Deals with Daisy // LN4

61 ~ Rehab

Daisy's POV

"I can skip my race, I am just racing for fun at this point - I don't need to leave," Max says while standing at the door, bags in hand and a very reluctant look on his face. I'm not surprised, I was the one who packed the bags for him, took them to the front door and then with my limited strength and energy, had pushed him to the front door as well. I scoff at the suggestion, my hands reaching out to his shoulders as I make him look me in the eyes.

"Where's Lando right now?" I ask him, noticing the slightly confused look on his face as I wait for the answer.

"Texas?"

"Correct! So if I can get Lando to travel half way across the world to Texas for his race, in what world do you think that I am not making you go to Rome for yours? I don't care that it's Formula E and not Formula One, you deserve to go, race and give it your all! So go!" I shake his shoulders lightly and see him still looking at me uncertainly. He wasn't totally wrong tone worried, I was tired but I just wanted him to leave through the front door so I could think about having a nap while I wait for my mum to arrive.

"Lando only went because he was leaving you with me," Max points out, still not moving while I roll my eyes at him and attempt to shove him once more. He, like Lando, is significantly bigger than I am and so I'm unable to make him leave. Again, he wasn't wrong but fortunately I'm more right than he is. And more stubborn.

"My mum will be here in an hour so you could wait and do an official handover and make me feel like the biggest idiot. However if you wait any longer then you will be late to media day and you will receive a fine for that. Rest assured I will not be the reason you choose to not pay for dinner upon your return!" I scold him, watching as his lips twitch at the mention of how he keeps on avoiding paying for things. "You spoke to my mum, you know she is coming so just go!"

"I love you Daisy," he says, giving up as his lips turn upwards into a full smile. As much as I want to roll my eyes and push him out the door, Lando's rant the other night runs through my head, as it has several times over the last few days when I've had nothing to entertain me. Now, the same as every other time that someone has said that to me I try to pause to let it sink in. I try and acknowledge the words and what they mean. What he really means when he says that. That it's the same as what I mean when I say the words back.

"I love you too Max, now go smash the weekend - but not the car! There's been enough of those in this flat recently," I joke, making him laugh for a moment at the dark humour as we both remember Lando's rather spectacular crash out of the race on Sunday. It had not been a good weekend for the golden boy and he'd avoided talking about it with me all he could, annoyed with himself for something which wasn't his fault as the brake line had suddenly failed and sent him into a wall in the middle of the race. The only vague positive was that it had somehow resulted in Charles's win rather than Lewis or Max's as the Ferrari's risky strategy had won them the race - their first of the season.

Still it hadn't been nice to see the immediate aftermath, a choked sob in the back of his throat had been accidentally caught on the radio after he confirmed he was okay. It was all just made worse when he was seen trying to hide how his tears by wearing sunglasses, leaving before the race was even over. Hell, his car hadn't even been cold and he was still in his race suit. I think he went straight to the media pen and did his mandated interviews and had then left immediately. I hated it but what I hated even more was not being able to do anything when I could feel his pain and frustration from here. I had no idea where he was even going too when he left the track which just made the whole situation worse. I was left just staring at my phone like a hawk, waiting for it to ring, Max beside me as the race and it's result was long forgotten.