#and they're also the destination at the end of his story

[sunnysidezblog]

Spoilers, I guess, for the Desmond Miles story/games?? Idk they're games that've been out for years, but I thought it was only polite. If you don't care, then the rest is under the cut. I just need to get my love for and thoughts on Desmond out of my system.

~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~

The thing I find most tragic about Desmond miles as a character is the fact that even though the assasins preach freedom, Desmond was never given the freedom of choice until the very end and even then it wasn't a real choice.

We don't know much about Desmond's time at the farm when he was growing up, but it's insinuated multiple times that he was hit by Bill, or that he had been abused in some way.

He grew up in a place where he wasn't given a choice in whether or not he wanted to be an assassin. That in itself breaks one of the core values of their creed, which is that they fight on the side of freedom. And one could, and should, in my opinion, argue that the freedom of choice is one of the most important rights someone can have. The freedom to choose to fight for something is fundamental to what the creed is all about.

Then, he finally is able to make a choice on his own when he runs away from the farm. He thinks everything they've told him is a lie, that templars aren't real, and there's nothing to worry about. He finally makes a choice, yes, but it was one that was predetermined from the very start. The isu knew he would do it. They calculated it and set up dominos to knock over when the time was right, down to the millisecond.

Desmond Miles was very much set up to die, much like a lamb raised for slaughter. He ran away to see the rest of the world and only got to see that world for 9 years. He was always destined to be caught by the templars, fall in love with and get betrayed by Lucy, he was always meant to die.

His entire personality was also manufactured if one would like to argue that. The isu made sure that the steps leading up to his demise were calculated to perfection (with the exception of Juno, who even with little wiggle room was able to manipulate conner). Desmond's entire personality-- his humor, his attitude towards life, and his roll over stance to his mistreatment.

By giving him the childhood he had and then running away, he was hardened and had been instilled with the creeds' principles and then was exposed to the rest of humanity. He probably always had compassion and kindness for people, and that part of himself was probably increased when working as a bar tender because bar tenders see the world at their best and their worst, and he himself after having fought for his place in the world knows how resilient humans can be.

He was given an impossible choice that wasn't much choice at all, seeing as there was never supposed to *be* a choice at all. The only reason there was a "choice" was because of Juno. Minerva originally only set up the eye to be the only choice, leading Desmond to his willing-but-unwilling sacrifice, but Juno threw a wrench in the plan.

Not only was he given the most impossible choice ever, but he made the one everyone was expecting him to because in his eyes, what else was he supposed to do? Let most of humanity, which consisted of 7 billion people at the time, die? Because what, a megalomaniac false god thought she could reenslave humanity after she's long since passed?

Even more tragic is that he was arguably tortured before his death as well. He had to watch his ancestors go through horrors and conspiracy. He had to go into the animus and feel what they felt, whether it be injuries or emotions.

He felt the stab wound Altair got, and the betrayal Altair felt as his father figure was revealed to be a Templar in disguise. He felt all the injuries Ezio sustained and felt the horror and shock and betrayal and grief that Ezio felt watching half his family die. He felt the inner turmoil of Conner as he was thrust into a world that hates people like him and had to suffer the pain of knowing he'd have to kill his father AND he lost Achilles, who was a father figure to him.

Desmond was forced to live three lifetimes, and while doing so, he lost control of his own life. He suffered from the bleeding effect, he lost all sense of time, he suffered ridicule by people who were supposed to be his comrades. He suffered further under the harshness of his father.

And he was never given a choice, and neither were any of the others up until the point of his death, which is what to me makes his character so tragic and appealing. The entire timeline could have shifted, had he made different choices or his personality was just a tiny bit different.

This aspect is also why I think that his death is so underwhelming in terms of satisfaction. Maybe that was the point, though. His death, maybe, was supposed to feel anticlimactic and unjust. Maybe the ending was supposed to, instead of feel like a real ending with a good conclusion, was more so meant to emphasize he never had a choice to begin with.

Anyway, I just think Desmond is neat. Have this:

[undead-moth]

I've seen a few people mention how the sauce Carmy makes in Apologies is black with white spots, and how in that very scene Sydney is wearing a black bandana with white polka-dots. From what I can tell, most people are interpreting this as an intentional writing choice, which I agree with, but they also seem to be interpreting the sauce as something Carmy did subconsciously.

I saw one person say that Syd is Carmy's "muse" and she's inspiring his cooking without him even realizing it. Another interpretation I saw was that this dish was evidence of Carmy metaphorically not choosing Sydney, since he throws the dish in the trash in the next scene.

While anybody is allowed to interpret the sauce scene however they want, I thought I would point out that it likely wasn't the writer's intentions for us to interpret this as something Carmy did subconsciously, because the point being made in that dish, or at least what we are supposed to understand about that dish, is that the polka-dot sauce is not supposed to be polka-dotted.

That is a broken sauce. The white dots that are popping up and spreading in it aren't supposed to be there. If this sauce had been made properly, it would have been one consistency, and therefore one color. Chefs don't break sauces, and breaking a sauce is something you're specifically meant to avoid. In the universe of this show, Carmy didn't intend for that sauce to break, and that is why he throws it in the trash. Given that it doesn't make sense for him to have broken the sauce on purpose, that means that he also didn't purposefully mimic Syd's bandana.

In fact, the head chef at the NYC restaurant once mocked Carmy for a broken sauce. At the funeral dinner for Ever, Carmy is thinking about the abuse he endured by that chef, and one of the insults he thinks of during a montage of memories from his past is the chef implying that breaking a sauce makes Carmy broken. It's one of the insults haunting him this season.

(Edit: I have been informed that chefs do sometimes intentionally break sauces, and it’s called a split-break. I still personally interpret it as unintentional in the show, but it’s interesting to consider the difference in meaning if it’s not.)

That being said, I don't think this means that Sydney's bandana and the sauce coincidentally match each other. This scene takes place in the penultimate episode, directly before the funeral dinner at Ever where Carmy confronts the NYC head chef, and where Chef Terry gives a speech that, in my opinion, is meant to deliver the message of this season.

Throughout the season, the pressure Carmy has placed on himself has only increased. This has affected his ability to cook well. We see Carmy throw away multiple dishes in different episodes. We can assume he screwed these dishes up, but it's impossible to know since Carmy's standards are so high nothing is good enough for him anyway. But with something like a broken sauce, we know. We know that he's not simply being a perfectionist when he throws the broken sauce away. He's definitely screwed the sauce up.

At this point in the season, Carmy's reached his breaking point. This is represented visually in his broken sauce.

However, they could have used any broken sauce, in any colors, couldn't they? It's not a coincidence that they used a sauce that, when broken, is black and white. I think in part the reason they chose the colors black and white is because of what those colors usually represent - darkness vs lightness, wrong vs right, bad vs good - and Carmy is caught in between. At this point in the season, he's on a path toward something dark - but he can choose the light, and both are waging a war inside of him at this moment, breaking him.

It's also still significant that Syd is wearing the black bandana with white polka-dots. Especially because Chef Tery - the foil to the chef who abused Carmy, the narrative good, right, light, representing the path Carmy should be on and needs to choose in the future - also wears a black bandana with white polka-dots this season.

Together, this all represents what Carmy risks losing if he continues on the same path, and inversely, what he could gain if he chooses the right one. Carmy, the character, is not conscious of any of this, and in the universe of The Bear, none of this means anything - but they do mean something narratively.

Carmy is screwing up, and because of that, he's breaking. He screwed the sauce up, and the sauce broke. The bandanas worn by Chef Tery and Syd represent what he's screwing up, and how that is breaking him. They also represent what he needs to choose in the future to avoid breaking, and to make things right.

[hexhomos]

The 'Talis' hypothesis

So I think the S2 trailer confirms something central about Arcane I've wondered for a while. This has plot bearings to it, namely what nebulous purpose 'Magic' serves in the story -- how they're changing the role Hextech has in the game lore, incl. its power system & ruleset -- and what kind of hubris is associated with it historically. But it also answers something that has always nagged at me: why the fuck did they change Jayce's name?

So let's talk about this picture. And I'm going to give you the rosetta stone in 5 seconds:

This is Hextech now. Like that is just an incredibly concise and complete descriptor of Hextech-in-Arcane, right. It 'harms' Jinx, it 'protects' Jayce in the snowstorm, it 'heals' Viktor to a degree. It is installed permanently in architecture; the Hexgates ARE the brand.

First off, we have this fucker carrying around a talisman from back when he was 7, and the cinematography of the show agonizes over showing you this throughout all of ep2:

Jayce's bracelet is a bang-on definition of a historical talisman. The way hextech *functions* in the show is inextricable from the promises and rites associated with talismans, a word appropriated/popularized by the French - which I'm going to conservatively argue Fortiche would be familiar with;

Which brings me to the subject of what Hextech is, and how Hextech was changed for the tv show (and what its possibly being retconned to in the game)

Hex'tech' is not technology. The name is a carryover from a bygone era of leagueoflegends speak; Hextech in Arcane, and presumably in expanded lore going forward (given Skarner's rework and other things) - is the study, development, and the building of an industry around the craft of practical Talismans. If you want to understand how this shit works you need to promptly abandon the assumption that it is 'manufactured' magic -- its pure magic. It's raw magic. The tech part is a red herring misnomer.

The beliefs around this already cover links to 'the Arcane' as another, ethereal destination realm with Inhabitants that learn and change, ontop of rune-carving as magical instruction;

This also covers Viktor's impending transformation and the changes made to his character.

IN MY OPINION, via the content released so far and what we've already witnessed in S1, Viktor has been shifted away from becoming 'the machine herald' and re-positioned to become the Herald of Divine Rune Alchemy or whichever name they end up using.

I don't doubt that he'll get the armor at some point, because that's a recognizable visual and as much fanservice as they owe his decade-long fans, but... I would temper my expectations around the thought of machine evolution. It's not what this Viktor does, and it's not what he (or the narrative,) is interested in -- My guess is that the armor comes into play as a secondary way to AVOID overusing limited magical power, as we've seen runes can be depleted, and the hexcore tends to kill things in exchange.

Now that we've established all that, here is the bridge that I'm going to sell you.

Now, for today's homework, I expect you to run off to do something useful and homoerotic with this information.

[cupidwritessillystories]

A headcanon with them meeting their child from the future with hsr men

Character: phainon, mydei, anaxa, dan heng, jing yuan, blade, sunday and caelus

Fem reader

Something like the hsr men meet their kid from the future and the kid say that they're his kid from the future. At first the hsr man don't believe that, but then the kid show the family album photo that make the hsr man believe the kid. The male hsr can already know reader or haven't know reader yet. Maybe after that they meet reader and try to court her 👀

Hi, thank you for the request so much! It was really fun to write (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) .ᐟ.ᐟ

Just fluff, confused hsr men, time travel and kids that try to convince their dads that they really are their kids from the future!

Characters included: Phynon, Mydei, Anaxa, Dan Heng, Jing Yuan, Blade, Sunday and Caelus.

Anaxa may and probably will be ooc, since he's not even out yet and the content we currently have of him is mainly leaks. His part is also exceptionally short. Either way, I hope you guys like it!

Love always, Cupid♡

Phainon

He met your future child inside a prophecy, as weird as it sounds. Usually, it was just whispers of Titans, words of maidens, the prophecies rarely ever appeared in a form of hallucinations, but this one did.

He listened intently, trying to catch what the prophecy wanted him to know, but when he opened his eyes, there was no one around besides a small child tugging at his sleeve.

“Dad” he called him. Phainon was surprised, to say the least. From what he understood from the strange story he heard, he would later on get with you, and this little one was supposed to be his future kid.

“Is this even a prophecy, or am I just dreaming?” He asked himself. He would enjoy a future like that, a future with you, but you had already turned him down once. Was he just projecting his unfulfilled desires, had the said “prophecy” read his mind and just gave him the answer he most wanted to hear?

He didn't believe it, he wanted to, but he didn't. The child looked up at him, confused, and then gave him a photograph that looked just a tad bit too real. He jolted awake suddenly, thinking that it was just as he suspected, a dream. But when he looked at what he had in his hand, his whole perception of what just happened changed.

It was the same exact photo the little one gave him. There was no way it was a dream, then, for the things you see in dreams can't just materialize in the real world. He believed now.

It was probably naive to believe that ridiculous story, no one in their right mind would do so, but Phynon couldn't help himself. It felt real, and he hoped it was real.

Little did he know, you were trying to think of a way to apologize to him for turning him down before, because you did feel the same way he did. The time of his confession just happened to be unfortunate, which resulted in you loosing your cool and shutting him down immediately, which later on made you regret your choice of words.

Fate is such a curious thing, isn't it? when two people are destined to be together, they will. No matter what challenges they may face along the way. And so, the “prophecy” did end up being true.

Mydei

Mydei met your child from the future back when he was still a Crown Prince of Kastrum Kremnos. He was on his way to the training arena when he heard weird noises coming from the nearby corridor. There were a lot of stupid people trying to play smart thieves around here lately, so he went to check it out just in case.

To his surprise, the presumed “thief” turned out to be just a young boy, not above the age of 13. He was scavenging through a bunch of crap laying loosely on the floor, a worried look plastered on his face.

“What are you doing?” Mydei asked, still contemplating whether to help him or throw him out of the castle, for he was definitely not supposed to be there. Mydeis’ face when he heard the boy call him “dad” followed by an unbelievable story about time travel and his non-existing family was priceless. A mix of emotion washed over him, most of which were negative ones. Who in their right mind comes up with bullshit like that?

He ended up ordering the guards to escort the boy outside, he wouldn't be able to stand another word from him. Although the boy has been escorted already, a weird feeling that Mydei wasn't exactly able to explain lingered somewhere inside of him. He noticed an envelope on the floor right when he was about to head to the training ground and forget all about this insignificant event. This must've been what the boy was searching for. He picked it up and the first thing he noticed was that it was meant for him all along. Not thinking much, he opened it. Inside there was a photo that looked like it had been taken in Okhema, the Holy city.

What really threw him off was the fact that it was him in the frame together with two people whom he didn’t know. One, he recognised as the young boy that caused him unnecessary trouble earlier on, but the other one was a woman whom he had never met.

It's been years until he finally found you. What's ironic is that he wasn't even searching for you. When he saw the photo, he decided it'd be best to just throw it out, but in the end, he never did. He kept it close to him at all times. He wasn't sure why himself. As soon as he noticed you among the crowd, giving your supplies of medicine out to those who clearly needed it, it suddenly dawned on him.

You were the woman from the photograph. He stared, and stared, and kept staring, untill you finally noticed him. You smiled at him softly, the sun illuminating your hair in a way that made them seem to glow. A flower crown adorned your head, making you look akin to an angel. You walked over to him, waving your hand in a friendly manner. It never happened to him before. People in Okhema were hesitant to talk to him, they probably thought him scary. But not you. No, not you.

When you were in hand's reach away from him, you stopped. You picked a flower out of the many on your head and tangled it in his hair. It was a beautiful white camellia that matched him perfectly. “Thank you, hero.” You said, and then walked away. Later on, Mydei found himself seeking you out on various occasions, making up a multitude of excuses just to be able to spend time with you.

Anaxa

Well, what can I say? Anaxa is a certified non-beliver. If he defies even the gods, he has no problem telling a kid that his story is bullshit and that he probably should focus on helping his parents with whatever they do. No regards for the child's feelings.

He does so repeatedly, but the little boy doesn't seem to be giving up anytime soon. They both stand their ground, using solid arguments to try and convince the other one that they are right. Unsurprisingly, it leads to nowhere.

The kid decides to prove his point by sharing a family photo with Anaxa, who doesn't even want to look at it at first, but after some time he gets irritated by the child's persistence and says that he will take a look at it.

And so, he does. It feels weird, because after further examining the photo he came to the conclusion that it is, in fact, real. He won't ever admit it, but something inside him stirred, and he may have believed that absurd story presented to him. A little bit, at least.

You looked really happy on the photograph, and so did he. It would really be a pity if it all was just a lie, a joke made by a bored kid. Luckily, it wasn't.

Dan Heng

Dan Heng was never the one to believe in fairy tales. He based his opinion solely on facts, so when a random kid suddenly appeared in front of him, trying to convince him that she's his “future daughter”. He genuinely contemplated calling a psychiatrist for her. He'd even pay for the services if he had to. That being said, he doesn't know what compelled him to doing a throughout research on you.

You, who seemed eerily familiar when he saw you on a photograph he received from the child right before she ran off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he was sure he had seen you somewhere before.

He fell into a spiral. He spent almost every minute he could searching for you. For signs of you, however small, whether it be in his memory or on the internet, but nothing ever came up.

He was loosing his mind every time he looked at that photo. It was a picture of you, him, and the strange kid that gave it to him. You were holding the camera, he was standing behind you on a beach, his back turned to you. The girl from before was holding tightly onto his sleeve. She seemed younger than when she suddenly appeared in front of him that unusual day.

Just when he was about to give up, when he almost convinced himself that it was all just an unfunny joke played on him by a bored-to-death kid, he saw you.

He saw you when he was buying some snacks with March 7th and the trailblazer in Aurum Alley. The place was very crowded that day, he left his companions and ran after you before he could loose sight of you in the mass of people.

He grabbed your shoulder, you turned around, your eyes met, and suddenly, something clicked. He remembers now, and judging by the look on your face, you do, too.

Memories of his past incarnation cloud his mind. “Those are not my memories” he reminds himself. He let's go of your shoulder, he wants to leave, but before he can do so, you pull him close into a tight hug. He was hesitant at first, but when you rested your head on his shoulder, he reciprocated the embrace.

You knew he wasn't the same person now, what you knew is that if he would give you a chance, you'd fall in love with him all over again. More even than with his past self, and he seemed to be aware of that, too.

Jing Yuan

He was as calm as ever, even though for the past couple of minutes he was listening to a kid around the age of 10 excitedly explaining to him how he’s his future son. Truthfully, he didn't believe a single word that kid said, yet he still decided to entertain him. He was paying attention to every word the child said, asking different questions and letting out dramatic gasps from time to time.

It was until the kid mentioned your name. How was it that he knew you? Why did he suddenly bring you up, of all people? Jing Yuan didn't spare a second to ask the question he had on mind. “How do you know her?” The kid stopped his storytelling and looked at him, bewildered. “huh? Didn't I just tell you? Are you even listening to me?”

Jing Yuan's voice was still his usual, sleepy one, but underneath it, there was a hint of curiosity. “Sure i am. I'm just wondering, what does she look like?” The previous moment of hesitation that could be seen on his face for just a brief moment was now gone completly. He decides to play it cool, as he always did.

“Stop playing dumb!” The child retorted, a bit irritated by now. He managed to come to the conclusion that Jong Yuan doesn't believe him at all, and he wasn't wrong. “You don't believe me, do you?” The kid tilted his head to the side, waiting for a response even tho he knew the answer already.

Jing Yuan sighed in defeat. He got caught red-handed and lost a battle against that youngster. “I suppose I don't. Not entirely.” A second later, he already had a whole photo album laying in front of him. He raised a brow at the boy next to him. “Just look through it. Maybe it'll convince you.”

And so, he did. Not only did he look through it, no. He deeply analyzed every single photo that the album contained. He spent hours that he should be spending on work looking at the pictures. He was lucky enough that he convinced the kid to let him keep the album. None of the shots seemed fake, and some of them even had a signature. Your signature. He would be able to recognize your hand writing anywhere.

Later that day, he visited the alchemy commission where you were supposed to be resting after receiving a fatal injury. He was embarrassed, because the whole time you've been recovering he had never visited you once. He never missed a chance to ask people from the commission about the state of your well being, bit that was it. He wasn't sure himself why didn't he visit you, not even once. Maybe it was because he was scared, because he knew that everything that happened to you was entirely his fault.

His previous confidence faltered, but he wasn't about to back out now. He entered the room where you slept and placed a single peony on a nightstand besides your bed. He didn't wake you up, you will know he was there once you do, and that's enough.

Blade

Him being a stellaron hunter usually means that he has no contact with kids whatsoever, so when a sassy teen pops up randomly right before his mission, he doesn't know what to do. He tried to ignore her, but she's too stubborn to back down. After some persuasion, he finally gives in. He doesn't even say anything to her, just listens to her peculiar story. Besides the fact that the whole situation is rather unusual, everything seems normal, she goes on to explain time travel to him, but when your name slips off her tongue right next to the word “mom” he stops in his tracks.

He wasn't even paying attention to her meaningless monologue, but that didn't fail to reach his ears. His expression turns from an unpleasant one to something borderline threatening.

When she calls him “dad” he freezes once again. For a moment, he thought that she was your long lost daughter or something like that, deliberately ignoring the rest of the unbelievable story she bragged about just moments ago. He clenched the handle of his sword, but she just looked at him mockingly.

“I can prove it. I have a photo.” She said. “A photo… why would that convince me? Get lost.” He answered, but she handed him the photo anyway. She must've come to the conclusion that this is all pointless, because soon enough she disappeared from his sight. He didn't even notice it. He was too focused on the picture. It was real, he could tell, and that was what threw him off the most.

He quickly crumpled it in his palm to hide it when he felt your hands on both his shoulders. You were always unnecessarily clingy, even more with him than with other stellaron hunters. He thought you peculiar, your reason for joining was even weirder than your personality, because you literally didn't have a reason, or just didn't want to reveal it. When someone asked you why did you join the stellaron hunters, your answer was always short. “Fun.” He suspected your reason was entirely different in reality.

He never pried about it, though. He pretended it didn't interest him at all, even though deep down he was intrigued by your person. Maybe he did believe that kid, even if he didn't want to admit it.

Sunday

A little while before the Charmony Festival announcement something strange happened to him. He met someone, a child, that claimed to be his future future kid.

It was rather a peculiar encounter. Let's be fair - he doesn't know how to talk to kids. He's way too formal at all times, so the communication between the two went miserably.

Either way, he agreed to entertain the kid and listen to his made up story, or what he thought was a made up story. It had no logic to it, just a wild imagination of a young person, so there was no reason for him to think about it more than necessary, yet he found himself intrigued by it somewhat.

The conversation was cut short when the child looked at a clock and decided that it's time to go already. Before running off, he gave Sunday a single photo.

