#I'm going to see them in Miami next month

[f1fantasys]

Miami GP

Part 1 - Wish you could stay.

Part 2 link

Lando and Y/N are fwb, so a lot of smut, slight angst, and of course part 2 will be THE WIN, which I'm still not over!! Someone pinch me! If you have any requests for what I should include please leave a comment!

Warmings - smut, unprotected sex, p in v, female/male head, swearing.

Miami GP. One of the most exciting races of the season. Being an F1 influencer and social media persona, this was once of the races in the year that had so much hype built around it. From the celebrities, to the many events unfolding before the actual race, it wasn't one to miss. This time you'd been invited by Charlotte Tilbury to campaign for the F1 Academy Race, and you couldn't have had a prouder moment - rooting for the girls!

You'd arrived yesterday and went straight into an event with the girls of the F1 Acedemy as well as some of the girlfriends of the drivers.

This morning you were woken up by a message by none other than Lando Norris. You were friendly with a lot of the drivers and their partners, but Lando was special to you. You instantly shared a bond and six months ago, things changed. You became friends with benefits. Of course you were always aware of your lingering crush on Lando, and you often got inclines from him that he felt the same way, but you both were too scared to risk your friendship. So you chose the next best thing - getting close to each other without feelings - or so you thought.

Being in a situation-ship like this with Lando was exhilarating. He was one of the most handsome people you'd known, and he was ever the gentleman, Except for when he fucked you ;) He was fun, and cocky, and boy did he know how to make you feel good. And vise-visa - you made him feel equally as good and there were days when you couldn't go a day without being joined by the hip. You simply couldn't get enough of each other.

One rule though - just sex. No sleeping over. No spending the night. It was down to business and then leave.

That was the part that was becoming harder and harder with each passing day. Watching him get up and leave after giving you the most intoxicating orgasms, and then meeting the next day around friends pretending nothing was going on.

You'd last seen Lando two weeks ago in Monaco - the only thing getting you spending two weeks apart were your regular face-time hookups. Him telling you how down and dirty he would get on you if you were together, and you telling him how you'd get him off.

So - back to today. You read his text :

Lan <3

''Touchdown in Miami baby. When am I seeing you?''

You couldn't help but smile at his message. Your body has been aching for his touch since you last saw him, but at the same time you just missed being around him.

You replied :

''Staying at the same hotel babe. Room 402. Waiting for you''

And you attached a picture of you in bed, clearly naked.

''Fuck me'' was the reply you got.

''Trust me, I plan to'' you smiled to yourself and to replied back.

Not more than 30 minutes later and there was a knock at your door.

You'd just come out of the shower so were still wrapped in just your towel when you went to open the door.

''Fuck Y/N, trying to kill me?'' he smirked, pushing you back inside and then suddenly lifting you up and crashing the pair of you onto your bed.

You clung onto his curls, giggling, and pulled him down to your lips. You honestly could make out with him forever.

It was quickly getting heated. You opened your mouth to let him slide his tongue in when you sucked on it. Teeth were clashing. Bruises surely being left at how rough you both were being.

To Lando - he was distracting you and took this as an opportunity to rid your body of your towel.

The cool air instantly hardened your nipples as Lando took them between his fingers and pinched them, earning a moan from you.

''Missed that pretty sound baby'' he cooed as he now took one of your nipples in his mouth and sucked on it.

Your hands found his curls and pulled at them, silently begging him for more.

''Lan, please'' you breathed. ''Need more. Need you in me. Fuck please'' you whined.

He hadn't even touched your cunt yet and you were already begging for more.

''Y/N, we have the whole morning. Let me show you how much I've missed you and you pussy.

''Fuck'' was all you could mutter. Lando's dirty talk always did a number on you and got you dripping with want.

He lowered his body some more, spreading your legs wide open and kissing and licking a trail up your inner thighs.

''Fuck, Lando. Please!'' you all but screamed. You needed to feel him, now!

''Fucking hell'' he muttered. And he dove straight in. His tongue finding your clit, sucking and biting at it, giving you no time to comprehend the fact that he was finally giving you some relief.

''Shit, Y/N, so wet for me already. Can't get enough of tasting your delicious juices.'' he muttered, his tongue not giving you a chance to even think of a reply.

He soon added one, then two finger straight into your cunt. He for sure knew just how to curl them to hit the right spot. The one that had you putty in his arms. Trembling and letting out moans you were sure people over the wall could hear.

You could feel your stomach start to tighten and your walls start to clench around his fingers as he continued his slaughter with his mouth.

''Can tell you're getting close baby, go on'' he barely audibly said as you felt yourself come crashing down. Your orgasm rippling through your body as your warm juices released straight into Lando's mouth.

Your body felt limb, but Lando didn't slow his movements. This time he added a third finger into play, and as much as you loved his fingers, you still were aching to feel his cock fill you up.

''Please Lando, need to feel you in me. Please'' you begging him again.

''Fuck, angel, come here'' he said as he removed his fingered from your cunt, quickly took off his clothes, and sat against the headboard.

''Want you to ride me, please'' he begged you in return.

Lando took his painfully hard dick in his hands and pumped himself a few times, using his hand that was still slick with your juices.

You crawled up to him and sat on your knees, bending over his body. Not that you needed more lube, because you were soaking wet, but you dripped some of your spit directly on his dick. This time he was the one to moan as if his life depended on it.

You climbed onto him and pulled him in for a needy kiss. You could taste yourself as you started grinding yourself on his thigh.

''Y/N, you're incredible. The things you do to me'' he hissed so he lifted you up slightly so you could sink down on him.

As he filled you up with his whole dick, you both stayed still, giving you time to adjust to his length. He was bigger than average, and as much as you loved his cock, the first push always stung.

But soon the pleasure took over the pain, and you stared to move. Up and down. Pulling at his curls as his mouth found your boobs again and began sucking on your nipples.

''Oh my god, Lan, yes, fucking missed riding you like this. Making me feel so good. Shit'' you managed to say between breaths.

''You're so hot on face-time, but fuck me being with you like this is the best feeling ever.'' he groaned while still licking and sucking your nipples.

He started lifting himself up, meeting you half way. Slamming into you so hard you actually were seeing stars. He was reaching all the right places in your cunt and by now both of your moans were so vulgar that if people were walking past your room it must have sounded like a live porno was happening.

''Fuck Lando I'm going to cum'' and before you could even finish your sentence your orgasm came on so violently your whole body was shaking in Lando's arms.

He held you and continued searching for his own release.

''Where do you want me?'' he asked, breathlessly.

''In me, please'' you managed to whisper. Too dazed to put effort into anything you were saying.

Not a second later and Lando emptied his warm liquids in your pussy, filling you up to the brink.

As he slowed his movements he pulled you impossibly closed and hugged you tight, his dick slowly softening in you.

''Please can we just stay like his forever?'' you cooed.

He gave you a giggle and said ''you don't have to ask me twice, fucking hell. I have no words'' he said as he gently kissed you, tongue exploring your mouth as if searching for diamonds.

You don't know how long the pair of you stayed in that position. Could have been 3 minutes, could have been 30. But you needed to clean up.

You really wished that this could be forever. That he wouldn't get up and leave in a few minutes. But reality came crashing down.

As Lando pulled himself out of you you couldn't help but whimper that the loss of contact.

He quickly went to get a warm cloth to wipe you down and started putting his clothes on. While you sat there, shamelessly staring at his toned body which you just wanted to pull back into bed.

There was a sudden shift of energy in the room. Awkward almost.

''See you tonight? Planning a dinner with the guys and whoever is here'' he asked.

''Yeah, sounds good. Send me the details'' you smiled.

He got up after putting his shoes back on and reached over to give you one more quick kiss on your lips before he was out the door.

''Fuck'' you thought to yourself. ''I really am in too deep now.''

The day again was filled with multiple events and lots of food and drinks. Despite the post-sex awkwardness from this morning, Lando still regularly texted you throughout the day. At one point - he was sexting with you too. You couldn't help but flush your cheeks at his forwardness. he was getting you horny all over again.

Lan <3

''Can't wait to fill you up again tonight.'' ''Fuck, can't wait to taste you again.'' ''Can't wait to feel you clench around me again.''

You were done for. You couldn't concentrate on anything now. All you wanted to do was drag Lando back to bed.

''Fuck me Lando, stop teasing. Can't function now. All I can think about is your cock.'' you replied quickly.

''Oh yeah? Want me to fuck you senseless tonight?'' he cheekily replied.

''Yes please, desperate to feel to you fill me up again.''

This was going to be a long afternoon.

Finally as the days' events finished, you had about an hour until meeting Lando and the others for dinner.

You decided on a cotton tight white dress that showed off your ass and boobs perfectly. You knew where the night was going so you didn't wear any underwear - it wouldn't have looked nice anyways.

Just as you were finishing your makeup you phone rang. Of course it was him.

''Lan'' you answered.

''Hey babe, I''m running late, just got back to the hotel so come to my room to chill if you're ready. Leaving the door unlocked.''

Before you could even reply he put the phone down.

''Okay'' you thought to yourself. ''That wasn't weird.''

Anyways, you quickly finished you makeup and 15 minutes later you entered Lando's room.

You immediately knew he was in the shower as you heard the water running. It took everything in you to try to NOT picture him right now. Naked. Beautiful and sexy body on display. Cock spring free and throbbing, hopefully for your cunt.

''Fuck'' you though to yourself.

You tried to keep yourself busy on your phone but it wasn't helping.

Eventually you heard the water turn off and you weren't surprised when he walked out of the bathroom butt-naked.

''Hello'' he smiled innocently at you, walking towards you and pecking your cheek.

It was a few seconds before you greeted him back, too engulfed in his body no, his hard dick dancing around.

You cleared your throat. ''Hey Lan'' you tried to act causal.

''How was your day'' you eventually managed, trying to distract yourself from the dirty thoughts filling your mind.

''Ummmm, started off pretty well'' he winked at you. ''Then was boring as shit, meetings and all.'' he said as he began putting his shirt on. Cock still on display.

You were going to break - you couldn't hold it in anymore.

''Fuck Lando! What are you trying to do to me? Walking around like that. You're driving me fucking crazy and we haven't even been to dinner yet!'' you exclaimed.

''Haha, knew it wouldn't take you long to brake. Come here'' he said pulling you up.

He hugged you as tight as he could before he started leaving open-mouthed kisses along your neck.

''You'll have to suffice my lips right now, and if you behave, you can get my dick after dinner.''

You scoffed at that. ''If I behave? Remind me what you couldn't wait for earlier?'' you smirked at him.

''Whatever'' he said as his cheeks flushed pink.

He distracted you again by kissing you. Deep and hard, as if his life depended on it.

''Let's get this dinner over with so we can get back to business.''

You went down to the lobby of the hotel separately. None of your friends knew about the fact that the two of you wear having sex. The only person who did was Carmen, George's girlfriend. But you both practically threatened her with silly things if she told anyone, even George. There was no way things would be easy if everyone found out. Plus you liked having your own little bubble.

Dinner was not eventful to say the least. It was fun catching up with the girls but you really couldn't wait to be in the taxi going back to the hotel.

At some point during the dinner, Lando found himself next to you, pretending to talk about something important, but really just whispering filth in your ear.

''Please, let's go'' you practically begged him.

After a while he made up the excuse that you weren't feeling well and that he was going to take you back to the hotel.

It was a miracle no one batted an eyelid as you said your goodbyes.

His lips were on yours as soon as you were in the taxi.

No talking the whole ride - just wandering hands and tongue on tongue. Eventually, the taxi driver cleared his throat to alert you that you were back at the hotel.

''Cheers'' Lando told him before practically dragging you to your room.

As soon as the door was closed, Lando took your dress in his hands and ripped it apart.

''LANDO!'' you all but screamed.

''Sorry babe, but I needed it off. I'll buy you a new one. Fuck no underwear?'' he asked with wide eyes, gaping at your boobs and cunt.

''No underwear'' you repeated as you sunk down on your knees before him.

''Fuck, wait let me sit down.''

He guided you to the sofa and undid his belt before you pulled his jeans and boxers down in one go.

His cock sprang out and hit his stomach, pre-cum already dripping from it.

You got on your knees again and took him into your hands.

Pumping him a few times, spreading his pre-cum around.

''Please Y/N'' he begged. ''Been wanting to feel your lip around me all day along.'' he begged again.

Although you wanted to tease him, the ache between your legs was growing impatient.

So you took the tip of him between your lips, and sucked, so hard that his legs started to shake.

'Oh my god, gonna be the end of me, you are'' you said in between moans.

You then took as much of him as you could, as your hands started pumping what you couldn't fit in. You weren't holding back now. Bobbing your head, while Lando's hands found your hair and held it out of your way.

''That's it. Keep going Y/N. Taking my girth so well. Not gonna last long.'' he muttered between breathes.

You were starting to gag now. Tears stinging the corners of your eyes. But you were determined to taste him, so you kept going until he was all but screaming you name full of praises and you felt his warm cum spill to the back of your throat.

''Shit, that mouth of yours. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Best mouth I've ever had.'' he said pulling up to sit on his lap to kiss you again.

You started grinding your ass on his thighs, just as you did this morning, until he scooped you up and carried you to the bed.

Before you could comprehend what was happening, Lando had you on all fours, lining his dick up at your entrance.

He pushed in slowly, allowing you to adjust again.

''Faster, please, go all out'' you begged him.

Finally, he picked up his pace, slamming into you from behind, grunting and praising how good you felt. How your walls clenched around his cock.

''Yeah baby, just like that. Being my whore. Wish you would be my whore forever.''

You both were too blissed out and breathless to even think of what Lando said. All you could think about was how good he was fucking you right now.

''Yes Lan, fuck me harder, please, harder.''

Then suddenly he pulled out and turned you around. He was on top of you this time. Pounding into you, not getting enough.

His lips found homage on your boobs as his hands found yours and intertwined them together.

You could feel the warmth start to build up in your stomach, legs beginning to shake. ''Gonna cum babe?'' he asked as he felt your walls start to clench almost painfully around his dick.

With no warning you came around him. Gushes if warm liquid even spilling out of you.

By now you couldn't form any words so you simply just nodded, and your moans reached new heights.

''Too much Lando, can't take it.'' you groaned.

''Yes you can. Look at me. You can cum again for me, can't you?''

And how could you say no to him when he was looking at you like that?

''Fuck, go on'' you hissed as you felt him quicken his pace again, clearly chasing his own orgasm as well.

Once again both of your moans were so obscene it was brilliant. In seconds he had you cumming all over again.

You could feel his movements getting sloppier by the second. ‘Want to taste you again, please’ you begged him.

Straight away he pulled out of you and shoved his dick in your mouth. Immediately had you gagging and tearing up but you wouldn’t have it any other way.

‘Fuck fuck fuck Y/N yes, oh yes’ he moaned as he emptied his spill to the back of your throat.

His body went limb and so he let his weight fall on you. Curls stuck to his forehead because of the sweat. You held onto him for dear life. Eyes prickling because of the stimulations but also because of your want of more from him.

You pressed your lips to his in a soft and sloppy manner. How you wished you really could stay like this the whole night.

Suddenly it was awkward again. None of you knowing what to say to each other. This was very weird. There was never a moment even in your friendship when things were as awkward as this.

As always, Lando cleaned you up and was walking out of your door within minutes. You wished you could run after him and pull him back in, never let him go. But you couldn’t. That was just a fantasy you longed for.

The next few days passed in a blur. Both of you busy with events and meetings and so on. When you were together with friends, things still felt weird. You couldn’t make out what was wrong. But you still hooked up every night - nothing would stop your two bodies coming together for nights on undeniably passionate sex.

Finally though, it was race day 😈

Authors note - hope you guys enjoyed this. I am still reeling from the win-can’t stop smiling! Who else still feels like this? Also, enjoy these pics, because I couldn’t not bless your tl with them 🧡

[haunt3dh3art]

Born In Blood | Yandere Dexter Morgan x reader

i’ve been watching almost a season of Dexter a day now i’m on winter break!! i know you guys lurking in the Dexter community have been waiting for some more work, so this is for you <33 i'm also posting this on my ao3 page if you prefer that formatting - type in "haunt3dh3art" and you'll find me.

TW: Blood, slight gore, slight torture, mention of blades and rope, canon-typical violence, slight obsession hinting

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Chapter 1 - Silence

Miami is full of gorgeous, witty women, and plenty of them would love a piece of Dexter.

But, none of them have ever held his attention for more than a few months. He tries not to let his lack of emotions get in the way of relationships, but its like everybody he meets eventually gets the feeling that something is very, very wrong.

A sixth sense, like when a dog growls at the darkness. You can't see what they can, but go back the way you came anyway.

So, eventually, everyone leaves, as is the next logical step for their survival.

When Dexter first sees you, whether you are an "almost victim" of the Miami Metro's latest killer or someone he sees on the street, it’s like he forgets to breathe. His eyes squint, a darkness glazing them over and something changes. His Dark Passenger appears behind him, but Dexter pays no attention to the ramblings of his damaged subconscious.

For argument's sake, here, you present to him as a victim. Or you would have been, had Dexter not figured out the location of the killer's lair in time.

He's led to a decrepit church, stone bricks falling off the walls, thick ivy covering almost every surface he can see. He makes no sound as he creeps towards the entrance. Slowly, he pushes the door open - it makes a lowly creak and Dexter slips into the darkness.

There is no light here, no ceremonious candles for the next killing, no flashy weapons to be seen on many of the stone slabs Dexter passes. Then, he sees a soft glow in the back corner of the vast church.

A cellar. The trapdoor won't quite close, and a whisper of light is allowed to seep through the thin crack against the floor. Dexter lifts it with deft fingers, careful to not make a sound. His steps make no sound as he glides down the stone stairs down, down into the basement. It's cold down here, and the air is thick with moisture. His silence, although usually an upper hand on an opponent, was not necessary here.

Your guttering screams rang out through the entire lower level; as loud as they were, Dexter was left wondering how they couldn't be heard until down here. You sounded animalistic, clearly fighting for your life and barely hanging on. As he got closer to the awful sounds of clanging metal and splitting screams, a chill rose up on Dexter's skin.

Then, he heard the killer's voice for the first time.

"How stupid can you be? You're nothing but a sacrifice to me." A low voice cut your screams into nothing but whimpers.

The slow dragging of a metal blade rang out into Dexter's ears and he was glad he came more than adequately prepared for a fight.

The killer was one Joseph Butler, serial womaniser and priest. Clearly, God had abandoned this disciple. The victims were most often strippers caught in his charming web, or occasionally single women looking for human connection. They must have thought they had struck gold.

His call card had been arranging his victims' hands into a prayer stance, nailing nails through the palms to keep the pose in place, and deftly placing a barbed wire "crown" on the person's head. They were always sat upright, bound with rope to a chair and lathered in blood.

