Pit Stop of the Heart -Daniel Ricciardo bxb

Afterglow

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. Daniel woke first, his body warm, tangled in the sheets, and for a moment, he forgot where he was. It wasn't until he turned and saw Lucas still asleep beside him that the events of the night before came rushing back.

He didn't move immediately, watching Lucas's peaceful expression, the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Daniel couldn't help but smile, a mix of contentment and uncertainty swirling within him. Last night had been unexpected, but not in a bad way. In a way that made him feel like he was finally seeing something clearly.

Lucas shifted slightly in his sleep, his hand brushing against Daniel's as if instinctively seeking warmth. Daniel hesitated, unsure of whether to pull away or let the moment last a little longer. But before he could decide, Lucas's eyes fluttered open, locking with his.

For a second, neither of them said anything. There was no awkwardness, no rush. Just a quiet, shared understanding of what had happened.

"Morning," Lucas murmured, his voice hoarse from sleep. He stretched, his arm draping across Daniel's waist as he settled back against the pillow.

"Morning," Daniel replied, his voice barely more than a whisper. He hadn't expected this—hadn't expected to wake up feeling so... at peace. With everything. With Lucas.

Lucas's eyes searched his face, and for a moment, Daniel thought he might say something. But instead, Lucas just smiled, a small, almost shy curve of his lips. "Last night was..." He trailed off, clearly not quite sure how to finish the thought.

"Yeah," Daniel said, his chest tightening a little. "It was."

"I didn't expect it to be like this," Lucas confessed after a beat, his hand still resting lightly on Daniel's side. His voice was quiet, like he was still trying to find the right words.

"Me neither," Daniel admitted, turning slightly so he was facing him more fully. "But it felt... right, didn't it?"

Lucas nodded, his gaze soft. "It did."

They lay there in the quiet of the room for a while, the world outside fading as they just existed in the space between them. It felt easy—more easy than Daniel had ever imagined it could be. There was no need to rush, no need to fill the silence with words. Just being there, together, felt enough.

Eventually, the stillness was broken by Lucas's stomach growling loudly. He laughed, the sound light and warm in the quiet room.

"I think that's a sign we should get up," Daniel teased, pushing himself up onto his elbow to look down at Lucas, whose face was flushed with embarrassment.

"I should've eaten last night," Lucas groaned, rubbing his face with one hand.

Daniel chuckled, nudging him playfully. "Don't worry, mate. We've all been there. Let's go grab some breakfast."

They both sat up, the weight of the moment still lingering but not heavy, more like a promise hanging in the air. The comfort of what had just happened was still with them, and neither of them seemed in any hurry to rush out of it.

Lucas ran a hand through his hair, still looking a bit rumpled. "I didn't... I didn't think we'd be here."

Daniel raised an eyebrow, unsure of what Lucas meant, but Lucas met his gaze, the uncertainty from last night gone, replaced by something quieter. "Not here—together," Lucas clarified. "But I'm glad we are."

Daniel smiled, his chest swelling a little at the simple honesty of it. "Yeah. Me too."

As they got out of bed and started gathering their clothes, the familiar routine of race mornings resumed, but everything felt slightly different now. Daniel's steps felt lighter, his heart a little fuller.

The quiet, slow burn of the past few days was shifting into something new. Daniel wasn't sure what it was yet, but for once, he didn't feel the need to rush. Whatever it was, it was just starting. And for now, that was enough.

"Breakfast?" Daniel asked, holding up his shirt as he slipped it on.

Lucas smiled, pulling his own clothes on. "Yeah. Let's go."

They left the room together, stepping into the hall with the same easy familiarity they'd had the night before, but there was something else now. Something unspoken but undeniably there.