#*f: v6

[fredomotophoto]

My secret paradise

Canon EOS 6D

EF24-70mm

f/4L IS USM

ƒ/11.0

24.0 mm

speed 5 s

iso 800

[auratold]

Everything was still hazy as she blinked her eyes several times, trying to focus on the man next to her. After a few tries she could see him clearly and moved to push herself up. Pain coursed through her at the movement, sparking from her ribs and extending upwards towards her scar as she took in a sharp inhale. Just how hard had she taken that hit? "Hurts," Pyrrha started, fingertips rising to assess the damage. Her ribs were bruised at least, and it wasn't helping matters with her still healing injury. Even with all the strides she has taken in her recovery, a hit of that caliber would be enough to reignite pain. "I am assuming the grimm have been dealt with? I don't think I will be able to continue fighting right now."

continued @scareqrowbranwen

[ct-hardcase]

.

[opelman]

76 - Alpine V6 GT by Laurent Quérité Via Flickr: Team Mancel Sport Jean Jacques MANCEL / Cyril MANCEL / Alexander THIEL / Gaël LE CLEAC'H Les 2 Tours d'horloge 2023 Circuit Paul Ricard Le Castellet Var France IMG_0951

[bitterborne]

"Oh, spawn of the creator~" Glitchtrap muses as it kicks its legs while sitting upon the countertop, "Do you really think you'll be something more than just a shadow of him?"

IT  KIND  OF  FEELS  LIKE  BEING  SCOOPED.  AGAIN.  Michael’s  breath  ( unneeded )  catches  in  his  ( torn )  throat,  and  something  ugly  ( childish )  holds  his  tongue  for  a  moment  too  long.  The  rabbit  sure  knows  where  to  kick  a  dog  when  it’s  already  down,  and  Michael  has  barely  recovered  from  the  nasty  surprise  of  seeing  it  in  the  first  place.  For  a  moment,  he’s  sixteen  again  –  tall,  but  never  as  tall  as  his  father  –  strong,  but  never  as  strong  as  his  father  –  trying  so  hard  to  be  good,  but  never  good  enough  –  and  lost  for  words.  All  he  can  do  is  stare  at  the  glitch  for  a  torturous  second,  before  laughing.  Harsh,  rough.  Resigned.  

They’re  the  same,  aren’t  they ?  Both  created  by  him.  The  thought  is  laden  and  sour  in  his  throat  when  he  speaks:

“ I  guess  he  didn’t  have  time  to  code  you  with  some  kind  of  command  to  shut  the  fuck  up. ”  Not  that  Michael  really  thinks  his  father  would  have  done  that  anyway.  He  always  seemed  to  like  the  sound  of  his  own  voice  too  much.  But  he’s  bitter,  brash  with  his  next  words.  “ I’m  literally nothing  like  him  – ”   ANYMORE.  “ – and  hey,  look  who’s  still  standing.  It’s  sure  not  him. ”

That,  at  least,  makes  him  smile,  even  if  it  is  a  hollow  victory.  Steps  forward,  despite  all instinct,  towards  the  rabbit,  his  upturned  lips  mocking  and  hard, and adjusts the mask so it can see his scarred grin.

“ At  the  end  of  the  day,  I’m  the  one  that  survived.  Guess  the  world  really  wants  me  to  eradicate  every  last  memory,  every  shadow,  of  him,  huh ? ”   And  Glitchtrap  is  next,  if  he  doesn’t  shut  up.  Deep  down,  a  part  of  him  still  itches  for  a  bit  of  destructive  violence, and even if smashing up a computer monitor won't hurt it, it sure as hell would feel good. 

[brick-enthusiast]

Jaguar F-Type

[apixellife]

[QE] @ Flourish Event

THIS ROUND OF FLOURISH FROM JUNE 5TH @ 12PM SLT THRU JUNE 11TH . FLOURISH LOCATION: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Enchanted%20Clarity/102/214/2502 FLICKR: https://www.flickr.com/groups/flourishevent/pool/ GALLERY: https://media-sl.com/2023/06/05/flourish-event-june-5th-11th/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/FlourishEventSL INSTAGRAM:…

[traitormithos]

My car was finally on the roadway to death and so I had to get a new one (a new used one, we don't buy new cars here, it's unnecessary)

Well, anyway I didn't cry about spending more than I wanted (for a. dependable car and b. dream car), but I have cried 4 times so far over trading in my almost broken equinox

[iceman-kazansky]

Can you write Seb x driver!reader where driver wins race after race and wins the championship and becomes red bulls prodigy and basically Seb is jealous of her and he basically hates her but she’s kind to him and everyone so he ends up falling in love with her

Little Miss Sunshine 

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙· ̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Requested by: Anon 

Request: ^^

Pairings: Sebastian Vettel x F!RB!Driver!reader 

Warnings: Seb is a bit of an ass at first (as per request,) typical red bull menace era Seb. Y/n utilized. Kissing. Getting drunk. Angst to fluff. No Danny ric to RB and Hamilton doesn't win WDC that year (for the plot.)

Word count: 5295

A/n: AHHH OMG I LOVED THIS REQUEST! GIGGLED AND KICKED MY FEET WHEN I GOT THIS! Hope you enjoy this :):) P.S. Sorry this took so long, Life got quite hectic haha

Taglist: none (if you'd like to be on my taglist, there's a link to the form at the bottom of the post! :] )

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙ ＊*• 

You had smiled awkwardly at Sebastian when you’d first met him, given him a little wave and greeted him rather shyly. It wasn’t your first year in Formula 1, of course, though, you’d come from a cheaper team, one that hadn’t had a streak of winning like Red Bull. So, naturally, you were a little timid of the new environment and determined not to let your team down or have a sour relation with your teammate.

You were standing in your race suit, your white balaclava pulled over your head as you adjusted your helmet before climbing into your car.

Sitting in the new vehicle had never felt this nerve-wracking. Already, all of their eyes were on you and their expectations were high. You were nervous, eaten to the core by the fear that you might disappoint your new team on your maiden grand prix for them. 

Without further ado, you shoved those thoughts down and went through the routine of starting your car. The engine roared to life and emitted a low purr. Carefully, you steered your car out of the garage, entering the pit lane.

