that night," Mrs. Blake started after a while. "I opened my door to understand what was the source of all that chaos, and I was only able to catch Daniel holding the carrier with Theo,

"He looked extremely scared, so I did what my motherly instinct told me to do and helped him out. He's never told me who the mother is, or what she told him that day," Mrs. Blake ended the sentence with a sigh, shaking her head softly. "He turned out to be a good father, you know?"

"I know he did," you mumbled, a small smile on your lips as you let little Theo play with your hair. He seemed amazed by it as he let his hand card through it. "Soft," he whispered.

"It's soft, isn't it, Theo?" Mrs. Blake agreed with him. "But don't tug on it, okay? It's gonna hurt your new friend,"

Theo looked up at you, his curious little orbs scanning over your features as he quietly took you in. He was quick to get back to his toys, not giving you the chance to actually talk to him, or even try to form a small bond.

"He'll open up, don't worry," Mrs. Blake sent you a sympathetic smile, squeezing your hand. You looked back at the kid, a soft grin on your lips as the light feeling of warmth spread through your chest.

He was all Daniel.

-

"What?!"

Michael's voice reverberated around the empty gym as he and Daniel took a water break, sweat covering the driver’s tan skin.

"Y/N visited us," Daniel repeated, getting rid of his shirt and letting his bottle slide back into his bag. "She lives here, now,"

Michael was shocked at his friend's words but kept his eyes on the man. "Was Theo happy to see her again?" He asked quietly, watching as Daniel grabbed a towel, drying his skin with it. All Michael got was silence, not a word coming from his friend's mouth. It took him a few seconds to actually understand why his friend wasn't talking, and when he finally realized, there was nothing holding back his curiosity.

"You didn't tell her?!" He asked in shock, his mouth hanging open as Daniel sighed out.

"I was going to, at one point," he admitted, guilt overtaking him as he pushed his hair out of his face.

"Ric, Theo has been your son for three years. Three!" Michael started reasoning. "When did you think you were going to tell her? After his fucking graduation?!"

Daniel rolled his eyes, walking towards the bench press with Michael following right behind. "I swear, I was going to tell her! I was just scared she would drop me,"

Michael shook his head, letting the sound of metal clinking fill the gym as the two of them stayed in silence. Daniel's guilt had been eating him up ever since you had unexpectedly met Theo: the shocked, sad look on your face at that exact moment was enough to show him you had felt betrayed. The two of you had never held secrets away from each other, especially if it was something as important as Theo. He needed to apologize, in some way.

"How did she react?"

Daniel looked back at Michael with a sad look, a frown forming on his features as he shook his head. "She was shocked," he sighed. "And then I fucked it up by being cold as always,"

"Where is she now?"

"My apartment,"

"Listen, you're going to go home and talk to her," Michael said, voice firm. "Make her dinner, apologize, explain to her why you didn't tell her..."

Daniel took a deep breath, nodding his head as his friend pointed a finger towards him. "And please, don't fuck it up,"

-

The takeout Italian food you had ordered before Daniel could have come home was sitting in front of you, the pasta you had tried to eat staring back at you as your best friend talked. All you were able to do was zone out, the new discoveries of the day still shocking you.

You weren't going to lie and say it didn't hurt you, the fact that Daniel had spent all those years hiding his private life from you, the fact that he didn't even consider telling you, one of his closest friends, or asking for your help. It hurt. Bad.

"God, I still remember that time back in high school," Daniel chuckled under his breath as he fed Theo some pasta. "You were so obsessed with learning how to drive, and-"

"Why didn't you tell me about Theo?" You interrupted him, voice thin and shaky as you mustered the courage to speak the words that crowded your mind the entire night.

Daniel's smile quickly faded, being replaced with a look of guilt as a thick layer of silence filled the room. "I- uh, I fucked up, I know,"

"I-I even went home, I saw your sister, your parents," you said, your eyes glossy as you sniffled. "There was no word spoken about Theo coming from their mouths,"

"I was scared,"

"Scared of what, Daniel? You know I'd be by your side even if the world was ending," you sighed, standing up from your chair to recompose yourself, giving him your back. "I wish you could have just told me,"

A tear slipped past your eye and slid down your cheek. You compressed a sob, mentally slapping yourself for being so sensitive and rude to your best friend. It felt like everyone had lied to you all that time, leaving you unaware of your closest friend's situation. It hurt you.

"I'm sorry," was everything he whispered, standing up and pulling you in a tight hug. "I started overthinking, I thought you would have left me,"

"I could have helped you, Dan," you sniffled. "Hell, I would have dropped out to come here and help you,"

"We both know I would have never let you do that," he said in a whisper, carding a hand through your hair. "I could never be that selfish,"

He cupped your face, wiping the tear that had previously run down your face with the pad of his thumb before looking back at Theo, who was playing with his sippy cup on his own at the table. "Let's go finish dinner?"

You gave him a soft nod, maybe even feeling a little better because you had been able to talk it out with him. The warm feeling in your chest, the same one you had been feeling back in your teen years too, didn't leave you alone for the rest of the night.

