„Just give yourself some time" you told him with a small smile and slowly traced your fingers along the short hair on his neck. It was your routine after every race now but you wished it was different. "How much more time do I need then" he said quietly and you carefully wrapped your arms around his body. "It's all different, Dan. It's a new car. New engine. New team" you whispered quietly and he sighed. "They'll probably get sick of me soon, huh?" he tried to joke with a small smile but you shook your head instantly. "Nobody will ever get tired of you. Your time will come again" you told him and he stayed silent for a moment before he pressed a kiss to your head. "Okay".
But it didn't get easier. You watched how he missed Q3 in Monaco, Baku and both Austria races and you felt how his head was working hard even if he tried to hide it. The smile didn't reach his eyes anymore but you tried your best to get his head away from overthinking.
And it seemed to work in Silverstone. When he ran to you after the race and wrapped his arms around you in the drivers room, you couldn't help but chuckle while holding him tightly. "This is what we want, huh?" you whispered and he nodded against your keep before pressed a deep kiss to your lips. "Can we do this every weekend?" he mumbled against your lips and you smiled. "I am so here for it" you told him and traced your fingers along his stubbled cheek.
But the high turned into a low again sooner then you could even think about it. The mess in Hungary made your stomach turn around and when you saw the damage on his car you knew that he didn't have any chance to make up many spots.
After the race you watched the camera on his car and when he didn't get out, you felt the tears slowly appearing in your eyes. You knew he was angry. So angry. But you also knew that the disappointment and hurt was stronger.
When he finally got out, you saw his sunken shoulders and when he sat down on his tyre and shook his head, you felt the tears slowly pouring down. You pushed the headset from your ears and slowly made your way out of the garage and to the cars. Carefully you dabbed your skin dry and took a deep breathe before you slowly laid your hand on his shoulder.
But he didn't turn around. Instead he pushed his glow covered hand over yours and held onto it as tight as he could. "This wasn't your fault" you whispered and carefully undid the band on his helmet. "Nothing is working out" he said quietly and you bit down on your lip. "Your car had so much damage. You did everything you could" you whispered again and pushed the helmet from his head. "I don't know what else to do" he said while staring at his car so you slowly turned his head to you. "Give yourself a break again, okay? Take the summer break and get your head away from it" you told him and pressed a kiss to his head. "You think that will do something?" he asked and you nodded. "I know it. Your time will come again, okay? Redemption was always your thing at will always be" you rambled and held him close while he slowly nodded his head.
And you did what you could. You flew away with him, locking yours and his phone away for some time as well. You helped him to ignore his racing world for a few weeks and it seemed to help. His smile got wider again, his laugh louder and when he pulled you closer to him you saw that his mind stopped working on the things that blurred his vision for the last months.
"I missed that smile" you whispered while you boarded with him to fly back and felt how his fingers around yours tightened. "You're the reason to smile" he said and you chuckled under your mask while your cheeks heated up. "I love you" you mumbled against his arm as you sat down on your seat and felt how he pressed a kiss to the top of your head. "I love you more, darling".
Of course the Belgian Grand Prix turned around weirdly but his P4 in qualification made you the happiest. On Sunday you waited in the garage by his side and when the race was completely red flagged you hugged him tight and saw the laugh again on his lips. He didn't took is too serious and you were happy about it. And even after the Dutch Grand Prix you could take his mind away.
