#activities to do in qatar

[allegedly-human-uwu]

FIA: obviously we cannot possibly let these highly experienced professional race drivers and their giant team of insanely educated engineers and strategists look after tyre management IT IS TOO DANGEREUX

also FIA: lol let them barf in their helmets from overheating not even a third into the race that’s good tv right? Also the tarmac is made of ice good luck racing wheel to wheel lol also it’s 50C and you will pass out from exhaustion & dehydration. a quarter of the grid hs to be medically checked because their bodies have gone all kinds of wacky from the heat but ayyy what can you do

[httpsserene]

groceries — 𝐥𝐧. 𝟒 & 𝐨𝐩. 𝟖𝟏 lando norris & oscar piastri & fem!black!reader drabble. fluff. attempt at banter. dialogue heavy. no physical description of reader. could be platonic or pre-relationship. covid lockdown mentioned. baking soda vs powder plagiarized from reddit; thank you redditor fowler311.

synopsis: you know a thing or two about baking, because you’ve baked a thing or two.

˖♡ - ̗̀ ⇢ qatar, you were magnificent until you weren't. this post alone is me putting good energy in the atmosphere for the boys in abu dhabi. is this platonic or not? idk, it's up to you—i just happened to write it. (college semester is over !!! i will be so active you'll wish i never came back xxx) no part two requests, pls 🥺 enjoy reading, loves < 3

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you grocery shop on saturday night because no one else living in monaco would consider doing the same. usually.

as you’ve been grabbing items off the shelves, you occasionally stumble across two young men—they’re the only other customers in the store with you this evening. 

the first time you shared an aisle with them, you offered a polite smile before redirecting your gaze to the various shapes and brands of pasta. the second time, you shyly murmured an “excusez-moi” and they apologized immediately while stepping out of the way, allowing you to grab a pack of chocolate chips. the third time, your polite smile widened in amusement, as you watched the man drowning in an oversized hoodie shadow-box his friend, who remained unfazed at the whooshing fists as he inspected a carton for any cracked eggs.

the fourth time, you realize that the two men are lando norris and oscar piastri—the driver lineup of the mclaren formula one team. and, they’re arguing about the difference between baking powder and baking soda, very loudly. in aisle three of carrefour. at eight in the evening. on a saturday night.

surely, these two have more interesting plans for their weekend besides grocery shopping.

“they can’t be that different, can they?”

“hmm. once is soda, and the other is powder. that’s quite different, i reckon.”

“yeah, but, they both start with ‘baking,’ so, i figure they’re more similar.”

“if they’re similar, why would they make two different products?”

“greed? consumption—oh, no, wait—consummate? no.”

“consumerism?”

“consumerism! that’s it.”

“i would agree, but i don’t think that’s the case with these two.”

“well, think harder. it’s freezing in here, osc.”

“i think you’re iron deficient.”

“what?”

“never mind—look, mate, this is your fault, really.”

“woo-oooow, i can’t believe this! so, you’re blaming me now?”

“you wrote the list, lando! how is your handwriting so terrible that i can’t tell if you wrote ‘baking soda’ or ‘baking powder’?”

“first of all, you told me to write the list! nobody writes grocery lists anymore, grandpa! secondly, why would you make the dyslexic kid write the list? it’s cruel and unusual—you know i can’t spell for shit.”

“lando. the word ‘powder’ has two more letters than ‘soda.’ i know that you know that. how did you make—whatever the hell that says—look like it could be either one?”

“osc, you’re hurting my feelings. are—are you saying i’m stupid?”

“i literally never said that. the word ‘stupid’ didn’t even come out of my mouth, you muppet—“

you bang the front of your cart into the end-cap of the aisle, sending a few rolls of bagels to the floor. your cheeks warm as their banter halts and heads snap over to look at you awkwardly rushing around to pick up the floor bagels. the last package rolled unbelievably far to knock against lando norris’s shoe. aren’t you just lucky?

you see lando press his lips together to avoid laughing (you appreciate the effort), and he dismisses your apologies as he scoops the bagels off the floor and moves to help place them back on the shelf.

“uh, t-thank you,” you stutter, as oscar piastri walks over just in time to catch a roll that was eagerly looking to return to the supermarket floor. the two men offer smiles in return—lando’s wide and gap-toothed, oscar’s boxy and toothless.

“soda spreads and powder puffs,” you blurt out, because you left you brain-to-mouth filter at home. maybe they sell replacements here. in the aisle furthest away from the two formula one drivers, preferably.

“what?” lando questions, a matching look of confusion plastered on his teammates face.

“sorry, i overheard your conversation,” you shrug, trying for nonchalance, “baking soda influences spread and browning, whereas baking powder provides puffiness and lift. they’re both leavening agents but, baking soda is sodium bicarbonate and baking powder is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and an acid. soda needs and an acid to activate but powder needs moisture and heat. so—i guess which one you need depends on what your trying to make.”

you think you failed to portray nonchalance, if the perplexed expressions the two stare at you with are any telling.

oscar blinks, “…we’re trying to make chocolate chip cookies. i tried to convince him to buy cookie dough but he wanted to make them from scratch, even though neither of us can bake.”

“it’s more fun if we do it from scratch,” lando crosses his arms huffily, “you didn’t have to tell her that we’re absolutely hopeless in the kitchen, though.”

“i reckon she already knew that from overhearing our lack of knowledge about baking ingredients, lando,” the australian chuckles quietly, shifting the shopping basket from one arm to the other.

“do you have the recipe on you?” you ask kindly.

oscar hands the scorned grocery list over without complaint, “it’s my mum’s recipe. sorry if it’s hard to read—you’ll have to blame him for that.”

lando scoffs in indignation, “you’re exaggerating, oscar. my handwriting isn’t that bad, is it?”

you feel them watching as you decipher the hieroglyphics that are lando’s letters. you bring a finger up to trace underneath the scrawl, eyes squinting to force the words into focus—oscar snorts and lando sighs in played-up dejection.

“i can understand what you’ve wrote just fine,” you smile at lando, “i’ve seen worse. you know, my younger cousin’s handwritting is miles more dreadful than this.”

the brit knocks his shoulder against oscar’s teasingly, “hah! maybe you just can’t read, osc. have you thought about that?”

you tap your finger against your chin in thought, “—but my cousin is like, five-years-old, with terrible fine motor skills. so, i wouldn’t say that’s a fair comparison.”

the two are caught by surprise, laughing delightedly at your ribbing. the sound of their amusement is contagious enough for you to crease with your own giggles.

“i didn’t expect to be bullied in a carrefour’s on a saturday night by a stranger,” lando says with a grin, after he’s calmed down.

“sorry,” you shake your head playfully, properly introducing yourself before continuing, “i forgot you usually spend your time here arguing about baking soda. which—by the way, your mum’s recipe calls for both baking powder and soda, oscar. which is very smart and unique! in most cookie recipes, most people usually opt for baking soda alone, for the spread of the batter. but, your mum must’ve liked her cookies puffier and fluffier as well! anyways, that explains why it looks like lando could’ve written either word here—because he meant to write both.”

they thank you profusely for helping them overcome the challenge of lando’s handwriting, oscar returning to the aisle to place each ingredient in his basket.

“sorry, could you grab me one of the baking soda, as well?” you ask, “that’s the last thing off of my list tonight.”

“we’re all done, too,” the australian walks over with your box, hesitating briefly before you gesture for him to drop it in your filled cart.

the duo walks towards the registers with you, lando asking, “are you a baker?”

“no,” you chuckle, “i had a phase during lockdown.”

“ah, i should’ve known,” he teases, “i mean, that’s how you know that baking powder is sodium carbon-fiber—“, oscar echoes his teammates ‘sodium carbon-fiber’ with a soft smile, “—just a baking phase, right. makes sense.”

“oh, come on, lando norris,” you scold him jokingly, “baking powder is sodium carbon-fiber and an acid. keep up—we’ve been over this already.”

you separate from the two as you near the registers, unloading your cart onto the conveyor belt and exchanging polite conversation with the cashier as you hand over your stack of reusable bags. you don’t realize that they’ve waited for you until you start to think about the logistic of carrying all of your groceries home.

“uh,” lando pushes oscar forward with a firm hand on his back, the tips of the australian’s ears are reddening, “would you like help with those? we don’t mind holding a few.”

“would you mind?” your shoulders sag in relief, “i do this in one trip routinely but i don’t think that’s happening tonight. i only live about four blocks over—my doorman will help me get them all up to my flat, so i won’t be keeping you longer than necessary.”

that’s how you find yourself walking home, on a saturday night, with two formula one drivers holding the bulk of your groceries in their arms. you’re going to the casino directly after you put the groceries away because your luck is too good to miss out on right now. your doorman heads inside to grab a cart as soon as he catches sight of you. your two helpers exchange a glance in your peripheral vision as you come to stop in front of your building.

“well, this is me,” you start, pausing to thank your doorman, gabriel, as the boys carefully unload the bags onto the cart, “thank you for the assistance, you are both too kind.”

“mr. norris and mr. piastri are always kind,” hums gabriel, winking at the two men, before rolling the cart inside.

“wait, what? you live in the same building as me?” you’re flummoxed. you knew the rent was too expensive, but you didn’t think it was formula-one-driver-expensive.