After the formation lap, you'd taken your position at your spot on the grid, lining up midway through the lineup. Around you, the roar of the new v6 engines filled your ears as the lights began igniting.

As the lights went out and you pulled ahead of a few other drivers, you managed to keep up your pace, chasing Sebastian for the entire session.

On your maiden Red Bull race, you'd placed an impressive P2, second none other to teammate Sebastian Vettel.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙ ＊*• 

The previous race wasn't where your success stopped. Not at all. Last grand prix, you'd placed below Sebastian, something you considered a result of your lesser driving skills compared to the 4 time world champion. Yet, it wasn't long before you found yourself surpassing him on many occasions. 

You placed higher than him many times, scoring podiums nearly every race. And Sebastian didn't like that he was being out-driven by his new teammate. It left a sour taste in his mouth. 

He began to resent you. He loathed the fact that you were new to this team, to Red Bull, a group so closely-knit because of him. The constant reminder that you had penetrated the family-like racing team he had worked so hard to make closer, was impossible to forget when you –in his words– paraded around the paddock with your bright, easy smiles and kind words. He hated the way you smiled so cheerily, sun rays woven between pearly teeth that portrayed a constant warmth. Your smile seemed to never stop shining and it made Sebastian even more bitter about the situation.

Maybe it was silly. A stupid rivalry. But Sebastian was stubborn and he very much liked winning. He liked being dubbed ‘the best’ 4 consecutive years. And you were taking that away from him. He hated you for it.

It was a particularly bad race for Sebastian. Or, atleast, he'd call it bad. He hadn't placed nearly as high as he'd hoped and it made him angry. You on the other hand, had unsurprisingly placed first, which extended your lead over Sebastian and only increased his frustration.

He climbed out of his car, sweating heavily and anger hot as lava beneath his skin. You followed suit before making your way over to him where he stood. He groaned as you approached, his rage boiling.

“That was a tough race, Sebastian,” You said to him, a small, friendly smile on your face, “You did good.”

Something in the way you smiled at him while you said that made him frustrated and irritable. “Save your sympathy for someone who wants it,” He spat angrily, eyes hardened to a glare.

Sebastian didn't miss the small frown that found its way to your lips, and he found himself feeling a small tinge of something in his chest. It almost frightened him at the peculiar nature of the newly discovered feeling.

“I was just being nice,” You replied in a quieter, much sadder tone, “Sorry.”

As you turned and walked away without another word, Sebastian watched. The German driver knew he should do something. Say something. Call you back and apologize. Yet, his mouth remained glued shut and his eyes locked on your retreating form.

“Fuck,” He cursed to himself, a frustrated hand coming up to run through his sweaty strands of hair.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙ ＊*• 

It was race day again and already, Sebastian wasn't in a good mood. The previous argument had gone forgotten by him and his anger resurged. You'd out-everything'd him. Out-qualified; Out-lapped; Out-fastest lapped; You'd out-raced him entirely, scoring yourself pole position to start the race off.

Sebastian was a few grid spots back. It wasn't his finest performance over the past few days, he would admit that much.

His eyes were locked on the red lights above the grid that slowly began their count.

1..

The first one ignited.

2..

The second light burned a bright red, and Sebastian tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

3..

The third set of lights turned on. Sebastian began to rev his car's engine by pressing his foot on the gas.

4..

The fourth pair of lights lit up, and Sebastian could feel his anticipation growing. He wasn't going to let you win again today. He had to place higher than you.

5..

Finally, the fifth pair of lights blinked on. Sebastian subconsciously squeezed the steering wheel, eyes locked firmly on the red lights as he waited almost impatiently.

The lights all extinguished, and all the cars surged forwards as the race began.

Sebastian was fighting tooth and nail as he moved his way up the race standings. He raced behind you now, your car's tail end visible not far ahead. 

You were driving spectacularly. You pulled corners with professional precision, accelerating out of them with the help of ERS to propel you forward, your car following a unique racing line all with a feel that came natural to you.

Sebastian was pushing his car to the limits as he caught up to you, using all of his ability to keep up and attempt an overtake. You were quick to defend when he moved over slightly to pass, your car zipping in front of him to effectively block his path.

It made him angry and want to take first place from you even more. Sebastian just barely managed to get to a point where he was wheel-to-wheel with you on a straightaway. Yet, a corner with a decreased radius was rapidly approaching as your fight for first intensified.

Your car pulled to the outer edge of the track as you followed the perfect racing line into the turn, Sebastian almost parallel with you. The German driver knew he needed to brake soon and get into a better racing line to complete this corner, but he was too caught up in the fact he was neck and neck with you, fighting for first and he didn't want to pull away and give up.

At almost the same time, your cars slowed coming into the corner, and Sebastian steered sharply into the turn as the track narrowed. 

It all happened in a flash. One minute, both of you were racing around the corner, determined to obtain first place and refusing to allow the other to simply have it, and the next, Sebastian's car, which was going a little too fast as it rounded the bend at the same time yours did, veered straight into the side of your car. The impact sent both of you skidding out of control. Your car spun a few times, tossed straight off the track and into the gravel before smashing into the barrier, Sebastian's following the same track, only slightly ahead of yours.

The German's head was pounding as he came to a stop, a nauseous feeling collecting in his stomach. Only when his eyes laid on your similarly crashed car did he feel a strange sense of panic. Fighting against his restraints, he quickly unbuckled himself, scrambling out of his car once he'd shut it off. His feet had barely hit the ground before he had taken off running towards your crashed car.

It didn't take long to reach you, and when he did he was met with what appeared to be a very disorientated you, who groaned, your helmet pressed against the back of your seat. He reached over to shut off your car when you hadn’t already. His nerves were through the roof, panic running icy-cold through his veins. “Are you okay?” He asked, trying to keep his voice calmer than he really felt. When you didn't answer immediately, he asked again, “Y/n, are you okay?”

You groaned in reply, your helmet turning slightly to face him, the object obscuring your face from him. “I'm okay. Are you okay?”

Sebastian blinked a few times in confusion. You were the one still sitting in the car, and asking if he was okay? “Yeah, I'm fine.” He replied after a minute, baffled.

