Chapter Text
The rolling hills of North Carolina were bathed in the warm light of the rising sun as Chase and Ryan made their way down the deserted country road to their house. The windows were down, the breeze was combing through Ryan’s hair as he was driving the straight path home. Chase was looking out the passenger seat window deep in thought of how lucky he was.
“What are you thinking about,” said Ryan while pulling into the driveway
“Just about life”
Finally, after 6 years of dating Chase finally decided to ask Ryan to marry him. They decided to take a short trip to Italy before they had to get back to racing. As it was getting closer to the end of the trip Chase realized this was the perfect opportunity. Ryan was standing on the balcony looking towards the Tyrrhenian Sea as the sun began to set. Chase made his way toward him and wrapped his hands around his waist.
“The view is beautiful,” Chase said as he pressed a kiss to Ryan’s check
“I know I am Clyde” Ryan gave him a sardonic smile. Chase unwrapped his hands, taking a step back.
“I was joking, you know that” turning around he would find Chase on one knee with a black felt box in his hand. Opening the box would reveal a golden band with three diamonds in the middle.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you, building a future together and creating memories that will last a lifetime. I want to wake up every morning with you by my side and fall asleep every night with you in my arms. When racing against you makes me feel alive. Ryan-“
“Yes”
“I didn’t even ask you yet”
“I don’t care Chase. Yes, a thousand times yes. I have to call my family. I have to call Bubba. Oh my god”
“Calm down Ry I still need to put the ring on your finger”
Chase slipped the ring onto Ryan’s finger “You’re stuck with it for the rest of your life” Ryan said laughing through the tears
“I’ll pick up the dogs from the kennel tomorrow since you have a busy day” murmured Ryan into Chase's chest
“I’m sure Jeff wouldn’t mind if I was a couple of hours late”
“Keep telling yourself that”
While Ryan was fast asleep all Chase could think about is how lucky he is. Sure winning the championship is cool but getting married to his best friend is even better. Eventually, sleep would take over leaving him wondering what the future holds.
“Josseff”
“Scott you’re going to bed, you’re drunk”
“Will won’t mind if I’m late. Also, I'm not drunk just a little tipsy”
“Will won’t mind but Tim probably will”
Josef and Scott have known each other for 4 years. They slowly got to know each other once Scott moved to the US. Feels would start slowly forming for both sides of the party, then the morning after St. Petersburg they would widen, waking up in the same bed.
“This isn't my bed or bus,” said Josef slowly opening his eyes and getting used to the familiar surroundings. Looking down he found a half-awake Scott Mclaughlin playing with his chest cuddling in closer, looking a little down. “What's wrong Scotty”
”I don't want this to be a one-night stand, Joey, I want this to be the real thing”
“Y-you want to date me?” This is the moment that Josef has been waiting for since laying his eyes on Scott. Those ocean eyes look into him whenever they are joking around or going for a track walk during the sun setting.
“Only if you'll have me”
“Of course, I will Scott”
It's been almost a full year since that moment, they’d grown closer together than they’d ever had before. They decided to move in together 2 months ago and haven’t looked back since.
“I’ll be getting up early tomorrow, what time do you want me to get you up?”
“Just let me sleep in” murmured Scott face first thing into the pillow
“Alright Scotty, good night love you”
“Love you, Joey”
With that Scott went right to sleep snoring away while staying up a bit longer getting work done and finishing up a project, slowly coming down from his drunken state from a night of drinking. Once he got into bed himself he fell fast asleep.
Opening his eyes to a burly view, Josef looked over at the clock reading the time 5:30. He wanted to go back to bed but something in his body was telling him to get up. As he got out of bed in the pitch-dark room eminently he knew something was wrong. Quickly he realized that the room he was in was not the one fell asleep in. He found his way to the bathroom in the mysterious room, when he turned on the lights he was looking into the mirror but not at his reflection.
“What the fuck” Looking back at Josef was not his reflection but NASCAR champion Chase Elliott aka his teammates' fiancé.
“Shit” maybe this is a bad dream he thought to himself.
“Is everything okay in there” he heard a southern accent shout that would confirm his deepest fears. Just to be sure he opened up the bathroom door to check, looking back would be his biggest fear. Ryan Blaney sitting up in bed the only thing covering his presumably naked body was the sheets that he was wrapped up in, his long dark hair was all over the place, and looking into his eyes were Ryan’s gray-blue eyes.