“i live here,” lando reveals, holding the door as he lets you and oscar walk inside, “osc doesn’t. i feel like i would remember your face if i’ve seen you here before. what floor are you on?”

“i don’t know if i should tell you that,” you side-eye them flippantly, “i fear for my safety.”

“well, i shouldn’t have told you that i live here,” lando sniffs.

“gabriel blew your cover, mate,” oscar rolls his eyes, “also, she would’ve found out anyways. we would’ve had to follow her in to make the cookies in your apartment.”

your doorman squeezes into the first elevator with your groceries, while you and the boys opt for the second. oscar’s hand hovers over the button while he waits for you to clue him in, pressing lando’s afterwards.

lando clears his throat as the elevator begins to rise. “seeing as your thrilling saturday night activity of grocery shopping is over, what are the rest of your plans for tonight?”

scratching at the nape of your neck, you say, “don’t judge me anymore than you have tonight…i was thinking about watching the entire how to train your dragon trilogy.”

oscar gasps quietly, his eyes bright, “i love those movies.”

“would you like to come up to my flat and make chocolate chip cookies from scratch with us? and watch the movies, too?” lando’s question is sweet, and his eyes are earnest.

“i feel like it would be very dumb of me to visit the apartment of a man i just met in the grocery—formula one driver or not.”

“sorry, i can see how it’s weird. better safe than sorry, i know. i promise we’re not like going to try anything, or we’re not, like, serial killers or anything. oscar’s too polite for that, and i’m too squeamish. seriously, it would be just for the cookies. we didn’t have a baking phase in lockdown like you did, so we’re lost on a lot more than the different between baking soda and powder. sodium carbon-fiber and acid, or not. if it’s uncomfortable for you, that’s fine. maybe we can plan for another day when you know us better.”

“yep,” oscar offers in support of lando’s statement.

you smile, “you remembered about the acid this time.”

the elevator dings before softly jerking to a stop on your floor. the doors begin to slide open, “honestly? i think i’m more afraid about you guys possibly burning our building down rather than killing me in cold blood.”

you step out of the elevator, seeing gabriel waiting by your door with the cart.

turning back to face the two men, you survey them with a serious gaze before breaking into a grin, “don’t turn on the oven without me. that part requires adult supervision. let me put my groceries away and then i’ll be right up.”

© httpsserene - do not reupload. photos in header image are from pinterest. divider by @cafekitsune.

[valyrfia]

I’ve been thinking about it, and I now firmly believe that Charles signed a pre-contract with Red Bull in the week before COTA. Initially, he did it with the intent of putting pressure on Ferrari but then over the course of the triple header he slowly started to realise that maybe honouring that pre-contract MIGHT be his best chance at a WDC. This is heavily reflected in the socials and PR of Red Bull, Ferrari, and Charles himself and ties together all the Lestappen interactions of the past couple of months from Max’s answers at press conferences to the infamous padel date. Buckle up, because it’s going to be a ride.

So I believe to pinpoint the start of the current PR wave/movement that we've coined as Lestappen Gate 2023 we have to look all the way back to Monza. Around Monza, there were numerous rumours that a huge Charles contract renewal was imminent and it was going to be announced, etc. etc. Charles did put these rumours to bed by saying if there were a contract like the one that had been rumoured, he would've signed it immediately. Now, I believe that with Charles confirmed to be unsigned (at around the same time that the George/Lewis and Oscar renewals would've been happening), Red Bull Racing approached Charles to reopen talks.

But I think Charles stalls them, isn't open to talks, until Singapore where Carlos Sainz wins. This throws Ferrari into complete disarray as Fred suddenly can't open talks with Charles as it would then be clear that he will not be re-signing Carlos Sainz. I think it then becomes obvious to Charles and his team that in order for the contract talks to begin they need pressure to negate Santander and the Sainz family breathing down Ferrari's throat. So Charles actively enters talks with Red Bull with the intent of putting that pressure on Ferrari. Also worth noting, Singapore also marked Charles as something special, a generational talent who is also willing to be an exception n2 driver when the team requires it of him, especially when his teammate starts on pole. I think this makes Red Bull even more eager to begin talks with Charles. Interestingly, this is where we get the first Red Bull Lestappen post of this current era, the Lecstappen alert.

This brings us through Suzuka to Qatar, Max winning his 3rd WDC, Charles congratulating him and then effuse about Max and Red Bull in interviews. Seeing the level of success that Max has had is what pushes Charles to decide that he is going to sign a pre-contract with Red Bull for a seat in 2025 because either way, he wins. He either manages to put pressure on Ferrari to get a contract with all the clauses he wants (external brand deals, his own branding, car development to suit him, etc.) OR he gets the MOST talked about seat in F1.

Now this is a key point. I believe the padel date was an excuse to get Max and Charles in the same room. Specifically, for them to have a frank and honest chat about whether they could work as teammates and two n1 drivers on the same team. This is probably the first serious heart to heart that these two have had, which then explains their attitude and closeness in the triple header and them being more ready to be vulnerable and honest with and about each other. Then, in the week before COTA, satisfied that he could be teammates with Max if push came to shove, Charles Leclerc signs a pre-contract with RBR for 2025.

(It's also worth noticing that in the week before COTA, the Lando Norris to RBR rumours and talk noticeably died down, despite Oscar winning the sprint in Qatar).

Now this brings us to COTA, where Charles instantly starts to make PR moves to build a brand for himself. His first big move is signing with WME, a talent agency, and something that Ferrari drivers typically aren't allowed to do. The WME signing solidifies in my mind that a pre-contract exists, because if there is one thing Charles wouldn't do, it's jeopardise his chances of racing in F1. If there's a chance that Ferrari would drop him for this, he just wouldn't do it. However, if he has a guaranteed seat in 2025 no matter the outcome, he would totally do it. It must be said, I believe that Charles is using the pre-contract fully as leverage against Ferrari at this point UNTIL the strategy fuck up. After the strategy fuck up, Charles is noticeably angry and outspoken about it, and Fred starts to freak out a little bit. RBR in the mean time, are starting to try and change the Lestappen narrative from rivals to a duo, with Charles starting to feature heavily on RBR socials.

Moving on to Mexico, Charles does well, considering. But what's important about Mexico is that this is the first time that Charles has truly been treated like a villain by the fans at the track. This is key, not only because of RBR's reaction to it (which I will explore), but also because this is Charles's first taste of what a move to RBR could be like, of what it would feel like were he to become the antihero rather than the golden boy of F1. However, the real clincher is that rather than RBR playing into the narrative of Charles the villain, even despite him literally being involved in the DNF of their own driver (Checo) at his home race, they instead make sure to capture all angles of Charles and Max interacting and one of their own pays special attention to Charles on the podium. In a way, this is the weekend that shows Charles that even though Red Bull and Ferrari are completely different, Red Bull can still be as much of a family to him as Ferrari has been if he wants them to be. Moreso, in fact, considering Ferrari didn't even bother showing up to Charles's P3 podium.

So entering the weekend in Brazil, Charles is pictured wearing his own clothing line that it was rumoured Ferrari forced him to discontinue and Fred Vasseur is starting to get shit scared and starting to talk to anyone from media who will listen about how talented Charles is. Charles does put it on the front row, but there's no real Forza Ferrari about it, and Charles has stopped wearing Ferrari merch in the paddock. A Red Bull employee (Max's PT Brad) is the first person to congratulate Charles on the front row.

Then, the DNS happens. A completely avoidable thing that happened due to Ferrari incompetency, and all hell breaks loose. Charles leaves the paddock before he can finish his Ferrari PR duties like a post-race video, and makes it very clear that he is FURIOUS in all his interviews. Now, laughably, at this point is when Ferrari-Charles contract negations began, or at least, that's what was leaked to the media. In my mind, Charles communicated very clearly to Fred at this point that his pre-contract with Red Bull is a very real threat, and Charles himself is beginning to seriously consider honouring it, and if Ferraro don't get together, they WILL lose their Il Predestinato to Red Bull. At this moment, Fred Vasseur is absolutely terrified. The world is very obviously on Charles's side and sympathetic after the DNS, while being at best apathetic and at worst hostile toward the Scuderia. Meanwhile, Red Bull continue with their Lestappen antics across all social media channel, again publicising the idea that Max and Charles are close and may have once been rivals but are buddies now, like in their tiktok of Max doing the "just an inchident" trend.

Now I haven't mentioned the onboards yet, which were spotted by some eagle eyes fans during the Mexico and Brazil GP weekends, in which Charles's onboard was displayed very clearly alongside their actual drivers, Max and Checo. But the existence of the onboards on the Red Bull pitwall make perfect sense if Charles did sign a pre-contract. Red Bull are gathering data to sway Charles further, almsot a "yeah so here's exactly where Ferrari fucked your race, and here's is what we would've done differently."

The break in the triple header, Charles is noticeably refraining from Forza Ferrari-ing. Rather, he calls the paps on himself on more than one occasion and make sure he is seen with several high profile celebs, strengthening his public image and building his own narrative. Meanwhile, Ferrari is in full damage control mode, taking responsibility for the DNS, acknowledging Charles in a way they haven't fully done since Singapore. There are more leaks of contract negotiations, but Charles does not engage with them. Meanwhile, Red Bull are keeping up their Lestappen propaganda. Charles is making it clear to all parties that this pre-contract that he initially intended to just be a bargaining chip has suddenly become a serious threat to Ferrari.