A weird feeling rose up in his chest once he looked at what it was. It was him in the frame. Him and a few other people, whom he recognised as the famous crew of the astral express. There was also the kid from before standing between him and a woman who he claimed was his mother.

Sunday didn't want to believe it. Why would he, of all people, ever join the Astral Express? He was content where he was, here on Penacony. It seemed ridiculous at the time.

Everything changed after the Charmony festival, when he got detained by the IPC and later on managed to strike a deal with Jade. Ironic as it is, he found himself asking the astral express crew whether he could board the express with them, at least for a little while.

At first, of course, they were skeptical towards that idea. He couldn't blame them, really. The one who seemed to have the biggest issue with him was you. He must admit, you've made some good points during the debate, if not for Welt advocating for him, you'd probably just kick him out the moment he first stepped foot on the express.

The conversation went on for a long time, with Sunday just standing to the side, waiting for the decision to be made. In the end you agreed, just like the rest of the crew, but the looked you gave him right after it was announced revealed that you weren't exactly happy about it.

He remembered his bizarre meeting with the kid, and the photo that he got, and the fact that supposedly, you and him were the parents. He still didn't believe in all of that, mostly because of your attitude towards him. The worst part was that the way you acted was justified. You seemed to hate him with a burning passion. But nothing lasts forever, and that, too, changed over time.

You started being more open to conversations with Sunday, you let yourself forget about all the unpleasant situations he managed to put the crew into back on Penacony. After some time, you got used to his presence. He would even argue that you kinda liked him, even though you wouldn't admit it.

As time passed, it only made you two closer, and he realised that the kid might’ve been right all along.

Caelus

at first, when the kid came up to him, claiming to be his child from the future, he burst out laughing. Like, really loud and hard, to the point his eyes started watering. It took him good fifteen minutes to calm down. He thought it hilarious.

After he finally cooled off, and your child kept explaining about them, you, and the future, Caelus stopped them way before they could finish. “okay that's not funny. It was only funny the first time around. Stop it.” man was creeped out.

His second instinct was to threaten your child with his baseball bat, and so, he did. It didn't quite work out the way he wanted to, because the kid laughed him off and threw a heavy book right at him, which he, caught off guard, didn't manage to catch in time, resulting in it hitting him in the face. Ouch.

Either way, he picked it up, asking what it is. Only thing he got as an answer was a quick “just open it.” And so he did. He turned it to a random page, and the expression of pure shock on his face said it all.

He expected everything, but not what he saw. There was only one photo on the page he happened to open the album on. In the frame, the first thing he noticed was you. You were cradling a little kid in your arms, and he was standing slightly behind you, his hands rested gently on your waist.

He was still skeptical about the truth, but the photo did look real. And you… You looked ethereal, he thought. Your eyes reflecting your love for the two, your hair slightly longer than it was now, and your smile seemed so sincere. He suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.

You were a passenger on the astral express currently, not yet a member, but you did travel quite a few worlds with the crew already. Caelus never seemed to notice the way you looked at him, although he looked at you exactly the same.

In that moment, he started to believe in the story presented by the kid just a little bit more. He hoped it was true, at least, and if it wasn't, he would make sure it'd come true. That's when he finally got the courage to ask you out, although when you asked what made him do it, he was too embarrassed to actually admit anything, so he quickly changed the topic by making some weird remarks about the lack of trashcan on Xianzhou Luofu.

[xvxblahhhxvx]

I think we should take more time to appreciate the cruel irony in so many of the bsd backstories, because Asagiri has this way of writing that's not just "oh sad things happened to this character." They're twisted, each in their own special way.

Atsushi: His whole life, he was treated awfully because he had the tiger. And yet, that tiger is what helped him survive that treatment, it's a manifestation of that will to live he grew because of his abuse. It's the source of all his strength and all his pain. The director told him to only hate him, never to hate himself, and yet, all his life, he blamed only himself for his misfortune. The one lesson the director wasn't trying to teach him is what he learned.

Dazai: At the beginning of dark era, Odasaku has one of the healthiest wills to live. And he reaches out to save Dazai from his own darkness, but he can't. But at the end of dark era...it's flipped. Dazai is begging Odasaku to stay, he's reaching out to stop him, he's telling him to find some meaning in life, that things will get better. Mr. "life is meaningless" himself is trying to tell his friend that life has value because he doesn't want him to go. It's right after he told Odasaku how he knows he's destined to lose everything he desires, and then Oda leaves him because he's lost his will to live. And when he dies, he sees himself as a man who failed to become good, to give up killing, yet Dazai sees him as a success story that people can change.

Chuuya: Chuuya's friends betrayed him because they thought he was betraying them by joining the Mafia. And then Chuuya joined the Mafia in order to protect the friends who just betrayed him.

Yosano: She only wanted to save lives. All she wanted was to help people, to heal them, and yet it was that kindness that ended up turning against her. Because by helping them, she also became the source of all their problems and all their pain. She saved their lives so much that all they wanted was to die.

I could go on for longer, but then this post would be very, very long. There's just something about the cruel irony in each of the backstories that make them all feel so tragic.

[leonenjoyer69]

After sitting half finished for forever, I finally present Lanyon's Mindscape!

I spent quite a while coming up with everything and developing things in a way that connected very heavily to Lanyon's character (as well as Elias's) for my Lanyon Takes the Potion AU, so I'm very happy to finally share it! I mentioned it a while ago on the QnA with @arythusa , but here's the whole long summary!

I have a reason for each and every detail and choice, so if you have any questions, leave them in the reblogs or comments and I promise you I would LOVE to answer them :3 also, reblogs would be very appreciated, I put a lot of work into this <3

Now, let's begin!

The Mindscape

A twisting mansion of halls, doors, and spiraling staircases, Lanyon's mindscape is a vast, extravagant space.

Most of the mindscape has an inherent purple hue; grand chandeliers also bathe the upper, more "frequented" areas in a golden light. However, the deeper you travel, the more sparse these golden lights become.

Lanyon doesn't have the same odd "compartmentalization" abilities that Jekyll does, leaving his mindscape much messier and more confusing, with very little of it being any sort of "organized". Furthermore Lanyon hasn't ripped himself down to a shell of a person like Jekyll has; nor does he suffer from the same self hatred as Jekyll and Hyde, making his mindscape much more lively.

Residents of the mindscape include mind versions of: Jekyll, Everly, Lanyon Sr., Lanyon's mother (though she acts as more of a ghost,) the shadow people, and the Nightmares™.

THE ROOMS AND LAYOUT

THE HALLS

The halls are long and confusingly twisty, covered in unmarked doors, blurry portraits, and golden chandeliers, as well as other occasional decorations and clutter. There are very few doors that actually stand out enough to know they're special, like the ballroom, greenhouse, library, alchemy room, and Lanyon Sr's office. Most of the special rooms are near the surface, never moving, as their influence on Lanyon's character and memories are too strong to be moved from near the subconscious.

Memories, however, do tend to shuffle around a bit, even moving between floors depending on how much Elias or Lanyon is thinking of it. This shuffling has the ability to bring nightmares up from deeper levels to the more "safe" ones.

Many of the halls tend to lead in circles or straight into dead ends, and some doors simply lead to more hallways.

THE POCKET WATCH

To combat the twisting and turning, Elias eventually realizes that his "broken" pocket watch acts more like a compass, pointing him in the general direction of where he wishes to go. Mindkyll also has a pocket watch like this, being one of the more mobile mind people (despite his slight limp.)

The pocket watch has the normal larger clock face, as well as a smaller one for "seconds". The hands all spin aimlessly until a destination is thought of. The hour and minute hands work together for general direction like a compass, while the seconds tell the level, with straight up/forward being a higher level, down being a lower level, and horizontal being the current floor. Elias only figured this out with Mindkyll's help.

Elias, Lanyon, and Mindkyll all have an inherent attachment to their given watches, and when they're in other hands or removed from their persons, they feel more lost and confused, as if they have brain fog.

THE LIBRARY

Lanyon spends a decent bit of his free time reading and watching plays and productions, so it only makes sense for him to have a grand library filled with the fleeting memories of these pasttimes.

The bookshelves are oppressively tall, and despite the number of books and scripts, most of them aren't quite readable, since their words have been at least partially forgotten. However, there are a decent few books that are mostly filled out, namely favourite stories or plays he's ingested, old school books (thanks to Jekyll's influence,) and partially filled out journals or phrases that stuck with him, either from other people or things he's told himself.

Additionally, there is a reading nook with a fireplace in one of the corners, since reading is a comfort he hasn't abandoned.

THE MUSIC ROOM

The music room is a cozy space with a few chairs, a fire place, a grand piano, other various instruments, and sheet music strewn and hung about. There's also a couple of paintings, but they're covered mostly in music sheets. One of the other notable instruments is a violin, though it doesn't get used until Elias comes around.

This room is where Mind Everly spends most of her time, when not in the greenhouse, of course. Most of the music pieces are either nonsensical, or genuine ones that the real Everly has played for Robert.

This room becomes a sort of safe space for Elias after certain...events.

THE BALLROOM

The ballroom is a large, extravagant 2 story room. The floor/lower space has walls lined with windows, bringing a golden light to the whole room. However, nothing can be seen on the other side of the windows. Pillars sit between a few of them, holding up a large, wrap-around balcony-- I.e the second floor. The lower space also has a large circular design in the middle of the floor.

The second floor also has windows, as well as a few doors-- one of which leads into Lanyon Sr's office, since Lanyon viewed the tie between his fathers work and status so strongly, both becoming his whole life.

Because of how much of Lanyons life was built around balls and gatherings, the room is filled with shadowy upper class folk, all with somewhat blury features. They tend to act quite mindlessly, seemingly at least somewhat under Mindkyll's Beck and call, but they do dance together and murmur nonsensical, unsettling things to each other. They don't say anything that can be made out, but their growing judgement towards anything odd in the ballroom and overlapping voices can cause panic quite easily.

This room is frequented by both Mindkyll and Mind Lanyon Sr. Mindkyll tends to roam around, framing and dancing with the shadow people, while Mind Lanyon Sr stays on the balcony above, ever watching and judging what goes on below.

THE GREENHOUSE/GARDEN

An overgrown greenhouse filled with various vines, shrubs, and flowers (with occasional symbolism). there's an area for plants directly in the ground, as well as tables covered in pots, metal rafters with hanging pots, and a couple of trellises. The room is mostly all glass-- which still can't be seen through, but gives a warm, comforting glow to the room. There's also a glass table, which seats 2, and a little nook in one of the corners.

A lot of the flowers tend to change, as well as "randomly" bloom and wilt.

Elias likes to spend a lot of time just sitting in this room, occasionally with mind Everly. He also likes cutting back the overgrowth, but it always comes back. He eventually starts to keep track of how the flowers change as well.

THE ALCHEMY LAB

Based heavily around Jekyll's office and Alchemy-covered university desk, the lab is a dark, candle-lit room cluttered with alchemy equipment, books, and potions. There's an odd green fog in the air, making it one of the only rooms that isn't bathed in purple or gold.

This is the other room Mind Jekyll tends to frequent, usually experimenting or organizing his things. Lanyon and Elias both try to avoid this room, as the air feels uncomfortably heavy and tainted.

THE OFFICE

Lanyon's personal office, though it's quite lacking in furniture. The room mainly consists of a desk, chair, scattered books, and a lone, curtained window. The walls are covered in portraits (mainly of his father) and the desk is littered with bills and paperwork. The room seems almost abandoned, at least until Elias comes around to it.

THE UNIVERSITY DORM ROOM

A memory of his dorm room with Jekyll. The window seems to give a faint blue light, though the curtain usually covers it (symbolizing how he hid the relationship and his feelings.)

Jekyll's desk has a few alchemy things scattered on it, as well as text books. There are bunk beds, but the top looks unused.

There are various objects in the room that trigger a memory when they're interacted with, since many core memories were made in the room, buried or not.

LANYON SR'S OFFICE

A large, oppressive office, lit primarily by the two windows. The shelves and tables are covered with books and paperwork. Mirrors litter the walls (symbolizing Lanyon's similarities to his father), as well as portraits.

Mind Lanyon Sr obviously frequents this room, doing random work and reading. The room is also directly connected to the second floor of the ballroom, high above everyone else to show how Lanyon believed his father to put himself and his work above everyone else. Lanyon tends to avoid this room, and the second floor of the ballroom in general, as it makes him feel exposed. Elias also tends to avoid this room, as it makes him feel small.

THE CHARACTERS

ELIAS WRIGHT (LANYON'S HJ7 ALTER)

His outfit gives a more "working class" feel, inspired by his father's youth. They're also far more comfortable than Lanyon's usual clothes, so Elias doesn't mind them too much. The outfit somewhat symbolizes Elias's working spirit, as well as his yearning for his Father's approval via following in his footsteps (to a certain degree), acting as a sort of errand boy around the society/for Jekyll. They also make him look ungentlemanly, simple, and weak, making him stand out in the mindscape.

He has a "broken" pocket watch on him at all times, which he instinctively feels very protective over, as it's somewhat linked to his being.

Additionally, in memories he can "take the spot" of Lanyon, letting the memory compulse him on how to move. He likes doing this to feel like he's still Lanyon-- like he's whole again.

Feelings wise, Elias isn't too against the mindscape for a good while, mainly in the beginning. While it is confusing and lonely, leaving him quite on edge most of the time, he does at least find solace in mind Everly, Mind Jekyll, and some of the rooms. He does have a few run-ins with nightmares, though he always manages to flee or be saved somehow by mind Everly or Jekyll. He prefers to stay on the higher levels where it's brighter and safer, though occasionally he does go down to dig through memories, much to mindkyll's masked annoyance.

He initially sticks around Mindkyll quite a bit, dancing and hanging out in the ballroom or alchemy lab with him, even if he occasionally makes Elias kind of uncomfortable. Elias is quick to trust him and his charm, falling into him as a safety since Mindkyll is so kind towards him, and since he resembles Jekyll so much. Mindkyll is also quite touchy and praising with Elias, feeding Elias's yearning for romantic intimacy from Jekyll. Mindkyll usually knows just what cards to play to make Elias either fall for his charm or feel bad for him. They do pursue something of a "relationship", and despite the occasional discomfort Elias feels, he is quite reliant on Mindkyll for a while, using him as a stand-in since the real Jekyll seems so unattainable.

Also, Elias finds Mindkyll's "sparkle machine" ability quite funny, but of course falls for it. On a few occasions he's accidentally sparkled back, shocking Mindkyll and somewhat offending him.

Additionally, Elias hangs with mind Everly a decent bit too, finding her to be a more calming presence among the greenhouse and music room. She gives him advice and lets him talk, acting as a sort of mental therapist. She doesn't like mindkyll. She'll play music for Elias or sometimes just sit with him in the greenhouse.

Elias somewhat avoids mind Lanyon Sr, rarely trying to get to the ballroom's second floor, unless he feels he has to. He also partially tries to avoid his fathers gaze, though sometimes he can't help but look up at Lanyon Sr watching over the ballroom, yearning to make his father proud of him. Lanyon Sr's critical gaze tends to make him feel small, cringing under the judgement.

A mind version of his mother also haunts the mindscape, though she is scarcely seen. She does seem to like Elias far more than Lanyon though, sometimes even holding Elias and calling him her baby. She only really shows up in the greenhouse, from what Elias has seen.

MIND JEKYLL

A resident of Lanyon's mindscape, he's a sparkly amalgamation of Jekyll and Hyde. Wandering between the ballroom, halls, and his lab, he mainly dances, experiments, and charms. He has phantom pains all around his body, stemming from Lanyon's constant fear of Jekyll getting hurt (especially via potion mishaps), and has a limp in his left leg from recurring nightmares of Jekyll stepping in a bear trap on the faithful Bleeding Heart Night™.

Before Lanyon and Elias split, mind Jekyll looked far more like normal Jekyll and acted a bit more awkward. however, after learning of Jekylls duality, mindkyll became a bit more Hyde like, his sideburns growing out, his hair growing messier, and gaining a hole filled cape and green hat, as well as gradient eyes. He hates his new appearance a decent bit, blaming Elias for it.

He spends most of his time in the ballroom, since Lanyon taught him how to act "proper" and he seemingly surpassed Lanyon at that, causing him to become a sort of icon to Lanyon in that sense. In the ballroom he's quite the charmer, going between the shadow people and playing them as he wishes, which stems from Lanyon's jealousy of how Jekyll acted (and still acts) with women at parties while they were together.

Mindkyll tends to feel an inherent hatred for Elias when Elias is around him, as if Elias's presence by itself just causes stabs of anger and resentment in him, though usually he can force this feeling down in order to keep his charming facade up. However, on top of that resentment, when he feels like he has any sort of control over Elias, he gets a swell of pride and power in his chest. He tends to get more inwardly cocky, which mixes with the hatred and makes him increasingly cruel at times, though he does mask that with his charm and sparkles. He's also very much emotionally manipulative, pulling at Elias's weaknesses and the slight inherent attraction Elias has for him, since he looks like Jekyll and such. He doesn't really tend to outwardly show any of his hatred of course, since he wants to keep Elias's trust for the most part, but he does Harbor Lanyon's resentment and repression of all those "weak" emotions and such. Additionally, he holds a lot of Lanyon's "rebellious" stage, feeding off of the power he gets from having control.

He also lets off sparkles as a sort of defense mechanism for when he feels threatened or starts getting impatient/aggravated. They have a somewhat calming effect, most of the time at least, made to distract people from his real intentions and feelings. Occasionally, however, their impact/sway is dulled, like against Mind Everly. Eventually, Lanyon starts becoming more resistant to their sway, and after a certain future event, so does Elias.

MIND EVERLY

Mind Everly tends to avoid the ballroom, so she doesn't really interact with the shadow people unless she has to. She's also surprisingly adept at fighting off the nightmares. When Mind Mumyon randomly shows up in the garden, or on rare occasions the music room, she'll kinda just chat with her and keep her company until she wanders off/disappears again. With Mindkyll, Everly tends to be a bit "low patience" with him, not really playing into his charm and tending to ignore him.

Mind Everly knows she's just a part of Lanyon, being one of his main comforts and someone that he confides in, and she's quite alright with doing her thing and occasionally helping out Elias or Lanyon. She's just as sweet and trustworthy as the real Everly, acting somewhat as a therapist and general advice giver. She's also quite protective of Elias after certain events.

She frequents the Music room and the Garden, only occasionally going into the ballroom if she feels she has to. She completely avoids the alchemy lab, and only goes into Lanyon's office every once in a while to clean it up a bit.

MIND LANYON SR

Mind Lanyon Sr looks quite similar to the real one, just far more oppressive and judgemental, far more emotionally detached than the real one. He has a distressing aura to him, causing discomfort to the shadow people and monsters and annoyance to most of the other mind people that get close to him. Mindkyll seems to be the outlier to this, as he generally tolerates Mind Lanyon Sr's presence quite well, even occasionally seeking it out.

He usually hangs out on the second floor of the ballroom, staring down and judging the people below. He's this ever-watching presence, detached but still close enough to control things-- or at least seem like he could. Otherwise he frequents his office, doing work, reorganizing, or reading.

He'll occasionally hang out with Mindkyll, vaguely talking to him and slipping him praises. He sees him as more successful, fond of him in a "my son should be like you" way. Despite this, he still gets quite judgemental of Mindkyll when he looses his temper or shows his more "mad scientist" side.

His feelings towards Elias are a little mixed. For the most part, Mind Lanyon Sr is constantly judging Elias, disgusted by his emotional vulnerability and how he's everything the real Lanyon Sr tried to get rid of in his son. But, on the other hand, occasionally he can't help but be the *slightest* bit proud of the fact that Elias has at least SOME work ethic.

Were Elias to try and talk to mind Lanyon Sr, he would probably be met with Mind Lanyon Sr ignoring him, silently judging him, and/or verbally jabbing at him, pointing out his flaws. Elias is quite heartbroken at this, but for some reason he tries to get Mind Lanyon Sr's approval a handful of times before finally giving up, cringing under his stern, judging gaze.

Otherwise, he's aware of his state as a concept and is quite fine with it, intent on keeping Lanyon and Elias in line, in his own detatched way.

LANYON'S MOTHER (CELIA)

Cecilia Lanyon (Mumyon) somewhat haunts around the mindscape, quite scarcely seen. Because of her distance and detatchment towards her son, she rarely shows up, and when she does it's usually in the greenhouse, since she mainly "bonded" with Lanyon by having him help tend the garden occasionally. Since at home she was also commonly hysterical, Mind Celia is generally quite blank, but occasionally snaps a bit emotionally.

When Lanyon is around her, she tends to somewhat blankly stare at him, VERY occasionally actually talking or acting motherly towards him. Elias, however, tries to drag a bit more of that motherly persona out. He yearns for validation and affection from both of his parents, and the mindscape if the only place he'll ever possibly be able to get it. She occasionally seems to give him a little of the attention he wants, talking in very short sentences when they're together in the greenhouse, maybe pointing out flowers or their symbolism. Sometimes she does seem quite cynical, however, which tends to throw Elias off.

Her and Mind Lanyon Sr don't really ever interact, unless Mind Celia just happens to silently join him on the second floor of the ballroom for "show". She mostly ignores mindkyll, but has snapped at him at least once. Otherwise, she usually just tolerates him. She likes Mind Everly well enough, it's hard to dislike her, and she enjoys listening to Mind Everly's music.

Most of the time she's not the most aware of things, but she does have her more clear moments.

(Cecilia Eleanor Lanyon was made by my friend Luka ( @lukas-broken-bow ), while mind Celia was adapted by me bc her character EATS, THANK YOU FOR DEVELOPING HER LUKA, I LOVE HER)

THE NIGHTMARES

The nightmares take on a lot of forms, with one resembling Morcant being the most notable. Along with that, however, there's also many "mad scientists", physically ruined by their science, and various magical creatures and monsters, like vampires (there's one with a resemblance to Dracula), other werewolves, and reanimated things (ones that are especially gory, since Lanyon is disgusted by things like exposed innards,wounds, and rot.) There's also a nightmare "Hyde", who is somewhat formless and mainly causes general havoc and stalks around.