The blade was new - Joseph was on the cusp to evolve his method, but he would never get the chance.

Candles lit the basement with a warm light, contrasting the suffocating atmosphere. Dexter suspected Butler had been torturing you with hot wax, or something similar, perhaps flames and the heated blade?

There was only a cloth curtain separating you, the killer and Dexter now.

"These are your final moments on this demented Earth. I suggest you use them to say a prayer." The killer spoke.

Dexter pulled back the curtain with one finger and saw he had his back to him.

This was the moment.

Moving as a snake slithers, Dexter stepped towards your torturer, and injected him with a tranquilizer. He instantly collapsed to the floor, making a satisfying thud.

Dexter stepped over him, and reached for his pocketknife to cut you free of your binds. You began to scream again and writhed in petrifying fear in your seat.

It was now that Dexter, crouched to your level, could finally see your face. Butler had obscured his view of you before, but with him out cold on the floor, Dexter could take the time to look.

You, caked in dirt and filth.

You, a look of horror beyond comprehension etched on to your face.

You, born in blood, just as he had been.

The moment Dexter was to undertake his duty once again as the necessary evil of Miami, he paused. Each time he had a killer strapped to a table, he paused for a moment to collect himself and appreciate the serenity of the moment. Perpetually holding the blade above his subject's heart, the point positioned perfectly, quivering in the air for a second of peace.

It was this moment, as he looked at you, that the constant roaring and wailing inside his head fell silent.

His eyes were fixed on yours, searching for an avenue of the same peace. He saw oceans reflected in your eyes, deep and dangerous.

"Shh, shh, shh. I'm not going to hurt you, I'm getting you out." He pleads, leaning forward on his knees.

He places the cool blade of his pocketknife on the rope next to your skin, making a quick, efficient cut of each loop around your wrists. It's a welcome sensation, despite the distant threat of pain.

Your screaming subsides, replaced by hyperventilating. Dexter's eyebrows pull together as he quickens his pace cutting the ropes around your feet.

Butler was only beginning his spree, killing 3 women in only 6 weeks. You would have been his fourth, had Dexter not been 10 steps ahead of his own department.

'Clearly an amateur,' Dexter thinks. The rope was too weak to hold a victim who had fight left to give, but that's easier said than done.

Finally, you were free, and instantly pushed the chair back. It crashed on the floor with a loud bang, but Dexter paid no attention to it. His eyes were stuck to you, mesmerised by you, even in your condition.

"What are you going to do to me?" You whispered, rubbing your fingers over your aching wounds.

Some of the blood on your skin was still fresh, glowing a crimson red against the candlelight. Dexter shook his head.

"Nothing," He said. "But, you need to stay with me, here. I can protect you, keep you safe, but you have to stay."

Dexter never imagined this happening to him. He knew the chances of you trusting him were beyond slim, but he hoped that by seeing your torturer on the floor, knocked out by his hand, that you wouldn't see him as a threat.

Dexter watched you with bated breath, his hands tightly clenched into fists.

You didn't move, weighing your choices. Would you really survive if you ran? How would you know there weren't more of these psychopaths waiting outside, ready to pounce the second you walked out into the night?

You shook your head, pacing around the room.

The curtain was pulled in a circle around the chair and it waved in the air as you walked past it.

"What's your name?" You asked.

"Dexter."

Saying his real name out loud felt like a violation, a curse. Only people in his life knew his name. Were you going to be a part of that now?

You nodded and stopped pacing. Pointing at the killer, you asked another question. "What are you going to do with him?"

Dexter let his gaze break from you to the man on the floor.

He would be out cold for the next 7 hours at least, unless Dexter chose to wake him up sooner. However, on this occasion, he didn't have a plan. He had all the supplies needed for a killing in the boot of his car outside, but he hadn't anticipated for you to be here tonight. The timing of the killing wasn't quite right, and a sign that Butler was becoming a bigger problem than the Miami Metro could handle. The FBI would soon step in, and Butler would be out of Dexter's grasp.

"I'm going to make it look like you were never here, which is why you have to stay with me. I have to.. dispose of him, but it won't take more than a few hours." Dexter said, choosing his words carefully to not scare you even more.

He checked his watch. 10:47pm. If he was to kill Butler and get to the marina in time, the process would have to be quick.

The sun was beginning to rise earlier in Miami.

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[medium-sized-carlos]

More reverse carlando au thoughts!

 I got a bit carried away here so bear with me!

• Carlos would have been a McLaren development driver with a bit of a crush on Lando when he was a kid (thinking of 14yo baby Carlos constantly in 19yo Lando's replies).

 • He thinks Lando is straight because he read all the gossip pages talking about him dating models ect. But he's bi.

 • Carlos would be very excited to be Lando's teammate (when they're 19 and 24) but plays it cool, but can't help but sing Lando's praises in interviews.

 • Lando is absolutely smitten the second he lays eyes on Carlos. But he feels a bit like a creep because of how young he is.

 • Lando is so nice to Carlos in his rookie year, giving him advice and spending long evenings with him going over data.

 • I'm imagining Carlos snr being a constant presence in the McLaren garage (like he was at Toro Rosso back in the day). Just being a vaguely intimidating presence that Lando doesn't want to piss off by flirting with his son.

 • So basically they're both feeling all the feelings but neither of them admit it.

 •  It all comes to a head when they go out to celebrate Lando's first win (still Miami bc why not) and Carlos can't keep his eyes off Lando. He feels overwhelmingly jealous when he sees Lando dancing with a woman who's all over him.

 •  When they get back to the hotel after Carlos basically throws himself at Lando, he doesn't care about embarrassing himself anymore he just wants him.

 •  Lando feels horrible about it the morning after. Sleeping Carlos looks so sweet and innocent curled up next to him. He thinks Carlos is going to hate him for taking advantage or something (they were quite drunk) but Carlos has no regrets.

 •  Their relationship (both professional and romantic) blooms during the months before the summer break.

 • They play golf together (maybe Alex introduced Lando to it in this vers) and Carlos trounces Lando every time. They spend time together in Monaco. Carlos lives in London to be close to the factory.

 • Snr starts to begrudgingly like Lando as he gets to know him. Especially during summer break when jnr insists on inviting Lando to their villa.

 • After summer break Carlos has a horrible crash in a wet qualifying at Zandvoort. It scares the shit out of Lando who saw it on the screens while being interviewed in the pen (like that video from spa but reversed).

 • Lando is in the pen early because a technical fault meant he couldn't do a lap in Q2.

 • Lando realises he's definitely in love, and probably has been for months.

 • Carlos is bruised but otherwise unhurt. He goes back to the paddock after getting checked out at the hospital.

 • Lando asks him into his driver's room and holds him close ("Don't scare me like that."). Love confessions happen probably idk.

 • Carlos fights his way up to the podium from P10 and Lando has never been prouder.

 • Lando started P15 and makes it to P4.

 • Lando wins a couple of races in the second half of the season but gets no where near Max in the WDC.

 • Carlos' first win comes in Brazil with Lando in second.

 • Lando wins the final race in AD with Carlos in P3. It secures the WCC for McLaren.

[clearlydiamondz]

Nesting

(Y/N) is at the point in her pregnancy where she is now nesting. Erik is confused, but he's going with the flow.

_________________________

Erik sat at his desk, playing with some of his friends streaming the new Call of Duty game. Being a successful streamer with millions of fans, he now had a life where he could live comfortably and still do what he loved, which was playing games.

Being a gamer is actually how he met the love of his life, (Y/N). Meeting on a discord back in high school, the two of them hit it off. There was only one thing that prevented them from being physically together. He lived in Oakland, and she lived in Miami. Her parents thought she was silly to find love over the internet, calling it a weird phase while his friends thought she was made up.

That was until she surprised him at his high school graduation. Saving for months, working as a moderator and at Chick-fil-A, she was able to save enough money to meet him. With the supervision of her parents of course.

Now here they are, 10 years later married and expecting twins. Two boys and she was over the moon about it. If they were over the moon, Erik was over the planet Jupiter. All of the outfits, baby supplies, and decorations were bought on Erik's behalf. Every time he walked into a store, he always walked out with something for the babies.

She could show him something that she thought was cute for their nursery and within days, it was ordered.

He was always clingy with her, and she loved it. Ever since she was pregnant, it was like he was at her side every second of the day. They were lucky enough to be streamers so they could have that time together, but boy he was obsessed.

His camera roll was filled with pictures of her, showing the journey from when she first found out she was pregnant to the development of the baby bump.

"Damn, why are you so bad, move!" he yelled into the headset.

"Nigga fuck you!" Quan yelled back into the mike making everyone bust out laughing.

"Awe you mad." Chelsea teased him. Eventually, they ended up winning, as they sat on the loading screen talking shit with each other.

That's when Erik heard a bang in the room next door, which just so happened to be the twins' nursery.

"Hold on y'all." he stepped away from his gaming set, walking in to see the baby clothes everywhere and his wife in the middle of the room folding them and placing them in the drawers.

"Mama, what are you doing?" he asked her. She turned to look at him with a pout.

"Baby there is so much to do and we only have a week left until they are due and I can't even-" she was crying at this point, Erik realizing that it was probably her hormones.

"Shh, it's okay. You know I'll help you with anything you need. The doctor wants you to not be on your feet as much." Erik was a little confused by the sudden rush to want to do stuff. Just last night she was in the middle of the kitchen reorganizing the kitchen drawers and the cupboards making room for the twins' bottles. She literally took everything apart.

Or how she decided to wash every piece of clothing and blanket for the babies, even though everything was brand new.

What he said made her cry even harder. "I appreciate you so much baby, y-you are just so good to us and-" she cut herself up hiccuping.

"Here about you go sit in the living room, play a movie and I'll order you some of the spicy ramen you like from the restaurant downtown," he told her helping her stand up.

"Ooh yes. You know the spicy foods can induce labor," she said matter-of-factly. He chuckled at the random fact before saying,

"Once I'm done for the stream tonight, I'll organize their room for you. I don't want you putting any unnecessary stress on yourself." he told her, she pouted before saying,

"You'd really do that?" she whispered as her eyes started to water again.

"Yes, now go relax. I'ma place the order now okay?" he kissed her on the forehead, then on the lips, then on her stomach. He watched his wife walk, well more like waddle, out of the room to make herself comfortable downstairs in the living room. He came back to the station, not before ordering him and his wife some ramen.

"Alright y'all, I'm back. (Y/N) needed help with something." he said getting his player ready for the next round.

"How yo ole woman doin? She should be about ready to pop any moment now right?" Damien, one of his other close friends said.

"Yeah, next week will be the due date," Erik said with a smile. The chat was filled with congratulations from his supporters.

"Awe. Look at you all gushy and shit. Can't believe Stevens gonna be a daddy." Quan teased him as he rolled his eyes laughing. He was about to say something but he heard his wife scream out for him.

"E!" she yelled.

"Hold that thought y'all." he got up and ran downstairs to see his wife downstairs with four big boxes.

"Can you move two to the living room and the other two upstairs for me baby? I'ma get their swings set up. " she said sitting there with a smile on her face.

"What are these?" he asked looking at the boxes.

"The swings," she said still smiling.

"So you bought four of them?" he asked her as she sighed.

"No, two of them we got free with the sponsorship. The other two I did buy so we can have a setup and downstairs. Because apparently, the only bad review is that they are really heavy." she said matter-of-factly. "I'm kinda hungry can we order something?" she said rubbing her stomach.

Pregnancy brain.

"Mama, I told you I was ordering some of the ramen." she looked at him confused before realizing.

"Ugh, I forgot. I'm so slow," she said, face palming herself. "I keep forgetting stuff," she said, her eyes watering.

"No no no, it's okay baby. I know you don't mean to, I'll remember everything for you. Even if it's your social security number." he joked making her laugh.

"Please, I remember my social security number. 832-21-" she paused forgetting the last four. "Oh my god, I can't even remember my last four digits." she panicked. Erik cussed himself knowing he just made it worse. "I can't even remember my social security number. How am I expected to take care of two babies!"

"It's 9382. Don't worry my love. You will be okay, I promise." he grabbed her by the face, kissing her lips as she sighed. "I want you to relax, I'll take care of everything. I promise." he whispered. She nodded before waddling into the living room. After taking two of the boxes upstairs, he came back.

"Sorry, (Y/N) needed me again." he sighed. "For a pregnant lady, this girl is a freaking busybody. She is supposed to be on bed rest." he stated.

"Where is she going?" Chelsea asked.

"It's not where she's going. It's what she's doing. She can't sit down for the sake of her. I woke up last night to her re-organizing the twin's closet. For the third time. It was like two in the morning." he stated.

"That's wild." Damien chuckled.

"Huh," Chelsea said, coming to the realization of something. "What else?"

"She reorganized the cabinets in the kitchen, washed all of the baby stuff even though it's new, and been on a cleaning frenzy for like three days straight," he said.

"You sure she ain't got OCD?" Quan chuckled.

"She doesn't. Actually she's pretty messy but for the last week, it's like she needs everything to be cleaned." Erik replied.

"Erik, it sounds like she's nesting." Chelsea chuckled.

"The hell is that? She ain't no pigeon." Quan replied, making Erik chuckle.

"No you fucking dumbass." Chelsea rolled her eyes. "It's a natural instinct for mothers to want to get their home ready for the baby. It happens with humans and animals. That's why it is called nesting."

"I ain't gonna lie, that's kinda adorable," Damien stated.

Erik's interest peaked, he minimized the game window and opened Google to look at it. "Alright chat, let's learn some new shit," he said clicking the first link.

"So it says that they have an overwhelming desire to organize, clean, and prep for the baby's arrival. That makes a lot of sense." he chuckled.

"Yeah, it's a natural instinct. It's like an itch, she won't be able to stop until the twins are here." Chelsea told him. "It makes sense because she's due next week. When my sister was nesting, my mama told me that it was a sign that babies were about to come. So she might be going into labor within a couple of days. Just gotta roll with it man" Chelsea chuckled.

After the stream was done, he found himself downstairs, seeing her prepping the swings before looking at him.

"Oh, I was just getting the stuff prepared for you. I know-"

"It's okay. I know you can't help but get your hands dirty." he chuckled kissing her on the cheek. She looked at him confused.

"What's with the change of heart?" she asked in confusion.

"You're nesting." he expected her to know what it was, but the look still stayed on her face.

"I'm not a freaking bald eagle, the hell is nesting?" she asked as he chuckled.

"You have this urge to clean up, organize, do a bunch of stuff hands-on. It's called nesting. A sign that Thing 1 and Thing 2 are coming." he said rubbing her stomach. She thought about it.

"Makes sense. I have had this urge to reorganize the pantry also.."

________________

@life-in-the-slut-house @gloglamsparks @niahsa @hippieonboard @nanii2x @ejs398 @royaler1999 @luvvvjada @sourbabynaee @tthatkidmimi @kanilive @christinabae @nccu-rnc @youcanttouchthis1001 @jordyn-wkndafvr @ts1mp0ne @meeeeep5 @ravynnn-12 @metra873 @determinednot2fall @trippyscotch @thiswasnevermylifefromtony @itsophiebby @princessmel-1995 @blkmystery @xsweetdellzx @ziirowe @cozyashhh @luvvvjada @reneinii @ts1mp0ne @kaireads2020 @blmcd57110 @ziayamikaelson @babbtdollaaassignn @forevermoremagcon @ajenae @etherealluvrr @lynaye1993 @mscarter213 @automaticdragonmugalien @bethy-baby @softleosworld @meekmillsfrenchfries @hinatasfleshlight @kokokonakon @sociallyawkward18 @raysunshine78 @justgetitoverwith0 @lishabaybeee-blog @rbhp @ladymac @musicisme333

[uniquexusposts]

Her || Charles Leclerc

Main characters: Charles Leclerc x OC Genre: fanfiction, fluff  Story type: novel  Part: 10/? Word count: 2602 Co writer: @mistrose23

Story summary: Matilde Jørgensen, the new Scuderia Ferrari team principal, faced the nerve-wracking challenge of reviving the team's fortunes and aiming for a championship. Leading a historic team as a 'newbie' and separating her work and personal opinions posed a significant challenge. The big question: is she capable to do so?

Previous chapter

Chapter 8. Call It What You Want

Matilde sat in the airport, waiting for her flight to leave. She was seated in the business class lounge, enjoying a cup of coffee. Well, she couldn't really enjoy it. The events of yesterday played through her head; from the perfect race and victory, to the moment in the restaurant. Even though it hurt, she still had a fun night with Max and her former colleagues.

"Hey," a voice said, he sounded surprised.

Matilde looked up and a smile came to her face. "Hey," she smiled at Kevin, who took a seat next to her. "Going home?"

The Danish driver nodded. "You too?"

She nodded. "It's my mum's birthday tomorrow."

"Ah, that's sweet. Congrats on your win, by the way! Your first victory as team principal and the first victory for Ferrari this year!"

A weak smile came on her face. "Thanks."

"Hangover?" The off reaction didn't go unnoticed by Kevin.

"Yeah," she breathed. "Something like that."

He smirked. "You will remember this one forever."

"And if I will," she muttered. The good and the bad, she thought. "How was your race? P11, P10?"

"P10, quite average. It was an alright weekend. The track is fun, but the entire show around it... Not a big fan, to be honest."

"Yeah, Miami is something else. I wonder what Las Vegas will be like," she mentioned.

"We are Danes, we keep it low profile."

They both laughed.

"Where are you seated?" Kevin asked.

Matilde looked at her ticket. "2A, you?"

"8H," he replied. "I don't know if it is me, but it's quite funny that in America, we get paper boarding passes, and in Europe, or flying from Europe, we have them online. Or it's me, my subconscious preference."

"No, I have it too. But I don't know. Also, when going through security here, we have to remove our shoes. I have never done that in Europe. Bizarre how many things are different between continents." She took a deep breath. "It makes travelling interesting and fun."

Matilde and Kevin made their way to the gate when it was almost time to board. They had to wait for just a few minutes, because the crew still had to arrive after a short delay on their side. Matilde's eyes fell on the crew of SAS, who now arrived. A smile came on her face, and tears flowed in her eyes. One of the stewardesses happily smiled as well and excused herself from the crew, just like one of the pilots. Matilde stepped towards the inflight manager of the flight.

"Mati," the stewardess said and embraced her daughter tightly.

Matilde closed her eyes, not saying anything back. She was so relieved and happy to see her mother after five months. More tears welled up, but she was fighting against them.

Freja pulled back, looking at her daughter. Matilde opened her eyes and took a deep breath. "Sweetheart..." Freja found herself in a difficult situation as well, trying to hold back the emotions as well. She stroked a piece of hair behind Matilde's ear and placed her hand on Matilde's cheek. "I'm so happy to see you. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Matilde whispered, not wanting to bother her mother before the flight and her job with her issues. "I'm so happy to see you, too," she said and smiled. "I didn't know you were on this flight."