Finally, this brings us to last weekend, Vegas. Charles, again, refuses to Forza Ferrari. Ferrari PR have put Charles and Red Bull content on absolute LOCKDOWN with not a HINT of Lestappen anywhere, and Max is making comments about the choice of team being important in winning even for generational talents while Charles fidgets and looks away. Fred praises Charles to hell and back again, implying that Charles will obviously be prioritised over Carlos by diminishing Singapore, but in the post-race, Charles still gives nothing. Just a thinly veiled comment about how good it feels to be fighting at the front again. Meanwhile, Red Bull amp up the Charles content even more, even fully posting a picture just of Charles's car. There are also not one, but two questions about Max and Charles's karting past. In discussion with my academic colleagues (@tsarinablogs, @thearchercore, @gaslightgirlsummer (further thanks for all three of them, for entertaining a much rougher draft of this essay a few days ago)), we've talked about the possibility that these questions might have themselves been planted in the media rooms, in order to further cement the idea and control the narrative of Charles and Max, childhood rivals turned dynamic duo. The sort of narrative one might find intriguing around teammates.

So this concludes my essay. I am almost sure that Charles has a pre-contract with Red Bull, which is why he is suddenly so outspoken about the problems and failings of Ferrari. Although this pre-contract originally began as a bargaining chip, I believe that Charles is seriously considering honouring it. Ferrari are desperate, and Red Bull have the upper hand and are starting to pave the way for a media shift in how Charles and Max as a pairing are perceived.

[itsprashimusic]

So fucking happy honestly. Limiting my time on social media has been so needed.

Normally after races I would scroll on instagram and naturally go to the comments under posts of meme pages and other f1 related accounts. The amount of hate I would see and read was a lot. Scrolling on tumblr after a grand prix was like a game of russian roulette, wondering if the next post would be negative or positive. I started believing in opinions that I never thought of. I started disliking drivers I had no problem with. For the first time in years my mental health started to deteriorate.

That's when I realised I had to take a step back.

After races I avoided comment sections. I'd stick to Mclaren and Lando's posts. I unfollowed meme accounts who posted hate just because it was trendy, just because they knew it was popular and would get engagement. I blocked the "anti" tag on tumblr (e.g. anti lando norris) and other tags i didn't want to see. I started following accounts who genuinely love the sport and rescept all drivers, even if they dislike some, because that is what I believe in. I don't like Leclerc and I am not a fan of Russell but at the end of the day I can still say they drove well while critiquing their mistakes and appreciating their skills. I believe that is how all sports fans should be, have their favourites without feeling the need to being other drivers down by posting their unwanted "opinion" on the internet.

I found a healthy way to air my frustrations with the sport, the drivers and the teams. A penalty that shouldn't have been given, a strategy that fucked with a driver's race, something that should have been penalised. Talking to my sister instead of flocking off to my online friends or spending 30 minutes explaining to my mom why I was so upset about Lando's stop and go penalty in Qatar instead of typing out an amger-filled comment under a random post. Finding what works for me as a fan, is what keeps my mental health good.

Being so negative online has become normalized to a point people don't even realise they are getting affected. If an athlete's mental health gets so affected by the 5% to 10% they see online, imagine the fans who see way more because they are among the other "fans" who post negative content regarding their favourite player or racer.

Seeing Lando smile makes me smile. My mood gets lifted when I see he is happy. Seeing people constantly say negative things about him and praise his teammate in the same sentence made me develop this weird type of disdain for him. And I don't like it. I really do love Oscar, but seeing posts and comments like that started to unconsciously shift my views on him. Pulling back has helped and I am starting to love this sport like I did this time last year.

This is a reminder, you don't have to be online and share your thoughts just because everyone is. It is ok to not be active. It is completely normal. Enjoy the race, scream at your screen in frustration, vent to your poor friend about how unfair the FIA is, but please remember, you are not a true fan of this sport if you cannot respect the people in it, as drivers or even humans. It is ok to dislike, but you can still respect. Hating is not a flex, it just highlights the immaturity in an insecure person.

P1 IN MONACO BABY, YEAH BABYYYYYYYYY

[adventuringblind]

Caught in a Lie

Maxiel x Reader

Genre: Smut

Summary: The reader gets caught in Max's shenanigans and decides to take the blame. Daniel isn't happy she lied for Max, third time WDC or not.

Warnings: BDSM, dom/sub, sub reader, switch Max, dom Daniel, spanking, unprotected PinV, Overstimulation, mild denial if you squint, Max being a menace

Notes: I have a website now! It would mean a lot if Y'all checked it out. I'm still working on it but it's a fun creative project. It's still in the works, so if you have suggestions, I will gladly take them.

Masterlist // Request Form // My Website // buy me a Ko-Fi

It really wasn't her fault. Max had been the conspirator. She was just the bait. Unknowingly, mind you. The bastard had done this on purpose!

Winning a third title had inflated his ego far too much. They couldn't celebrate properly in Qatar. Alcohol sure, sex had to wait. Not because any of them wanted to, Daniel had made it a point that sex, especially the kind they do, needs to come after races. Thursdays and Fridays can be soft things. Saturdays are an absolute no. Then Sunday comes around, and they are trying to get back to wherever they are staying as fast as possible.

Now, back at home in Monaco, nothing to disturb their peace. They decide to ruin it all by going out. It's one of her least favorite activities. Being in bed with the cat has her name on it. But Max wants to celebrate, and Daniel is social, so she drags herself out of bed.

She should've known something was amiss when Max said he got something for her to wear out. She should've known it was going to end this way when Max whistled at her and laughed, whereas Daniel's eyes had darkened. The familiar look he gets when he wants to absolutely take her apart and build her up piece by euphoric piece.

She'd caught Max's arm on the way out. "What the hell are you playing at?"

"Felt like a show tonight," he shrugs, then winks at her.

The black dress barely covers her ass. It's lacy all over and sheer aside from the important places. She wears stuff like this often since it's something she likes. It doesn't make sense why this would be the thing to drive him insane.

Dancing had been fun. Their other Monaco friends had come out with them to celebrate. Daniel's eyes had burned into her every time she moved. Much to her surprise, he wasn't the only one.

Carlos Sainz is staring at her from the corner. He looks like he's trying desperately not to but failing miserably. He turns away every time she catches him, still exuding confidence.

It's not well known that she's dating Max and Daniel. They've been friends for a long time. Friendship turned into a situationship, which then made them confess. They look like they always do to the outside world. To touchy to simply be platonic but no real announcement that any of the three are taken.

Carlos was staring, Daniel was glaring, Max was smirking, and she was the center of it all. Embarrassment hit her like a train when she realized she'd been played. Max was watching Carlos stare at her and snickering about it.

Feeling insecure, she went to get some air. The joy of feeling nice in a dress Max had picked out now ruined from knowing why he did it. He was playing a game. He could've at least asked first.

Daniel and Max find her outside slumped against the wall. She can still hear Max laughing about something and it's pissing her off.

"Stop laughing at me!" She throws her arms up in defeat and turns her back to them. "I didn't ask to be ogled at by Carlos, Max."

"Then why did you pick that specific dress?" Daniel spins her around and pins her to the wall. A shiver runs up her spine as his breath sticks to her ear. "The exact one Carlos had mentioned wanting to see on a pretty thing like you."

She doesn't know whether to blush or cower. She ends up settling for both at the same time. She debates her options. Either she tells the truth and saves herself, or she takes whatever punishment is coming her way.

Once. She will do this one time for Max since he just won his title.

"I picked it out because I thought it looked nice and you would like it. I swear I didn't know Carlos liked this dress and was going to be here tonight." She's pleading desperately with her voice. Maybe she'll get lucky.

Max has gone oddly silent. She tries not to even look at him, let Daniel figure out she's taking the blame for the Dutch.

Daniel is still staring her down. The silence hanging thick between them until he decides to break it. "Anything to add, Maxy?"

Noticing Daniel's mood, he doesn't answer. A smart move by him. Daniel just hums and grabs her wrist to lead the charge to the car.

None of them speak during the short ride home. She hates every second of it. Daniel is probably mulling over everything he wants to do to her. She feels like a child waiting for their parent to start a lecture.

Daniel waits for them to get their shoes off before turning to face them in the entryway of the apartment. "Where'd you buy the dress from?"

And he'd seen right through it. "I don't remember."

"You don't remember, or you weren't told?"

She winces when his tone goes soft. The one that makes her drop to her knees for him. Well, any tone from Daniel can have that effect on her. This one is just the one that makes her all fuzzy in the head. “I don’t remember,” she whispers.

Daniel sighs heavily. “Alright, if you’re not going to tell me the truth then I guess I’ll have to spank it out of you.” She nearly falls over, but manages to catch herself. “Bedroom, clothes off and on your knees.”

She scrambles to comply. The drop is imminent at this point. She just hopes Max enjoys the show because this will not be happening again. At least, she hopes.

The clothes come off and are folded neatly in a pile. She feels cold, exposed, and bit insecure, and then yet the floaty feeling is threatening to spill over. Her knees digging into the carpet don’t help that.