-

You looked out the window of your apartment, biting on your nail as the phone pressed against your ear hummed. The clouds crowding the sky of London blocked the moon, not letting the comforting rays of moonlight peek and illuminate the city.

"Y/N? Is there anything wrong?" your best friend Julianna mumbled sleepily from her side of the line. "What are you doing up this late?"

Your eyes wandered to the clock hanging against the wall of your kitchen, noticing just then that it was well past midnight. You had lost track of time back at Daniel's, spending most of the night catching up as you got accustomed to Theo's presence. "Fuck, J, I'm sorry I woke you up," you muttered. "Some shit went down, but I can just talk to you in the morning,"

"I'm awake, now, and I won't be able to fall back asleep until you tell me," she chuckled. You heard faint sounds coming from her side, it sounded like she was leaving her bed. "What's up? Spill,"

"I, uh- today I met with Daniel," you explained, rubbing your forehead with a long sigh. "And I surprised him at his apartment,"

"He wasn't with some girl, was he?" Julianna asked, her voice harsh as she reminded you of all the times you had come to her with a broken heart because of Daniel's new girl.

"No, he-" you stopped in your tracks, trying to find the right words. "He became a dad,"

"Oh my God-" Julianna whispered. "You gotta be kidding me,"

"Theo is three and a little shy," you chuckled, shaking your head as you thought about the toddler that had managed to win a part of your heart already.

"Three?! Holy fuck, I'm killing him-" your best friend mumbled under her breath. "Didn't you meet his family when you went back home? They left you clueless about everything that happened?"

The sigh that left your lips was enough to let her know, making her scoff. "I can't believe it,"

"J?"

She hummed, your heart was beating out of your chest as you finally figured out the way you were feeling.

"I think I still love him,"

-----

You were hurriedly walking towards Daniel's apartment, a smile on your lips as you thought of the night ahead of you. You'd received a text from your best friend when you were still at work, suggesting a movie night with him and Theo.

Things had become better after you talked things out with Daniel, he didn't hesitate to send you pictures of Theo every possible time, updating you and making your days slightly better.

You were more than tired from your workday, but you weren't going to turn down a relaxing night with the boys, especially if it was Disney movie night. You were welcomed inside the warmth of the condo complex before you knew it, slipping inside the elevator to reach Daniel's floor with a content sigh.

When you knocked on the front door, you were met with Theo's small frame smiling up at you. "Hi, little guy!" You said excitedly, smile so bright your cheeks hurt. He silently grabbed your hand, tugging you along with him towards the kitchen, where Daniel was preparing all the snacks.

The giggle that escaped your mouth made Daniel turn around, revealing the 'Cars' matching pajamas he shared with Theo. "Oh my God," you gasped softly, your smile even bigger as you looked at the two of them.

"Well, good evening to you too, Y/N," Daniel chuckled, slightly crouching down to hand Theo the bowl of popcorn as he sent you a quick smile. "Be careful not to drop it, okay, bud?"

The toddler nodded, slipping out of the room, the soft padding of his feet making a small smile form on Daniel's lips. "Hey," you whispered, walking closer to Daniel. "You should have told me about the PJs, I would have tried to match,"

He laughed, the butterflies in your stomach starting their dance all over again as he pressed a hand on your smaller back, leading you towards the couch, where the Disney logo was already staring back at you.

"C'mon daddy!" Theo babbled excitedly. "I wanna watch the movie!"

"What are we watching tonight, Theo?" You asked, ruffling his hair as he jumped up and down on the couch.

"Hercules!"

Daniel groaned loudly, making his son giggle as he pressed play on the remote and started the film. He sat next to his father, leaving Daniel in the middle as you took the only spot left next to him.

You tried your best to follow the plot - even though you had seen it multiple times as a kid - without letting your eyes close. You were able to get halfway through it: the songs seemed to lull you, and even if the movie was pretty chaotic, you found yourself falling asleep on Daniel's shoulder.

In your half-asleep state, you felt Daniel's arm slide around your waist, pulling you close to his chest. A small hand cradled your cheek, but it got squatted away in less than a second.

"Theo, don't wake her up," you heard Daniel whisper.

"Daddy, she's pretty," the toddler whispered back, his voice close to your face as he studied your features.

"She is," Daniel's answers didn't go unnoticed by you, his hand smoothing the skin of your waist as he inched you even closer. "But now it's already past your bedtime for both of you, so to bed you go!"

Your body was hoisted in Daniel's arms as Theo padded right next to him towards the master bedroom. Your best friend laid you down on his bed, rolling the covers over you before helping Theo with brushing his teeth and settling him in his bed.

Your eyes opened slightly when Daniel walked back inside the room, your voice groggy as you pushed yourself onto your elbows. "Sorry, work was rough today,"

"It's fine, Theo needed to go to bed anyway," Daniel chuckled, grabbing a blanket and pillow from one of his closets. "You can sleep here, I'll take the couch,"

"No!"