A sigh of relief left your lips and Sebastian imagined one of your signature smiles finding its way onto your face. 

In a strange moment of what he would call brain-fog, but in reality was clarity, Sebastian felt comforted by that thought. However, he was quick to force that feeling back down to the deepest, warmest pits of his heart and soul. Shoving back down that tiny bit of himself that felt warm and fuzzy at the mention of your name. That tiny bit he never wanted to confront because a part of him knew what it meant.

You got out of your car after that, unbuckling your harness and climbing out. Marshals had arrived on scene and before you knew it, they were giving both of you rides back to the paddock.

When you got back to the Red Bull Garage, both of you had pulled off your helmet and your balaclavas. Sebastian still felt stubbornly bitter, but underneath all that was a strong sense of guilt. He knew it was his fault both of you crashed. Yet, when he looked at your face for the first time since you'd both spun out and hit the barriers, he didn't see anger. He saw a soft smile and a warm look present on your face.

Sebastian didn't understand. Why weren't you angry at him? He was the reason why you both crashed, and he'd subsequently gotten both of you disqualified from the race entirely. Any other person would've been fuming, spitting fire from an angry tongue and steam rolling from their ears. Yet, why weren't you?

For a moment– a split second– Sebastian felt his bitterness ebb away. There was this growing tingling in his chest, and he could feel his stomach knotting itself as it thrashed in turmoil. He found himself staring at you, his anger and so-called loathe of you forgotten, now replaced by a feeling of warm fondness. Again.

The German shook his head to clear those thoughts and feelings. This was the second time today this had happened. What had gotten into him?

The moment for Sebastian didn't last long as soon enough your team principal came out and had a stern talking to both of you, but overall you both got let off easy.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙ ＊*• 

It was the finishing night of another race week again. One of the many breaks in the season was starting and everyone was in good spirits. Especially Sebastian, as for the first time in awhile this season, he came out with an impressive P1. After a few interviews you were finally free and you went back to your hotel room, feeling particularly exhausted and more than ready for this break.

You opened the door, pulling off your shoes with sluggish movements. The moment your head hit the pillow, you fell into a deep sleep, your body more than happy to receive its much-needed rest.

It was the middle of the night when your phone rang, stirring you from your sleep. You groggily read the contact: Sebastian. Why was he calling you? “Hello?” You yawned into the speaker, using your free hand to wipe your eyes, hoping to wake yourself a bit.

“Hiii,” Sebastian slurred, his voice unusually cheery, “how are you?”

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It was obvious now that he was drunk. “I’m good, how are you? What’s up?”

“I’m gooood,” He replied, and you noticed the stretching out the syllables of his words when he talked. “Nothings up, I just wanted to talk to you.”

You hummed. “Okay. You’re drunk. Do you need a ride?”

Sebastian was quiet for a few minutes, the only sound being a hiccup, followed by a soft, “Yeah..” 

Sighing, you had already started to get out of bed, getting ready to go pick up Sebastian. “Where are you? I’m coming to get you.”

Once Sebastian managed to spit out his location through his slurred speech, you were on your way. Pulling up to the boisterous club, you noticed Sebastian standing outside on the sidewalk.

You parked and climbed out, knowing damn well he'd need help if he really was anywhere near as drunk as he sounded over the phone.

Sebastian smiled when he noticed you, something you were definitely unaccustomed to after these past months. What surprised you even more was his arms wrapping around your waist as he took upon his drunk self to hug you. 

“Have you always looked this nice?” He asks as he pulls away, and you are forced to shake off the shock of the clinginess when he compliments you.

“Good to see you too,” You say, chuckling in embarrassment at his words, his unnatural actions not going unnoticed by you. “Here, let's get you into the car.”

Sebastian, lucky for you, wasn't one to fight the idea of going back to the hotel and almost eagerly followed your instructions. Your hands guided him in as he plopped unceremoniously down. Watching from the open door, you observed Sebastian struggling with his seatbelt, trying hard to click it in securely but failing miserably. Sighing, you bent over and did it for him before closing the door and crossing the car to get in the driver's seat again.

As you began driving, you imagined the car ride to be quiet, but Sebastian had other plans.

“Thank you for driving me,” he hiccuped, starting the small talk easy.

“It's no big deal,” You replied, glancing at him in the passenger seat. You were a little shocked to find him looking right back at you, his gaze shamelessly wandering your features.

“Look, I'm sorry for being really mean all the time,” Sebastian said suddenly, breaking your distracted train of thought. 

“It's okay,” you replied, gazing back at the road. He was drunk and you weren't sure if his words were as true as they would've been had he been sober.

“But it's not okay,” Sebastian hiccuped, “You're nothing but nice to me and I'm always so angry with you. Don't you ever get upset with me?”

You swallowed a little nervously, staring out the window. When you'd first joined Red Bull at the start of this season, you'd heavily admired Sebastian, but over time your opinion of him was altered through his harshness.

“I..” You mumbled, unsure how to state your view without possibly offending him, “Sometimes.”

Sebastian took a long time to respond after that, and the silence seems to shove you into the spotlight. After an awkward momentary pause, you find yourself blurting out your true feelings to Sebastian in a desperate attempt to end this silence that eats you up. He wouldn't remember this conversation in the morning, anyway. “I just wanted to be as good as you. I saw someone who was a great racer, and I strived to be like that. But then, when I did get to that level, I was met with nothing but resentment. And I'm not even sure I know why.”

More silence. The only noise is the sound of the car as it drives and you wish nothing more than the radio to be on to take away some of these unpleasantly long pauses.

“You probably think I hate you,” Sebastian slurred finally. From your peripherals, you saw him hang his head in shame and sit forward again.

That took you off guard. Through his harsh words, his angry glares, and the countless times he'd displayed his very obvious disdain for you, he'd made it clear that he did hate you, and quite vehemently. If not hate, then a strong distaste. Hell, you were partially certain you’d remembered him saying something in a press conference once. Now, drunken and lost from his wits, he was telling you he didn't feel that at all? That his appearance was not as it seemed all this time? “You don't..?”