With the twisting of the mindscape and so many doors scattered about, the nightmares tend to stay in lower levels, trapped behind said doors or simply lost, especially if Lanyon keeps them off of his mind. However, when thought of or triggered via seeing or hearing something (or occasionally at random), doors will open or memory rooms will move, allowing nightmares to find themselves closer to the subconcious. They're also more active in higher layers in moments of higher stress, or heavy sleep deprivation, as those " doors" become harder to unconsciously keep closed.

Mindkyll is somewhat fearful of them, some more than others, but when they're closer to his ballroom or lab, he tends to be less scared. Or, when he needs to swoop in and "save" Elias from a couple of nightmares, he tends to forget some of his fear. Mind Everly is somewhat scared of them, but is more so annoyed by them. Mind Lanyon Sr. doesn't really have to deal with them, considering his spot on the balcony, and simply watches when they come about.

THE SHADOW PEOPLE

The shadow people are vague, blurry high society folk that remain in the ballroom. They're all dressed very well, their bodies partially see-through as if they're mere ghosts.

The shadow people don't really interact with anyone but each other and Mindkyll, since he somewhat has control over them. They dance amongst each other, muttering nonsensically until their "words" all blur together. They're not very aware of anything, all in all quite mindless, but when there's anything "wrong" or "ungentlemanly", that's when they act more. Their voices start to rise, despite still being mere whispers, growing more cacophonous and anxiety-inducing as they stare. Their judgement of anything odd is ceaseless, usually only calming at Mindkyll's demand or when the oddity leaves the ballroom.

Additionally, mindkyll can manipulate them to react in other basic ways, like acting charmed or shocked, and he usually does it for his own enjoyment. When a nightmare manages to get into the ballroom, the shadow people aren't targeted. Instead they grow more sinister looking, especially expression wise, and their mutterings take on a certain sharpness, their judgements growing harsher. Usually mindkyll needs to remove of the nightmare for them to act normally again.

_______

And that is the basics of the Mindscape! Once again, I'd absolutely LOVE any questions in reblogs, comments, or even my asks :3 thank you so much for reading all of this, I hope you enjoyed!!

[jedimaesteryoda]

Every once in a while on Twitter (not X, Elon can go screw himself), someone circulates a complaint about A Song of Ice and Fire that is basically some version of "GRRM's series is nihilistic where everyone is gray, there are no heroes and villains, or heroes die and villains win compared to Tolkien's magnum opus where there are clear heroes and villains with the heroes being upright and good always wins."

It's written by people who either never read nor understood the series nor understands the author.

Firstly, Martin himself is a fan of Tolkien stating "I revere Lord of the Rings, I reread it every few years, it had an enormous effect on me as a kid," and is such a huge fan of Tolkien he complains of "Tolkien imitators" who "cheapened it. The audience were being sold degraded goods. I thought: 'This is not how it should be done.' "

Tolkien was a clear inspiration for Martin's magnum opus given in the same interview he stated "I wanted to combine the wonder and image of Tolkien fantasy with the gloom of historical fiction." You can even find nods to Tolkien throughout the series from names like "Oakenshield" to a dwarven heir to a mighty mountain fastness filled with gold. Underneath the gloom on the surface, there is a layer of Tolkien-esque romanticism.

ASOIAF isn't nihilistic. No one would call characters like war criminal and murderer-rapists like Gregor Clegane, Ramsay Bolton and Euron Greyjoy or the vivisectionist and torturer Qyburn morally grey. There are heroes like Brienne of Tarth who risked her life in a hopeless fight to save an inn full of orphans, Sam who stayed with Gilly and her babe beyond the Wall in a forest filled with wights and Dunk who defended a puppeteer from a prince. Then, there is Daenerys whose experience as a domestic abuse victim and child bride lead her to put her plan to take back the Iron Throne on hold to liberate slaves.

My own heroes are the dreamers, those men and women who tried to make the world a better place than when they found it, whether in small ways or great ones. Some succeeded, some failed, most had mixed results… but it is the effort that’s heroic, as I see it. Win or lose, I admire those who fight the good fight. -George R.R. Martin

These characters go out of their way to help others and live up to their ideals in a world they know won't reward them for it. That's what helps to make their actions truly heroic. In the end, it's their striving that sets them apart.

The ones who are villains don't seem to win in the end. Tywin was killed by his own abused son on the privy over his mistreatment of a peasant girl, and his legacy is already crumbling. Jaime lost his sword hand and is becoming increasingly disillusioned with his house, slowly realizing that they're not the good guys. The Boltons are facing a rebellion and their new bannermen don't want Ramsay as their liege lord. More Freys have been killed as a result of the Red Wedding than fighting for Robb, and they're being overextended. Not to mention, one of their victims has come back from the dead to enact vengeance on their house. House Greyjoy is destined to fall to ruin as the Greyjoys suffer and die in their fruitless pursuits for crowns.

It's also a superficial reading of Tolkien. Tolkien has moments in his series where heroes fail like Isildur, the guy who slew Sauron, failing to do the one thing he needed to do to end the threat for all time by keeping the One Ring, and Frodo, the purported hero of the series, doing the same thing at the end. Thorin Oakenshield refused to provide money to the people of Lake-town over the destruction of their city at Smaug's hands as a result of his party's actions. There's also plenty of stories of heroes failing in The Silmarillion like Turin.

Both are great series in their own right, and if you don't like Martin's series, that's okay, no series is for everyone. But don't mischaracterize it and pit it against a dumbed down, mischaracterized version of Tolkien's work.

[smitten-miqitten]

Post-Veilguard Solavellan and Rook headcanons:

Because Lavellan is directly in the Fade with no Veil to separate her from it, it becomes a (relatively) simple matter for Solas to reconnect her to the lost immortality of the Elves. It only works while she's physically present in the Fade however, and at first he has to function as a go-between until that connection is strong enough on its own(like an unused muscle).

Lavellan no longer NEEDS food or drink as a result but being without it is extremely uncomfortable. Feeling like you're starving constantly sucks, even if it might not kill you.

This is fine though, because Rook teams up with Dorian to make a plan. The Sending Crystal Dorian gave Lavellan is infamously always on her person, so can act as a beacon to her location. Dorian gets things sent to the Lighthouse, and Rook facilitates the delivery of the goods via helpful spirits with the Sending Crystal being their guide.

Rook works with Archon Dorian Pavus to crush any black market slave trading that they uncover. The Lighthouse is used to ferry the freed people to safety, as it was in the past.

Rook becomes the new master of the Lighthouse. They end up getting a Sending Crystal pair of their own to share with Solas, and he and they collaborate on things as needed. It's an odd friendship. Bitch to bitch communication. It's scathing but heartfelt. They both know he needs a buddy.

Eventually Rook also is reconnected enough to the Fade to the point they also stop aging, but anytime they enter Thedas proper it resumes for the duration they are there. As a result, they will likely either eventually die like normal, or choose to work via proxies while remaining in the Lighthouse physically.

Lavellan and Solas, wherever their vague-ass destination actually is, end up creating a fairly comfortable home despite how 'terrible' wherever they're at is supposed to be.

Cole warns her when Dorian is about to pass away of age, and she says her heartwrenching farewells in his final dream. Dorian wills his Sending Crystal to Rook, with the stipulation that Rook find Lavellan someone equally charming to chat with so she doesn't lose her connection to the real world. It's...a tall order 😔 Dorian is no less dear to Lavellan than Mythal was to Solas, for perspective.

As the one who accompanied the Dread Wolf into exile, Lavellan becomes a mythological figure amongst the few Dalish who still keep to some of their ways, more or less against her will. Her name, Ellenere, means nothing in Elvish originally but becomes the name of the goddess who serves as the heart and guide that endears The People to the trickster Fen'Harel. Statues of a female wolf are placed outside of camps next to those of Fen'Harel, so that she will placate him and he will not trouble the clan. She and he guard or stalk the dreams of the world... depending on the story.

Clan Lavellan is an awkward guest at the Arlathvhen because of their former-First's new deific status. Members of the clan also no longer choose to receive Vallaslin as adults.

In the far, far future Solas and Lavellan have children. This follows the spinning of myths by the Dalish that claimed they already had, which flustered Lavellan greatly and prompted a conversation about whether such a thing would even be possible, let alone advisable. Being born in the Fade, these children do not lack the connection their cousins in Thedas would and are therefore immortal like their parents, at least until they leave it (they do).

Solas and Lavellan fuck like...a lot. There are Dalish myths about that too, eventually 😂 Like when a thunderstorm is happening, they're being too rowdy. The person who started these myths may or may not be The Iron Bull.

[houserautha]

These Destined Ends

Part 3

Summary: Jessica fulfilled the wishes of the Bene Gesserits to produce a daughter. You’re now burdened with the task of not only marrying the na-Baron, but also bearing his child — the Kwisatz Haderach. Will you take your fate into your own hands? Or will it always belong to those who control you?

Pairings: Feyd-Rautha x F!Reader

Word Count: 2.7k

Warnings: mentions of killing/death, naked concubines (man and woman), threats via penis manhandling

A/N: I have a vague idea of where I’d like the story to go because I love the fun in discovering different things when writing on a loose plan. This chapter ended up longer than I thought it would be but Feyd is just so damn fun to write😂

You tried not to linger on the implications of your shared quarters.

Angrily you strode after Feyd-Rautha. “What is going to become of my parents?”

“I don’t care.”

You wanted to grab his arm and spin him around, force him to face you. But you were afraid of touching him again, afraid that any little contact would result in an even trade — and you did not want to confront the flicker of attraction you felt when the Harkonnen dragged his lips across your skin. A second reaction would be indicative of something more, and you were determined not to let another scenario arise to find out.

The best you could do was stomp after him. “Well, I do.”

“Nothing will happen.”

“How can you be sure?”

“I just am.”

You mull over this response. Would he tell you differently? You sensed that Feyd-Rautha tended to be brutally honest. Probably because he never had to deal with any consequences in his life. How could he, as na-Baron?

You fail to think of anything else to say and lapse into silence, trusting that he is telling the truth and your parents will be fine. Besides, you comfort yourself, the Emperor would be furious if the Harkonnens just slaughtered one of the other Noble Houses like that. There were laws in place to discourage such atrocities.

Feyd-Rautha continues his unofficial tour, winding through a complicated series of interweaving corridors without speaking. You see several servants along the way, all who keep a cautious distance from you both. You couldn't ignore their curious looks. How strange you felt among them - pale and unblemished like stones smoothed over by a river's constant force. It didn't aid in your comfort.

"Do you not know any of them?" You ask. Feyd-Rautha is anything but a pleasant conversational partner, but at least if you're talking you don't have to listen to your rampant thoughts.

"Who?"

"The servants," you reply, brow furrowing.

He grunts in a noncommittal fashion. "Why would I?"

"Because they work for you." You were on friendly terms with the staff back on Caladan and trying to befriend the Fremen employed to you on Arrakis. The natives were untrusting of you, rightfully so. But you couldn't imagine just ignoring them.

"They're disposable," Feyd-Rautha comments with a wave of his hand. A pair of servants scurry by.

You watch them turn the corner and vanish. "They're afraid of you."

"Hm."

"Am I?"

"Are you what?"

"Disposable."

He casts you a sideways look. "Everyone is disposable once their use has expired. Thus is the way of the Harkonnen."

You contemplate this, frowning. "Even you?"

A dry, brittle laugh erupts from him.

"Are you planning on killing me already, wife? Perhaps you'll adapt just fine here."

That wasn't the compliment he thought it was.

You pointedly ignore him. "Are you telling me that there's not a moment that would make you disposable like the rest of us?"

"There is," he says, seemingly unbothered by the threat of his mortality, unlike you. "My uncle has promised the Baronship to me. If I am an unfit ruler then I would be challenged. Thus is the —"

"— way of the Harkonnen," you finish.

Feyd-Rautha flashes you a smile as sharp as the blade of a dagger. "You are quicker than you look."

"But what of the Noble Houses? The Emperor?"

Feyd-Rautha lifts a shoulder. "House Harkonnen has proved powerful for many, many generations. No one dares challenge us. Nor will they," he adds thoughtfully. He pauses. "Do you fret for our children?"

You inhale sharply, swallowing, and it sticks in your throat. You cough out an unconvincing, "I'm fine!" then set to composing yourself, confident that your sanity would be doubted by anyone who happened by. What a way to be viewed by your subjects. Feyd-Rautha just stares at you in poorly veiled amusement.

"I try not to think of our children," you say after you're sure you're done coughing. Something akin to embarrassment burns you skin.

"Pity," Feyd-Rautha says. "These are our quarters."

Feyd-Rautha's quarters are much more grand than your room on Arrakis. He leads you into an antechamber with a skylight, pouring the strange light from the black sun into the space. There's a sunken level in the floor furnished with dark colored furniture — two love seats and a sofa. A handful of glowglobes float aimlessly by.

Feyd-Rautha crosses the room, forgoing the sunken level, to the other side of the antechamber. You have no choice but to follow.

You don't know what you expected from his — your — room. Perhaps a chamber of torture. But it's not the sleek, elegant display before you, a full sized bed with plush bedding and tasteful curtains covering a bank of floor-length windows. It's impeccably neat.

And, to your abject horror, features three naked figures sprawled out on various surfaces. Two women and one man.

Feyd-Rautha ignores them, even as they slink from their positions to greet him, bodies slender and completely hairless, free of any visible blemishes. You feign an interest in the ceiling. It's not that you're naive to nudity or sexuality, but the sudden exposure to it roots you in your place.

"Do you need an invitation?" Feyd-Rautha asks.

When you force your gaze from the ceiling, you find him settled casually in a chair with a low-slung back, the two women kneeling on either side of him and the man behind. You follow their hands as they wander his body.

"No. No."

Where are you supposed to go? If he believes you will worship him like the others than he's sorely mistaken. You walk to the bed, ghosting your fingers over the bedding and confirming its softness. You hate the way that you can feel him watching you, clearly amused by your discomfort; you rally your courage to meet his stare, refusing to acknowledge the naked bodies draped across him.

"Are you quite alright, wife?"

"Fine," you grit out. "I didn't realize we would have company."

"Would you like me to tell them to leave?"

A loaded question, one that you were aware would set the tone for the rest of your life with Feyd-Rautha. A challenge. You control the slight quiver in your voice, "Leave. I wish to be alone with my...husband."

The concubines hesitate, obviously waiting to hear from Feyd-Rautha. He continues to hold your gaze. "Leave."

Uncurling themselves from around him, the women and the man are all white limbs and smooth skin, a multi-limbed creature. Whether or not they are disappointed by this development, they don't reveal, simply sauntering out of the room to wherever they go when they aren't waiting naked for Feyd-Rautha. A feeling of annoyance stirs.

"There's no need to be jealous," Feyd-Rautha says as the door closes.

You bristle. "I'm not."

“Then come here, wife.” Feyd-Rautha spreads his legs, indicating his lap and his powerful thighs. You resent yourself for noticing. “If you dismiss my concubines, then you must come to me now and offer me your warmth instead.”

Another challenge. You wonder briefly if he is playing with you, testing your boundaries, but just as you refused to show weakness in the throne room, you refuse now, crossing the carpeted floor. A surge of bravery — or maybe stupidity — prompts you to wedge your knees on either side of his waist, straddling him, the skirt of your dress hitched up to ensure mobility.

The look on his face is worth the cost of the heat reigniting in the pit of your stomach. You chase it away in pursuit of the heady high you receive from asserting your dominance. He might’ve had the upper hand but you were in control now.

“Warm enough?” You ask him innocently.

“Not quite,” he replies. He’s tipped his head back to examine you, leaving a blazing trail where his gaze goes.

Brazen beyond you imagination, you work the buckle to his pants just enough to slip your hand inside and grab his cock.

That bastard. He was already hard. Not fully erect, you observed with conflicting feelings, but clearly you had your effects on him. Feyd-Rautha showed no shame or guilt about this, however. Like it was expected — normal for women he’s just met to reach into his pants.

And it probably was.

Injured hand screaming in defiance of your actions, you grab the head of his cock and twist, slightly backwards and to the side. You apply pressure, hopefully enough to hurt him, he wouldn’t dare reveal it to you anyway.

“Do not,” you hiss, “embarrass me like that ever again. I will not tolerate looking like a fool.”

Feyd-Rautha’s throat bobs. Except instead of agony he looks totally enthralled. “Or what?” He mocks. “You’ll wrap your pretty hand around my cock?”

“You won’t have a cock for anyone to wrap their hand around.”

“Is that a promise?”

You release him and climb off his lap, figuring it would be more impactful to leave him wanting then lustful. His utter indifference, his arousal, gives you pause to just who you’ve been arranged to marry.

“You disgust me,” you spit out.

Feyd-Rautha’s mouth twitches slightly. Did he really have to find everything funny?

He says, “We’ll see.”

A month passes at Giedi Prime in a disconcerting blur. To your surprise, besides the first afternoon, you hardly ever see Feyd-Rautha. Always busy with important meetings or sparring sessions. Or whatever he did in his spare time. You didn’t ask.

Ever since that day when you’d straddled his lap, you’d been waiting for the other shoe to drop. He had said clearly that you were even after the slap but then you’d unexpectedly turned the tables — did he intend on returning the favor?

You informed him that you would sleep on the couch in the antechamber until your wedding, to which he never remarked upon. That first night you lay awake, afraid and absolutely convinced that he would try something. But he never came.

The days passed without event and your anxiety dwindled. Besides, while Feyd-Rautha was busy with na-Baron affairs, you were forced to schlep through a mountain of preparations for the wedding ceremony. You didn’t care, frankly. You chose the first sample of whatever you were offered — tablecloths, menu items, decorations — until one of the servants accompanying you threw down the sample booklet and scowled.

“This will be the most horrendous wedding in the history of the galaxy,” the servant said in exasperation. “And all of them are too afraid of your husband to say anything.”

You had raised a brow, secretly thrilled by this confrontation. At least it broke the monotony of your life here thus far.

“Do you question my taste?”

The servant glared at you. “What taste?”

A moment passed. The other servants stared in horror, undoubtedly convinced that their demise was imminent. Perhaps that was one benefit to being betrothed to the na-Baron. He wielded a certain type of power.

You busted out laughing. In fact, you laughed so hard that tears stream down your face.

“You’re right,” you said, laughter weakening into an uncontrollable giggle. “It will be a horrendous wedding, but that has nothing to do with the decorations. Will you help me?”

The servant’s name is Asha, and in her you found a companion. She chased away the other servants that day and set to work rectifying your wedding decisions, weighing in on current trends on the planet and admonishing you for your Caladan tastes. “Absolutely not,” she deadpanned when you inquired about floral bouquets.

Out of everyone on Giedi Prime — well, really just the Harkonnen fortress, as you weren’t permitted to leave — Asha became your friend. No one else bothered or cared to talk to you, and now that you had bonded over wedding preparations, you spent infinite amounts of time together strolling the halls arm-in-arm and whispering about servant gossip since you had nothing to contribute.

Asha made your miserable new life interesting.

“Are you scared?” She asks you one day, plucking at your eyebrows.

You outright refused to shave them off in order to conform to the hairless style of the Harkonnens, but regrettably agreed to a touch-up. You kept one eye on a nearby mirror just in case she got any ideas.

“Of what?”

Asha yanks at an eyebrow hair, and you cry out in surprise. “Oh, stop, you’re fine — I mean are you scared of Feyd-Rautha?”

“No. Why would I be?” You avert your eyes from her probing stare. Asha, unfortunately, is able to read your expressions better than a trained Bene Gesserit. You learned that this stemmed from the combat trainings that all young children received on this planet.

“Because,” Asha stresses. You frown when she fails to elaborate, and your friend issues a long-suffering sigh. “I’ve heard things about him, you know, in bed.”

“Oh.” You twist your hands in your lap. “What kinds of things?”

Asha grins triumphantly. “I knew you were scared!”

You laugh and shove away her hands as she playfully jabs at your sides. “I’m not scared,” you say, fending her off. “I’m just curious. Aren’t all brides?”

“Just you. We aren’t all Noble daughters with arranged marriages. We fuck —”

“I get it,” you interrupt. “Consider yourself lucky.”

You’re about to prompt her again about the things she’s heard when there’s a light rap of knuckles on the door. Asha shoots to her feet. You suppress the urge to roll your eyes — of course she’s respectful to Feyd-Rautha but not you. But you supposed it was the basis of your only friendship, so you couldn’t exactly complain.

“You’re back,” you say, standing up slowly.

Feyd-Rautha rests, hip and elbow, against the doorframe into the antechamber. He hungrily drinks you in.

“Indeed,” Feyd-Rautha replies. Last you’d heard of him he had left for an offworld obligation without saying goodbye. Something stirs in you at the sight of him after so long.

“I hope your trip was well.”

Feyd-Rautha scans the room before his gaze returns to you. “I would prefer to be here. The Baron seems determined to keep me occupied until the ceremony.”

Did you detect a trace of resentment in his words? And why would the Baron keep him from you? The heir wouldn’t exactly conceive itself; though he would have no way of knowing that you had been sleeping on the couch all this time.

“Retrieve the present I’ve brought back for my wife,” Feyd-Rautha suddenly instructs Asha. She secretly meets your eyes before dashing away.

You fold your arms over your chest. “A present? And I thought you’d forgotten I existed.”

If he picks up on your anger, he doesn’t show it. Feyd-Rautha crosses the room to you, replaces Asha in the chair across from you.

“It’s for tonight. The Baron has requested our attendance for dinner.”

You bristle slightly. “The Baron? Tonight?”

You had been exceedingly lucky to avoid the monstrous head of House since your arrival. But perhaps it was because you ran the other direction at the mention of his name, or the fact that you hadn’t strayed from your quarters.

“Yes. You needed something…acceptable to wear.”

“My clothes aren’t acceptable?”

“Yes,” he answers. “I have no doubt that my uncle has planned something magnificent for tonight. You will need to look the part.”

Your careful, fragile existence on Giedi Prime was crashing at your feet. From wiling away the hours to suddenly being thrust into the explosive political landscape that was House Harkonnen.

But no matter. Jessica had raised you for this very purpose.

“Fine,” you agreed coolly.

Both of you turn as Asha returns from her errand, a garment bag folded over her arm. She goes to deliver it to your closet but Feyd-Rautha halts her in her tracks. “I want her to open it here.”

