Picture Perfect | Daniel Ricciardo

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The morning of Daniel's last day in Australia before he was going to move with his trainer to Monaco was one Daniel dreaded. He would go to Monaco for a few days to then go to Spain for the winter testing. It made him feel a little bit better when he woke up in Dani's room with Dani cuddled up against him, still fast asleep. It was at this point that Daniel was doubting his choice about going back to Formula One. He just doesn't want to leave Dani, definitely not for this long. Was it even worth it? If only Dani knew what Daniel was thinking right now, she would probably push him to the airport herself. Daniel's eyes were concentrated on Dani's sleeping face. He pushed a string hair away from her face and couldn't help but smile as he currently felt like the happiest man alive. He couldn't wait when winter testing was over and he could invite her to the race in Melbourne. It would be her first Formula One race that she was going to visit in real life. And there would only come even more as his only goal was to impress everyone with some good results and build his career further up. He wanted to make Dani proud, even though she was already very proud of him as she has said that many times since Daniel had told her about him going back to racing. Daniel's hand slowly traced a path from her upper arm to her cheek and smiled when she was leaning into his hand. How was he ever going to say goodbye tonight at the airport to her? He didn't know and he rather just not think about it.
'What time is it?' Daniel suddenly heard Dani ask while she was yawning. He hadn't realised she had woken up.
'I think it's around ten.' he responded back to her as she finally opened her eyes. He saw her smile to him as he felt her grip tightening around his body. He placed his hand on the back of her head and played a bit with her hair.
'Are you excited about tonight?' Dani asked, still having that smile on her face. Daniel's eyes were focused on her hair, but had slowly turned back to meet her eyes.
'Not really.' he said, only making Dani looked worried at him. So he kept on talking. 'I mean. I'm excited to race again, but that's not until Melbourne.'
'I think you'll be excited when you're back in your Formula One car and drive it on the race track at winter testing.' Dani said as she made different figures on Daniel's chest, distracting them both for a little while. 'I'll try and find a live stream for winter testing if there is any.'
'I wouldn't bother. Winter testing is really boring. You can better wait until the season starts for real in Melbourne.' Daniel said as he watched her fingers on his chest.
'If you say so.' Dani smiled. Leaving both of them quiet for the rest of the time that they stayed in bed.

The clock had passed the number twelve when Daniel and Dani slowly walked into the very busy kitchen. Kurt was having his breakfast although you could now call it lunch, Will was having a conversation with his mother and Teddy, their dog, was standing very close to Kurt and looked very interested at his food. 
'Good morning you two,' Dani's mom said immediately when she saw the couple walking in. 'You want me to make you some breakfast... or well, lunch I should better say.' 
'No thank you, mom. We're off again.' Dani said with a sad smile. All the people in the room knew that Dani wasn't looking forward to today. None of them was. Even Will had put his protecting feelings for his sister away for a bit because he couldn't lie, he was also going to miss Daniel. The whole family was going to miss him now that he was back in their lives. 
'I'm treating Dani on some lunch,' Daniel explained.
'Lunch?' Kurt asked with a mouth full of food. He turned his body in his chair and looked at his sister and Daniel. 'What about me?' 
Dani rolled her eyes as Daniel grinned at him. 'Kurt, I know you're gonna miss me, but this time it's Dani's turn. I'll treat you on lunch next time.' Daniel said as he patted his shoulder with a laugh. 
'I keep you on that.' Kurt responded and turned back to his food. Dani shook her head to her brother which he couldn't see, but Daniel did as he smiled back at her.
'Shall we go then?' Daniel asked. He put his hand on Dani's shoulder to push her slowly to the backdoor. 
'Oh hold on a minute!' Dani's mom said as she made her way to the fridge. 'I don't know if we'll see you again today, so I got you something.' She was looking for something in her fridge and finally saw it and took it out. Dani saw the little container she got out of the fridge and started to sigh. 
'The good luck cookies?' Daniel started to grin as he took the container full with cookies she used to make and give Daniel before he went to kart race.  'God, I haven't had these in so long! Thank you, Marline. You didn't have to.' 
'I do! I missed doing this tradition.' Dani's mom said with a big smile as Daniel gave her a big hug.
'I will walk in before I go to say goodbye to you all.' Daniel said, which made Dani's mom smile even bigger. 
'That's alright. Now go, before you decide you'd rather spent the day with me instead of Dani.' She gave a big wink to the couple, before Dani rolled her eyes and pulled Daniel away from her crazy family. They adored Daniel a little bit too much in Dani's opinion. But what else was new? 
'Who do you think they will miss more? Me, or you when you go back to school?' Daniel laughed as he put an arm around Dani when they were walking to the place where they would get lunch.
'You, obviously.' Dani said.
'I was also thinking that.' Daniel agreed, making Dani roll her eyes with a laugh. 'Because I got cookies... and you didn't.' 
'I'm also not leaving yet.' Dani grinned as she tried to steal the container with cookies out of Daniel's hand, but with Daniel's fast reflects he could avoid her attempt of stealing his special cookies. Daniel wasn't exaggerating when he said those cookies were very special. Not only did they taste what Daniel would describe as heaven, but they also been made by the family he absolutely adored and had always seen as a second family. These cookies brought a lot of memories with them. 
'Don't worry. I will let you have one.' Daniel said, only getting a sarcastic sound as respond from Dani. 

