#but is it oh so tempting to try and solve everything

[cheriekos]

🫠

[pucksandpower]

Changing Lanes

Charles Leclerc x Horner!Reader

Summary: Charles Leclerc always thought he would spend the rest of his career racing in red. But you make him see that he deserves better than false promises and unrequited love

“Took you long enough,” you say, lounging casually on the small leather couch in Charles’ driver’s room, your fingertips tracing intricate patterns on the cushion beside you.

Charles raises an eyebrow, letting out a dry laugh as he kicks off his shoes. “Every single time I see you, Y/N, you always have something to say.”

You linger on him. “Is it my fault you had to chat with the entire paddock before coming here?”

He smirks, crossing the room. “It’s called being polite. Something you could learn from.”

“Polite?” You scoff, feigning innocence. “Oh, like how Ferrari celebrated that P3 like it was a win? That kind of polite?”

Charles stiffens but he keeps his cool. “We take what we can get.”

You tilt your head, eyes narrowing. “Starting on pole and settling for P3? Charles, you deserve better.”

“I know,” he sighs, avoiding your gaze. “But this is racing. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way.”

You lean in closer, your voice dropping an octave. “It could, though. If you were with a team that actually valued you, that gave you a car worthy of your talent.”

He looks up, meeting your gaze with a challenge. “You mean Red Bull?”

A coy smile plays on your lips. “It’s not a secret that Dad wants you. And imagine … you, in a competitive car, and me, right by your side as your race engineer.”

Charles’ eyes dart to your lips then back up to your eyes. “Tempting,” he murmurs, leaning in just a fraction closer. “But is this for the team or for you?”

“Can’t it be both?” You whisper back.

His breath hitches and he pulls back slightly. “This isn’t just about racing, is it?”

You hesitate. “I see how they treat you. How they let you down time and time again. But with us ... with me ... it would be different.”

He looks conflicted. “It’s not that simple.”

“Why not?” You press. “With Red Bull, you’d have support, a competitive car, and … me.”

Charles sighs, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not just about what happens on track. It’s about the politics, the contracts, the media ... it’s all complicated.”

“You make it sound like an impossible puzzle,” you say, tracing circles on his wrist. You gaze locks with his, trying to convey everything you feel.

“It might be.”

You lean in, lips just inches from his. “Then let’s solve it together.”

He hesitates, searching your eyes. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Y/N.”

You smirk, confidence oozing from every pore. “Isn’t that what racing’s all about?”

Charles chuckles softly, the tension in the room slowly melting away. “You always have an answer for everything.”

“It’s the Horner in me,” you retort with a smug smile. “Besides, aren’t you tired of being just another pawn in Ferrari’s game?”

“It’s not easy. To just switch teams, to give up on something you’ve worked for your entire life.”

You reach up, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. “Who says you’re giving up? You’d be making a choice. A choice to be somewhere you’re valued. Somewhere you have a real shot at the championship. With people who truly care about you and actions that reflect that.”

He closes his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. “It’s not just about the racing. There are so many other factors.”

“Like what?”

He opens his eyes, meeting yours. “Like us.”

You blink, taken aback. “What do you mean?”

“If I come to Red Bull … if I work with you … it changes everything. Our relationship. Our dynamic. Everything.”

You take a moment, absorbing his words. “We can handle it. We’re strong enough.”

He gives you a sad smile. “I wish I had your confidence.”

You cup his cheek, your thumb stroking his skin. “You have me. Together, we can face anything.”

Charles looks at you for a long moment, his emotions raw and exposed. Finally, he speaks. “I’ll think about it. But whatever I decide … know that it’s not just about racing. I refuse to give you up.”

“Just promise me one thing.”

He raises an eyebrow. “What?”

You lean in, your lips brushing his ear. “Never settle for less than you deserve.”

He smiles, capturing your lips in a soft, lingering kiss. “Same goes for you, Y/N Horner.”

***

“I still can’t believe they forgot to remove the radiator blank,” you murmur, your fingers softly tracing patterns on Charles’ bare chest as he lies next to you in his São Paulo hotel. The dim light from the bedside lamp paints soft shadows on his face, emphasizing the frustration in his eyes.

Charles sighs heavily, turning his head to look at you. “Neither can I. Another race, another issue. I don’t even know why I’m surprised anymore.”

You lean in closer, lips brushing against his ear. “You don’t deserve this, Charles. You’re better than this. Better than them.”

He chuckles humorlessly, eyes closing. “It seems like it’s one thing after another.”

“Come to Red Bull,” you whisper, fingertips dancing down his arm. “You know it’s the right move.”

He opens his eyes, looking deep into yours. “Y/N, we talked about this.”

You press a gentle kiss on his jaw, speaking against his skin. “Hear me out. If McLaren overtakes Ferrari in the Constructors’ standings, you can activate your exit clause. You could leave them, Charles.”

Charles swallows hard, feeling the warmth of your breath on his neck. “And if they don’t?”

“Then we’ll buy you out,” you say confidently, trailing kisses down his collarbone. “Dad’s already spoken about it. We want you. I want you.”

Charles’ breath catches as your hands explore his torso but he tries to focus. “Equal status with Max?”

“Of course,” you assure him, pressing your body flush against his. “You and Max, racing side by side. Just think of the possibilities.”

He groans, both from your touch and the tempting offer. “A car designed by Adrian Newey ...”

You nod, “With plenty of oversteer, just how you like it. No more one-sided compromises.”

He laughs softly. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”

You smirk, lips hovering over his. “Always. And instead of Xavi, you’d hear my voice on the other end of the radio, guiding you, supporting you.”

Charles captures your lips with his, deepening the kiss before pulling back. “You’re making it very hard to think.”

“That’s the point,” you whisper with a playful grin, your hands tugging at his waistband.

He bites his lip, trying to resist your charms. “But Y/N ... it’s not just about the racing. It’s ... it’s us. What happens to us?”

You cup his cheek, gazing deep into his eyes. “We fight together, we win together. Every podium, every championship, we celebrate together.”

He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. “You make it sound so perfect.”

“It can be,” you promise, pressing soft kisses on his eyelids. “With Red Bull, you’d have everything you’ve ever dreamed of. And me.”

Charles smiles, caressing your cheek. “You’re very persuasive, you know?”

You grin. “It’s one of my many talents.”

He chuckles, capturing your lips once more. “I’ll think about it.”

“Whatever you decide, I’ll still be by your side.”

He smiles, pulling you closer. “I know. And that’s what makes this decision so hard.”

***

“Absolutely unbelievable,” your father mutters, watching the replay of Ferrari’s disastrous double stack. “You would think they’ve never done a pit stop before.”

You nod, equally shocked. But your attention shifts as the familiar figure of your favorite Monegasque storms into the Red Bull garage, his helmet still on and visor obscuring his face. You can feel the fury emanating from him.

“Charles?” You question hesitantly.

He doesn’t respond to you but instead turns to your father, “Christian, can we talk? Now. Somewhere private.”

Christian looks taken aback by the intensity in Charles’ voice but nods. “Of course.”

Charles glances at you. “You too, Y/N. Please.”

You follow, the weight of the moment heavy on your shoulders. Once inside the small office, Charles finally removes his helmet, revealing eyes red from restrained tears. He takes a moment, collecting himself before he speaks.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Charles exhales. “Every single time I think they’ve hit rock bottom, they find a new low. Today was the last straw.”

You approach him, gently placing a hand on his arm. “Charles, I’m so sorry.”

Your father is equally sympathetic. “That was hard to watch. I can’t even imagine what it felt like.”

Charles closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. “It’s not just today. It’s everything. I gave them everything. I wanted to win with them. For my father. For Jules.”

You swallow hard, emotions swirling. “They would be so incredibly proud of you. No matter what.”

He blinks back tears, voice strained. “I wanted to drive that red car to the top for them. But I can’t keep sacrificing myself for a team that clearly does not value me in return.”

Your father speaks up, “Charles, if you’re thinking of a change ... Red Bull is ready to welcome you with open arms.”

Charles looks up, locking eyes with him. “I know. And as much as Ferrari has been my dream, my home, I can’t do this anymore. I want to be with a team that values me. I want to join Red Bull.”

You’re taken aback by his sudden declaration but the look in his eyes tells you that he’s made up his mind. “Charles,” you whisper, stepping closer. “Are you absolutely sure?”

“It’s hard,” he admits. “But this is where my heart is telling me to go.”

Your father gives the two of you a moment, leaving the office to give you privacy.

Charles takes a shaky breath, pulling you close. “I never imagined leaving Ferrari. But after everything, I know it’s the right decision.”

You wrap your arms around him, resting your forehead against his. “They will be so proud of you, Charles. No matter what colors you wear or what car you drive.”

He smiles weakly. “Thank you. I really needed to hear that.”

You pull back slightly, searching his eyes. “This is a big step. I don’t want you to regret anything. Are you still sure?”

He nods, determination in his gaze. “More than I’ve ever been.”

You smile, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “Then welcome to Red Bull.”

***

“I have to tell Ferrari,” Charles straightens, determination evident in his eyes. “I just need to get it over with. Will you come with me?”

“Of course.“

Charles grabs your hand, pulling you towards his driver’s room. “Wait here,” he says, going in and returning moments later with his Ferrari jacket. He places it over your Red Bull team polo, attempting to keep your allegiance concealed for now. You both then proceed to the debrief room where the Ferrari team is waiting.

Fred Vasseur begins his speech the moment you both enter, “This wasn’t how we wanted to end the year but looking ahead to next season—”

Charles cuts him off, “Actually, there won’t be a next season. Not for me.”

The room falls into a tense silence, all eyes on the driver who has given them his heart and soul.

“What do you mean?”

Charles takes a deep breath, “I’ve decided to leave Ferrari.”

Gasps fill the room. Fred’s eyes land on you, finally noticing the Red Bull logo peeking out from under the jacket you’re borrowing. “And you bring her, of all people, here to tell us this?”

Charles squares his shoulders. “Y/N is here because I asked her to be. This decision is mine and mine alone.”

Xavi stands up, “After everything we’ve done for you! This is how you repay us?”

You can’t hold back any longer. “Everything you’ve done? You mean the countless strategy mistakes, the endless car issues, the complete lack of support?”

Another team member cuts in, “This is not your place, Y/N!”

“It is today,” you retort. “I’m here to support my new driver.”

Charles’ voice shakes but he speaks with conviction, “I gave everything for this team. I bled Ferrari red. But I can’t keep doing this. Not when it’s clear that my effort and commitment is not matched in return.”

Fred’s voice softens. “Charles, we’ve had our challenges but we can overcome them together.”

Charles shakes his head, tears threatening to spill. “I’ve made up my mind. I’m joining Red Bull. My manager will send over the necessary legal paperwork as soon as possible.”

The room is filled with murmurs, disbelief evident on every face. Charles takes one last look around, his eyes filled with pain, and turns to leave.

You follow closely, feeling the weight of every step as you exit the debrief room.

The second you’re around the corner, Charles breaks down. He rests his forehead against the wall, tears rolling down his face silently. “I didn’t ... I didn’t think it would hurt this much.”

You pull him close and try to find the right words. “It was never going to be easy. But you did what you had to. For yourself. For your future.”

He turns to look at you, eyes red-rimmed but determined. “I just wanted to make them proud.”

You cup his cheek, wiping away a tear with your thumb. “They would be proud of you. Not for the badge you wear or the car you drive but for the man you’ve become.”

Charles takes a shaky breath, pulling you into a tight embrace. The two of you stand there for a moment, finding solace in each other’s presence.

When he finally pulls away, he manages a weak smile. “Thank you. For standing by me.”

You squeeze his hand. “Always.”

***

***

***

Charles stands in front of the massive two-story trophy wall at the Red Bull Racing factory in Milton Keynes, eyes wide with wonder. “Ferrari would never do something so ... gaudy.”

You smirk, sidling up next to him. “And yet, you love it.”

“I do,” he laughs. “It’s … different.”

You lean in, whispering conspiratorially, “Well, Ferrari hasn’t had all that much to exhibit in the last two decades. Not for lack of trying from the drivers, of course.”

He playfully nudges you with his elbow, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Cheeky.”

The two of you walk further into the factory. “So,” Charles draws out, “I was wondering if you could recommend a good real estate agent in the area.”

You raise an eyebrow in confusion. “Why would you need an agent when I have a perfectly good apartment we can share?”

“Really? Are you sure? I just … I wasn’t sure if you would want that and I don’t want to pressure you.”

You roll your eyes affectionately. “Of course I do, Charles. It’s not even a question.”

He smiles, the weight of the decision to move seeming a little lighter now. “Thank you.”

You wink, taking his hand. “Come on, let me show you around.”

As you guide him through the factory, he’s like a kid in a candy store, eyes wide with wonder and curiosity. “This place is incredible,” he murmurs, running a hand along a piece of machinery.

You grin, pulling him towards the simulator room. “Wait until you see this.”

He steps inside, eyes immediately drawn to the impressive simulator setup. “Wow.”

You gesture for him to sit down, watching as he takes a seat, adjusting the settings. “Ready for your first sim run in the RB20?”

He nods eagerly, “Let’s do it.”

As he starts the simulation, you watch closely, monitoring the data and providing feedback. The two of you work seamlessly together, the connection between race engineer and driver already forming and growing.

After several runs, Charles steps out of the simulator, a huge grin on his face. “That was incredible! The car feels amazing.”

You smile. “I’m glad you think so. The team has put a lot of work into it.”

He pulls you into a hug, burying his face in your hair. “I can’t wait to get on track with you on the other side of the radio.”

You pull back, looking into his eyes. “Me too. We’re going to do great things together. I know it.”

He nods. “I know we will too.”

***

“I have to admit,” Charles says, eyes scanning the paddock, “I’m thankful that Mercedes and McLaren are between our motorhome and Ferrari’s. Makes things less ... awkward.”

You glance towards the distant red of the mobile Ferrari building, understanding the sentiment. “Must be weird being so close and yet so far.”

He nods, a hint of melancholy in his gaze as he looks at the place he called home for so long. “It’s bittersweet.”

Pulling him from his thoughts, you nudge him playfully. “Come on, Mr. Pole-Sitter. We have a race to prep for.”

Charles smirks, playfully rolling his eyes. “Always so professional, Miss Horner.”

You grin. “Only when it counts.”

The atmosphere in the Red Bull garage is electric. Mechanics and engineers hustle around, getting everything ready. The RB20 sits gleaming, waiting for its moment to shine.

Charles adjusts his gloves, taking a deep breath. “Feels different,” he admits, looking at you. “Being here, in this car, with this team. But a good kind of different.”

You lean in, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. “You’ve got this. It’s just another race.”

He smiles. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one in the hot seat.”

“True, but I’ll be with you every step of the way. Just listen to my voice and trust me.”

“I always do.”

As he gets into the car, you lean in closer to his helmet, your lips touching it’s hard shell. “And Charles? Stay safe out there.”

He looks at you and winks. “I’ll come back to you.”

The race begins with a burst of energy. Charles takes off from pole, holding his position as the field jockeys for placement behind him.

“Good start,” you say through the radio, your voice calm and composed. “Keep it steady.”

“Copy.”

The race is intense, with Charles and Max battling for the lead, their cars dancing on the edge of perfection. The radio chatter between the two of you flows naturally, filled with technical details, strategy adjustments, and the occasional personal quip.

“Feeling the heat from Max?” You tease after a particularly close call between the two Red Bulls.

Charles laughs breathlessly. “Just keeping things interesting for the fans.”

The race continues at a blistering pace, with Charles and Max pushing each other to the limit. But through it all, Charles remains in the lead, with you guiding him from the pit wall.

“Final lap,” you inform. “Bring it home.”

He nods, pushing the car to its limit. The cheers of the crowd grow louder as he crosses the finish line, securing his first victory with Red Bull.

“Amazing job, Charles! I knew you could do it!”

He lets out a whoop of joy. “Yes! Thank you, team. Thank you, Y/N. I couldn’t have done it without you all.”

The two of you celebrate the victory, and as the rose water sprays and the cheers of the crowd fill the air, you know that this is just the beginning of an incredible journey together.

***

“You’re sure about the medium tyres, Y/N?” Charles asks nervously as he looks at the other cars lining up. “Everyone else is starting on softs.”

You nod confidently, tapping the race strategy on your clipboard. “Yes. The upside of using the mediums is it gives us flexibility. We can extend our first stint if needed, especially with possible rain on the forecast. While everyone else has to pit early for hards and then again for inters when the rain starts, we’ll only have to pit once. Trust me.”

He inhales deeply, trying to quell the unease bubbling inside. “I do trust you. It’s just ... Ferrari ... the strategies there ...”

“I know,” you interrupt softly, understanding the trauma and distrust years with Ferrari had instilled in him. “But this isn’t Ferrari. It’s Red Bull and we work differently. I’ve got your back.”

“Alright,” he looks into your eyes, finding assurance and conviction there, “let’s do this.”

The race begins, and Charles holds his ground well on the medium tyres, though the drivers running softs initially show quicker pace. But as predicted, the clouds soon darken and the threat of rain becomes increasingly evident.

“Stay focused,” you guide through the radio. “Remember the plan.”

He pushes on, expertly handling the streets of Monaco. The cars around him begin to lose grip and one by one they dive into the pits for hard tyres.

Charles keeps lapping. He moves up the order.

“You’re doing great,” you encourage. “Stick to the plan. We’re right on schedule.”

However, as the first raindrops begin to fall, panic sets in among the other teams on the grid. Those who just pitted for hard tyres are forced to pit again for intermediate tyres, losing precious time.

“Now,” you command, “Box this lap.”

He follows your instruction, driving into the pits, and with a flawless stop by his Red Bull crew, re-emerges in the lead.

The rain continues but Charles navigates the treacherous streets of Monaco expertly, maintaining his lead. When the chequered flag waves, it’s Charles who crosses the line first and finally claims victory at his home Grand Prix.