“Me? Hate you? No. Quite the opposite, actually.” Sebastian exclaimed, drunken head snapping up to meet your gaze.

Oh.

A beat of silence. A confession that feels like a mouthful too big to swallow. “What?” You ask, mind spinning with what he could possibly mean. 

“I don't hate you,” Sebastian repeats. “Not anymore.”

This doesn't make sense. None of it does. Why does he tell you this now? And here, of all places? “Not anymore?” You repeat, a plea for him to elaborate.

“No,” he sighs, “I've been so stupid.. and stubborn. You threatened my reputation as the best Red Bull driver and I really didn't like that.. And, you were always so.. nice. So kind and cheery all the time. The cameras seemed to be attracted to you, you were press eye-candy and they took full advantage of that. I envied how carefree you were and how much you stole the spotlight off me. How perfect you seemed.”

For a minute you forget he's drunk. Forget that maybe he might not mean a word of this. That he's so out of his wits that he probably doesn't know what he's saying. And it's blissful when you do. To live in ignorance and take his words as they seem. The inebriated lack of clarity he experiences not once crossing your mind, even for just a moment. You allow yourself to think he means it.

“I–” you mumble, not entirely sure what to say, “What made you change your mind?”

Sebastian didn't speak right away, but you could see the way his face portrayed the internal battle he fought. “When I crashed into you and you didn't move. Not an inch.” He pauses, gulping before continuing on quietly, “I thought I’d killed you. I got out of my car the quickest I've ever before and fought to get to you. Something told me I had to see if you were okay. I'd never been so scared in my life.”

His admittance was something unexpected. You wanted to believe him, a small voice in your mind whispered repeatedly ‘drunk words are sober thoughts.’ Now, in your mind, you wonder what he could have possibly meant when he said he didn’t hate you, instead claiming to have felt something ‘quite the opposite.’ What was that opposing thing? It made you wonder if that soft twinkle in his eyes when he looked at you was just your imagination, or if it was really something to consider.

Silence settles like death over the car. Maybe it’s your lack of response, but it doesn’t matter because soon enough, you’re pulling into the hotel parking lot and helping Sebastian back up to his room.

It’s quiet as you lead him down the long hallway, passing many rooms before finally stopping at his door. He uses a keycard to unlock it, and he stumbles in as soon as he does. You walk into his hotel room, bringing him to his bed. You leave for a minute, going to the bathroom to grab the garbage bin and filling a glass with water from the sink. “Here,” You say, extending the glass to him, “Drink this,” You pause, setting the bin on the floor by the bed, “And use this if you need to throw up any time in the night.”

Sebastian nods, finishing up his glass of water.

You sigh, heading to the door and deciding your work is done. “Goodnight Sebastian,” you say to him.

“Goodnight Y/n,” He replies and you leave.

In your own room, you lay restless for a while, pondering everything Sebastian said to you, and for a minute, you like to believe something has changed. That this feeling in you is real and things are really different than they were.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙ ＊*• 

Months pass from that night, Sebastian never brings up the topic. Yet, things don’t fall back to how they were. You haven’t had any quarrels with the German since then. His words, albeit not at the front of your mind, still ring in your ears from time to time. By now, It’s the end of the season- The last race. And, you’ve won.

The feeling of parking your car at the first-place marker and climbing out onto its long body, hearing the crowds shouts of congratulations while the full weight of your accomplishment began to set in, produced an indescribable emotion. The jumps of joy you denied fighting against as you shouted and screamed in a disbelieving glee, your feet leaving the ground as you leapt around in a craze. As soon as you stepped off your car, you’d jogged across the tarmac and leaped at the fence, straight into the warm embrace of your team. Their acclamations washed over you while they patted your back and shoulders in celebration. When you had finally separated from your team and found yourself walking that short bridge- which, in comparison, had felt much longer and slower than it really was and stepped onto the podium for first place, the sounds of the crowd below you roaring in celebration, their loud cheers filling the air and ringing loud in your ears, made you realize they were cheering for you. As you stood in front of the world, on display, the national anthem for your country playing proudly for the winner, you could feel tears of joy start to well in your eyes.

You’d done it. You’d won the World Drivers Championship. The first female driver in history to ever win a WDC, and you had done it. Through years of hard work in karting as a child, pushing yourself all the way up into the formulas, you had accomplished it. When you’d made your debut into Formula 1, you could hardly believe it then. You never imagined you’d have made it this far into the sport. Of course, you’d dreamed of winning a WDC, as every other driver did. Ever since you were in karting it had been an unimaginable feat you always reached for, striving to one day achieve. A feat many drivers never got a glimpse of. To be dubbed the greatest in Formula 1 was something unbelievable. But here you were, standing atop the podium, being handed the first place trophy of the season’s final grand prix, securing your position as the World Champion. A constant reminder in your mind of ‘you were the champion- the best,’ made your happiness only increase. 

As you held the trophy in your hands, lifting it high over your head, you let the tears fall. There was a wide smile of joy plastered across your face, stretching from ear-to-ear. You held the trophy in the air, a silent echo of your words that screamed ‘I’ve won’ being conveyed through the simple act.

Eventually, you set down your trophy, careful not to break it, the champagne bottle now held in your hands as you popped the cork. You felt the sticky spray from the other podium members as they pelted you with the bubbly drink, while you took a short turn blasting either of them with the liquid. After a moment, you turned and faced the crowd, shaking the bottle and shooting champagne over them with a smile on your face. 

Suddenly, there was a wet feeling of champagne being poured over your head, soaking your hair and running down your race suit, it had you turning to face the other podium winners, one of them being none other than your teammate Sebastian Vettel. He was smiling broadly at you, holding his champagne bottle above your head, dumping the rest of the yellow liquid over you in congrats. You couldn’t care less about it, rather enjoying the celebration more and more as it progressed. You still could hardly believe the fact you’d won the WDC.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙ ＊*• 

The 2014 Red Bull team went out to party that night, the whole group hitting one of the team members' houses that was coincidentally not far from the location of the last grand prix, upon arrival, booze was promptly handed out.

You, on the other hand, strayed from partaking in the drinking of alcohol. Tonight was your celebration night, and you much preferred to spend it remembering rather than drunk off your wits.

