#a lot of thought and effort went into winning this race

[petit-papillion]

Highlighted where he talks about his race, but the parts about seeing the fans and having his Mum there... 🥹🥹🥹

Read the full article here:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/nobodys-perfect-but-leclerc-came-close-with-final-monza-stint-/10650874/

[freshxsturniolo]

4th July - Part 6 - chris sturniolo x femreader

pt1. pt2. pt3. pt4 pt5

you flop down on the seat with a frustrated sigh, finally admitting defeat. you'd played the 3 games you had paid for and had chris had beat you every time. of course he had. you'd never played a game of top golf in your entire life.

chris smiles at you cheekily as he walks his way over to you, before he flops down and instantly puts his arm around your shoulder, pulling you into his chest.

"dont be a sore loser, pretty girl" he whispers in your ear, his voice sending shivers across your whole body before he lets you move away from him again, leaning forward and grabbing his drink.

you pull your hair away from your eyes as you look at him.

"you could have let me win at least once" you moan, and he chuckles again as he puts down his drink.

"and not teach you how to play properly? never. i tried to help, didn't i?"

yes. he had tried to help. your heart was still racing with it now.

you had let out a frustrated cry as the ball once again went no where, and you had automatically looked to chris for guidance. he didn't even notice you weren't hitting the ball right to start with, his eyes trained all over your body. the jeans your wore showing off your ass. the skin of your exposed stomach as you wore a off the shoulder crop top, shoulder moving as you swung the club. your make up the most beautiful he had ever seen it. he could tell you had made an effort for him, and it made him smile, even thought he thought you were beautiful with or without it.

he had chuckled as he walked over to you, taking position behind you. hands on your hips as he angled you better before his hands held onto the backs of yours, as he practically took the shot for you, just your body entwined in front of his. when you and he hit the ball and watched it fly further than it had done all night, you turned your head over your shoulder to look at him, but your nose brushed together. he had smiled and looked down at your lips, before you uttered out a thank you, and pressed your lips against his.

it was your first kiss of the night, and you had lost count of how man kisses you had had since that moment just a little under an hour ago.

you rolled your eyes at him now, but a smile escapes you. "okay, yes. you did."

and he leaned forward and gave you another kiss. you weren't sure you were ever going to get enough of him and those lips.

he looked down at his phone now and saw the time was just nearing 6pm, because yes, you had called him the moment you were ready earlier in the day as you simply couldn't wait till the evening to see him, and he looks to you.

"so, what now? do you wanna go somewhere for drinks?" he said, his hand coming to your thigh. you look down at his fingers before placing your hand over his.

"you want to keep the date going?" you tease. he smirks as he bends forward now, his lips just inches from yours.

"i fear i want to keep this going forever." and then his lips press yours again. your hands come up to the nape of his neck as his hands rubs against your thigh, and for a moment you forget where you are. you forget the prying eyes likely upon you. you forget that people might even recognise who you both are. but you don't care. this felt right. this felt comfortable and so okay.

he pulls away from you now and theres a hazy look in his eyes, like he's contemplating saying something. so you wait. his eyes scan your entire face for a second, hand squeezing at your thigh, a sharp breath escaping your lips.

"i might be crazy, but-"

"are you done with these?" a voice comes from the side of you. you jump, turning your head to look at the voice and noticing the staff member pointing towards your plates and trays of food. you'd gone for a mixture of things, picking at them as you went along. wings, fries, ribs. but truthfully you hadn't eaten a lot, both too infatuated

"uhm, yeah, thank you." you smile.

the staff member smiles at you as he picks up the plates and trays, and when he finally walks off you give him a smile before turning back to chris. but he's shifted in his position and his cheeks are slightly red. his hand no longer on your thigh but clutching his phone, his knees doing a nervous jig. when he knows you're looking at him again, he smiles and stands, shoving his phone back in his pocket before holding our your hand.

"shall we go, then?"

"yeah," you start, lifting yourself from the seat and grabbing his hand. he pulls you forward immediately before you can even finish your sentence.

you make your way to the exist, the hustle and bustle of the place becoming quieter as you get to the car park, but you don't reach for your car keys just yet.

"what where you gonna say in there?" you ask.

he ignores you. you can tell he's ignoring you.

"chris" you press on.

"hmm?" he says, but he still doesn't turn to look at you, so you stop. you'd be lying if you said your heart didn't hurt a little. had you done something wrong? was he about to get in the car and tell you that actually, he didn't want to go for drinks and if you could drop him off home?

"are you okay?" you ask, and he stops now to look at you. luckily theres no cars wanting to come through the car park because you'd be swiftly moved along.

"yes. sorry. im good. really good. are you?"

you can see him panicking slightly, but it only stresses you out more.

"i just - im not sure. you dont seem yourself."

he smiles before he grabs your face in his hands, his eyes looking all over your face.

"sorry, i didn't mean to give you that impression. im okay, promise."

"its not me?" you blurt. you're being annoying. you're being overbearing, you know you are. but damn, there is something about this boy.

"oh my god" he says, shaking his head. "its never you. you're everything, pretty girl."

and then he kisses you. soft. but lingering for a second or two. when he parts he looks at you, and you can tell he's sincere, so you giggle. you actually giggle.

"so fucking cute" he laughs, but you push his hands away and roll your eyes, which only makes him laugh more, head back and hair flowing with him. you're addicted to him. you're actually addicted to him.

"come on then, pretty girl. where are we going for drinks?"

you laugh as you walk back towards your car, chris by your side.

"well, do you mind if we take my car back to mine and uber there? the night is ours then"

he comes behind you, hands on your hips, continuing to walk forward.

"sounds perfect."

___ the drive back to yours is filled with laughter. continual yapping about anything and everything, and his rests on your thigh the whole way, only taking it away to sometimes send a few texts to his brothers.

you throw your car keys on the side and show him into your living area, and he smiles as he looks around. you were proud of your house and everything you'd done to achieve it, so to see him enjoy it made you smile.

"do you fancy a drink whilst we wait for an uber?" you say now, walking across to the fridge in the kitchen. you can hear him on your heel.

"what you got?"

you open the fridge and let your eyes scan.

"uhmmmm," you start. but you feel him behind you. his breath on your neck, his fingers brush against yours as he takes the fridge door in his hand too and opens it wider, and suddenly you can't speak. suddenly the tension fills the air.

"beer will do" he says, his voice low.

and you both go to grab a bottle at the same time. he's leaning over your shoulder as your fingers brush the bottle and you both stop. your breathing higher, his breath hotter down your neck.

and then your phone rings, and you almost jump out of your skin.

"fuck" you whisper, and chris chuckles into your ear as he grabs the beer from the fridge, and you feel the heat of him move away from you.

you close your eyes before fishing for your phone in your pocket, and you screw up your face when you see the caller ID. spinning around, chris has perched himself on your kitchen table, and he sees the look on your face.

"everything okay?" he asks, genuine concern lacing his voice, and you smile.

"yeah, its carrington."

you see his smile fade. "oh."

"he never calls."

he raises his beer to you. "answer it, check hes okay."

you smile as you watch him take a sip, before sliding across your phone screen to answer the call. you hear the chatter of people before you even press your phone to your ear.

"babeeeeeee" carrington calls, and you can't help but laugh as a rush of relief washes over you. he's okay.

"hello, carrington" you laugh, and chris raises an eyebrow. you smile at him.

"where the fuck are you?" he shouts. its a quiet bar but you know the amount of people he's going to be surrounded by.

"im at home." you admit, walking back to the fridge and taking out your own beer. you walk over to chris and pass it to him, and he laughs as takes off the lid for you. you mouth a thank you before taking it off of him.

"what?! are you not coming out?"

"erm,"

"oh. fuck." you hear him say. "you're with chris, aren't you?"

"yes." you say, and you can tell chris can hear him on the other end, his eyes are surveying you as he takes another sip from his beer.

“shit.” carrington says “wait, at your house? did i just call you mid FUCK?”

he’s drunk, so drunk, but you laugh.

“no carrington, you did not.”

“oh thank god. put me on speaker” he slurs.

“not a chance.”

chris is eyeing you further. and you give him a sorry smile, and he shrugs. he shrugs.

your mind instantly goes back to the party. you in the pool and him sitting on the edge after you’d been thrown in there, and you instantly remember his words. words you’d forgotten about until now. ‘is there anything going on between you and carrington’. and then you realise the shrug and the eyes, are jealousy. you smirk almost. something about him thinking of you with another guy and being mad about it only makes you find him so much more attractive.

“go onnnnn” carrington pleads in your ear, and then the pull the phone away and press louder speaker.

“you’re on” you say. and chris looks towards your phone.

“CHRIS” carrington shouts, and chris laughs.

“hey, bro” he says as you walk closer to him so he can be closer to the phone. he doesn't look at you once.

"you guys should come here. the whole gangs here and it would be good to see you."

chris looks at you now and you realise in the excitement of the day, you hadn't mentioned the drinks. truthfully, you were going to text tara and tell her you wouldn't be going, as you didn't want the alone time to end with him. you were having fun, and you knew your friends would understand.

but you begin to tell him. "we have drinks at this bar. is usually pretty lowkey but its just a place to catch up properly." you shrug, and chris nods.

"you wanna go?" he asks, the chatter of people around carrington as he awaits for one of you to speak to him.

"we dont have to." you say, and chris studies your face for a second before he leans into the phone.

"we'll get an uber there now, bro." he says, and your eyes widen.

"urgh, thank god. i miss my girl.” carrington speaks.

you close your eyes, hoping chris doesn’t latch onto it, but he laughs as carrinton hangs up. you open up your eyes just in time to see him staring at you, but he looks away quickly. and that look on his face again.

“you know” you say, and he diverts his eyes to you again. “i meant what i said. there’s nothing going on between me and carrington.”

he shrugs. again. that damn shrug. “i know.”

and you look at him for a second, before walking closer to him. you force your legs in between his and he opens up immediately, your hands coming to the nape of his neck again. it takes him a second but that beautiful smile emerges on his face again as he puts his free hand on the back of your thigh, giving it a small squeeze.

“tell your face that then”

and then you kiss him.

TAGLIST : @spencerstits @chrissturnsss @slut4chriss @valkatriee @sturnsjtop @viiiwwwee @gwennysturniolo @melanch0lybby @sturnioloblues @mattstrombolii @sturnsbella @hearteyes4chris @le4hsblog @nervoussagittarius @chrissypook @sarosfilms @somegirlfromasgard @carringtonsgirlfriend @h3arts4harry

[aurora-starwars]

Betrayal Is An Inherent Part Of Love

Pairing: Sully Family, Metkayina Clan, Ao’nung x fem!Sully!reader

Summary: Reader finds her place in the Metkayina clan, as well as something more

Word Count: 10k

Warnings: angst, swearing? brief mentions of mating

A/n: The awaited part 2! Thanks for waiting as well as all of the support on the first one! Also, I didn’t proof read it, might do that later. Anyway I put a lot of time an effort into this! Enjoy! <333

Part 1: Betrayal Is The Only Truth That Sticks

Masterlist

[Name] tried to rid all thoughts from her head as she took a sharp turn around a coral covered rock. If she wanted to win this race, she would have to stay focused. She signalled her Ilu to take another sharp turn to avoid one of the other racers. Manoeuvring out of the way, she watched as the Metkayina girl beside her caught up. Making a quick move, her Ilu crossed directly in front of the other girl, cutting her off. The girl’s Ilu was spooked, causing the girl to slow down leaving [Name] to get ahead.

The races had started pretty soon after [Name] was accepted in to the group, and since then have only become more competitive. The first few races were just for fun, another thing to do in spare time. But as the months went on, the races had become more of a proof of skill. A way to prove that you were better than others and to show who was best rider in the reef.

[Name] knew the path like the back of her hand and every precise turn reflected that. Her movements were quick but smooth, helping her move through the path with speed. [Name] would pass other riders and rocks swiftly, not fearing when she was only inches away from obstacles.

As she looked over to her left, she found Ao’nung’s quick movements matching her own. Now just barely a head, his Ilu blocked her vision as the path narrowed. She had to move by memory, her sharp turns were reliant on the movement of his body and her memory alone. As she struggled to match his movements, her mind flickered to the feeling of the water.

Even when rushing in her face, [Name] found herself at home within the sea. The warm waters of the Metkayina have brought her great happiness over the past few months. Only a few months less than a year ago, she was still tormented by the separation she felt from her family. It had only been when the kids of the Metkayina took her in that she finally learned what family felt like.

Over the last few months, she had finally felt free from the prison in her mind. A prison she was backed into when she was just a young child begging for love she would not receive. She had become best friends with many of the Metkayina kids, choosing to spend time with them instead of her family. And when that caused tension in the Sully family, her friends were there to save her, welcoming her into their homes.

Although [Name] never need to stay in other’s houses, for the day that [Name] finally turned her back on the family that had neglected her, was the same day that Ao’nung’s parents, Ronal and Tonowari, let her in their family.

[Name] was never alone from that point, never left to tame the demons in her mind on her own. No, from that point on, the entirety of the clan had given their attention and love to [Name]. Even just from the Metkayina kids telling their parents, majority of the clan had known of the crimes of the Sully family. Although they tried not to show their feelings towards the Sully family, the stares always seemed to slip out when a Sully member was in [Name]’s general vicinity.

The protective nature of the Metkayina clan over [Name] made her heart warm, like a warm dish on a cold night. Although [Name] appreciated the Metkayina clan as a collective, she enjoyed individuals of the Metkayina clan even more.

[Name]’s friends had loved her from the start, even before they met when she was just beginning to learn their ways. [Name]’s genuine interest and quick skill was intriguing to them. But as the time went on, it was really her personality and kindness that kept them coming back for more.

Ao’nung made a sharp turn into an open area, catching [Name] off guard. It only took a short beat before [Name] realized that this open area was the last stretch of the race. In a quick jerk, [Name] moved her Ilu beside Ao’nung’s, her mind focusing on the finish line. The line was really just two rocks that the Ilu’s would swim between, but it meant so much more as their friends not in the race floated around the rocks, waiting to see who was the winner.

The race was close, Ao’nung and [Name] swimming side-by-side. [Name]’s Ilu creeping in front of Ao’nung’s was enough for determination to flood Ao’nung’s face. He broke into a grin and as they approached the finish line, Ao’nung’s Ilu darted forward, taking the place of [Name]’s between the rocks. Only when Ao’nung’s Ilu started to slow in front of her, did [Name] realize that they had passed the finish line.

Fists pumped in the water and the muffled sound of cheers bubbled from around them. The feeling of adrenaline started to wane as [Name] looked around her. Ao’nung was looking at her with a very familiar look to [Name], a grin plastered on his face.

Ao’nung had won.

As the group made it to the surface, the cheering only got louder, and the shouting of Ao’nung’s name became clear. Even as they were applauding his name, Ao’nung’s eyes stayed firmly placed on [Name], his smirk not wavering as [Name] stare right back at him. Other’s started to pop their heads out of the water as other racers completed the race. A few of the Na’vi not racing, began clapping the racer’s backs, telling them how well they did. A few close to Ao’nung did that to him as well, but his eyes stayed locked on [Name]’s.

[Name] rolled her eyes before smirking. Ao’nung, as stubborn as always, never gave up, did he? The water rippled around them, evidence that there were still people around them and not just the two of them in their own world. As Ao’nung’s amused expression remained, [Name] let out a light hearted huff, shaking her head.

“Good game. You beat me,” [Name] said, trying to keep some level of maturity as she felt her competitive nature creep up.

She never was able to be competitive as a kid, never able to compete really. If there was a competition for her parent’s affection and attention, she lost the moment her siblings were born. Out of the running, benched as she would watch her family grow from the sidelines. But ever since being accepted as a member of the Metkayina clan, she had been learning new things about herself that she was never able to explore before.

“You’re right. I did beat you. Again,” Ao’nung was practically beaming, his face smug from the prospect of beating one of the clan’s best racers.

“Ugh, just barley, if that girl hadn’t cut me off, I would have won,” [Name] stated as matter of fact, chin tilting up in defiance. No way was she going to let this go to Ao’nung’s head.

“And I have been the one winning the past few races, so I don’t know what you’re on about,” [Name] added.

“Sure, but I won the last race and I have won again,” Ao’nung smirked at her for what felt like the hundredth time.

[Name] punched Ao’nung’s arm half-heartedly as she rolled her eyes, “Yes, whatever. You have won this time, but know that I will win the next,” [Name] smirked, eyebrows furrowing into as serious look as she pointed at Ao’nung.

Ao’nung only put his arms in the air, a look of smug disbelief painted across his face, “You will try, but I think second place suits you just fine.”

The sun beating down on them was warm and the water, calm. The ripples that were previously cause by the people around, were calmer and there was less splashing. One quick look around told [Name] that most of the riders were retreating back to the village after a long day.

“I guess you will have The Spear of Yora’tu (winners) for the next week,” [Name] smirked, already knowing Ao’nung’s reaction as she has seen it before.

Ao’nung’s eyes light up, puffing out his chest slightly as he smiled at the reminder.

The Spear of Yora’tu (Spear of Winners) was something the racers came up with a few months into the races. Racing had never been an official thing and so there was no official prize. That was until Ao’nung fought off an Akula, a ferocious and sharp toothed predator that swan just outside of the reef, with the spear. Since then, many in the tribe, including [Name], were able to fight off a predator with it.

Spear was then named for it’s incredible luck and they deemed that the Spear could only be earned by winning an Ilu race. So, since then they have been competing for the spear, which in itself would be enough of a prize, even if it didn’t come with bragging rights.

Ao’nung was known for holding the Spear the longest, though [Name] was always giving him a run for his money. And once again Ao’nung had won it, meaning that he would not let her live it down for the next few days.

“Ah, yes. Proof that I am a winner and better than you,” Ao’nung teased.

[Name] couldn’t help but laugh at that. It hadn’t taken much to get [Name] to laugh at Ao’nung’s jokes lately, however stupid.

Warm wind blew softly by them, blowing their wet hair so gentle it seemed Eywa was caressing them herself. [Name] took a deep breath, eyes closing as she experienced the warm wind around her. Ao’nung was left to watch her, his smirk fading into a small smile as he watched the beautiful girl in front of him.

Ao’nung found it almost a shame that [Name] was never taught in the ways of the Tsahik. Even though she should have been taught simply because of her heritance, the way she experienced the world around her felt as if Eywa flowed right through her. As she breathed in the air, [Name] looked as if she was breathing in the life of the world and had never felt more at peace because of it.

The soft look on Ao’nung’s face was almost a perfect refection of his thoughts.

A thought crossed his mind and Ao’nung decided to voice it, “Do you wanna explore the reef some more tomorrow? Maybe end at the beach?”

[Name] looked at his soft expression with confusion, although she didn’t show it. It wasn’t often that Ao’nung showed his soft side, in fact, [Name] was quite sure she was one of few who had. Tsireya, his sister, had, having been comforted after she got her queue caught on some coral. It was a touching moment that [Name] felt she should not have seen but seeing Ao’nung wrapped his arms around his sister as tears fell from her face, made [Name] feel soft and warm inside. A feeling she could describe as comforting.

