#hoping for sunny weather for race weekend | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

vro0m · 2 years ago

Text

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 après 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

18 notes · View notes

ronaldanthony4 · 1 month ago

Text

Once again, I've set out to create another piece of digital art, but this time, it’s fan art of a character that brings out the spirit of pure childhood joy. Meet Ella Bella, the cheerful and lively protagonist from the animated show "Ella Bella Bingo." This artwork portrays her as she appeared in the 2020 CGI film adaptation, a version of her character that I find both captivating and nostalgic. Her vibrant personality and infectious energy are captured in every brushstroke, making her come to life on the digital canvas. Ella Bella's mischievous smile and playful demeanour are sure to bring a smile to anyone who views this fan art.

I've captured Ella in her signature pink tunic, layered over a simple white shirt in this artwork. The bright colours mirror her sunny personality, and I chose a vibrant outdoor background to match her love for play and exploration. Her expressive, sparkling blue eyes are wide open with a look of curiosity and mischief, while her brown hair is styled in that carefree, tousled look I associate with her character’s energetic spirit. I wanted to give her a stance that speaks of confidence and creativity, so I positioned her with her hands on her hips, as though she’s about to embark on a new adventure or solve a problem in her unique, imaginative way.

Ella Bella is no ordinary 5-year-old; she’s the heartbeat of her world. Her home, Sunshine Gardens, is a close-knit community where she lives with her dad, friends, and neighbours. What I love most about this character is how her optimism and creativity turn even the simplest situations into adventures. She’s always fizzing with enthusiasm and ideas, ready to dive into whatever "Uh-oh, what a pickle!" moment comes her way. Ella’s problem-solving ability shines in these situations, making her a joy to watch and, in this case, to illustrate.

The relationships in "Ella Bella Bingo" are the core of what makes the show so special. Sunshine Gardens isn’t just a place; it’s a community where everyone looks out for one another, creating a warm, supportive environment for Ella and her friends to thrive. This sense of belonging and family is something I hoped to convey subtly through the cheerful background. To me, the world of Ella Bella is an embodiment of community spirit, where each neighbour is like an extended family. I feel like capturing this world and this character is a small way to celebrate the values of friendship, resilience, and imagination that Ella Bella brings to life.

I was especially inspired by the 2020 film, where Ella Bella and her best friend Henry embark on an ambitious project to create a circus together. In the film, a new kid named Johnny arrives in town and catches Henry’s interest, sparking a bit of jealousy in Ella. This classic childhood scenario—friendship, rivalry, and the fear of losing a close friend—played out beautifully in the story, adding depth to Ella’s character. I wanted to capture a hint of that determination and independence in her expression, reflecting her growth and her eventual acceptance that friendships can be shared and still be strong.

I originally planned to finish this artwork on November 20th, to celebrate World Children’s Day. That date seemed perfect for honouring Ella Bella, a character who embodies so much of what makes childhood so special. But with the looming threat of a typhoon predicted to make landfall this weekend, I worried that power outages might interfere with my plans, possibly lasting for days. So, I decided to start the artwork early, diving into the world of Sunshine Gardens with a sense of urgency and excitement. It felt like a little adventure of my own, racing against the weather to bring Ella Bella to life on my screen.

When Wednesday does arrive, in celebration of World Children’s Day, I plan to watch the 2020 Ella Bella Bingo film. It will be a way to reconnect with Ella’s story, to dive into that world of innocence and friendship once more. This artwork, in a way, is my tribute to that world—a world where problems are solved with a bit of creativity, where friendship is everything, and where the simplest moments are filled with wonder. It reminds me of the joy and magic that childhood brings, and how important it is to hold onto that sense of wonder as we grow older. Creating this piece has allowed me to capture a piece of that magic and share it with others, spreading a little bit of happiness in the process.

For now, I’m just grateful I could capture a bit of Ella’s essence in this piece, and I hope it brings others as much joy as the character brings to me. Whether or not the typhoon hits, Ella’s energy and optimism are reminders to weather whatever life throws at us, with a smile and a dash of imagination. In a world that can often feel chaotic and uncertain, finding inspiration in fictional characters like Ella can provide a sense of comfort and hope. Embracing the whimsy and positivity of characters like Ella can serve as a reminder to approach life with resilience and creativity.

0 notes

newstfionline · 5 months ago

Text

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

1 note · View note

freedformwriter · 6 months ago

Text

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

0 notes

lindsaywesker · 2 years ago

Text

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

1 note · View note

theonehenryfox · 1 year ago

Text

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

31 notes · View notes

hey-kae · 2 years ago

Text

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

1K notes · View notes

milkybonya · 2 years ago

Text

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!"

