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vro0m · 2 years ago

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vro0m’s race reviews - 162/310

2015 Japanese GP

This gif is purely about me having a thing for neck tattoos.

Alright. It seems it was a weird quali session. Nico got provisional pole and then the session was redflagged because Kvyat crashed heavily (he was OK but did a couple barrel rolls and his car was wrecked) which means Lewis couldn't fight Nico for it.

Lewis says he's looking forward to the race after what happened in Singapore. He's happy with the weather. It's indeed a beautiful sunny day. He admires the old cars they're using for the parade. Johnny asks if he sees something he likes, that he'd want to take home. Lewis hums. "I'll take them all, I don't mind." He chuckles.

Johnny says he's obviously not starting quite where he'd wish. Lewis says he's happy with the balance of the car though, and it'll be interesting to see how it goes given it rained during the night. But it's the same for everyone so he hopes they have a race on their hands. Johnny notes he's a very popular man in Japan. He then asks what he's expecting for the race. He says the start will be super important and he's on the dirty side of the track but he'll give him a run for his money and then strategy will matter as well, how long you can make the tyres last. Fingers crossed they have a good day.

Simon asks Brundle if Nico did not do better than Lewis all weekend and not just in quali. Brundle is more on the fence about it. They're both happy with their cars, that's for sure. Also I'm now seeing the time difference was just 0.076 so lol.

Of course there's loads of homages to Jules around. Flowers, signs, hashtags. It's been a year since his accident.

In his interview Nico says he's focused on trying to win. He's 41 points behind Lewis and only 8 ahead of Seb but he says he only thinks about the 41. Brundle says he has to destabilise Lewis somehow. Then he adds that Spa last year he did that (I mean…) "unfortunately his reaction was to disappear up the road wasn't it?" Nico says destabilising will come naturally if he's ahead in quali and if he wins races. Brundle says he relates to the experience of doing a lap and thinking "how is he gonna beat that?" and then the other does beat it and it's frustrating, when you think it's impossible to go faster than what you just did. Nico says he has to admit it's happened a couple of times this year. Brundle asks when that happens where is Lewis faster. (It's such an experience btw seeing all these drivers being asked about Lewis rather than themselves in their interviews. I read somewhere at some point that Jenson got so fed up with it he would call out journalists on that and refuse to answer these questions.) Anyway Nico says it's not one specific thing that Lewis does faster. About Singapore he says it was a shocker but now they understand most of what happened. Brundle says he wants to win the championship like his father and second or third isn't enough so he must throw caution to the win and just come through whether Lewis is ready or not. Nico chuckles. "No, it's not like that." "Why not?" He says he's keeping up with his approach and there's no point acting up or doing something irrational now. He just needs to find that little bit extra. Brundle asks how confident he is that he can win the title this year. "Or next year, for that matter." Nico says it is what it is, he's 41 points behind so the odds are against him. He's aware. He's fighting. Just like he did last year. But his focus is on individual races.

Ted is asking Toto if Nico still has the fight. Toto defends him. But Ted insists, saying we haven't seen much aggression from him lately, maybe because he hasn't got close enough to Lewis for it. Toto says we're nearing the end of the season and that forces people to take some aggression out of it and approach the races differently so maybe that's why. Ted asks what he thinks we're gonna see today. Toto says he thinks it's difficult to overtake here. The start will be crucial, and they haven't been very good at it in the last couple of races. They say they found what happened to Lewis' car in Singapore and it was down to a stupid metal clamp ("I don't know what did it cost like 2 quid or something?" Ted says.) They're very happy with where they are here this weekend as far as pace goes.

It's time for the race and I just now realise I didn't give you the full top 10 grid. So behind the Mercs, it's Valtteri then Seb, Massa and Raikkonen, Ricciardo and Grosjean, Perez and Sainz.

There's a lot of talk about McLaren because their drivers' contracts, or at least Jenson's, are ending and they don't know who will drive for them next year. Brundle says the last McLaren contract he saw had "well over 80 pages" and he adds that one he saw from Lewis "a long long time ago" had "considerably more than a hundred" because of all the options. That uh… Explains a lot about the very long contract talks.

Formation lap

And they're racing!

Ohhh Lewis and Nico are wheel to wheel and someone goes wide in the background and it's Lewis in the lead while Nico is dropping back, what's wrong?! Something must be wrong. He lost two places… Massa has damage after contact with Daniel.

So at the end of lap 1 it's Lewis 1.6 seconds in the lead, then Seb, Valtteri (nice podium, hello), Nico, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Alonso and Sainz. Quite a few changes.

Perez is the one who went wide and he's in the pit with a puncture. Ricciardo is painfully making his way there as well but his tyre is completely gone to the point yellow flags are being waved in two sectors due to debris. And then of course there's Massa with front wing damage, whose entire nose is being changed.

We get the start replays. Nico kinda got pushed off track by Lewis, who's been quite aggressive, but I guess that's what you do when the start matters that much. It wasn't dirty per se, Lewis had the inside line and ran out of track, as they say. Alonso just called the performance of his car "embarrassing, very embarrassing" on radio. Nico asked to turn the engine up a few laps ago, which he was granted, but they're now telling him the engine temps are high and it's causing damage. He's told to stay away from Valtteri for 5 laps.

It's lap 10. Lewis has a 5.6 lead over Seb, and the order behind them hasn't changed much : Valtteri, Nico, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Maldonado, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Ericsson. The backmarkers and midfield are starting to pit. Nico is told to push hard to overtake Valtteri who's now in the pits. Grosjean is there as well, Hulkenberg already pitted. Nico is flying now, he has some clean air. Seb gets called in, it's a great 2.2 stop. Raikkonen pits from P3. Sainz pitted. How long– they just called Nico in. Why before Lewis?! Valtteri is back ahead of him as well. Lewis is called in. He's 29 seconds ahead of Seb, it should be okay. 2.4 stop. Weirdly, he's on the mediums, Nico is on the hards. He's still in the lead by a good margin, but it's Sainz setting the fastest lap on the hards... Nico is told to push behind Valtteri to destroy his tyres. And he overtakes him for P3. Seriously, most of the top 10 is on hards, it makes me nervous. But like clockwork Lewis sets the fastest lap, and Seb is losing on him a lot.

On lap 20, he's 9.5 ahead. Nico is now P3 ahead of Valtteri, then. Raikkonen is P5, Hulkenberg P6, Grosjean P7, Maldonado P8, Sainz P9, Alonso P10. Nico is actually getting close to Seb now. And Raikkonen to Valtteri. Sad. It truly would have been such a nice podium. Also for a track where it's difficult to overtake there's actually a fair number of overtakes going on in the midfield, like Max just overtook Alonso for P10. But it's status quo at the top right now. Raikkonen locked up chasing Valtteri. Alonso says "GP2 engine, GP2!" on the radio before letting out a frustrated yell. Raikkonen pits again.

On lap 30, both Nico and Valtteri pit. And Raikkonen is ahead of Valtteri. Lewis complains of vibration. Seb is called in. Nico is ahead of him! Lewis pits. I'm waiting to update you on the top 10 order because it's a mess right now.

On lap 40, Lewis has pulled the gap to Nico. It's now 10.5. Seb is still P3, Raikkonen P4, Valtteri P5. Hulkenberg, Grosjean, Maldonado, Sainz, Verstappen for the top 10. It's getting a bit boring out there.

10 laps to go. Loads of traffic. One backmarker briefly spun. Verstappen overtakes Sainz for P9.

5 laps to go…

And it's the end of the race.

Lewis wins, 18.5 seconds ahead of Nico, Seb is P3.

So apparently this is the fifth race in HISTORY without any official retirement. Someone didn't finish but was classified anyway. Only the FIFTH. Can you imagine? What the absolute fuck is this sport anyway.

NICO IS TALKING IN FRENCH NOW? With who?! Surely not Seb? He says they're not able to solve something? Oh it's the merc representative. "Comme à Singapour," He says. He mimes the car struggling. I think he's talking about the start. "Et apr��s plus loin, hein, pas au début." Yeah he's not only talking about the start. "Assez loin." then a pause "Ça m'a perdu la course.” We watch Lewis for a while but he's just drying himself with the towel, so we're back on Nico, who's shaking his head. "Ils arrivent pas à résoudre ce truc, là. Pff."

Anyway Seb gets there and says congrats to Lewis who answers "thanks, appreciate it" and then he immediately switches to German with Nico. Meh.

Crofty then says Lewis is keeping to himself there which is stupid af. I mean how the fuck do you want him to contribute they're speaking ANOTHER FUCKING LANGUAGE MAN.

Niki tells Ted he's completely happy that whatever happened in Singapore is over. Ted says of course they did have the faster car but also they were able to overtake Ferrari on strategy as well. Niki says everything was right and there's nothing more to say than that.

Oh hey it's the first time he actually throws the trophy afaik!

Alright. Podium interviews time. The sound is fucked up. Everybody is waiting. The interviewer gets a new mic. We're still waiting. Lewis drinks in his trophy. It finally works.