Max comes into the room silently. Daniel must have said something to him because he kneels next to her. Not a rare occurrence, but is mildly unusual.

“Max.” The stern tone has Max grumbling, but he gets back up off the floor, strips, then kneels again.

Daniel beckons her over to him. Her face is flushed red with embarrassment as she stands between his still covered legs. “You have the choice to tell the truth or not. I’m not mad at you, but I’m sad you felt like you needed to lie about what happened tonight. So, I’m going to keep spanking you until you tell the truth.”

“Yes sir.” It comes out so easily; a second nature now. She lays across his lap, trying to hold back the already threatening tears.

“What are your colors, baby girl?”

“Green is good, yellow is slow down and talk, red is stop.”

“Good, what’s your color?”

“Green.”

She’s probably too far gone already to really say no at this point. She just needs his hands on her in any kind of way.

The first hit shocks her. It’s not the hardest he’s can go by any means, but it still stings. “I’m gonna keep going until I get the truth.” She remains silent and another hit lands to the other side.

The next three have no rhythm and are more towards the tops of her thighs. She whimpers a bit but doesn’t give in. This is for Max. He wanted a show, he won the title, and she’s willing to, unfortunately, provide.

Daniel tugs her hair back and forces her eyes to look at his face. Four more hits and she’s hissing. Each one is harder than the last.

She starts getting hazy around number twenty-five. She's taken more, but the fact that Daniel keeps sweetly telling her she can stop this by telling the truth makes it worse. Like every hit is sending further to the breaking point. Not the good one, mind you, the one where she cries and tells him the whole story.

"Just tell the truth, baby." He lands another five hits in rapid succession. Each one burning more than the last. The tears have started free falling and are making Daniel's leg wet and salty.

"Color baby?"

"Green," She manages to sniffle out. Voice high and cracking. Why is she getting punished again? Oh, right, for Max. It should really be him up here.

The overwhelming urge to do as Daniel says hits somewhere around hit forty. The breaking point has reared its ugly head. She starts bawling her eyes out as the last hit is the hardest she's received thus far. "Yellow!"

Daniel halts any movement. "Did that last one hit too hard?" The softness in his voice only brings more tears.

"I'm sorry!" She drops all her body weight over his legs. "Max got the dress. He said he picked it out for me. I didn't know anything about Carlos. Then, right before he left, I asked him what was going on, and he said he wanted a show. I figured he did just win his title, and I didn't want him to get in trouble, so I lied."

"Oh, baby girl." Daniel helps her up and lays back so she can plaster herself on his chest. "I knew what was going on, but I wanted you to tell the truth. I'm not mad at you, okay?" He runs soothing fingers along her spine. It only makes the tears come harder. "That must've been hard! I'm so proud of you for telling me the truth. I know you wanted to do it for Max, but sometimes Maxy needs to learn his own lesson."

Daniel slides out from underneath her and grabs something from the bedside table. "I'm gonna take care of you now, okay? You did so well. I'm not upset. I just needed to hear the truth." She doesn't hold back the tears as Daniel works on getting her cleaned up. "So good for me," He coos to help her calm down.

She's lost all sense of time. She has no idea of how long she's been over Daniel's or how long he's been cleaning her up for.

She's still splayed out on the bed facing, now facing Max and his solemn expression.

"Here's what we're going to do. Max wanted a show, so that's what he's gonna get since we are celebrating his win." He turns towards Max. The Dutch's knees can't be feeling good at all. Daniel leans down and forces his head upwards. A few seconds at the Australian, then holding on her.

Daniel drags over a chair and rips Max up from the floor. "You are going to sit here and watch. You will not move, you will not touch, you will not make a sounds. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, color?"

Max looks oddly and achingly hard from her position. It makes her wonder if this is actually what he wanted or if he's just slipping further. It takes more to put max down, but Daniel is good at getting him there if the occasion calls for it.

"Green."

Daniel, much to her relief, finally gets his clothes off. He leaves on his boxers for the moment, though the outline of his hard on is obvious. It has been since they got in the car to come home. “Baby girl, do you want my fingers or my tongue tonight?”

“Tongue please.” Pleasurable shivers run down her spine. Sometimes, she’s convinced that Daniel was molded by Greek gods and sent to live among the humans solely because his tongue can work miracles.

Her head hangs off the bed giving her an upside-down view of Max. His skin has flushed even more since the last time she saw him.

She doesn't get much time to think about it. Daniel's tongue presses against her and she loses herself. He knows her body like it's his favorite book to read, movie to watch, and song to hear.

Her fingers slip easily into his black curls. His hands are on her waist, absolutely buried in her. She's going to feel the bruises soon, but it only adds the pleasure of it.

Her free hand flies to cover her mouth out of habit. She makes it half-way before Daniel snatches her wrist and pins it to her side so he can grip both her hip and her hand.

The strings of moans and profanities leaving her are not even close to the way she can hear Max whining behind her. High pitched and desperate.

Daniel is lapping at her like she's producing healing waters and he'll die without it. Nose bumping against her just right. The grip on her body only getting strong as she writhes around in ecstasy.

"Sir please - need to - please-" It comes out strangled in panted breaths and heavy moans.

He doesn't stop. Never does to tell them yes. Daniel taps her hip with his index finger three times. She jumps over the edge without any kind of hesitation. Plunging herself in the familiar feeling of warmth overwhelming amounts of dopamine and serotonin.

Her back arches. Daniel holds her in place as her body contorts in every direction in an attempt to push him away. He is unmoving wall. A force she can't do anything but submit her body to.

Daniel leaves her alone for a mere minute. Only to drag Max over, fingers clutched around the back of his neck. He slams Max onto the bed and manhandles him until he's right where Daniel wants him.

He then moves to flip her. In between them and still sopping. "Think you can keep Max in your mouth?"

Of course she can, she's done it enough times. The consent thing still makes her melt either way. "Yes, sir."

"Good, I think we've tortured Max enough. We are still celebrating his win, after all." There is a hint of mischief behind Daniel's eyes that doesn't go unnoticed.

Daniel, mouth still wet with her, kisses Max in the sloppiest manner she's ever seen.

She stares in awe for all of ten seconds. Her ogling is cut short by Daniel gripping her hair and shoving Max's length down her throat. She gags at the suddenness but recovers quickly and gets to work.

She can't see what Daniel is doing anymore. Their positioning is not the most convenient for watching. She can hear it though, and It's driving her insane. Max's body is quivering and it's an effort to stay where she is and not bite down every time he jerks in a different direction.

It takes less time than normal for him to spill down her throat. Daniel is quick to rip her off and get her over Max. Her ass still stings from earlier, but she could care less as Daniel plays puppet master and guides Max into her.

It's a stretch, Max certainly isn't small, but she's well adjusted.

She loses her head again when Daniel sets her pace. Max is wrecked from the lack of stimulation into a constant stream of it. Daniel rips off his boxers and slams into Max's mouth. "Bet you wish you hadn't done all that snickering, huh?" Max is so far down that his eyes are rolling at Daniels tone. The gentle one that is condescending enough to make anyone whimper.

Daniel keeps talking, she's registering his voice, but has no idea what he's saying anymore. She can't even hear past her own moans. She can't feel anything besides the hands on her body and the overwhelming number of endorphins flooding her mind.

Kissing. Daniel is kissing her through another jump off an even larger cliff.

Flipped over again. This time Daniel is slamming into at an unholy pace. Maybe Daniel is a fallen angel. To good with his body to stay in heaven, so he brought heaven to the humans.

Fingers. Max's fingers are everywhere. He shoves them down her throat and coos as she mans around them. Rough calloused hands made for drowning her in whatever this cacophony of feelings is.

Her favorite song on replay. Over and over and over again. Never getting old.

She comes back to herself at some point. Nobody has clothes on still. Daniel and Max are gently coaxing her muscles to still.

"Hey baby, you passed out on us." Max's voice is still fuzzy. She groans in response. Every inch of her is in some state of pain, pleasure, or both.

"We're gonna try a bath, okay? I want to help the bruises as much as possible." She nods against Daniel's chest, agreeing that would be a brilliant idea.

"Before we do that though, I want so apologize." Max sounds timid and unsure of himself. His hands wring together in anxiety. "I shouldn't have set that up. It made you both uncomfortable and I should've just asked."

Daniel pulls Max back on top of their cuddle pile. "I would've happily made this happen and I will happily do it again."

That same mischievous glint comes back to Daniel despite the exhaustion. They end up laughing deliriously all the through their aftercare routine.

Yeah, she'd happily do this again too.

[edenfenixblogs]

Me: I think I’ll catch up on the Olympics. I’m a former gymnast who loves gymnastics. Let’s see what’s going on there!

Me: Awesome! Way to go team USA and Simone Biles! What an achievement! I’m so proud of them. How cool that two women of color from the USA take gold and silver in the individual all-arounds! And Simone got a record breaking number of awards Olympic medals and took gold at age 27!!!! That’s unheard of in gymnastics!!!!

Olympic YouTube Video: Here is cool stuff about Team USA and Brazil.

Me: this is a hard time for Israelis. I’m so glad we have these Olympic Games—an event specifically about putting aside politics and celebrating individual humans regardless of where they’re from. I think I’ll do a quick search to see if any Israelis are competing in any televised events this time! It’ll be nice to see some apolitical stuff about Israel. I love that Brazil placed, too. And team USA was cheering them on! What good sportsmanship!