Daniel turned around confusedly, a small smile on his lips as you stuttered. "I-I mean, you wanna share? The couch doesn't seem too comfortable,"

He chuckled teasingly, lifting the covers on the other side of the bed. "No need to be so nervous. We're friends, we used to share all the time,"

You managed to push out a fake giggle as his words opened a small wound inside your heart. Friends. That was all you were.

-----

Not a month after his statement about the relationship the two of you shared, Daniel was directed towards Silverstone, ready to race once again in one of the most loved circuits ever. You had taken the responsibility of being Theo's babysitter for the weekend to help Daniel out: he had to travel away from home, and Theo happened to not feel too well, so you let yourself get comfortable in the Ricciardo's household for just a couple of days to look after the little one.

"Daniel, we will be just fine," you sighed into the phone, your best friend's worried voice coming from the other line mixing with the loud noises of the McLaren boxes. "Theo just happens to have a small cold,"

"Call me if anything happens, okay?"

"Okay," you mumbled before ending the call, your eyes immediately falling on Theo's tired body. He lay on the couch, lazily following a Disney movie playing on TV as he cuddled what you had realized was his favorite stuffie. He had been able to eat just a small part of his dinner under your watch, and the amount of tissues that sat around the two of you was concerning.

The race was going to start in a couple of minutes, and you were hoping that seeing his daddy would make Theo feel a little better. You let a hand card through his soft, short hair, taking note of the whine that left his lips when your hand came in contact with his head. His forehead was burning, and you were sure he had a headache, too.

You weren't going to lie and say you weren't worried, you had measured his fever already once, and it only seemed to get worse. Theo let his head rest in your lap, shocking you a little after all the coldness he had given you since the moment you first had stepped foot into his house weeks prior. He seemed to enjoy the movements of your hands in his hair, relaxing him even more and pushing him into a light slumber.

You switched channels, turning down the volume as soon as the booming voices of the commentators filled the condo. When the cameras focused on the car number 3, you let a smile paint your lips. Daniel was sliding in, getting accustomed to the car with a small smirk on his face. Seeing him in his element reminded you of the times back in your childhood, from his first karting experiences when he was a kid, to cheering for him in High School as his number one fan, knowing he’d go far.

Daniel had been a constant part of your life ever since birth, you didn't even know how you could have gone a couple of years without him.

You were pushed out of your thoughts when Theo stirred, a whine leaving his lips as he tightened his grasp on his stuffie. He let a cough out, and that's when you finally heard his labored breathing. As you let your hand graze his forehead, you also realized that he had heated up even more in the time being.

Your heart started beating out of your chest as the situation dawned on you: Theo needed medical attention as soon as possible. Daniel hadn't left Theo's doctor's number, and you were sure that their clinic must have been closed for the weekend, anyway. The only option left was the ER.

You threw on your coat and helped a sleepy Theo into his, slipped quickly your pairs of shoes before making your way to Daniel's car, the only one that had a baby seat settled in the back. You were sure you had never driven that fast in your entire life, with a hand tightly holding Theo's as you sprinted past cars in the busy streets of London.

You made it to the emergency room in just a small amount of minutes, where you were escorted by a kind nurse to the pediatric ward. The two of you were last in a small line of kids and parents, Theo looking the youngest of them all.

You sat in a small chair waiting for your turn, the little boy cuddling in your arms as he struggled to breathe, your heart clenching every time he shook in his fever-induced dream.

With a panicked sigh, you grabbed your phone, pressing on Daniel's contact and hoping he'd pick up. You were quickly sent to his voicGraceil, your eyes tearing up as you tried to muster up the words you were going to say to your best friend.

"Uh- hey, Dan," you sniffled, taking a deep breath before you kept going. "Theo and I are at the hospital right now: his fever got worse and he's wheezing. Call me back as soon as you can,"

You shakily put your phone back in your pocket, carding a hand through Theo's hair as you looked at his sleepy form in your arms. A mother sitting in front of you sent you a reassuring smile, her kid dozing off against her side as they waited. Her smile had a calming effect on you, making you take a deep breath and close your eyes as you let the time pass.

You woke up to the sound of your ringtone around three hours later, your eyes quickly falling to Theo to check on him before pressing the device to your ear. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" Daniel quickly mumbled. "Excuse me- I just got back to London,"

"Oh- we're still at the hospital, Barts Health," you mumbled, finally noticing you were the only ones left in line. "I think we're about to go in,"

"Fuck-" Daniel muttered under his breath. "I'm in a cab right now, I'll be there in a couple of minutes,"

He ended the call right after that, leaving you in the empty hallway. Theo stirred, yawning quickly before whining out. "My head hurts,"

"I know, buddy. I'm so sorry," you whispered, kissing his forehead tenderly as your leg bounced anxiously.

"I want daddy," he sobbed, hiding his face in your chest and staining your shirt with his tears.

"He's on his way, Theo,"

The kid sobbed, wrapping his arms around you as he closed his eyes again, making you tear up. The entire afternoon had taken a huge mental toll on you, and the fact that you thought everything you had done was wrong made things even worse. As if blaming yourself for not noticing Theo's state as quickly as you should have wasn't enough, you felt extremely bad for making Daniel think that everything was going to be okay when he had called before the race.