Tears of joy and relief pour from Charles’ eyes as he takes in the moment. “Thank you,” he says over the radio, voice choked with emotion. “I can’t believe it. We did it in Monaco!”

You smile, tears in your own eyes. “We did. I told you to trust me, didn’t I?”

He laughs, the sound full of pure joy. “You did. And I’m so glad I did. Thank you for everything.”

As he steps out of the car and jumps on its nose, arms spread wide, the crowd roars in approval, their prince finally crowned in his home race.

Then he rushes to the barriers and jumps into the cheering crowd of dark blue waiting for him. When his sweaty lips find yours surrounded by the celebrating Red Bull team, you take a moment to whisper a promise, “This is just the beginning. It will only get better from here.”

***

The season flies by in a blur of champagne showers. Heading into the Italian Grand Prix, Charles find himself leading the Drivers’ Championship with Max nipping at his heels.

“I’m not sure I can do this,” Charles confesses, staring out at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. “This was home. I don’t know how they will react now that I’m no longer wearing red.”

You rest a reassuring hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. “Many fans support the driver, not just the color he wears.”

He takes a deep breath and looks over the crowd. “The Tifosi are different. They bleed Ferrari red. I’m afraid they will see me only as a traitor.”

“You gave them your all,” you counter. “They’ve seen the struggles. They know why you left. They understand. Trust in them and in yourself.”

As the two of you make your way towards the paddock, the familiar chorus of cheers fills the air. But instead of the jeers and boos he feared, a chant begins to rise among the crowd of red: “Charles! Charles! Charles!”

Charles stops in his tracks. “They’re ... they’re cheering for me.”

You nod, a smile playing on your lips. “Told you.”

He’s soon swarmed by a group of fans, all clamoring for autographs, photos, and just a moment of his time. It’s clear that the bond between Charles and the Tifosi remains unbroken.

An older fan steps forward, his Ferrari cap worn with age. “You are still Il Predestinato. We wish it ended differently but we have eyes. We watched the races. We know why you left. No matter what team you drive for, you always have our hearts.”

Charles blinks back tears, deeply touched. “Grazie,” he whispers and claps the fan’s weathered hands in thanks.

Another fan, a young girl with a homemade sign that reads Once a Tifosi, Always a Tifosi, shyly approaches. “We still love you, Charles,” she says.

He kneels down to give her a gentle hug. “Thank you,” he murmurs, taking off his Red Bull cap and placing it on her head.

As the day goes on, the support from the Tifosi only grows. They cheer for him during practice, during qualifying, and every time he appears in front of the stands.

It’s clear that the bond between Charles and the Tifosi is as strong as ever.

That evening, as the two of you sit in the garage looking over data, Charles reflects on his day. “I was so afraid,” he admits. “Afraid of being rejected, of losing their love. But today ... today was incredible.”

You close the analytics. “The Tifosi love you. Not because of the car you drive or the colors you wear but because of who you are. Just like I do.”

He nods slowly. “It’s overwhelming. Monza has always been special to me. To feel this level of love and support ... it’s more than I ever expected.”

You lean closer, resting your head on his shoulder. “They see your passion. They see how much you give on and off the track. Anyone who does not love and respect you for that needs to reconsider.”

He exhales slowly, “I just ... I wanted to make them proud, to win for them in red and bring glory back to Maranello. But knowing they still support me no matter what ... it means everything.”

You look up into his eyes. “And they always will. Because they know you always gave and will continue to give your best. They love you because they are loved in return.”

He laughs, pulling you into a tight hug. “Thank you,” he murmurs into your hair. “For always being my rock, especially in moments like these.”

“Now let’s go out there tomorrow and win.”

***

“Vegas, baby!” Charles shouts, swinging an arm around your shoulders, both of you holding champagne glasses that have been refilled one too many times.

You giggle, distinctly feeling all of the alcohol you’ve consumed. “We won! We did it!”

Charles laughs, pulling you closer. “We did! And do you know what people do when they’re in love and win in Vegas?”

You think about it for a moment, a mischievous glint appearing in your eyes. “Get ... married?”

Charles nods enthusiastically. “Exactly! Y/N Horner, will you marry me tonight?”

You don’t hesitate, “Hell yes!”

The two of you, in your drunken stupor, begin your mission to find a wedding chapel. However, before you can get very far, Max spots you and quickly catches on to what you’re planning.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Max exclaims, grabbing Charles by the shoulder. “Where do you think you’re going with Y/N?”

Charles replies with a sloppy grin, “To make her Mrs. Leclerc!”

Max bursts into laughter, trying to play the voice of reason. “Mate, as much fun as that sounds, I think you might want to sleep on that idea.”

But you’re not having it. “No, Max! We’re in love and it’s Vegas. We’re doing it!”

Before the conversation can escalate further, your father joins the fray, looking both amused and concerned. “What on earth is going on here?”

Max chuckles, “Your daughter and Charles here have some ... ambitious plans for the evening.”

You pout and stumble slightly, “Daddy, we want to get married! Right now!”

Your father’s eyebrows shoot up. “Married? Tonight? Seriously?”

Charles nods with absolute seriousness, though his precarious swaying contradicts his tone. “Christian, I love your daughter. And we won. In Vegas. So ... wedding?”

Your father places a firm hand on his driver’s shoulder. “Listen, Charles, I have no doubt about your feelings for Y/N. But my baby girl deserves the world. When and if you ever decide to propose, I expect you to get down on one knee, stone-cold sober, and ask her properly.”

Charles blinks, processing the words. “But ... Vegas?”

You laugh and go to hug your father, almost falling over in the process. “He’s right. Let’s just enjoy tonight. And if we still feel like getting married in the morning, we can discuss it then.”

Max smirks, “Trust me, you’ll thank us in the morning. If you can even remember this conversation, that is.”

***

“Charles,” you begin, your voice echoing in his helmet, “The team has made the call. You and Max are free to race. No team orders.”

There’s a pause on the other end. “Understood. May the best man win.”

The tension in the garage skyrockets as soon as the lights go out. It’s evident that this is going to be an epic battle from the very first turn. Max and Charles swap places multiple times, pushing their cars to the very edge of their limits.

“Breathe,” you remind him calmly as the laps go by, “Don’t loose sight of the race as a whole. There’s a championship at stake.”

The entire race is a blur of overtakes, pit strategies, and nail-biting moments. The two Red Bull cars battle wheel-to-wheel lap after lap. One side of the garage against the other.

Coming into the final laps, Charles is right on Max’s tail — the championship hanging in the balance between them.

You know there’s not much you can do to guide him anymore … it’s all up to Charles.

“Last lap,” you try to sound composed despite the pounding of your heart. “You can do this.”

The cheers and gasps of the crowd are deafening as Charles makes his move, taking the inside line and overtaking Max on the penultimate turn.

“Push now! Just a few more corners.”

As Charles crosses the finish line, the enormity of the moment crashes over both of you.

“Charles Leclerc,” you scream over the radio as tears stream down your face, “you are the World Champion!”

“Yeeeesssss! Yes! Yes! I ... I can’t believe it. This is ... thank you, everyone. To the entire Red Bull team, you’ve given me the chance to chase and achieve my dreams. To my friends, my family, to every single person who’s been by my side, believed in me, and supported me … thank you. And Y/N, you’ve been my rock and my oxygen. Without you, this wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you! Thank you. Thank you so much!”

***

“Whew! That was a lot of rose water!” Charles laughs, wiping the bubbly liquid from his eyes.

You chuckle and try to wring out your hair. “You didn’t have to drench me, you know!”

Charles grins cheekily. “It’s a special occasion, after all. Both of us on this podium? It’s a dream!”

Then suddenly, he turns serious and signals to his brother in the crowd below, who throws him a small leather box. Charles catches it and promptly lowers himself down on one knee in front of you, making the crowd fall into a stunned silence.

“I tried this in Vegas,” he starts with a laugh, “But I might have been too drunk and missed a few pretty important steps.”

Charles takes a deep breath and his eyes lock onto yours, saying everything that words would never be sufficient to. “Y/N, being on this podium with you, winning the World Championship, it’s the pinnacle of my career. But what we have ... it’s the pinnacle of my life. I can’t imagine going on this journey with anyone else, facing the highs, the lows, the in-betweens. Will you marry me?”

Tears flow steadily down your cheeks and you nod with a fervor that would make bobbleheads jealous, “Yes! There’s no one else I’d want to spend forever with.”

The crowd erupts into cheers and applause, the deafening roar echoing around the Yas Marina Circuit. Max gives a loud whistle, his face lit up with a big grin next to you on the podium stage.

Charles rises to his feet and pulls you close, attacking your lips as the crowd goes wild.

“Promise me we won’t head to a chapel right after this race?” You joke, sniffling and giggling at the same time.

Charles laughs, looking slightly sheepish. “I promise, mainly because I’m too young to die and your father would definitely kill me if I even thought about pulling the stunt we tried in Vegas again. You deserve a fairytale wedding.”

You press your face against his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat as fireworks explode overhead. “All I need for my fairytale is you.”

[itsa-me-lily]

Work sucked and just...yeah.

Simon & Thimble playlist

MPS AU master playlist

Simon knew something was wrong as he shut the door behind him. Typically you had something playing; music or some sort video from the internet. But the inside of your home was quiet, and you were just laying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling in this solemn way. His first instinct screamed that something had happened with the pigs again, but a quick look told him that all three were fine, save for the staring they were doing. Probably wanted another treat if he had a guess. So at least the boys were safe. That just left everything else in the world...great.

He made a point to make as much noise taking off his boots as he could, just so he wouldn't startle you. Last thing he needed was you falling off the couch and hurting yourself. You didn't move much, just turning your head enough to look at him. He noticed that your eyes were red rimmed and it instantly made something in his chest tight. You'd been crying.

He was going to ignore the way it made him want to hunt down whatever or whoever did it.

"Everythin' alright?"

You sighed like the weight of the world was pressing down on your chest, looking back to the ceiling.

"It's stupid."

"Let me be the judge of that. I do work with Soap."

It didn't pull a full smile from your lips, but Simon could see the corner of your mouth twitch as he went to get himself a glass of water. Small victories and all that. He didn't rush you for an answer, letting the sound of the water faucet fill the space before the silence came again.

"They took the holiday party from me."

"Isn't it already December?"

At least it was the last time he checked, and from what he recalled of your ranting, you'd had that wrapped up a month prior.

"Next years. They want a fucking committee to plan it next time."

Simon was...confused. By his reason it seemed like it would be a win for you. You wouldn't have to deal with any kind of deadline or planning issues. All you had to do at the end of the day was just submit the bills. He must have taken too long to answer because you just sighed again, turning so you were facing the back of the cough.

Fuck.

Yeah to him at least it was kind of stupid for you to be all upset about some office holiday party. Planning them sounded like a pain in the ass. But you were upset and just ignoring it would be a dick move on his part. Not to mention he'd still have to deal with it, he liked sitting on the couch now and again.

Resisting the urge to sigh himself he took his cup over to sit on the ground at the end of the couch where your head was. He saw with his back to you. Maybe it'd make it easier for you.

"Come on. Explain it to me so I get it."

He could only imagine the look on your face. You probably had your brow furrowed, lips all puckered so it made your cheeks puff out a little.

"I worked really hard on the holiday parties."

Simon hummed, hoping it would encourage you to keep going.

"I made sure that it could work for everyone but it still isn't good enough."

He didn't expect for your voice to start to get creaky, like you were trying to talk through a throat full of tears. He also didn't expect it to feel like a stab to the heart.

"I'm trying to help take something off everyone's plate, make sure that its a nice way to end the year and they're just throwing it back in my face."

Oh. Oh no. Simon could hear a sniffle behind him. This was a terrible plan of his and he couldn't just tell you to just stuff it now could he?

"I'm not respected enough to do my job right, helping just ends up with people being angry with me. I'm so frustrated and I just want to be done with it all."

Simon was tempted to tell you that technically speaking, if you wanted, you could quit your job and just stay at home with the boys. He had enough saved. But he didn't. Didn't think it would actually solve the issue.

He let you both sit in the silence of it all for a while, until the sniffling dwindled back down.

"So what'cha gonna do."

"My job."

Well that didn't seem very satisfying to Simon at all.

"And just my job. No offering to do anything, no going out of my way. Follow the job description to the letter and not a single thing above it."

Simon should have fond it concerning how attractive he found the idea of you being spiteful. Well a little malicious compliance never hurt anyone right?

"Atta girl."

[bitter-me]

Pookie please!

At first I'm fine with the open ending of Welt x Reader ome. But then you go on ahead and make a sequel with a cliffhanger. Please my heart can't take it.

I won't force you t continue it if you don't want to. I just wanted to say it's amazingly written. And if you did ever wanted to go back continuing that, I'd be looking forward to it. (Be it more angst or bittersweet ending or even happy one. I'm content because I'm just that starving for Welt x male reader)

The very long awaited part three

Yes, Your Excellency

Part One | Part two | Part Three (You're here)

----------

Welt Yang | M. Reader

----------

"I will gladly play the part, so that you may shine, my sun."

----------

Once upon a time in a kingdom far away..

Lived a princess only 14 years of age.

There wasn't anything this princess couldn't have with a boy just like her serving as her right hand man..

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Those are the words he have said to her multiple times, from the very beginning. He was there as he watch his Lady build an empire from nothing. Her anxiousness... her fears.. her loneliness... her suffering..

He saw it all.

His dear Christine.

She was truly.. the light in his tunnel..

Even after everything, she still smiles and answers to her people. Truly a kind and thoughtful ruler.

And he's more than happy to be by her side. To guide her. And comfort her at her lowers.

She was everything to him.

----------

The Stellaron Crisis brought many disasters and ailments. The suffering the people felt, their loved ones who are clutching their last straws. It breaks his heart. Truly it did.

It breaks his heart that Her Excellency has to watch her people suffer.

Her face which was once filled with joy was replaced by a somber expression. Her tone was so soft and full of life has turned sorrowful.

It breaks his heart... Truly... it did..

How could they.. turned such a beautiful person who's full of life into.. this..

It's unforgettable!

And as her right hand man, he will solve this Crisis and finally... bring back that smile that once adored her face.

He endured many sleepless nights and devoted himself to his research. He doesn't care what it takes. He will save her. The Stellaron Crisis is out of control, what if Her Excellency gets infected by its disease? What if she was suffering from the ailment this entire time! He has to! He has to save her! Whatever it takes!

"You worked so hard on trying to solve the Stellaron Crisis. I can see why you're Her Excellency's right hand man."

The day the Nameless arrived at their humble planet, claiming wanting to help and lend their aid. He was skeptical. How could these... people.. be as what they claim to be? How could he know they won't harm anyone? How could he know they won't harm her?

He didn't say anything as he kept vigilant.

They complimented him. Calling him a responsible and caring man for devoting himself to his research on the Crisis that had plagued his home.

Of course.

How could he not?

When she is also affected by it?

She doesn't deserve this.

She doesn't deserve any of this.

Her beloved kingdom.. on the brink of collapsing..

Oh how heartbroken she must be..

Which is why...

He's taking things into his own hands.

He can't just sit idly and see her suffering like that everyday.

----------

"Whatever it takes?"

"How bold~"

"Then why don't you accept our offer?"

"We can help you!"

Their voices are loud. Oh so loud. They begged and persuaded him. Trying to get him on their side.

"We can give you power.. so you can protect her."

Their offers are very tempting. Very very tempting.

----------

The Nameless.. as righteous as they are.. never would he thought one of them could be so interested in him. That man talked to him so casually as if they're old friends, maybe more.

He was never good with names.

But his name seems to stick to him for some reason. The chatter and the gift that man had given. It somehow.. stuck to him in a way he never knew existed.

He felt like he had gone insane.

They're strangers and yet.. it felt like.. they knew each other for so long..

"Oh? What's this?"

"Have you found another?"

"How cruel of you.. to forsake your beloved.."

No... No.. No!! Nonononononononononono!!! He can't!! Her Excellency!! She's—!

"You can't deny it though."

Shut up.. just shut up!

Their voices grew loud as their demans became more tempting by the second.. The Nameless.. as righteous as they may be.. Could he truly trust them..? Trust them to.. solve this Crisis..? Trust them to.. save her..?

Of course not.

How could he? How could he trust them? They're just some random people!! They came uninvited claiming they wanted to help!! Who do they think he is?! He's Her Excellency's right hand! Christine's right hand!

"You know what..? Sure.. I accept."

.

.

.

.

.

"They're nothing but fools."

"No one can save her."

"No one but me."

[ghostieyanyan]

Is it ok if I can ask for a yandere Rollo Flamme? I like the idea of Rollo because he’s already based off a yandere villain so it makes sense. And I think Rolli would like to get close to Yuu cuz they don’t have any magic so they’re seen as ‘pure’ in Rollo’s eyes. Maybe Rollo can be seen trying hard to control his urges at the fireplace or he captured MC and tried to burn them at the stake like in the movie? Your choice.

hehehe... why not just add salt to injure? what if mc has pyrophobia, a fear of fire?