Lewis equalled Senna's record, but he starts by thanking the fans. He thanks the team as well and says it's good to be back up there with a 1-2. He says it doesn't feel real to match Senna's record, here on a track he used to love watching Ayrton drive. He says it was important for them to strike back (like they've not been topping the charts since day 1). They had to take a step back to make sure they were bringing their A game there in Japan and he couldn't have done it without this team. He says the car was…

Beautiful to drive today.

Lewis goes to chat with Seb and they laugh together during Nico's interview.

During Seb's interview he empties his champagne bottle on his head. Seb looks up to him with a smile and says "Thank you." He then stands there with his hands behind his back, then in front of his body. Eventually smiling as Seb talks about his helmet manufacturer.

Finally the interviewer says to Lewis they're in the land of karaoke and he's a good singer so what will he sing tonight. He chuckles and says he sang a song the night before called victory, so that'll be it. In the meantime Seb sneaks behind and it's time for payback. We can see his collar filling up with champagne and spilling over. It looks cold!

They laugh together, pick up their trophies and while Nico is leaving the podium Lewis puts his arm around Seb's shoulders and they pose for the photographers.

Ohhhh that's the race they did the hand imprints!

I read on Wikipedia that Mercedes had a conversation with Bernie because the Mercedes cars were broadcasted only 6 minutes during the race. Who fucking cares there was nothing happening at the front, of course they're gonna show the midfield where there was some actual overtaking going on.

Ron Dennis criticised Alonso for criticising the PU saying it was unprofessional. But Jenson also complained about it so yeah. Also Jenson was confirmed to stay in the team just 5 days after this GP. Alonso stayed vague about it right after the race but the next day he made it clear he intended to end his career with the team which : lmao.

In his postrace interview, he says he had to push like crazy in the first corner, it was crucial, because it's so difficult to overtake on this track. He says he was on the inside line which isn't the best line here, because the outside line is the actual race line so Nico had the best line. He had to try and make it stick anyway. He ran out of road, but it was a good feeling to get back in front. After that it was just managing the tyres and pulling the gaps he needed. The car was faster than theirs today anyway.

The journalist says he managed his tyres beautifully as he made his mediums last longer than the hards. Lewis says they didn't have Friday (because it was raining) and the team had to get the car right in one hour and they nailed it. He says it's the best feeling he's ever had at this track, in terms of flow, he was using every inch of the road.

And to match Ayrton, it doesn't feel real, he says with a smile.

The journalist says to do it here where he won every one of his championships and where he was adored… What does it mean to him? He's silent for a second and then he talks very softly like he's very far away from here. He mentions a bunch of things mixed up into one. He thinks about the times they worked, they arrived at the tracks, being the unknowns he and his dad, and they set up… He remembers the day Senna passed "was where the track I started", it was one of the saddest days he had as a kid. It's so jumbled but you get it. But it inspired him to do something similar to what he did. So to come here, he's honoured to be in the presence of a great like him. "Not only as a driver but what he did for his country, what he did for the people, what he did for kids… Kids like me.”

“Cause I didn't– I wasn't able to relate to anyone else so…"

#f1 #lewis hamilton #vro0m's race reviews #2015 #2015 japanese gp

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newstfionline · 4 months ago

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Sunday, July 28, 2024

Canadians have tired of Justin Trudeau (Washington Post) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rose to power in 2015—and rescued the Liberal Party from irrelevance—on promises to bring “real change” and infuse Canadian politics with “sunny ways.” Nearly nine years later, the forecast for the progressive icon is cloudy. His party, which has been slumping in the polls for more than a year, now trails the Conservatives by as many as 20 points and is vulnerable not only in key battlegrounds but also in traditional strongholds. In a much lower-key version of Democratic pressure on President Biden to drop out of the U.S. presidential race, several high-profile Liberals, including his former environment minister Catherine McKenna and Christy Clark, a Liberal former premier of British Columbia, have called on him to step aside to give the party a better chance of staying in government. Trudeau’s woes echo those of many incumbent leaders, who are struggling amid high inflation and concerns about affordability, particularly in housing. Most housing markets in Canada are at or near worst-ever affordability levels, the Royal Bank of Canada reported in December.

Number of Americans who say US ready for female president dipping: Survey (The Hill) Since 2015, the number of Americans who say they are ready for a female president has dropped by nine points, according to a new Times/SAY24 poll from YouGov poll. The survey, conducted after President Biden dropped out of the race, was designed to assess the electorate’s beliefs surrounding “gender bias,” and Vice President Harris’s chances come November. While the respondents said that both Trump and Harris are equally qualified for the job, with 49 percent saying they are, voters are hesitant about the idea of a female president—54 percent of the country says they are ready for a woman president and 30 percent said they aren’t. That number is down from 2015, when an Economist/YouGov poll found 63 percent of voters were ready for a woman president.

California’s largest fire of the year grows to 164,000 acres. (1440) The northern California blaze, known as the Park Fire, has grown to a size larger than the city of Chicago (about 148,000 acres) due to warm, dry weather and high winds. Roughly 4,000 residents in the area have been forced to evacuate, while 130 structures have been destroyed, according to officials. A 42-year-old man was arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of starting the fire via a flaming car. The fire was 0% contained as of this writing.

Venezuelans stretch meager wages they hope will grow after election (AP) A municipal market in eastern Venezuela is teeming with weekend customers hoping to score a deal among the stalls of produce, meat, cheese and shelf-stable products. Some carry plantains, cassava crackers, corn flour or half a carton of eggs as they walk home. Middle school teacher Cruz Brito is standing across the street amid the smell of fish that clings to the hot humid air of Maturin. She has about $27 in her bank account and a single can of sardines at home. She is five days away from her next paycheck and her oldest daughter needs college supplies for the following day. So, she walks away empty handed. Maybe her neighborhood convenience store will sell her a couple of things on credit. Eleven years into her country’s complex crisis, the days of food shortages are virtually gone, but with many earning under $200 a month, getting the essentials is a constant struggle for families in rural and urban areas alike. People work second and third jobs, start little businesses, exchange services and gamble to scrape together the money, but still every decision seems to involve a calculator and a calendar. That angst-provoking math is among the reasons why the ruling party’s hold on power looks vulnerable in Sunday’s presidential election.

Paris Olympics Security: Unprecedented AI Surveillance (La Marea/Spain) A middle-aged man walks around the stadium where the Olympic track and field events are going to take place. Outside, everything is quiet. One can only hear the echoes of applause when a high jumper manages to clear the bar, or sprinters finish their race or one of the stars who will compete that afternoon appears on the jumbo screens. Then suddenly, three police cars arrive at full speed, cut off the man's path and arrest him in just a few seconds. A camera had recorded him and an algorithm had raised the alarm: he must have made some unexpected movement, or perhaps there was an abandoned object nearby, or an “unforeseen” gathering of people. Or perhaps he looks a lot like someone who participated a few months ago in a protest against the war in Gaza… From the command center, someone had registered the anomaly, assessed its credibility and sent the order to the nearest patrols. No, this is not a scene from some futuristic show, but something that could happen during the Olympic Games held in Paris and other French towns. This will be the first worldwide-level event utilizing an algorithmic video surveillance system (VSS) to help ensure security measures. More than 400 cameras will be added to the 4,000 already operating in Paris and placed at the entrances to stadiums, streets and nearby transport, to ensure that there are as few blind spots as possible security-wise during the most followed sporting competition on the planet, with around one and a half million visitors expected to attend. And the system will remain after the games end.

Greece’s Santorini bursts with tourists as locals call for a cap (Reuters) Armed with selfie sticks and phones, the tourists flood into Santorini from everywhere—on dinghies from giant ocean liners, on coaches that zigzag up the steep hillsides, atop donkeys that clip-clop along the narrow cobbled streets. Some brave the afternoon heat to find a good spot among the white-washed houses and blue-domed churches where they then wait hours to watch the Greek island’s famed sunset. As the sun dips, many more join them, squeezing along the cliffside or onto balconies, cameras at the ready. For many of Santorini’s 20,000 permanent residents, the once idyllic island of quaint villages and pristine beaches has been ruined by mass tourism. As protests against excessive tourism erupt in other popular holiday destinations, including Venice and Barcelona, Santorini represents one of the starkest examples of how hordes of visitors can impact a place. The growing number of foreign tourists—some 3.4 million visited the island last year, according to mayor Nikos Zorzos—are putting pressure on its outdated infrastructure and are pricing islanders out of the housing market.

Russia, adapting tactics, advances in Donetsk and takes more Ukrainian land (Washington Post) Russian forces have mounted an arc of attack in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, pushing through intense summer heat in a bid to extend Moscow’s steady territorial gains and capture the city of Pokrovsk, a key transit junction. The offensive is underway as Ukraine continues to suffer from a shortage of soldiers and as election turmoil in the United States has set off new speculation that Kyiv may soon be forced to negotiate a surrender of lands. After an influx of American weapons and money helped Ukraine blunt a renewed invasion of the northeast Kharkiv region in May, preventing a major breakthrough and dashing Moscow’s hopes of surrounding Ukraine’s second-largest city, Russian commanders have refocused their attention on the Donetsk region, which may have been Russia’s objective all along. The reinvasion of the Kharkiv region, while yielding limited gains, nonetheless diverted Ukrainian resources.