You'd found yourself seeking an isolated place. Somewhere to go to regain your thoughts, almost as if you were relishing in your own victory but with silent regard.

There was a peacefulness on the quiet balcony that made admiring the sky easy. High above your head, the night sky stretched across the horizon like a blanket. Stars looked like pin pricks amongst the great ebony expanse. There was a slight chill to the evening air, but not one great enough for you to retreat back into the mansion. Inside, the party raged on, with loud music blasting loud enough you could hear it from your place on the balcony.

The sound of the sliding balcony door opening caught your attention. Reluctantly tearing your eyes away from the beautiful night sky, you found yourself face-to-face with none other than Sebastian.

“Hello,” He greeted, “Whatcha doin’ up here?”

Sebastian was drunk. That much was obvious with the messy onslaught of slurred words and the slight stumble in his step as he joined you in leaning on the balcony.

“I wanted some time alone.” You answered. It wasn't a lie. You really did get away purposefully to be alone.

“Why? It's your party,” he hiccupped, his drunken gaze swimming with confusion.

You sighed. Yes, it was your party, but you just wanted to be alone for a bit to truly celebrate your victory without a full-blown party. “I know it’s my party.” 

Sebastian didn’t say anything after that, instead choosing to just stand silently beside you. Naturally, your gaze was drawn back to the sky, but this time Sebastian joined you.

The moon was a creamy ball of light against the charcoal of the sky, shedding its milky rays on the both of you and illuminating your faces beneath its glow. There was a gentle stillness to it all, a serenity to the scene, with the only sound being the whisper of the wind as it danced near-silently through the trees in the yard. The warmth from Sebastian lingered on your bare arms, his own skin so close to your own.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” you said, admiring the stars.

Sebastian merely hummed, and it caused you to glance at him. His eyes weren’t to the sky, instead, they were transfixed on your figure.

You turned to stare into his eyes, neither of you broke the contact. You could’ve sworn you’d seen a twinkle of warm fondness in his gaze. No, actually, you were certain you had. 

The shared glance had sparked something within you. A shift that altered the feelings you experienced. Maybe it was all just a hoax. Confusion. But not even you could deny the whispered nothings screaming that maybe what you felt was most definitely something. Something scary. Daunting. Both too scared to traipse through the thick hazy smoke that stung the eyes and invaded every sense, but what neither of you knew was that cloud was protecting the hot embers and warm flames from within. The parts of them that yearned for each other deeply. However, everything was on the verge of coming undone.

You'd hardly realized you and Sebastian subconsciously closed the gap between each other until you felt the warmth of his booze-ridden breath fan your face. With that train of thought, your gaze had lowered to his candy-coloured lips. It took you a minute to process your action, and it was only another second before your gaze returned to his eyes embarrassedly.

Sebastian doesn't seem to notice– or mind– the longing look. His hand reaches up to brush a piece of hair from your face, and you can feel your stomach erupt in swarms of butterflies at the act. He doesn't let his hand fall, instead it moves to tentatively cradle your cheek.

Sebastian leaned in even closer, his lips just above yours. You didn't miss the lingering stare he left on your lips for a little too long. You knew what was about to happen if you didn't move soon. Something deep inside you had you glued to your spot. And for a moment, a split second, the realization that maybe you wanted this struck you.

“May I kiss you?” He whispered, soft slate blue eyes meeting yours, gaze gone unbroken with the sheer intensity of the moment.

Warm fondness rises through you, bubbling softly in your chest. Apprehension courses through your veins, hot like lava to warm your skin despite the late November chill. You won't deny Sebastian the right to kiss you, because deep down you know you want this. You need this. Forever since you'd met him, you've yearned for clarity, for him to draw that line in the sand. To you, this would either spell it out for you or leave you second guessing everything. And that was a risk you considered worth taking.

“I won't say no.” You replied at last, solidifying everything on your end. A wide range of emotions run through your veins, but you don't feel an ounce of regret or unwillingness to taste and feel his lips on yours.

That's all the permission he needs, as he closes that gap to press his lips to yours.

His lips are tender, gentle and soft in a way that makes your knees wobble and your chest tighten. Sebastian's other hand finds its way to your hip, his fingers curling into your skin. 

You find he tastes faintly of liquor, a reminder of his previous drinking. Yet, part of you chooses to ignore it. He wants this too, right?

Your head spins as you stand frozen to the spot, lips linked together. Sebastian inevitably pulls away for air, and you find yourself chasing his lips for a short moment. He notices, a soft smile gracing his features while his hand slides from your cheek to rest on your neck as he pulls you in for a second kiss.

The second kiss ends with both of you pulling away. Sebastian rests his forehead against yours, and it takes a while before you open your eyes again. 

Your breaths mingle in the air between each other, soft smiles present on your faces. High above, the moon observes in awe.

“Will you go out to dinner with me?” Sebastian asks.

Nodding, you reply, “Only if you promise to remember this when you're sober.”

The German’s grin widens, “I don't think I could forget.”

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙·̩̩̥͙ ＊*• 

ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ || ᴛᴀɢʟɪꜱᴛ || ɴᴀᴠɪɢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ

𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝!

[citadelofmythoughts]

I know I'm very much preaching to the choir here but I, once again, am griping about the very, very strange double-standard when it comes to wlw relationships, especially in shows that aren't directly about said relationship.

Let's take My Hero Academia as an example.

I've watched it, a lot. Written a very large fic (which I'm currently re-writing) and to be blunt, Ochaco and Izuku just don't spend that much time talking about their feelings towards each other.

There are looks, some blushes and some awkward moments but for the majority of the show, they're both off doing their own things. But that didn't stop people from considering them the main ship of the show. That shows how low the standards are for a straight ship are.

Now look at RWBY. Blake and Yang are PARTNERS who are rarely not by each other's side. When they separated they were both devastated by not having the other girl around. When they reunited in V5/6 it was painful, awkward but they talked about their feelings, even if they weren't acknowledging their burgeoning romance just yet.