~Let the fire purify you~

Yan!Rollo x Pyrophobia!Mc

Warnings: Fire, burning, kidnapping, anxiety attack, chains, gag, breakdown,

~~~

Rollo hated magic... with a passion. A passion that burned so bright that hurricanes, rainstorms, floods, and tsunami together couldn't extinguish this flame of pure hatred.

How does no one sees the danger of magic? How many lives have to be taken in the hand of magic for people to understand this is a problem? He guesses that its one of humanities sin, playing dumb, playing ignorant, until it becomes someone they care about that gets hurt. its always like that... why could people just see things through his lenses BEFORE someone got hurt...

But for now, he just has to do gods work for everyone else, until they see things his ways...

He had a plan. a plan that will solve this problem before it could get worst. The plan to get rid of magic, from one of the most powerful mages in twisted wonderland, to the student "prodigies" of that sick, sinful school, to the townsfolks of Fleur city, to every inch of Twisted wonderland.

With this crazy plan, he'll make, no, he'll force everyone to see how he sees life should be. he didnt care on who got hurt-

until-

he met Night Raven College's gem in the rock, their Perfect. When all the students were introducing themselves, when it was your turn. He swore the world stopped and he would have swore on his life that he saw wings and a halo on you. You looked, spoke, and acted like an angel. you even allow these sinful... beasts... breathe the same air as you. then you have an ACTUAL beast as a familiar. don't tell grim that.

your heart and soul must be made out of pure gold. he has to protect it at all cost. he will use his own body to shield you from magical blast and then some to keep your purity in tact. he will move mountains and redivert lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans for you. Rollo Flamme will make you into his deity that he worships.

~

All the students decided to split into groups and explore Fleur City, after they got changed.

to say Rollo thought you looked breathe taking in your glorious masquerade outfit was an understatement. he was about to come up to you and compliment you, maybe even starting small talk with you but a certain lizard decided to be the first to do so...

Of course that monster would be charmed by an angel like you. Evil loves to tempt with good.

no matter, he'll just have to see you another time but if he gets too busy..? He'll make time for you.

~

Rollo lead you into his office, you didn't mind too much because he was telling you all about the school's history and art. it is a really pretty school, it gives very romantic feelings.

when you finally made it into his office, you froze at the doorway at seeing the fire place. Rollo quickly notices and puts out the flame with a very helpful near by bucket. You were grateful that Rollo was very accommodating to your fears.

you thanked him and sat down across from him while Rollo sat in his chair.

"I'm very sorry for asking you to meet me at this ungodly hour but i just needed your input on something and if i didn't ask you, i would have had a sleepless night tossing and turning." Rollo said as he got everything on his desk organized.

"hehe, its alright. I just happen to have a restless night myself.. but i don't mind the company."

"oh my that sounds awful. what seems to be troubling you?"

"w-well.."

It was really hard to tell someone you only just recently met that you had a "bad feeling" about something and how so far, in twisted wonderland, its always comes true...

"well.. i think... maybe, its just the 'sleeping at a new place' feeling and I'm just not getting use to it. but I'm sure its fine. heh.."

"hmm.."

Rollo seemed satisfied with that answer and continues, by leaning towards you on the desk.

"i know i asked you about this before, but id like to discuss it with you more in depth... hmm?"

since Rollo put out the fire place, there was only a small lamp on the desk to shine light in the room. you kind of wished that the fire place was still lit... cause everything in this scenario was telling you to run and never look back..

"o-okay..? what would you like to know..?"

Rollo smiled and leaned back into his chair.

"as a magicless student in a full school of magical.. mages, aren't you scared they might... turn and hurt you..?"

the way he worded that made you feel more unnerved.. you trusted your friends in Night Raven College. Even the ones that did try to hurt you, they still came to your defense and help and protected you when you needed them.. you trusted them with your life and having this man tell you "you shouldn't because they can use magic" was... laughable...

"no.. because they've earn my trust and I've earn theirs..!"

"Earned..?"

Rollo's face darkened as you stood up from the chair you were sitting in.

"I'm sorry Rollo. Thank you for your hospitality but i have to go."

you start walking to the door but stopped.

"with however you feel about magic, i wont sit down and let you disrespect them just because they possess a special ability and i don't. It doesn't make them less of a person. Magic or no magic."

you walked to the door but before you could even touch the doorknob, you feel a body press against your back, pinning you against the door. you couldn't even move, much less move the door.

"I'm sorry my sweet angel~... i guess.. I'll just have to show you myself then~"

you see a quick purple blur and then tightness around your throat. Rollo was using his signature purple and gold handkerchief to strangle you! you tried to struggle. you tired to jab your elbow into his chest but his uniform was too thick for it to do any good.

You started to feel light headed then everything you saw was slowly turning black. the last thing you saw was Rollo, and the insanity in his eyes.

~

you had so many questions...

why you? was it because you don't have magic so you were "easy"? aren't there other people in twisted wonderland without magic? you just happened to go to a school "for" magic users so of course you'll see it a lot.

what's so bad about magic? ya it almost killed you here and there but it also almost killed either the user or other people around you.. but afterwards everything would have been fine. Plus you didn't blame the magic for those situations. you couldn't even say you blamed the user. some deserved the blame.. but not everyone..

how did you get here..? probably from your big mouth, you should have been smart when you were talking to Rollo. he was already giving you weird vibes and you just had to make it worst

you had more questions but you knew none of them would get answered..

you started to slowly open your eyes..

where are you..? what's this sound..? why cant you move..?

you slowly looked around, you remember this place... Rollo showed you, with your friends. the big bell, the bell of Solace. you noticed that you were alone though..

you looked around some more, you looked out from where you sat on the floor. it was dark out but with an orange hue... was the sun rising..? what's going on?

you went to take a step, to look out but something stopped you. a cold hand..? no..? a chain?!

if you weren't fully awake then, now you are! the chain was short, at least 2 feet long from the floor, it was attached to both your ankles. you could only go so far out.

what happened?! what's going on?!?

you started breathing heavily, tears started to form. you felt so confused, so lost. someone, anyone, please hel-

"oh my dear! you're awake."

your blood became ice, you looked up to see an uncomfortably happy Rollo.. he had a basket of breads and fruits.

"i was so worried that you'll never wake up. I'm very happy you did~"

with a heavy chest, you spoke.

"what's going on, Rollo!? Why are we here? why am i-?"

"oh within time my dear angel~ we just have to wait for those flowers to do their miracles. in the meantime, eat. you've been sleeping for a while and-"

"flowers..? what are you-...? Rollo...."

you took a deep breathe to try to settle your nerves.

"Please, Rollo... I'm scared. please tell me what's going on."

he looks at you and sighed, placing the basket down on a near by table. He then walked over to you and sat beside you, motioning you to come closer to him.

You did. you don't really have a choice right now..

"I'm making our perfect little world my love~ our paradise~"

you looked at the man like he was crazy. he was, at this point. But he continues.

"the Crimson flowers, the one that looks like fire, the flowers i shown you when you toured the city, they have the ability to take a mage's magic until they are just magicless people.. like you."

you stared at him but he kept smiling.

"magicless.. like me..?"

"yes my dear, then everyone in this world would have to understand magic is like a poisonous weed that has to be pulled out. or it'll spread to the other crops."

you just stared. you couldn't bare to keep looking at him so you turned to look at anything else..

magicless like you... no.. this isn't right. this cant happened!

Rollo thought the conversation was over and sat up to get the basket.

"Before this started, i made sure to get some food. i thought you'll be hungry so-"

"...mon...ster..."

Rollo froze. he was facing the backet and didn't turn around.

"excuse me..?"

you stood up, leaning against the wall, as best as you could. You knew your big mouth was gonna put you in a tough situation again but- what were you suppose to do?

"you, Rollo Flamme, are a monster."

he slowly turned to you, his eyes screamed murder. even if your body is shaking, from fear, from anxiety, from anger, maybe all of them at once's, but you kept your eye contact with Rollo.

You knew a comment like that will hurt him. you knew you couldn't physically harm him but you just wanted to hurt him like he planned to do the same to everyone you cared for..

the silence was deafening.

Rollo took some slow steps to you and leaned down to your level.

"take. that. back."

"no. cause i didn't say anything wrong.."

you hear Rollo take a deep breath and he quickly snaked his hand to grab the nape of your neck. you let out a gasp, from the sudden movement. he straighten his posture and brought you to his eye level.

"it's seems that those... mages.. have filled you with their poison. I'll just have to purify you myself. don't say i didn't warn you, my angel.."

he dragged you to a window and made you look outside. the entire city was filled with those flowers but... the looks of those flowers... made it look like you were in the middle of a raging firestorm. you felt your stomach drop. you felt cold shivers, and you didn't even realized that tears were falling. when you looked more, you noticed that the "fire" was slowly climbing the tower you were in.

you were about to let out a blood curdling scream but you were stopped by Rollo tying that purple handkerchief into a makeshift gag for you.

After that, he threw you, face down into the ground. Your body was shivering from fear so intensely, to the point that it feels like you lost complete control over your body. you couldn't even fight back when Rollo tied your hands together.

"i, really, am sorry for this my sweet angel~ but i have to get rid of the poison that those mages put in you... you have to be purified."

Rollo walked off and came back holding a fireplace poker. it was glowing red and you could see smoke coming off of it. where he got that, you didn't know but your attempt to get away from him was met with a wall against your back.

you felt your head spin, you were trembling to no return, the hot tears wouldn't stop, and the makeshift gag he put on you was now soak with tears, saliva, and snot.

Rollo kept walking towards you, in an agonizing slow pace.

"don't worry, my angel love~ after this, all will be forgiven~"

when he went to grab your face, he-

"MC!!"

those are.. familiar voices.. you know those voices..

"tch.. i suppose your punishment will have to wait my love. apparently, ill have to finish these pesky mages off myself."

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️⛅️

⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲

🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️🧜‍♂️

Oh hell yeah! 42 for ⛅️

---

Except, wait… What if they’re stuck here? Eddie is straight. He might want to not remain married to Buck. He might… Maybe he would want a divorce. Oh god. That would be terrible. Absolutely terrible. Tommy dumping him and then Eddie divorcing him? How can he already have a worse track record with men than with women! Women had a significant head start! 

“Right?” He asks Eddie. “We’re not, right?”

“No!” Eddie answers, outraged like the question is ridiculous. “I would never divorce you!”

Okay, Mr. I’m Straight How Would We Even Have Sex. It wasn’t a silly question! 

“Okay, well something is going on!” Chris insists. “You both cried when you saw me. You’ve hardly touched each other all night. You’re usually disgusting. You forgot Nico’s allergies, like you’re too distracted or something. What is going on?” 

Buck and Eddie exchange an uncomfortable glance. 

“Uh… I’m just… Not feeling well?” Buck tries. 

“You’re sick?” Chris asks. “Oh my god, are you dying? Buck…”

“No!” Buck exclaims. “I’m not dying, Chris.”

“Then what?” Chris demands. 

“We’re really okay,” Eddie promises. “You don’t need to worry about it, bud.”

---

42 for ⚡️

---

“You’re gonna need it.”

Buck sighs. He knows Bobby is right. He should probably be trying to bank sleep instead of stress. 

“It all just feels out of my control, you know?” Buck says. “Like if something goes wrong at this point, what can I do?”

“Nothing,” Bobby says. “There’s nothing.”

“See? That sucks!”

Bobby smiles. “That’s parenthood, though. That’s just… How a lot of it is.”

Buck nods. He knows that. Conceptually, he knows that. He just doesn’t like feeling it. He likes being able to do something. Manage potential problems. Be the solution. And as much as he knows that a baby a day overdue is not actually a problem, it just feels like the beginning of that anxious feeling he can’t do anything to solve. 

“Things are going to happen that you have no control over,” Bobby says. “Lots of them. And things will happen that you do have control over that you get wrong. But what’s important is how you respond to that.”

Buck nods. “Who’s to say I won’t panic about that, too?”

“You will,” Bobby chuckles. “But it’s okay. Because, at the end of the day, I think you’ll always do right by her.”

Buck takes a deep breath. “Thanks, Bobby.”

“Of course,” Bobby replies. “You know… When Brooke was five - right after she started school - there was a school bus accident. One of the buses headed towards hers and Bobby Jr.’s school. While I was on shift.”

“Were they on it?” Buck asks. 

“No,” Bobby shakes his head. 

---

42 for 🌲

---

“So, then, like… Genetics makes sense, right? Unless there’s another comic-esque origin,” Buck says. 

Eddie wrinkles his nose.

“Do you think I could have secret magic genes?” Buck continues. “My parents have English ancestry. What could that be?”

Eddie frowns. “Careful. A rabbit tempting enough runs by you and you might turn into a whippet.”

Buck smirks. “Aw, but you’d take care of me right? Put me in one of those little turtlenecks?”

Eddie rolls his eyes, but finds that he’s smiling, too. How can Buck make him smile, even now?

“You know… A whippet’s life might be nice. Running really fast. Not a lot of problems. Soft turtlenecks. Presumably better-than-human hearing.”

Eddie tilts his head a little, taking Buck in. There’s a hint of sadness there. Well… Of course there is. This whole time they’ve been focused entirely on Eddie. But Buck’s been going through a lot, too. 

“Hey, uh,” Eddie says. “How are you holding in? With everything that’s happened…”

Buck blinks. “Uh… Fine, Eddie. I’m fine.”

Eddie raises an eyebrow. That just confirmed the opposite.

“Buck.” 

“Really!” Buck insists.

“Oh, come on,” Eddie chides. “Between the fitting and Tommy, you’ve gotta be stressed.” 

---

42 for 🧜‍♂️

---

 He can’t be honest. He’s landed on, it’s just Chris and I or he doesn’t have a mother in his life. This usually shuts down the conversation for anyone with the social skills to realize he doesn’t want to talk about it. Which, fortunately, is most people. But there’s always the odd one. Did she leave you? Is she dead? It’s awkward and uncomfortable and Eddie hates it.

So when he makes the decision to tell Buck about Chris, on the day of the earthquake, it’s maybe sort of a test. Which is unfair of him, he knows. But, underneath his layers of anxiety in trying to contact his son, there’s a need to know. How will Buck react? Will he see Eddie the way Eddie has seen him? Will he ask the wrong questions? The right, discrete ones? Eddie isn’t sure. And maybe the way Buck reacts will… Give Eddie a hint? As to whether or not his suspicions are accurate? 

Buck’s response is great, but unhelpful. He beams, says he loves kids, and calls the photo of Christopher adorable. Well, yes! Christopher is adorable. Cutest kid ever, thank you very much. Said with no bias. He also doesn’t ask any questions about Christopher’s mother. So kind of a great response on all fronts. But not a conclusive one. 

Eddie feels stupid. What was Buck going to do? Start discussing trans parenthood in the back of the fire engine? No. Obviously fucking not. If he was out, he’d be out. And if he’s trans and suspects Eddie, he wouldn’t out Eddie either. Damn it. 

But the whole experience does teach Eddie something about Buck. When he decides he’s friends with you, he’s a damn good friend. Like, thoughtful and strikingly sincere. He spends the whole day supplying Eddie with earthquake facts. Reassuring him about Christopher’s safety. Keeping an eye on the cell service to see if Eddie can call Christopher’s school. 

[pastafossa]

Adventures in being disabled/chronically ill but also just weirdness. And also in the process of writing this I only basically now realized how shittily I was being treated as a disabled person because that's what happens when you put it on the page and go, '...oh, maybe I wasn't overreacting by feeling put off.'

Putting it all behind a cut because there's some ableism here and it's a bit long.

Enter Lady. We'll call her - *spins random name generator* - Angie. Angie has decided I am her friend because I woodcarve and she makes old fashioned clothes. She has decided for me that I will be going to big weeklong outdoor renfaire style events with her group, in which I will sell my stuff and I will carpool with them.

She decided this ten minutes after meeting me for the first time, by the way. I have met her a grand total of 2 times.

Anyway. These events are outdoors, and I would be camping. In the height of summer. In locations known for high humidity and summer wet bulb temps that regularly climb over 100*.

As expected, this is an issue in multiple ways, the first of which is my chronic pain wracked body tolerates camping about as well as Cocaine Bear would tolerate being shaved (source: went camping), and the second of which is one of my medication's side effects literally includes inability to tolerate moderate to high heat and a fucking mild allergy to sunlight.

I'm a goddamn vampire with limited heat tolerance ya'll, on top of being Physically Incapable Of Many Things TM. And she wants me out in the sun and heat for a week, and sleeping at night in a tent.

So I pop over to her place because she invited me (meeting 2, since meeting 1 was brief), she's nearby, and I'm still thinking she was just a little clueless but maybe this can still be like a, 'fellow crafter discussion of cool events in the area' once I explain. My plan is to gently segue from heat tolerance and disability into I Am Not Going, but also I want to use it as a little reminder not to assume people's functionality, cause I don't mind trying to educate a little. Most mean well, so I'm not even mad at this point. But I don't get far at all before I'm blatantly interrupted and told heat and sun isn't an issue for a disabled person, I can swap out with someone and go be in a tent from noon to 2, and, get this-

"You can have a fan in your tent to cool down!"

Angie, if a fan could solve my issues I wouldn't have been so eager to live in a city that is, as we speak, still getting snow in FUCKING APRIL.

Which I calmly explained.

But I am interrupted again, after I use the word, 'disability'.

"Do you have a service dog?"

No???

"You should get one. Anyway, trust me, you'll be fine. Other disabled people go and they're fine."

Right, cool, I'm definitely in the exact same disabled situation as the dude that lost a foot.

I try again. I'm blunter this time. I am disabled, my body doesn't like camping, my doctor would not advise-

"Oh you'll be fine. They have flushing toilets nearby!"

???

How does that fix the heat or my body being-

"So when you go with us to this one in May, and this one in-"

Ah, ok, we're just disregarding everything I said. Cool. Cool cool.

I sat there feeling like... a prop I guess? Just... bewildered. Obviously looking back I should have just walked out and left, but there's this bizarre feeling where you're still in Don't Be Rude mode because you haven't quite processed what happen. I did manage to cut the visit short after about 20 more minutes, drove home, still kinda unsettled. It was only after talking to mom, that I realized I'd just been completely dismissed as a disabled person. Which has happened before of course (once had a random lady interrupt my conversation with another person about my disability with, 'you need to eat more blueberries. Those have antioxidants, that'll fix your problem!'), but it's been a while.