211 notes · View notes

donaidk · 4 years ago

Text

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.

212 notes · View notes

sebsdaniel · 3 years ago

Note

Happy Monday Motivation! 🍀

Another week and here in Amsterdam the sun is shining as brightly as ever. Hopefully this week will represent the sun, not dark rainy clouds. And when you do get those dark rainy clouds, know that you cannot have sunny days without a little rain. The combination between rain and sun is what makes gorgeous flowers bloom. 🌻🌹🌷

Okay enough philosophical bullshit 😂 I hope you have an amazing week! I hope that this race weekend will be kind to your favorites! One goal I have for this week? Try to not close myself up in my room over the stress of deadlines.

Aaaaah this is amazing, Babette hahaha! Weather is sunny here too and I already got some good news, so thx for this☺️❤️

And I definitely have the same goal in my final deadline week ever at uni!

Same to you, love!

#thanks!

2 notes · View notes

formationlapsz · 3 years ago

Note

Happy Monday Motivation! 🍀

GOOD MORNING BABETTE ☀️ happy barcelona race week!! the weather here is lovely! its starting to look like summer more and more with each passing day, the covid restrictions are being lifted and its the first time in a while where I can say that life seems a bit brighter, a bit more positive 🥰 I hope this week treats you kindly, I hope you achieve all your goals and may this week brings you all the happiness in the world 💛💛

#babette🌼#asks

2 notes · View notes

the-dream-team · 4 years ago

Photo

What I Would Do

Read it on AO3

“And if you come anywhere within spitting distance of my friends again, you’ll lose a lot more than your voice, Mulciber .”

Lily Evans stared down the Slytherin whose ability to speak she’d stolen with a well-practiced Silencing Charm. Unable to spit out anymore foul language, Mulciber narrowed his eyes and stormed off towards the dungeons, accepting defeat. She turned to Mary and gave her a small smile. That problem was taken care of. For now, at least.

“Oh, that was marvelous!” came a clear, familiar voice from across the corridor. “Evans, you’re one helluva witch, have I told you that yet today?” Jamie Potter grinned at Lily, one hand clutching her stupid stolen snitch and another combing through her tangle of wild curls. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew followed close behind her, as they always did. She playfully swatted Sirius’ shoulder and tugged at her shirt collar. “Padfoot, you know I can’t resist a girl who stands up against those bastard Death Eaters-in-training.” Sirius barked out a laugh.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Knock it off, Potter, or you’ll be next on my hit-list.”

Jamie’s grin only broadened. “Evans, you drive me crazy, you know that? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, what I would do if you started flying for the other team…”

As Jamie and her posse sauntered off down the hall, Mary sighed.

“It must be hard for her,” she said softly.

“Hard for who, Potter?” asked Lily in disbelief.

“Yes, Jamie, ” said Mary. “Having those kinds of unrequited feelings seeing as she’s the only girl here who… y’know.”

Lily’s mouth gaped open. “Mary! There are no feelings involved. Potter just can’t let go of an old joke.”

Mary raised her eyebrows. “If you say so.”

Unbelievable. Lily crossed her arms and furrowed her brow the rest of the way to the Library. Unrequited feelings my arse, she thought with a huff. Potter had been acting out the same schtick for years. She loved boasting about her deep, dramatic attraction towards Lily (most often in public places) and calling Lily’s preferences into question. It made her uneasy, and Potter knew it. Jamie liked rileing her up.

Of course, she had to admit it hadn’t started as a joke. Their third year, during a particularly rowdy Herbology lesson, Lily and Jamie got into a row over the Leaping Toadstools they were meant to be picking in the forest. After some bickering over who would be in charge of catching the mushrooms and a bit of shoving back and forth, Lily eventually threatened Jamie with a Bat-Bogey hex if she kept getting in her way.

Before she could stop herself, in front of the entire class, Jamie practically shouted, “Bloody hell, Evans, what I would do if only you were into girls.”

The heat burned so deeply on Lily’s cheeks that day, sometimes she still felt the licks of fire teasing her skin nearly four years later. The panic. The embarrassment. The fear. It all boiled up from her knotted stomach and racing heart, presenting as a disgusted expression that could only be painful for the receiving end.

Jamie’s usually confident smirk had been replaced with a gaping mouth and... were those tears welling in her eyes?