Then after the end of V6 and the defeat of Adam, their romance started to flourish and was undeniable for the entirety of V7-8. Then of course came Volume 9 and we all know how that turned out. My point being that for a show that isn't a yuri romance anime - CRWBY spent a considerable amount of time showing how these two felt about each other. More than most shonen shows have about their own canon m/f couples.

But the standards for wlw couples are absurd. RWBY would have to be double the length in order to have enough interactions between Blake and Yang to satisfy the naysayers, and probably not even then.

[fredomotophoto]

Chaos du Mardoul

Canon EOS 6D

EF24-70mm f/4L IS USM

ƒ/13.0 

24.0 mm 

speed 6 s 

iso 400

[backwzzds]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ car guy, roronoa zoro (nsfw)

you loved your man and his pretty piece of shit truck <33.

dating car guy!zoro who's very into cars but can only afford his shitty pickup truck that he uses as a daily. you'd accompanied him to a show as part of a date' (he really did try he bought you feed after and everything) and now you were stuffed in his truck, bottoms of your feet practically touching the base of his thighs.

“fuck," the puerto rican would groan with an aggressive toss of his head back. "ride that dick baby. milk me f'everyrhing i got," he encouraged you. the space in his truck was pretty tight, but you still made it work as you rode him crazy. your back was facing him, giving the tinted windshield a great view of your heavy tits that his hands had fun finding home in.

"baby, can't last," you cried, trying your hardest not to slow down. your knees were surely giving up, so zoro aided you by grabbing your hips and rutting upward into you, to meet the pace of your bounces.

"f-feel like 'm gonna, 'm gonna—“

zoro wraps his free hand around your neck and gives it a light squeeze as he brings his other down to rub at your puffy clit. "been such a good girl for me. so patient. cum for me mama.”

your eyes would open and squint in and out if consciousness as the only thing in your line of view of was the mini fabric puerto rican flag hanging up with your caribbean flag from the rear view mirror. zoro secretly thought it'd be cute to hang up your own flag with his the moment you became his passenger princess.

he didn't always tell you, but he did appreciate you. he knew you could have found someone much better than him and worthy of your time; but you constantly reassured him that he was better. he knew you liked car guys and it bugged him how you were with him because he'd rather you be with a bmw or even a scat pack dude.

but you'd been with him from the start. you'd watched him build his own truck practically from the ground up and even helped him with it too. so you knew first hand how much cooler his 1987 fj60 landcruiser was than a widebody v6. he didn't always have the money to upgrade the coolest mods, but zoro took pride in his little piece of shit, and has been since he was sixteen years old.

you knew he didn't have money to drive you around in a big bodied car or on expensive dates, you enjoyed nights like this. going to takeovers with him, sharing some sake, getting whatever island food was open so late at night, and ending the date with a much needed fuck-this was your perfect date.

as much as it bothered zoro, you always showed him you were down for only him because vou were hardly impressed with any of the dudes who tried to show of their builds to you at takeovers. your boyfriend's truck was cooler anyway.

your vision starts to fade in and out as you experience the most life changing orgasm ever. you're practically spasming all over zoro's body, but he successfully holds you up with the strength of one arm all while continuing to flick your clit with the other. the fatty pudge of your stomach cutely spilled out from his grip as you leaned forward into the steering wheel, legs finally giving out.

with heavy breaths, zoro pumps into you a few more times before letting out the nastiest groan, and shooting his hot loads into you. "fuck. you fuck me so good, mama." you two slow your movements in attempt to catch your breathing, his hand movements now stopping as he felt your body ease into his touch.

steam coated all eight windows of the truck, making the outside world completely invisible behind his five percent of tint. with a heavy sigh, you lean back against him, turning the bottom half of your body to the door. zoro gave you a loving kiss to the base of your sweaty cheek, running his hand through your braids and moving them out your face. "had fun t'day?"

you let out a satisfied hum and peck his lips before resting your head on his chest and closing your eyes. "the best."

[bitterborne]

HE HAS NOT BEEN ANYONE'S SON IN A LONG TIME. Hasn't been anyone to anyone in a long time: most people dead and gone or worse when Mike has been dragged back, unwillingly, once more from death to ruin his father's schemes. NO REST FOR THE WICKED, BOY: STAND UP STRAIGHT. DON'T SLOUCH NOW. MAKES YOU LOOK WEAK, A LITTLE KID. Draws blood with how hard his nails dig into his palm, hardly able to breathe even without the visage change from the other. His father. His own grey eyes not even widened, not even surprised, at the sight: glossy and dry with resignation. That's what you are, aren't you ? My son. " Maybe once, " he says, unwilling, blood run cold at the glitch's words; from forty to fourteen Mike will always be Michael, will never escape the role of the eager, reaching son.

Compared to the other's fluid, graceful movements, the man is robotic. Recognize his face anywhere, huh ? Mike hasn't known his reflection in decades. His body, stiff, lurches back when the creature that is his father learns, and suddenly, for all the noise and clamor of the Pizzaplex, he feels very alone. Eyes dart to the room opening, waiting for someone to come by, see the situation, save him from this: but there's nobody here but him. And his father. His father who looks like his father and for all his age and the own decaying decrepit form, Michael is a little boy again. Staring, helpless, at a role model a disappointment of a parent the bane of his existence a sad, unstable man who just can't let go Dad Michael feels something within him fracture. insides scooped out again, no sister to speak of. Is he proud of his son ? [...] Still standing after everything ?

Hey, he learned how to cling to life from the best.

" I have nothing to say to you. " The words come out with more fervor and less dignity than he'd hoped. A fox cornered. " Last time I checked, you're just a virus. Leftovers from an old man's overdue death. " His smile is flat and frozen, exposes chipped tooth from childhood and more scars from his scooping. " Yeah, last standing. And I'm gonna keep it that way. What is this? -- One more grab at immortality, huh ? Predictable. " Body creaks and groans when he stands straighter, squaring old, stitched shoulders. Make up for how small, how grotesque, he feels in the face of his father in prime life.

“Don’t call me that. You don’t get to call me that anymore.” [hear me out: apprentice michael pulling away from his father’s clutches, only to be drawn back to spring/glitchtrap….]

🔧 @runeians !