Anyway, I will not be hanging with this person again and to be perfectly honest I'm tempted to bring this up with the witchy shop owner (who I am friends with) where the event I met Angie is held - the shop owner VERY much wants to protect anyone who's been treated poorly or have some boundary talks with anyone crossing those boundaries in a disrespectful way - but even now part of me's saying, 'no no, that's too much, just skip that event every month so you don't see Angie again'. On top of that, I'm new to the area and the art community here, and this lady's much more established. I really, really, really do not want to cause issues for myself since I'm trying to start up with all my carvings. So I'm feeling... stuck I guess.

Anyway, 'you can just have a fan!' is going down in my, 'ridiculous fixes I've been given for some part of my disability' list.

[grippingbeskar]

Hiiiii I read your last Frank Castle fic and if it’s okay I’d like to request a wee something with Frank being observant enough to realize Reader has neck issues and offering to give them a neck massage? You write for our Frank so well and I would really appreciate it thank you in advance 🖤

warnings: references to smut, swearing, reader had a long day at work and that does need a fuckin warning oky

a/n: girl you got the kitty purring with this one. bad neck/back pain girlies rise up. this was such a good request tysm. i legit wrote this in 1/2 hour so if there’s any mistakes forgive me 💞🧎‍♀️

You are finally home. It was one of those days that felt like it would never end. One after the other, problems stacked up that apparently, only you could solve. Walking through the threshold of your apartment, you felt the weight of having to take care of everything physically lift off your shoulders, knowing Frank was waiting for you.

He’s sprawled on the couch, one arm over the back while the rest of him takes up three quarters of the cushions. There’s a spot just under his outstretched arm that you’ve claimed as your own, and you can picture yourself crawling into it as soon as your bags drop off your shoulder and you slam the door shut behind you.

“You’re home late, baby.” Frank walks over to you slowly, and instead of replying you just reach out your arms. He takes the hint, burying you under a crushing hug, and all you want to do is stand here and drown in him. “Long day?”

“The fuckin’ longest.” Your words are muffled with the way your head is tucked under his chin, and he laughs lightly, running his fingers down your spine with a gentleness that makes you shiver.

“You want some food? I made some pasta; chucked yours in the fridge. I’ll heat it up for you.” You sigh and squeeze him tighter. This is what you were talking about. He just took care of shit— you didn’t even have to ask.

“I am… when I’m not so exhausted, you are going to get the best blowjob of your life.” This makes him laugh loudly, the sound echoing around you in a welcomed ring. He kisses you lightly on the forehead, and your arms reluctantly drop from his waist.

“Alright, baby. Get you somethin’ to eat first.” He hooks a finger under your chin to kiss you properly, and when your head tilts up, you wince. Just for a second, a hiss of breath and a shooting pain up the back of your neck, but Frank couldn’t miss it if he tried. “What was that?”

“What?” You tilt your head slightly, trying to stretch it out and lean up on your toes to chase his mouth. He wasn’t giving up that easily, moving out of your reach.

It had just been a long day. Looking down at computers, reading things off papers and screens— you hadn’t even realised you were sore yourself until he did that. Yeah, it hurt, but not enough to stop you from kissing him.

“Your back? Your neck? What is it?” His fingertips brush your jaw, lightly so as not to move you. When he eases the touch backwards under your ear, you flinch unwillingly. “Tell me what hurts, sweetheart.”

“It’s nothing, really. Just spent a long time looking down today. My necks just a bit sore— I’m fine.” His hand wraps gently around the back of your neck, fingers dancing their way down to where it meets your shoulders. His face is trained— eyebrows furrowed, looking at the way you hold your face straight on to avoid the now numbing pain running up and down.

“Sit down. I’ll work it for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sit, and I’ll show you.” He’s already guiding you to the couch as he talks, taking your weight and lightly shoving you down onto the pillows.

“Oh, you’re gonna show me? Show me what, exactly?” You raise your eyebrows, and he shakes his head, doing his best to look disappointed rather than turned on. You shuffle forward and try to look up at him, tempt him, but you screw your eyes shut again when the pain snaps a cord in the right side of your neck. “Ow.”

“Lay back. Let me take care of you.” His voice is liquid honey, dripping down into your chest where it warms you inside out. Especially when he talks so low and soft, something he only does when you’re alone.

When he disappears from sight, he takes his time. The anticipation has you squirming in your chair, and by the time you feel the warmth of his large frame behind you, you’re about to start begging he does something; anything at this point.

“Tell me how it feels.” He murmurs warmly, the words brushing the shell of your ear. You didn’t hear him get that close, so when his hands suddenly creep up over your shoulders, thumbs lightly kneading the knot at the base of your neck, the moan you let out is a little more audible than you’d planned. “Feels good, yeah?”

“F-fuck. Yeah— shit, Frank.” He hums in response, fire igniting in your stomach at the way he easily relaxes you. His hands are so big and warm, it’s the perfect combination to work out your tired muscles until they have no choice but to fold to him like the rest of you has.

He’s never too harsh; starting with small circles with his thumbs, and as he works his way upward, he uses his other fingers to massage in long lines. You’re practically purring— back arching off the couch when his hands run up into your hair, and sinking back down when he retreats to your shoulders.

He doesn’t stop at your neck. Once your rolling it with ease, he presses on your shoulders. He’s a little harder with this, but it feels so fucking good the way he does it. His palms smooth you out in an even rhythm, and when he speaks again it takes you several moments to piece yourself back together.

“How you feelin’, baby? Need more?” He moves his hands up again, a gentle kiss following the path of his hands.

“Please. More, Frank.” You moan again and he laughs quietly, but obliges. He keeps running up and down your neck until your chin is tucked to your chest. When he notices, he lightly threads his fingers up into your scalp and pulls you back upright. He’s slow about it, watching for any sign of pain, but you manage to let yourself fall all the way back to where your head rests under his pretty face, which is smiling down from above you.

“Hi.” He says when your eyes finally flutter open. Shit, you didn’t even realise they were closed.

“Kiss me.” You beg, and he’s leaning down in an instant. It’s awkward and upside down but you are so hungry for it that you don’t care. Any taste of him is enough right now— anything to soothe the ache in your core at the feeling of his gentle, capable hands.

When he pulls away you whine, and he moves around the couch much quicker than before. He hauls you upright, arms wrapped tight around your lower back as he kisses you again, and you lean up into him with no pain at all. He pulls away to see your neck bent to look at him, and smiles.

“Feels better now, huh?” He says, smirking.

“Yeah. Who would of thought you were so good with your hands?” He scoffs and you laugh, hands cupping his face and kissing him quickly. “Thank-you. I feel so good. So much better.”

“Anytime, sweetheart.” He kisses you once more, and leaves you standing there as the buzzer for the microwave one’s off.

He’s already putting your dinner on a plate when you get the feeling to move your legs, and shit— just the image of him standing there. It’s what you think about all day, how fucking good he is to you. No matter how much you are relied upon anywhere else, when you come home to him, you know he’s always going to take care of you.

“You okay?” He says, and you smile, standing as close as possible to him behind the counter.

“I’ve never felt better.” You say, and mean it.

im scared of losing my last paragraph!!!

[mastermindmiko]

Potions Partners (Part 17)

Pairing: Draco Malfoy + Potter!Fem!reader

word count: 3715

warnings: not eating well, injuries, blood, fighting

Hey! If you think this didn't completely suck, feel free to check out my masterlist.

Part 18 and btw requests are open

They were back to how they were. She had become fully comfortable with him again, they spent every night together, and they almost never spent a moment apart. They spent their time, simply being together, Draco would read, they would solve homework, they would talk to each other, or they spent time with Draco inside her. They did that last thing quite frequently. 

They sat in his dorm, solving some potions homework. The only homework he ever did was when he copied it from Theo or when she did it with him. He didn’t care about such trivial things such as homework anymore, but he couldn’t turn her down when she turned up at her dorm with her books and an eager smile. 

“We’re done!” she cheered, as she slammed her charms books shut. She sighed heavily and leaned against her chair, sinking. He smiles at her tired out state. He closes his own book even though he wasn’t done with most of it, it was more than enough. 

“Would you like to go to the Astronomy tower tomorrow?” he asks her with a small smile. Her own smile falls and she says, “I can’t, it’s Ron’s birthday, we’re throwing him a party and everything. I’m sorry. Harry’s going to use the liquid luck to sneak alcohol in, but Hermione won’t let him.” 

“It’s fine.” he said, hoping that she wouldn't notice the way his ears perked up at the mention of the felix felicis. He grasped the bottom of her chair, and pulled it closer to him. Their feet were intertwined while he reached out to brush a strand of her hair away from her face. He let out a fake disappointed sigh as he said, teasingly, “I guess we’ll have to make up for lost time right now.” 

She giggles as he leans down to press a kiss to her lips. She stands up and he follows her till they reach the bed. She sits and he sits down beside her, not wasting any time and placing his lips on hers. 

“You know what would be great?” He asks, as he parts away from her lips. She looks at him with her eyes wide, and asks, “What?” She takes his breath away by going in to steal another kiss from him, and cupping his face with her hands. 

“If you could take the liquid luck from your brother and we could use it.” He suggests, hoping that she wouldn’t believe that he has any ulterior motives. She groans, “must you talk about my brother when we’re making out?” 

He smiles fondly and pecks her lips, he truly does feel guilty when he continues, “Think about it. We’d use it, then we’d have a day to ourselves, no one would bother us!” She tucks her bottom lip between her teeth and he thinks that he might’ve sounded too eager. 

“I don’t really feel comfortable taking it from Harry.” She explains, and he presses, “But we’d be able to do whatever we liked. We can finally go to Hogsmeade like you wanted and maybe we might even be able to have some fun afterwards.” 

“As tempting as that is and trust me it very much is, I can’t.” She sighs, and he decides against convincing her again, thinking that she might get suspicious. He’d try again some other time, hopefully Potter wouldn’t have used the potion in the meantime. 

“Alright then. Where were we?” He teases with a grin as he leans down to kiss her, eliciting a grin from her as well. He wraps a hand around her waist and pulls her near him. She giggles at the action, considering how close they were already. 

“Plus, we don’t need some lucky potion. We can be quick.” She suggests and his quirks an eyebrow with a smirk, “Oh?” She rolls his eyes at him and pushes him, so he’s lying on his back. She straddles his lap, and leans over his chest. “I think we can, or are you not up for the challenge?” 

***

Ever since Ron got poisoned things haven’t been the same. It’s been nearly two months since his birthday, and the news had spread around Hogwarts like wildfire. No one was safe, they thought. After what happened to Katie and now Ron tensions were high. 

She remembers how terrified she was when she heard the news in the morning. She had spent the night with Draco and when she went to the Great Hall, Harry was looking for her. He filled her in about the news of Ron’s poison. She had gone into the hospital wing and found Hermione sitting in a chair beside Ron’s bed. 

Harry told her about the incident with Lavender, however they were interrupted by the Weasley clan rushing into the Hospital wing with worried and concerned looks. Mrs Weasley burst out crying when she saw her son asleep. 

She doesn’t remember the last time she was that scared. Madame Pomfrey assured them all several times that Ron was fine and that he would be out in a matter of days. That didn’t seem to calm down Mrs Weasley as she kept sobbing for the rest of the time they spent in the castle even when Ron had woken up and told her that he was fine. 

When Ron fell asleep again, she left to find Draco. She saw him walking the corridors, and she called out for him. She cried into his arms as she recalled the events of Ron’s poisoning, and he soothed her with reassuring words. 

Draco hasn’t been the same since either. He was more sad. It took him a lot more to smile, and it worried her. He never opened up despite her telling him that it was alright and that she would help him. He would always simply smile and thank her. 

She tried to escape the morbid atmosphere of the castle with him. They would stay up till dawn in the Astronomy tower, reading together, or they would watch the sunrise, or sunset by the black lake. It would only be for a few moments, but it would make her feel better. She hoped that it did the same for him. 

More than two months have passed since that incident, and now they were all seated in the Great Hall eating breakfast. The darkened feeling that the students felt was slightly lifted at the news of Katie Bell returning after getting treated in St. Mungo’s. She had entered the hall, and was immediately bombarded by friends, hugging her. 

After they all calmed down, Harry walked up to her and started talking to her. She didn’t pay any mind to her brother nagging Katie. She continued to eat her breakfast with Hermione and Ron. Ron said, “So, for practice tonight I was thinking of trying the new spin-” 

“Sorry to interrupt this very important conversation, but Malfoy just left the Great Hall and Harry followed him. It didn’t look well. You should go see what’s going on.” Hermione says, stopping Ron from continuing his rant about Quidditch. She lifted her head to see Harry’s robes turning right. 

She nodded her head, appreciating Hermione’s focus, and she walked out of the Great Hall. She could hear Harry’s rushed footsteps, and she started to run after him, not knowing why Harry was following Draco. She could barely make out his figure as he entered the boys bathroom. 

She hesitated for a second, but entered immediately when she heard the sounds of spells being fired. She moves around the stalls before she feels Harry pumping into her when he was taking a few steps backwards. His gaze was fixed on something in front of him. She took a step to the side to see what was going on. 

All the air left her lungs in one second. Draco whimpered in pain as the blood seepped out of his body quickly. Her eyes were wide as she fell to the floor beside his side. She notices the large cuts on his body that were increasing in quantity by the second. She turned to her brother, “What the fuck did you do?” 

Harry stuttered as she reached for her wand to find her pocket empty. The image of it on the Great Hall table flashed through her mind as she cursed herself. The blood leaked out on the floor and reached her body. Draco started crying and she couldn't help the tears that fell from her face. 

She pressed her palms to the wounds gently hoping that it would stop the blood from oozing out but it only stained her hands red. She started sobbing as she turned to Harry, “Go get Madame Pomfrey! Do something!” 

Harry stood as still as a statue in shock. Draco started choking and she could feel the edge of her skirt get wet by his blood. She let out a helpless sob as she saw the blood start leaving his mouth, the cuts reaching his face. She turned around to see Harry still standing there, so she said, “I’ll go get help.” 

“No, stay-” his weak words were cut off by another cough. “I want to die with the girl I love.” She lets out another sob at his words, reaching out for his hands that were also covered in cuts. She coloured his hands in blood with her own stained hands. 

“Go get someone!” she screams at her brother, and only then does he finally move, running out of the bathroom. The sound of his pained whimpers, makes the tears run down her face faster. She grasps his hand tighter. She cries, “I love you too.” 

Draco only gives her a weak smile as the blood moves towards the ends of the bathroom. The mix of the water and blood makes it rush everywhere. She sobs, as she says, “Hold on, one second, he’ll get someone.”

It feels like an eternity until Snape enters the bathroom. His eyes widened in shock at the sight in front of him. He doesn’t waste a second in taking out his wand and casting a spell that she doesn’t know. She steps back as he leans down and points his wands at the wounds. 

The blood rushes back inside Draco’s body, but her knees and hands stay stained with blood. The blood moves from all of the bathroom and around his body, seeping back into the wounds that still look red after the incantation. Draco’s cries have calmed down as he closes his eyes. She sees his chest heaving up and down, and it calms her down. Snape carries Draco’s body to the Hospital wing and she rushes after him. 

Madame Pomfrey gasps as she sees Draco’s body. She ushers Snape to place him on one of the beds. She moves quickly to get ointments, potions and bandages. She asked Madame Pomfrey if she needed any help, but she shook her head. She felt so helpless watching the scene unfold in front of her. 

She stayed beside his bed when Madame Pomfrey was done. She stopped sobbing, but the tears still streamed down her face. She sniffled and wiped away her tears were her sleeves, not bothered if the blood got on her face. She moved closer to him and held his hand tightly. 

She must’ve stayed beside him for hours because when Hermione and Ron came into the Hospital wing, it was already dark outside. They both gasped at her appearance. The red puffy eyes and tear stained cheeks. The blood on her hands and her knees, and her dishevelled hair. Hermione gasped, looking at Draco, “Harry did this?” 

She only sobbed in reply as a hand flew to her mouth hoping to hold in the sob. She didn’t want to wake him up, she feared that he wouldn’t, that the wounds were too deep, that too much blood was lost for too much time. Madame Pomfrey has to change the bandages every few hours because of the blood that’s staining them. Y/N took it up as her job even though she was told that she didn’t need to. 

“You have to eat something.” Ron says, hoping to bring his friend out of her misery. Hermione hands her her wand. Y/N only shakes her head as she rubs her fingers over Draco’s hand. She can’t take her eyes off of him, it feels as if she looked away for one second, he would disappear, or worse. Hermione interrupts her morbid thoughts, “What should we tell Harry?” 

“Don’t tell him anything, just shout at him and hex him.” she replies, shortly. Her voice was strained and harsh from the lack of water and the amount of crying that she’s done. Her friends nod and leave the Hospital wing. She doesn’t know when it happened, but she had fallen asleep. 

She woke up with the sun shining through the windows of the Hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey’s the one who woke her up. She has her arm folded over her chest, but she has a sympathetic smile, “Go get some breakfast.” 

“I can’t- I have to stay here with him.” she barely chokes out. Madame Pomfrey shakes her head. She moves to grasp her arm and pulls her up. Her knees feel like jelly and her legs shake a bit. “Go change, get some breakfast, then come back.” 

She opens her mouth to protest, but Madame Pomfrey gives her a stern look and says, “I won’t take no for an answer, go quickly and come back. I’ll take care of him, I promise.” 

She nods her head and rushes out of the hospital wing in hope of getting things done as fast as possible. She takes out the stone and taps it, moving to the room. It doesn’t take her ten minutes to wash her face, teeth and change her clothes. She rushes to the Great Hall, grabs a muffin, avoiding everyone’s curious gazes, then leaves. 

She munches on the muffin as she runs to head back to the hospital wing. She speeds through the crowds of students as she manoeuvres through them, not caring that she’s missed classes for two days now. She’s outside the hospital wing when a body knocks onto her own and Harry’s standing with an unreadable expression on his face. 

She resists the urge to punch him, and walks past him. He mumbles something under his breath and he walks behind her. He starts shouting, “When were you going to tell me? Huh? When were you going to tell me that your fucking boyfriend was Malfoy?” 