"And you must be Theo Ricciardo!" The voice of an older man snapped you out of your thoughts. He stood by his office door, a kind smile on his face as his eyes scanned the still sleepy boy in your arms behind his thick pair of glasses.

"Yes," Theo's small voice said shakily. He gripped onto you as you stood up to shake hands with the doctor. "Let’s go inside? Mommy will be with you all along, don’t worry,"

"I- uh, I'm not-"

"I'm here!" You heard Daniel say from beside you, his breathing uneven after running around the entire hospital to find the two of you. "I'm here, Theo,"

"Daddy!"

"Let's see what's wrong with you, little guy. Shall we?"

-

You wrapped your coat tightly around yourself as you walked beside Daniel, Theo sleeping in his arms. The light breeze of London was hitting your face harshly, small puffs of warmth leaving your mouth as you watched your best friend put Theo in the backseat of his car.

"I'm sorry," you whispered, shaking your head as you tried to hold the tears in.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," you repeated. "Theo hadn't been feeling well the entire night and I still told you he was going to be okay, and-"

"Y/N, it's fine. Having the flu happens sometimes," he interrupted you, wrapping his arms around your frame tightly. "Thank you for taking care of him,"

He held you for a little while, relaxing against your body to let the stress of the day leave the both of you before dragging you towards the car. The streets were still crowded by just a few cars, even if it was well after 6 p.m., and you used the silence inside the car to wipe the stress away from your body.

When the car stopped inside Daniel's garage, you quickly went to unbuckle Theo, lifting him up in your arms so Daniel could take care of his luggage. He was quick to follow you inside his condo, right behind you as you lay Theo in his toddler bed. The kid seemed to let out a content sigh, turning on his side and giving you his back.

"I think I'll go home, now," you whispered awkwardly, biting on your lip as you looked at Daniel. "You need to rest,"

"And you do, too," he mumbled, his hand slipping into yours as he pulled you inside his bedroom. "I don't want you driving in this state. Just stay with me?"

"Daniel-"

"Just for tonight,"

You chuckled as you looked at him, the glimmer in his eyes the same as when he was a kid. You let out a small 'fine', his smile so bright you were sure it could light up the whole room. He let you take the bathroom first, and you changed as quickly as you could into a pair of comfortable clothes of his.

You missed the soft glance he sent your way, too busy putting your phone in charge and avoiding his eyes before taking place under the sheets. Having naps in the same bed had never been a problem for both of you, but you couldn't deny the tension that had built when you had first inserted yourself back into his life.

You were confused, to say the least, but not shocked. Your feelings for Daniel would have come back at one point, you thought. You had seen him fall in love so many times, living his life without even thinking you might have felt a certain type of way about him. He had been so oblivious for all those years, it had pissed you off.

When you two had parted, you had rid yourself of your childhood crush. You had joined college, became busy with classes, and found yourself in different relationships before graduating. You didn't think your crush could have come back that easily, this time, your feelings were even stronger.

"Still not tired?" He asked, his side of the bed dipping as he lay down next to you.

"I don’t want to oversleep," you admitted, playing with the strings of the hoodie you were wearing. "Don’t want Theo to starve, later,"

"C'mere," Daniel whispered, lifting an arm up so you could rest your head on his chest. Your heart thumped against your rib cage, making you smile. “We’ll worry about that later, darling.”

A moment of silence filled the room, your mind wandering as you took in Daniel’s tired features. "Tell me something good, to make this day better," you whispered.

"I placed second," he chuckled. "Lando first,"

You giggled, shaking your head as you closed your eyes. "Theo is gonna be so proud of you," you said mid-yawn, sleep taking over you. "Just like I am,"

He kissed the top of your head, taking one last look at you before closing his own eyes, wishing to dream about you on that evening.

-----

Daniel Ricciardo was going on a date.

He wasn't happy or thrilled about it, he couldn't stand those shallow dates at expensive restaurants anymore, especially if they were set by Michael and Lando.

His character had changed after Theo became part of his life, he thought that he had changed for the better, thanks to his son. Dating, or having sex, wasn't as important as it used to be. His main focus was on giving Theo the happy life he deserved.

His friends almost forced him into 'just one date' with a beautiful girl named Meghan, and he had been regretting the 'yes' he had given them ever since he’d seen the sad look on Theo's face when he was told his daddy was going to be busy again. Daniel wasn't ready to get back into the dating life, at least, he thought he wasn't.

When you had gotten the news, though, you had tried to conceal the pain with everything you had inside you. Your feelings for Daniel weren't mutual, the date made it clear. You had smiled and offered to take care of Theo for the night, just so he wouldn't have to be worried.

When the night arrived, he dropped the toddler off with a thankful hug and headed quickly towards the destination, where the pretty brunette was already waiting for him. The entire conversation that night was about his fame and racing, something that he had never liked to discuss during dates.

When dessert was brought over - right when Meghan started discussing her follower count on Instagram - realization hit him. He had compared his date to you the entire evening, noting how she wasn't as selfless as you, or how he didn't feel the warmth in his chest with her.