Dani and Daniel spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach until it was time for Daniel to pack his things. Dani was sitting on his bed and looked at how Daniel packed his suitcase. She had a sad look on her face that turned into a sad smile every time Daniel looked back at her. She tried to keep a brave face on, but it didn't stay on for long and she'd rather wanted to cry. But she told herself she could do that later tonight. 
'You think these are too many sweaters?' Daniel suddenly asked. He mostly did it to get Dani's attention away from her thoughts that obviously to Daniel made her feel sad. He could imagine what she was thinking about and to be fear, he was trying to avoid those thoughts too for now. Dani looked up and was met with Daniel's eyes immediately. She took a few seconds to remember the question she got asked before opening her mouth to answer it.
'I think you need it in Europe. I wouldn't be surprised if these aren't thick enough.' Dani said and took one sweater in her hand to feel how thick the fabric was. He definitely needed some thicker once, knowing Daniel and how easily cold he got if it wasn't any Australian weather. 'Yeah, I guess you're right.' he agreed and went back to packing. The atmosphere in the room was getting a problem as both of them didn't know how to switch their mood around. It was Daniel's mom, Grace, who knocked on the door and slowly opened it that made the atmosphere lightened up just a little bit.
'You almost packed Daniel?' she asked and smiled brightly at the couple. Daniel knew exactly why his mom was being so bright right now. It was all for show for Dani and probably also for Daniel himself.
'Uhm,' Daniel responded as he looked around his old room. 'I think so. We'll be down in a minute.'
Grace nodded and closed the door behind her. When the two were back to being alone in Daniel's room, Daniel turned his head to Dani. He stretched out his arm to her and when she put her hand in his he helped her up.
'I guess I'm done packing...' Daniel sighed as he hugged Dani closely to her. He could see Dani give a nod to him. His hand had softly placed itself on her cheek and softly caressed her. He wasn't sure how to do this. Saying goodbye to Dani. It somehow seemed harder than before. They used to do these kinds of stuff plenty of time when Daniel started to race in Europe and it usually was very easy. But now it felt harder to do so. Daniel guessed it was because they once had lost each other before and they were both afraid of it happening again. If they stayed close with each other like they did these few weeks then there was no way they lose each other, but being on the other side of the world? Daniel couldn't do much from there and it sucked.
'Dani.' he sighed, making her look up to him. 'I-'
'Let's not say goodbye yet, okay?' Dani said in a whisper tone. Daniel nodded fastly as he saw her teary eyes. He hated to see her cry like that. It almost made him cry too.
'Okay.' he said and kissed her softly. This was going to be way harder than he first thought.