Part 4

Tags:

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[branwinged]

dragon discussions are usually about the dualism of dragonfire's destructive capabilities and fire as an element of life in the fight against eternal winter, which is also what i've focused on before. but reading fire & blood rn and realising their ability to fly is an overlooked aspect of the way dragons are being used in the story. flight in f&b serves two major purposes. dragons are, of course, their main claim to power, dragons made them kings. flight then becomes a way of placing them quite literally above the rest of the population because they're not simply nobility, they're royalty. flight also signifies a disregard for all enclosure—it's the way aegon, rhaenys, and visenya begin the conquest by effortlessly flying inside castle walls. emphasised most in the burning of harrenhal ("Those walls are strong and thick" / "But not so high as to keep out dragons. Dragons fly.") —flight here is put to use as both invasive entry and a show of dominance as aegon takes balerion and descends well within castle walls to set harrenhal ablaze. but this goes both ways, because the castle also signifies (gendered) entrapment. which is why flying is consistently described as the one great love of a great many targaryen women, because on dragonback they're the equals of targaryen men, capable of fulfilling the same role in warfare. but back on ground they're eventually expected to fall back into the gender roles demanded of them (and i think hotd's opening is doing both with rhaenyra. she's a targaryen princess and the privilege of flight is hers alone, contrasted with alicent remaining on ground. and rhaenyra is free and wild and happy in the air, but two scene changes later, on ground and inside castle walls, aemma tells her she's destined for the birthing bed)

in the main series flight is always, unsurprisingly associated with freedom, and not simply from gendered expectations, because unlike her royal ancestors dany's life has been defined by dispossession. forced out of her home and on the run, under the primary care of an abusive brother until that brother sells her for an army—dany has never truly known material safety or independence. which is why flight is the great appeal of her dragon dreams in agot (Flying, she thought. I had wings, I was flying. But it was only a dream) and something first made obvious with silver, the horse drogo presents her with at their wedding.

The silver horse leapt the flames as if she had wings.

she said, “Tell Khal Drogo that he has given me the wind.”

And for the first time in hours, she forgot to be afraid. Or perhaps it was for the first time ever.

silver represents the modicum of freedom she acquires through their marriage. yes, she is thirteen and is sold to drogo as his property and he rapes her nightly, but her status as khaleesi is what finally frees her from viserys. drogo kills him not out of any particular love for her, but because viserys threatens to hurt the mother of his child. silver is a symbol of that protection drogo provided but being khaleesi won't truly liberate her—she loses everything the moment drogo dies. but what does free her in the end is her dragon dreams.

She could smell home, she could see it, there, just beyond that [red] door, green fields and great stone houses and arms to keep her warm, there. She threw open the door. And saw her brother Rhaegar, mounted on a stallion as black as his armor. Fire glimmered red through the narrow eye slit of his helm. “The last dragon,” Ser Jorah’s voice whispered faintly. “The last, the last.” Dany lifted his polished black visor. The face within was her own.

it's interesting the way the red door in the house with the lemon tree is meant to be her version of security and stability and personal freedom, that's home. when she imagines king's landing she imagines every door painted red. but what she finds within once she opens the door is herself. perhaps then, home for her is not a material location she must look for. instead security and freedom for daenerys is her identity as the last targaryen, the last dragon and when she understands that truth (the fire is mine), she walks into that pyre and sets herself free.

it's not yet a role she's entirely, unhesitatingly stepped into. adwd is the book in which dany struggles most with her targaryen heritage, represented in the way she locks away her dragons once drogon eats that little girl, but the solution doesn't lie in rejecting it. chaining the dragons led to her own entrapment in meereen, which is why drogon appearing in the fighting pits is so obviously a rescue. what she must to do is redefine what it means to be a dragon, and i think she will, she's already halfway there in the way dragons and the magic they embody are being redeemed through dany righting the wrongs of her valyrian ancestors. flight as a symbol of dehumanising oppression in the freehold with the dragonlords in the sky as the slaves toiled away in the mines underground vs flight now as a symbol of enduring hope and freedom for the dispossessed.

[brookstolemybrand]

Another post because I have more thoughts on the ASL brothers

(btw is there a better word for them bc I kinda feel bad about possibly clogging the search results for the language?)

Anyway, I was thinking about how Ace and Sabo represent different big brother archetypes for Luffy:

Ace is the big brother who has the closest relationship with Luffy. They very much grew up together, Ace trained him, protected him, lightly bullied him, all the classic big brother things. And both of them gave each other companionship, they both kept each other from getting lonely, especially after losing Sabo

Ace is also the big brother that Luffy looks up to, who Luffy strives to follow, who's like the older, stronger, cooler version of Luffy. He has similar (though very crucially still slightly different) ambitions: he also wants to become a notorious pirate. He's also the pioner, trailblazing ahead of Luffy. Luffy is always in some sense following in his footsteps, even as far along as Wano!

(And of course this is why he's the brother who had to die for the narrative....)

His role in the story is also to introduce Luffy to the wider world of pirates, the big league pirates. He is the connecting link between Luffy and Whitebeard and arguably also Luffy and Blackbeard

I also feel like as a big brother he's primarily Luffy's protector; whether he means to or not, he ends up saving Luffy over and over again, from the marines, from Blackbeard, from Akainu...

Meanwhile Sabo is the brother who kind of ends up taking the role that Luffy might have played in another timeline where Dragon raised Luffy as his own. I'm never going to bother arguing over whether Sabo or Ace was actually older, but here Sabo kinda plays the role of the oldest son, destined to follow in the father's footsteps.... except of course for the fact that Dragon isn't originally Sabo's father! He's a father figure Sabo chose for himself!

It's a very funny twist of fate

Sabo is the brother who takes the role that was arguably destined for Luffy, but that Luffy didn't want

So that Luffy can be free to do what he actually wants to do

Because that's what SABO's role is as a big brother, and the role he plays in the story; he takes Luffy's place in order to free Luffy. He does this in Dressrosa obviously, but he also does this in a more general plot level by fighting the World Government and the Celestial Dragons directly while Luffy is busy elsewhere. This is all very protagonisty stuff that would better fit the main character, but Luffy simply does not have the time to be doing it and can't divert from his path

This is kinda meta in fact, he's taking a necessary role in the story in order to free Oda from needing to make Luffy do awkward detours and mess up the pacing (particularly with the Reverie; imagine if Luffy had to go all the way back to Mariejois... and hell, he almost does when he hears about Vivi! But even here it's actually partially thanks to Sabo that Vivi managed to escape on her own and didn't need Luffy to come and save her, although this was very indirect and unintentional of course)

He also plays the role of the Hero of the People that Luffy explicitly doesn't want

So where Ace is Luffy's protector, Sabo is Luffy's liberator

Ace protects Luffy while he's still too weak to always take care of himself and teaches him important lessons early on, but he has to die so that Luffy can stand on his own feet and become his own man, not the little brother protected by an older brother

Sabo frees Luffy to follow his own path, mainly on the meta level but occasionally also very literally (such as Dressrosa), and that's why (for narrative reasons) he's brought back when Luffy starts to become more adult and more independent and is starting to get threatened by (gasp) responsibilities (and as the plot becomes too big for one protagonist to handle all alone)

Both of them act as conduits for Luffy to be able to continue this adventure, and they show up exactly when they're needed and exit when they're not

[mrsfancyferrari]

Destiny's Will

Summary: You and Carlos were childhood friends until you two were separated before he got to F1. The next time they meet, they're enemies.

Song: Under The Influence by Chris Brown

Author’s note: This might be the longest story I've written! I hope you enjoy this long journey which may take a full day to read. Warning: sex scenes at the end. Please like, reblog and share this! <3

Word count: 18.6k

MASTERLIST - F1

You and Carlos had been inseparable as childhood friends, spending countless hours playing and exploring together, until your parents had to move and you were separated. It was a painful time for both of you, as you mourned the loss of your dear friend.

You both knew that life would take you on different paths, but you were determined to find Carlos again.

Years went by, and you grew into your own person. While Carlos pursued his dreams in F1, you dedicated yourself to studying mechanics. You knew that being with Carlos would require you to be by his side, and you were determined to find a way for that to happen.

Fate had a different plan in store for you. One day, McLaren, one of the most prestigious teams in F1, offered you a job. It was an unexpected turn of events, but it felt like a sign that your paths were destined to cross again.

With this opportunity, you realized that not only would you have the chance to work in the same industry as Carlos, but you could also potentially be reunited with your childhood friend.

The excitement and hope filled your heart as you eagerly accepted the job offer, knowing that this was the beginning of a new chapter in your lives.

It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and you couldn't resist.

However, little did you know that this decision would make you an enemy to Carlos. . . .

Today, you were going to get a tour of the paddock and the McLaren's garage.

As you stood in front of the mirror, you couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and nerves. You wore a sleek black McLaren team jacket, proudly displaying the team's logo on your chest.

Underneath, you had chosen a crisp white shirt, symbolizing your dedication to professionalism and attention to detail.

Completing the ensemble were tailored black pants and polished leather shoes, reflecting your commitment to excellence in every aspect of your life.

Adjusting your tie one last time, you took a deep breath and reminded yourself that today was not just about impressing your colleagues, but also about showing Carlos that you had made something of yourself too.

As you looked at the bracelet that you wore, a surge of nostalgia washed over you. You remembered the day you and Carlos made those bracelets for each other, promising to always stay connected no matter where life took you. It was a symbol of your unbreakable bond and the unwavering friendship you shared.

When you heard the honk of your Uber, you quickly left your apartment, excitedly locking the door behind you. As you settled into the car, you couldn't help but feel a mix of nervousness and anticipation building up.

The ride to the paddock was filled with thoughts of what the day would bring, wondering if you would have a chance encounter with Carlos and how he would react to seeing you in the McLaren team jacket. . . .

As you walked through the bustling paddock, you couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and excitement. The smell of burnt rubber and the sound of engines roaring filled the air, creating an atmosphere of adrenaline and anticipation.

You couldn't wait to see the state-of-the-art equipment and meet the talented engineers who made it all possible.

Stepping into the McLaren's garage, you were greeted by a symphony of metallic clinks and the sight of mechanics working diligently on the sleek race cars. The precision and attention to detail were evident in every corner, and you couldn't help but feel a surge of pride knowing that you were now a part of his world.

As you stood in awe of the McLaren garage, a staff member approached you and introduced themselves as Sarah, the tour guide assigned to show you around.

"Welcome to McLaren! We're thrilled to have you here," she said enthusiastically. "Let me show you our state-of-the-art facilities and introduce you to some of the talented engineers who make it all happen."

You followed Sarah, eager to soak in every detail and seize this opportunity to learn from the best in the industry.

As you walked together, Sarah pointed out various areas of the garage, explaining the intricate processes involved in preparing the race cars for competition. You listened attentively, asking questions and marveling at the level of expertise displayed by the mechanics.

The conversation flowed easily, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie as Sarah shared stories of her own journey within the team.

It was clear that everyone at McLaren shared a passion for excellence and a dedication to pushing the boundaries of what was possible in the world of motorsport.

"Since you are assigned to be Lando's engineer," Sarah stated, "you will have to be able to keep a professional relationship with him. It's important to establish clear boundaries and maintain a focus on your responsibilities. However, don't worry, Lando is a great guy to work with, and I'm sure you'll build a strong working relationship with him."

You nodded, taking in Sarah's advice and feeling a renewed sense of determination to excel in your role as Lando's engineer.

As you listened to Sarah's advice, a flood of memories rushed back to your mind. You couldn't help but smile as you remembered the days when you and Lando were childhood friends, racing go-karts together and dreaming of one day making it big in the world of motorsport with Carlos.

Despite the professional boundaries that now needed to be established, you were grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with an old friend and work alongside him in this prestigious team.

Deep down, you knew that your shared history would only strengthen the bond between you, both on and off the track.

"Oh there he is, Lando Norris," Sarah said, seeing him talking to Oscar in the room.

As you looked over at Lando, you couldn't help but notice how much he had grown since those go-karting days. He carried himself with a newfound confidence and maturity, a testament to the years of hard work and dedication he had put into his racing career.

Gone were the boyish features and wide-eyed enthusiasm, replaced by the steely determination of a seasoned professional.

Yet, despite the changes, there was still a spark in Lando's eyes that reminded you of the child who would stay up all night discussing racing strategies and dreaming of victory.

It was a reminder that, underneath the polished exterior, he was still the same passionate and driven individual you had known all those years ago.

His eyes then went to you as his name was called, his eyes flicked from identifying you to recognizing you, and a wide smile spread across his face.

It was a heartwarming moment as you saw the genuine excitement and warmth in his eyes, confirming that the bond you once shared as childhood friends was still alive and well.

"Lando, this is-" Sarah tried to introduce you but there was no need. You already knew each other too well to forget.

"Y/N! What the hell?" Lando yelled in excitement, running towards you and leaving Oscar in a flash.

Sarah was shocked when Lando had said your name, looking at you for some explanation. She looked at you, waiting for an explanation as to how you knew each other so well.

As Lando reached you, he enveloped you in a bear hug, lifting you off the ground for a moment. The familiar warmth and strength of his embrace instantly transported you back to the countless playful wrestling matches you had as kids.

It was a nostalgic reminder of the unbreakable bond that had formed between you, a bond that had withstood the test of time and distance.

You couldn't help but chuckle at her bewildered expression. "Surprise," you said, flashing a mischievous grin. "Lando and I go way back. Childhood friends, in fact."

"Y/N! I can't believe you're here!" Lando repeated, his pitch getting higher with excitement.

"Lando, it's so great to see you too," you said, returning his hug with equal enthusiasm. "I couldn't pass up the opportunity to come and support you at such a momentous race. Plus, I wanted to see the incredible racer you've become with my own eyes."

Lando beamed at your words, his eyes shining with gratitude and excitement.

"I can't wait to catch up and hear all about your journey," you added, knowing that there were countless stories and experiences to share since the last time you saw each other.

"So you were the new engineer that graduated from that rich school huh?"

"I've gotten some skills under my sleeves," You smirked, giving out your hand. "It's nice working with you Mr. Norris."

Lando looked disguised at your formalities to him, and you couldn't help but burst into laughter at his reaction. "Mr. Norris? Seriously?" he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Come on, Y/N, we're way past that. Just call me Lando, like you always did."

You chuckled and nodded, realizing that no matter how much time had passed, some things would never change between the two of you. "Alright, Lando, you got it. Let's get to work and show them what we're capable of."

"Oh Oscar, come over to meet my childhood friend Y/N!" Lando called over Oscar, who looked shy but intrigued.

You extended your hand and gave him a warm smile. "Nice to meet you, Oscar. I have heard so much about you. We're going to make a great team."

Oscar's shyness melted away as he shook your hand, and he replied, "I'm looking forward to it, Y/N. Lando speaks highly of you."

As you and Lando started reminiscing about your childhood adventures, Oscar's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Tell me more! What kind of mischief did you two get into?" he asked eagerly.

You and Lando exchanged mischievous grins before launching into a series of stories, recounting the epic treehouse battles, daring bike stunts, and secret hideouts that defined your friendship.

Oscar listened intently, captivated by the bond you both shared and excited to be a part of the team.

"Have you met Carlos? I knew you were very close to him before you had to move," Lando asked, his voice filled with genuine curiosity.

"Actually, I haven't had the chance to meet Carlos yet," you replied, a hint of nostalgia in your voice. "We lost touch after I moved, but I'm glad to hear that you've stayed close. How is he?"

"I'm sure he'd love to catch up with you," Lando said with a smile. "He's doing well since he moved to being in Ferrari. You should find out yourself, Y/N. I know he would be thrilled to reconnect with you."

"I will, when the time comes," you said, understanding the importance of not distracting Carlos before an important race.

"Today is all about getting to know the team and settling into our new roles. But I'm definitely looking forward to catching up with Carlos and hearing about his experiences in Ferrari."

You spent the rest of the day learning about McLaren's garage. The McLaren garage is a state-of-the-art facility that houses the team's cars, equipment, and personnel.

It is a highly organised and efficient workspace, designed to maximise the team's performance on the track.

The garage is divided into several distinct areas, each with a specific function. The main work area is where the mechanics and engineers work on the cars, making adjustments and repairs as needed. There is also a separate area for the pit crew, who are responsible for the lightning-fast tyre changes during pit stops.

The garage also features a dedicated area for the team's data analysis, where engineers pore over telemetry and other data to identify areas for improvement.

The attention to detail and the level of organisation in the McLaren garage is truly impressive, and it is clear that the team leaves no stone unturned in their pursuit of success. . . . .

After the race, you went up to Lando to congratulate him on getting on the podium.

"Lando, that was an incredible drive! You really showed your talent out there today," You said, giving him a hug.

Lando smiled, still buzzing from the adrenaline of the race. "Thanks Y/N. The team has worked so hard, and it's great to be able to deliver a podium for them."

"You were so composed under pressure, especially towards the end when you were defending that position. It must have been nerve-wracking, but you handled it brilliantly," You commented, impressed by his mature performance.

Lando nodded. "It wasn't easy, but I just focused on hitting my marks and not making any mistakes. The car felt great, and I knew if I could just keep it together, I had a shot at the podium."

"Well, you more than delivered. This is just the start for you, I'm sure. With performances like that, the sky's the limit. Congratulations again, Lando. You should be very proud of yourself today," You said, giving him a warm pat on the back.

Carlos had gotten 2nd place, which you were extremely happy about. He had put in so much hard work and dedication, and it was wonderful to see that effort pay off. As he was bombarded with interviews, you tried to talk to him, to offer your congratulations and share in his success.

However, the throngs of reporters and cameras made it difficult to get a moment alone with him. You could see the pride and excitement on his face, and it filled you with joy to witness his achievement. Even though you couldn't speak with him directly, just being there to support him meant the world.

As Lando stepped up to the podium, the opening notes of the British national anthem began to play. A hush fell over the stadium as the crowd rose to their feet, placing their hands over their hearts in a show of respect and national pride.

The stirring melody filled the air, evoking a sense of tradition and history that resonated deeply with the British athletes and spectators alike.

Carlos was second place and looked proud of himself as he looked over at the crowd. He had given it his all during the competition and was pleased with the result. The hard work and dedication he had put in over the past months had paid off.

As Carlos stood on the podium, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He knew that coming in second place was no small feat, and he was grateful for the opportunity to showcase his skills. The crowd's cheers and applause filled him with a surge of pride, and he couldn't wait to celebrate his achievement with his team and loved ones.

You were in the crowd, supporting Lando, but your eyes were fixed on Carlos the whole time.

Carlos has always been a handsome man, even from a young age. His chiselled jawline and piercing brown eyes have always been captivating, drawing the attention of those around him.

As he has matured, his features have only become more refined and attractive.

Now, in his later years, Carlos' good looks have only improved. His once youthful features have developed a distinguished, sophisticated air about them. The slight lines around his eyes only serve to enhance his rugged charm, making him all the more alluring.

It is clear that Carlos has aged gracefully, his natural handsomeness only growing more pronounced with time.

You've always had a crush on him, ever since you two were young. There was just something about him that captivated you - his kind eyes, his infectious laugh, the way he carried himself with such confidence. Even back then, you found yourself drawn to him, stealing glances when you thought he wasn't looking.

And now, seeing him face-to-face again after all these years, those feelings have only grown stronger. The way he smiles, the sound of his voice, the little mannerisms you had never forgotten - it's all flooding back, and you can feel your heart racing.

You find yourself falling for him all over again, and you can't help but wonder if he feels the same way too. . . .

Carlos stood on the podium, a wide grin spreading across his face as he gazed out at the crowd. His eyes scanned the sea of faces.

He remembered the time when they were young and he came in second place, and you were there cheering me on like a madman.

He couldn't help but chuckle, the memory flooding back to him. "How could I forget?" he muttered to himself.

When the results were announced, you threw your arms around him. "Second place, you legend! I'm so proud of you."

He looked at you, eyes shining. "Thanks, my friend but I wish I had gotten first place for you,"

Your face blushed at his words, a mix of joy and embarrassment washing over you. "Oh Carlos, you don't have to do that. Just having you here, seeing you succeed, is enough for me," you replied, your voice filled with sincerity.

"Just make sure you're here when I get first place okay?"

"Of course! I'll always be by your side!"

It was one of the last races you saw of Carlos and you were there with him to cheer for him all the way to the finish line . . .

He continued to scan the crowd, his eyes darting from face to face until they suddenly caught someone else's eyes.

His eyes widened in surprise as he tried to identify them, but he was certain that it was you. Memories of your shared past came rushing back, and a mix of emotions flooded over him - excitement, curiosity, and perhaps even a hint of nervousness.

Your features were still the same from when you were young. Your bright, expressive eyes had the same warm, captivating gaze that had always drawn people in. The gentle curves of your face, the delicate structure of your cheekbones and jawline, remained unchanged, giving you a timeless beauty.

Even the small, unique details - the faint freckles dusting your nose, the slight upturn of your lips when you smiled - were exactly as they had been years ago, a testament to your enduring allure.

Time had done nothing to diminish the striking, natural elegance that had always been a part of you.

When our eyes met, your face fell as you realized he was staring at you. The intensity of his gaze caught you off guard, sending a shiver down your spine.

In that moment, you felt exposed, like he could see right through you. His unwavering stare made you suddenly self-conscious, unsure of how to react. The tension hung heavy in the air, leaving you feeling uneasy and uncertain.

You knew instinctively that he would stop at nothing to track you down and locate your whereabouts.

No matter how hard you tried to evade his search, you were acutely aware that his unwavering resolve would lead him directly to you.

You weren’t ready to face him, to face his younger self, who just wants to yell at you for leaving him at his worst moment. . . .

When the podium celebration was over, the McLaren team went into the garage to celebrate more for Lando's win. The team was ecstatic and filled with joy after seeing their driver secure a well-deserved victory.

Inside the garage, the mechanics, engineers, and the entire crew gathered to congratulate Lando and toast to the team's success. It was a moment of pure elation as they savored the triumph and looked forward to more victories in the future.

You were walking to the celebration when suddenly someone grabbed your arm. You whirled around, startled, ready to defend yourself.

But then you recognized the person - it was Carlos.

