Picture Perfect | Daniel Ricciardo

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Daniel's news that he had told Dani had to be still a secret. Toro Rosso wanted to surprise the world at winter testing to reveal that Daniel was back, even though he was still there last season. So he really wasn't that long gone. He had told Dani to keep it a secret too, but that was harder for her than she had thought. She was just so proud of him and wanted to scream it in anyone's faces that she met. The news somehow also made them get even closer and now they were back in their old habit of seeing each other literally every single day. Dani's family could even see how much happier Dani was getting now that she was hanging out with her old best friend again. It really was just like before. It felt like the most amazing Christmas present that she could ever wish for as Christmas was just around the corner. And with Christmas actually being in a few days Dani and Daniel's neighbourhood always organised a barbeque with the whole street. Of course like every year everyone had a different task. Dani's mom gave her the task to cut all the onions and lettuce so that her mom could make a salad. Not the most exciting task you could ask for, but Dani was fine with it as she was left alone in her mother's kitchen with her own music switched on the highest volume on. The music switched over to the song 'Girls' by The 1975 and Dani couldn't help but sing and swing along with the song. The mix of dancing along to the song and trying to avoid the tears that were coming up into Dani's eyes from cutting the onions did make for a different experience. She was trying so hard to get herself to stop tearing up from the onions by squeezing her eyes almost fully shut, but even that didn't seem to work. 
'WHAT are you doing?' A sudden voice that appeared from close behind her made her jump, but she did recognize the voice immediately. She turned her head a little bit and found Daniel's head really close to her left shoulder. His body was a little bit bent over to be able to watch over Dani's shoulder, although he could've watched over Dani's head if he was standing straight. 
'Danny! You scared me,' Dani said as she tried to wipe away with her wrist the one tear that escaped her eyes.
'Ah, did I make you cry?' Daniel asked amused as he sat down next to her. She sent him a sarcastic look as she put the onions that she just cut in a bowl. 
'No, the onions did,' she said back, taking another onion to first peel it and then cut it.
'Want me to do it?' he then asked to Dani's surprise. She looked back at him as he had his elbow on the table and his head resting on his hand while he was closely watching her. 
'You're still immune for them?' Dani grinned as she remembered him helping her mom sometimes with the onions. 
'Always been, always will be.' Daniel said with a wink before pulling the cutting board with everything still on it to his. Right before he wanted to take the big knife in his hand Dani warned him.
'Did you wash your hands?' She pointed her finger at his hands as she just knew the answer alright. He didn't.  Daniel laughed as he rolled his eyes to her before he stood up to wash his hands. 
'Did you know that your brother really loves the fact that we are back together?' Daniel suddenly asked as he dried his hands. Dani couldn't help but show a little smile at the way he said; back together. Like they were a couple. Of course he meant being back together as best friends, but still. 
'You mean Kurt?' Dani asked as she watched him nod his head as an answer to her question. Of course, it had to be Kurt. Will still thought that Daniel had hurt her on purpose the morning after prom night. 
'Yeah. He had no task for the barbie tonight and literally took my task over so that I could hang out with you,' he explained with a grin as he sat back down next to her. She watched him start cutting the onions as she secretly thanked her brother in her thoughts for doing that. Because now, although she was almost done with her task, Daniel took over her task. In the end, Dani felt like she was the one who was winning today. Because not only was she released of cutting the onions, but she could actually also watch Daniel without feeling like a total creep.

~o~

Sitting in the large garden from Daniel's neighbour that lived across from them there were two long tables set for the barbeque. Everything was already set up and they just had started with putting some meat on the barbeque. There were enough seats to choose from as most of the neighbours were hanging out inside, still talking with everyone. Daniel had pulled Dani with him to find a place where they could sit down next to each other. It was at the end of the table where Kurt actually had sat down at the head of it. Daniel sat down at the end of the table with Will sitting across from him and Dani sitting next to Daniel, across from Gina who was Will's girlfriend that he lived with. Dani hoped that Will would behave towards Daniel as he obviously still didn't really understand the situation between Dani and Daniel even when Dani tried to explain what happened. Will still felt like he needed to protect his little sister from any boy, even those who they all knew almost their whole life. 
'Are we supposed to walk to the food, or will it come to us?' Kurt asked as he pointed to where the meat was. 
'Last year they just walked around with the meat. So I think you're safe to stay here mate,' Daniel grinned as he slapped Kurt's shoulder. 
'And otherwise, we have enough bread laying here,' Dani added to Daniel's sentence as she pulled up the basket full with cut out pieces of a baguette and moved it over so that Kurt could grab some out of it. Which he of course did. The boy had enough space in his stomach for three whole dinners. 
'I would put it as far away from Kurt. Otherwise, they have to refill it in about ten minutes,' Will said, making most of them agree with him except for Kurt of course. 
'You always need to eat as much of the free food that you can,' said Kurt wisely, making the others laugh. Daniel had put his hand on Dani's knee. Making her look at Daniel who was already looking back at her with a smile. They both seem to think the same thing: How this all felt so familiar as it all felt like the old times, and that feeling only seemed to be more the case as the night went further.