India: Violence against Christians (Religion News Service) In June, Bindu Sodhi, a 32-year-old tribal woman from a small village in the densely forested state of Chhattisgarh, in central India, was killed by her neighbors while tilling her ancestral land. The villagers stoutly warned her family not to set foot in the village unless they gave up their Christian faith. Local police shrugged off Sodhi’s killing as a land dispute, despite the fact that, over the last four years, Hindu extremists and even some of Sodhi’s close relatives had been pressuring her to renounce her Christian beliefs. Attacks on Christians, who constitute only 2.3% of India’s 1.4 billion people, have risen sharply over the last few years. The main perpetrators of these crimes are extremists who believe Hinduism, India’s most prevalent faith, is synonymous with Indian identity and citizenship. Last year, the United Christian Forum, a human rights group based in New Delhi, recorded 733 incidents of violence against Christians, with an average of 61 incidents every month. “There is a surge in violence against Christians,” said AC Michael, the group’s national convener. “The government is doing little to curb police and mob brutality against Christians accused under anti-conversion laws and the undue violation of our rights.” Targeting of Christians has been going on in India since the 1990s. The gruesome murder of Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines, along with his two minor sons, by Hindu extremists in 1999 brought the world’s attention to the violence being meted out against the community. But with the rise of Modi, head of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, the scale and magnitude of these threats have increased significantly.

Netanyahu says Hezbollah will pay 'heavy price' after deadly Golan Heights strike that group denies (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Hezbollah “will pay a heavy price for this attack, one that it has not paid so far,” his office said after a rocket strike Saturday at a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights killed at least 11 children and teens. It was the deadliest strike on an Israeli target along the country’s northern border since the fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah began. It raised fears of a broader regional war. Israel is blaming Hezbollah for the strike, but Hezbollah has rushed to deny any role.

An Israeli airstrike hits a school sheltering people in Gaza, killing at least 30 including children (AP) Israeli airstrikes hit a school used by displaced Palestinians in central Gaza on Saturday, killing at least 30 people including several children. Seven children and seven women were among the dead taken from the girls’ school in Deir al-Balah to Al Aqsa Hospital. Israel’s military said it targeted a Hamas command center used to direct attacks against Israeli troops and store “large quantities of weapons.” Hamas called the military’s claim false. Civil defense workers in Gaza said thousands had been sheltering in the school, which also contained a medical site. Associated Press journalists saw a dead toddler in an ambulance and bodies covered with blankets. Shattered walls gaped and classrooms were in ruins. People searched the rubble strewn with pillows and other signs of habitation.

‘I just feel like living every day’: oldest American, 115, offers tips for longevity (Guardian) The oldest person in the US offers two bits of advice when asked for the keys to her longevity: “If the good Lord gave it to you, use it” and “Speak your mind, don’t bite your tongue!” Elizabeth Francis’s pearls of wisdom were recirculated widely as she celebrated her 115th birthday on Thursday. Francis was born in 1909 in St Mary parish, Louisiana, about 90 miles (145km) south-west of New Orleans. She was two when the Titanic sank and had turned 11 before women gained the right to vote in the US. She has seen the end of both world wars, lived through 20 different US presidencies and survived two of the deadliest pandemics: the 1918 flu outbreak and Covid-19. Francis has previously attributed at least some of her longevity to her religious faith. Fellow worshippers from the Good Hope Missionary Baptist church join the family and friends who visit her daily at the home she shares with her daughter, Dorothy Williams.

#headlines #news

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freedformwriter · 4 months ago

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English quartet

Wrote this last weekend but was then too non-covid but basically covid to post. It's supposed to be a return to daily micro-blogs but, meh, long format seems to be my energy at the moment.

4th July, 2024

There are things you notice for the first time when you don’t know how to vote: the suppressed hopefulness of the red-rosette pollster, the beatific care with which the volunteers scan down the registry, but mostly it’s the special pencils. I’ve got a lovely hexagonal half stub in my hand. It’s fatter than the average pencil and in a tasteful monochrome. Most alluringly, it’s labelled the property of the UK Government. The urge to untie it from the rickety booth and slide it into my pocket is almost overwhelming. I wonder if there is a black market for these things. I was entirely prepared to vote Green when I sauntered into the Mormon church that doubles as a local polling station. Now I’ve been staring at the same three names for five minutes. And they all belong to one man. Can I really vote for a man with three Christian names? Who keeps such a surplus? It’s suspect. And I’ve absolutely nothing else to base my impression of the candidate upon because I haven’t looked up a single person running in this election beside the incumbent. We were so excited when she won a historic race here in 2017. Now her name is branded with bitter X-fuelled feuds between Terfs and anti-Terfs and she can’t show up for Hustings because of security concerns. Why did I not look up a single freaking other candidate? My government-issued pencil drifts that towards the Labour box. Stop. I close my eyes and do some of those grounding exercises. What truly matters to me in this moment? My friends. My friends’ kids. This second thought sets me off. The sheer helpless terror of being the parent of a trans kid right now is something I cannot even encompass. It’s possible I’m going to cry in the government-approved booth. Fuck this. Mr Three-Christian-Names it is. I’m back out the door, shades on to hide my expression. Thank god it’s a sunny day.

I later learn the Green candidate is a jolly sort who runs the local bike repair charity. And wouldn’t, my friend reasons, the world be a better place if it was made up of people like that?

5th July

The world has changed and the weather drips from the brim of my walking hat. In my all-black rain ensemble, I feel like a modern-day mourner. I just don’t know whose funeral I’m attending, or even if one is scheduled. The social rupture of the General Election has reopened old fissures. The grief leaked into my friends’ last-night communications, the ones who poured themselves into the Labour movement in the Corbyn years. Their momentum is now officially a stumble, in the same way we minimise the significance an old relationship once we find The One. Crossing the Stour where the picturesque plankton-filled river takes on punts, I hear a man singing. High above the water, a scaffolder in a harness and bright blue quick dry t-shirt belts out a sentimental ballad about finding love at last. Come on! he calls to an unseen man below. It’s unclear whether it’s a call to join in or to hurry up. My mood lifts. Not everyone is miserable today.

When I arrive at my appointment, the craniosacral therapist opens the door looking like the embodiment of fresh English summer: a floral sundress, pink cheeks, and flowing waves of loosely bound hair. You’re dressed for the weather, she declared. I want to be dressed for her weather. I lie on the table in the beautiful old treatment room in the heart of Canterbury, trying to tune out the fluctuating high-pitched hum of the air purified as she moves her hands around the energy centres of my body. How are her hands so warm? She truly exists in another climate. I try not to think of anything negative, or wildly inappropriate, under her touch in case it filters through. It’s time for her assessment. When you first came in and we were talking, you didn’t seem tired at all but – here she tilts her head to a sympathetic angle – but your body is really tired.

Tonight, the football is back. I’m really delighted at how willing my hosting friend is to join me. I’m backing Portugal despite the nausea-inducing presence of Ronaldo at the helm. She is supporting France because she enjoys going on holiday there. I’ve previously signed off on similar claims about the superior charms of Spain and Turkey – better food and more attractive men – but I draw the line at France. Why? They’re the villain, I say. What, as in some kind of ancestral enemy of England? Yes..maybe… I don’t know. My relationship with the technical country of my birth is complicated. The England-France rivalry is not. France plays their role so well: producing grand triumphs followed by epic collapses. They are an incredibly satisfying antagonist and for that reason alone, yes, I will always root against them. Mbappé even obligingly wears a black mask. Whether they are a mustachio-twirling villain, a protesting troubadour, or a stranger in this town, we always need the man in black.

6th July

No problem, I will just read some Cervantes. This is not the response I am looking for when I announce the England game is about to start. Especially as the man speaking is sitting in the very middle of my friend’s sofa. Technically, I am just as much of a visitor as he is, but this is the television facing sofa and why can’t he read classic literature on the other one with the non-optimal angle? But I can already tell tonight’s entertainment will be a hybrid experience. He and my friend are prepping for the open mic she hosts tonight. She has tap shoes and a slide whistle out for a Klaxons style mating dance. He’s got the book open to the passage in which Don Quixote attacks some marionettes. The night’s theme is puppets. Pick a side, I tell him, and slot in prepared to do battle.

Men, particularly older men, always find something comical in my watching football. Tonight is no exception. Oh listen to you, you could be the next Gary Lineker, he says after twenty minutes. I’m not sure if it’s the Americanness or femaleness – probably both – but I get these comments lot. Where is my can of lager? Can they hear my football bellow? I infinitely prefer watching with women who discuss the match, rather than my watching of it. But as the minutes tick on, and England isn’t playing absolutely shit, something a bit special happens. This man has always struck me as an art and music lover for whom London is the centre of the world. Now, through the medium of share viewership, we’re transported back to his boyhood in Middlesbrough. He’s not nostalgic for it – horrible place, god the accents – but is channelling the energy of the rough, mid-century stadium he attended every weekend all the same. I remember a chant we did for the opposing fans, he announces, then changes his voice: you’re going home in a Teesside ambulance – oi!