After the initial shock, Lily tried softening her expression, but the damage was done. In an instant, Jamie swiped a hand under her glasses, ran another through her fringe, and put on a forced lopsided grin. “So, er, you’ll keep me updated if anything changes, yeah?”

She let out a laugh, looking for the boys to back her up. They chuckled along with her the best they could while Jamie shrugged to the class and went back to their Toadstools, avoiding Lily’s eye for the rest of the lesson.

A stormcloud of guilt brewed in Lily’s chest the following weeks. Jamie had taken to staying in the boy’s dorm to avoid any kind of contact with her and the other girls. Sirius had stepped up, becoming extra protective of her and sending daggers at anyone who dared to even glance in Jamie’s direction. Lily tried getting her alone to apologize for weeks before eventually cornering her and Remus one day after Defense Against the Dark Arts.

“Potter,” said Lily, breathless as she chased her down the hallway, “please, I wanted to talk to you.”

Jamie spun around with a dazzling smile. “Evans! Coming to tell me you’ve finally changed your mind?”

The flirtatious wink sent Lily over the edge, her planned speech quickly abandoned. “Oh, you’re impossible!”

“Don’t worry, love,” Jamie casually laughed, “take your time, I can wait.”

Completely speechless and beyond flustered, Lily had no choice but to storm away. She was thirteen and emotional, and years away from controlling the way her feelings manifested themselves. So for the following weeks (and then years) as Jamie kept up the teasing, Lily responded emphatically with thunderous huffs and exaggerated scoffs.

By seventh year, their routine became so practiced, Lily barely noticed her heart skip anymore when Jamie shot off her endless string of compliments. Barely flinched when Potter suggested there could be a question of Lily’s tastes.

There weren’t any questions.

She didn’t fancy girls.

Had there been close calls through the years? Sure.

On a warm spring day down by the lake, when Dorcas placed an innocent hand on Lily’s thigh while laughing at a dumb joke, had Lily’s stomach somersaulted in a not-totally-unpleasant way? Yes. Had she spent the next few months secretly hoping it would happen again? Possibly.

Had there been times where Lily caught her eyes wandering to the hems of skirts or lingering on Jamie’s impossibly long eyelashes, only magnified by those stupid, round wire-rimmed lenses? It didn’t matter.

Those moments weren’t real. They never formed as full sentences in her head, mentally blocked before they took shape. The heat on her leg left behind from Dorcas’s touch didn’t mean anything if she didn’t give it a name. Ideas could float untethered around her mind as long as they never met the ground.

The thoughts she had about boys were real. Shared giggles with Mary about Sirius Black’s sharp jawline or Amos Diggory’s playful charm flowed with ease. Her crush on Remus Lupin during their fourth year terrified her to admit out loud, but there had never been a question about whether she was allowed to let her imagination run wild over his floppy sandy hair and pleasant quiet smile. Boys were easy.

The thought of liking girls never would have crossed her mind if Jamie hadn’t said those words to her in Herbology all those years ago. Lily hadn’t even known that was an option before. Perhaps if Jamie had kept her mouth shut, if she hadn’t spent the next four years poking and prodding at Lily’s very secure sexuality, then Lily would never have found herself repeating the whispered phrase in her mind,

Please don’t let me fancy girls. Please, please don’t let me fancy girls.

***

On one unusually warm and breezy day in March, Professor Slughorn called for Lily to stay behind for a moment after Potions. She waved on her friends, promising to meet them at the Great Hall later for lunch, and happily made her way to the front of the classroom.

“Miss Evans!” boomed Slughorn. “I had a favor to ask of you if you’d be up to it.”

“Of course,” she said. The Potions Professor had always been one of her biggest supporters at Hogwarts and she rarely passed up an opportunity to lend a hand.

“You see, I’ve completely run out of Flobberworm Mucus and I’ve got a lesson on Sleeping Draughts for my first years this afternoon.” He checked his watch and shook his head as a group of fourth years started parading into the dungeons. “And as you can see, I’ve got classes back to back until then! My dear, would you mind running down to Pippen’s Apothecary during your lunch break? I can write you a note and let Minerva know you’ll be popping down to Hogsmead for just a moment…”

“I’d be more than happy to,” said Lily, eager to get outside and stretch her legs. The prospect of getting to see the little village outside of the usually scheduled trips thrilled her.

“Wonderful!” said Slughorn, summoning a piece of parchment and adding his signature in a swooping, elegant script. “A tankard of mucus should do, and of course they know where to bill it to.”

Lily grabbed the note with a grin and spun on her heel to head out the door, practically skipping on her way out.