But besides his sister, [Name] had hardly seen that expression on Ao’nung, as usually choose to grin or glare. The first time she had ever seen that face was when she had won her first Ilu race. Ao’nung wouldn’t stop telling everyone about how the forest girl won against even the best, for weeks. She didn’t understand it, but she did welcome the feeling she got every time Ao’nung started boasting about her to the other members of the clan.

“That sounds fun! Who’s all coming?” [Name] smiled, ignoring the soft look on his face, or how he was staring in her eyes like she was the only one he has ever seen.

“Oh, it was just going to be us,” Ao’nung explained, his soft look dropped only to be replaced by another smirk.

After a moment of thought, [Name] smiled, “Well, I am in. How could I turn down quality time with you?” [Name] smirked, her teasing hanging in the air, waiting for someone to make a move.

“You just can’t get enough of me, who wouldn’t want to hang out with me?” Ao’nung laughed. [Name] rolled her eyes again, holding in her own laugh, as they made their way back to the village.

Only a few hours later, [Name] found herself in a circle with some of her friends, girls of the Metkayina clan. She carefully guided them through the process of weaving flower crowns, just like she taught Tuk all those years ago. The goal was for them to make them for their families as gifts, as many of the girls had fathers, brothers and mates who were out all day hunting and protecting the seawall and wished to convey their appreciation.

This wasn’t the first day [Name] had taught them, only a few weeks prior she had been trying to teach them when Ao’nung challenged a boy to a race again, and [Name] and many of the girls could not miss that.

Since that day though, the girls had been practicing their skills, impressing [Name], who was more than proud to hear of this. The girls in the circle now were refining their skills, using them to make personal crowns for the ones they loved. [Name] thought the way the personalized them were brilliant. She had never thought to weave shells and pretty beads into the crowns using beading techniques, and she was excited to experiment.

“All I am saying, is that if he really cared he would approach you about it,” One of the girls told the girl beside her as she added a blue flower to her crown.

Mumbles of agreement sounded from around the circle, all seemingly deciding that that was the end of that argument. It was silent for a moment, only the sounds being of hands hard at work weaving and waves crashing next to them.

Then one girl piped up, looking at [Name], “I think I know the answer, [Name], but has anything gotten better with your family?”

All of the girls seemed become somber at that thought. They had seen [Name] around and they knew that things had not gotten better, in fact, the might have become worse. The Sully family was leaving their marui less and less, and they knew that [Name] blamed herself, as much as she didn’t want to think about it.

“No, no it hasn’t,” [Name] sighed, she had thought about this a lot. Even after separating herself from them and creating a new life for herself that she loved, she still felt guilty and responsible for the family she grew up with.

The girls around her muttered words of comfort, and the girls beside her held her hands and shoulders.

“They don’t deserve you, you deserve better.”

“Yeah, you’re with us now.”

“And we love having you around!”

“Of course, look what you have taught us,” One girls said, holding up her crown. “We thought we were just going to teach you.”

The girls nodded eagerly at each of the statements as if they believed them whole heartedly. [Name] smiled, looking at all of the faces that loved her very much. After a moment of comforting from the girls, they began to weave their crowns again and one of the girls made a move to change the subject.

“How are you and Ao’nung?” She questioned, [Name] would have said innocently, but as the girl started to smirk, she thought otherwise.

“What about me and Ao’nung?” [Name] hesitantly, wondering if this was going the way she thought it was going.

“How has courting each other been?”

Giggles sounded around the circle, smirks finding their way on many of the girl’s faces.

“What do you mean? We are not courting each other,” [Name] questioned, her eyes wide in alarm, blood rushing to her cheeks, did they think that they were courting eachother?

Choruses of gasps of shock and mumbles of ‘what?’ erupted from around her. [Name] was met with the prospect that others thought there was something going on between her and Ao’nung. Why did others see this but not her? Honestly, [Name] though they were going to ask if [Name] had a crush on Ao’nung, and was surprised that it seemed they had skipped that step.

“You mean to tell us that all this dancing around you have done, is unintentional?” Another of the girls asked, visibly perplexed.

“I mean, I thought we were just good friends…” [Name] muttered to herself, but the girls heard.

The thought did cross [Name]’s mind, that maybe she didn’t really know the difference between friends and something more, Ao’nung being her first friend and all. What if the comfort [Name] found in Ao’nung was mutual?

“Why did you think we were courting each other?” [Name] just had to ask, had to be sure.

“Are you kidding? We see how you two act around each other, like you can’t get enough of each other,” A girl started.

“Like you two are the only ones in the ocean,” One of the girls finished.

“Really?” [Name] felt that familiar warm feeling in her stomach. “I would have thought there was a better, Metkayina girl for him.”

The girls erupted in a laugh again. A good feeling, hearty laugh from the stomach at the idea of Ao’nung having anyone else ‘better’ for him.

As one of the girls started to come down from her laughter, she put her hand on [Name]’s shoulder, “Look, I love all of the girls of the Metkayina clan, except for Tseiie, can’t stand her,” The other girls giggled at that, knowing of her discontent for that girl. “But everybody knows that there is nobody better for Ao’nung than you.”

Another wave of nodding occurred, as well as mumbles of agreement.

“I don’t know about everyone…" [Name] reasoned, not believing that the entirety of the clan believed that [Name] was best for the leader’s son.

“No, it is everyone. Every girl and their mother knows that you are the best for him.”

“We have seen you two, he is so much nicer to everyone when you’re around.”

“Not to mention how nice he is to you.”

“When you first became friends, he actually started to be nicer. Like, not bullying people!”

“Yeah, that was nice.”

“And to think that is all because of you.” One of the girls threw the back of her hand on her forehead and pretended to faint.

[Name] sat there looking at all the girls confirming the situation with Ao’nung as truth, her face hot and flushed. [Name] hardly knew what to think, everyone thought Ao’nung and [Name] should be together? Her best friend, the one who took her in when her family failed, the man who had unknowingly carried her heart so gently for months. They were best for each other? [Name] found herself smiling at the thought, after coming second in the race, who knew that this day could get better?

“Even the Tsahik, interrupter of Eywa, his mother, thinks that nobody is better for her son than you,” One of the girls whispered, making the whole circle smile like madmen.

“Their whole family thinks you are perfect for one another.”

[Name]’s flushed a deep red at that. It was one thing for the clan to think they should get together, but his parents? The Tsahik? The implications of that were on an whole other level. [Name] had begun to think about how maybe they could court each other. Being the son of the leaders, and [Name] being the daughter of outsiders, she didn’t think it could ever happen. Never allowed to be. But after hearing about the clan as well as the leaders hoping for them to be, [Name] couldn’t help but hope for mutual feelings from Ao’nung.

Ao’nung’s parents had been nothing but loving since the day her family cornered [Name]. After finally leaving her family, Ao’nung brought [Name] back to his family’s marui, where he explained to his parents what had happened. His parents were more than happy to let [Name] into their home. That night was spent sharing shed tears and comforting on another. From that day on, [Name] stayed with Ao’nung’s family and they loved her like one of their own.

Ronal’s love really solidified when [Name] offered to help her and Tsireya with their tasks and chores. At first, Ronal was unsure but as she watched [Name] help her daughter, staying kind and caring even when things got stressful, Ronal found herself wondering how anyone could forget about [Name].

[Name] smiled at the thought of finally having a family who loved her. After a moment of the circle of weaving flower crowns, [Name] decided to share her plans for the next day.

“Ao’nung asked me to explore the reef with him tomorrow,” [Name] smirked knowing the girls would eager to know more. “And he made sure I knew that we would be alone.”

“What? No way!”

“Oooooo, somebody has a date~” One girl sung.

“You have to tell us everything!” The girls giggled.

[Name] smirked to herself as the girls leaned in to hear her next words.

“He said we would end at the beach just before eclipse.” [Name] whispered, leaning in herself.

“Thats when the sky is the prettiest!”

“You are so lucky, you know? Ao’nung a year ago was the worst.” More giggling sounded from around the circle.

“That is so cute! Do you think he will ask to–”

“They can’t until she has competed Iknimaya.”

[Name] knew what they were talking about. Iknimaya was the rite-of-passages that lead to becoming an adult in the Metkayina clan. [Name] had completed many of them over the last few months with her soul sister, the Tulkun she bonded with, but she hadn’t complete the last one.

Taming a skimwing.

[Name] knew that Ao’nung had already completed this last rite-of-passage and had become an adult in the eyes of the clan. Ao’nung was already eligible for a mate, unfortunately [Name] would not be in the selection if she did not become an adult herself in the eyes of the clan.

“Oh, she will be able to complete it soon. Won’t you [Name]?”

[Name] smiled, focusing back on her flower crown. She planned to complete that very soon.

Kiri hesitantly enters the marui where her family resides. She can see so clearly on their faces the regret and broken hearts. Ever since the day that she, Lo’ak, and Neteyam sought out answers from [Name], they had been a broken family. Kiri wasn’t sure how they were able to miss so much of [Name]’s torment, or how they missed how they were the cause of it. Years of neglect had lead [Name] to find family in the Metkayina rather than her own. Kiri understood now just how much that neglect affected her oldest sister.

It was a shame, Kiri could hardly remember her youth with [Name], and she knew Lo’ak and Neteyam felt the same. Looking through their memories of [Name], one would think that [Name] wasn’t even related, at best a distant cousin. [Name] was a blur in their minds, and after a while of not seeing [Name] around, they began to forget what she looked like. Although one would think that someone could recognized their sibling in a crowd, the only tell that [Name] was their sibling was that she was the only formerly-Omatikaya body in a crowd of Metkayina.

Kiri’s heart hurt every time she watched the familiar blue body of her older sister leave the Olo'eyktan and Tsahik’s marui in the mornings. It wasn’t often that any of the Sully family saw [Name] anymore and because of that, Kiri woke up at the same time every morning to watch [Name] swim off with her friends.

Almost every time she saw [Name], she was reminded of the night [Name] finally severed herself from the family she grew up with. Walking back to their marui had proven difficult as the prospect of telling Tuk of what had happened was enough to break their hearts. Their oldest sister was everything to their youngest sister. It was hard to imagine why they were so close, being that Kiri and her brothers never actually saw Tuk and [Name] hangout, they just knew that they did.

The walk back was slow, their footsteps the whole way heavy, a thousand thoughts wrapping around their heads like a hurricane.

She’s gone. How is she gone? Where did we go wrong? What just happened? How could we forget about her.

Kiri will never forget the look on their parent’s faces when they heard about [Name]. Neytiri dropped to her knees, eyes blown is shock. Jake just stared, still in his place. The three had just walked into the marui, hearing Tuk, Jake, and Neytiri laughing. Laughing that stopped abruptly when they saw the looks on their sibling’s and children’s faces. Expressions that could rival losing a loved one, which, one might suppose they did.

After the initial shock, they all watched as Neytiri brought Tuk close as tears started to stream from her eyes. Between Tuk and Neytiri, there was enough tears to be labeled as a waterfall. Jake didn’t move, stuck in his mind, only coming back to when his two sons came to his side, hugging him tight.

It was difficult to describe the pain that went to their hearts that day. Both from losing [Name], but also from their own personal inadequacies. How in the entirety of Pandora could they forget their oldest daughter. Their daughter who they know was always there for them, even if they didn’t let her. She was always by their side, helping them with whatever they needed. There was a point where [Name] was left to take care of her siblings every time her parents went on dates. [Name] had always had their backs and they stabbed [Name] in hers.

[Name] was the reason Jake and Neytiri wanted more kids. Even from the beginning, [Name] never made a fuss. She was the sweetest child they could hope for, always giggling and smiling at them. As Neytiri was pregnant, they would tell [Name] of how she was to become a sister, and even as a baby, [Name] seemed overjoyed to be an older sibling. Then Neteyam was born and it was like a switch flipped and [Name] no longer was the centre of attention. Sure, she still had some attention, being a baby in all. But as she was nearly a year older than Neteyam, when Neteyam and Kiri turned one, [Name] became an afterthought. Only really being cared for after Neteyam and Kiri.

Jake and Neytiri never meant to overlook their oldest child, but as the years flew by and they gave attentive care to [Name]’s siblings, it became unforgivable. There is a certain point where the neglect becomes intentional. A point when one is no longer able to ignore the fact that it would have been difficult to actively ignore someone you see every day for the first half of their life. If this was accidental, it happened out of a lack of care.

Lo’ak was gutted, not only because of [Name]’s separation from the family, but also because Tsireya stopped talking to him. [Name] had always been there for him, this much he knew. But over the years her face started to fade in his memories, only seeming to have actually hung out with her while they were young. Lo’ak knew that [Name] cared for him, but he couldn’t remember why he knew that. What actions in their past made him believe this about her.

He tried to look back, remember what his older sister was like when they were young. He was born not long after Kiri, and he remembered [Name] being around a lot, taking care of him and giving him her care and attention. [Name] was young as well at the time, but that never stopped her from offering a small hand to Lo’ak when he fell. As the years flew by, Lo’ak remembered less and less of his oldest sister, being as he started to push her away. A truth Lo’ak was finding hard to accept as of late.

Neteyam remembered more than most of his siblings, having been there with [Name] the longest. He remembers learning to hunt and shoot with her, running off in the forest away from Jake who was pretending to be a monster with her. He remembers [Name] fixing his small cuts from falling and placing leaves on his blisters caused by their bows. But much like Lo’ak, his memories of his sister faded as she became a background character in their important lives. Yes, [Name] was always still there, but she felt like a ghost. Only reminder that she was there was her soft movements that would usually head in the direction of the forest.

The two boys were not only upset at her leaving, but at their parents neglect to their oldest sister. They were upset at Ao’nung for taking [Name] from them. And they were upset at themselves for letting their sister become distant and separated from their lives practically their entire lives.

Although everyone took this news to heart, the one that took it the hardest was Tuk. Tuk had always loved [Name], and from the moment she was born [Name] had loved Tuk. Tuk was the first to have experienced [Name]’s matured and more motherly love. Even though [Name] was still young, she was in no way considered a baby, and thus was more than capable to take care of Tuk.

And take care of Tuk she did. Tuk was by far the most loved child, not only because she was the youngest, but because she had [Name]. [Name] was always there to care for her, being pretty much the only other one to hold Tuk when she was young, other than their parents. While Tuk was a baby, [Name] could often be found trying to make her baby sister laugh, entertaining her for hours.

As they grew, the two only grew closer. [Name] taught Tuk everything she knew, and although she knew Tuk was to get a lot more attention than she did, she made sure that Tuk knew she was enough just on her own. Tuk learned about beading, flower crown weaving and the basics of healing from [Name], all things she couldn’t quite do with her tiny hands but enjoyed learning none the less.

Tuk began to hang out with her other siblings more as she grew older, but still always found time to enjoy [Name]’s company. [Name] couldn’t blame her youngest sister for wanting to hang out with her other siblings more, for she wanted that just as much. But [Name] knew that she had tried and there was no reason to continue to bug her siblings further. So she let Tuk run off with Kiri and Spider, and get into trouble with Lo’ak. Lo’ak always the one getting in trouble, even if it was Tuk’s doing.

Tuk remembers the most of her siblings, even more than Neteyam, so when she heard of [Name] not going to be in their lives anymore, Tuk felt as if her heart was pulled out. Tuk, being as young as she was, couldn’t even find a way to communicate her sadness over the loss of her sister. Tears seemed to only stop flowing from her eyes when there were no more tears left to cry. The Sully’s had to make sure she was drinking lots of water being as she almost never stopped crying. They were worried for their youngest, who didn’t stop crying even in her sleep. Tuk’s experience with [Name] was so positive that if Tuk didn’t already have a mother who loved her immensely, she would ask for [Name]’s love as a replacement.

Tuk never wanted to leave the marui, only really doing so to see Ilus. Her family’s attempt at making her feel better, and while it did a little, it only really confirmed just how much damage their neglect had on [Name].

Tuk only really stopped crying when one day Tsireya came by and offered to take Tuk out for the day. Kiri remembers how grateful her family was that Tsireya was giving Tuk an opportunity to get some fresh air and enjoy life again. What Kiri didn’t know, was that Tsireya planned to meet up with [Name].

When Tuk caught sight of [Name], she ran to her with no hesitation. Tuk spent the rest of the day held in [Name]’s arms. The walked on the beach, explored more of the reef and played on Ilus, all while Tuk was firmly wrapped in [Name]’s warm embrace. She didn’t leave her arms for hours, only letting go once it was past eclipse and Tuk knew she should be getting home if she didn’t want to get into trouble.

When Tuk got home, the entire family notice just how much happier Tuk was. The girl finally wasn’t crying every moment.

From then on, it became a regular thing for Tuk hang out with [Name] and her friends for the day, and everyday Tuk would come back home with a smile. Even if someone would ask what has gotten her smiling, she would smile and shrug, not giving any more information.

One day, Tuk came home with a pretty flower crown on her head and her parents along with her siblings were in awe. Kiri remembers one of them asking if Tuk had made the pretty crown that sat comfortably on her head. Tuk only shook her head, stating simply that it was [Name]’s handy work and skipped over to where dinner had been prepared.

Their stomachs dropped, Tuk had been hanging out with [Name]? [Name] let her do that? And when did [Name] become so good at weaving flower crowns? The wondered if Tuk taught her, knowing that Tuk had made them all flower crowns when they were young. Desperate to have their questions answers, they asked Tuk.

“Who taught [Name] to weave? Did you, Tuk?” Neytiri asked, watching her youngest closely as to not miss a sliver of information about their oldest.

“What? No silly. She taught me. [Name] has always been the best weaver in the clan, this clan and the last.” Tuk stated simply, smiling to herself as she thought about all of the beautiful projects [Name] was able to make.

“She taught you? When did she teach you? And when was she taught?” Jake asked, the last part more to himself but everyone else in the marui caught it.

“Of course she taught me! Who else? She taught me a long time ago, remember when we gave you those flowers crowns a while ago? Yeah those were hand made by [Name], I was only able to make two of them. It’s hard with my tiny hands.” Tuk finished, taking a bite of her dinner.

“She made those? We thought you did…” Kiri muttered.

“You think I did? I was like 5.”

“Who taught [Name] then?” Lo’ak asked, eyes furrowed in confusion.

“I don’t think anyone did. I think she has learned a lot of things from watching people. You know, because nobody will teach her,” Tuk explained, taking another big bite of her dinner, of which she seemed to enjoy.

They weren’t sure if Tuk realized it or not, but her statement was a silent dig at their parenting. Parenting that for [Name], didn’t include much teachings. Besides being taught to hunt and use a bow, [Name] was not taught about much else, leaving her to figure it out on her own. If watching people was how she learned, then that really reflected how poorly Jake and Neytiri had been at teaching her.

That night ended cold and sad for the Sully family. The thought of not realizing yet another part of [Name]’s brilliance weighed on them.

It was a bright day in the reefs, the water was warm and the breeze gentle as [Name] and Ao’nung explored the colourful corals and wildlife that the Metkayina clan had to offer. Rounding the corner of a particularly colourful piece of coral, [Name] found herself face to face with a grinning Ao’nung looking at her.

“What?” [Name] signed, slightly worried at his all too happy expression.

“What? I can’t smile?" Ao’nung teased, signing back.

“Not when your smiling like you have something planned,” [Name] signed.