I traipse into the open mic event late – worth it for that penalty shootout – and watch the mating dance. Then a woman in Birkenstocks works a skeleton puppet through a synth performance (absolute fucking genius). During the inevitable ambient musical interlude, I make the Franz Kafka marionette journey through his own dreams. At the end, we are all instructed how to make a swizzle, the technical term for the bit of card and spit that transforms your voice into Punch. Terrifyingly loud, it would attract attention in even the most raucous stadium.

Do you want to go to a mummers’ play? My friend issues this invitation while I’m still groggily stretching myself out on a Sunday morning. It’s this kind of impromptu invitation that more than makes up for the mental overwhelm I often experience staying here. Camped in her overfilled central living space, my control-obsessed brain has to ignore the old rescue furniture, the new music equipment, and theatrical props accumulating by the door. But the Jack-of-the-Green costume – a sort of burlap cage denuded of its festive vines – is not just an unwieldy obstacle, but a connection to a whole performance community. The sort who revel in arcane folk traditions. I take my porridge with berry compote in the car and we’re off to Sandwich. I forgot what an absurdly charming town it is. We used to ride our bikes here on long summer weekends, stopping at, yes, a sandwich shop attached to a posh deli.

The pageantry is in full force when we arrive at St Peter’s Church. A blonde woman about my age in a white rugby shirt emblazoned with ‘George’ is going several rounds with a fire-breathing dragon. Parking ourselves on the curb, we cheer as George dispatches the dragon with the aid of protective potholders. Next, we have the French knight. Sir Fleur de Lis, with his waxy moustache, withdraws a white handkerchief. George counters. The fight very much resembles the troops of Morris dancers taking over the town for this folk and ale festival. This, I say to my friend, is why we root against France in the football. It’s just another form of pantomime.

The dispatched French knight now lies on the ground, a lance projecting from his body at a 45° angle. An incredibly tall man in a long white doctor’s coat, a top hat, and myopic spectacles seeks help from the audience to remove the weapon. Is there no one in the audience who can help remove the lance? He approaches a little boy who stares up with wide terrified eyes, then a little girl who ducks into her father’s side. Sensing that there are no sufficiently patriotic children to take up England’s Excalibur, the doctor approaches my friend, child height from her position on the pavement. Do you think you can pull it out? She hops up and runs to the fallen French knight with what I can only describe as a scamper.

After she hoists the lance – huzzah! – and the knight is at last resuscitated – ‘When all else fails, drink some Kentish ale’ – we move about taking in the food stalls and more flag-waiving dancers in tabards. Do you remember we saw that one old man perform the ‘The Ladies’ Fancy?’ my friend asks me. It was in Cambridgeshire; and I do. Ribbons were involved. English villages are so weird. Am I really thinking of moving back here?

#writerslife #writersinspiration #General Election #Canterbury #English villages #morris dancing #euros 2024

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lindsaywesker · 2 years ago

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Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Happy Hump Day!

Some of you look at TMI Tuesday and think, “What the actual f*ck?” Some of you think, “Sod that! Too many words! Don’t have time!” But, some people really love it so, I apologise if it gets on nerves, but there are a few trivia nerds on here that delight in the madness! As I said on Monday, the world is strange and getting stranger by the day!

Yesterday, I saw a video – and maybe you’ve seen this too? – of a young man, a far right racist, speaking in a church in Dunstable. A bloody church! Allegedly, a place of Christian worship? Trust me, there were no Christians in there that night! Just some ignorant fool talking about boat people (again!) The government are absolutely THRILLED that racists are stirring up hate (a.k.a. campaigning for them) because it distracts people from the circus of corruption that has daily performances (and a matinee on Saturday!) Every day, a new scandal is uncovered, but no one is scrutinising the blatant corruption because they’re too obsessed with boat people!

But nothing can quite compare with the insanity in America! Many conservative Americans object to black history being taught in schools. And I totally agree! They should teach white history! Teach the kids about Columbus landing in North America, claiming that he’d discovered it and then massacring millions of Native Americans. Teach them that! And then teach them about boatloads of slaves arriving from Africa and being treated like dirt from Day One. Teach the kids about slavery, the oppression, the discrimination and the senseless brutality of black people, even though they were building America and raising its kids. Yes, teach them white history! Teach them about the Tulsa Race Massacre, Emmett Till, George Stinney and the assassination of good men. American kids deserve to know white history!

Or maybe there is a country more delusional than America? Russia! Yes, our dear friend Vladimir actually told his followers yesterday that Ukraine STARTED the war! You couldn��t make it up!

We have to talk about the weather because it’s so important to our mental well-being (and our heating bill!) Massively relieved to see temperatures reaching as high as 11 degrees! We may even feel the sun poking out from behind the clouds this weekend! What a bloody relief! We’ll be down in Hove this weekend, so we might even get some even warmer sunshine? I shall have my sunnies out and be strutting my funky stuff on the promenade!

Have a wonderful and well-endowed Wednesday. I love you all. Yes, a crazy, bald man loves and cares about you.

#mixcloud #mi soul #dj #music #new blog #lockdown #coronavirus #books #weekend #democracy #brexit #cronyism #election #radio

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amidnightmoon · 2 years ago

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I wanna know about F1 au!! 🏎✨

i - i never saw this i am so sorry tasha 😭

There isn't much to say since it's on indefinite hiatus, but i think about it a lot, so who knows.

So uhm. Have this?

“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, located in sunny Portimão, Portugal! We hope you had a lovely summer break! We’re gearing up for the Portugal Grand Prix 2022 this weekend, and it’s looking like it’s going to be a promising race, and the weather will be perfect –temperatures in the low 20’s, not a cloud in the sky. The schedule will be as you’re used to �� the Friday reserved for the free practices, Saturday morning will have the last free practice before we go into qualification. On Sunday, ten past three pm sharp, we will see our favorite drivers do their formation lap, and then it’s ‘lights out and away we go’.”

#sam's post #my fics #sam's vragenbox

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theonehenryfox · 10 months ago

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Henry smiled and nodded. "Monaco is one of a kind, yes. I mean, not to snub all other circuits, but there's something about this place that makes everyone want to win here." He looked up at the sky, still clear as it was at that moment. "Even if sometimes the weather isn't all that good. Let's hope this nice, sunny one stays for the weekend, right?" He held his two hands together, his fingers fidgeting with the ring there. "I watched that race on F2 you won. Dad was all over the moon for it! He always said you would get far in this." He shrugged. "I don't think there has ever been a great pilot who didn't struggle to get to the top at first. The more you fight for it, the better it will feel when you get there, don't you think?" He blushed a little and chuckled. "Does that mean that if do good today, you will ask me to come to every race, so your good luck stays?" he asked with a playful tone, then at that moment some member of the credited press asked for a picture of the two of them together. Still holding his two hands in front of him, he turned around and leaned a bit to the driver's side, with a fond smile on his face.

It Happened on a Race Weekend || Henlex (24th May)

#p:it happened on a race weekend #para

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hey-kae · 2 years ago

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Caught

Pairing: Charles Leclerc x female reader

Request: could you possibly make a fic about reader and leclerc being in a secret relationship and it being exposed by reader wearing his jacket in public? lots of love<3

Warnings: a few curse words

a/n: i really liked this idea so I’m hoping you’ll like what i wrote!!

Both you and Charles were fully aware that attempting to sneak you into a Grand-Prix would be risky given the secret state of the new relationship that the two of you were building together.

But he just couldn't stand the fact that even after three months into dating, you had yet to see him race, live at least, because God knows there was no hope moving you away from in front of the television screen during race weekends.

Charles however still argued that "it's nothing like the real thing." and after a few weeks of nagging, you gave in and agreed to attend a Grand Prix.

You had a ticket for one of the grandstands so you could actually watch the race and while you repeatedly told Charles that that was enough, he still insisted on a paddock pass, telling you that being at the paddock didn't mean you were with him at the paddock, and it sure helped that you weren't an exactly known face around the F1 community. All you had to do was make sure that you wouldn't be seen with the Ferrari driver.

The plan was studied to perfection. Watch the race, hide somewhere around his motorhome and he would quickly run by and sneak you into it without anyone, not even his team noticing before he headed to the media pen then the two of you would leave back to the hotel in seperate cars just like you had arrived.

It was a risky plan that was more than prone to catastrophic failure but surprisingly, the two of you pulled it off, and even more surprisingly, still got exposed simply because of a foolish mistake.

The weather was supposed to be sunny and warm on race day and right until the end of the very last lap, it was. However, the pounding of the heavy rain was almost deafening as you waited for Charles to finish his interview on a red couch in his motorhome.

"Putain, it's really storming out there." Charles stumbled in with raindrops trickling down his race suit. He tossed an umbrella he had onto the desk, leaving droplets of water all over the place and moved towards you, putting out his hands for you to grab and pulling you up before planting a delicate kiss on your lips.

"So... Your opinion on racing?"

"Meh, gets boring about four laps in." You awaited his reaction and sure enough, his face dropped in shock within a tenth of a second.

"Relax." You laughed, resting your hands on his chest. "I'm kidding. I enjoyed it and you were amazing." You reassured and pecked his lips just as the smile returned to them.

After that, the two of you had decided to take a bit of time before leaving, to just wait until the paddock was at least a little less crowded.