YouTube Search Result Video 1: Israelis play SOCCER??? In France???? When GAZA IS GETTING BOMBED???? Sounds like Jews love the GENOCIDE-lympics am I right????

Me: …um. Did you want the athletes in Israel instead? Actively involved in the bombing you said you don’t like? Isn’t it good that young, talented people are here in Paris using their strength and talent for something other than war???

YouTube Search Result Video 2: This is a news report about Houthis threatening to attack Israelis as the Olympics and Israeli olympians needing increased security. Some have had their data breached and also faced threats from Iran.

Me: This is definitely normal and not at all a terrifying memory of the time a bunch of Jews were attacked at a previous Olympic Games.

YouTube Search Result Video 3: Israeli athletes report feeling isolated and threatened at Olympics to the point that they require 24h security.

Me: EverythingIsFine.jpg

Youtube Search Result Video 4: Israelis booed at their soccer game. Protestors shout “Heil Hitler!”

Me: Hmmm, something about the fucking HITLER part makes me think that perhaps this is less about supporting Palestine and more about hating Jews.

YouTube Search Result Video 5: Algerian Olympian refuses to compete against Israeli Olympian in Judo.

Me: …so…he gave Israel the victory in that event? In protest of…Israel? Placing him on the podium? With a bronze medal? After waiting his whole life to be in the Olympics? …that sure will show him…something?

Official Olympics YouTube Channel: There is no war in Ba Sing Se, and I have never heard of this place you call Israel.

Me: (heavy sigh) of course not

Official NBC Sports YouTube Channel: umm???? Israel. Israel? Israel you say? Nope. Doesn’t ring a bell. Are you sure they make athletes there?

Me: Yes.

NBC Sports: Did you mean you want to see Simone Biles?

Me: No, I saw Simone Biles already.

NBC: How about Suni—

Me: Let’s assume I’ve seen all of team USA gymnastics.

NBC: Katie Led—

Me: No, that’s US swimming. Which is very cool. But I have run a search for Israeli Olympians please.

NBC: Ugh. Fine. Best I can do is a video of Qatar winning at volleyball. That feels related to Israel, right?

Me: Not…really what I was going for. But thanks, I guess.

[81pastrys]

Grid Flirt

Part 12 / 13

Summary— Celebrating a 1-2 and finding out who got her seat, with a bit of a scare.

Warnings— drunken activities

A/N— Danny ric getting the ending we all wanted 🫶🏻

Series List

After the previous race of getting 3rd behind Max, our points are 10 apart. 2 races left. Whoever gets higher in the next two races will win the championship. Max and I celebrate on the plane ride out to Qatar.

“I’m gonna miss you Max.” I say, leaning my head on his shoulder. “You were the best teammate.”

“I’m going to miss you too darling.” He said. “Once we get there I have something I need to tell you. But not around others.”

“Okay.” I giggle. We’ve had a few drinks. So I’m a little tipsy and didn’t catch his seriousness. The rest of the plane ride we mess around getting more drunk.

Someone pulls out truth or dares and we play. Max and I end up making out. I drunkenly slur truths out. We have so much fun.

“No! No Max you aren’t playing right!” I blur together the words as I say them.

“How? How I said a truth!” He said. His smile and laugh resonate.

“Some has to ask you a question and you answer truthfully!” I say drunkenly. “Dare is actions or something?”

“What I thought truth was saying a secret no one knows?” He asked laughing wildly after.

“Nooooo!” I laugh. After a couple minutes I end up crashing on the jet chair.

I wake up hungover as fuck. My head pounding and some of the others awake. Max is soundly asleep. I look at the time and we still have around 45 minutes left.

“Max..” I whine tired. “Wake up.”

“Hm?” He hummed. “What?”

“Wake up.” I say rubbing my face. “It’s boring without you awake.”

“Aww darling.” He said. “This headache is horrible.”

“Tell me about it, ughhh.” I groan.

He gets pain killers and water for us. We talk until the plane lands. The others wake up in between and talk with us as well. We gather our luggage and such heading to the hotel. I settle in and sleep the rest of the day.

I wake up to millions of notifications. I call Lando. “Hey love!”

“What’s going on?” I ask, my voice hoarse.

“Well Lawson just got Daniel’s seat.” He said.

“Huh?!” I ask, fully awake now. “What the fuck do you mean Lawson got the seat?!”

“You didn’t let me finish.” He said. “Ricciardo got your seat.”

“Oh thank god.” I sigh. “Fuck you scared me!!”

“Oh nearly everyone had a heart attack seeing Lawson announced first.” He laughed. “I’m sure Daniel tried calling you.”

“Yeah probably, but he has nothing to worry about. He can have the fucking seat.” I say.

“Wait, did you just wake up?” He asked.

“Yeah, Max and I bit the bullet and came straight from Vegas.” I say.

“Oh love, why.” He asked. I could hear the smile. “That is the worst.”

“Tell me about it, and we got drunk.” I mention. Which I immediately regretted.

“Did you now?” He asked. “Anything interesting happen?”

“I don’t remember.” I laugh. “We were too drunk to think.”

“Ahh, I’ve got to do some MCL work.” He said. “I’ll call you back later, call Daniel back love. He’d love to hear from you.”

“Ok I am.” I say. He hangs up the phone and I scroll through and there it is, Honey Badger missed call. I click on the notification and it calls him.

“Hey!!” He answered. “What’s up buttercup?”

“I’m sorry I missed your call Danny, I was sleeping.” I slightly laugh.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the news, but I am taking your seat next year.” He said sarcastically playing around.

“Oh shit!” I play along. “Well I guess I’ll have to ask about that.”

“I’m sure you’re happier now.” He laughed breaking the ploy. “Horner is a piece of work.”

“Hmm I have other words to describe him, but yeah you can say that!” I say. “I’m glad he isn’t downgrading by any means.”

“Pfft of course!” He responded. “I’m sure the world stopped when they announced Lawson.”

“My head spun when Lando told me.” I say. “He mentioned that first then followed with you, I was so scared.”

“The sport will cry when I leave for good, I know that.” He said. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t bombarded by all the news, but it seems you were unbothered as it played out.” He laughed towards the end of his sentence.

“Jet lag naps are different and amazing.” I say. “Gods gift.”

“You’re right!” He agreed. “I’ll let you go, I’ll see you in Qatar.”

“Yes you will.” I smile.

I end the call and get up, Qatar has a few fun places to go and with Max here, I’m all set for fun. I check my notifications and his texts are the majority of what was sent.

Last outing with her old teammate 🫠

@widow-cevans

[batsplat]

and dipping into the laguna 2008 collection... from a few days before the race, when casey still had hope for humanity

there's their little parc fermé exchange, when valentino (glowing after the race) innocently wandered over to shake casey's hand - where they just happened to be surrounded by around two hundred cameras and mics to record casey (just wants to go home and scream) refusing the handshake. fascinated and compelled by the expressions here

you have casey finally accepting valentino's handshake. some real self control needed not to shove valentino off the podium I reckon

then you have valentino leaning down to talk to casey. just. supremely annoying

and valentino sharing a laugh with casey. lovely

valentino continues to give casey his space to digest this tough loss throughout the podium ceremony

heartwarming! really adds something to the entire experience of the race. this isn't even a particularly common valentino reaction to his most dramatic victories, like he just decides to non-stop hassle casey specifically

here's them two races later at misano post-qualifying, where casey would once again crash out of the lead. feat. casey's injured hand

and three races later - more photos from the great big unionising of indianapolis 2008, when they ensured the race wouldn't be restarted by both petitioning the dorna ceo. sometimes you have to set aside your feud for a greater cause, like 'not having to ride a motorcycle in high winds'

lots of firm hand jabbing. solidarity

just so you know bc I don’t think enough people tell you this but every time I check your blog (a bit compulsively at this point? your compilations and opinions are very enlightening on the general psychology of those crazy motherfuckers and also the uhhhhhhhh other part) and see that you answered another ask I honestly break into the hugest grin and settle down at the next given opportunity to read the newest batssay (batsplat essay) like it’s an academic paper (it is to us sports scholars, I believe)… please never feel the need to cut short your thoughts on any subject. the longer the better! connect all the dots, bat! we are listening!!