“Why is it that you always think I am up to something?” Ao’nung signed, lifting his brow playfully.

“If you saw your expression right now, you would understand why,” [Name] giggled, watching Ao’nung rolled his eyes playfully.

Only a few hours later, [Name] and Ao’nung found themselves walking on the beach side-by-side. The sun was low, teetering on eclipse, making the bioluminescence of the water and the wildlife glow a marvellous, ethereal light that [Name] was never able to get enough of. Their walk was slow and silent, but brought great comfort to both of them.

Their hands hung by their sides, brushing one another from time to time but neither had the heart to move away or take the chance and grab the other’s hand. [Name] sighed, her mind on the day she left the Sully family.

“I just want to thank you for helping me that day, you know, bringing me into your friend group and all. I have never forgotten that day, and not a day goes by that I don’t appreciate what you have done for me,” [Name] confessed, slowing down to as stop in order to get her message across.

“It’s alright [Name],” Ao’nung begun, stopping next to [Name] before turning to face her.

[Name] cut Ao’nung off before he could continue, “Really. I have no idea where I would be if you and your friends didn’t come to make fun of me that day.”

Ao’nung grimaced at that. Making fun of the girl before him was not something he like to remember.

“It’s really okay, I am glad we are friends.” Ao’nung said in attempts to comfort the girl in front of him. He grabbed her hand gently and guided her to sit next to him on the beach as she continued.

“And everything you have done for me since! You really are the best, thank you so much for all you have done for me,” [Name] spoke earnestly, looking directly in Ao’nung’s eyes, something that caught Ao’nung off guard.

“[Name], I would do it all again a million times if it meant becoming friends with you,” Ao’nung spoke truthfully, that familiar tease in his voice none existent as he gazed into [Name]’s eyes. “I would do it all again in a heartbeat.”

[Name] smiled at his words, watching Ao’nung’s face once again. There was that look again. That look of softness that was oh so rare, sitting perfectly on Ao’nung’s smooth face. A moment went by, the two of them just looking in each other’s eyes. But then [Name]’s mind went back to what she was thankful for, Ao’nung could practically see the shift on her face.

“Thank you so much for all that your family has done as well. Letting me into your home must not have been easy but I am so grateful for all that you and your family have done to make me feel at home.” [Name] began again, she spoke as if this had been weighing on her for a while, and it probably had.

Ao’nung let out an amused huff, shaking his head affectionately, “[Name], please don’t worry about it. We love having you around. Honestly, I think my mother likes you more than me at this point.”

“She does not,” [Name] smiled, shaking her head.

“I’m not even kidding, she will push me aside when you walk in,” Ao’nung joked, but somewhere in [Name]’s gut knew that it was not as much of a joke as Ao’nung was letting on.

“Thank you,” Ao’nung started, catching [Name] completely off guard. “Thank you for coming into our lives and making them better.”

Ao’nung paused for a moment, hesitating on whether or not to continue.

“Thank you for making my life better,” Ao’nung smiled softly, holding both of [Name]’s hands.

[Name] smiled as if she had never been told such beautiful words, and rested her forehead against Ao’nung’s. The sun set behind them, the beauty of pandora finally glowing once again, but [Name] and Ao’nung could only find bliss in each other in this moment.

Less than a week later, [Name] and Ao’nung along with some of their friends, were hanging out in the shallow waters next to a more secluded beach not far from the village. It wasn’t at all private, in fact many of the Metkayina kids favoured hanging out here in their free time. The beach was beautiful, long billowing overhanging trees acting as a sort of cover from the sun and the rare rain, and beautiful naturally growing flowers surrounded the beach.

It had been a long day mostly consisting of chores and teaching [Name] to successfully tame a skimwing. They were readying up for the day she would complete her last iknimaya, which would take place in just over a week. [Name] was excited to become an adult in the eyes of the clan and Eywa but at the same time she was beyond nervous about the whole ordeal. [Name] would manage though, after all she had all of her friends who were more than eager to help her in anyway. Ao’nung even offered to give her a ride on the skimwing he tamed, but [Name] declined as she didn’t want her experience to be different than any other kid in the Metkayina clan.

Regardless, they were taking the night to relax. [Name], Ao’nung and their friends were laughing and joking around all evening, finding humour in even the smallest of things. Even their own laughter was enough to keep them laughing. Some of their friends facing the beach’s laughter died down all of a sudden. Following in suit, [Name] and the others facing their backs to the beach, turned in order to see what was the cause of this sudden seriousness.

But when they turned around they found Lo’ak, Neteyam, and Tuk walking past. There was a moment of silence and that was when the three Sullys noticed the group watching them. The group grabbed [Name]’s shoulders, pulling her close and most importantly, away from her brothers, and sent nasty glares in their direction. Neteyam and Lo’ak’s heads lowered in shame when the noticed the darker blue body among the group. As they walked past, [Name] noticed Tuk looking at her, a familiar longing on Tuk’s face. So as they walked by, almost out of view, [Name] nodded at Tuk for her to join them.

Tuk’s light up, her smile as bright as the sun. She gave Neteyam a small tap that alerted him of her departure and run off to join [Name] and her friends. Tuk ran into the water and splash over until she crashed into [Name], who was more than happy to reciprocate Tuk’s affection. The day ended in smiles and contagious laughter, another good day in the Metkayina clan.

[Name] felt as if she was born ready. Born ready to finally tame a skimwing and become an adult. She had been waiting for this day ever since she started learning the ways of the Metkayina people. Her commitment, dedication, and passion kept her learning, growing, and building her skills. And it had all lead up to this day.

The task was rather simple, get on the skimwing, bond with it, and stay on the skimwing. And that was all she thought about as she moved to tackle the skimwing before her.

As she grabbed on, the skimwing darted forward and [Name] was reminded of Ilu racing. This couldn’t be much different, could it? Her question was quickly answered when she was promptly thrown to the side, [Name] swallowing a gulp of water as she hits the surface. [Name] had no other choice but get back up and try again. A lot was riding on this. If she completed this, if she managed to tame the skimwing, she would be an adult and they would hold a ceremony for her. They had already begun preparing it, already so sure of her awaited success.

[Name] made another quick movement, jumping back on the skimwing. This time she locked her legs around the slippery animal and grabbed both the queues, connecting them. All of a sudden everything became clear. The skimwing settled down, his heartbeat matching with [Name]’s as she felt everything in her body as well as his. With a firm hand on the handle, [Name] commanded the skimwing to move.

She was instantly jutted forward as the skimwing dove into the water. [Name] didn’t think she would be able to hold on, it quickly becoming a struggle. But after a few seconds, she started getting used to the feeling of water rushing at her. Readjusting her grip, [Name] told the skimwing to jump out of the water into the air, and the skimwing did.

Jumping out of the water, [Name] was left to see the whole clan watching her success and cheering her on. Bright smiles and enthusiastic clapping was heard from all around the village as [Name] and her skimwing made their rounds.

When the ceremony finally came, [Name] was practically bouncing in her seat. Her excitement could hardly be contained as she watched Ronal and Tonowari approach her with proud smiles, beads and necklace in hand.

“[Name], you have done much in the last year. Learning faster than most of our ways and you are more than eligible to become an adult in the eyes of Eywa,” Tonowari started, Ronal nodding proudly from beside him.

“These beads are to add to your songcord, as a way to commemorate your progression into adulthood,” Tonowari handed [Name] three small beads, one made of a small shell, one a pretty green bead and the last a small chunk from a tooth of a skimwing.

“And this,” Ronal began, laying the beautiful pearl and beaded necklace around [Name]’s neck. “Is a necklace that my daughter, Tsireya beaded for you for this special day.”

[Name] smiled at them, looking up at the leaders as if they were her parents, real parents that loved her. She smiled at Tsireya as well, who was standing just behind her parents.

“Now that you are an adult, you may get your first tattoo. The tattoo of your soul sister.” Tonowari smiled. “But all in due time, for now, we feast!”

The clan erupted in applause and cheers, another child growing into an adult of the Metkayina clan. A time to celebrate and enjoy.

Ao’nung took no time in approaching [Name] after she thanked Tsireya dearly for the wonderful necklace. [Name] was still fiddling with the necklace with a smile when Ao’nung appeared in front of her.

“You know, I helped her make that.” Ao’nung smirked, watching the disbelieving look creep onto [Name]’s face.

“Really?” [Name] deadpanned.

“Really," Ao’nung stayed smirking but there was no hint of deception on his face nor in his voice. “I mean, it was just a few beads and I told her your real size when she got it wrong, but I still helped.”

[Name] smiled, touched by the fact Ao’nung help make something so beautiful just for her.

“Thank you, Ao’nung,” [Name] smiled, moving to lay a quick peck on Ao’nung’s cheek. “I really appreciate it.”

Only two days later, [Name] and Ao’nung found theirselves walking down a beach again. The walk was silent but comfortable. The two were more than happy to enjoy the beauty of the world around them in silence as they walked hand in hand. They had just gotten back from a meal spent with Ao’nung’s family, as usual, when Ao’nung asked for [Name] to walk with him. When [Name] agreed, Ao’nung grasped her hand and tugged her in the direction of the shore.

The plant life was glowing around them once again, the darkness of the night only accentuating the already apparent beauty of pandora. Ao’nung noticed how beautiful the glowing speckles on [Name]’s face were as he snuck glances at her from the corner of his eye.

Ao’nung slows to a stop, his and [Name]’s attached hands brings her to a stop as well. Ao’nung turns to face [Name], and it met with her soft gaze. Ao’nung has always found [Name] beautiful, but in this moment, with the light from the flowers around her reflecting off the water and on to her soft face, Ao’nung thought she was the most beautiful entity in all of pandora. Maybe even the universe.

“[Name], I am so glad to have met you. You are every star in the sky, every thought I think, ever breath I take,” Ao’nung stares in [Name]’s eyes as if they were the gateway to her soul, a soul he has fallen in love with. He watches as [Name]’s smile starts to widen, her eyes starting to water.

“I wish to never leave your side, to be there for you forever,” Ao’nung’s smile begin to widen as [Name]’s hand cupped his face.

“I want to be with you forever, [Name],” His smile was soft, a reflection of [Name]’s soft smile as she put her other hand on Ao’nung’s cheek.

[Name] had been dreaming of this moment, and by the look on Ao’nung’s face, it was evident he had too.

“I see you, Ao’nung,” [Name] whispered so softly it was as if she thought she might scare Ao’nung away.

“I see you, [Name]," Ao’nung beamed, holding her neck and jaw in his evidently much bigger hands.

A small, happy tear fell from [Name]’s face. She wasn’t sure if it was Ao’nung’s attentiveness or the thought of finally finding someone who wanted to spend the rest of their life with her. Either way, [Name] was happy.

Ao’nung pulled her into an intimate kiss, their bodies stayed close as they moved in unison. The kiss was like a promise, filled with untold secrets and unspoken words. The kiss was first of many that night, and many for the rest of their lives, as they mated under Eywa. The two becoming one in a single, long awaited day.

The very next day, they told Ronal and Tonowari. At first they were worried that Ao’nung’s parents would be mad, but as the news came out, the two leaders were instantly beaming. Ronal brought [Name] into a tight hug, whispering in her ear at just how happy she was that [Name] was now her daughter under Eywa. Tonowari clapped his son’s back, telling him just how amazing a mate was going to be and how proud of him he was for choosing [Name].

Tsireya was just as happy, jumping around in circles with [Name]’s hands in hers when she heard the news. She told [Name] that she was happy to have a sister and about how much fun they were going to have.

In the next few days, [Name] got her tattoo, and started to learn the ways of the Tsahik. Ronal insisted [Name] learn the ways of the Tsahik if she was going to be the future leader of the clan. Tsireya, although she believed what her mother said, she also thought that it was just another excuse for her to hang out with [Name].

[Name] was beaming when she learned she would be taught the ways of the Tsahik, as she was not previously allowed to by her birth parents. [Name] although in line for the Tsahik, was never in the running, so as she was being taught, [Name] couldn’t help but be excited about every new thing she learned.

It had only been a few weeks since she mated with Ao’nung, when the Sully family came knocking at their marui. It was a surprise to all to see them, the Sullys were known to stick to themselves, never seen talking to anyone other than each other. [Name] was enjoying her dinner with her family when she saw them in the opening of the leader’s marui. Ronal and Tonowari stood up immediately, looking at the Sully parents with clear discontent.

“What are you doing here?” Tonowari asked, his voice commanding but restrained as he tried to remain civil.

“You have no place standing there, what is it you want?” Ronal demanded, not as patient as her mate.

Jake and Neytiri put their hands up as if to show they mean no harm. Still the two leaders of the clan stepped forward as to block [Name] from view, shielding her from whats to come.

“We just came to talk to [Name], if we could have a moment,” Jake asked calmly.

“No. Whatever you can say to [Name], you can say to us,” Ronal stated clearly.

“Okay…” Jake started hesitantly, seeing the hostile looks on each of the faces in the room. Particularly Ao’nung.

“We just wanted to say,” Jake looked around at his family for conformation, and when he got it, he continued. “That we are so sorry for what we did. And what we continued to do your whole life. I am sorry we neglected you and weren’t really there. We promise we care and love you.”

“We are hoping you will come back?” Neytiri tried, the her children nodding from behind her.

“Come back? After what you did to her, or really, all that you didn’t do for her?” Ronal roared.

Ronal was beyond pissed at this point, fed up with all of the neglect [Name] faced at the hands of her so called parents. It baffled her how they could treat such a sweet and amazing child like [Name], so horribly.

“You are out of your minds if you think that she would come back to you after all you have done.” Tonowari’s jaw was clenched and his fists tight, an almost identical expression on Ao’nung. “What do you even know about [Name]?”

Jake and Neytiri were frozen and at a loss for words. What did they know about [Name]?

“She makes flower crowns?” Neytiri offered, an already troubled by the lack of information she had about her oldest.

“Do you know her favourite thing to do is?” Ronal asked, immensely curious as to if she was going to get an answer.

Ronal’s question was met with silence and awkward shuffling from the Sully family.

“Did you know that [Name] has become the top Ilu racer?” Tsireya asked, peaking from behind her father.

Silence.

“Did you know that she had complete that last rite-of-passage and is now an adult of the Metkayina clan?” Tonowari asked.

More Silence.

“Did you know that she is mated to Ao’nung?” Ronal questioned, getting more upset by the second at the Sully’s silence.

More Silence.

“Did you know she is training to be the next Tsahik?” Ao’nung asked, becoming incredibly frustrated at his mate’s former family.

Once again, they were met with silence.

“Do you even know when is [Name]’s birthday?” Tsireya asked, mortified by the silence, tears already swelling in her eyes.

When the Sullys made no move to say anything, that’s when [Name] finally broke.

“It’s today. My birthday is today. You didn’t know that?” [Name] asked softly, her voice coming out as a broken whisper.

Tears were now streaming freely down [Name]’s face, right in view of the Sullys as Ronal and Tonowari stepped to the side.

It was then that Jake, Neytiri, Lo’ak, Neteyam, and Kiri all realized just how little they knew about their sister and daughter. [Name] had never really left, she was always within distance. At any point they could have ask someone, or [Name] herself, how she was doing. But they didn’t, instead they moped and let themselves feel bad for themselves as if [Name] had done something to them.

“Even Tuk knew, and she wished [Name] a happy birthday.” Tsireya added.

“Why didn’t you tell us Tuk?” Neytiri asked, turning to her youngest.

“It’s not my fault you didn’t know your first born’s birthday, can’t do your parenting for you.” Tuk stated simply before running up to [Name] and embracing her in a warm hug.

“You are terrible parents. Even after learning of your own inadequacies, for months you refused to learn and grow. You don’t deserve [Name], she deserves better.” Ronal informs them firmly, not shying away from the rudeness in her tone.

[Name] shook her head as she looked at her old family, “I can’t believe even after all of these years, you still have no idea what you have done to me. What I have lost because of you! I never knew what true happiness was like until we came here and I met some of my favourite people,” [Name] spoke, looking around at her real family with a small smile. “I am Metkayina now, I have found a family who loves me and actually shows they care for me!”

Ao’nung wraps his arm around [Name]’s shoulder and Ronal and Tonowari rest their hands on [Name]’s back, Tuk’s arms still firmly wrapped around [Name]’s. Her new family smiles at her, showing her the love and attention she has always wanted.

“I am daughter of Ronal and Tonowari now. Sister of Tsireya and mate of Ao’nung. This is my life and I love it more than anything. So please stop taking good things away from me!” [Name] finished, glaring at her former family.

The Sullys had tears in their eyes, Neytiri’s were streaming down her face, but they remained silent.

“You heard my daughter, we are her family now. Now leave, before I change my mind about let your family stay in our clan," Ronal’s threat hung in the air as the Sullys rushed to leave.

Each Sully left that marui more broken than before, knives plunged deeply into their chests. They knew they had been terrible to [Name], but as they just witnessed, it was clearly only a fraction of the damage they had done. Each of their hearts were heavy with the fact they had no idea anything about [Name]. How had they missed her rite-of-passage? Or her being mated under Eywa with the son of the leaders?

How had they not know that it was [Name]’s birthday?

The words said would haunt them for the rest of their lives. Lo’ak couldn’t believe he’d missed [Name] becoming an adult, when had that happened? Neteyam was shocked to learn that [Name] had a mate. Kiri was conflicted when she heard [Name] was learning the ways of the Tsahik, shouldn’t [Name] have been the one getting taught the ways of the Tsahik with Kiri, all those years ago?

Jake and Neytiri were beside themselves, their minds messes. They truly were terrible parents, weren’t they?

Tonowari and Ronal were left to comfort their oldest daughter when the Sullys finally left. [Name] was crying, Tuk still in her arms, as Tsireya and Ao’nung already begun comforting the girl.

“[Name], you know you will always have us,” Tonowari spoke, his voice soft, a stark contrast to how he spoke to the Sully family.

“Yes and you are loved and cared for here,” Ronal added, smiling down at the teary eyed girl before her.

[Name] couldn’t help but smile. Because after all, she knew that this family would never betray her.

A/n: Thank you so much for reading! And thank you to everyone who gave me all that support on the first part! I love you guys so much! This is what I did with the soul I found! I sold it to the devil again! I hoped you enjoyed and let me know what you thought! <33333

Master-list

Tag list:

@nyotamalfoy @lwesodra @valentineheartzz @nao-cchi @mrs-sullys-blog @gracefulbumblebee @imthefunniestpersonalive @tanchosanke @ssc7514 @pinkeroppi @thatsenoughformelol @elavin @bubble-blu @yeosxxx @eringaitskill @directioner5life @elegantkidfansoul @yogirlfriend @loverwonie @cmfouatslota77 @neteyamoa @mashiromochi @agustdeeyaa @sseleniaa @narwhalblog @xx-kaitlyn-trixx-xx @slutforsmut4ever @msjaeger @ladymoon666 @dreamnior @iikatsukii @dorck26 @texassunflower579 @luz09 @wingedghostpepper @r3dc4ndy @fuyuji-ii @spicycloudsalad @loverwonie @l0s-3r @dark-chxos @zatarias-pandora @avsphroeg @nessrin @delaneyyyy nat-the-gemini @dhatee @philiasoul @hellokittiesxbae @whore-for-eddie @jacsssssssss @innersuitcasehairdoscissors @adrunkskeletonsduck @stillstuckin2000spunkrock @sillyfreakfanparty @weepingwitchofthewest @aonungs-tsahik @teenagemuffinlampcalzone @syarafina

[verstappensrealwife]

Race to remember - Lance Stroll x Reader

fluff, smut

approx. 1300 words

warnings: p in v, fem!receiving oral, smooching, lance P1 🤯🤯

based on this request!

lance stroll masterlist - here. f1 masterlist - here.