The moment she stepped outside the castle, her lungs filled with a humid air, fresh from the previous night’s rain. Puddles littered the pathways, serving as an extra reminder to enjoy the sunny weather when it managed to crash through the otherwise constant cover of clouds. With a squeal of excitement, Lily shrugged off her robes and rolled up her sleeves, letting the warm breeze wash over her skin and whip through her hair.

A rare taste of independence played on Lily’s lips, curling up the corners into a wide smile. She held onto the precious moment alone, briskly walking towards the village as she imagined what life outside of Hogwarts had in store for her. Adulthood approached as quickly as the little shops and bustling pathways of Hogsmeade Village, and soon she reached her destination.

Faint, tinkling bells announced Lily’s arrival as she stepped through the front door of Pippen’s Apothecary. Sunlight poured through the large front windows, soaking the rows of shelves with a golden glow. Bundles of herbs, jars of multi-colored liquids, and barrels of crystals lined the shop’s walls and overflowed into its hallways. And towards the front of the store, a knobly old man in a well-worn cloak stroked a mewing black cat with round, yellow eyes.

“Welcome to Pippens,” he smiled. “It’s not a Hogwarts weekend, is it?”

Lily ignored the disappointed pang of being recognized as a student and approached the front counter. “No, sir, it’s a tuesday,” she said. “I’ve just been sent by Professor Slughorn to pick up a tankard of Flobberworm Mucus.”

“Ah, of course,” said the man, squinting down at Lily’s note. “Old Horace runs through that mucus faster than a unicorn during a solar eclipse.”

She let the unfamiliar metaphor fall to the side with a chuckle and watched the shopkeeper shuffle back into his storage closet. The cat nudged Lily’s arm with a soft meow, unflinching towards the clanking and bumping sounds of the man pouring a thick liquid into a pint-sized container.

“I’ve put Horace’s invoice in the bag here,” said the man, handing over a canvas tote with the mucus lovingly wrapped up inside. “He knows where to find me!”

Lily thanked him with and grin and gave the cat another scratch behind the ears before turning to leave.

“Now you didn’t hear this from me,” called the man as Lily was halfway out the door, “but Fortescue’s brought his ice cream cart out for the first warm day of the year, and I hear he’s handing out free samples.” He sent a cheery wink in her direction.

“Oh, thank you, sir!” Lily beamed and she waved goodbye.

Ice cream sounded lovely.

The cart wasn’t hard to find, as a small crowd of villagers had lined up to take advantage of Fortescue’s deal. The giddiness of being surrounded by adults in the real world fluttered back as Lily queued with other shopkeeps on their lunch breaks and locals enjoying an afternoon on the streets. When it came her turn to order, she received a generous sample of the mint chocolate chip and a sweet smile from Florean Fortescue himself.

She couldn’t dream up a more perfect afternoon. Lily walked slowly through the streets of Hogsmead, determined to drink in as much of the gorgeous day as possible. The trees, just starting to bud, swayed back and forth rhythmically, and the grass, freshly watered, still smelled like a new morning’s dew. She watched the witches and wizards stroll down the pathways. A short man with a top hat chased after a yappy dog while a large wizard peered down at his comically small pocket watch, and on a bench across the street from where she stood, two witches took turns sharing an ice cream cone.

Lily’s heart skipped a beat as her eyes locked onto the women sitting together on the bench. They looked to be in their late twenties or possibly early thirties. Both wore fashionable cloaks with trendy hairstyles and one of the women was reading a well-loved book in between licks of chocolate ice cream, her feet propped up on the bench, and her shoulder leaning against the other woman. A warmth flooded Lily’s chest as her heartrate quickened watching the pair, shocked by how lovely she found the simple scene.

Lily watched as the reading witch, not taking her eyes from her book, angled her head to ask for another bite of ice cream, but instead of bringing the cone to her lips as she had done before, the other woman surprised her with a quick kiss. The overwhelming flood of emotions burst from Lily’s chest in a gasp.

She wanted what she saw before her. She wanted the lazy afternoon sitting on a bench, curled up with a book and an ice cream cone and a girl to lean against.

Her mind raced with thoughts crashing to the ground with such force that their echos reverberated through her entire body, making her knees week and hands tremble. Every blurry idea in her head racked into focus, each half formulated sentence allowed itself to be completed with an exclamation point. Lily stared ahead at the bench where the possibilities of her future blew open like a firework spreading across the night sky.