"Coincidence," her mother smiled. "We will talk once we are in the air, okay?" She let go of Matilde and looked at the man who sat on the bench; she assumed it was a friend of Matilde's. "Are you flying together?"

Matilde looked behind her, at Kevin. "Yes, but we're not seated next to each other. He's a friend of Lars."

"Since when does Lars know Kevin Magnussen?"

"Lene is friends with his wife," Matilde smirked, thinking how ironic it was.

Freja looked impressed and introduced herself to the Danish driver. While they had a quick chat, Matilde greeted the pilot with a hug, happy to see him as well. The stewardess and pilot excused themselves and boarded the plane.

"Parents?" Kevin asked curiously.

Matilde nodded. "Mother and stepfather," she exclaimed. "She says it is a coincidence that she's working on this flight, but I know she planned it like this."

"Parents..." He smiled. "It's adorable." He looked at her. "This might be a personal question, and if you don't want to answer it, it's fine. But do you still see your father?" Kevin looked waitingful at her. "Lars doesn't really talk about this family, as you probably know by now."

A comforting smile came on her face. "Yeah, Lars is really private. But we all still see our dad. My parents divorced twenty-four years ago, and they're still friends. Mum met Emil through work, and they try to work on the same flights since they got together."

"Did they get together..?"

"Oh, no. A few years after the divorce."

"And your dad?" Kevin's eyes grew round. "Sorry, I'm asking way too much."

She shook her head. "It's okay, it's not like I have issues talking about it. My dad has a girlfriend, Astrid. They met two years ago. It's complicated, but it is what it is," she said and shrugged. "How are Louise and Laura, by the way? And how is the pregnancy going so far? You're having another girl, right? "

"They are both doing fine, and yes, we're having another girl." A smile came to his face as he continued to talk about his family.

* * *

Since it was a day flight, Matilde didn't manage to get any sleep. She planned to do some work on the plane, but ended up watching some movies. Her mind kept drifting off to last night. She got up from her seat and walked through the aisle, passing Kevin, who sat on the other side of the cabin. Their eyes met, he smiled, she nodded. Once she got in the galley, she waited for the bathroom.

"Mati," Matilde's mother said when entering the galley. "How is everything?" She closed the curtain.

"Fine, a whole new experience in business class," Matilde replied and playfully smiled.

"You've never flown business class at SAS?"

"No, economy is all I could pay for, and Red Bull could book for me. Now Ferrari books business class for me. Well, not this flight. I happened to get an upgrade?" She raised her eyebrows. "On this flight only? Not the first flight?"

Her mother smiled. "That is weird, lucky you."

"Mum, you didn't have to do this."

"You are the team principal of Ferrari and flying economy? A woman like you should fly business class. And it is a pleasure to have my daughter in business class on my flight," her mother proudly said and nudged Matilde's shoulder.

Whenever Matilde or her brothers were on the same flight as their mother - which wasn't often, they flew economy. And they grew up appreciating the small things, they didn't bother to fly business. Matilde wanted to ask Ferrari to book economy tickets, but she didn't dare to ask because she understood that by booking business class, she could properly rest or work during a flight. But flying business class wasn't in her nature.

"Still... This is a flight for a private event."

"Still. At least you're not flying private." Freja handed over a bottle of water. "How was yesterday?"

"Aren't you supposed to work?"

"We are mid-flight, all the passengers are served, and now we get on a break."

"Oh, yeah, that is right." Matilde took a sip of her water. "Well, go get your break. It's important."

Her mother proudly smiled. "You sound like a real boss, a caring boss."

A fragile smile came on Matilde's face. "I will tell you all about this weekend once we are home."

"Of course. Unless you want to say something now?"

"No, no, it can wait. You should take your break."

"Okay, sweetheart. By the way, are you driving home with Emil and me? After the plane lands, we have a quick debrief, and then we are free to go. It's okay if you want to go home. Are you staying at mine or your dad's?"

"It's your birthday tomorrow, so I was hoping to crash at yours?"

"Yes! Of course. You're always welcome."

"And if I can drive home with you? I think that's fun," Matilde smiled. "We're going to the same destination, after all."

Freja nodded. "I will share the plans after my break, yes? And you go to the bathroom, it's free now."

Matilde laughed. "See you soon." She stepped into the toilet and did her thing. When she stepped back into the galley, her gaze fell on Kevin. Business class was almost empty, and so was the seat next to Kevin. Without thinking too much about it, she sat down next to him; only the aisle was in between them. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

He sat up and smiled. "Yeah, sure. What's up?"

She licked her lips and looked around her. "Well, uh, I don't know if you're the right person to ask this, but yeah... From my experience, we did things differently... but when you're going out after a race, celebrating a...perfect result... do you ask Steiner to join? Or other Head of Departments?"

A frown came on his forehead, and he crossed his arms. "We don't have those results often, but... Yes. Why?"

Matilde slowly nodded. "Exactly," she mumbled. She looked down and saw that her hands trembled slightly.

"Why?" Kevin asked again.

"I'm telling you this in confidence, okay?" Matilde said and looked at him.

"No one will know about it; whatever you have to say, I promise."

"No one in F1," she repeated. "I'm struggling with this thought, but...uhm, the team went out to celebrate the win and P2," she told him. Kevin nodded. "Without me." Tears filled her eyes. "And I don't know if it was their intention, like, not to invite me. As in, they didn't want to celebrate it with me. Or if this is how it goes at Ferrari."

A concerned look came on his face. "Oh, wow. Matilde..." He didn't know what to say. "Why is that your thought?"

"Things are not going smoothly with the team and me; there's still a lot of friction. And I'm still an outsider, which I get; I'm new, young, a woman, still learning to speak Italian. But this weekend... It felt like we bonded, like we finally became a team. And I was, am, still proud of this weekend with all the performances, but then I got a message from Leclerc, asking where I was at their celebration. Coincidentally, we were in the same restaurant. I was with Gemma, and we ended up at Red Bull's dinner. And then I saw the team celebrating the great results."

"But didn't they go out with the team and... I don't know, perhaps the crew only?" Kevin asked, trying to understand it and trying to soften the blow for her.

Matilde shrugged and wiped away a tear that was rolling over her cheek. "No." She looked in front of her. "Everyone was there, except me. But why would Leclerc text me, asking where I was? If it was a crew-only dinner, then why would he text me?"

He showed a weak smile. "I don't know. I'm trying to find some reasonable excuses, to make you feel less shit. You know, I know my crew often goes out as well without inviting the board." He scanned her face. "But the message from Leclerc doesn't make sense. But why were you with Gemma at the Red Bull dinner?"

"I kinda forgot," she said, more tears rolling over her cheeks. "I had so many emotions, and everyone was texting and calling me and asking me things. I asked a mechanic, and he said that they would stay in, because they all had an early flight home the next morning," she rattled. "And then Gemma showed up and asked if I wanted to join her. Next thing I know, I was doing shots with Max." She ran a hand through her hair. "I was thinking of throwing lunch or something after the days off, but I'm not too sure about it now."

Kevin nodded and took a deep breath. "This is not nothing..." He didn't want to say too much; what if he said something wrong? Or gave her an idea? "Did they see you?"

"I sent them champagne."

Kevin straightened his face. "You did what?"

"Yes, I'm sorry, but what the fuck was going on? It didn't make sense. And I wanted to let them know I was there without actually standing next to their table," she blurted. When she thought about it now, it was a bold move, a dick move, but it was genius. "And I told the waiter to say that I gave them my compliments."

"Matilde..." He looked impressed and disapproved at the same time. "This is so..."

"Not me? Yes, I know. But I already had alcohol in my body, and I just... I don't know, I was so confused and disappointed. And when the waiter pointed at me... You should have been there. They looked like they had seen a ghost."

Kevin couldn't help it, but laugh. "It is such a dick move, but such a great move. You can't do this. This is not professional."

"It's not professional to invite everyone, but your team principal. And I get it; it's awkward, but I'm not awkward. Half of the team is older than me and more experienced than me. And it's not like I don't know how to function in a team." She shrugged.

"But how did things go at Red Bull?"

"We would go out for dinner first, often with Christian and the board. The team would go to a club, and Christian and the board often would go back to the hotel; sometimes, they would join. Or we would go out without Christian and the board, team only thing, but they would know. Or they declined the invitation. We were very open," she said and dried her eyes when her sight became blurry. "It was asked... And everybody had a choice. I know things work differently at Ferrari, but this was the last thing that I expected." Matilde shook her head. "We still have to bond and stuff, apparently, but I honestly thought we bonded well over this weekend, and I was just so proud to lead this team." Warm tears left her eyes again. "They didn't invite me for a reason."

"Why?"

"I don't know." She sniffled. "But it's good to know that this isn't normal. Or that this is the way Ferrari operates. The text of Leclerc still doesn't make sense."

"Well, I know that this isn't normal."

She got up. "God, I'm sorry you had to see me having a breakdown," Matilde embarrassedly laughed and dried her eyes. "It's the lack of sleep, hangover and yeah... But thanks for listening. I won't hold you up longer from whatever you wanted to do."

"Matilde, this is a serious issue. I'm not saying you have to go to the board and say something about it, but you have to talk about it. If you say nothing, they will think this is normal, and it's definitely not normal," Kevin mentioned. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it softly, just to let her know that he was there for her. "Let me know how it goes." He gently let go of her hand.

She nodded. "I will, thank you. Really," she said and walked away, back to her own seat.

Kevin was perplexed and processing the words he just heard. Should he do something about it? Or did her team have other intentions? Either way, he knew he had to text her brother when they landed, sharing his concern. 

Next chapter

[storytellernestates]

Preview of Another Fic I'm Working On

Reflections (Title Not Final)

Summary:

“Bye, Daddy.”

“Later, old man.” “I’ll see you on Monday, mi amor.” “I’ll be home on Tuesday, mon amour.”

“I’ll see you next weekend, Cut.”

Cut told himself that an empty, quiet house was fine. They were coming back. His loves and his children were coming back. They were coming back.

Chapter 1

Cut woke up, blinking at the cool winter sun peeking through the blinders.

He had a chill go down his spine.

Then again, he got it for sleeping on his home office’s couch. He didn’t dare spend the night alone in his marriage bed without his husbands.

He sat up and groaned as his back protested the poor sleeping position. Cut turned, put his slippers on, and got up. He padded out of his office, rubbing his arms in Louie’s oversized Saints hoodie to warm himself up. Cut turned his head slightly to still smell Louie’s scent on it, which calmed him for the moment.

The house was quiet.

But not just quiet.

Empty.

Hollow.

He was the only one home.

Everyone left yesterday. Their adult kids had their lives to live and Cut wouldn’t begrudge them their freedom. His little ones who were getting too big now—Tava (Florida and Gov’s biological daughter, age 11) and Vega (Nevada’s biological daughter, but Gov, Louie, Florida, and Cut’s adopted daughter, age 12)—were visiting Penn, Mass, and Virginia so they could learn how to ride ponies. Penn had promised them. Cut was learning not to hold on too tightly.

Florida went to spend the weekend with California, a regular monthly thing. It was Florida’s way of checking on California of whom he was fond.

Louie took Baton and Orleans to the swamps for quality time together to honor the two boys’ mother’s birthday, may god rest her soul. It was something that Cut felt that should just be the three of them unless the rest of the family had been wanted. Baton and Orleans were quite protective of their mother’s memory as they should be, so giving Louie space with his two boys was important.

And Gov was off into the world as per the schedule Cut crafted so that everyone got time with Gov. Last night Gov went to have dinner with DC, Reed, and Red. Then it was his weekend with Nevada. He hoped that Gov was having a good time. And Nevada remembered that it was Vega’s birthday in a month.

Cut doesn’t remember the last time he had been alone like this.

He always had someone. The original colonies, Flo, Louie, his pirate crew, his kids, the whole country…

This mansion was far too big for one person that much was certain.

He couldn’t imagine living this way if he had been on his own. Cut wouldn’t even know what to do with himself if he didn’t have husbands and children.

All Cut could hear was the creaking of the mansion’s wood as he stepped and the distant sound of the ocean calling him again. He shook his head as he got to the kitchen.

Cut paused at the entrance to the kitchen, thinking that Louie would appear with a plate of warm food and a kiss as a greeting. Instead, Cut sighed heavily and went to the coffee machine. He wasn’t too sure how much he slept.

When everyone left yesterday, he let out his nervous energy by catching up on all his work—business and state alike. And he did the laundry, swept, mopped, washed the windows, checked on the garden, and anything else he could do.

He kept going because what else was he to do?

Cut had thought about texting the OG 13 to go out, but from everyone’s Instagram and the various group chats, everyone was busy. He’d text Mass, Penn and Ginny specifically, but he promised not to interrupt Vega and Tava’s time with them.

It would be fine.

He could handle two days alone.

Florida would be back Monday. He promised. Then Louie would be home with Baton and Orleans on Tuesday. Vega and Tava would be dropped off on Wednesday. And then the rest of the kids, including Miami bringing Harris and Harlee, would slowly arrive throughout the week with it ending with Gov’s arrival on Friday evening.

His loves and his children were coming back to him.

They were coming back.

[wandamyconfort]

if I were you.. | CH.3

wanda Maximoff x fem!reader

summary: y/n is best friends with vision, who ironically, is the boyfriend of his worst enemy, wanda maximoff. until one night, when the clock struck midnight, they are both struck by something mysterious that completely changes the fate of their best friends, including a certain redhead… be careful what you wish for.

sorry for any translation errors, english is not my first language

the two friends were petrified, and you swallowed hard. Pallor took over their faces. Wanda just stared confused at them, not understanding why the tension had formed.

- Hu-hum ér... - she stammered nervously. - Wow, look at the time, I'm already late! - If I don't run now I'll miss class. - You dissimulated, looking shakily at your wrist as if you could see the time on an imaginary clock. - Wanda, let's talk more calmly later, okay? - you shouted to the bigger girl running away from the two of them. vision snapped out of the trance he was in. Wanda looked at him raising an eyebrow in total confusion, the boy looked at her for a few seconds before running after you. The redhead remained in place still confused.

(...)

The two of them entered the history room. They would have the same class, the place was still empty, there were only three students in a corner talking.

- What do we do now? - she muttered angrily, sitting down on one of the red chairs in the front row, and Vision imitated her by sitting next to her. - I'm not going to kiss your girlfriend! Damn it, no, no, no, no. No way!

You were hysterical and the boy put his hand on your shoulder.

- Calm down!

- How do you want me to calm down? - you widened your irritated eyes at him.

- Do you realize that? Wanda asked me for a kiss! She's your girlfriend and she won't leave me alone because she thinks I'm you! I won't put up with her for a whole month. No way! We can't stand each other, she hates me, and I don't care one bit about her well being! And now it won't be any different, not like this, not ever! I won't be able to be nice to her. Wanda doesn't suit me, you already know everything I think about her, she's a stupid, idiotic, stuck-up, cold and shallow girl who thinks her life depends on being prom queen and if that doesn't happen the universe ends. - She let out a deep breath through her monologue.

- You don't know her, Y/n... You don't know what you are talking about. - He crossed his arms, irritated by her words and looked straight ahead. The girl snorted and rolled her eyes.

- This isn't going to work!

- Anyway, stay calm, I know what we're going to do... Didn't you suppose we should tell someone what happened? Well, we'll start with Wanda.

Little by little the other students appeared and sat down in their seats. The teacher entered the room and wished everyone good morning. They waited for the class to end and Vision exchanged the schedules with you. So did your cell phones. You didn't leave each other alone for a minute, and when you had to leave each other to change rooms, which wouldn't be the same for both of you, you agreed to meet in your lockers. In one of those room changes, you spotted Wanda from afar and immediately tried to hide. you had to avoid her until you told her what was going on

(...)

Wanda closed the door of the house, placing her keys on the keychain attached to the wall. The girl's house, although not on the south side of Miami, where the mansions were, was wonderfully big and bright, with windows that went from the floor to half of the ceiling. a "small mansion" between Vision and Y/n, separated by a few blocks. that by Wanda's own will didn't want to live far from her grandmother Agnes or even from school.

She took off her uniform, took a relaxing shower in her bathtub, and put on a pair of shorts and a tank top, her hair in a bad bun with red hair falling across her face. She liked to be comfortable.

- Mom, are you home? - she asked, surprised to find Natalya in the study.

- Yes, daughter. - She answered quickly, concentrating on her notebook screen and holding a phone to her ear. Wanda tilted her head slightly to the side, passing an embarrassed hand over her arm.

- The Prom is in a couple of weeks... I think I'll finally get my crown this year. - She said with a simple smile, trying to talk to her mother who seemed to be waiting for someone to speak on the other end of the line.

- I'm glad, dear. - Wanda frowned, sighing. - Yes, Miguel, close the deal with the Mexicans... But my husband's not there...? Okay, they want to handle this personally with the owner of the company... - she huffed, scratching her temple. - I understand. Delay them as long as you can, please, I'll be there in a few minutes. she hung up the phone and then got up from leather chair.

- wanda, later we will continue this conversation, okay? - She was packing her purse.

- The Latinos want to deal personally with the majority owner of the company, as you see I have to go urgently. - She hurriedly argued, kissing her daughter's frown and leaving the office without waiting for the girl's answer.

wanda bit her lip, moving her head in a sorry manner. Always busy... They never had time for her. They had problems to show their feelings and affection for their daughter, and compensated this with gifts, trips, better clothes, cars.. Everything she wanted that could be bought, would be in their hands in seconds.

wanda since she was a little girl had a rigorous education, kept a healthy eating routine. she had the best nannies, although she preferred her grandmother Agnes. Stylists, etiquette teachers, teachers of several languages, teachers of musical instruments. But she didn't want any of that, she just wanted their attention. But that was too much to ask.

After being alone in that office, the redhead decided to go up to her room and rest for a while. Downstairs, someone rang the doorbell.

- maria, is Wanda there? - asked Vision to the maid, in the body of Y/n who had just arrived together.

- Yes, she's in her room. Come in! - she replied, looking at Vision sympathetically. She knew that the boy had free access to the house so she didn't hesitate to invite them in and send them straight upstairs and they did.

- What is this girl doing here? - Wanda was indignant after opening the door and seeing Y/n there.

Vision was startled by his girlfriend's murderous gaze on him and hid behind Y/n.

- Can I curse at her now or wait a little longer? - she asked Vision, who gave him a glare in response. - Okay, I'll wait. - she teased, laughing.

Wanda looked at him as if he had three heads. She didn't understand anything and looked at them in complete confusion. Vision, who occupied Y/n's body, didn't wait for an invitation to enter the room and immediately sat down on a small heart-shaped sofa that adorned a space for two. Wanda closed the door, looking at the girl for her impudence.

