Work Text:
“And the astonishing miracle has come true; Jake Dennis is your 2021 Formula E World Champion!”
He cannot believe it. It is impossible. He must be dreaming.
Jake grins, the excited shouting from his team, the joy that runs through him. He can hear himself shouting and screaming, “YES, YES, YYYYEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!” down the radio to his engineer. But he cannot seem to stop. How could he stop. Even getting decent points on his first season in FE had been a dream but now.
Now the unbelievable has come true.
Now he has everything he wanted. Everything he ever dreamt his first season would be.
It is perfect.
He can feel the joy of the others as he gets out of the car and throws himself at the engineers, at his team. Other drivers coming towards him, Antonio lifting him in a strange attempt at a bear hug and failing epically, the shouts from Mitch and Alex as they tackle him in a joint hug. Robin and Nico appearing together, the blonde finally managing to be the one to lift him up and twirl him around. He feels on top of the world. It feels like everything he had ever imagined as a small boy when he had not known what championship he would win but knew one day he would win one.
It feels like it was inevitable.
It feels like he is flying. It feels like he could take on and do anything he wanted. Like his rain of misfortune has now come to an end.
It seems perfect.
Too perfect.
He cannot even really recall anything else. The hugs, the shouts, the congratulations, and the ceremony all rolling into one jumbled mess of dreams and hopes and glory and -
It must be a dream.
But it does not feel like a dream?
It must be a-
Beep beep. Beep beep. Beep beep. Beeeeeeeepppppppppp
Gasping, Jake’s eyes shot open, and he practically launched himself of the bed. Panting and running a hand through his hair as he registered the reality. It was a dream.
It had only ever been a dream. Nothing whole, nothing tangible. Nothing incredible at all.
“Fuck,” Jake mumbled, sighing heavily as he got to his feet and headed for the bathroom. He could do this. He could get through today’s award ceremony. Third place was still a phenomenal achievement. But he still longed for the glory and recognition that would have a come with the first place.
The newcomer world champion. He would have liked that as a name. He really would’ve. But it was not to be. It was never meant to be.
He did not begrudge Nyck, he was happy for him, truly, but that did not stop him hoping and secretly wishing a miracle had occurred.
Several Hours Later
The atmosphere within the venue was like nothing he could ever describe. Ironically, it felt electric, super charged like the very cars themselves.
Spying Robin and Mitch talking at the nearest table, Jake headed towards, dropping into his seat with a greeting of ‘hey’ and a smile that did not meet his eyes.
“Hey yourself, you alright?” Robin frowned, leaning towards, his eyes worried.
“I’m fine.”
“Really?” Mitch hummed next to him, leaning closer, “Because those bags under your eyes suggest something else entirely. You look like you didn’t get any sleep last night.”
“I’m fine Mitch, stop looking at me like that!” Jake snapped, feeling uncharacteristically annoyed as the other man’s large brown orbs seemed to pierce his own and look straight into his soul.
“Yeah, Jake, I’d give up at this point,” Alex chuckled as he dropped into the seat next to the kiwi and kissed his cheek, “He has had years of practice deducing that when us Brits say we are fine in that tone, 99% of the time we really aren’t. Whatever it is just tell him. He won’t leave you alone otherwise.”
“And if I don’t want to talk about it?”
“Then I’ll just get it from you anyway,” Mitch grinned winking, “Now come on, tell us. I’d have thought you’d be on cloud nine mate after the incredible season you’ve had.”
Jake winced at the comment. It was an incredible season. Third was still something special and here he was ruining it by being unhappy about getting third. It did not make sense. Why did third feel like it was not good enough? It was more than he had ever hoped for when he had joined the season. But it still did not feel right.
For some reason being on the lowest rung of the podium felt worse than if he had come fourth.
But why?
“Probably because you hoped for more?” Nico answered the demons swirling in his head as he placed several drinks down in front of them from the tray he was holding, “I’ve had the same feeling in DTM before. You want so much to reach your goal. To get to the top of the podium, that when you get so close, only for it to be taken from you, even if the other driver fully deserves it, it doesn’t stop your head thinking you should have done more.”
“That’s true,” Antonio nodded as he took the final seat at the table.
“How did you know I was thinking that?” Jake frowned, puzzled as he glanced around the table.
“Because one you were talking out loud, and two, your face is like an open book,” Mitch answered, reaching across the table, and squeezing his bicep in support, “We’re here you know. We may not have all known you that long, but we do care. The FE drivers are a bit like a family and-”
“A very strange family,” Robin muttered, grinning as Mitch glared at him for interrupting, “But still we are, that’s true.”
“Have you finished?”
“Huh?”
“Robin I was talking,” Mitch grumbled.
“You’re always talking, what’s new?” the Dutchman shrugged, teasing the other man.
“I’m not always talking!” Mitch exclaimed incredulously.
“You really are,” Nico laughed, curling his arm around Robin’s waist, “In fact if you ever stopped talking, I think we’d be more worried Mitch.”
“Alex, tell them,” Mitch turned to his partner, and even Jake could not help but smile at the Kiwi’s expression despite how he was feeling.
“Mitch, baby, they’re not lying, it’s just who you are.” Leaning down Alex kissed Mitch softly, distracting his irritate partner.
“Anyway,” Antonio took over, “Spill Dennis, the look on your face really doesn’t suit you and if Mitch can notice it, the man who once managed to park his car in the wrong garage last year, then you can bet everyone else will notice it to.”
“I wish I knew,” Jake sighed, “I’m not sure myself, FE was meant to be my big break, to finally get the chance I’ve struggled with for years, and it feels like I’ve blown it.”
“Jake, you got third. It may not be first place but trust me in this field it’s impressive.”
“Damn impressive.”
“Hell yes! Especially when you have the likes of Di Grassi, Edo, Nyck, Stoffel, Norman. Guys that are insanely talented in their own rights. Hell Jake, getting third against the likes of them takes more than just luck, it takes skill. Pure skill.”
“And raw talent in its own right,” Alex finished, his eyes warm and burning.
“You think so?”
“We know so. Besides now it’s time.”
“Time?” Jake glanced around the table, puzzled, until a voice interrupted from behind.
“And now, with no further ado, it’s time for the FIA Formula E World Championship Prize Giving. Please welcome your third-place finisher, an incredible feat for an FE newcomer, Jake Dennis!”
“You better get going,” Antonio chuckled, pulling the temporarily frozen Jake to his feet, “Your audience awaits.”
“And Jake,” Jake glanced back as he moved, still feeling slightly dazed towards the stage where a smiling Nicky and Dario awaited, “Don’t let it get to your head. We’ll all be after your crown next year.”
Snorting, Jake finally felt the tightness that had been in his chest all day ease. He could do this. There was always next year, and, just maybe, he would get his miracle then. Perhaps, next year a miracle will come true outside of his dreams after all.