#and someone (who is of the same race but not the same nationality) was asking if this changed

[bucketbueckers]

TEAM BUECKERS

pairing: paige bueckers x fem!reader

content: language, kinda silly, kinda rushed

wc: 5.9k

synopsis: For you and Paige, the line between “friends” and “something more” wasn’t always this blurry. You weren’t quite sure how you got here, and if you were being completely honest, you didn’t know if you were brave enough to ever cross that line fully. It’s not until Paige ropes you into a Valentine’s Day couples contest you realize, with the two of you, that line never really existed at all.

notes: happy (late) valentines day 😋 yes i'm posting this after midnight on february 15 and yes i tried my best to get this out on the 14th when it was, you know, actually valentines day, but i fumbled majorly and im like 50% sorry. not proofread bc im sleepy. i lowkey don't know how to feel about this but i think the end makes up for it but i had an idea for this and it honestly derailed. i still don't know how taglists work (if you've asked and you're not on here, i'm sorry i will just throw up and die if i tag someone who doesn't actually want to be tagged in all of my works i hope u understand, pls be super specific my brain doesn't function like it used to) uhhh so yeah lmk what we think & happy vday 🫶

tags: @jnkbueckers

You and Paige weren’t always like this. There used to be a clear boundary in your friendship, a strictly platonic one where her embrace didn’t make your heart race and where her mischievous smile didn’t fill you with an exasperation that bordered on endearment. You didn’t always wear her jersey at games, didn’t always keep her favorite ice cream stocked in your apartment for nights she came over to binge watch the same show the both of you have probably seen a combined thousand times, didn’t always confuse where you begin or where she ends. There used to be a time where the two of you weren’t so inexplicably intertwined in the fabric of each other’s lives. 

If anyone asked, you wouldn’t be able to identify when everything shifted – when your feelings transformed into what they are now. It just happened. The realization was as easy as waking up next to her on the couch, your legs tangled under a blanket far too small for the both of you, her arm tight around your waist to prevent you from falling off of the cushions entirely. It was as easy as the spare toothbrush you keep in your bathroom because she sleeps over so often, as easy as the drawer you have in her room because sometimes her dorm is just closer than your apartment.

So maybe it was kind of inevitable that ‘you and Paige’ turned into a ‘You & Paige.’ The two of you have a simple understanding. You keep her grounded, she encourages you to dream a little bigger. You talk, she listens. You round each other out in so many ways that you’re not the least bit surprised by how many people think that you and Paige are dating. If anything, they’re more surprised when you correct them, saying, “She’s just my best friend.”

You’re content to take your feelings for her to the grave. Maybe you would get over her eventually. She’s Paige Bueckers. She has a national championship and the upcoming draft to focus on and you have your senior thesis due at the end of the semester. The both of you have a lot on your plates – you care for her too much to complicate things for her, even if that means putting your own feelings on the back-burner.

You’re sitting on your couch, twelve pages into your paper, sifting through the twenty-eight (yes, twenty-eight) tabs you have open for your research when you hear your door knob jiggle. You don’t think too much of it, trying to stay focused on the task in front of you before you give up and start scrolling through social media again. However, your discipline doesn’t last for too long because the familiar rhythm of footsteps could only belong to one person. You look up to find Paige making her way into your living room like she owns the place (which she may as well, considering how often she’s around), depositing her duffle bag on the armchair. You greet her, returning to your work, but you feel the couch dip under her weight as she takes a seat next to you.

And then she sighs. Loudly. Dramatically, like she’s begging for your attention. Like you’re not busy. You glance at her from the corner of your eye, finding her staring straight at you, but she says nothing. A few beats pass. You add a new sentence to your paper, pausing to go back and find the reference page. She sighs again, more purpose and intent behind it this time, and your lips quirk slightly. Still, she says nothing, and the silence stretches on for so long that you’re sure she’s given up on trying to annoy you.

You write one more sentence before she leans over, sprawling out across your body, chin pressing into your keyboard. Your eye twitches as a long string of ‘M’s takes over your Word document. Paige sighs again, sounding forlorn, like a kicked puppy, and you know you’re not going to get anything done unless you entertain her.

“Okay,” you say, pulling your computer out from under her head, making sure to save your paper before you close the lid. “What’s wrong?”

Her face brightens almost immediately. “I am so glad you asked,” she states. “So, I’m walkin’ through campus today, right?”

“As one does.”

She hums. “And there’s a shit ton of tabling outside the student union. Frats, clubs, some vegan guy giving out pamphlets –”

“Paige,” you interrupt, raising a brow. “The point?”

“Oh.” She nods, collecting her thoughts. “So there was this club – forgot who they were, lowkey, there was a lot of letters – but on Friday, they’re hostin’ a Valentine’s Day contest and the first place prize is insane. I’m talking gift cards, cookie decorating kits, I think there was even a coupon in there for a fucking spa trip, or some shit, but you get the point, yeah? I wanted to sign us up for it.”

You had to admit – you were a little intrigued by it. Between your class work and Paige and her teammates giving you an aneurysm every week, you were in dire need of a spa trip and a little bit of relaxation. But more than anything else in the world, you knew Paige. You recognized that gleam in her expression – it was a feigned nonchalance, like she was being slick and trying to hide it. “What’s the catch?” you ask bluntly.

She laughs, the sound more surprised than amused, and her head shifts in your lap to gaze up at you. You try to ignore the way it sets off a swarm of butterflies in your belly. “What makes you think there’s a catch?” she asks.

“You’re Paige Bueckers,” you state. “There’s always a catch. Like I knew there was a catch when you asked me if I would hide fourteen blonde wigs in my apartment.”

“They were for CD!” she argues. You narrow your eyes at her and she huffs a little, amused, her lips quirking into a radiant smile. “A’ight. I guess you got a point.” You hum, because of course you do. Her expression turns serious as she sighs, for real this time. “It’s a couple’s contest,” she admits. “But hear me out, okay?”

“I don’t think I have much of a choice,” you grumble, but your mind is racing.

“There’s a couple rounds,” she explains. “Like, the first round is trivia. How well do you know your partner, type shit. They score you, then they eliminate the people who don’t know shit about their partners. Second round is teamwork. They’ll give you a couple of puzzles and the most points will go to the teams who work well together and solve the puzzle quickly. More eliminations, then the partners are separated and they’re asked questions about each other – about what, I’on know. That should be the final round of eliminations and then the remaining couples are ranked based on points and prizes are given. Light work.”

“Light work?” you echo, a little self-deprecating. “Paige, we aren’t a couple.”

“Well, not exactly,” she concedes. “But we know each other pretty well. And can you really say no to the spa coupon?”

You bite your lip, sighing as you truly contemplate it. She’s got you there. The prize itself is worth the heartache that will come with pretending like you and Paige are actually dating. “You sure we can handle it?” you ask.

She pats your side, almost ignorant of the way it sends electricity coursing down your spine. “Duh,” she says like it’s obvious, her lips growing into a confident, assured smile. “We’re a dream team, baby. We got this.”

You could only hope so.

You nervously adjust your dress as you and Paige stand outside of the large room that the Valentine’s Day contest was taking place in. You spent the entire week leading up to Valentine’s Day an anxious wreck – part of you was worried that you would slip up and say something that you would come to regret, maybe say something a little too real. You had to keep reminding yourself that you and Paige were playing a part and once that gift basket was in your hands, then things could go back to normal. 

The two of you dedicated the better part of the week to perfecting your cover story. How you met, where you met, how long you’ve been together, all of the cheesy romance milestone moments that you were certain you’d be asked about. You mutually decided to not get too creative as maintaining the lie would become even more difficult, but you were confident in your ability to sell a story.

“You ready?” Paige asks you, drawing you from your racing thoughts as she squeezes your hand gently. You didn’t even realize her hand had slipped into yours. Now that you’re aware of it, it’s all you can think of. Her hand is strong, enveloping yours completely, and it brings you a calming peace you weren’t even aware that you’d been seeking out. Feeling yourself relax, you meet her eyes and nod, trying not to smile too hard when she beams at you.

As she leads the two of you inside the auditorium, you do your best to not stare too much at her. She’s dressed simply yet elegantly; donning a fitting suit that’s a light pink in color in honor of the occasion, the fluorescent lights overhead reflecting off of her stunning chains and the rings adorning her fingers. Her hair is tied back in her formal slick-back, the diamonds in her ears sparkling, and you really have to drag your eyes off of her. You’d already spent so much of the drive over staring at her and you’re sure she’d caught you a few times but was too nice to say anything to you.

The event had a decent turn out. You count fourteen couples at most, fifteen including you and Paige, although you couldn’t really tell if that was good or bad. Beating fourteen other real, actual, dedicated, in-love couples was totally manageable. So what if you and Paige weren’t actually together, but you were the most convincing pair of best friends the world had ever seen? She said you could do it, and damn it if you weren’t going to get that spa treatment.

The auditorium, however, was decorated to the nines. Lights and streamers were strewn about, various complementing shades of pinks and lilacs matching the Valentine’s Day themes. The tables were covered in pink tablecloths with gorgeous centerpieces. Honestly, you had to give props where they were due – this club has gone all out for this Valentine’s Day event, although you’re sure they probably splurged their semesterly budget on all of the amenities.

Before you or Paige have the chance to say anything to each other, you’re approached by a young woman wearing a pink polo shirt with the club's name and logo emblazoned on the chest. UConn, UMatter. You glance quickly at Paige, trying not to let the amusement show on your face as you remember her words – ‘There was a lot of letters.’ She was so full of shit. “Hi guys!” the young woman greets enthusiastically. “Thanks so much for signing up. What’s the last name?”

“Bueckers.”

The girl nods, scanning her clipboard before finding Paige’s name. “Okay, perfect. Let me show you guys to your table.” She leads you diligently through the room, craning her head over her shoulder to explain. “Madelyn’s gonna be around soon to walk you guys through the trivia section once we start, alright? She’ll let you guys know everything you need.”

You and Paige thank the club member and she offers you two one last smile as the two of you sit down next to each other. Paige’s hand finds your knee, almost subconsciously, and you try to find your dignity. It’s then that you notice the placecard in front of you – elegant script reading TEAM BUECKERS. With a quiet laugh, you nudge Paige’s elbow, drawing her attention to the paper. “‘Team Bueckers,’ huh?” you ask her teasingly. “You forget about me?”

“Never,” she swears. “I think they assign the names based on who registered. Trust me, I had a name lined up and everything. We were gonna be PB & Slay.”

You snort. “I’m Slay?”

“No,” she deadpans. “You’re PB. Keep up, please.”

“Of course,” you say obviously, like it’s definitely your fault. “I’ll do better next time.” She squeezes your knee under the table, smiling wryly at you.

Once everyone filters in, the girl who’d greeted you at the door makes her way to the front of the room, adjusting the microphone. She introduces herself as the president of the UConn, UMatter club, explaining some of their objectives and goals for the spring semester – you tune out a lot of it, which you’ll probably feel bad for later, but you weren’t here for the club recruitment. You were here for the pedicure that was calling your name this weekend. She makes it through the rest of her opening remarks, officially announcing the beginning of the first challenge: trivia. Several club members make their way to designated tables and a short, brunette girl takes a seat in front of you and Paige.

“Hey, guys,” she says, grinning widely and handing the both of you dry erase boards and a marker each. “I’m Madelyn. I’m gonna walk the two of you through today’s challenges. We’ll go back and forth – you answer one, then the other, so on and so forth. If your answers are the same, then you’ll get a point. Ready?” You and Paige hum affirmatively. “Alright. Question for Paige – when is your partner’s birthday?”

Paige huffs, her lips quirking into a smile as she uncaps her marker. “Light work,” she murmurs as she writes her answer down. “It’s a national holiday.” You roll your eyes as Madelyn laughs. Paige flips the dry erase board around, showcasing it to you and Madelyn, and you nod as Madelyn awards you both one point.

“Same question for you,” Madelyn says to you. “When is Paige’s birthday?”

You uncap your marker and write down your answer. October 20, 2001. “The world hasn’t known peace since,” you murmur under your breath, drawing laughter from Paige. You flip your board around and Paige nods smugly.

“Two for two,” Madelyn states. “Next question for Paige. What trait of yours is your partner’s favorite?”

You and Paige exchange a glance, her brow raising teasingly. She writes down her answer and you do the same, eventually flipping your boards over for the reveal. The two of you hadn’t exactly prepared well to answer this one, so you were hoping that you and Paige were on the same wavelength. You lean forward, glancing at her whiteboard, and smiling with relief when you see her answer: she likes my energy. Paige’s smile is smug, but there’s an underlying softness in her eyes. “Don’t laugh at me,” you huff, trying to explain. “You just — you have this way about you, like you’re kind, warm, you make people smile, and you always support them. You’re just genuinely good and, I don’t know, I really like that about you.”

Paige’s smile isn’t any less confident, although she seems a little bashful now, her cheeks tinging pink. “Three for three.” she says.

Madelyn tries to stifle her grin, but it’s clearly not working. “Next question is for you. When Paige is having a rough time, how do you help her relax?”

“With great difficulty,” you gripe, making Paige and Madelyn snort as you write your actual answer. By forcing her to chill the fuck out. You and Paige flip your boards, hers reading a much politer She makes me do nothing all day. Madelyn nods, awarding you the point, but you hardly pay her any mind as you meet Paige’s eyes. “You do too much,” you say, which makes her groan. “You overwork yourself and you microdose a burnout and I have to make you sit down and remember that you’re human.”

“You’re worse than me!” she points out.

You sniff. “This is about you,” you declare, “not me.” Paige rolls her eyes fondly, but she can’t help her laughter. 

“Next question,” Madelyn says, grinning. “Paige, what did you guys do on your first date?”

This was a question that the two of you had prepared for. You both decided that a little bit of the truth went a long way and the truth was that you and Paige had no shortage of quasi-dates that you could easily draw from. You tried not to think too hard about that as the two of you write down your answers. You turn your boards, revealing similar responses of ‘we went to her dorm and made dinner together after one of her games.’

You glance at Paige and she sighs. “Don’t start,” she pleads. 

“I’m actually a little invested now,” Madelyn chirps, which makes you grin and makes Paige bury her head in her hands. 

“All I’ll say is that Paige shouldn’t be in the kitchen without supervision but I really admire her, um, willingness to get creative,” you say kindly. Your best friend pinches your thigh under the table and you jerk back, laughing. Not wanting to embarrass her in front of a stranger, you leave it at that, although you smile at Paige like you’re the only two at the table. “I had a good time, though. She made it memorable.” She smiles back at you, something tender that has your heart constricting. 

The both of you knew the truth, though. Paige was not a good cook. She doesn’t make terrible food — dinner was delicious, but Paige is chaotic and an actual hazard. Watching her chop an onion hurt something deep inside you although she’d seemed so proud of herself. You didn’t have the heart to make fun of her. 

“Five for five,” Madelyn says, drawing your attention back to her. “Next question for you. Who confessed to who?”