Carlos was still a sight to behold, even as the years had passed. His features had only grown more refined and distinguished with time. Standing just a few centimeters away, one couldn't help but be captivated by the striking symmetry of his face.

His strong jawline and chiseled cheekbones gave him an air of rugged masculinity, while his deep, soulful eyes conveyed an intensity that was both alluring and compelling. The subtle lines that had formed around those eyes only served to lend him an air of wisdom and experience, a testament to the life he had lived.

His full, sensual lips remained as tempting as they had been in their youth, beckoning to be kissed.

Even his brown messy hair added to his undeniable charisma, a visual representation of the maturity and refinement that now graced his appearance.

"Carlos, I... I didn't expect to see you here," You stammered, caught off guard by Carlos' sudden appearance. The words tumbled out hesitantly, as you struggled to regain your composure.

Carlos spoke quickly, his tone rushed and urgent. "Y/N L/N, it is you. I wasn’t being delusional. I'm sorry, I just - I had to come to see. I couldn't stay away any longer."

I felt my heart racing, unsure of how to respond. "Carlos-"

“Hey guys, what’s going on here, a family reunion?” Lando said, coming out of the corner and unaware of the tension.

“You knew?” Carlos asked his best friend, clearly offended that this was hidden.

“Of course I knew, she’s my engineer, I have to know her,“ Lando stated as he stood beside you, “Well I knew today but we all have history don’t we?”

Carlos was still in shock at your sudden appearance. We had been close friends when we were young, but you had disappeared years ago. Now, here you are, unexpectedly reappearing as Lando's engineer.

Carlos couldn't believe his eyes. After all this time, you had suddenly reemerged, and in such an unexpected role. Carlos struggled to process what was happening, as you stood before him, once again a part of his life, but in a completely new capacity.

The reunion was undoubtedly surprising and disorienting for Carlos. Just the sight of me, after so long, was enough to leave him reeling. It was as if the past had come rushing back, bringing with it a whirlwind of emotions and questions.

“I’d hate to ruin your reunion but I’ve got a win to celebrate and the team wants to toast our lucky charm,” Lando explained, gesturing to you with a smile. “But you two have the dinner to talk,”

Lando didn’t even give you time to say goodbye before dragging you away.

When you looked back to even get a glimpse of him, Carlos' eyes locked onto your, burning with a raw, primal desire. The intensity of his gaze sent shivers down your spine, igniting a spark deep within you. His eyes smoldered with an unspoken hunger, yearning to devour you wholly.

There was a wild, untamed quality to his stare that made your breath catch in your throat. You could feel the weight of his desire pressing against you, electrifying every nerve.

You must have seen his expressions wrong because there was no way he liked you or desired you in that way.

The McLaren crew and Lando welcomed you with open arms, and you spent the rest of the night celebrating Lando’s win together. Over drinks and laughter, you got to know the team on a more personal level, gaining insights into their passions, aspirations, and the camaraderie that fuels their success.

It was a night filled with shared stories, friendly banter, and a genuine sense of excitement for the future. As the evening drew to a close, you felt a deeper connection to the McLaren family, inspired by their dedication and the palpable energy that permeated the room.

It was an unforgettable experience, and you couldn't help but feel honored to have been a part of it.

As you unlocked the door to your apartment, a wave of guilt washed over you. It was in this moment that you recalled how you had abruptly disappeared from Carlos' life without any explanation.

The weight of your actions settled heavily on your conscience, and you couldn't help but feel remorseful for leaving him in the dark. The realization hit you hard, and you knew that you had to find a way to make amends for the pain you had caused.

But with no contact information for Carlos, you were left feeling helpless and unsure of how to reach out to him.

No matter how hard you tried to focus on the data in front of you, Carlos's presence lingered in your thoughts like an unwelcome guest.

Each line of code and every spreadsheet cell seemed to remind you of his piercing gaze, his touch, and the unspoken tension between you. It was as if the numbers and figures on the screen were mocking your attempts to escape the memories of that night.

As you scrolled through the data, a mix of longing and regret washed over you, fueling a desire to find a way to reconnect with Carlos and make things right.

But with each passing minute, the task of finding his contact information felt more daunting and elusive, leaving you in a state of uncertainty and longing.

You'll see him at the group dinner. You'll explain everything to him at the dinner party. You tried to reassure yourself but it didn't reduce the thoughts of Carlos hating you even more.

You rehearsed the words over and over in your mind, hoping that they would come out just right when you finally saw Carlos at the group dinner. You wanted to apologize, to explain yourself, and to make things right between the two of you.

But deep down, a part of you feared that your words would fall on deaf ears, that Carlos would never be able to forgive you for what you had done.

The thought of facing him at the group dinner filled you with a mix of anxiety and anticipation, as you prepared yourself for the difficult conversation that lay ahead.

There were two possible outcomes that weighed heavily on your mind as you prepared for the conversation with Carlos at the group dinner.

Either he would listen to your explanation and find it in his heart to forgive you, or he would remain resentful and unwilling to give you a second chance.

The uncertainty of which path the conversation would take only intensified your anxiety, leaving you on edge as you awaited the moment when you would finally face Carlos.

You just hoped that he would listen to you with an open heart and give you the opportunity to express your remorse.

You knew that words alone might not be enough to mend the broken trust between you, but you were willing to try anything to salvage what was left of your relationship with Carlos. . . .

╔═ * . · : · . ✧ ✦ ✧ . · : · . * ═╗

╚═ * . · : · . ✧ ✦ ✧ . · : · . * ═╝

As you stood in front of the mirror, examining the various necklaces laid out on your dresser, you couldn't help but feel a wave of indecision wash over you.

Should you go for the delicate silver pendant that your mom had given you on your last year? Or perhaps the bold statement necklace that always seemed to catch everyone's attention?

The weight of the decision felt overwhelming, as if the necklace you choose could somehow determine the outcome of the conversation you were about to have with Carlos.

As a knock came on your door, Lando's voice came through, breaking your train of thought. "Hey, are you ready?" he asked, his voice filled with excitement.

You turned away from the mirror and walked towards the door and opening it for him, feeling a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. "Almost," you replied, trying to hide your indecision. "Just give me a few more minutes."

Lando nodded understandingly, and you couldn't help but wonder if he could sense the weight of the decision you were about to make.

As you glanced back at the mirror, you couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that this choice was more than just about a piece of jewelry. It symbolized your inner struggle and the uncertainty of the path ahead.

The weight of the decision seemed to hang in the air, intertwining with your emotions, as you knew that whatever necklace you chose would carry a piece of your heart into that conversation with Carlos.

"I would pick the silver necklace, if that's what you're debating about," Lando commented as he leaned against the wall.

"Thanks Lando! We can go now," You replied, quickly clipping the necklace and grabbing your handbag before heading for Lando's car.

As you sat in the passenger seat of Lando's car, the nervous energy in the air was palpable. The drive to the restaurant felt like a journey into the unknown, not just because of the impending conversation with Carlos, but also because you were about to reunite with the other drivers who were once your childhood friends.

Memories flooded your mind as you thought about the times you spent racing through the streets, laughing and dreaming together.

But now, things were different. Would they still see you as the same person? Would they understand the choices you've made and the struggles you've faced?

These questions swirled in your mind, adding to the already overwhelming weight of the decision you had made in choosing the silver necklace.

Meeting them now, with the weight of your decision hanging over you, felt like a moment of truth - a chance to showcase who you had become and how far you had come.

As the car pulled up to the restaurant, you took a deep breath, clutching the silver necklace for strength, and stepped out into the unknown, ready to face whatever lay ahead.

As you walked into the restaurant with Lando, a staff member guided you to the reserved area where your childhood friends were gathered.

The familiar faces brought a mix of comfort and anticipation, but you couldn't help notice the absence of Carlos, Charles, Oscar and more.

Their absence added an extra layer of uncertainty to the already weighty decision you had made, leaving you wondering how their reactions would shape the conversation to come.

"No way, is that Y/N?" Max yelled as soon as he saw you, being one of your childhood friends.

The excitement in his voice eased some of the tension you were feeling, and you couldn't help but smile, knowing that at least one person was genuinely happy to see you.

Max rushed over to you, his eyes wide with excitement. "Guys, you won't believe who just walked in!" he exclaimed, gesturing towards you.

As the rest of the group turned their heads, Max introduced you one by one, each of them greeting you with warm smiles and expressions of surprise. The atmosphere shifted from uncertainty to familiarity as you engaged in lively conversation, reminiscing about the good old times and catching up on each other's lives.

It was a heartwarming reunion that reaffirmed the deep bond you all shared, reminding you that despite the choices and struggles you had faced, your friendship remained intact.

"Sorry we're late," Charles' voice came through the restaurant and everyone turned around to see them. Their arrival brought a mix of relief and anxiety, as you wondered how they would react to your presence.

As you turned to look at Carlos, your heart skipped a beat. He was wearing a crisp white shirt that accentuated his tan skin, paired with dark jeans and brown leather shoes. His hair was neatly styled, and a silver watch adorned his wrist.

The sight of him brought back a flood of memories, and you couldn't help but notice the slight curve of his lips as he caught your gaze.

It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that his presence could either strengthen the bond you once shared or further complicate the weighty decision you had made.

As you locked eyes with Carlos, you couldn't help but feel a mixture of anticipation and apprehension, unsure of what his reaction would be.

You followed Carlos with your eyes to his seat, which happened to be right in front of you at the table.

As you settled better into your chair, you couldn't help but notice the subtle tension in the air. Carlos glanced at you briefly, his expression unreadable, before turning his attention to the conversation at hand.

The aroma of the freshly cooked dishes filled the air as the waitstaff brought out steaming plates of food, placing them in front of each person. The sight of the delicious spread added to the already palpable tension in the room, as everyone's focus shifted from conversation to the culinary delights before them.

As the group began to dig into their meals, the clinking of cutlery against plates filled the space, momentarily breaking the small silence that had settled over the table.

With each stolen glance from Carlos, you couldn't help but wonder what thoughts were running through his mind. His eyes seemed to hold a mix of curiosity, longing, and perhaps a hint of regret, leaving you even more uncertain about the impact of your presence on this reunion.

You decided to break the tension by joining the conversation with Lando and Max, discussing the latest Formula 1 race and sharing your own insights. As you spoke, you noticed Carlos listening intently, his eyes flickering between you and the other two.

As you engaged in the conversation with Lando and Max, the room seemed to come alive with energy.

The three of you exchanged ideas, shared laughter, and debated passionately about the race. Carlos, though still observing from afar, seemed captivated by your animated discussion, his eyes betraying a mix of admiration and intrigue.

When the last morsel of food was taken away, you finally mustered the courage to break the tension. With a subtle gesture, you motioned for Carlos to follow you away from the table.

He looked momentarily surprised, but nodded in agreement and followed you. As you walked towards a quieter corner of the room, you could feel your heart pounding, unsure of what would transpire in this private conversation.

The moment had come for you to address the unresolved emotions and confront the weighty decision that had brought you both here.

You turned around, and for a brief moment, you were able to admire Carlos. His face, usually stoic and unreadable, now held a hint of vulnerability mixed with determination. His eyes, deep and intense, seemed to search for answers within your gaze.

The way he carried himself spoke of a man accustomed to command and control, yet there was a softness to his demeanor that you had never seen before.

With a deep breath, you began the conversation, ready to confront the emotions and decisions that had brought you both to this pivotal moment.

"First of all, I want to say that I'm sorry for leaving you before without any answers," you started, unable to look into his eyes. "I never meant to hurt you, Carlos. It's just that... I was confused and scared."

"It's okay Cariño, you being here is all that matters to me," Carlos said, his voice filled with sincerity and understanding. "I've missed you so much, and I just want to hear what you have to say."

As you quickly looked up at the nickname he used, the same one that he used to call you before you left, you felt a rush of nostalgia wash over you. It was a bittersweet reminder of the connection you once shared.

You smiled at his choice of words, realizing that despite the time and distance apart, a part of him still held onto the memories and feelings that had brought you together in the first place.

You took a deep breath, gathering your thoughts, and began recounting the events that had transpired since the day you left with your parents.

From the sacrifices you made to pursue your dreams of becoming an engineer, to the challenges you faced in your journey, you poured your heart out to Carlos. He listened intently, hanging onto every word, as you shared how your hard work and dedication led you to the opportunity of a lifetime - being hired by McLaren as Lando's engineer.

As you spoke, you could see the admiration in his eyes, mixed with a hint of pride for your achievements. The weight of your decision and the emotions that surrounded it slowly lifted, replaced by a sense of relief and hope for what the future held for both of you.

The more you shared, the more you realized how much you had missed having him by your side.

The conversation flowed effortlessly, as if no time had passed, and it seemed that both of you were willing to confront the emotions and decisions that had brought you to this pivotal moment.

"Wow Y/N, it looks like you've been through a lot," he said after you finished talking. "I can't imagine how challenging it must have been for you."

As he spoke those words, tears welled up in your eyes, catching you by surprise. No one had ever shown such genuine empathy and understanding towards your struggles before.

The tears were a release of all the pent-up emotions you had carried within you for so long, a testament to the profound impact Carlos had on your heart.

In that moment, you realized that you had found someone who truly cared about your happiness and well-being, and it filled you with gratitude and a deep sense of connection.

You were brought into a warm embrace, your face tucked into the crook of his neck. The familiar scent of his cologne enveloped you, and you felt a sense of safety and comfort that you hadn't experienced in years.

As the tears continued to flow, you could feel his steady heartbeat against your cheek, a rhythmic reminder that you were not alone. All the pain, the sacrifices, and the uncertainties faded away, replaced by a profound feeling of being understood and cherished.

After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice filled with a mix of pain and hope. "I've missed you every day since you left," he repeated, his vulnerability echoing in the quiet corner of the room.

You took a deep breath and held onto his embrace a little tighter, feeling the weight of his words. With tears still streaming down your face, you whispered, "I missed you too, Carlos. More than you'll ever know."

In that moment, time seemed to stand still as you both stayed there, wrapped in each other's arms, enjoying the presence and comfort that only each other could provide. The outside world faded away as you reveled in the joy of being reunited and the realization that this was where you were meant to be.

The tears of both pain and happiness continued to flow, but they were now accompanied by a sense of renewed hope and a shared understanding that together, you could face whatever challenges lay ahead.

After you then realized that you had spent more than an hour away from the group, you quickly moved out of the embrace, embarrassed of taking so much of Carlos' time.

"I'm so sorry," you stammered, wiping away the tears. "I didn't mean to keep you for so long. We should probably go back now."

Carlos gently held your hand and smiled, "Don't worry about it. This time with you is more important to me than anything else."

You smiled back at Carlos, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over you. "Thank you for understanding," you said softly. "It means the world to me to have someone like you in my life."

As you and Carlos continued to talk, the conversation flowed effortlessly, filled with laughter, shared memories, and genuine connection. It was as if no time had passed since you last saw each other.

The more you talked, the more you realized how much you had missed his presence in your life. Finally, mustering up the courage, you asked Carlos if you could have his number to stay in touch.

Without any hesitation, he smiled and gladly gave it to you, expressing his own desire to keep the connection alive.

"Should we join the others now?" You asked reluctantly.

"Cariño, I only came here to talk to you. We can do whatever you'd like."

"Even. . ."

That's when you woke up in your bed, the remnants of the dream still clinging to your thoughts. What had happened last night? Was it all just a figment of your imagination?

The emotions and sensations felt so real, but now they have slipped through your fingers like sand.

Even though it felt so real, you couldn't help but question whether it was all just a dream. How could something that intense and meaningful have happened overnight? Was it just your imagination playing tricks on you?

As you lay there in bed, the memories of your encounter with Carlos lingered, leaving you wondering if it was a sign of something more or simply a figment of your subconscious.

You thought of the only thing that could confirm your time with Carlos was real. His number.

You reached over to your nightstand and grabbed your phone, heart pounding with anticipation. Scrolling through your contacts, you found Carlos' name right where you had hoped it would be.

It was a small but undeniable confirmation that your encounter with him had indeed been real, and that the connection you felt was not just a figment of your imagination.

As you stared at Carlos' name on your phone screen, a sense of relief washed over you. It was a joyful realization that you had indeed reconnected with your best friend, and the bond you thought you had lost was now restored.

You couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as you realized that today was the last day in Canada before everyone had to travel to Spain for the next grand prix.

You knew that you had to leave the comfort of this dreamlike encounter with Carlos and return to the reality of your responsibilities in the paddock, helping the McLaren crew.

As you gathered your thoughts and prepared to face the day, you couldn't help but carry the memory of your connection with Carlos with you, finding solace in the fact that even though the dream may have ended, the bond you shared was still intact.

You knew that as the last day in Canada came to an end, all the drivers would be either already at Spain or were getting a plane there now.

Carlos would be among them, and the thought of not seeing him for the next few days filled you with a sense of melancholy.

However, you took comfort in the fact that your encounter had been real and that the bond you shared was still intact, even if you were physically separated for a while.

As you prepared to face the day and fulfill your responsibilities in the paddock, you carried the memory of your connection with Carlos with you, knowing that it would sustain you until you were reunited again.

Putting on your McLaren uniform, you felt a surge of excitement and determination. You climbed into your car and drove off to the paddock, excited to do your job and tried to place Carlos at the back of your mind.

As soon as you arrived at the paddock, you were immediately put to work gathering data for the upcoming race. Your focus shifted from thoughts of Carlos to the tasks at hand, as you meticulously collected and analyzed the necessary information.

The hustle and bustle of the paddock provided a welcome distraction, allowing you to immerse yourself in the fast-paced world of Formula 1 and temporarily forget about the melancholy of being physically separated from Carlos.

Every second counted, and you focused all your energy on fulfilling your responsibilities with precision and efficiency.

The staff relied on your expertise, and you worked tirelessly to ensure that everything was in order for the upcoming race in Spain.

You were responsible for coordinating with the engineers and mechanics to gather and analyze data on the car's performance.

This involved monitoring telemetry, conducting simulations, and making adjustments to optimize the car's setup. You played a crucial role in strategizing race tactics, analyzing competitors' performance, and providing valuable insights to the team.

Your attention to detail and dedication to your responsibilities were vital in ensuring the team's success on race day.

When you were finally able to take a break from your intense work in the paddock, you leaned against a nearby wall, gasping for breath. The physical and mental exertion had taken its toll, leaving you feeling drained and in need of a moment to recuperate.

Slowly, you closed your eyes and let the sounds of the bustling paddock fade into the background, allowing yourself a brief moment of respite before diving back into the fast-paced world of Formula 1.

Suddenly, something cold touched your face and you jumped at the feeling, opening your eyes to see what it was. To your surprise, Carlos stood before you, grinning mischievously as he held a can of ice-cold soda.

"I thought you could use a refreshing break," he said, his eyes sparkling with warmth and affection.

"Carlos? Aren't you supposed to be in Spain?" you asked as you took the soda from his hands and allowed it to cool your body.

Carlos chuckled and leaned in closer, his eyes locked with yours. "I wanted to see you before I leave," he whispered, his voice filled with warmth and affection.

You froze, his words sinking in. What did Carlos mean by "I wanted to see you"? Was he hinting at something? Your mind raced with possibilities, unsure of how to interpret his words.

The uncertainty gnawed at you, leaving you with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

You took a moment to collect your thoughts, trying to hide your own feelings of confusion and excitement. "It's great to see you, Carlos," you replied, your voice betraying a hint of curiosity. "But why did you want to see me before you leave? Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

As he tucked a hair strand behind your ear, his hand lingered, conveying a tenderness that left you breathless. "Because I want to see you every day," he whispered softly, his eyes searching yours. "I don't know what it is, but I missed you even though I saw you yesterday."

A shiver went down your back as Carlos's words sank in, and a smile tugged at the corners of your lips.

You were filled with happiness and relief that there were no paparazzi lurking nearby, ready to capture this moment between the two of you and twist it into a scandalous rumor. It was a precious moment, meant to be cherished in the privacy of the paddock.

"You must have missed me because it's still a shock that I'm here with you after all these years, right?"

"Nope," he denied, his eyes trained on you. "I miss you because I'm not going to be able to see you every day from today,"

"We still will. We can still talk over the phone when either of us isn't busy,"

"But that's not enough Cariño," Carlos continued, his voice barely above a whisper.

You could feel the heat coming from your cheeks, a rosy blush creeping up as Carlos's words sank in. You weren't used to someone expressing their feelings so openly and directly, and it both thrilled and unnerved you.

It was a vulnerability you hadn't experienced before, but deep down, you couldn't deny the warmth and excitement that filled your heart.

Reality then hit you like a ton of bricks. You were just an engineer of McLaren, while he was a popular F1 driver with a massive fan base and a glamorous lifestyle.

The difference in status and fame between the two of you was undeniable, and it suddenly dawned on you that pursuing a relationship with Carlos would come with its own set of challenges and potential complications.

Despite the warmth and affection in his words, you couldn't ignore the practical obstacles that lay ahead.

"Oh my break is over, Carlos," you quickly said, gently pushing his messy hair out of his eyes before running off. "See you in Spain,"

As you made your way back to work, your mind was filled with conflicting emotions.

On one hand, you couldn't deny the deep connection you felt with Carlos, but on the other hand, the practical obstacles and potential complications of a relationship with him were impossible to ignore.

You knew that maintaining a long-distance relationship would be difficult, especially with both of your busy schedules.

Carlos couldn't help but smirk as he watched you run off, your hair flowing behind you. He watched you intently as you ran over to the other staff, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes.

He knew that pursuing a relationship with you would be challenging, but he was willing to take on those obstacles.

As he stood there, he made a silent promise to himself that he would do whatever it took to make it work, even if it meant defying the odds and finding a way to bridge the distance between you.

"Cariño, don't worry, I won't let you slip away this time," he muttered to himself, determined to overcome the challenges and bridge the distance between them, no matter what it took. . . .

Sitting alone in your apartment, you couldn't help but feel a sense of regret wash over you. You wished you hadn't run away from Carlos earlier, and now you were anxiously counting down the days until your flight to Spain.

As you looked out the window, you couldn't help but wonder if you were making the right decision. Would the challenges and complications be worth it in the end?

Only time would tell, but for now, all you could do was wait and hope for the best.

You then looked at the McLaren uniform that was on your bed and remembered that you were basically enemies, working in different teams.