"why?" is the faint answer of glitchtrap. arms raised, with palms upward on either side of widened grin. a grin which cocks to the side, jarringly. question sounding far too genuine even for his own liking. his wide, purple eyes blinking animatedly.

"that's what you are, aren't you? my son." his voice resembled springtrap's if not for the influence of his newfound digitization, now knock, knock, knocking at the door of his son's mind. inflected just so. all michael has ever wanted, was his approval. perhaps the big picture he had missed when withholding it too much as a flesh and bone man. but now, he sees all. hands gesticulating, and landing with a curious finger curled under his jaw.

hands flourish in to rest on one hip, the other finger extending to point with a sway. all fluid motions. "don't try and hide from it now, boy. you might have aged, but i'd recognize that face anywhere." he easily leans against a surface beside him, elbow propped with ankles crossed. nonchalant. "quite funny how things work out, isn't it?"

he glitches in and out. his form becoming more and more distorted, until the image of his old self appears stark before the man standing before him.

in the same position, teeth show in a lazily lidded-eyed grin. "the last afton standing." he says, chuckling lowly. foot bouncing as the image of the elder afton in his patriarchal prime stares back at the rotting visage of his boy.

[mcverse]

All characters are either already of appropriate age or have been aged up!

Angst ∇ Fluff ♡ NSFW ✾ Dark Content ❦

Main M.List

Fanart: (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8)

Visual Encyclopedia: (1), (2),

Memes: (1),

JAKE (V2)(V3)

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

NETEYAM (V2)(V3)(V4)(V5)(V6)

CHAPTERED

Skybound Flame (Neteyam x To'ak x Ao'nung x F! Reader) ∇ ♡ ✾ ON HOLD

The Sully’s and other recidents of the Metkayina clan are forced to find a new home after another devastating battle. When they do, they meet the Avi People, a na'vi phoenix hybrid. There Neteyam, Lo’ak and Ao’nung all form an attracting with you, the chief granddaughter. Despite your difference, you fall for them too. Will Pho be able to help guide your conflicted heart, or will this this love ruin you?

ONE SHOTS

Mates of Convenience (F! Reader) ∇ ♡

You, a Na'vi from a neighboring clan and Neteyam, the chief of his tribe, are brought together in a marriage of convenience to strengthen the alliance between the clans. You try to connect with Neteyam, who initially sees the marriage as a duty to be fulfilled but step back when it doesn’t work. Then Neteyam becomes jealous when the reader spends time with a member of her visiting clan and realizes he has suppressed his true feelings for her.

Pick me, choose me, love me (F! Reader) COMING SOON ∇ ♡

Lo’ak, your boyfriend, begs you to leave with him to go to Awa'atlu, a Metkayina clan by the reefs. You were reluctant but agreed, only to reject it later. Lo’ak grows distant, mind preoccupied elsewhere or rather on someone else, leaving you shattered, falling into a depression. Neteyam was there to make sure that doesn’t happen, even if he has to pick up the pieces himself and put them back together in the shape of his love for you.

PARTS

Faulty star (Avatar F! Reader) ∇ ♡

You carry a illness since birth, not being able to explore pandora like Spider without it being a threat to your life. After a mistake you did, you had to undergo a conscious transfer but being an avatar doesn’t make you feel any closer to some of the natives. Neteyam and Neytiri is still conflicted by you. So when you complete your right to passage, you don’t hesitate when the opportunity to help another clan comes. Why is it that when you return back to High camp, Neteyam’s upset with you?

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

TO’AK (V2)(V3)

CHAPTERED

Skybound Flame (Neteyam x Lo'ak x Ao'nung x F! Reader) ∇ ♡ ✾ ON HOLD

The Sully’s and other recidents of the Metkayina clan are forced to find a new home after another devastating battle. When they do, they meet the Avi People, a na'vi phoenix hybrid. There Neteyam, Lo’ak and Ao’nung all form an attracting with you, the chief granddaughter. Despite your difference, you fall for them too. Will Pho be able to help guide your conflicted heart, or will this this love ruin you?

Borderline (Lo’ak x F! Reader x Ao’nung) COMING SOON ∇ ♡

You're a Na'vi with fish-like features who scares off the Sully and chief's children during their deep sea dive. After being caught and initially planned to be killed, they nurse you back to health instead. Stranded in the reef, you develop a close bond with the Sullys and chief's children, including Lo'ak and Ao'nung, who both catch feelings for you, despite your wandering ways and cultural differences that complicate things. Will you choose to stay with the Metkayina and the men who captured your heart, or will the call of the sea prove too strong to resist?

ONE SHOTS

Remember the rain (F! Reader) COMING SOON ツ ♡

The story chronicles the friendship-turned-romance of Lo'ak and you. Despite confessing your love for each other during a rainstorm, your relationship is tested when you both join the Awa'atlu and Lo'ak becomes enamored with another woman. You struggle with jealousy and the two of you begin to have disagreements. Eventually, you confront Lo'ak about his true feelings and you both come to a realization about your future together.

All my life I had to fight (F. Human Reader) ∇ ♡

You were born on pandora but felt like an outsider as you are aligned with the Sky People. You yearn for acceptance from the native Na'vi people, but the Sully children, especially your "brother" Spider, provide comfort and a sense of belonging. As you navigate your own feelings of who you are, you also struggle with romantic feelings for a Lo'ak, unsure if your affection will ever be returned.

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

KIRI

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

AO’NUNG

CHAPTERED

Skybound Flame (Neteyam x Lo'ak x Ao'nung x F! Reader) ∇ ♡ ✾ ON HOLD

The Sully’s and other recidents of the Metkayina clan are forced to find a new home after another devastating battle. When they do, they meet the Avi People, a na'vi phoenix hybrid. There Neteyam, Lo’ak and Ao’nung all form an attracting with you, the chief granddaughter. Despite your difference, you fall for them too. Will Pho be able to help guide your conflicted heart, or will this love ruin you?

Borderline (Lo’ak x F! Reader x Ao’nung) COMING SOON ∇ ♡

You're a Na'vi with fish-like features who scares off the Sully and chief's children during their deep sea dive. After being caught and initially planned to be killed, they nurse you back to health instead. Stranded in the reef, you develop a close bond with the Sullys and chief's children, including Lo'ak and Ao'nung, who both catch feelings for you, despite your wandering ways and cultural differences that complicate things. Will you choose to stay with the Metkayina and the men who captured your heart, or will the call of the sea prove too strong to resist?