It had been a long time coming. Lance was finally leading the race. With just three laps left, the Aston Martin roared around the track at an immense speed, and you were on the edge of your seat. Metaphorically, that is, because you were actually standing, mere inches from the screen in the garage—a definite strain on your retinas, but you didn’t care.

Two laps left. You hadn't moved an inch. The tension in the air was palpable, every fiber of your being focused on the car darting across the asphalt.

One lap left. You watched him intently, noting the six-second lead over second place. Your heart was pounding, probably double its normal rate. Your palms were clammy, your skin too hot, sweat trickling down your back. Anxiety gnawed at you, a wild mix of hope and dread.

On the final turn, he could see the checkered flag waving. The moment seemed to stretch endlessly, every second a universe of possibility and fear.

All the Aston Martin mechanics had rushed to the metal fencing beside the track, cheering and shouting his name. The air vibrated with their excitement.

Your body felt numb.

You didn't initially realize you were moving, guided by Lawrence Stroll towards the parc fermé barriers. Before you knew it, you were at the front, watching as Lance's car pulled into the first-place spot. He jumped out, stood atop the car, basking in the thunderous applause. Not only was this his first win, but it was also a home win. The crowd's roar was a symphony of triumph.

He hopped off the green machine and quickly went to get weighed before spotting you.

As soon as the scales flashed his weight, he dashed toward you, ripping off his helmet and dropping it to the ground without a second thought. He leaped at you, the metal fencing separating your bodies. Tears streamed down his face—you were almost certain—even though you couldn't see his expression clearly. The intensity of the moment, the culmination of all his efforts and dreams, overwhelmed you both.

"You won!" you cheered as he pulled away from the hug. He could only smile and gently pull your face towards his for a kiss.

It wasn't a long kiss, but it was deeply romantic. His lips were a bit dry, and his facial hair scratched your skin, but it was loving and tender. In that moment, it was just the two of you, lost in the joy and intimacy of his incredible victory.

Post-Race Interview

“So Lance, congratulations on your first win, and a home win!” the reporter began. Lance smiled broadly. “Do you have anything you’d like to say to the people to celebrate or to thank?”

He cleared his throat, shifting slightly. “Erm, yeah, I’d like to thank my the fans, and the team, obviously. Without them, I wouldn’t be in a winning car…” He paused for a moment, glancing down at his feet, then back up. “And my girlfriend, Y/N, for actually believing in me and supporting me… uh, yeah.”

He wasn't used to this much attention. Sure, he got a lot, but never quite like this.

—

“Hello, race winner,” you purred as he walked into the room. He had insisted you go home after the podium ceremony, knowing he’d be a while.

You were wearing thin, lacy lingerie in his favorite color.

He immediately dropped his bag with his race suit and helmet on the floor. “Fucking Christ…” he whispered, more to himself than to you.

He crossed the room in a heartbeat, his hands finding your hips and gently squeezing. His touch was electric, sending shivers down your spine. He was already uncomfortably hard, his desire palpable.

His hands moved slowly, almost reverently, up and down the sides of your body. He carefully unhooked the band of your bra, letting the straps slide down your arms, the delicate fabric cascading to the floor. His eyes never left yours, filled with a mix of love and longing. Every touch was tender, every movement deliberate, as if he was savoring this intimate moment with you, the culmination of a day filled with triumph and joy.

You took off his shirt, your fingers trailing softly along his skin and faint outline of abs, then unbuckled his belt, his shorts falling to the floor. The moment was quiet, yet sensual. No words needed to be said. You both knew exactly what the other wanted and needed. He undressed completely before guiding you to the bed.

He lay you down on the mattress and settled between your legs, gently pushing the lace aside. His tongue traced a slow, deliberate path up your pussy, drawing a soft sigh of relief from your lips. For nearly ten minutes, his tongue worked magic, each stroke sending waves of pleasure through your body until you finally pushed his head away, overwhelmed.

Crawling up your body, he placed tender kisses along the way—your thighs, stomach, chest, neck, and jaw. Each kiss was a promise, a declaration of his love.

“Ready?” he whispered, his voice husky with desire. You hummed with a small nod, and he gently pushed inside you. A moan erupted from both of you—his low and gruff, yours high and breathless.

“I love you,” you confessed, your voice filled with emotion as he moved his hips slowly, rhythmically.

“I love you so much,” he replied, his voice muffled as he buried his head in the crook of your neck and shoulder. His small groans were like sweet nothings whispered into your ears, each movement slow and gentle, savoring the closeness and intimacy of the moment. Every touch, every kiss, every whispered word was a testament to your love, making this moment incredibly sensual, romantic, and deeply personal.

His movements were slow, deliberate, and filled with a tenderness that made your heart swell. Each thrust was a reminder of his love and devotion, a silent communication of the depth of his feelings for you. His hands roamed your body, caressing your skin with a gentle reverence, as if you were the most precious thing in the world. The sensation was overwhelming, a perfect blend of physical pleasure and emotional connection.

Your fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as he kissed your neck and whispered sweet nothings against your skin. The warmth of his breath sent shivers down your spine, and you arched into him, seeking even more of his touch. The world outside ceased to exist; it was just the two of you, lost in the euphoria of each other. His lips found yours again, and the kiss was slow, passionate, a melding of souls as much as bodies.

He held you close, his body pressed intimately against yours. His pace remained steady, unhurried, allowing you both to savor every second of the moment. The sounds of your mingled breaths and whispered endearments filled the room, a symphony of love and desire.

As you approached the peak of your pleasure, your grip on him tightened, your nails dragging down his back, your bodies moving in perfect harmony. The intensity of your connection grew, and you felt the world around you blur, your senses overwhelmed by the love and passion you shared. His whispered "I love you" echoed in your mind, grounding you even as you felt yourself soaring. The crescendo built, each wave of pleasure bringing you closer to the edge.

When you finally reached your climax, it was like an explosion of light and warmth, filling you with an indescribable sense of bliss. He followed moments later, his groan a deep, satisfying sound that sent aftershocks of pleasure through your body. He held you close, his movements slowing as you both came down from the heights of your shared ecstasy. In the aftermath, he continued to shower you with gentle kisses, whispering his love as you lay entwined, your hearts beating in perfect synchrony.

--

felt cute x

[sphireath-wisp]

#just for me.

Sypnosis: Things that remind you of them that they keep for themselves (O.P. version)

Warnings: Messy interchanging tenses, not proofread

Featuring: Monkey D. Luffy, Roronoa Zoro, Vinsmoke Sanji x GN! reader

Monkey D. Luffy

I feel like this guy is always covered in bandages. I just feel it. With the amount of trouble he literally leaps himself into, he is almost always covered in injuries 24/7. Chopper would always nag him and chide how reckless his captain can be. It's always 50/50 with Luffy. It's either he totally forgets that the bandages are there or peels them off whenever he has the chance. "The bandages feel so itchy, they always get in the way whenever I fight!" or so Luffy would whine. You know how much of a hassle it can be to keep bandaging him up to Chopper because he'll almost immediately rip them off - not to mention the waste of Chopper's already limited bandage supply on the sea. If your lover wants to act like a kid, you'll treat him like one. You scribble on drawings of you and him and even let him help decorate. Whenever you bandage him up, he doesn't rip them off because he genuinely likes the doodles on them. Though, he's gotten attached... too attached. His wounds should have already healed by now, but he continues to wear them with pride.

"The king of pirates should look like one." Something Luffy firmly believes in. He loves to collect anything Pirate-related. Gold and jewels don't fascinate him as much as that pirate hat or golden hook. Luffy will hoard everything he feels like the king of pirates would or should have. He doesn't care about fame, power, or money - but he wants to feel that rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins, that hunger for the next adventure that makes his heart race, and that wave of joy and relief once he wins a battle. You know how much he loved such an idea, so you couldn't help but buy him a gold necklace, with a miniature fake skull in the middle. You'll watch as he fidgets around with it or shows it off to the crew, beaming with pride. It's like his treasured straw hat, it's almost always on him.

Roronoa Zoro

Zoro likes to wear Bandanas. He doesn't wear them often, but he does like to wear that black bandana he keeps around. You've noticed how dirty and torn up it's gotten, and it would look more like a spider web on Zoro's head rather than a bandana if he wore this. You recently bought a red bandana for Zoro and Chopper picked out a pink one for him, just for shits and giggles. He appreciates the thought you put behind it and you'll notice both of the bandanas tied around his upper right arm. He's started to use his left arm to fight more other than his right, it's almost as if he doesn't want the bandanas to get scraped up in battle. Of course, when there's an actual capable opponent facing him, he will fight will all three of his swords.

You often place bentos next to his swords, insisting that you were just helping Sanji give the bentos out. Being so focused on his training, he almost never properly takes care of himself (like taking showers). His main source of energy is always sake, but there's no way that's good for him. Sanji will help you make bentos for the whole crew, but you feel like he knows it's an excuse to sneak in reminders for Zoro to take care of himself in his bento. Zoro feels like these notes are too precious to throw away, so he has this noticeboard in the crow's nest to stick up all of your notes. Often when you walk in to check up on him, you'll catch him staring at the board of sticky notes signed by you.

Sanji

He probably has a whole collection of knives that he uses to prepare food for the crew, but I feel like a lot of them have already become dull. Obviously, Sanji could just sharpen them again without much time or effort. However, you've heard him grumbling under his breath about being unable to cut up tough parts of meat. You can still remember the struggle he went through to cut open a coconut with his knife. Being the sweetheart that you are, you gave him a whole new knife set for him to use to his heart's extent. He loved much happier while cooking. While he was always focused while cooking, he almost seemed... satisfied to cook with a gift from you. "A kitchen knife is the soul of the cook and my darling, you are the love of my soul and the key to my heart."

I just know this guy keeps a camera around, snapping photos of you from the best angles ever. It's like... when did you get so pretty??? He always keeps at least one in his wallet and because of that, whenever he pulls his wallet out to pay for something in a store, he has to fight that overwhelming urge to buy something for you. He loves to treat you in the best way possible. You are royalty, you are the sun, you are life. You make him the happiest and he could be when you're around. If you wanted to buy out the whole store, there wouldn't be a single second of hesitation before he's emptying his wallet for you.

[batsplat]

Jerez 2006

[It] was certainly within the four walls of that gym, between rep after rep on different muscle groups, that the 'LorenShow' was born. There was a time when only Rossi used to put on a show, but even that has become a rare event. 'Now he only does it on certain occasions,' says Jorge. 'The World Championship was losing a bit of sparkle. Other riders were trying things but they weren't funny, especially in 125cc. There was a time when Melandri tried to imitate Rossi but he never managed to make it as funny.' Jorge had been thinking for a long time about how he could offer his fans something extra after a win. A lot of people saw him as too serious, but he wanted to show that he cared about them, that he enjoyed what he did and that he was affable and good humoured, as well as imaginative. He needed an ingenious plan because he had a clear objective: to celebrate the World Championship title in style. 'We wanted to do it in style, go mad,' recalls Dani Palau. That seemed a long way off, back in the summer of 2006, but once the crises of Turkey, Shanghai and Le Mans were behind him the dream of beating Andrea Dovizioso was alive again.

Strictly speaking, the first episode of the 'LorenShow' was at the Spanish GP in 2006. It was his first victory in the 250cc class and Jorge got off his bike, took off his helmet and started shouting at the fans. 'It was pretty spectacular and it was the first time we used the word "LorenShow",' he recalls. 'Palau and I used to put together a ten-page magazine of our own after each Grand Prix and on the front cover of that particular edition we put a photo of my celebrations and the headline [in English] "Welcome to the LorenShow!" That was awesome, really different. I have always been creative and I fancied doing something special after I won, so I decided to give it a try!' The design of the magazine, by the way, was similar to GQ. 'Well, not similar exactly. We kind of copied it! We were worried about getting into trouble for copying it but I hope they don't hit us with a lawsuit now ... it was only for us!' he laughs.

March 2007

After his victory at Losail Jorge pretended to skip like a boxer, as he'd done for so many hours in the gym with Marcos. It was a spontaneous, intuitive celebration and an early turning point for his season. After such a morale-boosting performance during and after the race, why not celebrate all his victories from now on? 'In Qatar I did the skipping-rope thing but I never thought that in the future I'd be using props to celebrate my victories!' The preparation that went into each episode of 'LorenShow' was a simple but elaborate process. Generally the original idea would come from Jorge and, often with the help of his computer, Palau would fill in the details. It became something of a team effort at Motorsport48, where almost everybody began to join in the fun. Everybody except the boss: Dani Amatriain kept his distance. He didn't like or dislike the celebrations but he preferred to leave them to Jorge as a bit of innocent fun. Out of the blue came another idea, this time from Marcos. Once again, it was an idea born in the gym. 'You are a warrior. You have to reclaim the championship, right? But what kind of a conqueror doesn't have a flag?' Jorge's eyes began to twinkle. 'It has to be something really visual,' Jorge told Palau, taking on the idea. 'Imagine that in each race I stick a flag into the ground, as if I have conquered that land. Like Christopher Columbus when he arrived in America!' The design process was short, with Jorge's X-fuera logo the obvious choice, set on a black background - the colour used by pirates. And written in English, so that it would be understood all over the world, not just in Spain, would be those now famous words: 'Lorenzo's Land'.

The day of its first unfurling soon arrived. It was the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez, known as 'The Cathedral' by local fans. Dani Palau headed for partisan territory - the section of track that features the 'Angel Nieto' and 'Peluqui' corners, where he would meet his friend if he won the race. 'I had goosebumps. You should have heard the noise from the crowd when Jorge stopped!' he recalls. There were 140,000 people packed into the grandstands at Jerez that day and they had been treated to an outstanding 250cc race: 'la carrera de los cuarenta y dos adelantamientos' ['the race with forty two overtakes']. Jorge Lorenzo savoured the moment. As he had done in 2006, he removed his helmet, got off his bike and punched the air to celebrate his second victory at Jerez. Then the flag appeared by his side. He took it and drove it deep into the gravel. Jerez had been conquered, the first circuit to be claimed as 'Lorenzo's Land'. A few weeks later he won again, in China, and again he planted the flag. However, unlike Jerez, this victory was his first in Shanghai. Nobody was going to stop him now.

"Now what's happening with Lorenzo? Oh, he's going to plant the flag, I think. Here we go! Or he's going to throw the flag. He's going to do something, but, eh... All the script we have in front of us, all the timings, goes out of the window when Lorenzo wins a 250cc race... so you can just, rustle up your papers, any scripts you've got, what's coming up next, disappears, because he delays everything. There we are. Plants the flag..."

Le Mans 2007

Lorenzo, who designs his own logos and comes up with fun things like the pirate flag he sticks in the sand at the circuit where he wins to "announce to everyone" that he has conquered "that land" , says that preparing for these celebrations is just another way of coping with the hard training he does and, above all, having the best time possible. "Looking for ideas for the parties I have at the circuits encourages me to win ," he said yesterday after his excellent victory over Dovizioso.

The Mallorcan, who did not hesitate to admit his mistake on a line and apologize to Dovi for the push he had given him ( "I'm very sorry, I went out too wide on a curve, I wanted to regain verticality too soon, get back on the right line and I crashed into him" ), yesterday came up with nothing better than to dress up his soulmate, Dani Palau, as Jorge Lorenzo, with whom he shares the entertainment of festive designs and games. Palau appeared on the lap of glory and tried to get his two-and-a-half-litre Aprilia and, as they had agreed, Lorenzo told him to go away, that the bike was his and that he was the owner of the winning machine. "We wanted to make a joke, implying that the double, which was him, Dani, represented the Lorenzo who had fallen on Friday and that the real one, that is, myself, was the one who had won the race."

Mugello 2007

Jorge was coming up with more ideas for celebrations than he could use, and that was probably a good thing because some of them would have got him into more trouble than they were worth. Like the one that involved him wearing an Andrea Dovizioso mask. 'We've still got the mask but Andrea would have had to do something really bad to me to warrant getting it out ... though he'd better ‘watch it!' smiles Jorge. Another one that failed to get past the ideas stage was for Valencia, the final race of 2007. Jorge had already claimed the title and, after being criticised all year for using the 'Lorenzo's Land' flag instead of the Spanish one, planned to go completely over the top, using not only the Spanish flag but dressing up' as a bullfighter. Maybe it was a good thing he only managed seventh. The celebrations he did get to use became ever more elaborate and meticulously planned. He would scour the circuit for the best comer, with the best camera angle and the best view for the fans. Jorge had decided that each celebration should have something to do with the country he was in, and in Italy a friend, Jordi Ohva, who worked for Dorna [the commercial and television rights holders for MotoGP] gave him an idea. 'In Italy they've nicknamed you "Spaniard". The commentator on Italian television has started calling you that.''"Spaniard"? Why?''Because you are like a gladiator and that's what they call the main character played by Russell Crowe in the movie Gladiator.' Maximus Decimus Meridius was a Roman general born in Merida, Spain. He lived in the second century and since this was the second year of domination by a Spaniard in the 250cc class then what better way for Lorenzo to celebrate victory in the Italian GP than by dressing up as his namesake? 'In fact, the idea of doing something historical came after watching 300 with Marcos,' explains Jorge, 'We watched the film again with Palau, the three of us talked about it and we decided we wanted to do something related to the Battle of Thermopylae. It was while we were looking for a King Leonidas suit that we came across a Gladiator outfit. That coincided with me finding out what [Italian television commentator] Guido Meda was calling me.' The wheels were quickly put in motion. like any good media relations manager, Pere Gurt sourced an exact replica of the costume worn by Russell Crowe in the film, which was owned by an agency in Madrid. It cost 600 euros a week to rent and the sword was extra. It was kept in a corner of the garage at Mugello, where Dani Palau devoutly guarded it from the inquisitive eyes of journalists who were already wondering what Lorenzo had up his sleeve if he won this one. On race day Palau headed for the comer where they'd agreed to meet if a miracle should happen. Jorge was starting from 20th on the grid, but he still had his sights set on victory. Everybody knows what happened next. On the big screens around the circuit, Palau watched his friend slide into the gravel after colliding with Bautista. He jumped onto his scooter and raced to fetch him, sword, breastplate, helmet, 'Lorenzo's Land' flag and all. The Italian fans spotted the props and, despite Jorge's popularity there, Dani could hear them laughing and shouting insults. The mediocre can be unforgiving when a winner falls from his perch. 'The preparations were perfect, but unfortunately the race wasn't!'