You and Paige lock eyes again, a silent conversation passing between the two of you, and you write down her name. You turn your boards, Paige’s name written on the both of them and you smile to yourself. “She was pretty oblivious,” Paige says, referring to you, and your smile falls as your jaw hits the ground. “I dropped so many hints and she just didn’t pick up on them. I eventually got tired—”

“Desperate,” you cut in. 

“Tired,” she emphasizes, smirking at you, “so I planned out this huge romantic thing and at the end, she still didn’t understand so I told her straight up.”

You roll your eyes. “Maybe you’re just not as slick as you think,” you tell her. 

“Nah,” Paige says. “I’m super romantical.”

“Sure,” you concede. 

Madelyn stifles her smile. “Alright. Two more questions for both of you. Paige, what is your partner’s pet peeve?”

“If you get this wrong,” you grumble, hearing Paige snicker as the two of you write down your answers. After you flip your boards, she grins proudly when your answers line up. 

“She hates not being taken seriously,” Paige recites. “She’s an English major. People always think it’s just easy or unimportant shit, like reading and writing papers, but she actually does a lot of interesting analysis and stuff that I never even considered. I’ll admit I was a little ignorant but she set me straight.”

“Wait, I didn’t know you thought that,” you say, honestly confused. 

She shrugs, a little bashful. “I talk a lot but I listen. Sometimes when you leave the room, I’ll read your paper just so I can ask better questions. You get all… glowy. And… I’on know. I like seeing you happy.”

You blink once at her, genuinely touched, and if you weren’t head over heels for Paige before then you definitely are now. She squeezes your knee again, her smile crooked yet tender. Damn it. You are hopeless. 

“That’s so sweet.” You’re a little shocked by Madelyn’s voice, but you clear your throat, refocusing. “Next one for you. What’s Paige’s least favorite season?”

“That’s easy,” you say, writing your answer down. Paige does the same. When you flip your boards, you glance at Paige’s, smiling wryly. “Paige hates spring. She has really bad allergies and all of the pollen is honestly a death sentence, so she’ll get all congested and sneezy and will spend a good two weeks bitching about it and how it makes her Jeep dirty.”

You glance at Paige, waiting for her to say something, but she just shrugs with a smug expression. “Last question for Paige,” Madelyn says. “What is something your partner does to show her love for you?”

Neither of you say anything, but Paige stares at you thoughtfully, another silent conversation passing between you. You don’t need to think about your answer as you write it down. On cue, you both flip your boards, Paige’s reading simply, She takes care of me. You can’t help the way your heart swells, a fond smile overtaking your face. “Before you, I wasn’t really the… you know, the receiver, I guess. Always in control, always expected to lead. You make me feel like I can just be me, which is really hard sometimes.” Paige laughs off the vulnerability, but you see right through it – the painful honesty.

“We’re equals,” you remind her, nudging her leg with your knee. “We take care of each other.”

“Yeah,” she agrees, her voice soft as she gazes at you. “I’m glad that we do.”

You spot Madelyn out of the corner of your eye, which sobers you up quickly. She smiles. “You guys are so cute,” she gushes. “Final question for you and we’re done with this round. What is Paige’s love language?”

You feel Paige’s stare on you as you write, but you don’t glance back at her. You can hear the scribble of her marker, her capping it. When you’re finished, you finally look at her, taking in the soft expression on her face, and despite yourself, a smile grows on your face too. Together, you turn your boards, your answers being the exact same once more — quality time and physical touch. “Ten for ten, baby,” you croon, raising your hand for her to smack her palm against.

“Great job!” Madelyn says. “Let me just go submit these scores and I’ll be back to walk you guys through the puzzle round after eliminations. Sit tight.” She offers the two of you a quick grin before she’s walking off.

“Ten for ten,” Paige repeats, nudging you a little. “We’re like that?”

“I guess we’re actually kinda good at this friends thing,” you retort, although part of you wishes you were anything but.

Paige’s subsequent grin is far too knowing, like she has a trick up her sleeve. “Maybe a little.”

You laugh a little under your breath, adjusting your dress and leaning back in your chair to get comfortable. Before you know it, the scores are officially in. You and Paige had a perfect one, so you weren’t all too worried about getting eliminated in the first round, but five unlucky couples ended up leaving. The two of you watched from afar, trying not to stare too hard at the retreating couples, although they made it hard. One girl walked out crying, gesturing wildly as her partner trailed behind her, a desperate expression on her face. Another one was pure anger, slamming the door behind her. You didn’t think that this club contest would get people so riled up, but you considered that it was probably the realization that your partner truly didn’t know anything about you. You just lucked out with Paige – she understood you.

Madelyn returns quickly and cuts straight to the point. She instructs you and Paige to stand up, handing the both of you a towel, and adjusts your arms until you’re holding the towels perpendicular to each other, almost intertwined. “The goal here is to separate from each other, but it can be tricky because the towels will tangle you up. We’re looking to see how fast you can solve this puzzle and how well the two of you work together. Are you guys ready?” You and Paige nod and Madelyn grins again. “Alright. You can start.”

Instantly, the room around you two is sheer pandemonium. The couples around you are moving quickly, trying to untangle themselves, but it’s clear that the panic is settling in. You and Paige exchange a glance, laughing to each other softly. “Game plan?” she asks you.

“We need to get these like…not perpendicular,” you offer helpfully, and Paige nods, adjusting her arms. The angle change makes your towels bunch up and twist at their centers.

“Spin around,” she instructs. You do as so, the towels untwisting around the middle. You pause to analyze your situation, trying to plan out the moves in your head as Paige does the same.

“Okay, bring your towel over my head and let me step through it.” After that move, the both of you glance down, taking in your situation.

Paige hums. “The rest is easy,” she says. You nod in agreement, a silent understanding passing between the two of you and you move in tandem, twisting and shifting and stepping up until you’re both finally separating from each other in record time, having completed the puzzle. “We’re like that?” she asks you again, her expression smug and satisfied in a way that’s only comparable to when she’s on the court and her lips are curling after sinking a contested three point shot.

“Dream team,” you remind her, letting the victory wash over you, clapping your hand against hers, although she doesn’t immediately release you, squeezing your hand with a proud smile.

“I don’t think I’ve actually seen anyone solve it that quickly,” Madelyn admits. “Or that calmly.” As soon as she says it, a commotion from the other side of the room draws your attention. There’s one couple that are twisted so unnaturally that it looks like they’re playing Twister, but it seems that the girl gets tired of the shenanigans because she drops her towel and storms out with a frustrated yell. “Case in point.”

You laugh and Madelyn walks away again to tally the points and make their final eliminations. Once everything is set, five couples remain out of the initial fifteen. After the last challenge, two couples will be eliminated once more and the remaining three will be given prizes in order of points. You and Paige were determined to finish strong – if the first two challenges were any indicator, you two had this in the bag. True to Paige’s word, the couples were being split up for the last challenge, and she offers you a competitive smile as Madelyn whisks her away.

You pass the time on your phone although Paige isn’t gone for long. However, what does shock you is the sudden bashfulness that’s clear as day on her features, like the last challenge had made her confess something important or she had to be vulnerable. You can’t help the sudden worry that seizes your body, but Paige rests a hand on your hip, squeezing you once with a confident smile. It couldn’t be that bad.

Madelyn leads you into an adjacent room where the president of the club is sitting at a table waiting for you. She smiles when you enter, motioning to the seat across from her, and it feels strangely like entering the principal’s office in elementary school, like you’re in trouble for something. The club president doesn’t spare any time for pleasantries and instead cuts right to the chase, something that you’re grateful for.

“I’m not gonna take up anymore of your time, but after seeing you and your partner perform so well in this contest, I only have two questions for you,” she explains. “This is our second year running this contest and no one has scored as high as you two have, which is kind of insane because the third round scores haven’t been added yet.” You smile politely, honestly unsure of what to say, but the club president continues. “How long have the two of you been together?”

“Going on three months,” you respond, thinking back to the timeline you and Paige had agreed on, hoping your voice doesn’t shake. You are a little surprised by how real your next words feel. “We were best friends for a really long time before then – we still are. Paige is just…that kind of person that makes you feel like you’ve spent forever with her, you know?”

The club president hums, agreeing. She pauses before glancing up at you, studying your features. “What’s something that you haven’t told your girlfriend, but you would want her to know?”

You hardly need the time to think about your answer, responding, “That I love her.” The club president’s expression softens, a smile growing on her face. “We haven’t, um, gotten there yet, but I mean it. I wanna make it perfect for her. She’s given so much to me in the short time we’ve been together and in the time we were friends. And she just…she means everything to me.”

She smiles. “I think you guys are perfect for each other.”

Despite yourself, you smile, a blush spreading across your cheeks. “I think so, too.”

After your solo questioning wraps up, you meet Paige at your table and you offer her a bashful grin, similar to the one she’d offered you when she returned. You don’t have the chance to say anything else to her as the final round of eliminations are being announced. You and Paige are spared, which doesn’t surprise you, and the two eliminated couples take their loss with dignity as they exit. Paige links her hand with yours – final three. In third place, Team Parker. In second…Team Hayes, which means that first place can only be –

“Team Bueckers.”

You and Paige relax immediately, high fiving each other in celebration. What you’re not fully expecting is the tight hug that Paige pulls you into, whispering a fond good job into your ear, although you can’t help the way you soften, sinking into her embrace. She leads you to the center of the room to collect your goodie basket. The various club members send you off with their congratulations, too, and you pretend to not notice the slick wink that Madelyn shoots you as you and Paige walk out.

The night air is cool, making you shiver slightly, and Paige doesn’t hesitate before she’s sliding off her blazer and settling it over your shoulders. You smile gently at her. “You won’t be cold?” you murmur.

“Nah,” she promises, nudging you. “I can handle it. You, though? I’on know.”

“That’s no way to treat someone who just won you these spa coupons,” you say, reaching into the gift basket to wave said coupons in the air. “C’mon, I clutched up, you can’t lie. And to think you wouldn’t have even had a partner for this if you didn’t rope me into it. I think we played our parts pretty well.”

Paige laughs gently, a tinkling sound that carries over the drag of the wind. “You still don’t get it, do you?” she asks, but there’s no true offense behind her words.

You stare at her in confusion. “Get what?” you respond.

“Do you remember that question Madelyn asked you earlier?” Paige says, her steps slowing, tilting her head down to look at you. The street lights reflect off of her face so beautifully, the blue of her eyes illuminated by the soft light. You can’t help the way your heart constricts at the sight. “‘Who confessed to who?’” You hum, urging her to go on. “You remember what I said? That you were oblivious and I dropped a lot of hints you didn’t pick up on?”

The gears in your brain spin for a few revolutions before everything clicks into place. “Oh my God,” you breathe out. “Are you–”

“Confessing?” she says, her lips quirking into a smile. “Yeah.”

“You dropped hints before?”

“So many,” she confirms.

“Oh my God,” you say again. You stop in your tracks, prompting her to do the same. The expression on her face is endlessly amused. “You planned a huge romantic thing – this?”

She shrugs. “The contest was the club’s shit, but yeah. I planned on asking you to come with me to this. I didn’t actually care about the prize, but the coupons are pretty sweet, right?”

You shake your head, ignoring her rambling. “You planned a huge romantic thing, but I still didn’t get it at the end, so you told me straight up,” you finish, partly in disbelief. “You think you’re so fucking slick, don’t you?” you accuse, which just makes her break out into laughter. “You literally sat next to me and told me exactly how you were going to ask me out and I didn’t know? And not only did you do that, but you were right about it?”

“I know you,” Paige says a little smugly. “And I told you that I could be romantical.”

“You are such a pain in my ass,” you whisper, but her arm is slinking around your waist, pulling you into her body as she grins insufferably, and you let yourself be pulled, your hands resting on her chest. “You are literally so annoying.”

Her nose brushes yours as she inches a little closer. “You know what they asked me in the final round?” she says, her voice loud enough for only you to hear. You nod. “They said, ‘What’s something you haven’t told your partner, but you’d like to?’”

“Funny,” you say. “They asked me the same thing.”

She smiles at you. “I told them I’d tell you that I love you,” she confesses.

Your cheeks burn as you register her words. “Funny,” you say again. “I told them the same thing.”

Her expression shifts, something like relief flashing in her eyes, something tender in her gaze. “Did you?”

“Well, I told them that’s what I would tell my girlfriend,” you trail off intentionally. “Seeing as I don’t currently have one of those…”

“Don’t play,” Paige murmurs, squeezing your hip gently, drawing a laugh from you. “Be mine?”

“You gonna share those coupons?”

Her eyes are bright when she responds. “I’on even care about them. Just want you.”

“You’ve got me.”

That promise is all she needs. She smiles at you, happiness in her features, and she doesn’t waste any time before she’s leaning in fully, her lips finding yours. You’re eagerly responding, melting into her as her arm tightens around your waist. You loop yours around her neck, standing on the tips of the toes for better leverage. Before you know it, her grin grows too wide and the two of you are laughing against each other’s lips, the sound of your love and giddiness the perfect way to end a perfect night. If you had Paige Bueckers and her annoyingly charming antics to look forward to, then one thing is for certain – you couldn’t wait to see what she had in store for Valentine’s Day next year.

[mx-paint]

Idk man maybe if you're only defense as to why something isn't racist is "some people that aren't part of the minority group that it's being racist towards are racist towards me so it means it's okay" maybe. you aren't the correct person to answer the question that is being asked

[rainydayathogwarts]

The team discovers you're dating - Aaron Hotchner

d/n: daughter's name.. Summary: The team discovers you're dating because of Jack's freudian slip. (singlemom!bau!reader) 0.7k wc

Small trudging footsteps paired with loud squeals caught the attention of the agents in the bullpen, an apologetic SSA following after his son. Derek and Penelope raced to the young boy, Derek scooping him up the second he was close enough, beating his work wife by seconds. "I'm sorry guys, national holiday and our sitter cancelled." The team dismissed him, understanding of his protectiveness over his son. After seeing so many cases, there was no way he'd let a random person look after his son. "I'll take him down to the daycare in a second, but Jack here just wanted to say hello to someone first."

Derek exaggeratedly frowned, looking down at the blonde boy "Is uncle Derek not the person you were looking for Jacky boy?" Jack shook his head, loud giggles filling the bullpen, just as the glass door opened one more. "Sorry guys," You started, trying to flip strands of hair out of your face while balancing your coffee and keeping your bag on your shoulder. "I had to drop d/n at daycare, sitter cancelled." You gasped loudly when you spotted the small figure in Derek's arms, placing all your things on the closest desk as you opened your arms wide. Jack wiggled his legs in Derek's arms so he could be put down on the floor, a wide smile gracing his features. You crouched down on the floor, grinning at the boy, who yelled loudly "Mommy!" as he ran into your arms.