The competitive nature of your respective careers added another layer of complexity to the already challenging situation. It seemed like fate was playing a cruel joke on you, intertwining your lives in a way that presented both opportunity and conflict.

Would you be able to navigate the delicate balance between love and rivalry, or would it ultimately tear you apart?

As you arrived in Spain, you couldn't wait to go to your room and finally get some much-needed rest. The long flight had left you exhausted, both physically and mentally. You hoped that a good night's sleep would help clear your mind and bring some clarity to the complex situation you found yourself in.

As you opened the door to your room, a sense of tranquility washed over you. The soft, muted colors of the walls and the gentle glow of the bedside lamp created a soothing atmosphere.

Your eyes were drawn to the large window, through which the warm Spanish sunlight streamed in, casting a golden hue on the room. The curtains gently swayed in the breeze, inviting you to relax and unwind.

You took a moment to appreciate the simple yet elegant decor of the room. The comfortable bed, adorned with crisp white linens and plump pillows, beckoned you to sink into its embrace.

A small desk tucked away in the corner provided a cozy space for you to work or reflect, while a plush armchair in the opposite corner offered a spot for quiet contemplation.

The room emanated a sense of serenity and possibility, providing the perfect backdrop for you to gather your thoughts and make sense of the intricate web of emotions that entangled your heart.

You immediately jumped into the bed and fell into a deep sleep, the exhaustion finally catching up with you. As you drifted off, your mind was filled with dreams and fragments of the tumultuous journey that had brought you here.

In that moment, the complexities of love and rivalry faded away, and you found solace in the peaceful embrace of sleep, hoping that clarity would come with the dawn.

"So how did you sleep for your first coming with McLaren?" Sarah, a staff asked you as you walked through the new paddock of Spain.

You smiled and replied, "I had the most restful sleep in a long time. The tranquility of the room and the gentle breeze made all the difference."

Sarah then proceeded to outline your tasks for the upcoming month as an engineer. She emphasized the importance of fine-tuning the car's aerodynamics and optimizing its performance to ensure that Lando would have every advantage on the track.

She emphasized the need to carefully analyze data from previous races, identify areas for improvement, and collaborate with the rest of the team to implement changes. She expressed confidence in your abilities and reiterated the team's goal of securing a podium finish once again.

With renewed determination, you eagerly embraced the challenges ahead, ready to contribute your expertise and help propel McLaren to further success.

You couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment as you settled into the small open office to analyze the data. At first, the solitude seemed like a blessing, allowing you to focus without distractions.

But as the clock struck midnight and you found yourself the only one there, the isolation became suffocating. The hum of the air conditioning seemed louder, the darkness more oppressive, and the weight of responsibility heavier than ever.

As the days went by and the drivers finally arrived at the paddock, you devised a plan to avoid Carlos. You strategically planned your tasks and schedule, making sure to coordinate with Sarah to ensure minimal overlap with Carlos's presence.

You focused on maximizing your productivity during the times when he would be occupied with his own responsibilities, effectively minimizing any potential encounters and maintaining a professional atmosphere within the team.

"You should take a break," someone whispered behind your back. Startled, you jumped at the voice and turned to see Carlos standing there with a concerned expression.

"Carlos! How did you get here?" You yelled, looking around for any cameras that could capture the both of you.

"I came to see you, I told you that I miss you when you're not around," Carlos said effortlessly as if it didn't just give you a heart attack.

Your cheeks flushed at his words, and you found yourself becoming shy under his gaze. The way he effortlessly expressed his feelings made your heart race, despite your best efforts to maintain a professional atmosphere.

You couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to balance your personal connection with Carlos while also prioritizing your responsibilities to the team.

As you stammered a response, your mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

Did Carlos really miss you? Or was he just playing with your emotions?

You couldn't deny the flutter of hope that rose within you, but you also knew that getting involved with a teammate of an enemy could jeopardize your professional relationship and the harmony within the team.

You then heard footsteps approaching the office, and the voices became louder, causing you to freeze in your spot.

With a sinking feeling in your stomach, you realized that the rest of the team was heading towards the office. The last thing you needed was for them to discover your moment with Carlos and potentially create tensions within the team.

In a panic, you quickly grabbed his arm and dragged him into one of the smaller rooms before locking the door behind you.

In the confined space, your heart raced even faster, unsure of what to say or do next.

The room was dimly lit, and as you stood there, heart pounding, you couldn't help but feel a mix of apprehension. You knew that this impulsive decision could have consequences.

"Carlos, you can't just come in here whenever you feel like it," you tried to emphasise it to him but none of your words passed through his head.

As you looked into Carlos' eyes, you noticed a flicker of sadness mixed with longing. It was as if he was transported back to the time when you were together, before circumstances tore you apart.

"I know I can't just show up like this," he finally whispered, his voice filled with regret. "But seeing you again, after all this time... I couldn't resist. You still look as beautiful as the day you left."

You were left speechless, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Memories of your past together flooded your mind, causing a mix of emotions to swirl within you.

Part of you wanted to give in to the undeniable chemistry between you, but another part knew that the stakes were too high. You had worked so hard to establish a harmonious dynamic within the team, and getting involved with Carlos could jeopardize everything you had built.

Taking a deep breath, you mustered the strength to respond, "Carlos, we can't go back to how things were. We both have responsibilities to the team, and getting involved again would only create chaos. We need to focus on our work and maintain professionalism."

"Cariño, I don't care about work, I care about you," Carlos replied as if it was the simplest thing in the world. His words hung in the air, tempting you to abandon reason and give in to your desires.

But you knew deep down that prioritizing your personal relationship over the team's dynamics would be a dangerous path to tread.

Gathering your thoughts, you looked into Carlos' eyes and said firmly, "I understand your feelings, but we need to consider the consequences. Our focus should be on maintaining professionalism and preserving the team's harmony."

"We wouldn't have this problem if you would work for Ferrari and be my engineer," Carlos muttered, slowly coming closer to you.

"Well it can't helped," You replied.

Carlos frowned. "So if you got a chance to go to Ferrari, would you take it?"

You paused for a moment, feeling torn between your commitment to the team and the allure of an opportunity with a prestigious racing team.

Finally, you looked at Carlos and said, "Yes, I would take it. But right now, our priority should be on the team and maintaining professionalism."

Carlos smirked and walked over to you, his eyes filled with a mixture of determination and longing. Your back was against the door as he slowly placed his hand over your head, trapping you in his gaze.

The intensity of the moment was palpable, and a part of you yearned to surrender to the passion that still lingered between you.

As his lips brushed against your ear, he whispered, "I hope you stick to that, cariño," before pushing the door open and leaving you in a daze.

A mix of emotions swirled within you, but deep down, you knew that prioritizing the team's dynamics and professionalism was the right choice.

You took a moment to collect yourself before diving back into your work, determined to maintain the harmony and focus of the team.

'Don't focus too much on work - CS' said a note was on your desk with your favourite coffee beside it.

You smiled at the note, trying to remember when Carlos had placed it on your desk. As you took a sip of your favorite coffee, the taste brought back memories of the times Carlos had surprised you with little gestures of affection when you were young.

"Geez Carlos, you're making me lose my mind," you muttered to yourself as you couldn't concentrate anymore with him running in your mind. . . .

During qualifying races, you found yourself spending a significant amount of time with Carlos.

While he had always been present nowadays, there was something different about his demeanor during these specific events.

You noticed him making an effort to avoid being spotted by the paparazzi and the public eye when he was with you especially after giving you a fright last time.

One morning, as you two sat alone in the grandstand, Carlos turned to you with a mischievous grin on his face. "I can't help it if the paparazzi keep catching glimpses of us together," he said, his voice filled with a hint of flirtation. "It's just the nature of the sport."

You blushed, feeling a flutter in your stomach. "I understand why you have to be careful but you don't have to make it a thing to see me every day," you replied, looking away to hide your embarrassment.

"But I must admit, it's a little frustrating not being able to be fully ourselves."

Carlos leaned closer to you, his voice barely above a whisper. "I can't deny that," he said, his eyes locked on yours. "It's a struggle, but I manage it for you."

Before you had the chance to respond, the sound of Carlos' phone echoed through the stands. Carlos' face lit up with excitement as he jumped up to his feet. "I have to go but I will see you tomorrow." His voice was tinged with a hint of regret.

You watched as Carlos sprinted off to where his sleek red car would be racing around the Spanish track. You couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment as he disappeared into the distance.

Despite his efforts to keep the paparazzi at bay, you couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.

Throughout the day, you couldn't help but think about your conversation and the enigmatic racing driver that had made such a lasting impression on you. His charm, confidence, and undeniable charisma had left you wanting more.

Only time will tell, but for now, the memory of our conversation and the thought of Carlos racing around the track lingered in your mind, fueling a flame that refused to die. . . .

You and a Mercedes staff were having a casual conversation in the break room, reminiscing about the days of your careers as engineers. As you shared your experiences and exchanged stories, you couldn't help but notice a certain tension between the staff and yourself.

Although you didn't realize it at first, the staff's behavior seemed to hint that he was being flirty. However, you decided to brush it off and maintain a professional tone, focusing on having a friendly conversation with him.

"So what about your dating life?" the staff asked, his voice full of lust.

"Yeah... so how does being George's engineer feel like? It must be a lot of pressure?" You avoided the question, changing the question for the sake of your patience with the man.

"Yes, it gives me a lot of stress but do you know what would take the stress off?" the staff said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You,"

"Oh, that's flattering," you said, slightly irritated by his persistence. "But I'm not really interested in that right now."

"Oh come on," the man insisted, coming closer to you.

"I'm sorry but I'm really not interested," You said, trying to get the message through the staff's thick skull.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The staff's demeanor became stiff, and he averted his eyes, seemingly distracted by something behind you. Confused, you turned to the staff, questioning him but he didn't answer you.

You turned your head to find Carlos Sainz glaring at the staff angrily. The staff excused himself abruptly, leaving us alone.

"What was that all about?" You asked Carlos, turning around to face him.

"Who was he?" Carlos quickly asked, staring at the back of the man's head as he was still walking away from both of you. His eyes only returned to you when the staff wasn't in sight anymore. His eyes were now filled with happiness but jealousy.

"He's just a staff member," you answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Why do you let him talk to you in public but not to me?" Carlos asked, now sulky. You sighed.

"Carlos, you are a Formula 1 driver while he's just a staff member. You'll be hated by the public or questioned by your team. I don't want to jeopardize your career or mine." You explained.

"You know that I don't care about jeopardizing my career if I get to see you," Carlos said without any hesitation.

"Carlos! You can't say that," You said, surprised by his statement.

"I just don't want to lose you again," Carlos whispered. His eyes were on the ground as he didn't want to hear you hear him say it.

Your eyes softened at his words, and you reached out to gently touch his arm. "Carlos, that's not going to happen again, I promise," you said sincerely. "We've both grown since our past, and I'm committed to making this work. But we need to be careful and considerate of the circumstances."

Carlos nodded, a mix of emotions playing across his face. "I understand," he replied quietly. "I just... I can't help but worry."

As you sensed Carlos' vulnerability, you slowly brought him into a hug, not caring about getting caught or the potential consequences. His arms instinctively wrapped around your back, while your hands found their place around Carlos' neck.

"You said the same thing all those years ago, that you would never leave me," he muttered into your shoulder.

"Well I was a child then, now I'm an adult," you reassured him. "I can make my own decision now so my decision is to stay by your side for as long as you will have me,"

"Then I will have you forever cariño,"

"Good because I'm not leaving," you stated and you could feel Carlos smiling against your shoulder, making you grin at your achievement.

Carlos then pulled back to look at you with eyes filled with love, causing your heart to skip a beat. Was this the feeling of love that you were experiencing? Was this the love you had been longing for? Were those butterflies in your stomach a sign of something deeper?

The rhetorical questions swirled in your mind, but one thing was certain - in that moment, you knew that you never wanted to let him go. . . .

"Alright, Lando, the final qualifying race is about to start. I've done the final checks on your car, so you're all set to go out there and give it your best."

"Thanks Y/N! You're the best!" Lando said, giving you a fistbump before entering the racing car.

As the race began, you kept your eyes fixed on Lando, watching his every move. But you couldn't help but glance over at Carlos' progress as well.

As the race progressed, Lando showcased his exceptional driving skills, maneuvering through the twists and turns with precision and speed. He maintained a strong position throughout the race, overtaking opponents and defending his place fiercely.

The intense competition on the track fueled his determination, and he pushed the limits of his car to extract every ounce of performance.

To your delight, Lando secured pole position, but your heart sank as you saw Carlos finish in 17th place.

You watched on the screen as Carlos stormed out of his car and quickly made his way to the Ferrari garage, his frustration evident.

After congratulating Lando on his impressive performance, you turned to him and said, "Lando, I'm worried about Carlos. Could you help me get over to the Ferrari garage without drawing too much attention?"

"Of course, anything for my favourite engineer," Lando agreed without hesitation.

Together, you and Lando made your way to the Ferrari garage, strategically navigating through the bustling paddock. Lando, being the quick-witted and charismatic driver that he is, effortlessly made excuses to pass through the crowd without drawing too much attention.

You knew Carlos well enough to sense that something was truly bothering him, and you were determined to find out what it was and offer your support.

When the coast was clear, you knocked on the door to Carlos' drivers' room, but there was no answer.

"Carlos, it's me," you called out loud enough for him to hear you if he was inside the room.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Carlos ushered you inside. His eyes were filled with a mix of disappointment and anger.

He quickly closed the door behind you before going back to sitting down on his couch, his face in his hands to hide his disappointment from you.

You cautiously approached Carlos, taking a seat beside him on the couch. The room fell into a heavy silence as you waited for him to gather his thoughts.

Finally, he looked up at you, his voice filled with frustration as he confessed, "I can't believe I let my team down like this. I had high expectations for this race, and I feel like I've disappointed everyone."

"You didn't disappoint me," you said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Racing is unpredictable, Carlos. You gave it your all out there, and that's what matters. We win some, we lose some, but what's important is how we bounce back from it."

Carlos looked at you, and with a hint of a smile, he replied, "Thanks for saying that. It means a lot coming from you."

Getting a closer look at him, the dark circles were more visible to you now. It was clear that Carlos had been under a lot of stress lately. You realized that you hadn't been seeing him as often as usual, only exchanging quick greetings here and there.

It was time to dig deeper and find out how he had been truly doing.

"Carlos, how has your sleep been?" you asked, concerned about his well-being.

Carlos hesitated for a moment before replying, "Oh, you know, just the usual. A few restless nights here and there, but nothing too serious."

However, you could tell from the weariness in his eyes that he was not being completely honest with you.

You then patted your lap and Carlos looked bewildered by your action. "Put your head here, just like when we were young," you said, trying to lighten the mood. Carlos hesitated for a moment before finally resting his head on your lap.

The familiar comfort seemed to wash over him as he closed his eyes, allowing himself to finally release the weight of his disappointment and frustration.

As you gently stroked his hair, you whispered, "You don't have to carry this burden alone. Let me help you, like we used to help each other."

Carlos sighed in relief at your head massage, his tense muscles gradually relaxing under your soothing touch. "You're right," he murmured, his voice filled with vulnerability. "I've been struggling to handle everything on my own. It's been overwhelming."

You nodded understandingly, your fingers continuing their gentle rhythm in his hair. "You don't have to face it alone, Carlos," you reassured him. "We're in this together, just like we've always been. You can lean on me whenever you need to."

"I'm going to be late for the media if I fall asleep," he mumbled but he didn't budge like his body was fighting for sleep but his mind was fighting for being awake.

As Carlos' body relaxed against your lap, you could see the toll that sleep deprivation had taken on him. His eyes kept drooping, fighting the urge to close, but eventually, his body succumbed to exhaustion.

You gently covered him with a blanket and whispered, "Rest now, Carlos. I'll make sure you won't be late for the media. Your well-being is more important."

Carlos's resistance faded as he succumbed to sleep, finding solace in your presence and the promise of support.

As Carlos drifted off to sleep, you noticed the deep lines etched on his forehead, evidence of the stress he had been carrying. His shoulders slumped forward, burdened by the weight of his fatigue. Even in his sleep, he seemed restless, his body twitching with the remnants of anxiety.

Carlos's body seemed to sag against your lap, as if all his energy had been drained from him, leaving behind only weariness and the need for rest.

Carlos' face was incredibly expressive, even as he slept soundly. You continued to gently stroke his soft hair, mesmerised by the subtle shifts in his features - the occasional twitch of his brow, the slight curl of his lips.

It was a captivating display, and you found yourself endlessly entertained by the nuances of his sleeping countenance.

You didn't know that one hour had flown by until you heard a loud knock on the door. You froze, hoping that it wasn't some Ferrari staff looking for Carlos until you heard Charles' voice behind the door.

"Carlos! The media want to take your interview now. You can't stay here forever." Charles said while opening the door.

Charles' face was filled with worry and fear before he saw the two of you on the sofa. His face immediately changed to a relieved look as he looked at the sleeping figure of Carlos on your lap.

"Oh hi Y/N, how long has he been like this?" Charles now whispered as he closed the door behind him.

You looked at the clock, shocked at the time. "Around an hour or more."

"You've been like that for one hour." Charles repeated in shock.

"He was tired. What else was I supposed to do?" You whispered after feeling him stir into your lap, your hand returning back to his messy hair.

Charles sighed after he noticed how your eyes softened when you looked at Carlos and he knew it was over for you.

"Just tell him that the media are waiting for him now," he said gently before leaving the room.

Slowly, you roused Carlos from his slumber, watching as the grogginess gradually overtook him. A faint smile crept across your face as you observed the dishevelled state of his usually neatly styled hair, now tousled and unkempt, a testament to the deep sleep from which he was emerging.

The light came from the ceiling, casting a warm glow on his face, highlighting the drowsiness in his eyes. He blinked repeatedly, his movements sluggish and disoriented, a stark contrast to his typically alert and composed demeanour.

You couldn't help but let out a gentle giggle at the endearing sight of this usually put-together man, now rumpled and disoriented, his messy hair a playful reflection of his current state of mind.

“What happened?” Carlos muttered, slowly sitting up to face you.

“You still have media to do,” You reminded him, standing up to stretch from the sitting position you were in for an hour.

Carlos sighed at your words, rubbing the back of his neck. "I completely forgot about the media," he admitted with a hint of frustration. "I guess I needed that nap more than I thought.

"Thanks for being here for me, Y/N."

"It's no problem Carlos, oh wait, let me..." you started but your voice went in vain after you looked at Carlos.

His shirt was wrinkled, and there was a faint crease on his cheek from where it had been pressed against your lap. Nevertheless, he still managed to look effortlessly charming, his tousled hair adding a touch of disheveled appeal to his already handsome features.

"Let me fix your hair," you muttered, stepping closer to him and gently running your fingers through his tousled locks. Carlos smiled gratefully, his eyes sparkling with appreciation as he allowed you to tend to his messy hair, cherishing the intimate moment between the two of you.

"Thank you, Cariño," he said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude. "I don't know what I would do without you. You always know how to bring me back to reality and take care of me."

You smiled softly, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. "It's my pleasure, Carlos. Taking care of you is something I love to do."

"There, now you're ready," you said with a playful smile, gently patting his cheeks to remove any lingering traces of sleep. Carlos chuckled, his eyes brightening as he looked at you.

"Thanks, love. I feel much better now," he replied, his gratefulness evident in his voice.

As he started to walk to the door, he stopped in his tracks and turned around to you. "Will you be here when I come back?"

You looked at Carlos with a soft smile, your heart fluttering at the hope in his eyes.

"Carlos, McLaren will get worried about where I am," you replied, your voice filled with regret at the change on Carlos' face. "I'll check on you later okay?"

He nodded before leaving the room, but you couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment. As much as you wanted to stay by his side, duty called, and you knew you had to prioritize your responsibilities.

"Off to go celebrate Lando's pole," you muttered to yourself as you left the room, a mixture of excitement and disappointment swirling within you. You knew that supporting Carlos meant sometimes sacrificing your own desires, but it didn't make the longing to be by his side any less intense. . . .

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As you prepared for your dinner with Carlos, you carefully selected a glamorous outfit that exuded elegance and style. The dress in question was a captivating red number that perfectly complemented your complexion. With its intricate woven design, cowl neck, and lace-up back, it exuded captivating allure.

The Shape Red Woven Cowl Neck Lace Back Mini Dress was a short, figure-hugging dress that accentuated your curves. The vibrant red color added a touch of vibrancy to your overall look, while the woven pattern gave it a unique texture. The cowl neck oozed sophistication, while the lace-up back added a touch of playfulness.

As you adorned yourself with various accessories, you carefully placed a delicate gold necklace around your neck. However, it didn't quite sit right, and you found yourself struggling to achieve the desired look.

Just as you were about to give up, there was a knock on the door. It was 7 PM, and to your surprise, it was Carlos standing in the doorway, holding a bouquet of vibrant red, black and white flowers. His smile lit up his face, and your heart raced with anticipation.

He then looked shocked as he took in your outfit. His eyes widened, and his mouth formed a silent "wow" as he admired the captivating red dress that perfectly hugged your curves.

The intricate woven design, cowl neck, and lace-up back emphasised your elegance and style, leaving Carlos momentarily speechless.

You couldn't help but feel a pang of insecurity, wondering if you had made a fashion blunder.

"Is it bad? I can change it if you want to," you ranted, scared of Carlos' expressions.

"Wow," Carlos finally managed to say out loud, his voice filled with surprise. "You look absolutely stunning in that dress. I never would have imagined you could look even more beautiful than you already do."

You blushed at his words, feeling a mix of relief and delight. The insecurity that had crept in earlier began to fade away as you realised that Carlos genuinely appreciated your efforts and found you stunning in the dress.

His sincere compliment filled you with confidence, and you couldn't help but smile back at him, grateful for his presence and the way he made you feel.

"Thank you Carlos, you can come in," you said shyly, letting him walk into your apartment.

As you walked back to your dresser, you picked up the necklace and walked over to Carlos. "Can you help me with this?"