Catalunya 2007

You have to be very confident in your abilities to appear on the starting grid, having previously asked two friends to dress like you, to wait for you at a strategic point during the lap of honour and to take out some guitars so you can emulate your favourite band in front of 112,600 spectators. That was how Jorge Lorenzo celebrated his fifth victory of the season at Montmeló, giving a concert on the track and another one off it, microphone in hand, as a tribute to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and to make up for his fall at Mugello a week ago. This time, the Mallorcan needed two stunt doubles at his side for his performance, and those who dressed as him were Dani Palau, his webmaster and the same one he used at Le Mans, and Ricard Cardús, a CEV driver and Carlos' nephew.

Looking back on his performance, it could be said that the most critical moment was the start, when Thomas Luthi had taken the lead on the first corner. 'Por Fuera' did not back down, he lived up to his nickname and made an epic outside turn. That was the only thing that really cost him, or so it seemed from the sidelines, because he later said that it had been a difficult race. Maybe he said that because he still had in mind the blunder in Italy, that fall on the last corner when Álvaro Bautista overtook him. Whatever the reason, he was exultant and at the end of the podium ceremony he dared to take the speaker's microphone to address the public. "Did you enjoy the show?" he asked from the top of the podium. And he continued: "I know that some of you liked me and others didn't, but I don't care. You are Spanish like me and I love you! Thank you."

The trio completed a recce of Montmelo on Thursday and Friday and performed a rehearsal at the corner of choice, in front of the stadium section. I told them, "When we're playing here, I want you to jump around like the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Go on YouTube, have a look at the videos and learn the dance moves," ' recalls Jorge. 'But the bastards ignored me!' For one magic moment Jorge, Dani and Ricky were no longer Lorenzo, Palau and Cardus. They weren't even three Lorenzos, dancing and singing like maniacs in front of 100,000 people. They were Anthony Kiedis, Flea and John Frusciante. Only Chad Smith was missing on drums, otherwise they would have been the real Chilis. 'I wanted there to be four of us, like the real Chilis, and I was going to ask Ricky's older brother Jordi to join in but there weren't any more leathers in my size. Also, getting a drum kit onto the track would have been a nightmare!'

Donington, Assen, Sachsenring 2007

After Catalunya came the British GP and before travelling there they went to dinner with a racing friend, Xavi Ledesma - the owner of the Fortuna Team hospitality unit and one of Jorge's closest friends in 2005, as well as being the organiser of the Copa Aprilia when he first started racing Xavi told them that the tradition in England was to drink tea in the afternoon. No sooner said than done. They went out and bought a tea tray, complete with teapot, cups and spoons. Palau planned to sit at a table at the Melbourne Loop, dressed as a waiter in a tuxedo and crash helmet. All Jorge had to do was turn up, rest his feet and have a drink. Oh, and win the race. Unfortunately, the final and most crucial part of the plan started to go wrong in the warm-up because, as is well known, rain is as traditional at Donington as tea. Despite the heavy downpour, Jorge produced a great performance - he was having the best wet race of his career. 'Shall I go out or not?' thought Dani halfway through the race. His buddy was running in second place behind Dovizioso. He had to have faith. 'If you have any doubt, something is bound to go wrong,' says Jorge. 'Whenever I have felt sure I would win I have won, but if there has been any kind of doubt I've lost, come second, or something has happened. That is what the brain is like.' And just as Palau made his mind up and went to load up the scooter with props, Jorge hit the deck. That was one cuppa that was hard to swallow. Jorge's next celebration was enjoyed by the Spanish fans, although it was on a Saturday rather than a Sunday. The Dutch are a bit different in everything, even their racing, and since 1949 the TT at Assen has always taken place on a Saturday. Jorge knew exactly what he was going to do if he won. He wanted to copy the thousands of locals by riding a pushbike. They rehearsed their routine at two or three different comers. 'This place is best. How far will you ride the bike? Will you be able to cycle in boots?' Every minute detail was taken care of. 'We'd practised in that area where Valentino sat when he won the MotoGP race, the bit that looks like a target. I was going to leave my Aprilia and the pushbike would be in the middle of the circle. We thought of it before Rossi!' Suddenly, he changed his mind. On his return to the pit garage he realised that there was a stage, all set up right next to the track, because just by the final chicane that leads into the start-finish straight there is a VIP terrace. It was the perfect place - and not only that, there was a television camera directly opposite.

'We could sit down and have a drink,' Jorge told Dani. The fact he'd missed out on his cup of tea at Donington a few days earlier still irked him, so it was all hands on deck. The owners of the terrace had to be consulted and asked for permission. Initially they weren't too keen because there are no fences there and it is easy for people to get out and access pit lane. For that reason, a huge deposit has to be paid to hire the area, which the circuit organisers retain if there are any problems. In the end they realised it was a Lorenzo celebration and they went along with it. This time Jorge backed up his plans with a dominant victory. However, having left his bike propped against the fence before climbing over the tyre wall and on to the terrace, he was swamped by punters taking photographs and the television cameras lost him in the melee. 'On top of that, the bar owner was a complete opportunist and he got a bunch of people to hold up an advertisement! It was a disaster.' Even though not much could be seen on the television, it was clear that Jorge's double had returned and that they'd gone to have a drink together. But why? Jorge was happy to provide the answer in pare ferme. 'After the crash at Donington, somebody [Dovizioso] had suggested I was getting nervous. So I sipped on a herbal tea.' Some time later Dani Palau insisted that the initial idea was to drink a glass of water but, as at Le Mans, Jorge was thinking on his feet and he was eager to hit back at Dovizioso. 'Sometimes that happens to me. I get really good ideas on the spur of the moment. Other times I really have to think things through for them to work out. But sometimes I get a flash of inspiration.'

Jorge finished fourth in Germany but there were no plans for a celebration even if he'd won. He was worried about the joke wearing thin. 'You have to keep people guessing. It is good to have an element of the unexpected. If we did it every time it wouldn't be funny any more. The truth is that I like things to be complete and maybe I would have continued the celebrations race after race but I let them convince me. It was good to have a break.' The summer holidays were approaching and they wanted to leave the fans gagging for more. To be fair, I have to say that I can't always put on a big celebration because I need helpers and Palau didn't come to every race. For the ones outside Europe we had a much smaller group.' There were no celebrations in the Czech Republic either, but this time for a different reason. Nobody at Motorsport48 was in the mood for a party. Dani Amatriain's assistant, Esther Serra, had just lost her brother, Marc. Jorge won but conducted a silent parade of his now obligatory 'Lorenzo's Land' flag in honour of the family. 'The problem with the celebrations is that it gets harder and harder to come up with something original, with meaning, that isn't just plain stupid,' says Jorge. 'Ideas are finite. We had something planned for Portugal but I'd prefer to keep it to myself - I might use it in the future. We also wanted to do something with animals but are they allowed on the track? We planned to get Datil, my mum's dog, a set of made-to-measure leathers but imagine if we brought him out and he had a shit on the track! That'd cause a scene!' Jorge fell about laughing as his imagination took over. 'It's a shame Marcos doesn't come to more races because we could dress him up as Shrek! Ha, ha!'

Misano 2007

From that moment on, Jorge defended his first place, riding alone and maintaining a calm margin over the second, who ended up being the Japanese Aoyama, after first catching his teammate Kallio, who fell next, and then Héctor Barberá, who added his third podium of the year. Lorenzo is now 50 points ahead and celebrated by doing a lap of honour dressed as a Roman gladiator. De Angelis is second after finishing a disappointing fifth in what was his Grand Prix.

Jorge toyed with the idea of wearing his new outfit [the gladiator costume he had been mocked for at Mugello] if he won at the GP of Catalunya but eventually decided that revenge is a dish best served cold and it was better to wait. The season would give him plenty of opportunities to settle the score and the Italian fans would have no choice but to bow down before him like a Roman general. Every great film has unforgettable lines that are often repeated by film buffs. This one from Gladiator suited Jorge down to the ground. My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius . . . commander of the armies of the north . . . general of the Felix Legions . . . loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius . . . father to a murdered son ... husband to a murdered wife ... and I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next. 'What a well-chosen phrase!' Lorenzo must have thought. Italy owed him one and he was going back to collect his dues. It wasn't to be in that first race on Italian soil, but he was determined to get his revenge in the second. He rented the outfit again, waving goodbye to another 600 euros, but this wasn't about the money. This was a question of honour. He didn't know the circuit, because there hadn't been a GP there since 1993, and although he had visited Misano once, when he'd signed for Derbi in 2002, he was only 15 then and not old enough to actually ride. None of that mattered now, because he went out and won. And on top of that, Dovizioso broke down. Jordi Perez and Cheni Martinez raced out onto the track to dress their man. They'd already discussed with Race Direction and the television directors where the best place would be for the celebration in terms of safety and maximum exposure. Jorge didn't want to take the outfit off - not when he stepped on to the podium, or when he sprayed the champagne. He even kept it on for the press conference. He clearly wanted to recoup his investment, but above all he wanted to enjoy the moment. He felt like the king of the world. ' "Now THAT was legendary," Guido Meda told me.' "

Sepang 2007

Dovizioso responded to remain in Lorenzo’s slipstream as the duo were caught by KTM team-mates Hiroshi Aoyama and Mika Kallio, plus Hector Barbera. The five battled until the penultimate lap when Dovizioso’s wafer-thin title hopes were ended as Mika Kallio took him out in an out-braking move. Hiroshi Aoyama inherited the lead and kept it to the flag from Barbera and Lorenzo. As Kallio remounted to finish fourth ahead of Tomas Luthi, Andrea Dovizioso remounted to cross the line eleventh. Meanwhile Jorge Lorenzo was celebrating keeping the 250cc world championship in a boxer’s gold-coloured gown and gloves, and picking up a fake championship belt in parc ferme.

Jorge won his second 250cc World Championship at the Malaysian Grand Prix with one race to spare, to top off an outstanding 2007 season. And what better way to celebrate in style than by looking way back to the very first race of the year in Qatar, when Jorge recovered the 'eye of the tiger'? His antics in 2007 had made him the leading contender for the title of paddock showman left vacant by Valentino Rossi in a season when the Italian had little to celebrate. It's clear by now that Jorge is up for a challenge and a second 250cc World Championship title was enough of an excuse for him to stake his claim, as the leading heavyweight in 'motorshowbusiness'. On this occasion it wasn't actually one of his own ideas, but he made it his own as soon as it left the lips of Marcos Hirsch. Having started the season training like Rocky Balboa and trying to recover the 'eye of the tiger', he took the title in Malaysia (coincidentally a country the famous Italian novelist Emilio Salgari referred to as the 'land of the tigers' ) and there was only one way to celebrate - as the new CHAMPION OF THE WOOOOOORLD! That box in the corner of the garage at Plulhp Island contained a story all of its own. Jorge and Marcos's initial idea was to set up a boxing match between the two of them, in which Jorge would knock Marcos out. The idea was that I had to beat a heavyweight. And boy is he heavy!' laughs Jorge. When I'd dressed as Jorge at Valencia the previous year, the message was that he had grown up,' explains Marcos. 'This time it was a case of demonstrating that he was capable of anything. Even knocking out somebody twice his height and weight, like me!' Another of Jorge's ideas was for Marcos to grow his hair like Don King, the world's most famous boxing promoter. In the end the celebration wasn't exactly as Jorge and Marcos had planned, partly because the Brazilian trainer was unable to make the trip to Malaysia.

The final idea came about after a conversation between Jorge and Marcos after which the 'celebration panel' of Jorge, Dani Palau and Pere Gurt set things in motion. They went on the Internet to download information about the Clint Eastwood film Million Dollar Baby and then researched other famous boxers like Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Oscar De La Eioya and Julio Cesar Chavez. Once they had decided on a look they set about sourcing the outfit. Esther Serra was sent to a fabric shop in Barcelona, which is where they encountered their first setback. They didn't have any gold fabric for the hooded cloak - only black - and if that shop didn't have it, it was difficult to imagine anywhere else that would. But necessity is the mother of invention and somebody suddenly remembered that the covers used to unveil Jorge's Apiilia RSW250 at the start of the season had been gold. Problem solved! Now it was a case of putting the whole outfit together. They'd found a blue cloak in a Barcelona boxing shop, and picked up a gum shield at the same time. There were some fruitless trips to fancy dress shops. It was time to get the family involved... Pere Gurt called his mother, Rosa Casas, and her friend, Carme Armengol. After much protest, which fell on deaf ears, the pair reluctantly accepted the assignment and, as a result, MotoGP ended up with two more avid fans - to the point where they would get up at 5am to watch Jorge race in Australia.

A world championship belt needed to be found at the same time, so the team got in touch with the Spanish Boxing Federation (FEB), who recommended 'Charlie's', a specialist shop in Madrid. Bingo! Not only did they have a belt, they also had a pair of golden gloves. The only problem was that the belt featured the Dutch flag, but Esther wasted no time in having the red, white and blue colours replaced with a logo designed by Dani PalaWeb that read: 'Loren Show II'. In the end Jorge didn't use the gum shield, but there's a little story about that too. When Juan Llansa saw it he said there was no point: 'That is a shit gum shield. You need one made to measure!' Juanito knew what he was talking about - he'd not only seen plenty of riders use them over his 20 years in motorcycle racing, but also his daughter, Zaida Llansa, was the 2001 Kata [a form of martial arts] World Champion. As soon as he landed in Australia he looked on the Internet for a martial arts shop near Phillip Island. He bought the silicone, warmed it in boiling water and made Jorge bite it for a made-to-measure gum shield. Lorenzo still decided not to use it for the celebrations, but Juanito saved it just in case Jorge decided he needed one for MotoGP. 'He never wore one in 125cc and 250cc but I've saved it just in case he really needs to grit his teeth in MotoGP!' Llansa laughed. Everything was prepared as quickly as possible because there wasn't much time. Jorge quickly became impatient: 'Pere, how's the cloak coming along?' 'Don't worry about it.' 'If it's going to be shit just leave it and we'll think of something else.' 'Trust me. I don't doubt your work, so don't doubt mine.' It was almost time to leave and everything was ready. Cheni Martinez picked up the outfit and went to meet Jorge at the Hotel Barcelo-Sants gym in Barcelona for a dress rehearsal. He had to try everything on before leaving for Melbourne. In the car on the way to the airport Jorge received a call. It was Pere. 'How is it?' 'Pffff. It's not that bad.' Pere Gurt hung up with a smile. 'We've done it,' he thought.

The box remained unopened in Australia, of course, but in Malaysia the surprise was unleashed. The hardest-hitting World Champion in racing was about to be crowned and the character of Rocky Balboa represented the strength he'd displayed to overcome his own limitations and fears. Jorge Lorenzo had not only clinched his second world title, he'd proved to himself and to the world that he could do anything, as a rider and as a person. And then he and the clan treated the public to their most memorable celebration yet. His friends, headed by Juanito Llansa, waited for him with the boxer's outfit that Lorenzo wanted to wear to mirror his battling performances on the track that season — the cloak, gloves and belt of a World Champion, made out of gold fabric and with a logo on the back, hand sewn by Pere Gurt's mother and her neighbour. It simply read: Loren Show II. World Champion 2007. The 'Lorenzo's Land' flag had fluttered at seven different circuits during the year, but this time it was the Spanish flag that an emotional Lorenzo drove into Malaysian soil, in the final turn of the Sepang International Circuit. The whole act had been Jorge's tribute to 'the eye of the tiger', the winning attitude of Rocky Balboa that he'd adopted as his own. All the knock-out blows to his rivals during the season had given him just cause for celebration. Celebrations are often forgotten the following day, as soon as the outfits and props have been returned, but not this time. The World Championship gown and gloves will always remain part of Jorge's life.. 'One day I returned home to find that my mother had prepared a surprise. She had redecorated my bedroom and there it was, my gold outfit, hung on the wall, looking magical.' Some people think Jorge Lorenzo is simply copying Valentino Rossi, the originator of post-race victory celebrations, in order to enhance his own image. Others feel that perhaps he takes things too far, or they may view the Lorenzo antics rather more favourably. Jorge will continue to hope they're accepted for what they are: harmless, innocent fun but always with a moral to the 'story'. There's no doubt, though, that he will have something to say if other riders start copying him...

Jorge Lorenzo and 250cc celebrations

Lorenzo is authentic, reject imitations (2007); Shanghai race commentary (2007); A recital by Jorge Lorenzo to forget about Mugello (2007); Lorenzo 'Gladiator' conquers Misano and caresses the title (2007); Sepang MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo is 2007 250cc GP champion, Hiroshi Aoyama wins race (2007); Jorge Lorenzo: My Story So Far (2010)

[buckybarnesthehotshot]

Rants (Carlos Sainz Jr. x Reader)

|ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ|

summary: carlos and his favorite race engineer ranting to each other after the texas grand prix

word count: 1765

warnings: not proofread, swearing, not much plot (based off this request by @lostingoogletranslate )

       “So, yeah, that just about concludes what happened in our race today. It was a good effort from everyone,” y/n offered the team a sad smile. Despite Red Bull winning the Constructor’s Championship, she tried to keep morale up so they’d bring the fight to Mercedes for P2, “Any questions?”

       “Uh, yes, can you say again what happened into turn 1?” Carlos questioned, his voice heard over everyone’s headphones. Charles looked to Carlos, narrowing his eyes at him. Not that the Spaniard noticed, of course. He was too fixated on the race engineer’s face to pay much mind to the Monegasque seated next to him.

       “Well, George steered into your path,” she shrugged, “Your car was leaking fluid, and it could have been dangerous to continue the race in that condition. Even if we managed to repair anything with a pit stop, there was no certainty we would have been able to make it into the points.”

       “Do we not have the pace for it?” he questioned again, wanting to hear more of her words, her voice like music to his ears.

       “We had the pace, but if we had to evaluate and repair the car, we would have lost more time than the pace could have made up for,” y/n explained briefly, offering him a quick smile, “Again, if you’re feeling down about it, the situation was out of your control.”

       “Of course, thank you,” Carlos nodded, shying back into his seat, brown eyes never leaving y/n.

       “We’ll do better in Mexico,” she nodded, “Thank you for your time, everyone.”  

       “Thank you for that, y/n,” Mattia smiled, taking the floor back from y/n before addressing any other things with the team.        

       For the rest of the meeting, Carlos could only find him gaze fixed on the woman as she nodded along to what was being discussed in the debrief. He was part of the race—albeit temporarily—there weren’t much things to say about his performance or his car’s performance anyways.

       When the meeting ended, the crowd dispersed. He made his way over to y/n, still packing her things up.

       “Need any help?” he offered as he watched her stuff papers into her bag.

       “Uh, yeah, I can’t seem to get it under control,” she laughed as his hands hovered above hers as she took hold of the papers.

       “May I?”

       “Oh, uh, of course,” she nodded, making way for him between herself and the table, watching him gather all her papers, pausing as he took something from his side of the table; a red folder with Ferrari’s logo on it, slipping the papers through into the folder.

       “It’s a lot easier when you put them in a folder, see? More organized in your bag as well.” he chuckled, handing her the folder, now filled with her organized notes on the race and possible race strategies for Mexico, quirking a brow at her, “Aren’t these supposed to be confidential?”

       “Well, yes, of course,” she laughed, shaking her head, “They are mostly just notes, though. Nothing official yet. Besides, we aren’t even sure if the cars will cooperate.”

       “I thought you said the cars had pace?”