- This is going to be confusing for you... Oh dear, how am I going to explain this. - Wanda looked at Y/n with her arms crossed. - I'm not Y/n... I am Vision.

He went straight to the point, without beating around the bush, staring at the redhead who looked serious, now sitting on the bed.

- Y/n is in my body and I'm in hers... I know it sounds crazy but this all happened last night and when I woke up I was like this! - he looked at the body that now belongs to him.

- It was an idiotic source that caused this. - Y/n spoke up seriously. Wanda nodded positively slowly, bent her legs in an Indian shape on the bed with her arms still crossed looking at them seriously. But then she laughed, not being able to hold it in.

- What did you smoke? Vision, are you on drugs?

- I'm serious! You have to believe us. - argued the agitated boy. - I already know. - stood up looking at Wanda.

- Ask something that only Vision would know the answer to. - Good idea, Y/n!

- That's enough. I'm in no mood for jokes.

- Come on, please ask, and we'll leave so you can rest. - pleaded Vision.

- Ok, what is my favorite color? - she kept a smile on his face as he entered the game.

- Blue.

- Peen. - Wanda made a sound of denial. - Wrong!

- It's yellow, you idiot! Can't you see her room?! - Y/N slapped the other one on the head, frustrated that he had gotten something so silly wrong.

The walls of the room were white, but one was completely yellow. There were drawings of hand-painted flowers also yellow on the white walls. There was a peach-banana bear on the bed, the curtains, even the closet had yellow details. It looked like a baby's room, which caught Y/n's attention. she didn't expect it to be so... cute.

- Huh, that one was no good. Ask something harder this time. - He apologized and Y/N rolled his eyes.

Ask Vision something only he would know. - Y/n intervened.

- This is the last one… - She warned, already tired of all this tomfoolery.

- What is the day we started dating? - Wanda asked, not knowing who to look at.

- That's easy. - Vision smiled. - It was last year, January 7th.

- Wrong. Incorrect answer. - Imitated robot voice.

- God damn it, Vision, it was January 20th!

- And how do you know? - asked in disbelief, looking at Y/n.

- I could never forget the day I lost my precious voice and almost went deaf because my best friend kept shouting to the whole school that he was dating Wanda Maximoff. - she sneered. - It was the worst day of my life.

- Okay, that's enough! - she got up.

- I don't know what's gotten into you today, I'm really not in the mood for jokes. You. - she pointed at Y/n. - Get out of my house! And you. - she pointed at Vision. - Let's have a serious talk later!

she opened the bedroom door for them to leave.

- No, wait… I'm going to tell you something that only I would know. - Insisted Vision looking at Wanda. - Do you remember that time we drove back in the car just the two of us from your parents' beach house? It started raining and soon a storm came. The car got stuck on the sand road and we had to wait for the rain to pass and… - He scratched the back of his neck. - The weather started to warm up. You took off your blouse and I could see a small scar just below your breasts. We started kissing and it was the first time we…

What a bitch… In the car in a storm, in the middle of nowhere, with the car stuck. Very romantic place to have a first time. Y/n was immersed in her thoughts.

- DID YOU TELL HER? - Wanda shouted furiously, jumping on him and throwing several punches at Vision.

- Are you fucking crazy? Get off of me! - Y/n was caught by surprise and tried to dodge the blows.

- Wanda! - Vision was pulling her waist trying to get her off Y/n.

- I am Vision! Believe me!

- That's enough! I've had enough of this stupid game! - she got off Y/n, who was breathing in fright, and pulled himself together.

- Vision, I am very angry! And you don't want to know what I can do when I'm mad, do you? - He denied it with his head, quickly. - Good. I don't know what the hell has gotten into you to play this kind of sick joke on me. Especially with this... thing. - she pointed at Y/n.

- I don't want to talk to you or see your face right now. I'm not in the mood to argue. So please, get out of here!

They had no way of disputing the redhead. So they left the house without another word. The drive home was silent. He would drop Y/n off at his house and then go to hers. Her parents were crazy, calling all the time. They were worried, because she had left this morning without warning and now it was past 7:00 pm and she had not even shown up at home or at least given any news.

- I don't think this business of telling someone is going to work out too well. - Vision muttered, stopping in front of his house.

- I think you are going to be without a girlfriend. - Said Y/N while removing his seatbelt.

- No, Y/n. - looked at her, terrified. - You wouldn't do this to me. Please...

you stiffened as you realized what he wanted.

- No, this will never work. Wanda and me, never!

- Please, please, please… - he begged. - For our friendship, please. - The girl rolled her dark eyes. She couldn't say no.

- Thank you. You are the best friend in the world, you know that? - she smiled. he didn't need words to know that that was a yes. - I knew it. - She replied with a frown.

- Don't worry, everything will be fine, no one will notice! You know me as well as I know you. And in a month's time everything will be back to normal. And it will be as if nothing happened.

- hope so. Because I won't be able to spend more than an hour with your girlfriend. - she got out of the car, huffing.

- Ah, Vision," she called before the car started. - Take care of my body.

- tell you the same! - smiled and started the car.

(...)

Y/n couldn't believe how Vision could sleep in that pigsty. That room was a complete mess, not taking away the dust. Underpants and pieces of pizza from the last century under the bed, dirty socks on top of the closet. If she opened the closet, she would have the misfortune of a bundle of messy clothes hitting her. There was no way she could sleep there. Not in that mess. So she grabbed some cleaning products, gloves, and some bags she had found in the kitchen. She put on the gloves, covered her nose with a nose clip, and got to work! In an hour, she managed to leave the place spotless, smelling of roses and everything else.

- Gee, what happened here?

pepper came home from work early as she had promised in the note she left earlier. She went up to her son's room and found the place unrecognizable, completely amazed.

- Nothing... I just cleaned up a little. - She couldn't help smiling at the stunned woman.

- I can't believe it! Look at this desk, it's still here. - She joked, running her hand over the previously invisible piece of furniture, lost among piles of dirty clothes. Y/n laughed.

- Everything is perfect. You should keep your room like this more often. she looked inside the closet, which now held all the clothes neatly folded and organized.

- Are you hungry?

- As a matter of fact I am, sir... - she remembered. - Mom.

She couldn't help but scowl at for calling another woman his mother.

- You must be, even after that masterpiece you made. - She smiled and stroked her hair. - I'll get dinner ready! - She kissed her son on the forehead and went down to the kitchen.

Dinner followed quietly. Y/n called her all the time: Mom, pass me the salt. How was your day today, Mom? I'll help you with the dishes, Mom. Mom, Mom, Mom. There were so many mothers for one night, which surprised the woman. After dinner, she went up to her room, when an uncontrollable urge to pee hit her. She had gone the whole day without going to the bathroom, and she was even more surprised that she could stand it. She had to go to the bathroom, but she was afraid, terrified. It bothered her. She decided to call Vision.

- Vision... I need to go to the bathroom. - I said in a broken voice, squeezing my legs together so as not to do it in my pants.

- What?

He couldn't hear straight. He was lying on Y/n's bed entertained by the television on, after being showered with questions about where he was and kisses by scott, who was the most protective. hope had also been worried and asked if he had eaten properly, since he had left without coffee. The boy was enjoying this concern. His mother was not one to ask, after all he always came home earlier than she did. She only came home late or even the next morning after overtime and shifts. What he really liked was that he was welcomed home. Until yesterday he had no father, but today he had scott. Even if only temporary. Can you believe it?

- I need to... go... to... the... bathroom.

- Ah... That's it. Hurry up!

- How come? I don't want to see or touch what you have down there!

- Um... Y/n, don't get hysterical but... It's just that I've already gone to the bathroom. - Answered cautiously scratching the back of his neck afraid of the other's reaction.

- HOW IS IT?

Flashback on

- It's hot as hell. - The blond muttered opening the bedroom windows. - After a day like this, all this craziness, impossible for me to sleep without a good shower...

He spoke agonized to himself, sitting on the bed with his head resting on the headboard.

- I don't know why Y/n is making all this fuss, at some point or another it's going to have to happen. Come on, it's a month! Besides, she probably doesn't have much different from the girls in PlayBoy magazine...

He tried to convince himself that this wouldn't be wrong.

He got out of bed and went to the bathroom in his room. He slowly took off his clothes. He took off his underwear and didn't want to look at it out of respect for Y/n. It was also strange, he felt as if he had been 'caped'. He removed his bra, but he couldn't help but stare, it was comical. The next thing he knew he was playing with his provisional breasts under the shower, innocently. he let out a silly laugh every time he squeezed them. It was strange and new, but funny.

Then he played as if they were guns, squeezing them as if he were pulling the trigger and making shooting sounds with he mouth. The bath followed at the same comic pace. he lathered up he long hair, and also lathered up the pink nipples of he breasts. And the strangeness passed. After he finished, he put on some baggy clothes and left the room.

Flashback off

- Come on, don't get mad. We wouldn't go a whole month without going to the bathroom. Besides, you're just my friend, there's nothing to be ashamed of.

- Wouldn't it have killed you to at least call me? - squeezed her eyes shut, embarrassed. - Like I'm doing now?

- Okay. I'm sorry... - he pauses. - But then, aren't you going to use the bathroom? Or would you rather do it in your pants? - he couldn't help but laugh imagining the situation, it was all so insane! The only thing he could come up with was laughter.

- What do I do? - she pulled down pants and underwear already inside the bathroom and put cell phone on the sink on speakerphone.

- It's not that hard. But just one thing, you're not hard, are you? It's really annoying to pee like this, it hurts.

- I'm what?!

- Nothing... Just hold it and aim somewhere inside the pot. And be careful not to...

- Damn, Vision, I pissed myself! It's like a fucking jet hose and it's soft! - Y/n shouted from the call side, as she couldn't hit the toilet very well and was shaking the 'thing' terrified, wetting all her pants and the toilet lid together.

Vision burst into outrageous laughter without restraint imagining the scene.

- Stop laughing! How do you control it, my God?!

- Be careful not to wet your pants. - He added amidst his laughter. - Wait, did you get wet already? - exploded with another laugh.

- I don't know why you're so funny. Damn it! - she said, frustrated, finishing as best she could. Now she had to take a shower, she took off her wet blouse and pants, getting into the shower right away.

Y/n was showering hurriedly while mumbling things that Vision couldn't understand very well because of the noise of the shower water. But he couldn't help but laugh at the situation.

- Vision, I'm going to hang up now, I need to rest. It had been a busy day. - she curled up in towel without looking down.

- You are right... - you heard the little sigh in the call. - This was only the first of thirty days. I'll do the same, tomorrow is a long day and you still have to apologize to Wanda. She was quite... angry today.

- I what? - she asked incredulously.- Good night, Y/n!

(...)

- Come on, she's over there. going to apologize.

Vision said with his voice cut off by the effort he was making, trying at all costs to push Y/n, whose feet were stuck to the floor, to get her closer to the redhead who was putting something away in her own closet.

- I said no! - she exclaimed, watching Wanda's movements.

- You promised you were going to be nicer to my girlfriend. - Y/n looked at him with irony and he gave up trying to push her. It was useless, he didn't have enough strength in that small body.

- I didn't promise anything!

- Okay... You didn't promise... But you agreed that you would try to be nice to her, at least until everything was back to normal. - Y/n grumbled grumpily, - Come on, Y/n... I'll stay here from a distance to see if you don't make any mistakes. - He tried to push her again.

- Okay, okay, I'm coming! But know that you'll owe me for the rest of your life. - whispered as he walked away.

- Whatever you want, darling. - He smiled watching her approach his girlfriend.

- Wanda... - murmured almost voicelessly, making the redhead close her closet tightly and look at him afterwards.

- I wanted to... - She looked up at Vision who was standing behind them a short distance away, who was encouraging her with signs and gestures for her to continue. Wanda arched her eyebrows in confusion and Y/n looked at her again. - I wanted to apologize for yesterday.

- I was really very angry with you. I don't know what made you make a childish joke like that. That's what happens when you live with bad people.

- Don't put Y/n into it...

- Especially Y/n. You end up picking up on her weirdness. - Y/n looked at her somberly. - I told you she is not good company. - she continued with his criticism without noticing the other's hard stare.

- Enough about Y/n, okay? - I said dryly trying to change the subject before I lost control of hanging that girl in the middle of so many people. - Is everything ok?

Wanda agreed positively and slung her purse over her shoulder.

- Then... - took a deep breath and asked slowly: - excuse me?

She was impatient. But she tried to be as subtle as possible. Because what she really wanted was to tear the other's hair out, to beat her until she saw the blood flowing. Come on, Y/n was not violent, she was completely against violence. But she just didn't like Wanda and her criticism.

- You are excused, little bear. - she smiled, putting his tongue between his teeth in a childish way. - But don't make that kind of joke again. It's not funny. - said sharply, kissing the boy's cheek and interlacing her hand with his.

When she wasn't looking, Y/n tried to run his hand over his newly kissed cheek, wiping it clean.

- Little bear? - she questioned to herself in a thread of voice without realizing the contact she was holding, which was now the warm hand of the redhead, who was subtly pulling her toward the classroom.

Wanda didn't hear his questioning, as she was busy on her cell phone. Y/n didn't understand anything. She was embarrassed by that simple touch, which somehow made her calm down in the same instant. Vision watched everything from afar and smiled. Happy assuming that everything had gone well.

(...)

- Good Morning. I received a letter in the mail today and folks... - Mrs. Miller began a little uncertain.

With everyone in the room, Y/n and Wanda were sitting side by side in the front row and Peter in the second row behind Y/n.

- We already knew that we would face Hayfield at regionals and it looks like this year we will also face Cleverford University. - Miller was blunt in spilling the news and clearly saw natasha snort.

- But they beat us last year. - nat commented despondently as her fingers restlessly fiddled with the bottom of her dress.

- It seems that the council has assigned a theme to the regionals this year and part of our points will depend on a good interpretation by you... - He opened a card that remained in his hands the whole time for you to see.

- Hymn... Now who of you can tell me what an Hymn is?

Clint raised his hand before fixing his glasses on his face. - The bottom of a lady's pants?

- Close... but no. Hymn is an epic song, surrounded by emotion, that somehow seems bigger than itself. Even bigger than the person who performs it. So I have the perfect song for the regionals, which will be... - She made suspense while Cassie played the drums in the same way. - My Chemical Romance!

- But, Ms. Miller. - Y/n raised his hand. - Even though I like My Chemical Romance and I think we were great in this number, as leader of the group and arbiter of all that is good enough... - At that moment everyone turned their heads toward the voice. Their eyes widened, confused, shocked. Y/n totally forgot that he was in his friend's body, and as he always did, he had to give his opinion. What caused the most astonishment in the group was that Y/n was never silent in meetings and she was at that moment, completely still and silent. Not totally, her body was still, and who was imposing was Vision who never paid attention to anything Mrs. Miller said and was always oblivious to the subjects.

- I must say that I don't think this song is good enough for regionals. We can't just do any song, we must be crafty, epic. We need an indisputable advantage. We must write our own song.

still continued didn't notice the stares of others.

- Y/n, what have you done with Vision? - Sam stared dumbfounded at Vision, who looked distraught.

- Man... You're talking like the weirdo now. - Bucky muttered in amazement next to the boy.

- I-I-I just assumed what Y/n would say. - tried to dissemble without fumbling after she realized the situation....

- That's it..... That's exactly what I was going to say. You took the words right out of my mouth, Vision. - He punched the air pretending to agree to help the girl. Everyone kept looking at the two without understanding anything.

- Okay... Then let's take a vote. - Miller spoke up. - Raise your hands if you are in favor of doing an original song...

Y/n was the first to raise her arm, followed by vision who supported her.

- Chemical romance? - Everyone consequently raised their arms, except wanda who didn't speak up at any time.

Miller closed the subject exactly when the bell rang to end the class. wanda was really confused, as was everyone else in the choir, by vision's attitude, she was beginning to be sure that it was from spending so much time with Y/n, that he was already starting to act like her. But she decided not to comment on it, she didn't want to blame him again, she didn't want to argue with him about her. Y/n left the room snorting with anger. even when I am not in my body Ms. Miller tries to ruin my life. I thought.

- Vision.

Y/n slowly closed his eyes.

- Oh no... No... Not again. Get off, tick. - She whispered to herself before the girl approached.

- teddy bear, tonight I really want to go to the amusement park.

- And what does that have to do with me?

- What? - She had listened very well but gave him a chance to change what he had said.

- And what can I do about it? - she smiled, falsely.

- You can come by my place at seven... be on time. - she smiled and gave her a quick soft kiss close to her mouth, then left and went on to his practice without waiting for an answer.

If the touch of the hands was awkward, the kiss close to the mouth was a thousand times more so. She was disconnected and embarrassed. She stood still for a while still processing what had happened and blushed hard still feeling the soft touch of the warm lips on her, close to her mouth. And this time, Y/n didn't run her hand over to wipe it off.

- But... - You're back to your normal state. - Wait, Maximoff, I didn't say yes. - It was late because the girl had already gone. - Damn that redheaded barbie.

- Hey... What's up? Why are you cursing the wind? - joked vision.

- I am actually cursing your girlfriend.

- She wants to go to the amusement park tonight. -said incredulously as if this were the most supernatural thing in the world.

- What's wrong with that? As far as I know you love amusement parks, right?

- Of course I do. Who doesn't like amusement parks?

- Me. - He answered even though he knew it was a rhetorical question.

- I don't like your girlfriend.

- you have to promise me that you won't treat wanda badly in any way today. You'll be nice to her, won't you? please.

Raising his hand for her to shake, y/n made sure to leave him in a vacuum.

she rolled his eyes. - I'll do it for you, but I remind you that YOU owe me one. You can't make any more demands. - she smiled cynically.

- Yes, I owe you one, but I don't necessarily have to pay you now. It could be in a month, a year, two... - he smiled victoriously.

- I hate you, you know? - Vision laughed.

(...)

- Twin one, apologize to twin two. - he asked, playing angry. He was lying on the bed and playing with his new "toys".

- But... But he started it, he thinks he's a little bigger than me. - He personified one of the breasts by squeezing it while producing a thin voice as if he was receiving the answer.

- I... - He started to produce a thin voice again when he was interrupted by y/n who had just arrived at his parents' house and was entering the room.

- What are you doing? - She asked slowly, cautiously, looking at her friend who was squeezing with his hand one of the breasts that had been her.

- I-I-I... Nothing! - he exclaimed with a startled gasp, quickly removing her hand from her breast.

- You are so weird," she said, raising an eyebrow at the scene her had seen.

- And you... what are you doing here? - He tried to change the subject.

- Nothing... I just came to tell you that I'm going out with Wanda. - said dryly and vision smiled.

- behave yourself. - He said holding back his laughter, enjoying his best friend's torture.

- I can't promise," she laughed in her reply, and vision rolled her eyes.

He quickly got up and hugged her, trying to pass on confidence even though his body was smaller than hers.