An eerie silence filled the bullpen as all conversation died down. You wrapped your arms around the boy, his words sinking into your teammates' heads. You lifted Jack up into the air with a clueless smile, standing tall enough so you could see all of your coworkers' facial expressions, when it hit you. Your eyes widened and you froze, past the point of collecting yourself or trying to brush off what Jack said as an accident.

"What did he just say?" You hear Penelope interrogate, looking back and forth between the profilers in the room, hoping to get an answer. As though sensing the change in atmosphere in the room, Jack lifted his head from the crook of your neck, looking up at your face. You moved your stance to balance him on your hip, using the other hand to pick up your to-go cup and take a long sip of your coffee. "You wanna try my coffee Jack?" You teased, breaking the silence between you and him, laughing as the boy pulled a face of disgust, remembering the time he smelt his dad's black coffee one morning when you were over with d/n.

"Yuck! ... Mommy, am I gonna see d/n?" He asks, swinging his legs happily. You're painfully aware of the eyes stuck on you and the boy, glancing up to look at Aaron, observing his reaction. He's smiling softly at you and his son, back turned to the other agents in the bullpen. He walks over to you just as you reply to Jack "She's in daycare right now! Do you want to go join her?" Jack nods excitedly, arms lifting up when his dad walks over, allowing him to take him from you. "Well since the cat's out of the bag." Aaron shrugs, leaning down to press a kiss on your lips, walking out with Jack in his arms who giggles loudly "What cat daddy?"

With Jack finally facing away from you, you let all your emotions show up on your face: shock, confusion, and most importantly embarrassment to being exposed to your relentless team of close friends who will never stop the questions:

'How long?' 'Jack calls you mommy?' 'Don't you owe me money Morgan?'

You laugh at Spencer's comment, watching as Derek fishes his wallet out of his pocket, holding up a 20 dollar bill for Spencer to take. Rossi pushes himself off the desk behind him, where he faces Emily and the rest of the team. He sighs, shaking his head "For the record, I knew his whole time. And at least now you don't have to hide your ring, y/n." He states as he walks away. "You're married!?" Emily and JJ yell at the same time as Penny squeals loudly, running to hug you tightly. "Engaged!" You try saying over the noise. "Engaged not married!"

[7ndipity]

Dating A Foreign Partner

Ot7 x Reader

Summary: How the members would handle being in a relationship with a foreign S/o.

Warnings: brief mentions of racial/cultural discrimination,

A/N: Thank you to @bethanysnow for requesting this, I hope you like it!😘💜 I tried to keep these a bit lighter, but if there’s something more specific that any of you would like to see, lmk!

Masterlist

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Jin:

Sounds cliche, but I think he would really enjoy trying foods from where you're from, especially some of the more ‘unusual’ ones(I literally found out the other day that pb&j sandwiches are considered weird in Korea??)

I think you two would accidentally confuse each other with lesser known cultural differences, like when he first asks you to be official after only like two dates(which is normal in korean culture, but not so much in western dating)

Would become very aware of the prejudices and discrimination that foreign couples deal with in both your countries. Like, obviously he was aware it was an issue before, but dealing with it first hand made him realize just how much of an issue it was.

It would make his heart soo happy to see you learning how to speak Korean or embracing different parts of his culture.

(Secretly studies your native language to surprise you for your birthday or anniversary)

Yoongi:

I might be projecting a lil bit, but I can honestly see him having a foreign partner. Idk, I just see him not really paying much mind to things like race/nationality, he likes who he likes and that’s it.

Might be a little shy about how much more comfortable you are with things like casual skinship tho, but he also kinda secretly loves it.

He would really love that you’re so direct sometimes, rather than trying to ask for things in a more roundabout ‘polite’ way that is considered proper in Korean culture. He would love that you’re to the point, like him.

Would be so flattered if you made the effort to learn Korean, grinning so big the first time he hears you use even something little like “Hajima” correctly.

He’d do the same with your language too. Learning about your culture would be really important to him, he wants you to know that he appreciates you and where you came from.

Hobi:

Tbh, I totally see him with a foreign partner, he would love the variety and unique energy that you bring to each other's lives.

I think he would tend to forget some of the differences in how you both grew up until you mention something more drastic like school safety drills and he has to do a double take like “wtf?!”

I think he would love how open and expressive you are about your home and culture, and loves learning about where you came from. You’re his favorite person, he wants to know as much as possible about you!

Would have soo much fun teaching you about all the different holidays and traditions in Korea that differ from where you’re from.

Would be soo surprised if you learned to speak Korean, even if it’s just a few phrases at first. He just gets so happy and giggly hearing you speak.

Namjoon:

I think most people consider him the most likely out of the group to have a foreign partner, and tbh I kinda agree.

He would make a serious effort to learn as much about your country/culture as he could, possibly even wanting to visit there sometime with you.

Despite being pretty well versed in a lot of other cultures, he would definitely still have little moments of culture shock over random things like educational systems. Like I can imagine his surprise/confusion over the more lax approach in some schools or someone being homeschooled(hi).

Would be super impressed if you already knew some korean when you met, but if not, he’s more than happy to help you learn.

Lowkey quite protective over you, bc he knows how harsh Korean media can be towards celebrities having foreign partners.

Jimin:

Thinks your Korean is super cute! He finds it absolutely adorable the way you say certain words, and he loves the way you speak slowly and softly when you’re focused on pronouncing certain phrases correctly.

If you’re new to living in Korea, he would do his best to help you settle in and adjust to the differences in day to day life, as well as comforting you on the days when you feel homesick.

Loves learning about your culture, tho I think he would prefer learning from you than on his, just so he can watch how excited you get talking about your home.

Would be soo excited if he finds any similarities between your cultures, whether it’s how you celebrate certain holidays, or a similar dish. He loves finding those little connections.

Another who would be rather protective over you, especially if he knows you have anxieties about certain things due to public safety issues where you’re from. He just wants to make sure you to feel safe

Taehyung:

I know a lot of people see him as rather traditional when it comes to things like dating/relationships, but I could very much see him with a foreign partner, especially since he talked about wanting to live abroad at some point in the future.

I think he would find your different perspectives really refreshing, you really help broaden each other's horizons.

I honestly think he would be another who would sometimes forget the differences in how you both grew up until he brings up something and you’re like “We never did that??”

Lowkey brags about you every chance he gets like “Oh ,Y/n’s from (country name), and they were teaching me about-”

He never treats it as if you’re some sort of novelty tho, he just really loves you and wants to show you that he supports you and shares your pride for who you are and where you’re from.

Jungkook:

I think he would have a lot of fun with a foreign partner, learning about each other's cultures and sharing stories about your upbringings.

Might take him a while to adjust to things like your relationships/dynamics with other guys, just bc that’s not quite as common in Korea, but I could see him actually really enjoying it if you fit into his friend group bc of that.

Another that would feel rather protective over you for similar reasons as Joon. If anyone so much as looks at you weird, he’s gonna shut them down soo fast.

He loves hearing you speak in your native language, there’s something about it that’s just so soothing and melodic about it to him. But it’s only when you're speaking, it’s not the same with anyone else.

Would ask you to teach him so that he can hear you speak it more(study dates where you help each other would be super cute and cozy)

Taglist: @sopebubbles-replies @btsw1fe @this-must-be-my-tardis @whitefoxgirl @bethanysnow @coffeedepressionsoup @main-bangtansmauyeondan @feminympho @a-gayish-unicorn @dfqcsqueen @mother2monsters @comingupwithacoolnameishard @bo0o0o0ooo @captainorangegoose @k4ngelz

[nats--sw]

English Love Affair | Emily Fox

Emily Fox x Williamson!reader Where you and Emily meet at a bar before she gets close to Leah is the title inspired by the song with the same name? definitely! warnings: suggestive my masterlist

“Emily, what about you?” Leah asked with a curious smile as the waitress placed another bottle of wine on the table. The vibe at the restaurant was buzzing now,the girls all chatting and laughing after the international break. But Emily had been quiet, keeping to herself and focused on finishing her meal, still visibly worn out from going nonstop between club and national team matches.

“Huh? What were we talking about again?” Emily asked, setting her fork down on her empty plate. She gave them a small, apologetic smile, realizing she’d zoned out.

“Oh, don’t play dumb” Beth teased, giving her a nudge and laughing. “It’s just a bit suspicious that you never talk about… you know.”

“Talk about what?” Emily asked, frowning slightly as she looked around the table at the expectant faces, all clearly in on whatever they meant.

“Well, you’ve been here for what, a year now? And not a single mention of someone special” Lia added, giving her a wink.

“Yeah, like a partner, a guy... or a girl” Alessia added, covering her mouth as she fought back a mischievous grin.

“Ohhh” Emily said, her gaze dropping to the center of the table, feeling her cheeks turn red. She cleared her throat, starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, but before she could say anything, a memory popped into her head.

“You’re not from here, are you?” a soft voice asked close to her ear.

Emily looked up, meeting the intense eyes and sly smile of a girl who had come closer than she expected in the noisy bar. She was so close that Emily could catch the scent of her perfume over the haze of smoke and alcohol.

“No, just here for work,” Emily said, taking a swig of her beer to mask the nerves that had suddenly stirred in her.

“And you’re here alone?”

Emily gestured toward her friends laughing and dancing on the crowded floor. “My friends are over there, dancing.”

“So then, what are we doing here?” you smiled, slipping your hand into hers with a confidence that caught her off guard. Before she could say a word, you were already leading her to the dance floor. In the midst of the crowd, you pulled her closer, and Emily couldn’t help but let herself go a little, feeling a thrill she rarely allowed herself to experience.

“Emily!” Alessia’s voice and a hand waving in front of her face brought her abruptly back to the present.

“Sorry, what?” Emily blinked, quickly trying to compose herself, a nervous smile creeping across her face.

“Ohhh, so there is someone…” Leah leaned forward, an amused expression and a glint of curiosity in her eyes. She’d been trying to get to know Emily better lately, especially now that their partnership on the field was growing.

“Well… it’s not really like that” Emily said, rubbing the back of her neck, clearly flustered. “It was just… something casual.”

The others exchanged surprised looks, clearly not expecting “something casual” from Emily. Noticing her discomfort, Leah stepped in with a gentle smile to ease the tension.

“Nothing wrong with something casual now and then” Leah said, giving Beth a discreet nudge under the table to shake her shocked expression. “Sometimes it’s nice to just... let loose, yeah? Care to share a bit more?”

“Uh, it’s a little awkward, actually...” Emily admitted, looking around nervously. Leah just nodded in understanding, flashing her a reassuring smile as she smoothly shifted the topic. The others followed her lead, sparing Emily from any more teasing, and she gave Leah a grateful little smile.

Ever since that dinner, Emily couldn’t shake the memory from her mind.

“I’m staying at a hotel a few blocks from here” Emily murmured, feeling her heart race as she leaned back against the wall in the darkest corner of the bar. A gorgeous girl stood pressed close to her, making it hard for Emily to think straight.

“Oh…” your eyes widened, sparkling with surprise, and Emily felt a pang of anxiety, a flicker of panic tightened in her stomach at your reaction.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I thought that-”

But your lips silenced her, pulling her into a kiss that clouded her thoughts all over again, as if the world had paused for that moment.

“Honestly, I thought you were straight. I didn’t think this would go further than a kiss” you said softly, with a slight amused smile as your fingers brushed along Emily’s neck.

Emily couldn’t find her voice, words sticking in her throat as you gently took her hand and started leading her toward the exit.

“Which way did you say your hotel was?” you asked, and Emily felt a mix of nerves and excitement, wondering if she was truly about to cross a line she’d never imagined before boarding the plane out of her home.

“Oi, Foxy!” Leah’s voice echoed from behind, pulling Emily back to the present. She blinked, trying to regain her composure as Leah approached. Training had just ended, and the rest of the team was drifting off to shower and head home.

“Yeah? What’s up?” Emily asked, forcing a smile.

“I should be asking you that” Leah replied with a soft laugh, noticing Emily's distracted look. “Are you alright? You seemed… a bit out of it today. Actually, if I’m honest, you’ve been like that all week.”

Emily tried to brush it off. “No, it’s nothing, really” she said, glancing away, but the unease must have been clear. Leah was perceptive, and she didn’t miss the tension in Emily’s expression.

“Hey…” Leah softened her tone, adopting a warm, understanding look. “I’m sorry if what we said the other night made you uncomfortable. You know how it is with us, most of us have been together for years, and sometimes we overstep without meaning to. If the questions were a bit much… I’m really sorry.”

Emily felt a hint of relief, but the thoughts swirling in her mind weren’t going away.

“It’s alright, Leah. Honestly, I know you guys didn’t mean any harm.” She shrugged, attempting a small smile.

Leah wasn’t buying it. Noticing Emily tense up again, she slipped an arm around her shoulders in a friendly gesture, a knowing smile on her face.

“Tell you what… How about a drink? My treat. Just you and me. And if you feel like talking, I’m here, as a mate, no judgment. I promise.”

Emily hesitated, her gaze meeting Leah’s, who waited patiently with that reassuring smile. Part of her wanted to keep it all hidden, but she couldn’t keep bottling up her thoughts without driving herself mad. Plus, it was clearly affecting her focus on the pitch.

She nodded slowly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Alright… I think I could use a talk.”

Leah smiled back, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Perfect. I’ll let you know where we’re meeting later, and you just say whatever’s on your mind, yeah?”

Emily let out a sigh, feeling a mix of relief and nerves fluttering inside her.

That same night, Emily found herself in a small, cozy bar near Leah’s house, a spot Leah had been going on about for ages, perfect for drinks and conversations thanks to the soft music and warm atmosphere. For nearly half an hour, Leah had been telling her all kinds of stories about her love life, some funny anecdotes mixed with a few rather embarrassing details, all aimed at making Emily feel comfortable enough to share a bit of her own.

And to be honest, it had worked. Emily had arrived feeling nervous, she had never been alone with Leah like this before, and the idea of opening up emotionally intimidated her a bit. But after several laughs and some unexpected stories, her initial nerves melted away, especially with the beer loosening her up after a long tiring day.

“Well, what about you?” Leah asked with a playful smile, giving Emily a light nudge to encourage her.

Emily swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to the beer bottle in her hand. “Well… it’s a girl” she admitted, avoiding Leah’s gaze. Leah’s grin widened, and Emily felt a wave of relief wash over her at the warm reception, this was something she had never shared with anyone before.

“Oh wow, now we’re getting somewhere!” Leah teased, leaning in closer. “When did this happen?”

“It was when I came to watch the game against Chelsea at the Emirates… Well, actually, it was the night after the game. I was out with my friends at a bar, and this girl accidentally spilled my beer and stuck around until I got another one.” Emily chuckled at the memory of their awkward first encounter. “It was pretty awkward at first, she didn’t say a word until I got my drink refilled.”

Leah raised her eyebrows, clearly intrigued. “Accidentally, huh? Was she drunk or something?”

Emily shrugged, trying not to smile too much. “I thought so at first but then I figured her confidence was just... natural.”

She let out a sigh, her expression softening. “And then… we went back to my hotel. It was the best experience of my life” she confessed, a smile crossing her face that was equal parts amused and nostalgic.