After what felt like ages of watching the two witches, Lily finally peeled her gaze away and forced herself to make her way back to Hogwarts. Every step felt like walking on clouds as she practically floated up the road towards the castle. That is until she came face to face with another girl wearing a school uniform and a stupidly happy grin on her face.

“Potter?”

“Evans?”

Jamie had appeared in front of her out of thin air.

“What are you doing at Hogsmeade?” asked Lily, praying her shaking voice wasn’t too obvious. She hadn’t been prepared to see Jamie while her emotions were this heightened. The pounding of her heart beat into her eardrums and threatened to leap out her throat. Jamie wore her usual crooked smile, so effortless on her soft features, mirrored perfectly in those mischievous hazel eyes.

“I could ask you the same question,” said Jamie, cocking an eyebrow. That feeling of anger Lily associated with Potter and her teasing bubbled up to the surface. But it wasn’t anger she felt. It was fear. A deep fear of how Jamie’s playful jokes made her stomach flutter and her cheeks blush. And now that Lily’s image of herself grew clearer in her mind’s eye with every passing moment, she no longer had the capacity to bottle up and explain away the fear she felt when looking at Jamie Potter, who had always made her feel this way.

Feeling so desperately alive, she had to do something.

“I’m running an errand for Professor Slughorn,” she said calmly, “but I can assume you don’t have an excuse to be outside the castle.”

“Ah, you caught me, Evans,” said Jamie with a chuckle. “Look, I was just popping down to Honeydukes to pick Remus up his favorite chocolate bars. I could’ve taken the tunnel- and I probably should’ve considering our little run-in here- but it’s such a lovely day that I said screw it and walked the path instead.” She shrugged her shoulders, not looking too disappointed about being discovered.

Lily narrowed her eyes and put all of her efforts into provoking Jamie. “Well, maybe I should just say screw it and give you a month's worth of detentions, Potter.”

It worked. Jamie’s eyes widened like saucers and her smirk grew into a proper grin. “Oh, Evans, stop that, you’re making me blush! Merlin, what I would do if you ever switched your fancies.”

Jamie had walked right into her trap. With a deep breath and a pointed stare, trying to convey every feeling exploding through her body, Lily responded, “What would you do?”

Jamie froze, clearly never expecting a reply to the scenario she so often suggested.

Lily ignored the flush spreading across her face and continued. “What would you do if I told you I fancied girls. If I fancied you. ” Her heart thudded so painfully against her chest, she thought she might be sick.

Jamie stood slackjawed, not breaking eye contact, like a deer in headlights. The girl who always had a quick comeback or a smart retort for every situation had been rendered speechless. The painful reality that Jamie’s previous words had no intent of action behind them crashed over Lily like a wave breaking in the middle of an ocean storm. And now the drops of saltwater spilled over, stinging the corners of her eyes.

“Enjoy your time in the village, Potter,” she said softly as she turned away from Jaimie, escaping the nightmare as quickly as possible.

The ground, which had felt weightless only a moment ago, became hard and cruel under her feet as she trudged back up the path to the castle. How could she be so stupid? Why did she allow her bursting adrenalin to make her do something so reckless?

“Evans!” Jamie shouted from behind, but Lily wouldn’t turn around, couldn’t let Potter see the tears welling in her eyes. “Lily, wait!”

A hand clutched Lily’s wrist and tugged back hard, spinning her whole body around in a flash. Two gentle palms grasped the side of her head and cupped her cheek while hazel eyes bore into her own. Jamie Potter’s face was inches from her own, dazed and flustered and looking for a clue.

Lily responded instinctually with the only clue Jamie needed. A laughing smile of uncontainable joy.

Jamie crashed forward, meeting Lily’s lips in an exhilarating kiss that set her nerve endings on fire. Soft and firm, the years of pent up emotion spilled between their mouths and hands and bodies as they drew closer to one another. Lily ran her fingers through Jamie’s wonderful hair and bumped her adorable wire-rimmed glasses with her nose. She never could have known how good this would feel.

When they finally came up for air, Jamie’s face glowed with shock and happiness under the sunlight, her cheeks flushed and eyes unbelieving. Lily couldn’t help but pull her into a tight embrace and commit the feeling of her to memory, never wanting to live in the dark ever again.

“Hey, Jamie?” Lily asked into the girl’s shoulder. “Do you want to go get ice cream with me?”

Jamie tightened the hug, nearly suffocating Lily in the best possible way. “Oh, Evans, what I would do to get ice cream with you.”

#fem!jily february #femslash february #jily #jily fic #dylan writes #fem!james potter #wlw #harry potter #fanfic

49 notes · View notes