ONE SHOTS

Hate to love (Ao’nung x F! Sully! Reader) ∇ ♡

Leaving behind a place you’ve known was really hard, though there were bad memories you’ll happily leave behind. Now your seen as a demon by a whole village and that wasn’t what you had in mind when it came sanctuary. Like your siblings, you were teased and talked about but why is your biggest bully suddenly acting weird towards you?

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

ROTXO

ONE SHOTS

My Sun, I’m Moon (Adopted! Sully! GNReader) ∇ ♡ NEW

After being taken in by the Sully family at a young age, you leave with them to the Metkayina clan. There you meet Rotxo, who you immediately grew attached to. After developing feelings for him, your heartbroken to find out he falls for Kiri. When Rotxo is rejected by Kiri, you comfort him through his rejection, and he begins to see you in a new light.

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

TSIREYA

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

TONOWARI

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

TSU’TEY

LONGFIC

Twisted Tongues (F! Reader) ∇ ♡

Two Na'vi, Tsu'tey and you, have always had a teasing relationship of sorts, throwing snarky comments at each other. Warriors think Tsu'tey likes you for many reasons, one being he’s scaring off potential courters for the reader by listing her "bad traits" which are actually compliments disguised as insults. Then during an argument, Tsu'tey says something hurtful, causing you, who is a healer, to ignore him. Tsu'tey attempts to ignore you as well but fails when he realizes one of his warriors is courting you.

HEADCANON

AVATAR/ATWOW x CRUSH!! Fem! Reader

Skinny dipping with their crush.

[bitterborne]

" THERE'S STILL TIME TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. " Mike knows his words are useless. Wants to tug his baseball cap down over his face, casting it in shadow like usual, because being so damn exposed like this makes his skin ( what's left of it ) crawl — but this is more important than his self - image. For Vanessa he bares his face whole, displays just exactly what working for his father has done for him. Purple, bruised flesh all over; scars tracking in every direction; perpetual hell, never allowed to die. Pauses in his pacing to turn to her, gaze serious, heated - " When he throws you aside - and he will - this is what you'll end up like. Trust me. " If he can convince her to abandon the glitch; step away from her duties, hell, sabotage them, burn the Pizzaplex to the ground, even . . . Then he'll consider his work half - done. Leave his father to rot without his helper. " Don't let him fuck up the rest of your life, too. " Come on, Vanessa. You're cleverer than this.

@muutos LIKED FOR A STARTER ! — VERSE 6 / VANESSA.

[lonestarbattleship]

Battleship Texas: Hits from the Battle of Cherbourg

"On this day, June 25th, 1944, the USS TEXAS was hit by two German 240mm shells off the coast of Cherbourg, France.

The First Hit

At 1310 TEXAS receives a hit from a large caliber shell atop the ship’s armored conning tower shearing off the top of Direct #3, which fell on to and injured the Gunnery Officer beneath it. The shell would then strike the longitudinal frame on the ship’s foremast causing an upwards explosion into the Pilot House directly above injuring many of those inside. By 1325 the crew began removing the thirteen casualties wounded in the explosion. These men suffered traumatic leg injuries, fractures, contusions, blast concussions, and abrasions. The ship’s helmsman, Christen Norman Christensen, would receive a fatal prognosis and die of his wounds later that day, becoming the ship’s only combat fatality during her career.

The explosion sheared off three sections of floor plates damaging the steering gear, compasses, engine revolution indicator, and many electrical cables and circuits. The space was demolished, and could no longer serve as the ship’s control station. All ship control operations moved to the Conning Tower as the ship maneuvered radically away and out of range of the German battery.

'The conduct of all hands during the action was worthy of praise and attaches no censure to anyone on board. In particular, Lieutenant Command Louis P. Spear, USN, Lieutenant Clarence L. Moody, Jr., (ChC), USNR, and Eddleman, Will J., Bgmstr2c, V6, USNR were worthy of praise for the cool manner in which they rendered first aid to the wounded on the Navigation Bridge, in spite of the continued fall of enemy shells in the vicinity of the ship.' Battle Report, J.M. Cabanillas, USN

Fire!

As the ship maneuvered away, the guns of Turret 4 and 5 continued to fire over the ship’s stern. These blasts warped nearly every door midship, damaged 40mm director mounds, and set fire to some of the canvas covers that were draped over the 40mm ammunition. With ammunition in such close proximity to the fires, nearby crews consisting of both Sailors and Marines quickly jumped into action by throwing the loose ammunition overboard.

'There were canvas covers over the shells in the gun tub. Circular canvas covers protected the clips that were in the racks on the gun tub. That canvas is what caught fire when the 14-inchers fired aft. No canvas cover on the guns themselves. The Marines threw the hot 40mm ammo over the side. No one was injured. The deck did not catch on fire, but there was lots of shrapnel on the deck. The shrapnel made dark spots on the deck.' -Veikko Liila, USMC

Second Time's The Charm

After a quick maneuver, TEXAS returned to face the battery once more. Both TEXAS and Battery Hamburg would exchange fire, encountering many close calls as gun salvos continued to straddle the ship. At 1444 two shell splashes were reported near the ship’s portside bow, and just three minutes later, an unexploded 240mm shell was discovered inside a stateroom on the Half Deck. TEXAS had been hit a second time. With no visible or reported damage, the ship continued its brawl with the relentless battery. By 1500 the ship had received orders to retire and return to Portland, England.

Upon returning to England, the 'dud' 240mm German shell was removed and disarmed under careful direction of the Bomb Disposal Officer. The shell would then be placed back on TEXAS, where it still resides to this day.

'The performance of the TEXAS while under heavy and accurate fire of the enemy was outstanding. She was smartly handled and continued the engagement until ordered to withdraw, although hopelessly outranged and continuously harassed by enemy fire over a period of two hours and twenty minutes.' - C. F. BRYANT, USN."

Posted on the Battleship Texas Foundation Group Facebook page: link