Leah’s eyebrows shot up, a curious glint in her eye. “And can I know a bit more? Or is there still not enough trust between us?” she teased.

Emily laughed, finishing her beer in one go before replying, “Best sex of my life.” They both burst into laughter, Emily covering her face with her hand at the memory.

“Emily…” you whispered, gently tugging on her hair as your breaths intertwined.

Hearing her name in that moment, with your bodies so close, felt like the world had just shifted.

“She was amazing, Leah, so beautiful… God, her voice…” Emily looked away, feeling her cheeks flush as the memory of that night hit her all over again. “I couldn’t get enough of her. I think we only slept for a couple of hours, but it was…”

“And then?” Leah asked, a mix of amusement and genuine curiosity on her face as she set down another round of beers on the table.

Emily hesitated, biting her lip before continuing.

“Shit” Emily muttered when she heard the knock at her hotel door. Panic washed over her, remembering that her friends had no idea she’d brought someone back to her room, let alone a girl. 

The truth was, she wasn’t ready to have that talk with her friends just yet.

“You have to go” she said quickly, grabbing her phone to send her friends a text about how she’d left early for a morning run. A total lie, but an easy one for them to buy.

She just needed an excuse, something to make sure her friends wouldn’t be hanging around the hallway the moment you left the room.

It wouldn’t have bothered you that much, but here you were, sitting on Emily’s lap, shirtless, still catching your breath.

“What was that?” you asked, trying to look at her.

“It’s complicated” Emily replied, getting up to rummage through her suitcase for some clothes.

You sighed, looking at her with a mix of disappointment and embarrassment. “Tell me I’m not ruining anything serious. You don’t have someone else, do you?”

Emily bit her lip and avoided your gaze. “No, it’s nothing like that. Just… you’d better go.”

With panic rising in her chest, Emily reached for her wallet. “Do you need money for the Uber back-”

“I’m not taking your money” you snapped, your disappointment quickly turning to offense.

Emily glanced down at the cash, realizing how it must’ve looked. “No, I don’t-”

“Stupid Americans…” you muttered under your breath, pulling on the rest of your clothes and ignoring her.

“Ah…” Leah sighed, understanding the situation as she noticed the regret flickering across Emily’s face. “Wow, Emily. You really went for it…”

“I know, but... I was freaked out. I never meant to hurt her, I was just worried about her getting home safely” Emily explained, fiddling with a new beer bottle in her hands.

“So... your friends didn’t know about you and girls?” Leah asked, her tone soft and gentle.

Emily shook her head. “The girl was stunning, but at that moment, it wasn’t worth risking my friendship with my friends. I was in a foreign country and I had to fly back with them. I was afraid everything would go wrong.”

Leah fell silent for a moment, contemplating Emily’s words. “Well, I can understand that, you didn’t want to risk it all for a one night stand.”

Emily shrugged, a soft smile tugging at her lips “Yeah, well… but the story doesn’t end there.” 

Leah’s eyes lit up, an excited glint in them. “Wait, there’s more?”

Emily nodded. “Later that night, I convinced my friends to go back to the bar... and there she was again. It was my last night in London, and I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I was still regretting the whole morning thing.”

Leah shot her an amused look. “Don’t tell me that-”

“I can’t say I regret it” Emily said, biting her lip, and they both laughed.

"I'm heading back to the States in the morning" Emily whispered to you, settling into the seat of your car. She couldn’t help but notice how your skirt slid up as you sat on her lap.

"I really don’t want to hear you right now" you replied.

"I'm really sorry about this morning" she insisted, sounding genuinely apologetic.

“Yeah, I really need you to shut up" you shot back.

"Sorry for-"

“Emily” you said, grabbing her hand and pulling her close. "You can apologize in a different way" you whispered, your lips brushing against hers.

Leah burst out laughing. "Emily Fox! Don't tell me you did that in a car." Emily shot her a look and took a sip of her beer, trying to suppress her laughter.

"Well, at least I got her to forgive me... I think" she said with a smile, feeling lighter now that she had finally shared the story with someone.

“And then what happened?” Leah asked, clearly invested.

Emily sighed, setting her beer down on the table. "Ah... we went to her hotel. It turned out she wasn't from London either. I don’t remember exactly what city she was from and by the time I moved here... I couldn’t track her down.”

Leah looked at her, processing it all. “So... your big tragic forbidden love was really just a hot two night stand with some english girl you never saw again."

Emily nodded, a bit of defeat creeping onto her face. “Yeah... she was just ridiculously hot” she admitted, feeling bolder with the alcohol.

Leah cracked up, clearly loving every second. “Honestly Foxy, I never thought we’d be having this chat, but I’m here for it. And c’mon, rate her. One to ten?”

“A thousand” Emily said, barely hesitating. “Her mouth, her lips... I couldn’t get her voice out of my head. The look on her face when she... Can you fall in love with someone you’ve only slept with a couple of times?”

Leah shrugged, her smile softening. “I don’t know... maybe.”

Emily sighed, shaking her head. "It’s like she ruined sex for me with anyone else. No one else is like her..."

Leah gave her a gentle nudge, laughing. "Well Foxy, if there's someone like that out there, maybe the universe will bring you back together."

"Emily, are you coming with us?" Alessia asked as she hopped off the bus, grinning from ear to ear after being named Player of the Match. Earlier that morning, they had made plans with Leah and Lotte to visit one of Alessia's favorite coffee shops in Manchester, and after their win against City, the idea felt even more appealing. Emily had agreed without a second thought.

Alessia wasn’t kidding about the place, it was indeed spacious and cozy, and the hot chocolate was absolutely divine. 

“I’ve been here before” Leah mentioned casually, but Emily barely heard her. She was glued to her phone, focused on making a post to thank the fans who had traveled to support the team.

"Oh, right" Alessia replied. "I was always running into your-"

Emily took a sip of her chocolate, she wasn’t listening, scrolling through her phone for the perfect pic to post. 

“Does she still live here?” Lotte asked.

"Works nearby" Leah answered.

"You guys just summoned her" Lotte muttered.

Alessia's laugh made Emily glance up, and she heard the scrape of a chair as someone stood. Leah had shifted from her seat to stand next to a girl.

"You already know Less and Lotte, but you don’t know-"

"Emily." 

Before Emily could even process it, her name was out of your mouth. Leah shot you a look, then quickly turned her focus back to her teammate, who was staring at you with wide eyes.

Lotte’s soft laugh broke the awkward silence. “Did you already know Leah’s sister?” she asked, her voice teasing but curious.

But Leah wasn’t smiling. The way her hand instinctively moved to wrap protectively around your waist and how her jaw tightened while glancing at Emily made it clear that she was starting to piece things together.  It wasn’t hard to figure out. Emily had been in London for the derby, the same match where Leah had gotten you those tickets, knowing you’d be in London that week. 

Emily felt a lump in her throat. The air suddenly felt thick with tension, and she tried to keep it cool, but it was hard.

“Fox.” Leah said, her voice low, a dangerous edge to it.

"I... I didn’t know" Emily stammered, flustered and feeling the weight of the moment.

The situation had spiraled into chaos, and Alessia, sensing the tension, exchanged nervous glances between the three of them. "Wait, what’s going on here?" she asked, her smile faltering.

“Nothing.” Emily and Leah said in sync, but it was clear no one was buying it.

To you, this whole thing wasn’t just awkward, it was straight up ridiculous. You’d seen Leah scare away your girlfriends before, ever since you were old enough to kiss girls. She always played that overprotective big sister role like no one was ever gonna be “good enough” for you. But this time? It felt like there was way more going on.

“I slept with Emily” you blurted out, crossing your arms and glaring at Alessia and Lotte, both of whom stared at you with their mouths agape.

Alessia’s reaction was the most dramatic, she looked totally shocked. 

“You fucked Leah’s sister?!” Alessia whispered, eyes wide as she glanced at Emily, her voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of fear. Everyone at the club and the national team knew that Leah’s sister was off limits.

Leah’s expression hardened even more, her eyes dark and fixed on Emily as if she wanted to bore a hole right through her. 

“I didn’t know she was her sister!” Emily exclaimed, her frustration palpable, her hands shaking. “If I had known, I never would have-”

“Oh, yeah? So, if you had known, would you have still kicked me out of your room?” you interrupted, the bitterness slipping into your voice. The whole hotel thing still pissed you off, and it was obvious you weren’t over it.

Emily’s eyes dropped, clearly uncomfortable.  

“Ugh, shut up,” Leah muttered, jaw tight as she realized what you were talking about.  

“Did you tell my sister about the hotel?” you shot back, a little embarrassed but too frustrated to hold back.

Emily hid her face in her hands, wishing she could just disappear. "Please, stop saying the word 'sister'" she mumbled, but no one was listening.  

Lotte, with that curious glint in her eye, leaned forward. "Which hotel?" she asked, clearly loving the drama unfolding. Alessia kept glancing back and forth between you and Emily, clearly eating this up.  

"Did you tell her about the car too?" you shot back, your voice a bit sharper than you meant.  

“You fucked Leah’s sister in a car?!” Alessia whispered again, almost in disbelief.  

“Enough about my sister!” Leah snapped, shooting you a warning glare, her anger barely restrained. “We need to talk, just you and I” she said firmly, reaching for your hand, attempting to lead you towards the door.

“No, Leah” you replied, pulling away, taking a deep breath to steady yourself. “I need to talk to Emily.”

“No way” Leah said, shaking her head. “I’m not letting her talk to you after how she acted like an idiot-”

“But you said you understood me!” Emily shot back, standing up.

“Yeah, but that was before I knew that the hot girl who wasn’t worth the risk for a fling was my sister. This changes everything.” Leah retorted, pointing an accusatory finger at Emily.

“That sounds like double standards” Lotte muttered.

"Thank you!" Emily said, feeling a bit relieved.  

You could feel the tension building as both Leah and Emily’s tempers flared. Everyone in the café was starting to stare. You had to calm this down, there was no way you were getting kicked out of your favorite coffee shop because of this mess.

"Can you please… leave us alone" you said, but no one moved.

The silence stretched out, and eventually, everyone’s eyes locked onto Leah. She sighed, shoulders dropping. She knew she wasn’t gonna change your mind. With a nod to Lotte and Alessia, who were already standing up, Leah shot one last cold glance at Emily. 

"Five minutes," she warned before walking off with her teammates.

Emily swallowed hard, barely daring to look at you. When she finally did, you could see the regret written all over her face. 

"I didn’t… I didn’t intend for things to turn out like this" she started, her voice shaking a little.

"Why does my sister know about everything?" you asked sharply, not bothering to hide the bite in your tone as you sat down in the seat Alessia had just left. 

Emily took a deep breath. "She’s the only person who knows" she admitted.

“Bloody hell, Emily…” You hid your face in your hands. “She’ll never let me live this down.”

"I’m really sorry. I didn’t even know Leah had a sister. We just got close recently… and now I’ve totally messed it up.” 

You frowned. “Wait, I need to make it clear, I don’t care that I hooked up with someone Leah knows, especially since I didn’t even know. Just… forget that part."

Emily looked at you, a bit stunned. “I don’t think I can just… ignore it.”

The atmosphere softened a bit, and Emily took the moment to really look at you, almost as if seeing you for the first time. In the soft afternoon light, you seemed even more beautiful than you had in the dim bar where you’d first met. Her heart was racing, memories of that night flooding back without even needing to think about it.

"Forget about Leah" you urged, leaning forward slightly when you saw her getting lost in her thoughts. "Are you finally going to explain about the hotel? Because yeah, I said I forgave you, but come on, that was definitely just the alcohol… and other emotions talking."

The air seemed to clear as Emily opened up, her words slowly peeling off her shoulders like a weight lifting. She was genuine, vulnerable, and you could see she wanted to make things right.

"I never meant to insult you with the money… I just… it was my first time in London. I didn’t know where you lived or anything, and I really just wanted to make sure you got home okay" she explained, still visibly embarrassed every time she dared meet your eyes. “Letting you leave that night was… my biggest regret.”

Her honesty hit you harder than you expected. You could feel her drawing closer, revealing more of herself, and you couldn’t help but give her a small knowing smile. You noticed the shy, hopeful glint in her eyes, as if she was waiting to see if you’d forgive her.

"You know… I’ve been back to London quite a few times" you admitted, fiddling with your hands on the table. "And I kept telling myself it wasn’t to see you, because I was still so pissed off. But if I’m honest… I always hoped I’d run into you again. Part of me wanted to yell at you, maybe even give you a slap, but the other half…" You trailed off with a soft chuckle. "Well, I was kinda hoping to take you back to my room afterward."

Emily let out a quiet laugh, her eyes bright with a spark of hope she hadn’t felt in a long time.

"Maybe this time, I can try not to be an idiot" she said, her voice warm with real affection, and reached out, gently taking your hand.

Your heart skipped a beat, and without a second thought, you squeezed her hand. "I think you owe me that much."

Emily glanced toward the café door with a playful smile, then gently tugged you closer until your face was mere inches from hers. Her lips met yours in a slow, tender kiss, as if she was savoring the same sensation from the last time you’d been together.

"Fox!"

A couple of months later

The noise at Wembley was overwhelming, with chants and cheers echoing across the stadium as the players did their victory lap, waving at the fans. Alessia, still flushed and breathless from the game, spotted you in the crowd and flashed a cheeky grin.

“Look who decided to show up!” she shouted, her voice barely cutting through the noise. Leah, right behind her, looked up and met your eyes. Her face lit up the moment she saw you.

“I thought you weren’t coming” she said, weaving through the crowd and waving at some fans in the stands. Before she could say more, you pulled her into a tight hug, only to wrinkle your nose as you felt the sweat soaking through her shirt.

���You stink” you teased, a smirk tugging at the corners of your mouth.

“You’re hilarious” Leah shot back, rolling her eyes before playfully pinching your cheek. You gave her a playful nudge in response, and Alessia laughed, clearly enjoying the usual back-and-forth between you two.

But then Alessia’s eyes landed on your outfit, and her smile turned into a wide grin. "Aren’t you hot in that jacket?" she asked.

You froze, shoving your hands in your pockets, trying to act casual. But Leah’s sharp eyes caught the faint pink creeping onto your cheeks. Her gaze shifted from amused to challenging.

“Wait… don’t tell me that-”

“No! Leah no!” you protested, but Leah had already grabbed your hands with unstoppable determination. In one smooth motion, she unzipped your jacket. Her face went from confusion to disbelief as she saw what you were wearing underneath.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” she muttered, her jaw almost dropping, while Alessia burst out laughing at the sight of the USA crest, the four stars, and the number 23 splashed across your blue shirt.

“There’s no way you’re at Wembley in that shirt,” Leah said, half laughing, half scowling, giving you a look of pure disbelief.

“Why do you think I had the jacket on, you idiot?” you shot back.