thank youuuuu this is so sweet, I know this ask is a little older but trust whenever I get something kind in my inbox I very much read and appreciate it and it very much makes my day. and I love the term batssay. a lot

so I thought it'd be fun to do a follow up post to the casey/jorge/valentino one where I just dumped a bunch of photos with a wee bit of context... for the culture, y'know. and I'm doing this with just casey/valentino, mostly for 2007-09 but with one 2005 photo chucked in as. build-up. for flavour

we know from the #archives that the two of them did have like. a reasonably warm dynamic pre-casey's motogp debut. they'd talked... also at least one race where casey shows up to valentino's podium and chats to vale's crew chief and fellow aussie jb... I think about it often. what did it all mean

casey's first win!!! qatar 2007, very first race with ducati. he'd gotten very close to a win before - in his third ever premier class race at turkey, lost at the final chicane. casey's goals going into that first season with ducat had just been winning a few races... he notes that valentino congratulates him warmly, but reckons it's just because valentino didn't take him seriously as a threat, which. I don't think that quite stacks up with supplementary evidence from the time, but we'll allow it

one of my fave photos for a reason, idc it's sweet. I was trying to figure out when this photo was from through like, normal means of reverse image search, but then instead I had a horrifying moment of 'oh yeah I'm pretty sure I remember that specific presser backdrop is at mugello that year' and. I was right. which. god. anyway yeah mugello 2007 pre-event presser. by this point casey was 21 points clear in the championship standings

more mugello 2007!!! look at casey constantly sipping from his lil cup. this will have been after qualifying, where casey snagged pole. I'd forgotten valentino actually makes front row in qualifying because he makes a typically horrendous start. I'd also forgotten that this race is like. proper good. one of the best that year. slows down eventually but the first ten or so laps are some of the most exciting of the entire alien era

catalunya 2007, which unfortunately I also dated solely through the presser backdrop. idk I just like the vibes of this photo. anyway!! this race is ofc the one where casey won an all timer late race duel against valentino (+ dani). it is after this race that valentino said casey was, and I quote "riding like a god". a seminal moment

the championship is already extremely over by the time they get to estoril, but casey still needs to formally wrap it up: this is his first match point race. depicted here is valentino getting one of his few Ws that season. an account of this event: “valentino was playing table football in the yamaha hospitality and somebody spotted casey outside. so they invited him for a challenge. it was all good fun”

motegi 2007. valentino had managed to put off the inevitable the race before and temporarily stopped casey from sealing the title, taking his last win of the season (cool duel with dani in that one). but motegi... well honestly it's just a bit of a flop all round, nobody's bike is working the way they want it to, casey seals the title with his worst result all season of a sixth place (the horror) and in his autobiography he was kinda like 'well I was very happy but also. meh race' (I paraphrase). but really, who cares, he had his title

bit of a time skip!! after both of them have put their sketch early 2008's behind them, the pair of them had a proper fun fight at catalunya for p2. a continuation of the battle the year before with valentino once again coming from lower down the field, this time he gets the better of casey. still, things are finally looking up at ducati... and the post-catalunya test might be enough to put casey right back in title contention. the above photo is from donington, where casey confirms the progress ducati made by winning his first race of the season after the opener in qatar

still donington, both of them watching each other etc etc. valentino is in a much better place than the year before, given both casey's rough start to the season and how they're both now on the same tyres. but it's not a good sign if casey's hitting his stride... at assen, valentino makes his one mistake of the year and crashes on the first lap, remounting to finish eleventh (he still beats casey's teammate melandri). this puts dani in the championship lead - and with casey's second win in a row, he is now very much closing in

look at them chatting here!! cute imo. this is casey's third win in a row, at the rainy sachsenring. dani crashes out from a few miles in the lead - while casey had stayed sensible and brings it home for a pretty straightforward victory. valentino needed to fight his way through from further down the field and in the end he loses too much time to put any serious pressure on casey, but it's still damage limitation and he retakes the championship lead from dani (who will miss the next race due to an injury sustained in the crash). and yet, momentum really is firmly on casey's side now... and the rest of the calendar does looks like pretty casey-friendly territory. next up, they're headed to a race track where casey had won very comfortably the year before. would he seal his fourth consecutive win at laguna?

now with my sincere apologies to casey stoner, every photo that came out of laguna 2008 is objectively pretty funny. I have limited myself to a mere two podium photos, but lbr there's a full collection. casey had already rejected valentino's handshake in parc fermé - which some might have taken as a social cue to give him some space. whereas valentino, local dickhead, just will not stop yapping at casey on the podium. this is quite possibly as genuinely delighted as he gets after a race, and it's simply a beautiful contrast with casey who is not quite rude enough to actually tell valentino to shut the fuck up - but may be fantasising about pushing valentino off the podium. this, to me. is art

gather around body language experts, we need to have a conversation. this is at the pre-event presser of the race immediately after laguna, aka brno. by this point, casey's less than flattering remarks about valentino's riding at laguna had already been distributed near and far... everyone's been talking about them, people have Opinions. the captions for these photos are all something along the lines of 'stoner extends olive branch to rossi to apologise for his post-race comments after losing laguna'. now, I don't know if he literally is apologising in these actual photos - though of course he did publicly walk back his comments, saying all riders can react badly to losses and that he'd overreacted when he'd said he'd lost respect for valentino. he has since walked back his walking back, doubling down on his criticisms of valentino's comportment at laguna

still, for all the talk that the feud properly started after laguna, it's kind of fun to have the presser immediately after it showing... well, it does look like casey is actively engaging valentino in conversation, right? whether he's apologising or not - this isn't just valentino yapping at him, if anything it's the reverse. laguna had been right before the summer break, so casey had been given a month to cool off... and also be viciously criticised by the press. brutal, isn't it? it's not just the loss that sucks, it's also being excoriated by the press and fans for having the audacity to get mad over it. is all of this just him being forced into pretending to play nice to get the press to leave him alone? were there any genuine regrets over his laguna comments? what ARE the vibes between them like at this time? what story do these photos tell us

casey went on to crash out of this race from the lead, the first time he had done so in the premier class and his first dnf with ducati after their one and a half seasons together. when he crashed, he'd had a fairly comfortable lead over valentino - though valentino was steadily closing in, and the commentators were already rubbing their hands in anticipation of another laguna

the next race is at misano - and casey is struggling with an old hand injury, see the bandages in the photo. the previous year had been the first time valentino had gotten the chance to race at this circuit, so close to his home... but he'd suffered a mechanical dnf, not his first or last in a frustrating season. this year, everything is different - and casey once again crashes out of the lead as valentino takes victory in front of his worshipful home fans

another trip to america, this time for indy: their first time racing at the track. after the double whammy of brno and misano, casey's title charge is essentially over... but you never know, right? indy kinda gives off the vibe of being a good casey track

in the end, the race is extremely wet and very, very windy and is eventually red-flagged. because of how many laps they still have to go, it is initially unclear whether they would restart... at which point first valentino (who was leading), then casey (in fourth) go to dorna ceo ezpeleta to tell him they have less than zero interest in going out in that weather again. a beautiful moment of solidarity - long live the power of unionising, capable of overcoming even the bitterest of feuds. blast the internationale over the footage, I've seen enough. the race is called off and valentino wins his fourth consecutive race

by the time they get to phillip island, valentino has already won the title, courtesy of his fifth consecutive win at motegi - the same circuit casey had won the title at the year before and the home race of valentino's old enemies at honda. a couple of nice photos of jorge congratulating his teammate and casey spraying vale with champagne here. casey, known phillip island goat, would of course finally end valentino's win streak at that circuit, which is where the photos are from. idk they're fun to me, like this is still not that long after laguna. I'm aware being able to chat normally with your coworkers and share a smile with them isn't normally that high a bar, but canonically valentino has been known to completely blank some of his rivals. it's not like casey is particularly cold towards valentino either, eh

case in point. this is from sepang 2008. #TheEstablishment does not want you to know casey and valentino canonically still regularly yapped in pressers post laguna. they won't silence me. sepang was valentino's last win of this season, after a good scrap with dani - and the season is rounded off with a casey victory at valencia

jerez 2009, where valentino gets past casey with a block pass at the final corner on his way to victory. unlike in 2005, he actually manages to not barrel into his rival. this is just a fantastic photo... I don't even have much to say about it. a+ vibes

a lot of the photos from this season were already included in the jorge/valentino/casey post, which reflects how casey wasn't consistently a factor in the same way the other two were. this one's from assen, the race right after catalunya when all three of them were tied on 106 points. very good side eye here, excellent job casey. unfortunately, casey is now in mystery illness territory - and he can't really compete with the two frontrunners in this stretch of the season

this is the first race after casey's return to competition - valentino goes up to casey after qualifying at estoril to congratulate him for his front row grid position. casey would win an early race scrap with valentino in the race itself, eventually finishing second behind jorge and swiftly silencing all the people who had declared him mentally weak and done for in his absence. a race that brought back suspense to that year's championship

phillip island 2009, another important moment in the canon where I've limited myself to just the one photo. casey wins just his second race back - and he also hugs vale pretty warmly in parc fermé. jorge was kind enough to crash in the opening lap, meaning valentino can very much be pleased with a second place here

and at sepang, valentino seals the title, while casey wins another race. casey ended up crashing in the warm-up lap of valencia, apparently due to an issue with the tyre warming? just kinda... the general vibe of his 2009, really. valentino closes off the season with another podium at his least favourite track, while dani takes the win

anyway after that they spent three years getting into increasingly. dumb arguments. like. so dumb. by the end of 2012 you feel you're killing your brain cells by even engaging with this stuff. it's beyond undignified. there's zero competitive justification, but they just couldn't shut up about each other. that being said, they're still capable of doing a small talk with each other even during the dark years, so that's something. maybe one day they'll finally be able to get that dinner and talk about all the good times

[dreamymaiyaaaa]

If Toto can let go of Lewis what's stopping him to do the same with George.

Lewis brought so much for the team but the situations got so worse that he had to walk away.

The situations are also not in favour for George. He seems like the second priority even though he's the one leading.

A clean slate won't be a bad thing tbh. But the way they are going about it, feels inhumane in so many different levels.