Charles changed into black sweatpants and a simple shirt, gave you a small tour of the significantly small space that gave him a bit of privacy during the chaos of race weekends then the two of you sat cuddled up on the couch, listening to the rain and the chatters outside the door until it significantly calmed down.

"Okay, we should be good. You should leave before me 'cause i have to give the keys to the team. Just make a run for it and drive directly to the hotel. D'accord, cherie?" Charles instructed, getting up and pulling you onto your feet.

"Yeah, that should be easy."

You grabbed your stuff and got ready to sneak out while Charles checked if it was safe outside and if there was anyone watching and luckily, the coast was clear.

"See you in a little." You kissed his cheek and headed for the door only to be quickly pulled back by Charles.

"Hold on! It's not raining anymore, but it's still cold." He spoke before he began rummaging through his bag, eventually pulling out one of his jackets, "Wear this. I don't want you to feel cold or get sick."

"Oh! I''ll be fine, cheri! Don't worry."

"Yeah, no..." He came closer and draped the jacket over your shoulders. "Charles, no... What about you?" You worried about him just as he worried about you, not wanting him to feel chilly because you took his jacket. "I have the Ferrari raincoat." He grabbed you face and hastly kissed your lips, "Now, i would love to see you wearing it but that wouldn't be smart of us."

With that, you rushed towards your car under a slight drizzle, clutching Charles’ jacket around your body with its hood on while you passed among people, looking like just another person who had a paddock pass.

To you, it looked like everything went according to plan, that you had went unnoticed just like you hoped you would so when you reached your hotel room, you sighed in relief and sent Charles a message to let him know everything went well before going onto Twitter to pass some time until he got there.

Charles Leclerc

Trending in motorsport

Of course, you were curious to see what people were saying about your boyfriend so you clicked on his name and went on to scroll through the latest tweets.

A huge amount of them were in Italian but barely three tweets down, you stumbled across one that had been posted 27 seconds ago.

Um, who is she?? Cause that jacket is Charles Leclerc’s!!! He was wearing it yesterday when he arrived to the circuit!!!

Your heart was beating too fast for comfort as you read and reread the words, your eyes constantly darting to the low-quality picture of you by your car then in front of the hotel.

The replies were also interesting.

How did he pull her?!?!

Girl that’s literally the hotel where the drivers are staying!! New wag ig?

I saw her by his motorhome…

“Fuck…” You gaped at the screen, stunned at the way you and Charles had ruined a perfect plan because of a small detail you didn’t think through. He was wearing the jacket just yesterday and neither of you had remembered that.

You shut your phone and tossed it on the bed, the stress from the situation causing you to pace around the room, your eyes wide open as you spaced out. You wished Charles would arrive sooner.

Sure enough, someone knocked on your door after a few minutes of panic and you had immediately swung the door open and pulled your boyfriend inside.

Charles quickly took notice of your stress, the change of mood from when he last saw you less than half an hour ago to that moment being drastic.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He grabbed your hand to stop your constant movement and still you in front of him.

“I shouldn’t have come here, Charles.”

“Why? Did something happen? I need you to tell me if anything went wrong in your way out or over here.”

“The fucking jacket. You were wearing it yesterday during media day, Charles and now everyone is suspicious as to why some random girl was leaving the circuit in you clothes.” You had rambled mindlessly, something you tended to do if you were anxious about something.

“What? Where did you see that?”

“Twitter.”

That is when Charles realized that all the planning, sneaking around, hiding and denying were pointless because, instead of worrying right now, he had a small sentiment of joy from the thought of everyone knowing you were his girlfriend.

He just needed to know if you were ready for such a step, especially since he knew the reaction wouldn’t all be positive.

“Look at me.” He cupped your face and stepped closer, his eyes locking with yours managing to calm you down a little, “Why would it be bad if everyone saw you wearing my jacket? You look cute in it.”

He tried softening the question he actually wanted the answer to.

“Everyone would know we’re dating, Charles!”

“So? Why is that a bad thing? We’re going to have to go public at some point, chérie.”

You frowned at him, trying to make sense of what he meant.

Letting the world know that Charles was your boyfriend wouldn’t be bad; quite the opposite actually, it would make your life much easier and allow you to spend more time with him. Plus, at this point, it was inevitable. Sure, you could stay silent about everything but the pictures were there and everything was already basically exposed.

You might as well have fun with messing with people mind and then reveal the relationship in your own way.

“Fuck it. Let’s go public.” You chuckled and Charles immediately hugged you as a quick reaction to your words.

The two of you decided you wanted to let people speculate for a while by basically confirming the relationship in vague ways.

Charles went on instagram and found one of the posts about you and that jacket and then shared it to his story with the side-eyes, suspicious emoji while you took a selfie in the now infamous item of clothing, making sure that Charles’ Ferrari cap was halfway into the frame of the picture, right behind you, its red color very attracting to the eye and put it up on your story as well, seconds after Charles’ post.

It was minutes before people found your account, your instagram now filled with people freaking out while you sat by Charles’ side and laughed at some hilarious comments and reactions.

With that, the two of you let the conspiracy theories begin.

#charles leclerc imagines #charles leclerc x you #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc oneshots #charles leclerc one shot #f1 x reader #f1 oneshots #f1 imagines #f1 x you #charles leclerc fluff #charles leclerc drabble #charles leclerc blurb #charles leclerc imagine #f1 fic #f1 imagine

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milkybonya · 2 years ago

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u hate me, i love u _ pjh

order 050, @sunoo-bby : small classic milk tea with pudding and crystal tapioca pearls

#: enemies to lovers!, highschool!au, secret admirer, smol little drabble, fluff/minimal angst (?), your secret admirer is the person you hate the most

[💌: the xdinary heroes album is so good T.T also why do i feel like my writing is so awkward here uh </3]

when you open your eyes, you're met with the exact sight you were expecting to see. yet another note slipped between the cracks of your locker door.

you reach for it with a small smile, opening it inside the locker so no one else can see.

y/n

was your weekend okay? it was sunny, so i hope you got to enjoy the weather! the exam is coming up, too.. let's do our best but not get too stressed <3 enjoy this candy! i know it's your favourite :)

i just know you're beautiful today, too, as always ♡

- 꿀

you fold the note again after clutching it to your chest, placing it in the jar within your locker where all his notes are kept.

"reading those stupid notes again?" a voice whispers in your ear, making you jump.

"Jihoon! go away," you shriek, shoving the boy aside before you slam your locker shut.

he cackles dramatically.

"stay deluded," he tells you before walking away.

you glare at his backpack after he turns his back to you, finding a new pin added to his collection on his bag.

'꿀', it reads. the korean word for 'honey'. the same pseudonym your secret admirer uses. must be some crazy coincidence...

in class, Jihoon won't stop throwing tiny pieces of paper at you from behind. it frustrates you so much that you ask the teacher to use the bathroom. really, you just end up roaming through the halls, trying to calm down so you can focus again.

somehow, Jihoon finds you again, even in the hallway. unknowing to you, he felt bad and asked the teacher if he could grab some water just so he could run after you.

"can you please just leave me alone right now," you mutter at the ground, not even meeting his eyes once you notice him approaching you.

instead of leaving, he places a warm hand on your shoulder, making you look up.

"i'm sorry if i crossed the line, y/n," he says, his heart racing in his throat.

you've never seen him act so sweetly, so you tilt your head to the side, confused.

as you help the teacher collect the homework later that day, you can't stop staring at Jihoon's. the writing looks so familiar... when you ask Jihoon if you can take a photo of Jihoon's homework to check something, he smirks and tells you if you want to copy, you could just ask. you roll your eyes at him and take a photo of his writing, anyway.

you spend the day staring at the photo, wondering why it's so familiar. when you open your locker and your eyes fall on the jar of notes from 꿀, it clicks. you scramble to open one of the notes and compare it to the photo of Jihoon's writing.

it's a perfect match...

"your writing in your homework looks exactly like the writing in all these notes. also, you have a 꿀 pin on your backpack. it's too muxh now to be coincidence, no?" you tell Jihoon as you interrogate him after class.

he gulps and looks away.

"do you want me to be your admirer?"

"i--"

you're at a loss for words.

"you've caught me, y/n. and now it's up to you what you'll do next," he says quietly, playing with the strings of his hoodie.

"why are you so mean to me if you're ny admirer?" you ask.

he looks up at you with warm eyes that focus on a loose strand of your hair. his fingers reach out to push it out of your eyes.

"i just didn't want to get caught... so i acted the opposite of what i felt. i'm sorry if you were ever hurt by me."

you're baffled, but if this is your admirer, you can't give up on him so fast.

"take me on a date or two and i'll decide," you say, reaching for his hand.

his sad look turns into a smile as he squeezes your hand.

"really?"

"yes!"