(...)

At seven o'clock sharp Y/n was in front of wanda's house. Not because she had asked him to, but because it was a routine custom and habit to be on time. He rang the bell and soon the door was open. The redhead was wearing tight jeans that made her large butt visible, and a blouse above her navel with a jacket over her shoulder in case it was cold. Her shoulder-length hair fell perfectly into her back.

The walk had been made in silence, some music resounded on the radio. Wanda sang along with her and swayed her body with her tongue between her teeth. y/n glanced at her and almost smiled. Almost half an hour later they arrived at their destination.

- So... - You started out uncertain. You were embarrassed to be holding Wanda's hand. The girl, on the other hand, was looking everywhere in the crowded park, looking delighted as she decided which toy to go on first.

- Look, Mama, the ugly monster. - A little girl pointed to one of the big posters that stood next to the castle of horrors.

- Are you going to let? - You asked with a wicked smile, not being able to avoid missing the joke, even though you regretted it seconds later.

- Leave what?

- No... Nothing! - she sighed relieved that she hadn't heard. After running around almost the entire park, Wanda decided to go shoot the ducklings.

- That's not funny... I can't hit one! - she grumbled, missing all three shots without knocking down any of the ducks.

- My turn... - wanda smiled and took the toy gun from y/n's hand, aimed and fired, hitting a moving duck.

- I don't believe it. How did you do that? - She widened her eyes in disbelief, making Wanda laugh. - You hit the little one!

- To the winner. - Said the toy's owner, nicely handing over a small pink teddy bear as a prize.

- A teddy bear for my teddy bear. - she smiled sweetly, again putting her tongue between her teeth that y/n was already finding adorable.

- Are you going to give it to me? - she asked spontaneously, a little embarrassed by the girl's gesture. - But you won...

- It's yours. - she came closer and kissed the corner of her lips, still looking into her eyes.

you truly smiled that night.

- So you will be called Blue. - I spoke in a gentle voice, looking down at the bear and playing with its paw.

- Blue? - she laughed in amusement. - But he's pink.

- I know. That's why it's fun, right? - she answered without taking his eyes off the little bear.

Wanda smiled again, but in a different way this time. She looked at Vision for a few seconds and saw him run his hand over his head between his hair and his eyebrows flattened. She wondered why he didn't have that mannerism. But she didn't care much.

- Now Mr. Bigous will have a new friend, won't you Blue?

- Mr. Bigous? - Smile all the time.

- Yes, my little bear. I've had it since I was eleven. It was the last one my father gave me as a present, before he bought me sanitary pads. - she said on automatic and wanda choked on her soda.

- What? Your father? Absorbents? What do you mean? - she blurted out, wide-eyed.

- What? - she looked at her confused.

- What do you mean "what"? You said you had had this bear since you were eleven, before your father bought you sanitary pads. - You widened your eyes and moved your mouth without making a sound. Damn it, Y/n! You mentally beat yourself up.

- Did I say that? - She dissimulated by playing crazy.

- said.

- Strange... Hey, have you ever seen Titanic? - she abruptly changed the subject.

- Not really. - she found the exchange strange. - I always saw some parts of it on TV but never actually watched it.

- Me neither! Look, cotton candy! I'll buy it for us, wait! - she said, desperate to make Wanda forget what she had said. She returned soon after with two large cotton candy balls.

- I bought a yellow one, her favorite color. - she smiled crookedly, feeling sorry for himself for having remembered that little detail, she wanted to give something back for the teddy bear.

- Thank you... But I don't eat sweets or anything like that. - She replied half embarrassed that he bought it to please her and she couldn't eat it.

- What do you mean you don't eat sweets? Are you allergic? Are you diabetic?

- No. - she answered, laughing at all the questions. - I have never eaten.

- NEVER? - y/n made a face in complete horror and wanda had to laugh.

- So you've never eaten cotton candy? I don't believe it... What unknown planet are you from? - She asked, amazed, and Wanda was amused by this, because even the aliens must eat this on their planet.

- Severe diet. - she shrugged.

- Well, today you're going to get off this crazy diet. You have to try the cotton candy, I swear you won't regret it. - she offered it to her now, smiling.

wanda thought for a few seconds whether or not to try it. And y/n must have read her mind.

- You will never know if you like it unless you try it...

wanda smiled and decided to eat. Just for today, it wouldn't hurt, she already ate so many banana desserts hidden from her mother. She never realized, nor did her nutritionist or all those people who wanted to tell her how to live.

- It's okay. - she put a little mound in her mouth and after a few seconds her eyes widened. - How incredible! It melts in your mouth... It's like... - She smiled, stuffing more cotton candy in her mouth. - Huumm... like magic!

y/n couldn't help a laugh, which wanda found enjoyable to hear.

- Do you believe in magic...? In elves, angels, something like that? - She put her hands in her pants pockets as she smiled relaxedly walking through the park with Wanda by her side.

- No... Not leprechauns. - She answered, amused by the cotton candy as a child.

- Angels, yes?

- It would be very nice to believe that somewhere there is someone watching over you and taking care of you, don't you think? - She put another mound of cotton candy in her mouth and looked him in the eye.

- Yes.. - she returned her intense gaze, now with a half-smile, tender, sincere. Maybe Wanda wasn't so bad. Maybe deep down, deep down, she was a good person. Just maybe...

- vision, my cotton candy ran out. - She replied in a low voice sad that it was over and he quickly gave her his, still amazed that she had eaten it so fast. wanda smiled and devoured the candy again.

- Colorful gum... If you liked the cotton candy you will love this too. - y/n commented as soon as wanda had finished the second candy. she bought and handed her a small bag of gum.

- This is very good... How come I've never tasted it? - she asked herself, fascinated, while chewing her gum.

- Show me your tongue. - she asked amused.

wanda stuck out her tongue, making an amused face.

- It's green.

- Show me yours now.

- I won't show my tongue.

- It's not fair! I showed you mine. - she pouted in a sad face with his arms crossed.

- Come on, show me...

- No. - She laughed at the other's reaction. wanda punched her arm.

- Ouch, Wands!

- SHOW ME!

- No.

- Yes.

- No.

- No.

- Yes.

- It fell in the game. Ha! I won. Show me now. - Punched his arm again, this time weaker.

- I can't believe fell for this stupid game. - she surrendered to the girl's insistence and showed his tongue.

- It's blue. - She smiled mischievously and y/n looked at her strangely. - Good. Now let's put our colors together.

y/n took a step backwards almost tripping over a rock when she felt the other girl's hands pulling her by the back of her neck. wanda flattened her eyebrows, confused by such an attitude.

- Look! Car-battles! Let's go? - she didn't wait for an answer and pulled the girl's hand to the toy line.

- I drive.

(...)

- You can see everything from up here. - murmured y/n looking at the shining city. They were now on the Ferris wheel after riding on almost all the rides and eating more candy from wanda. The chair of the two had made that typical stop at the highest point of the wheel. Vision would probably have a fit, after all he was scared to death of heights.

- It's true... It's beautiful. - She looked at the sky flooded with stars and it hit her in a strange way, reminding her of y/n and its crazy metaphors.

She laughed, shaking her head, and looked at the boy next to her.

- To be even more beautiful now only one thing is missing... - She smiled holding her boyfriend's face.

y/n realized the intention and literally petrified, clenching his hands on the iron bar. she closed his eyes tightly feeling the girl's nose caress his and the warm breath join with his trembling one. There was no escape, they were meters from the ground. she waited for the next movement but nothing came. she opened his eyes and saw the girl's pale face.

- Vision... I think I'm going to be sick. - She put her hands to her mouth. After so many turns and so much sugar, she began to feel her stomach turn, her hands were sweating cold.

Y/n shouted as much as she could promptly asking the conductor to make them get off the toy.

- Have some water. - She offered carefully with a mineral water in hand, handing it to the redhead who was already sitting on a bench. - I shouldn't have given you so much candy.

- I am already better. - Really? - Wanda nodded with a half-smile.

- Anyway it's still eight o'clock, let's go on some more toys and then we'll leave.

The girl nodded and stood up, paying in the boy's hand to go to the house of horrors.

(...)

The return trip, unlike the outward one, was more relaxed. They talked about the night, laughed and sang to the sound of the Pixies. Wanda's favorite band. You would never admit it, but you had enjoyed the evening. Although your concept of Wanda hadn't changed much, no arguments, no insults. Vision could be right. maximoff could really be a nice person.

- Rest and don't eat anything sweet anymore. You might feel sick again and we don't want your mother to find out, right? - she murmured, amused but worried at the same time.

- You too, Teddy Bear. - She said goodbye with a little kiss on the cheek. And before she left the car, she received an unexpected kiss on her forehead.

[artsimpourtzi]

Hey, so would love to hear your thoughts about Monza. I understand why Oscar made that T4 move and I somewhat understand why MCL played it out the way they did (we have two No.1 drivers), but objectively it’s hilarious they are literally pissing away the WDC.

I’m not too invested in McLaren or LN/OP so it’s been entertaining to watch it pan out, but I know that’s your team so probably a lot more stressful.

I just know next year is going to be epic if MCL and RB stick to their current form.

Haha yes, I'm loving it and hating it right now, my team is baaaaack but they aren't being very smart. Imagine the scenes in December though if we get a double, for the first time since I was 4 years old... dare I dream???

The thing is that it's been painfully obvious for too long now that both championships are winnable, but for whatever reason the team is acting like we're still underdogs. I get it to a degree, we were scraping the bottom of the barrel 18 months ago, and we didn't start this year as championship challengers (which is big and I will get back to this later), but at some point since Miami it should have properly clicked and I fear this hasn't happened yet (yes even for the WCC). Which in the end worries me about fumbling both.

Monza is the prime example about this. I will say that almost objectively, the let them race in lap 1 and T4 overtake threw away the 1-2. So it's not just the WDC that took a hit, but also the WCC, because we can't discount either RB or even Ferrari from making a comeback. The thing is, I don't want to see team orders where Oscar gifts Lando a position (like people asking why they didn't switch them in the end, please be for real that would be ridiculous). I just ask that we do what every other team does, and protect the team standing when we are most vulnerable, which is the start. It comes back to a continuous issue we have, which is strategy and kind of seeing the big picture of the race.

Of course if we impose such common sense team orders, inevitably, the team will also be supporting Lando's championship bid. Because regardless of what people say online (why is it so common to devalue his achievements? I don't get it), he has been consistently the top driver at McLaren, outqualifying and outracing Oscar more often than not. He's also been much more consistent in taking the fight to the other teams' top drivers when in position to do so (even if unsuccessful like in Austria). Oscar with the exception of Monaco and Spa, has only been able to get just ahead of Lando when he has outraced him, not more (the best example of this is Monza and also Zandvoort, where in both cases he lost out to a Ferrari, and with Lando's position showing how differently he could handle a race at the front, and with a known strength which is his tire management). Which makes sense, he is much less experienced (though I hope he can show soon that he can sort the qualifying to a higher level, it's been kind of unnoticed how lopsided the H2H is, and basically it's the fact Lando has had the start issues that has masked it but that will only last for so long).

So in my opinion it's kind of a case where if they truly commit to getting the WCC they will also commit to the WDC and vice versa, and the issue so far is we don't see full commitment on either. Letting them invite an opponent between them and then letting them race each other in a high deg race isn't not thinking Lando can be champion, it's amateur hour on maximizing points for the WCC. Painful for me.

Now why are they so reluctant to manage races and set priorities? There are many theories around which I find dumb: no, no way there is a clause in Oscar's contract (why agree to that for an unproven driver?), and no, no way mclaren is throwing a WDC now because they see Oscar as their future WDC. I do think inexperience and a strategy department in need of an overhaul are mostly to blame. My current conspiracy theory as a little something extra is that exactly because they didn't start the year as championship challengers, and they gave preference to Lando in the beginning to maximize points (which they had every right to do), now it's not so easy to sell to Oscar's camp (including Mark "not bad for a number 2 driver" Webber) that based on the standings Lando, and not he, has a valid championship bid that can be supported by the team.

The problem is that as I explained, unless they commit to that, both championships are very precarious to a late surge from another team...

[1-800-rh]

(In case anyone wanted a pt 2 . Here is the second chapter to my Rodrick X Fem!Reader , you can find it on wattpad 😊My account is Bylersss!)

"YOU still not talking to them ?" Y/n took a sip of her smoothie. She quickly put it down & latched onto the passenger handle as Rodrick was driving on the sidewalk - in the opposite direction of traffic. "Ehh , sort ofish . Have you heard anything from your parents?"

She shrugged & pulled out her pink Motorola flip phone. "Hey Y/n ! We miss u & just wanted to let u know that we are now traveling to Miami concerning our new product. We may be going home in a month or two. Luv Mom XOXO." She snapped it shut & put it back into the pocket of her jacket.

Rodrick kept silent for a bit then finally spoke up when they'd come to a stop. "My parents are taking us to Roarin' Rapids next weekend. We leave on Friday , I was wondering if you'd like to come ?" He then nonchalantly shrugged. "If you want. Greg is bringing the Hamburglar so thought you might want to come."

She chuckled at the one of many insults he had for Rowley. She nodded & grabbed the handle once more. "Yeah for sure . Sounds awesome."

Y/n fiddled with her fingernails as they pulled into the Heffley residence. Rodrick quickly noticed it & decided to speak up about it . "You nervous or something?" She gave a heavy sigh & shook her head .

"No I just have lots of things going on in my mind."

"Seems like it might be something more."

She tightened her first & watched him pull the key out of the ignition, frustration was scribbled all over his face . "You know you can always talk to me right ."

Y/n looked around for anything to withdraw the attention off of her & onto something else . That's when she saw Greg & the familiar chubby boy. "Looks like Rowley's here again !" She smiled as they both exited the car & made their way to the tweens.

"Hey turd face , I told mom I'd give you some drum lessons in exchange for mom bucks. Follow me to the garage." He paused & gave the chubby kid an up & down examination, disgust written all over . "And bring Salad Dodger with you."

Rowley , the bowl cut haired kid, pointed to himself & whispered a , "Is he talking about me ?" to Greg. Y/n chuckled & nodded , following after the three boys.

She found herself sat on top of a cooler reading a magazine, Rodrick played away at the drums . Rowley & Greg both had confusion written on each of their faces , sharing a glance at one another here & there before looking at Rodrick & then back down to the bowls in front of them .

"When do we get to play the real drums ?"

Rodrick removed his headphones & chortled . "Like I would ever let you touch them!" Greg rolled his eyes & through the utensils he held on to the ground. "I'm sick of this. Let's go play Twisted Wizard , Rowley."

Y/n peeped over her magazine & looked at Rodrick , who was putting his drumsticks away. "Mom bucks ?"

"It's this dumb thing my mom came up with . Basically we bond as brothers & we get play money we can exchange for real bucks."

She dipped her head to indicate she understood. "Well how much have you made ? You can barely stand him."

"Haha . Funny. But I found the fake money in an old board game , so in actuality I don't really have to bond with him." He said . She chuckled & fished for her phone in her jacket.

"I gotta run , I made plans with my friends to catch a movie. Come with ?"

He walked with her down the set of stairs & shook his head. "Nah , the bands coming soon to practice for the talent show."

"Sucks. Alright then I'll see you tomorrow!" She leaned in & gave him a quick hug before pulling away & heading out front.

•

"What were you guys thinking ?! I asked for you to be civilized just for a bit !"

Rodrick groaned the moment his mom started going on about Sunday's incident, again. It had been 3 days since it happened & yet she kept going on & on .

However, it seemed like Frank had gotten a new job & had reduced his drinking - making him the only parent that was tolerable for the moment being. He couldn't wait to talk to Y/n, with the punishment came getting his van taken away & phone away. They lived next to each other but because part of his punishment was also not being allowed out of the house equaled no Y/n . He couldn't even talk to her in class as they would get too busy & by the time he tried talking to her class was over.

He cursed under his breath as he headed towards the domicile. His dad called out for him the moment he hopped out of the vehicle. "Rodrick , come here."

Rodrick spun & slowly made his way towards his father . He awaited for a whole ass lecture but to his surprise received his keys & cell phone back. He had obviously given Frank a weird look before the older man began to explain himself. "Your mom is upset , obviously. But she had asked me to give these to you. I know the new drums aren't the best but I felt bad about the last set & decided to buy you those."

Rodrick felt himself smile but he was able to contain it & only said "Thanks." before heading to his home.

He flipped his phone open to see multiple missed calls & texts from Y/n , Bill , Drew , & Ward. First & foremost he went ahead & gave a call to his band members.

Once the call had concluded he called Y/n , there was no answer. He tried again.

Nothing.

Then one more time .

He had felt worried & quickly went to his window that faced her room. He felt his heart drop as he watched her walk out the house , hand in hand with Carter Samuels. She paused to adjust her shoe lace & quickly reached for his hand again , the biggest smile was spread on her face.

Rodrick quickly shut the blinds & tossed his phone onto his bed . He gritted his teeth before punching the wall . He then could only sigh & tossed himself onto his bed.

[theloveoffootball10]

sᴛɪᴄᴋᴡɪᴛᴜ : ғ ᴏ ᴜ ʀ ᴛ ᴇ ᴇ ɴ

m a s t e r l i s t

ғ ᴏ ᴜ ʀ ᴛ ᴇ ᴇ ɴ

The next day I put the finishing touches to my outfit. My hair is slicked back in a high ponytail and I'm wearing a full sequin black blazer dress with strappy black heels. To add colour to my outfit I've gone for a bold red lip. I don't know what my dad has planned but I want to make the effort. He always does so much for me I look forward to the time we spend together.

"Estás preciosa, mi princesa" my dad says as I walk into the kitchen of the villa. No one is around however they all knew today was about me and my dad.

"Gracias, papá" I always try and speak in Spanish when I'm with my dad, I've been brought up speaking the language and I've been fluent since I was a child. My mum always stressed how important it was for me to speak both languages, especially for when I visit my dad's family.

I still have no idea where my dad is taking me but I follow him out to the car he's booked. I haven't seen my friends for most of the afternoon but I knew they'd plan their own thing for today and Lando told me that he has plans for tonight as well so I know I won't be seeing him. It'll be nice to spend time with my dad, as much as I've been around him lately it doesn't feel like we've spent a lot of time together.

Pulling up at the restaurant I'm shocked when I realise we're at Carbone. It's one of the best restaurants in Miami and my dad has managed to get us a booking. As we're shown to our table I realise my mum is sitting waiting for us.

"Mum what are you doing here?" I ask as I take a seat at the table.

"Lucía you didn't think I was going to miss your birthday did you? Me and your dad have had this planned for months. Neither of us have missed a birthday before, we aren't about to start now" my mum explains.

"You're both amazing. Did you fly out yourself?" I ask knowing how much my mum hates flying.