With his cold hands gently touching your skin, you inadvertently shivered, feeling a surge of goosebumps. Despite his gentle touch, they managed to give you an unexpected thrill. As you turned around, our eyes locked, and a surge of warmth washed over you.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure cariño,"

In a car adorned with luxurious leather seats, you two drove to your dinner date. The fancy restaurant Carlos had taken you to was the epitome of elegance and exclusivity. However, as you two entered, you couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The glamorous ambiance and foreign faces made you feel like an outsider, despite the glamorous attire you wore.

Carlos, ever the gentleman, pulled out your chair for you, ensuring you were comfortably seated before sitting opposite you. The anticipation in the air was palpable, as you two exchanged fleeting glances, waiting for the right moment to break the silence.

As we settled into our seats, we began to engage in conversation, discussing anything and everything.

"So, how do you like the restaurant?" Carlos asked, breaking the silence with a charming smile.

You took a moment to observe the elegant surroundings before responding, "It's certainly impressive, but I can't help feeling a bit out of place."

Carlos squeezed your hand reassuringly and replied, "Don't worry, my love. You belong here just as much as anyone else. Besides, I brought you here because I wanted to spoil you and show you how special you are to me."

His words melted away your unease, and a sense of gratitude washed over you. As you continued your conversation, you couldn't help but feel lucky to have Carlos by your side, making you feel like the most important person in the room.

After indulging in a delicious meal, our conversation continued in comfortable silence. The soft ambiance of the restaurant and the lingering warmth of Carlos's presence created a peaceful atmosphere.

As you two savored the last bites of dessert, you couldn't help but reflect on how lucky you were to have found someone like Carlos, someone who made you feel cherished and valued with every word and gesture.

"So do you still feel bad about yesterday's race?"

"Not anymore, not after you are right in front of me," he replied, grinning at your shy reaction.

"Carlos, you have to be focused for the grand prix tomorrow," you said, trying to steer the conversation back to the upcoming race.

"Yeah, I am focused," he replied, his gaze still fixed on you.

Despite his flirty demeanor, you couldn't help but feel a shyness creep over you, making it difficult to concentrate on anything other than his captivating presence.

Carlos' magnetic charm emanated from his piercing blue eyes, which seemed to hold a universe of depth and mystery. The way his dark, tousled hair fell effortlessly across his forehead only added to his ruggedly handsome appearance.

With a fit and athletic physique that hinted at his prowess on the racetrack, Carlos exuded an undeniable allure that made it impossible to look away.

The evening was coming to a close when we were caught by something unexpected.

The paparazzi had gathered outside the restaurant, snapping pictures of us. Their presence brought a sudden realisation to both of us. In that moment, we realised that our evening had been captured, immortalised for the world to see.

The potential consequences of the paparazzi's photos being made public loomed over you both. The invasion of privacy could subject you to scrutiny, judgment, and even hate from the public.

The intimate moments shared between you and Carlos, which were meant to be cherished and kept private, could be distorted and sensationalized, leaving you vulnerable to the harsh realities of fame and public opinion.

Carlos immediately took your hand and led you to the back of the restaurant where a staff member was waiting with his car ready to go. In a swift and coordinated move, he opened the car door for you and helped you inside, shielding you from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.

As the car pulled away, you felt a mix of relief and gratitude for Carlos's quick thinking and protective nature.

Carlos whispered, "Don't worry, I'll make sure your face will not be seen by the public."

You reply with a grateful smile, feeling a sense of comfort in Carlos's reassurance. "Thank you, Carlos," you say softly, appreciating his efforts to protect your privacy amidst the chaos of the paparazzi.

"Anything for you Cariño," He said with a grin on his face, taking a look at you before looking back at the road. "So which house are we going to? Yours or mine?"

"I think it's best if I go home and get a good night's rest for tomorrow," you stated, feeling the heat creeping up your cheeks.

"Sure Cariño," he replied with a gentle nod, his eyes flickering with a mix of concern and longing.

Inside the car, a comfortable silence enveloped you both, punctuated only by the soft hum of the engine. As the city lights blurred past, a sense of intimacy filled the air, as if the world outside ceased to exist, leaving only the two of you and the promise of a new day ahead.

When you arrived at your apartment, Carlos was about to turn to leave after saying goodbye, but you quickly grabbed his hand to stop him. "Carlos," you whispered, your voice filled with a mix of uncertainty and longing.

He turned to look at you, his eyes searching yours for a moment before a smile tugged at his lips. "Yes?" he replied, his voice gentle.

"Stay," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. "At least stay with me for a while since our dinner was cut short."

Carlos's smile widened, and he squeezed your hand reassuringly. "I would love nothing more," he said softly, his voice filled with warmth and affection. "I'll stay with you as long as you need me, Cariño."

As you both entered your apartment, you couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation and nervousness. The atmosphere was charged with unspoken feelings, and you wondered if this was the beginning of something more than just friendship.

Closing the door behind you, you turned to face Carlos, your heart pounding in your chest.

"I've enjoyed our time together tonight," you said, your voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and hope.

Carlos's eyes softened as he looked at you, his body language reflecting a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. He took a step closer, his hand reaching out to gently brush against your cheek.

Your breath hitched at his touch, your heart racing in response. The air crackled with tension, both of you feeling the electricity between you, unsure of what would happen next.

"I don't want to rush things, but can I kiss you?" he whispered, his voice filled with longing and desire. The question hung in the air, intensifying the tension between you.

"Okay, but remember you have an important event tomorrow-" you warned. Your voice tinged with concern. However, Carlos hardly let you finish your sentence.

With a surge of desire and longing, he closed the distance between you and kissed you passionately, his lips capturing yours in a moment of undeniable connection. In that electric embrace, the worries about the future faded away.

As his lips melded with yours, a rush of warmth spread through your body, igniting every nerve ending. Time seemed to stand still as the world around you faded into insignificance, leaving only the intoxicating taste of his lips and the intensity of the moment.

The kiss held an undeniable spark, a perfect harmony of desire and affection that left you breathless and craving more.

Your hands instinctively found their way to the back of his neck, fingers tangling in his hair, while his hands tightened their grip around your waist, pulling you closer. In that moment, the world disappeared, and it was just the two of you, lost in the intoxicating rhythm of the kiss, savoring the electrifying connection between your bodies.

When you finally broke apart to catch your breath, you couldn't help but smile. The taste of his lips still lingered on yours, and the intensity of the moment hung in the air.

As you moved back slightly, you couldn't help but notice a faint trail of saliva connecting your mouths, reminding you of the raw passion that had consumed you both.

The anticipation and desire that had built up before the kiss only intensified in its aftermath. Both of you were left wanting more, your hearts yearning for the next encounter, as the taste of his lips and the lingering connection between your bodies filled your thoughts and fueled your desire.

"Do you still want me to stop?" Carlos teased, reminding you of your words before.

But as you looked into his eyes, filled with equal parts mischief and desire, you couldn't help but shake your head and pull him closer, surrendering to the undeniable electricity between you.

"We can't do anything that will weaken you and your legs before your grand prix tomorrow. Just kiss for now," you muttered reluctantly.

With a mischievous grin, Carlos whispered, "You better come to my driver's room after my home win then." The anticipation of what may happen next filled the air, fueling your desire for him even more.

"Of course," you replied with a mischievous smile. "But only if you promise to make it worth the wait."

Carlos chuckled. His eyes lit up with anticipation. "I'll make it a race you'll never forget," he whispered, before capturing your lips once again in a passionate kiss, leaving you both eagerly counting down the hours until his victory. . . .

╚═ * . · : · . ✧ ✦ ✧ . · : · . * ═╝

As you sat on your break, scrolling through the Twitter posts about you and Carlos from the previous day, a rush of excitement and anticipation filled you.

You couldn't help but smile as you read the comments and speculations from fans and followers. They were intrigued by the mysterious person who had captured Carlos's attention, wondering who you were and what your connection to him might be.

Although most of the pictures didn't fully reveal your face, they were captivated by the chemistry and passion that radiated from the moments captured.

The passionate kiss you shared replayed in your mind, making it difficult to focus on anything else.

The passionate kiss with Carlos had ignited a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions within you. It was as if a flame had been sparked, intensifying your desire for him and leaving you eagerly anticipating the next encounter.

The memories replayed in your mind, making it impossible to think of anything else but the electrifying connection you shared.

"Are you ready to celebrate with me after I win?" someone whispered, a hand sliding onto your waist. You turned to see Carlos, his eyes shining with excitement and anticipation, and couldn't help but feel your desire for him grow even stronger.

"Carlos, shouldn't you be talking to your team before the race?" you asked, turning around to face him.

But his gaze was unwavering, and with a confident smile, he replied, "I've already done everything I need to do. I just needed to talk to my good luck charm and my future engineer."

"Carlos-"

"Remember our promise? You said that you would work for Ferrari if I won this race?"

You sighed. "Why don't you win the race before we discuss that?" you said, trying to hide the nervous flutter in your stomach.

Deep down, you knew that if Carlos won, everything would change between you, and the thought both thrilled and terrified you.

The mischievous glint in Carlos's eyes only grew stronger as he leaned in closer, whispering, "Oh, I will win. And when I do, you better be ready to fulfill that promise."

With a mixture of excitement and apprehension, you leaned in closer to Carlos, playfully brushing your lips against his ear as you whispered, "Oh, I'll be ready, Carlos."

Carlos couldn't resist the playful challenge in your voice, and as he grinned, he pulled you even closer, his lips meeting yours in a passionate and electrifying kiss. Time seemed to stand still as the world around you faded away, leaving only the intense connection between the two of you.

"Good luck," you muttered as you broke away to the sound of the speakers announcing the start of the race.

The anticipation and excitement in the air were palpable as Carlos gave you one last lingering look before heading towards his team, leaving you with a mix of hope and uncertainty for what the future held.

"So you're cheering for the enemy now?" a voice said behind you, and you turned around to see Lando, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Well, I always knew you had a thing for bad boys," he teased, causing you to playfully roll your eyes.

"I wouldn't call it cheering for the enemy," you replied, returning his smirk. "Just enjoying the thrill of competition. Besides, a little friendly rivalry never hurt anyone."

"Just remember that you're my engineer, at least for now from what I heard."

"Lando-" you tried to explain but he stopped you.

"I understand, I can't stand in the way of true love," Lando said with a bittersweet smile. "But it's not like we're going to lose contact again, right? We'll still be friends, even if things change between you and Carlos."

You smiled reassuringly, placing a hand on his arm. "Of course not, Lando. We may be on different teams, but our friendship goes beyond the track. We'll always stay in touch."

Lando nodded, his smile widening. "That's what I like to hear. No matter what happens on the racetrack, our friendship will remain strong. And who knows, maybe one day we'll even end up as drivers and engineers again."

As the speaker asked again for the drivers to get ready, Lando rushed over to get ready for the race. His excitement was palpable. Meanwhile, you focused on your role as his engineer, meticulously checking the data and making last-minute adjustments to ensure that Lando had the best possible performance.

The countdown had begun, and the adrenaline surged through your veins as you prepared for the start of the race. . . .

The roar of the engines filled the air as the cars lined up on the starting grid, their sleek bodies glistening under the bright lights. The anticipation was electric, with the crowd holding their breath in anticipation of the exhilarating race that was about to unfold.

As the signal for the start of the race was given, the cars shot forward, their tires screeching against the asphalt, and the drivers expertly maneuvered through the first turns, jostling for position.

Each lap brought new challenges and heart-stopping moments, as the drivers pushed themselves and their machines to the limit, battling for victory.

The atmosphere was intoxicating, a heady mix of adrenaline, strategy, and sheer determination, as the race unfolded with breathtaking speed and precision.

The roar of the engines filled the air as the cars lined up on the starting grid, their sleek bodies glistening under the bright lights. The anticipation was electric, with the crowd holding their breath in anticipation of the exhilarating race that was about to unfold.

As the signal for the start of the race was given, the cars shot forward, their tires screeching against the asphalt, and the drivers expertly maneuvered through the first turns, jostling for position.

Each lap brought new challenges and heart-stopping moments, as the drivers pushed themselves and their machines to the limit, battling for victory. The atmosphere was intoxicating, a heady mix of adrenaline, strategy, and sheer determination, as the race unfolded with breathtaking speed and precision.

In the end, Carlos proved his skill and expertise, crossing the finish line first with a triumphant roar from the crowd. Lando, though disappointed not to take the top spot, showcased his talent by securing a solid second place, earning him well-deserved recognition and applause from the spectators.

Despite the competitive nature of the race, the friendship between Lando and Carlos remained strong, with both drivers acknowledging each other's abilities and celebrating their shared passion for the sport.

You were filled with a sense of pride as you watched Lando secure a solid second place, but deep down, you couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness for Carlos. Seeing him cross the finish line first, his skill and expertise on full display, was a moment of pure joy.

You knew that this victory meant so much to him, and you couldn't help but celebrate alongside him, grateful for the camaraderie and shared passion that united everyone in the thrilling world of racing.

The crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers and applause as Carlos crossed the finish line, their jubilation echoing throughout the stadium. Flags waved, horns blared, and spectators jumped up and down in excitement, caught up in the exhilarating moment of victory.

The atmosphere was electric, filled with a mix of admiration, awe, and sheer joy for Carlos's well-deserved triumph.

As you looked around, you realized that you were surrounded by fans of Lando's team, who were understandably disappointed by his second-place finish. Feeling slightly awkward, you tried to contain your excitement and join in the applause for Lando's impressive performance.

But deep down, you couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret that you couldn't fully express your joy for Carlos's victory among like-minded supporters.

You stayed with the McLaren team throughout the podium celebration, witnessing the bittersweet mix of emotions among the fans.

Some were still caught up in their disappointment for Lando, while others couldn't help but applaud Carlos's remarkable achievement.

As Carlos stood on the first-place podium, his eyes scanned the crowd, searching for you. When his gaze finally met yours, a wide smile spread across his face, and he raised his trophy in triumph.

In that moment, you knew that your support and shared joy meant everything to him, and you felt a deep sense of pride and happiness for being there to witness his victory.

Throughout the celebration, Carlos had been winking at you whenever he had the chance, a secret gesture that only the two of you understood.

As you locked eyes with him during the podium celebration, he winked at you once again, a silent reminder of the special connection you shared and the unspoken bond between you. In that moment, the world around you faded away, and it was just the two of you, celebrating his victory together.

You couldn't help but blush as Carlos's wink hinted at the private celebration that awaited you in his driver's room.

The teasing and flirty gesture only added to the excitement and anticipation that filled the air, making you eagerly anticipate the intimate moments you would share after the public festivities were over. . . .

You quickly changed out of your McLaren staff clothes into some casual attire, ensuring that you wouldn't draw any unnecessary attention as you made your way into the Ferrari garage.

With the ID that Carlos had obtained for you, you confidently walked past security and into the inner sanctum of the team.

As you entered, the atmosphere shifted, and you could feel the excitement building as you prepared to celebrate Carlos's victory in a more private setting.

The Ferrari garage exuded an air of opulence and exclusivity, with sleek Italian design elements, polished surfaces, and dimmed lighting that added a touch of mystery.

The atmosphere was filled with the intoxicating scent of leather and the faint sound of engines purring in the distance, creating a sensory experience that heightened the anticipation of the private celebration that lay ahead.

When you made it to Carlos's driver's room, you knocked on his door and immediately the door opened, revealing Carlos standing there with a wide grin on his face. He pulled you into a tight embrace, whispering how grateful he was that you were there to share this moment with him.

As you looked into each other's eyes, you knew that this victory was not just his, but yours as well, and you couldn't wait to celebrate together in the privacy of his sanctuary.

With a mischievous smile, he whispered in your ear, "I've been waiting for this moment all day." As you melted into his arms, you knew that the private celebration you had been eagerly anticipating was about to begin.

"I'm so proud of you," you whispered, your voice filled with genuine admiration and love. Carlos's eyes sparkled with joy as he pulled you even closer, cherishing the words that meant so much to him.

You felt a surge of heat course through your body as he pulled you into a tight embrace. His arms wrapped around your waist, and his body pressed against yours. You could feel the warmth of his breath on your neck as he leaned in close.

"You look beautiful," he murmured, his lips brushing against your ear. 'I'm so glad you're here."

You reached up and ran your fingers through his soft, dark hair. "I couldn't miss this, "You whispered. "Congratulations, Carlos. You were incredible."

"Thank you, mi amor," he said. "I couldn't have done it without you."

With that, he leaned down and kissed you. His lips were soft and warm, and I could taste the champagne on his tongue. I felt a surge of desire wash over me as he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring the contours of my mouth.

"Can I touch you?" Carlos whispered, staring from your lips to your body, his eyes filled with a mix of longing and anticipation.

You nodded, unable to resist the magnetic pull between you, as his hands gently traced the curves of your body, igniting a fire within you that only he could quench.

He tastes of mint and victory, and you feel the hard muscles of his chest against your breasts as he pulls you tight against him. Your hands explore his strong back, feeling the power in his body, the sinewy strength that has just won him the race.

Pulling away slightly, Carlos nips at your lower lip, his eyes burning with a hunger that matches your own. "I need you," he growls, his breath hot against your ear. "Right now."

You whimper at his words, all shyness forgotten in the face of your overwhelming desire. "Yes," you plead, arching your back, offering yourself to him. "Please, Carlos."

His response is to lift you up and sit you on the nearby table, his hands gripping your thighs as he pushes your legs apart. You can feel the hard length of his cock pressing against your core, and you grind your hips down, wanting to feel him inside you.

With one hand, he reaches between your legs, his fingers stroking your wet pussy through your pants. You gasp at the contact, your head falling back as he teases your clit with his skilled fingers.

"So wet for me already," he groans, dipping his head to suck at the sensitive skin of your neck.

"Please," you beg, your hands tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. "I need you now."

Carlos chuckles, the vibrations sending shivers down your spine, and then he pushes your pants down for them to fall on the ground, his fingers finding your aching cunt.

With one sharp thrust, he pushes a finger inside you, and you cry out, your hips buckling at the sudden pleasure.

"That's it, baby," he whispers, adding another finger, stretching and filling you. "Take it. Take all of me."

You can't form words, your mouth open in a soundless cry as he fingers your pussy, his thumb rubbing your swollen clit in circles. Your juices coat his hand, and he adds a third finger, scissoring you, stretching you deliciously.

As you hover on the edge of an orgasm, Carlos pulls his fingers out, leaving you whimpering and desperate. Before you can protest, he hooks one of your legs over his shoulder and lines up his thick cock with your waiting hole.

With one swift thrust, he sinks deep into your wet cunt, burying himself balls-deep.

"Fuck!" you cry out. You claw at his back, your legs tightening around his waist, pulling him closer, needing him deeper.

Carlos begins to move, his hips snapping as he pulls almost all the way out before slamming back into you. The table shakes with the force of his thrusts, and you meet him thrust for thrust, your bodies moving in perfect rhythm.

"You feel so good," he grunts, his eyes screwed shut as he concentrates on the feeling of your tight pussy gripping his cock. "So fucking tight."

Hearing him talk dirty sends you over the edge, and your orgasm crashes over you, your body shaking uncontrollably as you cry out his name. Carlos doesn't stop, pounding into you as you ride out your climax, your juices coating his shaft.

With a few more hard thrusts, Carlos tenses, a growl tearing from his throat as he spills himself deep inside you, his hot cum filling your hole. He slumps forward, his forehead resting against yours as he catches his breath, his cock still buried deep.

You wrap your arms around him, holding him close, feeling your hearts pounding in unison. "That was..." you start, unable to find the words to describe the intense, passionate sex you just shared.

"Incredible," Carlos finishes for you, kissing you softly. "But I have a feeling this is just the beginning for us."

You catch your breath and look into Carlos' eyes, a satisfied smile playing on your lips. "Incredible doesn't even begin to cover it," you say, your voice filled with a mix of desire and anticipation.

"Wanna do round 2 in your bedroom?" you smirked, your eyes glinting with mischief as you playfully suggested taking the passionate encounter to the next level.

Carlos grinned back at you, his fingers tracing gentle circles on your skin. "I thought you'd never ask," he replied, his voice filled with anticipation and desire. . . .

yourusername

liked by carlossainz55, charles_leclerc, landonorris, and 1,702,847 others.

yourusername: Life has a beautiful way of surprising us. Carlos and I met when we were just kids, and we instantly became the best of friends. Unfortunately, circumstances pulled us apart, and we lost touch for years. But destiny had its plans, and we found each other again. Now, we're not just friends, we're partners, and our bond is stronger than ever. Our journey has been filled with twists and turns, but it's led us to this incredible place. 💖

view comments below

yourusername: ALSO GOOD JOB BABY ON GETTING PODIUM!!

carlossainz55: 🥰🥰

carlossainz55: Mi amor, I thought we agreed not to post that picture of me

yourusername: But baby you looked cute in it! Can I still keep it on??

carlossainz55: of course mi amor, anything for you ❤

*liked by yoursername*

user1: OMG they are so cute!!

charles_leclerc: congratulations on your relationship!

yourusername: OMG Charles Leclerc! Can I have your autograph?? charles_leclerc: sure! I'm sure I will meet you in the paddock to give you one 👍

user2: NOT Y/N BEING A BIGFAN OR CHARLES WHILE DATING CARLOS????

user3: Y/N is actually living the dream 🥹

landonorris: Great podium mate 👊

carlossainz55: Thanks mate, got the love of my life and a home win in the same day. Best day of my life 🥰

*liked by yoursername*

landonorris: Stole my best friend 😒🙄😮‍💨

yourusername: Lando you know you will always be my number 1 bestie 🫶

landonorris: I GOT MY BESTIE BACK 🥰🫶

carlossainz55: What about me?????

*liked by yoursername*

[aniseya]

“He has to be a witness to what she finds out about herself. It was very important that she had her own agency and that she made this decision independently of him. But I agree, him witnessing it draws them together so much more. So, it went: buffoon, terrifying villain, seductive possible teacher, and then romantic lead. [Laughs] So, I had to find somebody who could play all four characters — buffoon, murderer, a gentle teacher, and then as a romantic lead. You can imagine as I'm writing this, I'm just like, “Who the fuck are we gonna get for this part? Who is going to be able to do this?”

“But I think the way that you see The Stranger and Osha almost immediately Yin and Yang-ing, there's also an argument to be made there.”