“This is too bloody good!” Alessia was practically doubled over, clutching her stomach as she looked between you and Leah, who was torn between laughing and being genuinely offended. Just then, Emily showed up, her face soft and shy, clearly unaware of the chaos she was walking into.

“Have you seen what she’s wearing?” Leah shot Emily a glance before letting out a dramatic sigh “Well, at least you showed up,” she muttered, giving you one last cheeky pinch before walking off, a smirk still lingering. Alessia followed, chuckling, and gave Emily a quick high five before heading back toward the rest of the team.

Once Leah was out of sight, Emily finally looked you up and down, and a giggle escaped her lips when she saw the shirt.

“I thought Leah might be less fuming if England won,” she murmured, rubbing the back of her neck, looking a little guilty, but also kind of sweet.

“Stop overthinking it,” you said softly, grabbing her by her collar and pulling her close, not caring one bit about the railing between you. You leaned in and kissed her, letting her know exactly how much you’d looked forward to this moment.

Emily’s hands found their way to your face, her thumbs tracing gentle circles on your cheeks. When she pulled back, a small smile played on her lips.

“Thanks for coming,” she whispered, her voice full of affection. Then she glanced down at your shirt again, laughing softly and her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Nice shirt choice by the way. Knew you’d make the right call.”

[b38rman]

READ YOUR MIND ᯓ★ Ollie Bearman

tags - ollie bearman x afab!reader, friends to lovers, fluff, slight miscommunication, loosely inspired by the sabrina carpenter song of the same name

synopsis - This was definitely not on the marketing internship job offering for Prema Racing. You swore you had everything under control before this—before Ollie Bearman took up most of the weekend's agenda.

rating - teen and up readers

warnings - slightly suggestive ending

a/n - i wrote this before ollie was announced as a 2025 f1 driver and the slight implications of dread related to that uncertainty are littered throughout this work so just keep that in mind (or not) enjoy!

Thursday — Spain, 2024

The unmistakable sound of the hotel doorbell rang through your room. Admittedly, the best time to go to sleep had already passed you by at this point, considering the 7 AM lobby call time the team had for you. Unfortunately, the restlessness that could only be attributed to constant location changes seeped into your bones.

You got up, trying to dispell the feeling populating your gut. Perhaps, more than anything, it was the dull influx of certainty. You were still learning how to get used to this.

You opened the door slightly, just enough to see who was on the other side. 

“Took you long enough.” The familiar rumble of Ollie’s voice filled your ears, as he pushed his way into your bedroom.

At this point, you were 100% sure that any of this was not part of any of the contracts Prema made you sign when they offered you the internship. No matter how much you looked between the lines of wage and non-disclosures, you wouldn’t find what you and Ollie had anywhere.

It was just that it was becoming a routine at this point. From the beginning of the season, Ollie seemingly couldn’t find a better victim than you for his late night musings. You tried to gently reprimand him at first, telling him off about his bedtime and his racing and all of the things he’d scoff at you for and turn a stubbornly deaf ear towards.

Ollie rounded the room slowly, his white sleep shirt and flannel pajamas contrasting against your worn summer camp shirt and cotton shorts. You felt overexposed, as you always did in these situations. 

“Wanna play Mario Kart?” Ollie asked, mindlessly making his way to your side of the bed.

You thought about it for a second before responding, “Nope, too tired to be that stressed out.”

Ollie hummed in acknowledgment before laying back onto your bed, phone in hand, with his legs still dangling over the edge. He always took your side of the bed, despite it very obviously being rumpled and occupied.

You climbed onto the other side and tucked yourself in under the sheets. As if on instinct, Ollie moved his head upward, resting it on your stomach, before locking his phone and setting it on his chest. 

“I just feel a bit odd, you know? Like everyone says so many good things about me but really, I haven’t done anything.” He looked to the ceiling as he rambled. “I have another FP1 tomorrow and all I can think about is how I don’t know how to be what people want me to be. I don’t know how to keep being good, or how to really be good; will people even look back and think I was good?” 

“That’s some bad imposter syndrome you got there, huh?” You stretched your hand out and lightly laid it on his head, stretching your fingers against the expanse of brown waves. Ollie leaned into the touch, shutting his eyes.

“The only thing that should matter is who you want to be.” You grinned fondly at him, even if he couldn’t see it. “Besides, you’re way too young to be worrying stuff like that.”

“We’re the same age.” He opened his eyes just to look at you as he said that. 

“And do you see me worrying about my legacy?” You joked, earning a toothy smile and a roll of eyes from Ollie. 

At every moment you’ve spent with Ollie so far, he’s not felt like someone that appears on national television broadcasts or on carefully curated Pinterest boards. You could almost see yourself looking across the lecture hall, seeing him, and wondering if he was really paying attention or just browsing on his laptop.

Instead, he was one of the boys you’d keep track of social media appearances for. You managed his filming schedules for both long-form and short-form videos, and wove through seas of people and motorhomes with him to find a spot to record his little post-race briefs. You weren’t assigned to him specifically, but it usually was you and him most of the time.

“It’s, um, getting late.” You tried not to be too awkward about untangling your hand from Ollie’s hair. “I think you should get some rest.”

You waited for him to complete the final part of this routine you had going, wherein he’d sleepily walk to his own bedroom and you’d fall asleep in your own fully warmed bed. 

Except for the fact that he didn’t do that at all. 

“Could I just stay here? I don’t really want to be alone right now.” You felt Ollie shift ever so slightly from where he was, head still resting on you.

Questions on professionality and ethics rang through your mind one after another. 

“Are you sure?” Was all you could muster. 

Ollie seemed to recognize your concern without you voicing it. After all, you weren’t particularly discreet about any of it. 

“I’ll just wake up earlier, it’ll be fine.” He finally raised his head and began setting an alarm for five in the morning. Part of you knew it was futile. Considering everything, it was a bold move, considering that it was just past midnight.

You watched him mindlessly, as he turned all the lights off, only leaving the light from the bathroom peaking out through a slight opening in its door. For a moment, you let yourself think of a time and place where this was a normal occurrence—one where him curling up in bed next to you in near complete darkness felt like a grounding force instead of a guilt-inducing one.

You turned to face away from where he was laying, opting to try and not make this any weirder than it could be. 

“Good night.” He said regardless. “Sweet dreams.” He said, in a softer voice, almost as if he didn’t want you to hear him. 

You could feel his body near yours, almost as if the full size bed was too cramped for the two of you. 

“Sweet dreams, Ollie.” You replied.

You felt him roll over to his back as you drifted off to sleep. 

Friday

Your eyes shot open at the sound of an iPhone alarm going off, obviously being the one Ollie set a few hours prior. What you didn’t immediately process was the arm wrapped around your waist, and the soft snores coming from the face that was nuzzled into your hair. Your heart was pounding. 

“Ollie,” You lightly shook the arm that was over you. “Ollie, wake up.”

You were only met with a long grunt and a tightened grip.

“Ollie, please, come on.” You tried sitting up to give him a bit more of a hint, displacing his arm on you.

Finally, he rolled over, turning off his alarm. The sun was barely out yet, and you saw him squinting at you through his sleepy eyes. 

“I don’t want to go.” He said softly and groggily, toying with a loose string on your worn shirt. 

“You have to.” You replied with every ounce of control in your body.

Ollie grunted faintly before stretching his arms over his head, silently sitting up and making his way out of the door as quickly as he came through it. 

Everything kept moving into the next day. You’d comprehensively briefed Kimi in the morning on his share of marketing activities over breakfast and sneaked some Live at Prema footage here and there, with Ollie notably paying less attention and getting called by some F1 media members midway. 

The constant elephant in the room was the tinge of disappointment the team felt due to Ollie’s slightly lackluster feeder performances in direct comparison to all of the F1 hype surrounding him, which no amount of sarcastic humor from the team could conceal. 

Despite everything that happened the night prior, everything remained calm and professional (he barely acknowledged you outside of what he needed to do, which was both a relief and a punch to the gut). 

Between photoshoots and practice sessions, you’d spotted Ollie from afar. Barely anyone could get a hold of him after free practice, as he was justifiably rushing between garages. 

He was up and down the paddock clad in his black Haas shirt, clearly moving with an air of confidence that filled your chest with something you couldn’t describe. This Ollie felt worlds away, which brought you as much joy and pride as it did a hint of melancholy. You were still figuring out what he was making you feel, but at times like this, he felt worlds away.

You were pulled away from your thoughts as quickly as they came to you, as you engrossed yourself in content with the F1 Academy drivers. When you weren’t doing that, you were organizing paperwork, analyzing metrics, and sifting through footage on your phone and camera.

The feeling you suppressed earlier only returned as the F1 cars hit the track. You thought about how near he felt at present, just at touching distance in the space between your hotel room and Grisignano de Zocco; but you also thought about how faraway everything would become after Prema, and how much you’d have to feel if you allowed yourself to let your guard down around Ollie.

After all, every sane racing driver would hope that feeder wouldn’t be forever. Deep inside you, though, you wished this feeling wouldn’t just be hidden in the footnotes of what would become Ollie’s career. Nevertheless, the sheer idea of wanting someone who was literally the face of a future generation of racing amidst the backdrop of him being capable of being wanted by every other person in the world felt incredibly absurd and daunting to say the least. 

(The two of you weren’t even anything. You weren’t really sure about these thoughts.)

After your rumination and the inevitable conclusion of the free practice session, you continued your work as you were directed to. It was entirely a coincidence, though, that your next duties included bringing parts of Ollie’s race kit and his water to his area in the shared driver’s area in preparation for qualifying. As every internship went, you often had miscellaneous work to fulfill.

Kimi had already finished his personal preparations for qualifying, already looking over last minute data, while Ollie was running late due to his prior commitment. The air was undeniably stress-ridden, as your first real encounter of the race day with Ollie was him scrambling to get into his overalls and suit, but you set everything down calmly while pointedly avoiding eye contact.

“Was starting to think you didn’t miss me at all.” Ollie was the first to break the silence, imploring you to look up at him.

Warmth filled your body at his words. For a moment, you worried that he knew he had some type of effect on you, but you quickly pulled yourself together mentally. 

“One less person to persuade to listen to my content briefs.” You shrugged, smiling at him playfully, almost daring him to retaliate. 

As the rush caught up to both of you, the only cohesive answer to your banter that he gave you before exiting into the garage was a soft squeeze on your forearm. 

“We’re friends, right?” Ollie asked, already tucking himself into your bed without hesitation.

Once Ollie was done slumping over in qualifying debriefs with the team, he made his way to your room again. It was the same routine as last night, just with a lot less talking.

The thing is, you weren’t saying anything either. That in itself said a lot.

You looked at him, eyebrows scrunched together. “Yes?”

Well, you were sharing a bed, tucked under the same sheets, staring face to face at each other in the dim yellow light of your Barcelona hotel room. 

“Maybe? I don’t know, Ollie—“ You second-guessed for a moment before continuing, “—I’m literally an intern. We work together, technically.” 

Ollie’s face twisted into something unreadable. His eyes shifted to the side as he mouthed the word ‘technically’ under his breath. 

“I mean, I guess we could be friends if you want.” You followed up. God, you felt ridiculous for having a conversation that sounded like this. 

He took a breath, deep and slow. “I want a lot of things,”He answered.

Ollie looked at right you, eyes so big, bright, and endless.

“I know.” You replied impulsively, in a voice barely above a whisper. 

He got so dangerously close to you that you could feel the warmths of his breaths on your face. 

“You don’t.” The weight of his gaze felt like it was melting you from the inside out. “You really don’t.” 

Ollie closed the gap between the two of you, his dry lips engulfing yours for what felt like an eternity, despite it being maybe a five-second peck at most. When he pulled away, you were breathing like he’d taken all of the air out of your lungs just from the sheer pace your heart was beating at.

A look of uncertainty flashed across his almost annoyingly pretty face. The kiss was so sweet, and you hated to be the one to make him question himself.

“We shouldn’t.” You said in conjuction with your uncontrollable heartbeats and air-filled breaths. 

“Then tell me you don’t want this.” Ollie challenged, laying one calloused, warm hand on your cheek.

“Ollie—“ You tried to protest. Every logical part of your brain was telling you how wrong all of this was, and how stupid you were for letting this happen in the first place.

In spite of all that, you couldn’t bring yourself to say it. You couldn’t lie to him for the life of you. 

You wanted this so bad. All you could do was want.

You laid your cold hand atop the one cupping your face, and let yourself look back at the earnest look on his face. You felt overexposed, sensitive all over like you’d been put out in the sun for too long.

“Please.” You could barley manage words, but you finally let yourself lean into him to erase every seed of doubt planted in his mind. 

The movement of your lips against one another quickly turned hot and heavy, and you let Ollie take and take everything he could’ve wanted. His hand wandered down to your neck and achingly close to your chest, as his kisses migrated down to your neck.

“We—ah—we really shouldn’t be doing this,” You weakly attempted to be rational, even if your hand was tangled in his hair and heat was quickly pooling between your thighs.

In response, he dove right below your collar bone, beginning with a bite and continuing with not-so-subtly marking you there, coaxing a mix between a gasp, wimper, and a soft moan out of you. 

It was glaringly obvious that he didn’t care all that much.

[revolutionsingingintherainnn]

Hi.. love your desi f1 fics.. can you write something like lando dating desi reader and then just turning into national jiu (like Nick Jonas) so.. everyone keeps commenting on his post about being jiju and all.. and then one day, during media day, journalist asks him if he knows what jiju is.. and why is that relevant.. and lando goes all giggly and is like "jiju is brother in law" and is just happy to have nations love and support.. and the grid teases him and all cute stuff.. love your work..

National Jijaji ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

⌗ ln x desi!reader

⌗ smau

masterlist ☾☼

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yourusername

liked by landonorris, mclaren, and 190,382 others

yourusername THEY FUCKING DID IT OH MY GOF IM SO PROUD OF THESE TWINKS

view all 127,036 comments

landonorris PAPAYA ON TOP

oscarpiastri WE ARE THE CHAMPIONES

user1 she was soooo happy at the celebrations it was so nice to watch

user2 righttt fav wag of all time fr

user3 jijaji jeet gaye ‼️jijaji jeet gaye ‼️

user4 mithai baato koi humare jijaji jeet gaye!

user5 you'd think with a rich boyfriend she'd at least have a good camera quality 😂😂😂😂

yourusername sorry my rich boyfriend drenched my phone in champagne because HE FUCKING WONNNNN WOOHOOOO

user6 papaya on top ❌ jijaji on top ✅

yourusername on top of me? HELL YEAH

user7 KOI INKI MUMMY KO BULAO

yourusername NO THANK YOU NO JIJAJI ON TOP OF ME TONIGHT

landonorris 🥺🥺 but i wanna be

user6 do they know we can read all of this?