There's another doubt I have about Max and his supposed exit clause. There seems to be a correlation between Lewis and Max.

Do you remember that Fred was all in behind the activation of the exit clause of Lewis's contract. It was him who pointed out that Lewis can leave if he wants.

If Max does end up activating his exit clause just like Lewis did, I'm sure Toto is also involved in it.

The way things are panning out. All of this seems curated and fair in business level but on personal level, they are doing George really dirty.

First that smear campaign in Qatar, where the media dragged George 7 stages of hell, ridiculing him in every chance now this. Overshadowing his victories and brilliance, forcing him to go through all of these added stress and pressure in his own home GP.

This is so unfair.

But life is not always fair.

It's just sad that I became a fan of this sport and especially George last December because Novak posted a picture with him.

His beautiful face and classic englishman persona drew me in and now I'm so deeply invested in him.

And it pains me to see all these rumours revolving around him and taking his shine away.

Hope he finds the strength, peace, and companionship wherever life takes him.

[mimikoolover]

when jungkook was in qatar in a very fancy hotel swimming in that lovely pool he said he misses the members.

truth be told he has the means to do anything he wants whenever he wants, money is no object so he could in theory do the most fun thing he can think of and do it whenever he wants, however his trips with jimin (and tae) were his favourites and it's because it's not about what you're doing but with who.

for AYS jungkook got to spend time with his favourite person so obviously they were his favourite trips.

it doesn't matter what jikook do together or where they are, as long as they're together they will have the best time*

*minus the military cause that's not an activity they chose to do or even are doing as part of the job that they chose to do

[nyoomfruits]

something about writing oscar loving lando and automatically making it show through acts of service in every possible fic... i actually think my perspective of oscar is defined by that a little bit but i do not complain. thinking again about your osctober space fic. so so fascinating and beloved to me that one person pushes oscar away because of how he shows his love and he goes home to someone who actively asks him for that. beautiful stuff

i firmly believe oscar's love langauge is at least some form of acts of service just based on the way we've seen him be around lando? a true landoscar scholar like @inchidentally would probably be able to put this more eloquently and with more receipts but alas. it is me and my rabid thoughts about acts of service piastri you're getting lmao

but we see it in clips like the one where oscar opens the crisp packet for lando (which is clearly Not Easy but i feel like the second lando asked oscar to open it oscar was like "I will open this crisp packet even if it is the LAST THING I DO" ergo. acts of service) or when he so so so gently corrects the pronounciation of 'chrysantemum' (which lando actively looks at him for!!!!!!!!! thats such a cute bit i feel like we don't talk about enough) even a more recent, shippy example like when lando gifted oscar the sprint win in qatar and after oscar was showing a lot more pda (you couldn't fit a ruler between the two for when they were walking around) which could almost be seen as a thank you? (oscar giving lando something (pda) which he knows lando likes but which is a lot harder for oscar to give because he's not a very touchy person. could be interperted as an act of service too)

anyway. inch probably has better examples of this lmao but acts of service piastri i love you sooooo

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Alex Samuels at Daily Kos:

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who isn’t exactly famous for bold standoffs with President Donald Trump, is about to throw down a political marker. On Tuesday, Schumer announced a blanket hold on all Justice Department political appointments awaiting Senate confirmation until the White House comes clean about Trump’s plan to accept a luxury jet from Qatar. The aircraft, reportedly worth roughly $400 million, would serve as the new Air Force One—until Trump leaves the White House. After that, it would be transferred into the ownership of his future presidential library. Trump’s decision to accept the plane has triggered a rare bipartisan discomfort—but so far, only Democrats are demanding answers. “This is not just naked corruption. It is also a grave national security threat,” Schumer plans to say on the Senate floor on Tuesday, according to prepared remarks received by The New York Times. “Until the American people learn the truth about this deal, I will do my part to block the galling and truly breathtaking politicization at the Department of Justice.”

According to Punchbowl News, this is the first time Schumer has ever placed a full hold on a category of presidential nominees—an extraordinary step meant to spotlight what Democrats are calling an unconstitutional arrangement between Trump and the Qatari government. Republicans, for their part, are largely keeping their heads down. Asked about the deal, several GOP senators claimed they lacked enough information to comment. Convenient!

[...] Schumer’s demands are extensive. He wants the DOJ’s Foreign Agents Registration Act Unit to disclose any activity by Qatari agents in the U.S. that might benefit Trump or his businesses. Schumer is also asking the administration to release details about the jet: Does it come with security upgrades? Who’s paying for them? And what happens to new Air Force One planes already on order from Boeing? Most notably, Schumer wants Attorney General Pam Bondi—who’s developed a habit of prosecuting Trump’s political enemies while ignoring the president’s own blatant ethics violations—to testify before Congress. He’s demanding she explain how accepting a nearly half-billion-dollar plane from a foreign government doesn’t violate the Constitution’s ban on presidential gifts. In other words, Bondi has some explaining to do. Especially given that her office sees protesting Trump donor Elon Musk as a potential felony, but apparently views taking a foreign luxury jet as totally aboveboard.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is acting like a man with spine for once, as he announced a blanket hold on all Justice Department political appointments awaiting Senate confirmation over Donald Trump’s Emoluments Clause-violating acceptance of a $400M bribe from Qatar.

See Also:

The Guardian: Chuck Schumer says he’ll obstruct Trump’s justice department picks over Qatar jet gift

[winxfairyliveshere]

Josko Gvardiol Fluff Alphabet

Hi 🙋🏻‍♀️I hope you love it 🫀💖 English is not my first language sorry for mistakes 👀

A = Admiration (what do they absolutely adore about you?)

He admires literally your everything. The way your hair dances when it's windy, the freckles/moles on your face that increase as the weather gets warmer, and of course your endless support for him in everything, good or bad.

B = Bonding (what's your favorite mutual bonding activity?)

Sitting with you on the Croatian coast facing the sea and chatting is a wonderful thing for him. With the moonlight hitting the sea, you reveal everything inside you and increase the value between you.

C = Cuddles (does he like to cuddle; how does he cuddle?)

You're just like a baby in this regard! Clinging to his wide body like a koala makes you soar and he's aware of it. It's impossible for his hands not to hug you from behind while you're standing up and doing something in the house. Hugging you for a long time after the matches and caressing your hair makes him feel very comfortable. And his favorite: when you're in the shower. Hugging you while the warm water runs down your bodies is the definition of "being one body" to him.

D = Dates (what does their ideal date with you look like?)

He mostly likes places where it's just the two of you, he doesn't like crowds. Home is an indispensable option for him, and he also loves to walk together in the evenings.

E = Emotions (how do they express emotion around you?)

While Josko easily reflects his happiness and joy, he prefers to keep the things that upset him to himself. If he has something on his mind outside of your relationship, he prefers to solve it within himself first.

F = Family (do they want one? If they do, when?)

Yes he wants but he thinks its too early for now.

G = Gifts (how do they feel about gift giving? What are their habits when it comes to this?)

He knows you love flowers, so he often buys you flowers. There are always fresh flowers in your vase. He has memorized all your favorite foods and drinks, and when you go to the market, they are already in the shopping cart without you even telling him. On special occasions, his options are mostly jewelry and high heels.

H = Holding Hands (when/how do they like to hold hands?)

Your hands are always locked. If you're in a more formal setting, he'll prefer to put his hand on your back. Further, walking arm in arm with him and leaning on his arm and shoulder while walking feeds his masculinity.

I = Injury (how would they act if you got hurt?)

Since he is an athlete, he knows how to protect himself very well and he always shares what he knows with you. Therefore, if you injure yourself, he will take care of you at first, but you can be sure that he will scold you later.

J = Jealousy (How jealous is he?)

You can't see him going crazy with jealousy. He has a cool-headed nature in this regard. That's why he finds it more appropriate to show his own existence to the surroundings instead of exaggerated reactions.

K = Kisses (how do they like to kiss you?)

He finds slow and long kisses more pleasurable when it comes making love. But these kisses definitely get rough by the end of the night. And in daily life, he leaves peck on your lips when he comes in and goes away. Also he likes to kiss your neck so he can smell you too.

L = Little ones (How is he around kids?/Does he want any?)

He has a balanced relationship with children. Rather than being overly affectionate, he acts calmer. He wants at least 2 kids.

M = Memory (favorite memory together?)

His favourite memory is seeing you and his family supporting him at the World Cup in Qatar. The moment he ran towards you and hugged you after the whistle blew will always remain unforgettable.

N = Nightmare (what is their worst fear?)

He is afraid of an injury that will end his football career.

O = Obvious (how obvious do they make it that they like you?)

Wherever he goes, he takes you with him. His gentlemanly behavior is visible to everyone. If you are at a party and Josko has two glasses in his hand, everyone knows that one is for you.

P = Pet Names (what do they like to call you?)

Words of love in his own language of course. Ljubavi -my love- and dragi -my dear- are most used ones.

Q = Quality Time (how do they like to spend time with you?)

He likes playing video games with you. You guys had a "Fall Guys" period where Josko would make fun of you after every game. He also loves the moments when you wake up without an alarm in the mornings and just cuddle in bed without talking.

R = Romance (how romantic are they?)

He doesn't organize very big, exaggerated things. It is possible to feel his romanticism in his actions and words during the day.

S = Secrets (how open are they with you?)