“I don’t have time for this.” she mumbles underneath her breath and heads inside the hospital wing. Draco’s bandages have been changed, but the first thing she checks is his chest. She sees it moving and it’s like her soul has returned to her. 

“Do you think I’m some sort of idiot, Y/N?” He shouts, and she turns to glare at him. She says, “Lower your voice because if you wake him up, I will personally kill you with my bare hands.” 

He only lowers his voice an octave and his hands are in fists in his sides, “How long?” She doesn’t answer him as she brushes Draco’s hair from his face, watching the way his mouth was slightly parted allowing the air to move in and out of his lungs. Harry repeats, “How long?” 

“Since mid September.” she says, and his eyes widen and his mouth goes open. She brings out two glasses of water from the cupboard and fills them with water to the brim. She gulps hers down in one sip and feels the cool water flow down till it reaches her stomach. He runs a hand through his hair, “What part of this did you think was a good idea?”

“I love him.” She says and puts the other glass on the bedside table near Draco, so when he wakes up he can have the pills madame Pomfrey got him. Harry scoffs, “I’m not asking you about how you feel, I’m asking you to use that thing in your head, and tell me what part of this did you think was a good idea?” 

She shrugs her shoulders, not caring about this conversation in the slightest. He continues, “He’s a bloody death eater. His job is to get us to Voldemort. He’s been using you for information.”  

“No, he isn’t, he loves me too, You fucking heard him.” She seethes back at her brother who looked just about ready to explode, “And he’s not a death eater, he doesn’t have the mark.” 

Thoughts run through Harry’s mind as he processes the information given to him. How would she know that he doesn’t have the mark unless- “You had sex with him?” He asks incredulously, but he already knows the answer when she doesn’t answer him, “This just keeps getting better and better.” 

“No, Harry. Just shut the fuck up! You don’t get to be mad at me, you almost killed him. If Snape hadn’t come, then you would’ve. And through all of this, you never once checked on me! Sure, you hate him, but shouldn’t you care about me just one bit over your hatred!” She said, her voice raising a bit. 

Harry listens to her with his nails digging into his palms. He huffs then leaves the hospital wing, and she lets out a sigh. She slumps down in her chair and watches Draco. His bandages aren’t getting red, she assumes that the wounds are getting better. She moves up to press a kiss to his forehead. 

She goes to sit down when she sees something under his white shirt. Her eyebrows furrow as she lifts the sleeves of his shirt up. She gasps as she sees the familiar imprint of the dark mark on his left forearm. She covers her mouth with her hand and she stares at it. 

It was in that second that all of it clicked inside her head. Harry not seeing him on the map. The weird books that he was reading. The way he couldn’t tell her what was bothering him. Still, she had so many questions. One echoed through her head, was any of it real? 

He was a death eater which meant that he had a task to perform for Voldemort. What if his task was to use her for Voldemort’s benefit? A tear escaped from her eyes as she brushed a stray strand away from her face. She takes out her wand and places a disillusionment charm and the mark and rolls down his sleeve. 

She sits down on the chair beside his bed, and she thinks, he wouldn’t have lied to her all this time? He can’t be such a convincing actor. No one’s that cruel to lie to her all this time. She hears shuffles and she looks up to see Draco moving in his bed. 

She stands up quickly, and his eyes blink open, adjusting to the bright sunlight. She moves closer to him, holds his hand and smiles at him, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. He groans in pain as soon as he’s fully conscious, and she grabs the painkillers and the glass of water. She whispers, “Take these.” 

He takes the pills with shaky hands and puts them in his mouth all at once. He takes the water from her, but she stays near in case he can’t hold it. He swallows them then she takes the glass from his hands and places it on the bedside counter. She doesn’t say anything, just looking at him. 

“Are you okay?” he asks, and his voice is coarse. She bites her lip. He can read her like a book, of course, and he cares, but does he actually? She chuckles, slightly, “I should be asking you that question.” 

He smiles, weakly. She can imagine it would be hard to do anything with the cuts over his body. She can’t resist moving closer to him, and holding his hand. Ever the gentleman, he lifts her hand to his mouth and kisses it. It causes a flutter in her stomach. It turns into a bitter feeling, she can’t be with a death eater. She presses her lips firmly against each other, and whispers, “I love you.” 

She wanted him to know before what she was about to do. She wouldn’t tell him now, not when he’s in pain. He smiles and it looks so real, it makes her eyes sting. He says, “I love you too.” 

“You should go to sleep, you look tired.” she says, pushing his back gently back down on the mattress. He groans as he shifts on the bed, sinking against the pillows behind his head. Sarcastically, he says, “Yeah, that’s what a person looks like when they bleed out a shit ton of blood.” 

“Don’t joke. I was really worried about you.” She says, pointedly, but she can’t look stern, her eyes glimmer with sadness. He purses his lips, and he replies, “I’m sorry, my love.” 

The name causes her stomach to sink even more. She presses a kiss to his forehead, but he whines, dissatisfied, and she smiles a bit before pressing a small peck to his lips. He sighs, contently as he shifts against the pillows, becoming more comfortable. He says, “You should go get some sleep too.” 

She nods her head, not protesting. She presses a final kiss to his lips, before letting out a shaky breath. She purses her lips then says, “I’ll be back in a bit, okay?” 

He softly nodded his head, but his eyes were already shut. She can see him already drifting off into sleep. She takes one last look at him before she leaves the hospital wing. She formulated the plan in her head, a few tears slipping from her eyes as she does. 

She goes to Draco’s room, and falls onto his bed. She gets engulfed by his smell. She revels in the comfort of his room, and a few more tears slip her eyes. How could she be so blind? How could she not have noticed it before? She gets pulled into her dreams, falling into a deep slumber, knowing it would be the last time that she falls asleep in this room. 

Taglist:

@urbansaint @angelofasgard16 @love-me-satoru

[letswrites]

LN- All roads lead to you

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3 

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Masterlist

------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 6: London

2nd of July, 2022

London, England

Silverstone weekend

Fuck f1. She was lying on her sofa at her flat in London. She had tickets for Silverstone. Lewis gave them to her after she turned down the one Daniel tried to give her. Max texted her, saying it would be nice to have her there. He even tried to get Kelly to convince her. Carlos DMed her. Charles and George called. She hasn't attended a race since São Paulo. She was always turning down saying it was too fair and she was too busy in The Nederlands. 

When Ímola came, she was in Italy, but fortunately too far in Sicily with the family. But that time, unfortunately, she was in London on the exactly same weekend as Silverstone. She had no excuses anymore. Everyone wanted her to be in the Paddock again. But she didn't want to be there. Not because she didn't miss her friends, but because of Lando. He would be there and probably his girlfriend. Girlfriend. The one he left her in that hotel room in Santorini for.

...

Flashback: 

2 weeks after Santorini: 

The doorbell rang. Max was alone at home. Maybe it was Lando who had traveled to London to pick up his girl and bring her to their place. Max was planning on going out. He wasn't in the mood for being the third wheel that night. He opened the door "Did you forget your ke... Wow! Is that really you?" it was her "Hi, Max!" "Hey! Long time, no see" "Yeah, it's been a while" "How are you?" "Trying to feel better" "That's good" "Yeah" "Hum... So, what brings you here?" "Is Lando home?" "Lando? No" "Will he take too long to come back?" "I have no idea. He didn't say anything" "Oh! Do you mind if I wait for him? I want to give him his hoodie back, maybe talk...". He didn't see any problem in letting her come in and wait for his roommate, it would be good if they made amends, and he liked them together. But, then, Max remembered Lando was going back with his girlfriend. That encounter couldn't happen "I don't know if that's a good idea" "Come on! I play with you. Any game you pick". Tempting. "I don't think Lando would like it" "Why not? Is he mad with me?" "I think that should be the opposite, no?" "I am not mad anymore. I just want to talk and solve things with him. Please, let me get in and wait for him". Fuck, she was persistent. He would need to appeal to the truth "I really can't let you" "Why not? Give me a good reason" he licked his lips, then started to talk "Lando is coming over with his girlfriend" "Oh... Girlfriend?" Fuck, fuck, Fuck, million fucks "Look, darling, I am going out right now. Why don't you join me and I explain everything to you" she was sedated by the shock "Okay" "Great. Will grab my keys" "Max" "Hum?" "His hoodie" "Oh, thanks... Be right back"

...

They were sitting at a pub's counter. He ordered no alcoholic drinks cause he was driving, but she insisted on the alcoholic ones at least for her. "So, if you feel ready, I can start telling you what's going on" "Alright, elucidate me, please" "Do you remember Santorini?" how could she forget?:

 "I can't go out with you anymore" "Why it doesn't impress me?" "Look... I just can't" "I should have never slept with you. Why? Why did you come till here and look for trouble if you knew it would hurt me? I made it very clear I couldn't handle with this right now" "Because I couldn't let you sleep with the good looking Italian!" "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!? IS THIS A FUCKING COMPETITION NOW!?" "I haven't said that" "Unfortunately I like you, not him, idiot. My life would be a lot easier if I had a crush on Giaro, not on you" "I..." "If that's all, please leave my hotel room" "I..." "Just leave now and never talk to me again, yes?" "Please don't be mad at me" "I can't believe you" "Please..." "Get out!"  

"Yes, I do" "Well, he was going to talk with you, try to make you less emotional, maybe end up things friendly, but..." Max paused "But..." "He received a text from this girl" "his current girlfriend?" "Yes" they kept a moment in silence "Is she Luisa?" "Do you know about her" "He commented about her" "Wow" Lando was really an asshole. He loved him, but he was a big asshole with girls. "I only told you that so you can leave them alone and move on with your life" she nodded "And because I think you are a sweet girl who deserves better than this whole situation" She smiled, insincere "Thanks, Max" "Please keep that a secret" "Of course, no one will know about it" "Thanks" he cleaned his throat "Can I buy you another round?" "Yes, please. Maybe 5 more" he laughed "5? How will you go back home like that?" "Can't you drop me there?" he smiled softly with his lips, she was actually suffering "Sure"'

...

Fuck. How could she attend a race and risk bumping into them? 

Her doorbell rang. "What the fuck?" She kept immobile on her sofa hoping whoever it was, would go away. The person rang the doorbell again. She was not getting up. "Give up" she mumbled. Then her phone started to ring. Shit, shit, shit. She rushed to turn the phone off, it was Lewis. She knew who was at the door. She grumbled, then dragged her body to the door, opening it definitely without a smile on her face. She showed Lewis her phone, his name on the screen "Really?" "Thought you were going to fool me?" The British man stated "Yes. But you are too smart for me" he chuckled "Come in, sir Lewis Hamilton" "Thanks" "Make yourself comfortable". She threw herself on the sofa again while Lewis took his coat off. Then, he joined her in the living room. "How are you doing?" "Shitty" she said with a pillow on her face "What is going on? I mean, you came back from Greece like someone has died in there. Then, you stopped attending races this season, and no one can convince you to go. Also, you are never in the UK anymore, you don't talk with any of the drivers you are friends with unless they look after you" "Who said something is going on? Can't I take a break from f1?" "You could. If you didn't love it" she did miss f1 "Well, maybe I don't love it anymore" "What happened on that trip?" "Nothing" he took the pillow off her face so she could see his face, the expression of disbelief "You really expect me to believe that isolating yourself in The Nederlands, stopping watch f1, and cutting contact with the drivers right before you come back from vacations are all coincidence?" "Yes?" "Come on! Tell me the truth. Did you fight with someone that resembles you f1?" She chuckled, bitter, she really couldn't fool Lewis "I wish" she took a deep breath "I got involved with someone" "So what?" "A f1 driver" "Did you really?" "Yes" "Who?! It was Giovinazzi?" She lifted her head "What? Why do you think is he?" "Well, you said it was a driver. It's the only former pilot that is almost your age and is not married I could think" "Who said it's a former pilot?" "It's a current?!" Lewis frowned, trying to figure out who it was, then he remembered Lando missed after Abu Dhabi last season and she couldn't go because she was on vacation in Santorini. The exact trip she came back depressed from "You and Norris?" "Ding ding ding. Correct answer! One point for Lewis Hamilton" her sarcasm was making the room heavy "No way! Doesn't he have a girlfriend?" "Another point for the British pilot!" she kept speaking like a reality show host "That's why you're avoiding the paddock" "Yes, good job, Sherlock Holmes" "Fuck! Tell me how it happened" she was not in the mood for humiliate herself "Basically, he was going out with both of us in the same time and at the end picked up her. It happened in Santorini after Abu Dhabi. Now I can't go to any paddock cause they are always together and I really don't want to see them together in front of me".

Lewis took a deep breath, he already has heard about Lando's reputation, but he would never imagine his friend would ever be a victim of it. "You should come anyway" "Haven't you heard me?" "I did. And I think you shouldn't let him think he won this battle" "But he did. He was the one who left. He's the one who's happy with his girlfriend. And I am the one who's pathetically running away alone" "Do you realize that you're the one who's letting him win?" she hummed, she didn't look from this point of view "It's not like I am telling you to get up and get him back, but to walk away from this situation with lipgloss on your lips, Prada shoes on your feet and, of course, with your head up." she smiled "Do you really want me to go, don't you?" "Yes. But also want to see you happy again" "By the way, shouldn't you be at Silverstone right now?" "I was on my way to Silverstone when I decided I would pass by and wouldn't leave without you" "You are too sweet" "So? What do you tell me?" "I think I can attend this weekend" "Good! Go get ready" "What do you mean, I am ready already" she was wearing grey sweatpants, a Dutch National Football Team jersey, and Goku socks. "You are kidding me, right?" "Of course. Do you think I would risk being mistaken for a McLaren supporter?" " So go change yourself! It's getting late already" He looked at his watch "Okay, okay". 

...

15 minutes later she came back wearing a long white dress with blue details on it, black Jimmy Choo high heels, a blue purse to match the dress, and a golden watch and bracelet. She also carried with her a sunglass.

"Wow! You look very beautiful" "Thanks" "Shall we go?" Lewis offered his arm to her"Sure!" she grabbed her bag and took his arm. 

In Mercede's car, Lewis started "So, Norris, huh? I didn't think he was your type" "What type do you think is mine?" "I don't know. Maybe someone more like me" she laughed "Nah, I'm joking, but he's too boyish for you" "What do you mean?" "You are a strong, pretty, independent woman. You are way too much for him, you know?" she smiled "Thanks. You are a good friend" he smiled back "Guess who will be at Mercedes's box" "Tom Cruise?" "Yeah" "Can I meet him?" "Sure. And you wanting to be home"

...

Silverstone never have been so good. She was received with a lot of warmth by George and Daniel. Even Max went to Mercedes's box to welcome her "You were missed around here, lady" she smiled at the Dutchman and gave him a hug. She also met Tom Cruise and all of her drinks were on him, he invited her to be his photographer for one of his projects. Everything was going really well till she decided to walk towards Ferrari's box to greet Charles and Carlos. Bad idea. The thing she was the most afraid of happened: she bumped into Lando and Luisa. She couldn't even pretend it didn't happen cause she let her VIP badge fall on the ground and Luisa was the one who saw "Lando, wait..." she squatted and grabbed the badge "Hey!" the model shouted, but she didn't seem to hear. So the Portuguese lady ran to her. Lando knew that back perfectly. It couldn't be. Was he going crazy? He wished he was, cause when his girlfriend touched her shoulder he saw her face. Maybe she wouldn't recognize Luisa, but she did, her paralyzed face made it very clear she knew who she was. Would she be mean and ruin his relationship? Tell his girlfriend that he was hitting both of them at the same time? And worst, tell her he was a big liar who left her just after fucking her? He must intervene, so he ran to join them. "Excuse me, you let it fall" Luisa showed her the badge "Oh! I... hum... thanks" She grabbed the badge, her hands were shaking "What are you doing, love?" Lando placed his hand on Luisa's back  "She let her badge fall on the ground. I was just giving it back". He felt unwell, he didn't know being that close to her again would be so hard. Her gaze moved up to meet Lando's and somehow, she let his name slip off her lips like a whisper "Lando..." "Hey..." they seemed to be lost on each other, like they were the only people in that paddock.

Luisa watched them "Do you know each other?" it was enough for Lando to get out of his trance "Yeah, she's Daniel's friend" he looked at her "This is my girlfriend Luisa. Hum... how's your name again?" she couldn't believe him "Hum... I must go. Nice to meet you, Luisa, thanks again for the badge" then she turned her back to them and continued to walk to Ferrari's box. "Is she okay?" Luisa asked "Yeah, probably yeah, guess she's shy" Luisa looked at him with a frown on her forehead "You know her, you should check if she's fine" "What? Why me?" "Alright, I go then" he held her arm "Fine, I go" she smiled and kissed his face "Meet you at McLaren's box" "Okay". He watched Luisa go so he could start looking for her.

...

Ferrari's box:

She didn't know how she walked till there. The air was heavy, and it was hard to breathe "Principessa!  You came" Charles welcomed her with open arms for a hug, but he could tell she wasn't well "What happened? I just bumped into Lando and his girlfriend" Charles frowned, he didn't see a problem "So what?" "He..." she was struggling with the tears "He..." Carlos placed his hand on her shoulder. He knew about the story "Come here" he opened his arms and she hugged him, letting everything out against his red suit "Can someone tell me what's going on?" "Let's take her to your room".

...

In Charles's room, they told him everything "That's why you are panicking?" "When he was introducing his girlfriend to me, he asked me my name" "He asked..." "he said: 'how's your name again?'" "Qué hijo de puta!" Carlos cursed " Beautiful, look at me" she looked at Charles "When I see him again, I'll kill him, okay?" she smiled "Let it go, Char. I appreciate it, tho" he hugged her "Let's go, I'll ask Charlotte to make you some company" "Okay". 

...

The first thing the Monegasque, the Spanish, and the Italian saw when going out of Ferrari's box was Lando Norris's face. Charles had his phone on his ear "Allo" Charlotte said on the other line "Je t'appelle plus tard, mon amour" he hung up and let her hand go, so he could punch the British's face. He walked toward Lando, angry, and stopped a centimeter from him "What is she doing here?" Charles didn't seem to be happy in collaboration, but took a deep breath and answered his friend "She's going to watch the race" "I meant right here in this garage, holding your hand" the Ferrari driver was getting stressed already "Look, Lando, I really like you, man, but with all the respect it doesn't concerns to you" "If you actually like me just answer the bloody question, mate" the older one licked his lips, stepped even forward and said in a firm, low, but hearable, tone "Just stay away from her" "Excuse me?!" "Stay away from her. Laisse-la tranquille. Stai lontano da lei. Capisci?" he repeated louder, angrier, authoritarian than before... And in 3 languages, he would put into practice his shitty Spanish if it needed to be done. 