“You look like you’ve just seen a ghost”
“I-um” quickly Josef ran to the toilet feeling his stomach starting to get wheezy. He heard a soft knock at the door followed by it slightly opening
“Chase I’m coming in”
When he looked up he found Ryan with sweatpants on and his hair pulled back into a bun.
“Call Hendricks letting them know that you won’t be coming in today. I’ll get someone else to pick up the dogs so I can take care of you” Ryan spoke softly, bending down to rub his back.
“No, it’s fine you can pick up the dogs”
“But you'll call out off work right”
“I will. Can you make me something to eat”
Ryan was a little hesitant to leave Chase alone but finally decided to leave and head downstairs to make breakfast. Once he left that’s when the panic started to set in.
“What the fuck am I supposed to do” he eventually got up from the bathroom made his way to the sink and splashed cold water on his face. “I can’t show him affection that would be cheating on Scott”
Realization slowly dawned upon him that if he was in Chase’s body then Chase would be in his body. He quickly ran downstairs trying to find Ryan.
“Hey! I’m fine to go to work. It was a little bug”
“You’re sure?”
“I wouldn’t lie to you about this”
“You have and you still would”
A thing Josef didn’t take into account is the fact that he didn’t know anything that Chase and Ryan would talk about or do.
“Can you just put my breakfast into some Tupperware, I’ll eat it at the facility.”
“Ryan” Josef said calmly putting a hand on his shoulder “I’ll be fine”
With that, he found car keys that he assumed were Chase’s and headed out of the house with breakfast that he would eventually leave. As he made his way not toward the Hendricks facility but to the house of someone who he hopes could help.
“I must have done something wrong,” Ryan said into the phone as he was working on a breakfast of his own.
“What could have you done”
“I don't know, he's being condescending to me”
“Are you sure you're not just overreacting?”
“Bubba, he just left no goodbye, no good morning, no kiss, nothing” Ryan began to hyperventilate starting to get all these ideas in his head about Chase falling out of love and leaving him.
“Breath Ryan” Slowly taking deep breaths Ryan began to calm down getting into a neutral state.
“I’m coming over”
“No..no it’s just I’m just going to Penske to the sim”
“Call me if anything changes and Ryan I’m serious about that”
“I know, I will, I promise.”
The sun was seeping through the window as the wind was blowing the curtains calmly. Chase moved his body to wrap his hands around Ryan’s body. It was his favorite thing to do in the morning, being able to just hug his fiancé until they had to get out of bed to start the long day and when coming home after the day is finished finding Ryan in the kitchen cooking dinner for them or just lying on the couch watching something on the TV.
“Joey” It's weird for Ryan to call him Joey. He understands that they are teammates and all so he could say the wrong name unless he's been sleeping with Logano which he wouldn't do because first off he's too in love with Chase to cheat on him and secondly Joey has been married to Brad for far too long to be thinking about cheating as well. That means the new season is probably getting to him with all the work that he's doing. Also, when did Ryan get an Australian accent?
“Why are you talking in an Australian accent?” Chase murmured, slowly opening his eyes.
“Josef, what are you talking about, I'm from New Zealand. How many times do I have to tell you- were you even listening to what I was saying?
Chase opened up his eyes to look at the man that he was in bed with. Looking at the man who was staring back at him was one of Ryan's teammates, Scott which means.
“I'm going to the bathroom real quick,” Chase rushed to the bathroom and locked himself in, staring back at his reflection. Looking back at him was a greek god which is the most appropriate way of describing Josef, tall with rock-solid muscles, perfect blonde hair, and a charm that would make anyone fall for him.
“Shit” Chase went running out of the bathroom towards the stairs.
“Josef is everything ok,” Scott said following him out of the bedroom.
“Yeah..yeah I'm heading to Penske” Chase ran to the walk-in to where he guessed the keys were, then to the garage to get the car. If Chase knows one thing about Ryan is that he will start being hard on himself if he felt like he did something wrong. If he had to guess Josef wouldn't want to do anything with Ryan like he wouldn't want to do anything with Scott, even a simple kiss would feel wrong.
“Alex he just ran mate”
“Maybe he found out he could do better”
“He knows I'm the best, don't lie to yourself. I'm going in any way he can’t run forever”
“Good luck Scotty” Alexander is always brutally honest with him and Josef which is nice in these types of situations it keeps them level-headed. “Good luck Scott” he heard from the background.
“Tell James I say hi and congrats on the engagement.”
“Thank you we’ll be waiting for you and Josef when that time comes”
“If he gets over himself” Scott sighed, getting changed quickly to make his way to the facility hoping Josef is in a better mood.