"Lucía do you not know your mum at all? Steph, Kelly and Donna are here as well. If you're turning 24 you're doing it in style princesita. Plus your mum and I need to celebrate keeping a human alive for this long and doing a good job of it" I absolutely adore the relationship my mum and dad have. I've never felt like I need them to be in a relationship with each other, they get on so good as friends. I love being able to spend time with them both at the same time.

"Does Liv know her mum is here?" My mum and Liv's mum Steph grew up together and that relationship carried on with me and Liv. We're all so close I know I could go to Steph with anything and she'd have my back.

"She does now. We're going to take you girls out one night but from what your dad has said you need to fit me into your busy schedule around a certain Lando Norris" my mum has a knowing look on her face and it means my dad has told her everything.

"Mum he's amazing. It's not often I'll say it because of my previous disasters but he's everything I could want in a man"

"Ooh Fernando our daughter's in love. Just remember we aren't old enough to be grandparents yet and I'm not ready to give up girls holidays for babysitting"

"Christ mum I'm not even in a relationship and you've already got me popping out kids" I say with a laugh knowing kids are a long way off. I'm far from ready for that.

"I bet before you go back to Manchester you're in a relationship with him" my dad says and there's a serious tone to him. I get he's seen me with Lando but I didn't think my dad would be one of my biggest cheerleaders when it comes to a relationship. I'm not going to force a relationship but the way things are progressing with Lando it seems naturally that will be our next step.

After spending a few hours at the restaurant with my mum and dad we jump back in the car to the villa to pick everyone up. My dad wanted the dinner to be for family and now he's said we're heading out to the Miami clubs to celebrate.

"Lucía go and grab everyone you have the youngest legs" my mum says from her seat in the car.

"Papá is also the fittest out of all of us" I say climbing out of the car knowing there's no point trying to argue. Walking into the villa its silent, I don't hear anyone. Mumbling a quick 'what the fuck' to myself I walk into the kitchen.

"Surprise!" I scream in shock as I'm attacked with confetti cannons by my friends, my dads friends, my mums friends, drivers and Lando.

"Oh my god you sly little fuckers! You all knew this was planned!" I say with a laugh as I'm handed a glass of wine and the music starts "thank you so much for coming"

"Feliz cumpleaños, Lucía"

"Papá you're the best" the whole villa has been transformed into our own private club. There's a DJ and dance floor as well as a fully stocked bar. I can't wait to let loose and enjoy tonight without having to worry about paparazzi or fans taking photos of us. "Estoy muy agradecido por todo and you as well mum because I know you'll have been involved"

"Lucía you know we'll always do anything we can for you. Go and enjoy yourself, I know a certain driver is waiting for you" my mum raises her eyebrow giving me the look. She wants me to spend time with Lando. Instead of running straight to Lando I make my way around everyone who is here.

"Steph I can't believe you're here! Thanks for making mum fly this far"

"Lucía you've always been like a second daughter to me, if making your mum fly to Miami means a holiday for me I'm making her get on that plane. Cheers kid" Steph says grabbing us a shot glass from a tray "I'll see you for karaoke later"

"You kept these Monday night plans quiet didn't you" I say wrapping my arms around Lando's neck as I eventually make my way to him.

"I couldn't tell you and ruin the surprise. Your dad would've killed me. You look beautiful Lucía" Lando whispers placing a kiss near my ear so I'm the only one who can hear him.

"Thank you. That's the first time you've called me beautiful. I like hearing it from you"

"I'll make sure to tell you more often. I'm a fan of the red lip, it'll look fucking amazing around my cock later" Lando says pulling my hips closer to him.

"Maybe that's the plan Lando" kissing Lando I run my fingers through his curls running my tongue along his bottom lip. I don't think I'll ever understand why he gives me so much of his time when he could be doing so many other things but I won't ever complain about spending time with him.

"So Lando Norris, it's nice to finally meet the man who has my daughter so smitten, I'm Stacey" pulling away from Lando I wipe the red lipstick from his lips and turn to my mum who's stood behind Lando. I knew this would happen eventually but I didn't think it would be yet, I would actually like to go on my first date with Lando before he gets the mum conversation.

"It's nice to meet you. She's got quite the hold on me as well"

"All I ask Lando is that you don't hurt her. She's been hurt so many times in the past and she's had plenty of dating disasters, that Jake kid being one of the worst, I want Lucía to find someone who deserves her love because when she loves someone she loves them with her whole heart. Call me biased but between us I think me and Nando have raised a good kid, we just want the best for her" why does my mum keep going back to Jake? Of all my past dates he's the one I want to forget the most "That's all I'm going to say now because I can see the look Lucía is giving me"

"Go on, I know you're dying to ask about that date" I say seeing the look in Lando's eye as my mum leaves us alone.

"Why was it the worst date?"

"I was all dressed up thinking we'd be going for dinner or something and instead he took me fishing. I was surrounded by rain, mud, maggots and fish. It was hell" Lando can't hold his laugh in turn making me laugh.

"I can promise you I won't ever take you anywhere near fish. Come on let's get you another wine" following Lando to the bar I can't believe all of these people are here for me. Most of them are my closest friends but a lot of the drivers barely know me but the ones who are still in Miami are here.

A few hours and many glasses of wine later I am absolutely steaming drunk. I haven't stopped dancing to every song the DJ has played including 90's and 00's club classics, all of which I know thanks to my mum. Hearing the beginning of Celine Dion I run around the villa looking for Liv, my mum and Steph. As we all climb onto the kitchen island we dance and belt out the lyrics to It's All Coming Back to Me Now using a vape as a microphone, singing horrifically might I add but for the four of us this is our karaoke staple. In our drunk state we play up to the group of friends that have gathered to cheer us on. As my mum and Steph get down off the island Liv and I continue to sing to N-Dubz, Girls knowing the song word for word.    

"Did you expect my daughter to be so feral?" My dad asks Lando as I sit on Lando's knee, finally getting down off the island putting an end to the performance of the year.

"Honestly it hasn't surprised me at all. I'd say she's a classy chav" Lando says with a laugh "but it's who she is and what makes her so special"

"Good luck is all I'm going to say Lando" my dad says walking away with a laugh leaving me alone with Lando.

"Papá! I'm not that bad! Maybe a little wild but some things won't ever change" people have said in the past that I need someone to rein me in, I don't. I need someone who can balance out my energy.

"You are who you are Lucía and personally I think you're fucking incredible" kissing Lando I run my fingers through his hair pulling him closer to me.

"Take me to bed Lando. I've waited all night for you to have your way with me" standing up I take Lando by the hand leading him to my bedroom. Making sure I lock the door, I look Lando up and down. This man is here for me and the more time I spend with him, the more I know I need him in my life.

esmelucia 📍Miami

Liked by fernandoalonso, landonorris and 20,518 others

esmelucia Celebrating chapter 24 early 🤍

View all 138 comments

alexandrasaintmleux the best night celebrating you 👑

↪️ esmelucia thank you for coming 🤍

landonorris beautiful 🔥🔥

↪️ esmelucia 😘

user7 Lando commenting again 🥹

↪️ user9 istg they have to be together

↪️ user5 there's rumours that they were seen kissing after the race

[mxdimitrescu]

Connection Leads to Something

Synopsis: Hope and the rest of NWST volunteers at a shelter and Hope encounters a teenager named Sloan.

Genre: Family, Fluff

Pairing: Mom!Hope Solo x Kid!Sloan

(Masterlist)

"Hopey!" Kelley yelled out as she jumped onto Hope's back causing her to grumble at the added weight. Several chuckles and laughs caught the attention of Hope's as she turned around to see the group standing there.

"Get off Squirrel or we're not going," she threatened causing Kelley to immediately jump off her back and pout.

The group, consist of Alex, Preath, Sam, Abby, Pinoe, and Carli, headed toward to the large van with Hope and Kelley in tow as they chattered about soccer and where they're going. They all got in and headed to their destination.

     •••••

After thirty minutes, they pulled into a parking lot in front a building, Miami Animal Shelter. They all exited the van and headed inside the building and was greeted by an employee.

"Hello there. You must be the USWNT group," the short blonde lady confirmed.

"Yes, that's us," Hope nodded taking the charge.

"Alright, I'm Zoe and there are few rules and I'll explain them as you guys follow me," Zoe said as they headed to the door that leads to the back.

Hope zoned out the talking as she looked at variation of dogs and cats. Then, her eye was caught when she saw a young teenager with short curly hair sitting in one of the cages with a large Doberman laying its head on their lap. During Hope's observation, the group finished their tour and had split up. Hope went to Zoe and asked her about the teen.

"Oh, that's Sloan. They are a regular in here, especially amongst the "dangerous" breeds such as Dobermans and pit bulls," Zoe commented.

Hope furrowed her eyebrows, "where's their parents?"

Zoe frowned at the mention of parents, "Sloan is an orphan...their parents kicked them out of the house when they came out as non-binary and gay."

Hope's heart broke for the teen and nodded thanks for the information and proceed to walk closer to the cage the teen was in.

     •••••

"Hey there," A voice brought Sloan out of her head as she looked up to see the woman in front of her. Joey, the Doberman, growled slightly at the stranger, moving its body to protect his friend while she nods slightly.

Sloan bit her lip as she calms Joey down, "hello..."

The woman smiled slightly, "I'm Hope, and you are?"

Sloan studied Hope for a moment and decided to talk to her, "Sloan."

She nodded and shuffled in her spot, motioning toward to the floor asking if she can sit which Sloan nodded and sat down on the floor.

"So, why are you here and not with the others," Hope asked as she motioned toward to the other dog breeds that were being fawned over by her teammates.

Sloan looked down at Joey who has put its head back on her lap with his eyes closed and scratched his head.

"Because they always get attention. Dobermans never do because of preconceived notions that Dobermans are dangerous breed...They're wrong, they're loyal and not dangerous," Sloan explained, "Joey here has been in this shelter for three years and is set to be put down next month because no one is interested in him, and the shelter is starting to get too full."

Hope felt her heart sink at the mention of being put down. "I agree with you that Dobermans are loyal. I got five Dobermans back at home," Hope softly said.

Sloan's eyes widen at the mention of her dogs and looked at Hope, "C-Can I see your dogs?"

Hope grinned and nodded pulling out her phone showing the pictures of her dogs to Sloan who moved closer to her.

After a while of talking about dogs, the topic started to slowly change to about families and Hope brought up the mention of her parents.

"I hope you don't mind, but I asked Zoe about you because I was curious about you," Hope cautiously mentioned cussing Sloan to freeze in her spot.

Sloan bit her lip at the mention of her and instantly knew that she knows about her being an orphan causing her to tear up slightly. Hope's eyes widen at the sight and brings her into a hug.

"Don't cry, your parents didn't deserve you and it is their loss that they left out an amazing kid whose kind and caring," Hope whispered into Sloan's head.

At that last word, Sloan broke down in Hope's arms and cried while Joey whined at the smell of his friend's tears and walked over to the couple, laying his body over their laps. Hope smiled at the dog rubbing the back of his ears while soothing Sloan's back as she slowly starts to calm down.

After a while, the tears completely stopped, and they laid there in silence until footsteps started coming up to the cage. Zoe appeared in their sight and smiled slightly, "Hey there. Your teammates are already at the front waiting for you."

Hope nodded as Zoe left leaving the two alone. Sloan pulled away from the hug and started getting up along with Hope. Sloan tried to clean her face the best she can as they both exited the cage, locking Joey behind and started their trek to the front.

"T-Thank you...for letting me get that out," Sloan stuttered fidgeting with her fingers.

Hope smiled and ruffled her hair, "No problem, kiddo. Now, I want to give you something. Give me your phone," causing Sloan to look at her weirdly.

Hope raised an eyebrow causing Sloan to huff and hand her phone to her. Hope smiled and started typing into her phone and hands it back, "You have my phone number, text me or call if you want to talk. I'll try my best to answer though I will be working or training most of the time."

Sloan smiled slightly and as they reached to the door, she gave Hope a quick hug and left leaving Hope alone. Hope shook her head and went through the door to be greeted by her teammates who was questioning on where she was but Hope never gave any answer as they entered their van and headed their way back to the hotel.

     •••••

It has been two weeks since Hope met Sloan and Joey at the shelter and every weekend, Hope would go back on her own to hang and chat with Sloan. During that time, Hope would chat with Zoe and eventually Sloan's social worker. Hope knew that she has a bond with Sloan, and it was a special deep bond that she didn't want to lose so she thought of adopting Sloan and decided to start the process for the license to adopt.

Her teammates were getting suspicious of her behavior and her disappearance every weekend so Hope decided to end that curiosity. Hope asked Jill if she can hold a meeting because she wanted to talk to the team.

At 5:30pm, the women starting to trickle in, Alex and Kelley were first, Pinoe, Kling, and Sam next, Krashlyn along with Julie and Crystal, then the Harry's and Christen and Pugh came in next. The rest started to come in and lastly, Emily came in breathing heavily, "Sorry, I'm late," causing everyone to chuckle at her.

Jill shook her head, "Sit down. Now someone wants to talk to you. Hope?"

Hope stood up and moved to stand in front of others while Jill sat next to Dawn. "I'm sure you guys are curious about what I've been doing lately, and I decided to tell you before one of you," she said while looking at Kelley, Pinoe, Sam, and Emily, "do something stupid like spying on me."

The women chuckled at the not-so-subtle hint. "On our little bonding activity to the shelter, I met someone. A teenager named Sloan and I found out that they are an orphan and been volunteering at the shelter for couple years. I chatted with Sloan and learned about their life," Hope started off but was cut off by Kelley.

"What happened to her parents?" Kelley asked curiously.

"They kicked Sloan out after discovering that they are gay and non-binary hence they/them pronouns," Hope revealed causing the others to frown.

Hope bit her lip in nervousness for what's going to come next, "I've been going back to the shelter and started hang with Sloan. During this time, I realized that I don't want to lose them so...I've started the process of adopting Sloan, that if she says yes."

It was quiet for a moment while everyone gathered the information and cheered, "We're going to be aunties!"

Alex mentioned that she was going to be the favorite aunt until Kelley declared she was going to be the favorite which led to a big debate over who's going to be the favorite aunts. Hope let out a relief and chuckled at their antics.

"Wait!" Carli's voice broke through the argument, and everyone turned to look at her. "When can you adopt them and when are you asking them?"

Everyone turned to look at Hope who looked at her phone smiling widely, "I just got approval for the adoption...so I'm thinking of asking them today when I go back."

At this information, the women of the national team got up frantically and started moving.

"WE NEED CAKE AND BALLOONS!"

"KELLEY, GET YOUR ASS HERE AND LET'S GO TO THE STORE TO BUY STUFF!"

Pretty soon, the conference room was empty, save for Hope, Jill, and Dawn who watched the entire thing go down.

"Well...I think that's your cue to head to the shelter," Jill chuckled while Hope nodded and started heading down to the shelter.

     •••••

"HOPEY!" Hope was greeted by the loud voice of Sloan who just jumped into her arms.

"Hey there kiddo," Hope grunted at the added weight.

"What are you doing here? It's not Saturday," Sloan asked curiously.

Hope smiled as they walked to Joey's cage where they were greeted by Joey who was excited at the presence of Hope.

"Well, I want to talk something important with you," She started off.

"Important? Okay?" Sloan looked at her warily.

"It's not bad, I hope," Hope bit her lip, "Ever since I met you two weeks ago, I have grown to care for you as my own and...I want to adopt you."

Sloan stared at Hope silently until tears started forming and slowly trickles down their cheeks, "Y-You want to adopt me?"

Hope nodded silently as Sloan threw themselves into her arms nodding at the answer. Hope smiled widely until Sloan abruptly pulled away, "But I c-can't be away from Joey."

Hope chuckled, "Don't worry, you're not the only one getting adopted today."

Sloan's smile was so wide and bright as they cheered with Joey who was licking their face in excitement.

"Now, come one let's go home. Your social worker knows about it and allows me to bring you with me," Hope said as they left the shelter after signing the adoption for Joey and figure out the pickup date and headed back to the hotel.

     •••••

Hope and Sloan was found standing outside of the conference room.

"Now I have to warn you, I told the team about the adoption, and they have might slightly gone crazy."

"Why would they care about me? I'm just...me."

"Sloan, they care about you because you are now the new member of our close family. You're my kid which means they are your aunts."

Sloan nodded and braced herself as Hope opened the door and walked in with Sloan following behind. They were greeted by the room decorated with balloons and a long banner that said, "Welcome to the Family, Sloan!" The women along with Jill and Dawn were standing there smiling at them.

Kelley walked up to the pair and introduced herself, "Hi there! I'm Kelley or Squirrel and I'm your mom's best friend."

Sloan smiled shyly and waved at her, "I'm Sloan," while Hope's heart skipped at being called Mom.

Soon, Sloan was introduced to everyone, and everyone chattered and had cake. It was getting close to 9pm when Sloan was fighting off sleep as she laid her head against Hope's shoulder. Hope noticed the heavy weight and saw that Sloan was asleep.

"Hey, I'm going to put Sloan to bed. I'll see y'all tomorrow," Hope whispered slightly to others who nodded while Hope carried Sloan in her arms and headed up to her hotel room.

Hope entered the room and headed straight to the unoccupied bed and pulled the covers, laying Sloan down onto the bed and pulled the covers over her. Hope went to grab her sleep wear and headed into the bathroom putting her nightwear and headed back to her bed. She turned off the light and thought about the day.

Sloan was shy at first but grew to open up to the girls. While the girls were trying to be the favorite aunt, it was clear who was the favorite. To my surprise and not surprise, it was Carli. Both of them were quiet in nature and got along the quickest. Seeing her smile was amazing and interacting with her soccer family was heartwarming.

Hope turned on her side facing Sloan and softly said, "Goodnight kiddo."

Before she fell asleep, she heard a response, "Night...mom."

[raelhbishop]

Cabaret of the Macabre

Filed under [M] for "macabre."

A collaboration between me and the magnificent @roadkill-frankenstein. The prose is mine, the art is theirs, the characters are ours. Consider it a "back-door pilot" for a setting of mine, of which he's a collaborator.

Capt. Grim Blackburn and Brennos Lobhadh belong to @roadkill-frankenstein.

Theoxenia Trismegistus and Mr. Manson belong to @raelhbishop.

Content warning: Depictions of PTSD and body dysmorphia; graphic depictions of death and stake-burning; body horror; mild emetophobia and hemophobia

❊

Two beaming yellow-on-red specks float about in the darkness. Aside from distant flickers of candles, they alone bring light to an all-encroaching darkness, like embers from a dying universe.

If one squints hard enough, one can see suggestions of a surroundings; the grain of stone, the glint of leather, the smudge of ashes, the subtle crevices of some much larger carving. In the dark, it's hard to tell truly where one thing ends and another begins.