       “Well, they do, but not as much pace as we’d hope,” she shrugged, “Mercedes has gone a long way from where they were when the season first started. For us, it’s almost the opposite. It’s almost as though we’ve regressed as a team as the season progressed.”

       “I mean,” Carlos paused, considering her words. They went from such a high in Bahrain to struggling to make their way to the podiums in recent races. Practice sessions and qualifying times proved that they had pace, but there were missing pieces to their race. Missing pieces keeping them from clinching part to, “Don’t tell Mattia I said this but I understand what you mean.”

       “Please, if Mattia knew about the conversations we’re having at the moment, we both wouldn’t have jobs,” y/n laughed, “Also, we missed out on important input from your car, so we’re going to have to get those off the practice times in Mexico, I guess.”

       “Right, sorry about that again.”

       “Please, when I told you it wasn’t your fault, I meant it,” she scoffed, “The penalty they gave George was unfair to the team. We could have gotten more valuable points for places in the Constructor’s and the Driver’s rankings.”

       “Mattia should start having you be the one talking to the FIA about these complaints for penalties,” Carlos chuckled, “Maybe we’ll be given more places if that’s the case.”

       “As if I don’t do enough for this team already,” y/n quipped as Carlos smiled at her.

       “You might as well start driving my car too,” Carlos chuckled as y/n shook her head at the preposterousness of the idea.

       “Please, if I drive the car, I’d end up doing more property damage than all the drivers on the grid combined,” she scoffed as Carlos broke out into a fit of laughter.

       “You talk about how the car doesn’t have much pace and yet you talk about how the car doesn’t have enough pace,” Carlos shook his head, laughing at the situation, “You’re right, though.”

       “Of course, I am,” she nodded, “Seriously, though, I think it’s ridiculous that we’re supposed to be this prestigious team, but we still can’t find it in ourselves to bag another championship despite how great our drivers are.”

         “I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but the team makes really questionable calls sometimes.”

         “Team’s orders could have cost you Silverstone too,” she nodded, smiling as she recalled the way he told the team off during the race, “At this point you guys should start making your own strategies.”

       “I don’t think we’re going to be able to do that while we’re both in the cars,” he chuckled, “You should take over for strategies.”

          “Nah, I can’t even sort out my own papers,” she shrugged, “You and Charles have this in thhe bag.”

       “You sure have a lot of confidence in me and Charles,” Carlos smiled at the thought.

       “Wouldn’t want to have to see you get chopped,” y/n shook her head, offering Carlos a brief smile, “Seriously, though, I’m going to try everything in my power to get you and Charles back on the podium where you both belong.”

       The man was thankful to have her on the team. Hell, if her ranting to him proved anything, it showed she wanted to push the team for more.

       “Thank you,” Carlos nodded, offering her a quick smile, “Do you need a ride to the hotel?”

       “No, I have some other things I need to talk through with the mechanics. I’ll see you in Mexico, I guess,” she smiled at him as she made her way to some other part of the garage. He smiled as he watched her walk away, letting out a wistful sigh.

       “Mate, I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Charles exclaimed, practically pouncing onto his fellow driver’s shoulders.

       “Ay!” Carlos exclaimed, pushing the Monegasque off him, “I was just helping y/n pack up after the meeting.”

       “Ah, y/n, eh?” Charles winked at the Spaniard, “Don’t think nobody notices the way you look at her during briefings and debriefs.”

       “Really, and how do I look at her?” Carlos quirked his brow at the man, crossing his arms over his chest, as though challenging Charles.

       “You look at her with these puppy dog eyes. Mate, it’s almost like hearts are flying on top of your head whenever you look at her,” Charles laughed at the Spaniard, “You like her, don’t you?”

       “I mean, of course, I do. She’s a part of the team. I can’t not like her,” Carlos rushed out an explanation as Charles scoffed.

       “Nah, mate. You like her,” Charles laughed, patting Carlos on the shoulder, “Don’t even worry about it, I’ll help you.”

       “How would you hel—”

       Before Carlos could finish his question, Charles was rushing into the garage, Carlos bolting after him as the Monegasque asked the crew where y/n was.

       “y/n!” he called out rushing to the race engineer, she spun around just in time to witness the older of the drivers tackle Charles to the ground, Carlos covering Charles’ mouth before the Monegasque could say anything else.

       “Are you guys okay?” she laughed as both men hit the ground, “Is this a media thing? Are there cameras I should be aware of?”

       “No—Ay!” Carlos exclaimed as Charles licked his palm, laughing as he did so.

       “Carlos has something he wants to say to you!” he rushed out before the Spaniard could stop him.

       “Oh, you could have told me about this during our talk earlier or during the meeting. If you had any concerns about the car—”

       “It’s not about the car,” Charles shook his head as Carlos narrowed his eyes, glaring daggers at the man.

       “Oh?”

       “He wants to take you out on a dat—”

       “Ay! I’ll do it myself if you be quiet,” Carlos cut back into the conversation, chiming in as y/n’s curious gaze fixed on him. He’d never been this nervous under her gaze. He was used to her looking at him, but this time, she was looking at him. It made him want to fall to his knees.

       “Do it now, then,” Charles urged the man, nudging him closer towards y/n, the woman only watching the pair in amusement.

       “y/n,” Carlos paused, trying to find the words to express the way he felt for the woman, “I think you’re really amazing, and I want to know if maybe…”

       Charles looked over to Carlos, urging him to continue.

       “I understand if you don’t want to, and that’s totally okay with me, it’s all up to you, really, but I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me?” There it was. Carlos had finally asked the question. y/n stared at him for a moment, unblinking, “Again, it’s totally okay with me if you don’t want to, this doesn’t have to change anything about what we do in the team, and—”

       Before Carlos could continue on with his rambling, he felt a soft pair of lips on his, y/n tugging him closer by his neck.

       “Does that answer your question?” she smiled bashfully at him, as he stared at her in astonishment, “In case it wasn’t clear, I think you’re pretty amazing too and I’d love to go on a date with you.”

        “Yes!” Charles exclaimed as the pair turned to look at him. How was it that he was more excited than the pair?

a/n: praying i wake up in time for the mexican gp tomorrow (starts at 4 am here 💀)

F1 TAGS: @errrrrat / @ricsaigaslec / @veronicapaula / @buendiabebeta​ / @abditory-77​ (OPEN)

CS55 TAGS: (OPEN)

[sochawrites]

Here I am again, with another request! So Yautja x gn! S/O, where the reader fights like this guy in this video. Oneshot or Headcanons you choose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkJXiRmRSCo

Synopsis: it has been a while since you moved to the Yautja’s spaceship with your new alien boyfriend, all of the Yautjas have been mean towards both of you, since your boyfriend is warrior who fell in love with a mere and powerless human. But there is one Yautja that made you finally snap! You challenge him into a knife fight! Your boyfriend tried to intervene, but little did he know that you are great in combat! With your interesting movements and fight style.

You can choose if it’s going to be a draw or the reader wins.

Feel free to ignore for being too confusing.

Thank you!

I'm sorry it took so long! qwq I have to get back into the mind space I had and it's not as easy as I thought...

Hope you'll be satisfied with what my head chewed up!

The Rasputin style (HCs)

Yautja x GN! reader

For those curious, here's the vid

You were supposed to stay on the ship

But 'supposed' never cut it with you, not when there was an infinite quantity of vast worlds you could explore

So there you were, currently on Yautja Prime, once again, trailing close behind your mate 

After you had to promise and swear on your life to not provoke other yautjas, and to keep a low profile

You were on thin ice ever since you met another one of his species, and you didn't even get to make a proper impression! 

They were quick to judge you based on the fact that you were human, a species not even worth the time and effort to hunt most of the time

Sure, there were some exceptions, but they had a lot more than just another yautjas word to back up their skill 

Although, you were content with the rules 

You were the intruder here, after all, you and your mate breaking the long-set rules his race lived by for centuries, you'd probably get the same looks if you ever went back to Earth

If only looks were the only thing you received

You were with your boyfriend long enough to learn their body language, to know that they were laughing at you

And at your mate as well, presumably

He noticed it too, but he didn't react, just to keep his face, a sense of dignity

So you let it slip as well

Until their remarks got verbal

You were prepared for a lot and ready to let plenty of things slide, you didn't want to cause any trouble for your boyfriend, but you had to draw the line somewhere

So you turned around and ran your mouth, more or less calling out one of the loudest ones for a fight

You were kind of glad you didn't get to see the flashes of emotional turmoil on your partner's face

The mix of fear, confusion, anger, disappointment...

Yeah, you didn't need to see that, you had a lecture coming your way either way

You spilt your mind, hoping they had their translator on, not realizing a crowd started to form

And two sharp razors were glistening in the sun soon after

Good thing you noticed those

You swiftly moved out of the way and circled the attacker

Well, danced around them really

They were slow to turn around, giving you enough time to pull out your own weapon

The confusion was quite evident on their face

They growled and charged at you 

And you twirled around, again, leaving a little cut on your opponent's side behind as a warning

A warning they didn't head

You hold back, for the most part, they had a physical advantage after all, but you managed to avoid getting hit, along with slashing them here and there when you got an opening

You twirled, and jumped in an expressionistic manner, working up your opponent, exhausting them and slowing them down

You might have been lucky with them being young blood, more experienced fighters would not let your movements deceive them so easily

You caught a few looks at your mate during the fight, he looked quite disappointed, which was understandable, you broke a promise after all

But the fight had to come to an end at some point, and ending it without a winner wasn't an option, you were not going to try and break the honour codex, it was you who challenged them after all

So you waited and waited until your opponent's movements started to get sloppy

These fights were meant to be a life-and-death situation

They finally fell to their knees, and two options open for you

Slow and painful

Or fast and painless

They were not very nice to you, sure, but that wasn't enough to let them bleed out

So you chose fast and painless

You twirled for the last time, getting enough force in your movement to lent the final blow, and slice the other's head right off with your blade

Looking around at the crowd, they all looked baffled, bamboozled

Humans were a weird race

You tiptoed back to your partner, an innocent smile on your lips, and embraced his arm

"So, where were we going?"

He ruffled at your hair, patting it at the process with his free hand, clicking slowly with his tusks

He might not be angry, he certainly wasn't happy with you, but he was certainly proud you were able to stand your ground against someone who wasn't him

[blues824]

This anon saw a Ron Swanson MC with TWST first years request, and I think I also sent a Ron Swanson MC with the Obey Me brothers before? If not please add this to the requests to be made masterlist

I’m being honest here, but I have never seen Parks and Recreation before. So, I am basing his personality off the Wiki and YouTube video compilations of him. Also, I do not see your request from before, so here it is.

Gender-neutral reader. TW: alcohol, toxic exes, mentions of sex but this is not smut

Lucifer

He actually really appreciates your to-the-point perspective, but he wishes that you would be more open. As closed as he is, you don’t like conversations that exceed 100 words

Another thing he really doesn’t like is that you would go the extra mile to make sure that nothing is done, mostly to piss him off

It was clear to him that you were scared of him, however

All of a sudden, there was a woman who just burst into the council room. She walked with purpose and it was then that you got up and ran

As unathletic as you are, you sure made it out of there quick

Once Lucifer finally found you, you explained by saying the following statement:

“That’s Tammy 1. You know sometimes you eat chicken and you get food poisoning, and even the sight of chicken makes you sick? Tammy 1 is my blonde chicken”

There was nothing in your (rather blank) file that indicated you had been romantically involved with anyone

He actually escorted you to a safe space where your ex wouldn’t find you, and he went to properly deal with Tammy 1, thus ending your thought process in thinking that he and your ex were comparable.

Mammon

He finds you unsettling, to say the least. You are able to see right through his cold exterior, and you make it clear that if he is going to say anything, make sure that it’s something you care about

One time, he brought you a packaged meal which contained a steak burrito, and you both became best friends… or what you would consider best friends. You honestly didn’t know his name

You appreciate how he doesn’t like getting things done, especially since he is an Avatar of the Devildom

The one time he had seen you run away was when a lady burst into the room and you seemed to recognize her 

Mammon chased after you, and once he found you, you explained who that lady was

“That’s Tammy 1. I don’t date blondes because of her. You know sometimes you eat chicken and you get food poisoning, and even the sight of chicken makes you sick? Tammy 1 is my blonde chicken”

It would have been funny to the Avatar of Greed had he not just watched you run a marathon to get kilometers away from the woman who burst into the council room

Now, he might be just a tad jealous that someone managed to win you over romantically before he was, because that means he isn’t you first

He also goes to deal with Tammy 1, if there is anything to deal with because the other brothers as well as Diavolo and Barbatos want to ensure the wellbeing of their human exchange student

Leviathan

If you don’t want him talking to you, he won’t. You have a very standoff-ish attitude, and he is intimidated by it. However, you like how he doesn’t make an effort to talk to you and how he is very quiet, so you tend to stick closer to him anyway

What really solidified your relationship was when he ordered food online. He asked what you wanted, and you stated that you wanted a cholesterol-loaded burger with a lot of bacon. He paid for it, and you were basically in love at that point

I feel like Levi and you clash because you are against Diavolo’s dream because it’s basically going to annihilate the human race, but he thinks it’s going to change everything

One day, as a meeting was being held in the Council Room, a blonde woman burst into the room that made you drop your bacon and run back to Levi’s room, your safe haven

Levi found you there, and he asked who that lady was and why she made you run away

“That’s Tammy 1. I don’t date blondes because of her. You know sometimes you eat chicken and you get food poisoning, and even the sight of chicken makes you sick? Tammy 1 is my blonde chicken”

Because he is the Avatar of Envy, he is definitely jealous that she got her claws on you first (wait until he finds out about Tammy 2)

Anyways, you are welcome to stay in his room as he fights back the urge to summon Lotan to absolutely destroy Tammy 1

Afterwards, he makes sure that you are alright and that this event didn’t damage your psyche too much. It would be a shame if you started opening up more 

Satan

You both absolutely despised each other at first, but bonded over the fact that you both didn’t like Lucifer. However, your distaste for the Avatar of Wrath here came from the fact that he was blonde

Anyways, he doesn’t really approve of all the meat you consume, because he knows that you need to eat some more vegetables

Also, the alcohol you brought with you was much stronger than demonus, and he once drank it out of anger and bro got wasted

That aside, there was a meeting within the Council Room one day, but a lady with blonde hair burst into the room and was looking for you. Luckily, you weren’t there because exchange students weren’t required to be there

The woman was properly dealt with and sent back to the human realm, as she was not allowed to be in the Devildom without proper clearance

Satan later told you about it, and you looked genuinely scared. 

“That’s Tammy 1. I don’t date blondes because of her. You know sometimes you eat chicken and you get food poisoning, and even the sight of chicken makes you sick? Tammy 1 is my blonde chicken”

Well, that explains why you have rejected his rather clear advances

Now he’s really angry at the woman for ruining his chances with you, even if you were with her before you even knew him

Asmodeus

You were rather rude, which was a clear indicator that his charm didn’t work on you

However, it’s not just because of that. What he didn’t know was that you had two toxic exes, one of which was a sex-crazed, manipulative maniac

I will say that since he is the Avatar of Lust, he does want sex, but he’s looking for an emotional attachment to you as well, so the fact that you stay away from him makes him even sadder

On one fateful day, when everyone was in the Council Room, a brunette woman stormed into the room looking for you. You took one look at her and ran off before she had the chance to do anything

As the others dealt with the lady, Asmo went looking for you, and he was surprised to see you in his room when you said it was revolting

“Every time she laughs, an angel dies. Even telemarketers avoid her. Her birth was payback for the sins of man. But you know the worst thing about her? She works at the library.”

He also would have laughed had you not explained that that was your ex, Tammy 2, and she was a seducer who managed to get in your mind and tempt you. Now he knows why you don’t like him

It wasn’t him! It was a past experience with an ex!!!

Is also angry that she ruined his chances, but he can show you what a real partner, a healthy relationship, looks like! Just give him a chance!

Beelzebub

You two are best friends. You don’t even talk to each other, you just eat with each other and sometimes drink with each other as well. You even drank him under the table on your own alcohol. 

To be fair, your alcohol is much more potent than demonus, so even on a full stomach he can still get utterly wasted. It was laughable how you had to help the large demon to his room where he promptly passed out on his bed

He woke up to the worst hangover imaginable, but he saw a bottle of water as well as painkillers that you bought at a nearby pharmacy along with a note. How the hell have you never had a hangover?!

Anyways, weeks later, there was a meeting in the Council Room and you both were snacking on some bacon when a blonde woman burst into the room and started walking towards you

Beel was not prepared for the cloud dust you left behind as you boot scootin’ boogie’d out of the room and ran all the way to the House of Lamentation

He had to stay to properly deal with the blonde lady, as she was not permitted to be in the meeting, let alone the Devildom at all

Then, he found you in the kitchen, eating some leftovers from Hell’s Kitchen

The Avatar of Gluttony sat beside you and asked who that woman was and why she was looking for you, and he was both mad and sad at what you said

“That’s Tammy 1. I don’t date blondes because of her. You know sometimes you eat chicken and you get food poisoning, and even the sight of chicken makes you sick? Tammy 1 is my blonde chicken”

Belphegor

You two are also ‘best friends’ because you both believe that it is a rather dumb idea to mix humans, demons, and angels together, but you believe it for different reasons

Your perspective is that humans stand no chance against the two other beings, and one would try to rule over all the others

His perspective is a lot more personal because of his sister

Anyways, everyone was in the Council Room one day and suddenly a woman burst into the room. She meant business with how she walked, and you meant business when you ran faster than the speed of light out of the room

Belphie was honestly intent on killing her, but he was the only one with that idea, so he went searching for you instead

You turned out to be in the attic, absolutely annihilating what seems to be a full pack of cooked bacon, staring into space

When you noticed that the Avatar of Sloth was there, you knew he wanted answers so you just gave it to him plain and simple:

“That was Tammy 1. I don’t date blondes because of her. You know sometimes you eat chicken and you get food poisoning, and even the sight of chicken makes you sick? Tammy 1 is my blonde chicken”

Well, that pretty much sums it up. Now he really wants to dispose of that lady

[exosmutfactory]

Only Forever 008

Originally posted by byunvoyage

How long could you wait for the love of your life to decide you are his as well? How many times could you witness all his best moments of winning over agencies and the amount of clothes left overnight from his daily one night stands?

Main Masterlist | Bookclub zone | Chapter 8✓

networks — @/superm-net @/bbh-net

pairing — Baekhyun x You

word count — 3.7k

genre — model! baekhyun, playboy! baekhyun, friends to lovers! romance, angst, fluff, smut (eventually)

[ This chapter contains: a conversation, a night out, and a night in 🌻 ]

⏰💋 Only Forever Tag List: 💋⏰

@to-all-the-stories-i-love @you-n-me-e-e @insta1010 @bellamendoza @bbhflrt @weirdoome @marovekian1 @pearliejoy @soonvivi @jairahxelle @dynqstyna @xuxibelle

Chapter 8

You got me so high

“Let me get this straight.” Shea takes a long sip of her tea, staring you down from across the living room. She sits back and crosses her legs, her intense gaze and her arched brow leaving you feeling chastised even before she says what she is about to say.