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lando.jpg

liked by yourusername, carlossainz55, and 93,019 others

lando.jpg system reboot

view all 46,113 comments

youruserame told you we should do a full country trip

landonorris excuse you??? i made the plans???

yourusername jo tera voh mera 😘

user9 jijaji roaming india is a need

user10 only lando can post the most beautiful pictures of his girlfriend and his girlfriend's country and then post a goofy picture of himself

lando.jpg what can i do my girlfriend's just so pretty

yourusername what did you do

lando.jpg I DIDNT DO ANYTHING I WAS GIVING A COMPLIMENT

user11 its such a desi thing to question someone saying something nice to you ��😂😂

maxverstappen1 this looks beautiful man

lando.jpg IT REALLY IS WE WENT TO SO MANY PLACES

carlossainz55 all i wanna know if youre getting me those swirly round sweets

yourusername dw gonna get you your jalebi soon

user13 IT IS CONFIRMED CARLOS SAINZ LIKES JALEBI

user14 its fitting that jijaji is travelling through his new permanent home

user15 monaco? what's that? place doesnt exist anymore

yourusername i wish i could convince him to settle in india with me 😔

lando.jpg if your grandma keeping making me those laddoos, i might just consider it

user13 absolutely love how y/n's family have fully considered lando as their son in law

user14 THATS WHY HE'S JIJU

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yourusername

liked by mclaren, oscarpiastri and 509,247 others

yourusername i miss when my account wasnt a lando norris fanpage IN OTHER NEWS FIRST PODIUM OF THE SEASON BABY LFGGGGG

view all 90,148 comments

landonorris dont lie you love me

yourusername i love YOU not you taking over my account

landonorris same thing

mclaren so happy to see you in the paddock!

user15 JIJAJI ON PODIUM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2025

user16 JIJU WDC INCOMING

user17 LANDO JIJU STOP FLIPPING OFF YOUR WIFE

user18 whats with the scrunch 😂😂

user19 why is he flipping off his own girlfriend while hugging his dad 😭😭😭

yourusername i told him that i was a fan of charles anyway

charlesleclerc thats a good choice

landonorris fuck off shes mine

yourusername i can be your girlfriend and be a fan of someone else

landonorris baby my blood pressure is rising can you not?

yourusername oh nooooooo (im still a charles fan)

charlesleclerc ill get you ferrari paddock passes for the next race

landonorris 🖕🖕🖕

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f1gossip

liked by user18, user12 and 3,910,572 others

f1gossip lando recently met a fan in india while at the gym, who approached him and called him "jiju". his girlfriend was reportedly also there, and laughed at the interaction.

view all 2,195,932 comments

user20 WHICH GYM DOES JIJAJI GO TO??? I'D LIKE A MEMBERSHIP OF THAT PLEASE

user21 this fan is out here living the life of every indian lando fan

user23 she really called him jiju 😭 and y/n really laughed at that 😭

user24 yall lets not forget the real og jiju of india: nick jonas

user25 we can have two jijus! we need more jijus!

user26 yknow if they get married... and we do the juta churai... i think we'd become rich and lando would become bankrupt...

user27 why do you want lando to become bankrupt 😭😭😭

user26 thats what a jiju does! becomes bankrupt at weddings for his own shoes

user28 WHAT?

user29 ghar aao please

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landonorris

liked by yourusername, oscarpiastri and 590,112 others

landonorris mustaaaaaaaaaaaard

view all 275,008 comments

yourusername LFFGGGGGGG BOY

yourusername MY MAN ON THE TOP STEP FUCK YEAHHHH

yourusername PAPAYA 1-2 LFFGGGGGGGG

yourusername i think my throat is sore from screaming too much

user24 real

user24 JIJU 2025 WDC LFFGGGGG

user23 nazar lag jaayegi 😭

user24 oh fuck nvm i didnt say anything

user22 so proud of jijaji 🫶🏻

user25 good job, lando! amazing drive! 🧡

user26 lando's only fast cause of the car he doesnt have the talent

user25 but its a motorsport? its a sport about the car being fast?

user26 so? doesn't matter

user25 wow. ok.

user27 jijaji jeet gaye phir se ‼️

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mclaren

liked by landonorris, maxverstappen1, and 942,065 others

mclaren can you guess who lando is looking at? 🤔

view all 891,553 comments

georgerussell jijaji

maxverstappen1 jijaji

oscarpiastri jijaji

carlossainz55 jijaji

charlesleclerc jijaji

lewishamilton jijaji

alex_albon jijaji

yukitsunoda jijaji

francocolapinto jijaji

yourusername NO YOURE ALL WRONG! HE'S YOUR BROTHER, IM THE SISTER IN LAW! HE'S NOT YOUR JIJAJI!

user29 ...is this confirmation that theyre married????

user30 love how everyone is ignoring admin's question because everyone knows the answer anyways

user31 JIJAJI FOR THE WIN LFFGGGGG

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i hope you enjoy this! this is my prompt list, so y'all can select a number, give me a driver and i will write it as soon as possible! i also have a google form for a taglist if anyone's interested! you can sent in your requests here :) taglist: @imlonelydontsendhelp ; @greantii ; @anamiad00msday ; @maketheshadowsfearyou ; @nocturnalherb16 ; @justaf1girl ; @peterholland04

[dzvelinaskebiyars]

I love your foreigner gf headcanons for Toman. Can I request the same with Hanma, Ran, and Draken please?

Thank you so much!! And ofc! Have a nice day/night<333

Hanma:

He genuinely doesn't care if you're foreign or not, really doesn't care about someone's race and etc. He dislikes everyone equally^^ but not you--someone who kicked him in the balls on their first meeting.

I feel like that's when he kinda took interest in you? So he'd try to get close to you and find out that you're foreign. Well, since he was amused by you, he'd be nice.

You: Well then, how to say "stop smoking in front of me" in Japanese?

Hanma, currently smoking:....禁煙目の前で私.

You: 禁煙目の前で私<333

He ended up helping you with Japanese.

Hanma: あなたはとても背が低いです. (you're so short).

You: Huh?

Hanma: Nothing.

You: I know "短い" means short so if you're calling me short, then fuck you.

Well, he became your first friend in Japan so maybee he's not that bad, hm?

He'd randomly call you "豪華" and when you would question it, he'd just brush it off as you hallucinating. (Tr: gorgeous)

Ran:

Let's be honest, this man has learned many languages because he wants to be foreign celebrity. So he'd be happy to speak in other language than Japanese with someone because otherwise, he might forget what he has learned.

Coming to Japan to befriend a delinquent never ever crossed your mind, not even once, but here you are, in his house, chatting with him.

"That's not right." Ran said, taking pen from you and writing down the kanji right. You let out an audible oh and thanked him, copying what he wrote.

Meanwhile he was staring at you the whole time.

「 あなたはとても美しいです」 He said. You glanced at him, confused. You're sure you heard "You're" from him but you couldn't catch what he said next. (tr: You're beautiful)

"What was that?" You asked him.

"You're working hard, that's all." He smiled at you.

"Well, of course. I must learn Japanese."

What you two didn't know was that Rindou stood behind you two, his mouth hang open in shock hearing what Ran said. He definitely was going to tease his older brother about it.

Draken:

Unlike other Toman members, Draken wouldn't introduce you to his friends. Not until you came across them. Because all of his friends are delinquents and he doesn't want to take a risk and get you involved in any way. He doesn't want you to be pressured to meet new people either. Of course, he can introduce you to Hina or Emma if you ask him tho.

Please don't even mention teaching or learning to him, he hasn't done that in decades. But still, he'd help you out with Japanese.

He knows some people aren't very welcoming to foreigners and he doesn't want you to experience any hostility just because of your nationality.

While you're learning Japanese, he's learning your mother language so it'll be easier for him to teach you and chat with you in general.

It's so sweet of him! How he even asked you out to go with him on Tanabata and other festivals, explaining their meanings to you.

He wouldn't really take risk and confess to you in Japanese, thinking you wouldn't hear him. I think rather than that, when he's ready ofc, he'll confess to you in your mother language. Be it English, Italian, Spanish, French, Tagalog, Georgian, Arabic or whatever language, he'd learn it.

♡♡♡♡

I really hope you're satisfied!

[ynbabe]

LOGAN FIC REQ!! (i love your messages au smmm btw THEYRE SO GOOD AHH) ok anywayssss

can you pls do logan x super super famous!reader.(preferably an actress but i don't mind any) so both of them are dating but are trying to keep it a secret since they've only been dating for a short amount of time. one night they decide to go on a date but paparazzi was there and it was going VIRAL. reader regrets not double checking if there would be any paps. sooo then everyone starts investigating on logan as the internet does and since everyone doesn't watch f1, they only see logan crashing and blah blah blah so they see him as a "bad driver" and he starts getting A LOT of hate because people think reader deserves better. they also start comparing him to reader's "more better and famous ex". reader and logan take time off social media and people think they broke up until reader releases an instagram post defending him and yeah a lot of fluff and hurt/comfort.

idk if this made sense but pls feel free to change anything!! again i love your work sm 💕‼️

Hiiii, omg thank you so much! Love love LOVE the fic idea and without any further ado- here's the fic, it isn't exactly as the prompt but I hope you love it-

Keep my wife's name OUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH ୨୧ Logan Sargeant x famous! reader

As a celebrity, you don’t often have the privilege of privacy. The cameras seemed to follow you everywhere, from outside your house to the restaurants you ate at and even to private celebrations with your friends and family.

Your last relationship had gone south exactly because of the paparazzi, making assumptions about the seriousness of your relationship and even spreading pregnancy and marriage rumours, scaring the man away.

You had wanted to take it slow, heart broken from your previous relationship but then you met Logan and for the first time in a long time you felt like you could breath, like you could do what you wanted without being judged.

You knew who he was and he knew who you were and that was perfect.

The both of you had spent a perfect week in your villa in Bali, it had been risky but no one caught on, surprisingly.

You thought your luck would continue and you threw causation to the wind, not asking your assistant to check for paparazzi at the sushi restaurant you were going to in Shanghai.

Unfortunately, you were caught just as you were leaving the restaurants waking up to a host of notifications, some good and some gut-wrenching.

Logan on the other hand tried not to throw up, his eyes wide, you could tell he was scared. Would his team drop him? No, no. Why would they? Right? Oh God.

"Logan, Logs, baby are you okay?" You called out, dropping to your knees and cradling his face in your palms.

f1waglife

f1waglife Y/n nation how are we feeling tonight? Logang? How are we? This was definitely not the couple we expected but is this the couple we deserve?

Username OH HELL NAW- WHY IS THIS FLORIDA MAN DATING QUEEN Y/N?????

Username Y/n come home the kids miss you

Username Omg mans is in love

Username Get someone to look at you the way Logan looks at Y/n

You saw some of the comments and while some made you smile, some made you want to slap a bitch, unfortunately, a scandal would not help, so you called up your PR manager, and the post was gone within a minute.

Logan's race had gone sour, with him getting an unfair penalty and points on his licence. The already poor start to your day had turned even worse when you saw Logan tiredly storm into the room collapsing on the bed, burying his face in his pillow.

"What... the..... fuck?" He screamed into the pillow making you smile a little. The small habit he'd picked up from you, screaming into the pillows as a way to think, one that you had picked up from one of the characters you played a long time ago.

"Why do people even care about who's dating who? That's so stupid." He rolled his eyes.

"Don't we binge Keeping Up with the Kardashians every Monday?" You asked.

"That's not the same though-" He paused and switched his phone off, he already didn't have access to his own Instagram, having given access to his manager a long time ago, he now didn't even want to talk to his friends or colleagues many of whom just wanted an autograph from you along with an explanation how he could be with you.

He turned around, pulling the blanket on him, tired from the day.

You pulled up Twitter as a habit but were greeted with a terrible chain of tweets judging every aspect of your relationship and even worse criticizing Logan without even knowing anything about the sport.

"What the fuck-" You cursed out loud, you knew your fanbase was slightly (an underestimation) larger than your boyfriends but how could they call themselves your fans, when you have been a fan of Logan's since his first season in f1? All your co-stars American or not knew your borderline obsession for the man, every race week you'd be posting Williams on your story, how could they still hate on him?

You looked next to you, where your boyfriend was sleeping a small scowl on his pretty face.

PR be damned, he didn't deserve this.

y/nl/nofficial

y/nl/nofficial To anyone who calls themselves my fans and talks shit about my lovely boyfriend, UNFOLLOW ME ASAP. Logan is the kindest, sweetest, most talented man I've had the pleasure to know and he deserves better than the bullshit he gets from some assholes who don't know anything about him. To quote my friend Will: KEEP MY WIFES NAME OUT YOUR DAMN MOUTHS-

username oop sis snapped

username you tell em girl

username LOVE a gf whos rabidly in love with her bf

username now why would y'all try and shame Mother's boyfriend when all she does is post about him for race weekends??

username fr shes been a logan fan before logan fans have been logan fans

Williams We stan a protective gf 😮‍💨

username admin you'll always be famous y/nl/nofficial Cant help it he looks really pretty in blue 🥰 username oh she in love love

username shall we start calling him Father?

The way I was struggling to write this fic cause I had to write bad things about Pookie Bear Logie is insane. But- I hope yall like it, please do let me know in the comments or reblogs!!!

[incognitopolls]

*Similar here meaning the people have some of the same or similar general features or traits as you, e.g. a Kenyan person moving to Ghana vs. a Kenyan person moving to Sweden.

"Similar" can be up to your personal interpretation. If you've moved to a country that has a lot of diversity, you could answer based on the race that has majority governmental power, or based on the narrower demographics of the region you moved into (e.g. someone who moved to Louisiana, US might answer differently than someone who moved to Kansas, US).

Anon went through this, and has been told it's a fairly standard thing to experience especially during puberty. They wonder how universal this actually is and if there's any difference based on whether you look like the people in your new country or not.

–

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[jnnul]

I JUST READ THE DATING RINA DRABBLE AND DIED HEADASS……………… do u have any thoughts for dating ning? :3

word count: 933 words a/n: LMAOOOO that's so real anonnie that's me with ningrina on any given day tbh genres: fluff and nsfw content

ningning is THE girlfriend tbh

very feminine, very princess vibes

but i feel like ningning is the epitome of a 50/50 girlie

she will definitely expect princess treatment but she will also def be giving princess treatment

it doesn't matter age, gender, race, nationality

you are her princess™️ just like she is your princess™️

for example, she might be the one to ask you out on a date

but once you hit it off, she'll expect you to be the one to make it official

i honestly feel like ningning would ask you out within like a couple hours of meeting you

she gets your number, thinks you're cute, and then asks you out on a date

and on that first date, she puts her expectations for a relationship out in the open and highkey she's just so confident in what she wants that you're like ???

i'm??? in love with her???