He doesn't like to keep things from you, but he never shares anything about contracts before they are finalized. And his friends' privacy too.

T = Time (how long did it take you to get together?)

Your relationship evolved from friendship. But it took Josko a while to admit it to himself because he wanted to devote himself to his work.

U = Unique (what makes them unique?)

Sometimes you can stop being each other's lover and become each other's critics. This strengthens the bond between you and ensures that your faith in each other continues to increase.

V = Vaunt (what are they proud of? do they like to show you off?)

He is proud of your helpfulness. He is aware of your secret donations and wants to announce them to the world and praise you, but you find it more ethical to keep them secret. Also he loves to praise you about your job. It's like he's advertising you to his surroundings.

Y = Yes (how would they propose to you?)

In a fancy restaurant, he would first tell you his feelings for you with a smile on his face and most likely make you cry. He would hold your hands tightly and not forget to kiss your hand after putting the ring on your finger. He would pick you up and spin you around, and after wiping your tears with his hand, he would say to you, "I swear to you that I will try my best to make you happy throughout my life. Thank you for saying yes."

Z = Zzz (how do they act when they're sleepy? what's it like sharing a bed with them?)

It doesn't take him long to shake off his sleepiness because he's been used to waking up early and going to training for years. When it comes to sleeping together, some nights it can be a struggle to pull the covers from under his huge bulk. And do you remember the other night? He suddenly threw his arm over you in his sleep and bumped you in the nose. Little accidents like this can happen in your relationship.

[genderkoolaid]

out of spite at the people who think transhet men have straight male privilege, i was planning to look into violence against straight transmasculine people specifically. i was going to look through the aovatp and see what i can find about the victims' sexualities, but i wanted to first ask if you had any information on their seuxalities already from your research. no worries if not, i just figured i'd check.

100% support that. I think straight trans men especially see a lot of erasure from other queer people, who are quick to portray them as cis lesbian victims of lesbophobia.

Here are the victims on the Archive who I know would be relevant:

Khleo Finnie (USA) - Assaulted and slashed along with his wife while being called slurs

Maria Paola Gaglione (Italy) - A cis woman who was murdered by her brother to "teach her a lesson" after getting engaged to a trans man

Unnamed trans man (Qatar) - A member of the Qatar royal family fled and went into hiding with his girlfriend after his freedom was restricted by his family.

Phillip (Malawi) - Assaulted by police officers along with another trans man for "doing lesbian activities"

John (USA) - Murdered by the ex-husband of his girlfriend in the late 1986. "During the murder trial in 1990, the defense proposed the argument that it was not a “real murder,” as John was just an “it”." (Hung Jury chp. 9)

Nicole Saavedra Bahamondes (Chile) - A camiona (butch lesbian) who was murdered, and had been previously harassed by cis men who sought to "correct her" and "make her a woman." She lived in Valparaíso, a region known for its lesbophobic violence.

^ Unnamed camiona (Chile) - Whipped with chains while being called lesbophobic slurs. Also from Valparaíso.

^ Carolina Torres (Chile) - Brutally beaten and permanently disabled by cis men who specifically targeted her, and not her femme girlfriend, for being a camiona; during the attempted murder, they asked her "Why do you dress like a man?"

Kavi/Kaveri (India) - Murdered and had his body burned by two cisgender men because he was against one of them dating his friend.

Jorge (Ecuador) - Forced into conversion therapy where he was physically abused and made to wear sexy feminine clothing (his girlfriend was also subject to similar treatment).

Manoj (India) - 17-year-old who was tied up, beaten, locked in, and threatened with murder by his family after coming out as a straight trans man. He was also taken out of school and forced into marriage with a much older man.

However there definitely are other people on that list who might be of interest to you.

[charlie-lec-stories]

Masterlist

Charles Leclerc

✘PR’s biggest mess // CL16

«Charles Leclerc/Russell!sister»

❝Lea Russell was the first F1 female driver, making history for the women’s movement in the racing world. But when things got more and more complicated, her life became a constant PR mess.❞

✘Natural // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character»

❝Charles finds himself becoming an incredibly committed babysitter, or is it more a parental instinct?❞

✘Patience and 1/2 of Double Trouble // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character»

❝Charles knew that having his little brother, Arthur, in F1 with him was going to be chaotic, what he didn't expect was to have to deal with Arthur's best friend too.❞

✘Ride // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character»

❝She's battling the fight of her life, he crashed into her life in the middle of the chaos and now won't leave.❞

✘80's Fever (Part I) // CL16

«Charles Leclerc/Vestappen!Twin»

❝What started as a PR activity to promote an 80's series ended up being Charles' excellent opportunity to make his rival fall for him.❞

Part II

❝After the best night of his life, Charles feels that there's an awkwardness that shouldn't be there. What can he do to fix that?❞

✘Clumsy // CL16

«Charles Leclerc/Sainz!sister»

❝Charles' clumsiness is a curse and blessing.❞

✘Fangio 2.0 // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character»

❝Charles finds himself worried about the crazy frenzy around his girlfriend who just got a seat in F1, but this feeling that was constantly minimized by her is going to become more than justified when a threat is made.❞

✘Hand written letters // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character»

❝Y/N, a pretty cold and moody woman, has the hardest shell to break through, but Charles will take his time if he has to.❞

✘A lovely mess // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character»

❝Four times Charles overreacted to becoming a father and one he actually failed to react. Or Charles being a mess through the best and most scary adventure of his life.❞

✘Invisible string // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Vettel!Sister»

❝While on a difficult time in his life, Sebastian discovers that his family is way bigger than he thought.❞

✘Everything happens for a reason // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Stroll!Sister»

❝After a whole life of following her father's orders, Y/N's tired of being the good girl and when she finally stood up for herself with the help of her best friend, all hell broke loose.❞

✘Dirty Little Secret - Halloween Special Series // CL16

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character»

❝Charles' wife went to The Other Side and came back, but her past did too.❞

Part 1: Qatar // Part 2: Guilt // Part 3: Maud // Part 4: Forgiveness // Part 5.1: Clemency // Part 5.2: The whole truth

Feat. Max Verstappen

✘The Socca Fiasco // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝Charles feels like he doesn't do enough compared to his partners so he decides to make a traditional Monaco dish for them. What could go wrong?❞

✘Some Odd Numbers are Even // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝Max knows that he's always been in love with his best friend, even if she was driving for the enemy, and he could live with that, but her dating the rival he has a crush on it's where he draws the line❞

✘One too many // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝When you have one too many it's great to have two boyfriends❞

✘McLaren Detectives Department // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝One day Max is totally furious with Y/N and Charles' relationship and the next he's completely fine with it, Lando is not buying it❞

✘Better // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝You can cure the enmity between Max and Charles, but never their competitive drive❞

✘Good enough // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝Max is not always the confident man he looks like❞

✘Drama King // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝Already used to Max's shenanigans, Y/N finds out that Charles with the flu can be quite a challenge❞

✘Out the comfort zone // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝Sensitive matters should always be addressed with kindness, tactfulness and pinch of fun❞

✘Nightmares // CL16 & MV1

«Charles Leclerc / Original Female Character / Max Verstappen»

❝Everyone deals with their own battle, but they are always easier faced together❞

[lsunstreakerl]

This is on the Max as a Rookie aswell as new rookies thing

What do you think about how actively Max involves himself with the new rookies?

Like last season when Bearman replaced Sainz for a race (I forgot which race it was exactly), but Max did go up to him in the Media Pen and engage him in an (addmitedly short) conversation. After Quali i think it was, or after one of the FP's

He did also talk with Liam and gave him advice when he replaced Daniel in 2023. Liam talked about that in a podcast.

And we also see him get along well with Oscar. I may be remembering moments from 2024 as ones from 2023 but he was always friendly with him no?

And now we have Gabriel Bortoletto joining the grid, who he streams a with. And seems to enjoy spending time with. I mean he already gave him the nickname "Bubbles", and Idk how that came about but that is an adorable nickname.

The only Rookie that wasn't welcomed easily on the Grid was Logan but he seemed to go under the "Rookie-Radar" for everyone.

Do you think he's trying to make new rookies feel more welcome on the Grid than he himself did? He doesn't give them special treatment but he does treat them as worthy competitors (Oscar in Qatar comes to mind) and not active nuisances

I think there's something to be said about the way Max behaves as an adult in comparison to how he was treated.

He's very determined to separate what happens on track and what happens off track, most likely as a response to on-track incidents being entrenched in his day-to-day life probably. IRL Max actually seems to be pretty good about separating his life and his career, honestly.

He's dedicated to giving more kids more opportunities to kart, and to expand sim racing and make it more accessible. If I had to guess, Max probably witnessed a lot of other karters who were very talented when he was kid, and the only reason they didn't make it was because it was so expensive.

He supports the rookies, and generally (at least, post-championship max) doesn't speak ill of others to the press, as far as talking about others drivers character. This is definitely not a consideration that others gave to him, because Max has been framed and violent and aggressive since literally day one.

I think Max knows how much an experienced driver supporting a rookie can help, and how a quick casual conversation to him can be extremely motivating for them. (see: daniel congratulating max on his superlicense video) he would rather go the route of positive reinforcement than negative, because that's the kind of culture he wants to see in F1, compared to what the sport has previously fostered.