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donaidk · 4 years ago

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Mick Schumacher - Worth the wait

I’m sorry for slacking in the last few days, I had a few things around uni I had to get done before sitting down and writing. But I’m now back with another Mick oneshot that I hope you guys will like 😊 Thank you for the request and wishing a great week for everyone 🥰🧡

Masterlist | Taglist/Queue | Request

Looking through the closet Y/N really didn’t know what she should put on for the day that was comfortable but at the same time would look good. Usually she wouldn’t really care about looks and fashion if she wanted to dress comfy, but knowing how many cameras and photographers will be there during the day, she felt like it was a must this time. All the fans looked at those photos before or after the races, her being one of them as on several occasions those were the only way for her to see Mick other than during their FaceTime calls. However, this time she would be on them too, and even though she promised herself it wouldn’t matter, in the end it wasn’t that easy to get over. She did care about what the fans will think about her, although less than what Mick’s crew members and team members will. That was probably the most nerve wracking part of the weekend. Y/N already met some of them as she attended the first practice session on friday, but staying in the background and not even entering the garage meant she stayed a stranger to them until today.

“ You can take something from mine if you would like. ” She heard from behind him and turning her head towards the voice she could see Mick getting ready just a few meters away from her. “ I have some team stuff too, if you need anything. ” He added, pointing at the suitcase that was still half full with black-red Haas branded shirts and sweaters. Y/N’s anxiety was quite visible on her face, and he knew wearing his shirts sometimes helped calm her down somehow.

“ Maybe. I don’t know… ” Y/N let out a sigh, debating if her wearing his things would bring positive or negative feedback. In the end she just took one of her favourite shirts of his, pushing every thought back as she pulled the material over her head, tucking it into her jeans a little. When she stepped out of the closet Mick was ready too, sitting on the bed and waiting for her. “ Ready! ” She added when he looked up at her and with a nod got up from the bed.

As it was a home GP for Mick they were able to stay in his home rather than a hotel room and start the day from there. It wasn’t a long drive from the apartment to the circuit, giving Y/N just around 20 minutes to prepare herself mentally for the day. Luckily it wasn’t her driving and she could just watch the trees and houses go by as they passed them on the way. She knew everything felt strange because it was just her first time attending a race, and that hopefully if there was going to be a next time, it would be a bit calmer. She didn’t know how people will act towards her, but after getting through the first meetings it will be easier to be around them. It was usually just the first impressions that made her so anxious.

“ They’re going to love you, don’t worry about it. ” They were just turning off the road towards the private parking lot of the circuit when Y/N started bouncing her knee a little bit and Mick could see it from the corner of his eye. “ I would be really surprised if there would be anyone who doesn’t like you by the end of the day. ” He chuckled, looking to his right when the car was parked and with one last squeeze to her hand, they both got out of the vehicle.

‘ Just don’t jinx it. ’ Y/N let out a sigh, taking her backpack out before stepping right next to Mick as she didn’t know where they had to go first. He shared the schedule with her, but it was a bit too much information all together, and she couldn’t really remember everything that was on the papers. Knowing that she will be either next to Mick or someone else from the team during the whole day was enough for her.

Getting to the entrance they both let themselves in with their passes, Y/N needing a bit of help from him initially, and as they were walking down the paddock Mick took her hand in his. Just seconds later she spotted a few photographers turning their way, but somehow she didn’t care about them. She never really cared about being photographed until it was done by official photographers and not just jealous fans or paparazzi on the streets. She wanted her private life out of the media, keeping all her social media pages private and only posting for her friends and family. Y/N did rarely appear on Mick’s posts or stories, but he was observant of her choices and made sure she was always okay with whatever he wanted to put out. This one time she was even looking forward to the photos taken of them, but would never admit it to anyone. She may have even smiled at a few of them when they passed their booth before entering the Haas hospitality.

“ Well, they probably already like you. Not all partners are that happy about them taking photos. ” Mick let her get through the door first, stepping next to her again inside. It wasn’t a huge building, but looking around quickly Y/N knew she would probably manage to get lost alone. “ If you need food or anything it’s there, and if you need quiet you can always just go to my room upstairs. ” He pointed in different directions, showing everything to her as they went to the stairs and up to the second level of the building.

“ I’m probably gonna stay mostly just out of the way. ” Y/N let out a sigh, following him inside the little room and just putting down her backpack on the sofa. “ Am I even allowed into the garage? Or is it just this building and the stands for guests? ” She asked, watching as he was already packing out a few things from his own bag.

“ Of course you’re allowed. Even if you weren’t I would get them to somehow let you in. It’s your choice if you would like to watch it from the garage or a stand seat. ” Mick shrugged a little, looking up at her with a smile on his face. For him it was still hard to believe that she actually came to the race and didn’t run away yet. “ I’m sure you won’t distract anyone. They’re gonna sit you down somewhere and just continue with their jobs. ” He added when Y/N still didn’t look convinced one bit, even though she knew Mick would never lie to her about anything.

“ I’ll probably just go there with you, watch the race itself from the stands, and then go back to the garage after the race. ” She decided a few minutes later when they were already leaving the building as he had to get some interviews out of the way before getting ready for the main event. She already knew his PR people as they did sometimes meet up with him on non race days too. “ Even at home I can’t stay put while you’re racing. I would just drive them round the bend, but you're the only one who should be driving today. ” Y/N let out a laugh at her own joke, seeing as Mick just shook his head.

When they got to the media pen she let go of his hand, letting him do his job and watching him talk to the reporters from the sidelines. She was too far away to hear any of it, but seeing the constant smile on his face showed Y/N that he was enjoying the questions. They could be a bit prying into his private life occasionally, but mostly they just stayed with the sport and only asked about his performance and opinion on the races. She really didn’t know how someone could enjoy people always questioning them, but she knew it was a part of Mick’s career and even if he didn’t want to do it sometimes, he had to. For her it was enough to just watch them and probably would have never chosen to do an interview if it wasn’t a must. She knew the drivers had media training, Mick probably a lot more thanks to his family, but she still couldn’t imagine how it felt doing this almost every week.

“ Less exciting bit of the day done. ” Mick came up behind her, his arms circling her waist as she turned around to take a few pictures of the sunny paddocks. It wasn’t the usual weather for the German GP, and it looked quite mesmerizing with the sun shining onto the circuit for once. “ Hopefully the weather can stay the same for the race. ” He added with a sigh but a grin got on his face when the camera was turned and Y/N took a selfie of them, almost immediately sending it to their two-family group chat.

“ I wouldn’t mind a bit of sunbathing either. ” She nodded, sliding her phone back into her pockets and turned towards Mick to hug him back. They had a bit of time before he had to get back to the team building and get on with the schedule. “ I’ll probably just catch up with your family while you have meetings, and then meet the team during lunch. If you have enough time of course. ” Y/N added, still looking up at him, remembering that his family is attending the race too. They couldn’t come to all of them, but as they were here already, it wasn’t difficult for them to stay a few days longer and watch the race.

“ We will probably. The race starts later anyway. ” Mick nodded, only letting go of her when they had to get going. Even then he held her hand, pulling Y/N closer when it got crowded around them, so he wouldn’t lose her among all the people. “ I’m gonna go and find you afterwards. Have fun. ” They shared a quick kiss as they arrived at the building and went their different ways. Mick inside for his meetings while Y/N tried to not get lost as she got to the part of the paddocks where Mick’s family sat down for a coffee.

Luckily a few minutes later she was already sitting next to Gina with a coffee in front of her, meaning she didn’t take a wrong turn anywhere. Thanks to Y/N studying away from Germany and Mick travelling around the world they don’t always get to talk in person. It was mostly just phone calls or FaceTime calls when she was with Mick. She sometimes talked to Gina as they weren’t too far apart in age and had a few interests in common, but not as much with Corinna, even though she felt like a second mother to her. She never thought her boyfriend’s family would become such a big part of her life. Actually, until Mick they never really mattered to her, but Corinna and Gina had such a positive attitude towards their relationship and her from the first second she was introduced to them, that they felt like a second family. If Mick’s friends were just a bit like his family she had nothing to fear.

“ Oh Corinna, didn’t know you guys are gonna be here. ” Looking to their right they saw Seb coming up to them, and greeting everyone with a quick hug before he turned to Y/N. “ And even bigger surprise. It’s great to see you here finally. ” He said with a grin, stepping back after their embrace so they all could see Lance coming up to them. Probably because of Seb and not them.

“ I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Y/N. ” She didn’t know where the courage came from to be so straight forward but hoped it won’t disappear in the next few minutes. She knew Seb pretty well already, as he was around Mick even on off days, and him being there helped her with opening up to Lance a bit.

“ I’m Lance and no, not yet. Although I’ve heard about you. ” Lance let out a little laugh while Y/N’s eyes went a bit wider than usual. “ Only good things. ” He added with a comforting smile, not wanting to scare her that she’s always a topic between them. She did remember a few occasions when Mick mentioned that he talks with Lance too, and not just Seb, but she never asked about the subject.

As they didn’t have to go anywhere, everyone decided that they would wait until Mick got to them. Since they arrived in the country they didn’t have more than a minute to sit still and talk with him, so they weren’t about to give up such a possibility. Y/N knew that Mick wouldn’t mind either, as he was always happy to catch up with friends, and after just a few minutes she didn’t mind either. Lance turned out to be a sweet person, just as Seb always was towards her and she actually was glad they met, and got to talk a little bit.