An acrid, metallic smell singes the air.

The specks turn slightly, like two wispy marbles. A thin, bronzy outline of two circles and a line follow some inches ahead. Shuffling can be heard; glyphs, pages, come into view, given a subtle red tinge by the spheres.

Adjust the eye of your mind, and one can see something more to these specks…

❊

"Manson, are you positive this is your… friend's… address?"

"WE'RE NOT EVEN THERE YET, HOW CAN YOU ASSUME I'M WRONG?"

A sleek car moseys its way down increasingly decrepit roads. The tag on the back reads "D3MB0NZ”.

The streets reek of piss and, occasionally, some really poor quality ganja wafting from a balcony — a typical day in Miami. The hot sun glistens off the faces of our protagonists. Well, two of them.

Theo and Grim haven't been here for very long, only a few months at the most. In-between their work schedules, the two of them like to wander around Miami and make mental maps of what it holds. They've got it figured out: where all the vegetarian restaurants, liquor stores, and bars that host live music are.

These streets, however, seem foreign to them both. Mr. Manson has been driving for some time now, practically past the city's heart and into something overgrown.

Their ride comes to an end. He leaves the car confidently, leading the two past increasingly questionable buildings.

Grim adjusts his wide-brimmed straw hat. "…why are we going here again?"

"TO VISIT A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE." His voice is reminiscent of the roar of a car's engine.

"Brennos, right?"

Manson nods, audibly rustling. "YOU WILL LIKE HIM, TRUST ME. HE'S A PROPER GENTLEMAN. PLAYS A GOOD GAME OF POKER.”

The trio walk past a condemned building, boarded up, stucco walls crumbling. Mr. Manson stops at the next house, standing before a rotted door that looks minutes away from falling off its hinges entirely. He starts shuffling through his overly large ring of keys — the one thing, he laments, can't be upgraded.

Theo whispers to Grim. "I still don't know why he's our landlord."

"You know damn well why. He's the only one who would take us in."

"I dunno, dude. He still gives me the creeps."

"Come on, he's just undead, that's all. Like me."

"Well, yeah, but you've got flesh and bones and stuff. He's just… bones."

"AH, HERE IT IS."

Mr. Manson pulls out a literal skeleton key, the teeth resembling tiny ribs jutting out of an elongated phalange. At the key's base is a small crow-like skull.

He jabs it into the doorknob. Fighting a little, it eventually unlocks and glows the faintest bit. The eyes of the key light up a ruby red.

Adjusting his jacket and top hat, Manson opens the door and enters.

Theo grabs Grim's hand. They lock eyes, take a deep breath, and follow behind.

❊

A beam of light bursts through the darkness. Three figures emerge from it: the first, a top hat and Prussian blue coat clad figure, walking confident and cool. The second is straw-hatted, with hints of turquoise visible from underneath his yellow raincoat. He has only one arm. Close behind is a cowboy booted figure, sheepishly wearing a colorful hoodie with a smiling black cat on it.

As the door begins closing, the group find themselves in a corridor filled with other doors. They're all exquisitely carved — Mr. Manson notes they're made from solid ironwood — and are all identical except for a small symbol at the center of each. The door they just left bears a manatee engraved into it; a rose sits on the door to the left, and a fountain to the right.

Manson leads them to one end of the corridor, where a much larger door with a wolf-headed knocker greets them. He puts his skeletal finger to it; without even making contact, it knocks itself with a bark.

Startled, Theo leaps backwards, hitting a door with an eight-spoked wheel engraved into it. His hoodie gets knocked back, revealing two goat-like horns that curl behind and down below his equally hircine ears.

Grim sighs. He grabs Theo by the hand.

The door slowly opens, revealing more darkness inside. Manson continues, unperturbed. His shoes clack across the dark marble floor.

Following his lead, the two enter an even larger corridor. The simple wooden walls of the previous room have now been replaced with a dark stone. Pillars and alcoves have been periodically carved into them, covered in intricate detail that comes off as all-too sinister in the dim light.

The visitors peer into the alcoves as they walk past. Artefacts sit on pedestals in each one, lit by lanterns hoisted mere feet above. One holds a beige bejeweled cup, bearing the suture marks characteristic of a human skullcap. Another holds a preserved jar with a snake inside, a strange blend of the cobra and the moray eel. They pass by tusks from long-extinct wild cats, obsidian daggers, gold urns holding crystal spheres instead of ashes…

They walk by an intricate pocket watch with a mirror exposed; as the three walk past, only Theo's reflection appears.

Manson turns a corner. Theo bumps into a pedestal, showcasing a sizable ram's skull. He shudders.

They come to a still life; Theo and Grim stop to look.

"This painting gives me the creeps."

Grim nods. "It's very well done. I wonder if it has any deeper meaning."

Theo cocks his head. "Maybe you're right, dude… see the way the skull is in the forefront? Maybe it's supposed to represent how, like, death is everywhere. And all the stuff behind it is what you want to see." He points. "The books, the flute — a most excellent flute — the sword, the… weird little thingy you, like, put incense in or something…"

"What of the conch shell?"

Theo shrugs. "They're nice to look at? All the objects represent what we see in life, but the skull rules over them all."

They look at it quietly a little longer. An ever-so faint metallic smell begins to waft over.

"What do you think, dude?"

Grim shrugs. "Looks all the same to me… uh, Theo?"

He turns from the painting and is frozen in his tracks.

The two of them see the orbs in the distance. Floating. Ominously. The metallic odor grows stronger. They pinch each other to make sure this is all real, and slowly inch to the side.

Underneath the spheres, a line of frozen flames of red begin to emerge from the void. Both seem to be hovering in the distance. Eyeballing a nearby chandelier, Grim figures the orbs — the eyes, must be a good ten feet off the ground.

The eyes draw closer. The line becomes more defined, taller even, revealing the flames to be rows of sanguine teeth.

Grim feels for something on his left hip, but hears whimpers from his right. He grips Theo's arm to lessen his trembling.

"AH, BRENNOS! THERE YOU ARE!"

Manson walks past the duo, arms open.

A voice emerges from the lurking face. "Charles! Good to see you."

Stepping into the light, something emerges from the shadows.

A pink, slimy visage surrounds the eyes. It has the skull of a coyote, cleansed of all its flesh except for a thin film coating it. It sits atop a long, shaggy neck that freely hunches over. It’s composed of varying furs — suture marks can be seen patching them together.

The mysterious face seems to smile now, commanding a spindly and domineering body. Whatever other unspeakable things the body has inside it are concealed under rather refined clothes: a red dress shirt and pants, and a black collared vest with brass buttons down its left.

A book is clasped by the figure's massive wolf-like talons. They glisten wetly in the light.

Manson stands beside the ten-foot patchwork creature. The latter closes his book, bends his knees, and gives the skeleton a firm handshake.

"I'VE BROUGHT SOME CLIENTS ALONG WITH ME, I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND."

"Not at all."

"THAT ONE," he points to the figure in the straw hat, "IS ONE GRIM BLACKBURN, AND THE SHAKING SATYR HE'S CLUTCHING IS THEOXENIA TRISMEGISTUS."

"Ah, yes, you've told me about them. The ex-pirate and the aspiring musician." He approaches said musician. "I hear you prefer to go by 'Theo,' is that correct?"

Sputtering ensues.

"Ah, don't be so nervous, lad. Your horns don't bother me one bit."

Theo freezes.

"Would you all like a tour of my humble abode?"

"I THINK THAT WOULD BE IN ORDER."

Grim slowly nods his head.

"Splendiferous."

Brennos begins leading Mr. Manson down a left corridor, the others trailing behind. He begins a thorough discussion of the first item he sees — a shrunken head, hoisted to his right, said to hold the soul of the man it once belonged to.

Theo leans over towards Grim. "I think he's gonna kill me, dude."

"Not as long as I'm here."

He smiles at Grim, his lips quivering.

❊

Cacophony rebounds across the halls. Its source is a simple tea room, with Brennos and Manson chortling and patella-slapping. The two of them regale anecdotes of their "lives," happenings from centuries ago that lose some of their humor on the guests.

A fireplace roars in the background — the most light you'll find anywhere in the place. To the left lies a gallery, to the right a kitchen, and directly in front sits Brennos in his leathery armchair.

"You know, Charles, I could install one of these in your place."

Mr. Manson rattles.

"Really, it's no bother."

"THANKS, BUT NO. MY FLATSCREEN TV WORKS JUST FINE."

"Well, what about a cauldron?"

"SLOW COOKER."

"Magic orb?"

"DESKTOP COMPUTER."

"Oh, you make me feel like such a luddite sometimes!"

Grim fidgets with his coat. Theo stares into his empty teacup.

Brennos turns to the two. “So, tell me, how long have you two known each other?"

"About a year." Grim cautiously eyes his host.

"Good."

There's an awkward silence across the tea room. Brennos flashes a sanguine smile; Grim seems a little unnerved by it, so Brennos retracts. It's at this point Grim realizes Brennos hasn't moved his mouth at all — the words get beamed into his brain.

"Say, Charles, did you ever tell them about how we met?"

Before he can start, howling can be heard in the distance. Theo looks up from his teacup, eyes widened in concern.

"Ah, sounds like the tea's done." Brennos slowly rises to his full height. Theo starts bleating in panic — after trying to relax for the past ten minutes, he'd forgotten how tall his host was. Sitting to Theo's left, Grim taps him on the shoulder to get him to calm down. It doesn't work.

He moves his hand to his nape and quasi-massages his neck. The panicked bleating slows down; he breathes easier.

"YOU TWO HAVE AN INTERESTING RELATIONSHIP."

"Yes, but it's ours, and I'm glad to have it." Grim moves closer to Theo; the latter puts his head on the former's shoulder and bleats, this time happily.

Manson grins — not that he has much choice.

Brennos returns with the tea. He pours Theo and Grim cups. The former's hesitant at first, but messily takes a sip — less out of courtesy and more out of his love for herbal teas. It's quite a nice blend; the rest of the cup soon follows.

Grim notices the host pours himself a cup from a smaller kettle; he inquires.

"Oh, my friend, this is a drink for… very specific tastes. I'm certain if you tried it you'd regret it."

Grim highly doubts that — the man makes his cocktails with antifreeze, after all.

Manson and Brennos resume their recollections, some puns at the expense of a 'Governor Phips' here, wise-cracks about Puritan dogma there, and a passing mention about a Sikh vetala and a book club. Then Manson does an impression of some obscure minister that sends Brennos reeling.

As he laughs, a little spills from Brennos' cup. A crimson stain pools on the table.

Grim hovers over the spill.

Theo cocks his head. "…is that…?"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry." Brennos pulls out a kerchief and wipes it up.

"Oh god." Theo puts a hand over his mouth.

"Down the hall, second door on your right."

He runs from the table.

Meanwhile, Grim hovers over Brennos' "tea"cup.

"I told you it was for specific tastes." He sips a little. "You look quite perturbed by it for a retired swashbuckler."

Grim stares at a painting opposite Brennos. "Have you ever seen the mountains outside Marrakesh?"

"In books, yes."

"You know how they transition from being a dried red on the bottom to pallid and snowcapped on the top?"

Brennos acknowledges.

"Every time I see… just any red, really… I'm reminded of those mountains.

"I'm reminded of seeing a pool of crimson, covering the hardened snow. Staining the jagged rocks. Draining the color from…” he winces “…skin. Taking with it, every last inch of warmth… flowing down to join the red rocks below.

"Even just seeing a crimson shirt hanging in a store makes me nauseous."

The void creature takes another sip. "Are you always so honest with gentlemen you've just met?"

"Not until lately." Grim sighs. "How do I put it…"

"YOUR BOY TOY HAS MADE YOU FEEL THINGS?"

Grim shoots Manson a glare that would make one's skin peel. It does what you would expect to someone with no skin.

"JUST A BIT OF HUMOR."

"You're not wrong, though." He resumes staring at the painting. He sighs. "I used to despise the undead, see them as affronts to the unyielding hand of God. And then, by a cruel twist of fate, I was forced to join them."

Putting his cup down, the sewn-together figure steeples his talons. "Do you know how Charles and I became what we are?"

"You just said it was some event in Massachusetts."

"Aye, but that's only part of the story. We used to be flesh and bone too. It was a rather… excuse me for a moment…"

Brennos turns to a cabinet behind him, rummaging through it. He pulls out a stone, clasps it in his hands, and concentrates. He seems to wince while doing so. When he opens his claw, the stone has been reduced to a glowing dust.

"An old trick from the Babylonians." He tosses the dust into the fire. "Observe."

Grim looks into the fireplace and watches its flames turn a vibrant green. It seems rather ordinary, all things considered… but he can't seem to look away from it-

In an instant, Grim sees a foreign vision in his head, a memory that is not his own, playing back as clear as crystal…

❊

Many people misconstrue what 'alchemy' is. It's not the search to turn lesser metals into gold; that's merely a side effect. The true goal of alchemy was mystical: to purify the self, to transmogrify oneself from an impure being of flesh and vice into a transcendent spirit.

To study the vibrations of the world, and pluck them with understanding, turning the universe into a perfect orchestra.

To alter one's own vibrations.

Witchcraft, traditionally, was seen as the innate ability to cause misfortune simply by willing it. Magic for malice, as it were.

But some, many who found themselves magically-inclined or curious — mystically inclined or curious — were targeted as "witches". The actions, the goals, the dreams — they didn't matter to the outsider; their strangeness was enough to warrant scapegoating.

The memory unfolds in a cramped house, wooden logs as its walls and a simple dirt floor. All manner of drawings and writings in scripts — Arabic, Latin shorthand, some bastard version of Greek — line the walls.

He sees a figure in the mirror — one covered with scars across its chest, scars it - he, knows to be from disgust, from a desire to become something different.

A body, a mind, a soul, torn from years of constant, minor degradation. Like a thousand arrows shot at the psyche. Insults from others; assaults from others; assaults from his own mind… and a growing desire to escape.

Today, there is no disgust. There's only excitement… a little fear, but eager anticipation overwhelms it.

A cloth covers a vaguely humanoid outline in another corner of the room.

The anticipation wells further. Various items line the desks here; crucibles and alembics, a bubbling cauldron, ashes, herbs familiar and exotic, not-so precious gems, animal skulls, talismans from within and without the New World…

He turns to see sigils inscribed into various loose-leaf pages and small discs. A wooden one sits forefront, destined to be an amulet.

Removing a rod from the fire of the cauldron, he burns a strange symbol into the disc, then submerges it in the cauldron.

He takes the amulet and… the memory gets blurry here, painful. When it returns, the amulet has been snapped in half; one half, he wears himself, the other, now placed onto the cloaked figure. Both seem to glow gently.

His excitement boils over — as does the cauldron. He takes a cupful from the cauldron, pipping hot, and drinks it, burning his throat in the process. He doesn't care. He takes another, and pours it into the cloaked figure.

Colors now seem more vibrant. He can feel his blood, his breath, his nerves — like winds, swirling about his body. He drinks more of the brew; the inner vision, the excitement grows stronger — blinding his awareness of what's unfolding outside.

The rituals that follow are a bit esoteric for most; still, the feeling of the winds becomes ever-present. They begin to coalesce in channels across the body.

It's exhilarating… it's chaotic… it's purifying…

He can feel a synergy, a connection, with a foreign channel mere feet away, as if a door is opening with a ruby red key.

Suddenly, his own door bursts down. A mob breaks in, armed with simple weapons, dressed in simpler clothes. The few that enter are baffled by the array of oddities. They utter prayers and complaints.

The strongest one of them grabs him by the shoulders, jostling his trance.

It's as if one's hand had been jarred in that very door. The connection splinters, shivers… the winds turn into typhoons around their channels… voices from before, from beyond, from within, are amplified a thousandfold. Dread rises from every pore.

He tries to fight back, thrashing his limbs, knocking his set to the floor. It's no use.

He gets dragged out by the mob. His vision is blurry, hazy, like a mirage. As he gets dragged further, he can see his house burning in the distance. He can make out a few faces in the crowd; most prominent, that of a buckle-hatted, mustached figure — a certain Charles Baldrick Manson III, Esquire, farmer and moral arbiter.

The connection still lingers. He tries desperately to re-enter the trance, to hold on to it for as long as possible. He feels sensations across his bodies ebb in-and-out. A soul cast between two homes, tethered to neither and longing for both…

Within moments, he now finds himself tied to a stake. A woman, a familiar voice, tries desperately to stop them, but it is of no use. She pleads before Manson; he is unperturbed.

He fades in-and-out of awareness, across bodies. He feels the other one grow warmer — a sign of progress?

He can barely hear the confident speech of the mob leaders as he tries to re-enter the trance. Suddenly, light begins to shine from below.

He thinks it's a good sign at first — the soul, finishing its migration!

He looks down — both bodies — to see that he's gravely wrong.

Flames pierce the skin like cuts from a red-hot sword. The smell of burning flesh is choked out only by the stench of the wood underneath.

Blood begins to boil underneath the skin. Joints bubble and explode. Bones can be heard crackling from the flames.

His body begins to feel numb all over, the pain unbearably dulling all his senses. He goes blind — either from the trauma, or from his eyes popping in their sockets.

The last thing he can see is the smiling face of Charles, taking a mirage-like transition into darkness. Swirling darkness, like the smoke of the flames.

There's a piercing ringing in the ears.

It slowly dampens as if it were going down a distant corridor, echoing as it departs.

The vision becomes filled with sparks.

The all-consuming pain slowly seeps, drains out. He can feel the winds withdraw from his body, heat coalescing, then dissolving from the heart…

Grim grips his chest, reflexively…

… pooling into something.

The vision gradually transforms, from the light of a moon-lit sky, to an ember-like reddish glow, to black voidness… finally, to a clear, blinding, calming light…

… it sits there for some time…

… he awakes to find himself in the ashes. Not on them, in them. He feels strangely free, fluid, like he could fly through mountains…

… and yet, he finds himself trapped in a black, bile-like form, pooled in and around what was once the stake.

It takes some time for his spirit to adapt to this liminal body — liminal being the loosest and yet closest fit term for what this is.

Two bead-like eyes form from the mental image of himself. The world no longer looks the same; ghosts and auras are now as clear as day, and the mundanities of life give way to the extraordinarities of the beyond.

Brennos' cool, cold, shadow-like body creeps its way out of the pile of smolders. It rolls itself into the direction of the town, to the direction of a certain manor, inhabited by a certain Mr. Manson…

❊

The memory ends. It felt like hours. It all flashes by in a minute's time.

"I had worked so long and hard to sculpt the perfect form, something I could feel confident in…" Brennos creaks, akin to a sigh. "I spent years learning to re-assemble myself, using what little magic I had left to survive."

Grim quietly, slowly nods.