"Are you even listening to me, Daniel?" Meghan said, her annoyed tone snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, I-"

"You definitely aren't," she snapped. "You haven't been listening to me all night, I'm surprised you even showed up,"

Meghan lifted herself up from her chair, catching the attention of the few people around them as she grabbed her purse, ready to walk out of the restaurant. "Good night, Daniel,"

His eyes snapped shut with a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. He asked for the check with a quick hand gesture, trying to get out of the place as soon as possible, he couldn't bear the apologetic looks coming from the people around him.

He was sure he had never paid for dinner that quickly, and he breathed out in relief as soon as the cold air hit his face. He slid inside his car and drove towards your apartment to pick Theo up, his thoughts racing as the streetlights illuminated his features.

Your building stared back at him as the butterflies inside his stomach intensified at the thought of you. Everything about the date left his mind as he stepped inside the complex, the flight of stairs seeming longer than it actually was as his heart thumped against his rib cage. What was happening to him?

You opened the door after a quick knock, Theo in your arms as he slept softly. "Hey, how did it go?"

"She left because I wasn't paying attention to her," Daniel chuckled. "Michael should just stop setting me out on dates,"

Your heart fluttered selfishly as you realized he hadn't been interested in the girl as you handed Theo to him. "How was he?"

"He was good," you mumbled, looking at the toddler with a small smile. "Ate all the food and watched some TV with me,"

"That's good," he whispered, cradling his son's head to his chest as an idea popped in his mind. "Y/N?"

The hum he got from you was enough to send him into a spiral, his palms getting sweaty as nerves got the best of him. "The team is hosting a gala in two weeks,”

"That's cool," you smiled. "Want me to babysit Theo again?"

He chuckled, shaking his head as you sent him a confused glare. "I'm asking you to be my date, dummy,"

Your eyes widened in shock, legs starting to shake as you stared at his dark orbs. Was he joking? You slowly nodded your head, disbelief making you go numb.

"Is that a yes?"

"What do you think it is, dummy?"

-----

"Wow-"

Daniel's impressed words whispered under his breath were enough to make your heart flutter. He stood in front of you with one of his suits, the ones that were so unique you never saw anyone wearing them too. To your surprise, Theo was clasping his hand, a bouquet of flowers covering his face.

"Well, good evening, boys," you giggled, kneeling down to gently take the flowers from Theo's hands. The little guy smiled when he saw your face, giggling when you kissed his cheek. "Thank you, mister,"

Daniel helped you stand back up, his hand in yours as you finally let your eyes find his. He had the softest smile adorning his lips as he let his thumb brush against the back of your hand. "You look beautiful,"

You bit your lip to hide the lovesick smile that formed on your features. "You don't look too bad yourself," you teased, walking back inside your house to put the flowers inside a vase, before grabbing your purse and locking the front door behind yourself.

Daniel let his palm find your smaller back, his other hand holding Theo's as the three of you left the apartment complex and settled inside the backseat of a dark car.

"Private driver, wow," you teased him as he helped Theo in his car seat, a chuckle leaving his lips as he gave directions to the driver. He settled down next to you, his hand slipping in yours as he made small talk regarding the night, telling you who was going to be there and what the event was going to be about.

The car came to a halt quicker than you had expected, nerves making your hands shake as you saw a few photographers standing near the entrance of the venue. "They'll just snap a few pictures, we'll be by your side for the entire time," Daniel whispered, making it seem like he had almost sensed your stress.

His hand stayed in yours as he opened the door, helping you and Theo out as the photographers greeted him. They snapped a few quick pictures, and you were sent inside the venue soon after.

The place was large, beautifully decorated with chandeliers and large tables already set for the dinner that would have soon started. Teammates were introduced to you, same went with girlfriends and coaches. Theo had quickly run away with other kids, and you and Daniel found yourselves at the bar with Michael and his date, Gwen.

"Y/N, I've heard so much about you!" Michael said, making you giggle, especially when Daniel elbowed him in the ribs. "Ric can't seem to shut up about you, sometimes,"

Daniel flushed a deep shade of red, running a hand through his hair nervously as he pulled you closer to his body. "Michael is just overdramatic,"

"Am not,"

Gwen laughed from beside you, her manicured fingers touching the velvety material of your gown, starting a conversation with you about your dresses. Theo's little squeals were enough to interrupt you, and when he ran all the way to hug your legs, a small smile painted on your lips.

"Daddy, dinner!"

His statement made everyone turn around. Waiters and waitresses were starting to carefully move around the tables with food, and the owner of the team was making his way towards the improvised altar, ready to give his speech.

"You hungry, Theo?" You asked.

"I'm starving!"

-

You were sure you had never eaten food as good as the one you had eaten that night, your tummy feeling full as they brought dessert around the tables. Theo hadn't made it through the entire dinner, he was already sleeping in your lap, holding one of his toys close to him.