It was enough for Lando "Who do you think you are, huh? Why don't you step back to your royalty life and your Monaco fairytale kingdom and let me talk to my..." Charles didn't give a shit about those labels "Your what? As far as I know, you are at odds with each other. You took away the one night stand, girlfriend, and friend title from her. The damage you caused to her, you've got no right to talk with her. So just walk away again and stay away from her" "Fuck you!". Charles had his fist tightened closed and had no need to be a specialist in body language to see Lando had his jawline so clenched that he could break Charles's face just for looking at the Monegasque." Charles, non! S'il te plait, le frappe pas!" "I won't punch your face right now just because she asked to" Charles warned Lando. "Now you are with him?" Lando asked directly to her "I don't know... who are you, again?" Carlos held his laugh slip "Even you Carlos?" "Bro, don't come put the blame on me. This is your fault, you should have been honest with the girls" Carlos defended himself "My fault?!" he chuckled "This's her fault! She mixed everything up!" "Right! Cause all the things you told me in Santorini weren't true. I just failed to detect your lies" "I... I did mean those" he said in a low tone "Go away, Lando" Charles turned him by the shoulders "Go back to your girlfriend and forget about her". Charles extended his hand to her "Let's find Charlie" "Okay" she grabbed his hand "Bye, Carlos" "Bye". Carlos walked toward Lando and tapped his back "Do what Charles told you, bro. It's the best for the both of you"

//

Almost 3 months later: September, 2022

London, England 

Ding dong

She was watching Lucifer when someone rang her doorbell. She paused the TV and looked through the peephole. Lando? "Haha, speaking on the devil" she thought. Did he expect her to welcome him in her place? He rang the doorbell again, she took a deep breath and opened the door. He couldn't look more surprised, he wasn't expecting her to open the door, at all "What are you doing here?" "Hi!" she wasn't going to greet him. He cleaned his throat "Can we talk?" "Now you wanna talk" "I... Didn't know what to say before" she arched an eyebrow "I know now" Silence" "You are right, I should've talked to you before" She didn't believe a single word he said but she really wanted an apologize "Come in" she left the door open and walked towards the living room from where she should've never left. He entered the house, closed the door, and followed her. He had never been in there, but finding the way to the living room wasn't any difficult due to the strawberry lipgloss and green apple shampoo fragrance trail, her scent, she had left behind. The whole place smelled like her, maybe if he asked nicely she would let him have an object from there so he could smell her 24/7. Or if he was annoying enough she would throw one of them on him. 

She turned the television off, throwing the remote on the sofa "Want anything?" 'You' he thought "I'm good" "Well..." she crossed her arms and leaned her butt on the sofa's arm. Lucky sofa. "You can start talking" she demanded "Okay, hum..." he lifted his hand to pass through his hair, but middle way she stopped him "Don't you dare pass your fingers through your hair. I can't concentrate when you do that" he tucked his hands on his pockets "Thanks", she muttered "First of all, I guess I owe you an apologize" "You guess?" "I know I owe you an apology" she kept silent, staring at his face "I'm sorry" "Okay" "For real" she still didn't believe in anything, not anymore "Alright" "Why do I have the feeling you don't believe in me?" "I don't know. What exactly are you apologizing for?" "For what I've done to you" "Lying or leaving? Or lying for the reason you left? Or for after doing all of these things, blaming me? Or for pretending we barely knew each other in front of the reason you left? Or for introducing her to me as if nothing has happened? Or for all of those?". She was very mad with him, anyone could tell, and for making it worse she hadn't had the opportunity to yell at him yet. He frowned, he knew what he had done, she didn't need to throw it all on his face and... 'Pretending we barely knew each other in front of the reason you left'!? What the hell she meant?! "What do you mean?" "Which part?" "Pretending we didn't know each other in front of the reason I left" "You know what that means" "I left because you asked me! You also asked me to never talk to you again!" "Right. If you actually cared about that, you wouldn't be here now" Shit! She was right. He took a deep breath and asked her suppressing all his anger "Why do you think I left?" "I know why you left" she paused before saying in a low tone "Another girl. The one you've been dating since Santorini" he threw his head down, he couldn't be more ashamed of himself "What do you know about it?" "She texted you, you made a choice and the choice was to give up on us" Her voice was pure melancholy and she couldn't look at him as well "I mean to give up on me. We never existed for you" "It wasn't that simple" "Really?! Because if I well remember you were out of my room less than 2 minutes before I entered the bathroom. You didn't stand to fight. It was very simple". He didn't have anything more to say except a truthful "Sorry" which she recognized "Thank you" silence 

"Why have you left? I mean, I know why, but why did you fly to Santorini straight from your f1 car to tell me it wasn't sexual only if there was another girl? Because I opened myself for you. I told you about my traumas and I believed in your words. Even so, you did exactly what I told you you were going to do and you swore you weren't. Why did you have all this work?" "I did mean all of these, but... it has her, and she became my weak point during that time" She swallowed the crying and agreed "So you should have kept your ass in Abu Dhabi" "I know. I really don't know why I looked after you" 'it was probably your cocksucker ego' she thought "Okay" "It was Max who told you about that?" "Max Verstappen?" "Max Fewtrell" "Who else would be?" "Son of a bitch" and easily his anger woke up "He's a dead man" she uncrossed her arms and stood up "Don't do anything to him, he had the best intentions" "Really?! Which ones? Fuck with me? Was he part of your revenge plan?" " "No, idiot. I came to him and I was going to look after you and I was very determined to do it and Max knew it was going to be a big atomic bomb in your relationship so..." she took a deep breath" "He probably saw that as the only possible way to stop me from blowing it all over you. And he was right, I would never humiliate myself like that. So I gave up." he looked angry still "He was protecting you and I don't have the interest in ever talking about it to anyone. So there's none to worry about". She touched his hand slightly to pass some security to him. And then, he was calmer, she had this power to calm him down. He smiled, remembering himself sleeping on her belly after days of sleeping awfully "How can you still be so nice to me?" "Doing bad stuff to people you love even when you're mad with them isn't love" "Love. How can you..." "I wonder the same every day for a year now" "Right" "Do you promise you won't kill Max?" "No" she giggled, he did the same "You have to promise me. Not that I will believe you but..." "Alright, no murdering" "Thank you" they remained in silence. "Hey" "Hum?" He turned serious "I'm sorry" her joy died again and she nodded "You have said it already. Twice" "But you didn't seem to accept it" "I'll. Eventually" "That's good" "Okay" "Will we see in Suzuka?" "Possibly" "If you do it, It will be a big pleasure" "Can't say the same" "Stop with it! I know you love me" "Alright, you crossed the line. Out of my house!" she said, authoritarian "I ain't going to commit the same mistake again".

Her armature feel off her body, he could feel the raw feelings exposed radiating out of her "I..." she blushed, couldn't speak, she didn't even remember her own name. And of course, he wouldn't miss the chance of winning the game again. He stepped closer to her, took her hands on his own, and watched, delightful, she simply watched without knowing how to or what she should do in response, such as a virgin. 

He said in a low tone "I ain't going anywhere" She had her mouth half opened and he was sure he was going to fantasize about all of the dirty stuff that picture had brought to his mind later "So you should get used to having me around again" she wanted to kiss him, rip his clothes off, make he pays for the pain he put on her through, make he beg for her, as Christian Grey did with Anastasia without a specific reason, but she would lose the game and she wasn't going to plead for armistice any soon. Also, he had a girlfriend, she was not going to do anything with a taken man. So she approached his face, so close he prepared himself to close his eyes and moisturize his lips already, and said "Let's see, then" and stepped back again "If that's all, you can leave already. The door it's this way". Bitch.

He should've predicted it "You're being very impolite" "And if you don't leave now I'll call the police" "No, you won't" "Do I look like I'm full of shit?" "Okay, it's getting late already" "Yes, it's" he made his way to the door where she waited for him. She opened it and he stood in front of her "Also, you were mistaken" she said impatiently "What?" "I don't have a girlfriend anymore" "You..." and faster than his f1 car, he stole a brief peck from her and ran for his life before she could punch his face. She didn't know what to feel, but smiled with his action, closing the door and wondering how could she continue the day after that?

//

Later that day

Woking, England: 

"Maximilian Daniel Fewtrell!" Max hadn't heard those words in such an authoritative tone since he moved out from his parents's house. He paused the game and turned the chair towards Lando, whose voice he had recognized and just for the expression on his face he knew something wasn't right "What's going on?" without thinking twice, the f1 driver took off his white Nike airs and threw it at Max's head, who crossed his arms in front of the face to protect himself "ARE YOU BLOODY INSANE?!" he shouted, red of anger "You were bloody insane!" "The hell is wrong with you?!" "Can you give me a reasonable reason for you to tell her I left Santorini because Luisa had texted me?". Max paralyzed, took his headphones off and placed the remote on the table "So she let you talk, huh?" "What's your problem?!" "I saved your ass, mate!" "Oh, really?! Ruining my chances forever with her?" "You had a girlfriend! She was here. Her pretty face, perfect ass, her broken heart, and your Quadrant hoodie. She said 'I want to give it back to him, do you think he would be here soon?' Yes, you were.! You were coming over with the girl you were dating which, if I didn't give her a good reason to run over this place forever, wouldn't have been your girlfriend anymore. So, yeah, I saved your relationship, and yourself from having to explain to the two ladies you hit on at the same time. And more, you had it all for the small price of having her out of your life forever. Or at least the romantic part of it". Lando paused, he was thinking about the Quadrant hoodie:

Lando was packing to Ibiza. He, his girlfriend, and a couple of friends were going on vacations there. He grabbed a white shirt to take with him, but with it, he dropped a black hoodie "Shit" he placed the shirt on his bag and came back to put the hoodie back in the wardrobe. Accidentally, he unfolded it: the Quadrant hoodie he left with her "How do you end up here?" he asked to the hoodie. Lando walked to Max's room with the cloth on his hands "Hey, Max" "What's up, mate?" "Do you know something about that?" Max glimpsed the hoodie "It's a Quadrant hoodie, bro" "Yes, but... it was with someone. How did it end up here again?" Max looked at the hoodie again, that time with attention "Oh! That hoodie. I washed it, ironed and folded" "Did you meet with her?" Damn! Should he tell what happened to Lando? Probably not at that moment, he would ruin vacations "Nah. I was home once and a pack arrived" "Oh! Alright" he smelled it "Why did you have to wash it?" "What?!" "Nothing" he went back to his room to finish packing.

When Lando came back to reality, he finally said "You know that's not a small price" he muttered "Sorry for this. And for making it a secret but I didn't find another better way" He sat on the sofa's arm "That's because it doesn't have another way. At least not that I wouldn't take the responsibility for the whole situation" "Yeah..." Max stood up and collected the shoe from the floor, walking towards Lando and giving it back to him "Sorry for being angry. You did that thinking about me" he grabbed the shoe "Thanks" he muttered "It's fine, mate. Come here" Max hugged the blonde guy who hugged him back, resting his head on the brunette's shoulder "You know something?" "Hum?" "Daniel is not my middle name" he lifted his head and unmade the hug "No?!" "No" he said almost inaudible "What is, then?" "Bradley" "Right!" he said prolonging the i "That's right. I remember now. My mistake, mate" "In this case, I should change my name to Sochi"

Lando looked with a serious expression at Max, but his roommate could only laugh. The McLaren driver looked at the shoe and then at Max "You should thank her later" "For what?" "She made me promise I wasn't going to kill you" "So?" "That's why you're still breathing" "Oh, shut your mouth" he walked back to the chair "How was with her, by the way?" he placed the sneaker on the floor and took the other off "Tense" "Tell me something new. It's always tense between the both of you" he unpaused the game "She heard me, didn't believe in my apologies, threw all the shit I've made on my face, turned sad because of it, I apologized again, she still didn't seem to believe, then sent me out off her place, I said I wasn't going to commit the same mistake again, it made her vulnerable, she kept defensive still, convinced me to not kill you and to leave, I asked her if we were going to meet in japan, she said yes, I told her I am single, then I stole a brief kiss from her and now I'm here" he laid on the sofa "So you got her back" "Definitely" "Good luck in your old drama" "Old and hard" "True. What's the next step?" "Revive old memories" "How?" "That's easy, mate..." he paused, lost in the memories. He smiled at the reminiscences ".... even when things were rough between us, when we were together things were also good. Very good. She and I, we're more than unforgettable. The difference is that this time I ain't going to fuck up everything" "Oh, that's something I believe seeing only" "You'll. This time it's going to be perfect". Lando didn't believe in his words either, but he was going to try. 

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Taglist:

@cmleitora

[fedoraspooky]

I saw that you got into Felix cartoons lately, and I'm curious: have you watched any of the others besides Twisted Tales? What do you think of them? Also, did you know there used to be a live-action Barney-esque TV show for kids that had Felix and a koala as costumed characters?

Have I??

Oh Anon... sweet Anon. *puts my hand on your shoulder* Trust me, I am fighting the urge to become an unskippable cutscene about this as we speak. I'm losing, by the way.

But yes, I have seen... not all of it, but quite a lot, and I'll try not to write a whole novel! Key word being "try". .w.; You... might regret this actually, I'm sorry.

Starting with the 1920s cartoons: aside from the problems inherent in being a product of its time (*cough*racist caricatures*cough*), these shorts were a fun watch! Lots of surreal humor and visual gags. Felix was a scrappy lil' guy back then- stealing fish, getting into fights and getting drunk on several occasions. He didn't have his magic bag 'til the 50s, so he had to get a lot more crafty in using his environment or his own body parts (stuff like pulling off his tail and using it as a tool) to get out of trouble- and if all else failed he'd throw fists or pull a gun. XD Most importantly, he'd run away on all fours when scared, I just thought that was a cute detail. This is probably my favorite version of the character outside of Twisted Tales!Felix. (and the best part is this version of him is public domain now! Yay, free real estate!)

The 30's cartoons: There were only three of these. Idk, I don't have much to say other than they were cute and I enjoyed them. He's deffo more Mickey Mouse-like here, personality-wise.

The 50s cartoon series: This is probs the version of Felix most people seem familiar with- it introduces the magic bag (mostly as a time-saving measure since this show is DEFFO on a budget) and most of the supporting cast that have appeared in stuff since then (the Professor, Rock Bottom, Poindexter, etc). I didn't think I'd like it that much going in, but it kinda grew on me a little bit- primarily due to how janky the animation is, the stilted voice acting, and how out of left field the plots tend to get... It has a lot of what I like to call "naturally occurring shitpost moments". Ngl I've been tempted to make a compilation for funsies, much like I did with 80s Astro Boy... XD That said, it has its charm. Just a warning though, this WAS made in the 50s so be prepared for more "product of its time" moments in some episodes. .w.;

Felix the Cat: The Movie (1988): WHOOO IS THE BOSS? THE DUKE OF ZILL, OF COURSE~ Okay so, this movie? Idk if I'd call it a good movie, but it's definitely strange and entertaining. I watched the hell out of it as a kid and this was the very first animated Felix thing I had ever seen, so I can't really be impartial due to how nostalgia-poisoned I am about it. XD I liked the songs- even the ones that had no reason to be there, like the one that's about the foxes that only show up to piss on Felix and leave. We have a strange attempt at rebooting Master Cylinder as an invention of a bad guy from another dimension instead of being an evil robot guy from space? Felix laughs at the skeleton of someone who got crushed to death in a gold mine and blows a raspberry at it. There's... gyrating lady fish, and a swamp monster that shouts Marlon Brando quotes. The movie starts and ends with a giant disembodied floating 3D felix head... He saves a princess?? I guess??? There's just a lot that happens here.

Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat (90s): This one is obvs my favorite of the whole bunch. I know, I know, blazing hot take. It does a good job mixing in the fun surrealness of the 20s cartoons, and he goes back to doing stuff like taking the top of his head off like a hat and using body parts as tools instead of just solving everything with the magic bag (in fact it lampshades that a lot in season 2). It has more humor than just puns (Stares ominously at Felix Saves Christmas) though it does have some of those too (he even gets arrested for it at one point), and most of all it gives him an actual personality aside from "good boy Mickey Mouse clone but also kinda sassy sometimes" (once again staring ominously at Felix Saves Christmas I will get to you later!!). If you only have time to ever watch one Felix cartoon series in your whole life, make it this one.

Baby Felix (2000s) - I'll be real with ya chief I haven't watched this one aside from like one episode. From what I saw... eh, it was okay. I'm not usually a fan of the trend of cartoons having series of the baby/kid versions of themselves outside of a few exceptions (like A Pup Named Scooby and Muppet Babies, but idk that might just be nostalgia talkin'). Apparently he shows up as an adult sometimes in this show and helps out his baby self, which somehow doesn't cause a horrible time paradox? Idk I might watch more of it later, it CANT be worse than the next one, which is... sigh...

Felix Saves Christmas (2004) - This movie is not good. I went in expecting it not to be, and it met my expectations. Is it horrible? I kinda wish it was, so it would've been more entertaining that way at least. Mostly, it's just kinda boring. The humor is puns, and sometimes signs that say a goofy thing on it. It's got music, including a four and a half minute long song that just repeats the lyrics "Snow kids rock, snow kids rule, snow kids... are cool" while said snow kids do extreme sports in looping animations. Most of this movie feels like it's just padding for time so it can be marketed as a movie- if you edited out everything that wasn't relevant to the plot or the main characters, you'd probably have a 20 minute special. Idk it's just sad that this is the last animated felix media we've had in 20 years, since it doesn't look like dreamworks/universal is gonna do anything with him- they're just kinda sitting on the rights. There WAS a comic that came out since then, but I haven't been able to get my hands on it to read it. Maybe one day when I have money. XD ;

ALSO YES, I actually saw that live action show you were talking about! It's not a cartoon, but heck with it i'll throw in my thoughts anyway since we're already here.

Felix the Cat Live (70s): So I found this on youtube while poking around, and I gave a few episodes a watch because I was surprised by the novelty of this even being a thing that existed. Felix doesn't really act like any prior versions of himself here, he's just kind of a nice friendly kid show host who gives the kid characters advice about stuff. The costume itself isn't too bad, though his body's kinda lacking shape- it's kinda just black jammies with a big ol head on top. Interestingly they gave him a red bow tie with white polka dots and his eyes always look a lil sleepy because they're partially-lidded- probably to give him a 'softer' appearance. Also the koala is kind of like a weird proto-Rosco? At least personality-wise. I don't know if he's in anything else. Over all a strange watch, deffo the most obscure thing on this list.