“Let’s recap so that I make sure I got everything straight: you went on vacation together, skinny dipped, rubbed each other down under the pretense of ‘needing sunscreen’, came back home, got drunk, kissed him, many times, went on a date, got head, finally talked about everything with him and now you’re freaking out?”

You flush at her words despite your best efforts. Well, when you put it like that… You cough, hastily sipping your own herbal tea to give yourself time to respond. She hit the bull’s eye as always; her words are brief yet her message is effective. Leave it to Shea to get straight to the point; all facts and no bullshit, compiling your problems into a concise and cohesive way that eases up your worries, even if just a little, from how confidently she breeches the issue. “Yep,” you reply after a moment. She’s got everything down and out in the open, after all. What else is there to say?

—a lot, but you can’t even begin to put your feelings into words.

“That’s pretty ass backwards,” May mumbles from your left, followed by the quiet sounds of her munching on food and the crinkle of plastic containers.

“May!” you exclaim at her words, turning to her in surprise. You immediately freeze when you meet her gaze. The look in her gray eyes has you sliding down on the couch as if you could disappear if you tried. The bubbly woman has paused in her quest to sample the newest flavor of donuts from your favorite pastry shop downtown to regard you with an unwavering stare, similar to the woman sitting elegantly across from you both. You know it’s serious when your normally cheerful friend has stopped mid-bite to give you a pensive glance, studying the expressions on your face like an abstract painting hung up in a gallery. Very fitting, considering the fact that you feel very much like a well-preserved piece of organic material being pinned against a wall underneath your best friends’ pointed stares.

—Okay, maybe you are being a little dramatic with that statement. Just a little bit.

…

You rub the back of your neck, resisting the urge to wipe away the bead of sweat lingering on the edge of your eyebrow. Okay, okay, I take it all back. I feel hella intimidated right now.

‘Intimidated’ is the perfect word to sum up how you feel about this entire situation.

“She’s right. It is ass backwards,” Shea sighs, making you snort despite your racing heart. “But you guys talked it out, at least.”

“Yeah…” you trail off, looking at the far wall in the room as if it could give you all the answers to all the questions that you have in your heart yet can’t even decipher in your mind. Your hands curl tightly around the warm cup of tea in your hands, trying to slow your breathing by inhaling the familiar lemon and ginger scent. Citrus and spice. Just like—you stop that train of thought right in its tracks, but it’s already too late. The damage has been done. The memory of messy black hair and soulful brown eyes plays vividly behind your retinas.

Inhale. Exhale. You hold your breath for a moment and sigh deeply. Really? Is this who you are now? You have a lot going on in your life lately between school and work. There always seems to be so much to do in so little time. All the long hours bent over counters and laptops. Your bathroom sink has been added to the mix as well. The bags under your eyes call for a half-hour dedicated to concealing your sleepless nights in front of the mirror. Are you really about to add your social life to your endless list of stress too? I mean it wouldn’t be the first time — but you haven’t had it this bad since high school!

Shea’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts before you can fall into that rabbit hole. Seriously, the last thing you need is to dive into those memories right now. Thank you, next.

“But you still have questions?” Shea states the obvious, reading you like an open book.

Yeah, 7 years of friendship will do that to you. All you can do is nod slowly. You can play cool and nonchalant all you want. You’ve always worn your heart on your sleeve. Even if you mask it behind a dozen layers of steel, one good hit to your feelings and all your walls shatter like fragile glass. If anyone knows that, it’s the two other women in this room. There’s no point in hiding how you feel. “He’s so- I don’t know how to put it… Guarded?”

Shea nods in understanding and May lets out an exaggerated sigh followed by a quietly uttered “men” in a voice full of disdain.

“I can see both sides,” Shea admits, forever the voice of reason in your friend group. “The Fashion Industry is cutthroat. It is in everyone’s best interest to keep their personal lives separated from business.”

“But she is his personal life!” May interjects, emphasizing her point with a wave of her hands.

“I’m his girlfriend, not his entire life, May,” you gently remind her. You rarely jump in when she gets this fired up, but even if you’ve daydreamed about being the center of Baekhyun’s world in your youth, you knew better than to think that in your 20s now. 

“Yes, which is why I can see why he’s cautious about where and how you guys meet up together.” Shea goes to take another sip of her tea but then pauses. “However, there is a difference between trying to keep your relationship private and safe behind closed doors, and trying to keep you held back at arm’s reach in an emotional aspect.” A brief look of irritation passes over her beautiful features, but the expression is gone in a flash.

“That’s what I’ve been thinking,” you mumble, worrying your bottom lip with your teeth.

“Yes, but is that what you have been saying?” Shea pointedly raises her eyebrow, taking a long sip of her tea. Even May takes a ridiculously long time chewing on the sprinkled donut in her hand, her gray eyes piercing into the side of your face.

“...No.” You’ve known Baekhyun since you were kids, but there is still a lot about him you don’t know about — especially in a relationship context. Wait, has Baekhyun ever had a serious girlfriend before? Maybe one, or something close, but you can’t remember her name…

“You have to communicate with him, girl.” Shea sighs.

“Yeah, Baekhyun is amazing, but he isn’t a mind reader,” May points out, her cheeks puffed up with a honey-glazed donut.

“You… have a point.” Of course they do, as usual, but you’ve never been good at having these types of conversations. You’re learning. You’re trying your best but things still manage to fall through the cracks and it never seems like your efforts are enough.

“What is stopping you from communicating with him...? Has he been giving you the cold shoulder?”

Your eyes widen in horror at the dark expressions that flicker over your friends’ faces. “No!” you nearly shout, not wanting them to go there. “I-it’s not that at all.” They have good reasons to make that assumption based on your past, but it isn’t like that now.

“Then what is it?” May tilts her head, peering at you with curiosity.

“What is the issue?” Shea reiterates, her eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.

Again, they do have a point and make a pretty strong argument. But why are you so anxious? It’s just Baekhyun. Baekhyun, who protected you when you couldn’t look out for yourself. Who pushes you to be a better version of yourself every day, not just for everyone around you but for yourself as well. Even when he isn’t around, he is forever on your mind. Living rent fucking free. It frustrates you as much as it comforts you to constantly be thinking about him. He is one of the few people who has stuck by your side for all these years, through the thick and thin… and dammit, the thought of losing him keeps you up at night so often that you might just die a little inside — if you aren’t already.

“You’re scared.” Shea’s strong and crisp voice rings across the silent living room without an ounce of doubt.

“I…” you take a deep breath, running a shaky hand through your hair. “Yeah.” Once you admit it aloud, it feels so much more real. You hold onto the cold cup of tea in your hands for dear life, hugging it to your chest.

The dead silence in the room is crushing until Shea stands up from the couch. “Alright, cancel all your plans.” She’s already on her phone, crossing out the list of errands that she mentioned about completing earlier today. “We’re going out tonight.” 

And that’s how you find yourself at the newest club in town hours later, skipping the mile-long line outside thanks to May and her networking connections.

“Oh?” The happy-go-lucky woman acted surprised when you mentioned the odd look on the bouncer’s face before he hastily let you three walk in. “I may have tapped that,” May admitted in a cheerful tone, hiding her coy smile behind the glass in her hand.

You and Shea locked eyes and hid matching smiles, sipping alcohol-free drinks. That bouncer was quite the looker though…

What can you say? Great minds think alike — you’ve all been friends for almost a decade for a reason.

Let’s make it clear though; you only came out here tonight to let loose and spend quality time with your friends and only your friends. Girl’s night only. After this, you all will most likely go back to Shea’s place and crash on her comfortable couch until the morning. But right now? You indulge in crowd-watching, your eyes zeroed in on the dancefloor.

You lean back on your barstool and cross your legs, observing the suave men and seductive women going full out during a popular pop song. The flashing lights and disco balls make the nightclub look like something you would see in a 70s Motown music video. You’re not surprised that Shea wanted to check this place out. It’s lively with a nostalgic feeling in the air, plus the juice they serve is great and the DJ has played nothing but back-to-back bangers all evening.

You spot May in the middle of the dancefloor, dirty dancing with a tall woman in a little black dress. The stranger’s classic attire contrasts with the neon green dress that your bubbly friend manages to pull off flawlessly. You can hear May’s twinkling laughter from all the way over here in the brief transition between songs.

At least she’s having fun, you smile. The sight reminds you of that one time you told Baekhyun that you don’t dance, which was a half-truth. You have rhythm; you know how to read the room and catch a vibe. But that’s the problem, you get too into it and then the next thing you know some guy’s jealous girlfriend is pouring her drink down your dress because her man decided to glue himself to your backside like a leech — but we digress.

Your smile slowly fades with a deep sigh. There you go again. Like clockwork, once you think of Baekhyun you can’t get him out of your mind. You made sure to text him earlier today to tell him that you would be out with your friends tonight. Doing it made you feel uneasy, but it was necessary, right? Aren’t you supposed to let your significant other know when you are going out to a nightclub in your not-so-freakdum-but-not-completely-modest-either dress with your best girl friends by your side?

You don’t know. You don’t know and hours later you are still worried about it.

It’s not like Baekhyun reacted badly to you telling him. He told you to be safe and have fun, the usual reaction when you told him the same thing in the past — he has a life-long habit of showing up unannounced at your place — but that’s the problem. It was the same as usual. The usual as in how he responded back when you were just friends, not boyfriend and girlfriend.

Does he not care? What if he doesn’t? What if he does? — your endless stream of worried thoughts is relentless tonight.

Honestly, the fact that you keep thinking about it has you upset. It’s girls’ night! You’re supposed to be having fun, yet here you are, sitting alone at the bar, sipping at a drink that is more melted ice than citrus juice while worrying about whether you’ll go home to a screaming match in the morning, which is absurd! Why is your mind so set on comparing Baekhyun to the partners of your past?

Your ex’s face flashes through your mind, a vivid image of his face as he gave you that ultimatum: him or Baekhyun.

Oh brother. Fuck it. You clench your teeth and order a fruity cocktail. You need to be buzzed to get through the rest of the night after that memory pops up. Actually, scratch that — you need to be buzzed and shake off this feeling of dread. So you take your drink, chug it, set the empty glass on the counter, and make your way to the dancefloor to meet your two best friends.

Shea’s red bottom heels and May’s gray eyes reflect the club lights, leading you straight to them through the crowd of sweaty bodies. You smooth down the front of your loose yet form-fitting dress and stride right up to them. They take one look at you and pull you closer with one goal in mind: dance the night away until your makeup smears and you want to kick your heels off.

♡—♡-♡—♡—♡-♡—♡

A few days later you find yourself at Baekhyun’s door. You’ve only seen him once since the day you established your relationship. The summer months are always jam-packed with runway shows and elite events, but as the end of August draws nearer, he gets a few days off before the fall fashion season gets its claws dug into him.

Your baggy t-shirt slips off of your shoulder and you don’t bother readjusting it. It’s no use anyway, the oversized material will just fall down again like it has the other 100 times you’ve fixed it. You smooth down the front of your athletic shorts that sit loosely around your waist yet snug against your hips and thighs. Normally wearing an all-black outfit this time of year would be a death sentence, but with a cold front blowing in from the ocean, the nights have been cooler lately. Pair that with your slip-on running shoes and you are the embodiment of casual — which is ideal, considering the fact that you saw a camera flash on your walk into the apartment building.

You shuffle on your feet, nervously shifting your weight from side to side while having a staring contest with Baekhyun’s front door. The oakwood merely stares back, and if an inanimate object could judge you, you believe that his door would be at the top of the list from the number of times you have come here for one young adult crisis or another. Just remembering the amount of petty stuff you’ve bothered him about at 1 a.m. over the past 2 years has you flushing. God, why? Of all men to fall for, why did it have to be your best friend who knows practically everything about you?

Suddenly, the door opens and Baekhyun regards you with such a knowing look that you find the answer to your question within 15 seconds flat. This man knows you better than you know yourself in so many ways, and the familiarity in that, the comfort of being known for who you are and not what you can be is such a relief on your weary shoulders. You don’t have to make pretenses with him. He knows it all.

As a friend.

It strikes you right in the heart at that moment while you look into his warm brown eyes that reflect the brightly lit hallway lights, shimmers of stars sparkling in those soulful irises that you could spend lifetimes admiring. Baekhyun has accepted you as a friend time and time again. Through thick and thin. For better or for worse. But… will he do the same with you now? As the woman he is committed to?

“Hey.” Baekhyun’s low timbre pulls you from your thoughts. Just a single word from his lips has you filing away your worries to think about later. You take a good look at him as he braces his arm on the wall and leans against the doorframe. He’s wearing a black t-shirt that matches your own, but while yours is oversized, his fits snugly on his broad shoulders and defined biceps, stealing your breath away. Not like you have much breath in the first place when you’re standing in front of him, but still. Between that and the sweatpants resting low on his hips, you have half the mind to turn on your heel and run back home. Home date be dammed.

“Hi,” you utter in a small voice before hastily clearing your throat and standing up a little taller.

“I noticed you standing out here.” Baekhyun leans closer, his brown eyes scanning over you like an X-ray machine.

“Oh,” you reply, as smart as always under his unwavering gaze, “yeah, yeah I was.”

He hums and you think you are scot-free until he opens his mouth again. “Care to elaborate?” he tilts his head, his eyes dancing in amusement while he backs out of the doorway.

You sigh loudly as you step into his apartment. Dammit, you can’t get anything past this man. “I… might have been debating on whether to run away or not,” you admit in a guilty murmur, readjusting the collar of your shirt.

“Why? If I may ask.”

His words make you freeze in the middle of taking off your shoes. Baekhyun doesn’t usually ask if he can ask a question. He just asks. You glance over your shoulder at him, your running shoes still in your hand, and something about his earnest expression and the way his hands are in his pockets makes you lower your guard.

“I’m lost,” you admit quietly, struggling to maintain eye contact. “I know that we established our relationship and what we are to each other but I…” you take a shaky breath, running a hand through your hair. “I don’t know where to go from here. I don’t know what I’m doing. Please tell me what dating and a relationship means to you because I-I,” your voice cracks as you stand up and look at him with a helpless expression. “I don’t want to mess this up.”

You bite your lip in an attempt to mask your vulnerability, surprised by how open you were just now. Usually, you would brush things off and downplay your stress and worries, not lay out all your cards on the table like this. It makes you feel raw and exposed. A sensation that you hate from all the times you’ve been dismissed in the past. If expressing fragile emotions was a chess game, you would keep your strategy under lock and key. But right here, right now, you’re willing to take that risk. Like your friends told you before, how will Baekhyun ever know what you are thinking if you don’t tell him about it? You just hope that he will take you seriously.

Baekhyun calls your name, his voice no louder than a whisper. He steps closer to you and cups your face in his hand, his brown irises gazing over your features. “You’re overthinking this,” he murmurs, brushing his thumb over the apple of your cheek. “What does dating mean to me?” he tilts his head before kissing your cheek. “Spoiling you, taking you on dates, exploring places we’ve never been to before.”

Your skin tingles and flushes as he brushes his lips over your cheek and kisses the tip of your nose. “What’s a relationship to me?” Baekhyun pulls away slightly to look into your eyes and your breath hitches at the fond expression written all over his handsome features. His lips brush over your temple before he presses a lingering kiss to your forehead, slipping his fingers into your hair as he cradles the back of your head in his hands. “Spending time together, holding you close, and talking with you like this when you get stuck in your head like the little idiot you are.”

“Hey!” you immediately protest and pull away from him, giving him a halfhearted glare.

“Come here.” Baekhyun chuckles and takes your hand, interlocking his fingers with yours. His brown eyes shimmer brightly like midnight stars while he guides you further into his home and to his living room. You gasp at the amount of snacks scattered across the coffee table and one of your favorite movies on the TV, waiting in the streaming service queue. And you gasp again when Baekhyun plops down on the couch and pulls up onto his lap, wrapping his arms around you. His citrus shampoo lingers in his hair, his clothes smell like French vanilla, and the mint on his breath leaves you speechless when he firmly presses his lips to yours.

In that moment, you finally let yourself relax, leaning back against his firm chest while taking a bite of the candy he holds up to your mouth. Baekhyun’s eyes crinkle with one of his rarest sweet smiles and you just live in the moment and block out the rest of the world for a while.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | PRE 7 | Part 7 | Part 7.5(M) | Part 7.75 | Part 8✓ | Part 9 | Part 10 |

A/N:

Hello! I’m up to my chin with schoolwork, but I pulled a few all-nighters to get this chapter done and I’m pretty satisfied with the outcome. This chapter will serve as a bridge between the first 7 chapters and the next 20+ chapters. And yes, there will be multiple parts to chapter 8 (those decimals shall strike again!) I just really needed to add more character and thought behind showing our OC’s thought process because for 3 whole years she even had me confused and I’m like??? Girl me too lmao.

This author’s note probably makes little sense (2am type of brain power right here) but I just want to say thank you for all the support you loves and readers have given this story. Thank you, Infinity team! Part 2 of chapter 8 will have more fluff between our couple, so look forward to that! See you next time~ (^-^)

[f0point5]

I've js seen the daniel post on ur page and I neeeeeeeeed to say this

Daniel has changed and its understandable but imma be real rn I thing the only reason that rbr gave him the at seat was for pr purposes bc they were being mega hated on for the consistent max wins and it would be too conravertial for checo to be booted and yuki is there for Honda so the only viable was for nyck to go out

Like I hate to say this but like Daniel himself has accepted it atp because he's not rlly there for ppl to watch him race hes there for pr bc he has a likeable personality and is very bubblely

Obviously he has the right to take the seat im not saying anything on that front but he also needs to have in his head if he's not gonna put in the effort then he should js leave bc I think its unfair that ppl like liam and nyck have been given such an unfair and biased chance

I agree that they hired him for PR, but I think it was symbiotic. At the end of 2022 RB was still dealing with the bad PR from the cost cap scandal, and Max is always a polarising figure, and that was a lot worse after the Brazil thing. It’s clear they thought bringing Daniel in would soften Max’s/RB’s image. Giving Daniel, who’d been beaten down by the McLaren situation, a second chance with the team that made him, “feeding” him, building his confidence up again, it’s a good story. And it gave Daniel something to do. Everyone benefitted.

I have to say, I don’t think they went in with a clear plan of what they were going to do with Daniel. I do also have in the back of my mind those rumours about him not being able to drive until mid season as part of his McLaren pay out deal.

I do think Daniel in putting the work though. It’s clear he wants to do well at AT and to move up and finish his career at Red Bull. I think he’s having fun and maximising his opportunities, but he is also doing his job driving.

I also think it’s a bit unfair to say that it’s Daniel’s fault that Liam’s not getting a shot. There’s two drivers in AT, and a management that makes the decisions. There’s a shortage of seats and many drivers deserve seats that don’t have them. It’s just how it is.

[womensworldtour]

2024 Giro d'Italia Women in review

With a week to think about the Giro d'Italia Women, we have some thoughts on the race overall, just as we did with the Vuelta Feminina. And since we're in the beginning of the Olympic break, let's look back at one of the most exciting Giros we've ever seen.

Heat was a constant companion.

Possible the biggest—and certainly most constant—factor in this year's Giro was the heat, which stayed punishingly high throughout the race. Domestiques had to make constant trips back to the car for bottles, multiplying the effort they had to make to keep their teammates hydrated and safe. We can't think of many things less daunting than to have to go back to the car on a 9% climb, load up an extra 10 kilos of water and then chase to get back in the group, only to have to do it again and again.