You had felt someone's eyes on you for the entire night, but had shrugged it off, focusing on the amazing evening you had been able to spend with Daniel, Theo, and the people close to them. You enjoyed your night, forgot about the unsettling feeling, and let yourself have fun with everyone. When your date left to talk with his personal trainer and the rest of the team, though, the feeling returned.

You wrapped an arm around Theo, holding him close to you as you checked the few people still surrounding you, seeing if they were paying any attention to you. When you gave the tables behind yours a quick look, you noticed a pair of eyes staring back at you.

They belonged to an older man, his glare cold as he quickly stepped towards your table. You didn't know whether you should have left to search for Daniel or just act as if you hadn't seen him, but you chose the latter.

Your hands were shaky as you let them run through Theo's hair, trying to recompose yourself, but everything seemed to change when the chair in front of you moved, the man sitting just a few feet away from you.

"Hi," you shakily said.

"Hi," was all he said, his eyes scanning your face before dropping to Theo. "You're Y/N, right?"

You nodded quickly, tightening your grip on the kid in your lap as he kept looking at you. "I'm Zak, I work with Daniel,"

You seemed to calm down after his statement, starting to breathe again after what felt like years. You smiled at him, letting a thick layer of silence fill the surrounding air. He was the first one to speak.

"He talks a lot about you, you know," Zak said, his voice deep as his eyes met with Theo's sleeping form. "But, as much as he likes to hide his feelings, he's been hurt before,"

"I can imagine," you whispered, recalling the conversation you had had with Mrs. Blake.

"I just- kind of took it upon myself to make sure he's not gonna go through all of that again,"

You smiled at him, realizing all he was doing was making sure you weren't going to hurt Daniel, and Theo, of course. You felt the little one stir in your arms, his arms looping around your neck and letting his face hide in your chest.

"Mommy, the lights are too bright,"

Your world stopped at his words, at the name he used to call you. The shock was evident on your face as your eyes fell on Zak, who just calmly smiled.

"I'm sorry, Theo. I promise you we will go home soon," you whispered as you looked down at him, using the palm of your hand to soothingly caress his back. When you looked back up to meet Zak's eyes again, he was gone, no sign of him inside the venue.

A warm hand on your shoulder snapped you out of your trance, and when you turned around, you were met with Daniel's smile.

"Theo is pretty tired," you whispered to him, seeing that the room was starting to become packed again.

"We probably should start heading home," Daniel nodded his head, pressing a quick kiss to your temple. You stopped him before he could leave to grab your coats, letting your hand find his as his eyes met yours.

"Thank you for tonight,"

The smile on his face made your heart flutter, and his hand squeezed yours for a quick moment. "You're the one I should thank, I don't know where I'd be without you,"

When you left, that night, you caught Zak's gaze again. He smiled your way, saying goodbye to you with a quick movement of his head. He was sure, nothing or nobody was going to make him change his mind on that.

You were the right one.

-----

“God, I also need to start looking at kindergartens,” Daniel sighed as he rubbed his forehead, leaning against the washing machine. “I’ll have to do that in the next couple of days,”

You let a thick layer of silence build between the two of you, wondering whether you should have told him about what Theo had called you at the gala the previous week. “I’ll help you with it, don’t worry,”

He gave you a look of pure appreciation, his arms engulfing you in a hug. He let the comfortable silence be his way of saying ‘thank you’, pressing a quick kiss to the crown of your head before dragging you towards the living room.

His hand never left yours as he fell on the couch, tugging you along. You slipped in his arms with a giggle, his body welcoming yours in a warm embrace. His fingers drew small shapes on your arms, the feeling of his strong chest against your back making you relax into him.

“Do you think I’m a good parent?”

His words made your heart stop for a quick second, snapping you out of your thoughts. “Of course you are,” you whispered, turning around in his grasp to face him. “Theo loves you, what makes you even think that?”

“Racing makes me absent all the time, I feel like I always miss the most important parts of his life,” Daniel admitted, his fingers tangling in your hair.

“Theo is so lucky to have you as a dad, Daniel,” you whispered, letting your hand cup your cheek. “You might be busy sometimes, but you always put your kid first, no matter what,”

Your best friend’s eyes settled on something behind you, silence filling the room again. The hurt that had painted his voice when he first asked you the question had you heartbroken, and it made you wonder how long he had been asking himself the same question.

“It was really hard,” he mumbled, playing with your fingers as he started talking. “I didn’t know I had a kid until his mother left him on my doormat, it truly left everyone shocked,”

You squeezed his hand gently, looking up at him with a reassuring smile as he found the courage to talk about Theo’s story, about what happened.

“I was having a hard time with the car, I wasn’t doing well anymore, I felt awful,” he explained. “The only thing that seemed to make me feel relaxed was fucking around. I met Jessica at a bar, after a race we lost. We had sex, I left as soon as we were done and went on with my life,

“Months passed, everything had gone back to okay, and I saw her at my door. She left Theo to me, explaining to me that he was my child and that she wanted nothing to do with him,” at that point, your eyes were glossy. You could have felt the pain in his words, it had become so evident at that point.