“Actually, in earlier drafts, The Stranger had a line from that movie, which is, "I have crossed oceans of time to find you." A lot of Gothic romances were referenced - Jane Eyre, Rochester and sort of the Byronic hero for those two.”

“I was sort of struggling with what the last moment was. I was kind of struggling with it. It was very important that they feel like equals. It was very important that they felt, honestly, like a power couple. I didn't think he should kiss her because, while he's earned her respect, she's earned his, he's earned her allegiance, and she's earned his, I don't know if he has earned that level of intimacy with her. There have been displays of intimacy, but it felt like they weren't there yet. And so I said, “What's a kiss but not a kiss?” [Laughs] I was like, “I’m sorry, I can't think of something.” And the actors came up with holding the lightsaber together, and as soon as that happened, Hanelle [Culpepper], the director of that episode, set up this gorgeous shot. I realized, I was like, “Oh my god, this is the end of Fight Club, and I'm obsessed!” The last line of that movie is, “You met me at a very strange time in my life.” [Laughs] It just didn't feel like we were quite there.”

“Oh, yeah! Again, they’re Sith. It's a different vibe. To me, it's gonna hit different because of their allegiance and who they are. So, yes, it is framed as romantic, but I do think, again, it's not gonna turn out great. I think if he's training her, “One to hold the power, one to crave it.” So they're starting off as equals, but what's gonna happen? Like in Romeo and Juliet, it's amazing because right at the beginning they're like, “Okay, these two die. Let's start the play.” As you're watching this incredible love story unfold, and it's one of the most beautifully iconic plays ever written, in the back of your mind, you're like, “This is not going to turn out well.”

“I want to clarify: They are not necessarily doomed or destined to fail as a team. But the Sith rule of two denotes a power imbalance. Which clearly, due to the final shot, is not their relationship. Also, Plagueis complicates their journey as Sith, because we know his apprentice is eventually Palpatine. They will not defeat him.”

— leslye headland about oshamir for collider

[starmocha]

I took one for the team and retraumatized myself by reading Sylus' myth again, specifically to understand the memory, Abyssal Blossom, since... there is a bit of confusion about what it means, and I made a reference to it in this post. I'll be covering the event leading up to the memory and the aftermath.

@unluckywisher @lavlynyan I have some distressing news 😔😔😔

SPOILERS FOR SYLUS' MYTH - BEYOND CLOUDFALL, CHAPTERS 6-8 + ABYSSAL BLOSSOM MEMORY

[Quick recap of end of chapter 6] Sylus had been injured by MC after succumbing to his instincts and attacking her in The Sanctuary, causing her to act in self-defense and unwittingly summoning the greatsword. They're both horrified by their actions, and as soldiers arrive, MC hides Sylus from them. Sylus isn't even fazed by his injuries. He is more horrified that the curse almost came true and he almost killed her. He flies away to Tarus City.

CHAPTER 7

Words spread that the Fiend is gravely injured, so every single opportunist is hunting Sylus down, hoping to be the one to make the kill

MC hides among the crowd to search for him, and eventually, she recalls the blind merchant's information that "The Fiend and his destined archnemesis will meet at a black chapel".

MC finds Sylus there gravely injured and barely conscious.

As she tries to stop his bleeding, he awakens and tries to attack her, still under the influence. MC does manage to get through to him.

At this point, though, the voice in MC's head is also urging her to kill him and devour him. Sylus awakens and taunts her about their destiny, to which she rejects vehemently.

They both confront one another about why 1) Sylus saved MC from the Abyss in the beginning even though he knew they were destined to kill one another 2) Sylus questions MC why she didn't kill him earlier. They both know the answers.

MC rejects her destiny and declares that she will save him instead. She starts to resonate with him and heal his wound.

Sylus: Save me? Are you aware of the cost? Once we hold hands now, our lives will be bound together, along with our deaths. We must offer half of our soul to the other. They'll be merged... to forge an unbreakable bond. To share your life with a fiend—it might be a punishment worse than having your soul devoured. Will you truly not regret it? MC: I said I'Il live, didn't I? No matter the cost. If following our hearts is a sin, then you and I must be the last of our kind in this world. Sylus: In that case.. Stay by my side until the end of time.

They fall asleep in the chapel—in each other's embrace with Sylus shielding them from the cold with one of his wings.

CHAPTER 8

This is where it gets a little murky about what is reality, a memory, or a fantasy. Unfortunately, I am going to be leaning towards Abyssal Blossom is a fantasy MC made up to cope with the guilt and pain of Sylus being gravely injured because of her as well as the trauma of their fated demise. (Note: Sylus is not dead in this scene) [ETA: This scene is also the dream main story MC has in Continuous Symphony.]

The next scene is exactly that. A fantasy. She imagines she and Sylus decorating the chapel and making it more homey. She even presents Sylus with a present: a flower crown she had made after gathering the few flowers available in Tarus City.

Sylus: So you stayed up late these past few nights to make this? MC: ...You didn't sleep either? Sylus: Do you like flowers? MC: Yes, I guess. But there aren't a lot in Tarus City. I had to scour the entire woods to get this much. Sylus: The forest barely has any flowers. MC: What do you mean— Sylus: Hold on tight. [Sylus carries her and flies away. Abyssal Blossom kindled scene begins.]

As this is continuing from the scene MC fantasizes about making the chapel a home, unfortunately, it does point to Abyssal Blossom as being a fantasy as well.

In the end, MC herself does acknowledge that this was indeed a fantasy.

As MC is kept imprisoned in the courtyard of the Sanctuary, Sylus occasionally visits her. She notices his injuries are healing.

When she asks Sylus why he didn't wake her all the other nights she fell asleep waiting for him, he reveals this:

Once again, this seems to point at Abyssal Blossom as being nothing more than a dream MC had.

MC also counters and questions if Sylus had ever dreamt of her. They banter back and forth a little bit, before MC switches the conversation.

MC: Since you've taken half of my soul…Even if the world turns its back on you, I'll always stand by your side. You're not even allowed to think about leaving me. Sylus: All right.

MC says they should make a pinky promise: To never betray each other.

In conclusion: FUCK DESTINY. FUCK THE STUPID CURSE. AND ALSO FUCK THAT CUNT THE SACRED JUDICATOR. I'm gonna go cry myself to sleep now. Good night 😔

[ponyosmom35]

they know

simon ghost riley x reader

synopsis: the team learns that reader is being followed by enemies and they rush to save her.

Link to master list:https://www.tumblr.com/ponyosmom35/733401347573088256/simon-ghost-riley?source=share

She spent the day wandering Simon's hometown, immersing herself in every story and memory he'd shared with her. It was a quiet village, the kind of place where everyone seemed to know one another, and she could easily picture Simon here, growing up among these familiar streets and rolling hills.

Her first stop was the pub he'd talked about—the one where he'd had his first drink. The smell of aged wood and faint traces of ale filled the air as she stepped inside. She ordered a pint of the local brew he'd always said was "decent enough" and found a small table in the corner. As she sat sipping her drink, she could almost see him as a lanky teenager, sitting in this very spot, laughing with friends, his deep voice carrying over the din.

From there, she wandered to the corner shop he'd often mentioned. It was small but charming, with shelves packed tightly with everything from groceries to trinkets. She bought a pack of biscuits he'd once claimed were the best in the world. Opening them right outside, she tried one and laughed softly to herself—it tasted like plain shortbread. She imagined teasing him about his questionable tastes.

Her next destination was the park he'd described as his thinking spot. The air was crisp, and the ground was soft with winter's lingering dampness. She walked along the worn paths, passing skeletal trees and the occasional bird flitting through the branches. Finally, she found the bench he'd told her about, nestled near the top of a small hill.

Sitting down, she gazed out over the quiet expanse of countryside, the rolling hills stretching into the distance. A faint smile touched her lips as she pictured Simon here, lost in thought, his sharp mind working through whatever weighed on him at the time. She could hear his voice in her head, teasing her about how she'd probably get mud on her boots but assuring her he'd clean them for her later.

For the first time in months, she felt a bittersweet sense of peace. This was his world, and though he wasn't with her, being here made her feel closer to him. She allowed herself to imagine what it would've been like if things had turned out differently—if he'd been here with her, showing her around, his hand in hers as they made their way through the places he loved.

When the sun dipped low, and the chill deepened, she finally left the park. Walking back to her hotel, she carried the day's memories with her, a quiet ache in her chest but also a small, flickering warmth. She'd had a good day, and for that, she was grateful.

At the same time, Simon sat in a dim, makeshift office at the safehouse, his laptop open in front of him. The mission was a nightmare—Makarov's men were always one step ahead, their network far more extensive than anticipated. Despite the chaos, his thoughts constantly drifted back to her. He knew she was in London; he'd been monitoring her flights, ensuring she stayed away from their current operations.

His phone buzzed on the desk, the secure line lighting up. He snatched it immediately. "Yeah?"

The voice on the other end was clipped, urgent. "We've got a problem. Two of Makarov's men were spotted tailing her."

Simon froze, the air seeming to drain from the room. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. They're keeping a low profile, but it's her they're watching."

Simon's grip on the phone tightened until his knuckles turned white. "Where is she now?"

"Still in the village. But if they're following her, it's only a matter of time before they make a move."

Simon didn't waste a second. He stormed out of the room, his voice ringing out in the quiet safehouse. "Soap! Price! Gaz!"

Within minutes, the four of them were packed into a truck, speeding down the motorway. Price was behind the wheel, his face set in grim determination. Simon sat in the passenger seat, his knee bouncing restlessly as his mind raced.

"How the hell did they know she was here?" Simon demanded, his voice sharp with fear and anger.

"They've probably got eyes everywhere," Price replied, his hands gripping the steering wheel. "If she's on their list, it wouldn't take long for someone to spot her."

Simon swore under his breath, raking a hand down his face. His usual calm demeanor was gone, replaced by a raw, unfiltered panic that was unlike him.

In the backseat, Soap leaned forward, concern etched across his face. "Simno, we'll get to her in time. Don't—"

"Drive faster!" Simon barked, cutting him off. His voice cracked slightly, and he slammed his fist against the dashboard. "She doesn't know she's being followed. She has no idea—" His words choked off, and he took a shaky breath before glancing at Price. "Please, just drive faster."

Price pressed harder on the accelerator, the truck roaring as it tore down the road.

Soap exchanged a worried glance with Gaz, who had remained silent but tense beside him. None of them had ever seen Simon like this—shaken, frantic, and desperate. It was unnerving to witness.

Soap leaned closer to Gaz and whispered, "I've never seen him like this before."

"Love will do that to you," Gaz responded.

Simon ignored them, his jaw tight and his eyes fixed on the road ahead. His fists were clenched, his knuckles white. Every second that passed felt like a lifetime.

In his mind, he could see her smile, hear her laugh, feel her warmth against him. He'd given up everything to keep her safe, and now, it was all unraveling. He couldn't lose her. Not now. Not ever.

The city lights blurred past as they sped toward her, the tension in the truck thick enough to choke on. Simon's heart pounded rapidly as he tried to keep the dark thoughts about what could happen to her away.

"We'll get there, kid. Nobody here would ever let anything happen to her. You know that."

Simon nodded and gripped the butt of his rifle as he closed his eyes and attempted to calm down.

[straycalamities]

here's my marble hornets theory: i know like tim, for instance, fully believes its his medicine that keeps the operator and its influence away. and lots of people bring it up and/or meme on it but what if that's just like just his guess but its not actually true. like what if thats like a red herring i guess what if the true way to fight off the operator's influence is the power of friendship and im being so serious

because marble hornets is very much a story that is heavy on the themes of loneliness and isolation and you see the characters only truly succeed on anything against the operator when they've teamed up and are fully on the same page

anytime you see someone being targeted by the operator they're usually alone. and thus you see them suffering from the effects and even losing themselves to it

the times you see it go against 2 or more people it doesn't usually end with one or more of them succumbing to it UNLESS they're not fulling simpatico with each other. yes it can give them a debuff regardless, but you can see like when tim and jay actually team up with each other and are becoming closer, that's when tim is able to stand up to the operator and come out relatively okay

and then you have jay waking up from whatever out-of-it state the operator put him in being relatively okay than the seven months it took from him before

i think the whole shtick of the operator is of course: paranoia and isolation. that's the way it gets what it wants. its a slow operator (ha) and works bit by bit isolating you from your loved ones and acquaintances until it can fully take you and either consume you or manipulate you to work for it to either spread its influence or claim victims for it

and that's where you see namely Jay and Alex fall. they both end up so sick and stuck in the mistrust and isolation. Alex ends up believing he's on a crusade where the ends justify the means for the greater good. jay believes he's uncovering some great mystery that actually benefits other people to know. but the unfortunate truth is they were both fully just fulfilling the operator's intent the entire time

i think for Jay this comes from the fact he's hinted multiple times that his life before marble hornets was boring, uneventful, unremarkable. i think he was used to always being the invisible guy in the room, the second or even third choice, the guy who's just there but has nothing really going for him. this was finally something bigger that he was apart of. that he was the voice of, even. he was the guy unraveling this big supernatural mystery and slowly putting all the pieces together. i don't think he had ANY idea where it was going to lead, but he couldn't pull himself away from it. he was always destined (doomed) to see it through

he was trapped because he was looking at this as his purpose in life. he calls alex a friend and mentions another off-screen friend i think? but otherwise he doesn't really talk about anyone else from his life. i don't think he had very strong bonds with anyone even his own family. (my headcanon is he's the middle child of a bunch of siblings that "outperformed" him, so he was always just there. either that or the only child of parent/s that had a lot of their own shit going on so he was mostly fending for himself for emotional connection)

you can see it even in the way jay interacts with them during marble hornets shooting. he's kinda awkward and out of place OR tries to impose his presence "i've been supervising that. because i'm the script supervisor." and of course alex seems to be the one he's closest to but also?? especially knowing how close troy and joseph were at the time, jay himself doesn't seem to be that close to alex. especially because he seems oblivious to a lot of things going on with him and the ways they interact

then you have alex who i still need to marinate on, but my take right now is he's always been a guy of big ideas and big ambitions. especially as writer and director of marble hornets himself. i think him and jay are similar in that regard in that their being, their soul, is hungry for something greater than they are. it's just alex is more about finding it and taking it vs jay who seems to need to find it accidentally or have it given to him.

alex's strength is being a leader and making decisions, even the tough ones people dont want to make. i think that's probably always been a part of him it just didn't become so...dire until the operator influence. i think alex might've even seen himself as always a little better than his peers in some way. maybe that he was better at figuring things out or coming to those conclusions that helped him make his decisions and lead the crew. and so he too saw himself or just yearned for being someone special and more than he is. cinematic parallels lol

(i also love the headcanon alex has religious trauma that leads into some sort of messiah complex tbqh)

and so that's exactly what the operator's influence fed on in the both of them. like targeted their yearning/insecurities and that's how it was able to wrap them up

and see compare this to tim, who also has his own insecurities and yearning and weak points, but i think tim's ultimate strength in this is his determination. he has a special kind of stubborn resilience to him that you can even see in just his interactions with other characters. he knows what he's about and what he does and doesn't want to happen in the moment. he can be chill and easygoing, but once you hit that limit he won't budge.

it also helps him that he's been dealing with the operator since childhood, he's kinda built up defenses (masky) and a sort of diminishing returns from the operator's impact. i largely think his initial main strength is masky, though. but masky does only as much as not letting his entire self be consumed by the operator. i think where tim finds his strength to not only resist but even slightly overcome the operator, is finding a person to really bond with. (which i think extends to masky as well. which i'll get to in a sec)

tim himself tells us as much as as he's never had a real friend until brian. and then we end up seeing through their dynamic, brian is like that classic extrovert who adopted an introvert kinda friend. (except i dont think brian is an extrovert, he's extrovert-passing, but that's beside the point. you get what i mean.)

and you could say the fact tim is clearly struggling with the operator during marble hornets filming when we know he's still close with brian goes against my point but! i also said they have to be working towards the same goal. and this is why i said that.

(i heavily headcanon that tim is the reason why brian is a psychology major. i think, while tim wasn't fully open with everything (and/or just couldn't remember) he did tell brian some of the struggles of being a very mentally ill kid in the 90s trying to get help. and i think brian was the kind of guy who'd take the shirt off his back for a friend and so of course he wants to help tim and even wants to give a better experience to others like him)

anyways that's relevant because while brian knew tim was struggling and i believe he even helped him through some of those struggles (i love the headcanon that brian knew masky even before shit hit the fan) he didn't fully understand the entirety of what was going on or even fathomed it could extend beyond just tim. which...makes sense. its not like you expect some time/space-warping monster to suddenly be real.

but i also think that alex and tim being in close proximity to each other is why things went as bad as they did. we don't know if alex struggled with the same stuff tim did before college. but it's clear that alex was marked when he was a child regardless. and tim clearly was too. and i think the two meeting each other was like kindling and a lighter to the entire thing and why it went further than just the both of them despite no hint prior that this happened to either one of them before now (as in it spreading to other ppl)

but yeah i still think, despite maybe not being as strong as later, brian's influence on tim kept him whole enough where he COULD become a major player towards the partial success of their group

i think the main thing that pokes holes in my theory is how tim was "doing better" before jay involved him again but at the same time...who can truly say. clearly tim's had breaks before since he was able to make it through school and get into a college. i doubt he'd be able to do that if he was still as bad off as he was

maybe he wasn't really doing better he was just...back to the same as ever. the baseline. which wasn't good but for tim? it was good. comparatively.

i also think it wasn't solely jay being in tim's life again that reverted it to the horrors, it was also alex. because like i said before i believe that they're like...two big beacons of operator energy/influence and when they get close its like a bomb going off of glitchy time/space warpy bullshit

it just happened that alex and jay were linked together at this point. tied up in their destiny you could say. so if you got jay, you got alex. even if they weren't directly around each other

and yeah, i think that if jay hadn't succumbed to the darkness dusting up all the things he was insecure and even afraid of to the point it turned him against tim, i think they coulda done more than just defeated alex. and i think that's exactly what the operator didnt want. that's why it behaves as it does. that's the reason for its modus operandi

further section to return back to masky. and hoody. hoody's impact ALSO to me proves my theory. because while he keeps his distance from the others, what he does is for the same end goals: stop alex and stop the operator. (or at least die trying) and we find out that even if he does it in a mocking and kinda anti-hero passive-aggressive kinda way. he IS on their side. he doesn't ever do anything against them. even when he lashes out like with the pipe or a punch, its just so he can get away. its defensive rather than aggressive

i do NOT buy into the fanon/headcanon that hoody is some nefarious secret mastermind pulling all the strings and everythings orchestrated in the exact way he envisioned it. nor that he hates tim near the end of the season. or that he hates anyone, really. other than alex. (also thank you issue 3.5 for making me feel correct and sexy because i had this theory even before i read it)

my big headcanon is, obviously the operator fucks with your brain, its his whole thing. so its scrambling everyone up constantly. and i think when alex hit brian in the head, it did damage even beyond that. i think hoody has a really warped way of thinking/processing things. like he can't just do it clearly. it cant be a-to-b anymore. so i think him being cryptic isnt even entirely a conscious choice all the time, but i also think he figured that for jay and tim to be at their strongest, they had to find all this stuff out on their own and not have it given to them as far as just tell them outright what hoody's figured out while he's been living in ppl's walls

i think hoody only went so far as to lay out the pieces and leave it to jay (and tim) to put them together. and we clearly see sometimes he misjudges jay or tim's reactions and they do things that don't seem to be the way he planned. this is harder to explain without me going all...grabbing clips and directly comparing them and this is already more time than i thought i was gonna put into this post but yea. JUST TRUST ME. hoody didnt know every move they were gonna make before they did, he was doing the equivalent of just throwing darts at a board and seeing what stuck

i also have the headcanon that it wasnt hoody that led masky. it was the other way around. masky might be a more impulsive, throw yourself bodily at the problem (literally) but masky's been here in this shit a lot longer than hoody. i think totheark was largely masky's design before hoody took over. hoody just gave it a vision (because remember he had a film minor :P)

brian kept tim/masky safe from alex (and if you buy into my headcanon, masky was already fond of him from prior episodes) so masky kinda takes hoody under his wing per se. and that's why they end up so similar in how they act and even the whole obscured face thing idk its part of being in the club

they literally react in sync. they work around each other with no signals or words. they're a package deal, a well-oiled machine, and when tim starts to get "better" then obviously masky disappears

i think the masky/hoody duo reinstates my theory because they've both been already damaged prior, but they don't get worse while they're together. they've been doing this for years id assume. and you only see hoody get visibly affected by the operator when he's become a one-man band. he's become isolated. and i think he understands that that's why. and i think that's why (amongst loneliness in general, missing his partner) he pressures tim into reverting to masky even to the point of selfish cruelty and watching tim struggle with it

because it's not ONLY selfish (but i won't say that's not a big part of it) it's also for the good of the mission overall. masky knows what to do. masky has plans. masky knows how hoody works and thinks and can just pick it up and work with him no problem

vs the whole...conundrum it'd be for hoody to try and explain everything to tim and jay directly. which i don't believe he can. i believe there's a reason he's mute and only leaves very simple sentences/messages. (not simple as in i'm ignoring they're in fkn code as in...the sentences themselves aren't that complex and are largely just a few words.) (back to my headcanon: its literally neurological)

anyways i think the reason jay and tim get as far as they do is having hoody's help, but even hoody realizes it comes down to jay and tim working together which is why he pushes that. (i think hoody continues taking tims pills at first because he believes it too, but i think they end up actually helping with his own symptoms (not the staving away operator sickness just like. his own seizures and stuff from his head injury) and so he keeps it up. either that or he's just like...taking advantage of the placebo-effect)

and it works out well...until it doesn't

jay fails because he falls to the influence unfortunately. he turns on tim. stops working with him. and tim has enough resilience to carry on and succeed in at least one way: stop alex, but i think that's why nothing more happens with or against the operator itself: he literally can't on his own

and i think the comics are gonna either straight up prove my theory right or at least give me more fuel to believe that i'm right

and if you read this whole thing bless your damn heart it was an accident it got this long. i just have a lot of thoughts. i have even more than this but it's all not super related and i wanted to at least stay MOSTLY on point lol