The heat affected the standings, too. Clara Emond was in the blue mountains classification jersey when she had to abandon due to heat-related issues. There was quite a bit of attrition among the teams, with only one or two finishing with their full squad. (This might be a good idea to mention that heat would be more manageable if the race was later in the year, see below.)

2. Forza Italia!

For the first time since 2008, the Giro has an Italian at the top of the podium, and it just seems right. Elisa Longo Borghini showed herself to be the strongest across different stages and terrains, and after being on the podium thrice before, we can't think of anyone more prepared or deserving of the win.

3. Chapeau to the race organizers.

This was the first year that RCS Sport, the organizer of the men's Giro, had taken over the women's Giro, after a few rocky years of poor (or non-existent) media coverage and organizational issues. The change appears to have been generally positive. Media coverage of the Giro was good; even though it wasn't start-to-finish, we had no trouble watching the race. And the stages and courses were thoughtfully designed, keeping the race interesting throughout. Previous Giros have seen the GC locked up in the first or second stage, but this year the tension built throughout the week and we saw a fair amount of shake-ups in the third through tenth places, a good sign of a challenging and competitive course.

4. The schedule still isn't perfect.

With perhaps the most exciting and competitive Giro d'Italia Women ever, it's a shame that it still has to compete with the Tour de France Hommes. Lots of avid cycling fans understandably prioritize the Tour, which we have to admit was incredibly exciting this year. We think it's definitely an improvement to have the women's Giro take place during the second week of the men's Tour rather than the first, but we still would prefer to see this oldest women's grand tour to have its own space on the calendar, and there is room to do it, if the organizers are willing to break with tradition. We personally would prefer late summer, closer to when the men's Vuelta is being held, but we're open to suggestions. A race this exciting doesn't deserve to be drowned out.

5. Young riders announce themselves.

We saw several young riders stamp their name on this race, which was a delight to see. We loved to see Kim le Court's last stage victory, or Clara Emond's long-range solo attack, or Neve Bradbury's stage win to follow up on her Tour de Suisse stage win. These riders are flying, and they are so much fun to watch, we are excited to see what more they will do.

6. Love for the non-super teams.

Stage racing in 2024 was basically the SD Worx-Protime show, until July. We can't blame someone like Demi Vollering for showcasing her talent, and she certainly had the strongest team—when they chose to support her. But it was nice to see a really competitive stage race that went down to the line, with multiple teams battling for the podium. AG Insurance-Soudal had a great Giro, rewarding steady effort by the whole team with a stage win by Kim le Court and the mountains classification by Justine Ghekiere. EF Oatly Cannondale scored a stage win with Clara Emond's solo breakaway win, and Bepink–Bongioanni was represented by Ana Vitória Magalhães in both the mountains classification fight and several breakaways. Neve Bradbury made Canyon-SRAM proud by taking a stage win, the young rider jersey, and the third step on the GC podium.

With the Giro in the books, and particularly since Baloise Ladies Tour wrapped up, we now have a long break in most schedules to allow for the Olympics to take place, before we once again turn our attention to the road and the Tour de France Femmes in August!

[eadanga]

The Royal Romance Chapter 8 Part 2

Riley looks around the ice and sees the nobles falling all around her. She hold in her laughter as she watches Kiara slide across the ice on her stomach. A blur goes past her face “What?” The blur comes from the left then Hana’s smiling face stops in front of her.

“Looks like Olivia stole Liam from you”

Riley sighs then gives her a small smile “It’s fine Liam has obligations I don’t take it personally”

Hana smiles “That’s level headed of you” She twirls gracefully

“You’re really good at this where’d you learn to skate like that I know it’s not from all these people falling on their asses”

Hana laughs “Ice skating is one of the many things my parents sent me for lessons for”

“That’s an unusual choice I had soccer and basketball”

Hana sighs “It’s a skill I learned to appeal to suitors I was told a display of elegance can go a long way”

“Ice skating was apart of your training? That’s weird but do you like it?”

Hana shrugs her shoulders “Oh you know it’s ok”

“That’s not very convincing”

“When my parents were selecting my activities whether I enjoyed it or not wasn’t a factor they considered now I find myself with a whole set of skills that I haven’t much interest in”

Before Riley can respond Olivia skates to the middle of the lake with Liam “Ok everyone let’s hit the slopes!”

Everyone grabs their skis and rides the ski lift to the top of the mountain Riley finishes lacing up her skis and takes a deep breath Ok good thing that I went on that ski trip I remember how to do this

Drake skis up beside her “So Brooks you finally made it to the slopes”

She raises an eyebrow “What’s the matter Drake? You missed me?”

“Hardly was just getting bored”

“I didn’t see you out on the ice”

“Figure skating isn’t my thing”

Riley smirks “Really? I think you’ll good in a tutu”

Drakes shudders “Some mental issues aren’t worth the effort”

“So skiing is manly enough for you”

“I hardly call this skiing but I wanna change that how about a race”

Riley raises an eyebrow “What makes you think I can ski?”

“Maybe I’m starting to have faith in you Brooks”

Riley smirks “You’re scaring me with your niceness”

Drake chuckles “I’m scaring myself” He nods down the mountain “Anyway I’m gonna start skiing down this slope in a minute and if I get to the bottom before you” He smirks “Well let’s just say I’m calling that a win and I might not let you hear the end of it ready set don’t wipe out!” He takes off down the mountain

Riley sputters “Hey no warning or anything I wasn’t even ready!”

“I was ready!”

 Riley takes off after him and quickly catches up to him. Out the corner of her eye she sees Olivia and Liam skiing together “Oh Liam you’re so funny”

Riley grits her teeth and mocks her in a high pitched voice “Oh Liam you’re so funny” She smirks “Well let’s see how Liam likes this” She soars elegantly by them “Cowabunga!”

Olivia looks over shocked “What?”

Riley grins as she lands “Glad you enjoyed the show Liam”

Liam grins “Go Riley!”

Drake swerves around a fallen branch and calls out “Watch it Brooks!”

Riley spots the branch immediately then leans forward to pick up speed the jumps like a gazelle over it she lands with a huff “That was close”

Drakes eyes go wide “Wow”

Riley takes advantage of his distraction and speeds pasts him she stops then jumps up and down “I win!”

Drake looks at her still shocked “Not thrilled about it but if you make a jump like that you deserve to win” Drake smiles “Nice moves Brooks” He takes a deep breath “Trip hasn’t been bad so far half bad so far shame that tomorrow is back to waltzing and bowing and all that”

“At least I ski better than I waltz which is barely at all”

Drake looks at her surprised “Wait you can’t waltz I thought you danced with Liam”

“Yeah but he did a lot of the work is it important?”

Drake shakes his head “Oh what would you do without me Brooks there’s a ball tomorrow and the ladies are expected to dance the Cordonian Waltz”

Maxwell didn’t mention that to me She sighs “It’s fine I’ll figure it out”

Drake smirks “It’s very complicated”

Riley shrugs “No biggie I’ve survived this far”

“Whatever you say Brooks”

“But let’s say I’m curious how does one dance the Cordonian Waltz”

“Can’t help you there don’t know the steps you should ask Hana she knows everything backwards and forwards”

“Yeah maybe”

Olivia claps her hands to get everyone’s attention “It’s time to head to my spectacular lodge to warm up!”

Drakes nods “Thanks for the race I had fun”

Riley grins “You’re not as bad as you seem”

Drake chuckles “You’re getting soft on me Brooks”

They head back to the lodge with Maxwell and Hana they sit by the fire sipping a mug of hot coco

Maxwell smiles “Did you have fun today Riley ”

Riley grins “Today was super fun now it’s time for hot chocolate”

Hana grins “This is wonderful just look at the little marshmallows shaped like hearts”

Drake rolls his eyes “Yes just adorable”

Maxwell looks over “Watch out we’ve got incoming”

Riley sighs as Olivia struts in “Well hello my dear guests hope you’re enjoying my spectacular hosting”

Riley plasters on a smile “Oh it’s wonderful” She mutters under her breath Not

Maxwell nods “I always enjoy my time here with you Olivia”

Drake doesn’t look up “It’s something”

Olivia narrows her eyes at him “Did you see that we had eclairs Drake they always remind me of dear darling little Savannah She’d gobble it down like a saw through”

Drake frowns “Don’t talk about my sister”

“Why ever not she was such a fixture at court then she up and disappeared you never told us what happened to her and usually gossip is quick to spread”

“She left cause of people like you”

Olivia sighs “She was always a sensitive sort” She grins “Ladies like that don’t last long here”

Drake sets down his mug “You know what I just remembered something I’ve got somewhere I need to be excuse me”

He walks towards the door

Olivia tries to hold in her laughter “Oh wait Drake dear I wasn’t finished talking to you!”

Riley sets down her mug I’m so sick of this bitch She stands then pushes Olivia out the door

“What are you doing?! How dare you touch me?! You commoner! You” Riley slams the door in her face

Maxwell laughs “Never seen anyone who had the guts to do that!”

“Someone had to get rid of her”

Tags: @mfackenthal @indiacater @the-soot-sprite @twinkleallnight @princess-geek @gkittylove99 @iaminlovewithtrr

[glassofspoiledmilk]

Going gold | Yuri P.

Chapter 4, the bet | TW language

I woke up to my alarms like usual. I stood up from under my covers and put on some leggings and one of the new shirts I had bought while shopping with Yuri yesterday. I pulled back my hair and walked downstairs to see Yuri making a pancake. He put syrup on it and sat down, it was then that I realized he was wearing an apron. I looked over and he saw me and almost flipped out. His face turned bright red and he started frantically trying to untie the knots that held  the apron together. I burst out with hysterical laughter and he got so angry I thought he was going to burst.

"STOP LAUGHING ITS NOT FUNNY YOU PIECE OF SHIT" he yelled but that only encouraged my laughter.

I finally calmed down and started apologizing to him but he just huffed and turned away. I stood up and got out a box of cereal from the cabinet along with some milk from the fridge. I sat down and ate. A few minutes later I finished and put my bowl into the sink. I started walking towards the ballet studio and Yuri followed behind me. We started our stretching and then it was hell, like always. After a very long and traumatic class we finally finished four hours later. While I was drinking water yakov walked in the door holding papers in his hand. Yuri and I looked at each other and we both knew they were the grand prix assignments. Yakov walked over and said "these are your assignments for this season."

"Y/N you will be at the Rostelecom cup, Trophée Laliquel, and skate America" yakov said looking at me.

I'll be going to the US and France! Now Im excited. "Yuri your assignments are the Rostelecom cup, Trophée Laliquel, and skate Canada. And hopefully you will both be going to Italy for the final." yakov said.

Yuri and I have two competitions in common, at least I won't be alone.

"This will be a breeze I could win this with my eyes closed" Yuri said very confidently which angered me.

"How are you so sure? I could probably get higher scores than you ever could" I said.

"Oh yeah? Well I bet I could place first in every event" he added.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Sure, like you could win anyway"

"Alright fine, the person who gets the most gold medals wins and the loser had to do whatever the winner wants" I said proudly.

"Ok bet" he said turning around and walking away.

This bitch was going doooown.

I was going to win no matter the cost. I got my bag and told yakov I was going out for a while. I think he knew that I was going skating but didn't really care. I walked out of the door and raced down the streets, I want to get in the most amount of practice time I can. The first competition we had was the Trophèe Laliquel which was in a week. I burst open the ice rink doors and throw my stuff down onto the floor infront of the benches. I unzipped my bag and took out my skates. I quickly laced them up, and then I was out on the ice. I hooked my phone up to the Bluetooth speakers and started my short program, I put as much effort as I could into it and finished it. I fixed all the things Yakov told me to fix and my program felt a lot smoother. When the music stopped I skated over to the side and grabbed my water bottle.

I felt nervous, scared almost.

I know Yuris a better skater than me, he's been doing it longer than I have and I don't know why I made that stupid bet. But I still have to try, I can't loose to him or he's never gonna let me live it down.

I took a deep breath and got back to practicing. I did my free program and it went just as smoothly as my short. I decided to take a small break and eat a snack. I grabbed my water bottle and skated off the ice. I was looking down at my phone when I tripped over my toe pick and fell flat on my face. I heard someone hysterically laughing. I immediately shot up from the floor and saw it was Yuri.

"SHUT UP" I screamed.

That only encouraged him, so I pushed him onto the bleachers. His face turned beet red within seconds, and he finally shut up. I didn't realize how close my face was to his and my face stated to heat up as well.

"Sorry..." I said sheepishly letting go of him.

"It's fine.." he replied awkwardly, and still quite flustered.

"Anyway I wanted to ask if you maybe wanted to watch a movie tonight? However that was before you decided to JUMP on me" He asked, getting slightly annoyed.

I stood up and then sat down on the bleachers next to him.

"I'm sorry! and yeah I'll watch a movie with you." I replied as my cheeks flushed a slight shade of pink at the thought.

We sat next to each other in an awkward silence

"What movie are we going to watch?" I asked

"I don't know, do you have anything in mind?"

"Ooo we could watch Dirty dancing!"

"What is that"

"It's a romance movie about this girl and guy who come from like different back, it's really good"

"Sounds cliche" he added

"Yeah but it's good" I argued

"Whatever" he said getting up and walking onto the ice.

I left my skates on the bench and headed up to the upstairs ballet studio for some off ice training. I connected my phone to the speakers and started stretching, but I couldn't help but stare out the window looking down onto the ice. Yuri was doing his program and he once again looked so beautiful. I continued my stretches but it was no use because I couldn't pull myself away from him. I decided to get myself together and  I started practicing my triple and quad jumps. I cant get distracted from my ultimate goal, beating Yuri.

[f1]

I dont think Ive ever experienced a weekend like this Russell glad to put Belgian GP behind him

Lewis Hamilton may have offered a positive outlook of his and Mercedes' efforts in Belgium, where the seven-time world champion finished fourth – but his team mate George Russell was happy to see the back of the weekend after crossing the line in sixth. Hamilton qualified fourth, but moved up a spot after Max Verstappen took a five-place grid drop for the race. And after surviving a close three-wide moment with Carlos Sainz and Oscar Piastri at Turn 1 on the opening lap, he settled into third. READ MORE: Verstappen charges to Belgian GP win as Red Bull bag 1-2 finish Verstappen then made his way past, leaving Hamilton to battle Charles Leclerc for the final podium position. However, the Mercedes driver could not quite get close enough, with the team opting to pit him at the end of the race to take the fastest lap as the seven-time champion accepted fourth place. Asked if he was satisfied with his Sunday at Spa, Hamilton replied: “Yeah. Started third but went backwards one place, but we expected Max to come flying by at some stage. [Red Bull] were eight-tenths to a second faster than everybody today, per lap, so not really in the same race. "We got some good points; we got fastest lap at the end which is great. And lots of consistent points finishes for us as a team. We’ve made big, big strides as a team, we've just got to keep working away.” Hamilton finished fourth in Belgium after being unable to reel in Leclerc in P3 Hamilton was also asked to describe the mood at Mercedes heading into the summer break, with the eight-time world champions currently second in the championship, but without a race win since the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix. He said: “I think everyone is relieved they are going to get a break soon. It’s hard to assess – everyone is just head down, trying to work and trying to improve. Everyone is just pumped, just driven.” READ MORE: ‘It’s been a positive weekend’ – Leclerc pleased with podium in Belgium but says Ferrari still have 'a lot of work to do' Russell, on the other hand, admitted the summer break had come at a good time for him after struggling for much of the weekend. However, he believed that had it not been for some misfortune on the opening lap, he would have been fifth instead of sixth. Assessing his race, Russell said: “It was alright. I was very unfortunate at the beginning. I made a really strong start, and then I saw Oscar [Piastri going slowly]. I thought it was a puncture, but didn’t realise he’d lost his steering. Russell was glad to see the back of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend after finishing sixth “I decided to go to the left, he was just drifting to the left, I got boxed in, and I lost four positions. That probably cost me one position at the end of the race. I should’ve been ahead of Fernando [Alonso]. [But I’m] glad this weekend is over. “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a weekend like this in my whole career. One, in terms of the weather changing so often. Like [Saturday], I don’t think I’ve lived a day of my life like [Saturday], it was just unbelievable.” READ MORE: Verstappen opens up on radio exchange with engineer in Belgian GP after dominant recovery drive to 8th straight win He concluded: “And from my own personal side, just a really challenging weekend. The [summer] break is coming at a good point. As a team happy with some good points on the board, opening that gap to P3 in the team’s championship. But were still eyes on Red Bull and clearly, we have a lot of work to do.” This feature is currently not available because you need to provide consent to functional cookies. Please update your cookie preferences Race Highlights: 2023 Belgian Grand Prix via Formula 1 News https://www.formula1.com

[raviosprovidence]

Ocean Game: Currency

I would like to start out by saying my opinion of sky's currency has changed a lot. At first, I thought the system was limiting and frustrating, where days would go by and you would get little for your efforts. Hell, there's even an actual limit. But now I see the system as it is, but it took me a while to understand how it works. So moving forward, Current will have its own version

The currency in this game is shells. You run around the world breaking rocks and picking up pieces to collect shell bits that will form shells once you have enough. You can also collect shells in Afk areas, aka small caves in each area where shell bits will spawn from the ground. These, of course, can only give you a max of 1000 bits collected over a long period of time, but they are good for those who can't actually run out and collect every single day.

You can also get shell bits from mini games you can find in each realm! Each realm will have their own mini game, where you either compete by yourself (matching games, candy crush like games, etc.) or with other players (racing games, hide n seek, simon says with emotes, etc). While single player games guarantee at least some shell bits, multiplayer games have the bigger cash out, especially when more people are playing. This will incentivize player interaction, people having fun, and earns people shell bits. It's a win/win/win!

Aside from AFK, you'll be able to get 20 shells per day fairly easily if you hit up most of the realms/do a few mini games. You can get more, but it will become increasingly harder and you will have to grind.

There will be at least one week per month where shell bits produced will be worth double, as there won't be any seasonal currencies. However! To decrease FOMO, all those mers/cosmetics will come back around some other time. For two weeks at the end of the year, all previous limited IAP's will come back and be available to purchase, but will be a little more expensive than the previous time (like we're talking a dollar or two more, and no cosmetic will exceed 15$ because holy shit you should not be spending 20$ on a single fake item).

So in game, other than cosmetics, what can you spend shells on? Well, there's two big things.

The first is memories from the sirens you come across. Not only can you purchase their cosmetics, but you can also purchase bits of their memories to see what they were like before everything went to shit. Once you purchase everything you can, you'll unlock a special new cosmetic you can purchase from them, but it won't be cheap.

The second is restoration. Put in enough shells in an area and you'll be able to rebuild either a reef zone (and unlock new fish that swim around) or a new building (that unlocks more memories and/or will sell certain spells to you).

Now, there's actually something to work towards over a long period of time. 100% both of these things will make the conclave beast associated with the realm come out of hiding and start swimming around the area. You'll earn their tail cosmetic for a much cheaper price.

And I think that's it for now! Next time I'll delve more into the realms and seasons and how those are gonna work. Any suggestions/comments, please leave below!