“ Are you usually travelling with him? ” Lance asked a bit later when they mentioned the next race and if she feels like attending again with all these new experiences.

“ Mostly just during the summer when uni is off my schedule. I usually just explored the cities while he raced. ” Y/N nodded a little, drinking the last bits of her coffee. “ Looks like I will watch the races instead of acting like a tourist. The timing is lucky, as I was about to run out of places to look at. ” She added with a smile, letting the waitress take away her empty cup.

“ Not many of us can get their partners to travel with them. He’s lucky with you in several ways. ” Lance let out a sigh, making Y/N blush and she was about to speak up when she felt two palms rest onto her shoulder.

“ I for sure am, even if I didn’t hear why. ” The owner of the hands spoke up, and a smile got on Y/N’s voice as she immediately recognized Mick’s voice, looking up at him for a second. “ Looks like you’re gonna meet everyone important on the first day. ” He glanced down at her before pulling a chair next to them so he could sit down too after greeting everyone.

“ I never feared your friends. The team is another different question. ” Y/N shook her head a little, looking at him for a bit too long before getting back to the conversation that got disrupted. They stayed right until lunchtime hit and they had to leave for their separate team building while Corinna and Gina went for a walk before the race.

The team members were intimidating at first as there were many of them and they were all curious about her, asking questions so they could get to know her. Luckily minutes after they sat down with their plates of food, everyone calmed down a little and they could finally find the common voice. In the end the meal was an experience that she could put onto the positive part of the list of the day. In the end she even found a few people to talk to while Mick was getting ready. She did go up to his drivers room a few minutes before they would leave, to have a few words with him before the race. He was already in his racing suit, although it was just halfway done, with the top half hanging down from his waist, and for a second Y/N forgot why she was there actually. Somehow the thin white material looked just as good on him as being shirtless did.

“ You’re off to the stands? ” Mick’s voice got her back from thoughts-land and she nodded as soon as her brain finally understood the question. “ We can meet here after the race if you want. They will let you guys in without any trouble. ” He offered, Y/N again just nodding as she didn’t trust her voice until he stepped back a little.

“ Yeah, that sounds good. ” She finally spoke up when Mick stepped back for one more thing and she felt like she could breathe again. “ Be careful. ” Y/N added, returning the quick kiss he initiated and it was a fight with herself to step back and leave the room. It was her first time she was here to witness moments like these, and Y/N couldn’t understand why she made the wait so long for herself.

From the moment she left the building everything happened as they discussed. She watched Mick race everyone and give his all from the stands, sitting next to Gina. They celebrated together with the crowd when the cars crossed the finish line for the last time and while he got the car back to the garage and parked it, they walked back down there. All three of them let the team congratulate him for a fantastic drive, before they stepped up to him one by one, Y/N closing the line. She didn’t really care as this way she could stay next to Mick from the moment he hugged her and didn’t have to step away until he went to change into normal clothing. In the end, even though they planned a private dinner, Y/N felt so secure with his team that they joined them in the hotel restaurant and celebrated the race together with everyone else working next to Mick and his teammate. However Y/N imagined this day would turn out, it exceeded all her expectations.

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callivich · 4 years ago

Text

I love the idea of time travel and I just couldn’t get this idea out of my head, so here’s a little time travel story! Reworked this so it’s slightly different and longer! Planning on a part two soon.....

———

Ian had been standing in the kitchen of his and Mickey’s new apartment. He had been about to make some coffee and take it to his husband who was still sleeping. Everything had been normal and fine - he’d been idly thinking about what they were going to do that day. It was Saturday and Mickey had, the night before, demanded not to be woken early, but other than that, they had no plans. Maybe a dip in the pool? It was sunny, but not too warm, which was good because the slightly cool weather meant less people in the pool.

And, just as he was imagining swimming lazily in an empty pool with his husband, it seemed like he blinked and the whole world had shifted sharply. He felt dizzy and his vision swam, his body felt weak and he collapsed against a nearby wall, trying to catch his breath. It was like no feeling he’d ever experienced.

Blinking furiously, he noticed something alarming - he was not leaning against his kitchen wall, he was somewhere else. Somewhere he never thought he’d ever go again. Somewhere it was impossible to go again, but he recognised it immediately. The Milkovich house. He glanced around at his surroundings, struggling to understand how he could be standing outside Mickey’s old bedroom. What the fuck?? Was he dreaming? Or, worse, hallucinating? If he was dreaming or hallucinating, it was the most realistic thing he had ever experienced, there was nothing dreamlike about it. Everything looked exactly the same as he remembered - the signs on Mickey’s door, the dirt covered carpet, the dimly lit hallway - it even smelled the same - that stale mixture of smoke, beer and sweat.

It was too much - this situation he found himself in, it couldn’t be real, and yet, apparently it was. He felt a sharp burst of panic, his chest felt tight, and he reflexively clenched his hands, trying to calm himself. It was then he realised he was holding something. It was heavy and solid in his hand, and as he stared at it, it took him a few seconds to understand what he was seeing - it was a tire iron. And then everything began to click into place - he noted his worn, hand-me-down clothes and when he reached up to feel his hair with his free hand, his fingers found bangs. An overwhelming feeling of familiarity washed over him, he remembered these clothes, he remembered holding the tire iron and he remembered why he was holding the tire iron. Most importantly, he remembered this day. It was the day that everything changed between him and Mickey - the stolen gun, the fight, the sex - and he was in his teenage body. Shit.

Ian didn’t know what to do. This was impossible. There was simply no way it was possible. And yet, here he stood, years in the past. His mind began to race with possibilities - should he leave? and go where? back to the Gallagher house? or should he stay here and wait to see what happens? would anything happen? would he blink and be back in his kitchen? or was he stuck here in the past forever? He wanted to go home, to his apartment with Mickey, he wanted his husband. Mickey. A thought occurred to him - maybe Mickey, his Mickey, was here too? Not that would automatically fix everything, but at least Ian wouldn’t be alone. He stared at the door, he needed to know either way - either Mickey was also, somehow, here in the past, and they could figure this out together, or he was about to run into angry, teenage Mickey, who perhaps didn’t hate Ian as much as Ian had assumed at the time, but was definitely not his friend.

He paused outside the door, and as he took a deep breath, his hand tightened on the tire iron - unsure if he should just leave it on the floor. He definitely wasn’t going to hit Mickey with it, but if it was teenage Mickey in there, then Ian hoped the sight of the tire iron would stop Mickey from hitting him. Ian pushed open the door, and softly shut it behind him with a click. There was Mickey, laid out on the bed, face down, asleep, just as Ian remembered. It was bizarre seeing this again, at the time he had no idea how this day would change his life, but here it was - the moment that their lives began to become entwined.

This wasn’t the time to reminisce though. Ian gently, much more gently than he had done so originally, poked Mickey in the back with the end of the tire iron. Perhaps too gently, because Mickey didn’t move. This was promising - teenage Mickey was a light sleeper, but in the safety of their apartment, adult Mickey had began to sleep heavily, and Ian hoped that the fact Mickey didn’t move immediately meant that this was his husband.

“Mickey. Wake up.” Ian moved closer to the bed, and tapped him on the back with his free hand.

That did it, there was an annoyed groan, and Mickey turned his head, so Ian could now see his dirt-smudged face, but didn’t open his eyes, only muttering a tired, “No.” This was different to what had happened before, but Ian still wasn’t sure if this was his Mickey or teenage Mickey.

“Wake up.” Ian tried again, this time giving his shoulder a shake.

“Fucks sake, Ian, it’s the weekend....I wanna sleep in.” Mickey mumbled, sleepily. Still, he didn’t open his eyes, just reached out a hand, and when he didn’t feel anything but an empty space, he continued, “Come back to bed.”

It seemed like Mickey thought Ian should be in bed with him, and relief flooded through Ian. This was his Mickey! Now he just needed to actually wake the fuck up.

Feeling more confident, he sat down on the bed next to Mickey, dropped the tire iron on the floor, and ran a hand down his back. “Mick. Open your eyes. But don’t freak out.”

“What am I gonna freak -” And then he was speechless. His eyes were finally open and he looked at Ian in shock. “What the fuck?”

“I know.”

Mickey’s eyes darted around the room, back to Ian, down at himself, and then settled on Ian. He reached a hand out to touch Ian’s face softly, running his fingers over the freckles. “Fuck. What’s going on? How...”

“I don’t know?! I was in the kitchen, I was going to make coffee, and then suddenly I was here and shit, I thought I was dreaming, or hallucinating, but this is all so real. So it must be real?” The words tumbled out and Ian was so glad that he wasn’t going to have to deal with this alone.

“I don’t....the last thing I remember was going to bed with you.” Mickey sat up, and swung his legs around to sit close to Ian. “This is fucked up. It’s fucking impossible.” He ran a hand down his face, before turning to stare at Ian again in disbelief. And Ian couldn’t help but do the same back - he still couldn’t believe his eyes.

“What are we going to do?” Ian broke the silence, they couldn’t sit here staring at each other all day.

“Shit. I don’t fucking know.” Mickey frowned for a moment, as if considering something and then pinched Ian on the arm.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“In case it’s a dream.”