“We took DNA tests, everything, and Theo was really my son. There was nothing denying that,”

“Where did Jessica go?”

“I don’t know. It’s almost as if she deleted herself from the world. She doesn’t live here anymore, she’s not on any social media and has deleted my number,”

You let your head rest against his chest, your hand playing with the material of his shirt as you took in the truth. You really wished you had known about Theo from the start, to give a little help, to be there for Daniel during the hard times.

“You’re strong. You know that, right?” You whispered, letting your eyes find his.

“I’m not,” the sigh that left his lips made your heart clench. “I’m barely holding on. I’m broken,”

“For you, I’d become Hercules and hold your broken pieces together,” you whispered, letting your hand cup his cheek. “No matter how hard it gets,”

He leaned into your touch briefly, before letting his eyes meet yours again. You hadn’t truly realized how close the two of you were, your faces just mere inches away from each other as your breathing became uneven.

He was the first one to inch closer, letting your lips meet for the first time. The smell of his cologne filled your senses, and the feeling of his hands gently cupping your cheeks was enough to send you into a frenzy.

He let his forehead rest against yours, when the two of you pulled apart, your breaths ragged. He smiled, lightly, but he still smiled.

And it made your heart soar.

-----

There was nothing as important as Theo’s birthday, to Daniel. It was December fourth, his little boy was turning four and sitting right between you and him as all of you were squeezed in the back of a taxi directed to Perth to celebrate the little guy’s special day.

It had become tradition for the Ricciardo’s to meet up on Theo’s birthday, celebrate it together before parting ways again, it was something they just couldn’t miss. You had been invited, something you truly weren’t expecting.

“Nana!” Theo yelled, snapping you out of your train of thoughts. His tiny hand was pointing out of the car window, where Grace was standing. She was waiting for you by the driveway, hands locked in front of herself as a smile painted her lips.

You helped Theo out of the car since he was excitedly kicking around, wanting nothing more than to go hug his grandma. “Buddy!”

Theo ran in Grace’s arms, giggling as she pecked his face with kisses. “I missed you so much!” She squealed, letting him onto the ground to play around when her eyes met yours.

She was smiling, so brightly you were sure her cheeks hurt. You hadn’t seen her in months, and she seemed to be so happy to have you there with her family. “Oh, Y/N,” was all she could whisper as she pulled you in a tight hug. “I’m so happy you could join us,”

You almost teared up at her sweet words, just as happy as she was to finally see her after all the time spent apart. Grace pulled away to greet Daniel, who was standing next to you. Your eyes dropped to Theo, who was excitedly playing with a lizard he’d found on the ground, as a smile painted on your face. Maybe that was where you belonged, you thought.

“Everyone is inside,” Grace explained, a faint smile forming on her lips when she noticed Daniel’s hand mindlessly rest on your waist, pulling you closer to him. “Wanna head inside, buddy? Your auntie is waiting for you!”

Theo nodded his head, gripping his grandma’s hand as the two of them headed inside. You didn’t realize you had been nervously zoning out as you watched them walk away, at least, not until Daniel squeezed your hip to catch your attention.

“Don’t be so nervous,” he whispered. “I know this is their first time seeing us together like this, but they won’t change their opinion on you,”

He bent down to kiss your forehead, his hands running through your hair, knowing it would calm you, before Michelle’s voice snapped the two of you out of your trance.

“Enough of that, lovebirds! There’s a birthday we need to celebrate!”

-

Theo had opened his presents, including the remote control car you had gifted him. The glimmer in his eyes when he first saw your present was enough to make you smile excitedly, kissing the top of his head when he rushed towards you to thank you.

By the end of the day, he was still out with his auntie and the new gifts, his squeals and giggles being loud enough to be heard inside the house where you, Daniel, and his parents were talking.

“‘Chelle already started to plan the trip to Hawaii,” Grace said, drying her wet hands on the closest towel before joining you at the kitchen island. “Are you coming this year?”

“We’ll have to see,” Daniel mumbled, his eyes looking out the window to keep an eye on Theo.

“We?” You asked, smiling when his cheeks turned a deep shade of red.

“I mean, just if you want to,” he mumbled, his hand resting on your thigh.

“Daddy!” Theo barged in, Michelle running after him with a smile. “Can I sleep here? With Nana and Papa?”

Daniel looked at his mother for her consent, being greeted only with a smile and a nod of her head. “He can stay in your room,” she reassured him. “Wanna stay in daddy’s room, baby?”

“Yes!”

“You have to be good, though,” Daniel kneeled down to his son’s height, ruffling his hair with a chuckle. “We’re only a call away, mom,”

“I know, Dan,” she giggled. “You two go get some rest, alright? We’ll take good care of him,”

“Alright,” Daniel sighed. “Good night, buddy. I’ll see you tomorrow,”

The toddler pressed a kiss to his father’s cheek, before running towards you to hug your legs. “Good night, mommy!”

“Sweet dreams, Theo,” you shakily said, finally accepting the fact that Theo wasn’t seeing you as daddy’s friend anymore. As you looked around, you were met with Daniel’s shocked expression. He took a deep breath before saying his last goodbyes to the family, leaving the house with you by his side.