...

So anyway! That's all my thoughts, Anon, I hope this was everything you ever wanted and that you don't wish you never asked me about the funni rubberhose cat. XD ;;

[rosalyneslover]

A COMFORTING KIND OF PAIN

chr: il dottore

desc: maybe running to pantalone isn't as tempting as before.

content: gn!reader, slight pantalone x reader, blood, mentions of abuse, kinda masochistic reader, stockholm syndrome-ish

wc: 567

Pantalone offered you wealth that you could have never imagined receiving. He offered you comforting words, promises, and a life away from your current master. He was calculating, mysterious in the way he moves and his mind was a puzzle piece that you could never solve. But he was kind and took great care of you when your master left you to freeze in the bitterness of Dragonspine after a mission went awry. Even going so far as to stay with you through the night in a blizzard just so he could ascertain your safety.

He was the opposite of Il Dottore. Your current master… so cruel, he had no care for the well-being of his subordinates or even their lives as he watched them all die under his command. You received his wrath multiple times and bruises that have not yet finished healing. He subjected you to a life of brutality and pain as long as you choose to stay with him. Did he even care if his underlings all fled from his cruelty? Did he even care for you?

But if you're talking about Pantalone… those questions are answered as clear as day. He would care. He would care for you even if you didn't want him to. He'll offer you everything in exchange for nothing.

And he's offering you a place next to his side if you should choose to join him and leave the doctor to take up his promise of a life of comfort and salvation from Dottore's bruising grip on your already injured heart.

But even if you did accept… Dottore would never allow it.

So, here you are now, locked in his laboratory—your back against the wall as your blood splatters against solid ground and his clothes. He laughs as your body collapses on the ground while you groan in pain. You could fight back, you learned how to defend yourself from the same person who's hurting you now. But… Do you want to?

"Is Pantalone trying to take you away from me? Does he think he's going to take you away from me?" He laughs in disbelief, belittling his comrade and your ability to escape his clutches at the same time. Oh, how cruel… but maybe you like his cruelty.

"He has the wealth. Has the sweetest personality to go along with it. And maybe has the right to take you under his wing too. He could shower you with his love and affection. He would present my head on a pike and he'll wrap it all up nice and pretty for you. He would do anything for you."

Dottore crouches on top of your injured form, grabbing your cheek so you could look up at him. His mask is slightly askew but you could see his red eyes glowing in the shadows of his plague mask. He grins when he feels you tremble underneath his bruising grip.

"But is that what you want, my delicate dove? Do you want his wealth? Do you want his love and affection? Do you want my head on a pike? I'm just a lowly doctor with no love for his experiments, I could never offer you anything he has already given you."

"Oh but, my darling…" He moves closer to you and you could feel his hot breath ghosting against your ear. Then he whispers, oh so temptingly.

"I could hurt you."

— 07/16/22

[ostensiblywhump]

Explosion Ribbon

Whumpuary day 9: trapped under rubble | gunpoint | out of time

Word count: 865

Content warnings: major injury, vomiting, blood, fear of death

———(0)———

Oh. That’s … a very large rock.

Then his vision dims, and goes even more topsy-turvy than it already was, and—

Talbot snaps into lucidity with his body screaming at him. A sharp bit of what is probably shattered cobblestone is digging into his cheek, and his tongue is gritty with dust and minerals. He spits out the taste—splutters, more like, then retches when his stomach takes that as permission to rebel, the movement jostling every hurt in him. He doesn’t bring anything up except the acrid warning of bile in the back of his throat; he didn’t eat breakfast today. Probably. He probably didn’t eat breakfast today.

His eyelashes are choked with dust too, when he blinks heavy eyelids. It is incredibly tempting to let that weight win, let it sink him down into sleep, into the embrace of the harsh ground. Especially with the strengthening sunlight driving a spike through his eye. Ow.

He cringes into the cracked cobble in an attempt to get away from the light; it only serves to send a jolt through his body again, and his leg reminds him, very loudly and un-ignorably, that it is present and does not like existing at this moment. Well, that makes two of them. If his leg was an actual person. And not a leg. Which is not sentient. Or at least can’t be assigned … something values. Cannot be personified. Have personification.

… He may be concussed.

The light is very upset to be ignored. So is his leg. Definitely concussed. Except for the leg; that’s not a concussion symptom. What is up with that stupid thing, anyway? Stupid leg. Check that, why is he concussed? He should … find that out. Ugh.

Cracking his eyes open again is an immediate regret, as is starting to crane his neck. He’s basically one giant bruise, sharper sensations in his head (concussion) leg (who knows what) and lung. Lung? He breathes in, and it’s shallow, quick, comes back out in a weak cough. It rattles faintly, wet. Punctured lung. Not something he can solve. He keeps slowly shuffling around, abused bones creaking at every motion.

Oh. That’s … a lot of debris. And a very large rock. Well, a very large piece of wall, more like. And a flash of yellow, made nearly indistinguishable from its gray surroundings by the powdered rubble settling on everything.

Tal snaps his head over, cringes when it makes his head spin and his next breath to come out more ragged, but it is a yellow thing—an important yellow thing, actually, because it’s a head of familiar blond hair, Ruika’s characteristic fluffball hairstyle, nearly buried under the wreckage of the house Tal is starting to remember they were in. He can only see that hair and a scraped-up, dirty arm, poking out of the debris and angled towards where Tal is.

His heart leaps up to join the bile aftertaste in his throat—neither Ruika’s arm nor his head is moving, not a quip coming out of that mouth that doesn’t know how to stop running any more than the boy it belongs to. With everything covering him, Tal can’t even see if he’s breath—

“Ruika,” he mouths, too choked by dust, by injury and fear, to make any noise. He coughs, swallows dryly, gasps an inhale that hurts to make so deep, and his next attempt is audible, if raspy: “Ruika.”

Nothing.

“Ruika,” Tal says again. “Ruika. Ruika! Rui—”

“Well, isn’t this a sight to see.”

The kick of adrenaline makes his turn hurt less, as Talbot stares at the last person he’d want to see approaching, uninjured and swaggering towards him with a grin on his face. Their target, the man they were trying to find. The one that probably made the house explode on them. (The one who killed Ru—no. No counting bodies before confirmed death.)

“Wouldja look at that!” the man says, stopped just out of arm’s reach of Tal. Not out of striking distance, if Tal actually thought he could muster enough concentration to manipulate blood. “Two of my worst inconveniences, all wrapped up and presented at my feet.”

Tal doesn’t answer, too busy trying to scrape together some kind of offense. No way can he get the knife sheathed at his belt before this man (what was his name?) fouls the attempt, and it’s very hard to do hemokinesis when you’re concussed and don’t really have the blood to spare. Also, fuck this guy and his attempt to make Tal beg, he’s not getting shit out of oh hell that’s a gun.

“Nothing to say?” the man says, barrel of the gun pointed straight at Tal.

“Not to you,” Tal says, and the gun’s safety audibly clicks off. Oh. Maybe he should’ve tried begging. Or talking, or taking a swing, or trying to hold out for Piri, or literally anything to make this man decide he’s more useful dead.

“Then I guess this is goodbye,” the man says, mock-regretful, and as time slows down, Tal watching the man’s trigger finger tighten, all he can hope for is Piri to pop up and pull off a miracle.

[leffee]

Do you have anymore Vinnie head cannons laying around?

Oh sweet sweet ask about Vinnie headcanon, how I missed thee! Of course I do, I always have. I will try to keep them new but like, I shared so manyI might not remember what I already said and what I didn't, so I guess those might be kinda obscure. Oh well.

he's much better with his hands than he is with his legs, just in general. I mean you saw him dancing, it's not going good, is it? But his hands, now they are quite good - he knows how to solve a rubik's cube, is pretty good at drawing and just manual things like origami or quilling. That also includes walking upside down

he has to show ID almost every time he wants to buy alcohol cause his shortness makes him look younger than he is xd. He's so used to it he has that thing ready even before they ask for it, but being used to it has not lessened his irritation with this cause they will tell him he looks like he's 15 and Vinnie will be just "I'm literally almost 10 years older than that but sure."

he speed-walks a lot of the time cause again, short, and since basically anyone is taller than he is, especially Sunil, when he walks with him Sunil naturally takes longer strides so Vinnie has to accelerate his speed to be at his side and so his normal walking speed changed to speed walking

buying gifts for him is really easy, whatever the occasion. Like, if you don't have any better ideas just buy him energy drinks and/or sweets. This isn't a "consolation gift" for him, he genuinely just likes them so much all 6 of his friends could bring those and he'd be the happiest person alive

he is not immune to being tempted by vending machines, whether with snacks or coffee. When he is close to one he really, really wants to buy something, I mean he's already close to it and he could use a little treat :3. He... wasted so much money on those stuff but he doesn't really want to stop cause holy crap snacc!

he pretty much never wins any board games. At first he was all chill about it cause whatever, but once it became a pattern he got secretely insecure about this cause how the hell does he lose every single time? Is he that stupid...? (He is, everyone else has much better strategies). He gets really mad afterwards in the "wanna destroy everything" style, but he tries not to show it because showing that he's insecure about anything is a big no-no.

the gloves he wears have a double purpose, sure, they're mostly there because he just thinks they're really cool, but at the same time they help slightly when he falls, specifically when he falls forward and reaches his hands in front of himself to soften the fall like ppl do. Of course he falls down a lot so that happens really often, and without those gloves he used to have such battered palms cause they would like rub against the rocks or pavement etc. So those gloves protect his hands a little bit too

out of all of them he's the first one to go pee in bushes if there's no toilet available/there's a long line to one/etc. He does prefer going to a normal toilet but like, if anything like that happens he's not holding it in damn it, he needs to pee and he's not waiting if he doesn't have to

he has different mugs for different drinks: one for coffee, one for tea (not that he drinks much of it but still), one for hot cocoa, one for water, one for juice, etc. He just can't stop himself from buying mugs when he sees a cool one so he ended up with so many mugs he might as well give each of them their specific purpose

he's really, really fond of all his friends' parents, especially Sunil's yes, but he likes all of them just for the fact that they're parents and they actually take care of their children and Vinnie just really craves parental affection and attention (tbh, I never really thought about what everyone whose parents weren't canonically shown (aside from Vinnie ofc) would be like so I don't really know if they would be good parents cause I just don't have thoughts about them but Vinnie just really likes them as long as they're decent at least

Aaand my 10 headcanons per post reached cause I think it's a pretty good number for it to be a lot to read but not too much

[ananke-xiii]

My ranking of SPN seasons (based only on their PLOT) pt. 2

In my previous post I'v covered the following:

15: Season 14

14: Season 15

13: season 7

12: season 3

11: season 6

Let's continue!

10. Season 13: this season was a HUGE disappointment to me. The first 6 episodes are brilliant, the writing is excellent, the actors gave their best performances, the scenes were well thought out, the pacing is slow but keeps the audience interested. The plot is intriguing: the heroes are mouring the death of Castiel while trying to both find a way to find their mother and to take care of Jack. In the meantime, the audience comes to understand that there's a new player in town: The Empty. It's mysterious, it seems evil, it seems total. I'm hooked. However, after episode 6 the plot sort of changes, it's like the first 6 episodes were a completely different season. By the end of season 12 we were already introduced to the existence of a parallel world and after episode 6 of season 13 we kind of explore more of it. The plot goes in that direction: the heroes must go to the alternate universe to save their mother. However, frankly, it's all very messy and overly complicated. I'm usually super pro AU, different timelines, same characters but from parallel realities and the like, but this time I was not engaged. I felt quite let down by this season (which also ends in a ridiculous battle that, once again, undermines everything that was said&done in season 5 but OKAY!).

9. Season 12: this season is a bit of a mystery to me. The main plot is: find Lucifer, consequently find Kelly Kleine and ultimately find Lucifer's son. So far so good. I like it. Clear, linear yet stimulating. The subplot is Mary Winchester and the British Men of Letters. Now, while I enjoyed Mary's character I utterly hated the whole BML arc. Just hated it. That Ketch? I hate him. I have no rational reason to explain why but I really hoped he would be killed off by the end of the season but surprise! He'll stick with us until season 15. Not amused. To be fair, the BML is not really a subplot, more of a parallel plot in that it has no correlation whatsover to the main plot. Also, some crazy shit happens in this season like Dean and Sam get caught by a super special police force, are imprisoned for like 3 months or something? unalive themselves, come back to life by making a reckless deal with Billie the reaper, and then go back to normal and no mention of it all is ever made. Well, okay writers' room. All in all, I gotta say that I place this season here in my ranking because it has some amazing episodes and the ending is a bomb. So I gotta give credit where credit's due.

8. Season 1: hear me out, I know that for some this is an iconic season and, honestly, fair enough. But, as any other season 1 of the majority of TV shows, the plot is not exactly exciting? Sure, we get to know our heroes and their backstories, but there are no allies, no other interesting characters, the 2 heroes seem to be living in a vacuum. The plot is simple, clean and intriguing enough to keep you watching, but it doesn't exactly keep you on your toes.

7. Season 10: oh my, oh my. Season 10. WELL. I have to confess that I hated this season with a passion. This is where I was tempted to stop watching Supernatural. I'll tell you why but first, the plot: Sam and Cas try to save Dean from the Mark of Cain. The subplots? Cas trying to bring angels back to Heaven (?), then the whole Castiel/Claire arc, then again Castiel vs Metatron, the mini and insignificant arc centered on Cole... Many, too many for my taste. The effect is that all these subplots are smoke in the eyes to cover for the total absence of creativity to solve the Mark of Cain plot. HOWEVER, however. Since I hated it with a passion, I've decided to watch some episodes again and to read some meta about it. And I gotta say, I was not paying attention. Sure, the plot is what it is and I won't change my mind about it, but ACTUALLY what happens in this season is that the REAL plot is characters' development, specifically Dean's and, to a lesser degree, Cas's. It also makes more sense if you understand that the whole season is about the Dean-Crowley-Cas love triangle. If you get that, you will enjoy the season. I didn't and, as a result, I didn't quite like it. But I gotta be honest and say that the writing for this season was pretty good. Finally, like season 7, this is a connecting season, it prepares us for season 11 where the real prize is. So, in retrospective, I think it deserves ranking number 7 because it didn't give us anything substantial in terms of events but the characters grow a lot after this season so good for them (and for us).

[elisysd]

11. That's why I'm lying to my therapist

Masterlist - Previously - Next

Chapter soundtrack: Tornado Warning - Sabrina Carpenter

She had never dreaded and been excited to be home. But there was always a first time for everything. Ethan organized a birthday party to which she was of course invited. There would only be his closest friends, as well as Romy. They were supposed to meet later, in front of the nightclub, but for now Julia was occupied, trying to find a birthday gift for Ethan. She was completely lost, not knowing what she could get him that he had not already. Because after all, she still didn’t know him. That's when it hit her. She knew about his fears and his relationship with his dad, something she was sure not a lot of people knew about, but she didn’t know his favorite color or his favorite season. Basic things that friends knew about each other and even more, people that were in a relationship together. She mentally put a note in the back of her head to talk to Ethan about all of this.

But there she was browsing the alleys of her favorite bookstore, in the search of a new comic book for her brother. She felt so bad about lying to him that she hoped spoiling him a little would appease her mind and help her get rid of the guilt. As she was absentmindedly walking down the alleys, her eyes caught a book that made her smile. How to stop being a dick to people for Dummies. It would make a fun gift for sure, very on brand for them she thought. She picked it up and put it along Louis’ book under her arm. Before going to pay, her feet took her to the notebooks sections. She loved pretty notebooks. She had many at home, most of them were not even used. She loved to collect them more than writing in them. As she was looking at the new arrivals, she saw a poor little cactus, in a corner and once again her mind went back to Ethan and his flat. A cactus would bring a little color to the space and would make it a little more personal. And a cactus didn’t require a lot of attention and care. Perfect she thought.

Her new belongings under her arm, she went back home. The house was unusually quiet. Whenever Julia was back home, she would at least be welcomed by the happy barks of Bailey. She called out for her mom but nothing, not even Louis answered her. They must have been out.But her dad was also nowhere to be seen. The door of his office was opened, something rare when he was not working in it. His laptop was opened on a few tabs showing datas that Julia recognised quickly. She was looking at the same results every race weekend. She was definitely not supposed to see that and she couldn’t help but feel worried about the quietness of the house. There was no way her dad would have left the datas in plain sight if something hadn’t happened that caused everyone to leave in a rush. But still, she had a lot of her unanswered questions that could be solved a few centimeters away from her. It was tempting. So tempting. It was a one time only type of situation. She wasn’t sure she would use them but in any case, she still snapped a few pictures of the results with her phone before quickly leaving the office as if nothing happened.

Back in her room she retrieved the USB drive from the box she put it in and transferred her pictures on it before deleting them quickly, as if it would make her phone explode. Then, she stared at the new added files, not knowing what to do with them. She didn’t have much time to think as she heard noises in the entrance. She closed her laptop before getting downstairs and saw Louis, his left ankle in a cast looking visibly distraught.

“Oh gosh what happened?” she exclaimed.

“Your brother thought he was a monkey for some minutes. The reality check was a bit brutal.” explained Lyanna, ruffling her son’s hair.

“But I told you, it was a rare bird! And I wanted to see it closely. It’s not my fault if the branch was unstable.”

“Thank God, dad heard the noise it made and reacted fast.”

As if he heard his name being mentioned, Charles appeared with Bailey and Louis’ crutches.

“I had an eye on him ever since he had gone out and was trying to climb. I could see the incident happening from miles away.”

“And you didn’t try to stop him?”