(she knows you are)

once you ask her to be your girlfriend, she absolutely dotes on you

there's a new side of her that you've never seen before

she's like a sweet best friend that also drops 2 grand on w/o batting an eye bc she saw you eyeing a pretty watch and what her baby looks at, her baby gets

and she expects that you love her like that too!!

not monetarily, but definitely at least in emotional aspects

affirm her feelings, express how much you love her, initiating dates, buying her flowers randomly to surprise her

but outside of that, she wants you to be her best friend and vice versa

like she genuinely wants to have inside jokes w you, do stupid things w you, and lowk wants to be your absolute best friend

def isn't very controlling and she herself has a lot of friends

but she def prioritizes you the most out of everyone

and kinda wants you to do the same (or at least have her in the top 3)

is actually the best person to rant to bc she'll just listen to you like this 😍 while you're swearing like a sailor

will def join in and bash whoever's making her bb feel bad

but thinks you're so incredibly lovable regardless

lowk loves showing you off in public?

like she doesn't care when you're wearing revealing clothing or when ppl are checking you out, in front of her, mind you

bc she knows that you're hot and she appreciates you knowing that too

what she draws the line at tho is literally anyone threatening her spot in closeness to you

lowk will get toxic abt it too

like if she feels like you met someone who's able to make you laugh like she does, she immediately brings it up to you

and asks you to distance yourself from them

unless she's 100% sure that it's platonic from their side

bc she trusts her baby

but not the rest of the world

hand in hand w the whole showing you off/best friend thing

she loves going clubbing w you!!

the best thing abt dating ningning is that she makes you embrace life to the fullest

genuinely 0 shits given to the world

you're violently drunk after 12 shots at the club? she's holding your hair/clothes back as you hurl your guts out and she's still having the time of her life

will take so many pics of you two together

like actually she has to upgrade her icloud storage every 3 months

bc she doesn't want to delete a single picture of you

or the two of you tgt

probably singlehandedly supporting apple atp

so incredibly in love w you <333

[NSFW CONTENT BELOW]

ik so many ppl hc her as a pillow princess

and she def has her moments!! where she just wants to be spoiled rotten

but she love love LOVES putting in the work when y'all are getting nasty

highkey that's one of the only things she'll rlly go 75/25 on

she has an y/n fixation so you can expect her to go down on you (wtv that looks like for you!!) 25/8

you're watching tv? her hands are in your pants

you're washing the dishes? she's backhugging you and her hands are in your pants

you're breathing? her hands are down your pants

NINGNING JUST WANTS TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD ALL THE DAMN TIME

i don't rlly think she's into power play

but she's def prone to 'taking the lead' in bed

i also think that once you guys get more comfortable w each other, she lets out her inner freak

like i genuinely think that she'd leave you tied to the bed w a vibrator at your core and just watch you

she thinks you look gorgeous when you cum

and therefore, overstimulates you whenever she can

not a fan of edging bc she hates seeing you cry

but she will use it against you if she ever feels like you're not loving her as hard as she wants to be!!

also lots of romantic, heated sex

where she pushes you up against a wall and kisses the shit out of you

and then takes you to the bedroom where she has a bunch of fairy lights and candles lit

she's v v spontaneous tho so she can flip the vibe however you want!! will never do the same thing twice!!

aftercare has to be 50/50 tho!! she runs you a bath and massages all of the sore spots and you make her cheese toasties <333

overall, ningning who is your needy/sexy/silly best friend and girlfriend all in one!!

[multicohn]

summary: a certain grand prix brings up memories of how paul and y/n got together

warnings: none

pairing: fem! reader x paul aron

genre: fluff

face claim: no one in particular

author note: writing about a driver who is the same age as me is lowkey kinda crazy ngl, like wdym we’re born in the same year?

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

tomorrow would be the start of the grand prix that brought y/n and paul together. though they’ve been dating for almost a year, the pair acted as if they’ve been together much longer.

y/n had always wished to have a boyfriend, but never expected it to actually happen; much less be in a relationship with a professional athlete. she never stood out much during school and was always a second option, but somehow y/n found herself with someone who loved her unconditionally.

paul has always wanted to entertain the idea of having a girlfriend, especially when it’s all his friends can talk about, but he also wanted to focus on his career and didn’t believe he could juggle both yet. his friends encouraged to find someone who would be able to understand him on a deeper level then they or his family ever could, but paul didn’t have any interest in the girls his friends tried to set him up with. he was thankful for that as he might’ve never met y/n.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

flashback

it was an ongoing thing between y/n and her cousin that if they didn’t have anyone to go with them to something — by default the other would be their plus one. it bonded them together throughout the years and even if they were going somewhere with someone already, an invitation would still reach the other.

motorsports in general has never been an interest to anyone y/n knew, but one day her cousin had been searching for something to watch and decided on giving “formula 3” a go while waiting for her show to start. originally labelling them as “the funny looking race cars”, y/n’s cousin grew to have an interest with the sport and planned months ahead to attend a grand prix. she knew y/n would never say no unlike her friends who thought watching people drive around in circles sounded utterly boring — “it’s like watching paint dry,” they said.

y/n didn’t have interest in it, but was willing to expand her knowledge into her cousin’s newest interest.

and it was definitely… new.

seeing her cousin so excited wasn’t a new thing, but she hadn’t been this way over a sporting event in ages.

the pair had decided on splitting up to try and get more signatures, but y/n wondered just how many could really fit on the hat.

“excuse me, can you sign my hat? please?” paul happily took the hat from her without looking before signing his name and giving it back. she thanked him and wished him lucked which caused paul to raise his head in order to thank her back kindly, but froze upon seeing y/n smile at him.

“um- ye-yeah thanks” paul watched as she shuffled back into the crowd and slowly disappeared as other fans moved in to ask for his signature

“damn” he thought before reaching out to sign someone’s shirt

y/n found her cousin who was overjoyed at getting so many signatures and y/n couldn’t help but smile at seeing her so happy. they then made their way towards their seats that were quite far, but had been the cheapest and her cousin was sick of setting up blankets, chairs, tents or gazebos.

the races were good and her cousin was more than excited to explain things that y/n didn’t understand.

“come on” her cousin pulled her towards the track

paul happily stepped onto the second place podium and scanned the crowd in hopes of spotting the pretty girl that had asked to sign her hat earlier. his smile broadened upon seeing her behind the fence that separated the race track and pit lane.

y/n glanced over at her cousin who leaned on her shoulder as the national anthem of the first place winner played before looking back up at paul aron. she wondered why he kept glancing in their direction, but shrugged it off; surely, he wasn’t looking at her — she isn’t that delusional.

once they finished spraying each other with the non-alcoholic champagne, paul quickly rushed towards his manager while the pair took some quick pictures of each other on the race track.

“excuse me?” y/n looked up from her phone to see an older woman wearing the familiar uniform of one of the race teams

“hi, can we help you?” her cousin asked politely

“I think you dropped this?” she handed y/n a folded up flyer to which she furrowed her eyebrows at but thanked the strange woman and took it

“no problem” y/n looked at her cousin who shrugged before unfolding it and reading what was written

xxx - xxx - xxx

our driver thought you were pretty ;)

her cousin cooed, but y/n just shook her head. she didn’t believe someone would like her and thought it was a joke, a prank even. why would someone like paul aron be interested in her? she doubted it was zak o’sullivan or dino beganovic since she never interacted with them today and maybe that was why paul kept looking in their direction?

“no, don’t get your hopes up y/n” she stared at the number, unsure about what to do

“let’s text it”

of course, her cousin would say that.

“no”

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

“you okay?” y/n nodded and looked towards her boyfriend who adjusted his race suit

“just reminiscing about last year, remember when my cousin texted you?” paul rolled his eyes and sat down beside her

“hey, cutie. i lost my number, glad i can have yours with a winking emoji. yes, i remember it very clearly since i thought it was you”

y/n conversed with paul through her cousin for a while before being confident in actually communicating with him. surprisingly, he didn’t find the way she texted boring or annoying and found it quite funny how exaggerated y/n’s cousin is. they became good friends ( after a rather dark topic about if he hurts y/n in any way, shape, or form, she knows how to hide a body ) and she was glad that the people she cared about the most became close.

“paul, it’s time to go” he nodded and stood up before helping y/n who smiled lightly

“good luck” she gave him a kiss on the cheeks which caused paul to blush and smile before dino had to come over and literally pull him away from loving admiring his girlfriend

[kissagii]

Your brothers are dumb, but Isagi is always your number one fan.

cw: gender neutral reader, 2.4k words, reader is rin & sae's musically gifted sibling, silly isagi, obscene amounts of pining, i don't know how music competitions work lol

@celestair it's here!!!! thank you so much for the fabulous prompt <3

“So, you’re on next, how do you feel?” Your friend Yuki asks, giving you a reassuring squeeze on your shoulder. The performer before you is wrapping up his piece, and your turn on stage is approaching far too quickly.

“Were they there?” You whisper, completely ignoring her question. 

“Didn’t see ‘em,” Yuki sighs, “But hey, you can’t see anything from up on that stage, don’t give up just yet.”

Despite her attempts at encouragement, you both know the truth. They aren’t there. They never are. Even now, as you prepare to step onstage in the final round of a national piano competition, your two soccer-obsessed brothers are nowhere to be found. You should’ve expected that from the start when the most they could offer to your invitation was “ok.” 

How many soccer games have you attended by now? How many hours have you spent in the sweltering heat, watching your brothers run up and down a field kicking a ball around? And despite all that, they have yet to deem one of your music events as worth their time. You’re half sure the reason they neglected to arrive was because neither one would be caught dead sitting in the same room as the other. It’s always a competition with those two – a test to see who could be the better soccer player, the worse brother – and you’re simply caught in the crossfire as you pursue your own wholly different passions. 

But now, unfortunately, there’s only one thing to do: go out on stage, play your heart out, and hope that maybe, just maybe, you’ll get a scrap of recognition from one of the fools who shared your last name. 

“Break a leg. And don’t let your shitty brothers get to you,” Yuki says, nudging you out onto the stage as the previous performer exited past you.

When you walk onstage there is no announcement of your name, no applause. There never is. Just a silence so thick it could be cut with a knife as the audience watches with judging eyes, anticipating eyes, and… hopeful eyes? The stage feels different today, fresh and pleasantly cool, as if the crushing expectations are lifted ever so slightly.

Then you see him. It’s just a glance, an impression of an individual, a hint of green and black in your periphery. But when he sees you it’s earth-shattering. He can breathe again – but only one barely-muffled gasp, because you’re quick to steal the air from his lungs as his heart begins to inexplicably race. Isagi has been in the same audience seat many times by now – the same seat every time, for his favorite view – yet every time he sees you walk out onto that stage it’s like rebirth, a preparation for the waves of joy and sadness and admiration and, dare he say it, love, that would wash over him as you played. All he has to hope is that you know he’s there, watching like he always is. And for the first time, you know – you deeply, truly, know – someone is out there watching you.

For this competition, you chose Liszt’s Un Sospiro. After mastering the technique, you spent hours of practice imbuing the piece with a thousand emotions, a thousand ways to sigh, and yet none of them felt quite right. So in the ten seconds before your fingers hit the keys, you have a decision to make.

Yoichi.

Of course, how could you forget? 

Without a moment’s hesitation, you begin to play, the notes dancing with the image in your mind. Simply the thought of him makes your heart race in time with the arpeggios, your measured breaths falling out of time as you let the music wash over you. The emotion flows so naturally you’re not sure if you’re pushing them into the music or if the music is pulling them out of you, a different one for each phrase, the joy and fear and longing and hope and desperation. You could practically see them, figures of light in every color dancing together across the stage and out into the audience, seeking out their target. 

They more than find their target: they crash into him like unceasing waves. Each one slightly different than the last, yet all so familiar; a language without words, yet each phrase he understands clearly. 

Is it five minutes, one, or thirty? Time begins to blur, everything fading to soft pink and green and orange and blue, colors and sounds existing independently of earthly constraints. It’s transcendental, almost, the room immersed in a lovestruck state of reverie until the final notes echo through the auditorium.  

By the end of the piece his chest is aching, and yours is aching too. The exhilaration hardly makes sense – were you not full of worry only minutes ago? Or had it been an eternity since anything other than Yoichi was on your mind? Adrenaline pulsing through your veins makes your head spin as you attempt to process your own performance. Oh, how unreal it felt. It had been a long time since you last felt so moved by your own playing… yes, truly a long time. 

The audience applauds with the required politeness, if not a bit louder than usual. None of it falls on your ears, though. You’re too busy staring at Isagi’s distant face as he gazes back at you with sparkling cobalt eyes. He nearly forgets to clap, sitting so unblinkingly still that those in the seats next to him wonder if he’s alright. He’s more than alright – his mind is racing in the same way it does when he scores a goal, and it’s taking every ounce of self-control he has to keep him from running to you now. 

As soon as you’re backstage, Yuki barrels into you, earning a few miffed glares from the last few performers preparing to go on. “Oh my god, that was amazing!” She whisper-yells, “I’ve never heard you play like that! See, I knew you’d do just fine without them in the audience.” 

Right. Them. You had forgotten about them while onstage. 

“I think I’ve found someone else worth playing for,” You murmur, half to yourself. For the first time, you didn’t really mind that your brothers hadn’t been there. Of course, it would’ve been nice, but without them… without them, you had made magic. You can make magic.

Yuki smiles brightly, the way she always does. “You’ve gotta tell me everything. And quickly, so as soon as this shindig is over you can head out and see your loverboy.”

“How’d you know that’s what it was?”

“Trust me, it was obvious. I’m pretty sure everyone knew.”

So, of course, you tell her everything. And as soon as the final round of applause echoes down the hallway, you’re getting pushed toward the door, standing nervously in the auditorium lobby until a familiar face emerges from the exit doors.

You see him first, which means you get to watch in real-time as he sees you and immediately lights up like a kid in a candy store. It’s his third epiphany of the day, and the only thing he can think to do is run toward you, frantically apologizing to strangers as he weaves through the crowd. Before you can even greet him or thank him for coming, he thrusts a large bouquet of flowers into your hands.

“You did amazing! Your music is like magic and I think I might be in love with you!” Isagi blurts out.

“Huh?”

“I’m sorry, that was probably tactless. No, it was definitely tactless. I’m sorry. It’s just, I saw you up there and I heard you play and it was like the music was talking to me and it was saying, oh, by the way, you have feelings for them and it’s actually ridiculous that you didn’t notice earlier because you’re absolutely whipped, y’know? Is that weird?”

You can’t help but chuckle at his unrestrained reaction, the genuineness in his tone. “No, it’s not weird at all.”

“It’s not?” He asks, breathing out a sigh of relief.

“Of course not. It means you heard what I was trying to tell you.”

It’s his turn to be surprised, and he lets out a soft, confused, “Eh?”

“I knew I wouldn’t be able to confess to you directly, so I did it the only way I knew how. Yoichi, will you go out with me?” 

“Yes! Absolutely!” He beams, smiling wider than you’ve ever seen him smile before; little wrinkles appear next to his eyes and his slightly crooked teeth are on full display. Shyly, he asks: “Could I hug you?”

“Please do,” you say, opening your arms to let him wrap his tightly around you. For a moment you stand in silence (not true silence, of course, because the room is full of people) and feel his heartbeat hammering against your chest. He feels your heartbeat too, he swears he can hear it over the noise.