The car ride was silent. Daniel seemed to be in his thoughts, his eyes focused on the road as he gripped the steering wheel lightly. You felt like things were going too quickly for him, that being called mommy from Theo was just too many steps ahead. Your friendship had just taken its sharp turn, the kiss you had shared just a few weeks prior was still playing in your head. You just hoped it wasn’t going to end as quickly as it started.

“I’m sorry about Theo,” was all he whispered, slightly shocking you. “He’s called you that many times when we were alone. I told him to drop the name, but I guess he just couldn’t let it go,”

His confession made your heartbeat quicken, a smile forming on your lips. “He’s- he’s called me that before, it’s not a big deal,”

“He has?”

You nodded. “At the gala,”

Daniel chuckled, shaking his head as he parked the car in the driveway of a rather big house. “I was worried he’d overstep,”

“I was worried I was the one overstepping,” you admitted, chuckling when he frowned your way.

“Why?”

“I don’t know,” you giggled, the mood inside the car changing. He laughed, letting his head rest against the car seat. You planted a quick kiss to his cheek, your fingers intertwining.

“I appreciate you,” he whispered, turning his head so his lips could ghost yours. “So much,”

You kissed him gently, letting out a little squeal when he pulled you onto his lap. “Daniel!” You giggled loudly, palms flat on his chest as you looked at him.

“What? Can’t appreciate my girl?”

Heat rose to your cheeks as you felt like a teenager again, straddling his lap inside the walls of his car, sharing sweet kisses. “You should really consider coming to Hawaii with us,” he mumbled after he suddenly pulled away. “Work has been stressing you out, and I can tell. You deserve a trip,”

The tip of his thumb brushed against your swollen lips as you gave his statement a thought. You did need a vacation, you weren’t going to lie: work had been busy, filled with meetings and important deadlines. It truly had been stressing you out.

“It would be in a couple of months, baby,” Daniel whispered. “Just give it a thought and let me know,”

You nodded your head, pressing one last peck to his lips before opening the car door and sliding out, Daniel following your tracks.

You were still uncertain, but maybe the universe wanted you to be there. Next to Theo and Daniel, being part of their lives, part of their routine.

Maybe that was where you belonged.

-----

3 months later...

“You little troll!” You squealed jokingly, running after Theo as he splashed water your way. His giggles were loud when you wrapped your arms around him, spreading kisses all over his face as the warm Hawaiian sun shone on your faces.

“Daddy! Come play with mommy and I!” Theo yelled to Daniel, who was sitting by the shore, looking at his two favorite people playing together. He chuckled, stepping towards the two of you with a smile.

“Show daddy what I’ve taught you, baby,” you suggested, pushing the few strands of wet, dark hair away from Theo’s forehead.

The toddler looked at his father with a smile before lying flat on the water, floating ‘just like the big kids’, as he had said just prior. Daniel’s reaction was priceless, his lips pulling in a wide smile as he gave you a quick look.

His fingers were quick to tickle Theo’s stomach before pulling him in his arms, excitedly laughing with his son. “Look at you!”

“Was I good, daddy?” Theo asked with a giggle.

“You were spectacular!”

Theo laughed, pointing your way as he talked to his father. “Mommy helped me,”

“Do you think she should teach me, too?” Daniel asked, smirking your way when Theo nodded.

“Such a way to ask for alone time, Ricciardo,” you rolled your eyes, biting your lip before pressing a quick kiss to his lips. Theo’s tiny hands smacked the cheeks of you and your lover, pushing the two of you away in a fit of laughter.

“No kissies!”

You shook your head, pressing a quick peck to Theo’s cheek before letting your lips find Daniel’s one last time. “I’ll go get some sunscreen on, my shoulders are burning,” you muttered quickly, pointing a finger towards Theo teasingly. “And you, mister, you better come get your sunscreen refill in ten,”

“Mommy!” He pouted, giving you his puppy eyes you couldn’t resist.

“It’s gonna be quick, then you’ll be able to play with daddy and Papa as much as you want,”

You left only after you had gotten a small, resentful ‘okay’, walking towards the beach to reach for your beach bag. You looked from the distance at the boys, your boys, with a loving smile. You had never felt love for someone the same way you felt love for Daniel and Theo, never. Your heart belonged to them, in any possible way.

You wondered where you would have been at that point, if you hadn’t gone back to Daniel. Maybe you would have been back home, still heartbroken over the things he had made you go through as a teenager. Maybe you would have been in London, too scared to let him know you had kept your promise. Maybe you would have been somewhere else, far away from his life, living different experiences without him and the kid you had started to call your own.

You were there, though, living the life you had been wishing for ever since you were a little girl. A love story, a kid you loved so much, moments you would never be able to forget.

Your life was complete, everything you had asked for.

You weren’t uncertain anymore, there were no ‘maybes’, no ‘perhaps’.

That was where you belonged.

Taglist: @landowishes @crescentmooninspring @lharrietg [link to Taglist in bio]

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