“You’re supposed to pinch yourself.” Ian grumbled, as he pinched Mickey on the arm. “There. Feel real?”

“Hardly felt that, but yeah.” He looked around his room. “So, I guess we’re in the past. That means -”

Mickey didn’t have time to finish his sentence because the door opened and a ghost entered. Or rather, not a ghost, someone who was very much alive. Terry. Mickey instantly tensed up, his hands balling into fists. Terry made his way into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Ian didn’t think, he just pulled Mickey close, hugging him tight.

“Fuck. Shit.” Mickey let out a shuddering breath. “Ian, we can’t.” He moved away reluctantly. Ian felt his heart clench but nodded, shifting away to the end of the bed. Of course they couldn’t hug, not here, not now. Fuck. Ian wanted to punch the wall. Mickey pinched the bridge of his nose, “I can’t fucking be here, man.” He jumped up and threw on some more clothes and some shoes.

Terry stumbled back out of the bathroom, and Mickey froze, his eyes wide, still unbelieving of what he was seeing. He kept staring at the door after Terry left. It was surreal seeing Terry alive, walking around like normal. And if Ian thought it was surreal, he couldn’t imagine what Mickey was thinking. Or rather, he probably could guess. His mind drifted to thoughts of Monica - she was alive here, what would it be like to see her again? Would he felt strange? Horrified? Upset? And Frank....shit, Frank had only just died, but right now, he was alive.

He pushed the thoughts away, they needed to leave. This was all too confusing. Mickey had only just finally come to terms with Terry’s death and this....this fucked up situation was only going to cause him pain. And Ian was still going through some pretty strange and surprisingly upsetting emotions about Frank’s death, it was all still so raw. Neither of them needed to be confronted by their dead fathers (did anyone ever?), especially not so close to said fathers deaths. The room felt too small, too hot, Ian knew they needed to leave. It was impossible to think here.

“Let’s get out of here.” Ian tugged on Mickey’s hand, squeezing it gently, before dropping it.

“Where?” Mickey questioned, shrugging on a coat.

“One of the abandoned buildings? At least then we know we’ll be alone. And we can try and figure out what we’re going to do.”

Mickey gave a whispered “yeah” and flung open his bedroom door, hurrying towards the front of the house, causing Ian to jog behind him to catch up. He was about to reach him when Mandy appeared. Ian’s stomach did a pleasant flip when he saw her - he’d missed her so much and here she was, looking exactly the same as he remembered. He fought the urge to hug her tightly.

“Ian? Are you ok?” Her eyes searched his face curiously, like she could tell something was wrong. But that was stupid, Ian thought, even if she could, she would never guess it was that Ian and Mickey had somehow time travelled from the present back to the future.

“Uh...yeah. I just...” He couldn’t help it - he glanced at Mickey who had paused by the front door, looking over his shoulder at Ian. “I gotta go home.”

“Ok. But-”

“Everything’s fine, Mandy. I’ll see ya.” He could hear the tremble in his voice and he could tell from the slight frown on her face that she was concerned. She looked back and forth between Ian and Mickey, her eyes narrowing and noticing Mickey’s hand on the door. “Where are you going, shithead?”

“Out.” And with that, Mickey practically flung himself through the doorway and made his way onto the sidewalk. Ian waved a hand in Mandy’s direction, wishing he could explain to her but knowing he couldn’t, and headed out, shutting the door behind him. He felt guilty brushing her off, but Mickey was his priority.

“Mick.” He called out as he caught up. He bumped his shoulder against Mickey’s and they began to make their way to one of the more isolated abandoned buildings, both knowing which one they should go to. They walked in silence, both of them struggling to make sense of where, and when, they found themselves. So, it was no surprise that neither of them noticed the figure that followed them.

——

Ian watched Mickey as he climbed the old, battered stairs in front of him, he could see the heavy tension in his shoulders. It was familiar but not something he had seen in awhile. Mickey was relaxed and happy, most of the time, they were finally settling into the West Side and things were good - safe and stable - and their days were filled with kisses and laughter, they just were enjoying being together. But, now, they had been thrown backwards to a time when things were dangerous and unstable and complicated.

There was a splintered door, which Mickey kicked open with his foot. He sighed heavily and Ian grasped his hand, leading him towards one of the walls. They sunk down onto the floor, backs against the cold brick. Ian moved to cuddle Mickey close, but it was awkward. He was used to being able to hold Mickey easily, but here, now, as they were a similar height, it was different. He had never had the luxury of being able to hug or be close to Mickey like this back then, so he wasn’t used to trying to hold him like this. Eventually, with some fumbling, they managed to find a good angle. Mickey slumped down a bit, and Ian put his arm around Mickey’s shoulders, they were pressed close, and Mickey threw one leg over Ian’s, and rested his head close to Ian’s neck.

“This isn’t fucking fair.” Mickey whispered. “What the fuck is this shit and why is it happening to us?”

“I’m scared.” Ian replied, using his free hand to grab one of Mickey’s. “What if we’re stuck here?”

“Your meds.” Mickey squeezed Ian’s hand. “What are we going to do about your meds?”

“I don’t....” Ian faltered. He hadn’t even considered that. What was he going to do? He hadn’t been diagnosed back then, now, so what did that mean in terms of his illness? The fear that had been bubbling under the surface suddenly began to overflow. What the fuck was he going to do? “I don’t know. Shit. Mick. I don’t-”

“We’ll figure it out.” Mickey put his free hand on top of his and Ian’s clasped ones. Ian wanted to believe Mickey but he didn’t feel convinced, and as confident as Mickey sounded, Ian could hear the worry.

“Ok. Yeah. We’ll figure it out. But, what are we going to do, like right now? We can’t stay here tonight.”

“I can’t go back there. I can’t see-”

“I know. I know. We’ll stay at my house.” Ian cut him off before he could say his father’s name. It felt strange saying that - my house - because it wasn’t, not anymore. His house, his home, was the apartment he shared with Mickey.

“And how the fuck do we explain that? And what about Frank? You gonna be able to deal with seeing him again?”

“Don’t care.” He heard Mickey snort. “I don’t care Mick, you’re my fucking husband, and I love you and we need to-”

“Holy fucking shit! What the hell is this?” A shocked voice cut through the air, startling both of them.

Ian and Mickey jerked their heads up at the same time to see Mandy standing in the doorway, a look of complete and utter disbelief on her face. They had been so wrapped up in their problem, that they hadn’t noticed her following them or heard her making her way up the steps of the building. They slowly disentangled from each other in a way that Ian noted would not have happened in their teenage years. Mickey would have shoved Ian off back then, but now, he was so used to not hiding or feeling afraid that he didn’t. As much as Ian would like to focus on the growth Mickey was showing, he knew he couldn’t. Because right now, the stakes were too high.

Ian’s heart pounded, he knew they needed to say something. He could trust Mandy. He had done so before. But fuck, there was so much more he knew in hindsight. So many more terrible, violent things that he knew he could not let any of them go through again.

Which is why he blurted out the first thing he thought of, “It’s cold. We were cold, so we were just warming up.”

Ian didn’t need to look at Mickey to know he was probably rolling his eyes.

“Cold?” Mandy folded her arms and leaned against the wall. “Thank fuck I’m not a cop Ian because you would not last-”

“What the fuck are you doing here? You follow us?” Mickey interrupted. “Go away.”

“No. Not until you tell me what’s going on.” Mandy pushed off the wall and walked to towards them. “Ian, what’s going on? I thought you and Kash-”

“Fuck him.”

“Shut up, Mickey. I’m talking to Ian.”

“Mandy, please. This isn’t what it.....can you just forget you came here? Please? And please don’t say anything. To anyone.” Ian pleaded. He needed her to go. He loved her, and he loved seeing her again, but fuck, this was not the time. He couldn’t think with her here. All he kept thinking of was when Terry found him and Mickey - that horrible morning that always made his stomach churn when he thought about it. He didn’t think Mandy would tell. But in that moment it felt like it was too much - someone else knowing - he just couldn’t handle it right now. He just wanted to be with Mickey. “I’m begging you, Mandy. Please.”

Mandy bit her lip, in the same way Ian had seen Mickey do a thousand times. She looked back and forth between them, uneasy and suspicious, Ian realised he had tears in his eyes and he could see the exact moment Mandy noticed. “Fine. But you owe me an explanation Ian. And so do you Mickey.”

“Yes.” Ian breathed in relief. And he watched her turn on her heel and leave. They stood in silence until they were sure she was gone.

“So, what now?” Mickey pulled Ian close, his arms winding around his waist.

“Maybe if we fall asleep, we’ll wake up back home?” Ian hoped more than anything that would be true.

“Thought you were awake when you came here. Back? Now? Whatever.”

“I was but....who the fuck knows right? It’s worth a try.”

“Yeah. Maybe. But we can’t sleep here.”

#gallavich #gallavich fic #ian gallagher #mickey milkovich #shameless #headcanon #as always feel free to continue this or add to it!!#I think this idea would be great written by someone who is good at multi-chapter fics #I’m not great at that #so very happy if anyone wants to take this idea and do their own thing with it #or remix it or use parts of it #btw sorry but I’m probably not going to continue this #but they definitely get home safely

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