“Thank you for coming, Yoichi,” You whisper, gripping the flower bouquet tightly, “It means a lot to me that you could be here.”

He hugs you tighter, so tight it feels like your ribs might crack in his grip. “Of course. You always come to my big games, there’s no way I’d let myself miss one of your big events. Speaking of that, do you know when the results come out?”

Though you’d like to keep hugging him forever, you let go and check the time.

“They’ll let us back into the auditorium in an hour, though they never seem to announce the winners on time.”

“In that case, can I take you out on a date while we wait? Unless you already made plans to wait with someone else… ahh, I really should’ve thought this out more.” Isagi scratches the back of his neck with an awkward smile, a nervous habit of his that never seems to lose its charm.

“Oh, no, I don’t have plans. I’m sure Yuki’s already gone off with her boyfriend, and you’re the only person I really know who showed up to watch. Spending the hour with you is a serious step up from waiting alone.” 

“Let’s go then! There’s a cute café just down the road if you’re hungry, or we could go walk around the mall if you’d prefer.” 

Isagi lets you lead for the hour, making it a bit of an early celebration. Because while the results aren’t out just yet, he’s entirely sure that your performance is worth a hundred gold medals and more. Anything you want to do is good enough for him, even if it’s something as simple as window shopping in formal wear, and he does everything in his power to make sure he’s the best new boyfriend possible. After all, he’s won at life, hasn’t he? Because now he gets to date you – he gets to give you flowers and cheer for you and hold your hand and make you smile. 

As you sit in the adjacent seats waiting for the results to be announced, he rubs his finger affectionately over your thumb. 

“See, I told you they’d start late,” You whisper with a laugh.

“They must’ve realized their trophy wasn’t big enough to properly congratulate you,” He whispers back.

“Hey, don’t say things like that! I haven’t won yet.” 

“I don’t think you witnessed yourself perform. You did amazing.”

“And you’re not a musician, so you’re not qualified to decide who won.”

“Even an untrained ear can tell you were the best up there. Trust me.”

Before you can come up with a witty reply, the head judge steps up to the podium on stage, holding a single sheet of paper in her hand. She gives a short speech – something about appreciating the hard work of the competitors – but neither you nor Isagi hear half of what she says. The room is silent waiting for the top three to be announced. 

“In third place,” The Judge calmly says into the microphone, “Matsuoka Yuki.”

Immediately you burst into cheers, hastily untangling your hand from Isagi’s so you can applaud your friend. Her performance had been stunning, and she’s more than deserving of the prestigious accomplishment. 

“In second place,” The Judge continues, once the applause quiets down, “Watanabe Shigeru.”

Another talented performer, of course. He had won his fair share of competitions, and the two of you had stood together on the winner’s stage more than once. As soon as you finish applauding, Isagi grabs your hand and squeezes tightly, as if to say the Judge will call your name next, I just know she will.

The moment you spent months waiting for is here. Either your hours of rehearsal and stress and aching hands paid off, or they didn’t. And the only thing between you and knowing was one sentence from the Head Judge’s mouth.

“Finally, in first place, winner of the Japan National Piano Competition, Itoshi Y/n.”

I’ve won. It’s as if you’re up on that stage once more, the way that the room explodes into applause like thunder. Isagi is shouting and shaking you by the shoulders – he really couldn’t be prouder of you. He knew all along, it seems, that your indirect confession was worth a gold medal from the organization and a thousand more in his heart.

The head judge invites the winners up to the stage, and Isagi nearly pushes you out of your seat to receive your award. Yuki meets you onstage, whispering her polite but excited congratulations to you. You return them hurriedly before taking your place on stage to be presented with your trophy. The process of handshakes and photographs feels like it takes forever when all you and Isagi want is to spend the rest of the afternoon together in celebration. 

Isagi meets you in the auditorium lobby again, and he presents you with the same bouquet of flowers a second time. “You won! You actually won! I’m so proud of you!” 

“Thank you, Yoichi,” You say, grasping his hand with your free one, “Thank you for being here to inspire me. Now c’mon, let’s go celebrate!”

The rest of the afternoon is blissful, almost unreal, just you and Isagi enjoying the sweetness of victory and love. When your phone begins receiving text message after text message you can hardly be bothered to reply immediately, even when you get the message you nearly spent the whole day waiting for.

rin: good job on the competition or wtv

isagi 💚

[caplanbuckybarnes]

Fated Flames (Zutara)

Summary: Zuko has a confession to make.

Warnings: fluff

WC: 670ish

Read on Ao3!

--

Katara stood at the edge of the Fire Nation palace balcony, the evening wind brushing against her face. The soft glow of lanterns illuminated the courtyard below, but her mind was far away, lost in the complexities of the past few years. The war was over, but the scars it left on her heart lingered.

Behind her, the heavy footsteps of someone familiar approached. She didn’t turn around. She didn’t need to.

“Katara.”

Zuko’s voice, strong yet uncertain, sent a shiver through her. He stood a few feet away, and she could feel the weight of his presence like the warmth of a flame in the cold night air.

“What is it, Zuko?” she asked softly, her gaze still fixed on the horizon. The moon was rising, its silver light casting a serene glow over the land, a sharp contrast to the storm brewing in her chest.

“I’ve been thinking… about everything,” he began, his tone heavy with emotions he rarely allowed himself to show. “About what we’ve been through. About what’s ahead.”

Katara closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the tug of something she wasn’t sure she wanted to acknowledge. She had grown so much in the years of fighting the Fire Nation. She had seen Zuko at his worst, and now at his best. They had shared victories and losses, moments of pain and moments of healing. But could she really trust the pull she felt toward him?

She finally turned to face him, her blue eyes meeting his amber ones. “And what have you decided?”

Zuko took a step closer, the distance between them shrinking. His breath was steady, but his heart raced. “I’ve realized that… my destiny isn’t just about restoring the Fire Nation. It’s not just about my honor or the throne.”

Katara frowned slightly. “Then what is it about?”

He hesitated, but only for a moment. His eyes softened as he spoke, his voice quiet but resolute. “It’s about you. My destiny was to be here with you, Katara.”

Her breath hitched in her throat. Of all the things he could have said, she hadn’t expected that. The truth of his words hung between them like the tension in the air before a summer storm.

Katara’s heart pounded as she searched his face. He wasn’t the boy she had fought against when they first met, nor the conflicted prince struggling to find his way. He was a man now, a leader—and someone who had become so much more to her than she had ever anticipated.

“You’re serious,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.

Zuko nodded, his gaze never wavering. “I am. I don’t know where this path will take us, but I know that I don’t want to walk it without you.”

The weight of his confession settled into the quiet space between them. Katara had always been strong, always stood on her own. But she couldn’t deny the connection she had with him, the way their fates had intertwined in ways she never could have imagined.

She stepped toward him, her heart racing, but her spirit calm. “You think our destinies are the same?”

Zuko reached out, gently taking her hand. His touch was warm, grounding her in the moment. “I know they are.”

Katara’s lips parted, a thousand thoughts running through her mind, but none seemed to matter. In that moment, with Zuko standing before her, the future didn’t seem so uncertain anymore. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she knew exactly where she was meant to be.

With him.

She squeezed his hand, her voice steady. “Then I’m not going anywhere.”

Zuko smiled, a rare and genuine expression that lit up his face. He stepped closer, pulling her into a gentle embrace, the warmth of his body enveloping her like the comfort of a hearth fire.

And as the moon continued its climb into the sky, they stood together on the balcony, knowing that whatever lay ahead, they would face it side by side.

[i9messi]

Rivalry — Max Verstappen

Being a pilot of f1, you are competitive by nature, and Max is competitive as well. Fighting with him seems so easy to do, so why stop?

social media au

(rivals to lovers)

max's masterlist

yourusername

P1 baby 🏆

liked by carlossainz55, charles_leclerc, georgerusell and 423.289 others

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user1 you stole the podium of max, im screaming

❤️ liked by yourusername

user2 thank you!!! I was tired of the same national anthem every weekend

user3 I feel sad for max but happy for you

pierregasly congrats!!

yourusername pierregasly thank you!

charles_leclerc well deserved👏

user4 max is still crying

user5 is it weird that max still doesn't follow her on insta

user6 user5 i have the feeling that they don't really like each other

yourusername

today wasn't the result we were expecting. I'll come back stronger🤍 thank you for believing in me, I will not disappoint you

liked by charles_leclerc, schecoperez, georgerusell and 423.162 others

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user1 i hate max

user2 You were leading the race until he gained positions

user3 I like this rivalry between max and you, finally something entertaining to watch

user4 user3 yeah, I was tired of watching Max winning all the races lately. Finally someone who actually challenges him

user5 max and you will end together, mark my words

yourusername

apparently some guys don't know how to drive properly

liked by yourbestfriend, landonorris, arthurleclerc and 781.162 others

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user1 you forgot to tag max

yourusername oops my bad, maxverstappen1

user2 SAVAGE

user3 she chose violence

user4 I spilled my water, she actually tagged him

schecoperez 🤔

yourusername what

schecoperez nothing, paz ✌️🕊️

user4 I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!! WHAT DID HE TOLD YOU

user5 she really said that a twice world champion can't drive properly? girl

user6 user5 don't take it seriously, she's angry. she lost way too many positions today because of the incident

user6 I love the drama

maxverstappen1

apparently some girls don't know how to drive properly

liked by charles_leclerc, pierregasly, landonorris and 923.162 others

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yourusername well, your sense of perception is altered

user1 SHE ACTUALLY COMMENTED

user2 it was an inchident

❤️ liked by charles_leclerc

landonorris 🧐

user3 both of them have the blame, they made a lot of mistakes today

user4 they were too focused on competing with each other rather than focusing on the actual race, yes

georgerusell is hard to believe that both of you are adults

NEWS. Heat in F1?

Y/N, driver of Williams, has been involved lately in many scandals with the double champion of formula one, Max Verstappen. According to some fans, since it was announced that Y/L/N was going to start driving in formula one, the news had a good reception from the other drivers, except one. Verstappen does not follow her on any of her social media and avoids answering the questions he was asked about Y/N.

The two drivers are competitive and it has been noticed that in recent races they have been fighting for the podium. However, at the Miami Grand Prix, drivers had a major incident. They both made mistakes that led them to collide and yet, it seems they blame each other. According to some sources nearby, they say that neither of them can face each other without starting to fight. We still don’t understand what the breaking point has been, but we can ask ourselves some questions, will Verstappen and Y/L/N finally have a moment of peace? And more importantly, who will win the upcoming races?

yourusername

You should take it as a compliment that I got drunk and made fun of the way you talk

liked by charles_leclerc, pierregasly, maxverstappen1 and 673.145 others

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user1 max's accent????

user2 suspicious

user3 my rivals to lovers arc is coming

user4 max where are you boyy

user5 MAX LIKED THE POST

user6 MAXXXXXXXXXXXX

user7 HE DOESN'T EVEN FOLLOW HER BUT HE SOMEHOW LIKED HER POST

yourusername

an idiot sent me flowers, they're cute

liked by maxverstappen1, charles_leclerc, carlossainz55 and 623.162 others

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user1 the 'idiot' is max?

user2 user1 I'm sure he is the idiot indeed

maxverstappen1 can we have peace now?

yourusername maxverstappen1 fine

georgerusell finally you act like two adults

charles_leclerc I prefer when you fought with each other, it was funny

carlossainz55 yes, it was. I'm gonna miss that

yourusername charles_leclerc carlossainz55 now you are the idiots

schecoperez we recover peace, thanks god

user3 MAX SENT HER FLOWERS

user4 I LOVE THEM ALREADY

user5 a lot of steps forward !!!

user6 they're in the friends stage, next step is the lovers stage yess

NEWS: Y/N AND MAX VERSTAPPEN SPOTTED TOGETHER!

Formula One drivers, have been seen together, leaving a restaurant and having a casual conversation. Is this the end of the bad blood between them? Two weeks ago, Y/N uploaded some photos on her social media showing a bouquet of flowers given to her by Max Verstappen, and since then, the tension seems to have died down. Next Sunday is the race at Silverstone, where only one of them will win the podium. Who will it be? Verstappen or Y/L/N? A new scandal is coming?

[rs-hawk]

So just saw your post about not voting for trump. Good post. He's not a white nationalist though. Real white nationalists respect indigenous people. Place for every race and all that. He's just the run of the mill politician who says what he thinks will give him the most voters. Anyway, you'd probably be better treated by a white nationalist government lol.

This has been sitting in my ask box for like a month but just... Damn. This is wild.

You're telling me that I, a queer mixed Indigenous AFAB person who technically can be considered disabled, am respected by... White Supremacists? White Supremacists want me dead. I live in Texas. I come in contact with White Supremacists literally on a near daily basis.

They are the first ones to throw slurs at me. They are the first to say I should go back to my own country (and then say Reservation when I say that this is my country). They are the first ones to literally throw things at me at my day job. I have had people who I know for a fact are literally, LITERALLY, in the KKK, come into my job and ask why someone like me is working up front in a public establishment.

Again, I am mixed race. White Supremacists often either hate me off the bat because they know I'm mixed or see me as a minority and me simply existing in the same space as them is an affront. However, when they think I'm full White (as I am Italian and have been told I pass as Italian), and then find out I'm mixed it's so much worse. They take it as I lied to them. I had one customer at work a few years ago that we kind of flirted, and he was talking about taking me out when my job slowed down. I mentioned something off handedly about turquoise jewelry a few visits later, and he asked if I was "Indian". When I said yes, a total 180. He started accusing me of lying to him, saying I wanted to taint his blood line, blah blah blah.

Here's what you need to understand, sticking up for White Supremacists is just as fucked as being one. White Supremacists don't respect Indigenous Peoples. They want us gone. They want us somewhere they never have to see us. Reservations are not something we got out of respect. We have Reservations because we were forced to and it was all we were allowed. This is my ancestral land, and they still think I should be forced to live in another state because the government decided over a century ago (as the Nation I'm registered with was one of the last to be forced onto a Reservation) because they want to live here, in America, on traditional land, without wanting to see us.

White Supremacists don't respect us or any minorities. They want us out of their face. "A place for all races" just means out of their face or in what they consider in our place. A White Supremacist government is what created Reservations in the first place. A White Supremacist government is what forced my great grandmother's grandfather to be born on the side of the road during the march to the Reservation.

I am a firm believer that America is a Melting Pot. I am mixed race. I am proud of every aspect of who I am. I can list every ethnicity/race I am as I and my family are firm believers in knowing where you come from. As a child, my mom would quiz me on what I was and what side of my family it came from. It is important to know who and what you are. I have no issue with people being proud of who they are. There is no issue with wanting to only date/marry inside your culture imo. I don't have a problem with that. What is a problem is that White Supremacists (which is what I was calling Trump in my previous post) don't do that. They think they are better than other races. They don't want to even interact with other races. They. Are. Racist. And so is Trump. He called on the Proud Boys, a known White Supremacist group. Be serious.