“Lya, love, I don’t know one kid that had not tried climbing in a tree before. I used to hide in them with a book when I was Louis age to have some peace and quiet. Falling is part of life, look he is okay. It’s just the ankle, it will be fine.”

“But it could have been worse! You should have said something the minute he started climbing.”

Julia saw her brother putting his headphone on his ears and closing his eyes. The argument that was starting between their parents was triggering him, she could see it.

“I went to the bookstore today to find something for Ethan. I’m going out tonight to celebrate.”

It had the effect she hoped for. Ethan’s mention made both of her parents stop arguing to focus on her.

“Nice, where are you going?” asked Lyanna.

“Restaurant with Romy before joining the boys downtown.”

“And what did you pick for lover boy?” snorted Charles, earning a side glance from his wife.

“I found a cute cactus and a book for him. I didn’t know what I could get him that would be useful.”

“A cactus?” repeated Charles.

“Yeah… you know, to symbolize our relationship. The hope it will last for a long time since you can’t kill a cactus that easily and the prickles are a nice metaphor of us throwing shade at each other but just like they are here to protect the plant, our banter is us showing that we care about one another.”

That was so cheesy she wanted to gag. She was not the only one, her dad looked at her weirdly as her mom sighed in content.

“That’s very cute, Ju’. I’m sure he will love it.”

“Did you know that a cactus actually symbolizes endurance and strength in the face of adversity, because they thrive in harsh and arid environments?” said Louis.

“I… didn’t. But you know what, Louis? I think it sums up our relationship pretty well.”

“When will we meet him? When is he going to come home to see us?”

“He will be allowed to come when he beats me on a track, Louis.” said Charles.

“When he what?” asked Lyanna, completely unaware about the trial her husband set for Ethan.

“Dad wants to play male Alpha with Ethan, he wants to organize a karting race between him and Ethan.” explained Julia, clearly annoyed.

“Well, in that case, why not invite Kat and Max as well? Max could race too, it could be fun. And it would be a good occasion to have a nice reunion, it’s been a while.”

“I’ll talk to Ethan about it, but for now, I have to get ready. I’m meeting Romy downtown.”

It was always easy to find Romy in a crowd, her confidence made her stand out in a crowd. She was always the one laughing the loudest, talking to everyone in an attempt to make them feel at ease. With Julia, they couldn’t be more different, but that’s why she loved Romy. They spent a little time catching up before Romy looked her dead in the eyes.

“You and Ethan. How? When? Why? I have so many questions and I’ve never seen it coming. You’ve never told me that you liked him. It was always quite the opposite.”

“Yeah, it just happened. It still surprises me but, you were right, he is not that bad.”

“I bet he is not.” said Romy with a suggestive wink making Julia blush.

“But enough about me! Tell me more about Kyle and you!”

The blonde shrugged it off, sipping on her drink and avoiding Julia’s gaze.

“It’s not serious. I know that, he knows that and we are fine with it. We have fun. There is nothing else to say.”

Julia didn’t insist, knowing very well that if her friend wanted to talk to her about her relationship she would, when she would feel ready. Trying to get something out of her would only result in Romy closing off. They finally left the restaurant to meet Ludwig, Kyle and Ethan in front of the nightclub. They were soon escorted to the VIP sections where drinks were already waiting for them. Ethan didn’t want a big party, with many people whom half of them were unknown to him. He wanted to keep it lowkey with only his closest friends. They chatted and laughed altogether and his gaze fell on Julia. She was having fun and even let Romy drag her to dance along with her.  He liked seeing her so carefree and at ease around him and his friends, as she had always belonged here. It left a bittersweet taste in his mouth and couldn’t help but wonder how would have been their relationship if they had grown up as friends and not as enemies. Would they be strangers? Would they be friends? Best friends, maybe? More? Did he even want to be something with her? As he was still watching her, he didn’t notice his two best friends getting closer to him.

“So… how is the fake dating going?” asked Ludwig with a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Better than expected, to be honest. She is not what I thought she would be. She is not the insufferable girl that I remember. I think we could be great friends, if she wanted to.”

“Oh, look at you being sweet. You are cute.” Ludwig laughed.

“ Shut up.”

“I’m glad you guys are getting along well but I have to admit that I’m still skeptical about all of that. I hope that lying to everyone is worth it. Especially to your parents.”  said Kyle with calm.

“We are invited by my parents for my birthday tomorrow. We will have to act as a couple and I have to admit that it’s stressing me out. My mom can smell bullshit from miles away and I know that it will be hard to convince her.”

They enjoyed the rest of the night and it was late when they finally exited the club. Julia hugged a very drunk Romy that was clinging to Kyle as he tried his best to not let her fall on his ass and Julia joined Ethan near his car.

“You didn’t drink?” she asked.

“Nope. Didn’t feel like it.” he simply answered.

“Why? It’s your birthday.”

“I have a lot on my mind and we are meeting my parents tomorrow, I don’t want to look like a mess.”

She nodded and opened the door of the car before sitting on the passenger seat, as if she had always belonged there. He took his place behind the wheel and drove back to her place in silence. Monaco by night was quiet and it was always something he enjoyed. It allowed him to hear his thoughts. But lately Julia seemed to occupy a huge place in them and he doesn’t know how to describe it. When he closed his eyes, before falling asleep, sometimes he could swear that he could hear her laugh or see her eyes. And he couldn’t explain why it helped him relax. They finally arrived at her house. He expected her to jump out of it to avoid being near him longer than what she had to, but was surprised to see her rummaging through her bag and taking out two small packages that she handed to him.

“You didn’t have to, but thank you.”

“Look at what I bought before saying thanks.”

Ethan couldn’t help but laugh when he saw the book and the small cactus. He looked at her and saw a playful gleam in her eyes. She was trying her best to refrain from laughing too and was biting her lips.

“Well… I will have to top my game for your birthday. You set the expectations very high.”

“I hope we won’t be together anymore by then!” she replied, laughing.

“Maybe… we can still be friends, right? I don’t want to go back to hating you. I can’t.” he told her, very seriously.

“Maybe. We can learn how to be, at least.”

They were surprised to see the lights on in the Leclerc’s household and a silhouette lurking behind the living-room window. Ethans quickly recognised Charles that was more than likely looking at them. Julia noticed him too and turned to Ethan.

“Lean in. Pretend you are kissing me.” she said, almost ordering him.

“What?”

“We have to make it believable! Put your hand on my face and lean in!”

He didn’t know why but he panicked. He had his fair share of girls asking him to kiss him. But never in a million years would he have ever thought that he would hear that from Julia. Suddenly, his palms were sweating and his clothes felt too tight and Julia was too close. He could almost see the light sparkles of gold in her green eyes. If he was focusing on them hard enough he swore that he could count them. She had freckles. He didn’t know about them, he never paid enough attention to notice them. His throat was dry and he didn’t know why. He found her beautiful and he didn’t know why. And it terrified him. He would have run away if her two cold hands didn’t suddenly grab his face and she put her forehead against his. He could feel her breath mixing with his and if he moved, even an inch, he could bump her nose with his. And he would have to if two knocks against the passenger’s window didn’t wake him out of his transe. He was quick to leave the car, as Julia took her bag and opened her door. Charles was in his sweatpants and was clearly waiting for Julia to come back before going to bed.

“Thank you Ethan for bringing her back safe and sound. You didn’t drink, right? Because if you took the wheel while having drinks in your system…”

“I’m totally sober, Cha… Mr. Leclerc. You can test me, if you want.”

“It’s okay. You are not irresponsible. I trust you on this. But just on this. If you want me to trust you more, let’s meet the day after tomorrow, on a karting track, so you can show me your worth. And bring your family along, Lya would love to see your mom and I wouldn’t mind racing against your dad, like back then.”

“You know me, I’m always up for a challenge, you can count me in. Especially if it’s to beat you. I’ve alway dreamed of that! And I’ll talk to my dad. Speaking of, is it okay for you if I come to pick you up around six, tomorrow?”

Julia nodded and as if it was natural for him, Ethan smiled and leaned in to kiss the top of her head. Totally unbothered, he went to shake Charles’ hand, before squeezing one last time the young woman waist who thanked the stars that it was so dark so no one could see her blushing.

The next day, before dressing up for dinner at Ethan’s parents, she decided to work on Ferrari’s car. She didn’t know where it all would go, if she even wanted it to go somewhere. She opened her notebooks and started to watch some onboards from the drivers, as well as the data she wrongfully collected. But without knowing what the data represented it was tough to extract anything from it. But still she gathered some info. Against her will, her thoughts drifted to Martin. She would need to know the feelings of someone who was actually driving the car, it would help her so much. But it felt wrong, especially after the birthday party and what happened in the car. She had felt the atmosphere changing and she didn’t know what could have happened if her father had not interrupted them. And she was grateful that he did, something she never thought she would say. But part of her still wondered… would they have kissed? Would she have let him kiss her? Or would she have been the one to kiss him first? Did she want to kiss him? She shook her head. She didn’t want to think about this. Not now, not ever.

Her gaze fell on her notes and the endless scribbling that was not going anywhere. She knew she had all the information in the palm of her hands if she wanted to open the files that were on the USB plugged in on her laptop. She felt sick. This whole USB drive made her sick. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn’t help but think that it was still cheating and the consequences could only lead to disaster. But she was curious, so curious. So she opened the file and started to browse the documents, paying more attention to them than the first time. She quickly understood that they could and would help her but, a wave of nausea got a hold of her and she closed the tabs quickly. It was too much and she couldn’t brace herself to add another lie to the list. She unplugged it and threw her in a box that she hid far away from her, as if it could erase the temptation.

Finally it was time for her to get dressed and a part of her was thankful for it. It would get her mind out of the bomb that was in her room. Ethan was on her way to pick her up and she felt stressed out. She didn’t know how she was supposed to act or how she should behave. Did Ethan expect her to be clingy? Or did he want to keep the physical interactions to the bare minimum? She had never been in a situation like that before, she had never met in-laws, even fake ones. She felt stupid. She knew Max and Kat. She knew them very well and not once had she ever felt uncomfortable at the idea of eating with them. Was she supposed to dress fancy? She looked at her clothes and sighed before setting her mind on a jean and a blouse.

As she was finishing applying her makeup she heard a car parking in front of the house and the door opening. She breathed in and breathed out one last time, took her bag and went down to see Louis ambushing Ethan in the entrance.

“You’re my sister’s boyfriend.” said Louis as a matter of fact.

“I…am?” replied Ethan.

“Why?”

“Why, what?”

“You fancy her. She is my sister. It’s weird.”

“Louis, please, don’t bother Ethan.” stepped in Julia.

“No, please, Louis keep going, I also want to know why.” Charles came out of his office, a half-smile on his face.

“You guys are embarrassing.” complained Julia.

“I just want to know why. You didn’t like him a few weeks ago. It’s just weird.”

“Hum, well… Julia is… well she is Julia. She is not as unlikable as I thought she was.”

“Thanks…” gritted the young Leclerc between her teeth.

“What I mean is… I had the occasion to properly get to know her and besides her sarcastic comments, the fact that she always wants to be right, how she has boring ice-cream tastes, she is not so bad. She is actually very caring. She talks a lot about you, Louis and I hope that I can be your friend, someday. And I admire her work ethic. She always wants to do the right thing and most importantly, she didn’t judge me when the whole scandal blew up. She actually agreed to keep talking to me and explore our connection. She quickly became one of the most trustworthy people that are around me. But I clearly can see that she got all of that from her dad.”

“No need to rub me in the right way, Ethan. It won’t work.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit too much.” added Julia.

They finally managed to leave and soon they were finally alone, on their way to Ethan’s parents.

“You didn’t have to pretend in front of my parents, you know.”

“Maybe I went a little overboard with the compliments, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t mean all that I said.”

When they finally arrived, Kat almost jumped on Julia, asking her how she was doing and saying how happy she was to have her. Julia felt so overwhelmed that Ethan intervened to tell his mom to calm down. He was not surprised to see that his mom had already thought about who would sit where. Julia found her seat next to Ethan as Max and Kat sat opposite of them. The conversation was pleasant and far from what Ethan had imagined. They didn’t talk about their relationship, his parents preferring to focus on Julia and getting to know her as a person and not as Ethan’s girlfriend. For once he was not the center of attention and he could watch her talking about what she was most passionate about and he found that endearing. He watched her talking about engineering with his dad and he had to admit that he was completely lost and didn’t understand half of what they were talking about, but still, he didn’t want to look away. As he was going for another glass of wine he found his mom looking at him with a soft smile on his face.

Soon, the conversation resumed around the season. Ethan was actually proud of his results and it’s with confidence that he started talking about them, thinking that his dad would be happy for him and that maybe he would get praise.

“Yeah, you were good. You had nice moments and some I really thought you could get close to the podium but you still make some mistakes that you shouldn’t make three years into F1. Not anymore. You are not a rookie anymore. But if you want we can find some time to watch some moments that I recorded so we could watch and work on them together.”

It made Ethan angry.

“Can’t you just for once, say something nice about the way I race. Can’t you just acknowledge that I don’t alway mess everything up? That I’m doing a good job?”

“I just want you to improve so you can achieve your dream. And you will never do that if you don’t listen to advice.”

Julia jumped when she felt Ethan abruptly stand up.

“Stop pretending that you care about my dreams. You don’t and you know what? I would trade them for a dad that actually cares about me. Me! And not the driver that I can be!”

And just like that he left the table as his dad was calling out to him. Without thinking twice, Julia stood up as well and excused herself as she went after Ethan. She found him outside, on the patio, sitting on the floor behind his mother’s flowers. He only noticed her when she sat down next to him.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that.” Ethan whispered.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“To say what? There is nothing to say. It’s like that. My dad doesn’t understand. How could he anyway? He is Max Verstappen and I’m only his son, just a copy. And not the best copy. No matter how hard I try, it will not be enough. I’m not enough.”

“That’s not true. You wouldn’t be here if you were not. Ask my dad, he always had good things to say about you as a driver. Surely, that doesn’t not mean nothing . You know how my dad is.”

“I just… I want my dad to act as a dad and not a fucking coach. I want his advice but I also want to hear him say, I’m proud of you son, you were great out there. Not how I should have taken a corner or how the overtake would have been more effective if I had done this or that. He doesn’t understand. He never did.”

“That’s the thing when we grew up with dads like ours. The pressure, the expectations… It's tough. I don’t think Max wants to hurt you, he just wants to push you.”

“Easy for you to say. You are your dad’s little princess. He would do anything for you.”

“Doesn’t mean that it made me happier. It brought a lot of other problems. Parents and teachers reunions ? It was always my mom who would go. I can’t even count the number of birthdays he missed because of races. Or how people looked at me and constantly judged me when they would learn about him.”

“He loves you, Julia.”

“And your dad loves you too.”

Ethan paused and looked to the ground. Julia saw Adam's apple bobbing before he spoke again, but this time with a strangled voice.

“He never said it. My dad never told me that he loved me. I know, he does. But… We were never ones to talk about feelings, I know that. I just wish that he would say it. Just once. I would love to have him come on a race to support me. Just be there, and be happy for me.”

“I’m sorry Ethan. Maybe you should talk to him. About your feelings, it would do good. Surely, it’s not healthy to keep that bottled up inside.”

Ethan shrugged before getting up. Sadness replaced anger and Julia could swear that tears were threatening to fall. She had never seen him looking so vulnerable and she didn’t know what to do. If they had been friends, she would have hugged him. But they were not, or barely were. She didn’t know where they were standing. They were not enemies anymore, but she wouldn’t go as far as saying friends. They were just two people linked to each other by a lie. So she stood up as well and waited for him to move or say something.

“I’m sorry I ruined your night. And you were not supposed to see me like this either.”

“You didn’t ruin anything, don’t worry. And seeing you vulnerable reminds me that you are human, with feelings, something I’ve never thought I would see happening.” she joked.

“You sure know how to make me feel better, Joolsie.” he said with a half-smile on his face.

“Always there to help.”

It was not a surprise when Ethan said that he was leaving. He didn’t want to stay there longer than necessary and so he brought Julia back home. The car ride was silent and a little awkward. When they were finally back, Julia didn’t waste much time before saying her goodbyes. They would see each other the next day, but for now she just needed to be alone. And Ethan did too. He hated how she had seen him like that. She was not supposed to. He was not sure, he wanted her to be. But still, it felt nice to be able to talk about his relationship with his dad. She understood him. But part of him couldn’t help but think that involving her too much into his very private life would do more bad than good. He didn’t react much when she put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it lightly before leaving him, deep in his thoughts.

When she opened the door, she was not surprised to see that her dad was waiting for her.

“How was it?” he asked.

“Weird. I witnessed Max and Ethan fighting… They don’t have the best relationship, I wasn’t expecting it. I always thought that Max was supportive of Ethan’s career. Turns out it is not what I expected… I feel bad for Ethan. I know I can’t do anything but…” she explained sitting down next to her dad.

“Do you want me to try and talk to Max tomorrow? See if I can do something…”

“We shouldn’t get involved…”

“I know but if Ethan is important to you then I guess that he is important to me as well. And I won’t repeat it twice so you better hold onto that only time I will say it because if you ask me to repeat it I will play dumb.”

She sighed. It made her feel better to know that her dad would not be too big of a problem in her relationship. She kissed him on the cheek before going back to her room. She quickly got rid of her clothes and threw her blanket over her head. As she was tossing and turning in her bed, replaying the conversation she had with Ethan, she grabbed her phone to text him.

For what it’s worth, I think you are amazing on tracks.

Author's note: What do you think will happen next? Let me know your theories, I love to read them.

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