"It took me some time to get to the form you see today. Most of the bodies and cadavers I tried to inhabit were failures from the start — too decayed, too weak, too small. I soon gave up on trying to become human again. Instead I built myself a body, the one you see before you now. One of flesh, fur, and bone. At first, I was disgusted by myself."

Grim says nothing.

He sips from his cup, teeth clacking ominously against it. "It took me some time to accept what I had become. And now, I've grown quite fond of this body of mine."

Grim still stares in the direction of the fireplace. Brennos creeps over; his cheeks seem wet with tears.

He extends a talon.

Grim turns.

"We all need help sometimes."

Grim grasps the claw. They do a quasi-handshake.

"Say, Charles and I have a little… coven, you might say, of undead friends that meet here. We're called the Cabaret. Would you like to join us?"

Grim looks down, thinking.

"There is no pressure to join, my good sir."

He thinks for a moment. "Well, only if I-" He turns in his chair. "Wait a second… my landlord is the man that killed you?"

"Indeed. I was quite miffed at the time. In a fit of rage, I went over to Manson while he slept, and put a hex on him. I spared his wife-"

"AND I MUST SAY, THANK YOU FOR SPARING HER."

"Why wouldn't I? She was the only one who stood up for me."

"VENGEANCE DOES STRANGE THINGS TO THE MIND."

"Very true. Regardless, that hex is what brought him to his current form as a walking skeleton."

Grim looks Brennos in the eyes. "The cycle of violence."

Brennos nods. "Ah, but how trivial it all looks in death." He points at Manson. "You accused me of witchcraft because I mentioned the possibility of rain, and it rained that day. You were correct, of course, but your reasons… quite absurd."

"TRUTH IS, I WAS JUST MAD BECAUSE I WAS PLANNING A PICNIC THAT DAY. OUR PASTRIES WERE RUINED."

"Ah, to put your fellow man to death over soggy pastries! How interesting those times were."

Manson hunches towards Brennos. "I'M AFRAID NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN THAT REGARD, TO THE MORTALS AT LEAST. QUITE SAD, REALLY."

"Yes, but at least the stake-burnings are metaphorical now instead of literal.”

"YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT THEY DO IN SUBSAHARAN AFRICA THESE DAYS. IT WOULD MAKE YOUR BILE-"

A metallic thud can be heard in the distance, followed by a yelp.

"Griiiim!"

Seconds later, Theo emerges from a corridor, a helmet from a Qing dynasty coat of armor rolling in behind him. He runs over to Grim, and buries his head into his shoulder. "I want to go home!"

He sobs profusely on the pirate's left side, tears trickling down his armless shoulder.

Grim looks over at his hosts. He turns back and puts a consolatory hand on Theo's shoulder.

The whimpers echo across the halls of the manor.

As the tears begin to lessen, Grim pats Theo on the shoulder, grabs him by the chin, and turns his head.

He sees Brennos there, taking on the posture of a plant that's begun wilting.

This ten-foot fleshwork creature, witch, daemon, whatever it is, seems… sad.

Theo gets the feeling that there's emotion there. Its mouth may be bony and menacing, and its eyes more like burnt embers than eyes, but it… he, seems just like him in a way.

He burrows his head back onto Grim to process.

Theo gets the sense that, somehow, Brennos is just as sad as him. He doesn't know it like Grim knows it, but he senses that somewhere, deep in those eyes, a mortal just like him once resided — still resides. A hopeful, excited — corrupted, mirror of himself.

"Alright, I understand. You two are free to leave." Brennos approaches a little. "But first — and, I must say, this is entirely your choice — I think I have something you might enjoy, Theo. Would you like to come see it?"

He sniffles. Picking his head off of Grim's shoulder, he grips his hand and looks him square in the eyes.

Grim nods slowly.

Theo turns and cautiously accepts, following behind Brennos and gripping Grim's hand.

They wind past corridors Brennos showed them prior — weapons, skulls, preserved viscera and the like — and enter one the group missed. It's filled with instruments; Theo is amazed by their diversity and age. He brightens up a little, pointing at the erhu and the mandolin and the qanun.

Brennos then pulls out a dust-covered box from beside a pipe organ. His claws wrap neatly around it, brushing the dust off in one stroke.

"I remember hearing you liked music. Is that so?"

"I live for music."

"Good, very good. I've always admired a musician's heart. It's similar to a witch's heart, in a way."

Brennos lowers himself to Theo's height. "Charles has been telling me of all the strange new ways everyone listens to music. When I was born, you could only hear music by playing it yourself or hearing someone else. Before the phonograph or the cassette-disc player or what-have-you, we had this."

He puts the box in Theo's hands. It's wooden, fairly dense, is about the size of a paperback novel, and has a painting of a forest scene on it.

"Go ahead, open it. It won't bite."

Theo cautiously lifts open the top. As he does, it begins playing a gentle tune. He can see the machinery inside — a spinning copper disc with holes punched into it, and a braided metal rod that sticks halfway across its length, dipping up-and-down with the grooves of the disc.

It's so old, so simple, and yet so intricate.

"That's… Clair de Lune.”

"Good ear."

Something about the music box's tune strikes a chord with Theo. The high-pitched, metallic strumming seems to take him back to a time before he was born; nostalgia for a faceless face, a placeless place. He sees the tree he was born under, his name not yet carved in its side.

He feels a pressure build from the side of his eyes, growing stronger with each high-note.

Tears once more stream down his face.

He lets it loop two or three times, before gently closing the box.

"It's yours if you want it, friend. A gift."

He sniffles. "Thank you." He puts the box beside him, wipes his eyes, and looks at Brennos down his comically small glasses.

Theo slowly smiles. He chuckles. "Sorry, dude. I think I forgot to introduce myself." He puts his left fingers on his chest and extends his right hand outwards. "Theo."

Brennos nods. "Brennos Lobhadh, at your service." He extends a hand, as if to shake.

Theo extends his hand upwards.

They stand silent for a few seconds, before Charles approaches Brennos and hushedly explains what a high-five is.

Brennos shrugs and complies, slapping his massive claws against Theo's frail hand. The satyr winces, grips his wrist and grits his teeth, trying to conceal the pain twelve pounds of talons hurdling at his palm conveyed.

Brennos looks concerned.

The satyr smiles back. He sticks his tongue out, playfully. "Don't worry, the last dude that did that became my boyfriend."

❊

The wolf-knockered door opens once more; this time, Theo and Grim walk mirthfully out of it, saying goodbye to their hosts.

Manson and Brennos stand in the doorway, waving back.

"Oh, Grim!"

Grim turns. Brennos gestures conversationally.

"My offer still stands. To join us, I mean. Here at the Cabaret. I think you would make a welcome addition. We share our collections"

"Only if he can come along." Grim nods toward the satyr beside him.

Brennos puts an inquisitive talon on his face. "Well, he's not quite undead… rather the opposite, really…"

"That's my offer. Take it or leave it."

Brennos shrugs. "I suppose a little life wouldn't hurt."

Theo opens the door with a rose carved into it. He waves as the couple say their final goodbyes.

"WAIT, HOLD O-"

The two of them exit the room, entering a shaded pathway nestled beside a dilapidated corridor. Grim holds in his hand double, Theo nothing.

"Remind me never to take you to Vegas."

Theo chuckles. "Remind me to never take you to Macau."

"Think I'd drain their casinos dry?"

"I don't want to have to break you out of a Chinese prison."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Grim ducks walking past a… gargoyle?

"You're a cheat."

"I don't cheat!"

They turn a corner, Theo's hands motioning past a poster written in some strange language. "Come on, dude, you even cheat in Monopoly."

"I do not!"

"I dunno, I don't think 'accepting aid from the East India Company' is in the game rules."

"They're called house rules!"

"…Grim?"

A giant statue of a woman on horseback, flanked by two paladins, stands before Theo, with "TRANDAFIR SI APOSTOLII EI" carved into the stone it sits on.

"I don't think we went through the right door…" ❊

[eastralyn]

Continued

Trigger warning; domestic violence

My first memory of my dad was a picture and my mom saying "that's your dad, that's what he looks like". I think she showed me the picture and told me to keep it so I wouldn't forget what he looked like until he came home next. I remember vividly that picture, from his large moustache to the white uniform he was wearing. In every picture I remember, he's on a ship. There's always ocean, there's always a ship and there's always him in these photos.

What I remember just as vividly is how he wasn't the person in the photo when I got home. He was always just similar to the pictures I had, but colder. More distant. I could never tell if he was happy to be home and I could never tell at the time why he never stayed. And that's how it's always gone with him. Glaring absences with sprinkles of presence. He always seemed miserable when I was young, the few times I remember with him.

I'd be so excited when he was coming home; so why wasn't he? Why wasn't he excited to see me? He seemed so annoyed with me wanting to soak up his every detail because I knew one morning he'd be gone; he'd morph into the voice on the other end of the phone and it would be another 6-8 months before I saw him again. He'd leave tons of presents for me and my mom before heading back to work. I have more memories of the things he bought me than himself as a person.

Still, my mom and I would follow him. It seemed random though; we'd spend almost a year in Miami so he could get education for his job. We'd spend time in Texas so he could have an easier time getting on the ship. We'd wind up spending a year in the Caribbean, which was the worst year for all of us. And each time, he'd leave or we'd leave, always back to New York. And I thought that's how it would always go; we'd leave together and then my mom and I would come back to New York alone.

The last memory I have of my dad in New York is the first time I realized my parent's relationship wasn't quite right. They has always argued a lot, but I would try to get them to hold hands, ask them if they still loved each other. But not this one night. This one night, my mom was cutting food in the kitchen and my dad was in there too. I think they were screaming at each other, which wasn't abnormal. But it seemed different this time. My mom would get so angry and he would get so angry; they would say horrible things to each other. This time, it escalated. I think my mom might have said for him to get away from her. There must have been a commotion I was disassociating from because all I remember next is my dad sitting in the living room in the dark, a hole freshly bleeding in his arm. My mom had stabbed him and was now losing her mind in the kitchen. I didn't know what to do as my dad sat there silently; tears streaming down his face.

I thought I could fix it. In my 4 or 5 year old wisdom, I thought I could make him smile. I'm his only daughter; if I can make him see how much I care, then we can care for each other and fix all this mess.

I climbed on his lap; no reaction.

I started asking questions; no reaction.

My mom is in the background alternating between saying don't touch him because he has diseases and losing her mind that she stabbed her husband. She eventually called the cops on herself, because my mind flashes to the next memory. Police are there and they want to see my cereal. My dad is just gone, my mom is just gone. I don't know where they are. And I don't know what happens next.

That's where the memory ends. It's taken me years to understand all the gaps, silences and skips are erased in the murky waters of trauma. Where did my parents go that night? Did they take my mom? Where did my dad go? Why does he always disappear in my worst memories?

He exists as a phantom in my mind. He's there but you can't see him. You can hear him calling, but it's as easy as discerning whispers on a breeze. He shows up in a blinding flash of light, and leaves just as quickly. His presence is a chaotic lightning strike hitting random spots on the map of my life; he leaves marks but he's too quick for you to actually notice he had been there.

[fantasticcloudcreation]

Good things:

- these pants were too tight on me last thanksgiving, tried to wear them and ended up changing bc it was uncomfy tight, however today they fit fine/almost loose in the waist even after eating so much and perfectly baggy around the thighs :) wore them all day and they're comfy and perfect :)

- I get to spend the next 3 days hanging out with my family and probably won't have any time to work on projects so I'm gonna get as far as I can with it tonight and then let it go and relax and enjoy the festivities

- thought about getting hair dye/makeup etc but haven't done any of it so I'm just gonna be regular + normal but you know what I'm still cute !!!!!

- feeling kinda anxious about this 2am start time situation but you know that's a whole week away and I don't need to worry about it yet!!! It'll be fine and I'll probably have fun with it!!!

- I helped my mom pick out a cute Christmas tree today

- I'm getting to wear all my cute winter clothes + layers + accessories while I'm here which is always fun for me

- I actually didn't gain any weight over the past 2 months (didn't lose any either but that's ok ! )

- isn't it great that my problem right now is "too much enthusiasm, not enough time" like time is relative and I can choose to make time for whatever I want to prioritize; noticing moments of stress/tension = noticing areas of life that I can choose to improve; right now I'm here and it's time to rest & relax & brainstorm for the upcoming year but for now there's no pressure, just have fun :)

- I was feeling grumpy about having to go back to Miami when I low-key just wanna stay here and make crafts all winter but now when my cousins ask what I'm up to next I've got an actual plan and a rough idea of what's going on for the next couple months

- cute neighbor boy is back in town, I should talk to him more lol. Also many cute people on this dating app if only I can handle the whole "responding to messages" thing. (I love getting high and playing around on dating apps at like midnight lol that's weirdly fun for me. ) I am breaking down my social anxiety one little interaction at a time :) also, cuties at work !!! I get to see my friends again in like a week and a half !! Last year I didn't see anyone from November - March and went into a huge spiral but this year I'm staying busy & that's so exciting!! Also cutie lover boyfriends asking me to visit them around the country and I might actually make an effort to do that this year?? We'll see lol.

- I'm in a state with recreational marijuana which means I can stop rationing this gummy stash that I got back in September lol I can just eat them and crochet all night and buy more before I head back to Florida

- yes there are things I want to change/improve about my life but realistically, this year compared to previous years, I'm in a really good spot :)

[avalentina]

From Italy with Love!

A BookstoreOwner!Y/N x Christian Pulisic blurb

(image not mine) credit: usmntonly on X!

Warnings: none, it's just a fluffy happy blurb to celebrate his first fully Italian interview.

A/N: I totally lost my shit the first time I watched the video😍. And I think I've watched it over a hundred times since. I need to get an audio recording of it and put it on repeat🤣

ENJOY!

⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽

You couldn't be more proud at this moment. You've known Chris for nearly 16 months, and have been dating for 14 of those, in that time you'd taught him Italian and now as he looked up and winked at you quickly before the interviewer started talking to him in rapid fire Italian you were glad you had your phone out to record it. When he started answering the first question in Italian you let out a happy excited proud scream internally, or so you thought, but the way his smile widened afterwards as he continued his thought made you realize it actually came out. “Shit, sorry, mi dispiace tanto(I'm so sorry).” You apologized profusely to the lingering spectators around you.

After the interview was over you met up with Christian in the tunnel. He gave you a quick hug knowing you really didn't care if he was sweaty, or soaked, or sweat-soaked. And after a brilliant assist to add to his brilliant start to the campaign he can have whatever he wants from you.

“Well, I guess you won't be needing me around anymore.” You say with a slightly teasing laugh, after spending all your time together in his off season including traveling to the Copa America games, and hanging out with his family and friends in Miami. Not to mention the private trip to Turks and Caicos.

“Oh, I beg to differ, clearly you're my lucky charm. See you at home right after Fonseca is done with us at Milanello.” He said, giving you a quick kiss on the cheek before heading towards the locker room.

You made a quick stop for groceries on your way to the home you two share, a beautiful place in Como with amazing views of the lake. It obviously means you actually have to drive to the store, but it's well worth it. When you get in, you start prepping a few of Christian’s favorite post game snacks to pop into the oven when he gets home. You get your night care routine done and slip into one of the super oversized hoodies you like to sleep in with a pair of silk pajama shorts and the plush slipper socks you usually wear around the house.

When Chris gets in you're settled in the lounge watching reruns of one of the NCIS shows. Chris sets his bag in his mud area as you call it, you have one too, just for coats, shoes, and whatever else; you keep your keys in yours just so you don't lose them. He pops a snack in the oven before following the noise of the TV straight to you where he settles in next to you.

“You were brilliant again today baby, as always, especially as of late.” You say as the two of you cuddle up on the sofa.

“Mhmm.” He mumbles while you scratch lightly over his back just how he likes it.

After he eats the two of you are out on the balcony overlooking the water when he gets contemplative.

“I know you weren't being serious earlier when you said I wouldn't be needing you around anymore, but I just want to make sure you know exactly how far from the truth you could be. I didn't know what was missing from my life until I found you at your bookstore. And I've been thinking lately, waiting for the new season to calm down a bit and really get going, but I want it to be you and me forever baby, officially.” Chris said and turned you to face him fully before getting down on one knee.

“Y/N, you came into my life when I had just switched to a new club in a new country, not at all expecting it to be where I'd find a true home. I went into your bookstore needing a new copy of philosopher’s stone because mine got lost when I moved. Meeting you was fate, destiny, or maybe just a whole lot of luck, but I knew right then I needed to find some way to spend more time with you. Which led to you teaching me the beautiful language. For every minute I got to spend with you I wanted to spend a lifetime’s worth more. So will you please marry me?” He gives his little speech that has you tearing up. When he pulls out the ring box and pops it open it's quite literally the exact one you had jokingly shown him a picture of.

“Oh mio Dio, Christian, sì! Da quanto tempo hai questo anello? Sei serio? Oh mio Dio, ti amo e non vedo l'ora di essere tua moglie. Anch'io non vedo l'ora di poterti chiamare mio marito. No, sul serio, tipo: oh mio Dio, dannato Cristo, non posso credere che stia accadendo proprio adesso. Sì, sì, sì, certo che ti sposerò.” (Oh my God Christian, yes! How long have you had this ring? Are you serious? Oh my God I love you and I can't wait to be your wife. I can't wait to be able to call you my husband either. No, seriously, like oh my Jesus fucking Christ I can't believe this happening right now. Yes, yes, yes, of course I will marry you.) You say and he laughs at your little happy freak out moment before slipping the ring onto your finger. “Think I can start going by Mrs. Captain America now?” You ask him with a playful laugh before kissing him deeply.

⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽

Feedback appreciated!

-Ava

[p-redux]

Well the SCOOPS keep coming--3 in a row hahaha! I may know WHO Sam is with in Miami. 🤗

So, as you know, yesterday, I got direct Source info about Sam's itinerary for the next few days via someone who was on the same flight as Sam. Then right before bed, I got a DM regarding the fan who saw Sam in Miami (just like the first source said he'd be there). And this morning, I woke up to C.M., remember the woman an Anon said she'd seen with Sam in Paris last month, posting FROM MIAMI! C.M. is also in Miami!

I had dismissed the Sam and C.M. sighting in Paris because they don't really seem to be each other's types. And I'm still not convinced they're dating. It COULD be a coincidence that C.M. is also in Miami at the same time Sam is. AND she was out to dinner with a female friend last night. 👇

BUT, this latest post of hers gives me pause. 👇🤔😊

Did our Mr. Heughan get a nice birthday morning massage? 🤔😊

I know you guys will hate me, but I'm still not going to post her full name because I'm not totally sure they are together. But both of them being in Miami, when she normally doesn't go there much, AND that post of hers mentioning actors, does make me go "hmm." I want to keep her to myself a bit longer to see if she posts anything more solid. If it's clear they are dating, then I'll let you guys now. But for now, here's hoping Sam's enjoying his birthday!